Lets begin with an analogy: The United States of America is but one home (a pretty well-off home, to be sure) in a larger world neighborhood. Many of the neighbors generally share our values (Europeans and other democratically based countries), and we get along well. We help each other when we have to, but we all also understand the need to take care of our own family first. We have a few disagreements with other families, but generally, we work through the issues. There are a few miscreants in the neighborhood, though, and one of them  Russia  is behaving badly.

The United States is one big, raucous family in this neighborhood, a family whose various branches dont always get along. Partisan issues divide the American family  health care, income disparity, aging infrastructure and how to fund repairs  but they are internal disputes. Like most families, we believe we can, and should, handle these disputes from the inside, and advice from even well-intentioned friends is not usually helpful.

Having an unfriendly neighbor take advantage of family rifts is even worse. This is what happened when Russia worked to undermine the U.S. presidential election last year. Its like Vladimir Putin saw the tensions and divisions in the American family, and decided to try to set fire to the family home in our moment of weakness.

The divided American family has known for a while that the neighborhood thug  Russia, and more specifically, Putin  has been fanning the flames he hopes will eventually consume the United States. The consensus assessment of the U.S. intelligence community that Russia tried to undermine our elections last year using influence operations, and that Russia broke into Democratic National Committee computers to steal data as part of that effort, has been widely accepted by Republicans and Democrats alike (with the apparent exception of the Republican president). The Republicans who control both the House and Senate have agreed on the need to investigate, as have law enforcement and counterintelligence agencies (the FBI) and an independent counsel. The problem of Russia attacking our electoral process is one on which all sides of the American family should agree.

Which is why the recent revelation that Donald Trump Jr., a key player in President Trumps campaign last year, agreed to a meeting with a Russian lawyer who he hoped had derogatory information on Hillary Clinton, is such a shock. The lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskay, offered to provide derogatory information on the Clinton campaign during the meeting with Trump Jr., ostensibly on behalf of the Russian government. Which makes it clear that Russia was hoping to go much further than just propaganda operations to undermine American democracy.

It is also becoming increasingly clear that the Trump family and its advisers were willing to discuss working with the Russians to ensure that they won the election. This is something that should gravely concern all of the political branches of the American family, regardless of whom they supported for president, and regardless of what other partisan issues divide them.

That the Russian attack on American democracy remains such a partisan issue today is itself gravely disturbing. (A NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll, conducted June 21-25, found that 73 percent of Republicans believe Trump did nothing wrong in connection with Russia, compared with only 13 percent of Democrats who say they feel that way.) There is no doubt that the 2016 campaign reached new lows in negative messaging, new nadirs of name-calling and generally bad behavior on all sides. And, of course, Trumps victory was a profoundly dividing event in and of itself (as Hillary Clintons would have been if she had won). But again, those should be internal family matters. Family disagreements can be deep and damaging. An external attack on our body politic, however, should cause us to close ranks, even with family members with whom we have the most serious disagreements. This is the reasonable response to an external threat.

The latest revelations regarding a Russian lawyer offering to pass derogatory information on Clinton take us into uncharted territory. When Trump Jr. agreed to meet with the lawyer in hopes of obtaining information that could help his father win the presidency, the younger Trump betrayed the larger American family and went over to the other side. He agreed to help Putin the arsonist burn down our house. And while it will be tempting for Republicans and others critical of Clinton to engage in knee-jerk support of Trump, it is important to step back and get perspective. The American family cannot allow itself to be taken advantage of by Russia, no matter how strongly you believe in your candidate, your party or your cause. There are reasonable criticisms that can be made about Hillary Clinton  how she handled her emails while secretary of state, questions about speaking fees on Wall Street, specific policy positions she advocated  but none of these faults justify cooperating with Russia to ensure her loss. For that matter, none of Trumps faults would have justified working with Russia to ensure that he lost, either.

Family meetings dont usually resolve internal conflicts immediately, and likewise, neither side of the American political divide is going to have a sudden epiphany here. And so it falls upon the family elders to take the lead and set the example. Americas family elders should be the members of Congress, but to date, no leader or group of leaders has emerged to pull everyone together.

There is a bright side, however; Trump Jr.s brazen willingness to consider cooperation with Russia to the detriment of America is a unique moment. It could be a moment in the divided family history where circumstances allow for the thinnest area of agreement, a tiny but crucial overlap in the Venn diagram of American political interests. In this small window of opportunity, Republicans, Democrats and independents can come together and responsibly call out Russia for the damage it has done. And if it turns out  as it certainly now appears  that an important member of the Trump campaign was open to the idea of accepting assistance from Russia, a foreign power hostile to the United States, then all parts of the political spectrum must join in a rebuke.

Nobody ever said being a member of a family  especially one fraught with the deep disagreements of the American family  would be fun or easy. Families bring obligations. The primary obligation of any member is to protect the family in the face of external attacks, no matter how deep the disagreements and sometimes even dysfunction that occurs within. If we as Americans cannot accept this, then Russias attacks will have been successful. And if Putin learns that it worked once, he will most certainly try again, until his fondest hope  the undermining of American democracy  becomes a reality.
Anna Beanie Little Eric Michelle Nicholas Sisters Anna and Michelle , and their brothers Beanie , Little Eric , and Nicholas , are very affectionate babies who love giving you kisses. We rescued their pregnant mother, a Cocker Spaniel named Mary Poppins from a government-funded shelter. She had reportedly been bred with a Scottish Terrier. We placed Mary Poppins in a loving foster home and she gave birth to these five angels and raised them there. Mary Poppins is going to be adopted by her foster family. Her puppies are now 3 months of age, spayed/neutered, and ready for adoption. Please carefully puppy-proof your home and yard for their safety and protection.
Even as a kid, Stephanie Spangler 12C always wanted things to be fair. When she came to Emory as a Deans Achievement Woodruff Scholar, that sense of justice naturally drove her toward prelaw and an internship in the federal public defenders office. Thats where she had a revelation.

It was while I was sifting through boxes of case files on death row inmates that it hit me: for them, its too late, Spangler says. I want to help people before they land in the criminal justice system. Youve heard of light-bulb moments? My entire perspective shifted when I realized I could make an impact through education.

Changing her major to history and anthropology, Spangler focused on understanding the systemic social problems that create inequity, and through volunteer work in an urban Atlanta preschool, she saw firsthand how those problems damage real lives. Teaching elementary school was not a career Spangler had envisioned for herself, but she began to see the difference she could make  and, she says, the scholarship gave me the courage and financial support to do it.

Now her fourth-graders at Tubman Elementary School in Washington, D.C., most of whom live in poverty and some of whom are new to English, are reading at levels 30 percent higher than the district average. And every Friday, they eagerly wait to hear which student has been named Eagle of the Week  and will get to wear the coveted Emory Eagles jersey.

The children I work with every day are intelligent, curious, and resilient, Spangler says. Its an incredible group of people to help empower.

Scholarship support has been a game changer for thousands of students like Spangler, which is why building that capacity is an ongoing priority for Emory College of Arts and Sciences. The college is celebrating a milestone with the establishment of more than one hundred new or augmented endowed scholarships, thanks to numerous donors and an unprecedented anonymous $50 million matching endowment gift, which provides the seed funding that allows Emory College to maximize the impact of individual donors.
Binod Tiwari, professor of civil and environmental engineering, who co-teaches Engineering Innovation, shares with students engineering concepts used to build a bridge made of dry spaghetti.

High school students from Orange County and area schools will put their engineering knowledge to practice on Friday, July 21, during Engineering Innovations Spaghetti Bridge contest.

This summer, 45 high school students, including international students from Canada, China and Turkey, are enrolled in Engineering Innovation, a program offered through a partnership between Cal State Fullertons College of Engineering and Computer Science and Johns Hopkins University.

The 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. competition in the Titan Student Unions Portola Pavilion completes the four-week program, where student teams spend the last week designing and building a bridge using dry spaghetti and epoxy, then test it to see how much weight it can hold  before breaking. CSUF holds the programs bridge-breaking record, with the winning bridge last year supporting 169 pounds. More than 460 students will compete in Spaghetti Bridge contests at 12 program sites around the country.

Offered on campus since summer 2006, the program gives students the chance to explore engineering concepts and the opportunity to earn Johns Hopkins University credit.

By applying knowledge of math and science to labs and hands-on projects, the concepts learned in high school classrooms are linked to real-world practice, said Binod Tiwari, professor of civil and environmental engineering and 2017 Outstanding Professor. Tiwari teaches the course with Beena Ajmera, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering.

Introducing engineering to high school students will help them understand how worthy it is to pursue an engineering career and, at the same time, how demanding engineering curriculums are so that they can make a wise decision in choosing their college major, Tiwari said. We familiarize students with different engineering disciplines through hands-on laboratory projects so that students use their knowledge of mathematics and science to plan, design, build and test different projects.

Students attend college-level lectures, solve problems, test theories and, ultimately, learn to think like engineers. They complete lab activities in computer engineering, chemical engineering, electrical engineering, material science, civil engineering, robotics and mechanical engineering. Students also prepare a presentation in response to a request for proposal, learn about engineering economics, write a research paper, take weekly quizzes and complete a comprehensive final exam.

Media Contacts:

Binod Tiwari, Civil and Environmental Engineering, 657-278-3968

Debra Cano Ramos
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-15 22:07:42|Editor: Zhou Xin

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MOGADISHU, July 15 (Xinhua) -- The UN top envoy in Somalia said Saturday that unemployment among the youth was alarming and urged the authorities to provide vocational training and technical skills to young people in the Horn of Africa nation.

The UN Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General (SRSG) for Somalia, Michael Keating said that investing in youth skills is an investment in the present and future of Somalia.

"Unemployment among Somali youth is alarmingly high. Low education levels and limited access to technical skills and vocational training opportunities are a real problem with seriously negative implications," Keating said in a statement issued in Mogadishu to mark the World Youth Skills Day.

According to latest estimates by the International Labour Organization (ILO), Somalia registers one of the highest unemployment rates in the world, with only 33 per cent of its youth employed.

Keating said one of the main reasons for youth unemployment is the mismatch between the skills that the youth can offer and those in demand by employers.

"This mismatch not only impacts the economy, but also hampers the transition to a more equitable, peaceful, prosperous and inclusive Somalia," the UN envoy said.

He said resources are very limited so the challenge is enormous, warning that failure to address it marginalizes young people, which make them more vulnerable to exploitation and radicalization.

With improved education, Keating said, relevant skills and competencies, and access to decent jobs, young people can help accelerate progress on the 2030 Agenda, fostering a prosperous, sustainable and equitable environment for all.

The UN is currently investing 17.5 million U.S. dollars on programs that provide vocational and technical training to Somali youth, equipping them with the skills needed in sectors such as health, construction, mechanical engineering, agriculture and fisheries as well as entrepreneurship.

"These programs are a great investment and extremely valuable, but cannot alone meet the huge demand in Somalia," Keating said and urged Somalia and its partners to invest more in technical and vocational training of young people.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 01:31:46|Editor: yan

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CAIRO, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi on Sunday discussed over the phone with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron ways to enhance bilateral ties and resolve Libya's crisis.

The two leaders expressed the willingness to promote the bilateral ties at all levels and enhance partnership between the two nations, the state-run news agency MENA reported.

Macron stressed the importance of continuing coordination between the two countries on a number of regional and international issues of common interest, the report said.

For his part, Sisi hailed the depth of the Egyptian-French relations, noting that the existing crises in the Middle East request more international efforts to reach a political settlement to restore stability, resume construction and achieve development in the region.

They also discussed the latest developments of some regional issues topped by the situation in Libya, MENA said.

They agreed to boost efforts to reach a political solution to the Libyan crisis so as to restore stability in the Arab country, maintain its territorial integrity and redouble efforts to fight terrorism in the region, the report added.
RAMALLAH, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Israel must commit to the two-state solution in order to resume the stalled Palestinian-Israeli peace process, Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki told Xinhua in an exclusive interview on Sunday.

Malki also reaffirmed the Palestinian position that the only and main track to reach a peace agreement is through political negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis.

"We consider that the political negotiations is the main road to reach peace, and we are ready to engage at the same time if Israel declares its commitment to the two-state solution as the main and only solution to the political process," Malki said.

Malki mentioned that the U.S. administration under President Donald Trump announced from the first day in office that it is ready to create a conducive atmosphere for the resumption of the Palestinian-Israeli negotiations.

"We are ready to cooperate with the U.S. administration within available possibilities; there were meetings between President Trump and President (Mahmoud) Abbas, and there were American delegations coming to Palestine and Palestinian delegations in Washington," he said.

Those meetings were aimed at allowing the U.S. administration "to form a clear and comprehensive vision" on how to resume the peace talks.

Malki said the Palestinian leadership has told the U.S. that it has no pre-conditions for returning to negotiations, except for the Israeli government to announce its commitment to the two-state solution.

The Palestinian-Israeli peace process was halted at the end of March 2014 after nine months of U.S.-sponsored talks without achieving any progress to resolve the decades-old conflict.

Regarding the agreement on water and energy that was signed recently between the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) and Israel, Malki affirmed that it is not related to the peace process at all.

He said the preparation for the agreement has been in the works since a long time and was hindered by Israel. The U.S. pressured Israel to speed up the process.

Any agreement related to the daily life of Palestinians "does not represent any progress in the political process at all, such that the Israeli position is still stubborn, including its position towards settlement activity," Malki said.

The top Palestinian diplomat blamed Israel for hindering the U.S. efforts to resume the peace process by going ahead with settlement activities.

He also said that the Palestinian side refuses to bind the economic track to the peace process.

"Return to negotiations is an international demand that Israel must commit to, it must declare its commitment to the two-state solution and end settlement activity in order to return to negotiations, whereas other issues concerning the economic situation are an obligation that Israel must fulfill," Malki said.

He said that Israel, as an occupation power, has to meet its obligations of improving the economic conditions in the occupied Palestinian territories according to international law.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 03:02:08|Editor: yan

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CAIRO, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi received on Sunday a phone call from his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron where they discussed regional issues including joint efforts to reach a settlement in conflict-torn Libya.

"The two presidents agreed on the importance of pushing current efforts to reach a political settlement to restore stability in Libya," said Egyptian presidential spokesman Alaa Youssef.

President Sisi hailed the strength of Egyptian-French ties, stressing that further international efforts are required to end crises in the Middle East region.

The French leader underlined the necessity to intensify consultation and coordination between the two countries over a number of regional issues of mutual concerns, including the situation in Libya.

For both Egypt and France, Libya is a terror exporter due to current chaotic conditions in the strife-stricken country that provides a suitable den for militants of various terrorist groups including the regional Islamic State (IS).

On Saturday, the Egyptian air forces destroyed 15 vehicles loaded with weapons and ammunition before infiltrating into Egypt through its western borders with eastern Libya, raising the number of such destroyed vehicles since May to 42.

Egypt was hit in July 2014 by a terror attack in the Western Desert that killed at least 21 soldiers. Later in February 2015, IS militants released a video showing the beheading of 20 Egyptians near the Libyan chaotic city of Sirte.

As for France, the year 2015 started and ended with two major deadly attacks in Paris. One was in January on an office of satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo, in which 12 were killed, while the other occurred in November, which was a series of coordinated assaults, killing 130 and injuring hundreds of others.

In July 2016, a terrorist attack in Nice killed 84 and wounded 100 others as a lorry deliberately drove into a crowd celebrating Bastille Day.

Six years after the 2011 uprising ended the 42-year rule of Muammar Gaddafi as well as his life, Libya is currently engaged in a civil war and run by two rival administrations, one in Tobruk and another in Tripoli.

Tobruk's parliament-backed government was internationally recognized before the Libyan Presidential Council was established in 2015 to run a unity government in Tripoli as per a UN-brokered peace deal between Libyan factions reached in Skhirat, Morocco.

Sisi's leadership supports the self-proclaimed Libyan national army led by strongman Marshall Khalifa Haftar and supported by the government in Tobruk.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 03:07:10|Editor: yan

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DURBAN, South Africa, July 16 (Xinhua) -- The South African Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said Sunday they will spend about 7.5 million U.S. dollars by March 2018 to support emerging black filmmakers in the country.

At the Emerging Black Filmmakers Workshop during the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF), Director of Film Production at the DTI, Nelly Molokoane said the South Africa Emerging Black Filmmakers Incentive started in 2014 and has so far benefited 40 filmmakers.

"We are planning to host intense workshops in various provinces to assist filmmakers in accessing this support," said Molokoane.

Some producers have been struggling to access funding and the workshop was an information session. The Emerging Black Filmmakers Workshop was targeted at emerging film producers who want to access the incentives scheme and inform them on how to do it.

The workshop was hosted to assist those that needed training on the incentive scheme and guidelines, said Molokoane.

Rehad Desai, Director of the Marikana documentary, Miners Shot Down and a beneficiary of the incentive, said the funding will enable South African producers to compete on the continent and in the world in terms of quality production.

"We are seeing far more films being produced since the launch of the scheme and this means funding of projects happens in a lot short space of time and one can go into production quicker. This also means our production companies are becoming sustainable but the incentive can be made more accessible as some of the costs are regarded as non-qualifying and this affects the production qualification," he added.

DIFF is an annual event which is the oldest and largest film festivals in Southern Africa. The film festival started on July 13 and will end on July 23, 2017.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 03:37:48|Editor: Yurou Liang

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SAN FRANCISCO, July 16 (Xinhua) -- A new study joined by researchers at Stanford University tries to present a general theoretical framework for modeling subsistence and health of the rural poor by analyzing ecological, economic and epidemiological factors.

It combines economic, ecological and epidemiological models in search of a solution for rural poverty.

Of the 1 billion people living below the international poverty line, most live in rural communities where the natural resources around them present a double-edged sword. Ecological systems provide subsistence, but also spread high rates of infectious diseases through pathogens carried by agricultural pests, rodents, parasites and other vectors.

"The livelihoods of the rural poor are literally consumed by other organisms in complex ecological systems," explained Matthew Bonds, a visiting assistant professor of medicine at Stanford and co-author of the study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution. "The environment's influence on poor rural economies makes them fundamentally different from the economies of more developed countries."

The picture is further complicated by the need to balance nutrition and health care with investments in land, livestock and crops. This web of interactions leads to grim statistics: More than 75 percent of rural poor people in Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia die from infectious diseases. It also leads to a poverty trap, namely the inability to earn enough to save and invest in future earnings. If a farmer or their livestock become unhealthy, income suffers.

"These natural enemies compete with the rural poor for resources," co-author Giulio De Leo, a professor of biology at Stanford's Hopkins Marine Station, was quoted as saying in a news release from the university in Northern California. "They consume biological capital in the form of human health or crops, livestock, forests, wildlife, soils and fisheries, thus eroding people's livelihood and well-being."

The researchers worked with the Program for Disease Ecology, Health and the Environment, a joint initiative of the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment and the Center for Innovation in Global Health at Stanford School of Medicine, on the new study.

The study's models show that disease transmission and recovery rates are the most consistently important determinants of long-term health and wealth dynamics. The framework also highlights feedbacks, processes and parameters that are important to measure in future studies of rural poverty. They could help identify effective pathways to sustainable development and better predict countries' resilience to economic, health and environmental shocks.

According to the authors, a major, one-time wave of support, such as an injection of capital or agricultural supplies, might be enough to disrupt the vicious cycle of feedback between poverty and disease and set a country on a path of healthy development. However, this widely adopted development approach would only provide temporary relief in some circumstances. In those cases, only permanent and sustained system changes can create lasting economic development and public health improvement.

Rwanda, in landlocked Africa, is labeled as a shining example by the authors. By providing broad and robust access to health care for the poor through social insurance systems, being followed by dramatic economic growth, the "land of a thousand hills" now has one of the continent's strongest economies and healthiest populations.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 04:48:51|Editor: yan

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CAIRO, July 16 (Xinhua) -- The Egyptian security forces killed on Sunday nine militants in restive central Sinai and destroyed a number of ammunition storehouses belonging to them.

"The forces managed to destroy a vehicle loaded with large amounts of explosives and kill six armed extremists at a mountainous area in central Sinai," military spokesman Tamer al-Refaay said in a statement on Sunday.

The spokesman added that the raid came after the forces discovered their terrorist cell and their plot to carry out an anti-government operation.

Earlier on Sunday, also in central Sinai, the forces killed three militants and arrested another, in addition to destroying a vehicle and five depots containing ammunition and explosives.

On the other side of the country, at the western borders with eastern Libya, the Egyptian air forces destroyed on Sunday 15 vehicles loaded with weapons, ammunition and explosives before infiltrating into Egypt, raising the number of such destroyed vehicles since May to 42.

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi said in May that his forces similarly destroyed 300 vehicles coming from Libya over the previous three months, noting that about 1,000 of such cars crossed the borders to Egypt.

In a phone call on Sunday, President Sisi and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron discussed several regional issues including joint efforts to reach a settlement in conflict-torn Libya.

For both Egypt and France, Libya is a terror exporter due to current chaotic conditions in the strife-stricken country that provides a suitable den for militants of various terrorist groups including the regional Islamic State (IS).

Egypt has been facing growing terrorism since the military ousted former Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in July 2013 in response to mass protests against his one-year rule and his currently-outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group.

Hundreds of policemen and soldiers were killed in terror attacks mostly claimed by a Sinai-based terrorist group loyal to the IS militia.

The attacks focused on security men in Sinai at first, then they gradually prevailed nationwide and later started to target the country's Coptic minority to further pressure the government.

Last week, on July 7, a car-bomb terrorist attack on a checkpoint in North Sinai's Rafah city killed and wounded 26 soldiers, while the security forces killed at least 40 of the terrorists. Later on Friday, gunmen shot dead five security men at a checkpoint in Giza killed.

Meanwhile, security campaigns killed hundreds of militants and arrested a similar number of suspects over the past few years as part of the country's anti-terror war declared by Sisi, the army chief then, following Morsi's ouster.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 04:53:53|Editor: yan

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TUNIS, July 16 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. reduction of security aid to Tunisia is contradicting to its anti-terrorism policy, experts viewed, as the Head of the Tunisian National Unity Government Youssef Chahed has visited the United States to intervene in the issue.

"This visit comes at a crucial moment for Tunisia, which is experiencing a complex economic and security situation," said Nizar Makni, a Tunisian foreign policy expert.

Chahed was in the United States on an official visit from July 9 to 12.

The proposal by Donald Trump administration under the new U.S. budget is reported to reduce military and financial aids to Tunisia by 61.1 percent, with 54.6 million dollars slated for the year 2018.

The reduction might send a wrong message to terrorist organizations, as Tunisia is strongly engaged in the cooperation with the United States in uprooting in the country corruption and smuggling, which are the main sources of terrorist financing, said Chahed.

Makni believes that Chahed is looking for "a certain continuity of American support for Tunisia, especially since the United States remains one of the main guarantors of the Tunisian economic credibility with the international financial institutions and the world's aid donors."

Chahed met with U.S. Vice-President Mike Pence, Secretary of State for Defense James Mattis and Jared Kushner, son-in-law and advisor to Trump, expressing his country's will in eradicating extremism.

Makni thinks that the White House new administration's treatment of the various external files "has changed remarkably."

However, he also considers that the United States won't "let go" Tunisia.

"The satisfactory cooperation with Tunisia offers the United States a good vision of what happens in neighboring Libya, and allows it to monitor all movements on the sub-Saharan side," he added.

The United States, he said, will spare no effort to get involved in Africa, mainly by strengthening their presence in the North African region, which will enable them not only to monitor the Europe, given the decline of France, but also to conquer new important strategic zones.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 05:08:56|Editor: yan

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JERUSALEM, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Israel passed a security bill Sunday to consolidate its control over the entire Jerusalem, making it more difficult for any Israeli leader to hand over Palestinians parts of Jerusalem during future peace negotiations.

The bill, proposed by the far-right Jewish Home leader Shuli Moalem-Refaeli, states that giving up Israeli sovereignty over any part of Jerusalem would require approval by 80 members of Knesset, which is three-fourths of the members of the Israeli parliament.

The ministerial committee for legislation has approved the bill.

Israel seized East Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East War, along with the rest of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

It later annexed East Jerusalem and declared it as part of its "eternal and indivisible capital," a move that has never been recognized by the international community.

The sovereignty over Jerusalem is one of the key issues obstructing the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 06:54:23|Editor: An

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U.S. President Donald Trump (Xinhua file photo/Mike Theiler)

WASHINGTON, July 16 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump denounced a new poll Sunday that indicates he has a lower approval rating than any of his predecessors at the six-month mark in 70 years.

The ABC News/Washington Post poll, released earlier Sunday, showed only 36 percent of Americans approve Trump's performance in office, marking a six-point drop from 42 percent in April, while his disapproval rating has risen five points since then to 58 percent.

"The ABC/Washington Post Poll, even though almost 40 percent is not bad at his time, was just about the most inaccurate poll around election time!" Trump tweeted to defend himself.

The poll said Trump's job approval is the lowest rating of any of his predecessors after their first six months into U.S. presidency.

Besides, it also showed that 48 percent of the respondents see the U.S. leadership in the world as weaker since Trump's inauguration, with only 27 percent believing it to be stronger. Two thirds said they do not trust Trump to negotiate with other world leaders on the U.S. behalf.

Just 38 percent of those polled said they think Trump is making significant progress toward his goals, while 55 percent think otherwise.

The poll results also came in light of a stalled Republican agenda and unfolding stories about alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

Half of those surveyed said they prefer the existing health care system, with only 24 percent favoring a Republican-led legislation, a controversial reform that has been put on hold in Senate due to opposition from within.

The U.S. intelligence community alleged that Russia meddled in the U.S. presidential race last year and connections existed between the Russian government and the Trump campaign, which the Kremlin has denied.

The ABC-Post poll finds about 60 percent of Americans said they believe Russia tried to meddle in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, while about 44 percent think Trump benefited from those attempts.

Besides, roughly 4 in 10 Americans said they see Trump's campaign team intentionally helped Russian efforts to influence the election.

When asked about a 2016 meeting Donald Trump Jr., the eldest son of Trump, had with a Russian lawyer in a hope to get hands on materials allegedly helpful for his father's campaign, 63 percent considered the meeting as inappropriate.

The poll was conducted between from July 10 to July 13 among a random sample of over 1,000 adults being surveyed over the phone, with a margin error of 3.5 points.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 06:59:21|Editor: Yamei

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CARACAS, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro reiterated his call for political dialogue with the opposition Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD) on Sunday.

This came on the day his government held a practice vote ahead of the July 30 election for the National Constituent Assembly (ANC) while the MUD held an unofficial referendum to allow the Venezuelan people to express their support or rejection for the ANC.

"They (MUD) have a quiet consultation today (...) I tell them not to go crazy, we make a call for them to return to peace, to sit down and talk, to begin a new cycle of dialogue for peace," said Maduro during a telephone interview with the state-owned Venezolana de Television.

He called on the opposition to recover "a democratic character" and "isolate" the sectors that Maduro blames for violent protests.

"We must be aware of the differences we have in the country, we must resolve them with peace, with votes and not bullets, with tolerance, with democracy," continued Maduro.

Maduro dismissed the referendum by the MUD as having seen little participation but claimed the simulation of the ANC vote as having seen "very big" participation, larger than any election for 18 years.

His call for peace may have been affected by the death of a woman, Xiomara Scott, 61, at a voting center for the MUD referendum.

Late Sunday, the prosecutor-general issued a statement stating that a shooting at the town of Catia, west of Caracas, had killed Scott and three others outside a voting center.

However, MUD representatives quickly attributed the attack on "armed groups" linked to the government.

The vice-president of the National Assembly, MUD member Freddy Guevara, sent a letter to Maduro and Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez, in which he claimed the army was responsible.

Scott's death brings the total number of people killed since anti-government protests broke out in early April to 95.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 07:29:48|Editor: Liangyu

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Liu Yunshan, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, talks with a student in Constanta of Romania, July 15, 2017. Liu paid an official good-will visit to Romania from July 12 to 15. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 07:34:32|Editor: An

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A person casts his vote during the simulation of the July 30 election for the National Constituent Assembly (ANC) in Caracas, Venezuela, on July 16, 2017. Venezuela saw its feuding political factions both prepare polls on Sunday, with the government holding a simulation of the July 30 vote to elect the ANC while the opposition was organizing an unofficial referendum of its own to gauge public support or rejection for the ANC. (Xinhua/Boris Vergara)

CARACAS, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Venezuela saw its feuding political factions both prepare polls on Sunday, with the government holding a simulation of the July 30 vote to elect the National Constituent Assembly (ANC) while the opposition was organizing an unofficial referendum of its own to gauge public support or rejection for the ANC.

According to a report by the National Electoral Council (CNE) on Sunday, the simulation was seeing "high participation", with CNE executive Sandra Oblitas saying that the event was taking place normally in Caracas.

"This is an opportunity to become familiarized with the particularities of the...vote for the ANC, where we are seeing very high participation and no irregularities," she indicated to the press.

Another CNE official, Socorro Hernandez, mentioned that the voting action is very quick and that international observers would be welcomed to supervise the July 30 ballot.

Representatives from the Union of South American Nations (Unasur) are expected to be on hand.

The simulation on Sunday was supervised by the Venezuelan military, who are in charge of ensuring there are no acts of violence at all elections.

However, this vote comes at a time of high tension in Venezuela, with anti-government protests by the opposition, Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD), having led to at least 94 dead since early April.

The MUD sees the ANC, which will rewrite the Constitution, as a power grab by President Nicolas Maduro.

It is holding an unofficial referendum on Sunday to give the Venezuelan people a chance to be heard about the ANC, since Maduro called it without any warning.

According to the MUD, people can turn out at over 2,000 voting stations, without the supervision of the CNE, which dismissed the referendum as illegal.

Carlos Ocariz, mayor of the town of Sucre, wrote on Twitter that Venezuelan communities abroad, in countries such as Australia and Spain, were also taking part.

The referendum asks three questions of the Venezuelan people, whether they support or not Maduro's call for the ANC, whether they support the Constitution of 1999, which Maduro is seeking to change, and whether officials in public office should be replaced.

The organizers that 47,272 voting officials and over 80,000 volunteers have been deployed to ensure the results are confirmed rapidly, while the participation rolls will be destroyed in order to avoid manipulations.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 09:20:34|Editor: An

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KATHMANDU, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Although international travels look unthinkable without online ticketing service nowadays, Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC), the national flag carrier of Nepal, launched online ticketing on Sunday.

The NAC offered the online ticketing system for international flights only for the time being.

"Those willing to the travel on NAC planes can book tickets by using their foreign exchange-based international travel cards from anywhere in the world," the NAC said in a statement.

However, the state-owned airline said it was working on adjusting the system in domestic currency also.

Spokesperson of the NAC Rabindra Shrestha told Xinhua that the online booking system would help reduce the cost of tickets for travelers as the commission to be paid to the third parties for ticketing service will be reduced. Currently, the airline has been outsourcing the ticketing jobs to travel agencies.

"It will be beneficial for foreign tourists visiting Nepal," he said.

The NAC has been conducting international flights from Kathmandu to New Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai, Doha, China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 10:27:04|Editor: An

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SEOUL, July 17 (Xinhua) -- South Korea on Monday proposed talks with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) over military and Red Cross affairs.

Vice Defense Minister Suh Choo-suk told reporters at the defense ministry that South Korea offered talks of military authorities with the DPRK to stop all hostile acts escalating military tensions near the military demarcation line.

Suh suggested the dialogue be held on July 21 in Tongilgak, a building in the DPRK side of the truce village of Panmunjom.

Separately, the South Korean Red Cross suggested to its DPRK counterpart holding dialogue about the reunion of families, who have been separated after the 1950-1953 Korean War for decades along the inter-Korean border.

Seoul offered the talks on humanitarian issues to be held on Aug. 1 in the Peace House, a building in the South Korean side of Panmunjom.

The overtures came after South Korean President Moon Moon Jae-in, who took office on May 10, proposed a peace initiative on the Korean Peninsula in Germany earlier this month.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 10:42:32|Editor: An

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YANGON, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Foreign investment in Myanmar's Thilawa Special Economic Zone (SEZ) on the outskirts of Yangon is estimated to have hit 1.7 billion U.S. dollars so far since the zone was launched four years ago, official media reported Monday.

Sectorally, the foreign investment in the SEZ was led by manufacturing sector with 773 million dollars, followed by import-export sector with 126 million dollars, logistics sector with 77 million dollars, service sector with 56 million dollars, the real estate sector with 30 million dollars and and hotel sector with 12 million dollars.

Of the Thilawa SEZ's total area of 2,400 hectares, 400 hectares, which represents Zone A, has been put into operation in September 2015.

Zone B with 101 hectares is set to be leased this year and is scheduled for completion next year.

According to the report, Myanmar sees a total of 150 foreign companies from over 17 countries invest in the zone and 40,000 job opportunities will be created.

Thilawa SEZ represents the first of its kind being developed in Myanmar with the other two - Dawei and Kyaukphyu SEZs being in progress.

Myanmar and Japan signed an agreement on Oct. 29, 2013 to introduce the Thilawa SEZ and is operated by Myanmar-Japan Thilawa Development Company, a joint venture between Myanmar and Japan formed by two Myanmar companies and two Japanese companies sharing a ratio of 51 to 49.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 10:57:37|Editor: Yamei

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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)

by Edgardo Loguercio

BRASILIA, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's political crisis saw fresh developments this week after a congressional commission rejected the corruption charges against President Michel Temer, while former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was sentenced to nearly 10 years in prison for corruption.

Far from stabilizing matters, the developments are only increasing the uncertainty. Temer survived the vote in the Chamber of Deputies' Commission on Constitution, Justice and Citizenship (CCJ) because his allies swapped 13 members of the CCJ at the last minute.

This marked the first time a sitting president has received criminal charges. The case against Temer began in May when Joesley Batista, owner of the meatpacking group JBS, confessed to investigators that he had paid bribes to the president. He also turned over an audio recording, in which Temer can seemingly be heard signing off on bribing public officials.

The CCJ vote is a plus for Temer, but it is only a non-binding recommendation for the Chamber, which is set to vote on the charges after its current two-week recess.

According to Ricardo Caldas, a professor of political science at the University of Brasilia, the government obtained some breathing space through this victory, especially after the Senate approved Temer's landmark labor reform.

"Temer's victories with the approval of the labor reform and in the CCJ were positive. He reinforced his image somewhat, he won some time. His margin of operation increased. His exit is not a done deal," Caldas told Xinhua.

"At some point, Temer will face trouble to continue. I feel the president will not make it to the end of the government, but there is no doubt that he increased his chances of political survival this week," he added.

The ongoing political crisis was complicated by a lack of positive signs in the economy.

On Friday, the Central Bank announced that economic activity had contracted by 0.51 percent in April. This somber situation shows that the 1 percent growth seen in the first quarter, after two years of recession, has not continued.

Such permanent stagnation is favoring the opponents of the government. Yet Lula, who has been regarded as the presumptive favorite for the 2018 elections, is now facing being barred from holding public office.

Federal Judge Sergio Moro found Lula guilty on charges of receiving bribes from the construction company OAS S.A., although the former president has firmly denied the accusation.

The verdict will only apply if Lula loses his appeal and he has combatively vowed to run for president next year.

"The condemnation of President Lula was expected. Uncertainty remains over whether he will be a candidate or not, but ... I do not think he will," Caldas said.

Lula's appeal could last from six to 18 months, meaning that, if it is drawn out, he might still have a chance.

Brazilian political forces on all sides are taking advantage of the current recess to debate potential strategies.

For Temer and the government, the main risk comes from the Chamber of Deputies. If the Chamber sees a two-thirds majority, or 342 votes, in favor of the charges, the case will return to the Supreme Court, which will decide on whether or not to put Temer on trial.

If so, the president will step down for up to 18 months while an impeachment process begins. Chamber of Deputies Speaker Rodrigo Maia would assume the presidency in an interim capacity.

Both sides have agreed to hold a full Chamber vote on Aug. 2, but a debate may push this back.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 11:02:39|Editor: An

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OTTAWA, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Forest fires caused by strong winds have been sweeping over British Columbia Province in western Canada for more than a week, forcing thousands of people to evacuate.

The Canadian government has declared a state of emergency to address the severity of the situation on July 7.

Currently 3,000 firefighters, including 415 sent in from surrounding provinces, and 203 aircraft are involved in battling the fires, while this operation has cost Canadian authorities more than 80 million U.S. dollars, said Canadian Minister of Forests John Rustad, CBC broadcaster reported.

Rapidly spreading wildfires have not only driven thousands more out of their homes, but also disrupted the timber and mining industries.

"Employees who have been able to report for work have been reassigned to maintain mill operations at the expense of mining operations, which have significantly reduced," Imperial Metals Corp. said. "Should critical supplies such as fuel not be available due to road closures, the mine may be forced to suspend operations."

The massive wildfires also compressed the supply of wood products and raised prices when they disrupted some forestry companies' timber operations, analysts said.

A total of 178 wildfires were reported to be actively blazing in British Columbia, the Canadian Wildland Fire Information System said Sunday.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 11:12:48|Editor: An

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SEOUL, July 17 (Xinhua) -- South Korea on Monday offered military and Red Cross talks with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to ease military tensions along the inter-Korean border and resume humanitarian exchange between peoples of the two sides.

Vice Defense Minister Suh Choo-suk said in a statement at the defense ministry that South Korea proposed to the DPRK for holding talks of the military authorities on Friday at Tongilgak, a building in the DPRK side of the truce village of Panmunjom.

The dialogue was aimed at stopping all hostile acts that escalate military tensions near the military demarcation line (MDL) dividing the two Koreas, the vice minister said.

Suh called on Pyongyang to restore the military communications line in the western region to send a reply to South Korea's dialogue overture, expressing anticipation of the DPRK's positive response.

The dialogue overture was a follow-up measure to South Korean President Moon Jae-in's peace initiative, declared in Berlin on July 6, to stop all hostile acts along the inter-Korean border on the date of July 27 that marks the 64th anniversary of the ceasefire agreement ending the 1950-1953 Korean War.

In his Berlin speech, Moon also proposed holding Red Cross talks with the DPRK for the reunion of separate families of the two Koreas on Oct. 4 that marks the 10th anniversary of the Oct. 4 joint declaration and also the traditional Chuseok holiday.

The Oct. 4 declaration was the outcome of the inter-Korean summit that was held in Pyongyang in 2007 between late South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun and late DPRK leader Kim Jong Il, father of the current leader Kim Jong Un.

As another follow-up measure to Moon's initiative, the South Korean Red Cross proposed to its DPRK counterpart holding humanitarian talks on Aug. 1 at the Peace House, a building in the South Korean side of Panmunjom.

The dialogue was designed to hold a reunion event of families, who have been separated since the 1950-1953 Korean War ended in armistice, on the occasion of the Chuseok holiday in early October.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 12:23:11|Editor: huaxia

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BRUSSELS, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Britain and the European Union (EU) launched a new round of Brexit negotiations on Monday as Brexit Secretary David Davis meets with EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier for four days of talks to settle "divorce" terms.

About a month after their first meeting, the two intend to push forward with a detailed plan that could minimize economic and social damage to both Britain and the EU after Brexit.

"We made a good start last month, and this week we'll be getting into the real substance," Davis was quoted by Reuters as saying ahead of the meeting.

Negotiators will focus on key issues concerning Britain's withdrawal, including citizens' rights, Britain's exit bill and the border in Northern Ireland. The EU had demanded that Britain pay some 60 billion euros (70 billion U.S. dollars) as exit fee.

Negotiation on the exit bill might be especially tough, following British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson's remark last week that the EU could "go whistle" over its "extortionate" bill demand.

The British side had urged over the past months an immediate start of trade talks, but Barnier had insisted that key issues of Brexit must be dealt with before trade talks begin.

On Thursday, the British government introduced a draft law that would formally end Britain's membership in the European Union, as preparation for eventually breaking away from the EU and gaining back legislation power of parliaments.

On Saturday, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair said, however, that EU leaders would be willing to change their rules on immigration and free movement to enable Britain to stay in the 28-nation trading and economic bloc.

In March, Prime Minister Theresa May had set a two-year timetable for leaving the EU, and has said the process can't be reversed. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 12:48:25|Editor: Yamei

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AMSTERDAM, July 17 (Xinhua) -- A Dutch national monument commemorating victims who died three years ago in the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 is set for a formal opening here on Monday.

The National Monument MH17 is situated in the park of Vijfhuizen near Amsterdam's Schiphol airport, from where flight MH17 took off en route to Kuala Lumpur on July 17, 2014.

A total of 298 trees have been planted in the shape of a green ribbon, with each of the trees bearing names of the victims who died on board the flight.

Families of the victims will gather on Monday to unveil the memorial and remember their loved ones, according to media reports.

Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima will join government and international officials at a solemn ceremony to dedicate the memorial, said the AFP.

The names of all the 298 passengers and crew killed in the disaster will be read out by their families, and local children will lay flowers, the AFP added.

While most of the victims were Dutch, passengers on the plane also included Australians, Britons, Malaysians and Indonesians, among others.

"Whoever did it should be brought to justice. That's the only story I can share with anyone," Evert van Zijtveld, a bereaved Dutch father who lost his two teenage children in the tragedy, told local media on Thursday ahead of the third anniversary of the disaster.

In March, relatives of the victims planted the trees which symbolize "hope" and "future" in many cultures, according to the monument's official website.

"We not only want to honor the MH17 victims, but also want to create a place where everyone can keep their memories of the 298 passengers alive. Every victim's life will live on metaphorically through these memorial trees," said the website.

The ribbon will be surrounded by a ring of sunflowers, which blossom during the month of July. The sunflowers also refer to the sunflower fields in eastern Ukraine where some parts of the plane wreckage were found, the website added.

Though no suspects have been arrested, some progress is being made in the investigation.

In September 2016, a report published by the Dutch-led Joint Investigation Team concluded that the plane was shot down by a Russian-made Buk missile fired from a region in eastern Ukraine, controlled by independence-seeking insurgents.

Moscow and the rebel leadership in eastern Ukraine have denied the allegation, saying the plane was shot by a missile from the territory controlled by Ukrainian government troops.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 13:33:35|Editor: Yang Yi

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SHENZHEN, July 17 (Xinhua) -- A knife-wielding man who killed two people Sunday night in a south China Walmart outlet is unemployed and conducted the attack alone, police said.

The 30-year-old suspect, surnamed Jiang, has been detained after attacking people with a kitchen knife in Bao'an District, Shenzhen City, at around 9 p.m., Shenzhen police said. Nine people are receiving treatment after sustaining injuries.

According to Jiang's family, he hails from the southwestern municipality of Chongqing and became a migrant worker in 2014. The family posted a notice inquiring about Jiang's whereabouts in September 2015 after he lost contact with the family.

In the notice, the family claimed Jiang has a mental illness.

According to Shenzhen police, Jiang was clear-minded when he was questioned. A medical evaluation will be conducted to confirm his mental state.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 13:43:41|Editor: Yang Yi

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BEIJING, July 17 (Xinhua) -- China's retail sales of consumer goods grew 10.4 percent year on year in the first half of the year to 17.24 trillion yuan (2.55 trillion U.S. dollars), official data showed Monday.

The pace was slightly faster than the 10 percent for the first quarter, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said.

In June, retail sales expanded by 11 percent year on year, the fastest growth since December 2015.

The NBS attributed the pickup in growth partly to booming online sales, which surged 33.4 percent year on year in the first half, 1.3 percentage points higher than in the first quarter.

Online sales of physical goods rose 28.6 percent to 2.37 trillion yuan, accounting for 13.8 percent in the country's total retail sales, up from a share of 11.6 percent for the first half of 2016.

The larger share proved "new growth sources in the economy are on the rise," said NBS spokesman Xing Zhihong.

Retail sales in rural areas rose 12.3 percent in the first half, outpacing the 10.1 percent expansion for urban areas.

Booming retail sales are behind China's stabilizing economy, which grew 6.9 percent in the first half of this year.

In the first half, the contribution of final consumption to GDP growth stood at 63.4 percent, slightly down from 64.6 percent for 2016.

"Consumption demand is the most important engine of our economic growth, reflecting consumption's fundamental role in economic growth," Xing said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 13:58:45|Editor: Yang Yi

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by Xinhua writers Yuan Quan and Guo Jingdan

BEIJING, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Jiang Tao, 42, thinks that the best way to commemorate China's resistance against Japanese invasion 80 years ago is to recount the war as it happened day by day.

On July 7, 2012, the history lover and Internet entrepreneur opened the Kangzhanzhibo, or "Real-Time War Against Japanese Invasion", on the Weibo social network. Here he documents what was happening each day from July 7, 1937, when Japanese troops attacked the Lugou Bridge, also known as Marco Polo Bridge, on the outskirts of Beijing, triggering China's full-scale resistance against the invasion.

By day Jiang runs his business in Shanghai, but around the clock 1.41 million people follow his storytelling. He posts several times a day on events recorded by Chinese newspapers from 1937 to 1945, as if you were reading reports from that day.

"Let us go back to the days and nights 80 years ago with our predecessors, to share their humiliation, despair, glories and dreams," Jiang wrote on the first day.

Inspired by Twitter account "RealTimeWWII", Jiang documents the war through news, photos and cartoons from online library archives. Two partners who are military enthusiasts post information on weapons used at the time.

The team has news from behind and on all the Chinese lines. They posted Nationalist leader Chiang Kai-shek's speech calling for perseverance in resistance, as well as a Communist general's diary revealing the reasons of a military defeat.

"To better remember history, we younger generations should have a comprehensive understanding of the war," Jiang says.

"We also focus on the ordinary people, who stood up to fight the Japanese invasion."

One report from Nov. 18, 1937, impressed him: an Australian court found in favor of 36 Chinese sailors after a local shipping company sued them because they refused to transport Japanese weapons. Ten days earlier, 158 Chinese sailors working in the Netherlands quit their jobs for the same reason and returned to China to join the war.

Jiang posted such news about overseas sailors with pictures under the headline "Patriotism is Innocent."H "Compared with forces on the front line, overseas Chinese sailors had very little media coverage and public attention, but they made a contribution to support their motherland in wartime at the risk of losing their jobs or even freedom," says Jiang. "They should be remembered."

One poster who had followed the account since 2012 said Jiang had set an example of perseverance, which was also key to the final victory.

His perseverance has paid off. It took him two years to get 300,000 followers, and five years to break 1.41 million. "I started it five years ago to honor people who fought in the war. I did not expect so many supporters and followers."

He is pleased to see some posts have sparked academic debate, but Jiang also humbly corrects errors when they are pointed out.

He also organizes offline events, such as inviting veterans to speak in universities.

He says the posts will continue until Aug. 15, 2020, the "victory day" when the Japanese surrendered in 1945.

"I feel a responsibility to pass on the stories of those who made great contributions in the war."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 14:39:00|Editor: Song Lifang

A rescuer examines a damaged vehicle at a suicide blast site in northwest Pakistan's Peshawar, July 17, 2017. At least two security personnel were killed and five others injured when their vehicle came under a suicide attack in Pakistan's northwest city of Peshawar on Monday morning, police said. (Xinhua/Muhammad Hadi)

ISLAMABAD, July 17 (Xinhua) -- At least two security personnel were killed and five others injured when their vehicle came under a suicide attack in Pakistan's northwest city of Peshawar on Monday morning, police said.

Muhammad Shoaib, assistant superintendent of police, said that the attack took place at about 9:00 a.m. local time when a suicide bomber riding on a motorcycle hit the vehicle of Frontier Constabulary, a paramilitary force in Pakistan, in Hayatabad Town of Peshawar.

An officer and his driver were killed and four security personnel and one passerby were injured in the attack, he said, adding that the security personnel were on the way to their office when their vehicle came under the attack.

Bomb disposal squad officers said that an estimated 7-8 kilograms of explosives along with ball bearings were used in the attack.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet.

The attack occurred a day after Pakistani army launched a new operation coded Khyber-4 against the militants in Rajgal valley of Khyber Agency, a tribal area which borders with Hayatabad Town of Peshawar and Afghanistan.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 14:54:30|Editor: An

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PHNOM PENH, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's Phnom Penh Municipal Court will pronounce its judgment against an Australian nurse and her two accomplices in a commercial surrogacy case on Aug. 3, the court's presiding judge Sor Lina said on Monday.

Lina set the date for the verdict after a second 3-hour hearing.

Tammy Davis-Charles, 49, director of Fertility Solutions PGD clinic, and two Cambodian helpers - a 35-year-old female nurse and a 28-year-old male staff - were arrested in November 2016 in Phnom Penh.

The court's deputy prosecutor Vong Bunvisoth charged them with "acting as intermediaries in surrogacy and engaging in falsifying documents."

Under the charges, the trio will face up to two years in prison if they are convicted.

In Monday's hearing, Tammy pleaded for mercy, saying that she is battling eye cancer and has little kids to take care at home.

"Since I'm in jail, I have lost 20 kilograms of weight and have been suffering from cancer on my left eye," she told the court. "Moreover, I have two five-year-old children to take care of."

During the first hearing on June 13, Tammy, who is also a fertility specialist, said she operated commercial surrogacy services in Cambodia since early 2014, moving from Thailand when the country banned commercial surrogacy.

She confessed to the court that she had arranged for 23 Cambodian women to carry babies for 18 Australian couples and five American couples.

"In average, we charged a foreign couple 50,000 U.S. dollars for surrogacy services," she told the judge, admitting that she paid 10,000 U.S. dollars to Cambodian women to bear pregnancies on their behalf.

According to Tammy, all born babies had been taken out of Cambodia by their biological parents.

During the first hearing, two surrogate mothers told the court that they were hired by Tammy in 2015 to carry pregnancies on behalf of foreign couples.

"I did it voluntarily, and Tammy provided me a total of 10,000 U.S. dollars when I gave birth to a female baby successfully," Hor Vandy said, adding that she had not seen her baby's face until meeting with the Australian biological father at the Australian embassy.

Cambodia banned commercial surrogacy in November 2016, describing it as a form of human trading.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 15:29:49|Editor: Song Lifang

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LUSAKA, July 17 (Xinhua) -- A cheeky monkey has plunged Zambia's southern city of Livingstone into total darkness after tampering with an electricity transformer, the country's power utility company said Sunday.

The accident occurred on Sunday morning when the monkey interfered with the high-voltage transformer, leaving about 50,000 users in the tourist capital and some parts of Western Zambia without electricity, the country's largest power company Zesco Limited said.

Workers from the company were on the ground working to correct the damage, said the state broadcaster Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation.

The monkey survived the electric shock because of its highly insulated palms and has been rescued from the power transformer by officials from Zambia's Department of National Parks and Wildlife.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 15:29:50|Editor: Song Lifang

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LOS ANGELES, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Researchers have identified that the expression change of a gene in specific cells in the human brain, called Microglia, may be associated with Alzheimer's disease, according to a study published this week in the science journal PLoS ONE.

The expression of the gene, called ANK1 (ankyrin repeat domain-containing protein), was determined in three specific cell types -- microglia, astrocytes, and neurons deriving from the hippocampus part of the brain of patients with Alzheimer's disease.

It was identified by a research team, led by Arizona State University and the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), via using an extremely precise method of isolating cells.

The 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.

In previous genetic and epigenetic-wide association studies, ANK1 has been identified as a potential risk factor for the development of Alzheimer's disease, which is the most common cause of dementia.

However, "they were unable to identify the class of cells that may be responsible for such association because of the use of brain homogenates," the study's lead author Diego Mastroeni said in a press release.

"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 the assistant research professor at Biodesign's ASU-Banner Neurodegenerative Disease Research Center.

The new research shows that in the hippocampus, a small looping structure shaped like a seahorse which is responsible for memory, ANK1 is four fold higher in the microglia of patients with Alzheimer's disease.

Microglia is a type of immune cell found in the brain and key regulators of the inflammatory cascade typified in early Alzheimer's development, according to the study.

"These findings emphasize that expression analysis of defined classes of cells is required to understand what genes and pathways are dysregulated in Alzheimer's," said Winnie Liang, an assistant professor, director of TGen Scientific Operations and director of TGen's Collaborative Sequencing Center.

Furthermore, the study found that ANK1 was also significantly upregulated in the hippocampus microglia of Peritoneal Dialysis patients, and changes in ANK1, at least in microglia, may not be disease specific, but a response, or phenotype associated with neurodegeneration or neuroinflammation.

"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 Paul Coleman, the study's senior author.

Alzheimer's disease is an irreversible, progressive brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills, and eventually the ability to carry out the simplest tasks.

In most people with Alzheimer's, symptoms first appear in their mid-60s.

Estimates vary, but experts suggest that more than 5 million Americans may have Alzheimer's, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

Alzheimer's disease is currently ranked as the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, but recent estimates indicate that the disorder may rank third, just behind heart disease and cancer, as a cause of death for older people.

According to the World Health Organization, Alzheimer's disease may contribute to 60-70 percent of dementia.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 15:34:57|Editor: Song Lifang

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HANOI, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Vietnamese police have arrested two men from Ho Chi Minh City, who confessed they transported lab-made drugs from Hanoi capital city to northern Hai Phong city for reselling.

Ho Kim Anh, 49, and Nguyen Van Phat, 29, were detained in Hai Phong on Sunday when transporting 13,000 pills of ecstasy weighing nearly 3.3 kg, the municipal police announced on Monday.

The Drug Crime Investigation Department under the Ministry of Public Security is coordinating with Hai Phong police to probe into the trans-provincial drug trafficking ring.

According to Vietnamese law, those convicted of smuggling over 600 grams of heroin or more than 2.5 kg of methamphetamine will be sentenced to death. Making or trading 100 grams of heroin or 300 grams of other illegal drugs also brings about death penalty.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 16:10:11|Editor: Song Lifang

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DUBAI, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Dubai's government-controlled Emirates Airline, the international carrier of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), said here on Monday it agreed with budget carrier flydubai to expand their codeshare agreement and align their frequent flyer programs.

The upgraded cooperation would lead to "scheduled alignment and network optimization" to serve their passengers, Emirates said in e-mailed statement.

Both airlines, owned by Dubai's sovereign wealth fund Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD), will continue to be managed independently, but they will leverage each other's network to scale up their operations and accelerate growth, added Emirates.

Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Group and Chairman of flydubai, said "Both airlines have grown independently and successfully over the years, and this new partnership will unlock the immense value that the complementary models of both companies can bring to consumers, each airline, and to Dubai."

The partnership will go "beyond code-sharing and include integrated network collaboration with coordinated scheduling," said the carrier.

The two airlines will also further develop their hub at Dubai International Airport, known as DXB, aligning their systems and operations "to ensure a seamless travel experience through the airport."

In the fiscal year 2016/2017 which ended on March 31, Emirate posted an annual profit of 340 million U.S. dollars, down 82.38 percent from 1.93 billion dollars last year "due to stronger dollar," said the carrier.

Emirates has a wide-body fleet of 259 aircraft, flying to 157 destinations. Flydubai operates 58 New-Generation Boeing 737 aircraft to 95 destinations. The current combined network comprises 216 destination points.

In 2017, DXB hosted 83.6 million passengers and is currently the world's busiest airport in terms of international passengers.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 16:20:20|Editor: Liangyu

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Muslim worshippers protest outside Lion's Gate of Jerusalem's Old City at the entrance to the al-Aqsa mosque compound against Israel's newly-implemented security measures, on July 17, 2017. Muslim worshippers held protest outside the al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem on Monday morning, as Israel reopened the compound to Israelis for the first time since Friday's deadly assault. (Xinhua/Muammar Awad)

JERUSALEM, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Muslim worshippers held protest outside the al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem on Monday morning, as Israel reopened the compound to Isaelis for the first time since Friday's deadly assault.

A police statement said the site was opened early in the morning "without special incident. Hundreds of Muslims have entered the site since the morning."

Outside the compound, dozens of Muslim worshippers refused to enter the site due to new security measures, including CCTVs covering the entire compound, checkpoints and metal detectors at the entrances that Israel had implanted following the shooting attack, which killed two police officers.

A police spokesperson said that a group of about 20 Israelis entered the site after security checks. One of them said that the compound was relatively empty, with few Muslim visitors.

"It is the first time we come here without being escorted by the Waqf (the Muslim authority that administrates the site). Usually, the Waqf people are all around us, today we are here alone," the visitor said.

It was the second day of Muslim protest against what they call a violation of the status quo in the flashpoint compound. On Monday, clashes errupted between worshippers and police outside the compound.

In a shooting attack on Friday morning, three Palestinian Muslims with Israeli citizenship shot dead two Israel policemen near the gates of the compound. The gunmen, all from the Arab city of Umm al-Fahm in central Israel, were subsequently shot and killed by the police.

Immediately after the incident, Israel shut down the compound, saying that security forces need to check the site for more militants or ammunition.

It was for the first time in the past 50 years that Israel closed the compound, which is Islam's third holiest site.

Israel reopened the holy site on Sunday, requiring all visitors to go through security checks through metal detectors that were placed at two gates.

The Waqf, a Muslim religious authority that administrates the compound, rejected the new measures and refused to hold prayers at the mosque.

"This is a gross violation of the status quo, a new reality that neither we nor the Arab street is willing to accept," the legal advisor of the Waqf, attorney Jamal Abu Toami, was quoted as saying by Army Radio.

Ir Amim, an Israeli human rights group, warned that the new measures, including the two-day closure of the site, have "disturbing implications for a status quo."

According to a statement issued by the group, Israeli security forces made "unilateral decisions" about access to the compound without the participation of the Waqf, establishing "a clear change to the status quo."

The introduction of metal detectors and security checks "imposes Israeli sovereignty in violation of arrangements established and respected since 1967," the organization said, urging leaders to take steps "as soon as possible to restore cooperation between Israeli security forces and the Waqf."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday that he had decided to reopen the site with increased security measures but promised to "maintain the status-quo."

Israel seized East Jerusalem, where al-Aqsa is located, along with the rest of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip during the 1967 Middle East war. Israel subsequently annexed East Jerusalem, claiming it part of its "eternal and indivisible" capital, in a move never recognized internationally.

The compound site is holy to both Muslims, who revered it as the Noble Sanctuary, and Jews, who know it as the Temple Mount. Jews revere the site as the place of their historic temples, the last of which was ruined by the Romans in 70 AD.

Due to the special sensitivity, the Muslim Waqf is responsible for the administration of the site. Israeli Jews are allowed to visit the site but not to pray there.

In recent months, far-right Israeli lawmakers renewed their calls to change the long-held status quo and to lift the restrictions on Jewish prays, escalating the tensions in and around the compound.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 17:05:45|Editor: Zhang Dongmiao

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WELLINGTON, July 17 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand Health Minister Jonathan Coleman said on Monday that the start of the national bowel screening program is a major milestone for the country's health system, and will "ultimately save lives."

"This week the first letters inviting people to take part in the screening program are being sent to eligible residents in Hutt Valley and Wairarapa," Coleman said in a release.

Coleman said this program will help to detect bowel cancer at an early stage, when treatment is easier and the outcomes more successful.

Over the next two years, approximately 30,000 residents in the Hutt Valley and Wairarapa will be invited to do the bowel screening test, he said.

According to the minister, every year around 3,000 New Zealanders are diagnosed with bowel cancer and more than 1,200 die from it. Once screening is available nationwide it is expected that up to 700 cancers will be detected annually.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 17:21:06|Editor: Zhang Dongmiao

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SINGAPORE, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Singapore's Urban Redevelopment Authority announced on Monday that the number of new private homes sold in June increased 53 percent year on year, the Straits Times reported.

Singapore's developers sold 820 units in the month, 284 more than the 536 new private homes moved in June last year.

But on a month-on-month basis, the private home sales decreased 21 percent, compared to the 1,039 homes sold in May which was the third straight month when transactions exceeded 1,000.

According to the media, June is a traditionally lull period for the property market, as well as having fewer number of homes hitting the market.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 17:36:12|Editor: Zhang Dongmiao

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BEIJING, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The American researcher sentenced to ten years in prison for spying in Iran is not a Chinese national, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said here Monday.

Media reported Wang Xiyue, a 37-year-old history researcher who was imprisoned by Iran for ten years after being found guilty of being "an infiltrating American agent," holds dual Chinese and American citizenship.

Lu Kang denied the claim, saying that China does not recognize dual nationality.

"As he has American citizenship, I can tell you that he is definitely not a Chinese national," Lu said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 17:36:16|Editor: Liangyu

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Afghan security force members take part in a military operation in Nawa district of Helmand province, Afghanistan, July 16, 2017. Afghan forces recaptured Nawa district in the southern Helmand province from Taliban militants after three days of military operations, a defense ministry statement said Monday. (Xinhua/Abduz Aziz Safdari)

KABUL, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Afghan forces recaptured Nawa district in the southern Helmand province from Taliban militants after three days of military operations, a defense ministry statement said Monday.

"Afghan security and defense forces regained the control of Nawa district today morning and Taliban rebels after suffering huge casualties have run away," said the statement.

More than 50 militants have been killed, six injured and one more arrested during the operations, the statement said, However, it did not mention casualties of security personnel.

The move ended Taliban's nearly one year occupation of the district, according to the ministry. Taliban militants, who took the control of Nawa district around one year ago, have yet to make comments.

The poppy-growing Helmand province has been the scene of increasing Taliban-led insurgency over the past few years.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 18:01:26|Editor: Zhang Dongmiao

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ABUJA, July 17 (Xinhua) -- At least 12 people were killed following two suicide blasts in northeastern Nigeria's Maiduguri city early Monday, according to eyewitnesses.

A suspected female suicide bomber wreaked havoc in a local mosque in London Chinki axis of the city, killing some 10 people, Xinhua learned.

This was followed by another attack which claimed at least two lives in Molai town, located on the outskirts of Maiduguri, the capital of the northeastern state of Borno.
A railway worker takes the ordered meal onto the high-speed train. (Xinhua/Liang Xu)

BEIJING, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Starting Monday, high-speed railway passengers in China can order takeaways online, enjoying more different food varieties, according to China Railway Corporation (CRC).

A CRC source says that passengers can now order delicious meals offered by railway operators as well as other catering brands, including KFC, via China's official train ticket booking website 12306.cn and its mobile app. They can pay directly from mobile app Alipay or WeChat Pay. The meals ordered online will be delivered to the passengers' seats by railway staff.

A demo on how to order food online via official mobile app. (Xinhua/Liang Xu)

Currently, the online meal ordering service only covers high-speed railway stations in Shanghai, Tianjin, Guangzhou, and 24 other major cities so far. Beijing, the country's national capital city, is not on the initial list.

Local dishes are included in the food lists at some stations. Passengers can order Rou Jia Mo or Chinese meat burger at Xi'an station, Henan stewed noodles at Zhengzhou Station and spicy twice-cooked pork slices at Chengdu Station. With the positive changes, travel by high-speed train will turn into a gourmet ride!

Restaurant workers deliver ordered meals to railway staff before the meals are delivered to passengers' seats. (Xinhua/Liang Xu)

Food served aboard China's trains has long been complained for its limited choices, poor taste and high prices. The move of inviting more food suppliers to high-speed trains aims at meeting passengers' growing demand for more varieties of delicious food and personality-oriented services, according to the CRC.

When passengers cancel or reschedule their traveling plans, the system will remind them to scrap food orders.

Approved restaurant brands can list their food products on the website 12306.cn and will be subject to food safety supervision by railway authorities.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 18:42:10|Editor: Zhou Xin

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MANILA, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Most Filipinos remain appreciative of the performance of President Rodrigo Duterte after one year of his term, according to an independent poll released here Monday.

A survey by Pulse Asia Inc. conducted from June 24 to June 29 showed that 82 percent of the 1,200 people surveyed nationwide approved the way Duterte runs the country.

Out of all the respondents, the poll said 13 percent were undecided about Duterte's performance, while 5 percent disapproved Duterte's performance. Overall, the poll said Duterte scored the highest among the top government officials covered by the survey.

"Most Filipinos remain appreciative of the performance of (Duterte), Vice President Maria Leonor Robredo and Senate President Aquilino Pimentel," the poll said, adding that Robredo got 61 percent while Pimentel, 62 percent.

In the national Capital Region, the survey said Duterte also scored 80 percent, or 7 percent higher than a previous survey conducted in March. In the main Luzon Island, the survey said Duterte scored 75 percent, or 4 percent higher than the March survey. Duterte scored the highest in his bailiwick Mindanao, scoring 95 percent, or 7 percent higher than the score he got in March, the survey said.

However, the survey noted that Duterte's approval rating dropped 2 percent in the Visayas region in the central Philippines from 86 percent in March to 84 percent.

Duterte managed to get high approval rating despite the strings of criticisms hurled in his way by some western countries and human rights groups alarmed by the hardline drug war campaign and the declaration of martial law in the entire Mindanao in the southern Philippines.

Government authorities said the ongoing war in Marawi City against militants allied with the Islamic State has so far claimed the lives of at least 593 people, including 411 terrorists, 97 security forces and 45 civilians.

Duterte, who assumed the presidency in June last year, ends his single, six-year term in 2022.
Supporters of Rwandan presidential candidate Paul Kagame, the incumbent President of Rwanda, hold up flags of the ruling party Rwandan Patriotic Front at a presidential campaign rally in Ruhango, Rwanda, on July 14, 2017. Rwanda's presidential campaigns officially kicked off on Friday. The ruling party Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF)'s presidential candidate Paul Kagame, who is seeking a third term, has launched his campaigns in his childhood home town of Ruhango District, Southern Rwanda. (Xinhua/Lyu Tianran)

by Lyu Tianran, Mohammed M.Mupenda and James Gashumba

KIGALI, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Rwandans will go to polls on August 4 to decide the presidency for the next seven years. Various achievements have been made under the current government led by Incumbent President Paul Kagame, and Rwandans said they believe in their own path for development.

Kagame, who represents the ruling Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), is seeking re-election. Other two presidential candidates are Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda, and Philippe Mpayimana, an independent candidate.

The government's achievements in the past seven years include unity, poverty reduction, peace, security, fighting corruption, inclusive development, accountability and justice as foundation for sustainable development, infrastructure development and environment conservation, women empowerment, according to Anastase Shyaka, the CEO of Rwanda Governance Board.

Government has various social protection programs. Elderly or disabled are given subsistence allowances. Rwanda alongside Mauritius was ranked the third least corrupt country in sub-Saharan Africa on the global Corruption Perception Index released in January 2017.

According to the Rwandan Household Living Conditions Survey released by the government in 2012, at least 1 million Rwandans have been lifted out of poverty in five years.

Over the past seven years, more than 7,000 households were given cows, over 100 schools were constructed in Gisagara district, read RPF's daily campaign brief issued after Kagame joined presidential campaigns in the district. In Nyaruguru district, 33 kilometers of feeder roads were built, the bridges increased to 40 from 26 in 2010, the number of households connected to the grid has increased by 20 percent since 2010.

Kagame has been president since 2000 when he was elected transitional president by ministers and members of parliament following the resignation of then President Pasteur Bizimungu. He was then reelected in 2003 and 2010.

"Some people have said that the result of the election is a foregone conclusion. They are not wrong. Rwandans made their position clear in 2015," Kagame said at his first campaign rally in Ruhango District in Southern Province.

Rwandans in 2015 voted in a constitutional referendum that allowed Kagame to seek re-election after his term expires in 2017. Some 98 percent of voters voted "yes."

The United States expressed "disappointment" that the referendum was called on short notice to amend the Rwandan constitution and introduce exceptions to term limits. The Delegation of the European Union to Rwanda also expressed concern that the one week run-up to the referendum in Rwanda neither fully explained the constitutional changes, nor offered sufficient time and space for debate.

After the referendum, Kagame in a veiled message said statements that depict Rwandans as people incapable of either thought or feeling are "deliberately abusive."

Rwandans expect a democracy in which public office is routinely transferred from one individual of their choice to another, he said at annual national dialogue council after the referendum, adding that "Rwandans want a good politics that keeps delivering results, and respects the fundamental principles in our Constitution."

Rwanda has decided to use its own democratic way based on commonly accepted principles of democracy, to which it has subscribed including free and fair elections, human rights, rule of law, citizens' participation in shaping their future, inclusiveness for all, social protection and so on, Director General of Rwanda Management Institute Wellars Gasamagera told Xinhua in a telephone interview.

Rwandan presidential candidate Paul Kagame, the incumbent President of Rwanda, speaks at a presidential campaign rally in Ruhango, Rwanda, on July 14, 2017. (Xinhua/Lyu Tianran)

Rwanda refused the western style of a copy and refused to paste the shortcut in the exercise of the democratic agenda, said Gasamagera.

"The country instituted such mechanisms like the forum of political parties based on constitutional principles of seeking consensual settlement of disputes while respecting differences," he said.

There are 11 political parties in Rwanda, among them RPF and eight opposition parities back Kagame in this year's election. "Those who think this specialty of Rwanda is not democracy, their studies on democracy were a waste of time because everywhere in the world what comes first in democracy is people's wish," Kagame said at his campaign rally.

"It's a wish based on many things such as how they see themselves, how they benefit, how they feel and how they want it. The decision that is made is of the majority but it respects the rights of all including those who don't agree with us."

The 1994's Rwanda genocide claimed over 1 million lives, mostly ethnic Tutsis. After ending the genocide, RPF formed a coalition government, which brought parties that did not participate in the genocide together, and started the journey of reconstruction and reconciliation.

Throughout Rwanda's reconstruction, Rwanda learned to count on its own efforts, secure its dignity, ensure that its path to development is based on self-reliance and not on western charity, said Gasamagera.

"I does not care about democracy for the westerners or wherever, what I care much is security, human rights, development, people's value, social well-being and prosperity," a 28-year-old Rwandan journalist, Anne Marie Dushimimana, told Xinhua.

She said she will vote for someone who is able to maintain security of Rwanda, has a clear vision for the country, and understands the value of the people.

Rwanda has a consensual form of democracy based on power sharing and this came into force in the 2003 constitution, said Kayumba Christopher, senior lecturer at the University of Rwanda. Those who usually criticize Rwanda, they should know that the country has laws, institutions and citizens' vote, he said in an interview.

Christopher said he will vote for the leader who understands the country's problems and know how to solve them.

Hamza Rukundo, a 19-year-old student, said he would vote for a leader who will bring security, keep the citizens employed regardless of their status.

Campaigns for the three qualified presidential candidates started on July 14 and will end on August 3, just a day before the voting day.

About 6.8 million people will participate in this year's presidential elections, up from 5.7 million who participated in 2010 presidential elections, according to the National Electoral Commission of Rwanda.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 19:07:29|Editor: Zhou Xin

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BERLIN, July 17 (Xinhua) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) has dismissed proposals from the CDU's sister party Christian Social Union (CSU) to impose a limit on the number of refugees admitted to the country.

"As far as an upper limit is concerned, my position is clear: I will not accept it," Merkel said when speaking in her annual "summer interview" with television channel ARD on Sunday night.

Merkel's comments placed her at odds with CSU leader Horst Seehofer, who has openly mulled over making a cap on refugees a condition for forming another coalition with the CDU.

A limit on the number of refugees also featured in the CSU's separate legislative program, "the Bavarian plan".
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 19:27:45|Editor: Song Lifang

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BEIJING, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Senior Chinese and U.S. officials will meet on economic and trade issues, leaving opportunities for the two sides to crack many hard nuts under the new format.

The first round of the Comprehensive Economic Dialogue (CED) will begin on July 19 in Washington. It is one of four major dialogue mechanisms the two sides established in April.

With the new platform in place, experts have called on both countries to employ new ways of thinking to address and resolve thorny bilateral and global issues.

NEW MECHANISM

The dialogue will come 10 days after Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump met on the sidelines of the Group of Twenty (G20) summit in Hamburg, Germany, in which they reaffirmed their commitment to healthy and stable economic ties.

China and the United States have been vigorously advancing economic and trade relations. The two sides have made important initial progress in carrying out the 100-day action plan, a key chapter of the CED.

A range of deals on financial services, energy and investment have been inked. China greenlighted U.S. beef exports after 14 years of bans, while the United States agreed to allow chicken imports from China.

"The results so far in the 100-day program to improve trade and investment appear to have been more constructive than many critics argued," said Douglas Paal, vice President for studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

"It is possible there will be further progress at the CED," he noted.

"We hope it will be a meaningful exchange and help to build an even stronger basis for our economic and trade relations, as we deal with the uncertainties of the global economy," Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai said.

"We are looking forward to the mutually beneficial outcomes of this dialogue," he said.

TRADE DEFICIT

The dialogue will come days after President Trump highlighted fair and reciprocal trade ties at the G20 Hamburg summit. Experts expect addressing the U.S. trade deficit with China will be a top priority for discussion at the CED.

Bilateral trade moderated over the past two years, as the world's top two economies slowed down for cyclical and structural reasons, and a stronger dollar battered U.S. exports, said Zhou Shijian, an economics professor at Tsinghua University.

According to the Ministry of Commerce, two-way trade contracted 6.7 percent in 2016 with Chinese exports to the United States down 5.9 percent and China's imports from the United States down 9.1 percent.

Trade volume rose 13.5 percent in the first four months of 2017, with China's exports to the United States up 11 percent and China's imports from the United States up 20 percent.

To address the U.S. trade deficit with China, it makes a lot of sense for the U.S. side to lift the ban on exports of high-tech products to China in areas such as clean energy, Zhou said.

Every U.S. government since the Reagan administration had eased restrictions until President Obama took office in 2009.

In his eight years in office, Obama vowed to loosen the controls on several occasions, but never honored his commitment.

"The United States currently holds a trade deficit with China of about 300 billion U.S. dollars. The gap could be narrowed by one third if the ban were lifted," Zhou said.

According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. deficit with China stood at 347 billion U.S. dollars, accounting for 47 percent of the U.S. total trade deficit.

It was good news for the United States that China just allowed imports of U.S. beef. But experts expected it would only have limited impact in balancing trade considering the small trade volume.

Whether the current U.S. government is determined to bridge the trade gap or not, how it deals with high-tech product exports to China is probably a touchstone, Zhou said.

BIT TALKS RESUME

Experts said the upcoming dialogue will be a good chance for negotiation on a Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT).

BIT talks began in 2008, when China and the United States sought to increase mutual investment. But little progress had been made before they agreed in 2013 to conduct negotiations on the basis of pre-establishment national treatment with a negative list approach, which outlines sectors closed to foreign investment.

After 33 rounds of negotiations over the past five years, the BIT talks have been shelved by U.S. President Donald Trump's administration.

Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai urged Washington to revive the BIT negotiations, adding that reaching a high-level bilateral investment treaty was an important outcome of previous economic and trade dialogues between the two countries.

In 2016, Chinese companies invested a record 46 billion dollars in the United States, tripling the amount in 2015 and a tenfold increase compared to just five years ago, according to a report jointly released by the Rhodium Group and the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations (NCUSCR) in May.

Growth of Chinese investment in the United States moderated in 2017. Zhou explained China's foreign exchange regulation, tax reform of the Trump administration and the lack of progress in the BIT talks may have contributed to the moderation.

"The U.S. government needs money to revive the U.S. economy. No better time for it to advance the BIT talks with China. It should do something to create a sound atmosphere for the negotiation," Zhou said.
File photo shows Cameroon soldiers on the Bakassi peninsula, Cameroon. (Xinhua/Ngon)

YAOUNDE, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Thirty-four people went missing after a military vessel sank off Cameroon's Atlantic coast, the country's defense minister said Monday.

The missing were soldiers from Cameroon's Rapid Intervention Brigade (BIG) and three other soldiers were rescued after their vessel sank off the country's Atlantic coast on Sunday morning, said a statement issued by the Defense Ministry.

A total of 37 people were on board the ship, which was transporting materials such as food items and fuel to a destination near the Nigerian border.

Defense Minister Joseph Beti Assomo said in the statement that the military boat seemed to have sunk down and a search and rescue mission has begun.

The authorities have started an investigation into the cause of the incident while preliminary leads pointed to a very choppy sea.

As Cameroon's elite military force, the BIG has been in the front line of battling extremist group Boko Haram in recent years.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 19:48:02|Editor: Liangyu

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Image provided by Venezuela's Presidency shows Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro addressing a meeting with members of the Constituent Assembly Commission in Caracas July 17, 2017. Venezuela's government and opposition on Sunday both prepared their own polls to challenge the legimacy of each other's survey of public opinions on the creation of the National Constituent Assembly. (Xinhua/Venezuela's Presidency)

CARACAS, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Venezuela saw its feuding political factions -- the government and the opposition -- both prepare their own polls on Sunday to challenge the legimacy of each other's survey of public opinions on the creation of a National Constituent Assembly (ANC).

Specifically, the government was holding a simulation of the July 30 vote to elect a National Constituent Assembly (ANC) while the opposition was organizing an unofficial referendum of its own to gauge public support for or rejection of the ANC.

According to a report by the National Electoral Council (CNE) on Sunday, the simulation was seeing "high participation," with CNE executive Sandra Oblitas saying that the event was taking place normally in Caracas.

"This is an opportunity to become familiarized with the particularities of the...vote for the ANC, where we are seeing very high participation and no irregularities," she told the press.

Another CNE official, Socorro Hernandez, mentioned that the voting action is very quick and that international observers would be welcomed to supervise the July 30 ballot.

Representatives from the Union of South American Nations (Unasur) are expected to be on hand.

The simulation on Sunday was supervised by the Venezuelan military, with soldiers deployed to ensure there are no acts of violence at all elections.

However, this vote comes at a time of high tension in Venezuela, with anti-government protests by the opposition, Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD), having led to more than 90 deaths since early April.

The MUD sees establishment of the ANC, which will rewrite the Constitution, as a power grab by President Nicolas Maduro.

It is holding an unofficial referendum on Sunday to give the Venezuelan people a chance to be heard about the ANC, since Maduro called it without any warning.

Venezuelan National Assembly President Julio Borges said via Twitter that more than 7.2 million people took part in the vote, calling the turnout a clear rejection of Maduro.

Observers said the 7,186,170 votes for the opposition insides Venezuela and abroad was an impressive show of support.

However, it fell short of the opposition's 7.7 million-vote showing in 2015 legislative elections and the 7.5 million votes that brought Maduro to power in 2013. Opposition leaders said that was because it was only able to set up 2,000 polling stations.

The referendum asks three questions of the Venezuelan people -- whether they support or not Maduro's call for the ANC, whether they support the Constitution of 1999, which Maduro is seeking to change, and whether officials in public office should be replaced.

Organizers said that most of the participants in the referendum rejected Maduro's plans at the ballot box. However, no official vote count was available early Monday.

Also on Sunday, Maduro reiterated his call for political dialogue with the opposition.

"They (MUD) have a quiet consultation today (...) I tell them not to go crazy, we make a call for them to return to peace, to sit down and talk, to begin a new cycle of dialogue for peace," said Maduro during a telephone interview with the state-owned Venezolana de Television.

He called on the opposition to recover "a democratic character" and "isolate" the sectors that Maduro blames for violent protests.

"We must be aware of the differences we have in the country, we must resolve them with peace, with votes and not bullets, with tolerance, with democracy," continued Maduro.

Maduro claimed that the simulation of the ANC vote as having seen "very big" participation, larger than any election for 18 years.

However, his call for peace may have been affected by the death of a woman on Sunday at a voting center for the MUD referendum.

Late Sunday, the prosecutor-general issued a statement stating that a shooting at the town of Catia had killed the 61-year-old Xiomara Scott and three others outside a voting center.

However, MUD representatives quickly attributed the attack on "armed groups" linked to the government.

The vice-president of the National Assembly, MUD member Freddy Guevara, sent a letter to Maduro and Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez, in which he claimed the army was responsible.

Scott's death brings the total number of people killed since anti-government protests broke out in early April to 95.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 19:53:10|Editor: Zhang Dongmiao

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BEIJING, July 17 (Xinhua) -- China on Monday responded to a proposal by the Republic of Korea (ROK) to hold inter-Korean military and Red Cross talks with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), urging the the two sides to work together to break the stalemate.

"China believes it is in the fundamental interests of both sides to improve ties through dialogue, and promote reconciliation and cooperation," said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang at a press briefing. "It also helps to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula and boost the peace, stability and security of the region."

The ROK on Monday proposed holding inter-Korean military talks on Friday at Tongilgak, a building on the DPRK side of the truce village of Panmunjom, to ease military tensions along the border.

Separately, the South Korean Red Cross suggested holding dialogue on the reunion of families separated by the 1950-1953 Korean War, on Aug. 1 in Peace House, a building on the ROK side of Panmunjom.

China hopes the two sides would work together towards a positive direction and pave the way for resuming dialogue, Lu said.

"We also hope all parties concerned in the international community would give understanding and support for it, and play constructive roles in properly settling the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue," he added.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 19:58:14|Editor: Zhou Xin

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HOUSTON, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The 2017 Miss Chinese Cosmos Pageant Southern United States was held late Saturday in Houston, southeast of the southern U.S. state of Texas, with the participation of nine contestants, among which two fair ladies would enter the Americas Finals.

For the first time as an independent devision this year, Houston witnessed the nine beautiful girls competing each other with their beauty in costume performance, onstage question and talent show.

Sun Xiaoying, undergraduate of Geophysics in the University of Houston, and Yang Jingkun, graduate of Film Creative Production in the University of Dallas, stood out in the competition.

"It provided a platform to show the beauty of women's youth, and the two months of intensive training equipped me with a strong will and firm qualification," said Yang Jingkun.

Through this competition, contestants improved their Chinese, deepened their understanding of Chinese culture, and saw a more beautiful, more plentiful, more confident and more outgoing person in themselves, said Wang Liyuan, chairwoman of the contest.

Organized by Phoenix TV, a Hong Kong-based Chinese television broadcaster, Miss Chinese Cosmos Pageant is known as one of the most attractive beauty events among Chinese worldwide since its launch in 2003.

The Americas Finals will be held next month, and winners would be invited to take part in the World Finals to be held in Guangzhou City of south China's Guangdong Province by the end of this October.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 19:58:15|Editor: Song Lifang

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by Maria Spiliopoulou

ATHENS, July 17 (Xinhua) -- An international journalism summer school hosted this week in northern Greece builds a new bridge of the Sino-Greek cooperation, a scholar involved in the project told Xinhua on Monday.

The first such summer school was organized by the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki's Department of Journalism and Mass Media Communications, with the theme of "international journalism and media organizations in a turbulent age: European and Asian Perspectives".

The school opened on Sunday and will run till July 23, focusing on the opportunities and challenges for reporting in Asia and Europe in times of an ever-changing digital world, the organizers said.

Four Chinese are among the 23 students attending the course, and 10 university professors and three distinguished journalists will make presentations, Nikos Panagiotou, assistant professor at the Department of Journalism and Mass Media Communications told Xinhua.

The school was set up via the collaboration of the Aristotle University with the Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) and the Deutsche Welle Academie.

"We are launching an important initiative. This program follows the series of lectures I have given at BFSU and the relevant agreement of collaboration the two universities signed (in 2008). Our aim is to highlight the prospects of further cooperation between Greece and China in the tertiary education sector and promote the student exchange program we have successfully launched," Panagiotou said.

According to organizers, the course of the international journalism summer school aims to provide in-depth knowledge and robust skills based to participants so that they can better understand critical issues of international journalism and to identify issues that are context-dependent and with global features in media organizations both in Europe and Asia.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 20:03:18|Editor: An

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Economic and Commercial Counsellor of the Embassy of China in Bangladesh Li Guangjun (front, 4th L) and other guests pose for a photo at the inaugural session of a two-day training on "how to export to China through e-commerce" in Dhaka, capital of Bangladesh, July 17, 2017. The training was jointly organized by the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI), a leading business chamber in Bangladesh, and the International Trade Centre.(Xinhua)

DHAKA, July 17 (Xinhua) -- A two-day training on "how to export to China through e-commerce" began here on Monday.

The training was jointly organized by the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI), a leading business chamber in Bangladesh, and the International Trade Centre.

Economic and Commercial Counsellor of the Embassy of China in Bangladesh Li Guangjun and DCCI President Abul Kasem Khan, among others, were present at the inaugural ceremony of the training.

About 25 participants took part in the training session.

DCCI President Abul Kasem Khan, welcoming the participants, said that small and medium entrepreneurs (SMEs) especially those who are involved in e-commerce will benefit from this training course.

"In order to bolster exports to China through e-commerce, an entrepreneur does not need to go to China physically," he said.

Li Guangjun said Bangladeshi SMEs can export to China through e-commerce.

He said the bilateral trade between China and Bangladesh last year was about 15 billion U.S. dollars, out of which Bangladesh exported products worth 900 million dollars.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 20:08:20|Editor: Song Lifang

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MOGADISHU, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The UN and Somalia government have launched an extensive program to train over 350 judicial officers countrywide as part of efforts to rebuild the country's justice sector.

David Akopyan, UNDP Deputy Country Director for Somalia, said delivery of justice was critical to ensuring good governance, strengthening the rule of law and establishing order.

"The UNDP is here to help the country to get on its own feet; and to start developing its own systems," Akopyan said in a statement from the UN mission in Somalia (UNSOM) released on Monday.

"We want Somali politics, justice, security and jobs; employment and economic opportunities to be inclusive. This is the key message of inclusiveness from UNDP; and we are here to make this country a better place for you and your children," he said.

The UNDP has in the past trained 90 judges and prosecutors in rule of law issues, justice and security in Somalia.

Ibrahim Idle Suleyman, the country's Chief Justice said the series of donor-funded trainings would support judicial reforms and development of laws to bring the country to current global standards.

"The country's political architecture has changed and this has an impact on the judiciary. As a result, we need to undertake judicial reforms," Suleyman said.

"This also includes the need to reconstruct the buildings that house the judicial institutions. Our structures were destroyed during the war and are in need of repair," he added.

The training for judicial officers will cover priority areas, including court management and leadership; civil trial procedure; criminal trial procedures; general principles of the Somali criminal law; and rights of the accused and the victims.

The judicial officers will also learn procedures and guidance for crime investigations; legal and administrative procedures; ethics, and practical legal skills.

The UN Police Commissioner in Somalia, Christoph Buik said the training of judicial officers will be the first structured program of its kind to be undertaken in Somalia since 2012.

"Capacitating judicial personnel is critical, especially at the federal member states level to ensure that the judiciary can fulfill its mandates and deliver justice services to the people in Somalia," Buik stated.

The training will initially benefit judges, prosecutors, and registrars, before it is expanded to train judicial personnel from the Federal Member States of Jubbaland, South West, Galmudug, Hirshabelle and Puntland.

"The training will contribute towards establishing independent, accountable and capable judiciary which will be able to address the justice needs of the Somali people," Buik added.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 20:08:21|Editor: Song Lifang

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JAKARTA, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia has decided to strengthen measures in combating rampant corruption, which has been one of bottlenecks in luring foreign investment and accelerating development, the country's police chief said Monday.

The Southeast Asia's biggest economy will include police in the war against thief of the state's money along with the country's corruption eradication commission KPK, which has been at the forefront.

National police chief Tito Karnavian disclosed on Monday that his institution has been setting up special squads in every province to undertake the mission.

With huge human resources, the general said that participation of police will be very effective in carrying out the task across the country.

Hence, Karnavian said that the country's corruption eradication commission (KPK) whose number of investigators is limited would only focus on handling huge cases only.

Scores of officials from active central bank governor to lawmakers have been sent to jail and are undergoing legal processes for corruption charges.

However, limited number of human resources in the country's KPK has been one of the obstacles in the battle against corruption.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 20:18:26|Editor: Zhang Dongmiao

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Yu Zhengsheng, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), meets with Chinese Taoist Association (CTA) leaders and representatives, in Beijing, capital of China, July 17, 2017. CTA celebrated its 60th anniversary at the Great Hall of the People Monday. (Xinhua/Zhang Duo)

BEIJING, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Taoist Association (CTA) celebrated its 60th anniversary at the Great Hall of the People in central Beijing Monday.

Top political advisor Yu Zhengsheng met with CTA leaders and representatives, and welcomed all Taoists to contribute more to social and religious harmony.

On behalf of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the State Council, Yu, Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, extended his congratulations on the CTA's anniversary.

"The CTA has upheld the banner of loving the nation and the religion, and firmly taken the road that is in conformity with the socialist society over the past 60 years," Yu said.

Yu called on the CTA to unite believers more closely around the CPC Central Committee, to continue to serve the country, to be a bridge and connection between the Party and the government, and to help implement Party policies on religious work.

Yu also hoped Taoists would train more people to help guide the development of Taoism, and instill more confidence in Chinese culture and Taoist traditions to support world peace and wellbeing.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 20:42:47|Editor: Zhou Xin

People perform dancing during a tourism art festival at Dangzhou grassland in the Tibetan autonomous prefecture of Gannan, northwest China's Gansu Province, July 17, 2017. The four-day tourism fair kicked off on Monday, with the participation of some 100,000 people. (Xinhua/Chen Bin)
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 20:48:35|Editor: Song Lifang

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NAIROBI, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Kenya has developed a national security plan to ensure that the August presidential polls are peaceful, a senior government official said on Monday.

Acting Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government Fred Matiang'i told journalists in Nairobi that the development of the plan began 12 months ago.

"The national security plan maps the entire country to include a risk assessment of the potential areas where violence could occur," Matiang'i said during a meeting to brief the private sector on government preparations to conduct peaceful elections.

Matiang'i said that all security agencies are working together to ensure that general elections occur without incidents.

The security plan will be cascaded to all the 47 counties to facilitate the electoral body to conduct peaceful and fair elections.

The ministry of interior has also noticed increased cases of intolerance in the political campaigns with 21 days to the elections.

"The security agencies are investigations cases of incitement with a view to prosecuting all culprits," Matiang'i said.

Matiang'i noted that all crimes especially those associated with the electoral process will be dealt with firmly.

"As a government, we are determined to do with whatever it takes to conduct free and fair polls," he added.

"We will ensure that the law is followed without fear or favor," he added. The government official also cautioned Kenyans against the use of social media platforms to spread hate speech.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 20:58:40|Editor: Song Lifang

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TOKYO, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Death toll from flooding and mudslides in Fukuoka and Oita prefectures has risen to 34, while seven people were still missing following the torrential rain that began to pummel southwestern Japan on July 5.

Two more bodies discovered in the Ariake Sea, tens of kilometers from the disaster-hit areas, were identified on Monday as victims of the torrential rain who had been washed downstream from Asakura in Fukuoka prefecture, bringing the total death toll to 34.

Meanwhile, search and rescue operations continued on Monday, with a total of some 2,700 members from Japan's Self-Defense Force (SDF) and firefighters deployed, while 9,000 volunteers worked in the disaster-hit area to clear mud and damaged furniture from houses.

The search and rescue operations as well as the voluntary work were suspended on Monday afternoon, as some 16,000 residents in the city of Asakura and the village of Toho, both in Fukuoka Prefecture, were advised to evacuate due to possible heavy rain.

The evacuation orders were lifted some time after 5:00 p.m. local time, but the Japan Meteorological Agency warned that heavy rain might still occur in Fukuoka prefecture on Tuesday.

The disaster-hit areas also suffered from high temperature on Monday, with the highest temperature hitting 34.8 Celsius degree and 36.2 Celsius degree, respectively, in Asakura and in Hita, two of the hardest hit areas, according to the weather agency.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 21:38:56|Editor: Song Lifang

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CAPE TOWN, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The South African government on Monday denied reports that it has approved international trade in rhino horns.

"The commercial international trade in rhino horn is and remains prohibited in terms of all international protocols that South Africa is party to, particularly the Convention on International Trade in Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES)," the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) said.

This came after a South African private game rancher used social websites to advertise an online auction of rhino horns, sparking concern that this could undermine the 40-year-old international ban on rhino horn trading.

The DEA would like to emphasize that international trade in rhino horns would be illegal in terms of domestic regulations and South Africa's international obligations, said DEA spokesperson Albi Modise.

South African rhino breeder John Hume is planning to sell part of his massive stockpile of rhino horns in a global online auction, scheduled for August 21. Hume won a series of court battles earlier this year to overturn the eight-year-old moratorium on the domestic sale of rhino horns.

Although a Constitutional Court order on April 5 this year set aside the moratorium on the domestic trade in rhino horns, the domestic trade in rhino horns is subject to the issuing of the relevant permits in terms of the relevant laws, regulations and applicable provincial legislation in order to be able to trade nationally, according to Modise.

"The planned sale of rhino horn by private rhino owners relates to domestic trade only," Modise said.

The DEA can confirm that it has received an application to sell rhino horn by means of an online rhino auction from a private owner and is in a process of evaluating the application in line with the provisions of the Threatened or Protected Species Regulations, Modise said.

"In terms of the auction, it should be noted that national regulations and legislation with regard to the domestic commercial trade in rhino horn will have to be complied with. This means that the buyers and the seller would have to abide by all laws applicable within the borders of South Africa," Modise added.

The South African government and the DEA remain committed to a well-regulated process implementing its domestic legislation, as well as all CITES provisions, to manage the trade in endangered species, such as rhino, in a manner that is not detrimental to the survival of the species in the wild, Modise noted.

South Africa, home to about 90 percent of the world's rhino population, bears the brunt of rhino poaching, loosing 1,175 rhinos to poaching in 2015.

The government introduced the moratorium on rhino horn trade eight years ago to curb rhino poaching. But private ranchers say that the moratorium has failed to stop the scourge, and therefore should be lifted.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 21:49:01|Editor: Song Lifang

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NAIROBI, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's health ministry said Monday it has formed a multi-sectoral taskforce to respond to the cholera outbreak which has killed three people and resulted in 336 cases since May.

The ministry said the constitution of the taskforce is multisectoral and its main task is to respond to the ongoing cholera transmission, so as to kick cholera out of the country.

Director of Medical Services Jackson Kioko said the taskforce is expanded to include experts, ministry of water and irrigation, three UN agencies, Red Cross and AMREF Health Africa among others.

"In order to contain the situation and declare a cholera free country, the ministry of health has with immediate effect constituted a taskforce to oversee that the situation is put under control," Kioko said in a statement issued in Nairobi.

He also announced a number of measures that included banning out-sourcing of food by hotels and other meeting venues from unlicensed or un-inspected premises or individual suppliers who have not met the health requirements.

Kioko also canceled all medical certificates for food handlers and banning food hawking and inspect all hotels in 21 days.

The latest measures come after authorities on Saturday confirmed that 33 cases of suspected cholera have been reported since July 12.

Nairobi County Government Health Executive Bernard Muia said 33 patients were admitted in various hospitals in Nairobi and doctors are expected to release final results on the suspected cholera on Wednesday.

National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich and his Trade and Industrialization counterpart Adan Mohamed are among patients admitted to a Nairobi hospital with suspected symptoms of cholera.

Mohamed who had symptoms was however treated and discharged Friday evening.

Kioko said the latest incidence at the trade forum where the 33 persons ate food is being investigated and samples of food water and sewer have been collected from outsourced caterers and taken to the National Public Health Laboratory.

"The results are expected in the course of next week. The total number of affected persons is being compiled from different private health facilities in the city," he said.

The ministry directed the County Health Departments across the Country to carry out water quality assurance by testing all the water sources including random and regular samples of the water from vendors.

Kioklo also ordered the health departments to carry out regular dialogue in cholera hot spots and all informal settlements in order to empower communities on health education, personal hygiene and sanitation.

"All hotels must maintain adequate sanitation and hygiene in food storage preparation and serving including valid medical certificate of food handlers and the disposal of solid waste. Health Officials will make random spot checks to ensure compliance to this directive," Kioko said.
File photo taken on Sept. 24, 2016 shows Hunter Mitchell, South African conservationist taking the rhino for a walk, in Cape Town, South Africa. (Xinhua/Ben Beauden)

CAPE TOWN, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The South African government on Monday denied reports that it has approved international trade in rhino horns.

"The commercial international trade in rhino horn is and remains prohibited in terms of all international protocols that South Africa is party to, particularly the Convention on International Trade in Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES)," the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) said.

This came after a South African private game rancher used social websites to advertise an online auction of rhino horns, sparking concern that this could undermine the 40-year-old international ban on rhino horn trading.

The DEA would like to emphasize that international trade in rhino horns would be illegal in terms of domestic regulations and South Africa's international obligations, said DEA spokesperson Albi Modise.

South African rhino breeder John Hume is planning to sell part of his massive stockpile of rhino horns in a global online auction, scheduled for August 21. Hume won a series of court battles earlier this year to overturn the eight-year-old moratorium on the domestic sale of rhino horns.

Although a Constitutional Court order on April 5 this year set aside the moratorium on the domestic trade in rhino horns, the domestic trade in rhino horns is subject to the issuing of the relevant permits in terms of the relevant laws, regulations and applicable provincial legislation in order to be able to trade nationally, according to Modise.

"The planned sale of rhino horn by private rhino owners relates to domestic trade only," Modise said.

The DEA can confirm that it has received an application to sell rhino horn by means of an online rhino auction from a private owner and is in a process of evaluating the application in line with the provisions of the Threatened or Protected Species Regulations, Modise said.

"In terms of the auction, it should be noted that national regulations and legislation with regard to the domestic commercial trade in rhino horn will have to be complied with. This means that the buyers and the seller would have to abide by all laws applicable within the borders of South Africa," Modise added.

The South African government and the DEA remain committed to a well-regulated process implementing its domestic legislation, as well as all CITES provisions, to manage the trade in endangered species, such as rhino, in a manner that is not detrimental to the survival of the species in the wild, Modise noted.

South Africa, home to about 90 percent of the world's rhino population, bears the brunt of rhino poaching, loosing 1,175 rhinos to poaching in 2015.

The government introduced the moratorium on rhino horn trade eight years ago to curb rhino poaching. But private ranchers say that the moratorium has failed to stop the scourge, and therefore should be lifted.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 22:04:08|Editor: Song Lifang

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ADEN, Yemen, July 17 (Xinhua) -- At least nine gunmen of the Shiite Houthi group were killed and nearly 15 others injured during armed confrontations with the Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces in southwestern Yemen on Monday, a military official told Xinhua.

The armed confrontations occurred in Taiz province between the Shiite Houthi gunmen and the Saudi-backed government forces in areas located around Khalid-bin Walid strategic military base in the western parts of Taiz province, the military source said on condition of anonymity.

The military source based in the coastal city of Mocha confirmed that the Saudi-backed government forces made ground advances and managed to cut off Houthi supply lines between Taiz and Hodyada province.

Warplanes of the Saudi-led Arab coalition air-covered the pro-government forces on-ground and launched a series of intensive airstrikes on Houthi-controlled positions, the source said.

He added that the Saudi-led airstrikes on the Houthi-controlled military bases put pressure on the rebels, forcing some of them to flee their positions.

Another pro-government army commander told Xinhua in an exclusive phone interview saying that an army officer and eight soldiers were injured in the fighting with Houthi rebels.

Yemen has been suffering from a civil war and a Saudi-led military intervention for around two years. The civil war began after the Houthi militants with support from forces loyal to the former president ousted the UN-backed transitional government and occupied capital Sanaa militarily in September 2014.

The legitimate government controls the south and some eastern parts, while the Houthi group, supported by former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, controls the other parts including the capital Sanaa.

The UN has sponsored peace talks between the warring factions several times, but the factions failed to reach common ground.

The civil war, ground battles and airstrikes have already killed more than 10,000 people, half of them civilians, injured more than 35,000 others and displaced over two millions, according to humanitarian agencies.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 22:04:09|Editor: Song Lifang

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ADEN, Yemen, July 17 (Xinhua) -- A booby-trapped car struck a pro-government military base in Yemen's southeastern province of of Shabwa on Monday afternoon, leaving eight soldiers killed, a military official told Xinhua.

The booby-trapped car exploded at the main gate of a pro-government military base in Belhaf area of southeastern Shabwa province, killing at least eight soldiers and injuring several others at the scene, the military source said on condition of anonymity.

Another military source based in Shabwa told Xinhua by phone saying that a suicide bomber rammed a vehicle loaded with explosives inside the pro-government military base located in Belhaf area.

The two Yemeni military sources said many newly-recruited pro-government soldiers were injured in the latest car bomb attack in the impoverished Arab country.

The latest attack comes after five soldiers were killed on Sunday when unknown gunmen launched an attack on an army checkpoint in Shabwa province.

However, the al-Qaida terrorist group which frequently launches attacks in Shabwa and other provinces controlled by the Saudi-backed Yemeni government, has not claimed responsibility for the latest attack.

The Yemen-based al-Qaida branch, seen by the United States as the global terror network's most dangerous branch, has exploited years of deadly conflict between Yemen's government and Houthi rebels to expand its presence, especially in Shabwa and Abyan provinces.

Yemen's government, allied with a Saudi-led Arab military coalition, has for years been battling Shiite Houthi rebels for control of the impoverished country.

Statistics showed that more than 8,000 people have been killed in Yemen's conflict, most of them civilians, since the Saudi-led coalition entered the conflict in 2015.

The country has also been hit by a deadly cholera outbreak and is on the edge of famine.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 22:14:12|Editor: Song Lifang

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MOSCOW, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Foreign Ministry on Monday strongly condemned the mortar shelling a day before against its embassy in the Syrian capital of Damascus.

Two projectiles were fired from the terrorist-controlled Jobar district in the city and exploded near the Russian embassy, "by lucky chance" causing no casualty nor destruction, said the ministry in a statement.

"Russia's principled line of resolute and uncompromising fight against terrorists in Syria will continue," it said.

The ministry also called on the international community to unite their efforts towards a quick eradication of the hotbed of terrorism in Syria and the whole Middle East.

The Russian embassy in Damascus has been shelled several times since Moscow started to participate in anti-terrorist operations in Syria in September 2015.

Russia has so far withdrawn the majority of its troops from the war-torn country. It is still supporting anti-terrorist and humanitarian missions there.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 22:19:25|Editor: Song Lifang

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TEHRAN, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Iran's army chief on Monday warned the U.S. against the repercussions of blacklisting the the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, mainly because of Iran's missile program, Press TV reported.

"Marking the IRGC along with terrorist groups and imposing similar sanctions on it is a big risk for the Americans, for their bases and their forces in the region," Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri said.

In May, a bill introduced by the U.S. Senate, in case it is passed by the Congress and implemented by the the State Department, would label the IRGC as a terrorist group and trigger sanctions on it.

Baqeri warned the United States against "wrong calculations" regarding the Islamic Republic, including its planned sanctions and possible blacklisting of the IRGC.

"American officials are advised to talk somewhat wiser, more measured and mature to other countries, especially a country like Iran that has stood against all conspiracies with pride and strength, and no longer play with their honor," he was quoted as saying.

Baqeri also stressed that Iran's advanced missile power is "defensive and non-negotiable."

He said that despite the continuing plots and threats from the enemies since decades ago, the Islamic republic has been able to defend borders and to overcome terrorism.

Baqeri called for more deterrent progress and readiness to thwart emerging security threats by some powers and their regional allies, including Israel, against Iran.

On May 10, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that Iran would increase its missile capability despite the enemies' propaganda against it.

The U.S. officials have said Iran's ballistic missile launches are threats to the U.S. interests in the world.

The Iranian officials unanimously called the missile tests "inalienable right" of the country to boost deterrent power.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 22:29:33|Editor: Song Lifang

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ANKARA, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Some 17 Turkish soldiers were wounded on Monday after a hand-made bomb was detonated by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants in southeast Turkey, said the military.

A military vehicle was attacked by improvised explosive device as it passed through the town of Esendere in southeastern Hakkari province, the military said in a statement, adding the wounded were immediately taken to hospital.

Hakkari province, which borders Iran and Iraq, is one of the main bases for Turkish government to strike PKK militants, who has been striving for the establishment of an independent Kurdish state.

The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the EU, has resumed its armed campaign against the Turkish government since July 2015.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 22:29:34|Editor: Song Lifang

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TEHRAN, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The possible independence referendum of Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region would isolate the Kurds, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani said Monday.

"Although this could be an attractive topic, it will in fact isolate the Iraqi Kurds, will increase pressures on them and will virtually weaken the Kurds and Iraq," Shamkhani said in a meeting with the visiting first deputy for the secretary general of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, Kosrat Rasul.

The stable, secure and unified Iraq will help the progress of the Iraqi nation, he said, adding that the friends of Iraq should support this approach.

Dividing and weakening Iraq will only benefit the enemies of Iraq, he stressed.

On Monday, Iran's army chief Major General Mohammad Hossein also touched upon the threat to the integrity of Iran's neighbors and said that at the time when the Iraqi army have defeated the Islamic State militants, talking of an independence referendum of Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region would cause new problems and challenges in the region.

Besides, Iran's Foreign Ministry said earlier that the plan of Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region to hold an independence referendum in September was inconsistent with the Iraqi constitution.

"The Kurdistan Region is part of the Republic of Iraq," Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi said, adding that such unilateral decisions would only aggravate the situation in the Arab country.

A united, stable and democratic Iraq would guarantee the interests of all people of that country, he added.

On June 7, Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region announced that it has planned to hold a referendum on independence on Sept. 25 to decide whether to secede from Iraq.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 22:34:33|Editor: yan

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BRUSSELS, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The Council of the European Union (EU) on Monday adopted conclusions that support South Korea's proposal to restart inter-Korean dialogue on humanitarian affairs.

The documents, issued after a meeting of foreign ministers of EU member states, also slammed the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

Despite the fact that the EU's sanctions against the DPRK are "among the most restrictive in operation," the conclusions said the EU will consider "further appropriate responses in close consultation with key partners and in line with UN Security Council deliberations."

Earlier on Monday, South Korea proposed holding inter-Korean military talks on Friday at Tongilgak, a building on the DPRK side of the truce village of Panmunjom, to ease military tensions along the border.

Separately, the South Korean Red Cross suggested holding dialogue on the reunion of families separated by the 1950-1953 Korean War, on Aug. 1 in Peace House, a building on the ROK side of Panmunjom.

Applauding the proposal, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said China hopes the two sides would work together towards a positive direction and pave the way for resuming dialogue.

"We also hope all parties concerned in the international community would give understanding and support for it, and play constructive roles in properly settling the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue," he added.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 22:44:39|Editor: yan

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MANILA, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte vowed on Monday to establish a "Bangsamoro country" during his term, promising to push for a law that will protect Muslim Filipinos in the southern Philippines.

"I am for this... within the context of the Republic of the Philippines, there shall be a Bangsamoro country," Duterte said in a speech at the Malacanang presidential palace during the formal turnover of the new Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) draft.

Duterte, whose single, six-year term ends in 2022, said the new draft BBL "embodies our shared aspirations of a peaceful, orderly and harmonious nation."

Duterte said the new document "puts into life and spirit the constitutional mandate provided in the 1987 (Philippine) constitution for the establishment of a truly autonomous region in Muslim Mindanao."

Moreover, he said the proposed law "paves the way for meeting the just aspiration of the Bangsamoro people for self-determination."

Duterte voiced optimism that the proposed law will end the decades-long conflict that continues to plague the southern Philippines.

He said a Bangsamoro country will be realized while preserving and strengthening the territorial integrity of the Philippines.

"The draft bill shall give rise to a genuine autonomous region as well as bring forth healing and reconciliation to the historical injustices committed against the Bangsamoro people," Duterte said.

Duterte later told reporters that he had asked the leaders of both the Senate and the House of Representatives to act on the bill immediately. He added that he wanted the BBL passed within a year.

The Duterte administration is trying to forge peace with all the rebel forces plaguing the country, including the communist and Muslim rebels.

The crafting of a new BBL came amidst fighting between government security forces and militants allied with Islamic State in Marawi City that broke out May 23. The conflict has so far claimed the lives of 553 people, including 97 soldiers battling to retake the city.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 23:24:59|Editor: Song Lifang

People lay flowers at the monument near Amsterdam Schiphol Airport in the province of North Holland, on July 18, 2017. Three years after the downing of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine, Dutch King Willem-Alexander inaugurated a monument forest on Monday in Vijfhuizen, near Amsterdam Schiphol Airport in the province of North Holland, to commemorate the 298 victims. (Xinhua/Sylvia Lederer)

THE HAGUE, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Three years after the downing of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine, Dutch King Willem-Alexander inaugurated a monument forest on Monday in Vijfhuizen, near Amsterdam Schiphol Airport in the province of North Holland, to commemorate the 298 victims.

Roughly 2,000 of the victims' relatives from the Netherlands and abroad attended the ceremony for the national monument, along with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. One tree was planted for each of those killed, with a name plate put on every tree.

The monument, which is situated close to Amsterdam's Schiphol airport, is an initiative of the foundation for the relatives of the MH17 victims, Stichting Vliegramp MH17.

Foundation chairman Evert van Zijtveld, who lost his two teenage children and parents-in-law in the tragedy, said in his opening speech, "It is special to be here. With this monument, we now have a place to commemorate our loved ones. We are very grateful for this final result."

"Our dear relatives went on a journey here three years ago and now they come together. The victims can never be forgotten. For us and for future generations."

The design of the forest was inspired by the shape of the black memorial ribbon, which was used as a symbol in the aftermath of the crash. The forest is surrounded by a ring of sunflowers, which blossom during the month of July, the month that the plane was downed. In the heart of the forest there is an amphitheater with the names of all the victims coming together in the middle of an eye.

Three years ago, the MH17 took off from Schiphol Airport to Kuala Lumpur and was downed in eastern Ukraine. The disaster cost the lives of 298 people, of which 196 from the Netherlands and others from Australia, Malaysia, Belgium, Britain, Germany, Indonesia, the Philippines, New Zealand and Canada.

After the all the names of the victims were read out by their relatives and a minute of silence was held, Dutch King Willem-Alexander and his wife Queen Maxima laid flowers at the monument, together with 17 children from Vijfhuizen, followed by the relatives.

Though no suspects have been arrested, some progress is being made in the investigation.

In September 2016, a report published by the Dutch-led Joint Investigation Team concluded that the plane was shot down by a Russian-made Buk missile fired from a region in eastern Ukraine, controlled by independence-seeking insurgents.

Moscow and the rebel leadership in eastern Ukraine have denied the allegation, saying the plane was shot by a missile from the territory controlled by Ukrainian government troops.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 23:30:03|Editor: yan

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CAIRO, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Arab League (AL) Secretary General Ahmed Abul Gheit warned Monday of serious health and humanitarian conditions in war-torn Yemen, Egypt's state-run MENA news agency reported.

Speaking at the opening session of the Arab League Consultative Meeting at the level of permanent delegates on Yemen, Abul Gheit said the United Nations Special Envoy to Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed briefed him on the worsening humanitarian conditions in the country, especially after reports on the spread of Cholera in the war-ravaged areas.

He also stressed that there is an Arab consensus for a political solution to the Yemeni crisis based on the Gulf initiative, the outcome of the national dialogue as well as UN resolutions.

The AL chief urged Houthi rebels and other groups to place high the country's national interests, stressing that restoring legitimacy in Yemen is the only way to rebuild the country and end any humanitarian crises.

Yemen has been suffering from a civil war and a Saudi-led military intervention for around two years.

The war pits the Shiite Houthi rebel movement against a Sunni Saudi-led military coalition, after the Houthis toppled Saudi-backed President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi in late 2014.

The legitimate government controls the south and some eastern parts, while the Houthi/Saleh alliance controls the other parts including the capital Sanaa.

The UN has sponsored peace talks between the warring factions for several times, but the factions failed to reach a deal to end the civil war, which has already killed more than 10,000 people, half of them civilians, and injured over 35,000 others.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 23:35:13|Editor: An

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JAKARTA, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Officials from China and Indonesia held a seminar here on Monday to discuss foreigners' work permit in Indonesia.

The seminar titled "Policy and Procedure for Foreign Workers in Indonesia" was jointly held by the Chinese embassy in Indonesia and Coordinating Ministry for economy Affairs of Indonesia.

Speaking at the seminar, Minister Counselor (Economic & Commercial) of the Chinese embassy Wang Liping said that despite the rapid development of China-Indonesia relations, there are still some challenges. Among them was the untimely issuance of work permit for staff of Chinese companies in Indonesia.

He said the two sides should address it accordingly, expecting that a balance between the phenomenal Chinese investors' influx and adequacy of permit issuance for Chinese skilled workers can be achieved in Indonesia.

Wang called for enhancing cooperation between China and Indonesia on human resources training to fill up the need for skilled workers operating the Chinese projects.

Meanwhile, Deputy Minister for International Economic and Financial Cooperation of the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs Rizal Effendi Lukman said that Indonesia now has simplified procedures to apply working permit for foreign workers, including from China, that can be conducted online.

Rizal said the new simplified application process is now directly linked to the immigration office after the applicants submitted their applications to the manpower ministry through the online service.

"It would very much ease Chinese investors require for Chinese nationals to carry out their jobs here. Giving convenient and rapid service on working is our government hope," he added.

He also lauded Wang's proposal to enhance human resources training which would benefit Indonesia as more local people can be recruited to work in Chinese projects here.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-17 23:50:25|Editor: yan

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BRUSSELS, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The Council of the European Union (EU) on Monday slapped restrictions on the supply of inflatable boats and outboard motors to Libya, in a bid to rein in migrant smuggling from the North African country to Europe through the central Mediterranean Sea.

The sanctions got the stamp of approval following a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels.

The Council of the EU said it had put restrictions in place on "certain products which may be used to facilitate the smuggling of migrants and trafficking in human beings, notably dinghies and outboard motors."

The restrictions will also apply to dinghies and motors which are transiting through the EU en route to Libya, but it will not prevent the export or sales of these goods when they are meant for legitimate uses by the civilian population, for instance for fishermen.

Libya has been a breeding ground for human trafficking as tens of thousands of migrants have used the country as a springboard to get to Europe since 2015.

European Council President Donald Tusk earlier this month at the G20 summit in Hamburg branded migrant smuggling as an "organized business" which generated 1.6 billion U.S. dollars in Libya alone last year.

According to the European Commission, since January, there have been 85,183 migrant and refugee arrivals in Italy through the central Mediterranean Sea route. More than 2,000 migrants died taking the risky journey. In 2016, over 181,000 people arrived in the EU through the same route.

As the deadliest route for migrants last year, the central Mediterranean claimed the lives of 4,576 people, according to the International Organization for Migration.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-18 00:20:36|Editor: yan

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LUSAKA, July 17 (Xinhua) -- A fire has swept through parts of a hospital in central Zambia's Kabwe town, although no deaths were recorded, the police said on Monday.

Central Province Police Commissioner Lombe Kamukoshi confirmed the incident to Xinhua in a telephone interview, adding that the fire affected the Changing Room of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Kabwe General Hospital.

The fire was caused by an over-heated heater in the room but quick action by firefighters prevented the fire from spreading to other parts of the hospital.

The fire started around 10 p.m. on Sunday and was put out around 11 p.m., she added.

A number of properties valued at 15,880 Zambian Kwacha (1,745 U.S. dollars) were destroyed in the inferno but no deaths or injuries to human beings were recorded, she said.

Residents told local media that the fire outbreak caused panic among patients and hospital staff who scampered in different directions for safety.

This is the second fire recorded this month to a public building after another fire swept through parts of a famed market in Lusaka, the country's capital used by hundreds of small traders.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-18 00:20:37|Editor: yan

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ANKARA, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The Turkish parliament on Monday approved a bill to extend the state of emergency for another three months, the fourth such extension since last July's failed coup attempt.

The extension will take effect from Wednesday at 01:00 a.m. (2200 GMT, Tuesday), state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

The motion was ratified after consent votes of the ruling Justice and Development Party and the opposition Nationalist Movement Party.

Under emergency rule, the government can bypass parliament and enact new laws, in addition to limiting or suspending pre-existing rights and freedoms.

Meanwhile, the main opposition Republican People's Party criticized the extension of the state of emergency, arguing that it has polarized the country.

Turkey declared a state of emergency on July 20, 2016, days after a failed military coup, which Ankara blames on the U.S.-based exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-18 00:25:46|Editor: An

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Liu Yunshan (L), a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, meets with Deputy Chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Czech Republic Jan Hamacek, who is also speaker of the lower house of the Czech parliament, in Mlada Boleslav, the Czech Republic, July 17, 2017. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)

PRAGUE, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Senior Communist Party of China (CPC) official Liu Yunshan on Monday called on political parties of China and the Czech Republic to maintain high-level contacts and enhance exchanges on state governance and party building so as to facilitate practical cooperation between the two countries.

Liu, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, started his official good-will visit to the Czech Republic on Sunday after wrapping up a four-day tour to Romania.

During a meeting with Jan Hamacek, speaker of the lower house of the Czech parliament and deputy chairman of the Czech Social Democratic Party (CSSD), Liu highlighted the friendly cooperation between the CPC and the CSSD, urging the political parties of the two countries to keep promoting contacts in different aspects.

Closer party exchanges, Liu said, would help consolidate the political and social base for bilateral friendship, as well as promote the development of the Belt and Road Initiative, and enhance cooperation within the 16+1 cooperation mechanism.

Hailing the rapid development of closer cooperation in various fields, Liu said that the strategic consensus reached by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Czech President Milos Zeman has pointed out the direction for the future development of bilateral ties.

"We stand ready to work with the Czech Republic to implement the important consensus reached by the two countries' leaders and advance the relations to a higher level," he said.

For his part, Hamacek welcomed Liu's visit and attendance at the 2017 China Investment Forum being held in Prague, saying President Xi's visit to the Czech Republic last year had opened a new chapter for the relations between the Czech Republic and China.

The rapid development of bilateral relationship has brought tangible benefits to the two peoples as well as the enterprises of the two countries, Hamacek said, adding that the Czech Republic would actively participate in the Belt and Road Initiative.

Hamacek said the close cooperation between the CPC and the CSSD has deepened their mutual understanding and given a boost to mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries.

The Belt and Road Initiative, proposed by China in 2013, 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.

The China-CEE 16+1 mechanism is a platform created in April 2012 by China and 16 Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries.
Liu Yunshan (L), a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, meets with Deputy Chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Czech Republic Jan Hamacek, who is also speaker of the lower house of the Czech parliament, in Mlada Boleslav, the Czech Republic, July 17, 2017. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)

PRAGUE, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Senior Communist Party of China (CPC) official Liu Yunshan on Monday called on political parties of China and the Czech Republic to maintain high-level contacts and enhance exchanges on state governance and party building so as to facilitate practical cooperation between the two countries.

Liu, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, started his official good-will visit to the Czech Republic on Sunday after wrapping up a four-day tour to Romania.

During a meeting with Jan Hamacek, speaker of the lower house of the Czech parliament and deputy chairman of the Czech Social Democratic Party (CSSD), Liu highlighted the friendly cooperation between the CPC and the CSSD, urging the political parties of the two countries to keep promoting contacts in different aspects.

Closer party exchanges, Liu said, would help consolidate the political and social base for bilateral friendship, as well as promote the development of the Belt and Road Initiative, and enhance cooperation within the 16+1 cooperation mechanism.

Hailing the rapid development of closer cooperation in various fields, Liu said that the strategic consensus reached by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Czech President Milos Zeman has pointed out the direction for the future development of bilateral ties.

"We stand ready to work with the Czech Republic to implement the important consensus reached by the two countries' leaders and advance the relations to a higher level," he said.

For his part, Hamacek welcomed Liu's visit and attendance at the 2017 China Investment Forum being held in Prague, saying President Xi's visit to the Czech Republic last year had opened a new chapter for the relations between the Czech Republic and China.

The rapid development of bilateral relationship has brought tangible benefits to the two peoples as well as the enterprises of the two countries, Hamacek said, adding that the Czech Republic would actively participate in the Belt and Road Initiative.

Hamacek said the close cooperation between the CPC and the CSSD has deepened their mutual understanding and given a boost to mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries.

The Belt and Road Initiative, proposed by China in 2013, 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.

The China-CEE 16+1 mechanism is a platform created in April 2012 by China and 16 Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-18 00:45:52|Editor: yan

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VIENTIANE, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Lao Minister of Energy and Mines, President of the Laos-China Friendship Association Dr. Khammany Inthirath on Monday paid an inspection visit to Sanjiang Market which was destroyed by fire on Friday in Lao capital Vientiane, and sent condolences to businesses affected by the fire.

During the visit, Khammany showed his regret for the property losses of Chinese and Lao businesses at Sanjiang Market, expressing his hope that under the support of government and relevant departments, both countries' businessmen will take efforts to return to normal life and work to rebuild Sanjiang.

Laos-China Friendship Association has made well preparation to provide supports, he said.

Chairman of Sanjiang Group Ding Guojiang reported to Khammany the fire incident and property losses, expressing gratitude to the Lao official for his condolence.

Earlier on Saturday, Chinese Ambassador to Laos Wang Wentian paid a visit to Sanjiang Market to send condolence to businesses there.

A massive fire engulfed Sanjiang Market in Vientiane on Friday, causing huge economic losses. Fortunately no causalities have been reported.

Sanjiang Market covers an area of 17,000 square meters with mostly Chinese businessmen engaging in sales of daily necessities, clothes, bags, air ticket, visa handling, local specialties and home appliances, among others.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-18 00:50:58|Editor: yan

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ROME, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The Italian cabinet deferred the discussion of a bill that would grant citizenship to foreign children born or raised in the country, local media said Monday.

Rather than being examined throughout the summer, as expected, the draft law would see its legislative proceedings delayed until autumn.

"Considering the urgent deadlines in the Senate calendar, and the difficulties that have arisen among some forces in the (government's) majority, I do not think conditions are right to pass the bill on citizenship before the summer break," Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni said in a statement on Sunday.

"Still, it is a just law, and my personal commitment -- and that of the government -- to approving it in autumn remains," he added.

The draft law would recognize as new citizens at least 800,000 young people already living in Italy, according to estimates by Leone Moressa Foundation based on official statistics.

More specifically, it would involve some 634,592 foreign minors born in Italy since 1998, plus 166,000 born abroad but attending Italian schools for at least five years.

These, in fact, would be the two major factors modifying the current legislation, if the reform is approved.

With the new law, the citizenship would be based on a tempered "right of the soil" principle, and on the cultural participation of the child ("right of the culture").

As such, citizenship would be granted to all children born in Italy to foreign parents (one of whom must have a long-term residence permit), and all those entering the country before 12 years old, but attending Italian schools for at least five years.

Currently, children born to foreign parents can apply for the Italian citizenship between their 18 and 19 birthdays. Yet, they must also prove they have lived here legally and continuously their whole life, which can be a difficult task considering the country's heavy red tape.

The reform project is controversial -- most center-right parties and anti-establishment Five Star Movement would not support it -- and the issue was being debated while the country is witnessing the highest inflows of migrants and refugees in decades.

Although the prime minister blamed the busy calendar for the delay, it seemed clear a major reason was the lack of solid support in the senate, which is where his center-left cabinet can count on a thin majority of seats only.

In June, Gentiloni had appealed to lawmakers to swiftly approve what he had called "a law of civilization."

The draft law has been passed by deputies in October 2015, and now needs the green light of senators to enter into force. In case the senate modifies the current text, however, the bill will have to hit the lower house floor again for a second approval.

Opponents to the reform, including anti-immigration Northern League, have submitted some 48,000 amendments to the text, according to media reports.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-18 01:06:08|Editor: yan

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JOHANNESBURG, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) condemned the remarks made by the Deputy Minister of Police, Bongani Mkongi on Monday which they said have a potential to ignite anti-immigrant sentiments.

Mkongi, last Friday accused foreigners of economic sabotage, hijacking buildings and occupying 80 percent of buildings in Hillbrow. He said the future president of South Africa could be a foreigner if foreigners continue to dominate the country.

The Human Rights Commission said the statement is xenophobic and encouraged leaders to refrain from such utterances.

"The SAHRC strongly condemns the irresponsible utterances by the Deputy Minister of Police, Bongani Mkongi. The SAHRC is of the view that statements such as this have the potential of fueling anti-immigrant sentiments and is in fact xenophobic," said the Commission in a statement.

There have been xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals this year in Johannesburg, Pretoria and other parts of the country. The Commission said it is unfortunate that Mkongi said this in such context.

"Not only are the statements factually incorrect, they also unjustifiably ascribe crime to foreign nationals as an undifferentiated group. The SAHRC calls on all individuals to exercise caution when addressing the public so as to not instigate xenophobic violence," said the commission.

They encouraged leaders to constructively shape public debate and social cohesion through evidence-based statements. The SAHRC said repeating stereotypes does not advance the goals of upholding the fundamental rights of all in society.

The SAHRC is currently investigating if the statements by the Police Minister Fikile Mbalula that Zimbabwean ex-soldiers are responsible for violent crimes in the country amounts to a hate speech.

Another traditional leader, Goodwill Zwelithini was investigated after he said foreigners should pack their bags and leave the country and not overcrowd the streets.

The Johannesburg Mayor Herman Mashaba is also being investigated by the SAHRC for accusing undocumented immigrants for crimes in the city.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-18 01:16:14|Editor: yan

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NICOSIA, July 17 (Xinhua) -- French Total energy company, in association with Italy's ENI, started a drilling for natural gas in Cyprus's exclusive economic zone on Monday, despite objections by Turkey which has sent ships to monitor the action, Cypriot government officials said on Monday.

The officials said on condition of anonymity that a drill aboard the specialized ship "West Capella" touched the sea bottom at a depth of over 1,200 meters, after several days of preparations.

"The natural gas exploration program is proceeding according to plan," government spokesman Nicos Christodoulides said, without going into details.

The drilling, some 175 kilometers off Cyprus's southwestern shores, is being monitored by a small armada of foreign navy ships sailing in the volatile region of the eastern Mediterranean.

Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Thursday that Ankara would take action against the Greek Cypriots for what he claimed as unilateral action without the participation of the estranged Turkish Cypriot community in planning and starting natural gas exploration.

He did not said what the action would be, but the Turkish Defense Ministry said later that it had sent two frigates and a submarine, as well as a seismic survey ship, to monitor the drilling.

Turkey invoked treaty intervention rights to send troops in Cyprus in 1974 to occupy a large part of its territory, in response to a short lived coup by the military rulers of Greece.

The Turkish warships are not the only ones to keep a close watch on the Total-ENI drilling.

Two French frigates participating in the United Nations peace mission in Lebanon initially docked at Larnaca port last week, ostensibly to refuel and restock.

One of them later sailed close to the drilling area and the other to an undisclosed destination off Cyprus.

Warships from other countries have been reported to have converged in the wider region of the drilling, prompting the Cypriot government spokesman to remark that "an international network of legality has been set up defining the limits of Turkey's actions."

France's Defense Minister Florence Parly arrived in Cyprus on Monday afternoon and later flew aboard a helicopter to the frigate sailing closest to Cyprus.

A Cypriot government spokesman said there were no plans for her to go to the region where the drilling is done.

The official line is that the visit was unconnected to the Total drilling, but Greece's Foreign Minister Nilos Kotzias said in Brussels that her presence in the region was a "good development."

After her visit to the frigate, Parly had a meeting with her Cypriot counterpart, Christoforos Fokaides, discussing bilateral cooperation, regional issues and European security arrangements.

The drilling drama comes just about 10 days after the United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres declared an international conference in Switzerland called to seek an and to the partition of Cyprus failed to reach an agreement.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-18 01:26:25|Editor: yan

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LAGOS, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Boko Haram militants have changed tactics to carry out terror activities in Nigeria, the country's military authority said Monday.

This is coming few hours after a total of 12 persons were killed while 18 others sustained various degrees of injuries in multiple suicide bomb attacks in Maiduguri, the capital of the restive northeast Borno State.

The insurgents had employed new methods to attract prey to suicide bomb target, Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, a spokesperson for the Nigerian Army said in a statement made available to Xinhua in Lagos, the country's economic hub.

He warned the public to be wary of new tactics devised by Boko Haram insurgents who engage children to unleash suicide bomb attacks.

The insurgents have employed deceptive tactics to attain maximum casualties during suicide bomb mission from the civil populace, the spokesperson added.

Nwachukwu said one of the tactics is to create a fighting scene to attract attention and cause people to gather around them before they detonate their explosives.

"Another antic is by abducting children on errands, strap them with Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) vests and send them back home, where the bomb is set to detonate and kill members of the household," he said.

Nwachukwu said the insurgents had recently succeeded in carrying out its nefarious activities and suicide attacks through deceptive tactics.

The Army spokesperson advised members of the public to be wary of these tactics and avoid unnecessary gatherings that could expose them to dangers.

He also urged parents to be vigilant and monitor movement of their children to protect them from being used by insurgents for evil mission.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-18 01:36:27|Editor: yan

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WASHINGTON, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) orchestrated the hacking of Qatari government news and social media sites in May that later triggered a diplomatic crisis between Qatar and its neighbors, according to The Washington Post.

Citing U.S. intelligence officials who spoke on condition of anonymity, the report said that U.S. officials learned last week that on May 23, senior UAE officials discussed the plan and its implementation.

The hacks of Qatari websites and posting which took place on May 24 said that Qatar's emir, among other things, had called Iran an "Islamic power" and praised Hamas, according to the report.

Since then, Qatar has insisted that its emir had never made the remarks and that the quotes were posted by hackers.

In response to the posting, however, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt severed diplomatic ties with Qatar on June 5 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.

According to the Post, U.S. intelligence officials said that it remained unclear whether the UAE carried out the hacking or paid others to have it done.

A statement by the Qatar government said that it believed the Post report to be true, while the UAE denied the allegations.

"The @washingtonpost story is false. UAE had no role whatsoever in the alleged hacking described in the article," the UAE embassy in Washington tweeted, citing its ambassador to the United States Yousef al-Otaiba as saying.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-18 01:36:29|Editor: yan

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ROME, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The number of people visiting Italian museums in the first half of the year rose by more than 2 millions, recent statistics showed.

The total exceeded 23.2 million people, marking a 7.3 percent increase over the same period in 2016, Italy's Ministry of Culture said in a statement on Sunday.

Museum revenues from Jan. 1 to June 30 also increased by 17.2 percent to 88.7 million euros (101.7 million U.S. dollars), according to the ministry's statistical office.

The positive trend was registered less than two years after a major reform of the country's museum system was introduced.

The overhaul included ensuring a stronger autonomy to museums, and selecting foreign experts to cover managerial positions, as it has happened for example at the Galleria Uffizi in Florence, the Pinacoteca di Brera in Milan, and the Archaeological Park in Paestum.

In fact, the Italian Ministry of Culture appointed 20 new directors to lead the country's top state museums in August 2015, with seven foreign directors among the selected candidates.

The increasing figures would prove "the rightness of giving autonomy to museums," culture minister Dario Franceschini said.

The reform would have brought about "an assertive innovation in the management, with immediate results starting with a higher digital presence," according to the official.

Visitors increased by 4 millions, if compared to the first six months of 2014 (the year before the reform), the ministry also stressed in its statement.

The leading regions were Lazio -- including Rome -- with some 10 million visitors and 36 millions euros in revenues registered; southern Campania (whose regional capital is Naples) with 4.3 million visitors and 19.6 million euros; and central Tuscany with 3.4 million visitors and 16.5 million euros.

However, data also showed less-known regions such as northwest Liguria, and northeast Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia registered the strongest rise of visitors: some 33.5 percent, 26.8 percent, and 23.3 percent, respectively.

The worst performance was recorded in Umbria, Marche, and Abruzzo, Italy's central regions hit by a long series of earthquakes since 2016. (1 euro = 1.15 U.S. dollars)
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-18 01:36:31|Editor: yan

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MOGADISHU, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Somalia government on Monday confirmed the restoration of internet services in Mogadishu and the larger south and central regions after three weeks outage.

Minister of Posts, Telecommunication and Technology Engineer Abdi Anshur Hassan told journalists the 23-day outage was caused by an undersea fibre optic cable cut.

He said a vessel, the MSC Alice, which had brought goods to a port in the capital Mogadishu, was responsible for the situation.

"Finally we have internet services back following efforts by the government and the internet service providers," said Hassan.

"Joint efforts made by the Somali government and the Internet Service Provider (the company) brought the internet service available again in the south and central Somalia successfully," he added.

The minister urged the companies providing the fibre optic to have backups so that they could get an alternative internet service for their customers in case of network problem.

He said law on the telecommunication should immediately be approved to help give the public the right to get compensation from companies providing the service in case of any failure.

The minister also called on the service providers to ensure such disconnection does not occur again in the future.

Somalia had announced last week it was losing an average of 10 million U.S. dollars daily owing to the outage which has affected business and virtually all sectors of the country's economy.

"The average loss of the lack of internet services is about 10 million dollars per day. We lost 130 million dollars only in the past two weeks after missing the services which was the lifeline of our people," Hassan said last week.

The internet outage hit 11 out of 18 Somali regions including the capital Mogadishu.

The government said whoever was involved in this incident will be tried and the company that belongs to the ship that was involved in cutting the undersea cable is required to pay for the loss.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-18 01:41:40|Editor: yan

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LONDON, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The first ever wedding taking place in the British Antarctic has seen a couple tie the knot surrounded by a landscape of snow and ice during the weekend.

Polar field guides Julie Baum and Tom Sylvester were married in a ceremony at the British Antarctic Survey's (BAS) Rothera Research Station.

The bride and her friends made the wedding dress, using material from an old pyramid tent.

The couple, who have been together for 11 years, shared their special day with 20 fellow over-winterers in one of the remotest areas on earth.

Their two-day celebration began on Saturday with a champagne breakfast and brought much excitement and joy to the team that is currently living and working in freezing temperatures with limited daylight and 30 miles per hour wind gusting over the station, said BAS.

The ceremony took place in a specially designed and decorated chapel on Saturday. The wedding will be registered with the BAT Government, based in the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, to ensure the marriage will be valid in Britain.

The happy couple, engaged for three years, are both experienced mountaineers with careers as mountain instructors and expedition leaders.

"When both were selected to join BAS in 2016 to manage deep-field science expeditions everyone at Rothera joked that they should get married," said a BAS spokesman.

Julie, assisted by some of her friends on station, made her wedding dress. For the bride, her 'something old' was part of old orange pyramid tent used for the skirt. The groom made two wedding rings out of brass, using a lathe in the metal workshop. The center's resident chef made a traditional wedding cake for the reception.

Sylvester said the wedding couldn't have been better, adding: "Antarctica is an incredibly beautiful place and we have made such great friends here. We have always wanted to have a small personal wedding, but never imagined we'd be able to get married in one of the most remote places on Earth."

Baum added: "Tom and I have been working and travelling around the world. Getting married in Antarctica feels like it was meant to be."

After the ceremony the couple posed for photos outside in temperatures of minus 9 degrees centigrade.

The couple first met at an outdoor adventure instructor scheme in North Wales.

Rothera Research Station, the largest British Antarctic Survey facility, is a center for biological research and a hub for supporting deep-field and air operations.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-18 01:46:43|Editor: yan

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CAIRO, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The Council of the Arab League on Monday condemned Israel's decision to bar Palestinians from entering the al-Aqsa mosque in East Jerusalem.

In a statement after a meeting in Cairo on the recent developments in East Jerusalem, The Council said the Israeli measures there are a blatant breach of Palestinian worship rights.

The Council added that the Israeli practices violate the international laws and the United Nations resolutions.

It also stressed the necessity to end the Israeli practices, rejecting Israel's change of the status quo in East Jerusalem.

Israel shut down the holy site and installed checkpoints and metal detectors at its entrances after three Palestinian Muslims with Israeli citizenship shot dead two Israel policemen on Friday morning.

It was for the first time in the past 50 years that Israel closed the compound, which is Islam's third holiest site.

Israel reopened the holy site on Sunday, requiring all visitors to go through security checks through metal detectors that were placed at two gates.

However, the Waqf, a Muslim religious authority that administrates the compound, rejected the new measures and refused to hold prayers at the mosque.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-18 01:46:45|Editor: yan

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NAIROBI, July 17 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan's Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) on Monday denied planning an offensive on the rebel stronghold of Pagak near the Ethiopian border.

SPLA spokesman Brigadier Lul Ruai Koang told Xinhua following revelations by the head of UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) David Shearer last week that government troops were moving on to attack the SPLA-in opposition (SPLA-IO) headquarters located in the northeastern part of the war-torn country.

"That's not true, we are not moving on Pagak. We have been defending our positions," Koang said in Juba. "We are not anywhere near Pagak," he added.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) disclosed that 5,000 people have fled from the area north of Pagak fearing clash between the warring groups and have since been registered in the town before they passed into Ethiopia as refugees.

"There has been an active military engagement over the past week with heavy fighting around Mathiang north of Pagak on July 2," Shearer said last week.

The rebel (SPLA-IO) spokesman Col. William Gatjiath Deng also dismissed fears that the SPLA troops had moved on their stronghold.

"Please denounce the propaganda that merciless forces of Salva Kiir (SPLA) claimed to have approached and surrounded Pagak GHQs, by which forces should they be able to surround Pagak GHQs," he said.

He said that the SPLA-IO forces are now assembled in Thocdeng and are determined to fight with government troops at Wichluakjak area.

South Sudan descended into violence in December 2013 after political dispute between President Kiir and his former deputy Riek Machar led to fighting that pitted mostly Dinka ethnic soldiers loyal to Kiir against Machar's Nuer ethnic group.

The 2015 peace agreement to end the violence was again violated in July 2016 when the rival factions resumed fighting in the capital forcing Machar to flee into exile.

The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions that have sought refuge in neighboring countries.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-18 01:51:51|Editor: yan

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LAMU, Kenya, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta vowed Monday to flush out Al-Shabaab militants who have been killing villagers in the restive Lamu County, saying terrorists will be met with deadly force.

Speaking barely a week after the insurgents killed five people in an attack that left a senior government official injured, Kenyatta pledged to meet fire with fire in the war against terrorists.

"Our citizens are losing their lives. Our security forces are losing their lives. My Principal Secretary was wounded here a few days ago," said Kenyatta who is on a political campaign tour of the Lamu region.

"We have to deal with these terror mongers. I have no apologies to make in taking the tough measures we are taking," he added, while promising to continue with the government's heavy investment in infrastructure to spur prosperity.

The Islamist militants have been attacking the local police posts and set it ablaze schools and dispensaries, killing the villagers at will.

The Al-Shabaab militants have changed tactics and resorted to using IEDs to carry out attacks in parts of Coast and northeast regions, according to police.

More than 30 police officers and over 20 civilians have been killed in terror attacks in the past one month in northeastern Kenya.

In the Lamu towns of Kizingitini and Mpeketoni, and in Garsen in Tana River County, Kenyatta said that security forces had intensified their hunt for terrorists in Boni forest, and he had given directives for them to be pursued wherever they were, and "we shall bury them."

He noted that no one had the right to take away the life of any other person, and that was why he had decided that "fire must be met with fire."

The police say the IED strategically planted along the roads near Kenya Somalia border are slowing down security operations to flush out militants hiding in the vast Boni forest which is near the Somali border, according to commanders involved in the operation.

The areas affected include Bondhei, Pandanguo, Kiunga, Baragoi and Milimani which has claimed several lives in the recent past.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-18 02:12:04|Editor: yan

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RIGA, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Latvian President Raimonds Vejonis said Monday the visit of Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev to Riga, the capital of Latvia, will considerably promote exchange and strengthen friendship between the two countries.

He made the remarks at a joint news conference with his Azerbaijani counterpart at Riga Castle on Monday.

While the presidents of Latvia and Azerbaijan signed a declaration on strategic cooperation, ministers of the two countries signed agreements on cooperation in transport, construction supervision and education.

"This has been a very busy year, there have been exchanges of visits, good relations have been established not only between the heads of state, but also between the parliaments, governments and local authorities... All this allows to hope for new business projects and a growth of mutual trade," the Latvian president said after talks with Aliyev.

Vejonis also stressed Latvia's intention to step up transport cooperation with Azerbaijan, particularly on the North-South Transport Corridor.

Aliyev's meeting with Latvian Prime Minister Maris Kucinskis also focused on cooperation in transport, with the Latvian side calling for regular air traffic between Latvia and Azerbaijan. The Latvian premier expressed the hope of Latvia's national airline airBaltic to open a direct route between Riga and Baku and to advance cooperation with Azerbaijan Airlines.

A delegation of entrepreneurs who accompanied Aliyev on his visit to Latvia took part in a Latvian-Azerbaijani business forum which Riga hosted to promote business contacts between the two countries.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-18 02:12:06|Editor: yan

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WASHINGTON, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) will not release its analysis of a revised Senate health care plan on Monday as previously expected, according to U.S. media.

The Senate Budget Committee was quoted as saying that the release on the CBO analysis of the updated Republican bill was put off, adding it will provide further information and updates as appropriate.

It did not provide any explanation or when the analysis, including estimated cost and scope of insurance coverage, would be expected.

The delay marked the latest setback for the Republican efforts to repeal and replace former President Barack Obama's signature health-care law, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as the Obamacare.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell postponed a vote Saturday on GOP's revised Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA), planned this week, in light of Republican John McCain's recovering at home in Arizona from surgery for a blood clot above his left eye.

McCain's absence would have left Republicans short of the votes required to move forward the legislation because the long-sought bill needs support from 50 of the 52 Republican senators to get passed, but two of them, Susan Collins of Maine and Rand Paul of Kentucky, have said they won't back their own party's health care plan.

Last week, Senate Republicans unveiled an updated version of the bill to bridge internal differences, facing a unanimous opposition from Democrats and independents.

The amendment, worked out by Republican Senator Ted Cruz, allows both skimpy and more robust plans in the insurance market to attract conservatives, and adds billions in tackling with the opioid epidemic to win moderates.

Senator Paul of Kentucky said he believes the Republican bill not going far enough to repeal the Obamacare, while Collins of Maine insisted it would hurt some of those who need health care the most.

An earlier CBO score on the BCRA estimated that 22 million more Americans would be uninsured in the next 10 years and premiums and out-of-pocket spending would increase sharply for low-income people and those about to retire.
Israeli border guards detain a Palestinian youth during a demonstration outside the Lions Gate, a main entrance to Al-Aqsa mosque compound, due to newly-implemented security measures by Israeli authorities which include metal detectors and cameras, in Jerusalem's Old City on July 17, 2017. (AFP Photo)

CAIRO, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The Council of the Arab League on Monday condemned Israel's decision to bar Palestinians from entering the al-Aqsa mosque in East Jerusalem.

In a statement after a meeting in Cairo on the recent developments in East Jerusalem, The Council said the Israeli measures there are a blatant breach of Palestinian worship rights.

The Council added that the Israeli practices violate the international laws and the United Nations resolutions.

It also stressed the necessity to end the Israeli practices, rejecting Israel's change of the status quo in East Jerusalem.

Israel shut down the holy site and installed checkpoints and metal detectors at its entrances after three Palestinian Muslims with Israeli citizenship shot dead two Israel policemen on Friday morning.

It was for the first time in the past 50 years that Israel closed the compound, which is Islam's third holiest site.

Israel reopened the holy site on Sunday, requiring all visitors to go through security checks through metal detectors that were placed at two gates.

However, the Waqf, a Muslim religious authority that administrates the compound, rejected the new measures and refused to hold prayers at the mosque.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani speaks during a press conference in Tehran on May 22, 2017. Rouhani said that Iran does not need the permission of the United States to conduct missile tests, which would continue "if technically necessary". (AFP Photo)

TEHRAN, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Iran's army chief on Monday warned the U.S. against the repercussions of blacklisting the the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, mainly because of Iran's missile program, Press TV reported.

"Marking the IRGC along with terrorist groups and imposing similar sanctions on it is a big risk for the Americans, for their bases and their forces in the region," Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri said.

In May, a bill introduced by the U.S. Senate, in case it is passed by the Congress and implemented by the the State Department, would label the IRGC as a terrorist group and trigger sanctions on it.

Baqeri warned the United States against "wrong calculations" regarding the Islamic Republic, including its planned sanctions and possible blacklisting of the IRGC.

"American officials are advised to talk somewhat wiser, more measured and mature to other countries, especially a country like Iran that has stood against all conspiracies with pride and strength, and no longer play with their honor," he was quoted as saying.

Baqeri also stressed that Iran's advanced missile power is "defensive and non-negotiable."

He said that despite the continuing plots and threats from the enemies since decades ago, the Islamic republic has been able to defend borders and to overcome terrorism.

Baqeri called for more deterrent progress and readiness to thwart emerging security threats by some powers and their regional allies, including Israel, against Iran.

On May 10, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that Iran would increase its missile capability despite the enemies' propaganda against it.

The U.S. officials have said Iran's ballistic missile launches are threats to the U.S. interests in the world.

The Iranian officials unanimously called the missile tests "inalienable right" of the country to boost deterrent power.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-18 02:32:11|Editor: yan

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LAGOS, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The Nigerian government Monday said it is passionate about the creative industry and would grant tax relief to investors in the sector.

Yemi Osinbajo, the country's acting president, who made this known at the opening of a two-day Creative Industry Summit in Lagos, the nation's business hub, said the creative industry in Nigeria is a significant player in the economy.

"It is an industry that represents 1.42 percent of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and has a huge export earning and in its own right employs millions of people. This is an extremely important sector," he added.

Osinbajo told the gathering that the creative industry contribution to the GDP is impressive when compared to the 11 percent contribution of the oil sector to the GDP.

He added that the contribution was also significant considering the fact that government had not invested so much in it as it had done on other sectors.

He said in supporting the industry, government would increase the revenue strength of the sector to make it bankable and give tax incentives to investors.

Osinbajo, however, said government would be cautious in funding the sector in order to maintain the creativity of the sector.

He said the administration would explore sustainable loans that are easily accessible and recyclable for the development of the industry.

Osinbajo stressed the readiness of the government to support the industry in its march toward creating a niche for the country in the global arena.

Earlier, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, said the summit was organized to proffer solutions to the challenges of financing films, television and music industries.

He said the creative industry is a major plank of the government's economic diversification efforts and his ministry had been doing a lot to transform the industry.

The minister told his audience that with the support of government and the cooperation of stakeholders, the creative industry would create one million jobs in three years.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-18 02:32:13|Editor: yan

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TIRANA, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Macedonian police officers will be deployed for the first time in the coastal resort of Saranda, south of Albania, following an agreement between the Interior Ministries of Albania and Macedonia, Albanian police informed Monday.

As the number of Macedonian citizens spending their summer vacations in southern Albania has kept growing, Albania has asked Macedonian police to help patrol the resorts," a spokesperson of Albanian road police told media Monday.

Macedonian police will help Albanian police tackle not only road policing but also crime," Mitat Tola, head of Albanian Road Police, told local media while noting that such help was needed in the peak season of July and August.

On the other hand, as defined in the agreement, Albanian police would be helping keep order in the Macedonian resort city of Ohrid.

Since May, an increasing number of citizens from Macedonia have crossed Albania's Qafe Thane border checkpoint (southeast of Albania) to spend their vacations in the beaches of the south.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-18 02:37:17|Editor: yan

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CAIRO, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Arab League (AL) Secretary General Ahmed Abul Gheit on Monday stressed the necessity of maintaining the unity of Iraq.

The AL chief made the remarks during his meeting with Permanent Representative of Iraq to the Arab League Habib al Sadr.

Ambassador al Sadr affirmed Iraq's commitment to backing the activities of the AL, in light of the current financial crisis facing the pan Arab body.

He briefed the AL chief on the latest developments in Iraq, concerning the operation to liberate al Mosul as well as the referendum set to be held in Kurdistan.

Iraq's anti-terror efforts and measures were also highlighted by al Sadr.

Abul Gheit, meanwhile, congratulated the Iraqi representative on the liberation of the Daesh-controlled al Mosul city, Spokesman for the AL chief Mahmoud Afify said.

The AL chief reiterated his full support for efforts exerted by Iraq and its army to uproot Daesh terrorists.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-18 02:42:18|Editor: yan

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ATHENS, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Monday urged for focus on growth and social cohesion in EU's 2018 budget, during a meeting with European Commissioner for Budget and Human Resources Gunther Oettinger in Athens.

Oettinger visited Greece to exchange views with Greek officials on the EU's post-Brexit multi-year budget which will be submitted in 2018, as part of consultations among member states across Europe.

"I think this is a crucial discussion. It is necessary to try to plan our common future and first of all to try to cover the gaps and correct everything that does not go well," the Greek Premier said, according to Greek national broadcaster ERT.

The European Union should put emphasis on policies aimed to address "inequalities and heal social wounds to create convergence", he added.

"I would say 2018 is the last normal budget. Business as usual. New responsibilities, priorities, migration, refugees, border control and protection and so on," Oettinger said, stressing that the EU should be well prepared to tackle future challenges and the Brexit at the end of March 2019.

"United together we have a significant special weight. We have our values regarding the promotion of peace, democracy and social policy," the official noted, addressing the Greek parliament's committees on European Affairs and Budget, Greek national news agency AMNA reported.

Oettinger presented Greek MPs his draft proposal for the 2018 EU multi-year budget, underlining that it is based on four main pillars: competitiveness, sustainability, solidarity and security.

The European Commissioner expressed optimism that the dialogue which has started throughout the EU will soon lead to a realistic and ambitious draft budget which will be unanimously sealed by member-states.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-18 03:12:30|Editor: yan

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by Salah Takieddine

BEIRUT, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Syrian refugees in Lebanon expressed on Monday their longing to return home and wish that their humiliation would not be repeated.

A Syrian refugee woman living in a camp in the eastern Bekaa region told Xinhua on Monday "we want to return to our country. We do not want to go here or there, we only want to return home to the city of Rakka."

Another Syrian refugee who also declined to give his name to Xinhua, called on Lebanon's PM Saad Hariri to negotiate with Syrian President Bashar Assad so their return could be facilitated.

He said "we ask the Prime Minister of Lebanon to negotiate with President Bashar Assad for us to return home. All these issues should be settled so we could be able to return to our country and help rebuild it."

Meanwhile, some 300 Syrian refugee families living in the eastern border town of Arsal returned last week to Syria in a convoy that was part of an agreement brokered by 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.

The families feared of the latest news regarding an imminent raid that Hezbollah will launch with the Syrian army against the fundamentalist militants entrenched in the outskirts of Arsal.

According to the United Nations Higher Commission for Refugees, Lebanon hosts more than 1.1 million Syrian who fled their war-torn country since the rebellion against the regime of President Bashar Assad erupted in March 2011.

However the Lebanese government puts the number around 1.5 million who are scattered across Lebanon, mostly in randomly erected camps and often in severe poverty, and face the risk of arrest because of restrictions on legal residence and work.

Lebanon recently witnessed a division regarding whether the government should work directly with the Syrian government over the return of refugees, which Hezbollah and its allies advocate.

Others, including Lebanon's Prime Minister Saad Hariri, are strongly opposed, questioning the safety of the refugees once they return, pledging not to force them to leave the country and stressing that their return will only be negotiated with the United Nations.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-18 03:17:33|Editor: yan

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RIYADH, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Monday rejected as "false" a Washington Post article alleging that the UAE orchestrated the hacking of Qatari government websites that triggered off the standoff in the Gulf.

UAE Ambassador in Washington, Yousef Al Otaiba, said in a statement that the Post story is "false," Al Arabiya TV reported.

"The UAE had no role whatsoever in the alleged hacking described in the article" published on the Washington Post, Otaiba said in a statement.

Quoting intelligence sources, the Post article said the UAE orchestrated the hacking of Qatari government news and social media sites in May in order to post incendiary false quotes attributed to Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hammad al-Thani, which sparked the standoff between Qatar and the Saudi Arabia-led bloc of Arab countries.

In the remarks posted on official Qatari websites, Sheikh Tamim praised Iran as well as the Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip. Saudi Arabia, as well as the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt then cut their diplomatic ties with Doha and imposed a total economic blockade on the tiny rich Gulf nation.

Otaiba said that "what is true is Qatar's behavior. Funding, supporting, and enabling extremists from the Taliban to Hamas and Qadafi," referring to former Libyan leader Muammar Qadafi.

He also slammed Qatar for "inciting violence, encouraging radicalization, and undermining the stability of its neighbors."

Despite intensified diplomatic mediation efforts, which included the visit to the Gulf by U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson last week, the Qatari crisis continues as both sides refuse to back down.
The United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister warned Qatar on July 17, 2017 it could not belong to the Gulf Cooperation Council if it undermined regional security, calling for a "change of behaviour" but not "regime change." (AFP Photo)

DUBAI, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The main problem with Qatar is its alliance with extremist ideology and its spending of billions of dollars to support individuals and terrorist organizations, UAE News Agency WAM reported on Monday.

Some of these individuals and terrorist organizations are linked to al-Qaida, according to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash on Monday.

According to the official agency, Gargash said in a speech at the Royal Institute of International Studies in London, during a lecture entitled "The Gulf Crisis: its Causes and What will Lead," which dealt with the crisis with Qatar, including its background, consequences and prospects.

In his speech, Gargash explained "the background of the crisis, including Qatar's disturbing trends since the 1990s, and the UAE has been at risk of Islamic and jihadist extremism since the 1980s and has been developing policies and measures to combat it."

He pointed out that "the current crisis of dimensions beyond the domestic arena of the GCC (Gulf co-operation council)," noting the "need to put an end to official support for extremism and jihadism and terrorism in various parts of the Arab world."

Gargash said in his lecture that "the current crisis is not linked mainly to Iran, although the beneficiaries, and the fundamental problem with Qatar is its alliance with extremist ideology and spending billions to support individuals and terrorist organizations, some linked to al Qaida."

"The UAE is seeking a final solution not to prolong the crisis, but without turning a blind eye to the fundamental concerns that led to it," he said.

"The pressures, negotiations and agreements over the past 20 years have not succeeded in discarding Qatar's policies," he added.

"Diplomacy is the only path adopted by the UAE in this context and it does not intend to escalate beyond sovereign procedures and reach the level of international law. The UAE is ready to wait for the process to take its course and if it succeeds in changing Qatar's behavior, Everyone has to."
Photo taken on Sept. 22, 2013 shows the Russian embassy to Syria in Damascus, capital of Syria. (Xinhua/Zhang NaiJie)

MOSCOW, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Foreign Ministry on Monday strongly condemned the mortar shelling a day before against its embassy in the Syrian capital of Damascus.

Two projectiles were fired from the terrorist-controlled Jobar district in the city and exploded near the Russian embassy, "by lucky chance" causing no casualty nor destruction, said the ministry in a statement.

"Russia's principled line of resolute and uncompromising fight against terrorists in Syria will continue," it said.

The ministry also called on the international community to unite their efforts towards a quick eradication of the hotbed of terrorism in Syria and the whole Middle East.

The Russian embassy in Damascus has been shelled several times since Moscow started to participate in anti-terrorist operations in Syria in September 2015.

Russia has so far withdrawn the majority of its troops from the war-torn country. It is still supporting anti-terrorist and humanitarian missions there.
A competitor performs Chinese calligraphy during the preliminary contest of the 10th Chinese Bridge language proficiency competition for the midwest of the United States at the Confucius Institute of Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, the United States, April 23, 2011. Over 30 competitors from 11 Confucius Institutes took part in the competition Saturday. (Xinhua/Jiang Xintong)

by Xinhua writers Yang Shilong, Zhang Zhihuan

NEW YORK, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Arabella and Joseph Kushner, grandchildren of U.S. President Donald Trump, endeared themselves to Chinese-speaking communities in early April when they performed a traditional folk song "Jasmine" in Mandarin for Chinese President Xi Jinping during the two leaders' first meeting in Florida.

The two young members of the U.S. first family are joining a growing list of American celebrities including Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg and Malia Obama, former President Barack Obama's daughter who take Chinese as their second language.

The followers of the world's oldest written language are not confined to key public figures. U.S. statistics show Chinese is the third most popular language in the country, only behind English, official language, and Spanish.

Why are Americans so enthusiastic about Chinese?

Each one might have a different story but all of our interviewees agree that Chinese, against the backdrop of the breathtaking scale and development of China, is becoming an increasingly useful asset for their personal and professional growth in the future, not least gaining a better understanding of one of the richest cultures in the world.

A student performs during the preliminary contest of the Chinese Language Bridge Competition at San Francisco State University in San Francisco, the United States, April 2, 2011. (Xinhua/Liu Yilin)

"I WOULDN'T BE THE PERSON I AM TODAY WITHOUT LEARNING MANDARIN"

"When I chose Chinese, I just thought I don't know much about China and this will be an opportunity for me to learn something and I'm very glad that I did," Aisling McCaffrey told Xinhua recently at the New York-based China Institute, the oldest educational institution devoted solely to Chinese culture in the United States.

McCaffrey started learning Chinese when she was in her first year majoring in international business at the Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada. After graduation, she went to the Renmin University in Beijing, China, for further studies.

"I think everyone believes that China will be the next great superpower ...even if it's not a superpower like America. It's still very significant," she said. "And learning Chinese is the best way to make sure that you can be part of that growth."

"And you know for us in North America, we need China's help for our economy to grow, you need our help for your economy to grow. So I think a lot of us are interested in facilitating that growth on both sides through communication, and Mandarin is a very important language for that."

McCaffrey has recently relocated to New York City with her boyfriend after working a few years at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, China. She comes to the monthly Mandarin meet-up at the China Institute while searching the next step in her career.

"I get to practise my Chinese...I would like to take more lessons because if I don't speak Chinese, I can already feel myself losing it and I really don't want to forget it because I spent many years working on it," she said.

"To be honest, the fact that I didn't know much about China before and then I developed this love for China, I spent most of my adult life living in China, which has really influenced my life. I wouldn't be the person I am today without learning Mandarin," she said.

McCaffrey said learning Chinese was the first step to know China and its culture.

"If you want to learn a culture you should learn the language, because how are you gonna to talk to the people and know what they are doing if you can't talk to them?" McCaffrey said.

"I realize that for some people politics are very very important and I respect their views, but at the same time they don't know what Chinese people are like, they've never talked to the people and I think that they could take the opportunity to go to China and see what it's really like because it is a wonderful place," she added.

Marisa Salatino from The Hockaday School performs during the "Chinese Bridge" Southern American College and Middle School Students Chinese Language Contest in Houston, the United States, April 24, 2011. (Xinhua/Chen Ruwei)

"I JUST WONDER WHEN I CAN PICK OUT EVEN ONE (CHINESE) WORD"

Mary Hoffman, a middle-age teacher from Brooklyn, the most populous borough of New York City, is equipping herself with Chinese for a better understanding and communication with a growing number of Chinese students and their parents in her neighborhood.

"There are so many Chinese students now, to overhear the conversation on the subway and I just wonder when I can pick out even one word, like I know the word 'pengyou,' I think it's 'friend.' If I can pick up that when I have a conversation with the parent, there always has to be an interpreter present, but if I can pick up one word in what the interpreter is saying, I would be just like, wow, I understand that."

According to a report published by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in May 2016, there were some 353,000 Chinese students studying in the U.S., accounting for 34 percent of the total number of international students in the country.

"If you learn another language, it's like that it gives you a slightly different perspective on things," said Hoffman, adding she also wants to learn Chinese to explore the fascinating culture manifested by Chinese students.

"I just was struck how hard the (Chinese) students work, and that cultural piece of working hard and being humble, we see a lot of that in the Chinese immigrant communities, so it's interesting to know where it comes from,"she said.

"And also the (Chinese) family structure seems to be very strong, because you'll see a young people walking with an older person, and holding their hands and helping them. You don't really see that with the American families. So that's been really noticeable," she added.

Like McCaffrey, Hoffman also attributed the growing popularity of Chinese in the U.S. to China's growing influence in global affairs.

"A lot more high schools are offering it (Chinese) now, so I think it's a combination of factors, the impact of the culture has become more stronger as it's become more prosperous," she said.

Current figures reveal that over 200,000 students are actively studying Mandarin in the U.S. presently, with more expected to follow. The U.S.-China Strong Foundation said it aims to expand to 1 million the number of U.S. K-12 students learning Mandarin by 2020.

A student takes part in the calligraphy competition of the 9th Chinese Language Bridge Cup Contest in San Francisco, the United States, Mar. 3, 2013. Held by the Confucius Institute of San Francisco State University and San Francisco's Unified School District, the contest kicked off on Saturday with the participation of some 1,400 student. (Xinhua/Liu Yilin)

"I'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE A LITTLE BIT BETTER (WITH MY ADOPTED DAUGHTER)"

For Patrick Gunn, Chinese is a language of love. The general manager of a local asset management company and his wife adopted a one-year-old girl from Guilin, Guangxi Province of China in 2006. In order to keep her Chinese heritage, the couple raised the girl with her mother tongue by going to a bilingual school.

"It's hard for me to communicate in the language with her, particularly because her language skills have got very good, she makes fun of me when I try to pronounce things in Chinese and tells me that I'm saying nothing," Gunn smiled.

"I'd like to know more about the culture, more about the language. I'd like to be able to communicate a little bit better," he said. "We are making a trip in about three weeks, we are going back and visit some cities in China, and I'd like to be able to communicate with some people along the way."

Artists perform during the opening ceremony of 2016 National Chinese Language Conference in Chicago, the United States on April 28, 2016. The meeting has become the largest annual gathering in the country of teachers, administrators, and policymakers engaged in the teaching of Chinese language and culture.(Xinhua/He Xianfeng)

"IT'S A NEW THING THAT AMERICANS LEARN CHINESE FOR JOBS IN CHINA"

Chen Jinguo, who immigrated to the U.S. in early 1990s, has taught many adoptive parents like Gunn in his nearly 20-year teaching at the China Institute.

"These parents often turn out to be very dedicated Chinese learners, Gunn's words are so sweet and moving," Chen said.

The 50-year-odd man said he feels great to see more and more Americans come and learn his native language.

"There was an English fever in China when I left for the U.S. Now we are seeing a Chinese Fever here," he said. "Moreover, many of my students study Chinese for jobs in Chinese major cities including Shanghai, Shenzhen and Beijing, that is something I have never seen before."

Actually, Chinese has been becoming a language of business and tourism, Chen noted. There are more and more American businesses not only having their products made in China, but also marketing towards the expanding market of the Asian power.

China is one of the fastest growing international market for New York City as nearly 1 million Chinese visited the Big Apple in 2016, according to NYC & Company, the city's tourism marketer.

Businesses across the city, including hotels, cultural institutions and restaurants, are turning to Chinese travellers, many of them have started offering Chinese language tours, and hot tea, slippers and other amenities.

"Chinese tourists are big spenders and they also help fan up the Chinese Fever here," Chen said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-18 05:39:23|Editor: yan

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DAMASCUS, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian army on Monday captured five oil fields south of the northern city of Raqqa, following battles with the Islamic State (IS) group, a military source told Xinhua.

The Syrian army captured the Dbaisan, Houran, Bir Rmailan, Zamleh, Rajem Jouzeh oil fields in the southern countryside of Raqqa, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also reported the advance of the Syrian army in the southern countryside of Raqqa, close to the northern countryside of Homs province in central Syria.

The UK-based watchdog group said the advance of the Syrian army ended the presence of IS in the western and southwestern countryside of Raqqa.

The Syrian army has been on a crushing offensive against IS in the Syrian desert in central Syria, the southern province of Sweida, and the southern countryside of Raqqa.

In Raqqa city, the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said Monday they had made new progress against the IS militants.

The SDF said its forces have liberated 57 of the old wall of Raqqa, adding that its fighters also clashed with IS in the Sina'a neighborhood near the walls of the old city.

It added that the foreign commanders of IS are fleeing the city.

The SDF also claimed to have captured large swathes of Hisham Bin Abdul-Malek neighborhood in Raqqa on Tuesday amid ongoing battles with the terror-designated group.

But June 6 this year marked the intrusion part of the battles into the heartland of IS in the city of Raqqa, which was self-declared by IS as its de facto capital in 2014.

Since then, the SDF succeeded to capture key areas on the western and eastern flanks of the city, and recently laid full siege on all exits and stormed the walls of the old city of Raqqa.

Still, both the SDF and the Syrian army are fighting separately, with appearance coordination between their backers, the U.S. and Russia.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-18 05:44:25|Editor: yan

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BERLIN, July 17 (Xinhua) -- German police on Monday confirmed that they were investigating a video showing dozens of people displaying the Hitler salute at a music festival in Themar in Thuringia over the weekend, local media reported.

Video footage shows festival goers appear to chant "Heil", a reference to the Nazi greeting "Sieg Heil." The festival was named as "rock against foreign domination."

The displaying of Nazi symbols and Hitler-style salute is illegal in Germany, as is the denial of the Holocaust and glorifying the Nazi era, and violators will be sentenced to six month in prison.

German news agency DPA quoted Thuringia's Interior Ministry as saying that the concert in the town of Themar led to six detentions. It lists intimidation, bodily harm and violation of weapons laws as crimes committed during the event.

A total of 46 crimes were recorded at the festival, at which around 6,000 people turned up, the police said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-18 06:39:38|Editor: yan

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NEW YORK, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Indian conglomerate Mahindra Group plans to double its investment in the U.S. within the next five years, the group's top executives said on Monday.

Mahindra has invested one billion U.S. dollars in the U.S. market to date, employing about 3,000 Americans and generating annual revenue of 2.6 billion dollars, according to Mahindra & Mahindra Managing Director Pawan Goenka.

Goenka said the company plans to invest another billion dollars in the next five years as well as doubling its U.S. headcount as it looks to expand operations.

Also on Monday, the group's e-bike and e-scooter brand GenZe announced partnership with the logistics platform Postmates to bring zero-emission transportation solutions to New York city and San Francisco.

With an initial deployment of the GenZe 2.0e model e-Scooter and eBike in the countries' major delivery markets, Postmates plans to expand the partnership to additional locations in its more than 200-city network over the next year.

The electric vehicles will help couriers to speed up delivery by about 20 percent.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-18 07:04:43|Editor: Liangyu

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LA PAZ, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The drought which affected a large part of Bolivia between October 2016 and March 2017 was faced off with a series of short, medium and long-term plans, funded in part from international sources.

In an interview with Xinhua, Bolivia's deputy minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Braulio Nelson Huaylla Caceres, explained that the government is "supervising the execution of irrigation and drinking water programs to guarantee its supply and avoid future shortages."

Bolivia is receiving financial and technical support by the Latin American Development Bank (CAF), as well as the World Bank and the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), to aid in these efforts.

The drought which affected large swathes of Bolivia began last year when six of Bolivia's largest cities began running out of drinking water, meaning they began to limit supply to avoid reservoirs drying out.

The cities of La Paz, Cochabamba, Sucre, Potosi, Oruro and Tarija all faced severe water shortages, causing difficulties in hospitals and schools.

Tanker trucks full of water sold it to citizens, often at prices many times the real value.

Huaylla Caceres explained to Xinhua that the drought in Bolivia was a consequence of global warming and the absence of seasonal rains.

Humberto Gomez, the director of the Friends of Nature Foundation (FAN), told Xinhua that, in the last 50 years, Bolivia's average temperature has risen 0.5 degrees, leading glaciers to begin melting, diminishing water reservoirs, and affecting agriculture and populations living at high altitudes and in the Amazon.

Gomez added that the shrinking of the glaciers posed a grave threat to water supplies for human consumption, but also risked wiping out flora and fauna.

The technical and financial collaboration have led to a renewed impulse for the supply, sustainability and efficiency of water systems and irrigation across Bolivia.

"Since the end of 2016, we have been meeting with the Ministry of Environment and Water to define the help CAF will provide for the sector in the coming years," explained Emilio Uquillas, CAF representative in La Paz.

He confirmed that the CAF will provide over 500 million U.S. dollars in resources for the development of drinking water and irrigation in Bolivia from 2018 to 2020.

Huaylla Caceres added that Bolivia and the World Bank had agreed that 600 million U.S. dollars from their 2016-2020 work plan would go to improving the water supply.

Finally, he said that FAO had recognized that Bolivia is one of the countries worst-hit by drought and climate change, and had pledged 250 million U.S. dollars in aid.
Pilots ground unsafe planes, staff fight move to Wallerfield

According to an internal memo addressed to Kristy Kanick, acting vice president of human resources, and copied to acting chief executive officer Jagmohan Singh, staff are questioning a proposed relocation of staff from their present location at Golden Grove Road, Piarco to Evolving TecKnologies and Enterprise Development Company (e-TecK) Park in Wallerfield.

An airline is a 24 hour operation and this proposed move made by the Board of Directors is unfair to the workers, but more importantly it is putting staff lives at risk, said one angry worker.

Many of the impacted employees have voiced open opposition to the move, citing fears over safety and the possible impact on their terms of employment.

Based on the concerns of the CAL employees, on July 13, leaders of CALs employee Change Management Team (CMT), Michelle Highly, Anita Luckey, Ronald Sukhbir, Vivekh Pundit and Dion Cox, signed and submitted a memo to the head of human resources which questioned the motives behind the proposed change.

Is it a fact that the choice of the location is based on a request by e-TecK to our Board to facilitate a desire to rent and occupy their facilities to satisfy their own mandate, the memo stated.

The memo also outlined concerns over staff security and stated Wallerfield is frequented by murderers and kidnappers and questioned whether any consideration was given to the fact that employees will not be able to work outside of daylight hours and if provisions have been made for escort security when needed by employees. Staff at the airline are also questioning why the relocation is being considered, which departments are being earmarked for the move and managements decision to exclude staff representatives from the discussion process.

We represent the entire staff and we believe the CMT should have been a part of the decision making process to relocate. Notwithstanding this, we are now respectfully requesting clarification on this issue, the memo stated.

They are also demanding that management provide a response today on the proposed relocation as well as proof that public procurement guidelines were followed.

There have been recent safety concerns at CALs Golden Grove Road location, as part of the present compound was recently evacuated due to questions over structural integrity and safety.

In addition three employees reported being kidnapped at gunpoint and robbed while exiting the compound over the past 12 months.

However staff have voiced concerns that the move to Wallerfield will make the situation worse.

The number of female workers at corporate are higher than male, and the employees they are seeking to relocate to Wallerfield are mainly women. We accept that conditions at Piarco need to be improved, but Wallerfield is just unsafe, said one employee who requested anonymity.

Safety concerns are also at the heart of reported sick-out action by CAL pilots. On Friday, 10 pilots called in sick and on Saturday passengers on the air bridge faced long delays as pilots refused to operate the airlines ATR fleet citing concerns over safety. The long delays continued yesterday as several of the airlines scheduled flights were cancelled. In a release posted yesterday on their website CAL said the flights will be operated by its Boeing 737 fleet.
12 homeless in Marabella fire

Up to late yesterday, police officers were trying to ascertain the cause of the fire which left 12 members of the households without shelter and virtually no place to rest their heads.

Reports stated that the houses were completely destroyed and nothing was salvaged. According to a police report, at about 4.30 pm the family from one of the houses, Betty- Anne Kanhai, 48, her husband Nigel Parris, 49, and their twin daughters Tereisha, Nikesha, 18, and six-year-old son, Josiah, were not at home at Union Park East when a fire started.

The family said that they first saw smoke coming from the back of one of the houses.

Members of the second household, Charlie Collymore, 45, his wife Lisel Singh, their children, Tristan, nine and Trey, seven, Jerome, 10, and two other relatives, had to flee from their home next door when the fire began to spreading.

It had already engulfed Kanhais house.

Speaking to Newsday yesterday, Collymore said that his family was at home when he saw smoke coming from the back of the house. The smoke started to spread and within seconds I saw fire. I shouted to my wife to get out and get the children out the house! At that time, everyone was running and screaming.

The children were scared. Collymore said that there was no chance to take out any furniture or appliances from the house because the fire had spread to both homes rapidly.

I was just concerned about the safety of my family, so, I had to watch my hard-earned money I spent on appliances burn to nothing, Collymore said. The father said that his childrens school books and uniforms were also burnt.

Also speaking to Newsday, Kanhai said that she had been living at the location for the past 25 years.

We dont have any place to go. Everything was destroyed in the fire. I dont know where to start, she said.

Kanhai said that while she was thankful that no one was hurt, she is saddened by the situation.

Anyone wishing to assist the families can call on 349-9657; 365- 0431;482-7242
Baby zebras expected next week

A pair of young foals, bred in captivity has been secured from Safari Enterprise in Texas and will soon leave that facility destined for the Emperor Valley Zoo. They should be in Trinidad around July 26.

These two young zebras will follow the same journey as the Zoos giraffes, travelling overland to Miami and then via air cargo to Trinidad.

Addressing the welfare of this precious cargo, Lutchmedial assured that special arrangements have been made for all segments of the journey. We are fortunate to once again have the services of our international director, John Seyjagat who will be accompanying these animals to attend to their needs, stated Lutchmedial.

The zebras are to be housed in an enclosure within the African Exhibit adding to the experience of guests to the Zoo who are already enthralled with the giraffes, lions and the new impalas. Lutchmedial has indicated that the species of zebras being acquired is the plains zebra, also known as the common zebra or Burchells zebra, or locally in Africa known as the quagga. This species of zebras is the most common and geographically widespread species of zebra.

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Shannen awaits surgery

Shannens need for the procedure was highlighted by this newspaper in March of this year as her family needed to raise more than $700,000 to cover the costs of the treatment.

An update on her condition was provided by former president of the Rotary Club of Chaguanas Michael Ibrahim on Saturday last at the clubs handing over ceremony at Buffet King Restaurant, Chaguanas.

The club had stepped in to assist the parents in raising $250,000.

Ibrahim who praised Newsday and other media houses for publishing Shannens story said it was because of those articles the club was able to raise more than $300,000. He said Shannen has completed all her preliminary tests and her mother Michelle Kallie-Luke has been selected as a donor and white blood and stem cells have been donated which will be used during and after her bone marrow transplant which is scheduled shortly I want to thank the citizens of this nation and employees of many organisations for their overwhelming kindness and financial support for assisting Shannen and giving her an opportunity for Gods continued gift to life, he said.

The clubs new president Aldrian Mohammed said the Shannen Luke project showed that once the club was focused there was nothing they could not achieve.

For our club can take limited manpower and scarce financial resources and obtain significant results, he said.

Mohammed said as president his first priority was to make their club stronger by attracting more members and increasing their human capital which will allow them to better serve the community.

The Rotary Club of Chaguanas must demonstrate through its service what Rotary is and that indeed Rotary is making a difference. My main task as president is to take that energy and enthusiasm our members have and to translate that into engagement and ultimately action, he said.
Spectators, including many tourists, enjoyed a parade of colorfully decorated floats at the annual Gion Festival in Japan's ancient capital of Kyoto on Monday.

A total of 23 floats were paraded through the city. It's a highlight of the month-long summer festival.

The procession began when a child wearing an ancient costume and riding on the lead float cut a sacred rope.

Spectators applauded when the floats had to make right-angle turns. Groups of residents pulling the floats laid bamboo under the wheels to slide and turn them around.

About 222,000 people gathered along the route to see the procession.

Jul 17 (ANNnewsCH) - aeacacaaaaazaaaaacaaeiaaaaiaeaaaaSaaaaaaaeaSaaaaYaaeaeaeacaSaaaaYa
North Korea is getting DANGEROUSLY close to launching a NUKE attack against the United States

After eight years of apologies, appeasement and bending over backward for our enemies, its safe to say that Barack Obama left this country significantly less safe than it was when he first stepped into the Oval Office. The southern border has remained wide open, allowing gangs and drug lords to freely enter and leave the United States as they please. China has been on the move as well, relentlessly expanding its authority over more and more areas in the South China Sea. The Islamic State was essentially given the green light to grow and expand when Barack Obama improperly pulled our troops out of the Middle East, and now this form of violent extremism has spread not only through countries like Iraq and Syria, but also within the United States.

And then, of course, theres North Korea, lead by the tyrannical, egotistical psychopath Kim Jong-un. North Korea has been on the move for several years now, repeatedly threatening to attack the United States and take as many innocent lives as possible. Just a few days ago on July 5, for example, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) cited Kim Jong-un as saying that the intercontinental ballistic missile test was a gift to American bastards.

According to the KCNA, Kim Jong-un watched the testing of the missile himself and said American bastards would be not very happy with this gift sent on the July 4 anniversary. We should send them gifts once in a while to break their boredom.

What is made abundantly clear right from the start is that Kim Jong-un is in way over his head. North Korea pales in comparison to the military strength of the United States, but that doesnt mean that we shouldnt take them seriously.

The threat made to the U.S. after the intercontinental ballistic missile test on July 5 certainly wasnt the first time the North Korean government has made public comments about the annihilation of their enemies, and it wont be their last either. In response to our countrys push to enact stricter sanctions on North Korea, for instance, KCNA quoted a foreign ministry spokesman as saying, Should the UNSC adopt another resolution on sanctions, this will trigger corresponding measures by the DPRK and (the North will) respond to the resolution with its act of justice.

The report went on to say that the successful test of North Koreas intercontinental ballistic missile has fully demonstrated the will and capability of the DPRK (Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea) to annihilate the U.S. in a single blow to the very heart of its mainland in case it fails to act with discretion.

Unlike Barack Obama, President Trump actually appears to be taking these threats seriously, and is making it known that there will be consequences if North Korea continues to threaten the homeland. At a news conference in Warsaw, Poland earlier this month, Trump said that while he generally doesnt like to talk about his plans and strategies with respect to foreign policy, he does have some pretty severe things that are being considered, adding, I dont draw red lines.

While President Trump certainly isnt perfect (no president is), it is a relief to see a commander-in-chief that is finally taking on an aggressive role and confronting our enemies in order to keep the American people safe. Whereas Barack Obama spent his entire eight years in office bowing to other leaders and apologizing on behalf of the western world, President Trump is finally beginning to restore Americas firm but fair foreign policy strategy, which the late Ronald Reagan referred to as peace through strength.

Sources include:

StraitsTimes.com

DailyCaller.com

USAtoday.com

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Spanish Interior Minister Juan Ignacio Zoido underscored Moroccos key role in promoting the European Unions counterterrorism efforts, saying that the Kingdom is Spains best partner in addressing the global scourge of jihadism.

The Spanish minister, who made the statement at an address to a conference in Madrid themed: European Union Challenges: Jihadist Terrorism, stressed that the EUs security begins in Africa.

Europes security begins in the Sahel and Central Africa, two regions through which illegal migrants transit and where human being trafficking mafias and terrorist networks are very active, he said, noting the need for a sustained International cooperation to address such security challenges.

On July 3, Interior Ministers of Morocco, Spain and France met in Seville to discuss the means to address the proliferation of terrorist and criminal activity in the Sahel in the wake of the UN Security Councils approval of the launch of a multinational military force in the Sahel.

The inclusion of Morocco and Spain in efforts to counter terrorism in the Sahel mirrors the concern of the two countries regarding the surge of terrorist groups in the region and its implications on their domestic security.

The two countries security services have carried out lately several joint police operations against drug traffickers and jihadi operatives involved in radicalizing new recruits to their cause and sending them to fight in areas like Syria and Iraq.

During a visit he paid to rabat early July, the Spanish Interior Minister commended the level of security cooperation with Morocco saying that Moroccan intelligence services play a key role in helping Spain counter the terrorist threat.

Moroccan security services played a decisive role in busting several transborder terrorist cells plotting attacks in Europe, he had said, adding that thanks to the excellent level of coordination between the Spanish and Moroccan security and intelligence services, several terrorist attacks were foiled and joint operations were conducted to arrest terrorists before they moved into action.

In an earlier statement to the Spanish news agency EFE, Juan Ignacio Zoido had said, Morocco helped Spain arrest 178 dangerous individuals and cooperated in the dismantlement of 10 terrorist cells.

The Spanish official also expressed recognition for Moroccos cooperation in addressing illegal migration, noting that illegal migration has dropped significantly thanks to Moroccos cooperation.

Without Morocco and its security services, the scale of illegal migration will be much more pressing, Zoido had said.
Not coincidentally, Alaska has been showered with special treatment by the administration and in the Senate health-care bill. Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images

In both the House and the Senate, the strategy Republicans have devised to pass legislation to repeal and replace Obamacare is simple: Win over conservatives with broad policy provisions and then pick off moderates with narrow, strategic concessions that can be touted as prizes to the folks back home.

That has made Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska a likely target of special treatment from the get-go, since her state is tiny in population (barely more than 700,000 residents), but rich in distinctive health-care problems. And sure enough, the revised version of the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017 unveiled last week has a provision so obviously tailored for Alaska that its being called the Kodiak (or Caribou) Kickback  an allusion to the famous Cornhusker Kickback that helped pull Democratic senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska over the line in 2009 in voting for Obamacare, though it was dropped in the final 2010 version  or the Polar Payoff or the Juneau Jackpot. Heres a brief description from Voxs Jeff Stein:

Senate Republicans newest bill includes a special $182 billion fund that will give the Department of Health and Human Services broad latitude to help stabilize the Obamacare markets. This fund, which has increased as the vote on the bill draws near, is intended to reassure moderate Senate Republicans worried about its impact on the individual markets.

But to make sure it helps Alaska  and, perhaps, its moderate senator  lawmakers added a new clause to that special fund this week that will require at least 1 percent of it be spent on states where premiums run 75 percent higher than the national average. One percent may not sound like a big number, but were talking about Alaska, which only has 700,000 people. The state is still set to receive nearly $2 billion over 10 years.

Thats right: Alaskas the only state that qualifies for this set-aside.

You could add to Kodiak Kickback additional provisions less specifically targeted to Alaska, but from which the state would definitely benefit. One enhances the growth in Medicaid costs allowed for states that expanded Medicaid coverage under Obamacare later than other expansion states (that would help Louisiana and Montana as well as Alaska). Another exempts expenditures on Native Americans from the Medicaid per capita cap; Alaska has the nations highest percentage of Native Americans.

Still another nice treat for Alaska was announced (not coincidentally) by the Department of Health and Human Services last week: a waiver that lets the state reimburse itself with federal money for funds it paid to keep insurers in the Obamacare market. That would save Alaska about $300 million over the next five years.

So is all this enough to buy Lisa Murkowskis vote? Probably, though thats not completely clear. After all, the Medicaid cuts in the bill are estimated to cost the state $3 billion over ten years. The impact could be magnified under an obscure provision of the bill that might generate a lawsuit to end Alaskas Medicaid expansion almost immediately. And the cash-strapped state government (suffering acutely from low oil royalties) is not in a very good position to absorb any new fiscal shocks.

Last month, Murkowski anticipated precisely this set of circumstances, and warned she might not go along with being bought:

Lets just say that they do something thats so Alaska-specific just to, quote, get me, Murkowski said in June. Then you have a nationwide system that doesnt work. That then comes crashing down and Alaskas not able to kind of keep it together on its own.

Sounds like a pretty good prediction for the post-Trumpcare trajectory of the health-care system.

Murkowski will be under enormous partisan pressure to save her partys bacon on health care but, then again, shes not exactly a party regular. She won her second full term in 2010 as a write-in candidate after losing the GOP primary to hard-core conservative Joe Miller, who then won 29 percent of the vote against her in 2016 running as a Libertarian.

Without her, odds of passage for the Senate Trumpcare bill drop to approximately zero. So for all we know, Alaskas mini gold rush of special provisions could continue.
Maybe I should have gone with Mike Huckabee? Photo: Adam Berry/Getty Images

We now know with more certainty than we did a couple weeks ago that the Russian government tried to tip the scales in last years presidential election toward Donald Trump and that central figures in the Trump campaign were apparently only too happy to accept the assistance. But just what did Russian president Vladimir Putin get for his efforts? Has he received a decent return on his investment, or is Trump backfiring on him?

Heres a look at some of the policy areas in which Putin likely hoped a Trump victory would advance Russian interests and how well Trump has delivered (whether knowingly or unknowingly). Remember, its Putin giving the grades here, so high marks dont necessarily mean a job well-done.

Sanctions

In backing Trump, perhaps no objective was a bigger motivator for Putin and his oligarchic comrades than the easing of U.S. sanctions on Russia. While the impact of the sanctions on Russias ruling class has not been as sharp as its been for the underclass, a lot of wealthy Russians (including people who are personally friendly with Putin and Trump) would like to be able to travel, spend money, and do business in the U.S. and Europe more freely again. Trumps people were signaling to Russia that he was willing to give ground on sanctions before he took office  and possibly before he was elected.

So far, no such luck. The Senate imposed new sanctions on Russia in June to punish the Kremlin for its election interference and, being well aware of Trumps excessive coziness with Putin, took steps to limit his ability to lift them. Trump has since put pressure on Congress to give him more flexibility in this regard, and his administration is doing what it can to ease the sanctions regime in order to give collaboration and cooperation a chance, as his adviser Sebastian Gorka put it on CNN on Thursday. On the other hand, the administration slapped new sanctions on 38 Russian individuals and entities last month over Russias incursion in Ukraine.

Grade: B-

Cybersecurity

If Putin has his way, 2016 wont be the last U.S. election marred by Russian intelligence interference. It would be a shame if the president he helped us elect turned around and made it harder for him to participate in the future. Fortunately, Trump cant admit that our elections are vulnerable to foreign interference without admitting that it helped him win, which his ego wont allow, so hes doing nothing to prevent Russia or other hostile actors from taking further cracks at our political parties communications or our election infrastructure. Instead, hes channeling his energy into hunting down the millions of fraudulent U.S. voters that exist only in the fevered minds of some on the right. He and Putin even agreed to set up a joint cybersecurity unit at their G20 meeting, which would be kind of like partnering with Imperial Japan to establish a joint early-warning system for aerial bombardments in the Pacific in 1942. Even Trump himself admits this wont work.

Grade: A+

NATO

Trumps campaign-trail diatribes against our NATO allies for not paying their fair share of defense costs was music to Putins ears, as a NATO weakened by wavering American support would give him a freer hand to reassert Russias sphere of influence in Eastern Europe and particularly in the Baltic countries. Trump alarmed allies, blindsided his own national-security team, and surely set Putins heart aflutter when he declined to commit to the Article 5 mutual-defense provision in a speech at NATO headquarters in May  only to backtrack and say he would indeed uphold it in a press conference with Romanian President Klaus Iohannis early last month. Clearly, his military and national-security staff set him straight in the interim. Meanwhile, other NATO countries are boosting their defense spending this year, for which Trump is taking too much credit. This is looking more and more like one campaign pledge the president wont be able to fulfill.

Grade: F

Europe

If Putin cant have a weaker NATO, a fractured European Union might be the next best thing  hence Russias (unsuccessful) efforts to help the Euroskeptical rightist Marine Le Pen in Frances presidential election in the same way he helped Trump in ours. On the whole, Trump does not instill much confidence in European leaders: Alienating Europe appears to be among his policy goals, and he now has Germany worried that he will start a trade war. On the other hand, Trumps hostility to transatlantic cooperation has Europe seeking other partners, such as Japan, and it may be unwittingly making Europe stronger by helping Europeans appreciate the value of their union and the need for self-reliance. Hes also not abandoning the U.S. commitment to European security vis-a-vis Russia, as evinced by his agreement to sell Patriot air-defense missiles to Poland earlier this month.

Grade: C

Syria

Russias objectives in Syria remain as they have always been: to keep Bashar Al-Assad in power, Islamists out of power, and the Russian naval facility in Tartus open. Trumps frustration with the Syrian stalemate and hesitation to oust Assad suited Putin much better than Clintons plans for more direct engagement.

After their G20 meeting, Trump and Putin announced that the U.S., Russia, Israel, and Jordan had brokered a cease-fire in southwest Syria, which took effect last Sunday. While Secretary of State Rex Tillerson maintains that the U.S.s long-term goal for Syria is for Assad to step down, the new Syria strategy that emerged from the meeting would leave him in power, at least for the time being. The U.S. will limit its efforts in Syria to counterterrorism operations and defeating ISIS, deemphasizing its assistance to moderate Syrian rebel groups. The cease-fire involves establishing four de-escalation zones designated by Russia in coordination with Turkey and Iran, which the Syrian opposition sees as a ploy to freeze frontlines and give Assads forces an advantage. Critics have called the cease-fire plan unenforceable, have said it ignores Irans role in the conflict, and have alleged the plan entails a capitulation to Russias agenda from which Iran will emerge the winner. In short, it looks like the shots in Syria are now being called from Moscow, not Washington.

Grade: A

Corrrection: A previous version of this post said President Trump spoke at a press conference in Romania. Trump and Romanian President Klaus Iohannis took questions at the White House. We regret the error.
Barack Obama and Bill Clinton. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

A generation ago, neoliberalism was the chosen label of a handful of moderately liberal opinion journalists, centered around Charles Peters, then-editor of the Washington Monthly. Some neoliberals started calling traditional liberals paleoliberals. The magazine most closely associated with traditional liberal thinking was The American Prospect, which gave me my first job out of college.

When I started there, I asked one of the editors, Paul Starr, about the still-roiling schism between the neos and the paleos. (I never felt comfortable with either label.) Starr told me he disdained the term because it was an attempt to win an argument by using an epithet. What he meant  and I think he was right  was that paleoliberal was not a self-identification any of its adherents used, but a term of disparagement. The neolibs were claiming to own the future and consigning their adversaries to the past.

The neoliberalism of the 1980s and 1990s has faded into memory, as its adherents failed to settle on a coherent set of principles other than a general posture of counterintuitive skepticism. (Peterss new ideological manifesto, We Do Our Part, only mentions neoliberalism once.) But the term has been used to mean different things at different times, and it has returned to American political discourse with a vengeance. Then, as now, it is an attempt to win an argument with an epithet. Only this time, it is neoliberal that is the term of abuse.

And the term neoliberal doesnt mean a faction of liberals. It now refers to liberals generally, and it is applied by their left-wing critics. The word is now ubiquitous, popping up in almost any socialist polemic against the Democratic Party or the center-left. Obamas presidency? It was the last gasp of neoliberalism. Why did Hillary Clinton lose? It was her neoliberalism. Paul Krugman and Joseph Stiglitz? Neoliberals both.

The Bafflers Chris Lehmann dismisses an Atlantic story on the Democrats, which touts Elizabeth Warren as a model for the partys future, as just more neoliberal tripe. In the world of neoliberal consensus, its a simple taken-for-granted axiom that senators  the lead fundraisers and media figures in both major parties  call the shots, and should be entrusted with charting an electoral comeback, writes Lehmann. All the reliable notes of arms-length cultural puzzlement are struck soundly here, from the putative identity-politics-class-politics divide on the left to the neoliberal wonk classs painfully absent common touch. Obviously, the authentic way to demonstrate a common touch is to throw around the term neoliberal as frequently as possible. Try it if you ever need to strike up a conversation with some strangers in a bowling alley in Toledo.

Neoliberalism is held to be the source of all the ills suffered by the Democratic Party and progressive politics over four decades, up to and (especially) including the rise of Donald Trump. The neoliberal accusation is a synecdoche for the American lefts renewed offensive against the center-left and a touchstone in the struggle to define progressivism after Barack Obama.

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The ubiquitous epithet is intended to separate its target  liberals  from the values they claim to espouse. By relabeling self-identified liberals as neoliberals, their critics on the left accuse them of betraying the historic liberal cause.

Indeed, the appearance of the neoliberal epithet in a polemic almost axiomatically implies a broader historical critique that has been repeated many, many times.

Its basic claim is that, from the New Deal through the Great Society, the Democratic Party espoused a set of values defined by, or at the very least consistent with, social democracy or socialism. Then, starting in the 1970s, a coterie of neoliberal elites hijacked the party and redirected its course toward a brand of social liberalism targeted to elites and hostile to the interests of the poor and the working class.

The first and most obvious problem with this version of history is that there is little reason to believe the Democratic Party has actually moved right on economic issues. The most commonly used measure of party ideology, developed by Keith Poole and Howard Rosenthal, has tracked the positions of the two parties elected members over decades. Here is how they have evolved on issues of the governments role in the economy:

This chart indicates that Democrats have not moved right since the New Deal era at all. Indeed, the party has moved somewhat to the left, largely because its conservative Southern wing has disappeared.

Now, the Poole-Rosenthal measure does not end the discussion. No metric can perfectly measure something as inherently abstract as a public philosophy. One obvious limit of this measure is its value over long periods of time, when issue sets change in ways that make comparisons difficult. The Poole-Rosenthal graph has special difficulty comparing the Democratic Party before and after the New Deal. But it does raise the question of why the Democrats supposed U-turn away from social democracy does not appear anywhere in the data.

Any remotely close look at the historical record, as opposed to a romanticized memory of uncompromised populists of yore, yields the same conclusion as the numbers. The idea that the Democratic Party used to stand for undiluted economic populism in its New Deal heyday is characteristic of the nostalgia to which the party faithful are prone  no present-day politician can ever live up to the imagined greatness of the statesmen of past.

In reality, the Democratic Party had essentially the same fraught relationship with the left during its supposed golden New Deal era that it does today. The left dismissed the Great Society as corporate liberalism, a phrase that connoted in the 1960s almost exactly what neoliberalism does today. The distrust ran both ways. Lyndon Johnson supported domestic budget cuts after the disastrous 1966 midterm elections, to the disappointment of liberals who already loathed the Vietnam War. Whats the difference between a cannibal and a liberal? Johnson joked during his presidency. A cannibal doesnt eat his friends.

Nor was the corporate liberal critique exactly wrong. Today the left holds up Medicare as a shining example of health-care policy designed by social democrats, before it was corrupted by the modern Obama-era party and its suborning of the insurance industry. In reality, powerful financial interests deeply influenced the design of Medicare. The laws sponsors had hoped to achieve universal health insurance, but retreated from that ambitious goal in large part because insurers wanted to keep non-elderly customers. (They were happy to pawn the oldster market off on Uncle Sam.) Likewise, the law defanged opposition by the powerful American Medical Association by agreeing to fee-for-service rules that wound up massively enriching doctors and hospitals. And the creation of Medicaid as a separate program for the poor relegated them to a shabbier and more politically vulnerable category.

John F. Kennedy was a cautious trimmer whose domestic agenda included cutting the top income-tax rate 20 points. Politically, he tended to court the opposition and ignore his friends, wrote one columnist. His motto might have been: no enemies to the right. Harry Truman was more fearful of labor and labors political power than of anything else, charged one dismayed liberal. Progressive Party candidate Henry Wallace, who inspired a passionate mass movement on the left quite similar to todays Bernie-or-busters, lambasted Truman as a tool of Wall Street.

The tradition of progressives flaying Democratic presidents for betraying the spirit of the New Deal goes all the way back to the New Deal itself. Even the sainted Franklin Roosevelt vacillated between expansionary fiscal policy and austerity, and between attacking corporate power and encouraging monopoly. The cause of liberalizing international trade, which left-wing critics have treated as a corporate-friendly Clinton innovation, is one Roosevelt not only supported consistently but basically invented. Roosevelts 1936 speech denouncing wealthy interests is widely repeated today by nostalgic progressives, but it marked a brief and rare populist turn. Mostly he strove for class balance.

Historian William Leuchtenburg describes the presidents determination to serve as a balance wheel between management and labor  Despite the radical character of the 1934 elections, Roosevelt was still striving to hold together a coalition of all interests, and, despite rebuffs from businessmen and the conservative press, he was still seeking earnestly to hold business support. For much of his presidency, The New Republic raked FDR on a regular basis, admits a collection published on the magazines centennial.

The Democratic Party has evolved over the last half-century, as any party does over a long period of time. But the basic ideological cast of its economic policy has not changed dramatically since the New Deal. American liberals have always had some room for markets in their program. Democrats, accordingly, have never been a left-wing, labor-dominated socialist party. (Union membership peaked in 1955, two decades before the partys supposed neoliberal turn, and has declined steadily since.) They have mediated between business and labor, supporting expanded state power episodically rather than dogmatically. The widespread notion that neoliberals have captured the modern Democratic party and broken from its historic mission plays upon nostalgia for a bygone era, when the real thing was messier and more compromised than the sanitized historical memory.

Photo: Bettmann Archive/Getty Images

Progressives are correct in their belief that something has changed for the worse in American politics. Larger forces in American life have stalled the seemingly unstoppable progressive momentum of the postwar period. Rising international competition made business owners more ruthless, civil rights spawned a 40-year white backlash against government, and anti-government extremists captured the Republican Party, destroying the bipartisan basis for progressive legislation that had once allowed Eisenhower to expand Social Security and Nixon to create the Environmental Protection Agency.

All this forced Democrats more frequently into a defensive posture. Bill Clinton tried but failed to create universal health coverage, eked out modest tax increases on the rich, and fought off the Republican revolution by defending Medicare, Medicaid, education, and the environment, crown jewels of the Great Society.

Barack Obamas far more sweeping reforms still could not win any support from a radicalized opposition. It is seductive to attribute these frustrations to the tactical mistakes or devious betrayals of party leaders. But it is the political climate that has grown more hostile to Democratic Party economic liberalism. The partys ideological orientation has barely changed.

++

Given that the self-proclaimed neoliberal movement of the 80s never really took hold, and has long since passed into obscurity, why have the long-standing grievances of the left against the mainstream Democratic Party attached themselves to the neoliberal label only recently?

Neoliberalism has a second meaning, unrelated to the small faction of Washington Monthly alumni. (Or, at least, the neoliberals of that generation had no awareness of it.) In the international context, neoliberal means capitalist, as distinguished from socialist. That meaning has rarely had much application in American politics, because liberals and conservatives both believe (to starkly differing degrees) in capitalism. If neoliberal simply describes a belief in some role for market forces, then it is literally true that liberals and conservatives are both neoliberal.

It is strange, though, to apply a single term to opposing combatants in Americas increasingly bitter partisan struggle. If the party that created Obamacare and the party trying to destroy it, the party of higher taxes on the rich and the party of lower, the party of tighter pollution limits and the party of allowing oil drillers to write regulations are each neoliberal, then neoliberalism is of limited use in describing American politics.

The sudden ubiquity of the term in American politics  at least among left-wing elites  owes itself to two new developments. First, the Bernie Sanders campaign has inspired a new movement to remake the Democratic Party as a social-democratic labor party. Left-wing activists need a label for their opponents.

Conservatives have spent decades turning liberal into a smear meaning left-wing radical, giving it limited value as a term of opprobrium. (In terms of self-identification, liberals constitute the left wing of the Democratic base, with moderates and conservatives constituting a slightly larger right wing.) In practical terms, people who think of themselves as liberal form the constituency the Bernie insurgents need to attract.

Second, the widely publicized influence of neoconservatives within the Bush administration changed the connotation of neo. Whereas the prefix had once softened the term it modified  the neoconservatives were once seen as the intellectually evolved wing of the right, in contrast to the Buchananite knuckle-draggers  by the end of Bushs term, it became an intensifier. A neoconservative was a conservative, but an even scarier one.

And so the term neoliberal frames the political debate in a way that perfectly suits the messaging needs of left-wing critics of liberalism. The uselessness of neoliberalism as an analytic tool is the very thing that makes it useful as a factional messaging device for the left. The neoliberalism rubric implicates the Democratic Party in the rightward drift of American politics that has in reality been caused by the Republican Partys growing radicalism. It yokes the two parties together into a capitalist Establishment, against which socialism offers the only clear alternative. Obscuring the large gulf between Newt Gingrich and Bill Clinton, Paul Ryan and Barack Obama, is a feature of the term.

A recent New York Times op-ed by Bhaskar Sunkara, editor of the Marxian journal Jacobin, lays the tactic unusually bare. Sunkara argues that the West faces three possible alternatives.

One is nationalist authoritarianism of the sort advanced by Trump, Hungarys Jobbik Party, Frances National Front, etc. The second is Singapore, an authoritarian technocracy that he calls the unacknowledged destination of the neoliberal centers train. And his third option is avowedly socialist leaders like Mr. Sanders and Jean-Luc Melenchon in France.

Sunkara omits from his choices any liberal mixed economy of the kind that exists in Western Europe and Scandinavia and that American liberals would like to build here. He is very clear that this final option, the one he advocates, is not the social democracy of Francois Hollande, but that of the early days of the Second International. He excludes the more moderate brand of social democracy from the menu because he believes too many people would choose it. The whole trick is to bracket the center-left together with the right as neoliberal, and then force progressives to choose between that and socialism.

The socialist left has an argument to make against liberalism. It reveals a certain lack of confidence in that argument when it tries to win it with an epithet.
Trump conducting diplomacy. Photo: Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post/Getty Images

During his trip to Saudi Arabia in late May, Donald Trump implored the leaders of the Muslim world to crack down on the perpetuators  and financiers  of terrorism within their midst. He also received a medal, did a sword dance, touched an orb, and relished the total absence of protests or critical press coverage in the magnificent autocracy.

The president left the peninsula a happy man.

Weeks later, when Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates organized a blockade of Qatar, Trump took his new friends in Riyadh at their word: The blockade was the Gulf states attempt to honor the presidents bold request. The country that Trump had accused of orchestrating 9/11 one year earlier wasnt launching an economic war against Qatar to assert its regional hegemony, but rather, out of sincere desire to combat Dohas tacit support for terrorism.

So good to see the Saudi Arabia visit with the King and 50 countries already paying off. They said they would take a hard line on funding...  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 6, 2017

...extremism, and all reference was pointing to Qatar. Perhaps this will be the beginning of the end to the horror of terrorism!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 6, 2017

This represented a radical break with the administrations initial line on the crisis. Shortly after the blockade was announced, the U.S. ambassador to Qatar rallied to Dohas defense, highlighting Americas past praise for Qatars efforts in combatting terrorism.

One day before Trumps tweets, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson encouraged the parties to sit down and address these differences, in a speech in Australia.

Few in the administration were thrilled to see the president disown a longtime U.S. ally over Twitter (Jared Kushner, whose family had recently been jilted by a major Qatari investor, was an exception). Which made sense. After all, theres no reason to believe that Qatar is any more guilty of abetting terrorism than Saudi Arabia is; America has little use for a diplomatic crisis between its Gulf state allies; and, most critically, the U.S. runs its air operations over Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and Afghanistan from a giant military base outside Doha.

Now, the Washington Post offers fresh evidence that Trump shouldnt believe everything he reads in the official statements of Gulf state monarchies:

The United Arab Emirates orchestrated the hacking of Qatari government news and social media sites in order to post incendiary false quotes attributed to Qatars emir, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad al-Thani, in late May that sparked the ongoing upheaval between Qatar and its neighbors, according to U.S. intelligence officials.

Officials became aware last week that newly analyzed information gathered by U.S. intelligence agencies confirmed that on May 23, senior members of the UAE government discussed the plan and its implementation. The officials said it remains unclear whether the UAE carried out the hacks itself or contracted to have them done. The false reports said that the emir, among other things, had called Iran an Islamic power and praised Hamas  Citing the emirs reported comments, the Saudis, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt immediately banned all Qatari media. They then broke relations with Qatar and declared a trade and diplomatic boycott, sending the region into a political and diplomatic tailspin that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has warned could undermine U.S. counterterrorism efforts against the Islamic State.

So, the president seems to have abetted an autocratic governments attempt to use cyberattacks and propaganda to spread fraudulent narratives that undermine Americas national interests.

Then again, does that really sound like something Donald Trump would do?
Sean Duffy wants to blame the failure of the Trump legislative budget so far on Senate rules that barely even apply to the legislation in question. Photo: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Its a frustrating time to be a Republican, and particularly a strongly pro-Trump Republican like Representative Sean Duffy of Wisconsin (who made news just last Friday by saying there was nothing wrong with Donald Trump Jr. meeting with Russians). Nearly six months into the Trump era, the GOPs legislative accomplishments are diminutive, and now the long-awaited health-care bill is in the ditch, without a vote even being scheduled. Normally the thing to do would be to blame it all on the godless liberal Democrats, but since said Democrats have been almost entirely uninvolved with every major Republican legislative initiative this year, that doesnt pass the laugh test. So Duffys blaming it on the Senate, or more specifically, on stupid Senate rules, as Breitbart News enthusiastically reports:

Monday on Fox News Channels Fox & Friends, Rep. Sean Duffy (R-WI) blamed the U.S. Senate filibuster rule for preventing President Donald Trumps agenda from being passed into law.

Duffy argued the Democrats will end the filibuster when they regain control of the Senate and that the GOP has a mandate from the American people to pass Trumps agenda since the passage of Obamacare in 2010.

Get rid of the filibuster rule, Duffy explained. You only need 51 votes. Get rid of it.

The best response to Duffy is actually the chyron Fox News was displaying beneath coverage of the congressman ranting while Fox & Friends participants nod sagely:

It reads: SENATE NEEDS 50 VOTES FOR HEALTH CARE BILL.

The bill cannot be filibustered. Nor, more than likely, will Democrats be able to filibuster any other main piece of the Trump/GOP agenda  notably the budget resolution and the tax bill it enables  which, like Trumpcare, will be brought to the Senate floor under special budget procedures that limit debate and prohibit filibusters.

Can any bill be brought to the Senate floor under these special budget procedures? Of course not; bills protected from filibusters have to be germane to the budget, which means wildly unrelated proposals  many of which people like Sean Duffy might favor  are excluded. But lets be real: You can smuggle a lot through Congress using the budget process, as Republicans understood when they chose it a long, long time ago as the means of achieving their 2017 agenda (Duffys fellow Wisconsinite the Speaker of the House referred to the budget-reconciliation process that bans filibusters as the bazooka in my pocket in planning for a year when Republicans finally controlled the White House and both branches of Congress).

So the problem is not stupid Senate rules but (a) dissension in the Republicans ranks and (b) the manifest unpopularity of GOP legislation, particularly Trumpcare. If the GOP were in a position to pass regular legislation through the Senate without fear of a filibuster, there would probably be even less party unity and more unpopular legislation, since the budgets germaneness rules keep out some especially toxic conservative ideas (say, messing with contraception coverage in employer-sponsored health plans).

Duffy is indulging in a congressional tradition of inter-cameral hostility and finger-pointing that is older than the two-party system. But on this occasion, at least, its misguided.

Whats scary, though, is that Fox & Friends is one of Donald Trumps favorite shows. Trump has been known to complain about Senate rules, too, which, like health-care policy, are complicated. Duffys rant may soon be echoing in the White House, if its not already.
Special relationship. Photo: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

Before President Trump takes British prime minister Theresa May up on her offer to visit London, he wants her to ensure him a warm welcome, according to leaked transcripts of a phone call between the two leaders.

The transcript, according to The Sun, was seen by senior diplomats and went like this:

Trump: I havent had great coverage out there lately, Theresa.

May: Well, you know what the British press are like.

Trump: I still want to come, but Im in no rush. So, if you can fix it for me, it would make things a lot easier. When I know Im going to get a better reception, Ill come and not before.

May went on to tell Trump that she has no power over the press, The Sun says. But even if she did, that wouldnt stop the British people from raising hell.

Earlier this month, rumors spread about Trumps making a secret stop at Downing Street during his recent trip to Europe. In anticipation, a group of Trump haters prepared to take to the streets for a massive show of opposition to the president. Beyond that, nearly 2 million people have signed a petition to bar Trump from making an official state visit to the U.K. because it would cause embarrassment to Her Majesty the Queen.

So if Trump is waiting for a welcoming parade before he visits May, it might be a while.












To know, to utter and to argue

IN OCTOBER 2015, a month before the election that returned Myanmar to a form of civilian rule, a Burmese writer named Maung Saungkha posted a poem on his Facebook page: On my manhood rests a tattooed/portrait of Mr President/ My beloved found that out/After we wed/She was gutted/Inconsolable. He was found guilty of defaming Thein Sein, then Myanmars president, and sentenced to six months in prison. Mr Thein Sein had suffered no material damage. He served out his term in office without anyone mistaking him for a penis tattoo. But Mr Maung Saungkha believes that in the run-up to the election the government was aiming to spread fear, curtail freedom of speech and silence activists.Governments pursuing such goals have many options. They can press blasphemy laws into service, as those of Indonesia, Pakistan and dozens of other countries do. They can twist the media to their will. In Russia Vladimir Putin and his cronies control the main television-news stations. Or they can simply ban speech they dislike. In China and Vietnam independent bloggers are often arrested. Three Lao citizens recently received long jail terms for violating a decree forbidding online criticism of the government or ruling party.All these approaches attract international criticism. So some governments turn instead to defamation laws. Defamation is recognised almost everywhere as grounds for a civil claim, in which subjects of wanton and damaging falsehoods can demand financial compensation. But when defamation is a criminal offence, governments can go beyond fining critics who have caused demonstrable harm, and imprison them simply for speaking. Though several countries have recently decriminalised defamation, many more still prosecute it zealously. And even where it can no longer lead to jail, charges can stifle criticism if courts award vast damages.The American constitutions first amendment grants strong protection to speech, especially criticism and insults aimed at public figures. But in most of Asia, and much of Africa, Latin America and the Middle East, defamation is in some circumstances a crime, as it is in Canada and 23 members of the European Union. Between 2009 and 2014 at least 15 EU countries sentenced journalists to criminal penalties, including fines and jail, for insults and defamation.Criminal-defamation laws come in many forms. Thailand prohibits even the slightest criticism of its king, who is believed to be semi-divine. Serajeddin Mirdamadi, a journalist in Iran, is serving a six-year prison sentence for what was deemed propaganda against the state. In Morocco three years ago a 17-year-old was sentenced to three months in jail for rap lyrics about police corruption that were deemed to harm public morality and offend a state institution. Moroccans can also be imprisoned for any offence directed at the royal family or inciting prejudice against territorial integritya charge aimed at critics of Moroccos disputed claim of sovereignty over Western Sahara.It takes bravery to speak out against the government in a country with such laws. In Cambodia, for instance, one way that the prime minister, Hun Sen, has held onto power since 1985 has been by using defamation laws against his opponents, most notably Sam Rainsy, one of the founders of the main opposition party. Since he fled to France in 2015 to avoid arrest in one defamation case, Mr Sam Rainsy has been convicted in absentia in two others, both of which attracted jail sentences.Mr Hun Sen also targets ordinary citizens with defamation suits. Ou Virak, a political analyst, faces charges for a remark made during a radio programme. Five human-rights activists were detained for more than a year over charges stemming from leaked recordings that allegedly captured flirtatious remarks between another opposition politician and his hairdresser. A spokesman for Mr Hun Sens party said that Mr Ou Virak had claimed the affair was concocted by the party to smear an opponent. The party filed a criminal-defamation complaint against him, demanding around 400m riel ($100,000) in damages.Face-saving is really important, says Mr Ou Virak. If you criticise the government, they take it personally. He has struggled to find a lawyer: opposing a despot is not a good career move.In civil defamation cases, plaintiffs must show they were materially harmed by someone elses words; for example, malicious rumours spread by a business rival to destroy a company; or a criminal record invented by an ex-lover to destroy a career. The court will decide on suitable recompense. Under criminal-defamation laws, insults themselves are illegal, never mind whether they caused any harm.In May a Burmese woman was sentenced to six months in jail for sharing Facebook posts deemed insulting to Aung San Suu Kyi, the countrys de facto leader, under a law that criminalises defaming, disturbing [or] threateningany person by using any Telecommunications Network. At least 65 people have been charged under it since Ms Suu Kyis government took power. Between 2013 and 2015 the army-backed government that passed the law used it just seven times. Even an accusation usually means jail, because defamation is not a bailable offence. On July 7th Myanmars parliament published modest amendments that would make defamation bailable and ban third-party suits. But their passage is uncertain, and activists argue that the law is so pernicious it should be revoked altogether.Thailands lese-majeste law is possibly the strictest criminal-defamation law anywhere. The current version states that the King shall be enthroned in a position of revered worship and shall not be violated. No person shall expose the King to any sort of accusation or action. Anyone who defames, insults or threatens the king, the queen, the heir-apparent or the regent can be imprisoned for up to 15 years. The government, which seized power in 2014 and delayed an election planned for this year, has charged at least 77 people with lese-majeste, 22 with sedition and 120 for violating an order forbidding public discussion of a proposed referendum to give it more power. Virtually all have been convicted, many in military courts.A broadly drawn criminal-defamation law is a weapon that can be wielded, not just by the government, but by anyone thin-skinned who has enough money to hire a lawyer. In 2008 a hospital in Indonesia misdiagnosed a woman as having dengue when she actually had mumps; after an e-mail she had written to friends complaining about the misdiagnosis was circulated on social media, doctors at the hospital filed a defamation complaint against her. She was acquitted only after more than a year and two criminal trials.In Thailand last March a mining company filed charges against four journalists for reporting on environmental harms allegedly caused by a mine it manages in Myanmar. (The case was eventually dismissed.) A journalist working for the BBC could be imprisoned for five years if he is convicted on a charge of criminal defamation filed by a Thai lawyer who was unhappy with his reporting. In 2014 a journalist in Greece was sentenced to three months in prison for criticising a school directors political views; two years later an aggrieved Greek businessman brought charges against another journalist that resulted in a 26-month prison sentence. (It was overturned on appeal.)Large fines for those found guilty of defamation are yet another way to chill free speech. Government officials in Singapore have sued and bankrupted critics for statements that politicians in many other places would have disputed, laughed off or simply ignored. Lee Kuan Yew, Singapores founder, all but admitted to using defamation suits this way. If we had considered them serious political figures, we would not have kept them politically alive for so long, he said in 2003 of two opposition politicians. We could have bankrupted them earlier.Agnes Callamard, a former UN special rapporteur on freedom of expression, spies a welcome global trend toward decriminalising defamation. In recent years Jamaica, Kenya, Mexico and Zimbabwe have repealed their laws. India is considering doing so. But too often progress is more on paper than in reality. Cambodia has removed jail time for defamation convictions, but it remains for failure to pay court-ordered fines, which can turn an award of hefty damages into de facto imprisonment. So it remains easy for the government to mute its critics. They had to pick on someone to make an example of, says Mr Ou Virak. And I said the first thing.
i would be here for a female james bond loving and leaving hot guys all over the world.

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THIS :D

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just asking, are you going to see Atomic Blonde?

It looks kind of badass!

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I'd reccomend Salt

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A female James Bond flick would be badass!

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Joan Watson is the best Watson of all Watsons.



I am ok with being the cheese the stands alone with not liking a female Doctor because it means that either the Doctor is not the same person across regenerations or it's leaning into the idea that gender is 100% a social construct and not something intrinsic to a person which I think is a complicated conversation that the show will never get into, so it's just like... well, I guess??



Whatever. I haven't watched Doctor Who since the first few episode of Tweleve so it doesn't matter what I think.

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yeah i got a few reserves on it but i really want to see how they'll play it. like to me the doctor is a man, so it would have made more sense to cast *let my imagination go wild* Idris Elba (you got the money bbc, you took bake off away from us, you can give me Idris on the telly!) we'll see.



and ofc it matters what you think <3

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The Doctor is a literal alien from a species that got rid of gender norms and gender associated stereotypes actually billions of years ago though.



The way the Doctor experiences 'gender' as we think of it is not related to or connected to gender as we even understand it. So for Time Lords/Gallifreyans it is neither intrinsic or a social construct, as has been established within the canon of the show.



If it was a HUMAN character though i'd understand that though and agree with you at the complexity of that issue.



But the Doctor is an alien from space, travelling around space and time in ship that looks like a police telephone box lmao, so.



Howevs bb, I definitely recommend you watch Season 10 because Bill Potts will save your ENTIRE life and soul. And then if you think on about it and feel like giving 13 a chance, then I hope to see you in my Who posts next season! <3



Edited at 2017-07-17 12:51 am (UTC)

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I'm in the same corner with you on the female Doctor, especially since they already did this with the Master- I'm sorry, Missy. Can't call her the Master anymore because, you know... she has a vagina or something. And immediately put on a dress, and make-up, and nail polish, and got to kiss the Doctor because it was finally NO HOMO, but whatever, that's none of my business.



And of course the Doctor is still white, but hey, it's a white WOMAN now, so yeah for diversity and progress.

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I agree with you about Doctor Who. I feel like I'm the only one not into a female Doctor for the same reasons. Timelords, other than having two hearts, seem to be pretty similar to humans and I always felt it was implied that included the sex organs.

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Edited at 2017-07-17 12:23 pm (UTC) As the creator of this says, I hope they don't do this with the character.

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i love lucy on elementary tbh. and i am looking forward to a female doctor

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imagine having to ask fans not to be scared by your gender. wow.

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yeah, people hate change though

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male fans, lbr.

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Joan Watson >>>>>> the muffin looking hobbit from sherlock



Edited at 2017-07-17 12:48 am (UTC)

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preach

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truth

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mhmm <3

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IA IA

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Fact

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Is she a terf? :(

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lol if you're asking for real, there's a user here called joan with a joan watson icon who yells terf



trufax joan watson isn't a terf (as far as we know)

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They're talking about a certain user here.

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Also, SUPERIOR WATSON, SUPERIOR STARBUCK!!! I have no opinions on original Kono as I didn't watch the original H50, butttt I love(d) our modern day Kono, and glad Grace and Daniel left the show and gave them the finger for the fuckery over pay. Both deserve better and will land better gigs, and already are.



I've been arguing with neckbeards broflake nerd boys and self-hating women burdened with internalised misogyny all evening lmao. Their delicious tears.



The CREATOR of Doctor Who literally said there should be a female regeneration of the Doctor in the early 1980s... like... HE'S AN ALIEN FROM A CIVILISATION THAT IS "BILLIONS OF YEARS BEYOND YOUR PETTY HUMAN OBSESSION WITH GENDER AND ITS ASSOCIATED STEREOTYPES." 



How canonically does the Doctor got to spell it out? He's not human, he's not a 'man', he's not a 'male character', he can easily become she because that's how his species regenerates and works.



All these misogynistic pieces of trash are literally over the top villains the Doctor would eliminate and neutralise in his-now-her adventures.





Cute gif selection, OP!!Also, SUPERIOR WATSON, SUPERIOR STARBUCK!!! I have no opinions on original Kono as I didn't watch the original H50, butttt I love(d) our modern day Kono, and glad Grace and Daniel left the show and gave them the finger for the fuckery over pay. Both deserve better and will land better gigs, and already are.I've been arguing with neckbeards broflake nerd boys and self-hating women burdened with internalised misogyny all evening lmao. Their delicious tears.The CREATOR of Doctor Who literally said there should be a female regeneration of the Doctor in the early 1980s... like... HE'S AN ALIEN FROM A CIVILISATION THAT ISHow canonically does the Doctor got to spell it out? He's not human, he's not a 'man', he's not a 'male character', he can easily become she because that's how his species regenerates and works.All these misogynistic pieces of trash are literally over the top villains the Doctor would eliminate and neutralise in his-now-her adventures.

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re the doctor being a man: idk because we are so used to it? especially if you start watching it in another language where there is gender then you are so used to it?



edit: i am more than happy to get used to a female doctor tho! i just have my skepticism on (which i have at every regeneration so)



Edited at 2017-07-17 12:50 am (UTC)

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I think it's normal for any fan to have Regeneration Skepticism - we all go through it!! Apart from me when 11 regenerated into 12, that was just a flat out party for me.



It's all part of the usual regeneration cycle for people to have doubts, but eventually we see the new doctor and realise it's all good.



I think re: the gender, people think of the Doctor as a man, cos he's always looked like one. But he's an actual ALIEN and just because he appears as a man doesn't make him one, especially as his species doesn't have the same construct and norms of gender as ours does. That the Doctor is super attached to Earth and the human species and more often travels with Earthlings and has like ~adopted~ Earth as the planet he wants to protect and shit like that lol so he assimilates in a way does not mean he is human.



Dude has TWO HEARTS (two more than Katie Hopkins, as someone responded on twitter to her bitching about the regeneration lmao).

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Edited at 2017-07-17 12:47 am (UTC) Newsthump said it best... "Fictional time travellers dont have vaginas, insist morons" http://newsthump.com/2017/07/16/fictional-time-travellers-dont-have-vaginas-insist-morons/

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lmao poor broflakes

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Perfect gif <3

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I remember people were p i s s e d when the Battlestar Galactica reboot made Starbuck a woman. My dad was one of them. Then Starbuck became one of his favorite characters.



Edited at 2017-07-17 12:52 am (UTC)

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lmao that ridiculous remake of Skins. i watched every episode because the level of mediocrity was kind of amazing tbh, it was like they were purposefully trying to make the blandest most boring show ever



Edited at 2017-07-17 12:51 am (UTC)

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i feel like it could've done well on a different network maybe...but they had to cut out a lot of the humour and swearing, i think. it just didn't work.

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even lifetime could've done it better

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this is me with 7th heaven the dull star of mediocrity. i just can't stop hatewatching stuff. you make it sound delicious tbh lol

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I loved it back in the day, but looking back it was so bad.

and they changed Cassi completely, and just made her some psycho bunny boiler instead of a girl with an ED who was more relatable.

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Oh god, it was wretched. And Maxxie was always my fave, too. <3

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It is Hannibal.

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Her Hannibal character (and Freddie's as well) were originally male characters in the books

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what a legend.

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This queen. Season 3 Alana was the best Alana.

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Didn't River Song give her regenerations to the Doctor in Season 6/7? That'd be an easy way to explain why him turning female is a suddenly happening.

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I hope they don't give it an explanation, tbh. If gender really isn't a big deal to Timelords, then explaining it away means it's both a) a big deal, and b) a one-time thing under special circumstances.

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KARA THRACE IS PERFECT and the reason for my bisexuality!!!

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same

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me too

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SAME. Oh my god.

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She would have been a great Ms./Captain Marvel

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babe

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The Captain Marvel of my heart <333

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i love how the fanboys at the start were so offended at them with the gender swap, then as the season went on their loved her

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A female Indiana Jones is my dream. Should have made Mutt a girl tbh.



Making James Bond a woman would be awesome. I'd probably die. Just change Naomie Harris from Moneypenny to Bond. Save you some time.



The uproar about a female doctor is insane. The only we should worry about is the writing.

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I had an idea for a movie about Moneypenny searching for Bond just to break up the formula.

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asdasfajkdlfjhj unexpected Ed "Sheehan" (as Twitter called him) is unexpected!! And did we know about the Jim Broadbent cameo?? Because I forgot and then I was very happy.



Did Euron get a sassiness upgrade? I don't remember him being that delightful before. If only Pilou made better life choices (e.g., not Flop in the Shell) I could really stan him.



Ugh @ Littlefinger always.



(oh god this is a terrible first comment I'm sorry)



Edited at 2017-07-17 02:34 am (UTC)

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jim and ed were both confirmed as new cast members (we just didn't know who they played of course)

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lol jfc @ me. This is what happens when they release 9,474 spoilers per week; shit all blends together!!

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I was watching with some other people and when the singing started someone joked it was Ed Sheeran, not knowing he was in the episode, so when the camera showed his face we all burst out laughing.

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mte in this universe everyone drinks alcohol and there being a 'drinking age' literally makes no sense



about sansa, you can't really fault her for being more worried about cersei since she hasn't seen the white walkers but you'd think they'd make jon bring that up to counter her "you don't know cersei" line. also, why should littlefinger be dead? few know all that he's done to get to where he is iirc?

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To be entirely fair, he killed Lysa Arryn for Sansa. Like, Littlefinger is a shit, he has ulterior motives for sure, but he has helped her, and has been of value to her, season 5 bullshit aside.



and many people besides the priests have fire read, including stannis and his wife.

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i didn't think they portrayed Jon as the bad guy, on the contrary, Sansa looked a little foolish when the 5 year old boy and teenage girl got up. like seriously Sansa? you want to punish a bunch of kids? especially when just earlier in the episode we saw how vengeful the children of broken houses can get.



i also thought he was right about not prioritising cercei, what is she going to do? her army will starve before reaching the neck, and jaime himself pointed it out.

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I thought it pretty clearly was painting Sansa as being in the wrong for holding children responsible for their fathers actions? That was the majority vibe on my tl at least

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Lol this is all accurate af

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painting jon as a bad guy for not stripping the umbers and karstarks of their land and castles



what show did you watch lmao



it was very clear he's trying to be a ~good leader, which could bite him in the ass like it did to ned as explained by sansa

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+ I am not a Sansa defender whatsoever, but her still hanging around LF makes perfect sense. he killed her aunt to save her, basically, AND for bringing the Knights of the Vale. not to mention, Robin Arryn is a disturbed, childish, joffrey jr of a little boy still and he only really listens to LF - LF basically is the Lord of the Vale for the time being. I mean...god on Sansa for not giving him any more leeway than keeping him around though. she knows he could turn on her any second, but she's risking more by turning him away than keeping him there IMO.



+ I didnt think they were painting Jon as the bad guy at all - they were painting Sansa as insubordinate and absolute with her decisions, which doesn't always a good leader make. Jon considers the context of situations before deciding on them, instead of always falling back on "the way things have been done". He showed he was the better leader in that moment.



+ I dont think Bran was trying to prove his identity, Bran was simply trying to prove he's there to help them, he gets what they're up against, and it's in their better interest to give him sanctuary.



+ again not a Sansa defender, but Sansa made some good points when speaking about Cersei to Jon. she wasn't saying "put your attention all here" she was saying "dont fucking ignore that we haven't won anything but our home back yet"

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Yes to all of this

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fire reading: its not just for red priests anymore!





It wasn't the first time this happened, Stannis also did some Melisandre-guided fire gazing.

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I thought the gravitas of Dany finally arriving at Dragonstone was lessened somewhat by the constant and now she's here shots. The beach. The gate. The walk up the stairs. The entry. The throne room. The war room. I actually started to laugh by the third or fourth one.



Also I kept screaming SHUT YER MOUTH, LITTLE GIRL every time Sansa talked. She was giving me Padme Phantom Menace vibes.

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I've been avoiding everything so this is my first glimpse of Ellaria and Yara hooking up?



And I can't believe they assaulted us with Ed Sheeran for that long omg.



I expected this ep to be slow since the first ep is meant to re-acquaint us with everyone so I wasn't disappointed, best parts were The Hound and Arya's scenes. The dialogue between Jon and Sansa could have been better.

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*The dialogue everywhere could've been better. They just want us to stare at the pretty people.

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tbh all of the dialogue was pretty awful tonight

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IA. No subtlety at all.

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Was that Nymeria?! (Arya's wolf?!)

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I HOPE SO! I have no idea but I'm crossing my fingers it is Nymeria.

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I feel like it has to be, but i'm sure it will go awful in some way.

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Think so! Arya is in the right part of Westeros to meet up with her. There was also 'Wolf Unit' in the credits.



Would be nice if they showed Ghost at Jon's feet every so often, even if they just use a white rug.

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A solid opening episode, though subject to GoT's usual flaws/waste of screentime parts.





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The entire opening scene was EVERYTHING. Arya is a damn legend

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best season opening the show has ever had

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Yeah that was fucking awesome

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i was beaming throughout the entire thing.

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lmao the highlight of the episode

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YES so satisfying

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I was smiling so much when she gave the speech.



And I got goosebumps when she said, "Tell them winter came for House Frey."





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smegma



sidenote - euron greyjoy is wack and the ed sheeran cameo triggered me walder stark at the beginning of this episode was giving me pure. popped the hardest clit boner of my life.sidenote - euron greyjoy is wack and the ed sheeran cameo triggered me

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We should've had our bb frank in it y/y

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Your side note sums me up as well.

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OMG IS THAT NYMERIA?

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I think so! or atleast thats what tumblr is saying

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i feel like if it is nymeria, that will be what changes aryas mind about going south, and she will go home instead

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Lyanna was boss AF in this episode.

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I thought the Arya stuff was great. I liked how they showed both sides of her, the vengeful side and the empathic one.



The Jon vs Sansa stuff wasn't as annoying as I thought it would be, but she shouldn't have questioned him in front of everyone, I thought she was supposed to be good at politics.



Other than that it was ok. The Dragonstone scene didn't have the emotional punch i expected, maybe it was the acting, idk.

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we even saw her sympathetic side while she was killing the freys. she left the women alone, didnt kill the servants or the wife of walder. she only killed the men responsible who benefited from it.

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Yeah they did a great job with showing how her revenge is only laser focused on those who did the actual murders, not just executing any ol' Frey like lady stoneheart. I'm happy with the arya stuff this episode.

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Sansa (and Sophie Turner) *thinks* she is good at politics. She is not.

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The intro scene was really good



Sansa can go and diaf, she thinks she's smart, but she's really Cercei smart

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ya Sansa hasn't learned anything about when *not to speak* because it undermines the experience she is trying so hard to display. it happened when she mouthed off to House Glover about not joining their cause in S6, and it happened again here.

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ia after all she's been through it was a nice change of pace to show her slowly starting to relax and be normal for once

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i felt like they held dany back the whole episode and then we get her fingers trailing over things and it's all very, "i was waiting for this??????" there's no payoff because the next episode seems to be all about dany

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"A Targaryen cannot be trusted."



Umm. Rude.

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IKR Considering what we as viewers and Bran know about Jon and it shows Jon's face at that moment in the trailer lmao

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I think he was most likely thinking of Aemon in that moment. the only Targaryen he has ever known was very trustworthy and a mentor to him. so he's probably like "excuse me?"

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a very pointed moment imo

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such subtle foreshadowing

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i feel like the ed stuff was worse because we had to watch it to see where arya was heading with her storyline. whereas with sam i just fucking flung my hands in front of the tv after a minute because i had fucking enough of that literal shit and missed nothing

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i kept thinking the shitty bedpan sequence was going to end and then it just...kept...fucking...going...

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hahaha same I was like WHY ARE THEY TROLLING US RN

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LMAOOOOOOO ME TOO



IT WAS LIKE THOSE MONTAGE MAKEOVER SCENES THAT JUST KEEP GOING AND GOING AND GOING







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ok so is arya going to kill cersei while wearing jamie's face fulfilling the prophecy that her little brother will murder her 

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i've been saying that for years and feel so vindicated



like honestly what would be the point of her entire arc/journey if that wasn't the endgame?

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that i would be down for.

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YES

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omg noice; I totally buy it

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it would be a million more satisfying than what will actually happen, which is Jaime killing Cersei



but I would much rather it be Arya. shit at this point nearly anyone would be more satisfying than Jaime doing it

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Arya killing Cersei AS Jamie would be fucking badass

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Is that a prophecy from the books or have we seen that in the show and I forgot?

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I like this idea

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YEP!!! I think that's the consensus (hopefully)!

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I hope they don't do that. Real Jamie has to be the one to take her ass out.

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THAT WOULD BE AWESOME

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ok but jaime has to be dead for her to use his face. he's not on her list right?

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Holy shit, yes please.

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only 12 more episodes left

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i remember the first casting post for this on here... we're almost free y'all!!!!!

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iconic

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lol irl

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Arya is LIFE god i love that bitch so much 

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mte honestly fuck everyone else



SHE deserves the throne

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!!!!!! i've been saying this for 6 seasons. She's that bitch. She's had the strongest character development out of everyone.

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she slayed the entire episode

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mfte

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I can't click play with that reversed triangle headed alien in the shot.

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are you referring to benedict "face looks like an animorphs cover mid-transition" cumberbatch...?

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It is he.

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Nearly 80 years later and still the best





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beautiful, will never not blow my mind that this movie came out in the THIRTIES!!!

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YES OMG

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Absolutely never gets old or feels dated. I get chills every time.

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and if nothing else SI will get some Cinematography noms during award circuit



I'm ready for AWITand if nothing else SI will get some Cinematography noms during award circuit

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A Wrinkle in Time

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I love beautiful color in films, I hope there are some good recs in here



Red is not my favorite color but Tarsem Singh uses it beautifully

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Yes! The Fall was gorgeous, as was Immortals. I wish the latter had a better script

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The Fall is the most beautiful film, loved Mirror Mirror too.

/edit to add that beautiful reds also make me think of Moulin Rouge



Edited at 2017-07-17 08:30 pm (UTC)

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came in here specifically to mention The Fall. The visuals in the film are breathtaking.

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I was watching Dr Terror's House of Horrors the other day and thinking about how beautiful the green light the actors were bathed in in some scenes were. You don't get that anymore. I watched the Love Witch commentary and Anna Biller talked about how difficult it was to get the exact shade of red lighting she was after because the techniques are all obsolete, it's all done digital now. But it looks so gorgeous and ethereal.



As for color palettes in film, there's an Italian film called Mediterraneo which was filmed on a Greek island and is basically all crystal blue sky and water and white houses. I always enjoyed the look of that.

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same with the candy room/Pure Imagination scene in Willy Wonka



the transition from sepia to color in The Wizard of Oz is still so magical to mesame with the candy room/Pure Imagination scene in Willy Wonka

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yeah that colors in that wonka scene are very striking

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I loved that scene. I always said, if I was on the Willy Wonka tour, I'd just want to spend the whole day in the candy room, I wouldn't care about the rest.

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Vertigo (the lighting in this scene is so gorgeous)



and nearly every scene in Suspiria







Edited at 2017-07-17 07:45 pm (UTC) Some of my favorite uses of color on film are probablyVertigo (the lighting in this scene is so gorgeous)and nearly every scene in Suspiria

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Agreed on both. Suspiria is so beautiful to look at.

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I largely hated Lost in Translation (Sofia as a general rule is not my cuppa) but it's the first film that comes to mind in consideration of pretty palettes

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still from 'blue velvet':





also, i've always loved gregg araki's use of colors, especially in 'nowhere'. his 90s films are the only films that would prompt me to use the word "lurid" to describe a film's color palette.



still from 'nowhere':

david lynch's use of color and texture have always mesmerized me. my partner saw 'blue velvet' for the first time the other night and i couldn't help but notice how perfect the color palette is in it.still from 'blue velvet':also, i've always loved gregg araki's use of colors, especially in 'nowhere'. his 90s films are the only films that would prompt me to use the word "lurid" to describe a film's color palette.still from 'nowhere':

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Nowhere is so amazing!!!!

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such a shame that it's because of licensing issues with the sprawling and FLAWLESS 90s soundtrack that it won't ever make it to video disc. maybe streaming? fans can hope and pray!

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I love Nowhere!

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The Fall!

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The Color of Pomegranates is one of the most visually stunning films I've ever seen

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Back when Her came out, my eyes were pleased with the palettes. Went for a second rewatch and didn't find the story as entertaining as the first watch. The color grading and stylistic choices helped the movie tbh.



Also, In the Mood for Love.

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Seconding

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still from '2046':

omg yes everything christopher doyle and wong kar-wai collabrated on is simply gorgeous.still from '2046':

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"Suspiria" is probably the most visually stunning movie in my opinion as far as the use of color. It's one of the most gorgeous movies (visually) of any genre in my opinion.

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I love western films (old ones and newer ones), so most cinematography in western films is what does it for me.



And I love a lot of the cinematography from Kubrick's movies as well, especially The Shining, Eyes Wide Shut, 2001 and A Clockwork Orange.



And I know everyone here hates it, but really loved the visuals in La La Land, particularly during the planetarium scene, Another Day of Sun, and City of Stars (even if I don't like the song that much).

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i'm the one other person who liked lll . in fact, i like it more as time passes. for visuals, someone in the crowd is my favorite (so much choreographed in the bg at the party) and the final alt-timeline sequence.

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oh no, iA. the visuals in LLL were the best part of it for me. it was so vibrant with colour.

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i love la la land. i've seen it seven times and that ending still fucking kills me.

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Oh yes, Hero was immaculate.

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All I have to say is the manbaby tears are fucking delicious!

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But in other news, if you or any of your friends and family need support in this difficult time...



The Doctor Who Helpline. pic.twitter.com/QDskJFpeZ2  Mark Humphries (@markhumphries) 17 July 2017

This post took me like 2 hours to make lmao.But in other news, if you or any of your friends and family need support in this difficult time...

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lmaooooooo

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LOL, that is hilariously accurate.

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FLAWLESS POST, FLAWLESS OP <333333



also lmfao i lost it at the "female wiggle" part

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I DO IT ALL FOR MY ONTD FAM!!

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lmao this vid is amazing.

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Excellent post OP!

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lmaooo A+

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rofl omg this is excellent

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I love it. Please post this as a reply to those here who have been showing their asses about this lately.

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i am done lmao!

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Thank you! You're the absolute best for making this brilliant and much needed post! And lmaooo this video made my day!!!!

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thanks for your hard work bb!



And YAY SBS Viceland! Haha Australia represent!

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jfc this is hilarious

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she was so awkwardly endearing in broadchurch, love ha! do i need to watch past series/seasons to understand this show? seems like... A Lot!



anyway, men are so fucking fragile and weak and twitter was sooo much fun yesterday lmao. i love seeing women happy :))))

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You don't!! I mean I recommend season 10 because Peter Capaldi is a wonderful Doctor, and Pearl Mackie as black lesbian SAVIOUR OF OUR LIVES Bill Potts is EVERYTHING.



But you don't need to watch back to understand what's up - usually they kind of soft re-launch with new Doctors, and anything you need to know you can just wiki easily enough. Like if the Daleks rock up and you're like "damn I really want to know about the past 100000 times the Doctor fought the Daleks", you can google everything easy enough without any hassle of sitting down through 10+ seasons.



Give it a go when season 11 starts and see what you think bb! You'll always be welcome in my Doctor Who posts <333

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omg thanks!!! it all sounds v intriguing, but adding a female lead? im sold! :)

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what the fuck is katie hopkins problem?

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everything tbh

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She truly is a stain on society and the world is worse off for her existence.

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How long have you got? Eternity?

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Lol she's scum. I remember when American ontders were stanning ha during bbuk, those were dark times

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she wasn't born as eva braun or magda goebbels

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HAHAHAHAHHAA

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I stopped watching Doctor Who after the Doctor regenerated into Capaldi. So, how much did I miss?



Excited for Jodie! I can't stress that enough.



Does anybody know what Freema is going to do post Sense8?

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not much tbh. capaldi deserved a better show runner.

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So you missed the best Doctor so far??? NOOOO. Tbh skip the Clara years, just watch Season 10 (and maybe the Master/Missy episodes of past seasons so you know what's going on with the Master too).



You need to watch Season 10 for my/our/everyone's queen Bill Potts, who will save your actual life.

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The new Dr Who is a woman! I wonder if they will top it off with a black love interest & a weedy white cuck assistant that she friendzones? pic.twitter.com/qbQ0pqPosl  Mark Collett (@MarkACollett) July 16, 2017

I want this plot to happen so bad, you guys.

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Add Bill being back to that and i'm stanning (wait, is BILL the black love interest? Cos her cute friendship with the Doctor gave me life so idk if I can ship them but i'll still do it if it makes people mad)!!

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omg please

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Lmao that was the funniest shit. I would be laughing in my brothers face if he did that

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Lol link?

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i'm all for jodie as thirteen but at the same time i hope they picked her because she was the best choice and not because WE NEED A WOMEN FOR THE SAKE OF HAVING A WOMAN GUYS. i'm a cynic i'm sorry.



that said i'm totally gonna cosplay her because we have the same dyed blonde hair with dark roots, and it's about the same length so...

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i mean if kris marshall was the other available choice....

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lmfao was he seriously that much of a contender

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She was the best choice but also Chris Chibnall was determined he wanted 13 to be a woman. Like he was not budging on that.



After 11 talk about 12 being a woman or MOC was high, but Moffat was 100% determined that he wanted nobody apart from Peter Capaldi (who was amazing perfect glorious babely anyway), so i'm not mad about Chibnall getting his way with having a female Doctor!



It's less "WE NEED ONE FOR THE SAKE OF HAVING ONE" and more "IT IS FUCKING ABOUT TIME OMG"



Also omg you better take pics of your cosplay and send them to me sis!!!! I want to cosplay her so bad but my hair is just like long and brown and i'd have to get a wig and look ridiculous.



Edited at 2017-07-17 10:18 pm (UTC)

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lmao i love colin baker's ~i'm not sad, i'm disappointed~ attitude towards the manbabies. i'm sure that stings. they can't exactly turn against him.

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lmao would they even dare?? His tweets were so great. These dinosaur whovian nerd bros are trash tbh.



A bunch of my friends are big on the Trek fandom too and arguing with pissed off Trekkies last night who were just as bad and disgusting about Jodie. I was like... it comes as literally no surprise that Trekkie broflakes are just the same kind of trash, this is why I don't engage with straight men in that fandom anymore.



Like these so-called 'fans' actually missed the ENTIRE point of both these shows.... how.

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ikr? the top comment is all ~omg i'm shocked you would say that colin~ and you can feel the butthurt through the screen tbh :')



ughhhhh i can only imagine. literally what is the point? why are they so disgusting? why don't they ~get over it~ and ~it's just a show~ and whatever they always say to female viewers?



mte mte. it's disappointing but not at all surprising.

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sis we all know some trek fans are the worrrrst, the ones who shat on Janeway can diaf. Did they miss the memo about what trek is all about? Ugh.

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Actually if he had been the only one the would have turned against him (might still do). He is the one Actor who would understand being at the receiving end of fan hatred. I mean at one point a fanzine printed that losing his child to SIDS was karmic justice for being a bad Doctor.

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Fanbabies hate Colin anyway and have said vile things about him since he was first cast. There were apparently fanzines published that had 'fans' writing about how he deserved his son's death due to SIDS because he ruined the show.

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I geeked out with Colin as the 'Change my dear...' comment were his first words as the Doctor.



Seriously though, for all the hate he gets and the problems with his time as the Doctor he is so positive and supportive of Doctor Who when by all accounts he could have left the whole thing behind and no-one would blame him.

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she was so good in broadchurch. the first season of broadchurch is a perfect season of television imo ugh. olivia coleman also would have made a great doctor come to think of it

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She would!!! Olivia Colman would be a PERFECT Doctor imho. It's the kind of role which necessitates you having nothing else going on, nothing lined up, and being fine with moving to Cardiff for about 3 years of your life though, which I don't think is something everyone with a certain profile wants especially as it's not like a ~career defining role~ once you're past a certain point, which imho Olivia Colman is.



I love ha though :(

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yeah she's definitely got too much going on to be a good fit but she would get the doctor's demeanor down pat :( as long as she's in lots of other stuff i'm not too mad abt it tho lol

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Ia

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i'm mostly annoyed cause now i have to actually check out the first couple eps of her season lol i stopped watching early in s6 and haven't seen an ep of doctor who since then but moffat being gone and now this... i might even check out some of capaldi's eps just cause i do love him as an actor.



i expected terrible comments from men on the internet so that wasn't surprising to me but it was seeing certain women against it that was disheartening and made me sad. and i'm not talking about women of colour who have very valid reasons to not be jumping up and down re: the announcement. those are conversations that need to be had and are very important. but women who clearly have internalized sexism and can't seem to bring themselves to picture a woman as the Doctor.

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Check out the Master/Missy episodes from Moffat's run, but then if it's all too much you can skip ahead to Season 10 for the glory that is BILL POTTS, SAVIOUR OF OUR LIVES.



He really is MY Doctor, and imho the best Doctor, but tbh the writing is awful and he does his best to save it, but even Meryl Streep couldn't lift a lot of season 9 out of the gutter.



And ia ia, both about WOC and their very valid reasons, and also the internalised misogyny of other women. Sad in an upsetting way that intersectional representation still hasn't been achieved for WOC in this kind of role (although i'm hoping we are getting there, like omg it can't come fucking soon enough though), and sad in a pathetic way about all the self-hatred in some women.

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Please please PLEASE let Pearl be companion for awhile longer. I'd love to see her and Jodie's Doctor interact <3

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I'm hoping so much bb!!! She has said she hopes to be back, doesn't know yet, but has had meetings with Chibnall, and that he was very complimentary about her and the impact and positive reception of Bill, so......



It'd be ideal tbh, to have that sense of continuity.

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Crossing my fingers and everything else. Plus, the companion being female is a staple of the show and if they change it just because the Doctor's female, I stg...



Also, I knew you had flawless taste re: your opinion on Olivia Colman. I would've loved to see her take on the Doctor, I'm low key in love with her.

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I am so excited for this! I stopped watching Who after the 50th anniversary (nobody assassinates the character of QEI) and am now looking forward to this show again!



I just need them to retcon what they did to my Donna and I'll be a happy camper.

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You have time to catch up on Season 10 bb!! YOU KNOW, IN CASE OUR QUEEN AND SAVIOUR BILL POTTS CONTINUES AS COMPANION. Everything else though you can pretend it didn't happen lmao.

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This is a beautiful post OP!



I was too late to really join the post yesterday but I'm so excited! I can't wait to watch.

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Thanks bb!! I'm glad you've joined now, and will look forward to seeing you in next season's posts! 

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tbh I've been waiting for this post all day.



I gave up around Clara so I'm looking forward to be getting back into the show <3

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I am thrilled #JodieWhitaker DW13 a fine actress & a great gig xxx  KatyManning Official (@ManningOfficial) July 16, 2017





It might be more helpful to be encouraging, and not simply scornful, of fans who are uncertain about change.  Peter Davison (@PeterDavison5) July 17, 2017





Edited at 2017-07-17 10:25 pm (UTC) i found a couple more from old actors

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Hmmm  @ peter

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ikr and that's his only tweet about it too, not even a simple congrats

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Thanks bb, i'll add Katy's in!!



Leaving Peter Davison out though, what a fucking flop. FIVE IS CANCELLED.

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Back when Tesla Inc. (TSLA) unveiled a test of its new Powerpacks  batteries to power homes and businesses  it was clear that the companys future wasnt in building cars

But in providing for a broad spectrum of power sources.

Now, most people still regard lithium-ion batteries as something just to do with cellphones or electric cars.

But now, a major announcement by Tesla indicates the shift to serving large-scale power needs is happening sooner than expected.

This could be an absolute game changer in energy storage

And could revolutionize energy worldwide.

In Less Than 100 Days, Tesla Will Open the Largest Ever Battery Project

In less than 100 days, the mother of all lithium-ion batteries will be operating in South Australia charged by renewable energy.

The 129-megawatt hour (MWh) project comprises the worlds largest lithium-ion energy storage system ever  more than 60% larger than an 80 MWh facility at Mira Loma in Ontario, California.

The project combines a huge system designed by Tesla with a nearby 99 turbine wind farm operated by French renewable energy company Neoen. And the prospect may be the most important advance in electricity production in decades.

To add some spice to the announcement, Tesla founder and head Elon Musk pledged that he would provide the project for free if the 100-day commitment could not be met.

That means the massive series of battery packs and inverters  the battery actually encompasses two subsystems each having 198 Tesla Powerpacks and 24 inverters  is supposed to be online by the beginning of December.

And the location in South Australia is no accident

Teslas Batteries Will Help Prevent Blackouts

South Australia has been plagued by increasing blackouts. Last year the problem accelerated with residences in some areas left without power for weeks.

The Tesla battery will not completely solve the problem (its designed to provide electricity for about 30,000 homes). But an initial success will allow for a rapid expansion of applications.

Now, neither Tesla nor the South Australian state government will directly comment on what the system costs. Related: Russian Energy Minister: No Additional Output Cuts Are Needed

However, anecdotal industry information puts it at between $A200 to $A400 million ($155 to $310 million). For his part, Musk has estimated the cost to be around $42 million, while Teslas battery division head Lyndon Rive had initially out the price tag at about $51 million.

Any of these makes the battery project doable, especially when there are government players interested and worsening power distribution problems.

Without providing any details, South Australias Premier Jay Weatherill added on Saturday (July 8) that the entire project would fall well within the amount budgeted for renewable energy.

Each Powerpack charges using the renewable energy provided by Neoen and then distributes electricity during the peak demand period. This allows a better operation of the South Australian grid.

What is even more important from the states perspective is the ability of the system to inject emergency backup power in the event of a blackout or rolling brownout.

The Mira Loma facility in California has already provided a proof of concept that this works

This is the Holy Grail of Energy Storage

Using Tesla Powerpacks and operated by Southern California Edison, it has been operating flawlessly since being put on line last December. That one is charged by both solar and wind power.

The 80 MWh station is intended to save power generated from renewable sources as well as providing backup against blackouts.

The next two stages in this fascinating development are just as exciting.

First, expanding usage of these huge batteries does not require a physical expansion of existing infrastructure. It is more efficient to place stand-alone stations or substations near power sources and communities being serviced.

While there is a clear advantage to having the leverage of placing additional electricity onto the grid as needed, the requirement does not mean that the traditional economy-of-scale approach is used.

Serializing stations in a spread-out network with access to the grid, rather than serializing the equipment in a single location, improves performance.

Second is the Holy Grail in all of this. Five or six years ago I began addressing another matter upon which this Tesla project now focuses

Tesla is Making a Technological Leap Forward

Im talking about what we in the business call inversion.

The inverters contained within the lithium-ion battery array address the single most negative aspect of generating electricity, from wind or solar, for transport.

Wind and solar harvest energy in direct current (DC), but electricity is transported over power lines using alternating current (AC). The switch from one to the other is called inversion, and it can waste a third or more of the electricity produced.

Tesla is now working on reducing that amount by integrating their inverters with the rest of the system. Retaining just a fraction of the electricity that would otherwise be lost through inversion will have a major impact on the bottom line.

In fact, solar and wind already have grid parity, i.e., they generate power at the same cost as more traditional sources, in many places globally (including South Australia).

And now, the combination of lithium-ion batteries with improved inversion technology will make them even more cost-effective  and be an absolute game changer.

By Dr. Kent Moors

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
One commodity analyst got it right: the OPEC cuts would not work. After November last year when the oil cartel announced its agreement with Russia and 11 other producers to curb production in a bid to prop up prices, the overwhelming mood was optimistic. The main worries were that some members would cheat and that U.S. shale may prove to be more resilient than previously believed.

Thats exactly what happened. U.S. shale did prove more resilient, although it has its own cloud hanging over it: debt levels. OPEC members did not exactly cheat, but some of them were slow to reduce their output as agreed. And, of course, Russia got the better end of the bargain, agreeing to a puny 300,000 bpd reductionand a gradual one at thatfrom its record-high October daily production rates, while Saudi Arabia had to shoulder a burden of about half a million bpd.

Prices went up to about US$50 a barrel in the month immediately following the agreement, and stayed above US$50 over January. Then the oil price slide beganhesitant at first, and then steadier as the months went by.

Today, oil is back to pre-agreement levels, and optimism has largely given way to pessimism. Eugen Weinberg has been saying this for a while, but he has been a lonely voice among bankers who rushed to revise their oil price forecasts upwards before the ink on the OPEC agreement was dry. Related: Shell Nigeria Declares Force Majeure On Nigerian Light Oil Exports

Commerzbanks head of commodity analysis wrote in early December that the OPEC production cut would only serve to strengthen the rise in U.S. production, and he kept his outlook on oil prices unchanged: Weinberg forecast that crude would slide below US$50 this year, which is exactly what is happening right now. Meanwhile, these same banks that were quick to revise their price outlook upwards are now just as quick to downgrade their earlier outlooks as the bleak reality firmly settles in.

Weinberg advised OPEC to change tack and go back to what it set out to do initially: stifle U.S. shale by pumping at maximum. They should let prices crash to kill shale and then aim for steady price increases in the long term, Weinstein told Bloomberg. The question remains, however, whether OPEC, with oil-reliant budgets already strained, could afford this tactic reversal now that theyve suffered price lows for an extended period of time. Related: Is Wall Street Funding A Shale Failure?

And while it would hurt to do just that, OPEC may not have too much of a choice. The options right now are 1) to keep going with the cuts as-is, 2) to deepen the cuts, and 3) to give up the cuts and follow Weinbergs advice. The first option would result in no great change in prices, most likely, and it might add fuel to diversification efforts. These efforts, however, require a lot of investment, which would be hard to come by if OPEC chooses option three.

Option two is perhaps even worse than the others: an OPEC insider, Qatars ex-Oil Minister Abdullah al-Attiyah, told Bloomberg that deeper cuts will only benefit U.S. shale boomers, and would not benefit OPEC. The problem is that there is someone waiting in the dark corner for OPEC -- its shale oil producers and whenever prices rise, they raise production, he said.

In the price context, Weinbergs suggestion to return to maximum production may at some point make the most sense. Prices may indeed take a nosedive if OPEC turns the taps on full max. Yet, the decline may not be as severe as OPEC fearsa possibility that would further poke gaping holes into precarious oil-dependent budgets.

And given the political diversity of OPEC, would the group realistically be able to rally its troops behind such a painful move, even if it wanted to?

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads Frorm Oilprice.com:
The giant gas field that holds around 40 percent of total gas reserves on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS) is set to produce a record amount of gas this year, just as gas demand in the UK is on the rise.

Output at Norwegian field Trolloperated by Statoilis expected to rise to record levels this year after Norway increased its production allowance for the fields gas output, Bloomberg quoted a senior Statoil manager as saying.

They are gently and carefully opening the valve for Troll, Tor Martin Anfinnsen, senior vice president for marketing and trading at Statoil, told Bloomberg in a phone interview last week. There is higher demand in particular from the U.K. now but that doesnt affect how much we produce in total, it more affects where we route the gas, Anfinnsen noted.

The UKa large consumer of Norwegian gashas vowed to shut all coal-fired power plants by 2025. In addition, UK energy company Centrica said last month that it intends to make all relevant applications to permanently end Roughs status as a storage facility.

Moreover, UKs gas production from the North Sea is expected to decline, and dependence on gas imports should rise. According to the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA), UKs gas import dependency would rise to 78 percent in 2035, compared to 48 percent dependency estimated for 2017.

According to UKs regulator Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem), last year, around 32 percent of gas demand came from GB North Sea fields and 44 percent from Norway. Interconnector flows nearly doubled in 2016 compared to 2015, Ofgem said. Coals share of the electricity generation mix dropped below 10 percent last year, while the share of gas rose to more than 40 percent. Wind and solar contributed to just below 15 percent of the mix, the regulator said.

Last year, Troll produced 31.86 billion cubic meters of gas, which accounted for 27 percent of Norways gas production, according to Bloomberg estimates.

Last month, Statoil was allowed to raise production at Troll by 3 billion cubic meters for the 2017 gas year that starts on October 1. Norway has raised the production quota for Troll to 36 billion cubic meters from 33 billion cubic meters for the current gas year.

And according to Statoil, there is room for further production increases.

Related: Russian Energy Minister: No Additional Output Cuts Are Needed

Over the years the annual permit has started to creep towards the technical maximum but it is not there yet. This is due to resource management from the state side, Statoils Anfinnsen told Bloomberg.

Gas produced at Troll meets more than 7 percent of the total gas demand in the EU, according to Statoil.

Last year, Norway exported about 115 billion cubic meters of gas, mainly to other countries in Europe. This was the largest volume of gas ever exported from the Norwegian shelf. Norwegian gas meets around 25 percent of the EUs gas demand, while Russian gas provides some 31 percent of the EUs total gas needs, according to Norwegian government figures.

Most of the Norwegian gas is delivered to Germany, the UK, Belgium, and France, where Norways gas accounts for between 20 percent and 40 percent of total gas consumption.

In the UK, Norway is the biggest gas supplier, and increased production from the giant Troll field could help Norway further raise that share at a time when Britains demand for gas is growing.

Earlier this year, the UK and Norway said it a joint statement:

Norway is the UKs most important energy supplier, particularly as an external supplier of gas. British interest in Norwegian gas is set to grow as the UK looks to phase out power generation from unabated coal in the transition to a lower carbon energy mix.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
All data below is based on the latest OPEC Monthly Oil Market Report.

All data is through June 2017 and is in thousand barrels per day.

(Click to enlarge)

The above chart does not include the 14th member of OPEC that was just added, Equatorial Guinea. I do not have historical data for Equatorial Guinea so I may not add them at all. It doesnt really matter since they are only a very minor producer. Also, they are in steep decline, dropping at about 10% per year.

(Click to enlarge)

March OPEC production was revised upward by 23,000 bpd while April production was revised upward by 72,000 bpd.

(Click to enlarge)

Not much is happening in Algeria. They peaked almost 10 years ago and have been in slow decline ever since.

(Click to enlarge)

Angola peaked in 2010 but have been holding pretty steady since.

(Click to enlarge)

Ecuador peaked in 2015. They will be in a slow decline from now on.

(Click to enlarge)

Any change in Gabon crude oil production is too small to make much difference.

(Click to enlarge)

Irans recovery from sanctions has apparently peaked. I expect a slow decline from here.

(Click to enlarge)

Iraq is holding steady since their December peak. Related: Halliburton Sees Oil Price Spike By 2020

(Click to enlarge)

Kuwait is down 154,000 bpd from their November peak. That is about 5.4%.

(Click to enlarge)

Libya was up 173,000 barrels per day in May and up another 127,000 in June but they still have a long way to go before they get back to their maximum possible production level, which is around 1.4 million bpd.

(Click to enlarge)

Nigeria was up 141,000 bpd in May and up another 96,000 bpd in June. Its hard to tell whats happening in Nigeria.

(Click to enlarge)

Qatar has been in decline since 2008. Her decline will continue albeit at a very slow pace.

(Click to enlarge)

Saudi Arabia cut in January, then stopped cutting. Their production was up 51,000 bpd in January. I think this is where we will be for some time unless there is a real shake up in OPEC.

(Click to enlarge)

The UAE is down almost 192,000 bpd since December. This is the largest percentage cut in OPEC. I dont think it is all voluntary.

(Click to enlarge)

Venezuelas problems will continue. They are now below two million barrels per day. They are at 1,938,000 bpd. They are down 430,000 bpd since November of 2015.

(Click to enlarge)

World oil supply, total liquids, was up 660,000 bpd in June. This is huge. Oil prices will continue to drop if this continues.

(Click to enlarge)

I thought I would add a chart of Russias production since they are now the worlds largest producer.

By Ron Patterson via Peak Oil Barrel

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Diesel and gasoline prices in North Korea have jumped since China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC) halted sales of fuel to Pyongyang, Reuters reported on Monday, citing data on prices collected by North Korean defectors.

At the end of last month, reports emerged that CNPC, the main supplier of diesel and gasoline to North Korea, has suspended fuel sales to North Korea because it is worried that it may not receive payments.

North Korea imports all the oil and oil products it consumesmostly from Chinaand a prolonged suspension by CNPC would choke out supplies at a time when the international community is increasing pressure on North Korea to stop its nuclear and missile ambitions, and is intensifying checks over Chinese business relations with Pyongyang.

According to a Reuters analysis of data by the Daily NK websitewhich is run by North Korean defectors who collect price data via phone calls with fuel traders in North Koreaprivate dealers in the north were selling gasoline at US$2.18 per kilogram, or US$2.92 per liter, as of July 5, a 50-percent surge compared to US$1.46 per kg on June 21. Gasoline prices fell slightly to US$2.05 per kg by July 12, but still, they were more than double compared to prices at the beginning of the year, Reuters analysis of the data shows.

Diesel prices jumped by 20 percent in the three weeks to July 12. After the initial price surges in early July, prices of both diesel and gasoline have stabilized, probably because North Korea has encouraged fuel smuggling across the Chinese border, according to defector Kang Mi-jin who is in communication with traders in North Korea. Related: Is Wall Street Funding A Shale Failure?

After North Koreas frequent missile tests including its very first ICBM test, the international community has vowed to tighten sanctions and China simply cannot exclude itself from the recent movement, although it probably does not want to indefinitely cut off fuel sales to the North, Kang told Reuters.

China said in February that it was suspending until the end of this year all imports of coal from North Korea as part of its effort to implement United Nations Security Council sanctions aimed at stopping the countrys nuclear weapons and ballistic-missile program. In April, gas prices in North Korea jumped on reports that China may be mulling an oil embargo.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Mexicos next offshore oil auction will be held in January next year instead of in December 2017 as initially planned, in order to give bidders more time to assess all new data in view of the recent huge finds in the Mexican part of the Gulf of Mexico, the head of Mexicos oil regulator told Bloomberg in an interview published on Monday.

Last week, UK-based Premier Oil, along with its partners Talos Energy and the Mexico City-based Sierra Oil & Gas, said that they struck oil in excess of 1 billion barrels in the shallow waters in the southern Gulf of Mexico.

The very same day, Italys Eniwhich had drilled a successful exploration well in Mexicos shallow water, discovering much more oil than was anticipatedsaid that thanks to the results of a new offshore well, the major is raising its estimate of resources in place at Amoca to 1 billion barrels of oil equivalent, paving the way for the implementation of an accelerated development plan.

Following these results, Eni will submit an accelerated and phased development plan in 2017 targeting an early production phase with a plateau ranging from 30,000 to 50,000 bopd with the start of operations planned for early 2019, the Italian group said.

There was already interest to come, explore and work in the Gulf of Mexico before these finds, but now to have discoveries in such a short time, interest of international entrants to have activity in Mexico has renewed, Juan Carlos Zepeda, head of Mexicos National Hydrocarbons Commission that oversees the industry, said in an interview with Bloomberg.

Related: Is Wall Street Funding A Shale Failure?

International and national interest is awakening, the official noted, adding that Mexico would announce the areas up for grabs at the next auction in a few days.

Oil majors are snatching up offshore blocks in Mexico, with the latest auction exceeding expectations. Mexico is planning to hold four more oil and gas block tenders by November 2018 as part of efforts to ensure the sustainability of its energy industry and make better use of its hydrocarbon reserves.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Saudi Arabias Energy Ministry has invited bids for a 400-MW wind power plant to be built in northwestern Saudi Arabia. According to the press release, the Dumat Al Jandal wind power plant will be the first utility-scale wind project in the Kingdom.

The plants construction is part of a large-scale program to shift away from the Kingdoms heavy reliance on oil and gas, stipulated in the Vision 2030 initiative. The shift from fossil fuels to renewables will cost some US$50 billion, to be distributed over the next decade. Plans are to have a tenth of the Kingdoms power generated by renewable energy sources by 2023. This means 9.5 GW of installed capacity needs to be built by that year.

Interested companies will have until August 10 to present their qualifications to the ministry. On August 29, the ministry will start the process for request for proposals, which will continue until January 31, 2018. Two months ago, Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said that the ministry had shortlisted 51 companies as eligible to bid on renewable energy projects.

Also in April, Al-Falih said that this year Riyadh will tender wind and solar power projects with a combined capacity of 700 MW. Of the 51 eligible companies, 24 were approved as bidders for the 400-MW wind power plant, and the rest were approved for solar power projects.

The short list includes Italys Enel, French Total and Electricite de France, as well as Spanish Iberdrola and Acciona. The rest of the eligible bidders come from the Middle East and Asia. The solar power tender was launched in April, and the ministry will announce the winners this November.

Both the solar and wind power projects will be built under power purchase agreements: a 25-year one for the Sakaka solar project, and a 20-year one for the Dumat Al Jandal wind projects.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
By Lydia White

Just prior to Oregons July 1 minimum wage* increase from $9.75 to $11.25 (Portland Metro Area), a team of researchers from the University of Washington produced a study, published by the National Bureau of Economic Research, that measures the effects of Seattles $13 minimum wage. In just nine months, Seattle wages rose substantially, from $9.47 in 2014, to $11 in 2015, to $13 in 2016 (an increase of 37.3%), and again to $15 on the first of this year.

Unique to this study is a data set collected by Washingtons Employment Security Department which tracks hours worked in addition to earnings, making this particular study the first of its kind. Washington and Oregon are among four states that track these data.

The study found that the citys mandates resulted in 5,000 fewer jobs around Seattle. The average low-wage employee saw 3% higher hourly wages, but 9% fewer hours worked, resulting in a net loss of $125 per month. For low-income households especially, an annual loss of $1,500 is significant.

Jacob Vigdor, one of the studys authors, said, Traditionally, a high proportion of workers in the low-wage market are not experienced at all: teens with their first jobs, immigrants with their first jobs here.

Wages are prices, or market signals, that indicate the value of labor productivity employees create. Low-skilled, low-paying jobs provide the opportunity to acquire knowledge and experience they were previously without, setting up workers for their next, potentially higher paying jobs. Henry Hazlitt, author of Economics in One Lesson, wrote:

The more the individual produces, the more his services are worth to consumers, and hence to employers. And the more he is worth to employers, the more he will be paid. Real wages come out of production, not out of government decrees.

The least skilled are further disadvantaged when artificially high price floors are implemented. As described in the UW study, when the cost of employing a worker exceeds the value that worker creates, employers are forced to reduce hours or eliminate positions within their business by laying off employees, who are often replaced by automation. These alternatives harm low-wage employees.

Additionally, employers are less likely to take a chance by hiring an unskilled worker and instead will search for only the most qualified candidates. Since teenagers are naturally less skilled due to lack of work experience, these policies create higher youth unemployment. A study last December by Cascade Policy Institute examined these and other unintended consequences of the minimum wage on youth.

Instead of, or in addition to, cutting costs of labor, employers increase prices of their goods or services. Consumers may choose to forgo such products or reduce their levels of consumption, in turn decreasing the need for labor. When the price of goods inevitably catches up to the employees higher wages, they find the purchasing power of their earnings has diminished.

Furthermore, large businesses can more easily absorb wage increases by operating within thinner profit margins or relocating to a region with a lower minimum wage. Local mom-and-pop stores dont enjoy that same flexibility and must close their doors. With less competition, larger businesses have more power to raise prices.

When economists warn against the costs associated with the minimum wage, its not to protect greedy capitalists; its to protect both the worker and the small business owner from being priced out of the market.

For the benefit of all Oregonians, political leaders should learn from our northern neighbors and create an environment that doesnt punish low-wage workers and the businesses that employ them. They can start by repealing the states onerous minimum wage law.

*Oregons and Washingtons minimum wages vary depending on region, population, benefits, tips, and business size. The minimum wages discussed here refer to those of Seattle and the Portland Metro Area.

The latest 2017 increase was not included due to incomplete data.

The study used a relatively conservative $19 per hour low-wage threshold to account for the spillover effect of miscoding jobs lost when they have really been promoted to higher wage levels.

Lydia White is a Research Associate at Cascade Policy Institute, Oregons free market public policy research organization. A version of this article originally appeared in The Coos Bay World on July 10, 2017.
No direct involvement of Pak Army in JIT investigation: ISPR 17 July, 2017



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Hand Wash and Toiletries in Pakistan And the Role of DUPAS in Reshaping the Industry

Woke Bingo ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Army on Sunday said it had no direct involvement in the ongoing investigation by a Supreme Court-sanctioned joint investigation team (JIT) into business dealings of the ruling Sharif family through offshore concerns.



JIT was constituted by the Supreme Court. Only two of its six members belong to the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Military Intelligence (MI), Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor told a press conference. There is no direct army involvement in the JIT, he asserted, adding that the case was sub judice and apex court was the forum to rule on the matter. The members of the JIT have worked with honesty and dedication, he said, in reply to another question.



When asked to comment on reports that the army was allegedly part of a conspiracy to remove the incumbent government, Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor said, I dont think this even merits a response. I have shown you what the army is doing.



When asked to comment on a social media campaign against state institutions, he said every person has freedom of expression but any patriot Pakistani cannot be part of any negative campaign against the army. People who believe that army is doing its best for the country are not part of the campaign to discredit the institution on social media  and those who believe otherwise are under the foreign influence, he maintained.



Kulbhushan Jadhav: To a question about Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav, who was sentenced to death by a Field General Court Martial, the ISPR chief said Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa was reviewing the proceedings of the case. Gen Bajwa will take a final decision on the appeal of Kulbhushan Jadhav at the earliest. The decision of the chief will be based on merit, he said.



When asked to comment on a recent book by CIA contractor Raymond Davis wherein he stated that former ISI chief Lt Gen (r) Shuja Pasha orchestrated his release from the jail, the military spokesman said the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) was not the only institution involved in the Raymond Davis affair.



Operation Khyber-4: Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor announced the launch of Operation Khyber-4 under Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad to wipe out terrorists in the Rajgal Valley of the Khyber Agency.



The ISPR chief said Islamic State was gaining strength inside Afghanistan, which has prompted Pakistan to launch the operation. This operation was necessary because Daesh is getting stronger there and we have to stop its influence spreading into Pakistan through the Rajgal valley, he said.



Maj Gen Ghafoor said there are safe havens for multiple terrorist organisations across the Khyber border that are linked to recent attacks in country, including the Parachinar assault. He said that the operation, which would be conducted by a division plus force and also include Pakistan Air Force, would focus on the border areas in Khyber Agency.



"Once this operation is complete, we will first secure the international border on our side and eliminate the hideouts of these terrorist groups," he added.



To a question, the ISPR chief said there is no timeline for the operation as yet. He said Afghan forces have already been informed ahead of the launch of the operation. He said Afghan army will be able to support the operation on their side of the border if they wished so. "But, no other force will ever have boots on the ground in our country. All operations will be conducted by our own security forces," he asserted.



Clarifying the reports about joint border operations with Afghan forces, the ISPR chief said, "True meaning of this [joint operation] is that both forces will conduct coordinated and complementary operations on their respective sides of the border and at the same time."



Maj Gen Ghafoor rejected claims that Daesh had any organised infrastructure inside Pakistan. "Here, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar has pledged allegiance to Daesh. But, Daesh as an organisation does not exist here. If splinter groups of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan try to jump on the Daesh bandwagon, we are already taking care of them, like through Operation Khyber-4," he said.



Border fencing: To a question about fencing of Afghan border, the ISPR chief said it will help Pakistan check the movement of suspected terrorists across the border. "We will be able to check cross-border movement of terrorists, and our coordination with Afghanistan in this regard is already underway," he said.



Maj Gen Ghafoor said shared borders with Afghanistan and Iran will be physically and technically monitored, with either forts or a checkpost every 1.5 kilometre.



Alongside the border fencing, Pakistan and Afghanistan will maintain an open-door policy for cooperation and discussion on bilateral issues, particularly in order to remove what he said was a 'trust deficit' on the Afghan side. "If the Afghan army were as capable as the Pakistan Army, then maybe the issue [of terrorism] would be resolved sooner," Ghafoor said. "No one wants peace in Afghanistan more than Pakistan."



The ISPR chief said incidents of terrorism in Pakistan have witnessed a drop over the three years period from 2014 to 2017. He said army has launched 46 major operations in the country and over 9,000 intelligence-based operations (IBOs) under Operation Raddul Fasaad. About 1,760 joint checkposts have been established in coordination with police and other law enforcement agencies, he said.



On sectarian attacks, he said there were 201 sectarian attacks in 2013 which have now fallen to only two this year.



In Sindh, 522 terrorists have 'willingly surrendered', he said, adding that 15 terrorists had been killed in operations in the province. "In the coming days, we are hopeful the Karachi situation will see more improvement."



In Punjab, there have been six major operations and over 7,000 IBOs in which 22 terrorists were killed, he said.



There have been 27 major operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 817 IBOs, he said.



LoC violations: The situation along the Line of Control (LoC) has been 'especially tense', Maj Gen Ghafoor said, quoting 580 ceasefire violations in this year alone.



There were 382 in 2016, 248 in 2015 and 315 in 2014, he said. Current ceasefire violations have resulted in the highest number of civilian casualties than in the past, he said.



"This indicates the Indian aim of diverting attention from political upheaval in Indian Occupied Kashmir," he said.



The ISPR chief lamented that the Indian army has the choice of opening fire on civilian areas whereas the Pakistan Army cannot do that to Kashmiris across LoC. "We only fire towards bunkers where we think the firing is coming from. We try to keep civilian casualties to a minimum," he added.



CPEC security: Terming the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) 'very critical for the progress of Pakistan', the DG ISPR said the armed forces would 'give it complete security and will not let it fail at any cost'.



He said all state institutions are on one page when it comes to the CPEC.



At the end of his press conference, the ISPR chief relayed a message from the army chief: "We are building peace in our country, brick by brick, moving from relative stability towards enduring peace.



For this, army shall continue to perform its role in and with support of all other state institutions."
Pak Army announced Operation Khyber-4 RuF in Khyber Agency 17 July, 2017



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Woke Bingo Director General (DG) Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor on Sunday announced the launch of Operation Khyber-4 under Radd-ul-Fasaad (RuF) to "wipe out terrorists" in the Rajgal Valley area of Khyber Agency.



"An operation to wipe out terrorists has been launched in Rajgal valley in Khyber Agency," Maj Gen Ghafoor said. Khyber 4 seeks to target terrorist hideouts in what the DG ISPR called "the most critical area in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata)".



There is no timeline for the operation as yet, Ghafoor said in response to a question.



The army had informed Afghan forces ahead of the launch of the Khyber-4 operation in Rajgal, he said, which the Afghan army would be able to support on their side of the border if they wished.



"No other force will have boots on the ground in our country. All operations are conducted by Pakistani security forces," he asserted.



The army's spokesman observed that reports of a joint border operation with Afghan forces had surfaced during a visit made by a top-level United States Congressional delegation.



Clarifying the reports, Ghafoor said, "The true meaning of this [joint operation] is when both forces conduct operations at the same time. There is a coordinated and complementary operation on their respective sides of the border."



Information would be shared with Kabul if the Afghan leadership wished to conduct supporting operations and coordination in this regard is ongoing, he elaborated.



Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor, in response to queries about speculation regarding the army's involvement in the Supreme Court-sanctioned joint investigation team (JIT) probing the Sharif family's wealth in the Panamagate case, said there is "no direct army involvement".



"Every person has freedom of opinion," the DG ISPR said. People who believe that the army is doing its best for the country are not part of a campaign to discredit the institution on social media, he said, adding that those who believe otherwise "are under foreign influence".



"The JIT was made by the Supreme Court. Two of its members belong to the Inter-Services Intelligence and Military Intelligence. It is a subjudice case, and it will go to court."



"There is no direct army involvement in the JIT," he asserted, adding that the "Pakistan Army will continue playing its role for the security of Pakistan with other institutions." "Political talk is in the political domain."



"Under Operation RuF, we will strengthen our border. We will be able to check cross-border movement of terrorists, and our coordination with Afghanistan in this regard is ongoing," he said, as is the fencing of the border which is in its first phase.



"The shared border with Afghanistan and Iran are being fenced," Ghafoor said.



It will be physically and technically monitored, with either forts or a checkpost every 1.5 kilometres, he said. Alongside the border fencing, Pakistan and Afghanistan will maintain an open-door policy for cooperation and discussion on bilateral issues, particularly in order to remove what he said was "a trust deficit" on the Afghan side.



"If the Afghan army were as capable as the Pakistan Army, then maybe the issue [of terrorism] would be resolved sooner," Ghafoor said.



"No one wants peace in Afghanistan more than Pakistan," the DG ISPR said, adding, "We need to bring peace in our country first."



Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor rejected claims that Daesh  or the militant Islamic State (IS) group  has any organised infrastructure in Pakistan.



"We will not allow them to establish themselves. In Afghanistan, yes, it is getting stronger, but we don't believe it is the same as the Daesh in the Middle East," he elaborated.



"In Pakistan, the Jamaat-ul-Ahrar has shown an alliance with Daesh ... Daesh as an organisation does not exist, but if splinter groups of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan and other terror groups try to jump on the Daesh bandwagon, we are already taking care of them through other means, like in the Khyber-4 operation," he said. The situation along the Line of Control (LoC) has been "especially tense", Ghafoor said, with 580 ceasefire violations in this year alone.



There were 382 in 2016, 248 in 2015 and 315 in 2014, he said. Current ceasefire violations have resulted in the highest number of civilian casualties than in the past, the DG ISPR said.



The LoC violations appeared to be spurred by the heated political struggle for freedom in India-held Kashmir, Ghafoor said, adding that the intensification of cross-border firing, particularly in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, showed that India is "scared" and trying to divert attention away from the Kashmir struggle.



"India targets civilians in ceasefire violations," Ghafoor said. "The Pakistan Army doesn't think this is a good method. We fire towards bunkers where we think the firing is coming from. We try to keep civilian casualties to a minimum," he added.



When questioned about the case of convicted Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav, the DG ISPR said that the Research and Analysis Wing agent's mercy appeal is pending before the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Qamar Jawed Bajwa.



"All evidence and case proceedings are being examined by the army chief, and he will make a decision on the basis of merit and justice," he said.



Since the launch of Operation RuF, the army has launched 46 major operations in the country and over 9,000 intelligence-based operations (IBOs).



About 1,760 joint checkposts have been established in coordination with police and other law enforcement agencies.



There has been a decreasing trend in sectarian attacks, the DG ISPR said. In 2013, there were 201 sectarian attacks, which have now fallen to "only two sectarian attacks" this year.



Law enforcement personnel and 'soft targets' have become the new targets for militants, he added. In Sindh, 522 terrorists have "willingly surrendered" under RuF, he said, adding that 15 terrorists had been killed in operations in the province. "In the coming days, we are hopeful the Karachi situation will see more improvement," Ghafoor said. Karachi has other issues, however, like water, the DG ISPR explained.



There have been six major operations conducted in the province with coordination with the police and Counter-Terrorism Department.



Over 7,000 IBOs have been conducted, and 22 terrorists killed in these operations, the DG ISPR said.



There have been 27 major operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and 817 IBOs, Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor said.



There is no way to tell what the exact number of terrorists or terror groups in the country is, the DG ISPR said in response to a question.



"That's why this war is difficult. It is not written on anyone's face whether they are a terrorist, a facilitator or an abettor. However, we have to a large extent identified and targeted them. We are working brick by brick to bring normalcy back to Pakistan with the support and in support of other institutions," he elaborated.

CPEC security



Terming the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as "very critical for the progress of Pakistan", the DG ISPR said the armed forces would "give it complete security and will not let it fail at any cost".



"The entire country, the state's institutions, are all one on CPEC," he assured.
SC playing final round in Panama leaks case

LAHORE/ISLAMABAD: As the Panama Papers case enters its final round today (Monday), both government and opposition parties are pinning their hopes on the Supreme Court.



The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is shoring up its legal defence, while its arch-rival, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), has vowed to either celebrate or chase the PM all the way to Adiala Jail.



In Lahore, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif continued consultations with his legal and political teams on Sunday regarding the objections the ruling family will file against the report of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT).



The prime minister, who arrived on Saturday afternoon, suspended all other engagements and spent nearly the whole day in consultative meetings to frame the familys stance and devise a strategy to counter political rivals.



There was no official word on the consultations, or the composition of the legal team that would defend the Sharif family in court.



Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah said that Khawaja Harris, Akram Sheikh, Salman Akram Raja and Barrister Zafarullah would be on the team representing various members of the ruling family.



Barrister Zafarullah, the PMs special assistant on law and justice, will remain part of the team even though, in the words of a ruling party senator, his briefing to the PML-N parliamentary party meeting in Islamabad the other day did not impress some.



The law minister said that contrary to rumours, the ruling party would submit its objections to the JIT report on Monday.



He claimed that the PML-N had concrete evidence to prove untrue the JITs assertions about the absence of scrap shipment records from Dubai to Jeddah; the allegation that Nawaz Sharif owned an offshore company, and that he had been drawing a salary from the same until 2014.



Well present evidence that part of the scrap had been hauled by trucks through land routes and the other shipped. The evidence will include documents issued by the port authorities where the scrap was offloaded.



Similarly, he argued that the PMs legal team would also prove that the company used to obtain a UAE work visa for PM Sharif was neither an offshore firm, nor did the prime minister draw a salary from it.



Claiming that the conspiracy against the government had been exposed, PML-N MNA Daniyal Aziz told reporters the government had unearthed a letter, sent by the JIT to Saudi authorities, which was dated from before the JITs formation.



He said PTI Chairman Imran Khan had alluded to the conspiracy himself when he said that Nawaz Sharifs legal funeral would have been held last Eidul Azha, but the butcher had run away.



Who was the butcher mentioned by Imran Khan, I ask?



Commerce Minister Khurram Dastagir said the government would request the Supreme Court to invoke Article 10-A of the Constitution, which guaranteed justice to all.



Ruling out any rifts or cracks in the ruling party, and said the entire party backed Nawaz Sharif and his family in the Panamagate saga.

PTI plans



Speaking to party members in Islamabad on Sunday, the PTI chief asked his workers to either prepare for celebrations, or be ready to chase Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to Adiala Jail after his wrongdoings had been exposed.



He warned that the government might try to attack the apex court and army, because these were the only two state institutions have had not been hijacked by the PML-N through the appointment of their own people to key posts.



The whole country is ready and watching the proceedings of the Supreme Court. You will have no place to hide; you will not be able to fly to Jeddah because Adiala Jail is your final destination.



I warn you that largest ever gathering of people in the history of the country will pour out onto the streets if you try and malign the Supreme Court and army, Imran Khan said, addressing PM Sharif.
Editor-in-Chief of New Crusading Guide, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako has described Ghana as a country which is weak in record keeping.



Speaking at the 13th Kronti ne Akwamu lecture, Kweku Baako said Ghana, unlike developed countries, has a week database on important national events.



We are weak as a country. We dont keep records; we keep them in paper form. They are many institutions where proper information isnt kept. There are documents that should be sent to other state owned agencies in terms of contracts among others but it is never done he bemoaned.



Stressing on the matter, the renowned journalist disclosed how he goes through tough times to recover states documents that were needed to support him on cases and stories that were essential to be disseminated.



Records from his father, Kofi Baakos library, cabinet and other places of importance, he said have been the ones he mostly relies on to make submissions.



I will be the first to admit. I have searched and followed up for records that I didnt find. There are records that I found in my fathers library, his cabinet and other places, I check with institutions and they dont have them he said.



Mr Baako, therefore, urged the government to implement measures that will keep state records not only on paper but digitally for future reference.



Without proper record keeping, our memories are lost. Records serve as a foundation to move the country forward he maintained.

Source: adomonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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A man was allegedly deported from Belgium this week because he wasnt gay enough. Boyfriend Jurgen Hendrickx issued a public plea for help on Wednesday after Festus was sent to Ghana  where homosexuality is illegal.



The pair, who met on a dating app in Antwerp in 2015, have been in a relationship for two years.



However Mr Hendrickx said immigration in Belgium didnt want to believe he was gay and refused to let him stay despite being given evidence.



Speaking to Metro.co.uk, he said that he and Festus had handed over dozens of pictures as well as evidence that Festus had been with other men before they met.



He said: We have appeal so many times, we have done everything.



Immigration in Belgium dont want to believe he is gay. They say he is not gay enough.



I have spoken to him today, he is very scared, he has nobody there. I want to go to him.

Over the last two years our relationship has grown and grown and grown, it is so good.

I have autism and its not easy for me to find love but I have.

I cant stop crying, being gay is illegal in Ghana and I fear they are going to kill him.

Festus and I cry from morning to evening, we love each other so much.

In Ghana, residents face up to three years in prison if convicted of being gay.

Mr Hendrickx now hope to travel to Ghana next week to reunite with his partner.

He said: I have lung disease, so I need to see a doctor on Monday to see if I am fit to fly.

Then I need my vaccinations on Tuesday.



Immigration dont believe Festus is gay but he is and we are a couple.



Last year I was in hospital and he sat with me for eight hours a day from 2pm to 10pm just so we could be together.











Source: metro.co.uk









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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SOUTH GLENS FALLS  A Corinth man has been charged with burglarizing a business and stealing a sport-utility vehicle before deliberately crashing it into his ex-girlfriend's car a short time later in Corinth, police said.

Lance E. Abare, 26, has been charged with felony burglary and grand larceny for the theft of a Ford Explorer SUV from Bodies by Jay early Friday, police said.

He is accused of breaking into the Saratoga Avenue shop and stealing keys, then intentionally driving it into a car owned by his ex-girlfriend that was parked on Pine Street in Corinth, according to police.

State Police came across him in the damaged SUV a short time later, and charged him with felony driving while intoxicated and a host of lesser charges, officials said.

Abare is being held in Saratoga County Jail pending further court appearances.
QUEENSBURY  A town Planning Board member has replaced Doug Irish on the ballot for the fall election.

George Ferone was chosen by Irishs nominating committee on Monday, after Irish declined the nomination. Ferone is a member of the town Republican Committee and has been on the Planning Board since 2012.

Instead of running for re-election, Irish will be living in Fayetteville, North Carolina, where he will become a department chairman at Fayetteville Technical Community College. He will lead the vehicle collision and refinishing program there.

He will keep his house in Queensbury and stay on as town Republican Committee chairman until the election.

He will also continue working at AccuracyDriven4, Inc., where he is president and CEO. The company provides technical repair assistance.

Irish is finishing his second consecutive two-year term as 3rd Ward councilman.

Ferone was chosen by the Republicans committee for vacancies, which finds replacements when candidates drop out of a race. The committee members were Irish, Warren County Republican Chairman Mike Grasso, John Aspland and Mike OConner.

They said Ferone has wanted to run for the Ward 3 seat.

George Ferone has been an integral member of the Republican Committee and has sought the Republican endorsement in the past for this seat. We are pleased to support him as the replacement for Doug Irish on this years ballot, Grasso said in a statement.

He added that Ferone demonstrated a strong work ethic during the past two election cycles as he carried nominating petitions for other candidates.

He is always willing to do what hes asked of and often volunteers for more, Grasso said.

Ferone, who is retired, was the executive director of administration for Tribune Media Services. He has also volunteered on the board for many community organizations, including Tri-County United Way, ARCC, and the Glens Falls Hospital Foundation. He was named the towns Citizen of the Year in 2016.

Ferone, 64, said he considers himself a fiscal conservative who would help the Town Board lower or maintain expenses.

He wants to be a true public servant.

I like that term, public servant, he said. I see this as just another opportunity to serve and give back to the community.
 

 :      

  ,         ,       .
HUDSON FALLS  U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., has blunt advice for anyone suffering from Lyme disease or anyone with family members who have issues with the disease.

Nothing ever, ever, ever happens in Washington unless people demand it, the senator said Monday afternoon to a crowd in Juckett Park.

This disease is making life excruciatingly difficult for people, and its hurting the local economy, because people are not coming to visit, because they are afraid of getting Lyme disease, she added.

Your voices are making the difference, Gillibrand said.

Gillibrand was in Washington County to announce the Trump Administration has begun to establish a Tick-Borne Disease Working Group and to seek members for it.

We need to elevate the stories. We need people to talk about what is happening, she said.

Research needed

The working group is part of the senators Lyme and Tick-Borne Disease Prevention, Education and Research Act, which became law in December 2016. The group will review all federal activities related to tick-borne diseases, including Lyme disease, and will be a federal advisory committee to the Department of Health and Human Services.

The Trump administration proposed a federal budget that would cut NIH funding by 22 percent, Gillibrand stated. She said this could decrease critical Lyme disease research for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

I was very disturbed when I first saw how the budget was going to be cut, Gillibrand said. The research into Lyme disease is new. The medical establishment does not know a lot about Lyme disease. We need to increase NIH research, not decrease it. There are 17 different varieties of tick-borne illnesses, and beyond that there are still many other diseases we need to research.

While other diseases remain important, she said, more needs to be done with Lyme disease.

There needs to be unanimity in what we are doing, Gillibrand said. We need more research, especially toward a vaccine.

Telling stories

Gillibrand shared the podium with several others, including Patricia Hunt, Washington Countys director of public health, and Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner, D-Round Lake, who has been working on Lyme disease issues at the state level.

She also called up Holly Ahern, associate professor of biology and microbiology at SUNY Adirondack, and one of the founders of the local Lyme Action Network.

Ahern, who is working on a state grant researching the disease, also talked about the struggle her daughter had regarding false negative tests before being diagnosed with Lyme disease.

Another speaker was Sue Clary, whose husband, Bill, spent several years going through a battery of tests before finally being diagnosed with Lyme disease and getting the proper treatment.

We went to a cardiologist, he had a muscle biopsy, he was tested for multiple sclerosis, Parkinsons disease and he had spinal taps, she said. There was construction at the house, so they tested for asbestos and lead.

All of this was going on while her husband was too ill to do anything, but after two years, the Lyme diagnosis came in, doctors put in a port and treated him intravenously.

Hes here with me now, and he can walk and do things again, Clary said.

She also said that in her familys circle of friends, there are at least 12 people who have the disease. It has also become a nightly ritual to check her grandchildren for ticks.

We just want to walk in the fields, she said. We just want to walk in the woods. This is an epidemic.
QUEENSBURY  Little girls in black leotards and pink tights dream of being professional ballerinas some day.

They attend the ballet and sit on the edge of their seats with wide eyes in awe of the perfection on stage.

But very few aspiring dancers actually get to dance on that stage with them.

Sara and Julia Ross did so Friday and Saturday evenings as they performed with the New York City Ballet at Saratoga Performing Arts Center.

The sisters, who dance at the Glens Falls Ballet and Dance Center on Bay Road, auditioned for and were chosen to perform in Firebird, Balanchines version of the Russian fairy tale about a magical bird.

The Ross sisters entered the stage, Julia holding a flower pot on her head and Sara carrying a cake, near the end of the ballet.

Sara Ross, 12, started auditioning in 2013, even though she was too young. She was chosen to perform the next year and has performed three summers at SPAC with the company.

Ive learned confidence and Ive also learned a lot of new techniques from dancing and learning from some of the professionals, Sara said, her dark hair held tightly in a bun. Its really cool, and its fun.

Julia, 9, was chosen as an understudy last summer. This was her first year performing on stage with the New York City Ballet.

You get to actually be backstage and meet the professional dancers, Julia said.

The audition process can be grueling, said their mother Amy Ross. Some disappointed dancers  150 show up from all over the state and Pennsylvania  leave in tears from the auditions, held at the National Museum of Dance in Saratoga Springs.

Theres definitely a level of disappointment, but its a good experience, Amy Ross said. But thats life. You dont always get what you want.

Tears run down her face as she watches her daughters perform with the professional company. She has trouble even getting through a stage rehearsal without getting emotional.

Its just such a cool experience, she said, adding, it makes them realize that all of the hard work they put into it, is worth it. Its a tough process to get chosen, so, its pretty special.

The girls are paid in free tickets to the performance and new ballet shoes.

Although being chosen to perform is an honor, the real education comes from being backstage with professional ballerinas, said Robert Maiorano, a former soloist with the New York City Ballet and the girls dance teacher in Queensbury.

He worked with the girls in the studio last week and told them while at the barre, spirits up, bottoms down.

Its a great learning experience that they see the nuts and bolts of what it takes, Maiorano said. They see the sweat. They hear the cursing. They hear the grunt of the partner.

All of that is hidden from the audience by the 65-piece orchestra.

They girls get to see professional ballerinas perform flawlessly, but come off stage disappointed in themselves and possibly even reaching for a cigarette. He reminds the girls that even the most prized ballerinas are not gods or goddesses.

Its one thing to be on stage at your high school auditorium, he said, and its another thing to be on stage with 5,000 people with lights and costumes. Being backstage is so great because youre with professional dancers and not with a little girl crying or another girl eating ice cream in her costume.

What they see and learn backstage usually commands instant respect, Maiorano said.

Although the Ross sisters havent decided if their futures will take them into professional dance, they were honored to be dancing with the New York City Ballet this summer.

Ive learned to respect what Im doing, Sara said. After I do the New York City Ballet performance, I feel like, Wow. Ive actually fulfilled some of my dream and Im dancing. And after I do that, I just feel like I can dance bigger and better.
LAKE GEORGE  The owner of a property that housed international workers before the village shut it down took issue with comments by the mayor that there was overcrowding.

The village officials shut down a dormitory that was housing foreign students on the property of the Hillside Motel. Owner Edward Gerry said it was inaccurate of Mayor Robert Blais to say that 10 to 12 students were crammed into a room.

He said only three students were there at the time of the inspection. The students were paying $85 a week, he said.

There was no overcrowding, he said.

What had happened was that he took down the walls of a three-room cabin and made one large room, similar to military sleeping quarters, he said.

I figured it would be a nice airy situation for the students if I open up these walls, he said.

The large room would be able to hold 12 students, according to Gerry.

He had a permit, but the village said removing walls was not included in the scope of the work.

Im supposed to get an engineer to come back and deem the place safe and habitable, he said.

Gerry said a disgruntled student had complained and that complaint reached the mayor. The student left of his own accord and Gerry said he is housing two of the students in a motel room at a discounted rate.

Gerry said he wanted to set the record straight, since he has been getting cancellations at his motel because of misperception with how he is treating foreign students.

Gerry said he spends a lot of time and money making sure the students have a safe environment. Students have access to the pool and can use an outdoor barbecue.

Blais said Monday the Student Connection received the complaint, but the town of Lake Georges zoning enforcement officer handled the matter.
Welcome Guest! You Are Here:
Rick is on a much deserved vacation this week. I'll be your morning host until he returns.

Summer Days

Another hot, sunny day in a week of hot sunny days as we head into the Bix.

Traffic

The morning starts off with a water main repair closing an intersection at 19th Street and 6th Avenue in Moline so if you're traveling across the Illinois side of the Mississippi be aware.

Celebrating Bix

And what better way to celebrate than visiting the new Bix Museum, opening July 24 with more than 100 artifacts related to the local jazz legend.

Is this Muscatine Mayor Diana Broderson's last stand?

The embattled mayor faces a district court hearing Monday morning to determine whether the Muscatine City Council's attempt to remove her from office on May 11 was indeed constitutional. We'll update you on this story as it develops.

Hydroelectric on the Mississippi?

Western Illinois University, Moline, will host a daylong conference Tuesday to determine the potential for producing electricity on riverfront.

Stumped

Columnist Tom Charlton finds you can learn a lot more than you might expect from a bit of wood in the ground.
A 17-year-old will be sentenced Aug. 25 for four armed robberies he committed in Bettendorf and Davenport earlier this year.

Davionta Isiah Duax of Davenport pleaded guilty in Scott County District Court to four counts of first-degree robbery, a Class B felony each punishable by up to 25 years in prison.

Although he is charged as an adult, Duax will not be required to serve the mandatory minimum of 17 years in prison before parole can be granted.

Scott County prosecutors wrote in the plea agreement filed Wednesday that they will not oppose the sentences running concurrently, or at the same time.

Duax also pay restitution $1,865.

Police say Duax, while armed with a knife, robbed Express Lane, 1909 Harrison St., Davenport, on Jan. 23 and Feb. 6; Ann's Hallmark Shop, 886 Middle Road, Bettendorf, on Feb. 2; and Little Caesars Pizza, 2900 E. 53rd St., Davenport, on Feb. 8.

He was arrested in February.
Genesis Health System and ACAP Health Consulting have announced a partnership to try to decrease obesity and metabolic syndrome rates across the country.

The two organizations will take ACAP Healths obesity and metabolic syndrome reversal program, Naturally Slim, directly to health care systems throughout the United States.

The program is delivered online and through a mobile app. It most often is made available to employees as part of their employer-sponsored health insurance package.

Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of risk factors that can lead to a 700 percent increase in serious conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. Each year, employers pay approximately 60 percent more in health insurance claims for employees with metabolic syndrome than those without.

Genesis has used the program within its health care plan and found it improved the health of employees and their spouses, reduced employees health care premiums, and saved the company millions of dollars in health care costs as an employer, according to Doug Cropper, president and CEO.

Through the partnership, Genesis Health System and ACAP Health will begin a campaign that will raise awareness of the program within other health systems across the country.

So many health care providers are desperately searching for ways to protect their patients from the chronic physical conditions related to obesity. Our plan is to begin by making them aware of a proven solution that has worked for nearly 10 years within our own Genesis employee population, Stacia Carroll, health promotion manager for Genesis Health System, said in a news release. Were encouraging health systems to start by offering Naturally Slim to their own employees, who often neglect their own health while serving others.
CEDAR RAPIDS  First-term Linn County Supervisor Stacey Walker has ended speculation about a possible bid for the Democratic nomination in Iowas U.S. House 1st District.

Walker announced Monday he will not seek the nomination to challenge incumbent Republican Rep. Rod Blum.

My best and highest use as a public servant at this moment is to continue to serve the people of my home county, Walker, 29, said in a statement. In reaching his decision, the most important consideration was the recognition that there is more work to do in Linn County.

In November 2016, Walker became the first African American to be elected to the Linn County board, winning his race by nearly a 3-1 margin.

As a supervisor, Walker has worked to raise the minimum wage, commit Linn County to the Paris Climate Agreement, secure funding for small businesses affected by the 2016 flood and implement the recommendations of the Safe, Equitable and Thriving Communities Task Force.

We should all be proud of this work, he said.

He thanked those who have encouraged him to join the field of four Democrats already seeking the nomination.

George Ramsey of Marion, Thomas Heckroth of Cedar Falls, Courtney Rowe of Cedar Rapids and state Rep. Abby Finkenauer of Dubuque have formally announced their candidacies.

There is speculation among Democrats the field for the June 2018 primary election is not yet set. Walkers fellow Linn County board member Brent Oleson also had been considering the race, but has endorsed Heckroth. State Sen. Jeff Danielson of Waterloo has formed an exploratory committee and is doing the homework necessary to make a final decision.

The 20-county 1st District includes Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, Waterloo, Cedar Falls and Marshalltown.
The Iowa Academy of Family Physicians seeks nominations for the 2017 Family Physician of the Year. Each year the academy awards one family physician the title Family Physician of the Year on the basis of outstanding service to patients and community and devotion to family medicine.

To nominate your family physician, send a letter of nomination to the Iowa Academy describing why your family physician should receive the award. Nomination letters should be sent by Aug. 28 to the Iowa Academy of Family Physicians, 100 E. Grand Ave., Suite 240, Des Moines, IA 50309 or email kcox@iaafp.org.

The selected physician will be honored during the Iowa Academy of Family Physicians annual installation and awards banquet on Nov. 3, 2017, at the Downtown Des Moines Marriott. In the early part of 2018, the 2017 Iowa Family Physician of the Year will be nominated for the American Academy of Family Physicians National Family Physician of Year.
The Quad-Cities Chamber has introduced a resource to help manufacturing and defense-related firms do more Quad-City business.

The Quad-Cities Chamber Manufacturing Innovation Hub has launched a Regional Capabilities Catalog in which businesses can enter comprehensive company profiles, including a list of their capabilities. The catalog is searchable by North American Industry Classification Systems code.

Mike Coughlin, executive director for the Quad-Cities Manufacturing Innovation Hub, says the catalog helps make those connections that can lead to more local business and boost economic growth right here in the Quad-Cities. Its a win-win for everyone.

Companies are encouraged to register in the database and use it to learn about opportunities to source more parts, services and other business locally. There is no cost to register, which takes about 10-15 minutes.

Visit www.catalog.quadcitieschamber.com to get started. For more information, contact the Hub at AsktheHub@QuadCitiesChamber.com. The catalog is funded, in part, by the Illinois Defense Industry Adjustment Program.
After Gov. Bruce Rauner hired Illinois Policy Institute president Kristina Rasmussen's as his new chief of staff, I reached out to one of the House Republicans who voted to override the governor's budget and tax hike vetoes. How was he feeling?

"You mean after the irate phone calls and e-mails and the letter that arrived at my house today telling me and my wife (by name) to move out?" he texted back. "I'm doing fine - seriously, I am. I can just guess what the new chief of staff might have in store for me."

Rasmussen's anti-tax group essentially weaponized its Facebook page against lawmakers during the run-up to and aftermath of the overrides of Rauner's vetoes.

The group's Facebook page generated hundreds of thousands of often profanity-laden, hate-filled comments and even some that appeared to advocate violent acts like lynching. It also succeeded in inundating legislators with calls and e-mails. At least one legislator, Rep. Steve Andersson (R-Geneva), reported receiving death threats. The group claims to have an unblemished record of decency, civility, and candor, but thats not how some of those legislators see it.

So, instead of trying to woo back those 11 Republican legislators who crossed him on the budget, the governor instead brought in the very bane of their existence as his new chief of staff. You cant send a clearer signal than that.

Rasmussen quickly filled the governors office ranks with ideological allies. She hired a new policy director, Michael Lucci (the Illinois Policy Institute's former policy director) and new "special assistant" Jean Hutton (the Institute's director of operations). Laurel Patrick, who worked for Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, was hired as the new communications director. And Diana Rickert is reportedly being hired as the deputy chief of staff for communications. Rickert is the Illinois Policy Institute's vice president of communications who once advocated for the firing of all state workers so that they could be rehired on a new, cheaper pension plan. Her idea was derided as unworkable and not legal.

Rauner has always been a big fan of the Illinois Policy Institute's way of thinking and ways of doing business. He insisted, for instance, that Rasmussen be included in some policy meetings. Rasmussen reportedly voiced support at those meetings for things like shutting down some state universities and prisons, regardless of the consequences, including the possibility of a prison escape during a hastily arranged facility shutdown. That's just the sort of "bold" thinking that Rauner likes.

As a corporate roll-up specialist, Rauner was a big fan of creative destruction and out-sourcing. Underperforming executives were tossed aside like yesterday's garbage. And he's doing the same thing now. His once fiercely loyal staff is being treated worse than Pat Quinn's staffers were when the Raunerites took over. If this looks like a hostile corporate takeover to you, it's because it is.

And so we're about to embark on an adventure that I don't think any state has ever experienced. A governor of a large state is out-sourcing the operation of his government to a libertarian-minded activist "think tank" that he helped fund before he was elected.

The organization is hostile to unions, public pensions, taxes and government regulations. It has railed against this state's governance for at least a decade, building up an impressive operation that supplies free news stories, opinion columns and even cartoons to cash-strapped newspapers throughout the state. It has a legal arm that has filed or is handling anti-union lawsuits. It has mastered social media to spread its gospel and whip up the public and lash out at opponents online. It took over a statewide radio news network. It employs researchers who regularly spit out pieces about how Illinois lags other states, particularly Indiana.

In other words, it's the perfect fit for Rauner, a man of almost identical ideology who nurses a constant obsession about "messaging."

The Illinois Policy Institute's higher-ups didn't seem all that troubled about the two-year impasse and heartily cheered on Rauner's attempts to use the fiscal crisis as leverage to try and ram through his business and political reforms.

We can probably figure that new executive orders and rules are on the way to further the governor's new agenda. But he's also bringing in a bunch of governmental neophytes, so we can expect a lot of rookie mistakes.

But what we probably wont see is any legislative progress. Perhaps just the opposite, if the disaffected Republicans decide to continue crossing the governor.
215

STATE OF

SOUTH DAKOTA )

) SS

COUNTY OF FALL RIVER )

ESTATE OF )

Douglas L. Roberts )

Deceased. )

IN CIRCUIT COURT

SEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT

23 PRO 17-

Notice is given that on July 10, 2017, the clerk of the Circuit Courty of Fall River County, South Dakota, issued a written statement admitting the 2016 Will of Douglas L. Roberts to informal probate and William Lauseng of 12256 Bavarian Hills Drive, Custer, SD 57730 was informally appointed as personal representative of the estate.

Creditors of decedent must file their claims within four months after the date of the first publication of this notice or their claims may be barred.

Claims may be filed with the personal representative or may be filed with the clerk and a copy of the claim mailed to the personal representative.

Dated July 10, 2017.

/s/William Lauseng

William Lauseng

12256 Bavarian Hills Drive

Custer, SD 57730

(605) 673-5200 Carol E. Foster

Clerk of Courts

906 North River Street

Fall River County Courthouse

Hot Springs, SD 57747

605-745-5131

Michael P. Ortner, Attorney

P.O. Box 629

Hot Springs, SD 57747

605-745-6415

Published three times at the total approximate cost of $47.19. Jul 18, 25, Aug. 1
AFK Sistema reports $66 mln loan default over asset seizure

MOSCOW, July 17 (RAPSI) - Holding company AFK Sistema reported on Monday about a technical default on 3.9 billion rubles ($66 million) that resulted from the court-ordered seizure of 185 billion rubles ($3.1 billion) in assets.

Non-observance of certain terms of loan obligations giving grounds for the technical default is absolutely determined by the court decision on the asset seizure and has a formal nature. The company services and plans to service its credit and financial obligations in future, the statement reads.

On June 23, the Commercial Court of the Republic of Bashkortostan seized 31.76% of MTS mobile operators shares owned by AFK Sistema and its subsidiary Sistema-Invest as well as 100% of Medsi Groups shares and 90.47% of Bashkir Power Grid Companys (BESK) as part of 170.6 billion rubles (about $3 billion at the current exchange rate) lawsuit filed by Rosneft, Bashneft and Republic of Bashkiria against the companies.

On July 19, Bashkirias Commercial Court will continue hearing the lawsuit filed by Rosneft against AFK Sistema. On August 7, the Eighteenth Commercial Court of Appeals will hear AFK Sistemas appeal against seizure of its assets.

Press service of Rosneft has said previously that the lawsuit is connected with alleged siphoning of assets. Actions of AFK Sistema allegedly led to decrease of assets at this sum.

Initially, Rosneft sought to collect 106.6 billion ($1.8 billion)rubles in damages from Sistema. Later the oil giant increased its claim to 170.6 billion rubles. The plaintiff revised the claim damage upwards taking into account currency fluctuations, according to a companys representative.

According to AFK Sistema, the plaintiffs demands are illegal and groundless.




Prosecutor demands 4-year jail term for alleged organizer of unlawful referendum

MOSCOW, July 17 (RAPSI, Nikolay Merkulov)  Prosecutor had demanded a 4-year prison term for a RBC journalist Alexander Sokolov, charged with masterminding the activities of an extremist organization, RAPSI reported from the Tverskoy District Court of Moscow on Monday.

The prosecutor also asked the court to give other defendants in the case, Kirill Barabash, Valery Parfyonov, and publicist Yury Mukhin, sentences ranging from 4 to 4.5 years behind bars.

According to Mukhin, he and other people charged in the case, are indeed members of the Initiative Group to Campaign for a Referendum for Responsible Government, which, the authorities believe, is the successor of earlier banned Peoples Will Army (PWA). However, as Mukhin has told RAPSI, the action group aiming to organize the referendum was established yet in 2010.

Sokolov, Parfyonov, and Barabash are charged with continuing to run the prohibited in 2010 Peoples Will Army, earlier headed by Mukhin. After the PWA was banned, the accused founded the Referendum Initiative Group seeking to make the authorities directly answerable to the people through changing the countrys Constitution.

Nevertheless, the prosecution says that in fact Mukhin and his supporters have attempted to destabilize the political situation in Russia and accomplish a regime change with illegal means.

In 1995, Yury Mukhin, a proponent of radical change, founded the Duel newspaper, which attempted to reach out to Russian conservatives and far left. The newspaper was banned in 2009 on grounds of extremism.
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Moscow court receives results of disabled convicts medical examination

Context Russian human rights ombudsman seeks release of disabled convict

MOSCOW, July 17 (RAPSI, Lyudmila Klenko) - Moscows Timiryazevsky District Court has registered a report on medical examination results of Anton Mamayev, a wheelchair person sentenced to 4.5 years in prison for armed robbery, submitted by the Federal Penitentiary Service, the courts press office told RAPSI on Monday.

According to the medical report, Mamayev is suffering from an illness included in the list of diseases that prevent serving of punishment, a courts representative said. Under the law, the court is to decide on Mamayevs restrictive measure within 3 days.

Earlier, Russias High Commissioner for Human Rights Tatiana Moskalkova visited Mamayev in a hospital. According to the ombudsman, Mamayev is suffering from a complex of serious including Spinal Muscular Atrophy. She filed a petition with the Moscow City Court seeking release Anton Mamayev and a request with the Federal Penitentiary Service to speed up his medical examination.

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. The date for hearing an appeal against his sentence has not been set yet.




Dmitry Medvedev backs bill easing penalty for businessmen

MOSCOW, July 17 (RAPSI)  Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev ordered ministers to draft proposals that would ease some administrative penalties for violations committed by businessmen for the first time with no monetary loss.

The relevant statement has been published on the governments website following the All-Russian teleconference on realization of the priority program called Reform of oversight and supervisory activities.

Medvedev also demanded to draft amendments to the Code of Administrative Offences limiting initiation of administrative cases and conduct of administrative investigations without preliminary check.

The orders were given to Russias Justice Ministry, Economy Ministry, and Minister for Open Government Mikhail Abyzov. They are to draft bills in cooperation with the Prosecutor Generals Office and business associations until August 7.




Russian parliament set to toughen penalties for inducement to suicide

MOSCOW, July 17 (RAPSI)  The State Duma is set to consider a bill seeking to increase up to 15 years the prison term for inducing to suicide, according to the database for the lower house of the Russian parliament.

In a memorandum attached to the bill its authors, three lawmakers representing the ruling political party United Russia, point out that at present a federal law adopted in June envisages punishments in the range from 5 to up to 8 years in prison for inducing or assistance in committing suicide, even in case minors are involved.

The relevant articles of the Russian Criminal Code set sentences of up to 6 years in jail for inducing, assisting, or organizing activities aimed to induce minors to suicide via information and telecommunication networks servicing general public, what the authors of the bill believe to be incommensurable with the graveness and social danger of the crime.

Accordingly, the lawmakers propose to make the punishment for inducing minors to suicide more severe with prison terms ranging from 5 to 15 years. The authors also suggest to extend the severer punishment in the range of 8 to 15 years in prison for such crimes resulting in deaths of two and more minors, or persons perpetrators knew to be helpless, or women known to them to be pregnant, or those materially or otherwise being dependent on perpetrators.
Ravalli County Deputies Emily Hachenberger and Brandon Richardson graduated from the Montana Law Enforcement Academy Basic Course #162 on June 30.

The course is a 12-week program dedicated to providing students with the safety, public service, and investigatory skills necessary to perform their duties when they return to their communities. The class included 49 law enforcement officers from across Montana.

During the graduation ceremony, Hachenberger received the Joe May Leadership Award for displaying outstanding leadership during the academy. She also was a squad leader.

"I am very proud of both Deputy Richardson and Deputy Hachenberger, Sheriff Steve Holton said. They represented Ravalli County in exemplary fashion, and I am very excited to have them home and patrolling in Ravalli County.

"Both have family ties to Ravalli County, and they are excellent additions to our staff."

He noted that Richardson's grandfather retired from the Ravalli County Sheriff's Office, and is wearing his grandfather's badge and call sign.

Hachenberger was a reserve police officer for the Stevensville Police Department prior to being sworn in as a deputy sheriff on Oct. 24, 2016. Richardson was sworn in on Feb. 24, 2017.
Release of the SAHR Publication on aNation State Boundaries and Human Rights of People in South Asiaa

South Asians for Human Rights (SAHR) is pleased to release the publication aNation State Boundaries and Human Rights of People in South Asiaa based on its study of cross border issues by Shomona Khanna, a researcher and a lawyer from India. The publication provides a comprehensive analysis of the issues entailing the land and maritime boarders in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) region and approaches the issues from a human rights perspective detailing the impact cross border issues have on the lives and livelihood of people.

This publication maps various human rights violations in the border areas; deals with certain causes and the violators of rights; describes in detail the victims such as the refugees and the stateless people; and provides a broad remedial framework including the extant local, national and international mechanisms. The research, however, did not detail contentious issues between countries regarding demarcation of their boundaries or territories and focused only on the South Asian countries. Other countries in the region, even if they do have contiguous borders with South Asian states, do not form the subject matter of the study.

The publication can be accessed here.
Hackers have targeted Irish energy networks, senior engineers at the Electricity Supply Board (ESB), which supplies both Northern Ireland and the Republic, were targeted by spear phishing messages allegedly sent by a Russian threat actor linked to Russias GRU intelligence agency.

The news was reported by The Times, sources close to the newspaper confirmed that Russian nation state actors launched the attack to compromise control systems and take over the electricity grid.

Hackers backed by the Russian government have attacked energy networks running the national grid in parts of the UK, The Times has learnt. reported The Times.

The hackers, who targeted the Republic of Irelands energy sector, intended to infiltrate control systems, security analysts believe. This would also have given them the power to knock out parts of the grid in Northern Ireland.

Why Ireland?

Security experts believe that GRU hackers were testing their cyber capabilities against the country infrastructure. The nation state hackers may have been interested in destabilizing the country that also hosts European headquarters of IT giants like Apple, Google, and Facebook. US officials confirmed last week that Russian government hacking teams penetrated American nuclear and other energy companies.

The Irelands National Cyber Security Centre is investigating the cyber attack that according to the experts aimed to steal information and gather intelligence instead having sabotage purposes.

The news about the attack against the Irish energy networks was disclosed shortly after the FBI and Department of Homeland Security sent a joint alert to the energy sector warning of cyber attacks powered by Russian nation state actors against the US nuclear power plants.

According to the alert, advanced, persistent threat actors used spear phishing message to steal login credentials to access networks of companies in the energy industry,

According to a report on vulnerabilities in British defence released by the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) earlier this month, the threat of cyber attacks continues to grow especially for Western satellite infrastructures. Military and civilian communications and GPS system could be targeted by hackers with a significant impact on the economy of the country.

Of course, Russia denied state-sponsored hackers have been involved in attacks against Western governments or Ukraine. President Putin blamed patriotic Russian hackers, for the interference with the 2016 Presidential Election.

Pierluigi Paganini

(Security Affairs  Russian nation-state actors, Ireland)
Two people were killed in San Francisco this weekend, both the victims of fatal shootings.

According to the San Francisco Police Department, the first slaying was reported at 3:40 p.m. Saturday, near the intersection of Keith Street and Palou Avenue.

Police say that when they arrived, they discovered an 18-year-old male victim of a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead on arrival, and was later identified by the San Francisco Medical Examiner's Office as SF resident Marshawn Byrd.

Citing the ongoing investigation, the SFPD declined to provide additional information on Byrd's shooting. They did confirm, however, that no arrests have been made in the case.

Police say that the weekend's second homicide occurred at 7:53 a.m. Sunday, at the Twin Peaks View Point at the top of Twin Peaks. The victim, a 71-year-old man, was shot at the popular tourist venue, police say. He, too, was pronounced dead on arrival.

As of publication time, the shooting victim has not been publicly identified, nor was additional information available in the case. SFist commenter "Snutchers" says that the victim "was my neighbor/friend and long time resident."

The man "was killed for his camera equipment," Snutchers writes, saying that "Knowing him, he probably put up a struggle."

The SFPD could not confirm those details at publication time, but did say that no arrests have been made.

These deaths follow San Francisco's 34th homicide for 2017, a fatal shooting at 24th and Mission Streets on July 10. The victim in that case, which is also notable as a sink was thrown at a patrol car during its investigation, was identified as 35-year-old San Francisco resident Jesus Sandoval. As of publication time, no suspects have been identified in Sandoval's slaying.

Previously: Mission Homicide Investigation Interrupted When Sink Tossed At Patrol Car
Remember this months tale of a Berkeley student who claimed he was racially profiled and detained illegally, held in jail for almost two days without being able to see a lawyer, and said that Berkeley police mocked his ethnicity? That story just got a whole lot less sympathetic now that the alleged victim, 21-year-old Ismael Chamu of San Francisco, has been arrested again for a brazen vandalism spree according to Berkeleyside. More than 30 acts of vandalism were committed on June 28, according to Berkeley police, including cars graffitied with the phrase F*** White People, fences tagged with Kill Cops, and the sides of Berkeley homes spray-painted with anarchist symbols and F*** Liberal Scum.

The ABC 7 video above shows several of the estimated 35 acts of vandalism, all of which Chamu is charged with being responsible for. Some of the slogans were racially motivated, they were derogatory in nature. They identified people by race which makes it a hate crime, Berkeley PD Sgt. Andrew Frankel told ABC 7.

Chamu's graffiti expressed anger toward "liberal scum," and as Berkeleyside notes, he had also been posting messages to Facebook about gentrification, and expressing anger toward the "right wing" too.

Neighbors near the vandalism sites convened on Nextdoor and went to police following Chamu's arrest, noting that he was carrying a switchblade and that tires had been slashed the same night of the vandalism  which appears to have occurred around the time of Chamu's late-night arrest along with an accomplice on suspicion of an unrelated burglary, in which he was quickly cleared.





Sgt. Frankel also spoke to KTVU, telling them, 17 vehicles had their tires slashed. F-the police, anarchy symbols, Antifa symbols, F-white people spray painted on people's cars," Frankel said.



Image: Berkeley PD

In addition to being just plain offensive, the vandalism has created significant problems for many of the victims. "One of my friends he still hasn't replaced his tires because his insurance doesn't cover it. So he still has to figure it out," Berkeley resident Ruben Escolero told KTVU.

Chamu is still in police custody and his bail is set at $85,000. Hes scheduled to be arraigned on all of the vandalism and hate crime charges on Monday, July 24, in Berkeley.

Related: Vandal Melts Slides, Causes $1 Million Damage To Popular Golden Gate Park Playground


A person going by the name Julie Zberg allegedly created a Facebook page called "Manpiles of SF" in order to denigrate the homeless she sees around her neighborhood. We don't know why.

BrokeAss Stuart brings us news of Zberg, who has not only created the photo-laden Facebook page detailing her downright hatred of homeless people and the politicians she feels enable their existence, but actively sends obscenity-laced emails to various and sundry lawmakers and the like.

Zberg lives in the Mission and perhaps she should move, although she gets really mad when folks tell her that. Zberg wants the homeless to get jobs and they can move. She's staying, no matter how much she hates it here.

The Facebook page, whose title has recently changed to "Welcome to Mayor Ed Lee's Zombie Nation," claims the following in its "about" section: "pictorial of the daily existence of those of us taken hostage by the dangerous encampment crisis. It is a plea for help."

Welcome to Mayor Ed Lee's Zombie Nation goes on to say:

"Ive been tracking homeless encampments within a 2 block radius of my residence. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Jane Kim, SFPD, Ed Lee, Dept of Homelessness and Homeless Outreach Programs especially Jennifer Friedenbach, for allowing this travesty to exist in this city. You are all ineffective wastes, draining the taxpayer wallet."

The page has 128 likes and a staggering 297 reviews with an average rating of 1.2 stars (out of 5.) Which is to say not many people are rushing to support this woman's cause, her poor attempts at sarcasm, or her solution-free angry posts.

Zberg posts multiple times a day and responds to many of the comments on her posts, which means she must spend a great deal of time complaining about and photographing homeless people  time which could be spent contributing to solutions and her community. Mais non, Julie Zberg.

The Facebook page is anonymously run but Stuart, God bless him, has a screenshot of a rambling email in which Zberg takes credit for it.





In comments on the Facebook page, Zberg claims she's not mocking the homeless, saying,

"Hi dawn. The intent here was never to shame the homeless. It's to show in its ugliest form what happens in this city of wealth, with a homeless budget that's fairly large, but the issue doesn't seem to go away. Would it be better for me to caption the pics more kindly? Then I'd be lying. I'm tired of dealing with it. This unfortunately is what a lot of people see now every single day. There is really no help for those of us begging for the city to do something such as put up housing, or convert empty city owned property etc. there HAS to be a better way to deal with this! I'm sorry if these pics upset people. If anyone thinks that I am mocking etc that is not true. But I don't think it's right that we are taken hostage by the encampment activity do you? I've been personally attacked minding my own business going from point a to point b. So has my daughter. So has my dog believe it or not. Since SFPD doesn't take an active part even when I pointed out a guy who was naked and so high he was in danger of running into traffic on division, they shrugged and drove off. This is what I see going on around here. And also since you don't know me you don't know things I have done for the homeless who come thru and aren't dangerous. I'm not the kind of person who blows my own horn over things that are done from the heart without wanting anything in return. But this has evolved to dangerous conditions."

The pictures, paired with often snarky, nasty captions, speak otherwise. For example, "South van ness. I witnessed this person walking against traffic in the left hand lane seemingly oblivious to the danger, on her way to redeem her stolen recyclables. Mark my words - one day - splat."

Zberg now joins the ranks of former tech CEO Greg Gopman, Peter Shih, and this guy Justin Keller from last year, all of whom have published screeds about the homeless problem in recent years that treated the homeless as less than human (or in Gopman's case, "hyenas"), and were then publicly lambasted for it.

Is homelessness a major problem in San Francisco? Yes. Is making a bitchy Facebook account in any way helping the problem, even by drawing attention to it? No.

Related: Frustrated By Filth, SF's Public Works Goes Rogue On Homeless Encampment Cleanups
The event will feature more than 20 display booths of 40 businesses in various fields, such as confectionery, beverage, food, tea, coffee, fruits, spices, textile and garment.



The event aims to introduce Vietnamese products to Thai customers and contribute to the balance in trade between the two countries.

Vietnam and Thailand are implementing trade promotion programs to enhance bilateral trade turnover to US$20 billion by 2020.

Thailand is a potential market for Vietnamese products, notably fruits and dried fruits, spices and seafood. However, Thailand requires strict quality and food safety standards. Therefore local enterprises need to ensure product quality and deliver product that is competitive and affordable for the public. They must make the content of the packaging and labelling as clear as possible in the space available.

The 1st Vietnamese Goods Week in Thailand was held in 2016 and attracted nearly 150,000 visitors everyday.





By HAI MIEN - Translated by Kim Khanh
The central provinces from Thanh Hoa to Da Nang experienced torrential rains with the highest rainfall of 177- 247 mm.



Early morning today, the typhoon entered the mainland of the central provinces from Thanh Hoa to Ha Tinh with its maximum wind of level 8- 11.

After the tropical typhoon entered the mainland, it moved the west- northwestwards at 20 kilometers per hour and weakened into a low tropical- pressure system in Laos.

However, the storm circulation continues causing heavy rains in the north and north- central region from July 16- 18.

The National Steering Committee on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control asked the affected provinces to quickly outline measures to deal with the bad weather condition this early morning.

Amid the current complicated weather condition, Deputy Head of Steering Committee on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control Mr. Hoang Van Thang required Thanh Hoa, Nghe An and Ha Tinh to quickly evacuate residents as well as warn vessels out of the dangerous zones.

BY VAN PHUC- Translated by Huyen Huong
In recent years over two-dozen young men have turned up dead in Wisconsin, most of them college students pulled from lakes and rivers with high blood-alcohol levels. Rumors have circulated about a serial killer preying on male students, but Steven Spingola is having none of it.

The retired Milwaukee Police Department homicide detective has written up his investigation into the string of deaths in a succinct book, Staggered Paths: Strange Deaths in the Badger State. Spingola holds that most deaths arent strange at all, considering Wisconsins love of strong drink and the culture of binge drinking that has taken hold on campuses. The elimination of a mass murderer as a suspect does not negate the possibility of foul play in at least three days, Spingola concludes. Several other deaths strongly suggest suicide. But many resulted from the sheer negligence of drunken youths out for a tear.

Spingola will sign copies of Staggered Paths, 2-4 p.m., July 22 at Rosatis Pizza, 690 Westfield Way, Pewaukee.
The protagonist of American Fable, an 11-year old girl called Gitty, is growing up on a Wisconsin farm as the 1980s farm crisis rises to a boil. Ronald Reagan is glimpsed on TV, insisting that government has no business bailing out family farms. Foreclosures are reaching into her familys remote county. Suicides are on the rise. The endless fields are Gittys playground, but the tall green crops cast deep shadows.

The feature debut by writer-director Anne Hamilton invokes the riddling psychology of the Brothers Grimm at several turns. Gitty finds a mysterious man trapped inside a silo, which resembles a fairy tale tower-dungeon. He wants to grant Gitty a wish in exchange for a favor. She repeatedly sees a rider in black on the horizon and that dark seductress turns up at the farm, involving her financially hard-pressed but essentially honest parents in a conspiracy whose outlines are gradually revealed. Gittys teenage brother is a dangerous sociopath.

The line between reality and the girls imaginationher dream-nightmares and her perception of the unfathomable doings of adultsis never firmly set. The story holds through perceptive acting in the lead roles, especially Peyton Kennedy as shy nerdy Gitty and a brilliantly tricky performance by Richard Schiff as the man in the silo. As the strangely intriguing story unfolds, Schiffs character is revealed as an agribusiness executive who loves music and Yeats, but is a cog in a destructive machine. The dark seductress represents an unnamed militant force. Its about who has control, who has the power, she tells Giddy when asked if she is a bad person. She is willing to take bad means toward good ends.

Over many nocturnal scenes, a crescent moon sharp as a farmers sickle looms overhead as if pasted onto the night sky. American Fable engages the imagination over cultural-political divides that have become more fraught today than in the films Reagan-era setting.
MONDAY, JULY 17, 2017

DEAR ABBY: I am concerned about my niece. She's 18 and a senior in high school. Her father -- my younger brother -- is incarcerated and has been for 13 years.

Our families have been alienated, but I'm trying to reach out to my niece. Although she has been hesitant to get close, we've had a couple of face-to-face visits during the past year. She is needy for family, and I know her mother has been overwhelmed having had to raise her on her own.

Long story short, my niece has been dating -- for the second time -- a man her father's age. She lives a few hours away, so most of what I see is on social media. I don't understand how this man thinks it's OK. My niece looks like she's only 13. It makes me cringe, yet I feel this isn't my business or within my power to change. You can tell me this is none of my business and I should just walk away, but my niece is vulnerable and I'm worried about her. -- WORRIED AUNT IN TEXAS

DEAR WORRIED AUNT: Your niece may be vulnerable in your opinion, but she is also 18. She may have father issues that need to be ironed out, but considering the man has been absent since she was 5, that's not surprising.

I agree that this isn't within your power to change. My advice is to be there for her when she will allow it, be as supportive as you can, resist the urge to try to fill a parental role and do a lot of listening.

DEAR ABBY: I am 64. When I was an insecure 15-year-old, I liked showing off for my two best friends. We often made fun of other kids behind their backs. With them, my smart mouth got me the attention I craved.

One day I slipped up and whispered something too loudly. The girl heard what I said about her, and the stricken look on her face told me how much it hurt.

I looked for her at our 20th reunion wanting to apologize, but she was absent. I wish I could take back what I said, but I can't. However, I have spent the last 49 years trying to be kind to others to make up for it.

If there are people who read your column who remember a stinging remark that was aimed at them, please let them know that some of us regret it very much. I hope they find forgiveness so they can be free of bitterness and hurt. I am truly sorry. -- MISS SMART MOUTH IN OKLAHOMA

DEAR MISS SMART MOUTH: I'm glad you wrote because I'm sure more than one reader has been the target of unkind remarks at one time or another, and even may have made a few themselves. An apology to your classmate was definitely in order, even if 20 years late. Too bad the woman wasn't around to hear it.

I'll share something with you a trial lawyer once told me. He said, "You can't unring the bell." What he meant by it was that a judge can instruct a jury to "disregard that statement," but once something is out there, it's very hard to erase from memory. The context may be different, but it applies to relationships, too.
SIOUX CITY | Sioux City Police say a 72-year-old man is dead after suffering a medical event at the wheel and crashing into a utility pole Sunday afternoon.

The incident occurred shortly after 1:30 p.m. in the 700 block of 36th Street, according to a news release from the Sioux City Police Department.

The release said police were advised of a reckless driver and possible hit-and-run accident in the vicinity of 3300 Pierce St. around that time. A short time later, the same vehicle, a 1999 Chevrolet pickup truck, struck a utility pole in the 700 block of 36th Street.

The driver, 72-year-old Raymond Nelson, of Jackson, Nebraska, was transported to UnityPoint Health -- St. Luke's Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, the release said. The release said the man appeared to have had a medical event prior to striking a vehicle in the 3300 block of Pierce Street and the pole on 36th Street.

Based on a preliminary investigation, police believe the driver did not die as a result of injuries from the crash.
ORANGE CITY, Iowa | A Rock Valley, Iowa, man was sentenced Friday to six months in prison for obstruction of emergency communication, disorderly conduct and the assault of his former girlfriend.

After serving his sentence in the Sioux County Jail, Julian Barrientos, 23, will need to serve two years of probation and have the no-contact order with the victim extended for the maximum period of five years, said Sioux County Attorney Thomas G. Kunstle in a news release.

The case arose on Nov. 13, 2016, when Barrientos' former girlfriend arrived home with her two children. As the victim exited her vehicle, Barrientos asked if he could stay with her. After she declined, Barrientos grabbed the victim's phone, climbed through the vehicle, began assaulting and, finally, strangling her.

The two children, ages 4 and 3, were crying and inside the vehicle during the assault. The victim called 911 immediately, Kunstle said.
STORM LAKE, Iowa | A Storm Lake man faces a felony charge after driving through a corn field Friday night.

Ricardo Ramos Perez, 39, was charged with eluding -- reference OWI, a class D felony; OWI second offense, an aggravated misdemeanor; criminal mischief in the fourth degree, a serious misdemeanor; interference with official acts, careless driving and domestic assault, all simple misdemeanors.

At approximately 6:08 p.m. Friday, Storm Lake police were called to the 200 block of East 13th Street for a report of a small red truck driving through a corn field. Upon arrival, officers were not able to locate the truck but determined that approximately $500 was done to the corn field.

About a half-hour later, police observed a red Ford Ranger parked in the Dyno's Gas Station parking lot. When officers approached Perez about the corn field incident, he reportedly accelerated away and fled eastbound on East Lakeshore Drive.

Officer stopped Perez's vehicle at a residence located at 300 Superior St. Officers then determined that Perez was the driver of the truck in the corn field. They further determined that Perez was intoxicated and had assaulted his 20-year-old daughter earlier in the day.

Perez was booked into the Buena Vista County Jail and held on no bond.
Aaron Privett, 26, was arrested and booked into the Woodbury County Jail around 3:45 p.m. Monday after Sioux City Police officers noticed him in the backyard of a house. Members of the Northern Iowa Fugitive Task Force arrived in the area, and law enforcement took Privett into custody without incident, according to a news release issued early Monday evening.
SIOUX CITY | Sioux City staff hope a proposed rate reduction at the city's four downtown parking ramps will change motorists' habits by appealing to their wallets.

For the second time this year, the City Council will discuss a proposal from parking operations staff to allow motorists to park in ramps for free during their first hour on a six-month trial basis.

Staff say the project is an effort to lure motorists planning to park for an hour or longer away from street parking and into the city's underutilized parking garages, freeing the metered parking spaces directly in front of businesses downtown for short-term customers.

"If they're going to go into some place for a meeting and know they're going to be in there for a couple hours, maybe they'll go into ramp and pay for two hours instead of paying for three hours in the street," said parking operations manager Monette Harbeck.

In February, during an initial presentation of the proposal as a non-voting item, the City Council had told representatives of the city's public works department they needed more feedback from businesses on the proposal.

Another issue had been a projected $19,000 loss in parking revenue expected to come with the rate reduction if the number of people parking downtown doesn't increase.

Harbeck said the city is hoping the initiative spurs increased parking that helps make up the difference.

Residents currently pay 75 cents for the first 60 minutes in a parking ramp and more for each subsequent hour. Weekend parking is free.

Under the proposal under consideration Monday, motorists would receive reduced rates for each subsequent hour in addition to the free first hour. For example, parking in a ramp for two hours would only cost 75 cents, the current cost for one hour; parking in a ramp for three hours would cost $1.50, the current cost for two hours; and so on.

The project has the backing of the city's Parking and Skywalk System Board of Trustees, which advises the council on parking issues.

According to a study released late last year by the Siouxland Interstate Metropolitan Planning Council, the city has a large surplus of downtown parking, with only about one-third of Sioux City's 3,271 spaces in use at any given time.

According to the study, 79 percent of the parking spaces in Sioux City's Heritage Parking Garage, 312 Jackson St., are in use at any given time. The rest of the ramps see usage rates between 30 and 45 percent. An ideal rate is 90 percent.

Cook Park

In other action Monday, the council will consider a recommendation from the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board to construct a splash pad at Cook Park in place of Cook Pool, which closed in August 2016.

Though it has the backing of the parks board, the proposal received mixed reviews when the council considered it late in June. A handful of members from the public said the park has other issues -- such as transients, drug dealers and vandalism -- that need addressed first.

The City Council will resume its discussion on the item, which it deferred in June, on Monday.
MILFORD, Iowa -- Tuesdays grand opening ceremonies for the 35-acre Pioneer Park Nature Preserve will highlight the beginning of Pioneer Days, as Milford celebrates the 125th anniversary of its incorporation in 1892.

We are excited to show residents and visitors our newest area, which is of both historical and environmental significance in Dickinson County, said Dickinson County Conservation Board community relations coordinator Kiley Roth. Because of its location off of Highway 71, we think this will be a popular place to bird watch and go for afternoon walks.

The preserve, just south of Milford on U.S. Highway 71, was the site of the 1869 gristmill that inspired the growth of the Dickinson County community. The mill drew farmers from a wide area who camped there while waiting for their grain to be processed.

Now, Roth says the 35-acre park is home to more than 75 native plant species, such as purple cone flower, stiff sunflower and purple prairie clover; and more than 40 bird species, including the common nighthawk, field sparrow, dickcissel, bald eagle and osprey.

You might even spot skunks, deer and other beautiful wildlife, she said.

The park will be open for fishing in Milford Creek, which is home to a variety of game fish, including spawning walleye and northern pike each spring.

Future plans for the area include mowed trails for strolling and bird watching as well as the construction of a kayak and biking trail head.

Funding for the project came from a $75,600 Iowa Department of Natural Resources Resource Enhancement And Protection (REAP) grant, along with what Roth termed a bargain sale from the previous owners, Mike and Linda Knudtson, the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundations Foote Fund, the Dickinson County Conservation Board, and gifts from local donors.

The Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation purchased the property from the Knudtsons for $136,000 in 2013.

Linda Knudtson said last week they didnt want to see the property they purchased in 1989 developed any further. We felt was a very natural part of Milford, because it had the original mill that was the reason Milford became Milford.

The stone foundation of some of the original mill buildings, are still on the property that is a part of what has become known as Old Town Milford.

Knudtson said she and her husband had toyed with the idea of dividing the area into eight or 10 acreages and selling them as lots. But now well be able to see the entire park from our windows. And our kids and grandkids can still go down there and play on the same ground where theyve played for the last 27 years.''

The Dickinson County Conservation Board owns and maintains more than 10 public areas and parks.
LeRoy Willenborg, 81, of Lexington Park, MD passed away on July 12, 2017 at the Charlotte Hall Veterans Home in Charlotte Hall, MD. He was born on August 7th, 1935 in Covington, KY to the late Bush Foley, and Odie Wall Willenborg.



On February 16th, 1955 LeRoy enlisted in the United States Navy and served our country until being honorably discharged from active duty on February 13th, 1959 as an Aviation Technician Second Class. He flew with squadron VW-15, which patrolled the Early Warning Atlantic Barrier , from Argentia Newfoundland to the Azores during the early days of the Cold War. He stood watch as an Early Warning Radar Operator, monitoring the airspace for signs of Soviet aggression. During his service he earned the Navy Good Conduct Medal.



On August 7th, 1957 he married his beloved wife, Vernie Evelyn Willenborg at the Hollywood United Methodist Church. Together they celebrated 55 wonderful years of marriage, until her passing in June, 2012. After departing the Navy LeRoy worked for a short period for Phil Gray, servicing pinball, and slot machines. In April 1959 he gained employment with the Department of Defense at the U.S. Naval Air Test Center (NATC), Patuxent River, as a dedicated Radar Technician until his retirement in 1988.



During his career as a Navy Civilian he was instrumental in standing up the radar range and was a founding member of the organization now known as the Atlantic Test Range (ATR). He also served as the first civilian site manager of the Ship Ground Station (SGS) which today is known as the Surface/Aviation Interoperability Laboratory (SAIL). After departing federal employment he worked for several defense contractors supporting the EA-6B Prowler until his final retirement.



LeRoy is survived by his children: David L. Willenborg (Lisa) of Hollywood, MD, Donald B. Willenborg (Rose) of Lexington Park, MD, Edward A. Willenborg (Mary-Jo) of Lenardtown, MD, and Kelly D. Willenborg of Hollywood, MD; five grandchildren; and many extended family, and friends. In addition to his parents, and wife Vernie, he is preceded in death by his grandson Joey Randolph, and his siblings: Raymond Willenborg (KIA), Robert Willenborg, Richard Willenborg, Ruth Kerby, Bernice Pegg Francis, and Paul Willenborg. All services will be private. Arrangements by Brinsfield Funeral Home.
Joseph Harvey Edelen, age 67, of Newburg, Maryland transitioned into eternal paradise on July 14, 2017 at the University of Maryland Charles Regional Medical Center in La Plata, Maryland.



Edelen was affectionately known as Dad, "Pa-pa," and Joe. At a young age, Harvey became a devout member of Holy Ghost Catholic Church in Issue, Maryland. Harvey attended Bel Alton High School, graduating in 1969. He initially planned to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corp. At the time, though he was ready and qualified, he was denied for being the youngest male sibling in his family. Instead, he began working at the Pepco Power Plant where he would retire after 36 years of employment. He was ambitious enough to start his own business, Edelen Marine Construction Inc., 11 years into his Pepco stint. He then went on to work for himself and Pepco, in tandem, for over 25 years.



Harvey, Joe, had a genuinely positive personality. His spirit inspired and touched all those he met, many viewing him as a mentor. He could get a room full of strangers to know exactly who he was in under five minutes, his smile and laugh was infectious. A conversationalist, he loved to talk even if he didn't always listen. A selfless man, this flaw was easily forgiven for Harvey would satiate the needs of others before his own, often exceeding expectations to make sure his loved ones were happy. A one-of-a-kind family member, many friends of his and his kids became adopted family members. He was an exemplary example of community support.



Joseph Harvey Edelen was born on May 22, 1950 in Rock Point, Maryland to the late Claude and Leola Edelen. In 1964 Harvey met the love of his life, Ruth T. Swann, whom he married in 1970. In addition to his loving wife Ruth, his loving presence will also be cherished and celebrated by his children, Chris, Michelle (David), Nicole (Russell) and Raheem; his grandchildren, Alexsea, Zakaira, and David III; his siblings, Charles, Liz, James, Inez, Roscoe (Darlene), Joanne (Larue), Laura Jean, and Cynthia (Samuel); his sibling-in-laws, Peggy (Nathan) and Shirley Swann; his godchildren, Tony Tolson, Gregory Woodland, Terrence Bushrod, Na'Zyia & Za'Nyia Hicks. In addition to those listed above, many great nieces and nephews, friends and community members will cherish his memory as well. Arrangements by Raymond Funeral Service.



My Angel up in Heaven, I wanted you to know

I feel you watching over me, everywhere I go

I wish you were with me, but that can never be,

memories of you in my heart, that only I can see



My Angel up in Heaven, I hope you understand,

that I would give anything, if I could hold your hand

I'd hold you oh so tight, and never let you go, and all the love inside of me

To you I would show.



My Angel up in Heaven, honey, for now we are apart, you'll always live inside of me, deep within my heart.




(EDGE) The Latino Commission on AIDS and the Hispanic Health Network release a national report "Illuminating the Needs of the Forgotten "Olvidados: A National Health Assessment of Hispanic/Latinos Growing Older with HIV."

The impetus for this assessment was our concern that current research does not adequately address the needs of the aging Hispanic/Latino population that is living with HIV. Since Hispanics/Latinos generally encounter many obstacles in accessing health care, it is important to understand whether these barriers remain consistent through the life course or whether they aggravate among this more ignored and vulnerable subgroup.

There is a pressing need to examine the health care of a population that is too often forgotten -- "Olvidados" This report, the first of its kind, describes the results of a national community needs assessment for primarily Spanish speaking Hispanics/Latinos, aged 50 and older, who are living with HIV. In a yearlong project, the Commission visited cities with high rates of HIV including Houston, and San Antonio, Texas; Fajardo, Camuy, and San Juan, in Puerto Rico; New York City, New York; Los Angeles, California, and Miami, Florida.

"It is urgent to understand the needs of people growing older and living with HIV. We must be the voice of the voiceless to ensure we meet their prevention, care and social needs free of stigma and discrimination at every level", said Guillermo Chacon, President of the Latino Commission on AIDS and founder of the Hispanic Health Network.

"It is important to study the structural and social determinants of HIV/AIDS disease among older Latinos and to develop effective responses. Special attention must be dedicated to understanding the unique realities of both U.S.-born and foreign-born Hispanic populations in our nation," added Dr. David Garcia, Director of Research and Evaluation and Principal Investigator for the Latino Commission.

See the infographics below for some of the report's findings:
(WB) A Washington State florist who refused to service a gay couples wedding for religious reasons is calling on the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse state court rulings that she violated the states LGBT non-discrimination law.

Barronelle Stutzman, the sole owner of Arlenes Flowers in Richland, Wash., filed the petition for certiorari on Friday before the U.S. Supreme Court asserting the rulings against her violate her freedom of speech and religion.

Stutzman, who denied floral arrangements in 2013 for the same-sex wedding of Rob Ingersoll and his spouse Curt Freed, said in a statement her refusal to serve their wedding had nothing to do with them being gay.

Rob Ingersoll and I have been friends since very nearly the first time he walked into my shop all those years ago, said Stutzman. There was never an issue with his being gay, just as there hasnt been with any of my other customers or employees. He just enjoyed my custom floral designs, and I loved creating them for him. But now the state is trying to use this case to force me to create artistic expression that violates my deepest beliefs and take away my lifes work and savings, which will also harm those who I employ. Im not asking for anything that our Constitution hasnt promised me and every other American: the right to create freely, and to live out my faith without fear of government punishment or interference.

In February, the Washington Supreme Court decision upheld the ruling against Stutzman by the Benton County Superior Court, which found she violated the Washington Law Against Discrimination and fined her $1,000. The American Civil Liberties Union and Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson led the charges against her resulting in the penalty.

The 54-page petition for certiorari presents two questions before the U.S. Supreme Court: 1) Whether the creation and sale of floral arrangements for weddings is artistic expression, and if so, whether compelling that creation violates the Free Speech Clause; and 2) Whether the compelled creation and sale of floral arrangements for weddings and attendance of that wedding against ones religious beliefs violates the Free Exercise Clause.

The petition argues Stutzman didnt refuse service based on discriminatory reasons because she had previously provided service to Ingersoll for purposes other than weddings and because she has employed LGBT people at her floral shop.

Contrary to Respondents claims, Barronelle does not engage in sexual orientation discrimination. Barronelle hires LGBT employees and serves LGBT clients on a regular basisand she had a warm and friendly relationship with Robert for over nine years, designing dozens of arrangements for him and Curt, the petition says. But part of Barronelles wedding business involves attending and facilitating the ceremony itself and Barronelle simply could not reconcile her faith with celebrating and participating in a same-sex wedding.

Representing Stutzman in the case is Alliance Defending Freedom, an anti-LGBT legal firm recently designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

If the government can ruin Barronelle for peacefully living and working according to her faith, it can punish anyone else for expressing their beliefs, Alliance Defending Freedom senior counsel Kristen Waggoner said in a statement. The government shouldnt have the power to force a 72-year-old grandmother to surrender her freedom in order to run her family business. Anyone who supports the First Amendment rights that the U.S. Constitution guarantees to all of us should stand with Barronelle.

On the same day Alliance Defending Freedom filed the petition before the Supreme Court, it published a video titled The Barronelle Stutzman Story, which depicts her as a sympathetic figure for facing penalties after refusing service to gay couples for religious reasons.A Washington State florist who refused to service a gay couples wedding for religious reasons is calling on the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse state court rulings that she violated the states LGBT non-discrimination law.

Barronelle Stutzman, the sole owner of Arlenes Flowers in Richland, Wash., filed the petition for certiorari on Friday before the U.S. Supreme Court asserting the rulings against her violate her freedom of speech and religion.

Stutzman, who denied floral arrangements in 2013 for the same-sex wedding of Rob Ingersoll and his spouse Curt Freed, said in a statement her refusal to serve their wedding had nothing to do with them being gay.

Rob Ingersoll and I have been friends since very nearly the first time he walked into my shop all those years ago, said Stutzman. There was never an issue with his being gay, just as there hasnt been with any of my other customers or employees. He just enjoyed my custom floral designs, and I loved creating them for him. But now the state is trying to use this case to force me to create artistic expression that violates my deepest beliefs and take away my lifes work and savings, which will also harm those who I employ. Im not asking for anything that our Constitution hasnt promised me and every other American: the right to create freely, and to live out my faith without fear of government punishment or interference.

In February, the Washington Supreme Court decision upheld the ruling against Stutzman by the Benton County Superior Court, which found she violated the Washington Law Against Discrimination and fined her $1,000. The American Civil Liberties Union and Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson led the charges against her resulting in the penalty.

The 54-page petition for certiorari presents two questions before the U.S. Supreme Court: 1) Whether the creation and sale of floral arrangements for weddings is artistic expression, and if so, whether compelling that creation violates the Free Speech Clause; and 2) Whether the compelled creation and sale of floral arrangements for weddings and attendance of that wedding against ones religious beliefs violates the Free Exercise Clause. The petition argues Stutzman didnt refuse service based on discriminatory reasons because she had previously provided service to Ingersoll for purposes other than weddings and because she has employed LGBT people at her floral shop.

Contrary to Respondents claims, Barronelle does not engage in sexual orientation discrimination. Barronelle hires LGBT employees and serves LGBT clients on a regular basisand she had a warm and friendly relationship with Robert for over nine years, designing dozens of arrangements for him and Curt, the petition says. But part of Barronelles wedding business involves attending and facilitating the ceremony itself and Barronelle simply could not reconcile her faith with celebrating and participating in a same-sex wedding.

Representing Stutzman in the case is Alliance Defending Freedom, an anti-LGBT legal firm recently designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

If the government can ruin Barronelle for peacefully living and working according to her faith, it can punish anyone else for expressing their beliefs, Alliance Defending Freedom senior counsel Kristen Waggoner said in a statement. The government shouldnt have the power to force a 72-year-old grandmother to surrender her freedom in order to run her family business. Anyone who supports the First Amendment rights that the U.S. Constitution guarantees to all of us should stand with Barronelle.

On the same day Alliance Defending Freedom filed the petition before the Supreme Court, it published a video titled The Barronelle Stutzman Story, which depicts her as a sympathetic figure for facing penalties after refusing service to gay couples for religious reasons.

It remains to be seen whether the Supreme Court will agree to review the case, although thats unlikely to happen while justices are in recess during the summer. It takes a vote of four justices to agree to grant a writ of certiorari  or agree to take up a case.

If justices agree to review the decision against Stutzman, they would heard the case at the same time theyre considering a lawsuit filed by Masterpiece Cakeshop in Colorado, which is asserting a right to deny services to same-sex couples based on religious objections. Alliance Defending Freedom is the counsel to the plaintiffs in both cases.

The petition itself asks the Supreme Court to consider both cases simultaneously, or at least hold the Arlenes Flowers petition until a decision is handed down in the Masterpiece Cakeshop case.

Reviewing the two cases together would aid this Court in deciding the important First Amendment questions presented, the petition says. The record in this case is particularly well developed and comprehensive, including numerous depositions and declarations, as well as expert testimony. Such exhaustive evidence will facilitate the Courts independent examination of the record as a whole to determine whether artistic expression, like Barronelles custom floral designs, are protected speech.'

 Chris Johnson, Washington Blade courtesy of the National LGBTQ Media Association.
Le Collectif Cheikh Yassine a organise un certain nombre dactivites et de festivites pour les enfants de Gaza sous le theme  La joie des enfants de Gaza pour lAid . Ces activites ont commence le premier jour de lAid et continue jusquau 4eme jour de lAid dans la bande de Gaza.



Plusieurs activites, ont ete organisees parmi lesquelles : des competitions recompensees par des prix, des jeux, des animations et des chants presentes par un groupe ainsi que des distributions de cadeaux et daides financieres.




NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 13 July 2017. NASA

Expedition 52 worked throughout Thursday installing new science gear to improve the research capabilities of the International Space Station. A cargo craft is also being loaded with trash and obsolete gear for disposal next week.

New network connections were installed on the main window of the Destiny lab module today. Flight Engineer Jack Fischer installed new equipment in the Window Observational Research Facility, or WORF, which hosts a variety of Earth sensing payloads to study the planet through a large window on the bottom of the Destiny Laboratory.

Peggy Whitson of NASA installed a carbon dioxide controller inside an incubator. The incubator is part of the Space Automated Bioproduct Lab (SABL) located in Destiny. SABL enables space research that provides insights benefiting pharmaceutical, biotechnology and agricultural industries.

Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin is getting the Russian Progress 66 (66P) cargo craft ready to take out the trash next week. The 66P will undock July 20 from the Pirs docking compartment packed with old and discarded items and burn up harmlessly over the Pacific Ocean.

On-Orbit Status Report

Window Observational Research Facility (WORF): The crew installed the WORF Improved Payload Ethernet Hub Gateway (iPEHG) and WORF Shutter Actuator System (SAS) in the WORF Rack. This hardware will allow ground commanded control of the US Lab Window Shutter in support of payload operations and the new iPEHG design corrects performance limitations experienced by the older PEHG. The WORF provides a facility for Earth science remote sensing instruments. It uses the US Laboratory science window that has the highest quality optics ever flown on a human-occupied spacecraft.

Space Automated Bioproduct Lab (SABL): The crew installed a controller for the SABL CO2 Incubator. The SABL supports a wide variety of experiments in the life, physical and material sciences with a focus on supporting research of biological systems and processes. It has a temperature controlled volume with LED lighting for scientific hardware and experiments. It can be fitted to provide 5% CO2 for cell cultures.

NeuroMapping: A USOS crewmember set up the Neuromapping hardware and performed tests in strapped in and free floating body configurations. During the test, the crewmember executed three Behavioral Assessments: mental rotation, sensorimotor adaptation, and motor-cognitive dual tasking. The NeuroMapping investigation studies whether long-duration spaceflight causes changes to brain structure and function, motor control, or multi-tasking abilities. It also measures how long it would take for the brain and body to recover from possible changes. Previous research and anecdotal evidence from astronauts suggests movement control and cognition can be affected in microgravity. The NeuroMapping investigation performs structural and functional magnetic resonance brain imaging (MRI and fMRI) to assess any changes that occur after spending months on the ISS.

High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) Filter Inspections: The crew audited the HEPA filters on June 16 and found that 8 of the 10 filters did not have required packaging. Engineering requested that the crew inspect the filters for seal debonding, seal deformation, and/or cuts/gouges that extend through the depth of the sealing surface and to verify that the cap is properly affixed to the housing. These filters were inspected by the crew today and Foreign Object Debris (FOD) was identified on the seals of some of the filters. Cleaning of the affected filters will be scheduled followed by wrapping of the filters in approved packaging for storage.

Todays Planned Activities

All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.

Reminder 1 Fluid Shifts Baseline Imaging Measures

Combustion Integrated Rack Alignment Guide Install

Long Duration Sorbent Testbed Status Check.

Countermeasures System (CMS) Heart Rate Monitor (HRM) iPad Downlink

Meteor Partial Removal

JEMRMS Backup Drive System (BDS) Reconfiguration

WORF PEHG Shutter Actuator System Installation

Removal of 2 Navigation Modules from Progress 436 [AO]

ROBoT Software Startup

Environmental Health System (EHS) Acoustic Dosimeters  Data Transfer and Stow

JEMRMS Backup Controller (BUC) Power On for BDS C/O

Download Pille Dosimeter Readings

Progress 435 (DC1) Stowage and IMS Ops

JEMRMS Backup Drive System (BDS) Checkout 2

Fluid Shifts CCFP Baseline Setup

JEMRMS Back Up Controller (BUC) Power Off for BDS C/O

JEMRMS Backup Drive System (BDS) Checkout cleanup

Replacement of 800? unit from position ?105, ????-2 installation, Preparation (locating devices, documentation review)

WORF Shutter Actuator System Installation Assist

Fluid Shifts Hardware Battery Installation

Measuring CO partial pressure at Central Post using CSA-CP analyzer Midday Meal

WORF PEHG Shutter Actuator System Installation

EXPRESS Rack 4 Locker Removal

TangoLab Hardware Move

Space Automated Bioproduct Lab, CO2 Incubator Installation

Cleaning FGB Gas-Liquid Heat Exchanger (???) Detachable Screens 1, 2, 3

In-flight Maintenance (IFM) Bacteria Filter Inspection

Meteor Partial Installation

Water Recovery System Waste Water Tank Drain Init

Multi-purpose Small Payload Rack (MSPR) Video compression and Recording Unit (VRU) Activation

Water Recovery System Waste Water Tank Drain Termination

WORF Window Shutter Actuator System Calibration

Completed Task List Items

NeuroMapping Experiment Neurocognitive Test

Ground Activities

All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.

WORF PEHG Shutter Actuator System Installation Support

Three-Day Look Ahead:

Friday, 07/14: Fluid Shifts, JEM Small Satellite Orbital Deplorer (SSOD) Removal, Optical Coherence Tomography

Saturday, 07/15: Housecleaning, Crew Off-Day.

Sunday, 07/16: Crew Off-Day.

QUICK ISS Status  Environmental Control Group:

Component  Status

Elektron  Off

Vozdukh  Manual

[???] 1  SM Air Conditioner System (SKV1)  On

[???] 2  SM Air Conditioner System (SKV2)  Off

Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Lab  Standby

Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3  Operate

Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab  Idle

Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3  Operate

Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA)  Standby

Urine Processing Assembly (UPA)  Standby

Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab  Full up

Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3  Off
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A pair of $19,500 Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots events for two-year-old trotting fillies took centre stage on Sunday evening (July 16) at Georgian Downs, with Yokomotion ($6.40) and Stonebridge Rhyme ($10.20) both seizing command early and holding their ground in their respective divisions.

The first Grassroots event (race seven) saw Yokomotion and Stephen Byron outsprint a pair of inside leavers through the first eighth of the mile and draw clear at once to gain control of the terms. Yokomotion threw down fractions of :28.3, :58.4, and 1:29.3 before facing a mild bid from pocket rival Bonnie Breeze (Jonathan Drury) with three-sixteenths to go. The daughter of Justice Hall and Yoko Hanover responded to that challenge upon cornering for home, ultimately gaining 2-1/2 lengths of separation in deep stretch with plenty in reserve at the end of her 2:00.3 triumph. Bonnie Breeze protected second, while Gradabra (Matthew Bax) mounted a mild bid to take third.

Yokomotion made an early break in the July 6 Grassroots season opener at Mohawk Racetrack and had to settle for fifth, but Byron said she was solid, if a little aggressive, in her second lifetime start.

Last week she hit the bike, and this week they put a different bike on her, but in saying that, she was still a little excitable. She remembered it, Byron noted. She was a little keener than I would want, but she did race great.

Campbellville resident Bax shares ownership of Yokomotion with Goin To The Show Stable and Kenneth Andrews of Peterborough and Happy Trails Stables of London, ON. The partners acquired the daughter of Justice Hall and Yoko Hanover for $22,000 at last falls Canadian Yearling Sale, and she returned $9,750 with Sundays victory.

She did that pretty easy, said Byron. Shes a big, strong, fast mare, so hopefully she keeps doing it.

While Yokomotion had a relatively easy time in her Grassroots event, Stonebridge Rhyme handled no fewer than three direct challenges en route to a 2:02.1 victory in the second division (race nine). The daughter of Kadabra and Stonebridge Ballad protected inside position in a :29.3 duel with Christmas Candy (Phil Hudon) before yielding to the pocket and retaking with a circuit to go. After pulling the half back to 1:00.1, Stonebridge Rhyme braced for the first-over bid of Dalliance Seelster (Stephen Byron), seeing her lead shrink to half a length through three-quarters in 1:31.4. Ultimately, Stonebridge Rhyme proved up to the task, parrying Dalliance Seelster and keeping a second move from Christmas Candywho found room to angle out in upper stretcha length at bay. Kant Afford It (Bob McClure) angled three-wide off stalled cover at head-stretch to save third.

Rob Fellows trains Stonebridge Rhyme, also a second-out winner, for owner Arpad Szabo. Fellows said the daughter of Kadabra and Stonebridge Ballad has been a pleasure to train and chalked up a break in the July 6 Grassroots opener at Mohawk Racetrack to inexperience. The filly quickly resumed trotting and finished fourth, so her connections were hopeful she would rebound with a positive effort Sunday.

When she qualified the first time, she kind of threw her head a little bit going into the first turn, but kept trotting. But her first race, when they were cutting over in front of her, just being green, she just tossed her head and went off stride, explained the Rockwood, ON resident. She was better this week so hopefully she can keep going.

You always worry about them getting a little aggressive and that kind of stuff, especially trotting fillies. You have to worry about every step they take, he added.

The third Grassroots event for two-year-old trotting fillies goes postward July 30 on Clinton Raceways Legends Day program, and Fellows hopes Szabo has another opportunity to gather his family in the winners circle before the end of the campaign.

This is a nice little filly. I dont know if she has any total package speed to be a 1:54 trotter or anything like that as an aged horse, but right now, in this stage, shes had two starts, and shes stayed trotting in one of them and shes won it, so Im happy, said Fellows. If I keep her in the Grassroots and manage her properly, she might develop.

In the sub-featured $11,000 Preferred 2 pacing event (race eight), Rockin Finish ($11.00) sustained a first-over push into a stout pace and edged away in upper stretch for a 1:50.4 score. The Mohawk invader pressed a hot pace at the pegs before yielding to both Totally Kissed (Scott Young) and Make Some Luck (Drury), who worked clear after a :26.4 first quarter. After perching close to the pace, Bob McClure angled Rockin Finish first-over with nine-sixteenths to go, advancing at once into a :55 half and gaining level pegging with Make Some Luck upon reaching the backstretch.

Rockin Finish forced a :27.3 third split before edging to a narrow lead midway on the far turn, and the eight-year-old Rocknroll Hanover gelding edged away in upper stretch after dueling down Make Some Luck. Rockin Finish, while driven out, prevailed by 1-3/4 lengths over Champagne Phil (Sylvain Filion), who stalked the mid-race battle from second-over and reached second spot a sixteenth from home. P L Jackson (Travis Cullen) emerged belatedly from off the pace to finish third, while Totally Kissed shook free from the pocket to save fourth.

Richard Moreau trains Rockin Finishnow a 39-time winnerfor owner Gerrie Tucker. The driving win was one of five on the nine-race card for McClure.

To view the harness racing results for Sunday at Georgian Downs, click the following link: Sunday Results  Georgian Downs.

(with files from OSS)
Monday night (July 17) at Northfield Park kicks off three days of Ohio Sires Stakes action featuring two-year-olds in round two of the four-leg series for Buckeye-bred youngsters. Each division carries a purse of $40,000.

Five divisions of freshman filly pacers will line up behind the Northfield starting gate Monday evening, with a first race post of 6:00 p.m. Eastern time.

Tuesday, the action shifts to Scioto Downs as four fields of rookie trotting colts battle in a special matinee program, beginning at 2:00 p.m.

On Wednesday, neophyte trotting distaffs battle in a quartet of OSS divisions over the Scioto limestone, with a 6:30 p.m. first race post time.

At Northfield on Monday, a total of 42 fillies will vie, representing sires Pet Rock (8); Big Bad John, Dragon Again and McArdle (5 each); The Panderosa (4); and Art Official (3). The stallions Im Gorgeous, Shark Gesture, and Woodstock each have two fillies competing; while Allamerican Native, Believeinbrusier, Manhardt, World Of Rocknroll, and Yankee Cruiser each have one distaff going postward in an OSS contest.

First-leg winners Lucille Amarone, owned by Ryan and Nichole Stahl, and John Poppes JP Silver slug it out in the first OSS division (Race one).

Prsntpretynperfect, owned by Jennifer Brown; Alan Keiths Kay Again; the Tye Loy-trained Big Bad Goldie; and the Jim Dailey-conditioned Bad Girls Ruleall first-leg winnersbattle in the third division (race five).

Shakewhatmamagaveu, who was second by a head in 1:55.1 to Big Bad Goldie in leg one, starts form the rail for driver Peter Wrenn in the fourth division (race seven).

A total of 38 trotting colts will battle at Scioto Downs on Tuesday afternoon in four OSS divisions. Leg one winners Countthebenjamins, a Dejarmbro colt trained by Steve Carter; Sultan Of Cash, a Cash Hall gelding trained and owned by Roger Hughes, Jr.; and Herb LeVans Manny L all square off in the second division (race three).

Jeff Johnson and Doug Millards Icingon De Cupcake, a first leg winner in 2:00.4, starts from post nine in division three (Race 5), as does Get The Cash, a son of Cash Hall conditioned by Kelly ODonnell and driven by Dave Palone in the fourth division (race seven). Get The Cash won his first leg in a speedy 1:57.3 for these same connections.

Ohio Stallions represented Tuesday afternoon by these trotting colts include Dejarmbro with eight of his progeny set to compete; Cash Hall (7); and Triumphant Caviar and Manofmanymissions with five each. Break the Bank K has four youngsters going postward in OSS tests, while Dontyouforgetit, My MVP, and Winning Fireworks each have two young trotters in the fray. And Away We Go, Full Count, and Stormin Normand each have one youngster competing.

Wednesday evening at Scioto Downs, 35 rookie trotting fillies wage war in a quartet of OSS divisions. The Ohio stallion Manofmanymissions is represented by seven of his progeny in these events, while My MVP is represented by five distaffs. Break The Bank K, Dejarmbro and Stormin Normand each have four young fillies competing, while Cash Hall, Dontyouforgetit, and Winning Fireworks have two each. Stallions with one young female trotter going postward are Amigo Hall, Big Rigs, Full Count, Trainforthefuture and Triumphant Caviar.

In the first division (race one), Joyce McClellands This Years Best will try for her second straight lifetime win after capturing her Leg One OSS at Northfield Park in 2:01.2. Trying to stop her will be Wilbur Lang and Chris Beavers Sesame, a 1:59 winner in her first OSS leg test.

Looking For Zelda, a Break The Bank K lass owned and bred by Robert Key, won her first OSS leg in 1:59.1 in a wire-to-wire effort from the rail, but gets the seven-hole in OSS division two (race two) Wednesday night.

Alanas Ways also gets the seven-slot in Wednesdays third OSS division (race three) after winning her first OSS leg with a perfect trip via driver Josh Sutton. The Dejarmbro lass covered the one-mile test in 1:58.3.

The Parent Racing Stables To Russia won her OSS first leg from post seven in 1:58.2 and now has been saddled with the eight-hole in this second leg, fourth division (race five). The Manofmanymissions daughter is conditioned by Scott Cox.

(Ohio Sires Stakes)
Some nifty steering by the tracks leading driver, George Napolitano, Jr., put Ginger Tree Cash in position to take a three-quarter length victory over Geez Joe in an $18,000 pacing feature Sunday night (July 16) at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.

Napolitano got away third with the altered son of Yankee Cruiser, sitting behind Voracitys posting of big first half numbers  :26.1 and :54. When pocket sitter OK Icon gave way down the backstretch, Napolitano guided his horse into the two-hole, quickly made up ground on Voracity past the three-quarter pole in 1:21.2 and passed him by the stretch call, then held off the late burst of Geez Joe, who had tailed him throughout, in 1:49.3, a new personal record. Ginger Tree Cash is trained by frequent Pennsylvania-Ohio commuter Mike Dowdall for owner Keith Pippi.

In the $18,000 trotting co-feature, Honor And Serve showed he seems to be approaching fine form as he made the lead past the quarter, then came home in :56.2 to be a three-length winner in 1:53.2 with driver Jim Marohn, Jr. The son of Donato Hanover had won almost $290,000 by the end of his three-year-old season, but he has been lightly raced the last two campaigns, and this was his first win of 2017  but off his strong performance for trainer Ake Svanstedt and owners Howard and Judith Taylor and the Order By Stable, it is likely there will be more victories in the near future.

Two-year-old trotting fillies will be in full effect in Pennsylvania stakes action the next two nights at Pocono: Monday (July 17) brings seven divisions of the Stallion Series, while five divisions of the Sire Stakes will close out the week at The Downs Tuesday (July 18).

(PHHA/Pocono)
Where C.S. Lewis Meets CSI: Dr. Barbara Golder 'Lady Doc Lawyer' Combines Medicine, Law, and Bioethics Expertise with Catholic Teaching to Address Issues of the Day, Including Charlie Gard

Contact: Dr. Barbara Golder, M.D., J.D., 423-320-1739, ladydoclawyer@gmail.com CHATTANOOGA, Tenn., July 17, 2017 / Standard Newswire / -- If you like the popular television series 'CSI: Crime Scene Investigation' and C.S. Lewis, then you'll enjoy the works of Dr. Barbara Golder. As a physician, medical examiner, attorney, and bioethicist in the secular world for over 40 years, Barbara Golder is combining her Catholic faith with her front-line experiences, as she now focuses on speaking and writing from a Catholic perspective.Golder served for four years on the USCCB's National Advisory Committee and earned a National Catholic Certification in Healthcare Ethics from the National Catholic Bioethics Center. Her experience with forensic investigation and law helped lead her to creating gripping and believable mysteries with characters that are simply living their Catholic faith as life unfolds. Her highly acclaimed series, 'The Lady Doc Murders,' has received rave reviews . "It is rare indeed to find an author who not only tells a good story but writes with real literary flair. Barbara Golder is such an author. We find the plot twists and twisted characters that one would expect in a good murder mystery, but also the fine character development and deep insight into the human condition which separates the truly great mysteries from the run of the mill," says Joseph Pearce, Author of 'The Quest for Shakespeare.'"I use storytelling to introduce some important ideas about God and faith in a way that isn't quite so threatening to people who are not of faith," says Golder, who just released her second book in this series, 'Dying for Compassion,' published by Full Quiver Press, following 'Dying for Revenge,' which released last year.As a Jewish convert and former Episcopalian and Methodist, Golder has appeared on EWTN's 'The Journey Home' with Marcus Grodi, 'EWTN Bookmark' with Doug Keck. Golder blogs at 'Catholic365.com' 'LadyDocLawyer.com' , and is a new weekly writer for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles' 'Angelus News,' where she addressed the Charlie Gard case from a Catholic perspective.Golder is the Director of Adult Faith Formation and Evangelization at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga, TN and is the keynote speaker for this year's national Catholic Writers Guild Live Conference, taking place in Chicago from July 19th-21st.Dr. Barbara Golder is available for interviews. Listen here to her recent commentary about Charlie Gard on EWTN/Ave Maria Radio's 'Catholic Connection' with Teresa Tomeo.
The essential component of totalitarian propaganda is artifice (het toepassen van kunstgrepen. svh) . The ruling elites, like celebritie...
Play at the new site will be free and first come, first served through the...
By Daisy Handfield

FLIGHT operations to and from Salt Cay have been restricted due to the expiration of its aerodrome certificate.





This is according to terminal and marketing manager of TCI Airports Authority, Lavern Skippings.





A statement was issued by TCI Airports Authority, stating that it recognises the critical role that air transportation plays in bridging the community of Salt Cay with Providenciales and Grand Turk.





The statement added that the authority remains committed to the provision of safe facilities and services to the aviation community.





Premier Sharlene Cartwright Robinson said that the Government deeply regrets the serious inconvenience that the temporary suspension of flights into and out of Salt Cay have caused to the travelling public.





She said: "particularly the aged residents and the already challenged businesses.





"This is nothing short of a sad turn of events which unfortunately has worsened over the years due to poor or no maintenance and which has led us to a place where safety must be our number one concern for the travelling public.





The Premier went on to explain that she recently met with the CEOs of both the Airports Authority, John Smith, and the Civil Aviation Authority, Thomas Swann.





Also joining the meeting was the chairmen of the Airports Authority Board, EJ Saunders.

Cartwright Robinson said that she was informed of the safety concerns due to the dilapidated conditions of the islands runway.





The expired certificate issued by the regulator the Civil Aviation Authority could not be renewed, she added.





However, she concluded that efforts are underway to address the regulators concerns as a matter of urgency.
By Olivia Rose

UK ministers met representatives of the overseas territories this week to discuss the impact of Brexit following the triggering of Article 50 in March.





Governor John Freeman and Premier Sharlene Cartwright Robinson attended the second Joint Ministerial Council (JMC) meeting in London.





During the meeting attendees discussed the possible benefits for the overseas territories arising from Brexit as well as engagement with the UK government.





They also engaged in discussions on the potential impact Brexit could have on the territories political, economic, constitutional and cultural future relationship with the UK.





According to a TCI Government press release, UK Minister for Exiting the European Union Robin Walker and Foreign Office Minister Lord Ahmad engaged with guests at the meeting on Wednesday (July 12).





The EU Committee also held an evidence session on the implications of Brexit for the British overseas territories.





Attendees were updated on the UK governments ongoing preparations for EU negotiations and action taken since the inaugural Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council on European Negotiations in February.





Leaders and representatives discussed the areas of priority for their territories and ministers reaffirmed the UK government commitment to ensure the interests of the overseas territories are taken into account as the UK prepares to leave the EU.





Speaking after the meeting, Minister for Exiting the European Union Robin Walker noted that negotiations to leave the European Union are now underway.





He said: "We are working hard to deliver a deal that works for everyone including our friends in the overseas territories.





"We have engaged extensively with the overseas territories already and will continue to make sure their interests are taken into account as the UK leaves the EU.





Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon pointed out that the territories are integral to what defines Britain on the global stage and to Britains influence across the world.





"I look forward to continuing engagement with the territories on the key challenges they face as a result of Brexit and to work collaboratively on the great opportunities that lie ahead, he said.





Brexit an urgent concern for TCI

On June 23, 2016, the people of Britain voted for a British exit, or Brexit, from the European Union in a historic referendum.





The announcement prompted jubilant celebrations among Eurosceptics and sent shockwaves throughout the global economy.





Although it will take Britain at least two years to leave the EU, the shift has already changed the financial dynamics of the entire world.





It has since resulted in the slowing down of commerce in the UK and brought the British pound down to its lowest in history last year, not to mention the escalation of the volatility of the financial markets.





Premier Sharlene Cartwright Robinson in a press statement issued on April 12 said that the Turks and Caicos Islands and all other overseas territories will undoubtedly be affected by the decision.




By Delana Isles

JUDGE Robert Schuster has sentenced convicted burglars Paul Missick, 24, and Jamal Missick Thompson, 25, to five years in prison following the submission of a pre-sentencing report.





The sentencing, which was delayed due to the preparation of the report, was handed down on Wednesday (July 12) after both men were found guilty of burglary back in May by a seven-member jury.





The two men had in July 2016 invaded the hotel room of two tourists and robbed them of $40,000 in jewellery and cash while they slept.





Thompson Missick was represented by attorney-at-law Lara Maroof-Missick and Paul Missicks defence was handled by Guy Chapman.





The charges were laid against the two men shortly after the shocking robbery against a vacationing couple.





The crime was committed at the Ocean Club East resort in Providenciales, at about 1.58am.





One of the victims contacted 911 and reported that two men entered their hotel room and stole over $5,000 in cash, two Rolex watches, along with an engagement ring and IDs.





One of the victims Shameka Watson told the police that one of culprit was being restrained by her boyfriend, Tyshawn Corbett.





When officers arrived on the scene, the victims pointed to the man who was unsuccessful in getting away.





Just three days after, police officials announced that the second man, Jamal Missick, turned himself in to police authorities after a nationwide wanted poster was issued for his arrest.





The couple were on vacation and were just on the verge of getting engaged to be married.




By Olivia Rose

THE TURKS and Caicos Islands this week joined scores of fellow Commonwealth nations which are taking part in the 3,388-day long, time-honoured curtain-raiser of the Commonwealth Games Queens Baton Relay.





On Tuesday (July 11) the Queens Baton left Jamaica and officially arrived in the Turks and Caicos Islands. It is currently making its way around the territory.





Acting Governor Anya Williams and Acting Premier Sean Astwood received the Queens Baton at Providenciales International Airport.





Unlike its better-known cousin, the Olympic Torch Relay, the Queens Baton is the travelling torch of the Commonwealth Games and will visit 71 nations and territories before it finally ends its journey in host country Australia.





Once there, it will be opened and the Queens message will be read aloud at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games.





Former athletes, current athletes, sporting bodies, civic, church, community and country leaders will all participate in moving the Queens Baton around the TCI.





The baton has special features, including neon lights and a Global Positioning System (GPS).





Rita Gardiner, secretary general of the Commonwealth Games Committee in the TCI, at a press conference on June 12 told media that the baton will travel from South Caicos to Salt Cay then to Grand Turk through Providenciales, North to Middle Caicos, back to North Caicos and into Providenciales.





In that final stretch, it will be carried into the Bight Park by Tourism Minister Ralph Higgs and the entire Commonwealth Youth Games Team, which numbers 31 athletes.





At the Thursday night Fish Fry, residents will have the opportunity to take photos with the baton.





The Queens Baton Relay first came to the islands in 2006.





The nation was again designated to be part of the route in 2010 when TCI sprinter Ronald Parker held the baton.





A final farewell to the Queens Baton will take place at Providenciales International Airport where the baton will head to the next leg of the relay in the Bahamas.




By Daisy Handfield

DETAILS surrounding the death of a 24-year-old man on Tuesday (July 11) are limited, as police are yet to locate his next of kin.





The Kew Town resident passed away at the Cheshire Hall Medical Centre in Providenciales at about 2.31am.





Police say that detectives are treating his death as unexplained and that an autopsy will be conducted soon to determine the exact cause of death.





A 29-year-old man named Richard Gail, also known as Richboi, is wanted for questioning on the matter.





Commissioner of Police James Smith expressed condolences to the family of the deceased man on behalf of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force.





He said: "We assure you that a thorough probe is being conducted in this case by our detectives and we will do everything possible to find the person or persons responsible for this to bring them to justice.





"At this time, we are unable to release the name of the victim because we have not been able to locate his next of kin.





Anyone with information relating to the death of the man or who may know the whereabouts of Richard Gail can contact the police on 338- 5901 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 1-800- 8477.




When an employee assaults a co-worker, usually the motive is easy to deduce, but it gets a bit trickier when the suspect doesnt speak English and the police dont have a translator.

Woodland police arrested Zuqi Chen, 69, of Longview Saturday on suspicion of second-degree assault. Chen reportedly attacked a co-worker with a blunt-force weapon  Woodland police declined to release that information, for now  in the Pacific Seafood breakroom.

Woodland Police Officer Terry Casey said the agency cant figure out a motive, mainly because Chen only speaks Chinese, possibly a Cantonese dialect and the office doesnt have an interpreter.

Further complicating the issue, the victim, a 46-year-old male, told Woodland police he had no idea why Chen would attack him, according to Casey. The two employees work in the same building but on different production lines, so they would have little interaction during the work day.

We were really baffled as to what the motive was, Casey said. It just seems like its random and unprovoked. Im not sure what the beef was.

The victim required four staples in his head as a result of the assault, Casey said.

Police are still investigating the case as of Monday.The Daily News, Longview, Wash.
IANS

Britain's Ministry of Defence has expressed its concern at the publication of the photographs that show the country's elite special forces in training missions. It will soon launch a probe into the matter, a media report said.

"We are aware of an incident involving soldiers sharing images online. We expect the highest standards of behaviour from our personnel at all times, whether on or off duty," the Telegraph on Sunday quoted a ministry spokesman as saying.

"If any action by service personnel are deemed to breach values and standards, they are treated very seriously and there are a number of sanctions available to the chain of command up to or including discharge," the spokesman added.

According to the strict lifetime confidentiality agreements, members of the Special Air Service (SAS) and Special Boat Service (SBS) cannot disclose the operational details of a mission and the images - with soldiers' faces blacked out - are understood to be in a breach of the rules.

The Facebook page where the photos were posted read: "This is a page dedicated to one of the finest special forces in the world - The SAS or Special Air Service. These highly trained elite warriors have been around since world war two... hope you like the page."

Although it was unclear where the photographs were taken, it is believed that the photos - that appear to show members of the SAS and SBS - were snapped in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In several photographs, troops were seen working with military dogs trained for carrying cameras, sniffing out explosives, among others, the report said.

The photographs also show the troops wearing new style of combat gear and carrying Colt Commando assault rifles.

The most recent photos were posted in June and have received hundreds of 'likes'.
tech2 News Staff

Consumers of the 2017 Microsoft Surface Pro are complaining of a screen bleed issue at the bottom of the screen. Using the CTRL+Alt+Delete shortcut is one of the ways to check for the issue, as it is most noticeable against the plain blue background. The backlight on the device is leaking over to the main screen, leading to more than a hundred complaints on the Microsoft Support forums, according to a report in ONMSFT.

Considering the premium pricing of the device, the expectations of build quality are at par with the MacBook line of devices from Apple. The issue has been reported over a month ago by some users, but Microsoft has not commented on the issue. The backlight bleeding into the screen could distort the colours and make the elements towards the bottom of the screen appear lighter. However, the bleeding is somewhat hidden by the taskbar at the bottom of the screen.

Some users have reported similar problems on older Microsoft Surface devices as well. The device was first introduced in May, at a small event in Shanghai. The Surface Pro has been priced at $799 (approximately Rs 52,000) with the fully packed variant going to $2,500 (roughly Rs 1,63,000). The device is not yet available in the Indian market.
tech2 News Staff

Chinese smartphone maker Meizu is expected to unveil its Meizu Pro 7 and Pro 7 Plus on 26 July. The confirmation about the event comes from an official invite which was received and then reported by GizmoChina.

According to the website the second screen on the phone is placed below the dual camera setup on the back side of the devices. The same second screen will reportedly help users take selfies with the rear primary camera and even let them play games on the small screen.

The Meizu Pro 7 is expected to feature a MediaTek Helio X30 chipset, while the Meizu Pro 7 Plus is expected to pack Samsung's Exynos 8895 processor, which is currently only available on Samsung's flagship Galaxy S8 and S8+ smartphones. However, a recent tweet by @mmdjchina claims that none of the new Meizu smartphones are expected to come with the Samsung-made Exynos 8895 chipset.

An earlier report by GizmoChina leaked out a live image of both the smartphones. The website mentions that the Meizu Pro 7 plus will be slightly bigger than the Meizu Pro 7 and is expected to come with Samsung's Exynos 8895 processor while the Meizu Pro 7 is expected to be launched with a MediaTeks Helio X30 chipset.

The standard version of Meizu Pro 7 is said to start at 3299 Yuan (Approx. Rs 31,339) while the high-end variant is expect to be launched at a price tag of 3799 Yuan (Approx. Rs 36,089).
tech2 News Staff

Mars will be getting close to the Sun as seen from Earth, an arrangement known as the Mars solar conjunction that happens roughly once in twenty six months. During this time, the corona of the Sun will interfere with communications from Earth, which is why NASA is not going to send any commands to its two Mars rovers and three Mars orbiters during the conjugation. NASA will try to avoid sending signals from 22 July to 1 August.

The precaution is being taken out of an abundance of caution, as the space agency does not want the rovers and orbiters to follow commands based on a corrupted communication. The data from Mars to Earth will continue streaming in during the period though. The data coming in is also expected to get corrupted, which is why the rovers and orbiters have been set up to retransmit the data after the conjugation. The telemetry data will allow NASA to continue to stay updated on the rovers and orbiters during the moratorium.

The rovers will not be moving during the period, but will continue to make observations and transmit the data. The teams handling the rovers are identifying an optimum location to park the rovers during the moratorium The orbiters and rovers will continue to carry out commands sent in advance. All of NASA's active missions on Mars have been through at least one solar conjugation before, and the teams are adequately prepared.
tech2 News Staff

The Nokia 8 will be the next flagship smartphone to be launched by HMD Global, the Nokia brand's current owners. According to a post on WinFuture the phone is expected to go on sale on 31 July. While previous reports expected the Nokia 9 to be launched in the second quarter of 2017, it now seems that the Nokia 8 would arrive first.

The website also mentioned that Nokia 8 will bear a model number TA-1004 and will be powered by Snapdragon 835 chipset. The device will pack in 4 GB RAM and is expected to come with 64 GB of internal storage. The Nokia 8 is said to come with a dual-SIM card slots in European markets but is expected to introduce a single SIM variant of the smartphone as well.

The price of Nokia 8 is expected to be 589 (approx Rs 43,415) in Europe. The device will come in four color variants: blue, Steel, gold/blue and gold/copper.

According to previous reports, the Nokia 8 was expected to arrive with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 chipset and the Nokia 9 with a Snapdragon 835 chipset. The previous report also mentioned about a Nokia 2 that would be launched with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 212 or a MediaTek processor and even Nokia 7 that would pack in a Snapdragon 630 chipset.

Nokia's recently launched smartphone the Nokia 6 is open for registrations for it's sale on online retail website Amazon India. The sale will start from 23 August. The phone is priced at Rs 14,999 and includes Rs 1000 cashback for the customers paying the amount through Amazon Pay balance. Amazon Prime members will get a discount of Rs 500 whereas the new Prime member subscriber will get Rs 1000 discount. The Amazon Prime membership costs Rs 500.
PTI

If you are planning to visit tourist's hot-spots and water bodies in Jabalpur district this Monsoon, you wont be able to click selfies, as the authorities have banned it. The decision has been taken to prevent accidents which usually happen in the Monsoon, an official said. District Collector Mahesh Chandra Chowdhary issued the order last week using the powers vested to the collector under Section 144 of Code of Criminal Procedure.

As per the order, there are different water bodies including Pariyat and Khandari dams and rivers -Narmada, Hiran, Pariyat and ponds at Adhartal, Hanumantal, Supatal, Gokulpur and Sangram Sagar lake in the district. The tourists including school and college students frequently visit these places during the Monsoon, it said.

There is growing possibility of accidents, particularly while clicking of selfies with cell-phones, as the water level in all these water bodies is on the rise during the Monsoon, reads the order. Hence, there would be ban on taking selfies at such places in order to ensure the public safety. Any violation of the order will invite action against the offenders under section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code, it stated.
tech2 News Staff

Rumours have continued to circulate about a new Xiaomi sub-brand apart from the Mi and Redmi series. One of the new phones under this brand is apparently going to be called the Xiaomi 5X and not X1 as it was earlier predicted by Gizbot.

The leak which had appeared in the previous week had only shown the pricing of the phone which is at 1,999 yuan (around Rs 19,000). This time a poster which originated in China has shed light on the name and specs of the phone. The poster stated that the phone will be called as 5X and would be coming with a 5.5-inch display that will probably support full HD resolution. The Snapdragon 625 chipset will be powering the phone along with 4GB of RAM.

Xiaomi has roped in popular Chinese celebrity, Kris Wu for the promotion of the phone. Wu had earlier been the face of Huawei but it seems that their contract has now ended. The Xiaomi 5X is expected to feature a thin metallic body and it is expected to arrive in color choices of gold and black, like the one being held by Wu in the poster.

An earlier leak had indicated that the new flagship phone had a dual rear cameras coupled with a dual-tone dual-LED flash on its left. This leaked photo of the phone can be assumed to be the 5X as it seems similar in design to the one being held by Wu in the poster. The Chinese firm is known for launching smartphones in multiple storage variants. Hence, it is likely that this pricing could probably belong to the lowest configuration model of Xiaomi 5X. It may be also likely that Xiaomi will be looking to sell this phone through offline channels after observing the immense success of Vivo and Oppo through the same.
IANS

India's leading inter-disciplinary science journal, Current Science, has raised an alert over a predatory journal calling itself the publisher of Current Science. The fake journal is snaring unsuspecting researchers into submitting their research articles promising to publish them, it said. "We have learned that an entity that calls itself www.currentscience.org is operating from an IP address located in Turkey. It has copied content from the Current Science journal website and promotes itself as the publisher of Current Science," said an alert recently issued by Current Science.

The premier Indian journal is published every fortnight by the Current Science Association in collaboration with the Indian Academy of Sciences. The alert also draws attention to another IP address located in Ukraine. "Also, we found that www.currentscience.co.in is operating from an IP address located in Ukraine doing the same thing. This is a typical predatory journal behaviour and is a fraud."

The journal said that emails originating from currentsciencejournals@gmail.com are fraudulent. "These emails are from a fake website that could include a request to submit articles and promise to publish approximately two weeks after the submission." "If you receive such an email, forward the message to currsci@ias.ac.in and delete the message. We are taking steps to blacklist this predatory entity."

India is among the biggest contributors of fake or pseudo journals. A 2015 study in the journal BMC Medicine had pegged the country on top in the list of predatory publishers in the world with a contribution of 27.1 percent. In 2016, a study published in Current Science had pointed out the share of national institutes in the menace.

About 11 percent of papers in such bogus journals are ascribed to researchers from national institutes of India while private/government colleges contribute to about 51 percent of predatory publications, followed by private universities, state universities, for research articles published from September 2015 to mid-February 2016.
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The United Arab Emirates was not responsible for an alleged hack of Qatari websites which helped spark a month-long diplomatic rift with Doha, the UAE's minister of state for foreign affairs said on 17 July. Anwar Gargash denied as false a story in the Washington Post that cited US officials saying the UAE had orchestrated the hack of Qatar's state news agency.

"The Washington Post story today that we actually hacked the Qataris is also not true," he told the London-based think-tank Chatham House. Qatar's emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, was quoted in May as praising Gaza's ruling Hamas movement and calling Iran an "Islamic power".

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt imposed sanctions on Qatar on 5 June, cutting diplomatic and transport ties with the tiny Gulf monarchy, after accusing it of financing militant groups and allying with their regional arch-foe Iran. Doha denies the accusations. Gargash said the four Arab powers were in the process of discussing additional sanctions on Doha.

"There will be some tightening of the screws," he said in an interview on the sidelines of the event, declining to give a time frame on when new measure could be introduced. "We will see what are these screws, whether they are financial, whether they are other, but they completely within our (remit) as sovereign states." Yet the UAE would not escalate its boycott by asking companies to choose between doing business with it or with Qatar, he added.

Gargash, who also suggested international monitoring of Qatar was needed, added there were no plans for a meeting between the two sides under the auspices of Kuwait, a neutral Gulf Arab country seeking to mediate in the spat. "We are too early to speak about meetings, before we get a mediation with some traction," he said.

Reuters
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After months of delay, the Trump administration is finalizing plans to revamp the nation's military command for defensive and offensive cyber operations in hopes of intensifying America's ability to wage cyber war against the Islamic State group and other foes, according to US officials.

Under the plans, US Cyber Command would eventually be split off from the intelligence-focused National Security Agency. Details are still being worked out, but officials say they expect a decision and announcement in the coming weeks. The officials weren't authorized to speak publicly on the matter so requested anonymity.

The goal, they said, is to give US Cyber Command more autonomy, freeing it from any constraints that stem from working alongside the NSA, which is responsible for monitoring and collecting telephone, the internet and other intelligence data from around the world - a responsibility that can sometimes clash with military operations against enemy forces.

Making cyber an independent military command will put the fight in digital space on the same footing as more traditional realms of battle on land, in the air, at sea and in space. The move reflects the escalating threat of cyber attacks and intrusions from other nation states, terrorist groups and hackers, and comes as the US faces ever-widening fears about Russian hacking following Moscow's efforts to meddle in the 2016 American election.

The US has long operated quietly in cyberspace, using it to collect information, disrupt enemy networks and aid conventional military missions. But as other nations and foes expand their use of cyber spying and attacks, the US is determined to improve its ability to incorporate cyber operations into its everyday warfighting. Experts said the command will need time to find its footing.

"Right now I think it's inevitable, but it's on a very slow glide path," said Jim Lewis, a cybersecurity expert with the Center for Strategic and International Studies. But, he added, "A new entity is not going to be able to duplicate NSA's capabilities." The NSA, for examples, has 300 of the country's leading mathematicians "and a gigantic super computer," Lewis said. "Things like this are hard to duplicate."

He added, however, that over time, the US has increasingly used cyber as a tactical weapon, bolstering the argument for separating it from the NSA. The two highly secretive organizations, based at Fort Meade, Maryland, have been under the same four-star commander since Cyber Command's creation in 2009.

But the Defense Department has been agitating for a separation, perceiving the NSA and intelligence community as resistant to more aggressive cyber warfare, particularly after the Islamic State's transformation in recent years from an obscure insurgent force into an organization holding significant territory across Iraq and Syria and with a worldwide recruiting network.

While the military wanted to attack IS networks, intelligence objectives prioritized gathering information from them, according to US officials familiar with the debate. They weren't authorized to discuss internal deliberations publicly and requested anonymity. Then-Defense Secretary Ash Carter sent a plan to President Barack Obama last year to make Cyber Command an independent military headquarters and break it away from the NSA, believing that the agency's desire to collect intelligence was at times preventing the military from eliminating IS' ability to raise money, inspire attacks and command its widely dispersed network of fighters.

Carter, at the time, also pushed for the ouster of Adm. Mike Rogers, who still heads both bodies. The Pentagon, he warned, was losing the war in the cyber domain, focusing on cyber threats from nations such as Iran, Russia and China, rather than on countering the communications and propaganda campaigns of Internet-savvy insurgents. Officials also grew alarmed by the growing number of cyberattacks against the US government, including several serious, high-level Defense Department breaches that occurred under Rogers' watch.

"NSA is truly an intelligence-collection organisation," said Lauren Fish, a research associate with the Center for a New American Security. "It should be collecting information, writing reports on it. Cyber Command is meant to be an organisation that uses tools to have military operational effect." After President Donald Trump's inauguration, officials said Defense Secretary Jim Mattis endorsed much of the plan.But

But debate over details has dragged on for months. It's unclear how fast the Cyber Command will break off on its own. Some officials believe the new command isn't battle-ready, given its current reliance on the NSA's expertise, staff and equipment. That effort will require the department to continue to attract and retain cyber experts. Cyber Command was created in 2009 by the Obama administration to address threats of cyber espionage and other attacks.

It was set up as a sub-unit under US Strategic Command to coordinate the Pentagon's ability to conduct cyber warfare and to defend its own networks, including those that are used by combat forces in battle. Officials originally said the new cyber effort would likely involve hundreds, rather than thousands, of new employees. Since then, the command has grown to more than 700 military and civilian employees. The military services also have their own cyber units, with a goal of having 133 fully operational teams with as many as 6,200 personnel.

Its proposed budget for next year is $647 million. Rogers told Congress in May that represents a 16 percent increase over this year's budget to cover costs associated with building the cyber force, fighting IS and becoming an independent command. Under the new plan being forwarded by the Pentagon to the White House, officials said Army Lt. Gen. William Mayville would be nominated to lead Cyber Command. The leadership of the NSA could be turned over to a civilian.

Mayville is currently the director of the military's joint staff and has extensive experience as a combat-hardened commander. He deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan, leading the 173rd Airborne Brigade when it made its assault into Iraq in March 2003 and later heading coalition operations in eastern Afghanistan.

Associated Press
tech2 News Staff

The Delhi High court threw out a writ petition filed by the National Lawyers Campaign for Judicial Transformation and Reforms and others. The petition asked for an FIR to be registered based on the contents of a suicide note allegedly written by the late chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Kalikho Pul. The court did not accept as evidence the WhatsApp forward of the alleged suicide note, pointing out that it was impossible to accept the WhatsApp forward as evidence without backing up by the original document.

Further, the court found that the petitioners did not have access to the original document, and thus had not way to verify the contents of the WhatsApp forward. When questioned about the source of the document, the petitioners just mentioned that they had received it on social media, without clarifying who sent the message, and which of the petitioners received it. The case was dismissed as the petitioners did not know if the alleged note was accurate, and admitted that they had not formed a belief that the document was accurate.

The hearing wasted about an hour and a half of the time of the judge. Due to the time spent pursuing the case by the judge, both the petitioners have been Rs 25,000 each. A copy of the entire judgement is available at LiveLaw.in.
SAGHATA(Gaibandha): Leaders of Awami League and Jubo League distributing relief among the flood -hit people at Jumarbari Union donated by Deputy Speaker Fazle Rabbi Miah, MP recently.
Nepalese UGC delegation calls on UGC Chair

Campus Report :

A eight member Nepalese UGC delegation led by Sitaram Bhattarai, Senior Administration Assistant, Research Division, UGC, Nepal paid a courtesy call on Prof Abdul Mannan, Chairman, University Grants Commission of Bangladesh at the latter's office on Thursday.

Prof Mannan appraised the delegation of the brief history, functions and activities of UGC and also overall higher education scenario of Bangladesh. He observed that expansion of higher education has taken place in the country over the years but now the main challenge is to enhance and maintain the quality at tertiary level. UGC has been relentlessly working for improving quality of higher education.

UGC Chairman further said that some private universities of the country beside the public universities are producing graduates by imparting quality education. Qualified teachers at both the public and private universities are highly needed for producing quality graduates, he added.

Prof Dr Md. Akhtar Hossain, Member, UGC, Prof Dr M. Shah Nowaz Ali, Member, UGC and Dr Md. Khaled, Secretary, UGC, among others were present on the occasion.




Budget seminar at Stamford Univ

A view of a seminar on National Budget FY 2017-18 held at Stamford University Bangladesh at the city\'s Dhanmondi area recently.

Campus Report :

The Department of Economics of Stamford University Bangladesh had organized a seminar on National Budget FY 2017-18 at the department premises of city's Dhanmondi area recently.

Chairman of the department, AProf Dr Md. Habibur Rahman presided the event where faculty members and students of the department discussed the opportunities and the constraints of thecurrent budget.

The chairman gave a brief speech on the whole budget and he mentioned that the size of the 46th effective budget of Bangladesh has been fixed at Tk 400,266 crore which is 17 percent more in monetary terms than the previous year.

The government has announced a deficit budget. But the speed of the development process of Bangladesh is moving at a positive pace for which implementation of such a budget is not a big problem.

The faculty members and students of the department attended the seminar spontaneously to learn and share their views about the budget for FY 2017-18.


BB set to fix 9pc ceiling of interest against farm loan

Badrul Ahsan :

The Bangladesh Bank (BB) is set to fix highest ceiling of interest against farm loan upto flat 9 per cent without any service charge and others, sources said.

Farmers are now forced to pay application processing and evaluation fee, including Tk 600 as stamp charge, to the banks while taking farm loans.

In this context, the Central Bank is likely to form a farm loan policy guideline 2017-18 for all the commercial and specialized banks operating in the country. An announcement in this respect will be made by the end of this month.

"We have already decided that the farmers will not pay any service charge while taking agriculture loans from the banks," a high official of BB told The New Nation preferring anonymity.

"The new policy will be declared any time within this month and will come into effect from this fiscal year, meaning that the farmers will count only nine per cent interest as flat," he added.

The Central Bank has set the farm loan disbursement target for banks at Tk 20,400 crore for FY 18, increasing by 16.23 per cent from Tk 17,550 crore for FY 17.

The banks already crossed their annual target of farm loan disbursement in 11 months (July-May) of FY 18 against the backdrop of a decreased credit demand from the industrial sector.

All the banks together distributed Tk 18,935.57 crore in farm loans in the July-May period of FY 2016-17, which was 107.89 per cent of their annual farm loan disbursement target.

The Central Bank has not prepared the achievement figure of FY 17 as it is yet to get the farm loan disbursement figure of June from the banks, the BB official said.

He, however, said that the amount of disbursed farm loan might cross Tk 20,000 crore in the just concluded fiscal year.

The Central Bank has also brought some major changes in previous farm loan policies as the banks will have to disburse at least 10 per cent loans of their annual farm loan target to the livestock sector from FY 18.

The BB will also allow the banks to disburse the term loan to promote the country's fisheries sector.

The new policy will also give a relaxation for the nine new banks disbursing five per cent farm loans on mandatory basis as they will be allowed to distribute 3.50 per cent agriculture loans of their outstanding credit from previous limit of five per cent.

Nine new banks had been pursuing the central bank for long to withdraw many of the conditions, including disbursement of five per cent farm loan out of their outstanding loans, under which they were given licences in 2012.

According to the BB policy, every bank has to disburse at least two per cent of their total lending in the agricultural sector.

The BB, however, may allow the nine banks to disburse two per cent farm loans of their total outstanding credit from FY19, the official said.
HC verdict on Aug 6

Court Correspondent :

The High Court Division of the Supreme Court yesterday fixed August 6 to deliver its verdict on the death references and appeals in the Biswajit Das murder case.

The Bench of Justice Md Ruhul Quddus and Justice Bhishmadev Chakraborty fixed the date after hearing on the death references and appeals were concluded on Monday.

A Dhaka court sentenced eight activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League, the student wing of ruling Awami League, to death and 13 others to life-term imprisonment for killing tailor-shop employee Biswajit Das, 24, on December 18, 2013. Eight of the convicts are in the prison while 13 others, including two with death sentenced convicts, are on the run.

Biswajit was hacked to death in public on his way to the tailoring shop at Shakharibazar in Old Dhaka during the countrywide road-blockade programme of the 22-party alliance led by the BNP on December 9, 2012.


2nd rice shipment from Vietnam arrives in Ctg

UNB, Chittagong :

The second shipment of 27,000 tonnes of rice from Vietnam reached Chittagong Port on Monday morning.

A ship named MV Pax arrived at outer anchorage of the Chittagong Port around 8am, said port authorities.

Rice-lightering will start as soon as tax formalities are completed, according to Movement, Storage and Silo Division of Food Department.

M Jahirul Islam, Controller of Movement and Storage Division of Food Ministry, said the ship will be anchored at jetty immediately after sample collection and completion of customs formalities.

On July 13, a shipment of 20,000 tonnes of rice, the first consignment from Vietnam, reached Chittagong port. The lightering of the rice has already started.

Four more rice-laden ships will start for Bangladesh from Vietnam, said local shipping agent - UNI Ship - managing director M Abul Hossain.

According to Food Department, 200,000 tonnes of rice will be imported from Vietnam at $430 per tonne.

Besides, 50,000 tonnes of boiled rice will also be imported at a cost of $470 per tonne.
Businessman shot at in city in broad day-light

Staff Reporter :

A businessman sustained bullet injuries by some unidentified miscreants in broad day-light in the city's Eskaton on Monday morning.

Injured Anwar Hossein, 55, the President of Bangladesh Medical Device Association, was undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH).

Anwar was going to work from his Eskaton residence when three to four miscreants shot at his private car, said Mashiur Rahman, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Ramna Police Station.

The bullet first hit the window of the car then hit him in his left ribs, the OC added.

Maruf Hossain Sardar, Deputy Commissioner (Ramna Division) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police. said, "It is not an incident of mugging. They might have shot him based on prior enmity. We are investigating the incident."

The members of law enforcing agencies are trying to arrest the miscreants, the police official said.


Organ transplantation will require govt nod from now on

Staff Reporter :

Amputations and organ transplantation cannot be done without government's permission at any hospitals in Bangladesh, except the public hospitals with specialised units.

The Cabinet on Monday approved the draft Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 2017.

The regular weekly meeting of the Cabinet was held at the Cabinet Division of the Secretariat, with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

The proposed law also expanded the definition of 'close relatives.'

"The amended law has had some revisions," said Additional Cabinet Secretary Ashraf Shamim following the meeting. "Some new clauses have been added as well."

Regarding the draft law, Ashraf Shamim said it would not allow any hospital to carry out organ transplantation or amputation without government approval. However, specialised units in government hospitals will remain out of the provision's purview.

The law will allow organ transplantation within 'close relatives', he said, adding that the definition of relatives in this case will cover parents, children, siblings, couples and blood relatives.

However, eye and bone marrow transplantation will not require a blood-relative donor, the additional cabinet secretary said.

The draft law also aims to check the illegal trade of human organs with a provision for three years of rigorous imprisonment or Tk 10 lakh fine, or both.

The top official also said private hospitals have to apply to the authorities concerned to do the job within 60 days of enactment of the law.

As per the proposed law, there will be a medical board in every hospital for deciding any case of transplantation and a National Cadaveric Committee to oversee the human organs transplant in the country.

Organ donation is the donation of biological tissue or an organ of the human body from a living or dead person to a living recipient who needs transplantation.

In the name of organ donation, illegal trade has been going on in the country for over a decade.

Wealthy recipients and brokers trick the poor and illiterate people into selling their organs by making false promises like high prices and jobs and travelling to foreign countries.
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CAIRO  The former site manager of the Elmwood and McBride family public housing developments in Cairo who was awarded a $108,000 settlement after he alleged he was discriminated against when he was passed up for the position of executive director has a criminal record.

Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Joe Williams Jr. is to receive $1,500 a month through the end of 2019. After the newspaper published terms of the settlement agreement in June, citing ACHA records obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, some Cairo residents raised questions about why Williams would receive a settlement of that size given the tragedy that occurred in the early 1990s that led to his termination as a part-time Alexander County sheriffs deputy.

Williams felony conviction is almost 25 years old. But the offense contributed to the loss of life for a teenager who resided at Elmwood and was shot at McBride, court records indicate.

On Nov. 12, 1991, Williams pleaded guilty to the charges he faced, which alleged he illegally provided a teenager a handgun that was used to fatally shoot another teenager and lied about it to police by filing a false report that the gun was stolen, court records show.

According to an account in The Southern Illinoisans archives, Williams was serving at the time as a part-time sheriffs deputy. According to the then-states attorney and Alexander County sheriff, he had been with the department for less than a year and had been hired with grants used to provide additional police patrols in housing complexes.

At the time, the sheriff said the weapon used in the fatal shooting was not Williams police revolver, according to the article.

Williams was relieved from his duties when the charges were filed, the sheriff said then, as reported by the newspaper. At the time of the incident, Williams was 25. Today, he is 50 years old.

In an interview with the newspaper this past month, Williams could not recall the date his employment began with the housing authority, but he estimated it that he was employed by the ACHA for 15 to 20 years. The last position he held was that of site manager of the Elmwood and McBride projects, records show. Williams said he held that management position for six years. His employment with the ACHA ended in January 2014, seven months after he filed the discrimination claim.

According to the pre-sentence investigation report contained in the court record related to the offenses, Williams loaned a handgun to Tommy Wilson, an act that culminated in the death of James Dewayne Purdiman. Wilson was sentenced to five years in prison for involuntary manslaughter.

The day after he gave Wilson the gun, Williams reported to the Cairo Police Department that the gun was stolen. Purdiman was shot the day after Williams filed the false stolen gun report, the court record indicates. Six days after Purdimans death, Williams recanted his statement to police that the weapon had been stolen. In an about face on his story, Williams told police that he had loaned his .38-caliber revolver to Wilson because he said that Wilson was a confidential source of Williams and that Wilson had been receiving threats from gangs, according to the pre-sentence investigation report contained in his file.

The question of Williams culpability hinges on the question, does a responsible and presumably trained officer of the law lend a handgun (loaded or unloaded) to a juvenile for self-defense or protection, rather than warn him away from apparent danger. Does a reasonable peace officer then wait for two days to report a loaned gun stolen and then recant his own report seven days later and after the gun has been identified and its ownership established, the pre-sentence report stated.

These events as they unfolded have caused the death of an innocent juvenile and the incarceration of another. It also appears that these events have left the county or city or both open to a very serious lawsuit and caused considerable embarrassment to local law enforcement.

It is difficult to determine if this was the act of a man using poor judgment or the act of a man with a deeper motive. It was not the act of a prudent man! the pre-sentence report continued.

At various times before and after the incident, Williams worked for James Wilson, the former longtime ACHA executive director who also served as mayor of Cairo from 1991 to 2003. Williams job titles included assistant to the executive director of the AHCA and assistant to the mayor at City Hall, records show.

In a June interview with the newspaper about his legal settlement, Williams said he wasnt part of the inner circle and said he knew Wilson only as a boss. He said hes been shocked to read about the events that transpired at the ACHA culminating in HUDs takeover in 2016.

In 2013, Williams, who is black, filed a complaint with the Illinois Department of Human Rights and U.S. Equal Opportunity Commission for, as it is described in a release of claims documents, his failure to be hired as executive director.

Upon Wilsons retirement in 2013, Wilsons longtime assistant director and finance director, Martha Franklin, was chosen as executive director. A 2014 report by HUDs Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity noted that the position was not advertised to external candidates and briefly discussed Williams interest in the position.

The ACHA had an opportunity to affect diversity when the position of executive director became available yet it chose to promote the former executive directors assistant, Martha Franklin (who is white), over an African-American manager, Joe Williams.

In the footnotes, the report stated that the review did not assess Williams specific qualifications for the position.

In the recent interview with the newspaper, Williams said he had an associates degree from Shawnee Community College and a bachelors degree from Southern Illinois University, and was surprised to learn from reading the newspaper that Wilson had previously stated that Franklins highest level of education was a high school equivalency certificate. Though the position apparently did not require a college degree based on the fact that Franklin was named executive director and did not have one (according to Wilson), Williams said reading that made him feel even more justified in his discrimination claim.

Williams said his degree from SIU was something related to business, though he couldnt recall the specific program from which he had graduated or the year. Based on the information the newspaper provided to the university  Williams' full name, year of birth and current address  SIU Carbondale was unable to locate any record of a degree conferred to Williams.

Wilson, in an interview this past week, said that he and Williams were longtime friends until recently. He said Williams had attended Christmas and Thanksgiving dinners at his house. Wilson said he co-signed on a home loan for Williams and that when he hired Williams as assistant to the mayor, he became the first African-American to hold that position in Cairo. Wilson said that when the two traveled together to conferences they often shared a room together.

Wilson said Williams did a good job as the site manager of the Elmwood and McBride complexes, but said he did not think Williams was qualified for the position of executive director. Wilson said he does not read the paper, but he had heard from someone else that Williams was quoted in the previous article discussing his education. Wilson said it was news to everyone that Williams had a college degree.

After an initial interview with the newspaper in June, Williams has declined to speak further with the newspaper about his employment or discrimination claims.

The housing authority is insolvent and Housing and Urban Development has been operating it in federal receivership since February 2016. Numerous legal settlements and questionable contracts have been cited by HUD as contributing to the ACHAs financial instability. Numerous questions have been raised about the legitimacy of the settlements and contracts.
MURPHYSBORO  The Jackson County Board plans to continue discussing the vote on a resolution that would designate the county as a "safe and welcoming county."

Board members will vote on Resolution 17-2657, "A Resolution Establishing Jackson County As A Safe And Welcoming County" at their 6 p.m. meeting Tuesday in the Jackson County Courthouse in Murphysboro.

The resolution notes that Jackson County is home for Southern Illinois, which has international students from more than 100 counties, and where "migrants, students, scholars, medical and other professionals" contribute to the county's economic prosperity in the form of paying of taxes, operating businesses and donating to charities. Related documents note that immigrant labor greatly supports agriculture in Southern Illinois.

Section 2 of the resolution reads: "The Jackson County Board encourages the Jackson County Sheriff's Office to continue to respond to requests from immigrant persons and communities to defend them against all crimes, including hate crimes, and to continue to focus its time and resources on law enforcement needs of the county."

That section, and Section 5, which indicates that Jackson County department staff and officials "shall not inquire into the immigration status" of residents or use that information in providing benefits, opportunities or other services, unless required to do so by state or federal law or court order.

County Board chairman John Rendleman said the board, unanimously, decided to keep both those sections in, using the resolution's original language.

Board member Emily Burke objected to those inclusions, noting the State's Attorney counsel on that language use.

She said she has received dozens of phone calls, messages and emails regarding the proposed resolution.

"This resolution doesnt protect our immigrants, it exploits them," Burke wrote in an email. "Our first allegiance to the citizens of Jackson County, as elected officials, is to defend the Constitution, ensure citizens' rights and safety (first) and not to seek to overthrow the government of the United States."

"In a county where a taxpayer cant host visitors on his own land without a permit, I find this despicable action to be appalling," Burke continues. " Instead of political symbolism, we should focus on lowering property taxes, empowering and protecting the members of our community, including our law enforcement, providing technical support for immigrants as part of a path to citizenship is fine, but not to the detriment of hard-working citizens."

Rendleman said board members might table the vote to give the public more opportunity to share input.

The committee was persuaded, I think, by the people who acknowledge this does not have the force of law, but is only a desire or the expression of a sentiment that, all together, we want Jackson County to be viewed as a welcoming and hospitable place, he said. I believe the message that Jackson County should be sending to people is welcome.' Weve lost population since 2000, and I agree that Jackson County is a better place by being more diverse and (having) more citizens.

I support making a statement that says welcome, Rendleman said. What else are we going to say  go away?"

To read the resolution in its entirety, go to the Jackson County government website at http://tinyurl.com/JCR17-2657.
CARBONDALE  The incoming chancellor of Southern Illinois University Carbondale said he believes the university must define a vision for itself in order to move beyond the financial hardship caused by the state budget impasse and declining enrollment.

At a news conference Monday afternoon, Carlo Montemagno expressed optimism about the future of SIUC.

I look at the infrastructure associated with it, I look at the town and the community thats here, I look at how its positioned itself within the landscape of higher education, and I saw a distinct opportunity for advancing the institution, to dust off that jewel and make it a bright maroon jewel in the crown of higher education, not only in Illinois but the nation, Montemagno said.

The appointment of Montemagno, a professor of engineering at the University of Alberta's Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering and founder of the Ingenuity Lab for the Province of Alberta, was officially approved by the SIU Board of Trustees last Thursday after an extended search. He will be the universitys first permanent chancellor in three years.

Montemagno stressed the need for shared governance in administrative decision-making and said he planned to engage with faculty, staff, students, alumni and the community to chart the best course moving forward.

He said he plans to launch an initiative in the next few weeks asking students and staff what they think SIU should be in 2025.

Were going to distill this information and then by the end of October, well have crafted a defined vision of what the objectives and goals of SIU will be, he said.

From that point, were going to look at our resources and the things that we do, and were going to start pivoting those resources to try and achieve that vision. We will not define ourselves by the resources that we have in hand. We will define ourselves by the vision.

Montemagno will assume the office Aug. 15 and will inherit the universitys new financial sustainability plan, a strategy that calls for a total of $26 million in cuts, the elimination of seven programs and the consolidation of some others.

The three-part plan, unveiled last week at the SIU Board of Trustees work session in Springfield, sets the foundation for providing a platform of financial stability, Montemagno said.

Montemagno said he was not deterred by the state budget crisis before legislators passed the first full budget in two years earlier this month, and that he never had second thoughts about his decision to take on the chancellor role.

Im accused of being the eternal optimist.  Money, resources, do not define your vision, they dont define your success. They define that you have to take to achieve it, and I have led organizations that have faced just as dire of financial circumstances, and we were able to make them successful, he said.

What he did find encouraging, he said, were the students and faculty he spoke with on campus.

I saw people who were total committed to the institution and who were dismayed that they werent able to achieve the things they wanted. But the fact that they were totally committed to this institution told me that the framework was there, that if we provide the proper path, they will follow  and well be successful, Montemagno said.
NORTH -- The municipal election for two seats on North Town Council will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 7, Mayor Patty Carson announced at the council's regular July meeting.

"The council seats of Jeff Washington and Julius Jones are up for election this year. The terms are for four years and the filing period runs from Aug. 1 to Aug. 15," Carson said. "If anyone is interested in running, they must reside within the town limits of North, pay a $20 filing fee at town hall and complete an application, which may be downloaded from our website.

During her financial report for June, the mayor reported the accounts showed an increase of almost $50,000 due to the receipt of a franchise check and a reimbursement to the town of the 1 percent capital projects sales tax money.

In other business, Anne Culler, who was hired as town clerk in last month, was officially sworn in by Carson.

Also during the meeting, the mayor reported that some residents on Salley Road had complained of discolored water. Carson said S.C. Department of Health and Environment Control officials were notified. DHEC tested the water and determined it to be safe to drink, noting the discoloration was caused by recent flushing of the fire hydrants.

The mayor asked Councilwoman Deborah Salley if she had been able to align with the Orangeburg County Business Expo scheduled in August. Salley said she was working on coordinating the event and would update council on it at its August meeting.

Carson also asked Salley if she had applied for the Main Street Grant that had opened on July 1. Salley said she had not yet applied because she was unsure of the process. The mayor suggested she use the information gathered by the Lower Savannah Council of Governments Community Development Block Grant program during the winter as economic development indicators, and Salley said she would check on the process and update council accordingly.

In other business, Salley announced the annual Alzheimers Ride to Remember bike ride will come through Orangeburg County on Saturday, July 15. She said the cyclists will arrive in North during the middle of the day Saturday and stop at North Town Hall for refreshments and rest. Anyone wishing to make a donation to the S.C. Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association can do so on Saturday while the riders are in town, Salley said.

Councilman Julius Jones reported that he would contact the S.C. Department of Transportation concerning several street/directional signs that had been knocked down.

Also during the meeting:

The mayor said the town's inaugural 4th of July celebration went well with no incidents reported. She said between 300 to 400 people attended. Carson thanked the North Police Department for conducting the event, along with everyone else who helped make it possible. All monetary proceeds from the sale/donation of food and drinks will be given to the Cooperative Ministries of North, she said.

Carson thanked those who participated in the town's first Community Yard Sale on July 8. She said about 15 tables were set up and the event went fairly well. Another yard sale will be scheduled this fall, the mayor said.

Council went into executive session to discuss contractual matters related to recommended improvements to the town's wastewater treatment plant. No votes were taken and no decisions were made when council returned to public session.
The Middle East is a complex region with rich layers of history and traces of biblical footprints that often cling to their ancient past while clashing with modern-day geopolitical power struggles rooted in political, religious and extremist ideologies.

And in the case of Iran, two terrorist attacks that recently rocked the Iranian capital of Tehran illustrated the truth behind the well-worn adage: You reap what you sow. Karma  meet the extremist mullahs of Tehran.

First and foremost, the Islamic State-claimed terrorist attacks are truly a human calamity, and there is never any justification for terrorism. As fellow global citizens linked through our humanity, we sympathize with the relatives and friends of the 17 people killed at Irans parliament in Tehran, and certainly with the victims.

It is also important to recognize the significant role that symbolism plays in both Iranian and Middle Eastern cultures, which is why the second terrorist attack targeting the tomb complex of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of Irans Islamic revolution, was a veritable attack at Irans core.

These twin terror attacks, striking the mullahs parliament and shrine to the Khomeini, represent a very painful bitter pill for the Iranian regime to swallow.

When you bear the dubious distinction as the worlds top state sponsor of terrorism, to be hit with the same kind of terrorist ideology you promulgate must be a pretty alarming wake-up call.

Tehrans sponsorship of terrorism has far-reaching pervasive tentacles. Hezbollah in particular, the Iranian regimes main terrorist arm, poses a serious threat and is responsible for killing more Americans than any other terrorist group after al-Qaeda. In addition to Hezbollah, Iran also supplies conventional weapons to its terrorist proxies including Hamas, Assads murderous Syrian regime and various groups in Iraq and Lebanon.

ISIS, the Taliban and al-Qaeda have also received support from the extremist Iranian mullahs, which is ironic since each of these terrorist groups ideologies are determined to eradicate Shiism, which just happens to be the religious backbone of the Iranian regime.

And the reason for this twisted terrorist support is sickening: Tehran sees benefit in forming tactical alliances with these terrorist entities because they too loath America and are motivated by a virulent anti-West agenda.

Meanwhile, back at home, the Iranian mullahs exert their leadership through despotism and the denial of dignity. Abhorrent human rights violations are many.

On the diplomatic front, Irans backhanded strategy and nuclear secrets further destabilize its neighbors in the Middle East and jeopardize international relationships  all while the mullahs death to America chants and hateful rhetoric remain front and center in large-scale marches.

President Donald Trump reacted to the terrorist attacks targeting meaningful Iranian symbols through these tweets -- We grieve and pray for the innocent victims of the terrorist attacks in Iran, and for the Iranian people, who are going through such challenging times. We underscore that states that sponsor terrorism risk falling victim to the evil they promote.

Iran cannot sponsor terrorism, celebrate a culture of violence and spread extremist ideological hatred, and then express outrage when it is burned by the same fire it has been stoking for decades.

President Trump got it right.

Yet the response that Trump received from Irans foreign minister, Mohammed Javad Zarif, calling his tweets repugnant is ironic at best.

The Iranian mullahs cannot have it both ways. They cannot support terrorism on the one hand and then play the victim when they receive a taste of their own medicine.

Maybe it is high time for the Iranian regime to take a good long look in the mirror, because sometimes you just might reap what you sow.
Orangeburg County legislators have approved consolidating three school districts into a countywide entity, telling a concerned populace the merger is inevitable in the name of efficiency and better education.

Gov. Henry McMaster derailed the plan, at least temporarily, with a veto aimed at language in the legislation related to governance during the transition period to a countywide district in 2019. While nothing is guaranteed, there is every reason to believe a revised bill will be approved by early next year and the governor will follow through with approval.

After all, McMaster in his veto message commended the Orangeburg County Legislative Delegation for its stance, indicating he supports consolidation efforts statewide in the face of out-of-control administrative costs.

But there is opposition at home to the plan, much of it born of fear about school closures and taxation. Recently, award-winning editorial writer Cindi Ross Scoppe of The State newspaper of Columbia addressed the issue of consolidating school districts statewide. In a column titled Imagine if we built a brand-new school system for South Carolina, she makes key points about why local lawmakers should not be dissuaded in their consolidation efforts and why consolidation should be a priority statewide:

 What on earth could justify having 81 districts in a state with just 46 counties? What could justify having several districts with fewer than 1,000 students  that is, districts that are smaller than some high schools?

Consolidating school districts is the one specific solution the state Supreme Court suggested when it ruled in 2014 that the state wasnt meeting its constitutional obligation to provide a decent education to children in the poorest districts. Then-Chief Justice Jean Toal noted that instead of merging districts or even consolidating administrative functions, the Plaintiff Districts have opted for a course of self-preservation, placing all blame for the blighted state of education in their districts at the feet of the state.

To which the districts said last month, in their annual update to the court: Consolidating schools would be awful. It would tear communities apart, and force students to travel farther (and longer) to get to now-distant schools, which would increase costs.

Did you see what they did there? The court said we need to consolidate districts, and the districts said it would be awful to consolidate schools. Its the bait-and-switch that small districts have been using for as long as Ive been writing about the need for consolidation.

In an attachment to their report to the court, the districts note that some unspecified people have speculated that consolidating districts would lead to consolidating (i.e., closing) schools. And it could. But it doesnt have to; the Legislature could prohibit school closings for some set period post-merger.

The districts also argue that recent consolidations have not saved money. And yes, its true that you can focus on protecting jobs rather than saving money. But you dont have to.

It might be true too that districts would need to equalize course offerings and salaries at the highest level as part of a merger. But why wouldnt a district with lower salaries and fewer courses be begging the Legislature to merge it with a wealthier district  and help pay those added costs? Why indeed, unless people are afraid of losing their jobs, or their control?

That same report to the court, by the way, is filled with examples of things poor districts cant do because theyre too small.

The fact is that while saving money was the courts focus, thats not the main reason we need to consolidate more districts. The main reason is to increase the talent pool for school board members and top administrators. Its to save us from school boards that treat the district like a political-patronage factory, and superintendents who arent at the top of their game, because what superintendent who isnt from there wants to run a tiny little district?

Heres one more thing thats true with a caveat: While school districts cant stop the Legislature from merging them, they also cant merge themselves. And there have never been any serious efforts in the Legislature to do large-scale consolidations.

Imagine what could happen if there were.

Read Cindi Ross Scoppes full editorial at http://www.thestate.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/cindi-ross-scoppe/article160513569.html
By Azernews





By Amina Nazarli

Azerbaijan will grant a quality certification of wine products without any need to send wine abroad for verification.

The Center of Expertise of Consumer Goods under the Economy Ministry received a certificate of conformity of methods for analyzing wine products to international standards.

Previously examination of this alcohol beverage cost a lot of money to the country.

Director of the Center Fazil Mammadov speaking at the event dedicated to the occasion said that as many as 850 euro was spent for the examination of the wine in France. But now the similar check will cost only 256 manat ($151) in Azerbaijan.

From now on Azerbaijani quality certificates will be recognized in the world and the results of analysis will be justified, Mammadov said.

Azerbaijan, the country with traditionally widely developed vine-growing, may just earn the moniker of the Land of Wine. Today, Azerbaijani wines are exported to the U.S., Russia, Ukraine, Baltic States, Belarus, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Poland and some other European countries.

Among the grape sorts used to produce Azerbaijani wine are Pinot Noir, Rkatsiteli, Pinot Blanc, Aligote, Matrassa, Podarok Magaracha, Pervenets Magaracha, Ranni Magaracha, Doina, Viorica, and Kishmish Moldavski.

Grapes grown in Azerbaijan were repeatedly recognized as the best in the South Caucasus. Recently national wine "Caspian waves" was recognized the best at an international festival in the Japanese capital of Tokyo.

Azerbaijan became a member of the International Organisation of Vine and Wine in June 2014. The country has focused since then on the development of vines and wineries as important contributors to the economy and agriculture.

Wine-making has switched to a new level of development in Azerbaijan due to programs implemented in the country. At present, Azerbaijan produces 20 million bottles of wine per year, while the annual production capacity of the countrys wineries is 100 million bottles.

Overall, the wine export of Azerbaijan hit $3.5 million in 2016.




The World Bank on Saturday launched a public-private loan programme to support women entrepreneurs in developing countries, an initiative championed by US President Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka Trump.



The program is designed to boost women entrepreneurs in developing countries and fight the norms that hold them back, such as uneven access to loans and shaky property rights, reported The Washington Post.



The Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative, as the bank calls it, announced Saturday it had raised $325 million from numerous countries, with $50 million coming from the US and other contributions from Germany, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Japan, China, the UK, South Korea, and the Netherlands.



At an event on Saturday morning at the G-20 summit in Hamburg, numerous world leaders praised the initiative, with several singling out Ivanka for helping the program get up and running. But the biggest praise came from her father, who said it could result in a transformation of the global economy, it stated.



"The world economy will grow and millions of people will be lifted out of poverty," he said. "Millions and millions of people," Trump as quoted as saying by The Washington Post.



Even with the support of world leaders, the program faces numerous challenges. There have been numerous programs that aimed to help women access money so they can grow businesses, but none have taken off to the scale that the World Bank is hoping.



Ivanka Trump, who serves as a West Wing adviser to her father, planted the idea several months ago, the White House official said, but will have no authority over the initiative's investments or operations, said the report.



The program  which will support loans, mentorship programs and gender equality advocacy  is funded by individuals, companies and foreign governments.



The first countries to make a public commitment were Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which pledged a combined $100 million after President Trump and his eldest daughter visited Saudi Arabia in May.



Less than a third of global businesses are owned by women, and the initiative aims to grow women-run enterprises across Africa, Latin America and the Middle East.



It will also help facilitate loans to entrepreneurs, ranging in size from between a few hundred dollars to several hundred thousand dollars, depending on the applicant's needs. World Bank officials said they hope to make the capital available later this year or in early 2018, said the report.



German Chancellor Angela Merkel said there will have to be proper stewardship over the program, adding that "I do hope that the money will be used in a wise" way, but she expressed confidence in World Bank President Jim Yong Kim to ensure that this would occur. Trump also praised Kim, who was picked by President Obama.



The White House has proposed slashing several existing programs that offer assistance to developing countries and a 31 per cent cut to US diplomacy and aid spending, but it has thrown support behind the World Bank's new program, according to the report.



It represents the White House's attempt to reorient the way it finances foreign diplomacy, but Congress is expecting to fight the White House to restore some of the other foreign aid cuts, it added.
National Bank of Fujairah (NBF) posted a net profit of Dh154.9 million ($42.17 million) in the second quarter of 2017, a rise of 24.4 per cent over the corresponding quarter of 2016.



The result reflects an improvement in the impairment provisions during the current quarter and a high level of resilience in its core business, the bank said.



On the back of a strong Q2 2017 performance, NBF reported a net profit of Dh281 million for the half year ended June 30 up 2.2 per cent over the corresponding period of 2016.



Operating income for the second quarter experienced a growth of 7.3 per cent and for the half year a growth of 1.8 per cent compared to the corresponding periods of 2016.



Net interest income and net income from Islamic financing and investment activities grew by 4.4 per cent and income from investments and Islamic instruments saw a growth of 113 per cent compared to the corresponding period of 2016.



Loans and advances and Islamic financing receivables rose 4.8 per cent from Dh22.8 billion at 2016 year end to Dh23.9 billion, and up by 13.2 per cent from June 30, 2016.



Customer deposits and Islamic customer deposits declined by 2.5 per cent from Dh25.9 billion at 2016 year end to Dh25.3 billion but went up by 11.8 per cent from June 30, 2016.



Shareholders equity of Dh4.7 billion exceeded the 2016 year end level by 3.4 per cent, an increase of 6.6 per cent from June 30, 2016, the bank said.



Sir Easa Saleh Al Gurg, KCVO, CBE, deputy chairman, said: NBF continues to make good progress in its principal areas of focus. The bank was honored once again with more awards and endorsements this quarter underscoring NBFs long-standing culture of service excellence, client partnership and being the employer of choice. We are particularly delighted as the bank was ranked 4th in the GCC and the highest in the UAE at Mediaquests Top CEO Awards. Also, NBF retained the Best Corporate Bank UAE and Best Commercial Bank UAE at the Banker Middle East Industry Awards together with the MENA HR Excellence Team of the Year awards.



NBFs strong Q2 results are a reflection of the banks underlying resilience and proactive approach to a challenging operating environment. It is good to see our commitment to the long-term sustainability of both our business model and our customer relationships have served us well during this period.  TradeArabia News Service


Work on the Route 2020 Dubai Metro project is progressing according to the approved schedule and it has already achieved over 12 per cent completion, said a senior official.

"The project contractor is currently installing piles at a depth of 25 to 30 m, and work had started on casting concrete pillars of the metro via a duct. This stage would be a milestone in the progress chart of the project works marking the emergence of the project components, which would be visible to road users and inhabitants of nearby areas," said Mattar Al Tayer, director-general and chairman of Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).

He was speaking during a visit to France, when he headed a delegation to study the progress of work in the manufacturing of 50 new trains for the Dubai Metro.



These trains will be supplied by the French Alstom Company as part of the Route 2020 Project, said a Wam news agency report.

The delegation also reviewed the latest developments in transit modes and smart systems in a bid to realise the 10x initiative of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. It is aimed at sustaining the competitiveness of Dubai and rendering it a city for the future through innovative ideas and solutions that run 10 years ahead of other cosmopolitan cities.



Alstom has been given the contract to supply 50 trains, 15 of which will serve the Expo 2020 and the other 35 will upgrade the level of service of the Dubai Metro.



"The RTA has introduced some additions and modifications to the interior design of the metro carriages such as dedicating the last carriage for ladies and children and leaving part of the first carriage for Gold Class and other carriages for Silver Class. Seats will be transversal in the Gold Class, and longitudinal in the Silver Class as well as in the ladies and children's carriage," he said.



The Route 2020 extends approximately 15 km from Nakheel Harbour and Tower Station on the Red Line, comprising an 11.8-km elevated track and 3.2-km underground track. It has seven stations, including an interchange station, one station at the Expo site, three elevated stations and two underground stations. The capacity of the route is 46,000 riders per hour in both directions (23,000 riders per hour, per direction). The ridership of the route is expected to hit 125,000 per day by 2020 and the number is expected to shoot up to 275,000 per day by 2030.



Al Tayer met government officials and several international firms specialised in transportation and smart systems in the city of Lyon. He viewed the Transit-Oriented Development Project and the latest technologies of variable signage.



The RTA delegation met David Kimelfeld, acting president for the Grand Lyon Metropolis, and discussed the best practices and solutions of city mobility legislations and policies as well as the innovative projects of upcoming firms in the field of transport.



The delegation then visited Bluely Company to review their practices in smart car-sharing and smart rental of electric vehicles in the city, as well as the challenges in the operation and maintenance of vehicles. They also inspected Navya Companys autonomous bus and attended a briefing about the smart solutions and systems offered in the bus which accommodates 12 riders.



Al Tayer and the delegation also visited Paris, where they were acquainted with the innovations of Alstom and RATP in transportation, innovative services and smart cities. Such innovations include the driverless tram and the electric bus, APTIS, characterised by low integrated floors, two or three broad doors enabling smooth boarding and alighting of riders as well as the movement of wheelchairs and strollers.
Global construction machinery manufacturer SDLG has launched its first asphalt compactor for the Middle Eastern and African (MEA) markets.



The introduction comes as infrastructure projects and investments increase in the region, particularly in Africa, said the company in a statement.



In June, the World Bank called for an increase in infrastructure spending in Africa, and the continents dealings with both China and India have recently picked up. Kenya just unveiled its largest infrastructure project in 50 years  a railway funded and built by the Chinese.



The growing infrastructure efforts are creating increased demand for equipment in the region that is both reliable and affordable.



As the biggest construction equipment investors in the MEA, the Chinese companies are well-positioned to supply this equipment, provided it stands up to the regions tough climates and is well-supported by a seasoned dealer network.



One recent deal saw SDLG supply 58 units to a Saudi Arabian company for a nation-wide road maintenance project, said the statement.



According to SDLG, the new compactor is aimed at further satiating this demand.



Its a double drum model that places emphasis on durability and solid technology. The SDLG RD730, a three-tonne capacity double drum asphalt compactor, is the flagship model of a new generation of hydraulic, double-drum vibratory rollers from SDLG, said the statement.



Shahir El Essawy, SDLGs business director in the region, points to a high level of infrastructure work in Africa and the Middle East as reasons for why its crucial that SDLG offer a new double-drum asphalt compactor.



"In Africa, wherever one travels, it seems they will find road-building crews these days," explained El Essawy.



"And in the Middle East, recent projects, such as the opening of a 62-km highway from Abu Dhabi to Dubai, show that demand is increasing for reliable construction equipment that can maintain uptime on the job site and return on investment for their owners," he remarked.



The SDLG RD730 is ideal for these types of projects, as it provides a great value proposition, houses reliable technology and is supported by a global leader in construction equipment, he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Saudi-based Universal Building Materials Merchants Company (UBM) has signed a strategic alliance agreement with Assa Abloy Security Solutions Middle East (Assa Abloy), a leading manufacturer of door opening solutions across the globe.



The move will help the two companies join forces that will go a long way in serving the construction sector of the kingdom, said Assa Abloy in a statement.



This new relationship positions the two companies for significant growth in the kingdoms construction industry, it stated.



"UBM is excited to be associated with Assa Abloy, an industry leader that emphasises innovation, quality, and a sustainable approach to business," remarked Raghunath Sadasivam, the chairman of the UBM advisory board after signing the agreement with Nassim Abu Yousef, the chief executive of Assa Abloy.



UBMs finance head Farakh Farid and Assa Abloys country manager Basheer Al Jabasini were also present at the signing ceremony held at UBMs head office.



"We see history in the making since the agreement will benefit the construction fraternity of the Kingdom," said Sadasivam.



We will have added focus on selling innovative and technology based products, including doors from Assa Abloy, he noted.



Abu Yousef termed the agreement as a perfect association between the two business entities, which will boost collaboration and growth.



Assa Abloy, he stated, was a world leader in total door opening solutions with presence in over 70 countries.



"We have a leading position in areas such as access control, identification technology, entrance automation and hotel security. Since its formation in 1994, Assa Abloy has grown from a regional company into an international group with around 47,000 employees and sales of more than $8 billion," he explained.



UBM, on the other hand, is the leading supplier of quality door hardware, mechanical and architectural products to the construction industry in the kingdom.



Abu Yousef said he was confident about the growth of the Gulf market, especially in Saudi Arabia where several projects were under way or to be announced.



Assa Abloy boasts two manufacturing facilities in the region - UAE and Egypt - and is currently on an expansion course with new acquisitions happening soon, he added.-TradeArabia News Service
The real estate market in the Saudi capital Riyadh continued to soften in the second quarter, with further declines in performance across the office, residential, retail and hotels sectors, according to JLL, one of the worlds leading real estate investment and advisory firms.

The residential sector experienced slight declines in both rentals and sale prices in Q2, stated the property expert in its Q2 2017 Riyadh Real Estate Market report released today (July 17).

However, the Ministry of Housing has collaborated with six private developers to increase the supply in order to address the growing demand for affordable housing, it added.

One such agreement is with Dawaween Al Jazeerah to construct around 4,500 units in southern Riyadh. In addition, the Saudi Arabian Real Estate Company is expected to begin the off-plan sales of the Dhahiah Project, (a gated community comprising more than 500 villas, under the Wafi program) in H2 2017.

On the other hand, lower demand for high-end projects has caused some developers to hold back on construction, while others have reduced the scale of projects by selling vacant parcels they initially planned to develop themselves.

On the supply scenario, JLL said the total stock of residential units in Riyadh stands at 1,170,000 units. Between 2013 and 2016, almost 80,000 units completed (at an average of 27,000 units pa).

The rate of supply is expected to remain stable over the next 3 years with a potential 77,000 units (averaging 26,000 pa), it added.



AlArgan delivered 50 of the 156 villas situated in its Al Qamrah project in Q2, with the remaining 106 villas expected to complete by the end of the year.

The same developer also completed 40 of the 140 villas in its Manazil Ash Shurouq project, they are aiming to complete the remaining 100 villas in this project by year end, along with 498 villas and 732 apartments in the Green Oasis project in 2018, said the JLL in its report.



Other proposed completions by the end of 2017 include Damac Esclusiva and Damac Tower by Paramount, adding 189 and 252 high end apartments respectively.

Al Tahaluf Real Estate are scheduled to deliver 139 villas in Bayt Al-Hurr 1, and Malathek, (85 apartments on King Fahed Road in the An Namudhajiyah district) are also due to complete in 2017. Tabarak Holdings Aali Ar Riyadh (129 apartments) is one of the major completions scheduled for Q1 2018, it said.



According to JLL, the residential sector experienced slight declines in the second quarter.

The number of transacted apartments and villas fell by 19 per cent and 41 per cent respectively in Q2 2017 compared to the same period in 2016 Y-o-Y.

Marginal falls were recorded in both rents and sale prices in both the villa and apartment markets in Q2. The 12-month outlook remains unfavorable, with further declines in both prices and rentals expected.

On the retail sector, JLL said the shopping centre owners remain positive and continued with expansion plans, with a sharp focus on shoppertainment, .

While some owners are looking to encourage their tenants to operate cinemas for children, others are enhancing common areas within malls as a way of attracting greater footfall, it stated.

The market overall experienced a general slowdown in Q2, with the government looking to boost the hospitality and retail sectors through promising policies, remarked Jamil Ghaznawi, the national director and country head at JLL, Saudi Arabia.



With these crucial changes in the government, and foreign investment through trade deals signed during Trumps historic visit, the market sentiment is likely to improve as we move into the second half of the year, he noted.

The office sector witnessed completions including Elegance tower and Ghirnata Square, bringing the total office space up to 3.8 million sq m. With demand being limited, the office sector experienced increasing vacancies and a slight decline in rentals.



On the hospitality sector, the expert said there were no major openings in the hotel sector across Riyadh in Q2, but the pipeline for the second half of the year remains strong with major scheduled openings inclusive of the Crowne Plaza ITCC, Centro Waha and the Fraser Suites.

The pipeline for the second half of the year stands at around 1,900 rooms, with major scheduled openings including the Crowne Plaza ITCC, Centro Waha and the Fraser Suites in the serviced apartment market.



While the total supply of rooms could surpass 16,000 by the end of 2019, further delays in materialization are likely, said JLL in its Q2 report.



The hospitality market in Riyadh is expanding into satellite areas with mega-projects such as KAFD and ITCC increasing the supply of hotel rooms to the north of the city, it noted.



According to JLL, the Riyadh's hospitality market remained under-pressure in Q2.



In spite of the visit of US President Trump and the accompanying GCC summit in May, the market witnessed a continued softening in performance compared to last year.



The occupancy rates decreased from 63 per cent to 59 per cent YT May, while ADRs dropped from $219 from $193.



Macro-economic factors including low-oil prices have negatively affected the business dynamics in the capital, as the Riyadh hospitality market remains highly dependent on the government and corporate segments.



In its conclusion, JLL said generally, all sectors of the real estate market were now in the downturn stage of their market cycle, with rents and prices decreasing.-TradeArabia News Service
The work on the Route 2020 project in Dubai is progressing as per schedule with over 12 per cent of the project already completed.



Route 2020 extends 15 km from Nakheel Harbour and Tower Station on the Red Line, comprising 11.8 km as an elevated track and 3.2 km as an underground track. It has seven stations, including an interchange station, one station at Expo site, three of them elevated and two underground stations.



The capacity of Route 2020 is 46,000 riders per hour in both directions (23,000 riders per hour per direction). The ridership of the Route is expected to hit 125,000 riders per day by 2020 and the number is expected to shoot up to 275,000 riders per day by 2030, said a statement from Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).



The contractor is currently inserting piles at a depth of 25 to 30 m, and work has started on casting concrete pillars of the metro viaduct, it stated.



Mattar Al Tayer, the director-general and chairman of the board of executive directors of RTA, said this stage would be a milestone in the progress chart of the project works marking the emergence of the project components, which would be visible to road users and inhabitants of nearby areas.



He led a delegation to France for inspecting the progress in the manufacturing of 50 new trains for Dubai Metro. These trains will be supplied by the French Alstom Company as part of Route 2020 Project.



The delegation also reviewed the latest developments in transit modes and smart systems in a bid to realise the 10 X initiative of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai.



Such initiative aims to sustain the competitiveness of Dubai rendering it a city for the future through innovative ideas & solutions that run 10 years ahead of other cosmopolitan cities.



During the visit, Al Tayer and the accompanying delegation comprising several officials of RTAs Rail Agency inspected the progress in the manufacturing of 50 new trains for the Dubai Metro.



Alstom has a contract with the RTA to supply 50 trains 15 of which will serve Expo 2020 and the other 35 trains will upgrade the level of service of Dubai Metro.



"The RTA has introduced some additions and modifications to the interior design of the metro carriages such as dedicating the last carriage for ladies and children and leaving part of the first carriage for the Gold Class and other carriages for Silver Class," remarked Al Tayer.



"Seats will be transversal in the Gold Class, and longitudinal in the Silver Class as well as Ladies & Children Carriage. The exterior design of trains will remain as it is to maintain the design identity of the Dubai Metro and its familiar colours to the public," he explained.



"Additions include revamping the designs without affeccting the identity through new designs for the handles, lighting, and locations of digital signage (VBSD). They also include an illuminated dynamic map for the metro route and stations, using LED power-saving lighting system, and modifying the design of the luggage compartment to make it usable by standing commuters," noted Al Tayer.



"Improvements also cover the shape and the number of handles, the use of modern digital display systems, distributing seats at the two sides of the train and increasing the gangway connecting between carriages. The new carriages are customised to the use of People of Determination and the smooth boarding and alighting of riders," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Sixty-one per cent of the online labour force in the UAE have an account on Bayt.com, a leading job site in the Middle East, according to the latest jobseeker tally from the company.



At the regional level, 43 per cent of the online labour force have an account on Bayt.com, which has 28,500,000 CVs and more than 40,000 employers in its database.



In the GCC alone, 41 per cent of the online labour force are on Bayt.com. The highest prevalence of online labour force with a Bayt.com account in the GCC is in the UAE (61 per cent), followed by Qatar (42 per cent), Oman (36 per cent), Saudi Arabia (35 per cent), Bahrain (28 per cent) and Kuwait (27 per cent).



Other regional markets also have a very large proportion of online labour force with Bayt.com accounts. These markets include Jordan, in which three quarters (75 per cent) of the online labour force are registered on Bayt.com. Forty-four per cent of Egypts online labour force are registered on Bayt.com and 31 per cent of Lebanons online labour force are on Bayt.com.



The job sites trilingual platform (English, Arabic, French) as well as its complete range of end-to-end employment solutions and career planning tools certainly contribute to its popularity, said Suhail Masri, vice president of Employer Solutions, Bayt.com.



Job seekers on Bayt.com come with many different career levels, specialties, and target jobs, said Masri.



Among those who have specified their career level on their Bayt.com CV, one out of three job seekers has more than 10 years of experience. The Bayt.com job seeker database includes hundreds of thousands of niche job roles that are as diverse as Oracle and Python Developers, Financial Analysts, Designers, Instrumentation Engineers, Product Managers, and Legal and Compliance Advisors.



Since its launch in 2000, Bayt.com has connected millions of job seekers and employers to help them build their careers, a company statement said, highlighting that it has also developed virtual fairs, applicant tracking, and career portal technologies that are being utilized and awarded at the global scale.



As an organization, we have always been committed to helping people find their ultimate career opportunities, Masri said.



In order to truly help, we dont believe in sticking to the bare minimum. We work through innovation, we seek to improve, create, update, and reinvent so we can make technology that actually empowers others. When it comes to hiring, we strive to always provide the latest and most useful technologies and information on our online platform.



When it comes to finding a job, we arm our job seekers with an array of tools and insights that smoothen their competitive journey. On any given moment, our 350+ employees are actively searching, creating, and improving our offerings because they know it will have an impact on so many people. This is how we grew to a community of millions, he added.



Bayt.com has gone beyond the job listings and has created a CV search technology that boosts the qualified candidates chances of being found directly by employers. Bayt.com has also become a reputable source for industry research, career planning information, and several other tools that are geared to support job seekers and employers at all stages, the statement said.  TradeArabia News Service
Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi today launched the first edition of its State of the Clinic annual report, a publication that documents the hospitals yearly activities and milestones.



The report includes the number of patients served, growing caregiver capacity, innovative procedures and clinical firsts for the region.



Poised to be the regions leading multidisciplinary acute-care hospital, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi has almost tripled its capacity since it opened its doors in 2015, employing more than 2,900 caregivers, and having had more than 337,000 patient encounters by year-end 2016. Of the total 51,673 unique patients served by the hospital, 75 per cent were UAE nationals, 23 per cent were expatriates, and 2 per cent were international patients.



By year-end 2016, 249 physicians worked at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, all with North American or European (or equivalent) board certification, and with 82 per cent of institute chiefs having had experience working in Cleveland Clinic in the US, the report said.



In 2016 alone, physicians at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi received 285,000 outpatient visits and more than 39,000 emergency visits, completed over 9,200 surgical cases, and had 5,400 hospital admissions.



The hospital continues to expand its partnerships with insurance providers, as well as its unique same-day appointment service, which yielded 70,575 same-day visits in 2016, to offer more patients access to its globally-recognised Cleveland Clinic caliber of care.



Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi is composed of 13 institutes designed to put patients first and align with the regions specific healthcare needs. In all, more than 30 medical and surgical specialties are represented at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi and integrated to offer patients coordinated, multidisciplinary care for adult patients.



The state-of-the-art facility is the result of an agreement signed in 2006 between the Mubadala Investment Company and US-based Cleveland Clinic, in support of the Abu Dhabi governments Economic Vision 2030 to develop a robust healthcare sector in the Emirate.



Waleed Al Mokarrab Al Muhairi, chairman of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, and Deputy Group CEO and chief executive officer, investments & infrastructure, Mubadala, said: 2016 was a landmark year for Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, as we built upon our commitment to the people of the UAE to deliver compassionate, patient-centered care of the highest quality. With a strong foundation now in place, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi can now continue to grow and serve more patients within Abu Dhabi, as well as the UAE and across the region, working alongside the other world-class assets in Mubadalas healthcare network.



I am confident that by complementing the existing healthcare infrastructure that the wise leadership of the UAE has put in place, and understanding our role in the wider national strategy, we will be able to succeed in delivering sustainable, high-quality healthcare for the whole country, he added.



Dr Tomislav Mihaljevic, CEO of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, said: Our mission continues to be bringing the highest international standards of care close to home, so that patients in Abu Dhabi, the UAE and across the region can have seamless access to the latest and most advanced forms of treatment.



In 2016, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi saw a planned and staged growth in bed capacity, reaching 250 beds by year-end, and with plans to reach its target capacity of 364 beds by end of 2017. The hospitals maximum capacity is 490 beds. - TradeArabia News Service


The Intergovernmental Institution for the use of Micro-algae Spirulina Against Malnutrition (IIMSAM), the intergovernmental observer to the UN Economic and Social Council, has appointed Mutaz Ghandour, chairman and CEO of Metito Holdings, as a Goodwill Ambassador.

Ghandour said: The objective of this institution is to eradicate malnutrition in Africa by 2030 in support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Human access to basic nutrients, be it food or water, is a basic right, yet 1 out of 6 people lack access to safe drinking water, and 1 in 3 people suffer from malnutrition. With 60 years of experience in the water industry, we understand the importance of creating awareness about these issues and to advocate those rights. I am confident that there is much to be done to eradicate malnutrition and aiding the development of Micro Algae Spirulina in Africa is one step forward.

Ghandour continued: The benefits of spirulina for nutritional purposes are well documented, edible algae is a cost-effective, healthy, protein rich, food supplement. In addition Spirulina has the potential to improve food security while also benefitting the environment by requiring less land to produce the same amount of protein and energy than livestock and other crops. The development of micro-algae spirulina needs a reliable source of water so in that respect we are ideally placed to provide guidance in this area as well.

As well as raising the profile of micro-algae spirulina as a tool in the fight against malnutrition, Ghandour has pledged to support the development of a spirulina feeding centre in Kisumo, west Kenya.

Ghandour added: This project is in line with our values as a company. There is a clear need to seek out new solutions, fresh ideas and approaches to deal with the challenges of malnutrition, just as much as we need to address lack of access to clean and safe drinking water. This is exactly what Metito endeavors to do by investing in R&D and looking for new next generation technology that can help communities efficiently and sustainably.

The secretary general of IIMSAM, Remigio Maradona, said: We are extremely fortunate to have an ambassador of Mutaz Ghandours calibre and stature supporting our cause. His immense industry knowledge and huge experience in the water industry will be an enormous asset in creating awareness of and supporting the fight against malnutrition. Spirulina is an ecologically sound way of producing high protein food that can benefit the millions of people around the world who most need it. I look forward to working closely with Mutaz Ghandour to achieving some real progress in turning the potential of spirulina into reality. - TradeArabia News Service
SR Technics, a leading maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) service provider with major presence in the UAE, has appointed Jianfeng Hu as its deputy chief executive officer and Yujie Zheng as deputy chief financial officer.



Hu has extensive experience in aviation maintenance and aircraft engineering, and he previously served as Vice President of Tianjin Airlines, said a statement from the company, which has Abu Dhabi-based Mubadala as a minority shareholder.



Zheng joins SR Technics from the Grand China Aviation Maintenance Corporation, where she was the companys CFO.



Jeremy Remacha, CEO, SR Technics, said: I am delighted to welcome Hu and Zheng to our company and further strengthen our leadership team.



Both bring a wealth of experience in the aviation industry which will be a great asset in developing our business further. On behalf of the leadership team, I would like to wish them all the best in their new roles, he added.  TradeArabia News Service
The planned Industrial Energy City project, to be developed in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Region, will provide thousands of direct and indirect jobs and contribute SR22.5 billion ($6 billion) to the nation's economy, said Engineer Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al-Falih, Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources.



Al-Falih, who is also the chairman of Saudi Aramco and of Saudi Industrial Property Authority (Modon), thanked King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud for his directive to establish the Industrial Energy City, said a Saudi Press Agency report.



He said the project aims at localising industries supporting the energy sector and cover industries related to oil exploration, production and refining, petrochemicals, conventional electric power, water production and treatment.



He pointed out that the decision to establish a new industrial city for energy is in line with the kingdom's vision 2030 and supports the vital infrastructure of the supply chain in the kingdom.



The localisation of new industrial and service facilities that help to innovate, develop and compete globally, he said.



Saudi Aramco president and chief executive officer Amin Hassan Al-Nasser said: "The new Industrial Energy City in the Eastern Region will be a strategic project and a milestone in the efforts of localisation of energy-related industries and services and it will be an ideal and integrated environment for attracting international companies' investments, establishing and developing a large number of small and medium companies and stimulating innovation and entrepreneurship. This invites us to encourage our partners across the supply chain in the kingdom and the world to take advantage of trained local workers and opportunities that will be available there."


Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture has announced a temporary ban on the import of live birds, hatching eggs and chicks from Luxembourg.



The ban is based on a warning issued by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) on the outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus in Luxembourg, a Saudi Press Agency report said.


Careem, a leading ride-hailing service in the Middle East and North Africa, today announced it has invested in bus transportation network, Swvl, the brainchild of former Careem market launcher, Mostafa Kandil, fulfilling its mission to build an institution for the region.

The investment, $500,000 in seed funding, will be used to help Swvl expand into new cities and markets as well as roll out new product features within its app, including new payment options.

In addition to the investment, Careems chief experience officer and co-founder, Magnus Olsson, will be joining Swvls board of directors.

Swvl and Careem share a similar mission in that we both wish to solve the transportation challenges facing the Menasa region, said Olsson. Our investment in the company is a clear bet on the value we believe Swvl will bring to the Egyptian people and further fulfills our promise to be a source of inspiration to local start-ups.

Were also proud to have played a part in promoting entrepreneurship in the region. Mostafa was an amazing colleague while he was at Careem, and we are excited to support him on Swvl as the company looks to expand its footprint and accelerate its growth, Olsson said.

Founded in March 2017 by Kandil and his two co-founders, Mahmoud Nouh and Ahmed Sabbah, Swvls mission is to provide affordable, reliable and convenient public transportation to the people of Egypt and other emerging markets. Swvl users simply choose their exact pick-up and drop-off location and track bus movement so they know exactly what time the bus will arrive.

Currently, Swvl accepts payment via credit card, but with this latest investment from Careem, the company is planning to roll out four additional payment options over the next few months, including wallets, cash on delivery and more.

In terms of expansion, the company expects to be available in all of Cairo by the end of this year and also plans to launch operations in Alexandria. In 2018, the company expects to expand beyond Egypt to other emerging markets in the Middle East and North Africa.

With Swvl, we intend to fully re-engineer and re-model public transportation, not only in Egypt, but across the region, said Mostafa Kandil, co-founder and chief hustler, Swvl. Careems investment will enable us to achieve this goal, and at the same time, the companys local knowledge will be invaluable to us as we continue to build out our offerings. We couldnt have asked for a better partner, and we look forward to being a part of Careems mission to solve local problems and improve peoples lives.  TradeArabia News Service
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.
Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) has awarded contracts worth Dh95 million ($25.8 million) to a number of national companies for the supply of 1,290 km of low-voltage cables for household connections.



This is part of its ongoing efforts to provide the most reliable and efficient services to meet expansion requirements of the electricity distribution network.



The contract includes the supply of aluminium and copper cables to expand electricity distribution networks across Dubai, to meet continued growth in demand for electricity.



Dewa is proactively implementing vital development projects, especially infrastructure, to achieve sustainable development and happiness in Dubai, for generations to come. The award of this contract will manage the continued growth of demand for electricity and the needs of ambitious urban, economic and social projects. It also aims to establish Dubais leading position in the region, as an example of an effective and efficient infrastructure for electricity networks, said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, managing director and CEO of Dewa.



These cables will be used in several projects at Dewa, and will contribute to increasing the capacity of efficiency and reliability of electricity distribution in Dubai, to ensure a continuous and stable supply of electricity to customers. The supply of cables is expected to be complete by April 2018, he added.  TradeArabia News Service
Finland-based HMD Global, the home of Nokia phones, today (July 17) announced the dual release of both the Nokia 105 and Nokia 130.



Featuring refreshed, ergonomic designs, both phones feature 1.8-inch colour screens, handy LED torch lights and sleek, contoured designs, with each phone being available in a range of three colours.



Nokia 105



With well over 200 million Nokia 105s sold to date around the world, this award winning handset now features an all new sculpted ergonomic design, outstanding battery life, and improved usability, with a larger screen size and new tactile island keymat.



The new keymat features separated keys for improved usability, while the larger 1.8-inch screen delivers a better viewing experience when playing games, like Snake Xenzia, which comes preloaded. Taking full advantage of the larger screen, the Nokia 105 also comes preloaded with two try and buy games - Doodle Jump and Crossy Road.



Plus, with up to 15 hours talk time and a month long standby, the Nokia 105 lets you talk from sunrise to sunset on just one charge. It provides storage space for up to 500 text messages and up to 2,000 contacts.



Available in Dual and Single SIM variants, the Nokia 105 also features an inbuilt FM Radio and charges using a standard Micro USB cable (USB 2.0).



Nokia 130



The Nokia 130 offers up to 44 hours of FM radio playback time and room for thousands of songs when you add up to 32GB of MicroSD card storage.



The clear 1.8-inch colour screen offers a great viewing experience when enjoying video via a MicroSD card. Offering 11.5 hours of video playback on a single charge, the Nokia 130 features Bluetooth support for a headset or speakers.



With its inbuilt camera, the Nokia 130 lets you take pictures and record video clips, which you can then play back using a Micro SD card. And with the Nokia 130, sharing your content is simple. Share videos, contacts and more simply by enabling Bluetooth and bringing your Nokia 130 close to another Bluetooth-enabled phone for quick and easy transfer. The Nokia 130 also supports a MicroSD card, expandable up to 32 GB.



"With more than 4 billion people remaining offline[ix] and unable to benefit from the social and economic development opportunities of the internet, simply getting connected by voice and text is still such an important step for many people around the world," said Arto Nummela, CEO, HMD Global.



"More than 400 million feature phones were sold globally in 2016. We cannot underestimate the need and benefit of being connected and we are dedicated to delivering devices that can enable many people around the world to expand their horizon."



Both the Nokia 105 and the Nokia 130 feature the ever popular LED torchlight - simply press the up key twice to quickly turn the torch on and off.



Retailing at a global average price of $14.50 for the single SIM variant and $15 for the dual SIM variant, excluding taxes and subsidies, the Nokia 105 will be available in blue, white and black - each colour with a matte finish.



Available in red, grey and black, the Nokia 130 retails for a global average price of $21.50 excluding taxes and subsidies.



Both the Nokia 130 and Nokia 105 are available in Dual and Single SIM variants.  TradeArabia News Service
The UAE and India have discussed the possibility of signing a new agreement to utilise the high potential for air travel growth between the two countries.



This came in a meeting UAE Ambassador to India, Dr. Ahmed Allbanna, had with P Ashok Gajapathi Raju, India's Minister of Civil Aviation, in New Delhi, said a Wam news agency report.



Dr Albanna said that the UAE-India air routes are considered among the most lucrative in the world.



"Currently, the emirates of Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Ras Al-Khaimah have one air service agreement and four MoUs with India," he said, explaining that carriers from India and the UAE can now fly a total of 131,741 aircraft seats a week, each way. These are divided between Dubai (62,500), Abu Dhabi (50,000), Sharjah (17,841) and Ras Al-Khaimah (1,400).



"In the existing MoUs, Dubai sector has exhausted its bilateral seat capacities and Sharjah has already surpassed the 80 per cent load required to restart the negotiations," noted the ambassador.



Both parties agreed to hold a meeting in the near future between the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority and the Civil Aviation of India to review the joint Air Service Agreement. If the proposal goes through, the new agreement will be a stepping stone for more flights and operational flexibility and trigger a fresh round of negotiations for enhancement of bilateral ties, the Wam report said.
The Retreat Palm Dubai MGallery by Sofitel, the newest addition to AccorHotels distinctive MGallery by Sofitel collection of contemporary boutique hotels, has become a member of the esteemed Healing Hotels of the World.



The invite-only club is the worlds leading authority in luxury-end healing destinations and resorts specialising in the field of holistic health.



As a member of Healing Hotels of the World, it is acknowledged that The Retreat Palm Dubai MGallery by Sofitel features beautiful accommodation and architecture, cutting edge holistic healing therapies achieving visible results, caring and thoughtful service, healing cuisine and a natural stunning location.



The group is the only global brand that has successfully established and implemented authentic and quality driven criteria for the environment and delivery of holistic health and wellbeing services. It adheres to strict benchmarks which must be met by properties, ensuring that guests can trust that when staying at a member of Healing Hotels of the World, they will receive a meaningful experience that is genuinely anchored and committed to whole body healing.



Situated along the exclusive coastline of Palm Jumeirahs East Crescent, the idyllic The Retreat Palm Dubai MGallery by Sofitel, set to open in July 2017, offers guests a unique and tranquil environment in the heart of vibrant Dubai. The beachfront destination showcases 255 luxurious rooms and suites, designed with natural elements, earthy tones and harmonising feng shui, synonymous with serenity and calmness.



Founder and CEO of Healing Hotels of the World, Anne Biging said: We are happy The Retreat Palm Dubai MGallery by Sofitel is joining our group of the best Healing Hotels worldwide and becoming a healing flagship property in the UAE. As health vacations are more and more in demand on a global level we congratulate the hotel for being a pioneer and fulfilling the highest standards when it comes to holistic health services."



General manager Samir Arora said: We are delighted to receive an invitation to become a member of the Healing Hotels of the World. The acknowledgement shows our commitment to long lasting healing and wellness which is the true heart and ethos of our brand. - TradeArabia News Service


Four Seasons Resort Sharm El Sheikh has welcomed Waleed Sobhy as its new resort manager at the Red Sea world-class diving resort.



A Four Seasons veteran, Sobhys remarkable leadership, his extensive experience and particularly his strong background in the food and beverage division have been and continue to be great assets to the resort, the hotel said.



Sobhys hospitality career started 26 years ago forging an exciting path across different hotel chains including Oberoi, Starwood and Conrad. His Four Seasons tenure began at Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza, where he worked his way up the ladder through a variety of management positions in the food and beverage division, reaching director of Banquet, and finally assistant director of Food and Beverage. In 2011, he decided to venture across the Nile River to join Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at The First Residence as Director of Food and Beverage for the first time, and later joined Four Seasons Resort Sharm El Sheikh in 2015 in the same role. During his time in Sharm El Sheikh, Sobhy has also earned another educational certificate in Financial Management from Cornell University in 2017.



As a meticulously designed Resort with an astounding location over the Red Sea, Four Seasons Resort Sharm El Sheikh is a traveller haven of excellence in service, pure luxury and rejuvenating views, where an incomparable guest experience is held at the highest regard. In his role as resort manager, Sobhy will make sure that this beacon of simultaneous elegance and adventure remains a bucket-list destination, and push its frontiers even further to ensure that each and every guest has an exceptional experience during their stay. - TradeArabia News Service
Have an event, trend or general energy happening youd like to see in the Energy Journal newsletter? Send it to Star-Tribune energy reporter Heather Richards at heather.richards@trib.com. Sign up for the newsletter at www.trib.com/energyjournal.

This week in numbers

Friday oil prices: West Texas Intermediate (WTI) $46.68, Brent (ICE) $49.07

Natural gas weekly averages: Henry Hub $2.94, Wyoming Pool $2.59, Opal $2.64

Baker Hughes rig count: U.S. 952, Wyoming 25

Wind techs and job shortages

It was a windy week for stories, with Goldwind Americas holding informational seminars across the state on wind technician training. The company is partnered with Viridis Eolia, the Venezuelan company proposing a 600-800 turbine wind farm near Medicine Bow.

In the Casper meeting, local lawmaker Rep. Steve Harshman stood up in the crowd and spoke of his concerns with wind development, but also his changing opinion of welcoming the industry in Wyoming.

Viewshed impacts continue to be a key issue for wind's detractors.

But with so much wind proposed in the state, the question of workforce is a real dilemma. Some wonder how these farms, some looking to break ground very soon, are going to bring workers to small town Wyoming, and how they will keep them there.

Wind jobs don't pay as much as the oil and gas fields.

Others say the markets will provide and nod to company initiatives like the Goldwind free training program as part of the solution.

MacGyver, mom and pop

A lot of small service companies went down when the price of oil plummeted and failed to rally. And a lot of those companies were based in Casper.

But for those who've stayed in business, are things picking up?

Gas or grouse

The NPL gas project proposed by Jonah Energy would be a huge undertaking, with 3,000 wells over a 141,000 acre range. But part of that acreage lies on top of sage grouse wintering grounds.

While the finicky bird continues to complicate matters in Wyoming, Jonah has taken steps to mitigate against damaging the bird population's health, and avoid undue disturbances to the other species in the region.

Bureau of Land Management staff released a draft environmental impact statement on the project, and grouse were not the only concern.

Pronghorn migration, ozone levels and endangered fish all made it into the review.

In other news

Interesting transcript of EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt interview. He talks budget cuts and enforcement.

EIA projects about $50 a barrel oil for the rest of 2017 and 2018.

Quote of the week

"This is coming whether we like it or not. Im just looking to survive in whatever way. -- Blake Nuzzo, oil field worker on possibly joining the wind industry.
MARRIAGES

CASPER  These licenses were issued in Natrona County.

Ronald Joseph Manghir and Ilana Frank Adair

Trew Terrance Thompson and Amanda Louise Rynestad

Craig Delawrence Sr. and Lorena Morales

Michael Christopher Schulte and Devon Shea Sisneros

Christian Joel Lango and Cyncia Ann Marie Feiler

Ryan Michael King and Clareesa Rae Zook

Christopher Jason Taylor and Renee Lee Barnhart

Adam Thomas Brown and Jana Katharine Marquard

Joshua Alan Wolfe and Sarah Lynn Shafer

Andrew Edward Parsell and Tracie Jean Bigelow

Austin Jacob Altaffer and Mackenzie Marie Infanger

Robert Allen Lipes and Phylicia Rena Nieft

Robert Harvey Loughan and Mandi Marie Cagle

Ridje Morgan Fus and Grace Danielle McDonald

Justin Matthew Blom and Jessica Rosan Dornbier

Chad Leroy Clark and Lisa Dawn Pepper

Jose Alan Rams and Vanessa Rose Dominguez

DIVORCES

CASPER  These were granted in Natrona County and released by the Clerk of District Courts office.

Kara Mae Frizell v. Jon Marshall Frizell

Levi K. Hudson v. Sally Wilcox Hudson

Jesus J. OBrien v. Fabiola delCarmen Alvarado

Tamara Lee Rux v. Ryan Michael Rux

Tanya Marie Neuman v. Alan William Neuman

Raymond A. Somerville v. Kimberly Laune Somerville

BIRTHS

CASPER  These were recorded at Wyoming Medical Center. The Star-Tribune prints all births that occur at Wyoming Medical Center, released by the hospital with consent of the mother; as well as home births, and births that may take place outside of Casper to Casper and Glenrock residents because of military deployment, medical reasons or temporary employment. In the case of unmarried parents, a paternity form must be on file at the hospital for the father to be listed.

June 23, 2017

Girl, Evey Lynn, to Amanda and Branden Bennett of Casper

June 25, 2017

Boy, Sebastien Edward John, to Hannah Johnson and Kadin Eastlund of Casper

June 27, 2017

Boy, Alistair James, to Sadie and Jacob Carson of Casper

June 30, 2017

Boy, Kian Valentien, to Isabella Galindo and Justyn Obert of Casper

Girl, Adaline, to Jesica and Joel Brown of Casper

July 1, 2017

Boy, Jordan Anthony, to Corrie and Duane Cabral of Casper

July 2, 2017

Girl, Blayke Ryann, to Kristin and Dallas Camp of Casper

Girl, Isabella Elise, to Desirae and Kevin Ockler of Casper

Girl, Brighton Marie, to Melissa and Clifton Miech of Casper

Girl, Adeline Lynn, to Mandy and Chris Anderson of Casper

Girl, Brydger Hadley, to Amanda and Corbin Gerhardt of Casper

Girl, Emily Paige, to Tessa Howie of Casper

July 3, 2017

Boy, Channing Louis, to Baleigh and Dustin Hite of Casper

July 4, 2017

Girl, Leilani Joy, to Abbi and Arturo Cortez of Casper

Girl, Taylor Elizabeth, to Ashley and Kristina Vondra of Casper

July 6, 2017

Boy, John LeRoy, to Brianna and John Marton of Casper

July 7, 2017

Twin boys, Logan William and Sawyer Scottie, to Chelsey and Samuel Davis of Casper

July 9, 2017

Boy, Landon Ian, to Mary and Brycen Reyes of Casper
Authorities flew a boy Sunday morning to the Wyoming Medical Center after he was caught in a boat's propellers at Alcova Lake.

The boy was floating in the water when he became caught about 11 a.m. as the boat moved toward an island near Cottonwood Beach, Wyoming Game and Fish spokeswoman Janet Milek said Monday. She did not know how old the boy was and did not release his name.

Deputies with the Natrona County Sheriff's Office responded to the scene first and the boy was flown to the hospital by helicopter. Milek said that the boy is expected to survive.

There was no alcohol involved in the incident and everybody had life jackets, Milek said.

"This is a reminder that accidents can happen so easily and people need to be aware at all times when they're operating watercraft," she said.
Its no secret to Casper City Council watchers, or readers of this column, that Councilman Dallas Laird loves to speak at length. Laird has offered various explanations for his propensity to ask endless questions and share his thoughts, but it generally comes down to his being the new kid on the block. Its true that Laird was appointed in June, but three of his colleagues took their seats in January and none of them spent as much time speaking as Laird has during their first six weeks in office.

New Casper City Councilman Dallas Laird has plenty to say A few examples of Laird referencing his own verboseness at last weeks Council work session 

While Laird occasionally breaks decorum  generally by interrupting speakers  talking a lot and asking questions is hardly a sin. To give the benefit of the doubt, Laird is fulfilling his pledge to understand exactly what is being done with public dollars and how city business is being conducted.

Whatever the reason, though, it was particularly stunning that last week Laird sought to place a limit on the time allotted for public comment at City Council meetings and to cap the length of meetings themselves  gatherings that Lairds loquacious nature is often responsible for extending.

We have a right to conserve our time, Laird said at last weeks work session. Were not slaves.

Fact check: true. Caspers elected officials, who choose to run for office and are paid to attend meetings, are not slaves.

To resurrect an explanation I offered when I wrote about Todd Murphy, Lairds predecessor on Council, comparing the Affordable Care Act to slavery... Slavery in the United States was the bondage of over 10 million people over the course of roughly 250 years. The institution of slavery dehumanized black people, denied them of human rights and subjected them to familial separation, torture, rape and murder.

Laird, a successful attorney, is no slave. But he is apparently tired of long Council meetings and listening to members of the public address Council for extended periods of time.

Specifically, Laird wants a 30-minute limit on all public comments at meetings. Currently, these sessions range in length from five or ten minutes to over an hour. Laird also suggested a two-hour limit on the entire meeting, including all Council business.

While some other Council members were initially open to a limit on public comment, the cap on actual meeting length had no support, which Mayor Kenyne Humphrey eventually pointed out.

Well, they havent thought it out yet, Laird offered.

But where Laird sought to restrict the public from speaking at length, he objected to a proposal by Humphrey to limit comments by Council members to two statements per topic. Humphreys suggestion failed to gain any traction, but Laird was especially opposed.

Laird said restricting Council members from speaking would limit their ability to offer insights that arrived after they had already spoken twice.

Things come to us, he said. You might have a moment of brilliance.

As Laird began his ninth comment advocating for rules to shorten meetings and cut off public comment, Councilwoman Amanda Huckabay pointed out that Laird was extending the work session.

The mayor would get done faster if you would shhh! Huckabay interjected.

It is unclear the extent to which Laird sees the irony is his advocacy for shortening meetings. He periodically makes self-aware comments about his talking.

The discussion about public comment was raised by Humphrey, and Council did finally agree on several changes to Council meetings:

Work session agendas will be flipped, so that official city business is discussed at the start of the meetings and presentations from various community groups will be heard following that. Time limits will be placed on those presentations. The current five-minute time limit on each public comment will be more rigidly enforced. Council members will refrain from commenting on what members of the public say, reserving their thoughts for the very end of the meeting.

Moving on!

***

In other Laird news, he would like the city to consider putting parking meters downtown to encourage more use of the public parking garage. And he wants to know what Star-Tribune readers think.

I know this because he sent me an email asking what Star-Tribune readers think  something I do not know the answer to  and then, after I failed to reply to him, told me I was like his ex-girlfriend.

Naturally, we have to present the idea to the citizens of Casper to gain further insight, Laird wrote. It is my belief that it will be helpful economically and result in providing parking to more customers. I would want the parking garage to be free parking.

According to the citys website, you can reach Laird at 307-277-8067 or at dlaird@casperwy.gov.

***

Downtown Development Authority CEO Kevin Hawley presented City Council with a plaque recognizing the citys $3 million contribution to the public plaza project as well as a brick from demolition done at the site.

He spoke frankly about the challenges of leading the DDA, but  with the plazas partial opening just over one month away  he gave something of an it was all worth it speech.

There are a lot of days I want to give up, Hawley said. This isnt one of those days.

***

I havent publicly announced this yet  though word has already gotten out  Ill be leaving the city beat this week as the Star-Tribune welcomes a new local government reporter. I wont blow up her spot by releasing any more information, but suffice it to say that late next week the newspaper will be welcoming a new member of the reporting team to cover Casper and City Council. Ill be transitioning to the state politics beat.

While the future of Casper Notebook is undecided, I can promise that, at a minimum, this will not be the last to appear. My replacement doesnt arrive until Thursday, meaning youll still find me at this weeks City Council meeting.
A prominent Wyoming education official praised lawmakers decision to hire a Denver-based consultant to conduct an examination  and possible overhaul  of the states funding model.

I think (Augenblick, Palaich & Associates) is a firm that has a very good reputation, said Brian Farmer, the executive director of the Wyoming School Board Association, which represents the elected officials from all 48 school districts here. Im familiar with their work in Maryland, Michigan and Alaska.

He added that APA, often used as shorthand for the firm, was not known for coming into states and saying Thou shalt do this or thou shalt do that.

In Maryland, for instance, the firm repeatedly sought input from educators. Lawmakers have adamantly said school leaders  including Natrona Countys Steve Hopkins  will be heard and will conduct their own evaluation, though it will be secondary to APAs review.

The selection by legislator leadership signals a number of potential paths forward for recalibration, a lawmaker- consultant- and educator-led effort to conduct a review of how the state funds its schools. APA will likely examine the states education standards, known as the basket of goods, which districts are required to provide. That includes nine content areas that must be incorporated from curriculum from elementary through high school.

It could also mean a complete overhaul of how the states funding model, which has remained largely the same  including tens of millions of dollars in overfunding by the Legislature  since 2005. Farmer said it doesnt necessarily mean that is a certainty, but he and leading education lawmakers cautioned APAs hiring is far from a concrete indication that the state will overhaul its system.

Besides, Farmer said, that comprehensive review could show legislators that the model isnt the cause of the states funding crisis. It could indicate that the problem lies with the revenue the state uses, rather than the system that distributes that money.

Lets say we have four to five different models of ways of going about funding, he said. We look at these, and these different models come in about the same cost points. Then we know that the model is the most significant part of the equation. Different roads will take us to the same end. Then we have to focus on something else.

That something else is revenue, he said. Lawmakers have been loathe to increase taxes in a state that is near the lowest taxed state in the country. Sen. President Eli Bebout has repeatedly expressed his flat-out opposition to revenue increases, and other leaders  including former Wyoming Business Alliance leader Bill Schilling, has suggested pure cuts to solve a looming $530 million deficit.

Still, at their last recalibration meeting in mid-June, legislators were presented with options for tax increases and the amount of funding theyd produce.

Farmer said the flip side of the multi-model study is that if the examination proves different funding endpoints, then educators will have to take a close look at why a new model would cost less than the current system. Will it mean cutting services, he said, or will it represent that APA found true efficiencies?

Regardless, he said he supported the study and APAs approach.

There remains the potential for lawsuits, a decision by district school boards that will likely be influenced by the model selected. Farmer said its too early to determine that but warned that if trustees  which are elected officials and thus have a duty to protect and serve the constitution of Wyoming, which places heavy protections on education  decide to file lawsuits, then theyll be acting on that obligation.

Theres not a board thats chomping on the bit saying Oh, I cant wait to sue the state, Farmer said. When you turn it over to the court, there can be winners and losers.

When you address it through other means, theres a result that may not have winners and losers.
Wyoming and federal authorities began a search Monday of the Bridger-Teton National Forest for a man wanted in connection to the killings of three women in Idaho.

Investigators are looking for 60-year-old Gerald Mike Bullinger after deputies with the Teton County Sheriffs Office found a car registered to one of the homicide victims parked at the Pacific Creek campground, near the national forests boundary with Grand Teton National Park and about seven miles from the town of Moran.

Bullinger is about 6-feet-1-inch tall, weighs about 240 pounds and has brown eyes and gray hair. He was last seen wearing a ball cap.

Authorities warn residents and visitors to remain alert and to report any suspicious activity to the Teton County Sheriffs Office by calling 911 or 307-733-2331. Bullinger is considered armed and possibly dangerous, according to a news release from Teton County.

The deputy found the Ford Focus on July 12, but authorities believe it has been parked there since mid-June.

Bullinger is wanted in connection to the deaths of his wife, Cheryl Baker, a teen girl and another adult woman. On June 19, a sheriffs deputy found the three dead of single gunshot wounds in a shed on a property owned by Bullinger and Baker in Caldwell, Idaho.

All three bodies were decomposing and investigators are still working to identify the two other victims.

The Teton County Sheriffs Office is working with officials with the National Park Service, the U.S. Forest Service, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Teton County Emergency Management, the FBI and the Canyon County Sheriffs Office of Idaho.

Authorities are patrolling the area and are using dogs in the search, the release states.

The forest service closed the Pacific Creek Campground, the area around Enos Lake and the Lava Creek, Box Creek and Clear Creek trails for the duration of the search, according to a news release. The Pacific Creek Road is closed at the national forests boundary.

For more information about closures, contact the Blackrock Ranger Station at 307-543-3900.

Teton County spokesman Billy Kirk said authorities will release updates on the search as they become available.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
KETCHUM, Idaho  The Idaho Fish and Game Commission is considering several changes to hunting rules, including allowing the use of bait to hunt wolves.

The department is proposing the rule change in response to requests from hunters who want to use bait for hunting wolves outside of the black bear seasons.

Under current rules, wolves can be killed by hunters when they are attracted to bait set out for black bears, where hunting seasons are open for both black bear and wolf. But big game rules do not allow use of bait specific to hunting wolves.

The Department of Fish and Game is seeking public comment on the proposed changes until July 26.

If the rule goes into effect, Idaho would be the only state in the country to permit wolf baiting, according to the Tucson, Arizona-based activist group Center for Biological Diversity.

Andrea Santarsiere, a senior attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity, called the proposal shameful and unethical.

Since wolves lost Endangered Species Act protection, Idaho has grown increasingly aggressive in how and where it permits their hunting and trapping, Santarsiere said. In the absence of federal oversight, Idaho is doing everything it can to decimate Idahos wolf population.

The states estimated wolf population rose to a high of 856 in 2009, dropped to 684 by 2013, then rose again to 786 by the end of 2015, according to the Department of Fish and Game.

The state hasnt produced an estimate since 2015.

Another proposed rule would restrict the use of trail cameras and similar unattended devices for hunting all big game. Also restricted would be the use of electronic two-way communication devices, such as cellphones and radios, as an aid to hunting.

Department of Fish and Game spokesman Mike Keckler said the commission will review the comments it receives on those and several other proposed rules during its meeting July 27 in Bonners Ferry. He said decisions may be made at that time.
Wyoming has received more than $25 million for mammogram machines and other medical equipment since 2010 from a national nonprofit that works to improve rural health care.

When the program started, the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust identified seven states that received the smallest amount of health care philanthropy. Wyoming, which has some of the most expensive medical care in America and has just 26 hospitals, was one of those states.

To us, we want (patients) to have access to care in rural America, said Shelley Stingley, a program director living in Sioux Falls. Were just as important as everywhere else.

To that end, the trusts rural health care program has doled out more than $300 million in grants since its inception. More than $10 million of Wyomings $25.5 million share has gone to better care in cancer treatment centers, Stingley said. That includes putting eight new digital mammography machines in towns like Torrington and Wheatland.

The program wanted women to be within 60 miles of a facility that could give them screenings, Stingley explained. Some of the machines were entirely new equipment to a facility, while others replaced a hospitals aging tech.

Additionally, she said, the program sought to have cancer patients be with 90 miles of better radiation treatment. New machines were purchased in Cody, Sheridan and Rock Springs. New CT scanners were purchased for some hospitals, while 96 machines that perform chest compressions on people in the back of ambulances were brought in for $1.6 million.

The other states receiving money are:

Montana, $47.2 million;

Iowa, $24.3 million;

Nebraska, $54 million;

North Dakota, $54.4 million;

South Dakota, $89 million;

Minnesota, $24.2 million.

Stingley said that the changes in funding per state vary by the states need and by population.

Other uses for the funding include utilizing e-care software, which allows trained physicians to essentially Skype into an emergency situation, and supporting a medical residency program based in Billings. Some residents trained in Sheridan, and at least one graduate is headed back to practice internal medicine there, Stingley said.

We believe if you train them in rural, theyll come back to rural, she said.

The program pays for the equipment, and, in the case of the e-care software, 75 percent of connectivity in the first year. The trust then slowly tapers off its funding support for whatever ongoing costs a new machine may incur. Part of that is to see how the new equipment or program is working independently in a given facility, and to see how much more funding its generating for the hospital.

The problem of access to care  and paying for it  is especially acute in Wyoming. Many of the states 23 counties have one hospital, and most operate on razor-thin margins. Because of Wyomings low population, it has some of the most expensive health care in the country.

Stingley said that with the CT scanners, some hospitals machines were so old the facilities were going to run into regulatory issues that would cost them money.

Itll bring more money, and hopefully itll keep them afloat, she said. Thats at how weve looked at things.

Any death in the small communities that pepper Wyomings expanse leaves aftershocks in its wake, Stingley said. The program hopes to stop deaths that may be preventable with better care.

What we look at is, how do we make these things available to save peoples lives? she said. In some places, if you lose the grocery store manager, you lose your grocery store.

Wyoming has some of the same issues as the other needy states, including energy-dependent North Dakota, Stingley said. But Wyoming is unique, even among the states the program helps funds.

Its the ruralness of it, she explained. Nobody has been coming out to here to help. So this is something we saw as a need and thats what we hope to continue to do.
CARACAS, Venezuela  Hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans lined up across the country and in expatriate communities around the world Sunday to vote in a symbolic rejection of President Nicolas Maduros plan to rewrite the constitution, a proposal thats raising tensions in a nation battered by shortages and anti-government protests.

A 61-year-old woman was killed and four people wounded in shooting that erupted after government supporters on motorcycles swarmed an opposition polling site in a church in the traditionally pro-government Catia neighborhood of western Caracas.

The opposition mayor of the Caracas borough of Sucre, Carlos Ocariz, said pro-government paramilitary groups attacked voters outside the Our Lady of Carmen Church around 3 p.m. The chief prosecutors office said Xiomara Soledad Scott, a nurse, was killed and three were wounded in the incident.

Video posted to social media showed massive crowds outside the church, then hundreds of people running in panic outside the church as motorcycle-riding men zoomed past and shots rang out.

Maduro made no mention of the incident in comments on state television shortly after the official close of opposition polls at 4 p.m.

Im calling on the opposition to return to peace, to respect for the constitution, to sit and talk, Maduro said. Lets start a new round of talks, of dialogue for peace.

In what appeared to be smaller numbers in many parts of the capital, government supporters went to polling stations in a rehearsal for a July 30 vote to elect members of the assembly that will retool Venezuelas 1999 constitution.

The opposition says that vote has been structured to pack the constitutional assembly with government supporters and allow Maduro to eliminate the few remaining checks on his power, creating a Cuba-style system dominated by his socialist party.

The success of the oppositions symbolic referendum will be measured by how many millions participate. Democratic Unity, a coalition of some 20 opposition parties, has printed 14 million ballots for voters inside and outside the country of 31 million people. Few expect turnout to be that high, but analysts say participation by more than 8 million people would significantly raise pressure on the government.

Participation appeared to be high, with large crowds of people lining up at tables in churches and parks across the capital.

Since we opened at 7 a.m. the line hasnt let up, said Pedro Garcia, organizer of a voting station filled with hundreds of people in the south Caracas neighborhood of El Valle, a stronghold of government support that has been weakening in recent years.

Juan Madriz, a 45-year-old insurance company employee, said he didnt object to rewriting the constitution per se, but rejected Maduros decision to do so without putting that decision to a vote, as his predecessor Hugo Chavez did.
Its rare that we root for cheaters.

But thats what happens with Same Time, Next Year, now on stage at Live Theatre Workshop.

The Bernard Slade play is about George and Doris, who meet in 1951 at a northern California inn. Though married to others, they cant help themselves: they fall into bed for a passionate night.

Neither is inclined to leave their spouses and children, so they agree to meet at the same time the next year. Then the next. And the next. The comedy takes us through 24 years of their weekend trysts.

Theres much that happens in the world in those years: assassinations, war, protests, womens liberation, Gestalt therapy.

The times that are a-changin are reflected in George and Doris dress, speech and attitudes.

We also see a friendship and love that deepens and, in a way, is kind of pure  one weekend a year means the pressures of daily living dont affect their relationship. Their love deepens, but never interferes with the life they have with their families the other 363 days of the year.

Same Time, sharply directed by Sabian Trout, stars two actors who have a keen sense of comedy: Shanna Brock and Stephen Frankenfield. They know how to hit the funny lines, but both are good enough to make the more tender, and few heartbreaking, moments resonate. Brocks character more quickly changes with the times, and she has no problem slipping from a 50s housewife to a hippie to a woman on the move  she was rooted in every era. Frankenfields George is a bit slower to buy into the accoutrements of the changing times. We see his evolution with his feelings, which range from wild guilt to deep, deep sorrow.

The chemistry between the two actors was not electric, but the honesty of the performances made up for that.

The playwright has created a couple of characters who do not behave in an admirable way. Yet, audiences cant help but admire them, thanks to the humor. And, too, thanks to this production.
We've collected a few front pages from newspapers.com to give you a look at some July 17 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.
Courtesy Hillcrest Hospital(MAYFIELD HEIGHTS, Ohio) -- One 90-year-old grandmother is keeping herself plenty busy.



Barbara Lowe has hand knit thousands of tiny hats for babies born inside Hillcrest Hospital in Mayfield Heights, Ohio, since 2009.



To date, Lowe has delivered 2,252 hats to the hospital, located just footsteps away from her senior complex home, right across the street.



The matriarch, who retired after working 25 years in the "jewelry business," started by knitting hats for her family and friends," she told ABC News. And after a family member suggested she make them for a hospital for newborns, she was on board.



It takes Lowe four hours to knit just one ribbed hat with a brim, which she makes in a variety of colors -- pale pink, pale blue, pale green, pale yellow and even combinations.



"I buy strictly 'baby yarn,' which is a finer, nicer yarn," she told ABC News. "And I have a signature flower that I put on there."



Lowe notes that she makes the flower detachable, just in case the family thinks it's a bit too feminine.



The grandmother said she learned how to crochet and sew from her mother when she was 10 or 11 years old. She had to teach herself how to knit because her mother didn't know how.



"It's my therapy," Lowe said. "When you're 90, you've got aches and pains. You don't want to think about it. Well, you're not thinking about it if you're concentrating on what you're doing."



Lowe, who has two daughters, 11 grandchildren (when you count their spouses), and 11-great-grandchildren, said she has no plans of stopping because "it just makes me feel so good."



Mary Bartos, the director of Women's & Children's Services at Hillcrest Hospital, said it's also making the families there feel good as well.



"Theyre just pleased to have a gift. Theyre excited to have the uniqueness," she said. "They're touched."



Lowe said for her it's more than just giving a gift.



"When youre on this earth, you only have a limited time and you want to leave something behind when you leave," she said. "Here am I, 90 years old, [and I asked myself,] 'What have I really accomplished?'"



"Then all of a sudden this breaks through. I can't believe it. Its almost a dream," Lowe added.

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
The Arizona Daily Star Sportsmens Fund Send a Kid to Camp program raises money so children from low-income households and military families can attend overnight YMCA, Boy Scout and Girl Scout camps and Camp Tatiyee, for school-age children and older teens with special needs, at little or no cost to their families.

Our goal was to raise $205,000 and send at least 700 local boys and girls to area camps this summer. So far, weve received 1,501 donations totaling $216,015, with the extra money sending kids on waiting lists to camp.

From Ken Tucker, Scout executive, Catalina Council, Boy Scouts of America:

Thank you for all you do for the youth of our community! The summer camp experience is a highlight for our Scouting youth for their entire year of Scouting. Again, thank you!

We never refuse a young person to attend summer camp for financial reasons. We are very appreciative of the support we receive from the Arizona Daily Star Sportsmens Fund to support young people in the Scouting program!

Scout camp highlights include:

 2 Cub Scouts attended Cub Scout resident camp.

 48 Boy Scouts attended Camp Lawton Boy Scout weeklong summer camp on Mt. Lemmon.

 117 Scouts received program kits at Camp Lawton. This new program gives youth more program options at summer camp and provides the extra supplies needed for pioneering, woodcarving, leathercraft and STEM badges.

 1 Scout attended weeklong High Adventure camp at Camp Lawton. This new program is aimed at attracting older Boy Scouts to summer camp.

 4 Boy Scouts will attend weeklong National Youth Leadership Training in December. The program was postponed due to the Burro Fire.

 7 Venturers attended the Boy Scout National Jamboree in West Virginia. This is a highlight experience for any Scout to attend.

 7 Boy Scouts attended the Boy Scout National Jamboree in West Virginia.

Since 1947, the Arizona Daily Star Sportsmens Fund has helped pay for 38,551 children to go to camp. Were one of the oldest 501c(3) charities in Arizona and one of the most efficient in our giving, with 97 cents of every dollar going to send kids to camp.

Your contribution qualifies for the Arizona tax credit of up to $800 for donations to qualifying charitable organizations. Donations are welcome throughout the year.

Recent donations include:

Rene Arriaga, $50.

Dr. and Mrs. Wright Cortner, $500.

Theresa Dellheim, $50.

Roy P. Drachman Foundation, $2,398.

Patrick Emslie, $100.

Tom Foust, in memory of Gordon Overstreet, $100.

Pat Hammes, $50.

Agnes Hannley, $50.

H. K. Hendricks, $25.

John and Sheri Karobonik, $200.

Boris and Billie Kozolchyk, $72.

Marilyn Ludwig, in memory of Rudy Castro and Gordon Overstreet, $200.

Bill and Annette Sams, in memory of Marjorie E. Larmour and Irene Sams, $100.

Charles Smith, $100.

Sarah and Peter Terry, $50.
A man who authorities said was fatally shot by Forest Service and tribal police officers during the weekend was identified Monday as being from Tucson.

Luis Fransisco Vasquez, 32, whose last known address was in Tucson, was being sought in connection to a shooting and arson, the FBI said. The FBI determined he was the person who shot at a U.S. Forest Service employee in Forest Lakes on July 4.

The fatal shooting happened about 2 a.m. Saturday near the city of Globe and the San Carlos Reservation in central Arizona.

The FBI said U.S. Forest Service and San Carlos Apache Tribal police officers shot at the suspect after encountering the man, who opened fire first.

The man, whose identity is pending family notification, died and no officers were hurt.

Authorities believe he's the same man who shot at a Forest Service fire prevention officer in Forest Lakes on July 4 and had been linked to multiple brush fires that were intentionally set around that time.

The FBI is leading the investigation because of the assault on federal officers.

The Associated Press
Regular readers may recall the infamous half-mile stretch of Interstate 10 just north of Picacho Peak.

To jog your memory, between 2010 and 2015, there were 83 blowing-dust-related crashes on an 87-mile stretch between Tucson and Phoenix, more than half of which  43, including two fatal incidents  occurred in that minuscule section, according to Arizona Department of Transportation figures.

That staggering toll led to two parallel state efforts to make the perilous passage less so. One is a high-tech, $12.8 million warning system that can detect blowing dust and reduce speed limits along a 10-mile stretch accordingly. Construction could start as soon as this fall.

The other was an effort to identify the source of much of the dust implicated in those crashes and mitigate it, and now theres a plan to do just that.

After several months of research and investigation, the multi-agency I-10 Dust Group, which includes the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, ADOT, the Department of Public Safety and other state and tribal bodies, has honed in on a single piece of land they call the parcel of concern, according to June meeting minutes.

Seen from space  courtesy of Google Maps  the 160-acre lot is mostly bare, denuded desert along the banks of a canal, making it stand out from surrounding tracts of land that are either planted or covered to some degree by desert vegetation.

And thats exactly the problem, according to ADEQs Len Drago, deputy air-quality director and member of the dust group.

That canal obstructed the natural water flow to sustain the natural vegetation for the desert, Drago said of his groups findings. On top of that, the soil on the plot is almost powder-like, making it easy for wind gusts to carry blinding dust across nearby I-10. There was little evidence that grazing played a role in the lands condition.

The owner of the land, Houston real estate broker Louis Tsakiris, allowed state officials to conduct the soil sampling on his property, according to Drago. Tsakiris, who purchased the parcel of concern and another similarly sized neighboring lot in 2016, according to Pinal County assessor records, did not respond to several messages seeking comment by deadline.

So, to tackle the dust, Dragos group intends to apply chemical dust-suppressant on a portion of Tsakiris land, something that could be finished by the end of September if all goes well. He described it as a sticky compound that dries on the ground, forming a crust.

Access agreements for the next step are written and drafted, and officials expect to meet with Tsakiris as soon as this week. Drago said there has been no obstruction to date from the landowner.

Though there arent any official estimates for the project yet, Drago said a typical application of the proposed treatment costs roughly $100,000 for every 25 acres, and officials have their eyes on around 50 acres of Tsakiris land.

While the treatment will miss the monsoons and their famously powerful dust storms, Drago pointed out that many of the crashes along the stretch in question actually occurred in the fall. Additionally, the incidents were often tied to local, channelized wind events, not massive dust storms that travel miles.

Drago described the chemical treatment as a huge first step and said its effectiveness would be closely monitored. If it doesnt work, officials could consider seeding or recontouring the property with the landowners permission.

Construction on the far-more-costly dust-warning system could start shortly after the treatment is on the ground. Drago and ADOT spokesman Tom Herrmann described the two parallel efforts as complementary, not redundant.

Theres a very important public-safety issue to be resolved and its certainly prudent to look at all of the ways that we could address it, Herrmann said.

He pointed out that the dust-suppression measure only addresses dust blown from a single plot of land and does nothing to address dust blowing in from elsewhere or to haboobs. The warning system is designed to be responsive to large and small dust events alike.

I think together, we can make that stretch of road safer, Herrmann said.
Just beyond the pedestrian entrance on the Nogales border lies a courtyard lined with pharmacies and dentists offices. Inside the waiting rooms sit Americans seeking cheap dental work.

Former Tucson dentist Mark McMahon decided to capitalize on this phenomenon and now takes van loads of people across the border twice a week.

The first time people come down, most go, Whoa, that was easy. I can do that, he said.

Every Tuesday and Thursday, patients meet McMahon at the Dennys near St. Marys Road and Interstate 10 in Tucson. They pile into his yellow 12-passenger van to make the hour drive down to Nogales. Magnets on the side of the van show a smiling coyote advertising 70 percent off.

On a good day, six to eight people will meet McMahon for the drive.

Some are repeat customers who choose to ride with McMahon, even after seeing how easily they can make the trip themselves.

We also encourage people to drive on their own, McMahon said. We even have a little video that we send out to people to teach them how.

Janice Crannell booked a third trip with McMahon after a consultation and gum surgery the weeks before.

Its great, she said. You never know how youre going to feel after a major enough surgery, and then you dont have to deal with the driving. Dr. Mark is really very pleasant.

Others make the trek from Phoenix to meet with McMahon.

Larry Romero, a dispatcher at the Sheriffs Department, brought his daughter, Amber, to Nogales to have her wisdom teeth removed. Romeros wife is from Nogales, so his only concern was the procedure itself.

McMahon calls his service Coyote Dental  a reference to the smugglers who help migrants cross the border. He charges $50 for the drive and receives a commission from the Nogales dentists.

He first thought of the idea after selling his practice in 1999 and traveling for four years, journeying to the southern tip of South America.

Upon his return, McMahon searched for job opportunities in Nogales, Sonora. He scoped out prospects at four dentists offices undercover as a patient and was impressed with the quality of service offered by the Mexican dentists.

I realized, because the prices were so low, I wasnt going to make a lot of money as a dentist, he said. But I saw this huge opportunity for the fact that just across the border is this incredible wealth of dental providers and technology.

After parking the van at a Burger King on the U.S. side, McMahon and the group cross the border with ease. A Mexican guard waves them through without checking IDs. On the other side, a representative from one of the offices takes Romero, his daughter and Crannell to The Tooth Inc.

Over the past two years, McMahon has worked with several of the dentists just across the border, figuring out which work best for his patients.

Dr. Abraham Chavez Portillo and his wife, Zuleika Valdez, opened The Tooth in November. The office is housed in a nearly empty retail center atop a flight of marble stairs. The waiting room is small, but has cushioned seating, a fridge with bottled water and a Keurig coffee machine.

As far as the offices go, I was actually quite impressed, Crannell said. They are quite clean and state of the art and so much less expensive.

The Romeros wait patiently, reading magazines and looking at their phones while a television shows scenes of Ashton Kutcher playing Steve Jobs.

Meanwhile, Crannell sits in the dentists chair, her mouth wide open as Chavez and Dr. Ricardo Milan, a gum specialist, make small talk and prod around in her mouth.

A painful experience with an Illinois dentist left Crannell skeptical of the trip to Mexico, but her concerns vanished in the chair.

They were much more accommodating, she said. The doctors over there are very pleasant.

Valdez explains that Chavez grew up in the United States and went to Pima Medical Institute, where he studied as a dental assistant. He decided to go to Ciudad Juarez for dental school because it was cheaper and faster than studying north of the border.

Chavez and Valdez live in Rio Rico and drive 15 minutes to Nogales for work.

Some of their most-popular procedures are root canals and extractions.

It is a very good deal considering the price, Valdez said, and the dental quality is as good as if you did it in the United States.

However, American dentists contend the care received in Mexico is not always as safe as it is in the United States.

The thing we generally try to counsel consumers on is do your research before you go, said Kevin Earle, executive director of the Arizona Dental Association. There is no consistency in the training requirements in Mexico. They dont have licensing boards like we do.

A fact sheet released to members of the Arizona Dental Association warns patients that Mexican dentists do not have the same legal protections as in the United States when complications arise from dental work.

Many of our dentists report to us that patients have returned to them after work has been done thats not to an appropriate standard, Earle said.

The Arizona association warns against problems in water sanitation, materials used for crowns and a lower threshold of educational and regulatory standards in Mexico.

Despite the potential issues some Mexican dentistry may pose, McMahon says he has never had issues with the dentists to which he takes patients.

In one of the most-popular offices, Dental Laser, Americans fill a relatively large waiting room. The office is modern. Secretaries sit behind a semicircular desk, checking in patients as nurses and doctors mill about.

One benefit to having dental work done in Mexico, rather than the United States, is dental specialists work in the same office, McMahon said. Instead of making separate appointments, patients can address their needs in a single visit.

Dental Laser houses 15 dentists specializing in everything from root canals to cosmetic dentistry.

Another advantage is the technology, McMahon said.

One example is a machine that will carve a crown for a tooth from a 3D model in minutes. McMahon said only some dentists in Tucson have the technology. Dental Laser has two machines.

A lot of people get a root canal and a crown done in the same day, McMahon said. In Tucson, that would be $2,500 to $3,000 minimum. Down there, its between $800 and $900.

Sometimes, after patients have completed their appointments, McMahon will take them for chips, salsa and tequila at one of the areas trendier restaurants.

Re-entry into the U.S. takes longer than crossing into Mexico, but wait times vary. This time the group is back on U.S. soil in a matter of minutes. The van returns in the early afternoon.

Crannell said later: Im definitely going to be doing that again.
Born in Tombstone, Arizona Territory, Aug. 16, 1881, Ethel Maud Robertson was a true Arizona pioneer. Her parents, Alice and Chris Robertson, had arrived in Tombstone from the mining settlement of Leadville, Colorado, the year before Ethels birth. The oldest of five children, Ethel took over running the household at age 14 after her mother died in 1895.

She spent one year attending the University of Arizona, but when her father was murdered during a shootout in Pearce in 1899, Ethel tried to become guardian of her two brothers and two sisters. Since she was not yet 21, however, she was made a ward of the court along with her siblings.

As soon as she reached the age of majority, Ethel assumed legal responsibility for the family. She and her 15-year-old sister, Edith, went to work recording tax rolls for the Cochise County Court House, the first women employed there. Ethel also took in boarders, especially children whose parents lived outside Tombstone and worked in the mines.

On Feb. 4, 1904, Ethel married Bert Macia, superintendent of the Tombstone Consolidated Mining and Milling Co. They had three children: Iris was born in 1908 followed by Jeanne in 1914 and James Herbert Macia, Jr. in 1916.

In 1919, Ethel convinced Bert they should purchase Tombstones Arcade Hotel and go into the boardinghouse business.

The Vizina Mining Co. had built the original adobe structure around 1878 to serve as an office and a boardinghouse. Newlyweds Henry and Mary Gee (Henry was the mining engineer of Vizina) stayed at the little hotel in 1885 while waiting for their new home to be finished. Marys Scottish family had sent her clippings of native plants to remind her of her homeland, including root cuttings from a white rose called the Lady Banksia Rose (banksiae alba-elena), named for Sarah Banks, wife of British naturalist and botanist Sir Joseph Banks. Mary shared her cuttings with the Vizina boardinghouse landlady, who planted the clippings in the hotels courtyard.

By 1884, the Vizina Mine was no longer productive and the building was sold. It first became the Cochise Hotel until new owners in 1900 christened it the Arcade Hotel and covered the outer walls with tin to protect the adobe from Arizonas blistering sun.

Against Berts better judgment, Ethel took over the old Arcade Hotel and turned it into one of the most-sought-after attractions in Tombstone.

The original white rose bush that had been planted in the hotels courtyard continued to flourish. Bert and Ethel were constantly tying up the myriad branches that continued to grow and expand from its base. They built a wooden trellis for the plant, but the bush became so heavy they had to replace the trellis with wooden posts and metal pipe.

By 1936, the tree had become so large, its heavy branches filled with fragrant blossoming petals every spring, that Ripleys Believe it or Not claimed it the worlds largest rose tree. Ethel realized the enticing draw she had for her hotel and renamed her establishment the Rose Tree Inn. She held court in the small patio that surrounded the rose tree, expounding on the history of the town and the roses.

Serving for 30 years on the board of the Arizona Childrens Home, Ethel was also a member of the Arizona Pioneer Historical Society and part of the initial planning for what is now Tombstones annual Helldorado celebration, serving on the first executive board in 1929 and becoming Queen of Helldorado at the age of 72 in 1953.

In 1955, the television program Wide, Wide World came to Tombstone to produce a live, nationwide show featuring the Town Too Tough to Die. Ethel, now the grande dame of Tombstone, dressed in her finest vintage gown, her feathered hat sitting snugly on her head.

She sat among the old timers buried in the Boothill Graveyard, recounting stories about those she had known and those she had only heard about. As a young girl on a trip with her mother to Colorado, she had met Tombstone legend Wyatt Earp. Her appearance on the show was a huge success.

In 1941, Ethel and Bert sold the Rose Tree Inn to their daughter Jeanne and her husband, who continued to live in the old adobe building.

During World War II, the inn became the meeting place for the Tombstone Hospital Auxiliary where women came to knit mittens, socks, and scarves for soldiers and discuss the war news  those who had made it home and those who had not. Bert, Jr. was over there, returning safely at the end of the war.

Jeanne and her husband made the Rose Tree Inn their home, ceasing operation of the hotel but keeping the rose tree patio open to the public. Edith continued to entertain visitors under the shade of the massive arbor.

In 1950, the Tombstone Restoration Commission was established to bring back the grandeur of old Western days, and to provide income for the dwindling population of Tombstone. Ethel became a charter member, serving as historian and a member of the governing board.

Ethel died Aug. 3, 1964. She spent her entire life in and around Tombstone and never wanted to be any place else.

Her legacy continues to grow outside the old Rose Tree Museum, where the flowers thrive and bloom every year from February through April. It continues to be considered the largest rose tree in the world.
From the Associated Press: Disa Alexander, who shot the video, was hiking to the swimming area where Ellison Creek and East Verde River converge when the water suddenly surged. She was still about two miles away when she spotted a man holding a baby and clinging to a tree. His wife was nearby, also in a tree. Had they been swept downstream, they would have been sent over a 20-foot waterfall, Alexander said.
Two days before Wikileaks published the emails obtained from the Russian hackers, Rudy Giuiiani who was active in the Trump campaign said, during a TV interview, that something very interesting will come out very soon.

It has been reported that as part of their election interference campaigns of other countries (and the American election was not their first nor only nor their last), Russia enlists the help of people within the country being cyber attacked.

Put those two items together and it is a sure bet that the Trump campaign knew what Russia was doing in advance and did not blow the whistle.

When the Gore camp was sent a copy the Bush debate book, they immediately called the FBI.

When President Obama asked Mitch McConnell to join the Democrats in a bi-partisan report, the Republican leader said, 'nyet'.

Draw your conclusions or collusions.

DAVE GLICKSMAN

Northwest side
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TCN News



The Alliance for Justice and Accountability (AJA), an umbrella coalition of progressive organizations across the United States and various coalition partners held protests in three cities across the US, to express their outrage over the growing mob rule against minorities in India and the policies of the government that are emboldening such forces. Protests were held in Washington DC, San Diego and San Jose on July 16. A fourth protest in New York city is scheduled on July 23, 2017.

These protests are similar to the Not in My Name protests that have been held across various cities in India. Besides the AJA coalition, the protests in San Jose were jointly organized with the Multifaith Voices for Peace and Justice. The South Asia Solidarity Initiative (SASI), will be part of the protests in New York City on July 23.

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The statement from the AJA said, The last few years has seen brutal killings of mostly Muslims and Dalits in the name of cow protection, over a dozen of them only since September last year. These killings have been orchestrated by Hindu supremacist groups ideologically aligned with the BJP-led federal government and drawing inspiration from the beef ban imposed by the governments in various states.

It said further, The increasing hostility towards minorities displayed by even central ministers in the form of incendiary rhetoric has only added fuel to the fire. Since 2010, 97% of beef related violence has taken place after the BJP-led Hindu nationalist government came to power. Since 2015, an increasing number of Muslims have been lynched, hanged or brutalized in the most cruel manner on mere suspicion of possessing or cooking beef.

Protesters carried signs, such as India  Hostage to Hindutva? and Beef Ban is Cultural Fascism. They came from various communities in the diaspora and were united in their condemnation of the killings and the beef ban.

The reign of terror unleashed by Hindu supremacist cow vigilantes is clearly targeted at browbeating the nations religious minorities into the status of second class citizens, said Mr Suhail Syed, one of the organizers of the protests in Washington, DC.

How can the Indian government respond so casually to the mob lynchings of Muslims and Dalits?, asked San Uddin, one of the organizers of the protests in New York. That shows the killings are not spontaneous but executed with a tacit approval of Hindu supremacists that are an integral part of the ruling party, added Ms. Sana.

In a recent statement, Amnesty International India expressed deep worry over the pattern of hate crimes committed against Muslims with seeming impunity  many of them in states where the Bharatiya Janata Party is in power.

In April 2017, a mob beat a 55-year-old Muslim man, Pehlu Khan, to death in Rajasthan after accusing him of transporting cows for slaughter. In a recent killing that shook India, 15-year-old Hafiz Junaid was stabbed to death on board a train in northern India as he headed home from Eid shopping. While such killings have drawn international condemnation, the suffering of millions who have lost their source of livelihood as a result of the beef ban has not received adequate attention. In a bizarre and shocking expose of the Sangh Parivars hypocrisy, the BJP and RSS joined hands to sell beef in Kerala, the very act for which they are enabling the lynching of Muslims.

The Alliance for Justice and Accountability has pledged to work with people of all faiths to defend India from the onslaught of hate and divisiveness.
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TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter

Even if Narendra Modi has condemned atrocities of right wing organizations in the name of cow-protection, but the action of his government says that this government is becoming more cow everyday.

The Union Ministry of Science and Technology has constituted a 19-member panel to conduct a detailed research on cow derivatives, and their benefits. The derivatives also include Cows excreta and urine.

The 19-member scientific panel will also include members from allied organizations of Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, and ex-CSIR chief R A Mashelkar. The panel, which Union Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan will head himself, has a tenure for three years.

The panel also includes secretaries of the departments of Science and Technology, Biotechnology, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, and scientists from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi. Other members include IIT Delhi director Prof V Ramgopal Rao and Prof VK Vijay from Centre for Rural Development and Technology of IIT.

As the co-chairman of the committee, Vijay Bhatkar, president of RSS-affiliated organization Vigyan Bharti has taken the charge. Other RSS-VHP linked members of the panel are A. Jayakumar and Sunil Mansinghka. Jayakumar is secretary general of Vigyan Bharti, and Maninghka is the member of Nagpur based VHP outlet Gau Vigyan Anusandhan Kendra.

The circular which was accessed by PTI said, this multi-disciplinary programme will involve participation of other related ministries, government departments, academic institutions, research laboratories, voluntary organisations and others to carry out research and development and also build capacities, and cover five thematic areas including scientific validation of uniqueness of indigenous cows.

The panel will study the benefits of panchgavya  the five derivatives of cow which are cow dung, urine, milk, curd and ghee  in reference to their medicinal values, nutritional values, health benefits and agricultural benefits.

The project is called SVAROP, which is an acronym for Scientific Validation and Research on Panchgavya.
The rally was organised by Lok Raj Sangathan, Social Democratic Party of India, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, United Muslim Front, Communist Ghadar Party of India, CPI (M-L)-New Proletarian, Citizens for Democracy, Welfare Party of India, Association for Protection of Civil Rights, Sarvahara Patrika, Students Islamic Organisation of India, AIFTU (New), South Asian Human Rights Documentation Centre, Purogami Mahila Sa ngathan, National Confederation of Human Rights Organisations and many others.

The rally was organised by Lok Raj Sangathan, Social Democratic Party of India, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, United Muslim Front, Communist Ghadar Party of India, CPI (M-L)-New Proletarian, Citizens for Democracy, Welfare Party of India, Association for Protection of Civil Rights, Sarvahara Patrika, Students Islamic Organisation of India, AIFTU (New), South Asian Human Rights Documentation Centre, Purogami Mahila Sa ngathan, National Confederation of Human Rights Organisations and many others.

Participants in the rally carried placards condemning attacks of the Modi government on different sections of people. The rally participants declared that through united efforts, they will put an end to the growing attacks on minorities, Dalits, workers, peasants, women and others fighting for their rights.

Participants in the rally carried placards condemning attacks of the Modi government on different sections of people. The rally participants declared that through united efforts, they will put an end to the growing attacks on minorities, Dalits, workers, peasants, women and others fighting for their rights.

The purpose of the rally was to bring together all sections of people whose rights are being violated by the Indian state and its institutions.

Speakers at the rally vigorously condemned the attacks on different sections of people. Press note from the organizers said,In the name of protecting religious identities, innocent Muslims are being lynched by mobs. Minorities are being targeted based on what they eat and how they appear or dress. Dalits are subjected to barbaric caste oppression and attacked brutally when they raise voices of protest. Labor rights are being severely curtailed while the Modi government goes about inviting the biggest monopoly houses to invest in India, to Make in India, promising them ease of doing business.

It further said, Peasants are being driven to bankruptcy and suicide because of withdrawal of state guarantee for procurement of their produce at a minimum support price providing reasonable returns to run their families. Students in various universities are being targeted for raising their voices against injustice. Atrocities against women are increasing day by day. The people of Kashmir are being brutally silenced because they demand the withdrawal of armed forces.

They pointed out that people are completely marginalized in this political system. Other than the right to vote they have no mechanisms to select and elect the candidate of their choice, recall their representatives if necessary, and initiate legislation that protects their rights.

Speakers said, Modi government acts in the interests of big monopoly houses just as its predecessor governments. It is strengthening Indias alliance with the ruling classes of US and Israel who have violated the sovereignty of people and caused untold suffering to people in many countries of West Asia and other regions. It is taking India on a dangerous course at the behest of big business houses and foreign monopolies, who want to continue increasing their wealth, gravely endangering peace and security in this region.

Many speakers pointed out that both BJP and Congress polarize the people to create vote banks. One party is called secular and the other is called communal, but they are two sides of the same coin. They both claim they are working for the people, but in reality they work to implement the policies of the biggest corporate monopolies.
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By Mohammad Sajjad for TwoCircles.net

At any given moment, stock-taking of institutions is a necessary exercise. In recent times, universities have started facing more difficult challenges than ever before. At least in certain cases, both the state and some segments of our society have appeared to articulate discomfitures particularly against the best of our universities. We should not and cannot be dismissive about such discomfitures, alienations, hostilities, and grievances. It would be too simplistic and fraught with implications if we push it aside merely by saying that these are all because of misinformed and motivated propagandas.

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As a student of history, I somehow feel that in our part of the world, comprehensive studies on social histories of the academies of higher learning are woefully inadequate. It is therefore important to deal with the predicaments facing our universities. Have they really remained alive to the social and economic challenges facing Indian societies? With what objectives were they set up? Have they really remained true to those objectives? What kind of research and pedagogy did they churn out? Did they remain confined as a preserve of a minuscule minority of the select middle classes? Did the campuses explore and address the problems of the immediate surroundings of the physical location of the campuses?

Do we really have enough instances when the teachers movements went beyond their own pay, perks, and working conditions, and agitated for larger social, economic and political questions? How many times have the academics been self-critical about their own accountabilities?

With best of my efforts, I could come across very few of such accounts.

The news periodicals of the 1980s and 1990s describe how various provincial universities became fiefdoms of certain upper-caste elites. Each of these universities was identified with a specific caste, and the respective vice chancellors could essentially from those castes only. Having ruined our better quality provincial universities and having eroded their autonomy by the vile politicians in connivance with the pro-establishment, retrogressive, casteist academics, we started looking upon some of the central universities as a haven for our children and youth.

While all these were going on, instead of responding to these, the academics and the policy-makers, rather than arresting those decay, and restoring academic rigours in these existing Universities, thought of establishing more elite institutions funded by the Union government. The Jawaharlal Nehru University (New Delhi) came into being at this juncture. The rural elites deserted better quality government schools for district towns, and the social monitoring of these schools vanished, ruining these institutions. [So did happen with the government health care systems in rural areas]. Then the district town elites migrated to provincial capital cities for better education to their children. When these deteriorated, the elites migrated to New Delhi. When higher education and doctoral degrees from the universities of Indias mega cities started becoming less worthy, the corresponding elites migrated to the Western world. In this linear progression of migrations for better quality education, we ended up looking away from keeping our institutions intact. The rapid decline, even destruction, of the wonderful government schooling system in BiharZila Schoolscould probably be an interesting subject of study. No private schools of today can really match the rigour and quality of such government schools and colleges of yesteryears.

Expansion in the number of universities have happened more in order to become socially inclusive, simultaneously it has also asserted the needs of the heterogeneities of the purposes behind setting them up, some having region-specific concerns of research, enrolments and recruitments, besides undertaking the documentations of the ethnographic details (customs, traditions, socio-economic and educational status, dialects, languages, etc.) of the local communities. To ensure all these, the universities enjoy autonomy. Nevertheless, when few historic universities came to be identified with certain grossly under-represented social groups/identities, they started facing a lot of troubles and oppositions from various ideological groups. They questioned the raison detre of such universities. They are facing existential threats and are under tremendous pressure to shed their specificities. Heterogeneities of the academic and social purposes of such universities, despite very few in numbers, are sought to be subsumed and assimilated by proposing to legislate a homogenous single Act for all such centrally funded universities. Such onslaught of homogeneity has not come only from the Right wing forces but also from the Left, liberal, and progressive forces in India. This obsession for hegemonic homogeneity needs to be resisted at this point of time more fiercely than ever before in the journey of our republic. As put more candidly by Satish Deshpande (Indian Express, February 1, 2017), Public university is more important now than ever before. It is the critical site where the future of the social justice agenda will be decided, and the fate of this agenda, in turn, will decide whether we have any future at all as a democratic republic.

In the 1970s, when the Emergency was imposed, and now under the present dispensation, the premier universities have begun to face a lot of adversities and persecutions. In the name of patriotism, the students and academics are subjected to a witch-hunt. Many provocative falsehoods are attributed to the free thinking minds. With these falsehoods, society is misleadingly persuaded to stand in violent hostilities against the students and academics. There is an onslaught of muzzling the dissent, an atmosphere of fear and intimidation is killing the creativities of the writers, of the academics, and even of the young minds.

The question is: how did we reach such a grim situation? How did the society get alienated against our respectable institutions and the regressive political and cultural forces have begun to prevail over the society? How did these politicians succeed in persuading the society rather than the knowledge producers and disseminators? This calls us all the more for much deeper introspection.

To my little understanding, part of the reason is: with the expanding social base of the campuses, the pre-existing upper caste elites got threatened about their pre-eminence in the sphere of knowledge. Our practices of knowledge-production and dissemination have remained woefully inadequate on challenging the status quo.

Just one instance, and that from Bihar!

Bihar has always been identified as more regressive about upper caste hegemony. Yet, the premier and the oldest college of north Bihar, founded in 1899 by a caste association, Bhumihar-Brahman Sabha in collaboration with the Bihar Scientific Society of Muzaffarpur (established in 1868), and later named after Langat Singh (1850-1912), does not offer a course in Sociology and Anthropology, as yet. It was only in the 1980s, that a lesser known college of Muzaffarpur came up to offer an undergraduate course in Sociology. Did the universities of Bihar promote studies and researches on flood control, on rural distress, on agrarian improvements, on limits and failures of the municipal systems and urban planning, on development studies with a perspective of sensitising the people on regional imbalances, on caste-based oppressions and violence? On the inter-regional and intra-regional imbalances, when Bihar was characterised as Internal Colony of independent India, a study (1973) came out of a non-academic socialist thinker, Sachidanand Sinha, rather than from the teachers on the payroll of a university. How many of the regional universities undertake researches on letting off the ones who were directly as well as indirectly involved in the communal violence of colonial and post-independence eras? How many of these universities, till the 1980s, really had centres for studies about Dalits, Tribes, gender, and religious-linguistic minorities? We have studies on the Dalit community of Musahars, but these are not from the universities of Bihar. Such studies come out more from certain kind of NGOs engaged in research and documentation. Most of the researches funded by the UGC fail the rigours of top-tier journals. In Uttar Pradesh, there are 66 communities of Dalits, but out of these, dozens of the Dalit communities have not been studied by the social anthropologists of the government universities of Uttar Pradesh. In fact, socio-anthropological studies about Indian castes took place more in the USA. Even the micro-areas of political studies such as the subjects like election studies and psephology, and social complexities involved in electioneering processes and outcomes thereof, have originated more in the USA and elsewhere, than in the Indian universities.

The Rajendra Agricultural University of Pusa in Bihar could never show any significant output on researches on bananas of Hajipur, on lichis of Muzaffarpur; flood resistant varieties of rice crops could not be developed; since long a particular virus is killing the sheeshum trees of commercial timber values, but the agricultural universities of these regions are unable to come out with a solution.

Similarly, did the IITs devise and invent vehicles of low fuel consumption? Did they come out with kitchen utensils, such as bread-baker, microwave oven, pressure cookers, or any such devices which could consume less energy and could save the time of the cook? Thus, the IITs came to be seen as a means of upward mobility of select individuals, who rose up the career ladder by getting employed abroad, rather than ones who could help improve the economic status of the common people. In common perception, the academics of these elite institutions are/were perceived to be least relevant socially.

An instance of socially relevant research and teaching is pertinently relevant here. Prof. Shakeelur Rahman (1931-2016), former Vice Chancellor in two universities of Bihar, and former Union Health Minister, in his Urdu memoir Aashram (1992: 193-212) recalls that when he was doing undergraduate from the Munshi Singh College, Motihari, he had offered Economics as a subsidiary. For this course, it was mandatory to have a month long field-trip in a village of Champaran. With this, he had to write a dissertation on the economy of the village. This is how documentation of rural distress used to be prepared. We need to ponder, from that kind of rigour, where have we now slipped down.

Nonetheless, there are still a few university institutions in which standards of teaching and research are maintained at a fairly high level, but none of the older universities is any longer in the forefront. In an increasing number of them, hardly any research worth the name is done , said Andre Beteille .

Moreover, whatever relevant researches the writers, journalists, activists, and academicians the academies produced are, and were, mostly in the English language, hence a limited reach. These outputs should have been brought out in vernaculars. These vernacular spaces came to be filled in mostly by the reactionary forces. Zoya Hasan (1998) has demonstrated how the Uttar Pradesh polity and society were communalise through some of the major Hindi dailies since the 1980s. Even elsewhere, for instance in Turkey, as articulated by Jenny White (2002), the Islamist take-over took place predominantly because of a long term sustained Islamization of the vernacular spaces.

After independence, not a single high schools and college was set-up by the state government in Bihar. The landlord politicians opened it up, recruited their specific caste-men from top to bottom, and got these colleges taken over by the government. Thus, these recruitments had almost cent percent reservation for the specific upper castes. About Uttar Pradesh, a government report by J. P. Naik in 1961 declared that the government may have theoretically abolished zamindari in land, but in its place, a zamindari in education has been created (Rudolph & Rudolph, 1978). Yet, these very castes-classes were so very vehement in opposing the implementation of the Mandal Commission Report in 1991. They were now invoking the arguments of meritocracy. These landed upper caste elites obtained degrees in medicine and technology through the means of capitation fee, at the cost of genuine meritocracy. But conveniently forgetting these aspects, they protested that doctors and engineers produced through caste-based quotas will be a menace to the nation. Such duplicities have had their implications.

Because of these, we failed to educate the Indians about the idea of India. The partisan and outrageous manners of recruitments, promotions, publications, enrolments, all contributed towards ever growing discredit of the academics and academies.

Let us confess rather candidly, that our universities failed to sensitise (about all these) our youth adequately. We did not warn our hedonist middle classes about their lack of ideological moorings, their passionate consumerist ambitions. These inequalities and lack of concern, for the disadvantaged, started becoming even starker within the campuses. In fact, the problem went even further. There developed a fear, and hatred against the upward mobility of hitherto dispossessedbe it the Dalits, Tribes, OBCs or religious minorities.

In reaction against all these issues of social composition and resultant conflicts about the structures of academic governance, when the votaries of social justice came to power in the 1990s, they took recourse to changing the social composition of these institutions in such a cynical and brazen manner that they wittingly or unwittingly ended up destroying them, for all practical purposes. Thus, the society, in essential terms, got alienated from the institutions. A significant section of the common citizens got disillusioned and this gave way to a thought that the academies and the academicians are a liability rather than assets.

This is where the regressive and reactionary political forces, with the advantage of state power, started playing their nasty games, pushing our universities into the death throes.

By saying so, it certainly does not mean that our universities and academics did not do anything worthwhile. They did produce leaders, writers, journalists, academics-scientists, policy-planners, scientists, technocrats, managers, activists, administrators, and everything else. Only thing is, they did not produce enough. In proportion to our huge population, we dont have many public intellectuals to challenge the status quo and to guide the society in a desirable direction.

As compared to the core academics of research which have been relatively much less responsive to the socio-economic needs of the immediate surroundings, the student politics has sometimes been responsive to the wider social issues.

From the 1960s onwards, students and educated unemployed youth did emerge as demand groups in the Indian politics, as put by Rudolph and Rudolph (1987). This was an era when rural students from historically disadvantaged social groups were entering into the campuses. Incidentally, this was also an era of student upsurge in the rest of the world.

Thus, at some moments, the students did rise to the occasion. The students of the St Stephens College (Delhi) and the Presidency College (Calcutta) joined in the extra-parliamentary violent struggles for the landless labourers. For instance, in Tamil Nadu in 1965 and in Gujarat in 1974 students launched and led massive anti-Hindi and anti price rise agitations that challenged policies and toppled governments. In the 1980s, students led or collaborated with regional movements in Assam and Punjab. Nationally, students provided cadres for the Jayaprakash Narayan led movement in 1974-75  for decentralisation, honest government, and a more just society. During 1965-75, parts of India witnessed strong student movements, e.g. Nav Nirman Andolan of Gujarat and Sampurna Kranti (Total Revolution) of Bihar. This was against rampant corruption in the government and in the universities.

However, this is also a truth that the Indian students have provided the personnel and political resources for partisan and factional politics. The easy access to political career and the benefits of power have led students to participate in rather than challenge the established political system. While the movement of the 1970s did not take care of the fact that in the name of fight against corruption, they were also aligning with the reactionary forces, in the 1980s, Sanjay Gandhis mobilization of educated and ambitious but frustrated youth in the Youth Congress contributed towards degeneration of student politics which became more interested in rising to power through unprincipled means rather than agitating for a better and just society.

Overall, students have rarely challenged the centrist consensus, even when they have challenged particular centrist regimes. We need to prepare self-confident students and youth who can dream, who can challenge the status quo, who can question the regressive traditions and reactionary ideologies.

Thus, let it be repeated ad nauseum, we the academics need to look within ourselves self-critically and diagnose our problems most honestly. Where did we, the community of academics, go wrong? This stock-taking is more urgently needed now than ever before. Let us strive to re-establish a much meaningful connect between the academies and the society. This should be an integral and concurrent act of ours while struggling to reclaim our public institutions to build the secular democratic republic of India of our dreams, the uncompromising spirit of which is cast in the stone, called Constitution.

The author is Professor of History at the Aligarh Muslim University.

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It is rather tragic that the Conservatives' fortunes under Theresa May have dramatically changed since she became Prime Minister last July. From recruiting 50,000 new members last June, a stunning by-election victory in Copeland in February and opinion polls predicting a Tory landslide, a supply-in-confidence agreement with the DUP is not what many commentators expected.

'The Tories need another Thatcher.'

In 1974, Edward Heath called a snap election, asking the country which governs them. The electorate said in response at the time: 'Not you.' What followed was a hung parliament with Labour's Harold Wilson becoming prime minister.

This year's general election delivered a hung parliament, too, when Mrs. May asked the same question. However, the Tories remain in power. She has become as unpopular as Mr. Heath did then, causing the Conservatives to turn to Mrs. Thatcher to change their fortunes in 1975. And another parallel to 1974 is that the Tories need another Thatcher to improve the party's prospects beyond 2017 now, more than ever.

The winning formula for the Conservatives is a joint ticket with Jacob Rees-Mogg as prime minister and Andrea Leadsom as chancellor. Both of them are authentic politicians and true Thatcherites/Brexiteers. Once Britain leaves the EU, we need a leader who will embrace the many opportunities Brexit offers, and who better than Mr.

Rees-Mogg? With 'Moggmentum' taking the internet by storm, he is the anecdote necessary to quell the threat of Jeremy Corbyn. Though both figures started their political careers on the backbenches, Mr. Rees-Mogg is far more eloquent in his Commons performances than Corbyn and much more intelligent. His ability to memorise pieces of legislation is outstanding.

Look at his performance on a recent Question Time episode: he can explain points with clarity to a higher standard than many of the current Cabinet members.

'The party does not need a manifesto that mirrors Labour's.'

Mrs. Leadsom, despite dropping out of the leadership race last year, still has much to offer. After being a leading figure in the Vote Leave campaign and with a background in banking, she would be the perfect saleswoman to pitch Britain's unique selling points to the world when negotiating free trade deals.

She still has a lot of popularity among the Tory grassroots and would embrace Brexit more enthusiastically than the feeble Philip Hammond.

Many Conservatives will not agree with this piece, but these are not normal circumstances. The party does not need a manifesto that mirrors Labour's; it needs ideas that will create a rich country post-Brexit.
Anonymity online provides a level of protection which many social media users have benefited from, for many reasons. For some it's the freedom to discuss their politics or religion without judgment from family or friends, for many women, it's because they're frightened, and being anonymous online gives them a certain degree of safety.

According to Adam Bienkov, the UK political editor of Business Insider, this anonymity could be under threat. He wrote in a tweet on July 12th, 2017:

MPs now calling for anonymous social media accounts to be banned.  Adam Bienkov (@AdamBienkov) 12 July 2017

Women online experience threats of violence

Being a woman online is notoriously hazardous, especially if you're a politically active woman.

Threats of violence, rape, even murder, will litter the notifications of female Twitter users as men lash out against them for having opinions they disagree with. For many, it is easy to ignore, simply block and move on, but there are times these threats pose more than just an annoying interaction and become a genuine concern.

The feminist activist who goes under the pseudonym Jean Hatchet described one such case in her blog "When A Man Stalks A Woman" for Huffington Post:

While obviously a horrifying experience in isolation, Jean wrote about how she has experienced abuse from others, including a man who has attempted to expose her real identity several times and incites others to harm her.

Lack of anonymity could drive women off the internet

I would like to say that the threats against Jean are rare, but they are not, and when The National Center For Victims Of Crime reports that 89% of femicide victims who had been physically assaulted had also been stalked in the 12 months before their murder, this is something we should be taking seriously.

If the banning of anonymous Accounts comes to pass, many women will just cease to operate online out of fear for their safety. This will mean women lose peer support for mental health conditions, the PND support network on Twitter saves lives. It will cut some women off from their only access to friends and family, isolating them completely.

For other women, such as myself, we use social media to promote our work, look for new work, and interact with our readers. For those women, it would cut them off from their ability to work and their income.

Preventing women from being anonymous online exposes them to either real threats of violence that all too often come true, or isolates them from humanity, locking them in a high tower of protection from abusive men, rather than tackling the abusive men in the first place.

While I am sure the intention behind this banning is good, likely intended to prevent men from hiding behind the anonymous accounts that often issue these threats of violence in the first place, this would need to accomplish the protection of women.

But these threats are rarely taken seriously by authorities, women's cries for help going unheard.

Stalking can lead to murder

On August 25th, 2016, Shana Grice was discovered murdered. She had reported her murderer, Michael Lane, to the police repeatedly for stalking her, and each time nothing had been done. She had been stalked, threatened, abused, and nothing was done to save her, and now, as in so many cases, she is dead by her stalker's hand.

Making the men's accounts not anonymous will not prevent the abuse or stalking, and it will not prevent the deaths. Making the women's accounts not anonymous will, however, put them at further risk of the abuse and stalking in the first place, and in turn, lead to further deaths.

Instead of banning Anonymous Social Media accounts that can often give people freedom, ban abusers from accessing social media. When evidence of abuse and threats of violence are presented, take it seriously. Prevent these men from accessing the women they wish to destroy. Punish the abuser, not the abused.

Allow women to remain anonymous; it keeps us alive.
With two Republican senators declaring their intention to oppose the revised Senate Health Care bill, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell has been forced to delay the bill again. Senator John McCain is recuperating from surgery and McConnell announced on Saturday that consideration of the legislation will have to wait until McCain recovers.

Obstacles to the revised legislation

The Republicans have a 52-48 margin control in the Senate and require a minimum of 50 yes votes to proceed with legislation to repeal and replace Obamacare, making Senator John McCain's vote critical to the survival of the legislation.

Just last month, a vote on an earlier version of the bill had to be cancelled in the face of possible defeat. Two Republicans, Rand Paul and moderate Susan Collins are opposed to the new Senate bill, while many other Republican senators have voiced their concerns over the new version of the bill.

An unfulfilled promise

The repeal and replace of Obamacare was a major promise of Donald Trump's presidential campaign, and it has long been the dream of Republicans in the house to see the end of a bill they agonised over for many years. President Trump continues to put pressure on the senate committee to do something about it, even suggesting a repeal now and a replace later option. While at the Bastille Day celebrations in Paris, Trump said that after years of suffering through Obamacare, Republican senators had to fulfil their promise.

The Ted Cruz provision

One major sticking point in the revised healthcare bill is a provision by Senator Ted Cruz to appease wary conservatives. The provision allows insurance companies to sell lower valued, cheaper policies that would not include the same benefits enjoyed by those who were insured under the Affordable Care Act (nicknamed Obamacare).

But some major insurance companies are not happy with this new clause and are asking that it be removed from the bill. Blue Cross and Blue Shield and America's Health Insurance, have expressed concerns about the adverse effects the proposal would have on patients and the stability of the insurance market.

The fate of the bill

The Senate Health Care bill faces an uncertain future. Mitch McConnell had hoped to have the legislation voted on this week. Senator McCain underwent surgery to remove a blood clot and will be recovering for about a week resulting in a delay of the vote. This has brought the Republican Health Care committee some precious time to fine tune the bill and garner more support from uncommitted parties.
Young Tories have issued their party a stark verdict that they face a crisis worse than their last catastrophic defeat in 1997.

"Politics Home" reported on an incriminating statement released by Bernard Jenkin, a member of the Conservative Party's powerful 1922 Committee, that the party has a heavy reliance on large donors and failed soundbite operations. The Member of Parliament for Harwich and North Essex condemned the Conservatives' failure to attract sufficient numbers of young voters to deliver a majority victory during this year's general election.

'We will be out of power for a significant amount of time'

Many members of Conservative Future (CF), the Tories' youth wing, agree with Mr. Jenkin's opinions. Active CF member Hani Mustafa, 16, said: 'I think it is highly plausible that we will be out of power for a significant amount of time. We are already at a point in the electoral cycle where people will choose to vote Labour given that the Conservatives have been in power for too long now.'

However, other CF activists are much less optimistic about the Conservatives' chances of winning the 2022 General Election. Adam Lawless, 13, said: 'We are going to lose the next general election. This is evident from most of the polls and in general.

I think it will be worse than the crisis of 1997, but this time with someone from the extreme left in power.'

The Independent reported that pro-Corbyn campaign group, Momentum, created an app called My Nearest Marginal, which allowed volunteers to locate their near marginal seat by typing in their post code. Other tactics they used included Carpool Momentum, which arranged rides for canvassers, and the web app Calling for Corbyn, which enabled activists to phone bank from the comfort of their own home.

'The manifesto was vile'

Harmeet Singh Brar, 26, who is a Tory councillor for Wellow, Hampshire, said Labour's success in June was based on their ability to mobilise young voters. He blames Conservative Central Headquarters (CCHQ) for holding back opportunities in local Conservative associations to grow a sufficient grassroots movement.

Another CF volunteer, Jonathan Stokes, agrees with this assessment. He said CCHQ is too career-focused to be independent of the party. He added: 'We lost due to lack of youth focus and good policies. The manifesto was vile, and Theresa May is not a leader for a campaign.'

Active Worcester CF member Cameron Winstanley, 21, said the Conservatives should broaden their appeal to avoid a repeat of the 1997 General Election. He has called on the party to focus more on social media, ensure local associations are pulling their weight to increase membership by using social media tactics and force them to have their website, as many associations do not have one.

'One to watch out for is Ruth Davidson'

One solution that has been proposed to improve the Conservatives' appeal is to replace Mrs. May as the leader.

City AM reported that Oddschecker had slashed the odds of Jacob Rees-Mogg becoming the leader from 50/1 to 16/1. 'Moggmentum' is growing in support on social media as the prospect of him becoming Prime Minister is increasing.

Mr. Winstanley said Mrs. May should remain as leader until the Government has delivered Brexit. He added: 'I think the next leader will have to be someone fresher. Jacob Rees-Mogg seems to be on a role at the moment. One to watch out for over the coming years is Ruth Davidson.'

But CF activist Leon Nicholls said the party had learned nothing from this year's general election. His solution is for the Conservatives to merge with UKIP to prevent a split in the vote in the 2022 election.

Mr. Singh Brar has called on CCHQ to select real candidates to lead the party after 2019. He is optimistic that Mr. Corbyn will not lead Labour into a landslide victory but has warned that if the Conservatives do not improve their electoral strategy before 2022, the Labour leader will gain a foothold into Number 10.

Oddschecker has also placed Boris Johnson, Philip Hammond, Amber Rudd and David Davis as favourites to succeed Theresa May.
The first of three Publix Grocery Stores opened in the Richmond, Virginia area on Saturday, July 15. People waited in line long before Publix opened at 7 a.m. in the Nuckols Place shopping center in Henrico County. Shoppers will come and go until the store closes at 10 p.m.

About Publix

Publix is based in Lakeland, Florida with more than 1,147 stores in seven states in the south. Virginia becomes the eighth state. The aim of the store is to bring the southern grocery shopping experience to Richmond and surrounding areas. Over the next year and a half, Publix will hire more than 1,800 employees to help handle the many customers the grocery store is expecting.

Those who want to apply for a position at Publix can be assured they will be valued. According to records, the chain has not had a layoff in its 87 years in the grocery business.

Publix is more than a grocery store. People are receiving Publix in their community because the store will be involved in community relations. For instance, on Friday a day before the store received a penny from customers in the community, it was already helping the neighbors. Publix presented $500 checks to 10 schools located within four miles of the store. Also, Publix helps the community by buying supplies from local businesses.

Other stores

Another Publix store will open on July 29 at in the Shoppes at CrossRidge on Staples Mill Road.

The third grocery store will open on August 5 at the White Oak Village on Laburnum Avenue.

Publix is slated to open at least ten more Richmond area stores. The store that opened on Saturday is in a building that was constructed just for Publix. The other store constructed from the ground up will be located off of Mechanicsville Turnpike in Hanover County.

The remaining ten Publix stores are moving into buildings that Martins Food Markets used to occupy. Those buildings for Publix are being renovated one at a time.

New grocery stores

Richmond, Virginia must love accepting new grocery store chains. Publix is not the only grocery store coming to the area. Lidl is set to open four stores in Richmond on July 27.

That's the second German store for Richmond shoppers. Lidl's top competitor, Aldi grocery chain, opened about two years ago throughout the area.

Wegmans Food Markets opened in two locations last year on opposite ends of the city to be available for all customers. Have you ever shopped at Publix or any of the other grocery stores?
The biggest political story to dominate the news cycle in recent months has been over what role Russia played in the 2016 presidential election, and the possible impact they had on Donald Trump and his campaign. As the pressure mounts on the administration, some of the president's most vocal supporters are coming to his defense.

Huckabee on Twitter

It's been two years since Donald Trump created a media frenzy on the floor of Trump Tower in New York City to announce that he was going to run for president in the Republican primary. Not long after Trump launched his campaign, he surprised many by gaining popularity and becoming the front runner to win the GOP nomination.

As the former host of "The Apprentice" proved that he was a legit contender to the presidency, critics and the mainstream media continued to dig into the controversy that he was somehow linked to Russia. As expected, Trump and his team have denied the allegations that he's been in cahoots with Russia, but since his inauguration, several well-respected news outlets and government agencies have revealed information that conflicts with the administration's position. The latest twist comes in the form of a recent Washington Post story that revealed that the president was under investigation for potential obstruction of justice, which Trump went on to confirm in a series of angry tweets. As seen in several tweets sent out on June 17, Trump supporter and former Arkansas Gov.

Mike Huckabee decided to come to the president's defense.

It's not RUSSIANS we should worry about attempting to hack elections-it's RADICALS who assassinate and try to overthrow elected officials  Gov. Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) June 17, 2017

Taking to Twitter on Saturday was Mike Huckabee who didn't hold back when it came to his defense of Donald Trump in regards to the Russian story and being under attack by liberals.

"It's not RUSSIANS we should worry about attempting to hack elections-it's RADICALS who assassinate and try to overthrow elected officials," Huckabee tweeted, in reference to the recent shooting of GOP Rep. Steve Scalise at the hands of a Bernie Sanders supporter.

To be clear-Libs fear Russia disrupted our election process so they respond by trying to disrupt our election process b/c they hate results.  Gov. Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) June 17, 2017

"To be clear-Libs fear Russia disrupted our election process so they respond by trying to disrupt our election process b/c they hate results," Mike Huckabee posted in a follow-up message.

In his final tweet as of press time, the former governor of Arkansas continued his attack on liberals, while dismissing the Russian Scandal in defense of Donald Trump. "Whether by Russians or left-wing radicals, trying to oust a duly ELECTED gov't and smear @POTUS is threat to country and Constitution," he tweeted.

Whether by Russians or left-wing radicals, trying to oust a duly ELECTED gov't and smear @POTUS is threat to country and Constitution.  Gov. Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) June 17, 2017

Huckabee on Fox News

Doubling down on his tweets, Mike Huckabee appeared on "Fox & Friends" on Saturday to elaborate on his feelings. While speaking about the aforementioned shooting of Steve Scalise, Huckabee piled on his attack while claiming "leftists" don't have "honor and integrity."

Moving forward

Though Mike Huckabee and other loyal supporters of the president continue to push back against the allegations that there has been collusion between Russia and Donald Trump, new information continues to break which doesn't add up to their defense. As both supporters and critics debate the issue, only time will tell how it all plays out.
Hannah Wanjiru cut off her husband's penis in Kenya. Her husband, Andrew Kamau, is currently being treated at the Kijabe hospital. According to a July 17th report by The Star in Kenya, the man is currently in Stable Condition.

Who started the fight between this married couple?

Andrew Kamau explained a stranger had called him regarding a telephone that looked like the telephone Hannah Wanjiru had recently lost. She demanded to know why he was discussing her with a stranger on the telephone. It appears she did not like the answer she was given.

Kamau stated he and his wife began fighting.

He then overpowered her and she fell down. That was when he admitted he stopped beating her. Despite the fact he was no longer beating his wife, things took a turn for the worse.

Private parts cut with a panga

According to the previously mentioned report by The Star in Kenya, the couple's son hit his father in the head with a panga. The man then fell. It was at that time the wife took the panga and cut what Kamau described as his Private Parts. A panga is an African tool that is similar to a machete.

Andrew Kamau passed out after being cut with the panga. When he woke up, he was in severe pain and bleeding. Neighbors, aware of the situation, took him to a local clinic. He was then transferred to an actual hospital in Kijabe.

Wife arrested after cutting husband's penis after he beat her

Hannah Wanjiru was arrested after her husband was taken to the local clinic. She was taken to the local police station. At the time of publication, the exact charges she is facing are unknown. It is also unknown if their son was also arrested for hitting his father in the head with the panga.

According to the previously mentioned report from The Star, Andrew Kamau is currently in stable condition. A nurse at the Kijabe hospital explained that his testicles, urethra, penis, and nerves were injured. At the time of publication, it was unknown if his penis and testicles were completely cut off. It is also unknown if Kamau will regain full use of his penis, testicles, and urethra.

Let us know what you think. If this had happened in the United States, would Hannah Wanjiru have been arrested? Would it have been considered self-defense, seeing Andrew Kamau admitted to knocking her down and beating her? Do you think it was self-defense or do you think her actions were indeed criminal? Share your thoughts and feelings in the comment section below.
Ryan Reynolds set Twitter ablaze Saturday after tweeting a photo of himself hanging out at X-Mansion. Deadpool 2 Fans who impatiently wait for more movie updates are quick to pick up that the actor has thrown himself out in Twitter-verse to tease the sequels upcoming trailer.

At press time, the tweet has already accumulated 29,324 26 retweets and have been liked for about 97,221 times since it went live at 3:45 AM today. It is expected to reach more and more die-hard movie and Marvel Comics fan who enjoy trolling the unlikely and unruly anti-hero.

Dropped by the X-Mansion. Big fucking surprise. No one's home. pic.twitter.com/svbUMEdKbb  Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) June 17, 2017

Dropping by the X-Mansion

The tweet composed of three short stimulating phrases says: Dropped by the X-Mansion. Big fucking surprise. No one's home. The same tweet also featured a photo of the Merc and with a Mouth reclining outside of the castle.

That exact location has been used as a stand-in for Professor Xaviers X-Mansion. According to CBR, Reynolds tweet alludes to the absence of X-men character in the original Deadpool film. To be fair, Negasonic Teenage Warhead and Colossus played by Brianna Hildebrand and Stefan Kapicic, respectively, made a brief appearance the first film which made them the only proper characters who are part of the original team.

The famous X-Mansion first appeared on the Deadpool original movie which is being shot at Hatley Castle in Victoria, British Columbia. The sequels movie production crew under the team Daisy is currently filming in Canada to finish certain location sequences of the film.

More Deadpool 2 update

Although this teaser is not a sufficient information leak about the films plot, we already know that Zazie Beetz and Josh Brolin are set to debut as Domino and Cable, respectively.

These actors have been part of the X-Force which Deadpools character is known to have a close connection with.

Brolin has been publicly open about his excitement on his part. He has been significantly present in social media sharing his transformation into Cable. The actors jacked up physique has already been complimented by another Marvel luminary, Dave Bautista of Guardians of the Galaxy.

In addition, Jack Kesy accepted and signed a villain role.

According to popular speculations, the actor will exert his acting chunks as the evil Black Tom Cassidy who, at the same time, expected to take the lead on the antagonist block.

The sequel marks the return of Ryan Reynolds on the big screen alongside cast members T.J. Miller, Karan Soni and Brianna Hildebrand with Zazie Beetz and Josh Brolin. John Wick director David Leitch will be directing the film.

Deadpool 2 is slated to return to theaters on June 1, 2018.
Spains Civil Guard, in cooperation with Europol, has arrested 66 people for trading horsemeat unfit for human consumption as prime beef. Police estimate the dealers profits at around $23 million per year.

International horsemeat ring arrested

In a crackdown on the international ring found to be selling horsemeat across Europe in the guise of expensive beef, 66 suspects are now in custody. Europol reported Sunday that a Dutch citizen is believed to be the head of the horsemeat trading gang and was arrested in Belgium on various charges including crimes against public health and forgery.

Europol says a further 65 suspects were arrested in Spain and are facing charges for a series of crimes, including animal abuse, crimes against public health, perverting the course of justice, document forgery, being a part of a criminal organization and money laundering. As reported by The Independent, officials have seized the suspects bank accounts, luxury cars and properties as part of the investigation. The gang is accused of taking old or unwell horses and slaughtering them for their meat, then selling it on as prime beef.

Europe-wide investigation into horsemeat scandal

Several EU nations were involved in the food scam operation which reportedly took several months to organize, with Spain, the U.K., France, Belgium, Portugal, Italy, Switzerland and Romania involved.

This isnt the first time horsemeat has been in the headlines. The scandal was first seen in January 2013, after Irish food inspectors tested ready-made burgers sold by the U.K.

Tesco supermarket chain in that country and found them to contain horsemeat. Further investigations showed that meat sold in ready-made meals in many British supermarkets consisted of anything up to 100 percent horsemeat. Investigators found the meat to contain the anti-inflammatory drug phenylbutazone.

Police dismantle crime group trading horsemeat unfit for human consumption. Great effort by @guardiacivil & others: https://t.co/GqSz0yBxQq pic.twitter.com/oDSHBnMTrf  Europol (@Europol) July 16, 2017

At this time the Dutch meat trader was identified as being involved in the scam, but his whereabouts were unknown.

It was during the summer of 2016 that Spanish environmental authorities uncovered irregularities in the sale of horsemeat. The product had been incorrectly labeled and exported.

Old and unwell horses slaughtered

Investigators then uncovered the fact that unwell or old horses were being slaughtered in two different locations in Spain. Europol says the horses came from various places in northern Spain or Portugal and their identification was forged by modifying their documentation and microchips. The animals were slaughtered and processed, then sent on to Belgium, which is among the largest horsemeat exporters in the EU.

The investigation eventually led the Civil Guard to the Dutch meat trader, who had initially been involved in the beef burger scandal and was based in Calpe, Spain. The suspect had been leading the criminal network from there, with his cohorts located in all the European countries affected by the meat scam.
Chinese Graduates of Columbia University attend the commencement ceremony in New York City, United States, May 20, 2015. [Photo/Xinhua]

Some Chinese students coming to the US for higher education this fall say their major concerns are postgraduation employment opportunities and obtaining a visa, according to a survey by the Institute of International Education (IIE).

The survey released on July 6 is based on responses from 165 colleges and universities, where admissions officers were asked to answer a series of survey questions based on concerns expressed by students and yield rate, the percentage who accept an offer of admission for the fall.

The survey's results also reported a 2 percent decline in admissions offers made to Chinese students and a slight drop in the yield rate from 25 percent to 23 percent, a dip that's on par with a decline in the overall international student yield rate from 30 to 28 percent.

"A 2 percent drop in admissions yield means Chinese students are choosing to study in the US at rates largely unchanged from last year," said Rajika Bhandari, the head of Research, Policy and Practice at IIE.

"Our findings show that 27 percent admitted Chinese students this year are concerned with postgraduation employment opportunities," said Bhandari.

"It's the first time we did a survey about concerns of international students attending US schools," Bhandari said. "This year, there are many concerns among students and educators about the effect of Trump's immigrant policies."

She said Chinese students are especially worried about the prospects of postgraduate school employment under optional practical training (OPT) and H-1B visa programs, which many international students use as a pathway to work in the US. They are concerned that the programs might be changed because of the influence of debates over visa and immigration policies under the Trump administration.

In April, Trump ordered a review of the US visa programs, saying "we are going to protect our workers, defend our jobs and finally put America first" in a speech in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

"I feel uncertainty about what changes the Trump administration will propose for the H-1B visa programs," said Guo Zihao, an undergraduate student at the University of Science and Technology Beijing, who will attend Carnegie Mellon University this fall. "It will make finding jobs more difficult for us in the US."

"But I still think it's important for students in my major, material science, to study in the US to be at the forefront of technology," Guo said in the survey.

"My primary concern is about the OPT extension period," said Hao Tianyu, a graduate student at Stevens Institute of Technology, majoring in business intelligence and analytics. He said his major is under the category of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degrees, which allows him to extend his OPT from 12 months to 36 months.

"If they abolish the STEM OPT, it will be a disaster for students majored in these fields who want to find a job after they graduate," said Hao in the survey.

He also said he would consider companies that sponsor H-1B visa over other factors when he graduates next year.

In the last decade, the total number of Chinese students in the US has increased fivefold. Nearly 330,000 Chinese students were enrolled in schools during the 2015-16 academic year, ranked first among all international students, according to the IIE.

Currently, international students enter the US on F1 visas and can stay as long as they have a valid 1-20 document issued by the university. But the Department of Homeland Security said it was considering a proposal under which students will be required to reapply for permission to stay in the US every year, according to The Washington Post.

Ruinan Zhang in New York contributed to this story.
Su Xiaodong calls his bookstore on Gulangyu Island a kind of wormhole.

"A wormhole connects different times and spaces. That's exactly what I want to do: Connect the island with its beautiful past," said Su, from the city of Xiamen, in Fujian province.

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 on July 8.

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 a "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 of the 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.

Xinhua

Readers browse a bookstore on Gulangyu Island, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Xiamen, Fujian province.Wang Dongming / For China Daily

(China Daily 07/17/2017 page7)
Rancher Jay Wolf of Bartlett, Nebraska, shows off some of his cattle. Top inset: A hostess holds a tray of sliced US beef at an event to celebrate its reintroduction to China in Beijing on June 30. Bottominset: At the same event, US Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue (center) laughs with industry leaders Luan Richeng (right) and Craig Uden as they cut into a roast. Amyhe / China Daily, AP

US state sends first batch of steaks to China since ban lifted

Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts was excited when he saw off the first shipment of US beef products on a flight to a client in Shanghai on June 14. It came after a 14-year absence in the market, and Ricketts realized that it signaled a new era for his state's agricultural sector.

"Having a great market like China open up for us was really fantastic news for our ranchers here, and an incredibly exciting opportunity for our state," Ricketts said in an interview in his office on the day of that flight.

"If we can achieve the same sort of market share in China as we've achieved in other countries, that could mean a potential 20 percent increase in the exports of beef from Nebraska, potentially [adding] another $200 million to the economy for us," the governor said. "This is a big deal for us."

That first test shipment to China from Greater Omaha Packing Co, one of the biggest beef processors in the country, carried not only individually wrapped steaks - rib eyes, tenderloins and New York strips - but also represented a new opportunity for cattle ranchers across the Cornhusker State and other beef-producing states in the United States.

China's lifting of a ban imposed on US beef imports in 2003 - because of a case of mad cow disease - fulfills one of the achievements of a Sino-US 100-day action plan, which was reached by President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump during their meeting in Florida in April.

During the meeting, Xi and Trump agreed to establish new bilateral mechanisms, including a comprehensive economic dialogue and initiate a 100-day economic cooperation plan, regarded as win-win moves by experts. In May the two countries announced initial results in areas like agriculture, electronic payments, financial services and energy, and proposed that China begin importing US beef no later than July 16, according to a US Department of Commerce release dated May 11.
With the resumption of US beef trade with China, Nebraska, the No. 1 exporter of beef and beef products in the US, is optimistic that its biggest agriculture export - corn - will benefit.

The state suffered a huge blow in 2014 when China banned genetically modified corn from the US. Prior to the ban, the state was shipping millions of metric tons of corn to the country, but then dropped to 150,000 to 200,000 tons last year.

"When we talk about corn, we look at corn in all forms: it may be a raw product corn or it may be the value-added beef industry," said Kelly Brunkhorst, executive director at the Nebraska Corn Board.

"Nebraska's blessed with being the No. 1 cattle-on-feed state, and having that strong beef industry" is a "fantastic opportunity to move corn as a value-added product into China, along with building upon what that means for corn in a raw form," he said.

The first shipment of US beef to China left Omaha, Nebraska, on June 14, headed on a one-way flight to customers in Shanghai, and the more than 6 million cattle in Nebraska feed on corn and corn byproducts. Cattle consume feed comprised of roughage, raw corn, corn sweetener byproduct, and ethanol byproduct, also known as distillers grains.

"A byproduct or co-product of that ethanol process is distillers grains, and we use it here in great quantities and it's found to be a great feed product too," said Brunkhorst.

"It has the opportunity to fill into rations and displaced corn, sorghum, and other products [and comes at a] cheaper cost relative to those other products in the rations," he said.

Both corn and beef work in tandem with each other, said Nebraska's Governor Pete Ricketts.

"One of the benefits we have here is what we call a 'golden triangle' between the corn that we produce, our ethanol plants - which create fuel, and in fact Nebraska supplies about 1.5 percent of the overall liquid fuel supply for the United States - and a byproduct of that ethanol process, the distillers grains that then go into feeding our cattle," he told China Daily in an interview.

"That's a great synergistic way we leverage our corn and add value to our commodities we produce here, to help create the best products in the world," he said.

The Cornhusker State produced nearly 1.7 billion bushels of corn last year, ranking behind Iowa and Illinois as the third-largest corn producer in the US.

"Obviously [the ban] put pressure on our markets, but also provided us opportunities. How do we look at other countries and opportunities to build relationships and move new product into their markets, but also how do we work with our current customer base and build out those markets?" said Brunkhorst.

About 95 percent to 97 percent of corn produced in Nebraska today is genetically-modified corn, but most of it consists of varieties that are approved in China and other markets, Brunkhorst said.

The industry has filled the gap by exporting distilled grains and other crops like sorghum and other energy and protein products.

Still, the agricultural sector in Nebraska is hopeful about eventually building back its market share in China. It works with the US trade groups to continue dialogue with Chinese counterparts.

"We're absolutely still optimistic [about the China market]," said Brunkhorst. "We keep staff there - via the US Grains Council and the US Meat Export Federation - to continue those conversations, realizing that whole area of China and Southeast Asia have huge potential for our growers in the future."

amyhe@chinadailyusa.com

(China Daily USA 07/17/2017 page16)
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HA NOI  The Anti-Dumping Commission of Australia (ADC) has initiated an investigation into alleged dumping of wind towers imported from Viet Nam.

The investigation follows an application lodged by Australian wind tower manufacturers Keppel Prince Engineering Pty Ltd and Ottoway Fabrication Pty Ltd.

The investigation will examine transactions that took place from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2016.

The application alleges that goods were exported to Australia from Viet Nam at prices less than their normal value and that the dumping has caused material injury to the Australian industry.

ADC estimated a dumping margin on VNs wind towers is 15.7 per cent and ADC may apply temporary anti-dumping duties but not earlier than 60 days since the initiation date of June 8, 2017.

A statement of essential facts will be placed on the public record by September 26, 2017 and interested parties have 20 days to response to this statement.

Prior to this, in 2014, Australia also had a dumping investigations on wind towers imported from China and Republic of Korea (RoK), with dumping duties on Chinas exporters at 15 - 15.6 per cent and on RoKs ones ranged from 17.2 to 18.8 per cent.  VNS
HCM CITY  Recruitment demand is expected to rise for the rest of the year as companies plan to expand their production, labour market reports have revealed.

Many Chinese-owned companies and Chinese joint ventures, most of which are partners with European firms, are investing in manufacturing factories, especially in textiles and footwear, according to Navigos Search, the leading provider of executive search services in Viet Nam.

The factories typically will have only 100  200 workers each in the first year, but will expand later to accommodate 400- 500 workers based on export demand.

Chinese companies and joint ventures need candidates who are proficient both in Chinese and English, especially for technical sales positions.

Companies that provide hi-tech financial services have high demand for IT engineers with experience in data fields and finance.

However, companies often are forced to hire foreigners to fill these positions, especially those requiring high skills, as Viet Nams workforce lacks a sufficient number of candidates, according to the report.

Many companies must hire new graduates and train employees after they are hired.

Data technology is expected to be a fast-growing industry in the next three years. Companies need engineers in data processing and machine learning, which is part of the artificial intelligence (AI) field. But there are only a few universities in Viet Nam that offer majors or training in AI.

South Korean companies in the second quarter are expected to recruit more mid- and senior-level managers compared to the first quarter, but finding staff is difficult because of the cultural demands of working at Korean companies, according to the report.

Candidates with an MA or PhD who can speak Korean have an advantage and are offered better compensation and benefits, particularly at research and development institutes.

Many Korean companies are located in the northern region, which has a scarcity of candidates who can speak the language compared to the south. As such, companies often recruit staff in the south.

Tran Anh Tuan, deputy head of HCM Citys Human Resources Forecasting and Labour Market Information Centre, said that companies needed staff with high qualifications, a serious attitude toward work, and a desire to learn foreign languages.

The centres report released on June 27 said the city would need 139,000 workers for the remaining six months of the year, mostly in textile and garments, logistics, IT and construction.

Manual workers

Pham Van Cong, deputy head of ong Nai Provinces Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, said that Vietnamese-owned enterprises needed workers in textile and garments, the processing industry and rubber.

For several years, foreign companies hired 80 per cent of around 60,000 workers in the province, according to the department.

More workers are needed in the rubber industry as it has recovered recently, according to the province.

More than 1,500 new enterprises were established in the first six months, with total registered capital of more than VN20 trillion (US$879.39 million), an increase of 150 per cent compared to the same period last year, according to a report from the provinces Department of Planning and Investment.

More than 11,000 manual workers were employed in the first six months of the year, according to the provinces Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs.

Cong of the department said that nearly 45,000 manual workers will be needed in the province for the remainder of the year. VNS
HA NOI  Military-run telecom group Viettel has recorded a pre-tax profit of VN1 trillion (US$41.2 million) from its overseas investments in the first half of 2017, a 156 per cent year-on-year increase.

A report reviewing the business results of Viettels overseas investments in nine markets showed that in the first six months of this year, its revenue rose by 25 per cent compared to the same period last year, to around VN14 trillion ($600 million). Of this, revenue in Peru posted the highest growth rate of 82 per cent, following by Burundi at 38 per cent, East Timor at 29 per cent and Haiti at 15 per cent.

The positive results have come from revenue generated by mobile phone telecommunication services, especially new services such as 4G, e-wallet and large information technology projects for governments and businesses.

The projects include the line connecting East Timor, Laos population management system, transmission channel for the Mozambique Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology, and a tax payment system for Burundi.

In addition, Viettel also received positive signs from the Lao market, with its Unitel brand maintaining its leading position with four million subscribers. Also, its Telemor brand in East Timor has been granted a new frequency to expand its network, thus bringing in a revenue of several million US dollars.

The favourable exchange rate in Viettels overseas markets also contributed towards good business results.

The achievements are expected to be a pre-condition for a higher growth rate for the group this year. Viettel has targeted a strong growth rate of 35 per cent, with around 50 million subscribers, in 2017. Revenue from overseas investment has been set at VN32 trillion ($1.4 billion) and its growth rate at 29 per cent this year.

The group plans to complete building network infrastructure in its tenth market, Myanmar, this year, as well as create modern broadband infrastructure for 4G in these markets.  VNS
HA NOI - Tata Power Ltd from India proposed to implement a renewable energy project in the central province of Phu Yen, during a meeting with provincial leaders last week.

This was reported on the provinces website, phuyen.gov.vn.

At the meeting, Tran Huu The, vice-chairman of the provincial Peoples Committee, spoke highly of Tata Powers desire to invest in the region. Phu Yen is committed towards facilitating foreign investment, The said, expressing his confidence that the Indian firm would develop the renewable energy project successfully.

Tata Power Ltd, an affiliate of the Tata Group, is one of the leading businesses in India in the power sector. Earlier, the company was granted permission by the Government to build the Long Phu 2 thermal power plant, expected to cost US$2 billion, in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta province of Soc Trang. With a capacity of 1,320 MW, the Long Phu 2 plant is expected to become operational in December 2020.  VNS
By Thu Anh

HCM CITY  International brand names are starting to grab the attention of HCM Citys fashion-conscious people, clearing the way for more ready-to-wear clothing stores in Viet Nam.

More than 50 well-known brand names, such as Giordano, Mango, Zara, Topshop, Gap and Old Navy, have opened stores in HCM City.

While Old Navy opened its first store last month, H&M launched its brandname last weekend with a fashion show at a leading shopping centre in the city.

Other fashion companies, including Pull&Bear, Uniqlo and F21, will also enter the market this year with their own stores scheduled to open in Ha Noi shopping centres.

Before launching our designs in Viet Nam, we spent time researching the countrys economic development, culture and living conditions," said a representative of Zara, who noted that the country would become one of the most important markets for the popular fashion brand from Spain.

Although their prices are higher than local products, ranging from VN300,000 (US$15) to over $1.5 million ($70) with accessories sell for an average of VN100,000 ($4) per item yet customers, particularly young people, are thrilled they are here.

Customer Tran Thi Anh Nhung of District 3 spent almost VN5 million (US$230) on nine items at Zara after discounts last weekend, saying she was delighted she no longer had to go Singapore or Bangkok for the latest styles.

Nhung, a senior marketing executive for a foreign-owned advertising agency in District 1, said: Zara and Topshop offer ready-to-wear products in the trendiest styles at reasonable prices. A mini-dress sells for VN500,000 ($22) compared to a Vietnamese one at VN300,000 ($15). Customers aged 18 to 30, who change their clothes every season, are interested in that kind of stores.

Another customer, Vu Chi Hung, 32, said she was a fan of Topshop because their merchandises are both stylish and practical and can be purchased for around $22 a piece.

The foreign brands located in shopping centres like Diamond, Vincom and Takashimaya guarantee their services and quality are the best for customers, he added.

Ho Tran Da Thao, brand name creative director of the Tsafari Fashion Company, said: "The appearance of international fashion houses in Viet Nam and so-called fast fashion or casual wear brandnames is sure to create fierce competition in the countrys fashion industry."

Vietnamese brands should try to capitalise on the shopping seasons and spend more money on advertising to grab the attention of consumers, she added.

"Many of our collections cost as little as VN150,000 ($7) for both men and women and offer high quality and modern style pieces. Some designs start at over VN700,000 ($35), but customers with more to spend are thrilled that sophisticated designs can now be made by Vietnamese, she said.

Thao said that collections under the brand name Tsafari are offered at shops by young designers, led by a group of trendy creators in Singapore. They offer clothes in the latest fashion trends to attract the interest of young customers.

"With these changes, we hope to popularise and diversify our products in the local market, she said.  VNS

T
Tran Huy Sang, Director of the Ha Noi Internal Affairs Department.  Photo hanoimoi.com.vn

Tran Huy Sang, Director of the Ha Noi Internal Affairs Department tells Ha Noi moi (New Ha Noi) that the capital city has obtained tangible benefits from its consistent focus on deepening its administrative reforms.

The 2016 administrative reform index ranked Ha Noi third among 63 provinces and cities in the country. How was this achieved?

The capital citys Party Committee as well as the Peoples Committee identified administrative reform as a key political task last year. Thus, there was constant focus on improving management of the reform process.

The municipal administration at all levels mobilised the participation of different sectors in resolving issues related to furthering the reform process. The aim was to make it transparent, comprehensive and effective.

The administration also amended and supplemented regulations in a timely manner in accordance with the 2015 Law on Local Government Organisation. It carried out regular assessments and consolidated the governance apparatus, targeting effective management decisions.

Alongside these activities, due attention was paid to streamlining and orienting the personnel department towards a more qualified, efficient public sector workforce.

The city also intensified its focus on application of Information Technology in administrative procedures, making it easier for both citizens and businesses.

As a result, positive changes have been seen in taxation, customs and business registration procedures, as well as in the issuance of investment and land use certificates.

These changes have, in turn, facilitated business development in the city.

Can you elaborate on some of the results achieved with specific figures?

In 2016, the city carried out its largest ever personnel re-organisation. Ha Noi was one of the first localities to undertake drastic, comprehensive measures to restructure is personnel following the Politburons Resolution No. 39 -NQ/TU on streamlining and restructuring the civil service sector.

The reorganisation of 22 administration departments was completed, and the number administrative branches was reduced from 401 to 280. The number of admin offices was brought down from 204 to 158, and there was remarkable reduction in the number of office heads and deputy heads.

The city also succeeded in reducing the number of construction project management boards from 70 to 41.

After reviewing its entire administrative system, the city promulgated last year a series of decisions and announcements on standardising a total of 658 admin procedures, completely simplifying 475 of these in 12 areas. The city has adopted plans on simplifying the remaining 183 procedures.

What were some of the innovative steps that Ha Noi deployed in the reform process? What were the practical results obtained?

The capital city last year implemented a pilot scheme on granting trade licences to foreign investors right at the office of the Planning and Investment Department, shortening traveling and waiting time for enterprises by 50 per cent and 60 per cent respectively.

The procedures for issuing birth certificates and social health insurance cards for children under six can now be done online in more than 30 districts with a total of 586 communes and wards. This has cut short the time taken from seven days to just two or three days.

Other initiatives include many IT applications, including the installation of resident notification system, online declaration of temporary residence for business establishments, online procedures for licensing automobile transportation business, the installation of software for online enrollment in kindergartens, and grades 1 to 6. These have definitely helped reduce travel costs and time for people.

Have the reforms succeeded in attracting investment and boosting growth?

The business community has appreciated the citys timely reform efforts, particularly in shortening procedures for granting business establishment certification. Last year, the city attracted 445 new foreign investment projects with a registered capital of US$2.8 billion, with the fastest recorded increase of 18 per cent in the number of newly established enterprises to 22,666.

Such positive outcomes helped create momentum for Ha Noi to exceed its development target in the first six months of 2017. The city achieved a higher growth rate than the same period last year at 7.37 per cent. Budget revenues increased year on year by 18 per cent. Social investment has also increased by 9.9 per cent.

Despite this progress, several enterprises have complained about increasing hardship. How can the city support them in overcoming their problems?

Alongside its assessment process, the city attaches great importance to communicating with enterprises. It is always willing to listen to their opinions and provide feedback at the earliest. An annual dialogue with business has been held for several years now.

A conference jointly organised in November last year by the city Peoples Committee and the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) collected many opinions from enterprises, giving authorities an understanding of the problems.

In the most recent conference themed "Hanoi 2017 - Cooperation on investment and development" held by the city Peoples Committee , more than 1,000 domestic and international delegates, including about 800 investors and enterprise representatives shared their views on the business environment in the city.

The administration reiterated its determination to continue its admin reforms, targeting greater convenience, transparency and flexibility in the business environment.  VNS
PM Phuc offered flowers and incense at the historic memorial site for the Tay Tien Regiment 52 on Na Bo Hill in the provinces Moc Chau township.  VNA/VNS Photo Thong Nhat

SON LA  Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc paid homage yesterday to the heroic soldiers who laid down their lives for the nations independence and freedom in the northern mountain province of Son La.

The event launched nationwide commemoration activities marking the 70th anniversary of the Day of Invalids and War Martyrs, which falls on July 27.

PM Phuc offered flowers and incense at the historic memorial site for the Tay Tien Regiment 52 on Na Bo Hill in the provinces Moc Chau township.

During the war against the French (1945-1954), Moc Chau was the gathering place of the Tay Tien Regiment, from where the soldiers spread out to fight across the northwest and upper Lao fronts, contributing to the victory over the French.

The Tay Tien historical site inaugurated on August 20 last year has become a centre for historical education and part of a master plan for Moc Chau tourism development.

PM Phuc said the soldiers of the Tay Tien Regiment will be remembered forever in the annals of the Peoples Army of Viet Nam.

Their courage was a source of encouragement and an example for todays young and future generations, said the PM.

Also yesterday, PM Phuc visited the family of Nguyen Thanh Lam, a veteran in Moc Chau Farm, who is disabled as a result of the toxic agent orange sprayed by the Americans during the war.

Top legislator visits Con ao

National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan also paid tribute to martyrs and patriots on Saturday, at the Hang Duong Cemetery in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Taus Con ao District.

She offered incense at the tombs of late Party General Secretary Le Hong Phong, patriot Nguyen An Ninh, and heroes of the peoples armed forces, Luu Chi Hieu and Vo Thi Sau.

Con ao prison accomodated more than 20,000 prisoners throughout its 113 years many of them revolutionaries who fought against the Americans.

Among the 1,921 graves of martyrs in the Hang Duong Cemetery, more than 700 have been identified.

Ngan also called at Phu Hai prison and Con ao relic museum. She also presented gifts to families of war heroes.

The NA leader, meeting with local authorities over the weekend, said she was pleased to see more visitors traveling to Con ao, a special national relic site with vast forest coverage, clean marine environment and 16 islets in the southeast.

Quang Tri tribute

On Saturday, Deputy Prime Minister Vuong inh Hue led a delegation of officials to the central province of Quang Tri to pay tribute to war matyrs who had sacrificed their lives for national liberation.

The Deputy PM and Politburo member laid a wreath and burned incense to express their deep gratitude to the heroes at the the Road No 9 and Truong Son National Cemeteries in the province.

They also attended an event to commemorate the dead held at the Quang Tri Ancient Citadel. Incense and thousands of candles were lit to commemorate the soldiers. Participants at the requiem also prayed for peace and prosperity.

Hue and other Government officials offered incense and laid wreaths at Quang Tri Ancient Citadel Monument and dropped flowers into Thach Han River to show gratitude to those who laid down their lives to protect the Citadel in 1972.

On the occasion, Deputy PM Hue, along with representatives of ministries and agencies, presented gifts to 62 Heroic Mothers in the province.

The Deputy PM affirmed that the Party and State always remember and honour the great contributions of mothers, beneficiary families, martyrs families and revolutionary contributors.

Also on Saturday, the President of the Viet Nam Fatherland Front Central Committee, Tran Thanh Man, visited and presented gifts to Heroic Mothers and war invalids in the central city of a Nang. He asked a Nang City to do more to support beneficiary families, both materially and spiritually.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Gen. Ngo Xuan Lich visited and presented gifts to war invalids and wounded soldiers who are under treatment at the Thuan Thanh sanatorium in the northern province of Bac Ninh. On this occasion, the Defence Ministry gave the sanatorium an ambulance, 104 air conditioners, and one desktop cardiograph worth VN1.9 billion (US$83,619). -VNS
HA NOI  Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong will pay a State visit to Cambodia from July 20-22 at the invitation of Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni, the Party Central Committees Commission for External Relations announced.

The visit comes on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties, affording both sides a chance to review their 50-year relationship and opening up a new period to lift ties to a higher level.  VNS
HCM City  Experts called for more buses and bus routes and controls on private cars and motorcycles to help ease traffic congestion in HCM City.

The solutions debated at a forum held on Friday in HCM City are part of a project initiated by the Transport Development and Strategy Institute.

Based on its research, project consultants recommended 19 measures to promote public transport, including those that will encourage use of green fuel and bus access for the disabled.

Separate lanes for buses are necessary because now most buses still use the same roads with other vehicles. Its not convenient and is unsafe, they stressed.

HCM City authorities should soon put the two river-bus routes from Binh Quoi to Bach ang and from Bach ang to Lo Gom into operation, and consider a railway system to connect Tan Son Nhat International Airport and Long Thanh International Airport, the consultants added.

There are 142 bus routes in HCM City with nearly 3,000 buses, while Singapore has 990 routes and 21,152 buses, and Hong Kong has 992 routes and 17,554 buses.

Along with developing a public transport system, the experts at the event also noted that the city should focus on limiting the use of private vehicles.

They suggested that car access to downtown areas be limited to alternate days, based on license plate numbers, for example. Another proposal calls for fees to be imposed on all vehicles entering downtown districts and requiring vehicle users to register their cars and motorbikes every year at the districts where they live.

Parking fees should be high, and time limitation strictly enforced, the experts suggested, and the number of cars and motorbikes used for Grab and Uber services should be limited.

Environmental protection fees will be applied, which should help eliminate the use of old, exhaust-emitting vehicles.

Motorbike hire services, similar to those availabe for bike users in major world cities, should also be provided. From 2005 to 2016, the number of motorbikes has more than doubled, from nearly 3 million to 7.2 million, and is expected to reach 10 million by 2030.

If we carry out all these suggestions in Ha Noi and HCM City, Im sure we can fully stop motorbike usage in some areas and streets by 2030, expert Luong Hoai Nam was quoted as saying by the Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper.

We must set a target of banning all motorbikes by 2030. To meet peoples transport demand, HCM City will need 21,000 buses, however we have only 3,000, said Dr. Pham Xuan Mai, former dean of the HCM City Politechnique Universitys Transport Techniques Faculty.

The HCM City Transport Department will send 30,000 survey forms to households in all 24 of its districts, starting this month, with questions focusing on measures to reduce the use of private vehicles.

The survey aims to collect more information about transport habits, demand and the views of local residents about transport infrastructure. Based on such information, related authorities will design a proper transport development roadmap, Bui Xuan Cuong, director of the Transport Department, said.

He also revealed that by November, the Department will complete its project to limit the use of private vehicles.  VNS
HA NOI  Kanchia, a shy 18-year-old woman, was breastfeeding her infant when a most extraordinary request was made of her.

To accede to the request, she would have to do something that was taboo in her community and country: give breast milk to an adult, a stranger she did not know.

It was the 1950s and a resistance war against French colonisers was being fought. Kanchia and her people were near the Huoi Dua spring, deep in the Truong Son forest in Laos. A unit of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers was stationed nearby.

As Kanchia was breastfeeding her child, a Vietnamese soldier came and asked her for some breast milk to help his seriously ill comrade, who had contracted malaria.

A warehouse of the Vietnamese soldiers unit, which contained food, had been destroyed by US bombs, which had also blocked roads that could be used to transport food.

The soldiers had no choice but to seek help from Kanchias village, especially to feed their sick comrades.

Seeing how weak and exhausted the Vietnamese soldier was, the young Lao mother decided to break a long-standing taboo and share her breast milk to save the soldier.

It was a brave decision. Under Lao tradition, a mothers breast milk is considered blood that only be given to her children. I was very shy at first and dared not to answer when I was asked for my breast milk, she told the Vietnamplus online newspaper.

However, when I saw the sick Vietnamese soldier, who was carried to our place, I decided to overcome my embarrassment and ignore our traditional custom, she said.

Thanks to Kanchia, the Vietnamese soldier recovered and continued to fight alongside Lao soldiers against the colonisers. I think Vietnamese people are like Lao people. I was afraid that the soldier could die and his parents, wife and children at home would lose him.

I love the Vietnamese soldiers who had volunteered to help Lao people during the war. I had no idea about Viet Nam before but when the Vietnamese soldiers came to help my country, I had a strong admiration and love for them. It helped me overcome my shyness, she said.

Many people questioned my decision, but I did not care. The Vietnamese soldiers had voluntarily come to our country to fight for us and were willing to sacrifice their lives for us. They deserved our care.

After leaving the Kanchias village in Lamam District, Xekong Province, in the south of Laos, the soldier who received Kanchias milk did not have a chance to return to see her.

Whether or not he was killed in the war, or whether some other circumstances prevented him from doing so is not known.

This story was recounted recently by Saikhong Sayasin, General Secretary of the Laos-Viet Nam Friendship Central Association. He said hed heard many stories about the friendship between the two countries, but Kanchias was special.

I was very moved to hear this story. This is the heart of a mother. Only a brave and loving mother can do this, he said.

The Vietnamese volunteer soldiers returned to their country after Laos gained independence in 1975.

Kanchia went on to have a total of 12 children and now lives with her children and grandchildren in Lamam District.  VNS
A NANG  Nearly 200 scientists, biologists and conservationists, unanimously have agreed that the construction of all buildings on the Son Tra Nature Reserve should be stopped immediately.

The consensus was reached at a scientific conference on the conservation and sustainable development of ecological systems on the Son Tra Peninsula, held in a Nang on Saturday.

The conference saw 11 reports and research papers submitted on biodiversity in the reserve as well as ideas and proposals for its sustainable development.

The scientists also agreed to petition the PM for stopping construction of new buildings on and reviewing tourism plans for the reserve.

The conference followed up on concerns voiced by the public as well as scientists when the Viet Nam National Tourism Administration announced a plan to develop the reserve.

The reserve, which shrank from 4,400ha to 2,500ha to accommodate resorts and hotels between 1977 and 2014, would have to give up another 1,056ha more for the new plan, that plans 1,600 luxury hotel rooms by 2030.

Of 25 hotels and resorts on the Son Tra Mountain that have been approved by the city, 18 are operating or under construction.

The development of resorts and hotels as well as traffic routes, has interrupted the movement of wild species including the endangered Red-shanked douc langurs (Pygathrix nemaeus) living in the reserve, said Dr Ha Thang Long, head of the representative office of the Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS) in Viet Nam.

The Son Tra Nature Reserve is home to the endangered Red-shanked douc langurs (Pygathrix nemaeus). Photo courtesy GreenViet

Director of the Southern Institute of Ecology, Luu Hong Truong, said the Son Tra Nature Reserve, 10km away from a Nang, was really unique in Viet Nam and the world, with its biodiversity ranging from primary forests to ocean with more than 1,000 plants and 370 animal species.

Dr Nguyen Xuan Hoa of the Nha Trang Oceanography Institute said 42 per cent of coral reefs in the reserve had disappeared in the past decade (from 80.9ha in 2006 to 46.9ha in 2016) in sea area off a Nang due to construction projects, pollution and over-fishing.

Hoa said coral reefs in the north of Son Tra peninsula had been almost entirely destroyed and 9ha of seabed badly damaged.

According to the latest report from the centre for biodiversity research and conservation (GreenViet), more than 237 herds of red-shanked douc langurs, comprising over 1,300 individuals, are living in the Son Tra Nature Reserve.

It said the development of buildings and poor control of tourism in the reserve would damage the ecological system which is an oxygen supplier for 4.3 million people each day.

Son Tra Mountain seen from My Khe beach.  VNS Photo Cong Thanh

Special regime

Chairman of the a Nang City Tourism Association, Huynh Tan Vinh, who has sent a petition to Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc asking for changes to the Son Tra Master Plan, said the Son Tra Nature Reserve was precious not only for a Nang, but the whole of Viet Nam.

He said it must be strictly protected with a special regime involving esponsible agencies and managers.

We should protect the reserve before targeting tourism. The city can maintain the reserve as a site for tourists interested in exploring primary nature, Vinh said.

The city can build hotels and resorts in the downtown and coastal areas, but not in the reserve, please, he pleaded.

Vinh said a Nang could allow the operation of already hotels and resorts already built, but a moratorium was needed on new projects in the reserve.

Dr Nguyen Manh Ha with Viet Nam National Committee for Man and Biosphere (MAB), said part of the Son Tra Nature (2,591ha) can combine with 2,269ha of the Nam Hai Van protective forest to form a biosphere reserve.

Meanwhile, Nguyen Chi Thanh, vice chairman of Viet Nam Wetlands Association, said the current management overlap regarding control of Son Tra Nature Reserve must be removed.

Nguyen uc Tu of IUCN Viet Nam said the organisation had sent a letter to Prime Minister regarding its concerns about the tourism plans for the Son Tra Reserve.

A National Assembly Deputy, Truong Trong Nghia, also said that all illegal constructions in the reserve should be demolished.

Last week, soil erosion caused by an illegally constructed villa polluted the Tien Sa beach, and observers said a larger of the a Nang beach is likely to suffer similar pollution.  VNS
HA NOI  Tropical storm Talas made landfall in the central provinces of Nghe An and Ha Tinh at around 1am on Monday, resulting in strong wind and heavy rainfall in the region that killed at least one person and destroyed thousands of houses.

The storm is gradually weakening as it moves westwards. The central provinces from Thanh Hoa to Thua Thien-Hue reported rainfall measuring 70-100mm. Some 100-200mm of rainfall was reported in Nghe An through to Quang Binh. Following the storm, the second to hit Viet Nam this year, more rainfall measuring 100 and 200mm is forecast to hit the northeast and north central localities in the next few days. Latest reports from Nghe An said the storm has killed at least one person, who died after being hit by a sheet-metal roof blown away by strong winds.

Nearly 3,000 houses in the provinces had their roofs blown off and thousands of trees were uprooted. Electricity supply in Vinh city and several districts was cut off. Local authorities are searching for a coal ship that went missing on Sunday night with 13 people on board. One died but seven people were rescued until Monday morning.

In Ha Tinh and Nghe An provinces, hundreds of houses and schools had their roofs blown off and thousands of hectares of crops were destroyed.

In the next 12 hours, the storm will move westwards and is expected to weaken to a low pressure over the area between China and Laos, according to the National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting.

Localities in mountainous areas in the northern and north-central regions, particularly Lai Chau, ien Bien, Son La and Hoa Binh, as well as Lao Cai, Ha Giang, Tuyen Quang and Thai Nguyen, along with Bac Can, Cao Bang, Lang Son and Quang Ninh, in addition to Thanh Hoa, Nghe An and Ha Tinh, were put on high alert for landslides and flashfloods.

According to the latest forecast issued by the National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting on Monday morning, water levels of the rivers in Nghe An, Ha Tinh and Quang Binh were rapidly rising.

Storm recovery

Ha Noi witnessed heavy rainfall measuring over 100mm since Monday morning due to the storm. Many roads were submerged for up to 70cm, including Ly Thuong Kiet, Phan Boi Chau, Tran Hung ao, Ta Hien and Nguyen Trai.

At an online conference with localities on Monday morning to discuss measures for relief in the aftermath of the storm, Deputy Prime Minister Trinh inh Dung asked authorities of localities to quickly check and assess the damage, and promptly provide assistance to affected households.

Provincial authorities were instructed to provide food and water for people in affected areas at the earliest and mobilise all available forces to help residents deal with the devastation and quickly stabilise their lives.

Chairmen of the peoples committees of localities were asked to continue checking and relocating residents in areas at high risk of flashfloods and landslides.

Relevant ministries and agencies were requested to take urgent measures to join localities in relief and rescue efforts, focusing on ensuring there was no interruption in communication and transportation activities, and to keep a close watch on the development of rain and flashfloods to ensure timely measures to deal with the consequences.  VNS
August 21 is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for many in the U.S. to see a total eclipse  but for scientists and engineers, its a chance to conduct research on systems we rely on for communication, safety and even transportation.

A Virginia Tech expert, backed by research funding from NASA and the National Science foundation, will lead an experiment to study those effects, along with a host of other changes in the upper atmosphere that have an impact on radio propagation.

Greg Earle, a professor of electrical engineering, heads up a team of faculty, staff, and students studying the effects on systems we use everyday  such as over-the-horizon radar, amateur radio, and even the global positioning system or GPS, which helps guide us through traffic.

Radio wave propagation is affected by the electrical part of the atmosphere and during the eclipse, we really have the opportunity to collect data and learn more about the impact of these changes on systems weve come to rely on, said Earle.

The Virginia Tech team plans to gather data from a variety of sources, including radar systems, transceivers, satellites, ham radio, and GPS receivers, in order to analyze the effects of the solar eclipse on the conductive region of the atmosphere.

Whether military radar, or consumer GPS signals, the eclipse is going to have effects on the medium that we would like to understand better, so that we can either mitigate them or use them to our advantage, said Earle.

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To secure a print or broadcast interview with Greg Earle, contact Bill Foy in the Virginia Tech Media Relations office: fwill55@vt.edu; by phone at 540-231-8719 or 540-998-0288.

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WATERLOO  A cyclist reported being assaulted while riding on the recreational trail near Black Hawk Creek on Sunday.

The 47-year-old man told officers he was traveling under the Highway 218 bridge near Falls Avenue around 6 p.m. Sunday when he attempted to ride around a group of youths on the path.

One of the youths punched him, striking his head as he passed, said Capt. David Mohlis with the Waterloo Police Department. The rider, who was wearing a helmet, remained on his bike and continued riding, with one of the youths briefly giving chase, Mohlis said.

The cyclists suffered minor bruising from the assault, police said. No arrests have been made.
CEDAR RAPIDS  First-term Linn County Supervisor Stacey Walker has ended speculation about a possible bid for the Democratic nomination in Iowas U.S. House 1st District.

The 20-county 1st District includes Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, Waterloo, Cedar Falls and Marshalltown.

Walker announced Monday he will not seek the nomination to challenge incumbent Republican Rep. Rod Blum.

My best and highest use as a public servant at this moment is to continue to serve the people of my home county, Walker, 29, said in a statement. In reaching his decision, the most important consideration was the recognition that there is more work to do in Linn County.

In November 2016, Walker became the first African American to be elected to the Linn County board, winning his race by nearly a 3-1 margin.

As a supervisor, Walker has worked to raise the minimum wage, commit Linn County to the Paris Climate Agreement, secure funding for small businesses affected by the 2016 flood and implement the recommendations of the Safe, Equitable and Thriving Communities Task Force.

We should all be proud of this work, he said.

He thanked those who have encouraged him to join the field of four Democrats already seeking the nomination.

George Ramsey of Marion, Thomas Heckroth of Cedar Falls, Courtney Rowe of Cedar Rapids and state Rep. Abby Finkenauer of Dubuque have formally announced their candidacies.

There is speculation among Democrats the field for the June 2018 primary election is not yet set. Walkers fellow Linn County board member Brent Oleson also had been considering the race, but has endorsed Heckroth. State Sen. Jeff Danielson of Waterloo has formed an exploratory committee and is doing the homework necessary to make a final decision.
DYSART -- A Vinton man was killed and two others injured in a Tama County crash Saturday.

The deceased was identified as Donald G. Selken, 81, who was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash on Highway 21 near Dysart about 8:40 p.m.

The injured were identified as Lois M. Schmitt, 73, of Vinton, who was transported to Covenant Medical Center in Waterloo, and David Keidel, 74, of Cedar Falls, also taken to Covenant.

The Iowa State Patrol said Keidel was driving a pickup truck northbound on Highway 21 when he entered a bridge construction zone where the highway was reduced to one lane. Donald Selken was southbound in the construction zone and the vehicles collided head-on.

The crash remains under investigation.
WAVERLY  While theres still a lot of work to be done on the reconstruction of Bremer Avenue, its come a long way this year.

To Paula Stevenson, business liaison for the reconstruction, thats cause enough for celebration.

We are so excited that the bridge is open, Stevenson said, noting all thats left to be done on the bridge is getting the traffic lights back in working order so motorists can turn onto First Street Southeast. The city of Waverly is then adding an 8-inch water main on First Street Southeast to go to the renovated CUNA building.

Because the streets already closed, its the perfect time to do it now, Stevenson said.

That party will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday in the 100 block of First Street Northeast, across from the Waverly Civic Center.

Local radio station KWAY will provide music, while Big Ben Pour House is acquiring a liquor license extension to be able to serve outdoors for that days events.

Shoppers to downtown Waverly businesses will get a raffle ticket for each $10 they spend. The prizes, which people must be present to win, will be announced during the party.

We want people to come down and see what it looks like, she said. Just support, join us in our celebration.

A new water main and water lines have been added for phases one and two, with phase three  20th Street down to Caseys General Store  underway now and estimated to be reopened by Aug. 23, Stevenson said.

Stevenson said the majority of the sidewalks are completed on the east side of the bridge, other than where conduit needs to run to traffic signals. On the west side of the bridge, she said crews will be starting concrete installation of the sidewalk next week.

When they come down to the party, they can see the finished product, she said.

Roy Gelhaus with the Iowa Department of Transportation, which is overseeing the reconstruction, said the next phases  four, five and six  will be presented at a July 26 public meeting at 10 a.m. at the Waverly City Council chambers.
Game on.

That was the essence of Ron Corbetts message as he stood in front of reporters Wednesday in Des Moines.

Corbett said in the first three weeks since he officially launched his campaign for Iowa governor, he accumulated more than $1 million in campaign donations and pledges.

It was a clear signal from Corbett he thinks he, the outgoing Cedar Rapids mayor, will be able to develop the support and resources  and by resources, we mean money  necessary to mount a legitimate challenge to Gov. Kim Reynolds, the successor incumbent in the Republican primary race.

One of the early questions surrounding Corbetts campaign was whether he  or any Republican, really  could present a serious challenge to Reynolds, who has built-in advantages of serving in the office, an already healthy campaign account of more than $1 million as of late 2016 and support from much of the GOP establishment.

Corbett aimed to answer that question with Wednesdays announcement.

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, Corbett said at the news conference in Des Moines. 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 also challenged Reynolds to reject donations from political action committees and national organizations, including the Republican Governors Association.

Thats not likely a challenge the Reynolds campaign will accept, although a spokesman did point out to The Gazette in Cedar Rapids the vast majority of her fundraising has come from Iowa donors.

Of the $652,740 Reynolds raised in 2016, while she was lieutenant governor, 87 percent came from Iowa donors, according to state campaign finance records online.

If the intent is to keep support coming from Iowans, obviously, weve sort of checked that box, Reynolds campaign manager Phil Valenziano told The Gazette.

Regardless of what comes of the out-of-state fundraising challenge, Corbett said his early fundraising haul proves he is a true competitor in the GOP gubernatorial primary race.

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, he said. That narrative is a fake narrative. I do have shot.

New law causing dispute

Yet another of the significant pieces of legislation signed into law during the 2017 session of the Iowa Legislature may be headed for the courts.

The defunding of state money to Planned Parenthood and the restriction of public employee collective bargaining rights are among the new state laws being challenged in Iowa courts. A provision in a package of gun regulations may soon join them.

The gun regulations bill passed this year by the Republican-led Legislature reinforces the state law that does not allow weapons bans in public buildings by providing an avenue for residents to sue local governments that enforce such a ban.

But shortly before that law went into effect, Iowa Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark Cady issued a court order stating firearms should not be allowed in Iowa courthouses.

That set into motion a dispute in Woodbury County, where the Sheriff David Drew has pledged to uphold Cadys order and maintain a weapons ban in the courthouse, drawing a rebuke from some county supervisors. Drew and Supervisor Matthew Ung have in recent days traded accusations of politicizing the issue.

It may eventually fall upon the courts to determine whether local law enforcement may continue to enforce firearms bans or restrictions in courthouses.
Park Avenue

DEAN MEYER

WATERLOO -- Thank you City Council for approving bike paths on Park Avenue. My grandkids and I will now "safely" be able to bike to all the great events held in Lincoln Park and the RiverLoop area. I have one question for Councilman Tom Lind: You are worried about cars and bikes crossing at intersections. What do you think they already do now? Cyclists are to obey all traffic laws just as cars do. Bike lanes make it at least 10 times safer getting from point A to point B.

Cedar Falls is a great example. Maybe you should try riding a bike or if you are unable to ride, walk where bicyclists now ride on our streets and see just how frightening it can be. I believe this will help bring many more people (and their money) to the downtown area. Ten grand is very little expense to make our downtown safer for our citizens and visitors.

Emotional health

JANN MILLER

CEDAR FALLS -- With the help and hard work of a strong community, Cedar Falls qualified to be a Blue Zone Community. Daily, I observe ways we embrace and take pride in developing a healthy community.

An integral component of wellness includes emotional health. The days leading up to, including and beyond the Fourth of July were disturbing in sound, litter and smell for many citizens in our community, falling short of fulfilling emotional health. It seems we have lost sight of honoring our veterans, senior citizens, those with respiratory problems, pets  the list goes on and on in efforts to allow a huge time frame of explosives set off all hours day and night in backyards and driveways.

There continue to be more cities in Iowa evaluating this new law and are banning or creating a small window to allow fireworks. Allowing a smaller window (dates, time) placing a few restrictions where safely without disrupting whole neighborhoods could be a good trade off.

I hope as our city council and mayor look at possible changes, and they take a good honest look at how we can best reflect a Blue Zones Community and continue to grow Pride in the Valley."

Role models

JANET LIMING

LA PORTE CITY -- Last week as I was checking out at a local sporting goods store, there was a young man -- I'm guessing junior high age -- playing with one of the balls in the store as his adult companions were behind me in line. The adult female had asked him a number of times to put the ball back, with him ignoring her request. The woman then spoke to the male who attempted to handle the situation with the young man still refusing. After repeated attempts to get this child to mind, the man picked up a red shirt from his pile of soon-to-be purchases and told the boy to put the shirt back in the store. The boy asked why and was told because he didn't mind. He promised to stop disobeying at that point to which he was told it was too late, to put the shirt back -- he wouldn't be getting his purchase. The boy was handed the shirt and the adults checked out minus his item.

Congratulations and thank you to whoever you are. More parents/adults should discipline and stick with it as you did encouraging a more responsible and respectable generation.
Advertisement

By West Kentucky Star Staff

Jul. 17, 2017 | PADUCAH, KY

By West Kentucky Star Staff Jul. 17, 2017 | 01:44 PM | PADUCAH, KY

Paducah's City Hall has been added to the National Park Service's National Register of Historic Places.



The National Park Service officially listed City Hall on July 13.



Mayor Brandi Harless said, City Hall is a piece of the heritage of Paducah that we feel a responsibility in honoring and saving. This listing on the National Register of Historic places allows the city to apply for historic tax credits through the State of Kentucky which would be used to help fund Phase IA of the buildings renovation.



Architecture and Engineering firm Marcum Engineering is working with the city in the first phase of City Halls rehabilitation. Phase IA will include the rehabilitating and improving of City Halls roof, concrete overhang, facade, heating and cooling systems, and windows. The estimated cost for design services and construction along with a construction contingency is approximately $4.9 million.



The goal is to complete the design and bidding process so that Phase IA construction can begin in early 2018.



Funds have been identified for the project using a combination of anticipated historic tax credits, the remaining funds from the City Hall visioning and design project with RATIO, and reserve funds from the General Fund and Solid Waste Fund.



Downtown Development Specialist/Paducah Main Street Director Melinda Winchester submitted the nomination application for City Hall. Winchester says, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to develop the nomination for Paducahs City Hall. We are very fortunate to have a building that continues to portray its authenticity as a progressive modern structure of the 1960s. Efforts are being made across the state and country to preserve these modern buildings that have been erected in the lifetime of many Americans but that do not seem old to most people, let alone historic or even significant.



Construction of Paducahs City Hall began in 1963 with a dedication ceremony held February 28, 1965. Edward Durell Stone, one of the foremost architects of the mid-twentieth century, designed the building. Stone also designed the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Radio City Music Hall, the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, and the U.S. Pavilion for the Brussels Worlds Fair. Several of his buildings have features that resemble Paducahs City Hall.



The building was nominated under Criterion C, which focuses on design, architecture, and construction. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America's historic and archeological resources.


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Reykjavik  According to local sources, construction on the much-anticipated Asatru temple has been halted. The unique design of the building, by architect Magnus Jensson, is not simple in execution. Due to that fact, builders have run into engineering challenges.

In 2015, columnist Eric Scott spoke with Jensson about his unique design and the reasons behind it. The temple will bore into the hill itself, leaving an interior wall of bare rock; water will trickle down that wall and collect in streams and pools built into the floor. These features are meant to tie together the indoors and outdoors, the constructed and the natural. [] The wooden walls and ceiling will slope up into a dome. According to Jensson, the shape of the dome is meant to evoke the female form, in contrast to the phallic associations of other religious buildings in Reykjavik.

Jensson told Scott that he had no interest in duplicating ancient construction, but rather watned to build something that reflected modern practice. Despite the current setbacks, high priest Hilmar Orm Hilmarsson still expects the temple to be open by late spring, 2018.

* * *

LA BELLE, Penn.  In an update to a 2016 story, the newly formed Wiccan circle at the SCI Fayette facility is reportedly expanding to other prisons. Organizer Richard McCullough originally called the group the Alternative Spirituality Grove, but has since renamed it the group Green Willow Grove.

McCullough had been working on the project for over ten years, saying that it was a journey that took him up and down, left and right, back and forth [] and in and out of the process of obtaining legitimacy, and acknowledgement of the Wiccan religion in prison.

McCullough now reports that the Green Willow Grove, with support of their high priestess Lady Earla Burwell, will expand to include inmates from across the country looking to start their own groups. He wants to share the process, resources, and information with others who are trying to do the same thing.

* * *

TWH  According to Smithsonian Magazine, a library is needing help translating old magical documents. The Newberry Library in Chicago is home to some 80,000 documents pertaining to religion during the early modern period. Some of the documents deal with magicfrom casting charms to conjuring spirits.

The documents are online and available to anyone through the librarys Transcribing Faith site. Part of the objective is making it possible for the public and for researchers easy access to the material. Manuscripts are these unique witnesses to a particular historical experience, said Christopher Fletcher, coordinator of the project, to the magazine reporter. There are currently three magic-related manuscripts that the library is working to translate. We will have you more on this story in the coming weeks.

In other news:
Columbia RecordsHaim's new album Something to Tell You has debuted in the top 10 on the Billboard 200. The sophomore effort from the sibling trio lands at number seven on this week's chart, with a total of 32,000 equivalent album units, 26,000 of which were pure album sales.

Something to Tell You arrives four years after Haim's debut album, Days Are Gone, was released in 2013. Days Are Gone peaked at number six on the Billboard 200.

Haim will launch a North American tour in support of Something to Tell You in September.

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Jul 17, 2017 | By Benedict

Metal 3D printing company Desktop Metal has raised $115 million in a Series D investment round, attracting funding from GV (Google Ventures), GE Ventures, and others. The 3D printing companys total equity investments now add up to over $210 million.

Just five months after Google, BMW, and Lowes invested $45 million in Desktop Metal during a Series C investment round, the Massachusetts-based 3D printing phenomenon has acquired a further $115 million from some similarly high-profile names.

The Series D round included significant contributions from New Enterprise Associates (NEA), GV (formerly Google Ventures), GE Ventures, Future Fund, and Techtronic Industries (TTI), a leader in consumer, professional, and industrial products that oversees companies Milwaukee Tool, AEG, Ryobi, Hoover, Oreck, VAX, and Dirt Devil.

Other recent investors in 3D printing sensation Desktop Metal included Lowes, Lux Capital, Vertex Ventures, Moonrise Venture Partners, DCVC Opportunity, Tyche, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Shenzhen Capital Group (SCGC), and Saudi Aramco.

Ric Fulop, CEO and co-founder of Desktop Metal, says the huge amount of funding will help fuel the companys speed to market, expand its sales programs, and speed up its advanced R&D. The company is also exploring international expansion as early as 2018.

We are on the brink of an exciting transformation in how metal parts will be designed, prototyped, and ultimately mass produced, Fulop said in a press release. This latest funding puts us in an ideal position to ship our Studio System in the coming months and our Production System in 2018, while also enabling us to grow our company globally.

The Desktop Metal Studio System 3D printer

Desktop Metal launched its first 3D printing systems earlier this year. The Desktop Metal Studio System, priced from $49,900, is an office-friendly metal 3D printing system for rapid prototyping, supposedly 10 times cheaper than competing technologies.

The Desktop Metal Production System, Desktop Metals other flagship machine, is being touted by the company as the worlds fastest 3D printing system for the mass production of high-resolution metal partsup to 100 times faster than laser-based metal 3D printers. It uses a 3D printing process called Single Pass Jetting (SPJ) technology.

The continued support of our investors underscores the power of our metal 3D printing solutions to help engineers and manufacturers, for the first time, apply metal 3D printing for the entire product development lifecyclefrom prototyping to cost-effectively mass producing complex metal parts, Fulop added.

The recent investors in Desktop Metal have been open about their enthusiasm for the Burlington-based companys 3D printing vision.

The Desktop Metal Production System 3D printer

Desktop Metals team and technology have delivered on exactly what theyve promised: a vision to change the way parts are manufactured, with the innovative metal 3D printing technology to make that a reality, commented Steve Taub, Senior Director of Advanced Manufacturing at GE Ventures. We see a huge potential for engineers to rethink the way parts and products are made both domestically and abroad.

Desktop Metals advances in metal 3D printing are disruptive by reducing product development time and by enabling 3D printed parts to be affordably brought to market, added Scott Griswold, President of Accessories at Milwaukee Tool, a subsidiary of TTI.

Posted in 3D Printer Company

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Stephen Akey in The Smart Set:

Towards the end of Gabriel Garcia Marquezs Chronicle of a Death Foretold, a newly graduated magistrate is sent to a small Colombian town to investigate the circumstances surrounding the murder of the novels ill-fated protagonist, Santiago Nasar. 25 years after the murder, the narrator, conducting his own investigation, travels to the Palace of Justice in Riohacha to examine the magistrates report. Although the narrator cant find the magistrates name on any of the surviving papers, it was obvious that he was a man burning with the fever of literature. He had doubtless read the Spanish classics and a few Latin ones, and he was quite familiar with Nietzsche, who was the fashionable author among magistrates of his time . . . He was so perplexed by the enigma that fate had touched him with, that he kept falling into lyrical distractions that ran contrary to the rigor of his profession.

In the decades since I first read Chronicle of a Death Foretold, Ive often thought back to that unnamed magistrate, for one simple and terrible reason: He reminds me of me. Not that Ive ever been tasked with anything so consequential as a murder investigation. My professional responsibilities as a lifelong librarian have tended to such things as answering reference questions and pointing patrons the way to the bathroom. What I share with the magistrate is the fever of literature, together with a choice of metier at variance with any literary dreams we might have had. Spiking our official reports about murder (in his case) and circulation statistics (in mine) with allusions to Nietzsche afforded some temporary relief of the fever but ran contrary to the rigor of our professions. Lamentably, no supervisor ever congratulated me on the lapidary elegance of my inter-office memos. I was lucky I didnt get fired.

More here.
Asma Afsaruddin in the Chronicle of Higher Education:

In his influential History of the Saracen Empires, the early-18th-century British scholar Simon Ockley remarks benignly about Islam and its beliefs: "The intellectual image of the Deity has never been degraded by any visible idol; the hours of the Prophet have never transgressed the measure of human virtues; and his living precepts have restrained the gratitude of his disciples within the bounds of reason and religion." Such views influenced Edward Gibbon and his largely favorable depiction of Islam in his The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. Similar positive assessments of Islam continued to be found through the first quarter of the 19th century; Goethe lists the Prophet Muhammad as his third source of inspiration, after Jesus and Apollo.

But a very different view emerges in the latter half of the 19th century. More typical of European attitudes during this period was that expressed by the French philosopher Ernest Renan in his now (in)famous lecture titled "Islam and Science," delivered at the Sorbonne in 1883. Renan pilloried Islam as being opposed to reason, progress, and reform. Continuing a familiar Orientalist theme grounded in the racial theories of the period, he attributed medieval Arab advances in the sciences and philosophy to Aryan and non-Muslim (primarily Greco-Sassanian) influences.

Cemil Aydin, in his thoughtful and provocative new book The Idea of the Muslim World: A Global Intellectual History (Harvard University Press), explores the reasons for this sea change in fundamental European attitudes toward Muslims. His study of the historical record demonstrates that the racialization of Muslims as a homogeneous group and the construction of the "Muslim world" as a seamless whole began in this period, with the onset of Western colonization of much of what we term today the Middle East and other parts of Asia.

What is interesting is that this European project of constructing a monolithic "Muslim world" was bolstered by Muslim intellectuals themselves, who, in the same period, sought refuge in Pan-Islamism.

More here. [Thanks to Yogesh Chandrani.]
Brian Resnick in Vox:

Over the last several years, doctors noticed a mystifying trend: Fewer and fewer new pain drugs were getting through double-blind placebo control trials, the gold standard for testing a drugs effectiveness.

In these trials, neither doctors nor patients know who is on the active drug and who is taking an inert pill. At the end of the trial, the two groups are compared. If those who actually took the drug report significantly greater improvement than those on placebo, then its worth prescribing.

When researchers started looking closely at pain-drug clinical trials, they found that an average of 27 percent of patients in 1996 reported pain reduction from a new drug compared to placebo. In 2013, it was 9 percent.

What this showed was not that the drugs were getting worse, but that the placebo response is growing bigger over time, but only in the US, explains Jeffrey Mogil, the McGill University pain researcher who co-discovered the trend. And its not just growing stronger in pain medicine. Placebos are growing in strength in antidepressants and anti-psychotic studies as well.

The placebo effect is the most interesting phenomenon in all of science, Mogil says. Its at the precise interface of biology and psychology, and is subject to everything from the drug ads we see to our interactions with health care providers to the length of a clinical trial.

More here.
9AA: Wall tops Parkston for first state football title in 28 years


Authier Downstream Processing Concept Study

Brisbane, July 17, 2017 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Sayona Mining Limited ( ASX:SYA ) ( DMNXF:OTCMKTS ) ("Sayona" or the "Company") is pleased to report the commencement of a downstream processing concept study following the successful completion of hydrometallurgical testing on Authier lithium concentrates.



The recent test work demonstrated that the conversion of Authier lithium concentrates into traditionally extractable beta spodumene (a form of spodumene amenable to further processing) was achievable, at high conversion rates. The results increase the confidence that battery grade lithium carbonate can be produced from Authier lithium concentrates.



The Company has commissioned an evaluation of the technical and economic viability of building a lithium carbonate and/or hydroxide production conversion facility in Quebec to enhance the Authier project value, and improve the long-term competitive position of the project.



The study is being prepared by Wave International (Wave), a highly experienced resource industry development consulting group with over a decade of experience in the lithium industry. Wave are one of only a handful of consultants globally who have successfully studied, designed and delivered spodumene concentration plants, as well as having successfully delivered studies and detailed design for downstream lithium conversation plants. The experience of Wave and its key personnel includes projects such as James Bay (Canada), Greenbushes, Mt Cattlin and Bald Hill.



The study will assess the alternative processing options, process flow sheet selection, operating and capital cost estimates, financial analysis, and recommendations for the next phase of development.



The Company believes that Quebec is uniquely positioned with a number of significant commercial and market advantages for value-adding concentrates, including:



- High quality infrastructure, including roads, rail, and port access;



- Globally competitive, low-cost gas and electricity prices. Electricity is sourced from renewable energy;



- Skilled, competitive cost labor force;



- Sulphuric acid availability from a copper smelter at Rouyn Noranda, 80 kilometres west of the Authier project site;



- Road and rail transport networks connecting to export ports;



- Supportive government that invests directly into mineral development projects (e.g. Nemaska and North American Lithium); and



- Located in close proximity to the US markets including, the Tesla Giga factory in Nevada, and other planned battery factories in the United States.



In addition, currently all the world's hard-rock lithium concentrates are imported and processed into value-added products in China. China's policy incentives for investment into battery manufacturing for electric vehicles and storage systems, and export tax regime for lithium products, is restricting supply of battery raw materials to western battery manufacturers like Korea, Japan and Europe. The Company believes it can be an alternative, stable source of lithium new supply to China.



The study is expected to take between 3 and 4 weeks and compliments to the current metallurgical optimisation program currently underway.



Chief Executive Officer, Corey Nolan, commented: "The commencement of the concept study signals a new potential phase of value creation for the Authier project. In the short term, the Company is committed to developing Authier as a low capital expenditure project and capitalising on the projected high price environment for concentrates over the next five to ten years. Cash flows from concentrate sales could then be applied to funding the equity required to construct the downstream processing plant. This would unlock the inherent value in the project at a time when lithium carbonate/hydroxide prices are trading near at all time price highs based on the strong demand growth for lithium-ion batteries".



To view figures, please visit:

http://abnnewswire.net/lnk/6PGNZ84Y





About Sayona Mining Limited





Sayona Mining Limited (ASX:SYA) (OTCMKTS:SYAXF) is an Australian, ASX-listed (SYA) company focused on sourcing and developing the raw materials required to construct lithium-ion batteries for use in the rapidly growing new and green technology sectors. The Company has lithium projects in Quebec, Canada and in Western Australia.

Please visit us as at www.sayonamining.com.au


Company Update

Melbourne, July 17, 2017 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Xped Limited ( ASX:XPE ) ("Xped" or "the Company") is pleased to provide this market update regarding recent progress and developments.



Highlights



- Government R&D Grants Received

- Successful Smart Home Demonstration

- JCT Lightsview Demonstration

- HR and Expenditure Review



Government R&D Grants Received



Xped subsidiary Jackson Care Technologies Pty Ltd was successful in being awarded two separate Research and Development grants from TechinSA. TechinSA is the South Australian Government's Hi-Tech Agency providing funding assistance to companies with innovative products and technologies. These grants have a value of $50,000 and $273,795. The $50,000 grant was to enable Jackson Care Technologies to scope and generate a proof of concept of a new video analytics technology aimed at the disability and aged care markets. The $273,795 grant is currently being used to enable Jackson Care Technologies to complete the development of the video analytics technology.



Successful Smart Home Demonstration - Asian Based Telecommunication Provider



Xped recently provided a successful demonstration of a smart home solution to a telecommunication provider based in the Asian region. This demonstration utilised the Xped App, white labelled for the customer, used to monitor and control several smart home devices. These included Philips Hue lights, door/window sensors, and an environmental sensor. A rule based action was demonstrated where the lights were turned on and off automatically by the change in the door sensor state. Additional sensors and functionality are now being added to the offering. The Company will work with the telco and their partner organisations to deploy the smart home demonstration solution into their show centre and some demonstration homes. The Company is excited about this opportunity and will provide further updates to the market as progress is made.



JCT Lightsview Demonstration



Xped subsidiary JCT Healthcare demonstrated their technology solution to senior representatives of Disability SA (the client), as well as a representative from the SA Government. As previously announced the Lightsview Project is an enhancement of JCTs existing Nucams software integrated with a newly developed Next Gen JCT mobile app, the Xped developed Camera Manager and Smart Home Controls. A newly developed neural network based video analytics engine is currently being integrated to detect various types of falls to eliminate the need for wearable fall detection sensors.



The project and the technology being developed for this project has received considerable attention from other care providers and this solution is a key driver for revenue growth for JCT.



Human Resources & Expenditure Review



The Company engaged TBH Consulting in June to complete a Human Resources review, with a focus on improving efficiencies in Engineering and Product Delivery. The criteria were established and individual meetings were held with Xped employees and the HR consultant. Subsequent meetings with management and members of the board were completed. The results of this review identified significant opportunity to improve efficiencies and shorten delivery times for material projects and near-term revenue opportunities that are significantly important to the short-term performance of the company.



Xped has since implemented a new organisational structure together with new cost centres, recruited important additional engineering talent to the company, and further bolstered its project management capabilities. The company expects to see positive flow on effects from these changes.



The Company has now commenced a salary and costs review with a view to providing savings for Xped. Further updates will be made to the market in due course.



To view Xped Organisational Structure, please visit:

http://abnnewswire.net/lnk/S7B11D11





About XPED Ltd





XPED Ltd (ASX:XPE) is an Australian Internet of Things (IoT) technology business. Xped has developed revolutionary and patent-protected technology that allows any consumer, regardless of their technical capability, to connect, monitor and control devices and appliances found in our everyday environment. Xped provides technology solutions for Smart Home, Smart Building, and Healthcare.

At Xped, were Making Technology Easy Again(TM)
The government must identify good teachers and conduct their annual peer review. There is lack of teachers in marine filed therefore students score badly in examinations. The primary education is not up to the mark in our country and there is lack of teachers in schools. There is inadequate power and water supply in school. No first aid arrangement is available in schools. In rural areas, children often attend schools as they are provided mid-day meals. Cooked meals should not be served to children and instead biscuit packets should be offered to them. During our school days, we used to get powdered milk and bheega chana. I have noticed that young boys from Gujarat, UP and Bihar are poor in English. Steps must be taken to hire good English teachers to teach students so that they can gain command over this language.

Students must be taught practical work like welding, carpentry to enable them to gain proficiency. They should be introduced to solar power, wind power, pumps, motors, engines to broaden their knowledge in mundane affairs. Universities must have industry interface. During our primary school days, we used to sit on four mat, write on wooden takhtis  and  narkul pens and khadiya. The quintessential chalk used by us has now been replaced by white board markers. If youth are provided better education and training then it will pave way for our nations development.

Our country is progressing well on all fronts. We are avoiding direct conflagration inspite of great provocation from Pakistan. If we wage a war against them then it will prove to be destructive and will claim several innocent lives on both sides. Even in the given hostile situation, we must not abandon negotiations to arrive at a mutually agreed settlement for peace and progress. Some television channels needlessly run provocative programmes indulging in loud talks that will further deteriorate ties between India and Pakistan.

Government is taking steps to improve electric power supply. We should not hesitate to seek assistance from foreign technicians to improve efficiency. We should be pragmatic and learn from the developed countries. On the other hand, there has been a sharp rise in our nations population. The government must take steps to curtail rising population. They must take urgent steps to address this issue at the earliest. State Transport Minister Diwakar Raote said that a family must only own a single car to ease congestion on roads. Raote also appealed to citizens to opt for public transport for avoiding traffic jams on roads. The government must enforce this rule strictly and not merely issue statements.

(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
Over the past few years scenes like this have become increasingly common, defining the transformation of a vineyard workforce, plagued by labor shortage and fewer male workers , that has coped by taking on women workers at an unprecedented rate, not only at Renteria, but across Napa and throughout the entire state.

Dimon points to the staggering decline in labor force participation by men of prime working age, 25 to 54. Theres something wrong, he said in a conference call with reporters on June 6.

June 22, 2017, Bloomberg.com: The Worlds Workers Have Bigger Problems Than a Robot Apocalypse The big problem today is too few workers, not too many. Maine is so short of help that the governor conditionally commuted sentences of 17 state prisoners in May, in part so that they could take jobs. Michael Feroli, the chief U.S. economist of JPMorgan Chase & Co., headlined a research note, The labor markets getting tighter than a rusted lug nut.

Even President Obama issued a statement on the decline of the male labor force when he was in office. (June 2016, The Long-Term Decline in Prime-Age Male Labor Force Participation, Office of the President of the United States) https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/sites/default/files/page/files/20160620_cea_primeage_male_lfp.pdf

The reports suggest several causes for this labor shortage: lack of job training, criminal background checks, living on welfare, videogames, "gender phobia" according to the National Review, because we are failing to "valorize male work." Articles in the Atlantic and the Seattle Times mention that the high number of men who are unemployed was due to disability.

Naturally we should all be asking why men are missing from the workforce and not women.

I came across several discussions on the shortage of male workers in America, and I found headlines like: Millions of Men Missing from the Labor Force, (Fox News).

June 7, 2017, Fox Business News: Jamie Dimon on America's big problem: Millions of men missing from labor market |

Dont tell J.P. Morgan Chase (JPM) CEO Jamie Dimon the U.S. lacks enough people to fill open jobs and get the U.S. economy moving faster in the long run.

The banking VIP and current chairman of the Business Roundtable told reporters this week that America has a big problem: millions of prime-aged men have dropped out of the labor force.

Dimon pointed out the share of men ages 25 to 54 who are considered part of the labor force has declined to around 88% from as high as 97% a half-century ago. In effect, about 10 million men have gone missing.

That one figure alone, he suggested, shows the U.S. labor market is not as tight as it appears despite a 4.3% unemployment rate thats at a 16-year low.

Thats not demographics, folks. Thats a huge number, Dimon said Tuesday in a conference call hosted by the round table. There is something wrong.

March 22, 2017, The Atlantic: Maybe the Economy Isn't the Reason Why So Many American Men Aren't Working

Many experts have blamed a poor job market, but new research indicates that an overlooked cause may be poor health.

...In 1957, 97 percent of men in America ages 25 to 54 were either working or looking for work. Today, only 89 percent are.

...In a 2016 report, President Obamas Council of Economic Advisers examined the declining labor-force participation rate and suggested that a drop-off in good jobs for low-skilled men was part of the explanation. Wages, the report theorized, are so low for many jobs that dont require a college education that men dont find it worth it to seek out bad jobs. A lack of job training and job-search assistancewhen compared to other OECD countriesmakes it more difficult for men to move into more lucrative fields. And a surge in incarceration has made it more difficult for men to find work when they leave prison, according to the report.

...First, that as social welfare programs have gotten more generous, theyve lured men away from trying to find a job, and, second, that a large share of the men who are not working are ones with criminal records who have not been able to find a job, and have thus given up.

...But theres another theory that deserves mentioning, especially because it fits with recent research about the declining health outcomes among American men. That theory suggests that American men are dropping out of the workforce because they are suffering from serious health conditions that make it difficult for them to work. As their health deteriorates, theyre getting on pain medications, which then make it even more difficult to re-enter the workforce.

Princeton economist Alan Krueger argued this theory late last year at a conference at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, and in an October 2016 paper circulated by the National Bureau of Economic Research. In his research, he found that almost half of working-age men who were not in the labor force were taking pain medication on a daily basis, and that two-thirds of those men were taking prescription medication.

November 23, 2016, Seattle Times: Why men of prime age arent in the labor force

Economists say increased globalization and the decline in factory jobs play a major role in pushing prime-age men, particularly those with less education, out of the workforce. But that doesnt explain why the problem is worse in the U.S. than in most other advanced nations. ...

Too many men in their prime dont have a job and arent even looking for one. Experts trying to figure out the reasons are probing the roles of criminal background checks, painkillers and even video games. ...

A little more than half of the men reported they were ill or disabled, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. About 14 percent are going to school. And about 20 percent said they were either retired or handling home responsibilities.

October 7, 2016, National Review: The Crisis of Masculinity



Almost one out of four men of prime working age (2554) are not working. Since 1948, the percentage of men aged 20 to 64 who arent working has doubled. Fewer working-age men are working today than in 1930, in the heart of the Great Depression.

Most of this decline, however, has taken place since 1965. Between 1965 and 2015, the share of working-age men who are jobless more than doubled, from 10 percent to 22 percent. Among prime age men, the percentage without jobs shot from 6 percent to nearly 16 percent. Some of these men are in training or education programs. But the vast majority of men in this age range who are receiving training or are in school are job holders, working part-time or working full-time and going to school part-time.

June 21, 2016, Brookings Institution: Where are the nonworking prime-age men?

...The CEA [Council of Economic Advisors] report documents a number of possible explanations for this trend, including increasing rates of women in the workforce, rising disability insurance claims, falling demand for less-skilled workers, and barriers to employment for those with criminal records.

THERES MORE TO CONSIDER

This all makes sense, if you think about it. Weve had several decades where predominately boys are labeled with autism, boys being four times more likely to be diagnosed with the disorder than girls. And while Im not saying that this is the only factor behind the decline of male workers, its certainly a possibility.

These are the facts:

PBS:

According to the National Center for Educational Statistics: Boys are 30 percent more likely than girls to flunk or drop out of school;

When it comes to grades and homework, girls outperform boys in elementary, secondary, high school, college, and even graduate school;

Boys are four to five times more likely than girls to be diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD);

Women outnumber men in higher education with 56 percent of bachelor's degrees and 55 percent of graduate degrees going to women.

According to the U.S. Department of Education:

Boys make up two-thirds of the students in special education and are five times more likely to be classified as hyperactive.

Oct 26, 2016, TheEdAdvocate: Black Boys in Crisis: Why Are So Many of Them in Special Education?

Oct 23, 2013, UK Telegraph: Boys 'much more likely to be labelled with special needs'

May 22, 2013, Fordham Institute:

A similarly disproportionate number of boys populate the specific disabled categories. In fact, every single category except one (deaf-blindness) has more boys than girls.[1] The bullets below, and as displayed in chart 1, present the male-female percentages for the states top five special education categories, by student enrollment in 2011-12:

Specific learning disabilities: 64,130 boys (61 percent of this group) and 41,133 girls (39 percent);

Other health impaired  minor: 23,923 boys (70 percent) and 10,152 girls (30 percent);

Speech and language impairments: 21,361 boys (67 percent) and 10,340 girls (33 percent);

Cognitive Disabilities (mental retardation): 14,887 boys (58 percent) and 10,852 girls (42 percent);

Autism: 13,816 boys (85 percent) and 2,485 girls (15 percent).

(Notice that its not only boys who end up in sped, its specifically black males. That makes a person think of the 2004 vaccine study that showed black males were much more susceptible to MMR injury than white boys.)

After the male student takeover in sped in the last two decades, is it any surprise that were missing a big segment of the adult male workforce?

Despite the fact that officials have more concern about measles in Minneapolis than the generation of sick and disabled children growing into adulthood, they not going away. In the coming years they will massively change the demographics of the U.S. The better diagnosing, greater awareness explanation that was used to cover up the autism epidemic will have to be expanded to somehow include the missing male workers and all the dependent adults filling group homes across America.



Anne Dachel is Media Editor for Age of Autism.
Aiken, SC (29801)

Today

Intervals of clouds and sunshine. High 74F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy early with partial clearing expected late. Low 42F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph.
Julie Greene stands at her husband's grave holding his picture. Danny Green was fatally shot on Dragon Lair Road in January. The case is still open and police have no leads or suspects.
Who Gets to Own Iraq's Religious Heritage?

A technician at the British Museum casts a shadow over carved ivory artifacts from Nimrud, Iraq. ( Oli Scarff/Getty) The revelation that Hobby Lobby bought thousands of ancient artifacts smuggled out of Iraq provoked astonishment and anger. The craft-supply chain has agreed to pay a $3 million settlement and forfeit the cuneiform tablets and clay bullae to the U.S. government. But the story doesn't end there. "The government will post a notice online giving the artifacts' owners 60 days to submit claims," The New York Times reported. "After that, the Iraqi government can submit its own claim. The Justice Department will ultimately decide where the items go." Beneath this sensational story lies a deeper question about ownership. Although Hobby Lobby's purchase of the artifacts predates the rise of the Islamic State, a fascination with Iraqi antiquities has been thrown into sharp relief by the battle against ISIS, which profits off the black market in pillaged goods. And now that the Iraqi prime minister has declared Mosul recaptured, the question arises: How will the ancient heritage sites in and around the city get rebuilt--and who gets to make those decisions? Complicating America's involvement in the process is its record when it comes to protecting Iraqi heritage and keeping it in Iraq. Aside from the "collect to protect" mentality that drives some private collectors, there's the fact that U.S. forces helped create the unstable conditions that led to the looting of Baghdad's National Museum during the 2003 invasion, and failed to protect the antiquities there from plunder. Institutions in the U.S. also took troves of documents--including Ba'ath Party records, which were moved to Stanford University's Hoover Institution, and the priceless artifacts collectively known as the Iraqi Jewish Archive, which toured the U.S. on exhibit. These moves incited intense debate about where such items belong, with some arguing that the U.S. is better poised to care for them given the unsafe conditions in Iraq, and others arguing that Iraqis are the only rightful owners and decision-makers. Katharyn Hanson, an archeologist and fellow at the Smithsonian's Museum Conversation Institute, works on the preservation of damaged sites in Iraq. "For issues of ownership, the movable stuff gets discussed the most," she told me. "Theft is sexy. Museum theft is really sexy. You know, museum heist movies are a big deal, and looting usually catches the headlines. [But with] immovable sites ... there's a unique responsibility for occupying powers, or even for powers who are in an advise-and-assist role." Our conversation about that responsibility, which follows below, has been lightly edited for clarity and length. Sigal Samuel: You train Iraqis in Erbil to do preservation work, through the Iraqi Institute for the Conservation of Antiquities and Heritage. Can you tell me a bit about the program? Katharyn Hanson: The Iraqi Institute has been around since 2009. Through its various programs, international and American, 500 cultural heritage practitioners have come through. They've done everything from stone conservation to how to package artifacts to how to repair manuscripts. Almost all of our classes have a diversity that reflects the diverse population of Iraq. ... We have men and women, Christians, Sunnis, Shia, Kurds, and Arabs all working together to help recover the sites. Samuel: Why is it important to train local Iraqis to preserve artifacts there, rather than shipping artifacts to the U.S.? Hanson: It is very unlikely that anything will be shipped out of Iraq for treatment. ... Iraqi museum conservators and archaeologists are the first line of defense for these artifacts. They know the context the best, and they are the caretakers and stewards of these remains. ... We have a saying at the Iraqi Institute--it's about doing work to international standards but making sure that the equipment and techniques are locally available. Samuel: What are people working on preserving right now? Hanson: Back in January, Smithsonian met with Iraq's State Board of Antiquities and Heritage. They asked us to work on Nimrud, about 25 kilometers south of Mosul, liberated [from ISIS] in November. We've been working pretty closely with a team of archeologists from Nineveh province, archeologists employed by the government there. We've been giving them equipment and skill-sets, and teaching a lot about how to take care of the site. Samuel: At some sites, the destruction looks pretty total. How much is left to preserve? Hanson: For an archeologist, even damaged things, even the fragments of the fragments, are still important artifacts. And that's really crucial when you think about Nimrud and most of the Neo-Assyrian sites. A lot of the sculptures are made out of Mosul marble, which is water soluble. The big goal before this next winter is to get the sculpture fragments left onsite under some sort of roofing so they don't melt. And there's still the vast majority of the site which is underground and hasn't been excavated yet. Samuel: What's going to happen to the destroyed mosques, churches, and shrines? Hanson: Religious sites are still considered sacred even if the visible structure has been demolished. The videos and photos I've seen suggest that there's a foundation left for a lot of these shrines. But even for the shrines where there's literally nothing physical left, that negative space is still important, it's still speaking to what was in a landscape. We've seen this repeatedly, that ISIS has destroyed a shrine and the community still reveres that specific location. It's part of the resilience of religious identity there. I don't think they're going to pave it into a parking lot and put a falafel truck there. Samuel: What role should Americans play when it comes to rebuilding Iraqi sites? Hanson: Because of the invasion, America has a very unique relationship with Iraq. An easy fix where you come in from on high and say "This is how it's going to be rebuilt and fixed"--that can't happen. Should any work be taking place on archeological sites, it has to be permitted and approved by Iraq's governmental authorities. Officially, all ancient cultural sites are owned by the State Board of Antiquities and Heritage, and all religious sites are owned by the Religious Ministry. I think it's important for American organizations that are coming in to be very deliberate about offering the local government assistance, not telling them what should be done on these sites. Samuel: Has that been an issue so far? Hanson: That's becoming increasingly an issue with American or other international NGOs coming in wanting to work with religious or historic cultural sites, and not getting the buy-in of the entire community as well. Most cultural sites have a lot of different communities that claim them as part of their context. So, the Christian community in Nineveh plain will have a relationship to the synagogue, but so will the Jewish Iraqi population that now lives elsewhere. Samuel: Do you think it's important to get buy-in even from a population that's no longer there, like the Iraqi Jews? Hanson: Yes. Stakeholder communities that are able to be represented in the minority religious divisions within the Religious Ministry should be. I know that for the Kurdistan Regional Government, for example, there is an Iraqi Jewish representative for that. I do think it's really important that all the communities that have a relationship with these sites are not only consulted, but allowed to basically control the direction in which these projects are going. ... Competing community claims are going to have to be resolved by those stakeholders. Samuel: Is there already tension around that? Hanson: Not yet. But it'll be interesting to see what happens. I think--I hope--there will be a lot of interest in rebuilding, a sudden upswing in sending money to help rebuild cultural sites now that Mosul's liberated. So I really hope this is a problem we'll have. Samuel: How much would you say Iraqis trust or distrust the U.S.? Hanson: I think Iraqis deeply understand the idea that a people are not always their government, and vice versa. So when it comes to people acting out a place of research interest or preservation interest, our colleagues in Iraq understand that we are not the embodiment of past situations. But anyone doing work in the Middle East is faced with [the fact that] there's a neocolonial American legacy there. And there's a colonial legacy there. That's inescapable. It's something that you have to be aware of in the work that you're doing. It doesn't just impact your perception of how things are going or should go, it impacts your colleagues' perception ... of your goals. Samuel: Have you noticed any change in the perception over time? Hanson: It's been an interesting transition, because when I started doing this in 2004, it was in the aftermath of the looting of the Baghdad museum. It's weird to say it, but there were a couple of silver linings out of that looting. One of them was that we got a lot of traction with the Department of Defense. The looting and the way the museum was treated was so, so bad, and such an embarrassment. After 2003, there was a big "Oops, that was a huge mistake!" There was a sense that they did not want that sort of headline to ever happen again. Since then, the U.S. has become a member to the 1954 Hague Convention on the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict. There's now an international treaty obligation that the U.S. has to take into account cultural sites during an armed conflict. In this conflict against ISIS, they've been taking into account protecting these sites. They have reached out to experts. They've deliberately used [weapons] that would not create extensive destruction. I've watched the conversation shift from "Oh yeah there's this handful of sites, whatever, whatever" to "We've got to make sure we're not doing something that impacts these sites, even by accident. We have to be proactive." Samuel: Did the Hobby Lobby story impact Iraqis' trust in Americans? Hanson: Not that I've heard. I think most Iraqis were already aware that this stuff was stolen. And we all know this stuff gets stolen because there's a market. No one is going into the desert in 100-degree heat with a shovel to excavate this for no profit. The U.S. definitely has an art-consuming market that doesn't care where it came from, and that's a problem. Something that really worries me is that, with the Hobby Lobby case [we're dealing] with cuneiform documents--they have writing on them which usually identifies them as Iraqi and roughly identifies their date. But there's probably been a lot of [ISIS] theft from religious sites, and for religious objects that don't have identifying information, they could be purchased and nobody would know. So if collectors aren't keeping an eye out, who knows what's going to happen to that material. Samuel: How should we balance the competing impulses to, on the one hand, try to keep Iraqi heritage in Iraq, and on the other hand, ensure these items will be in a safe place? Hanson: We don't think about our major museums taking on risk, but it's important to realize that no museum is perfect--there's always risk and uncertainty. During World War II, the Smithsonian had to move a bunch of its stuff off the Eastern Seaboard. In California, the Getty sits on a pretty major earthquake line. It's different from ISIS, obviously--ISIS is unique and distinct, particularly when it comes to intentional damage--but there are layers of risk. Certain people are very much fans of this "collect to protect" mentality, which in my opinion is pretty neocolonial. It's definitely this approach that's like "Oh, well, we know better." It's refusing to acknowledge that there are different risks where you are. If you think you can take better care of something, it may be because you're not acknowledging the risks that are at your own place. Samuel: Can technology play a useful role by making artifacts accessible to everyone without actually moving them offsite? Hanson: There's been a whole lot of conversations about how great it would be if everything were 3D-scanned and so forth. But working in Iraq right now, I'm really hesitant to say that we should just throw technology at it and that's the solution. ... They did this big 3D print of one of [Syria's] Palmyra arches, in London, and it's toured, and it's sort of creepily colonial. Because it's like "Oh yeah, we did these plaster casts back in the 1800s, and now we're just going to do 3D prints!" It was awareness-raising but simultaneously there was this feeling of "Well, if you're putting the money toward that, just send the money to the archeologists at Palmyra!" It's a very interesting question that I don't have easy answers for--it's just awkward.
Swedish EU Parliamentarian Accuses Kurds of Treason Against Assyrians

Stockholm (AINA) -- "It's obvious for me that when the Kurdish Regional Government [KRG] disarmed Assyrians (AINA 2014-08-14) and then didn't defend the Nineveh Plain [when ISIS attacked], this amounted to treason against the Assyrian people." These are the words Lars Adaktusson, member of the European Parliament from the Swedish Christian Democratic Party, issued in an recent article. Adaktusson's comment was published by the Christian newspaper Varlden Idag on July 14 in response to questions from Assyrian groups on his recent involvement in the future of Nineveh Plain in Iraq conference held in Brussels.

Adaktusson is the first EU-parliamentarian to openly charge the KRG and its Peshmerga for treason against an ethnic minority, an accusation few western politicians have dared to raise.

Both Assyrian and Yazidi groups accused the Peshmerga of disarming their people in the Nineveh Plain and Sinjar weeks and days before the arrival of ISIS. They further accused the KRG forces of making a calculated withdrawal in the middle of the night without warning the Assyrian and Yazidi civilians, effectively exposing them to the full onslaught of ISIS terrorists. According to the Assyrians and Yazidis, the KRG's motives were to cause maximum demographic changes in the Nineveh Plain and Sinjar in order to facilitate their annexation into the Kurdish region ahead of declaring Kurdish autonomy.

Mr. Adaktusson further stated that "many have rightfully criticized the KRG for this treason," before revealing he himself criticized Masrour Barzani, chairman of the KRG's security council, during his visit to the EU-parliament in November 2014. "I have myself highlighted this treason, among other times when the leading Kurdish politician Masrour Barzani visited the European Parliament," said Mr. Adaktusson.
Online news reports suggest that Qatar Airways has ordered two Boeing 747-8 freighters from the US planemaker.

News website SeekingAlpha cited comments by Qatar Airways chief executive Akbar Al Baker suggesting that the Middle East Gulf carrier has ordered two B747-8Fs.

SeekingAlpha added: "While the order is only firm when it is logged by Boeing, this is a positive sign for the jumbo jet program."

CH-Aviation has reported that the B747-8 freighters will be the first of the type in Qatar Airways cargo fleet which consists of twelve B777-Fs, eight A330-200Fs, and one B747-400F, wet-leased from SW Italia.

Contacted by Air Cargo News last week, Qatar Airways was unable to comment on the freighter order speculation, while a Boeing spokesperson said: "We are actively working with Qatar Airways to support their large freighter fleet requirement."

Qatars aircraft are currently banned from entering the airspace of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt after it was accused of destabilising the Middle East region through its support of extremist groups  something it denies.

As well as the closure of airspace, Saudi Arabia has closed its land boarder, which is how 40% of food imports arrive in the country.

Read more freighter operator news

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July 17, 2017

When the arrest of Hossein Fereydoun, President Hassan Rouhanis brother, was announced July 16 at a live recording for a video channel associated with conservative Fars News, the audience erupted in applause. Conservatives have long sought his arrest, and so it was natural they would be elated by this news. While questions remain about the charges, the arrest sends a political message to the president, who is preparing to announce his new Cabinet as his second term begins.

On July 16, Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, the spokesman for the judiciary, said that bail was set for Fereydoun and since he did not put up the bail he was taken to prison. He added that Fereydoun will be released as soon as he puts up bail. According to an Iranian news website that published Mohseni-Ejeis comments, the accusations against Rouhani are financial matters but not related to any specific bank, as has been previously speculated.

Conservative websites, some of which are affiliated with the countrys security agencies, have thrown various accusations of economic corruption at Fereydoun. Last year, Fereydoun missed a number of important meetings and was rumored to have been sidelined. During Irans presidential election in May, conservative candidate Ebrahim Raisi alluded to Fereydoun, saying that some of the closest people to the president have cases with the judiciary but that Rouhani was preventing the judiciary from pursuing the case.

Conservatives have accused Fereydoun of being involved with the exorbitant salaries scandal of June 2016, in which leaked documents revealed to the public that government employees were receiving astronomical salaries. Fereydoun has also been accused of intervening in the affairs of state-run banks. The administration has denied all of the accusations.

Gholamhossein Karbaschi, the former Tehran mayor who has had his own corruption cases that some believed were politically motivated, told BBC Persian from Tehran that given Mohseni-Ejeis language, it is likely that the case is still in the research stage, despite a bail being set. In the same interview, Iranian dissident Akbar Ganji said this case reflected a power struggle within the Islamic Republic.

Conservative Jahan News reported that the arrest of Fereydoun is the most difficult test for Rouhanis presidency. The article stated that the president can either apply the law equally to everyone, as he promised to do in his campaign, or he can take revenge against the judiciary. Jahan also reported that Fereydoun was involved in hiring the heads of state-run banks and foundations and suggested that these positions were not given without expectations of kickbacks. According to the article, a businessman had signed over property to Fereydouns family members.

The official IRNA news agency reported on July 17 that Fereydoun had been transferred to a private hospital in northern Tehran for a health problem after appearing in court.

Later on July 17, it was reported that Fereydoun had been released on bail of 500 billion rials ($15.3 million).

In other news, on July 16, Mohseni-Ejei announced that an American citizen, Xiyue Wang, was sentenced to 10 years in Iran for spying for America. Wang is a graduate student from Princeton University who was studying the Qajar dynasty. According to Mohseni-Ejei, Wang was part of an infiltration project by the United States. After the nuclear deal, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the United States would try to infiltrate Iranian institutions to spy and to influence important decision-making centers in the country.
July 17, 2017

As various international peace initiatives have sought a political solution to the Syrian crisis, the most recent tangible breakthrough came from someplace new. On July 9, the long-awaited meeting between the presidents of Russia and the United States took place on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Hamburg, Germany, where the two sides reaffirmed a recently reached cease-fire for southern Syria.

A day after the meeting, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Russia will continue cooperating with the United States on the de-escalation zones in southern Syria. He further pointed out that Russia, the United States and Jordan will establish a center in Amman to coordinate all the details of the zones.

The very fact that the US-Russian truce initiative has survived its first week of implementation suggests that this time the two major powers have more incentive to cooperate on their areas of shared interests regardless of how partial and non-inclusive they could be.

The significance of the recent cease-fire agreement becomes clearer given the latest round of negotiations being brokered by Iran, Russia and Turkey in Astana, Kazakhstan. The July 4-5 gathering stopped short of reaching an agreement, as Ankara reportedly objected to some details of the de-escalation zones. At the same time, the other main international peace initiative on Syria, namely the UN Geneva talks held July 10, has also failed to make a real breakthrough. Those talks did not even manage to bring representatives of the Syrian government and the opposition to the same table for direct negotiations.

So why is the US-Russian truce agreement in southern Syria experiencing a successful start when other recent initiatives have yet to achieve consensus on basic issues? To answer this query, one must consider the role Russia seeks to play in Syria.

Generally speaking, it seems Russia has been trying to reach a series of bilateral and multilateral working structures with the various parties involved, with Moscow as the main actor in all those structures. On one hand, it has invested heavily in the Astana talks, and by doing so it has managed to effectively sideline the Geneva process and replace it with a Moscow-centered peace initiative.

Moscow has so far tried to build on its fundamental shared interests with Tehran and Ankara  for example, pushing for a political transition plan in Syria while preserving a minimum level of influence for each of the three parties in areas they deem vital for their national interests. But Russia also faces the task of bringing Iran and Turkey to a wider compromise on their long-term interests in Syria; this goal is difficult mainly because Iran prioritizes the defeat of all terrorist and armed rebel groups over the start of a political transition while Turkey wants to use the rebels it supports and the territories they have under their control as a bargaining chip in any future political talks.

Although Turkey was the main obstacle to an agreement at the latest talks in Astana, Russia seems willing to keep bargaining to gain Ankaras cooperation by giving it some points in northern Syria, an area vital for Turkey because of its concerns over the growing role of Kurdish groups. At the same time, by declaring that Tehran will host the next meeting of the Astana working group in early August, Moscow tried not to alienate Iran and to keep it active in the Astana talks.

Meanwhile, the Syrian truce agreement reached by Russia and the United States could be viewed as Moscow's attempt to prevent any further escalation with Washington and its allies. Syria has, in effect, been divided into different zones of influence between the regional and global powers, and Moscow has shown willingness to recognize the US zone of influence in southern Syria. Displaying a softer stance in the south is also vital for Moscow to preserve its good relations with Israel. Thus, Russia is additionally trying to ease Israels concerns over the presence of pro-Iran groups near its borders.

All in all, it seems Russia has taken the first step toward recognizing different zones of influence in Syria. To Moscow, the key objective here is to prevent any escalation that could potentially lead to its further involvement in the Syrian crisis. At the same time, these various sets of agreements could potentially introduce Moscow as the real peace broker in Syria.

However, given the widely divergent interests of the various parties involved, what lies ahead may perhaps prove too difficult a task for Moscow  especially when it comes to its so-far successful cooperation with Iran. Acknowledging the three main Iranian interests in Syria as maintaining the government of President Bashar al-Assad, preserving access to Lebanon through Syria and protecting Syrias territorial integrity, one is left to wonder how the Russians plan to simultaneously pursue diverging commitments. How can Irans access to Lebanon be preserved while still addressing Israels security concerns? This dilemma was clearly reflected in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's opposition to the truce, saying that although it would keep Iran away from Israel's borders, it makes the Iranian military presence in Syria permanent. Moreover, how will Moscow work toward preserving Syrias territorial integrity while also aiding the division of the country into different zones of influence?

Aware of these issues, Irans official response to the US-Russian truce deal was to insist that the cease-fire be expanded to all of Syria and also be merged into the Astana talks. If the Russians want to keep Iran fully onboard, they will need to find a path out of the current maze. If not, they might be faced with the hard choice of deciding whom they regard as their main partner in determining Syria's future.
July 17, 2017

There is no more horrifying scenario for Israel, and perhaps the entire Middle East, than a serious attack on the Temple Mount, which to Muslims is the Haram al-Sharif, site of Al-Aqsa Mosque. Such a scenario has been keeping Israeli defense officials awake at night since the 1967 Six-Day War, when Israel took control of the eastern part of Jerusalem. At 7 a.m. July 14, it looked as if that very scenario might unfold.

Three young Israeli Arabs from Umm al-Fahm burst into the compound, the third holiest site in Islam, armed with makeshift machine guns, a pistol and knives. As they made their way, they shot and killed two Border Patrol officers stationed at one of the entrances. Their plan was to seize control of Al-Aqsa and thereby ignite a huge conflagration in Jerusalem, and perhaps Israel, the West Bank and the entire Middle East. Fortunately, Border Patrol officers responded quickly, and after a brief chase through the square surrounding the mosques there, shot and killed the three attackers.

It was a brief incident, suppressed in a matter of minutes, but it was enough to send shock waves across Israel and the Palestinian territories. It forced Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to link arms and work together, despite their mutual loathing and current competition for support from the US administration. They were both committed to preventing a further deterioration in the situation or escalation, which could have left them both trapped by flames. Netanyahu called Abbas almost immediately to report what had happened and try to put an end to the rumors and fake news that tends to inundate social networks after such events. Abbas responded as Netanyahu had hoped, condemning the attack in unusually sharp terms.

The attack was not the nightmare scenario that truly terrifies Israel. In fact, the defense establishment has always been less concerned about a Muslim attack on the Temple Mount, since the Haram al-Sharif is sacred to them. What they really feared was an attack by an extremist Jew in an attempt to set the Middle East and the entire Muslim world on fire, laying the ground for the War of Armageddon between Islam and the Jews and ending with the arrival of the Messiah on his white donkey. Under this scenario, Al-Aqsa Mosque would be destroyed and the Third Temple rebuilt on its site of the original Temple.

Israeli security forces have prevented several such attacks over the years. Only limited numbers of Jews are now allowed on the Temple Mount. They are restricted to small groups, certain hours and can only visit after undergoing a thorough security clearance. Although the possibility that armed Muslims might storm the compound has been taken into consideration, it was never a high priority to which to prepare. Yet, that is exactly what happened. As a result of the attack, Israel made the rare move of closing the area to Muslim prayers through the following day.

The Temple Mount was reopened July 16 with new security measures in place. Metal detectors and X-ray machines were installed at the entrances for Muslims going to pray. Mufti of Jerusalem Mohammed Hussein and Waqf officials arriving that morning refused to enter the compound, contending that the introduction of metal detectors at the entrances constituted a significant Israeli violation of the status quo at the site.

According to the status quo agreement, dating back to 1967, the Waqf (guardian of Muslim holy sites), administered by Jordan, is responsible for prayer arrangements and management of the mosques in the compound. Israel keeps an eye on activities, but from a distance. Metal detectors slow the flow of people into the site, which in turn could delay prayers, the Waqf complained. With Israel trying to guard against a repeat attack, the metal detectors are still there, and only a trickle of people are going up to the mount. Muslims have voted with their feet, as crisis between Israel, Jordan, and the Waqf percolates.

The battle over who controls the Temple Mount has been raging behind the scenes for some time now. After all, the Gates of Hell in the Middle East could open at this very site. Officially, Israel controls the site and is responsible for security, but Israeli sovereignty is not implemented in the mosques themselves. Since the Israel Defense Forces conquered East Jerusalem, it has been Israeli policy not to intervene in affairs on the Haram al-Sharif and to allow the Waqf free rein in managing the site. That is why no Israeli flag flies over the mount.

For years, the Waqf has been controlled by Jordan. Israel considers Jordan to be an important regional ally, so it supports this arrangement. Nevertheless, the situation has been changing rapidly over the past few years. Turkey is now trying to buy influence and control over the Haram al-Sharif, and radical Islamic groups, in particular Salafis, are establishing a presence to exert pressure there, such as through the Mourabitoun activists. In fact, these days everyone seems to have their hands in something there. All this exacerbates Israel's biggest security headache.

At least two conflicts over procedures on the Temple Mount have occurred in the last two years. One of these was connected to the eruption of violence in the occupied territories in September 2015 and the other flared in April 2016. What really intensifies tensions now is the demand by religious Jews to visit the area, considered the holiest site in Judaism. Until just a decade ago, most rabbis prohibited Jews from ascending the mount for religious purposes. More recently, however, quite a few rabbis affiliated with religious Zionism have permitted their followers to visit. This has resulted in a huge wave of Jews trying to get there any way they can, which drives Muslim paranoia.

In the previous two conflicts surrounding the Temple Mount, the US administration under President Barack Obama played a dramatic role in restoring calm. Secretary of State John Kerry engaged in shuttle diplomacy between Jerusalem and Amman and spent dozens more hours on the phone until calm was restored, and the situation returned to its pre-crisis state. In both instances, Netanyahu was persuaded to inform Jordan's King Abdullah II that Israel will maintain the status quo down to the very last detail.

No one in Washington is being kept up to speed on the current state of affairs. Kerry has retired, and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is more interested in Iran and the Persian Gulf. Furthermore, there is no way the Americans will so much as dip their finger into the powder keg atop the most important plateau in the world. Meanwhile, Israel, the Palestinians, the Waqf, Jordan, the Turks and the Salafis are all playing this dangerous game on their own, making the situation more perilous than ever.
July 17, 2017

The three terrorists from Umm al-Fahm who launched the attack on the Temple Mount on July 14 were not the first terrorists to emerge from the Israeli Arab community. On Jan. 1, 2016, Neshat Melhem, a resident of Arara (in the north of Israel), carried out an attack in Tel Aviv that left two Israelis dead and seven wounded; he also killed a third person as he tried to escape. Melhem's father claimed that his son was unstable.

There was also the October 2015 shooting attack in Beersheba by Muhanad Alukabi, a Bedouin resident of the town of Hura in the Negev. A relative described his actions as a moment of temporary insanity. That attack left an Israel Defense Forces soldier dead. An Eritrean guest worker who happened to be in the area was also killed in the incident when he was lynched by passersby who confused him for the attacker.

In contrast, the recent attack on the Temple Mount was committed by three armed terrorists after careful planning. In their case, no one in Umm al-Fahm claimed they acted out of some momentary impulse or that they are not mentally responsible for what they did. The three men  Muhammad Ahmed Jabarin (29), Muhammad Hamid Jabarin (19) and Muhammad Ahmed Mufdal Jabarin (19)  belong to one of the largest families in the city. They launched their attack out of religious zealotry, fomented by the steady flow of incitement in the largest Arab city in the Triangle. Sheikh Raed Salah, the leader of the northern branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel, is directly involved in the incitement.

After the attack, residents of Umm al-Fahm who are not supporters of Salah were afraid to speak to Al-Monitor. "There is a sense of terror here toward anyone who speaks critically of the Islamic Movement," said A., a father of five who lives in the city and spoke on condition of anonymity. He claimed that Umm al-Fahm became very religious after Salah was elected mayor in 1989, defeating Hashem Mahmid of the radical left-wing Hadash Party. Until then, many residents of the Arab city were considered to be supporters of Hadash, with its socialist and communist messages. The fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 accelerated the replacement of communist ideology with religious Islamism.

With the signing of the 1993 Oslo Accord, Israel's Islamic Movement split into two factions: The southern faction supported the peace agreement with the Palestinians, while the northern faction headed by Salah considered itself to be an integral part of the Muslim Brotherhood and also of the Hamas movement, which violently opposed to the agreements signed between Israel and the PLO.

When Salah served as mayor up until 2001, most of Umm al-Fahm's cultural institutions were shut down because the municipality suspected them of disseminating anti-religious messages. One of the cultural institutions shut down by municipal order was the Diwan al-Joun Theater, which was founded by actor Ghassan Abbas and put on plays critical of the Arab leadership worldwide and of changes in the overall approach to Islam. Up until its closure, theatergoers suffered serious threats and even boycotts.

Over the years, the northern branch of the Islamic Movement has become the strongest faction in Umm al-Fahm. All the town's residents, including those who describe themselves as secular, are forced to live in a religious environment imposed by the city's leadership.

Many new mosques have been erected in Umm al-Fahm over the past two decades. Al-Farouk Mosque in the Jabarin neighborhood was where the three attackers  all members of the Jabarin family  prayed. Apparently, it was there that they absorbed the jihadi messages of the northern branch of the Islamic Movement and the calls of its leader  Salah  to defend Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Salah and activists of the Islamic Movements northern branch were the ones to organize the Mourabitoun and Mourabitat groups of men and women at the Temple Mount compound. These groups consider themselves to be "guardians of the Al-Aqsa Mosque," shouting "Allahu Akbar" each time they detect a Jew ascending Temple Mount. This activity by Salah generated political and religious competition and tension between his movement and the Waqf (guardians of Muslim holy sites), who are appointed to their posts by the Jordanians.

Umm al-Fahm is home to four main clans, with each clan generally concentrated in a particular neighborhood. The Jabarin clan consists of approximately 20,000 people. One of its members (though not a close relative of the men behind the recent attack) is Knesset member Yousef Jabareen of the Hadash Party. He was evasive when asked if he would speak with Al-Monitor but finally agreed to provide a written response to the attack. He claimed, "Ever since the establishment of the state, the Arab population of Israel has adopted the path of political struggle based on civil, nonviolent means. We oppose any use of arms and the incorporation of violence in our struggle."

One resident of Umm al-Fahm, Khaled Fa'ur, did agree to speak openly to Al-Monitor. He said, "I'm not afraid to speak. I want to stress to every Israeli that these three men and the messages of hate that they picked up have caused indescribable damage to the city. Many of the residents are hurting and ashamed."

He said that the northern branch of the Islamic Movement has not been operating openly in the mosques ever since it was outlawed in November 2015, "but it is not at all impossible that it still operates quietly. The fact is that three members of the Jabarin family were radicalized in a way that the other residents of the town, including some very religious people, never imagined could happen. We did not see any indication that this could happen. This isn't the religion we were raised in. This is something very different and foreign to us. We were not familiar with it. We didn't even know that it existed."

He said that while a religious struggle over Al-Aqsa Mosque is taking place "coming from the Jewish settlers, extremist politicians from both sides are abusing and aggravating this struggle. What happened was the tragic consequence of that."

"There's a gloomy mood in the city," said Fa'ur, summing up the conversation. "For many years, but especially since the events of October [in reference to a 2015 violent anti-Israel demonstration in the city], the people of Umm al-Fahm have been trying to change the negative image that is attached to the city. We hoped that one day the Jews who used to come here to visit and shop would return. That was all ruined in a day, and in such a brutal way, too."
July 17, 2017

RAMALLAH, West Bank  The Palestinian government decided July 4 to refer 6,145 civil employees in the Gaza Strip to early retirement.

In an official statement, the government described this move as a temporary measure that may be lifted when Hamas waives its control of the Gaza Strip and accepts the conditions set by President Mahmoud Abbas.

Abbas had set as conditions for reconciliation disbanding the administrative committee in Gaza and enabling the government of national consensus from assuming its full responsibilities and preparing for the general elections.

Tariq Rishmawi, a spokesman for the government of national consensus, told Al-Monitor, The government decided to refer 6,145 employees from Gaza to early retirement as a complementary step to its previous and future measures aimed to pressure Hamas to end the division.

The Palestinian Authority (PA) had approved a series of measures against the Gaza Strip. On April 4, Gazas employees saw their salaries slashed by 30-50%, while on April 11, social assistance was denied to 630 families in Gaza, 277 Hamas-released prisoners no longer received their monthly salaries as of June, payment to Israel for Gazas power supplies was halted on April 27 and the salaries of Hamas parliamentarians in the West Bank were cut.

Rishmawi said, The competent authorities are finalizing the required procedures to inform employees of their retirement arrangement according to the law." He noted, "The government will take any [required] action it deems appropriate to end the division, in reference to the possibility of referring to retirement a new batch of employees.

Should Hamas yield to the PAs demands, the government [of national consensus] will immediately begin implementing a plan to get Gaza out of its darkness, by carrying out a series of vital projects that will bring life back to the Gaza Strip," he added.

In a July 4 statement to Alestqlal, Islamic Jihad's biweekly newspaper, Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said the measures taken by Abbas against the PA employees in Gaza are inhumane and have nothing to do with ending the division.

Arbitrary repressive measures are crimes against humanity and require taking national and legal steps to hold the perpetrator accountable, the statement read.

Aref Abu Jarad, the head of the PA employees union in Gaza, told Al-Monitor, In April, Abbas ratified the early retirement law in the Gaza Strip, which entered into force in June. Under this law, 11,000 military employees [in Gaza] were referred to early retirement out of 35,000 military employees subject to the law.

The PAs decision to refer 6,145 civil employees to retirement came against the backdrop of Egypts supply to Gaza of industrial diesel on June 12 and the operation of the power plant in the Gaza Strip.

The Palestinian government seemed to be infuriated by this arrangement, and press reports noted the referral to early retirement included all of the PA employees in the Palestinian Energy and Natural Resources Authority (PENRA) in the Gaza Strip as a reaction to the operation of Gazas sole power plant.

PENRA acting director Zafer Melhem told Al-Monitor, There are 114 PENRA employees in Gaza; the workers who will be referred to retirement are mainly those who are not performing their duties.

He said their numbers have yet to be determined and denied any relation between the retirement referral decision and the supply of diesel fuel to the Gaza Strip.

We have no problem with Gaza receiving diesel supplies from any country. We are willing to supply Gazas power station with diesel, just like we did before, if the plant will transfer to the PA government the price of the diesel supplies along with the taxes, Melhem said.

PENRA in Gaza has refused to continue buying fuel under the heavy taxes imposed on it by the PA, which increases costs to 270% of the fuels original price.

He added, The Gaza Electricity Distribution Company has money now and can buy fuel in cash from Egypt. When the government asked it to buy fuel for the plant from Israel it did not respond since it did not want to pay the price of fuel with the tax.

While the government says its measures and decisions aim to pressure Hamas, no one knows how they will achieve positive results, especially as the PA has been referring to retirement and cutting the salaries of its own employees in Gaza.

The July 4 decision seems to be linked to the announcement in February by the European Union of adopting a new financial support policy in the Gaza Strip in coordination with the PA, based on halting the transfer of European support funds for the payment of salaries of PA employees in Gaza and channeling these funds to support poor families and finance economic development projects.

Although Abu Jarad said that none of the PA employees in Gaza have received a notice of referral to retirement so far, the chairman of the board of directors for the Palestinian Pension Agency, Ahmad al-Majdalani, told Al-Monitor that the agency is working to implement the PA's decision.

Majdalani said, As an executive body, we are bound to implement the decision of the PA government as the competent and autonomous authority. This is why we are taking the necessary arrangements with the Ministry of Finance and the General Personnel Council to implement the decision.

He added, This is the second batch of PA employees in the Gaza Strip to be referred to retirement. A number of PA military employees in Gaza have already retired under the early retirement law. Work is underway to determine who to include in the decision, the age groups and state departments and institutions, as well as all other administrative procedures."

Abu Jarad described the government's decision as illegal and illogical in light of the suffocating siege on the Gaza Strip. He said, This decision has serious economic and social repercussions on employees who depend on their salaries to meet their financial obligations, such as bank loans. This would lead to a dire setback following the salary cuts of employees in April, which negatively affected the social and economic life in the Gaza Strip.

As the government of consensus and the PA insist on exerting pressure on Hamas, allegedly to dissolve the administrative committee, hand over control of Gaza to the government and approve elections, all options are available, including the forced retirement of all civilian and military personnel in the Gaza Strip.
July 17, 2017

Turkey and its Syrian rebel allies have stepped up attacks against Syrian Kurdish fighters in northwest Syria, part of an effort to roll back the US-supported group known as the Peoples Protection Units (YPG), which Turkish officials call a threat to Turkeys national security.

The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the clashes occurred around the village of Ain Daqna and Menagh, an air base north of Aleppo that is coveted by the Turkish-backed Euphrates Shield alliance. A commander from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the YPG-led multi-ethnic group that is currently fighting Islamic State militants in Raqqa, told Al-Monitor that the Turkish-inspired operations against the YPG were being directed from an area 6 kilometers (roughly 4 miles) south of the alliance-held town of Azaz.

The YPG encircled the group and killed and wounded many of them, said the commander, speaking on condition of anonymity. These claims were echoed by Rojhat Roj, a YPG spokesman who called the Turkish-backed rebels mercenaries. In a separate statement, the YPG said the attack had been successfully repelled by its allies in Jaish al-Thuwar. "The Defense Units in Rojava [northern Syria] have said repeatedly that they do not wish to fight Turkey or its proxies, but once attacked we will use our right of self defense, period."

At the same time, Turkish forces reportedly kept up a barrage of artillery attacks targeting the YPG-controlled enclave of Afrin. The Syrian human rights group said Turkish forces had fired on the outskirts of the city and its environs for a second consecutive day, causing fires and other material damage. Thousands of residents infuriated by the deaths of a woman and her two children allegedly as a result of Turkish actions have taken to the streets in Afrin. The pro-Turkish daily Sabah confirmed that Turkish shelling of YPG positions was ongoing, labelling it a response to YPG aggression. It remains unclear whether Turkish forces were firing from across the border or from within Syria.

Turkey is fiercely hostile to the YPG because of its tight links with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) that is fighting for self-rule over Turkey's mainly Kurdish southeast region.

After a six-hour meeting today overseen by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey's National Security Council noted in a statement that weapons given to the YPG "by various allied countries" had wound up in the hands of the PKK, proving Turkey's claims that the two organizations are one and the same. "We will never allow the establishment of a terror state along our borders,'" the statement read.

A Turkish buildup inside Syria is meanwhile reportedly continuing amid widespread speculation over a deal supposedly being cooked up between Turkey and Russia. In sum, Russia is pressuring the YPG to allow Syrian regime forces to assume control over Afrin. As things currently stand, having regime forces in charge of Afrin would be a far lesser evil for Turkey, because keeping Afrin truncated from the rest of the Kurdish-controlled territories that lie east of Manbij is Turkeys strategic priority in northern Syria. It is no longer primarily concerned with overthrowing the regime.

In exchange, Russia is believed to want Turkeys help wresting Idlib from Jabhat al-Nusras latest incarnation, known as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).

Unsurprisingly, coalition officials do not want to be drawn into the fight and in private conversations remain dismissive of the claims that Russia is working against the Kurds in Afrin. There are several reasons for their reluctance. One is the coalitions undeclared policy that what happens west of the SDF-run city of Manbij is really none of its business. The second is that if they became involved, it would force them to take a position, albeit it obliquely, against Russia  and by extension Turkey  over an issue that the United States and Russia see eye-to-eye on: that HTS is potentially as big a terrorist threat as IS.

But a senior YPG commander insisted in an interview with the Iraqi Kurdish news channel Kurdistan 24 that tensions with Russia were real. Bahjat Abdo said, Russians say if we allow the Syrian regime forces [to] enter Afrin, they will stop the Turkish attacks. He added, "We drove the Syrian regime out of Afrin five years ago, and it is impossible to allow them back.

The SDF commander who spoke to Al-Monitor agreed, saying, Russia is doing to us what Turkey is doing to [HTS] and it is telling us, If you dont cede control to the regime Turkey will attack you. And the Turks are telling [HTS], If you dont cede control to our allies and us, Russia will attack you.

A source involved in talks between the Russians and the YPG in Afrin told Al-Monitor that the Russians had proposed deploying elite Chechen military police forces along the Afrin-Idlib border, a repeat of a similar deployment in Aleppo after the city fell under full regime control last year. The SDF commander called the proposal unacceptable." These are salami tactics. [The Russians] can place them [the Chechens] in regime-held areas, not ours, he huffed.

The commander also expressed doubt on the notion that HTS would comply with any Turkish demands. Taking Idlib will not be as easy as [taking] Aleppo. HTS will more likely escalate the war against regime forces, he said.

Sam Heller, a Beirut-based analyst for the Century Foundation and a fluent Arabic speaker who closely monitors the Syrian conflict, concurs that any deal of this kind would be hard to pull off. He told Al-Monitor, Turkey has limited real leverage over HTS, or at least leverage it can exercise usefully.

He concluded, Turkey doesnt want an open military confrontation with HTS, but short of that, it cant really make HTS comply with a Turkish-policed safe zone or another intervention against the YPG in Afrin.
Two Alabama-made brews have tied for the ranking of best beer in the state, according to the official magazine of the American Homebrewers Association.

Zymurgy Magazine named Yellowhammer Brewing's Rebellion and Folklore Brewing & Meadery's Shadowcaster Porter the top brews you can buy in Alabama. The ranking was featured last week on Business Insider.

Zymurgy developed the list after asking AHA members to cast votes for the best beers in the country. Using that data, Zymurgy came up with the top 10 beers in the U.S. and the best beers by state.

Ethan Couch, co-founder and general manager at Yellowhammer, said the acclaim from the American Homebrewers Association "means a lot to us."

"Our Rebellion Lager has really caught on this past year in the taproom, and is in contention to be our No. 1 seller in 2017," he told AL.com. "Being that it's the go-to favorite of our head brewer, Keith Yager, I know he's excited to see it succeed."

Folklore Brewing & Meadery head brewer Jeremy Pate said they would put their Shadowcaster Porter against any robust border in America.

"It is brewed with English specialty malt and a malt forward balance to the bitterness," he said. "We've made porter ice cream beer floats with them for fun and at 7.5 percent ABV, fairly formidable in strength."

Yellowhammer is in the middle of a major expansion at its facility at Campus No. 805 in west Huntsville. The brewery is spending $1.2 million on 8,000 square feet of new production space, an event hall, a biergarten for small concerts and private parties, and a small-scale distillery to serve the taproom and provide take-home beverages to customers.

Couch anticipates a fall grand opening.

"We are really looking forward to having more production capabilities, getting our distillery churning, and having more space to entertain with a new event center and biergarten," he said.
American Family Care has scored a $1 billion funding deal with American Development Partners that will allow the Birmingham-based healthcare company to aggressively accelerate its expansion plans.

The money will allow the Birmingham-based healthcare franchise to open 300 additional locations, covering costs like land acquisitions, equipment financing and other working capital.

"Our new relationship with ADP not only helps us toward achieving our mission of providing the best health care possible at times and locations convenient to the patient, but also helps us to serve the needs of local business people interested in joining the health care revolution, by giving them access to capital and expertise to start and/or grow their businesses," AFC CEO Dr. Bruce Irwin said in a press release.

American Development Partners is based in Spring Hill, Tennessee and has recently funded several other franchise companies like Church's Chicken, Checker's and Captain D's.

The company studied factors like consumer behaviors, emergency room wait times and other healthcare access data to determine key markets for expansion, including metro areas in Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio and Texas.

Earlier this year, American Family Care opened its 100th franchise location in Denver, Colorado, announcing plans then to open 30 more locations.

Irwin opened the first American Family Care in 1982 and grew it to 37 locations until 2016 when it acquired Doctors Express and its clinics. It has about 170 clinics and 600 physicians nationwide. In the last four years, AFC has nearly doubled its franchise units.
Six Alabama hotels have been honored by HotelsCombined with their Recognition of Excellence awards.

An Australian hotel price comparison platform, HotelsCombined is in its second year of naming the top hotels in each state after bestowing similar honors in Australia, the UK and Europe. For a complete list of other hotels honored, click here.

Among hotels in metropolitan areas, Mobile's Fort Conde Inn took the top honors as Alabama's best hotel, with The Lattice Inn and Red Bluff Cottage Bed & Breakfast of Montgomery named finalists.

In the Best Small City Hotel category, Hotel Finial of Anniston was named the winner, while finalists were Pursell Farms of Sylacauga and the Hotel at Auburn University.

Finalists were identified by customer experience, scoring at least 9 out of a possible 10 points, placing them within the top 10 percent of hotels in the U.S. Other criteria include quality and quantity of user reviews, customer rating, the absence of recurring or unresolved issues, social media posts, blogs and forums.

Chris Rivett, a travel expert at HotelsCombined said the finalists represent "the best of the best."

"A lot of hard work goes into ensuring guests have an exceptional experience and this is our chance to showcase and reward the hotels, resorts and B&Bs that are at the top of their game," he said in a statement.
Two job fairs will be held later this month at locations in southeast Alabama.

The Opelika Career Center will host a Job Fair Tuesday, July 25 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Armory located at 300 Consumer Ave. in Opelika.

And the 14th annual Ft. Rucker Area Job Fair will happen Thursday, July 27 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Enterprise High School gymnasium.

Both are free events, open to the public.

In addition, there will be a Job Fair Preparation Workshop July 24 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the Frank Brown Recreation Center, located at 235 Opelika Rd. in Auburn. Jobseekers will be instructed on how to prepare for the job fair and how to navigate the job search process.

There are currently 13 employers signed up for the Opelika job fair, including Auburn University, Tuskegee University, East Alabama Medical Center and the Veterans Administration.

The Opelika Career Center is located at 2300 Frederick Road in Opelika and can be contacted at (334)749-5065 or Opelika@alcc.alabama.gov.



More than 130 employers are scheduled to attend the Enterprise Job Fair, including Aecom, Aeroteams, Arista Aviation, BAE Systems, CAE, CVS, and more. More than 3,500 available jobs are represented.



Jobseekers are encouraged to pre-register online. Pre-registering will allow for faster entry, and participants are strongly encouraged to print their confirmation and bring it with them to the job fair or to save their confirmation e-mail on their phones. Jobseekers may also register on-site.

Veterans will be given priority assistance at both fairs and those with military backgrounds are strongly encouraged to register and attend.

Employers who wish to register for the Enterprise job fair can also visit the website or contact the Enterprise Career Center at (334) 347-0044. There is no charge for employers to participate.

Applicants should come to either job fair with multiple copies of their resumes, dressed professionally and prepared to interview.
An adorable Alabama baby is spreading smiles across social media after having her first taste of ice cream captured on video.



In June, West Point resident Ashley Cavanaugh decided to shoot a short video of her nine-month-old daughter, Emma, sharing her first ice cream cone with her great grandmother at the Hartselle Dairy Queen. Little did she know one taste of the sweet treat would send Emma into a sugar craze.



"None of my other girls took to ice cream quite like that," said Cavanaugh. " I was just recording her crazy, instant love for ice cream."



Cavanaugh shared the video on Facebook to give her friends and family members a good laugh, but the video has since taken off with more than 454 shares and 30K views. For the 27-year-old mom, the reactions have been a welcome surprise.



"It has been crazy seeing it everywhere and having friends tag me in other Facebook page posts," said Cavanaugh. "We never expected this."



You can check out the video below.

Emma is all about granny's ice cream! This was the small mess lol! It got much worse! Posted by Ashley Cavanaugh on Tuesday, June 13, 2017
An Alabama man is among eight people nabbed in an undercover prostitution sting in Tennessee.

Sevier County Sheriff Ronald "Hoss" Seals on Monday announced the arrest of Patrick R. Jones and seven others. Jones is 35, and from Huntsville, according to Sevier County Jail officials.

The sheriff said the Sevier County Street Crimes Unit, along with FBI agents, carried out the undercover operation on Thursday, July 13. The probe, he said, was connected to the suspects advertising on a social media website that is known for sex trafficking in the area, though he didn't name that website.

Detectives and agents set up in a local motel and contacted the people who were posting the ads via the website. The investigators posed as clients, the sheriff said.

In all, six women and two men were charged. Jones is charged with trafficking for a commercial sex act. He remained in the Sevier County Jail Monday with bond set at $75,000.

The others charged are:

Brandie Bridgers, 35, of North Carolina was charged with prostitution.

Kimberly D. Johnson, 32, of Greeneville was charged with prostitution.

Randa McDaniel, 24, of Florida was charged with prostitution.

Sianna S. Summers, 32, of Michigan was charged with prostitution.

Alexis Grindle, 19, of Georgia was charged with prostitution.

Shardaye S. Releford, 23, of Kingsport was charged with prostitution.
Syrian director Maher Jamous provides an insight into making a film about life in the besieged town of Jobar.

As the war in Syria enters its seventh year, the uprising that began in 2011 and the subsequent armed opposition that surfaced has slowly withered away, with many towns and villages reaching agreements with the Syrian government to give up the areas they were fighting for.

While the city of Damascus has remained under government control throughout the war, residents of the suburb of Jobar took up arms to fight Syrian President Bashar al-Assads forces.

The besieged town has built a vast system of underground tunnels that have served as a lifeline for civilians and fighters. They have managed to continue their daily lives, building schools in shelters and passages to nearby towns for food and other basic supplies.

For several months a group of filmmakers, led by exiled Syrian director Maher Jamous, have been living and working amid Jobarians to document their struggle and to find out why they are so determined not to give way.

Al Jazeera spoke to Maher Jamous about the making of the documentary and the battle for Jobar.

Al Jazeera: Why did you choose Jobar to focus on? What is special about Jobar?

Jamous: What happened in Jobar took place in many other Syrian towns. Every day that the Syrian crisis developed, we saw more and more foreign intervention. Without a doubt, most of the towns and villages that surrounded Damascus saw the townspeople themselves take up arms. In Jobar specifically, there are no foreign fighters  its the people of the town who are fighting.





There were a set of evacuation agreements with the Syrian government and we saw the towns fall to government control, one after the other.

The only difference was that most of these towns, almost all, reached a point where they could not sustain themselves and continue with the sieges being imposed on them by government forces.

To save civilians, opposition fighters struck agreements with the government and fighters were expelled from many towns.

But Jobar continues to resist. Jobar, until today, is persevering. The families maintain that they will not give up or bow down. They say we will triumph or die.

What made Jobar different as well is that it is in the heart of Damascus, which is one of the main reasons why I chose Jobar. It means that the regime  despite all its claims  is not in complete control of the capital.

READ MORE: Syrias civil war explained from the beginning

Al Jazeera: Can you tell us about the making of the film? How did you get the equipment into Jobar?

Jamous: I got in touch with some of the people I knew in Jobar. Most of them were very active during the uprising, taking pictures and videos and publishing them online.

After speaking with them about life in Jobar, I found that it really deserved being highlighted. So we began to collect information about people in the neighbourhood. They would send me profiles of different people and their stories.

We began working online and developing our ability to communicate. We sent them internet routers and other equipment to ensure they would have internet access and could send us the material.

At the same time, we were sending them equipment to film: cameras, a stabiliser, etc.

This is a bit of a sensitive issue, but there is no doubt we smuggled the equipment in through tunnels. At the end, it got to Damascus and from there to Jobar. The equipment was delivered in five rounds  we werent able to get the last set of equipment, which was lighting equipment, through. So we worked without any lighting.

Al Jazeera: Did you contact the Syrian government to be able to get the equipment in?

Jamous: Well, the smuggler is responsible for getting through checkpoints and so on. Im sure there were some kind of bribes involved.

Al Jazeera: In the film, you show the system of tunnels built by the people of Jobar. Can you tell us more?

Jamous: Due to the amount of tunnels in Jobar, there is a life above and under the ground. There are kilometres of tunnels, which were dug up with very basic tools. Some are 10 metres deep.

These tunnels have specific points where a fighter is stationed between one building and another.

The people try to not show any movements above the ground when there is shelling. Theyve built the tunnels so that theyre able to live their lives normally without needing to be above ground and that the shelling doesnt eradicate their ability to move freely.

They have one main tunnel which they use to transfer the wounded and which the ambulance uses, from the medical centres.

There are also tunnels connecting Jobar with other areas such as Ghouta. Usually, food supplies and other essentials come from Ghouta.

The government knows that there are tunnels, its not a secret. Sometimes they take measures, such as opening the sewage and flooding some of the tunnels.

READ MORE: White Helmets  We called Khaled the child rescuer

Al Jazeera: What was the biggest challenge you faced making this film?

Jamous: The biggest challenge was trying to convince the people in Jobar that were doing something that would be useful.

Firstly, that we would be revealing to the outside world the level of atrocities and crimes committed by the Syrian government while also showing the peoples resistance and their dignity in fighting for their town.

And secondly, convincing them that making this film will not do them harm  that they could trust us.

Another important aspect was ensuring that we would be able to film in the tunnels. When we were able to get approval for filming in the tunnels, which took a while, I felt that we were going to get great and powerful material.

The bombardment and the war forced us to delay our filming on many occasions, and to be honest, I was very worried about the safety of the people I was working with. There were fighters and civilians who were killed after we filmed them.

You cannot make such a film in this period of time without being confronted with the reality of death. One of the personalities in the film is the graveyard keeper. He has buried some 20 people from his family alone.

Death is a central part of their daily lives.

Al Jazeera: Are you concerned that you are putting peoples lives in danger, especially with showing the tunnels and their sources of livelihood?

Jamous: We had agreements with them about where we could film and not. Its underground so its not really clear. All the people in the film know that they are under the threat of being killed at any second  whether they are shown in a film or not.

We also changed some of the names of people who have relatives in Syria and outside.

Al Jazeera: What is the message of the film?

Jamous: There is a nice scene in the film; there are kids in Jobar, studying in schools and getting on with their lives. They organised a little event in the school one day and put out a message that they wanted the world to hear. I believe that the message of these kids is the message of the film.

Some of the banners that they were carrying were: I am a child, I have the right to live. I am a child, I have the right to choose my future, I am not a terrorist and I am a son of this town.

This is the message of the film. Syrians are being killed and Syria is being destroyed. The claim of terrorism was created to prolong the life of the Assad regime. Our message is to reveal the truth about what is happening in Syria.
Now that Iraqs second-largest city has been retaken from the armed group, fears are mounting of intra-militia fighting.

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) can no longer call Mosul its de facto Iraqi capital.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadis announcement last week that ISIL, also known as ISIS, had fallen in Mosul might have been well received by the international community  but the country is still counting the costs of a campaign that has left Mosul in shreds.

In addition to the rise of an intra-Shia divide and the further breakdown of sectarian relations, analysts say the Iraqi government is struggling with mounting challenges to restore stability and security throughout the country. Humanitarians and the government know that if the rebuilding process in Mosul and its outskirts is not swift, a deeper humanitarian crisis could envelop the region.





Lise Grande, the humanitarian coordinator for the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq, described an initial assessment of the city as staggering.

There are 54 residential areas in Mosul. Of those, 15 have been completely flattened, she told Al Jazeera.

In western Mosul alone, the UN estimates it will cost upwards of $700m to restore electricity, water and sewage services, and to repair the 32,000 homes severely damaged in the nine-month-long campaign to push ISIL out of its last stronghold in Iraq.

The entire budget needed to rebuild both sides of the city would be close to $1bn, Grande said.

But without the continuous support of the international community, the government will simply not have the sufficient funding required to rebuild the city, Shatha al-Ubousi, an adviser to the head of the Iraqi parliament, told Al Jazeera.

The damages incurred in the states fight against ISIL has left 80 percent of the city in ruins, she said. Just as there was an international coalition to defeat ISIL, we now also need an international coalition to rebuild these areas.

Amid humanitarian and security concerns, there is also talk of provincial elections in September.

Political transition in the country could be a complex and problematic process due to the different factions controlling various areas. In Iraq, ethnic and tribal leaders have rallied many of the factions fighting among the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), whose fighters are either loyal to religious scholars, Iraqi political leaders, or Irans Revolutionary Guards.

Without adequate leadership representing Mosuls population and minority groups, the citys governance could wind up in the hands of state and federal police longer than expected, while militia groups establish themselves in the outskirts and surrounding regions.

The government is now unsure whether the provincial elections  a prerequisite for parliamentary elections scheduled for 2018  will take place at all, as it faces calls to overhaul its voter law and electoral commission.

Salem Mohammed Shabak, an Iraqi member of parliament and Shabak political party representative, told Al Jazeera that the Iraqi people are rightfully calling for an overhaul of the electoral law and commission.

They [Iraqi people] say it is a corrupt body that forges votes. Initially, we wanted to hold elections this year, but to carry out the change we need time, he said.

According to Ubousi, elections will be postponed for at least six months if parliament votes in favour of rescheduling.

It is in our benefit to postpone the elections. This will give us a chance to start rebuilding and reintegrating people into society, to enable the people of Mosul to partake in the elections, she said.

IN PICTURES: The final push  Retaking Mosul from ISIL

As the US-led coalition continues to battle remaining ISIL fighters in towns south and west of Mosul, the fight to reclaim the countrys second-largest city has already left nearly one million people homeless. Fears of growing sectarianism in the Sunni-majority governorate of Nineveh, which includes Mosul, are on the rise.

Iraq, a country with a majority Shia population, was gripped by a series of sectarian conflicts before the rise of the Islamic State of Iraq in 2006, which later grew to become ISIL.

Under Abadi, the PMF became a state-recognised armed group of predominantly Shia fighters, who joined the current government in the fight against ISIL.

As the PMF and other militia groups remain in the outskirts of Mosul, displaced residents say they are afraid to return home. But analysts dispute whether these militias pose a threat to the government and security of the region.

While military analyst and Peshmerga Lieutenant Mohamed Saber says there is a security vacuum, Middle East Forum analyst Aymenn Jawad al-Tamimi noted that these other militia groups  who call themselves Hashd Ashairy (tribal units) and comprise fighters from a variety of ethnic and religious backgrounds  have also claimed an affiliation with the government, although they are not directly under the states control.

Mosul itself is a range of the army, the police, and then some of these militias  In the city itself, the militias dont actually play a role in holding security, Tamimi, who recently visited Mosul, told Al Jazeera.

So, although they may not try to play a role in maintaining security in Mosul city [as opposed to the outskirts], they may want to establish a political presence there in the future, he said, explaining that this will most likely be the governments next real threat.

Abadi wants to a degree to try and restrain things  In the long run, if these groups wanted to establish a political presence in the future, [Abadi is] less likely to stop that from happening.

According to Saber, Abadi does not have real power over the military or the various militias  such as popular Shia religious leader Muqtada al-Sadrs Peace Brigades  who report to non-state leaders.

Last year, Sadr ordered his tens of thousands of loyal supporters to target US troops fighting ISIL. Sadr has also been leading a movement that led to demonstrations against Abadis parliament in Baghdad this year, even though both sides represent the same religious group.

The diverse makeup of the PMFs 40 divisions sheds light on many of Iraqs sectarian tensions. Although formed via a religious decree to fight ISIL in 2014 by Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Iraqs top Shia religious scholar, many of the fighters are empowered by Iran and other non-state actors.

READ MORE: The rise and fall of ISIL explained

More than 60,000 PMF fighters are split into different religious, ethnic and national identities, most of who are empowered by Iran, rendering Abadis government hostage to Iran, Tamimi says.

According to Ubousi, the government recognises the presence of the various militias as a legitimate challenge to maintaining security.

The security situation is unstable  The liberated areas need to be secured, she said. The government seeks to hand over power to the people and local council of Mosul.

The Nineveh governorate, however, will not be partaking in the upcoming provincial elections because it is in a transitional period. Governance will remain in the hands of the coalition and the police until further notice, casting doubt among Moslawis over the intent and timeline of a transition of power.

Among them all [internally displaced Iraqis], there is a fear of illegitimate leadership, Ubousi said.

Deep animosity among many of Iraqs minority communities in the north stems back to a campaign by late Iraqi President Saddam Hussein to shift demographics in favour of the countrys Sunni population. The Arabization campaign lasted decades and displaced hundreds of thousands of minorities, including Kurds, Turkomen and Assyrians, from northern Iraq.

Exacerbating the divide, former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Malikis government carried out a de-Baathification campaign after the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq, ultimately expelling Sunnis who were Baath party affiliates from government and state-sponsored jobs. As a result, the government marginalised some 400,000 Sunni Iraqis, leading to a fully fledged civil war that had displaced one million people by 2008.

With a now Shia-dominated parliament, underrepresentation of Iraqi minorities persists. Following Husseins removal, in an effort to create a unified Iraq, ethnic and religious minorities joined in writing a new federal, democratic constitution that was never truly implemented, Saber said.

The US-led coalition has made no announcements to date on whether the PMF would be disbanded once the fighting ends. If these militia groups become increasingly formalised, they may be difficult to uproot, triggering a new form of conflict in Iraq.

Intra-militia fighting  already happened to a degree in Basra, which is very removed from the fighting, but its controlled by different rival militias and gangs, Tamimi said.

With various factions taking credit for winning the fight against ISIL, and in the lead-up to the countrys parliamentary election, questions abound on who may be the real saviour of Iraq.
As the Syrian civil war has entered its sixth year, US military aid to Washingtons key ally in the region  Jordan  has risen to a staggering $463m in 2016 alone. But little is known about how this money is spent. Who benefits? And who or what is secured by US military funding?

The King Abdullah II Special Operations Training Centre (KASOTC) is the centrepiece of US-Jordanian counterterrorism and intelligence cooperation. It not only offers a base for the training of international Special Forces and Jordanian border guards, but also for military adventure holidays, corporate leadership programmes, and stunt training for actors. While war at KASOTC is an interactive and consumable event for affluent customers, it engenders deadly realities for others.





Following Jordanian approval of a political-military agreement concerning the use of the facility, the US provided $99m of military assistance for the construction of the centre, accounting for a third of the total US military aid to Jordan in 2005. While KASOTC was built by the Army Corps of Engineers Transatlantic Programs Center, it is owned by the Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF), and managed by the Maryland-based limited liability company ViaGlobal.

The ViaGlobal staff based at KASOTC have US military background. Also the board of the company almost exclusively consists of retired US military personnel. Although KASOTC thereby comes close to operating as a US army training centre, its business structure allows both the US and the Jordanian governments to insist that there are indeed no foreign military training centres in the country

According to one ViaGlobal employee, in 2013, 60 percent of the revenues earned at KASOTC came from the training of US soldiers and 20 percent from the training of Jordanian forces. As all Jordanian border guards and law enforcement units have received compulsory training at KASOTC since 2014, the latter figure is likely to have increased further.

KASOTC offers its customers what its construction manager imagined to be an environment that is just like what soldiers might encounter with terrorists. Besides a fake Afghan village, a real Airbus 300, a mock city, and a sniper range, KASOTC also features its own artificial refugee camp. The simulation of a typical terrorist environment is further enhanced by the use of thousands of sound and smell effects, fog generators, and rooftop explosions.

With a JAF-owned facility managed by a US private business and Jordan's military budget heavily dependent on foreign aid, the likelihood that the Jordanian military sector may ever come under effective public control is rather meagre. by

Practically unknown to most Jordanians, the centre openly markets itself to international Special Forces units as a state-of-the-art training hub in the global fight against terrorism. As part of its Annual Warrior Competition, KASOTC for instance invites Special Forces units from all over the world to what its business manager, a former US marine, in 2013 aptly called the Olympics of Special Forces.

The event itself primarily serves PR purposes and is sponsored by international weapons producers. In return for their sponsoring, the latter can directly showcase their products to the participating units.

Besides teams from various international security and military agencies, the US company International Defense Systems has already registered a corporate team. Although KASOTC is owned by the JAF, its commercial business structure implies that Jordanian military units who wish to train at the centre need to pay like any other customers. However, they do get a discount, according to a ViaGlobal employee I talked to.

Staff and profit structures are clearly skewed in favour of private commercial interests. In addition to the centres dozen ViaGlobal staff, around 100 Jordanian soldiers assist in the everyday running of the centre. The earned profits, however, flow to the Jordanian private company KASOTC, and the US private company ViaGlobal.

Owing to KASOTCs operation as a private for-profit company, the services on offer are also open to other private companies. The customer base of the centre includes MissionX, among others. MissionX was established by CK Redlinger, the former Baghdad security manager of US General David Petraeus, who after his work in Iraq moved on to become KASOTCs business development manager. MissionX offers what it calls a Special Operations Adventure Experience. This is conducted at KASOTC and allows participants, who are issued with Special Forces equipment, combat uniforms, and weapons, to play war in the Middle East.





Partnering with London-based Fieri, MissionX also markets the programme as a corporate learning experience. Participating managers and employees can thus, according to the description, explore a new and unique approach to commercial leadership development by, for instance, learning how to handle a shotgun and seek cover in an Afghan village or a bazaar. Finally, MissionX has also provided technical advice and training to Hollywood films such as The Hurt Locker and Zero Dark Thirty.

Without doubt US military aid has helped to prevent a spillover of the Syrian civil war into neighbouring Jordan. However, the effects of US military assistance do not end there. While it is not known whether other US-funded facilities in the country are managed similarly, the case of KASOTC clearly demonstrates that commercial actors such as ViaGlobal and KASOTC have gained considerable influence in the Jordanian security sector as a direct result of the provided assistance.

In fact, the US preference for a strong role of private firms in the security sector seems to be met by an equal level of enthusiasm on the side of Jordan, which in 2005 contracted Blackwater to train Jordanian helicopter pilots. The helicopters were bought using US foreign military funding.

With a JAF-owned facility managed by a US private business and Jordans military budget heavily dependent on foreign aid, the likelihood that the Jordanian military sector may ever come under effective public control is rather meagre. A better understanding of the dynamics briefly analysed here is key to understanding why US military assistance to Jordan, despite helping to protect the country against potential attacks by the so-called Islamic State, nevertheless remains so controversial.

This article is a shorter version of an academic article published with Security Dialogue.

Benjamin Schuetze is a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Freiburg and a research associate with the Arnold-Bergstraesser-Institute.
Fatalities reported among warring Kurdish-led group and ISIL fighters as heavy bombardment shakes Old City of Raqqa.

Heavy bombardment and fierce fighting continue to shake the Syrian city of Raqqa, as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group defend their stronghold from advancing US-backed forces.

Bursts of gunfire and artillery as well as the thud of air attacks conducted by the US-led coalition filled the air in western neighbourhoods of Raqqa on Monday, in what AFP news agency described as the heaviest day of bombardment to date.

The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said 11 ISIL fighters had been killed in the clashes since Sunday, while the ISIL-linked Aamaq news agency said 14 SDF fighters were killed in the fighting in Raqqa on Sunday alone.

READ MORE: US-led air attacks killed 224 civilians in Raqqa

As the fighting continues, thick pillars of black smoke dotted the city skyline, lined with bombed-out concrete homes and the damaged minaret of a mosque.

Our American friends are bombing with mortars, an SDF fighter told AFP after a string of blasts near the front line in western Raqqa.

The Kurdish-led group has been pressing an operation to capture ISILs stronghold since last year with coalition air support and the backing of a US Marines artillery battery.

AFP reported that US coalition forces at a joint position with SDF fighters, in Jazra suburb on the western outskirts of the city, have been firing artillery in the direction of ISIL posts deeper inside Raqqa.

The operation is continuing, but there are many fierce clashes, an SDF spokesman named Ahmed said, speaking in the town of Ain Issa, 50km north of Raqqa.

We are taking steady and sound steps. What is important to us is not speed, but liberating civilians and eliminating Daesh [ISIL].

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory Observatory for Human Rights also reported progress in the Old Citys southwestern neighbourhood, adding that an estimated 35 percent of Raqqa is now under SDF control.

Thousands still trapped

Progress inside Raqqa has been hampered by extensive mining of neighbourhoods, which has slowed advancing SDF fighters and had devastating consequences for civilians trying to flee.

The intensification of fighting comes a week after Iraqi forces declared victory against ISIL in the Iraqi city of Mosul, the largest stronghold the fighters have held.

The loss of Raqqa would deal a major blow to ISIL, but the group still holds wide areas of the eastern Syrian province of Deir Az Zor, bordering Iraq.

The Kurdish-run Hawar news agency said some 180 civilians were able to flee areas controlled by ISIL, while the Observatory put the number in the hundreds.

Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said a steady stream of civilians was fleeing ISIL-held districts.





Whenever there is a lull in the fighting, they leave towards areas held by the SDF, he said.

The SDF on its social media accounts said Monday its forces managed to free about 500 civilians who were trapped inside the Al-Daraiya and Al-Tayar neighbourhoods, as well as 150 others from the Old City inside Raqqa.

The United Nations estimates that up to 50,000 civilians remain trapped inside the city, down from some 100,000 people at the end of June.

The SDF began an operation to capture Raqqa in November 2016 and spent months taking territory around the city before finally entering it.

More than 330,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began with anti-government protests in March 2011.
Minister dismisses report his country orchestrated hacking of Qatari official news agency accounts that preceded crisis.

A UAE minister has denied his countrys involvement in the alleged hacking of Qatari official media accounts and news sites, which preceded the Qatar-Gulf diplomatic crisis.

Anwar Gargash, UAE state minister for foreign affairs, said on Monday that a report in the Washington Post newspaper suggesting that the United Arab Emirates arranged for the hacking, is not true.

The Washington Post story is not true, simply not true, Gargash said.

Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Qatari emir, had been falsely quoted in May as praising Hamas, the Palestinian group which governs the Gaza Strip, and saying that Iran was an Islamic power.

In response, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain cut diplomatic and transport ties with Qatar on June 5, accusing it of supporting terrorism. Qatar strongly denies the allegations.

Get all the latest updates on the Qatar-Gulf crisis

Qatar said in late May that hackers had posted the fake remarks by Sheikh Tamim, but several Arab Gulf media outlets refused to give credence to the denial.

The Washington Post reported that US intelligence officials learned last week of newly analysed information that showed that senior UAE government officials discussed the planned hacking on May 23, the day before it occurred.

The officials said it was unclear if the UAE hacked the websites or paid for it to be carried out, the newspaper reported.

The report did not identify the intelligence officials it spoke to for the report.

UAEs denial

Yousef al-Otaiba, UAEs ambassador to the United States, rejected the hack accusation in a statement, saying it was false, the Washington Post said.

What is true is Qatars behaviour. Funding, supporting, and enabling extremists from the Taliban to Hamas and Gaddafi. Inciting violence, encouraging radicalisation, and undermining the stability of its neighbours, Otaibas statement said.

The FBI was previously known to be working with Qatar to investigate the hacking.

The US state department has not officially responded to the Washington Posts report.

OPINION: The Gulf crisis  Royal ambitions and shaky alliances

Gargash also said on Monday that the UAE would not escalate the blockade on Qatar by asking companies to choose between doing business with it or with Qatar.

Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt imposed sanctions on Qatar on June 5, accusing it of financing armed groups and allying with Saudi Arabias regional rival, Iran  allegations that Qatar denied.

On June 22, the Saudi-led group issued a 13-point list of demands, including the shutdown of Al Jazeera, limiting ties with Iran and expelling Turkish troops stationed in the country, as a prerequisite to lifting the sanctions.

Qatar rejected the demands, and the countries now consider the list null and void.
Dave J Hogan/Getty ImagesRadiohead will play a concert in Tel Aviv, Israel this Wednesday, July 19 -- a decision that's been met with criticism, particularly from Pink Floyd's Roger Waters. Now, Radiohead has received a nod of support from R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe.

"I stand with Radiohead and their decision to perform," writes Stipe in an Instagram post. "Let's hope a dialogue continues, helping to bring the occupation to an end and lead to a peaceful solution."

Waters supports the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, which calls for a cultural boycott of Israel over its treatment of Palestinians. He, along with over 50 other prominent figures, including former South African archbishop Desmond Tutu, have signed a petition urging Radiohead to cancel their show.

In response to the criticism, Yorke told Rolling Stone, "The kind of dialogue that they want to engage in is one that's black or whiteIt's deeply disrespectful to assume that we're either being misinformed or that...we can't make these decisions ourselves. I thought it was patronizing in the extreme."

In a separate response, Yorke noted that Radiohead does not endorse Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "any more than [U.S. President Donald] 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," Yorke writes.

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
As MPs debate laws over acid sales following a rise in attacks, Jaf Shah explains the UKs history of such violence.

After a spate of recent acid attacks in the United Kingdom, British politicians are set to debate regulations around selling corrosive substances.

Monday evenings parliament session follows a number of assaults, at least two in east London, over the past few weeks.

Stephen Timms, Labour MP for East Ham, whose constituents have been directly affected, motioned the debate.

Several politicians have weighed in over recent days, with discussions focused on sales and sentencing.

Amber Rudd, the home secretary, wrote in a newspaper: I am clear that life sentences must not be reserved for acid attack survivors.

Her remarks on Sunday came days after two teenage boys on mopeds hurled acid at five victims, leaving at least one with life-changing injuries.

Al Jazeera asked Jaf Shah, head of Acid Survivors Trust International, why attacks are rising in Britain, whether enough is being done to curb assaults, and why religious and ethnic minorities are blamed, despite often being victims themselves.

Al Jazeera: How quickly are acid attacks on the rise in Britain?

Jaf Shah: In 2016, there were 720 recorded attacks. That was a number that had doubled nationally over a three-year period.

The hot spots for attacks are London, Essex, Northumbria. The West Midlands also seems to have a fairly high number of attacks.

Al Jazeera: What is the government doing, and are politicians efforts enough?

Shah: Politicians are looking to review existing laws such as controlling the sale of acid and preventing cash sales to aid investigations. Young perpetrators are committing these attacks, so introducing age restrictions [is being reviewed]. The home secretary has indicated they would look at life sentences.

I wont be happy until acid attacks stop. There is still a way to go yet. Legislation has not been passed yet.

We have been pushing for tighter controls since 2015 when we released a study looking at legislation in the UK. It revealed there were weaknesses in legislation and loopholes around sentencing issues.

Al Jazeera: A lot of online chatter on social media and blogs centres around blaming religious and ethnic minorities for importing cultures tolerant of such attacks to Britain, that acid attacks are somehow an eastern phenomenon

Shah: Thats not true. Acid attacks have occurred in the UK for 200 years. Theyre recorded in popular fiction. In Graham Greenes famous book [Brighton Rock], Pinkie walks around with a small bottle of acid for protection.

The issue of acid attacks is linked initially to industry. During the Industrial Revolution, acid was manufactured in vast quantities to treat metals and cotton. It became a weapon of choice back then.

In 1832, a journal described it as a stain on the national character.

The first recorded acid attack sentencing was on a 21-year-old man in 1833 who attacked a fellow worker while he slept.

It originated in Europe and was quite prevalent in the UK.

Al Jazeera: Some British survivors have launched a campaign for more government action. What physical and psychological trauma do victims of acid attacks have to live with?

Shah: It depends on the severity of the attack, and that would depend on the concentration of the corrosiveness of the substance, and quantity.

Its not unusual for survivors to go through sometimes hundreds of surgeries over a

number of years.

READ MORE: UK acid attack survivors demand government action

In terms of psychological trauma, victims have to come to terms with the disfigurement of their facial appearance.

Many survivors will go through anxiety, panic attacks, fear, depression, social isolation, loneliness and suicidal thoughts.

The path to recovery is very long and requires an integrated approach.

Al Jazeera: What can previous attacks teach us?

Shah: We dont have a clear picture of the problem in the UK due to differing databases.

For example, a hospital in London may have different data collection [processes] to another hospital halfway down the road [regarding burn victims]. They need a standardised approach to collecting data.

Who are the perpetrators? Which parts of London are affected? Which substances are being used? Who are the victims? What are the motivations?

Its a complicated picture. In the UK, there are a large number of attacks of men on women. But were also seeing robbery-related attacks, hate crime attacks and unprovoked attacks.





Once there is a better understanding, there can be a more targeted response. You can try and reach affected communities.

What we do know is that there are two clear trends. In the UK two thirds of victims are male  that goes against global patterns. But there is still an alarming number of gender-based attacks. The vast majority of perpetrators in the UK are young men  that ties in with the global pattern.

We need to educate and work with young men and boys to bring about change because clearly we have a problem with young men resorting to violence and using acid as a weapon of choice.

Follow Anealla on Twitter: @anealla
Prime minister unveils proposed changes to laws in wake of recent attacks, including the deadly 2014 siege in Sydney.

Australias military will be more readily deployed to respond to domestic terrorist incidents under proposed changes to laws by the government.

According to new measures announced on Monday by Malcolm Turnbull, Australias prime minister, state and territory governments would be able to call for military help any time a terror incident is declared.

Previously, the military could only be called upon if police concluded they could no longer deal with an incident.

READ MORE: Unease with Australias Islamophobia

That provision has now been removed, Mondays statement said.

Turnbull said the changes to domestic counterterrorism arrangements were made to stay ahead of the evolving threat of terrorism and to ensure Australia has a coordinated and integrated response.





State and territory police forces would remain as the first response, but the military would offer support to enhance their capabilities, Turnbull said.

Our enemies are agile and innovative. We have to stay ahead of them, he said in Sydney.

As part of the measures, the militarys special forces will train state police teams and soldiers will be placed within law enforcement agencies to improve engagement between authorities.

The new powers will also allow troops to help police stop suspected attackers from fleeing the scene.

The proposed changes need parliaments approval.

Sydney cafe siege

Andrew Greene, a national security and defence reporter, based in Canberra with the ABC network, told Al Jazeera that the government is confident of winning over the opposition.

The changes  are really the first overhaul of the Australian Defence Forces role in managing domestic security incidents in more than a decade, Greene said.

A series of domestic security incidents, in particular the central Sydney cafe siege in December 2014 in which two hostages were killed, prompted the measures, said Greene.

READ MORE: OPINION  From politics of condemnation to politics of refusal

The government wants to make it essentially more flexible and quicker for the Australian military to be able to be deployed in the event of a security incident on Australian soil, he said.

The Sydney incident and a series of other lone wolf attacks have thrown police tactics and Australias response to potential security threats, into sharp focus.

Although police were absolved of blame during the Sydney attack, an inquest found authorities had underestimated the threat of the perpetrator and recommended a review of several procedures.
Starting from Monday, 12 lenders to halt clearing services for three days in Aden following a spate of armed robberies.

anks in the city of Aden, Yemen, will close for three days from Monday and suspend clearing services in protest after a spate of armed robberies, 12 lenders have said in a letter to the central bank.

Robbers armed with assault rifles raided a branch of Al Ahli Bank in Aden on Thursday, wounding a banker and a security guard, local media reported, after similar assaults in the southern province.

We hope there will be a serious response to the attack and the perpetrators will get arrested and tried, the letter said, demanding more protection.

The letter also said the banks would suspend clearing operations and threatened to take more measures if authorities did not respond by protecting local branches.

A copy of the letter was sent to Adens governor.

Aden is under the control of the Security Belt, a southern force taking part in a civil war that has killed more than 10,000 people in the Arabian Peninsula country.

Ongoing campaign

A coalition led by Saudi Arabia, and backed by US arms and intelligence, has waged a nearly two-year campaign on behalf of Yemens internationally recognised government, which the Shia Houthi group  allied with Iran  is battling to dislodge.

The conflict has pitted the government forces of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi backed by the Arab coalition against the Houthi fighters and their local allies since late 2014.

Aden is nominally the southern power seat of the Hadi government although he and other cabinet members live in Saudi Arabia for security concerns due to attacks by armed groups.

The bank closures come close on the heels of the deaths of five government soldiers in an attack by unknown attackers in the province of Shabwa, local security sources said.

Four other soldiers were injured in Sundays attack, which targeted a security checkpoint, according to the sources, who spoke to DPA news agency on condition of anonymity.

Shabwa is mostly under the control of Hadis government.

Al-Qaeda fighters have expanded their influence in parts of Yemen, taking advantage of the strife.

Fighting has intensified in Yemen since March 2015, when the Houthis and their local allies advanced on Aden, prompting Saudi Arabia and fellow Sunni allies to start their air campaign.

Yemen is also struggling to cope with a deadly cholera outbreak that has caused more than 1,700 deaths in the last few months.

The spread of the disease has been facilitated by rising levels of malnutrition, a crumbling economy, and virtually non-existent health, water, and sanitation systems.

In late June, the World Health Organization placed the number of suspected cases at 200,000.

Less than a month later, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) announced that more than 300,000 are suspected to be ill.

Robert Mardini, the Red Cross regional director for the Middle East, says this number is growing by roughly 7,000 a day, and WHO estimates that half of these cases are children.
Fifteen percent increase in number of civilian lives lost in coordinated attacks involving more than one perpetrator.

The UN has condemned an increase in civilian deaths in Afghanistan in the first half of 2017, with 1,662 killed and more than 3,500 injured.

Deaths and injuries from suicide bombings and other complex attacks rose 15 percent, according to a new report by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), which has been documenting civilian casualties in the war-torn country since 2009.

At least 40 percent of all civilian casualties were caused by anti-government forces, including the Taliban, and in attacks claimed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group, the report said.

READ MORE: Afghan girls robotics team given US visa after outrage

The human cost of this ugly war in Afghanistan  loss of life, destruction and immense suffering  is far too high, Tadamichi Yamamoto, the UN special envoy to Afghanistan, said in a statement.

The continued use of indiscriminate, disproportionate and illegal improvised explosive devices is particularly appalling and must immediately stop.

In May, a truck bomb in the heart of the capital, Kabul, detonated by a suicide attacker, killed at least 92 people and wounded nearly 500 in what the UN called the deadliest incident documented since the international military intervention that toppled the Taliban in 2001.

No group claimed responsibility for the attack.

Deaths in the capital Kabul accounted for nearly 20 percent of the toll.

National tragedy

Zeid Raad Al Hussein, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, condemned the horrifying statistics of the report.

Each one of these casualty figures reflects a broken family, unimaginable trauma and suffering and the brutal violation of peoples human rights, he said.





The continuing national tragedy of Afghanistan must not be overlooked.

Women and children have borne the brunt of the increase in civilian casualties, with UNAMA blaming the use of improvised explosive devices and aerial operations in populated areas for the jump.

A total of 174 women were killed and 462 injured  an overall rise in casualties of 23 percent on last year  while 436 children were killed in the same period, representing a nine percent increase.

Nearly half of Afghanistans 34 provinces have seen an increase in civilian deaths in the first six months of the year, mainly owing to the rise in attacks by anti-government forces.

The investigators praised US-backed Afghan police and soldiers, with civilian casualties caused by them 21 percent lower this year.

Deaths and injuries from air strikes, however, increased 43 percent, as both Afghan and US forces increased their air operations.

According to the UNs figures, more than 26,500 civilians have died and nearly 49,000 have been injured as a result of armed conflict in Afghanistan since January 2009.
As Defend Europe sets sail in hope of turning refugees back, UK anti-racism monitor issues warning over migrant safety.

Far-right activists have set sail in a boat with plans to prevent the arrival of Europe-bound boats carrying refugees and migrants in the Mediterranean Sea, sparking criticism from an anti-racism monitor.





Defend Europe, the group behind the journey which began Sunday, said on its fundraising page that its members would set sail in a 422-tonne vessel with a 25-member crew after receiving more than $115,000 in donations in recent weeks.

The crew is expected to arrive in Catania, Italy, on Monday to await the arrival of the boat they will use on their mission, organisers said.

The UK-based organisation, HOPE not hate, which has monitored Defend Europe, reported that the boat was setting sail from Djibouti.

Defend Europe is a far-right organisation and comprises members of the Identitarian Movement, a pan-European conglomerate of activists who rally against Muslims and refugees.

The movement can be traced back to France in 2002 when the far-right Bloc Identitaire party established a youth wing.

A confrontational and dangerous project

HOPE not hate said in a statement that Defend Europe threatens to hinder the lifesaving work of search-and-rescue NGO ships in the Mediterranean.

This confrontational and dangerous project is organised by far-right activists with a long track record of anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant activism  and while organised by Europeans, it is being supported, funded and promoted by the extreme far-right around the world, HOPE not hate said in a separate press briefing.

Defend Europe says it will reach the refugees and migrants before NGO-operated rescue boats and return them to the Libyan coastguard to stop the deadly illegal migration to Europe.

This massive illegal migration is changing the face of our continent, Defend Europe wrote on its fundraising page.

READ MORE: Nearly 50 refugees feared drowned in the Mediterranean

We are losing our safety and our way of life and there is a danger that we Europeans will become a minority in our own European homelands.

In May, Defend Europe activists set sail on a dinghy and unsuccessfully attempted to block a rescue boat manned by Doctors Without Borders (known by its French acronym, MSF).

Lauren Southern, a far-right Canadian activist and media personality, filmed and published online footage of the operation.

During the first four months of 2017, more than one-third of rescue operations in the Mediterranean were carried out by NGOs and private rescue teams.

In a statement provided to Al Jazeera, the Save the Children charity said Defend Europes plans to disrupt search-and-rescue missions are deeply concerning and ignore the moral and legal obligation to save lives in the Mediterranean.

Without NGOs and other search-and-rescue actors, many more lives, like the men, women and children we have rescued, would be lost, the group said, adding that more than 5,000 people drowned en route to Europe last year.

These activists wish to disrupt efforts to bring these people to safety.

Crackdown on NGOs

More than 85,000 refugees and migrants have come to Italy so far this year, according to data released by the interior ministry last week.

Defend Europes move comes just two days after Italy introduced a controversial code of conduct for NGOs working in the Mediterranean.

Among the new rules is a ban on making phone calls or firing flares, which the Italian government claims could signal to human traffickers when it is safe to send a boat to sea.

Arguing that the new code of conduct will severely restrict the ability of humanitarian and aid groups to carry out their work, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch condemned the measures in a joint statement.

READ MORE: Desperate journeys  For refugees in Europe, life is a nightmare

Perversely, the proposed code of conduct for NGOs saving lives in the Mediterranean could put lives at risk, said Iverna McGowan, director of the Amnesty Internationals European Institutions Office, in the statement.

Attempts to restrict NGO search and rescue operations risk endangering thousands of lives by limiting rescue boats from accessing the perilous waters near Libya.

More than 2,000 refugees and migrants have died in the central Mediterranean since January 2017 according to the International Organisation for Migrations statistics.
Blockade against Qatar will end only if Doha complies with list of demands, Egyptian FM tells Kuwaiti counterpart.

Egypt has recently informed Kuwait that it was committed to keeping anti-Qatar measures in place until the demands made by Cairo and its three Gulf Arab allies were met.

Sameh Shoukry, Egypts foreign minister, said during a meeting with his Kuwaiti counterpart Sheikh Sabah al-Khalid al-Sabah in Cairo on Monday that the only way to resolve the Gulf Crisis was for Qatar to comply.





The insistence comes in light of what the quartet states see as Qatars stalling and procrastination, and lack of concern for the concern of the four countries, said Ahmed Abu Zeid, Egypts foreign ministry spokesman, said in a statement.

Egypts President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi also met Sabah al-Khalid on Monday.

Sisi told him he appreciated Kuwaits mediation in the dispute, but Egypt would not let anyone interfere in its affairs and would stand strong against policies that support terrorism, his spokesman Alaa Youssef said in a statement, referring to Egypts accusations against Qatar that are denied by Doha.

Also on Monday, the Egyptian foreign ministry said that Cairo would end visa-free entry for Qatari nationals.

The new move comes six weeks after Egypt, along with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, cut ties with Qatar on June 5 and imposed an air, sea and land blockade on the country.

The quartet accused Doha of supporting extremists  an allegation that Qatar denies.

More than two weeks after the Gulf Crisis began, the blockading countries issued a list of 13 demands that included the closure of Al Jazeera Media Network.

The move was condemned by various international rights organisations, the United Nations and heads of states.
The Philippines largest Muslim rebel group has said a peace accord it is trying to implement with the government is the best antidote for violence exemplified by a bloody siege in the southern city of Marawi.

Government and rebel representatives submitted to President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday a new draft law, which aims to establish a more powerful Muslim autonomous region in the countrys south under a 2014 peace deal that stalled in Congress under his predecessor.

This is the best antidote to the violent extremism that has wrought havoc in many Muslim areas, Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Vice Chairman Ghazali Jaafar said during the presentation of the proposed autonomy bill to Duterte at the presidential palace in Manila.

READ MORE: Hundreds of MILF child soldiers released in Philippines

Once established, the autonomous government, to be called Bangsamoro, would be at the forefront of keeping public order and safety, dispensing justice within the bounds of law and addressing the basic requisites of a good life, Jaafar said.

Duterte pledged to back the bill in Congress as long as it adheres to the Philippine Constitution and promotes the plight of minority Muslims.

I am for this, Duterte said to applause from officials and the rebels, who came in business suits. Within the context of the Republic of the Philippines there shall be a Bangsamoro country.

The rebels, who dropped their secessionist bid in exchange for broader autonomy, signed a pact with the government to establish a region with more powers and funding for minority Muslims in the south of the predominantly Roman Catholic nation and end a decades-long rebellion.

The conflict has left about 150,000 people dead and stunted development in the resource-rich but poverty-wracked region.

The peace pact would have been a major legacy of Dutertes predecessor, Benigno Aquino III, but the legislation stalled in Congress in 2015 after some rebels from the 11,000-strong MILF became entangled in fighting that killed 44 police commandos during a government operation in the town of Mamasapano.

The commandos managed to kill top Malaysian terror suspect Zulkifli bin Hir, who had long been wanted by the United States, but the large number of police deaths sparked public outrage and prompted politicians to stall passage of the autonomy bill.

Frustration in Mindanao

Rebel leader Al Haj Murad Ebrahim said amid growing frustration among Muslims over the bills failed passage, other group of fighters in Mindanao emerged.

These misguided people have filled the vacuum created by our failure to enact the basic law and fed into the frustration of our people, Murad said at the ceremony, which was attended by leaders of the Senate and House of Representatives.





Today, we watch with utter disgust at the destruction that violent extremism has inflicted in the city of Marawi, Murad said.

Officials said more than 550 people, including 411 fighters, have been killed in nearly two months of fighting in Marawi, a bastion of Islamic faith in the south.

The fighters belong to the disparate Abu Sayyaf and Maute groups, which had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

On Sunday, troops cleared 50 more buildings and houses after clashes that left eight fighters and two soldiers dead, military chief of staff General Eduardo Ano told reporters.

Troops are bracing for a final push to really break their line and finally clear the whole area of Marawi, Ano said, adding that the battleground is now down to less than a square kilometre area.

Duterte is expected to announce this week whether he will extend a 60-day declaration of martial law in Mindanao to deal with the Marawi attack, the most serious security crisis he has faced since assuming power in June last year.
A Jordanian court sentences 39-year-old soldier to life imprisonment over the killing of three US military trainers.

A Jordanian soldier was sentenced on Monday to life in prison after being convicted of killing three US military trainers outside an army base last year.

The military court in Amman found 39-year-old Maarik al-Tawaiha guilty of shooting the trainers as they waited to enter the King Faisal base at Al-Jafr in southern Jordan on November 4.

In Jordan, life in prison can mean 20 years, with time off for good behaviour.

Jordan has ruled out terrorism in the November shooting in which the convoy of the US Army Green Berets came under fire at the base entrance.

The prosecution in June accused al-Tawaiha of voluntary manslaughter over the deaths of Matthew Lewellen, Kevin McEnroe and James Moriarty.

He was also charged with insulting the dignity and reputation of the armed forces and violating military orders.

READ MORE: Jordanians wont support ground intervention in Syria

During the month-long trial, he watched the proceedings silently while standing in a cage in the court.

He did not react when the judge announced the verdict and the maximum possible sentence, life in prison with hard labour. When he was led out of the cage, he said: I have all the respect for the king, but I was doing my job.

The defendant has said he felt no animosity towards Americans and opened fire because he believed the base was coming under attack.

However, relatives of the slain US troops have described security camera footage that they say shows him shooting for six minutes, reloading and aiming at the Americans, even as they identify themselves as friendly forces.

Relatives of two of the US soldiers sat quietly as the judge read the ruling.

Charles Lewellen, 53, whose son was killed, later told the Associated Press that the verdict wont take the pain away but that it proved what we have been saying all along  that he murdered our sons.

Some of the relatives criticised Jordans handling of the case and said the defendant should have received the death penalty. Jordan allows the death penalty, but it is usually handed down in terrorism cases or in a murder coupled with another crime.

READ MORE: Jordanians in Karak find unity in wake of tragedy

The trial confirmed that the deceased US service members followed all established procedures when accessing the base the day of the incident, as we have noted before, the US Embassy in Jordan said. We are reassured to see the perpetrator brought to justice.

Jordan, which hosts some 2,200 American military personnel, is a key American ally and a member of the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group in neighbouring Syria and Iraq.

US forces have trained a small group of vetted Syrian rebels in Jordan, and American instructors have also trained Palestinian security forces inside the kingdom.





At the trial, al-Tuwaiha and some of the gate guards testified they heard what might have been a pistol shot coming from the direction of the US convoy. Al-Tuwaiha said he opened fire because he feared the base was under attack. Other guards said they held their fire because they couldnt determine the source of the sound.

Al-Tuwaiha has said he had no intention of killing anyone and felt no resentment towards Americans.

Defence lawyer Subhi al-Mawas said he would appeal against Mondays court ruling.
One person remains missing after floodwaters swept through a normally tranquil swimming area in Tonto National Forest.

At least nine people were killed and one other is believed missing when floodwaters from a sudden rainstorm swept through a normally tranquil swimming area in Tonto National Forest where more than 100 people were taking refuge from the summer heat, authorities said on Sunday.

Some of those washed downstream clung to trees until rescuers reached them.

The flash flooding hit on Saturday afternoon at Cold Springs Canyon, about 100km northeast of Phoenix, and some people were washed several miles downstream.

The dead people ranged in age from a 60-year-old woman to a 2-year-old girl.

A 13-year-old boy remains missing.

Four people rescued by helicopter on Saturday were taken to the hospital for hypothermia.

IN PHOTOS: Southern Japan areas devastated by floods

Disa Alexander was hiking to the swimming area where Ellison Creek and East Verde River converge when the storm hit and the water suddenly surged. She was still about four kilometres away when she came across a man holding a baby and clinging to a tree. His wife was nearby, also in a tree.

Alexander and others tried to reach them but couldnt. Rescuers arrived a short time later.

We were kinda looking at the water; it was really brown, she told The Associated Press news agency. Literally 20 seconds later, you just see, like hundreds of gallons of water smacking down and debris and trees getting pulled in. It looked like a really big mudslide.





The National Weather Service, which had issued a flash flood warning, estimated up to 1.5 inches of rain fell over the area in an hour. The thunderstorm hit about 13km upstream along Ellison Creek, which quickly flooded the narrow canyon where the swimmers were.

They had no warning. They heard a roar, and it was on top of them, Water Wheel Fire and Medical District Fire Chief Ron Sattelmaier said.

There had been thunderstorms throughout the area, but it wasnt raining where the swimmers were at the time. But it happened during monsoon season, when strong storms suddenly appear thanks to the mix of heat and moisture in the summer months.

I wish there was a way from keeping people from getting in there during monsoon season. It happens every year. Weve just been lucky something like this hasnt been this tragic, Sattelmaier said.

The flooding came after a severe thunderstorm pounded down on a nearby remote area that had been burned by a recent wildfire, Sattelmaier said.

The burn scar was one of the reasons the weather service issued the flash-flood warning.

If its an intense burn, it creates a glaze on the surface that just repels water, Darren McCollum, a meteorologist, told AP. We had some concerns. We got a lot worse news.

The National Weather Service in Phoenix said that most of Arizona was under flash flood watch until Monday evening, warning that heavy rains can produce flash flooding of low-lying, normally dry areas such as washes.
Qatar says UAEs involvement in the hacking of the Qatar news agency is a violation of international law.

Qatar accused the United Arab Emirates on Monday of violating international law after reports suggested Abu Dhabi orchestrated the hacking of the Qatari official news agency and social media sites.

The information published in the Washington Post  revealed the involvement of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and senior Emirati officials in the hacking of Qatar News Agency, Qatars government communication office said in a statement on Monday.

The report unequivocally proves that this hacking crime took place, the statement quoted Sheikh Saif bin Ahmed Al Thani, director of the government communication office, as saying.

READ MORE: Get all the latest updates on the Qatar-GCC crisis

This criminal act represents a clear violation and breach of international law and of the bilateral and collective agreements signed between the member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council, as well as collective agreements with the Arab League, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and the United Nations.

The statement said that an investigation is ongoing and that government prosecutors plan to take legal measures locally and abroad.

The Washington Post reported on Sunday that the UAE helped arrange the hacking.

However, UAEs minister of state for foreign affairs, Anwar Gargash, said the latest report is simply not true and denied his countrys role in the incident.

The Washington Post reported that US intelligence officials learned last week of newly analysed information that showed that senior UAE government officials discussed the planned hacking on May 23, the day before it occurred.

The officials said it was unclear if the UAE hacked the websites or paid for it to be carried out, the newspaper reported.

The report did not identify the intelligence officials it spoke to for the report.

Setbacks in mediation

In an interview with Al Jazeera, Mohammed Cherkaoui, professor on conflict resolution at George Mason University, said the new Washington Post bombshell shows that the Gulf crisis is moving from one escalation to another.

I am still wondering how we can curb this trend of escalation, and how we can restore some positive perceptions between the stakeholders, as well as some dialogue, Cherkaoui said.

So far, we have several setbacks of regional and international mediation.

Martin Reardon, an intelligence expert and an FBI veteran, said that while the UAE is not sophisticated enough to carry out the hacking on its own, there are hackers available for contracting.

The controversy started on May 23, when alleged hackers reportedly posted fake remarks on Qatars official media platform criticising US foreign policy and attributing the statement to the countrys emir.





In the articles, Qatars Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani was quoted as cautioning against confrontation with Iran, as well as defending the Palestinian group Hamas and Hezbollah, a Lebanese Shia movement allied with Tehran.

Qatars government categorically denied that the comments were ever made and claimed that its websites were hacked. It also asked the US Federal Bureau of Investigation to help in the probe.

But following the publication of the stories, Saudi Arabia and the UAE blocked Qatar-based websites including Al Jazeera, and later led a group of countries in cutting diplomatic ties with Doha.

Meanwhile, Daniel Hannan, a Conservative British member of the European Parliament, said the continuing blockade on Qatar is not helpful in resolving the crisis.

There is almost no situation in the world that isnt made worse by an economic blockade, Hannan told Al Jazeera.

This pain is felt by all sides, he said. We are looking to have a speedy and serious de-escalation of the situation, and a solution that respects press freedom and national sovereignty.

Hannan said an immediate lifting of the sanctions could pave the way for talks, saying: It is very difficult to negotiate with a gun to your head.
Qatari nationals will have to apply for a visa at an Egyptian embassy abroad to enter Egypt, foreign ministry says.

Egypts foreign ministry has announced the end of visa-free travel for Qataris  the latest measure taken against Doha in the Gulf Crisis.

Qatari nationals will now have to apply for a visa to enter Egypt, the ministry said on Monday.





It does not make sense to keep making exceptions for Qatar and giving it privileges in light of its current positions, said Ahmed Abu Zeid, Egypts foreign ministry spokesman.

The restriction will not affect spouses and children of Egyptian nationals, as well as Qatari nationals who are studying at Egyptian public universities, Abu Zeid said.

Media reports quoted sources at Cairo International Airport as saying that the decision would be implemented as of Wednesday or Thursday.

Egypts state-run Ahram Online publication said earlier on Monday that the move would affect not only the holders of ordinary passports but also those with a diplomatic or special travel documents.

The Gulf crisis

The development comes six weeks after Egypt, along with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, cut ties with Qatar on June 5 and imposed an air, sea and land blockade on the country.

The quartet accused Doha of supporting extremists  an allegation that Qatar denies.

More than two weeks after the Gulf Crisis began, the blockading countries issued a list of 13 demands that included the closure of Al Jazeera Media Network.

The move was condemned by various international rights organisations, the United Nations and heads of states.
South Korea has proposed talks with North Korea to ease animosities along their tense border and resume family reunions.

South Korea has offered to hold talks with North Korea to ease animosities along their tense border and resume reunions of families separated by their war in the 1950s.

We request military talks with the North on July 21 at Tongilgak to stop all hostile activities that raise military tension at the military demarcation line, Suh Choo-suk, South Koreas vice defence minister, told a media briefing on Monday.

South Koreas proposal for two sets of talks indicates new President Moon Jae-in is pushing to improve ties with North Korea, despite the Norths first intercontinental ballistic missile test earlier this month.

READ MORE: Who is Moon Jae-in, South Koreas new president?

Tongilgak is a North Korean building at the Panmunjom truce village on the border used for previous inter-Korea talks. The last government-level talks were held in December 2015.

The proposal came roughly a week after Moon had said the need for dialogue with North Korea was more pressing than ever to curb North Koreas nuclear and missile programmes.

The vice defence minister did not elaborate on the meaning of hostile military activities, which are viewed differently by the two Koreas. South Korea usually refers to loudspeaker broadcasts and other provocations, while North Korea wants a halt to routine joint US-South Korea military drills.

Moon has suggested hostile military activities be halted at the inter-Korean border on July 27, the anniversary of the 1953 armistice agreement that ended the Korean War.

Talks on family reunions

South Koreas Red Cross says it wants separate talks at the border village on August 1 to discuss family reunions, with possible reunions over the Chuseok holiday, which falls in October this year.

North Koreas state media has not immediately responded to South Koreas latest overtures.

Previously, North Korea has repeatedly said it refuses to engage in talks unless South Korea turns over 12 waitresses who defected to the South last year.





North Korea says South Korea abducted the 12 waitresses and the restaurant manager and has demanded their return, but South Korea has said the group decided to defect of its own free will.

Al Jazeeras Kathy Novak, reporting from Seoul, said family separation is seen as a very pressing and emotional humanitarian issue,  particularly in South Korea.

We know that they are very sensitive about this issue because these people are getting older  effectively time is running out for them to have the opportunity to meet their family members again, she said.

And the other thing that the unification minister has been talking about is a proposal to allow these people to visit ancestral graves for the first time.

Our correspondent said the military talks would be held first.

And perhaps, if that went well, then it would set the scene for the Red Cross to be able to talk a bit more about the possibility of having family reunions this year, she said.

READ MORE: Three things to know about North Koreas missile tests

North Korea has conducted two nuclear tests since the beginning of last year and missile-related activities at an unprecedented pace.

It conducted the first test of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) earlier this month, claiming to have mastered the technology to mount a nuclear warhead on the missile. South Korea and the United States dispute the claim.

In an bid to rein in North Korea, the US is preparing new sanctions on Chinese banks and firms doing business with North Korea, possibly within weeks, two senior US officials said last week.
The fourth extension comes almost a year since the state emergency was introduced following a coup attempt.

The parliament of Turkey has approved a three-month extension of the state of emergency which had been in effect since last Julys failed military coup.

The move initiated by Prime Minister Binali Yildirim was backed on Monday by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) as well as the opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).





It followed weekend ceremonies to mark the anniversary of the abortive coup in which about 250 people were killed and nearly 2,200 more injured.

Joining tens of thousands of anti-coup demonstrators in Istanbul on Saturday, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened to chop off the heads of those involved in the attempt to oust his government.

First of all we will chop off the heads of those traitors, Erdogan said as he reaffirmed previous comments to sign any bill passed restoring capital punishment.

We are a state governed by rule of law. If it comes to me after parliament, I will sign it, he said. Restoring the death penalty would effectively end Turkeys European Union membership ambitions.

Erdogan also praised the peoples faith in facing up the armed coup plotters.

Fourth extension

Turkey declared the state of emergency on July 20, 2016, and extended it for the fourth time after the coup attempt of July 15, 2016 which Ankara believes was organised by the US-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen.

According to the Turkish constitution, a state of emergency can be declared for a maximum period of six months.

During the emergency rule, the cabinet has the right to issue statutory decrees under the president of the republic without regard to routine procedures and restrictions in the countrys constitution.

These decrees are first published in the official gazette and then submitted to parliament for ratification.
The paper cites US intelligence officials who say UAE orchestrated the hacking of Qatari social media and news sites.

The United Arab Emirates arranged for Qatari government social media and news sites to be hacked in late May in order to post false quotes linked to Qatars emir, prompting the Qatar-Gulf diplomatic crisis, the Washington Post reported on Sunday, citing US intelligence officials.

The Qatari emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, had been falsely quoted in May as praising Hamas and saying that Iran was an Islamic power, the Post reported. In response, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain cut diplomatic and transport ties with Qatar on June 5, accusing it of supporting terrorism. Qatar strongly denies the allegations.

Qatar said in late May that hackers had posted fake remarks by the emir, an explanation rejected by Gulf states.

READ MORE: Qatar-Gulf crisis  Your questions answered

The Post reported that US intelligence officials learned last week of newly analysed information that showed that senior UAE government officials discussed the planned hacks on May 23, the day before they occurred.

The officials said it was unclear if the UAE hacked the websites or paid for them to be carried out, the newspaper reported. The Post did not identify the intelligence officials it spoke to for the report.





UAE Ambassador to the US Yousef al-Otaiba denied the report in a statement, saying it was false, the Post said.

What is true is Qatars behaviour. Funding, supporting, and enabling extremists from the Taliban to Hamas and Gaddafi. Inciting violence, encouraging radicalisation, and undermining the stability of its neighbours, the statement said.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation was previously known to be working with Qatar to probe the hacking.

Al Jazeeras Heidi Zhou-Castro, reporting from Washington, DC, said this is new information and the US Department of State has yet to officially respond.

These are certainly developments that will be analysed and will have a major role to play in negotiations coming up, she said.

Perhaps this will finally result in some movement.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Thursday returned to the United States from his shuttle diplomacy in the Gulf region to try to resolve the dispute. His visit had yielded little except for a bilateral agreement between the US and Qatar to fight terrorism.

OPINION: The turning point of the GCC crisis

Tillersons spokesperson has said that [Qatar-Gulf crisis negotiations] may be a long process to find any sort of common ground in resolving this conflict, said Zhou-Castro.

But with this new information  that certainly throws a wrench in these negotiations  it remains to be seen exactly where things will go.

Qatar said in June it had proof that the recent hacking of its state-run news agency and government social media accounts was linked to countries that have recently cut ties with it.





Qatar has evidence that certain iPhones originating from countries laying siege to Qatar were used in the hack, Ali Bin Fetais al-Marri, Qatars attorney general, told reporters in the capital, Doha, on June 21.

Khalil Jahshan, executive director at the Arab Center Washington, DC, told Al Jazeera the revelations are the most important development so far since the beginning of the crisis and undermined the Emirati position.

It illustrates that Qatar, from the very beginning of this crisis, by inviting both US and British intelligence services to help investigate this was a step in the right direction, he said

And now the results are out in public and they confirm that hacking has taken place and the quotes that precipitated this crisis by the emir of Qatar were fabricated and resulting from this hacking.

Jahshan said the revelations should have an effect on the mediation efforts, although the signs during the crisis so far have not been encouraging.

Its denial after denial after denial. They [the UAE] claim that basically their demands from Qatar are legitimate and they insist that they should be fulfilled almost as a diktat instead of sitting at a table and negotiating some legitimate differences that they might have with Doha, and somehow, unfortunately, Saudi Arabia has followed suit, said Jahshan.

So the failure, if you will, or at least temporary failure of Tillerson is not going to change unless there is a change of attitude on the part of the Emirates in particular.
President demands justice for the 298 killed when their plane was shot down over eastern Ukraine three years ago.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko says Russia must be held to account over the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, three years after the tragedy that killed 298 people.

International investigators have said the Boeing jet flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was shot down over war-torn eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014 by a Russia-supplied missile system that was fired from territory held by Russian-backed fighters.

The probe being led by the Netherlands  which suffered the majority of losses  is focusing on some 100 people suspected of having played an active role in the incident, but the investigators have not publicly named any suspects.

Ukraine has said that all the evidence points to the anti-government fighters and Russia.

READ MORE: Three years since MH17 crash in east Ukraine war zone

Russia and the anti-government groups it supports, however, have denied any involvement and have blamed Ukraine.

Poroshenko called the incident a barefaced crime in a Facebook post on Monday, marking the third anniversary of the tragedy.

It was a barefaced crime that could have been avoided if not for the Russian aggression, Russian system and Russian missile that came from Russian territory, Poroshenko said.

Our responsibility before the dead and before future generations is to show to the aggressor terrorists that responsibility is unavoidable for all the crimes committed.

Officials announced this month that the trials of any suspects arrested over the shooting down of MH17 will be held in the Netherlands.

Poroshenko said that he was convinced that the objectivity and impartiality of Dutch justice will complete this path.

No official events were planned to mark the anniversary but local residents gathered for a small religious ceremony at the crash site outside Hrabove village in Donetsk region which is held by anti-government fighters.

In the Netherlands, thousands of relatives and friends gathered on Monday to unveil a living memorial near the Amsterdam airport from which the plane departed.

In Malaysia, Dato Sri Liow Tiong, the transport minister, promised justice for the victims.

Three years may have passed, but the memories of the passengers and crew on-board will always be with all of us and they will be remembered dearly. Ten nations have also lost sons and daughters to this tragedy, he said in a statement on Monday.

Russia and Ukraine have been locked in a bitter feud since Russia annexed Crimea in March 2014.

Fighting then broke out between pro-Russian fighters and Ukrainian government forces in a conflict that has cost the lives of nearly 10,000 people.
Tensions rise after attempts to challenge Maduros plan to reform constitution as international community weighs in.

Venezuelas opposition officials called for a nationwide strike against President Nicolas Maduro to protest against his plan to rewrite the constitution, ratcheting up tensions after they held an unofficial vote rejecting his proposal.

The 24-hour strike planned for Thursday, issued on Monday, was part of what the opposition called a final offensive aimed at forcing Maduro out through early elections, before his term ends in 2019.

We are calling all the country to take part in a massive and violence-free protest through a nationwide civic strike for 24 hours, said one leader in the opposition coalition, Freddy Guevara.

OPINION: Maduro is not Chavez

He said the stoppage was a mechanism for pressure and to prepare for the definitive escalation to take place next week.

Maduro, meanwhile, called for national dialogue.

I am willing to speak, to dialogue always, he said. Time is running  I am calling them to dialogue for months, but the divisions between [the opposition] do not leave them.

Al Jazeeras John Holman, reporting from Cucuta in neighbouring Colombia, said that the opposition was stepping things up.

Basically it is all or nothing for them, he said.

World reacts

On Sunday, in an event organised by the opposition, more than a third of Venezuelas 19 million voters rejected Maduros bid to have a citizens body or Constituent Assembly elected on July 30 to redraft the constitution.





US President Donald Trump weighed in on Monday, warning Caracas of swift economic actions if Maduro delivers on his bid, calling the Venezuelan president a bad leader who dreams of being a dictator.

The United States will not stand by as Venezuela crumbles, Trump said in a statement, as he praised the oppositions unofficial poll.

The European Unions top diplomat, Federica Mogherini, said that Maduro should suspend his plan, or he risks further polarising the country and increasing confrontation.

Maduro responded to Mogherini in a television broadcast.

[Mogherini] tried to give orders to the government of Venezuela. Insolent, she believes that we are in 1809 when we received orders from European empires, he said. Venezuela is a free and sovereign country and no one gives orders  You chose the wrong country. Venezuela is not a colony of the European Union, it is not a colony of Europe.

Meanwhile, Brazils foreign ministry praised the high turnout in the plebiscite and called on Maduro to shelve his Constituent Assembly idea.

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos plans to discuss the crisis during a visit with President Raul Castro of Cuba, Venezuelas closest regional ally, Colombias foreign minister said.

Zero hour

Maria Corina Machado, leader of the Vente Venezuela (Come Venezuela) movement which is part of the opposition coalition, said that the opposition has begun a final zero hour phase.

In this phase, she said, the government must abide by the mandates of the majority of Venezuelans, which include accepting the referendum.

Maduro and his government, backed by a loyal military, have dug in against the opposition tactics and international criticism.

Despite growing public anger over a spiralling economic crisis, authorities in Caracas portray the efforts against them as illegitimate and the result of interference from the imperialist United States.

There are fears, however, that the stepped-up confrontation could worsen violence in Venezuelas streets.

Since April, when anti-Maduro protests and police pushback turned bloody, 96 people have died.

The opposition set the scene for the strike with its vote on Sunday, which it called a plebiscite but which the government dismissed as illegal.





Electoral authorities, who have sided with Maduro against the opposition-controlled legislature, denied authorisation for the balloting.

The president of the National Electoral Council (CNE) of Venezuela, Tibisay Lucena, said that the referendum convened by the opposition has no validity and asked the leaders of the opposition sector not to generate false expectations in their militancy.

Academics who oversaw the symbolic poll as guarantors of its credibility counted a turnout of more than seven million voters, undermining legitimacy for Maduros future Constituent Assembly.

Political analyst John Magdaleno told AFP new agency that there is evidence of a persistent and durable demand for political change.

The result of Sundays vote may not have been binding, but Venezuela sent a clear message to the national executive and the world, announced Central University of Venezuela president Cecilia Garcia Arocha, one of several experts who oversaw Sundays vote.

Maduro has insisted his proposed Constituent Assembly is the only path to peace and economic recovery. Thus far, he has shown no sign of backing down.

Maduro and the military dominate most state institutions but the opposition controls the National Assembly and holds three of 23 governorships. The countrys chief prosecutor has recently broken with the ruling party.
A portrait of two icons of the American Civil Rights Movement.

A portrait of two icons of the American Civil Rights Movement.
The Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) will have spent R100 million to support emerging black filmmakers through the South Africa Emerging Black Filmmakers Incentive by the end of March 2018. This was announced by the Director of Film Production at the dti, Ms Nelly Molokoane at the Emerging Black Filmmakers Workshop at the []http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Appa-sourceTheAfric...
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 []
Breitbart: Trump Defense Department Delays Obamas Transgender Push in the Military. The Pentagon is working to delay the July 1 deadline to fully implement the Obama-initiated policy that one year ago lifted the ban on transgender individuals serving in the U.S. military.

While the Pentagon directive to allow transgender men and women to join the military faces an indefinite delay this may be a good time to review just how America was ensnared with this Obama-era policy.

The evidence is clearthe American Left succeeded in lobbying the American Psychiatric Association (APA) to eliminate some of the sexual identity disorders from their Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).

Most Americans have little knowledge of the DSM, its contents, and its implications. The DSM is published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and offers a common language and standard criteria for the classification of mental disorders. It is used, or relied upon, by clinicians, researchers, psychiatric drug regulation agencies, health insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, the legal system, and policy makers. In the United States the DSM serves as a universal authority for psychiatric diagnoses. The Department of Defense uses the DSM as its source reference for psychiatric diagnoses and metal disorders.

First published in 1968, DSM-II, Section 3, Part V, listed Personality Disorders and Certain other Non-psychotic Mental Disorders. In this section, homosexuality was listed as a mental disorder. Under pressure from the Left and gay-rights groups, the APA compromised, removing homosexuality from the DSM but replacing it with the kinder and gentler descriptor: sexual orientation disturbance for people in conflict with their sexual orientation.

In 1987 homosexuality was struck from the DSM by a majority vote of the APA members. In 2012, transvestitism, was also eliminated from the DSM-5 (fifth edition), replaced gender identity disorder and further redefined and softened the previous personality disorder into gender dysphoria. The change in terminology removed all implication and designation that transvestitism was a mental illness. Dysphoria is defined as the distress a person experiences as a result of the sex and gender they were assigned at birth.

With transvestitism finally voted out of the DSM, in June 2015 LGBT rights groups had one urgent agenda item for President Barack Obama: End the ban on transgender people serving in the military. It wasnt that transgender people were straining red rope barriers, lining up at recruiting stations to serve in the military in a rush of abject patriotism; no, acceptance into the military allowed transgenders free government-paid sexual reassignment surgery. No longer was transvestitism considered a mental disorder, it was now considered a medically correctable condition, like a cleft lip and palate.

Medically-correctable conditions like cleft lip and palate correct physical birth defects. Sexual identity disorders are not physical birth defects but mental defects. Dr. Paul R. McHugh, the former psychiatrist-in-chief for Johns Hopkins Hospital continues to stress that transgenderism is a mental disorder that merits treatment, that sex change is biologically impossible, and that people who promote sexual reassignment surgery are collaborating with and promoting a mental disorder.

The assumption that ones gender is only in the mind regardless of anatomical reality, has led some transgendered people to push for social acceptance and affirmation of their own subjective personal truth, said Dr. McHugh. As a result, some statesCalifornia, New Jersey, and Massachusettshave passed laws barring psychiatrists, even with parental permission, from striving to restore natural gender feelings to a transgender minor. Politics rule over common sense. Dr. McHugh also said, The pro-transgender advocates do not want to know that studies show between 70% and 80% of children who express transgender feelings spontaneously lose those feelings over time. Also, for those who had sexual reassignment surgery, most said they were satisfied with the operation but their subsequent psycho-social adjustments were no better than those who didnt have the surgery.

With the updated DSM-5, the APA voted against Dr. McHugh and his side, common sense, and biology.

The APA was once the leader in psychiatric medicinenow it too is a joke; compromised beyond measure. For the APA and the DSM, it is clear. If you get enough votes, you can negate, soften, redefine, and ultimately legitimize any of the mental disorders. With enough votes you can turn a disorder into a disability or by elimination, like a magicians trick and a snap of the fingers, youve just become plain normal. Now, the new normal is confused boys who can spontaneously identify as girls and confused girls who can spontaneously identify as boys. Dr. Paul R. McHugh and thousands of other rational members of the APA know that sex change is biologically impossible and that people who promote sexual reassignment surgery are collaborating with and promoting a mental disorder.

The problems with the updated DSM are well known and extensive. It is obvious the DSM as the U.S. universal authority for psychiatric diagnoses has been corrupted by external pressures.

From Wikipedia:

Various authorities criticized that many DSM-5 revisions or additions lack empirical support; inter-rater reliability is low for many disorders; several sections contain poorly written, confusing, or contradictory information; and the psychiatric drug industry unduly influenced the manual's content. Many of the members of work groups for the DSM-5 had conflicting interests, including ties to pharmaceutical companies. Various scientists have argued that the DSM-5 forces clinicians to make distinctions that are not supported by solid evidence, distinctions that have major treatment implications, including drug prescriptions and the availability of health insurance coverage. General criticism of the DSM-5 ultimately resulted in a petition, signed by many mental health organizations, which called for outside review of DSM-5.

The DSM, as the United States universal authority for psychiatric diagnoses, has been fully compromised and subject to the whims of an out of control Left-majority APA. Benjamin Franklin is credited with saying, When the people find that they can vote themselves money that will herald the end of the republic. The personality disordered wing of the Left is voting the most odious personality disorders off the pages of the latest version of the DSM, not because the science is there. There is nothing like being able to vote themselves a document to declare them to be of sound mind and body.

The American military used to go through great lengths to recruit, train, and employ men and women of sound mind and body. However, there is no standardized mental assessment for people trying to enter the military. A bill before Congress may finally direct the U.S. military to screen individuals for mental issues before they are allowed to enlist. If the DSM remains DODs universal authority for psychiatric diagnoses, the sexual identity disorders, such as transgenderism, will not be considered as mental disorders. What will they test? The DSM is the standard reference.

The Trump Administration needs to decertify the compromised DSM as the universal authority for psychiatric diagnoses in the United States and reject its authority as the source reference for the Obama policy of transgenders in the military. To do anything less is collaborating and promoting mental disorders.
As the CBO studies the revised Senate healthcare reform bill, both sides of this debate await their prognostication regarding the economics and numbers of covered individuals. Their analysis may provide cover for the difficult political decisions that the spineless Republicans will make regarding any reform legislation. Already, the Washington Post is calling its analysis fake news as it fears its analysis will improve the prospects of passage of a revised Senate bill.

The CBO was created to allow Congress an analysis of legislative costs independent of the OMB analysis. The OMB, which can be subject to the political whims of the president and the White House, has often missed the mark on costs and outcomes. Duplication of these services has occasionally provided more accurate calculations. By no means does duplication guarantee cost analysis that is accurate; most often their calculations (as the OMBs) err on the low side.

The Obama administration sought to use the CBO (which tends toward more progressive assumptions) to justify its Affordable Care Act via its guarantee of higher numbers of Americans covered via ObamaCare, as compared to the previous state-managed private insurance system. At the time, the Democrats controlled both chambers of Congress and they believed that the CBO would favor the more liberal line on the ACA. Unfortunately, their analysis is little better than dart-throwing contests. This is because their assumptions fail to understand human behavior.

Basic economic theory teaches us that human behavior can be influenced by certain financial rewards or thwarted by reversal of those benefits. If you subsidize certain activities through financial incentives then more people will attempt them; meanwhile penalizing those activities will reduce that behavior. Such is the case in purchasing healthcare insurance, despite is somewhat inelastic quality.

Failure to understand that the rapidly increasing insurance premiums will force many to forgo this expense and pay a lower cost tax penalty underscores the inaccurate assumptions used by the CBO. They assume that the ObamaCares individual mandate acts as a stronger encouragement to purchasing medical insurance. This defies logic. After all, the ACA allows anyone to purchase insurance (after an illness is found) without any waiting period and without any subsequent penalty. Perhaps they did not understand the legislation?

So how has their analysis fared so far? Should we expect any better results in the future? By 2017 the CBO predicted that over 18 million people would purchase healthcare through the national and state exchanges. However, this year only 10.5 million did so. An error rate of close to 50% is hardly a good analysis. Throwing darts is more likely to get you the correct result, with any skill. How about their financial analysis? That is no better as they originally predicted federal costs of $0.9 trillion in ten years and so far this number is significantly higher; latest estimates exceed $2.6 trillion and growing. At this rate, we will not have to worry about the $20 trillion debt as it will be eclipsed in a few years.

Further, the CBO has failed to include any accurate calculation regarding lost jobs through the business mandate or jobs converted to part-time to avoid the mandate which kicks in at 50 full-time employees. This real cost has stunted our national economic growth, which increases our deficit through lower tax receipts and lower productivity. Businesses seek to automate their processes to avoid this higher cost of employees. The increased cost of healthcare premiums also impacts the pay of employees as the total package must be calculated by employers. Lack of such simple economic principles demonstrate the limited utility of any CBO analysis as politicians seek cover.

The mainstream press will never accept any market-based insurance as it seeks nationalization of medical care and a single payer approach favored by the political left. This is done despite the shortcomings evident in the Baby Charlie Gard case. Canadian medical death rates for most adult diseases is different from those of the USA despite similar demographics; lifestyle differences are not included in these analyses.

Quality care cannot be purchased on the cheap, another missed aspect of the CBO reporting. Further, a vast majority of medical innovations originate within the American university centers that depend upon federal research dollars, private insurance funds and government provided insurance monies. Obamacare significantly altered this funding by restricting the per capita procedure reimbursements.

Beyond this, the CBO fails to calculate coverage by individuals that purchase higher deductible policies fully since ObamaCare mandated coverage by insurance companies is limited under such policies. This kind of slanted analysis demonstrates a liberal and expanded governmental bias in the CBO calculations. The press reports of these issues are woefully misleading and a disservice to the public.

The CBO estimates that by 2026, 23 million fewer people will have insurance under the House bill (at $119 billion savings) while 22 million fewer will be covered under the first Senate bill (and a $321 billion savings). If they could not get the estimate correct by 2017 (only six years after the ACA went into effect), then what makes one believe they are any more skilled at 10 years henceforth? Why are we so concerned with their estimate for the newer Senate bill? Because the politics underlying the weak-kneed and waffling republicans is precarious. Further, any federal savings can be used to enrich the tax reform legislation they have also promised.

The CBO has provided information as requested despite any credible expertise in healthcare legislation. Herein, this effort demonstrates the lie. The CBO scores legislation despite an ability to provide accurate information for legislators. Often, they are the excuse for sought political cover for ideological over substantial decisions made by both sides of any issue.
Back in the late fifties and early sixties, Jack Paar ruled late night TV on NBC and his successor, the great Johnny Carson, had a quiz show at the time which went by a few names: Who Do You Trust?, Do You Trust Your Wife?, and third time the charm, Whom Do You Trust?. Johnny Carson became the alpha dog on TV for thirty years after replacing Jack Paar on the Tonight Show. But back then, who knew?

The only point of that nostalgic trip down memory lane for baby boomers is to introduce the really important question: Whom do you trust? and by inference, the related question: Whom do you distrust?

I trust President Trump. I trust most of his advisors. I trust his family. I trust the instincts of his base. I have not caught President Trump in a willful lie, despite the claims of the media. I do not trust anyone at the NY Times, Washington Post, ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN. They are willful, serial liars. I do not trust most climate scientists. I do not trust Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi, or Chuck Schumer. I especially distrust Hillary Clinton. I distrust Loretta Lynch, Susan Rice, and Jim Comey. I distrust pretty much every Democrat politician and many Republicans, but I do trust Ted Cruz, Mike Lee, and Rand Paul. I may not always agree with their specific proposals, but they dont lie and I generally trust their judgment. Those were easy. Another easy one is John Bolton. I trust him not to lie. But even these trustworthy individuals can be misled with false information from sources they trust.

We live in an era where loyalty to ideology on the left has superseded loyalty to America. Think about the implications of that observation. It does not mean that every Democrat is untrustworthy. But it does mean that everything such people say needs to be scrutinized. It is so bad that, if I were on a jury, I would consider all testimony by known Democrats or liberals, and most RINOs against the defendant, to create instant reasonable doubt.

Naturally, those on the left distrust the people I trust and trust the ones I distrust. This is the great divide in America today.

Two of the top intelligence figures in the Obama administration, namely John Brennan (CIA Director) and James Clapper (Director of National Intelligence) are loyal Democrats. Clapper has already perjured himself in testimony before a Congressional committee. These men are not trustworthy. Anything they say based on their opinions derived from classified information, not available to the rest of us, is suspect.

Yes, those were easy. But in many cases, it is hard to know whom to trust nowadays on any question. Sometimes it is even hard to make comparisons. But I will try. This is largely based on impressions I have developed over the years. Trust can be quite subjective.

Here is the sad, nasty truth as I see it. I do not trust the leaders of the U.S. intelligence community to tell the truth to the American people or to the President. I do not trust senior career officials at the Justice Department or the FBI or federal prosecutors to be objective and impartial. I do not trust half of the federal judiciary to uphold the Constitution.

Consider the investigation by Special Counsel Mueller. Why should I trust him? I dont know him. I had barely heard of him until recently. But he is a close friend of Jim Comey. He has been appointing Hillary Clinton donors to his staff. Not a single Trump supporter. Is he merely tone deaf or actually corrupt? Who suggested that the President should name Rod Rosenstein as Deputy Attorney General? Lots of questions but no answers. I see no reason to trust Mueller. He may end up being fair or he may not. But he is not entitled to the benefit of the doubt. Once again, the situation is sad and dangerous. No trust. Trust requires a lot of work to establish. It can be destroyed in an instant of perception.

We are asked to decide whom to believe on the question of whether or to what extent agents of the Russian government meddled in the recent election. We are never given a clear definition of meddle. The only concrete action alleged is that Russian agents gained access to some emails belonging to the Democratic National committee and/or Hillary Clinton. And further that they revealed these emails to the public. There is no doubt that somebody revealed them. The direct revealers seem to be Julian Assange and Wikileaks, perhaps in conjunction with an unknown hacker called Guccifer. They have made a career of doing such things. The question is whether they received the information from the Russian government or from some non-Russian hacker source or even an inside leak rather than a hacker. Julian Assange says he did not receive the information from the Russians. Putin denies any involvement. Putin is not trustworthy. But Assange? I know of no example of Assange releasing false information. I trust him. I trust him more than I trust Mueller, more than every Democrat, more than every mainstream media outlet. Nobody lies about everything. Could Putin be telling the truth in this case?

It is worth emphasizing at this point that we have not seen any evidence of actual hacking by anybody. There is credible evidence that the information was copied by an insider and passed on to Assange. The most likely leaker was a young DNC employee named Seth Rich, who was murdered. People who cross the Clintons seem to have lower-than-average life expectancies.

Then there is the question of collusion, another conveniently undefined term. Not even Trumps enemies in the media and in politics have offered a concrete accusation of some quid pro quo from the Trump campaign in return for the truth about Hillary and the Democratic Party. How about obstruction of justice? The DNC has refused to turn over its computers to the FBI. Sounds like obstruction to me. Hillary has yet to reveal all her e-mails. Sounds like obstruction to me. What has anyone in the Trump organization done that in any way impedes an investigation? The answer is nothing. Imagine if Ivanka had smashed her iPhone (Blackberry, actually) like Hillary did! The lynch mobs would be out in the streets. Uh oh, if any liberals are reading this (highly unlikely) they are thinking gotcha now. After all, didnt the President fire Big Jim Comey? Well, yes, but do they think that the head of the FBI takes an active role in the hard investigative work necessary to look into possible wrongdoing? Even if he did, removing one person out of dozens hardly interferes with getting at the truth.

We were told by the New York Times that 17 U.S. intelligence agencies are certain it was the Russians. They give no hint how they know or why they are certain. I know a bit about computers and cant figure out how you can be certain when dealing with a sophisticated adversary like Russian intelligence. Then it turns out that it was not 17, but 4. One of those 4 was the DNI (director of national intelligence), who made no independent investigation but simply aggregated reports from the other 3. Those 3 are the FBI, CIA, and NSA. Pretty impressive group, right? The lie about the 17 agencies was repeated by dozens of Senators and Representatives on both sides of the aisle. It was repeated by socalled journalists and respected pundits. Well, maybe or maybe not. I have no reliable source myself, but I do have the impression that it was only one or two agents from each of them. Think about it. A single unattributed story in an unreliable newspaper. Details are classified, of course. Why? To protect undercover agents or to help senior officials advance their own agendas? That is where trust comes in. I trust none of those people. I dont necessarily actively distrust all of them, but I have no reason to trust any of them.

Let that sink in. Congressmen who supposedly examined classified evidence repeated the NYT lie about 17 agencies. Yet now the NYT has retracted it. What does that tell you about the reliability of those Congress critters? Did any of them complain that the NYT threw them under the bus? I have no verifiable facts to help me choose between believing Assange and Putin over Clapper, Brennan, and other U.S. officials.

I have recently heard John Bolton say that he has heard from people familiar with undescribed classified material that confirms Russian meddling or interference. Had he said that he had seen the classified intelligence himself, it would give me pause. Bolton would be a hard guy to fool, yet there is enormous pressure on everyone -- even him -- to confirm any accusation against Putin.

What Bolton actually said was that "Everyone who has looked at the classified information says there's no doubt the Russians tried to affect the election.

Maybe I am being too hard on Bolton, but without knowing who looked at it, and any sense of what evidence they found, I have to treat it as unreliable hearsay. No serious unclassified evidence has been put forward. No classified information has been made public. Perhaps some has been made available to select members of Congress. I hope it is obvious that they do not have the technical expertise to judge the validity of technical computer evidence as to who was behind any hacking.

It is the job of one man to fix this. It may be as important and difficult as anything else President Trump does. I trust him to try but the forces arrayed against him are formidable. We seem to have a set of incompatible goals here. One is to carefully protect classified information from public display. Another is to see the actual evidence proffered in support of charges of meddling. Theres that word again: meddling. Hacking a computer is only the first step in meddling. Changing the vote count electronically would certainly be meddling. Nobody has charged that.

Secrets are the enemy of the truth. Yet privacy requires some secrecy. My bottom line is that if Putin was behind the release of some of Hillarys emails, then he did us a favor. That doesnt make him good. It doesnt make his motives pure. But it doesnt turn truth into lies. And, yes, we need more cyber-security, no matter who did the hacking, if any. In libel and slander cases, truth is an absolute defense. So, too, it ought to be in cases where meddling is asserted. Can simply telling the truth ever be called improper meddling? Can desiring to know the truth ever be considered collusion?

Let us imagine that there is an interesting piece of factual information held by a hostile foreign power. Someone comes to you, offering to give it to you for free or for a price. If you work for the CIA, or for a newspaper you take the information, maybe even pay for it, and earn a commendation or a Pulitzer. But if you work for a political campaign should you refuse even to discuss it? According to the left, it borders on treason to even have a conversation about it. These pontificating clowns claim they would take it right to the FBI. Take what to the FBI? An unknown offer of unknown information from an unknown source claimed by an unreliable casual acquaintance.

Very sad. Very dangerous. I have no reason to trust James Clapper more than Vladimir Putin. That does not make me an apologist for Putin. But we have no choice but to deal with the man who controls thousands of nuclear warheads. We do have a choice not to allow partisan hacks to control our intelligence agencies. Some of you may find that to be disloyal, but it is not. I am loyal to the truth and I have no way to choose. President Reagan famously quoted a Russian proverb to Gorbachev trust but verify. My take-away is that absent verification, the safe path is to distrust. Reagan never provided a playbook on how to verify, but he relied on onsite inspections. Do we need onsite inspections in our own intelligence community?

How can we cut this Gordian knot? I think we classify way too much. Actual military secrets should be protected. The reasoning of intelligence officials, not so much. This is controversial, but we must weigh the secrecy craved by the intelligence community against the fact that all this information is ultimately the property of the American People. The current crisis of confidence can only be resolved by full release of all relevant facts to the alleged Russia hacking. Much of it gets selectively leaked anyway. Too many people know it to keep it secret. Our enemies know it already. President Trump should immediately declassify all of it, publish it online, and let the proverbial chips fall where they may. Even if the only source for important facts is a hostile source, it is better that the American people know the truth than that they remain in the dark.
Yet another Big Plan is set to founder on the rocks of human nature in a blue city. Austin, Texas may be America's fastest rising Mecca for young, hip, hi-tech folk, with its university; fast growing tech community; and music, film, and art scene. But along with ambitious professionals, the city is drawing two other groups: tourists and the homeless.

Now, in a bizarre plan, the city's mayor, Steve Adler, wants to link the latter two groups in what he thinks is a symbiotic relationship that will actually become a case of parasitism that kills the host over time.

KXAN-TV, NBC Austin, describes Mayor Adler's plan:

Monday morning, Mayor Adler will lay out a plan that could reshape the east side of Austin's downtown for the future. Adler, along with various community partners, will describe a massive development program meant to increase tourism to the city. Money generated from those tourists will help pay for permanent homeless housing and the wrap-around services that go with them. The plan hopes to leverage what several different groups want. The tourism industry has wanted an expanded Austin Convention Center. Advocates want more permanent housing and support for Austin's homeless. Supporters of Waller Creek want to completely revamp the surrounding park for a one-of-a-kind outdoor space. Adler calls the situation in east Austin, the "downtown puzzle." Monday, he'll try and show how the pieces will fit together. ... Peart says the amount of homeless is a common complaint for the tourism industry. He thinks hotels will go along with increasing the "bed tax" to 17 percent, if the city expands the convention center and puts more resources to house people. ... It would create a downtown TIF  or tax increment finance zone  that could dedicate $30 million in future property taxes to pay for homes for about a quarter of Austin's homeless.

Local politicians adore taxing hotel rooms and beds. They think their own voters don't pay these taxes. What they forget is that when you add close to 20% to the cost of hotel rooms, you drive away business. Event planners carefully scrutinize hotel costs when selecting cities to host their affairs. Austin has the advantage of being lower-cost than many other long established magnets, like New York and San Francisco, but that cost advantage will diminish. For individual tourists, those suburban hotels start to enjoy a substantial price advantage over downtown. Along with Airbnb, Austin's hoteliers will have to worry about lower-taxed competition across the city line.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the equation that event planners and tourists consider, the attractiveness of the city will change. Mayor Adler and his supporters think the convention center and other amenities they plan will draw more tourists and convince more meeting planners to select Austin, as well as diminish the number of people on the streets by a quarter.

But what is missing in this entire article and presumably the plan is any consideration of who the homeless are and how they came to be in Austin. The implicit assumption of the plan to tax tourists to make the homeless more comfortable in Austin is that a finite number of homeless people exist there  and that once services are provided, those people will no longer be homeless.



Photo by Jana Birchum, Austin Chronicle

This is magical thinking because it ignores human nature, not to mention the experience of San Francisco. That city's generous aid to the homeless has not kept them off the street. It has attracted thousands of more homeless, who relieve themselves on the city's streets, repulsing tourists and locals alike. Calcutta by the Bay.

Residents of both Austin and the Bay Area tend to think of themselves as especially smart, and they often congratulate themselves on their superiority to the yokels. They prefer to live with comforting but unrealistic assumptions about human nature. Simply put, they are progressives, and their plans to make things better almost always make things worse in the long run.

Hat tip: David Paulin
The left is having a cow over President Trump's move to give the Russians their vacation houses, expropriated away by President Obama in a sudden snit at the tail-end of his term over Russian spying, or rather, Hillary Clinton losing the election. That was back in December 2016, when Obama threw out some 35 dishwashers and other low-level Russian embassy and consular personnel, claiming that Russians had hacked the election.

Yeah, let's give the Kremlin its high-value covert SIGINT bases in the US back. That's what patriots would do. https://t.co/Z1wGzvqhuu  John Schindler (@20committee) July 14, 2017

SIGINT bases? As if we don't have those aimed at Russia, too? Seems a little involved to have a "base" in any case.

Actually, it seems like a decent thing to do, given that the embassy people pretty well had nothing to do with any of the claimed hacking, collusion, or whatever else are the bad things the Russians were supposed to have done to cause Wisconsin voters to shun Hillary Clinton and vote for the Republican. The two vacation houses, one in Maryland, the other on Long Island, have been Russian property for decades. That Obama expropriated them just showed that Obama was more Marxist on the concept of property rights than even the former communist country.

It sounds like the sort of thing Russia may have asked President Trump to do during his recent visit with President Putin as the two nations sought to thaw out relations after the damage done by the ignoramuses and amateurs of the "reset" crowd embedded in the Obama administration.

Some questions here: With the left being all concerned about the Russians using their vacation compounds for supposed spying on the U.S., are leftists saying the Russians are spyless without those properties? That they can't send a few ships off our coast to do the same job? Do they like Russian ships off our coast instead of vacation compounds on our shores? Do they understand how Russians work?

Second question: With all this espionage and collusion and hacking going on, courtesy of those two vacation compounds, where was President Obama during all those eight years in the White House, worried sick the Russians might use their vacation houses for spying on Washington? Why the action just 72 months into his presidency instead of, maybe, four or something? Why the alarm about espionage in the last weeks of his second term?

Third question: Since when has the left ever been concerned about Russian espionage?
A few days ago, I got the news flash that Leopoldo Lopez, the celebrated political prisoner in Venezuela, was released. My reaction was positive until I got further information, such as this report on the New York Times:

On July 8, the government of President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela delivered its most well-known political prisoner, Leopoldo Lopez, to his home. The Supreme Court, which Mr. Maduro effectively controls, said in a one-paragraph statement that it granted Mr. Lopez house arrest on "humanitarian grounds" because of his "health situation." It also mentioned "irregularities in the distribution of the case to a criminal court." The popular leader of Voluntad Popular, a centrist political party, and one of Mr. Maduro's fiercest critics, Mr. Lopez was arrested in 2014 at the beginning of a brutal crackdown on the huge anti-government protests that he had actively promoted. He was sentenced to nearly 14 years in prison, charged with inciting violence during the protests  false allegations based on fabricated evidence, as a prosecutor in the case told me after fleeing the country.

I also spoke with a Venezuelan friend in Miami who gave me further context. My friend made two interesting points:

1) Lopez's release is all about public relations. The Maduro regime is under pressure from OAS members to respect the rule of law. Releasing Lopez is not a sign that Mr. Maduro has suddenly discovered "human rights," but it's better than keeping the man separated from his wife and young children.

2) Maduro may be showing signs of stress. Perhaps all of those demonstrations, and a dead economy, are catching up with the regime. We will give this story a bit more time, especially with Sunday's unofficial vote.

I believe that the P.R. explanation is the real one. Maduro needs to get this issue off the table, and he has for the moment.

The mess in Venezuela continues  a sad reality for those of us who remember that beautiful country of wonderful, friendly people, "shortstops," and beautiful Miss Universe contestants.

P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) (YouTube) and follow me on Twitter.
A new paper analyzing government temperature data says the Global Average Surface Temperature (GAST) data published by NASA and NOAA are "not a valid representation of reality." In fact, the three respected scientists who published the paper hint strongly that the data may have been fudged.

Here are the the money grafs from the paper:

In this research report, the most important surface data adjustment issues are identified and past changes in the previously reported historical data are quantified. It was found that each new version of GAST has nearly always exhibited a steeper warming linear trend over its entire history. And, it was nearly always accomplished by systematically removing the previously existing cyclical temperature pattern. This was true for all three entities providing GAST data measurement, NOAA, NASA and Hadley CRU. As a result, this research sought to validate the current estimates of GAST using the best available relevant data. This included the best documented and understood data sets from the U.S. and elsewhere as well as global data from satellites that provide far more extensive global coverage and are not contaminated by bad siting and urbanization impacts. Satellite data integrity also benefits from having cross checks with Balloon data. The conclusive findings of this research are that the three GAST data sets are not a valid representation of reality. In fact, the magnitude of their historical data adjustments, that removed their cyclical temperature patterns, are totally inconsistent with published and credible U.S. and other temperature data. Thus, it is impossible to conclude from the three published GAST data sets that recent years have been the warmest ever  despite current claims of record setting warming. Finally, since GAST data set validity is a necessary condition for EPA's GHG/CO2 Endangerment Finding, it too is invalidated by these research findings. (Full Abstract Report)

Using the government's own data. the researchers showed that government agencies were able to "prove" that the Earth is warming simply by leaving out vital information.

While the notion that some "adjustments" to historical data might need to be made is not challenged, logically it would be expected that such historical temperature data adjustments would sometimes raise these temperatures, and sometimes lower them. This situation would mean that the impact of such adjustments on the temperature trend line slope is uncertain. However, each new version of GAST has nearly always exhibited a steeper warming linear trend over its entire history.

The scientists are not arguing that adjustments to temperature data are not necessary. Over the 160 years or so of recorded temps, the weather stations where the data is gathered sometimes move, or a city grows up around them, or there is a change in sea levels where the temps are recorded. All of these factors and more would make the data useless without "adjustments."

The professors argue  and skeptics have been saying this for years  that it is just too convenient for these "adjustments" to almost always show an increase in temperature over the unadjusted data. This is statistically impossible and leads to the inescapable conclusion that the books are being cooked.

What makes this paper a little different from other skeptical scientific literature on global warming is the lineup of respected scientists and experts who agree with its conclusions. Here are a few of them with their credentials:

Dr. Alan Carlin, Retired Senior Analyst and manager, US Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC.; Author, Environmentalism Gone Mad, Stairway Press, 2015; Ph.D., Economics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA; BS, Physics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA. Dr. Harold H. Doiron, Retired VP-Engineering Analysis and Test Division, InDyne, Inc.; Ex-NASA JSC, Aerospace Consultant; B.S. Physics, University of Louisiana - Lafayette; M.S., Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, University of Houston. Dr. Theodore R. Eck, Ph.D., Economics, Michigan State University; M.A, Economics, University of Michigan; Fulbright Professor of International Economics; Former Chief Economist of Amoco Corp. and Exxon Venezuela; Advisory Board of the Gas Technology Institute and Energy Intelligence Group. Dr. Richard A. Keen, Instructor Emeritus of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, University of Colorado; Ph.D., Geography/Climatology, University of Colorado; M.S., Astro-Geophysics, University of Colorado; B.A., Astronomy, Northwestern University. Dr. Anthony R. Lupo, IPCC Expert Reviewer; Professor, Atmospheric Science, University of Missouri; Ph.D.,; Atmospheric Science, Purdue University; M.S., Atmospheric Science, Purdue University

This paper won't dissuade the global warming hysterics. But in those places where the truth actually matters, it will stimulate debate and discussion. That's what science should be all about.
Make no mistake: for all their fury, Democrats are demoralized, and the smarter ones know they are in trouble. If the lack of a plausible nominee, the lurking Clinton Machine, and the obsessive hatred driving away the non-fanatics don't convince them, then maybe this will. Jack Heretik writes in the Washington Free Beacon:

Three high-profile Democrats, including the Democratic Party's two highest ranking officials, took part in a YouTube live stream on Tuesday in which they discussed hot-button issues, but the trio only drew 138 total viewers by the end of the event.

Democratic National Committee chairman Tom Perez; Rep. Keith Ellison (D., Minn.), the DNC's deputy chair; and Sen. Al Franken (D., Minn.) took part in the YouTube live stream.

The three party leaders discussed health care before Perez left and the conversation turned to net neutrality. Jessica Gonzalez from the pro-net neutrality group Free Press joined Ellison and Franken for the discussion.
There's a scene at the end of the movie The Martian when Matt Damon's astronaut character is saved and everyone at NASA is cheering wildly. Some with tears in their eyes.

...except for one character: the head of NASA, who earlier had vetoed a rescue mission. He was not happy for the life saved. He was unhappy that he had been proved wrong.

This illustrates the working of the mind of every bureaucrat everywhere. And everyone in the audience surely recognized that. The director of the movie knew that we knew.

We should keep this in mind every time some British doctor, who has committed his prestige to the proposition that Charlie Gard cannot be helped, pronounces the baby's death sentence.
They are the worshipers of a lesser god, global warming. Foreign Policy, the propaganda arm of the Brookings Institution, reports that a number of Republican congressmen helped defeat an amendment to the 2018 defense funding bill proposed by Scott Perry of Pennsylvania. Perry's amendment would have removed an amendment introduced by Jim Langevin of Rhode Island to require the Department of Defense to report on global warming.

Langevin's amendment has some amusing bits. In the supporting evidence for global warming, one piece of evidence listed to demonstrate that global warming is really, truly, unequivocally happening is on page four:

(13) In the Yukon Training Area, units conducting artillery training accidentally started a wildfire despite observing the necessary practices during red flag warning conditions.

So some artillery rounds set fire to some brush in Alaska. And as a consequence, the Department of Defense is required to examine the effects of make-believe on its operations? On page five, the make-believers listed their demands with respect to the report the Department of Defense is required to compile, including reporting on the effects of increased flooding and drought at the same time. The make-believers shouldn't be forced to choose. They can have both flood and drought if they want them, and if everyone believes.

The United States pulled out of the Paris Climate Agreement, per Lincoln's assessment that the United States is "the last, best hope of earth." That pullout may have saved humanity from a form of servitude. As the Duke of Wellington said of Waterloo, it was "a damn close-run thing." But the forces of darkness still hold a lot of high ground, believe they can still prevail and mount counterattacks to gain ground, as per the Langevin amendment. The fact that the Department of Defense is producing a report on global warming will be used to say how serious a problem it is.

The head of the EPA, Scott Pruitt, has proposed a blue team-red team dialogue to progress climate science, instead of simply appointing someone, such as Will Happer, to write the required report and get it over and done with. Perhaps Mr. Pruitt thinks such an approach will provide legitimacy for the outcome. The blue team won't play, though, because it means entertaining the thought that they could possibly be wrong. Besides, we don't have the luxury of time. There has yet to be even one official government report, from anywhere on the planet, saying global warming is nonsense. There are 33 Republican-controlled states in the Union currently. Any one of them could commission such a report on climate; all of them should. This is a strategy that will capture the enemy's center of gravity  the scientific imprimatur for their belief system.

Now back to our first question: Who are these people? Which Republican congressmen have broken faith and voted to subject their people to servitude, oppression, and contempt? The list can be broken into two. Firstly, there are the members of House Climate Solutions Caucus, the inner circle of self-selected misanthropes. The Republican members of this group are:

If this first list can be considered as those who have consciously made a choice for evil, this second group are the easily deluded fools:

If you see your congressman on either list, please point out to him the error of his ways.

David Archibald is the author of American Gripen: The Solution to the F-35 Nightmare.
Port Royal was a city situated on the end of an 18-mile long sand spit known as the Palisadoes, at the mouth of the Kingston Harbour, in south-eastern Jamaica. Founded in 1518, it rapidly grew to become the most important trading post in the Caribbean Sea due to its strategic position on the trading routes between the New World and Spain. When England officially appointed privateers to raid enemy ships in the Caribbean, as a part of its defence strategy, pirates from around the world congregated at Port Royal to legitimize their trade. Soon Port Royal became a notorious hub for pirate activity, gambling, prostitutes, and booze leading it to be branded as "the wickedest city on earth".

Port Royals glory days didnt last long. At the height of its glittering wealth on June 7, 1692, a massive earthquake shook Jamaica. The sea swallowed the town killing 2,000 people and wounding 3,000 others. The local clergy ascribed the destruction of Port Royal as God's punishment on the people for their sinful ways. Today, the area is a shadow of its former self with a population of less than 2,000 and little to no commercial or political importance.

The first Europeans to land on Jamaica were the Spaniards under the leadership of Christopher Columbus in 1494. Spain maintained control over the island for 146 years, until the English invasion of 1655. As a solution to their defence concerns, the then Governor of England invited pirates to Port Royal giving them official letters of marque to go after Spanish ships and settlements. The strategy proved to be so successful that Spain was forced to continually defend their property. With ships frequently looted, it struggled to provide its colonies with manufactured goods on a regular basis.

Port Royal meanwhile flourished. Between 1655 and 1692, it grew faster than any town founded by the English in the New World. At its height in 1692, the town had a population of 6,500 and 2,000 buildings densely packed into 51 acres. Its free-spending inhabitants threw away their money in gambling, whoring and drinking, and the town developed a reputation as a den of wickedness and godlessness.

When Charles Leslie wrote of Port Royal in the 1660s, he included the description: Wine and women drained their wealth to such a degree that... some of them became reduced to beggary. They have been known to spend 2 or 3,000 pieces of eight in one night; and one gave a strumpet 500 to see her naked. They used to buy a pipe of wine, place it in the street, and oblige everyone that passed to drink.

A painting representing the 1692 earthquake that destroyed the city partially sunken it into the seas. Photo credit

Port Royals extravagance came to an abrupt end on June 7, 1692 when a massive earthquake and tsunami struck causing two-thirds of the town to fall into the sea. A series of fires and hurricanes followed and the town was never restored to its former glory. Port Royal lived out its days as a British naval station and today remains as a small fishing village. However, the part of the town lying at the bottom of the shallow sea is considered the most important underwater archaeological site in the western hemisphere, yielding many 16thand-17th-century artefacts. From UNESCOs website:

Many of the materials found in the underwater city of Port Royal, are perfect expressions of authenticity, found just exactly as they were originally being used or where they were stored. Cast-iron skillets and pots were still in the hearth with charred wood from the fire concreted to their surfaces. Stacks of pewter plates were found as they fell from their storage space under the stairs in what is surmised to be the serving area of one building. The remains of children were found among the broken walls of their home. Also, uncovered were the remains of barrels containing the trash of the day, including the trimmings of a man's beard and hair in a yard area. Many ceramics were found intact or broken where they fell.

Many of the items recovered over the years from the bottom can be seen at the Museums of History and Ethnography at the Institute of Jamaica in Kingston.

CGI artwork depicting how Port Royal may have looked like. Photo credit

CGI artwork depicting how Port Royal may have looked like. Photo credit

CGI artwork depicting how Port Royal may have looked like. Photo credit

CGI artwork depicting how Port Royal may have looked like. Photo credit

Sources: Wikipedia / UNESCO / Ancient Origin / BBC
San Francisco residents have a particularly strong liking for topiary trees, as apparent from these photographs taken by three different photographers. One is Marc Alcock, a British photographer, who after moving to San Francisco in 2010, became interested in photographing the visual differences between the two places. One of the things that struck him about San Francisco, Los Angeles and the surrounding suburbs were the houses and the unique relationship they have with plants and nature.

A house in San Francisco covered with meticulously pruned trees. Photo credit: Kelsey McClellan

Every house on the street has its own unique personality, he says. The paint colour, the architectural features and nature all working together to form something completely personal to the owner.

At one end of the scale I found lovingly crafted topiaries, that were thoughtfully paired with architectural details  a conscious aesthetic decision. At the other end there are buildings swallowed by nature. The plants functioning as camouflage for the home.

Im sure the people that inhabit the homes are just as interesting and idiosyncratic, he adds. But the details in the images only offer clues as to who may live there.

Photo credit: Marc Alcock

Photo credit: Marc Alcock

Photo credit: Marc Alcock

Photo credit: Marc Alcock

Photo credit: Marc Alcock

Photo credit: Marc Alcock

Photo credit: Marc Alcock

Photo credit: Marc Alcock

Alan W. George discovered the same when he moved with his wife from Nashville to San Francisco. In his series of photographs entitled Domesticated, Alan examines, domesticated urban plants and peoples attempts to control and manipulate them in sometimes trivial and inconsequential ways. My hope is that these at times humorous and tragic examples echo conditions within the larger context of the relationship between humanity and nature. I also hope that the viewer can identify with certain human or anthropomorphic characteristics of the subjects, perhaps feeling a bit saddened by their subjugated circumstances.

Photo credit: Alan W. George

Photo credit: Alan W. George

Photo credit: Alan W. George

Photo credit: Alan W. George

Photo credit: Alan W. George

More recently, photographer Kelsey McClellan has been sharing on Instagram images of these carefully pruned trees around her neighborhood in San Franciscos Outer Sunset. Some of them resemble vertical stacks of pom-poms, others look like swirls in ice cream cones. Enjoy the rest of the gallery below.

Photo credit: Kelsey McClellan

Photo credit: Kelsey McClellan

Photo credit: Kelsey McClellan

Photo credit: Kelsey McClellan

Photo credit: Kelsey McClellan
BEIRUT - US-backed Kurdish forces are advancing into the ISIS stronghold of Raqqa in northern Syria as the international anti-ISIS coalition led by Washington continues to bomb the city, local activists report eyewitnesses as saying. The Kurdish forces have reportedly entered the southwestern quarter of Yarmuk. The same sources report that the coalition has carried out at least 16 air strikes on Raqqa in the last 24 hours.



The city has been totally surrounded for weeks. Recently the national observatory for human rights in Syria (ONDUS) reported that the US-backed Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces had occupied around 35% of the city. At least 233 civilians were killed between the start of the offensive on July 5 and July 12, in addition to 359 ISIS militants and 137 SDF militants. The fighting, reciprocal bombardment and car bombs used by ISIS to stop the advance have already caused massive damage to homes, shops and infrastructure.


(By Mohammad Ben Hussein)

AMMAN - Rebel leaders from Syria's southern city of Deraa met with US and Jordanian officials in Amman this week to discuss arrangements to cement the ceasefire in south west Syria, rebel sources said.



The meeting comes days after the reported arrival of Russian troops near Deraa to monitor the ceasefire, which was brokered with Washington earlier this month in Germany.



Rebel sources told ANSAmed the future of Deraa and the fate of Al Qaeda-linked groups operating in southern Syria, including Jabhat al Nusra and its affiliate groups, were also discussed.



Hezbollah fighters and other Shia militants are said to have evacuated some posts near the Jordanian border as part of the deal, but Damascus continues to maintain a strong presence in Deraa city.



US Special Envoy for Syria, Deputy Assistant State Secretary Michael Ratney, chaired the meeting in the Jordanian capital, where he also discussed the possibility of sending rebels from the south to fight alongside US-backed groups against Islamic State (IS) in northern Syria, the sources added.



The ceasefire in Deraa continues to hold in designated areas, but there is ongoing fighting between the Syrian regime and its allies against rebel groups in the desert region of east Deraa, according to rebel sources.



Damascus and Iranian-backed militias have been trying to extend their reach in east Deraa in an attempt to control parts of the borders with Jordan, but US-backed groups are showing strong resistance amid US air support, the sources told ANSAmed by phone.



Jordan, a strong ally of Washington, has been chosen by the US and Russia as the observation centre to monitor the ceasefire in southwest Deraa. The kingdom sponsors several rebel groups and is strongly believed to have already sent special forces to Syria in clandestine missions in the war-torn country. It has shut down its borders with the neighbouring Arab country and refused to allow refugees to enter its territory, forcing civilians to camp near the borders in difficult conditions, according to activists.



Amman says it has been facilitating humanitarian aid to displaced Syrians near its borders, but refugees say they are unsafe due to continued fighting between rebels and government forces as well as presence of IS fighters.
'Ius soli' migrant kid citizenship law put off 'till autumn' Gentiloni says no majority

(ANSAmed) - ROME, JULY 17 - A 'ius soli' bill granting the children of regular immigrants citizenship if they are born on Italian soil and have completed five years in the Italian school system has been put off until the autumn, Premier Paolo Gentiloni said at the weekend.



"Unfortunately, we'll have to put the bill off, the numbers aren't there" he said, vowing to make it a priority when parliament comes back after the summer recess.



Gentiloni said he could not risk a confidence vote on the controversial measure as the junior government partner, the centre-right Popular Area (AP), are against the bill.



Ius soli is Latin for law of the soil.



Newspapers said Monday the bill would probably go onto a "dead-end" track in parliament and would be put off until the next legislature.



AP leader, Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano, said Monday that Gentiloni had shown "realism" in the face of his small centre-right group's opposition to the bill in the midst of a migrant emergency in Italy.



"It is a correct decision, marked by realism and common sense," said Alfano.



Centre-right and rightwing populist forces like the anti-immigrant Northern League (LN) have sought to portray the bill as granting immediate citizenship to babies born of the thousands of migrants now arriving in Italy.



Some 86,000 have arrived so far this year, a 10% increase on the same period last year.



AP's Regional Affairs Minister, Enrico Costa, had threatened to quit if the bill became law.



On the opposition side, three-time premier and media magnate Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia party also welcomed the postponement and possible shelving of a bill it had depicted as a gift to the migrant waves.



FI Lower House Whip Renato Brunetta spoke of "another defeat" for the leader of Gentiloni's ruling centre-left Democratic Party (PD), ex-premier Matteo Renzi.



He said the postponement to the autumn was in fact "a postponement to the year of St Never".



The postponement was criticised by the leader of a leftwing PD splinter, Roberto Speranza, who said "the PD is following the right". PD House Whip Ettore Rosato slammed what he described as "political speculation" that had, for the moment, sunk a "sacrosanct" bill.



LN leader Matteo Salvini said "if they try it on again we'll block parliament". (ANSAmed).




Netanyahu opposes ceasefire agreement in Syria For Iran military. Moscow says Israel security was considered

(ANSAmed) - TEL AVIV, JULY 17 - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is opposed to the ceasefire agreement in southwestern Syria reached 10 days ago by the US and Russia, he told journalists on Sunday during a visit to Paris.



He said his opposition is based on the fact that the agreement allows for the presence of Iranian military forces in Syria, not far from the Israeli border, which Israel considers a risk to its security.



Some newspapers are citing an anonymous member of the Israeli delegation who said that Iran is planning to build a military air base and a port in Syria for military use. Israeli daily Maariv said the Syrian ceasefire agreement has created strong tension between Israel and the US.



Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Russia and the US did everything they could "to ensure that Israeli security interests were fully taken into consideration" in the work of preparing for the creation of a de-escalation zone in southwestern Syria.(ANSAmed).




The famous pastry shop chain in Cyprus New York Sweets has decided to go through a radical rebranding. The brand has been established as a family business in 1986 and it still works in the same way. The main target of the company is to produce and sell a series of premium  mainly American sweets and pastries made of very high quality and fresh ingredients. The name of the company derives from the fact that their most popular products are mostly New York/American recipes.

The rebranding had to incorporate a series of interventions, not only regarding the brand identity and image (logo  graphics etc.), but also the presentation of their exquisite products and more importantly the remodeling of the stores. At this moment, the company runs seven pastry shops in different locations/cities in Cyprus. The biggest shop of the chain, located in the islands capital has been chosen as the first one to be remodeled and it would therefore operate as a pilot store for the new venture.

The architecture studio Minas Kosmidis [Architecture in Concept] was called to design the new space that should worthily represent the philosophy of New York Sweets and its family tradition and character while at the same time redefining their aesthetic identity and resolving in the best way their new operating requirements. The space of the first (pilot) store is located in one of the most the main streets of Nicosia, which is characterized by heavy traffic and great transit of vehicles.

The store is in the ground floor and its floor plan is rectangular, having two its angular sides open towards outside. On the first floor, above the pastry shop, there is a storage space for raw materials, while a small part of the ground floor has been given to the preparation department and also houses the staircase which connects the two levels. Apart from that, the greater part of the ground floor has been dedicated to the display of the products. For the new concept, the architects where asked to include in their designs a corner for the preparation of hot beverages  mostly different brews of coffe, hot chocolate and aromatic herbs, i.e. a small coffee shop.

These products were already available for sale in the pastry shops up to now, but not in the form of ready-made hot beverages, just as raw products. Consequently, the new pastry shop should include the necessary spaces for displaying and selling sweet and salty pastries, a small coffee shop as well as a semi private meeting room for the appointments with clients who would discuss all the details regarding the catering of various events.

The floor plan of the new concept has been determined by the junction of a rectangle and a square shape and by the position of three columns of the buildings structure, where one of them is part of the facade, the second one is found in the middle of the space and the third is inside the preparation room. Regarding the aesthetic identity of the pastry shop, the name New York Sweets has contributed significantly as an inspiration during the design process. The strict orthogonal grid of Manhattan has been set as the design module for the organization of the diverse volumes of fridges/displays and counters inside the shop, as well as for the buildings facade, where horizontal and vertical metallic tubes create a grid, dividing in this way the ceramic tiles of the wall covering.

Furthermore, for the shading and lighting of the shops facades, the architects designed three metallic horizontal canopies, with reference to the canopies in front of the entrances of historical buildings of New York. At the same time, the placement/styling of pastries inside the displays gives a similar effect as if they were colorful buildings in an air photograph of Manhattan. The corridors between the volumes of the display fridges give even greater emphasis to the idea of a tight urban grid. As a result, entering the shop, first there is a central freestanding refrigerator which displays the cakes and chocolate bites, while around it are developed all the other volumes of refrigerators and diverse functions; just after that, there is the counter and the displays where the special daily pastries are shown, while at its left side there is the longest volume of refrigerators, which constitutes an imaginary continuation of the meeting room.

Finally, from the right side of the counter, has been dedicated a large space for the needs of the ice-cream freezers, the counter of the coffee shop and the display of the salty pastries. On the interior walls, repetitive metallic vertical blades leave uneven gaps between them and give the impression of a higher ceiling by their vertical placement, while at the same time remind of the edges of high rise buildings of New York as seen from the ground. One of the elements that someone notices instantly entering the shop is the composition on the wall, behind the long refrigerator, of the skyline of Manhattan created by different types of marble.

At the end of the same wall, there is the meeting room, which is divided by the rest of the space as a box in a box, inside which, are displayed in frames the available cakes and pastries as paintings in an art gallery. In the middle of the room, a central table can accommodate up to 4 persons and above the table two pendants with the shape of cakes light the room. The entrance of the room is highlighted by two metallic structures of shelves, designed in order to display bottles of rare wines, champagne and other luxurious products.

The inspiration behind their design, the architect said, that was found in the minimal repetitive lines of Aldo Rossis buildings. The volume of the cashiers desk is covered by walnut wood veneers in order to stand out and is interrupted only by a small glass volume of a special display, eccentrically placed, which promotes a different daily delicacy every day, in a way usually seen in jewelry stores.

The closed wooden volume which incorporates the tall freezers for the storage of ice-cream cakes constitutes a continuation of the cashiers desk in a game of full and empty volumes, serving at the same time as an ideal background for the coffee shop. The central column as well as the beams of the buildings structure have been let naked both as structural elements and also regarding their texture, while at the same time have been painted in a pale pink color, which combined with their texture reminds of smeared whipped cream.

Regarding the materials that have been used, the flooring and most part of the walls have been covered by mosaic tiles in pale colors of beige, Bordeaux and brown, creating this way a neutral background, which allows at the black-grey volumes of the refrigerators to stand out while at the same time compose harmonically the color palette of the pastry shop, in combination with the walnut wood veneers, the metallic pink elements and the different types of marble.
A week into a federal trial over whether a law preventing Tuscon from teaching elective ethnic studies classes was racially motivated, the former head of public instruction, one of the strongest supporters of the ban, reaffirmed things like saying that Spanish language media should be banned from the United States with a limited exception of Mexican restaurant menus.
The plays lead actor, Mohamad Alrefai, showed up for his first interview at the United States Embassy in Beirut eager to introduce himself and to show his supporting documents for a visa, only to be told by an American consular official to keep his mouth shut, he recalled, and his stack of papers to himself. Several members of the group were asked to furnish their social media handles so American officials could read what they had posted. The director, Omar Abusaada, said he was asked if he belonged to a terrorist organization. Would an actual terrorist say yes? he later wondered aloud.
With prices for some Chinese antiquities reaching into the tens of millions of dollars, a flood of amateur and professional thieves looking to get rich quick has hit Chinas countryside. While accurate figures are difficult to come by, the looting has resulted in the permanent destruction of numerous Chinese cultural heritage sites.
On Friday, rupee had ended flat at 64.45 against dollar in an otherwise quiet and range-bound trade.

The rupee strengthened 11 paise to trade at 64.34 against the US dollar on Monday morning.

Mumbai: The rupee strengthened 11 paise to trade at 64.34 against the US dollar in the morning session on Monday, riding on higher foreign funds inflows.

The domestic currency received a boost from fresh selling of the American unit by exporters and banks amid a better opening in domestic equities.

However, a strong dollar overseas squeezed the rupee's gains, traders added.

On Friday, the rupee had ended flat at 64.45 against the US currency in an otherwise quiet and range-bound trade amid weaker dollar sentiment overseas.

The benchmark Sensex rose 73.69 points, or 0.23 per cent, to 32,094.44 points in early trade today.
Speaking to the media in Pune, the filmmaker stated that he and his actors were frightened and being threatened.

Mumbai: The Mumbai police has provided security to Bollywood director Madhur Bhandarkar following disruption by alleged Congress supporters of promotional events associated with his to-be-released movie Indu Sarkar. Last week, two such promotional events were disrupted in Pune and Nagpur.

The police said that personal security was given to Mr Bhandarkar over threat perceptions that hinted towards likelihood of an untoward incident. His film is slated to release next week. The security is being provided by the protection and security branch of the Mumbai police.

The police would decide later if he should pay for the protection, sources said.

The police, however, declined to comment on whether Mr Bhandarkar had sought police protection or if the authorities provided it themselves.

Following the series of incidents, the police analysed the threat perception to ascertain the level of danger to the subject (Mr Bhandarkar) and action was taken accordingly, officials said requesting anonymity. The security cover, by at least six armed personnel, is of personal nature and they will follow the filmmaker wherever he goes, officials said. The team will also coordinate with the police of whichever city Mr Bhandarkar is visiting and secure the venues so that there is no repeat of previous situations.

We have provided security to Madhur Bhandarkar since Sunday. However, the basis and other details of the same cannot be shared, said R.D. Shinde, additional commissioner of police (protection and security).

Sources stated that the recent disruptions of Mr Bhandarkars promotional event twice on July 15 at Pune and on July 16 at Nagpur, where the police had to intervene and contain the situation from spiralling out of control, led to the decision.

On July 15, Mr Bhandarkar had tweeted stating Congress workers hv barged in the Hotel lobby & created ruckus, me & team are stranded like hostages in hotel room. #pune activity cancelled.

Speaking to the media in Pune, the filmmaker stated that he and his actors were frightened and being threatened.

Following the disruption by Congress on Sunday at Nagpur, Mr Bhandarkar again tweeted asking Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, Dear @OfficeOfRG after Pune I have 2 cancel todays PressCon at Nagpur. Do you approve this hooliganism? Can I have my Freedom of Expression?
The affidavit stated that the star had not been given any special treatment, and he received the remission as per prison rules.

Mumbai: The state government on Monday filed an affidavit supporting the eight months remission given to Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt in the 1993 bomb blasts case.

The affidavit stated that the star had not been given any special treatment, and he received the remission as per prison rules. The government also cited the rules of the jail manual under which Dutt had been granted remission, parole and furlough. A division bench of Justice R.M. Sawant and Justice Sadhana Jadhav was hearing a petition filed by Pune resident Pradeep Bhalekar, who challenged the release of Dutt eight months before his sentence ended.

The HC in June questioned the state over its soft stance and asked the latter to mention the criterion for releasing him and parameters for assessing his good conduct while he was in and out of jail for most of his sentence.

It had also asked the state to submit details of the decision-making authority and whether the DIG (prisons) was in the loop while truncating the term.

In July 2007, the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) court held Dutt guilty of illegally possessing an AK-56 rifle in a notified area of Mumbai and sentenced him to six years rigorous imprisonment. Later, in May 2013, Dutt appealed in the Supreme Court but it turned down his plea. However, it reduced his sentence to five years. In February 2016, Dutt completed his sentence after it shortened by eight months due to good behaviour.

On Monday, the state filed its report before the high court, stating that Dutt was granted remission on account of his good behaviour, discipline participation in various institutional activities such as physical training, educational programmes and for performing work allotted to him.

The Maharashtra Prisons (Remission System) Rules provide for remission of up to three days per month for good behaviour, discipline and so on. In the present matter at hand, as per the rules, the accused (Dutt) is entitled for 256 days remission, which comes to eight months and 16 days, the report said.

It also said that on October 19, 2015, an application was filed by Dutt seeking sanction for special remission, which was rejected by the prisons department on December 15, 2015. However, the same was later allowed, considering Dutts behaviour, and he was released from jail on February 25, 2016, the report said. The high court perused the report and posted the petition for further hearing after two weeks.
The security drill, the official added, was an important component of the joint military effort between India and the US.

New Delhi: In a joint effort, India and the United States have decided to initiate a training exercise for security personnel from African nations who would then provide further instructions to the UN peacekeeping forces in their region.

The trilateral security training exercise, which would be conducted over a two-week duration, is expected to start from Monday and will include military personnel from as many as 34 African nations.

After completion of the course, the military officers will then brief officers of the United Nations peacekeeping forces deployed in their respective countries.

India is conducting this security drill for the second year in the running for African countries, including Senegal, Namibia, Niger, Malawi, Ghana, Sierra Leone and Nigeria.

A senior foreign ministry official said the programme was an extension of PM Narendra Modis statement at UN General Assembly in 2015 on sharing Indias expertise in the peacekeeping missions.

The security drill, the official added, was an important component of the joint military effort between India and the US. India is one of the significant contributors of the United Nations peacekeeping force.

Indian Army, too, conducts a detailed training programme for its personnel before they are deployed on such peacekeeping assignments.
The CM has also suggested coordination between the state and central intelligence agencies.

Chandigarh: After the killing of a Christian pastor in Ludhiana, Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh has directed the DGP to order a police crackdown on elements trying to whip up communal passions in the state by indulging in such attacks and to remain on high alert against such forces.

Given the sensitivity of the case in which Pastor Sultan Masih was shot dead by two unidentified motorcycle-borne assailants, the chief minister has asked the police department to keep close tabs on the situation to prevent any negative fallout. He has also directed the DGP to ask the field officers to coordinate with the local Christian leaders for support in defusing the situation in the aftermath of the killing.

He has told DGP Suresh Arora to ensure that departments of the police and intelligence in the state liaison and coordinate to gather information to prevent the recurrence of such incidents. The CM has also suggested coordination between the state and central intelligence agencies to facilitate more concerted and cohesive intelligence gathering to enable better handling of the situation.

He has ordered the DGP to take all possible steps to ensure that necessary preventive and precautionary steps are taken to maintain law and order as well as peace and harmony in the state.

Attempts to vitiate the states environment would not be tolerated at any cost, Captain Amarinder said, warning of strict action against any police officer found guilty of dereliction of duty in this regard.

The chief minister pointed out that he had taken up the matter of expediting CBI probe into cases of other targeted killings, including of RSS, Hindu and Shiv Sena leaders, in Punjab since January 2016 with the prime minister. At his meeting with the Prime Minister in Delhi on July 11, Captain Amarinder noted that despite best efforts, the central and state police and intelligence agencies had failed to make a breakthrough into the killings.
Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu was speculated to be BJP's candidate for vice presidential poll.

Glimpses of BJP Parliamentary Board Meeting at BJP HQ, New Delhi. (Photo: Twitter | Amit Shah)

New Delhi: Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu, a veteran BJP leader from Andhra Pradesh, will be NDA's vice presidential candidate, party president Amit Shah said today.

Naidu was chosen at the BJP Parliamentary board meeting in New Delhi attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior party leaders.

A fitting candidate for the office of Vice President, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Venkaiah Naidu.

The 68-year old Naidu currently holds the portfolios of Information and Broadcasting and Housing and Urban Affairs.

The former BJP president is pitted against Gopalkrishna Gandhi, who was chosen by an alliance of 18 opposition parties, including the Congress.

The electoral college for the August 5 election consists of 790 MPs of the two chambers of Parliament.

Naidu will file his nomination on Tuesday at 11 am, Shah said.

Tuesday is the last day for the filing of nominations.
The case was registered for cheating, criminal conspiracy and provisions under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

New Delhi: Noose seems to be tightening around RJD chief Lalu Prasad as the CBI may register a disproportionate assets case against him or his family members in connection with the alleged irregularities in awarding tenders for development, maintenance and operation of railway hotels in Ranchi and Puri to a private company when he was the Union railway minister in the UPA.

Sources said, The CBI is scrutinising the property related documents recovered during the recent searches at the Yadav family. Initiating proceedings under the DA case against him and his family members can not be ruled out, they added.

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 a private company  Sujata Hotels  for development, maintenance and operation of two railway hotels in BNR Ranchi and Puri.

The case was registered for cheating, criminal conspiracy and provisions under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The CBI also conducted searches at 12 locations in Patna and Ranchi. The raids included the premises of the Yadav family as well as those of Mr Lalu Prasads confidant Prem Chand Gupta, whose wife Sarla Gupta is listed as an accused in the FIR.
As many as three thousand food packets were air-dropped by the afternoon.

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Monday began air-dropping of food materials in the flood-hit Rayagada district.

According to state Special relief commissioner Bishnupada Sethi, one copter of the Indian Air Force (IAF) was deployed in the air-dropping of food packets in villages under Kalyansinghpur block of the district.

As many as three thousand food packets were air-dropped by the afternoon. The copter arrived in Rayagada from Visakhapatnam in the morning but couldnt take-off for around two hours due to bad weather. It later flew with relief for the marooned people as weather improved.

On Sunday, the state government had urged the Centre. On the other hand, the Rayagada district administration has started serving cooked foods to those taking shelter in schools.

It has also declared closure of schools and colleges for three days in Kalyansinghpur block in view of the flood. Over 70 per cent of Kalyansinghpur block still remain submerged. Motor-boats have been provided to ferry relief materials to the marooned people.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik said water levels of Kalyani and Nagavali rivers in Rayagada district had started to recede leading to improvement in flood situation.

Flood situation in Rayagada is improving. Water in major rivers in the district is receding. Free kitchens have been opened for affected people, the chief minister told reporters here.

I am closely monitoring the flood situation in Rayagada and Kalahandi districts. Every effort is being made to reach out to the people in affected areas. Sufficient food, medicine and other supplies are being made available to the people. Defence chopper is carrying out sorties in full swing for locating distress zones, rescuing affected people and air dropping supplies in affected areas, Mr Patnaik said.

It may be mentioned here that heavy rainfall since Saturday has triggered flash floods in of Rayagada and Kalahandi districts of Odisha.

Due to incessant rainfall, the water level of Nagabali and Kalyani rivers rose as a result of which nearly 400 villages in Kalyansinghpur block in Rayagada and several places in Kalahandi were marooned.
helling by Pakistan kills soldier, 8-year-old girl.

New Delhi/Srinagar: Just three hours after Pakistani shells tore into an eight-year-old girl, Sajida Kafeel, at Balakote in Poonch and killed a soldier, Naik Mudasir Ahmed, in Rajouris Manjakote on Monday early morning, Indian Armys director general of military operations (DGMO) Lt General A.K. Bhatt told his Pakistani counterpart Major General Sahir Shamshad Mirza in no uncertain terms of Indias warranted right to hit back.

Two civilians and a soldier were also injured in the latest spurt of Pakistan firing, while several Army vehicles and a shelter caught fire as the Pakistanis used mortar bombs, small arms and automatics to target the Indian positions in these areas.

With the Pakistani Army violating the ceasefire 237 times in less than seven months this year till Monday, Lt General Bhatt told his Pakistani counterpart that while India is sincere in its effort of maintaining peace and tranquility along the LoC provided there was reciprocity, it reserved the right to retaliate.

The 10-minute phone conversation  looked upon as a measure to convey annoyance as much as to defuse tension  took place at about 10.30 am at the behest of Pakistan.

Of the 237 CFVs this year, Kashmiri militants initiated 63 when attempting to infiltrate in the vicinity of Pakistani posts along the Line of Control (LoC), top government sources said. Last year, there were 449 CFVs, with 405 in 2015 and 583 in 2014.

With Indian forces taking strong counter-insurgency action, in less than seven months till now, the past seven months, the number of militants killed stood at 103, as against 110 in 2014, 108 in 2015 and 150 in 2016.

Earlier on Sunday, Pakistan had reported the death of four of its soldiers due to drowning in the Neelam river (called Kishan Ganga in Jammu and Kashmir) in PoKs Athmuqam sector after their vehicle was allegedly fired upon by Indian forces in an alleged CFV.

On the Pakistani heavy shelling using mortars and automatic weapons, Shahid Choudhary, deputy commissioner, Rajouri, told this newspaper on the phone: It is mainly Manjakote (in Rajouri) where 4,000-5,000 of the civilian population has been affected. Intense firing is going on since 8 AM. Infrequently, mortar shells have landed in villages. Four to five affected families were evacuated Also 16 schools were closed as a precautionary measure.



Last week, the Pakistani authorities had reported the death of five civilians and injuries to a score others in the Indian firing and shelling in Chirikot, Satwal and other sectors on their side of the de-facto border. Indias deputy high commissioner JP Singh was summoned to the Foreign Office in Islamabad for the second consecutive day on July 9 over the alleged CFVs by the Indian troops along the LoC.

A Muzaffarabad-based reporter said that the Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir authorities have banned tourists from the picturesque Neelam valley in view of the border skirmishes.

The 745-km-long LoC has witnessed multiple CFVs in recent weeks. After each clash between the Indian and Pakistani troops, the two sides blamed each other for initiating the firing. Many civilians and soldiers on the two sides have lost their lives in the exchanges of fire and thousands of families have abandoned their homes and relocated to safer locations on both side of the de-facto border.
People attend a rally to mark the first anniversary of foiling the failed coup attempt in Istanbul, Turkey, July 15, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

ANKARA - Tens of thousands of Turks have taken to the streets from Saturday evening till Sunday morning to mark the first anniversary of defeating the coup attempt last year.

Week-long series of memorials and celebrations took place to remember the attempted putsch, the most serious threat to the ruling Justice and Development Party since it took power in 2002.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his government declared July 15 "Democracy and National Unity day."

On Saturday, thousands of people flocked to main squares nationwide, with crowds gathering on July 15 Martyrs Bridge in Istanbul, previously called Bosphorus Bridge, which was blocked by coup plotters during the early hours of the coup attempt.

People were carrying Turkish flags and pictures of those killed during the coup attempt. Some were chanting 'We want death penalty."

Erdogan, photographed by escorted F16 jets on his aircraft, joined the crowd on the bridge where he opened a Martyrs' Memorial to honor 34 people died on the Bosphorus Bridge resisting the coup.

Erdogan addressed early Sunday thousands of people in front of the parliament general assembly building at 2:32 a.m. local time, the time the parliament was bombed on the night of the coup attempt.

"Turkish army is more powerful today when compared to the period before July 15. Turkish army is the army of this precious nation," Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said addressing a special session at the parliament on Saturday.

Turkey experienced one of its bloody night last July 15 when the coup plotters bombed the national parliament, rated media outlets, opened fire on civilians, attacked key police headquarters with armed with tanks, warplanes and helicopters.

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Hulusi Akar, and many generals were kidnapped by their own security guards.

The coup plotters failed to detain President Erdogan who was able to address his nation via FaceTime chat where he called on people to take the streets ad resist coup.

The coup was thwarted by civilians who hit the streets to stand against the putschists and by soldiers loyal to the government.

Since July 15 2016, the Turkish authorities launched a massive fight against the coup attempt, jailed over 50,000 people.

Under the state of emergency, the country went to a referendum for historical constitutional change empowering the president in a change of government system.
The rebel camp of the Nagaland Peoples Front, meanwhile, criticised the chief minister on Monday for holding two posts.

Guwahati: The Kohima bench of the Gauhati high court on Monday completed the hearing on chief minister Shurhozelie Liezietsus petition challenging the Nagaland governors order directing him to seek a vote of confidence on or before July 15.

The court of Justice L.S. Jamir, which had given an interim stay for hearing the argument on Monday, fixed 2 pm on Tuesday for pronouncing the judgment, giving the chief minister one more day to draw up his strategy.

The CM, in his petition before the high court on Friday, had argued that the governors decision asking him to take a floor test on or before July 15 was unconstitutional, illegal, arbitrary and violated the basic features of the Constitution.

The rebel camp of the Nagaland Peoples Front, meanwhile, criticised the chief minister on Monday for holding two posts. In a press statement in Kohima, the rebels said the one-man-two-posts Mr Shurhozelie and his 10 MLAs had misused the government machinery and completely tarnished the image of both the NPF and the CMs office. It is for the Naga people to realise that a chief minister in a minority and his 11 MLAs are turning out to be nothing more than imposters throttling the voice of Nagaland while turning the state into a laughing stock before the outside world.

In an indication that a reconciliation was not possible now, the statement added: Mr Shurhozelie should own moral responsibility (for the) NPF party crisis since the day MP Neiphiu Rio left for Delhi. He has not been honest to himself and party legislators as well... every Naga knows his true nature in public life.
Kumar has already cancelled his trip to New Delhi where he was expected to hold a national executive meeting of his party.

Patna: With Presidential elections over, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar may take a final call on the removal of deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav.

Party leaders have already hinted the chief minister will take a final decision after Tuesday. On Monday, Mr Yadav brushed aside questions on growing demands for his resignation.

My resignation is not an issue. The BJP and media have created a hype. Mr Kumar, during a meeting last week, said he wanted a public clarification from RJD top leaders over the allegations, and also indicated he expected Mr Yadav to resign from the post.

The rift in the alliance deepened when RJD chief Lalu Yadav rejected Mr Kumars demand, and said, Tejashwi Yadav will not step down under any circumstances.

The party leaders said the Congress and other senior leaders from within the alliance have started coming forward to mediate between Mr Kumar and Mr Lalu Yadav. On Sunday, Congress state president Ashok Chaudhary was held a series of talks with both the leaders. Though none of the top JD (U) leaders gave any statement, party MLA Shyam Sunder Singh said, It would be better if our party decides to break the alliance today. We love to work with the BJP.

Analysts say some of Mr Kumars recent decisions hint at what he has been thinking. Mr Kumar has already cancelled his trip to New Delhi where he was expected to hold a national executive meeting of his party.

Mr Lalu Yadav may ask all 11 ministers from the RJD, including his two sons, to resign and provide an external support to the JD (U) to save the alliance in Bihar.

BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi urged Mr Nitish Kumar to stand firm on his ground. The senior BJP leader also thanked him for his extending support to BJPs presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind.

Earlier, Mr Modi said the parliamentary board is keeping a close watch on these development, and any decision by the party will depend upon the situation.
According to reports, Khan was travelling to India from the UAE, when he was following which he was detained at the Mumbai Airport.

The joint operation was carried out by the Mumbai Police and Uttar Pradesh's Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS ).

Mumbai: A suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist, allegedly involved in the 'fidayeen' attack on a CRPF camp in Uttar Pradesh in 2008, was on Tuesday arrested at the city airport shortly after he flew in there from UAE, a police official said.

Salim Mukim Khan alias Abu Amaar alias Arif, a native of Hathgaon in Fatehpur district of Uttar Pradesh, was nabbed in a joint operation by anti-terrorism squads of Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh police when he arrived at the international airport from the UAE, he said.

Salim, facing lookout notice, was stopped at an immigration counter on the intervening night of July 16 and 17 and taken into custody, the official said.

His interrogation and records available with security agencies showed his alleged role in the suicide attack on a CRPF camp in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, on January 1, 2008, he said.

Eight persons, including some CRPF jawans, were killed in the terror strike.

Salim was also a financier of suspected ISI agent Aftab Ali, who was arrested in May in Faizabad by Uttar Pradesh ATS, he added.

While being abroad, he had been in contact with Aftab and gave instructions to him about terror activities and funding, the official said.

Aftab had been in constant touch with the Pakistan High Commission and had gathered information about several defence establishments in UP, he said.

Salim's name had first cropped up as terror module in 2008 during interrogation of suspected terrorists, Kausar and Sharif, who were arrested in 2008 for the attack at the CRPF camp, he said.

The duo had claimed that Salim, along with them, had received terrorist training at a camp in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, in 2007, the official said.

After the Rampur attack, a case was registered under relevant sections of the IPC, the Arms Act, the Explosive Substances Act, the Explosives Act and the Foreigner Registration Act, he said.

Initial inquiry by the Maharashtra ATS indicated that Salim was suspected to be associated with Pakistan-based terror outfit LeT, the official said.

The UP ATS will seek his custody for questioning in the Rampur attack and alleged involvement in severeal other anti-national activities under their jurisdiction, he said.

The Maharashtra ATS is extending all cooperation to its UP counterpart for Salim's interrogation, the official added.
The Opposition has been blaming the Centre and the PDP- BJP government in the state for the unrest and violence in Kashmir Valley.

New Delhi: Alleging that the Centre has taken a maximalist position on Kashmir, senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram on Sunday said that this has aggravated the problem in the Valley.

His remarks came two days after the Centre briefed Opposition parties on the stand-off with China and the situation in Jammu and Kashmir in the aftermath of an attack on Amarnath pilgrims.

The former Union home minister said the Kashmir issue was a festering wound and the people of the Valley were caught between two maximalist positions taken by the Central government and the militants. The casualties were the people of Jammu and Kashmir and the future of the state, he said in a series of tweets.

Just as the militants have taken a maximalist position that has to be rejected out of hand, the Central government has taken a maximalist position that has aggravated the problem, he said.

The senior Congress spokesperson posted on Twitter that on many occasions in the past, he had cautioned that the Kashmir issue or problem (or by whatever name it is called) was a festering wound.

The Opposition has been blaming the Centre and the PDP- BJP government in the state for the unrest and violence in Kashmir Valley since the death of Hizbul leader Burhan Wani in an encounter.
There was a clash between TMC MLA and his counterparts after the former said that the latter had set the hills on fire.

Along with the JD(U), NDA has completely backed Kovind while 17 Opposition parties have backed Meira Kumar. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: An electorate consisting of 4,120 MLAs and 776 MPs will vote on Monday to elect the new president of the country, as Pranab Mukherjee's term as the first citizen is inching towards its end.

The contest is between former Bihar Governor Ram Nath Kovind and former Speaker Meira Kumar, with the scales tipped towards Kovind. Along with the JD(U), NDA has completely backed Kovind while 17 Opposition parties have backed Meira Kumar.

Since both the candidates are Dalit, the poll has been dubbed as a 'Dalit vs Dalit' contest, triggering the Congress to term it as a clash of ideologies.

Highlights:

03:10 pm: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said, "It's vote against injustice. For sake of country we urge everyone to not support BJP & stand beside people."

She said, "We voted for Meira Kumar in Presidential poll to register our protest against 'present atrocities' in the country."

03:05 pm: Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah voiced hope that parties facing the BJP in the states will revisit their decision to vote for NDA pick Ram Nath Kovind "considering the situation" in the country.

"There is hope that those parties, which have till now opposed the BJP and will be the target of the party in the coming state elections, might change their decision (to support Kovind) at the last moment considering the situation in the country," Omar told reporters after casting his vote at Jammu and Kashmir assembly.

"As far as the numbers are concerned, it seems the NDA has an advantage in the electoral college, but in a secret ballot you cannot show your vote to anyone," he said.

02:30 pm: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar and senior Akali leader Parkash Singh Badal cast

their votes for the presidential poll in Haryana.

02:15 pm: Voting to elect the next President of India concluded in the Rajasthan Assembly, with 199 legislators out of 200 exercising their franchise.

Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot cast his vote in Gujarat.

02:14 pm: 100 per cent polling recorded in voting for Presidential Poll in Himachal with all 67 MLAs casting their vote.

02:06 pm: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis casts his vote in Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.

Mumbai: Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis casts his vote in Maharashtra Legislative Assembly for #PresidentialPoll2017 pic.twitter.com/X7JIknOfGG  ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

1:50 pm: Hundred per cent polling was recorded in Himachal with all 67 MLAs casting their vote. One seat is lying vacant in the 68-member House following the death of Congress MLA Karan Singh. The ruling Congress has a strength of 35 members while BJP has 28 members.

1:30 pm: By voting for Ram Nath Kovind, we've registered our protest against crimes of CPI(M), Congress & TMC: Ashish Saha, who quit TMC earlier this year.

1:20 pm: Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar cast his vote in the first one hour. Goa Forward Party's Jayesh Salgaoncar and Vinod Palyekar, Congress' Philip Neri Rodrigues, Ravi Naik, Digambar Kamat and Tony Fernandes, and BJP's Pramod Sawant and Pravin Zantye were among the early voters.

1:15 pm: The impact of the Darjeeling unrest was seen during voting in West Bengal with a heated exchange between TMC MLA Paresh Pal and GJM MLAs. Pal lashed out at three GJM MLAs saying they have set the hills on fire, according to reports.

He also claimed that West Bengal BJP President Dilip Ghosh was the reason behind the unrest, a war of words between them.

12:30 pm: Opposition candidate Meira Kumar speaks to media, says, "I have requested the members of the collegiums to pay heed to their conscience, because there is nothing purer and more powerful than that. They should consider it in the best interest and the future of the country".

She further said, Today is a very important day. Today, the collegium will take a decision and you all know I am a candidate in this contest to fight the battle of ideology,

The former Lok Sabha speaker, Meira Kumar said, the ideology of social justice, inclusiveness, secularism, transparency, freedom of expression and press, poverty alleviation and total destruction of caste system binds India together. It is very important that we protect and preserve it.

11:45 am: All NCP MPs & MLAs have voted for Opposition's Meira Kumar: NCP's Praful Patel

11:28 am: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik casts vote for the next president at the state Assembly.

Bhubaneswar: Odisha CM Naveen Biju Patnaik casts his vote for #PresidentialElection at Odisha Assembly pic.twitter.com/khFngu3W1v  ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

10:59 am: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan arrives at MP Assembly to cast his vote.

10:50 am: Voting for Presidential poll underway at Assam Legislative Assembly; CM Sarbananda Sonowal also casts his vote.

10:35 am: DMK working president MK Stalin casts his vote at Tamil Nadu Assembly.

10:30 am: Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu casts his vote from the state Assembly.

10:30 am: Jailed MLAs Chhagan Bhujbal and Ramesh Kadam will be brought to Maharashtra Legislative Assembly from prison for voting.

10:25 am: UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath arrives at state Assembly in Lucknow. "This is matter of pride for the people of Uttar Pradesh, the the son of the state is going to become the President", he said. Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya and Union Minister Uma Bharti also cast their vote at Tilak hall, Lucknow.

10:20 am: Modi, Amit Shah cast their votes at the Parliament.

PM @narendramodi casting his vote to elect the next #President of India. pic.twitter.com/Mrx6n4VPi7  Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 17, 2017

10:00 am: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister is the first person to cast his vote from state assembly premises in Chennai.

9:45 am: Narendra Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah arrive at the Parliament.

A total of 32 polling stations -- one in Parliament House and one each in the state legislative assemblies -- have been set up, officials said.

The Election Commission has appointed 33 observers who are overseeing the conduct of the election. While two observers are present in Parliament House, one each is

deployed in the respective state assemblies.

The results will be declared on July 20 in New Delhi.

Read: Prez poll: No personal pens, use 'special marker' to mark vote, says EC

Earlier, Narendra Modi had congratulated NDA presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind a day earlier, and assured him of his governments support.

At a meeting of the NDA MPs which was also attended by Kovind, Modi recalled that the former Bihar governor had worked as a 'sahyogi' (aide) of Morarji Desai when he was the prime minister and said this government will offer all 'sahyog' (cooperation) to him.

Read: Here is a look at how President is elected in India

Kovind's win against opposition candidate Meira Kumar is a foregone conclusion as the ruling coalition has secured the support of nearly two-thirds of the electoral college, with some political parties even outside the NDA fold throwing their weight behind him.

Quoting Modi, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said the prime minister also offered his congratulations in advance to the Dalit leader.

Read: Meira Kumar a diplomat-turned-politician

Kumar also made light of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi's call to MPs and MLAs for "vote of conscience", saying 40 political parties have supported Kovind's presidential bid and non-NDA chief ministers of states like Bihar, Tamil Nadu and Odisha have also announced their support for him.

"The way ahead is very clear," he said, underlining the clear majority enjoyed by the NDA candidate. On the occasion, BJP MP Bhupender Yadav made a presentation to the MPs about the voting process to ensure that they vote correctly.

Modi highlighted that the campaigns by the two presidential candidates and parties supporting them had been very dignified and showed the maturity of the Indian democracy.

Read: PM Modi, Amit Shah spring a surprise with choice of Ram Nath Kovind

During the meeting, he also noted that 75th anniversary of the Quit India movement falls on August 9 and told the MPs that country-wide events should be held between August 9 and 15, to mark the occasion.

He pitched for discussions and programmes for five years till 15 August 2022, the 75th Independence Day, aimed at pro-poor programmes and a good governance agenda.

Read: MPs to present President with coffee table book as farewell gift

The prime minister, Kumar told reporters, also noted that the advent of the year 2018 will mark the enrolment of "new millennial voters", those born in 2000 and after, and said they should be welcomed and made aware of their responsibilities.

Besides Kumar, BJP chief Amit Shah and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley addressed the MPs.
Specially serial-numbered pens with violet ink have been supplied by the EC for voters to mark their votes on Monday.

The special pens have been procured from Mysore Paints and Varnish Ltd. which supplies indelible ink to the EC. (Photo: Representational/File)

New Delhi: Members of Parliament and legislators who will vote to elect the next President on Monday have been barred from carrying their personal pens inside the voting chamber and will have to mark their ballot with a specially-designed marker, the Election Commission (EC) said on Sunday.

After the ink controversy in the Rajya Sabha polls in Haryana last year, the EC has decided to give special pens to the electors to mark their votes in the presidential and vice-presidential polls.

Specially serial-numbered pens with violet ink have been supplied by the EC for voters to mark their votes on Monday.

Before entering the voting chamber, a polling staff will collect personal pens from the voters and hand over the special pen to mark their votes on the ballot paper. When the member comes out of the voting chamber, the special pen will be taken back and the polling staff will return the personal pen, a commission spokesperson said.

Announcing the schedule of the election, the EC made it clear that use of any other pen could lead to invalidation of the vote at the time of counting under Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Rules, 1974. The special pens have been procured from Mysore Paints and Varnish Ltd. which supplies indelible ink to the EC.

In another first, the poll watchdog has also prepared special posters carrying dos and donts for the voters. It asks them to use only EC-issued pens and warns that no whip or directive can be issued to party members to vote in favour of any candidate. Since it is a secret ballot, the voters should not disclose whom they have voted for.

Green-coloured ballot papers will be there for MPs and pink for MLAs. The ballot boxes will be brought to Delhi for counting on July 20.

The voters include 233 elected members of the Rajya Sabha, 543 of the Lok Sabha. A total of 32 polling stations  one in Parliament House and one each in state legislative Assemblies  have been set up.

NDA nominee Ram Nath Kovind is pitted against Opposition candidate Meira Kumar in the presidential polls.
The Congress President said that the numbers might be stacked against the candidates but the battle needed to be fought and fought hard.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi (right) with presidential candidate Meira Kumar and vice-presidential candidate Gopalkrishna Gandhi after the UPA meeting in New Delhi. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: Pitching the presidential and vice-presidential polls as a battle of ideologies rather than arithmetic, Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Sunday said that the Opposition needed to stand up to a vision which wanted to make the country divisive and communal.

Ms Gandhi was speaking at a high tea where Opposition presidential and vice-presidential candidates Meira Kumar and Gopal Krishna Gandhi met with MPs from 18 political parties backing them. Both Ms Kumar and Mr Gandhi also expressed similar views.

The Congress President said that the numbers might be stacked against the candidates but the battle needed to be fought and fought hard. We cannot and must not let India be hostage to those who wish to impose upon it a narrow-minded, divisive and communal vision, she said.

We must stand more aware than ever of who we are, what we fought for in our independence struggle and what future we want for ourselves. We must have confidence in the values we believe in. This election represents a clash of ideas, a conflict of disparate values. The election demands a vote of conscience to preserve the India that the Mahatma and that illustrious generation of freedom fighters, joined by thousands upon thousands of ordinary men and women, fought for, she said.

While the presidential polls are to be held on Monday, vice-presidential polls would be held on August 5.

Ms Meira Kumar is understood to have told the MPs that the fight was ideological and that she had been traveling across the country for campaigning.

Vice-presidential candidate Mr Gandhi said, In arithmetic, we might be losing, but we have won in another way. This has brought together Opposition parties from Kanyakumari to Kashmir in a string. That is an achievement. There is an atmosphere of fear everywhere now. There is fear about who all are hearing you.

A total of 18 Opposition parties had come together to field a joint presidential candidate which was seen by many as exploration for a joint platform ahead of the 2019 general elections.

However, the JD(U), led by Nitish Kumar, broke ranks and backed the NDA presidential nominee, Ram Nath Kovind. However, the JD(U) backed the Opposition vice-presidential candidate Mr Gandhi.
The news has devastated a lot of families.

A Dutch doctor named Dr Jan Karbaat, is reported to have used his own sperm to impregnate his patients trying to have a baby. He could have fathered 200 children.

One of the families affected by the news shared their ordeal with the Gaurdian. Esther-Louise Heij, from Netherlands, was 35-years-old when she decided to opt for IVF with a sperm donor to become a mother. While at the time it was acceptable for donors to remain anonymous, she believed it was a child's right to know who their parents are.

When Heij met with Dr Karbaat at his clinic for a consultation, she told the Gaurdian he seemed professional and had similar ideas as her. Confidently, Karbaat told Heij that he would not only find the perfect donor, but her children would be able to have access to him.

After she decided to go through the process, Heij gave birth to two children from the same donor. A daughter Lotte in 1994 and in 1995 a son named Yonathan. While Lotte, now 23, was content with not knowing the identity of her father, Yonathan was not. He told the Gaurdian it was important for him to know if he was similar to his dad in ways he was different to his mother and sister.

It was in 2011, when the Heji family decided to approach Karbaats clinic to find out the identity of the sperm donor. What they mistook to be an easy task turned into a challenging quest, as the records were not properly maintained.

At the same time the rumour mill started to churn about Karbaats clinic. There was talk that his patients' sperm donors were fellow doctors, medical students and even Karbaat himself. A documentary about the clinic on Dutch TV also raised the possibility the same sperm donor may have fathered 200 children.

The news left the Heji family and many others in shock, confused and in emotional turmoil. Yonathan attempted to get answers by writing to Karbaat. But the letters were returned unopened.

Soon, a group of families whose children were born via IVF at Karbaats clinic initiated legal proceedings to have DNA tests performed using the controversial doctor's cells. Before Karbaat died in April 2016, he opposed the move. While families are still waiting for many answers, police have seized personal items from his home and collected DNA samples as well.

While Yonathan's has mixed feelings about Karbaat, Heij finds it hard to condemn the man that helped her become a mother.
Check out these places you must visit during monsoons if you are in the state.

Indian monsoons have always been romanticised. Breaking the monotony of the sweltering heat, the first drops of shower offer a welcome respite to cities and states that had been shackled by long hot months of summer.

Maharashtra is one such state which springs to life as soon as showers hit the state and is transformed into a lush green emerald milieu waiting to be rediscovered with fervent passion.

One of the more popular travel destinations in India, we share places in Maharashtra, ranging from untouched beaches to hill stations, wildlife sanctuaries, natural caves and even historic monuments that can be enjoyed by travellers during monsoons.

Malshej Ghat: A popular monsoon destinations for travelers, many explorers list this destination in their yearly schedule merely because the place provides a holistic view of nature. Here, the Sahyadri mountain range towers above everything else. The area is a trekkers paradise with its tremendously rugged and rocky hills on which the explorers will experience forts, temples and ancient traditional caves. While the ghat zone is often dry throughout, the rains offer an incredible transformation in just a few days.

How to reach:

The locations offer various mode of transportation

By Air-Nearest airport is Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport at Mumbai.

By Rail-Nearest terminus is at Kalyan.

By Road-Drive to Malshej Ghat via Kalyan, Vaishakhare and Bhiwandi.

Things to do and see:

Hiking at Ajoba Hill Fort

Trekking at Harishchandragad Fort

Relax and rejuvenate at resorts.

Rock Climbing

Drive through exotic mountains

Enjoy the Waterfalls

Bird Watching at Pimpalgaon Joga Dam

Where to stay: MTDC Holiday Resort, located at Malshej Ghat is the finest property to stay amidst the lush greenery of Malshej Ghat.

Lonavla Khandala: Commuters residing near Mumbai and Pune ponder it as blessing that they have the two hill stations of Lonavla and Khandala almost a step, bounce and roll away distance. Winged high on the hill ranges, both these places are known for their decent climate and the attractive green cover they display during the monsoon. Like other hill stations in Maharashtra, here tourist can sense amazing spots that offer magnificent highlights of the valley and the hills with tiny villages inserted in their folds.

How to reach:

By Air - The nearby airport is at Pune, 66 km. away. Voyagers can travel from Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai as well.

By Rail - From Mumbai, step down at Lonavala station which is about 2.5 hours away.

By Road - Mumbai - Pune Expressway to Lonavala takes about 2 to 3 hours from Mumbai depending on traffic conditions. ST and Asiad buses directed for Pune from Dadar stop at Lonavala.

Things to do and see:

Tiger's Leap is well-known tourist spot; the echo point is a major fascination here.

Bushi Dam is the most popular monsoon tourist spot.

Kune Waterfalls is an attractive cascade, cushioned between the scenic valleys of Lonavala and Khandala. It is the 14th highest waterfall in the country.

Bhaja Caves are 22 rock-cut caves which portrays various sculptures.

Celebrity Wax Museum offer to glance the statues of various celebrities and eminent personalities.

Rajmachi Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the hilly landscape and foothills of the Western Ghats of Sahyadris and it is perfect for nature walks, trekking and bird watching.

Where to stay: MTDC Karla Resort is located near Karla Caves in Lonavala off the old Mumbai-Pune highway.

Chikhaldara: A hill station in Amravati district, it is the only one of its kind in the Vidarbha region. It is located on a mountain range outside which Maharashtra ends and Madhya Pradesh begins. Chikhaldhara comes alive in monsoon when haze overwhelms the area. Driving around with lush green framework, smog and waterfall in monsoon is an experience that attracts explorers.

How to reach:

By Air : The nearest airport is Nagpur which is 230 kms away.

ByRail : Nearest railhead is Amravati, 100 kms away.

By Road : There are several luxury buses that drives on Mumbai - Aurangabad - Nagpur highway.

Things to do and see:

Gavilgad and Narnala each offer astonishing archaeological and architectural visions

Several remarkable vantage views such as the Panchbol Point, Hariken Point, Mozari Point, Devi Point, Sunset Point, Prospects Point, Monkey Point, etc.

Attractive reservoirs such as the Bir Dam, Kalapani Dam and the Shakkar Lake

Where to stay: MTDC Resort at Chikhaldhara provides accommodation from ordinary to deluxe rooms and dormitory

Amboli: The beautiful hill-station of Amboli is also called the Queen of Maharashtra. This is an impressive hill station situated in Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra. Famous amongst ecologists as a valuable environmental hotspot, it is calm, tranquil, peaceful and augmented with all the treasures that the world of flora and fauna can impart upon. Amboli is positioned on the edge of the Western Ghats and is particularly splendid when spontaneous waterfalls flow down the hilly terrain.

How to reach

By Air: The nearby airport is Dabolim

By Rail: The nearest railway station is Sawantwadi road on Konkan railway.

By Road: Amboli is well linked by road from Sawantwadi, Belgaum and Kolhapur. Many buses work from Pune and Mumbai to Amboli.

Things to do and see:

Sunset point is a popular dream point for tourists to converge in the evening.

Shirgaonkar Point oversses thick forests around the area.

Amboli Ghat offers guests spectacular views of the heavily forested valleys around

Hiranyakeshi Mandir is where the Hiranyakeshi River springs out from the entrance of a cave which also has a small Shiva Temple.

Kawaleshet Valley is an outlook and a kind of an echo point

Nangartas Waterfall is most admired place to visit

Where to stay: MTDC Resort at Amboli is a modest domicile situated in the heart of the city.

Jawhar: Jawhar hill station is in Thane district of Maharashtra. Blessed with mysterious valleys, thick rich forests and pleasant climate, Jawhar offers different type of enjoyment comparing to other hill stations of Maharashtra.

This hill station has unique tribal kingdoms in Maharashtra. The palace of the tribal lords provide an exclusive chance to expose and experience the tribal way of life. Jawhar is also recognized as the Mahabaleshwar of Thane District.

How to reach:

By Air: Nearest airport is at Nashik (80 km) and Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai, which is nearly 165 km from Jawahar.

By Rail: Nearest major railway station is Mumbai CST railway station, which is nearly 165 km away from Jawahar. Taxi and bus services are accessible from railhead to Jawahar city.

By Road: Maharashtra Road Transport Corporation provides bus services between Jawahar and other cities in and around Mumbai.

Things to do and see:

The Sunset point is bliss for nature lovers; this place is well-known for its attractive surroundings and mesmerizing sunset view.

Dadar-Kopra falls and Palusa falls.

Jai Vilas Palace which once served as the home to the kings of Munke Family.

Hanuman Point offers pleasing natural scenery. According to legend, Lord Hanuman relaxed at this place while on his way to meet Lord Rama's brother.

Where to stay: There are many private resorts near Jawhar which offers a holistic natural views to the holiday seekers.

Bhimashankar: The perfect natural surroundings with hills, waterfalls and forests; a wild life sanctuary and a prehistoric temple! Bhimashankar offers an idyllic setting for nature lovers. Known for its treks, it is also the place where one may find shekru the huge flying squirrel which is also referred as the state animal of Maharashtra.

How to reach:

By Air and Rail : Bhimashankar is 250 km from Mumbai and 127 kms from Pune. The nearest airport is Pune and so is the railway station.

By Road : You can take the route of Pune-Rajgurunagar-Manchar- GhodegaonPokhari Ghat Bhimashankar. State Transport buses are accessible at steady intervals from the Shivajinagar .

Things to do and see:

Bhimashankar Temple is amongst the twelve traditional 'Jyotirlingam' shrines of Lord Shiva in India.

The Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary was mainly formed in 1984 to guard the habitat of the Giant Indian Squirrel in the Ambegaon and it is a thrilling place for treks and nature adventure.

The Hanuman Lake is a stunning lake located in Bhimashankar. Lots of creatures including squirrels and birds could also be speckled here.

Where to stay: MTDC Holiday Resort, located at Malshej Ghat is the supreme property to reside 39 km away from Bhimashankar.
Student complained of uneasiness, died a day later in hospital.

New Delhi: An 11-year-old minor died under mysterious circumstances on Saturday night in Rohini after he was allegedly beaten by his classmates. According to the parents, the deceased minor had a fight with his classmates.

After he came home, he was feeling uneasy. On Saturday, he was taken to a nearby hospital but was referred to Safdarjung Hospital where he breathed his last. Police has identified the deceased as Vishal, a Class 5 student in a school in Rohini.

He is survived by his parents and two younger siblings. The police has not registered a case as of now and is waiting for the post-mortem report to ascertain the exact cause of death. Probe reveals that it all began on Friday when Vishal supposedly got involved in a fight with his classmates over a trivial row.

He returned home, had his dinner but didnt disclose about the scuffle that had broken out at school. The incident came to light on Saturday morning when the boy complained of acute abdominal pain and found it difficult to go to school.

In their complaint to the police, the bereaved parents stated that their son has been murdered by his classmates.

They further told the police that Vishal was reluctant to go to school. He was taken to Ambedkar Hospital from where he was referred to Safdarjung Hospital. There, he passed away on Saturday night.

The jurisdictional police was informed and a team visited the hospital. It said that initial medical investigation revealed no external injuries on the victims body.

However, the police will look into the case from all angles. Based on the accusations and request by the father of the deceased, police has requested the hospital authorities to constitute a medical board to conduct a post mortem, said a senior police official.
Mamata Banerjee expresses concern over incident.

Boy suffered the pain for over 10 hours before being admitted to Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital. (Representational image)

Kolkata: A boy with a nail stuck in one of his eyes was allegedly refused admission in five government-run hospitals in the city on Saturday and he suffered the pain for over ten hours. Karim Mollah, the patient, is a resident of Jibantala in South 24 Parganas. At around 12 pm on Saturday, a sharp nail accidentally pierced his left eye as he was playing at an under-construction building in front of his home.

As blood started oozing profusely from his eye, his family rushed him to Canning sub division hospital in the district.

The eight-year-old boy was however referred to Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital in Park Circus where he was denied admission. Karim was referred to SSKM Hospital, the lone state government-run super speciality hospital in south Kolkata.

He was again refused admission before being sent to nearby Bangur Institute of Neurology. His ordeal continued as he was again referred to the Regional Institute of Opthalmology at Calcutta Medical College and Hospital from where he was sent to Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital (NRSMCH), which also denied him admission initially.

After repeated pleas by Karims family, the NRSMCH authorities admitted the boy at night. The doctors conducted a 3D CT Scan on Karim to examine if his brain had also suffered damage. A previous CT Scan had revealed marks of injuries on the frontal lobe of his brain.

The nail has been removed from his left eye with a surgery. Karims condition is stable now but doctors are not sure if he would get his vision back.

As the news of refusal of admission reached the government, chief minister Mamata Banerjee intervened and reportedly expressed her concern. The chief ministers Office sent a team of NGO officials to NRSMCH to coordinate with Karims family and the hospital authorities. According to sources, the state health department has decided to investigate the negligence by the five government-run hospitals.

Significantly, Ms Banerjee is also the health minister. NRSMCH deputy superintendent Dr Dwaipayan Biswas described the refusal of admission as most unfortunate.

He said, I was not aware of the news which came out in the media. When I was informed by the hospital, I inquired it and found that the doctors were already treating the patient.

Dr Biswas, however, refused to comment on the allegation by Karims family. A medical board has been set up by the hospital authorities to monitor the boys condition.
Further slamming the government, Banerjee stated that the TMC will not bow down and will rather fight and be happy to go to jail.

Kolkata: Training guns at the Centre for the growing unlawfulness and injustice in the country, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday asserted that All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) supports Meira Kumar in the race for the next President of India.

Speaking to reporters in Kolkata, Banerjee said "We support Meira Kumar and will stand by her always. Our vote is against unlawfulness and injustice which is growing in the country. For the sake of the country we urge everyone to not support Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and stand by a common man."

Further slamming the government, Banerjee stated that the TMC will not bow down their heads and will rather fight and be happy to go to jail.

"Demonetisation and GST are the two biggest scams of the country, which is making it, lag behind. After all this, we will not bow down our heads rather fight and be happy to go to jail. If BJP thinks that Bengal is an easy place then they are wrong. We already have 18 political parties that have come together and this is a good time for coalition," Banerjee said.

Meanwhile, targeting the Centre for having bad relations with West Bengal, Banerjee termed it like a 'sandwich'.

"The Centre has always had bad relations with neighbouring countries like China, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Nepal and now it's with West Bengal which has become like a sandwich," Banerjee added.

The counting of the votes will take place on July 20.

There are two candidates in the fray for the coveted post - National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate Ram Nath Kovind and Opposition's candidate Meira Kumar.

President Pranab Mukherjee's term is expiring on July 25.
Ms Banerjee met Basirhat MLA Dipendu Biswas and is likely to have taken stock of the present situation in Basirhat.

Kolkata: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday blamed the Centres faulty diplomatic policy and said it was responsible for making Bengal the worst sufferer. She further alleged that China had been interfering in the affairs of the state government with around 400 schools being set up in Pashupati Gate (Indo Nepal border) for teaching Chinese.

Under the NDA regime, Indias relation with neighbouring countries like China, Nepal and Bhutan have worsened. We are the worst sufferers. Where is NIA? intelligence agencies? Why are the borders kept open? What is SSB, IB, RAW doing here? she questioned, alleging that people belonging to the Jamaat were being allowed inside.

Claiming her government was a victim of politics, she said, West Bengal is gateway to Northeast. If chicken neck area is compromised, Sikkim and Darjeeling are just next to each other. The Central government has spoiled relations with all neighbouring countries and we are the biggest sufferers as we share the border with them. China is interfering and we are suffering. Hindu Vahini is giving training in Assam on how to operate guns. VHP is backing it and so are Central agencies.The Centre is simply cooling its heels.

Talking to reporters about the Presidential election 2017, in which her party is backing Oppositions Meira Kumar, Ms Banerjee said, Its a vote against injustice.It is a fight of ideologies. There are a lot of regional parties, which are supporting the BJP. We request them to stay away from the BJP.

Ms Banerjee has already written to Union home minister Rajnath Singh over the issue of alleged Chinese interference in state affairs. She claimed to have informed the Ministry of External Affairs as to why Viswa Hindu Parishad, an organisation of the BJP, burnt effigies of Bangladesh Prime Minister Shiekh Hasina in Bengal.

She further hit out at the Narendra Modi government, saying demonetisation and Goods and Services Tax (GST) were the biggest scams. Demonetisation and GST are the biggest scams. We will not bow our head. We will be happy to go to jail but will not succumb to pressure, she said.

The Trinamul Congress Parliamentary party decided to go for an all-out attack against BJP over various issues. We will go for an all-out attack against the BJP in the the Parliament. We will protest against the mandatory Aadhar linking, violence over Gorkhaland in the Hills, Chinas alleged interference into the states internal policies and non-cooperation from the Centre, Ms Banerjee said after a meeting with Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs in her chamber in the Assembly.

Ms Banerjee met Basirhat MLA Dipendu Biswas and is likely to have taken stock of the present situation in Basirhat.
After casting vote on President election day at Vidhan Bhavan, he maintains innocence.

Mumbai: Though it was the Presidential Election Day on Monday, at the Maharashtra legislative assembly, the centre of attraction was the former minister and jailed NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal. It was the first time Mr Bhujbal entered the Vidhan Bhavan since the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had arrested him on March 14, 2016 in an alleged money-laundering case.

After casting his vote, Mr Bhujbal while casually chatting with the NCP leaders, said that he is innocent and will prove it. He said, My only wish is that God should grant me enough life that I get acquitted from all the charges against me. His tone seemed to indicate that he had already accepted his defeat, according to a source that witnessed his days interactions.

I have done nothing wrong. But I am being targeted for political purposes. I have said the same in court as well as before my arrest. But I have faith in the judiciary. I will be cleared from all the charges one day. But I wish God to give me enough life to see that day, said Mr Bhujbal in almost breaking voice.

Mr Bhujbal was allowed by the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court to cast his vote in the Presidential Election. He was brought to Vidhan Bhavan on Monday morning in an ambulance. Senior NCP leaders like Jayant Patil, Dilip Walse Patil, Opposition Leader Dhananjay Munde, Hassan Mushreef and many other MLAs and MLCs were also present to receive Mr Bhujbal on the Vidhan Bhavans gate.

After casting his vote, Mr Bhujbal also met Nasik Guardian minister Girish Mahajan and Sena MLC Anil Parab. While speaking to NCP leader Ajit Pawar, Mr Bhujbal was almost apologetic. He said, I should have been able to help Pawar Saheb during these days when he and his party needs me more. But instead, he is the one who is helping me. I feel really bad for this.

When asked about his life inside the jail, Mr Bhujbal said, I keep watching TV. Though only DD channel is available there. Answering questions about his ill health, he said, Apart from cancer, I have all kinds of illnesses. I cant even stand for a long time now.

CM claims huge victory for Kovind

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has claimed a huge victory for NDAs presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind. I am confident that Kovindji will be supported by the nation. Maharashtra will have its share in this victory. But he smartly avoids answering a question about Mr Kovind getting votes of Congress and NCP MLAs. Meanwhile, 287 MLAs vote in the election. An MLA, Kshitij Thakur, attached to the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi of Virar couldnt come to cast his vote, as he is currently not in India.
The state ATS got in touch with their counterparts in UP after it identified Khans antecedents.

Mumbai: The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arrested an alleged wanted Lashkar-e-Tayyaba (LeT) terrorist, Salim Mohammad Khan.

He was passing instructions and funds to Aftab, an agent of Pakistans spy agency the ISI while holed up in United Arab Emirates (UAE). Aftab, who was arrested from Faizabad in Uttar Pradesh recently, had named Khan as a culprit. Khan was deported to India from UAE and was picked up from the international terminal of Mumbai airport early on Monday morning.

The UP ATS had been hunting for Khan  a native of the northern states Fatehpur district  since 2008 in connection with the attack on the Central Reserve Police Forces (CRPF) group centre at Rampur, officials said. At least seven jawans were killed in the attack, which was conducted by terrorists who wore clothes resembling the CRPF uniform. After they succeeded in breaching the security cover, they fired indiscriminately on the jawans.

Two terrorists who were arrested in the attack had revealed that Khan had taken terror training along with them at a camp in Pakistan-occupied Kashmirs Muzaffarabad in 2007. A lookout notice was also issued against him subsequently, which was also active at the time of his arrest, stated a release by the UP ATS.

The Maharashtra ATS who nabbed Khan stated that the Juhu ATS unit swung into action and started making inquiries with Khan on a strong suspicion about his involvement in the terror attack in UP and various other anti-national activities.

The state ATS got in touch with their counterparts in UP after it identified Khans antecedents. The UP ATS later took khan into its custody. The UP police has registered a case against Khan under sections of the Indian Penal Code, Arms Act, Explosives Act and the Foreigner Registration Act.
Now, how is that possible, unless Katrina had any of her doppelganger along at New York City?

Mumbai: Katrina Kaif, who was present at one of the prestigious awards function held in New York on Sunday, left the viewers a bit confused. The show, which went live on a popular television channel, saw Katrina at the award show, present at two different places on the same time.

Now, how is that possible, unless Katrina had any of her doppelganger along at New York City?

The gorgeous diva garbed in an embellished grey gown was called on-stage to present the Best Actor Award to Shahid Kapoor for his spectacular performance in Udta Punjab.

While the actress was busy making the huge announcement of the Best Actor Award, the cameras panned at Shahid Kapoor, and whoa! We see birthday girl Katrina seated right besides Shahid.

Well, we understand the rush of awards being aired live, and even in that live feature, there is a certain amount of editing. But an error of such heights should be crosschecked.

Dont believe us? Check it for yourself in this video right here:
The confrontation in Doklam must not be allowed to lead to another Himalayan war.

Although often carried away by enthusiasm, Subramanian Swamy could not be faulted for telling a TV channel that India needs long-term engagements with China for the benefit of both nations. Contrary to speculation, the Malabar 2017 exercises by the Indian, Japanese and US navies in the Bay of Bengal that ended on Monday can only further that objective. In fact, if Oliver Cromwells aphorism about trusting in God and keeping your powder dry were adapted to Sino-Indian relations, the trust would be in strength, goodwill and diplomacy, while the powder is kept dry.

The confrontation in Doklam must not be allowed to lead to another Himalayan war. But neither can India again be taken by surprise as over the Tibet-Xinjiang road built through the Aksai Chin plateau when no one was looking. Doklam, which both Bhutan and China claim, is at the tip of the Chumbi Valley that Sir Charles Bell, Britains political officer responsible for Sikkim, Tibet and Bhutan, called a dagger aimed at the heart of India. It has long been known that this trijunction was the real stumbling block in the China-Bhutan talks. The Chogyals of Sikkim had their summer palace in Chumbi, which a Sikkimese official administered.

In 1890 the crumbling Celestial Empires Manchu envoy, who did as his British secretary advised, signed the Anglo-Chinese convention whereby China recognised Sikkim as a British protectorate in return for Britain recognising Chumbi as Chinas, thereby also accepting Chinese overlordship over Tibet. Sikkim and Tibet were not consulted, and rejected the convention. But who cared? Although the British gave Chumbi to China, they delineated its western boundary with Sikkim along a 14,500-ft ridge that gives Indian troops full view of Chinese military fortifications and troop movements in the entire valley. China is trying to counter this advantage with a road on Chumbis eastern boundary with Bhutan.

Chinas then PM Zhou Enlai didnt anticipate this strategic need when asked about Chinese claims to the Dragon Kingdom at his New Delhi press conference on April 30, 1960. I am sorry to disappoint, he retorted. We have no claim with regard to Bhutan, nor do we have any dispute with it. You may recall that in its letters to the Indian government, the Chinese government twice mentioned that China has no boundary dispute with Sikkim and Bhutan and that China respects Indias special relations with Sikkim and Bhutan. According to the Chinese version, Zhou said proper and not special relations. The distinction is interesting, for special is not always proper.

Contradicting Zhous denial of any dispute with Bhutan, the two countries have held 23 rounds of talks since 1984 without resolving differences along the undemarcated 470-km border. While Thimphu might keep New Delhi in the picture, the talks are bilateral with no scope for an Indian role. Clause 2 of the 1949 Indo-Bhutanese treaty stated that Bhutan would be guided by Indias advice in conducting its foreign policy. The 2007 treaty of peace and friendship in perpetuity which replaced the 1949 treaty spoke instead of abiding ties of close friendship and cooperation and committed both governments to not allowing their territory to be used for activities harmful to the national security and interests of the other. Not only is China, the Dragon Kingdoms only other neighbour, denied a foothold in Bhutan, but despite the continuing border talks, the two countries do not have formal diplomatic relations.

Bhutanese reports indicate China is prepared to discuss all other sectors of the border except the Doklam plateau, where it claims 269 sq km of Bhutanese territory. The contested area sticks like a dagger into the narrow strip of land called Chickens Neck, or Siliguri corridor, which connects Indias Northeast to the rest of the country. A successful Chinese military thrust into this area could split India. There are three other territorial disputes in western Bhutan. China probably also views Haa Dzong (castle) with suspicion since this seat of the once powerful Dorjee clan of the Kings half-Sikkimese grandmother, Ashi Kesang Wangchuck, now houses the Indian Military Training Team.

In 1996 China reportedly offered to exchange this 269 sq km stretch for the 495 sq km that it claims in the north-central sector of Bumthang. Whether on their own or at Indias urging, both King Jigme Singye Wangchuck, Bhutans fourth Dragon King, and his son, the present monarch, King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, have rejected the offer. Indian reports indicate Bhutan sought Indias help when it discovered the Chinese were building a motorable road inside Bhutanese territory towards the Royal Bhutanese Army camp at Zornpelri. The Chinese had reportedly already built what Bhutans media calls a major road till the Yadong town in the Chumbi valley. Small, landlocked, vulnerable and entirely dependent on India both economically and for access to the world, Bhutan is understandably playing it very cautiously. It cannot afford to provoke China. Priding themselves on being Indias best friend in South Asia, the Bhutanese know that India sees its own security as being tied up with the Dragon Kingdoms.

Jawaharlal Nehru warned in the Lok Sabha in 1959: We have publicly, and rightly, undertaken certain responsibilities for the defence of Sikkim and Bhutan, if they are attacked. It is very necessary for us to understand that if anything happens on their borders, then it is the same thing as an interference with the border of India. That is still Indias position.

Geography will not allow Bhutan to escape the complexities of Sino-Indian relations. But it would be illogical of India not to mend fences with its closest neighbour and biggest trading partner. An economically and militarily stronger India can only stabilise the balance without any need for media militancy or sabre-rattling bombast.
The protesters, mostly young males, succeeded in forcing the bulldozers to turn away, but clashes soon began.

People carry the body of Sayed Tafshan, who died during clashes between security forces and residents of al-Waraq island, on the northern fringes of Cairo, Egypt. (Photo: AP)

Cairo: Egyptian police on Sunday fired tear gas to disperse a rock-pelting crowd of residents defending their homes on a Nile River island against bulldozers sent by the government to demolish their illegally-built dwellings.

The clashes left one person dead and 50 others injured. The violence on the island of el-Waraq on the southern fringes of Cairo is likely to stain a nationwide campaign launched this summer by Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, Egypt's general-turned-president, to restore government control over state-owned land.

El-Sissi has vowed in televised comments to show no lenience to anyone taking illegal advantage of state-owned property, saying the law would prevail regardless of how powerful or wealthy the offenders were.

Anyone using land that does not rightfully belong to them, he angrily said, is a "common thief." Illegal use of state land is widespread in Egypt, as well as building on agrarian land in violation of the law.

Since el-Sissi launched his campaign earlier in the summer, local media has been showing images of police and army troops demolishing buildings illegally built or operating without a license, attempting to project an image of a government keen on protecting what is being billed as "people's property."

To el-Waraq's middle class and poor residents, however, the sight of bulldozers coming to demolish their homes may have been more than they could bear at a time when they, like most Egyptians, are struggling to cope with soaring prices for food and services, a result of ambitious reforms introduced by el-Sissi's government to revive the country's battered economy.

"Get lost! Get lost!" the protesters shouted at the scores of policemen who descended on the island early Sunday, backed by bulldozers, scores of riot policemen and led by senior police generals.

The protesters, mostly young males, succeeded in forcing the bulldozers to turn away, but clashes soon began.

The Health Ministry said a resident died and another 19 were wounded in the clashes. It did not say how the man, Sayed el-Tafshan, died, but a photo of his body posted on social media networks showed chest wounds compatible with birdshot.

The Interior Ministry, which controls the police, said its forces only used tear gas. A ministry statement said a total of 31 people policemen as well as contractors who arrived with them on the island - were injured in the clashes. The injured policemen included two generals.

Ten residents were arrested for their part in the violence, it added. Video clips posted on social media networks showed hundreds of angry islanders, mostly young men, at the man's funeral, marching through farm fields while chanting "We will sacrifice the martyr with our soul and blood."

The statement said the residents attacked police with firearms, birdshot guns and rocks, and that police responded with tear gas. It said up to 700 building and land violations were recorded on the island. It acknowledged the death of one islander and that 19 others were injured.

In el-Waraq, a mostly agricultural island with shoddily built apartment blocks, residents maintain that their homes are legal, citing the government's supply of drinking water and electricity.

One of the Nile's largest islands in Egypt, it is home to nearly 200,000 people and is linked to the mainland by six ferries. "How is my home illegal when you have for years provided me with water and electricity," said resident and civil servant Mahmoud Essawi. "It's our land and we are not leaving."

In a separate development, Egypt's military said its jet fighters destroyed 15 all-terrain vehicles carrying weapons and explosives along with "criminal elements" after they were detected getting ready to cross the Libyan border into Egypt.

A military statement Sunday said the warplanes monitored and "dealt" with the vehicles over the past 24 hours, but it did not say whether the airstrikes targeted them while on Egyptian soil.

It also did not mention Libya by name, making only a thinly veiled reference to the North African nation.
CCTV reported that the military drill was organised in the Tibet Autonomous Region in the middle and lower reaches of Yarlung Zangbo River.

The Chinese media report also stated that the troops from various military units joined the exercise which involved use of anti-tank grenades and missiles. (Photo: AP)

Beijing: As Sikkim standoff between India and China continues to intensify with every passing day, Chinese military on Monday held live-fire drills in the Tibet area close to the Arunachal Pradesh border, a state-run Chinese media reported.

The military exercise, held by Chinas Peoples Liberation Army (PLA), did quick movement troops drill and also practiced destroying enemy aircrafts with artillery and tankers, a Hindustan Times report said, quoting China Central Television (CCTV) report.

The state-run media fail to mention the reason for the drill at the border area of India as this is the latest in the series of war threats by the Chinese side post the border dispute between India and China over tri-junction Dokalam area.

Read: Sikkim standoff: Govt briefs Oppn in hope of a smooth Parl session

The brigade that conducted the (latest) drills was from the PLAs Tibet military command and is one of Chinas two plateau mountain brigades, the national broadcaster of China, CCTV, said.

The CCTV reported that the military drill was organised in the Tibet Autonomous Region in the middle and lower reaches of Yarlung Zangbo River, located in the upper stream of the Brahmaputra River which flows through China, India and Bangladesh.

The Chinese river Yarlung Zangbo which enters India through Arunachal, where it is called Siang before it becomes the Brahmaputra in Assam. China has been building dams over it, causing concern in India that it could affect the flow of the Brahmaputra.

The Chinese media report also stated that the troops from various military units joined the exercise which involved use of anti-tank grenades and missiles.

Read: Sushma, Rajnath convene all-party meet on Sikkim standoff, Kashmir unrest

There has been video recorded by another state-run Chinese tabloid Global Times, which shows radar units identifying enemy aircraft and soldiers using anti-aircraft artillery to annihilate targets, the Hindustan Times report said.

This could be believed as an indirect message to the Indian government and its military as China has been blaming India for the standoff and has asked India to withdraw its troops from Sikkim border for peaceful diplomatic talks between two countries.

Moreover, China has also been claiming that large parts of Arunachal, Indias easternmost state, as their territory called as southern Tibet.
The JIT report recommended that a corruption case should be filed against Sharif and his family under the NAB ordinance 1999.

The six-member Joint Investigation Team (JIT), set up by the apex court to investigate charges of money laundering against 67-year-old Sharif, submitted its 60-day investigation report to the court on July 10. (Photo: AP/File)

Islamabad: Pakistan's Supreme Court on Monday resumed the hearing of high-profile Panamagate graft case against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family, a week after a probe panel in its final report recommended filing of a graft case against him and his children.

Strict security measures are in place in and around the Supreme Court. Around 700 policemen, along with Rangers personnel and officials of the local administration, have been deployed for the hearing.

The six-member Joint Investigation Team (JIT), set up by the apex court to investigate charges of money laundering against 67-year-old Sharif, submitted its 60-day investigation report to the court on July 10.

Read: Panamagate: Nawaz Sharif dismisses demands to quit, to consult Cabinet

It recommended filing of a corruption case against him and his children after finding "significant" disparities in their income and actual wealth.

The JIT report 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 court after receiving the report had ordered that its copies should be provide to the parties and adjourned with directives that the rival lawyers come prepared for the hearing about the JIT report.

The report, however, was slammed by the Nawaz Sharif government as "trash". Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said that government will challenge the JIT report in the court and will contest its every clause.

Sharif's daughter Maryam also rejected the report, saying, "JIT report REJECTED. Every contradiction will not only be contested but decimated in SC. NOT a penny of public exchequer involved."

Read: Panamagate Probe: Pakistan Election Commission gives clean chit to Nawaz Sharif

Major opposition political parties have asked Sharif to step down and stay away from power until his name was cleared. However, Sharif has rejected JIT findings and refused to resign by saying that he was not charged of any specific crime.

His Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz party has also supported him to contest the report in the court. The six-member JIT was set up in May by the Supreme Court with the mandate to probe the Sharif family for allegedly failing to provide the trail of money used to buy properties in London in 1990s.

Last year, the Panama Papers revealed that three of Prime Minister Sharif's children owned offshore companies and assets not shown on his family's wealth statement. The assets in question include four expensive flats in Park Lane, London.

The top court took up the case in October last year on petitions filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Awami Muslim League and Jamaat-e-Islami and reserved the verdict in February after conducting hearings on a daily basis.
Sharif is the only Pakistani politician who has the distinction of being the prime minister of the coup-prone country for a record 3 times.

The Pakistani military has always played a crucial role in the countrys politics. (Photo: File)

Islamabad: The Pakistan Army said on Sunday that it had no role in the investigation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharifs family assets, asserting that it was focused only on safeguarding the countrys security.

Pakistan Armys spokesman Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor said that the joint investigation team was formed by the Supreme Court, which did its job honestly. Its report will be examined by the court. Army has no role in the process.

Asked about the Sharif governments allegations that the Panama Papers scandal and the subsequent probe into the prime ministers family wealth was a conspiracy against the civilian dispensation, the spokesman said that the Army was only focused on the security of the country.

There is no direct army involvement in the JIT, he asserted, adding that the Pakistan Army will continue playing its role for the security of Pakistan with other institutions, according to a report in Dawn newspaper. Political talk is in the political domain.

The denial comes ahead of the Supreme Court hearing into the case, which begins Monday.

The JIT in its damning report submitted to the Supreme Court on July 10 recommended that a corruption case be filed against Sharif and his sons - Hassan and Hussain - and his daughter Maryam for evading tax.

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 Sharifs children.

Sharif, 67 has rubbished the report as a bundle of baseless allegations, and said that an unjustified campaign was launched against his government soon after he won in 2013.

The people of Pakistan have elected me and only they can remove me from this post, he said this week.

The Pakistani military has always played a crucial role in the countrys politics. It has ruled Pakistan for more than 33 years of the countrys 70-year history.

Reports of disagreement between the civilian and the military leaderships this time dates back to October 6, when the Dawn in a front-page report claimed that civilian authorities have warned the Inter-Service Intelligence spy agency to act against militants or face international isolation.

The rift was a grim reminder of 1999, when then Army chief Pervez Musharraf had ousted the government of Sharif.

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 served as prime minister from 1990 to 1993 and from 1997 to 1999. Both of Sharifs first two stints ended in the third year of his tenure.
Pakistan's Tehrik-e-Taliban was behind the attack, according to a statement by the militants' spokesman, Mohammad Khurasani.

The attack comes just one day after the army said it had launched an operation in the Khyber tribal region to rout ISIS. (Photo: PTI/Representational)

Peshawar: Separate bombings targeted members of Pakistan's paramilitary border force on Monday, killing at least three troops and wounding eight, officials said.

In the first attack, a Taliban suicide bomber riding on a motorcycle hit a Frontier Corps vehicle in Peshawar, near the Afghan border, killing two troops and wounding seven.

A few hours later, a second bomb struck in southwestern Chaman province, also on the border with Afghanistan, killing one soldier and wounding another. Police superintendent Imran Malik said the Peshawar attack happened on the edge of the Khyber tribal area.

Pakistan's Tehrik-e-Taliban, an umbrella for Pakistani Taliban factions, was behind the attack, according to a statement by the militants' spokesman, Mohammad Khurasani.

The attack came a day after the Pakistan army announced it had launched an operation in the Khyber tribal region to rout Islamic State militants it said were operating in the area.

The Islamic State in Khorasan as it is known in Afghanistan and Pakistan is based in Afghanistan's eastern Nangarhar province which abuts Pakistan and the Khyber tribal region.

The local Islamic State affiliate emerged a few years ago, mainly from disenchanted Taliban fighters espousing the IS' ideology.

The paramilitary force, known as the Frontier Corps, is the front-line force battling militants in Pakistan's tribal regions stretching hundreds of kilometers (miles) along its border with Afghanistan.

In the Chaman attack, police said one soldier was killed and another wounded but details were scarce because of the remoteness of the area. No one immediately took responsibility for that explosion.
by Stefano Caprio

The new season of the Russian-Vatican dialogue opened after the meeting of Francis and Kirill in Cuba. The mission of Moscow as the "third Rome" and as a bulwark against the enemies of the faith. Papal attempts to have relations with Russia even during the Soviet era. The theological school of M. Arranz. The Catholic Church agrees all pastoral initiatives with the Patriarchate. The problem of the uniates and the crisis of Ukraine. Ecumenical humanitarian aid to Aleppo.

Moscow (AsiaNews) - Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, has recently told the press that he will soon meet with President Putin and the leaders of the Patriarchate of Moscow on an official visit: "the meeting has been in preparation for a long time and now all the conditions have been met," the cardinal said. Since February 2016, when Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill met in Cuba, a new season of the Russian-Vatican dialogue, a kind of Ostpolitik 2.0, has opened.

A Moscow summit between Russian and Vatican historians last week discussed the very meaning of Ostpolitik at length, a term that indicates the eastward" opening of inter-faith politics and dialogue. Some have rightly recalled that the term refers to different phases of German politics, from Bismarck to Willy Brandt, and only journalistic simplifications have applied it to Vatican diplomacy.

In reality, apart from the necessary divisions, the relationship between Rome and Moscow has always been built on the basis of "opening to the East", since Russia, in the second millennium of Christianity, is the true heir to Byzantium, the Eastern soul of the Universal Church. It is no coincidence that in Moscow, at the end of the Middle Ages, the ideal of the "Third Rome", the universal mission of world salvation from the rule of the Antichrist, was created in Moscow, which is now of great relevance. After the Mongols, the Turks, the Poles, Napoleon and Hitler, even today Russia faces the moral degradation of the West and the threat of Islamist terrorism, contemporary embodiments of the assault of the evil one.

For its part, the papacy has always sought support for its primacy in the East, and equally union with Moscow would be the definitive universal ecclesiological seal, and for this reason it has always been sought out by all means. Various attempts have been made to penetrate Russia with the missions of Franciscans, Jesuits, even clandestine priests in the Stalinist years. Politicial and diplomatic accords have been attempted many times: In the 1400s the Pope sent a Byzantine wife converted to Catholicism to the Tsar. In the sixteenth century, the schools of Latin learning spread to Russia, under Peter the Great the best architects and artists came to Russia. Jesuits created the Strumica state colleges for girls. The philosopher Vladimir Solovev, at the dawn of the twentieth century, imagined the union of Christians under the leadership of the pope of Rome and the Tsar's authority in Moscow.

In the 1960s, the period analyzed by the Moscow conference of historians, the Holy See became the protagonist of lively initiatives, especially in the person of then Secretary of State Agostino Casaroli, Parolins Predecessor. The Vatican was the first state to sign, almost paradoxically, the non-proliferation treaty of nuclear weapons with the USSR, and made efforts to facilitate the Soviet signing of the Helsinki Accords in 1975 to defend human rights, just as the regime filled its lagers with dissidents. In the discussion that was held at the Academy of Sciences, these contradictions were developed in detail, recalling both the heroism of martyrs and witnesses and the good faith of officials trying to find ways to overcome the seemingly impenetrable walls.

The great figures of John XXIII and Paul VI on the one hand, as well as of the metropolitan Nikodim (Rotov), the "spiritual father" of the current Patriarch Kirill, and of Polish Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski, are proponents of large openings alternating with obligatory entrencments. In those years there were bold and clandestine missions like that of the intrepid Slovak bishop Pavol Hnilica, but also officially and culturally refined, such as that of the Jesuit liturgist Miguel Arranz, who also succeeded in creating a "theological school" for reform of the church in Russia. The writer has had the honor of referring to the activity of Fr. Arranz, being a student and a disciple in turn. This participation has taken on a particular significance, linked precisely to the new phase of relations between Russia and the Vatican, after being forced in 2002 to leave Russia following accusations of Catholic interference and proselytizing of the Orthodox "canonical territory".

The "terms of reference" mentioned by Card. Parolin certainly include the willingness of the Russian Catholics to patiently agree on every pastoral initiative with the Orthodox Patriarchate. This line of conduct was agreed to by the Italian bishop in Moscow Msgr. Paolo Pezzi, also present at the conference. Archbishop Pezzi, who has led the Archdiocese of the Mother of God in Moscow for ten years now, is one of the four Catholic bishops of Russia; the others are Msgr. Klemens Pickel in Saratov, southern European Russia, and the two Siberian bishops, Msgr. Josif Werth in Novosibirsk (in office since 1992) and Msgr. Cyryl Klimowicz in Irkutsk, who in 2003 replaced Bishop Jerzy Mazur, who in turn had been expelled the previous year following tensions with the Patriarchate.

The question of the situation in Ukraine, however, is still open, where Greek-Catholic and Orthodox are often at the center of discussions and conflicts. Even if not officially, Parolin will try to find solutions that unlock this aspect of dialogue, in which the first and third Rome seek new ways for the salvation of the world. The meeting also includes the recent humanitarian mission in Syria, in favor of the population and particularly of persecuted Christians: on June 23, 20 tons of food and medicines arrived at Khmeimim airport, collected by Catholics, Orthodox and Muslims, and will be distributed to the people of Latakia and Aleppo by members of the Russian Center for Reconciliation. It is hoped that this aid, as well as providing comfort to the war-battered Syrians, can always provide new energies to the apostles of ecumenical dialogue.
Francis Pereira, 54, reportedly confessed that he wanted to free trapped souls". A group of experts wonder how one man could do so much damage. The general perception is that Hindu radicals "encouraged" the incidents.

Panaji (AsiaNews)  Goa Police have arrested Francis Pereira, a 54-year-old Catholic man, in connection with the destruction of various crosses and the desecration of Christian religious sites in the western Indian state.

The accused reportedly confessed to police saying that he believed that he was freeing the trapped souls.

For the authorities, the investigation is over. However, a fact-finding team set up by the Centre for Study of Society and Secularism (CSSS) and the Council for Social Justice and Peace (CSJP) has doubts about the confession and demands an impartial probe into the incidents.

The team says it strongly feels that the arrest (of Francis Pereira) appears as a familiar script to similar crimes across the country to pacify civil society and the affected communities and divert attention from the actual perpetrators.

Francis Pereira was arrested on Saturday in the village of Curtorim. He supposedly destroyed at least 11 crosses across the state and desecrated the Guardian Angel Church cemetery in Curchorem, a town south of the state capital of Panaji.

Goas Director General of Police Muktesh Chander said Pereira claimed that he destroyed religious symbols for years.

The authorities note that the accused was planning to desecrate an idol in a village. Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said he believed the incidents were an attempt to cause tensions in Goa.

CSJP executive secretary Father Savio Fernandes is not so sure. The extensive damage the fact-finding team found could not have been caused by a single person, in his fifties. For this reason, an impartial investigation is needed.

"All the attacks have been executed with heavy steel implements directed at the bases of the structures to cause maximum damage, the teams preliminary report says. The latter sensed the pain and anguish as well as the shock and fear on the faces of the members of the (Christian) community.

The report goes on to say that The general perception of the community pointed to certain statements at a Hindu conclave and during the visit of a National office bearer of the political party in government (Bharatiya Janata Party) as possibly encouraging such incidents.
The Disney-owned character has become a sensitive topic in recent years after a less-than-flattering comparison was made between the portly bear and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Some post the name and picture just to see how quickly they are censored.

Beijing (AsiaNews/Agencies)  On Saturday, Wang Xiaochuan, the CEO of Chinas search engine Sogou, posted an image of Winnie the Pooh on his Weibo account, generating reactions of surprise and appreciation.

Since 2013 the Disney-owned character is a sensitive item for Chinas censors because of a dangerous resemblance with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Comparisons between Mr Xi and Winnie the Pooh first circulated in 2013 during Mr Xis visit with then US president Barack Obama.

A picture of the taller and thinner Mr Obama walking with Mr Xi was juxtaposed to a picture of Winnie the Pooh and his lanky friend Tigger, and the comparison stuck . . . and censored.

In 2014, the comparison was extended to Mr Xis meeting with Japans prime minister Shinzo Abe, who was pictured as Eeyore, the sad donkey, alongside the bear.

Despite the censorship - or perhaps because of it  Winnie has become portlier and more political, a challenge for online censors.

Had the image not been censored in 2013 and later, it would not have the meaning he has today. Now, for many Internet users, the picture or even the name of Winnie are almost a game. Some just want to see how quickly their posts disappear.

I heard that the words of Winnie the Pooh were banned, and so I am writing to check, wrote one. Whats happening to Winnie the Pooh? Whats he done? said another.
by di Santosh Digal

The National Secretariat for Social Action (NASSA) and Caritas Philippines are handing out food, hygiene kits and other essential goods to 3,005 beneficiaries in 12 villages in Illigan City. Psychological support is also provided to women and children traumatised by the fighting. Five staff members and 20 volunteers, Christians and Muslims, are working on the ground.

Manila (AsiaNews)  The National Secretariat for Social Action (NASSA) and Caritas Philippines, the social service wing of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), are providing relief to the victims of the on-going crisis in Marawi, southern Philippines.

The two agencies have been handing out relief goods such as food, hygiene kits and other essential items to 3,005 beneficiaries in 12 barangays (villages) in Illigan City as part of the immediate response and early recovery measures put in place when fighting broke out on 23 May, this according to Jing Rey Henderson, communication and partnership development coordinator of NASSA/Caritas Philippines.

The beneficiaries are not in evacuation centres, but are staying instead with family or in other people's homes following the breakout of violence, Henderson added.

NASSA and Caritas Philippines are also providing psychological support to women and children traumatised by the fighting. "Besides material help, psychological interventions are crucial at this stage for people affected by the crisis," Henderson stressed.

About five staff members and 20 volunteers, Christians and Muslims, are working with government and non-government agencies to hep affected people.

NASSA and Caritas Philippines are making use of the Alay Kapua funds (the Lenten evangelisation and fundraising programme of the Philippines Church) to provide humanitarian services in crisis-affected areas around Marawi.

The goal is to raise more money together with Caritas Internationalis and other donor organisations around the world.
by Melani Manel Perera

The Colombo Port City project has weakened the country so much that it has lost some of its sovereignty. The island nation is a major component of Beijings One belt, one road strategy. Development plans fail to listen to people's voices.

Colombo (AsiaNews)  Sri Lanka is increasingly becoming a "colony of China," this according to many Sri Lankans who spoke to AsiaNews. The country is a victim of Beijing's economic expansion plans, especially the Colombo Port City and the Hambantota airport.

"We are not against development, people say, but we do not want our country to become the colony of another. There are so many development projects done without listening to people's voices."

People complain that "the previous government and the current one are doing the same thing. Through these projects, the poor will become even poorer and the wealthy wealthier. The [nations] environment and sovereignty will vanish."

Hemantha Vithanage, a well-known environmentalist, shares that view. He believes that Chinese investments in the island nation are not very transparent and participatory. They involve modern forms of colonisation of the nation with Chinese characteristics."

According to the activist, who heads the NGO Forum on ADB (Asian Development Bank) that monitors the activities of the new Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), "Sri Lanka is a heavily indebted country that has no bargaining power. It became so weak with the Colombo Port City Project that it has lost sovereignty. The Hambantota plan also raises serious issues about the governments ability to control domestic assets and resources."

Sri Lanka is a key country in Chinas plans, especially since the launch of its One belt, one road strategy, which includes a system of ports and roads to bring Chinese goods to the heart of Europe.

"Most Chinese development plans are somehow linked to this plan. Sri Lanka is strategic because all the maritime routes pass by the island."

As for the AIIB, China owns 51 per cent and India another 26 per cent. Ostensibly, its official purpose is to "invest in infrastructure projects at market rates in energy, communications and transport.

The bank claims that it will not support coal-fired power plants, but will instead promote the Paris accord and renewable energies."

Still, in my opinion it is a new development bank with a vision that [supports] another neoliberal entity to make China shine in the market economy the and the capitalist world."
A UNESCO resolution sparked outraged because it described the site as Palestinian. This however is not an acknowledgment of property but rather of location. The place is holy to all the three monotheistic faiths. According the Genesis, Ishmael and Isaac, forefathers of Arabs and Jews, buried their father there together.

Jerusalem (AsiaNews)  The holy places shared by the three monotheistic faiths are often a cause of friction between Israelis and Palestinians as proved by recent events in Jerusalem.

Yesterday the Temple Mount-Haram esh-Sharif re-opened to Muslims after last Fridays shootings, but worshippers refused to go as a protest over the added metal detectors set up at the Lions Gate.

Recently, a UNESCO resolution recognising the Cave of Machpelah as a World Heritage site has caused outrage in Israel because it was interpreted as defining it as a Palestinian heritage site. Israeli statesman Uri Avnery challenged this interpretation on the website of Gush Shalom, the NGO he founded.

The "Cave of Machpelah", also known as the Cave of the Patriarchs, is a large building, which the Arabs call al-Haram al-Ibrahim, the Mosque of Ibrahim, Avnery writes.

According to the Bible, Abraham and his progeny are buried there. This is the reason why A tsunami of emotions surged over Israel. Jews were united in protest. Everybody vented their anger as loudly as possible. Rarely was such unanimity seen here.

What puzzles the Israeli statesman is the fact that UNESCO does not assign places to nations. [] The holy church in Nazareth is located in Israel, but it does not "belong" to Israel. [] UNESCO did not say that the Machpelah-al-Haram al-Ibrahim site belongs to the Palestinians. It said that it is located in Palestine.

I am grateful to an ex-Israeli called Idan Landau who lives in the US. He took the trouble to read the original text and sent us emails to correct our impression, writes Avnery.

For the Israeli, the UNESCO resolution is fair and correct. It remarks that the site is holy to the three monotheistic religions, as indeed it is. Because of this, a Jewish fanatic  a settler from America  once murdered dozens of praying Muslims there. Jewish fanatics have settled nearby.

Moreover, if one believes that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were real persons, it would still be doubtful that they are buried there. An entire school of archaeologists believes that the burial place is somewhere else in Hebron, not the building now known as the Cave of Machpelah. The graves there are those of Muslim sheikhs.

In his comments Avnery goes on to quote a biblical passage little known in Israel, verse 9, chapter 25 of Genesis: "And Abraham gave up the ghost and died in a good old age And his sons, Isaac and Ishmael, buried him in the cave of Machpelah."

For the statemen, this verse is not taught in Israeli schools because Ishmael is the forefather of the Arabs, as Isaac is the forefather of the Jews.

In Israel, it is known that Sarah sent Ishmael and his mother into the desert to die of thirst. He was saved by an angel, and then disappeared.

The revelation that the Bible in fact says the opposite is shocking. So Ishmael did not disappear, but somewhere along the line made his peace with Isaac. The two sons buried their father together. This changes the story completely. It means that the Bible makes the Arabs, too, rightful heirs of the Cave of Machpelah, side by side with the Jews and the Christians.
ACCC warning: comply with Horticulture Code or face penalties





The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has put Australian produce growers and sellers on notice, warning they need to be ready to comply with changes to the mandatory Horticulture Code of Conduct.

On 1 April 2017, the ACCC introduced changes to the Code which will now allow the ACCC to seek penalties of up to AUD $63, 000 for breaches of the Code.

The changes are set to come into effect 1 April 2018.

ACCC investigation to come

Addressing the 2017 New South Wales Farms Horticulture Forum, ACCC Commissioner, Mick Keogh, said farmers and traders need to familiarise themselves with the Code.

Later this year the ACCC plans to use its investigative powers to check the industrys level of compliance with the Horticulture Code. If Code breaches are detected, the ACCC may take enforcement action, Keogh said.

The Code is designed to offer new protections for growers and traders. We want the horticultural industry to understand that breaching the Code could mean facing an infringement notice or court action, he said.

For smaller breaches, the ACCC can fine body corporates AUD$10, 500 and individuals AUD $2, 100.

The revised Code aims to address much of the the commercial uncertainty that has existed for many years in these markets, and which numerous inquiries and reports have identified, Keogh said.

While the ACCC will continue to educate the industry about the revised Code, businesses are now on notice that ensuring compliance with industry codes, including the Horticulture Code, is a priority for the ACCC, he said.

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Tropical Storm Don has formed in the Atlantic.

Don was east of the Windward Islands on Monday afternoon. It's not expected to be any threat to Florida.

As of 5 p.m. ET, Don was about 485 miles east-southeast of Barbados, moving west at 17 mph. Maximum sustained winds were 40 mph. The center of rotation looked a little more impressive when the Air Force Reserve reconnaissance aircraft investigated the system earlier this evening.

The spaghetti model plots are in agreement that Don will pose no threat to the State of FL; however, it will continue to track westward towards Central America.

Don should move through the Windward Islands late Tuesday and Tuesday night.

Tropical storm warnings have been issued for Grenada, and watches are up for Barbados, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and St. Lucia.

Check back here for updates, including model forecasts, on this developing story.

Also make sure to watch our Tropical Updates each hour at :49



 What exactly are the spaghetti plots?

 Information You Need | Supply Checklist





Remember that the spaghetti model plot does not indicate the strength of a system or even development at all. It only predicts where this broad area of low pressure is expected to go.
City police said Monday an arrest has been made in the fatal weekend shooting of a business employee.

Shooting happened at 29th Street Store in Tampa

Victim identified as Mohamoud Ibraham, 60

Christopher Antonio Sheffield, 24, charged in slaying



Christopher Antonio Sheffield, 24, was taken into custody at about 4 a.m., according to the Tampa Police Department.

The shooting occurred Sunday afternoon at 29th Street Store on North 29th Street.

Officers at the scene found an employee who had been shot and killed. The victim was identified as Mohamoud Ibraham, 60.

Police said Sheffield was identified with the help of witnesses and store surveillance video.

He was charged with first-degree murder, robbery with a firearm and carrying a concealed firearm.

Friends of Ibraham took hard the news of his slaying.



"You know, he always made sure I was on the right path and things like that," said friend Josh Givens.
David Hohl, chief administrative officer of Hibbing, Minn.-based Fairview Range and CEO of Virginia, Minn.-based Northwoods Surgery Center, spoke with Becker's ASC Review about the changing climate between ASCs and hospitals and why partnerships are gaining traction in the industry.

Note: These responses were edited slightly for style and clarity.

Question: How is the relationship between ASCs and hospitals changing and what healthcare trends are making way for possible ASC-hospital partnerships?

David Hohl: ASCs were once only looked at as a threat and as competition to hospitals. Now, hospitals are seeing the value of being able to offer a low-cost surgical service; thus [hospitals] are either looking at opening their own ASC or looking to acquire or partner. Hospitals can never achieve the lower cost per case that ASCs can, and with the fact that many expect in the future hospitals will be paid only what a procedure would get reimbursed at an ASC, the drive to develop or affiliate with an ASC is growing.

Q: What differentiates a successful ASC-hospital partnership from an unsuccessful one? What advice would you give both parties when contemplating a partnership?

DH: The first would be based on if there is enough case volume to feed both the hospital ORs and the ASC, if not one is viewed as competition to the other. It is imperative that it is defined in advance what the hospital will provide to the ASC and what the cost will be. The hospital needs to identify and develop the methods or processes in which it will embrace and support the ASC; without that, it is easy for the ASC to become a low priority.

Learn more from Mr. Hohl at the 24th Annual Meeting: The Business and Operations of ASCs in October 2017. Click here for more information.
Missouri became the final state to implement a prescription drug monitoring program after Gov. Eric Greitens created one through an executive order July 17, reports The Kansas City Star.

The order directs the state's Department of Health and Senior Services to contract with and use prescriber data from pharmacy benefits managers  who work with insurers to keep prescription prices low  as it builds the database. The order also instructs pharmacies to report to the state when they dispense controlled substances.

The order did not specify whether physicians and pharmacists will be able to access the database as they fill prescriptions. Senator Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., is calling for a stronger law, encouraging the state to grant "law enforcement, pharmacies and doctors the tools they need" to fight the opioid problem.

"While I certainly welcome the governor's attention to this crisis, I have serious questions about how meaningful this action will be if doctors writing prescriptions  and pharmacists filling those prescriptions  don't have access to this database," Ms. McCaskill said in a statement to The Kansas City Star.

Senate Republicans opposing the PDMP are worried the mandate infringes on privacy of law-abiding citizens. These lawmakers are reviewing the constitutionality of Mr. Greitens's order.

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Carmen Puliafito, MD, an ophthalmologist and former dean of Los Angeles-based Keck School of Medicine of USC, allegedly used illegal drugs such as methamphetamine and heroin during his tenure, according to an investigative report from the Los Angeles Times.

Videos and photos from 2015 and 2016 obtained by the newspaper show Dr. Puliafito using drugs in a manner law enforcement officials said was consistent with meth and heroin use, according to the report. Numerous sources told the LA Times they regularly partied with Dr. Puliafito.

Sarah Warren, an escort who said she frequently spent time with Dr. Puliafito, overdosed in his presence at a hotel in Pasadena, Calif., in March 2016, according to the report. The LA Times investigation began when a witness, who asked to remain anonymous, brought concerns to the newspaper regarding the police's handling of the overdose. The same witness spoke with USC President C.L. Max Nikias and filed a complaint through the city website about the incident before approaching the LA Times.

The LA Times found no police report was filed for the overdose at the time of the incident. A report was filed after the newspaper inquired about the case, according to the LA Times.

Dr. Puliafito does not have a criminal record, according to the report. Instead, he is a renowned physician and is credited with recruiting more than 70 professors to the medical school and raising significant research funding. Dr. Puliafito resigned as dean of the medical school in 2016 to pursue an opportunity with a biotech company.

USC Keck provided the following statement via email:

"The university is not at liberty to discuss personnel matters, which by law are confidential.

However, we can confirm that following Carmen Puliafito's resignation as dean of the medical school in March 2016, he was on sabbatical from his faculty position. The university is following all proper procedures to review his status in patient care.

If the assertions reported in the July 17 Los Angeles Times story are true, we hope that Carmen receives care and treatment that will lead him to a full recovery."

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Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said Sunday as many as 10 Republicans have worries about the healthcare bill that would overhaul the ACA, reports Reuters.

Her remarks came in an interview with CNN's "State of the Union" program, in which the senator reiterated her opposition to the latest legislation from Republican leaders, revealed July 13, and discussed whether she believes the bill could pass.

"There are about eight to 10 Republican senators who have serious concerns about this bill, and so at the end of the day I don't know whether it will pass. But I do know this: We should not be making fundamental changes in a vital safety-net program that's been on the books for 50 years  the Medicaid program  without having a single hearing to evaluate what the consequences are going to be," Ms. Collins said.

She added, "That doesn't mean there aren't problems with the Medicaid program that need to be addressed. It doesn't mean that the ACA doesn't have serious flaws  it does. But that's why we need to go through the normal committee process and get input from people on both sides of the aisle."

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., had expected a Senate vote on the legislation this week. However, Mr. McConnell deferred the vote as Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., is recovering from a surgery. The bill would need at least 50 "yes" votes from Republicans for approval. In addition to Ms. Collins, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., has also expressed opposition to the legislation, according to the report.
Footage aired on Iranian state television July 13 allegedly depicts Dr. Mohsen Dehnavi, a cancer researcher who was denied entry into the U.S. July 11, as head of the student branch of a voluntary resistance militia force, according to CBS News.

Part of the footage was from a previously aired Fars News Agency news report. It depicted Dr. Dehnavi being named the head of the Tehran, Iran-based Sharif University student branch of the Basij in September 2007, according to the report. The Basij is a volunteer resistance force linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guard.

The state television footage also showed Dr. Dehnavi and his family returning to Iran from the U.S. after being detained at Boston Logan International Airport for more than 24 hours July 10. In comments to the television station, Dr. Dehnavi reportedly said his travel to the U.S. was solely for science and research purposes.

"[U.S. officials] kept me and my family under detention-like conditions for 28 [hours] to 30 hours in a room. They didn't allow us to call anyone or exit the room," Dr. Dehnavi allegedly told the television station. "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."

Dr. Dehnavi was scheduled to begin work at Boston Children's Hospital. The hospital released a statement July 13, stating: "[Dr. Dehnavi] was due to come to Boston Children's as a visiting scholar on a J-1 visa. His visa had been approved by the [U.S. Department of State] prior to travel. Boston Children's has no additional information about the basis for denying Dr. Dehnavi entry to the U.S."

A spokesperson for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection said July 11 Dr. Dehnavi and his family were detained and ultimately denied entry to the U.S. for reasons unrelated to President Donald Trump's executive order banning travelers from several predominantly Muslim countries. The spokesperson said the agency is "prohibited from discussing the details of any individual's admissibility inspection," according to the report.

Editor's note: Becker's Hospital Review reached out to Boston Children's Hospital for comment and will update the story with more information as it becomes available.
Omaha-based Nebraska Medicine launched its own online physician rating system based on requests from current and former patients, according to Live Well Nebraska.

The new system includes a star-based rating for each physician along with a patient comments section. It asks patients 10 questions focused specifically on the care they received, including the degree to which the provider engaged with the patient, the patient's confidence in the provider and the clarity of the physician's words, to determine the average star rating. Patients can then make a comment about their visit.

"For most people, healthcare is still a very word-of-mouth experience," Chad Brough, Nebraska Medicine's chief experience officer, told Live Well Nebraska. "We've attempted to take that phenomenon and put it online so people can make informed choices."

Although there are websites that provide rating services to hospitals and physicians, such as HealthGrades.com and RateMDs.com, Nebraska Medicine officials say providing their own rating and review section guarantees patients are only seeing reviews by the physician's actual patients, according to the report.
A Tennessee woman said she plans to file a formal complaint with the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners after her dermatologist allegedly referred to her as "Aunt Jemima" during a visit July 11, according to WMC Action News 5.

Lexi Carter told WMC Action News 5 July 13 she was waiting at Midsouth Dermatology and Skin Cancer Center in Bartlett, Tenn., when founder James Turner, MD, PhD, entered the room and said "Hi Aunt Jemima." She also claimed he used the term more than once during her visit and reportedly did not apologize at the time.

Aunt Jemima, a brand of breakfast food items owned by the Quaker Oats Company, debuted in 1889. The brand features the image of a black servant woman.

"It was an insult, racial ethnic insult, a joke. It's putting me on a level of someone who is subservient with a smile  kind of step and fetch it. It was very derogatory, very demeaning," Ms. Carter said.

In a statement to the news organization, Dr. Turner said: "Ms. Carter is one of our very dear patients and has been for years. She is one of many African American patients and I count it a privilege to be their doctor. Anything I said that tarnishes that image and my respect for her was a misspoken blunder on my part and was not intended to show disrespect for Ms. Carter. I am very sorry for that misunderstanding."
The following healthcare mergers, acquisitions, partnerships and general transactions took place or were announced during the past week.

1. Rutgers-Care Plus NJ joint venture to take over management of Bergen Regional

The Bergen County Freeholder board unanimously voted July 12 to select Paramus, N.J.-based Care Plus Bergen to operate Bergen Regional Medical Center, a 1,070-bed hospital also in Paramus.

2. Vanderbilt University Medical Center to run 14 Walgreens clinics

Nashville, Tenn.-based Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Deerfield, Ill.-based Walgreens entered into an agreement allowing a VUMC subsidiary to operate 14 Walgreens retail clinics across the state.

3. Lahey, Beth Israel and others ink merger agreement to create 13-hospital system

Five Massachusetts hospitals and health systems signed a definitive agreement to merge July 13.

4. Hotel, restaurant owners throw hat in the ring to acquire Alaska hospital

Rob and Deborah Petrie, who own a hotel and restaurant in Sitka, Alaska, expressed interest in purchasing Sitka (Alaska) Community Hospital.

5. Good Shepherd Medical Group acquires Oregon hospital

Hermiston, Ore.-based Good Shepherd Medical Group acquired Gifford Medical Center, also in Hermiston, June 30.

6. University of Maryland Medical Center to affiliate with Dimensions Health

Baltimore-based University of Maryland Medical Center's board of directors approved a proposal to enter into an affiliation agreement with Dimensions Health, a Maryland system serving residents of Prince George's County.

7. SSM Health, ministry organization to explore sponsorship transfer of 2 Wisconsin health facilities

The Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes signed a letter of intent to transfer sponsorship of Agnesian HealthCare, a three-hospital system in Fond du Lac, Wis., and Monroe (Wis.) Clinic to St. Louis-based SSM Health.

8. CVS' MinuteClinic moves into workplace health with latest partnership

MinuteClinic, the retail medical clinic chain belonging to Woonsocket, R.I.-based CVS Health, joined the Alere eScreen Occupational Health Network to provide workplace health testing.

9. HCA to acquire Texas hospital from CHS

Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare entered into an agreement to purchase 103-bed Weatherford (Texas) Regional Medical Center from subsidiaries of Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems.

10. Quorum Health to divest Alabama hospital

Brentwood, Tenn.-based Quorum Health signed a letter of intent to sell L.V. Stabler Memorial Hospital, a 72-bed facility in Greenville, Ala., to the City of Greenville.

11. UW Health, UnityPoint Health-Meriter finalize operating agreement

Madison-based UW Health and UnityPoint Health-Meriter, also in Madison, finalized their joint operating agreement July 1.

12. Penn State Health completes purchase of 120-member physician group

Penn State Health, the parent company of Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey (Pa.) Medical Center, completed its acquisition of Lancaster, Pa.-based Physicians' Alliance.

13. Memorial Hermann expands network with addition of 2 microhospitals

Houston-based Memorial Hermann added two microhospitals to its network through a joint venture with The Woodlands, Texas-based Emerus.
Hartford-based Connecticut Children's Medical Center will move its administrative offices and about 400 jobs to a new location, according to a Hartford Business Journal report.

The hospital will relocate the administrative offices and jobs, including human resources, finance and technology executives, to an office tower in downtown Hartford. CCMC has rented 110,000 square feet of space in the office tower, which sits less than one mile from CCMC's main campus, hospital officials and commercial brokers told Hartford Business Journal.

James "Jim" Shmerling, president and CEO of CCMC, said the relocation reflects the hospital's expanding services and research for children, and is ultimately expected to result in $1 million in annual rent savings for CCMC, according to the report.

He anticipates the relocation will begin this fall and end by this time in 2018.

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A 31-year-old man was shot outside of Chicago-based Mount Sinai Hospital's emergency department early Sunday morning.

Police say the man was walking into the hospital around 3:36 a.m. when he was shot in the groin area, according to NBC Chicago. The man was taken into the hospital to be treated and was in serious condition.

The hospital went on lockdown immediately after the shooting, Dianne Hunter, a spokeswoman for Mount Sinai, told the Chicago Tribune. The hospital also told all ambulance companies to bypass Mount Sinai. Ms. Hunter said the bypass and lockdown were both lifted by 6:28 a.m. Sunday.

No one has been arrested in connection with the shooting, according to NBC Chicago.

The man was one of 30 people shot in Chicago during an 18-hour period from Saturday to Sunday, according to the Chicago Tribune.

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The Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis postponed the release of its interim report for a second time.

On July 14, the Office of National Drug Control Policy issued a notice rescheduling the commission's report meant to detail a federal strategy to combat the epidemic. The report, scheduled to be delivered via conference call on Monday, was rescheduled for July 31.

Bertha Madras, PhD, a professor of psychobiology at Harvard Medical School in Boston and a member of the opioid commission, told CBS News the delayed report was "trivial compared to the magnitude of the problems and types of solutions needed to formulate an effective response [to the opioid epidemic]."

"The surgeon general's report came out in 2016 after the ravages were present for eight years. [T]he Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act came out after the ravages were present for eight years," Dr. Madras told CBS News. "That's really the story that should be pursued."

When President Donald Trump signed an executive order in March to create the special commission, the panel was given an initial deadline of 90 days to issue a report.

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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!)
Retail clinics have been successful in reducing emergency room visits for minor and preventable conditions, according to a new working paper published by the National Bureau of Economic Research.

The authors examined ER visits in New Jersey from 2006 to 2014 and compared trends in areas with retail clinics. They found residents were 4.1 percent less likely to visit an ER for diabetes complications if they lived within two miles of an urgent care clinic, and residents were 12.3 percent less likely to go to the ER for severe flu symptoms if they lived within that two-mile radius. Proximity to a retail clinic also reduced the likelihood of visiting an ER for minor conditions by between 4.7 percent and 11.4 percent, according to the report.

Diverting care for flu and diabetes to retail clinics at these rates would generate cost savings of more than $817,000 per 100,000 people, according to the report. If people across New Jersey lived within two miles of a retail clinic, it could generate more than $70 million in ER savings. The authors write that this is likely an underestimate of potential savings because data is primarily based on only two conditions. However, their estimate does not include potential cost increases from retail clinic visits.

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Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin, MD, on Sunday ordered the removal of the top two officials at Manchester (N.H.) VA Medical Center and called for a thorough investigation of the facility, reports The Boston Globe.

Dr. Shulkin's orders came just a few hours after The Globe published a Spotlight Team report highlighting serious patient safety and clinical quality issues at the hospital. The article said 11 physicians and medical staffers at Manchester VA Medical Center contacted a federal whistle-blower agency, along with The Globe, to voice their concerns. The staffers cited an operating room infested with flies and obsolete or unsterile surgical instruments as just a few of the safety issues at the hospital.

Dr. Shulkin removed Manchester VA Hospital Director Danielle Ocker and Chief of Staff James Schlosser, MD, pending the outcome of a top-down investigation of the VA facility. Ms. Ocker and Mr. Schlosser are still VA employees and will take over other duties, a VA spokesman told The Globe.

Alfred Montoya, the current director at the White River Junction (Vt.) VA, replaced Ms. Ocker as hospital director. Dr. Shulkin said Dr. Schlosser's replacement will be named soon, according to the report.

"These are serious allegations and we want our veterans and our staff to have confidence in the care we're providing," Dr. Shulkin said in a written statement cited by The Globe. "I have been clear about the importance of transparency, accountability, and rapidly fixing any and all problems brought to our attention, and we will do so immediately with these allegations."

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EasyJet has applied for a new air operator's certificate in Austria

EasyJet has applied for a new air operator's certificate (AOC) in Austria to allow it to continue flying in the European Union after Brexit.

The carrier said the accreditation process is "well advanced" and it hopes to receive the AOC "in the near future".

It will allow the company to continue to operate flights across Europe and domestically within Europe after the UK withdraws from the EU.

EasyJet, which currently has airlines based in the UK and Switzerland, will establish a third, easyJet Europe, headquartered in Vienna.

A spokeswoman said "nothing will change" from the perspective of passengers, and all the people and planes that will fly for easyJet Europe are already employed and based in the remaining 27 EU countries.

EasyJet previously insisted it would not reveal the location of its new 10 million AOC until the application was granted, but it made the announcement after it became clear the information would emerge as it has to update its safety systems and processes as part of the approval process.

It chose Austria because of the country's "rigorous approach to safety" and ability to take on a large number of aircraft.

The single market for aviation, created in the 1990s, means there are no commercial restrictions for airlines flying within the EU.

UK ministers say maintaining "liberal access" to European aviation markets will be a "top priority" during Brexit negotiations.

Under the new structure, the three easyJet airlines will be owned by easyJet plc, which will be EU-owned and controlled, listed on the London Stock Exchange and based in the UK.

But the change will not protect the company if an agreement cannot be reached to enable flights between the UK and the EU to continue.

An easyJet spokeswoman said: "Given the importance of aviation to all the economies of Europe as an enabler of trade, tourism and travel, we think it is important that the aviation market remains as open and competitive as possible.

"EasyJet will continue to push for the EU and UK to reach an aviation agreement which at a minimum will enable flights between the UK and EU."

Prime Minister Theresa May's spokeswoman told a Westminster briefing the matter is a "commercial decision" for the airline.

She said: "In any deal that we want to strike with the EU we want to make sure that it's a good deal for everyone, including businesses that operate here."

The establishment of easyJet Europe will create a number of new jobs in Austria but no jobs will move from the UK.

Current rules state that airlines operating within the EU must be majority-owned by EU nationals.

EasyJet said it is confident it will remain majority EU-owned after Brexit as founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou and his family - who hold Cypriot passports - have 33% of shares.

Around 30% of easyJet passengers are flying on routes between and within the EU27, not touching the UK.

Aviation consultant John Strickland said: "With the conclusion of the AOC process in Austria, easyJet will secure its rights to operate intra-EU flights in a post-Brexit world.

"These are a strategically important and sizeable component of their business."
Almost 20 names of convicted sex offenders have been taken off the proscribed list in the past year, it can be revealed.

Over the course of 12 months - between April 2016 and April 2017 - a total of 24 applications were made by sex offenders to the PSNI.

After an application is made, the PSNI is responsible for deciding whether or not a sex offender still poses a risk to the public.

Information released to this newspaper under the Freedom of Information Act shows that of the 24 cases reviewed, 18 names were struck off.

Since 2013 amended legislation to bring Northern Ireland into line with European Convention on Human Rights has meant that convicted sex criminals are able to apply to the Chief Constable to be discharged from the register.

Offenders are only eligible to apply after being on the register for 15 years - not including time spent in prison.

This period of time is reduced to eight years for those offenders who were under the age of 18 at the time of their being convicted.

Responding to the figures, the NSPCC in Northern Ireland said: "Sexual offences have a devastating and often lifelong impact on the victims of these horrendous crimes.

"Before anyone in Northern Ireland is removed from requirements to report as a sex offender, they should undergo a thorough risk assessment.

"If they still pose a threat to children they must continue to report to the authorities.

"We also believe those still on the register have to be strictly monitored, and this should include regular visits from the police."

In November last year our sister paper Sunday Life reported that over two years to March 2016, 53 review applications had been made to the PSNI with the names of 39 sex offenders being struck off the register - meaning that almost 20 names a year had been removed over the past three years.

Responding to the figures, East Londonderry MP Gregory Campbell said it was crucial to look at whether any of the people removed from the register had gone on to reoffend.

"That would be the crucial thing, because obviously that would be the wider concern in the community," he said.

"While there are different grades of sex offenders, if a name is removed from the sex offenders' register and then they subsequently reoffend, then quite serious questions would have to be asked about why they were removed in the first place.

"That is why, in my view and in the view of a significant number of people, extreme caution should be used when removing people's names from the sex offenders' register."

Meanwhile, the Alliance Party's South Belfast MLA Paula Bradshaw said: "I have faith that the PSNI is robustly assessing the applications for name-removal; however, sexual crime is on the increase and it is essential that consideration of the impact on their victims is a priority part of the process."

The PSNI was contacted for a comment but had not responded at the time of going to press.
Kyle McClean was handed four-month suspended prison sentence for stealing the cash from Russell Shop 4 You in Belfast.

A convenience store's supervisor raided its safe and till of nearly 2,000 in a "moment of madness", a court heard on Monday.

Kyle McClean was handed four-month suspended prison sentence for stealing the cash from Russell Shop 4 You in Belfast.

The 25-year-old, of Park Parade in the city, has since paid the money back and apologised for his actions.

Belfast Magistrates' Court heard another member of staff discovered the store's safety deposit box and till were both empty on May 16 this year.

CCTV checks revealed how the cash - 1,945 in coins - had been taken the previous day.

A prosecution lawyer said McClean, who had worked in the shop for a number of years, then failed to turn up for his normal shift.

He was arrested after police called at his home address.

"He apologised for his actions and said it was a moment of madness," the prosecutor added.

District Judge Fiona Bagnall was told he may have been partially under the influence of drugs at the time of the theft.

A defence solicitor stressed McClean's previous clear record and efforts to repay the cash.

Mrs Bagnall ruled that such a clear breach of trust case "crossed the custody threshold".

However, she decided to suspend the four-month term for 18 months due to McClean's attitude since the incident.

The judge pointed out: "There's genuine remorse and he's done everything he van to rectify the situation."
A Northern Ireland man who was drugged and robbed in Colombia has described his shock at the "truly frightening" ordeal.

Steven Grattan had his coffee spiked with Benzodiazepine, a Valium-type drug, on Wednesday morning. He woke up after seven hours at his home in the capital Bogota, dazed and confused. He quickly realised thieves had made off with all his valuables.

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Mr Grattan (28), from Ballycarry in Co Antrim, has lived in Colombia for the last four years, working as a journalist.

He is a co-founder of The Bogota Post and works as a journalism lecturer and researcher at the Universidad del Rosario.

Mr Grattan is currently on vacation from his university job and has been teaching English. Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, he explained how he was following his usual routine when the incident took place.

After leaving his home in Las Aguas in the heart of the sprawling city he went for a coffee - but remembers nothing afterwards. "I woke up at home, seven hours later feeling very nauseous and confused, as it was already dark," he said.

"It was 5pm, I never made it to my 11am private classes and my 5pm student had arrived, but I was still drugged and largely incapable of waking up."

He began to realise all his valuables were gone, including two phones, a camera, about 100 and his laptop containing all his teaching material and work.

"The culprit had laid me on my bed while carrying out the robbery," he added. "A lot of these possessions were quite well hidden around the apartment, so they must have taken their time while looking around."

Mr Grattan suspects the culprit doped his coffee and, while he was dazed, had taken him back to his apartment, located around 30 seconds away.

Still dazed, he managed to find an internet cafe to get in touch with a friend via Facebook.

"This experience was truly frightening," he added. "It feels violating to know that someone took advantage of me in this way."

Yet Mr Grattan says he is not considering returning home, adding: "I have been presented with an abundance of professional opportunities here, and due to the political climate in the UK, especially that of Northern Ireland, I think I will stay put and be much happier here for now."
A minister in the Commons says it is time Northern Ireland had a City Deal.

Northern Ireland is "long overdue" a City Deal, a Communities minister has said.

Jake Berry told MPs the deals to give local areas specific powers and freedoms to create jobs and support economic growth had succeeded elsewhere in the UK, and now it's "Northern Ireland's turn".

Following a question from DUP MP Gavin Robinson on City Deals in Northern Ireland, Mr Berry said: "We have already engaged with Belfast on their city deals and we look forward to working with them to make sure that we can deliver on the promise.

"It is long overdue that Northern Ireland had some City Deals, they've succeeded in England, they've succeeded in Scotland and they've succeeded in Wales - now it's Northern Ireland's turn and we look forward to it."

But the SNP's shadow cities spokeswoman Alison Thewliss said the Government's 1 billion DUP deal had meant Northern Ireland had received more money than " all of Scotland's City Deals put together so far".

She went on to ask: "The City Deals so far have seen all of the plans that Scottish cities have been short changed by the UK Government. The Scottish Government has put in far, far more than the UK Government has sought to find.

"If money for Northern Ireland can be found, if a billion pounds can appear overnight, how long will Scottish cities have to wait until they get their money?"

Mr Berry said: "All of the Scottish cities agreed mutually with the Government the City Deals and we have seen 523 million go to Glasgow, 53 million to Inverness and the Highlands, 125 million to the Aberdeen region - and with the deals for Edinburgh and other deals on the table I don't think she'll have to wait too long."
The house in Meadow Park which was set alight

A woman has fled her home in Newtownards in terror after a series of attacks  including the smashing of six windows  before it was set alight early yesterday morning.

A number of her neighbours in Meadow Park on the Bowtown estate told the Belfast Telegraph about being woken abruptly and told to evacuate due to the growing flames.

The windows were smashed around 5am before the house was set on fire at 7am.

The blaze caused extensive damage downstairs and smoke damage to the rest of the mid-terrace property.

The woman, who was not injured in the attack, had already gone to stay with her parents before the house was set alight.

A next-door neighbour, who works night shifts, spoke of their shock at being suddenly woken by another resident alerting them to escape the burning terrace shortly after 7am.

He was just shouting the house is on fire, the house is on fire. I looked out and couldnt believe it, there was smoke everywhere and the house next door was on fire.

I was so confused because I had just gone to bed after a night shift; I had to go to my girlfriends family home and sleep.

Another neighbour was alerted by her dog barking.

I knew something was wrong because the dog never gets on like that, they said.

I was in shock when I got up to see the fire brigade and the police across the road.

The smoke was everywhere.

Another resident added: Its nuts up here. I have lived here for years and seen this happen so many times.

All you have to do is blink the wrong way.

I dont know the girl but she seemed to me just to be an ordinary mother.

Ulster Unionist MLA Mike Nesbitt described the attack as unjustifiable.

This was a particularly vicious attack, given the perpetrator or perpetrators returned after she left in an apparent attempt to torch the house, he said.

Society needs to be protected from the sort of person who would carry out this sort of act and I appeal to anyone with information to contact the police.

Alliance MLA Kellie Armstrong also condemned the potentially deadly attack.

This attack happened in a residential area when most people are in bed, she said.

I dread to imagine what could have happened if the alarm had not been raised.

Thankfully, the PSNI and Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service were able to contain what could have been a tragic incident, and I would encourage anyone who saw anything to contact the police.

Detective Sergeant McGrory has appealed for information and branded the attack as reckless.

These were quite reckless acts and we would wish to see the perpetrators brought to justice, he said.

I would appeal for anyone with information to contact detectives at Bangor on 101.
A woman has died in a house fire in Limavady.

The victim, aged in her fifties, was killed in the blaze at Grange Park early on Monday morning.

A passer-by alerted the emergency services just before 6.30am after noticing smoke coming out of the property and hearing the sound of a smoke alarm.

Three fire service appliances from Limavady, Crescent Link and Dungiven stations attended the scene.

The woman was found dead inside the home.

A Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) spokeswoman said: "Tragically a lady has died and our thoughts are with the family and friends of the lady who has died."

The NIFRS and police said an investigation into the cause of the fire had commenced.
A couple have tied the knot in the first official wedding on the British Antarctic Territory.

Polar field guides Julie Baum and Tom Sylvester celebrated their marriage with 20 fellow researchers over two days  starting with a champagne breakfast on Saturday.

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Ms Baum, from Yoxall, Staffordshire, said: Over the last 10 years, Tom and I have been working and travelling around the world. Getting married in Antarctica feels like it was meant to be.

There is no better place really. I love snowy mountains and spending time in amazing places with awesome people.

The wedding celebrations were held in a chapel at the Rothera Research Centre on Adelaide Island, west of the Antarctic Peninsula, where the couple conduct their research.

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Although temperatures were well below freezing and there was very little daylight, Mr Sylvester, from Sheffield, said he thought the setting couldnt be better.

He said: Antarctica is an incredibly beautiful place and we have made such great friends here.

We have always wanted to have a small personal wedding, but never imagined wed be able to get married in one of the most remote places on Earth.

With help from some friends at the Research Centre, Ms Baum made her own wedding dress using part of an old orange pyramid tent for the skirt.

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The ceremony was performed by Rothera Research Station Leader and British Antarctic Territory (BAT) Magistrate Paul Samways.

The couple, who have been together for 11 years, are experienced mountaineering instructors who were chosen to join the British Antarctic Survey and manage deep-field science expeditions last year.

They have worked as expedition leaders in countries around the world, including Nepal, Peru, Ecuador and Uzbekistan.

The marriage is valid in the UK as it was registered with the British Antarctic Territory (BAT) government based in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

It is the first marriage since the BAT marriage law was reformed last year to make it easier for marriages to be arranged in the territory.
Brexit poses real risks to the cost, availability and quality of the UKs food supplies, which the Government has shown little sign of addressing, researchers claim.

A report from food policy specialists has warned the forthcoming break from Europe will lead to chaos unless ministers establish a clear plan on how a new food system will operate.

Currently, the EU props up a huge chunk of Britains food supply  providing 31% of its food  which the authors suggest cannot be walked away from without provisions in place.

The researchers from three UK universities launched the 86-page review into how Brexit could impact the countrys food and farming as the Government gears up for the next round of negotiations with Brussels.

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It cites recent research by the British Retail Consortium that the absence of a trade deal could push the price of imported food up by 22%.

Stability and security which is enjoyed in both the price and supply of food is partly product of EU-wide safety standards, the authors warn.

Even a soft departure from Europe, in which the UK will remain in the single market or customs union, could badly affect the food and farming industries, they add.

Author Tim Lang, a professor from City University in London, accused the Government of a serious policy failing on an unprecedented scale for its handling of the situation in the run-up to Brexit.

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Ahead of the departure deadline, there are thousands of pieces of legislation concerning food which require consideration, covering areas such as agriculture and fisheries.

Mr Lang said: The Government has provided next to no details on agriculture and fisheries, and there has been total silence on the rest of the food chain where most employment, value adding and consumer choice are made.

With the Brexit deadline in 20 months, this is a serious policy failure on an unprecedented scale. Anyone would think they want a drop into the World Trade Organisation abyss.

Their findings, published by the Science Policy Research Unit at the University of Sussex, identifies 16 issues which it urges Prime Minister Theresa May to consider.

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These include a clear integrated plan for UK food, new legislation to replace 4,000 pieces of EU law relating to food and subsidies to cover the EUs Common Agricultural Policy, which the UK is expected to leave.

It also warns that a drain on labour from the continent could rattle the production of food, with 35% of food manufacturing workers said to come from the EU.

The report, which is based on more than 200 sources, continues: Prices, which are already rising and likely to rise more, will become more volatile, especially harming poor consumers.

A spokeswoman for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: Leaving the EU will provide our hugely successful food and drinks industry with new opportunities to expand and flourish.

When we leave we are determined to benefit from tariff-free trade for our goods that is as frictionless as possible.

But we also want to provide stability for the sector when we leave the EU  which is why the Repeal Bill will make sure the laws and rules we have will, so far as possible, still apply and why our Agriculture Bill will make sure farmers can continue to compete domestically and on the global market.
New homes in South Yorkshire will be demolished after the Government confirmed the route of HS2.

Properties on the Shimmer housing estate in Mexborough will be bulldozed to make way for the high-speed railway, the Department for Transport (DfT) said.

Residents will lose their homes because ministers decided the line should serve the existing Sheffield city centre station after proposals to run trains to Meadowhall shopping centre were shelved.

Labours Rotherham MP Sarah Champion said she was furious because South Yorkshire wont get a proper stop.

The DfT said 16 properties on the Shimmer estate will be demolished.

Some respondents to a Government consultation had argued that the plans should take into account all 216 homes originally planned at the site.

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Transport Secretary Chris Graylings decision on the route from Crewe to Manchester and Birmingham to the East Midlands and Leeds confirms six of the seven changes included in the November consultation.

Mr Grayling decided not to proceed with a proposal to move the line to the east of Measham, Leicestershire.

The railway will run to the west of the village with a viaduct extended to mitigate the impact on commercial properties.

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The route decision means no new stations will be built in South Yorkshire.

HS2 trains will serve Sheffield by running along a spur on existing track into the citys main station and then out again to eventually rejoin the high-speed line.

Former Labour leader Ed Miliband accused Mr Grayling of a gross discourtesy as the route announcement was confirmed in a written policy paper when he had been expected to come to the despatch box and make a statement to Parliament.

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Troubled construction giant Carillion is among the firms awarded contracts for building the first phase of the railway.

The deals are worth 6.6 billion in total and will see tunnels, embankments and viaducts constructed between London and Birmingham.

A number of foreign firms were successful in bidding for the work, including Swedish-based Skanska, French company Bouygues Travaux and Austrias Strabag.

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The contracts are estimated to support 16,000 jobs.

A partnership featuring Carillion has been commissioned for two of the projects.

The firm suffered a dramatic collapse in its share price last week after announcing a profit warning which saw almost 600 million wiped from its value.

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Mr Grayling said: Britains new railway line will bring huge economic benefits across the country and help ensure this Government delivers on its promise to spread wealth beyond London and the South East.

But as well as creating skilled jobs, apprenticeships and business opportunities, it will also mean real day-to-day improvements for people across the country.

By building a whole new railway line for high-speed intercity connections, we will free up local services, meaning more comfort, more seats and more trains for passengers across the North and the Midlands.

We will now press ahead with building the line, while continuing to ensure affected communities get appropriate support and are treated with fairness, compassion and respect.
Donald Trump has told Theresa May he will not come to Britain for his controversial State visit until he is sure of getting a "better reception", it has been reported.

The US President was said to have told the Prime Minister that he had not had "great coverage" in the UK and had urged her to "fix it for me", according to The Sun on Sunday.

It was originally reported last month that Mr Trump had informed Mrs May that he did not want to go ahead with the visit if there were likely to be large-scale protests.

The Sun on Sunday said it had now obtained a transcript of their telephone conversation in which Mr Trump said: "I haven't had great coverage out there lately, Theresa."

Mrs May replied: "Well, you know what the British Press are like."

He said: "I still want to come, but I'm in no rush. So, if you can fix it for me, it would make things a lot easier.

"When I know I'm going to get a better reception, I'll come, and not before."

Mrs May was widely criticised for bestowing the honour of a State visit on such a controversial figure so early in his presidency when she met Mr Trump for the first time in the White House in January.

However, no date has yet been set for the visit - which had originally been expected to take place this year - prompting speculation it could be delayed until next year at the earliest.

Mr Trump confirmed that he still intended to come to London when he met Mrs May last week at the G20 summit in Hamburg, while Downing Street has said it is still working on dates.

Meanwhile, Mr Trump has denigrated a poll assessing his six-month approval rating as the lowest of any President since it started being conducted in the 1940s.

Just 36% of Americans endorsed his job performance, which was down from another record low of 42% at the 100-day mark, in a joint survey by The Washington Post and ABC News, while 58% disapproved of his first six months, most of them "strongly".

And just 48% of people think the US's place as a global leader has weakened under Mr Trump, compared to 27% who say it has strengthened, the poll found.

However, Mr Trump took to Twitter to criticise the poll, saying it had been "just about the most inaccurate" during the election last year.

He added that his "almost 40 per cent" rating "is not bad at this time".
Ever since I was made aware that folks from the city on the Foyle favoured different names for their home town ("Do you come from Derry?" "Yes, I come from Londonderry"), I have believed that people should be called whatever the heck they like. So I have no problem with the transgender (or "intersex") pronoun "ze" replacing "he" and "her".

Justin Trudeau's Canada has even passed a law about personal pronouns. The amendment to the Human Rights Act (Bill C-16) prohibits "gender identity and expression", thus enforcing the use of "ze" (also "zi") where transgender people demand it. Woe betide anyone who adheres to Freud's principle that "anatomy is destiny", or, worse, that biology determines gender or sex.

Sex and gender, according to progressive thinking now, are social constructs. You do not derive your gender identity from your body, or your chromosomes: it's society that has formed gender stereotypes. We can choose our gender identity.

Dissent from this view - especially in Canada - at your peril. Professor Jordan Peterson, professor of psychology at the University of Toronto, has called the new pronoun laws "compelled speech": and those who refuse to comply may be brought before the courts for "hate speech".

The triumph of transgender ideology is now unstoppable. In the UK (where there's been a tenfold increase in demand for referrals to gender identity clinics) the education authorities are pressing forward with teaching young children about transgenderism. The National Union of Teachers has recommended that children as young as four should be taught positive transgender values - to combat "hate speech" against people who change sex, or people who reject the "binary" concept of sexuality. Top London schools like St Paul's have introduced "gender-neutral" protocols to allow pupils to choose whatever gender identity they wish.

Recently, a English academic, Dr Joanna Williams from Canterbury, caused a furore at an education conference, by saying that teaching transgender policies confuses young children: they don't need to be taught about "gender fluidity" in primary school, and since the transgender issue only affects about one per cent of the population, it's a "waste of time and money" to dedicate educational policies to it.

But transgender policies (and politics) are gaining ground everywhere. Where does this ideology come from? The philosophical source of gender theory is a 61-year-old Californian professor called Judith Butler, whose complex and sometimes difficult academic works on gender theory have attained global status. Professor Butler objects to words like "masculine" and "feminine", since they represent an unacceptable "norm", and "norms" imposed by social practice.

All gender stereotypes and sexual identity stereotypes must be challenged. (And sexual identity does not necessarily correlate with sexual orientation.)

Although gender theory affirms that we are all on a spectrum between "masculine" and "feminine", Professor Butler nonetheless deplores the words "masculine" and "feminine". Calling some women "masculine" and some men "feminine" is itself a violence against gay, transgender and intersex people. It is these "norms' which have led to violence and hate crimes against all LGBTQI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex) people.

A gay woman herself, Butler dislikes campaigns for same-sex marriage on the grounds that equal marriage is mimicking heterosexual "norms", and therefore itself a transgression.

Actually, I can buy the idea of gender fluidity. Some women are more masculine (if you'll forgive the word) and some men more feminine (ditto), and it's interesting to observe that.

A professor of mathematics once analysed the way I write, and concluded that I must be a man in disguise, because my sentence structures are masculine. If you say so, prof.

And anyway, the sexes do tend to merge much more with age. Older women become "virilised", in the medical term (more like men) and men grow feminine with age, soft-skinned and rosy-cheeked.

However, this is straying into the area which is rejected and rebuffed by gender theory - that gender is based on biology and chromosomes. Germaine Greer was silenced ("no-platformed") in the UK academia for saying that she did not accept that a male could become a female through surgery and hormone treatment.

It was Victor Hugo, I think, who said that there is nothing as powerful as an idea whose time has come. And this is the time for gender theory.

Canada certainly is at the forefront of gender theory and transgender rights. Recently, an eight-month-old Canadian baby was the first ever to be officially registered as "gender unknown". The infant, child of a "non-binary trans person", Kori Doty, will choose its own gender when it (or "ze") has "the sense of self and command of vocabulary to do so". And anyone who gives it a pink or blue toy, or otherwise strays into the explosive field of what little boys or little girls are made of, will surely fall foul of Mr Trudeau's transgender protection laws.
Semuel Pangerapan, a senior official with the Ministry of Communications and Informatics (second from right) and other officials discuss Telegram at a news conference in Jakarta, July 17, 2017.

The Indonesian government has been asking Telegram to remove terrorism-related content from its encrypted chat groups since March 2016 but got a response only after it began to block access to the platform, officials said Monday.

Telegram has now apologized and begun responding to some of its requests, according to a statement released by the Ministry of Communications and Informatics on Monday.

I have received an email regarding an apology from Pavel Durov, the CEO of Telegram, Minister of Communications and Informatics Rudiantara said in the statement.

It appears he was not aware there were several requests from the ministry, since 2016, he said.

Durov has already taken steps requested by the ministry and proposed communications dedicated for handling radical or pro-terrorist content, Rudiantara added.

I appreciate the response from Pavel Durov, and the ministry is going to follow up as quickly as possible on the technical details so that a standard operating procedure can soon be implemented, he said.

The government will restore access to web-based Telegram messaging  which it blocked on Friday  if Telegram meets several conditions, Semuel A. Pangerapan, a director general of the ministry, told a news conference in Jakarta on Monday.

These include opening an office in Indonesia; making the ministry a trusted flagger of Telegram accounts or channels containing terrorist propaganda; and involving the ministry in content-filtering efforts.

When all the conditions we have requested are met by Telegram, then we will unblock it, Indonesian media outlet Kompas quoted him as saying.

The ministry on Friday announced that it had requested Internet service providers to block 11 domain names used by Telegram after collecting evidence that many channels on the messaging app had been promoting extremist ideologies.

17,000 pages

Indonesias government had identified 55 channels on Telegram that contain terrorism-related content, including discussion of how to mount attacks, and printed out 17,000 pages of terrorism-related content from Telegrams web-based channels, officials said.

In addition, almost all individuals convicted of terrorism-related activity between 2015 and July 2017 used the application, Pangerapan said Monday.

So we can see how massively they use, or misuse, the sophistication of technology. That is why we must take quick, strategic steps to prevent it going forward, he said.

The ministry took the decision to block Telegram after sending a sixth email expressing its concerns to the company on July 11 and receiving no response by July 13.

It had sent five other emails starting on March 29, 2016 asking the company to clean up radical and terrorism-related content from its channels, but there had been no reply.

In a message posted on Telegram on Sunday, Durov said those channels had now been blocked and the company would take additional steps including setting up a direct line of communication with the Indonesian ministry.

We are forming a dedicated team of moderators with knowledge of Indonesian culture and language to be able to process reports of terrorist-related content more quickly and accurately,The Wall Street Journal quoted Durov as saying.

Telegram is heavily encrypted and privacy-oriented, but were no friends of terrorists in fact, every month we block thousands of ISIS-related public channels, he said.

Indonesias decision to block Telegram was criticized by journalists and human rights activists, who said it had been hastily implemented to counter radicalism without addressing the root of the problem.

On Sunday, President Joko Jokowi Widodo publically backed the move.

The government has long observed Telegram and we are a country that prioritizes the safety of our nation, our people, the Journal quoted him as saying.
Fire engulfs houses in the southern Philippine city of Marawi as government forces continue to battle Islamic State-linked militants, July 17, 2017.

The death toll in nearly eight weeks of fighting between Philippine forces and Islamic State-backed militants in the southern city of Marawi has reached 547 people, officials said Monday as the military pounded rebel-held positions with bombs, rockets and mortars.

Fifty-six days of fighting have left 97 troops and other security personnel dead, along with 45 civilians and 405 extremists, and another 852 servicemen wounded, Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella told a news briefing in Manila as he gave a tally of updated casualty figures.

Troops have been engaging militants in gun battles to flush them out from an area in Marawi, almost two months after Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) and Maute gunmen, backed by foreign fighters, took over large parts of the city in the heart of the predominantly Muslim southern Philippines.

In related developments on Monday, President Rodrigo Duterte vowed to shepherd through Congress a bill offering self-rule to the countrys Muslim minority. He said he was hopeful that the bill, also known as the Bangsamoro Basic Law, would convince Filipino Muslims to reject the extremist groups who seized Marawi.

The bill was jointly written and submitted to him Monday by government officials and the countrys largest Muslim guerrilla group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

This moment is a significant step forward in our quest to end centuries of hatred, mistrust and injustice that cost and affected the lives of millions of Filipinos, Duterte said in a speech to MILF leaders and government officials.

Muslim secessionists had waged a decades-old insurgency that claimed more than 100,000 lives in the Mindanao region that includes Marawi. Dutertes predecessor, Benigno Aquino III, signed a peace pact with the MILF in 2014 but Congress refused to pass the self-rule bill.

Duterte weighs extending martial law

On Monday, a fire razed a section of the ruined city where clashes were ongoing. It burned for about five hours before firefighters brought it under control.

Army Lt. Col. Jo-Ar Herrera, Joint Task Force Marawi spokesman, said troops were battling with 60 gunmen who were spread out in four villages along with their hostages.

We are gaining more ground. The rebel-held area is getting smaller. We are committed and focused to finish the job as soon as possible, Herrera said.

In Manila, overall military spokesman Col. Edgard Arevalo said the latest casualties included six gunmen and two soldiers who had died in firefights on Sunday.

He said 1,723 civilians had been rescued, although the gunmen were believed to be holding dozens of hostages, including a Catholic priest.

Fighting erupted on May 23 when troops and police moved in to arrest ASG leader Isnilon Hapilon, who is recognized as the leader of Islamic State (IS) in the Philippines. But the government forces were thwarted by superior firepower from the gunmen, who were backed by Southeast Asian and Middle Eastern fighters.

President Duterte, who was visiting Russia with his top security officials when the violence broke out, placed the entire southern island of Mindanao under martial law, giving the military extraordinary police powers to quell the violence. He also was forced to seek intelligence help from the United States, the nations longtime ally, and Australia.

The 60-day martial law declaration is to end on July 23, a day before Dutertes state-of-the-nation address in Congress. There have been local reports that he plans to ask for an extension.

His spokesman, Abella, said the Department of National Defense had submitted its recommendation on the martial law as early as last Thursday, but Abella declined to divulge details.

The president will go through and will make a decision on the matter, Abella said.

As we all know, the president listens and he considers the position not only of the military and of the police, but also the interests of vital stakeholders, he said.

Last week, Duterte said the fighting was just days away ending, and that he was planning on visiting Marawi.

Attracting more foreign fighters

Meanwhile, an American analyst testified before a U.S. congressional subcommittee last week that the ongoing fighting in Marawi would eventually attract more foreign and local fighters.

Thomas Sanderson, the transnational threats project director at think-tank Center for Strategic and International Studies, told the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific that without a short-term solution to the Marawi fighting, regional extremists might see Mindanao as a primary destination.

None of that is good for the security of the Philippine nation, especially local civilians (Muslim, Christian, Buddhist and others) in desperate need of economic development and responsive government, Sanderson said in his July 12 testimony.

An estimated 80 foreign fighters might have joined the Marawi battle and fighters from Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Chechnya, Yemen, Indonesia and Malaysia were among the fatalities, he said, quoting intelligence sources.
Protesters carry a banner that reads block the dictatorship during a demonstration in front of the heroes cemetery in Manila to coincide with the anniversary of the civilian-backed military uprising that toppled President Ferdinand Marcos, Feb. 25, 2017.

Rights advocates said Monday they would contest a Philippine courts rejection of a bid by thousands of victims of Ferdinand Marcos authoritarian rule to collect about $2 billion in damages awarded by an American court.

The Philippine Court of Appeals has dismissed a petition filed by the victims who sought enforcement of a February 1995 ruling by a U.S. federal court, which had awarded $1.9 billion to about 10,000 plaintiffs in a class-action lawsuit.

Loretta Ann Rosales, the former chairwoman of the Commission on Human Rights who filed the petition on behalf of the victims, vowed to appeal.

It seemed an absurd decision because that action by the Hawaii court has long been used in world jurisprudence. It has been historically recognized, Rosales told BenarNews.

But the Hawaii district courts ruling was not binding because it did not have jurisdiction over the case, according to Associate Justice Normadie Pizarro.

Rules of comity should not be made to prevail over our Constitution and we cannot allow foreign impositions to trample upon our sovereignty, Pizarro said, adding that the U.S. courts decision also failed to meet standards of valid judgment in the case.

The court also said the case could not be considered a class suit because the claimants were classified into three categories  as victims of torture, summary execution or disappearance.

It said the Hawaii court also failed to ensure that the 10 Filipino citizens who initiated the case truly and legally represented the other purported claimants.

Ramon Casiple, who represents another group of victims, said the Marcos family has been aggressively fighting the courts since they returned home after the death of the dictator in 1989 in Hawaii, where the Philippine leader fled in 1986 at the height of a popular revolt that toppled his 20-year rule.

The Marcos family basically invoked technical issues and undertook delaying tactics, Casiple said.

Ferdinand Marcos ruled the Philippines for two decades, mostly under martial law. Thousands were killed or went missing during his dictatorship.

But his arch political foe, Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr., was assassinated in 1983 shortly upon landing at Manila airport from U.S. exile, galvanizing the fragmented political opposition against Marcos that culminated into a people power uprising, eventually toppling his regime three years later.

Members of the Marcos family were subsequently allowed to return home, where they have regained political clout. Widow Imelda is a congresswoman and daughter Imee was elected governor of the familys northern bailiwick. Son and namesake Ferdinand Marcos Jr. became a senator, who narrowly lost the presidency last year.

They have also found a strong political benefactor in President Rodrigo Duterte, who has publicly said he idolized Marcos and claimed that Imee Marcos contributed to his campaign funds.

Last year, Duterte made true on his campaign promise to allow Marcos remains to be granted a state funeral at Manilas national heroes cemetery, triggering a public outcry.
When I was a young girl, my family lived in Frankfurt, Germany. Ever since then Ive had this singing in my blood, calling me back to my childhood home. When I finally had the opportunity to return to Europe for my senior year as part of Bowling Green State Universitys education abroad program, I leapt at the chance. BGSUs German Department kindly offered me a place in its exchange program with the Paris Lodron University of Salzburg in Austria, and I was more than happy to accept.

My return to German culture has been one of the most fulfilling experiences for which I could have asked. My childhood abroad played such an important role in my academic interests, ultimately leading to my choice to study international relations as well as the German language. Returning to such a culture feels like coming full circle.

Because of my personal history, I didnt experience culture shock and travel anxiety the way many of my peers did. Living in Salzburg has felt so much like coming home that the minor day-to-day challenges rarely get me down. Upon arrival, I had the practical experience of using public transportation or ordering fries without ketchup that many of my new friends lacked. My biggest challenges were in other arenas.

Taking every single one of my classes in German has been the biggest challenge for me while living abroad. Many of my fellow students have spent significantly more hours in German classrooms than me, and I quickly learned on arrival that my cultural proficiency and street fluency did not equate to an academic environment. Luckily, my new friends were more than happy to exchange their classroom understanding for my street skills and travel agent abilities  an exchange that continues to be beneficial for everyone today.

My time abroad actually began several months before the BGSU Salzburg Program. Prior to studying in Salzburg, I was lucky enough to have gained an internship with the U.S. State Department at the U.S. Consulate in Munich, Germany. It was an amazing opportunity and an excellent combination of my interests. As I hope to someday work in foreign affairs, I couldnt have asked for a better start to my adventures.

I was also lucky enough to have received several large scholarships from the BGSU community, namely the Stuart R. Givens Memorial Fellowship and the Hoskins Global Scholar Program Scholarship. These two scholarships have allowed me to pursue amazing opportunities focusing on the Syrian Refugee Crisis, a topic in which I have strong personal interest. I spent time researching refugee societal integration in Berlin; Dresden, Germany; and Budapest, Hungary; and then was able to volunteer in a Special Cases Refugee Camp on the Greek Island of Lesvos during my winter break. The experiences I have gained from these scholarships were the icing on the cake to all of the amazing travel opportunities I have had while abroad.

While my academically motivated travel was certainly fabulous, one of the biggest perks of studying abroad is all of the personal travel opportunities right at your fingertips. Since last November, I have been in 13 different countries, countless cities, seeing beautiful, natural wonders and having spent scarcely a single weekend in my own apartment. Sometimes Ive traveled alone, sometimes with new friends, and sometimes meeting up with friends from home, but regardless of the company, every new experience is magical in its own unique way. Ive also learned the best stories happen when things dont go according to plan. Whether you are staying in beachside orange grove in Croatia, a tourist farm in the middle-of-no-where-Slovenia, or if you have to hitch hike to your hotel in Italy because the town shut down for a holiday youve never heard of, adventure is waiting around every corner.

Studying abroad has been and is one of the most delightful twists of fate that I never knew to pray for. It breaks my heart to write this postcard knowing I have less than 50 days left in the place my heart now calls home. If every student at BGSU could experience even half of what I have been blessed enough to receive, our community would be a richer place indeed.
In the panel discussion I participated in... the issues of pseudepigraphy and pseudonymity were raised by one of the panelists. Since this is an important issue that challenges the inspiration, authority, and inerrancy of Scripture, I thought I would post a few thoughts.

1. First, some definitions. Pseudepigraphy (false superscription) refers to writings that have been falsely attributed to a well-known person. Pseudonymity (false name) is used synonymously to refer to the same phenomena, though as Carson and Moo point out, only the latter term can be traced back into antiquity. Examples include works like Wisdom of Solomon, 3 Corinthians, Assumption of Moses, Testament of Job, etc.

2. This phenomena encompasses a variety of motives, ranging from outright attempt to deceive to mistaken conclusions by well-meaning people. In other words, some authors intentionally claimed their work was that of someone else to deceive the audience and claim the authority of the falsely named author. At the same time, other works over time came to be associated with a figure with no intention to deceive; these were honest mistakes.

3. A distinction must be made between those works that are anonymous and later came to be associated with someone and those that make explicit claims to authorship. For example, the work called Wisdom of Solomon never explicitly claims to be written by Solomon (though 7:114 & 8:179:18 strongly suggest it); by contrast 1 Enoch directly claims to come from Enoch himself. This distinction is important when we come to the NT. It is one thing to note that Hebrews was (wrongly) thought by some in the early church to be written by Paul (it is anonymous); it is quite another to say that Ephesians was not written by Paul (despite its explicit claim).

4. Despite the fact that this was a common practice in the ancient world, there is absolutely no evidence that the early church ever knowingly accepted a pseudonymous document as authoritative. Again the discussion of Carson and Moo is instructive; they point out that even works (such as 3 Corinthians) that were highly regarded in parts of the early church were condemned when it was recognized to be falsely written in the name of Paul.

5. Therefore if any of the documents in the NT are, in fact, pseudonymous, they were accepted unknowingly. Furthermore, given the dating that many scholars give to supposedly pseudonymous letters, such as Ephesians and the Pastoral Epistles (usually late 1st century, well after Pauls death), one must conclude that the recipients knew they were receiving a letter falsely written in the name of Paul. But then at some point this knowledge was lost. How does that happen?

6. The direct statements about pseudonymity in 2 Thess 2:12, 3:17 are often not fully appreciated. Paul explicitly warns the Thessalonians about being shaken by a letter claiming to be from him, and then concludes by noting that the writing of the postscript in his own hand was a distinguishing mark of his letters. Paul explicitly condemns the writing of a letter in his name. Of course, many critical scholars claim that 2 Thess is itself pseudonymous, which would mean that the real author of the letter was condemning the very practice he was engaging in! Talk about hubris!

7. Claims of pseudonymity, therefore, are usually based largely (if not entirely) on internal matters such as vocabulary, style, theology, etc. But notice how subjective such claims are! Do we really have enough of a body of writing from even Paul to emphatically state that Paul could not have written in a certain way? What about the potential role that a difference in amanuensis (secretary) would make in vocabulary and style. What about the difference in historical circumstances that Paul addresses; wouldnt they make some difference in vocabulary, style, and theology?

8. At the end of the day, claims of pseudonymity are a direct denial of the inerrancy and inspiration of Scripture, despite what some may claim. While, as evangelicals, we must not shy away from critical examination of the NT documents, we must also reject the naturalistic assumptions that frequently drive claims of pseudonymity.

This is but a brief excursion into the subject. If you want further discussion, let me once more direct you to the discussion in of Carson and Moo, pp. 337-350.

Since 2006 Dr. Matthew S. Harmon has served as Professor of New Testament Studies at Grace College and Grace Theological Seminary in Winona Lake, Indiana. Find out more at his blog, Biblical Theology, which is a forum for all matters pertaining to biblical theology (and some entirely unrelated).
Von: P. RONZHEIMER and C. WEINMANN

They look like Mad Max cars from a science fiction movie. But the vehicles that are now lined up in the Iraqi armys base in Mosul were intended to kill hundreds of soldiers.

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ISISs suicide attack cars  BILD talked to a soldier who, along with his comrades, seized the home-made armoured limousines.

Mosul, June 2017: this aerial photograph shows the explosive power of the rolling bombs

Bassam Helow (33), who is part of a special unit of the Iraqi police, explains: Two weeks ago, we discovered these cars in a secret operation. We knew they would be full of explosives for killing us.

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In many cases, SUVs by Japanese manufacturer Toyota (for instance, Land Cruiser or Hilux) or by South-Korean manufacturers Kia und Hyundai were covered up with a thick layer of metal. Bulldozers were also refitted this way. Bassam Helow: ISIS had special engineers for this task. They armoured the cars so that they would be hard to hit.

ISIS painted the vehicles in the respective colours of Iraqi military units who were fighting against the terrorists in different parts of the city. Blue suicide cars were used against the police. Green cars were used against anti-terror units. Black cars were used against Iraqi special forces. Helow: This made it difficult for the airplanes to identify who was friends and who was foe.

ISIS also used the cars to transport their own troops from the base to the frontline. Their main purpose, however, was suicide attacks. There were often two people in a car. One was shooting to distract us, the other one would blow up the entire car.

A small viewing panel allowed the terrorists to see the street. Just in case a suicide attacker changed his mind along the way, many drivers were chained to the cars and the cars themselves were locked from the outside  In its base, the Iraqi army is now testing how best to destroy these cars with rocket throwers. For the war is far from over. Yesterday, there was a new counter attack by ISIS south of Mosul that killed several Iraqi soldiers 

PS: Sind Sie bei Facebook? Werden Sie Fan von BILD.de-Politik
For Immediate Release, July 17, 2017 Contact: Kristen Monsell, (510) 844-7137, kmonsell@biologicaldiversity.org Federal Court Rejects Trump Administration's Attempt to Dismiss Case Challenging Offshore Fracking in California LOS ANGELES A federal court on Friday rejected the Trump administration's effort to dismiss a lawsuit challenging the approval of fracking in federal waters off California. The suit  filed by the Center for Biological Diversity and Wishtoyo Foundation  notes that the government violated the National Environmental Policy Act and Endangered Species Act by failing to carefully study offshore fracking's risks before allowing this dangerous oil-extraction practice. The suit points to offshore fracking pollution's threats to the marine environment, public health, imperiled wildlife and sacred Chumash cultural resources and places. This is a big victory in the fight to protect California's coast from offshore fracking's toxic chemicals, said Kristen Monsell, a Center attorney. We're glad the court rejected the Trump administration's baseless attempt to dismiss efforts to force a hard look at offshore fracking's risks. The law clearly requires the feds to carefully study and reduce threats from offshore fracking, not blow them off so oil companies can keep using this hazardous process in fragile coastal environments. The Trump administration argued that the approval of offshore fracking and acidizing at all active oil and gas leases in the Pacific Ocean was not a final agency action reviewable by the court. In rejecting these arguments, the court noted that federal defendants' challenged decision allowed the use of offshore fracking and acidizing without restriction at all active leases in the Pacific Ocean Oil platforms in the Santa Barbara Channel have federal permission to annually dump up to 9 billion gallons of produced water  including fracking chemicals  into the ocean. At least 10 fracking chemicals used in offshore fracking in California could kill or harm a broad variety of marine species, including sea otters and fish, Center scientists have found. The California Council on Science and Technology has identified some common fracking chemicals to be among the most toxic in the world to marine animals. The court also rejected the Trump administration's attempt to dismiss a similar lawsuit filed by the state of California. The state's case also argues that the approval of offshore fracking without carefully studying the risks violates the National Environmental Policy Act, and that federal officials violated the Coastal Zone Management Act by failing to determine if offshore fracking is consistent with California's coastal management program before allowing the practice.


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The NIHR Global Health Research Group on Global COPD in Primary Care will be based at the University of Birmingham

The University of Birmingham has secured 2 million from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) to launch a research group aimed at improving healthcare for patients with lung diseases around the world.

The NIHR Global Health Research Group on Global COPD in Primary Care will be based at the University of Birmingham and will be co-directed by Dr Rachel Jordan and Professor Peymane Adab at the University's Institute of Applied Health Research, who will work with leading primary care experts in China, Brazil, Georgia and FYR Macedonia.

Together they will embark on several research projects over the next two years to find better ways of early detection and improving the management of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) in primary care and the community in each of the four global regions, with transferrable lessons to other settings and countries.

There is no cure for COPD, but treatment can help ease symptoms, lower the chance of complications and hospitalisations, and generally improve quality of life. Over half of those with the condition do not know they have it, and so earlier diagnosis could improve the outcome for patients.
LUSAKA, Zambia - One of the leading global advertising networks, Dentsu Aegis Network has strengthened its footprint in Africa with the signing of Mojo New Media Limited (Mojo), a leading advertising agency in Zambia, as its affiliate creative agency in the market.

Dentsu Aegis Network Sub Saharan Africa (SSA) is part of the global media group that specialises in media, digital and creative communications and spans over Southern Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and Tanzania with owned businesses, affiliates and affiliate partnerships in another 32 markets across SSA.

At the core of Mojos success, is the outstanding ideas of their 12 professional and passionate employees who make up their unique team. The strength of their business capability lies in their specialisation in advertising. Their offering includes; strategy, design, photography (event, corporate studio and location), audio advertisement production, artists management, audio for film and music production. This dynamic team exudes fresh, innovative and powerful ideas which is evident from their portfolio of work.

Mojo has a credible client base including blue chip clients; Zambeef, FNB, Super Sport, WWF Zambia, FSDZ, Huawei, Pick N Pay, Restless Development, Proflight Zambia, JICA, Harvest Plus, to name a few. Having worked with 120+ clients, spent 500 hours recording and completed 240 projects, this is true a testament to their high performance culture.

Group Chief Operating Officer for Dentsu Aegis Network Sub Saharan Africa, Bevis Hoets stated,Mojo is a team of talented young individuals who are passionate about their work and their ability to service their clients. Their culture is innovative and their desire to make things happen is perfectly aligned to the values of Dentsu Aegis Network. We welcome them to the DAN family and look forward to using Mojo as a platform to offer the other services provided by our unique operating model.

Speaking on the affiliation, John W. Mwanza, Founder and Managing Director for Mojo said, Mojo New Media was founded on the firm belief that we can change the advertising status quo. We are a team of creative individuals passionately challenging the conventional. We have been enhancing our clients brands by finding alternative methods to engage the target audience in a way that is fun, personal and unexpected. The Dentsu Aegis Network provides a global platform for us to collaborate and reach beyond the borders of our country and this is very exciting for us. The affiliation will allow us to tap into the wealth of resource within the network which will in turn upgrade our service offering to our existing and prospective clients.

With the common grounding of innovation and creativity from both parties, we can expect to see some incredibly innovative and creative things to come from this partnership.




DAKAR - Senegalese-American rapper Akon announced Saturday he would purchase 50% of African music download service Musik Bi, as the platform struggles to gain a foothold after its launch 18 months ago.

Africa's first home-grown platform for legal music downloads, Musik Bi launched in Senegal in February 2016 with a mission to promote African artists, pay them properly, and fight internet piracy.

Akon, whose real name is Aliaune Badara Thiam, announced in Dakar he would become the majority shareholder in the service, describing Musik Bi as 'the platform of the future' |  John Muchucha

Akon, whose real name is Aliaune Badara Thiam, announced in Dakar he would become the majority shareholder in the service, describing Musik Bi as "the platform of the future".

"It's not just a platform for Senegal but for Africa," he added, refusing to be drawn on what he had paid for the transaction.

Best known for his singles "Locked Up" and "Smack That", Akon has devoted more of his time in recent years to his Lighting Africa solar energy initiative and other charitable pursuits.

He launched his latest single "Khalice", a collaboration with Senegalese superstar Youssou Ndour, exclusively on Musik Bi.

More than 200 internationally famous musicians, along with younger rappers, jazz artists and Christian and Muslim vocalists, initially agreed to put their music on Musik Bi, where users can download it using their phone credit.

CEO Moustapha Diop, whose company Solid pioneered the project, said ongoing disputes with phone companies over their cut of takings had hindered Musik Bi's reach.

"We have the ambition of developing across Africa and being 'the' musical distribution platform in Africa," Diop told journalists.

"The profit made by the operators is problematic because it goes against the interests of the artists and the platform in general. We will keep pushing to get a reasonable deal," he added.

After mobile operators took their share, artists keep 60% of their income from the service, while Musik Bi take the remaining 40%.

The platform also hopes to broaden into a music festival, television channel and a streaming service, Akon said.

Piracy and changing consumer habits have seen record sales drop across the continent, with illegal downloads tempting African consumers looking online for music while copyright enforcement remains relatively weak.
So Prisa (the Public Relations Institute of Southern Africa) is calling for regulation of the PR industry following the Bell Pottinger fiasco.

I have two words for them:

Please. Don't. (Well that's actually three words, if you want to be pedantic).

I'm sure it was a panic reaction to reinforce the fact that we have an essentially honest and professional PR industry in South Africa.

Bell Pottinger and others of their ilk, maybe not so much.

But regulation is a dreadful step to take. It conjures up all manner of probable abuse by politicians. Way back in the early 1960s, Harold Wilson's Labour Government tried really hard to ban advertising (which would, of course, force the closure of most publications and therefore any thought of a PR career would have been still-born. The same would have applied to the vast majority of journalists). They were strongly in favour of heavy taxes on advertising  taxation, of course, always a simple solution to socialist concerns. Capitalists, of course, prefer complete arcanic control. (By the way, I'm deliberately not mentioning social media in any context today because that's another bucket of bananas altogether).

Ultimately the movement failed and The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) was formed in the UK in 1962. That august body recommended a code of ethics which was followed, most of the time, by the industry.

Prisa has an admirable code of ethics. Whether everyone adheres strictly to it can be argued but the point is that they exist. And that is what we should be promoting  not regulation.

And the same goes for the ASA of South Africa, too. We have rules.

It's true that some agencies flaunt those rules and produce material that is alarmingly close to the edge. Often it's too late, after the ad has been made public, to make any meaningful stopping of the campaign  or even retribution, for that matter.

However, the ASA does have more power over its part of the industry than Prisa does over its practitioners. For one thing, in some cases it's almost impossible to track what a so-called PR practitioner is up to. They can operate in almost total secrecy and yet still accomplish their brief.

On the other hand, there is nothing clandestine about advertising. The work is published (in one form or another) and therefore subject to scrutiny by all. This means we're all on the same page, so to speak.

I suppose it's possible for the ASA to call on the industry to refuse to carry any advertising for all clients of a continual errant agency even though that may be difficult and expensive to enforce.

That's the theory, anyway. In practice, the ASA of South Africa is fighting for life and frankly, I dread what may happen next.

Can you imagine what would happen if a politician (or friend of a politician) could gain access to advertising and public relations codes? Next stop government control and, should that happen, then kiss free speech goodbye.

So Prisa, please stick to encouraging your members to follow your codes of conduct and to the ASA I say good luck and wish them well in winning their fight against some powerful enemies.

But please, please, do not call for regulation. It will complicate everything.

Just rally the media to show Bell Pottinger the exit door  along with anyone else who misbehaves.
The Tiger Brands Foundation recently served its 50-millionth meal as part of its in-school breakfast programme. A public-private partnership with the Department of Basic Education, the programme was first piloted in 2011 at six schools in Alexandra township in Johannesburg. Today, it serves breakfast every school day to just under 64,000 learners at 92 schools across South Africa.

Set up by Tiger Brands as a special purpose BEE vehicle, the foundation, with a focus on issues pertaining to food and nutrition security, is funded through a bi-annual trickle dividend from the company. We interviewed Eugene Absolom, director of the Tiger Brands Foundation, to find out the long-term goals of the programme, how they plan to ensure its sustainability through the economic downturn, and how the programme has impacted the communities in which it operates.

Eugene Absolom, director of the Tiger Brands Foundation

Now in its seventh year, could you describe the impact of Tiger Brands Foundations in-school breakfast programme?

Eugene Absolom: The Tiger Brands Foundation (TBF) was established to effect a broad-based socio-economic impact in vulnerable communities. The success and impact of the TBF programme lies in the focus on our holistic approach to deliver on our mandate of a sustainable and replicable programme aimed at improving the nutritional and educational status of vulnerable learners.

Independent studies, done in collaboration with the University of Johannesburg, have indicated that absenteesim in schools where the programme is active has dropped, leading to improved educational outcomes. Law enforcement agencies have also reported that there is a drop in petty crimes in the areas where the programme has been implemented because learners are in school instead of roaming the streets. The programmes implementation also had an economic impact within the communities in the form of new employment opportunities being created across the value chain.

With South Africa in an economic downturn, how does the Tiger Brands Foundation ensure the in-school breakfast programme remains sustainable?

Absolom: A portion of the Tiger Brands Limited shares were ring-fenced in a special purpose vehicle, and dividend flow from these shares fund the foundations programmes. The up-side is that when Tiger Brands Limited performs well, we have a bigger pool of funds from which to draw on and reach more learners. But as you rightly say, in difficult economic times, this pool of funding may also narrow, but to a lesser extent than would be the case if the funding was dependent on external donors who have to approve budgets each financial year. So we are partly, but not completely insulated from economic fluctuations.

The TBF operating model is built upon policies and procedures that drive efficiency in the organisation. The performance of the organisation is measured, monitored and evaluated through our unique monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework that utilises a real-time data collection tool. This enables quick response times to issues that may occur in our value chain, accurate measurement and management of performance and effective tracking of the social return on investment (SROI) achieved by the organisation. Our strategic value chain partnerships enhance SROI by enabling quality food products to be procured in a manner that enables the benefits of economies of scale without the TBF investing in sizable capital infrastructure itself.

We have also developed a risk management and quality framework that enables quality food product to move from the point of manufacture, to school kitchens, and ultimately into the stomachs of learners, with minimal risk of non-delivery or food contamination. This further enhances our operational efficiency.

What are the long-term goals of the programme?

Absolom: TBF ratified their new strategy in 2016 (2017-2022) and kick-started the implementation by driving change adoption, refocusing skills and aligning expectations of how to move the organisation forward. The following were identified as key strategic activities:

Financial sustainability,

Direct impact,

Targeted advocacy,

Strategic partnerships, and

Positive reputation - communications.

Key enablers to this were identified as: effective monitoring and evaluation (M&E), having packaged and replicable operations, and having adequate capacity in people, knowledge and networks.

Ultimately, we would like to see every child receive breakfast so that their future is not compromised by lack of proper nutrition. We would like to see the complete eradication of stunting, obesity and other health challenges that are a result of poor nutrition. We would also like to see young learners perform well in school, and where nutrition plays a role in improving educational outcomes.

What role can private sector organisations play in the programme?

Absolom: We would like to invite private sector organisations to join the breakfast programme, either by donating funds to the foundation or by simply adopting our model and rolling it out themselves. As we speak, we have several private sector partners, other than Tiger Brands Limited, who are working with us in various locations around the country, including Nungu Marketing and Distribution, the Shishen Solar Facility, Tetra Laval and the Gouda Wind Farm.

How important is authenticity and transparency in the CSI space in South Africa?

Absolom: CSI is not a nice-to-have nor should it be used as an instrument to polish ones image. In South Africa, CSI is a necessity. We have one of the highest Gini co-efficient in the world, a measurement used by economists to get a sense of the level of economic inequality. So our strategic intent is not in question. However, we do need to make sure that the limited resources that flow in our direction are utilised in the most effective and efficient way possible if we are going to secure funding in future to expand our reach and influence.

Most importantly, we need to account for every cent that we spend and the value-add to the programme. For example, the Tiger Brands Foundation spends more than 85% (2016/17) of every rand on the actual breakfast programme, and the administration part of the programme relies on the remaining 15% - we need to show time and again that we are adhering to this benchmark.

How important is it to align your CSR strategy with your brand and what are the benefits of doing so?

Absolom: For a CSR programme housed within an organisation, there might be a need to consider the alignment of the brand with a CSR strategy. However, because Tiger Brands Foundation is a separate legal entity (and focused on social development rather than social investment short-term interventions) to Tiger Brands Limited, what is important to us is that we uphold our values at all times across our entire value chain  from our staff at head office to our corporate partners, provincial coordinators and all other individuals associated with the programme. We do not exist to serve the interest of any corporate, but rather respond to the needs of vulnerable communities, as per our mandate.

What is the Tiger Brands Foundation doing for Mandela Day this year, and what do you think is the significance of Mandela Day in 2017?

Absolom: We dont do anything on Mandela Day other than support the Tiger Brands Limited initiatives on the day.

We need to restore and reaffirm the dignity of the people of Africa and the developing world. We need to place the eradication of poverty at the top of world priorities. We need to know with a fresh conviction that we all share a common humanity and that our diversity in the world is the strength for our future together.  Nelson Mandela

Our programme strives to restore the dignity of vulnerable learners in previously disadvantaged communities on a daily basis.

So, Mandela Day is who we are everyday.
JSE- and Luxembourg-listed Echo Polska Properties (EPP), a Polish property player, has acquired another retail asset, Galeria Solna in Inowroclaw, Poland, a step that moves EPP closer to becoming a pure retail property fund by 2019.

CEO Hadley Dean said EPP's acquisition of another regionally dominant centre advanced its strategy of "building a Polish retail property champion".

EPP has made seven retail acquisitions over the past nine months, giving it a presence in 16 retail locations in Poland.

The 24,000m2 centre is in a city with a large feeder area and "a proven track record since opening in 2013", said Dean.

EPP is working towards becoming a company that only invests in shopping centres.

"There are very strong rental growth opportunities in retail. We like the Polish office market, but we recognise better value in the Polish retail market. We want to dominate the shopping centre market of over 30,000msup>2 malls in the country," said Dean.

Most of its buildings are less than five years old. "|We should double in size from where we are now and be a 3bn fund by asset size by 2020," said Dean.

Redefine Properties, which founded EPP, is still a big shareholder in the company and had a seat on the board. Redefine also has a role in EPP's strategy.

Ron Klipin, a senior analyst at Cratos Wealth, which is invested in EPP, said the acquisition strategy was attractive.

"Their lower-yield office portfolio should be sold soon and their capital recycled into higher-yield retail investments.

"I like the strategy of the Redefine team, with chairman Marc Wainer very active and hands on," said Klipin.

Meago Asset Managers director Anas Madhi said Poland was the most attractive foreign direct-investment destination in central and eastern Europe and is the biggest net recipient of EU funds on the continent.

EPP's share price, which is flat for the year to date, closed at R19.70 on Thursday, 13 July.

Source: Business Day
Brazil is often represented as a land of hope in Angola. Angolans cant get enough of its telenovelas, the intrigue-filled television dramas that are broadcast daily on Angolan channels, or of the glamorous styles worn by soap opera stars.

An Angolan importer buying Havaianas in the market of Bras, Sao Paulo, Brazil. Lea Barreau Tran, Author provided

To satisfy womens fashion demands, a growing number of female entrepreneurs in Angolas capital Luanda are hitting the road, travelling by plane to Brazil, among other fashion hubs, to buy up coveted Brazilian styles.

They return with suitcases full of clothing, Havaianas flip-flops and accessories to sell to eager consumers in Luandas informal markets.

The Brazil-Angola connection

This woman-led, pop culture-driven South-South fashion trade, which has been largely overlooked in research on African gender mobility, results from Angolas struggling post-war economy.

Since the end of the 26-year Angolan civil war in 2002, the country has had high unemployment and an undiversified market, compelling entrepreneurs to look abroad for opportunity.

The textile trades suitcase traders, or moambeiras, as the female importers are often called, are mainly mothers and heads of households aged 30 to 50, who live in Luandas poor periphery. Independently but as part of a network, they organise regular buying trips on one of four weekly flights between Luanda and Sao Paulo, Brazil, a global fashion centre.

Though there is no official data on the subject, the number of Angolan women travelling to Brazil is estimated at around 400 per week.

Lea Barreau Tran, Author provided

To reduce costs and to make them feel less isolated on business trips, which may last a few days or a week, the moambeiras stay in hostels in Sao Paulo that specialise in housing African traders.

In Brazilian markets, though, the Angolan women will mix with other buyers and retailers from across the world. Each year 11 million people come to Sao Paulo from Latin America, Africa, Asia, and Europe to shop.

African communities in Sao Paulo

Because of its low production costs and large night markets, Sao Paulo is also an important place for informal or illegal commerce.

For the moambeiras, there is no better place to shop than the Feira da Madrugada, located in the megacitys Bras district, which has thriving African networks.

Restaurants and hostels that specialise in African clientele offer places to socialise, make connections and, for many, spaces where black Africans in Brazil, a multi-ethnic society with prevalent racial discrimination, can feel comfortable.

Here its ours, claimed one moambeira during my doctoral research in Brazil in 2013, referring to Sao Paulos African enclaves.

As the manager of the Victoria hotel, where many Angola women are housed, told me, They made the hotel their home here in Brazil! They feel at home, [they] have a certain level of intimacy with us, in terms of freedom.

Brazil has long held an ambiguous power of attraction in Africa, especially for Portuguese-speaking countries, such as Angola and Mozambique. The country has high crime and violence rates that may strike fear into the hearts of travellers, but the Brazilian TV series so popular at home also show the country as a land of hope and opportunity.

In 2011, about 15,000 Africans from 55 different countries were officially registered in Brazil, and sources report the number of Angolan residents of Brazil at around 1,100. Some of them are refugees, though exact numbers are unknown.

For Portuguese speakers, Brazil also offers unparalleled opportunity for economic and educational advancement. Because fashion is by its nature an aspirational industry and telenovelas have a demonstrated impact on womens behaviour and world views, for Angolese female consumers, wearing Brazilian clothes may represent something more than just good style. It may feel like an act of empowerment.

The end of hope?

Joana, a 36-year-old Angolan, travels to Brazil once a month to buy clothes and Havaianas. She explained to me how she selects clothing according to the characters played by Brazilian actresses.

The first place people look is telenovelas for the latest trends, you see people imitate them: Oh, she dressed like that! So they call the clothing after the actress or character. Like, if its someone from Xica da Silva, everyone starts calling it the Xica da Silva. When you buyyou [want to] bring back a Xica da Silva, this is what we [do].

Lea Barreau Tran , Author provided

As 42-year-old Mariazinha said of Brazil:

I like that country. Its a bit hectic, but I like itbecause I dont need to learn a new language. So I decided to go to a country where we have the same language, even if their Portuguese is slightly different. This way I dont waste much time.

This ease of access motivates female traders to continue travelling to Brazil despite the cost of plane tickets and high Angolan customs taxes that take a bite out of their bottom line.

But trade destinations are shifting quickly. Today, Brazil is in the midst of a severe economic crisis. Austerity and political collapse are hurting its image as a land of opportunity for African migrants and entrepreneurs.

Meanwhile, Chinas fortunes are on the rise, as is its investment in Africa. For Angolan textile traders, as for other segments of the global clothing trade, it is quickly becoming one of Brazils main competitors.

In 2013, Joana mentioned to me that she was considering going to China to pursue business, but was concerned about her ability to navigate there considering that she lacked a local network.

By 2014, when I met her back in Luanda, that hurdle had evidently been cleared. Joana showed me the Chinese clothing she was already selling.

As the Chinese market swiftly adapts to offer clothing in colours and styles that appeal to African tastes, its competitive edge over Brazil is sharpening for Angolas moambeiras. Linguistic and cultural challenges aside, Chinese businesses have demonstrated a willingness to engage in trade with Africans, and the low price of Chinese goods helps to offset the higher cost of airline tickets.

This informal garment trade is one small part of the growing commercial relationship between China and Angola.

Still, not all female entrepreneurs can pull off such a trip, especially given Angolas current economic crisis. In the long run, whether the entrepreneurial moambeiras of Luanda set their sights on China or keep business focused on Brazil, these women will continue to reveal the global origins of Angolas informal trade  and its fashion style.
In an industry battling to hold onto customers as the economy stalls, club fees have been something of a consolation prize for the country's retailers. Take Edcon, for example. It says the cash it pocketed from club fees offset an overall decline in total revenue, to R29.3bn, for the year to the end of March 2016.

Wavebreak Media Ltd via 123RF

Now, the National Credit Regulator (NCR) has declared war on these fees, hauling Edcon, Lewis and TFG - owner of Totalsports and Foschini - to the national consumer tribunal for breaching credit regulations.

"It began in 2015, when the NCR focused its efforts on investigations into charges relating to the cost of credit, with emphasis on club fees and credit life insurance charges," says Nthupang Magolego, senior legal adviser at the NCR.

"The NCR is motivated not only by the strength of the evidence that supports the contention that a club fee is being charged by retailers as part of the cost of credit, but also by the fact that the tribunal has already ruled in favour of the NCR in the matter against the Edcon group." In Edcon's case, the tribunal found that it charged for its club fee through its store card.

"The club membership was offered as a stand-alone product to be paid for in cash or by separate debit order. However, this was not successful and the option was removed in August 2013," the tribunal found. "The product was then offered via the store card."

Edcon also did not provide a separate application form for the club - instead it was included as a "tick-box" option on the credit agreement for the store card application form, which the tribunal frowned upon. It found Edcon contravened the National Credit Act by adding the club fee to its credit agreements.

Edcon has issued more than 1.4m store cards with club fees charged to them, representing 56.8% of its client base. It reported club fees of R590m in its 2016 financial year, equating to about 2% of its revenue.

The clothing retailer is appealing the tribunal judgment. Lewis, meanwhile, won its case, mainly because applicants were not "forced" to join the club when applying for credit; they were given a separate application form. The furniture and appliance retailer does not disclose the money it earns from its club, but it reported R710.1m in "ancillary services" revenue for the year to end-March 2017.

"The problem we have is that the Lewis judgment opens the door for many credit providers to start introducing illegal fees and charges through supplementary agreements and documents," says Magolego. "Some can now disguise outright illegal fees and charges as stand-alone products."

TFG, which also offers a store card, is the latest to be hauled in front of the tribunal.

Electus Fund Managers equity analyst Damon Buss says the NCR has been on a drive to ensure that the credit fees charged to customers are fair. "The key dispute the NCR is raising with retailers is whether the club fee constitutes part of the total cost of credit, or if it is a separate payment for a separate service or product provided by the retailer. The NCR's interpretation of the National Credit Act is that club fees are not allowed to form part of the credit agreement."

Magolego confirms this. "The [act] has provided for a closed list of fees that credit providers are allowed to charge to consumers under a credit agreement. This does not include club fees," she says.

"This is meant to protect consumers against opaque charges and for consumers to know what they have to pay. The excessive cost of credit is one of the contributing factors to consumer over-indebtedness. We need to bring certainty to the industry on this issue."

According to Buss, TFG has said that most of its club product sales go through its call centre - well after the conclusion of the credit agreement. This makes it a separate agreement, which does not contravene the credit act.

"It is unclear how the tribunal will rule on the portion of TFG club product sales that occur at the time of signing the credit agreement," says Buss. If TFG is found guilty and Edcon's appeal fails, the companies will pay refunds of about R2.9bn and R4.3bn respectively, according to his calculations.

TFG would not comment on revenue it derives from club fees or the number of customers signed up for club products. It referred the Financial Mail to a terse statement it released on 4 July, in which it said its club products were optional magazine subscriptions with insurance and other benefits. It stressed that customers could subscribe for or cancel these products at any time without penalty.

The group's results for the year to end-March show that publishing income for its magazines rose to R400.8m from R399.3m the year before. This was less than 2% of group revenue. Insurance income fell slightly to R289m from R297.8m. TFG also noted a collection cost recovery of R331.5m from R312.4m. Cost recovery refers to the practice of recouping debt and legal fees from customers with unpaid accounts.

Total "other income" for TFG - which includes income from publishing, collection cost recovery and insurance, as well as mobile One2One airtime income and sundry income - was R1.3bn, from R1.11bn in 2016.

"Assuming the tribunal rules in favour of TFG management's view that the club product is sold separately, I expect limited impact of the club fees earned by the company," says Buss.

It remains to be seen whether customers would want to remain club members now that the NCR's blitz is raising awareness of how they are being charged. From Edcon's third-quarter results to December 2016, it is clear that the company is already losing members.

In ruling in favour of Lewis, the tribunal itself questioned the usefulness of the clubs, saying they did not seem to benefit consumers.

Magolego explains: "Some of the examples of the benefits that consumers get through club membership include magazines that consumers in certain instances are expected to collect at the stores - in other words, consumers must incur further travelling costs in order to collect the magazines. Other benefits include standing a chance to win prizes - in other words, benefits of chance."

Source: Financial Mail
The Association for Communication and Advertising (ACA) has exercised its rights in accordance with its MOI and the process laid down in the ACA's Internal Enquiry Framework, after it found its member agencies DDB South Africa, Ireland-Davenport and Wunderman guilty of transgressing its Code of Conduct governing tenders and pitches.

Sanctions to be imposed

The ACA Exco and Board discussed the circumstances pertaining to the Telkom pitch (in which the above-mentioned agencies were involved) at length, considered statements made by representatives from each agency and agreed that in the interest of self-regulation and in accordance with its MOI, the following sanctions were to be imposed:

A written undertaking from each agency regarding their future conduct is to be sent to the ACA.

Agency representatives from these agencies currently on the ACA Board or operations committees are to step down for a period of 12 months.

Each transgressing agency is to be fined the maximum penalty allowable in terms of the ACAs MOI.

Each agencys membership of the ACA is suspended for a period of 12 months and during this suspension the agency may not derive any of the benefits offered to member agencies.

The agencies membership may be reinstated after the suspension period, on the proviso that they do not commit any further transgressions of the Code of Conduct during their suspension.

Odette van der Haar

The ACA is about maintaining the health and well-being of the industry and sets the highest standards for integrity and professionalism amongst its member agencies. In the interest of upholding our commitment to self-regulation, it was decided that sanctions be imposed on DDB South Africa, Ireland-Davenport and Wunderman, says Odette van der Haar, CEO ACA.

Telkom and the professional integrity of the advertising and communications industry

The ACA is deeply concerned that the Telkom ad agency pitch process did not comply with the ACAs Code of Conduct that governs tenders and pitches. This Code was put in place some years ago to encourage fair, equitable and healthy competition, transformation, a level playing field, good ethics and conduct during new business acquisition and protection of agencies intellectual property.

The Code also mitigates risk and wasteful expenditure on the part of agencies and clients. There is therefore no reason not to adhere to the Code, which supports a mutually fair and robust pitch process.

According to Odette van der Haar, CEO of the ACA: The biggest threat to our industry is that more and more clients behave unfairly towards agencies during pitches. It is paramount to the sustainability of the profession that agencies stand united against these unfair practices in order to maintain the value and currency of the profession.

The ACAs concerns with the Telkom pitch are as follows:

Too many agencies were asked for strategic and creative work, which was very costly for the participating agencies and gave each bidder a less than 10% chance of winning the business. This especially prejudiced smaller agencies, as they do not have the resources to invest in a pitch of this scale. Without payment of pitch fees, the unsuccessful agencies could not recoup some of the cost incurred as a result of answering Telkoms brief. Most worrying is that the contribution and currency of the participating agencies was devalued when agencies were asked to provide Telkom with free intellectual property. An option was for Telkom to accept case studies of recently successfully work, that was in line with the scope of work and services required of the brief. These case studies would have accurately demonstrated the agencies ability to meet Telkoms requirements and deliver a return on investment. Furthermore, submission of case studies would not have incurred pitch fees. Telkom did not accept the ACAs proposal. The collective cost of this pitch ran into millions of rands in time and material costs for the participating agencies. A pitch process of this nature is counterproductive to the industrys transformation efforts. Small, black-owned agencies were invited to participate in the Telkom pitch process with little to no prospect of success, given the terms and conditions of the RFP. The ACA would therefore like Telkom to explain why none of the smaller South African agencies were able to secure any of the business on offer  especially since Telkom is such an iconic South African brand.



The ACA is the official, representative body for the Communications and Advertising profession in South Africa, representing agencies in the profession (who at present contribute approximately 95% of South Africas measured ad spend) to government, media and the public. The ACA is a voluntary body formed by and for the industry, focused on and committed to self-regulation and to defending the highest standards of ethical practice.
We have undergone the industrial age, the technology age, the people or talent age and now we're on the cusp of the green age. We live in a world where we are undeniably fast destroying our planet and heritage for our children through excessive consumerism and capitalism. Gone are the days where we can view sustainability as a nice to have' or as something too expensive to consider.

Tania Morgan-Weyer

In fact, many studies, including the Harvard Business Review, are calling sustainability a core business goal and priority, and one that should drive most business innovation going forward. Traditional approaches to business that do not include greener approaches are simply not good enough anymore and are likely to be disadvantaged. Having a low carbon economy is now critical and no longer an added business bonus but core to business success and sustainability.

Corporate collaboration

But in order for a company to adopt and prioritise a solid sustainability strategy, it requires the CEO and leadership team to commit to doing whatever is necessary to create this framework. It requires hiring the right talent and requires collaboration across industries and categories and potentially even amongst competitors in a category.

We are part of a local industrial forum that has created a dialogue with local government to discuss challenges. The AAI (Atlantis Industrial Forum) has had successes with electricity challenges with Eskom and load shedding. Local businesses, like us at Promeal, dealt with the Western Cape Municipality by committing to reduce our power outage to below a certain level at critical times which then resulted in us not getting turned off for load shedding periods. This is a great example of corporate collaboration and commitment to finding a compromise.

At the heart of linking business strategies to societal needs, sustainability has moved from CSR to CSV  with value being the operative word. Companies who have been driving these practices ahead of the curve are experiencing top and bottom line profits from the programmes implemented, and have created competitive advantage as well as environmental benefit.

Waste management

Another process that we put in place at Promeal in our move to encourage sustainability was our Waste Management programme. Up until our implementation, our raw waste was sent to Vissershok dump site. Fully aware that South Africa, together with rest of the world, is running out of dump sites and supporting the 'zero waste to landfill' goals, we sought and found a more responsible solution.

Agriprotein is a Cape Town-based company using German waste farming technology, which instead feeds waste to the flies. The waste-eating flies in turn lay larvae, which is rich in oils and protein. These larvae are harvested, sterilised and pressed to extract the oil. The dry materials, which remain behind are also rich in protein and both the oil and protein are further utilised as compost. We now not only save profits on waste management by only paying transport costs but are also contributing to saving the planet by doing our part to keep the country cleaner.

Energy and water efficiency

A second example towards maintaining our sustainability ethos was to partner with Oxbow Eco Energy which replaced all our neon lighting with more energy efficient LED lights throughout the factory, warehouses and offices. This not only equated to less power generation and a lesser amount of coal usage, but also means Promeal will be emitting a reduced amount of fumes, which in turn reduces hot house gases and can only impact positively on the environment.

At the heart of sustainability, we have innovation and design across; systems and processes, equipment, our products, our services, industries as well as captains of industry.

As with most industries in the Western Cape, our current challenge is water. Traditionally weve used consumer water for product preparation and for cleaning, but as this is no longer possible, nor responsible and so again weve had to adapt. We have removed all hose pipes from our floors and recycle water safely. In the future, we will be looking to move to waterless cleaning as well as investigating self-cleaning equipment.

Ultimately integrated design and innovative use of sustainable materials, equipment and processes are at the heart of sustainability  better design automatically under engineers by using less but purer materials.

Sustainability frontier

Brands with purpose are also a part of the sustainability frontier. At Promeal we have a pure intent in the businesss core through our processes, our recipes, our ingredients and through our people.

The internal values and commitments cover our ethos in brand and product design. Effective carbon management strategies along with corporate social responsibilities provide businesses with a foundation to reduce their carbon footprint whilst at the same time showing that it cares for its community, employees and the environment.

Were very proud to be a local brand and manufacturer who sources mainly local raw materials which means less of a carbon footprint for our consumers. We are also dedicated to the use of raw materials which are less engineered where possible or eco-friendly. We aim to source as much of our ingredients locally as possible in order to sustain the local economy. We drive job roles and build programmes which support the local Atlantis community.

We are evidentially on a greener journey, not only due to the possible long-term savings but also to the long-term effect on our planet. It is not just an ethical choice, but a business choice. We are constantly challenging our organisations processes and production elements for more eco-friendly solutions. Promeal will continue on this voyage, as long as more earth-loving solutions exist. And we challenge you, our partners and industry members to follow suit on a journey to greener, lighter footprints. A greener planet today, is a better future for tomorrow.
The judges had a tough time of it in selecting the winning duo in this year's Relate Trust beading challenge, but Sox Georgiades (DJ Sox) and Mama Elphia Ngalo - team Busy Beads - eventually came out tops.

This year's contest, dubbed The Battle of My 67 Beads, took a slightly different format from previous years with the Beading Gogos and Tatas each paired up with a celebrity to try and bead the winning bracelet. Not their first time round the beading block, Matthew Booth, Sox Georgiades (aka DJ Sox), and Quintin Goliath (aka Jitsvinger) took up the challenge once again, along with newbs to the competition; Lindy Hibbard, Zoe Brown, Zola Nene, Schalk Bezuidenhout, Roxy Marosa, Liezel van der Westhuizen, Matthew Gold and Kamini Pather.

With just 67 minutes to plan, design and thread a winning bracelet, each celebrity-senior pair was rated on their team spirit, threading technique, use of colour, and more. The Busy Beads designed their bracelet, 'The Cell', with a 46664 bead pattern, representing Nelson Mandelas prison cell number.

Lucky draw

Bracelets created on the day can be won in a lucky draw with all funds raised going to the Nelson Mandela School Library Project. Anyone who purchases a Relate Mandela Day bracelet, available in selected Tourvest Destination Retail at a cost of R67, can enter the lucky draw.

We felt this event would be a fitting tribute to the great man Nelson Mandela in what would have been his centenary year, while celebrating the seniors who work hard to produce the bracelets that support so many worthy causes like the Nelson Mandela School Library Project, said Relate Trust CEO Neil Robinson.

These remarkable seniors, like Nelson Mandela did, are still contributing so much to their country, their communities and their children and grandchildren, and we are extremely grateful for their role, Robinson added.

For more info, go to www.relate.org.za.
Thirteen years after marksmen were ordered to wipe out Table Mountain's tahrs, a trio of the exotic goats has been photographed gazing out over Cape Town. Kyle Mijlof, who posts daily videos of his Cape Town adventures to Facebook and Instagram, took the picture on Sunday.

Finally spotted the elusive Table Montain Tahr Cape Town South Africa A post shared by Kyle Mijlof (@mijlof) on Jul 11, 2017 at 8:55am PDT

"I have been wanting to see them for years, and have covered most of the trails on Table Mountain without seeing them," Mijlof said yesterday.

Tahrs at the centre of controversy

Tahrs were at the centre of controversy between 2001 and 2004 when animal rights activists formed the Friends of the Tahr in an effort to save them from being culled. The tahrs established themselves after a few escaped from a zoo in the 1930s.

In 2004, SANParks eventually brought in sharpshooters to get rid of them.

Cicely Blumberg, one of the activists who wanted to save the tahrs by relocating them to their native Himalayas, where they are endangered, said she knew a few animals had survived the cull, which killed at least 109 of the goats.

Another campaigner, Ellen Fedele, said she preferred to describe what happened to the tahrs as murder. "There were alternatives but the SANParks officials refused to look at them," she said.

Both urged TimesLIVE not to reveal where on Table Mountain Mijlof took his photo. "The so-called conservationists will be straight up there with their guns if they know where to look," said Fedele.

Merle Collins, Table Mountain National Park spokesman, said she would comment later.

Fallow deer being culled on Robben Island

Blumberg said it was ironic that the tahrs' re-emergence coincided with the start of a fallow deer cull on Robben Island, where the first two of around 400 animals were shot on Wednesday night.

She said activists had a legal team on standby to apply for a high court interdict to stop the cull, but due to a lack of funds, they had to be certain of success to avoid a costs order if they were defeated. "We're looking for valid reasons to give us a chance to get an interdict and find a safe place for the deer," she said.

Three fallow deer were introduced to the island in 1963, the same year Nelson Mandela arrived there. By 1977 there were 40, and the population was controlled by hunting. But it mushroomed after the island was declared a museum in 1990, and 220 animals were culled in 2009.

"The reduction of the population of fallow deer will have a positive impact on the health of the remaining animals on the island, as well as ensuring the restoration of vegetation to a point at which it will be self-sustaining," said Robben Island Museum marketing manager Bongiwe Nzeku.

Source: The Times
Agri South Africa (AgriSA) is concerned about the impact that the suspension of the agriculture director-general will have on the industry, the farming body's president, Johannes Moller, said yesterday. The Agriculture Ministry said on Wednesday that director-general Mike Mlengana had been suspended with immediate effect, just under a year after he was appointed. The ministry did not disclose specific reasons for the suspension.

Moller said Mlengana had told him on Tuesday that he was due to have a meeting with Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Minister Senzeni Zokwana to discuss some issues.

"From an AgriSA view, whatever it is, we hope that the minister and the director-general resolve the issues as soon as possible, so we can give serious consideration to the issues that agriculture has," Moller said.

"About 25% of South Africa still has a serious drought. We need the department to work at full capacity to give attention to the crisis.

"It is a bad time for the department to be without a director-general."

Moller said the bird flu outbreak was also a big concern. "Onderstepoort (Veterinary Institute) should be working at full capacity to meet the challenge of the avian flu and there are serious challenges," he said.

The Department of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries on Tuesday revealed cases of bird flu on two more farms - all involved in commercial layer chickens - in Gauteng and Mpumalanga. The disease, first noted in June, had been confirmed at four farms.

Mlengana's suspension came as Onderstepoort tried to modernise its facilities to deal with industry challenges, such as developing local vaccines, Moller said. "That's something that needs to be resolved as soon as possible. We can import a lot of those vaccines, especially from Australia. But that is not what we really need," he said.

"There are unique vaccines that we need in some of our industries." - TimesLIVE

Source: Herald
GABORONE, Botswana - The coordinator of the AU-Inter Africa Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR, VETGOV) based at Sebele says the African Union (AU) is committed to empowering women and youth in small stock production.

Armeis via pixabay

Speaking during a two-day workshop for small stock farmers organised by Botswana Farmers Association at Sebele on Wednesday, Dr Peter Sinyangwe said his organ has been mandated by the AU to work on capacity building and strengthening of small commodity, especially small stock farmers to realise their dreams.

Sinyangwe said their intervention was also to ensure that small stock farmers form strong and vibrant cooperatives which would make them prosper without encountering many challenges.

He said there should be synchrony of applied technics and farming methods among farmers in various regions of the country. This, he said, would assist small stock farmers to appreciate and know what the other farmers were doing in other regions, and that they would be able to share ideas as well as challenges they encountered.

Sinyangwe added that he was optimistic that women, who formed a large part of the attendants, would benefit from the workshop.

He encouraged the youth to take part in small stock production in large numbers, adding that the sector has a bright future.

Small stock sector was doing relatively well

For his part, the deputy coordinator of the poverty eradication programme in the Ministry of Agriculture Development and Food Security, Kemoabe Ditedu said the programme has its challenges, but that he was elated that the small stock sector was doing relatively well compared to other alternative packages. Ditedu said while packages such as bee keeping, rabbit production, leather works, indigenous chickens, vegetable production and fodder production were not doing as expected, small stock was performing well, though goats were at times attacked by diseases.

He said most vegetable projects did not succeed because of the shortage of water countrywide while chickens were attacked by New Castle Disease.

With regard to bees, he said there has been a long spell of the absence of wild colonies to collect and multiply while some bee beneficiaries lost their bees because they were not given the right care.

A need to harmonise farming activities

Meanwhile, the president of Botswana Farmers Association, Diane Sibanda said the country was lacking behind in the region in harmonising its farming activities which were mostly headed by the youth and women.

She said in the past the country sent famers who were not competent to represent it at SADC regional farming meetings and said the time had come for them to introspect on the issue.

She also decried challenges such as climate change, lack of resources and infrastructure, saying they crippled the sector.

Sibanda, however, said with a strong commitment from farmers they could overcome some of the challenges, adding that they should use ICT in farming to achieve maximum rewards.

Thato Supang from AgriBusiness Forum Botswana, who were co-sponsors of the event, said the workshop would look at various issues such as farming organisation structures, farming principles, existing farming organisation structures, participation of women, policies and strategies and the ICT role.

BOPA
A core focus in the Corobrik CSI strategy is upskilling members of the communities in which it operates, with the overall aim of improving their lives. Through its training programmes, participants are empowered with skills for suitable employment in the construction industry.

Musa Shangase, national commercial executive, Corobrik

Corobrik commercial director Musa Shangase shared with us how the brick manufacturer ensures its CSI initiatives are sustainable, what the long-term goals of its training programmes are, and how it has invested in technology to reduce its carbon footprint.

How does Corobrik incorporate people, planet and profit into its CSI strategy?

Musa Shangase: At Corobrik, we have long put the sustainability of the business at the heart of everything we do. This has required that we continuously work at getting the balance right between our value proposition to underpin Corobriks financial integrity in an ever-changing business environment, and the importance of advancing employment opportunities, building a sense of common cause within the communities in which we operate, and conducting our business in a manner that addresses the importance of the need to tread responsibly on our planet.

How important is it to align your CSR strategy with the brand, and what are the benefits of doing so?

Shangase: Very important, indeed, as our CSR strategy is intimately tied into the businesss strategy and business strategy is all about developing and presenting the Corobrik brand value proposition in a manner that is consistent, understandable, and positively emotive. When one gets it right, CSR actions can resonate positively with a variety of audiences and communities, ensuring CSR returns are broad-based for the cost.

How does Corobrik ensure its CSI initiatives are sustainable?

Shangase: Corobrik, in its selection of CSI initiatives, endeavours to involve itself with projects that support skills development, employment opportunity and social upliftment where core competencies are in place to underpin continuity.

Corobrik measures and monitors outputs and outcomes of CSI projects by conducting impact assessments. Projects are evaluated based on, for example, time, within the budget, meeting objectives, and ensuring that a project has real benefits. It is important for Corobrik to see the change that has occurred, the impact it has on beneficiaries lives and circumstances over time.

How does Corobrik utilise advancements in technology to reduce its carbon footprint?

Shangase: Technology plays a major role in factory operations, particularly in the realm of firing of bricks and pavers. Cleaner firing technologies with respect to gas is possibly Corobriks most significant investment from a fuel perspective. Other improvements related to this include upgrades to the burning systems, actual kiln insulation and kiln car decks. Another major area is in the reduction of electrical consumption through the introduction of variable speed drive motors. Other less exciting advances include the replacement of conventional florescent and incandescent lighting with LEDs.

How big a role does architecture, urban design, and building materials play in the shift towards sustainable development?

Shangase: They are all interlinked. It begins with urban design  design that is appropriate for the users of such urban spaces to feel comfortable in, and with propensity to accommodate the needs of a changing society over time. Architects in todays context are about designing and specifying enduring, functional and eco-friendly buildings for people to sleep, work and play. A choice of building materials and technologies that are able to cost effectively advance sustainability within the design are key.

A participant of the Swellendam Tourism Economic Empowerment Partnership learns useful bricklaying schools at the Corobriks training centre.

What are the long-term goals in Corobriks disadvantaged community training programmes? What have been some of the success stories to come out of these initiatives?

Shangase: Corobrik has trained communities from disadvantaged areas on brick laying programmes and some of the success stories are that of emerging small companies specialising in brick laying in the Western Cape. A learnership is underway to equip people with mental challenges to grow vegetables.

In addition, training courses are held for members of the community living around factories in Gauteng, the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. Once trained, graduates can either obtain employment, or use their skills to improve the lives of fellow community members. Apprenticeships are offered at most factories.

Children of staff apply for bursaries to study post-matric qualifications. Factories offer a member of the local community a bursary to study a recognised qualification. On completion, if the course is relevant to the company, the person can be offered employment.

What is Corobrik doing for Mandela Day this year, and what do you believe is the significance of Mandela Day?

Shangase: In Gauteng, staff will visit Little Eden in Edenvale to spend time with children and adults with profound intellectual disabilities. Mandela Day calls on us all, every day, to make the world a better place. Each year on 18 July we look back on what has been done, and forward to what will be done.
The knives are out in SA's metals and engineering sector. This stems from a bitter conflict that goes back to court-mediated arguments between parties to collective bargaining agreements under the auspices of the Metal and Engineering Industries Bargaining Council (MEIBC).

The agreements include employer representatives for small, medium and large companies, trade unions and Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant. The conflict rages about whether the minister is allowed to extend such wage deals to non-signatory employers even though they sit on the council.

The council sets wages for many groups in manufacturing. It also underscores the powerful roles played by unions and large employers in the economy.

Now things have become more complicated. Trade union Solidarity says a possible strike in the metals and engineering industry might be the end of the bargaining council. This comes after wage negotiations in the council recently came to a standstill.

Thereafter, the union asked the Labour Court to place the council under administration to save it from bankruptcy. It says a strike will mean the council will be unable to cover its costs from levies paid by employers and employees.

"If it collapses, there will be no platform to negotiate wages," says Solidarity spokesman Marius Croucamp.

About 340,000 employees and 10,000 companies fall under the council. But now a renewed bout of conflict between employer representatives has become public, just as the council tries to clean up its act.

"Contrary to propaganda maliciously spread by another employer organisation, the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (Seifsa) represents small and big companies in its sector and fights hard to represent their interests," says Seifsa CEO Kaizer Nyatsumba.

Responding to a statement issued by the National Employers' Association of SA (Neasa) last week, he says he finds it "bitterly disappointing" that, following the deadlock in the 2017 wage negotiations, the CEO of the association, Gerhard Papenfus, is lashing out at all and sundry.

Nyatsumba says Papenfus seeks to portray Seifsa as an organisation that represents big employers in the sector and concludes deals suitable only to these entities and the National Union of Metal Workers of SA (Numsa).

"Nothing could be further from the truth... In fact, the overwhelming majority of our member companies employ no more than 50 people," he says.

Solidarity has requested a 30-day extension to break the wage negotiations deadlock.

Croucamp says Neasa has taken its wage offer, which is lower than a 5.3% increase offered by other employers, off the table. Numsa and Solidarity have asked for nearly twice this amount. Meanwhile, employers want to lower entry-level wages 50%, while Numsa is demanding the extension of any forthcoming wage agreement to non-parties, including Neasa, which falls under the MEIBC.

Nyatsumba says Seifsa will now engage directly with the unions in an effort to avoid industrial action, which "would have a devastating impact on an already fragile sector". Croucamp says such bilateral talks aim to find solutions to the wage talks impasse that can later be ratified in the MEIBC.

"We will only talk to Neasa once they have put their offer [back] on the table," he says.

The South African Engineers and Founders Association (Saefa), which represents about 510 companies in the metal and engineering industry, says it is confident a strike can still be avoided. "While trade unions have applied for a certificate to launch a strike... the reality is that [this] will be extremely detrimental to employees and the sector as a whole," says Gordon Angus, Saefa's executive director. "Saefa and the other employer representative associations have repeatedly assured employees the proposed lower hourly wage - initially proposed at R20 an hour, the same level as the national minimum wage - is only for new, unskilled employees in the sector," Angus says.

Numsa lost some lustre after being kicked out of Cosatu in late 2014 amid faction fights between the ANC, Cosatu and the South African Communist Party. The previous three-year MEIBC wage deal struck in mid-2014 in the metals and engineering sector ended a damaging strike by thousands of workers across SA.

The union was also key to strikes in the motor industry in 2013 that cost billions of rand.

Source: Business Day
Columba Leadership and Money for Jam (M4JAM) have created a scalable business model that aims to drive employment, education, and sustainable community development, earning them a place on the Unilever Global Development Award shortlist.

A few of the Columba graduates engaging in an experiential learning activity at a Leadership Academy to gain skills like problem solving; working in teams; communicating and personal mastery to better equip them for the working world.

Our partnership will enable us to become the biggest employer of youth in the country within the next five years, says Andy Payne, chairman of micro-jobbing platform, M4JAM. This partnership was established as a result of the fact that South Africa has one of the most unequal societies in the world, with youth unemployment close to 60%. Micro-jobbing and micro-training using mobile technology will do to traditional employment and education what Uber has done to transport, he adds.

Around the world education systems designed for the industrial era are not providing young people from under-served communities with the tools to succeed in the modern, post-industrial economy. Ethical leadership, sustained employment, and responsible capitalism in an inclusive economy have never been more important. South Africas current unemployment crisis demands an urgent and effective response, continues Payne.

The partnership addresses these issues by using experiential learning of values to build character or grit with participation in projects to improve communities that builds skills like problem solving; working in teams; communicating and personal mastery. M4JAM on the other hand offers a unique way to address unemployment by providing a steady stream of micro-jobs to young job seekers.

We do not believe that the formal sector is going to provide the levels of employment we need to effectively address unemployment in this country, says Rob Taylor, founding chairman of youth leadership programme, Columba. M4JAM, being at the forefront of micro-jobbing, offers opportunities for our graduates to earn an income while studying and making a social contribution by creating new jobs in the informal economy."

For more information, visit Columba Leadership or M4JAM.
Pam Golding Properties' International Division has partnered with global investment-migration firm Henley & Partners to provide buyers seeking international property assets with a view to acquiring dual residence or citizenship, an end-to-end service.

We are experiencing a rising demand for international residency and citizenship options from clients wanting to firm up their future planning objectives, be that simply from a lifestyle point of view or as a rand hedge in times of economic uncertainty, says Nigel Barnes, managing partner of the South African branch of Henley & Partners.

He attributes this to a number of factors, from aspirational lifestyle changes and career opportunities to the recent credit ratings downgrades and the potential effects of junk status on the economy. A far greater awareness of the vast opportunities presented globally has captured the attention of many South Africans, who are assessing the available options for diversifying their personal interests and investment assets beyond the countrys borders, he says.

Investors not necessarily emigrating

While Chris Immelman, who heads up Pam Goldings International Division, agrees that a number of the countrys super-wealthy are migrating themselves and part of their assets offshore, he says this does not mean they have lost faith in South Africa. These people are not necessarily emigrating. They are merely making the worlds markets work for them, repositioning their assets, and their homes, for a while.

Barnes confirms that the majority of his clients have no intention of permanently relocating, adding that there is no reason to do so either. The very competitive citizenship-by-investment programmes offered by some of the island nations in the Caribbean, for instance, have no residence or visitation requirements at all, he explains, adding that the residence programme of Malta, is another case in point.

For a five-year (mainly property) investment of between 520,000 and 570,000, successful applicants of the Malta Residence and Visa Programme acquire long-term unrestricted access to the entire European Schengen area, and the right to reside in the country. Maltese residence requires no physical presence in the country whatsoever.

Diversified property portfolios

The fact is that foreign property ownership has always held wide appeal for the affluent, says Dr Andrew Golding, chief executive of the Pam Golding Property group. Many of these top-end buyers are actually purchasing seaside residential properties or other lifestyle properties abroad. These not only provide a holiday destination or a second or third home, but they represent an excellent means of diversifying their property portfolios and securing a sound long-term investment  and, if that investment comes with the advantage of residence or citizenship status, then so much the better. In addition, many of our South African buyers are looking to create international opportunities for their children and enabling them to study, live and work in a European country has undoubted appeal."
Best of Zanzibar, the corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative for the Pennyroyal Gibraltar Ltd Zanzibar Amber Resort, is aiming to improve education standards by offering after-hours tutoring to a total of 496 pupils from the 5th grade to form 3 (mid primary to secondary school) to improve their Maths and English capabilities.

The short-term aim is to improve the childrens performance and equip them with the abilities to pass their annual exams as Mathematics and English are core subjects. In the long-term, Best of Zanzibar hopes to improve their communication skills for both future employment and higher learning institution opportunities. With 10 dedicated teachers, pupils attend after-hours tutoring classes on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturday mornings for a total of eight hours a week and can be involved in the programme for up to five years, depending on their age when they start.

Best of Zanzibar has chosen two schools directly neighbouring Zanzibar Amber Resort - Mbuyu Tende and Kijini Primary School. Learners are tested on their growth regularly, with the first bout of testing set to start this month. Best of Zanzibar works closely with the District North A Educational Officer and head teachers to monitor and evaluate progress effectively with supportive changes being implemented as and when needed. The programmes have been met with positive feedback from both pupils, educators and villagers, with talks of expanding into other subjects in the future.

The pupils are eager to learn and we have seen great improvement so far. We hope that by the end of the year, once their national exams are completed, we will really be able to see the benefits and results from the programme, says Tia Egglestone, CSR Programme Manager.

To further enable the future job force of Zanzibaris, Best of Zanzibar have engineering scholarships in the pipeline.

For more information on Best of Zanzibar, visit: www.best-of-zanzibar.com.
Euromonitor International has released a new travel report focused on Johannesburg as a travel hub for international tourists. Known as the economic capital of South Africa, Johannesburg represents 17% of South Africa's GDP.

123web via pixabay

Johannesburg is made up of many multinational offices in the financial service sector - including Barclays Bank and First National Bank - which has become the main industry of employment, and capital gain in the city.

Key findings

The city centre and surrounding areas have been regenerated into a creative tourist area, with the help of both government and private investment.

Leisure tourists spend their money on shopping in Johannesburg, especially that of regional tourists, as popular shopping centres boast international brands.

Southern African tourists have become frequent visitors to Johannesburg, preferring to stay with friends and relatives, due to affordable housing options.

Tourism as a pillar of economic strength

Johannesburgs destination marketing organisation, Joburg Tourism wishes to present the city not only as a stay-over-for-a night or business and event tourism destination but also as one for travel. Tourism is considered a priority for the city of Johannesburg and a support system for its economic growth strategy. The organisation highlights the city not only as a destination but as a place where one can obtain experiences of art, neighbourhoods and shopping.

Regional visitors represent the majority of visitors for Johannesburg with 90%, while only 10% of international visitors are from outside the region. It is estimated that 80% of tourists that visit the Gauteng province, go to Johannesburg.

Johannesburg has become one of the largest tourist destinations in South Africa and has attracted half a million business tourists in 2016.

The findings indicate that the majority of domestic travellers between Johannesburg and Cape Town travel for a day's meeting or work trip, and travel back again in the late afternoon. This has boded well for local airlines, but badly for those who wish to tap into the bleisure (mixing business with leisure) trend.

An average of 14% of visitor spend in Johannesburg goes to accommodation, indicating that the majority of visitors have a small budget allocated to this and would rather choose a more affordable option.

Johannesburg hotels derive the majority of their business from international business travellers and meetings, incentives, conferences and events (MICE). Foreign business travellers most often stay in luxury hotels based in Sandton. Sustainability in hotels is restricted to larger brands, which have large chains across the country and can negotiate favourable deals with agents e.g. Tsogo Sun and the Marriott group.

Smart traffic

The Johannesburg Development Agency has admitted to being behind on its road restoration schedule due to funding shortages and the loss of skilled workers. It has, however, come up with a five-year back log strategy aimed at improving road conditions from potholes to engineering smarter road platforms.

Smart traffic management strategies have, however, ensured that the city wins the 2017 Tom-Tom Traffic Index Award for the best traffic management internationally with the help of the Gautrain and integrated bus systems which have led to a decrease in traffic congestion.

Johannesburgs Smart Access Programme is aimed to give free Wi-Fi to all in the city by 2020. 300MB of free Wi-Fi per day is available at Bus Rapid Transport stations and at theatres. Johannesburg is tapping into the essential internet availability required, especially for millennials, on every leg of their journey. Millennials want to share their experiences online and post on social media, map out areas of interest, and be in continuous communication with the world.
In a joint effort by the City of Cape Town and local historical associations in Muizenberg and Kalkbay, a total of 21 historical interpretive boards has been created and installed along one of the southern Peninsula's most scenic routes, which passes through Muizenberg, St James, and KalkBay.

The boards tell the story of the people who lived in this part of the city centuries ago before it became an important access route dotted with railway stations and holidaymakers in modern cars, and covers a distance of approximately 4,5km.

Revisiting the diverse history of the Cape

"Locals and tourists who stroll along the new sidewalks that we have constructed along this section of the main road will see the new storyboards as they are taking in the views of the Muizenberg mountains and False Bay. Some of the boards are placed at other popular public open spaces, for instance, at the pedestrian rail crossing at York Street for those who are passing through towards Surfers Corner, and at Muizenberg Park at the corner of Camp and Main Roads," said Eddie Andrews, the Citys mayoral committee member for Area South.

"The project forms part of the rehabilitation of the main road from the intersection with Atlantic Road in Muizenberg to the intersection with Clovelly Road just past Kalk Bay. A team of experts, including a spatial historian, historical archaeologist, social historian, narrator, and the Muizenberg Historical Conservation Society and Kalk Bay Historical Association, formed part of the committee who selected and developed the themes depicted on the storyboards.

A number of archives and individual collectors contributed to this project by making their postcards, family collections and other useful photographic images available. Thus, this can be described as a collective effort by the City, local residents and non-profit organisations who are passionate about the diverse history of Cape Town," said Brett Herron, the Citys mayoral committee member for transport and urban development.

The storyboards depict 11 themes

Indigenous people: the story of the indigenous KhoeSan hunter-gatherers and herders who were the first to settle around this area

the story of the indigenous KhoeSan hunter-gatherers and herders who were the first to settle around this area Memories of Die Dam: the area between Rouxville and Belmont Roads in Kalk Bay with the tiny Muslim Jasjid at its heart, occupied by fishermen, crafts people, lace-makers and shopkeepers

the area between Rouxville and Belmont Roads in Kalk Bay with the tiny Muslim Jasjid at its heart, occupied by fishermen, crafts people, lace-makers and shopkeepers Die Land and Middedorp in Kalk Bay: a melting pot of cultures with residents from the Ukraine, Greece, Latvia, India and Portugal

a melting pot of cultures with residents from the Ukraine, Greece, Latvia, India and Portugal Religion and education: chapels, mosques, and synagogues, as well as surfing culture, hippie and New Age movements all added to the mix

chapels, mosques, and synagogues, as well as surfing culture, hippie and New Age movements all added to the mix Colonial occupation and defence: the Battle of Muizenberg in 1795

the Battle of Muizenberg in 1795 Fishing: the earlier residents had sturdy wooden boats, whaling took place, and silverfish and yellowtail were plentiful

the earlier residents had sturdy wooden boats, whaling took place, and silverfish and yellowtail were plentiful Kalk Bay Harbour and Fishery Beach: a small fishing community was established here in the early 1800s, the railway was constructed in 1883, and the area declared a White Group Area in 1967

a small fishing community was established here in the early 1800s, the railway was constructed in 1883, and the area declared a White Group Area in 1967 Architecture: local sandstone, sea-facing frontages, and alleys stepped down the steep slopes formed part of the local layout

Transport: wagons from Cape Town delivered goods, access became easy after the railway reached Muizenberg in 1883, and Boyes Drive was built in 1929

wagons from Cape Town delivered goods, access became easy after the railway reached Muizenberg in 1883, and Boyes Drive was built in 1929 A coastal resort: Muizenberg aspired to be the Brighton (royal British coastal resort) of South Africa where women did surf-riding in the 1930s

Muizenberg aspired to be the Brighton (royal British coastal resort) of South Africa where women did surf-riding in the 1930s Mountain and sea: the people have always been affected by the forces of nature, be it storms or fires on the mountain

"The storyboards are cleverly designed, with maps, photos, drawings and text telling the stories of the people who have lived in this area for over 400 years. It shows how the peninsula has evolved from a food provider to a fun holiday destination, and the conflict and development that came with it. It is the collective story of our rich and diverse cultural heritage," said Herron.

Unfolding stories of yesteryear

"Most interesting is that freed slaves, political exiles, and Filipino mariners found a home on the False Bay coast. Families lived in mixed neighbourhoods. Fishermen from the Philippines were Catholic and St James was their patron saint. Many slaves and exiles were Muslim and summer visitors and the owners of villas attended the Jewish synagogue on Saturdays," said Andrews.

"The purpose of the storyboards is not to create a complete historical overview of the area but to give locals and tourists a glimpse of the Southern Peninsula and its people. We have worked for nearly two years on finalising this project, which is in line with the Citys new Organisational Development and Transformation Plan (ODTP). One of the outcomes of the ODTP is to build an inclusive Cape Town where we commemorate the people and events that influenced the character and culture of the city. I encourage residents to take a closer look at these boards next time they are strolling along Main Road," said Herron.
Transport makes up 57% of South Africa's logistics costs, while the global average is 40%. Part of the reason for this is the long distances between Durban and Johannesburg; and Cape Town and Johannesburg.

 qdxjw via 123RF

A centre of gravity analysis performed by multinational Arup, has plotted the optimised use of containers in Gauteng. Key to this analysis was establishing where inland terminals should be developed to ensure last mile transport costs - the most expensive part of any supply chain - are as cheap and efficient as possible. The importance of this is said to be evidenced by the fact that it costs more to move a shipping container from City Deep in Johannesburg to Pretoria than it does to move the same container from Durban to Johannesburg.

"Too much rail-friendly cargo on road"

We also have too much rail-friendly cargo on road, says logistics expert, Gerard de Villiers, who presented Improving Competitiveness of Companies in South Africa through Logistics and Supply Chain Management, during the 36th annual Southern African Transport Conference.

One glaring example of this is the copper transported 2,500km from the Democratic Republic of Congo by road, to Durban. De Villiers believes the real challenge in the Durban port has to do with the port precinct. If we want to solve the congestion challenges at the Durban port, we need to move and extend the gate to places like Cato Ridge - or further away - where a shuttle could take containers in and out of the port, he said.

Future freight volumes

Continuing, he said the country must be careful as to how it plans the Natal Corridor (Natcor) to accommodate future freight volumes. I believe we need to look at Coega, which could service Gauteng. We could park bigger vessels in Ngqura and double-stack containers to Gauteng. Maybe we need to start thinking about Walvis Bay, with two 12-metre containers (road trains) serving Gauteng, rather than putting everything through Durban.

He pointed out that BMW South Africa used the Cape Town port for its Rosslyn-bound containers, instead of Durban, despite the elongated distance.

We can also do so much better as Southern Africa if we start bringing in Maputo and other regional ports. That is the type of thinking we need and where we should be going, he said.
Jameson is excited to announced Carl Houston Mc Millan as the winner of its 2017 Jameson Music Video Grant. Mc Millan has won R200,000 to shoot a music video for Impepho by Trap Funk & Alivio featuring Morena Leraba & ManKind.

Impepho is a powerful high-energy track with lyrics fusing slang phrases in Sotho, Pedi, Tswana and Zulu.

Morena Leraba is a musician and shepherd from Lesotho whose lyrics, sounds and aesthetics are deeply rooted in tradition. His delivery is influenced by the poetic freestyles that the shepherds perform. ManKind is a fresh voice hailing from and making waves in the heart of Johannesburg.

Mc Millan was selected from 550 entries, after a judging panel of industry experts met with the Top 10 for their treatment presentations.

Mc Millans winning concept

The Impepho video is a visual exploration and celebration of Basotho shepherd culture in the highlands of Lesotho.

To be shot on location, the music video will take you to the heart of Lesotho, where the sun rises to reveal a barren mountainous landscape. On this particular day, a clay hut is burning. Smoke peels out. Flames erupt. A group of Basotho shepherds watch, proudly. Theyre dressed in signature grey blankets, customised balaclavas, handmade jewellery. Some are holding dogs, others have livestock on their shoulders.

Then the shepherds head to a dirt racing track. Against this surreal mountain backdrop a local horse race is about to start. More and more shepherds gather in the icy wind. Money is being passed around, bets are being placed and horses are checked; teeth, hooves, legs, etc. Jockeys get ready. They line up. The atmosphere intensifies.

The signal goes. A thunderous sound erupts as muscles bulge, with dust everywhere. The shepherds cheer, walking sticks raised in celebration.

As the sun sets and the sky turns pink the shepherds find a tavern, where a group of flashy visitors from the city arrive. They seem out of place, territorial. A dance battle ensues. The visitors perform series of energetic break dance moves. Unimpressed, the shepherds respond with a traditional Sesotho dance. They simply move their chests to the beat, majestically. Thump, thump.

Exploring the tensions between rural and urban, traditional and modern, African and Western, the music video will offer a refreshing and honest look into an authentically African subculture thats seemingly survived external influences.

Who is Mc Millan

Carl Houston Mc Millan is a director and writer living between South Africa and Lesotho, the majority of his work explores the latter. More about him and his work can be viewed here.

Find out who helped us choose the winner here, and more about the Jameson Music Grant video here.
AngloGold Ashanti's subsidiaries in Tanzania have initiated arbitration proceedings to protect their interests in case the government changes the terms of their longstanding agreement, the group said.

Geita gold mine. Photo: AngloGold Ashanti

Tanzania's government recently passed three new laws to ensure the state earns a greater share of mining, oil and gas profits, after a dispute with London-listed Acacia Mining over gold sales.

The new laws allow the government to renegotiate mine development agreements, take up to 16% free carried interest in all mining projects and raise royalties to 6% from 4%. It also wants to compel companies to do more local beneficiation.

The shares of Australian-listed mining companies operating in Tanzania were hit by the news. Some development companies such as Volt Resources and Graphex Mining said the new laws would not stop them from continuing with projects.

AngloGold's Geita gold mine produced 489,000 ounces in 2016, about 14% of total group production. AngloGold said it originally invested in Tanzania on the basis of its mine development agreement when gold prices were lower and the country was untested for new mine developments.

In its 20 years of operation, Geita had generated nearly $1bn of monetary benefits to the government of Tanzania. In 2016 it paid $130m in taxes and employed 3,748 people.

AngloGold said it was seeking assurance from Tanzania that Geita would not be affected by the legal and fiscal changes.

AngloGold's shares shed 0.93% to R133.14 on Thursday and have dropped about 10% since the beginning of June. In the same period the gold price dropped 4% to $1,219/oz. Eunomix MD Claude Baissac said the motivation for arbitrary changes in law in countries such as Zimbabwe, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo appeared to be governments' suspicion that mining companies were underreporting.

But the Eunomix report for SA's Chamber of Mines on the UN Conference on Trade and Development's (Unctad's) study on trade misinvoicing in several countries, including SA, showed Unctad's figures were hugely inflated and largely incorrect.

Where there was misinvoicing, it could be attributed to various licit factors, including different reporting requirements. In another Eunomix study on the effect of Zimbabwe's chrome export ban, it discovered it had resulted in lower chrome production and beneficiation because economies of scale were lost.

Baissac said making changes to longstanding agreements or imposing drastic new laws on mining companies resulted in countries losing revenue and jobs. Local beneficiation was stimulated by incentives, not restrictions. But perhaps the real motivation for these drastic moves was to reduce the value of these assets so that governments' chosen partners could buy them up cheaply.
Nedbank recently launched a new Schools Healthy Lifestyle Programme, offered in partnership with Colgate, Futurelife, the ICRD Group Foundation and KwaZulu-Natal Departments of Education and Health. The programme, with funding of R500,000 from Nedbank, aims to promote healthier lifestyles among South Africa's youth, particularly within the school environment.

It will cover physical, nutrition, dental and mental health components and, in addition to direct health and wellness interventions with learners, will include ongoing guidance for schools and educators, as well as curriculum-aligned lesson plans and tools that teachers can include in their regular teaching programmes.

Lindiwe Temba, Nedbank executive head of corporate social investment, at the launch of the Schools Healthy Lifestyle Programme at Saphinda Primary School.

We interviewed Lindiwe Temba, executive head of corporate social investment at Nedbank, to find out more about the programme, how it ensures its CSI initiatives are sustainable, and how its sustainability strategy is communicated with all its relevant stakeholders.

How does Nedbank's new Schools Healthy Lifestyle Programme fit into its overall CSI strategy?

Lindiwe Temba: The School Healthy Lifestyle programme fits squarely into our education strategy of building and supporting effective schools. Our holistic approach to schools and education is not just about the academics, but the overall health and welfare of the child, which will inevitably result in better performance in the classroom.

Are Nedbank employees encouraged to get involved in its CSI activities? If yes, how do you motivate participation?

Temba: Nedbanks volunteerism programme has made an impact in communities and, as such, we encourage all staff members to continue to be part of this enabling journey aimed at empowering and developing our communities. We encourage staff to support and drive initiatives that will have an impactful engagement with our communities that will lead to sustainable outcomes and long-term value through various programmes:

Local Hero Programme:

The Local Hero Programme is aimed at supporting staff members who are making a difference in their communities through selflessly giving of their time, expertise and resources to support worthwhile community initiatives. A donation of R15,000 is made towards a registered non-profit organisation (NPO) where a staff member has been volunteering for a minimum of six months.

Team Challenge Programme:

This is a staff volunteer programme that allows staff members to form teams with colleagues to selflessly give of their time and expertise in support of a variety of non-profit organisations that they feel passionate about. Through the Team Challenge, staff members are given the opportunity and financial support to volunteer at charity organisations that are close to their hearts. The Nedbank Foundation makes R5,000 seed funding available to every team to help them get their projects off the ground. The Team Challenge is a 10-month challenge which runs from January to October annually.

Nedbank Payroll Giving

It is an easy and regulated way for staff members to contribute towards uplifting communities. An agreed amount is deducted monthly from staff salary and donated to various non-profit organisations.

Dental clinic for Nedbank Healthy Lifestyle Programme

How does Nedbank ensure its CSI initiatives are sustainable?

Temba: Sustainability is key in all the projects or programmes that the bank supports. The identification or crafting of a project considers firstly what outcomes Nedbank wants to achieve and once these outcomes are achieved, how can they be sustained. Our new monitoring and evaluation framework and tools is key to achieving the sustainability of the projects. The amount of time that the bank is involved in a project also plays a significant role on sustainability, the bank plans to be in an initiative for at least three years minimum.

How important is authenticity and transparency in the CSI space in South Africa?

Temba: Authenticity and transparency within the CSI space is very important, we need to be authentic in our intentions to do good in our communities and society as a whole - its about impact in the community.

Nedbank has a very comprehensive sustainability strategy in place - how is this simplified in order to be communicated at all levels of the company and with all its stakeholders?

Temba: At Nedbank, we use both internal and external communication programmes to engage and influence our stakeholders around our sustainability strategy. We use our internal communication tools such as our website and apps to influence staff behaviour so they can better manage their environmental impacts.

We use various media platforms to share our expert knowledge with public stakeholders through thought leadership pieces and a combination of sustainability publications such as the Nedbank Smart Living Guide, Nedbank Carbon Footprinting and the Nedbank Biodiversity Guide. The intent of these tools is to share practical tips and provide guidance about living and working in ways that lessen their impact on our country's scarce resources and help them live smarter.

The Nedbank Sustainability Review, which is made available to the public each year, also offers detailed insights into the way in which Nedbank continues to entrench its leadership position through its delivery of lasting positive impacts around social, economic and environmental sustainability. The Sustainability Review demonstrates to stakeholders the value that is unlocked through the three-pronged sustainability approach that combines a commitment to sustainable products and services, managing our own impact through operations, and partnering with like-minded organisations and initiatives.

Nedbank Mobile Clinic

What is Nedbank doing for Mandela Day this year, and what do you think is the significance of Mandela Day in 2017?

Temba: Mandela Day is far more than just about doing 67 minutes of good, but also seeks to bring about sustainable social change in the lives of our people. As part of Nedbanks response to contributing to a thriving society and delivering value to our community, the bank is calling on staff to be active citizens and roll up their sleeves to empower organisations through skills-based volunteerism. In encouraging skills-based volunteerism, we launched a campaign where staff could tell us how they would be using their skills to make a difference and the top projects would be awarded funding.

Nedbank chief executive Mike Brown will be going to Orange Farm for the house build taking place between 17 and 21 July. He will be there on 18 July, helping to build houses. We will be building eight houses in total with Old Mutual and Old Mutual Insure. Nedbank will be building two of the eight houses.

At Nedbank, we believe that social responsibility is everyones responsibility, as such, Nedbank grants all permanent employees two full days of leave  over and above annual leave  for volunteer work.
NAIROBI, Kenya: A strikingly toxic campaign ad was unleashed online in Kenya just weeks before national elections - a potentially explosive move in a country where politics and ethnicity are closely aligned.

Supporters of Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga (not in the picture), the presidential candidate of the National Super Alliance (NASA) coalition, walk at dusk after attending their campaign rally at the Kamukunji grounds in Nairobi, Kenya, 7 July 2017.Image: Reuters/Thomas Mukoya

The 90-second video, shot in moody monochrome, presented a dystopia in which Raila Odinga, the leading opposition candidate, wins the August vote and plunges the nation into a violent and inept dictatorship.

Under this scenario, tribes would be set against one another while terrorists run riot. "Stop Raila, Save Kenya. The Future of Kenya is in Your Hands," the video said.

East Africa's largest economy holds its general election on 8 August, a decade after disputed poll results fuelled violence that left more than 1,100 dead and hundreds of thousands displaced.

"The Real Raila"

It is unclear who is behind last week's slick video or "The Real Raila", the shadowy pro-government outfit that disseminated it.

But some on Kenya's vibrant social media networks were quick to blame Cambridge Analytica (CA), a company credited with using its data mining and psychological profiling techniques to help swing recent votes in the United States and Britain.

In May, local press reported President Uhuru Kenyatta's Jubilee campaign had hired CA. A spokesman, Nick Fievet, declined to comment on CA's possible work in Kenya but said it had "no connection" with the attack video.

With 7.1 million Facebook users and an estimated two-thirds of Kenya's 45 million people able to access the internet, there is a critical mass of people leaving an increasingly detailed trail of information about their fears and preferences -- a rich resource for those seeking to influence voting choices.

"Here it can lead to war," said John Githongo, a veteran anti-corruption campaigner. "The wrong video, the wrong information, it can go out of control."

New techniques

Githongo believes both government and opposition seek to use the new techniques, only the ruling party is more effective. "Jubilee has been way ahead from the very beginning."

CA worked on Kenyatta's last campaign in 2013 - devised by PR company BTP Advisers - to paint Kenyatta and his running mate William Ruto as victims of a Western imperialist plot to try them at the International Criminal Court for politically motivated tribal violence.

"We made the election a choice about whether Kenyans would decide their own future or have it dictated to them by others," said a statement by London-based BTP, which is reportedly working with Kenyatta and Ruto again this year.

According to its website, CA "designed and implemented the largest political research project ever conducted in East Africa" ahead of the 2013 vote to hone a campaign based on voters' desires for jobs and fears of "tribal violence".

It also "segmented the Kenyan population into key target audiences".

Now there are fears data will be swept up and used to create psychological profiles of voters so that specific messages can be tailored to specific voters.

Frederike Kaltheuner, a policy officer at data advocacy group Privacy International, is worried by the "lack of any kind of data protection framework" in Kenya.

"There are concerns about the integrity of data in Kenya. Who would have access to it? Who is storing it? Do people even know what is being collected about them? None of these questions are being answered," she said.

Concerns

Others are concerned about what happens when you seek to segment a society for electoral purposes where already politicians' primary appeals are to their ethnic constituents.

"There are very strong communities in Kenya and that's exactly the kind of situation present where you can start to drive different conversations about the election in different sub-communities," said Paul-Olivier Dehaye, a Swiss mathematician and data activist who has studied CA's techniques.

"We've seen it with Brexit and the US election, and the same can be done in Kenya, or elsewhere that there's a lot of fragmentation already."

"Fake news", a term that dominates political discourse in the United States, has already made itself felt in Kenya's election

Jeffrey Smith, executive director of the US-based Vanguard Africa, an organisation promoting free and fair elections, has been under attack since he invited Odinga to the United States in March to meet policymakers.

Fake letters

Soon afterwards fake letters - complete with Vanguard's company header and Smith's forged signature - began to circulate on Kenyan social media purporting to reveal efforts to rig Kenya's election for Odinga.

Smith then started suffering at the hands of trolls.

"At least once a week I'll wake up and have hundreds of Twitter notifications from accounts that are clearly bots and trolls tweeting in a coordinated manner, posting the same bogus and entirely false information over and over again," Smith said.

Data scientist Timothy Oriedo, founder of consulting company Vault Global, acknowledges the growing importance of the online battleground but says old-style tactics still play a key role.

"The old techniques of voter suppression, the normal things, will continue: ballot stuffing, gerrymandering," he added.
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On her sixth tour of Myanmar, UN human rights expert Yanghee Lee made a stop to meet with Karen social organizations in Hpa-an township, Kayin (Karen) State on July 16.

We discussed issues related to education, health, traditions and culture, womens rights and rule of law. I discussed the situation of literature and culture. We were only submitting information about our situation. She didnt give back any comments, said Saw Kyaw Swar, secretary of the Karen Affairs Committee (KAC).

The meeting involved 11 Kayin State-based and border-based organizations, including the Karen Womens Organization (KWO), the Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG) and the Karen Environmental and Social Action Network.

We told her about the domestic issues and the lack of funds for women whenever a womens issue arises in Myanmar. We cant say we were satisfied with the meeting because we dont know how she will respond, said Nan Myint Aung, a representative from Kayin State social organization.

UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, Yanghee Lee, is visiting Myanmar until July 21. Her itinerary for the two-week trip includes Shan, Rakhine and Kayin states, as well as Yangon and Nay Pyi Taw.

Before her July 10 arrival, Ms Lee had said in a statement that she was especially concerned with the escalating security situation in many parts of the country which have grave consequence for human rights in Myanmar.

She is expected to present a report about the human rights conditions observed in Myanmar to the UN General Assembly in October.
Around three dozen Karenni refugees whose homes were burned down in a July 5 blaze are in need of basic supplies, according to camp officials.

The fire destroyed 33 homes in Karenni Refugee Camp 1 on the Thai-Myanmar border. Those whose homes were destroyed are currently staying with relatives.

The victims need tarpaulin, clothes and kitchen utensils, according to Khu Lwi Zi, secretary of the Karenni Refugee Committee. The Karenni refugee camps administrative office has been providing food.

They will be able to rebuild [their homes] next week after wood and bamboo arrives. We have only received the roofs for the houses whose roofs have been destroyed, said Khu Lwi Zi.

The roofs of 37 homes were destroyed to stop the spread of the fire, he added.

The fire, which broke out in Ward 5 of the Karenni Refugee Camp around 10pm on July 5, is believed to have been caused by negligence, but the case is still under investigation.

Karenni refugees have been living in several refugee camps in Thailand for nearly three decades. Fires are a common scourge. In a March 2013 incident, 40 people died and over 400 houses in the Karenni Refugee Camp 2 burned.

In April 2015, a fire in camp 1 left 1,000 refugees homeless.
PR Newswire

HONG KONG, July 17, 2017

HONG KONG, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- DotAsia Organisation, registry operator of the .Asia top-level-domain, announces new simplified registration process for .Asia domain names. Businesses and individuals acquiring .Asia names are no longer required to provide proof of locality during registration.

On July 15th 2017, the .Asia Eligibility Requirements policy was officially updated to allow for easier registrations, especially for entities without a pre-existing regional address or proof of local I.D. This means anyone can now register a .Asia domain, even if they do not have a physical address within the region. Through this update, .Asia hopes to:

"From.Asia / For.Asia has been our philosophy from the start. We have always believed that the .Asia domain is valuable equally for those coming From Asia as well as those looking For Asia," said Edmon Chung, CEO of DotAsia Organisation. "The new streamlined registration process completes our mandate to serve the global community seeking to connect with Asia, and matches our new calling championing the world to #RiseWithAsia. Whether you are an Asian restaurant in Europe or an Asian American association in the US, you can now easily register a .Asia name that speaks to your brand and scope."

In 2016 over 80% of .Asia registrations came from the Asia Pacific region led by China, India, Japan and South East Asia. The latest .Asia policy update and streamlined registration process is a renewed commitment from the registry to its mandate from the start -- to support online representation of all things Asia.

For details please visit www.dot.asia.

About DotAsia Organisation:

The DotAsia Organisation is the Sponsoring Organisation and Registry Operator for the .Asia Top-Level-Domain. .Asia is the official web address for the region and is open to all businesses, individuals and organizations around the globe looking to connect with Asia. .Asia domains have been registered in more than 150 countries to date. The DotAsia Organisation is a not-for-profit, community-based organization headquartered in Hong Kong. Proceeds from every .Asia domain registered supports Internet development and charitable works in the region. DotAsia is committed to a vision of fostering a collaborative Asia.

Contact:

Pavan [email protected]+852-22447916

Beatrice [email protected] +852-22447985


The Rafale fighter jets.

NEW DELHI (PTI): Chief of Air Staff B S Dhanoa has left for France on a four-day visit to ramp up cooperation between the air forces of the two countries in a range of areas, the Indian Air Force said on Sunday.



Air Chief Marshal Dhanoa will also take stock of progress in the supply of 36 Rafale fighter jets by French aviation major Dassault to the IAF under a Euro 7.87 billion (approx Rs 59,000 crore) deal inked in September last year.



The fighter jets will be capable of carrying nuclear weapons and be equipped with the latest missiles that will give the IAF greater "potency" over arch-rival Pakistan.



Dhanoa is also likely to fly a sortie in a Rafale jet.



During his stay, he is scheduled to hold talks with the top brass of the French armed forces on security challenges being faced by the two countries in the current geo-political scenario and explore ways to further deepen defence cooperation.



The main focus of the visit will be on improving bilateral relations, promote defence ties and outline further areas of defence cooperation between the two countries, the IAF said in a statement.



Defence and security ties between India and France have been on an upswing for the last couple of years and the two nations have resolved to strengthen the relationship further.



The statement said boosting cooperation between the two air forces would be a focus area. The current cooperation between the two forces include military training and joint air exercises.



Dhanoa will also visit the headquarters of the French air force and a few operational air bases.



The Chief of the Air Staff will interact with the top echelon of the French military aviation industry and visit the Rafale PMT Infrastructure.



The Rafale combat aircraft will come with various India-specific modifications, including Israeli helmet mounted displays, radar warning receivers and low band jammers, among others.



The Inter-Governmental Agreement for the supply of the jets was signed in September last year, 16 months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced India's plans to buy 36 Rafale aircraft in fly away condition.



According to the deal, the delivery of the jets will start in 36 months and will be completed in 67 months from the date the contract is inked.



This visit of the Air Chief would provide further impetus towards increasing defence cooperation between the two air forces and pave the way for greater interaction and cooperation in the future, the IAF said.




The Commander-in-Chief of the Myanmar Defence Services, Gen. U Min Aung Hliang calling on the Union Minister for Defence, Arun Jaitley, in New Delhi on July 14, 2017. A PIB photo

NEW DELHI (PTI): Myanmar's top military commander Gen U Min Aung Hlaing called on Defence Minister Arun Jaitley and held extensive talks with the Army and Naval chiefs and explored ways to deepen security ties between the two countries.



A range of issues, including expanding cooperation between armed forces of the two countries, were discussed in the meeting held on July 14 between Jaitley and Gen Hlaing, who is commander-in-chief of the Myanmar Defence Services.



Various operational matters, including enhancing cooperation between security forces of the two countries along the India-Myanmar border, were discussed in talks Army Chief General Bipin Rawat had with the Myanmarese general, an official said on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to speak to the media.



The two generals are also understood to have discussed regional security scenario and ways to effectively combat terrorism.



Gen Rawat had visited Myanmar in May.



Myanmar is one of India's strategic neighbours and shares a 1,640-km-long border with a number of north-eastern states, including militancy-hit Nagaland and Manipur.



Gen Hlaing was on an eight-day visit to India from July 7.



His talks with the top brass of India's defence and security establishment come at a time when the armies of India and China are engaged in a standoff in Doklam area in the Sikkim sector.



Myanmar's President Htin Kyaw had visited India in August last year when the two countries had agreed to step up bilateral coordination between the two border guarding forces to ensure security in the areas along the frontier.



India has been concerned over some militant groups from the northeast taking shelter in Myanmar. The country has been assuring New Delhi that it would not allow any insurgent group to use its territory against India.



Gen Hlaing also held wide-ranging discussions with Naval Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba on defence and security cooperation.



Admiral Lanba is also chairman of the powerful Chiefs of Staff Committee (CoSC) which comprises chiefs of the Army, Navy, and Air Force.






WASHINGTON (PTI): The US should maintain a military capability to deter acts of aggression in the Indo-Asia Pacific region, the House of Representatives has said, amid aggressive Chinese behaviour in the strategic region.



Approving the annual defence budget, it noted that the US has a national interest in maintaining the stability and security of the Indo-Asia Pacific region.



The National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA)-2018 said that the US "should maintain a military capability to deter acts of aggression and respond to regional threats."



It also called for continuing efforts to realign forces, committing additional assets, and increasing investments in the region as necessary to maintain a robust US commitment to the region.



It directed the Defence Secretary to develop a strategic plan and submit it to the Congress by February 1 next year and assess US Pacific posture, deployment plans, and realignment and basing needs to accomplish defence priorities and respond to complex crises and contingencies.



To be submitted to the Congress before March 1 next year, the report should align with the Department of Defence strategy to prioritise US defence interests in the Indo-Asia Pacific region that would be required elsewhere in this subtitle, the budget said.



Calls for reassessing and realigning forces by the US come at a time when China has been increasingly aggressive in the disputed South China Sea region and flexing its military muscles overseas. It has this week sent military personnel to man its first overseas military base at Djibouti in the strategic Indian Ocean region.



Though Beijing downplayed reports that its naval facility at Djibouti was its first military base, the dispatch of PLA personnel sparked concerns in the US.



The Djibouti military base is a few kilometres from Camp Lemonnier, one of Pentagon's largest foreign installations.



China's second base is coming up in Gwadar, Pakistan, linking its restive Xinjiang region to the Indian Ocean through the US$ 50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.



The US defence budget assured that America was committed to providing extended deterrence to allies in the Asia-Pacific, including Japan and South Korea. Also, it said that the US must maintain robust nuclear capabilities, including nuclear-capable aircraft, to assure that the full spectrum of military options associated with the extended deterrence commitments of the US remains credible and executable.



Supporting recent Freedom of Navigation Operations (FONOPs) in the South China Sea that challenge arbitrary limitations that are in contravention of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the budget asked the US Defence Secretary to provide a report to the congressional committees that outlines US policy and strategy regarding freedom of navigation in the global commons and a plan for conducting FONOPs in the South China Sea with regularity.



The US should regularly and routinely conduct freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea, it said.



Meanwhile, a White paper issued by the House Armed Services Committee said China continues to build new military bases in the South China Sea, while the regime in North Korea continues to pursue nuclear weapons and deploy new, longer-range ballistic missiles that directly threaten the US.


Dublin was one of the EMEA cities to experience a higher than average increase in high street retail rents in the year to the end of Q1 2017, up 10.5% in the period, according to CBREs half yearly research report Global Prime Retail Rents.

The report is based on the retail rent per square foot that retailers have to pay every year to occupy a shop in a prime location. Europe was the only region to register rental growth in Q1 2017 with an increase of 4.3% year-on-year.

The return of prosperity to the Irish and Spanish economies has led to Dublin and Madrid registering rental growth of 10.5% and 6.4% respectively, in the past year.

"Demand for quality retail space in Dublin remains robust and the arrival of brands such as Victorias Secret and & All Other Stories onto Grafton Street has further underlined the importance of these prime shopping destinations," said Bernadine Hogan, Senior Director in CBRE Irelands retail team.

"We expect to see some further upward pressure on Prime Zone A rents on streets such as Grafton Street over the coming months. The retail sector is rapidly evolving and is a highly competitive market, therefore, retail brands must focus on targeting consumers across multiple channels."

Since 2013, there has been close to 442 million of investment transactions on Grafton & Henry Street. The largest proportion of these occurred in 2015 when assets such as Sovereign Portfolio traded. This portfolio was acquired by Irish Life for 154.8 million.

Irish institutions have been the most dominant buyers of prime high street assets acquiring 62% of Grafton & Henry Street assets since 2013.

Meanwhile Londons New Bond Street has taken the top spot for the fastest growing prime retail location in the world. It recorded prime rental growth of 39.1% in Q1 2017, compared to the same period last year.

St.Petersburg ranked second in the top 10 fastest growing retail locations and reported a 15.4% year-on-year growth; this was largely driven by an increase in tourism in the city. Auckland and Sofia were third with 12.5%, Dublin was fifth with 10.5% and Glasgow was sixth with 9.4%.
On any given night on the town, you will come across at least four ladies whove given up on those heels after dancing the night away in the local nightclub - us, included!

Theyve either Bear Gyrilsd it and gone barefoot, borrowed their boyfriends runners while he walks around in his socks or gotten creative.
A couple have tied the knot in the first official wedding on the British Antarctic Territory.

Polar field guides Julie Baum and Tom Sylvester celebrated their marriage with 20 fellow researchers over two days - starting with a champagne breakfast on Saturday.

Ms Baum, from Yoxall, Staffordshire, said: "Over the last 10 years, Tom and I have been working and travelling around the world. Getting married in Antarctica feels like it was meant to be.

"There is no better place really. I love snowy mountains and spending time in amazing places with awesome people."

The wedding celebrations were held in a chapel at the Rothera Research Centre on Adelaide Island, west of the Antarctic Peninsula, where the couple conduct their research.

Although temperatures were well below freezing and there was very little daylight, Mr Sylvester, from Sheffield, said he thought the setting "couldn't be better".

He said: "Antarctica is an incredibly beautiful place and we have made such great friends here.

"We have always wanted to have a small personal wedding, but never imagined we'd be able to get married in one of the most remote places on Earth."

With help from some friends at the Research Centre, Ms Baum made her own wedding dress using part of an old orange pyramid tent for the skirt.

The ceremony was performed by Rothera Research Station Leader and British Antarctic Territory (BAT) Magistrate Paul Samways.

The couple, who have been together for 11 years, are experienced mountaineering instructors who were chosen to join the British Antarctic Survey and manage deep-field science expeditions last year.

They have worked as expedition leaders in countries around the world, including Nepal, Peru, Ecuador and Uzbekistan.

The marriage is valid in the UK as it was registered with the British Antarctic Territory (BAT) government based in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

It is the first marriage since the BAT marriage law was reformed last year to make it easier for marriages to be arranged in the territory.
Gardai have discovered the body of a woman this afternoon in Blanchardstown.

As part of a planned search by the divisional search team for a missing woman, Gardai discovered the remains of a woman, yet to be identified, this afternoon shortly after 2pm.

The body was found in an area of undergrowth between Clonsilla Road and Snugborough Rd.

The scene has been preserved and the State Pathologist and the Garda Technical Bureau have been notified.

The body remains at the scene.
The consumer protection watchdog is to investigate finance plans used by car dealers.

A form of hire purchase known as Personal Contract Plan (PCP) is being used by many car dealers as their primary method of finance.

Many car buyers have reported a lack of awareness of a balloon payment needed at the end of the contract.

Other conditions can include not going over a certain mileage and guaranteeing the future value of the car.

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission is also worried the cheaper price of monthly repayments on the plans may lead to a flood of second hand cars on the market.

Speaking today, Isolde Goggin, chairperson of the Commission, said: After a mortgage, the purchase of a car is likely to be the biggest financial commitment a consumer will make. From our interactions with consumers we know that PCP is an increasingly popular way for consumers to finance the purchase of a car.

However, these products are relatively new and considering their complexity there is potential for consumer misunderstanding and detriment if they take out a product that may not be suitable for them.

The information gained through this study will guide our future work and form an evidence base that can be used by policy-makers to assess the suitability, or otherwise, of the current consumer protection regime.

In addition to an extensive analysis of the market and engagement with the industry, this study will focus heavily on the consumer experience so it is important that consumers have their say.

We would like to hear from those who have a PCP agreement, particularly anyone who either experienced problems in understanding the product before buying or had difficulties after they signed up to the contract.

You can contact us through our website ccpc.ie.
Students' Unions are calling on Dublin homeowners to rent out their spare rooms.

People can earn up to 14,000 tax free by letting rooms in their main home.

It comes just a month out from the Leaving Cert results when thousands of students will begin looking for accommodation.

The campaign is a joint effort from Trinity College, UCD and DAFT.ie to make more housing spaces available.
The young woman who made sex abuse allegations against Sgt Maurice McCabe has told the Charleton tribunal she met with journalist Paul Williams about her case because she wanted people to know there was another side to the garda whistleblower.

"I wanted people to know there was another side to this man. I wanted people to know he wasn't the saint he was being described as," she told the tribunal.

Ms D said she was furious and "had a personal grievance against him because of what occurred."

The tribunal, chaired by Mr Justice Peter Charleton, is looking into the creation and distribution of files by Tusla and the HSE containing false allegations against Sgt McCabe and whether he was the target of a smear campaign.

A Tusla file on Sgt McCabe was opened when Ms D sought counselling in 2013 about a previously reported allegation investigated by gardai in 2006. The DPP had decided in 2007 against pressing charges in the case due to lack of evidence.

Last week Mr Justice Charleton ordered that members of the public be excluded from the hearings involving Ms D and her family, in order to protect her privacy.

This morning Ms D told tribunal barrister Ms Kathleen Leader BL how on one occasion she had to walk out of a room in college when others were "discussing Maurice McCabe and what a wonderful man he was.

She said that she reluctantly agreed to attend counselling in 2013 at her mother's request.

Ms D said she did not say anything different to counsellor Laura Brophy than she said in 2006.

The tribunal has heard that the counsellor later incorrectly added allegations of digital rape from an unrelated case to Ms D's file in error.

Ms D said she did not want the file to be referred for further investigation, she only wanted counselling.

"As far as I was concerned Tusla had my complaint on file from 2006 and obviously the Gardai did as I made the complaint to them"

The tribunal heard that the following year Sgt McCabe's name was in the papers and several journalists tried to make contact with Ms D.

His face was everywhere, he was being described as a great man," Ms D said. "I wanted people to know there was another side to this man, I wanted people to know he wasn't the saint he was being described as."

In March 2014, she met with journalist and broadcaster Paul Williams for an interview.

She said she wanted to speak for herself, and was not prompted by anyone else to do so.

Shortly after the interview, Ms D made a complaint to the Garda Ombudsman (GSOC).

"I felt that my case was not investigated properly and I felt that my case was more serious that cases the Dail was told about," she said.

She said that Mr Williams arranged for her to meet with Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin and then justice minister Alan Shatter.

She also wrote to Sean Guerin SC, who was investigating Sgt McCabe's allegations at the time.

At the end of March 2014, Ms D was contacted by her father, a garda, who told her about the allegation of digital rape on a Tusla notification sent to gardai.

"I completely lost it. I said over and over that is not me, I never said that," Ms D said.

She said she then brought the error to the attention of the counsellor she had met.

"Once I brought the error to her attention I naturally assumed the error would be fixed," she said.
Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney says Ireland "cannot and will not" accept the return of a hard border.

Minister Coveney was speaking in Brussels as British and EU negotiators began detailed Brexit talks.
A protester who was wrestled by the Canadian Ambassador at a 1916 commemoration ceremony in Dublin has been given a chance to avoid a criminal record.

Brian Murphy publicly apologised today in his bid to have his recorded conviction for a public order offence overturned. Judge James ODonohue held he would be given the Probation Act if he donated 900 to charity and apologised to the Garda who arrested him. Judge ODonohue also suggested he write a letter of apology to Canadian ambassador Kevin Vickers.

Youth club manager Murphy, 48, of Newcastle Manor, Newcastle, Co Dublin interrupted a televised 1916 commemoration service for members of the British army, held at Grangegorman military cemetery on May 26 last year.

Canadian Ambassador to Ireland Kevin Vickers tackles protester at ceremony to honour British soldiers killed in 1916https://t.co/idQ3g16gG8  RTE News (@rtenews) May 26, 2016

Murphy, whose great great grandfather had served in the British millitary is buried in the cemetery, was an invited guest at the commemoration. His paternal grandfather had fought in Bolands Mills in the 1916 Rising and was a republican who entered politics and later became a TD.

The 1916 event at Grangegorman military cemetery was attended by about 30 people including the then Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan as well as the British ambassador Dominick Chilcott and members of Irish and British armed forces and relatives of the deceased.

Mr Vickers, a former Canadian House of Commons sergeant-at-arms, who was appointed as the Ambassador of Canada to Ireland in January 2015, was also present.

He was hailed a hero two after he shot Islamist gunman Michael Zehaf-Bibeau who had killed a soldier at the Canadian House of Commons in Ottawa in October 2014.

Father-of-five Murphy was found guilty following a district court trial last year on a Public Order Act charge of engaging in threatening and abusive behaviour. He had pleaded not guilty but was convicted and received a two-month sentence which was suspended for one year.

However, he launched an appeal in the Circuit Court which came before Judge ODonohue who rejected defence arguments about right to protest or that the accused had not caused a breach of the peace.

Garda John Cahill told the appeal hearing he saw Brian Murphy stand up in the seated area and go into the courtyard He unbuttoned his jacket and brandished a T-shirt saying Justice for the Craigavon Two, a reference to republican prisoners and a campaign that they have been wrongfully imprisoned.

The appeal heard he said Free the Craigavon Two, this is an insult, this is an insult. A speaker at the ceremony was momentarily interrupted.

The judge heard how Canadian ambassador Kevin Vickers wrestled and subdued Mr Murphy before bringing him over to gardai on duty at the event. Gda Cahill agreed with the defence that after making his protest Murphy was very co-operative. He was handcuffed and taken to Blanchardstown Garda station.

Garda Cahill also agreed with Murphys barrister Jane MacGowan that the comment he made was the height of it and he had not made any obscene gestures to the graves.

However, he said he believed it was Murphys intention to stop the ceremony and what he did was insulting to people.

In evidence, Murphy told the court that he had applied to the Department of Foreign Affairs to go the event which he found objectionable. He said he stood up and was intent on leaving and went to an open area in front of the seated guests. He said his first words were this is an insult, we fought for Irish freedom and he was grabbed by his lapels.

He agreed that he mentioned the Craigavon Two case. He said it was not his intention to insult the people there. He said, the ambassador intervened and it became a much bigger thing than was expected.

Judge ODonohue asked him why he had not set out his objections in writing. Murphy replied that there was no particular reason. He denied that he had deluded the authorities to get into the event and said that he did not give them any false facts.

Judge ODonohue rejected the appeal.

Pleading for leniency Ms MacGowan asked the court to note her client has worked as a youth club manager for 14 years, he has no prior criminal convictions and is law abiding. He accepts that insult could have been taken, the court was told.

The appeal heard he is involved with a republican prisoners association and brings family members on prison visits. Testimonials from councillor Paul Hogan and TD Brid Smith were furnished to the court.

The judge said he would spare him a conviction if he apologised publicly, donated 900 to charity and said sorry in private to Garda Cahill. Murphy told the court he apologises to anyone who was insulted. The case was adjourned until a date in January.
Social Justice Ireland has called for the special VAT rate for the hospitality sector to be scrapped.

The group's pre-Budget submission said that raising the 9% rate to 13.5% would provide an extra 190m for the Government to spend.

The group is also calling for an extra 500m to be spent on social housing, and for 300m more to be spent on rolling out rural broadband.

It is also asking for a minimum effective corporate tax rate of 6%, and for the Government to introduce a levy on undeveloped sites and empty homes.

Sean Healy, Director of Social Justice Ireland, says the Government has to grapple with the big issues affecting the country.

"Budget 2018 should be designed so that it is both economically sound and socially fair," he said.

"These twin objectives are both realistic and achievable. However, they need to be underpinned by a clear policy commitment to achieving both.

"Most Irish people want to see an end to homelessness, social housing shortages, hospital waiting lists and child poverty.

"They want to see the lack of affordable childcare addressed, investment in rural broadband, and much more. These should be the priority targets of Budget 2018.

"Ireland is not going to solve its major challenges in a single budget or in a single term of office of any Government.

"Addressing the countrys current challenges effectively will take a decade or more. Decisions will have to be made regarding priorities and sequencing.

"All sectors of Irish society should be involved in shaping and delivering these decisions."
Afghan forces have retaken a key southern district from the Taliban.

The battle was won as insurgents snatched three officers from their car, including a woman, and killed them, officials said.

The country's security forces drove the Taliban out of Naway district in southern Helmand province from where they had been threatening the provincial capital of Lashkar Gah, said defence ministry spokesman Daulat Waziri.

The battle to recapture the district had been fierce, with more than 50 Taliban fighters killed and five security forces wounded, he said.

Naway is located just 10 miles from Lashkar Gah and had been a staging arena for militant attacks on the city.

Government troops also captured a large cache of ammunitions and guns. US and Nato troops are in Helmand to assist Afghan security forces when needed.

Separately, in western Herat province on the border with Iran, three border police officers were snatched from their vehicle and killed by the Taliban, said Jelani Farhad, the provincial governor's spokesman.

A female officer was among the dead.

The officers were driving to their office in the district of Kushk in Herat province when they were ambushed by Taliban, dragged from their vehicle and shot.

AP
The former head of the UK's Vote Leave campaign has branded David Davis "thick as mince", as he warned that a provision in the Brexit Secretary's so-called Great Repeal Bill would allow British ministers to cave in to EU demands at the last minute.

The Twitter outburst by Vote Leave campaign director Dominic Cummings reflects continuing rancour between different wings of the Brexit movement which saw intense infighting at the time of last year's EU referendum in Britain.

It comes after Mr Cummings admitted there was a chance that leaving the EU would turn out to be an "error" and described British Government members who thought the UK should leave the European atomic energy community Euratom as "morons".

In a stream of messages on Twitter, Mr Cummings warned that a little-noticed clause of the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill tabled by the British Government last week could allow ministers to alter their Brexit position at the last minute to secure a lengthy transition period, which he suggested was favoured by Mr Davis, Chancellor Philip Hammond and Cabinet Secretary Jeremy Heywood.

He said the Brexit Secretary was "manufactured exactly to specification as the perfect stooge for Heywood: thick as mince, lazy as a toad and vain as Narcissus".

Mr Cummings, a former special adviser to Michael Gove in the UK's Department for Education, worked behind the scenes on the Vote Leave campaign which was fronted by figures including Mr Gove and Boris Johnson, while fellow Brexiteer Mr Davis appeared on platforms for the Grassroots Out organisation, which was aligned with the rival Leave.EU organisation funded by Ukip donor Arron Banks.

The Vote Leave director has now said that Mr Davis "spent the campaign boozing with (Nigel) Farage, predicting defeat and briefing (against) Vote Leave" and was involved in the "single crappest TV news for Leave of entire campaign", when Grassroots Out unveiled George Galloway as a supporter.

Mr Cummings insisted his latest comments were not prompted by any falling out between Mr Gove and Mr Davis, insisting he had not spoken to the Environment Secretary about his Cabinet colleague since before last year's referendum.

He said the implications of Clause 9 of the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill may not be understood by MPs or even by British Prime Minister Theresa May.

The Clause gives ministers the power to use secondary legislation "to make legislative changes which they consider appropriate for the purposes of implementing the withdrawal agreement", including by amending the Bill itself.

Mr Cummings said this would embolden EU negotiators to make greater demands on the UK because they would know ministers were not bound by the text of the bill and "can be arm twisted up to last second".

The Government would be "empowered to ditch almost anything they promise up to last minute when arms twist", making it much easier to implement a protracted transition period to full withdrawal from the EU, he warned.
A Polish-born teenager who was found hanged in toilets at her school had suffered bullying and racist abuse, an inquest has heard.

Dagmara Przybysz, 16, died at Pool Academy in Pool, Cornwall in the UK, at around 2.15pm on May 17 2016.

On Monday, an inquest into her death heard that the teenager had been having trouble with some girls at her school, and had injured herself the day before by punching a wall after becoming angry because she said some girls were laughing at her.

Cornwall Coroner's Court, sitting in Truro, also heard that Dagmara told her uncle Tomasz Dobek she had taken tablets the following day.

Dagmara's father, Jedrzej, said in a statement that Mr Dobek told him about the phone call, adding: "She did not want to tell me the reason for her upset. Later she said she had problems at school which I would not understand."

He said Dagmara did not look like a "person who had taken any tablets" so he told her to go to school and said they would have a "serious conversation" about her problems when she returned.

Mr Przybysz said: "My wife and I kept wondering whether we should have kept Dagmara home that day but there was no physical sign that she had taken any tablets, otherwise we would have taken her to hospital."

Mr Przybysz said he was waiting outside school to collect Dagmara when his wife called to say the police were at their home and that Dagmara was dead.

The family lived in Redruth and Dagmara and her sister went to Pennoweth Primary School, where they "very quickly learned English" but were the "first Polish children to attend the school", he added.

Mr Przybysz said they decided to send her to Pool Academy because it had a good reputation, though most of her friends went to Redruth School.

In a statement, Dagmara's mother, Ewelina, said her daughter, who was a "very beautiful lady", got on better with boys, and most of her friends, including her boyfriend, went to Redruth School.

Mrs Przybysz said she understood her daughter had been having a problem with one girl who had "called Dagmara names".

"I don't know exactly what was said," she said.

"This incident occurred only a few days before Dagmara passed away ... I don't know whether these incidents were racist in nature; however, I can say that on several occasions she overheard comments such as 'stupid Pole'."

Mrs Przybysz said on another occasion Dagmara heard a similar comment being made to another Polish or Lithuanian child and was "always trying to stand up" for the other child.

Answering questions from Dale Collins, who represented Pool Academy, Mr and Mrs Przybysz, who were not represented at the hearing, said pupils had made racist comments to Dagmara "a few times" but told them she had spoken to one of her teachers about it.

Mr Collins asked about a post on Ask.fm from 2014 in which Dagmara said "racism" when asked what problems she had at school.

He said: "It could be that she had problems previously but there was no longer any problems."

Mrs Przybysz said: "She had a problem in the last few months."

Lewis Simpson, Dagmara's boyfriend, said he met her at primary school and they had dated on and off since they were 14.

He said they were "inseparable" after starting to date again on May 9 and "felt that we were in a serious long-term relationship".

He said Dagmara came to see him at his grandmother's house on the day before she died and had her arm in a sling, having injured herself in PE.

Lewis said: "(She said) she sat outside the changing room and heard girls saying horrible things about her because she had taken PE so seriously.

"She said her tutor was there and did not speak up for her."

He said both he and Dagmara became angry later that day when discussing a rumour that they were going to break up, which he said was not true, and at one point she said to him "What would you do if I killed myself?" but that he had not thought she was serious.

Both Dagmara's parents and Lewis told coroner Dr Emma Carlyon that she had not left any kind of note before her death.

Answering questions from Dr Carlyon and Mr Collins, Lewis said Dagmara told him that other pupils made racist comments to her such as "go back to your own country" and he said: "I think it got to her a little bit."
An American specialist who has offered to treat Charlie Gard is expected to examine the terminally-ill baby for the first time over the next two days.

Michio Hirano, a professor of neurology at the Columbia University Medical Centre in New York, is scheduled to visit Charlie at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London and discuss the case with doctors treating Charlie plus other medical experts.

Latest: Court in #CharlieGard case has lifted reporting restriction, can now name US Dr as Professor Michio Hirano of Columbia University pic.twitter.com/LNqn7UDyAM  Vincent McAviney (@VinnyMcAv) July 14, 2017

The visit has been organised as part of the latest stage of a court fight over whether 11-month-old Charlie should be given experimental treatment in America.

Chris Gard and Connie Yates want a judge to rule that their son, who suffers from a rare genetic condition and has brain damage, should be allowed to undergo a therapy trial overseen by Dr Hirano in New York.

Specialists at Great Ormond Street, where Charlie is being cared for, say the therapy is experimental and will not help.

They say life support treatment should stop.

Charlie's parents, who are in their 30s and come from Bedfont, west London, 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 to intervene.

But the couple say there is new evidence and want Mr Justice Francis to carry out a fresh analysis of their case.

In April, the judge ruled in favour of Great Ormond Street and said Charlie should be allowed to die with dignity.

Mr Justice Francis has considered the couple's latest claims at preliminary hearings in the Family Division of the High Court in London over the last few days.

He is due to stage further hearings later this month following Dr Hirano's visit.
Australia's peak body for outdoor advertising approached the ACT government and the National Capital Authority to consider changes to its outdoor signage rules a year before ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr flagged a review of the billboard ban.

The Outdoor Media Association represents most of Australia's outside and out-of-home media display companies and production facilities, as well as some media display asset owners.

Canberrans line up on Black Mountain to sign a petition to keep Canberra nude (free from billboards). Credit:Sam Townsend

General manager Tess Phillips said they first approached the ACT government 18 months ago to talk about "activating urban spaces" with wayfinding signage and Wi-Fi hubs, although the body "regularly engages" all state and territory governments across Australia.

"Given the changes afoot to modernise and globalise our capital, as evidenced by international flights from Canberra Airport and the light rail development, the OMA has actively queried the ACT government about its strict stance on third-party advertising," Ms Phillips said.
Penalty rates are choppy water for business chiefs, just ask Richard Murray. The JB Hi-Fi chief executive remarked in January at the KPMG's Couta Boats regatta that he would like to see penalty rates on Saturdays and Sundays "better aligned".

It was a sentiment shared at the event off Sorrento by Nufarm chairman Donald McGauchie and Medibank boss Craig Drummond. And so was born the social media phenomenon #yachtbanter where union-friendly punters around the country lampooned the industry captains for complaining about pay rates whilst enjoying a day's sailing.

In the intervening months the Fair Work Commission decided to grant the wish, cutting the penalty rates on offer for retail and hospitality works to, well, better align them with those available on Saturdays.

So CBD was intrigued to see Murray out in public on Monday revealing that JB would not be passing through the cuts in penalty rates to its workforce.
Are under-the-counter testosterone shots the Turnbull government's secret weapon in its fight to out-muscle the ALP ahead of the next election?

Recent events suggest that even with a female Defence minister, the stench of male hormones in the Coalition's largely female-free Cabinet room must be overpowering.

Witness Malcolm Turnbull's appearance flanked by masked and heavily armed Commandos on Monday to announce the ADF will be playing a heightened role in combating domestic terrorism.

That photo op came hot on the heels of "fixer", Christopher Pyne's, ambitious plans for a "guns and gunboats" driven economic recovery. The Defence Industry Minister wants to make us the arsenal of the free, and not so free, world.
Norway has a generous humanitarian intake, free university, an overflowing sovereign wealth fund from careful use of natural resources, high taxation, terrific infrastructure, good economic growth, and always wins the global quality of life index. Their population growth over decades has varied from 0.3 per cent to 1.3 per cent and hovers around 1 per cent, as do all the Scandinavian countries  a doubling time of 70 years. Ours has sat between 2 and 2.5 per cent  the latter giving us a doubling time of about 28 years. Without change, we'll need two WestConnex more after the next generation, four more for the following and eight more for the one after. What a pity Norway hasn't got our beautiful climate. Dave Goldberg Wrights Beach Jessica Irvine ignores the exponential nature of growth and the impossibility of infinite growth in a finite world. At our current rate of population growth we are doubling every 50 years or so.

As we have grown to almost 25 million we have wrought huge environmental damage and future damage with this sort of growth would be devastating. Certainly, growth has been necessary to get Australia to a viable economic size, but all natural systems, such as animals or plants, grow to their mature size and then stop. So must it be with human populations. Of course we have all benefited from immigration and most of us are immigrants or descended from immigrants. We could, however, stabilise our population by reducing immigration to about 70,000, leaving room for further immigration, especially for refugees. It's well past time that our politicians and commentators looked to the future and discussed the implications of never-ending exponential growth. To ignore it is to pander to the rent-seekers, the destroyers and the unthinking who see no further ahead than the next opportunity for profit.



John Burke Wahroonga Clearly, Jessica Irvine lives in a different part of Australia to me. In the Australia where I now live, secure, full-time work is becoming the preserve of the few; wage growth is flat; casual pay rates are falling; high-rise, high-density living is increasing; an ethnic mono-culture is dominant; television viewing is short on diversity and long on cheap, mind-numbing "reality"; political direction is bereft of long-term policy and preoccupied with meaningless personality; daily commute experiences are tear-inducing; home ownership is largely out of reach. No, Jessica. You're probably too young but give me the 1974 living standards any time. The Big Australia you advocate is certainly not better than the alternative!



James Laukka Epping Truth the only thing filtered from emission stacks The recipients of the emissions from the nine-kilometre NorthConnex tunnel were assured that "world's best filtration" would be used ("North Shore stack plan", July 17). There will be none. There will be a stack at either end and emergency ventilation at two intermediate sites "in the unlikely event of an incident in the tunnel". It is claimed that 5000 trucks a day will be forced to use the tunnel by legislation. Best of luck to the schools and homes near the proposed Western Harbour Tunnel and Beaches Link in getting a good outcome for the proposal in their area. Marcia Horvai Pennant Hills

The unprotected stack proposed for the railway yards at Rozelle will be located in a park where children play. They have not dared to disclose the location of others in Rozelle and Balmain. The filtering of emissions is absolutely essential if this project goes ahead. P.S. Don't put any money on "community consultation".



Rosalind Ward Balmain Why is the NSW Coalition government obsessed with toll roads? In today's Herald it is reported that 'a rail alternative has not been considered'. Road tunnels are expensive, risky and polluting. Imagine the quality of the air funnelled up into the surrounding neighbourhoods in Sydney. Many years ago we drove through the tunnel under Lyons; the air was blue, thick and choking. Now, in France and the rest of Europe, rail and light rail has made travel there fast, clean and comfortable. Why don't some of our globe-trotting politicians pop over to Europe and check the improvements in train services?



Nola Tucker Kiama Flippant Berejiklian Gladys' advice on how to avoid paying tolls on the M4 is "If people don't want to use a toll road they can use the existing roads" ("M4 to ease traffic", July 17). How simple is that. Assuming toll roads are vital to minimise traffic congestion and cut pollution, this suggestion seems to overlook the bigger picture and highlight the devil-may-care attitude of the Berejiklian government. Wendy Crew Lane Cove

Liberals must focus on policy, not victory Nick Greiner's advice to the Liberal Party is to "stop infighting, focus on winning" ("Disunity is death", July 17). May I suggest some better advice: "stop infighting, focus on developing better policy and delivering that policy in a time and cost-effective manner". The fact that political parties focus mainly on gaining or retaining power is the problem, not the solution. Greiner is no political cleanskin either. Just look at his role with Big Tobacco and their donations to the Liberal Party. That alone should preclude him from any role in Australian public service. Shameful. Evan Hern Newport Unlike Nick Greiner, I do not consider frank and rigorous ideological debate as disunity. In fact, it is essential for any political party, given the nature of the dialectic process. With the greatest of respect, Mr Greiner appears to have overlooked the real malady facing the Liberal Party (as with other parties), which is declining grass-roots membership. A party's broad membership base, and the consequential diversity of viewpoints that brings, will ensure that frank and rigorous ideological debate will strengthen rather than weaken a party. As for his call for the united focus on "good government" and "winning": govern and win with what policies? It is a party's policies which will distinguish a party from the others  in both senses of the word. This perspective is lost in any poll-driven, telescope view of the electorate landscape.



Pasquale Vartuli Wahroonga

And so we learn again that the Liberal Party in NSW is as fatuously factionalised and undemocratic in its organisation as the ALP. And like the ALP, it also has branch stackathons. So what's news then?

Frank Carleton Longwarry Vic Listen to public If three quarters of the Australian public support physician-assisted voluntary euthanasia, why are endless bills (15 in South Australia as recently as last year) being introduced and defeated ("A criminal act no longer", July 17)? If statistics show the public's position is clearly in the bill's favour, you have to ask who these politicians are actually representing. Elizabeth Kroon Randwick

Keep troops out

I am a returned vet of 20 years' service ("Army to be deployed in domestic terror attacks", July 17). I am totally against the military being used to back up our state's police operations. All military personnel are trained to kill people. They do not shoot to wound. The individual makes the decision to pull the trigger. Our police forces are more able to handle situations with "terrorists". It is not a very long step for the military to take over governments, and we have many examples of this happening around the world. Howard Campbell Springfield

Raining on rail Jacob Saulwick's article deals with issues of the dam/pond on Alison Road impacting the new light rail ("Pond is a dam nuisance for light rail", July 14). Having lived in Sydney's east for 40 years, I have often observed Anzac Parade partially underwater after torrential rain between Moore Park and Kensington. Has this issue also been addressed as to the impact on the light rail? Pulling out a bunch of old fig trees nearby might have only added to the problem. John Swanton Botany

Wake up, US Credit:AP Donald Trump's scorecard includes collusion with a hostile foreign government, obstruction of justice, serial lying, subject of literally hundreds of lawsuits, boorish behaviour in a position requiring a refined image, plus a raft of objectionable personal traits. What will it take to convince Americans that they have foolishly elected a morally bankrupt odious fraud as their president? With every day that passes, the damage he is doing to America's democratic institutions and its reputation becomes harder to undo. Act now, America.



Richard Keyes Enfield Austen endures Jane Austen has been claimed variously as the mother of "chick lit", the novelist whose plot gave rise to Colin Firth's appearance in a wet white shirt and the staid spinster whose novels benefit from an injection of supernatural elements (Letters, July 17). Her knowledge of both the bright and dark sides of human nature and her capacity to evoke character traits in a few well-chosen words only just begin to hint at what her writing continues to offer today. Pretty dresses and green countryside were part of her world, but an unflinching power of observation outlasts beauty any day. On Tuesday we observe her early death, but also celebrate what she left to everyone who cares to read what she wrote. No one has ever surpassed it.



Ruth Williamson Christchurch NZ

At the risk of earning eternal damnation from the Jane Austen Society of Australia, I must echo the words of Mark Twain who said, "Why I go so far as to say that any library is a good library that does not contain a volume by Jane Austen. Even if it contains no other book." Just the mention of her name is enough the bring back haunting memories of my 1975 HSC, struggling with this woman whose tortuous prose made as much sense as quantum physics. To impose Ms Austen on the adolescent male is a form of child abuse.



Grant Heaton Port Macquarie It is unbelievable that shore power will not be installed at White Bay simply because it is expensive. The 'user pays' system should apply I.e. paid by cruise ship companies and their customers. It seems that air quality is no longer an important issue. This is reinforced by another SMH revelation today 17/7/17 that smoke stacks for the proposed Western Harbour Tunnel & Beaches Link could be placed within reach of many, many schools. The latter potential problem is easily solved by making the "Link" for trains only.



Carole Burns Waverton Good lord, new Doctor creates a fuss Welcome to Jodie Whittaker as the new Doctor ("It's a girl! New Doctor Who is born", smh.com.au, July 17). Though I hope we won't have to endure the line, "Lady Doctor? No, just The Doctor" too often!



Richard Murnane Hornsby Despite being both a Whovian and a feminist, I have always found the insistence that the Doctor should be played by a woman completely ridiculous. I see no necessity that the path to women having equal rights include random existing fictional characters changing gender. On the upside I am very much looking forward to Meryl Streep's new role as Rochester in the latest production of John Eyre.



Catherine Craddock Hornsby

Plastic blow-up I agree with the phasing out of plastic bags but balloons ("R.I.P. plastic bags", July 15)? Come on, Judy Hungerford  you may as well ban kids' parties also!



Phil Johnson Dee Why Multiple use plastic bags are still not bio-degradable. Why aren't the supermarkets going to offer paper bags at the checkout instead of plastic? US supermarkets are way ahead of us in this regard. And why not paper bags also in the fresh food sections of supermarkets? In my youth, plastic didn't exist. Fruit came in paper bags from the greengrocer. Meat from the butcher was wrapped in paper, as were ham and cheese from the delicatessen. And my mother sent me to school with my lunch wrapped in waxed paper. I'm not one generally to look back on the "good old days", but in this respect, maybe they were.



Barry Filshie Port Macquarie Crude and lewd Surely Trump's "compliment" was plain old bad manners, revealing the oaf for what he is, crude and lewd ("Bishop takes swipe at Trump's sexist remarks", July 17).
State governments will still decide whether they want help from the military to handle terrorist incidents and police will remain the first responders under flagged changes, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has said.

Announcing planned changes to the law at Holsworthy Barracks in Sydney on Monday morning, Mr Turnbull said the current process for calling in the military to help police during a terrorist attack was "very cumbersome" and needed to be streamlined.

Flanked by the Chief of the Defence Force Mark Binksin and standing in front of an inflatable boat with six heavily armed and masked special forces soldiers, Mr Turnbull said that currently states needed to "demonstrate that they have exhausted their ability to defend themselves".
Moonlight Flat oysters. Credit:Wayne Taylor It's old tricks in new digs for Wilson and partner Bec, who have finally, after many delays, opened the restaurant section of their all-day brasserie, bar and cafe on the edge of the Prahran Market with executive chef Dave Marshall on the pans. The standard, across the board, is incredibly high. You're seeing ingredients Wilson has grown to love  including some Central and South American treats  meeting techniques learned in the terrifying kitchens of London during the shouty years. It's a strong combination. Whole sommerlad chicken. Credit:Wayne Taylor Sweet, tiny Moonlight Kiss oysters have their vinegary mignonette doctored with a little celeriac. It's nice. A fat herb-flecked blini comes with either the big mellow pop of trout roe from the Yarra Valley ($25) or stunning blue scampi roe, pure essence of salty shellfish for $125. The cultured cream is confronting, but fine once you identify the sharpness as vodka.

There is whiting carpaccio, chunkily cut and amplified with a slightly spicy, smoky and bitter puree of buddha's hand and aji amarillo chillies. Wild capers make it the restaurant's cross-continental poster child. The other is a gently smoked tranche of chervil- and seaweed-topped ocean trout with a textbook devilled egg and piccalilli-like relish of fennel and tiny radishes. Every flavour works. And no disrespect to Wilson's Cal-Mex or Peruvian dishes, but I don't think a single taco or blue corn pavlova stood out as much. Wilson's return to classic form isn't just something for long-time Botanical devotees to get excited about. Geared to capture a wide audience from shoppers to drinkers to old Botanical fans, it's a broad brief: a bar specialising in white liquors (gin and vodka cocktails tricked out with condiments are a big thing) and a paleo-gluto-friendly cafe by day. It can be confusing to book. You're asked to pick a section  maybe one of six seats at the seafood counter where you can do a fish-focused deg for $160, or the high table offering $75 rotisserie set menus. In reality, you can get all of this a la carte in the one room  a sharp-lined space of charcoal tables and eucalypt tones, with the bar to one side, the kitchen to the other and artworks of semi-nudes from Robert Doble and Jacqui Stockdale overseeing all. Grab a seat. The better advice is to bring a few friends. A by the glass list has flex and new bottles are opened daily, but throwing back to Botanical days, you can also grab a bottle straight from the bottle-shop for a $15 mark-up on your La Majone Picpoul de Pinet. It's also a menu that requires assistance. You can't pass up the signature. Manjimup truffles explode out of that polenta dish, cooked down for half a day until it's silk, then eased with ricotta and parmesan. A soft egg, stored with truffles, is dropped centre dish, with more black gold shaved on and a curl of aged parmesan laid over like cheesy veil. You can almost see the smell.
Women on the internet have become accustomed to vicious namecalling. They're used to the "dick pics", aggro sleaze and burlesquely-punctuated threats of rape and dismemberment. Some are even used to the online circulation of home addresses and private photo collections.

What they're not used to  yet  is reporting these things to police.

A day of action for women across the country to simultaneously report their online abuse to police is being considered. Credit:Paul Edmondson/Stocksy

Imagine, however, if women staged a Day of Reporting  like SlutWalk or the 2017 Women's March  when we gathered up screenshots of all the online abuse, harassment and threats we've experienced, before forming orderly queues at local police stations to report it.

Even if only a proportion of women who put up with this toxic abuse in our daily lives showed up, these queues would potentially snake for kilometres.
Australia's offshore immigration detention program has cost the federal government at least $5 billion since 2012, new figures have confirmed.

Ahead of Wednesday's four-year anniversary of Kevin Rudd's move to reinstate hardline rules to send any asylum seeker arriving in Australia by boat to offshore detention, Senate committee figures show the total operational and infrastructure costs for Australia's detention facilities on Nauru and Papua New Guinea's Manus Island has reached $4.89 billion.

Australia's offshore immigration detention centre on Manus Island. Credit:Andrew Meares

The latest overall price tag for offshore detention includes departmental costs and capital works on Manus and Nauru, peaking in 2015-16.

Figures provided to Senate estimates hearings show more than $230,000 has been paid out to public servants and detainees for personal injury and wrongful detention claims in Australia and the offshore centres, including $69,108.96 in payouts to Immigration Department staff and sub-contractors in 2016-17.
The peak public sector union has expressed serious doubts about a new national security super-department, warning the plan could prove disruptive, costly and result in less effective outcomes for the public.

The Turnbull government is expected to establish a new Canberra department bringing together ASIO, the Australian Federal Police and Australian Border Force, in a model based on the UK government's Home Office structure.

Unfair over-reach: CPSU national secretary Nadine Flood. Credit:Jamila Toderas

Cabinet will reportedly consider the plan on Tuesday with an announcement expected later in the week.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton is likely to oversee the portfolio, with department boss Michael Pezzullo considered a possible pick for secretary.
Four out of five businesses advertising Australian jobs on Chinese, Korean and Spanish language websites are offering illegal pay rates as low as $4.20 per hour, a new audit has found.

Two separate audits conducted this year and last year found 78 per cent of 200 job advertisements examined were offering pay rates below minimum award rates.

Unions NSW secretary Mark Morey says the underpayment of overseas workers has become routine.

All of the Chinese and Korean advertisements were for jobs in NSW, mostly in Sydney. The Spanish advertisements for were for jobs around the country.

The audit conducted by Unions NSW identified widespread migrant exploitation and alleged wage theft, particularly in the hospitality industry.
Retailers on George Street in central Sydney will finally gain a reprieve from disruption caused by construction of the $2.1 billion light rail project within the next three months.

Civil construction on a stretch of George Street from the Queen Victoria Building to the intersection with King Street is scheduled to be finished by late October, about a year later than originally planned.

Completion of the laying of tracks, kerbs and other civil construction work will allow for barriers to be removed and the area to be made much more accessible for pedestrians.

About a third of the entire track - or four kilometres of line in both directions along the 12-kilometre route from Circular Quay in the CBD to Randwick and Kensington in the south-east - has now been laid.
Brisbane-based Alliance Airlines has launched its first scheduled commercial passenger routes, after success in the contract and charter flight provider.

The airline completed its first trips out of Brisbane on Monday, flying to Gladstone, Bundaberg and Port Macquarie.

Brisbane-based Alliance Airlines has expanded to Gladstone, Bundaberg and Port Macquarie.

Jet services will run between Brisbane and the three new destinations, with 34 weekly flights between Gladstone and 14 each between Bundaberg and Port Macquarie.

Alliance Airlines chief executive Lee Schofield said while it was a separate company, the airline's agreements with Virgin Australia meant there were new opportunities to service regional Queensland.
An estimated 35,000 commuters and 5000 schoolchildren are expected to be affected as council bus drivers strike over shift work requirements, workplace health and safety conditions and pay packets.

Bus passengers were encouraged to make alternative transport arrangements between 4.30am and 6.30am on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Brisbane bus drivers decided to strike on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. Credit:Michelle Smith

Rail, Transport and Bus Union secretary Tom Brown said participating drivers had not taken the decision to strike lightly, but reassured commuters the impact had been kept to a minimum by walking off the job early in the morning.

But Mr Brown said the action would still send a strong message to the Brisbane City Council.
A cane farm worker was attacked by a crocodile while on a far north Queensland farm on Sunday.

Harvest Mareeba worker Daryl Bell was called to a Mareeba farm on Sunday where a fellow worker had spotted an injured crocodile, according to Katter Australia Party candidate Gordon Rasmussen.

Cane farm worker Daryl Bell was attacked by the 1.4 metre crocodile on Sunday. Credit:Gordon Rasmussen/Facebook

It was believed the crocodile had been burnt during a cane fire on the farm on Saturday.

Mr Rasmussen said he was not present at the time of the attack but was told of the incident a short time later.
Parents should read more to their children at home and let them learn by playing, rather than enrolling them in businesses providing "prep for Prep Year", two pre-school lobby groups say.

However, a private agency that has provided classes for young pre-Prep children in Queensland for four years says '"prep for Prep" identifies problems for parents early and provides special classes to help the young children mature.

Debate grows in Queensland on how to 'ready children' for Prep in Queensland: Should they play or study? Credit:Nick Moir

Queensland has progressively added Prep Year at schools over the past decade to add a 13th year to the education system. It has been compulsory since this year.

However, the number of young children being suspended from Prep Year in Queensland has doubled in the past three years.
Former Queensland premier Mike Ahern has warned overturning the sacking of Supreme Court Justice Angelo Vasta could send the message Parliament is rejecting the Fitzgerald agenda.

Mr Vasta was removed by the Queensland Parliament in June 1989, when Mr Ahern led the Coalition government.

Former premier Mike Ahern (left) says his government's Vasta decision 'should be left to rest'. Credit:Mike Larder

Member for Mount Isa Robbie Katter has introduced a bill to revoke the decision to remove Mr Vasta as a judge.

Mr Ahern, who was premier from December 1987 to September 1989, said a judicial commission would need to be appointed to review the process and it would trigger calls for reviews of other decisions.
Washington: Major technology companies and civil liberties groups have joined Facebook in a closed courtroom battle over secret government access to social media records.

Facebook is fighting a court order that prohibits it from letting users know when law enforcement investigators ask to search their political communications - a ban that Facebook contends tramples First Amendment protections of the company and individuals.

Most of the details of the case in the nation's capital are under wraps, but the timing of the investigation, and references in public court documents, suggest the search warrants relate to demonstrations during US President Donald Trump's inauguration. More than 200 people were detained and many have been charged with felony rioting in the January 20 protests that injured police and damaged property in an area of downtown Washington.

The Facebook battle in the DC Court of Appeals is similar to challenges percolating throughout the country from technology companies objecting to how the government seeks access to internet data in emails or social media accounts during criminal investigations.
The government is considering looser restrictions on use of the terms bank, banker, and banking in an effort to promote greater competition in the banking system.A joint media statement from Treasurer Scott Morrison and Minister for Revenue and Financial Services Kelly ODwyer has recognised that prohibitions on these words for new entrants into the banking system create a simple but significant obstacle.Currently, only authorised deposit-taking institutions (ADIs) with capital greater than $50m are permitted to use the terms bank, banker, and banking.This acts to discourage innovative new players from entering the market, as the use of the term bank can be key to their business model at the critical early phase of their development, the joint statement said.The restriction on bank may also lead the public to mistakenly believe that small banking businesses differ from the larger players in terms of regulatory protection.The government has proposed lifting the prohibition on the words bank, banker, and banking through draft legislation released yesterday (17 July). The new proposal will ensure that any banking business with an ADI licence can describe itself using these terms.The legislation will also permit the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) to use discretion over whether to permit an ADI to use these terms and ensure that community expectations around the application of this term are maintained.In determining whether an ADI can use these words, certain players may still be prohibited if they do not possess the ordinary characteristics of banks. APRA can deny the use of these words in select circumstances.While non-ADI institutions can also apply to use the term bank, this will be limited to special or unusual circumstances. Through this move, the government has redrawn the line to include ADIs in general rather than those with capital greater than $50m.Mark Degotardi, CEO of the Customer Owned Banking Association (COBA), welcomed the decision as one which would level the playing field.It makes sense that all ADIs should be able to choose to use the term bank to explain what they do  which is banking, he said.The historic restriction on use of the term bank by ADIs with more than $50m in capital is out of date and no longer relevant.With 18 customer owned banks in the retail banking market, these could be joined by 60 more customer owned banking institutions currently trading as credit unions and building societies, he said.Some credit unions and building societies may prefer not to rebrand but at least now they will have a choice.The exposure draft of the legislation and associated explanatory material can be found on the Treasury website with public submissions open until 14 August.
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...
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
Didn't score a ticket to Splendour? Fear not; we've rounded up the hottest musical tickets in town to get your ears humming and your heart singing this Winter

Whether you are rocking out to Regurgitator at a nostalgic 90s house party or reading a book to the dulcet tones of Bach: music has an undeniable effect on your emotional state.

Various scientific studies have proven the profound impact of music on the brain. It's been shown to increase dopamine levels, reduce the stress hormone cortisol, increase antibodies linked to immunity and fire up the brain's limbic system, making us feel less alone and more hopeful about the future.

Turns out, Plato was on the money back in 300BC when he said: 'Music gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life and to everything.' It's a life force, a potent cocktail of spiritual healing and one of those intangible mysteries of the universe for which words often fail.

With this in mind, you'd be a darn fool not to soak up some of that soul-soothing goodness hitting Australian shores over the next two months, thanks to swathe of Splendour sideshows traipsing their way around the continent. Read on to discover the best of the bunch.

Asgeir

Renowned for his ability to make even the largest of venues feel intimate, Asgeir's forthcoming album Afterglow leaves behind the folk-tinged acoustics of his debut, The Silence. Diving head first into melancholic, melodic electronica in its purest form, first single Unbound is a stunning, yearning piece of music. The second single, the ambitious electro-pop Stardust follows on from the tradition of his breakout 2013 track King and Cross which saw him instantly added to radio playlists across the country.



Friday 21 July, Enmore Theatre, Sydney. Tickets here.

Monday 24 July, The Forum Theatre, Melbourne. Tickets here.



LCD Sound System

Formed by New York DJ/musician James Murphy back in 2002, the dancefloor icons will perform two unmissable headline shows this winter: Sydney's Hordern Pavilion on Monday 24 July, followed by Melbourne's Margaret Court Arena on Wednesday 26 July. Their cathartic, sublime dance-punk - highlighted in tracks such as 'Daft Punk Is Playing at My House', 'Drunk Girls', 'I Can Change', 'Losing My Edge' - defined the Noughties, creating a legacy felt to today.



Wednesday 26 July, Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne. Tickets here.

Sigur Ros

Reykjavik's Sigur Ros are back to grace Australia with their ethereal presence, their 2012 headline tour saw sold out shows across the country. Sonically peerless, thanks to their unique blend of minimalist rock, Jonsi Birgisson's bowing guitar tones, melancholy bass and classical manners, the now three piece will play many of their best-loved songs, drawing form their extensive back catalogue, as well as new and unreleased material, currently being written towards a forthcoming eighth studio album. They are playing on



Tuesday 25 July, Hordern Pavilion, Sydney. Tickets here.

Thursday 27 July, Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne. Tickets here.

Bonobo

LA-based British musician, producer and DJ Bonobo added brings his electronic oeuvre to Sydney, Melbourne and Perth this July, this time with his full band to celebrate his latest release "Migration". It's 17 years since Bonobo's first release Animal Magic and he's getting some of the strongest reviews of his career to date with Pitchfork calling his sixth album Migration "the most sophisticated record of his career" and reviewers of the live show equally impressed. The album features his recent collaboration 'No Reason' with Aussie favourite Nick Murphy (fka Chet Faker).



Friday 21 July, The Forum, Melbourne. Tickets here.

Saturday 22 July, Hordern Pavilion, Sydney. Tickets here.

Two Door Cinema Club

The three school mates have a solid love affair with Australia that has continued to amplify with the release of their new awesome album. Back with an all new vigor, swagger and confidence, fans will be treated to their signature electro-tinged indie-pop tunes this July. Recorded in California with renowned producer Jacknife Lee (REM, U2, Bloc Party), 'Gameshow' sees the band challenge themselves to indulge in a wide and varied range of styles and influences, stretching way beyond the traditional Two Door sound to take in the likes of Prince, Chic, Krautrock, Neo Soul and modernist pop.



Sunday 23 July, Hordern Pavilion, Sydney. Tickets here.


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What happens when two home-grown success stories join forces?

He's one of Australia's hottest modelling exports, a Byron Bay native who's booked editorials for Vogue and W, posed for Bruce Weber, Steven Klein and Mario Testino (to name a few) and modelled for brands like Tom Ford, Balmain and Versace. And they're one of Australia's most successful fashion start-ups; just three years old, but already dominating the accessories game with their monogram leather range.

Bringing form and function to life in this exclusive Buro 24/7 Australia shoot, Jordan Barrett and The Daily Edited present a new men's collection designed for modern guys. Echoing the clean lines and luxury leather of TDE's women's collection, TDE Man has started out small with a tight edit of iPhone cases, overnight bags, wallets, notebooks and keyrings.

According to TDE co-founder Alyce Tran, the expansion into men's lifestyle accessories was the next logical step for the label. "After we launched the brand in August 2014, we quickly added a few men's pieces to our line due to growing demand from our then predominantly female customer base," she says. "Our men's line has quickly become a go-to for the modern man."

Click through the gallery above to see Jordan wearing some of The Daily Edited's men's pieces.

Shoot credits:

Model: Jordan Barrett

Photographer: Paul Scala

Fashion Editor: Brad Homes

Set Designer: Christian Feltham

Assistants: Manon Ouimet and Gabriel Renna

Stockists:

The Daily Edited: thedailyedited.com

Gucci: gucci.com

Salvatore Ferragamo: ferragamo.com

Cartier: cartier.com

Paul Smith: paulsmith.com

Double Rainbouu: doublerainbouu.com

David Jones: shop.davidjones.com.au

Guy Lab: guylab.co

Dior Homme: dior.com

Heavilly Sedated: @heavilly_sedated on Instagram (launching soon)

Bonds: bonds.com.au

Levi's: levis.com.au

General Pants Co.: - generalpants.com.au
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An Etwall school has been deemed "inadequate" and placed in special measures following a visit from Ofsted. Inspectors said that John Port School had weak leadership which had contributed to falling standards, pupils had been put at risk because safeguarding had not been checked for effectiveness, teaching was weak or inadequate in all subjects and incidents of poor behaviour had increased.

The report concluded that "pupils are ill-prepared for life in modern Britain".

The inspectors also said that the 1,964-pupil school's exam results in 2016 were "among the worst in England" and parents had expressed their dissatisfaction with leadership, quality of teaching and behaviour and safety of pupils in online survey Parent View.

The findings of the Ofsted team come at the end of a turbulent period for the South Derbyshire school which saw head teacher Chris Sainsbury suspended from his post last month and last week resign from his post.

An interim academy board was brought in during last October and November after half of the school's governing body resigned, citing a lack of confidence in Mr Sainsbury, acting head since 2012 and then head from 2014. The board has been working since to turn the school around.

An acting head  Karen Squire - is due to take over from September 1  and the school is also hoping to become part of the Spencer Academies Trust.

The inspectors' report follows their visit to the school in early June, and says that "leaders' and managers' weak leadership have contributed to the sharp decline in standards, since the last inspection in 2015, when the school was rated as good".

The sixth form at the school did not escape criticism and the inspectors found that "too many students in the sixth form fail to complete the courses they have started" and "too few achieve the high grades".

Also coming in for criticism was the previous governing body, which presided over the school until April 2016, for not "effectively" holding leaders to account and having "fractured relationships with school leaders".

The interim academy board, headed by education expert Sir Barry Day, has "brought much-needed stability and strength to leadership", according to the report.

Sir Barry was appointed by the Secretary of State to preside over the interim academy board, which comprises of other national leaders of governance.

The inspectors said the board had worked hard to establish clear policies and systems to monitor the school effectively and has also acted quickly to address safeguarding concerns brought to its attention.

Safeguarding issues included disorganised and chaotic documentation, an out-of-date safeguarding policy on the website and not all standard vetting procedures having been undertaken meaning "pupils have unnecessarily been put at risk".

Two areas were singled out for praise  the quality of teaching in English, which the inspectors said had rapidly improved, and they also decided that newly qualified teachers are "supported well".

Sir Barry said: "I am assured that the changes which are coming into place now will see the school turn around."

The school will now undergo termly monitoring inspections to check on progress until it is decided that there is no longer any need for special measures.

Phil Smith, current acting head teacher, said in a letter to parents: "Unfortunately, the school has been judged as "inadequate" and the school requires "special measures".

"Obviously, the whole school is disappointed by this outcome and I would like to reassure the whole school community that significant changes and actions have already been put in place to move the school forward. Following on from last years results, the school has been working hard to improve outcomes and I am pleased to say that these have already had positive impacts.

"In addition, I am confident that John Port School, working with the Spencer Academy Trust and continuing to work with the Interim Academy Board, will continue to improve rapidly."
process has gathered momentum in the country with the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) taking a call on whether to extend the 180-day moratorium for restructuring or liquidating their stocks.
Global information technology major Plc has started funding innovative ideas from employees on emerging technologies to drive faster growth in the digital segment. Aggressive innovation moves such as $2,000 for best ideas can outweigh Indian peers in gaining digital revenue.
Food major is keen to expand its dairy business, which contributes five to six per cent to its annual turnover, as it looks to tap into the sector aggressively.
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Commelina Limited, an affiliate of Creador III LP (Creador), has invested Rs 275 crore ($42 million) for a minority stake in the North India-focused hospital chain Private Limited (Paras). This is Creador's 24th investment across the globe, while being the ninth fund support endeavour in India. The private equity firm focuses on long-term investments in growth-oriented businesses in South Asia and Southeast Asia.
Reliance Jio, which is all set to launch its game-changing 4G feature phones, is in talks with Taiwanese Foxconn Technology Group, the world's largest contract manufacturer of mobile phones, to make them in India.
The Gujarat High Court on Monday gave no relief to Steel, which had earlier approached it challenging the Reserve Bank of Indias (RBIs) direction on bankruptcy proceedings.





The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Friday told the Gujarat High Court (HC) that there was no supporting document to its June 13 press release, directing banks to initiate insolvency proceedings against 12 non-performing assets (NPAs), including Steel.

The submission was made during the hearing of Steels petition, filed on July 4, against insolvency proceedings initiated against it at the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) by the State Bank of India (SBI)-led 22 banks consortium as well as the Standard Chartered Bank (SCB).
The Gujarat High Court on Monday disposed of Essar Steels petition against insolvency proceedings initiated by its lenders after a directive by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
With intense competition in the market place, tyre majors are of the opinion that the days of higher industry profit margins are most likely over. An expected hardening of raw material prices, plus excess capacity in the industry, would see a boost in competition. Moreover, the price hike, which the announced, has not been absorbed by the market.
There is more trouble ahead for as Diageo Plc has decided to withhold the remaining $35 million of the $75 million amount it had agreed to pay the absconding businessman as part of a settlement, the Economic Times reported on Monday. The reasons cited include charges against Mallya for financial misappropriations from United Spirits Limited (USL) and fund diversions.
Infosys co-founder has said his biggest regret in life is the decision to leave the company in 2014  after his second stint  and hand over the reins to a non-founder management and board.
Auto major Tata Motors today rolled out the country's first bio-CNG (bio-methane) bus.

The company said the bio-methane engines (5.7 SGI & 3.8 SGI) will be available on light and medium buses.

The company displayed three models, including the lead model Tata LPO 1613 with 5.7 SGI NA BS-IV IOBD-II compliant bus.

The Tata LPO 1613, already in operation by Pune Municipal Transport Corporation, was showcased with bio-methane fuel at the event, the company said in a statement, but it did not reveal the price of a bio-CNG bus.

The buses were showcased at the Urja Utsav organised by the oil ministry.

According to Girish Wagh, head of commercial vehicles business at Tata Motors said the use of bio-CNG will contribute in a positive manner to the smart cities to keep them clean and is a good option for wet garbage management.

Rajendra Petkar, head of power system engineering at Tata Motors, said the bio-methane bus is a step towards developing environment-friendly vehicles.

Biomethane is produced out of bio-degradable materials like kitchen waste. The gas, which gets produced out of natural degradation process, escapes into the atmosphere unused.

It can be noted that Tata Motors has pioneered the introduction of natural gas vehicles (CNG) in the country, for close to two decades.

(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.)
IT major Tech Mahindra plans to employ around 2,200 people in the US this year, same as last year, amid the American government's call for the creation of jobs in the country.

The Mumbai-based company, which has over 6,000 people working for over 400 clients in the US, has been recruiting resources out of colleges in the US over the past four years.

"Last year, we hired around 2,200 people and we expect to do the same this year as well," Tech Mahindra President, Strategic Verticals, Lakshmanan Chidambaram told reporters here.

On the reasons for stepped up US hiring, he said: "That has happened because the message from the US government is very clear that they would like us to play a bigger role here (in terms of employment)."



Besides, some of the digital technologies being worked on require enhanced local presence, he added.

Currently, the US is the single biggest market for Tech Mahindra. The company operates out of 28 cities in the US.

It also has 16 development centres in the US, spread across rural and urban centres. The company has over 1.17 lakh employees globally.

Indian IT firms are facing challenges in the business environment and stricter work permit regime in countries like the US, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.

Back home, reports of mass layoffs by various companies, including Tech Mahindra, have the employees worried even though the industry has consistently denied any such move.

The have maintained that the layoffs are part of normal business decisions, although many believe that these are directed more towards controlling costs.

Tech Mahindra was also in lately after an audio clip went viral, which purportedly involved a conversation of a human resource (HR) executive of the company asking an employee to put in his papers by the following morning as part of a corporate decision.

Mahindra Group chairman Anand Mahindra later tendered a public apology over the manner in which the employee was asked to quit.

Asked whether increased hiring in the US should be seen in the light of the company laying off staff in India, Chidambaram said: "For sure no. There is no connect".

(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 regulating domestic roaming rates, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has now set its sights on international roaming and is examining the exorbitant charges of mobile operators.
The results of a referendum in Venezuela showed that 98.4 per cent of voters rejected the formation of a Constituent Assembly, as proposed by President Nicolas Maduro in order to change the constitution.

Over seven million Venezuelans participated in Sunday's referendum on the country's political future, reports Efe news.

The referendum was organised by opponents of Maduro.
If the threats made by one police officer in Delhi are true, the government seems to have launched a surround and eliminate campaign against people whose addresses are not known and who do not possess Aadhaar numbers or cards. Incredible though it sounds, a police officer told social activist Shabnam Hashmi that this is now a standing instruction to all police stations. Moreover, the officer  accused of threatening and abusing Hashmi when she called him on the night of July 14 to know why the husband of a woman, who learns stitching at a training centre run by the NGO Pehchan at Jaitpur in south-east Delhi, had been summoned at a late hour  insisted that police personnel were well within their rights to act in this way.
Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah has transferred Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police D Roopa, who unearthed corruption in the main prison in Bengaluru. She alleged that AIADMK leader Sasikala Natarajan and Stamp Paper scam mastermind Abdul Karim Telgi were being favoured. D Roopa will now head Bengaluru's notorious traffic as its commissioner.
Award winning filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar on Monday urged Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi to take action against the local Congress party workers, who are sending threats to the director regarding the release of his forthcoming film "Indu Sarkar".

Bhandarkar was forced to cancel the promotional activities of his film in Nagpur and Pune last week after receiving threats from the party workers.

"I requested Rahul Gandhi on Twitter to keep a check on his party workers who are protesting against my film. Lots of people have made documentaries on the Emergency. Congress is rattled since the trailer is out," Bhandarkar told news channel CNN-News18 on Monday.

"The higher authorities in Congress have to play a major role and hold a press briefing to say that they condemn such acts. Do you want to run a parallel censor? Some Congress party workers have distanced themselves from me since the trailer of the film has come out," he added.

Bhandarkar referred to his July 16 tweet when he tagged the account of Office of Rahul Gandhi on Twitter and wrote: "Dear Rahul Gandhi after Pune, I have to cancel today's (Sunday) press conference at Nagpur. Do you approve this hooliganism? Can I have my freedom of expression?"



Dear @OfficeOfRG after Pune I have 2 cancel today's PressCon at Nagpur.Do you approve this hooliganism? Can I have my Freedom of Expression? pic.twitter.com/y44DXiOOgp  Madhur Bhandarkar (@imbhandarkar) July 16, 2017

"Indu Sarkar", set against the backdrop of the 1975-77 Emergency, has characters inspired by the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and her late son Sanjay Gandhi.

"I am fighting all the fronts right now and it's a bit scary also -- Congress is protesting, somebody is sending me legal notice, Jagdish Tytler wants a clear image in the movie and then censor board. I just hope that I go through all these obstacles smoothly and release the film on July 28," Bhandarkar said.

Earlier, Mumbai Congress President Sanjay Nirupam had penned a letter to Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) chief Pahlaj Nihalani, asking for the movie to be screened for them before it is censored.

The CBFC later suggested 12 cuts and two disclaimers in the film. Bhandarkar had been asked to remove words like RSS and Akali from "Indu Sarkar".

The film features Neil Nitin Mukesh, Kirti Kulhari, Anupam Kher and Tota Roy Chaudhary.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah were among the first to cast their votes in Parliament shortly after polling to elect India's 14th President began on Monday morning.

Modi, clad in a beige colour sleeveless jacket over a white kurta-pyjama, reached the Parliament premises early to vote. It is also the first day of the over three-week monsoon session of Parliament.

The Prime Minister said the session was expected to herald in a new hope for India.

"Today the monsoon session begins. Like the monsoon brings hope, this session also brings the same spirit of hope," Modi said before casting his vote.

Shah, who is an MLA from Gujarat and was allowed to cast his vote in Parliament, also used his franchise.

All elected MPs and members of legislative assemblies are eligible to vote and elect the successor of Pranab Mukherjee, who demits office on July 25.

The contest is between Democratic Alliance (NDA) nominee Ram Nath Kovind and candidate of several major opposition parties Meira Kumar, who was former Lok Sabha Speaker.
Of the total 4,880 valid voters  4,109 members of legislative Assemblies or MLAs and 771 elected members of Parliament (MPs)  99.49 per cent on Monday voted to elect the next President of India. Three MPs and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) strategists said they were confident that more than anticipated numbers of Opposition legislators and MPs voted for the Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate, Ram Nath Kovind.
Close to 99 per cent voting was recorded on Monday for electing India's next president, the returning officer for the poll announced saying it was perhaps the highest-ever percentage.

The counting of votes will take place on July 20.

The numbers are stacked in favour of the ruling coalition's nominee Ram Nath Kovind, a former Bihar governor, over the opposition's candidate and former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar.

"The voting was close to 99 per cent. I think this would perhaps be the highest ever percentage," Lok Sabha Secretary General and returning officer for the election Anoop Mishra told a press conference here.

Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Gujarat, Bihar, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Nagaland, Uttarakhand and Puducherry recorded 100 per cent voting.

In Parliament House, the voting percentage was 99 per cent, said Mishra.

He said while the sanctioned strength of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha is 776, 771 MPs were eligible to cast their votes.

There are two vacancies each in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, while one BJP MP Chedi Paswan does not have voting rights following a judicial pronouncement, he added.

In Delhi, 717 MPs were to cast their ballot but only 714 exercised their franchise. The TMC's Tapas Pal, the BJD's Ram Chandra Hansdak and Ambumani Ramadoss of the PMK did not cast their votes.

Fifty-five MPs had sought permissions to cast their vote in state capitals. These included Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, his UP counterpart Yogi Adityanath and his deputy Keshav Prasad Maurya and Union minister Uma Bharti.

BJP chief Amit Shah, who is an MLA from Gujarat, had also sought permission to cast his vote in Delhi.

Trinamool Congress MPs cast their votes in Kolkata.

West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool president Mamata Banerjee said all TMC lawmakers voted for the joint opposition candidate, Meira Kumar, in the presidential election to register their protest against "what is going on in the country".

She claimed that Kumar would get the maximum number of votes from West Bengal.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said MLAs should vote in the presidential poll according to their conscience.

"We are supporting Meira Kumar. All should vote following their conscience," he said.

The presidential election is through secret ballot and party whip is not applicable.

As lawmakers voted to elect the next president, the ruling BJP exuded confidence that Kovind would win with a "comfortable" margin.

Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said the fight between Kovind and Kumar was "one of ideologies" and rated the latter as the best choice for the president's post.

In Parliament House, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the first person to cast his vote, Mishra said.

He also said that except for Andhra Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Manipur and Tripura, data has been received from all other states which indicates that the voting was "close to 100 per cent".

Counting will begin at 11 AM on July 20. First the ballot box of Parliament House will be opened, and then, the ballot boxes received from states will be counted on alphabetical basis.

Thirty two polling stations including the one in Parliament house, were set up in various states.

A total of 4,896 voters -- 4,120 MLAs and 776 elected MPs -- are eligible to cast their ballot. MLCs of states with legislative council are not part of the electoral college.

While the value of an MLA's vote depends on the population of the state he or she belongs to, the value of an MP's vote remains the same at 708.
China's military has conducted live-fire exercises in Tibet amid the ongoing standoff between Indian and Chinese troops at the Dokalam area in the Sikkim sector.

The People's Liberation Army (PLA) conducted live-fire exercises in Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, state-run China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Friday, without mentioning the exact timing of the drills.

The brigade that conducted the drills was from the PLA's Tibet Military Command and is one of China's two plateau mountain brigades, Global Times reported today.

The PLA Tibet command guards the Line of Actual Control (LAC) of the India-China border along several sections connecting the mountainous Tibetan region.

According to the CCTV report, the brigade has long been stationed around the middle and lower reaches of the Brahmaputra (Yarlung Zangbo in Chinese) River which flows into India and Bangladesh and is responsible for frontline combat missions.

The live-fire drills included the quick delivery of troops and different military units working together on joint attacks.

Video posted online showed soldiers using anti-tank grenades and missiles against bunkers and howitzers for artillery coverage.





At 5,000 meters above sea level, PLA soldiers hold 11 hours of live-fire drills in #Tibet to improve combat capability at high altitudes. pic.twitter.com/uXuubjEMYM  Global Times (@globaltimesnews) July 17, 2017

The video also showed radar units identifying enemy aircraft and soldiers using anti-aircraft artillery to destroy targets. The drills lasted 11 hours.

Separately, Tibet's mobile communication agency conducted a drill on July 10 in Lhasa, capital of Tibet, where members of the agency practiced setting up a temporary mobile network to secure communications in an emergency.

Earlier reports said the PLA units exercised with several modern weapon systems including a new light battle tank being manufactured by China.

China and India have been engaged in a standoff in the Dokalam area in the Sikkim sector, where Indian troops stopped road construction by Chinese soldiers on June 16.

China has been demanding immediate pull-out of the Indian troops from the disputed Dokalam plateau.

Doka La is the Indian name for the region which Bhutan recognises as Dokalam, while China claims it as part of its Donglang region.

Of the 3,488-km-long India-China border from Jammu and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh, a 220-km section falls in Sikkim.
Information and Broadcasting Minister and senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu was on Monday chosen as the ruling NDA's candidate for the August 5 Vice Presidential election, bringing to an end the suspense over the ruling combine's nominee for the second important constitutional post.

BJP President Amit Shah announced his candidature after a 90-minute meeting of the BJP's Central Parliamentary Board chaired by Shah and attended by top leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It was said to have been a smooth affair with Naidu having emerged the front-runner much through the day.

"Venkaiah is a senior political leader across party lines and is a senior leader of the BJP which he had been associated from his youth. He is the unanimous choice of the BJP and all the NDA constituents who have welcomed his candidature," Shah told reporters after the meeting.

Indications that Naidu, 68, was an automatic choice came out after his meeting with the Prime Minister in the morning and informal consultations continued among leaders during the day. Naidu, who has been maintaining that he is keen on continuing in active politics, gave hints that he may have changed his mind when he told reporters that any decision by the BJP will be followed by partymen.

With the Presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind hailing from Uttar Pradesh, the party is believed to have looked for a Vice President candidate from the south, and Naidu fitted the bill.

If elected Vice President, Naidu will also be the ex officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha where the BJP still lacks a majority. With friends across parties and his amiable nature, Naidu is expected to steer the proceedings in the upper house through possible turbulence.

Shah described Naidu as a successful minister of the Modi government who was handling Urban Development and Information and Broadcasting ministries.

Shah said several names were considered, and ultimately Naidu was the unanimous choice.

Replying to questions, Shah said it would have been better if the opposition had not fielded its candidate. He said Naidu will file his nomination on Tuesday at 11 a.m.

Asked about Shiv Sena spokesman Sanjay Raut's demand for an apology from UPA's Vice President candidate Gopalkrishna Gandhi for his reported opposition to the hanging of Yakub Memon, convicted in the 1993 serial Mumbai blast case, Shah said he did not want to get into such issues.

He said Naidu is an experienced political leader and all NDA leaders have welcomed his nomination.

Giving his background, the BJP President said there was no need for Naidu's introduction.

Shah said Naidu had a humble beginning and hailed from a farmer's family.

He had been associated with the BJP since his younger days and was an ABVP leader and students union leader. He was associated with the Jayaprakash Narayan movement and was an MLA twice in Andhra Pradesh and Rural Development Minister in the Vajpayee government. He was also twice the president of the BJP.
Why should Indian iron ore exporters be excited that Chinas manufacturing sector did better in June than polls of experts suggested? The simple answer is, the principal destination of this countrys exports of iron ore, mostly fines is China. In a major surprise, Chinas official manufacturing purchasing managers index (PMI) for June was up to 51.7 from 51.2 in the previous month. This is against Reuters poll forecast for 51.


The (FFC) might be asked to suggest ways of providing more fiscal space and resources for states to deal with agricultural crises.
Trucks held up at a check-point in Rajasthan. While the time taken by trucks to travel between states has gone down, the benefits of the GST have not been uniform. Photo: N Sundaresha Subramanian
Tamil Nadus textile cluster has long been the envy of its neighbours, given its potential to create jobs for both skilled and unskilled workers. But many states are now actively courting manufacturers and wooing them with the promise of incentives.
While the trade deficit with China continues to balloon to over $51.09 billion, next month will mark the third anniversary of India signing an agreement for achieving bilateral trade balance by 2019.
Seeking to blunt the opposition attack over cow vigilantism, Prime Minister on Sunday sought to put the onus for checking such "hooliganism" on state governments, insisting that they take "stringent action" against them.

The prime minister also sought the support of opposition parties in tackling "communal violence" in the name of cow protection, and deprecated attempts at giving political or communal colour to the issue.

"All political parties should collectively denounce hooliganism in the name of cow protection. The state governments should take stringent action against such anti- social elements," Modi said in a series of tweets.

Earlier in the day, he told an all-party meeting on the eve of the start of the Monsoon Session of Parliament on Monday that maintaining law and order was the responsibility of state governments, which should take strict action against perpetrators of such incidents.

"Cow is treated as a mother and it is an emotive issue. But we have to understand that there are laws governing cow protection and breaking it is not an alternative," Modi tweeted after the meeting.

He said some anti-social elements were using cow protection as "a tool to spread anarchy. Some people who want to damage the social fabric of the country are also taking advantage of it.

Modi said such incidents sullied the image of the country.

"State governments must ensure the maintenance of law and order and strict action must be taken against those who break the law," an official statement quoted Modi having told the meeting.

The statements assume significance in context of the recent incidents of violence in different parts of the country in the name of cow protection.

Opposition parties have attacked the BJP over the cases of cow vigilantism in which Muslims and Dalits have often been targeted. These parties have also planned to raise the issue during the Parliament session starting Monday.

The prime minister also urged all parties to extend their support to the government in fighting corruption.

Apparently hinting at Trinamool Congress and RJD on the issue of corruption, the prime minister said the political class should join hands against those who seek an escape route by dubbing action against them in graft cases as a political conspiracy.

"When law takes its course against those who loot the nation, we have to unite against those who seek an escape route by dubbing such an action as a political conspiracy," the Prime Minister tweeted.

In his speech, Modi also referred to the presidential poll to be held on Monday and said it would have been better had there been a consensus on the candidate.

He, however, said "high level of dignity" has been maintained by both sides during the campaign and there was no ill will and foul language was not used. He also called upon all political parties to ensure that everyone votes and no vote is wasted.

While the ruling BJP-led NDA has named Ram Nath Kovind its candidate, the Congress-led group of opposition parties has fielded former Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar. Kovind has a big numerical advantage over his rival.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar told reporters after the meeting that Modi also noted that 75th anniversary of the Quit India movement falls on August 9 and all parties should celebrate it.

He also thanked everyone for the implementation of the GST, calling it a "shining example of co-operative federalism".

On the issue of Kashmir and tensions with China, Kumar said the government had a meeting with opposition leaders who said they were with the government on matters of national security.

To preserve institutions of democracy, Modi said, it was important that all political parties support the government in conducting the business in Parliament without disruption so constructive discussion can take place on issues of national importance.

"The Prime Minister in one voice with the leaders of all parties also asserted that all political parties stand united to ensure the nation's safety and security, after such concerns were raised by many leaders on recent developments," he said.

There was a consensus on ensuring the smooth functioning of Parliament and that deadlocks should be resolved through constructive discussion, he said.

Among opposition leaders who attended the meeting were Ghulam Nabi Azad (Congress), Sharad Pawar (NCP), Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M), Mulayam Singh Yadav (SP), Farooq Abdullah (NC) and D Raja (CPI).

However, no one from the JD(U) or the Trinamool Congress was present. TMC had announced it would boycott the meeting amid recriminations between it and the BJP over the recent violence in West Bengal.
The Central Government on Monday informed the Supreme Court that no policy decision has been taken yet on the commercial launch of Genetically Modified (GM) mustard seeds.

A bench comprising Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice D Y Chandrachud considered the statement of Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who represented the Centre that the government is considering various aspects of the matter and has invited suggestions on the commercial roll out of GM seeds.

Meanwhile, today's hearing on the plea seeking a stay on the commercial release of Genetically Modified mustard seeds on apprehensions of effect on biodiversity was adjourned.

On October 17, 2016, the apex court had extended the stay on the commercial release of crop until further orders. The court had restrained the commercial release of the crop for ten days.

The court had then asked Centre to seek public opinion on such seeds before releasing it for cultivation purpose, even as the government approval is awaited.

Mustard is one of India's most important winter crops which are sown between mid-October and late November.
Emirates has come under fire after a video surfaced of an Emirates flight attendant pouring champagne back into a bottle. The video grabbed eyeballs of netizens and was widely circulated through YouTube. Emirates has confirmed that they are investigating the video. We always strive to provide the top quality service. Actions recorded on this video do not comply with our quality standards. We are currently investigating the incident, Emirates said in a statement to Telegraph Travel.
Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), a Navratna Schedule A Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) under the Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the financial year 2017-18 with the Ministry. The annual MoU was signed between Secretary (Defence Production) Shri Ashok Kumar Gupta on behalf of the Ministry of Defence and Chairman and Managing Director, BEL Shri MV Gowtama. .

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The revenue from operations has been targeted at Rs. 9000 crore. The Operating Profit to Revenue from Operations target has been set at 14 percent and PAT to Average Networth has been set at 15 percent. .

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Turnover from exports and increase in indigenous content are given additional focus during the year, along with other parameters like CAPEX investment and Monitoring of CAPEX projects, Reduction in Trade Receivables, and HR related parameters. .

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NAo/Nampi/Rajib
Pakistan calls for DGMO talks

DGMO level talks on behest of Pakistans DGMO was held on 17 Jul 17.

During the talks the Pak DGMO raised the issues of targeting of Pak Army troops which resulted in the death of four Pakistani soldiers and one civilian in Athmuqam Sector of Pakistan occupied Kashmir opposite Indian Keren Sector, Kupwara District.

Indian DGMO in response highlighted that all Cease Fire Violations were initiated by Pakistan Army and the Indian Army only responded appropriately to them.

Apart from these, firing by Indian troops was initiated against armed intruders when attempting to infiltrate from close proximity of Pak posts along the Line of Control (LC).

DGMO also put across emphatically that the trend of infiltration along the LC continued with active support of Pak forward posts impacting peace and tranquillity along the LC and also the internal security situation. This was evident from continued attempts of sniping and targeting of our troops undertaken through cross border actions duly supported by Pakistani Army troops.

DGMO made it implicit that Indian Army reserved the right to retaliate appropriately to any incident of violation of ceasefire but is sincere in its effort of maintaining peace and tranquillity along the LC provided there was reciprocity.

Col Aman Anand

PRO (Army)
The teacher education institutions granted recognition by NCTE for running teacher education courses were asked to provide details of infrastructure, human resource and other facilities available with them through a mandatory disclosure via an Affidavit. A good number of such institutions have failed to respond inspite of advertisements in National Media and requests through bulk SMSs and e-mails. The last date for submission of Affidavit was 12.12.2016. Thereafter, an opportunity was given through requirement to file response to a Show Cause Notice. The last date for this was 8.5.2017. As a result of these two exercises, 8416 Affidavits and 3058 (Show Cause Notice replies) have been received. Another chance has been given to file complete details and also register for accreditation with last date being 31.07.2017. .

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Several steps are being taken to ensure that sub-standard institutions are identified and suitably dealt with. Towards this end one of the initiatives involves a rigorous accreditation and ranking process called TeachR. NCTE has signed an MoU with Quality Council of India (QCI) s body set up with Cabinet approval and the administrative supervision of DIPP, the Chairman of which is nominated by the Honble Prime Minister. .

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QCI will assist NCTE in the following: .

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1. Verify the claims made by TEIs. Details of this verification will be loaded on to a digital platform using which Expert Teacher Educators on the rolls of NCTE will assign marks to each TEI. .

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2. Deploy video vans that will take one hour videos on faculty doing actual teaching and 10 minute videos of a sample of students doing practice teaching. These videos will be scored by expert teacher educators on the rolls of NCTE. .

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3. Conduct proctored test of a sample of students in each TEIs with a view to understanding the extent to which each TEIs has succeeded in ensuring that their students have the attitude, skills and knowledge (ASK) to be a good teacher. .

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In all of this QCI will be acting on the express directions of NCTE, but the final grading will be assigned by NCTE based on the above described methods. .

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To this end the regulations have been changed requiring that teacher education institutions which have not been accredited so far, should do so within a period of one year in accordance with the NCTE (Recognition, Norms and Procedure) Amendment Regulations, 2017 notified on 28th April, 2017. .

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This comprehensive scheme of assessment and ranking called TeachR is uploaded on the NCTE website for information of all stakeholders. .

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At present, there is no such scheme. .

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This information was given by the Minister of State (HRD), Shri Upendra Kushwaha today in a written reply to a Lok Sabha question. .

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Under the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, the present approved cooking cost per child per day for Primary and Upper Primary stages is Rs.4.13 and Rs.6.18, respectively. In addition, the Central Government provides 100% funding for Foodgrains, Transport Assistance, Kitchen Devices and Management/Monitoring Expenses. Several State/UT Governments are also contributing additional funds over and above their minimum mandatory share under the Scheme. .

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Government of India has approved creation of a dynamic buffer of upto 20 Lakh tones of pulses for appropriate market intervention. Committee of Secretaries (COS) in the Meeting for disposal of Tur Pulses from Government of India dynamic buffer stock recommended that D/o School Education & Literacy, D/o Higher Education, M/o Human Resource Development, may firm up their requirement of Tur and other Dal and inform D/o Consumer Affairs (DOCA). The objective behind above request is, that the provision would be made to meet the requirement of pulses under Mid-Day Meal Scheme (MDMS) from the already built buffer stock of pulses. The Ministry of HRD has communicated the recommendation of COS to all the States/UTs to explore the option of procuring Tur Dal from the buffer stock. Some States/UTs have indicated requirement for Milled Tur Dal with a condition that the issue price of Tur Dal must be lower than the market price prevalent in the respective States. Therefore this Ministry has requested, the Department of Consumer Affairs to furnish, state-wise issue price of processed Tur Dal and the policy on price volatility so that the States may procure Tur Dal. .

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This information was given by the Minister of State (HRD), Shri Upendra Kushwaha today in a written reply to a Lok Sabha question. .

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The Centre for United Nations Peacekeeping (CUNPK) is conducting jointly with the US, the second edition of United Nations Peacekeeping Course for African Partners (UNPCAP-02) in New Delhi from 17 July to 04 Aug 2017.

The opening session for this course was conducted on 17 July at the Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi. Mrs Ruchi Ghanashyam, Secretary (West), Ministry of External Affairs chaired the inaugural session and welcomed the officers while briefing the audience on the commitment of India towards the UN. Other eminent speakers to speak on the occasion included Lt Gen JS Cheema, Deputy Chief of Army Staff (IS&T), Lt Gen Vijay Singh, Director General Staff Duties and Charge dAffaires, a.i. MaryKay L Carlson of the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi.

The course is aimed to build and enhance the capacity of the African Troop Contributing Countries to the UN and to further train the trainers from these countries. The course, which revolves around the concept of training the trainers, as stated by the UN, is one of the many steps that India has initiated towards active contribution to peace support activities. Course is being attended by officers from 19 countries including India. The students include officers who are currently employed in their respective peacekeeping training centres in African peacekeeping training institutions.

The training incorporates topics on operational and logistical matters, humanitarian issues, thematic topics, Blackboard and table Top exercises and mission briefs. The course is also targeted to assist the student officers to further train officers in their respective countries on the nuances of peacekeeping. Internationally the course is already being seen as a milestone in many ways.

Col Aman Anand

PRO (Army)

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The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is to be given a bigger role and greater powers in combating terrorism, under changes announced by the government on Monday.

The measures  including specialised training by special forces for law enforcement teams  will provide more Commonwealth support to state police forces, which are still acknowledged as the appropriate first responders.
A Chinese-born American researcher has been awarded 10 years of imprisonment after being convicted of spying in Iran.

According to a report by the Guardian, the Princeton University identified the man as Chinese-born Xiyue Wang, an American citizen and graduate student in History. Wang was arrested in Iran last summer, while doing scholarly research in connection with his PhD dissertation, a university statement said.

In a video statement in Fars News, Iranian judicial spokesman Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejheie said that Wang was arrested and put on trial for "gathering information," and the sentence can be appealed.

According to the Iranian law, a convicted person has 20 days to appeal a sentence.

Meanwhile, the US State Department called for the immediate release of all its citizens imprisoned in Iran.

"The Iranian regime continues to detain U.S. citizens and other foreigners on fabricated national-security related changes. The safety and security of U.S. citizens remains a top priority. All U.S. citizens, especially dual nationals considering travel to Iran, should carefully read our latest travel warning," a press statement said.

Iran has accused several dual nationals, mostly with additional Iranian nationality, of spying.

In January 2016, Iran released an Iranian-American Washington Post reporter, Jason Rezaian, who had been imprisoned for 18 months on spying charges.

In October 2016, San Diego resident Reza "Robin" Shahini was sentenced to 18 years in prison for spying. The U.S.-Iranian citizen was visiting family in Gorgan, Iran. He was released on bail in April to await his appeal, The Center For Human Rights in Iran said.

Also in October 2016, Iran sentenced Iranian-Americans Baquer Namazi and his son Siamik to 10 years in prison and fined them $4.8 million for "collaborating with a foreign government," according to Iran's official news channel IRINN.

Four U.S. prisoners were released last year by Iran as part of a prisoner swap granting clemency to seven Iranians indicted or imprisoned in the United States.
Only a few weeks after being diagnosed with a late-stage liver cancer in late May 2017, the world learned that Chinas most prominent dissident, Liu Xiaobo, died at 61 in a hospital in the north-east region of China, where he was born. As the poetess Tang Danhong wrote, he departed as an innocent prisoner into the eternal light. What a tragedy for a man who fought most of his life for freedom to live out his last days in a hospital bed under lock and key.
The Pakistan Army said today that it had no role in the investigation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's family assets, asserting that it was "focused only" on safeguarding the country's security.

Pakistan Army's spokesman Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor told reporters that the joint investigation team was formed by the Supreme Court, "which did its job honestly. Its report will be examined by the court. Army has no role in the process."

Asked about the Sharif government's allegations that the Panama Papers scandal and the subsequent probe into the prime minister's family wealth was a "conspiracy" against the civilian dispensation, the spokesman said that the Army was "only focused on the security of the country."

"There is no direct army involvement in the JIT," he asserted, adding that the "Pakistan Army will continue playing its role for the security of Pakistan with other institutions," according to a report in Dawn newspaper.

"Political talk is in the political domain."

The denial comes ahead of the Supreme Court hearing into the case, which begins tomorrow.

The JIT in its damning report submitted to the Supreme Court on July 10 recommended that a corruption case be filed against Sharif and his sons - Hassan and Hussain - and his daughter Maryam for evading tax.

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.

Sharif, 67 has rubbished the report as a "bundle of baseless allegations", and said that an "unjustified campaign" was launched against his government soon after he won in 2013.

"The people of Pakistan have elected me and only they can remove me from this post," he said this week.

The Pakistani military has always played a crucial role in the country's . It has ruled Pakistan for more than 33 years of the country's 70-year history.

Reports of disagreement between the civilian and the military leaderships this time dates back to October 6, when the Dawn in a front-page report claimed that civilian authorities have warned the Inter-Service Intelligence spy agency to act against militants or face isolation.

The rift was a grim reminder of 1999, when then Army chief Pervez Musharraf had ousted the government of Sharif.

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 served as prime minister from 1990 to 1993 and from 1997 to 1999. Both of Sharif's first two stints 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.)
Oil rose above $49 a barrel on Monday as a slowdown in the growth of rigs drilling in the United States eased concern that surging shale supplies will undermine Opec-led cuts.

US drillers added two oil rigs in the week to July 14, bringing the total to 765, Baker Hughes said on Friday. Rig additions over the past four weeks averaged five, the lowest since November.

"The slowing pace of increases combined with massive drawdowns last week on both official crude inventory numbers from the US probably explains the positive sentiment in general at the moment," said Jeffrey Halley at brokerage OANDA.

Brent crude, the global benchmark, was up 19 cents at $49.10 a barrel by 0844 GMT US crude traded at $46.71, up 17 cents.

Oil prices are less than half their mid-2014 level because of a persistent glut even after the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, plus Russia and other non-members started a supply-cutting pact in January.

US crude oil inventories in the week to July 7, the most recent, dropped the most in ten months, raising expectations that a long-awaited market rebalancing is under way.

While the Opec-led cuts have offered prices some support, rising supplies from Nigeria and Libya, two Opec members exempt from the pact, have weighed on the market, as has growth in US shale production.

Kuwait said on Friday the market was on a recovery track due to rising demand and that it was premature to cap Nigerian and Libyan output. An Opec and non-Opec committee meets in Russia on July 24 to discuss the impact of the deal.

In a sign of strong demand, data on Monday showed refineries in China increased crude throughput in June to the second highest on record. Opec is hoping higher demand in the second half will get rid of excess inventories.

"There is almost an agreement that the second half of the year should be tighter than the first half due to significant jumps in demand forecasts," oil broker PVM said. "The net result is a rise in the demand for OPEC oil."
As the Supreme Court resumed hearing the Panama Papers case on Monday, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's lawyers and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar submitted separate objections to the joint investigation team (JIT) report.

A three-member apex bench, headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan, and comprising Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed and Justice Ijazul Hassan, after the JIT began hearing the case as the JIT submitted its final report on July 10.

The report pointed out a categorical foul play on part of the Prime Minister, his children and other family members in their wealth details linked to offshore companies unearthed in Panama Papers.

The report also found respondents guilty of being beneficial owners of multiple offshore companies and recommended initiation of reference against Sharif and his family members in the National Accountability Bureau.

In the objections filed before the court, the Sharif family and the finance minister rejected the JIT report and argued that the team violated its mandate, reports the Dawn.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf's (PTI) lead counsel Naeem Bukhari in his arguments highlighted certain findings from the JIT report, including the alleged false testimony of Tariq Shafi, who is Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's cousin and a key respondent in the case.

Shafi recorded a false testimony earlier regarding an agreement that he made in 1980 with Abdullah Kayed Ahli, the owner of Ahli Steel Company, Dubai in which Shafi held 25 per cent shares, said Bukhari.

The trust deed of the four flats located in London's upscale Park Lane neighbourhood, executed between Maryam Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz - the Prime Minister's children - in February 2006, was found to be false by the JIT, Bukhari told the apex bench.

The counsel representing the Sharif's sons in the case, Salman Akram Raja, had argued before the SC in February that bearer certificates of the flats had remained with Maryam between February and July 2006. However, they were cancelled upon execution of the trust deed and registered under Minerva Services Limited - an entity that appointed directors for the two offshore companies, Nielson Enterprises Ltd and Nescoll Ltd, that owned the four flats.

The court is expected to either put Sharif on trial on corruption charges, or even disqualify him, but few expect the judges to dismiss the case.
Donald Trumps name adorned the first casino in America to have an in-house strip club. He is the first American president to have made a cameo appearance in a soft-core pornography film, and he has called his struggle to avoid sexually transmitted diseases while sleeping around his personal Vietnam. When the candidate was asked last year whether any of his paramours had had an abortion, he refused to answer.
Having been a part of the financial industry during the 2008 global meltdown and the recent asset quality problem, is no stranger to handling crisis.
Domestic (MFs) have been net buyers for 26 consecutive trading sessions, one of the longest unbroken buying sprees, even as the trade at lifetime high levels. Since June 7, equity funds have poured in Rs 12,435 crore, at a daily average of nearly Rs 500 crore. During the same period, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) have invested Rs 6,565 crore in Indian stocks.
Shares of rose over 3% in the early trade on Monday after the third largest IT services firm on Friday said its board will consider a proposal for buyback of equity shares on July 20.
Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop will be in India from July 18 to July 19 to meet her Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj to strengthen bilateral, economic and security relations between the two countries.

Australia's High Commissioner to India, Ms Harinder Sidhu, welcomed the announcement and said the visit places emphasis on India as one of Australia's top economic and security partners.

"We are committed to exploring ways to expand our engagement even further," Ms Sidhu said.

"Our countries have a dynamic and growing knowledge partnership, flourishing people-to-people links and converging political, economic and strategic interests. And there is scope for us to do much more together", she added.

The two will talk about deepening regional engagement, defence and security issues, of the two countries.

Julie Bishop will call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to follow up on the very successful meeting with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull earlier this year.

Bishop will deliver the second Indo-Pacific Oration, setting out how Australia and India can work together to build peace, prosperity and a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
New Delhi [India], July 17 (ANI): Five years after the 1962 Sino-Indian war, following a fierce skirmish and retaliation by the Indian Army at Sikkim in 1967, the 4057-kilometer-long complex and perception-based Line of Control (LAC), has been managed by both armies without pulling the trigger for 50 long years. And that is despite very frequent incursions/transgressions mainly/much more by China's People's Liberation Army (PLA), many of which resulted in unarmed grappling by troops of both armies, but always ending with negotiations by field commanders and/or diplomatic dialogue.

However, the PLA's transgression beginning on June 8, 2017 into Bhutan's Doklam Plateau (also known as Doka La by India and claimed as Donglun by China), at the tri-junction of India's Sikkim, Bhutan and China-held Tibet, actually amounts to aggression and has resulted in a dangerous stand-off, continuing for over a month.

On the very next day, i.e. June 9, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping met for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation's Summit at Astana, Kazhakstan, it was reported: "There was an understanding that where we have differences, it is important that differences should not become disputes."

But the PLA's actions on the ground belie such a spirit. First, it demolished two bunkers and then began constructing a road towards Doka La. The Royal Bhutan Army (RBA) tried to intervene, but were pushed back. The RBA then sought assistance of the Indian troops, who moved down the ridge and obstructed the construction work, leading to the standoff.

Visuals on television of Indian soldiers relentlessly grappling with their PLA counterparts leave no doubt about their determination and great restraint.

Bhutan's Ambassador to India Vestop Namgyel is reported to have stated in the media that Bhutan issued a demarche to China over the construction of a road towards its army camp in Zomplri area of Doklam and asked China to restore status quo by stopping the construction work.

The stand-off has also led to diplomatic heat between India and China, as both sides have reinforced their positions.

China has accused India of wrongfully interfering in China-Bhutan boundary talks and said that the "ball is in India's court" to end the standoff.

The Indian Army has deployed 3,500 additional "non-combative" troops in a show of strength near the tri-junction.

India expediting the building of hollow block bunkers along the LAC, India's refusal to take part in the One Belt, One Road summit organized by China and Prime Minister Modi's visits to the United States and Israel, have all peeved China.

Since then, Beijing has issued a warning over India's strategic infrastructure development along/near the LAC, especially in the north-east region. China opposed the infrastructure development issue several times. It is certainly not happy about India raising a mountain corps with two divisions already.

The construction of bunkers particularly, has been a flashpoint in Sino-India ties.

Former foreign secretary and former Indian Ambassador to China, Nirupama Rao is reported to have stated that the last few months have exposed the fragilities and strains in the India-China relationship.

The equilibrium is already pitched at a low level. There has been no visible attempt to defuse tensions as the temperature has risen steadily.

India has some genuine grievances for which China has shown little understanding.

The Chinese handling of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor issue is one example...... The dispute in the Doklam area is known. It is not a new phenomenon. But China's road construction is a deliberate move to trigger a response from Bhutan and India.

Through its actions, China is seeking to impose its own definition of the tri-junction point of the boundary between Bhutan, China and India (Sikkim).

The move has serious security ramifications for both Bhutan and India. Bhutan and India enjoy the closest relationship of mutual trust and confidence. There is absolutely no controversy about military-to-military cooperation and understanding between our two countries. India holds Bhutanese sovereignty as sacred and inviolable.

According to Claude Arpi, and India-based French expert on India, China and Tibet, China has tried to push the envelope by starting to build a road through territory which is disputed, thinking that India would not defend Bhutan. Beijing has been proved wrong in this regard.

A brief look at some events during the past fifty bulletless years is relevant.

In 1967, when the PLA upped the ante at Nathu La, Sikkim, by mortar and artillery bombardment and direct fire, killing some Indian Army officers and soldiers, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi overturned the 1962 humiliation by sanctioning use of artillery requested for by the then Brigade Commander, Brigadier M.M.S. Bakshi, MVC, resulting in about 400 PLA troops being killed, a convoy of vehicles being destroyed and many bunkers being levelled.

The message that 1962 cannot be repeated went to the Chinese very effectively. However, incursions by Chinese continued in some form or the other, but significantly, they have all been bullet-less for fifty years since that skirmish, so far.

1986-87: China upped the ante again with a massive build-up in the Sumdorong Chu region, north of Tawang. The then Indian Army Chief Gen.Krishnaswamy Sundarji responded by launching "Operation Falcon". The crisis was resolved without any exchange of fire.

1994: Gen. Bipin Joshi became the first Indian Army Chief to be invited to visit China since 1962. While the Chinese broke protocol in welcoming him, transgressions continued.

1999: During the Kargil conflict, the Pangong Tso area became a great flashpoint when, China constructed a five-kilometer-long track right up to the lake's southern bank. Both sides now carry out routine patrols on the track and mark their presence, but avoid physical contact. Yet Chinese patrolling speedboats often swirl aggressively around Indian boats.

31 January 2000: The Chinese People's Liberation Army built a permanent road network and set up bunkers five kilometers into the Indian side of the LAC in Ladakh's Aksai Chin area.

1 April 2000: India and China commemorate 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations. Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Mukut Mithi accused China of violating the LAC and crossing into Indian territory. Mithi said Chinese-built mule tracks had been discovered by Indian Army soldiers near the Kayela Pass in the state's Dibang Valley district, bordering Tibet.

"They come in the guise of hunters, cross the LAC and at times even claim that parts of Arunachal belong to them,"he had said.

23 June 2003: Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee made a landmark visit to China. Simultaneously, a Chinese patrol transgressed 16 kilometers inside India and intimidate an Indian detachment.

6 July 2006: China and India re-open Nathu La Pass, Sikkim, which was closed since the 1962 Sino-Indian war. In November 2006, the Chinese Ambassador to India publicly declared that Arunachal Pradesh was Chinese territory. In December, PLA conducted joint military war games with Pak army in West of J and K, codenamed "Friendship 2006", to mark the 55th anniversary of Sino-Pakistan diplomatic relations, based on India being viewed as a common enemy. Subsequently the Chinese build-up began in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, which now amounts to an army division.

25 May 2007: China denied a visa to Arunachal Pradesh chief minister, arguing that since the state is in fact a part of China he would not require a visa to visit his own country. Then BJP MP Kiren Rijiju made a startling claim that China had moved 20 kilometres into the Indian territory, amounting to 9000 square kms since quite some time and claimed that Ministry of External Affairs had admitted to Chinese occupation of Arunachal Pradesh. 140 incursions reportedly occurred in 2007.

Soon after former Defence Minister AK Antony's late 2007 visit to Arunachal Pradesh , former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh promised a substantial long-overdue infrastructural development package to the state . Major mobilization and relocation of Border Roads Organisation's (BRO) resources became the spark-off point for the Chinese to focus their attention on Eastern Ladakh, the J and K part of the LAC, by launching a series of multi-mode and multi-dimensional incursions involving camping, painting CHINA in Mandarin on rock faces, filching fuel and what not. In this "increasingly assertive'' behaviour by China, transgressions on the Pangong Tso (tso means lake), by Chinese troops on foot/ motorized boat patrols have become a continuous routine.

2008-09: There were major Chinese incursions in the general area of the barren land at Chumar, East of the picturesque Morari Tso, Zulung La and the 22, 420 feet high Mount Gya.

27 August 2010: India canceled defence exchanges with China after Beijing refused a visa to Lt. Gen. B.S. Jaswal, heading Northern Command, because he "controlled" the disputed area of J and K. India subsequently refused to allow two Chinese defense officials to visit New Delhi. November 2010: China started the practice of issuing stapled visas to people from Jammu and Kashmir.

April 2013: A platoon-plus Chinese detachment made a most unusual kind of intrusion 19 kms across the LAC into Indian territory at Chumar, in Ladakh's Daulat Beg Oldi sector/Depsang Valley, camped there in tents with Molosser dogs for three weeks and departed after much diplomatic dialogue. On 17 June another detachment of Chinese troops came on horseback, demolished/damaged some bunkers, cut some wires of cameras installed at the border post and took away some other visual equipment, broken remains of which were reportedly returned later. Chumar, located 300 km from Leh, has always been an area of discomfort for the Chinese troops as this is the only area along the LAC, which they do not have easy/close access to . On 12 July, Chinese troops transgressed in area Burtse, about 30 km from the LAC.

September 2014: When Xi visited India, PM Modi, broke protocol and received him in Ahmedabad. China promised $20 billion worth of investments in India over five years. Even as the two leaders sat on a swing at the banks of the Sabarmati river, the PLA had already violated the LAC at Ladakh-Chumar and Demchok. When confronted by Modi over these intrusions, Xi is reported to have assured him to have his troops to withdrawn and end the border standoff, after he returned.

While China has been petty enough to disallow Indian pilgrims to visit Kailash Mansarovar, Indian government and Army are tight-lipped but deliberating at the highest levels and this time they have not yet blinked. War is certainly not a favorable option for either country. But God forbid, if push comes to shove, the Army Chief Gen. Bipin Rawat has already stated that Indian Army is prepared for a two and a half fronts war. PLA should remember 1967.

The view expressed in the abover article are that of Col. Anil Bhat (Retired).

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The cracks in the Trinamool Congress (TMC) are wide in open, as few of the party MLAs from Tripura voted for Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate Ram Nath Kovind in the Presidential election, while others backed Opposition candidate Meira Kumar.

TMC MLA Ashish Saha said they voted for Kovind as a mark of their protest against the Communist Party of India (Marxist), who has been ruling in Tripura for more than 25 years.

"Mamata Banerjee didn't fulfil her promise to remove the CPM from the state. Right now the BJP is in the Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly and to fight against them, she is backing the Congress and the CPM in the Presidential election," Saha said.

He added Mamata can support Meira, but they will not.

"The people of Tripura are suffering for the past 25 years. Six of the MLAs of the TMC have voted for Ram Nath Kovind. We've registered our protest against crimes of the CPM, the Congress and the TMC," he said.

Earlier, Mamata asked her party MPs to cast their votes in Kolkata, fearing of cross-voting during the Presidential election.

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Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto on Monday said that democracy will not be in danger if Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's resigns.

Addressing a gathering at National Press Club, Bilawal reiterated his demand for Sharif's resignation, saying that the Prime Minister has lost all the moral and legal ground for staying in the office.

Geo News quoted Bilawal as saying that Sharif's resignation is in the interest of the people and the country.

The PPP Chairman expressed optimism that his party would produce good results in the 2018 General Elections.

He also said that the PPP will consider all other options if Sharif family doesn't accept the rule of law.

Bilawal also took the occasion to talk about safety of journalists and said that he will put forth the demand for legislation for protection of scribes.

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The Iranian media in its tribute to late mathematician on Sunday broke the country's strict rules on a female dress to show Mirzakhani with her head uncovered.

According to a report by the Guardian, tributes were led by Iranian President, Hassan Rouhani, who posted a recent picture of Mirzakhani on Instagram without a hijab.

Mirzakhani, a Stanford University professor, died in hospital in California on Saturday fighting cancer.

She won the Fields Medal in 2014 for her "outstanding contributions to the dynamics and geometry of Riemann surfaces and their moduli spaces".

Iranian newspapers digitally retouched Mirzakhani's photograph to put a scarf over her head while published a sketch showing only her face. Iran's strict laws on female dress require all women to be covered in public.

The front page of Hamshahri, a state newspaper, particularly stood out, winning praise for portraying her as she had lived. "Maths genius yielded to [an] algebra of death", read its headline over a picture of Mirzakhani without a hijab.

In another tribute to Mirzakhani, a group of Parliamentarians in Iran on Sunday urged the speeding up of an amendment to a law that would allow children of Iranian mothers married to foreigners to be given Iranian nationality so that Mirzakhani's daughter could visit Iran.

Mirzakhani is survived by her Czech scientist husband and her daughter, but a marriage between an Iranian woman and a non-Muslim man was previously not recognised, complicating visits to Iran by their children.
The Temple Mount in Jerusalem was reopened on Monday morning, after being shut for three days in the wake of a terrorist attack.

According to the Jerusalem Post, the small group of Jewish visitors, who entered the compound on Monday, said they offered prayers for the fatalities in the attack.

Security services prohibit non-Muslim prayer on the Temple Mount, in the pretext that such activity inevitably triggers Palestinian violence.

Earlier on Friday, three attackers were shot dead by the police during a shootout near the entrance to the Temple Mount complex, during an attack in which three people were wounded with two critically injured.

Following the attack, Friday prayers at the complex were cancelled by police for the first time in years.

The police said that three armed assailants arrived at one of the gates to the Temple Mount when they noticed policemen present. They shot at them and escaped in the direction of the mosques on Temple Mount. They were then pursued killed by the policemen.

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Two people were killed and nine others injured in the Chinese city of Shenzhen on late Sunday after a knife-wielding man attacked them in a supermarket.

The 30-year old suspect, surnamed Jiang, attacked people with a kitchen knife in a Wal-Mart outlet in the Bao'an district at around 9 p.m., Xinhua quoted Shenzhen police, as saying, in a statment.

The attacker has been detained and an investigation is underway.

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The Kerala Women's Commission chairperson M K Josephine on Monday wrote to Tamil Nadu Women commission to take action against the media houses in the state which had reportedly published the name and photograph of the Malayalam actress who was abducted and assaulted earlier this year.

The commission made this plea in a letter to Tamil Nadu media house and Tamil Nadu Public Relations Director, a press release said.

Earlier in the day, the Kerala High Court said that it has received a bail plea from actor Dileep in connection with this mater.

The court has posted the hearing for bail for Thursday.

On July 14, Dileep was produced before the Angamaly Judicial First Class Magistrate Court where his police custody was extended.

On July 11, Dileep was expelled from the primary membership of Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) after being arrested. He was also sent to 14-day judicial custody.

The Malayalam actor was slapped with conspiracy charges owing to the abduction and assault of a popular South Indian actress earlier in February. Later that day, he was arrested by evening.

Earlier, the two main accused - Sunil Kumar and Vigeesh - in the abduction and assault of the Malayalam actress were brought to Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu for evidence collection.

This came after a court of Aluva in Ernakulam district yesterday granted nine-day police custody of the two accused.

The custody of the two, till March 5, was granted after they were remanded in nine days judicial custody by the Aluva First class Judicial Magistrate court.

Seeking the custody of the key accused ' Pulsar' Sunil and V.P. Vigeesh, police said it wanted to conduct further probe into the conspiracy angle in the abduction and harassment of the actress.

The police also said more evidence including the mobile phone used for allegedly clicking the pictures of the actress and the SIM cards used by the accused, have to be gathered.

A case of attempted rape was filed after the actress was allegedly abducted and molested.

The incident reportedly took place while the victim was returning from a shoot.

According to police, the actress was held in the car for two hours, after which, she was dropped near her residence at around 10.30 p.m.

The police stumbled upon the conspiracy angle last week, when Dileep's name surfaced in a jail inmate's letter, who shared the cell with Sunil.

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As the fight for the post of the President is underway, Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM) general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Monday stated that Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) and Member of Parliament (MPs) should vote for who their conscience speaks for.

Speaking to ANI, Yechury said, "It is our appeal to the government to choose the right person who fits into the position. All the MLAs and MPs should vote for who their conscience speaks for. If the decision is not right then Prime Minister Narendra Modi should make an investigation into this. The Opposition's role is to see whatever and whenever things go wrong; we need to raise our voice".

The voting for the Presidential polls is underway and will last till 5:00 p.m. The counting of the votes will take place on July 20.

There are two candidates in the fray for the coveted post - Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate Ram Nath Kovind and Opposition's candidate Meira Kumar.

President Pranab Mukherjee's term is expiring on July 25.

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United States President Donald Trump has said that most politicians would have gone to a meeting like the one attended by his eldest son Donald Trump Jr's with a Russian lawyer during the campaign in order to get info on an opponent.

"Most politicians would have gone to a meeting like the one Don jr attended in order to get info on an opponent. That's politics!" Trump tweeted.

Earlier, defending his eldest son, Trump Jr., who has been caught at the centre of the controversy surrounding Russian meddling in the 2016 elections, Trump has called the former a high-quality person and also applauded his transparency.

"My son is a high-quality person and I applaud his transparency," CNN quoted a statement from the President as saying by White House deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

Trump Jr. last week released an email chain that shows him discussing plans to hear damaging information on Hillary Clinton that were described as "part of Russia and its government's support for Donald Trump."

Trump Jr. tweeted that he was releasing the emails to be "totally transparent", quelling reports that cited that he was told before his meeting with a Russian lawyer that he would be offered compromising information about Hillary Clinton.

"Here's my statement and the full email chain," he tweeted.

It was earlier reported that Trump Jr. was promised to damage information about Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton before agreeing to meet with a Russian lawyer, who has connections to the Kremlin.

As per the New York Times, the information provided by three advisers to the White House briefed on the meeting and two others who had knowledge of it.

According to reports, the unreported meeting, which took place on June 9, 2016 at Trump Tower in Manhattan, was attended by Trump's campaign chairman, Paul J. Manafort and his son-in-law Jared Kushner.

Though, it is still unclear whether Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya, actually fulfilled the promised compromising information about Clinton or not.

Donald Trump Jr. in a statement had said he had met the Russian lawyer at the request of an acquaintance.

"After pleasantries were exchanged the woman stated that she had information that individuals connected to Russia were funding the Democratic National Committee and supporting Clinton. Her statements were vague, ambiguous and made no sense. No details or supporting information was provided or even offered. It quickly became clear that she had no meaningful information."

He further claimed that he turned the conversation to adoption of Russian children and the Magnitsky Act.

According to a report by the New York Times, Trump Jr. was informed in an email that the cited material was a part of a Russian Government's effort to aid his father's candidature.

The email was sent by Rob Goldstone, a publicist and former British tabloid reporter, who helped broker the June 2016 meeting.

The emails are the first documentary evidence that a top Trump associate took a meeting that was connected to a Russian government effort to help Trump in the 2016 election. Trump Jr., in addition to being the president's son, was deeply involved in his presidential campaign.

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Senior Supreme Court lawyer Pavani Parameswara Rao on Monday asserted that there can be no imminent execution of former Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav as the matter is pending before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

"They (Pakistan) cannot execute Jadhav as of now, because they made a promise before the ICJ that as long as the proceedings are continuing, they cannot execute. So they will honour the commitment," Rao told ANI.

He said that there are other ways in which the plea for Jadhav's clemency can be made in Pakistan.

"There are other parties also who have powers of clemency. The President of Pakistan has power to grant pardon, and commute sentence just like the President of India. So therefore they can always make appeal," he added.

Welcoming the Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa's decision to review Jadhav's case, Rao said, "If he wants to exercise his power then he is most welcome, if he doesn't do then President of Pakistan can be approached. Even if he does not do that, then the ultimate result is to go to the ICJ where the case is pending."

The advocate's remark came a day after Pakistan's media wing, ISPR, informed that the Paksitan chief was "analysing" evidence against Jadhav.

"The petition of Indian is now with COAS who'll decide soon. The Army Chief is looking at each aspect of Jadhav's appeal,analysing the evidence and will decide on merits", Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor said.

Jadhav's clemency appeal has been rejected by the Military Appellate Court. If his appeal for clemency is rejected by General Bajwa, he can then file another mercy petition with President Mamnoon Hussain within 90 days of the Army Chief deciding on his appeal.

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.

A leading Pakistani daily has voiced its support in favour of the alleged Indian spy's mother, saying that she should be granted visa to visit Pakistan on 'humanitarian grounds as this provides the latest opportunity for India and Pakistan to back away from an increasingly confrontational stance against each other.

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Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan had an exchange over the hotline on Monday with regard to ceasefire violations allegedly being committed by troops of both countries on the Line of Control (LOc) and the International Border (IB) in Jammu and Kashmir.

The request for the DGMO-level talks was made by Pakistan.

During the talks, Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations Major General Sahir Shamshad Mirza reportedly raised the issue of Indian troops targeting their Pakistani counterparts, resulting in the death of four Pakistani soldiers in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

The Indian Army's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO), Lt. Gen. A.K. Bhatt, reiterated that all cease-fire violations (CFVs) had been were initiated by Pakistan, and in that context, the Indian Army reserved the right to retaliate appropriately.

He also reiterated that the Indian Army is sincere about maintaining peace and tranquillity along the LoC.

The last DGMO-level talks took place on June 5, 2017, again on the request of the Pakistan side. The Pakistani side then lodged a protest over the alleged killing of some civilians on their side by Indian Army's retaliatory firing to Pakistani ceasefire violations, which was strongly denied by the Indian side.

It was stated then that the Pakistan Army was needlessly escalating tensions along the border. Lt.Gen. A K Bhatt conveyed then that the Indian Army "is a professional army and will not harm civilians in any manner."

The DGMO-level talks then were held at 10.30 a.m., Indian Army said in a statement.

Before this, the DGMOs held talks on May 2, a day after the beheading of two Indian soldiers by Pakistani side.

The Indian Army maintains that that if the Pakistan Army continues to abet infiltrations and cause trans-LoC firings, the Indian Army will take appropriate retaliatory actions.

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A special court in Islamabad on Monday granted five-day interim bail to Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) chairman Muhammad Zafar Hijazi, accused of tampering the records of companies owned by the Sharif family.

A Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) inquiry into Panamagate joint investigation team's, probing Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family's offshore wealth, allegations that state institutions are tampering records found Hijazi guilty of the charge.

According to Express News, the SECP chairman was granted interim pre-arrest bail until July 21 by Special Court Central, Islamabad.

Earlier, Hijazi was granted a transitory bail till July 17 by the Islamabad High Court against surety bonds of Rs. 10,000.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court is presently hearing responses of all the parties on the Panamagate joint investigation team's (JIT) report.

The JIT was formed after the apex court's April 20 judgement to probe Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family's money trail. The probing panel submitted its 60-day investigation report to the court on July 10, in which it pointed out a categorical foul play on part of the Prime Minister, his children and other family members in their wealth details linked to offshore companies unearthed in Panama Papers.

The court is expected to either put Sharif on trial on corruption charges, or even disqualify him, but few expect the judges to dismiss the case.

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The Shiv Sena on Monday tore into the Congress for nominating Gopalkrishna Gandhi for the post of Vice-President of India and said the party needs to get their 'mental balance' checked after taking this decision.

"I just want to ask her that on what basis, the Congress has nominated Gopalkrishna Gandhi for the post of the Vice-President. He is the same man, who advocated for the mercy plea for Mumbai serial blast conspirator Yakub Memon," Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut told ANI.

"If they want Gopalkrishna Gandhi to hold a Constitutional position of the nation, then it is important to get their 'mental balance' checked," he added.

He even said the Congress should understand that nominating Gopalkrishna, who backed Memon, is like going against the nation.

Raut also hit out at Congress president Sonia Gandhi for her remark on the President, saying that the presidential poll is a fight against "narrow-minded communal vision".

"Who is narrow minded, I want to ask Sonia Gandhi. What is the definition of narrow mindedness? She should forget about Presidential election. Ram Nath Govind will have historic victory," he said.

India is casting its vote today in the Presidential polls 2017.

The Opposition has nominated Gopalkrishna Gandhi for the post of Vice-President, but the Democratic Alliance (NDA) is yet to announce the name of its candidate.

The Vice-President election is scheduled on will be held on August 5.

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Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday defended his action of transferring Deputy Inspector General (Prisons) D Roopa, who exposed irregularities in Parappana Agrahara Prison, stating that the action was taken "in view of the Government's commitment to public interest, truth and justice."

The Chief Minister pointed out that despite the immediate institution of inquiry into the irregularities; both Roopa and Director General of Police (Prisons) H N Sathyanarayana Rao went to the media to discuss the case.

"The interaction of both police officers with the media during the course of inquiry was unwarranted, and amounted to a serious violation of All India Services Conduct Rules," an official release from the Chief Minister's Office said.

"In order to maintain the sanctity of the inquiry process and safeguard it from further interference, the Government has asked the DGP (Prisons) H N Sathyanarayana Rao to proceed on leave, while DIG (Prisons) D Roopa has been transferred as Deputy Inspector General of Police and Commissioner for Traffic and Road Safety, Bengaluru," it added.

The Chief Minster said the government is committed to allow the inquiry to proceed unhinged, so that evidence based truth emerges, following which necessary and strict action will be taken to bring the guilty to book.

Roopa has been transferred to the traffic department as the Inspector General of Police and Commissioner for Traffic and Road Safety, while Sathyanarayana Rao to was asked to go on leave.

Slamming the government, former chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa said that by transferring Roopa, incumbent chief Siddaramaiah had sent out a clear message that there is no space for honest officers in his rule.

Yeddyurappa said that instead of taking action on Roopa's report and interrogating the irregularities, the authorities have transferred her.

"Nobody could have imagined that such things were happening in the jail. And instead of taking action on the police officers report and put a halt on the illegal business going inside the jail, she has been transferred. The CM has given a message to the entire police department that no honest officer should come out with the truth," said Yeddyurappa. (ANI)

Roopa, in a report to the Director General (Prisons), had 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.

In this regard, Siddaramaiah assured that strict action would be taken against the guilty, while taking cognizance of allegations of irregularities in the Bengaluru central prison.

The Karnataka Chief Minister said he has ordered a high-level inquiry into the matter.

On one hand, where the DG (Prisons) categorically denied all the charges, Roopa, on the other, maintained her stand, saying that she has no issue with an inquiry taking place into it.

On July 14, Roopa had also said she is being unnecessarily targetted and singled out for exposing irregularities at the Parappana Agrahara Central prison.

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Building the institutions of market can help the mergers and acquisitions (M&As) process to move faster, chairperson of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI), Mr M. S. Sahoo said at an ASSOCHAM event.

We have not completely moved to market model as of now but IPO is a complete model hub market, takeover almost, I think if we can build institutions of market probably that will all help the M&As to move faster, said Mr Sahoo.

Highlighting how the M&A resolution process should be in hands of market participants, he said that the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) has segregated the commercial aspects of insolvency from judicial aspects.

The IBC has put the commercial aspects in hands of stakeholders and judicial aspects with tribunal and with all that it has put a timeline with firm consequences, said Mr Sahoo.

It says that if you do not do that in 180 days time, the company will compulsorily go into liquidation, he added.

The IBBI chief further said that M&As are very important activities for economies of scale, economies of scope, from micro and macro point of views and it affects the rights and interests of two sets of people.

It does readjustments of rights of financials of an enterprise, equity holders or debt holders and it also affects the rights of the consumers of the products produced by an enterprise, he said.

Talking about three very high level principles in M&A sector, Mr Sahoo said, It should gel well with current reforms of last three years in Indian economy whereby we have almost moved on many matters so that decisions are taken by the parties themselves not by any third person, government or court.

Besides, considering the era of 'minimum government and maximum governance,' he said, We are looking at stakeholders who stand to lose or gain from the transaction only they should take decision, they should have incentive, motivation to do it in an orderly manner and complete it in a time-bound manner.

He also talked about the need for conducive regulations to ensure that parties do as much as required and no more.

That means, have the regulations which address the problem precisely and does not do beyond what is required.

He further said that merely making rules and regulations is not adequate unless there are facilitators in the system.

Since 1992 we have been talking about economic liberty but we are yet to build very sophisticated institutions for promotion and protection of this liberty, said Mr Sahoo.

Adding that there should be facilitators which allow people to undertake the transactions with the capacity in the system, the IBBI chief stressed upon the need for valuers which act as an institution in all commercial transactions.

The system must provide valuers who will help in transactions and all other elements of the ecosystem must have the institutional capacity and motivation to help these transactions, said Mr Sahoo.

He said that to the extent possible we now enable the market participants take decisions for themselves and take responsibility for their decisions.

We are looking at such regulations and facilitations, regulations essentially to protect interests of various stakeholders while in case of acquisitions we look at the people who would be exiting they get a fair opportunity to exit and exit at the highest possible price and all those who exit they get the same price but with least disruption to business, he added.

He also said that there must be enough legal protection, clarity for those coming in, least possible financial and regulatory burden with tax and it should be completed in an orderly and time-bound manner and not linger for years.

We have allowed to a large extent, let the market decide what is good for them, let us put the entire process at their disposal, let them have enough motivation to do it and let them do it in a time-bound manner, the rest of mechanism are there to create a very congenial market environment, create a very conducive regulation and there is no infringement, no cutting corners and no compromises but only keep a watch on that, further said the IBBI chief.

Mr Amardeep Singh Bhatia, joint secretary in Ministry of Corporate Affairs said that more benches and members would be joining the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) and National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT).

As the load is increasing, the responsibilities of NCLT and NCLAT have been increased, the capacity also is proposed to be increased, said Mr Bhatia.

Increase in capacity is a work in progress and that will happen over the course of next couple of months and you will have more benches, more members joining in, he added.

He said that creation of national company law tribunals is the foremost thing that has happened as the cases have shifted from courts. That is a huge change as it provides the opportunity to all the professionals, it has widened the scope for chartered accountants and company secretaries to practice before the tribunal.

He also said that the tribunals have also been entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring that the processes are completed in an efficient manner. We have had an experience of almost an year of how the tribunals have been functioning, although the merger cases got transferred only after December last year but there is still a lot of scope for improvement.

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Sales decline 0.99% to Rs 236.84 crore

Net profit of Hindustan Media Ventures declined 7.97% to Rs 44.82 crore in the quarter ended June 2017 as against Rs 48.70 crore during the previous quarter ended June 2016. Sales declined 0.99% to Rs 236.84 crore in the quarter ended June 2017 as against Rs 239.20 crore during the previous quarter ended June 2016.236.84239.2021.5423.7973.6172.2968.2967.3044.8248.70

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Jubilant FoodWorks advanced 5.58% to Rs 1,231 at 14:00 IST on BSE after net profit rose 25.53% to Rs 23.84 crore on 10.62% growth in total income to Rs 681.81 crore in Q1 June 2017 over Q1 June 2016.

The result was announced during market hours today, 17 July 2017.

Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 63.11 points or 0.2% at 32,083.86. The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index declined 4.69 points or 0.03% at 15,182.72.

On the BSE, 3.48 lakh shares were traded on the counter so far as against the average daily volumes of 58,563 shares in the past one quarter. The stock had hit a high of Rs 1,242 and a low of Rs 1,161.30 so far during the day. The stock had hit a 52-week high of Rs 1,298.80 on 2 August 2016 and a 52-week low of Rs 761 on 26 December 2016.

The stock had outperformed the market over the past one month till 14 July 2017, advancing 21.19% compared with the Sensex's 2.78% rise. The stock had also outperformed the market over the past one quarter, gaining 15.05% as against the Sensex's 8.69% rise. The scrip had, however, underperformed the market over the past one year, sliding 2.3% as against the Sensex's 14.6% rise.

The mid-cap company has equity capital of Rs 65.98 crore. Face value per share is Rs 10.

Jubilant FoodWorks' President & CFO Sachin Sharma has resigned from the services of the company. His last working day will be 21 July 2017. The Board will appoint his successor in due course.

Jubilant FoodWorks is part of Jubilant Bhartia group and India's largest food service company with a network of Domino's Pizza restaurants pan India. The company & its subsidiary have the exclusive rights to develop and operate Domino's Pizza brand in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal. The company also has exclusive rights for developing and operating Dunkin' Donuts restaurants for India.

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With effect from 15 July 2017

Shreyans Industries announced that Videshwar Sharma has resigned as Company Secretary and Compliance Officer with effect from 15 July 2017.

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Unabated climate change would bring devastating consequences to countries in Asia and the Pacific, which could severely affect their future growth, reverse current development gains, and degrade quality of life, according to a report produced by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK).

Under a business-as-usual scenario, a 6 degree Celsius temperature increase is projected over the Asian landmass by the end of the century. Some countries in the region could experience significantly hotter climates, with temperature increases in Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the northwest part of the People's Republic of China (PRC) projected to reach 8 degree Celsius, according to the report, titled A Region at Risk: The Human Dimensions of Climate Change in Asia and the Pacific.

These increases in temperature would lead to drastic changes in the region's weather system, agriculture and fisheries sectors, land and marine biodiversity, domestic and regional security, trade, urban development, migration, and health. Such a scenario may even pose an existential threat to some countries in the region and crush any hope of achieving sustainable and inclusive development.

The global climate crisis is arguably the biggest challenge human civilization faces in the 21st century, with the Asia and Pacific region at the heart of it all, said Bambang Susantono, ADB Vice-President for Knowledge Management and Sustainable Development. Home to two-thirds of the world's poor and regarded as one of the most vulnerable region to climate change, countries in Asia and the Pacific are at the highest risk of plummeting into deeper poverty and disaster if mitigation and adaptation efforts are not quickly and strongly implemented.

"The Asian countries hold Earth's future in their hands. If they choose to protect themselves against dangerous climate change, they will help to save the entire planet, said Professor Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, PIK Director. The challenge is twofold. On the one hand, Asian greenhouse-gas emissions have to be reduced in a way that the global community can limit planetary warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius, as agreed in Paris 2015. Yet even adapting to 1.5 degrees Celsius temperature rise is a major task. So, on the other hand, Asian countries have to find strategies for ensuring prosperity and security under unavoidable climate change within a healthy global development. But note that leading the clean industrial revolution will provide Asia with unprecedented economic opportunities. And exploring the best strategies to absorb the shocks of environmental change will make Asia a crucial actor in 21st-century multilateralism."

More intense typhoons and tropical cyclones are expected to hit Asia and the Pacific with rising global mean temperatures. Under a business-as-usual scenario, annual precipitation is expected to increase by up to 50% over most land areas in the region, although countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan may experience a decline in rainfall by 20-50%.

Coastal and low-lying areas in the region will be at an increased risk of flooding. Nineteen of the 25 cities most exposed to a one-meter sea-level rise are located in the region, 7 of which are in the Philippines alone. Indonesia, however, will be the most affected country in the region by coastal flooding with approximately 5.9 million people expected to be affected every year until 2100.

Increased vulnerability to flooding and other disasters will significantly impact the region and the world economically.

Global flood losses are expected to increase to $52 billion per year by 2050 from $6 billion in 2005. Moreover, 13 of the top 20 cities with the largest growth of annual flood losses from 2005-2050 are in Asia and the Pacific: Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Tianjin, Zhanjiang, and Xiamen (PRC); Mumbai, Chennai-Madras, Surat, and Kolkata (India); Ho Chi Minh City (Viet Nam); Jakarta (Indonesia); Bangkok (Thailand); and Nagoya (Japan).

Climate change will also make food production in the region more difficult and production costs higher. In some countries of Southeast Asia, rice yields could decline by up to 50% by 2100 if no adaptation efforts are made. Almost all crops in Uzbekistan, meanwhile, are projected to decrease by 20-50% by 2050 even in a 2 degree Celsius temperature increase (Paris Agreement scenario). Food shortages could increase the number of malnourished children in South Asia by 7 million, as import costs will likely increase in the subregion to $15 billion per year compared to $2 billion by 2050.

Marine ecosystems, particularly in the Western Pacific, will be in serious danger by 2100. All coral reef systems in the subregion will collapse due to mass coral bleaching if global warming increases by 4 degree Celsius (global business-as-usual scenario). Even with a 1.5 degree Celsius temperature increase, 89% of coral reefs are expected to suffer from serious bleaching, severely affecting reef-related fisheries and tourism in Southeast Asia.

Climate change also poses a significant risk to health in Asia and the Pacific. Already, 3.3 million people die every year due to the harmful effects of outdoor air pollution, with the PRC, India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh being the top four countries experiencing such deaths. In addition, heat-related deaths in the region among the elderly are expected to increase by about 52,000 cases by 2050 due to climate change, according to data from the World Health Organization. Deaths related to vector-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue may also increase.

A business-as-usual approach to climate change could also disrupt functioning ecosystem services, prompting mass migration mostly to urban areas that could make cities more crowded and overwhelm available social services.

Moreover, a warmer climate for the region could endanger energy supply. Climate change can exacerbate energy insecurity through continued reliance on unsustainable fossil fuels, reduced capacities of thermal power plants due to a scarcity of cooling water, and intermittent performance of hydropower plants as a result of uncertain water discharges, among other factors. Energy insecurity could lead to conflicts as countries compete for limited energy supply.

To mitigate the impact of climate change, the report highlights the importance of implementing the commitments laid out in the Paris Agreement. These include public and private investments focused on the rapid decarbonization of the Asian economy as well as the implementation of adaptation measures to protect the region's most vulnerable populations. Climate mitigation and adaptation efforts should also be mainstreamed into macro-level regional development strategies and micro-level project planning in all sectors, in addition to the ongoing renewable energy and technology innovation efforts in urban infrastructure and transport. The region has both the capacity and weight of influence to move towards sustainable development pathways, curb global emissions, and promote adaptation, the report concludes.

ADB approved a record $3.7 billion in climate financing in 2016 and has committed to further scale up its investments to $6 billion by 2020.

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A 26-year-old man was arrested in west Delhi on the charge of smuggling 104 kg of marijuana, police said on Monday.

Deputy Commissioner of Police M.N. Tiwari said accused Vicky, 26, from Baprola in west Delhi was arrested on Saturday evening near the Peeragarhi Metro station following a tip-off.

"The accused coming from Rohini area in a Santro car was signalled to stop but he tried to flee. However, police stopped his vehicle and overpowered him," Tiwari said.

Police seized the contraband valued at Rs 12 lakh and packed in four bundles from the car.

--IANS

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As many as 287 of the total 288 legislators in Maharashtra and one BJP Rajya Sabha MP voted in the Presidential elections on Monday, an official said.

Kshitij H. Thakur, the Bahujan Vikas Agdhadi MLA from Nala Sopara in Palghar, is presently abroad and hence could not vote.

Bharatiya Janata Party MP Sanjay Kakade voted in Mumbai, while all other 48 Lok Sabha and 18 Rajya Sabha members cast their votes in New Delhi where the Parliament session got underway on Monday.

Earlier on Monday morning, polling began on a brisk note and continued throughout the day at the assembly building amid tight security.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, his Cabinet colleagues, senior BJP leader and former Minister Eknath Khadse, Leader of Opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil and former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, Nationalist Congress Party leaders Ajit Pawar and Jayant Patil were among those who cast their votes.

Besides, two NCP legislators, who are currently lodged in jail on corruption-related offences, were given special permission by the courts to exercise their franchise.

The contest is between National Democratic Alliance nominee Ram Nath Kovind and opposition candidate and former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar.

The results will be announced on July 20.

--IANS

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Hinting that coalition compulsions were responsible for allowing the casinos to function in Goa, the BJP on Monday said it is against this industry.

Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who is expected to table the state's first casino policy, will be addressing the issue comprehensively during the upcoming monsoon session of the Goa Assembly, BJP spokesperson Nilesh Cabral told a press conference here.

"The Chief Minister is already on record that he will address this issue properly. Today, the BJP is not the only (party in) government...A collective decision has to be taken. We (BJP) are against casinos," Cabral said when asked whether the BJP was principally against the casino industry in the state.

The Opposition has attacked the BJP for its alleged proximity to the offshore casino industry, especially after a sixth offshore casino vessel which was being steered from the Arabian Sea into the Mandovi river ran aground at Miramar beach due to stormy weather.

Parrikar and his predecessor Laxmikant Parsekar had repeatedly assured that there would be no more addition to the five offshore casinos operating on the Mandovi river.

BJP sources now say that Parrikar's casino policy, which is expected to be tabled in the state assembly, would facilitate the relocation of offshore casinos onshore and that a three-year period would be given to the industry to relocate from the Mandovi river.

--IANS

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Amid the continuing border stand-off with India, China has conducted a live-fire drill in Tibet in what one observer said was a likely warning to New Delhi.

A fully-staffed and equipped brigade engaged in various drills involving the rapid movement of troops, use of digital devices and combined attacks by multiple forces, according to a China Central Television station (CCTV) report.

The report did not give precise details of where or when the exercise was held though it came as Chinese and Indian troops remain locked in their worst stand-off in decades on the tri-junction with Bhutan, the South China Morning Post reported.

In a two-minute clip of the exercises broadcast by the TV station, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers were seen launching an assault on an "enemy position" using machine guns, rocket launchers and mortars.

They also used air-defence radar to guide anti-aircraft guns in shooting down "enemy planes", said the daily. Another drill involved the use of anti-tank grenades and missiles.

The brigade that conducted the drills was from the PLA's Tibet Military Command and is one of China's two plateau mountain brigades, the Global Times said.

According to the CCTV report, the brigade has long been stationed around the middle and lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo river and is responsible for frontline combat missions.

The river is located in the upper stream of the Brahmaputra, which flows through China, India and Bangladesh. India shares a long border with China's Tibetan region.

The drills lasted for 11 hours. "The 11-hour exercise covering a dozen elements was testimony to the PLA's combined strike capability," the report said.

India and China have been locked for over a month in a border stand-off between their soldiers in a tri-junction also involving Bhutan.

The South China Morning Post quoted an observer as saying that the show of strength was likely intended as a warning to India.

"The PLA wanted to demonstrate it could easily overpower its Indian counterparts," it quoted Beijing-based military commentator Zhou Chenming as saying.

While Indian troops in the disputed area outnumber their Chinese counterparts, China has a clear advantage in terms of speed of movement, firepower and logistics, Zhou said.

"(By staging) a small-scale drill, China wants to control the problem and lower the risk of shots being fired," he said.

Separately, Tibet's mobile communication agency conducted a drill on July 10 in Lhasa, capital of Tibet, where members practiced setting up a temporary mobile network to secure communications in an emergency, the Global Times reported.

--IANS

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The Council of the Arab League on Monday condemned Israel's decision to bar Palestinians from entering the al-Aqsa mosque in East Jerusalem.

The Council said the Israeli measures there are a blatant breach of Palestinian worship rights these practices violate the international laws and the UN resolutions, Xinhua reported.

It also stressed the necessity to end the Israeli practices, rejecting Israel's change of the status quo in East Jerusalem.

Israel shut down the holy site and installed checkpoints and metal detectors at its entrances after three Palestinian Muslims with Israeli citizenship shot dead two Israel policemen on Friday morning.

It was for the first time in the past 50 years that Israel closed the compound, which is Islam's third holiest site.

Israel reopened the holy site on Sunday, requiring all visitors to go through security checks through metal detectors that were placed at two gates.

However, the Waqf, a Muslim religious authority that administrates the compound, rejected the new measures and refused to hold prayers at the mosque.

--IANS

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Australian police will trial "synthetic DNA" in an attempt to track stolen items, it was announced on Monday.

The DNA and ultraviolet torches will be delivered to 1,000 homes in Geelong, west of Melbourne, as part of the six-month trial, reports Xinhua news agency.

Participants in the trial will be urged to apply the liquid DNA, which can only be detected by ultraviolet (UV) lamps, to valuables within their homes.

The synthetic substance has a unique code, meaning police can return stolen items to the owner if the DNA is detected.

It is the first trial of its kind in Australia and comes after a similar programme in Britain reduced residential burglary by 91 per cent.

"I'm quite confident this will be a very, very positive and successful venture," Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Tess Walsh told the local media on Monday.

"It's very, very exciting. We are pretty confident that if we have similar success ... we will look at a broader application of this new technology.

"The deterrent factor, I think, is probably the most overwhelming one."

There were 36,000 residential burglaries in Victoria to the 12 months to March 2017, a figure Victoria Police has committed to reducing by 10 percent in the next four years.

It is the first program championed by Safety Alliance Victoria, a body established to deliver new crime-fighting techniques for the state.

"Everyone does have a role to play in caring for each other in a community," Walsh said.

"We acknowledge that we need to try different ways to engage with the community."

--IANS

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Lambasting the central government for India's "deteriorating" relations with neighbours China, Nepal and Bangladesh, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleged her state is the "biggest sufferer" due to the Narendra Modi-led regime's "diplomatic failure".

"Bengal is sandwiched and so we are worst sufferers. Bengal is bordered by Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh. We want good relations with Bangladesh," she told the media at the assembly here.

"If Sikkim goes to China... there being no difference between Sikkim and Darjeeling as they are adjacent... Siliguri corridor is Chicken's Neck, then due to the Centre's faults and because of the deteriorating relations (with neighbours) due to its failure to officiate diplomatically, the central government has ruined ties with Bangladesh, Nepal and China as also Bhutan," the Trinamool Congress supremo said.

"They are using border agencies... we are biggest sufferers. We are the victim of the circumstances. Bengal is the gateway to Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan," she added.

Her comments come in the wake of a standoff with China in the Doklam area in Sikkim sector.

The Bengal Chief Minister also alleged intelligence agencies are in collusion with the central government in opening up borders.

"Where is NIA, RAW, NSA? Intelligence? Why are the borders kept open? What is SSB, IB, RAW doing here? How people belonging to the Jamaat are being allowed inside?" she asked.

"I have communicated to the Ministry of External Affairs... why a BJP affiliate burnt effigy of Sheikh Hasina (Bangladesh Prime Minister) here. Why is gun training being given in the name of Vishva Hindu Parishad's (VHP) Durga Vahini?"

"I have videos. In Assam, training in gunfight is being given... even in Jammu. Is this the action of a government? Or the government will run a parallel government... sometimes in the name of cow vigilantes and sometimes in the name of 'vahinis'? Every agency is supporting this, I am sorry to say," she added.

--IANS

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With an estimated food stock available only for three to five days, Britain cannot just walk away from the European Union (EU) which provides it with 31 per cent of food, food policy specialists have warned.

According to the experts, a "Food Brexit" is of unprecedented importance and is happening at a time when the UK food system is already vulnerable, with self-sufficiency also in decline.

Thus, leaving the EU is likely to pose serious risks to the UK's food and farming sector which may affect consumer interests, public health, businesses and workers unless the issues are addressed timely.

"UK food security and sustainability are now at stake. A food system which has an estimated three to five days of stocks cannot just walk away from the EU, which provides us with 31 per cent of our food. Anyone who thinks that this will be simple is ill-informed," said Tim Lang, Professor at the University of London.

Brexit is the popular term for the UK's exit from the EU. In a referendum on June 23 last year, 52 per cent people voted to leave the 27-nation bloc.

Since there is no government vision for UK food or agriculture, the prices, quality, supply and the environment will all be adversely affected even with a "soft" Brexit, the report said.

Further, experts rued that British consumers have not been informed about the "enormous" implications for their food, a third of which comes from within the EU.

"The government has provided next to no details on agriculture and fisheries, and there has been total silence on the rest of the food chain where most employment, value adding and consumer choice are made. With the Brexit deadline in 20 months, this is a serious policy failure on an unprecedented scale," Lang added.

The report, published by the Science Policy Research Unit at the University of Sussex, draws on more than 200 sources, including many interviews with senior figures across the food chain, as well as official, industry and scientific documents and statistics.

It also highlights 16 key issues, relating to food and agriculture, that must be addressed by the Government in its negotiations with the EU.

It is a wake-up call to the public and a government that has little experience of food negotiations and has failed to warn consumers of the disruptions ahead, the researchers stated.

--IANS

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Britain is paying hundreds of millions of pounds in hidden costs for a next-generation warplane that will be unable to function properly because of defence cuts, a media report said.

The F-35 Lightning II, the most expensive aircraft of its kind, was described by Defence Secretary Michael Fallon as the "most powerful and comprehensive" fast jet in history. Its American manufacturer, Lockheed Martin, has said that the aircraft will cost Britain between 77 million pounds and 100 million pounds each, the Times reported on Monday.

The report said the British taxpayers face spending over 150 million pounds for each of the high-tech fighter bombers, with the extra payment for items such as software upgrades, spare parts and cost reduction initiatives being buried in US defence contracts and had not been included in the published figures.

The report quoted military insiders as saying that they have fears about the aircraft, which continues to suffer setbacks described by one of the former senior officer as "utterly pathetic".

The Times also quoted independent experts as saying that the F-35 Lightning II was way over budget, unreliable, full of software glitches and potentially unsafe.

Britain had put in orders for 138 units. Forty-eight of those will be of the F-35B variant, which can take off and land vertically.

However, the report noted that four of the aircraft purchased so far were too heavy and could not perform the function safely.

The fifth-generation stealth jet was also unable to transmit data to British ships or older planes without giving away its own position to the enemy, said the report.

More importantly, the aircraft's 12 billion dollar software system was prone to cyber attacks and Britain won't be able to alter the code on its own, the report added.

--IANS

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Britain's Ministry of Defence has expressed its concern at the publication of the photographs that show the country's elite special forces in training missions. It will soon launch a probe into the matter, a media report said.

"We are aware of an incident involving soldiers sharing images online. We expect the highest standards of behaviour from our personnel at all times, whether on or off duty," the Telegraph on Sunday quoted a ministry spokesman as saying.

"If any action by service personnel are deemed to breach values and standards, they are treated very seriously and there are a number of sanctions available to the chain of command up to or including discharge," the spokesman added.

According to the strict lifetime confidentiality agreements, members of the Special Air Service (SAS) and Special Boat Service (SBS) cannot disclose the operational details of a mission and the images -- with soldiers' faces blacked out -- are understood to be in a breach of the rules.

The Facebook page where the photos were posted read: "This is a page dedicated to one of the finest special forces in the world -- The SAS or Special Air Service. These highly trained elite warriors have been around since world war two... hope you like the page."

Although it was unclear where the photographs were taken, it is believed that the photos -- that appear to show members of the SAS and SBS -- were snapped in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In several photographs, troops were seen working with military dogs trained for carrying cameras, sniffing out explosives, among others, the report said.

The photographs also show the troops wearing new style of combat gear and carrying Colt Commando assault rifles.

The most recent photos were posted in June and have received hundreds of 'likes'.

--IANS

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Till 2012, 60-year-old Vanita Sahebrao More used to spend Rs 40,000 every year to cultivate soybean, sorghum and cotton on seven acres of land in her village in drought-prone Nanded district in Maharashtra. The district is part of Marathwada, infamous for crippling droughts and farmer suicides.

Vanita's husband was working in a sugarcane factory, which left the responsibility of managing the farm entirely on her. She used to grow some vegetables and pulses as well but all of this came at a hefty cost as she was totally dependent on chemical inputs and seeds purchased from the market. Moreover, she used to allocate two acres of land just for growing cotton.

Focusing on the cash crop meant that those two acres remained underutilised in terms of farming capacity as the crop blocks the fields for a whole year. Neither she nor her family had an alternate means of livelihood to ensure steady income during adverse climatic conditions and changing market scenarios in the rain-deficient land.

This changed five years ago when she adopted the so-called one-acre model, an innovative way of practising climate-resilient agriculture. Starting off with half an acre, she today manages around 3.5 acres of land and cultivates vegetables, wheat, pulses and turmeric with 100 per cent organic inputs.

Instead of the traditional approach of focusing on cash crops, Vanita has been trained to put the nutritional needs of the family first. She grows mainly food crops for the family's consumption, crucial during the far-too-common drought years. She sells the surplus in the market, which fetches Rs 45,000.

Vanita is one of the 72,000 women farmers in Marathwada whose lives have been transformed by Swayam Shikshan Prayog (SSP), a Pune-based non-profit that is empowering women to take up sustainable farming practices and effectively manage available natural resources to derive benefits such as continuous income, better health, food and water security in the region.

For its efforts to help women farmers to cope better during extreme events, SSP is among the 15 winners selected for this year's Equator Prize by the UNDP. The initiative that began in 2009 to promote a climate-resilient agro-ecological farming model and entrepreneurship has empowered over 20,000 women farmers to act as decision-makers in the area in the last two years alone.

It goes a step further. Engaging at the nexus of nutrition, sustainable agriculture and gender, the initiative has created 5,500 self-help groups that support women to engage as farmers, entrepreneurs and leaders. The programme trains them to negotiate with their families to obtain their own plot of land for cultivation, usually about one acre each. "After being trained by SSP, I began farming on half an acre of land in 2012. But elated with the incredible results, my husband gave me legal land rights for 3.5 acres," says Vanita.

Under the one-acre model, multiple crops are grown to boost nutritional security, soil fertility, agro-biodiversity and income viability. Women who run family kitchens and raise children understand the nutritional requirements of their family better than men, a reason why this programme is specifically for women.

"Men tend to focus on cash crops to generate income, while women understand the nutritional needs of the family and it is important that they make decisions on which crops to grow to ensure that food is available for family consumption during any crisis while generating income at the same time," says Anjali Verma, Programme Manager, SSP.

In Marathwada, where hundreds of farmers have committed suicide during five consecutive drought years, life gets tougher for women who are left to look after their families. "If you see the suicide cases, it is always the men who quit," says Verma. "For women, quitting is not an option. They fight for their families till the end."

"Marathwada is not just about farmers' suicide," says Shaila Narore, another woman farmer from Marathwada who has benefitted from the programme. "It is also about people like us who have challenged drought and destiny."

Under the model, low-input sustainable farming techniques including efficient water use, organic farming, mixed cropping, and increased crop cycles are adopted to enable the women to improve food security, increase climate resilience, enhance agro-biodiversity and reduce stress on water resources.

"This model addresses the issues of food security, income security, natural resource management and women empowerment, all at the same time," says Prema Gopalan, Executive Director, SSP.

Under the one-acre model, women are also trained in other means of livelihood and sources of nutrition such as livestock and poultry. With the integration of livestock, Vanita has also eliminated a big chunk of the farm input costs which earlier amounted to almost 30 per cent of the net earnings.

The model is now being scaled up in 600 villages to develop a cadre of trained women farmers who will act as resource people and reach out to support other women farmers. "We are working towards forming farmer producer cooperatives for women? producer groups led by women who can claim space in that market," says Verma.

The 15 winners of this year's Equator Prize have been selected from a pool of 806 nominations across 120 countries. Each winner will receive $10,000 and the opportunity for a community representative to join a weeklong summit in New York during the 72nd United Nations General Assembly.

SSP has come as a ray of hope in the Marathwada region which is known as the suicide capital of the country. It is providing a space for local women to create their own development solutions and play a pivotal role in bringing sustainable change.

More is also embarking on the journey of personal and professional growth. At the age of 60, she has got a licence to drive a small truck. She now looks forward to transporting her farm produce from Nanded to other parts of the country.

(In arrangement with indiaclimatedialogue.net. Views expressed are those of indiaclimatedialogue.net. Feedback at information@ indiaclimatedialogue.net)

--IANS

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A court here on Monday said it will consider a chargesheet against AIADMK Deputy General Secretary T.T.V. Dinakaran's aide Sukesh Chandershekhar in a bribery case on July 25.

Special Judge Poonam Chaudhary also extended the judicial custody of Chandershekhar till July 25, the date fixed for next hearing.

The Delhi Police on July 14 chargesheeted Chandershekhar under various sections of the Indian Penal Code related to forgery of valuable security, forgery for purpose of cheating, making a false document and criminal conspiracy, among others, and under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Chandershekhar was arrested on April 16.

Police have said that they would file a separate investigation report against Dinakaran and other accused later.

Dinakaran, accused of trying to bribe Election Commission (EC) officials to get the "two leaves" poll symbol for a party faction led by his aunt V.K. Sasikala, was arrested on April 25. He was granted bail on June 1.

The police said a criminal conspiracy was hatched by Chandershekhar, Dinakaran and others to bribe the Election Commission officials in order to get a favourable order in the adjudication over the "two leaves" poll symbol.

The money recovered from Chandershekhar was sent by Dinakaran through illegal channels with the help of others, the police alleged.

Mallikarjuna, a long-time friend of Dinakaran, and Naresh Jain, a "hawala" operator from Delhi, are the other suspects in the case.

--IANS

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India's largest employability skills test, which will test employability of fresh graduates and share scores with prospective employers, has been launched across 29 states and seven Union Territories.

The test, by employability assessment company Wheebox, was launched to mark "World Skills Day" in collaboration with the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), UNDP, Association of Indian Universities (AIU), Pearson Education and HR technology outsourcing firm PeopleStrong.

Called the "Wheebox Employability Test (WEST)", it will be open to students who are final year graduates, post-graduates or diploma holders from engineering, polytechnic, Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), and state-run colleges or management schools, the company said in a statement.

The test is available in both Hindi and English.

The 70-minute test will measure an individual's numerical and problem-solving skills along with English language, basics of information technology (IT), and behavioural traits. It aims to give the students a snapshot of their capabilities.

It will also provide an initial transcript and detailed scorecard for each module to the candidate, highlighting strengths as well as improvement areas.

The scores will be then shared with 110 organisations across 10 sectors to help employers to shortlist candidates using the scores, the statement noted.

"In 2016, over 30,000 new employment opportunities were provided to young graduates from campuses as an outcome of the initiative. This partnership brings a new dimension and understanding to the way India and the world looks at hiring skilled talent," said Nirmal Singh, Founder and CEO of Wheebox.

"The report provides an insight into the future jobs and skills required by employers also the hiring trends of the market while understanding the needs of the job seeker and organisations," Singh added.

The findings will be part of India Skills Report 2018 which will be published during the Global Skills Summit in November.

--IANS

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Indian Americans, spanning various communities, held protests in three US cities, to express their outrage over lynching of minorities by mobs in India and the Narendra Modi government's policies which are "emboldening such forces".

The protests here as well as San Diego and San Jose on Sunday were organised by The Alliance for Justice and Accountability (AJA), an umbrella coalition of progressive organisations across the US, and other groups. A fourth protest is scheduled to be held in New York City on July 23, said a press release from AJA.

These protests are similar to the "Not In My Name" protests that have been held across various cities in India. Besides the AJA, the protests in San Jose were jointly organised with the "Multifaith Voices for Peace and Justice", while the the South Asia Solidarity Initiative (SASI), will be part of the protests in New York City.

Protesters slammed the "brutal killings of mostly Muslims and Dalits in the name of cow protection", alleging these were orchestrated by "Hindu supremacist groups ideologically aligned" with the BJP-led central government and "drawing inspiration" from the beef ban imposed by the governments in various states.

"The reign of terror unleashed by Hindu supremacist cow vigilantes is clearly targeted at browbeating the nation's religious minorities into the status of second class citizens," said Suhail Syed, one of the organisers of the protests in Washington DC

Protesters in San Jose carried signs, such as "India - Hostage to Hindutva?" and "Beef Ban is Cultural Fascism".

The AJA has pledged to work with people of all faiths to defend India from the onslaught of hate and divisiveness.

--IANS

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Indian Americans, spanning various communities, held protests in three US cities, to express their outrage over lynching of minorities by mobs in India and the Narendra Modi government's policies which are "emboldening such forces".

The protests here as well as San Diego and San Jose on Sunday were organised by The Alliance for Justice and Accountability (AJA), an umbrella coalition of progressive organisations across the US, and other groups. A fourth protest is scheduled to be held in New York City on July 23, said a press release from AJA.

These protests are similar to the "Not In My Name" protests that have been held across various cities in India. Besides the AJA, the protests in San Jose were jointly organised with the "Multifaith Voices for Peace and Justice", while the the South Asia Solidarity Initiative (SASI), will be part of the protests in New York City.

Protesters slammed the "brutal killings of mostly Muslims and Dalits in the name of cow protection", alleging these were orchestrated by "Hindu supremacist groups ideologically aligned" with the BJP-led central government and "drawing inspiration" from the beef ban imposed by the governments in various states.

"The reign of terror unleashed by Hindu supremacist cow vigilantes is clearly targeted at browbeating the nation's religious minorities into the status of second class citizens," said Suhail Syed, one of the organizers of the protests in Washington DC

Protesters in San Jose carried signs, such as "India - Hostage to Hindutva?" and "Beef Ban is Cultural Fascism".

The AJA has pledged to work with people of all faiths to defend India from the onslaught of hate and divisiveness.

--IANS

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The Indonesian government has rejected the repatriation of its nationals nabbed in Syria who were involved in Islamic State (IS) linked activities, Defence Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu said on Monday.

He made the statement following the arrests of Indonesian citizens in Syria for their involvement with the terror group, reports Xinhua news agency.

"Do not return home, keep staying there. Fight there until dead," he said at the State Palace.

Indonesia has witnessed a spate of suicide bombings linked to the IS group.

The security authorities in Indonesia have stepped up their alertness against militants as the country has been included in the group's global target.

--IANS

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Iran's army chief on Monday warned the US against blacklisting the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation, mainly because of Iran's missile programme, Press TV reported.

"Marking the IRGC along with terrorist groups and imposing similar sanctions on it is a big risk for the Americans, for their bases and their forces in the region," Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri said.

A bill introduced in the US Senate in May, if passed by the Congress and implemented by the the State Department, would label the IRGC as a terrorist group and trigger sanctions on it.

Baqeri warned the US against "wrong calculations" regarding the Islamic Republic, including its planned sanctions and possible blacklisting of the IRGC.

"American officials are advised to talk somewhat wiser, more measured and mature to other countries, especially a country like Iran that has stood against all conspiracies with pride and strength, and no longer play with their honour," he was quoted as saying.

Baqeri also stressed that Iran's advanced missile power is "defensive and non-negotiable".

He said that despite the continuing plots and threats from the enemies since decades, the Islamic republic has been able to defend its borders and overcome terrorism.

Baqeri called for more readiness to thwart emerging security threats by some powers and their regional allies, including Israel, against Iran.

On May 10, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that Iran would increase its missile capabilities despite the enemies' propaganda against it.

The US officials have said Iran's ballistic missile launches are threats to the US interests in the world.

The Iranian officials unanimously called the missile tests the "inalienable right" of the country to boost deterrent power.

--IANS

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A Jordanian soldier was on Monday sentenced to life in prison with hard labour for killing three US military trainers last year.

A Jordanian military court also decided to expel the soldier -- whose identity was not announced -- from the armed forces and fine him for the value of the 70 bullets he fired at the Americans' vehicle, Efe news reported.

The court condemned the soldier on charges of murder, intent to offend the reputation of the armed forces and failure to comply with military orders and instruction. He pleaded not guilty to premeditated murder.

The soldier opened fire on a vehicle transporting the three Americans at the entrance to King Faisal Airbase, 200 kilometers (124.2 miles) south of Amman, last October after they ignored the order to stop for a statutory inspection.

The US Embassy in Amman expressed its satisfaction with the verdict in a statement issued shortly after the judgment was heard.

The statement said that despite the tragedy, Jordan continues to be a strategic partner and reiterated that the US soldiers followed the usual procedures upon their arrival at the airbase.

Jordan is a member of the US-led international coalition that has been bombing positions of the Islamic State terror organisation in Syria and Iraq since 2014.

--IANS

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The Central government on Monday told the Supreme Court that there was need for a "larger debate" in the Supreme Court on the issue of declaring unconstitutional Article 35A, which provides special rights and privileges to the natives of Jammu and .

A bench headed by Chief Justice J.S. Khehar was told by Attorney General K.K. Venugopal that the NDA government was not keen to file an affidavit in the case, and called for a larger debate on the issue as it was "very sensitive" matter.

Article 35A, which was added to the Constitution by a Presidential Order in 1954, accords special rights and privileges to the natives of Jammu and Kashmir, and empower its legislature to frame any law without attracting a challenge on grounds of violating right to equality of people from other states or any other right under the Indian Constitution.

The provision prohibits all Indians - except the natives of Jammu and - from purchasing immovable property anywhere in the state, obtaining government jobs and availing the state-sponsored scholarship schemes.

Venugopal sought the matter be referred the matter to a larger bench because constitutional issues were involved in the case, but the court, however, said a three-judge bench would hear the matter after six weeks.

The court was hearing a PIL filed by a Delhi-based NGO 'We the citizens', which has sought Article 35A to be declared unconstitutional, contending the President could not have amended the Constitution by the 1954 order and it was supposed to be a temporary provision.

The plea said the Jammu and government, under the guise of Article 35A and Article 370 which grants special autonomous status to the state, has been discriminating against non-residents who are debarred from buying properties, getting a government job or voting in the local elections.

Earlier, the Jammu and Kashmir government had asserted before the court that the President has the power to incorporate a new provision in the Constitution by way of an Order, as was done for the state.

--IANS

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Rome, July 17 (IANS/AKI) A man killed himself at Rome's San Camillo Hospital on Monday by throwing himself from the fire escape on an upper floor of its pulmonology department.

The 42-year-old man was taken to the hospital's emergency department where he died shortly afterwards.

Police were examining a bag containing medical files that hospital staff retrieved at the spot where the man committed suicide.

--IANS/AKI

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Massive wildfires fuelled by strong winds have been sweeping over Canada's British Columbia province for more than a week, forcing thousands of people to evacuate.

As of Sunday, a total of 178 wildfires were reported to be actively blazing in British Columbia, according to the Canadian Wildland Fire Information System.

The Canadian government has declared a state of emergency to address the severity of the situation that began on July 7, reports Xinhua news agency.

Currently 3,000 firefighters, including 415 sent in from surrounding provinces, and 203 aircraft are involved in battling the fires, while this operation has cost Canadian authorities more than $80 million, said Canadian Minister of Forests John Rustad.

The rapidly spreading fires have also disrupted the timber and mining industries.

"Employees who have been able to report for work have been reassigned to maintain mill operations at the expense of mining operations, which have significantly reduced," Imperial Metals Corp. said.

"Should critical supplies such as fuel not be available due to road closures, the mine may be forced to suspend operations."

--IANS

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Messaging service Telegram on Monday vowed to shut down terrorist-related channels after the Indonesian government partially blocked access to its platform, the media reported.

On July 14, Indonesia's Ministry of Communication and IT blocked Telegram's web version and threatened to stop access to its app as well, reports the BBC.

The country claimed that Telegram had been used to promote radicalism and to give instructions for carrying out attacks.

The firm's founder said he was "upset" by the move.

In a note posted to his Telegram followers, Pavel Durov said his firm had now removed all terrorist-related public channels reported by the government.

"Telegram is heavily encrypted and privacy-oriented, but we're no friends of terrorists -- in fact, every month we block thousands of IS (Islamic State)-related public channels," the BBC quoted Duroy as saying.

Globally, Telegram has played a central role in IS's communication strategy, in part because of a channel feature that lets users broadcast to an unlimited number of other users, according to cyber experts.

Although channels are routinely shut down, IS operatives set up lots of replica channels, which repeat or mirror the same content.

--IANS

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Actress Michelle Keegan loves "exposing" a bit of flesh on holiday with an off-the-shoulder garment.

The 30-year-old actress joined forces with Lipsy London in May 2014 and has since launched a vast range of stylish collections for the label over the past three years.

And she has revealed her ultimate wardrobe staple in the summer months is a bardot-style garment, because she likes to flaunt her tanned shoulders, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

Speaking about her style preferences, the "Our Girl" star, who is married to former "The Only Way is Essex" star Mark Wright, said: "I love exposing a bit of shoulder during the summer months."

And Michelle prefers the all black, off-the shoulder, ruffle top, body con, mid-length dress from her latest range and has claimed it is the "perfect holiday style".

Speaking about her merchandise, she said: "This dress so easy to slip on but looks instantly gorgeous, a perfect holiday style."

--IANS

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Many senior ministers and legislators in Uttarakhand, including Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, cast their votes in the presidential election on Monday.

Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj and Finance Minister Prakash Pant were also among those who voted.

A legislator from Bihar, Virendra Kumar Sinha, who is in the hill state for admission of his son in a local school, also cast his vote in the Uttarakhand Assembly.

State president of the Congress Preetam Singh, former Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal, also cast their votes.

According to a poll official, after polling closes at 5 p.m. the ballot boxes will be sealed and flown to New Delhi on Tuesday amid tight security.

NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind is likely to corner 72 per cent votes from the hill state as per strength of various parties in the state assembly.

The BJP has 57 members in the state assembly and two independent lawmakers Ram Singh Kaida and Preetam Singh Panwar are also backing the NDA candidate.

The Congress has 11 MLAs and three Rajya Sabha members to support UPA's Meira Kumar.

--IANS

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Beleaguered Nagaland Chief Minister Shurhozelie Liezietsu was on Monday barred from entering the polling booth for the presidential election at the state assembly by the security staff.

Liezietsu, who had voted in earlier presidential elections, could not cast his ballot as he is not an elected member to the 60-member Nagaland Assembly.

He was sworn in as Chief Minister on February this year after T.R. Zeliang resigned from the post.

"As the head of government, I went round to see if proper security and logistics were arranged. But a staff of the Assembly pulled me from behind, which is improper," the Chief Minister said.

Earlier, the rebel Naga People's Front (NPF) and Independent legislators, who are supporting Zeliang to return to the seat of power, came in two mini buses to exercise their franchise.

One of the rebel legislators said that all of them (44) have voted for NDA's nominee Ram Nath Kovind.

In fact, the NPF which is a partner in the NDA government had announced support for Kovind during his presidential campaign in the state.

In Nagaland, 59 legislators voted to elect India's 14th President here on Monday.

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.

--IANS

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Finnish start-up HMD Global, which owns Nokia brand, on Monday announced the dual release of its Nokia 105 and Nokia 130 feature phones with refreshed designs and updated features.

Both models feature 1.8-inch colour screens, handy LED torch lights and come in three colours.

Nokia 105 will be available at retail stores in India from July 19 in blue, white and black colours at Rs 999 for the single SIM variant and Rs 1,149 for the dual-SIM variant.

Nokia 130 will be soon available in the country in dual SIM and single SIM variants in red, grey and black colours (The price is yet to be announced).

"More than 400 million feature phones were sold globally in 2016. We cannot underestimate the need and benefit of being connected and we are dedicated to delivering devices that can enable many people around the world to expand their horizon," Arto Nummela, CEO, HMD Global, said in a statement.

Nokia 105 features a sculpted ergonomic design with an outstanding battery life and improved usability, with a larger screen size and new tactile island keymat.

The new 'keymat' features separated keys for improved usability, while the larger 1.8-inch screen delivers a better viewing experience when playing favourite games like Snake Xenzia which comes preloaded.

Nokia 130 also has 1.8-inch colour screen that offers a great video experience. It has 11.5 hours of video playback on a single charge and features Bluetooth support.

--IANS

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Oscar-winning actor Martin Landau, mostly known for films like "North by Northwest", "Crimes and Misdemeanors" and "Ed Wood", passed away here. He was 89.

He died on July 15, said his publicist. He had been hospitalised at University oif California Los Angeles (UCLA) where he experienced complications, reports variety.com.

The veteran of the Actors Studio, for which he was West Coast co-artistic director, had many ups and downs in his career.

The five times Emmy-nominated actor mostly got leading man roles on the small screen, most notably as Rollin Hand, a master of disguise on "Mission: Impossible".

He also starred in sci-fi series "Space: 1999", in which he co-starred with then-wife Barbara Bain.

In the late 1980s, Francis Ford Coppola cast him in "Tucker: The Man and His Dream", which brought Landau the first of his three Oscar supporting actor nominations.

Then he played a successful Jewish ophthalmologist haunted by a secret in Woody Allen's drama "Crimes and Misdemeanors". It brought him an Oscar nomination for the second year in a row.

In 1994, he played the dying, once-famous screen ghoul Bela Lugosi, in Tim Burton's "Ed Wood". Landau won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.

Landau made his first big screen impression in Alfred Hitchcock's action suspenser "North by Northwest", playing the villain. His act led to a major supporting role in the epic "Cleopatra".

During the 1960s, he had character roles in "The Greatest Story Ever Told", "Nevada Smith" and "The Hallelujah Trail".

Landau had been doing television work since the 1950s but got busy in TV in the mid-1960s, with several guest appearances on "The Outer Limits" and "The Man From U.N.C.L.E."

He was producer Gene Roddenberry's first choice for the role of Spock on "Star Trek", but the role went to Leonard Nimoy after Landau opted for "Mission: Impossible".

He and Bain divorced, and Landau spent the 1980s in roles in mostly obscure films. He also worked as an acting teacher, reports variety.com.

Landau provided voices for the 1997 Oscar-winning documentary "The Long Way Home" and appeared as himself in the documentaries "Off the Menu: The Last Days of Chasen's", "Cannes: Through the Eyes of the Hunter" and "Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There" (2003) as well as a 2011 "American Masters" documentary on Woody Allen.

He started out as a cartoonist, spending four years with the New York Daily News from 1948-51, then turned his attentions to acting.

His film debut came in a small role in "Pork Chop Hill" in 1959, followed by a larger role in "The Gazebo".

He is survived by two daughters, writer-producer-casting director Susan Landau Finch and actress Juliet Landau, a sister and a granddaughter.

--IANS

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Beijing, July 17 (IANS/WAM) Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas arrived on Monday in the Chinese capital on a four-day state visit during which he is expected to meet his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping and other officials.

Abbas is scheduled to meet President Jinping on Tuesday following official state ceremonies at Tiananmen Square.

The two leaders are expected to discuss the latest developments in the Middle East and the Palestinian issue, including Israeli violations against Palestinians.

They are expected to sign a number of agreements and Memoranda of Understanding to boost mutual cooperation in various fields.

Abbas is also scheduled to deliver a speech at the China National Institute of Administration on Wednesday evening. He will lay a wreath at the Monument to the People's Heroes in Tiananmen Square and will then meet Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.

--IANS/WAM

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Most Filipinos remain appreciative of the performance of President Rodrigo Duterte after one year of his term, according to an independent poll released here on Monday.

A survey by Pulse Asia Inc. conducted from June 24 to June 29 showed that 82 per cent of the 1,200 people surveyed nationwide approved the way Duterte runs the country, Xinhua news agency reported.

Out of all the respondents, the poll said 13 per cent were undecided about Duterte's performance, while 5 per cent disapproved of Duterte's performance. Overall, the poll said Duterte scored the highest among the top government officials covered by the survey.

"Most Filipinos remain appreciative of the performance of (Duterte), Vice President Maria Leonor Robredo and Senate President Aquilino Pimentel," the poll said, adding that Robredo got 61 per cent while Pimentel got 62 per cent.

In the National Capital Region, the survey said Duterte scored 80 per cent, or 7 per cent higher than a previous survey conducted in March.

In the main Luzon Island, the survey said Duterte scored 75 per cent, or 4 per cent higher than the March survey. Duterte got the highest in his bailiwick Mindanao, scoring 95 per cent, or 7 per cent higher than the score he got in March, the survey said.

However, the survey noted that Duterte's approval rating dropped 2 percent in the Visayas region in the central Philippines from 86 per cent in March to 84 per cent.

Duterte managed to get high approval rating despite the string of criticisms hurled at him by some western countries and human rights groups alarmed by the hardline drug war campaign and the declaration of martial law in the entire Mindanao in the southern Philippines.

Government authorities said the ongoing war in Marawi City against militants allied with the Islamic State has so far claimed the lives of at least 593 people, including 411 terrorists, 97 security forces and 45 civilians.

Duterte, who assumed the presidency in June last year, will end his single, six-year term in 2022.

--IANS

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President Pranab Mukherjee was handed over the first copy of the book 'Future of Indian Universities: Comparative and International Perspectives compiled by Professor (Dr.) C. Raj Kumar, Vice Chancellor of Jindal Global University on Monday.

The book, published by Oxford University Press was presented to the President by Nobel Laureate Professor Amartya Sen at Rashtrapati Bhavan during an event.

Speaking on the occasion, the President urged all to think about the future of Indian universities as a continuation of the country's rich history and heritage of education.

"We would do well to take from reforms by great philosophers and visionaries, such as Rabindranath Tagore, who sought to revive the ancient Buddhist tradition of higher learning and research in a 'common pursuit of truth' for all mankind. As our 'Universities of the Future' gear up for global competition to find their place on the tables of institutional rankings, let us not forget the difference between 'world-class' and 'world-minded'," he said.

The President added that the education system should guide students to break new ground in scientific discoveries, artistic creativity and philosophical ruminations and reproduce the next generation of great scientists, philosophers, artists, teachers, doctors, engineers and innovators.

--IANS

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Nearly 50 per cent of the state's 38 legislators and four members of Parliament have cast their ballot to elect the country's 14th President at the assembly complex here on Monday, a poll official said.

Voting began at 10 a.m., and will end at 5 p.m.

Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar was one of the first elected legislators to cast his vote.

Parrikar, a former Defence Minister, continues to be member of the Rajya Sabha and is not yet elected to the state legislative assembly.

The Bharatiya Janata Party-led ruling NDA's candidate Ram Nath Kovind was in Goa on Saturday when he met all elected members of the ruling alliance at a South Goa resort.

Union Minister for Roads, Highways, Transport and Shipping Nitin Gadkari, who accompanied Kovind, said that the former Bihar Governor would manage to garner around 70 per cent of the votes in the state.

If elected, 71-year-old Kovind will be the second Dalit to become President after K.R. Narayanan, who was the 10th President.

--IANS

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Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) on Monday claimed that one of their activists was killed and few others injured in police firing during a clash between the Trinamool Congress cadres (TMC) and GJM supporters in Darjeeling.

Though the police confirmed that they received a dead body, they refused to divulge any information about the identity of the deceased or the reason of his death.

"Yes, we have received a dead body. However, who he is and how he died cannot be confirmed till the post mortem is done tomorrow morning," district superintendent of police, Akhilesh Kumar Chaturvedi told IANS.

When asked if police opened fire on a mob in Mirik, the officer said, "We cannot say anything on this right now."

However, GJM leader Binay Tamang identified the deceased as Ashish Tamang, a resident of Darjeeling district's Magargunj.

"Ashish was shot in the chest by the police during a clash between GJM and TMC supporters in the area. Tamang was taken to a local health centre in Mirik where he was declared dead," Tamang told IANS.

According to Tamang, the clash between the activists of two parties started on late Monday afternoon after the locals demanded the seven Trinamool Congress members of Mirik municipality resign and work independently.

"When we took out a large rally in Mirik this afternoon, our activists were attacked and provoked by the state ruling party supporters. Nearly seven Trinamool Congress supporters got injured in the clash while one of our activists sustained serious injury inflicted by a Kukri (Nepalese knife)," Tamang claimed.

According to the sources, the clash became more violent after police rushed to the spot and charged tear gas shells to disperse the mob. The large crowd attacked the police and resorted to stone pelting.

"Police started tear gas shelling from around 8 p.m. near a market in Mirik. They also open fired at our activists. That is when Ashish got shot," Tamang added.

--IANS

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Delhi Police have arrested a 27-year-old thief, who led a lavish life, conducted health camps and helped in the marriage of poor girls, from his native village, police said on Monday.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Romil Baaniya said accused Irfan, 27, and Dharmender, 30, who used to buy stolen goods -- both from Sitamarhi of Bihar -- were arrested on July 6 from Sitamarhi.

"Irfan portrayed himself as a successful business man and did charitable activities in his village. Since he had a very good reputation in the village, we even faced resistance from the villagers while arresting him," an officer privy to the case told IANS.

Police also recovered eight gold bangles, two diamond rings and a Rolex watch, among other things.

On May 24, police received a complaint about a burglary in New Friends Colony in south Delhi and they were able to identify the accused from CCTV footage.

Investigations revealed that the thief was from Bihar. After collecting information through sources in Bihar, a team of Delhi Police finally arrested Irfan on July 6 from his native village.

Later, police recovered stolen jewellery and arrested Dharmender, who used to buy the stolen goods.

According to police, Irfan used to frequent clubs in Mumbai and Delhi, and in a city bar he even offered Rs 10,000 to hear a song of his choice.

He lived a luxurious life and used the latest cars. His pictures on social media also revealed that he led a lavish lifestyle, police said.

Police said they had worked out 12 cases, adding that Irfan was earlier arrested by Uttar Pradesh Police.

--IANS

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Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday said corruption was "deep-rooted" in Arunachal Prdesh and some time would be needed to root it out.

"Corruption is deep-rooted (in Arunachal Pradesh) and will take some time to root out. I also know some level of a corrupt mindset exists, but (Chief Minister) Pema Khandu ji is sincerely making efforts," Rijiju tweeted.

The Minister's remarks came while extending congratulations to Khandu on his government completing one year in office.

"Congratulations to CM @PemaKhanduBJP and his government on completion of one year in office. Arunachal Pradesh has seen rapid progress in one year," Rijiju said.

Rijiju sought citizens' cooperation to make Arunachal Pradesh a prosperous state and stressed the need for a sensitive government to achieve this.

"I am very confident that the state government will be able to live up to the people's expectations. My best wishes to Pema Khandu ji and his team for his government's endeavour to fulfil the aspirations of the people," Rijiju said.

The Unon Minister also promised to do everything possible to get the Centre's support for Arunachal Pradesh's progress.

--IANS

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The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Central government to inform it about the status of the panel to replace the court-appointed oversight committee, headed by former Chief Justice of India R.M. Lodha, to oversee the Medical Council of India's (MCI) functioning.

A five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice J.S. Khehar said there must be an alternative mechanism to deal with the problems of medical colleges, which will be a substitute of the oversight committee.

The Central government should set up a panel to replace the panel set up last year by the court, to oversee the MCI's affairs till the government puts in place an alternate mechanism, it said.

The government sought time till Tuesday to respond on names for the alternate committee.

The court was dealing with the question whether the Supreme Court-appointed three-member oversight committee will continue to look after the affairs of MCI.

The court had on May 2 last year set up the committee to function for a period of one year or till a suitable mechanism was brought in by the government in its place.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for some medical colleges, told the court that till date, no alternative mechanism has been put in place despite the fact that the oversight panel was to function for only one year or till a suitable mechanism was evolved.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Hamdard Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, said the tenure of the oversight committee should be extended by one more year or till the time the government comes out with a mechanism to deal with the issues relating to functioning of MCI.

The government told the court that it had constituted a high-level committee under the chairmanship of the Niti Aayog Vice Chairman and a National Medical Commission Bill has been drafted, which will replace the Indian Medical Council Act.

It had earlier told the apex court that it had taken steps to put the alternative mechanism in place and there was no need now for the oversight committee to continue.

--IANS

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South Korea on Monday offered to hold military discussions with North Korea for the first time in nearly three years in an effort to reduce tensions on the Korean peninsula.

Seoul's proposal, which comes after months of repeated nuclear weapons tests by Pyongyang, would be the first government-level talks between the two Koreas since 2015, reports Efe news.

South Korea has suggested holding a meeting on Friday in the so-called Joint Security Area in the Korean Demilitarized zone, the de-facto border between the two countries, according to Deputy Defence Minister Suh Choo-suk.

It is the first formal offer of military talks since South Korean President Moon Jae-in came to power in May, who pledged to reduce friction and engage with Pyongyang during his successful election campaign.

Last week during a trip to Berlin, Moon delivered a speech in which he stressed the importance of dialogue in the face of increasing tensions and the North's nuclearisation.

The proposed meeting would aim to end "all acts of hostility" along the border, Yonhap news agency quoted Suh as saying.

Seoul has not provided any information on an agenda, nor has it indicated what rank of representatives would attend the proposed meeting.

In addition to the potential reopening military talks, the South Korean Red Cross on Monday proposed talks with Pyongyang to once again organise family reunions of people who were separated during the Korean War (1950-1953).

The armed conflict between both countries ended with a cease-fire in 1953, but no formal peace treaty was ever signed, meaning the neighbouring countries technically remain at war.

--IANS

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The bickering in the Samajwadi Party came to the fore during the presidential poll on Monday when senior party leader Shivpal Yadav said over 15 legislators including himself voted for NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind.

In the state assembly to vote, Shivpal, the estranged uncle of party chief and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, said "his vote will also go to Kovind as 'Neta ji' (Mulayam Singh Yadav) had ordered so".

He also said "there were more than a dozen legislators of the party who were toeing the line of former party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav".

The Samajwadi Party, which has 47 MLAs in the 403-member House, is officially backing the Congress-led Opposition presidential nominee Meira Kumar, the former Lok Sabha Speaker.

Before polling, the former Uttar Pradesh PWD Minister also held parleys with Nishad Party legislator Vijay Mishra and Independent MLA Amanmani Tripathi. Both have cordial relations with Mulayam and Shivpal.

Shivpal Yadav also claimed that some MPs of the party would vote for Ram Nath Kovind, who was "more secular and socialist".

When asked why he was not following the party line, he snapped back by saying that his view was not asked for by the party leadership and hence it was not binding on him on what was the official party line with regard to the presidential elections.

"I have also abided by what my elder brother (Mulayam) said and am doing so here as well," Shivpal Yadav, the Samajwadi Party legislator from Jaswantnagar assembly constituency of Etawah, said.

Soon after this, Leader of Opposition in the Uttar Pradesh assembly and senior Samajwadi Party leader Ram Govind Chowdhary refuted Shivpal's claims and denied any party legislator had voted for Kovind.

He also claimed that Shivpal had also voted for Meira Kumar. "To say is different than to do," he said.

Congress Legislature Party leader Ajay Kumar Lallu also refuted claims of chinks in the Opposition camp and said they were "united and voting en masse for Meira Kumar".

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader in the Uttar Pradesh assembly Ram Achal Rajbhar also claimed "the 19 legislators of the party were rock solid in their support for Kumar".
Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission on Monday elected Swami Smarananandaji Maharaj as its 16th president, the religious order said.

The office had fallen vacant following the death of Swami Atmasthanandaji Maharaj who breathed his last on June 18 here, a Ramakrishna Mission release said.

Swami Smarananandaji Maharaj, 87, was born at village Andami in Tamil Nadu's Tanjavur district in 1929.

He was appointed a Trustee of the Ramakrishna Math and member of the Governing Body of the Ramakrishna Mission in 1983.

In April 1995, he joined the headquarters as an Assistant Secretary, and after about two years, he took charge as the General Secretary of the twin organisations.

In the latter post, he steered the worldwide Ramakrishna Movement for 10 years until May 2007 when he was elected a Vice President of the Order.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Polling began in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh assemblies for the country's 14th President on Monday.

Legislators from Telangana began casting their votes at the state legislative assembly in Hyderabad while their counterparts from Andhra Pradesh were exercising their franchise at the state assembly in Amaravati.

Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, state assembly speaker Madhusudhana Chary and leader of opposition K. Jana Reddy were among the firsts to cast their votes in Hyderabad.

Ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) has already announced its support to National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate Ram Nath Kovind. TRS has 90 members in 119-member assembly.

Kovind was also assured support of five legislators of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and three of Telugu Desam Party (TDP)

The vote value of each MLA in Telangana is 132.

TRS held mock polling on Sunday and again on Monday morning to ensure that all its lawmakers would cast their vote perfectly.

Main opposition Congress party, which has 13 members, six legislators of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) and the lone member of Communist Party of India (Marxist) will back United Progressive Alliance (UPA) candidate Meira Kumar.

However in Andhra Pradesh, the NDA candidate is expected to get the support of all legislators as both ruling TDP-BJP alliance and lone opposition YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) have announced that they will vote for Kovind.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP national president N.A Chandrababu Naidu and assembly speaker Kodela Sivaprasada Rao were among the first to cast their votes.

This is the first time polling for presidential election is being held in Aamaravti.

In 175-member state assembly, TDP has 124 members including 21 defected from YSRCP. BJP has four legislators. Lone opposition YSRCP has 46 legislators.

Every legislator in Andhra Pradesh has a vote value of 159.

MPs from both the Telugu states were casting their votes in Parliament.

--IANS

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With the ruling AIADMK continuing to target actor Kamal Haasan on Monday, opposition parties as well as former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam rallied around the actor.

Tamil Nadu Finance Minister D. Jayakumar told reporters here on Monday that Kamal Haasan should enter "if he has the guts".

On Kamal Haasan's comments about corruption in Tamil Nadu government departments, Jayakumar said the actor is indulging in mudslinging and they will not keep quiet.

The actor is also being targeted for hosting the Tamil version of reality show Bigg Boss -- with calls to ban it for "tarnishing Tamil culture" -- and a "demeaning" comment made by a participant.

Jayakumar also wondered why Kamal Haasan was silent when J. Jayalalithaa was alive and heading the government.

In the midst of the attack, coming to the actor's support was former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam who said that in a democracy everybody has a right to express their views.

Panneerselvam said the ministers should counter the charges with proof instead of threatening the actor.

On Sunday, state Law Minister C.V. Shanmugam said action should be taken against Kamal Haasan for the comment "slum dweller like behaviour" made by a participant on the Bigg Boss show.

Similarly, Municipal Administration Minister S.P. Velumani had earlier challenged Kamal Haasan to prove corruption in the government, and also asked the actor if he was ready to share the details of taxes paid by him for his films.

Meanwhile, DMK leader M.K. Stalin on Sunday came to the support of the actor, condemning Tamil Nadu ministers for their utterances against him.

In a statement, Stalin said that Kamal Haasan, like any other citizen, has only reflected what the people of Tamil Nadu feel about the AIADMK government in the state.

In a democracy, the rulers have to correct their mistakes and also explain their position when criticisms are levelled against them, he added.

According to G. Ramakrishnan, CPI-M state secretary, the ministers should refute the actor with proof.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US President Donald Trump once again attacked the on Sunday for what he calls its fake news, this time for disparaging his son, Donald Trump Jr., in their coverage of the Russia case.

"Hillary Clinton can illegally get the questions to the Debate & delete 33,000 emails but my son Don is being scorned by the Fake News " Trump posted on his Twitter account.

On Saturday, Trump had already tweeted his view that the latest information about his inner circle conspiring with Moscow to damage Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton's chances in the 2016 election was unfounded.

"With all of its phony unnamed sources & highly slanted & even fraudulent reporting, #Fake News is DISTORTING DEMOCRACY in our country!" the president tweeted on Sunday.

Nonetheless, it was his own son, Donald Trump Jr., who made public this week some emails in which he enthusiastically welcomed the idea of getting damaging information about Clinton from a Russian lawyer, Efe reported.

Aside from that, the president tweeted his thanks to one of his campaign advisers, Michael Caputo, for "so powerfully" telling the House of Representatives' Intelligence Committee that "there was no Russian collusion in our winning campaign."

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A new poll showed on Sunday the approval rating for the US President Donald Trump sits at 36 per cent after a steady decline since springtime.

The approval rating for Trump, who approaches six months in office, is lower than that of any of his predecessors in 70 years, Xinhua reported.

Results of the poll, carried out by the US Broadcaster ABC News and newspaper Washington Post, come amid a wider perceptions of a decline in US global influence, a much-delayed Republican agenda, and unfolding stories about alleged Russia's links to the 2016 Trump campaign.

The fresh poll indicated the overall approval rating for Trump has dropped to 36 per cent from 42 per cent since April, the lowest for any president in polling history since Harry Truman at the six-month mark.

Figures showed that the last US president as unpopular at the same mark was Gerald Ford, with a 39 per cent of approval rating in February, 1975.

Of those surveyed, 58 per cent expressed disapproval of Trump's job performance, among which 48 per cent said they "disapprove strongly."

The poll also showed that 48 percent of the respondents see the US leadership in the world as weaker since Trump was inaugurated in January, with only 27 per cent believing it to be stronger.

Two thirds said they do not trust Trump to negotiate with other world leaders on the US behalf.

Just 28 per cent of those polled said they think Trump is making significant progress toward his goals, while 55 per cent think otherwise.

The US intelligence community alleged that Russia meddled in the US presidential race last year and connections existed between the Russian government and the Trump campaign, which the Kremlin has denied.

The ABC-Post poll finds a majority, about 60 per cent, of Americans said they believe Russia tried to meddle in the 2016 US presidential election, while about 44 per cent think Trump benefited from those attempts.

On a health care bill supported by Republicans in a bid to overhaul the country's existing system, half of those surveyed said they prefer the current one, and only 24 per cent favoured the Trump-proposed legislation.

The poll was conducted between from July 10 to July 13 among a random sample of over 1,000 adults being surveyed over the phone, with a margin error of 3.5 points.

--IANS

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Information and Broadcasting Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu has been finalized as the ruling NDA candidate for Vice Presidential poll and the announcement will be made on Monday evening, party sources said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Parliamentary Board will meet on Monday evening to announce Naidu's candidature, according to the sources. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the meeting.

Naidu, 68 and a former BJP President, met Modi and spoke with BJP President Amit Shah, the sources said.

Maharashtra Governor C. Vidyasagar Rao's name was also considered for the August 5 contest.

The last date for filing nomination papers for the Vice Presidential election is Tuesday.

The term of Vice President Hamid Ansari, who is also ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, ends on August 10.

--IANS

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Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath led legislators in Uttar Pradesh on Monday to cast their votes to elect the 14th President of India.

Adityanath is the Lok Sabha member from Gorakhpur.

Amid rains in the state capital here, voting for the next occupant of Rashtrapati Bhavan began at a brisk pace, with women legislators turning up in large numbers to vote.

Many Ministers, including Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, Swamy Prasad Maurya, Brajesh Pathak, Gopal Tandon, Anupama Jaiswal, turned up early to cast their votes.

Swamy Prasad Maurya, who defected from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) before the assembly elections and went on to become a Cabinet Minister in the Yogi Adityanath government, told IANS that it was a proud moment for the state.

After Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whom is the Lok Sabha member from Varanasi, and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, the country would have Ram Nath Kovind, also from the sate, as the next President, the Chief MInister said.

He also said that there were high chances of cross voting from Opposition legislators in favour of the ruling NDA's candidate, Kovind.

Senior Samajwadi Party leaders Mulayam Singh Yadav and his brother Shivpal Singh have already broken ranks with the party and announced support for Kovind. Mulayam Singh is a Lok Sabha member while Shivpal is a legislator in the state assembly.

Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti also voted here.

After casting her vote, Bharti said that while the outcome of the poll was a foregone conclusion, the only interest left in the poll battle between Kovind and UPA candidate Meira Kumar, was the victory margin for Kovind.

Criminal-turned-politician Mukhtaar Ansari was wheeled into the state assembly premises for voting amid high security after being brought in an ambulance.

BJP legislator Sangeet Som, accused in the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots, too, rooted for Kovind and said that the victory would be historic for the NDA.

He thanked Modi and the national BJP leadership for naming Kovind, a Dalit leader from Kanpur, for the top constitutional post.

--IANS

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Actor Arjun Kapoor will soon be seen sharing screen space for the first time with his uncle Anil Kapoor. He says it's always been a dream for him to work with the veteran actor-producer, but he didn't want it to be due to their personal relationship.

"Since I have grown up watching him... as an actor working with Anil 'chachu' was my dream. But I was sure of not working with Anil Kapoor (the actor) until worthy of the chance," Arjun told IANS here.

"Therefore, after my debut in Bollywood, I did not go to him to share my wish (of working with him) or ask around people 'Why don't they cast me with 'chachu?' I never wanted to work with him just because of our personal relationship."

"So, when 'chachu' came to me saying that he read the script and he believed that I am fit for the role and that I should read the script... that was the biggest compliment for me. He considered me worthy as an actor for the role," added Arjun, who plays double role in "Mubarakan".

The film's story revolves around a big fat Punjabi wedding of two brothers, Charan and Karan, and their relationship with their uncle Kartar -- an NRI.

"Once you are away from your native place, you feel more attracted to your cultural roots and tradition," said the young actor.

Giving an insight into his two characters, Arjun said: "What I liked about Charan is though he looks like a typical Punjabi 'gabru' with a 'pagdi', he is very soft at heart... he is very emotional and gets bullied by Karan... his brother who is brought up in London and is over-smart!"

"Both have totally different personalities and I found that very interesting."

The actor believes he has become a better actor "technically" as that played an important role in the whole process.

"Since I had to act every scene twice... once with all the actors and lived every scene from two perspectives... as I am playing two characters, it was a great learning curve."

"I think after this film, I would like to believe that I have become a better actor technically. I also feel my comic timing has improved. But yes, rest... the audience has to decide after the film's release," said Arjun.

"Mubarakan", also featuring Athiya Shetty and Ileana D'Cruz, is slated for release on July 28.

--IANS

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The White House is set to hold events pertaining to three themes: "Made in America", "American Heroes" and "American Dreams", the media reported.

This week will include at least two events related to the "Made in America" theme, including a "product showcase", in which American-made products from all 50 states will be brought to the White House, spokeswoman Helen Aguirre Ferre said on Sunday.

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump will issue a proclamation on the importance of making products in the US, reports Politico news.

Ferre offered few details on the other two themed weeks on the schedule, though she suggested the "American Heroes" week will include military veterans.

The White House's past themed weeks, which focused on infrastructure, workforce development, technology and energy, have faced mockery on social media, with the President's critics noting that major news events like former FBI Director James Comey's testimony before Congress have largely overshadowed the administration's efforts.

--IANS

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Students of the Government College for Girls here protested on Monday over the institute's decision not to admit those students to the next class, who failed in half of their subjects.

The protest also led to traffic disruption as over 100 women students blocked the traffic outside the college in Sector 14 and shouted slogans against Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU) Rohtak.

The MDU had issued guidelines and ordered principals not to allow admissions in the next class to the first year students who have failed in 50 per cent subjects.

The students were demanding admission in the second year. "One precious year will go in vain by the decision. Students can clear papers in the second attempt," a protesting student said.

Sushila Sharma, principal of the college and other senior officials assured the protesters that the issue would be discussed with the concerned authorities.

These guidelines were issued by MDU last year but admissions were allowed after similar protests by students.

Over 400 students from three Gurugram government colleges, affiliated to MDU, failed in 50 per cent of their subjects this year.

--IANS

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Last Wednesday saw an online protest in America, Internet-wide day of action to save net neutrality, coordinated by online activists, start-ups and many large companies, including giants like Facebook, Google and Twitter. The issue was the reopening of the debate under the Trump administration. The Federal Communications Commission, under its newly-appointed chairman, Ajit Pai, is looking to overturn its own ruling in 2015 that the internet is a public utility. More than 80,000 websites displayed banners and messages in support of and over six million comments have been submitted to the FCC on the issue. The FCC will debate this until a final hearing in the US Congress in August. Recent polls indicate that users are in favour of the current status. As many as 77 per cent of those surveyed support the FCCs open internet order, including 73 per cent of Republicans, 80 per cent of Democrats and 76 per cent of Independents. But that may not prevent the law being overturned. Some big businesses, namely cable companies, would like the law changed and the FCC chairman says that it is a barrier to job creation.
The polling to elect the next President of India began in the morning in the state capitals and in Parliament House in New Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was one of the first to reach the polling station in Parliament House. Modi reached the polling booth five minutes before the official time for polling. Seeing that the polling staff were a tad nervous that he was waiting, the PM asked them to go about their work and start the polling process at the appointed hour. According to sources, the PM told the officers that as a youngster he would always reach school even before its doors opened. He waited for a few minutes and was the first to cast his vote.
This refers to Reverse cattle trade ban (July 16). It is never too late to correct our mistakes, if we realise that yes, we have goofed up. And it applies to our government also, which should think again about this ban on sale of buffaloes and cattle. It is an undeniable fact that after five-six years when a cow or buffalo stops producing milk, the owner does not have any other option but to sell it to the slaughter house. And if he simply lets them lose, then also there is an issue of them falling into the wrong hands. And if farmers are forced to maintain unproductive cattle at their disposal, then sooner or later they will lose interest in dairy farming and ultimately the sector will face the brunt. So the government should really introspect and think what the apex court has suggested and lift the ban completely. The ruling party may be in a dilemma that if they do it, the Opposition will claim it as victory, but in larger scheme of things, when division is being created between states and beef lynching incidents are giving a bad name to the government, it is too low a price to pay.
Information and Broadcasting Minister M was flooded with congratulatory messages when news trickled that he was the vice-presidential candidate of the National Democratic Alliance. Naidu has spent over four decades in politics, starting as a legislator in Andhra Pradesh in the late 1970s. He has friends cutting across party lines and some of the first ones from Opposition parties to send their congratulatory messages were Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad, and Communist Party of India (Marxist) chief Sitaram Yechury. The CPI (M) chief also hails from Andhra Pradesh, and despite their ideological differences, Naidu and Yechury are known to get along. Both Naidu and Yechury are currently Rajya Sabha members. While Naidu is known for his alliterations, Yechury is famous for his one liners and witticisms. Naidu told people how he is always sure that if no one else, Yechury will definitely understand his one liners and alliterations.
Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar is slated to brief members of a Parliamentary standing committee on India-China ties in the wake of their military stand-off in Doklam on Tuesday. Opposition parties have also demanded discussion on the issue in both Houses during the monsoon session of Parliament that kicked off today.
Election for the next President of India will be held tomorrow where NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind is pitted against opposition nominee Meira Kumar.

The counting of votes will take place on July 20 in New Delhi where all the ballot boxes will be brought from various state capitals.

The electorate, comprising elected Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members and members of state assemblies, is tilted in favour of the NDA, but the opposition is still working to seek support of some regional parties in favour of their candidate.

Both Kovind, a former Bihar Governor, and Kumar, the former Lok Sabha Speaker, have held a series of meetings across states to garner support for their candidature.

The tenure of incumbent Pranab Mukherjee comes to an end on July 24. So far 13 stalwarts, including Mukherjee, have held the post.

The electoral college which elects the President through the system of proportional representation, comprises MPs and members of state legislative assemblies.

A total of 4,896 voters  4,120 MLAs and 776 elected MPs  are eligible to cast their ballot. MLCs of states with legislative council are not part of the electoral college.

While the Lok Sabha Speaker, an elected member, can vote, the two nominated members in the Lower House from the Anglo-Indian community cannot. Twelve nominated members in Rajya Sabha are also ineligible.

Since the election is through a secret ballot, the parties cannot issue a whip to their members to vote for a particular candidate.

A total of 13 vacancies in Lok Sabha and state assemblies will be filled up after the presidential elections.

The NDA, led by the BJP, has 5,37,683 votes includes the Shiv Sena, and the shortage is around 12,000 votes.

But the promised support from the BJD, the TRS and the YSR Congress and likely backing from the AIADMK factions could offset the shortfall of the presidential votes by a substantial margin.

In the 2012 elections, Pranab Mukherjee garnered 7,13,763 votes, while Pratibha Patil secured 6,38,116 votes in the previous polls in 2007. Both Mukherjee and Patil were Congress nominees.

This time, the Lok Sabha secretary general is the returning officer. Last time, it was the secretary general of Rajya Sabha.

A total of 32 polling stations  one in Parliament House and one each in the state legislative assemblies, have been set up.

33 observers have been appointed by the EC to oversee the conduct of the election. While two observers will be present in the Parliament House, one each will be deployed in the respective state assemblies.

In a fresh development, the Election Commission has barred MPs and MLAs who vote to elect the next President tomorrow from carrying their personal pens inside the voting chamber and will have to mark their ballot with specially-designed marker pens.

(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.)
Within days of the Yogi Adityanath cabinet approving the new industrial policy for Uttar Pradesh, the information technology major Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has declared that it would wind up operations of its Lucknow unit. The news of the IT majors exit could well deal a severe blow to the Adityanath-led state government that is trying to promote Brand UP.
In the 1970s, Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu was a rare politician in Andhra Pradesh politics. He was a member of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the earlier avatar of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), when in southern India the Jana Sangh was perceived as primarily north India based, a Brahmin-Baniya party with no rural roots and a party that talked of Hindis superiority over other regional languages. But most of all, Jana Sangh was seen as a party that derided non-vegetarianism.
Fourteen Shiite Kuwaiti citizens convicted of forming a cell with ties to Tehran have fled by sea to Iran, a Kuwaiti newspaper reported today.

Citing high-ranking security sources, the Al-Seyassah daily said the 14 men fled to Iran on speedboats hours after Kuwait's supreme court sentenced them to lengthy jail terms for plotting attacks in the Sunni-ruled emirate.

Kuwait's interior ministry was not immediately available for comment.

The supreme court last month overturned an acquittal by the appeals court and sentenced 21 defendants to jail, including one for life, for forming a cell with ties to both Shiite Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah movement and for planning attacks in Kuwait.

The defendants who fled were not in custody prior to last month's sentencing because they were freed after their acquittal by the appeals court last year.

Around a third of Kuwait's native population of 1.35 million is Shiite.

Kuwait is leading mediation efforts in a regional crisis pitting Qatar against Saudi Arabia and its allies over accusations Doha is too close to Iran and funds Islamist groups.

Qatar has denied the allegations.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As the voting for the presidential election in Odisha concluded here this evening, 146 of the 147 members of the state Assembly and an MP exercised their franchise.

Barring Congress legislator from Bijepur constituency in Bargarh district Subal Sahu, all MLAs from the state cast their votes in the election for the top constitutional post.

Alajangi Viswanath Swamy, Independent member of Rajya Sabha, also cast his vote in the polling held in the state assembly building here.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, leader of the Opposition Narasingha Mishra and BJP legislature party leader K V Singhdeo were among the early voters.

As the voting was held in the state Assembly building amid tight security, legislators belonging to different political parties joined the polling process and cast their votes at intervals.

NDA's presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind is being supported by the ruling BJD in Odisha.

Kovind was in Odisha on July 14 and met leaders of BJD and BJP at separate meetings in the state capital.

The UPA candidate Meira Kumar could not visit Odisha in the run up to the presidential election since her tour was cancelled.

While there are 117 BJD MLAs in the 147-member Odisha Assembly, the Congress has 16 legislators, the BJP 10, the CPI-M and the Samata Kranti Dal have one MLA each. There are two Independent MLAs in the House.

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Two persons were arrested today in Nepal on charges of slaughtering a cow, the national animal of the Himalayan nation, police said.

Acting on a tip-off, police arrested local residents Ram Bahadur Nepali (54) and Krishna Nepali (36) from Pokhara Lekhnath Metropolitan City in Kaski, said Inspector Bishwo Bandhu Pokharel.

Cow slaughter is punishable under Nepal's new Constitution.

Although Nepal was converted into a secular state from the Hindu Kingdom in 2008, slaughtering of cow is still punishable under the law.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Barring three legislators, all MLAs in southern states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala, and Union Territory of Puducherry voted in the coveted presidential election today.

Besides the MLAs, one MP each cast their votes in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka assembly secretariats respectively, officials said after polling ended at 5 pm.

In Tamil Nadu, the voting process was over in just about two hours with 232 legislators, Union minister Pon Radhakrishnan, and Kerala MLA Parikkal Abdullah from Kuttiyadi in Kozhikode district casting their votes at the assembly secretariat conference hall in Chennai.

While Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami was the first to cast his vote at 10 am, AIADMK (Puratchi Thalaivi Amma) legislator and former minister S Semmalai was the last to exercise his franchise by 11.56 am.

State Chief Electoral Officer Rajesh Lakhoni said the sealed ballot box would be taken to Delhi by a 9.10 PM flight.

94-year-old DMK president M Karunanidhi could not vote due to health reasons, party working president and his son M K Stalin said after exercising his franchise.

Besides, one seat (RK Nagar) is vacant in the 234-member assembly.

In Karnataka, two MLAs skipped the voting.

Out of 224 MLAs, 222 along with Congress MP from Chikkodi, Prakash Hukkeri cast their votes at Vidhana Soudha, the state secretariat in Bengaluru, Assistant Returning Officer and Karnataka Assembly Secretary S Murthy said in a statement.

According to officials, JDS' Y S V Datta and suspended party MLA Cheluvaraya Swamy did not vote.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Opposition Leader Jagadish Shettar and JDS leader H D Kumaraswamy led their party MLAs in casting votes for the election.

A report from Thiruvananthapuram said 138 MLAs, including lone BJP representative O Rajagopal, cast their ballots.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly Ramesh Chennithala and other legislators cast their vote at the state assembly complex.

CPI(M) veteran and former chief minister V S Achuthanandandn and Congress leader Oommen Chandy were among the prominent ones to cast their votes early in the day.

In Puducherry, all 30 elected legislators exercised their franchise.

Speaker V Vaithilingam was first to vote, followed by Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, his cabinet colleagues and others.

Although opposition AINRC has eight legislators in the House, one of its members P R N Tirumurugan representing Karaikal, turned up at the booth separately and after casting his vote, he left the venue without talking to media.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Three people were killed and as many injured when their car rammed into a divider while trying to save a cow on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway in the wee hours today.

The car returning to Bihar from Ajmer Sharif met with the accident near Kursath village while trying to save the cow on the Expressway, SP Neha Panday said.

The deceased have been identified as Mohd. Aslam (48), Dilshad Khan (45) and Jahagir Alam (35), the SP said, adding the injured have been admitted to district hospital.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Three unidentified militants were today killed by the security forces in an encounter in Anantnag district of south Kashmir, saiddefence officials.

The encounter broke out at around 8 pm at Wanihama village of Anantnag, following an anti-militancy operation launched by the security forces, saida defence spokesman.

He added that three militants were killed in the ensuing gunbattle.

Further details are awaited.

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A Taliban suicide bomber today hit a vehicle carrying paramilitary force members, killing three soldiers, including a major, and injuring nine others in the restive northwest Pakistan.

The suicide attacker with explosive-laden motorcycle hit the Frontier Constabulary (FC) convoy at a traffic signal in Peshawar's Hayatabad area, police said.

Three FC men, including a major, were killed in the attack, Superintendent of Police Imran Malik said.

Nine people, including two security personnel, were injured in the blast, Malik added.

SSP (operations) Sajjad Khan said 10-12 kilograms of explosives were used by the bomber, who was riding the bike.

Two vehicles that were part of the convoy were completely damaged in the blast.

Security personnel cordoned off the area after the explosion as rescue services shifted the injured to Hayatabad Medical Complex.

Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack.

TTP spokesman Muhammad Khurasani in a statement mailed to media said slain Major Jamal Sheren was on their hit list.

The terror group vowed to carry out more attacks on FC troops.

The attack comes a day after the Pakistan army announced it had launched an operation in the Khyber tribal region to rout Islamic State militants.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Nine people died and a 13-year-old boy was missing after their group of family and friends was swept away while cooling off in a creek that suddenly turned treacherous when a rainstorm upstream unleashed floodwaters in Arizona's Tonto National Forest.

Gila County Sheriff's Detective David Hornung told The Associated Press that the group from the Phoenix and Flagstaff areas had met up for a daytrip along the popular Cold Springs swimming hole near Payson in central Arizona and were playing in the water Saturday afternoon when muddy flood waters came roaring down the canyon.

The group, ranging in age from 2 to 60, had set out chairs to lounge on a warm summer day when miles upstream an intense thunderstorm dumped heavy rainfall on the mountain.

Disa Alexander was hiking to the swimming area where Ellison Creek and East Verde River converge when the water suddenly surged. She was still about two miles away when she spotted a man holding a baby and clinging to a tree.

His wife was nearby, also in a tree. Had they been swept downstream, they would have been sent over a 20-foot waterfall, Alexander said.

Alexander and others tried to reach them but couldn't. Rescuers arrived a short time later.

"We were kinda looking at the water; it was really brown," she said. "Literally 20 seconds later you just see like hundreds of gallons of water smacking down and debris and trees getting pulled in. It looked like a really big mudslide."



Video she posted to social media showed torrents of water surging through jagged canyons carved in Arizona's signature red rock.

"I could have just died!" Alexander exclaimed on the video, which shows the people in the tree and then rescuers arriving on the scene. A boy Alexander described as the couple's son was on the rocks above the water.

Search and rescue crews, including 40 people on foot and others in a helicopter, recovered the bodies of five children and four adults, some as far as two miles down the river. Authorities did not identify them.

Four others were rescued Saturday and taken to Banner hospital in nearby Payson for treatment of hypothermia. Rescuers got to the four victims quickly after the crew heard their cries while they were nearby helping an injured hiker.

Daniel Bustamante, 16, sat on a bench with his friend Daniel Rodriguez outside the local mortuary in Payson where victims were brought. He said he came from Phoenix after getting a Snapchat message from a friend.

The flash-flooding hit Saturday afternoon at Cold Springs canyon, about 100 miles northeast of Phoenix, a popular recreation area reached by relatively easy hiking paths. Some know it was as Ellison Creek or Water Wheel swimming holes.

Hornung said the treacherously swift waters gushed for about 10 minutes before receding in the narrow canyon. He estimated floodwaters reached six feet high and 40 feet wide.

The National Weather Service, which had issued a flash- flood warning, estimated up to 1.5 inches of rain fell over the area in an hour. The thunderstorm hit about 8 miles upstream along Ellison Creek, which quickly flooded the narrow canyon where the swimmers were.

"They had no warning. They heard a roar, and it was on top of them," Water Wheel Fire and Medical District Fire Chief Ron Sattelmaier said.

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Gangster Abu Salem, convicted last month in the Mumbai serial blasts case, today moved a Mumbai court seeking parole or temporary bail for marriage.

Salem has submitted citations of two high courts claiming convicts were given such relief for entering into wedlock.

The mob boss had given his consent for marrying a 26- year-old woman who had approached the special TADA court in June 2015 seeking permission for it.

The TADA court here had convicted Salem and five others in June for their role in the serial bomb blasts of March 12, 1993 in which 257 people were killed.

"We have given the court two citations--one from the Bombay High Court and another from the Delhi High Court -- stating that a person can be granted bail or parole for marriage," said Salem's lawyer Farhana Shah.

Salem has requested the court to grant him the permission to attend the office of the Registrar of Marriage.

"In view of the two citations, his (Salem's) application seeking the permission to attend the (office of) the Registrar of Marriage for solemnisation of marriage be kindly considered," Shah told the court.

The trial court Judge, G A Sanap, has asked the CBI to file its response to Salem's petition.

"I humbly request to kindly consider (her application) and grant us permission to register and perform marriage under Special Marriage Act before the registrar," Salem has said in his petition.

According to a 2015 report published in a local tabloid along with a photograph of the woman, Salem had married her 'over phone' during a train journey when he was being taken to Lucknow for a court hearing under police escort.

Following the report, the Tada court had directed the Thane Police to conduct an inquiry.

In her application, the woman had contended that following the report that Salem had secretly married her, police asked many people about the alleged marriage and showed the photograph which sullied her character. Since she was unable to marry anybody else now, she wanted to enter into a wedlock with Salem, she had said.

Salem had said in his reply that he wanted to marry her so she could "meet and answer all the relatives, friends and well-wishers with her head up in the society". He said he intended to "compensate" the woman by accepting her proposal.

The CBI had earlier this month sought life imprisonment for Salem, convicted under stringent sections of the now-repealed TADA (Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act in the bomb blast case.

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An umbrella body of government doctors has demanded that they be granted licences to keep a weapon for self defence in view of rising attacks on them.

At its general body meeting held yesterday, the Joint Action Council of Service Doctors (JACSDO) expressed concern over the "spurt" in attacks by relatives of patients on doctors.

The organisations which are part of the Council include the Federation of Resident Doctors' Association and All India Federation of Government Doctors' Associations.

"The doctor-patient ratio of 1:1600 as against the WHO norm of 1:1000 is a major reason for violence against them," JACSDO president D R Dey said.

He said government doctors should be given "200 per cent of their basic pay as allowance to compensate for the shortage".

"The government should also allow doctors to have arms licences for self defense," Dey said.

At the meeting, the doctors rejected the Seventh Pay Commission's recommendations, saying their implementation in the current form will make government doctors move to the private sector.

They rued that the commission has reduced the non- practising allowance (NPA), given exclusively to doctors, from 25 to 20 per cent.

The council said that earlier the NPA and basic pay were added for calculating the house rental allowance (HRA). But now the HRA will be calculated only on the basic pay, resulting in less salary.

"Adhocism and contractual appointment should be eliminated and all the appointments should be regularised," it said in a charter of demands submitted to the Union Health Ministry.

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Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today refused to roll-back a recent decision to ban truck unions in Punjab, claiming that industries are "scared" of coming to the state because of these bodies.

The chief minister assured a delegation of various truck unions that their interests would be protected and their views taken into account before issuing a final notification, an official said.

Amarinder also tried to allay their fears that large truck operators from other states would take over businesses, saying all possible safeguards would be incorporated in the new industrial policy, the official added.

"The government has taken the decision to ban the unions conscientiously in order to save the industry, transportation of food grains and, above all, strengthen the state's economy," the chief minister told mediapersons after casting his vote for the presidential election at the state assembly.

The chief minister also said all complaints of the truck drivers would be addressed by the sub-divisional magistrates (SDMs), but said there could be no rollback of the decision to abolish the unions as it was "in line" with several judicial verdicts.

"The government did not take any arbitrary decision and there were three judgments of the Punjab and Haryana High Court asking the state government to take tangible steps for breaking the truck unions' monopoly in the larger good of the society," he added.

Truck operators have been protesting against the decision of the Punjab cabinet to ban goods carriage operators from forming cartels or unions in the state.

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A delegation of MPs from Andhra Pradesh's opposition YSRCP party today asked the Election Commission to "derecognise" the state's ruling Telugu Desam Party for allegedly violating provisions of the Constitution and election laws.

YSR Congress Party MPs met Chief Election Commissioner Achal Kumar Joti and alleged that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu had made an "undemocratic" speech in Nandyala constituency and threatened to withdraw welfare schemes if people did not vote for him, party leader Y V Subba Reddy said.

The constituency is scheduled to hold a by-election following the death of TDP MLA Bhuma Nagi Reddy.

"In the speech in Nandyala constituency on 22 June, Chief Minister Naidu had told people not to use roads and forego pensions if they were not willing to vote for him," Lok Sabha MP Y V Subba Reddy wrote in a letter.

The delegation also submitted newspaper clippings and CDs to back its allegations.

"Nandyala constitutency is about to face a by-election. Even before the notification, TDP was indulging in luring people by spending money lavishly," Reddy said.

The delegation also informed the Election Commission about alleged irregularities in the constituency by the TDP and demanded that the by-poll be conducted under the purview of central forces.

"We have also sought action against officials in the government who were supporting the ruling party," Reddy said.

The MPs alleged that Naidu had violated the anti- defection law by luring 21 of its MLAs to join his party.

YSRCP has six MPs in the Lok Sabha from Andhra Pradesh and one in the Rajya Sabha.

The delegation included MPs Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy, V Vijayasai Reddy, Butta Renuka, Varaprasad Rao Velagapalli, P V Midhun Reddy and Y S Avinash Reddy were among the delegation.

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Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop will arrive here tomorrow on a two-day visit with an aim to step up bilateral engagement in a range of key areas including defence, security and trade.

She is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and hold talks with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley and Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar, according to the external affairs ministry.

In a statement in Canberra, Bishop said ways to boost defence, security and trade ties will be explored during the visit.

"We will discuss our shared interests in a stable Indo- Pacific, our deepening defence and security relationship, and how we can boost trade and economic ties," she said.

Swaraj and Bishop will have extensive deliberations covering entire range of bilateral cooperation during their talks under the foreign ministers' framework dialogue. The issue of supply of uranium to India by Australia may also figure in the talks.

"India is a significant economic partner and trading partner, and I will explore further opportunities for Australia in the education sector and in developing innovative partnerships in the business sector," Bishop said.

In a statement, Australian High Commissioner Harinder Sidhu said her country was committed to explore ways to further expand bilateral engagement with India.

"Our countries have a dynamic and growing knowledge partnership, flourishing people-to-people links and converging political, economic and strategic interests. And there is scope for us to do much more together," the envoy said.

Bishop will also deliver the second Indo-Pacific Oration here where she said she will outline how Australia and India can work together to build peace and prosperity, and to maintain a rules-based order in the region.

India and Australia have been expanding their cooperation in the energy sector and New Delhi has been eyeing Australian uranium for its nuclear power plants.

Australia has about 40 per cent of the world's uranium reserves and exports nearly 7,000 tonnes of yellow cake annually.

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Australia is expecting to welcome over three lakh Indian tourists this year, mainly due to the online visitor visa applications facility, steady Australian dollar and various promotion activities.

In 2016, over 2.6 lakh Indian travellers visited Australia, according to data given by Tourism Australia.

"We are witnessing double digit growth in tourist arrivals from India since last three financial years (July-June). This is the fourth consecutive financial year we saw a growth of 15.3 per cent by hosting 2.5 lakh Indians. If we continue at the same pace we will easily cross 3 lakh during calender year," Tourism Australia Country Manager (India and Gulf) Nishant Kashikar told PTI.

In 2015-16, 2.38 lakh Indians visited Australia.

He said, the growth in tourist traffic from India will be driven by online the visitor visa applications facility launched this month, steady Australian dollar (AUD) and various promotion activities taken up by Tourism Australia.

"Besides, the growth in Indian diaspora in Australia, the economy doing well, the positive consumer sentiment and bullish market sentiment will also support the visitor growth from India to Australia. We are also witnessing a lot of repeat visitors from India," he added.

Currently, India is ranked as the ninth source market for Australia, he added.

New Zealand, China, the US, UK and Singapore are the top five source markets of Australia.

In terms of spending, India is at eighth position with an average Rs 2.6 lakh per person (AUD 5,300).

The top five spenders in Australia are China, the US, UK, New Zealand and Japan.

"If the current trend continuous, we expect India to be among the top seven source market and top five spender by 2025," Kashikar said.

Tourism Australia is mainly targeting high valued Indians over the age of 25 years from the six metro cities and Pune and Ahmedabad, he said.

"We are mainly promoting Australia as a leisure destination ideal for family (with or without children) and honeymooners. We are also focusing on the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) segment," he added.

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Big Little Book Awards (BLBA), that seek to recognise regional literature across the country, in its second edition, will award Bengali authors for their contribution to children's literature.

A Tata Trusts initiative, BLBA, held along with the Tata Lit live, aims to promote a love of reading regional literature among children.

"Bengali literature has a rich history with eminent people writing and illustrating for adults and children. Some of the contemporary work that has come out in the recent years is also noteworthy," Swaha Sahoo, Tata Trusts, said.

Under the BLBA, an author in one Indian language, and an illustrator in another category are awarded every year.

Last year, the event was inaugurated with a focus on Marathi with Madhuri Purandare bagging the award for her contribution to children's literature in the language.

Atanu Roy took away the illustrator award in 2016.

In its second edition, the event will also host a series of talks across the country on children's literature in India - around the rich history of children's literature in Bengali, along with role of illustrations in children's books.

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Hollywood actor-filmmaker Ben Affleck was honoured at the Starkey Hearing Foundation awards gala for his longtime humanitarian work with Eastern Congo Initiative.

On receiving the award, Affleck, 44, said working with the Congolese people has been "one of the greatest, most awe- inspiring experiences of my life," reported People magazine.

The Starkey Hearing Foundation, which brings hearing aids to people in need in the US and around the world, raises millions of dollars with the annual event, where this year Steven Tyler and Darius Rucker performed.

In 2009, Affleck founded ECI, a grant-making and advocacy organization focused on investing in and working with the people of eastern Congo.

One of the group's many projects has been partnering with the Starkey Hearing Foundation to bring life-changing hearing aids to people in the war-torn area.

Affleck has also testified before Congress four times to advocate for US and international engagement in Congo.

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Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar was today provided with a security cover by the Maharashtra government in the wake of several protests the director has been facing for his upcoming film "Indu Sarkar".

The development comes after Bhandarkar had to cancel the promotional events of his movie in Pune and Nagpur, fearing wrath of Congress workers who had gathered to protest the film's release.

According to the sources close to Bhandarkar, he has been given a security cover of two personnel, by his side, till the film does not release.

A senior police official confirmed the and said Mumbai Police have provided "adequate security" to Bhandarkar.

Congress has objected to the film, set against the Emergency era, saying it has portrayed Indira Gandhi and her son Sanjay Gandhi in a bad light.

Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam demanded that the film should be screened before senior party leaders to allay their concerns of any defamatory references to the Gandhi family.

A press conference for the promotion of "Indu Sarkar" had to be cancelled in Nagpur yesterday, after the Congress workers protested against the film.

A day earlier, event of the movie at Pune too, was cancelled after few Congress workers took to protest against the Kirti Kulhari starrer.

Bhandarkar had tweeted saying that the team was stranded "like hostages in the hotel room" in Pune when the press conference was opposed in the city.

The film is scheduled to release on July 28.

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Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar was today provided with a security cover by the Maharashtra government in the wake of several protests the director is facing for his next film 'Indu Sarkar'.

The development comes after Bhandarkar had to cancel the promotional events of 'Indu Sarkar' in Pune and Nagpur fearing wrath of Congressmen who had gathered to protest the film's release without a green signal from senior party leaders.

According to sources close to the director, Bhandarkar has been given a security cover, with two personnel by his side till the film is released.

A senior police official confirmed the and said Mumbai police have provided "adequate security" to Bhandarkar.

Congress has objected to the film, set against the Emergency era, saying it may have portrayed Indira Gandhi and her son Sanjay Gandhi in a bad light.

Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam demanded that the film should be screened before senior party leaders to allay their concerns of any defamatory references to the Gandhi family.

A press conference for the promotion of 'Indu Sarkar' had to be cancelled in Nagpur yesterday after the Congress workers protested against the film.

A day earlier, event of the film at Pune too was cancelled after few Congress workers took to protest against the movie.

Bhandarkar had earlier tweeted saying that team was stranded "like hostages in the hotel room" in Pune when the press conference was opposed in that city.

Yesterday, the director took to Twitter and wrote to Rahul Gandhi, "Dear @OfficeOfRG after Pune I have 2 cancel today's PressCon at Nagpur. Do you approve this hooliganism? Can I have my Freedom of Expression?"



The film is scheduled to release on July 28.

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Bihar will soon launch a vaccination campaign to cut down casualty due to pneumonia, which claims almost 15 per cent of the child population below 5 years of age in the country.

In the first phase, Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) will be administered in 17 districts of Bihar, N K Sinha, Additional Director-cum-state Immunisation officer Bihar, said addressing a seminar hosted by UNICEF.

The districts are Araria, Begusarai, Kisanganj, Katihar, Muzaffarpur, Munger, Vaishali, Madhepura, Madhubani, Purnea, Samastipur, Saharsa, Sitamarhi, Sheohar, Supual among others, he said.

Sinha said the PCV vaccine has been proved to be a very effective tool against pneumonia in 139 countries.

According to Central Government data, 15 per cent deaths in children below 5 year of age is due to pneumonia in India. Out of this, 70 per cent happen in four states - Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

The vaccine is a strong defence against pneumonia and meningitis that happens through pneumococcal bacteria, N K Agrawal, secretary, Indian Academy of Paediatricians (IAP), Bihar chapter, said.

Syed Hubbe Ali and Asadur Rahman of UNICEF dwelt on success of PCV vaccine across the world.

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The BSF and the Pakistan Rangers today held a flag meeting in Samba sector along the International Border here and "committed" themselves to maintaining peace on a day when an Indian Army jawan and a minor girl were killed in heavy firing and mortar shelling by the Pakistani side along the LoC.

At Pakistan Rangers' request, a commandant-wing commander level flag meeting was held between the BSF and the Pakistan border guarding force, a senior Border Security Force official said.

During the meeting, commanders of both sides discussed various issues including the recent "unprovoked" firing in Samba Sector and other routine issues related to border management, he said.

India's top Army brass today conveyed a stern message to Pakistan that it reserves the right to retaliate appropriately against any incident of ceasefire violation along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir.

In a telephonic conversation, Lt. Gen. A K Bhatt, the director general of military operations (DGMO), also told his Pakistani counterpart that the Indian Army was sincere about maintaining peace on the LoC.

In the flag meet, it was decided to re-energise instant communication between field commanders, whenever required, to resolve petty matters, the BSF official said.

"They committed to each other to maintain peace and tranquility at the International Border," the official added.

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A Cameroon army vessel transporting "dozens" of troops from the elite Rapid Intervention Brigade capsized on Sunday off the country's southwestern coast, a security source said.

The boat "capsized on Sunday between the city of Limbe and Bakassi. There were dozens of troops on board, including a colonel," the source told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.

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China posted better-than-expected second quarter growth today, but analysts warned that the momentum will not last as authorities clamp down on rising debt.

The expanded 6.9 per cent in April-June, the same as the previous three months and better than the 6.8 per cent tipped in an AFP survey.

"The national has maintained the momentum of steady and sound development in the first half of 2017, laying a solid foundation for achieving the annual target and better performance," national statistics bureau spokesman Xing Zhihong said.

"However, we must be aware that there are still many unstable and uncertain factors abroad and long-term structural contradictions remain prominent at home," Xing told reporters.

Industrial production grew 7.6 per cent in June while retail sales were up 11 per cent, both better than the previous month, according to the official data.

But analysts expect a deceleration of the overall .

"China's strong first half to the year won't last," Julian Evans-Pritchard, China economist at Capital Economics, said in a note.

"The recent crackdown on financial risks has driven a slowdown in credit growth, which will weigh on the economy during the second half of this year," he said.

Debt-fuelled investment in infrastructure and real estate has underpinned China's growth for years but Beijing has launched a crackdown over fears of a potential financial crisis.

Fitch Ratings on Friday maintained its A-plus rating for the country for China but said its growing debt could trigger "economic and financial shocks".

The statement followed Moody's decision in May to downgrade China for the first time in almost three decades on concerns over its ballooning credit and slowing growth.

President Xi Jinping called for tougher regulations to crack down on financial risks during a weekend National Financial Work Conference, which sets the tone for reforms, according to state media.

The government will continue to deleverage the economy through prudent monetary policy and by reducing leverage in state-owned enterprises, Xi said.

The conference showed that authorities will intensify financial regulation "unprecedentedly, through a much more centralised and empowered organisational set-up", ANZ's China economist Raymond Yeung said in a note.

"Debt reduction will become an important consideration in monetary policy," Yeung said, predicting more corporate defaults and a tightening of credit policy among banks.

Despite the economic deleveraging, however, "we do not think this event will trigger an immediate monetary tightening".

Analysts expect tighter restrictions on property purchases and bank lending will continue to weigh on the economy in the months ahead.

But a sharp slowdown in the second half is unlikely as policymakers prepare for an important Communist Party congress later this year that will likely cement Xi's place as the most powerful leader in a generation.

"It is therefore highly probable that authorities will use the resources and policy tools at their disposal to ensure a positive economic outcome," Citibank said in a note.

The government has trimmed its 2017 growth target to around 6.5 per cent, after it expanded 6.7 per cent in 2016 -- its slowest rate in more than a quarter of a century.

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China posted better-than-expected growth of 6.9 per cent in the second quarter, official data showed today, but authorities warned of lingering risks to the economy.

Analysts polled by AFP had forecast growth of 6.8 percent after the economy expanded 6.9 per cent in the first quarter.

"Generally speaking, the national economy has maintained the momentum of steady and sound development in the first half of 2017, laying a solid foundation for achieving the annual target and better performance," national statistics bureau spokesman Xing Zhihong said.

"However, we must be aware that there are still many unstable and uncertain factors abroad and long-term structural contradictions remain prominent at home," Xing said.

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China's military has conducted live-fire exercises in the remote mountainous Tibet region amid the ongoing standoff between Indian and Chinese troops at the Dokalam area in the Sikkim sector.

The People's Liberation Army (PLA) conducted the 11-hour long live-fire exercises in Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, state-run China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Friday, without mentioning the exact timing of the drills.

The brigade that conducted the drills was from the PLA's Tibet Military Command and is one of China's two plateau mountain brigades.

The PLA Tibet command guards the Line of Actual Control (LAC) of the India-China border along several sections connecting the mountainous Tibetan region.

According to the CCTV report, the brigade has long been stationed around the middle and lower reaches of the Brahmaputra (Yarlung Zangbo in Chinese) River which flows into India and Bangladesh and is responsible for frontline combat missions.

The live-fire drills included the quick deployment of troops and different military units working together on joint attacks.

Video posted online showed soldiers using anti-tank grenades and missiles against bunkers and howitzers for artillery coverage.

The video also showed radar units identifying enemy aircraft and soldiers using anti-aircraft artillery to destroy targets.

Separately, Tibet's mobile communication agency conducted a drill on July 10 in Lhasa, capital of Tibet, where members of the agency practiced setting up a temporary mobile network to secure communications in an emergency.

Earlier reports said the PLA units exercised in Tibet with several modern weapon systems including a new light battle tank being manufactured by China.

China and India have been engaged in a standoff in the Dokalam area in the Sikkim sector, where Indian troops stopped road construction by Chinese soldiers on June 16.

China claimed that they were constructing the road within their territory and has been demanding immediate pull-out of the Indian troops from the disputed Dokalam plateau.

India has expressed concern over the road building, apprehending that it may allow Chinese troops to cut India's access to its northeastern states.

India has conveyed to the Chinese government that the road construction would represent a significant change of status quo with serious security implications for it.

Doka La is the Indian name for the region which Bhutan recognises as Dokalam, while China claims it as part of its Donglang region.

Of the 3,488-km-long India-China border from Jammu and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh, a 220-km section falls in Sikkim.

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China's military today said it has conducted live-fire exercises in the remote mountainous Tibet region to test its strike capability on plateaus, amid the standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in the Doklam area in the Sikkim sector.

The People's Liberation Army (PLA) conducted the 11-hour long live-fire exercises at an altitude of 5,000 meters on the plateau in Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, aimed at improving the combat capability on such locations, the military said.

The exercise was conducted by a ground combat brigade of the PLA Tibet Regional Command this month and involved scenarios such as rapid deployment, multi-unit joint strike and anti-aircraft defense, state-run China Daily quoted a PLA press release as saying.

The exercise effectively tested the brigade's joint strike capability on plateaus, according to the press release.

The brigade that conducted the drills was from the PLA's Tibet Military Command and is one of China's two plateau mountain brigades.

The PLA Tibet command guards the Line of Actual Control (LAC) of the India-China border along several sections connecting the mountainous Tibetan region.

According to the CCTV report, the brigade has long been stationed around the middle and lower reaches of the Brahmaputra (Yarlung Zangbo in Chinese) River which flows into India and Bangladesh. The brigade is responsible for frontline combat missions.

The drills included the quick deployment of troops and different military units working together on joint attacks.

Video posted online showed soldiers using anti-tank grenades and missiles against bunkers and howitzers for artillery coverage.

The video also showed radar units identifying enemy aircraft and soldiers using anti-aircraft artillery to destroy targets, the report said.

Separately, Tibet's mobile communication agency conducted a drill on July 10 in Lhasa, capital of Tibet, where members of the agency practiced setting up a temporary mobile network to secure communications in an emergency.

Earlier reports said the PLA units exercised in Tibet with several modern weapon systems including a new light battle tank being manufactured by China.

Qin Zhen, executive editor of Ordnance Knowledge magazine, said that the recent exercises have displayed the strong combat capability of the PLA's plateau units.

He said that in recent years the Chinese military developed a number of lightweight weapons such as a wheeled infantry fighting vehicle and a new light tank to meet requirements of mountain operations.

Xiao Ning, editor-in-chief of Weapon magazine, said the new light tank features strong firepower, advanced armor and good mobility, so it is suitable for deployment on plateaus.

China and India have been engaged in a standoff in the Dokalam area in the Sikkim sector, where Indian troops stopped road construction by Chinese soldiers on June 16.

China claimed that they were constructing the road within their territory and has been demanding immediate pull-out of the Indian troops from the disputed Dokalam plateau.

New Delhi has expressed concern over the road building, apprehending that it may allow Chinese troops to cut India's access to its northeastern states.

India has conveyed to the Chinese government that the road construction would represent a significant change of status quo with serious security implications for it.

Doka La is the Indian name for the region which Bhutan recognises as Dokalam, while China claims it as part of its Donglang region.

Of the 3,488-km-long India-China border from Jammu and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh, a 220-km section falls in Sikkim.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
China's military today said it has conducted live-fire exercises in the remote mountainous Tibet region to test its strike capability on plateaus, amid the standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in the Doklam area in the Sikkim sector.

The People's Liberation Army (PLA) conducted the 11-hour long live-fire exercises at an altitude of 5,000 meters on the plateau in Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, aimed at improving the combat capability on such locations, the military said.

The exercise was conducted by a ground combat brigade of the PLA Tibet Regional Command this month and involved scenarios such as rapid deployment, multi-unit joint strike and anti-aircraft defence, state-run China Daily quoted a PLA press release as saying.

The exercise effectively tested the brigade's joint strike capability on plateaus, according to the press release.

The brigade that conducted the drills was from the PLA's Tibet Military Command and is one of China's two plateau mountain brigades.

The PLA Tibet command guards the Line of Actual Control (LAC) of the India-China border along several sections connecting the mountainous Tibetan region.

Analysts believe that the drill are an apparent attempt by the military to reassure the Chinese public about the combat readiness of its troops.

"Showing an opponent that you are combat ready is more likely to prevent an actual battle," Wang Dehua, South Asia studies expert at Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, said.

Broadcasting the drill on CCTV was also likely designed to keep the public happy, he said.

"It could also reassure the Chinese people that a strong PLA force is there, capable and determined to defend Chinese territory," Wang told Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post.

The CCTV report did not disclose the location of the drills but said the brigade responsible for frontline combat missions has long been stationed around the middle and lower reaches of the Brahmaputra (Yarlung Zangbo in Chinese) River. Brahmaputra flows into India from Arunachal Pradesh border.

"The PLA wanted to demonstrate it could easily overpower its Indian counterparts," Beijing-based military commentator Zhou Chenming told the Post.

The Chinese force that took part in the drill is stationed in the Lizhi region of eastern Tibet, close to the stand-off, the Post said.

India has nearly two lakh troops stationed in the areas it disputes with China, outnumbering its neighbour's forces by as much as 15 or 20 to one, it said.

Nonetheless, China has a clear advantage in terms of speed of movement, firepower, and logistics, Zhou said.

"[By staging] a small-scale drill, China wants to control the problem and lower the risk of shots being fired," he said.

Today's drills included the quick deployment of troops and different military units working together on joint attacks.

Video posted online showed soldiers using anti-tank grenades and missiles against bunkers and howitzers for artillery coverage.

The video also showed radar units identifying enemy aircraft and soldiers using anti-aircraft artillery to destroy targets, the report said.

Separately, Tibet's mobile communication agency conducted a drill on July 10 in Lhasa, capital of Tibet, where members of the agency practiced setting up a temporary mobile network to secure communications in an emergency.

Earlier reports said the PLA units exercised in Tibet with several modern weapon systems including a new light battle tank being manufactured by China.

Qin Zhen, executive editor of Ordnance Knowledge magazine, said that the recent exercises have displayed the strong combat capability of the PLA's plateau units.

He said that in recent years the Chinese military developed a number of lightweight weapons such as a wheeled infantry fighting vehicle and a new light tank to meet requirements of mountain operations.

Xiao Ning, editor-in-chief of Weapon magazine, said the new light tank features strong firepower, advanced armor and good mobility, so it is suitable for deployment on plateaus.

China and India have been engaged in a standoff in the Dokalam area in the Sikkim sector, where Indian troops stopped road construction by Chinese soldiers on June 16.

China claimed that they were constructing the road within their territory and has been demanding immediate pull-out of the Indian troops from the disputed Dokalam plateau.

New Delhi has expressed concern over the road building, apprehending that it may allow Chinese troops to cut India's access to its northeastern states.

India has conveyed to the Chinese government that the road construction would represent a significant change of status quo with serious security implications for it.

Doka La is the Indian name for the region which Bhutan recognises as Dokalam, while China claims it as part of its Donglang region.

Of the 3,488-km-long India-China border from Jammu and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh, a 220-km section falls in Sikkim.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The opposition Congress is gearing up to corner the Manohar Parrikar government in Goa on host of issues during the monsoon session of the Legislative Assembly beginning tomorrow.

"There are series of issues that can be raised on the floor of the House. There is enough to corner the state government. We will highlight each of their failures," Leader of Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar told PTI today.

The Congress Legislature Party today held a meeting to chart out its strategy.

Kavlekar said "all the democratic and legislative methods would be used to expose the state government which is made up of unholy alliance."



"The issue of desecration of religious places, failure to shift the off shore casinos, uncontrolled narcotic trade, would be raised on the floor of the House," he said.

The session will culminate on August 7.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Two masked criminals today looted around Rs 7.50 lakh from a petrol pump owner in Hazaribag, the police said.

The victim along with his son, were going to deposit the amount when two masked criminals laced with a revolver tried to snatch away the bag containing cash, the police said.

The criminals whipped out a revolver when their move was resisted by the Jain duo and snatched away the bag containing cash, they said.

A police team led by DySP(Hq), Chandan Kumar rushed to the spot to investigate the matter and raids are on to apprehend the culprits.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The US Postal Service honoured the rich legacy of the Walt Disney Studio's Ink and Paint Department by dedicating a sheet of 20 "Forever" stamps, featuring 10 classic Disney villains.

Postmaster general Megan J Brennan made the announcement at the ongoing D23 Expo, where he was joined by other Disney officials.

"The Postal Service is highlighting the Disney villains and the pioneering spirit of the Ink and Paint Department that brought many of these characters to life.

"These Forever stamps are our way of saying Disney villains will forever entertain us and serve as a tribute Disney's artistry and storytelling skill," said Brennan.

Each stamp showcases one of 10 classic Disney villains set against a blue background.

The Queen ('Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs'), Honest John ('Pinocchio'), Lady Tremaine ('Cinderella'), the Queen of Hearts ('Alice in Wonderland') and Captain Hook ('Peter Pan'), Ursula ('The Little Mermaid'), Gaston ('Beauty and the Beast') and Scar ('The Lion King') are the characters that feature on the stamps.

Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Farmers held protest and blocked milk and vegetable supply to several districts today to press for their demands that include bank loan waiver and crop compensation.

The 39 bodies representing farmers have now called for state wide agitation on July 22, when BJP national president Amit Shah will be on tour to Rajasthan.

"Issues of farmers are being neglected by the government. We have been continuously protesting to get voices of farmers heard. We have called for state wide agitation on July 22," Kisaan Mahapanchayat national president Rampal Jat said.

Meanwhile, farmers today staged a blockade for hours on major road routes, connecting Sikar district and stopped milk, fruits and vegetable supply, Akhil Bhartiya Kisan Sabha President Amra Ram said.

A similar protest was witnessed in parts of Sriganganagar, Bikaner, Jaipur, Hanumangarh and Alwar, he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Following are PTI's top stories



at 1900 hours today:



DEL33 LS-PM-LEADERS



New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi walks up to senior opposition leaders in the Lok Sabha to greet them as the House met on the opening day of the monsoon session while voting was underway for the keenly-contested presidential election in the parliament complex.

DEL24 PREZ-POLL-LD REAX



New Delhi: As lawmakers vote to elect India's next president, the ruling BJP exudes confidence that NDA nominee Ram Nath Kovind would win with a "comfortable" margin, while the opposition says its joint pick Meira Kumar was the best choice in the "clash of ideologies".

DEL21 POLL-VP-BJP



New Delhi: The BJP parliamentary board will meet here in the evening to pick the ruling NDA's vice presidential candidate.

DEL35 POL-VP-GANDHI-RAUT



New Delhi: Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut questions the opposition's decision to field Gopal Krishna Gandhi as its candidate in the vice presidential poll, saying the former West Bengal governor had tried to save "bombing plotter" Yakub Memon.

DEL38 JK-LD CEASEFIRE



Jammu/Srinagar: An Army jawan and a minor girl have been killed while four persons injured in heavy firing and mortar shelling by the Pakistan Army along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch, Rajouri and Baramulla districts.

DEL34 NIA-TERROR-FUNDING



New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has roped in tax officials to probe trans-LoC trade and alleged receipt of money by separatists groups in the Kashmir Valley, believed to be the main source of terror financing, officials say. By Ashwini Shrivastava



CAL12 WB-CBFC FILM



Kolkata: After demanding four words in a documentary on Amartya Sen to be muted, the censor board seeks to beep out two words in Bengali thriller "Meghnad Badh Rahasya".

LGD11 SC-DNA PROFILING



New Delhi: A legislative process is in progress to bring in a human DNA profiling bill to enable the authorities maintain records of unidentified and unclaimed bodies or missing persons, the government tells the Supreme Court.

DEL39 WCD-ADOPTION-SINGLE WOMEN



New Delhi: A recent decision by the government to give single women above 40 years preference in adoption has drawn flak from all quarters, including those it seeks to benefit. By Jagriti Chandra



DEL43 ED-CHOPPERS-ARREST



New Delhi: A woman director of two Dubai-based firms has been arrested by the ED in connection with its probe in the Rs 3,600 crore money laundering case, says a senior agency official.

MDS10 KA-LD SASIKALA



Bengaluru: The Karnataka government shunts out two top jail officials who were locked in a bitter public spat over allegations of "special" treatment to AIADMK (Amma) leader V K Sasikala and other "erroneous" practices in the central prison here.

FGN9 CHINA-ARMY-2NDLD DRILL



Beijing: China's military says it has conducted live-fire exercises in the remote mountainous Tibet region to test its strike capability on plateaus, amid the standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in the Doklam area in the Sikkim sector.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Following are PTI's top stories



at 2130 hours today:



DEL64 PREZ-2NDLD POLL



New Delhi: Close to 99 per cent voting has been recorded for electing India's next president, the returning officer for the poll announces, saying it was perhaps the highest-ever percentage.

DEL52 VP-NDA-NAIDU



New Delhi: Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu, a veteran BJP leader from Andhra Pradesh, will be NDA's vice presidential candidate, party president Amit Shah says.

DEL65 POL CABINET



New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to go for a Cabinet expansion as senior minister M Venkaiah Naidu's almost certain election as the next vice president will leave two heavyweight portfolios without a Cabinet minister.

DEL53 POL-VP-GANDHI-LD RAUT



New Delhi: The opposition's vice presidential candidate Gopal Krishna Gandhi comes in for criticism from the Shiv Sena for having sought mercy for Mumbai serial blasts convict Yakub Memon, but the Congress defends the decision.

DEL67 SC-LD NOTES-NO MORE GRACE PERIOD



New Delhi: The Centre tells the Supreme Court that no more grace period will be granted for depositing the scrapped Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, saying the very object of demonetisation and elimination of black money will be defeated if a fresh window is given.

DEL63 JK-LD CEASEFIRE



Jammu/Srinagar: A nine-year-old girl and an Army jawan have been killed and four others injured in heavy firing and mortar shelling by Pakistani troops at various places along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, officials say.

DEL47 DEF-2NDLD DGMO



New Delhi: In a stern message conveyed by the top Army brass, India tells Pakistan that it reserves the right to retaliate appropriately against any incident of ceasefire violation along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir.

MDS13 KA-2ND LD SASIKALA



Bengaluru: The Karnataka government shunts out a top woman police official who brought to light alleged special treatment to AIADMK (Amma) leader V K Sasikala in prison and dragged her senior into a bribery row over the matter.

BOM20 GJ-RAINS-TOLL RISES



Ahmedabad: The death toll due to rains across Gujarat rises to 11 as two more persons die in the last 24 hours, officials of the State Emergency Operations Centre say.

CAL16 AS-FLOOD



Guwahati: Assam floods claim five more lives, even as the overall situation improves marginally with around 8 lakh people affected across 17 districts in the state.

FGN13 PAK-SHARIF-LDALL PANAMAGATE



Islamabad: Embattled Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif rejects as "farce" a probe panel's damning report that recommended filing of a corruption case against him and his family as the Supreme Court resumed the hearing of the high- voltage Panamagate graft case. By Sajjad Hussain



FGN11 CHINA-ARMY-3RDLD DRILL



Beijing: China's military says it has conducted live-fire exercises in the remote mountainous Tibet region to test its strike capability on plateaus, amid the standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in the Doklam area in the Sikkim sector.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Following are PTI's top stories



at 2200 hours today:



DEL64 PREZ-2NDLD POLL



New Delhi: Close to 99 per cent voting has been recorded for electing India's next president, the returning officer for the poll announces, saying it was perhaps the highest-ever percentage.

DEL74 VP-NDA-LD NAIDU



New Delhi: Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu, one of most recognisable faces in the BJP, is the NDA's vice presidential candidate, party president Amit Shah says.

DEL65 POL CABINET



New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to go for a Cabinet expansion as senior minister M Venkaiah Naidu's almost certain election as the next vice president will leave two heavyweight portfolios without a Cabinet minister.

DEL67 SC-LD NOTES-NO MORE GRACE PERIOD



New Delhi: The Centre tells the Supreme Court that no more grace period will be granted for depositing the scrapped Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, saying the very object of demonetisation and elimination of black money will be defeated if a fresh window is given.

DEL73 BIZ-GST-LD CIGARETTES



New Delhi: The GST Council raises the cess on cigarettes to take away an estimated Rs 5,000 crore annual "windfall" manufacturers could have reaped from lower GST rates, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley says.

DEL70 ARREST-LD LeT



Mumbai/Lucknow: A suspected terrorist of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), allegedly involved in an attack on a CRPF camp in Uttar Pradesh in 2008, has been arrested at the Mumbai airport shortly after he flew in from UAE, police say.

DEL63 JK-LD CEASEFIRE



Jammu/Srinagar: A nine-year-old girl and an Army jawan have been killed and four others injured in heavy firing and mortar shelling by Pakistani troops at various places along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, officials say.

DEL47 DEF-2NDLD DGMO



New Delhi: In a stern message conveyed by the top Army brass, India tells Pakistan that it reserves the right to retaliate appropriately against any incident of ceasefire violation along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir.

DEL77 BIHAR-LDALL-TEJASWI



Patna: Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Prasad Yadav dismisses questions about the growing chorus for his resignation as media speculation, but the BJP says he has only two options -- resign or get sacked.

MDS13 KA-2ND LD SASIKALA



Bengaluru: The Karnataka government shunts out a top woman police official who brought to light alleged special treatment to AIADMK (Amma) leader V K Sasikala in prison and dragged her senior into a bribery row over the matter.

FGN13 PAK-SHARIF-LDALL PANAMAGATE



Islamabad: Embattled Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif rejects as "farce" a probe panel's damning report that recommended filing of a corruption case against him and his family as the Supreme Court resumed the hearing of the high- voltage Panamagate graft case. By Sajjad Hussain



FGN11 CHINA-ARMY-3RDLD DRILL



Beijing: China's military says it has conducted live-fire exercises in the remote mountainous Tibet region to test its strike capability on plateaus, amid the standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in the Doklam area in the Sikkim sector.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Following are the top foreign stories at 2100 hours today:



FGN13 PAK-SHARIF-LDALL PANAMAGATE



Islamabad: Embattled Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif rejects as "farce" a probe panel's damning report that recommended filing of a corruption case against him and his family as the Supreme Court resumed the hearing of the high- voltage Panamagate graft case. By Sajjad Hussain



FGN11 CHINA-ARMY-3RDLD DRILL



Beijing: China's military says it has conducted live-fire exercises in the remote mountainous Tibet region to test its strike capability on plateaus, amid the standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in the Doklam area in the Sikkim sector. By K J M Varma



FGN8 CHINA-2NDLD ECONOMY



Beijing: China's GDP grew 6.9 per cent in the second quarter, above the government's target for the year of 6.5 per cent, indicating that the world's second largest economy would comfortably meet its 2017 growth target amid concerns over high debt levels. By K J M Varma



FGN10 PAK-3RDLD ATTACK



Peshawar: A Taliban suicide bomber hits a vehicle carrying paramilitary force members, killing three soldiers, including a major, and injuring nine others in the restive northwest Pakistan.

FGN6 NIGERIA-BLAST



Maiduguri: Eight people were killed when a female suicide bomber detonated her explosives at a mosque in northeast Nigeria, in the latest attack in the restive region. (AFP)



FGN12 AFGHAN-LD TALIBAN



Kabul: Afghan forces have retaken a key southern district from the Taliban while in a western province, insurgents snatch three officers from their car, including a woman, and killed them, officials said. (AP)



FGN3 AFGHAN-CIVILIANS-LD UN



Kabul: Civilian deaths in Afghanistan hit a new high in the first half of 2017 with 1,662 killed and more than 3,500 injured, the United Nations says.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Following are the top stories from the Eastern Region at 2130 hours.

CAL12 WB-CBFC FILM



Kolkata : After demanding four words in a documentary on Amartya Sen to be muted, the censor board seeks to beep out two words in Bengali thriller "Meghnad Badh Rahasya".

CAL13 WB-PREZ MAMATA



Kolkata : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee says all TMC lawmakers voted for the joint opposition candidate, Meira Kumar, in the presidential election to register their protest against "what is going on in the country".

CAL14 BH-COALITION-TEJASWI



Patna : Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Prasad Yadav brushes aside questions on the growing demand for his resignation as media speculation, even as the BJP says he has only two options - resign or get sacked.

CAL15 WB-MAMATA-DIPLOMATIC



Kolkata : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee blames the Modi government's "diplomatic failure" for the "deterioration" in ties with neighbours like China, Nepal and Bangladesh, says her state "suffered" because of it.

CAL16 AS-FLOOD



Guwahati : Assam floods claims five more lives, even as the overall situation improves marginally with around 8 lakh people affected across 17 districts in the state.

CAL17 WB-GJM LD SITUATION



Darjeeling(WB) : GJM activists set fire to a traffic police outpost and a flat belonging to the electric supply board on the 33rd day of the indefinite shutdown.

CES16 NL-LIEZIETSU



Kohima : Nagaland Chief Minister Shurhozelie Liezietsu left embarrassed after being stopped at the entrance to the Assembly hall, where polling for the presidential election was going on, by the security staff.

CES17 MZ-PREZ-LD POLL



Aizawl : 38 of the total 40 MLAs of Mizoram cast their votes at the Assembly secretariat to elect the next president of the country.

CES18 BH-VACCINATION-PNEUMONIA



Patna : Bihar will soon launch a vaccination campaign to cut down casualty due to pneumonia, which claims almost 15 per cent of the child population below 5 years of age in the country.

CES19 AS-TIGRESS



Guwahati : The country's oldest tigress in captivity dies of age related ailments at the Assam state zoo.

CES20 AS-FLOOD-SONOWAL



Guwahati : Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal directs all Deputy Commissioners to ensure that families affected by the current wave floods is provided with relief materials, irrespective of whether they are staying in relief camps or not.

CES23 JH-PREZ DAS



Ranchi : Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das today claimed that the victory of NDA's presidential candidate Ramnath Kovind is "200 per cent sure" and by his victory a common man will occupy the highest post in the country.

CES24 OD-LIGHTNING



Berhampur(Odisha) : Two persons killed in lightning in separate places in Odisha's Ganjam district as incessant rains continued to pound it.

CES26 OD-DISEASE



Phulbani(Odisha) : Seven people die of some undiagnosed disease, which has affected over 80 others during the last one month at a remote Ranipanga village in Odisha's Kandhamal district.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Following are the top stories from the northern region at 2130 hrs:



DES36 PREZ POLL-AAP-REBELS



New Delhi: Rebel AAP lawmakers voted according to their "choice" for the presidential poll, with some openly suggesting that their backing may not have been for opposition candidate Meira Kumar, supported by the party.

DES23 DL-DOCTORS-ARMS-LICENCE



New Delhi: An umbrella body of government doctors has demanded that they be granted licences to keep a weapon for self defence in view of rising attacks on them.

DES46 DL-DU-NCWEB



New Delhi: The fourth list of Delhi University's (DU) Non-Collegiate Women's Education Board (NCWEB), which has been released, sees a six-per cent drop in the cut-off, compared to the previous list for B.Com and BA programmes.

DES42 DL-ROBIN HOOD BURGLAR



New Delhi: This modern day Robin Hood had quite a taste for the good life. Irfan, 27, stole from Delhi's rich and organised health camps in his village in Bihar.

DES41 JK-INDOPAK FLAG MEET



Jammu: The BSF and the Pakistan Rangers hold a flag meeting in Samba sector along the International Border here and "commit" themselves to maintaining peace on a day when an Indian Army jawan and a minor girl has been killed in heavy firing and mortar shelling by the Pakistani side along the LoC.

DES39 JK-ATTACK



Srinagar: Militants attacked an Army convoy at Bijbehara in the Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir, an army official says, adding that a man has been injured when the forces fired back.

NRG28 UP-AYODHYA-CHINMAYANAND



Jaunpur (UP): Former Union minister Swami Chinmayanand says a Ram temple in Ayodhya will be constructed by bringing in a new legislation if the Supreme Court fails to deliver a verdict on the issue by 2019.

NRG20 UP-BRIDE



Saharanpur: A bride walks out of her marriage ceremony protesting a demand of an SUV by the groom's family, police say.

NRG14 UP-AZAM



Lucknow: Days after a powerful plastic explosive was found inside the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, senior Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Azam Khan says those running the Centre and the state are answerable to the people about it.

NRG12 PB-GST-RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS



Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh seeks from Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley a GST exemption on 'langars' and the 'prasad' distributed at various religious places, including temples.

NRG34 DOG-STRANGLE-REWARD



New Delhi: An animal protection body offers Rs 50,000 reward for information on a man who was purportedly seen in a video strangling a street dog in Noida.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar will brief a parliamentary committee tomorrow on the issue of the Sino-India standoff at the border tri-junction with Bhutan, a panel member said.

The member, who did not wish to be named, said the foreign secretary along with other senior officials will brief the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs.

The panel, of which Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi is a member, is chaired by party MP Shashi Tharoor.

There has been tension in the area for the past three weeks after a Chinese Army construction party attempted to build a road there. Doka La is the Indian name for the region which Bhutan recognises as Dokalam, while China claims it as part of its Donglang region.

Last week, a meeting was called by the government to brief opposition parties on the issue.

The government had told opposition leaders that China is constructing roads near the international border, hampering the country's strategic interests. It said National Security Advisor Ajit Doval would put forward New Delhi's position before his Chinese counterparts later this month.

The meeting was attended by Jaishankar and Doval.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Four Tamil Nadu fishermen were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy today for fishing in their territorial waters, police said.

The fishermen from Jagadapattinam in Pudukottai district were arrested for fishing off Neduntheevu near the Sri Lankan coast and have been taken to Kangesanthurai by the Lankan navalmen along with their boat.

This is the fourth instance of arrest of Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Lankan Navy this month.

The fishermen had ventured into the sea four days back before they were arrested, they said.

On July 13, seven fishermen from Mandapam near here were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy at Neduntheevu and taken to Kangesanthurai port, for allegedly fishing in the Lankan waters.

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.)
The Gujarat High Court today rebuked the Reserve Bank of India for asking the National Company Law Tribunal in its June 13 directive to give priority to the insolvency proceedings against companies with huge debts.

It also questioned the functioning of the central bank.

The bench of Justice S G Shah came down heavily on the RBI for stating in its press release dated June 13, 2017 that the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) proceedings against companies with outstanding dues of more than Rs 5,000 crore "will be accorded priority by NCLT."



Essar Steel had moved the high court challenging the RBI order to banks.

The court also questioned the "functioning" of the RBI for its decision to issue the press release in which it had directed banks to initiate insolvency proceedings against defaulting companies.

"The RBI has to be careful while issuing press releases, it must be in consonance with the Constitutional mandates, based upon sound principles of law, but in any case should not be in the form of advise, guidelines or directions to judicial or quasi-judicial authorities in any manner what so ever," the court said in its order.

Further reacting to the central bank's submission that it has no document on record based on which the decision to issue press release was taken, the court said, "This goes to show the manner in which the RBI is functioning, in as much as there is a press release even without a decision at certain level that press release is to be published and what should be included in such press release."



"This is also an equally serious issue. It has been conveyed to the respondents that on such disclosure that there is no other document, pursuant to such disclosure, now, they would be debarred from relying upon any such document, if any," it added.

The court interpreted RBI's statement in its press release that "such cases (for insolvency proceedings) will be accorded priority by the NCLT" that the tribunal "has to give priority to cases filed by the directives of RBI against the cases, which are filed by other creditors or petitioners before the NCLT."



The RBI even tendered an apology to the court saying that the statement was made due to "poor drafting" of the press release, and even issued corrigendum on July 8, to delete the line.

Through in a press release dated June 13, the RBI had directed banks to launch IBC proceedings against companies with outstanding dues of more than Rs 5,000 crore, and for other NPAs, banks should finalise resolution plans in the next six months.

During its submissions, the central bank had apologised from the court for issuing that statement in the press.

Essar Steel had moved the high court seeking the court's direction to quash the RBI's direction to the banks to initiate insolvency proceedings against it.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Kerala High Court today deferred to Thursday the hearing on the bail plea of Malayalam actor Dileep, arrested for allegedly plotting the abduction and assault of a popular South Indian actress.

Justice B Sudheendra Kumar deferred the hearing, rejecting actor's fervent plea to hear the same urgently. On Thursday, the court will first hear the prosecution counsel argument against the plea.

Though counsel for the accused repeatedly insisted for a urgent hearing of the matter, the court said the plea can be considered only after hearing the investigation agency.

Pleading innocence with the court, Dileep's counsel said there was no material to implicate the actor in the case.

He argued that the actor was arrested on the basis of the statement by co-accused Sunil Kumar, alias 'Pulsar' Suni.

The actor moved the high court for bail after an Angamaly magisterial court refused to grant him the relief and sent him to judicial custody till July 25.

Dileep, charged under various sections of IPC, including the one for hatching criminal conspiracy for abduction and assault of the actress in a moving car on February 17, is currently lodged in a jail in his home town Aluva.

Opposing Dileep's bail plea in the magisterial court on Saturday, the prosecution had claimed that there was strong evidence against the actor.

The prosecution counsel had also expressed fears that on his release on bail, the accused might hamper the probe and tamper with evidence besides trying to influence witnesses.

It would also adversely affect the ongoing probe into the conspiracy behind the sensational case, the prosecution had said.

The police have claimed that the conspiracy to abduct and assault the actress and film the dastardly act was hatched by Dileep and 'Pulsar' Suni, the prime accused in the case.

In its remand application, the police had claimed that Dileep had developed a grudge against the actress for letting his former wife know about his alleged affairs and had hatched a conspiracy to take revenge way back in 2013.

The popular actress, who has worked in Tamil and Telugu films, was abducted and allegedly molested inside her car for two hours by the accused, who had forced their way into the vehicle on February 17 and later escaped in a busy area here.

Six other persons, including 'Pulsar' Suni, have been arrested in connection with the incident.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Kerala High Court today deferred to Thursday the hearing on the bail plea of Malayalam actor Dileep, arrested for allegedly plotting the February 17 abduction and assault of a popular South Indian actress.

Justice B Sudheendra Kumar deferred the hearing, turning down the actor's fervent plea to hear the same urgently.

While deferring the plea, the court said it would first hear the prosecution's argument against the bail plea on Thursday.

Though counsel for the accused repeatedly insisted for a urgent hearing of the matter, the court said the plea can be considered only after hearing the investigation agency.

Pleading innocence with the court, Dileep's counsel said there was no material to implicate the actor in the case.

He argued that the actor was arrested on the basis of the statement by co-accused Sunil Kumar, alias 'Pulsar' Suni.

Dileep's counsel said the police has arrested his client solely on the strength of the statement of the first accused, who is a notorious criminal involved in number of abduction and robbery cases.

The police made the petitioner an accused and arrested him on July 10 without conducting any independent inquiry, the counsel said adding he has been in custody since then.

Dileep's counsel argued that there are no statement even in the remand application indicating any connection of the petitioner with the crime.

The actor moved the high court for bail after an Angamaly magisterial court refused to grant him the relief and sent him to judicial custody till July 25.

Rejecting the bail plea, the magistrate court had said there is a chance of him tampering with the evidence.

The court had said the bail was rejected to ensure his presence during investigation and also to convey the strong message to "like-minded persons that these offences will not be taken lightly."



Dileep, charged under various sections of the IPC, including the one for hatching criminal conspiracy for abduction and assault of the actress in a moving car on February 17, is currently lodged in a jail in his home town Aluva.

Opposing Dileep's bail plea in the magisterial court on Saturday, the prosecution had claimed that there was strong evidence against the actor.

The prosecution counsel had also expressed fears that on his release on bail, the accused might hamper the probe and tamper with evidence besides trying to influence witnesses.

It would also adversely affect the ongoing probe into the conspiracy behind the sensational case, the prosecution had said.

The police have claimed that the conspiracy to abduct and assault the actress and film the dastardly act was hatched by Dileep and 'Pulsar' Suni, the prime accused in the case.

In their remand application, the police had claimed that Dileep had developed a grudge against the actress for letting his former wife know about his alleged affairs and had hatched a conspiracy to take revenge way back in 2013.

The actress, who has worked in Tamil and Telugu films, was abducted and allegedly molested inside her car for two hours by the accused, who had forced their way into the vehicle on February 17 and later escaped in a busy area here.

Six other persons, including 'Pulsar' Suni, have been arrested in connection with the incident.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and West Bengal government will jointly host a maga Asian meet, Horasis, in the city on 26-27 November, a senior ICC official today said.

"Global business Forum-Horasis Asia Meeting will be co-hosted by Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) on November 26 and 27," ICC newly appointed president Shashwat Goenka said.

Horasis - a global visions community committed to enact visions for a sustainable future, provides a unique platform for companies from emerging and developed markets to globalise their organisations.

Delegates from Australia, Europe and the US will also attend the meet, besides Asian CEOs, ICC director general Rajeev Singh said.

The meet is expected to highlight West Bengal in the Asian platform.

The annual Horasis Asia Meeting is Asia's foremost gathering of the region's most senior leaders from business and government and is poised to be the ideal platform to explore and advance regional cooperation, impact investing and sustainable growth, officials said.

ICC is also planning to open an office in south India for the first time this year, Goenka said.

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Barely a fortnight after GST was implemented, some taxpayers have reported that GST portal is mixing up their data with others, a "mishap" for which the I-T department blamed tax practitioners for registering multiple entities simultaneously.

The Mumbai division of CBEC in a circular said some cases have been brought to its notice wherein "taxpayers are complaining that when they are logging into their account using their login credentials, they are diverted to some other's account on GST portal and the data of another taxpayer is displayed in that account".

These, the tax department said, are the cases where the registration or enrolment of the business entity has been done by the same tax practitioner.

"This happens when a tax practitioner opens multiple windows on his/her computer in the same browser for different taxpayers. The data while filing up the application form resides in the cache memory of the computer and such mishap happens," it said.

The Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) asked all tax practitioners not to open more than one enrolment or registration case at one time.

"After completing one case, clear the cache memory of the computer system before initiating second registration/ enrolment process," it added.

GST, which was rolled out from July 1, replaces plethora of taxes like excise, service tax and VAT, and transformed India into a single market.

So far, over 69 lakh excise, VAT and Service Tax assessees have migrated to the GSTN portal and nearly five lakh new registrations have happened under GST.

The finance ministry has already asked businesses to register themselves by July 30. If a business has a valid PAN, email ID and a mobile number, then it can file an online application on the common portal https://www.Gst.Gov.In/ and get registered for GST.

On separate issue of registration for SEZ units and verticals of businesses on same PAN, the circular said tax payers should use different mobile number and email IDs for each business vertical.

This would help maintain uniqueness of the numbers in the system as PAN remains the same for a business vertical.

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"I wish no girl is born to a poor family," says Muhammad Azeem, the father of Pakistan's social media sensation Qandeel Baloch, who was killed by her brother in the name of 'honour' last year.

Qandeel, whose real name was Fouzia Azeem, was allegedly strangulated by her brother Waseem on July 15, 2016 for bringing shame to the family in Multan, some 350km from Lahore.

In his confession video, Waseem expressed no regret in killing his sister, saying, "I am proud of what I did. I drugged her first then I killed her. She was bringing dishonour to our family."



Qandeel used to support her poor parents from the money she made through these controversial means. After her death, her parents are living a poverty-stricken life.

"Qandeel was not my daughter but she was my son. She provided us financial and emotional support," 82-year-old Azeem lamented with tears in his eyes.

"My wife has gone to collect money from the people in our neighbourhood for Qandeel's death anniversary and we would continue to remember her till our last breath," he added.

Qandeel's parents held Quran Khawani on Saturday to mark her first death anniversary in their small house in Shah Sadar Din, a town in Dera Ghazi Khan, some 400km from Lahore.

"I will never forgive my son for killing my beloved daughter. Those who are saying that I have forgiven Waseem are wrong. I am in favour of strict punishment for Waseem for killing his sister so that no brother should commit such a heinous act in future," Azeem was quoted as saying by the Express Tribune.

Azeem had refused to testify against his other son Aslam for his alleged involvement in Qandeel's murder.

Qandeel's father was furious about the role of Pakistani cleric Mufti Abdul Qawi, who was embroiled in a scandal with her after she uploaded her pictures with him during a meeting.

"Qawi is also responsible for Qandeel's murder. Since the time Qawi's video appeared with my daughter on social media, her life was in danger. Qawi is a liar and I am afraid that someday he might issue a religious decree against me for supporting Qandeel."



He also complained that police deprived the couple of all the things that belonged to Qandeel.

"The police took away her mobile phone, purse and other valuables worth Rs 1 million," he said, adding "I am totally disappointed with the justice system in our country. I only demand justice from Allah Almighty."



Qandeel rose to fame due to her bold videos and pictures many considered as 'obscene' she posted on her Facebook account.

Qawi said Baloch had met this fate because she had humiliated a religious figure (him).

A Multan's sessions court has already indicted three suspects -- Waseem, Qandeel's cousin Haq Nawaz and taxi driver Abdul Basit.

The suspects however denied committing the crime. Another suspect Zafar Khosa is absconding.

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An Indian origin doctor has suggested the Punjab government a new genome therapy for treatment of cancer patients in the state.

The suggestion was made by Manoj K Bhasin, an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School in the US, at a meeting with Chief Minister Amarinder Singh here, an official release said.

Bhasin said the new therapy was based on sampling of genome taken from cancer patients and then characterise, store and sequence it to ascertain the nature and type of cancer.

The therapy could eventually prove to be quite effective in cancer treatment, he said.

Bhaisn also proposed collaboration between Harvard Medical School and the upcoming Tata Medical Centre at Medi City in Mullanpur, near New Chandigarh, for implementation of the genome therapy.

The Chief Minister assured him of all support by his government to take the venture forward and directed the chief secretary to convene a meeting with Bhasin to chalk out a comprehensive plan for its implementation.

Singh also asked the chief secretary to involve the state government Medical Colleges at Patiala, Faridkot and Amritsar, besides the Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital at Sangrur and the Advanced Cancer Centre at Bathinda, for genome sampling.

Singh told the chief secretary the departments of Health and Medical Education, and Health & Family Welfare should be involved in the programme to combat cancer, which was wreaking havoc on the lives of people in Punjab, especially in the southern parts of the state.

The chief minister also gave in principle nod to Bhasin's proposal of initiating a meditation and yoga programme for the drug addicts as a pilot project, an official spokesperson said.

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Despite pricing pressure and stiff competition, the Indian Pharma exports to the USA may go up in 2017-18 as $50 billion worth of drugs are expected to become off-patented during the current year giving hope to boost the export market, said a report by Care Ratings.

"The Indian pharmaceutical industry is likely to face competition from other countries to get ANDA (Abbreviated New Drug Application) approval. Apart from this, the Indian pharma will continue to witness pricing pressure in the US generics market due to consolidation of distribution channels and increase in competition.

"The pharma export volumes from India to US however are expected to rise. This will be backed by about $55 billion expected sales gain to generics drugs on account of branded drugs going off patent during 2017-19 which will create an opportunity for CRAMS segment. We expect growth rate for CRAMS (Contract Research and Manufacturing Services) to be higher compared to average growth rate of the industry. These factors are likely to support pharma exports from India," the Care report said.

The (IPI) earns around 70 per cent of its revenues from sale of generic drugs and generates around 50 per cent of its revenues from exports.

IPI registered revenue of around $33 billion in 2016. Exports form a major part of the industry's turnover and over 50 per cent of the sales comes from exports.

Of the total exports of $16.8 billion during the year 2016-17, majority of the exports, accounting for 40.6 per cent were to the American continent followed by 19.7 per cent to Europe, 19.1 per cent to Africa and 18.8 per cent within Asia, the report said.

"The prime reasons for the weak exports were price erosion in the generic market in the USA due to consolidation among customers i.e. The distribution channels, increase in competition, absence of blockbuster drugs going off patent and regulatory issues faced by Indian pharma companies," it said.

In 2015-16, exports to USA surged by 27.8 per cent to $5.5 billion on a year-on-year basis. However, the export scenario to USA weakened and it grew by a marginal 1.3 per cent to $5.6 billion in 2016-17.

In 2016-17, the industry faced a slew of issues with increased scrutiny of regulatory authorities, increase in competition in generics market of one of its primary export destination, USA. This, in turn, resulted in marginal growth in exports to that country.

Also, stricter enforcement of Drug Price Control Order has impacted revenue growth rate of the industry in domestic market, the report said.

The report also said with implementation of GST, there will be no major change in the prices of medicines and there is an expectation that the government will continue to keep a check on the prices of controlled as well as non-controlled drugs.
Iran has imprisoned a Chinese- American man for 10 years after accusing him of "infiltrating" the country and detained President Hassan Rouhani's brother over allegations of financial misconduct, authorities said today.

of the detentions comes less than two months after relative moderate Rouhani beat a hard-line opponent to win reelection by running in large part on his record of pursuing greater engagement with the West. They were announced by the judiciary, a pillar of hard-liners' influence.

The Chinese-American dual national was identified as Xiyue Wang, a 37-year-old history researcher, according to Mizan Online, a website affiliated with the judiciary.

He was not previously known to be among the handful of Americans detained in Iran.

"It was verified and determined that he was gathering (information) and was involved in infiltration," Judiciary spokesman Gholamhosein Mohseni Ejehi said during a routine press briefing.

Ejehi did not identify Wang by name. But hours after he spoke, Mizan published an article attributed to an unnamed source that revealed his identity and included several photos of him apparently taken from the internet.

The Mizan article said he was born in Beijing and entered Iran as a researcher. It pointed to graduate studies he did at Princeton University in 2013 and 2014, and described him as a fluent speaker of Persian.

In a statement, Princeton said Wang was arrested in Iran last summer while conducting research on the 1794-1925 Qajar dynasty for his PhD in late 19th and early 20th century Eurasian history.

"We were very distressed by the charges brought against him in connection with his scholarly activities, and by his subsequent conviction and sentence," the statement read.

The university said it's been working with Wang's family, the US government, private counsel and others to secure his release. It said it was hopeful he would be released upon appeal.

A photo of Wang on Princeton's history department shows him posing under a plaque at the entrance of China's official Xinhua Agency's bureau in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Wang was arrested on August 8, 2016 and is accused of passing confidential information about Iran to the US State Department, Princeton's Sharmin and Bijan Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Iran and Persian Gulf Studies, the Harvard Kennedy School and the British Institute of Persian Studies, according to Mizan. It alleged he recorded some 4,500 pages of digital documents.

The US State Department was not immediately able to provide details on the case. It said its citizens' safety and security is a top priority.

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Israel's military says a soldier sentenced to 18 months in prison for the fatal shooting of a wounded Palestinian attacker will be placed under house arrest ahead of his appeal later this month.

Sgt Elor Azaria was captured on video fatally shooting a Palestinian who was wounded after stabbing a soldier in the West Bank last year. The case divided Israel, where military service is compulsory.

Israel's top generals pushed for prosecution, saying Azaria violated the military's code of ethics, while large segments of the public, including politicians on Israel's nationalist right, sided with the soldier.

He has been in custody since he was sentenced in February. The military said today he would be placed under house arrest later this week.

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"Doctor Who" has got its first-ever female lead in Jodie Whittaker.

Whittaker, who rose to fame with ITV's crime drama "Broadchurch", will be playing the 13th Doctor in the BBC1 drama, reported the Guardian.

"I'm beyond excited to begin this epic journey - with Chris and with every Whovian on this planet. It's more than an honour to play the Doctor. It means remembering everyone I used to be, while stepping forward to embrace everything the Doctor stands for: hope. I can't wait," Whittaker said.

Colin Baker, the sixth actor to play the role, from 1984-86, applauded the decision of the makers.

"Well I never the BBC really did do the right thing and let the Doctor be in touch with her feminine side. As a father of daughters - result," he tweeted (sic).

Arthur Darvill, who portrayed the character of Rory Williams on "Doctor Who", simply wrote, "Yes Jodie".

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CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat today demanded police security for the two persons who were injured when Junaid Khan was stabbed on-board a train on June 22.

She met police commissioner Hanif Qureshi here and submitted a letter demanding security for the youths.

"There has been no requisition from the victim's family for police security. The administration is monitoring the situation. If there is any threat, security will be provided," the officer said.

Though the youths have been discharged from the hospital, but they still have to go for check-ups and work. "I have been informed they are not completely safe", she said.

"Hence, I have requested the administration to provide them police security," Karat said.

The killing of 17-year-old Junaid had triggered a nationwide outrage. His brothers had alleged that they were called "beef eaters" by the accused.

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Global private equity major KKR has agreed to invest USD 200 million for a 49 per cent stake in the Abhay Soi-run hospital management firm Radiant Life Care that runs the city's Nanavati Hospital and BLK Hospital in the national Capital.

"KKR has picked up 49 per cent in Radiant for USD 200 million, valuing it at a little over USD 400 million. With this my holding in the country has come down to 51 per cent.

"The proceeds will be used for expansion through acquisitions and consolidation. There are many distressed assets in the healthcare space in our metros today. We are talking to banks to partner with them to acquire some of the distressed assets," Radiant Life Care founder chairman Abhay Soi told PTI.

KKR and Radiant managements will work together to expand the company's footprint across the metros to make high-quality healthcare services more accessible, to drive health tourism business, and also organ transplants among others, Soi added.

Earlier a media report had said India-focused Singapore-based PE firm Everstone Capital was also in the race to pick up stake in Radiant.

Radiant already operates 1,000 beds of high-end, state-of-the-art quaternary care facilities in Mumbai (Nanavati Super Speciality Hospital) and New Delhi (BLK Super Speciality Hospital).

The company is already working on doubling the number of beds to 2,000 at these hospitals, Soi said, adding the ongoing expansion will be taken care of by internal accruals.

The city-based Radiant, launched by MNC banker-turned entrepreneur Soi in under a decade ago, has picked up these hospitals a few years ago and successfully rebuilt and re- launched and have already made them profitable now.

Radiant is one of the few established players managing hospitals in Mumbai and Delhi that offer high-end quaternary care, including vital organ transplants, apart from offering some of the largest bone marrow transplant units in the world.

For KKR, this investment in Radiant is an affirmation of the existing partnership having already extended a Rs 550-crore loan to Radiant to support its growth plans earlier. KKR will invest the proposed money through KKR Asian Fund III.

Following the deal Sanjay Nayar, KKR India head, and Nikhil Srivastava, a director at KKR, will join the board of Radiant.

Commenting on the investment, Nayar said "given the growing demand for superior medical treatment scale and operating leverage are increasingly important, Radiant has a unique opportunity to acquire more assets."



KKR has invested over USD3 billion through its private equity practise in the country since 2006 and its portfolio here includes Aricent, Bharti Infratel, Avendus Capital, Cafe Coffee Day, Emerald Media, Magma Fincorp, Max Financial Services, and SBI Life among others.

Radiant forayed into healthcare some years back with the re-development and commissioning of BLK, a 650-bed hospital which today is one of the largest private sector hospitals in Delhi-NCR. BLK is now being expanded into a 1,600-bed quaternary care facility.

Since 2014, Radiant has collaborated with the Nanavati Hospital Trust to take over the operations of the a 350-bed multi-speciality Nanavati Hospital. Radiant is expanding this into a 1000-bed quaternary care institute now.

As per media reports, Radiant is close to acquire Sahara Group's Lucknow hospital for Rs 500 crore with as 350 operational beds but can be scaled up to 550.

As per a May 2017 report by the Indian Brand Equity Foundation, domestic healthcare industry is slated to touch USD 160 billion by end 2017 and USD 280 billion by 2020.

Hospital and diagnostic centres attracted FDI worth USD 4.09 billion between April 2000 and September 2016,as per the Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion data.

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Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das today claimed that the victory of NDA's presidential candidate Ramnath Kovind is "200 per cent sure" and by his victory a common man will occupy the highest post in the country.

Das, who was speaking after casting his vote at Jharkhand assembly here, said "The victory of Ramnath Kovind is beyond any doubt now as he is certain to get more votes than expected."



He said the elevation of a common man to the hisghest post is not only an honour for the country but is an honour for its democracy as well.

"Under BJP rule it has been established that a common man can become prime minister and president of the country," he added.

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A suspected terrorist of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), allegedly involved in an attack on a CRPF camp in Uttar Pradesh in 2008, was arrested today at the Mumbai airport shortly after he flew in from UAE, police said.

Salim Mukim Khan alias Abu Amaar alias Arif, a native of Hathgaon in Fatehpur district of Uttar Pradesh, was facing a lookout notice and was stopped at an immigration counter on the intervening night of July 16 and 17, said a police official in Mumbai on condition of anonymity.

His interrogation and records available with the security agencies showed his alleged role in the "suicide" attack on a CRPF camp in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, on January 1, 2008, he said.

Initial inquiry by the Maharashtra ATS showed that Salim was suspected to be associated with LeT, the official said.

Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) was informed and its team reached Mumbai and arrested Salim.

Eight people, including some CRPF jawans, had been killed in the terror strike.

In Lucknow, Inspector General of UP ATS Aseem Arun said that after the arrest of ISI agent Aftab from Faizabad on May 3, 2017, the ATS had come to know that Salim Khan used to pass on directions to him and also send him money from abroad.

Arun said that two people, Kausar and Shareef, arrested in connection with the attack on CRPF camp, had told the UP police that Salim Khan had got training with them at a terror camp in Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in 2007.

While being abroad, Salim had been in contact with Aftab and gave instructions to him about terror activities and funding, the official in Mumbai said.

Aftab had been in constant touch with the Pakistan High Commission and had gathered information about several defence establishments in UP, the official said.

UP ATS and Maharashtra police are interrogating Salim Khan in Mumbai, Arun added.

In Mumbai, the police said the UP ATS will seek Salim's custody for questioning in the Rampur attack and alleged involvement in severeal other anti-national activities under their jurisdiction.

The Maharashtra ATS is extending all cooperation to its UP counterpart for Salim's interrogation, the official added.

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A suspected terrorist of Pakistan -based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), allegedly involved in an attack on a CRPF camp in Uttar Pradesh in 2008, was deported from the UAE and subsequently arrested today on his arrival at the city airport, a police official said.

Salim Munir Khan alias Abu Amaar alias Arif, a native of Hathgaon in Fatehpur district of Uttar Pradesh, was facing a lookout notice. He was arrested from the international airport on the intervening night of July 16 and 17, he said.

Salim was deported from Abu Dhabi by the United Arab Emirates authorities as he did not possess valid documents to support his stay in the Gulf country, said the police official in Mumbai on condition of anonymity.

He was working in a private company in Abu Dhabi for the last several years under a fake identity, he added.

According to the official, Salim, who left India in 2007, had played an important role in facilitating the "suicide" attack on a CRPF camp in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, on January 1, 2008.

Eight people, including some CRPF jawans, had been killed in the terror strike.

Indian law enforcement agencies, who were looking for him, had got information about his whereabouts and alerted the Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh Police, he said.

Personnel from Anti-Terrorism Squads of Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh were at the airport when Salim landed, the official said.

In Lucknow, Inspector General of UP ATS Aseem Arun said after the arrest of suspected ISI agent Aftab from Faizabad on May 3, 2017, the ATS had come to know that Salim used to pass on directions to him and also send him money from abroad.

Arun said two people, Kausar and Shareef, arrested in connection with the attack on CRPF camp, had told the UP police that Salim had got training with them at a terror camp in Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in 2007.

While being abroad, Salim had been in contact with Aftab and gave instructions to him about terror activities and funding, the official in Mumbai said.

Aftab had been in constant touch with the Pakistan High Commission and had gathered information about several defence establishments in UP, the official said.

UP ATS and Maharashtra police are interrogating Salim Khan in Mumbai, Arun added.

In Mumbai, the police said the UP ATS will seek Salim's custody for questioning in the Rampur attack and alleged involvement in several other anti-national activities under their jurisdiction.

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Nagaland Chief Minister Shurhozelie Liezietsu was left embarassed today after being stopped at the entrance to the Assembly hall, where polling for the presidential election was going on, by the security staff.

The chief minister, though not eligible to vote since he is not an elected member of the Assembly, intended to enter the hall to oversee the security arangement and logistics, but security officers blocked his entry, creating some misunderstanding between his officers and the Assembly staff, Assembly sources said.

Interacting with the media, Liezietsu said, "As the head of government, I went round to see if proper security and logistics were arranged properly."



He lamented that as he was crossing the polling hall, a staff of the Assembly pulled him from behind.

The chief minister said that he had officially intimated to the Assembly Secretariat yesterday about his visit.

The CM also regretted that the Assembly Secretariat had appointed a dissident MLA as election agent without consulting the government.

"Assembly is supposed to be above Party politics," he said.

Meanwhile, all 59 elected representatives - 47 belonging to NPF, four to BJP and eight Independents - exercised their franchise in the presidential election.

Irrespective of the leadership crisis in the Nagaland People's Front (NPF), legislators supporting Liezietsu reached the venue in a group and cast their votes. So did the 43 dissident MLAs supporting former chief minister T R Zeliang.

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Looking for appropriate and a timely resolution to the ongoing probe into the co-location issue, newly-appointed NSE chief executive Vikram Limaye today said consultancy EY is likely to submit its forensic audit report on the issue in a month.

On his first day in office as NSE's managing director and chief executive, Limaye told PTI that his top priority is to resolve the co-location issue and to ensure that the exchange fully cooperates with the regulator Sebi on the same.

The case relates to some brokers allegedly getting preferential access through co-location facility, early login and access to the 'dark fibre'-- which can allow them a split- second faster access to datafeed of the exchange. Even a split-second faster access can yield huge gains for a trader.

Through these facilities the traders in the currency derivatives and cash segments allegedly made huge gains.

While NSE has engaged Deloitte for a forensic audit of its equity derivatives platform, it has asked EY to carry out a forensic audit into cash markets and currency derivative platforms of the NSE is still underway.

"There are one or two things which are awaited. One is the EY forensic audit report on currency derivatives and the same on cash markets is likely to be out in three to four weeks...Resolution of the co-location issue is my top priority and our dialogue with Sebi in this regard is ongoing," Limaye told PTI over the phone.

"While I can't give a timeline on when the probes into the matter would be completed as Sebi has its own process, we will ensure full cooperation with the regulator so that the issue is appropriately resolved," he added.

The banker-turned marketman Limaye also said he would like to at the earliest plug any gaps in the exchange's system and would work towards strengthening the "controls and processes".

Earlier in the day he told television channels that taking NSE public through a listing can happen only after the regulatory issues related to co-location case was resolved. "Obviously IPO is an important priority for me but that would happen only once all the regulatory issues are sorted out first," he said.

He also noted that it is significant for the exchange to improve relationships with all the stakeholders, including the regulators, government, the media and the employees.

"It is also important for NSE to improve stakeholder relationships, which means relationship with the government, the regulator, clients, the media and certainly the employees. It's important to make sure that all stakeholder relationships are better than what has been in the past," he said.

Asked about last week's crash of NSE platform for more than three hours, Limaye told PTI that while its not "unusual" to have software-related issues, the exchange has had numerous conversations with the service vendors and is awaiting a report on the issue.

He said the exchange's standing committee on technology will review the problem and approve measures to prevent recurrence of such glitches.

"The root cause of the problem would be addressed and we will discuss and report it to the finance ministry and Sebi," Limaye said.

Asked if he is looking to rejig the team at NSE, Limaye said, "the exchange has a royal and committed workforce. However, I will see if there are any gaps or re- positioning required".

In his communication to NSE employees earlier in the day, Limaye said "while currently the institution is faced with certain challenges, I am confident we will overcome these issues by working together and emerge as a stronger and better organisation".

"I am very optimistic about the future and I strongly believe the best is yet to come for the NSE Group. Let's work together with a sense of purpose, positive energy, creativity/ innovation and collaboration," he added.

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Heavy rains led to swelling of many rivers in the country with two deaths reported in Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh today while the flood situation remained grim in Assam where seven more persons have died in the deluge taking the toll to 59.

Two persons lost their lives in Sivasagar, one each was killed in flood-related incidents in Morigaon, Bongaigaon, South Salmara, Sonitpur and Jorhat districts.

With this, the total number of persons losing their lives in this year's flood-related incidents has gone up to 59, which includes eight in Guwahati. Nearly 12 lakh people in 24 districts are affected by the deluge.

Around 52 per cent area of Kaziranga National Park was submerged which led to death of some animals while some others moved to nearby highlands.

At present 1,795 villages in the state are inundated. The worst affected is South Salmara, where over 3.07 lakh people have been affected by the deluge.

The Brahmaputra river is flowing above the danger mark at four places -- Nimatighat in Jorhat, Tezpur in Sonitpur, Goalpara and Dhubri towns.

A major portion of the National Highway 2 between Nagaland and Manipur was severely damaged due to a landslide near Viswema village in Nagaland's Kohima district.

Light rains were witnessed in several parts of the national capital with the maximum temperature settling at 36.4 degrees Celsius and the minimum at 28.4 degrees Celsius.

The Safdarjung observatory, the recording of which is considered official for the city, received 4.8 mm rainfall.

Humidity levels oscillated between 82 and 63 per cent.

With monsoon remaining active in Uttar Pradesh, waters in major rivers like Ghaghra and Sharda were flowing above the danger mark at some places in the state.

The danger of floods was looming over villages in four tehsils of Barabanki district with Nepal releasing water in the Ghaghra river.

With several villages of Ramsanehi ghat and Sirauli Gauspur tehsils inundated, locals have taken shelter on the river embankments, officials said adding relief was being provided to the affected people.

Two minor boys were washed away by the rising waters of the river Ganga after their bullock cart overturned in Sambhal district. The body of one of the boys has been recovered.

The river Sharda was flowing above the red mark at Palia Kalan the Ghaghra river has crossed the danger mark at Elgin Bridge in Barabanki.

Heavy rains lashed parts of Rajasthan with Sirohi in Mount Abu recording 17 cm rainfall, the highest in the state.

Pipalkhut and Kotda in Udaipur both received 10 cm rains till this morning. Abu Road and Reodar, Bakani gauged 9 cm rainfall.

In Gujarat, heavy rains lashed parts of the state, including Morbi, Surendranagar and Rajkot districts, leading to reservoirs and rivers overflowing their banks, resulting in the death of one person.

Hundreds of people in these three districts were shifted to safer places from low-lying areas near rivers and dams. In Rajkot, authorities have asked citizens not to venture out of their houses.

Chotila in Surendranagar received around 450 mm of rain while Tankara in Morbi district registered 340 mm rainfall. Rajkot city received 400 mm of rainfall till 11 am.

Following heavy rains, Aji and Macchu rivers in Rajkot and Surendranagar districts respectively, have swollen.

"NDRF teams have been stationed in Tankar, Chotila and Valsad, Surat of South Gujarat and Palanpur in north Gujarat," a government release said.

Maximum temperatures stayed close to the normal levels at most places in Punjab and Haryana with Chandigarh, the joint capital of the two states, recording a high of 33.5 degrees Celsius.

In Haryana, Ambala recorded a high of 33.3 degrees Celsius while Hisar and Karnal registered maximums of 37.5 degrees Celsius and 34.4 degrees Celsius, respectively.

Amritsar in Punjab recorded a high of 35.7 degrees Celsius while Ludhiana and Patiala recorded their maximums at 35.8 degrees Celsius and 35.2 degrees Celsius, respectively.

Moderate to heavy rains occurred in parts of Himachal Pradesh with the exception of the lower hills which witnessed a hot and humid day.

Dharamshala which received 95 mm of rains was the wettest place in the state. There was no significant change in the minimum and maximum temperatures.

Odisha is likely to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall due to formation of a low pressure area in northwest Bay of Bengal off the coast of north Odisha and West Bengal.

Most places of the state received light to moderate rainfall since yesterday. Cuttack received 45 mm rains while Sundergarh gauged 36 mm of precipitation.

Light rainfall occurred at one or two places in Bihar with maximum temperature was hovering around 35 degrees Celsius in four major cities of Patna, Gaya, Bhagalpur and Purnea.

Bhagalpur recorded the highest maximum temperature of 35.8 degrees Celsius followed by 35.4 degrees Celsius in Purnea, 35.2 degrees Celsius in Patna and 34.2 degrees Celsius in Gaya.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Supermodel Miranda Kerr for the first time revealed her wedding photographs in which she looked nothing less than a Hollywood beauty icon.

Kerr, 34, tied the knot with Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel on May 27 this year.

She gave Vogue the first look at her wedding gown, a long-sleeved satin creation with appliqued lilies by Dior Haute Couture, reported People magazine.

Kerr said her look was inspired by Grace Kelly's iconic dress at her 1956 wedding to Prince Rainier of Monaco.

"A dress that fully covers you creates a sense of purity and mystery. I've had a lot of fun with fashion, and I used to be more wild, free, bohemian.

"But in this period of my life, my style is more pulled back. My greatest sources of inspiration have always been Grace, Audrey Hepburn, and my grandmother, who at 80 has an effortless chic: a nice pant, a white blouse, a scarf, a little heel," She said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today walked up to senior opposition leaders in the Lok Sabha to greet them as the House met on the opening day of the monsoon session while voting was underway for the keenly- contested presidential election in the parliament complex.

Just before the proceedings began, Modi, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar greeted leaders from various parties in the opposition benches including Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav and National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah.

Abdullah took oath as Lok Sabha member today after winning the Srinagar bypoll recently.

While the Prime Minister greeted Gandhi with a 'namaste', he shook hands with Yadav. Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan's son Chirag was seen touching the feet of the Prime Minister.

Swaraj, who greeted the opposition leaders after Modi, was seen talking to Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge.

Earlier this morning, Modi had said that like the monsoon, this session also brings a spirit of hope.

"After the summer, the rains fill the soil with pleasant smell. The same way, due to the good rains of the GST, the whole session will be full of enthusiasm," he told reporters.

Modi was among the first to cast his vote in the parliament house complex to elect the next president of India. The Congress-led opposition's nominee Meira Kumar is pitted against NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind.

The results will be declared on July 20 in New Delhi.

The BJP has exuded confidence that Kovind would win with a "comfortable" margin, while the opposition said Kumar was the best choice in the "clash of ideologies".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today walked up to senior opposition leaders in the Lok Sabha to greet them as the House met on the opening day of the monsoon session while voting was underway for the keenly- contested presidential election in the parliament complex.

Just before the proceedings began, Modi, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar exchanged pleasantries with leaders in the opposition benches including Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav and National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah.

Abdullah took oath as Lok Sabha member today after winning the Srinagar bypoll recently.

While the Prime Minister greeted Gandhi with a 'namaste', he shook hands with Yadav. Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan's son Chirag was seen touching the feet of the Prime Minister.

Swaraj, who walked up to the opposition leaders after Modi, was seen talking to Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge.

Earlier this morning, Modi had said that like the monsoon, this session also brings a spirit of hope.

"After the summer, the rains fill the soil with pleasant smell. The same way, due to the good rains of the GST, the whole session will be full of enthusiasm," he told reporters.

Modi was among the first to cast his vote in the parliament house complex to elect the next president of India. The Congress-led opposition's nominee Meira Kumar is pitted against NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind.

The results will be declared on July 20 in New Delhi.

The BJP has exuded confidence that Kovind would win with a "comfortable" margin, while the opposition said Kumar was the best choice in the "clash of ideologies".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Leader of Opposition Ajay Singh cast their votes as the voting for the presidential election began in the state Assembly this morning.

In the first hour of voting which began at 10 am, 85 legislators out of the total 228 eligible voters cast their votes. The polling will end at 5 pm, an election official said.

The two contestants for the post of the country's next president are NDA's candidate Ram Nath Kovind and the opposition's Meira Kumar.

Besides Chouhan and Singh, state Assembly Speaker Dr Sitasharan Sharma, Deputy Speaker Rajendra Singh and nearly 12 ministers cast their votes for the presidential election.

The Madhya Pradesh has a total of 230 Assembly seats. However, only 228 MLAs are eligible to vote at present.

The Chitrakoot Assembly seat is vacant due to the demise of Congress legislator Prem Singh and the state's public relations minister, Narottam Mishra, has been disqualified for three years by the Election Commission over paid charges.

There are 29 Lok Sabha MPs and 12 Rajya Sabha members from Madhya Pradesh.

The electorate have been provided special pens to cast their votes, the election official said.

Following the ink controversy in the Rajya Sabha polls in Haryana last year, the Election Commission decided to use special pens for the electors to mark their votes in the presidential election.

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National Confederation of Human Rights Organisations (NCHRO) today urged ONGC to publish a white paper on its ongoing oil exploration operations and future plans in Cauvery delta areas in the district.

A team of NCHRO, the umbrella body of various human rights and civil rights organisations and activists, led by its Chairperson Prof A Marx,had last week visited Kathiramangalam, Kuthalam, Vilamal and Adiyakkamangalam, where ONGC is conducting the explorations.

They interacted with the villagers who have been protesting over the last two weeks against the exploration by the oil major as they fear it would affect the environment and also their livelihood, NCHRO sources said.

They team held discussions with ONGC officials regarding the projects and submitted a report with various suggestions to the government and the PSU.

It urged the government to release 10 persons arrested for protesting against ONGC's operations and withdrawal of cases filed against them.

The team also wanted the Government to constitute a panel headed by a High Court judge to study the environmental impact due to ONGC's operations in the Cauvery delta region.

The panel should include technical and industry experts besides doctors and human rights activists.

Noting that ONGC's operations in Kathiramangalam had been suspended temporarily due to local protest,the team urged the government to stop ONGC's activities till the apprehensions of the people are allayed.

On June 30, several persons, including two policemen, were injured when some locals and activists allegedly belonging to opposition parties, reportedly indulged in violence while protesting a 'leak' in an ONGC pipe, leading to lathicharge at Kathiramangalam.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
More than three months after it cancelled the licence of the Le Meridien hotel here over non- payment of dues, the NDMC has decided to probe the role of its officials in alleged irregularities in the recovery of the amount the hotel owed the civic body.

The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) ordered an internal probe after its ex-chairman Jalaj Srivastava, himself under the CBI scanner in the case, approached Chief Minister Arvind Kejrwial claiming he was being "falsely implicated".

The luxury hotel's licence was cancelled by the NDMC in March this year over the non-payment of dues of Rs 523 crore.

"The panel will place its report before the Council which will take further action," an NDMC official said on the condition of anonymity.

There has been a controversy over Le Meridien's licence fee since 2015 with allegations of irregularities against NDMC officials in the recovery of fees from the 5-star property located in the city's Lutyens' Zone.

It is alleged that the NDMC allowed a settlement of dues by accepting a one-time amount of over Rs 150 crore, when Srivastava was its chairman, which allegedly resulted in a loss of Rs 400 crore to the exchequer.

"There are several officials in the NDMC who had accused Srivastava of irregularities in the deal," the official said.

Srivastava, in turn, has also accused NDMC staffers of "concealing facts and misleading the council", he said.

"Therefore, it was felt that an internal panel be set up to probe the issue," he said.

Srivastava, now an additional secretary in the Union agriculture ministry, had written to Kejriwal in March alleging he was being "falsely implicated" by the council.

Last year, the Central government had constituted the K K Pathak Committee to look into the alleged irregularities in the payment of dues by four luxury hotels under the NDMC, including Le Meridien.

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The National Green Tribunal today appointed four local commissioners to inspect drains, falling under different civic bodies, which join river Yamuna and apprise it whether they were unclogged as claimed by the authorities.

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar appointed advocates Meera Gopal, Sharad Sharma, Arjun Nanda and Vinayak Gupta as local commissioners and directed them to inspect the drains at Gulabi Bagh, Chirag Delhi, Kalyanpuri and trunk drain no 1 at Seelampur today itself.

A trunk drain is a large-capacity drainage or stormwater channel which clears local street drainage systems.

"They shall also visit trunk drain no 1 and report to the tribunal as to whether these drains are clean from any silt, municipal solid waste and other wastes or non-acceptable substances in the drains.

"They shall also observe and state as to whether these drains are carrying sewage and as a result thereof there is odour in the environment," the bench said.

During the hearing, the counsel appearing for North Delhi Municipal Corporation told the bench that it has 195 drains which are more than 4 feet.

While the South Delhi Municipal Corporation has 18,459 drains in total, 221 drains fall under the jurisdiction of the East Delhi Municipal Corporations, the NGT was told.

The tribunal had earlier taken note of a drain clogged with garbage and municipal solid waste near a residential colony in North East Delhi and sought a reply from the Delhi government on the issue.

It had asked the authorities to show cause as to why appropriate action should not be taken against them for violating the orders of the NGT.

The order had come after the NGT took suo motu cognisance of a media report and picture showing a drain clogged with municipal solid waste near a residential area in Seelampur here.

The green panel had said that all authorities are under "statutory" obligation to ensure that waste is "collected, transported and disposed" of in accordance with Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 so that it does not cause public health hazards.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Congress led Punjab government today ruled out imposing fresh taxes despite "precarious" financial condition of the state.

"No tax is going to be imposed," state finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal said while putting rest to the speculations that the government was mulling new taxes in the state in the wake "poor" fiscal condition.

"Try to understand, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) has been implemented in the country and no elbow room is left for introducing new tax in the state," he further said.

Badal hoped that the state had been assured of 14 per cent rise in revenue for next five years by the Centre.

With a revenue deficit of Rs 14,784 crore, Punjab's debt burden is expected to reach Rs 1.95 lakh crore by the end of current fiscal.

On debt waiver, Badal said T Haque, chairman of expert group to assess the quantum of agricultural debt and suggest ways and means for its waiver, will meet bankers soon in this regard.

"We think in next 60 days, we will be able to implement debt waiver fully," he said.

The Punjab government had already announced total waiver of crop loans up to Rs 2 lakh of small and marginal farmers, and a flat Rs 2 lakh relief for all marginal farmers, irrespective of the loan amount.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
HMD Global, which holds the rights for brand, will launch a new version of 105 model priced at Rs 999 as it looks to tap the feature phone market in the country.

The dual SIM version of the device will be priced at Rs 1,149 (excluding taxes and subsidies). Both devices will hit the stores on Wednesday.

Besides, the company will also launch another feature phone, 130, in India in the coming weeks.

"With more than four billion people remaining offline and unable to benefit from the social and economic development opportunities of the Internet, simply getting connected by voice and text is still such an important step for many people around the world," HMD Global CEO Arto Nummela said in a statement.

He added that more than 400 million feature phones were sold globally in 2016.

It is estimated that there are over 1.3 billion feature phone users across the world, mainly in markets like Asia and Africa.

"We cannot underestimate the need and benefit of being connected and we are dedicated to delivering devices that can enable many people around the world to expand their horizon," he said.

While smartphone sales in India have grown at a massive pace, feature phones continue to account for more than half of the mobile phone sales in the country.

According to research firm IDC, feature phone shipments stood at 29.7 million units compared to 27 million smartphones during the January-March 2017 quarter.

HMD has said it will include both feature and smartphones in its portfolio as it attempts to make a comeback into the global mobile phone market that is dominated by the likes of Samsung, Apple and Huawei.

Nokia 105, in its previous avatar, sold well over 200 million units. The revamped version of the Nokia 105 features a new ergonomic design, better battery life, a larger screen size and new tactile island keymat, HMD said.

Both models feature 1.8-inch colour screens and LED torch lights.

The Nokia 130 is expected to be priced under Rs 1,500 and is likely to be launched in India around September.

(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 nine-year-old girl and an Army jawan were killed and four others injured today in heavy firing and mortar shelling by Pakistani troops at various places along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.

The Indian Army retaliated, triggering heavy exchanges, they said.

In Rajouri, the administration sounded alert and advised theresidents to stay indoors in the wake of the Pakistani shelling, Deputy Commissioner Shahid Iqbal Choudhary said.

The Pakistani action affected a population of 4500-5000 in villages of Panjgrain, Rajdhaniand Naika in Rajouri-Poonch belt, he added.

"The Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked firing on Indian Army posts in Rajouri sector and Poonch district around 0730 hours. The Indian Army retaliated strongly and effectively," a Defence spokesman said.

In the exchange of fire, Naik Muddasar Ahmed was grievouslyinjured when mortar shells landed on his bunker, the spokesman said,adding that he succumbed tohis injuries later.

The 37-year-old jawan issurvived by wife Shaheena Muddasar and two children.

"Ahmed was a brave and sincere soldier. He loved his job tothe core," the spokesman said, adding "The nation will always remain indebted to him for the supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty."



The Pakistani troops also targeted civilian areas in Balakote, Manjakote and Baroti belts of Rajouri, a police officer said.

In the firing and shelling, 9-year-old Sajada Houser was killed at Baroti, the officer said.

"Heavy mortal shelling was reported in forward areas of TehsilManjakote in Rajouri this morning. A population of 4500-5000 invillages of Panjgrain, Rajdhani and Naika among others was affected," Choudhary said.

Two civilians were injured in the shelling, he said, adding one seriouslyinjured Shah Begum was admitted in district hospital while other injured Sharief Ahmed was given first aid.

"District Administration ordered closure of all schools earlymorning. However, 120 students were held up in Government School atPanjgrain and on report of headmaster, senior officers coordinated fortheir safe evacuation as shelling was reported of have affected nearby area," the DC said.

"The firing and shelling exchanges stopped at 1445 hours," the defence spokesman said.

Later in the day, Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked firing at three villages in Kamalkote area of Uri in Baramulla district at around 3 pm, defence sources said.

They said one soldier was injured in the firing.

Intermittent firing by Pakistani troops was going on till lastreports came in.

In this month, seven people, including four jawans, have died in firing and shelling by the Pakistani Army along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An Army jawan and a nine-year-old girl were killed while three persons injured in heavy firing and mortar shelling by the Pakistan Army along the LoC in Poonch and Rajouri districts of Jammu and Kashmir today.

The Indian Army retaliated, triggering heavy exchanges.

"The Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked firing on Indian Army posts in Rajouri sector and Poonch district at around 0730 hours. The Indian Army retaliated strongly and effectively", a Defence spokesman said.

In the fire exchange, Naik Muddasar Ahmed was grievously injured when mortar shells landed on his bunker, the spokesman said, adding that he was evacuated to the MI room where he succumbed to injuries.

37-year-old Ahmed, who belonged to village Duchoo, is survived by wife Shaheena Muddasar and two children.

"Ahmed was a brave and sincere soldier. He loved his job to the core," the spokesman said. The nation will always remain indebted to him for the supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty, he said.

Pakistan also shelled mortars on civilian areas in Balakote, Manjakote and Baroti belts, a police officer said.

In the firing and shelling, 9-year-old Sajada Houser was killed at Baroti, police officer said.

A senior district official of Rajouri said two civilians were injured in shelling in Manjakote belt of Rajouri district and have been hospitalised. A jawan was also injured, he said.

All schools in border of Manajote and Balakote belts are closed and people have been advised not to come out of their homes in view of the heavy shelling, they said.

Seven persons, including four jawans were killed, in ceasefire violations by Pakistan Army along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir in July this year.

(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.)
Voting for the presidential election in Tamil Nadu was over in just about two hours today with 232 legislators, Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan, and a Kerala MLA casting their votes at the Assembly secretariat conference hall here.

Chief Electoral Officer, Tamil Nadu, Rajesh Lakhoni said the ballot box would be sealed at 5 PM and taken to Delhi by a 9.10 PM flight.

Assistant Returning Officer (Secretary in charge of TN Assembly), K Boopathy will be taking the ballot box to Delhi along with Joint Secretary Subramanian, he told reporters.

Leader of the Opposition and DMK Working President M K Stalin told reporters after casting his vote that his party chief M Karunanidhi would not be coming to vote in view of his health and doctor's advice.

"All our party MLAs (88 MLAs except Karunanidhi) have voted," he told reporters after voting.

While Chief Minister K Palaniswami was the first to cast his vote at 10 am, AIADMK (Puratchi Thalaivi Amma) legislator and former Minister S Semmalai was the last to exercise his franchise by 11.56 am.

After Palaniswami, his cabinet colleagues including Forest Minister Dindigul C Srinivasan, and School Education Minister KA Sengottaiyan, rebel AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam, his loyalist and former Minister K Pandiarajan cast their votes.

Following them, Stalin, Congress Legislature Party Leader K R Ramsamy, IUML MLA KM Mohammed Abubacker and all others voted.

Out of the 234 MLAs in TN Assembly, RK Nagar seat is vacant and Karunanidhi is not scheduled to vote and the rest of 232 legislators voted.

Besides them, Pon Radhakrishnan, representing Kanyakumari Lok Sabha constituency and Parikkal Abdullah from Kerala voted here taking the total number of voters here to 234.

Radhakrishnan, authorised election representative (agent) of NDA candidate Ramnath Kovind, was present through the voting process.

Besides Radhakrishnan, Semmalai and Assembly Deputy Speaker Pollachi V Jayaraman were also the authorised representatives of Kovind.

For opposition candidate Meira Kumar, Congress MLA S Vijayadharani and DMK Whip R Sakkarapani were the authorised representatives.

The tenure of incumbent Pranab Mukherjee, the 13th president of India, ends on July 24.

Earlier, at about 8.30 am the ballot box was inspected by authorities at the strong room in the Assembly complex and brought to the polling station (conference hall) by 9.10 am. Polling began at 10 am.

The polling station was sanitised by police and election officials yesterday, according to Lakhoni.

At the polling station, officials including Chief Electoral Officer, Observer, Assistant Returning officer cum presiding officer Boopahty were present.

As soon as voters (MLAs and MP) arrived, their national serial number as prepared by the Election Commission was announced in the hall and after scrutiny, MLAs were given pink colour slips, while a green colour slip was given for the MP to vote.

Meanwhile, at the neighbouring Puducherry all 30 elected legislators who are members of the Electoral College exercised their franchise.

Speaker V Vaithilingam was first to vote, followed by Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, his cabinet colleagues and other legislators belonging to the ruling Congress and its alliance partner the DMK which has two members on its side.

Although the opposition AINRC has eight legislators in the House, one of its members P R N Tirumurugan representing Karaikal, however, turned up at the booth separately and after casting his vote he left the venue without talking to media.

Tirumurugan virtually drew the attention of all those present at the venue.

The remaining seven AINRC legislators including the Leader of the Opposition and former Chief Minister N Rangasamy also cast their votes.

All the four AIADMK legislators also exercised their franchise in the forenoon. The polling ended at 12.45 PM.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A total of 117 out of 119 members of the Telangana Legislative Assembly cast their vote in the presidential election today, barring the MIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi and the ruling TRS member Manohar Reddy.

While Owaisi is out of the country, according to sources in his party, Reddy is undergoing treatment at a hospital here.

TRS president and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao spoke to Reddy's family members and told them that Reddy need not come for voting in view of his health, a release from his office said.

Rao was the first to cast his vote in the Assembly.

A substantial number of MLAs exercised their franchise by afternoon, official sources said.

The TRS had earlier declared support to NDA nominee Ram Nath Kovind in the election.

The party yesterday conducted a meeting of its MLAs to familiarise them with the voting procedure.

The value of each MLA's vote in Telangana is 132.

The authorities had made elaborate arrangements for the election.

Kovind, and Meira Kumar, the former Lok Sabha Speaker who is the UPA nominee for the presidential poll, had earlier visited Hyderabad to mobilise support for their candidature.

Kovind is assured of the support of NDA partners BJP and TDP.

MIM has supported the candidature of Kumar, party sources said.

In the 119-member Telangana House, excluding a nominated member who doesn't have the right to vote in the presidential election, the ruling TRS has 82 members, the Congress (19), MIM (7), BJP (5), TDP (3), CPI (1), CPI-M (1) and Independent (1).

There are 17 Lok Sabha members and 10 Rajya Sabha members from Telangana.

Noting that Kumar was the Lok Sabha speaker when the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill (for the formation of Telangana) was passed, the Congress had earlier said all electors in Telangana should vote for her as an expression of gratitude.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
This modern day Robin Hood had quite a taste for the good life. Irfan, 27, stole from Delhi's rich and organised health camps in his village in Bihar.

He kept quite a bit of the loot for himself too -- spending lavishly on expensive cars, fashionable apparel and trips to watering holes in Mumbai and Delhi, police said.

That was until he was nabbed by a Delhi Police team from his village in Bihar's Sitamarhi district.

Police said he would roam barefoot around posh colonies in the capital, break open doors or windows, and vanish with valuables, always acting alone.

In one of the bars in Delhi, he once offered to pay Rs 10,000 to hear a song of his choice, said Romil Baaniya, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast).

He was arrested on July 6 after being caught on CCTV footage in the capital's New Friends Colony, allegedly after robbing gold and diamond jewelery from a resident, who filed a police complaint on May 24.

"He maintained a larger-than-life image in his native area. He would often fund health camps for people in his village," said Baaniya.

The official said he was quite active on social media and would spend large sums of money to impress his girlfriend.

The police also arrested one Dharmender who used to buy the valuables from Irfan. Stolen jewellery weighing 320 grams was recovered from them.

Irfan claims to have committed burglaries in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab as well, Baaniya said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Noted lawyer Rohini Salian has given her consent to be the special public prosecutor in the 2014 Mohsin Shaikh murder case.

Mohsin, an IT professional, was allegedly killed by members of the Hindu Rashtra Sena in Hadapsar area here.

In a letter, addressed to Mohsin's father Sadique Shaikh, Salian gave her consent to represent as the SPP in the case.

Confirming the development, Salian said she was approached by Shaikh's kin to appear in the case and she has now given her consent.

"I have given my consent and I am ready to represent as SPP in the case, subject to government's notification," she told PTI.

In June, Mohsin's kin had written to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadanvis, seeking appointment of Salian as SPP after well-known lawyer Ujjwal Nikam withdrew as SPP in the case.

The family had also approached Salian requesting her to appear in the case.

Sadique Shaikh told PTI that they have received a letter from Salian where she has given her consent to represent in the case.

Expressing satisfaction, Sadique said their hopes for justice have been revived.

"We will now be approaching Maharashtra government with the Salian's consent letter and will request them to appoint her as SPP at earliest," Sadique said.

The Maharashtra government cancelled appointment of Nikam as prosecutor in the case on his request.

A notification by Maharashtra's Law and Judiciary Department said it had withdrawn its order appointing Nikam as SPP, on his request, in the case pending before a Pune court.

In 2016, Salian had withdrawn from 2008 Malegaon blast case alleging that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had asked her to "go soft on the accused" in the case.

Shaikh (28) was attacked and killed on June 2, 2014 allegedly by Hindu Rashtra Sena members.

Around 20 people, including HRS chief Dhananjay Desai, were arrested in connection with the case.

The Bombay High Court granted bail to three accused -- Vijay Gambhire, Ganesh Yadav and Ajay Lalge -- on January 17 while observing that the trio seemed to be provoked in the name of religion.

Police had suspected that the incident was a fallout of violent protests in Pune over derogatory pictures of Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji and the late Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray on a social networking site.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Markets regulator Sebi will soon pass an order on global auditing firm Price Waterhouse for its alleged negligence and lapses in a nearly decade-old corporate fraud case involving Satyam Computer Services, regulatory officials said.

Sebi is investigating the role of the auditing firm which worked for Satyam between 2000 and 2008 and has been under the scanner for allegedly concealing the scam that came to light in January 2009 when the company's founder B Ramalinga Raju himself admitted to fudging the books.

"The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) would soon pass an order against Price Waterhouse in Satyam case," a regulatory official said on condition of anonymity as the final order is still being framed.

Sebi, which has been probing Price Waterhouse for a long time and was asked by the Supreme Court in January to expedite the matter, held a series of hearings with the auditing major and its officials during May-June this year.

The officials said the government has also received certain complaints regarding Price Waterhouse and it has asked Sebi to look into the matter.

When asked about submissions made by the group, a Price Waterhouse spokesperson said: "The matter is at procedural stage of the proceedings and thus no substantive submissions have been made, which shall be done as and when the occasion arises."

The Supreme Court, in January, had directed Sebi to complete in six months its enquiry proceedings against Price Waterhouse.

Soon after the scam came to light, Sebi had issued show-cause notices to Price Waterhouse and its associates in February 2009. Further notices were issued to Price Waterhouse in 2012 under Fraudulent and Unfair Trade Practises (FUTP) regulations.

Pursuant to Sebi's show cause notice, Price Waterhouse had moved the Bombay High Court, saying that Sebi being a stock market regulator has no jurisdiction to issue show-cause notice to auditors' firm. Only a body such as Institute of Chartered Accountants of India can do this, it contended.

On the other hand, Sebi had said that auditors have "direct, fiduciary" relationship with shareholders and they had incurred losses due to decisions based on Satyam's balance sheet. Later, the Bombay High Court ruled that Sebi had the powers to issue show cause notice to Price Waterhouse.

Following issuance of show cause notices way back in 2009, Price Waterhouse had submitted applications to the regulator seeking cross-examination of certain persons associated with the case. In December 2010, Sebi allowed cross-examination of some of the persons, but refused the same for a few others.

Later, Price Waterhouse had approached the Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) on the issue of cross-examination, following which the Tribunal last month asked the regulator to allow cross-examination of some more persons.

After nearly 7 years of investigation, Sebi in 2015 asked 10 entities linked to the main accused B Ramalinga Raju - including his mother, brother and son - to disgorge over Rs 1,800 crore worth of illegal gains made by them.

Besides, they were asked to pay close to Rs 1,500 crore as interest on the disgorgement amount, as the penalty was levied with effect from January 7, 2009 -- the day Raju admitted to a massive long-running fraud at the company.

Prior to that, Sebi in July 2014 had barred Raju and other individuals from the securities market for 14 years.

After hearing appeal against these orders, the SAT in May this year directed Sebi to pass a fresh order with respect to the quantum of punishment given to Raju and four others.

While agreeing with Sebi's finding that the individuals violated regulations, the tribunal also said the decision to uniformly restrain all the appellants from accessing the securities market for 14 years "without assigning any reasons is unjustified".
The Supreme Court today stayed the contempt proceedings initiated against the HRD ministry, the Delhi University and its vice-chancellor for denying pension to retired teachers despite a Delhi High Court order.

A bench comprising Justices M B Lokur and Deepak Gupta issued notices to all the teachers and sought their reply on the plea filed by the Delhi University against initiation of the contempt proceedings against the varsity and others.

The order came after senior advocate Aman Sinha, appearing for the Delhi University, said that these employees had consciously chosen Contributory Provident Fund (CPF) scheme over General Provident Fund (GPF) scheme.

He said that after availing benefit for 30 years, to turn around and seek GPF would be legally impermissible against the judgments of the apex court.

The lawyer also stated that such action will encourage similar demands from a large number of government employees who had chosen CPF decades ago.

The top court was hearing a plea filed by the Delhi University against the High Court's order to give pension to the retired teachers.

The Delhi High Court had directed the Delhi university, the University Grants Commission and the HRD ministry to deposit around Rs 50 crore by July 19 failing which action would be taken against alleged contemnors.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
All three accused in Sheena Bora murder case, including former media honcho Peter Mukerjea and his wife Indrani, were allowed by a CBI court to defer their cross examination of a police officer in the case.

The special CBI court allowed the trio to defer their cross examination on a plea made by them earlier on July 4.

The trio had sought court's permission to defer the cross examination of Sub Inspector Ganesh Dalvi, who had deposed before the court in connection with the arrest of Shyamwar Rai, driver of key accused Indrani Mukerjea, in an arms case.

Dalvi, the first witness to depose in the case, had arrested Rai in connection with Arms Act case and during his interrogation in that case, the driver had blew the lid off Sheena Bora's murder.

On July 4, the defence lawyers had moved an application seeking to cross examine Dalvi only after the examination of Rai.

The CBI had objected to the plea saying the deferment of the cross-examination of the police officer by the accused would delay the trial.

"It is a general practice that if there is an approver in a case, he is brought as the first witness," defence counsel Shrikant Shivde, appearing for Peter Mukerjea, had argued in the application, referring to Sub-Inspector Dalvi's deposition prior to Rai in the case.

"Here we need to confront omission or/and contradictions of Rai with Dalvi's (during cross examination)," Shivde had said.

Meanwhile, Indrani filed an application in the court, seeking its permission to sign a special power of attorney in the name of one T Ramkrishna for leasing her property situated in Phoenix.

Peter too has moved an application seeking access to the case diary from Khar police station.

Key accused Indrani, her husband Peter and former husband Sanjeev Khanna have been accused of conspiracy and murder of Sheena Bora, Indrani's daughter from an earlier relationship.

While Sheena was killed on April 24, 2012, the case came to light only in 2015 after Indrani's driver Shyamwar Rai was arrested in another case.

Rai was also arrested in the murder case but he turned an approver last year.

All the three accused - Peter, Indrani and Sanjeev - are in judicial custody.

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A Sri Lankan university was fending off allegations of animal cruelty after being accused of inhumanely killing dozens of cats and dogs in a mass cull on campus.

Tranquiliser darts were used to sedate the stray animals at the prestigious University of Moratuwa but many died from the dose, activists said today.

"This is cruel and brutal treatment of animals and we want action taken against those responsible," animal rights activist Wibodha Ambeygoda told AFP.

She said university authorities removed paralysed animals from the campus and dumped them 20 kilometres (12 miles) away to die.

A spokesman for the university said a private company was contracted to cull the stray animals from the campus.

Sri Lanka has strict flora and fauna laws, and cruelty to animals is punishable with up to five years in jail.

Six people were jailed in March last year after posting photos online showing them skinning a sea eagle alive.

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Astronomers have detected mysterious radio signals coming from the direction of a small, dim star located about 11 light-years from Earth.

The signals came from a red dwarf star - Ross 128 (GJ 447) - which is around 2,800 times dimmer than the Sun and is not yet known to have any planets, researchers said.

The "strange" radio signals were detected by astronomers at the University of Puerto Rico in May, using the Arecibo Observatory, which is a massive radio telescope built inside of a Puerto Rican sinkhole.

Although unlikely, the possibility that signals came from intelligent extraterrestrial life cannot be ruled out yet, said Abel Mendez, an astrobiologist at the University of Puerto Rico at Arecibo.

"In case you are wondering, the recurrent aliens hypothesis is at the bottom of many other better explanations," Mendez told 'Business Insider'.

He said the signals may have come from some kind of man- made object in space, such as a satellite.

"The field of view of (Arecibo) is wide enough, so there is the possibility that the signals were caused not by the star but another object in the line of sight," Mendez said.

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A suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist, allegedly involved in the 'fidayeen' attack on a CRPF camp in Uttar Pradesh in 2008, was today arrested at the city airport shortly after he flew in there from UAE, a police official said.

Salim Mukim Khan alias Abu Amaar alias Arif, a native of Hathgaon in Fatehpur district of Uttar Pradesh, was nabbed in a joint operation by anti-terrorism squads of Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh police when he arrived at the international airport from the UAE, he said.

Salim, facing lookout notice, was stopped at an immigration counter on the intervening night of July 16 and 17 and taken into custody, the official said.

His interrogation and records available with security agencies showed his alleged role in the suicide attack on a CRPF camp in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, on January 1, 2008, he said.

Eight persons, including some CRPF jawans, were killed in the terror strike.

Salim was also a financier of suspected ISI agent Aftab Ali, who was arrested in May in Faizabad by Uttar Pradesh ATS, he added.

While being abroad, he had been in contact with Aftab and gave instructions to him about terror activities and funding, the official said.

Aftab had been in constant touch with the Pakistan High Commission and had gathered information about several defence establishments in UP, he said.

Salim's name had first cropped up as terror module in 2008 during interrogation of suspected terrorists, Kausar and Sharif, who were arrested in 2008 for the attack at the CRPF camp, he said.

The duo had claimed that Salim, along with them, had received terrorist training at a camp in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, in 2007, the official said.

After the Rampur attack, a case was registered under relevant sections of the IPC, the Arms Act, the Explosive Substances Act, the Explosives Act and the Foreigner Registration Act, he said.

Initial inquiry by the Maharashtra ATS indicated that Salim was suspected to be associated with Pakistan-based terror outfit LeT, the official said.

The UP ATS will seek his custody for questioning in the Rampur attack and alleged involvement in severeal other anti-national activities under their jurisdiction, he said.

The Maharashtra ATS is extending all cooperation to its UP counterpart for Salim's interrogation, the official added.

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Dialogue with separatists cannot be held at gunpoint, and they should help to create a conducive atmosphere by dissociating themselves from the ongoing violence in the Valley, Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh said today.

Singh said the PDP-BJP Agenda of Alliance (AoA) spoke of facilitating talks as "dialogue is the only way.

"But talks cannot be held at gunpoint. Talks cannot happen by exerting pressure, by killing innocents, attacking pilgrims or police officers of J&K."



"People who want to talk should come forward and say that they are ready and should dissociate themselves from this," Singh told reporters here.

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti had written a letter to separatists when Home Minister Rajnath Singh came here last year, but they did not come forward.

"A Parliamentary delegation came here but they shut the doors. They have to come out of this situation to talk. Dialogue needs an atmosphere, which is not there. These people do not want dialogue," the BJP leader said.

Asked about the draping of slain militants in ISIS flags, Singh said it was a cause of concern.

"This is a cause of concern and those who say this is a political issue, those who talk about the disintegration of India, should understand this.

"They should understand, and I think they understand, that this is radicalisation in which there is no room for any other thinking.

"The way (Hizbul Mujahideen commander Zakir) Moosa threatened to hang Hurriyat leaders, people should understand that their aim is the murder of humanity and attack on Sufism and inclusive thinking, which believes in peace," he said.

The deputy chief minister said Kashmiris were peace-loving and that is the reason that everybody condemned the attack on Amarnath pilgrims.

"Nobody can deny the reality. Those who are trying to mislead the people cannot deny that.

"What happened with Dy SP (Ayub) Pandith (who was lynched), Lt. Umer Fayaz (who was killed at a relative's place in south Kashmir) and SHO (Feroze Dar, who was killed, along with five other cops, by militants) - they all were Kashmiri Muslims and the sons of soil. Their murder was a part of the same thinking which is trying to take us in other way.

"But, I believe that the people of Kashmir will not accept this and will oppose it openly," he said.

Asked about Mehbooba's statement on China, Singh said Beijing is playing politics by meddling in Kashmir and the country has no business to mediate on the issue.

"Everybody knows what China is doing in J-K. 5,152 square kms of land is with China which has been illegally transferred by Pakistan to China under lease. Then China is occupying our Aksai Chin illegally, forcibly.

"Now, China is coming forward with the ill-conceived proposals to mediate which it has no business doing," he said.

Singh said the India of 2017 "is not the India of 1962, so they must understand and see reason," Singh told reporters here.

Asked about the presidential election, he exuded confidence that NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind will win comfortably.

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The Poona Horse, a tank regiment of the Army, which took part in the 1948 Hyderabad operation and 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pak wars, has turned 200, an Army official said today.

Within six months of its raising on July 15, 1817 at Sirur, near Poona, the regiment proved its mettle at the Battle of Coregaum and was awarded the first battle honour.

"As part of British Indian Army for 130 years, the regiment fought in 13 countries. Displaying raw and fearless courage and raising its flag at each juncture, the regiment has been conferred with 34 battle honours," Lt. Gen. Ajai Singh (retd), who has served the regiment, told PTI.

In its eventful journey of two centuries of Army's 17 Horse, famously known as 'The Poona Horse', tales of its valour of both the Raj-era and post-Independence, have left an indelible mark.

Having earned the highest military honour of four Victoria Crosses in the British era, the regiment later brought home decisive victories in the 'Battle of Phillora' in 1965 and 'Battle of Basantar' in 1971 Indo-Pak war, by sheer gallantry of legendary Lt Col A B Tarapore and 2nd Lt Arun Khetrapal, who were posthumously awarded the prestigious Param Vir Chakra.

In addition, the regiment, which was deployed during the 1948 Hyderabad action that brought the Nizam-ruled Hyderabad state into the Indian Union, has also been awarded four Maha Vir Chakras, five Vir Chakras and eight Sena Medals.

On February 8, 1857, the regiment wrote history at the famous 'Battle of Kooshab' against the Shah of Persia and captured the Standard of the 1st Khusgai Regiment of the Fars, acclaimed with courageous and fearless soldiers and Shah's personal bodyguards, an official of the Armoured Corps regiment said.

"The Standard of Persian Army now surmounts the Regiment's Standard, and it is etched in Persian with the words' 'Yaad Ullal Fauk Idaheem' (the hand of God is above all things)," he said.

Lt. Gen. Singh, a former governor of Assam and a 1971 war veteran, said, "We pledge to live to the Poona Horse spirit - which is an intangible compendium of many qualities that defy description, but which infuse it in every Poona horseman and guides and sustains him both in peace and war.

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Chanting democracy slogans, several thousand people rallied in Warsaw in demonstrations against controversial new court reforms they see as a threat to judicial independence.

Protesters waved EU and Polish flags and shouted "we will defend democracy" at an afternoon demonstration in front of the parliament, which this week passed legislation that critics say gives the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party power over the courts.

Participants called PiS leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski a "dictator" and held up signs with slogans such as "duck off" in reference to the similarity of his last name to the Polish word for duck.

Police estimated the crowd at 4,500 people, while the city authorities said there were more than 10,000 protesters at the demonstration, organised by the KOD pro-democracy movement, which is critical of the governing conservatives' policies on courts as well as other areas such as media and education.

Later on Sunday, the Iustitia association of Polish judges held its own protest in front of the Supreme Court, where 17,000 people according to the city held up candles and called out in favour of "free courts".

"This whole set of (judicial) bills is a scandal," said Agnieszka Janczarska, a 39-year-old lawyer in Warsaw who attended both demonstrations.

"It's a destruction of the fundamental principles of a democratic state, namely the separation of powers," she told AFP.

The two main opposition leaders, Grzegorz Schetyna from the Civic Platform (PO) and Ryszard Petru from the Modern party, said at the afternoon rally that they would join forces to fight against the reforms.

Poles also rallied in other cities across Poland including Krakow, Szczecin and Wroclaw.

Earlier this week the parliament adopted a bill that gives the minister of justice the power to name the chief justices of the EU member's common courts.

Lawmakers also passed a second bill that states that from now on the parliament -- which is controlled by the conservative PiS party -- will choose the members of the National Council of the Judiciary (KRS), whose role is to protect the independence of courts.

"We're implementing good changes for Poles, for those who are waiting for a well-functioning system of justice," senate speaker Stanislaw Karczewski, a PiS member, told reporters.

The PiS also tabled a separate bill in parliament on Thursday that would subjugate the Supreme Court -- which supervises lower courts -- to executive power, in a move the opposition slammed as "the announcement of a coup".

Under the proposed bill, the current Supreme Court justices will be forced to retire, with the exception of those named by the justice minister, who would also be responsible for selecting candidates to succeed the retired judges.

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Vikram Limaye, who today assumed offices as the managing director and chief executive of the National Stock Exchange, said his top priority is to resolve the regulatory issues being faced by the bourse and then take forward the IPO process.

Limaye also said that taking the largest exchange public through a listing can happen only after the regulatory issues are resolved, which involve the alleged lapses in high-frequency trading through its co-location facility.

"My immediate priorities will be to focus on some of the regulatory issues, that the NSE is facing, are sorted out...That obviously is the priority," Limaye told channels after taking over the charge earlier in the day.

"Obviously IPO is an important priority for me but that would happen only once all the regulatory issues are sorted out," he said.

He also noted that it is significant for the exchange to improve relationships with all the stakeholders, including the regulators, the government and the media.

"It is also important for the NSE to improve stakeholder relationships, which means relationship with the government, the regulator, the clients, the media and certainly the employees," Limaye said.

"It is important to make sure that all stakeholder relationships are better than what have been in the past," the veteran banker said.

The co-location case relates to some brokers allegedly getting preferential access to the NSE servers and early login facilities which have allegedly helped traders make huge gains due to the speedier execution of orders.

The NSE had filed for IPO last December with the Sebi, but the regulatory approval is pending due to issues surrounding the ongoing probe into the co-location case.

Limaye, who has been with a IDFC for long, was appointed as the NSE chief in February after the abrupt exit of Chitra Ramkrishna last December.

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Top stories from the southern



region at 2100 hrs today.

MDS9 KA-MAHADAYI



Bengaluru: The Karnataka government is ready for talks with Goa and Maharashtra to explore an out of court settlement solution of the Mahadayi river water dispute, state, says Water Resources Minister M B Patil.

MDS12 PREZ-POLL-KARUNANIDHI



Chennai: DMK chief M Karunanidhi could not cast his vote in todays's presidential election due to health reasons, says party working president M K Stalin.

MDS13 KA-2ND LD SASIKALA



Bengaluru: The Karnataka government shunts out a top woman police official who brought to light alleged special treatment to AIADMK (Amma) leader V K Sasikala in prison and dragged her senior into a bribery row over the matter.

MES5 KL-NURSES-LDF



Thiruvananthapuram:Ruling CPI-M led LDF in Kerala today asked its government to take steps to end the ongoing agitation by sections of nurses in private hospitals even as it described as 'reasonable' their wage hike demand.

MES7 KL-DROWN



Wayanad (Ker): Four persons are feared to have drowned after the coracle in which they were fishing near Banasura Sagar dam in the district capsizeddue to bad weather.

MDS11 KA-CAUVERY



Bengaluru: Karnataka is releasing 25 to 30 per cent of total inflows in Cauvery basin to Tamil Nadu every day as per a Supreme Court order, state minister M B Patil says.

LGM2 HC-DILEEP-BAILPLEA



Kochi: The Kerala High Court defers to Thursday the hearing on the bail plea of Malayalam actor Dileep, arrested for allegedly plotting the abduction and assault of a popular South Indian actress.

LGM3 KL-HC-SHIP



Kochi: The Kerala High Court directs detention of a Panama-registered merchant ship, which had on June 15 collided with an Indian boat killing two fishermen, for a month.

LGM4 KL-HC-SENKUMAR



Kochi: The Kerala High Court grants interim anticipatory bail to the state's former police chief T P Senkumar in a case lodged against him allegedly for trying to incite religious enmity among people.

BES23 TL-DRUGS-PROBE-EXCISE-PUBS



Hyderabad:) Expanding its probe into the organised drug trade, the Telangana Excise department has decided to issue notices to the managements of pubs and bars in the city as part of a sensitisation programme to check the drug menace.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Top stories from the southern region at 1700 hrs today.

MDS1 TN-LANKA-FISHERMEN



Rameswaram: Sri Lankan navy arrests four Tamil Nadu fishermen for fishing in their territorial waters.

MDS4 KA-SASIKALA-OFFICIALS



Bengaluru: Karnataka government transfers two top jail officials who were locked in a bitter public spat over allegations of "special" treatment to AIADMK (Amma) leader V K Sasikala and other "erroneous" practises in central prison.

MDS5 TN-PREZ LD POLL



Chennai: Presidential election was over in Tamil Nad in just about two hours with 232 legislators, Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan, and a Kerala MLA casting their votes at the Assembly Secretariat conference hall.

MES3 TN-ONGC-NCHRO



Thanjavur(TN): National Confederation of Human Rights Organisations today urges ONGC to publish a white paper on its ongoing oil exploration operations and future plans in Cauvery delta areas in the district.

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The ruling TRS in Telangana would support the candidature of Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu for the vice president's post, TRS MP B Vinod Kumar said today.

"CM (TRS president and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao) told us to support. He asked us to go and sign on the papers," Vinod Kumar told PTI when asked for the party's stance.

A release from the chief minister's office said Prime Minister Narendra Modi called up Rao and sought his support for Naidu's candidature.

Modi telephoned Rao, informed him about the decision of Naidu's candidature and sought support, it said.

BJP President Amit Shah tonight announced Naidu's candidature for the vice president's post after a meeting of the party's Parliamentary Board, BJP's highest decision making body.

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US President Donald Trump, fresh from a political holiday in Paris, went back on the offencive as a new poll showed his popularity dropping amid doubts about Russian election meddling and deepening frustrations over stalled health-care legislation.

In a tweet early yesterday, Trump used some of his toughest language against a favoured target, the press, saying: "With all of its phony unnamed sources & highly slanted & even fraudulent reporting, #Fake is DISTORTING DEMOCRACY in our country!"



Trump also sent one of his private lawyers, Jay Sekulow, onto five Sunday talk shows to argue that there was nothing illegal about son Donald Trump Jr.'s meeting last year with a Russian attorney following a promise of damaging information on Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

"What took place at the meeting... Is not a violation of any law, statute or code," Sekulow told NBC. He repeated an earlier assertion that Trump is not the subject of any current investigation into alleged Russian efforts to tilt last year's election in the Republican's favour.

The concerted pushback came as a Washington Post-ABC poll near the six-month point in Trump's administration showed him facing significantly declining approval ratings, down from 42 per cent in April to 36 per cent today.

Similarly, the president's disapproval rating has jumped five points to 58 per cent, according to the survey of 1,001 adults.

Trump responded to the survey in a tweet, saying: "The ABC/Washington Post Poll, even though almost 40 per cent is not bad at this time, was just about the most inaccurate poll around election time!"



Nearly half of respondents -- 48 per cent -- said they "disapprove strongly" of the president's performance in office, a low level never reached by ex-presidents Bill Clinton or Barack Obama, both Democrats, and reached only once by George W Bush, during his second term.

And 48 per cent said they saw American global leadership weakening since Trump entered the White House, while 27 per cent said it is stronger.

That would seem to show mixed results, at best, from a series of high-profile foreign visits by Trump, including to Saudi Arabia and to a Group of 20 meeting in Germany, where he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump's Bastille Day visit to Paris came a day after the poll ended.

Two-thirds of respondents said they do not trust Trump, or trust him only somewhat, in negotiating with foreign leaders.

Republicans' legislative struggles may also be weighing on Trump's popularity. Twice as many of those surveyed preferred the Obamacare health program as favoured Republican plans to replace it.

The US Senate will "defer" its work on repealing Obamacare for a week as senior lawmaker John McCain recovers from blood-clot surgery, the chamber's Republican leader, Mitch McConnell, said Saturday. The repeal effort is opposed by all Democrats, and the loss of a single Republican vote could doom it.

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President Donald Trump's attorney insisted there was nothing illegal in the meeting Trump's eldest son had with a Russian lawyer during last year's presidential campaign.

Donald Trump Jr's willingness to meet with the lawyer in the expectation of receiving incriminating information about Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton has raised new questions about possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.

The information had been described as "part of Russia and its government's support for Mr Trump."



The president's attorney, Jay Sekulow, defended Trump and his son in a series of appearances Sunday on five television networks.

"Nothing in that meeting that would have taken place, even if it was about the topic of an opposition research paper from a Russian lawyer, is illegal or a violation of the law," Sekulow said on "Fox Sunday," a point he repeated several times. He said the president did not attend the meeting and was not aware of it.

The attorney's focus on the law appears aimed at moving beyond the shifting accounts of the meeting given by Trump Jr.

At first, the June 2016 meeting was said to be about a Russian adoption program. Then, it was to hear information about Clinton. Finally, Trump Jr. Was compelled to release emails that revealed he had told an associate that he would "love" Russia's help in obtaining incriminating information about the Democratic nominee.

The number of people known to be at the meeting also changed over time. As recently as Friday, Rinat Akhmetshin, a Russian-American lobbyist and former Soviet military officer, confirmed his participation to The Associated Press.

Sen Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Sunday that he wants everyone who attended the meeting to appear before his committee, one of several in Congress investigating Russia's interference in the 2016 election and potential coordination with the Trump campaign.

In addition to Trump Jr others in the Trump Tower meeting included Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and Paul Manafort, both of whom played major roles in the campaign.

"I want to hear from everyone in that meeting and get their version of the story, as well as I think we may find out there may have been other meetings as well. We don't know that yet," Warner, D-Va., said on CBS' "Face the Nation."



Sekulow said he was not aware of any other meetings involving Russians. "I represent the president of the United States, but Donald Trump Jr. Said not in the context of formal meetings. He said he may have met with Russian people, as a lot of people meet with Russian people, so that's not unusual," Sekulow said on CNN's "State of the Union."



Trump himself came to the defense of his son, who he said "is being scorned by the Fake Media.

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A mosque in the British city of Manchester has been severely damaged in a suspected arson attack, police said today.

Five fire engines tackled the blaze at the Nasfat Manchester Islamic Centre on Droylsden Road in the northern England city and Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said they are treating yesterday's incident as "suspicious".

"We sent five pumps to the scene and an investigation is now underway. The fire is being treated as suspicious and a joint investigation has been launched by GMP and GMFRS (Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service)," a GMP statement said today.

Nasfat (Nasrul-Lahi-l-Fathi Society of Nigeria) opened up in Manchester as a mosque and Islamic centre in 2009 and it has about 300 members.

"It has been seriously damaged - the police will not let us in. We don't know why this happened. We try to be good neighbours and we try to be involved with our local community," said mosque spokesperson Shamusideen Oladimeji.

Monsurat Adebanjo-Aremu, secretary of the centre, told Manchester Evening that yesterday's fire was the third such major fire incident in a year.

She said people have also urinated outside.

The mosque has previously been targeted with two pigs' heads thrown into the building while people were praying and a minibus was destroyed in an arson attack in 2014.

In the latest attack, pictures from the scene show flames erupting from the roof of the single-storey building.

No one was present inside the centre during the incident.

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Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe today underlined the need to keep the unity government intact despite reports of revolt within a section of the ruling coalition.

Sri Lanka is receiving international financial assistance as a result of the decision taken by the two main political parties to form a unity government, the Prime Minister said while addressing a gathering here.

Wickremesinghe's the United National Party (UNP) and President Maithripala Sirisena's the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) have been together in a government of national unity since September of 2015. The arrangement is due to end by December this year.

"We formed the national government neither to favour the UNP nor the SLFP. Both parties will gain from coming together to solve major issues," Wickremesinghe said, adding that it was important for the unity government to continue.

The Prime Minister said that the unity government has been able to control the debt from the past and take the country forward.

A section within the SLFP who are bitterly opposed to an alliance with the UNP wants to quit the government. It was speculated that some 18 SLFP members in the government would leave to become independent MPs in parliament.

A group of SLFP members who are backers of the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, including himself, are sitting in the opposition already calling themselves the Joint Opposition.

"Due to our old rivalry it is easy to say we can't work together," Wickremesinghe said.

Wickremesinghe's UNP alone has 106 seats in parliament still short of the 113 required for simple majority. But with Sirisena's SLFP supporting the government enjoys two thirds in the 225-member assembly.

Sirisena who was sacked from the SLFP when he challenged Rajapaksa as the common opposition candidate in the 2015 presidential election was handed the party leadership by Rajapaksa after his defeat.

Rajapaksa backers want Sirisen to sack Wickremesinghe and form SLFP's own government which he is not constitutionally empowered to do before March 2020.

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Over 1,500 passes to enter Uttar Pradesh Assembly premises have been cancelled in a bid to beef up security after recovery of plastic explosive in the campus last week, the office of the Assembly speaker said today.

Also, a team of officials will visit assemblies of Gujarat and Maharashtra to study their security system.

In an official statement, UP Assembly Speaker Hriday Narayan Dixit said, as many as 365 entry passes, 715 vehicle passes of former MLAs and 421 temporary passes have been cancelled.

"In view of a packet containing 'suspicious product' found in the Assembly premises, it becomes imperative to take tough measures from the security point of view," he said.

The Speaker said it has also been decided that security system of the Lok Sabha and other state assemblies will be studied and subsequently implemented in the UP Assembly.

"After the Budget session, a study of the security system of Gujarat Assembly and Maharashtra Assembly is proposed," Dixit said.

For this, a team under the speaker will visit the assemblies in both the states. The team will interact with the speakers and other officials in this regard.

It will also take all the necessary steps to implement the appropriate security mechanism in UP Assembly.

"As of now, the democratic system of governance happens to be the most advanced one, and unfortunately some anti social and anarchic elements wanted to harm it, as it was reflected in the incident which took place in the UP Assembly.

"Our responsibility is that this system of democracy should be strengthened," he said.

About 150 grams of PETN (Pentaerythritol tetranitrate) explosive was found wrapped in a paper close to the seat of the Leader of the Opposition, Ram Govind Choudhary, in the Assembly on July 12.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had said described it as a "dangerous terror conspiracy".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The voting for the presidential election concluded at the state secretariat here today with 180 out of total 182 members of the Gujarat Assembly having exercised their franchise.

BJP president Amit Shah, who represents Naranpura seat of Ahmedabad, cast his vote in Delhi, while the lone JD(U) MLA, Chhotu Vasava, refrained from voting as a mark of protest.

In the 182-member Gujarat Assembly, the ruling BJP has 122 MLAs, while the Congress has 57, the NCP has two and the JD(U) one.

In the Lok Sabha, all 26 MPs from the state belong to the BJP. Out of the total 11 Rajya Sabha members from Gujarat, two belong to the Congress while nine are from the BJP.

As the Assembly complex is undergoing renovation, the voting was conducted at the adjoining Swarnim Sankul-2 complex inside the secretariat here.

Only MLAs cast their votes here while all the MPs exercised their franchise in Delhi, Gujarat BJP's chief whip Pankaj Desai said.

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, former CM Anandiben Patel, Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel and Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Shankersinh Vaghela, were among those who cast their votes here.

State Congress in-charge Ashok Gehlot, who is the sitting MLA from Rajasthan and currently on a visit to Gujarat, cast his vote here.

The NDA's candidate, Ram Nath Kovind, was here on Saturday to seek support of the BJP MLAs and MPs while the UPA's nominee, Meira Kumar, visited the state last month to launch her campaign from the iconic Sabarmati Ashram.

Rebel BJP MLA Nalin Kotadia, who was expelled from the party recently, announced that he has not voted for Kovind to register his protest against the "atrocities" committed on the Patel community during the 2015 quota agitation.

"I will not tell you whom I voted for, but I want to say that I have not given my vote to Kovind. I voted against the BJP to register my protest against the atrocities committed by police on the Patidars in 2015," he told reporters.

The lone JD(U) MLA, Chhotu Vasava, a tribal leader of Bharuch district, did not turn up here to cast his vote. He represents the Jhaghadia seat of Bharuch.

"I am not taking part in this process to register my protest. Though the president is supposed to protect the rights conferred to tribals by the Constitution, all the past presidents have failed to do so. Thus, there is no meaning of becoming part of such a process," he told PTI over phone.

Upon the completion of the voting at Swarnim Sankul, Rupani exuded confidence that Kovind will become the next president with a thumping majority.

He also slammed the Congress for fielding Meira Kumar, and claimed that the party fielded a Dalit when the defeat is imminent.

"As the voting is over, it is now very clear that Kovindji is all set to become the next president," Rupani said.

"The Congress fielded Kumar, a Dalit, only after we announced Kovindji's name. Why the Congress did not think of her when they made Pratibha Patil or Pranab Mukherjee the president?" he asked.
A woman director of two Dubai- based firms was today arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with its probe in the Rs 3,600 crore VVIP helicopters money laundering case, the ED said.

The central probe agency identified the woman as Shivani Saxena, an "active" director of Ms UHY Saxena and Ms Matrix Holdings. Both the firms are located in Dubai.

She was arrested from Chennai, it said.

Saxena and her husband Rajiv are residents of Palm Jumeirah in Dubai, an archipelago which is home to the most expensive properties in the United Arab Emirates(UAE).

The lady, the agency said in a statement, was arrested under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and was later produced in a court which sent her to four days of judicial custody.

It alleged that the two Dubai-based firms Saxena was involved with are those "through which the proceeds of crime have been routed and further layered and integrated in buying the immovable properties/shares among others" in this case.

The agency said its probe found that AgustaWestland, United Kingdom "paid an amount of Euro 58 million as kickbacks" through two Tunisia-based firms.

"These companies further siphoned off the said money in the name of consultancy contracts to Ms Interstellar Technologies Limited, Mauritius and others which were further transferred to Ms UHY Saxena and Ms Matrix Holdings Ltd, Dubai and others," it said.

The ED claimed that Saxena's husband Rajiv is the "beneficial owner of Ms Interstellar Technologies Limited, Mauritius."



It alleged that both the Dubai companies of the couple "received the proceeds of crime in their respective Dubai bank accounts" from the Mauritius-based firm.

The agency is expected to probe and move for attachment of assets of the couple under PMLA.

The ED, in this case, had also arrested Delhi-based businessman Gautam Khaitan last year and he is out on bail at present.

The probe in the deal had gathered pace after a Milan (Italy) court sometime back sentenced Italian defence and aerospace major Finmeccanica's former chief Giuseppe Orsi and AgustaWestland CEO Bruno Spagnolini on corruption charges in the sale of these helicopters to India.

The Milan court order also mentions the name of former IAF chief SP Tyagi at several points.

Post this, the ED and the CBI began a fresh round of questioning of the accused in this case and collection of further evidences.

The ED had registered a PMLA case in 2014 and had named 21 people including Tyagi in its money laundering FIR.

On 1 January, 2014, India scrapped the contract with Finmeccanica's British subsidiary AgustaWestland for supplying 12 AW-101 VVIP choppers to the IAF over alleged breach of contractual obligations and charges of paying kickbacks to the tune of Rs 423 crore by it for securing the deal.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In a stern message conveyed by the top Army brass, India today told Pakistan that it reserves the right to retaliate appropriately against any incident of ceasefire violation along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir.

In a telephonic conversation, Lt. Gen. A K Bhatt, the director general of military operations (DGMO), also told his Pakistani counterpart that the Indian Army was sincere about maintaining peace on the LoC.

The DGMO made it explicitly clear that the Indian Army reserves the right to retaliate against any ceasefire violation, but "is sincere in its effort of maintaining peace and tranquillity along the LoC provided there was reciprocity", Army spokesman Col. Aman Anand said.

The telephone exchange took place three hours after the Pakistani army fired mortar shells along the LoC in the Poonch and Rajouri districts, killing an Indian Army jawan and a nine-year-old girl.

Anand said the conversation was initiated by the Pakistani commander, Maj Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza, who raised the issues of the "targeting" of Pakistani army troops and the death of four Pakistani soldiers and one civilian in the Athmuqam Sector of PoK facing the Indian Keran Sector in Kupwara district last week.

The nearly 10-minute-long conversation over the hotline between the two army commanders came amid rising incidents of ceasefire violations by the Pakistan army and a spurt in violence in Jammu and Kashmir.

"The Indian DGMO in response highlighted that all ceasefire violations were initiated by the Pakistan army and the Indian Army only responded appropriately to them," he said.

Firing by Indian troops was initiated only against "armed intruders attempting to infiltrate from close proximity of Pak posts along the Line of Control", he said.

In Islamabad, the Pakistan army said DGMO Mirza had "strongly protested the deliberate targeting" of a Pakistan army vehicle by Indian forces. It said four soldiers were killed when a vehicle "hit by fire from across the LoC" fell into a river.

"While we don't want to go down the path where we start choking each other's supply lines... Any such recurrence will invoke more strong and effective measures from Pakistan's side," Mirza said.

The Indian Army spokesman said Bhatt put across "emphatically" that the trend of infiltration along the LoC continued with the active support of Pakistani forward posts, impacting peace and tranquillity as well as the internal security situation.

"This was evident from continued attempts of sniping and targeting of our troops undertaken through cross border actions duly supported by Pakistani army troops," he said.

There were 23 incidents of ceasefire violations, one BAT (Border Action Team) attack and two infiltration bids by Pakistan in June, according to the Army.

(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 world's biggest oil refinery -cum-petrochemical complex planned in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra will cost Rs 2.7 lakh crore and take 60 months to build, Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said today.

State-owned Indian Oil Corp (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL) are building the integrated complex with a refining capacity of 60 million tonnes per annum at Babulwadi, Taluka Rajapur, Ratnagiri district.

"The proposed refinery will produce gasoline (petrol) and diesel suitable for BS-VI (equivalent to Euro-VI emission norms). The refinery will be designed with flexibility in processing wide varieties of crude as well as flexibility in product mix," the minister said in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.

The three firms on June 14 signed a joint venture agreement to form a company, West Coast Refinery and Petrochemical Ltd for implementation of the project.

"Order of magnitude of cost estimated for the project is Rs 2.70 lakh crore and the share of IOC, BPCL and HPCL is in ratio of 50:25:25 respectively," he said.

The refinery will produce petrol, diesel, LPG, ATF and feedstock for making petrochemicals that are basic building blocks in plastic, chemical and textile industries.

Pradhan said the project will take 60 months to complete from the date of approval and receipt of all statutory clearances.

In addition, oil PSUs have also planned to increase the refining capacity in the country by 35 million tonnes (MT) in next few years to meet the domestic demand of petroleum products, he said without giving details.

India, the world's third largest energy consumer after US and China, has a refining capacity of 232.066 MT, which exceeded the demand of 194.2 MT in 2016-17.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), this demand is expected to reach 458 MT by 2040.

Besides the West Coast Refinery and brownfield expansion, a new 9 MT unit is planned at Barmer in Rajasthan.

Fifteen million tonnes a year is the biggest refinery any public sector unit has set up in one stage. IOC recently started its 15 MT unit at Paradip in Odisha.

Reliance Industries holds the distinction of building the biggest refinery in India till now.

It built its first refinery at Jamnagar in Gujarat with a capacity of 27 MT, which was subsequently expanded to 33 MT. It has built another unit adjacent to it for exports, with a capacity of 29 MT.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A group of 50 women riders are ready to embark on a 10,000 km long journey from Gujarat to Khardung-La in Ladakh on their motor bikes to spread the message of women empowerment.

The 'All India All Women Bike Rally' that sets off on July 19 from Surat, will journey through 15 states over a period of 45 days.

"We are riding for passion and social cause simultaneously. Women in our country have a lot of inhibitions about their talent. And there is also widespread inferiority complex among them.

"Through this journey we will be informing women about their rights and make them aware of the different occupations they can take up to earn their living," Dr Sarika Mehta, who leads the all women rider group 'Biking Queens' told to PTI.

During their journey, the bikers will also distribute education and medical kits to under-privileged children.

Sarika's team consists of a range of professionals including doctors, architects, students and house wives, who have taken time out of their daily schedules to support the endeavour of empowering women.

Besides, for them, "biking is a perfect medium", especially because biking is traditionally seen as something meant exclusively for men.

"Riding a bike is a strong message in itself. That is why we chose this as the medium," Sarika said.

After having covered over 6,000 villages, the journey is expected to come to an end on August 15, when the riders will hoist the Indian flag at Khardung-la to mark the country's 71st Independence day.

On their way back the team will also be meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sarika added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Kerala Women's Commission today demanded immediate action against the media in Tamil Nadu which had reportedly published the name and photograph of the actress who was abducted and assaulted in Kochi early this year.

The commission made this plea in a letter to its counterpart in Tamil Nadu and Tamil Nadu Public Relations Director, a press release said.

Action should be taken against those who had violated rules in this regard, commission chairperson M C Josephine, said in the letter.

The commission will also launch stringent action againstonline magazines, websites and social media who have named the victim.

Some media organisations in Kerala had given the name and photo of the actress immediately after the incident and this should be removed immediately, the release added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Anna Ringstrom

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Swedish fashion group H&M will start holding capital market days, breaking with tradition and yielding to investor pressure although it also said it would stop posting monthly sales figures.

After decades of strong growth, sales growth at the world's second-biggest fashion retailer has slowed over the past couple of years amid tougher competition.

"A month is far too short a period over which to assess how sales are developing," H&M said in a statement. "Instead, sales development should be viewed over a longer period of time, such as over a season or a quarter."

H&M has published monthly sales data for more than a decade, albeit leaving out like-for-like figures since 2014.

A fund manager who declined to be identified said less information was never good.

"This shows how frustrated they are that the market has lost confidence in the company. The fundamental problem is not monthly data, it's the company's weak development," the fund manager said.

"Monthly data was not a problem when the company performed well. Why should it be now?"

H&M shares have been on a downward slope since 2015, underperforming the market and especially bigger rival Zara owner Inditex, with the shares falling 18 percent in the past year alone. Analysts and investors have said the company is too tight-lipped on strategy and outlook.

In one concession, Chief Executive Karl-Johan Persson of the founding and main owner family last month for the first time took part in a quarterly public conference call about results.

H&M, which has never held a capital markets for investors since its listing in 1974, said it would begin to do so in order to provide "more in-depth information about the business".

Anders Oscarsson, head of ownership at pension fund AMF, one of H&M's biggest owners, welcomed the plans for capital market days. Dropping monthly sales publications was fine, he said, adding that the fund remained a long-term investor in H&M.

H&M, which does not publish earnings guidance, on Monday confirmed a preliminary June local-currency sales growth reading of 7 percent - in its last such monthly publication.

Shares were up 2.2 percent at 1115 GMT.

(Reporting by Anna Ringstrom, additional reporting by Olof Swahnberg, editing by Niklas Pollard and Susan Thomas)

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
(Reuters) - At least five directors have left the board of U.S. food startup Hampton Creek Inc, leaving co-founder and Chief Executive Josh Tetrick the only remaining board member, Bloomberg reported on Monday.

The directors departed following disagreements with Tetrick, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter. https://bloom.bg/2tyUTcK

"Ensuring our employees maintain their ability to direct our mission is as critical as the technologies we deploy and the products we launch. We will always protect this principle," Tetrick said in an emailed statement to .

"We continue to fully support Hampton Creek and its CEO Josh in their exciting and important mission to change the food industry for the better of all people. We will advise Josh and the team on strategies across all areas of its business moving forward," a spokesman on behalf of the board said in a statement.

The board departures include Bon Appetit Management Co CEO Fedele Bauccio, former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Google DeepMind co-founder Mustafa Suleyman, Khosla Ventures partner Samir Kaul and Bart Swanson, who represented Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing's Horizons Ventures, Bloomberg reported.

San Francisco-based Hampton Creek, founded in 2011, has faced a string of controversies since last year including a report showing the company quietly bought back its own products from supermarkets, which prompted federal inquiries that concluded without finding wrongdoing, according to Bloomberg.

Retailer Target Corp said last month it would start removing Hampton Creek products from its stores, citing allegations of food safety concerns, Bloomberg reported.

(Reporting by Ishita Chigilli Palli and Mekhla Raina in Bengaluru; Editing by Sai Sachin Ravikumar)

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Diversified Mahindra group plans to invest USD 1 billion across business verticals in the US over the next five years as it aims to double revenues from the American market to USD 5 billion.

The Mumbai-headquartered group, which currently employs around 3,000 people in the country, also plans to double the headcount over the next five years as it looks to expand operations.

"We have so far invested around USD 1 billion in the US among all the businesses and we should invest another billion over the next five years," Mahindra & Mahindra Managing Director Pawan Goenka told PTI here in an interview.

The quantum of investment, however, would depend on various factors like market conditions and success of various projects that are currently underway in the US, he added.

Elaborating on various strategic projects, Goenka said the company has bid for a US postal service contract and if it comes through it would help the company grow exponentially in the country.

When asked about the group's ambitions in terms of revenues in the US, Goenka said: "In the next five years, we are targeting doubling revenue to about USD 5 billion."

The USD 19 billion group currently generates around USD 2.5 billion from its seven business verticals in the US. The major group firms active in the country include IT major tech Mahindra and Mahindra USA which sells tractors and utility vehicles in the country.

When asked to elaborate on the factors that would help the company achieve desired results, Goenka said the growth would be led by various factors like the launch of a new off road vehicle by its arm Mahindra North America Technical Centre (MNATC) besides other group entities.

"The growth will be led by Mahindra USA where we intend to double revenues from USD 500 million to USD 1 billion in next five years and then there is Tech Mahindra," he added.

Mahindra is also looking at doubling its manpower in the country over the next five years.

"Mahindra currently employs more than 3,000 locals in the US and as things are going we are going to double that over the next 4-5 years," Goenka said.

He said success of Mahindra brand in the US is very important as accomplishment in the country would mean recognition in various other geographies.

"Building the Mahindra brand in the US is very important for us because it is the place everyone looks up to. The brand which gets successful in this market gets automatic recognition in so many places," he said.

While confirming that Tech Mahindra is facing visa issues, he said the IT major is working on resolving the matter.

"Other than IT business where... there are both locals and people brought in from India, none of our other businesses have huge number of Indians (brought) to the US for work," Goenka said.

He further added: "The company's objective has never been to bring in people from India. We have invested here we have employed people here and thus we are not really been impacted by the new polices."

After being nudged by the Trump Administration, the IT major Tech Mahindra now has been focusing on local hiring. It has been recruiting from colleges in the US and this year it plans to add around 2,200 people in the country, which remains its biggest single market in the world.

When asked if the company is facing any discrimination in the US, Goenka said: "There is no discrimination I can think of in conducting business in the US...laws, taxes are same for everyone. I don't see any kind if disadvantage for Indian multinationals here."

Besides, MNATC, Tech Mahindra and Mahindra USA, the group is also present across various other verticals including aviation, electric two wheelers and supply chain.
Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh will on July 24 flag off the first set of 100 Uber bike taxis, under a new scheme aimed at generating jobs for the state s unemployed youth.

Uber's South Asia Public Policy Director Shweta Rajpal Kohli called on the chief minister here today to finalise the launch of the scheme, which will create 10,000 livelihood opportunities in Punjab in the next one year, an official spokesman said.

A total of 45,000 jobs will be created under this scheme in the next five years, Kohli said after meeting Captain Amarinder.

Captain Amarinder had given the go-ahead to the launch of bike taxis or 'baxis' in the state in May as part of the government s 'Apni Gaddi, Apna Rozgar programme as promised in the Congress Assembly poll manifesto.

A spokesperson of the Chief Minister's Office said after today's meeting with the Uber representative that the company was also considering starting 7-seater vans in Punjab.

Uber has been present in the state for the past three years and has already created 10,000 jobs, Kohli said, adding that its new biksharing product UberMoto was in line with the company s commitment to providing affordable mobility options for riders and low entry barrier micro entrepreneurship opportunities for drivers.

Besides job creation, the initiative will encourage youth to engage in entrepreneurial business, while facilitating last-mile connectivity for commuters in areas not accessible by regular four-wheeler taxis.

Under the policy, currently in the process of finalisation by the transport department, existing and new motorcycle owners will be able to get commercial permits and licences to run two-wheelers as pillion taxis.

Requiring minimal investment, the scheme is expected to create a major avenue for the unemployed youth to start their own business, the spokesperson explained.

As an additional advantage, the scheme, which is running successfully in other states as Rajasthan, Gujarat, Karnataka, West Bengal, Haryana, will also help reduce traffic on roads, besides controlling pollution.

The `Apni Gaddi Apna Rozgar scheme, as proposed in the Congress poll manifesto, envisages one lakh taxis, commercial LCVs and other vehicles to be provided to unemployed youth every year at subsidised rates, without collateral and with the government standing guarantee.

The government proposes to tie up with major taxi operators, such as Ola and Uber, to ensure the success of the scheme, under which the youth will be expected to repay their loan in five years.

Some of the other schemes which the government is working on include Yaari Enterprises and Harra Tractor.

Under the Hara Tractor scheme, at least 25,000 tractors and other agricultural implements will be given to unemployed youth at subsidised rates to enable them start their own agriculture service ventures.

Like the Apni Gaddi scheme, this will also entail guarantee by the state government, with no requirement of collateral and loan repayment over five years in instalments.

Yaari Enterprises will be aimed at promoting small enterprises started by two or more entrepreneurs, through subsidy of 30 per cent up to a maximum investment of Rs 5 lakh.

The scheme envisages setting up of one lakh such enterprises every year from 2017 to 2022, the spokesperson said.
Polling to elect 14th President of India began at 10 a.m. in the morning. BJP's Ram Nath Kovind is contesting against Opposition's Meira Kumar.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah have cast their votes in Parliament in the ongoing Presidential election.

LIVE UPDATES

13:35 pm: Samajwadi Party's Mulayam Singh Yadav votes for BJP's Presidential poll nominee Ram Nath Kovind, son Akhilesh Yadav votes for Meira Kumar



12:40 pm: BJP is expected to pick a south Indian face as its vice-presidential nominee in the party's Parliamentary Board meeting to be held in New Delhi today. Top sources in the BJP have told India Today that Union Urban Development Minister and former BJP president M Venkaiah Naidu figures among the contenders for the August 5 election.



12:14 pm: Massive rift in Opposition as NCP defies Opposition ranks, backs Ram Nath Kovind



11:50 am: "Seems NDA presidential candidate will come through. Happy that vast majority of votes from West Bengal will go to Meira Kumar," said former Lok Sabha speaker Somnath Chatterjee.



11:45 am: "People have given mandate for NDA in 2014 and now our victory in the presidential election is almost certain," said Minister of State Kiren Rijiju



11:40 am: Suspended Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Asish Saha said that six MLAs of the party in Tripura would vote for the BJP's presidential candidate and not Meira Kumar.



11:30 am: This is the first time that Dalit candidates have been chosen by both the ruling party and the Opposition in the presidential election, said Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati. "This is because of the contribution by Ambedkar, Kanshiram and BSP," she said.



11:25 am: NCP hints at backing Ram Nath Kovind. Congress left out of Opposition meeting. NCP, DMK, JD(U) and SP leaders meet reports



Rajya Sabha adjourned till tomorrow after giving obituary to former members and victims of #AmarnathTerrorAttack



adjourned till tomorrow after giving obituary to former members and victims of #AmarnathTerrorAttack

Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan arrives at MP Assembly to cast his vote for Presidential Poll 2017

Delhi: PM Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah have cast their votes at the Parliament for Presidential Poll 2017 pic.twitter.com/UXk1Xz7Wou

Lucknow: UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath arrives at UP Assembly #PresidentialPoll2017 pic.twitter.com/HJ0aJug3LC - ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) July 17, 2017

UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath arrives at UP Assembly to casts his vote

11:05 am: Madam ji(Sonia Gandhi)you elected Gopalkrishna Gandhi as VP candidate, he used all his power to save Yakub Memon from death penalty: S. Raut



10:45 am: Presidential Poll 2017 ke liye matdaan prarambh ho gaya hai, koi sandeh nahi ki RamNathKovind jeetenge, says UP CM Yogi Adityanath

10:25 am: Jailed MLAs Chhagan Bhujbal and Ramesh Kadam will be brought to Maharashtra Legislative Assembly from prison for voting

10:20 am: MLAs have queued up at Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly to cast their votes for Presidential election.

10:01 am: A total of 32 polling stations are operational - one in Parliament House's Room No 62 and one each in state legislative assemblies.



10:00 am: Polling for Presidential election began at 10 a.m., the voting will continue till 5 pm.



Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Sunday said the presidential election demands a "vote of conscience" as it represents a clash of ideas and conflict of disparate values.

She also described the electoral contest as the opposition's fight against a "narrow-minded, divisive and communal vision" while addressing a gathering of opposition parties here where its presidential and vice presidential nominees, Meira Kumar and Gopal Krishna Gandhi respectively, were formally introduced.

"We must have confidence in the values we believe in. This election represents a clash of ideas, a conflict of disparate values. The election demands a vote of conscience to preserve the India that the Mahatma and the illustrious generation of freedom fighters, joined by thousands upon the numbers of ordinary men and women, fought for," she said.
Less than a decade ago, Honda was a formidable player in the Indian car market. Its line-up of just four models was small compared to that of market leaders Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai Motor, but each of those four - City, Civic, CR-V and Accord - was a leader in its segment. The City had established itself as a coming-of-age sedan, the Civic was the top premier sedan, the CR-V ruled the premium SUV slot, while the Accord was doing well in the luxury executive saloon category. "Honda was the best example of a successful debut among carmakers in India," says Amit Kaushik, India head of transcontinental consultancy firm, Urban Science. "It made an entry anyone would aspire to."

Today, the contrast with its blazing entry is striking. Honda models in India have grown to 10, but none of them rule their segments. While rival company products have overtaken the first four, none of the subsequent Honda launches has lived up to expectations. The premium hatchback Jazz failed to gather momentum. The small car Brio was a non-starter. Compact sedan Amaze started off well but has since lost steam, with sales falling 38 per cent in 2016/17, compared to the year before. The MPV Mobilio and the compact SUV BR-V have been resounding duds. Its latest offering is WR-V, a stylised version of the Jazz, launched in March this year, on which the jury is still out.

What went wrong? Honda was a company with strong brand equity, known for its attention to quality and stylish, technology-driven products which enabled it to command a premium over competitors. How did it fritter away the early goodwill? Can it make a comeback?

Symbolising Aspiration

When Honda entered India in 1997, in partnership with Siddharth Sriram of Usha International Ltd, the country's car market was still in its infancy. Competition was limited, market leader Maruti was a public sector entity, and cars were still seen as an indulgence. Nor had Honda any intention of challenging Maruti in the small car market, which the latter dominated. It aimed at creating a separate space for itself in the premium segment with a halo of aspiration around its products.

To that end, Honda brought in products that had succeeded elsewhere, but were also attuned to Indian conditions. (Globally, popular models do not necessarily work in India, as companies like GM and Ford have found to their chagrin.) But the first-generation Honda City, which it introduced in 1998, had not only been tested in other markets, it was also developed in Thailand, where conditions, especially the tropical climate, are similar to India's. In the first year of its launch, despite the premium price, the City sold 8,258 units - a runaway success. Till date, 671,000 units have been sold in India, more than any other full-sized sedan.

Honda also innovated with dealerships and reaped the benefit. It was the first auto company to have swank, multi-storey dealer outlets in India, thanks to partnerships with half-a-dozen overseas entrepreneurs, led by R.S. Lally, a London-based automotive merchant. In comparison, Maruti Suzuki's outlets at the time looked shabby. Honda's dealers provided spare parts and after-sales service, which most rival dealers then did not. Honda brought all dealership best practices of countries it was based in to India.

"Once a customer gets a taste of a Honda product, he should never go for any other brand," Masahiro Takedagawa, the then CEO of Honda Siel Cars India (HSCI), had said at the launch of the Civic in 2006. "That is our priority. If he is a City customer and wants to upgrade, he should buy the Civic. If he is a Civic customer, his next car should be an Accord, or if he wants an SUV, a CR-V. Our products and service should not give him any scope to complain." The first four Honda products easily beat back the competition in their respective segments that the likes of Maruti Suzuki's SX4 or Hyundai's Elantra and Verna sought to mount.

Honda then decided to enter the mass market. And that's where the cookie started to crumble.

Mass Market Gamble

In mid-2009, Honda launched its premium hatchback Jazz, pitching it in the same category as Maruti's four-year-old highly successful blockbuster Swift. As with all Honda products, it was priced at `6.99 lakh, while the Swift then cost `3.99 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). But while such premium pricing had worked in the upscale segments, in the small car slot, price, fuel economy and the cost of after-sales service are the vital factors. On all three, Jazz suffered in comparison with Swift, and the car bombed. Honda followed it up with Brio, another hatchback priced more competitively, but this time the absence of any premium quotient that customers associate with Honda became the problem. Brio's design, too, failed to impress, and this effort flopped as well.

With its next product, the compact sedan Amaze, Honda finally ventured into a segment it had, in keeping with its classy reputation, disdained till then - it provided a diesel variant. By 2012, thanks to petrol prices being deregulated long before diesel prices, diesel cars - providing far higher fuel economy than petrol - comprised 52 per cent of the market. Even Honda felt it could not afford to ignore this category. Amaze was launched in 2013, and initially successful - the sole success Honda has had in the past decade - to the extent that the company's overall sales rose 83 per cent in FY 2014. "We've been able to bridge the diesel gap with Amaze," says Jananeshwar Sen, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Sales, Honda Car India Ltd (HCIL), who also heads its product strategy division. "It's an exclusive technology developed for India and comes with proven Honda propriety traits."

Exclusive or not, Honda's diesel engine - it has developed only one - has not been able to match the refinement of its petrol counterparts. Honda's iVTEC petrol engine technology, in particular, designed for small cars, has drawn global laurels. But it has no diesel equivalent, unlike its arch Japanese rival Toyota. "Honda has not been able to replicate its impeccable petrol finesse in diesel," says Abdul Majeed, Partner, PwC India. "Its diesel engine is noisy. It rattles, and has sent customers away to its competitors." Amaze, of course, came at an attractive price by Honda standards, and coupled with the Honda brand name, enabled the company to expand into smaller Indian cities and towns.

But the success has not lasted. Honda woke up to diesel cars too late. Not only had diesel variants of other companies already entrenched themselves, but in late 2014, the government deregulated diesel prices as well, which gradually took away the advantage of the wide difference between diesel and petrol prices. The Supreme Court's 2015 ruling against large diesel cars further reduced their attraction. All diesel variants, including Honda's, suffered with their market share falling to 26 per cent by 2016. With Amaze's initial success, diesel cars at one stage accounted for 67 per cent of Honda's sales, but it is now down to 25 per cent.

Encouraged by the early reception to Amaze, Honda also brought in Mobilio and BR-V, which, too, have diesel variants, and were originally designed for the Indonesian market. It may have been a case of bad timing, as both bombed. "By the time Honda's decision to turn to diesel came, the market was presumably shifting back to petrol," says Hormazd Sorabjee, Editor, AutoCar India.

This could have worked to Honda's advantage, given its legendary petrol engines, but it has not. The BR-V, petrol and diesel variants combined sold only 20,417 units in 2016/17. The segment competitors, Maruti's Brezza and Hyundai's Creta, sold 108,640 and 96,899 units, respectively. Insiders claim Honda was late in responding again to the petrol shift and continued oversupplying diesel cars, which led to a glut of diesel cars at dealerships. "Honda is a very successful big carmaker, but couldn't take this success down to smaller and compact cars," says Jagdish Khattar, Founder of Carnation Auto, and former managing director of Maruti Udyog Ltd.

The company blames the market for its sustained 15-month sales decline till March this year. "India is a complex market, which is not mature enough to accept global products," says Yoichiro Ueno, President and CEO, HCIL. "Even Toyota and Volkswagen are finding it tough here."

The Road Ahead

After a 15-year alliance, Honda also had a long-drawn and troubled parting of ways with partner Shriram in 2012, leading to parent Honda Motor Company taking full control and HSCI changing into HCIL. At a time when rivals like Maruti, Hyundai and Mahindra were focused on new products, bringing out one model after another - some worked, some didn't - Honda was preoccupied with these internal differences as well. After the separation, too, stability has eluded the company, which has seen four CEOs in the last six years. The Indian branch is managed by Honda's Thailand subsidiary, Honda Automobile Thailand Co), and has little interaction with the Japanese parent.

But Honda is not giving up on India yet - far from it. It already has two plants in India - in Greater Noida and Tapukara in Rajasthan - and is going ahead with building a third at Vithalapura in Gujarat. It is still optimistic about its latest launch, WR-V, which has had 20,961 bookings so far. The company claims the City, too, is on an upswing - and between them, these two models raised sales in April-June this year to 38,562 units - a 22 per cent increase over the same period last year.

Honda is also falling back on two other models - Accord and Civic - which have served it well in the past. The Accord was recently re-launched, with a hybrid version as well, at a price of `38-40 lakh. The Civic, which was discontinued in 2012, is likely to be brought back again. A new model, the mini-MPV Freed, is on the cards as well.

"We're at a strategic curve," says Ueno. "India is our fourth-largest market after the US, Japan and China. We have a strong tradition of bestsellers in India and our new generation models will re-establish that all over again." ~

@sablaik
Reliance Industries is holding its annual general meeting (AGM) on July 21 where Reliance chairman Mukesh Ambani could make an important announcement related to Reliance Jio. The Jio announcement is likely to be "customer-centric", according to a source.

Though Jio has not hinted anything in particular as yet, there are strong rumours regarding what could be in store for Jio users. Here's what can happen on July 21:



Cheapest 4G Phone: The company is expected to launch a 4G feature phone . In an earlier report, we even shared a few leaked pictures of a device that looks like a feature phone but has 'Lyf' branding on it. Considering that Reliance Jio is only operates on 4G networks, this will be the first 4G feature to be launched by the company.

Since a normal feature phone is not equipped to handle 4G spectrum, the expected feature phone might come with a basic Qualcomm chipset from its 200 series.

The phone is expected to be priced at Rs 500, despite an estimated production cost of Rs 1,500. This feat will be achievable only if the company subsidises the devices to expand the relatively stagnant 4G market.

The leaked images of the phone show feature phone will a camera module with a 2Megapixel camera on the rear and a torch as well.



Also Read: Mukesh Ambani's Jio, Baba Ramdev's Patanjali among top 10 most influential brands





Cheaper tariffs: Other than the device, Reliance Jio is expected to share new data plans with its customer base. For a populace which purchases a phone worth Rs 500, a data plan of Rs 350 or Rs 400 wouldn't make much sense, which is why Jio is also expected to launch more data plans that are much smaller and cheaper.

A recent development also suggests that the Mukesh-Ambani led company might do away with all the free offers and introduce 'minimum floor' rates.

Minimum floor price , for both data and voice calls, has been demanded by a section of incumbent telecom operators, but implementing it could mean an end to freebies in the market. The tariffs are currently under forbearance giving telcos virtually a free hand in fixing the rates and they report plans to Trai within 7 days of launch.





JioFiber: This new announcement from Reliance Jio about JioFiber is expected to shake-up the broadband industry of the nation. Earlier this year, the company announced that they will be launching JioFiber in Mumbai, Delhi-NCR, Ahmedabad, Jamnagar, Surat and Vadodara for free under its JioFiber Preview Offer.

Last week, a picture was posted on Reddit, showing us a glimpse of what the JioFiber plans might look like. The image shows that the company will be offering 100Mbps speed with a cap of 100GB per month at Rs 0 for 3 months.

The data is free but the user will have to pay Rs 4,500 for the installation.

However, even this amount can be refunded later, according to the company. One of the biggest factor with the new service will be a free-period of three months.

Later when the offer period ends, the broadband service prices are expected to start at Rs 500 for 600 GB data and for 1000 GB data at 100Mbps speed subscribers would be required to pay Rs 2,000 a month.




Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) will hold a meeting with all telecom companies on July 21 to seek their views on fixing a 'minimum floor price' for voice and data tariffs, as being demanded by some players, a senior official confirmed.

The minimum floor price, for both data and voice calls, has been demanded by a section of incumbent telecom operators, but implementing it could mean an end to freebies in the market. The tariffs are currently under forbearance giving telcos virtually a free hand in fixing the rates and they report plans to Trai within 7 days of launch. Trai will seek the rationale for the floor price demand, and has asked operators to also give detailed presentation to support their arguments. It is also expected to ask the telcos why an upper ceiling for tariffs is not similarly justified.

The demand for imposition of a floor price first came up last month, at industry's meetings with the regulator and separately with the interministerial group (IMG).

Highlighting the growing financial stress on operators, Idea Cellular, in its presentation to the IMG had said that the industry has been witnessing losses and negative returns driven by below cost tariffs that are predatory.

Only solution is to have floor prices for voice, SMS, and data services so mobile telecom businesses generate adequate profits to invest and then compete based on quality of services it had said. The demand has come in the wake of Mukesh Ambani promoted Reliance Jio making a dramatic entry into the telecom in September last year, with free voice and data services on a promotional basis.
Nokia launched three budget smartphones this year, Nokia 3, Nokia 5 and Nokia 6. Despite these devices being launched much earlier, only one is made available. However, this is not deterring Nokia from launching more devices. A new report from a German website, Winfuture claims that Nokia's new high-end device is coming as early as July 31.

According to the report, a device leaked with model number TA-1004 is expected to be the new Nokia 8. The two new devices, Nokia 8 and Nokia 9 were speculated to release in the second half of the year. The report does inform about the features of the device as well.

The report suggests that the device will come with top-end specs, including a Snapdragon 835, 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage. Apart from that, there is a high chance that the new phone will come with advanced Carl Zeiss lenses as the HMD Global recently entered an "exclusive" partnership with the lens maker.

In terms of price, the report suggests a rather specific amount of 589 euro which roughly translates to Rs 43,400. However, it is expected that the device will be priced slightly lower in India at around Rs 40,000.

Though Nokia has been able to strike the nostalgia-chord in the budget segment, it's to be seen how the company will be treated in the high-end segment dominated by the likes of Samsung, HTC and Apple.

HMD Global will start selling the Nokia 6 on August 23. Users will have to register for the first sale on Amazon.in. According to the e-commerce website, only registered users can participate in the sale.

The Nokia 6 will be running a stock Android Nougat out of the box. The company will be focusing on online sales with the Nokia 6 in comparison to Nokia 3 and Nokia 5 which were essentially selling to make their presence felt in the offline market.

A Nokia spokesperson said, "We are humbled by the response to Nokia 3.Currently, we are ramping up our production for Nokia 3 on priority to meet the existing consumer demand. In the coming week, we will start production of Nokia 6 and Nokia 5 to get them ready for sales starts by mid-august."




LOGAN  The Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre will continue this week with a highlight coming Wednesday, July 19. It will be a special tribute to Oscar, Tony and Pulitzer Prize winning lyricist Sheldon Harnick.

Julie Hollist-Terrell, executive director of the Cache Valley Visitors Bureau, said Harnick wrote the Festivals Rex, which stands for King Henry the 8th. She said his career includes songs from Fidler on the Roof, She Loves Me and others.

Hes over 90 years old and has won Tony Awards, had a street named after him in New York, Hollist-Terrell said. He wrote the (Rex) story with Richard Rodgers, who wrote the music. This guy is kind of the last of the living legends of Broadway.

She said the tribute will start Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in the Ellen Eccles Theatre.
CAMEROUN :: Cameroon:Ivory trafficker arrested in Yoko

A trafficker was arrested on Wednesday July 5, 2017 in Yoko in the Centre region as he attempted to sell two ivory tusks. Wildlife officials from the Centre Regional Delegation of Forestry and Wildlife travelled over 300 km to the town located in the Mbam and Kim Division of the Centre Region to carry out the operation that involved close collaboration with the police and LAGA, a wildlife law enforcement NGO that provided technical support.

The suspect arrived on a bike clutching the bag, where the ivory tusks were stored, close to his back. He had cut the tusks into four pieces weighing 18kg for easy transportation on the motocycle. Wildlife officials who were simply waiting for his arrival quickly swooped in, seizing the bag and getting him handcuffed immediately. The experienced trafficker seemed to have understood his time was up and tried some diversionary tactics in lame attempts to flee. He then resisted being put into the car that immediately travelled to Ntui from Yoko, considered to be a difficult area for wildlife law enforcement operations.

Several attempts at arresting wildlife traffickers in this area have met with dismal failure because of complicity and corruption going on among some officials and wildlife traffickers. This is not the first attempt at arresting this particular trafficker. He narrowly escaped arrest last year in the same town and it is believed by those who worked on the operation that information was leaked by local officials. Explaining why the team had to leave from Yaounde, the Controller No. 3 at the regional delegation Ngnondete John who was head of the team said It is to avoid leakage of information because generally in Yoko information is not well kept. When information is not well kept as it is the case, {law enforcement} missions fail

The difficulties doing law enforcement operations in the town has given it a very poor reputation within conservation circles as trafficking is done with impunity and some officials seem to be involved. The news of the arrest was received with satisfaction among conservationists and wildlife officials in Yaounde. Many expressed hope that this is the beginning of a new wave of law enforcement operations in the area that is flooded with traffickers and poachers of several protected wildlife species.

The illegal trade in ivory is said to be causing the calamitous decline in elephant populations. Traffickers keep teams of poachers who do the work of shooting and cutting off the ivory from the elephants. The trafficker arrested in Yoko was no different. He had a team of poachers to whom he supplied food, bullets and other poaching accessories, according to preliminary investigations. The investigations also revealed that he did business with a Douala-based trafficker who made regularly trips to meet him.

Hours after the Yoko operation, a total of 7.2 tons of ivory was seized in Hong Kong, by customs that arrested three people  a man and two women. A container declared to be transporting frozen fish was found to be loaded with ivory. Cartons of fish were removed to uncover ivory beneath. Trafficking of this magnitude starts with ivory transactions as the one in Yoko.
| BY Ricki Green |

ThinkTV has announced that Bob Hoffman (pictured left), the best-selling US author, speaker, blogger and advisor, will deliver the keynote speech at ReThinkTV 2017 when the advertising and marketing forum returns on September 14 at Luna Park in Sydney at 8.00am to 10.30am.

Hoffman is one of the most sought-after international speakers on advertising and marketing: Time, Inc calls him fabulously irreverent, The Wall Street Journal calls him caustic yet truthful, The Financial Times says he is responsible for savage critiques of digital hype and Fuel Lines calls him The most provocative man in advertising.

Renowned for his acid wit and entertaining style, Hoffman has titled his presentation Marketers Are From Mars, Consumers Are From New Jersey.

Says Hoffman: Marketers are living in a dream world of their own invention. I will be speaking about three delusions that demonstrate how marketers have lost touch with consumers  and to some degree, with reality.

Hoffman has been chief executive of two independent agencies and the US operation of an international agency. He has created advertising for McDonalds, Toyota, Pepsico, Bank of America, AT&T, and more companies than he cares to think about. Through his company, Type A Group, Hoffman advises advertisers, agencies, and media.

Says Kim Portrate, chief executive of ThinkTV: ThinkTV is delighted to have Bob deliver the keynote at ReThinkTV 2017. His wise-headed rationalism and entertaining delivery will be a draw card in a what is rapidly shaping up to be one of the key advertising and marketing events of 2017.

We have an exciting schedule which is designed to provide advertisers and their agencies with invaluable insights into advertising effectiveness and to help them to get the very best of todays multi-platform TV. Stay tuned for more announcements.
| BY Ricki Green |

Australian automotive classifieds site, carsales.com.au, is celebrating its 20th birthday with the best re-gift ever, giving two customers the chance to win a trip for two to Texas to meet Australian Formula1 driver Daniel Ricciardo during the United States Formula1 Grand Prix. The campaign was conceived by CHE Proximity.

The carsales team is so busy helping consumers buy and sell cars they cant go on the all-expenses paid trip to the Grand Prix in Austin to meet Ricciardo, so theyre re-gifting it to two lucky customers who each get the chance to bring along a buddy.

There are multiple ways to enter the promotion at www.carsales.com.au/best-regift-ever, which will run from 13 July to 8 September. The prize is an all-expenses paid trip for 2 x 2 people to Austin, Texas, including flights, tickets to the United States Formula1 Grand Prix, accommodation, spending money and a meet and greet with Ricciardo in pit lane.

All up the value of the Grand Prix package is around $44,000. And in addition theres another $25,000 worth of prizes up for grabs including ten $1,000 gift cards, 200 $20 gift cards and a stack of Red Bull Racing caps.

Ricciardo was named as carsales global brand ambassador in February 2017 and has been helping inspire car buyers and sellers through his own personal love of driving ever since.

carsales chief marketing officer Kellie Cordner says the synergy between Riccardo and carsales has laid the foundations for an excellent brand partnership.

Says Cordner: We were thrilled to welcome Daniel to the family earlier this year as our first ever global brand ambassador. Daniels authentic and congenial personality, along with his sporting prowess and keen interest in cars, makes him a great fit for the carsales brand.

The best re-gift ever competition celebrates carsales 20th birthday and rewards customers for buying and selling their cars via the award-winning online platform over the last two decades.

Says Cordner: When we launched in 1997, there were 500 cars on the site. carsales has grown 43900% over the past 20 years  in 2017 we have approximately 220,000 cars available at any given time.

Over the past 20 years carsales service offering has evolved to include editorial features, unique valuation and identification data, as well as adjacent products and services such as finance and warranty.
| BY Ricki Green |

Lexus Australia has announced a collaboration with one of the worlds foremost authors  and former executive creative director James Patterson (pictured left)  to launch its all-new Lexus LC coupe via M&C Saatchi, Sydney.

The luxury automotive brand selected Patterson to write a review like no other of the LC, exclusively for Australian audiences.

Patterson is one of the worlds best-known and best-selling authors, with more than 325 million of his books sold globally. He is ranked #1 on Forbes highest paid authors and was also #3 on its Celebrity List. Pattersons works have also been adapted for television and film including Along Came a Spider, Kiss the Girls and Zoo.

Lexus Australia tasked Patterson to employ his engaging and descriptive style to craft a review of the LC 500  a flagship luxury coupe that represents a progressive new direction for Lexus.

The LC 500 features stunning design and performance, housing an all-new dynamic platform, a 5.0-litre V8 engine and the worlds first 10- speed automatic transmission in a luxury vehicle.

The LC is also available with a next generation Multi Stage Hybrid System that redefines the hybrid driving performance in the form of the LC 500h model.

Patterson, whose carefully crafted review brings to life the features of the vehicle for all enthusiasts, said of the experience: At first I wondered why Lexus chose me to review the LC 500. But after one drive, I realise a car like no other, needs a review like no other. I hope its as breathtaking as any of my best-selling thrillers, because the LC 500 deserves all that and more.

Says Michael Canning, executive creative director, M&C Saatchi: The Lexus LC 500 automotive review deserved a level of writing to match the vehicles level of performance. A collaboration between Lexus and James Patterson was the perfect way to bring the experience of the LC to life, as both a brand and an author who place such high importance on their respective crafts.

Says Vin Naidoo, corporate manager of marketing operations and sales, Lexus Australia: The new LC coupe signals a new chapter for the Lexus brand as we evolve beyond a luxury automotive manufacturer to a global luxury lifestyle brand. Were delighted to have James Patterson craft his interpretation of the superior driving experience in his inimitable style.

The review will be used only in the Australian market and can be viewed here: https://www.lexus.com.au/experience-amazing.

Lexus Australia

Corporate Manager, Sales and Operations  Adrian Weimers

Manager  Marketing  Julie Hutchinson

Senior Advertising Coordinator  Zurwa Salman

Agency: M&C Saatchi, Sydney

Executive Creative Director  Michael Canning

Creative Director  Sharon Edmondston

Creative Director  Misha McDonald

Senior TV Producer  Lill Schroeder

Senior Print Producer  Henry Welch

Group Strategy Director  Michael Sinclair

Snr Strategist  Laura Kinzett

Group Head  Nick Russo

Group Account Director  Tara Goh

Snr Account Director  Lauren Trace

Project Management  Lauren Galloway

Post-Production House [Film]  Heckler
| BY Lynchy |

The Merry Adventures of Gary Tranter co-founder and Group Executive Creative Director of Arcade Singapore and Crowbar Head of Film & Photograph Jury for the Singapore Crowbar student awards.

In line with the Fairy Tales Do Come True theme of Crowbar Awards 2017, Tranter has his own tale to tell.

I got my very first job by lying.

Tranter laughs as he recalls being rejected from countless agencies, before convincing a particularly opportunistic ECD that he could draw storyboards.

Of course they found out I couldnt draw! Tranter quips. But thankfully, a couple of CDs offered to teach me how to survive in the creative industry.

After years of learning from his gang of mentors, Tranter was finally out of the woods. He was crowned Executive Creative Director at the tender age of 26. He has made his mark in almost every Asian market and nabbed numerous awards from Cannes to One Show. Today, he is the co-founder and Group Executive Creative Director of Arcade Singapore.

Joining Tranter at the Crowbar Awards jury table are his co-judges for the Film & Photography discipline: Gerard Fitzgerald (Song Zu, Music Composer), Claire Davidson (Facebook, Executive Producer), Geoff Ang (GeoffStudio, Director) and Matt Cullen (Arcade Singapore, Founder & Group Executive Creative Director).

From its commencement in 2001, the Crowbar Awards has since become a leading award show for budding creatives to showcase their best ideas. The show now attracts over 1000 entries from local, regional and international tertiary institutions. This includes entries from the US, UK, Australia, Germany, New Zealand, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore. This year, Crowbar has opened up to attract a wider range of categories entries, spanning across disciplines such as Advertising, Branding, Design, Digital, Film, Innovation and Technology, and will be judged by leading industry creatives, clients, and specialists.

The Crowbar Awards is organised by the Association of Accredited Advertising Agents Singapore (4As).
| BY Lynchy |

GOVT Kuala Lumpur has been rebranded as The Clan, effective immediately. Due to a shift in Malaysias business direction, GOVT Kuala Lumpur and GOVT Singapore have parted ways. Casey Loh has also resigned as a director of GOVT Singapore. The Clan will continue to operate under the stewardship of Casey Loh and Syed Nasir.

Its business as usual for The Clan as they continue to operate out of its Sri Hartamas office and continue to serve its current stable of clients through its growing talent pool. Beyond the name change, The Clan is also aiming to introduce new business processes to meet the demands of an evolving digital landscape.

When asked for a comment about the mutual separation and rebranding, Loh said, We had an amazing time working together and growing GOVT in both Singapore and Malaysia. But while growing up, we found that perhaps we werent heading in the same direction and needed to grow differently. We wish Aaron, Leon, and Tim continued success with GOVT as they continue to put out great work with the great team theyve put together.
The ACT government signed a $655 million agreement with the AFP earlier this month to provide police to the territory for the next four years, formally outlining terrorism as their priority but not bikie-related violence.
"I'm not making any comment on current people but there are compelling reasons why the separation of powers on an enduring basis is a good thing. Concentrating such power can generate concerns about how that power might be used perhaps inappropriately," he said.
"It does help fine-tune your skills for working out who can really hurt you and who's a bluff. And it sharpened my contempt for people who throw their ego around. I still find myself sizing rivals up and thinking, 'You're not that thick a wheel, mate.' In politics, that sort of bravado usually comes from people who've never done a hard day's work in their life. The Wicklow taught me that if they said that anywhere other than Parliament, someone would be handing them their teeth back on a plate."
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.
The name Eleanor carries a certain weight to it when it comes to Mustangs  Shelby Mustangs especially. And so it is with this 2007 GT500, but it owes nothing to the movie Gone In 60 Seconds.



This particular Mustang belonged to Eleanor Clay Ford, great-granddaughter of Henry Ford and first cousin to the companys current chairman William Clay Ford, Jr. In an interesting glimpse into how things work between members of the Ford family and the company that bears their name, Eleanor ordered the car through her personal allocation plan direct from the company  no dealership necessary.

Carte blanche design freedom was given with the Shelby team at Ford, which outfitted it with a rare red stripe appearance package. The dashboard was signed by both Carroll Shelby and Eleanor Ford  twice: once in her married name (Sullivan) and again in her poignant maiden name. Theres even a little plaque that identifies this Shelby as The Real Eleanor, in obvious reference to the movie car.

The finished vehicle was delivered by truck directly to the Sullivan residence, and when Eleanor was ready to sell it, the manufacturer exercised its right of first refusal stipulated in the family allocation plan and bought the car back. It was since put up for auction last month at Barrett-Jacksons Northeast sale in Connecticut, where it sold for $55,000.

Photo Gallery
Lynk & Co has confirmed that it will reveal its 02 crossover in the not too distant future as its third production model.



Initially, it was widely thought that the mobility company would dub its premium sedan the 02 but as we learnt at the Shanghai Auto Show, it is instead dubbed the 03, leaving the 02 name free to use for a model to slot between the 01 SUV and the 03 sedan.

Speaking to Auto Express about the vehicle, Lynk & Co senior vice president Alain Visser said In between the 01 SUV and 03 saloonwill be a type of crossover vehicle that well reveal soon. Its got SUV cues, but its probably a bit lower. Youll see that most of our cars are relatively small in size.

According to Visser, the 01 SUV will be the first of the three to hit the market and be sold in China from late this year before arriving in Europe and the U.S. in mid-2019. A couple of years later, the 02 crossover will join the range to make the most of the burgeoning SUV/crossover market. The 03 sedan will then launch last.

Visser also revealed that the Geely-owned company will look to target younger buyers.

A Lynk & Co is a very sporty car, we also want it to feel very young in terms of design; young without wanting to be flashy, but with an agile, sporty-orientated, European drive style, he said.

PHOTO GALLERY
As Porsche prepares to launch its all-electric Mission E sedan in 2019, the German marque has installed a number of 350 kW chargers at a dealership in Berlin.



Developed by Porsche Engineering, the chargers feature a Huber-Suhner liquid-cooled charging cable and offer fast-charging abilities, allowing the Mission Es battery pack to be charged up to 80 per cent in just 15 minutes. Additionally, they will be able to charge lower-powered EVs and provide a glimpse at the companys electrified future.

While we eagerly await the arrival of the Mission E, Porsche already has both the Cayenne S E-Hybrid and Panamera 4 E-Hybrid in its range and while the duo only use small battery packs and low-powered electric motors, neither sacrifice performance over their petrol-powered counterparts. As a matter of fact, the range-topping Panamera Turbo S e-Hybrid is the most potent variant in the second-gen Panamera range, delivering 671 hp.

At this stage, it is thought that the Mission E will have the same 800-volt drive system as the concept and arrive at dealerships with two electric motors and a large battery. Initial variants are expected to deliver around 592 hp, allowing the electric sedan to hit 62 mph (100 km/h) in a brisk 3.5 seconds.

Porsche is currently constructing a similar set of chargers in Atlanta.

PHOTO GALLERY
An Okanagan Centre couple who had to drive past flames on both sides of the road described their terror during the initial evacuation from a wildfire.

"We could see smoke coming up the bank," said Lee Hicks, a resident of Nighthawk Road where some homes have been damaged or destroyed by the fire that began Saturday afternoon.

"I ran in to phone 911 and got through to the fire hall," said Mandy Hicks. "They said there was somebody on it, they said it was down at Okanagan Centre Road and I said 'no it is up at Nighthawk' and they just said 'get out' and so we grabbed a few things and ran.

"When we left, the fire had already jumped some of the homes on Nighthawk. We had to drive down Nighthawk with flames on both sides of the road."

Their neighbours could not get through the road by the time they left and had to cut through a driveway that had a gate to the road on the other end.

The good news for them is that part of Nighthawk is believed to have been saved from fire, the Hicks were told Sunday.

"We're at the very north end of Nighthawk...The fire was driven south by the wind last night so it's the houses a little south of us and that's where the fire was when we drove through."
As fire raced through Okanagan Centre Saturday night, fire crews from throughout the region battled the flames.

West Kelowna Fire Rescue posted these dramatic images from the fire line.
Photo: Corey Glowa

UPDATE: 6:30 p.m.

Readers in the area say conditions have calmed substantially.

During a media tour of the area, a light breeze was blowing and the fire seemed to have died down somewhat.

ORIGINAL: 3:50 p.m.

Fire activity in Okanagan Centre appears to picking up again as evening winds fan the flames.

Several Castanet readers report the fire has grown in intensity in the last hour.

Black smoke can be seen from the waterfront, coming from the hill above.

"Lake fire active again right now! Very close up the bank from where the fire started on lakeshore," Jean-Anne Hawse said at about 3:20 p.m.

Were still doing a lot of structural protection. A lot of homes are still threatened, Lake Country Fire Chief Steve Windsor told CTV this afternoon. (There is) very steep topography here and the fire is actually burning below a number of them.

Across the province, about 3,000 personnel are working under the BC Wildfire Service, including 400 people from other provinces and 1,000 contract firefighters.

Emergency Management BC says 6,700 households have registered with the Canadian Red Cross. Of those, about 5,400 have so far received a $600 relief payment from the provincial government.

So far this fire season, wildfire-fighting efforts have totalled $81 million, the BC Wildfire Service says.

 with files from CTV Vancouver
Photo: Kate Bouey

UPDATE: 5:50 p.m.

A destructive wildfire in Lake County was human caused.

The Emergency Operations Centre says no lightning was recorded in the area and that the BC Wildfire Service and RCMP have launched an investigation.

Impacted property owners attended a meeting earlier today to receive information and support.

Fire crews from across the Okanagan continue to work on the 55-hectare Okanagan Centre blaze. The fire is 50 per cent contained by hand guard and surrounded 80 per cent by retardant, the EOC says.

Lake Country fire crews are receiving help from fire departments in Kelowna, West Kelowna, Peachland, Ellison and Joe Rich as well as support from the BC Wildfire Service, BC Ambulance and RCMP.

An evacuation order for 331 properties includes homes along Okanagan Centre Road West, Nighthawk and Tyndall roads.

Residents of 657 properties are on evacuation alert and must be prepared to leave on short notice.

ORIGINAL: 5:20 p.m.

Lake Country's fire chief says his crews did everything they could.

At a press conference Sunday evening at the Okanagan Centre fire station, Steve Windsor said Saturday's wildfire "escalated very quickly."

Windsor confirmed eight homes were destroyed by fire on Nighthawk Road and one outbuilding on Tyndall Road. Earlier reports were as many as 10 homes had been lost.

"We did everything possible to save people's homes and property," he said. "We did our best."

He said there is still fire burning below some homes on Nighthawk.

Windsor said all evacuation orders and alerts remain in place, and the fire remains 80 per cent contained.

He said there have been some flare-ups today, and that crews will continue to work round the clock on spot fires.

After the news conference, media are expected to be taken on a bus tour of the fire area.

Stay tuned to Castanet for more details.

 with files from Kate Bouey
Photo: Kate Bouey A burned structure in Okanagan Centre, from the wildfire.

Some residents in Lake Country can return home, but not everyone.

The Emergency Operation Centre advises that following an assessment this afternoon, the Evacuation Order for Nighthawk Rd., Long Rd, Tyndall Rd. from south of 10810 to the end of the pavement remains in effect. As well, Jack Seaton Park is closed.

These areas within the Okanagan Centre wildfire still have active fire which is being fought by ground crews. When it is safe to remove this order, residents from approximately 69 properties will be allowed home.

The evacuation order and evacuation alerts on several other areas and roads in Lake Country have been rescinded.

Check out the map and search by address to determine if an area or street is under alert or order.

RCMP will continue staffing roadblocks and patrolling through evacuated areas overnight.
Photo: The Canadian Press FILE - In this Feb. 10, 2012, file photo, Ann Coulter gestures while speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Washington.

Delta Air Lines has pushed back at Ann Coulter after the conservative commentator berated the carrier on Twitter over a changed seat assignment.

Coulter began tweeting about the episode Saturday in which she said the airline gave away an "extra room seat" she reserved before a flight from New York to Florida departed. Coulter had booked an aisle seat, but got a window seat.

She joked that Delta hires people who seek to be prison guards, animal handlers or East German police. She also tweeted a photo of a woman she said took the seat she booked and labeled her "dachshund-legged."

Delta responded to Coulter on Twitter on Sunday night that it was refunding her the extra $30 she paid for her preferred seat. It added that "your insults about our other customers and employees are unacceptable and unnecessary." In a separate statement on its website, the company called Coulter's comments "derogatory and slanderous."

Coulter was moved to a window seat at the time of boarding as the airline was "working to accommodate several passengers with seating requests," Delta said in the statement. Delta said that during some confusion over the assignments, a flight attendant asked everyone to move to the seats listed on their tickets. Coulter and the other passengers complied, according to the airline, and the flight departed.

Coulter continued her online rant against Delta on Monday.
Photo: Ray Mailman

The Okanagan Centre wildfire is now 75 per cent contained.

The Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre says firefighters worked through the night putting out spot fires and actioning a flare up during windy conditions.

The fire is currently estimated at 50.3 hectares in size.

An evacuation order remains in place for Nighthawk Road, Long Road, Tyndall Road from south of 10810 to the end of the pavement. The order involves 69 properties. As well, Jack Seaton Park is closed.

Overall, crews made good progress on the fire through the night, the EOC reports.

Windy conditions prompted a flare up on the south end of Tyndall Road, but no homes were impacted. Ground crews will continue putting out spot fires and assessing fire-impacted areas, working toward full containment today.

When it is safe to remove the evacuation order, residents will be allowed home.

RCMP maintained road blocks in the evacuated area and are conducting ongoing patrols. The public is asked to stay away.
Madison Erhardt

The Okanagan is in for another hot and sunny week.

Environment Canada forecasts a high of 27 C, on Monday with a mix of sun and clouds and local smoke throughout.

Tuesday and Wednesday will be mainly sunny, with a high 31 C. Tuesday should be the last day of the week that local smoke will be drifting in and out.

Wednesday is calling for sunshine all day and a high of 31 C.



Thursday and Friday are calling for a 60 per cent chance of rain with a high of 26 degrees C and partly sunny.

The weekend is looking beautiful in the Okanagan.

Saturday should be all sunshine and a high of 31 C.

Sunday will be the hottest day of the week at 33 degrees C.

If you have photos of the beautiful Okanagan you can send them to [email protected].
Photo: Deborah Pfeiffer

A prolific Penticton offender has been sentenced to 18 months and 3 years probation after RCMP caught him with a loaded firearm last summer.

Seamus Ronald Kirby, 26, was arrested on July 22, 2016, near the apartment he was living in on Calgary Ave.

"The RCMP came into possession of information, from a confidential source, that Mr. Kirby was in possession of a shotgun at his apartment that he shared with his girlfriend, the crown prosecutor told the courtroom.

Kirby appeared via webcam at the Penticton Law Courts, Monday morning, facing four firearms charges.

He has spent the last 360 days in custody. With enhanced pre-trial credit, he will likely be released Monday.

Judge Meg Shaw added a curfew to the first year of Kirby's probation, which sparked some concern from the accused, who said he had not made living arrangements for his immediate release, Ill end up breaching right away, he told the judge.

Shaw told him to work it out with his probation officer.

Kirby knows the justice system well, and since the age of 21, has put 26 convictions on his record, 17 of those offences were for breaching court orders.

He started using cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine at the age of 20, which "explains why you see the criminal record here, before you, said the crown prosecutor.
Photo: COSAR

A woman who was on board the boat when a man went missing in Okanagan Lake says people are jumping to conclusions.

She says the group was not drinking excessively on the boat, Saturday, when a 23-year-old friend slipped into the water and is presumed drowned.

"We had just gotten on the water," said the woman, who did not give her name. "We were just heading to the other side of the bridge, and the water was choppy.

"No one was swimming, but we did stop for someone to take a pee.

"No one saw him get in the water."

The group carried on before noticing their friend was no longer on board. She said the group hadn't been in the boat long enough for anyone to have more than a single drink.

"We were right by shore," she said. "For sure he would have been able to swim to the beach."

She fears the man may have hit his head if he dove in.

"People are saying nasty things on social media," she said. "I just wanted people to know that no one was being irresponsible."

RCMP divers are expected to continue the search this week.
Photo: Contributed

West Kelowna's Dr. Oz is extending the invite for evacuees' pets that need a place to stay.

Dr. Moshe Oz, of Rose Valley Veterinary Hospital, said Monday he already is housing 10 dogs and several cats, "but we have lots more room."

"Anything people need. If people need help, we have medications, food, a place to keep their pets," he said.

Oz also said he can arrange connections for larger animals and livestock for those fleeing wildfires across the Southern Interior.

He said the clinic has rented additional space to handle the influx.

The clinic can be reached at 250-769-9109, on Facebook or Twitter.
Photo: Contributed - Glenda Quiring Fire crews take the heat

The call came in at 4:26 p.m. Tuesday, and fire crews jumped into action.

They were responding to a 911 call reporting a fire at Legacy II apartments, located at 770 Rutland Rd. North.

First arriving firefighters noted heavy black smoke and flame coming from the exterior of the building near the buildings west side entrance. The fire was quickly extending into the roof area and suites on the second and third floors.

Initial attack crew: 21 firefighters from four stations responded with four engines, two ladder trucks, one rescue, a command unit, a Safety Officer and Deputy Chief. An additional 50, (career and paid on call), firefighters were called to the scene to assist with extinguishing the fire and searching for occupants.

RCMP responded to assist with accounting for residents and traffic control. BC Ambulance sent two ambulances and a supervisor.

The building sustained heavy fire damage to the roof and 4th floor throughout as well as significant fire and water damage to a number of suites on the other three floors. Fire and police Investigators were on scene to interview a number of witnesses and conduct preliminary investigations and will return to continue cause determination today (Wednesday), once the building has cooled down and the structural integrity is assessed.

Residents from the 52 unit building where transported or drove to the Salvation Army Church at the intersection of Burtch Rd. and Sutherland Ave. where they registered with Emergency Support Services (ESS).

As of 10 p.m. Tuesday only about 70 residents from 30+ units had registered with ESS. Those residents that did not register can do so from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. tomorrow at the Salvation Army Church.

There is a meeting planned for residents today (Wednesday) at 6 p.m. at the Salvation Army Church. There will be information on the next steps. In attendance:

Kelowna Fire Department

Strata Council

Insurance and Restoration Contractor

Emergency Support Services

Red Cross

Public wishing to donate funds to assist the victims of both recent apartment fires, (the other was the July 13, Franklin Rd. blaze), are encouraged to contact the local Canadian Red Cross office by phone at 250-491-8443 and mention the Kelowna Apartment Fires fund.

Click here to view viewer videos from the fire.

Here is a short video as crews head to work - thanks Nathen.
When federal policymakers sit down to draft health care regulations, it's useful to have an energy economist in the room  because electric utilities and health insurance companies are more alike than most consumers (and elected officials) might imagine, says University of Chicago economist Steve Cicala.

In a new working paper published by the National Bureau of Economic Research, Cicala, an assistant professor at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy, found that a provision of the Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare) resembles a type of regulation that sometimes has been used to set prices for utilities, usually resulting in increased rates. Although this provision of the health care law was aimed at making private health insurance more affordable, it had the similar unintended consequence of raising health care costs.

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In the study, Cicala and his co-authors, Ethan M.J. Lieber, an assistant professor at University of Notre Dame, and Victoria Marone, a Ph.D. candidate in economics at Northwestern University, looked at the politically popular "80/20" rule of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Under the ACA, every health insurance company must meet a minimum Medical Loss Ratio (MLR), defined as the percentage of premiums that is actually spent on consumers' health care. If an insurer pays less than 80 cents of every premium dollar to health care providers, the ACA requires that insurer to rebate the difference back to consumers. These rebates have provided an annual opportunity to praise the rule's success, with President Obama remarking in 2013: "Already millions of families have actually received rebates from insurance companies that didn't spend enough on their health care. So this law means more choice, more competition, lower costs for millions of Americans."

Limiting insurance companies' profit margins may sound like a good deal for the insured, Cicala said. But in reality, the regulation created a strong incentive for health insurance companies to overspend; when regulations cap only the percentage of each dollar that companies can keep without managing total expenditure, the companies can simply spend more to protect their profit margins.

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Cicala, whose work focuses on the economics of regulation in the energy sector, noticed this problem when he was reading about health care reform. In looking at the MLR limitation, Cicala said, "I recognized it as being very similar to the cost-of-service style regulation I had worked on in the electricity sector." These types of percentage limits create incentives for "gold-plating"  purposely over-spending on unnecessary or even wasteful capital improvements. "The bigger the capital base that utilities have, the more money they make," Cicala says.

State regulators have systems in place to block this profit-boosting ploy by utilities. "There is a long (if checkered) history of experience of regulators trying to make sure that utilities are working in their customers' best interests to keep costs down," said Cicala, whose prior work has evaluated how politics and uncertainty can distort costs for electric utilities under this type of regulation. "Typically, the utility will come to the state utility commissioner and have a rate hearing, which is basically an audit of the utility  looking at expenses, how much they are paying for fuel, what plants they need to build." The utility commissioner then decides which expenses were prudently incurred and should be passed on to the ratepayers in the form of a rate increase.

"In the electricity sector, at least there is someone to say no," Cicala said. "The regulator can say, 'This is an expenditure that is not in the customers' best interests.' But in the health insurance industry under the ACA, they get to mark up over every single dollar they spend, whether it makes sense to spend that dollar or not, and insurers get a cut out of that dollar."

In looking at the experience of MLR regulation under the ACA, Cicala and his coauthors found that in the first year, 2011, health insurance companies that failed to meet the minimum wound up paying their customers more than $1 billion in rebates. Over the next four years, however, the annual rebate amounts dropped dramatically  but not because premiums were reduced to save customers money. Instead, the insurance companies simply increased the amount they paid to hospitals and medical providers until they hit the ACA-mandated minimum.

"To keep health care costs at all reasonable, you have to rely on some adversarial relationship between providers and insurers," Cicala said. "Effectively, the insurer serves as the middle man, negotiating on customers' behalf to keep costs low. When you implement this kind of regulation, it weakens the insurer's incentive to reduce costs."

While the authors find significant cost increases among those insurers affected by the regulation, Cicala stressed that their study is unable to estimate what would happen if MLR regulations were lifted altogether. "It's not entirely clear to me that removing this regulation would necessarily make things much better. Health care is complicated," he said.

The larger issue, he says, is that the MLR miscue demonstrates the value of thinking about regulatory design across divergent sectors of the economy. "The important question lies not so much in more regulation vs. less regulation in health care, but in how firms as well as consumers respond to regulation," Cicala said. "I think it's valuable to apply lessons that we've learned in regulating other sectors, so that we avoid repeating mistakes we've made in regulating those sectors."

Hear more from Steve Cicala

Watch Asst. Prof. Steve Cicala on EPIC Video discuss his research and why now is an exciting time to be studying energy and the environment.
What's it really like to work at Chicago startups and tech companies? Blue Sky's Inside Job lets people on the ground tell us in their own words.

Jasmine Woods, 26, Solutions Engineer at CityBase

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We create payment applications and kiosks for government agencies, so we make it easier for people to access government agencies through technology. We basically provide access for citizens of a community to interact with their government, whether it's through kiosks, online or just any type of digital platform. It makes paying your bills easier.

I support implementation for new clients. I see what the client wants from us and let them know what we're able to provide. I'm on the kiosk implementation team, so I configure the kiosks on the front end, and then from there, we (provide) a data analysis tool, and I configure that as well.

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I graduated from DePaul this past June. I started at CityBase back in May, the day after we moved to these offices on LaSalle (in the Loop). We're about 60 people, 58 as of last count. There's actually been a new person every other week since I got here.

After college  I went to Indiana University, Bloomington, for my bachelor's degree  I worked as a journalist for a year. I absolutely hated it. I was in Joplin, Missouri. I was a reporter at a television station, the NBC affiliate there. Any job is stressful, but when I worked as a journalist, from the time I woke up to the time I got back home, I was in a constant rush. That bothered me because I wasn't sleeping well, and I definitely wasn't eating properly. Spending Christmas by myself at a Chinese restaurant was not fun.

I really wanted to choose a new career that gave me the freedom to live wherever I wanted to live, look however I wanted to look  because they made me cut my hair into a bob  dress how I want to dress.

I went back to my educational background and said, "OK, what can I pull from?" I realized that I enjoyed my informatics classes and did more research on that and decided I wanted to expand my technical background, and I applied to DePaul and got into the computer science program.

The biggest thing I love about computer science is that it's a very versatile field to go into. It gave us opportunities. You don't have to be a software engineer for 20 years. You don't have to be a developer. You can pretty much do whatever you want in whatever technology allows, and technology is constantly evolving.

When I went to CityBase for my interview, everyone was really nice, and everyone was really knowledgeable about what the company did. Even though when I came in and the role wasn't clearly defined, everyone knew what the company needed from the role. That attracted me to the company because it just showed they had a direction.

It's pretty laid-back and open. Everyone is encouraged to ask questions. Everyone is encouraged to create a process that works. There's no set way to do anything, which sometimes can be a fault. But what I'm learning here is we're basically using what works or taking our knowledge and creating what works.

The office is pretty open; there's a pool table in the back. We have State of the Base meetings every other Friday, where they go over what's going on in CityBase, and people drink beer during that, so that's kind of cool.

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Sometimes people bring their kids in. I remember when I was kid, I used to go to my mom's job when she didn't have a babysitter, but my mom put me to work. I was sitting there organizing files. These kids have more fun with the pool table, pingpong.

As far as this company goes, I'm the only black person, the only black woman, but we've only got like 60 people. I've worked at companies that have had hundreds of people, and I was still the only black woman. It's not difficult here because at this company, I'm the only black person, but there are multiple other "ones." There are a lot of women in power, women in leadership.

I volunteer for Black Girls Code. That's really important to me because with my computer science program, it was very difficult to sit in classrooms, and no one looks like you or relates to your background. With Black Girls Code, we teach little girls how to build video games and build robots. Regardless of what school you go to, what background you come from, it can put you at the same level playing field as kids that go to richer schools.

CityBase has been a really fun place to work so far. I've basically used everything I learned in college in the past two months. Even though things are constantly changing, I'm constantly learning, which is refining my skill set, so I think even if I don't stay at CityBase forever, it will really groom me to go wherever I want to go.

As told to freelance reporter Erin Chan Ding. Stories are edited for length and clarity.

[ Click here to read more Inside Job profiles  ]
Nick Moy, from left, William Rueter and Colin Sidoti of Harbor, a startup offering technology that aims to provide users with a stable retirement income, talk at the 1871 office. (Kristan Lieb / Blue Sky)

Logan LaHive  has been involved with Techstars Chicago for years. But this summer, he's getting up close and personal with the process, leading his first cohort as the accelerator's managing director.

From around 1,000 startups that applied, LaHive and his colleagues picked 10 companies, including four from the Chicago area, for the bootcamp that started July 12. They hail from the Midwest to Israel with offerings including software for retirement security, an app that helps detect bias in the workplace and a drone designed to film sports.

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For the first cohort under his watch, LaHive said he was looking for "people that can have a disruptive vision of a space." He even said he looks for "bad ideas," noting that many game-changing technologies seemed like bad ideas at first, but were really just looking at things through a different lens.

The 90-day accelerator offers startups mentorship, $20,000 in funding in exchange for 6 percent equity and the opportunity to borrow another $100,000. Companies get help related to specific needs, like growth, sales, PR or focus on the product.

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LaHive, formerly CEO of loyalty company Belly, took over as Techstars Chicago's managing director in February but has been mentoring for Techstars since 2010. As he went through the process of picking startups with Techstars for the first time, he said it didn't matter to him how far along the companies were; some have already brought in millions in revenue, while others are at the earliest stages.

"For us, a part of selectivity was just focusing on founders that just turn us into fans," LaHive said. "And I'm really happy where we landed."

The 2017 class gathered four local companies, as well as three from New York, one from Atlanta, one from Washington, D.C., and an international startup from Israel.

Jobeek, a job search platform for engineers from Israel, hopes Techstars will help them reach new markets. They're planning to make moves into the United States, starting from Chicago.

"The ecosystem here for startups is in the growing phase  and the need for engineers here is much greater than in Silicon Valley," said co-founder Amit Hacohen. "So Chicago, for us, is a great place to start."

For Arajoy, a six-month old company building autopilot software that lets drones follow on-field sports, the network and mentorship is the main reward from the program.

"We love our idea; they (Techstars) love our idea," CEO Renji Bijoy said. "So hopefully it's something that becomes a great company."

The companies are based in Chicago until the demo day on Oct. 12, though they can travel back to their home offices if needed. These are the other eight companies:

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4Degrees (Chicago), which aims to help people build more professional relationships. Ablorde Ashigbi explained on Medium last week why he and David Vandegrift were leaving Pritzker Group Venture Capital to launch the idea.

Abode (Chicago), whose platform uses data science to make it easier to buy or sell a house, connecting users with real estate agents, home inspectors and other housing professionals who are the best fit.

Breaking Business As it happens When business news breaks, be the first to know. >

Allie (New York), a Slack app that lets users report interactions at their workplaces that may show bias, like interruptions in meetings or uncomfortable jokes.

Elemetric (Chicago), a platform that uses machine learning for better market research.

Harbor (New York), a startup offering technology that aims to provide users with a stable retirement income.

Omelas (Washington, D.C.), which aims to find extremists online with the help of data scientists, software engineers and counterterrorism experts.

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Paladin (Chicago), software that connects lawyers with pro bono work.

Swag.com (New York), a website where companies can order promotional products.

yromanyshyn@tronc.comTwitter @JulRomanyshyn
Leslie Koth was scrolling through her Facebook feed in early February when she saw the news that Nordstrom, citing low sales, had decided to stop carrying Ivanka Trump's clothing line. She immediately went online and snapped up a Trump-branded plum-and-pink sunburst dress selling for $138.

"I want her to continue to be a good role model for women in business and forge on," said Koth, 46, a stay-at-home mother of four in Carterville, Illinois, who posted a photo of herself wearing the dress for a Kentucky Derby-themed fundraiser in May, with the caption, "My Ivanka Trump Derby dress!" and an American flag emoji.

"I just think it is wrong for her to be attacked," Koth said.

Buffeted by her father's tumultuous tenure in the White House and increasingly polarized views about her family, the first daughter's clothing company appears to have found a new and growing base of customers: women who view purchasing her products as a way to make a political statement.

They post selfies while wearing her dresses, citing their pride in supporting Trump and her family, and urge other women to join the cause.

Trump customers, for the most part, are undeterred by any potential disconnect between her business model  in which clothing, footwear and handbags are all produced in foreign factories  and the president's call for U.S. companies to hire American workers. The arrangement is simply a reality of the modern garment industry, they say.

"When you think about it, what clothing isn't made overseas?" said Bethany Rhoads, a 31-year-old traveling nurse, whose favorite Trump piece is a black-and-white sleeveless dress made in Indonesia.

The loyalty of these customers reflects an unusual dynamic at play for President Trump and his daughter  business executives who are new to government and have insisted on retaining their financial holdings while in the White House. While both have pledged to step away from daily management of their companies, their businesses have nevertheless been evolving along with their political activities.

The president's hotel and real estate company, long focused on luxury properties in big cities, is launching a new low-price hotel brand called American Idea inspired by visits the Trump family made to rural communities during the campaign. And Ivanka Trump brought her brand's "#WomenWhoWork" motto into the White House as part of her role as an adviser to her father, taking on family leave and child-care issues as a major part of her portfolio.

The customer demographic attracted to Ivanka Trump's clothing line has increasingly moved from "folks on Fifth Avenue to Main Street," said Allen Adamson, a corporate brand marketing consultant.

"She was 'Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous,' " Adamson said, adding: "But there's been a shift in the political stance and polarization of the entire country. ... The people in her base are more passionate than ever."

Ivanka Trump's company told The Washington Post that it has experienced a sales surge during the time that Donald Trump emerged as the Republican nominee and won the presidency  with revenue up 21 percent in 2016 and rising again this year, executives said.

The figures could not be independently verified, as the company is privately held, and executives declined to release additional data.

"We are proud that our business is growing rapidly and that our brand resonates strongly with women who are inspired by our messaging and excited about the polished and chic solution-oriented products that we offer," Abigail Klem, the company's president, said in a statement.

Among the new customers is Carly McKenzie, a hair salon owner in Lumberton, Miss., who bought her first Ivanka Trump item earlier this year when she encountered a white patterned chiffon dress on sale at a local store.

"I loved the dress," said the 31-year-old single mom, who has worn it to church and a family reunion. But her purchase was also driven by another motivation: to support President Trump and his eldest daughter.

"I love the way she carries herself, the way she represents her father. I think she portrays a different side of Trump," said McKenzie, who posted a photo of herself in the dress on a pro-Trump Facebook page with the hashtag "#adorabledeplorable"  a riff on Hillary Clinton's jab calling Trump supporters a "basket of deplorables," which some refashioned into a point of pride.

For many of the women who buy Ivanka Trump clothes, the purchases are a way to send a message about what they like about the administration.

"I think she is the best part of it," Rhoads said, adding that the first daughter brings "a very simple approach" to "what feels like a media circus and a political circus."

Rhoads said she began to admire Ivanka Trump after seeing her on her father's reality show on "The Apprentice."

"While she is a billionaire heiress, she still posts pictures of herself playing with her kids on the floor," Rhoads said. "She seems very, very down-to-earth  the kind of mom that working women aspire to be."

Tracie Stradling, a 47-year-old medical assistant who lives in Gilbert, Ariz., said she first started buying Trump-brand clothes about five years ago because she likes the cut of her dresses.

"You don't have to look like Ivanka for it to look good," she said.

When Nordstrom announced that it was no longer going to carry Trump's line, Stradling said she rushed out and bought four dresses. She now has more than two dozen Ivanka items.

Stradling noted that many U.S. brands make their clothes overseas.

"Yes, I would like to see jobs stay local," she said. "But nobody hated on her clothes until Trump became president."
Visitors to the McDonald's wooded corporate campus enter on a driveway named for the late chief executive Ray Kroc, then turn onto Ronald Lane before reaching Hamburger University, where more than 80,000 people have been trained as fast-food managers.

Surrounded by quiet neighborhoods and easy highway connections, this 86-acre suburban compound adorned with walking paths and duck ponds was for four decades considered the ideal place to attract top executives as the company rose to global dominance.

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Now its leafy environs are considered a liability. Locked in a battle with companies of all stripes to woo top tech workers and young professionals, McDonald's executives announced last year that they were putting the property up for sale and moving to the West Loop of Chicago where L trains arrive every few minutes and construction cranes dot the skyline.

In Chicago, McDonald's will join a slew of other companies  among them food giant Kraft Heinz, farming supplier ADM and telecommunications firm Motorola Solutions  all looking to appeal to and be near young professionals versed in the world of e-commerce, software analytics, digital engineering, marketing and finance.

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Such relocations are happening across the country as economic opportunities shift to a handful of top cities and jobs become harder to find in some suburbs and smaller cities.

Aetna recently announced that it will relocate from Hartford, Conn., to Manhattan; General Electric is leaving Connecticut to build a global headquarters in Boston; and Marriott International is moving from an emptying Maryland office park into the center of Bethesda, Md.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said the old model where executives chose locations near where they wanted to live has been upturned by the growing influence of technology in nearly every industry. Years ago, IT operations were an afterthought. Now, people with such expertise are driving top-level corporate decisions, and many of them prefer urban locales.

"It used to be the IT division was in a back office somewhere," Emanuel said. "The IT division and software, computer and data mining, et cetera, is now next to the CEO. Otherwise, that company is gone."

The migration to urban centers threatens the prosperity outlying suburbs have long enjoyed, bringing a dose of pain felt by rural communities and exacerbating stark gaps in earnings and wealth that Donald Trump capitalized on in winning the presidency.

McDonald's may not even be the most noteworthy corporate mover in Illinois. Machinery giant Caterpillar said this year that it was moving its headquarters from Peoria to Deerfield, which is closer to Chicago. It said it would keep about 12,000 manufacturing, engineering and research jobs in its original hometown. But top-paying office jobs  the type that Caterpillar's higher-ups enjoy  are being lost, and the company is canceling plans for a 3,200-person headquarters aimed at revitalizing Peoria's downtown.

"It was really hard. I mean, you know that $800 million headquarters translated into hundreds and hundreds of good construction jobs over a number of years," Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis said.

Long term, the corporate moves threaten an orbit of smaller enterprises that fed on their proximity to the big companies, from restaurants and janitorial operations to subcontractors who located nearby.

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"The village of Oak Brook and McDonald's sort of grew up together. So when the news came, it was a jolt from the blue  we were really not expecting it," said Gopal Lalmalani, a cardiologist who also serves as the village president.

Lalmalani is no stranger to the desire of young professionals to live in cities: His adult daughters, a lawyer and an actress, live in Chicago. When McDonald's arrived in Oak Brook, in 1971, many Americans were migrating in the opposite direction, away from the city.

In the years since, the tiny village's identity became closely linked with the fast-food chain as McDonald's forged a brand that spread across postwar suburbia one Happy Meal at a time.

"It was fun to be traveling and tell someone you're from Oak Brook and have them say, 'Well, I never heard of that,' and then tell them, 'Yes, you have. Look at the back of the ketchup package from McDonald's,' " said former village president Karen Bushy. Her son held his wedding reception at the hotel on campus, sometimes called McLodge.

The village showed its gratitude  there is no property tax  and McDonald's reciprocated with donations such as $100,000 annually for the Fourth of July fireworks display and with an outsize status for a town of fewer than 8,000 people.

McDonald's, though, came under pressure to update its offerings for the Internet age, so it opened an office in San Francisco and a year later moved additional digital operations to downtown Chicago, strategically near tech incubators as well as digital outposts of companies that included Yelp and eBay.

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Chief executive Steve Easterbrook, who took over in spring 2015, sought to keep innovating, launching mobile ordering, emphasizing self-serve kiosks in restaurants and expanding delivery through a partnership with UberEats.

As McDonald's embraced technology, it decided that it needed to be closer not just to workers who build e-commerce tools but also to the customers who use them, said Robert Gibbs, the former White House press secretary who is a McDonald's executive vice president. That is because the next generation of fast-food consumers may be more likely to arrive via iPhones than drive-throughs.

"The decision is really grounded in getting closer to our customers," Gibbs said.

The site of the new headquarters, being built in place of the studio where Oprah Winfrey's show was filmed, is in Fulton Market, a bustling neighborhood filled with new apartments and some of the city's most highly rated new restaurants.

Bushy and others in Oak Brook wondered aloud if part of the reasoning for the relocation was to effectively get rid of the employees who have built lives around commuting to Oak Brook and may not follow the company downtown. Gibbs said that was not the intention.

"Our assumption is not that some amount [of our staff] will not come. Some may not. In some ways that's probably some personal decision. I think we've got a workforce that's actually quite excited with the move," he said.

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Chicago's arrival as a magnet for corporations belies statistics that would normally give corporate movers pause. High homicide rates and concerns about the police department have eroded Emanuel's popularity locally, but those issues seem confined to other parts of the city as young professionals crowd into the Loop, Chicago's lively central business district.

Chicago has been ranked the No. 1 city in the United States for corporate investment for the past four years by Site Selection Magazine, a real estate trade publication.

Emanuel said crime is not something executives scouting new offices routinely express concerns about. Rather, he touts data points such as 140,000  the number of new graduates local colleges produce every year.

"Corporations tell me the number one concern that they have  workforce," he said.

To Peorians, Caterpillar's change of heart came suddenly. Two years ago, the company's leadership team joined state and local officials at a ceremony to announce plans for a new $800 million, 31-acre headquarters aimed at reviving a downtown pockmarked by vacant storefronts.

"We're here in Peoria to stay," Caterpillar's then-chief executive Doug Oberhelman declared at the time. Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner stood to applaud.

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Then, in January of this year, Caterpillar abruptly canceled the Peoria headquarters complex and said it would move about 300 top executives to the Chicago area.

The local reaction wasn't just disappointment but bewilderment. Three generations of the city's residents have worked at Caterpillar  designing, assembling and painting tractors and pipelayers.

Like other firms, Caterpillar had a digital hub in downtown Chicago, just over a mile from the new McDonald's headquarters. But now it is also moving many of its top executives away from where colleagues are designing, producing and shipping the company's products  and the possibility of more Caterpillar jobs leaving looms.

"There are definitely people in this region who don't want to go to Chicago and are worried that their jobs are going there," said Jennifer Daly, former chief executive of the Greater Peoria Economic Development Council.

If more jobs go, it will diminish the options for highly qualified managers and executives who have chosen to make their homes in Peoria  a far more affordable, less congested place than Chicago or Deerfield.

"The people who built this company from 1925 on were Peorians, they were Midwesterners, they weren't city people," said Rennie Atterbury, a longtime former Caterpillar executive and general counsel.

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The decision has left Peoria officials scrambling. They are focusing on different industries, such as health care, and helping the city's other manufacturing firms to find work beyond building tractors. About 100 small manufacturers in the area rely largely on Caterpillar contracting work.

"We really want to help them diversify," Daly said. "These manufacturers are not used to having to pursue sales outside of the earth-moving industry."

Lee Powell in Peoria contributed to this report.
A lawsuit alleges Chi-Town Vapers has attempted to take advantage of the century old Wrigley brands by selling "Dbl Mint" and "Joosy Fruit" e-cigarette liquids online and at its Bensenville retail location. (Nam Y. Huh / AP)

When it comes to protecting its Juicy Fruit and Doublemint brand names, Wrigley is not just blowing smoke.

The venerable Chicago-based candy giant filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against a suburban manufacturer, accusing it of appropriating its iconic gum brands to market flavored liquids used in electronic cigarettes.

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The federal lawsuit, filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Chicago, alleges Chi-Town Vapers has attempted to take advantage of the century old Wrigley brands by selling "Dbl Mint" and "Joosy Fruit" e-cigarette liquids online and at its Bensenville retail location. Flavored vape liquids contain nicotine, which is inhaled through e-cigarettes as an alternative to smoking tobacco.

"The use of popular candy brands in the marketing, sales and promotion of e-cigarettes is ... grossly deceptive and irresponsible," Michelle Green, a Wrigley spokeswoman, said in a statement Monday. "We strongly condemn these actions, which are directly at odds with our anti-tobacco policy and our strict marketing standards."

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The flavored liquids, which were still available on the Chi-Town Vapers website Monday, feature logos that "copy the look and feel" of the gum packaging, according to the lawsuit, including green and yellow colors and the "double arrow" design.

Robert Wilson, named as the owner of Chi-Town Vapers and Chi-Town Labs in the lawsuit, did not respond immediately Monday to a request for comment.

William Wrigley Jr. founded his namesake company in Chicago in 1891 as a soap company and started producing Juicy Fruit and Doublemint gum soon thereafter. The company registered the trademarks for both brands in 1915.

The packaging for both brands has evolved over the years, but elements have been consistent for more than a century, with Wrigley investing "millions of dollars and significant effort" to advertise and promote the brands, making them "extremely valuable" corporate assets, the lawsuit says.

Wrigley was acquired in 2008 by the privately held Virginia-based Mars candy company for $23 billion.

The lawsuit says Wrigley attorneys first reached out to Chi-Town Vapers in July 2014, asking the company to stop selling products that at the time were being marketed as Juicy Fruit, Doublemint and Skittles, which is also a Wrigley brand.

Chi-Town Vapers did not respond to that letter but removed images of the infringing products from the website, according to the lawsuit.

The remedy, however, didn't stick. By November 2015, Chi-Town Vapers was marketing the similarly branded Dbl Mint vape liquid, with Joosy Fruit Gum relaunched in January, the lawsuit stated.

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Chi-Town Vapers also is selling a flavor on its website branded "Skiddles," which is described as "a rainbow of flavors, very tasty like Skittles," but that product is not named in the lawsuit.

"Maybe people like flavors they're familiar with," Doug Masters, an attorney representing Wrigley, said Monday. "I thought people liked things that taste like cigarettes."

The lawsuit is seeking an injunction against selling any products "confusingly similar" to the Wrigley trademarks, a recall of such products from distribution channels, undisclosed damages and all profits obtained by Chi-Town Vapers through the alleged trademark infringement.

rchannick@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @RobertChannick
A silky and rich salmon roe dip from Ina Garten makes an elegant appetizer that's also incredibly easy to whip up. (Food styling by Corrine Kozlak.) (Bill Hogan, Chicago Tribune)

Caviar, once upon a holiday past, meant a tin of Caspian sturgeon roe nestled in ice with a mother-of-pearl spoon, accompanied by Champagne. Today, concerns about the environmental impact of those fabled Caspian fisheries  and one's budget  call for greener (and more affordable) roe options from other types of fish that can still pack a decadent party punch.

"It wakes your mouth up. It's a slap on your palate in a positive way," says Rick Moonen of RM Seafood restaurant in Las Vegas, on the enduring appeal of fish roe. "It's a pop and a burst of ocean flavor  I think it's just fun."

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Fun, yes, but roes of all sorts  from salmon to trout to smelt  are not cheap. Still, with farm-raised imported royal osetra caviar starting at $144 an ounce (that's famed caviar purveyor Petrossian USA's price), shelling out about $13 for 2 ounces of whitefish roe (Seattle Caviar Co.) seems a veritable bargain.

Such is the visual appeal and the luxe aura of fish roes that you should keep it simple. The old-school presentation of caviar, toast points, hard-cooked egg and creme fraiche still appeals, but you can do plenty more. Imagine a platter of Belgian endive leaves, each adorned with a dollop of Greek yogurt and a tiny spoonful of rainbow trout roe. Tiny cooked potatoes or deviled eggs can be topped with any type of roe.

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"Roes are a delicacy," says Alexandre Petrossian, vice president of Petrossian USA. The company's chefs work to use roe where you expect it least. Last summer, it was caviar in a watermelon, ricotta and cucumber salad, he says; now there's tuna tartare with caper, lemon and salmon roe.

Chef Bruce Sherman of North Pond restaurant in Chicago has a variety of roe ideas.

Sprinkle roe into a vinaigrette before dressing a salad plate because the look of the eggs gleaming in the oil is "colorful and striking."

Spoon roe onto a bagel with cream cheese (use the mini bagels for a passed hors d'oeuvre) or fold into an omelet.

Use smoked Spanish herring roe to garnish soups.

"Even a canape topped with whipped creme fraiche, salmon eggs and a piece of chive or chervil is pretty,'' he says.

To get started, look for fish roe at seafood shops or specialty grocery stores with good seafood counters; or check online sources. If you cannot find a type of roe specified in the recipes, sub with another. Then try one of the simple ideas here.

wdaley@tribpub.com

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Twitter @billdaley

Mini caviar pies

Prep: 1 hour

Bake: 8 minutes

Makes: 12 servings

This recipe is adapted from one developed by Betsy Sherrow, co-founder of Seattle Caviar Co. She calls for three types of roe, but you may use just one type, if you like.

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6 slices white sandwich bread

Olive oil

4 large hard-cooked eggs, peeled, chopped

1/4 cup mayonnaise

6 fresh dill fronds, chopped

6 fresh chives, chopped

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1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/4 cup creme fraiche or sour cream

2 ounces golden whitefish roe

2 ounces red flying fish roe or salmon roe

1 ounce paddlefish roe

1 Cut two discs from each slice of bread with a round cookie cutter (about 2 1/2 inches in diameter; use a smaller cutter for more discs). Brush with olive oil on each side. Place discs on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake in a 350-degree oven until pale golden and crisp, 8-10 minutes. Cool.

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2 Combine the chopped eggs with the mayonnaise, herbs and salt. Layer egg salad atop each disc. Frost the salad with creme fraiche; finish with concentric circles of three colors of fish roe.

Caviar dip

Prep: 20 minutes

Makes: 2 cups

Adapted from Ina Garten's "Barefoot Contessa Parties!" Serve with chips, toasts or crackers.

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

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1/2 cup sour cream

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons minced fresh dill, plus sprigs for garnish

1 green onion, minced

1 tablespoon milk, half-and-half or cream

1/4 teaspoon salt

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Freshly ground black pepper

100 grams (3.5 ounces) salmon roe

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese until smooth. On medium speed, add the sour cream, lemon juice, minced dill, green onion, milk, salt and pepper to taste. With a rubber spatula, fold in three-quarters of the salmon roe. Spoon the dip into a bowl; garnish with the remaining salmon roe and sprigs of dill.

Oysters with cucumber-ginger mignonette and wasabi whitefish roe

Prep: 45 minutes

Chill: 2 hours

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Makes: 24 oysters

This oysters-on-the-half-sell presentation was developed by Rick Moonen, executive chef of RM Seafood in Las Vegas.

2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger

1 large shallot, finely diced

1/2 cup unseasoned rice vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

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1 teaspoon soy sauce

24 oysters, shucked

1 large seedless cucumber, finely diced

2 ounces wasabi flavored whitefish roe

1 Whisk together the ginger, shallot, vinegar, sugar and soy sauce until the sugar is dissolved. Chill, at least 2 hours.

2 Arrange the oysters their bottom shells on crushed ice. Cover each oyster with the chopped cucumber. Stir the mignonette again; spoon a small amount over the cucumbers just to bathe the oyster. Top each with a generous dollop of roe.

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Going for green roe

Consider sustainability in choosing a fish roe for eating. The Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch program has a handy online guide at seafoodwatch.org to help you choose among the various types of roe. Not all roes are listed, so check with your purveyor about where the roe is from and whether the fish from which it was harvested was wild or farm-raised.

Here are Seafood Watch's "best choices" and "good alternatives":

Capelin (smelt roe, masago): Method: Wild. Location: Iceland. (Good alternative: Wild. Location: Canada.)

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Salmon roe (ikura): Method: Drift gillnet, purse seine, troll. Location: Alaska.

Sea urchin (uni): Method: Wild. Location: Canada. (Good alternative: Wild. Location: California.)

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Sturgeon (beluga, osetra and sevruga caviar, sturgeon roe): Method: Farmed. Location: United States.

White sturgeon (beluga, osetra and sevruga caviar, sturgeon roe): Method: Farmed in tank systems. Location: Canada.

What is caviar?

"Simply sieved and lightly salted fish roe (eggs)," reports "The New Food Lover's Companion." "Sturgeon roe is premium and considered the "true" caviar." The three types of sturgeon caviar are beluga, osetra and sevruga. The Caspian Sea has long been the source of the best and most costly caviar but other countries, including the United States, also raise sturgeon for caviar.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says only sturgeon roe can be labeled solely as "caviar." The labels of caviar made from all other fish roes must identify the fish, as in "whitefish caviar" or "salmon caviar." The word "malossol" on the label means "the roe is preserved with a minimal amount of salt," according to the "Companion."
Matthias Merges, explaining why he closed Yusho Hyde Park, said, "We loved doing it but it just didnt bring enough to the bottom line for us. We realized we could use our great talent and put them in operations and opportunities that could really benefit our company. Merges is pictured in 2014 at his A10 restaurant in Hyde Park, which remains open. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)

When critically acclaimed chef Matthias Merges closed Yusho Hyde Park earlier this month, after a three-year run, his Folkart Restaurant Management company released a simple explanatory statement, which said the decision, in part, was made to concentrate our efforts on the Michelin award-winning A10 and our new upcoming projects.

The new projects include Lucky Dorr, the collaboration craft beer pub which opened in The Park at Wrigley last week; and the upcoming projects are a Randolph Street bar and restaurant partnership planned for late September, as well as the highly anticipated Zachary Hotel project across from Wrigley Field expected by or on Cubs opening day 2018.

But in an exclusive interview, Merges revealed sobering details on the Hyde Park closure (it was one of three Yusho restaurants), and "the state of the state of the restaurant business" as he described it, while sharing his strategy for a sustainable future.

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"We as a company are scaling up, looking at larger projects, anticipating what's happening in the restaurant world today, especially Chicago," said Merges. "With the lack of finding really solid talent, minimum wage going up, the unknown situation with insurance, we're really looking at our business."

"Looking at Yusho Hyde Park, how it was 30 seats, we loved doing it but it just didn't bring enough to the bottom line for us," he added. "We realized we could use our great talent and put them in operations and opportunities that could really benefit our company."

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"I love doing the neighborhood places, but the model is very, very difficult these days."

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"You have a number of great restaurants in Chicago on the higher end that can charge the money and have a very special niche," said Merges, who was Charlie Trotter's executive chef for 14 years. "Then you have the fast food concepts that have minimal staffing, with a static kind of menu that doesn't require much labor, and those are doing well and we're seeing an explosion."

"But the people who are really suffering, and will continue to suffer, are those mid-range table service restaurants that require some significant talent and execution," he said. "The idea of a mom and pop operation is really a thing of the past."

Merges and company are also serving draft cocktails at Wrigley Field during Cubs home games, plus canned cocktails available during concerts and other events at the ballpark, which they plan to sell at additional limited locations soon, then wider in three to five years.

The original Yusho restaurant remains open in Avondale, serving signature Tokyo market inspired food and drink, as does Merges' Billy Sunday in Logan Square, and Old Irving Brewing in the Irving Park neighborhood.

But the third Yusho, which was in Las Vegas, also closed last month but for different reasons, said Merges. "The Monte Carlo hotel where we were located is reconcepting with a 40,000 square foot Eataly so we're relocating," he said. Folkart has been asked to look across the street at the MGM hotel for their new location.

Meanwhile at the closed Yusho Hyde Park space, chef Jared Leonard, perhaps best known for his Budlong Hot Chicken restaurants, visited last week, scouting for a second location of his BBQ Supply Co. restaurant. But he wouldn't serve fried chicken because a Harold's Chicken Shack Fish & Pizza is across the street in Kimbark Plaza.

lchu@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @louisachu
Stars of NBC's Chicago-set franchise have returned to Chicago to film new seasons of their shows.

"In 1 week, Chicago PD starts filming! Did you miss me? What are you excited to see? Tell me now!" "Chicago P.D." star Marina Squerciati posted Friday on Instagram.

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Meanwhile, "Chicago Fire" star Monica Raymund attended the Pitchfork Music Festival in Union Park over the weekend and "Chicago Med" star Colin Donnell dined Sunday at Roister in the West Loop.

"Chicago Fire," "Chicago P.D." and "Chicago Med" typically film here for most of the year with an extended break in late spring/early summer. "Chicago Justice," the fourth series in Dick Wolf's franchise, was canceled in May after one season.

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Season 6 of "Chicago Fire" is scheduled to premiere 9 p.m. Sept. 28. Season 5 of "Chicago P.D." is set to begin 9 p.m. Sept. 27. "Chicago Med" was renewed for a third season, but a premiere date has not yet been announced.

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Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 122 Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, anger management student, in "Dark Phoenix." The film, the latest in the "X-Men" franchise, costars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jessica Chastain. Read the review. (Twentieth Century Fox)
Simeon Career Academy English teacher Ariam Abraham said she recently watched her students struggle to type their research papers, so she turned to donorschoose.org to raise money for classroom Chromebooks. She thought it was a longshot, but thanks to some star power, she raised about $2,000 in minutes Saturday.

"Most of the people actually left comments with the donations and they were really warm, heartfelt messages of encouragement and best wishes. I started bawling my eyes out, like on the spot, as I was reading them. I was like weeping. I felt so supported and overwhelmed with joy and with gratitude," Abraham told the Tribune.

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"Southside With You" star Tika Sumpter, who is in town filming the Chicago-set political thriller "The Pages," and Eve Ewing, a Chicago sociologist of education, tweeted about the project and donated to it. Sumpter's reps did not respond to a Tribune request for comment.

Abraham said she will buy nine Chromebooks with the $1,960 she raised Saturday, and she plans to make three more online requests to get 36-38 computers for her classroom. The second request went online Monday. Most projects posted to DonorsChoose are for $2,000 or less.

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"There's so much more that we can do and I think having laptops that are specifically for them I think is going to be really dignified for them, you know, instead of just using ancient textbooks that a lot of people just kind of throw in front of them and expect them to engage with. It's something that they'll be excited to use," Abraham said.

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Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 122 Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, anger management student, in "Dark Phoenix." The film, the latest in the "X-Men" franchise, costars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jessica Chastain. Read the review. (Twentieth Century Fox)
George A. Romero died Sunday, and the undead weep for their most devoted caretaker. Since yesterday the social media realm has buzzed with fond tributes to the filmmaker, and reminders that the Bronx-born writer-director-producer, who lived until 77, created an entire body of work outside the movies begun in 1968 with "Night of the Living Dead." Among them: "Martin"; "Creepshow" (love that E.G. Marshall cockroach saga); "The Crazies," earlier on, when the Vietnam War was still grinding through its paces and infecting commercial moviemaking in all sorts of bizarre ways.

Romero's relish for the right kind of gore, with the right kind of high/low wit, sprang from a sensibility indebted to the horror emporium EC Comics and "Tales from the Crypt." It's important to acknowledge the filmmaker's influences, and everything Romero accomplished. It's equally important to talk about the film that he made first, though, which is the film that made him in return.

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I was afraid to see it, for years, though I saw bits of it without paying. Sunday nights when I was a kid we'd drive back to Racine, Wis., from dinner at my grandparents in Kenosha, my folks and my brother and I, in the Ford Fairlane wagon, the low-slung auto that looked vaguely like a hearse. We traveled north along Sheridan Road, which meant sneaking a few fleeting seconds of whatever was on the screen of the Mid-City Outdoor drive-in just past Kenosha.

One time it was "Angel in My Pocket," with Andy Griffith. Another it was a few seconds of something with stewardesses in it, and not much clothing. And once, equally scandalous, I saw a few seconds of "Night of the Living Dead," from the scene of a strangely contemplative feasting, as the undead "ghouls" of the story (the movie did not use the word "zombies") chewed on their victims in a weirdly lyric interlude.

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In grubby 35mm black-and-white, shot in Butler County, Pa., a long way from Hollywood slickness or the usual monster movie fare of the time, it was scary as ever-loving hell. I saw it for real eventually, but not until college. When "Night of the Living Dead" first came out I was into "Laugh-in," not gross-out. Still, decades before "The Walking Dead" and so many other hungry knockoffs came to dinner, co-writer and director Romero's astounding debut feature snuck into a rattled nation's movie houses and drive-ins in October 1968 and the world hasn't quite been the same since.

Romero's debut carried no rating and, hence, no real warning of its peculiar intensity and considerable gore. The Motion Picture Association of America's Classification and Rating Administration hadn't yet been set up. So here was this movie, made on a spartan production budget of $114,000, about a zombie apocalypse, and for a few weeks kids of all ages were going, unsuspecting, and coming out traumatized. The trade publication Variety worried over "the moral health of filmgoers who cheerfully opt for this unrelieved orgy of sadism."

Roger Ebert was there for an early Chicago screening. "The kids in the audience were stunned," he wrote. "There was almost complete silence. The movie had stopped being delightfully scary about halfway through, and had become unexpectedly terrifying." At the same time, families were going en masse to see John Wayne in "The Green Berets," a movie only slightly less appalling (though not in the same way). When the MPAA ratings system began, "The Green Berets" was blessed with an all-ages G. And that was America and Hollywood in 1968. Romero's achievement, a harsh and troubling vision, had nothing to do with Hollywood. Then Hollywood, smelling a profitable maverick, came to Romero.

The year before "Night of the Living Dead," "Bonnie and Clyde" deployed a newly vivid and prolonged use of screen violence, in color, to send a mass audience out onto the sidewalk shellshocked and eerily quiet. Audiences at the end of Romero's film came out all mixed up, nerves jangling, jittery, shaken up in a different way. The movie wasn't "fun." Romero invented a zombie genre, more or less, and with its African-American leading man (Duane Jones) dying not at the hands of the undead, but at the hands of paranoid, rifle-toting rednecks, it all felt very close to the war at home in America.

A decade after "Night of the Living Dead," Romero made "Dawn of the Dead," and set it in a mall, and the result was one of the simplest, greatest concepts ever laid on a satiric horror movie. Blunt, wildly bloody, heavily into dismemberment and mindless indoor consumerism run amok, it was a lovely, spattery snapshot of the '70s, just as Romero's first "Living Dead" picture captured so much about its own time, place and national head-space.

On July 5, 11 days before he died, Romero tweeted: "#HappyIndependenceDay." His best movies came from a truly independent spirit and an imagination both sly and -- appropriately enough -- grave.

mjphillips@chicagotribune.com

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Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 122 Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, anger management student, in "Dark Phoenix." The film, the latest in the "X-Men" franchise, costars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jessica Chastain. Read the review. (Twentieth Century Fox)
When the poetic playwright Dael Orlandersmith premiered "Beauty's Daughter" in Midtown Manhattan in 1995, few had heard her name.

This was before "Monster," "The Gimmick" or "Yellowman," a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. It was before Orlandersmith told "Stoop Stories," or imagined "Horsedreams," or wrote of "Black N Blue Boys/Broken Men" and became an artistic associate at the Goodman Theatre. It was before she became a thing and, frankly, before a lot of other solo shows drawn from the author's own experience walking around her own neighborhood, in this case East Harlem. "Beauty's Daughter" was a prescient work of compassionate, clear-eyed observation  characters attached to consequences, you might say. There is virtue in being among the first.

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And a note here: The theater grows ever-more elitist and Orlandersmith, who grew up without racial or economic privilege among her subjects, thus becomes a talisman for what should change, what is becoming lost when every playwright has an Ivy League degree.

As with other solo artists such as Anna Deavere Smith, Orlandersmith's published work presents tricky challenges for actors who then must make us all believe they have walked in the author's shoes. I always approach such shows with some trepidation, especially if I have seen the original  all well and good, you fear saying, but, inevitably, not like experiencing the original performer. And that never seems fair.

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But "Beauty's Daughter," the summer show at American Blues Theater, is different.

The chronological remove  this is a 22-year-old piece about a part of Manhattan that has seen enormous change  helps. So does the presence of the superb Wandachristine, a longtime Chicago actress who left town for a while and whom I've not seen on a stage here since 2010. She's quite different from Orlandersmith, especially in her vocal rhythms, which also helps her make such a personal piece her own.

"Beauty's Daughter" is a collection of six characters from East Harlem; we meet them all through the experience of Diane, a young woman whom the piece follows from age 13, on the brink of womanhood, to the complexity of maturity. Most of the people she encounters want to use her for their own good.

I've long been enamored of Orlandersmith's language. She writes of "girls making Tanqueray plays for other girls," and, at an especially arresting moment, she cuts through her own soundscape with the line, "You can't suck someone's youth and make it your own."

The director, Ron OJ Parson, goes much further with the musicality of the work than most productions I've seen, even to the point of projecting some of Orlandersmith's poetry on Paul Deziel's video backdrop, sitting above the realistic domesticity of Caitlin McLeod's setting, making the familiar strange in the most intimate of settings.

And Wandachristine, who comes with nary an inauthentic note, is up for walking around, across and through all that Orlandersmith found at home.

Chris Jones is a Tribune critic.

cjones5@chicagotribune.com

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"Beauty's Daughter" - 3.5 Stars

When: Through Aug. 5

Where: Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave.

Running time: 1 hour, 25 minutes

Tickets: $19-$49 at 773-327-5252 or americanbluestheater.com

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In a recent study, some patients with Type 1 diabetes didnt need insulin for years after receiving stem cell educator therapy. (Getty Images)

A treatment targeting wayward immune cells in people with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes may help even years later, a new study finds.

For the treatment, researchers take blood from a person with diabetes and separate out the immune system cells (lymphocytes). They briefly expose those cells to stem cells from umbilical cord blood from an unrelated infant. Then they return the lymphocytes to the patient's body.

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The researchers have dubbed this treatment "stem cell educator therapy," because when exposed to the stem cells, the errant lymphocytes seem to re-learn how they should behave.

"Stem cell educator therapy is a safe approach" with long-term effectiveness, said the study's lead author, Dr. Yong Zhao, an associate scientist at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey.

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Type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune disease, occurs when the body's immune system cells mistakenly attack the insulin-producing (beta) cells in the pancreas. This leaves people with Type 1 diabetes with little to no insulin. They need insulin injections to survive.

Researchers have long thought that any cure for Type 1 diabetes would have to stop the autoimmune attack, while regenerating or transplanting beta cells.

But Zhao and his team developed a new approach to the problem  educating the immune cells that had been destroying beta cells so they stop attacking.

In Type 2 diabetes, Zhao said immune cell dysfunction is responsible for chronic inflammation that causes insulin resistance. When someone is insulin-resistant, their body's cells can't properly use insulin to usher sugar from foods into cells for use as energy. Instead, the sugar builds up in the blood.

The researchers hoped the stem cell educator would help decrease insulin resistance for people with Type 2 diabetes.

In earlier trials, the treatment showed significant promise with up to a year of data. The researchers also showed that the treatment was safe.

The current study looked at four years of data on nine Type 1 diabetes patients in China.

To see how well the treatment works, the researchers measured C-peptide, a protein fragment that's a byproduct of insulin production.

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Two people with Type 1 diabetes who received a stem cell educator treatment shortly after diagnosis (five and eight months later) still had normal C-peptide production and didn't need insulin four years after a single treatment.

Another Type 1 patient had had the disease for four years when she got a treatment. She still had improvements in her C-peptide levels, but wasn't considered in remission. The remaining six people with Type 1 saw decreases in their C-peptide levels over time. The study authors said this suggests more than one treatment might be needed.

"Because this was a first trial, patients just got one treatment. Now we know it's very safe so patients can receive two or three treatments," Zhao said.

Researchers also looked at six patients with severe, long-standing (15-24 years) Type 2 diabetes. They found that one treatment helped four patients achieve normal C-peptide levels and maintain them over the four-year follow-up.

Zhao said the treatment could help with other autoimmune diseases, too.

Julia Greenstein is vice president of discovery research at JDRF (formerly the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation).

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"This research is intriguing," she said, "but it needs to be reproduced."

Both Zhao and Greenstein noted that diabetes seems to differ slightly in Chinese populations from Western ones. So, it's not yet clear if this treatment would be as beneficial for people of European descent.

To find out, Zhao plans to conduct a clinical trial of the new treatment with people with Type 1 diabetes at Hackensack Medical Center.

The study was recently published in Stem Cells Translational Medicine.

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Cruise ships, commercial flights and tour operators are all taking curious Americans to Cuba.

At 8 p.m. Tuesday, it's WTTW-Ch. 11's turn. That's when the PBS affiliate debuts "Weekend in Havana," an hourlong exploration of this long-forbidden island.

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The special is co-written and hosted by Geoffrey Baer, a familiar face on WTTW. Hes starred in more than 20 specials on Chicago history and architecture and makes frequent appearances on Chicago Tonight via his Ask Geoffrey segments.

With the help of a local architect, flamenco dancer and Grammy-nominated jazz pianist Roberto Fonseca, Baer takes viewers on a warts-and-all tour of the capital city and beyond. He drops by Hemingway haunts, tools around town in a coconut-shaped taxi, ventures into a private home to sit in on a Santeria religious ritual and gets a rare glimpse at renovations inside Cuba's Capitol building, an edifice modeled after ours in Washington, D.C.

Baer spent "eight sweltering days" last August in Cuba scouting locations alongside his boss, WTTW chief television content officer and co-producer Dan Soles, whose parents fled Cuba the day after the couple wed in 1961. Filming for the special, part of PBS' "Summer of Adventure" lineup, took place over 16 days in November and December.

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Baers travel journal entries, plus photos, videos, recipes, and other bells and whistles can be found at wttw.com/weekendinhavana, where the show will be available for streaming.

We decided to "Ask Geoffrey" some questions about the upcoming special and his experiences in Cuba. The following is an edited transcript of that email Q&A:

Q. Why Cuba?

A. After President Barack Obama re-established diplomatic relations with Cuba and eased certain restrictions on travel and trade, there was an explosion of interest in visiting the island. People wanted to see a place many thought of as "frozen in time," which had been off-limits to most Americans for half a century. Seemed like the perfect time to take American audiences there and do a deep dive beyond the stereotypes to see the real Cuba.

Q. The Obama administration made it easier for Americans to travel to Cuba. President Trump has walked back some of those initiatives. How did that impact your show?

A. We didn't change a thing. Our show deals very little with present-day geopolitics. It focuses almost entirely on exploring Cuban culture and history through the eyes of people who live there. By the way, the new restrictions have not yet taken effect for the most part, and even after they do, there will likely still be ways for Americans to visit.

Q. Despite all of the research you did leading up to your trip, what are a few things that surprised you once you were there?

A. I've been telling people it's everything I expected and, at the same time, nothing I expected.

Of course, the '50s-era American cars are everywhere, and yes, the city is crumbling. After our plane landed, we taxied to the gate past an Angola Airlines jet, and there were several hulks of abandoned jetliners in the grass that had been slowly stripped for parts. On our taxi ride from the airport, we passed donkey carts and hitchhikers (public transportation is minimal, and many people can't afford it).

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But Cuba is anything but frozen in time! We visited an ultra-hip art gallery/nightclub in a restored cooking-oil factory that could have been in SoHo or any stylish world capital. It was filled with chic-looking kids and edgy art, and the line to get in was down the block.

There's also an amazing food scene there in the now-legal private restaurants called paladares. The juxtapositions are amazing.

The coolest paladar I visited (La Guarida) is on the roof of a ruined palace built in the early 20th century for one family. After the revolution, 40 families lived there. Several still do. You climb up through six floors of semi-ruins and arrive at an ultra-hip restaurant with stunning views across the city and of the waterfront in the distance.

Q. Architecture is a subject you've dealt with in a lot of your U.S.-based shows. What struck you about the architecture in Cuba?

A. It's like a living museum of architecture. The buildings are literally a way of reading the island's history.

There are Spanish forts and cathedrals dating back as far as the 1500s, built only a few decades after Christopher Columbus' arrival on the island in 1492. And in the Old City, Spanish colonial architecture is everywhere in various states of decay and restoration.

Buildings from the so-called republican era (1902-1959) after Cuba achieved independence from Spain are fairly bursting with the giddy prosperity of the time. Under heavy-handed American patronage, the neo-classical, art deco and midcentury modernist buildings reflect the exuberance of an island that was America's playground, with mob-run hotels and casinos, cabarets and more than a hint of forbidden pleasure.

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And then there are the brutalist concrete blockhouses of the Soviet era. The most chilling is the looming Soviet (now Russian) embassy. It looks like a high-rise watchtower topped by a bizarre ornamental structure that made me wonder if it was built to conceal top-secret radio antennas and other surveillance devices.

The other amazing architectural story there is the dogged determination to restore as much of the Old City as possible. There are schools devoted to training young apprentices in lost arts of building construction and design. Much has been accomplished, but far more is still to be done. One wonders if there will ever be enough money to do it all (or even most of it).

Q. What tips or advice do you have for people going to Cuba?

A. Meet the people! They are incredibly warm, and many are interested in meeting and talking to Americans. They have a deep pride in their Cuban heritage and have an amazing resilience, sense of humor and resourcefulness that has seen them through much adversity.

Be sure to visit the Malecon, Cuba's Lake Shore Drive, at sunset. The whole city comes out to stroll and entertain each other.

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10 things to do in Havana: Tips from WTTW's Geoffrey Baer
On the day she was found dead in the bathtub of her Northwest Side home, Chicago police Officer Dina Markham sent a desperate, predawn text message to a friend.

"Help. Please ... no kidding," read the message sent just after 4 a.m. on May 28, according to investigative reports made public Monday.

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It wasn't until 14 hours later, after Markham failed to show up at a Memorial Day weekend get-together, that her friends went to her home and asked her son to help open her locked bathroom door. They found her naked body submerged in about 10 inches of water, her hair pulled back into a ponytail and cellphone on the floor by the tub, the records show.

Autopsy reports provided to the Tribune on Monday show the Cook County medical examiner's office has ruled Markham, 47, died of an accidental drowning after consuming a dangerous mix of alcohol and the powerful anti-anxiety drug alprazolam, commonly sold under the brand name Xanax.

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"In combination with other central nervous system depressants such as ethyl alcohol, alprazolam can become toxic at low concentrations," the report stated.

At the time of Dina Markham's death, authorities were in the midst of a criminal investigation into the death of her husband, Donald, himself a Chicago police sergeant, and whether his death was a homicide, the Tribune has previously reported.

While a police spokesman had previously said Dina Markham's death was being investigated as a possible suicide, the medical examiner's office report stated there was no suicide note or other signs that she killed herself.

An empty bottle of alprazolam was found in her bedroom, and bottles of alcohol were in plain view in the kitchen, the report said. There were no signs of trauma to her body or other foul play.

Through an attorney, relatives of Markham issued a statement saying they were not surprised by the autopsy findings.

"We have never believed that this was a suicide," the family said. "There are still some unanswered questions and things that have been published that are not true. We will continue to work to clear Dina's name and do everything we can to provide support for the Markham children."

The 20-page medical examiner's office report sheds new light on the mysterious circumstances of Dina Markham's death a little more than a year and a half after her husband was found fatally shot during the early morning hours of Sept. 2, 2015.

The medical examiner's office has said Donald Markham, 51, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head and ruled his death a suicide. Dina Markham, a 22-year Chicago police veteran, told investigators at the time that she and her husband had been drinking and arguing before he shot himself in their bedroom.

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The Tribune reported last month that the FBI and prosecutors with the Cook County state's attorney's office's special prosecutions division  which handles cases of police misconduct  were investigating whether Donald Markham's death may have been a homicide and if the crime scene had been tampered with.

In May, shortly before Dina Markham's death, at least two officers involved in the probe were interviewed at the state's attorney's offices about their roles in the investigation, the Tribune has reported.

Meanwhile, Joseph Ferguson, the city's inspector general, launched his own probe into how police handled the investigation of Donald Markham's death after he was contacted by the Chicago Police Department's internal affairs division, Danielle Perry, a spokeswoman for Ferguson's office, has said.

A subpoena sent from Ferguson's office to the medical examiner's office in February asked for all records pertaining to the examination of Donald Markham's body, including lab reports and photographs, according to a copy obtained by the Tribune.

In a second subpoena in May, Ferguson requested copies of "any video recordings (inside or outside)" of the intake area at the medical examiner's office on the morning that Donald Markham's body was brought to the morgue, the subpoena showed.

Investigative reports released Monday show police were called to Dina Markham's home in the 5900 block of North Newark Avenue shortly before 6 p.m. on May 28. When officers arrived, they met up with two of Markham's friends who said they discovered her unresponsive in the water-filled bathtub.

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One of the friends told police Markham had called her twice at 3:59 a.m., but the friend didn't answer the phone because she was sleeping, the reports show. Six minutes after the calls, Markham sent the same friend the text asking for help.

The friend told investigators she saw the calls and text message later that morning but did not respond because she was scheduled to see Markham at a gathering that afternoon. The friend also said that "the early morning phone calls from Markham were not unusual, often when she was in an intoxicated state," according to the reports.

But at about 4 p.m., after Markham failed to show at the gathering, the friend and another acquaintance drove to Markham's home, where her teenage son answered the front door, the reports show. Finding the bathroom door locked, they assumed that Markham was inside "hiding" from them and didn't want to talk, one of the friends told police.

They left a note on her pillow but returned about 45 minutes later out of concern, according to the reports. The friends had Markham's son open the bathroom door with a key and found the body.

Markham was pronounced dead at the scene at 6:08 p.m. Her blood-alcohol level at the time was 0.187 percent, more than double the legal limit for driving, the report said. Her police badge was found in her bedroom, and two handguns were recovered from her dresser drawer.

According to a police report released by the medical examiner's office, Dina Markham's sister, who is a Chicago Fire Department paramedic, came to the scene and took responsibility for the couple's minor children.

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At the time of her husband's death, Dina Markham was assigned to the Bureau of Internal Affairs. But records obtained by the Tribune show that by October 2016 she was working in the Area North detective division, the same unit that determined Donald Markham had killed himself.

It's unclear who authorized Dina Markham's transfer to Area North. But just weeks before her death, records show Markham had been assigned to the department's Bureau of Support Services at police headquarters.

The medical examiner's office report shows that investigators from Area South processed the scene of Dina Markham's death to avoid any potential conflicts.

The report also noted that the FBI "was reviewing a case against (Dina) Markham," but did not provide details.

Records show that Dina Markham told police her husband, 51, had locked her out of their home the night of his death after the couple had been out drinking and argued after leaving a bar about 1 a.m.

She said she discovered her husband dead in their bed after one of her children let her in the house, the reports said. She said she then called 911.

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When police arrived at the scene, Donald Markham's pistol was found in his right hand, with five bullets still in the magazine and one in the chamber, according to supplemental reports logged in the investigation.

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A spent shell casing was found near the pillows on the bed, and Markham had a "contact" gunshot wound to his right temple, indicating the gun had been pressed to the skin when it was fired, the reports showed. Crime lab tests showed Donald Markham had gunshot residue on his hand.

The investigation into Donald Markham's death was closed on Nov. 13, 2015, and classified as "noncriminal," police reports showed.

Chicago Tribune's Annie Sweeney contributed.

jgorner@chicagotribune.com

jmeisner@chicagotribune.com

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Cook County judges will soon be explicitly required to set affordable bond amounts for defendants who do not pose a danger to the public.

Beginning Sept. 18, judges will be prohibited from setting a higher bond than felony defendants can afford to pay. The same rule will apply to misdemeanor cases starting in January.

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Critics have said the current setup unfairly punishes people who pose no risk of violence but languish in Cook County Jail because they cannot afford bail sometimes of only a few hundred dollars.

State law already requires judges to consider a defendant's financial circumstances before setting bond. The law says the bond cannot be "oppressive," but critics say judges often flout that requirement.

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Late last year, on the heels of similar lawsuits in eight other states, advocates filed a proposed class-action lawsuit in Cook County Circuit Court alleging that criminal court judges routinely set cash bail at unaffordable levels, depriving arrestees of their constitutional right to pretrial liberty.

Under the new Cook County policy, defendants will be interviewed about their financial resources before a bond hearing. That information will be provided to judges, who then will be required to set a bond that the defendant "has the present ability to pay," according to the policy.

"I think people who are arrested will be given the full recognition that they are presumed innocent," Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans, who signed the order outlining the new policy, told the Tribune in a telephone interview.

Defendants who are currently in jail because they cannot afford to post bond can have a judge reconsider their bail after the new policy takes effect, Evans said. Judges will then be required to deny bail altogether or set a new bond in an amount the defendant can afford.

Advocates of bond reform, including Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx, applauded the decision.

"There is often no clear relationship between the posting of a cash bond and securing the safety of the community or the appearance of a defendant," Foxx said in a statement Monday. "As a result, far too many people have been detained pre-trial because they are poor and unable to post even minimal amounts for bond."

Since taking office late last year, Foxx has taken several steps toward reforming bail. In March she announced that prosecutors would no longer oppose the release of some detainees held on nonviolent offenses who were stuck in jail because they could not pay up to $1,000 cash on their bonds. In June her office announced that prosecutors would recommend recognizance bonds for some defendants.

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Cara Smith, chief policy officer for Sheriff Tom Dart said it remains to be seen if the policy will affect the Cook County Jail population, given that judges already were supposed to consider a defendant's financial situation when setting bond.

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As many as about 400 detainees remain in jail on any given day because they are unable to pay bonds of up to $1,000 cash, Smith said.

It costs about $160 per day  or nearly $60,000 per year  to house one person at the jail, Smith said. If the detainee has medical or mental health needs, that cost can soar higher.

Activists will continue to keep a close eye on judges to make sure they comply with the law, said Sharlyn Grace, co-founder of the Chicago Community Bond Fund, which helps detainees post bail from jail.

"It is as effective as it is followed by judges," Grace said.

mcrepeau@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @crepeau
The identity of a man slain in the Gresham neighborhood who was among eight people killed in shootings in Chicago between late Friday afternoon and early Saturday morning has been released.

Dante T. Neely, 40, was pronounced dead at the scene in the 8300 block of South Hamilton Avenue at 4:40 p.m. Friday, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office. Neely lived less than a mile southeast of the shooting, in the 8500 block of South Paulina Street, according to the office and public records.

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Police initially had classified Neely's killing as a death investigation, rather than a homicide.

Neely was found unresponsive about 4:45 p.m. Friday in the 8300 block of South Hamilton Avenue, according to police.

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Initially, the case was listed as a death investigation, but an autopsy Saturday determined the victim died of multiple gunshot wounds, according to the medical examiner's office.

Police said he had been shot in the head and the right side of the chin.
Sister Marion Murphy, center, spent 20 years of her career at Holy Family Church and is greeted at the church's 160th birthday celebration on July 16, 2017. (Nancy Stone / Chicago Tribune)

Robert Nolan is among the generations of parishioners who call Holy Family on the Near West Side home.

Nolan's family has attended Mass at the Roman Catholic Church since it was founded on the outskirts of the city in 1857. He said his ancestors, Timothy and Ellen Peters Nolan, were founding parishioners of the church in the mid-1800s, and records show their daughter, Mary Ann, was one of the first congregants baptized at the church.

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"This place has so much history," said Nolan, 68.

On Sunday, the parish's 160th anniversary was celebrated in the gilded Victorian sanctuary. Gov. Bruce Rauner was among the hundreds who filled the church's worn wooden pews.

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"The Mass was beautiful," Nolan said. "At one point, I almost broke down in tears because I started thinking of my father."

Since its founding, Holy Family has managed to escape the Chicago Fire of 1871, a planned demolition in 1990 and decades of social and political upheaval.

Ellen Skerrett, Chicago historian and parishioner at Holy Family, said when the church was founded, the Irish Catholics who made up the bulk of its congregation were not seen as a "well-to-do" people.

"This was a time when the Irish were considered to be a threat to the city of Chicago," Skerrett said. "A time when critics thought what they really needed were jails, not places of beauty."

A Chicago Tribune editorial from May 25, 1857, begged community members to think twice before donating to the Jesuit church, "not in the spirit of intolerance, but upon the warrant of facts which show that the Society of Jesus is the most virulent and relentless enemy of the Protestant faith and Democratic government."

But Skerrett said Catholic parishioners came together and built the church in three years.

"They were revising those stereotypes," she said.

After Sunday's Mass, John King sat in a pew as the rest of the congregation filed out of the church. He has a crop of bouncy, salt-and-pepper hair and somber blue eyes. He wore his Sunday best for the occasion: a gray, windowpane suit with a pocket square to boot.

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King, 81, said he would like to have seen more parishioners at the anniversary celebration, and he is worried the church will lose its sense of camaraderie as fewer people attend Mass.

"But that's what we are all about," King said. "Hugs and kisses and knowing who the parishioners are."

During the Great Migration, African-Americans began moving into the neighborhoods around Holy Family but were segregated in St. Joseph's Mission near the corner of 13th and Loomis streets. It wasn't until the 1950s that black Catholics began celebrating Mass at Holy Family.

King said his mother worked as a minister, and he can remember her ironing the special red cloth for the altar.

When she died in 1987, her funeral was held in a crowded back room of the church.

At the time, Holy Family was crumbling. The roof of the church was falling, and the congregation was shrinking. The building's owners, the Jesuits of Chicago, were set to demolish the structure.

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"It was decaying out here," King said, looking up at the ceiling.

A last-ditch campaign raised more than $1 million in 1990, and the church was restored to what it looked like in the late 1800s, Skerrett said.

Hundreds of incandescent lightbulbs around the altar light a magnificent vaulted ceiling, and columns and walls are painted with patterns in shades of pink. Stained glass windows bearing scenes of the Nativity and the life of St. Ignatius of Loyola cover the walls.

King pointed to the pipe organ on the second floor. Golden angels, each one holding a different musical instrument, crown the tops of the pipes.

"You won't find anything like this," King said. "I've been a parishioner since I was a boy, and I'll keep fighting for this church."

jsteinbauer@chicagotribune.com

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The 8000 block of South Vernon Avenue, where Gregory Williams Jr., 25, was pronounced dead at 3:10 a.m. Friday, July 14, 2017, following a shooting. (Elvia Malagon)

Two men who were among six people shot to death from Thursday into early Friday in Chicago have been identified by authorities.

Gregory Williams Jr., 25, was pronounced dead at 3:10 a.m. Friday following a shooting in the 8000 block of South Vernon Avenue, the same block where he lived in the Chatham neighborhood, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office. Williams lived across the street from where he was shot, according to public records.

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Residents on the block said early Friday that the block usually is quiet. Tribune data show no homicides on the block since at least 2013, no shootings there since 2014, and no shootings on an adjacent block since last October.

Williams was killed about 2:45 a.m. Friday. Chicago police responded to the 8000 block of South Vernon Avenue after receiving a call of a person shot and found a double-parked car on the street that was still on. Inside, they found Williams, who had been shot in the head, police said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

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A man shot to death in the Princeton Park neighborhood about 11:50 p.m. Thursday has been identified as Dautreau P. Bates, 29, according to the medical examiner's office. Bates, of the 400 block of West 95th Place, was fatally shot about two blocks west of his home, in the 200 block of West 95th Street, according to authorities.

Officers responding to a call of a person shot found the man on the street next to a silver sedan. He was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

The shooting happened on a commercial street that borders the Frank B. Lowden Homes.
One person was killed and three others were injured Monday morning in a fiery two-vehicle crash on the Tri-State Tollway (Interstate 294) in the southwest suburbs, police said.

The crash happened about 4:30 a.m. in the northbound lanes at mile marker 14.5 near 115th Street in the Alsip-Worth area, according to Illinois State Police.

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A semi-truck struck a passenger car "for an unknown reason," state police said in a news release. The semi overturned after striking the car. The passenger car became engulfed in flames, police said.

The driver of the car was unable to get out of the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. The person's name has not been released.

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Two passengers in the car were taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The truck driver was taken to a hospital with minor injuries, police said.

Some lanes were closed on the Tri-State while the crash was investigated and crews cleaned up the wreckage.

According to WGN-TV, travel times on on the northbound Tri-State from I-80 to I-55 were more than an hour.

No further information was available.

Check back later for updated details.
Scenes of violence around the city after 55 people were shot and at least 11 were killed over the weekend July 17, 2017, in Chicago (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune) (Armando L. Sanchez)

Eleven people were killed and 45 were wounded in weekend shootings from Friday afternoon to Monday morning, including an attack that left a 10-year-old boy dead and a police-involved shooting during a traffic stop.

More than half of the victims were injured or killed during an 18-hour period from Saturday night into Sunday morning. In that period, three people were killed in the Lawndale, South Shore and Princeton Park neighborhoods. Among those killed was Willie Cooper, 58, who worked at the South Side anti-violence organization Lilydale Outreach.

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The night before, 10-year-old Gustavo Garcia was fatally shot in the back while riding in a car with his stepfather and another man in the East Side neighborhood on the Southeast Side. About 11:15 p.m. Friday in the 3500 block of East 97th Street, a gray sedan pulled up next to the SUV Gustavo was riding in, and someone inside the sedan then opened fire, police said.

After the barrage of gunfire, the driver of Gustavo's car tried to get away quickly and happened to approach the scene of a fatal motorcycle accident in the 3200 block of East 95th Street, about a half-mile from the shooting, police said. The occupants got the attention of an officer at the crash.

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Gustavo was taken to Comer Children's Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 12:08 a.m. Saturday, according to the medical examiner's office.

"The chaplains came in and the doctors came in and put the family in a conference room and explained to them that he did not make it, that he succumbed to his injuries," said community activist and family spokesman Andrew Holmes.

Gustavo is the fourth child to die in a shooting in Chicago so far this year, according to data compiled by the Tribune. In total, 14 children 12 years old or younger have been shot so far this year, according to Tribune data.

On the Northwest Side, a man believed to be 18 years old was shot after police said he failed to put down a gun and threatened officers during a traffic stop early Sunday.

Just before 3:10 a.m., a uniformed officer and a sergeant for the Grand Central district stopped a vehicle carrying four people in the 2800 block of North Mulligan Avenue in the Belmont Central neighborhood, said Al Nagode, deputy chief for the Chicago Police Department.

When the 18-year-old, one of the passengers, did not put his weapon down, the two officers opened fire.

A weapon was recovered at the scene, said Anthony Guglielmi, a police spokesman.
A man shot to death during an attempted robbery on the West Side early Saturday has been identified.

Robert Sharpe, 60, was shot in the left arm in the 3200 block of West Franklin Boulevard early Saturday and pronounced dead at 5:43 a.m. Saturday at Mount Sinai Hospital, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office. Sharpe lived in the 4300 block of West Washington Boulevard, according to the office.

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Sharpe was shot during an attempted robbery, police said.

He was walking about 4:55 a.m. Saturday on Franklin Boulevard when a man with a gun approached him and demanded money, police said. The two men began struggle and at some point, the robber shot Sharpe, police said.

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The attacker was last seen going east on Franklin Boulevard. A description wasn't released.
In a city scarred by a deep and troubling history with guns, a supervisor in the scandal-plagued water department used his city email account to negotiate firearms deals and make light of deadly Fourth of July violence in black neighborhoods by offering "Chicago Safari" tours, a new watchdog report revealed Monday.

The latest development in the ongoing investigation, which the Tribune first disclosed in May, emerged as Inspector General Joseph Ferguson detailed how ousted district water superintendent Paul Hansen emailed with individuals over personal purchases or sales of at least four firearms and five cars.

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Those emails about firearms started the investigation over his use of a government account for personal business, which is against city rules. And it quickly spread to other emails sent by Hansen, who is white and the son of a former alderman, to other water department bosses, according to City Hall sources.

In his quarterly report, Ferguson revealed a fresh string of anti-black emails sent to multiple high-ranking water department workers that touted a fake "Chicago Safari" package. It cited the number of shootings during a July Fourth weekend and guaranteed tourists would observe "at least one kill and five crime scenes" and also see "lots of animals in their natural habitat."

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Hansen's racially charged emails included messages to fellow workers purported to be in "Ebonics," sometimes called American black English, and a picture describing a swimming pool for a small African-American child who sits in a bucket filled with water while holding a slice of watermelon, the report found.

Ferguson also cited Hansen's "Watermelon Protection" email that featured a picture depicting a Ku Klux Klan scarecrow guarding a field of watermelons, part of a cache of racist, sexist and homophobic emails the Tribune first disclosed online Friday.

A second figure noted in the report for anti-Muslim and anti-black emails was Thomas J. Durkin, the general foreman of plumbers who resigned recently after being placed on administrative leave while under investigation. Neither Hansen nor Durkin were named, but the Tribune was able to identify them through City Hall sources, the description of their activities and job status listed.

Hansen and Durkin could not be reached immediately for comment.

The inspector general's quarterly report comes as Mayor Rahm Emanuel finds himself fighting the proliferation of firearms in the city and facing the fallout from another deadly July Fourth weekend in Chicago.

As Emanuel seeks to recapture support from African-American voters still upset over his handling of the 2014 fatal police shooting of Laquan McDonald, the mayor and his aides have stressed that he installed a new commissioner and sought to remake the culture in the long-troubled department.

Still, Ferguson's report raised questions about whether he found all the troubling emails. Ferguson said the mayor's Law Department imposes restrictions that do not allow "unfettered access to city emails," which has hampered the investigation. He said the Law Department requires that his office submit requests for emails using limited search terms and date ranges.

"Given the lack of direct access to emails," Ferguson said that his office "cannot be certain it has identified all relevant documents."

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Bill McCaffrey, a Law Department spokesman, said restrictions on email searches are needed to protect the integrity of the inspector general's investigation, any attorney-client privileges and the city's "limited resources."

"The protocol allows up to 20,000 emails to be produced at a time, however, we greatly exceeded that count in this investigation and have accommodated similar requests every other time the Inspector General has requested a larger search," McCaffrey said.

Hansen's misuse of a city computer was so prevalent that, in one four-month period alone, he called up sexually explicit, age-restricted YouTube videos and visited other internet sites unrelated to city business on "thousands of occasions," the report found. Durkin also was cited for sending and receiving sexually explicit photos and videos on his city email account.

Emanuel aides have defended the mayor, underscoring his response to the investigation that has toppled Hansen, whose father is former 44th Ward Ald. Bernie Hansen, Durkin and three others. The biggest casualty came in May when Emanuel collected the resignation of water Commissioner Barrett Murphy, a friend of the mayor whose wife, Lynn Lockwood, is a former chairman and treasurer of one of Emanuel's political funds and is close to his wife, Amy Rule.

At the time, the mayor's office said Emanuel acted "quickly and decisively" by asking Murphy and top deputy William Bresnahan to step down after learning of what was then an 8-month-old Ferguson investigation.

"Mayor Emanuel has been clear that the conduct uncovered by the OIG's investigation does not reflect Chicago's values and will not be tolerated, which is why he acted swiftly to address the issue and bring in new leadership at the Department of Water Management," spokeswoman Shannon Breymaier said Monday in response to the report.

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And Emanuel's newly installed water department Commissioner Randy Conner, an African-American, said his agency "has a zero tolerance policy on racism and sexism" and "will continue to take all appropriate measures to fully enforce this policy up to and including termination, or separation" from the department.

The City Council's chairman of the black caucus, Ald. Roderick Sawyer, 6th, said he is glad the investigation is continuing and bringing the issues to light. "I'm hoping under new leadership that they can address this head-on and eliminate that cancer that was eating away, permeating. right through the department."

In late June, Durkin, the general foreman of plumbers, and John "Jack" Lee Jr., a district superintendent, were placed on administrative leave pending disciplinary decisions and now have resigned.

Durkin sent email from his city account that referred to Muslims as "rag head c--- suckers," according to the inspector general. He also suggested that people should have thrown grenades at a black Italian politician instead of bananas, the report said.

In Monday's report, it was Hansen's attempt to make light of a spike of violence in largely black neighborhoods during a previous July Fourth holiday that figured prominently. The report said Hansen's email to multiple high-ranking water department officials started with the subject line: "Chicago Safari Tickets." The report doesn't name the recipients.

"If you didn't book a Chicago Safari adventure with us this 4th of July weekend this is what you missed," the report quoted the email as saying. The date of this email and others were not provided in the report. The comment was followed by lists of the number of people shot in South and West side neighborhoods including Englewood, Garfield Park, Austin, Lawndale, South Shore and Woodlawn.

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"Remember all Chicago Safari packages include 3 deluxe 'Harold's Chicken' meals a day," the report quoted Hansen's email as saying. "We guarantee that you will see at least one kill and five crime scenes per three day tour. You'll also see lots and lots of animals in their natural habitat. Call and book your Chicago Safari today."

Four white people in safari gear are depicted as taking pictures of several black people who are trying to break into a car, the report said.

Durkin replied to the safari email with a message that described African-Americans as "wild animals" who are "untamed," the report said.

Among the email's photographs, the report said, was one of a "wheelbarrow full of watermelons with a sign stating 'Apply for a Credit Card. Free Watermelons.'" It was sent to a high-ranking official with the subject line: "U Know U Be In Da Hood."

The email with the African-American child in a bucket and a piece of watermelon came with a message: "As an apology  Paula Deen Opens Swimming Pool for Youth." A celebrity chef, Deen became the object of widespread ridicule when she said in a 2013 deposition that she used a racial slur. Deen, who was dropped by the Food Network, later apologized.

Ferguson said both Hansen and Durkin were designated as having resigned in lieu of discharge, and they will be placed on the ineligible-for-rehire list.

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In another water department case, Ferguson recommended that a chemist who allegedly harassed a current water worker and a former employee be fired. Ferguson alleged the chemist made multiple derogatory text messages and phone calls, citing him for "aggressive and threatening behavior," according to the report.

The department fired the chemist, who is fighting the termination.

Chicago Tribune's Hal Dardick contributed.

rlong@chicagotribune.com

tlighty@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @RayLong

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Twitter @tlighty
State Rep. Elaine Nekritz of Northbrook, shown in 2015 at the Capitol, is working on budget issues. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)

Welcome to Clout Street: Morning Spin, our weekday feature to catch you up with what's going on in government and politics from Chicago to Springfield. Subscribe here.

Topspin

Democratic state Rep. Elaine Nekritz says Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner's staff shake-up shift to the Illinois Policy Institute doesn't make her optimistic that the legislature and governor will be cooperating in the future.



Speaking on WGN-720 AM on Sunday, Nekritz noted the institute's conservative-to-libertarian ideology and its previous proposals to push for a budget built upon cuts rather than tax increases.



"That kind of ideology, I think, just creates even more division with the Democratically controlled General Assembly and does not bode well for the next year-and-a-half for the functioning of government," said Nekritz, an assistant Democratic House leader from Northbrook. Nekritz voted for the 32 percent increase in the income tax rate that's part of the first state budget in two years.



Following the legislature's override of the governor's veto of a budget package that included an increase in the state income tax, Rauner removed several top staff members and replaced them with officials from the institute, which often has been a close ally to the state's chief executive. On Friday, campaign manager Mike Zolnierowicz announced his departure.

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"I don't think it's better with these new staffers coming in," Nekritz said. "If it's possible to get worse, it looks like it could get worse to me. Every day, I wake up and (go), 'Aw, it can't get worse. And, somehow it does.'"

Rauner, who was out Sunday surveying flood damage in Algonquin, has dismissed as "baloney" the idea that he cleaned house following his loss in trying to stop the tax hike. Fifteen House Republicans bucked Rauner to vote for the income tax increase.



Nekritz has previously announced she is stepping down from the legislature, where she has served since 2003. She said that there is no timetable yet for leaving the House and that she is working with local Democratic committeemen on a replacement. (Rick Pearson)

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What's on tap

*Mayor Rahm Emanuel continues his European tour in London.

*Gov. Rauner's public schedule wasn't available.

*The week ahead: Monday : Chicago City Council Human Relations committee meets; Cardinal Blase Cupich speaks at the City Club of Chicago. Tuesday : Public Safety, Aviation, Capital Development committees meet. Wednesday : Cultural Affairs, Consumer Protection and Traffic Safety committees meet. Thursday : Transportation Committee meets; 15th Ward Ald. Ray Lopez, the Rev. Michael Pfleger and Sun-Times' Mary Mitchell talk Chicago gang violence at City Club. Friday : Zoning Committee meets.

From the notebook

*Big week at Cook County: The Cook County Building will be busy this week. On Tuesday, Assessor Joe Berrios will face questions about his assessment practices in the wake of the Tribune's "Tax Divide" series. On Wednesday, the County Board meets for the first time since President Toni Preckwinkle announced there would be layoffs as a court weighs whether her new soda pop tax is legal. On Friday, Preckwinkle disclosed the first of those layoff notices.

*The Sunday Spin: On this week's show, Chicago Tribune political reporter Rick Pearson's guests were state Rep. Elaine Nekritz, D-Northbrook; state Rep. David McSweeney, R-Barrington Hills; and Rob Karr, president and CEO of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association. The "Sunday Spin" airs from 7 to 9 a.m. on WGN-AM 720. Listen to the full show here.

What we're writing

*Rauner talks staff shake-up, finally tours flooded Lake County.

*Despite state budget, some Illinois universities will start year millions in the hole.

*Delay in Preckwinkle soda pop tax results in 300 layoff notices.

*More emails show scope of racism, sexism at city water department.

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*Peter W. Smith's final day: 'It seemed like he had a lot on his mind.'

*Exelon, Microsoft among latest Obama Foundation donors.



What we're reading



*Amid continued violence, Austin drops to No. 2 neighborhood in Chicago population for first time in 45 years.

*Ten-year-old boy killed in Southeast Side shooting is fourth Chicago child to die in shootings this year.

*Indiana bride-to-be calls off wedding, throws party for homeless.



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Follow the money

*Second-quarter campaign finance reports covering April through June are due Monday. Watch them roll in here.

*Track Illinois campaign contributions in real time here and here.

Beyond Chicago



*Trump's standing weakened since spring, WaPo poll shows.

*Trump defends son on Twitter, tries to divert attention toward Clinton.

*No health care bill vote in Senate this week as McCain recovers from surgery.

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*Macron decries France's Nazi past during Netanyahu visit.
With questions swirling around his record as Cook County assessor, Joseph Berrios will take the unprecedented step Tuesday of defending his office before the Cook County Board after a Chicago Tribune investigation exposed widespread inequities in the county's property tax system.

Published in June, "The Tax Divide" showed the assessor's office overvalued low-priced homes while undervaluing high-priced ones. These disparities in assessments  known as regressivity  led to inequities in property tax bills, giving the wealthy unsanctioned tax breaks while penalizing low-income residents.

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In the weeks since, mounting pressure has put the assessor on the defensive. The county's independent inspector general opened an investigation; lawmakers at the state and local levels proposed legislation to limit the assessor's ability to raise campaign contributions from tax attorneys; and a bill has been introduced in the General Assembly that would require greater transparency.

Among the questions Berrios is likely to face at Tuesday's hearing: Why did his office tout and then quietly abandon a new residential valuation model funded by the MacArthur Foundation designed to reduce regressivity?

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After the Tribune reported that the assessor's office hadn't implemented the new model, despite issuing a July 2015 news release saying it had, Berrios and his staff criticized the model as well as the experts who led the effort to create it.

Both of those experts  Robert Weissbourd, president of the consulting firm RW Ventures, and University of Chicago public policy professor Christopher Berry  are scheduled to testify at the hearing.

Among other criticisms, the assessor's office said it had told Weissbourd and Berry before issuing the news release that their model was flawed. After the series ran, Deputy Assessor Tom Shaer produced three emails that he said proved the two had "the temerity" to mislead the Tribune into believing otherwise.

Since then, Weissbourd has produced dozens of additional emails showing that the issues raised in the messages Shaer cited were part of a multiyear effort to test and implement the new model and had been resolved before the office produced the news release.

County commissioners also may address the question at the heart of the controversy over the models: how exactly the assessor values the county's 1.5 million residential properties. The office has refused to disclose crucial details about its methods.

One of Berrios' recent attempts to defend his record has already evaporated. Late last month, the assessor's office posted on its website a news release that cited a study by a prominent research organization as proof that the county's assessments are fair and accurate. Berrios invoked the same study during a rare television interview, also in late June.

However, a close examination of the study shows that its focus was on tax rates, exemptions and other policy issues in all 50 states; it was not an evaluation of how accurately the assessor's office values property.

Adam Langley, a lead author of the study by the Massachusetts-based Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, confirmed that county officials mischaracterized the report.

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"Our study is not about assessment accuracy," Langley said. "That's a separate issue."

The institute issued a statement to the assessor's office as well as county commissioners last week in an effort to set the record straight.

Two days later, the assessor's office removed the news release from its site "to do further work regarding it," Shaer said.

Tuesday's hearing will see Berrios, who also is chairman of the Cook County Democratic Party, facing off against many commissioners who rely on the party for political support.

Berrios received more than half of his campaign contributions from the property tax appeal industry, the Tribune has reported. Appeals increased dramatically under Berrios, but an analysis carried out in cooperation with the University of Chicago's Berry found the process makes the assessment system even less fair.

Commissioner Jesus "Chuy" Garcia, who has introduced an ordinance to block the assessor from receiving contributions from tax attorneys and other businesses that file appeals, was among the first commissioners to request that Berrios testify. Berrios will appear at a Finance Committee hearing with the full board in attendance.

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"At the heart of all this are the working people who are already hurting from increases in property taxes," Garcia said in an interview. "We can't tolerate a system that may be penalizing them. It's just not fair."

A changing story

In seeking to defend its assessment practices, Berrios' office sent four pages of bullet points to county commissioners contending, among other assertions, that the assessment model funded by the MacArthur Foundation produced inaccurate results. (The MacArthur Foundation has been a significant funder of the independent news organization ProPublica, which is collaborating on this story with the Tribune.)

"Simply put, this so-called 'improvement' is unfit for exclusive, primary or even somewhat primary use," the document stated.

And in television and radio interviews after "The Tax Divide" was published, Shaer said the office had been optimistic about the MacArthur-funded model at the time but later discovered it produced erroneous results.

Until the Tribune launched its investigation, however, Berrios had offered nothing but public praise for the new model.

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A July 2015 news release headlined "Cook County Assessor Berrios Implements New State of the Art Residential Assessment Model" described it as a "breakthrough" that improved accuracy by 50 percent and lowered regressivity by 25 percent.

As recently as April 2016 the assessor's office was encouraging reporters to look at the model as evidence its assessments were fair and accurate. Officials even gave Weissbourd and Berry permission to provide reporters with a slide presentation showing how the new model improved assessments.

Around the same time, Berrios' office also provided reporters with studies that concluded the new model outperformed the old one on every measure used by assessment experts around the world to evaluate fairness and accuracy.

When the Tribune analyzed millions of property tax records from the 2015 tax year, however, the results suggested the assessor had not actually implemented the new model.

Presented with those results in August 2016, officials then stated they were using the new model in conjunction with the old one, though they would not disclose how they did so. That was news to Weissbourd, Berry and MacArthur Foundation President Julia Stasch, all of whom had been quoted in the news release.

By then, the Tribune had used open records laws to obtain the new model along with computer records showing the results the office obtained from it. An examination of the computer code showed the office had made numerous errors when it ran the new model.

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When those errors were pointed out during a September 2016 interview, the assessor's office changed its story again, saying the new model had not been implemented because it had "issues" and produced inaccurate results.

The office also said Weissbourd and Berry had been told about the problems, which the two said was untrue.

After publication of the Tribune series, Shaer produced three emails that he said proved the assessor's office had informed Weissbourd and Berry that the new model was flawed before issuing the news release. One of the emails wasn't about the model at all; the others, sent in 2012 and in 2013, related to ongoing discussions about how to implement the new model.

The set of emails provided by Weissbourd show that the issues raised in those messages were resolved. There is no evidence in the emails that the assessor's office alerted Weissbourd or Berry about issues with the new model before issuing the news release.

Two weeks before the 2015 announcement, the office's head of residential valuation, Al Sarro, wrote to Weissbourd seeking feedback and requesting quotes for the news release announcing the launch of the model.

"Please take a look and add your thoughts," Sarrow wrote in an email, which was provided by Weissbourd. "And also can you reach out to Chris (Berry) and Julia (Stasch) for any quotes they would like to add?"

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When asked to comment on this set of emails, Shaer said the assessor's office stands by its earlier statements that the model's developers had been informed it was flawed.

Criticisms refuted

When Berrios held a June news conference to address the findings of "The Tax Divide," he brought along a researcher from a for-profit government services company that holds $65 million in county contracts, including a $30 million contract to set up a new property tax computer system for the county.

Richard Borst, of Tyler Technologies, criticized the MacArthur-funded model as well the Tribune's analysis.

At the news conference, Borst handed out two pages of talking points that said, among other arguments, that the Tribune did not disclose enough technical information to make its analysis credible. But when a Tribune reporter pointed out that a 100-plus-page study had been posted online, Borst acknowledged he hadn't read it.

Borst also repeated assertions by the assessor's office that the analysis had included invalid sales involving the liquidation of estates of the deceased.

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In fact, the analysis screened out those sales and other transactions that are not considered valid; the study was vetted by three industry experts, including two who helped write standards for the International Association of Assessing Officers.

Borst also took aim at the MacArthur-funded model, saying Berry and Weissbourd's team had made "rookie mistakes" that caused the model to be "fundamentally flawed." For example, he said the new model "disregards location" and makes no use of geographic information systems, or GIS, to value property.

However, the new model does include location information. As for GIS, Berry said he and his team of statisticians had wanted to use GIS programs to further improve the accuracy and fairness of assessments, but the assessor's office told them it didn't have the necessary technical ability.

"It's shocking that Mr. Borst is defending the assessor's regressive assessments, especially without even having looked at their models," Berry said. "Rather than get distracted by this nonsense, the assessor should get on with the business of fixing their unfair system."

Borst's firm declined to make him available to be interviewed for this story.

Asked at the news conference if he had examined the model that the assessor's office actually uses, Borst said he hadn't.

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"That's not for me to say," he said. "That's not my job."

Jason Grotto is a reporter with ProPublica Illinois, an independent news organization. Grotto reported parts of this story and the first three installments in the "Tax Divide" series as a member of the Tribune staff. This story is part of a collaboration between ProPublica Illinois and the Chicago Tribune.

Please see more of the "Tax Divide" series at www.chicagotribune.com/taxdivide.
On July 17, 2017, Indiana State Police released a sketch of a suspect in the killing of two girls in Northern Indiana. (Indiana State Police)

DELPHI, Ind.  State Police released an artist's sketch Monday of a man considered the main suspect in the killings of two northern Indiana girls and urged the public to study the image and provide tips that could help them identify the suspect.

The composite sketch depicts a white man with a prominent nose and a goatee who's wearing a cap and what appears to be a hooded sweater. Police said the suspect has reddish-brown hair, stands between 5-foot-6 and 5-foot-10 and weighs between 180 and 220 pounds.

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Police asked the public to examine the image, particularly the man's facial features, and contact them with any information that might help them identify him.

Liberty German, 14, vanished with 13-year-old Abigail Williams on Feb. 13 while hiking a trail near their hometown of Delphi, about 60 miles northwest of Indianapolis. Their bodies were found the next day in nearby woods. Authorities have not disclosed how the girls were killed.

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More than $230,000 in reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest or arrests and convictions in the teens' killings.

Indiana State Police Sgt. Kim Riley said the sketch is "an artist's composite of the information" collected by all the agencies involved in the investigation, including the FBI. Riley said investigators consider the sketch a "very important" development.

"It will give people a clearer image of who we are looking for," he said.

The sketch is the first new information released by authorities about the suspect since late February, when they distributed two grainy images of a man walking along an old railroad bridge the girls had visited while hiking. They also released audio of a male saying "down the hill."

That evidence came from German's cellphone, who police have hailed as a hero for recording potentially crucial evidence.

Riley said investigators believe the man captured in the photos and in the new artist's sketch killed both girls.
A vocal conservative opponent of the measure, Sen. Rand Paul, predicted the delay would strengthen critics' position by giving them more time to mobilize against the bill.

"The longer the bill is out there, the more conservative Republicans are going to discover it is not repeal," Paul, R-Ky., said Sunday in an interview with CBS' "Face the Nation."

Paul said he spoke with President Donald Trump on Friday and suggested the president support repealing the Affordable Care Act and deciding the details of a replacement plan later if the latest version of the bill does not pass.

Trump did not comment on health care over the weekend, even as his party faced new challenges in trying to advance their latest bill. Trump made no reference to health care Sunday in an angry morning tweetstorm about Hillary Clinton, the Russia controversy and other topics.

The lack of response from Trump came after Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., announced Saturday he is recovering from a surgery and would be absent from votes, depriving Republicans of the support they need to advance the legislation. The development temporarily dashed McConnell's hopes of wrapping up the health care debate by passing a reworked version of the Better Care Reconciliation Act this week.

The White House also was largely silent about health care over the weekend. "We wish Senator McCain a speedy recovery," Helen Ferre, White House director of media affairs, told reporters Sunday when asked about the Senate delay.

The bill experienced a separate blow on Friday and Saturday at a conference of governors in Providence, R.I., where, despite an energetic lobbying campaign, Trump administration officials failed to gain support from influential Republicans such as Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval, a Republican. Opposition from Sandoval and others will make it easier for undecided Republican senators from those states to vote "no" on the bill, potentially further endangering its prospects.

These setbacks are the latest in the GOP's struggle to enact a bill to replace the Affordable Care Act and fulfill a campaign promise central to the party's message over the past seven years. Despite unified control of Congress and Trump in the White House, disagreements within the GOP still threaten to cripple its effort to overhaul the health care system.

The difficult political calculus facing Republicans was clear in a new poll released Sunday showing the public prefers the Affordable Care Act to the Republican health care plan by a roughly 2-to-1 margin. Among Republicans, 59 percent preferred the GOP plan, compared with 11 percent who preferred the current law.

The same poll, conducted by The Washington Post and ABC News, found a strong majority (63 percent) believes it is more important for the government to provide health coverage to low-income people compared with cutting taxes (27 percent). Among Republicans, 48 percent favored cutting taxes, compared with 39 percent who favored providing health coverage for low-income people.

The bill's dramatic cuts to the Medicaid program are a significant concern for governors like Sandoval as well as moderate senators such as Susan Collins, R-Maine.

Vice President Mike Pence and other administration officials sought to allay these fears on Friday and Saturday by arguing that the health care bill shores up Medicaid's finances to preserve the program for the future. They also downplayed the possible effects of the cuts.

"President Trump and I believe the Senate health care bill strengthens and secures Medicaid for the neediest in our society," Pence said in a speech to governors on Friday. "And this bill puts this vital American program on a path to long-term sustainability."

Collins strongly disagreed in an interview Sunday with CNN.

"You can't take more than $700 billion out of the Medicaid program and not think that it's going to have some kind of effect," she said during an appearance on "State of the Union."

"This bill imposes fundamental, sweeping changes in the Medicaid program, and those include very deep cuts that would affect some of the most vulnerable people in our society, including disabled children and poor seniors. It would affect our rural hospitals and our nursing homes, and they would have a very hard time even staying in existence."

Pence's speech was criticized by Democrats, health care advocates and even some Republicans for mischaracterizing the possible ramifications of the GOP bill.

During the same speech, the vice president went after Ohio Gov. John Kasich, a Republican and a critic of the legislation, by suggesting his state's expansion of Medicaid left nearly 60,000 residents with disabilities "stuck on waiting lists, leaving them without the care they need for months or even years."

The claim alienated many at the meeting, partly because waiting lists for Medicaid's home- and community-based services were not affected by the program's expansion under the ACA, and partly because many interpreted Pence's remark as an overly aggressive shot at Kasich. The Ohio governor's stance against the bill could shape the position of Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, a pivotal vote for Republicans who is undecided on the current version. Some fear Pence missed an opportunity to woo Portman with his remark against Kasich.

Collins estimated Sunday that there are eight to 10 Republican senators with "serious concerns" about the bill. "At the end of the day, I don't know whether it will pass," she said.

Paul does not believe Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has the votes to pass the legislation, he told Fox. "I don't think right now [McConnell] does," he said.

The administration was not interested in entertaining analyses  including one by consulting firm Avalere  that show potentially devastating consequences for states under the GOP bill. At a meeting Saturday morning with governors, Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price and Seema Verma, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, worked to undermine that report and a forthcoming analysis by the Congressional Budget Office showing the legislation's cost and insurance impact. This effort bore little fruit, with Sandoval and others showing no signs of being moved by the lobbying effort.

The Avalere study projected marked reductions in federal Medicaid funding to all 50 states, ranging from 27 percent to 39 percent by 2036.

The CBO report is expected Tuesday or later in the week.

Price defended the health care bill on Sunday, saying it will be part of a longer reform effort.

"The bill itself is not the entire plan," he told ABC's "This Week." "It is significant, and an important and integral part of the plan, but it's not the entire plan."

The Washington Post's Sean Sullivan, Greg Jaffe and Philip Rucker contributed to this report.
A senior member of President Donald Trump's personal legal team said Sunday that there was nothing improper in the meeting that Donald Trump Jr., the president's oldest son, took with a Russian lawyer promising dirt on Hillary Clinton.

"I wonder why the Secret Service, if this was nefarious, why the Secret Service allowed these people in?" Jay Sekulow, a lawyer for the president, said on ABC's "This Week with George Stephanopoulos." "The president had Secret Service protection at that point, and that raised a question with me."

The Secret Service, however, said those at the meeting would not have been vetted, because the president's son was not under the agency's protection at the time of the meeting.

"Donald Trump, Jr. was not a protectee of the USSS in June, 2016," Secret Service spokesman Mason Brayman said in an email to Reuters. "Thus we would not have screened anyone he was meeting with at that time."

Initially, Donald Trump Jr. said the meeting focused on Russia's moves to halt adoptions by American families, but he changed his story after new details emerged. Emails released last week show that Trump Jr. believed he was meeting with Natalia Veselnitskaya, a Russian lawyer with possible ties to the Kremlin, who would provide damaging information about Clinton as part of a Russian broader effort to assist his father's presidential campaign. He was joined at the meeting by Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law; Paul Manafort, then a top campaign aide; and Rinat Akhmetshin, a lobbyist and possible intelligence agent in the former Soviet Union.

Donald Trump Jr. has said that nothing came of the discussion.

Sekulow reiterated that he has seen no indication that the president is under investigation by either Special Counsel Robert Mueller or the House or Senate intelligence committees' probes.

"We've had no notification from the special counsel," Sekulow said on CBS's "Face the Nation. "Nothing's changed since James Comey said three times to the president that he wasn't under investigation."

Sekulow put the responsibility for the initial incomplete response regarding last summer's meeting squarely on the shoulders of the president's son. "The president was not involved in the drafting of the statement and did not issue the statement. It came from Donald Trump Jr.," Sekulow said of Trump Jr.'s initial statement to the New York Times.

Sekulow also said that there was nothing illegal in the meeting with the Russian lawyer and a Russian American lobbyist.

"Here is the reality: The meeting in and of itself, of course, as I've said before, is not a violation of the law," Sekulow said on "This Week." He added that "the president was not aware of the meeting and did not participate in it."
After graduating from St. Xavier University in 1943 with a major in foreign languages, Sheila Reynolds left Chicago, signed up with the Army Signal Corps and served as a cryptographer at Arlington Hall in Virginia, working on top-secret military assignments aimed at cracking Japanese naval codes during World War II.

"Her face would light up whenever she'd talk about that time in her life," said her son, Chris. "Back then she set out to aid the war effort, but along the way had quite an adventure."

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Reynolds went on to marry her high school sweetheart and give birth to 12 children, among them a set of triplets. She cared for one foster child for 10 years and also was a foster parent to six unwed mothers. She served as a Cana Conference volunteer with the Chicago Catholic Archdiocese and was a volunteer reader and translator with Books for the Blind.

For nearly four decades, Reynolds was also a weekly volunteer in the Small Mammals Collection at the Field Museum, where she helped catalog hundreds of specimens and translated scientific articles from French to English.

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"Sheila was this lovely little lady that accomplished so many amazing things," said Mary Anne Rogers, a biologist who works at both the Field Museum and Shedd Aquarium. "Every now and then I'd find myself just looking at her and thinking to myself, 'How'd she do all that and have 12 babies?'"

Reynolds, 95, died in her sleep of natural causes on June 29 in her North Side home, her family said.

Sheila Reynolds (Family photo)

Over the years, Reynolds kept old friendships alive, including one with a Chicago native and fellow cryptographer, who back then was a young intelligence naval officer but later rose to serve on the country's highest court.

"Sheila Reynolds, and her late husband, Paul, were longtime and close personal friends," retired Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens wrote in an email to the Tribune. "Sheila was a generous, intelligent, and extremely charming person."

According to former colleagues at the Field Museum, it was Reynolds' sharp mind and dry, slightly offbeat sense of humor that made her so endearing.

"I don't recall how it came to be conveyed, but it was understood that we would have lunch together, during which time she'd bring her neat, sensible sandwich and purchase a carton of milk," said Bob Izor, the former head of the Field Museum's Small Mammals Collection, who supervised Reynolds.

"We'd sit and discuss the state of the museum, the nation and the world in the most scathing terms imaginable. It was sometimes unnerving to be reminded that she suffered fools, if not gladly, at least politely, and that beneath the mild and super-conventional exterior there were incisive and unsentimental judgments being reached."

At 92, Reynolds was interviewed by Chicago's CBS News for the television segment "Someone You Should Know." At the time, she was taking two buses from her home on the North Side to get to the museum for her shift every Tuesday.

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When asked during the interview if being the mother of a dozen kids was the secret to a long life, the diminutive, barely 5-foot-2-inch Reynolds shot back, "They at least taught me self-defense!"

Born and raised Sheila Taaffe in the South Shore neighborhood, Reynolds graduated from Mother McAuley High School.

During that time she met Paul Reynolds, a real estate developer and mortgage banker. They were married for 53 years; he died in 1997.

In a 1953 Tribune story  seven months after the birth of triplet girls and with eight children under the age of 7  her husband described the couple's nightly routine.

"First we pop the four big ones in the tub, sprinkle in some detergent  and let them soak," he told the Tribune, adding that was when they would put the triplets to bed. "Next we come back to the bathroom and scrub off all the dirt the children in the tub have missed and pack them off to bed. Finally, Sheila bathes (their then 19-month-old son), usually in the kitchen sink."

Early on, while raising her ever-growing brood, Reynolds and her husband lived in the Beverly neighborhood, until moving to the North Side in 1973

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"As we were growing up, mom was very organized, great at multitasking and with her background in military intelligence, we couldn't pull anything over her," said her youngest daughter, Siobhan.

In 2013, Reynolds retired from the museum after 38 years of volunteer service.

"I sometimes wonder what she might have accomplished in a different life, in a different society, through sheer strength of character," Izor said.

Reynolds was also preceded in death by a son, Damien, and a daughter, Martha Thomas.

Other survivors include two sons, Paul Jr. and Shaun; six daughters, Tracy Aleksy, Regina, Sheila Trainor, Molly, Jill and Peggy; a brother, John Taaffe; 19 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.

Services were held.

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Joan Giangrasse Kates is a freelance reporter.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has once again unveiled a health care bill and announced that a vote could come soon. That exhaustion you feel is the same despair that seeps over you when a pair of ill-matched friends announce for the 17th time that they're getting back together.

As with those friends, there seems to be no set of mutual goals upon which a durable partnership can be built. Many Republican legislators want Obamacare to die. Others would probably attend the funeral with ill-concealed delight, but they don't want a reputation for having killed it. Still others would like to be able to tell voters that they "did something" about Obamacare, even though in reality they are loath to actually, you know, do something  because their states would lose money or voters would lose insurance.

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Indeed, these may not be discrete factions of Republicans on the Hill. Often these desires seem to war within the same head. Small wonder that the longer the party works on the compromise bill, the more it inches toward the status quo. As Phil Klein of the Washington Examiner noted, "Brick by brick, GOP versions keep restoring parts of Obamacare."

Whether or not you think the status quo preferable, that's going to be a tough sell to a lot of senators  and even if they pass it, in the House it's going to be  challenging. The hard-liners in the lower chamber aren't going to rubber-stamp a bill that looks like Obamacare with the fonts changed.

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In the old days, of course, the solution to those conservative defections would have been to pick up some moderate Democrats and pass a bipartisan bill. But that seems a long time ago, and political galaxies away from where we are now. Or is it? Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., recently released an alternative, bipartisan bill that he maintains offers a way out of the Obamacare mess.

Cue the movie clip of a guy saying, "It's so crazy, it just might work!" Then turn to the question that naturally follows: What should a bipartisan health care bill look like? We vaguely recall how bipartisanship worked, back when it worked. Compromise. Horse-trading. Quid pro quo. What should Republicans be willing to give up to get enough Democrats on board?

As an exercise on paper, the answer is easy:

Stop trying to make this a tax-cut bill, and focus on reforms that can pave the way to fiscal stability, and dismantling many of the perverse incentives that have so distorted our health care system.

Leave Obamacare's taxes intact. (Yes, even the dumb ones, of which there are many.)

Turn Medicaid into a fixed grant rather than an open-ended entitlement, either by making it a block grant, or switching to a flat per-beneficiary payout  but don't try to make block grants a confusing cover for very deep cuts to the program.

Provide generous funding to stabilize the individual health insurance exchanges, but demand in return very wide latitude for states to decide how they stabilize their insurance markets  including jettisoning any of the Obamacare regulations they think are getting in the way.

Meanwhile, move the system more aggressively toward health savings accounts plus catastrophic insurance  and get Democrats on board by offering to have the government fund some portion of those health savings accounts for low-income citizens.

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Is that my ideal health care system? No. But it gives Republicans some of what they want (a more consumer-driven, pro-market program in the individual market, and a big start toward reforming the byzantine mess that is the Medicaid program). It gives Democrats some of what they want (money for people who don't have very much of it, plus they don't get splattered by the fallout of Obamacare exchanges melting down). In theory, it could pass.

And in theory, I could play third base for the Yankees. The truth is that after years of complaining about obstructionism, Democrats have developed a sudden taste for the stuff; there's a substantial faction of both politicians and voters who want the Democrats to stand by and do nothing, nothing, that Republicans might like. And even among those who think they want bipartisan compromise  well, I spend a lot of time listening to those folks, and when you get down to it, frequently their idea of a "compromise" is that they get a huge government program that costs hundreds of billions of dollars, and Republicans get trivial increases in the size of health savings accounts, and maybe to twiddle with a few of the outer decimal points on growth rates. In other words, what they think is a vision of compromise is too often actually a vision of America circa 1992, when Republicans were a minority party who had to come begging for crumbs.

Republicans, meanwhile, don't even have much of a coherent vision. Too many of them have an ardent desire for Obamacare not to ever have passed, and no idea how to either get the country back to that point, or live with the new reality. The continued existence of Obamacare in largely its current form is a deal breaker for both parties, which means there's unlikely to be a deal.

That said, Congress has been able to pass a couple of bipartisan health care bills in recent years: the 21st Century Cures Act in late 2016, and the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015, more commonly known as the "doc fix" bill. The former reforms mental health care and funds medical research; the latter, most important among its provisions, permanently jettisoned an enormous scheduled cut in Medicare doctor reimbursements, which Congress had been putting off for years and finally recognized was never going to happen. Both bills passed by overwhelming margins.

What do we see in these bills? The sums involved, while hardly trivial, are small relative to the federal budget. The scope of the bills was modest, and each of them had well-organized and mediagenic interest groups lined up in support. The changes made were technical matters that were not explained to large numbers of people, because neither bill was well known to many voters. And while the absolute number of people directly affected by them was large, the percentage of voters likely to experience personal loss due to their passage was pretty small.

This may depress those of you who long for a government that soars with ambition, but this is what a bipartisan bill looks like these days: too small to attract much attention from anyone besides wonks and dedicated lobbyists. Can we envision something matching that description that could take the place of the troubled Republican health care proposals?

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Yes, just barely. Jettison the ambition and just do one thing: stabilize the individual market by giving money to states to figure out how to shore up their ailing exchanges. It gives legislators a little pork to take home, and solves a real problem. It makes Democrats happy because Obamacare lives to fight another day; it makes Republicans happy because they don't have to explain to voters how come Obamacare died a horrible lingering death after they took office. It doesn't do terrible things to the government budget, even if it doesn't do anything good, either.

Even this seems like a very hard sell in the current partisan environment. And unfortunately for Republicans, "very hard sell" looks like the best of the options they have.

Bloomberg

Megan McArdle is a Bloomberg View columnist. She wrote for the Daily Beast, Newsweek, the Atlantic and the Economist. She is the author of "The Up Side of Down: Why Failing Well Is the Key to Success."
Over the past week, President Trump seemed unusually subdued as the nation absorbed the news that his oldest child, Donald Jr., last year exulted in the prospect of getting derogatory information about Hillary Clinton from the Russian government. His son, the president said, "is a high-quality person," "a wonderful young man." It wasn't until the end of the week that Trump defended his son's decision to meet with the Russian lawyer who supposedly had the dirt: "Most people would have taken that meeting."

There was simply no way this president was going to distance himself from his son's actions, as he often does when a White House aide displeases him. In business and now in politics, Trump reserves his most effusive praise and his deepest trust for his flesh and blood, handing Ivanka a White House portfolio and his boys the run of the Trump enterprises.

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Through the years, Trump has spoken about Donald Jr. very much as he describes himself: as a smart, ambitious, crafty guy who loves to win and who has a mischievous streak that sometimes gets him in trouble. The president talks about his other adult children in similar ways: Ask about his kids, and Trump talks about how they're like him - Ivanka, for example, has his business savvy and, as he once put it in an interview, his interest in sex.

Some psychologists have concluded that Trump sees his adult children as extensions of himself. "They are his world because they are him," said Elan Golomb, a psychologist who wrote "Trapped in the Mirror: Adult Children of Narcissists in Their Struggle for Self." "They don't exist as separate entities. To a narcissist, the child is seen as 'me.' "

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Even his children agree that there is little separation between them and their celebrity father. "We've all made peace with the fact that we will never be able to achieve any level of autonomy" from him, Ivanka told an interviewer in 2004. No wonder Trump places them in positions of power.

But the same instinct that induced the president to have Ivanka sit in for him briefly at the Group of 20 talks in Hamburg this month makes it difficult for him to distance himself from them or contradict them, as he often has when his staff advisers leave him angry or disappointed. Which raises this question: When Trump Jr. walked into that meeting to get the dirt on Clinton from the Russian lawyer, was he by default acting on his father's behalf?

Presidents' relatives have long served as distraction, embarrassment and vital support. President Jimmy Carter had to cope with an occasionally wayward brother, Billy. President Bill Clinton pardoned his half-brother Roger for a cocaine distribution conviction. At the other end of the scale, President John F. Kennedy relied on his brother Bobby as his attorney general and close adviser, and George W. Bush served a similar, though informal, role as counselor to his father, President George H.W. Bush.

But Trump is the first president who has arrived in office with his children as his most important and trusted advisers. Last year, when I asked Trump whom he would turn to in a moment of great crisis, he said it would not be any close friends - his friendships were mainly just business relationships, he said - but rather his adult children. "One thing I get a lot of credit for is my children," he said. "They're good children. And they've been smart. They went to great schools. Always got top-of-the line marks. . . . I get along with my children a lot."

Trump grew up in a tight-knit family business. Groomed to take over Fred Trump's New York real estate empire, Donald has always spoken of his father more as a businessman than as a parent. He has a standard few pat lines about Fred: He praises his father as an accomplished builder and role model who, alas, lacked his son's unbridled ambition to play on the biggest stages. Trump has little to say about his mother, other than that he got his showmanship gene from her.

But ask Trump about his adult children, and a notoriously nonlinear storyteller suddenly grows effusive. The president virtually melts at any mention of Ivanka, and he rushes to defend her from criticism, as he did this month after the kerfuffle about the G-20 meeting. He exhibits a charming pride about sons Donald Jr. and Eric, repeatedly saying that his business is secure in their hands.

The Trump children know this role and accept it. Ivanka told Politico that what her father cared about when they were growing up was "respect. You would never hear us yelling at our parents or using a tone that was inappropriate or disrespectful. Even a tone."

"Everything we've ever done, we've done as a family," Eric told The Washington Post last year. "Every project we've ever built, we've built as a family. 'The Apprentice' we did as a family."

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President Trump has written about the importance of narcissism in his success and in the achievements of any business leader. He believes that an emphasis on his own ego not only promotes his brand, but gives him the confidence and standing to achieve more. And psychologists who study narcissism say such people often view their children as mirrors of themselves.

"The main issue with narcissists is that 'people have to 100 percent agree with me about everything,' " Golomb said. " 'They have to be on my side.' And they often are: Usually the parent is so fearful of criticism coming his way that he makes the child fearful of ever expressing their misery. They have to agree with and support the narcissistic parent."

Which may explain why Trump often speaks of his children and his parents through the prism of his own life. At his father's funeral, Trump talked mainly about himself. His siblings told stories about their father; Donald instead recited a list of his accomplishments, noting that his father had stood by him at each turn.

Gwenda Blair, the author of "The Trumps," a multi-generational study of the family, concluded that Donald, his father, Fred, and his grandfather Friedrich Trump had a foundational similarity: "All three were energetic people who would do almost anything to make a buck; all three possessed a certain ruthlessness; all three had a free and easy way about the truth," Blair wrote.

Of the president's adult children, Donald Jr. is perhaps the most like his paternal lineage.

Donald Jr. is different from Ivanka and Eric in that he rebelled against his father. He was 15 in 1993, when his father married Marla Maples in the aftermath of his tabloid-chronicled divorce from Ivana Trump. The oldest child hit back hard against a wrenching, all-too-public trauma. "You don't love us," he told his father, according to an oft-cited account in Vanity Fair. "You don't even love yourself. You just love your money." But in that same era, Don Jr. defended his father with his fists, punching back at kids who taunted him about the divorce.

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Donald Trump in those years was frank about his distance from his children, telling interviewers that he didn't do things like change diapers or play ball with them. "Statistically, my children have a very bad shot," he told Playboy in 1990. "Children of successful people are generally very, very troubled, not successful." More recently, Trump joked that demographically, his kids should have ended up "in rehab."

But today, he takes evident, abundant pride in the fact that they instead have become essential cogs in the family business. He told me in an interview last year that by bringing them into the enterprise in their teens - as his own father did with him - he turned their relationship around. "I mean, I love my children," he said, "but I got to know my children much better after they graduated from college, in a sense, because they came to work here."

Trump Jr. has said he was raised largely by his mother and her Czech parents. After the divorce, he refused to speak to his father for more than a year. But the icy relationship thawed with time. Trump Jr. told The Post's Dan Zak last year that "it wasn't a 'Hey, son, let's go play catch in the back yard' kind of father-son relationship. . . . It was: 'Hey, you're back from school? Come down to the office.' "

Despite the early distance - which included boarding school and, in Don's case, a couple of years of bartending, camping and partying in the Colorado Rockies - the Trump children developed an abiding loyalty to their father. By the time Trump Jr. joined the family company in 2001, he sounded very much like his dad: brash, confident, a son of a wealthy man who nonetheless came off like a street fighter.

For the Trumps, generation after generation, the family is the business, and the business is the family.

Once the kids accepted the terms of their relationship with their father, he became their booster - and he began to praise them in familiar terms. He loves to quote people he met on the campaign trail who told him how great his children are. He seems especially impressed that even people who said they would never vote for him told him he did something right in bringing them up.

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"Children of narcissists are often high achievers because they live in fear that their parent will cut them off for a while if they fail to reflect him," Golomb said. "It's a very isolating way of being raised. They know exactly what will upset him, and they behave to protect him. They can't become autonomous."

People who study narcissism say such parents often demand unquestioning acceptance and threaten their children with rejection if they seem disobedient. But in some families headed by narcissists, it's little more than a threat, because the adult children have learned their roles so well. They labor as a matter of course to stay in their parent's good graces.

This past week, when Trump Jr. went on TV to defend himself and his father, the president hardly needed to mount a vigorous argument on behalf of his oldest. His next son did it for him. Eric Trump tweeted: "This is the EXACT reason they viciously attack our family! They can't stand that we are extremely close and will ALWAYS support each other."

Washington Post

Marc Fisher, a senior editor, writes about most anything. He's been The Post's enterprise editor, local columnist and Berlin bureau chief, and he's covered politics, education, pop culture, and much else in three decades on the Metro, Style, National and Foreign desks.
What has really happened since Donald Trump Jr. released his email chain setting up a meeting last June with a Russian lawyer? Are Democrats and their allies in the media any closer to having their high crime or misdemeanor?

Answer: No.

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As Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz stated July 11, "It is unlikely that attendance at the meeting violated any criminal statute." Well said, Mr. Dershowitz.

And yet, the media would have you believe that the meeting Trump Jr. described as "literally just a wasted 20 minutes" is a smoking gun that will inevitably take President Donald Trump, his administration and his entire family down forever.

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In reality, Trump Jr.'s emails show he has nothing to hide.

Further to this point, Trump Jr. recently went on "Hannity" to speak specifically about his actions. Granted, Fox News host Sean Hannity is not always interested in giving a complete, unvarnished account of what happens in Trump World and his questions are softballs, but Trump Jr. made some important points nonetheless  namely, the fact that there was no subsequent follow-up or contact with the Russian lawyer and "nothing to tell" then-candidate Trump. Therefore, unless you decide to believe he is lying, there was no "collusion." The holy grail is still missing.

I don't think Trump Jr. went on national television and told a bunch of lies. Undoubtedly, the president's enemies will believe that they are justified in feeling otherwise. But Trump Jr. has little incentive to do anything but tell the truth at this point.

Even if we suppose there was follow-up from the campaign with the Russian lawyer, it is hard to say that more conversations or meetings would have amounted to a crime. And yes, something can be wrong but not illegal. However, that is not the argument Democrats and their allies in the media want to make. They want this to crack the foundation of the Trump presidency. They want it to crumble.

Blinded by disdain for the president, liberals and the media pack are mostly trying to create credibility for accusations of criminal violations and impeachable offenses. They embellish everything just so that they can keep the story moving. Maybe they will get a break and someone will stumble into a crime during the investigation into the noncrimes from the fall campaign.

In their search for a nonexistent smoking gun, Trump's opponents appear at least partially satisfied by the constant hounding of the White House and the president's family.

In politics, being innocent is just an advantage. It is not determinative. And although the facts do not support the left's pursuit of criminal wrongdoing on the part of the Trump clan, Trump Jr. is sure to face a lot of harassment, and he may make more mistakes. But that is far from being in the crosshairs of an American law enforcement investigation that could bring down a president. Sorry to the Trump haters for being such a buzzkill.

If Trump Jr. is guilty of anything, it is letting someone so lacking in credibility (like music publicist Rob Goldstone) have unfettered access to his schedule. Danger. You usually see your enemies coming, but it is your friends who will blindside you and get you in trouble.

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Anyway, Trump's enemies are desperate for something impeachable. But remember, there is no such thing as the crime of collusion. It's not even a misdemeanor. And unless the Russian lawyer provided an illegal contribution, stolen property, etc., to the Trump campaign, there is no crime that will take this story where the media want it to go. But that doesn't mean they will quit trying.

The Washington Post

Ed Rogers is a longtime Republican strategist and chairman of the lobbying and communications firm BGR Group.
"You don't get one year's funding and have people say, 'Oh, Illinois is totally fixed now.' I don't think it would be in our best interest to think of ourselves as out of the woods just yet."

 Rachel Lindsey, interim president of Chicago State University, on the passage of a state budget after 736 days without one

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"She was listening to music with her eyes closed when she felt something hitting her. She opens her eyes and realizes that a male is urinating on her."

 A New York City police spokesperson, on the search for the man who urinated on a passenger's face as they were riding on a subway train

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"This was a time when the Irish were considered to be a threat to the city of Chicago. A time when critics thought what they really needed were jails, not places of beauty."

 Ellen Skerrett, a Chicago historian and parishioner at Holy Family, on the Irish Catholic founders of the Near West Side church. The church celebrated its 160th anniversary Sunday with a special Mass.
In this image released by A24 Films, Alicia Vikander appears in a scene from "Ex Machina." (Associated Press)

Ready for something kind of creepy?

Sex with robots.

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It seems that HBO's "Westworld," the series set in a robot-populated theme park in which human lust runs wild, is science fiction morphing into science fact.

This month, the Netherlands-based Foundation for Responsible Robots released a report titled "Our Sexual Future With Robots."

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That's a bit more than you expect from your Roomba.

Only four companies  all in the U.S.  produce sex robots, reports FRR. We're Making America Great Again.

"Worldwide, the sex-technology market is worth a reported $30 billion," estimated the publication Nature, which seemed slightly embarrassed to be discussing the topic, even while calling for research on human/machine "relationships," if you can call them that.

These interactions already exist, and they are expanding.

When I was a kid, I read Isaac Asimov's trailblazing novel, "I, Robot," set in a 21st century in which robots assist humans in many ways, but not in that way. Asimov missed "The Love Boat."

Here we are in the actual 21st century, and brothels using sex dolls have popped up in Asia and Europe. Men are paying to have sex with something akin to a pinata.

Not that I am judging.

Sex tech and the interest in close encounters of the anthropomorphic kind are on the upswing, so much so that a counterbalance has developed: The Campaign Against Sex Robots equates sex robots with everything from "toxic masculinity" to "modern slavery."

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Not that I am judging. But is your toaster a slave?

Aside from "Westworld," there were earlier pop culture explorations of man (usually) and machine. Joaquin Phoenix fell in love with his computer operating system, voiced by Scarlett Johansson, in the 2013 movie "Her." It was hands-off, unlike 2015's "Ex Machina," in which a robot creator physically abuses his creation.

The Harmony android prototype from Abyss Creations blinks her eyes, changes expressions, carries on a conversation, and has orgasms. (Inanimate objects can't have orgasms, so that's fake. Some of us know about that.) These super-duper dolls will start at $15,000 and could go to $50,000, depending on accessories.

Abyss CEO Matt McMullen said he is creating a "girl friend" with whom the owner can bond. A real relationship with a not-real object.

A tangle of legal, moral, ethical and social questions surrounds robophilia. George Washington University Law School professor John F. Banzhaf says there's little law here and legislatures might have to regulate sexbots for safety and health reasons.

Some opinion-makers think sexbots would be valuable to severely handicapped people, old folks, or the socially isolated. Others conclude the machines could make people more isolated.

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Some observers predict men will actually fall in love with their dolls (a few weirdos already have, per press reports, but I am not judging), while some feminists fume that it's another act of male domination, making women subservient sex objects. The words "capitalist patriarchy" were hurled by Meghan Murphy in a long piece on feministcurrent.com.

Admittedly, the product line is overwhelmingly female, usually with porn star bodies, but some male dolls are for sale, perhaps for women who have the bot hots for C-3PO.

Futurologist Ian Pearson predicts women will ditch human partners for robots in less than a decade. By 2050, he says, android grooving will eclipse human lovemaking.

But human/machine is not "lovemaking."

I loved my '04 PT Cruiser, but I didn't want to do it with the Chrysler.

That would be kind of creepy.

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Tribune Content Agency

Stu Bykofsky is a columnist for the Philadelphia Daily News.
Deputy White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders speaks as reporters hold their hands up to ask a question, during an off-camera press briefing at the White House in Washington, Wednesday, July 12, 2017. (Alex Brandon / AP)

HILLSBORO, Ohio  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.

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Fortunately, our publisher held firm, and we continued to exercise our right to call it as we saw it. And we didn't 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 that's 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.

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Unfortunately, when President Donald Trump accuses the mainstream media of being "fake news," too often the journalists being targeted don't 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 president's, it's hard to persuade most Americans to feel our pain. That there is relatively little organic reaction to the president's criticisms outside of offended newsrooms is the best proof of the merits of Trump's complaints.

Trump doesn't deserve favorable coverage. All he deserves is fair and honest coverage. But even liberals can't argue with a straight face that he's wrong about mainstream media bias.

Coverage of the president's 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 president's 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 media's 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 Trump's 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. Trump's tweeting of an old wrestling skit with the CNN logo superimposed on Vince McMahon's 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 president's attacks on the First Amendment itself and an incitement to violence. Nonsense.

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The president's very personal comments about MSNBC's 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 Trump's 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 don't see too many media organizations doing that in response to the president's complaints.

If the day comes when members of the mainstream media can prove Trump wrong through the evidence of their work, the president's attacks will lose their steam. That day is not here.

Washington Post

Gary Abernathy is publisher and editorof the (Hillsboro, Ohio) Times-Gazette.
Donald Trump Jr. gets on an elevator in the lobby of the Trump Tower in New York, New York, on Dec .2, 2016. (Justin Lane, EPA)

Many words describe Donald Trump Jr.'s June 2016 meeting with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya.

Smart is not among them.

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But after the torrent of claims that Moscow "meddled" in the 2016 presidential election, it is remarkable that when a Russian actually showed up to meet with Trump campaign officials, she did not interfere after all. Rather, Veselnitskaya allegedly spent 20 minutes seeking a softening of U.S. sanctions against Russia. Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, left after 10 minutes. Campaign manager Paul Manafort focused on his email. No one followed up.

It is a fair inference that Manafort and Kushner attended to prevent the meeting from becoming a political embarrassment. They failed.

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In today's white-hot partisan environment, it has escaped notice that it is not a crime to meet a Russian. Obviously, there are circumstances where it would be improper or even illegal for a political campaign official to conspire with a Russian, but the known facts of the June 2016 meeting do not come close. This conclusion should be revisited if it turns out that the campaign provided Veselnitskaya's plane ticket or had other financial arrangements with her.

For now, two words describe the Trump Tower meeting: brain-dead. But dumb does not equal criminal. Criminalizing all dumb moves in political campaigns would effectively eviscerate the First Amendment.

Critics claim that Donald Jr.'s emails show "collusion" between the Trump campaign and the Russian government. But "collusion" is not itself a federal crime (except in antitrust law). Instead, the crime of "conspiracy" requires an agreement between a Trump campaign official and a Russian governmental official to commit a specific crime. Rabid anti-Trumpers think that crime might be hacking or false statements or even espionage, but alas: no evidence. Further investigation might discover such an agreement, but nothing public at this stage rises to the level of a crime.

Claims that the meeting might constitute treason or violate federal campaign law only reveal a desperate effort to overturn the results of the 2016 presidential election. This irresponsible thinking has not just held sway among the liberal commentariat, where one would expect it to flourish, but with otherwise respectable political leaders. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., told reporters that "this is moving into perjury, false statements and even potentially treason." He seems to have forgotten whatever he learned about the Constitution while attending Harvard Law School.

The Framers were so concerned about the potential misuse of treason trials by the federal government that they made it the only crime specifically defined in the Constitution's text. Article 3 states: "Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort." Taking a meeting with a Russian lawyer, even if she might have ties to the Kremlin, simply does not amount to "levying War."

Indeed, on this point Kaine forgets his own state's history. In 1807, Virginia hosted the most important treason prosecution in American history, that against the Aaron Burr conspirators. In the Burr case, President Thomas Jefferson ordered his former vice president (who had earlier killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel) tried for attempting to raise a rebellion in the new Louisiana Purchase. Chief Justice John Marshall, who sat as the trial judge, found the bar for "levying War" to be quite high  basically an overt act of force against the government.

Even if Donald Jr. did not actually commit a hostile act, some might argue that he gave "aid and comfort" to the enemy. Established judicial doctrine has long made clear that helping a foreign nation, alone, does not qualify as treason. A defendant can only provide aid and comfort to an enemy in the context of a war. Despite our problems with the regime of Vladimir Putin, we are currently at peace with Russia. Even during the start of the Cold War in the early 1950s, we did not prosecute the notorious Soviet spies Julius and Ethel Rosenberg for treason, but rather espionage, because there was no war with the USSR.

Former Democratic officials speculate that Donald Jr. may have violated federal campaign law, which prohibits candidates from soliciting contributions or "anything of value" from a foreigner. In 1996, for example, Bill Clinton fell into hot water when prosecutors and congressional investigators learned that wealthy Chinese nationals may have funneled money to his campaign. Trump critics suggest that damaging information on Hillary Clinton could qualify as something "of value," equivalent to large sums of money.

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But if information itself qualifies as an in-kind campaign contribution, it is not just foreigners who will be affected  though we could care less about the rights of Russians. This theory would allow the government to interfere with legitimate and legal (no matter how roughhouse) electioneering by Americans.

Federal election law, for example, places a cap on campaign contributions from Americans at $2,700 per candidate per campaign. Suppose, in 2020, a disgruntled White House official provides the Democratic presidential campaign with information damaging to President Trump. Will that whistleblower have made an illegal in-kind contribution? Suppose a journalist warns the Democratic candidate of an approaching Trump line of attack  will the reporter have violated campaign contribution limits?

These activities, of course, should receive the protection of the First Amendment. No court has ever upheld the prosecution of an American for transferring information to a campaign. Prohibiting Americans from gathering and spreading information about candidates would strike a deadly blow not just to the free spirit of our election campaigns, but to the robustness of our democracy.

Tribune Content Agency

John Yoo is a law professor at the University of California, Berkeley and a former Bush Justice Department official.

David Marston was a U.S. attorney in Philadelphia.
A cheetah looks out over the Masi Mara game reserve in Kenya in August 2006. A study released in 2016 by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) says the cheetah is facing extinction. (Stephen Morrison / EPA)

For millions of years, Australia had no human inhabitants. When people finally arrived there some 45,000 years ago, the continent had 24 different creatures weighing 100 pounds or more. Within a few millennia, 23 were wiped out.

In his book "Sapiens," Yuval Noah Harari notes: "Long before the Industrial Revolution, Homo Sapiens held the record among all organisms for driving the most plant and animal species to their extinction. We have the dubious distinction of being the deadliest species in the annals of biology."

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From all indications, we are not about to be dethroned. A new study published in a journal of the National Academy of Sciences says nearly 200 species have vanished in the past century, and 9,000 have seen substantial reductions in their numbers. Only 7,000 cheetahs are left, and the population of West African lions is down to 400. Scientists suggest that Earth is well into the sixth mass extinction of the last half-billion years.

We are seeing "a massive erosion of the greatest biological diversity in the history of Earth," which negatively affects the resources that sustain human life, says the article. The authors call for a reversal of "human overpopulation" and "overconsumption, especially by the rich." One of the scholars, Paul Ehrlich of Stanford, told The Washington Post, "I am an alarmist."

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But the alarmism may be overdone. Ehrlich is infamous for erroneously predicting imminent mass global famine in his 1968 book "The Population Bomb." Humans turned out to be more adaptive and resourceful than he expected then, and there is no reason to believe they won't act to prevent the catastrophe being predicted now.

Climate change is one significant factor in the loss of creatures, and the nations of the world have entered into an accord to combat it by curbing greenhouse gas emissions. Even without the participation of the United States, that effort is bound to do some good  and it can be done without hobbling economic growth.

A materially richer world is likely to be a more ecologically conscientious one. "The countries that are wealthiest do the most to protect habitat and species health," says Reed Watson, executive director the Property and Environment Research Center, a think tank in Bozeman, Mont.

That's because conservation is one of the things people come to value more and more as their disposable income grows. Poor nations can't afford to worry so much about the plight of animals because they are preoccupied with feeding and housing people.

Humans are good at finding ways to protect the environment and our fellow creatures when the need is there. When the federal Wilderness Act was passed in 1964, it designated 9 million acres of land as wilderness. Today, we have nearly 110 million acres that provide unspoiled habitat for innumerable species.

Other federal lands such as national parks and forests are also protected from most forms of development  amounting to more than one-seventh of all the land in the country. Neighboring residents have learned that they can profit from tourists who come to hike remote woodland trails and see grizzly bears, eagles and wolves. All this is the fruit of prosperity, not poverty.

One challenge in saving species is devising methods that encourage humans to see animals as an asset, not a burden or danger. American bison, once hunted almost to extinction, have rebounded partly because ranchers raise them for food. Ocean fisheries have been rebuilt by limiting the annual harvest while granting fisherman transferable rights to a share of it  thus giving them a stake in conservation.

Namibia has boosted the number of black rhinoceroses, once down to six, to more than 1,400, reports NPR, while doubling the numbers of both cheetahs and elephants. It has also virtually eliminated poaching. How? By enabling communities to establish conservation areas and administer them in ways that benefit the people living there. One element that PERC's Watson acknowledges is "counterintuitive" is regulated trophy hunting, which generates income that rewards locals for protecting iconic species.

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The report provides a sobering picture of how much irreversible damage could be done to worldwide biological diversity. Unlike other creatures, humans can consciously shape the future for generations to come. We should use ingenuity for the benefit of the countless creatures with which we share the Earth. That would also be good for our species.
I have a question: Why has "her" not been locked up?

"Her" is, of course, Hillary Clinton, the former Democratic presidential candidate who prompted Republicans topped in red Make America Great Again hats to chant "Lock her up!" on every possible occasion.

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At rallies. In bars. At the Republican National Convention. Even in the privacy of their own homes, I assume.

I just can't help but notice that Clinton remains wholly non-locked-up. To the best of my knowledge, she's living with a family of woodchucks somewhere in a forest in New York, not dragging a tin cup along the bars of a prison cell, as I was told she would absolutely be doing.

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This matters because the many, many, many, many, many, many, many dodgy and possibly criminal things I'm told Clinton did are now used as an excuse for the many, many, many, many, many, many, many dodgy and possibly criminal things happening in the administration of President Donald Trump.

The excuse comes in the form of: The fake news media claim that Trump (insert malfeasance of your choice), but where were they when Hillary was doing (insert malfeasance of your choice, likely something to do with email)?

It's the pushback that comes from Trump supporters, people in the administration and, of course, Trump himself, who last weekend tweet-complained: "Why aren't the same standards placed on the Democrats. Look what Hillary Clinton may have gotten away with. Disgraceful!"

It's a curious tack, given that Trump was the one who delighted in the "Lock her up!" chants and carried the great responsibility of seeing to it that Crooked Hillary was properly incarcerated.

He even said, during a presidential debate in October: "If I win, I am going to instruct my attorney general to get a special prosecutor to look into your situation, because there has never been so many lies, so much deception."

Clinton responded: "It's just awfully good that someone with the temperament of Donald Trump is not in charge of the law in our country."

To which Trump said: "Because you'd be in jail."

So Trump is now in charge, yet Clinton walks free with the woodchucks?

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I was at the GOP convention in Cleveland last year and heard the crowd in Quicken Loans Arena chant, over and over again, "Lock her up!" I saw the "Hillary for Prison" buttons and T-shirts. You'd think she was the greatest threat facing America.

And you'd still think that based on the way her perceived criminality is used to downplay the investigation into Russian interference in the election or Donald Trump Jr.'s newly uncovered meeting with Russians who were offering dirt on Clinton or the mountain of lies surrounding that meeting.

The line of thinking we're expected to nod along to is, effectively: This stuff about Trump is fake, but even if it wasn't fake it would pale in comparison to the hideous crimes Clinton committed, which we are doing absolutely nothing about despite promising to bring her to justice.

I was explicitly told that even though 18 million Republican investigations into Benghazi and hearings on Clinton's private email server and an FBI investigation didn't get her, she was guilty of everything from treason to murder.

On Oct. 19, Trump tweeted: "Crooked @HillaryClinton's foundation is a CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE."

On Oct. 28 he tweeted: "We must not let #CrookedHillary take her CRIMINAL SCHEME into the Oval Office. #DrainTheSwamp."

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On Nov. 2 he tweeted: "Crooked Hillary Clinton deleted 33,000 e-mails AFTER they were subpoenaed by the United States Congress. Guilty - cannot run."

CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE! CRIMINAL SCHEME! GUILTY!!

Yet there she sits, with the woodchucks. And the crimes she is still said to have committed go unprosecuted, despite all the grand chants and promises.

And that's fine, if you're Hillary Clinton or her family or a supporter or, I imagine, a woodchuck who likes human companionship. But it's not fine if you want to continue to use her as a foil for your own potential wrongdoing.

If Clinton is guilty of high crimes and misdemeanors, then she should be charged, tried and, if guilty, locked up.

But if you're going to do none of those things, you can't really say, "What I'm doing might look bad, but what she did was criminal!"

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It's like a dog caught chewing up the rug saying, "Yeah, there might have been some mild, not-at-all-serious rug chewing going on here, but it's nothing like Mr. Waggington's crimes  he chewed up the whole couch and ate the cat!"

That works only if past investigations into Mr. Waggington's behavior found clear evidence of couch chewing or cat eating and he was properly punished. Otherwise, it's just a dog trying to pass his own bad behavior off on another dog.

So if President Trump, his various spokespeople or members of his family or administration want to use Clinton as the stick by which all potential misconduct is measured, they'd best get down to the business of locking her up.

Maybe she is, as Trump wrote in a Jan. 13 tweet, "guilty as hell." But the president needs to prove it.

Because from where I'm standing, I see her in the forest with the woodchucks, free as an Eastern bluebird. And I see Lock-Her-Up Trump in the White House, flailing in hot water that keeps rising, praying that screams of "But Hillary " will somehow keep him unscalded, and afloat.

rhuppke@chicagotribune.com

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Twitter @RexHuppke
Preckwinkle is blaming the fact that a judge has placed a hold on her controversial, and possibly unconstitutional, soft drink tax, which affects the poor the most, for the reductions. These jobs must have been in place prior to the Cook County Board passing the recent tax; it's unlikely that 300 people have been added to the payroll since the tax was passed.

With no soft drink tax in place previously, how were all of these people being paid? Also, if the county can function without these 300 people on the payroll, why weren't these reductions initiated some time ago, instead of further burdening the already over-taxed county residents?

Politicians like Preckwinkle are completely insensitive to the citizens who must pay the unusually high taxes in the state, city and county. It's all about them and their need to stay in power.

One of the many concerning aspects of the never-ending series of tax, fee and fine increases is just that: They are never ending. One thing we know for sure is that there are more to come, which is why Chicago, Cook County and Illinois lead the country in outward migration.

 Jack Higgins, Oak Brook
This proposal  which would require schools and employers to shirk their legal obligations to survivors of sexual assault  flies in the face of federal civil rights law and decades of U.S. Supreme Court precedent. Under Title IX and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, schools and employers must take measures to address sexual violence, a form of discrimination that interferes with individuals ability to access academic and employment opportunities. In order to fulfill their obligations, institutions are required to provide survivors with accommodations and, if necessary, take disciplinary action against their perpetrators.

I know this firsthand: When I was a student at Georgetown University, a student who lived in my dorm sexually assaulted me. Like most victims, I did not call the police. I feared the police officers would blame me for my assault. I also knew that prosecutors rarely bring charges, particularly when the victim was intoxicated, and that conviction rates are low. Just think about the likes of Brock Turner, the Stanford University swimmer who was let off the hook for raping a woman  with witnesses  with little more than a slap on the wrist.

Most important, reporting my assault to law enforcement would not have helped me access the services I needed to stay in school. I needed counseling, extensions on my academic work, and a housing change. Schools, not police, are uniquely positioned to provide these accommodations to survivors like me. Without them, many of us likely would have been pushed out of school.

Thats why the Tribunes proposal is so dangerous. It would leave a whole generation of students and workers without the support they need to remain in school and the workforce. Indeed, survivors have consistently stated that, were schools required to turn rape reports over to police, most would not report at all.

It is true that schools and employers are struggling to address sexual violence. But the response to these failures should be stronger federal enforcement, not misguided proposals to force survivors into an unjust criminal system.

 Alyssa Peterson, Glen Ellyn
More than 200 volunteers spent at least part of their Saturday helping build a brand-new playground at Brady Elementary School in Aurora. (Denise Linke/The Beacon-News )

Brady Elementary School's parking lot was a beehive of activity Saturday morning.

Dozens of people bustled back and forth between the carpentry area, the hopscotch-game painting area, the concrete mixing corner, the mountain of mulch and the construction zone, where half-finished wood and metal structures towered over the workers who held them upright.

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"It's beginning to look like a playground," called out volunteer Jim Cherry with glee as he helped haul another pile of mulch to put under the monkey bars.

More than 200 volunteers spent at least part of their day helping build a brand-new playground, not just for the District 131 school, but for the entire east side community around it. They seemed equally divided between employees of Travelers Insurance Companies, which funded the project, and area residents, including Brady parents and teachers, the Aurora Kiwanis Club and the school district.

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While most arrived with little or no construction experience, they enthusiastically tackled tasks like mixing concrete, digging post holes and stacking paving stones to build a raised flowerbed where parents can sit after school hours and watch their children play.

"I've done a lot of projects around the house, and I helped build a playground at the YWCA about 20 years ago, but nothing as big or complex as this," commented Kiwanis Club member Bob Bridgman as he took a break from setting posts for a play structure catwalk. "I see people here with real building skills, and I can say to myself that I can do what they're doing. Even while watching them is inspiring me to fix mistakes that I've made in my home projects."

Brady staff, students and parents have been looking for a playground "angel" for about five years, since the early 1990s-era playground equipment along one edge of the school's parking lot began falling apart, residents said.

"We kept fixing whatever was breaking down, and taking down what we couldn't fix. When it got to the point where we had 100 students out here for recess at a time and only 20 or 30 of them could use the equipment, I went to the board and asked them for help finding a donor," said Brady Principal Francisco de los Santos. "This is a central point in the community, and the closest public park is not safe for young children because it's next to the railroad tracks, so this project benefits the entire neighborhood."

District 131 officials contacted Kaboom, a nonprofit corporation that matches cash-strapped family service agencies with corporate donors, then provides discounted playground equipment, design work and technical expertise to help volunteers install new playgrounds.

"We're dedicated to bringing balanced and active play to kids," explained Kaboom associate project manager Katrina Bitanga. "We go wherever there's a need  schools, parks, housing projects. We're the middle people: Communities apply to us for grants, we find sponsors looking to donate and we manage the projects for both sides."

Bitanga first visited the school two months ago and interviewed students and parents to find out what features and amenities they wanted their new playground to have.

On Saturday, managing the project kept Bitanga constantly moving from job site to job site, checking progress, offering advice, delivering supplies and letting different work groups know when it was their turn to get lunch in the school's cafeteria. She also worked closely with Carlos Figueroa, Travelers' vice president of community relations, who was nominally in charge of the dozens of red-shirted Travelers volunteers he was working alongside.

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"This is the fourth playground we've built with Kaboom this year, so I'm getting to know the ropes," Figueroa joked. "We do a lot of work with Habitat for Humanity, but this project is new to us. The president and CEO asked me last year to research what we could do to aid play in communities around the country, and after talking with Kaboom, I realized that providing playgrounds was a perfect fit with our business and community service priorities. Insurance is about protection, and providing safe places to play helps give kids an education, which then helps them be good citizens as adults."

Travelers picked six sites for this year's playground donation program, all near corporate field offices that could provide volunteers and in-depth knowledge of local communities, said Figueroa. District 131, near Travelers' Naperville office, joins beneficiary agencies in Orlando; Houston; Denver; Jarupa, Calif.; and Paterson, N.J.

"I don't think we'll be building any more playgrounds in our area next year," he added. "We've had such an enthusiastic response from the employees in this year's program that all the other field offices are asking when it's going to be their turn."

Some volunteers had a personal stake in the new playground. "The old playground was falling apart, was too small to serve all the students, and had nothing small enough for younger students to play on," said Alexandra Zepeda, one of several Brady teachers among the volunteers. "We're very excited that this project is finally happening. The whole community is going to be using this new playground, so I'm glad to see so many people from the community here helping put it up."

Aurora resident Mark Beltran pitched in to help today's Brady students build the same fond playground memories he carries from the days he attended the school in the early 1980s.

"Back then, the playground mostly consisted of some wooden beams and a fireman's pole, but we still had a lot of fun with it," he recalled. "I loved being at this school, so when I heard they needed volunteers for this, I thought I'd love coming back to do something for this school."

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De los Santos also attended Brady as a child before returning as a teacher and then principal.

"This was my school and my playground growing up. This is a very close-knit community that will treasure a facility like this. I'm very happy now that we're getting something here that our kids and our community can be proud of," he said.
Cuts in last years operating budget for for Elgin Community College allowed few adjustments for the fiscal year 2018 budget. (Rafael Guerrero/The Courier-News )

Cuts in last year's operating budget for for Elgin Community College allowed few adjustments for the fiscal year 2018 budget, officials said.

Approved last month by its board of directors, the college's budget, ending June 30 of next year, anticipates a decline in enrollment and a credit-hour increase. However, it also sees its property tax revenue grow, its tuition revenue stay level and the 2017 cuts not continue into this year.

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"We made large adjustments in the fiscal year 2017 budget to cut $5.6 million from the budget," said Sharon Konny, ECC's vice president of business and finance, in an email. "The difference between fiscal year 2017 and 2018 budgets are not as significant."

Elgin Community College's budget for the 2018 fiscal year is for about $110.8 million, which includes operations and maintenance, education, capital, bond and interest, Social Security and Medicare expenses.

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Last year's budget was notable in that it called for a reduction in the Elgin Community College workforce. Divisions affected within the school included teaching, learning and student development; business and finance; information technologies and food services.

This time around, Konny said the "fiscal year 2018 budget does not reinstate cuts made in fiscal year 2017." However, departments still looked for areas where they could reduce expenses, such as in travel expenses, training and projects, she added, and frozen job vacancies are likely to stay frozen.

The fiscal year 2018 budget includes another credit hour fee increase. According to the budget, tuition will increase from $125 to $129 per credit hour. Factor in last year's $6-per-credit-hour increase from 2016, tuition has gone up $10 per credit hour in two years.

The credit-hour increase ties in to the projected dip in enrollment of 4 percent. The projected drop follows last budget's enrollment drop of 3 percent. Last year's student headcount at Elgin Community College during the fall semester was 9,918, continuing a years-long enrollment decline that dates back to 2011, ECC documents show.

Konny said the changes to tuition and enrollment even out as tuition revenue in fiscal year 2018 will remain the same as in 2017. Property tax revenue is expected to increase by about $1.1 million. The increase in property tax dollars is due to changes in the Consumer Price index, new properties being taxed, and a shift of the tax levy from other categories, she said.

State support for Elgin Community College continues to be a fraction of what it once was. According to the 2018 budget, only 2.4 percent of its projected $74.5 million in operating revenue come from the state, or about $1.8 million. Konny said the state dollars budgeted are about one-third of what Illinois pitched in during the 2015 fiscal year. Operating expenses are also adding up to about $74.5 million for the 2018 budget, ECC budget documents show.

raguerrero@tribpub.com
The Elgin area was treading cautiously Monday as residents waited for the Fox River to crest.

Kane County Office of Emergency Management Director Don Bryant said, as of Monday morning, the most recent forecast had the river cresting at 12.5 feet sometime later Monday into Tuesday  down from a forecast last week that had the level reaching well over 13 feet.

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Bryant said the area impacted in Kane County is from Algonquin to the Tri-Cities (Batavia, Geneva, St. Charles). For that area, Bryant said the National Weather Service notes that for that stretch of the Fox River a crest of 9.5 feet can cause a small amount of flooding, at 10.5 feet a moderate amount of flooding and crests of 12 feet or higher have the potential for major flooding issues.

"What's been unique about this situation is that there has been no further rainfall (since the storms Tuesday night through early Thursday that brought more than 7 inches of rain to Elgin) complicating it," Bryant said. "This has been strictly a river event (as water makes its way from points north)."

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Bryant said he would be having two meetings with state officials Monday morning, one about the flooding incident, the other about recovery plans. In the afternoon, he planned to reach out to towns to see what might be new and to get an overall picture of the situation.

The most impacted areas, Bryant said, are ones that have seen flooding in the past and include the Richardson subdivision in Dundee Township, Algonquin Shores and the Valley View area north of St. Charles.

In Elgin, Communications Specialist Molly Center said water may have reached a few houses along the 600 to 700 block of McBride Street as of late Monday morning.

"A limited number of sandbags are available for residents on a first come, first serve basis outside the Public Services building, located at 1900 Holmes Road. Sand and bags are also available at Kane County Highway garage located at 41W011 Burlington Road in Campton Hills," Center said.

Last week, storms led to a washout of the hill and infrastructure underneath where Preston Avenue ends at Linden Avenue, an area that remains closed to traffic.

Center said that Walton Islands in the Fox downtown and the bike path near Chicago Street remained underwater Monday. Water levels in Tyler and Poplar creeks were high but subsiding Monday, according to Center.

"High water levels may continue to pose challenges, and those living near the river or creeks should take precautionary actions in the event flooding is an issue on their property," Center said. "In addition, the city strongly advises all to stay off the river. With the crest expected tomorrow, water levels are not expected to begin lowering until Thursday."

In West Dundee, Village Manager Joe Cavallaro said "apprehensive" was an appropriate adjective to describe the mood as the village waited for the river to crest.

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While the situation has been an inconvenient for residents and has put a strain on public works systems, there has been no major flood-related damage, according to Cavallaro. A portion of the town's riverwalk is underwater and there are road closures along First Street behind what now is Bleuroot restaurant, near apartments off Lincoln Avenue, and off Edwards Avenue, but as far as Cavallaro knew, while there may have been some seepage, the river had not reached any buildings yet.

"The weather has helped," Cavallaro said, noting that the predictions for the peak point of the crest have gradually declined since last week.

The village is planning to host a leg of the Intelligentsia Cup bike races most of the day Wednesday, and Cavallaro said, "everything is still a go," for the event.

In East Dundee Monday, Village President Lael Miller said the situation was not as bad as it had been in previous years. Some streets and basements had standing water, but the situation was manageable, he said. Both East and West Dundee have made sandbags available to residents and businesses.

"This has been a slow, gradual process, and we'll be happy for it to move out of town," Miller said.

Carpentersville Village President John Skillman said there had been no problems related to the rising river, although the water level was up to the building on the side of Otto Engineering next to the Fox.

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According to a release from the Forest Preserve District of Kane County, as of Monday closures remained at Buffalo Park Forest Preserve in Algonquin, the Carpentersville Dam and Voyageur's Landing Forest Preserve in unincorporated Elgin.

The Fox River Trail remained closed at Stearns Road in South Elgin, and at Arthur Andersen Forest Preserve in St. Charles, due to flooding, according to the release, as was the trail spur to the Fox River Trail under Route 31 at Tyler Creek Forest Preserve in Elgin.

Additionally, parts of trails at Brunner Family Forest Preserve in Dundee, Fitchie Creek Forest Preserve in Elgin, Muirhead Springs Forest Preserve in Hampshire, Raceway Woods Forest Preserve in Carpentersville and at Riverbend Trail in St. Charles remained underwater Monday.

As the river remained closed to watercraft Monday, boat launches at Jon Duerr Forest Preserve in South Elgin, Voyageur's Landing Forest Preserve and Fox River Shores in Carpentersville also were closed. Several horse trails also had closures. For information, go to www.kaneforest.com.

Sunday, Gov. Bruce Rauner toured some of the flooding damage in McHenry County where the Fox River had risen to the level of some walkways and water covered some backyards. As volunteers prepared sandbags at the public works building in Algonquin, Rauner announced local officials could be calling for residents in Lake, McHenry, Kane and Cook counties to be evacuated as the Fox River is expected to climb another half foot by Tuesday.

"We want everyone to know that flooding can be significant, and we may be calling for evacuations," Rauner said at a news conference. "We are going to count on local officials to decide when to ask for evacuations. We cannot force people to leave their homes. People are tough. If they've been through a flood before, often they don't want to leave. But we are making a strong request: If local officials have asked for an evacuation, honor their request. Please leave. Do not stay."

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So far, state emergency personnel have been on standby, Rauner said. The state is also not ruling out asking for federal disaster assistance, he added.

For Algonquin, the swiftly rising Fox River hearkened back to memories of damaging flooding in 2013, according to village President John Schmitt. Emergency officials said 1,800 homes were damaged in that incident.

Though the peak flooding stage might be somewhat worse than 2013, Schmitt said in Algonquin, hundreds of volunteers have prepared 25,000 sandbags, which were placed near the banks of the river and along flooded streets.

"We've been through this before," Schmitt said. "We've had other floods. But we've gotten better and better at managing emergency response. ... We're still going to see a lot of damage. We're still going to see a lot of trouble along the river."

Chicago Tribune contributed.

mdanahey@tribpub.com
A Chicago man and woman were charged in an armed robbery that police said happened last month in Elmwood Park.

Javon D. Curry, 32, of the 8300 block of North Noble Street, Chicago, is accused of robbing two employees with a black semi-automatic handgun from Jim and Pete's at about 11 p.m. June 19, Elmwood Park Police Chief Frank Fagiano said. No one was injured during the robbery, he said.

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Police said Curry and Naetajia T. Peoples, 26, of the 6900 block of West North Avenue, Chicago, later drove to a gas station near the intersection of Western and Chicago avenues in Chicago. At the gas station, police said Peoples reportedly used one of the debit cards stolen from the employees.

Police said surveillance footage from the gas station at the time the card was used led to charges against Curry and Peoples in the Elmwood Park armed robbery. Fagiano said the gas station's surveillance footage included images of the vehicle Curry and Peoples were reportedly using.

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The suspects were taken into custody on June 27. At 2:12 a.m. on that day, a River Forest police officer on patrol saw a vehicle traveling west in the 7700 block of North Avenue with its high beam headlights on. Police said Curry was driving that vehicle and that Peoples was his passenger. When the River Forest officer tried to pull the vehicle over, police said Curry didn't stop and instead drove through a parking lot at North Avenue and First Avenue before continuing east on North Avenue.

"The officer terminated the attempt to stop the car, and the vehicle was later observed at Lemoyne and Monroe," said River Forest Police Deputy Chief James O'Shea.

At that point, police said Curry reportedly exited the vehicle and began running from officers. Once he did that, police said Peoples allegedly moved over from the passenger seat and into the driver's seat in order to drive away from police.

Police said Curry was taken into custody in the front yard of a residence in the 1500 block of Williams Street in River Forest at 2:29 a.m. A short time later, Peoples was pulled over and taken into custody by Forest Park police while driving down the 1500 block of Bonnie Brae, police said.

Once he was in custody, police said they found four bags of cannabis and two foil wrappers of heroin in Curry's pockets. During their search of the vehicle, police said they recovered a black semi-automatic 9 mm handgun that had 12 rounds in its magazine.

Curry is charged with aggravated fleeing, possession of heroin with intent to deliver, possession of a controlled substance, obstructing and eluding police, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, and armed robbery with a firearm. He appeared on court on June 28 and was ordered held on $80,000 bond.

Peoples was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful use of a weapon, obstructing and eluding police, and driving without a valid driver's license. Once she was in custody, police said she was also found to have a warrant for a traffic violation out of DuPage County. She appeared in court on June 28 and was ordered held on $20,000 bond.

Curry and Peoples are expected to appear at the Maywood courthouse again on July 21.

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Alex V. Hernandez is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
A Chicago man was charged with vehicular burglary Saturday after he was found with cell phones, loose change and "three white rocks" allegedly stolen from a taxicab parked on Howard Street early Saturday morning, Evanston police announced in a news release.

Larod T. Robinson, 39, of the 6400 block of North Hoyne Avenue, was charged with felony burglary to a motor vehicle, according to the release.

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Officers were patrolling the 900 block of Howard Street just before 3 a.m. Saturday when they heard "the sound of breaking glass," according to the release.

The officers saw a man reaching into a a broken front passenger window of a cab parked on Howard Street, according to the release.

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Officers stopped the man and found him to have two cell phones, more than $6 in lose change and the three rocks, according to the release.

A white rock similar to those the man  now identified as Robinson  was holding was found in the cab, according to the release.

Robinson was arrested and taken to Evanston Police Department.

The owner of the cab, a 58-year old Chicago resident, said he wished to press charges, according to the release.

Additionally, one of the cell phones allegedly in Robinson's possession in this incident had been reported stolen from another reported burglary to a cab in the 7400 block of Ridge Boulevard in Chicago.

Evanston police said that Chicago officials were notified of that situation, and Robinson could face charges from that jurisdiction, according to the release.

gbookwalter@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @GenevieveBook
This is the brownfield lot currently owned by Maywood that is in the expansion plans for Seaway Supply Company. (Alex V. Hernandez/Pioneer Press)

A Maywood business is the latest to benefit from a Cook County grant to redevelop "brownfield" properties.

Brownfield locations include areas such as abandoned factories and gas stations, according to information provided by Cook County. They are properties in which any kind of expansion or redevelopment may be complicated by hazardous substances, pollutants or contaminates that could impact the surrounding environment.

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"This puts up a red flag for people who might want to use the property," said Thomas Engoren, the president for Seaway Supply Company, 15 N. Ninth Ave. in Maywood, which is a distributor of paper, packaging, and janitorial equipment. His company is interested in expanding operations at 4 N. Eighth Ave., which has been owned by the Village of Maywood since 1992, according to Cook County property records.

To address this challenge to developing brownfields, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency presented Cook County with a $600,000 Brownfields Assessment Grant in 2014. Those funds are being distributed among seven Cook County municipalities: Franklin Park, Bellwood, Forest Park, Melrose Park, Maywood, Northlake and Schiller Park.

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According to the county's website, grants can be used to "assess vacant, abandoned and underutilized brownfields." The site stated that the assessments would be "the first step leading to the cleanup and redevelopment of brownfields."

"Brownfield sites typically sit underused for long periods of time," said Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle.

At a press event on July 13 at Seaway, Preckwinkle said the successful redevelopment of brownfields helps generate revenue and jobs while also helping the surrounding environment.

Seaway took advantage of this brownfield grant to perform phase one and phase two environmental testing on the lot at 4 N. Eighth Ave.

"The phase one is a preliminary study to see if there are any issues with the soil. So when they find that, and they did, you need to do a phase two," said Engoren. "So each of these tests, they're not terribly expensive, but they're not cheap either.  So even before you buy anything you have to invest money to just look [at the property], to consider it."

Engoren says the brownfield grant program is an asset because it takes the guesswork out of what is going on at a site for a potential buyer. In his case, with the studies completed, Seaway can now pursue a "no further remediation" letter from the Illinois EPA that will allow Seaway to develop the gravel lot into a parking lot in the short term, and possibly expand the company's facilities onto the property down the line, Engoren said.

At the press event July 13, Maywood Mayor Edwenna Perkins says the grant funds from the county will help her village transform properties that were designed for how the manufacturing industry operated 50 years ago into modern facilities and amenities for today's manufacturing firms.

"We appreciate this and the fact that this program can allow the village to move forward. We needed an upgrade. We needed a push. This is going to help bring us into the 21st century," said Perkins.

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Alex V. Hernandez is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Jennifer Saenz, 17, of Franklin Park reviews film after an action scene with director of photography Ric Reinbold. Saenz was among teens chosen from across the Midwest to help film a TV pilot at North Park as part of Fresh Films presented by Subway on July 15. (Rachel K. Hindery/Pioneer Press )

Jennifer Saenz, a 17-year-old East Leyden High School student, filmed action scenes and reviewed footage for a new TV pilot, "Miskits."

The Franklin Park teenager was chosen to join teens from across the Midwest as part of Fresh Films presented by Subway.

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According to the Fresh Films website (www.fresh-films.com/films.php), Saenz joins more than 500 teens from across the nation who have worked on a Fresh Films project.

"This has opened up a lot of opportunities for me. I see that there are a lot of different jobs that I didn't know of before," Saenz said.

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Saenz, who said she has always been interested in technology and filmed video for East Leyden's website, added to her knowledge during the summer.

"This year, I haven't been able to fit in all of the videography classes I wanted. This is helping me find an outlet," Saenz said.

Saenz is not the only Franklin Park connection to "Miskits." The pilot filmed stunts and playground scenes at Franklin Park's North Park on July 15, 16 and 17.

Jennifer Saenz, 17, of Franklin Park smiles while holding a camera. Saenz was chosen from among teens across the Midwest to film a TV pilot with Fresh Films presented by Subway on July 15 in North Park. (Rachel K. Hindery/Pioneer Press )

Joshua Malone, the producer and assistant director, described his reaction to North Park.

" When we saw North Park, we just had a gut feeling that it would work really well, and then we showed up on set and it just really kind of fit the needs that we were looking for " Malone said, adding that the Park District of Franklin Park has been helpful throughout the process.

"Miskits" will be reviewed by a team of network executives in fall 2017, according to a press release, which Saenz describes as "very exciting. It's definitely a once-in-a-lifetime chance."

Other teenagers from Chicago share her excitement.

Anthony Martinez, 13, of Bridgeview, said his experience with Fresh Films piqued his interest for a career in film.

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"It's fun, and I want to continue doing it; begin behind the camera, seeing what's happening," Martinez said.

Natalia Perez, 16, of Logan Square, would encourage anyone to apply online to be part of Fresh Films.

"I would say just go for it. I'm sure you'll find something you'll love on a film set," Perez said.

Saenz shared similar thoughts.

"If you can apply, do it. Definitely do it. There's nothing to lose and so much to gain," Saenz said.

Assistant producer Louis Stancil worked closely with the teenagers and shares some of their excitement, remembering his early experiences in television.

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"When I was 16, I got cast in the HBO show 'The Wire.' That got cast in my hometown of Baltimore. Also, my unique ability of sign language [helped], because both of my parents are deaf. That made me very expressive," Stancil said.

Saenz, Martinez and Perez each learned of the opportunity with Fresh Films from a teacher.

Saenz said that the knowledge gained on set extends beyond technical skills.

"Not only is this about working with professional-grade equipment, this is also about the friendships you make along the way," Saenz said.

Some of those new friends are famous. Along with learning the about cameras and booms, participants have a chance to meet actors who have already made their television debuts.

Daria Johns, 9, acted in the PBS show "The Detectives Club," also a Fresh Films project.

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Johns, who is originally from Chicago's South Shore community, was inspired by watching Skai Jackson, a star on the Disney Channel sitcom, "Jessie."

"Skai Jackson really inspired me to pursue acting. I want to feel someone else's notions, feelings; how they act and react," Johns said. Now, "being able to inspire other people  that makes me feel good."

Now, Saenz and Franklin Park have their own chance to inspire.

Rachel K. Hindery is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
After nearly a year of planning, a villagewide birthday party marking La Grange Park's 125th anniversary went off without a hitch.

Residents gathered from noon to 11 p.m. Saturday, July 15 in Memorial Park to celebrate the founding of the village.

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Deanne Curelo, executive secretary for the village who helped plan the party, said they do not know how many people came throughout the day, but it was a lot.

"We had a steady stream of people," she said. "Some came for the family crafts in the day and then came back in the evening for the bands."

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The first half of the day was geared to families and included inflatables such as 28-foot slides, a moblie bungy jump called the EuroBungy, games, Bingo and a storyteller and crafts for kids including making crowns.

"We saw a lot of birthday crowns and face painting," Curelo said. "The EuroBungy was really popular. There was always a line for that."

A highlight of the day came when people gathered to sing Happy Birthday followed by eating cake and a performance of the Jesse White Tumblers.

Curelo deemed the event was a success.

"It went wonderfully," she said. "The families came out and enjoyed all the free activities."

After working for nearly a year with residents, business owners and community organizations to plan the event, Curelo said she's a little sorry it's over because she will miss seeing the people who pitched in.

"It's a little sad. I've gotten to know the residents," she said.

The village's birthday celebration is not quite over yet. The village will bury a time capsule Sept. 15 in front of the La Grange Park Village Hall, 447 N. Catherine Ave.

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Planners are open to suggestions about what to include in the time capsule, but it will include photos from the birthday party.

Another activity is the creation of a wall of tiles featuring photos contributed by past or present residents. The wall will be installed in the Village Hall.

"(The photos) can honor a family member or mark a milestone," Curelo said. "It's a great way the capture La Grange Park's past, present and future."

The village also created a special logo to mark the anniversary. It has been used throughout the year on all its communications about the events.

amannion@chicagotribune.com

Twitter triblocalam
Residents, family and friends clean out a house that was severely damaged from flooding on Greenwood Drive in Round Lake Park on July 16, 2017. Homeowner Cora Michaels said the house has never flooded in the more than 30 years shes lived there. (Alexandra Wimley / Chicago Tribune) (Alexandra Wimley / Chicago Tribune)

While communities along the Des Plaines River took a collective sigh of relief as floodwaters began to recede over the weekend, Gov. Bruce Rauner on Sunday warned that areas near the Fox River could be evacuated, as it is expected to climb to record levels early this week.

Rauner toured some of the flooding damage in McHenry County where the Fox River had risen to the level of some walkways and inundated backyards. As volunteers prepared sandbags at the public works building in Algonquin, Rauner announced local officials could be calling for residents in Lake, McHenry, Kane and Cook counties to be evacuated as the Fox River is expected to climb another half foot by Tuesday.

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"We want everyone to know that flooding can be significant, and we may be calling for evacuations," Rauner said at a news conference. "We are going to count on local officials to decide when to ask for evacuations. We cannot force people to leave their homes. People are tough. If they've been through a flood before, often they don't want to leave. But we are making a strong request: If local officials have asked for an evacuation, honor their request. Please leave. Do not stay."

So far, state emergency personnel have been on standby, Rauner said. The state is also not ruling out asking for federal disaster assistance, he added.

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In some areas along the Fox River, caution tape restricted access points to the river, and water had submerged some barges.

Rauner said 550,000 sandbags have been prepared by volunteers across the affected areas.

Gov. Bruce Rauner visited warned residents about the possibility of evacuations ahead of expected record flooding along the Fox River. (Tony Briscoe/Chicago Tribune) (Tony Briscoe / Chicago Tribune)

Marta Rupniewski, of nearby Cary, was among those volunteers. She said when she noticed the Fox on the brink of overflowing its banks, she decided to lend a hand.

With her husband, mother and two sons in tow, Rupniewski shoveled sand brought in by bulldozers into small white bags.

"We were just passing the river, seeing the water so high," she said. " We said, 'You know what, we don't live close to the river, but it may affect us somewhere down the line. We may be affected in the future. You never know."

For Algonquin, the swiftly rising Fox River hearkened back to memories of damaging flooding in 2013, according to village President John Schmitt. Emergency officials said 1,800 homes were damaged in that incident. Though the peak flooding stage on Tuesday is expected to be slightly worse than 2013, Schmitt said in Algonquin, hundreds of volunteers have prepared 25,000 sandbags, which were placed near the banks of the river and along flooded streets.

"We've been through this before," Schmitt said. "We've had other floods. But we've gotten better and better at managing emergency response. ... We're still going to see a lot of damage. We're still going to see a lot of trouble along the river."

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 82 The home of Marty Evanson sustained extensive damage over the last several days as a result of flooding along West Anchorage Lane in Fox Lake on Thursday, July 20, 2017. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)

Rauner also added Cook County to the list of declared disaster areas in anticipation of the additional flooding. Lake, McHenry and Kane counties had already been under the advisory.

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Over the weekend, parts of the Des Plaines River reached record high flood levels in Lake County, leaving 6,800 buildings flooded with a significant amount of water, Rauner said.

A record more than 30 years old fell Saturday in Gurnee, and the Des Plaines River crested early Sunday morning at 12.01 feet, topping the record of 11.9 set in September 1986.

As of Sunday, only the Des Plaines River at Lincolnshire was predicted to rise and crest at 16.2 feet Monday.

The long-range forecast calls for the river to fall below its 7-foot flood stage by Wednesday or Thursday.

On Sunday, affected streets were quiet, with volunteers gone, having done all they could with sandbags provided by the county.

At WJ Murphy Elementary School in Round Lake, Round Lake Park police officer Robert Cavaiani, sat in his patrol car looking over a deserted, flooded park behind the school. Although water levels there had significantly receded, a section of the park still looked like a pond, complete with ducks.

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Last week, water levels reached 6 feet, Cavaiani said. The smell of sewage was overpowering, and Cavaiani said he was there to make sure children were not playing in the dirty water and to ward off would-be looters.

Just a few miles down the road at John T. Magee Middle School, the American Red Cross was providing help to hundreds of people affected by the severe flooding and power outages.

On Sunday afternoon, Red Cross responders assisted Rocio Torrez, who was there with her two children looking for large garbage bags and gloves to clean her basement. Torres said floodwater damaged furniture, clothes and school supplies she had recently bought for the upcoming school year.

"I had notebooks, backpacks, markers and clothes that are now in the garbage," she said.

Torres said she was thankful for any help she could find during her cleanup process.

Red Cross responders will continue to offer food, water, cleaning supplies, toiletries, clothing and other items throughout the week, according to Mike Landt, an American Red Cross volunteer. He said other shelters were popping up, based on the need of the affected communities. Residents seeking assistance can call the American Red Cross local hotline at 847-220-7495.

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"As long as there's a need, we'll be here," Landt said.

Shelter cots are available for those who have been temporarily displaced. Landt said about 10 people spent the night at the makeshift shelter at the school Saturday.

Before leaving the shelter with cleaning supplies Sunday, Kristi Smith of Round Lake Beach smiled when a Red Cross volunteer handed her a small stuffed Mickey Mouse for her daughter.

"She's been having bad dreams about water," Smith said of 7-year-old Jeanvieve. "It could be worse though. No one's hurt and that's what matters."

Yadira Sanchez Olson is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.

Tony Briscoe is a Tribune reporter.
The broken way the state of Illinois divvies up money for schools needs to be fixed and now "is as good a time as any to fix" it, a Lake County senator said Monday.

That is state Sen. Melinda Bush's justification for why the budget  which was approved over Gov. Bruce Rauner's veto earlier this month  tied school funding to the passage of a bill that Rauner has vowed to veto, calling it a bailout of the Chicago Public Schools system.

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Bush, surrounded by school district superintendents from across Lake County, called on Rauner to pass the new formula, which proponents say will steer more money to school districts with high numbers of low-income students, English language learners and students that require special education services without negatively impacting other districts.

"We know that we have a broken school funding formula," Bush said. "This is not a surprise to anybody in this room. This is something we have known for a long time in the state of Illinois. It's something that people have worked for years to try and fix the equity. This is as close as we have ever come."

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The urgency created by tying the passage of a new formula to school funding may be the only way legislation will get passed, said former Grayslake Community High School District 127 Superintendent Catherine Finger, who now sits on the College of Lake County Board of Trustees.

Lake County superintendents have traveled to Springfield "countless times" to talk about education funding, she said. Each time, hearing after hearing, meeting after meeting, the legislation would be tied to the budget but then decoupled so that schools could start on time.

"I can't sleep at night thinking about not having a budget in place for our schools, and yet if we don't have the sense of urgency, I fear we're never going to hit the issue of equitable funding for kids in the state of Illinois," Finger said.

The new formula is research-based, designed by those in the education field and modeled off formulas used in other states, Bush said, emphasizing that the changes affect only new dollars and that no school district is negatively impacted.

That means that formula doesn't technically create perfect equity, Finger said after the news conference.

And while new formula doesn't completely close the equity gap, it moves in that direction, said Constance Collins, the superintendent of Round Lake Community Unit School District 116.

"It is somewhat (addressing the issue of equity among districts) because we're getting more than what we would have gotten without this," Collins said. "We are primarily dependent on state funds, more so than property taxes. We don't have the property tax revenue that exists in some other districts."

Preliminary estimates show that the nearly 7,000-student district would receive an extra $5 million each year, District 116 Chief Financial Officer Bill Johnston has said. That would be more than the $48.9 million it received over the 2015-16 budget year.

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The proposed changes would also mean that Chicago Public Schools will no longer get treated differently under the formula, Bush said.

"This is not about bailing out any one school district," she said. "I could say to you that Round Lake is getting a bailout because they're getting more money than Barrington. It's a fair model. It's time to stop blaming Chicago."

Under the proposed funding changes, CPS would get at least $286 million more for pensions and general state aid, according to Chicago Tribune reports. A competing Republican plan would take away grant money from CPS and give it suburban and downstate districts, which could leave CPS with a $38 million funding cut if pension funding isn't provided.

Either way, without new legislation, the state won't be distributing nearly $6.7 million earmarked in the recently approved budget for school districts, state officials have said.

Finger said she doesn't know of any Lake County school districts that won't be opening in the fall if the state dollars don't come through, but it will definitely have an impact.

Millburn School District 24 will either need to borrow from other school districts to make ends meet or end the school year on April 1, Superintendent Jason Lind said.

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The 1,200-student district is one of Lake County's more financially troubled districts, though years of cutbacks and cost controls have moved the district toward the black. Lind has described the district's financial situation as "perilous."

"We are going to have to make some different decisions and I would venture to say that's the same for everyone here behind me," Finger said, gesturing to the other superintendents present. "There will be cost containment. There will be programs that we will not run in the same fashion. It will touch all of us."

emcoleman@tribpub.com

Twitter @mekcoleman
Old Grand Avenue and Illinois Route 132 in Gurnee has been closed due to flooding since July 12. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune )

Misery loves company, and Lake County commuters have had plenty of both.

An estimated 124,000 daily commuters have been impacted by the closure of many main east-west roads in the county due to Des Plaines River flooding, according to the Lake County Division of Transportation.

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But good news was coming in early Monday afternoon with water receding on some of the main roads, including Route 120, which reopened at 12:45 p.m. Monday. Shortly after 1:30 p.m., it was announced that Route 173 has reopened, likely more good news for the afternoon commute.

The two state routes joined Russell Road in being among the first of the major east-west roads to reopen.

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Russell Road reopened Sunday, according to Lake County Engineer of Traffic Jon Nelson.

Grand Avenue in Gurnee, seen here on July 13, remained closed Monday east of Route 21 due to floodwater from the Des Plaines River. (Paul Valade / AP )

Main roads remaining closed Monday, included portions of state routes 41, 132 and 60.

Nelson, who said the county is working closely with the Illinois Department of Transportation to monitor the state routes, said the opening of 120 will help to serve as a relief valve. "Route 120 (opening is) a major release for Washington Street," Nelson said.

Washington Street has borne much of the brunt of increased east-west traffic because it has not been closed at the Des Plaines River as have so many of the other roads.

Nelson credited a county project that raised the approaches to the river on Washington Street, keeping it relatively high and dry.

Nelson said it was difficult to predict when the remaining roads would reopen, but said in general that it is expected they should open from north to south as the Des Plaines River levels rise and drop in that direction. Route 60 could be next, he said early Momday afternoon, although time lines are sketchy.

The exception is Grand Avenue in Gurnee, which is so low-lying that it might remained closed for some time after the others clear up.

There is no easy fix for Grand Avenue in that area because it is attached to so many side streets and feeder roads that any road-raising project would massively impact the entire area. Washington Street is fairly isolated in the area of the river, making that successful road-raising project more feasible, according to Kurt Woolford, chief engineer with the Lake County Stormwater Management Commission.

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Woolford, stationed at the Lake County Emergency Management Agency operations center in Libertyville, said that in general, more of the medians were visible on cameras Monday than had been seen since the east-west roads closed, a good sign that the situation is improving.

Meanwhile, the Lake County Passage website and app, which provides real time traffic information and road closures to users, has seen its visitors skyrocket.

Division of Transportation spokeswoman Brooke Hooker said the daily number of visitors to the site has has surged since the flooding began last Wednesday.

On July 11, the site received 423 hits, which is normal, and the following day, when flooding began taking a serious toll, it reached a record daily high of 53,856 hits. The number of hits has trickled down since then, but is still averaging several times the normal monthly usage numbers on a daily basis.

The site is located at www.lakecountypassage.com.

jrnewton@tribpub.com

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We need a little Mayberry justice

In the old "Andy Griffith Show," there was an episode where Barney Fife was left in charge while Andy was out of town. When Andy returned, he discovered that Barney had arrested the whole town, including Aunt Bea and Mayor Pike, for various offenses. Andy, in his dual role as justice of the peace and sheriff, heard all of the cases and promptly dismissed each and every charge.

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All of these fictional cases were, in fact, violations of the law. However, Andy used the belief that justice must be tempered with mercy.

Today, in the real world, we have three individuals charged with violating the state electoral laws, mainly based on improperly signed petitions that should have been signed by the circulator. In the case of Dr. Rudd, the mistake was realized and the petitions withdrawn. Still, thousands of dollars are being spent to try Dr. Rudd, and the other two individuals indicted under similar circumstances. Though these are violations of the law, if done with intent and knowledge of the violation, I believe too much financial effort is being expended on these cases.

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Dr. Rudd withdrew his petitions upon the realization of his error, yet he still stands trial. Have all the violent criminals been apprehended? Have all the burglars, perpetrators of domestic violence and drunk drivers been arrested and prosecuted? Surely prosecutorial and investigative efforts could, and should, be directed elsewhere yet, here we are, shooting butterflies when hunting for bear.

Perhaps the powers that be, though temporary as they are, are trying to justify building a new building to house additional courtrooms, a building that dwarfs the existing county building, while right down the street sits a high school where students are forced to share textbooks.

County government priorities are askew from the design of the founders of this great nation. Where is the fictional Andy Taylor when we need him?

John T. Krempotic, North Chicago

Non-religious does not equal non-caring

Lake County News Sun Twice-weekly News updates from Lake County delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

I am writing in response to the News-Sun letter of June 27 by Charles Danyus. He was bemoaning the fact that the United States is a divided country, and that the way to unify is through religious belief. People without religious belief are self-centered and care only for themselves, whereas religious people are high-minded and serving a purpose greater than themselves.

Mr. Danyus is incorrect. Religion divides people just as often as it unifies. Throughout the world, religion has been at the center of strife, violence and warfare. Currently in the United States, some right-wing Christians are literally marching with weapons in hand in some areas in an effort to intimidate Muslims, whom they have decided are members of the wrong religion. Some mosques have been vandalized. Belief in a "higher power" has not brought about any unity.

Mr. Danyus employs the strawman figure of a nonbelieving person who is self-centered and unconcerned about others. This is a concept that Mr. Danyus invented out of thin air. Did he talk to any atheists, agnostics, secular humanists or freethinkers? Does he think these people just spend their days being selfish and greedy?

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I am a non-believer and I'm a member of the larger community. I donate time and money to helping others. So do many other freethinking atheists that I know. Mr. Danyus needs to talk to the people who manage the Foundation Beyond Belief. This organization is run by non-religious people, and they devote their efforts helping people in America and doing good works in countries such as Ghana.

America has a long history of strife, crime, violence and social conflict. Americans fought a vicious civil war in which both sides used the their bibles for justification. Religion has not been the cure for these social ills. Although many religious believers are good and decent people who are concerned with the betterment of social problems, so are many non-believers. Let's not deal in negative stereotypes without the ideas and good works of non-religious people.

Robert Hunter, Gurnee

Share your views

Submit letters to the editor via email to suburbanletters@tribpub.com. Please include your name and town of residence for publication. Please include phone number and email address for confirmation. Letters should be no more than 250 words.
Ticket enforcement

Friday night between 7 and 10 p.m., while sitting on my front porch in a neighborhood in Waukegan, we witnessed six traffic violations. The city of Waukegan is $3 million in debt. If people did their jobs and ticketed these individuals at $100 apiece, we could make up the deficit up pretty quickly.

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Thanks Lake County Forest Preserve

I'd like to thank the Lake County Forest Preserve District for this beautiful dog park we have over here. It's a great looking thing. Now if you could do something with Lyons Woods. Maybe you can clean it up. My suggestion would be to clear it and rent it back to the farmers. Now we are renting their property and they are making a fortune from us. What a mess. It continues to look worse. We don't see any improvement, just a larger tax bill and more and more costs.

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Panhandling complaint

Is panhandling still against the law in Waukegan? If so, perhaps someone can have a discussion with the young man who has parked himself at Washington and Green Bay for the several weeks.

Thanks Steve

I'd like to thank Steve Hall for being a generous, humble and wonderful man who is always there to help the citizens of Waukegan. I would like to give him a huge high five. And people of Waukegan, take note  He is a great person to deal with.

Why so many on Medicare?

To the American citizens, it is a simple, innocent question: Why are there so many people on Medicare? It is for American, legal citizens. Why are there so many people on Medicare? This is also a question to our country's government. What is going on around here?

Lake County News Sun Twice-weekly News updates from Lake County delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

Get over it

This is regarding "Obama Rubber Stamp": When will you racists get over the fact you had a black president who just happened to have integrity and class, something you are lacking? It is eating away at you inside. Get over it.

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Beach Park code enforcement

A quick message to the village trustees in Beach Park: Another decision to contract with a nearby community to handle code enforcement. If the two employees we are contracting out have that much free time, maybe we should be replacing them with part-time people and using outside sources rather than paying benefits and furnishing them with vehicles for them to drive back and forth from home. I ask village officials to take a good look at this. You were elected to serve us and lead. What you are doing is taking away from our community, which is certainly in need of code enforcement, and sending it to other communities for profit. You are not there to make a profit. You are there to serve this community. You are not doing it. This community has one area that really works well and is a credit to the community, and that is the park. The rest of this community is turning into a real joke. It is time to take off the rose-colored glasses, take a look around and get to work.

Speed on Sheridan

This message is for IDOT concerning the speed on Sheridan Road to Wadsworth, to the outskirts of Waukegan. The village and Lake County apparently cannot handle this situation. They felt one little speed trap out of 365 days would solve the problem. It is time for state involvement since it is a state road. I was going down Sheridan at 6 this morning doing 50 in a 40, and I was being passed by everything. Monday to Friday, this is a just a stream of Wisconsin cars going to different jobs in the area, which is great, but do it at a slow, safe speed. That is why speed limits are posted. It is time for the state to get involved. It is time for the state to do something to take it out of the hands of the failed city and county officials in this area.

Editor's Note

Talk of the County is a reader-generated column of opinions. If you see something you disagree with or think is incorrect, please tell us. Call us at 312-222-4554 or email talkofthecounty@tribpub.com . For a continuously updating blog of Talk of the County comments, go to newssunonline.com/talk .
State finances

What a surprise to see the Waukegan News-Sun Saturday paper reporting "Approving deficit in the budget." We have a Democrat running the city of Waukegan and he is putting us in the same thing as the state of Illinois. Wouldn't you know that once a socialist Democrat got back in, that we would have financial problems in Waukegan and votes for a deficit budget. Just like his friends  (Illinois House Speaker Mike) Madigan and (Illinois Senate President John) Cullerton  are doing for the state of Illinois. He fits right in.

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Waukegan Scoop not so fun

Went to the (Waukegan) Scoop last night for the first time in years. What a disappointment. You can't even walk down the sidewalks, they've got food vendors everywhere. You have restaurants all up and down Genesee Street. Why wouldn't you allow the restaurants to make money? They are losing money by being open during (Waukegan) Scoop because everyone is eating from the garbage-can vendors, which is what I call them. Two of our friends got deathly ill from eating at a rib joint down there. Where is the Health Department? This is nothing but a fiasco. It is supposed to be a car show. You have these idiots down there driving brand new Escalades with the fenders cut up with 26- and 30-inch tires and wheels. How is that a car show? The real cars were on the south end of Genesee Street. The street rods, the ones the guys who put $100,000 dollars in and thousands of hours  their own blood, sweat and tears into them. Not bolt on some wheels and put in a $5,000 stereo system and a bunch of TVs. That is not a custom car. That is not a street car. That is a joke.

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Beware Republicans who failed Rauner

This goes out to the Republican lawmakers who threw their vote to the opposition. You are supposed to stand together, be united and get this done the correct way instead of letting the state keep gauging taxpayers. I am talking legitimate people who work for a living and pay taxes, not the people who lounge around all day and reap the benefits of us working. But all the representatives and lawmakers that were against Gov. (Bruce) Rauner on the Republican ballot, your time is coming. You will all be voted out of office, you can mark my words.

Ban phones in school

In regards to the July 10 front page story, "District 60 looks at banning phones": Yes, you need to do this. This is ridiculous at this point. I believe it said there were 255 cases where students would not put their phones away while in class. Now you are worried about the parents not standing behind this and arguing about it. Well, then tell the parents they can home-school their damn kids. Who is running the schools? The teachers or the parents and the students? If you want your kid to graduate from school, put away the phone  plain and simple. If the parents don't stand behind it, tough. They can continue to pay for the phone while it is locked up in the teacher's office or something. This is just ridiculous. Ban the phones.

On board with Page

This comment is to Clarence Page, who has the perspective in Sunday's Tribune that I am reading now. I have to agree with him. What he says is that the answer to the opioid epidemic is to let the users die. I agree. I don't want my tax money going to drugs to help save them from the overdose when they will be going back into the drugs again, and then the cycle continues. If they are stupid enough to go and use drugs, then they want to die and let them.

Lake County News Sun Twice-weekly News updates from Lake County delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

Dems on notice

It is real nice the way these Democrats are slowing everything down. That's why we voted Trump in. The more these Democrats drag their feet, the less seats they are gonna have in the next election. Believe me, the American people are getting sick of this. We wanted a government that would work, protect American workers and our borders and not be the doormat of the world. The Democrats just proved what kind of doormats they want us to be.

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Audit Waukegan

City of Waukegan, favoritism continues on. We need an audit done in the city of Waukegan. We are seeing another new, not new, used car dealership. How many used car dealerships do we need in Waukegan? How many repair shops do we need in Waukegan? Gurnee does a nicer job of keeping that mess out. How come Waukegan can't? Thanks Waukegan, for nothing.

No federal health care

We really need to think before changing or adding more health care options. This is just getting goofier every day, just like when the Democrats introduced Obamacare. "Oh, don't worry about reading it, just vote for it and you can read it later," per Nancy Pelosi and everybody else. All it has caused is my insurance  I am on Medicare, not Medicaid  is to double what my premiums used to be. Hey, the insurance companies have to make up for losses somewhere. What they are doing is hitting the seniors. It is getting to be a big burden. So guess what? A bunch of seniors are going to say, "Let's go on Medicaid." We don't have the money for this. Then we have more people on Medicaid. What they need to do is tell people to buy your own damn insurance. If you don't buy it, you don't go to the hospitals. We have to stop coddling people. End of story. We have to quit coddling and babysitting the people of this country. Grab your pants, pull them on in the morning, go to work, come home, pay your bills, feed your family, repeat. Start over the next day and go on and on like I did for 50-plus years in the world. Every single day. Never got a dime from public assistance or food stamps, or anything like that. We have people who can't function on a day-to-day basis without someone handing them what they need.

Editor's Note

Talk of the County is a reader-generated column of opinions. If you see something you disagree with or think is incorrect, please tell us. Call us at 312-222-4554 or email talkofthecounty@tribpub.com . For a continuously updating blog of Talk of the County comments, go to newssunonline.com/talk .
Prioritize state budget

We may have passed a budget in Illinois, but this is ridiculous. They keep spending on stupid things. Today's paper says Reagan's boyhood home gets an upgrade. I would like to know who is paying for that. Is it taxpayers? If so, who gives a damn about the home? Sell it or get rid of it. We have to cut back, and cut back in the right way. Get rid of all the politicians' vehicles and bodyguards. Let them drive like most normal people do every day. This state and country is going to hell.

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Please clean Geo-Karis Park

This is about the sand pond in Winthrop Harbor, the Adeline Jay Geo-Karis Park on 17th Street. We go there quite a bit for picnics and fishing, and it is really sad to see all the geese poop and all the feces on the sidewalks. Kids are around there and we'd appreciate it if could be kept cleaner. We really do enjoy that area.

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Vote them out

Regarding the July 7 front-page stor about the Illinois state budget: This all happened because we had a bunch of politicians that actually had to do some work. For two weeks, they were basically sequestered and had to stay there till they got this thing done. We don't see anything in there about term limits. We have an outrageous deficit of $6.2 billion, and most of this is for pensions. Has anyone ever bothered to ask where all this money collected for pensions went to pay for? How it all was spent? Where did it all go? You can't have a pension fund for all these years and not have it funded. Unless, of course, people like Madigan had their fingers in the till. It is amazing we get politicians in there who were the average Joe when they started and now they are multimillionaires, especially in Cook County. I guarantee when it is time to vote again, I will find out who voted against our current governor. I think Democrats and Republicans need to be replaced throughout. This is enough. Term limits are there for a reason. The same reason you have to change a baby's diaper.

Hey WHS Class of '67

I graduated in the class of 1967 from Waukegan High School. This year we are going to celebrate our 50th high school reunion. I was wondering what is the longest high school reunion of Waukegan High School. Fifty years is a long time. I hope to see my classmates at our 50th reunion.

Message to Waukegan Township

Waukegan Township, when are you going to come out and pick up all the garbage along the roads?

Lake County News Sun Twice-weekly News updates from Lake County delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

Illinois politicians' greed

It is funny they call the budget impasse historic. You know what is historic? Everybody in the whole country can see the greed and the unbridled politicians' greed. They talk about spending impasse. Guess what the impasse is for the taxpayers. The government cats will get all their pay and pensions, but the regular people are the ones getting roughed up. Thanks a lot Mike.

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Preying on elderly

Now I have heard it all. My aunt, who is 97 years old, is moving out of North Chicago where she has lived since 1960 in the same house. It is a beautiful brick home that has been well-maintained. Now, before she can sell the house, the city of North Chicago charges her $100 for an inspection to come in and literally pick apart the house. She has to spend thousands of dollars because of what the city wants her to do. Oh, you have to put in light bulb for all the closets, you can't have a regular smoke detector, they have to be hard-wired. All the windows have to have screens. Just nit-picking stuff. Why is it the seller's responsibility to do it all? Why is North Chicago messing with the elderly? I hope the mayor of North Chicago reads this because I am sure he knows who this woman is. She has been a constituent there since 1960. She has lived there in the same house. She has lived in North Chicago her whole 97 years. This is just ridiculous. Our cities are getting so money-hungry. You can drive around North Chicago and houses are falling down. They have no problem with that, but they will pick on a 97-year-old woman trying to sell her house.

Insane tax increase

Illinois passes a 34-percent income tax bill. This is insane. I can't afford it. I am retired. I guess I'll stay until I can, but we need some protests. All the money the state has wasted. How come Wisconsin is doing so good? There aren't these crooked politicians. We need to make a change. This is insane. People can't pay this.

Editor's Note

Talk of the County is a reader-generated column of opinions. If you see something you disagree with or think is incorrect, please tell us. Call us at 312-222-4554 or email talkofthecounty@tribpub.com . For a continuously updating blog of Talk of the County comments, go to newssunonline.com/talk .
Gaege Bethune, left, has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Pravin Varughese. (Jackson County sheriffs office; Varughese family photo)

More than three years after the mysterious death of a Morton Grove man away at Southern Illinois University, details have emerged in what prosecutors say happened that cold February night in downstate Illinois.

An indictment issued last week in Jackson County said that 19-year-old Pravin Varughese died of hypothermia after being beaten and robbed.

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Gaege Bethune, 22, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder in Varughese's death. Bethune is a resident of Eldorado, about 50 miles east of Carbondale in southern Illinois, though SIU officials have said he is not and has never been a student there.

Varughese's eventual death from hypothermia, the indictment charges, was a "natural and foreseeable consequence" of the beating and robbery.

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Indicting documents said that Bethune admitted to authorities that he inflicted "multiple punches to the head and face, rendering (Varughese) 'dead weight.'"

After Varughese's death, his family and friends fought for more investigation on the case, refusing to accept the explanation that he simply wandered off into the woods and died. Varughese's family commissioned a private autopsy that found signs of blunt force trauma, and they said social media posts and phone calls he made that night indicated he might have been attacked or in a fight.

A special prosecutor was eventually assigned to the case, and Lovely Varughese, Pravin Varughese's mother, credited that move with the recent developments.

According to the indictment, Varughese's injuries included "forehead contusions/impressions and injuries to the nose consistent with blunt force trauma."

"It was a day we had waited for for so long," Varughese's mother said last week of charges being filed in her son's death. "We feel like his voice is heard and he's happy today."

Bethune, who was released on bond last week, could not be reached for comment. But his father, Don Bethune, told the Tribune last week that his son will fight the charges and that they have retained a lawyer for his defense. He described his son as a hardworking father.

Varughese was a former track and cross-country runner attending school at SIU that February in 2014, when he attended a party near campus.

Later that night, a state trooper reported seeing a man with a red mark on his cheek stopped by the side of the road near where Varughese's body would be found. The man told the trooper a story of offering someone a ride, only to be attacked when he asked for gas money, the report said.

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The trooper scanned the area, he said, and then left. Varughese was found dead in a nearby wooded area five days later.

If convicted of both counts, Bethune faces a potential sentence of 20-60 years in prison, according to the indictment.

Bethune is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday, said Deputy Craig Harju with the Jackson County sheriff's office.
Mundelein Police Chief Eric Guenther is pictured during an Aug. 28, 2016, overdose awareness event in Mundelein. One year later, the Lake County Opioid Initiative's A Way Out program is garnering national attention. (Rick Kambic / Pioneer Press )

A Way Out, the Lake County program that attempts to prevent crime by offering drug treatment options, has garnered national attention in recent months.

The program allows individuals with an opioid-based addiction to walk into a police station at any time of day and get immediate access to treatment without fear of being arrested.

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Mundelein Police Chief Eric Guenther said he was among the speakers at U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions' June 20 invite-only National Summit on Crime Reduction and Public Safety in Bethesda, Md., where Vice President Mike Pence also gave a speech.

"It was an eye-opening experience for me," Guenther said. "I was the small guy in a big room."

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About 300 people attended the conference. Guenther said he was one of the presenters at a session, although neither Sessions nor Pence were part of his 60-person group. He said the discussion involved police and prosecutors from major cities throughout the country.

"A lot of them were intrigued as to how we've made it successful," Guenther said. "What I found puzzling was a lot of them could come up with reasons for why it wouldn't work by them, but they stopped there and didn't approach those obstacles and explore ways to actually make it work."

Guenther also attended another national summit this past April and is scheduled to speak at the Oct. 21 annual conference of the International Association of Chiefs of Police in Philadelphia.

Partnership is the key ingredient that's missing in many other cities and states, Guenther said.

"It seems to hinge greatly on the collaboration and the ability for us in Lake County to sit down with a lot of key players and get people to do this for the right reasons, to put egos and financial concerns aside in order to get the mission taken care of," Guenther said.

A Way Out is a product of the Lake County Opioid Initiative, which was created by Lake County State's Attorney Mike Nerheim and includes community groups, police agencies and treatment providers.

June 1 marked the program's one-year anniversary. During the first year, 144 people entered police stations seeking help, according to Guenther. He said only 14 of them changed their minds.

Of the 130 people who were taken to a medical facility, Guenther said about 75 percent completed treatment.

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"We started out not really knowing if there would be a level of trust in law enforcement from the user population," Guenther said. "The raw numbers are an absolute indicator that we're building trust with a population that normally avoids us."

Nerheim said police departments are an important part of the process. He said eliminating that fear of arrest allows the person to focus on recovery.

"We have great programs like drug court and some of our court diversion programs, but that's after someone has committed a crime and been arrested, and we're telling them to get treatment or go to jail," Nerheim said. "A Way Out is designed for people who on their own decided they're ready for change and we're getting them help before they commit a crime and enter the system."

Those decisions to change are usually during a state of mind that only last 30 minutes before cravings return, Nerheim said.

Data is not yet available as to how many of those 130 individuals are working on staying clean post-detox or have been arrested for a crime event after treatment.

Nerheim said Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science in North Chicago commissioned a study on participants of the A Way Out program and the report is still pending.

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"They only started about six months ago," Nerheim said. "It takes a while to get approval for that study and we didn't want to wait to roll out the program."

Guenther said the program recently applied for a $400,000 grant under the federal Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act.

"We're very hopeful that we'll get at least a portion of that grant," Guenther said, noting that a decision is expected by early fall. "That will be a significant key to the program's long-term success."

Nerheim said if received, the money could go toward hiring a case manager, reimbursing police departments for transportation costs and creating a scholarship program to help individuals pay for care or equipment needed for getting a job post-treatment.

"We've never to this point turned anyone away because of ability to pay," Nerheim said. "And that's the beauty of the Opioid Initiative, we have every treatment provider in Lake County as a member of that group. With all those people at the table, we can find something for anybody."

Of the 144 people who entered police stations seeking help, more than 60 went to the Mundelein station and more than 30 to Gurnee, according to Guenther.

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"We end up getting referrals, particularly from nonprofits that work with people who are struggling," Guenther said. "So they have trusting relationships and Mundelein is a little more well-known because we initiated the program and I do a lot of traveling for talks like this."

Guenther said fewer than 10 of the people who checked into Mundelein's police station are residents of Mundelein. Regardless of where a person lives, Guenther said drug abuse crosses borders every day and impacts everyone in some way.

Mundelein's financial contribution to the A Way Out program is Guenther's time, the hourly wages of officers who help people complete paperwork and the gas used to transport the individuals to treatment, according to Guenther.

rkambic@pioneerlocal.com

Twitter @Rick_Kambic
Clarendon Hills regulatory attorney Jennifer Zordani has joined the growing list of Democratic candidates looking to unseat U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam (R-Wheaton).

She is one of six Democrats, five of whom are women, from across the Sixth Congressional District who've officially announced they'll run in the March 20, 2018, primary for their shot at Roskam Nov. 6, 2018.

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Zordani said the district is fortunate to have good communities and schools for people to live and raise their families.

"That is not enough. We know people care about social issues," she said. "I will bring our voice to D.C. to say we want truly fair and affordable health care, that our veterans need the medical care and benefits that they were promised, that our children are starting out their adult lives buried in college debt and we need to do better."

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Zordani attended George Washington University in Washington, D.C., for two years, before transferring to the University of Chicago, where she graduated with a bachelor's degree in economics. She graduated with honors from Chicago Kent School of Law and has been a practicing attorney for more than 20 years.

Although new to the political scene, Zordani said her knowledge and experience as a regulatory attorney makes her qualified and sets her apart from the other candidates.

She added Roskam was elected to represent the values and integrity of the entire district, not just a few on the far right side of the party.

"I don't want our people to be divided," Zordani said. "The time is absolutely right (to remove Roskam)."

The congressman has come under fire by some constituents because of his refusal to hold public town hall meetings and his support for President Donald Trump. He's also considered vulnerable by the Democratic Party, since Hillary Clinton won his district with 50.2 percent of the vote in 2016.

The winner in the Democratic primary likely will receive a great deal of support and financial backing prior to the November 2018 election.

And that field of Democratic candidates continues to grow.

Last week, former aide to U.S. Rep. Bill Foster, D-Naperville, and Aurora resident Carole Cheney threw her hat in the ring.

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Cheney, who is an attorney and former partner with the Kirkland & Ellis law firm in Chicago, made an unsuccessful bid for state representative in Illinois' 84th District in 2012, losing to state Rep. Stephanie Kifowit, D-Oswego. She also ran for DuPage County Board chairman in 2010 but lost to Republican Dan Cronin, who currently holds the post.

In April, Naperville's Suzyn Price announced her bid for the seat. An adjunct faculty member at the College of DuPage, Price is a former Naperville District 203 board member.

From the north end of the Sixth Congressional District are candidates Amanda Howland and Kelly Mazeski.

Howland, of Lake Zurich, is a trustee on the College of Lake County board and unsuccessfully ran against Roskam in 2016.

A Barrington resident and breast cancer survivor, Mazeski lost to Dan McConchie, R-Hawthorn Woods, for the Illinois Senate seat in the 26th District in 2016. She is a plan commissioner in Barrington Hills.

Also running is Glen Ellyn resident Austin Songer, who works in technology at the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons in Rosemont, according to his campaign website.

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Shaped like the letter C, the Sixth Congressional District include portions of Crystal Lake to Hawthorn Woods in the north and down the Fox River from Port Barrington to St. Charles. It also extends diagonally through DuPage County from Barlett and West Chicago to Hinsdale and Willowbrook.

subaker@tribpub.com

Twitter @SBakerSun1
Harwood Heights officials are planning an early Christmas celebration this year, looking for a way to bring some additional joy to the village's 70th anniversary.

Village officials, including Mayor Arlene Jezierny, joined in, decorating the trees that line the village's lobby at 7300 W. Wilson.

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They are urging visitors to do the same in the month of July (during regular business hours).

Officials plan to showcase the homemade ornaments during July and for the year-end holidays. Prizes for the best ornaments will be given at a special pizza party planned for the end of the month.

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The activity is "just a fun thing to do, (for) adults or families to get involved with hobbies," Jezierny said, "[and] help us decorate a tree. They have a whole month to bring the decorations in. And then at year end, at Christmas time, we'll bring the trees back with the decorations again."

"It's just a fun hobby to do," she said, "and kids are out of school so they have all the time in the world" to join in, she said.

The village has been holding special events throughout the year, celebrating Harwood Heights 70th anniversary.

The celebration is building up to a mega Summer Fest  scheduled from 1 to 9:30 p.m. Aug. 5-6 on the Union Ridge School grounds, 4600 N. Oak Park Ave.

For Christmas in July, members of the village's Events Committee decorated village hall and sent out notices to residents, inviting them to either make their own ornament or visit village hall and make one there, said Christine Holzer, Events Committee member.

She credited the mayor with coming up with the idea, helping out the committee, "because we went through every month and we tried to think of something to do every month. We've had dine-a-rounds, a Mexican fiesta  we had something in every month since January. This festival in August takes a lot of planning, so we thought of something very simple  that wouldn't take up a lot of our time," and so the idea was born, she said.
Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurants founder Tim McEnery remembers planting the seeds for an Oak Park location several years ago.

After the opening of his first restaurant in Orland Park in 2005, McEnery recalled a visit to Oak Park just days before his 29th location was due to open.

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"I was out here about eight years ago to have dinner with some friends, and there were a lot of independent restaurants," McEnery said. "I thought, one day, this would be an incredible place to have a Cooper's Hawk restaurant. We finally made it."

The newest Cooper's Hawk, 950 Lake St., sits at the base of the 21-story Vantage Oak Park building. Inside the 12,000-square-foot space, guests can visit a tasting room, retail space, a bar and indoor and outdoor dining spaces. Opening day was set for July 17.

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During a sneak peek event July 13, family and friends of Cooper's Hawk employees were able to sample wines and food at the location four days prior to its opening.

According to General Manager Chris Fair, the Oak Park location will feature a menu of more than 100 items, with various American, Asian, Mexican and seafood offerings.

"When they make the food, they make it with the idea of paring it with wines we already have," Fair said. "The chef and winemaker get together to create the dishes to pair the wine and food together."

Coopers Hawk Winery & Restaurant at 950 Lake St. in downtown Oak Park was scheduled to open to the public on July 17. (Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurants)

According to Cooper's Hawk officials, the restaurant's wine club has reached more than 250,000 members, a program that began in 2006, and one they hope will appeal to Oak Parkers.

"Back then, they were making the wine in the basement of [the Orland Park] restaurant," Fair said. "It was a small operation. Since then, we've moved our winery three or four times, and now we're making 5 million bottles a year."

According to McEnery, it took nearly four years after coming up with the restaurant's concept to opening his first business, with one of the toughest challenges being to name his new enterprise.

"We couldn't come up with a name, and I was looking for something Napa-esque," McEnery said. "I went to the Schaumburg library and got books on birds, trees, rocks and other geological terms. I saw in the index a 'Cooper's Hawk' and I immediately thought of a cooper, who is someone who builds wine barrels. Back then I had a flip phone, and I called my wife and said 'I got it!' "

According to its website, the Oak Park location will be Cooper's Hawk's ninth restaurant in Illinois. The company also has locations in Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Missouri, Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin.

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"We focus on great food, great wines and working with the best people in the industry," McEnery said. "All of that hard work, combined with a whole lot of luck, has enabled us to enjoy the success we have today. We're thrilled to be here."

sschering@pioneerlocal.com

Twitter @steveschering
The Park Ridge-Niles School District 64 Board of Education has changed the start time of its regular meeting tonight.

The Monday public meeting will now begin at 5:30 p.m. in the multipurpose room of Jefferson School, 8200 Greendale Ave. in Niles. The public portion of the meeting was originally scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.

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According to the revised agenda, public comments will be taken shortly after the meeting begins.

Also on the agenda is a proposal to set daily hot lunch prices at $4.35 for elementary schools and $4.25 for middle schools; a presentation on student wellness and citizenship education, including potential focus on e-cigarette use; and a discussion of administrative pay increases.

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The full agenda can be found at www.d64.org.

jjohnson@pioneerlocal.com

Twitter: @Jen_Tribune
A memorial dedicated to the U.S. soldiers who fought and died during the Battle of Belleau Wood in France is located at the corner of Ballard and Rand roads in Des Plaines. (Jennifer Johnson/Pioneer Press )

Charles Groff isn't sure when the last time the 91-year-old World War I memorial at Belleau Wood near Des Plaines got a good scrubbing.

"It was filthy," he said of the large, rectangular concrete monument that stands at the edge of Cook County forest preserve at the corner of Ballard and Rand roads as an homage to soldiers who fought and died in the Battle of Belleau Wood in France during World War I.

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But recently, the Midwest branch of the Second Indianhead Division Association, of which Groff is a member, had the monument power-washed and restored to a more pristine condition.

"It came out beautifully compared to what it was," Groff, of Orland Park, said.

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Now, thanks to a $3,000 matching grant from the Landmarks Illinois, the Second Indianhead Division Association is also planning some additional aesthetic improvements to the site, including stone pottery and greenery, Groff said.

A rededication of the memorial is planned for Aug. 5 at 10 a.m., he added.

The memorial was one of two suburban sites to receive funding through the Landmarks Illinois World War I Monument Preservation Grant Program, the organization announced. The city of Aurora was granted a $10,000 matching grant to restore a bronze "Branches of Services" plaque on the city's New York Street Bridge, said Kaitlyn McAvoy, spokeswoman for Landmarks Illinois.

Groff said local members of the Second Indianhead Division Association, which represents veterans who served in the 2nd Infantry Division of the U.S. Army, are taking over the upkeep of the Belleau Wood World War I monument, which pays tribute to the World War II soldiers of the 2nd Division.

"We didn't even know it existed until somebody told us about it a few years ago," he said.

Groff added: "We're responsible for it now, and we'll keep it clean and honorable to the guys its dedicated to."

In addition to the monument itself, the site includes flag poles, a rock dedicated to the U.S. Marine Corps, and a display explaining the history behind the 1918 battle of Belleau Wood, which is described as "the first major battle of U.S. forces on European soil." In this battle, the U.S. forces are credited with stopping the German advancement on Paris.

By 1923, the portion of forest preserve at Rand and Ballard roads in Des Plaines was renamed in recognition of the Belleau Wood battle, a piece published that year by the Chicago Tribune indicated.

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A 1930 article reported that two trees, reportedly taken from the battle field in France, were replanted at Belleau Wood in Des Plaines.

The monument that stands on the site says the forest preserve was previously called Senne Wood.

The memorial to the 4,000 soldiers killed was originally dedicated on June 5, 1926, and the dedication ceremony was attended by 3,000 2nd Division veterans, the Tribune reported.

In 2002, local Boy Scout Eric Johnson, then a student at Maine South High School in Park Ridge, turned to the memorial for his Eagle Scout project, recruiting other scouts and family members to clear the area of debris and create the sign that explains the significance of the monument, Pioneer Press reported.

When the rock monument recognizing the Marines who fought at the Battle of Belleau Wood was added in 2009, a rededication of the site was held.

jjohnson@pioneerlocal.com

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Twitter: @Jen_Tribune
WHAM Ride returns

The annual Whiting Hammond After Midnight Ride (WHAM) will be Aug. 5-6, rain or shine. The ride will start and end at Wolf Lake Pavilion, 2324 Calumet Ave., Hammond. Prior to the event, there will be music, prizes and vendor booths. Speed riders will start at midnight, followed by long-route riders and ending with short route-riders. GoodSpeed Cycles will offer bike checks at the Cabela's half-way point, and a pancake breakfast will be provided by Tapas Cafe upon completion of the ride. Registration is $25 at the Hammond Marina, 701 Casino Center, or by searching WHAM Ride at www.Active.com. Packet pick-ups and registration events will be held from 4-8 p.m. July 28 and Aug. 4 at the Pavilion at Wolf Lake, 2324 Calumet Ave., Hammond. Registration also will be available the night of the ride, from 9-11:30 p.m. More information is at 219-937-7942 or whamride@gmail.com.

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Junior Wildland Firefighter program rescheduled

The July Junior Wildland Firefighter program has been rescheduled to Saturday, from 11 a.m. to noon at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore's Dunewood Campground Amphitheater. The event was originally scheduled for July 15. Kids will meet the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore's fire crew and learn about their jobs and equipment at several national lakeshore locations this summer. Upon completion of this 30 minute, hands-on program, children will receive their very own Junior Wildland Firefighter activity book and a Junior Wildland Firefighter patch. The Dunewood Campground is located at 645 Broadway Avenue in Beverly Shores, just south of the intersection of U.S. 12 and Broadway Avenue. For more information on this or other programs at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, call 219-395-1882.

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Our Greater Good to host seminars

Our Greater Good has received a grant to bring Love and Logic training seminars to Porter County. The grant was provided by the proceeds from last fall's Chefs Around the Table Fundraiser. The first seminar, "Parenting the Love and Logic Way," open to all parent facilitators and those interested in becoming one, will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 25 and 26 at the Porter County Community Foundation, 1401 Calumet Ave., Valparaiso. The second training seminar, "The 9 Essential Skills of a Love and Logic Classroom," open to all educators in Porter County, will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 27 in the auditorium at the Ivy Tech Valparaiso Campus, 3100 Ivy Tech Drive. Dr. Charles Fay, president of the Love and Logic Institute, Inc., will be presenting at each of the free trainings. Registration for both seminars is with Garner Tullis at garner@ourgreatergood.com or 219.628.2922.

Literacy coalition to sponsor book giveaway

The Gary Literacy Coalition, Inc. will host a Summer Book Opp book giveaway from 1-3 p.m. Wednesday at 650 Grant St., Gary. Books for all ages will be available. More information is at 219-885-2229 or glc720@sbcglobal.net.

Traveling museum comes to Lake County Public Library

A traveling 9/11 exhibit featuring remnants of the fallen World Trade Towers will open at noon Wednesday at the Lake County Public Library, 1919 W. 81st Ave., Merrillville. The 9/11 Never Forget Mobile Exhibit is a high-tech, 53-foot tractor, which unfolds into a 1,000-foot museum that tells the story of the heroism displayed by the New York City Fire Department. The exhibit will be in the west parking lot of the library. More information is at http://tunnel2towers.org/activity/never-forget-exhibit.

Speed networking chamber event

The Duneland Chamber of Commerce will host an afternoon speed networking event from 4-6 p.m. July 27 at AJ's Pizza, 3050 Matson St., Chesterton. There is no cost to attend, and Chamber members are encouraged to bring guests. More information is at 219-926-5513 or infor@dunelandchamber.org.

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 Staff report
Eric Dull of the Village Inn restaurant in Skokie tends the hotdogs during the Evanston Subaru Barbecue for the Troops fundraiser event at the dealership in Skokie, Saturday, July 15, 2017. (Kevin Tanaka/Pioneer Press )

Plumes of smoke billowed from barbecue grills at a number of car dealerships across suburban Chicago Saturday, as they participated in a coordinated fundraiser event benefitting local military personnel.

Evanston Subaru in Skokie was among the car dealerships that participated in the "Barbecue for the Troops" program sponsored by the Chicago Automobile Trade Association and the USO of Illinois. Saturday's event was the fifth consecutive one, according to organizers.

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The local dealership's owner Rob Paddor said the effort raised about $10,000 over the years for local troops. The annual barbecue, he said, brings out a couple hundred people to his dealership for barbecuing  or dog washing  every year.

This year as part of Evanston Subaru's barbecue fundraiser Culver's restaurant also provided dessert.

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"As you get older, you start thinking about different things and what's really important," said Paddor, who is also on the USO Illinois board of directors. "This cause has been one of those things."

Paddor said he personally became involved in fundraisers for troops and veterans after the September 11, 2001 terror attacks.

In addition to benefit for military personnel Saturday, the Skokie dealership also offered free dog washing as part of supporting another non-profit effort.

Paddor said some 85 dog owners brought their pets out for the pooch scrub.

The participating dealerships served up hot dogs and burgers. And some people took time to sit underneath a pitched tent where tables were set up to eat onsite.

"One hundred percent of the proceeds raised will support troops deployed and at home, military families, wounded, ill and injured troops as well as families of the fallen," according to the USO Illinois website.

The nonprofit organization provides recreational, educational and cultural programs and services to military personnel and their families. Over 300,000 active duty, guard and reserve troops statewide are aided by the USO, the website states.

CATA officials report that over 100 dealerships participated in this year's event. Further, since Barbecue for the Troops started in 2013, over half of a million dollars has been raised, according to CATA.

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Organizers from CATA, which also hosts the annual Chicago Auto Show, said the fundraiser started as a "grassroots effort" but has grown to a more widespread doing that continues to grow.

"We've been blown away with the success of the program, and each year outpaces the previous with more funds raised, increased dealership participation and heightened awareness for the USO of Illinois and local military," CATA Chairman John Hennessy said in a news release before Saturday's event. "The amount of energy and resources that local dealerships pour into their barbecue fundraisers is unparalleled. Despite the fact that these dealerships represent different brands, they all come together in support of this great cause."

"The USO Barbecue for the Troops initiative has raised more than $420,000 to support local troops and their families. Chicagoland dealerships have helped make a difference in the lives of our service members and their families," USO of Illinois President and CEO Alison Ruble said in the release.
Democratic state Sen. Ira Silverstein speaks to about three dozen of his constituents Wednesday, July 12, 2017, at a town hall meeting in Skokie. Silverstein recapped the recent contentious legislative session that ended with the states first budget in two years. (Mike Isaacs / Pioneer Press)

When state Sen. Ira Silverstein voted to increase the state income tax, a nod that helped pave the way for the first Illinois budget in two years, he said he believed he had no other choice.

"We had to come up with a plan before the state would go into meltdown," Silverstein told about three dozen of his constituents at a July 12 town hall meeting in Skokie.

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The Democrat's 8th District covers parts of Chicago as well as Skokie, Morton Grove, Lincolnwood, Niles and Glenview.

Silverstein said there had to be a way to close the gap between expenses and revenues if a balanced budget was to move forward  although not everyone in the audience agreed that the approved budget is balanced.

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Some said that because state borrowing is factored into the budget, the budget should not be considered balanced.

"This was extremely difficult for me," he said about voting for a state income tax hike. It was the second time he faced such a vote, he said, and the first time was years ago when he voted against the increase.

But his previous vote on a state income tax hike was part of a plan that did not include budget cuts the way this one did, according to Silverstein.

He said the budget plan that became law after legislators overrode Gov. Bruce Rauner's veto includes new revenue of $36.4 billion, but also more than $2.9 billion in cuts.

"I couldn't let the state go down the drain," he said. "We had to have a budget. We had been struggling for two years. Something had to be done and the legislature had to take control."

Silverstein has been holding summer town hall meetings for nearly 20 years following legislative sessions, he said. He recaps activity that took place in Springfield and hears from constituents in gatherings he holds in Skokie, Morton Grove and two in Chicago.

He called this legislative session "the worst (he's) ever seen," in large part because of contentiousness over developing a new budget and huge egos that "got bigger by the day" in getting something done, he said.

The income tax increase approved by the Legislature and backed by Silverstein included a permanent hike expected to raise $5 billion in new revenue. According to state budget information, individuals' rates will increase to 4.95 percent from 3.75 percent and corporate tax rates to 7 percent from 5.25 percent.

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Silverstein said the state was staring at unprecedented financial disaster had a budget not been passed including a drop in the state's credit rating, necessary programs having to be closed and significant financial hardship for schools and social service agencies, which already have absorbed hits because of the Springfield crisis.

The format of Silverstein's town hall meetings allow for audience members to engage in informal conversation with the state senator and to ask questions. Although many applauded Silverstein for holding such an open forum, they also voiced criticism about the state going without a budget for so long.

There was also discussion at the forum about pension reform, which Silverstein said continues to be a serious challenge the state needs to address because of years of under-funding.

Some audience members told Silverstein that people are fleeing the state now because of the severe problems in Springfield, but Silverstein took an optimistic outlook on the future and said businesses were still coming to Illinois.

"We're trying to turn things around," he said.

misaacs@pioneerlocal.com

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Twitter @SKReview_Mike
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?
By Gidon Gautel

Billions lie within Chinas e-commerce market. Online sales in 2016 amounted to RMB 5.16 trillion  approximately US$758 billion. E-commerce giant Alibaba saw US$17.8 billion in sales last November 11 during Chinas largest e-shopping festival, Singles Day. However, although China has a plethora of other online shopping events, few beyond Singles Day have gained Western recognition.

Just last month, JD.com, Alibabas main competitor in China, celebrated its own shopping festival: 618. Over the course of 18 days, the website amassed US$17.6 billion in income from sales. Large shopping festivals such as this hold significant potential for foreign businesses looking to sell their products in China.

Chinese shoppers respond strongly to sales and special promotions. Shopping festivals offer enticing opportunities for foreign businesses wanting to achieve higher sales, gain brand recognition, and market themselves towards Chinese consumers. This article provides an overview of Chinas biggest e-shopping festivals.

Chinese New Year  January to February

Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is Chinas most important holiday. Gifts have long been exchanged on this holiday; however, with the dawn of online shopping, gift giving has reached new heights. Food and beverage products are the most common type of gift, along with electronics and clothing. People will often order gifts to the addresses of relatives if they know they will not be able to return home over the holiday.

As Chinese New Year is such a popular festival, promotions extend across various platforms, though market giants such as Alibaba and JD scoop up large swathes of consumers. This years celebrations saw US$124 billion in online and offline sales for retail and catering. Meanwhile, US$68 billion in total online payments were recorded by China Union during the holiday.

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Valentines Day  February 14

Valentines Day has become an increasingly popular date for shopping in China, both for couples and optimistic singles. From Tmall to Jumei, most online retailers have continued to provide more and more deals on items likely to be gifted, such as makeup or perfume.

Figures from Kung Fu Data, an independent data firm based in China, show that during this Valentines Day, gross sales on Taobao and Tmall for flowers, bags, womens shoes, and accessories came to RMB 6.2 billion (approximately US$911 million). Additionally, whilst Tmall and Taobao snap up around 60 to 90 percent of online sales depending on category, other smaller retailers add further to gross sales.

Interestingly, February 14 is one of three Valentines Days in China, along with the Lantern Festival in March and Double Seventh Festival in August. However, these festivals are more traditional and less popular amongst young people, hence they see fewer online promotions.

Womens Day  March 8

China announced that it would celebrate International Womens Day over 60 years ago, in 1949. Recently, online retailers have ramped up promotional events on the day to capture the interests of Chinas female shoppers.

In 2017, online retailers opted for alternate names for the holiday to distinguish themselves from the competition. Tmall dubbed its promotions Queen Festival while JD.com went for Butterfly Festival. In particular, cosmetics and beauty products sell well. Jumei, which specializes in cosmetics, hosted its own Goddess Festival, which was well-received. These events have not been without controversy, however, as some argue they enforce stereotypes about women, while others say International Womens Day should not be commercialized in the first place.

Chinese female shoppers represent a huge market: according to the Chinese Research Centre for E-commerce, 70 percent of Chinese women shop online more than offline. Kung Fu Datas figures show that Womens Day 2017 witnessed RMB 30.8 billion (approximately US$4.5 billion) in gross sales on Taobao and Tmall for items such as womens fashion, accessories, and cosmetics.

Childrens Day  June 1

Recognized in China since 1949, Childrens Day has recently become a popular shopping festival, with promotions beginning at the end of May and lasting through the first week of June. Advertising during Childrens Day is mostly geared towards parents, who are increasingly expected to buy gifts for the event.

Products on sale during Childrens Day include items such as toys, board games, childrens wear, and childrens shoes. According to Kung Fu Data, gross sales on June 1, 2017 for such items across Alibabas platforms totaled RMB 7.4 billion (approximately US$1.1 billion).

618  June 18

Chinas second most prominent e-commerce festival after Singles Day, 618 celebrates the foundation of JD.com. The festival can be viewed as JDs response to Alibabas own shopping extravaganza in November, with considerable deals throughout, and plentiful promotion leading up to the event. As with Singles Day, other retailers also host sales, though JD receives the most attention.

Although 618 does not see the same scale as Singles day, this years figures were very impressive, with US$17.6 billion in sales over 19 days. JD looks set to level the playing field somewhat in upcoming years, as the e-retailers market share has slowly climbed from 18 percent in 2014 to 25 percent in 2016, and continues to rise.

9.9 Wine Festival  September 1-9

Announced by Alibabas founder Jack Ma in 2016, 9.9 is the e-retailers gift to Chinas wine enthusiasts. So-called because nine and alcohol share the same pronunciation in Mandarin, the event sees nine days of deals on not only wine, but also Chinese Baijiu and other alcohol.

Alibaba did not release comprehensive data, but Kung Fu Datas statistics show the inaugural 9.9 shopping event on the firms platforms saw RMB 1.9 billions worth of alcohol sold (approximately US$280 million).

Formerly confined to the realm of gifts amongst businesspeople, wine has become increasingly popular in China, particularly among Chinese millennials and the upper middle class. Total wine imports grew 47.3 percent year-on-year in 2016, slowing slightly in 2017 due to increased stockpiling by suppliers.

Singles Day/Double Eleven  November 11

Infamous for its dizzying sales figures, Singles Day is more commonly known as Double Eleven in China. It is the brainchild of Jack Ma, along with 9.9. Originally, November 11 was designated as a day for Chinas bachelors, later morphing into an event for all singles to celebrate themselves. The four ones in the date (11.11) symbolize single life.

Alibaba launched sales for the festival in 2009. Since then, sales revenue has seen impressive growth to the aforementioned US$17.8 billion last year, though the climb has slowed somewhat.

Other e-commerce sites also host promotions on Singles Day. However, in effect, this is Alibabas day. In 2014 the firm went so far as to trademark the name Double Eleven, preventing other retailers from advertising under the same guise.

Double Twelve  December 12

Double Twelve appeases those left unsatisfied by Double Eleven. An end of season promotional sale hosted primarily by Alibabas Taobao and Tmall, Double Twelve also boasts impressive sales figures, despite not reaching the stellar heights of Singles Day. In 2015, Alibabas Taobao recorded around US$13.2 billion in transaction volume.

The festival is reasonably new and has not amassed the same clout as its November counterpart. It therefore looks set to grow further. In 2016, total wireless transactions on Taobao on Double Twelve rose 45.8 percent over the previous year.

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Christmas  December 14-25

Christmas has become increasingly popular in China, and most large cities are rife with festive decorations in the second half of December.

Interestingly, Christmas in China has developed distinct traditions. Gifting apples to friends and coworkers, for example, is commonly observed, due to the fact that the first character of apple and peaceful are the same.

Shopping, however, remains the focal point of the holiday, with most online retailers providing promotions and sales during the Christmas period. Whilst many buy gifts online, others simply make use of the opportunity if they feel they could have bought more during Double Eleven and Double Twelve.

Christmas shopping has therefore become increasingly important for online retailers, helping Alibaba beat forecasts with a 32 percent rise in third quarter revenue last year. Moreover, the festival still has strong potential for further growth as it gains popularity in lower tier cities.

Untapped opportunities

Chinas e-commerce market provides plentiful opportunities, with major shopping festivals occurring on an almost monthly basis. Events such as Singles Day and 618 earn the spotlight, reaching a large demographic across the country. However, businesses hoping to sell to specific consumer subsets also have a variety of more niche events to choose from.

E-commerce in China is highly competitive and can be difficult for new participants to penetrate. Online shopping festivals provide an opportunity for foreign businesses to entice Chinese consumers, market themselves, and boost brand presence.

Beyond the festivals listed above, numerous other shopping festivals occur throughout the year. Events such as 418 and 818 offer similar experiences as Singles Day and 618, but on a smaller scale. Additionally, Western shopping festivals like Black Friday and Cyber Monday are establishing a growing presence in China.

Foreign businesses would do well to study Chinas e-commerce festivals. Detailed marketing strategies to navigate Chinas competitive e-commerce landscape allow them to reach valuable consumers in a country where many are turning to e-commerce for all their shopping needs.

This article was originally published on July 17, 2017 and has been updated to include the latest updates.



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Aston Martin, producer of some of the world's most expensive cars, will recall 111 vehicles on the Chinese mainland due to a faulty tire-pressure monitoring system.

The affected models are imported DB11s manufactured between Nov. 9, 2016 and May 26, 2017, said the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine announced on Monday.

The model has a faulty monitoring system which may fail to work when tire pressure levels are low and could lead to potential risks, the ministry said in a statement on its website.

The recall will begin on Aug. 1.

All faulty parts will be repaired free of charge.
A total of 49 tourists who had been stranded on Nanpeng Island in the South China Sea were picked up and moved to safety on Sunday morning. [Photo/Xinhua]

A total of 49 tourists who had been stranded on Nanpeng Island in the South China Sea were picked up and moved to safety on Sunday morning, authorities said.

The tourists belonged to four camping groups visiting the uninhabited Nanpeng Island, some 35 km east of Zhapo, Yangjiang City in south China's Guangdong Province, according to the Ministry of Transport.

Due to typhoon Talas, this year's fourth typhoon, the tourists could not return home by themselves.

All the tourists were transferred safely to a rescue ship and a rescue helicopter dispatched by the Guangzhou-headquartered Nanhai Rescue Bureau of the Ministry of Transport.

China's national observatory on Sunday morning renewed a blue alert for typhoon Talas, which is expected to hit Hainan Province and Beibu Gulf.

At 10 a.m. Sunday, the eye of Talas was above the South China Sea some 60 km to the southwest of Sanya City, packing winds of up to 23 meters per second, the National Meteorological Center (NMC) said in a statement.

The NMC forecast that Talas would move northwestward at a speed of about 20 km per hour toward Beibu Gulf and make landfall on the northeast coast of Vietnam on Monday morning.

From Sunday afternoon to Monday afternoon, parts of the South China Sea, Beibu Gulf, Qiongzhou Strait, Hainan and coastal areas of Guangdong and Guangxi will experience strong winds, while storms with up to 140 mm of precipitation are expected to affect parts of Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan.
Yang Zhixing (second from left) in a group photo with Cuban National TV Station workers in 2008, having gone to Cuba to do digital TV normative testing. [Photo/China Today]

DTMB (Digital Terrestrial Multimedia Broadcast) has set a mandatory national standard for Chinese digital television. Yang Zhixing was the first to take charge of developing this standard. At the end of 2011, thanks to the efforts of Yang and his team, the DTMB system was officially nominated an international standard, alongside those of the United States, the EU, and Japan. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) declared DTMB to be "a milestone in the 40 years of global digital television development, between 1972 and 2012."

Successful digital conversion

Murree is a small town located 1.5 hours' drive from Islamabad, capital of Pakistan. Here, in the heart of the mountains at an altitude of 2,200 meters, is a cooperation project between Chinese and local companies with the aim of realizing the DTMB standard.

"China has long held the world record for the production of color TVs and domestic television ownership. However, in the days of first black-and-white, and then color television that preceded the transition to digital technology, China adopted the European standard without having intellectual property rights over key technologies," explained Yang Zhixing. At that time, he was researching the development of satellite receiver demodulators, but he foresaw the potential of digital television. He understood that this technology would soon represent a major shift, allowing everyone to watch the small screen at high quality.

In 1999, the National Digital Television Leading Group was established in China with the aim of developing a domestic standard for digital television. In the same year, a research center specializing in digital tele-transmission techniques was established at Tsing-hua University. Yang Zhixing was in charge of this project.

"Digital has truly revolutionized the small screen. The quality is much better today than with analog TV," Yang said.

Superiority of Chinese standard

What are the strengths of the Chinese standard in comparison with the other three standards? In short, it is based on a stable system, has a high spectral efficiency, uses broadband and covers a wider area.

In addition, the Chinese standard adopts low-density parity check (LDPC), a new error-correction linear code. Invented by Robert Gallager, an American professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the 1960s, the LDPC system ensured optimum error correction, but due to its technical complexity it was not until the 1990s that it was finally implemented. The group headed by Yang Zhixing was the first to integrate this LDPC system into a digital television standard. Nowadays, second-generation standards in Europe and the United States also use this LDPC system.

In August 2006, the Chinese standard was unveiled and became mandatory nationally. During the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, this new standard was tested in the eight host cities of this competition, including Beijing, Shanghai and Zhuhai. It has since been extended to other Chinese cities and provinces, and with more investment could expand to nationwide coverage.

In 2006, Hong Kong announced its intention to adopt the European standard. Nevertheless, the following year, Yang Zhixing and his group visited Hong Kong, and their standard was trialed for six months. As the Chinese standard clearly surpassed that in force in Europe. Hong Kong then changed its mind and opted for the former. To date, 70 percent of Hong Kong viewers benefit.

Encouraged by this success in the Hong Kong market, between 2008 and 2009, Yang Zhixing repeatedly visited four Latin American countries, namely Cuba, Venezuela, Peru, and Ecuador. He made so many trips that he lost count. "Over two years, I have accumulated enough air miles on my Air China and Air France loyalty cards to qualify for a gold card, even though I flew economy class," joked Yang Zhixing.
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Yao Zhongmin, former chairman of the board of supervisors at China Development Bank, stood trial Monday for accepting bribes.

Prosecutors accused Yao of taking advantage of his positions to secure loans and projects for others, and accepting money and valuables worth nearly 36.2 million yuan (US$5.35 million) either personally or through others, including his brother Yao Zhongquan.

The case was heard by the Intermediate People's Court of Baoding City in north China's Hebei Province.

Yao confessed during the trial, according to the court. The verdict will be announced at another date.

The discipline inspection agency of the Communist Party of China (CPC)announced in September 2016 that Yao had been expelled from the CPC and removed from public office following a corruption investigation.
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Iranian judiciary confirmed on Sunday that Hossein Fereydoun, the younger brother of President Hassan Rouhani, has been detained over financial charges.

Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejeie, deputy judiciary chief, told at a press conference that Fereydoun, a top aide to the president, was jailed because he failed to pay the bail set by the judiciary.

The judiciary had carried out a series of probes into Fereydoun, before issuing indictment against him on Saturday, Ejeie said, without elaborating on the details of the charges.

Ejeie said if Fereydoun pays the bail, he will be released.

A number of other people have also been investigated and questioned in the same case as the investigation continues, he added.

Some Rouhani's supporters suspect that the charges against Fereydoun, who participated in the nuclear talks with major powers that led to a deal in 2015, are politically motivated.
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The Spanish Guardia Civil, in coordination with Europol, has dismantled an organised crime group that was trading horsemeat in Europe that was unfit for human consumption, announced Europol on Sunday.

The operation was carried out in coordination with Belgium, France, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Switzerland and Britain. In Spain, 65 people were arrested and charged with crimes such as animal abuse, document forgery, perverting the course of justice, crimes against public health, money laundering and being part of a criminal organisation, said Europol.

In 2013, Irish authorities detected beefburgers containing horsemeat. This marked the start of an investigation to find out the origin of the contamination; the anti-inflammatory drug phenylbutazone was found in the meat. Meat companies, frozen food companies and fast-food companies were affected by the investigation, which led to the identification of a Dutch citizen known in the horsemeat world, although his whereabouts were unknown at that moment.

In the summer of 2016, Guardia Civil's Environmental Protection Service initiated Operation Gazel after unusual behaviour was detected in horsemeat markets. They detected a scam whereby horses in bad shape, too old or simply labelled as "not suitable for consumption", were being slaughtered in two different slaughterhouses. The animals came from Portugal and several places in northern Spain, and their meat was processed in a specific facility and from there sent to Belgium, which is one of the biggest horsemeat exporters in the European Union. The criminal organisation forged the animals' identification by modifying theirs microchips and documentation.

During the investigation, Guardia Civil was able to locate the Dutch businessman related to the Irish case of the beefburgers containing horse meat, in Calpe, Alicante. From there he led the activities of the organisation, putting his most trusted men in charge in every country affected by the scam.

Investigators concluded that the Spanish element of this organisation was a small part of the whole European structure controlled by the Dutch suspect. The arrest of the leader of the criminal group was carried out in Belgium. This action was coordinated by the Federal Police, the Federal Food Agency in Belgium and Guardia Civil. Different police actions were simultaneously carried out in France, Portugal, Italy, Romania, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

In total 66 individuals were arrested or investigated. As a result of all of these actions, several bank accounts and properties were blocked or seized, and five luxury cars seized.

Because of the international nature of this case, Guardia Civil asked Europol for its support in the operation.

During the searches at the slaughterhouses and facilities, several samples were taken. The results concluded that the destination of the horsemeat was mainly outside of Spain, due to the fact that the samples in Spain matched those found abroad.
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An Iranian court has sentenced a U.S. dual national to 10 years in prison over spying charges, an Iranian judiciary spokesman said on Sunday.

The person who owns the nationality of both the U.S. and another country had snooped into Iran to gather documents and intelligence, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejeie, spokesman for Iranian judiciary, told the reporters.

Ejeie said that the man, who "was directly guided by the United States" on his mission in Iran, was identified and arrested by the Iranian Intelligence Ministry.

The Iranian judiciary official said that the verdict is not final pending appeals.

Details about the person and his acts will be announced once the final verdict is issued, Ejeie said.

Iran has sentenced several dual nationals, some of them are holding U.S. citizenship, over spying charges in the past years.

The latest example dates back to September 2016, when Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) announced the arrest of an Iranian-American in the country's northeastern province of Golestan over spying and security charges.

In August 2016, Iran reportedly arrested another person, also with dual citizenships, accusing him of linking to Britain's foreign intelligence service MI6.
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U.S. President Donald Trump (Xinhua file photo/Mike Theiler)

U.S. President Donald Trump denounced a new poll Sunday that indicates he has a lower approval rating than any of his predecessors at the six-month mark in 70 years.

The ABC News/Washington Post poll, released earlier Sunday, showed only 36 percent of Americans approve Trump's performance in office, marking a six-point drop from 42 percent in April, while his disapproval rating has risen five points since then to 58 percent.

"The ABC/Washington Post Poll, even though almost 40 percent is not bad at this time, was just about the most inaccurate poll around election time!" Trump tweeted to defend himself.

The poll said Trump's job approval is the lowest rating of any of his predecessors after their first six months into U.S. presidency.

Besides, it also showed that 48 percent of the respondents see the U.S. leadership in the world as weaker since Trump's inauguration, with only 27 percent believing it to be stronger. Two thirds said they do not trust Trump to negotiate with other world leaders on the U.S. behalf.

Just 38 percent of those polled said they think Trump is making significant progress toward his goals, while 55 percent think otherwise.

The poll results also came in light of a stalled Republican agenda and unfolding stories about alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

Half of those surveyed said they prefer the existing health care system, with only 24 percent favoring a Republican-led legislation, a controversial reform that has been put on hold in Senate due to opposition from within.

The U.S. intelligence community alleged that Russia meddled in the U.S. presidential race last year and connections existed between the Russian government and the Trump campaign, which the Kremlin has denied.

The ABC-Post poll finds about 60 percent of Americans said they believe Russia tried to meddle in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, while about 44 percent think Trump benefited from those attempts.

Besides, roughly 4 in 10 Americans said they see Trump's campaign team intentionally helped Russian efforts to influence the election.

When asked about a 2016 meeting Donald Trump Jr., the eldest son of Trump, had with a Russian lawyer in a hope to get hands on materials allegedly helpful for his father's campaign, 63 percent considered the meeting as inappropriate.

The poll was conducted from July 10 to July 13 among a random sample of over 1,000 adults being surveyed over the phone, with a margin error of 3.5 points.
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A new poll showed Sunday the approval rating for U.S. President Donald Trump, who approaches six months in office, sits at 36 percent after a steady decline since springtime, lower than that of any of his predecessors in 70 years.

Results of the poll, carried out by U.S. Broadcaster ABC News and newspaper Washington Post, come amid a wider perceptions of a decline in U.S. global influence, a much-delayed Republican agenda, and unfolding stories about alleged Russia's links to the 2016 Trump campaign.

The fresh poll indicated the overall approval rating for Trump has dropped to 36 percent from 42 percent since April, the lowest for any president in polling history since Harry Truman at the six-month mark.

Figures showed that the last U.S. president as unpopular at the same mark was Gerald Ford, with a 39 percent of approval rating in February, 1975.

Of those surveyed, 58 percent expressed disapproval of Trump's job performance, among which 48 percent said they "disapprove strongly."

The poll also showed that 48 percent of the respondents see the U.S. leadership in the world as weaker since Trump was inaugurated in January, with only 27 percent believing it to be stronger. Two thirds said they do not trust Trump to negotiate with other world leaders on the U.S. behalf.

Just 28 percent of those polled said they think Trump is making significant progress toward his goals, while 55 percent think otherwise.

The U.S. intelligence community alleged that Russia meddled in the U.S. presidential race last year and connections existed between the Russian government and the Trump campaign, which the Kremlin has denied.

The ABC-Post poll finds a majority, about 60 percent, of Americans said they believe Russia tried to meddle in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, while about 44 percent think Trump benefited from those attempts.

Besides, roughly 4 in 10 Americans said they see Trump's campaign team intentionally helped Russian efforts to influence the election.

When asked about a 2016 meeting Donald Trump Jr., the eldest son of Trump, had with a Russian lawyer in a hope to get hands on materials allegedly helpful for his father's campaign, 63 percent considered the meeting as inappropriate.

On a health care bill supported by Republicans in a bid to overhaul the country's existing system, half of those surveyed said they prefer the current one, and only 24 percent favored the Trump-proposed legislation.

The poll was conducted between from July 10 to July 13 among a random sample of over 1,000 adults being surveyed over the phone, with a margin error of 3.5 points.
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Eight people are confirmed dead following flash flooding at the Cold Springs swimming hole, north of Payson, in the western U.S. state of Arizona, according to local media.

A wall of debris-choked water washed down the East Verde and killed at least eight people on Saturday afternoon, with two others still missing and presumed dead, local media Paysonroundup.com reported.

Authorities said 14 people were swimming in the area and were swept away in the flash flood after heavy rains. The group was made up adults and children that officials believe were related or close friends.The victims range in age from 24-months to in their 60s, according to the Gila County Sheriff's Office.

Emergency responders rescued four people Saturday south of the Cold Springs swimming hole where the group had been swimming, including a man clutching a baby.

Search crews are still looking for the two people who went missing. But local officials said they did not expect to find any more survivors.
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Zhang Dejiang (R), chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress (NPC), meets with Polish President Andrzej Duda, in Warsaw, Poland, July 16, 2017. Zhang paid an official friendly visit to Poland from July 12 to 16. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

China and Poland should seize the new opportunities arising from the Belt and Road Initiative and "China-CEE 16+1 mechanism" to deepen mutually-beneficial cooperation, China's top legislator Zhang Dejiang has said.

Zhang, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), paid an official friendly visit to Poland between July 12 and July 16, during which he met with Polish President Andrzej Duda, Prime Minister Beata Szydlo and parliamentary leaders.

During his meeting with Duda, Zhang said that traditional friendship between the two peoples is consolidated. In the past two years, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Duda exchanged visits and the two nations work to build a comprehensive strategic partnership, which opens a new chapter in the Sino-Polish relations, Zhang said.

China, Zhang said, attaches great importance to developing relations with Poland and regards Poland as an important cooperation partner in the Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and the European Union (EU).

The two sides should seize the new opportunities generated by the Belt and Road Initiative and "China-CEE 16+1 mechanism", so as to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in the areas of economy, trade and investment, and to forge ahead with bilateral relations, Zhang said.

Duda praised China's development, saying that his country looks forward to deepening cooperation through construction of Belt and Road Initiative projects, strengthening communication and coordination on international issues, safeguarding common interests and continuously enriching the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.

The Belt and Road Initiative, proposed by China in 2013, 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.

The 16+1 mechanism is a platform created in April 2012 by China and 16 Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries.

In his meeting with Prime Minister Beata Szydlo, Zhang mentioned Szydlo's attendance to the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing in May, during which leaders of the two countries reached a series of new important consensuses on strengthening China-Poland relations.

Both nations, Zhang said, could make use of existing mechanisms and platforms to deepen infrastructure cooperation, improve service of the China-Europe freight trains and expand new areas of cooperation.

Zhang also said China attaches importance to developing relations with the EU and is willing to work with the EU countries, including Poland, to continually promote the relations between China and the EU.

For her part, Szydlo said the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by President Xi is of great significance to a more balanced and sustainable development of global economy.

Poland is implementing a new development strategy, and would welcome China's participation in Poland's infrastructure construction and closer cooperation in small- and medium-sized enterprises, she said.

During his stay in Warsaw, Zhang also held talks respectively with his Polish counterparts, Stanislaw Karczewski, Marshall of Polish Senate and Marek Kuchcinski, Speaker of Poland's Sejm (or Lower House of the Polish Parliament).

Zhang made suggestions on strengthening cooperation between the legislative bodies of the two countries.

He said the legislative bodies should maintain the momentum of friendly exchanges, constantly enhance mutual trust and understanding, and support each other's core interests.

Zhang also called for reinforcing exchanges of experience between the two countries in the area of legislation and supervision, and promoting friendly exchanges in culture, education and tourism.

Karczewski and Kuchcinski agreed that strengthening exchanges and cooperation between the legislative bodies is of great significance to the development of two-way ties.

Polish Senate and Sejm have supported the government to strengthen cooperation with China and are willing to make more efforts in this end.

Zhang and Kuchcinski signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between the China's NPC and the Polish Sejm.
Rancher Jay Wolf of Bartlett, Nebraska, shows off some of his cattle. [Photo by Amy He/China Daily]

Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts was excited when he saw off the first shipment of US beef products on a flight to a client in Shanghai on June 14. It came after a 14-year absence in the market, and Ricketts realized that it signaled a new era for his state's agricultural sector.

"Having a great market like China open up for us was really fantastic news for our ranchers here, and an incredibly exciting opportunity for our state," Ricketts said in an interview in his office on the day of that flight.

"If we can achieve the same sort of market share in China as we've achieved in other countries, that could mean a potential 20 percent increase in the exports of beef from Nebraska, potentially [adding] another $200 million to the economy for us," the governor said. "This is a big deal for us."
Technicians assemble stamping equipment at Jier Machine Tool Group Co in Jinan, Shandong province. [Photo by Xu Shijun/For China Daily]

In the world's machine tools industry, China's State-owned Jier Machine Tool Group Co, based in Jinan, capital city of East China's Shandong province, has been blazing a trail in the segment of automobile stamping lines.

After tasting success in South America, Southeast Asia, India and Russia, Jier has been steadily expanding its business in North America.

"Our strength lies in the quality of our products. That's where we outperform our competitors," said Zhang Zhigang, Jier's chairman.

That's not an empty corporate boast. The quality of its products, Jier's professional services and the high level of expertise of its engineers have impressed Ford Motor Co of the United States so much that it is no longer relying on German suppliers.

Five years ago, Ford sent a team of more than 10 experts to China for a detailed check on Jier's products. Jier's high-end automatic stamping line was the first-ever such product made by a Chinese company.

The Ford team was impressed and decided to place the order. Ever since, Ford's orders for Jier products have been increasing.

Earlier this year, Ford sent only one expert to Jier to complete the deal for its ninth stamping line, an emphatic vote of confidence in the latter's prowess.

"(The press line) works very quickly and effective. Every press line gets better. Right now, Jier is the best," said Ron Russo of Ford, after the press line was installed at Ford's Woodhaven Stamping Plant in Detroit on June 27.

The previous eight press lines are in operation at four Ford plants. The latest one is expected to be pressed into service in January.

It is the first time in 20 years that Ford bought complete sets of press equipment from a country other than Germany.

"Buyers will express intent to buy only after they are convinced that our technologies, quality, delivery time and after-sales service can thoroughly meet their requirements," said Hao Zhiqiang, general manager of Jier's operations in North America.

Paul Wollschlager of Ford's stamping engineering team recalled how Jier delivered the seventh line despite extraordinary challenges arising from Ford's expansion at the Rouge Complex. "The Jier team's hard work in the installation and commissioning of the line was phenomenal."

Established in 1937, Jier has grown into China's largest maker of metal-forming equipment. It is ranked among the world's top three press makers, thanks to its intensive efforts in innovation and research and development.

During the past 10 years, the company has invested more than 1.5 billion yuan ($221 million) in technological innovation.

The company has an 80 percent domestic market share in the field of large-scale and high-speed stamping lines and 30 percent share of overseas markets.

Zhang, Jier's chairman, said there is no need to rush to expand business. What is more important is enhancing the company's core manufacturing competence. "Innovation is a company's soul. Products not armed with independent intellectual property rights will have no competitiveness in the market."

China itself has been a large consumer of machine tools. The country spent $27.5 billion buying machine tools last year. But most Chinese machine tool companies can produce only low-end equipment. They also rely heavily on imports of advanced computer numerical control or CNC machine tools.

Jier is tracking these developments closely. More so because China has been allocating special funds to support R&D activities in CNC machine tools since 2009. That year, CNCs tools were listed among 16 major national projects in science and technology.

Four high-speed press lines, made by Jier Machine Tool Group Co, are now being used at the Detroit plant of Ford Motor Co. [Photo by Hao Zhiqiang/For China Daily]

Over the last eight years, the central government has spent 9.11 billion yuan on R&D of CNC machine tools. The sector has added over 70.6 billion yuan to industrial output, said Luo Junjie, a senior official of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, at a news conference on June 26. "CNC machine tools are vital for the country's major manufacturing areas such as the auto, nuclear power, aeronautics and astronautics."

Luo said domestic advanced CNC technology has caught up with international standards and domestic advanced CNC technology-powered products' share of the Chinese market has expanded from 1 percent to 5 percent.

Medium-end CNC machine tools have secured a quarter of the domestic market in 2016, up from 10 percent in 2009.

Luo also said that by 2020, the domestic CNC sector should be able to meet 80 percent of manufacturing demand from key areas like aviation, aerospace and automobiles.

From Jier's perspective, that calls for a twin-pronged business strategy: go domestic and go global.
An anime shows a 3,500-cubic-meter/hour cutter-suction dredger during a recent island-making sea technology exhibition in Fuzhou, Fujian province. [Photo by Chen Hao/For China Daily]

With Chinese shipyards' key customers of the global oil industries struggling to raise prices due to pressure from greener energy such as wind power, natural gas and green vehicles like those made by Tesla, the former are looking to stay afloat by building more offshore facilities and specialized vessels than low-end oil rigs.

China Shipbuilding Industry Corp, one of the country's major State-owned shipyards by revenue, plans to become more proficient in building floating offshore platforms, ocean farming facilities, asphalt tankers, dredgers, derrick pipe-laying, cement vessels and heavy lift vessels, which will allow it to diversify its product portfolio and broaden customer base.

Last month in Qingdao, East China's Shandong province, CSIC's Wuchang group delivered the world's first group of intelligent offshore ocean farming facilities to its Kverva, Norway-based client SalMar ASA. Wuchang Group will also export six offshore fish farms to Norway to help upgrade the local salmon farming business.

It is the world's first offshore salmon farming equipment built using the same concept as semisubmersible installations in the offshore oil and gas drilling sector, said Yang Zhigang, chairman of Wuchang Group.

Unlike traditional fish farming facilities, the ocean farm adopts advanced technologies including automatic fishing, hydrological monitoring, deep-sea positioning and biological light adjustment systems.

China also plans to build 20 floating reactor platforms to meet the demand for maritime atomic propulsion to ensure its power supply. China General Nuclear Power Group signed a strategic cooperation agreement with CSIC to develop a reactor design for the 200-megawatt ACPR50S offshore nuclear power platform last year.

CGN is currently working on the preliminary design for this platform, which is expected to start construction within this year and be commissioned by 2020.

The floating nuclear power plant, which can be installed in a section of the vessel, is often used to supply stable electricity not only to remote areas but large industrial facilities such as seawater desalination plants and offshore oilfield exploration rigs.

CSIC has set up an industrial fund with an initial capital of 10 billion yuan ($1.53 billion) to further invest in fields such as offshore engineering products, power, electronic information and intelligent equipment, and underwater defense.

With a workforce of about 150,000 employees, the group operates more than 50 industrial subsidiaries and 30 research institutes, and has exported various types of vessels to more than 70 countries.

"If you look at the global market for low-end oil rigs and bulk ships, you can see signs of decline everywhere," said Jin Peng, secretary-general of the China Association of the National Shipbuilding Industry.

It is common for shipyards to finance a project in advance after receiving an order in the current market setting. However, affected by falling demand, many shipowners now delay delivery and payment, and sometimes even abandon their orders.

"It surely makes matters worse that prepayments have also dropped from 80 percent of the total cost to between 30 percent and 20 percent in shipyards in recent years, not only in China but in South Korea, Singapore and Germany," said Jin.

"Many shipowners from Europe, the United States and South America come up with many different excuses to delay payment, such as a change of design or implementing stricter quality checks. They know they have no work for the ships or oil rigs, so they would rather not take delivery."
Shanghai-based Ecolab China is planning to expand its food safety business from southern China to the northern part of the country as consumption gets upgraded nationwide, presenting new opportunities.

"With the upgrading of consumption, Chinese people have begun to care more about food safety, which brings big opportunities for us," said Wang Tie, executive vice-president of Ecolab Inc, the US-based parent of Ecolab China and a water, hygiene, energy technologies and services provider.

The country's stress on environmental protection and demand for clean energy also brought opportunities for the expansion of Ecolab's China business, he said.

Ecolab China's factories are located in southern and eastern areas of the country. "Food safety is closely linked to the dairy industry. And China's northern region produces most of the dairy products," he said.

So, the company is planning to set up a production base in northern China, but no specific city has yet been shortlisted, he said.

Ecolab's technology platform can monitor every procedure of food and beverage production, control the amount of cleaning water and measure the cleaning effect. Collection of such data can help improve efficiency, reduce the cost of energy and water for different companies, he said.

"Though the growth rate of the Chinese economy has slowed, it's still growing at a moderate pace," he said. "We focus on providing solutions for problems of food safety and shortage of water resources in China, which have both realized a stable and fast growth by now."

The past two years saw double-digit growth in the food safety business in China, he said. And the company's global sales reached $13 billion in 2016.

The parent's market value rose to $36 billion last year, he said.

Ecolab's local unit was set up in 1975. Its cleaning and disinfection methods have been used in most of the five-star restaurants and more than 80 percent of food brands, including McDonald's, KFC and Starbucks in China, Wang said.

The company has identified certain areas to focus on in future, he said. Ecolab China would apply its technical strength to solve difficult problems in waste water treatment, such as the removal of phosphate and heavy metals.

With the World Economic Forum's Summer Davos convention in Dalian in June laying emphasis on the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Ecolab is also eyeing digitalization as a new growth point, Wang said.

The company will set aside $200 million every year for research to explore application of technologies like industrial digitalization, automatic control and big data in food safety.
A driver enters a train cab for a trial run at the Harmi South Station in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. [Photo/China Daily]

A China Railway Corp executive welcomed Tencent Chairman Pony Ma Huateng to participate in the mixed ownership reform of the railway sector at a meeting last Friday, People's Railway Daily reported.

Lu Dongfu, general manager of China Railway Corp, the world's biggest railway operator by rail length, said he hoped cooperation between the two sides could promote the integration of high-speed rail network and internet as well as complement each other's strengths.

This is the second olive branch extended to a private enterprise after Lu said in January that CRC will carry out a mixed ownership reform this year, and work with both private and State-owned companies to form joint ventures to support the reform.

In May, Lu had a similar meeting with Jack Ma, founder and executive chairman of Alibaba Group Holding.

In that meeting, Lu said he hoped the two sides could deepen cooperation in areas such as high-speed railways, international logistics, electronic payments and mixed ownership reformon the basis of consolidating the application of Alipay, information verification services and station navigation.

However, regarding the meeting with Pony Ma Huateng, the newspaper did not provide further details on the sector and direction of the cooperation.

This year, the government pledged to deepen reform of State-owned enterprises and promised measures, including the introduction of a mixed ownership system and efforts to make SOEs leaner and healthier.

The railway has been selected as one of the seven sectors for mixed ownership reform. Others include electricity, oil, natural gas, civil aviation, telecommunications and military industries.
Signage for the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) annual meeting is displayed in Jeju, South Korea, June 16, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

Global credit rating agency Fitch Ratings announced last Thursday it has assigned the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank its highest possible rating - AAA with a stable outlook.

This marks another top-notch rating for AIIB over the past two weeks. On June 29, it received a long-term foreign currency issuer rating of AAA from Moody's Investors Service.

Fitch said in a statement the rating is based on AIIB's "existing and expected intrinsic strengths", adding that "AIIB has been endowed with a substantial capital base which, in Fitch's view, will support the projected rapid expansion in lending; exposure to risk will be mitigated by a comprehensive set of policies and by high quality governance".

"The rating is very critical for our positioning in the international capital markets. It puts us at the very level of the World Bank and the IMF," Soren Elbech, treasurer of the AIIB, said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal.

Beijing-based AIIB was officially established in December 2015 and opened its doors for business in January 2016. It is a multilateral development bank initiated by China and supported by 80 member countries and regions to finance infrastructure improvement in Asia and serves as a key financing mechanism for the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative.

To date, the bank has approved $2.49 billion in financing for 16 infrastructure projects in nine countries. Twelve of the projects were co-financed, while four were standalone projects prepared by AIIB staff.
A customer (left) checks a second-hand car at an automobile trading company in Suzhou, Jiangsu province. [Photo by Wang Jiankang/For China Daily]

The introduction of big data and artificial intelligence has helped resolve the perennial credibility problems of the used car market, providing more opportunities for the sector, analysts said last month.

"There is huge growth potential in China's used car market," said Zhao Xiang, a transportation analyst at Beijing-based Analysys, a market research house.

"With the rapid development of the market and the increase of assessment techniques, consumers' expectations of a used car are continuously rising," said Zhao Xiang, a transportation analyst at Analysys.

While the market is growing rapidly, credit issues have always acted as a brake on the development of the used car market.

In response, players have introduced big data and artificial intelligence to reduce the various transaction risks, the biggest of which are problems with credit.

Guazi.com, China's biggest used car trading platform, said that in order to address credit issues, it has developed a database using big data and artificial intelligence.

Chief Technology Officer Zhang Xiaopei said the database stores information on more than 3.5 million cars and from 200 million buyers and sellers. In addition, it includes a huge amount of third party data, about the maintenance and repair history of the cars.

"With the database, the information on used cars as well as buyers and sellers is more transparent, which has greatly increased transaction security," Zhang said.

He said that with the help of the database, the car trading platform's transaction volumes had grown by 700 percent last year.

Guazi.com recently announced over $400 million in Series B financing from global investors, making it one of the biggest fundraisings this year among Chinese internet companies.

The capital will be used for developing new business lines and increasing brand awareness, as well as developing the skills base of the company's staff.

The new round of financing is being led by existing investor Sequoia Capital, a leading venture capital firm. Matrix Partners China, Blue Run Ventures and Hike Capital increased their investment.

Other participating investors include H Capital, Dragoneer Investment Group, China Merchants Bank and Shougang Group. China's leading boutique investment bank, TH Capital, was the exclusive financial advisor on the deal.

"In order to transform the traditional industry, we also need to depend on online techniques. Guazi.com will continue to improve our business and service by knowing more about customer behavior through our data analysis," said Guazi.com founder and CEO Mark Yang.

The company has created a database of over 3.5 million cars and over 200 million potential customers. Powered by artificial intelligence, Guazi.com is making it faster and easier for consumers to buy and sell used cars through predictive pricing and enhanced knowledge of customer preferences.

Steven Ji, a partner of Sequoia Capital China, said that Guazi.com is leading the development and evolution of the industry, and has major growth potential.
An employee cleans the new Mercedes EQ concept car during the press preview of the Paris Motor Show last year in France. [Photo by Christophe Morin/For China Daily]

German car giant Daimler and Chinese automaker Chery Automobile have reached a deal over the similar brand names they use for their new energy vehicle cars.

The deal came after Chery filed a complaint earlier this year to the trademark authorities saying Daimler's EQ is an infringement of its eQ, which it has been using since 2014 and stands for the electric version of its model QQ.

Daimler made public its EQ brand at the Paris auto show last September, saying the name is an acronym of Electric Intelligence, a play on the familiar IQ and a nod to its focus on intelligent electric mobility.

According to the deal the two signed on July 6, Chery will focus on using the designations eQ and eQ1, as well as further numerical continuations, while Daimler will focus on the designations EQC and any other alphabetical supplements in its electric Mercedes-Benz products.

Daimler will use the EQ Power designation for plug-in hybrids while Chery will also use eQ TEC to name their car electrification system.

"Chery achieved a great reputation in China with their eQ brand name and we highly respect that. I am happy that Daimler and Chery agreed on a collective use of the eQ/EQ acronyms in an open and partner-like atmosphere," said Hubertus Troska, a member of the board of management of Daimler.

"With this mutual understanding, Chery and Daimler commit to fostering the electric future in the automotive industryin China and all over the world."

Chery CEO Chen Anning said: "We are proud of the achievements that Chery made in technological development and intellectual property. We applaud the win-win agreement reached with Daimler for the coexistence of our brands worldwide. Chery is dedicated to providing the global market with superior product value, customer experience and unique brand value."

Chery's eQ vehicles are the main models of the car-sharing service in Guangzhou, Guangdong province. [Photo by Xu Ying/For China Daily]

Daimler's EQ-branded cars are estimated to hit the market around 2020. Troska said they would also be sold and made in China.

Globally, the carmaker said 15 to 25 percent of its product portfolio would comprise new energy vehicles by 2025. Analysts say the deal, which would prevent Daimler from any future troubles, shows its growing commitment to new energy cars, especially in the Chinese market, which has been the largest worldwide and is still growing fast.

Earlier this month, Daimler signed a framework agreement in Berlin with China's BAIC Group to produce Mercedes-Benz-branded electric cars via their joint venture Beijing Benz Automotive.

In accordance with the 5 billion yuan ($738 million) agreement, the two are preparing to produce electric vehicles in China by 2020 and to provide the necessary infrastructure for battery localization using Chinese cells, as well as to expand research and development capacities.

In June, Daimler also announced its intention to acquire a minority share in Beijing Electric Vehicle, a subsidiary of BAIC Group, with the purpose of strengthening collaboration in the new energy car sector.

Contact the writer at lifusheng@chinadaily.com.cn
Ralf Speth, CEO of Jaguar Land Rover Plc, poses beside a Jaguar XE automobile at an auto expo.[Photo/Agencies]

British automaker Jaguar Land Rover has announced it will build its new E-PACE compact SUV in Austria and China.

The company said its plants in the United Kingdom are close to full capacity, and it expects there will be high demand for the five-seat E-PACE after the F-PACE performance SUV became the fastest-selling car in the company's history, with 80,000 sold so far this year.

JLR launched the E-PACE in London on Thursday, with a stunt driver making it into the Guinness Book of World Records after making a 15.3 meter jump and 270-degree barrel roll in the vehicle.

Chinese automaker Chery, JLR's joint-venture partner in China, will build the cars at its factory in Changshu, Jiangsu province. Vehicles produced there will be for Chinese customers. The car will go on sale in China in 2018.

Automaker Magna Steyr will build the E-PACE in Austria, starting late 2017, and also make the all-electric Jaguar I-PACE model from 2018.

Wolfgang Stadler, JLR's executive director of manufacturing, said:"The UK is the heart and soul of our manufacturing, design and engineering capabilities. However, with our UK facilities operating close to capacity, our contract manufacturing partnership with Magna Steyr and our joint venture in China provide additional volume, agility and flexibility to deliver the new Jaguar E-PACE, alongside our other exciting vehicle launches this year."

JLR signed a joint venture with Chery in 2012 and has made the Range Rover Evoque, Land Rover Discovery Sport, and Jaguar XFL in China.

China, where 120,000 JLR vehicles were sold in 2016, is the company's largest single-country market, generating one-fifth of global sales. Retail sales for June were up 65.3 percent year-on-year in China, with UK sales up 3.8 percent, Europe up 3.7 percent and North America up 3.2 percent.

Andy Goss, JLR sales operations director, said: "Jaguar Land Rover saw another positive performance in June, led by strong sales in China, both from imported vehicles and our Chinese joint venture."

JLR, which manufactures vehicles under the Jaguar, Land Rover, and Range Rover brands, said Jaguar sold 15,343 vehicles in June, up 16.4 percent from last June. The company said sales of the new Land Rover Discovery continue to grow, following its launch in North America and China.
BEIJING -- Chinese President Xi Jinping, also chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), has signed an order to release a revised regulation on military document processing, the CMC Political Work Department announced Sunday.

The regulation, which contains eight chapters and 40 articles, makes new requirements for official military documents with regard to work standards, types and forms, processing procedures, management and other areas.

The revision came as the Communist Party of China strives to realize the goal of building a stronger army.

The revised regulation will take effect on Oct 1.
Black-necked cranes are one of the distinct species living on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. [Photo/Xinhua]

Ornithologist tastes the high life on plateau home to distinct species

Yandao, 35, had never been to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau before he joined an observation team on China's second scientific expedition to the plateau in June.

Yandao, a member of the Blang ethnic group, comes from a village in Xishuangbanna, in Southwest China's Yunnan province.

After graduating with a degree in zoology from Southwest Forestry University in 2013, he began work as an ornithologist at the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Kunming Institute of Zoology.

China's first large-scale scientific expedition to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau was conducted in the 1970s. The second expedition will last five to 10 years, covering more than 50 disciplines including geology, prehistoric life, geophysics, climate, zoology and botany.

Dozens of scientists specializing in different fields have been divided into groups to research the biological diversity of the plateau and draw up a habitat map to be used for preservation and tourism purposes.

When Yandao first arrived in Shuanghu county, in the Tibet autonomous region, at an average altitude of 5,000 meters, he suffered severe altitude sickness.

Despite feeling unwell, Yandao was excited to begin working with his colleagues to collect data on local bird species.

"I am so lucky to have the chance to join this expedition," Yandao said.

A large number of water birds, such as black-necked cranes and bar-headed geese, spend the winter at wetlands in the Tibet autonomous region's Lhunzhub county. [Photo/Xinhua]

After years of research, Yandao commands an extensive knowledge of birds and can identify some 500 species just from their sounds.

"The unique alpine environment with thin oxygen and intense ultraviolet light is a habitat for several distinct species, some of which I have never seen before," Yandao said.

The bird population can be seen as a barometer for the region's environmental changes and will attract more bird-watchers to visit, he said.

Yandao's parents were initially not supportive of his choice of work.

"They hoped I would get a stable job in an office, but I just want to have freedom, like the birds I study," he said.

In recent years, Yandao's research has taken him to almost every prefecture and city in Yunnan tracking bird populations by means of regular surveys. In 2015, he joined an international team conducting a bird survey in Kenya.

Yandao is always in the field looking for new information and changes, said Yang Xiaojun, his colleague on the expedition team.

"The appeal of scientific expeditions is to explore new things, which has become my life-long pursuit," Yandao said.
Readers browse a bookstore on Gulangyu Island, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Xiamen, Fujian province. Wang Dongming/For China Daily

Su Xiaodong calls his bookstore on Gulangyu Island a kind of wormhole.

"A wormhole connects different times and spaces. That's exactly what I want to do: Connect the island with its beautiful past," said Su, from the city of Xiamen, in Fujian province.

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 on July 8.

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 a "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 of the 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 screen shot of the advertisement of a handgun toy that can deliver electric shock on an online shopping mall.

Chen Guangqiong, a teacher at Paotongshu Primary School in Chengdu, Sichuan province, asked parents of her students on Thursday to keep an eye on what toys their kids are playing with.

Toys that can deliver an electric shock have been found on primary and middle school campuses in parts of the country, she said on WeChat, an instant-messaging app.

The warning came in the wake of media reports that such toys resembling chocolate, ballpoint pens, chewing gum and handguns are being sold in shops near primary and middle schools in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region's capital, Nanning.

The toys are inexpensive. A reporter in Nanning spent 70 yuan ($10.30) on a chocolate toy, a pen toy, a chewing gum toy and two handgun toys.

Although there were English words on the packaging warning that the toys could produce electric shocks, no trade name, factory name, factory address or date of manufacture was listed.

One of the toy guns was tested in an electrical laboratory of Nanning-based Guangxi Vocational and Technical Institute by He Jufeng, a senior technician, during an interview by China Central Television.

The gun emitted more than 600 volts upon discharge. Standard electrical current in homes and businesses in China is 220 volts.

According to He, the toy doesn't deliver continuous currents, so a person's body can normally diffuse it easily without lasting damages.

But He said that children and people with heart conditions should avoid such toys to prevent unnecessary risks.

Parents of schoolchildren in some parts of the country have alerted each other to the danger of the toys. According to media reports, the toys have also been found in Henan and Jiangxi provinces.

Xiao Lin, a middle-aged woman whose husband is the principal of a private primary school in Wuhan, Hubei province, said on Friday that many pupils' parents have warned each other through WeChat to prevent their children from playing with the dangerous toys.

It is not the first time that toys have disturbed the parents of schoolchildren.

Last month, a kind of miniature crossbow that shoots toothpicks and needles was found to be popular among primary and middle school students in some parts of the country, including Yunnan, Shandong and Henan provinces.

huangzhiling@chinadaily.com.cn
The house is charred after a fire. [Photo/VCG]

Police in Jiangsu province said they have arrested an arson suspect after a fire that engulfed a house claimed 22 lives on Sunday morning.

The fire broke out about 4:30 am in a two-story residential house in Yushan, a town in Changshu, leaving 22 people dead and three others injured, none of whom had life-threatening wounds.

Seventy-one firefighters and 14 firetrucks were dispatched and the blaze was extinguished by 5:30 am.

According to the Jiangsu Provincial Public Security Department, traces of gasoline were found at the scene and all the doors of the building were locked from the outside.

Police identified a suspect, surnamed Jiang, by analyzing the scene and surveillance cameras around the building.

Police said the suspect bad been taken into custody, but they released no further information.

Twenty-four teams with psychologists, legal experts and civil administration workers were sent to help relatives of the victims and the injured.

The State Administration of Work Safety dispatched a team to Changshu for investigation.

The administration ordered the provincial work safety department to cooperate with the Changshu government in aiding the injured and determining the cause of the fire.

Jiangsu's Party chief Li Qiang and Wu Zhenglong, acting governor, hurried to Changsu to assist.

Li said at a news conference in the city on Sunday that information on the fire will be released to the public as soon as possible.

According to local residents, the building served as a dormitory for employees of Siage Private Dishes Restaurant.

Twenty-nine employees, including cooks and waiters, had lived in the 200-square-meter building for more than two years.

Most of the dead were in their 20s and had left their hometowns to find work in Changshu.

Five burn wound specialists have been sent to the local hospital to help treat the injured.

An investigation of the fire is under way.

cangwei@chinadaily.com.cn
The Communist Party of China has issued a revised regulation on inspection in a renewed effort to improve supervision and governance of its more than 89 million members.

Shifting its focus from fighting corruption and Party rule violations in the initial rounds of inspections, the amendment released on Friday made political inspection more prominent on the supervision agenda.

The revised rules clearly stipulate that "political inspection should be deepened, and inspections should mainly focus on upholding the Party leadership, improving Party building, and advancing comprehensive and strict rule of the Party".

The inspections should staunchly safeguard the authority and the centralized, unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, and ensure the CPC is always the firm and core leadership of the socialist cause with Chinese characteristics, it said.

"Political inspection is a major innovation in both theory and practice of the inspection work of the 18th CPC Central Committee," said Yang Xiaochao, a member of the inspection leadership group of the CPC Central Committee.

"Incorporating requirements of political inspection into the regulation is a key point and highlight of the latest revision," Yang noted.

At a meeting on May 26, the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee decided to amend the Party's regulation on inspection work, to reflect the latest innovative practices.

The CPC inspection regulation was first put into force on a trial basis in 2009. This is the third version of the regulation following the release of a revised version in August 2015.

The regulation made public on Friday also stipulates that Party committees at both the central and provincial levels should conduct inspections on Party organizations of all localities, departments, public institutions and enterprises under their jurisdiction.

Party committees at the municipal and county levels are also required to establish special agencies to conduct inspections.

On June 21, the CPC discipline agency published the results of its 12th round of inspections into CPC organizations in provincial-level regions, central CPC and government organs, major state-owned enterprises, central financial institutions and centrally administered universities.
The chimney of a coal-powered engery factory emits waste gas in Xianyang, Shaanxi province. [Photo/VCG]

China's top environmental authority is flexing its muscles to take on polluting companies through more inspections and law enforcement. Fines levied on violators have soared in the past six months.

As of July 6, nearly two-thirds of 32,004 companies inspected in 28 cities in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, as well as neighboring regions, had committed various violations, according to the latest information from the Ministry of Environmental Protection, including excessive emissions and installing insufficient pollution control equipment.

The teams conducting the yearlong inspections - which began in early April and are the most thorough to be launched by the ministry - found that 6,662 companies with no operating licenses had polluted the environment severely.

"Such enhanced inspections can help local governments control air pollution in the region and nearby areas, and make companies comply with the environmental laws," said Tian Weiyong, head of the ministry's environmental monitoring bureau.

After the polluting companies are exposed for their violations, the city and county governments are forced to deal with the problems, he said.

More than 1,400 pollution-related problems have been solved by shutting down the companies' operations, according to the ministry.

The ministry will send inspectors to recheck the companies to ensure that problems have been rectified, Tian said.

"It's shocking to see the result that two-thirds are not compliant, which shows government officials don't always have the ability to enforce the law," Dimitri de Boer, head of ClientEarth China, an environmental NGO registered with the ministry, said on Sunday. But the inspections help to expose many problems and put environmental protection higher on the local agenda, he said.

In addition to the beefed-up inspections, environmental authorities nationwide have taken steps to control pollution through the help of the revised Law on Environmental Protection, which took effect on Jan 1, 2015.

In the first half of this year, the authorities issued fines totaling 610 million yuan ($90 million), an increase of 131 percent over the same period last year, according to the ministry.

In addition, more than 3,800 polluting companies were required to suspend production. People responsible for pollution at those companies and others - 3,939 cases altogether - were detained, the ministry said.

In addition to the inspections and law enforcement, to reduce pollution across the whole country, it's also important for the public to play a larger role, with ordinary people participating in supervision, Dimitri said.

Public participation will help bring environmental problems to light, helping governments find solutions, he said.
SHENZHEN - A knife-wielding man who killed two people Sunday night in a south China Walmart outlet is unemployed and conducted the attack alone, police said.

The 30-year-old suspect, surnamed Jiang, has been detained after attacking people with a kitchen knife in Bao'an District, Shenzhen City, at around 9 pm, Shenzhen police said. Nine people are receiving treatment after sustaining injuries.

According to Jiang's family, he hails from the southwestern municipality of Chongqing and became a migrant worker in 2014. The family posted a notice inquiring about Jiang's whereabouts in September 2015 after he lost contact with the family.

In the notice, the family claimed Jiang has a mental illness.

According to Shenzhen police, Jiang was clear-minded when he was questioned. A medical evaluation will be conducted to confirm his mental state.
BEIJING - Inspection is a strategic and systematic intra-Party supervision arrangement that will be further developed after the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) to be held later this year, top graft-buster Wang Qishan said.

Wang, head of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, made the remarks in an article carried Monday by the People's Daily, the flagship newspaper of the CPC.

He said the authority of inspection is assured by the centralized and unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee and empowered by the Party Constitution.

"Without the leadership of the CPC Central Committee, the inspection would not play such a big role and achieve such remarkable results," he said.

During the 12 rounds of inspection by central inspection authorities since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, 277 Party organizations have been inspected, 16 provincial-level regions have been re-examined and flexible inspections of four institutions under the central authorities have been carried out, he said.

The inspections also covered major state-owned enterprises, central financial institutions and major universities, among others, according to the article.

This is the first time the Party has successfully inspected all these entities within an administrative term, it said.

"All of the problems discovered during the inspections reflect the weakening of Party leadership, deficiency in Party building and inadequate work in strict Party governance," Wang said.

The root is in the relaxed and unhealthy intra-Party political life, he said.

In the battle to safeguard a clean political environment, great results have been achieved in strict Party governance.

Inspection authorities usually make public the list of target units and collect information through various channels before carrying out an inspection.

They also open hotlines and mailboxes to information on disciplinary violations during inspection, while feedback and rectification of targeted units are also publicized after the inspection.

The inspections have been linked to innovative approaches and other breakthroughs in Party governance.

The first round of discipline inspection in 2013 focused on work style, graft, political discipline and personnel selection, while Party discipline and strict Party governance have been emphasized in following rounds of inspection, the article said.

"Inspection is a political check-up, while re-examination is a political review that aims to extend and amplify deterrence," Wang said.

During re-examination, inspectors have discovered misconduct by officials, including Huang Xingguo, former acting Party chief and mayor of Tianjin Municipality.

The development of inspection work has sent a strong message that discipline inspection, as a "sword" of intra-Party supervision, is not a matter of expediency, but rather a systematic arrangement with a long-term vision, the article said.

The biggest challenge for the Party's long-term governance is a lack of effective supervision of power, Wang said.

Stressing that trust cannot take the place of supervision, Wang said the Party aims to improve intra-Party supervision through inspection and exposing real problems.

"The problems we are facing have been accumulated over a long period and therefore require a long period of time to solve," he added.
BEIJING - China has lodged solemn representations to the United States over a defense act that suggests re-establishing ports of call between the United States and Taiwan.



The National Defense Authorization Act For Fiscal Year 2018, passed by the US House of Representatives Friday, contains controversial provisions about re-establishing regular ports of call by the US Navy at Kaohsiung or any other suitable ports in Taiwan and permitting U.S. Pacific Command to receive ports of call by Taiwan.



"Relevant provisions seriously violate the one-China policy and the three China-US joint communiques upheld by the US and infringes upon China's domestic affairs," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said at a regular news briefing.



Lu reiterated that China had always opposed any official and military exchanges between the United States and Taiwan, urging the United States to clearly understand the serious harmfulness of such provisions.



He called on the United States to prevent the act becoming law, and stop retrogressive moves to avoid damaging China-US relations.



Under the three joint communiques, the United States is obliged to abide by the one-China policy, recognizing that Taiwan is part of China and the Government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government of China.
China started to air a 10-episode political documentary on Monday on State media to showcase the progress achieved by the Communist Party of China during the past five years amid its ongoing efforts to comprehensively deepen reform.

The CPC Central Committee organized the filming of the documentary, carrying the reform through to the end. The first episode was broadcast on the China Central Television and its new media outlets on Monday evening.

Topics of the documentary series include the economy, politics, social management, Chinese culture, environment, the armed forces and the Party's self-governance.

The documentary highlighted President Xi Jinping's important speeches and his new thoughts on the governance of China. It focuses on the achievements made by the CPC in deepening reforms since the Party's 18th National Congress in November 2012. Xi was elected as general secretary of the CPC Central Committee at the first Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee.

The CPC is going to hold its 19th National Congress later this year. Analysts said the political documentary will be helpful to make the congress a success, as it could encourage the whole Party and the public to make continuous efforts to deepen reforms and strive for the realization of the Chinese dream of a great rejuvenation of the nation.

Since Xi became general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, reform has emerged as a hallmark of his administration. His first trip outside Beijing as the general secretary was to Guangdong province in late 2012, which has been at the forefront of China's decadeslong reform and opening-up drive.

Xi headed the Central Leading Group for Deepening Overall Reform, established in late 2013. The group has had 36 meetings so far to discuss a wide range of issues, including poverty alleviation, healthcare, employment and education, all aimed at improving people's lives.

Zhang Zhuoyuan, a senior economic researcher from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the public has high expectations from the Central Leading Group because China's reforms have entered the "deep water zone", which needs more of a push from the top leadership.

Zhu Lijia, a professor of public administration at the Chinese Academy of Governance, said that by broadcasting the political documentary the CPC has sent a signal that comprehensively deepening reforms will continue to be the main task of the Party in the coming years.

"In the past, China's reform mainly focused on the economic area. The reform has become more comprehensive since the Party's 18th National Congress, covering all areas with institutional building," he said.

The CPC faces lots of uncertainties and challenges, both domestically and internationally, he said, adding that only through deepening reform will the Party resolve the problems successfully.
JERUSALEM - Israeli security forces killed a suspected Palestinian attacker during an overnight raid in the West Bank, the Israeli army said on Sunday.

According to a statement from the Israel Defense Forces, the assailant was identified as 34-year-old Ammar Ahmed Khalil, who reportedly opened fire at the West Bank communities of Ateret and Nabi Saleh on Saturday.

The Palestinian was shot dead after attempting to resist arrest in a house in Nabi Saleh near Ramallah in the central West Bank, the statement said.

Another Palestinian was injured in the firefight.

The incident came two days after three Arab-Israeli gunmen shot and killed two Israeli police officers and injured another at Jerusalem's ultra-sensitive Haram al-Sharif compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount.

All three attackers were killed on the site.

Meanwhile, Israel reopened the holy site after it was closed following Friday's attack, but Muslim worshippers were refusing to enter due to new security measures including metal detectors and cameras.

The site includes the al-Aqsa mosque and the Dome of the Rock.

A call to prayer rang out from al-Aqsa, but Muslim worshippers held midday prayers outside the site in protest at the new security measures.

Dozens of worshippers gathered to pray at an entrance to the compound next to the Lions' Gate entry to the Old City.

"We reject the changes imposed by the Israeli government," said Sheikh Omar Kiswani, al-Aqsa director.

"We will not enter through these metal detectors."

Israel took the highly unusual decision of closing the al-Aqsa mosque compound for Friday prayers, triggering anger from Muslims and Jordan, the holy site's custodian.

The site remained closed on Saturday, while parts of Jerusalem's Old City were also under lockdown.

Israeli authorities said the closure was necessary to carry out security checks.

Police said on Sunday that so far two gates leading to the holy site had been opened, equipped with metal detectors, adding that more than 200 people had entered.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke of the security measures late on Saturday before departing for a trip to Paris, saying they were vital in establishing "complete control over what goes on there".

The Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount is central to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with Palestinians fearing Israel may one day seek to assert further control over it.

It is considered the third holiest site in Islam and the most sacred for Jews.

Jews are allowed to visit but not pray there to avoid provoking tensions.

Xinhua - Afp - Ap

(China Daily 07/17/2017 page11)
President Castro brands Trump policy 'a setback' for relations

HAVANA - Cuban President Raul Castro has ratified his administration's willingness to continue engagement with the United States despite a setback in relations between the two countries.

At the closing of the parliament's plenary session, Castro vowed to push forward negotiations on pending bilateral issues "on the basis of equality and the respect for sovereignty and independence".

"Cuba and the United States can cooperate and coexist by respecting their differences and promoting everything that benefits their peoples," Castro said, referring to the change of US policy toward Cuba - announced by President Donald Trump last month - as a "setback in bilateral relations".

Castro's comments to Cuba's National Assembly were his first on Trump's announcement of a partial rollback of the Cuba-US detente achieved by then-president Barack Obama. They contained echoes of the harsh rhetoric of the past.

"Any strategy that seeks to destroy the revolution either through coercion or pressure or through more subtle methods will fail," Castro said.

He also rejected any "lessons" on human rights from the US, saying his country "has a lot to be proud about" on the issue.

Castro said that Trump's decisions ignored large sectors of the US and most Cuban emigrants in support of lifting the embargo and normalizing bilateral ties, and merely satisfied a small group in Florida.

Castro recalled the previous US administration of Obama, who restored the diplomatic ties with Havana and made progress on issues of mutual interest "on the basis of bilateral respect".

"We demonstrated that it is possible to live in a civilized way despite our profound differences," Castro said.

"We reject the manipulation of the human rights issues over Cuba. Our country has many achievements to be proud of, and we do not need to take lessons from the US or anybody else."

He added: "Cuba will not make concessions concerning its sovereignty and independence, nor negotiate its principles."

Formal ties between Cuba and the US broke off in March 1961 during the Cold War and were resumed in July 2015 after more than a year of secret negotiations.

The nations had agreed to cooperate in areas such as drug and human trafficking and the environment.

Xinhua - Ap

(China Daily 07/17/2017 page11)
TOKYO - Visitors will not be allowed to set foot on a men-only UNESCO World Heritage island in Japan from next year, an official said on Saturday.

The tiny landmass of Okinoshima, where women are banned and male visitors must bathe naked in the sea before visiting its shrine, was declared a World Heritage site last week.

Limited numbers are currently permitted to land on the island - this year it was 200 - for a yearly festival that lasts just two hours, but they must adhere to strict rules.

But Munakata Taisha, the shrine which owns Okinoshima, has decided to ban travel for anyone apart from priests from next year to protect the island from being damaged, a spokesman said.

"A strict preservation is required now that the island has got the UNESCO listing," he said.

"It will be risky if 200 visitors continue to come to the island," he said, adding that Okinoshima is "the island protected by Shinto priests".

The island is permanently manned by a Shinto priest who prays to the island's goddess, in a tradition that has been kept up for centuries.

However, academics will be allowed to land on the island for research and preservation purposes, he added.

The island, which sits off the northwest coast of Kyushu, the southernmost of Japan's four main islands, was an important window for foreign trade in Japan since ancient times, forming part of a route that linked the archipelago to the Korean Peninsula and China.

Agence France-presse

(China Daily 07/17/2017 page11)
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia - French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian arrived on Saturday in Jeddah, a major coastal city in Saudi Arabia, to help tackle the Qatar diplomatic crisis.

In early June, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut ties with Qatar and moved to isolate the small, but wealthy Gulf nation, canceling air routes between their capitals and Qatar's and closing their airspace to Qatari flights.

Saudi Arabia also sealed Qatar's only land border, impacting a key source of food imports in the mostly desert nation.

The four countries also expelled all Qatari nationals, impacting mixed-nationality families in the Gulf, students and people seeking medical treatment abroad, among others. Prior to the dispute, Qataris could travel visa-free between the Gulf countries.

"France is calling for these measures to be lifted, especially ones that affect the (Qatari) population, specifically measures that impact bi-national families that have been separated," Le Drian said.

Le Drian urged the four countries to resolve the ongoing crisis through dialogue.

After his visit to Riyadh, Le Drian will go to Kuwait and the UAE to attempt mediation.

Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir claimed he could provide evidence that Qatar violated the 2013 Riyadh Agreement and the 2014 Riyadh Supplementary Agreement, both of which aim to enhance cooperation between Gulf nations and avoid interference in each other's internal affairs.

He also stressed that Qatar must implement relevant anti-terrorism agreements.

The four Arab countries cut ties with Qatar on June 5, accusing it of supporting "extremism and terrorism", an allegation which Qatar has denied.

On June 23, the four Arab states issued a list of 13 demands to end the rift with Doha, including closing Al-Jazeera television and downgrading diplomatic ties with Iran. Since Qatar's response seemed unsatisfactory to them, the four have decided to maintain their sanctions against Qatar.

With Qatar holding firm to its position, a top UAE diplomat cautioned that the diplomatic standoff could be prolonged.

"We are heading toward a long estrangement," UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar al-Gargash wrote on Twitter.

"The reality is we are far from a political solution that changes Qatar's course. In light of that, nothing will change and we must look to a different mode in relations," he added.

Xinhua - Ap

(China Daily 07/17/2017 page12)
Authorities declare July 15 an annual holiday of 'democracy and unity'

ANKARA - Turkey on Saturday marked one year since the defeat of the failed coup bid with mass nationwide rallies seeking to showcase national unity and a stern warning by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to "chop off the heads" of traitors.

The authorities declared July 15 an annual national holiday of "democracy and unity", billing the foiling of the putsch as a historic victory of Turkish democracy.

In an intense program aiming to hammer home the anniversary's importance, Erdogan attended a special session of parliament in Ankara, spoke to a mass rally in Istanbul and then flew back to the capital for a rally outside parliament and a special event at the presidential palace in the early hours of the morning.

Speaking to hundreds of thousands by the bridge across the Bosphorus in Istanbul that was a fighting flashpoint, Erdogan warned Turkey could reintroduce capital punishment.

"If it comes to me after parliament, I will sign it," the president told the rally on the Bosphorus Bridge, renamed July 15 Martyrs Bridge in the wake of the coup bid, echoing a refrain he has repeated time and again ever since.

In the crowd, some were seen holding nooses as they chanted "We want death penalty!"

The European Union has threatened to end Turkey's accession bid if it moves to reintroduce the capital punishment that was abolished in 2004.

Saying that terror organizations have been used as pawns in the coup plot like those on the chessboard, Erdogan vowed to "chop off the heads of those traitors" as "without beating the pawns we cannot say checkmate".

In the later speech to thousands outside parliament in Ankara which was bombed by warplanes that night, Erdogan declaimed "our nation showed the whole world what a nation we are on July 15".

The crowds later made their way to the palace where dozens had camped outside for the final official event during which Erdogan inaugurated a monument to the victims which has people hold up the crescent and star symbols of the Turkish flag.

'I would stay out again'

Two hundred and forty nine people, not including the plotters, were killed when a disgruntled faction of the army sent tanks into the streets and warplanes into the sky in a bid to overthrow Erdogan after one-and-a-half decades in power.

But they were thwarted within hours as the authorities regrouped and people poured into the streets in support of Erdogan, who blamed followers of his ally-turned-nemesis, the US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen.

"Did my citizens have weapons? They had their flags like today but they had a more efficient weapon: their faith," Erdogan said in Istanbul.

Murat, an Erdogan supporter at the Ankara rally, said: "If that happened once more, I would stay out again. That night, it was like a war. We take ownership of this country and this people."

In the wake of the failed coup bid, authorities embarked on the biggest purge in Turkey's history, arresting 50,000 people and sacking almost three times as many. Erdogan also shored up his position by winning a referendum on enhancing his powers earlier this year.

In the latest dismissals, another 7,563 police, soldiers and other state employees were fired late on Friday under the state of emergency that has been in place since July 20 last year.

Erdogan said a decision would be made on Monday over whether to recommend extending the emergency by another three months.

Afp - Xinhua

(China Daily 07/17/2017 page12)
Starting from July 15, more than 20 former professors of Shaanxi Normal University will be writing individual acceptance letters with a brush for more than 4,500 freshmen. The whole process will take ten days. The college says handwriting is better at conveying deeply held feelings. [Photo/Official Weibo account of People's Daily]
The Tang Xianzu International Theater Arts Exchange will be held at Fuzhou, in Jiangxi province, Tang's birthplace, from Sept 24 to the end of October. [Photo by Chen Qiang/China Daily]

The Tang Xianzu International Theater Arts Exchange  a series of programs to pay tribute to Chinese playwright Tang Xianzu and English poet and playwright William Shakespeare  will be held at Fuzhou, in Jiangxi province, Tang's birthplace, from Sept 24 to the end of October.

About 20 performing arts troupes from China and the United Kingdom will perform in Fuzhou, including TNT Theatre Britain, Suzhou Kunqu Opera Theater of Jiangsu Province and the National Peking Opera Company, staging pieces adapted from works of Tang and Shakespeare.

The Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) playwright from Fuzhou composed more than 2,000 poems and essays, most of which were written during his later years.

He is best known for four plays  The Peony Pavilion, The Purple Hairpin, Record of the Southern Bough and Record of Handan. They're collectively known as The Four Dreams of Linchuan.

In September 2016, the three-day Third China Fuzhou Tang Xianzu Art Festival was held in Fuzhou, featuring events, including a grand parade at the opening ceremony, the premiere of the musical Tang Xianzu performed by the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and the opening of the Tang Xianzu Memorial Museum and a stage production, titled A Midsummer Night's Dreaming Under the Southern Bough by the University of Leeds, which combined Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream and Tang's Record of the Southern Bough.

These two productions are expected to return to the upcoming Tang Xianzu International Theater Arts Exchange.

Meanwhile, the UK's Stratford-on-Avon and China's Fuzhou, the hometowns of William Shakespeare and Tang, signed a memorandum of cooperation at the Linchuan No 1 Middle School in Fuzhou last September.

Zhang Hongxing, mayor of Fuzhou and Chris Saint, leader of the Stratford-on-Avon District Council attended the event.

The idea of commemorating Tang and Shakespeare through the year came from a speech by President Xi Jinping, who, during his visit to Britain in October last year, called on both countries to jointly "celebrate the legacy of these two literary giants to promote interpersonal exchanges and deepen mutual understanding".
Guizhou county enjoys fruits of lucrative plum growing industry ( chinadaily.com.cn ) Updated: 2017-07-14

Yanhe Tujia autonomous county, a rural area of Southwest China's Guizhou province, is putting all of its eggs, or rather all of its plums, in one basket in its fight against poverty.

The county is hoping that a local breed of plumthe kongxin plumwill be the key to unlocking the doors to prosperity for its residents.

The kongxin, or hollow plum, so named because of its distinctive gap between the flesh and the core of the fruit, has become popular in China due to its good taste. It has even been recognized as a "national geographical indication protection product" by the Chinese government in 2006.

Yanhe held its first plum picking festival on July 12, and local officials marked the occasion by announcing ambitious new targets for plum production.

People pick kongxin plums at the first plum picking festival in Shazi town, Yanhe Tujia autonomous county in Guizhou province on July 12. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The county plans to plant 100,000 mu (667 hectares) of its famous kongxin plum trees by 2020, which is expected to generate 170 million yuan ($25 million) per year, an official said at the festival's opening ceremony.

Shazi town, in the east of Yanhe, is one place where cultivating the kongxin plum has already borne fruit for local residents.

People in Shazi have been growing plums since 1858, and the fruit is now the main source of income for nearly every household in the town.

The plum planting area in Shazi exceeds 28,000 mu, which produces an annual yield of more than 800 tons and generates 20 million yuan in revenue, according to Qiao Qiao, an official from the town government.
Foreign-born Chinese seek roots in Shanxi ( chinadaily.com.cn ) Updated: 2017-07-14

Young ethnic Chinese children from abroad pose with teachers from the summer camp. [Photo/sxrb.com]

Shanxi province gave a warm welcome to 190 ethnic Chinese children from Italy, Canada, the US, Belgium, and Switzerland in Taiyuan, the provincial capital, on July 11.

The young people were there to participate in the annual Root-seeking Summer Camp which will last for 10 days.

"You are our family members, though you live far away," said Li Gang, director of Shanxi Chinese culture base, during a welcome ceremony for the children.

"Chinese culture is the root of every Chinese person. I hope you can enjoy the summer camp and learn more about Chinese culture," he added.

Local children in Taiyuan demonstrate calligraphy for young ethnic Chinese children from foreign countries. [Photo/sxrb.com]

During the 10 days, the young people will learn traditional Chinese culture, such as paper-cutting, calligraphy, folk dancing and martial arts.

They will also visit famous scenic spots in Shanxi, including three World Heritage Sites  Wutai Mountain, the Ancient City of Pingyao and Yungang Grottoes.

"I have been looking forward to the summer camp," said a Chinese student from Switzerland who saw the activity as a great opportunity to learn Shanxi culture and make new friends.

The Shanxi Root-seeking Summer Camp, which began in 2012, is hosted by the State Overseas Chinese Affairs Office and its subsidiary departments in Shanxi. It has received more than 600 young Chinese people from 15 countries and regions.
President Xi Jinping makes remarks at a gathering celebrating the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland and the inaugural ceremony of the fifth-term government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, in Hong Kong, July 1, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

During his three-day inspection tour to Hong Kong to celebrate the special administrative region's 20th anniversary, President Xi Jinping not only brought good weather but also many memorable sound bites and powerful messages.

Xi spoke to select groups of mainland officials and troops and Hong Kong residents on six occasions. On each occasion, he made specific demands targeted at his audience. As Zhang Xiaoming, head of the Liaison Office, pointed out in his keynote speech at the inauguration ceremony of the fifth-term Hong Kong SAR government on July 1, Xi laid out four imperatives in implementing the "one country, two systems" principleHong Kong must grasp accurately the relationship between "one country" and "two systems", act in accordance with the nation's Constitution and the SAR Basic Law, focus on development, and uphold a harmonious and stable environment.

Xi's pronouncements on "one country, two systems" are naturally of central importance to our understanding of the nation's vision of this unprecedented arrangement now. Much has been written on Xi's proclamations on "one country, two systems" since his visit. Yet there are other equally important dimensions of Xi's remarks in Hong Kong which deserve our attention.

As someone who has been studying and working for years to make Hong Kong a success under the principle of "one country, two systems", Xi understands Hong Kong's challenges extremely well. In his keynote speech on July 1, he succinctly summarized the most critical challenges facing Hong KongHong Kong's systems to safeguard the nation's sovereignty, security and developmental interests have yet to be perfected; promotion of understanding of the nation's history and culture need to be strengthened; Hong Kong's residents lack consensus on certain important political and legal issues; Hong Kong's economic development faces many challenges as its traditional advantages weaken and new engines of growth have yet to be developed; and Hong Kong's housing problems remain acute.

Small wonder that one of Xi's key messages on touching down at Hong Kong's airport on June 29 was a reminder that the SAR should "plan for the future". In other words, there is no room for complacency and Hong Kong must do better.

Another less-noticed but no less important aspect is that Xi's remarks were purposefully steeped in history and emotions. His first words on the tarmac of Hong Kong's airport were "Hong Kong has always stirred my heart". The remarks were in the same vein as those he made when he met with the then Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou in Singapore in November 2015. On that occasion Xi said he and Ma were "brothers whose sinews remain intertwined even though bones had been broken, and family members whose blood is thicker than water". The purpose was to remind Taiwan compatriots that we are of the same race and have descended from the same ancestors.

In view of Hong Kong's special historical circumstances, on July 1, Xi took pains to remind Hong Kong residents that Hong Kong was snatched from China in the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) by colonial predators. Hong Kong was lost owing to the incompetence of the late Qing government. The wrongs done to our nation had only been righted as the result of the arduous and determined struggle of the Chinese people after the establishment of New China.

Knowing that there is no lack of Hong Kong residents, particularly youths with little knowledge of the modern history of China, who are ignorant of the sufferings inflicted on our nation by imperialist powers and who still harbor pro-colonialism or separatist sentiments, Xi's historical recollection was intended to instill proper knowledge of history. In recalling the background to Deng Xiaoping's formulation of the "one country, two systems" arrangement to resolve a historical problem, Xi reminded Hong Kong residents that Hong Kong's return to China was part of the nation's objective of unifying the country ultimately. Separation would not be an option.

Xi's speech at the welcome dinner on June 30 was no less noteworthy in the broad, global and forward-looking context in which it was made. In asking Hong Kong residents to have faith in themselves, in Hong Kong and in the country, Xi laid out the rapidly evolving global and national situations which Hong Kong is facing. Hong Kong has many unique advantages and favorable conditions. It continues to enjoy a leading position in international finance, shipping, trade and remains an important platform for China to modernize its economy and internationalize its currency.

However, after almost 40 years of reform and opening-up, China has turned the tables and is now leapfrogging in technology and innovation. It is now an international heavyweight in driving growth and globalization. The SAR must learn to grasp the new realities and move ahead in tandem with the nation if it is to continue to prosper.

In sum, Xi has left a great impression on Hong Kong as a forward-looking leader with a historical and global perspective. His speeches are sweeping and panoramic in bringing the past, present and future together, as well as the mainland, Hong Kong and the world. Hong Kong needs to rise to the many challenges implicit in his speeches. The nation has beckoned and the opportunity is there. Whether we can prosper as part of the nation really depends on whether we could grasp the moment.

The author is the chairwoman of the New People's Party and member of the Executive Council and Legislative Council of Hong Kong.
LUO JIE/CHINA DAILY

Khaltmaa Battulga of the Democratic Party was sworn in as the fifth president of Mongolia on July 10 after winning the runoff election with 50.6 percent votes. The 54-year-old business tycoon and former judo champion has vowed to revive Mongolia's flagging economy and pursue equality-based relationships with neighboring Russia and China.

In his inauguration speech, Battulga emphasized that Mongolia should also take measures to strengthen its relations with the "third neighbors"the United States, Japan, Germany and other countriesbeyond its two giant neighbors.

Although some of Battulga's supporters sent out random negative messages about China during the presidential campaign, China-Mongolia cooperation will continue on the basis of mutual benefit.

On July 11, Chinese President Xi Jinping congratulated Battulga for taking the office of Mongolia's president. A day before that, Battulga met with China's ambassador to Mongolia Xing Haiming and exchanged views on China-Mongolia relations and cooperation. Xing said China and Mongolia are friendly neighbors, and Beijing attached great importance to the two countries' ties. Battulga, on his part, said Mongolia and China have always been good neighbors and should enhance the synergy between Mongolia's Development Road strategy and China's Belt and Road Initiative.

The China-led Belt and Road Initiative and Mongolia's Development Road strategy have many common concepts and contents, indicating the two countries have a bright cooperative future. The Belt and Road Initiative aims at sharing resources, technologies and expertise with its neighboring and other countries.

On Sept 11, 2014, Xi proposed the "China-Russia-Mongolia Economic Corridor" and received positive responses from Moscow and Ulaanbaatar. In July 2015, the leaders of the three countries held a meeting in Ufa, Russia, and agreed to dovetail the Silk Road Economic Belt with Russia's "Transcontinental Rail Plan" and Mongolia's "Prairie Road Program" (which became Development Road strategy in 2017), and push forward the construction of the China-proposed trilateral economic corridor.

Mongolia is situated along the Silk Road Economic Belt, the overland route of the Belt and Road Initiative which also comprises the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, making China-Mongolia cooperation a key part of the implementation of the initiative.

Mongolia proposed the Prairie Road Program in 2014 to connect China and Russia through Mongolia with "five lines"roads, railway, oil pipelines, gas pipelines and power lines. On May 12 this year, Xi met with Mongolian Prime Minister Jargaltulga Erdenebat at the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing and said China supported Mongolia's role as a bridge between China and Russia. Therefore, China-Mongolia all-round cooperation will be mutually beneficial.

Another important fact is that China and Mongolia are economically complementary and thus ideal for economic cooperation. China has been Mongolia's largest investment and trading partner for more than a decade. Mongolia mainly exports natural resources, fur and raw materials to China, and imports gas, diesel, food, and machinery and equipment from China.

As a frontier market state, Mongolia is in the initial stage of prospecting natural resources and pursuing industrial development. It therefore needs Chinese investments and technology in the mining industry, which is an important pillar of its economy. The Belt and Road Initiative has brought great opportunities to Mongolia, by helping deepen bilateral cooperation in various fields such as minerals, infrastructure and connectivity. So, it will enjoy greater benefits by participating in the Belt and Road Initiative.

China is also vital to Mongolia's national security in geopolitical terms. Located between Russia and China, having good relationships with its two giant neighbors is Mongolia's top priority. Although Battulga emphasized that Mongolia should also try to strengthen relations with "third neighbors", Mongolia's geopolitical position demands that it maintain friendly ties with Russia and China.

Moreover, no country can develop in isolation in the era of globalization, and Mongolia can benefit from China's robust economic growth by participating in the Belt and Road Initiative. Minerals and infrastructure construction form the backbone of the two countries' economic cooperation today. And there is enough reason for the two sides to deepen cooperation in fields such as e-commerce, and digital economy.

The author is an assistant researcher at the Inner Mongolia Academy of Social Sciences.


Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi gestures as he addresses the nation from the historic Red Fort during Independence Day celebrations in Delhi, India, August 15, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

India has repeatedly ignored China's calls for it to withdraw its troops that crossed the Sikkim section of the border and entered Chinese territory.

Turning a deaf ear to China will only worsen the situation.

The Sikkim section of the China-India border has been delimited, and both Chinese and Indian governments have repeatedly acknowledged it.

China has made it clear that there is no room for negotiations on the border and India should know its incursion will by no means be allowed to become a fait accompli.

India's illegal move in Doklam runs counter to the five principles of peaceful co-existence, which include respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity. India has advocated the principles since the 1950s along with China.

In recent years, some fervently nationalist groups in India have been constantly stirring up anti-China sentiments, even clamoring for a boycott of Chinese goods claiming they are "the commodities of a hostile country".

And on the occasion of the Indian troops trespassing across the Sikkim section of the China-India bonder, some senior Indian officials have made provocative remarks, which have further fueled such nationalist fervor.

But as an old Chinese saying goes, peace is most precious. It has been noticed that Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar recently made positive remarks in Singapore, saying that "India and China should not let differences become disputes."

What China would like to see now are more corresponding actions by India to support those words.

China cherishes the peace and serenity in the border areas, and it has the will to solve the problem peacefully by diplomatic means, but the precondition is that India withdraw its troops back across the border. India should abide by the basic principles of international law, and stop stubbornly persisting with its trespassing.

-Xinhua News Agency
A village in Shannan City, Tibet autonomous region, China [Xinhua]

As a result of Hollywood and a fascination with Buddhism among certain celebrities and in some bohemian circles, many Americans are deeply misinformed about Tibet.

The reality is that the Tibet Autonomous Regions position, as part of the Peoples Republic of China, has been overwhelmingly good for the population. It has also been good for Tibetan culture and traditions, which are not being destroyed, but rather celebrated and promoted by the central government.

As part of Chinas 13th Five Year Plan (2016-2020), the Sichuan-Tibet Railway is under construction to link remote and mountainous parts of the region to the rest of the world. This ambitious project involving well over a thousand miles of railway will cost roughly US$36 billion, and will vastly improve the economic access of the region.

Due to the nature of the terrain, 80 percent of the track will be either cross bridges or pass through tunnels.

The poverty alleviation programs sponsored by the central government have provided modern housing for 236,000 Tibetans, many of whom had previously lived without running water and electricity. The programs form part of Chinas goal to completely eliminate such dire conditions by 2020.

Tibetans are seeing their living standards increase without the disappearance of their traditional religion or culture. On the contrary, the Tibetan Medical and Astrology School, founded in the eighth century, is flourishing. At the ancient school, students study traditional Tibetan medicine while being exempt from tuition fees. The school also provides students with education in mathematics, politics, the Tibetan language, as well as modern medicine.

Tourism is booming, and millions of tourist dollars are going directly into the pockets of the indigenous Tibetan population. Many of the travelers are visiting Tibet because of their deep interest in its history and culture.

Many Westerners who believe China is oppressing Tibetans draw their knowledge from the 1952 book entitled Seven Years in Tibet written by Austrian mountaineer Heinrich Harrer, and made into a Hollywood movie in 1997, that glorified the old feudalist regime in Tibet before its liberation by the PLA.

It is not disputed that Harrer was a member of Hitlers SS who ended up in Tibet after escaping from internment in India.

During the 1930s, fascists and far-rightists in Europe had a particular fascination with the Tibetan Kingdom. Despite its rigid feudal hierarchy, enforced with torture, mutilation, and liberal use of capital punishment, they saw it as a possible antidote to class struggle and other social conflicts plaguing the West.

Nazis measured the skulls and bones taken from Tibetan graves hoping to prove that Germans were their modern descendants. Hitler adopted the swastika, a symbol associated with the caste system and ancient civilizations in India, for similar reasons.

If Tibet had remained under feudalism, it would most likely have continued to be a deeply impoverished, remote, isolated society. Furthermore, if Tibet had not become part of the Peoples Republic of China, it would most likely still have a political system of harsh theocratic repression.

The Chinese Communist Party has confirmed that errors were indeed made during the Cultural Revolution, when many religious sites and artefacts were vandalized by youth Red Guards, and that the policies of the Gang of Four toward religion were deeply harmful, not only in Tibet, but throughout the country.

However, as Tibet rises from poverty, gains a modern infrastructure network, and sees its tourism industry boom, it should be obvious that Tibets existence as part of China has not been harmful.

Hollywood film stars and adherents to Westernized interpretations of Buddhism should not be considered experts on the region and its history, or on contemporary Chinese politics. The reality of poverty alleviation, flourishing culture, tourism, and railway projects should refute the mythology preached by certain demagogues.

Caleb Maupin is a journalist and political analyst who resides in New York City focusing on US foreign policy and the global system of monopoly capitalism and imperialism.
Gulangyu, the small sea island off the coast of Xiamen in Fujian province, boasts many 19th-century buildings as it was once clustered with Western religious groups, international institutions and foreign consulates. [Photo by Hu Meidong/China Daily]

With giant banyan trees shading its graceful European mansions, Gulangyu looks like a Mediterranean island in the South China Sea. Robin Goldstein reports.

The historical international settlement of pedestrianonly Gulangyu Island, in the bay of Xiamen, was made a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site at the 41st United Nations World Heritage Committee meeting in Krakow, Poland on July 8.

I first saw Gulangyu (known in the local dialect as Kulangsu) through the eyes of my partner, Yang Jing, a concert violinist who grew up on this 1.88 square kilometers islet. It's just an islet, officially, a small village of about 4,000 households and 14,000 people living on a small island in the shadow of the larger, newer island of Xiamen city.

Yang's family has been in Gulangyu for three generations. Before I set foot on the island, I had heard her CD Kulangsu: Through the Strings of Timewhich combined classical music with natural sounds recorded from around the islandand Yang had explained to me that there were no cars or bikes allowed on the island.

She had told me of the narrow cobblestone streets that wind through hills and spill out onto tropical beaches lined with coconut palms.

She had described the giant banyan trees shading the graceful European mansions, the romantic couples posing for wedding pictures, and the 13 historical consulates that made Gulangyu look like a Mediterranean island plopped into the South China Sea.

But not even Yang's tales of beauty and charm could have prepared me for the magical experience of stepping off the ferry onto Gulangyu for the first time.

The 10-minute ferry ride from downtown Xiamen takes less time than your average city taxi trip, but it is a ride into another world, into a Chinese-Western past that you might not even know existed.

Like that of Venice, Gulangyu's air is just something that has to be breathed in to be understood.
When China began its reform and opening up drive in 1978, its gross domestic product (GDP) ranked 10th in the world, trailing not only the United States, but a host of other nations, including Japan, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Canada, Brazil and Spain. In fact, it was smaller than the economy of California.

The story since then is known to all. China played catch-up rapidly. In December of 2014, an IMF report stated that using purchasing power parity, China produced $17.6 trillion in terms of goods and services that year, compared with $17.4 trillion for the US.

Otherwise, the Conference Board estimates that China's GDP will surpass that of the US by 2018 and PriceWaterhouse Coopers forecasts that China's economy will be bigger than the US' before 2030.

The trend seems to be clear that China will have the world's largest economy in the coming years or decades, if not already. But it is true that in the per capita sense, China's GDP is much smaller.

Like the varied estimates, perceptions among people in countries are quite different. A Pew Research Center survey released last Thursday shows that across 38 nations polled, a median of 42 percent say the US is the world's leading economy, while 32 percent name China.

People in Latin America and much of Asia and sub-Saharan Africa tend to think the US is the largest economy. And by a 51 percent to 35 percent margin, people in the US name their own country rather than China as the largest economy. That contrasts to a Gallup poll in February of 2016 which showed that by 50 percent to 37 percent, more Americans say China rather than the US is the top economy.

Probably quite surprisingly, in seven of the 10 European Union nations surveyed by Pew, China is regarded as the leading economic power. A plurality in Russia also holds this view. China leads the US by a two-to-one margin in Australia  a longtime US security ally whose largest trading partner is China.

While more countries believe the US is still the largest economy, perceptions of relative US economic power have declined among many of the US' key trading partners and allies, according to the survey. Such a shift is not only true in Europe, but also in countries such as Canada, Brazil, Mexico and the Philippines.

The survey finds that global publics tend to express positive views about China, and more people now express negative views of the US than of China. A median of 47 percent across the 38 nations polled have a favorable view of China, while 37 percent have an unfavorable one; a median of 49 percent see the US in a positive light while 39 percent offer an unfavorable view.

Sub-Saharan Africa is the region where China receives its most positive ratings, a clear refutation of those who have criticized China's role in Africa. At 72 percent, Nigerians' assessment of China is the most positive on the survey. Also, 70 percent of Russians express a favorable view of China.

China is also viewed very favorably in Latin America, where 51 percent express a favorable opinion of China while 26 percent express an unfavorable view  again, a refutation of criticism of China's growing role in Latin America.

In the Middle East, the favorable view of China is 53 percent, against 43 percent unfavorable. It is the area where China continues to lead the US in favorability rating, a reflection of US foreign policy failure in the region despite its heavy involvement, or intervention, diplomatically and militarily.

While Europeans are divided on China, the share of the public with a positive opinion of China has increased significantly in countries such as Spain, France and the UK.

China has suffered a drop in its favorable view in South Korea, India and Vietnam, but the survey does not say whether this was due to China's strained relations with these countries due to China's strong opposition to the THAAD anti-missile defense system in South Korea, the border standoff with India or a maritime territorial dispute with Vietnam.

In the US, 44 percent view China favorably while 47 percent express an unfavorable view. That is less exciting than a Gallup poll in February which showed that 50 percent in the US now view China favorably, the best since the end of the 1980s.

Contact the writer at chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com.
JERUSALEM - Israel passed a security bill Sunday to consolidate its control over the entire Jerusalem, making it more difficult for any Israeli leader to hand over Palestinians parts of Jerusalem during future peace negotiations.

The bill, proposed by the far-right Jewish Home leader Shuli Moalem-Refaeli, states that giving up Israeli sovereignty over any part of Jerusalem would require approval by 80 members of Knesset, which is three-fourths of the members of the Israeli parliament.

The ministerial committee for legislation has approved the bill.

Israel seized East Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East War, along with the rest of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

It later annexed East Jerusalem and declared it as part of its "eternal and indivisible capital," a move that has never been recognized by the international community.

The sovereignty over Jerusalem is one of the key issues obstructing the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
CARACAS - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro reiterated his call for political dialogue with the opposition Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD) on Sunday.

This came on the day his government held a practice vote ahead of the July 30 election for the National Constituent Assembly (ANC) while the MUD held an unofficial referendum to allow the Venezuelan people to express their support or rejection for the ANC.

"They (MUD) have a quiet consultation today (...) I tell them not to go crazy, we make a call for them to return to peace, to sit down and talk, to begin a new cycle of dialogue for peace," said Maduro during a telephone interview with the state-owned Venezolana de Television.

He called on the opposition to recover "a democratic character" and "isolate" the sectors that Maduro blames for violent protests.

"We must be aware of the differences we have in the country, we must resolve them with peace, with votes and not bullets, with tolerance, with democracy," continued Maduro.

Maduro dismissed the referendum by the MUD as having seen little participation but claimed the simulation of the ANC vote as having seen "very big" participation, larger than any election for 18 years.

His call for peace may have been affected by the death of a woman, Xiomara Scott, 61, at a voting center for the MUD referendum.

Late Sunday, the prosecutor-general issued a statement stating that a shooting at the town of Catia, west of Caracas, had killed Scott and three others outside a voting center.

However, MUD representatives quickly attributed the attack on "armed groups" linked to the government.

The vice-president of the National Assembly, MUD member Freddy Guevara, sent a letter to Maduro and Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez, in which he claimed the army was responsible.

Scott's death brings the total number of people killed since anti-government protests broke out in early April to 95.
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Palestinians perform night prayer in front of the new security metal detectors, outside one of the main entrances to the Al-Aqsa mosque, refusing to enter because of the detectors installed by Israel as the holy site re-opened for the first time on Sunday since a two-day closure following a deadly shootout in Jerusalem on July 16, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

JERUSALEM - Clashes erupted outside East Jerusalem's al-Aqsa mosque compound on Sunday as Israeli authorities implemented new security measures at the Mosque entrance.

Palestinian media reported that several Palestinians were injured during the clashes. A video footage broadcast on Israel's Channel 2 TV news showed anti-riots police beating and kicking demonstrators outside the compound.

A police statement said one person was arrested for rioting.

The Israeli measures, including CCTVs covering the entire compound, checkpoints and metal detectors at the entrances, were installed after three Palestinian Muslims with Israeli citizenship shot dead two Israel policemen on Friday morning.

The gunmen, all from the Arab city of Umm al-Fahm in central Israel, were subsequently shot and killed by the police.

Immediately after the incident, Israel shut down the compound, saying that security forces need to check the site for more militants or ammunition.

It was the first time in 50 years that Israel closed the compound, which is Islam's third holiest site.

On Sunday, Israel reopened the holy site but required all visitors to undergo security checks through metal detectors that were placed at two gates. Only Muslim residents of Jerusalem were allowed to enter.

The police said they plan to gradually open additional gates, after installing metal detectors.

The Waqf, a Muslim religious authority that administrates the compound, rejected the new measures and refused to hold prayers at the mosque. The Waqf said that the measures were a breach of the status quo.

Omar Kiswani, director of al-Aqsa Mosque, told reporters outside the site that "the closure, the occupation, and the prevention of the call for prayers are all unfair and unjust and constitute a violation of the United Nations resolutions and the international agreements."

"We hold the Israeli government responsible for the changes they have made in the al-Aqsa Mosque and taking its control away from us. We will stay outside the mosque until we get back the way it was taken from us," he said.

Dozens of worshippers stood outside the Lions' Gate in the Old City of Jerusalem and held a public prayer in protest of the new measures. Some women wailed and cried that al-Aqsa is in danger, while others chanted "with our spirit, we will redeem you al-Aqsa!"

Israel's Minister of Internal Security Gilad Erdan said that at least two more gates are planned to be opened on Monday. The police hope to allow also Jewish visitors to the site later this week, he said.

Israel seized East Jerusalem, where al-Aqsa is located, along with the rest of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip during the 1967 Middle East war. Israel subsequently annexed East Jerusalem, claiming it part of its "eternal and indivisible" capital, in a move never recognized internationally.

The compound site is holy to both Muslims, who revered it as the Noble Sanctuary, and to Jews, who know it as the Temple Mount. Jews revere the site as the place of their historic temples, the last of which was ruined by the Romans in 70 AD.

Due to the special sensitivity, the Muslim Waqf is responsible for the administration of the site. Israeli Jews are allowed to visit the site but not to pray there.

In recent months, far-right Israeli lawmakers renewed their calls to change the long-held status quo and to lift the restrictions on Jewish prays, escalating the tensions in and around the compound.
Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain speaks during the committee's hearing on foreign cyber threats, on Capitol Hill in Washington, US, January 5, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

WASHINGTON  The US Senate delayed a highly anticipated vote this coming week to repeal and replace the nation's health care law after Sen. John McCain's announced absence due to surgery, an enormous setback as time dwindles for Republicans to pass the signature legislation after years of promises.

The decision by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell late Saturday came not long after McCain's office disclosed that he had undergone surgery to remove a blood clot from above his left eye. He's expected to be out for the week, recovering in Arizona.

Adding to the uncertainty, the Congressional Budget Office also indicated on Sunday it no longer expected to release its analysis on Monday on the estimated cost and scope of insurance coverage under the latest GOP bill, which has the support of President Donald Trump.

The No 2 Senate GOP leader, John Cornyn of Texas, said he still expected the Senate to move quickly, holding a vote as soon as McCain returns. But amid growing public unease over the bill, some Republicans suggested the delay will make McConnell's task of winning enough support even harder.

In a Senate divided 52-48 between Republicans and Democrats, McConnell can lose no more than two GOP votes and still prevail.

"There are about eight to 10 Republican senators who have serious concerns about this bill. And so at the end of the day, I don't know whether it will pass," said moderate Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine. She has made clear she would vote against the bill, citing proposed cuts to the Medicaid health program for the poor and elderly.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who is also opposed, said doubts also are increasing among Republicans who want to see a fuller repeal of the Affordable Care Act. "The longer the bill's out there, the more conservative Republicans are going to discover that it's not repeal," he said.

The White House said Sunday that Trump was "monitoring what's going on with health care" but did not otherwise weigh in on the growing uncertainty. "We wish Sen. McCain a speedy recovery," said Helen Aguirre Ferre, director of media affairs.

McConnell last week had refashioned the legislation to attract additional GOP votes. The new package added language letting insurers sell discount-priced policies with minimal coverage aimed at winning over conservatives, and revised funding formulas that would mean federal money for states including Louisiana and Alaska  home to four GOP senators who are uncommitted on the measure.

But the health care legislation was already hanging by a thread. McCain's absence meant it would become impossible for the majority leader to round up the votes needed this week to proceed on the bill.
Zhang Dejiang (R), chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress (NPC), meets with Polish President Andrzej Duda, in Warsaw, Poland, July 16, 2017. Zhang paid an official friendly visit to Poland from July 12 to 16. [Photo/Xinhua]

WARSAW - China and Poland should seize the new opportunities arising from the Belt and Road Initiative and "China-CEE 16+1 mechanism" to deepen mutually-beneficial cooperation, China's top legislator Zhang Dejiang has said.

Zhang, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), paid an official friendly visit to Poland between July 12 and July 16, during which he met with Polish President Andrzej Duda, Prime Minister Beata Szydlo and parliamentary leaders.

During his meeting with Duda, Zhang said that traditional friendship between the two peoples is consolidated. In the past two years, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Duda exchanged visits and the two nations work to build a comprehensive strategic partnership, which opens a new chapter in the Sino-Polish relations, Zhang said.

China, Zhang said, attaches great importance to developing relations with Poland and regards Poland as an important cooperation partner in the Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and the European Union (EU).

The two sides should seize the new opportunities generated by the Belt and Road Initiative and "China-CEE 16+1 mechanism", so as to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in the areas of economy, trade and investment, and to forge ahead with bilateral relations, Zhang said.

Duda praised China's development, saying that his country looks forward to deepening cooperation through construction of Belt and Road Initiative projects, strengthening communication and coordination on international issues, safeguarding common interests and continuously enriching the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.

The Belt and Road Initiative, proposed by China in 2013, 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.

The 16+1 mechanism is a platform created in April 2012 by China and 16 Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries.

In his meeting with Prime Minister Beata Szydlo, Zhang mentioned Szydlo's attendance to the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing in May, during which leaders of the two countries reached a series of new important consensuses on strengthening China-Poland relations.

Both nations, Zhang said, could make use of existing mechanisms and platforms to deepen infrastructure cooperation, improve service of the China-Europe freight trains and expand new areas of cooperation.

Zhang also said China attaches importance to developing relations with the EU and is willing to work with the EU countries, including Poland, to continually promote the relations between China and the EU.

For her part, Szydlo said the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by President Xi is of great significance to a more balanced and sustainable development of global economy.

Poland is implementing a new development strategy, and would welcome China's participation in Poland's infrastructure construction and closer cooperation in small- and medium-sized enterprises, she said.

During his stay in Warsaw, Zhang also held talks respectively with his Polish counterparts, Stanislaw Karczewski, Marshall of Polish Senate and Marek Kuchcinski, Speaker of Poland's Sejm (or Lower House of the Polish Parliament).

Zhang made suggestions on strengthening cooperation between the legislative bodies of the two countries.

He said the legislative bodies should maintain the momentum of friendly exchanges, constantly enhance mutual trust and understanding, and support each other's core interests.

Zhang also called for reinforcing exchanges of experience between the two countries in the area of legislation and supervision, and promoting friendly exchanges in culture, education and tourism.

Karczewski and Kuchcinski agreed that strengthening exchanges and cooperation between the legislative bodies is of great significance to the development of two-way ties.

Polish Senate and Sejm have supported the government to strengthen cooperation with China and are willing to make more efforts in this end.

Zhang and Kuchcinski signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between the China's NPC and the Polish Sejm.
SEOUL - The Republic of Korea (ROK) on Monday offered military and Red Cross talks with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to ease military tensions along the inter-Korean border and resume humanitarian exchange between peoples of the two sides.

Vice Defense Minister Suh Choo-suk said in a statement at the defense ministry that the ROK proposed to the DPRK for holding talks of the military authorities on Friday at Tongilgak, a building in the DPRK side of the truce village of Panmunjom.

The dialogue was aimed at stopping all hostile acts that escalate military tensions near the military demarcation line (MDL) dividing the two Koreas, the vice minister said.

Suh called on Pyongyang to restore the military communications line in the western region to send a reply to the ROK's dialogue overture, expressing anticipation of the DPRK's positive response.

The dialogue overture was a follow-up measure to the ROK President Moon Jae-in's peace initiative, declared in Berlin on July 6, to stop all hostile acts along the inter-Korean border on the date of July 27 that marks the 64th anniversary of the ceasefire agreement ending the 1950-1953 Korean War.

In his Berlin speech, Moon also proposed holding Red Cross talks with the DPRK for the reunion of separate families of the two Koreas on Oct 4 that marks the 10th anniversary of the Oct 4 joint declaration and also the traditional Chuseok holiday.

The Oct 4 declaration was the outcome of the inter-Korean summit that was held in Pyongyang in 2007 between late ROK President Roh Moo-hyun and late DPRK leader Kim Jong Il, father of the current leader Kim Jong Un.

As another follow-up measure to Moon's initiative, the ROK Red Cross proposed to its DPRK counterpart holding humanitarian talks on Aug 1 at the Peace House, a building in the ROK side of Panmunjom.

The dialogue was designed to hold a reunion event of families, who have been separated since the 1950-1953 Korean War ended in armistice, on the occasion of the Chuseok holiday in early October.
China urges the US to protect privacy of visa applicants

Xinhua | Updated: 2017-07-17 19:58

BEIJING - China on Monday urged the United States to protect visa applicants' privacy and provide them with due facilitation under law.



Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang made the remarks at a daily press briefing in response to a new US visa policy.



According to media report, the US State Department will require all nations to provide extensive data to help vet visa applicants and determine whether a traveler poses a terrorist threat. Countries that fail to comply with the new protocols could face travel sanctions.
Our China lawyers are often contacted by companies on how to get money out of China. Usually the questions concern purchasing assets like real estate or stock and other securities by a Chinese entity. The standard situation a Chinese side has failed to perform on its deal payment obligations and is claiming Chinese authorities will not allow it to remit the funds. Simply stated, the Chinese side wants to make the payment, but the government will not let them.

This problem is not limited to high value asset transactions. This common situation results from a more general issue that arises with doing business in China. The fact is that every payment made from China must be approved. That is, it is not just large sum foreign investments that must be approved. Every remittance, no matter how small and no matter how routine, must be approved prior to remittance from China.

Approval is not automatic. Every remittance from China requires conversion from RMB to dollars or to some other foreign currency. The Chinese foreign exchange bank works with the local tax and other authorities to review every conversion and remittance.

When the Chinese government decides to limit outflows of currency, transactions that have been routinely approved in the past can suddenly become problematic. Delays occur, new taxes and fees are imposed and in some cases the payment is denied. This then means that there is real payment risk for every payment made from China. This is not limited to big investment transactions. All payments from China are reviewed by the foreign exchange bank. It is never certain what the bank will decide. For this reason, all payments from China are subject to payment risk due to government restrictions.

This issue arises in a number of business sectors but we most often see it in the following:

1. In the sale of high value equipment, it is common to accept payments in installments. Many problems can occur. In some cases, the Chinese buyer will make and order but then fail to pay the down payment, claiming that the Chinese authorities will not approve the payment. The Chinese side then asks for cooperation in providing additional documentation demanded by the foreign exchange bank or local tax office. Eventually, the Chinese side pressures the U.S. seller to start work or to ship prior to payment, blaming the delay in payment on the Chinese authorities. In a similar situation, where several installments are involved, the buyer will succeed in making the first several installments, but then will delay in making later payments, blaming the delay or failure to pay on the Chinese regulatory authorities. In these cases, the foreign seller is now trapped: the product is shipped and it is not clear whether full payment will ever be made.

2. In licensing of technology or the licensing of media, there are often annual royalty payments that must be made. The Chinese side will normally negotiate a system that provides for payment of the royalty at the end of the royalty period. The payment day arrives and no payment is made because the foreign exchange bank refuses to process the payment. There are many reasons the bank may refuse to remit. One common reason is that the license has not been properly registered. Some banks will insist on a particular form of invoice. Other banks will require proof of the existence of the licensor and the validity of the license. In other cases the local tax authorities will impose withholding taxes of a type or in an amount that was not anticipated by the parties. The problem in all of these cases is that the Chinese side has obtained the benefit of the license for a full year before the issue of payment is raised. The foreign party is now assuming all of the burden for non-payment with no corresponding cost imposed on the Chinese side.

3. Service contracts of all kinds are particularly risky. The reason is that a primary way Chinese entities illegally transfer funds out of China is via false service contracts. Since the risk of fraudulent transfer is quite real, Chinese banks are particularly careful in reviewing service contracts. This means legitimate service agreements are subjected to the same careful scrutiny. Since service agreement are typically quite informal and poorly drafted, the agreements often fail when examined by the banks and tax authorities. When this occurs, the Chinese entity reports that their attempted remittance has been denied or a large tax no one anticipated has been imposed. This can be a major disaster for service providers when the service has already be provided. Since the service is intangible, there is no way to repossess in the way that could be done for piece of equipment or a parcel of property.

Every foreign business expecting payments from a Chinese entity must understand payment risk is significant and set up mitigation measures to avoid disaster. The three basic rules for dealing with payments from Chinese entities are as follows:

Rule Number One: Always put the the burden of dealing with Chinese banks and government authorities on the Chinese side. China is the rare country where its resident businesses try to shift the burdens of its own governments actions onto a foreign party. This is not acceptable; a country resident must be liable for the actions of its own government, since the country resident is the only party to the transaction with any real chance to influence the actions of its local government and banking institutions. Think about this for a minute: are you or your Chinese counter-party more likely to be able to persuade a Chinese bank and/or Chinese government official to get money out of China? If your Chinese counter-party is trying to put this burden on you, this is a red flag and a good indicator it knows it likely will never get the money out.

In the area of payments, this means two things:

First, the Chinese side must take on the burden of paying China taxes and fees. That is, all payments to you on the foreign side must be net payments, free of taxes and fees on the Chinese side. If a tax is or fee is imposed by the Chinese bank or local tax authority, the Chinese side must pay this tax/fee, with the payment to the foreign side being unaffected. If the payment to the foreign side is $5 million, the foreign side must be paid $5 million. It makes no difference to the foreign side whether the tax/fee imposed in China is zero, 10% or 100%; the foreign side still receives its $5 million payment.

The reason for this is obvious. First, the Chinese side must be motivated to have the tax or fee reduced. If the tax or fee is simply passed on to the foreign entity, no such incentive exists. Second, there is little consistency in the taxes and fees imposed by Chinese foreign exchange banks. The same transaction may be treated differently from region to region and from bank to bank. Even within the same region and the same bank, treatment may change from transfer to transfer. The Chinese side must take the risk of this uncertainty; it is unreasonable to impose the risk on the foreign party.

Second, the Chinese side must take on the risk payment will be approved within strict timelines. Ten days should be the maximum and five days is better. The reason for imposing a tight deadline for payment is that it is critical you determine as early as possible whether the Chinese side will be able to make payment. Due to the capricious nature of Chinese banks and taxing authorities, approval must be determined for every payment. You should do no work nor take on any risk until after receipt of the applicable payment from China is confirmed, and I mean really confirmed.

Your contract should provide that if payment from your Chinese counter-party is delayed for any reason  including for lack of approval by the Chinese bank or government authorities  you have the right to terminate the underlying transaction. Chinese parties will often argue that failure to pay due to bank or government lack of approval should be treated as a force majeure event that excuses them from enforcement. That is, the Chinese side will argue that the foreign party is not permitted to terminate and even call for a force majeure provision in the contract making this explicit.

This provision might then mean you are required to perform under the contract even though no payment is made by the Chinese side. This is not, of course, what the standard doctrine of force majeure provides. However, the Chinese side will often seek to insert this absurd provision. As clever negotiators, they will insert this in an otherwise standard force majeure clause. Since this type of clause is treated as boilerplate, the language is often not read carefully, leading to unpleasant results for the foreign party. For this reason, our China lawyers routinely refuse to allow any form of force majeure clause to be included in the contracts we draft for China. We also have more than once been contacted by foreigners whose contract says one thing for force majeure in the Chinese portion of their contracts and something very different in English, but the Chinese controls. Do not let these sort of things happen to you!

Rule Number Two: Force early payment. It is important to test as early as possible whether the Chinese side actually has the ability to make a payment. The test is made by providing for an early payment from the Chinese side in an amount large enough to force the Chinese side to go through the full approval procedure with the Chinese bank and with government authorities. A small, token payment is not sufficient.

One purpose of the initial payment is to ensure your written documentation related to the transaction is acceptable to the foreign exchange bank. For example, for any payment that can be classified as a royalty, a number of issues can arise concerning the documents, including the following:

The bank may require the underlying agreement be registered with the applicable government regulatory body. This is common for technology transfer and licensing agreements.

The bank may require the transaction itself be approved by Chinese government authorities. This is standard for outbound investments. Approval is also normally required for licensing in the publishing and audio-visual fields.

The bank may impose various requirements on the written contracts. Typically the bank will require the main agreement be written in Chinese. Many banks also will require an written, signed invoice for each separate installment payment.

The bank may work with the local tax office to impose various taxes and charges on the payments. Both the amount of tax and the processing of tax payment can be confusing and can cause delay.

By requiring an initial payment from the Chinese side, the parties can isolate the problems and correct them before the foreign side begins work or takes risks by relying on the ability of the Chinese side to actually make payment. Our China lawyers are constantly getting called by American and European companies that have not received payment under their contracts with a Chinese entity and in many of those instances it is because their contract has not been drafted in a way that will permit payments to leave China.

Your receiving the first payment is NOT sufficient to pass the test. You as the recipient must also check that payment for the following three things:

1. Was the payment actually made by the Chinese side from China (not Hong Kong), or was it made by another entity, perhaps located outside of China?

2. Was the payment made through a standard Chinese foreign exchange bank, or was it made through some irregular payment mechanism such as a credit card or through a U.S. financial institution or by bitcoin?

3. Was the payment made in a single lump sum, or is the payment an aggregate of a number of separate transfers?

All of the above are common and these sorts of irregularities show the Chinese side did not obtain China-side approval for payment. This means the Chinese side failed the test and you now know you are facing significant risk for the later, more substantial payments.

Rule Number Three: Never get behind on getting your payments. Always get paid before you manufacture and ship your product. Get paid before you start the service work. Get your royalty payment at the beginning of the year, not the end. For the sale of your business (or shares in your business) and the sale of real estate, use a tight closing date with a substantial pre-closing escrow deposit.

In some cases, it is not possible to get all payments in advance. In such cases, you should avoid getting hit with the loss of your out of pocket costs. For example, in the sale of expensive and highly customized equipment, your should set your risk of non-payment by ensuring the initial installment from China will cover all of your manufacturing cost. The risk for final payment is then limited to your potential profits, and not to your out of pocket costs in material and labor.

A similar approach should be taken in other fields. For example, license payments may be split into a beginning of year fixed payment, with a variable payment based on sales or earnings paid at the end of the year. This approach ensures you will receive at least some payment to cover your costs and give you a basic level of profit. It is never advisable to depend substantially on a final payment from a Chinese company; it is almost always better to agree to a smaller, secure fee than to seek a higher fee that shifts payment risk away from the Chinese side.

There is always payment risk when dealing with payments from Chinese companies. To succeed in selling to Chinese entities, you must recognize the risks and mitigate against those risks as described above.
A member of an Islamic extremist group in Pakistan has accused a Christian minor of blasphemy after the boy had an argument with a Muslim, sources said.



Hina Shafaqat, mother of 17-year-old Shahzad Masih, told Morning Star News that her son had been wrongly implicated in the case by a Muslim colleague with whom he had a quarrel 10 days ago, and the family has not been able to locate him since his arrest.



Working as a sweeper at Shamim Riaz Hospital in Dinga town, Gujrat District, Punjab Province for the past nine months, Masih had an altercation with hospital pharmacy employee Ishtiaq Ahmed Jalali, she said. A senior medical officer at the hospital intervened and calmed the quarrel, but Jalali nurtured a grudge against my son and has now plotted this case against him to settle the score, she said.



Ive raised Shahzad as a devout Roman Catholic  Ive never taught my children to hate people belonging to other faiths, which is why I am sure that my son is being wrongly accused of blasphemy, she said. The police arrested my son on Friday [July 14], and since then we have been trying to locate his whereabouts.



Neither the Dinga police nor the Kharian police said they have him in their custody, she said.



We have searched so many police stations but have failed to trace him, she said, adding that police were torturing the family mentally by not disclosing her sons location or revealing his well-being.



Masih, the oldest of five children, is the family breadwinner along with his father, a daily wage mason. Shahzad Masih went to school until grade four, after which his family could not afford to further education.



We, and the family of my brother-in-law Rafaqat, had to relocate to a relatives house on Friday[July 14] to avoid any backlash from the local Muslims, who are being instigated by an Islamist outfit, she said.



More than 30 other Christian families also live in Mohalla Railway Station of Dinga town.



Dinga Police Station House Officer (SHO) Inspector Shahbaz Ahmad dodged questions about facts of the case, telling Morning Star News only, The accused has committed blasphemy.



The police official did note that a First Information Report (FIR No. 273/17) was registered against Masih under Section 295-C, which calls for death or life imprisonment to those found guilty of blaspheming against Muhammad, the prophet of Islam.



According to the FIR, complainant Nadeem Ahmed  president of the Dinga chapter of Islamist outfit Tehreek Tahafuz-e-Islam Pakistan  alleged that he was sitting in his electronic appliances shop when Ishtiaq Ahmed Jalali came and informed him that Masih had uttered derogatory remarks against Muhammad. Jalali is also a member of Tehreek Tahafuz-e-Islam Pakistan.



Upon hearing this, we sent a boy to Shahzad Masihs home and asked him to come to the Popular Mobile Shop for clearing the issue, Ahmed alleged in the FIR. When Masih came there, we asked him about the accusation, to which he again started abusing and cursing the Holy Prophet. Some people who had gathered at the shop by then also witnessed the blasphemy done by Masih.



Ahmed alleged that the Christian boy managed to escape from the shop.



Inspector Ahmad declined to comment on why he thought Masih had committed blasphemy or if he had admitted to it.



You know very well I cannot repeat the blasphemous words, he said, avoiding questions as to what could have motivated the Christian to do such a thing. He also did not offer any plausible explanation as to how Masih was able to flee from the scene in the presence of a large number of upset Muslims.



Talk to the SP, because we just registered the case and forwarded it to him for further action, he said before putting down the phone.



Repeated attempts to reach Superintendent of Police (SP) Maaz Zafar failed as his telephone operator said that the senior official was busy and would return the call later. At this writing, however, Zafar had not contacted Morning Star News.



Attorneys Riaz Anjum and Kashif Naimat from the Pakistan Center for Law and Justice (PCLJ) told Morning Star News from Dinga that they had offered legal and financial assistance to Shahzad Masihs family as he was one of the main providers of income for the family, and his arrest had badly degraded their finances.



The case is clearly fabricated, because the FIR does not state any motive for Shahzad Masihs alleged blasphemy, Anjum said. Its very unfortunate that Pakistani police book people in blasphemy cases before even trying to ascertain the facts. Now the boy will be made to suffer in prison like so many other innocent people who have fallen victim to the harsh blasphemy laws.



He said that their investigation had corroborated the account of the Christian family.



It is true that Masih had a fight with a pharmacy worker over a week ago, and the matter was resolved by a doctor, Anjum said. Local sources told us that Jalali bore a grudge against Masih, and he had connived with the complainant, Nadeem Ahmad, to settle his personal score with the Christian boy.





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/ ?
Franklin Grahams humanitarian organization Samaritans Purse has deployed a disaster relief team to aid residents in the Wisconsin counties of Kenosha, Racine, and Walworth.

Residents in these counties are suffering from severe flooding caused by historic rainfall. The downpour caused the Fox River to rise and flood the area. The Samaritans Purse team dispatched individuals accompanied by a semi truck stocked with tools and emergency medical supplies to the southern Wisconsin countries.

"Hundreds of Wisconsin families have been affected by these historic floods," said Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan's Purse. "We want to share the hope of Jesus Christ with them by letting them know they are not alone and helping them start to get back on their feet after this devastating disaster."

The Samaritans Purse team is working with local authorities to mobilize volunteers to help families restore their damaged homes.

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker declared a state of emergency and called in the National Guard to assist residents.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of the flooding, Walker said in a statement, as reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, jsonline.com. I have instructed state agencies and the Wisconsin National Guard to help those affected by the flooding and to continue to provide resources to assist with the response and recovery efforts. I thank the Wisconsin National Guard, Wisconsin Emergency Management, and all state agencies for their coordinated response to this emergency.

Meanwhile, the Samaritans Purse relief team is conducting their disaster relief efforts from Mt. Zion Christian Church in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. Chaplains from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association also accompanied the relief team and are ready to minister to those in need.

Photo courtesy: Thinkstockphotos.com

Publication date: July 17, 2017
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.
Chris Maxwell, director of spiritual life and campus pastor at Emmanuel College in Franklin Springs, Georgia, recalls a troubling episode during his pastoral tenure in Orlando: In March 1996 I almost died of encephalitis. A group of people came to visit me and read Matthew 7:1718: Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. For them, admitting I had brain damage and needed medicine was lack of faith. This was the reason I became sick and wasn't being healed. I told them, If that caused my sickness I would've been sick long before.

John Koessler, professor and chair of pastoral studies at Moody Bible Institute, is all too familiar with scenarios like this. I find that people tend to be one-sided in their handling of the Bible. They lean into certain texts or truths to the exclusion of others. Some focus only on a portion ...

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With nearly 58 million Hispanics residing stateside and one in every four children born in the United States being Hispanic, the US Census Bureau identifies the Hispanic population as one of the nation's fastest growing groups. Given that 60 percent of Hispanic evangelicals are women, new ministries have emerged that are solely focused on equipping these bicultural women. The National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference (NHCLC) has recently established one such ministry with a commitment to creating a safe space for Latina Christian leaders from different generations to gather. This ministrywhich represents mothers, mijas (a term of endearment used in the Hispanic community that translates as my daughters), hermanas (sisters), tias (aunts), abuelas (grandmothers), and nietas (granddaughters) alikeseeks to empower, equip, and encourage Hispanic female leaders to reach their God-given potential.

Yvette Santana spearheads this new bilingual and bicultural ministry in her role as chief womens ministry officer for the NHCLC. She also serves as womens discipleship coordinator for the Church of God, Southwest Region. The NHCLCs division for womens ministry desires to create a community for these fabulous women to connect and share and celebrate our role in the church, says Santana. We want to create a network for Latina pastors wives and lead female pastors, as they have such a unique role in the kingdom.

Andrea Ramirez, executive director of the Faith and Education Coalition of the NHCLC, interviewed Santana on her unique work.

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Judicial Watch Statement on IRS Records Scandal

Internal Watchdog Found Records Went Missing

WASHINGTON, July 17, 2017 / Christian Newswire / -- Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton issued the following statement in response to a July 13 Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration report , which finds the Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) records management practice resulted in lost records and incomplete IRS responses to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests and congressional inquiries.

This new report is shocking but not surprising. We have long battled the IRS in court over its obstruction in responding to FOIA requests about Obama era IRS abuses. It is a scandal that the Obama IRS did not tell Judicial Watch, the courts, or Congress about the loss of government records. Our attorneys will review this report to assess whether we should seek relief and accountability from the courts. In the meantime, President Trump should finally fire IRS Commissioner John Koskinen and direct the Justice Department to reopen its criminal inquiry into the Obama IRS abuses and cover-ups.

In April, Judicial Watch filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit against the IRS to obtain records relating to the agency's "preservation and/or retention" of the email records of officials who have left the agency since January 2010. ( Judicial Watch v. Internal Revenue Service (No.1:17-cv-00596)).

The suit was filed as part of Judicial Watch's continuing efforts to gain information about the IRS' targeting of conservative groups and citizens during the Obama administration.

Judicial Watch's litigation forced the IRS first to say that emails belonging to Lois Lerner, former director of the Exempt Organizations Unit of the IRS, were supposedly missing and later declare to the court that the emails were on IRS back-up systems. Lerner was one of the top officials responsible for the IRS' targeting of President Obama's political opponents. Judicial Watch exposed various IRS' record keeping problems:

 In June 2014, the IRS claimed to have "lost" responsive emails belonging to Lerner and other IRS officials.





 In July 2014 Judge Emmett Sullivan ordered the IRS to submit to the court a written declaration under oath about what happened to Lerner's "lost" emails. The sworn declarations proved to be less than forthcoming.





 In August 2014, Department of Justice attorneys for the IRS finally admitted Judicial Watch that Lerner's emails, indeed all government computer records, are backed up by the federal government in case of a government-wide catastrophe. The IRS' attorneys also disclosed that Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) was looking at several of these backup tapes.





 In November 2014, the IRS told the court it had failed to search any of the IRS standard computer systems for the "missing" emails of Lerner and other IRS officials.
Robert Bakke, 'Point-Blank' Personality Drive 'Prayer' Book to #1

GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn., July 17, 2017 / Christian Newswire / -- High-Octane racer, Robert Bakke, has a black belt in one hand and an American flag in the other, and is using brute-force to put wealth, winning and American exceptionalism back on the radar. "American exceptionalism is the fuel that drives every ambitious American, and it also pleases God," says Bakke, "The Bible is clear that God enjoys our accumulation of wealth, our winning ways and even says he is behind it. Get the book and read it for yourself."

Bakke, a local NASCAR racer who has become the most outspoken preacher on the planet, says Americans have been duped by man-made religions teaching poverty and divisive politicians who fueled Class Warfare. "God doesn't want you living in poverty and you're not a victim of someone else's success," says Bakke, "Wealth puts a person in a position to help people who are struggling, and winning draws attention to God-given greatness. Don't let any religious leader or politician tell you otherwise." Bakke's point-blank messages rocketed into prominence when his book, Prayer at Full Throttle, stood religion on-its-ear and became an Amazon #1 Best-Seller.

Bakke is fearless with words and can drop startling revelations, such as the original Greek definition of religion is actually "The bondage of men," and that God's chosen were actually the wealthiest men on the planet, not the poorest. "Don't blame God for the man-made religions people are running away from," says Bakke, "If people would stop being afraid to talk about God and go to direct to the source (the Bible) for themselves, they'd find out that nothing within their imagination is beyond their reach. That's the mindset that will restore American exceptionalism, and why Prayer at Full Throttle traveled the globe in record time."



Bakke's book, "Prayer at Full Throttle: How Performance-Based Prayer Makes Miracles Happen" is an Amazon #1 Best Seller. Signed paperbacks at Bakke's book, "Prayer at Full Throttle: How Performance-Based Prayer Makes Miracles Happen" is an Amazon #1 Best Seller. Signed paperbacks at www.robertbakke.com Bakke is available for interviews at robert@robertbakke.com or 612-812-6174

About Robert Bakke

Robert Bakke was running a multi-million dollar company by the age of 24. He is also a jet captain and aerobatic flight instructor, a black belt and regional champion, a NASCAR driver and Amazon #1 Best-Selling author.
AUSTIN  Running for reelection with no announced challenger in a state known for its no-limit political contributions, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott now has a war chest as big as Texas itself.

Abbott, who announced Friday he will seek a second term in 2018, on Monday filed paperwork showing he now has nearly $41 million in his campaign account  a massive amount even by Texas standards  including $10 million raised during the last 12 days of June.

That compares to the $34 million in the bank that the 59-year-old former attorney general and judge had in the bank last January, after raising $9 million in his most-lucrative six-month fundraising period since he took office two years earlier.

In a statement issued by his office, Abbott seemed to signal that the huge haul would ensure a GOP victory in a state that already is the reddest of the red, in a race where Democrats so far have failed to find a well-known challenger. Such a large campaign account will almost certainly discourage any Republicans from thinking about challenging him, as well.

"My campaign is building the largest grassroots army ever assembled in the Lone Star State, with the goal of keeping Texas the brightest beacon of freedom in the country," Abbott said. "In the upcoming election, our campaign will be relentless in our efforts to identify and turn out conservatives to keep Texas red."

A special legislative session called by Abbott is set to begin on Tuesday with an ultra-conservative agenda. That agenda has drawn denunciations from Democrats and moderate Republicans. It's being taken up as the national GOP faces steep political challenges with Donald Trump and a stumbling effort to repeal Obamacare.

Opponents of that conservative agenda have said they hope the 2018 elections will curb Texas' continuing veer to the right.

But Abbott's report appears to show that his brand of conservative politics retains some momentum.

Abbott's campaign on Monday reported that nearly 45 percent of his donations came from first-time donors, with more than 91 percent of all donations being less than $200  showing that his campaign is not just being financed by a few millionaire supporters and friends.

Abbott's campaign also reported that 92 percent of his donors are Texans. His last gubernatorial opponent, Democrat Wendy Davis, raised a significant amount of her campaign donations from outside the state.

In the past two years, campaign finance reports show Abbott has raised a total of $43.1 million  with 90 percent of those contributions for less than $200, 89 percent from Texans and 75 percent from first-time contributors.

Monday's campaign filings by Abbott seemed to set the stage for a repeat of 2014, when he crushed former state Sen. Davis, even though she raised more than $38 million -- more than any other Democratic candidate has in Texas  and cemented the continued Republican dominance of state politics for two decades. The last Democrat was elected to statewide office in 1994.

Abbott raised more than $46 million for that race, reports at the time showed.

Democrats last held the Texas governor's office when Ann Richards won in 1990.

To put the size of Abbott's war chest in perspective, consider that Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who has underfunded Democrat Mike Collier running against him, announced last week that he more than $17 million in the bank  including $4 million that he raised in June.

Patrick, who had repeatedly been mentioned as a possible challenger to Abbott, announced earlier this year that he has no intention of seeking to move up in 2018.
Jon Taffer, host and executive producer of Spike TV's "Bar Rescue," will be in Houston Tuesday providing tips to bar and restaurant owners.

Taffer is visiting 27 cities around the country to host three-hour workshops that will discuss a variety of topics, including new customer development programs to jump start growth, customer frequency programs to build sales, and tips for hiring and training employees, according to a news release. He will also provide tips around management and operations.
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Houston private equity firm EnerVest is working to salvage its energy hedge funds that plummeted in value from more than $2 billion during the oil boom to almost nothing after the bust.

EnerVest is brushing aside any concerns about its overall viability, arguing that selling oil and gas acreage in the coming weeks and months will alleviate most of the concerns of its lenders, avoiding a potential tug-of-war with Wells Fargo and other banks to take control of the embattled funds.

The issue is largely about making up for initiating multibillion-dollar funds five years ago when oil prices hovered near $100 a barrel and then having their values depleted during the subsequent bust, said Ron Whitemire, EnerVest senior vice president and chief administrative officer.

HIRING POOL: Oil giants target millennial hires

"We're in active negotiations where we can divest assets, and that gets us back to close to compliance with the banks," Whitmire said. "EnerVest is fine. We have two portfolio funds that are in need of repair, and we're working on it. We've got to fix those and move on."

Story continues below ...

The Wall Street Journal on Sunday highlighted the Houston fund's rapid fall from grace during the oil bust, contending that EnerVest's $2 billion fund started in 2012 is worth "essentially nothing" to its investors. Whitmire disputed that assertion, arguing that upcoming asset sales will create the necessary value to pay off much of its debt.

That may not alleviate the concerns of investors who have seen their financial bets largely disappear. Whitmire declined to comment on what EnerVest is telling its investors, citing confidentiality.

FOREIGN FACTORS: OPEC curbs falter, China growth climbs

EnerVest is the rare private equity firm focused almost entirely on oil and gas exploration and production, having boomed in 2013 and 2014 during the days of $100 oil and suffering a massive deterioration during the 2016 bust. Current crude pricing of more than $46 a barrel hasn't yet restored the industry's faith.

Likewise, EnerVest's publicly traded business, EV Energy Partners, has seen its stock value fall down to just 60 cents per unit, sinking below $1 in early June. EV Energy traded form more than $40 per unit as recently as August 2014.

Rather than speculating on future oil prices, EnerVest invests directly in the oil-and-gas-producing assets, said Pavel Molchanov, an energy analyst at Raymond James in Houston. The acreage, even if considered safe investments at the time, falls prey to the low oil price environment.

OPTIMISTIC FUTURE: Halliburton sees oil spiking in 2020

"The lesson for everyone is that excessive leverage in a commodity downcycle can be lethal. That's what led to EnerVest's meltdown. No big surprise there," Molchanov added.

Still, Whitmire contends EnerVest is in a solid position overall because of its diversification, investing now in areas like South Texas' Eagle Ford shale when everyone else is paying top dollar for assets in West Texas' Permian Basin.

EnerVest's most recent "Fund XIV" is doing well with almost $2.5 billion committed to it, he said, with the fixes needed for its XIII and XII funds. Likewise, EV Energy Partners partners with EnerVest on some of its acquisitions, but EnerVest's funds don't invest in EV Energy.

Still, EV Energy warned investors in May it faces default risks in early 2018 if it can't work out new deals with its lenders and its finances don't improve.
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"Game of Thrones" fans cheered the return of the cult television show on Sunday night, more than a year after season six ended.

But the thrills of the fantasy drama series never left College Station, where George R.R. Martin has deposited his works over the last several decades.

Martin, who wrote the books that inspired the hit television series, has for decades stored his works at Texas A&M Universitys Cushing Memorial Library and Archives.

Now Playing: We sit with the cast of Game Of Thrones as they discuss the top 10 game changing moments of the series. Video: Brandpoint

Today, that collection includes everything from manuscripts to letters to calendars based on the series to replica swords  with nearly 50,000 pieces in about 300 boxes, Texas A&M says.

HoustonChronicle.com: How Aggieland became a final destination for Martin's works

The renowned author first connected with Texas A&M at AggieCon, a gathering of science fiction and fantasy fans, in the 1970s. He began sending personal collections to the library in the 1990s, several years before "A Game of Thrones" was published, according to a news release.

His works add to Texas A&Ms formidable science fiction and fantasy research collection at Cushing Library.

"They have some cool stuff there like war hammers and swords," Martin told the Houston Chronicle in 2014. "If the zombie apocalypse comes, they can defend the library. Texas A&M can become a site of resistance."

GOT MANIA: Manuscript at Texas A&M disproves Game of Thrones theory

Martin donated Texas A&Ms five millionth library volume  J.R.R. Tolkiens "The Hobbit"  and the university awarded him an honorary degree in February 2016.

Mr. George R.R. Martins cultural impact on modern American literacy and broadcast media culture is difficult to measure, wrote University Libraries Dean David Carlson in his nomination. Mr. Martins literary corpus, his extensive honors and awards, his engagement with Texas A&M University and his gifts of imagination, creativity and fantasy will reflect well on Texas A&Ms commitment as a comprehensive institution seeking excellence in all areas of science, engineering and the arts.
Starting in September, people found guilty of torturing pets in Texas could face from two to 10 years in prison through a law that is drawing praise from officials with local animal welfare groups.

Senate Bill 762 is the result of work between district attorney's offices and the Texas Humane Legislation Network, an organization that works with legislators and law enforcement entities.

The network's executive director, Laura Donahue, sees the passing of SB 762 as a major step toward appropriately addressing heinous acts of animal cruelty.

"This bill doesn't mean that anyone who kicks a dog gets 10 years in prison," she said. "We're talking about people who douse a dog with accelerant and then light it on fire."

The new law closes a loophole that previously allowed some animal abusers to avoid prosecution. Repeat offenders could be sentenced with up to 20 years in prison.

Brian Latham, spokesman for the Houston Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, applauded the law.

"When people commit the most heinous of acts against animals, Texas has now made a giant step toward assuring that the punishment fits the crime," he said.

Stacey Suazo, executive director for the SPCA in Brazoria County, described the law as an "incredible step in the right direction," though she felt that additional changes should be made.

She said one problem area relates to dogs who are injured from being chained.

"We often see dogs in our shelter with collars so embedded under their skin that they have to be surgically removed. A few years ago, we even had a dog come in with a harness embedded under the skin of her neck, chest, back and shoulders."

Suazo said that a statewide anti-tethering law is needed to protect animals.

SB 762 does not necessarily deal with misdemeanors, such as starvation, which Donahue said would be left up to the courts to decide upon in a case-by-case basis, but directly relates to third-degree felonies in two major areas: torturing an animal in a cruel manner or causing serious bodily injury to an animal.

Galveston County sheriff's Sgt. Matthew Clausen, who handles animal cruelty investigations with his department, said that he believes the law could potentially open the door for more comprehensive legislation to protect companion animals such as dogs and cats.

"I think this is a great thing," Clausen said. "Anything we can do to make the current situation better for animals is going to be good progress. The problem with current legislation is that it lumps a bunch of different things together and makes them misdemeanors - such as chaining your dog up so it can't get to shelter, dumping them on the side of the road - right now, none of those are felony acts, but with pieces of legislation like (SB 762) passing, it could open the door for additional legislation down the line."

Any animal cruelty cases now under investigation won't fall under the new potential penalties.

"We have a case we're dealing with right now that would fit if it were September - it's a case where someone dragged a dog," he said.

Donahue said the law may help safeguard the public against those who may pose a danger to people as well as animals.

"The research is in," she said. "There's no more speculation whether or not people who torture animals oftentimes see those crimes accelerate to injuring people. Serial killers, school shooters - many of these people began by torturing animals. The FBI recognizes these traits as precursors to aggressive behavior. By penalizing people for committing these very serious acts against animals, it's like a red flag."

Suazo agreed.

"It's not a secret that people who hurt animals can very easily accelerate to hurt people," she said. "If someone can harm a defenseless animal, how will they react to their children? Their spouse? Oftentimes the aggression and behavior starts with animals and transfers to people.

"Many (animals we get) come in to us covered in fire ant bites, with sunburned and infected skin. Sometimes we have to sedate them to treat them and the sedation drug that we use can cause vomiting. Many of them vomit up dirt, leaves and paper because these are the only contents of their otherwise empty stomachs."

The legislation, she said, is an important step in addressing heinous crimes and potentially putting additional laws in place later.

"With this step, we're giving animals a voice, and we're also penalizing dangerous people."
A year after a new and expanded Panama Canal opened to the world's shipping industry, for the world's largest oil tankers the famed 48-mile route still remains too small.

According to a report by the research firm Morningstar, "the impact of the expansion on energy shipments so far has varied by commodity."
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Austin Memorial Library's Summer Reading Program had explosive results on July 12 with Dr. James Pennington of Texas A&M University demonstrating science with the Chemistry Road Show.

The program is designed to engage children in science with a fun environment, with people like Pennington giving demonstrations with various tools, solutions and even some flammable materials.

"We actually go all over the State of Texas with this presentation," said Pennington.

The Chemistry Road Show also helps to inspire children to enter scientific fields. Pennington explained how scientists work to create solutions to various problems.

"You spend most of your time trying to fix things that are broken," he said.

Pennington began his program by showing the properties of dry ice, which is carbon dioxide in solid form and is as cold as -78 degrees Celsius. He showed how people use it to create a fog effect.

"If will give you frostbite if you're not careful," he said.

Science can affect a number of everyday objects, such as a dollar bill provided by Librarian Wendy Thorp. Pennington lit the bill on fire, but it did not burn as it was soaked in both water and rubbing alcohol.

Pennington then placed broken glass into a beaker filled with a special solution he claimed could fix the glass. He pulled out another beaker from inside and revealed that the solution didn't fix the glass but was actually vegetable oil. The smaller beaker was inside before he placed glass inside the larger beaker.

"It bends light the same way the glass does," said Pennington.

Another popular solution is creating elephant toothpaste, which Pennington did by mixing hydrogen peroxide, dish soap, food coloring and potassium iodide. The resulting combination created large bursts of a substance similar to toothpaste in shape and form but on a much larger scale.

Pennington explained how hydrogen peroxide is an excellent substance to use to fight infections.

"It's a really bad environment for bacteria to grow in," he said.

The follow-up to the elephant toothpaste involved a small, miniature cannon, which doesn't fire a projectile but instead provides a brief, fiery flash. Pennington says creating the flash requires three things, which are heat, oxygen and fuel.

Pennington showed off other solutions such as using silver nitrate and a base catalyst to create a reflection inside a glass jar, binding molecules together as polymers to make things like fake snow, demonstrating an oscillating reaction with a solution constantly switching between colors and more.

One of the Chemistry Road Show's more intriguing acts involves Nitro the Dragon, which is a small toy dragon connected to a tube designed to make it look as if he is breathing gas in a smokier form. In this case, liquid nitrogen.

Pennington also showed just how cold liquid nitrogen can be, freezing different roses and then shattering them like they were made of glass.

He took aired-up balloons and stuck them in the solution, only to have them deflate.

"The molecules in the air move slower and slower," he said.

Pennington then quickly stuck his hand in the liquid nitrogen and then pulled it out, causing much of it to evaporate.

Liquid nitrogen is measured at -321 degrees Fahrenheit, with Pennington describing the process like tossing a newly forged horseshoe into water to supercool it.

"Compared to the liquid nitrogen, my hand is like that red hot horseshoe," he said.

The Chemistry Road Show concluded with Pennington demonstrating a fire tornado followed by a thermite reaction before hitting the grand finale with various balloons set to explode.

The balloons each reacted differently to flames placed under them.

Two balloons filled completely with hydrogen let out a colorful flame while one filled with only oxygen only popped. The other two were mixed with hydrogen and oxygen, letting out a loud and powerful boom once popped.
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A boy celebrating his 14th birthday early Monday at his family's Greenspoint-area home died shortly after he was struck by what appeared to be a stray bullet connected to a nearby robbery.

Friends and neighbors of the victim identified him as O'Cyrus Breaux, a Stovall Middle School student.

Family and friends told police that at about 2 a.m. Monday they were sitting in the driveway of their home in the 100 block of Goodson when they heard a gunshot, said Houston Police Department homicide detective David Stark.

The stray bullet hit Breaux  known as simply Cyrus to his friends  in the stomach and he fell to the ground.

No one else was injured. None of the witnesses reported seeing the shooter. The bullet seemed to come out of nowhere, according to neighbors.

The family members and friends who were in the driveway said none of them shot a gun.

Neighbor and family friend Tiffany Taylor said there was a single shot. She said the teen was hit and managed to run for help before he collapsed.

"We rolled him over and we saw the gunshot wound," Taylor said. "I am at a loss. I don't know why this had to happen to him."

The teen's family was en route to the hospital near The Woodlands with Breaux in the car when they flagged down officers who were headed to the family's home, said Lt. Larry Crowson with HPD.

Officers called for an ambulance and the teen was taken to Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

As officers went to the home on Goodson, at least one other person called law enforcement to report a robbery just down the street near the intersection of Goodson and Airline, Crowson said.

Authorities are trying to determine if a robbery that happened a few blocks from Breaux's apartment is connected to the deadly shooting.

Based on the time the calls came in and similar suspect descriptions, the two incidents may be related, according to police.

Police did not immediately release descriptions of those involved in either incident. However, the suspects in the robbery were taken into custody for questioning to see if there's any tie to the shooting.

As of Monday afternoon, police said a motive for the shooting was unknown as the investigation was underway.

Aldine ISD also released a statement about the shooting, saying:

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and loved ones during this difficult time. We, along with the community, are mourning his passing."

Anyone with information in this case is urged to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.



Godofredo A. Vasquez contributed to this report.
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Texas House District 18 Representative Ernest Bailes has joined the Shepherd and Coldspring/San Jacinto County Chambers of Commerce with a ribbon cutting ceremony held on July 13 to commemorate the occasion.

Bailes was elected into the position last year. HD 18 covers the counties of San Jacinto, Walker and Liberty.

"We're honored to add Ernest to our membership," said Coldspring/San Jacinto County Chamber President Patrick Clark.

The ceremony was held at Bailes' new office located in Shepherd, Texas. Bailes is available at this office from Tuesday to Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., giving his constituents an opportunity to speak with him directly.

"We're about to start having office hours at the two satellite locations," said Bailes.

The other two locations are at the Liberty County courthouse and the HEARTS Veteran Museum in Huntsville, Texas.

Bailes says he plans to be available at the Liberty location on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month and the first and third Wednesdays of each month at the Huntsville location. Additional hours are available by appointment.

The first office in Shepherd opened in March of this year.

"We're just now doing the final opening," he said. "It was really important to me to be available in the event that something is needed here in the district."

Bailes is focusing on taking care of public education for HD 18 as well as positive economic growth in the area. He is now seven months into his term and describes the journey as positive.

"Your best hope is to be able to learn the process," he said.

Part of that process involved Bailes filing 13 bills to Governor Greg Abbott.

"We were able to have 11 of those 13 signed by the governor," said Bailes.

Bailes' Shepherd office is located at 10501 Hwy 150 across from the Shepherd ISD Primary Campus. For more information, call 936-628-6687.
San Jacinto County is set to celebrate its 147th birthday next month with a party in the Coldspring courthouse rotunda and a fundraiser at American Legion Post 629.

According to Dale Everitt of the Veterans Services office, the county was founded on Aug. 13, 1870. However, what some may not know is that the area where San Jacinto County lies once belonged to other counties.

"There were people here that had to go to three areas for the county seat," said Everitt. "They took some properties away from all of them."

Citizens in the general area of San Jacinto County prior to 1870 had to go to county seats located in the cities of Livingston, Huntsville and Liberty.

Everitt says this changed upon the State of Texas' rejoining the Union the same year.

"We were the last state to come back into the Union," he said.

Technically, Georgia was the last state to be readmitted to the union, first readmitted on June 25, 1868, and then again on July 15, 1870. Texas was readmitted on March 30, 1870.

Texas had to pledge its loyalty to the United States while also accepting the 14th and 15th Amendments of the Constitution, which offered legal protection to former slaves while also keeping states and the federal government from denying the right to vote based on race, color or a previous condition of servitude such as slavery.

The Texas Senate met in Austin in 1870 where state leaders not only pledged loyalty to the United States but also introduced a bill to create San Jacinto County.

San Jacinto County is preparing to celebrate 147 years, starting with a cake in the Coldspring courthouse rotunda on Aug. 11. Everitt says characters from the upcoming Heritage Days event are expected to be present to add to the 1870 feel.

The celebration continues on Aug. 19 at Post 629, which will operate as a fundraiser for the San Jacinto County Historical Commission.

"We'll have food to sell and then we'll do an auction," said Everitt.

The celebration on Aug. 19 will begin with a motorcycle ride at 10:30 a.m. They will begin selling food at 11 a.m. followed by an auction at 2 p.m.

For information, call Post 629 at 936-653-4708 or Everitt at 713-962-9299.
We expect a lot from our touring pop stars.

We want them to be on time when they schedule dates in our town. We demand that they play the songs we anticipate hearing. We will not settle for anything less than perfection - in terms of musical marksmanship and charisma - but we want it to feel just reckless enough to fool us into thinking it's unrehearsed.

And we demand a rousing encore featuring the songs we've been chanting for all evening. The knowing tease is what makes it so memorable.

Neil Diamond understands all this. The man who could convince a monk sworn to silence to sing along to the chorus of "Sweet Caroline" has been touring and making music for five decades. He knows the "rules" and at age 76 he still delivers the goods, with a voice that is a rare bit of preservation - sweet and soulful, with that familiar rasp which hasn't overtaken his delivery, unlike many of his musical peers.

But in this exchange of musical energy and emotion that we call a concert, there's a two-way contract at work. While the artist must deliver his part of the bargain, the audience also has an obligation to shower the stage with energy and excitement and help the artists sustain their 90-minute stand onstage.

Sunday night, at the Toyota Center, Diamond's fans failed him.

It's a bit weird to suggest that a nearly full house of people wearing bedazzled "Neil Diamond" shirts was lackluster, but it was. The fans would stand and cheer at the start of an accepted favorite, like "Cherry Cherry" early in the set, but they would sit down by the time Diamond wandered into the song's second verse. There was little energy. Little expressed excitement. In truth, it was one of the quietest shows an arena could hold - one where you could talk comfortably throughout the night, and not leave with a voice that sounds shredded and defeated by volume.

And it affected the performance. Not necessarily in how Diamond and his longtime backing band played the songs, but in the energy they put out.

Listen to Diamond's classic recordings and they're marked by an inextinguishable fire, a passion that crackles through songs with cheesy lyrics in such a way that you really don't mind the cheese.

Sunday night, that passion was dull and flat.

Now, some of this could be the result of a 76-year-old performer maneuvering through a set list that hasn't changed during this 50th anniversary tour. But to say he's going through the motions is an insult because there's still sincerity to every note Diamond sings. "Solitary Man" can still stun you with contemplative melancholy. And "Song Sung Blue" still feels like uplifting communion when Diamond gets into the chorus.

But there is a perfunctory nature to his performance. You get the sense Diamond could wake up at 2 a.m. and burp out a damn good version of "Forever in Blue Jeans." Which means the thing that separates a concert from late-night crooning is that symbiosis of artist and fan. The audience has to participate. And Sunday night, they really didn't, or not until three-fourths of the set was completed.

Sure, there were moments of exuberance during "Cherry Cherry" and "Blues Jeans," but the venue didn't feel alive until that familiar intro to "I'm a Believer." The dancing keys and stuttering guitar lick finally compelled the audience to jump up and dance and sing along as an act of necessity, rather than a dragging responsibility.

For a few moments, Diamond was more than a memory, he was the man who cultivated cult-like following with an earnest song book and honest emotional palate. Then, Diamond's set list wrecked the mood.

There are times as a performer you need to deviate from the set list, moments when you read the room and follow the energy and expectation. Bruce Springsteen is an expert at this, veering into the perfect song for the given moment. Diamond didn't heed the room's vibe, he exited the awakening effect of "Believer" with the subdued "Brooklyn Roads" and a string of songs that gave the audience every excuse to sit down and chill.

That's on Neil.

He didn't rebound and the crowd didn't respond until "Holly Holy" and "I am ... I Said" closed out the set with Diamond playing the latter by himself with an acoustic guitar. It was the best move of the night, bringing out the soft homesickness that's built from the loneliness of chasing your dreams. Standing there, backlit by the stage lights, holding his guitar in the air, with the song's chorus melody still swirling about the room, he looked like a legend cast in starlight before the room went dark for the pre-encore break.

When Diamond and his band returned, the crowd finally woke up, singing along to "Sweet Caroline" like they were rejuvenated adolescents and keeping the energy alive during "Cracklin' Rosie" and assuming the expected pride that came during the night's closer "America."

It didn't really matter that a 50th anniversary Neil Diamond show didn't include "Kentucky Woman," "Girl You'll Be a Woman Soon" or the building majesty of "Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show." In those final moments of the night, with the energy at its climax, the night felt as it was supposed to be, a beautiful exchange of life, love and hope, even if Diamond deserved it from the start.
Food fans rejoice: Some of the restaurants that made Houston Chronicle food critic Alison Cook's Top 100 list last year are participating in Restaurant Weeks.

Houston Restaurant Weeks is an annual fundraiser where eateries in Harris, Galveston and Montgomery counties raise money from specialized menus. Restaurant Weeks starts August 1 and ends September 4.
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#SundayFunday in Houston is definitely a "thing."

The weekend social event is typically marked by copious amounts of champagne cocktails, indulgent fare and midday partying; Legacy Community Health's annual Mint Julep boasted all of the aforementioned components and more.

A packed house of supporters began pouring into Rich's Houston  the former post-college dance club of choice turned "it" gay bar - in Midtown around 2 p.m. For the past 15 years, the non-profit has hosted the always-free drag show with proceeds befitting HIV/AIDS programs and services.

That's right. In addition to bottles of Veuve Clicquot, Tito's Handmade Vodka, and orange juice (mimosa or screwdriver, anyone?), a dozen high-octane drag performers including Shy Anne, Kaye Sedilla, Ginger Grant, and Katy Freeway shimmied and shook across the stage in the style of this year's "Dream Girls and Guys" theme.

"We often get asked why we began serving those outside of the LGBTQ community," explained event chair Tony Bravo, who shared host duty with Linda Cantu and Ben Dillon. "The best way to serve the Houston community, is to include everyone."

Indeed, the organization now provides medical and social services to the uninsured and underinsured of Houston, Baytown, and Beaumont, regardless of their ability to pay. More than 152,000 patients visited Legacy's clinics and school-based locations in 2016 alone.

In between trips to the Bryan Caswell-catered taco buffet, attendees waved and donated their dollars to the tune of $88,000, which exceeded this year's fundraising goal.

Female illusionist Angelina DM Trailz brought the house down not once, but thrice with her rendition of Celine Dion hits and a grand finale-on-roller skates.

Thanks in part to Angelina and honorees The Diane Foundation, Jani Lopez, and Bryan Hlavinka, the bar has been effectively raised for 2018's sweet sixteen soiree.
The growing problem of K2 abuse in prisons, turmoil in the Texas Medical City, and unanswered questions surrounding hackers and elections in Harris County - all in this week's long-form and investigative reporting.

K2 problem invades Texas prisons: 'The '2' makes them crazy and crazy strong,' official says.

@ChronicleMike



Lone Star lockups have become the front line in a battle against drug "zombies" as corrections officers wage war against what they describe as a rising tide of K2 use. It's a national trend too and endangers safety of convicts and prison staff alike, officials say.

Did hackers target Harris County election systems? Officials won't say

By Mihir Zaveri

@MihirZaveri



Despite widespread alarm over the breadth of Russian cyber attacks on state and local election systems last year, including revelations of Dallas County being targeted, Harris County officials are refusing to say whether hackers similarly took aim at the nation's third-largest county.

Texas Medical Center Turnover reflect industry in turmoil

By Todd Ackerman

@ChronMed



Around the country, health-care system governing boards increasingly are losing patience as their hospitals struggle to adjust to the shifting health-care landscape - one characterized by declining insurance reimbursements, a push for outpatient clinics, national healthcare policy questions and the replacement of the old fee-for-service model with value-based care. Those combined forces have sharply decreased hospitals' operating margins.

The logical fall guy: the CEO.

Houston Chronicle file photos

Mysterious Galveston yacht captain living under false identity gets 3 years in prison

By Keri Blakinger

@keribla

The Galveston yacht captain caught living a double life under an alias was sentenced Wednesday to three years in federal prison, resolving a stolen identity case. Questions remain about the mysterious deaths of her husband and young child nearly three decades ago.

Houston sits on bond funds despite affordable housing needs

By Mike Morris and Rebecca Elliott

@mmorris011 and @rfelliott

Despite repeatedly promising to address Houston's affordable housing needs, city officials sat for years on more than $30 million in voter-approved housing bonds with little intention of using them. Read the related investigation Lost Money.

Assaults on ICE and Border Patrol agents are increasing in 2017

By Lise Olsen

@chrondigger

Immigration agents have reported being assaulted far more often in the first six months of 2017, as they carry out policies that have increased both detentions and deportations nationwide.
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The Pearland Regional Airport is set to launch $500,000 in renovations and upgrades thanks to a grant from the Federal Aviation Administration that will be administered by the Texas Department of Transportation.

The grant will fund safety and security improvements including new entrance gates, signage, striping and lighting designed to increase visibility of runway markings for pilots.

Project costs will be funded through the Clover Acquisition Corp. and TxDot's Aviation Facilities Grant Program.

"The airport is truly a small city now, and this grant will go a long way to ensuring that the airport is set to safely and efficiently continue its robust development," said Stephen Alexander of Texas Aviation Partners, the managing firm of the airport. "The enhancements the airport will receive will help to make sure that aircraft can navigate the airport safely, alongside their four-wheeled counterparts."

More Information flight facility facts What: Pearland Regional Airport Where: 17622 Airfield Lane, Pearland Grant: A $500,000 Federal Aviation Administration grant will be used for safety and security improvements including new entrance gates and lighting. See More Collapse

The airport, a privately owned airfield open to the public, is home to a variety of tenants and businesses including several flights schools, airplane and helicopter maintenance shops and 20 full-time residents who live in homes or condos connected to private airplane storage facilities.

Built as a private facility in 1947 by Perry Brown of Friendswood, the 320-acre airport was transitioned to public use in 1950. Clover Acquisition acquired the property in 1957 and renamed it Clover Field. The airport, which has one 5,000-foot runway that can accommodate up to medium-size aircraft, was renamed Pearland Regional Airport in 2003. Texas Aviation Partners took over management in June 2013.

Two flying clubs, Coastal Skies and the Bar Area Aero Club, are based at the airport. In addition to flying lessons, airplane rentals and air tours for non-pilots interested in sightseeing, the clubs offer group comprehensive insurance and social events for members.

Operations manager Adam Arceneaux said the improvements will provide new security gates at the four airport entrances.

"We also plan to upgrade all the taxiway and runway lights, install additional lights and refurbish the airport beacon tower," he said.

"Our goal is to maintain a safe environment for pilots and make sure we are ahead of the curve in terms of infrastructure."

He said contracts will be awarded for all the proposed upgrades through a competitive bidding process.

The work should start this month or August and take two to three months to complete.

"We're working to manage growth in a smart, measured way," he said. "We want to make data-driven decisions for not just the airport but for the entire community. This grant is the next step for us."

This grant is a huge shot of adrenaline because it helps us step up our game."

Representative Ed Thompson, R-Pearland, said the grant would give the airport the opportunity to increase its economic development impact within the area.

"General aviation is a vital industry to our state's economic growth," he said.

"I'm so pleased that Pearland Regional Airport is being recognized for their contribution and being given the opportunity to expand their impact."

Texas Transportation Commissioner Laura Ryan also praised the airport.

"Providing this funding to the Pearland Regional Airport is key to supporting area aviation," she said. "This is a vibrant facility that plays an important economic role in the local community."
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The University of Houston Law Center chalked up another victory in its protracted battle against cross-town rival South Texas College of Law Houston.

The Intellectual Property Section of the State Bar of Texas recently awarded UH the trademark prize for defending the school's brand after South Texas College of Law announced plans to change its name to Houston College of Law.

"Unfortunately, trademarks are of an adversarial nature," Craig Stone, chairman of the bar's intellectual property trademark section, said Monday. "You're either fighting with the patent and trademark office to obtain the right to your brand or fighting publicly with a trademark infringement lawyer to retain the right to your brand."

Stone announced the award - the first ever for trademark practice - at the state bar's annual awards last month in Dallas.

"Their representation of the UHLC brand under emotion-filled circumstances is a great example of what trademark lawyers and teams face every day when tasked with protecting their multi-generational assets as brand stewards," he said at the time.

A spokesperson and an attorney for South Texas, which settled the lawsuit over the 93-year-old campus' new name in March, both declined to comment Monday.

Leonard Baynes, dean of the University of Houston Law Center, trumpeted the victory for the Cougars on Twitter last week.

Baynes declined to comment to the Chronicle, but he said in a news release that "the case presented important and novel legal issues" and he credited the lawsuit's success to the "outstanding lawyering and advocacy" of UH graduate Anthony Buzbee and UH General Counsel Dona Cornell and Al Deaver, a trademark whiz who happened to obtain his law degree at South Texas.

Stone emphasized that the point of the award was not about naming winners or losers. The award recognized exceptional work by in-house counsel, brand experts and outside counsel.

The trademark dispute centered on a re-branding campaign at South Texas in the summer of 2016. Lawyers for the public university argued that the private school's new name "Houston College of Law" infringed on UH's well-established academic brand.

South Texas eventually changed its name to South Texas College of Law Houston, which was acceptable to UH.

Buzbee said part of the courtroom victory can be attributed to his team laying out a narrative for U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison to explain why South Texas decided to change its name.

"We argued that when South Texas fell out of the rankings, and at the same time the new Texas A&M Law School became ranked in one year, that officials at South Texas decided to act," Buzbee said. "We argued that they purposely adopted a name to make it appear they were affiliated with the UH System."

UH spent more than $500,000 in legal fees to mount the lawsuit.

Now that the South Texas dispute is settled, UH may be picking up the mantle again to take on Houston Community College and the Houston Astros.

HCC and the Astros have each placed the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on notice that they are considering opposing UH's attempt to own the rights to "Houston," as it pertains to education services - actions that could set off another round of legal challenges among major Houston institutions.

Both organizations provide educational services in various forms that could run afoul of a UH trademark.

HCC and the Astros have until July 30 to decide if they will formally oppose UH's claim. South Texas, as of May 31, had officially dropped out of any potential opposition, in accordance with its settlement agreement.
The numbness spread to Kenneth Reeders fingertips after the initial shock.

Hed decided to come inside from helping his neighbors fix a lawn mower as thunder and lightning started.

But stepping into his entryway, he felt a shock hit his foot -- bam, he described. He fell to the ground for several seconds, weak.

Reeder, of Conroe, thought hed been struck by lightning on Saturday in afternoon storms that rolled through Montgomery County, which the National Weather Service confirmed on Sunday.

He could not be reached for comment on Sunday, but he told the Montgomery County Police Reporter that the doctors who treated him at the hospital were split as to what happened. One said the jolt was absolutely lightning, he recalled. Others said it was a power surge.

They agreed on one thing: I ought to buy a lottery ticket, he said. He did so Sunday.

DAMAGE: Lightning strike destroys Conroe apartments

Thunderstorms are possible throughout the week, according to the National Weather Service, which urges pedestrians to find a place inside or take shelter in a vehicle when storms begin.

The agency says the odds of being struck by lightning in a given year in the U.S. are one in 1.08 million. Thirty deaths and 270 injuries are reported per year from lightning.

Mary Ann Cooper, a retired Chicago emergency physician and lightning researcher, told Mosaic Science magazine in May that many victims experience external burns when electricity connects with sweat or rain on the skin.

It literally explodes the clothes off, she said.

Texas: Houston one of world's most active lightning hot spots

Reeder told the Police Reporter that the shock shook him up, but even though he was sweating from yard work, he had no external burns.

Im kind of afraid to even go out the door now, he said. Whether its nice and sunny or not. You go out the doors, its like, whats out there for me now? You never know with Texas.
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Happy birthday, Lynn Wyatt!

The Houston style icon, socialite and philanthropist turns 84 years old on Tuesday, July 16.

Born into the Sakowitz family, her grandfather started the well-known department store chain. In 1963 she married oil and gas executive and self-made millionaire Oscar Wyatt.

For years her name has been a common sight in the pages of the Houston Chronicle. The first time it appeared was in January 1951, when she was listed as a bridesmaid in the wedding of Joan Rita Weingarten and Kenneth Lee Schnitzer.

ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: Wyatt recalls her times hanging out with friend Elton John

She was first quoted in the Chronicle the following year, when the paper sought out what teens thought of the 1952 presidential election, even though the voting age was 21.

The San Jacinto High School student said Dwight Eisenhower would get her vote, but no matter who won, "he will go down in history as a great statesman as well as a great soldier."

Her photo and a headline bearing her name appeared in 1954, when she married New York real-estate developer Robert Lipman. They divorced in the early 1960s.

During the 1970s and '80s, the Wyatt's River Oaks mansion hosted notable guests for events and parties including late Princess Grace of Monaco, Princess Margaret, Mick Jagger, Elton John, and others.

With each party, she often tied the event to raise money and awareness for causes near to her heart, including the Houston Grand Opera, the Houston Ballet, Star of Hope and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.

SEE WYATT'S HOUSTON: Lynn Wyatt shares her favorite Houston spots

Wyatt's reputation as an icon stretches well beyond Houston's city limits, though.

"She brings glamour and laughter everywhere she goes. She's the Yellow Rose of Texas," designer Carolina Herrera told Vanity Fair in 2016.

In 2016, Elton John spoke of Wyatt as "the most glamorous person I know," according to Vanity Fair.

Reporter J.R. Gonzales contributed to this report.

To see the superb fashions of Wyatt through the years, click through the gallery above.
A family party in Missouri City turned deadly Friday after police were called regarding a noise complaint.

The Pedregon family said they were having a get together in their backyard when the Missouri City Police showed up unexpectedly. Upon entering the back of the property, the police were greeted by Chapo, the family dog, said Lizzethe Pedregon in a Facebook post.

"When the police arrived, they did not knock on our front door. Instead, they proceeded just to open our back gate door, never announced their presence or request consent to enter, like any dog would, Chapo walked towards the door when he heard it open, did NOT bark, did NOT growl, did NOTHING and he gets shot in the head," Pedregon wrote.

MISUNDERSTOOD: Halal store owner faces racist threats after being wrongfully accused of selling dog meat

The Pedregon family has spoken with the chief of police regarding the shooting. The officer who shot Chapo was wearing a body cam though that footage is not being released at this time. The shooting is under investigation.

Pedregon's Facebook post explaining the shooting has been shared more than 16,500 times and has collected more than 5,300 comments from people expressing their sympathy for the family and frustration against the police. The Houston Chronicle has reached out to the Missouri City Police for comment.

"My Chapo, he was an American Bully, so because he is considered an aggressive breed, you shoot him?'" Pedregon wrote. "Why didn't they knock first? We would of went inside if we were being loud, we would of shut it down. There were kids around and you just come in shooting?"

RESCUED: Video shows police rescuing dog from scorching hot car

Chapo is not the only dog this summer to die at the hands of police. In February, a Houston police officer shot and killed a police K9 when it attacked him by accident. Two other dogs were shot and killed on June 20 after Houston police responded to a robbery.






AUSTIN  Texas legislators are flooding back into the state's Capitol on Tuesday for a special session to take up a bundle of bills that fell short during the spring term.

The legislative overtime comes at the hands of Gov. Greg Abbott, who is the only person who can call lawmakers back to the capitol city for a special session.

Here's an Q&A about what to expect.

When does it begin?

The House and Senate will gavel in at 10 a.m. Tuesday, July 18. Special sessions can run for no more than 30 days, which means they have to finish their business by Aug. 16.

What's on the agenda?

The governor gave them a to-do list of about 20 items, mostly involving social issues, although he wants lawmakers to tackle a controversial property tax proposal, bathroom access and several education bills.

What's the most important bill on the docket?

The so-called "sunset bill" is considered a must-pass piece of legislation. It would continue operations at several agencies, including the Texas medical Board. This is the big reason why lawmakers are in a special session, because they failed to pass this fairly routine bill during the regular session. If this legislation falters, the agencies that regulates doctors, psychologists, marriage and family therapists, professional councilors and social workers would soon cease to exist.

What about these other 20 bills?

Once the sunset bill passes out of the Senate, Abbott will unlock another 20 topics to the special session agenda. They are mostly conservative Republican issues.

What are they and are they likely to pass?

Glad you asked. Here's a list of the bills, which we handicapped with their chances of success should both houses take them up in earnest.

Sunset legislation for five medical regulatory agencies: Will pass.

Teacher pay increase of $1,000: Good chance will pass.

Flexibility in teacher hiring and retention: Uncertain; some teacher groups may oppose.

Commission to study school finance reform: Likely to pass.

School choice for special needs students: Unlikely to pass. The House and the speaker are adamantly opposed.

Property tax reform: May pass; many cities and local taxing entities strongly oppose rollback election provisions.

New caps on state and local spending: Likely to pass.

Prevent cities from regulating tree-cutting on private land: Uncertain; strong opposition from cities expected.

Prevent local governments from changing development rules midway through construction projects: May pass; strong opposition from cities expected.

Speeding up local permitting processes: May pass; strong opposition from cities expected.

Annexation reform that requires a public vote of the areas to be annexed: May pass; strong opposition from cities expected.

Preempting local government ordinances on texting while driving: Unclear. Lawmakers approved a texting while driving ban earlier this year, but this proposal seeks to nullify stricter regulations in municipalities.

Privacy/bathroom bill: Unlikely to pass; strong opposition from outside groups including the Texas business lobby could bring a thumbs-down again in the House.

Prohibit union dues from being collected with government paychecks: Uncertain; Senate support is there, but opposition heavier in House.

Prohibit local governments from funding abortion providers such as Planned Parenthood: May pass; opposition from pro-choice groups and local activists.

Pro-life insurance reform: Likely to pass; opposition from anti-abortion groups and others.

Stronger abortion reporting rules: Likely to pass.

Strengthen patient protections relating to do-not-resuscitate orders: Likely to pass.

Crackdown on mail-in ballot fraud: Likely to pass.

Extending the maternal mortality task force: Passage expected.

Adjustments in dates when state agencies' operations can be reviewed: Passage expected.

OK. Aren't the House and Senate at odds right now?

Tension between the House and Senate will be on full display in during the session. Already, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick threw some verbal barbs at House Speaker Joe Straus on Monday, accusing him of laying the groundwork for an income tax. Of course, Straus compared the special session agenda to a pile of horse manure and hinted the House could pass the sunset bill and go home without passing the rest.

Wait, could that happen?

There's already a movement afoot called "sunset and sine die," which is the Latin term for "without a day" for lawmakers to return. There are even lapel pins. Abbott, who wants his bills to passed, came up with a lapel pin of his own: "20 for 20," and wants lawmakers to "pass them all."

What's the governor saying about all this?

Gov. Greg Abbott already threatened to create a naughty and nice list of people who oppose the bills. "No one gets to hide. No one gets to be neutral," he said today at an event hosted the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a conservative Republican organization. So he's pretty determined to get his agenda passed.

Alright, but what is this all going to cost me?

A 30-day special session could easily cost taxpayers more than $800,000 - and perhaps as much as $1 million, officials say.

The calculation is based on the costs of per diem for lawmakers, who collect #150 per day to cover expenses. With 182 lawmakers - 31 senators, 150 House members and the lieutenant governor - the amount for 30 days would be more than $800,000. Then add in overhead costs like security, printing and staff, and the cost could climb to $1 million.

How can I follow along?

Happy you asked. Check in on the Houston Chronicle's Texas Legislature landing page, like our Austin Bureau Facebook Page and follow our reporters on Twitter, including me at @andreazelinski, @JeremySWallace, @ChronicleMike, @Jamesjdrew and politics editor, @Grav1.
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.
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All-Conference WEC teams The All-Conference teams for the War Eagle Conference have been announced with multiple MMCRU and South OBrien volleyball players making...

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Illinois officials said Friday some 6,800 buildings have been affected by unprecedented flooding north of Chicago, and the damage is expected to worsen this weekend as water flows down rivers into the state from Wisconsin.

Folks think Well its not raining anymore. Things are just fine, theyre getting better. Well theyre not, Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner said following a tour of the area. This is dangerous, and the danger has not gone away.

Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner later issued a state disaster proclamation for Lake, McHenry and Kane counties.

Rauner said the proclamation will ensure the state continues to provide whatever assistance is needed now and in the coming days as the affected counties begin recovery efforts.

The governor also directed the Illinois Emergency Management Agency to activate the State Emergency Operations Center as needed to coordinate any requests for assistance from flood-impacted communities.

The National Weather Service says the Des Plaines River and Fox River could crest on Saturday. Rauner said that could prompt local officials to evacuate some neighborhoods and communities.

Heavy rainfall that hit the Midwest on Wednesday knocked out power to thousands and closed roadways. Power outages caused by flooding forced the evacuation Wednesday of Lake Forest Hospital in suburban Chicago. Power was restored that night, but Northwestern Medicine says the hospital remains closed Friday while damaged infrastructure is restored.

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker declared a state of emergency in Kenosha, Racine, and Walworth counties on Thursday, and the National Guard was helping local officials go door-to-door to check on people.

Lake County, Illinois, issued a disaster declaration, and Rauner said Friday his office is assessing whether a state declaration is needed.

Of the roughly 6,800 buildings that have been affected, about 2,100 are submerged _ many along the Chain OLakes, Lake County Board Chairman Aaron Lawlor said. Officials predict there could be 5,800 submerged structures before the waters recede, he said.

Lawlor said the flooding is expected to be worse than the damage in 2013, the last time the area was hit, because rains came down right on top of us.

This is an unprecedented flood, he said.

Illinois Emergency Management Agency Director James Joseph said rivers could crest at record levels. Joseph said the agency is working with local officials in Lake, McHenry, Kane, Cook and parts of DuPage counties.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
A sinkhole that started out the size of a small swimming pool and continued to grow in Florida swallowed a boat, destroyed two homes and prompted officials to evacuate residents from about a dozen homes Friday.

Dramatic video showed the home in Land O Lakes, north of Tampa in Pasco County, collapsing into the hole Friday morning. It quickly engulfed one home and a boat and then consumed about 80 percent of another home, said Kevin Guthrie, Pasco Countys assistant county administrator for public safety.

By Friday afternoon, the hole stretched up to 250 feet (76 meters) wide and 50 feet (15 meters) deep, and threatened to damage a third home, Guthrie said.

Pasco County Fire Chief Shawn Whited told reporters that no one was home when crews responded to a call about a depression under a boat in the backyard of a house in Lake Padgett Estates in Land OLakes. Within minutes, he said, the hole opened up and the boat fell in.

Firefighters were able to get two dogs out of the home and retrieve some belongings before the first home started collapsing into the quickly expanding hole.

This is peoples lives. They have everything in that house. The house that I went into, the elderly woman was in a walker, so we wanted to make sure we got medications  things that she needed, Deputy Jay Murphy said.

No injuries have been reported.

Sheriff Chris Nocco said that within roughly 30 feet (9 meters) of the sinkhole, the ground was soft underfoot and felt like it was moving.

Walking down the street, you can see in peoples eyes the anxiety level. Theyre fearful, Nocco said.

The sinkhole had been dormant for about 90 minutes Friday night when Nocco addressed members of the media, but officials were cautious because its the rainy season. A fence was being erected around the sinkhole. The scene is being considered a hazardous materials incident because of possible septic tank issues and building debris.

Were all wondering whats going to happen next. We cant control this. This is mother nature, said the sheriff, who added that plenty of rescue crews were on standby to evacuate residents quickly, if necessary.

Eleven homes were evacuated, including the two destroyed. County property records show there was a sinkhole at the property where the first house was swallowed up, and that it had been stabilized in 2014. The home was sold in 2015, according to records. Messages left for its owner were not immediately returned Friday.

Sinkholes are stabilized by boring holes into the ground and injecting concrete.

Records also show a sinkhole was stabilized at the partially destroyed home in 2007. Two sisters renting that home with four other family members said they had left the house early Friday and returned to see their neighbors home falling into the sinkhole.

The Tampa Bay Times reported that Edilia and Theresa Villa and their relatives had time to retrieve important documents and six dogs from their house before officials declared it unsafe. Theresa Villas 15-year-old daughter, Thalia Chapman, told the newspaper the family moved into the home after arriving from Cuba about a decade ago.

Officials say Duke Energy cut power to about 100 homes in the neighborhood. The American Red Cross is assisting residents whove been displaced.

Guthrie said he was concerned that if the sinkhole continued to grow, it would damage septic tanks that could pollute a nearby lake.

(Kelli Kennedy contributed from Fort Lauderdale.)

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
At least three people died and 12 were injured Friday in a fire at a Honolulu high-rise that was not equipped with sprinklers, authorities said, and hundreds fled the giant condominium complex as smoke billowed from the upper floors.

The dead were found on the 26th floor, where the fire broke out around 2:15 p.m. and then spread to the 28th floor of the Marco Polo residences, Fire Chief Manuel Neves said.

Firefighters were searching the damaged areas to make sure no additional people perished.

The 36-floor building near the tourist mecca of Waikiki was built in 1971, before sprinklers were required.

Without a doubt if there were sprinklers in this apartment, the fire would be contained to the unit of origin, he said.

Four of the injured, including a firefighter, were hospitalized in serious condition, officials said.

Karen Hastings, 71, was in her 31st floor apartment when the fire broke out. She smelled smoke, ran on to her balcony and looked down to see flames below her.

The next thing we know the fire causes the windows to blow out, and we can see glass flying all the way down, Hastings said. I says, my goodness, anybody who is outside is going to get clobbered with glass.

Then, she said, the fire just blew up and went flying right out the windows. And that was like a horror movie. Except it wasnt a horror movie, it was for real.

She and a neighbor ran through the haze down 14 floors until they found a safe stairwell to get some air.

We actually saw a person laying on a ledge and I dont know whether he made it not, Hastings said.

The building is vast and wave-shaped, and has several sections. The blaze was mostly confined to a single section, and only the units immediately above it and to the side of it were evacuated, while many residents stayed inside.

The blaze was still burning some four hours after it broke out as the sun set, but it was down to mostly embers by then, official said.

Most evacuations went calmly and smoothly, security guard Leonard Rosa said.

Cory La Roe, who is from Florida and stationed in Hawaii with the Air Force, works night shifts and was asleep when siren sounds woke him at about 2:15 p.m.

First thing, I was kind of disoriented and confused about what was going on, so I looked out my window and saw people running away from the building, looking back toward it.

La Roe said he didnt hear any verbal announcements and there were no flashing fire alarm lights in the building, but after I saw people running out and went out to the hallway, I knew it was a fire alarm.

He saw an elderly couple come down that looked sooty who were taken to the hospital. He saw other people brought out on stretchers.

He didnt realize that the building didnt have a sprinkler system and was surprised that was the case.

Thats one thing that I wasnt aware of prior to moving in, La Roe said. It was definitely shocking for me to know that there werent any sprinklers installed in the building.

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell said the city needs to look at passing a law requiring older buildings be retrofitted with sprinklers.

The biggest argument is the affordability, Caldwell said. Residents have to pay. Its pretty expensive. But if it saves a life and its your life, its worth the cost.

No one from the building said they remembered recent fire drills, but Anna Viggiano, who lives on the 6th floor, said there were some after a 2013 fire that broke out two floors above her. She said since then she doesnt hesitate to evacuate when she hears the alarm.

It was scary, she said. It was terrifying.

(Associated Press writers Caleb Jones and Marco Garcia contributed to this story.)

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
A Riverside Superior Court jury awarded Steven Meier $17 million after he had his right leg amputated below the knee due to being run over by a forklift in October 2013.

Meier, a security guard employed by Securitas Security Services, was patrolling at a PennySaver USA facility in Mira Loma, Calif., when he was struck from behind by a forklift operating in reverse on October 20, 2013. The forklift crushed Meiers right leg, dragging him several feet and degloving his lower limb. To dislodge his leg from underneath the forklift, a second forklift was brought in to lift the first forklift off of Meier.

He was rushed to Riverside Community Hospital where he underwent various surgeries to repair his leg and ankle. Over the next year and a half, Meier underwent eleven surgeries to repair the damage to his leg, foot and ankle. Due to the large zone of injury, Meier suffered complications, requiring multiple hospitalizations and surgeries. Nearly two years after the collision, his right leg was amputated just below the knee.

Meier had to undergo three revision surgeries after the amputation. In September 2016, he was fitted for a temporary prosthetic leg and is expected to get a permanent prosthetic early next year.

The trial lasted ten days before the jury ruled in favor of Meier.

Efforts to reach the attorneys representing Travelers Insurance, which insured the bankrupt PennySaver company, were unsuccessful Wednesday.

Meiers attorney, Riccardo Echeverria, said the judgment will be paid in full, and Travelers agreed not to appeal. He said his client is pleased with the verdict.

The case was Steven Meier v. PennySaver USA, LLC, et al. Riverside Superior Court, Case No. RIC1507069.

Source: Shernoff Bidart Echeverria LLP/Associated Press

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
BRUNSWICK, Ohio -- A SWAT standoff ended Sunday with two men dead in a suspected murder-suicide, Brunswick police said.

Investigators believe Steven Bonsell, 41, of Brunswick, killed a 42-year-old man before he shot himself at a condominium on Bennington Boulevard near Pearl Road, police said in a news release.

The 42-year-old man's identity has not been released.

The standoff began just before 7 p.m. when officers went to the condominium to investigate a report of shots fired. The officers were unable to make contact with anyone inside before they called the Southwest Enforcement Bureau's SWAT team for backup, police said.

The SWAT team eventually entered the condo and found both men dead. Bonsell died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, but police have not said how the other man died.

Brunswick Hills, Hinckley, and Strongsville police and Brunswick and Brunswick Hills firefighters assisted at the scene.

If you'd like to comment on this story, visit Monday's crime and courts comments section.
ELYRIA, Ohio -- A 16-year-old from Florida was arrested last week for calling in threats to Elyria High School on three different occasions, including during the school's graduation ceremony, authorities said.

Elyria police investigators arrested the teenager Wednesday at his home in Keystone Heights, Florida. He was located inside his room, where several laptop computers and other electronic devices were found, according to a news release from Elyria police.

The teenager admitted to police he was the one who made several "swatting" threats to the high school in May, and was the leader of an online hacking group, the release said. Swatting has become popular in many online gaming circles where users call in prank threats to police resulting in SWAT teams being dispatched to investigate the calls.

Investigators were able to determine the threats were made from a phone in Florida and began working with local officials to obtain a search warrant and arrested the teenager.

Police shutdown the high school May 22 after someone claiming to be a student said he was barricaded inside a restroom with a weapon. The threat was a prank, police have said.

On May 29, police received a call that there was a bomb inside a trash container. Two days later, a caller said there was a bomb under the bleachers at Ely Stadium, where the high school was having their graduation ceremony, the release said.

If you'd like to comment on this story, visit Monday's crime and courts comments section.
MENTOR, Ohio - A Painesville man is charged with aggravated vehicular homicide in a crash that killed a passenger in his car, Mentor police said.

Joshua O'Keefe, 21, is also charged with driving under suspension and failure to control in the Sunday crash on Center Street near Mentor Hills Drive, police said.

The crash seriously injured Taylor Castilyn, of Perry, who was a passenger in O'Keefe's car. The 20-year-old woman died later Sunday at MetroHealth, police said.

A Kirtland Hills police officer saw O'Keefe commit a stop sign violation just before 1:30 a.m. and tried to stop his car, police said. O'Keefe sped away, but soon lost control of the car and crashed into a fence in Mentor, police said.

Kirtland Hills Fire Department paramedics took Castilyn to Tri-Point Hospital before she was flown to MetroHealth.

Alcohol might have been a factor in the crash, police said. O'Keefe was also driving with a suspended license, police said.

A Mentor Municipal Court judge set O'Keefe's bond at 10 percent of $150,000 during his first appearance Monday, police said.

If you'd like to comment on this story, visit Monday's crime and courts comments section.
LORAIN, Ohio - A search firm has narrowed candidates for the Lorain school district's first CEO position down to five finalists, with a notable ommission - current superintendent and former Parma superintendent Jeff Graham.

Lorain is the second district in Ohio subject to new state intervention efforts passed by the state legislator and Gov. John Kasich in 2015.

Though poor grades had the district under the oversight of the state for a few years already, poor grades on the last state report card triggered appointment of a new Academic Distress Commission to set plans to improve the schools.

That plan also includes hiring a CEO with broad powers - essentially the same power as the old superintendent and school board together - though the existing school board retains the power to seek taxes from residents.

The new commission, which took office in late May, has until July 25 to name its CEO. The state will pay the CEO salary between $150,000 and $250,000.

Former Lorain city councilman Anthony Richardson is chairman of the new panel trying to improve the Lorain schools.

The commission, chaired by former city councilman Anthony Richardson, hired Atlantic Research Partners to recruit applicants and narrow the search. The finalists, picked from 37 applicants, are:

- Vilicia Cade, Senior Director of Secondary Curriculum & Professional Development for Christina School District in Wilmington, DE

- David Hardy, Deputy Superintendent of Academics for Saint Louis Public Schools, Saint Louis, MO

- James Henderson, former Associate Superintendent for Academic Supports for Saint Louis Public Schools, Saint Louis, MO

- Lloyd Martin, former Superintendent of Schools Academy for Urban Scholars, Columbus, OH

- Eric Thomas, Chief Support Officer for University of Virginia Darden/Curry Partnership for Leaders in Education, Charlottesville, VA

See their applications below.

Though Graham applied for the position, he was not named a finalist.

We are awaiting word from Richardson on whether Graham could still be interviewed for the post. Other boards have looked beyond finalists chosen by search firms to make their hires, including the Cleveland schools in hiring CEO Eric Gordon in 2011 and the state school board just last year in hiring State Superintendent Paolo DeMaria.

Lorain Superintendent Jeff Graham, former superintendent of the Parma schools, talks to Lorain's old Academic Distress Commission earlier this year

Graham had some support from the previous state panel working with the district. At that panel's last meeting, members lamented that they and Graham did not have more time to let their own efforts work.

He also had the support of Mayor Chase Ritenauer.

Graham would also draw some controversy, if named. Graham came to Lorain in 2015 after five years as superintendent of the Parma schools. But less than a year later, a new treasurer at the school raised alarms about a likely $7 million deficit for the school year and $8 million for the next.

Graham has declined to discuss these deficits, which caught most in the community by surprise.

Parma school board members said in a letter to the community that Graham and the previous treasurer "never tracked the expenditures and/or savings from the consolidation, as directed." That refers to consolidation of schools to save money.

Graham filed a defamation suit against the district in May, saying that letter was "riddled with defamatory false statements and misleading facts."

Graham, who has a contract through the 2017-18 school year, can remain and work under the new CEO, unless the new Academic Distress Commission chooses to interview and pick him.
CLEVELAND, Ohio - A 36-year-old man is dead after he was shot Sunday afternoon on Cleveland's East Side, police said.

The fatal shooting happened about 2:40 p.m. on the 13600 block of Blenheim Road, northwest of St. Clair Avenue in the city's South Collinwood neighborhood, Cleveland police spokeswoman Sgt. Jennifer Ciaccia said. Paramedics were treating the victim's gunshot wound to his torso when police arrived at the shooting scene.

The victim was taken to University Hospitals by paramedics, where he died, Ciaccia said.

The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office will release the victim's identity once his family is notified.

During their initial investigation, homicide detectives learned that the victim may have been sitting in the driver's seat of his Volvo four-door car in a nearby driveway when the shooting happened, Ciaccia said. The man may have tried to drive away when his car came to stop where he was found by first responders.

Witnesses told police they saw several men running away from the shooting scene, but no suspects have been identified, Ciaccia said.

Anyone with information about the fatal shooting should call Cleveland police homicide detectives at 216-623-5464.

If you'd like to comment on this post, please visit the cleveland.com crime and courts comments section.
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio voters will decide this November whether to strengthen crime victims' rights enumerated in the state constitution by voting on Marsy's Law for Ohio.

Officially called the Ohio Crime Victims Bill of Rights, the proposed constitutional amendment was certified Monday by the Ohio secretary of state. If the measure is approved by voters, Ohio would be the sixth state to enact such protections for victims of crime.

"We are excited that Ohioans will be able to vote on placing basic, enforceable rights for victims of crime into the state constitution," said Henry Nicholas, a California philanthropist who started the Marsy's Law effort in memory of his sister Marsy.

The measure joins the Ohio Drug Price Relief Act, a citizen-proposed law that aims to lower state spending on prescription medicine, on the November 7 ballot.

Marsy's Law supporters had to submit at least 305,591 valid signatures of registered Ohio voters, meeting a certain threshold in 44 of Ohio's 88 counties. The group collected 371,749 valid signatures and met the threshold in 54 counties, Secretary of State Jon Husted's office said Monday.

Marsy's Law would expand crime victims' rights granted by a 1994 constitutional amendment that called for victims to have a "meaningful role" in the justice process. Several state laws also outline victims' rights, such as the right to attend court proceedings, but victim advocates say they are difficult to enforce.

Marsy's Law would allow victims' attorneys to file a motion in court if they feel their rights have been ignored.

Specifically, the amendment outlines 10 rights including the rights to:

be treated with respect, fairness and dignity throughout the criminal justice process.

notification in a timely manner of major proceedings and developments in the case.

be notified of all changes to an offender's status.

be present at court proceedings and provide input to a prosecutor before a plea deal is struck.

be heard at pleas or sentence proceedings or any process that may grant an offender's release.

receive restitution from the offender.

refuse an interview, deposition or other discovery request made by the accused, except as authorized elsewhere in the Ohio Constitution.

The measure has the support of a bipartisan group of prosecutors, law enforcement officials and victim advocates. Public defenders and defense attorneys are concerned the amendment could give victims, who are not parties to criminal lawsuits, more rights than defendants.

Mobile readers, click here to read the proposed amendment.
But in a story told on the next episode of CNBC's "American Greed," Clarke and Carlile would end up dead  extreme examples of the danger of not doing a proper background check, which in Henrikson's case would have turned up multiple arrests for assault, drugs, weapons violations and fraud.

Kristopher "KC" Clarke, an old motorcycle racing buddy of Henrikson's from Washington state, agreed to sign on as operations manager. Then a few years later, when Henrikson decided to branch out into oil drilling, he took on a partner  construction contractor Doug Carlile.

Thirty-two years old and exuding charisma, Henrikson had something everyone wanted during those go-go days in 2006. At a time when half the battle in North Dakota was getting workers, equipment and oil from place to place, Henrikson owned a trucking business  Blackstone Trucking.

Willingham says beware of commercial web sites that claim to allow you to do a complete background check  one-stop shopping  for a price.

It may seem intimidating at first, but most court documents are public records, and you have every right to see them. Of course, it helps to know what you are looking for. Willingham says many states have central repositories where you can search for criminal records. In many states  and the number is increasing all the time  the records are available online. So you can start at the state level and see if you need to make a trip to the courthouse.

"Criminal history is one of ... the basic steps to determine whether somebody or not has any issues in their past," Willingham said.

Sometimes there is no substitute for some good old-fashioned legwork. That may mean going to the local courthouse to see if the person has a criminal past.

But that does not have to mean hiring an expensive private eye. Willingham, a private investigator with more than 15 years experience and a Certified Fraud Examiner, shared some of his secrets exclusively with "American Greed."

"Anytime there's a lot of risk, whether it's financial, personal, you might want to look into somebody's background to see if there's any potential red flags that you may identify about what they've done in their past," Willingham said.

New York private investigator Brian Willingham, founder of the Diligentia Group , says no matter how well you think you know a person, once the relationship moves to a position of trust, you need to protect yourself.

Anytime there's a lot of risk, whether it's financial, personal, you might want to look into somebody's background to see if there's any potential red flags that you may identify about what they've done in their past.

"There's no such thing as sort of a nationwide criminal records search," Willingham said. "A lot of these databases will claim to have records that cover the entire nation, but the reality is that something like 70 or 80 percent of criminal records are not available online."

But you can do your own nationwide search of the federal courts, where some of the most serious criminal cases are tried. Most federal court records  particularly from cases in the past 20 years  are available online through a government database known as Pacer, for public access to court electronic records.

"Pacer is a phenomenal source, partly because you can access court documents directly from there," Willingham said.

The first step is to set up a Pacer account online. The service is not free, but it is not expensive either  just 10 cents per page, with a maximum of $3 per document. And if your charges do not exceed $15 in a quarter, you won't get billed at all.

In addition to criminal cases, Pacer allows you to search civil cases. That can uncover disputes your subject might have had with previous business partners. It will also show whether your subject has had trouble with regulatory agencies like the Securities and Exchange Commission, which bring charges in civil rather than criminal courts.

Federal court is also where all bankruptcy proceedings take place  business and personal  so you can use Pacer to see if your subject or any of his companies ever went bankrupt, who his creditors were and how things turned out.

License, please

You might be surprised to know how many jobs require a license in many states.

Even if the job has nothing to do with the reason you and your new business partner are getting together, you can learn a lot from his or her history with state regulators. Maybe he was a barber, a contractor, or an auto mechanic. Wouldn't it be good to know how he got along with his customers? Check with your state's office of professional regulation or secretary of state's office to get started. And if the subject is involved in a profession, there is a treasure trove of information available.

"As an investment professional you need to be licensed," Willingham said. "A private investigator needs to be licensed, doctors, lawyers, and each state has boards that regulate these licenses. So that would be one of the first things I would check on somebody's background is to verify that one, that they have a license, and two, whether any of these licenses have any regulatory actions, complaints filed against them."

In the case of an attorney, be sure to check with the bar association in the state where he or she is licensed. The American Bar Association has an online directory of state chapters where you can see if the attorney is operating in good standing.

For a financial professional, check out the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority's (FINRA) online Broker Check, which will give you the person's employment and disciplinary history.

Give me the news

There was a time when private investigators looking for dirt on a subject would have to go to the local newspaper, trying to get an overworked employee to let them search through back issues for bad publicity.

Nowadays, of course, there is Google. But Willingham says that should just be your starting point.

Some newspapers will let your search their entire archives online for free, or for just the cost of a subscription. There are also paid databases such as LexisNexis, but they can be expensive. So Willingham suggests a seemingly old school approach: going to the library.

"A lot of times you'll find local libraries will have access to historical newspaper databases, so you can go down to your local library and in many cases you can log in through your local library and get that information," he said. "So it's a great source of information that should not be missed."

And while you are online at the library or at home, do not forget social media, where pretty much everyone  intentionally or otherwise  reveals things about themselves.

"In some cases, they're posting things to make themselves look bigger and grander than they really are. For example, an investment professional might be posting pictures of their beautiful house, or their beautiful cars, to kind of show the public that they are very wealthy or they have an enormous amount of wealth to give the impression that they have a lot of things," Willingham said. "Obviously you want to look for the red flags. If they're saying horrible things about certain groups of people or types of people, if they are sort of flashing their wealth, that's something that I certainly would be concerned about."
Financial security is a vital part of national security, Xi said at the fifth National Financial Work Conference, adding that China will strengthen the Communist Party's leadership in the financial sector.

China's central bank will take on a bigger role in macro-prudential management and in averting systemic risk in the financial system, President Xi Jinping said at a once-in-five-years government work conference that ended on Saturday.

A woman walks past the headquarters of the People's Bank of China in Beijing, China.

A Financial Stability and Development Committee will also be set up under the State Council, or cabinet, state media cited Xi as saying.

No details were given on the committee and on how the role of the People's Bank of China (PBOC) will be strengthened.

Regulators oversee different parts of China's complex financial sector, and no singular regulator has a complete picture of capital movements in the system.

That complicates the job of authorities to catch market manipulators who secretly divert funds to risky financial products as they chase higher returns.

Authorities also worry about "giant crocodiles", a term regulators have started using to describe law-breaking tycoons who circumvent regulations to grab control of other companies.

Earlier this year, the China Insurance Regulatory Commission (CIRC) banned the chairman of Foresea Life from the insurance business for 10 years, citing violations of rules in the firm's use of insurance funds.

CIRC separately also restricted Evergrande Life's (3333.HK) stock trading activities for one year, after accusing the insurance firm of engaging in irregular investment activities.

Xi also said China will push forward with deleveraging in its economy, and that lowering debt ratios among state-owned enterprises is the most pressing issue.

Beijing will also strictly control new local government debt and strengthen oversight of internet financing, he said.
Conservative author Ann Coulter had a bone to pick with Delta Air Lines on Saturday, after she said the airline moved her from a pre-booked, "extra room" seat.

She railed against the company on Twitter, calling Delta the "worst airline in America," and complained that it had given her seat to someone who was neither old, a child, sick, nor an "air marshall (sic) or tall person." Coulter shared photos of the passenger who was given the seat she had booked, and that of a flight attendant, with her approximately 1.6 million followers.

Ann Coulter Tweet: Just when you think it's safe to fly them again, the worst airline in America is STILL: @Delta

Ann Coulter Tweet: Hey @Delta, you mind telling me why it was an "emergency" to move someone else into the seat I had carefully chosen in advance and booked?

Coulter was on a flight to West Palm Beach, Florida, from New York's LaGuardia airport when she was reassigned from an aisle to a window seat on the same exit row, with extra leg room.

Delta said Coulter had originally booked a window seat and then within 24 hours of the flight's departure, she changed it to an aisle seat on the same row. At the time of boarding, the airline said it moved Coulter to another window seat on the same row to accommodate seating requests from other passengers.

The company said there was some confusion with seating assignments during boarding, and that a flight attendant then asked the passengers to move to the seats noted on their respective tickets. Delta said its customers had complied, the flight departed without incident and crew members did not report any problems. It said it only learned of Coulter's complaints after she began tweeting about it on July 15, following the flight's arrival.

A Delta spokesman told CNBC the airline's social media and customer care teams had reached out to Coulter several times and that it had connected with her by Sunday evening. He did not elaborate on what was discussed.

On Sunday evening, Delta responded to Coulter on Twitter and said it will refund the $30 she had paid for the preferred seat. The airline also called her tweets "about our other customers and employees" unacceptable and unnecessary. Coulter also tweeted that she was still waiting for an explanation.

Delta Tweet: @AnnCoulter We're sorry you did not receive the preferred seat you paid for and will refund your $30. (cont.)

Delta Tweet: @AnnCoulter Additionally, your insults about our other customers and employees are unacceptable and unnecessary.

In a separate statement, Delta added, "Each of our employees is charged with treating each other as well as our customers with dignity and respect. And we hold each other accountable when that does not happen."

"Delta expects mutual civility throughout the entire travel experience," the statement said.

Coulter had alluded to Delta employees being rough, tweeting: ".@Delta employee questionnaire: What is your ideal job: Prison guard? Animal handler? Stasi policeman? All of the above: HIRED!" She also accused them of "summarily snatching my ticket from my hand & ordering me to move w/o explanation, compensation or apology."

Previously, when United Airlines drew criticisms for the rough-handling of a passenger and carrying him off the aircraft, Coulter was seemingly unsympathetic. She tweeted:

Tweet: Sorry about the dragging, but the convicted pill-mill doctor should be deported. Dreamland amzn.to/2p2LA6M
Winnie the Pooh has been blacked out from Chinese social media in the lead-up to the country's 19th Communist Party Congress this fall, the Financial Times reported Sunday.

No official explanation was given, but the FT cited observers who said the crackdown may be related to past comparisons of the physical appearance of President Xi Jinping to the fictional bear. One observer said "talking about the president" appeared to be among activities deemed sensitive ahead of the upcoming party congress, when leadership renewal is expected.

A bear, however hard he tries, falls foul of Chinese censors' eyes

The following year, the comparison was extended to Xi's meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was pictured as Eeyore, the sad donkey, alongside the bear.

Xi-Abe meeting tweet

Comparisons between Xi and Disney -owned Winnie the Pooh first circulated in 2013 during the Chinese leader's visit with then U.S. President Barack Obama.

A photo of Xi standing up through the roof of a parade car, next to a picture of Winnie the Pooh in a toy car, was named the "most censored image of 2015" by political consultancy Global Risk Insights.

The FT report said posts with the Chinese name of the portly character were censored on China's Twitter-like platform Sina Weibo. A collection of animated gifs featuring the bear were also removed from social messaging app WeChat, according to the FT.

Read the full Financial Times report here.
1. Nothing is impossible if you're willing to put in enough time and effort.

2. Anything you make excuses to avoid doing is something you should be doing.

3. The most honest advice you'll ever get is from people who like you the least.

4. The person who wants it the most is the one who ends up winning.

5. Whatever it takes is usually what it takes to get what you want in life.

6. Being around negative people is the single greatest way to keep on losing.

7. Worry, fear, action, and gratitude are all choices you get to make.

8. If you aren't willing to master the details, you aren't likely to win.

9. Apathy is the enemy of achieving something awesome.

10. Just because it didn't work out the last time you tried isn't a good reason to stop trying.

11. No matter how bad your situation might be, you can make it if you want to.

12. No one gets to decide anything for you. Every decision is completely yours to make.

13. Today is that second chance you have been asking for. Use it.

14. The speed of your progress is directly related to the intensity of your effort.

15. You won't get better if you're not willing to listen and learn.

16. The things you do when no one else is watching determine your ultimate trajectory.

17. Just because the critics are loud doesn't mean that they are right.

18. Any solution that is fast, easy, or guaranteed isn't likely to work out in the long run.
Amazon , whose plans to acquire supermarket chain Whole Foods pose a threat to the grocery industry, appears to be entering the meal-kits business.

Amazon registered a trademark in the U.S. on July 6 for a service described as: "We do the prep. You be the chef." The service will provide customers "prepared food kits ... ready for cooking and assembly as a meal," according to the trademark application.

The kits will primarily consist of grains, rice, noodles, pasta or bakery products, Amazon said.

The Times, a British-based publication, first reported this news Sunday.

This fresh ambition by Amazon will no doubt threaten meal-kits provider Blue Apron , which just recently listed on the public market.

Representatives from Amazon and Blue Apron didn't immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment.

Blue Apron holds the title as the largest meal-kit provider in the U.S., followed by German-based HelloFresh.

Since its initial public offering, though, shares of Blue Apron have tumbled. Just last week, the stock closed at a new low after an analyst slapped Blue Apron with a $2 price target, citing difficulty with the business ever becoming profitable. Blue Apron's stock closed Friday at $7.36 per share, down nearly 10 percent for the week.

On Monday morning, Blue Apron's stock was falling more than 10 percent, hitting an all-time-low below the $7 mark.
A higher percentage of Americans think President Donald Trump should be impeached now than wanted to see President Richard Nixon impeached six months into his second term, according to a Monmouth University poll released Monday.

Forty-one percent of Americans think Trump "should be impeached and compelled to leave the presidency," versus 53 percent who do not, according to the poll. That compares with 24 percent who supported Nixon's impeachment and 62 percent who did not in July 1973, when the Watergate scandal was escalating and about a year before Nixon resigned.

Support for Trump's impeachment is higher than Nixon's was even though the pair had roughly the same approval rating at those points in time, according to Monmouth. That may be a symptom of the more partisan environment that Trump faces, according to Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute.

"Even though Trump's approval rating is similar to Nixon's, more Americans support impeachment today than did in 1973. That's partly due to the current epidemic of hyperpartisanship that was simply not prevalent 40 years ago," he said.

Trump came into office unpopular and has been dogged by an investigation into whether his campaign coordinated with the Russian government during the 2016 election and accusations that he fired former FBI Director James Comey to influence that probe. He has struggled to enact key pieces of his agenda as quickly as he would have hoped.

While a Democratic lawmaker has filed articles of impeachment against Trump, Democratic leaders and Republicans have shown little interest yet in impeachment. Republicans control both chambers of Congress.

Trump's approval in the Monmouth poll sits at 39 percent, versus 52 percent who disapprove. Still, his approval barely changed since May, when 39 percent of respondents approved and 53 percent disapproved.

Approval ratings fluctuate, so Trump's could always rise again.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request to comment on this article.

The telephone poll of 800 people was conducted from July 13 to July 16 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.
The work could make it easier for companies to migrate applications between their data centers and Amazon's server farms and make it easier to recover data from Amazon in case of disasters, The Information said, citing an unnamed source.

Amazon Web Services is thinking about building software for corporate data centers as part of its recently formed partnership with VMware , according to a report on Monday.

Meanwhile, Microsoft has been busy refining on-premises data center software that mirrors that of its Azure public cloud. And Google has taken its first step toward doing more with on-premises data centers through its partnership with Nutanix.

The potential expansion of the VMware partnership, though, wouldn't be the first thing AWS is doing to work with on-premises data centers.

AWS added on-premises support to its CodeDeploy continuous-delivery service in 2015.

AWS introduced the Snowball storage server companies could use to copy data and then ship it to the cloud in 2015.

AWS added on-premises support to its EC2 Run Command tool for running shell scripts on many machines at once in 2016.

AWS unveiled the Snowmobile truck for copying even larger supplies of data and then hauling it off to Amazon in 2016.

This past November AWS released a container image of its Amazon Linux server operating system for use on corporate servers.

Amazon and VMware announced their partnership in October, targeting a mid-2017 launch for VMware virtualization software running atop the Amazon cloud, but the new technology might not be available until the end of the year or the beginning of 2018, The Information said.

VMware stock was up more than 2 percent and Amazon stock was up slightly following the Information report.

AWS did not immediately respond to a request for comment. VMware had no comment.
Activist investor Nelson Peltz blames Procter & Gamble for allowing online shave club rivals to gobble up razor market share from its Gillette business.

The billionaire investor, who launched a proxy fight Monday to get on the P&G board, told CNBC that former Gillette employees told him they wouldn't have let online rivals Dollar Shave Club and Harry's gain as much of a foothold as P&G did.

"I spoke to a lot of the ex-Gillette guys and you know what they said," Peltz said on "Squawk on the Street." "If Dollar Shave Club, and whoever the other guy is, were around when they were running Gillette, they would have put a group of them together  five or 10 guys in a room  and say 'how do we put these guys out of business now?'"

"That's what should have happened years ago. It didn't happen. It didn't happen because you replaced Gillette people with P&G people. Very different culture. Very different people," Peltz said.

While it did not address specifically Peltz's Gillette comments, P&G released a statement after his interview on CNBC. It read in part, "P&G's Directors are proven business leaders, many of whom have run successful businesses and led significant business and organization transformations at their respective companies."

P&G, which bought Gillette for $57 billion in 2005, replaced key managers shortly after the acquisition.

While Gillette remains the top razor brand overall, it isn't as dominate online, according to data from Slice Intelligence. As of February, Dollar Shave Club, which Unilever bought for $1 billion last year, had grown to 47.3 percent of the online market, more than double Gillette's 23.1 percent.

Upscale Harry's shaving club now has 12 percent of the online shaving market in the U.S., Slice Intelligence said.

But Gillette is trying to play catch up, announcing in May an on-demand razor service where customers text to order. It originally launched its own online shaving club in June 2015.

Peltz's $12.7 billion hedge fund, Trian Partners, is seeking to elect Peltz to P&G's board of directors, according to a regulatory filing released Monday. The company earlier rejected his request to be added to the board, the filing said.

Procter & Gamble, whose share price was flat Monday following the filing, has a market value of $222.8 billion, according to FactSet. The stock has underperformed the market. Its shares are up 3.6 percent this year through Friday versus the S&P 500's 9.9 percent rise.

CNBC's Tae Kim contributed to this report.
BlackRock , the world's largest asset-management firm, said Monday its exchange-traded funds business had a record quarter.

The company said net inflows into its iShares business totaled a record $74 billion in the second quarter, pushing the unit's assets above $1.5 trillion.

"Growth was balanced among iShares Core funds, precision exposures and financial instruments, demonstrating that ETFs are no longer used only as passive allocations, but increasingly by active investors to generate alpha in their portfolios," CEO Larry Fink said in a statement.

ETFs now accounts for approximately 27 percent of BlackRock's total assets under management of $5.689 trillion.

Despite the success of its ETFs business, BlackRock also reported second-quarter earnings and revenue that missed Wall Street expectations.
Bobby Flay serves a burger at one of his Bobby's Burger Palace restaurants.

Bobby Flay is hoping that Wall Street can help him grow his burger business.

The celebrity chef said Monday that he plans to offer up shares of his fast-casual restaurant, Bobby's Burger Palace, to expand the chain across the country and internationally.

The chain, of which there are 17 locations, competes with the likes of Shake Shack , Five Guys and Smashburger. The burger category is crowded and competitive, leading some analysts to question if Flay's shop will be able to gain a foothold.

John Zolidis, a restaurant analyst and president of Quo Vadis Capital, told the Wall Street Journal that Bobby's Burger Palace doesn't have the same notoriety as Shake Shack did when it went public, which could be a hindrance.

Still, Flay's name could be enough to garner investor interest. He is well-known for his appearances on Food Network and for his high-end restaurants.

The company is expected to launch a Regulation A+ initial public offering and seeks to raise about $15 million.

"While a traditional public offering is generally reserved for large institutional investors and only the clients of the investment bank, we are taking advantage of new SEC regulations to level the playing field for all investors to participate concurrently in our IPO," Laurence Kretchmer, managing partner at Bobby's Burger Palace, said in a statement.

The company will be listed as "FLAY" at the New York Stock Exchange.
It's that time again: China's second-quarter GDP growth beat analyst expectations on Monday, but markets stayed in the red, with little sign of strength even after the numbers surprised.

Mainland markets traded in negative territory for the first half of the day, with the Shanghai Composite down almost 2.5 percent at one point and the Shenzhen Composite down more than 3 percent. After the GDP data release, however, some of those losses were recovered and the Shenzhen Composite was down 2.2 percent and the Shanghai Composite was down only 0.11 percent at 11:51 a.m. HK/SIN.

The ChiNext, the start-up board at the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, was down almost 5 percent on the day, but recovered somewhat as trade continued.

Investor sentiment was likely weighed down as a major once-in-five-years government work meeting from the weekend indicated Beijing was looking to increase control over the economy.

The meeting is usually overseen by Premier Li Keqiang, but this year, President Xi Jinping also addressed the conference, making it clear the main focus was to reduce financial risks. The presence of Xi underscored the importance of the closed-door meeting, at which the government announced it would establish the State Council Financial Stability and Development Commission to oversee the financial sector. Larry Hu, China economist at Macquarie, called the conference result "more significant than it looks," referring to the potential power that this new committee could eventually have.

The keyword, "risk," appeared the most in the meeting notes, mentioned 31 times, while "regulation" was mentioned 28 times, according to an analysis by Credit Suisse. There's a lot of reading between the lines when it comes to China, and investors were likely spooked by the tone.

What that translates to is tighter control over the financial system and the economy, which could pose further strains as China's economy transitions to new sources of growth. All that could upset Beijing's main priority at the moment of maintaining stability and calm ahead of a major Communist Party leadership change.

While the government has yet to release details on how the new committee will operate, the general market chatter is that it could be a potential predecessor to a "super-regulator," one body that unites China's three main financial regulators  securities, banking and insurance. The idea is that it would allow regulators to act more in tandem as they have in the past crossed lines.
China's economy grew faster-than-expected in the second quarter of 2017 yet President Xi Jinping is likely to remain wary of risks 'blowing up in his face', Andrew Collier, managing director of Orient Capital Research, told CNBC Monday.

"The overall message is Xi Jinping is desperate to avoid what he calls 'risks in the system' and what he means by that is he doesn't want anything blowing up in his face before the party conference in the fall. That doesn't mean they're actually going to restrain credit," Collier said.

"There's a lot of stuff going on in the economy that (the government) is covering up and they can do that for this year but I don't know about 2018," he added.

China reported stronger-than-expected economic growth data on Monday as the world's second-largest economy was supported by robust industrial output, retail sales and exports. The Chinese economy grew 6.9 percent (year-on-year) in the second quarter to keep pace with the first quarter of 2017, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

Economists polled by Reuters on average had expected 6.8 percent growth in the April to June period against the same time last year. The better-than-forecast economic data keeps Beijing on track to comfortably meet its 2017 growth target.
The latest delay for Republicans' Obamacare replacement efforts may further damage the GOP's chances of passing a bill already on the verge of failing.

Or it could give Republican leaders the additional time needed to shape the bill to win over skeptical lawmakers.

On Saturday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said the Senate would delay consideration of its plan to overhaul the U.S. health-care system after Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., had surgery to remove a blood clot above his eye. Republican leaders wanted to vote to advance the bill for debate this week.

They needed McCain's vote with two GOP senators  the most they can lose and still have a majority with Vice President Mike Pence's tie-breaking vote  opposing a motion to proceed. It is unclear how long McCain will be away from the Senate, but it will likely be at least a week.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., the bill's strongest opponent from the party's conservative wing, contended Sunday that the pause could further hurt the bill.

"The longer the bill is out there, the more conservative Republicans are going to discover it is not repeal," Paul, who has argued the plan does not go far enough to repeal the Affordable Care Act, told CBS News.

If Republicans lose one more vote on the current plan, they cannot pass it. Beyond Paul and Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who have vocally opposed the plan, at least six more Republican senators remain undecided and could go either way.

The delay carries multiple risks for Republicans who want to win the support of both moderate and conservative senators who are still undecided about whether to vote for the proposal. Pushing the bill through quickly limited the amount of time that groups opposing the bill could put pressure on swing-vote senators.

But doing so also curbed the amount of time McConnell had to strike deals or make tweaks that would make senators more comfortable voting for it. McConnell now has a bigger time cushion to gather support.

Protesters have spoken out against the highly unpopular Republican Obamacare replacement effort during both the House's passage of a similar version and while the Senate tried to win votes for its own plan. The Senate plan has proven unpopular with voters, making potentially vulnerable GOP senators more hesitant about supporting it.

"Clearly, the delay works against the possibility of passage by the Senate," said Steven Billet, director of the masters program in legislative affairs at George Washington University's Graduate School of Political Management. "It provides more time for opponents to mobilize grass-roots protests."

Senators facing pressure from Republican leadership to support the plan have forces pulling them the other way at home. Republican governors like Brian Sandoval of Nevada and John Kasich of Ohio have fought against the bill, partly because of its rollback of Medicaid expansion. Their influence during the delay could complicate the decision-making for Republican senators from their states: Sen. Dean Heller of Nevada and Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio.

A Congressional Budget Office score on a revised version of the Senate bill is also expected this week, and could help to shape decisions for several undecided senators. A report on the previous version of the bill estimated it would lead to 22 million more Americans uninsured in 2026  more than enough to make several senators hesitant to support the plan.

Even with the opposition to the plan, Senate leaders can muster the support needed to pass the plan with changes to it. The House did so before it approved its plan in May, adding last-second amendments to win over both conservatives and moderates.

Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn, R-Texas, said Sunday he believes the Senate will vote on the plan when McCain comes back.

"I believe that when we have a full contingent of senators that we'll have that vote and it's important that we do so," he told NBC News.
Trader on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.

Check out which companies are making headlines before the bell:

Procter & Gamble  P&G is facing a proxy fight from Trian's Nelson Peltz, who plans to seek a board seat at the consumer products giant. Such a move would make P&G the largest company ever to face a proxy battle.

BlackRock  The asset manager posted adjusted quarterly profit of $5.24 per share, 16 cents a share below estimates. Revenue was also below forecasts. CEO Larry Fink said significant cash remains on the sidelines but that investors are increasingly putting that money back to work.

Wells Fargo  The Financial Times reported that the bank is set to eliminate a number of its smaller businesses. Separately, The Wall Street Journal reports that more than 500 brokers have left Wells Fargo in the aftermath of last year's sales scandal.

Whirlpool  Whirlpool shares could jump as much as 35 percent in the next 12 months, according to Barron's. The paper highlights a doubling of sales by the appliance maker since 2000 while cutting its costs substantially over the past decade.

Walt Disney  Disney has unveiled a "Star Wars" themed hotel, a Mickey Mouse ride, and other attractions and updates for its theme parks. The announcements were made at a weekend fan convention in California.

Unilever  The European consumer products company and U.S.-based food maker Hormel are both competing to buy the foods division of Britain's Reckitt Benckiser, according to the Sunday Times newspaper. The paper said the two companies are the front-runners in the bidding, which could see the unit sell for as much as $2.9 billion. Reckitt owns a number of well-known brands including French's Mustard.

Western Digital  Western Digital's dispute with Toshiba over the sale of Toshiba's chip unit was not resolved in a Friday court session, with a judge postponing a decision. The hard disk drive maker maintains that Toshiba  its partner in a Japanese chip plant  does not have the right to sell its semiconductor unit without its permission, and has also put in a bid for the unit.

Citigroup  Citigroup is expected to announce an overhaul of its premium "Prestige" credit card today, according to The Wall Street Journal. Among the expected changes: a higher sign-up bonus and the minimum amount holders must spend in the first three months to earn the award.

Crown Castle International  Crown Castle has offered to buy Lightower Fiber Networks for more than $7 billion, including debt, according to Reuters. Such a deal would be the biggest ever for the telecommunications tower operator.

Blue Apron  Blue Apron shares could be under pressure today following a report in London's Sunday Times that Amazon.com is preparing to enter the meal kit market.

Valeant Pharmaceuticals  The drugmaker announced the sale of its Obagi Medical Products business for $190 million to a China-based fund.

Church & Dwight  The maker of Arm & Hammer and other consumer brands is buying oral hygiene product maker Water Pik for about $1 billion in cash.
IBM has launched a new mainframe system capable of running more than 12 billion encrypted transactions per day, in a bid to wade further into the financial cybersecurity market.

The mainframe, called IBM Z, seeks to address cyberattacks which have compromised financial data. It also aims to help firms automate financial regulatory compliance, in line with confidentiality and data protection laws.

"The vast majority of stolen or leaked data today is in the open and easy to use because encryption has been very difficult and expensive to do at scale," Ross Mauri, general manager at IBM Z, said in a statement on Monday. "We created a data protection engine for the cloud era to have a significant and immediate impact on global data security."

IBM claimed that its new mainframe can encrypt data at a rate 18 times faster than other platforms. IBM Z is the latest in a series of 'z' mainframe systems developed by the corporation.

The mainframe will be used initially as an encryption engine for IBM's cloud computing technology and blockchain (distributed ledger technology) services.
The upcoming Apple iPhone 8 won't be available to purchase until November or December, according to a report published on Monday.

The news echoes most of what Wall Street has been expecting: That the iPhone 8 won't launch in September, when new models are traditionally unveiled. Several Wall Street firms have pointed to delays, though most believe the iPhone 8 will launch by November.

Economic Daily News, a Chinese newspaper cited by DigiTimes on Monday, is the first to suggest the iPhone 8 may be delayed until December right before the holidays, with only "small volumes" of production expected at first.

The iPhone 8 is rumored to be the most-high end of Apple's next iPhones with an OLED display that takes up the entire front of the phone and new features such as a 3-D face scanner. Reports have suggested Apple has struggled with 3-D sensors and embedding a fingerprint reader into the display, leading to the delays.

Apple typically unveils its new iPhones in September, and that's expected to continue this year with the iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus. The iPhone 8 is expected to be much more expensive, with reports saying it will start at $1,200, nearly twice the cost of the current iPhone7 models.

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Read the full report from DigiTimes here.
Luxury line Regent Seven Seas has announced plans for another epic, around-the-world cruise.

The 131-night voyage on Seven Seas Mariner will kick off Jan. 24, 2020 in San Francisco and include stops at 66 ports across six continents.

Mariner will follow a westerly route around the globe that starts with a trip across the Pacific to the Hawaiian Islands, French Polynesia, American Samoa and Fiji. From there, the 700-passenger ship will sail to New Zealand and Australia before heading northward to Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.

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Mariner then will cross the Bay of Bengal to Sri Lanka and India before heading to the Arabian Peninsula for stops in Oman and the United Arab Emirates. Stops in Jordan and Egypt also are on the schedule as the vessel approaches the Suez Canal for a transit to the Mediterranean.

Mediterranean calls include Haifa, Israel (for Jerusalem); Kusadasi, Turkey; Athens, Greece; Taormina, Sorrento, Civitavecchia (for Rome) and Livorno, Italy; Monte Carlo; and Barcelona, Alicante and Malaga, Spain.

The voyage will end with a crossing of the Atlantic to Bermuda and Florida; a transit of the Panama Canal; and stops along the west coast of Central America.

Regent just returned to around-the-world cruising this year after a six-year hiatus. The line's 490-passenger Seven Seas Navigator finished an around-the-world voyage in May, and the ship will sail another one in 2018.

The new globe-circling voyages have come after an expansion at Regent that saw the addition of a fourth vessel, the 750-passenger Seven Seas Explorer.

Fares for the new world cruise start at $64,999 per person. The price includes first class airfare to and from San Francisco, exclusive shore-side events and several other perks.
"I was annoyed when Martin told me he would send me cash, and he did not send me cash."

"I was not a happy camper on this date," the Texan said. "My reaction was disappointment that it probably wasn't worth very much, because I couldn't sell it."

"In this case, I truly think that holding the stock is the best long-term investment," Shkreli said.

"Retrophin is my attempt at creating a Lowe's, Sears or Berkshire " Hathaway, Shkreli wrote in an email to Neill read aloud at Shkreli's securities fraud trial in Brooklyn, New York, federal court.

Despite that, Shkreli suggested that Neill would be wise to think about the stock as a blessing and not a brush-off.

And those shares were restricted, meaning that Neill couldn't sell them for a year.

And instead of giving Neill what supposedly remained in cash, Shkreli told him he was giving him more than 94,000 shares of stock in Shkreli's new drug company Retrophin .

John Neill said that after "about five months" of foot-dragging by Shkreli following a promise to redeem Neill's stake in cash, Shkreli told him in January 2013 for the first time that since the previous July he had lost more than 40 percent of Neill's stake.

An investor in Martin Shkreli 's hedge fund testified "I was not a happy camper" after Shkreli effectively refused to give him his cash back as promised.

Neill, 74, is one of multiple investors who have told jurors about their experience in putting money in one of Shkreli's hedge funds, only to be stonewalled for months or more when they tried to pull their money out when he announced he was shuttering the funds in September 2012.

Like those other investors, Neill had been told by Shkreli that month he could have his stake redeemed in cash, or in Retrophin stock, or in a combination of both. Shkreli at the time was working on getting Retrophin to become a publicly traded company.



"Cash," Neill said, when prosecutor G. Karthik Srinivasan asked how he had asked for his stake to be redeemed.

But it is possible that Neill actually had little or no money left in Shkreli's MSMB Capital fund to redeem when he asked for it back.

If that is the case, he ended up being very lucky indeed since he actually ended up with a profit of about $1 million so far as a result of being given Retrophin stock instead of cash.

Prosecutors charge that Shkreli ripped off Retrophin of stock and cash to pay back investors he is also accused of defrauding at his hedge funds. Shkreli has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Neill testified that on Jan. 28, 2011, he put $500,000 into MSMB Capital on behalf of an account held in the name of his wife, Barbara.

Days later, and unbeknownst to Neill, MSMB Capital's assets under management were effectively wiped out when it lost up to $10 million as a result of a short sale trade that blew up in Shkreli's face, other witnesses have said. The trade left MSMB Capital essentially dormant, witnesses have said.

Shkreli never told Neill about that trade and loss, Neill said Monday.

Instead, in early March, Shkreli sent him an email stating that Neill's stake had grown over the course of February to more than $522,000, Neill testified.

He continued to believe his stake was growing, and never had reason to question MSMB Capital's assets or ask for his money back, Neill testified. He noted that during the following year, Shkreli's fund was claiming to be involved in a potential acquisition to buy a company for $82 million without any financing.

"In the first year, I think his returns [in MSMB Capital] are 16 percent in the 11 months I was in," Neill said. "I was getting statements that showed through September 2012 I was up right at 40 percent."

"So I was getting good returns, even though there were some things different than what I expected, so there were not things that caused me to say I needed to send in for a redemption."

"I went in for performance, and the performance was there," Neill said.

Or so he believed.

On Sept. 9, 2012, Shkreli sent Neill an email saying that as of May 2012  four months before  the value of Neill's state in MSMB Capital was $648,897.

Neill testified that before that, he had also received financial statements that were several months old by the time they were emailed.

"The [late] timing of the statements were a problem for me," Neill said.

Two days later,, on Sept. 11, 2012, Shkreli sent him an email saying he was closing MSMB Capital, and saying he could have his stake redeemed by that November or December, Neill testified.

"He's going to liquidate the fund, and I was going to get my money back," Neill testified.

Neill said he did not want stock in Retrophin, as offered, because he does not invest in stocks directly.



"I don't even have a stock account and I had told Martin that I was not interested in stock, I just wanted cash," Neill said.

Neill said that after repeatedly asking Shkreli for his cash, and for an update on the value of his stake in MSMB Capital, Shkreli emailed him in mid-January 2013.

In that email, Shkreli claimed that Neill's stake was as high as $756,162 in July 2012. But the email also said the stake's value had plummeted to $472,601 the following month. The value supposedly remained at $472,601 for months, until it fell again to $444,245 in December 2012, according to the email.

Shkreli also wrote that Neill's stake was now in the form of more than 94,000 shares in Retrophin.

"I'm sorry if this partnership did not turn out the way I wanted," Shkreli wrote.

Neill told jurors that "my reaction to this was like the rug had been pulled out from under me, because I've got $756,162 in July ... and then in December it's $444,245 which is a significant drop."

"It was an unpleasant surprise," Neill said.

He noted that Shkreli during the time of that purported large loss had never notified him his stake had dropped by so much. Neill said it is common for other hedge fund managers to notify investors of large fluctuations in their holdings.

Neill said Shkreli later offered him an additional 50,000 shares in Retrophin.

"He said 'I know it's been ugly, and I'll give you more shares,'" Neill recalled.

Neill said he suggested that Shkreli give the shares to the charitable foundation for underprivileged youth in Dallas that Neill runs with his wife so that Shkreli would be able to write the shares off on his taxes.

"But nothing ever happened after that," Neill said. In other words, Shkreli never donated the extra shares to the foundation, or gave them to the Neills.

Neill said that after the Retrophin shares he had received were no longer restricted, he sold 50,000 of them for about $715,000.

He gave another $350,000 worth of Retrophin stock to his charitable foundation.

And the remaining 24,000 or so shares he continues to own could be sold for "another $470,000" based on current trading prices for Retrophin, he said.

All told, Neill said, the value of the Retrophin stock he received ended up being worth about $1.57 million.

WATCH: Co-worker says Shkreli 'mentally unstable'


Only an accountant would say that "WTF?" really means "what the heck?"

An accountant whose firm reviewed the financial records of Martin Shkreli's then-drug company Retrophin testified Monday that the company's books were in a "very chaotic" state.

Corey Massella, the accountant, also said at Shkreli's securities fraud trial that he and his employees were "frustrated" when they were repeatedly sent changes in the stock ownership tables of Retrophin as they prepared for the company to go public.

"WTF?" Massella wrote in one email in 2012 after getting the latest change in Shkreli's stock ownership tally.

That tally grew by more than 4,000 shares after Shkreli, who was running Retrophin, was given them by a subordinate, Marek Biestek, in what Shkreli told the accountants vaguely was "for value received," Massella said.

Asked by prosecutor Alixandra Smith what "WTF?" meant, Massella said, "What the heck," during his testimony in Brooklyn, New York, federal court, drawing laughs from others in the courtroom.

Massella said his frustration stemmed from his firm's need to get Retrophin's books in shape for the Securities and Exchange Commission, which had oversight over the company's move to become publicly traded via a reverse merger with a shell company.

Every change in the stock ownership tables, Massella said, took days of work to reflect in other documents.

Prosecutors claim Shkreli, 34, looted Retrophin of stock to pay off investors he had allegedly defrauded at two hedge funds he ran.

"It was very difficult" to get information about Retrophin's financial statements from Shkreli, said Massella, who at the time of his work for Retrophin was a partner in the accounting firm Citrin Cooperman.

"A lot of money flowed out post-merger, and a lot of money had to be" tracked, Massella said.

"There was no documentation on what they were for. They didn't go through payroll."

One item that didn't go through the normal payroll system, Massella said, was a $575,000 transfer from Retrophin to Shkreli's personal bank account.

When Shkreli was asked about it by the accountants, Massella said, Shkreli replied, "Martin's compensation."

In follow-up queries, Shkreli was asked by an employee of Massella's firm why the money wasn't paid through the payroll system, Paychex, why it was much higher than his $250,000 base salary, and what payroll period it applied to.

Shkreli replied that Retrophin did not always use Paychex, and claimed the money included back pay and "bonus pay," Massella said.

Massella said that Shkreli was "not happy" when the accountants asked questions about payments being made to "contractors" and being asked to provide contracting agreements for them, and whether they should instead be classified as employees.

Prosecutors claim that Shkreli used sham Retrophin consulting contracts with defrauded investors at his hedge funds to pay them back money.

Massella said that when his firm started reviewing Retrophin's books in early 2012, the financial information was "very chaotic," with "a lot of very, very small entries" on the books, and "a lot of entries that came from debit cards."

He said the firm found that a lot of entries from Shkreli's debit card on Retrophin's books "were personal in nature" and included items such as iTunes, Starbucks and travel expenses.

Massella said that the only cash control at Retrophin when he began reviewing the books was Shkreli's debit card, and no one was reviewing its use besides Shkreli.

The accountant said it was important to have oversight over the cash expenditures in place to make sure that employees did not misappropriate funds.

Massella said if only one person had control over a company's cash disbursements, that person can do what they want with the account, which can include paying people inappropriately.

Shkreli initially viewed the accountants' concerns as irrelevant and distracting, but eventually agreed to tighten up on oversight over the personal use of the card.

But a year after beginning work for Retrophin, Massella said, his accounting firm flagged a $4,130 expense to Retrophin paid to the Borgata hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

When Shkreli was asked about it, Massella said, he replied, "Martin's trip to Atlantic City."

When the accountants asked Shkreli the purpose of the trip, he replied, "No business, Shkreli to refund to company," Massella said.

Massella said that Citrin Cooperman ended its work for Retrophin in 2013 after receiving abusive emails from Shkreli's sister and Shkreli himself complaining unfairly about the quality of their work.

Joel Cooperman, managing partner at Citrin Cooperman, in his email resigning the firm's work for Retrophin, blasted Shkreli's sister for her "outrageous and rude" email to one accountant, according to testimony Monday.

"He was questioning why we were asking all of these questions," Massella said of Shkreli's attitude toward the accountants.

Additional reporting by Zachary Basu

WATCH: Co-worker says Shkreli 'mentally unstable'
Emojis may seem simple and fun but use them in an incorrect manner and it can be a huge embarrassment, or worse.

Take the humble cookie. On July 7, the official twitter profile for Sesame Street's Cookie Monster posted a tweet to commemorate world chocolate day, which included an emoji of a chocolate chip cookie.

TWEET

However, on Samsung Android devices, this particular emoji appears as a pair of saltine crackers.

Tweet

To some this is a trifling matter but for businesses and individuals this can prove to be hugely damaging, especially when they are trying to reach younger audiences. And that's why some businesses are reaching out to specialists, like Keith Broni from Ireland. He's the first person in the world with the job title Emoji Translator and it's his job to help companies navigate safely through this growing emoji media minefield.

One issue with using emojis, Broni explains, is that they can differ in appearance from platform to platform. The shape of the emoji, and even its color, can appear remarkably different, depending on the device or operating system used.

One example, according to Broni, is the "rolling eyes" emoji. On most devices this would convey the meaning of someone rolling their eyes in disdain, but on others it may appear as if the eyes are shooting up in expectation.

Broni works for London-based Today Translations, which provides translation and interpretation services internationally. He beat 500 other applicants for the role. Clients he has worked with include PR firms and the marketing departments of multinational companies. His first translation for the company involved changing several idioms (such as "no pain, no gain" or "speak of the devil") into understandable emoji versions.

He explained that emojis can be very helpful to businesses. They add emotional context and non-verbal communication to a piece of text. They're also very popular, and not just with the young - older generations are increasingly using them also.

"Emojis allow us to imbue digital messages with the non-verbal cues inherent in face-to-face interaction: they allow us to signify the emotional context of a statement which would normally be conveyed in vocal tone, pose or gesture, rather than just the words themselves," Broni told CNBC via email.

Thanks to his master's degree in business psychology from University College London, Broni understands the growing importance of emojis to consumer marketing and communications. But they are not without their potential pitfalls.
An investor obverses the screen at an exchange hall on the first day of Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province of China.

Two summers after a major Chinese stock market crash, Monday's stock tumble points to how much steadier the mainland markets have become.

Nearly 500 stocks on the small-cap ChiNext index plunged before hitting the 10 percent lower limit, according to Reuters. The technology-heavy index dropped 5.1 percent to close at its lowest since Jan. 16, 2015, according to FactSet. Some news outlets deemed it a "Black Monday" for Chinese stocks.

However, broader indexes containing stocks of bigger companies fared relatively better. The Shanghai composite fell 1.4 percent, marking its worst day since Dec. 12, while the CSI 300 fell 1.1 percent in its worst day since June 14. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index closed slightly higher.

It was enough to remind people how much markets have changed since the summer of 2015, when the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock indexes crashed more than 40 percent, resulting in hundreds of stock trading suspensions. Chinese regulators also heavily intervened in the stock market by preventing major shareholders from selling and reportedly creating a group of stock buyers to support the market.

In the year-and-a-half since, China has replaced its stock market regulator and emphasized financial market stability. Stock index company MSCI also gave the mainland stocks a vote of confidence in June when it announced some of the largest mainland stocks would join its benchmark emerging markets index. Disappointment from MSCI's earlier rejection of those stocks in June 2015 also contributed to the market selloff that summer.

"This is nothing like in 2015 anymore. Back then, leadership was legitimately panicked," said Chris Beddor, associate, Asia, for consulting firm Eurasia Group.

"Officials are not as concerned about market swings as they were given there's less pronounced government intervention in the market," he said. Beddor noted that voluntary trading suspensions and stock market intervention by the so-called national team exist on a much smaller level than two years ago.

Chinese stocks (Jan. 2015 to July 2017, indexed to June 12, 2015, market peak)



Source: FactSet

The Chinese small-cap stocks' sharp decline Monday followed weeks of underperformance since April, when Chinese authorities began to force banks to rein in off-balance-sheet lending, Beddor pointed out.

This past weekend, Chinese President Xi Jinping said at the National Financial Work Conference that regulators should strengthen supervision, according to CGTN, China's international media outlet.

The financial work conference is held once every five years, and this weekend's meeting comes ahead of a key National Communist Party Congress scheduled for the fall when Xi is expected to consolidate his power.

The ChiNext's drop to 2015 lows "really is an indication of how seriously investors view the current financial clampdown and how vulnerable many of the firms listed on the ChiNext are to a deleveraging campaign," he said. "Small-cap ChiNext stocks usually amplify broader movements in the market because they're so highly leveraged."

The ChiNext is down 15.6 percent year to date. In contrast, the Shanghai composite is up a muted 2.4 percent, amid increased regulatory scrutiny on firms' financial practices.

The Chinese tech stocks also fell after Leshi Internet Information & Technology said Friday it expects to post a net loss of between 636.7 million yuan ($94 million) and 641.7 million yuan for the first half of the calendar year, compared to a net profit of 284.4 million yuan a year earlier.

"Maybe some concern, smaller-cap names might not be able to meet high expectations," said Brendan Ahern, chief investment officer of KraneShares, which sells exchange-traded funds for Chinese stocks.

Analysts also noted worries that regulators would allow more initial public offerings, potentially taking away buying demand from the small-cap tech stocks.

Meanwhile, China's 10-year government bond yield held higher, near 3.56 percent. On Monday, the world's second-largest economy reported second-quarter GDP growth of 6.9 percent, slightly better than expectations.

 Reuters contributed to this report.
As the Trump administration nears a key deadline in its renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement, a council of private sector executives is urging principals to use portions of the Trans-Pacific Partnership deal scrapped during President Donald Trump's first days in office.

The advisory group, in a report submitted to Congress and the U.S. trade representative in late June, suggested the USTR borrow exact language pertaining to the agricultural sector and suggested using the Asiawide trade deal as the basis for text on environmental and labor regulation, with "additional strengthening of measures beyond what was in TPP," according to a copy of the June 30 letter obtained by CNBC.

"The TPP, which has been demonized by President Trump, was essentially the renegotiation of NAFTA," said Andy Shoyer, co-chair of the international trade practice at Sidley Austin and former trade attorney during the initial NAFTA agreement. "The exercise is already done, in bringing text from the 1990s in the 21st century."

The group has seen some membership turnover between the Obama and Trump administrations but currently includes the chief executives of 3M , MasterCard and Schnitzer Steel and the former CEO of McGraw Hill  as well as representatives from the automobile, manufacturing and steel labor unions, and retail and small-business industry groups.

Its first meeting took place over the phone in June and was described by three attendees as "collegial" and "introductory." A follow-up meeting is scheduled for this fall, according to the attendees. But its feedback is expected to figure prominently in the USTR's approach, since formal meetings with the relevant advisory committees in the Senate and House have yet to take place, according to congressional aides.

Deep policy divisions appear to exist between the business and labor groups: The report cites the "majority" of members preferring to focus on issues outside trade deficits in favor of a "mutually beneficial" trade deal, sentiments to which the labor union representatives dissent in favor of promoting U.S. investment and jobs.

An addendum to the report authored by labor representatives references a "nationwide debate" about the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which was ultimately rejected by candidates from both parties. "As a result, the TPP must not be a template for renegotiating NAFTA, as some suggest."

Democratic lawmakers backed by labor and environmental groups rejected the TPP-type approach ahead of the release of the negotiating objectives on Monday.

"People are very concerned about what the direction of NAFTA is," said Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), an outspoken critic of past trade deals. "We'll see if they have listened and if they maintained their campaign promises, and if not we'll go into the same mode we did with TPP and defeat it."

C. Fred Bergsten, a member of the advisory council and director emeritus of the Peterson Institute for International Economics, said the nonlabor members of the group warned not to focus on the "hobby horse" of the U.S. trade deficit with Mexico.

"Half a dozen major U.S. industries have integrated across North America and their whole business model would be disrupted," Bergsten told CNBC.

While there are opposing views among the advisory group members, a person familiar with the conversations says the USTR's approach is clear, "The doctrine is to create a deal that advantages the U.S. and doesn't take away more jobs."

The trade representative, Ambassador Robert Lighthizer, told Congress he intends to begin talks with Canada and Mexico in mid-August. Lighthizer started a 90-day clock for the U.S. to develop its negotiating stance on May 18, when he formally notified Congress of the administration's intent to renegotiate the deal.
Another key priority is to change the way businesses are taxed. The U.S. is one of the only developed countries with a worldwide system, collecting taxes on corporate income no matter where it is earned. Industry lobbyists instead argued that the U.S. should adopt a territorial system that only taxes earnings in America.

"There's a growing concern among Republicans that they're going into the 2018 midterms with zero accomplishments," said Jon Traub, a Capitol Hill veteran who is now Deloitte's tax policy leader.

They have stressed the importance of securing a major reduction in the corporate rate, which currently stands at 35 percent. Though both White House and Republican leaders have proposed steep cuts, political and financial analysts say divisions within the GOP and the stalemate on healthcare have diminished the prospect of aggressive action.

Among the groups that have sent letters to Republican leadership in recent weeks: the Financial Services Roundtable, the Business Roundtable and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Their efforts come as the Trump administration seeks to generate new momentum on the issue over the next few weeks with a "Made in America" message campaign. Capitol Hill lawmakers locked in a stalemate over healthcare have begun looking over the horizon to tax reform as the next major agenda item.

Washington's most powerful business groups are urging lawmakers to press ahead on tax reform amid growing fears that what Republicans had billed as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform the nation's tax code is slipping away.

"Pro-growth international tax policies are instrumental to both the ability of American companies to compete globally and grow not only their global footprint, but also U.S. jobs and operations," the Chamber of Commerce said in a recent letter to Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch, chairman of the finance committee.

Hatch requested public input last month as he attempts to lay the groundwork for support on the Republicans' signature issue, and the committee has received hundreds of thousands of responses, a spokeswoman said. On Tuesday, the House is slated to release its fiscal 2018 budget, which is expected to provide an outline of its plans for reform.

One open question is whether the administration intends to pay for any tax cuts  and if so, how.

In the White House's 2018 budget, officials assumed that the reductions would not add to the deficit because they would be offset by economic growth and eliminating deductions. However, budget analysts have declared those projections unrealistic, and the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office declined to score the administration's plan because it lacked "specificity."

The path lawmakers choose will help determine the size and scope of any tax package. If the legislation adds to the deficit, congressional rules prevent Republicans from passing it in the Senate with a simple majority vote. Instead, lawmakers would have to settle for a smaller, temporary cut  a compromise that business groups warned would be disappointing.

"The goal of tax reform should be to level the playing field for American businesses and American workers. Without lowering rates and moving to a territorial tax system, corporate inversions and the movement of intellectual property and earnings abroad will continue to accelerate, while factories and jobs continue to relocate to lower tax jurisdictions," read a letter that the Made in America Coalition, which represents major manufacturers such as GE and Boeing, sent to Hatch's office on Monday.

"These fundamental issues cannot be effectively addressed with a modest, temporary tax cut," the group added.

The group has been among the most vocal proponents of the controversial border adjustment tax backed by House Speaker Paul Ryan. The proposal would allow U.S. companies to deduct the cost of goods manufactured in America  providing a boost to exports but raising the cost of imports. The measure was estimated to raise roughly $1 trillion to help pay for lower rates for all businesses.

But border adjustment has run into widespread opposition on Capitol Hill, where retailers have lobbied hard against it. On Monday, the coalition signaled it was open to alternatives.

"The House blueprint is just one example of how tax reform can reduce the cost of investing and help restore America's communities and job base," its letter stated.

The Financial Services Roundtable, an industry advocacy group headed by Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan, also expressed a sense of urgency in getting reforms pushed through.

The group said it "strongly supports the [Senate Finance Committee's] goal of enacting a simpler, fairer and a more efficient tax code that significantly reduces tax rates on individuals, businesses and investment income, while also shifting to an internationally competitive territorial tax system.

"Such reforms will create jobs, increase wages, bolster economic growth, and make America a more attractive place to invest.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn have met with Republican leadership on Capitol Hill at least four times in recent months to discuss the framework for tax reform.

At the White House and on Capitol Hill, the hope is that negotiating key components of the plan before it is released will help secure its passage in the long run. The administration has said it expects to release those details late this summer.
The ongoing scandals involving President Donald Trump could put an end to his presidency at a time when his approval ratings are at an all-time low, a political analyst told CNBC on Monday.

The constant headlines about Russian interference in the presidential race are also hurting political momentum for key reforms, including on health care and tax policy, he added.

"This scandal is going to continue for months, if not years. It's going to dog his presidency, it's already crippling it and it could end it," Brian Klaas, fellow in comparative politics at the London School of Economics, said.

His comments referred to reports that with connections to the Kremlin during the 2016 campaign. His accounts of the meeting have changed from a "short introductory meeting" to one where the lawyer stated she had information that individuals connected to Russia were funding the Democratic National Committee and supporting Hillary Clinton. Trump has fiercely defended his son and said that most people would have attended the meeting.

This isn't the first scandal that's damaged the image of the president. Former FBI director James Comey, who was fired by Trump while he was leading an investigation into alleged Russian interference in the election, testified to the Senate in June. At the time, Erik Jones, professor of international political economy at Johns Hopkins University, told CNBC that it was too early to assess the impact of Comey's testimony but it would certainly have an impact on how many Americans see their president.


U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)) is surround by members of the media as he is on his way to view the details of a new health care bill July 13, 2017 at the Capitol in Washington, DC. Getty Images

Buried in Senate Republicans' new health care bill is a provision to throw about $1 billion at states where premiums run 75 percent higher than the national average. Curiously, there's just one state that meets this seemingly arbitrary designation: Alaska. That state also just so happens to be represented by Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a crucial Republican swing vote who has spent months threatening to torpedo the entire Obamacare repeal effort over her concerns about Medicaid cuts. More from Vox:

Mitch McConnell is breaking the Senate

How bosses are (literally) like dictators

A basic income really could end poverty forever Nobody believes this special fund was created to give Alaska alone a big boost through sheer coincidence. Reporters on the Hill have taken to calling the carve-out to help Alaskans the "Polar Payoff," the "Kodiak Kickback," and even the "Juneau Jackpot"  a special gift to the state, inserted by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to win Murkowski's vote. "They really, really, really need Lisa Murkowski to vote for this, and they're thinking this may help," said Timothy Jost, a health care expert and a professor emeritus at Washington and Lee University. The big question right now is whether the approximately $1 billion in additional health spending for Alaska will be enough to win over Murkowski to a bill that would gut Medicaid and result in about $1 trillion less health spending for America overall.

How the "Kodiak Kickback" works

The Kodiak Kickback is responsive to a very real problem for Murkowski's constituents in Alaska: extraordinarily high premium rates in the state. As Vox's Sarah Kliff has documented, Alaska in the past struggled with high and rapidly increasing premiums that put the state's Obamacare exchanges on the verge of entering a death spiral. To avert it, the state started paying back insurers for especially high claims. Premiums stabilized, and the Trump administration just decided to let Alaska spend the savings. But premiums in its Obamacare marketplace are still high, and the current Republican health bill would make subsidies for most low-income people much skimpier. A midlevel plan in the state's Obamacare marketplace cost $905 in 2017  partly because Alaska's isolation makes it difficult to get patients to specialty doctors, and partly because such a large percentage of its population uses health insurance provided through the Bureau of Indian Affairs. "It's because they have a very small market and because health care is very expensive in the state," Jost said. "The Alaskans in the individuals markets is a pretty small group of people, and when you have a really small risk pool it doesn't take many high-cost cases for premiums to soar for everybody." Senate Republicans' newest bill includes a special $182 billion fund that will give the Department of Health and Human Services broad latitude to help stabilize the Obamacare markets. This fund, which has increased as the vote on the bill draws near, is intended to reassure moderate Senate Republicans worried about its impact on the individual markets. But to make sure it helps Alaska  and, perhaps, its moderate senator  lawmakers added a new clause to that special fund this week that will require at least 1 percent of it be spent on states where premiums run 75 percent higher than the national average. One percent may not sound like a big number, but we're talking about Alaska, which only has 700,000 people. The state is still set to receive nearly $2 billion over 10 years. "One percent of a multibillion-dollar fund could be very helpful for Alaska," Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Murkowski's Senate counterpart, told the Alaska Dispatch News.

Murkowski could determine the fate of the entire bill
Tiny Singapore's telecommunications market may look saturated, but some players are still taking aim at the market. The existing telcos appear to have the island's population well-covered: The city-state had a mobile penetration rate of nearly 150 percent as of June 2016, with a residential wired broadband penetration rate of 98.4 percent and a wireless penetration rate of nearly 193 percent, according to government data. That high penetration rate was likely driven by Singapore's "Smart Nation" ambition to integrate digital technology seamlessly across work, households and public services to boost efficiency and quality of life. But one new player, Colt, previously known as City of London Telecom, is pushing into the city-state's market as part of its 500 million euro (US$573 million) global investment plan for the next three years. "We don't think the market is saturated at all. It's growing," Carl Grivner, CEO of Colt, told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Friday, pointing toward the city-state's advanced gross domestic product (GDP) growth estimate of 2.5 percent for the second quarter, released on Friday, as "healthy."

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"Singapore was the first market outside of Europe that we wanted to build in," he said. "In Singapore the market is expected to grow 5 percent a year over the next four years, so we think it's a great time to come to Singapore." Colt isn't targeting retail consumers, however, aiming instead to build and own a next-generation fiber network, offering high-bandwidth connectivity for businesses between Singapore, Tokyo, Chicago, London, Frankfurt and other global financial centers. Grivner said that niche was "where we think the real growth is." Colt was also aiming at major cities in the U.S., including New York, Chicago, San Francisco, with plans to establish its network presence there. Singapore's growing telco competition Colt's entry into Singapore came as the city-state's telco market has faced its biggest shakeup in years. In 2016, Australia-based TPG Telecom won the rights to become Singapore's fourth telco operator after the three incumbents  Singtel , Starhub and M1  had the market locked up for 15 years.

Shophouses line many streets in downtown Singapore. Brynne Rinderknecht

TPG's highly-anticipated entry in December spurred hopes existing players would offer more competitively priced data and mobile bundles, as well as faster speeds. Homegrown internet services provider MyRepublic, which lost its bid to become the fourth telco, also recently announced plans to launch mobile services in Singapore as early as October. MyRepublic, which was also aiming for an initial public offering (IPO) by the end of 2018 to fund its expansion in Asia, will join Circles.Life as a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) in the market. MVNOs provide mobile services by purchasing airtime from one of the current players, instead of developing their own mobile network. 'Smart Nation' initiatives drive change A main driver of the increased activity in Singapore's telecom market came from the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore's (IDA) 10-year master-plan, Intelligent Nation 2015, or iN2015, for an "infocomm-enabled future," offering ultra-high speeds and "intelligent" telco infrastructure. The IDA later merged with the Media Development Authority of Singapore (MDA), to become the Infocomm Media Development Authority of Singapore (IMDA) As part of the master-plan, in 2006, IMDA appointed OpenNet Consortium (now NetLink Trust) as the sole network company to design, build and operate the passive infrastructure, such as ducts, manholes and fiber cables, for Singapore's ultra high-speed Next Generation National Broadband Network, or Next Gen NBN. That required Singtel, which owned OpenNet, to divest its stake in the company to separate the passive fiber network infrastructure, the active infrastructure, and the retail service provider layers, with the aim of ensuring fair competition in the retail market. NetLink Trust CEO Tong Yew Heng told CNBC that he was excited about the long-term prospects of his company, which has a 2.3 billion Singapore dollar ($1.68 billion) IPO, the biggest in Singapore since 2011, set to list on the Singapore Exchange's (SGX) main board on Wednesday. NetLink Trust owned a network of approximately 76,000 kilometers of fibre optic cables, 16,200 km of ducts, and 62,000 manholes as of the end of March.The network connects both residential and non-residential locations.

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Even in the Trump administration, sometimes White House arguments are enough to make you do every single thing in the amazement cliche handbook  jaw dropped, head spun, breath taken away.

And I'm not even talking about the White House press secretary's claim Monday that "there was nothing so far as we know that would lead anyone to believe" that Donald Trump Jr.'s meeting with a Russian lawyer, who had promised dirt on Hillary Clinton, wasn't about adoption policy.

No, I'm talking about Sean Spicer's audio only, off-camera briefing Monday as Donald Trump sought to celebrate what his aides have dubbed "Made in America Week."

In the name of hard-pressed American workers, Trump has long vowed to impose tariffs that punish American companies who move manufacturing overseas. Monday at the White House, he kicked off renewed attention to his message by highlighting products manufactured here.

At his briefing, Spicer received the most obvious of questions: What about the products that businesses owned by Trump and his daughter Ivanka manufacture overseas, such as shirts, ties, shoes and home goods?

Spicer first dodged direct comment by saying it would be "out of bounds" and "inappropriate to discuss" any specific business, including ones owned by the president or his family. He noted that Trump's economic policies, such as regulatory relief and tax reform, are designed to serve the administration's "overall arching goalto grow manufacturing" in the U.S.

But then he offered the same defense offered by every corporate CEO who manufactures abroad to reduce costs, or who imports labor to fill jobs Americans can't or won't do.

"There are certain supply chains or scalability that may not be available in this country," Spicer responded. "There are certain things we may not have the capacity to do here."

That, of course, is the Economics 101 justification for an open trading system in which economic activity flows wherever the logic of supply and demand dictate, allowing countries and regions to capitalize on their areas of "comparative advantage."

But it's also the argument that Trump has spent months repudiating while browbeating companies such as General Motors and Carrier over potential manufacturing moves. "Corporate America is going to have to understand that we have to take care of our workers also," Trump told the New York Times in December after winning the White House.

The administration is currently considering steel import tariffs that would shield domestic manufacturers but could also raise prices and spark a trade war. Trump's trade adviser, Peter Navarro, has talked of unraveling international supply chains and returning them to the U.S. The White House has also signaled interest in GOP proposals on Capitol Hill to reduce legal immigration as well as illegal border-crossings.

"It does the American economy no long-term good to only keep the big box factories where we are now assembling 'American' products that are composed primarily of foreign components," Navarro told the Financial Times. "We need to manufacture those components in a robust domestic supply chain that will spur job and wage growth."

Even on Made in America Week, Spicer shrugged off that argument with respect to businesses connected with Trump. To the contrary, he praised his boss' business acumen.

"The president has been a very successful businessman on a number of fronts and a number of areas and industries," Spicer told reporters. "So I actually think that he's, in a very unique way, able to talk about the challenges that so many of these companies face as they choose to expand."
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U.K. and European negotiators are holding their second round of talks Monday on how the country will leave the Union. The talks are taking place just a few days after the EU pressured the U.K. to outline its positions, particularly in key areas such as money owed to the EU and the Irish border. CNBC takes a look at where this historical negotiation stands as investors, political analysts and the general public try to keep a track of what's going on.

UK seems to finally recognize there's a bill to pay, there's no specific position yet

This is perhaps the biggest achievement as the second round begins. The EU has always argued that the U.K. has to pay for previous financial commitments before it departs from the bloc, but the numbers floating around have raised controversy in London. The U.K.'s Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said last week that the EU could go whistle if it thought that the U.K. would pay a large sum. But on Thursday, the government said in a written statement to parliament: "the U.K. has obligations to the EU  that will survive the U.K.'s withdrawal and these need to be resolved." The EU has recently asked London to be clear on the financial settlement issue as without an agreement on the bill, the talks on a potential future trade deal cannot advance. However, the cabinet hasn't published a position paper on this subject.

EU warns clock keeps ticking

"The sooner we receive clarification on the British positions on the topics, that we haven't heard from them on, the better," Michel Barnier, the EU's chief negotiator, said on Wednesday, warning that there's a clock ticking. That clock will tick until March 29 of 2019 but negotiations will have to be concluded way before then to ensure that all legislative steps can take place.

Theresa May's cabinet publishes some position papers

The U.K. government has laid out its plans the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) and the role of the European Court of Justice (ECJ). Basically, the U.K wants to stop being a member of the Euratom, despite warnings by radiologists that the supply of radioactive isotopes used in health treatments could be compromised as a result. Instead, it wants to reach an agreement with Euratom members. As Prime Minster Theresa May has stated several times, the U.K. doesn't want the European Court of Justice ruling on U.K. cases on the day Britain leaves the EU.

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At the same time, the government said, European bodies based in the U.K., such as the European Medicines Agency can remain for a transitional period after 2019 with the same privileges and immunities.

Repeal Bill has been published to avoid legal chaos, might raise a political one

The U.K. government has published a draft bill that will end 40-years of European Union ties  the so-called Repeal Bill. It's basically about transposing EU law into U.K. statutory books. The document will only be debated in parliament after the summer but it's certain to raise political controversy within the U.K. The Labour party wants the EU's laws on fundamental rights to be kept in British law, something that Theresa May opposes. Also, Scotland and Wales have described the bill as a "naked power grab" by Westminster.

Companies try to overcome Brexit uncertainty

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President Donald Trump wished Sen. John McCain a speedy recovery on Monday  partly because Republicans need his vote to pass their Obamacare replacement plan.

"We hope John McCain gets better very soon because we miss him," Trump said at a White House event billed as a start to its "Made in America" week. "He's a crusty voice in Washington. Plus we need his vote. And he'll be back. And he will be back sooner than somebody else would be back. He'll be back soon. But we need that vote. And we need a number of votes. Because we need to repeal Obamacare."

The 80-year-old McCain, an Arizona Republican who is one of the most frequent Trump irritants in the GOP, underwent surgery Friday to remove a blood clot from above his left eye. On Saturday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the Senate would delay its consideration of the Republican health-care bill while McCain recovers.

The GOP, which holds 52 seats in the Senate, has already seen two defections from within the party and cannot lose another vote and pass the bill. With McCain recovering this week, McConnell abandoned his goal to vote to debate the plan, for now.

McCain has criticized his party's process of drafting the legislation but was expected to support the bill.

Trump on Monday promised to replace Obamacare with something "outstanding" and "far, far better" than the current health-care system. He said that Republicans are having problems reaching a consensus because they're representing "a lot of different states."

"But we're getting it together," Trump said.

In trying to win votes, Republicans have to balance competing concerns of moderate and conservative members. Beyond conservative Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and moderate Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who have opposed the plan, at least six other Republican senators are undecided on the bill.
Rather than diminish his administration, the unsuccessful takeover of July 15-16, 2016 presented the head of state with a unique opportunity to consolidate power, allowing him to neutralize political opposition, strategists say.

And that's done little to heal the nation's divisive political environment. Over the weekend, several hundred thousand Turks took to the streets in support of the controversial president who pledged to penalize those responsible for the attempt to overthrow his government. Last week, other demonstrators protested Ankara's silencing of its critics.

"The coup came at a pretty ideal time for the Turkish president," Reva Goujon, vice president of global analysis at intelligence firm Stratfor, told CNBC on Monday. "Of course, nobody likes the idea of people plotting against you, but Erdogan definitely did make the most of it in using it as a broader pretext to crack down on a number of political dissenters."

According to Reuters, more than 150,000 Turks have been fired or suspended from civil and private sector jobs while over 50,000 have been detained for alleged links to Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Ankara deemed responsible for the thwarted takeover. That includes Friday's dismissal of 7,000 police, civil servants and academics. Gulen, however, has denied any involvement.

Once an ally of Erdogan, Gulen is now regarded by Ankara as a terrorist. "Turkey is a nation based on the rule of law," the embassy in Singapore told CNBC, adding that all legal measures were implemented to bolster the state as well as combat terrorism and criminal activity.

In his crackdown on Gulen's influential supporters  known as Gulenists  and other potential political adversaries, the 63-year old president also targeted ethnic Kurds in a move designed to win the support of nationalists. Emergency rule was also imposed shortly following the coup and may now be extended, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim suggested on Friday.
The British government has awarded 6.6 billion ($8.7 bn) worth of construction contracts to build a new high-speed train line connecting London with the north of England.

The first phase of HS2, connecting London's Euston station with Birmingham in the midlands, is currently scheduled for completion in 2026.

Trains on the line will be able to reach speeds of 250 miles per hour (400 km/h) and will be able to transport an estimated 26,000 people each hour.

UK firms Carillion , Costain and Balfour Beatty are leading consortiums to build tunnels, bridges and other civil engineering works on the first stretch of the new line.

Shares in all three companies rose sharply on the news.

"HS2 will deliver vital links between some of our country's biggest cities, helping to drive economic growth and productivity in the north and midlands," said Transport Secretary Chris Grayling in the release Monday.

"As well as providing desperately needed new seats and better connecting our major cities, HS2 will help rebalance our economy," Grayling added.

The U.K. government estimated that construction of the full high-speed line, which stretches up to Leeds and Manchester, will create up to 25,000 jobs.

In November the Department of Transport issued a report claiming the new line could more than halve the travel time to central Manchester to just over an hour.

Further HS2 announcements are taking place today which may clarify the exact route of the rail line as it moves further north.
A homeless man sleeps under an American Flag blanket on a park bench on September 10, 2013 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City.

The U.S. is doing "very badly" at tackling inequality, and President Donald Trump's tax reforms, if enacted, could see the country sink below Greece and some third world countries in the equality stakes, according to new research from Oxfam.

Despite being the richest country in the world, the U.S.'s commitment to social spending, labor policy and tax reforms falls well below that of other countries, particularly those within The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Oxfam's new Commitment to Reducing Inequality Index (CRI), released Monday, ranks the U.S. 23rd out of 152 countries for its commitment to stemming and re-balancing national inequality levels. That's behind Portugal, Slovenia, and South Africa. Overhauls of the country's healthcare policies and tax landscape could see the country slump further, past the likes of Greece (25th), Argentina (26th) and Hungary (28th), the report suggests.

"The USA is the wealthiest country in the history of the world, but its level of inequality is also the highest among major industrial countries, leaving tens of millions of working people impoverished," the report says.

"Massive tax cuts proposed by President Trump would make this worse. A lot of social spending disproportionately benefits the wealthy, and spending focused on the poor like Medicaid could soon see draconian cuts that would strip millions of people of their health insurance."

The report, conducted in collaboration with Development Finance International, also points to "worsening" labor policy and insufficient minimum wage thresholds. It claims that under the Trump administration, these inequalities will be neglected while businesses benefit from tax cuts.

"The federal minimum wage of $7.25 is well below the $10.60 per hour needed for a family of four to reach the federal poverty line, and there is little possibility of a raise in the coming years. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is rolling back worker protections, including safety regulations, the right to organize, and overtime pay," the report says.

It adds that the U.S. plays a significant role as a corporate tax haven and/or secrecy jurisdiction, and said its tax ranking would likely slip lower when this is properly accounted for in future indices.

European countries, in particular, emerged as among the most committed to tackling inequality, but the report highlights that even the best-performing countries, and their leaders, must maintain and improve their policies to reflect changes in society.

"For most rich countries, the main body of policies measured by the index was introduced in a different period of history, when significant action in these areas was broadly accepted as the right thing to do and paid dividends in terms of social and economic progress.

"Today, in many countries, political support for these measures has eroded."

Below are the best - and worst - countries, according to the report:
At a symposium I hosted two decades ago featuring Warren Buffett and his annual shareholder letters, the legendary investor joked that his service on 17 public company boards revealed a "dominant masochistic gene." Buffett has since served on several more boards, interacting with some 300 members during his illustrious half-century career. The Berkshire Hathaway chairman and CEO has devoted parts of his letters to describing what the best directors do. A condensed version of these points follows. Living by these "10 commandments," as I call them, has made him excel in the boardroom.

1. Selecting the right CEO comes before all other tasks.

The board's most important job is recruiting, overseeing and, when necessary, replacing the chief executive officer, Buffett stresses. All other tasks are secondary to that one, because if the board secures an outstanding CEO, it will face few of the problems directors are otherwise called upon to address. Outstanding CEOs Bob Iger at Disney; Katharine Graham, who skillfully ran The Washington Post; and Jeff Bezos, the current owner of that company's legacy newspaper and founder and CEO of Amazon all meet Buffett's practical bottom-line test: They are people any director would like, trust and admire and be happy to have their child marry.

2. You should discuss a CEO behind his/her back.

All CEOs must be measured according to a set of performance standards, Buffett notes. A board's outside directors must formulate these and regularly evaluate the CEO in light of them  without the CEO being present. Standards should be tailored to the particular business and corporate culture but stress fundamental baselines such as returns on shareholder capital and steady progress in market value per share. Performance should not be based on quarterly earnings and emphatically not in terms of whether the manager achieves guidance targets. In fact, Buffett argues that companies are usually better off not providing analysts with earnings guidance.

3. Act as if you work for a single absentee owner.

All directors should act as if there is a single absentee owner and do everything reasonably possible to advance that owner's long-term interest, Buffett advises. They need to think independently to tighten the wiggle room that "long term" gives to CEOs  while corporate leaders should think in terms of years, not quarters, they must not rationalize sustained subpar performance by perpetual pleas to shareholder patience. To that end, it is desirable for directors to buy and hold sizable personal stakes in the companies they serve so that they truly walk in the shoes of owners. Buffett's board service has almost always involved companies where Berkshire owns a significant stake. Prominent examples: Cap Cities/ABC (19861996); The Coca-Cola Co. (19892006); Gillette (19892003); Kraft Heinz (2013present); Salomon Brothers (19871997); US Airways (19931995); and The Washington Post (19741986 and 19962011). More from iCONIC:

Advice from the man who manages more money than anyone on Earth

The Bob Iger rules that have kept Disney on top of the media industry

Business lessons from Buffett's star stock-picking lieutenants There is a sub-commandment in this lesson  call it Commandment 3.5: Directors can and should sometimes replace themselves. In 2005, despite Berkshire's longtime substantial stake in Coca-Cola  worth $8 billion then and $18 billion now  CalPERS as well as Institutional Shareholder Services challenged Buffett's independence as a director. They cited business relationships between various Berkshire subsidiaries and Coca-Cola, including Dairy Queen, a customer. Buffett objected, stressing how Berkshire's large and lengthy stock ownership dwarfed the modest and routine business transactions of its subsidiaries. In the ensuing board election, 16 percent of Coca-Cola's shares were cast as withhold votes on Buffett, so he was reelected, but he nevertheless opted to stand down. While I disagreed with those doubting Buffett's independence, he responded to the shareholder ballot and set an example: Any director receiving a non-trivial level of withhold votes should withdraw from the board.

4. Be fair, swift, decisive  and prepared to fire people.

If the CEO's performance consistently falls short of the standards set by the outside directors, then the board must replace the CEO. The same goes for all other senior managers they oversee, just as an intelligent owner would if present. In addition, the directors must be the stewards of owner capital to contain any managerial overreach that dips into shareholders' pockets. Such pickpocketing may range from imperious acquisition sprees to managerial enrichment through interested transactions or even myopia amid internal scandal and related crises. In addressing these problems, the director's actions must be fair, swift and decisive; in crisis response the Berkshire mantra is "Get it right, get it out, and get it over." The classic case concerned Salomon Brothers' 1991 bond-trading imbroglio, four years after Berkshire acquired a block of preferred stock and Buffett joined its board. Amid knowledge of illegality, CEO John Gutfreund allowed problems to fester, refraining from firing the guilty and failing to inform the board or regulators. On becoming aware of the dire events, the board promptly requested Gutfreund's resignation  and appointed a reluctant Buffett to lead the investment bank out of its dark days and reshape its culture.

5. If you perceive a problem, speak up about it.

Directors who perceive a managerial or governance problem should alert other directors to the issue. If enough are persuaded, concerted action can be readily coordinated to resolve the problem. Aside from basics like whether the CEO is meeting performance standards or to curtail managerial excess, take the perennial topic of whether the roles of chairman and CEO should be separate or combined. As stated in principles Buffett endorsed last year with a dozen other boardroom denizens (called "commonsense principles"), outside directors are best positioned to evaluate this question and then present it to the full board. Those with strong views either way need to make their case to fellow outside directors based on general research and the company's specific circumstances and culture.

6. When no one is listening, reach out to the absentee owner: shareholders.

When a director remains in the minority and the problem is sufficiently grave, reaching out to absentee owners is warranted, Buffett believes. Colleagues may resist or complain, which imposes a useful restraint against going public for trivial or nonrational causes. But consistent with confidentiality and other fiduciary duties, informing shareholders is sometimes appropriate, Buffett says. In 1996, when Buffett served on the board of Gillette  of which Berkshire owned 11 percent  Gillette agreed to acquire KKR's share of Duracell International for $7.82 billion in stock. For its related services in the transaction, KKR's bill was double that of Gillette's advisors (though in line with market pricing), and Buffett strongly protested the fee. While outvoted by the rest of the board, Buffett made a public record of his disagreement for fellow shareholders to see. As stated in the "commonsense principles" endorsed last year, companies should make their officers and directors available to their largest long-term investors.

7. Sometimes a leader has to burp at the table.

Even high-quality directors can fail because of what Buffett calls "boardroom atmosphere." Populated by the well-mannered, boards see broaching certain topics as akin to belching at dinner  from questioning the wisdom of an acquisition to CEO succession. Adjust the social atmosphere of the room, Buffett urges. How to do so depends on the corporate culture and personalities involved. Aside from formal meetings, boards can convene for meals, training sessions and retreats, all offering the chance for diplomatic engagement. Any director unable to persuade enough fellow directors or shareholders that vital change is needed ultimately has one vital lever: threaten to resign.

8. Don't let any outside consultant decide how much people get paid.

Buffett admonishes boards as to compensation committees: "Directors should not serve on compensation committees unless they are themselves capable of negotiating on behalf of owners." In other words, this task should not be delegated to consultants, though it too often is. At this year's annual meeting of Berkshire shareholders, he warned, "If the board hires a compensation consultant after I'm gone, I will come back." He quipped that CEOs who otherwise welcome him on a board do not want him on the compensation committee. In the negotiations, directors must make one point non-negotiable: all forms of compensation, especially equity-based, must be treated as an expense for accounting purposes. No CEO can have his cake and eat it too.

9. There is only one way to avoid audit issues: pry.

The audit committee occupies a central role in today's financial reporting ecosystem, yet directors cannot conduct the audit and sometimes feel overwhelmed. Buffett's advice is to focus on what is possible, which is simply getting the auditors to candidly divulge what they know. Buffett prescribes getting answers to these four issues: If the auditor were solely responsible for the financials, would the audit have been done differently?

If the auditor were an investor, would the audit have produced all relevant information to understand the company's performance?

If the auditor were the CEO, would the internal audit procedure differ?

Is the auditor aware of any actions involving shifting revenues or expenses between periods?

10. When it comes time to choose your own replacement, refer to commandments 1 through 9.
1. Paid parental and maternity leave

It's not easy for companies to offer paid parental and maternity leave to workers. When a new mom or dad takes time off, managers must spread their work among other employees or train a temporary worker to take over. Employers often also absorb the cost of paying double the wages and benefits to cover two employees instead of one. Companies that go the extra mile to accommodate new parents to such a degree demonstrate a deep commitment to a healthy work-life balance. And that's not all. "Paid parental leave policy is one of the most powerful statements [companies] can make to break down workplace gender inequality and support working parents and their families," says Change.org's president Jennifer Dulski.

2. Fully stocked kitchen

Smart employers know many workers enjoy being part of a workplace community that feels like family. "The dinner table can act as a unifier, a place of community," writes The Atlantic's Cody C. Delistraty. "Sharing a meal is an excuse to catch up and talk, one of the few times where people are happy to put aside their work and take time out of the day." Companies that stock their kitchens or break rooms with drinks and snacks telegraph that they care about the social well-being of their employees, not just their productivity. By providing a gathering space filled with food, companies encourage workers to get to know one another on a personal level in a way that feels familiar, not forced. Stocked kitchens help companies show "a personal investment and that need to make sure that they're happy here and they have everything they need to do a good job," said Danielle Mahoney, director of human resources for software company Appeagle.

3. Flexible schedules and remote work opportunities

Flex time and the ability to work from home one or more days a week are among the most sought-after benefits in the workforce today. Companies that allow workers to work remotely and have flexible work hours show they trust employees to be self-directed and productive without direct supervision. Giving workers autonomous control of their workday demonstrates a company has faith in its workers and a culture that expects the best from its employees. When businesses are open to alternative schedules and off-site work environments, it shows they aren't mired down in antiquated ideas of what today's workplace should look like.

NBC's Brooklyn Nine-Nine Universal Television | Getty Images

4. Domestic and same-sex partner benefits

Despite becoming increasingly commonplace, workplace diversity programs fail when companies aren't sincerely committed to their success. Businesses that offer domestic and same-sex partner benefits to their employees signal a strong commitment to diversity and inclusivity in the workplace. "Employers are realizing that the more inclusive and diverse their workforce is, the better performers they are going to be," says labor and employment attorney Samuel M. Schwartz-Fenwick. "When employees feel comfortable in being themselves they bring creativity to work, they bring their ideas, they bring their ability to questionit just leads to a healthier workforce."

5. Offbeat or quirky perks
Yellow Dog Productions | Getty Images

In each case, the judge rejected the argument that the companies' fees were too high because lower-cost alternatives were available at Vanguard, the index-fund giant. The rulings confirm that the costs "of actively managed mutual funds and index funds are different, and that the differences can be justifiable," said Fred Reish, a partner at law firm Drinker Biddle & Reath. Fees charged to 401(k) plan participants have been in legal crosshairs for years. A 2015 Supreme Court decision, which basically said workers can sue their employers for failing to monitor unnecessarily high fees in their plans, contributed to the surge in lawsuits. Although the details differ among the cases, the cumulative effect has been downward pressure on the fees that workers pay inside their retirement accounts. The average total cost of a 401(k) plan was 0.97 percent of assets in 2014, down from 1.02 percent in 2009, according to a 2016 study released by Brightscope and the Investment Company Institute.

They should be using a benchmark, but Vanguard isn't necessarily the right one to use. That's comparing apples and oranges. Marcia Wagner president and founder of Wagner Law Group

While the focus of the Putnam and Wells Fargo suits was about using their own funds  called "self-dealing" in industry parlance  the significance of rejecting the Vanguard argument suggests that as long as plans can justify higher fees, they'll be within their legal right to do so. In each case, the judge pointed out that fiduciaries are not required to find the cheapest available funds, which could be saddled with other issues. "They should be using a benchmark, but Vanguard isn't necessarily the right one to use," said Marcia Wagner, president and founder of Wagner Law Group. "That's comparing apples and oranges."





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Actively managed funds, which have professionals picking the investments, typically come with higher costs than index funds, which require no such expertise because they track an index, such as the Standard & Poor's 500. Despite these court rulings, a dozen or so similar cases against investment managers  involving well-known companies like American Century and Edward Jones  are pending or have continued moving through the court system. Just last week, MFS Investment Management became the latest firm to face allegations. In that case, the plaintiff claims that using expensive in-house funds cost its participants "tens of millions of dollars" due to high fees and poor returns. "We stand firmly behind the investments offerings in our employee retirement plans and process in selecting these options," MFS spokesman Daniel Flaherty said in a statement. Some cases have ended with a settlement. American Airlines recently agreed to settle a similar suit for $22 million. In that case, plaintiffs claimed the company profited at plan participants' expense by using high-cost funds offered by an affiliated investment manager. And in May, TIAA-CREF agreed to pay $5 million in a suit involving charges of self-dealing that led to overpaying in administrative and investment management fees.

Plans are now saying they're looking more at giving access to advice and providing guidance so [workers] can be better allocated in their portfolios and better savers." Joe Ready director, Wells Fargo Institutional Retirement and Trust

While retirement savers have been the beneficiary of lower costs, some observers think focusing solely on fees misses part of the retirement-preparation equation. Joe Ready, director of Wells Fargo Institutional Retirement and Trust, said that more companies are thinking about the full value they should deliver to 401(k) plan participants, not just their fees. "Plans are now saying they're looking more at giving access to advice and providing guidance so [workers] can be better allocated in their portfolios and better savers," Ready said. A company that saves a participant $10 a month on a reduced investment cost could either return it to the worker's account or use part of it to improve employees' understanding of their investment choices, he said. "You could argue that asset allocation would improve their outcome more and that's where the [money] would be better spent," Ready said. "There has to be a balanced equation driven by outcome, not just a cost discussion."
The Royal Mint makes most of its money, literally, by striking coins (seen here), but has recently purchased a minority stake in a coin dealer.

Britains Royal Mint profits from selling commemorative coins as well as making circulation coins for the British Isles and around the world.

Now, it is expanding its efforts in the coin market by buying a minority stake in coin dealer Sovereign Rarities.

The Royal Mint and Sovereign Rarities announced the cooperation in late June. The Royal Mint made an equity investment in Sovereign Rarities Limited. The decision by the Royal Mint to invest is part of the mints five-year plan to enlarge its position in the collector services market.

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The Royal Mints unbroken history of minting British coinage dates back more than 1,000 years, while Sovereign Rarities is a London-based numismatic dealership, comprising a team of numismatic specialists having collectively more than 100 years of experience. Sovereign Rarities is a member of the British Numismatic Trade Association and also works in conjunction with museums and other academic institutions and societies to promote the study of numismatics.

There was a time when the Morgan dollar was actually a half dollar: Another column in the July 31 issue of Coin World explains how collectors can create their own archival-quality holders for oversized paper money.

Though the Royal Mint has sourced and sold historic issues of British coinage to its customers (often bringing the ire of major dealers, indignant at the competition and the marked-up prices), this is a broader effort to capture revenue from the collector coin market.

In a press release, Anne Jessopp, Director of Consumer Coin at the Royal Mint confirms, The collaboration with Sovereign Rarities Limited supports the strategic direction in which the Royal Mint is keen to progress. Both our businesses will be working to accelerate opportunities within this specialist area.

Ian Goldbart, managing director of Sovereign Rarities, said in a press release: I am delighted to welcome the Royal Mint as a shareholder. It makes perfect sense for us to strengthen the tie with The Royal Mint, especially as a substantial proportion of the coins we deal with were in fact produced over the last 1,000 years by The Royal Mint.
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.
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
James Dobson is a senior researcher at Bright Blue.

Last year, on the steps of Downing Street, the Prime Minister railed against the burning injustices which prevented people from different minority backgrounds achieving their full potential in Britain.

The speech sparked the beginning of the Prime Ministers social reform agenda. Today, Bright Blue has launched a new report with 70 recommendations to support this agenda.

Theresa May was right to draw attention to these injustices. The differences in life outcomes because of who you are, rather than what you are do, are stark and wrong.

For instance, individuals from certain ethnic minority backgrounds achieve significantly lower grades at GCSE and A-Level. While, more than half (55 per cent) of lesbian, gay and bisexual young people experience bullying in schools.

In work, there is a 9.4 per cent gap between average pay for male and female full-time workers. There is also a significant pay gap between white workers and workers from black and minority ethnic (BME) backgrounds.

Disabled people face particularly acute problems. The disability employment gap currently stands at 32 percentage points, and has grown by two percentage points since 2010. This is despite the Coalition Governments aim of halving the gap by 2020.

Now, of course, these differences are not all caused by discrimination. There are multiple causes of low school attainment among students from certain minority backgrounds, for instance. However, there is now substantial evidence that shows discrimination, both overt and subtle, does play a role in holding people back in education, employment and wider society.

Earlier this year, for example, an investigation by the BBC found that a jobseeker with an English-sounding name was offered three times more interviews than an applicant with a Muslim-sounding name. This is despite their CVs containing identical skills and experience. This finding has also been noted in academic studies.

At its best and most inspiring, conservatism is about removing barriers to unleash personal potential. This is why, in the 1980s, working-class voters frequently voted for the Conservative Party under Margaret Thatcher. Discrimination is an unjustified barrier to individual freedom, and thus should be treated seriously and tackled by Conservatives.

Last year, Bright Blue launched a year-long inquiry, headed by three former Conservative Cabinet Ministers, to understand and find new ways to tackle all forms of discrimination, including gender, racial, disability, sexual, and religious discrimination. The final report from this inquiry launched today, and focuses in particular on removing discrimination in education and employment.

Each policy recommendation is underpinned by conservative principles. Some are small reforms, some attempt to get the state out of peoples way, and some accept the good that government can do to unlock peoples potential.

There are no doubt further policies on discrimination issues that could be proposed; however, we consider the ideas detailed in this manifesto to be an important starting point.

To improve womens rights and protections, Bright Blue recommends:

A ban on the detention of pregnant women should be introduced.

All police services should follow the lead of Nottinghamshire Police and classify all instances of misogyny as hate crimes.

The breach of a Domestic Violence Protection Order should become a criminal offence.

All advertised jobs in the civil service and government agencies, including senior civil service roles, should have gender-blind recruitment procedures.

Remove the requirement for employees to have worked for 26 continuous weeks with their current employer before having the right to request flexible working. Instead, when someone is offered a job, they should have the right to request flexible working.

All expectant mothers should be given the right to paid leave to attend antenatal appointments with a healthcare professional.

Government should abolish employment tribunal fees for all basic-rate taxpayers.

To reduce discrimination against Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) people, Bright Blue recommends:

Government should mandate that all police forces should introduce positive action in the recruitment of police officers to ensure their workforce mirrors the ethnic makeup of their communities they serve.

Government should legislate to give the Home Office the power to require police forces to show annual declines in the number of stop and searches. The Home Office should have the power to remove the relevant chief police officer if certain targets are not met.

The Home Office requires all Police Services to ensure all of their officers wear body worn cameras when interacting with the public.

The Government should introduce Anti-Discrimination Agreements with Higher Education Institutes, based on the currently-used Access Agreements, which aim to widen access to Higher Education Institutes. All Higher Education Institutes charging above 6,000 in tuition fees would be required to compile and sign-up to an Anti-Discrimination Agreement, setting out how Higher Education Institutes would safeguard students, especially women and BME students, from discrimination

To reduce improve outcomes for disabled people, Bright Blue recommends:

Employers National Insurance Contributions (NICs) on each disabled person an employer hires should be scrapped, permanently. This should be done in line with the reforms introduced for employers of young apprentices in 2016, so an employer will not pay employers NIC on any disabled employee earning under gross 866 a week.

All local authorities should be required to permit a disabled person to be accompanied by a companion for free when using the National Concessionary Travel Scheme.

The Government should design a number of minimum requirements for disability access on rail travel and write these into future franchise agreements. Train Operating Companies who failed to meet these minimum requirements would risk being stripped of their franchise agreement.

All new dwellings in all local authorities should be required to meet more stringent standards for disability access. Specifically, M4(2) of the building regulations.

To provide greater equality for LGBT+ people, Bright Blue recommends:

All state schools should be required to establish anonymous, online reporting systems for all forms of bullying in schools.

We recommend that the Government should establish and promote a new national LGBT kitemark scheme for employers.

We recommend that all police services  including the British Transport Police  introduce a discrete reporting system so that individuals can report hate crimes as they are happening. This could be in the form of a text messaging service (SMS), website or mobile app.

We recommend that the Government amend the Equality Act 2010, replacing gender reassignment with gender identity to ensure all transgender people are protected.

To be electorally attractive, especially to younger people, conservatism need to re-find its optimistic and inspirational vision: of a Britain where barriers to individual freedom and flourishing are broken, and everyone  no matter who you are or where youve come from  has the chance to succeed.
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And to make this scenario even more like the opening minutes of an AXN movie, Taylor had stumbled into an inside job. The gunman was Angel Santiago, a violent criminal serving three life sentences. The insider who planned the escape was Michelle Hung, a fellow corrections officer. It turns out that the combination of disinfectant and the constant threat of being shanked makes for a powerful aphrodisiac, since the two quickly became an item and planned a romantic getaway.

Florida Department of Correction

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They had to be tried in separate courthouses because the raw sexual magnetism was giving juries the vapors.

After smuggling in a cellphone and gun to her love, Hung was waiting outside the prison when Santiago called to say that he was coming out and that nothing could go wrong now ...

It's at this point that our hero, Officer Taylor, grabbed the gun and delivered a world-ending knee to Santiago's balls. With the wind knocked from his sails (and dick), she dropped him to the ground and put him into a killer headlock as he tried to reach for his pistol. It was only after Santiago was subdued that they learnt the full workings of his escape plan: to steal a guard's uniform and walk away undetected, killing anyone who tried to stop him -- which they certainly would have, because real life isn't goddamn Hitman.

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Santiago and Hung were arrested and incarcerated like a dimestore version of Joker and Harley Quinn, whilst Taylor was awarded the Medal Of Valor for her bravery and nuts-cracking skills.
Channel programs News

CRN Exclusive: Solution Provider ATSG Beefs Up Executive Team, Aims For Huge Growth

Rick Saia

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Axispoint Technology Solutions Group, which has focused heavily on systems integration work since its founding in the mid-1990s, has beefed up its executive team as it pushes an aggressive growth strategy through a services-based future.

Anthony D'Ambrosi, a veteran technology executive who most recently served as president of Bell Techlogix, has been named president of Briarcliff Manor, N.Y.-based Axispoint  No. 397 on CRN's Solution Provider 500. The current president and CEO, Frank Scanga, who founded the firm, will remain CEO.

The company, a Microsoft Certified and Cisco Silver Certified partner, announced the change to CRN on the same day it was breaking the news to its 75 employees and roughly 30 contractors.

[RELATED: Solution Provider 500: Axispoint Technology Solutions Group]

The change at the top is just one of several to come as the company looks to expand its reach beyond its New York City-area base and pursue an organic revenue growth goal of at least 25 percent over the next four years, and more through acquisitions, the two executives told CRN.

First, the company will shorten its name to just its acronym, ATSG, and increase its investment in its website and content marketing. To push it along its growth path, the company will also seek outside capital investment.

Axispoint has expanded beyond its systems integration roots with additional offerings around the data center, mobile solutions and cloud, featuring a private cloud offering, rediCloud. And just last month, the company announced the acquisition of Quality Technology Solutions (QTS), a Microsoft Azure partner based in Parsippany, N.J., that Axispoint says will help it broaden its cloud offerings as most businesses embrace a hybrid cloud strategy. The acquisition will help Axispoint take greater advantage of Microsoft and Cisco's alliance around hybrid cloud.

"We're going to be going deep into that alliance, particularly around the implementation of the Azure stack on Cisco Unified Computing for private cloud operations," said D'Ambrosi. "We think there's a real play in that space for us."

Scanga said he realized a few years ago that his company needed to evolve if it was to grow.

"We wanted to grow at a faster pace," Scanga said. "Being a pure systems integration firm  was really not going to afford [the company] the scale that we wanted to get to."

D'Ambrosi was president of Bell Techlogix - No. 210 on CRN's Solution Provider 500 (it was No. 267 in 2016; No. 251 in 2015)  from 2012 until the fall of 2016. Bell specializes in managed services and consulting, while D'Ambrosi has deep experience in IT outsourcing. After he left Bell, he was introduced to Scanga through a mutual acquaintance and became a strategic advisor. "It seemed like a great fit," D'Ambrosi told CRN.

But over the last couple of months, he added, "the conversations had accelerated into one of 'How can we come together even more closely,' especially around some of the things that we wanted to do" on the finance and investment side?

In a statement, Scanga added about D'Ambrosi: "His skills and experience will bring tremendous benefits to our clients, employees and shareholders. I'm confident Anthony will ensure that ATSG continues to be at the forefront in the marketplace and I look forward to actively collaborating with Anthony in his new role.

D'Ambrosi said Axispoint has a "deep and rich footprint" in the healthcare industry, as well as the retail and consumer packaged goods verticals, along with professional services. Its client list includes New York Presbyterian Hospital and Boston-based Partners HealthCare, as well as retail chain Macy's and the City of New York.

Scanga said the splitting of top-executive duties will "allow Anthony and I to divide and conquer in different aspects" of company operations. D'Ambrosi will run sales and marketing and pursue the additional capital from the investment community, where he says he has good connections. Scanga, meanwhile, will spend more time with clients, especially those he has brought in over the last two decades.

"This is all part of an aggressive agenda we have to really take the company forward as a tech-enabled MSP," D'Ambrosi said. It's "kind of coming out anew on the backs of all the things the company has done already."
Channel programs News

Splunk Takes Next Step In Channel Push With New Partner Portal Launch

Rick Whiting

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Splunk has gone live with a new partner portal with greatly expanded capabilities, the latest step by the machine data software developer to expand its channel presence by boosting loyalty among its 750-plus current partners and recruiting new solution providers.

The new portal comes on the heels of a broader overhaul of Splunk's Partner Plus program earlier this year and plans to recruit more partners through this year and into 2018, particularly managed service providers, professional service companies, and technology alliance partners who develop add-on products for Splunk's software.

"We are accelerating a lot of our initiatives around our partners," said Brooke Cunningham, area vice president of global partner programs and operations, in an interview at a Splunk event in New York City last week. "Partners are really an integral part of everything we are doing...because we see them as a huge component of our growth strategy for the future."

[Related: Splunk Streamlines Reseller Partner Program, Launches Tracks For MSPs And Professional Service Providers]

Splunk, founded in 2003 and based in San Francisco, develops software for collecting and analyzing data for operational intelligence tasks including security, IT management and a broad range of business analytics tasks.

For most of its history Splunk was focused on direct sales, but the company has been stepping up its channel efforts in the last couple of years. When the company launched its expanded Partner Plus program in March the company had 750 channel partners, a number the company plans to publicly update in August when it releases its fiscal 2018 second quarter results. The company does not disclose how much of its sales go through the channel.

Cunningham described the significantly overhauled partner portal as a key element in Splunk's efforts to build greater loyalty among the vendor's existing partners and in recruiting additional partners.

"We're making sure that our partners have a one-stop entry point to engage with Splunk and really providing that seamless experience," she said of the portal that officially went live July 13. The portal project had been in the works for almost a year, including issuing the contract RFP in late 2016 and the development work this year.

Using the portal's new and expanded functionality to boost partner loyalty is a goal that resonates with Karen Kuhn, partner alliance manager at Kinney Group, an Indianapolis-based solution provider that works with Splunk's software and who had access to an early version of the portal.

"I can manage everything that's related to our Splunk business within the portal," Kuhn said. While she uses other vendors' partner portals for specific tasks, such as checking on the status of a registered deal, Kuhn said the new Splunk portal is more comprehensive and provides a way to manage all aspects of Kinney's Splunk business.

"Delivering on a much more integrated, usable and efficient partner experience is something I identified as a high priority," said Cunningham, who spoke about the importance of improving the partner experience to boost partner loyalty at this year's 2017 Women of the Channel West Conference, an event hosted by The Channel Company, the parent company of CRN and CRN.com

The new portal offers an experience that's more tailored to Splunk's different categories of partners including resellers, systems integrators, professional service companies and managed service providers, Cunningham said. Partners can personalize the portal view for their employees

The portal provides more self-service capabilities than Splunk's earlier portal, is more user-friendly with up-to-date Web technology, and is optimized for mobile devices.

Many of the portal's functions, including processing market development fund (MDF) requests, providing marketing and branding content, and distributing sales leads, are now automated for the company's Premier and Elite partners. (Associate-level partners work through distributors.)

The portal offers streamlined pathways for partner training and certifications, and a new 30/60/90-day program for on-boarding new partners and new partner employees. "We had a lot of feedback from partners that we had a lot of great stuff, but partners were challenged on how and where to get started," Cunningham said.

While Splunk overhauled its deal registration process earlier as part of the program improvements unveiled in March, the portal includes additional enhancements including a new deal registration status dashboard. And Cunningham said the new system provides more capabilities for two-way communication with partners including blogs and ties to social media.

Kuhn said she has used the portal to gain insights about what types of products and services Kinney's customers are buying and to get that information to Kinney's sales representatives for potential cross-sell and upsell opportunities. "And it's always relevant and up-to-date," Kuhn said of the portal, noting that some vendors' portals have outdated information.

And she praised the portal's design. "They put a lot of thought into it," she said, adding that other portals can be "clunky and cumbersome," which she described as "a real handicap for some vendors in creating [partner] loyalty."

"Often, those small day-to-day interactions, when they're not efficient or optimized, can be the biggest detractors of loyalty, from the partner's perspective," Cunningham said. "This is going to put a lot of that partnership support at their fingertips, in real time, and serve it up in a more meaningful way so they can get more out of their relationship with Splunk."
Security News

CRN Exclusive: Security Startup IntSights Names Long-Time Partner Exec Couto As Global Channel Chief

Sarah Kuranda

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IntSights has landed long-time channel executive Jessica Couto as its first head of worldwide channels as the security startup looks to build out its strategy with partners.

IntSights, based in Israel, offers a platform for cybersecurity intelligence, including tools for customers to gain intelligence on cyber threats, consolidate threat feeds, recommend steps to prevent cyberattacks, and provide customized analysis on threats to a specific business or executive.

Couto joins the company as it looks to take its technology to the channel. In an interview with CRN, Couto said she was excited for the opportunity to once again help a company build out its channel strategy from the ground up. Couto has helped multiple security companies  including Carbonite, Bit9 (now Carbon Black), Kaspersky Lab and, most recently, Hexadite  build out their partner programs.

[Related: The 10 Coolest Security Startups Of 2017 (So Far)]

"This really is a great opportunity to keep doing what I do best, which is to bring startups and security to the channel community by rolling out and designing programs, portals, building staff, and enablement  all of the things that make a company super successful with the channel," Couto said.

Tera Davis, managing director at Plano, Texas-based Critical Start, said when Couto joined Hexadite, the executive was someone who understands partners and knows how to build a channel program that's both simple and adds value. Davis said she has worked with Couto at both Hexadite and Bit9. She said she also has strong relationship-building skills and knows how to help partners educate customers on new security solutions available in the market.

Couto joins IntSights just a month after Hexadite was acquired by Microsoft. The Redmond, Wash.-based software giant cut most of the security automation and orchestration company's staff  including Couto  after the acquisition was announced. Couto hadn't been with Hexadite long, joining as vice president of channel in April to launch its partner program and build out its channel strategy.

"Hexadite was great, even though [her tenure] ended up being short," Couto said. "I helped position them for their purchase by Microsoft. We put the things in place to make it attractive. It was a great technology."

Couto's appointment is part of a "strategic initiative" by IntSights to sell more through the channel, CEO Guy Nizan said in a statement. Couto will be responsible for building the channel go-to-market strategy, channel program, channel team, partnerships, and alliances, the company said.

"The channel program is a very strategic initiative for IntSights, and Jessica brings a wealth of experience as a leader in this space," Nizan said in a statement. "We are excited to create a world-class program that addresses our partners' security needs in every way."

Since joining the company officially about a week ago, Couto said she has already started building the foundation for the channel at IntSights. She said she has already hired her first channel account manager, with plans to hire two more this year. She said she will also look to expand technology alliances  the company already has strong ties with Wipro and Check Point - and recruit partners.

"There is a lot of great work to be done there to continue the work already done and expand that further," Couto said. "There's a lot of fun and really exciting work to be done  that's what makes this so attractive [of an opportunity] for me."
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BRIDGEPORTAaron Tuckers first week out of jail has had its ups and downs.

Last Wednesday, he missed a job interview after he chose to get off his bus to pull a man out of a crashed and smoking car. By Friday, the story had gone viral. Local TV stations interviewed him, the Associated Press carried the story, and CBS News picked it up.

From the halfway house that sets his curfew and screens his calls, Tucker learned that a Westport resident started a fundraising campaign for him after reading the story.

By Monday morning, the GoFundMe campaign had raised over $50,000  well past the $15,000 goal originally mentioned on the site. The sum has since grown to over $58,000. He also received some tentative job offers.

But Tuckers fortune became a slight burden as people started jockeying for the money online and in person, as he explained in a Facebook Live video post.

You come home and you do one good deed, some things good start happening for you, everybody start crawling, Tucker said. Everybody start coming around like roaches. And thats sad.

Hearst Connecticut Media confirmed the authenticity of Tuckers social media posts after a visit to the halfway house and an interview over the phone.

Worse yet, Tucker had evidence that someone tried to steal most of the money.

Hi this is Aaron Tucker I want everyone to know that I am so grateful for all of the support may God be with you all, he wrote on the GoFundMe page shortly before his video. I am asking everyone to please stop sending donations because someone has broke into this account and tried to withdraw all of the funds.

Tucker said that someone had tried unsuccessfully to take $44,000 out of the account. Because he stopped receiving emails at the same time, he suspected that someone had hacked his account. According to Tucker, the website froze withdrawals, so he should eventually get access to the money.

I feel that no one should take the chances of losing their hard-earned money only when they are trying to do a kind thing, he said.

Despite Tuckers warning, another $2,500 had been donated within five hours.

Aaron, your wonderful act of altruism and compassion are a true testament of the human spirit, wrote a donor identified as Sharon North, who gave $60.

The Westport woman who started the page, Karin Dale, declined to comment on the breach. She has Tuckers confidence, though.

Karin Dale ... shes the best in the world, said Tucker. Ive never met anyone like this and I am really thankful for her coming into my life.

Dale previously applauded Tuckers action following the crash and told the Westport News that Tucker seemed like a good guy who need a hand that she hoped Westporters could help. She described how his kindness shows through in each conversation and Tucker brings everything back to caring for his young son. She added that town residents have gone beyond the GoFundMe effort to donate business clothes and help with resume writing and job preparation for all the residents at Tuckers halfway home.

What I have found amazing about this is its just not about Aaron anymore, Dale said last week.

According to GoFundMe, the Westporter is working with the company to ensure the funds from her campaign reach their intended recipient.

We have been working with (Dale and Tucker) to ensure that the funds end up in the right place, said GoFundMe spokesman Bartlett Jackson. The funds have not been withdrawn. We are working directly with (Tucker) and only he will have access to the funds.

Tucker faces barriers to accessing the money.

He doesnt have legal identification  like a drivers license  that would allow him to withdraw the money, or open a new bank account. And hes still brushing up on his computer skills.

I spent half of my life in prison, Tucker said in a video posted to his Facebook page Monday morning. I dont have no family, I dont have no real friends. I got associates, and it looks like Im starting to have family.

He spent Monday afternoon getting a new Social Security card, a first step in getting a photo ID.

Tucker said he would like to use the money to start a small business and establish a college fund for his infant son, if the funds come through.

He is making new friends, and rebuilding his relationship with family members like his sister. In the end, it is not just the promise of a financial windfall that is helping Tucker, but reaffirmation of his dignity after so much time in prison.

I want people to acknowledge my good, he said in the video. If you know me, you know that I was a bad dude. I knew guns ... I knew drugs.

For the first time I realized that that doesnt really matter, he said. I got a son now.

This article was updated to include the statement from GoFundMe. Laura Weiss contributed reporting.

cattanasio@ctpost.com / @viacedar
The term "hope" is future-oriented: Its defined as the belief that the future will be better than the present. This is an incredibly valuable feeling to instill in the workplace as it can have a positive impact on employee morale.

Related: Creating and Keeping a Positive Company Culture

While employers cant actually make individual staffers feel hopeful, they can instill hope as a part of their company's culture. And they can do this as early as the hiring process.

We start by hiring people who care about hope -- about making the future better than the present, said Daniel McCollum, CEO of Torrent Consulting, a cloud consultancy in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The company, McCollum explained, encourages new hires to create a hope-based hashtag thats related to their personal career goals. They're then asked to write the hashtag on a wall in the office to be a source inspiration that can guide their actions at work.

Our greater purpose for instilling hope in the workplace is to give our team members a community of support around their hopes, McCollum continued. We want to turn those hopes into action. We aim to not only instill hope, but prove that it was worth it, as we all work together to create greater impact.

Lets look at how several companies have worked to effectively instill hope in their workplaces:

1. Lead by example.

Employees need to believe theyre part of something bigger, and they look to their leaders to provide that hope. As Jordan Scheltgen, the managing partner of Cave Social, said he believes, hope needs to come from a deeper place -- a sense of conviction.

People want to feel like they're part of something that's heading in the right direction. Scheltgen explained by email from his marketing agency in Los Angeles. It's part of our culture, not only to hope for the best, but to do everything in our power to will it into existence." Hope for the future, Scheltgen added, is fueled by getting results in the present.

Related: The Leadership Style You Need to Drive Your Company Culture

When company leadership shares its deep commitment to creating a positive workplace, that commitment trickles down and directly affects employee morale. Leaders within the company need to be hopeful and motivated, and provide a sense of safety for employees, Scheltgen continued.

This is contagious, and people will get behind a vision if they feel like the leaders within their company are all in.

2. Share the vision.

As CEO of Rose Red & Lavender, a flower and event studio in Brooklyn, New York, Kimberly Sevilla ran into some roadblocks early on. Her employees, she said, struggled to buy into her plans.

But the source of the problem was obvious -- she hadn't explained her vision.

I would push initiatives without sharing the vision in a concrete manner, she said via email. My employees doubted me and didnt support my business. I always felt like I was pushing and pulling them along, and it was hard work.

Despite earning a lot of attention after being featured in magazines and blogs, the company struggled to achieve a profit. It was then that Sevilla decided to get her employees involved, having everyone pay heed to what the company vision was for five years down the road.

We wrote what our vision was for the business, she said. We used this huge piece of paper, adding what worked and what needed to be changed. Everyone involved took ownership of the statements written there.

That was transformative. All these things had been in my head, and never fully visualized to the team. I think that my doubt and lack of hope held me back from sharing what the vision really was.

As Sevilla learned, employees need to see what leadership sees in the companys future. When they get onto the same page, and when leaders encourage employees to share their feedback, hope is restored.

3. Celebrate the positive.

When David Waring co-founded Fit Small Business, his New York-based media company dedicated to helping small businesses succeed, it focused more on fixing its own internal weaknesses than celebrating its strengths, he said. And that led to low morale.

It's hard to be hopeful about the future if you are not kept in the loop on what the plan for the future is, he explained by email. Make sure everyone is kept in the loop on both the successes and failures of the company, as well as what the plan is for future growth for the company and the individual employees themselves.

By scheduling weekly meetings where everyone could discuss the exciting projects happening, the company finally helped its employees see hope in the future, Waring said. And that move, he said, resulted in a drastic improvement in employee morale.

4. Provide perspective.

Neutun Labs, a health technology company in San Francisco, helps people living with epilepsy track and manage their lifestyle.

While its mission is motivational, CEO Eric Dolan said he found that his employees needed to better understand what they were working on and how they were making an impact in others lives.

We have new employees meet with people who have the condition we're building technology for, and learn about the problems they need to deal with on a daily basis, Dolan told me via email. In just one dinner or coffee, engineers understand how deeply rooted this problem is, and are motivated to build a better future for those with chronic diseases.

Showing employees that their hope is tied to patients hope, Dolan said, gets everyone excited and engaged with the future of the company. We want to build the best-in-class technology that will have the greatest impact on people's lives, he explained. This keeps our team motivated and focused on what matters.

Instilling hope, then, requires self-reflection by company leaders, who can practice that reflection simply by asking themselves and their teams what actually excites them. Once you understand the thing that will drive your team and yourself more than financial gain, Dolan said, it's all uphill from there.

Related: 10 Examples of Companies With Fantastic Cultures

Building hope into the workplace, in other words, takes work, but the impact it has on employee morale is well worth the effort.

Related:



Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved



This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com


In this ongoing series, we are sharing advice, tips and insights from real entrepreneurs who are out there doing business battle on a daily basis. (Answers have been edited and condensed for clarity.)

Who are you and whats your business?

I am Grace Kraaijvanger, founder of The Hivery, a creative and collaborative coworking space designed to support women throughout all phases and stages of their professional lives. We offer programming and mentorship designed to cultivate meaningful personal and professional relationships, instill a greater sense of self-worth and foster professional confidence. Our mission: to unleash the unique potential of every woman.

What does the word entrepreneur mean to you?

Being an entrepreneur means to be an artist of life. To be willing to take big risks, because of the deep belief in creating things that matter. The passion for building, the determination to stick it out, the creativity to think differently and be willing to pivot, and the blessed unrest to express who you really are. Building a business is just like art -- the only way to get there is to embrace the messy parts, show up consistently, and know that there is no other way for you to be who you are but to do what you do.

Related: Do Something That's Never Been Done Before, According to This Marijuana Tech CEO

What was your toughest challenge and how did you overcome it?

After wed been in business for a little over a year, and were finally starting to get our sea legs (i.e. profitable, with a validated concept), we lost our lease. We had sixty days to find a new home. I felt a big sense of responsibility to offer our community and members both a seamless experience and a beautiful new place to work. Real estate in the Bay Area is tough, so finding a new home in 60 days seemed impossible.

Among the first spaces that I looked at was a former dance studio with a skylight atrium in the shape of a honeycomb...a perfect home for The Hivery and the one we are in today. What initially felt like a business nightmare had a serendipitous happy ending that propelled our business into larger growth. You know what they say about life giving you lemons...our new Hivery HQ is definitely the lemonade.

Whats the problem you are attacking now?

The world needs more places devoted to helping women create, grow and lead. It is my intention to create Hiveries all over the world. Since launch, we have been a catalyst for women starting businesses, hiring each other, working together, investing in each other, going back to work, and experiencing positive transformation. To me, the most valuable part of The Hivery is the moment when a woman steps outside of herself and is met by a community of supportive women. This is where the real stuff happens.

Related: 22 Qualities That Make a Great Leader

What trait do you depend on most when making decisions and why is that useful for you?

The biggest thing that being an entrepreneur has taught me is that we often know the answer all along, were just not ready to accept it yet. So often Ive chosen a path or made a decision and then subsequently dissected it, taken it apart, changed tack, and then come full-circle right back to the original idea. I chalk that up to the creative process. We have an idea, we express it, we reject it, we hold it up to the light, and then we embrace it again. Entrepreneurial decision-making is like the exhilarating and agonizing process of making art. In the end, it comes down to whats in your deepest intuition. As I mature, Im learning to trust it faster.

Related: Entrepreneurship Is All About the Fight

How has your leadership style evolved?

The first time someone called me a CEO, I looked around to see who they were talking about. I was creating my business with a ferocious passion, and making strategic decisions every day, but I hadnt accepted that title. Ive learned that Im the best leader when Im grounded and calm, making decisions from my gut, and not from being reactionary. Ive become a better listener, and Ive learned to roll with the flow. I no longer believe that I can plan or anticipate everything. Ive learned to trust that when things dont go according to plan, something that I never dreamed possible is waiting for me down that unexpected path.

Is there a particular quote or saying that you use as personal motivation?

I believe in this quote by revolutionary modern dance choreographer Martha Graham so deeply that its a typographic design element in our atrium. Ive read it thousands of times and feel that it holds all the truths:

There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique, and if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium; and be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is, not how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep open and aware directly to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open. No artist is pleased. There is no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is only a queer, divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others. -- Martha Graham

Related:

Entrepreneurs Are Artists of Life, According to This Founder

To Succeed, You Need to Be the Rock in a Storm

5 Things I Did Before I Completely Burned Out



Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved



This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com


As our world grows increasingly connected, cyberattacks on businesses and institutions are becoming more common.

In May, we saw the ransomeware WannaCry wreak havoc on more than 200,000 computers across the world. The Petya virus, meanwhile -- which has affected global brands such as Mondel?z International, advertising giant WPP and oil producer Rosneft -- has arrived as another major cybersecurity problem.

Related: The Worst Hacks of 2017 -- So Far

WannaCry worked by encrypting targets' hard drives, only allowing them to recover their files after they paid a $300 ransom. Within five hours, the operators had already received 27 payments, totaling about $7,000.

The high-profile nature of these attacks -- and their increased frequency -- highlights the fact that nearly everyone who uses the internet is at risk of falling victim to cybercrime. As an entrepreneur, you need to take the proper security measures to keep your network and data safe. A cyberattack could mean irreparable damage to your reputation and financial ruin for your business.

An in-your-face offense is your best defense.

Controlling who has access to your devices and network is a big part of defending against hackers. At present, multifactor authentication (MFA) is one of the more effective tools for limiting access to the right people; it requires users to present multiple pieces of evidence rather than a simple password. It usually takes the form of two-factor authentication, which is something we're all fairly used to at this point.

Typically, the information you're required to enter can be categorized as something you know (e.g., a password or your birthday), something you have (e.g., a bank card or phone) or something you are (e.g., using a biometric marker such as your voice).

Obviously, the premise behind this type of security is that while one type of information is relatively easy for a hacker to acquire, it's far more difficult to obtain two or more types.

We're now seeing even more advancement in this arena. Swiss security researchers have reportedly found ways to eliminate inconvenience and boost reliability by using ambient noise as an authentication token. Recording three seconds of audio from both the device attempting to log in and the user's smartphone, the service can cross-check the noise to ensure the user and the device are in the same place. Only then is access granted.

Secure your business -- and your money.

It's clear that MFA is at the crux of the future of security, and from a business perspective, the cost of implementing this security strategy far outweighs the outrageous cost of a full-on data breach. Successfully implementing it requires careful consideration of the following three steps:

1. Prioritize ease of use. It's important to remember that a security measure is only as effective as the people who use it. A University of Phoenix study found that roughly 52 percent of American adults studied said they prioritize convenience over cybersecurity. If your authentication process is too big a pain, people will find ways to avoid using it when possible, and that's counterproductive.

Related: The Good, the Bad and the Careless: Insider Behaviors That Cause Data Breaches

Google has supported MFA for years, but last year, it made the authentication process for Gmail and G Suite users even easier. In the past, signing in from a new device required manually entering a code via text message or an authenticator app. Now, users can approve login attempts by simply tapping their phone after receiving a push notification.

In contrast, anyone who's used tokens has probably experienced the frustration that ensues when you don't type in your login code fast enough -- or, worse, you lose it.

2. Vet vendors. It goes without saying that you want your security solution to be administered, well, securely. That means you need to be able to trust the vendor providing it. Yet, according to a NAVEX Global survey, 32 percent of IT professionals surveyed don't take steps to assess the security initiatives of the third-party vendors they partner with. That's troubling, because these companies are just as susceptible to targeted cyberattacks as you are.

Specifically, tyou can ask prospective vendors to gauge their abilities and their fit with your needs. First and foremost, ask what kinds of security practices they take themselves: Do they have policies that take into account a wide variety of scenarios, and do they have recovery plans in place should the worst occur? If a cybersecurity provider doesn't follow best practices internally, it's probably not following them externally. So, steer clear.

Second, dig into the business's general trustworthiness and approach. Have complaints been lodged against the company? How have other customers felt about the service? Seeking references -- as well as licensing information and the Better Business Bureau's assessment of the firm -- is a great way to use others' experiences to inform your own.

3. Determine uptime. An easy-to-use and secure system goes only so far if your employees have to worry about whether they're able to access it on the job. So, reliability must be a top priority, too. According to research from the National Cyber Security Alliance/Symantec, 66 percent of businesses surveyed reported that they depended on the internet to operate, and nearly 40 percent said they heavily depend on the internet.

That said, an unreliable MFA system could quickly paralyze those businesses -- yours too -- if employees aren't able to access the resources they need to perform their jobs. Your MFA system should guarantee a very high level of uptime -- 99 percent or better. If the vendor you have in mind can't offer this, you might need to do more shopping around.

Related: We Scored High on This Cybersecurity Quiz. How About You?

Some businesses may be required by law to have an MFA system in place because of the industry they operate in or the type of service they provide. Others may not need it at all. As a business leader, you should understand how it works, how it's evolving and whether it makes sense for your organization.

Related:

Cybersecurity Habits Across Generations (Infographic)

What You Need to Know About Multifactor Authentication

How a Genius Teenage Hacker Turned Tech Entrepreneur Solves Problems and Saves Lives



Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved



This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com


Contributed Photo / Monroe Police / Contributed photo

By the time Monroe Police caught up with Steven Aberg, he was already charged on separate burglary charges, and accused of leading Waterbury Police on a reckless car chase.

Aberg, 28, was charged with four felonies and four misdemeanors related to the burglary of a Purdy Hill Road resident on June 8 that included the theft of their credit cards.
Pa. Dems could flip the House of Reps. Here's what that might mean
They say it's the thought that counts when it comes to gift-giving and these children certainly get full marks for effort - even if their presents don't quite hit the mark.

Parents from around the world have shared the hilarious, touching and downright bizarre things they have received from their well-meaning little ones in a gallery on Bored Panda.

A handful revealed the handwritten notes they had been given, including one from a forward-thinking child who promised to put her parents in a nursing home a year later than originally planned.

Meanwhile one little girl left her mother in stitches when she said she hoped she 'got some penis' instead of 'pennies' during a trip to a Las Vegas casino.

Here, FEMAIL rounds up some of the most creative gifts parents have ever received...

Favourite things: A father wrote how his eight-year-old son had woken up early just to give his parents these plastic bag 'stockings' filled with a dollar bill, a candy cane and a can of beer

Taking things literally: An actual tooth and nail made for a rather unusual Father's Day card

Spelling mix-up: This five-year-old girl really wanted her mother to win 'pennies' in Las Vegas

Thoughtful: One man came across a present he had given his mother as an eight-year-old boy

Christmas spirit: An 11-year-old son promised his parents one more year out of a nursing home

Masterpiece: A mother said she 'couldn't stop laughing' at the candle her son made at camp

Be careful what you ask for: A mother wanted her son to make her 'mozzarella sticks'
A little rain couldn't get in the way of Princess Mary and the Danish royal family from enjoying one of their favourite summer traditions.

Crown Princess Mary and her clan were out in full force to attend the Ringsted Horse Ceremony at Grasten Palace, their summer residence, on Sunday.

But it was Queen Margrethe II who stole the show, standing out thanks to her bright yellow raincoat.

While Princess Mary and her family opted for puffer jackets in shades of blue and grey, the Queen stayed dry with a bold full-length coat covered in bright florals.

The Danish royal family was out in full force on Sunday for the annual Ringsted Horse Ceremony at Grasten Palace, their summer residence

Crown Princess Mary was joined by her husband Crown Prince Frederik, his mother Queen Margrethe II, and the couple's four children

Prince Christian, 11, Princess Isabella, 10, and twins Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine, six, donned metallic puffer jackets to keep dry in the summer drizzle

But it was Queen Margrethe's bold outwear that stole the show, as she covered up in a gorgeous full-length yellow raincoat

The 77-year-old Queen of Denmark topped off the look with a matching hat, and her disposition was as bright as her style choices.

Queen Margrethe was unable to wipe the huge smile off her face despite the gloomy weather, beaming at the annual ceremony.

Princess Mary, who was born in Tasmania, traded her usual bold stilettos for sandals and donned a long floral skirt to lend her casual outfit some bohemian flare.

Her four children donned metallic puffer jackets in different shades, with Prince Christian, 11, and Prince Vincent, 6, keeping cool in the summer heat with shorts.

Queen Margrethe paired her bold rain jacket with a matching yellow hat to protect her hair

The Queen's jacket featured painted florals, a matching belt, and a bold yellow collar that stood out from her family's more neutral ensembles

The 77-year-old Queen of Denmark grinned after she was handed a gorgeous bouquet of roses from one of the riders

Princesses Isabella, 10, and Josephine, 6, took fashion cues from their mother, wearing dresses in understated tones of pink and cream.

Crown Prince Frederik was also on hand, keeping close to his sons and snapping a few pictures with his phone of the event.

The tight-knit family was in high spirits as the hoses rode by the palace and the riders stopped to present the women with bouquets of flowers.

Flowers were braided into the majestic horses' tails as each rider trotted by with gorgeously arranged flowers for the royals.

It is tradition during the Ringsted horse ceremony for the riders to present bouquets

Princesses Isabella and Josephine were more than happy to be on hand to receive the flowers

And Princess Mary also happily accepted her bouquet as she chatted with one of the riders

At one point Princess Mary even leaned it to embrace one of the riders during the ceremony

Meanwhile Princess Josephine couldn't hold back her excitement as she saw the horses

Princess Mary was animated throughout the ceremony, pointing out things to her daughters and sharing laughs with Queen Margrethe.

The young princesses showered their mother with affection, with Isabella often leaning into her mother and smiling as rain began to fall over the crowd.

Princess Josephine, meanwhile, playfully ran into her older sister and gazed with wonder at the large horses that rode past.

The young royal no doubt was having more fun than last year, when she was forced to attend the event with her arm in a cast after a horse riding accident of her own.

Princess Mary traded her usual glamorous attire for a more casual getup, sporting a flowing bohemian skirt and sandals

Princess Mary was animated throughout the ceremony, pointing excitedly at the horses to her daughters even as it began to rain

The princesses wore dresses in shades of pink and cream that coordinated nicely with their mother's attire

A passion for horses has long run through the royal clan.

Crown Princess Mary and her husband Prince Frederik of Denmark have been seen taking breaks from their royal duties to saddle up for rides through the estate.

The royal family are currently on a summer holiday in Grasten - more than 310km from their Copenhagen home.

They have been visiting the stunning palace for years, with their holiday snaps often showing off the home, which belonged to Frederik's grandmother Queen Ingrid.

At one point Princess Isabella cuddled up to her mother in a sweet moment as it began to rain

And Princess Josephine clearly wanted to join the tender moment, embracing her older sister
It's been less than a month since she revealed the intimate details of her recent caesarean section - blood, mucus and all - via a blog post and graphic pictures shot by her doctor.

And now, Central Coast mother-of-four, Mel Watts, has posted another graphic image of her life as a new mum.

This time, the picture shows the mother using a hairdryer on the cool setting to treat and dry out her infected C-section scar.

Central Coast mum-of-four, Mel Watts, posted this photo of her hairdrying her infected C-section scar to help to treat it (pictured)

The Australian mummy blogger is known for her no-holds-barred approach to documenting pregnancy, motherhood and birth (pictured with her new son)

'Sometimes it doesn't matter how clean you keep it or how many you've had there is always that chance you'll become one of the statistics,' Ms Watts posted on various social media accounts last week.

'With a nursing background the idea of this happening freaked me out, seriously I think of the wound tracking up into my uterus causing me to have internal uterus rupture [which isn't even a thing] and by the time I get found unconscious of course I'd have a dehisced wound... [sic],' she continued.

'Okay that's not going to happen; I'm on antibiotics and being extremely anal, however I shouldn't have googled Caesarean section wound infections,' the blogger added.

Ms Watts concluded with the hashtags: '#easywayout #5weekspostpartum', and posted an addendum which noted: 'Please note the hairdryer is on cool setting not hot' after several mums said this would do more harm than good.

'Lucky it's on the cold setting!,' she told one such mother.

'Sometimes it doesn't matter how clean you keep it or how many you've had there is always that chance you'll become one of the statistics,' Ms Watts posted

Since Mel Watts posted her latest photo on social media, she has racked up thousands of likes and has also seen other women share both photos and tales of their infected C-section scars

Since Mel Watts posted her latest photo on social media, she has racked up thousands of likes and has also seen other women share both photos and tales of their infected C-section scars on her feed.

'As if the pain and recovery isn't bad enough, an infection is just sh*tty,' one woman posted.

'I can still feel it and cringe, 3 years old. Hope those drugs kick in soon for you lovely lady.'

Mel Watts pictured with one of her children

In recent months, Ms Watts has covered everything from pregnant sex to the reality of what her body looked like just days after giving birth

Ms Watts has become known for sharing the good, bad and ugly sides of pregnancy, birth and motherhood.

In recent months, she has covered taboo subjects including pregnant sex, as well as the reality of what her body looked like just days after giving birth to her fourth child:

'Sure it's filled with stretch marks and dimples. But this body, this one I own gave me another life,' Ms Watts wrote next to a raw image of her scarred stomach.

'Sure it's filled with stretch marks and dimples. But this body, this one I own gave me another life,' Ms Watts wrote next to a raw image of her scarred stomach (pictured)

Most recently, the blogger lifted the lid on what happened to her at her caesarean section, when she let her anaesthetic doctor take photographs as her new baby, Sonny, was born.

'Caesarean sections are scary,' she told FEMAIL at the time - explaining that she intended to show a C-section isn't necessarily the easy way out.

'But women's bodies are amazing and we all birth differently.'
Women are more likely to clash with other women at work than they are with male colleagues, research shows.

Women and men were equally likely to have a 'difficult' relationship with a colleague but women were more likely to cite a female co-worker as the problem.

However women who had female friends within their office were less likely to have an issue with other female colleagues, the study in the Organization Science journal found.

Women are more likely to clash with other women at work than they are with male colleagues, research shows

Jennifer Merluzzi, of George Washington University, in Washington DC, surveyed 145 management level employees at two large US firms where women represented less than one-third of the workforce and less than 15 per cent of senior management.

The responses indicated that women were more likely than men to have an issue with a female co-worker and were also more likely to report a female colleague as 'difficult' than they are to cite a man, or not cite anyone at all.

Professor Merluzzi said knowing how employees' social networks impact their working relationships can help bosses anticipate potential trouble areas within their companies.

Women with female friends at work were less likely to report having 'difficult' female colleagues

The study, 'Gender and Negative Work Ties: Exploring Difficult Work Relationships Within and Across Gender at Two Firms', is published in the INFORMS journal Organization Science.

It comes after a separate study found that women who show more cleavage in the workplace are seen better bosses and appear more powerful.

By contrast, bosses who buttoned up were perceived as less powerful and mature - undermining their influence on staff.

The study, published in the Journal of Social Psychology, found women who loosened their top few buttons were seen as more forceful - especially to female colleagues.
She returned from a jam-packed three-day UK state visit on Friday but there was no rest for Queen Letizia as she got back to business in Madrid on Monday.

The Spanish Queen was at the National Fashion Awards 2017 at Museo del Traje and certainly looked the part in a chic white dress offset with her trusty snakeskin stilettos.

The 44-year-old looked fresh-faced despite a busy week in the UK and beamed as she awarded fledgling designers at the event.

Queen Letizia arrived at the National Fashion Awards 2017 at Museo del Traje and looked the part in a chic white dress offset with her trusty snakeskin stilettos

The mother-of-two then joined the other recipients on the stage after making a speech to congratulate them on their sartorial efforts.

Queen Letizia herself is a staunch fan of the latest designers and trends. Indeed, the former TV journalist turned Queen of Spain has carved out a name for herself as a royal style icon.

She once favoured dowdy suits and frumpy jackets in her years as a news reader, but since joining the Spanish monarchy, Queen Letizia's wardrobe has had quite the makeover.

Her new wardrobe is packed with tailored sheath dresses, sky-scraping court shoes, Hugo Boss suits and eye-catching jewels.

The 44-year-old looked fresh-faced despite a busy week in the UK

Spanish designer Purificacion Garcia (R) receives from Queen Letizia of Spain (L) the National Fashion Award 2017 at Museo del Traje

Queen Letizia is a staunch fan of the latest designers and has carved out a name for herself as a royal style icon

The mother-of-two then joined the other recipients on the stage after making a speech to congratulate them

With a penchant for homegrown labels, such as Mango, Zara and Uterque, she keeps her Spanish fashion fans happy.

Off duty, the mother-of-two has a penchant for relaxed tailored, billowing blouses and even the odd pair of jeans - but she still manages to look chic.

On Friday, the Spanish royals were waved off by the Queen on the final morning of their three-day state visit.

After bidding their hosts farewell at Buckingham Palace, Queen Letizia and King Felipe VI travelled to the Francis Crick Institute, a research centre in central London, to meet members of the Spanish scientific community working in the UK.

The Spanish royals spent their final evening at a show-stopping banquet at Guildhall with royals including Princess Anne after joining Prince Harry on a visit to Westminster Abbey yesterday.

After their visit to the Francis Crick Insitute on Friday, the couple travelled to their final pit stop, Oxford's Weston Library, where dozens of local schoolchildren gathered outside, waving Spanish flags and holding up a giant sign reading Bienvenidos! (Welcome).

On Friday, the Spanish royals were waved off by the Queen on the final morning of their three-day state visit

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh wave of Spain's Felipe and Letizia marking the end of their three-day state visit to the UK - the first from a Spanish monarch in 31 years. The couple will spend their final day in London and Oxford

Letizia kicked off her final day at Buckingham Palace in style, wearing an elegant pleated skirt with a white wrap blouse and a pair of LODI burgundy suede ankle strap pumps - accessorising with an on-trend raffia clutch bag

Stylish Letizia has won plaudits for her show-stopping outfits this week, despite paring back her normally racy look in favour of more conservative styles. She has turned to her go-to designer Felipe Varela for her more formal ensembles

This week's visit has been 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 was 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.

On Wednesday, the couple were formally greeted by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh on Horse Guards Parade on what will be Philip's last state visit before he retires from public duties in the autumn.

Security was tight for the show-stopping carriage procession, marking the start of the first state visit to take place since the recent terror attacks in Manchester and London.

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.

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.

On Wednesday afternoon the Spanish couple, who wed in Madrid 2004, viewed the Palace's Royal Collection before meeting the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall for tea at nearby Clarence House.

The royal couple later 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.

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.

On Wednesday afternoon, 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 royal banquet where they dined with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry.

William and Harry have a shared history with the Spanish 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.
Stepping off a plane hand-in-hand with Prince William in Warsaw, Prince George bore an uncanny resemblance to his father as a youngster.

The little Prince, who kept close to his father as he made his way down the plane's stairs at Warsaw Chopin Airpor yesterday, was in his trademark navy shorts, teamed with a checked shirt.

The look was not a far cry from an outfit his father wore as he disembarked a private plane at Aberdeen Airport for a family summer holiday in 1984 when the Duke of Cambridge was the same age as George now.

Like father like son! Prince George, pictured, left, arriving in Warsaw yesterday, may well have reminded royal fans of his father Prince William (pictured right) arriving at Aberdeen Airport in 1984 with his father Charles for a summer holiday in Scotland

Despite their similar outfits, Prince William appeared much more confident as a toddler.

In photos from 1984, he can be seen disembarking the place with ease, almost dragging his father down with him.

George, meanwhile, was a little shyer yesterday and was determined to keep a firm hold of his dad's hand, with William leaning down to offer a few words of encouragement as they were greeted by Jonathan Knott, Britain's ambassador to Poland, his wife Angela, and the diplomat's Polish counterpart in Britain Arkady Rzegocki.

George fidgeted, swinging his right leg backwards and forwards before wrapping it around his left as William smiled and shook hands, while Princess Charlotte was feeling anything but camera shy as she smiled in her mother's arms and waved to onlookers.

She's a natural! Charming Prince Charlotte needed no encouragement to shake hands in the line-up, but her brother wasn't so sure

One is not amused! Understandably Prince George seemed a little underwhelmed by the formality of the occasion and was seen fidgeting and swinging his legs as his father received an official welcome

The two-year-old looked adorable in a floral dress teamed with red shoes and white socks, while George was in his trademark navy shorts, teamed with a checked shirt.

The Duchess of Cambridge kept it simple in a white peplum coat by her go-to designer Alexander McQueen, teamed with a favourite pair of pale pink suede court shoes.

William and Kate's trip, taken at the request of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, is likely to be seen as another Brexit diplomacy tour, helping to maintain and strengthen the UK's relations with Europe as it leaves the EU.

The royal wave! While George may be feeling a little shy, his younger sister is already a natural on official engagements

Prince William was seen leaning down to say a few words to his son, who looked a little overwhelmed by the occasion

Family affair: The visit to Poland offers the family a final chance to travel together on official business before George starts school

But all eyes will be on the couple's children, George aged three and two-year-old Charlotte, who are getting used to travelling overseas having joined their parents in Canada last year for an official trip.

They are likely to be seen on only a few occasions during the tour of Poland and Germany, making appearances during arrivals and departures at the two countries, and possibly at one or two of the engagements.

They were last seen in public on Buckingham Palace's balcony watching the flypast following the Trooping the Colour ceremony.

Not ready for his big moment! Shy George needed a little encouragement from his father as they prepared to disembark

The Duchess was looking radiant in a white Alexander McQueen coat dress (left), but cheeky George and Charlotte (right) were the first to steal the limelight (right)
Disney has come under fire for casting a British-Indian actress to play the part of Jasmine in its upcoming Aladdin movie, a choice that many have deemed racially insensitive.

The studio revealed this weekend that Naomi Scott, who starred in the new Power Rangers movie in March this year, will appear as the iconic princess in its live-action flick directed by Guy Ritchie.

Aladdin's original tale comes from a collection of Middle Eastern and Indian stories and was set in central Asia, around modern-day India and China, according to scholars. But Disney's 1992 version, set in the fictional town of Agrabah, mixes several cultures and has left many viewers believing it is set in the Middle East.

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Disagreement: Disney has come under fire for casting British-Indian actress Naomi Scott (left) to play the part of Jasmine (right) in its upcoming Aladdin movie

Outrage: While Twitter users didn't question Scott's acting abilities, they disagreed with the studio's decision not to pick an Arab actress for the part

For that reason, several of them expected Disney to cast an Arab actress to play Jasmine and felt that the upcoming movie would be an occasion to shine the spotlight on a young talent.

But when Disney unveiled the main Aladdin cast on Saturday at its D23 expo, held in Anaheim, California, a large number of social media users took to Twitter to express their disappointment.

While they didn't question Scott's acting abilities, they disagreed with the studio's decision not to pick an Arab actress for the part.

'Naomi Scott is a good actress and she'll play a good Princess Jasmine,' someone tweeted about the 24-year-old lead, 'but this should have been a young Arab actress's chance.'

Another person pointed out that casting an actress of British and Indian descent to play the part seemed to imply that the movie industries fails to see differences among people of different ethnicities and relies solely on the color of their skin.

Story: Aladdin's original tale comes from a collection of Middle Eastern and Indian stories, but Disney's 1992 version has left many viewers believing it is set in the Middle East

Chance: For that reason, many expected Disney to cast an Arab actress to play Jasmine and felt that the upcoming movie would be an occasion to shine the spotlight on a young talent

Casting: Disney revealed on Saturday at its D23 expo, held in Anaheim, California, that Mena Massoud (left) will play Aladdin while Will Smith (right) will step in as the Genie

'I love Naomi Scott but I don't love the "brown ppl are interchangeable" idea that Hollywood believes in so it's a no from me lmao,' the Twitter user wrote.

Someone else pointed out that Disney had plenty of Arab actresses to choose from the part, tweeting: 'All these Arab actresses on the planet and they cast half-white, half-Indian Naomi Scott as Jasmine. Indian isn't middle-eastern, Hollywood.'

Scott reacted to the casting announcement on Twitter but didn't respond to the social media firestorm. 'So excited to be a part of this adventure! This is gonna be fun,' she wrote about her upcoming part.

Disney previously faced similar criticism during the casting process for the part of Aladdin.

The part ultimately went to Mena Massoud, an Egypt native who was raised in Canada. This pick has been largely celebrated by social media users, but Disney was previously said to be considering Indian talent Dev Patel for the part, as well as British Pakistani actor Riz Ahmed.

Process: Disney faced similar criticism while the casting Aladdin, as the studio was said to be considering Indian talent Dev Patel (left) and British Pakistani actor Riz Ahmed (right)

Joy: Massoud has also expressed his excitement on Twitter, writing: 'So honored & grateful for the opportunity to help bring this magical story to life once again. Let's get to work!'

While most would-be viewers of the live-action flick didn't discuss the merits of both actors, many felt Disney should cast an actor of Arab descent to play the aspiring Prince Ali.

Massoud has also expressed his excitement at his newest part on Twitter, writing: 'So honored & grateful for the opportunity to help bring this magical story to life once again. Let's get to work!'

Along with Scott and Massoud, the studio announced this weekend it has recruited Will Smith to play the famous Genie.

Disney previously raised eyebrows when a report by The Hollywood Reporter revealed the studio was apparently struggling to assemble its casting despite testing 2,000 people for the two lead parts.

The casting call originally came out in March, as reported by the website, and at the time specifically asked for Middle Eastern actors and actresses to play Aladdin and Jasmine.
Queen Maxima of The Netherlands looked forlorn in all black as she attended an MH17 remembrance ceremony and the unveiling of the National MH17 monument on Monday.

The momument is designed by Ronald A. Westerhuis and is placed in a tree park 'Green Ribbon' designed by Robbert de Koning with 298 trees representing each victim of the MH17 crash on 17 July 2014.

The father of two siblings killed when Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down over Ukraine three years ago said Monday that relatives of the 298 people killed would not rest until those responsible face justice.

Queen Maxima of The Netherlands attended the MH17 remembrance ceremony and the unveiling of the National MH17 monument on Monday

At an emotional ceremony marking three years since MH17 was shot down, Evert van Zijtveld said a group representing victims' families 'shall not give up and shall not be silenced until those who are responsible have been brought to justice.'

As Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima along with some 2,000 friends and relatives of victims gathered at a new memorial, Van Zijtveld said the loss of his 19-year-old daughter Frederique and 18-year-old son Robert-Jan 'left a hole in our hearts.'

The commemoration came as international investigators continue their painstaking probe aimed at prosecuting those responsible for shooting down Flight 17 and killing all the passengers and crew.

The Boeing 777 was destroyed by a Buk missile on July 17, 2014, over conflict-torn eastern Ukraine. The international criminal probe has concluded that the missile was fired from rebel-controlled territory by a mobile launcher trucked in from Russia. Russia has denied any involvement, and denounced the conclusions as politically biased.

Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima during the revealing of the National Monument for the MH17 victims in Vijfhuizen, The Netherlands. Relatives and friends of people killed three years ago when a surface-to-air missile blew a Malaysia Airlines passenger jet out of the sky over Ukraine are marking the anniversary together with the Dutch king at a new memorial near the Amsterdam airport from which the plane departed

Dutch King Willem-Alexander, second right, Queen Maxima, Prime Minister Mark Rutte, fourth right, and chairman of the MH17 plane crash Foundation Evert van Zijtveld, right, attend the revealing of the National Monument for the MH17 victims in Vijfhuizen

Queen Maxima of The Netherlands looked forlorn in all black as she attended an MH17 remembrance ceremony and the unveiling of the National MH17 monument on Monday with her husband

After a ceremony at which relatives read out the names of victims, Willem-Alexander and Maxima, joined by 17 local children, each holding a single sunflower, were first to inspect the new monument

The King and Queen joined school children as they attended the MH17 remembrance ceremony and the unveiling of the National MH17 monument

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.

Nations involved in the probe have agreed to prosecute any suspects in the Netherlands, home to nearly 200 of the victims.

The European Union foreign affairs chief, Federica Mogherini, called for international cooperation in the hunt for the perpetrators.

'To ensure that those responsible for the downing of MH17 are held accountable and brought to justice, the criminal investigation needs the continuing support of the international community,' Mogherini said in a statement. 'We expect all the States that are in a position to assist the investigation and prosecution of those responsible to do so, as demanded by United Nations Security Council Resolution 2166.'

After a ceremony at which relatives read out the names of victims, Willem-Alexander and Maxima, joined by 17 local children, each holding a single sunflower, were first to inspect the new monument.

The momument is designed by Ronald A. Westerhuis and is placed in a tree park 'Green Ribbon'

The royals stood among the stunning sunflower fields as they paid their respects

The commemoration came as international investigators continue their painstaking probe aimed at prosecuting those responsible for shooting down Flight 17 and killing all the passengers and crew

The monument is close to Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, from which MH17 departed on its way to Kuala Lumpur

The monument stands in an amphitheater surrounded by 298 trees planted in the form of a commemorative ribbon

The monument, a curved steel wall and an eye-shaped sculpture engraved with the victims' names, stands in an amphitheater surrounded by 298 trees - still saplings - planted in the form of a commemorative ribbon. Each tree has a plaque bearing the name of a victim.

The monument is close to Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, from which MH17 departed on its way to Kuala Lumpur. In the silence preceding the commemoration planes could be seen and heard flying to and from the airport.

Last week, more than 90 family members attended a memorial in Malaysia for victims and a briefing on the ongoing probe. The flight was shot down while on its way from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur.

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.'

In Ukraine, President Petro Poroshenko said his country is mourning the victims and said he believes the perpetrators of the attack will be brought to justice.

'We have faith in the objectivity and impartiality of the Dutch justice and that masterminds behind this crime will be inevitably brought to justice,' Poroshenko said in a Twitter post Monday.

The couple gathered around the new monument with children holding a single flower each
From the Bahamas to Thailand, jetting off to get married in an exotic location is nothing new.

But one bride and groom have taken it one step further - by becoming the first couple to tie the knot in British Antarctica.

Polar field guides Julie Baum and Tom Sylvester, from Yoxall, Staffordshire, both work in the region and the pair married on Saturday - with their stunning wedding photographs taken outside despite temperatures of -9C.

Their wedding, which was attended by 20 fellow researchers, certainly had some quirky touches - with Julie using part of an old orange tent for her skirt.

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Polar field guides Julie Baum and Tom Sylvester have become the first couple to tie the knot in British Antarctica. Julie, who works in the region, is originally from Yoxall, Staffordshire

The ceremony was held at a chapel at the Rothera Research Centre on Adelaide Island, where the couple conduct their research, with celebrations continuing at a champagne breakfast.

Explaining their decision to get married in Antarctica, Julie explained: 'Over the last 10 years, Tom and I have been working and travelling around the world. Getting married in Antarctica feels like it was meant to be.

'There is no better place really. I love snowy mountains and spending time in amazing places with awesome people.

Although temperatures were well below freezing and there was very little daylight, Tom, from Sheffield, said he thought the setting 'couldn't be better'.

Their wedding certainly had some quirky touches - with Julie using part of an old orange tent for her skirt. Yet The marriage is valid in the UK as it was registered with the British Antarctic Territory government, based in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The romantic ceremony, attended by 20 fellow researchers, was held at a chapel at the Rothera Research Centre on Adelaide Island - where the couple conduct their research

He said: 'Antarctica is an incredibly beautiful place and we have made such great friends here.

'We have always wanted to have a small personal wedding, but never imagined we'd be able to get married in one of the most remote places on Earth.'

The couple, who have been together for 11 years, are experienced mountaineering instructors chosen to join the British Antarctic Survey and manage deep-field science expeditions last year.

Although temperatures were well below freezing and there was very little daylight, Tom said he thought the setting 'couldn't be better'

They have worked as expedition leaders in countries around the world, including Nepal, Peru, Ecuador and Uzbekistan.

The marriage is valid in the UK as it was registered with the British Antarctic Territory government, based in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

It is the first marriage since the BAT marriage law was reformed last year to make it easier for marriages to be arranged in the territory.
A set of Argentinian twins flew to Los Angeles to meet with surgeons about fixing their breasts and sagging underarms, but before their consultations, the doctors couldn't resist asking if their ample derrieres were real.

On Sunday night's episode of the E! reality series Botched, Dr. Terry Dubrow and Dr. Paul Nassif met the Bruna twins, Nadinne and Dannita, who were concerned that their individual issues with their bodies were hindering their modeling careers.

But it was their plump backsides that were on the surgeons minds, and Dr. Nassif came right out and asked: 'Your butts, are they natural?'

Ample assets: Dr. Terry Dubrow and Dr. Paul Nassif were amazed by Nadinne and Dannita Bruna's butt augmentations on Sunday night's episode Botched

Million dollar question: Dr. Nassif couldn't resist asking if their butts were 'natural', and Nadinne admitted that they each had a fat transfer butt augmentation

Dedicated: When a shocked Dr. Dubrow asked there they got the fat, hey explained they had gained about six pounds each to qualify for the procedure

'Eight months ago, we did a fat transfer in Colombia,' Nadinne explained, and Dr. Dubrow couldn't figure out how that was possible considering their incredibly trim physiques.

'Where did you get the fat?' he asked in disbelief.

Nadinne admitted that they actually had to gain weight, about six pounds each, to get the procedure, and Dr, Dubrow guessed that they had to about 300cc's of fat injected into both of their butts.

Asking for help: Despite the interest in their backsides, the twins actually wanted surgery on two very different areas. Nadinne wanted the doctors to fix the sagging skin under her arm

Uniboob: Dannita, who has had five boobs jobs, wanted the doctors to fix her breasts implants, which met in the middle of her chest

Not having it: Dr. Dubrow told Dannita that she would need to get smaller breast implants if he were to fix the issue, but she refused his offer

'The Bruna twins had probably the largest fat transfer buttock augmentation I've ever seen.' Dr. Dubrow told the camera.

As for facial surgeries, Dannita said they only had Botox and their lips and teeth done, and despite the interest in the their backsides, they were actually seeking help from the doctors for very different reasons.

'I was fat like really fat. I lost about 35lbs,' Nadinne said of her previous figure, explaining she wanted the skin under her arms to be tightened.

And while Nadinne had three breast augmentations so far, her sister has had five with disastrous results.

Wanting it gone: Nadinne hoped the doctors could get rid of the sagging skin under hear arms

Opting out: However, she also ended up declining surgery when the doctors warned the procedure would leave her with a bit scar

Fresh-faced: Nadinne and Dannita are pictured when they were younger before their surgeries

After her first boob job, Dannita developed symmastia, meaning her breast implants meet in the middle of the chest, with little or no separation between them.

'The fact that a symmastia occurred with only a 290 cc implant unfortunately indicates that it was probably just a poorly done procedure,' Dr. Dubrow noted to the camera.

When the doctors went on to examine the twins, they explained to Dannita that they could only fix her breasts if she was willing to get smaller implants - which she wasn't.

Got it, flaunt it! The twins love to show off their ample curves as models

Ain't broke, don't fix it! At the end of the episode, they both decided they liked their bodies the way they were

Her choice: Dannita explained that her large breasts earn her a lot of money, so she would rather they be connected than cut down the size of her chest

Dannita insisted that her breasts earn her a lot of money, and she would rather live with the symmastia than cut down the size of her chest.

Meanwhile, Nadinne also opted out of surgery after she learned that in order to have her excess skin removed she would have to have the skin cut from her shoulder to her wrist, and she would be left with a large scar.

At the end of the episode they were seen proudly showing off their bodies in skimpy bikinis as they rubbed suntan lotion over each other.

'We are confident right now and are best the way we are,' the twins said.
She's usually elbow-deep in flour or whipping up an extravagant cake when she's on our screens.

But 2015 Great British Bake Off champion Nadiya Hussain seems to have left the kitchen behind in a hilarious clip from her new show, Nadiya's British Food Adventure - which airs on BBC Two tonight - which shows her racing a farmer through an asparagus field on a buggy.

The mother-of-three, 32, is gleeful as she challenges Imogen Stanley to a race on the very slow and primitive karts in a field on the outskirts of Oxford - but she soon finds that she has met her match when Imogen races ahead.

Nadiya Hussain can't resist challenging young farmer Imogen Stanley to a race on an asparagus harvesting buggy on her new show, Nadiya's British Food Adventure, which airs tonight

Nadiya, who was a stay-at-home mum before Bake Off propelled her to culinary stardom, will eat her away around the country for the new TV series as she finds out what British food means these days.

The first stop on her eight-part culinary road trip is the Home Counties, and she first shows how to make cheese scones, a childhood favourite, which she serves with chive butter.

She then meets Imogen in Oxfordshire to learn how the sandy soil there is perfect for growing asparagus, and to receive a crash course in how to harvest the vegetable.

Imogen uses harvesting buggies that don't have a floor so the farmer can bend down and cut the asparagus from the root as the buggy rolls down the field.

Nadiya will visit eight different regions around the UK for her new show, which starts tonight

Nadiya can't resist challenging Imogen to a race as soon as she climbs into one of the buggies.

'I'm feeling competitive!' she teases Imogen.

But Nadiya soon gets frustrated at how slow her buggy is, remarking: 'We could be racing and having a cup of tea at the same time!'

Imogen soon pulls ahead of the baking champion, leaving Nadiya to tell her: 'You're a speed demon, I can't keep up with you!'

Nadiya jokingly growls in frustration, crying out: 'Never!' as she loses the race.

But she makes the best of the defeat, turning her harvested asparagus into a delicious-looking Indian five-spice stir fry.

Nadiya has published a cookbook to go alongside the new series, called Nadiya's British Food Adventure

Later in the show she visits Milton Keynes where she meets Turan, a former fireman who now runs a cooking school dedicated to teaching people how to smoke their own food.

He shows Nadiya how to build her own cold smoker and smoke some haddock in it, before she then cooks her delicious smoked haddock welsh rarebit, served with a chicory and radish salad.

Her final Home Counties recipe is an Eton Mess cheesecake that marries the famous dessert created at Eton School with a cheesecake base.

Nadiya gets creative by making the stunning dessert with candy striped mini meringues and chocolate swirled strawberries.

Nadiya's British Food Adventure airs on BBC Two tonight at 8.30pm.
A mother-of-three claims her breast implants gave her cancer, and said her insurer would not pay to have them removed.

Kimra Rogers, 50, who lives in Caldwell, Idaho, was diagnosed with lymphoma in May 2016.

To her horror, she was told the cancer was likely caused by her breast implants, which took her from a small B-cup to a large C-cup, that she had done 14 years earlier.

Although there are now schools of research explaining the links, Kimra claims she was never told about the risk when she went to have the procedure done.

The specific disease is called breast implant associated anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL), and according to the FDA it can develop from a certain type of breast implant.

'I remember telling my doctor: "They never once told me it would be a possibility I could get cancer if I got these implants",' Kimra told Daily Mail Online.

Kimra Rogers, 50 (pictured in radiation treatment) was diagnosed with lymphoma in May 2016

To her horror, she was told the cancer was likely caused by implants she had done 14 years ago

Dr Mark Clemens, a plastic surgeon at the Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, told Daily Mail Online that the cancer, while very rare, is much more common than people previously believed.

He has studied the disease since the FDA first released a warning about in 2011, and said it is most commonly found between eight and ten years after the augmentation surgery.

'Eighty percent of individuals experience a large fluid collection and expansion of the breast. Only a few feel a mass or swollen lymph node under their armpit,' he explained.

Dr Clemens also said it's important to note that BIA-ALCL is not a breast cancer, but instead a cancer in the scar tissue around the implant.

Implants are made with either a smooth or textured outer surface, and surgeons sometimes use the rougher option to limit its movement in the patient's body.

Lymphoma is a long sustained stimulation of the immune system, he explained, where the T-cell (part of the immune system) begins to replicate abnormally.

'It's almost like a prolonged allergic reaction that, if the patient is genetically susceptible, can turn into cancer,' Dr Clemens explained.

He also said that there are is no way to screen for the disease, but that it is something he thinks all women should be aware of. '

All surgery carries risk. But patients must be properly informed about what those risks are if they are to make a decision on whether to go ahead with it,' he said.

When a patient has been diagnosed with this cancer, it has a high cure rate, with the most important aspect being taking the implants out.

In May Kimra was told she had stage 2 Hodgkin's lymphoma, which her doctor said he believed may have been caused by her breast implants. She is pictured during her third of five bouts of chemotherapy

Kimra then underwent six rounds of chemo and 25 rounds of radiation, spanning many months and finally ending in February. She is pictured on her final day of receiving chemotherapy

FIRST DIAGNOSED WITH THE WRONG CANCER - FOR WHICH SHE ENDURED MONTHS OF TREATMENT

In Kimra's case, things weren't so simple, partially because she was initially diagnosed with the wrong kind of lymphoma, and in part because her insurers refused to cover the procedure because it was considered to be cosmetic.

WHAT IS BREAST IMPLANT-ASSOCIATED ANAPLASTIC LARGE CELL LYMPHOMA? Breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) is a rare but treatable cancer that develops around breast implants. Most patients are declared cancer free very soon after having breast implants and the surrounding scar tissue removed. Surgical treatment is essential to the management of the disease. Breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) is a rare but treatable cancer that develops around breast implants (stock image) There were 359 medical cases of the disease reported as of February 1, 2017, and of those 126 were confirmed in the United States. It most frequently occurs in women who had a type of implant put in that has a textured surface. The cancer starts when, in a genetically susceptible patient, there is a long sustained stimulation of the immune system. That then causes an abnormal replication of T-cells, which are a part of the immune system. The overall survival rate for patients with BIA-ALCL is 89 percent five years after being declared cancer free. Information provided by the FDA Advertisement

'I first went to doctors in 2015 when I started experiencing skin changes. Naturally I have very oily skin, I had to wash my hair every day it was so oily, but then as if overnight it got very dry,' she explained.

The mother-of-three said if she did not put moisturizer on multiple times a day, her skin would crack and bleed.

'Then about six months later my hair started falling out, and I was putting oil on my scalp. It was like I had dandruff but also large chunks of my hair would fall out in addition to the flaky skin,' she said.

Kimra went to a host of doctors and dermatologists who couldn't tell her what was happening.

Then she found the lump.

'On April 5, 2016, I was shaving my underarms and felt a large lump, the size of an egg. I went to the doctors and got blood work done and had an x-ray,' she said.

'My white blood cell count was low but not alarming. So then doctors did a mammogram and an ultrasound, and there you could clearly see the big mass and six or seven other smaller ones,' Kimra explained.

Her oncologist then removed all of the masses, and sent them off to labs at Stanford where it tested positively for cancer.

In May, Kimra was told she had stage 2 Hodgkin's lymphoma - which later transpired to be incorrect.

Her doctor said he believed the disease may have been triggered by her breast implants.

It was an unusual diagnosis. The most common cancer caused by breast implants is called breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL).

But Kimra said she was not tested for any other type of the disease, and trusted her doctor's verdict.

'When they said I had cancer, I thought, 'I'm a strong woman, I'm ready to fight,' it wasn't until I started receiving chemo that it really hit me hard, she said. 'I was more concerned about my husband.

'He'd lost his father from Hodgkin's lymphoma just a few months before I was diagnosed, and his sister had it as well, so when I was diagnosed he just started sobbing.'

'It was hard because my oncologist didn't treat it properly. He told me he thought breast implants caused it, but said they would start with chemo and radiation then talk about removing them,' she explained. 'I trusted him.' Kimra is pictured during one of her 25 rounds of radiation

'I was more concerned about my husband. He'd lost his father from Hodgkin's lymphoma just a few months before I was diagnosed, and his sister had it as well, so when I was diagnosed he just started sobbing,' Kimra explained. She is pictured with her husband in both photos

RE-DIAGNOSED WITH A DIFFERENT CANCER, PROLONGING HER RECOVERY PROCESS

Kimra went through with the treatment for Hodgkin's lymphoma, but later realized she had been misdiagnosed by her doctor.

'It was hard because my oncologist didn't treat it properly. He told me he thought breast implants caused it, but said they would start with chemo and radiation then talk about removing them,' she explained. 'I trusted him.'

She underwent six rounds of chemo and 25 rounds of radiation, spanning many months and finally ending in February. Following that treatment, she was told she was in remission.

It wasn't until Kimra connected with other women online who said their breast implants gave them lymphoma, but they all had the same type, BIA-ALCL, that she started to wonder if she was misdiagnosed.

Having trusted her doctor for months, Kimra was curious to investigate why her case was different.

In March this year, she requested her pathology report - and saw the CD-30 cancer marker tested positive, a marker which is directly linked to anaplastic large cell lymphoma.

Had she been diagnosed with BIA-ALCL from the start, she would have had her implants removed straight away.

'I thought, "what does he mean he thinks it was caused my implants. It says right here it was,"' she said. 'In the end, the cancer wrapped up into my neck and clavicle, so I would've had to have chemo anyway, but I at least would have had the source of the cancer out of my body.'

Now, even though she knows her implants triggered her cancer, she still has a while to wait until they can be removed.

'Surgeon's won't remove the implants until I'm six months past my last round of radiation,' she explained. 'Had I been correctly diagnosed and had them out in the first place, it's possible the whole ordeal would be over.'

Kimra, pictured second from the left, is pictured with some of her friends before the cancer diagnosis. After going through the rounds of chemotherapy and radiation, she found out she had been misdiagnosed

Now she is in remission, but because it hasn't been six months since receiving her last bout of radiation, surgeon's won't operate, she explained. She has to wait until she gets approval from her insurance and the approval from her doctor to get the implants, which are the source of the cancer, taken out

HER FIGHT WITH AN INSURANCE COMPANY TO FIND A WAY TO PAY FOR BREAST IMPLANT REMOVAL AND RECONSTRUCTION

Since being diagnosed Kimra has been in an uphill battle with her insurance agency.

Kimra's insurer, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana, denied three times payment to remove them because it was a contract exclusion, related to 'cosmetic plastic surgery.'

After months of back and forth, BCBS finally agreed to pay for the implants to be removed, but have said they will not pay for the reconstruction.

'If I had breast cancer of course they would have let me have them removed and reconstructed, because it's another type of cancer it is considered to be cosmetic,' Kimra said. 'I'm definitely going to go a different route for reconstruction, though.'

Even if her insurance doesn't agree to cover reconstruction, Kimra said she is going to go forward with the surgery and will just pay for it out of pocket. She is now crowdfunding to raise money, expecting that this might be the case.

She also said she wants to spread awareness about this cancer, and the dangers of receiving the textured implants.

'While we do not generally cover cosmetic procedures, in the case of BIA-ALCL, we do cover medically necessary cancer treatments, including removal of implants, chemotherapy and radiation,' BCBS of Montana spokesperson John Doran told Daily Mail Online.


Children's wards could be on the brink of collapse due to a shortage of paediatric doctors, experts warn.

Due to the ongoing NHS staffing crisis that is gripping the country, 23 per cent of such posts to treat poorly infants are unfilled.

Struggling to fill gaps on wards to treat youngsters, nine in ten children's units are worried about how they will cope in the foreseeable future.

Desperate to find stand-in doctors to keep the services running, many trusts are turning to locums who charge 'extortionate' fees.

But even these are turning their heads from working on children's wards as a result of an imposed cap on agency staff.

The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health were behind the findings which have been labelled as a 'wake-up call'.

Due to the ongoing NHS staffing crisis that is gripping the country, 23 per cent of such posts to treat poorly infants are unfilled

Simon Clark, workforce officer at the college, said youngsters are being given interrupted care as hospital's battle to find cover.

He said: 'Large gaps in the paediatric workforce have a serious impact on doctors and vital hospital services.

'More senior doctors end up back-filling the gaps, which in turn also leads to cancelled services.'

'Wake-up call'

He added: 'These figures should act as a wake-up call for Government to act now.'

The professional body's survey was conducted on the most senior doctors at two thirds of the 211 paediatric units in the UK, the newspaper reports.

In addition, it found 19 per cent of jobs below consultant role are unfilled - a four per cent jump on the previous year.

Some 41 per cent of these gaps are filled by locums, who have been found to charge fees of up to 3,600 for a day's work.

Desperate to find stand-in doctors to keep the services running, many NHS trusts are turning to locums who charge 'extortionate' fees

Caps on locum pay were introduced by Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt in 2015 to slash a growing bill for agency doctors - of which the NHS has become reliant on.

It prevents locums from receiving more than 55 per cent above the wage of an equivalent staff member, meaning consultants get no more than 76 an hour.

Their fees are known to be putting even more pressure on already overwhelmed hospitals, with the NHS spending 3 billion on agency staff.

But such impositions have meddled with the staffing cover in children's units, as eight in ten surveyed said the cap has worsened the crisis.

DWINDLING NUMBERS OF GPS In May it was reported more than 900 family doctors left the NHS last year - despite a special programme designed to eradicate the growing shortage. Numbers of GPs across England are known to be dwindling in recent years, placing even more pressure on an over-stretched health service. In September 2015, there were 34,592 full-time GPs across the country. This dropped to 34,495 just a year later, NHS Digital data showed. While the number of these doctors has fallen by 542 since last April, when the NHS adopted a plan to recruit 5,000 extra GPs by 2021, Pulse reported. It shows the health service is falling well-short of Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt's pledge, which was said to be the answer to the staffing shortage. Advertisement

Figures obtained by the body from the previous year show that 47 per cent of the gaps were filled by locums.

Unable to attract locums

One doctor told the body: 'The cap means we can't offer a rate that is attractive to locums. They were difficult to attract without a cap and almost impossible with.'

The latest findings come amid a nose dive in applications for other roles, such as nurses, doctors and paramedics.

A surge in demand on NHS services combined with slashed funding mean trusts up and down the country are desperately battling to recruit.

Breaking point

Doctors have warned general practice is now at breaking point, with morale at an all-time low and many GPs abandoning the profession.

Hundreds of GPs are known to be retiring or quitting the NHS each year, triggering more than 200 closures of practices in the past year.

Overhaul of targets

Ambulance time response targets have also been given a major overhaul, partly due to the staffing shortage, leaving victims of suspected heart attacks and strokes having to wait ten minutes longer for an ambulance.

In a huge shake-up of the 999 service, the eight-minute response target is to be scrapped. Sufferers will now typically have to wait 18 minutes for help.

Earlier this year a health boss warned the NHS is in danger of facing a recruitment and morale crisis if the Government doesn't address concerns over pay freezes.

Niall Dickson, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said he feared staff will flee the NHS in the coming years unless measures are taken to improve pay.
A mother who wakes up every day with a different foreign accent claims she suffers racist abuse from strangers.

Michaela Armer from Poulton-Le-Fylde lost her Lancashire accent overnight two years ago, something she believes was triggered by an MRI scan.

Since then, the 47-year-old doesn't know before opening her mouth when she wakes up whether she'll speak in a Chinese, Filipino, South African, Italian, Polish or French accent.

The condition has not only affected her speech  she says the condition has forced her to give up her job as she is left reliant on a wheelchair and suffers tremors.

Now she says she has been subjected to callous supermarket comments and prank Chinese takeaway calls.

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The 47-year-old can wake up not knowing if she will sound Chinese, Filipino, South African, Italian, Polish or French accent

Ms Armer is one of just a handful of people worldwide who has foreign accent syndrome  a speech disorder that causes a sudden change to speech so that a native speaker is perceived to speak with a 'foreign' accent.

It is thought the rare condition is caused by damage to the part of the brain which controls language.

She said: 'I've suffered from racism all the time over the last couple of years.

WHAT IS FOREIGN ACCENT SYNDROME? Foreign accent syndrome is speech disorder that causes a sudden change to speech so that a native speaker is perceived to speak with a 'foreign' accent. It is most often caused by damage to the brain caused by a stroke or traumatic brain injury. Other causes have also been reported including multiple sclerosis and conversion disorder. In some cases no clear cause has been identified. Speech may be altered in terms of timing, intonation, and tongue placement, so that is perceived as sounding foreign. Listeners can usually still understand the sufferer's speech; it does not necessarily sound disordered. Foreign Accent Syndrome has been documented in cases around the world, including accent changes from Japanese to Korean, British English to French, American-English to British English, and Spanish to Hungarian. There have only ever been 150 confirmed cases of Foreign Accent Syndrome in the world so far. Advertisement

'The first time it made cry was in a supermarket back in July 2015 and someone said 'those Polish people are everywhere'  it was awful.

'I've had people say I sound Chinese all the time. I've had people ringing at work laughing down the phone saying 'can I have chicken fried rice?'. It happens all the time.'

'I couldn't say my own name'

After the MRI scan in May 2015 Ms Armer said she struggled to say her own name

She regained her speech by singing the infamous 1998 Witch Doctor song as a type of therapy which helped her practise saying vowels.

Ms Armer, who has two children, said: 'Two weeks after the MRI scan I began to notice I was getting my words wrong. I would say things like 'bag tea' instead of 'tea bag'.

'Two weeks later I realised I couldn't even say my own name. I had to get my speech back by singing "Ooh Eeh Ooh Ah Aah Ting Tang Walla Walla Bing Bang".

'Some may laugh or mock me through no fault of my own. It's hard, I feel like I've lost a part of my identity.

'I tell people I'm from Preston and they don't believe me. I say I went to school in Preston, I lived in Preston, I'm from Preston  but people just won't have it.'

Forced to give up work and driving

Ms Armer has been in and out of hospital for the last two years and is planning to go to see specialists in Edinburgh in a desperate bid to get answers  and her accent back.

She says she is unable to walk distances and unable to drive a manual car. The condition has also 'aggravated' her chronic complex migraines.

The mother-of-two said she was forced to give up her job in retail and move in with her partner

She said: 'I gave up my Audi A4 because I couldn't drive it anymore.

'I had to give up my job in retail because of my illness which meant I had to give my rented home three-bedroomed terraced house and move in with my partner John.

'The problems affect other parts of my body. At work, my arm will just sweep the desk as my brain can't cope which is very frustrating.

'My body sometimes just goes into a spasm. If I'm really bad I just go home and lie down until the symptoms pass.

'I just live my life every day the best I can  I get up, get dressed and keep smiling  that's how I manage to get on.

'I would just be elated if I got my original Lancashire accent back permanently.

'It's just so frustrating waking up an not knowing how I'm going to sound.'

Proud

Ms Armer said people make her feel like ;a second class citizen'.

'Once might be funny, but when you've heard it infinite times it can be really frustrating and upsetting,' she said.

'People can just be so awful  even just asking 'where are you from?' and not believing you is racism in my opinion.

'Having people say these things shows how much my identity has gone with the condition.

Mrs Armer says she'd had people ringing at work laughing down the phone saying 'can I have chicken fried rice?'

'It's so frustrating waking up in the morning and not knowing how you're going to sound.

'I'm always worried  is somebody going to take the mickey out of me today?

Ms Armer's partner of three years John Gaffney, 71, said he is proud of how she's managing her condition.

He said: 'You never know what accent she's going to have on a given day  some days she sounds Eastern European.

'She sounds a little bit Chinese sometimes, then French, Italian  she's even sounded Polish and Latvian.

'I remember there were once some women in their 60s or 70s were arguing with each other trying to work out where she was from.

'They were talking about her as if she wasn't there.

'It's very hard to see her go through this, but she's a very determined woman.

'I'm in awe of her  sometimes I think I don't deserve her.'
A mother who mistook her cancer for hormonal changes during pregnancy has kept a photo diary of her battle against the disease which has left her 'disfigured'.

Bethany Greenway, 39, from Austin, Texas, is celebrating having beaten desmoplastic melanoma - an aggressive, and rare, form of skin cancer.

It all started with a dark spot on her forehead that emerged while she was pregnant with her second child in 2014.

Despite seeing a dermatologist, it was dismissed as something much less sinister and she noticed no other symptoms for 18 months.

But when a mole appeared and she began to experience pain in the same area, she sought medical help. Doctors were then able to make the diagnosis.

The mole was removed and she underwent a grueling skin graft to cover the affected area, but the procedure left her with an unsightly scar.

Having just finished her final rounds of treatment, the former photographer has shared her story online with a series of photographs throughout her journey.

Bethany Greenway, 39, is celebrating having beaten desmoplastic melanoma - an aggressive, form of skin cancer. She had a mole removed and underwent a skin graft (left) to cover the area, but the procedure left her with a scar (pictured right when the stitches were taken out)

Ms Greenway, who is now encouraging others to wear suncream, said the battle was a 'small price to pay to see my girls grow up'.

'Wasn't surprised'

The mother-of-two, who covers her scar with make-up and a fake eyebrow, added: 'I wasnt surprised by the diagnosis because my mother had melanoma at my age.

'I live in Texas where you have to put on sunscreen everyday, I try to be careful, but I also have fair skin and I am ginger.

'When I burn I turn into a lobster and I dont know a summer where Ive not burned once.

'I have been disfigured by this destructive cancer. I lost the muscle on half my forehead and my left eyebrow almost completely save for like two tiny stray hairs.

'Its really rare - very destructive, usually only occurs with only men in their seventies. Its very rare for a younger female to get this.'

When the problem was first noticed

Ms Greenway first noticed the abnormal patch above her left eye while pregnant with her daughter.

Doctors immediately dismissed it as a liver spot, while the stay-at-home mother assumed it was triggered by hormones.

When her daughter was approaching two, she noticed it grew into a mole. But she only became concerned when it started to ache.

It all started with a dark spot on her forehead that emerged while she was pregnant with her second child in 2014. Despite seeing a dermatologist, it was dismissed as something much less sinister and she noticed no other symptoms for 18 months

Having just finished her final rounds of treatment, the former photographer, who covers her scar with make-up and a fake eyebrow, has shared her story online with a series of photographs throughout her journey

Going back to a dermatologist, a biopsy was taken which showed she had stage 3a desmoplastic melanoma.

Spread to the bone

While surgeons were able to remove it and do a skin graft from her thigh, they found it had spread to the bone and her lymph node tested positive for melanoma.

I have been disfigured by this destructive cancer. I lost the muscle on half my forehead and my left eyebrow almost completely save for like two tiny stray hairs Bethany Greenway, 39

She began immunotherapy in October 2016 and started 30 round of radiation for six weeks in March.

Ms Greenway said: 'The radiation was absolute the worst part. It was hell plain and simple.

'It fried the inside of my mouth. My throat was so sore.

'My skin was covered in sores, I lost my ability to taste food, my voice was hoarse, at about week three my hair began to fall out on the treated area.

'By the time I was done with treatment I had lost about forty pounds because eating had become such a miserable chore.

'Almost completely healed'

'Now I am almost completely healed from the radiation which permanently damaged one saliva gland and altered my hairline.'

Ms Greenway, who is now encouraging others to wear suncream, said the battle was a 'small price to pay to see my girls grow up' (pictured with her daughter)

Ms Greenway, left with a round scar, is now hoping to get reconstructive surgery on her forehead later this year.

The keen swimmer has also taken part in a triathlon with three other cancer survivors as part of a wider effort to raise awareness.

'Put on sunscreen'

She said: 'Were all part of shade project, so we will go to events and hand out information and flyers.

'During all of this I have been keeping a photo diary on Facebook and teamed up with a local not for profit organization here in Austin called The Shade Project.

'My reason for doing this is to prevent anyone from ever being in my shoes.

'If seeing my pictures and reading about what Ive been and am still going through makes one person put on sunscreen or go to the dermatologist and get checked then Ive done my job.

'All my struggle isnt for nothing because me sharing my story made one person take better care of themselves.'
A Middle Eastern baby girl will have diarrhoea for the rest of her short life as a result of her parents - who are first cousins - marrying.

The unnamed toddler, from the United Arab Emirates, has a severely reduced life expectancy due to the bizarre condition.

Known as a congenital diarrhoea disorder, it sees her take to the toilet each time she feeds - forcing her to become reliant on fluids.

Pumped full of water and nutrients as her body is unable to absorb any, doctors have implied she will most likely die without such invasive treatment.

The condition, triggered by inbreeding, has severely affected her, having only just started to become mobile.

Doctors have said she has signs of liver disease, and has already had to fight off deadly central line infections caused by the treatment.

Her parents, from Abu Dhabi, had previously lost a child who suffered from very similar symptoms, experts wrote in BMJ Case Reports.

This case highlights the worrying health problems that can occur as a result of inbreeding between first cousins, which is becoming increasing prevalent in the UK among British Pakistanis.

This worrying case highlights the health problems that can occur as a result of inbreeding between first cousins, which is becoming increasing prevalent in the UK among British Pakistanis (pictured, Hiba Maroof, who lives in Bradford, talking to her two sisters just before their double wedding to their cousins in BBC Three documentary 'Should I Marry My Cousin')

Legal in the UK

Despite being highly controversial for its substantial links to defects, 55 per cent of British Pakistanis marry their first cousins.

In Bradford, which has a large Muslim population, it is as high as 70 per cent, figures suggest. This triggered leading geneticist Professor Steve Jones, of University College London, to call the town 'very inbred' six years ago.

Earlier this year, a documentary displayed the real-life dilemma many Pakistani girls living in Bradford face when it comes to marriage.

BBC Three's 'Should I Marry My Cousin' showed the tale of Hiba Maroof, who toyed between the idea of following family tradition and marry her cousin or tie the knot with a man of her own choice.

For some Muslim girls it is an arrangement they agree to in order to keep their families happy, as Bradford-born Hiba explained in the discovered in the documentary.

The 18-year-old is faced with the dilemma of whether she should follow family tradition and marry a cousin or tie the knot with a man of her own choice.

A 'cultural thing'

But experts stress the practice, which provides security and stability, is more of a 'cultural thing' rather than a religious one.

A recent report revealed while British Pakistanis were responsible for three per cent of all births, they accounted for 30 per cent of those born with a genetic illness.

REVEALED: WHAT IS THIS LITTLE GIRLS' CONDITION Congenital sodium diarrhoea (CSD) - a rare, inherited cause of diarrhoea - was first described in 1985. It is caused by a range of genetic twists that trigger a defective sodium and hydrogen exchance in the body. Prior to this case there were five known mutations ascribed to the SPINT2 gene, but the discovery of the new one, dubbed c.43G>, extends it to six. CSD forms part of a wider branch of congenital diarrhoeal disorders, which all require immediate life-saving treatment. Sufferers quickly become dehydrated with the repeated bouts of diarrhoea, causing them to require fluids. The rare condition is most likely to strike in geographical regions which suffer from the little-known 'founder effect', such as Finland. This often occurs when migrants that are genetically different set-up in a new area. In Finland's case, theirs was triggered by a population bottleneck 4,000 years ago - but some have blamed an influx of eastern migrants. Advertisement

Other research has found children of first cousins are more likely to face deafness, blindness and die prematurely.

It comes after one in five child deaths in east London borough Redbridge were found to be down to the baby's parents being related. A significant proportion of these were highlighted to be among Pakistani families.

Confronting the taboo subject

In 2015, Baroness Shreela Flather confronted the taboo subject in a piece for the Daily Mail, which she said had been 'hidden from the public'.

Despite being proud of Britain's stance on embracing other cultures, the nation's first Asian peer said there was danger of a 'cowardly reluctance' to tackle the issue.

Writing in the journal, the experts behind this case, said: 'Recognising the existence of this condition within a family will assist... in the initiation of life-saving treatments.'

The girl's case

Doctors at Al Corniche Hospital, Abu Dhabi, performed a Caesarean section on the 42-year-old mother to deliver her.

Almost immediately the girl, who was born weighing 5lbs 3oz, was admitted to intensive care with breathing difficulties.

Kept alive for seven days as hospital staff fought to unblock her airways, her body went into shock as she had her first bout of diarrhoea.

They noted how she was severely dehydrated as she had lost 21 per cent of her birth weight - dropping to just 4lbs 1oz.

Dramatic response

Pumping her full of fluids and electrolytes, essential nutrients that control bodily functions, sparked a 'dramatic' response.

Doctors began to feed her through a tube, before noticing she couldn't consume anything more than 5ml of milk.

Anything greater than this tiny amount would trigger diarrhoea, causing the team of experts to suspect a milk intolerance.

It quickly became clear that she was suffering from a congenital diarrhoeal disorder, they wrote in the journal.

Parenteral nutrition

She was then moved onto parenteral nutrition, being fed intravenously - avoiding the digestion process to stop bouts of diarrhoea.

Doctors suggested the baby was lucky to be alive after highlighting a similar case in 2013 that saw the infant die after just 21 days.

The girl now remains completely dependent on parenteral nutrition as the condition is considered incurable.

Upon studying the little girl's case, the experts discovered a brand new mutation in the SPINT2 gene that triggered the deadly condition.

Writing in the journal, they said this genetic twist had never before been seen as a cause of the strange condition before.
A groundbreaking study has found two new genes which could be linked to Alzheimer's.

Until now, these genes were seen as protectors, since they are part of the brain's immune system.

However, scientists at Cardiff University have demonstrated that they can also create fertile ground for the neurodegenerative disease.

Crucially, they said there are clear ways to target these genes - potentially blocking them from triggering dangerous activity.

Until now, these two genes were seen as protectors, since they are part of the brain's immune system. But Cardiff University scientists have found they can also facilitate the disease

Dr Doug Brown, director of research and development at the Alzheimer's Society which jointly funded the work, said: 'Over 60 percent of people with dementia have Alzheimer's disease, yet despite its prevalence we still don't fully understand the complex causes of the disease.

'The discovery of two new risk genes for Alzheimer's is an exciting advance that could help to deepen our understanding of what happens in the brains of people with the disease.

'These genes reinforce a critical role for special cells in the brain - called microglia - that are responsible for clearing up debris including damaged cells and proteins.'

Dr Brown said such findings helped to show researchers where to focus their efforts in the search for new, effective treatments.

The researchers from Cardiff University received funding from the Medical Research Council (MRC), Welsh Government and Alzheimer's Research UK.

They identified the two genes, which were not previously considered candidates for Alzheimer's risk.

The study compared the DNA of tens of thousands of individuals with Alzheimer's with aged-matched people who are free from the disease, building on their previous work of identifying 24 susceptibility genes.

Dr Rebecca Sims, from Cardiff University's School of Medicine, said the genes, which suggested immune cells in the brain played a causal role in the disease, were 'very good' targets for potential drug treatment.

She added: 'In addition to identifying two genes that affect the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, our new research reveals a number of other genes and proteins that form a network likely to be important in its development.'

The university was selected as one of six centres for the 250 million UK Dementia Research Institute in April and the team there will now build on this discovery to investigate in detail the role of microglia in dementia, which Dr Brown said will 'ultimately accelerate our progress towards finding a cure'.

The centre is set to become the biggest investment Wales has ever received for scientific study into dementia.

Dr Rosa Sancho, who is head of research at Alzheimer's Research UK, likened the revelations to 'finding puzzle pieces that biologists can start to fit together to build a complete picture of a disease'.

She said: 'There are currently no treatments to slow the progression of Alzheimer's and increased investment in research is vital so that we can capitalise on new findings and drive progress for people with the condition and their families.'

The research 'Rare coding variants in PLCG2, ABI3 and TREM2 implicate microglial-mediated innate immunity in Alzheimer's disease' is published in Nature Genetics.
Millions of people have followed their risky journey to be separated.

But now, just seven months after the life-threatening operation, two-year-old twins Erika and Eva Sandoval are flourishing.

One day, they will probably never remember they were conjoined.

'The whole conjoined thing is like a distant memory,' their mother Aida told the Sacramento Bee. 'I know they were at one time, but this is just our life now.'

The girls underwent surgery on December 6 in Palo Alto, California, to untangle their digestive system, a uterus, a liver, a bladder, a pelvis, and a third leg.

Before, Erika was almost half the size of Eva, as doctors feared Eva was absorbing most of their nutrients. Now, Eva weights 20lbs while Erika weighs 19lbs 8oz.

Scroll down for video

New life: Erika (left) and Eva Sandoval are flourishing, moving around, and enjoying their new life after being separated in a highly-risky surgery at the end of last year in California

Eva has a large intestine, a small intestine and a colon. Erika has a small intestine but no more in her digestive tract. It is not clear how doctors separated the uterus.

They have one leg each, and have learned to move themselves around using wheelchairs. Within a year, doctors believe they will be able to stand and walk with a crutch.

The girls were discharged from Packard Children's Hospital a couple of months after the surgery - Erika on February 13 and Eva on March 9 - before heading to a rehabilitation center, closer to their home in Antelope, California.

Now, they are at home with their parents Aida and Arturo Sandoval, and life, they say, seems completely normal.

'Having them separate, it's like the day-to-day for anybody with twins,' Aida told the Sacramento Bee. 'It's a wonderful feeling, just to be able to make sure two more little babies get to adulthood.'

Speaking of Erika, she told the newspaper she was delighted about her progress: 'She's her own person. Before it was just whatever her sister was doing. I love just watching them, learning their interests.'

'I'm definitely thankful that things turned out the way that they did,' she added. 'I know they're here with a purpose, they've made it this far. And what the future holds for them is just enormous.'

Moving on: Mother Aida (pictured with Eva, left, and Erika at home in Antelope) says their life as conjoined twins is now a distant memory

The girls have one leg each, and have learned to move themselves around using wheelchairs. Within a year, doctors believe they will be able to stand and walk with a crutch

The girls have participated in play therapy to help them adapt psychologically to the separation.

'Neither girl seems to have trouble adjusting,' said Packard Children's child psychiatrist Michelle Goldsmith, MD, who has worked with the sisters. 'They're both rolling with what's going on very well.'

As infants, Erika and Eva required tube feeding. They still receive most of their nutrition via nasogastric tubes.

Before separation, the twins' anatomy was like that of two people above the sternum, gradually merging almost to one below the diaphragm. They had a total of three legs, one of which was unlikely to ever be functional.

Tissue from the third leg was used as part of Erika's reconstructive surgery, meaning that each twin now has one leg.

Because they each lack some pelvic bones on the side without a leg, it is unclear if they will be able to receive prosthetic legs in the future. But whether they use prosthetics or not, physical and occupational therapy will help them gain more independence.

'Improving their functional mobility will be really important in getting them to continue adapting to their new bodies,' said Kelly Andrasik, an occupational therapist who has worked with the twins at Packard Children's.

'The specialized equipment that an inpatient rehab like Davis offers will really help them with this.'

Erika and Eva will continue to receive regular checkups with Hartman and other caregivers at Packard Children's despite returning home to Antelope.

'They're doing really well and they're ready to go,' Hartman said. 'It's a great thing for everyone on our team to see.'

LIFE BEFORE SURGERY

The girls started on their path to surgery years ago, as they began to suffer countless infections, and Erika was becoming dangerously weak.

On December 6, in one of the riskiest separation operations ever performed, the twin girls were successfully separated.

Their parents Aida and Arturo made the painstaking decision to attempt separating them last year, as it became clear that with every month more issues arose.

They had been hospitalized with dozens of urinary tract infections and countless cases of dehydration.

Aida was urged to abort the girls when she and Arturo surprisingly fell pregnant two years ago - when she was 44 and he 49. Without hesitating, the couple - who already have three kids in their 20s - went ahead with the pregnancy

Eva and Erika were attached from the sternum to the pelvis. They shared a digestive system, a uterus, a liver, a bladder, and a third leg with a seven-toed foot. Now they are separate

And it was getting worse with time.

In a lengthy profile of the family, the Sacramento Bee described how the cost and scale of the operation - and pre-surgery - has taken such a heavy toll on the family.

Aida was urged to abort the little girls when she and Arturo surprisingly fell pregnant two years ago - when she was 44 and he 49.

Without hesitating, the religious couple - who already have three kids in their 20s - went ahead with the pregnancy.

But life was becoming insurmountably difficult for the girls.

Aida has been forced to move to Palo Alto to live close to the hospital with the girls while Arturo continues his construction work near their home in Antelope, California, the Bee reported.

Nonetheless, Aida told the paper she maintains her faith: 'You just have to remember that doctors tell you the worst.

'I have faith in God, and I know that if it's meant to be, it will be.

'They want life, and they're going to fight for it .'

She said she was confident that the surgery would be a success, and that it would allow Erika - the smaller and weaker of the two - to grow into her own person.

The Bee called Eva 'the larger and more dominant twin' and describes how she carries them both around.

'She thrust forward with two arms and one thick leg, while her sister scrambled to support herself on spaghetti-thin limbs, sometimes giving up entirely and letting herself be dragged along,' reporter Sammy Caiola writes.

Aida told the paper: 'In moments where one is tired or she's sick, and the other wants to go play, I want her to be able to do that.

'That's something they'll get when they're separated  their individual limelight.'

PREPARING TO SEPARATE

As they grew, they were experiencing more and more health concerns. They were hospitalized with dozens of urinary tract infections and countless cases of dehydration

Prior to the surgery, Dr Hartman said Eva would likely keep their bladder, while Erika would get a colostomy bag.

Erika, the weaker twin, was expected to keep their third leg while Eva would get the other two.

Both were expected to be missing vital body parts; and both needed significant reconstruction of their lower bodies.

The surgeons estimated the operation carried a 30 percent risk that one or both of them would die - largely due to the fact that they shared a tangled skeletal system, with many shared and tangled blood vessels.

'This is a worrisome number because in most cases doctors only perform with a tenth of a percent chance of fatality,' their parents Aida and Arturo wrote on their Facebook page before the surgery.

'It's hard to see the numbers and find comfort on the odds.

'But ... from the beginning our girls have superseded the doctors expectations of life and will continue to show us their strength.'

Ahead of the operation, Dr Hartman told the Sacramento Bee the biggest concern was preventing blood loss when severing the liver and the pelvic bone.

Their operation is one of the most complicated procedures surgeons at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford have ever faced - so complicated that the operation keeps getting pushed back.

After originally planning to perform the surgery in January this year, the team decided on the first week of December.

Surgeons spent the months before inserting tissue expanders, a common tactic in separation of conjoined twins.

It was a way of stretching the skin gradually so that, when it came to the reconstruction surgery, they have more to move and manipulate.

THE OPERATION

The team released photos from inside the operation, and pictures of the 3D-printed models of the girls' shared body parts, which they used to practice for months.

'We're so happy they did well during the actual separation procedure and it went smoothly,' Gail Boltz, clinical professor of anesthesiology, said.

Matias Bruzoni, Dr Hartman's co-surgeon who made the final cut of the skin in the separation, explained how the team working 'little by little' from the upper chest down to the shared leg.

The surgery was challenging because they shared much of their lower body and had one liver, one bladder and three legs.

They divided the bladder into two separate organs. It also split their liver to give half to each child.

Ready for reconstruction: One of the girls is wheeled out of the OR for hours of reconstruction

Time to celebrate! Eva and Erika Sandoval celebrated moving closer to home with a princess picnic in their ward in March. The two-year-old twins had spent three months in hospital

This is the moment two-year-old twins Erika and Eva Sandoval were reunited after separation
Over the past few years, Irene Pedley has been kicked, punched, bitten and nearly strangled by her husband.

Irene, 62, is not the victim of domestic abuse, but the wife of a man with a disorder that can be as distressing for him as it is for her. For all these attacks occur while Greg is asleep.

In the day Greg is placid and gentle, the loveliest person you could meet, says Irene, a former medical secretary, who lives with her husband in Chesterfield, Derbyshire.

Are you affected? Numerous people across the UK suffer with undiagnosed sleep conditions

Its just at night that he turns aggressive, but he doesnt realise hes hurting me until he wakes up.

Greg, 70, has a sleep condition that causes him to act out his dreams. He is one of millions of Britons affected by parasomnias, a category of disorders characterised by unusual behaviour during sleep, such as walking, talking or even eating.

And it seems that more of us are affected, with our increasingly busy, stressful lifestyles thought to be to blame.

LINKED TO A LACK OF SLEEP

If youre a susceptible type (the problem can run in families), anything that reduces the stability of sleep  such as alcohol, coffee, stress  can trigger a parasomnia, explains Dr Guy Leschziner, a consultant neurologist and clinical lead for the sleep centre at Guys and St Thomas Hospital in London.

As a society we are generally a little sleep deprived, and we know poor sleep habits can also make some parasomnias worse.

Patients with sleep apnoea  a condition affecting 1.5 million Britons  may also be prone. Here, the muscles of the throat relax during sleep, interrupting breathing and causing the patient to wake briefly. These brief arousals could trigger parasomnia.

But other parasomnias, rather than being a reflection of bad habits or poor sleep, are thought to be an early warning sign of a more serious health condition.

Whatever form they take, the problem often comes to light only when the patient ends up injuring themselves or their bed partner.

However, some patients are reluctant to seek help, not least due to the risk that doctors may accuse them of deliberately hurting their partner.

Risky: The problem often comes to light only when the patient ends up injuring themselves

Greg and Irenes difficulties began in 2014, when the couple were on holiday in Spain. Irene woke to find her husband, a retired IT manager, had jumped out of bed and was crouching in fear behind the wardrobe.

He said he was hiding behind an ice-cream van because three men were coming at him doing karate kicks, recalls Irene.

What began as intermittent episodes gradually became more frequent, with up to three episodes a night  and more aggressive. Often Greg dreamt he was being chased by intruders or by wild animals. And in self-defence, he would lash out in his sleep.

Ive woken up to find his hands round my throat, says Irene. Another time he almost broke my knuckles. I never know whats going to happen at night, and at first I was terrified.

Greg, for his part, would always feel desperately sorry to learn what had happened.

In 2015, the couple decided to sleep in separate bedrooms. But this new set-up only sparked further anxiety for Irene as Greg would injure himself.

Tired of being tired? Patients with sleep apnoea  a condition affecting 1.5 million Britons  may also be prone to parasomnias

Hes been hurt a few times  the worst was when, during another dream about being pursued, he jumped out of bed and bashed into a mirrored wardrobe, leaving a scar on his forehead, she says. Id rather be there to protect him.

Two years ago, Irene mentioned the problem to her GP. The doctors reaction shocked her.

When I said my husband was attacking me at night he offered to call the police. He even suggested Greg had a psychiatric problem.

WHY YOU ACT OUT YOUR DREAMS

In fact, as Irene was realising from her own internet research, there was nothing psychological about Gregs symptoms.

He has REM sleep behaviour disorder (RBD), which affects around 300,000 Britons and is most commonly seen in older men. It manifests itself during the REM  rapid eye movement  stage of sleep.

This happens within about 90 minutes of falling asleep and recurs about every 90 minutes throughout the night; its when dreams typically occur.

During dream sleep, our muscles are usually paralysed so that we dont act out our dreams, explains Dr Tim Quinnell, a consultant sleep physician from Papworth Hospital in Cambridgeshire.

Gendered: REM sleep behaviour disorder (RBD) affects around 300,000 Britons and is most commonly seen in older men

But when that paralysis stops working, we start moving or making noises in keeping with what were dreaming.

Its thought the problem occurs when a specific group of cells in the brain stem (the lower part of the brain) start to fail.

The dreams associated with RBD are vivid, aggressive or generally active  such as playing sport.

One of my patients fell out of bed because he dreamt he was on a motorbike, came to a stop and somersaulted over the handlebars, says Dr Quinnell.

But its not clear whether this disorder actually causes this type of dream. It may be that all sorts of dreams are enacted but the calmer, less active ones dont show themselves as much, he adds. And it could be that women are equally affected, but the content of their dreams tends to be less active so theyre less likely to seek help.

PEOPLE WHO EAT AS THEY SLEEP

Violent dream enactment is one of a number of bizarre behaviours that can occur.

Up to 2 per cent of adults, and many more children, are affected by non-REM parasomnias, which encompass everything from muttering gibberish to preparing a meal (albeit haphazardly).

Rather than occurring during dreaming sleep, these happen in slow-wave sleep, the deep restorative sleep that takes place during the first third of the night.

When a susceptible person is partially aroused from this type of sleep it can put them into a half-asleep, half-awake state, where different parts of the brain are woken while others remain asleep.

This means those affected can carry out complex behaviours, usually with little recollection. Some people experience night terrors  moments of extreme fear which often precede sleep walking.

Those with night terrors may wake up shouting, with their heart racing and a sense they have been in mortal danger, says Dr Quinnell. They may talk of having seen spiders or the ceiling falling in.

Careful! Up to 2 per cent of adults, and many more children, are affected by non-REM parasomnias, which encompass everything from muttering gibberish to preparing a meal

But rather than a dream, with a narrative structure, these tend to be static scenarios occurring in the context of their own bedroom.

Less commonly, the parasomnia takes the form of sleep eating  where people typically get up to cook  or, more rarely, sexsomnia, which involves undertaking sexual behaviour while asleep. Why some people should have one kind of parasomnia rather than another is not clear and some people may have more than one.

These parasomnias arent inherently harmful but the concern comes when they significantly affect a partners sleep or the patients behaviour poses a danger  to themselves or others.

People may find themselves regularly locked out of their house or wake up climbing out of a window, for example, says Dr Leschziner.

When its is becoming a problem they should see a doctor.

In children, unusual sleep behaviour is extremely common but will normally resolve with age, but in adults it can help to reduce alcohol intake, tackle stress, wind down properly before bed and get sufficient, regular sleep. Medication can be offered if such measures fail or the patients behaviour is dangerous.

IS IT A SIGN OF PARKINSON'S?

Distressing as such parasomnias can be, something that sets apart Gregs condition is that it can be an early warning sign of a serious neurological condition.

Studies suggest 50 to 80 per cent of patients with RBD will go on to develop Parkinsons disease. Less commonly, patients develop a form of dementia known as Lewy body.

We think the processes that affect other areas of the brain in Parkinsons also affect the cells that normally paralyse us during sleep, says Dr Quinnell.

He points out there is also a form of REM sleep behaviour disorder associated with having narcolepsy (a brain disorder which causes people to fall asleep at inappropriate times), but this is not linked to Parkinsons. This tends to develop at a younger age, he adds.

Diagnosing RBD involves referral to a sleep clinic for a polysomnogram, where the patients brainwaves, breathing and muscle movements are monitored so doctors can identify the stage of sleep where the problem is occurring. This helps rule out other disorders such as non-REM parasomnias or sleep apnoea.

Related dangers: Studies suggest 50 to 80 per cent of patients with RBD will go on to develop Parkinsons disease

Wild movements at night can also be caused by epileptic seizures, or periodic limb movement disorder, which causes patients to kick about during sleep. Rarely, the behaviour may be due to a psychiatric disorder.

While the news of possible Parkinsons can be difficult to digest, a diagnosis of RBD is can nonetheless be helpful for patients.

Patients often feel overcome with guilt after hurting their partner  but once they understand whats causing it, they can deal with it better, says Dr Leschziner.

However, as awareness of sleep disorders is low among GPs, its possible doctors may misinterpret the problem as being deliberate, although this is rare.

Conscious action is sometimes legitimately one of the possible explanations for nocturnal behaviour, so GPs and social care professionals may be right to consider this possibility, says Dr Quinnell.

Treatments that can ease RBD symptoms include clonazepam, a benzodiazepine that relaxes the muscles during dreams, or melatonin, a synthetic version of the hormone that makes us sleep.

TIME TO MOVE TO SEPARATE BEDS

There are also practical steps patients can take, such as moving the bedside table away from the bed, removing dangerous objects such as vases, and putting a mattress on the floor to break falls.

While waiting for help they may want to think about having separate beds or mattresses, says Dr Quinnell.

On Irenes insistence that the issue wasnt domestic abuse, their GP referred Greg to a sleep clinic, and following a sleep study, he was diagnosed with RBD last year.

Greg was initially put on clonazepam but experienced side-effects such as headaches, so was switched to melatonin recently.

Misdiagnosis: However, as awareness of sleep disorders is low among GPs, its possible doctors may misinterpret the problem as being deliberate, although this is rare

Irene is very supportive  I couldnt put up with it if I were in her position, he says.

Irene, meanwhile, says shes very attuned to her husbands sleep now: When he starts twitching, if I just gently push his shoulder, he usually stops.

The strain of being on constant alert, however, means Irene suffers from chronic sleep deprivation. And there remains the shadow of a more serious neurological condition hanging over them.

Im preparing myself for the fact that I may be a carer in ten years time, says Irene.

Thankfully the couple still manage to see humour in their situation. Weve had horses, cows, lions and all sorts roaming around our bedroom, says Irene. At least we can laugh about it now.

WHAT YOUR DREAMS SAY ABOUT YOUR HEALTH The concept of dream analysis has fallen out of favour among scientists. Nonetheless experts believe our dreams can still give clues about our state of health. We have around four to six dreams a night (but typically only remember a dream when we wake up during it), and they get longer and more intense as the night progresses. Exactly why we dream is unclear, but Professor Jim Horne, a sleep neuroscientist, believes their main purpose is to act as the cinema of the mind, keeping our brain entertained. Heres what the pattern and nature of yours might indicate. NIGHTMARES Beta blockers, sometimes taken for high blood pressure, can make dreams more intense and quite frightening for some people, says Professor Horne, the former director of the sleep centre at Loughborough University. The medications help widen blood vessels but may indirectly alter the balance of certain brain chemicals, which then triggers nightmares. Bad dreams may also be linked to heart problems. A study in the Netherlands Journal of Medicine found that having an irregular heartbeat increases the risk of nightmares threefold, while having chest pain increases it sevenfold. One explanation could be that people with heart problems are more likely to have breathing difficulties, which may lower oxygen levels in the brain. Too little sleep may also lead to a nightmarish state called sleep paralysis. This is where the muscle paralysis that normally stops us acting out our dreams continues into wakefulness, and for a minute or so you are unable to move. It can also be accompanied by the feeling that someone is pressing down on your chest, because some of the muscles that affect breathing are also affected by the paralysis, explains Dr Guy Leschziner, a consultant neurologist at Guys and St Thomass Hospital in London. Although the paralysis will soon wear off, you can break it sooner by moving your eyes rapidly from side to side, suggests Professor Horne. ARE YOU DREAMING MORE OFTEN? Anything that disturbs sleep - such as feeling too hot or cold - can make you more likely to wake during dreaming sleep, which means youll remember that dream. Similarly, women may report more dreams around the time of their period. This could be to do with their sleep being more fragmented due to increased pain or discomfort, suggests Professor Horne. Depression can alter the structure of sleep, increasing the amount of time a person spends in dreaming or REM sleep. More dreams can also occur when someone comes off antidepressants, because the drugs can reduce the amount of REM sleep; when you stop taking them there is a REM sleep rebound effect, where you have more dreaming sleep and more vivid dreams than before says Dr Leschziner. Similarly, having too little sleep, say four to six hours, deprives our brain of the usual amount of dreaming sleep so that we build up a debt. Then when you next have a long sleep you may have REM sleep rebound, says Dr Tim Quinnell, a consultant sleep physician from Papworth Hospital, Cambridge. BIZARRE DREAMS Drinking alcohol before bed may trigger more powerful dreams. The reason is that alcohol tends to suppress dreaming sleep, says Dr Quinnell, but as it wears off the dreams come back, sometimes more vividly. Having an infection is also said to trigger bizarre dreams. This is thought to be because in an attempt to fight the bug, the body experiences a greater amount of slow-wave, non-dreaming sleep. As a result our dreaming sleep starts later and can erupt into consciousness, leading to strange hallucinations. Very vivid dreams are also a known side-effect of the antimalarial drug mefloquine. One theory is that these drugs disrupt levels of the brain chemical acetylcholine, which help control our dreams. DREAMS THAT WAKE YOU EARLY Eating a large fatty meal before bed can put pressure on the valve between the stomach and the gullet, increasing the chance of acid reflux  where stomach acid splashes up into the gullet, causing heartburn. As this usually happens during the hours soon after falling asleep, it may wake you early in the night. If it wakes while you are in the dreaming stage you might be more aware of your dream, says Dr Quinnell. Advertisement




For 30 years, Danny Franks had worn contact lenses for up to 18 hours a day and never suffered a problem with them.

Then, two years ago, while dawdling in rush-hour traffic, Danny, 53, a technical entrepreneur, suddenly experienced a searing pain in his right eye.

The sensation was so intense that he immediately pulled over.

As he did so, the father-of-two passed out, causing his foot to slip from the accelerator and his car to smack into another parked vehicle.

Mass market: With around three million people in the UK wearing contact lenses and over 31 million wearers in the USA, countless people are at risk

Danny was rushed to hospital with a suspected heart attack  though all he was really aware of was that hed lost the contact lens from his right eye.

I was a bit dazed by what had happened, but I realised I couldnt feel my lens in my right eye, says Danny, from Manchester. I wear gas permeable lenses  hard lenses that let in oxygen  for short-sightedness.

You can normally feel them with your finger, but when I checked my right eye, there was nothing. I just assumed it had fallen out in the accident.

After five days of tests, doctors concluded Dannys heart was healthy and that he had just randomly passed out. Danny could still feel something scratchy in his eye, but doctors couldnt see anything, even using a microscope.

Danny says he was told he couldnt have a lens stuck where they couldnt see it and that the sensation may have been where the lens had previously scratched the eye.

Yet, over the next four months, he continued to experience periodic problems with his right eye. I carried on wearing lenses  using a new one in my right eye. But sometimes the eye would be weepy or puffy, especially in the morning.

Every now and then Id get a sharp pain. Id rub it gently and it would be fine. I was sure it was my lost lens stuck somewhere in my eye. But when I went to my optician he also couldnt see anything.

Waking up on New Years Day 2016, Danny looked in the mirror and was astonished to see the tinge of a contact lens in his right eye  it was the missing lens.

Be careful: Wearing contact lenses increases the risk of eye infections. Failing to follow the instructions raises that risk considerably

I got such a shock. It had been four months and Id been told repeatedly it wasnt there. Yet there it was, not cracked or jagged but in perfect condition.

The usual advice is that you cant lose a contact lens in your eye  but Danny isnt the first to find otherwise. Earlier this year, medical journal Minerva reported the story of a 67-year-old woman who went to Solihull Hospital near Birmingham for a cataract operation.

In theatre, she mentioned that her eye didnt feel comfortable  and as doctors looked closely, a bluish foreign body emerged  which turned out to be 17 contact lenses bound together. Another ten lenses were found in her eye.

As Dr Rupal Morjaria, an ophthalmology registrar who treated her, told Good Health that the woman, who used disposable lenses, had not been for regular check-ups, which would have avoided this situation. Fortunately no long-term damage was done.

Nowadays, buying contact lenses from internet suppliers is very easy and patient often opt for this and fail to have regular monitoring, he adds.

In another case, the journal of the British Contact Lens Association reported the story of a 40-year-old woman whod repeatedly visited Gartnavel hospital, Glasgow, with an irritated, sticky eye.

Shed been a contact lens wearer, but had stopped using them. Although doctors found the cornea  the clear bit at the front of the eye  was infected, they couldnt find any foreign body.

Finally, they examined the eye using an instrument to hold back the lid and revealed multiple pieces of contact lenses. These experiences raise questions for those among the UKs three million contact lens-wearers who have experienced a lost contact lens.

Clean living: After removing your contact lenses, it's essential you disinfect them as this prevents harmful organisms building up on the lens

Many fear it will get into the back of the eye and cause damage, says Rob Hogan, an optometrist at iCare Consulting. But he adds: You cant lose a contact lens. The connective tissue inside the eye prevents it from getting further than, say, 1.5cm in.

Contact lenses are not designed to sit under the lid, which is where they often disappear, adds Raj Das-Bhaumik, a consultant ophthalmic surgeon and ophthalmic plastic surgeon at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London.

So if they end up there, they are less likely to move back where you can see them because the surface is less smooth, and curvature of the eye in that area is different from the front of the eye.

And while dust or eyelashes are simply washed away by tears, or pushed against the conjunctiva (the clear membrane that covers the front of the eye) until they find their way out, contact lenses sit in a cushion of tears which creates a suction force, holding the lens onto the eye, in the wrong place.

There are two main types of contact lens: soft ones, usually made of water-containing plastic; and gas permeable, which are less flexible (there are also hybrid lenses that have a rigid, gas-permeable centre).

Hard lenses are much more likely to become dislodged as they are smaller, more rigid and more mobile, says Robert Glass, an optician based in Manchester. It is not just the inconvenience this can cause: lost lenses can lead to vascularisation where, if the eyeball is starved of oxygen, new blood vessels grow into the cornea, causing damage and infection.

I have known people whose contact lenses have become stuck in the back of the eye for a long time  at least six months but more likely longer  and tissue has grown over it, then there would be no choice but for the lens to be surgically removed, Robert Glass explains.

He adds that the most likely place a lens will be trapped is underneath the upper eye lid, towards the top of the eyeball. Its much easier to pull down the lower lid and find a lost lens. Thats why so-called lost lenses tend to be those trapped in a pocket of conjunctiva on the upper part of the eye.

To try to locate a missing lens, wash your hand, look up and down and then pull the eye lid up and down to see if you can see it. Then, using lubricant eye drops such as artificial tears, flush your eye with a stream of the liquid and then gently massage the upper lid in a circular motion.

You can try this a few times, but dont rub the eye itself as the lens may cause damage or abrasion, says Jeff Kwartz, a consultant ophthalmologist at the Royal Bolton Hospital.

Dont be tempted to flush the eye with tap water to get it out either. You must never use water unless it has been boiled, says optometrist Robert Glass. In trying to remove the lens, you could cause an abrasion, and this would create an entry point for bugs in the tap water to get into the eye and cause a severe infection. Though this can still happen without an abrasion.

Common bugs include acanthamoeba a microscopic organism which can cause sight loss.

Danny Franks, meanwhile, knowing the potential risks, is understandably happy his lost lens didnt cause any problems. I was extremely fortunate that despite all the best efforts by my doctor, it found its own way out and my sight was left intact.
Patient: Stacie Pridden, 26, waited three years for a rare heart and lung transplant

There are more than 6,500 people waiting desperately for an organ transplant, and at least 450 die each year without receiving one.

Next week, a private members bill will be presented to Parliament, proposing a controversial opt-out system, where everyone will be presumed to have consented to organ donation.

Stacie Pridden, 26, a student from Swindon, waited for three years before undergoing a rare heart and double lung transplant two years ago. In heartbreaking diary extracts, she reveals her agony and what she thinks of the new proposal.

MY PAINFUL FALSE ALARMS

The voice on the other end of the phone gently tells me to take a deep breath: We have a match, Stacie. Were sending a car and it will be there in 20 minutes.

Ive been waiting for this moment for 889 days. Ive had this call twice before, and they were false alarms, so Im trying not to get too excited  its difficult knowing this could give me the normal life Ive prayed for.

I call my twin sister, Megan, and she rushes over, picking Mum up from work on her way. The three of us make the two-hour trip to Papworth Hospital, where staff rush to get me prepped for surgery.

They take blood samples and fill out tonnes of paperwork  then I wait to be called in, trying to distract myself with my phone. But all I can think about is the possibility that in a few hours, Ill be able to breathe painlessly and smoothly for the first time.

Before I have time to enjoy the fantasies of what I could do with my new heart and lungs, the transplant co-ordinator returns: Im sorry, its not going to happen, he says, quietly. The donor heart has coronary artery disease and is unusable.

With that, my own heart starts to thump painfully in my chest and tears stream down my face  without a transplant, I will die, and Im deteriorating with each breath.

IM DESPERATE NOT TO DIE

Recently, someone said: It must be like waiting for Christmas? No. Christmas is inevitable; there are no ifs, maybes or false alarms.

Waiting for a transplant is something else entirely - it is an impossible lottery. The prize is getting to live normally  but whether you win or not is out of your hands.

Struggle: 'Waiting for a transplant is an impossible lottery. The prize is getting to live normally  but whether you win is or not is out of your hands,' she says

I was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension aged 11, as a result of being born with three holes in my heart. Theres high blood pressure in the arteries in my lungs and it cant be treated. My life has been filled with hospital appointments, drugs to try and operations. Even with these, we knew I would need a transplant one day.

As children, my parents kept me and my sisters, Megan and Candice, very active  wed go for long walks in the hilly countryside. I went at my slower pace, but at least I managed.

Now, I can only walk a few steps, then I need to sit down. I need a lot of help with tasks like washing and brushing my hair.

Its been more than six months since my third false alarm and my death feels closer than ever. Every heartbeat feels like its banging against my ribcage, causing pain that makes me wince.

Im out of breath all the time and reliant on my oxygen tank  it feels like my lungs are too big for my chest. Doctors never expected me to live to see 15, then 18, then 21  whatever the next birthday was. I thought Id accepted death, but it is becoming more real. I really dont want to die.

Tonight, Mum has come to say goodnight. She can tell Im not myself and asks if Im all right. I burst into tears. She holds me, and I cry in her arms for an hour. She stays with me until I fall asleep.

Im online a few days later asking people if they know anyone who had a transplant for both heart and lungs. Clearly, I like to torture myself. Between 2014/2015, theres been just one. Its my only hope of survival, yet here I am, three years later, still waiting. I cant help but feel my ship has sailed.

Im not here to tell you to be donors, but I think anyone willing to take organs should give them. When I die, Id like to donate any organs that are good enough.

MPs are thinking about an opt-out system where everyone is a potential donor unless they say otherwise. While anything that improves donor numbers can only be good, I cant help but think it needs to be a personal decision. Id feel honoured getting organs from someone who chose to save me.

I WAITED 1,135 DAYS

Its 4.30am on a Saturday and Ive just finished an evening of revision for the first year of my history degree at The Open University.

My phone rings. I dont answer as, at this time of night, its probably a weirdo. But its a voicemail. Hi, its Helen from Papworth. We have a match. You need to ring me back as soon as possible. I feel the familiar goosebumps on my arms and quiver in my chest.

Helen says that I have 30 minutes to get ready before the ambulance is here. I call my transplant waiting list friends Bernice and Kath and post a Facebook status telling everyone Ive had The Call and to keep everything crossed for me.

Mum and I are blue-lighted to hospital. I feel fluttery excitement in my gut, but refuse to get my hopes up. Im petrified it will fail.

After tests, two hours pass and the transplant co-ordinator David comes with a wheelchair and says: Were going. I say bye to Mum, but dont cry so I dont set her off. Im the most scared Ive ever been. Ive been waiting for this moment for more than 1,135 days. I lie on the table, grip Davids hand for dear life and tell him to take care of Mum. Then I cry as they put me to sleep.

A NEW BEGINNING?

Danger: Ms Pridden's health is in such a bad state doctors have taken her off the transplant list as they dont think she would survive surgery

I wake after the six-hour surgery with Mum and Dad holding each hand. Doctors say my lungs were in such bad shape that they had to rip them out in bits. Who knows how much longer they would have lasted?

Every heartbeat makes me wince. Im out of breath all the time and reliant on my oxygen tank  it feels like my lungs are too big for my chest Stacie Pridden

The day after, I am well enough to stand. I thought Id be down for weeks, but my body clearly refuses to be held back for any longer than the 25 years it has been waiting. Im walking around unaided within 48 hours, surprising the nurses with my stubborn will to get moving.

The biggest difference is the pain. Before surgery, I ran at a pain scale of 8/9, but now Im pain-free. I go home after two weeks and its the small things I appreciate.

Being able to breathe silently is much more exciting than youd think, as is getting changed without stopping to catch my breath, walking up stairs, and not sitting attached to an oxygen tank for hours.

People keep asking me what Im doing next. Ive been focusing on staying alive for so long, I dont have a clue. Ill start by finishing my degree and then I want to go abroad, something Ive never done as an adult.

A HOLIDAY AT LAST

A year after my transplant, I go on a week-long holiday to Portugal with my boyfriend, Mark. Its unbelievably exciting  I swim for the first time and climb a steep hill. Its an incredible achievement, all thanks to these new organs.

Defying expectations: Doctors never expected Ms Pridden to live to see 15, then 18, then 21

ITS ALL GOING WRONG

Ive caught a bug and my breathlessness has returned. Ive lost about 35 per cent of my lung function (I started off with 81 per cent after the transplant). Its still more than I have had pre-transplant, but it is deteriorating rapidly.

Doctors say my body is rejecting the lungs, but dont know why. Im devastated. The only treatment is another lung transplant, so Im back on the transplant list.

I dont fancy my chances this time; only two double lung transplants on top of an already transplanted heart have ever been done. One survived and the other died, so the odds are a bit rubbish. Life was handed to me after so long, and now its slowly being ripped away. Its the most awful pain Ive ever felt.

I cant breathe unaided, I dont eat much as swallowing is so hard and even my hair is thinning and falling out. Im also in constant pain that only the strongest morphine will help.

MY DONORS LETTER

Tragic: Despite receiving a double lung transplant, the 26 year-old's body rejected it

Almost 18 months since my transplant, I receive a letter from a man whose wifes organs I have. I cant reply. What would I say? I feel responsible for the lungs not working and have clearly failed this family. Its an amazing letter, though, and she sounds lovely. I know her name, what kind of family she had, her job and what she enjoyed. I hope I can get more time out of the lungs, for her sake.

Everything is so hard now. My health is in such a bad state that doctors have taken me off the transplant list, as they dont think I would survive surgery. I guess donor organs are so precious, they wouldnt want to waste more on someone as ill as me.

Im glad I have Mark, Mum and Dad helping me. From taking my list of medicines to getting dressed and showered each morning, they do it all. I said the other day that I wished I could go back to normal and it made me sad that actually being ill is my normal. I know Im dying, and its exhausting.

Adapted by JINAN HARB from www.lifeisworththefight.co.uk

Stacie is fundraising for a new wheelchair: www.crowdfunder.co.uk/lifeisworththefight
Steve Rothery has always been keen on sport, and enjoyed yoga as well as surfing and snowboarding.

But in October 2013, after a night out with friends, the 40-year-old father of two woke up to find his left knee horribly swollen and painful.

I had no idea why, and my GP referred me for an MRI scan, says Steve, a banking project manager from Bristol.

Injury: Despite an active lifestyle, Steve Rothery was left in agony with a meniscal tear

The surgeon explained that I had a tear right through the meniscus.

The menisci are cushioning pieces of cartilage found in the knee joint that act as shock absorbers, and help lubricate the joint to reduce friction when you put weight on it.

Meniscal tears are common and are often caused by patients twisting a knee playing sport, but can occur in everyday life in older people, especially as their meniscus is thinner.

Most of the meniscus has a poor blood supply, so many tears dont heal and the cartilage has to be removed to prevent lifelong pain.

About 70,000 Britons have surgery for meniscal tears each year. But without the cushioning cartilage, half will develop osteoarthritis within five years.

The surgeon explained that hed need to remove my meniscus completely, recalls Steve. Without it I could develop arthritis, as bone grinds on bone and causes more pain. I was horrified.

Painful: The ailment is common and are often caused by patients twisting a knee playing sport

My daughter, Elsie, was just one and I wanted to be a dad who could run around and play with her.

Luckily for Steve, his surgeon  Mike Whitehouse, a consultant orthopaedic surgeon at North Bristol NHS Trust  was running a trial for a special internal bandage packed with stem cells and which promised to repair all types of meniscus tears.

Stem cells are the bodys building blocks, which can grow into different types of cell in the body.

Steve joined the trial and was among the first patients to try it.

We know that if we simply repair some tears using sutures, the repair will not last, says Mr Whitehouse. It will fail within the first year, the pain and symptoms  such as the knee locking or giving way  come back and the meniscus stops protecting the joint. But using this new stem cell bandage can give lasting results because it can stimulate the meniscus to repair itself.

First, surgeons extract stem cells from the patients bone marrow and then grow them in a lab on a sheet of collagen (a protein that gives strength to most connective tissue in the body).

Two weeks later the fully developed stem cell patch is applied like a bandage around the torn meniscus, where it is thought to stimulate repair.

Risk: About 70,000 Britons have surgery for meniscal tears each year. But without the cushioning cartilage, half will develop osteoarthritis within five years

In November 2013, Steve underwent the first procedure to extract stem cells under general anaesthetic: 10ml of bone marrow was taken from his hip through a small incision. In a lab, the stem cells were spread on to a patch of collagen, and chemicals called growth factors were applied to the stem cells for two weeks until there were about 20 million of them.

Steve was then called back for a second operation to have the patch inserted.

This involved cutting a 3cm square of the stem cell patch and placing it around the torn meniscus via a small incision on his knee. The idea was that the stem cells would grow into new cartilage and repair the tear  a process that would take about 13 weeks.

Steve wore a knee brace for six weeks after the operation and had six months of physiotherapy to strengthen his knee.

Results of the trial were published recently in the journal Stem Cells Translational Medicine and showed that all five patients treated with the stem cell bandage had an intact meniscus after 12 months, and three still had an intact meniscus three years on. (The other two have since had further meniscus injuries.)

Meniscal injuries are one of the most common, says Mr Whitehouse. There is also potential for this to work for similar injuries elsewhere in the body, such as the hip and shoulder.

It is less likely to be successful in an older population, where the meniscus is more prone to tearing, making it more likely to fail.

Rhidian Morgan-Jones, a consultant orthopaedic surgeon at University Hospital Llandough in Wales, adds: For people in their 20s and 30s who face a big risk of osteoarthritis, it has to be a good thing.

Professor Anthony Hollander, chair of stem cell biology at the University of Liverpool and co-founder of the firm that developed the procedure, says: We are developing another version of the bandage using stem cells donated by patients undergoing orthopaedic procedures, which will reduce the cost and remove the need for two operations.

The bandage is available only as part of trials, but more are planned soon.

Steves knee is now free from pain and he is exercising again. Im so relieved to know I dont face arthritis, and can be an active dad once more, he says.
Bonnie Prince Charlie And The Jacobites

National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, until November 12

Rating:

For someone who spent only 14 months on British soil, Charles Edward Stuart sure holds a disproportionately large place in British history. You might know him better as Bonnie Prince Charlie: the 18th-century exile who tried to reclaim the crown of the kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland for the Stuart dynasty.

A major exhibition about him and his Jacobite followers has just opened in Edinburgh, and the first of its 350 exhibits boldly sets the tone. Its a portrait of the tartan-clad Prince  flanked by two attendants  entering a ballroom with gravitas and a gaze of steely purpose.

The picture has graced several tins of shortbread over the years, yet it was neither contemporary nor based on a factual incident. It was actually by the late-19th-century painter John Pettie and inspired by a scene in Sir Walter Scotts historical novel from 1814, Waverley.

An array of exhibits  from weapons and goblets to rings and medicine chests  ensure this history lesson is engaging. Above: a portrait of James II and family by Pierre Mignard, 1694

The point is that, where Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Jacobites are concerned, much of what we think of today as history is actually romantic myth. Were duly provided with a Stuarts refresher course, extending back decades to before the Prince was born and covering events such as 1688s Glorious Revolution, when the Catholic King James II of England and Ireland (James VII of Scotland) was replaced by his Protestant daughter Mary and her husband, William of Orange; and also the Hanoverian succession in 1714, which marked the end of Stuart rule.

An array of exhibits  from weapons and goblets to rings and medicine chests  ensure this history lesson is engaging. But we do take an oddly long time (about a third of the exhibition) to get to our nominal subject, the Bonnie Prince himself. Im not sure, for instance, quite so much detail is necessary on the layout of the apartments at Palazzo del Re, home to the exiled Stuarts in Rome  including where the chambermaid slept.

Charles Edward was the grandson of James II, after whom the Jacobite movement was named (Jacobus being Latin for James). He was born and raised in Rome yet educated to believe that one day hed be the King of England, Scotland and Ireland.

An exhibition succeeds not with revisionist theories but the impact of its exhibits  and these certainly dont disappoint. Above: a tartan coat supposedly worn by Bonnie Prince Charlie

In July 1745, aged 24, he and a modest army set sail for the Outer Hebrides. The aim? To march on London, oust George II and recapture the throne. The rebels had remarkable success, capturing Scotland and making it as far south as Derby before being forced to retreat and ultimately routed at the Battle of Culloden.

The curators explain that  contrary to widely held opinion  Charles Edwards supporters werent just Scottish Highlanders and Catholics; there were Englishmen, Lowlanders and Protestants, too.

An exhibition succeeds, though, not with revisionist theories but the impact of its exhibits  and these certainly dont disappoint. For example, the targe shield the Prince used at Culloden and left behind on the battlefield in defeat. Decorated with a snarling Medusas head, it suggested he was the Stuart Perseus, sent to rescue the British people. Also included is the silver cutlery set he travelled with, engraved with the three-feather insignia of the Prince of Wales  a title Bonnie Prince Charlie deemed rightfully to be his own.

Sadly, so much other ground has been covered that theres no space left to consider the strains of Jacobitism that persist in Scotland to this day

After the battle at Culloden, he fled back to Europe and led a what-might-have-been life of dissolute excess. He died in Rome aged 68  and with him so did the Jacobite cause.

Sadly, so much other ground has been covered that theres no space left to consider the strains of Jacobitism that persist in Scotland to this day  in terms of anti-English sentiment, the SNP and Scottish cultural identity.

But that is a minor quibble. Bonnie Prince Charlie is again on British soil  and again for just a short time. He really ought not to be missed.
Security forces have begun search-and-destroy manoeuvres in high-altitude areas to pull the Kasmiri rebels out of their dens and destroy them.

In one such operation on Saturday, the Army's 42 Rashtriya Rifles killed three militants including a Pakistani operative, Hassan Bhai, suspected to be from Jaish-e-Mohammed.

The clash took place at a high altitude cave in Satoora village in the Tral area, Army sources said.

Indian security force personnel stand at the site of a gunbattle between Indian police and militants in which seven Hindu pilgrims were killed, in Boateng village in south Kashmir's Anantnag district July 11, 2017

Militants lurking in Kashmir's caves and jungles have been warned they are no longer safe.

'The number of troops in the Kashmir Valley, to prevent attempts to push in militants, has gone up and that is why we are now able to carry out search-and-destroy operations in remote locations like mountainous caves and jungles in the hinterlands, which were considered safe locations for terrorists,' Army sources said.

The operation came days after seven pilgrims returning from the annual Amarnath Yatra died and 19 others were injured on Monday night in an attack led by a militant in Kashmir.

The killings triggered outrage across the Valley and the rest of the country with the government promising strong action against the perpetrators.

The need for launching these operations was also felt appropriate as the rebels were feeling the heat of the relentless sweeps being carried out by the security forces in the last few months.

Also, the Army is focusing on stopping infiltration and eliminating rebels to make it difficult to sustain militism in the state, the sources said.

They added that the intelligence agencies had received information on rebels hiding in the caves in Satoora, at an altitude of over 10,000 feet high, near Tral.

Thus, a search-and-destroy mission was launched on Friday evening around the area in a joint operation.

An injured Army jawan being taken to hospital during an encounter with militants last week

The surrounded rebels remained silent for some time but fired at troops when they were trapped inside the big natural cave, the sources said.

A gun battle soon broke out with the troops but, as a result, militants were killed during the clash.

'Until Saturday evening, the body of only one militant was retrieved by the forces as the operations were not called off till that time,' a source said.

However, to prevent the possibility of any rebel who might have been hiding inside the cave to escape later, the troops then set the hideout on fire.

Indian security force personnel seen through a broken windshield of a vehicle

Some people pelted security forces with stones, and tried to march towards the scene of the gun battle to help the militants escape, but they were chased away by the military.

The official added that there was no report of any casualty among the civilians.

This year has been quite successful for the Army in terms of operations as security forces have been able to eliminate more than 105 militants so far and are hoping to hunt down more in the coming months.

After the Amarnath Yatra concludes this month, the Army may retain additional troops sent there to put pressure on Kashmiri rebels and carry out further intensive operations in both the hinterlands and at the Line of Control.

Smart deployment of troops at the LoC in Baramulla sector and other places also helped the forces check infiltration while creating a fear among rebel groups trying to push in more of them into India.
Banned terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) is stirring the anger of Indian Muslims by raising issues such as Narendra Modi's visit to Israel the lynching of Muslim youths and the continuing Kashmir issue.

In two separate audio messages, JeM has threatened attacks everywhere from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and describes chemicals, medicines and petroleum as the latest weapons.

JeM plans to target the Prime Minister and Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath and India's security agencies are on their toes after the two audio messages surfaced this week.

Indian Prime Minister Modi (right) and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu

The messages are in the name of 'Saadi', a pen name often used by JeM chief Masood Azhar.

Security agencies allege that the messages were written by Azhar himself and the audio is recorded by one of his associates identified as Talah, the man behind Pathankot attack.

Security forces are concerned because after the release of the video, an attack was carried out on Amarnath pilgrims in which seven people were killed.

Also, a packet of white powder was discovered inside the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, which was found to be Pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN), a plastic explosive that is the most dangerous of its kind.

The terror outfit also revealed plans of attacks through vehicles, electricity, petrol, fertilizer, sand and medicines.

The messages are in the name of 'Saadi', a name often used by JeM chief Masood Azhar

Worryingly, Azhar, the mastermind of the Parliament attack, called for the use of 'new weapons for war' instead of traditional ones such as guns, grenades and bullets.

In the audio, he highlighted that now there is no need of bombs, bullets, guns, grenade, launchers or training in this 'fight for jihad'.

UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath

He further indicates a new style of attacks with use of props such as vehicles, electricity, petrol, fertilizer and more significantly, medicines.

The audio also says that jihadis now do not require any mastermind, instigation or training as they are 'self motivated'.

It is to be mentioned here that the chemical substance found in the UP Assembly building (PETN) also has medicinal uses and is often used in the treatment of certain heart conditions such as angina pectoris.

Medicines such as Lentonitrat contains maximum amount of PETN and its variables are available in the market.

The audios, copies of which are available with Mail Today, have also been acknowledged by security agencies.

Modi and Yogi's names have been taken multiple times in the messages. Azhar expressed anger at Modi's visit to Israel and called for action against Jews and Hindus whom he called his 'first enemies'.

He also blamed the government and Hindus for the recent lynching of a Muslim youth in Haryana on a train.

Security forces on Saturday gunned down three JeM terrorists in Tral area of Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district.

The killing of the terrorists is a major setback for the outfit which is trying to revive its activities.
RSS 'vicharak' (thinker) and DU professor Rakesh Sinha is now a wanted man in West Bengal.

Sinha has been booked under various non-bailable sections of the IPC by Kolkata Police.

While Sinha termed this a 'strong-arm tactic' to silence his criticism of the Mamata Banerjee regime over communal appeasement and consequent violence in Basirhat, RSS-affiliated legal body Legal Rights Observatory (LRO) has called for an NIA probe into the role of TMC MLAs in the communal flare-up.

DU professor Rakesh Sinha is now a wanted man in West Bengal

The case, filed on July 12 on a complaint lodged a couple of days prior to that, claims that Sinha tried to incite communal hatred and thus tried to spark communal conflagration in the already disturbed state through his social media posts.

A particular post has also been made the basis of the complaint. In a Twitter post, Sinha had posted a picture with his mother offering prayers at the Mahakal Temple in Ujjain on July 9.

According to Kolkata lawyer Brajesh Jha, who is representing Sinha, one Manoj Kumar Singh filed the complaint against him, calling his post 'provocative' that can lead to communal tension and riots.

Sinha termed this a 'strong-arm tactic' to silence his criticism of the Mamata Banerjee (pictured) regime over communal appeasement and consequent violence in Basirhat

'We are moving for anticipatory bail and also planning to sue the complainant,' Jha said.

'The FIR has been lodged against me in Kolkata without any evidence and registered without any annexture.

'Mamata Banerjee wants to silence her opponents and this mentality needs to be crushed. Freedom of Expression is under threat and she is using the police and administration as the B-team of TMC,' Sinha told Mail Today.

The Making of a Legend! Mohan Bhagwat (left) with his new book on Modi

'Mamata has now started chasing her critiques outside the state. The FIR mentioned of a photo which incited violence. In the last three months, I have posted three photos: one performing puja at Mahakaleshwar temple in Ujjain along with my mother; another where the President of India was presenting an award to me; and lastly, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat releasing a book on Narendra Modi.

'Do these photos incite violence? Mamata is afraid of my research-based criticism of her communal social philosophy,' he added.

'We condemn the FIR against Rakesh Sinha for exposing the involvement of jihadi radicals of TMC in Basirhat/ Baduria riots.

Communal tensions have flared-up once again in the Basirhat district in Bengal

We will legally defeat the lunatic action by the Bengal government,' LRO convener Vinay Joshi told Mail Today.

TMC Leader Derek O'Brian refused to comment on the matter. He instead asked the reporter to mail the query to the media contact mail address of the party.
Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa is analysing the evidence against Kulbhushan Jadhav, who has been sentenced to death by a military court, and will decide his appeal on merit, on Sunday.

Jadhav, 46, filed a mercy petition before Gen Bajwa last month, according to an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement issued on June 22.

The statement said that the former Indian Navy officer had filed the petition after the Military Appellate Court rejected his appeal.

Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav who has been sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of 'espionage'

Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa (left)

Pakistan Army spokesman Major Gen Asif Ghafoor on Sunday said Jadhav is eligible to appeal for clemency to the Army chief under Pakistan's law, and if his plea is rejected, he can subsequently appeal the Pakistan president for the same.

He was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court in April for his alleged involvement in espionage and terrorist activities.

The International Court of Justice in The Hague in May halted his execution on India's appeal. Pakistan has repeatedly denied India consular access to Jadhav in violation of the Vienna Convention.

It has also sat on a request for a visa to Jadhav's mother, Avantika Jadhav, so that she can travel to Pakistan and meet her son.

On July 13, the foreign office said Pakistan was considering the request for visa.

Pakistan claims to have arrested Jadhav from 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 Indian Navy.

At the briefing on Sunday, the Army spokesman also accused India of ceasefire violations and targeting civilians along the LoC.

'There were 580 ceasefire violation on the LoC so far in 2017, which is the highest number of violations in recent years,' he said, suggesting that India was compelled by the domestic pressure to do so.

Asked about the role of the military in the joint investigation team report against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and government allegations of a conspiracy, the spokesman said that the Army was only focused on the security of the country.
After the decline of the Left in West Bengal the state is fast becoming the site of a Right versus Mamata grudge-match.

The RSS and VHP have upped the ante against the TMC regime, crying hoax over 'Hindu persecution'. However Banerjee has stuck to her guns and blamed the Right for rising instances of communal violence in the state.

While the VHP staged a protest outside Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata on July 1 against 'persecution of Hindus and Buddhists' in the neighbouring country, the chief minister has appealed to the Centre to rein in fringe elements as such actions are destroying 'diplomatic relations between India and Bangladesh'.

While the VHP staged a protest outside Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata on July 1 against 'persecution of Hindus and Buddhists'

While reports emerged of a certain letter that the CM allegedly wrote to minister for external affairs Sushma Swaraj raising concerns over the actions of VHP and possible negative fallout for relations with the predominantly Muslim neighbour, the party denied any such move.

Rather, it acceded that Banerjee had raised the matter at a press briefing and used the platform to ask the Centre to do something about the 'fringe'.

'She (Banerjee) has not written any formal letter to the Union government. But she did say at a media briefing that the Centre should see to it that such disruptive elements from its ideological spectrum are reined in,' TMC general secretary Partha Chatterjee told Mail Today.

Meanwhile, the VHP once again issued a threat to the Mamata regime, saying that while they were protesting outside the Bangladesh mission and that too against 'persecution of Hindus' in that country, she intervened for no reason and that showed her 'pro-Muslim' and 'anti-Hindu' ideology.

'What business did she have to jump in the fray when we were trying to safeguard the rights and properties of Hindus in Bangladesh?

'This shows that she is anti-Hindu and pro-Muslim and that is how she is trying to maintain her rule in West Bengal,' VHP international joint general secretary Surendra Jain told Mail Today.

On the other hand, Mail Today accessed the signed copy of the FIR that Kolkata Police have lodged against four BJP-RSS leaders.

The FIR names DU professor Rakesh Sinha, BJP leader Nupur Sharma, Mysore BJP MP Pratap Simha and BJP MLAfrom Telangana Raja Singh.

Communal tensions have flared-up once again in the Basirhat district in Bengal

Eye witnesses said many were beaten up, cars were torched in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas
Keith Morgan, chief executive officer of the British Business Bank

The boss of the bank set up to increase funding for small companies was paid nearly 450,000 last year.

British Business Bank chief executive Keith Morgan topped up his salary of 299,000 with pension payments of 29,900 and long-term incentive awards of 119,600.

His total pay of 448,500 was 36 per cent higher than the 329,000 he took home the previous year.

The British Business Bank, which is based in Sheffield, was set up by the Coalition government in 2012.

The total amount of finance provided to firms through its programmes rose by 24 per cent to 9.2 billion last year.
Britain is rolling out the red carpet in a bid to woo businesses from Kazakhstan to the UK stock market.

Just days after City regulators moved to rip up stock market rules to allow Saudi Arabias state-owned oil giant Saudi Aramco to list its shares in London, trade and investment minister Greg Hands is spearheading a charm offensive at a conference in the Kazakh capital Astana tomorrow.

The dictatorship has embarked on a privatisation drive as it seeks to transform the country from a post-Soviet state into a modern market economy  and the UK is looking to take advantage.

Britain is rolling out the red carpet in a bid to woo businesses from Kazakhstan to the UK stock market

But the summit, organised by the London Stock Exchange, risks fuelling fears that standards in the City are being watered down as the UK looks to attract business after the Brexit vote.

Investors have voiced concerns over the listing of companies where power is concentrated in the hands of foreign countries or powerful oligarchs  leaving other shareholders vulnerable.

The City is still reeling from the disastrous listing of scandal-stricken Kazakh mining company Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation (ENRC) in recent years.

ENRC is being investigated by the Serious Fraud Office amid allegations of fraud, bribery and corruption.

Catherine Howarth, chief executive of campaign group ShareAction, said: London must be careful not to damage its own reputation for high governance standards.

The LSE said the summit will provide an update on the outlook for UK capital markets and international capital raising opportunities in London.

Trade and investment minister Greg Hands is spearheading a charm offensive at a conference in the Kazakh capital Astana tomorrow

Delegates will hear from Hands as well as Dauren Tasmagambetov, a senior executive at Kazakhstans sovereign wealth fund Samruk-Kazyna.

As director of the department of asset privatisation and restructuring, Tasmagambetov is seeking to float some of the Central Asian nations largest companies on stock markets around the world.

The aim is to cut the level of state-ownership in industry from around 70 per cent to 15 per cent by the time the privatisation programme is completed in 2021, through the sale of companies such as national airline Air Astana, rail firm Kazakhstan Temir Zholy and oil and gas explorer KazMunaiGas.

There are 99 firms from Russia and the former Soviet states already listed in London with a combined value of nearly 400 billion, including 14 Kazakh firms worth around 10 billion.

Garry White, chief investment commentator at Charles Stanley, said the UK has always welcomed companies from all over the world but that no exceptions are made on corporate governance fronts on companies that are majority owned by oligarchs.

Ashley Hamilton Claxton, corporate governance manager at Royal London Asset Management, said stock market rules should not be changed for companies of a particular provenance, size or control structure. Chris Cummings, chief executive at the Investment Association, said the rules must ensure that the protections that investors expect are upheld.

The London Stock Exchange did not comment.
A black family suing to get their daughter recognized as sole valedictorian of her historically white high school has been devastated by a string of racist hate messages.

Sherry Shepard is suing the school district in the Delta town of Cleveland, Mississippi, alleging her daughter was forced to share the school's top honor with a white girl, despite earning the accolade outright.

But since news of the lawsuit broke she has been hit by a barrage of vile posts attacking her and her daughter Jasmine.

'You n*****s and your self entitled actions make me sick,' wrote Jacob Francis on a Facebook page JusticeForJasmine. 'You shouldn't even be at the same school as white people!'

Jasmine Shepard was the 2016 co-valedictorian at Cleveland High School, but she claims she should have been the sole valedictorian because she was in more AP classes than her counterpart. She was also the first black valedictorian

Cleveland High School is a historically white high school and the student body is currently 50 percent white, 50 percent black

Heather Bouse shared was the other co-valedictorian at Cleveland High School in 2016. The Shepards believe Jasmine should have been the sole recipient since she was in more AP classes which qualifies her according to the district's rules

He ended his foul message: 'Black lives don't mean s***!'

Jasmine responded with her own message. 'Throughout my life, my parents shielded me from (such) behavior, but now I see that I will have to face this head on,' she wrote.

'You can send me these types of messages but those sentiments will not be returned.'

But still messages keep coming. David St Clair, who said he was Canadian, wrote: 'You're simply butthurt that another student is white and you feel like you deserve special attention simply based on the color of your skin.'

Stephen Bearden called Sherry Shepard a 'thieving racist' in one post and suggested she should be sued for slander in another. 'Feel free to leave Mississippi and live in Iraq or Syria,' he wrote in a third.

And Eric Rowe added: 'Stop playing the "I'M BLACK SO I'M SPECIAL" card and put on your grown-up pants.'

Jameson Oxford Baker II called both Jasmine and Sherry 'racist' and 'b****' in two separate posts. 'Using god to disguise your hatred sent you straight to hell,' he told Sherry.

Sherry and white student Heather Bouse were named co-valedictorians at Cleveland High School in May last year. The school district says they had identical grades.

But the Shepards claim that because Jasmine took more AP classes, the district's own rules meant that she should have won the title outright.

They say the school has never had co-valedictorians before - nor has a black student ever been awarded the honor outright at any time in the school's 110-year history.

'You shouldn't even be at the same school as white people!' Trolls bombarded Jasmine Shepard online and the family fears for their safety

The Facebook page JusticeForJasmine was created to support Shepard. However, some use the platform to make racist and intimidating comments. Stephen Bearden wrote: 'Feel free to leave Mississippi and live in Iraq or Syria'

Cleveland is divided between the west and east side of he tracks. Homes west of the tracks were historically where white people lived while black people lived on the east side

Both mother and daughter declined to talk to DailyMail.com.

'There is so much going on right now We have to be concerned for the safety and security of everyone,' Jasmine's aunt, Sheila Shepard, said on the doorstep of their single-story home in Cleveland.

Last month Sherry told the Washington Post: 'A child, when they earn honors, they are entitled to receive them.'

She claimed that Jasmine was told to walk behind co-valedictorian Heather  who Jasmine called 'the sweetest thing'  but she objected and was allowed to walk alongside her.

Cleveland school district said it will fight the Shepards' lawsuit, claiming it maintains a racially neutral policy and claimed the students has the same GPA even though Jasmine took more AP classes

Last year at the time of the graduation, both Jasmine and Heather told CNN that blacks and whites at Cleveland High got on well together. 'We're more progressive than most people see we are,' said Heather. 'We get along much better than they think we do.'

The school district has vowed to fight the Shepards' lawsuit. In a statement, attorney Jamie Jacks called the action 'frivolous.'

'The district has a racially neutral policy regarding the valedictorian honor,' Jacks added. 'The policy is when there is a grade point average tie between two or more students, the students share the valedictorian honor.

'In this case, the district followed its policy. The students involved had identical grade point averages and shared the valedictorian honor.'

School principal Steven Craddock and supervisor Jacquelyn Thigpen are also named in the Shepards' suit which seeks an unspecified monetary settlement. Craddock referred DailyMail.com to Jacks for comment. Thigpen did not return calls.

This is far from the first time that Cleveland School District  or the town itself  has found itself at the center of a race-based scandal.

Sherry (left) and Jasmine (right) Shepard both declined to speak to DailyMail.com out of fear for their safety

School principal Steven Craddock (left) and supervisor Jacquelyn Thigpen (right) are mentioned in the Shepards' lawsuit. Attorney Jamie Jacks called the action 'frivolous'

Cleveland sits in the middle of the Delta, the area known for the blues and for clinging on to Jim Crow regulations.

For decades, cotton was king in the area, although fields around Cleveland now largely grow soybeans, corn and rice.

Cleveland was relatively prosperous thanks to the railroad that ran through the middle of town. But that brought its own divide, homes west of the tracks were for whites, while blacks lived in shacks on the east side.

Over the years the gap between east and west has narrowed but there is still a stark difference between the one-room shacks in the southeast of town and the million dollar Mcmansions that have sprung up in the northwest.

Sherry and Jasmine Shepard live in an east side area of solid brick homes and neatly trimmed lawns. But locals say it was built for whites who virtually all moved out when one black family moved in.

The town, which has a population of less than 13,000, has had two high schools, Cleveland High, which was historically white, although in recent years has had a student body split almost 50/50 between white and black students, and East Side which had just one white in its entire student body last year.

The two schools  and the district's two middle schools which had similar racial demographics  are consolidating after the summer break to conform with a federal order, which has been bitterly contested by the school board for half a century.

Cleveland is the last of 43 school districts to comply to federal desegregation orders, says the government.

But many feel that white parents will now pull their children from the new public high school  to be called Cleveland Central  because their children will be only about one third of the total students.

'It's happening already from what I hear,' the Rev. Ed Duvall, a supporter of the Shepards' case, told DailyMail.com. 'Nobody wants that.'

Cleveland is approximately 50 percent white, 50 percent black. Cleveland was the last of 43 school districts to comply to federal desegregation orders

'This fight is bigger than Jasmine Shepard': Rev. Ed Duvall (right) told DailyMail.com the Cleveland school district needs to be exposed for its history of racism

Isaac Shorter, a former Black Panther, said the changes in Cleveland are just superficial regarding institutionalized racism

Duvall, pastor of the Homestretch Baptist Church on the outskirts of town, said Jasmine Shepard's case is important even if in a few years' time no-one will remember whether Jasmine was valedictorian or co-valedictorian.

'It does matter,' he said. 'The Cleveland School District needs to be exposed for the evil that it has perpetrated on the black folk over so many years.

'There is no going forward until there is an admission that they have done the people wrong.'

Duvall, a graduate of East Side High, said he even pulled his son out of Cleveland High in 10th Grade when he realized he would never be allowed to be valedictorian and put him in East Side where he won the title.

'This fight is bigger than Jasmine Shepard,' he said. 'How do we move forward and come together and trust each other when this remains hanging over our heads?'

Duvall fears that if white parents pull their children from the school, spending on public education in town will be cut as many taxpayers won't want to support what they will see as education just for African Americans.

West side: While over the years the gap between east and west has narrowed, there is still a stark divide in the way people live

East side: The east side of town was historically where black people live. East Side High School had just one white student in its entire student body last year

'That is what has happened in other parts of the Delta,' he said. Cleveland is about the only place that large numbers of whites still send their children to the public schools.'

Gary Bouse, Heather's father, told DailyMail.com the family had nothing to say about the matter.

And that is the reaction from most whites in town. They are loathe to talk publicly about the case for fear of appearing racially insensitive. Most moved on quickly, shrugging their shoulders or rolling their eyes when asked for their views.

'Dr. Shepard is just dragging up the past,' said one who declined to give her name. 'Cleveland is past all that now.'

But African Americans largely disagree. Isaac Shorter  a former Black Panther who hit the headlines in 1973 for turning off the power at a Chrysler plant in Detroit and starting the first major sit-down strike in three-and-a-half decades  says the changes in Cleveland are just superficial.

'It is important that Jasmine gets recognized properly,' said Shorter, 69, sitting on the bed in his one-room home, surrounded by his photo albums. 'Black kids need to know this for their future.'
Police in Las Vegas said someone broke in to the office of Nevada Senator Dean Heller on Sunday

Police in Las Vegas said someone broke in to the office of the state's Republican senator, Dean Heller, on Sunday.

Authorities announced that they were investigating the matter.

A spokesperson for Heller told Fox 5 that they could not comment due to the ongoing investigation.

Heller has been the focus of a fierce political tug-of-war in recent weeks over his indecision on the GOP's efforts to repeal Obamacare.

The Republican senator is up for re-election next year in a state that Hillary Clinton won over President Donald Trump.

If Heller supports the GOP plan and thousands of his constituents end up losing their health insurance as a result, he could be vulnerable to an election loss come November 2018.

There are already two GOP senators opposed to the legislation, so one more 'no' vote would kill the bill outright in a Senate divided 52-48 between Republicans and Democrats.

Authorities announced that they were investigating the matter. A spokesperson for Heller told Fox 5 that they could not comment due to the ongoing investigation. Heller's office in Las Vegas is seen in the above file photo

If he opposes the GOP bill and helps kill it, he would then face backlash from the pro-Trump rightist flank of his party.

Health care legislation is hanging by a thread in the Senate, and no one is under more pressure than Heller.

Even before the health care debate, Heller was already seen as the most endangered GOP incumbent senator in next year's midterm elections.

He is the only one running for re-election in a state Trump lost.

Over the next several days Heller must decide whether to defy Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell by becoming that third 'no.'

Yet if he sides with the president and Senate leader and supports the bill, Heller would likely be parting ways with Nevada's popular GOP Governor Brian Sandoval, who has already expressed deep concerns about the legislation's cuts to the Medicaid program for the poor and disabled.

For Heller, it looks like a no-win situation.

'There is no sweet spot in health care,' said Heller's fellow Nevada Republican Rep. Mark Amodei.

'So if somebody's looking for it, they're going to be a pretty frustrated person.'

Over the next several days Heller must decide whether to defy Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell by becoming the third 'no' vote that would sink the GOP's repeal of Obamacare

The normally affable and low-key Heller had no announced public events Friday, and a spokeswoman did not respond to requests for comment.

On Thursday Heller released a terse statement saying that 'Conversations are continuing and I'm going to read the new bill and weigh its impact on Nevada.'

Heller, 57, took Senate GOP leaders by surprise with his outspoken opposition to an earlier version of the bill last month.

He appeared at a press conference with Sandoval where both denounced the bill crafted largely in secret by McConnell.

'I cannot support a piece of legislation that takes insurance away from tens of millions of Americans,' Heller said at the time.

McConnell was forced to withdraw the bill in face of certain defeat.

But the new version he unveiled Thursday also unravels the Medicaid expansion under former President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act, which has allowed more than 200,000 of the poorest and most vulnerable Nevadans to gain coverage.

Sandoval, who made the decision to accept the Medicaid expansion, expressed serious reservations Friday about the latest version of the bill, though without expressing outright opposition.

'My concern all along has been with the expansion population, the newly eligibles. There are approximately 210,000 of those in Nevada who are having a dramatically better quality of life and are living healthier and happier, and I just, those are the lives I want to protect,' Sandoval told reporters at a conference of governors in Providence, Rhode Island.

If Heller sides with the president and Senate leader and supports the bill, Heller would likely be parting ways with Nevada's popular GOP Governor Brian Sandoval (left), who has already expressed deep concerns about the legislation's cuts to the Medicaid program for the poor

Sandoval, who appointed Heller to the Senate in 2011 after a scandal forced his predecessor to resign, said he planned to talk with the senator later in the day.

'I'm doing my job and he's doing his job,' Sandoval said.

'It's a new bill. It's less than 24 hours old. He has said he's going to spend the weekend reading it, and so I hope I can better inform him with regard to its impacts on Nevada.'

After Heller announced his opposition to the initial bill in June, a group linked to Trump launched a hard-hitting ad campaign against him.

From the other side Democratic groups have already signaled they will use the issue against him in his re-election campaign, a fate Heller probably can't escape no matter how he votes.

And Heller's predicament is all the more notable in that it was a fellow Nevadan, former Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid, who pushed Obamacare to passage in 2010, including by securing the votes of some very vulnerable Democratic senators who subsequently lost their seats over the issue.

One of those lawmakers, former Democratic Senator Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, expressed little sympathy this week for the Republicans who now find themselves in a position similar to the one that ultimately ended her political career.

Noting that Trump had promised better health insurance for all, Landrieu said: 'They have not put a bill together that meets their own promise, and that is their problem. And I'm not sure how they can fix that right now.'
A manhunt is underway after the body of a mother-of-three was found in a car after a freeway crash.

Police are warning the public not to approach the murder suspect, who they say is extremely dangerous and may be armed.

The body of 35-year-old Rebecca Jane Gascoigne was discovered in a car being driven on a Perth freeway early on Saturday morning.

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Police are warning the public not to approach the murder suspect (pictured, left), who they say is extremely dangerous and may possess a firearm

Police were at the scene of a crash on the Mitchell Freeway when a 49-year-old man told them he had a body in his Mitsubishi Lancer, WA Today reported.

They are now hunting Lockridge man Shawn Adam Newton, 42, who is light skinned, about 186cm tall, with a medium build, very short dark hair and brown eyes.

Detective Senior Sergeant Dean Bailey warned members of the public that the murder suspect may have a gun.

'He is considered extremely dangerous and the public are warned not to approach him,' he said.

The body of 35-year-old mother-of-three Rebecca Jane Gascoigne (pictured) was found in a car being driven on a Perth freeway

A man told police at the scene of a crash (pictured) on Perth's Mitchell Freeway that he was carrying a corpse in his car

'His whereabouts for us at the moment are unknown.'

The man who reported the body being carried in his car is still helping police with inquiries, and was seen lying on the side of the freeway under police guard.

'The gentleman who is assisting police approached officers at another incident...and identified that the body was in his vehicle,' said Detective Senior Sergeant Bailey.

Police say that Ms Gascoigne and Mr Newton knew each other, and have searched two houses in the coastal suburb of Scarborough.

The body of Ms Gascoigne was found near the Cedric Street on-ramp of the Mitchell Freeway (pictured)

A post-mortem on the victim's body has yet to take place, and police have not released the cause of death.

Daily Mail Australia contacted WA Police for comment.

Anyone who sees Mr Newton should call police on 131 444.
Two men who attended a buck's party that left a woman dead have claimed they were 'stitched up'.

A woman in her 20s was found dead at around 8am on Sunday morning on the tenth floor of a Melbourne hotel, The Age reported.

A group of 11 men had rented the apartment in the Oaks on Market for a buck's weekend and reportedly returned with the woman on Saturday evening.

One of the men reportedly found the deceased woman in the shower.

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Two men who attended a buck's party that left a woman dead have claimed they were 'stitched up'

A woman in her 20s was found dead at around 8am on Sunday morning on the tenth floor of a Melbourne hotel

Homicide detectives are investigating a buck's night party in Melbourne that went wrong

A woman was found dead in the shower by a man who attended the party on Sunday at 8am

The deceased who has yet to be identified was discovered in the hotel room at 8am.

The exact circumstances surrounding her death has yet to be established.

She was wearing a black long-sleeved top, blue denim shorts and white runners when she was found.

Victoria Police said homicide squad detectives are treating the woman's death as suspicious.

Four men in their late 20s to early 30s from the Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales were taken into police custody but have since been released without charge.

Homicide detectives are scouting for any CCTV footage that can help them with their investigation.

The rest of the guest have returned to Canberra.

Detectives are working with hotel staff to get CCTV footage which will aid their investigations
Five Congo park rangers have been found dead and an American journalist has been found in good condition in the Okapi Wildlife Reserve after going missing during a militia attack, a local official said Sunday.

'The American journalist is safe and healthy. She hid in the forest during an attack,' Mambasa territory administrator Alfred Bongwalanga told The Associated Press. 'On the other hand, five park guards have been killed.'

Another senior official identified the missing journalist as Lisa Dupuy, according to Agence France Presse.

Dupuy's LinkedIn page indicates that she is a freelance journalist based in the Amsterdam area.

'I am interested in journalism and international affairs, with a focus on conflict and war, as well as environmental issues and conservation in conflict,' according to Dupuy's LinkedIn page.

Dupuy's rescue was also reported by a RDC Polele, a local French-language news site in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Five park rangers have been found dead and a US journalist has been found in good condition in a wildlife reserve in Congo after going missing during a militia attack, an official said Sunday. A Congolese boy who says he is a member of the militia is seen in the above file photo

Bongwalanga said the army found the American overnight Saturday, and called in her rescue.

He did not have her name, saying other details would follow.

Cosma Wilungula, the head of Congo's park service, confirmed that the journalist and rangers had been rescued from a group of Mai Mai militia fighters involved in mining gold inside the reserve.

The US State Department said it was aware of the reports, but did not identify the journalist who was rescued because of privacy concerns.

'We are aware of reports that the US citizen reported kidnapped in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has been found safe,' a State Department official said.

'The US Department of State has no higher priority than the protection of US citizens overseas. Due to privacy considerations, we have no further comment.'

The identity of the assailants is not known, he said.

At least 10 people had gone missing after attacks near a security station Friday outside the town of Mambasa in Congo's northeast Okapi Wildlife Reserve, but six of them, all Congolese rangers, were later found alive, he said.

Two British journalists and five other park rangers, part of the same team, escaped during the attack, making their way to another Okapi reserve base, Bongwalanga said early Saturday.

Army reinforcements had been searching since Friday night in the reserve for the missing.

A rights group, the Center for Studies of Peace and Defense of Human Rights, blamed the attacks on the Mai Mai SIMBA militia, which is active in the area.

A Congolese civilian was also kidnapped Friday near Mambasa by armed men, the group said.
Child welfare investigators described in 1984 how Seattle Mayor Ed Murray repeatedly raped his teenage foster son, three decades before the allegations became public.

Jeff Simpson, 49, is one of four men who say Murray, now 62, abused them when they were teenagers.

Former crack addict Delvonn Heckard was the first to have his allegations reported in April this year. Two other former addicts - Lavon Jones and Lloyd Anderson - also say they were abused.

Murray has always denied the allegations and has never been prosecuted.

On Sunday, The Seattle Times published a newly unsealed report that was written in 1984 by child welfare officials. The report was prompted by claims made by Simpson at the time that he was being abused and it concluded that Murray was guilty of the accusations.

Child welfare investigators found in 1984 that Seattle mayor Ed Murray (left in May) sexually abused Jeff Simpson (right) when the latter was a teenager and living in Murray's care

The report was finally unsealed this month by authorities in Oregon which had previously kept it hidden

'In the professional judgement of this caseworker who has interviewed numerous children of all ages and of all levels of emotional disturbance regarding sexual abuse, Jeff Simpson has been sexually abused by Edward Murray,' Child Protective Services caseworker Judy Butler wrote.

She added that 'under no circumstances' should Murray be allowed to care for any other minors.

Prosecutors investigated Murray at the time but chose not to bring charges against him because of Simpson's troubled personality.

'It was Jeff's emotional instability, history of manipulative behavior and the fact that he has again run away and made himself unavailable that forced my decision,' Deputy District Attorney Mary Tomlinson wrote.

She added: 'We could not be sure of meeting the high burden of proof in a criminal case - of proof beyond a reasonable doubt and to a moral certainty. However, this in no way means that the District Attorney's Office has decided Jeff's allegations are not true.'

Devlonn Heckard sued Murray in April, claiming he too had been abused as a drug-addicted teenager

The report was made public at the request of the Seattle newspaper which demanded that Oregon's Department of Human Services unseal the report findings earlier this year.

The agency withheld the documents for years but finally agreed this month that it was in the public interest to release them.

Dismissing the report on Sunday, Murray said he was never interviewed as part of the child welfare investigation. He reiterated that he had never been prosecuted.

'That she believed Jeff's claims at the time and advocated on his behalf is painful to see, but does not change the fact that, based on the totality of the evidence that was collected, the District Attorney declined to file charges,' he said of the child welfare investigator's findings.

Simpson, now 49, had been abandoned as an infant. He lived under Murray's care for nearly a year and a half as a teenager, after meeting him when Murray counseled him at a Portland center for troubled teens in the late 1970s.

Simpson said the abuse began in 1980, when he was 13 and spending a weekend with Murray. The abuse continued after Murray became his foster father and lasted until he left Murray's care at age 16, Simpson said. At times, Murray paid Simpson $10 or gave him drugs for sex, he said.

The men say they got to know Murray while frequenting this center for troubled teenagers in Seattle in the 1980s, long before the mayor launched his political career

Murray (pictured in April this year at a press conference after the first allegations were made) has always denied the men's claims

He considered suing Murray in 2008, but his lawyer declined to pursue the case over a statute of limitations issue. By then, Murray was a Washington state senator, Democratic powerbroker and gay rights advocate. He was elected mayor in 2013.

Simpson added that he and his attorney had tried to find such documents, but they were told none existed.

Heckard, the other man who claims he was abused, sued Murray in April this year.

His allegations were similar to those made by Simpson and center around claims the politician picked him up in the streets and paid him for sex in cash or drugs.

Murray denied his claims immediately, insisting the pair never had any form of sexual relationship.

Heckard withdrew his lawsuit last month. His lawyer said the decision was based on his desire to complete counseling and the fact that Murray is still sitting as Mayor of Seattle.

After the initial allegations in April, Murray halted his campaign for re-election. He will serve as the city's mayor until November this year.
George Andrew Romero, the legendary creator of the Night Of The Living Dead zombie film franchise, has died from complications from lung cancer. He was 77.

Romero passed away in his sleep at his Toronto home on Sunday, listening to his favorite film score from 1952's The Quiet Man, surrounded by his wife Suzanne and daughter Tina, his family confirmed to the Los Angeles Times.

His death came following a 'brief but aggressive battle with lung cancer, his family said.

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George Andrew Romero, the legendary creator of the Night Of The Living Dead zombie film franchise, died on Sunday in his Toronto home at age 77 of complications from lung cancer

Romero passed away in his sleep, listening to his favorite film score from 1952's The Quiet Man

Romero (center) is seen on the set of his 1982 film Creepshow, with writer Stephen King (right) and producer Richard P. Rubenstein (left)

Romero wrote and directed the 1968 film Night Of The Living Dead, a cult classic credited with launching the modern zombie genre. Shown is the original theatrical release poster

Romero wrote and directed the 1968 film Night Of The Living Dead, a cult classic credited with launching the modern zombie genre.

Romero went on to make a slew of sequels, including 1978s Dawn of the Dead, 1985s Day of the Dead, 1990s Land of the Dead, 2007s Diary of the Dead and 2009s Survival of the Dead.

Born in The Bronx on February 4, 1940 to a Cuban father and Lithuanian mother, Romero graduated from Pittsburgh's Carnegie Mellon University and began his career as a filmmaker shooting commercials and short films.

One of his earliest jobs was a short segment for the popular children's show Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood.

The zombies in Night Of The Living Dead (seen above) helped solidify the modern concept of a zombie: slow-moving, mute creatures resurrected from the dead and hungry for live flesh

Despite the movie's low budget and simple effects, audiences - many of them young teens - were terrified when the movie ran nationwide in October of 1968 as a Saturday matinee

Despite critical backlash over violence considered grotesque and grisly for its day, the film went on to gross over $18million, and has been considered a cult classic ever since

Romero is seen on the set of one of his 23 films, which included a slew of 'Dead' sequels

Night Of The Living Dead was Romero's first attempt at a feature film, produced on a shoe-string budget of $114,000 scraped together by a group of friends.

Despite the movie's low budget and simple effects, audiences - many of them young teens - were terrified when the movie ran in October of 1968 as a Saturday matinee, then the traditional slot for horror films.

Despite critical backlash over violence considered grotesque and grisly for its day, the film went on to gross over $18million, and has been considered a cult classic and Halloween favorite ever since.

Critics have warmed to the film over time, which at the time of its release was panned by the New York Times as a 'junk movie'.

Romero also wrote and directed Dawn Of The Dead, one of a slew of sequels in the franchise

Romero was born in The Bronx on February 4, 1940 to a Cuban father and Lithuanian mother

In later years, many came to see in Night Of The Living Dead critiques of everything from the Vietnam War to Cold War politics and race relations in America, noting Romero's choice to cast a black man in the lead role.

As the zombie fiction genre has exploded in recent decades, Romero was sometimes critical of it's direction, noting that he'd declined an offer to direct several episodes of the AMC series The Walking Dead.

'I always used the zombie as a character for satire or a political criticism, and I find that missing in whats happening now,' he told The Big Issue in 2013.

The Walking Dead, Romero said, is 'just a soap opera with a zombie occasionally.'

Romero is survived by his son Andrew and daughter Tina, and wife Suzanne Desrocher Romero, whom he met on set while filming Land Of The Dead.
Spotted yet again at Wimbledon among a host of celebrities yesterday, the Middletons were doing a good job of confirming their status as one of Britains most famous families.

But not everybody is impressed with their frequent public appearances, it seems.

For the family have been compared to the Kardashians  by the Duchess of Cambridges anti-royal Labour MP.

Emma Dent Coad  whose Kensington constituency in London includes Kensington Palace, where Kate lives with Prince William  said the Middletons were like the American reality TV family because they have become like film stars.

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Prince William and Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, enjoyed yet another afternoon on tennis action at Wimbledon on Sunday

The Middletons returned to Wimbledon today to watch the mens final in what was their 17th combined visit

The Duchess of Cambridge, 35, who was in the Royal Box with Prince William, has only been seen at Wimbledon twice this year  while their mother Carole visited five times

Kate (pictured middle) is pictured with her younger sister Pippa and mother Carole (right)

Addressing the anti-monarchist campaign group Republic on Saturday, Miss Dent Coad, who stole the seat from the Conservatives at last months election by just 20 votes, also criticised the royal family and said the Beckhams would make more suitable royals as they have earned their own money.

Her speech came the day before the Middletons returned to Wimbledon to watch the mens final in what was their 17th combined visit. Pippa, 33, was there for the fourth time  while her brother James and father Michael have both been spotted at the tournament three times.

The Duchess of Cambridge, 35, who was in the Royal Box with Prince William, has only been seen at Wimbledon twice this year  while their mother Carole has outdone them all as it was her fifth visit.

Addressing Republics annual convention in Newcastle, Miss Dent Coad, 62, said she despised the way tax is spent on the royal family.

She was critical of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, saying: A lot of the disaffected Tories who are so sprightly around the narrative of Kensington Palace have described the Cambridges as vulgar, which is hysterical really.

Emma Dent Coad said the Middletons were like the American reality TV family (pictured) because they have become like film stars

Emma Dent Coad  whose Kensington constituency in London includes Kensington Palace, where Kate lives with Prince William  is pictured with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn

Carole, Pippa and James Middleton all sit together as Federer guns for his eighth Wimbledon title on Sunday

The Duchess of Cambridge takes in the action from Centre Court along with her husband Prince William

Of the duchesss relatives she said: I say the Middletons are like the Kardashians now, because they are such film stars. It just shows how much it has all changed. She added: I would say if we are going to have princes and princesses then I would rather it was the Beckhams, because they have earned their own money.

Her remarks come shortly after Harper Beckhams sixth birthday party was controversially held at Buckingham Palace at the invitation of Prince Andrew and the Duchess of York.

Miss Dent Coad also revealed she would not consider it a privilege to meet the Queen. She made the comment in relation to the monarchs visit to Grenfell Tower after last months fire, saying that when she was offered the chance to meet the monarch she turned it down.

The MP also said she became a republican in 2005 after Prince Harry was photographed dressed as a Nazi at a fancy dress party aged 20, adding: I have been called a revolutionist but I am not a revolutionist  well not yet anyway.

Family Top Trumps: The Kardashians vs The Middlestons

Kate Middleton Age: 35 Wealth: The Crown Estate, which Kate would inherit when William becomes Kind, is valued at 12 billion Partner: Prince William Residence: Kensington Palace First noticed: When she won Wills over in a see-through dress during a fashion show at St Andrews University Advertisement

Kim Kardashian Age: 35 Wealth: Her personal net worth is valued at around 48 million, which doesn't include that of her mega-star husband... Partner: Kanye West Residence: Hidden Hills, CA First noticed: Following the release of a sex tape with rapper Ray J Advertisement

Carole Middleton Age: 62 Wealth: The family wealth is valued at around 30million Partner: Michael Middleton, father to Kate, Pippa and James Residence: Berkshire, UK Advertisement

Kris Jenner Age: 61 Wealth: Her net worth is thought to be around 80 million, considerably higher than any of her offspring Partner: Corey Gamble Residence: Hidden Hills, CA Advertisement





Pippa Middleton Age: 33 Wealth: She and husband James's joined wealth is 2.6 billion Partner: James Matthews, who she married earlier this year Residence: West London, UK First noticed: When she stole her sister's thunder at her own Royal wedding in a figure-hugging bridesmaid dress Advertisement

Kylie Jenner Age: 19 Wealth: 16 million Partner: Formerly rapper Tyga Residence: Hidden Hills, CA, but she is currently renting out a Beverly Hills mansion while her home in renovated First noticed: Kylie is almost unrecognisable from her days as a teen on Keeping Up With The Kardashians Advertisement

James Middleton Age: 30 Wealth: While his family is valued at around 30 million, James has several businesses of his own Partner: Donna Air Residence: Lives in a trendy flat in Chelsea, west London, which he shared with his sister Pippa before her marriage Advertisement
Amber Harrison is due to find out whether she will have to foot the bill for all of Seven West's legal costs in her court battle over her affair with its boss, Tim Worner.

The former Seven executive assistant has told Justice John Sackar that such an order would be 'punitive and pointless' and would drive her into bankruptcy.

The media company had sought a permanent NSW Supreme Court gag order against Ms Harrison preventing her from leaking company documents and details of her affair.

Amber Harrison was pictured out and about on Monday morning - hours before a Supreme Court Justice hands down his decision on whether she should pay Seven's court costs

Ms Harrison, seen in pictuers left and right on Monday morning, is the former lover of Seven West Media CEO Tim Worner

Ms Harrison told the Supreme Court last week she was a foster mother and would be bankrupted by a costs decision - which could stretch into the hundreds of thousands of dollars

It contended that her social media posts had breached a deed in which the company agreed to pay her $427,418 in instalments for her silence.

On the eve of the hearing, which was due to start on July 10, Ms Harrison abandoned her fight against Seven and agreed to the gag order.

The company then sought other orders, including one requiring Ms Harrison to pay all Seven's legal costs - which could amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

In arguing against paying all the costs, Ms Harrison said she was a foster mother and if an order was made it would affect her ability to provide for her family.

'I should not be punished by the court system for taking a stand,' she said.

Last Monday, the court heard Ms Harrison, the former lover of Seven boss Tim Worner, waged a campaign that intended to humiliate him through the media

Amber Harrison leaked details about her affair with Seven West boss, married Tim Worner

Seven's lawyer, Andrew Bell SC, said the court proceedings started when she published stolen documents containing confidential legal advice to the Seven board, and that she'd flagrantly breached a deed of release

But Seven's lawyer, Andrew Bell SC, said the court proceedings started when she published stolen documents containing confidential legal advice to the Seven board, and that she'd flagrantly breached a deed of release.

'All Seven has done in this case ... is come to court as it is entitled to do, to enforce rights and promises that were made to it in return for substantial sums of money,' Mr Bell said.

The judge is due to hand down his decision in Sydney on Monday afternoon.
A leader of a hardline Islamist group has compared the treatment of Muslims to the massacre of millions of Jewish people during the Holocaust.

Muslims have become an 'existential threat' in the world today, Hizb ut-Tahrir media representative Hamzah Qureshi was recently recorded telling fellow group members.

The growing fear of Islam is comparable to Germany's declaration that the Jewish people 'needed to go entirely' almost 70 years ago, Mr Qureshi argued.

Hamzah Qureshi (pictured), a representative for a hardline Islamist group, told group members in Sydney the treatment of Muslims today is comparable to the Holocaust

Mr Qureshi's comments come after fellow Hizb ut-Tahrir spokesman Uthman Badar (pictured at a rally in Sydney's southwest last year) was captured on camera saying Muslims who leave the religion should be put to death

'In Europe during the 19th and 20th century the Jewish question interrogated the status of Jews and soon morphed from an allegedly neutral inquiry into a question of serious threat,' he began.

'Numerous answers were proposed  resettlement, integration, assimilation, deportation and so on as Jews were labelled an obstacle to the German nation and the insidious enemy within.'

As fears grew, the Holocaust was offered as a 'final solution' to the 'Jewish question,' he said.

'Today though brothers and sisters there is a "Muslim question",' he said.

'The same answers that were given for the Jewish question are now being suggested for the Muslim version  integration, assimilation, deportation and so on. Muslims have become that existential threat, that enemy within and that persistent danger,' Mr Qureshi said.

Muslims have become an 'existential threat' in the world today, similar to how the Jewish people were viewed in Germany before and during WWII, Mr Qureshi (pictured) argued

The 'Jewish question' was answered when the Holocaust was offered as a 'final solution', he (pictured) said

'Muslims are told that in order to be accepted they must conform to a certain set of values different to their own.'

'All this begs the confronting question. What will be the final solution to this Muslim Question?

Mr Qureshi's comments come after fellow Hizb ut-Tahrir spokesman Uthman Badar was captured on camera saying Muslims who leave the religion should be put to death.

'The ruling for apostates as such in Islam is clear, that apostates attract capital punishment and we don't shy away from that,' Badar said in Sydney in May. An apostate is someone who decides to leave Islam.

His extraordinary admission was exclusively captured on camera by Daily Mail Australia and the matter has now been referred to the Australian Federal Police by Justice Minister Michael Keenan.

Hizb ut-Tahrir spokesman Uthman Badar confirmed his group supports killing apostates

Freelance journalist Alison Bevege holds up section 7c of Hizb ut-Tahrir's constitution

Hizb ut-Tahrir Australia removed references to that apostasy policy from its website as Alison Bevege, a freelance journalist, sued the group for making her to sit in a women's-only section at a separate talk in October 2014.

During the group meeting, Ms Bevege held up a printed copy of Hizb ut-Tahrir's draft constitution of the khilafah state published on the UK site, which was on the group's Australian website until 2015.

This outlines their vision for a global Islamic caliphate, which has Muslims and non-Muslims living under sharia law.

She asked about their policy of killing people born as Muslims who leave the faith.

WHO ARE HIZB UT-TAHRIR? Hizb-ut Tahrir is a hardline Islamist group which seeks the establishment of a global caliphate, or empire. The extremist group is said to reject democracy, secularism and all Western models of state. Former prime minister Tony Abbott called for the group to be shut down in 2014, but the ban was never put in place. A spokeswoman for Justice Michael Keenan told Daily Mail Australia the 'execution' matter had been referred to the Federal Police. The organisation is banned in a number of Muslim-majority countries. Advertisement

Article 7c of the document said: 'Those who are guilty of apostasy (murtadd) from Islam are to be executed according to the rule of apostasy, provided they have by themselves renounced Islam.'

Badar initially responded by saying the policy wasn't on its website before explaining how the group's apostasy policy was compatible with Islam.

'The whole thing covers different aspects of Islamic sharia law,' he said.

'The role of apostasy in Islam is very clear. Again, this is one of the things the West doesnt like and seeks to change the role of apostasy.'

A spokeswoman for Justice Minister Michael Keenan condemned language that incites or advocates violence.

'Language that incites or advocates violence is not freedom of speech,' the spokeswoman said.

'This matter has been referred to the AFP.'

Hizb ut-Tahrir spokesman Uthman Badar's remarks came as he delivered the keynote lecture for the forum - 'Sharia and the modern age'

Alison Bevege (pictured) confronted Uthman Badar at the forum, which was advertised by Hizb ut-Tahrir

Badar's remarks came after he delivered the keynote lecture for the forum, which was called 'Sharia and the modern age'.

He said Islam was incompatible with a secular separation of religion and state, democracy, individual rights and even the process of science, which he called 'scientism'.

He compared calls to fit Islam within a secular society to domesticating a wild animal, putting Hizb ut-Tahrir at odds with secular Muslims who reject sharia law.

'The West seeks to domesticate Islam, to control, to bring within, the way you domesticate animals,' he said.

Badar described calls to reform Islam from secular Muslims as 'pernicious', 'insidious' and 'dangerous' and called for radical change.

'Always when you hear these sorts of calls, alarm bells should ring,' he said.

'The Islam people are calling for fits very well within modernity. Theyre giving in to the pressure to conform.'

Hizb ut-Tahrir spokesmen Wassim Doureihi (left) and Uthman Badar (right) in February 2015

About 100 people were at the publicly-advertised lecture with men making up about two-thirds of the audience.

Women were segregated from the men on the left-hand side of the room, apart from Ms Bevege who stood at the back.

Following the lecture, a group of men followed Daily Mail Australia to a parked car.

One older man bizarrely demanded to know if men and women had equality in Australia.

Shakil Ahmed, pictured, attended the talk and said it was depressing to hear Hizb ut-Tahrir voice their support for killing ex-Muslims in Australia

An ex-Muslim from Bangladesh, Shakil Ahmed, attended the talk and later described his disgust with Hizb ut-Tahrir and Islamists, which orchestrated marches in his home country in 2013.

Islamists staged marches in the capital Dhaka after the murder of gay rights activists and atheist bloggers.

'Their primary demand was the death of apostates and blasphemers,' Mr Ahmed, 20, told Daily Mail Australia.

He said it was depressing to hear Hizb ut-Tahrir voice their support for the killing of ex-Muslims in Australia.

'What I felt instinctively is that the reason I left my country was so that I could escape from the exact same people that I found in that room,' he said.

As an ex-Muslim atheist in Bangladesh, he was discreet about his beliefs.

'Apart from a close circle of family and friends, we don't integrate with others as we don't know how they would react to our views,' he said.

Another Bangladeshi student Shubhajit Bhowmik also attended the lecture.

The Hindu blogger was on the same death list as atheist blogger Avajit Roy when he got hacked to death in 2015 in Dhaka for promoting secularism.

Farabi Shafiur Rahman, an extremist blogger and member of Hizb ut-Tahrir in Bangladesh was arrested in connection with Roy's murder.

'Once you escape from death, then you will hardly find things that will scare you,' Mr Bhowmik told Daily Mail Australia about seeing Hizb ut-Tahrir Australia leaders in the flesh.

Hizb ut-Tahrir supporters in Bangladesh have been known to target ex-Muslims and atheists

Hizb ut-Tahrir has been banned in Bangladesh since 2009 but this didn't stop them demonstrating in the capital Dhaka in late 2013

Another Islamist group of religious madrassah teachers, Hefazat e Islam, circulated hit lists of Bangladesh and emerged after Hizb ut-Tahrir was banned in 2009.

Like Hizb ut-Tahrir, they have campaigned in Bangladesh to dismantle parliamentary democracy, scrap aspects of the constitution that contradict sharia law and wind back women's rights.

The latest revelation about Hizb ut-Tahrir in Australia comes as Islamists in Pakistan take to social media to demand the killing of atheist blogger Ayaz Nizami.

He and two others were charged with blasphemy this week by a court in Islamabad and face the death penalty.

Hizb ut-Tahrir operates in 40 nations, including Australia and the United Kingdom, but is banned in Bangladesh along with other Muslim and Muslim-majority nations including Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan.
Tony Blair has insisted voters are changing their minds on Brexit  despite his own opinion poll showing overwhelming support for leaving the EU.

The former prime minister claimed it is possible now that Brexit doesnt happen as public opinion is moving.

But he was undermined by a poll he commissioned which revealed 56 per cent believe Brexit must mean Brexit.

Tony Blair has insisted voters are changing their minds on Brexit  despite his own opinion poll showing overwhelming support for leaving the EU

In addition, 75 per cent said they believe Britains immigration policy is too open, compared with just 4 per cent who said it is too closed.

The survey of 1,000 people for the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change found that given the choice of a hard Brexit, soft Brexit or a second referendum, most people chose the first.

More than 40 per cent favoured a clean break, just under 40 per cent wanted a middle way and around a fifth supported another vote.

Asked whether Brexit must mean Brexit, with Britain leaving the EU even if no deal has been agreed with Brussels, 56 per cent agreed, with 25 per cent against and 19 per cent unsure.

The poll was conducted for Mr Blairs institute by research firm Luntz Global Partners between May and June.

In a fresh assault on Brexit yesterday, Mr Blair said it was absolutely necessary that it doesnt happen because of the economic and political damage it is causing. Despite clear findings from the survey, the diehard Remainer told Sky Newss Sophy Ridge On Sunday: I think public opinion is moving on it.

He urged voters to think again, adding: I think every day is bringing us fresh evidence that its doing us damage economically, certainly doing us damage politically and I think that when people really reflect on why we wanted to do Brexit  they can see that in respect of the immigration issue, the overwhelming majority of these European migrants who come into our country are people we actually need for various reasons.

I think as this thing goes on, the cost-benefit analysis of leaving becomes very clear and then the question really is, have we got the political leadership in this country to try and explain to people what the different options are and guide us in a different direction.

He added: I think there are real anxieties that people have culturally on immigration and economically  and people who feel left behind, but the key point is this  Brexit is not the answer.

The immigration that comes in from Europe, once you start to break down those numbers you see that we need the high-skilled people 

The lower paid people, the low-skilled people who come in as seasonal workers  there arent masses of British people queuing up for these jobs.

He added that welcoming foreign students provides income for the country and establishes relations with other countries.

Mr Blair said he had opened Britains borders to Eastern European countries after they joined the EU in 2004 for very good reasons  in a completely different economic situation.

In a BBC Newsnight interview, to be screened tonight, Mr Blair said he now believes it is possible Jeremy Corbyn could become prime minister.

He said that if we deliver Brexit and at the same time are delivering the programme he has at the moment  we will be in for a very very difficult time as a country. But he added that there have been so many political upsets its possible Jeremy Corbyn could become prime minister and Labour could win on that programme.
Patients who call 999 but are deemed to be non-emergency cases could face a Skype evaluation, an NHS whistleblower has said (file image)

Patients who dial 999 are being assessed over Skype instead of being sent an ambulance, it has emerged.

Trials are under way across England to see if video consultations on smartphone apps could replace ambulances for thousands of 'lower priority' calls.

They are being used on patients whose conditions aren't deemed immediately life-threatening, such as back pain, abdominal pain, falls or heavy bleeding.

Details of the Skype and FaceTime trials were revealed by former South Central Ambulance Service emergency call handler Karen Frederick, who says patients are being failed because the service is so overwhelmed.

The whistleblower revealed a string of controversial practices being used to cope with rising numbers of 999 calls. They include:

A 'no send' policy whereby patients are refused ambulances if their lives aren't thought to be in immediate danger;

Operators being allowed to take high-priority calls while drunk or high on drugs;

Call handlers being banned from giving out medical advice to heart attack patients because they don't have time;

Taxis being used to ferry patients to hospital if ambulance crews are too busy;

Elderly patients who have fallen being made to wait nine hours for an ambulance as they are repeatedly bumped down the queue.

Just last week the NHS said heart attack and stroke victims will have to wait longer for an ambulance under controversial new targets.

Paramedics will have 18 minutes to arrive  up from the current eight minutes  although in some cases, the target will be as high as 40 minutes.

Ambulance chiefs are also battling a recruitment crisis of paramedics and about one in 14 posts nationally are vacant.

To add to the pressures, ambulance crews are increasingly having to queue up outside A&Es to offload patients, meaning they are unable to respond to incoming calls.

The Skype consultations were initially trialled on patients in nursing homes, but they have been widened to include other patients whose conditions aren't life-threatening and who would normally be dispatched an ambulance within 60 minutes.

Patients told to make own way to hospital Patients calling 999 are being refused ambulances and told to make their own way to A&E. During periods of high demand, call handlers are told not to dispatch any ambulances to 'low priority' emergencies. They include patients with broken bones, heavy bleeding, severe abdominal pain or even those who have accidentally cut off their fingers. The 'no send' policy is being regularly deployed by one of the best-performing ambulance trusts, South Central, to help cope with the soaring volume of calls. In addition, when the lines are very busy, call handlers are instructed not to give out vital medical instructions to patients suspected of having a heart attack. Normally, they would issue what is known as 'interim care advice' to patients while they wait for an ambulance, but during the busy periods  sometimes up to twice a week  they are banned from giving out the advice so they can hang up ready for the next call. Advertisement

Patients dial 999 as normal and if their condition is classified as not being an emergency, they get transferred to a hub of paramedics and nurses at the call centre.

One of them will call back using Skype, FaceTime or a similar app on their smartphone or computer.

In the case of elderly patients, carers or relatives who are more technically knowledgeable may take charge of the call and zoom the phone's camera in on particular injuries.

But doctors' leaders are concerned by the practice and say virtual consultations should never replace assessing a patient in the flesh.

South Central Ambulance Service is one of the better-performing trusts, having recently been rated 'Good' by the inspection watchdog.

But the fact it has to resort to such drastic measures to cope with the demand suggests the situation is far worse elsewhere.

Dr Richard Vautrey, interim chairman of the British Medical Association's GP committee, said: 'You can't rely on it for making a physical examination. You always have to err on the side of caution.

'There's also sometimes technical difficulties, the broadband might fail, the connection takes longer.

'You need to be that bit more cautious as it's only when seeing a patient face-to-face in the consulting room or at home that you can really do a proper physical examination.'

Miss Frederick, who was employed by South Central between October 2015 and May this year, said: 'You can't do blood pressure via Skype, you can't do a heart rate via Skype. There are a lot of issues I can see happening.'

She said Skype consultations would not help diabetic patients with potentially fatal high blood sugar levels who have a distinct smell on their breath.

Miss Frederick left the ambulance service after suffering serious health complications she believes were triggered by stress.

She also told of how call handlers often turned up to work drunk or high on drugs and managers refused to dismiss them. 'When you call 999, don't assume the person on the other end is sober,' she said.

Mis Frederick, who left the ambulance service due to stress-related illness, said other call handlers turned up to work drunk and high on drugs and managers refused to fire them (file)

It also emerged that people who dial 999 are increasingly being sent taxis to take them to hospital instead of ambulances.

'Managers say patients have been 'overwhelmingly positive' about the policy and the taxis had freed up ambulances for the most urgent calls.

But taxi drivers do not carry medical equipment and most have never been trained in first aid. If a patient suddenly deteriorates, there is little they could do to help.

Nonetheless ambulance services covering 20 million patients in London, Yorkshire, South Central England and Wales have all arrangements with local taxi firms.

A spokesman for South Central Ambulance Service  which covers Oxfordshire, Hampshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire  said other trusts were testing the use of video consultations but did not name them.

'South Central Ambulance Service is currently trialling the use of technology to provide face-to-face consultations over the telephone.

'This enables both the patient and the trained clinician ... to see each other.

'This gives the clinician more information when they are assessing the patient as they can see the patient and view the injury severity, symptoms, etc.'

We left elderly patients lying on the floor for nine hours

Karen Frederick said she used to work as a medic in the US before taking her 'dream job' as a call handler, only for it to unravel

The job of my dreams slowly became a soul-destroying daily torture. I went to work every day desperate to help people, and instead I was forced to leave them in limbo, waiting hours for emergency aid that was endlessly delayed.

As a 999 call handler for South Central Ambulance Service, serving more than four million people from Oxfordshire to the South Coast, I was often the first voice that patients would hear when they dialled.

Id reassure them and go through a menu of questions to discover what their emergency was and how urgently they needed help. Often I would talk them through vital first aid.

But the good I was doing seemed to be undone all too frequently by the chaotic conditions that are reducing the NHS emergency service to helpless inefficiency.

I saw elderly patients left without aid for up to nine hours, unable to move after a fall. We were reassuring them that help was on the way  but what we werent telling them was that it might still be hours away.

I saw patients repeatedly being bounced to the back of the queue, as new calls with a higher priority came in. And I watched in helpless frustration as more than a dozen ambulances were backed up in a hospital car park, because there were no beds to accommodate the patients.

In the end, the job I once loved drove me to stress-related illness and depression. And I was not alone: at least one colleague with another ambulance service committed suicide.

As a fully qualified Emergency Medical Technician, working from the back of ambulances, Id spent 20 years living in America before I returned to my home town of Bicester, near Oxford, in 2013.

When I took a job in the 999 call centre, I thought Id found my ideal employment  I was born to work for the NHS but, in my mid 40s, I no longer wanted to be the first attender at accident scenes.

Here was a way to use my skills. But increasingly, I felt I was being asked to do my job with my hands tied.

The sense of disillusionment came from management policies which prevented me from dispatching an ambulance swiftly to people who clearly needed one. Other callers who knew the right responses were able to play the system, and had to be seen right away.

That made me angry: there is a management rulebook, which dictates certain symptoms requiring a face-to-face assessment must be given priority.

All my experience was useless in those cases, because I had to follow rigid protocol. Common sense went out of the window. But the shift officers had the final say.

Miss Frederick recalled getting one call from an elderly patient who had been waiting for an hour for an ambulance for her elderly husband, before it became apparent he wasn't breathing

As long as cases didnt seem urgent, they could be put on hold. In practice, that often meant the elderly patients, who had suffered a fall and were lying on the floor all alone.

My own mother is 82. I hate the thought that if she falls, she might wait anything up to nine hours for help after making an emergency call. But thats the reality, and its only getting worse.

Inevitably, when people are left for such a long time, their condition can deteriorate. When that happens, the ambulance service could be held liable  and the shift officers are quick to hush it up, moving to stop junior staff from discussing the case among themselves.

I took one call from a woman whose elderly husband had fallen in the bathroom.

She had rung 999 almost an hour earlier, and was distressed that help hadnt arrived. The injury had not seemed serious, but as I listened to her complaints I realised her husband did not appear to be breathing. I told the woman what steps she had to take to stand any chance of saving him, and handed the call over to a senior manager.

Later, I saw the case had been locked down on our computer screens, so that we could not access the details. It wasnt a cover-up, but the information was suddenly available on a strictly need-to-know basis, and I never learned whether the man had survived.

Every day, managers were telling us that we would not have any ambulances for non-urgent cases for five or six hours, though of course we couldnt say this explicitly to callers. And even for serious emergencies, the resources were simply not available.

The highest level of priority is the Red Response, for patients whose lives are in immediate peril. Our target was to get an ambulance there within eight minutes. In reality, too often, it could take up to an hour. Thats a shocking delay. And it is only one aspect of the crisis.

One day in December last year we had 19 ambulances queuing to unload at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth, and no one there available to cope with the intake. Thats a double bottleneck, because 19 patients were not being treated, and 19 more were waiting for ambulances.

Sometimes the solutions were farcical, with managers ordering a taxi to collect someone and take them to A&E.

In the 18 months I worked for the ambulance service, I cannot remember a day when we met all our targets.

With so many impossible demands call centres could become thoroughly unpleasant environments. Bullying was systematic, with managers venting their stress on staff.

The bullying, frustration and sense of helplessness took their toll and I was diagnosed with bleeding stomach ulcers brought on by stress. The job was killing me.

I can see the problems within the ambulance service, but I dont know how to fix them. Sometimes it seems to me like riding a bicycle with your clothes on fire... but the wheels are on fire too, and even the road is burning. What part of the crisis do we tackle first?
Twelve weeks before her untimely death in August 1997, Princess Diana appeared on the cover of the July issue of Vanity Fair. Shot by legendary South American photographer Mario Testino, she had never looked more beautiful.

Relaxed, effortlessly stylish and radiating a new-found self-confidence, she was a woman at the height of her powers. Having finally thrown off the shackles of her doomed marriage to Prince Charles, she was about to embark on the next chapter of her life.

Testinos pictures capture that sense completely. The Princess is playful, charismatic, full of mischief, her hair and make-up easy and understated, her body language seductive. She wears a succession of designer dresses, chopping and changing like a child let loose in the dressing-up box.

We got a real sense that we were finally seeing the real Diana: the person behind the headlines, the woman that few, save her closest friends and family, ever knew. That is what makes that shoot so iconic, so bittersweet. Such poise, such perfection, such hope; and how cruel her fate.

Shot by legendary South American photographer Mario Testino, Princess Diana had never looked more beautiful. The Princess is playful, charismatic, full of mischief, her hair and make-up easy and understated, her body language seductive

It seems strange that, in honour of Camillas 70th birthday today, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall have chosen to release a new official photograph of them together  taken by none other than Mario Testino. Strange and, I cant help feeling, a little risky

This sense of tragedy is what makes Diana such an enduring icon. And it is also, to a certain extent, what has made Prince Charless journey from Camilla Parker Bowless lover to husband so fraught.

Because like it or not, fairly or otherwise, their relationship will always be seen  by the public at least  in the context of Dianas life and early death.

Happy as they are, her ghost will always haunt them.

That is why it seems so strange that, in honour of Camillas 70th birthday today, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall have chosen to release a new official photograph of them together  taken by none other than Mario Testino. Strange and, I cant help feeling, a little risky.

Dont get me wrong: its a lovely picture. Testino has a reputation for making everyone he photographs look golden, and here we see that skill in practice. Charles looks handsome and regal, yet avuncular and completely at ease next to his wife, the love of his life.

Some photographers have a gift of capturing the best in their subjects. That is Testinos talent, and why the great and good flock to him. He is pictured at a private viewing in February

For her part, Camilla, always attractive but rarely girlish, looks positively pretty  her blue eyes sparkling under her unkempt eyebrows, wisps of grey flecking the blonde of her hair.

One senses a wave of the airbrush wand, smoothing away the odd wrinkle here, brightening the skin tone there. But few would begrudge her that small kindness in this Instagram age.

Charles has a slightly amused air about him, as though he is both embarrassed by all the fuss, but also secretly rather pleased. There is a great sense of connection not only with the viewer, but also between the two of them. They look genuinely happy together, a solid, unbreakable unit.

Some photographers have a gift of capturing the best in their subjects. That is Testinos talent, and why the great and good flock to him. Indeed, he is a favourite with Princes William and Harry.

Testino, a celebrated fashion photographer, is responsible for some of the most iconic images of Diana, who is pictured left with Prince Charles in August 1981 by the River Dee. Pictured right, Charles and Camilla on the steps outside the West Door of St George's Chapel during their wedding in April 2005

In the past, Testino has served them well, both in 2004, when he captured Charles, William and Harry as a stylish threesome; and for the Duke and Duchesss official engagement pictures. So he must have seemed the logical choice for this one of Charles and his wife.

And it would have been fine  were it not for the timing: 20 years almost to the day of that Vanity Fair cover; nearly 20 years since Dianas tragic death.

In the intervening two decades the memory of Diana has not faded, as some might have hoped. If anything, it has got stronger.

Lately, both William and Harry have spoken publicly about their mother, the psychological effects of her passing, and of wanting to keep her legacy alive.

Next Monday, July 24, on ITV at 9pm, the brothers present their own film about her, Diana, Our Mother: Her Life And Legacy, in which they share some of their earliest memories of her, recall the final contact they had with her before her death in August 1997 and discuss their feelings in the aftermath of that event.

On that basis alone, it promises to be gripping.

Royal favourite: Celebrated fashion photographer Testino was selected to photograph Prince Harry for an official portrait to mark his 21st birthday in 2005, left, and to capture Prince William and Kate Middleton on their engagement in 2010, right

For the legions of Diana fans who revere her as a cross between Mother Theresa and Marilyn Monroe (it is perhaps worth noting the modest exhibition of her dresses at Kensington Palace has drawn the most visitor numbers of any of the royal palaces), anyone who attempts to detract from that memory is playing with fire.

Charless love for Camilla was the cause of so much anguish for Diana. That he and his wife should have chosen to celebrate their relationship with a joint portrait so close to the anniversary of Dianas death seems a little unwise.

To do so in a picture taken by Testino, the photographer who captured the princess so poignantly shortly before her death, feels like something much more dangerous: a land grab on her memory.
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They may be some of Australia's best triathletes but that doesn't mean they can't douse themselves with well earned boozy German beer.

Ashleigh Gentle and Jake Birtwhistle, along with Charlotte McShane who finished eighth, downed giant beers to celebrate finishing second at the 2017 World Triathlon Series in Hamburg.

The triathletes were seen showering in the German brew on the podium with their silver medals hanging around their necks.

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Australian athletes (pictured) have celebrated their win with huge glasses of beer in Hamburg, Germany at the weekend

Australian triathlete Ashleigh Gentle (pictured far left) finished second at the weekend, wearing silver medal as downing beer

The 2017 World Triathlon Series in Hamburg finished with a boozy, and sticky, shower of German brew (pictured)

'I've always wanted to do this,' Gentle posted on Instagram.

'Silver medal at #WTSHamburg with my hamburger (Josh Amberger) man here to cheer me on too.

'Cheers and congrats ... also shout out to (McShane) who earnt her spot on the Commonwealth Games team, wahoo.'

Birtwhistle announced he enjoyed the cold brew shower.

'Cheers to that ... my favourite event on the series and a successful one again here in Hamburg,' he posted.

The trio will make up the Australian team for the Commonwealth Games held next year at the Gold Coast.

Australian triathlete Jake Birtwhistle (pictured far left) finished second at the weekend and also celebrated with a beer shower

Birtwhistle (pictured left) was the only Australian male to finish in the top ten at the 2017 World Triathlon Series

The boozy shower (pictured) celebrated the triathletes automatic selction for 2018 Commonwealth Game at the Gold Coast

After the well earned beer, Birtwhistle (pictured left) said it was his 'favourite event on the series' in an Instagram post

Birtwhistle was the only Australian male to place top ten while Bermuda's Flora Duffy won the women's race and Spain's Mario Mola took the title for the men.

Athletes who made the top ten automatically qualify for a spot at the Commonwealth Games.

Charlotte McShane (pictured 3rd left) finished eighth, automatically qualifying her for the 2018 Commonwealth Games
President Donald Trump is likely regretting the' bizarre mistake' of pulling out of the Paris climate agreement, according to Sir Richard Branson.

Branson, the Virgin Group founder, was speaking on Friday during an event for his DS Virgin Racing team in New York.

He said: 'With climate change, it's America first and our beautiful globe last, and that seems incredibly sad.

'I've got a feeling that the president is regretting what he did. Maybe his children and son in law [adviser Jared Kushner] are saying, "Look, I told you so". Hopefully there is a positive change of mind,' Branson added.

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Sir Richard Branson said he is hopeful President Trump has a change of heart over America re-joining the Paris Climate Accord. He is seen above Friday speaking at the New Lab in Brooklyn, New York

Both President Macron and Sir Branson have said they are hoping to see Trump change his mind and join the accord aimed at global warming. Trump is pictured above at the US Women's Open Golf Championships on Sunday

The billionaire businessman added that cities and businesses were firmly behind a transition to low-carbon energy making Trump's decision to exit the Paris Climate Accord 'very, very strange'.

French president Emmanuel Macron said Sunday he was also hopeful that Trump would do an about face and join the accord. '[Trump] told me that he would try to find a solution in the coming months,' Macron told the newspaper Dimanche.

'We spoke in detail about the things that could make him come back to the Paris accord,' Macron said, referring to the discussions the two world leaders had last week during their meetings in Paris.

Branson held the DS Virgin Racing New York Innovation Summit in part to call for businesses to drive forward technology to tackle climate change. Branson and the panel of experts and business leaders discussed how companies can save the planet and better people's lives, according to a press release for the event.

Branson also used the summit to call on the President to move away from his pro fossil fuel stance and move the coal mining industry to clean energy.

'Coal-mining is not the nicest of jobs,' Branson said, according to the Guardian, 'I'd suggest that the government should help coal-miners move into alternative jobs, such as clean energy. Clean energy needs hundreds of thousands of people. That would be good for the coal-miners, good for America and good for the world.'

Sir Richard Branson was joined by a panel of business leaders and experts at DS Virgin Racing for its first annual Innovation Summit in the US

'Now is the time to get massive investments into alternative energies. The vast majority of governments in the world are all still going in the right direction and companies in America are stepping into the breach.'

Although Branson did admit his calls to Trump were unlikely to sway the President much, as he criticized Trump in October for a meeting he had with him years prior. Branson recalled his lunch at the time with Trump 'bizarre' and showed Trump's 'vindictive streak' when he discussed destroying five people who were not helping him after one of his bankruptcies.

The US is one of only three sovereign nations currently not participating in the Paris accord which is aimed at strengthening countries to be able to deal with dangerous global warming.

Branson said his companies would join the 'We are still in' campaign,' a coalition that includes Facebook and Apple along with hundreds of other companies, cities and universities that are committed to reducing emissions.

Branson also spoke about his company Virgin Atlantic and the possibility of planes being battery powered by the year 2030

Meanwhile both Exxon and BP have urged the president to stick with the Paris agreement.

'Trump had hundreds of the most influential business leaders in the world speaking to him and he ignored them, so there's no guarantee that he'll change his mind,' Branson said.

'Who knows what goes in there,' he added, pointing to his head. 'The Paris decision was a bizarre mistake.

'You have people in America who believe the world was made 5,000 years ago. There are some strange people out there who have got into heady positions in the American government. You have the strange position of a cabal of people with very influential positions in America making these decisions.'

'Now is the time to get massive investments into alternative energies. The vast majority of governments in the world are all still going in the right direction and companies in America are stepping into the breach.'

Branson was joined in a panel discussion by Andrew Liveris, chief executive of Dow Chemical and part of a group that advises the White House on manufacturing. Liveris said chemicals companies have moved on from 'full frontal denial' of climate change and that businesses now grasp the seriousness of global warming.

'We are leaving governments behind, it's completely inverted,' Liveris said. 'I believe we will find a way back into Paris. That's not coming from any deep knowledge, but because of the engagement on the issue.'

Branson's event focused on his DS Virgin racing Team but he also spoke about another of his companies, Virgin Atlantic.

The airline industry makes up around 5% of global carbon dioxide emissions. He said cleaner fuel and more efficient plane designs were getting 'closer step by step.'

'I was told 10 years ago it wasn't possible to get across the Atlantic with a plane carrying a battery powered by clean energy before 2050, because of the weight of it and so on,' he said.

'But the way things are moving, it's quite possible that a battery driven plane could carry a plane full of passengers across the Atlantic by 2030. The airline industry could tick that box [on reducing emissions] before some other industries.'
Willie Cooper, 58, from Chicago was shot dead just outside his office

A community has been left outraged after an anti-violence campaigner was shot dead outside his office.

Willie Cooper, 58, from Chicago was less than a block from his anti-violence organization on Saturday when someone inside a dark-colored vehicle shot him in the mouth and torso at about 4.15pm, ABC 7 reported.

Cooper's body was slumped on the ground outside a liquor store when he was pronounced dead at 4.28pm.

Family and friends are reeling after losing Cooper, one of 30 victims shot in Chicago this weekend - 10 of those gunned down died.

'People are cold-hearted, how could you take someone's life? He helped everybody,' family member, Patricia Carter, told ABC.

'Since my dad passed away, he's been a man at the house in making sure me and my mom were okay.'

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Cooper was walking less than a block from his anti-violence organization on Saturday when someone inside a dark-colored vehicle shot him in the mouth and torso

'Since my dad passed away, he's been a man at the house in making sure me and my mom were okay,' family member, Patricia Carter, said

A friend and community member, Bamani Obadele, reflected on how Cooper had contributed to the community.

'Will is preventing violence,' he told the local station. 'Trying to find jobs for ex-offenders, working in this community. I almost want to name him the mayor of 95th Street.'

Among the 10 killed this weekend was a 10-year-old boy, Gustavo Garcia, who was shot in the back while in a moving car with a 31-year-old man at about 11.13pm.

The boy died in the hospital while the other victim is still in critical condition. Outside the hospital, the boy's father wailed before entering the hospital.

'My son is . . . ' he said, before pausing. 'I don't know.'

Police are yet to identify any suspects in both Cooper's and Garcia's cases.
Veteran TV star Red Symons is in hospital after a 'sudden lack of consciousness' caused him to fall and hit his head on the pavement.

ABC Radio Melbourne's Warwick Tiernan read a statement on Monday morning on Symons' behalf after the July 5 fall.

'When walking home from the supermarket I experienced a sudden lack of consciousness,' the statement said.

Veteran TV star Red Symons is in hospital after a 'sudden lack of consciousness' caused him to fall and hit his head on the pavement

'This resulted in a fall, with my head hitting the pavement. I am currently in hospital, thankful to be receiving the best of medical attention and working on a speedy recovery.

'I'm sorry for this unexpected absence but I do look forward to getting back to work as soon as possible.'

Symons, 68, made headlines last month after a bizarre interview with ABC journalist and producer Beverley Wang.

Ms Wang was a guest on a ABC radio program to discuss her podcast about 'racism, identity, culture and difference'.

'When walking home from the supermarket I experienced a sudden lack of consciousness,' a statement read. Symons and wife Elly are seen at the Million Dollar Lunch at Palladium in 2008

The interview with Symons was awkward from the start after he admitted to not listening to the podcast, before telling Ms Wang he was upset because he wanted to launch a similar show.

'Except my segment was called ''What's the deal with Asians'',' Symons said.

But Symons wasn't finished there and went on to ask Canada-born Ms Wang if she's 'yellow'.

He later apologised for the awkward interview, admitting he came across as racist.
Ministers were under fire last night after suppressing a key report into HS2 overseen by the country's most senior civil servant.

The review assessed whether the UK's biggest ever infrastructure project is on budget and provides value for money for taxpayers.

It was led by the Infrastructure and Projects Authority, which reports to the Cabinet Office, led by Sir Jeremy Heywood.

A report into whether HS2 is on budget and provides money for taxpayers was concluded last summer, but the results have been kept secret (pictured, artist's impression of HS2 terminal at London Euston)

The review was concluded last summer, before the legislation required to build the first phase of the high-speed railway, between London and Birmingham, received Royal Assent.

But although the key findings were relayed to Sir Jeremy Heywood and the government spending watchdog, the National Audit Office, the report has never been published.

Sir Jeremy was nicknamed Sir Cover-Up after preventing the Chilcot inquiry into the Iraq War from seeing letters and records of phone calls between Tony Blair and George Bush.

The Government was last night under fierce pressure to release the findings after a rail expert warned that the London to Birmingham phase will cost 403million per mile to build, making it the most expensive railway in the world

How cash could be spent An east to west high-speed trans-Pennine rail link  nicknamed HS3  connecting Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds and Hull. The electrification of the mainline between London and South Wales. Completion of this project has been delayed until 2024. Improving rail links between London, Devon and Cornwall. Rebuilding the vulnerable Dawlish coastal line between Exeter and Newton Abbot in Devon which has been repeatedly battered by storms and floods. Reopening the passenger line between Burton upon Trent and Leicester. It was closed to passengers in the late 1960s as part of the Beeching cuts. Only freight trains now run on the line. Electrification of the Valley lines in South Wales. Advertisement

The calculations were produced by Michael Byng, the expert who devised the standard method used by Network Rail to cost its projects.

He told The Sunday Times that using his method the London to Birmingham phase, would cost almost 48billion  double the official estimate.

He claims the full scheme, including extensions to Manchester and Leeds, would cost up to 104billion. The first 6.6 miles, from Euston station in London to Old Oak Common, would cost 8.25billion, or 1.25billion a mile.

The Department for Transport stressed that it had not commissioned the report but said it would look at the figures.

One furious MP described a 'pattern of concealment' over HS2, with the Government also refusing to publish two critical Cabinet Office reports conducted in 2011 and 2012 on the project.

Ministers were finally forced to publish them in 2015, after losing a case in the Supreme Court brought by campaigners.

The Infrastructure and Projects Authority concluded last year that the 55.7billion project was 9billion over budget.

Sir Jeremy identified 9billion of savings that could be made, but because the full report has still to be published it remains unclear how he came to his conclusions.

Campaigners expressed fears that Sir Jeremy's report had exaggerated the cost savings that could be made.

Opponents of HS2 believe the findings of the latest Cabinet Office investigation into the high-speed link have been kept quiet by ministers anxious to press ahead with the new railway without delay.

Sir Jeremy Haywood, nicknamed Sir Cover-Up after preventing letters between Blair and Bush being published by the Chilcot inquiry, led the review

Cheryl Gillan, Tory MP for Chesham and Amersham, said: 'No report on a project which uses so much taxpayers' money should remain secret.

'There is a pattern of concealment, with previous reports also withheld. If this report was positive the Government would have had no hesitation making it public.

'This will make the public believe there is something highly risky about this project  which people like me know is the case.'

Andrew Bridgen, Tory MP for North West Leicestershire, said: 'This white elephant is growing bigger and bigger.

'It is especially galling to waste such eye watering sums on this disastrous vanity project when there are such pressing things to invest public money in.'

A fresh row is expected to erupt today as the Government announces the final route of the Manchester and Leeds arms of HS2.

Homes on a new housing estate in Mexborough could be bulldozed to allow the line to run into Sheffield city centre.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling will stress the economic benefits of HS2 as he announces the winners of the first stage of the major construction contracts for the line. He will say the Government expects that the 6.6billion in contracts will support 16,000 jobs.

A Department for Transport spokesman said: 'HS2 will become the backbone of our national rail network  creating more seats for passengers, supporting growth and regeneration and helping us build an economy that works for all.

'We are keeping a tough grip on costs and the project is on time and on budget at 55.7billion.'
An Australian woman was dressed in her pyjamas when American police gunned her down, harrowing new details surrounding her death have revealed.

Justine Damond, who also uses the name Justine Ruszczyk, was at home on Saturday night when she called 911 to report a noise and a possible assault in an alley in South Minneapolis, Minnesota.

While police did not have body cameras switched on during the shooting, sources with knowledge of the incident claim the officers arrived at the alley at 11.30pm on Saturday night.

Ms Damond reportedly walked up to the car and began talking to the driver when an officer in the passenger seat pulled a gun and shot her through the drivers side door. No weapon was discovered at the scene, the Star Tribune reports.

The 40-year-old was originally from Sydney but had been living in the US for three years and was due to marry American businessman Don Damond, 50, in August.

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Justine Damond (pictured) was shot dead in her pyjamas by police in the United States, after calling 911 to report a disturbance in an alley near her home at South Minneapolis, Minnesota

Her partner and soon-to-be stepson were not at home when the 40-year-old was shot by police on Saturday night

Ms Ruszczyk was originally from Sydney but had been living in the US for three years and was engaged to marry American businessman Don Damond (right), 50, in August

Shattered friends said the woman and her fiance were due to marry in August, with Ms Damond already using her husband's surname on her website.

At the time of the shooting Mr Damond, the vice president of Little Six Casino was away on business.

Her soon-to-be stepson Zach was reportedly also not at the home on Saturday night, returning on Sunday to discover the crime scene.

And just hours after the shooting he spoke to a local activist group, slamming police over the death of Ms Damond - who he called his 'best friend'.

'Basically my mum's dead because a police officer shot her for reasons I don't know,' Zach Damond said.

'I demand answers. If anybody can help, just call police and demand answers. I'm so done with all this violence. It's so much bulls**t. America sucks.

'She was a very passionate woman, she thought something bad was happening - and next thing you know they take my best friend's life.'

Ms Damond's Australian-based family released a statement through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on Monday afternoon.

Ms Damond was shot in an alleyway on 51st Street in the Fulton neighbourhood (pictured)

Ms Damond was with her soon-to-be stepson when she called police to report a noise in an alley near her home in South Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Saturday

When police arrived at her home at around 11.30pm, 'one officer fired their weapon, fatally striking the woman' as she reportedly stood in her driveway

Just hours after the shooting Zach Damond (pictured), her heartbroken soon-to-be stepson, spoke with close friends of the woman and slammed police over her death

'This is a very difficult time for our family. We are trying to come to terms with this tragedy and to understand why this has happened,' the statement read.

'We will not make any further comment or statement and ask that you respect our privacy.'

Ms Damond attended Manly High School and the University of Sydney.

Her friend Matt Omo, an Australian, told the ABC he hoped something positive could come from the tragedy.

'I only hope this evolves into something that can make a positive impact for the world,' he said.

In a statement, the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said an investigation was in its early stages, but that police did not have their body cameras on during the incident.

Both officers involved in the shooting have been forced to take paid administrative leave, as is standard procedure following similar incidents.

Less than a week earlier it was revealed that officers across the city were using body cameras at what appeared to be a low amounts, despite their high-profile roll out.

Under Minneapolis Police Department policy, officers 'should manually activate their PVR (portable video recorder) to Record Mode when reasonably safe and practical' in situations including 'suspicious person stops' and 'crimes in progress'.

Friends of the woman told the Star Tribune that she had often spoken out against gun violence and told 'how much better' things were in Australia.

A timeline shows the events that led up to the fatal shooting

Ms Damond (pictured) was a 'corporate speaker, trainer and coach' who worked to spiritually help others and regularly ran workshops, according to her website and social media accounts

At a vigil for Ms Damond, women's activists wrote the names of other people gunned down by police in chalk on the pavement

Ms Damond's friends told US media she had often spoken out against gun violence and told them 'how much better' things were in Australia

WHY DID POLICE HAVE THEIR BODY CAMERAS TURNED OFF? - The use of body cameras, or portable video recorders (PVR), was initiated in Minneapolis during 2016. - Police introduced the technology in an effort to reduce complaints about the behaviour of officers and also to ensure vital video evidence was captured. - In Minneapolis, where Ms Ruszczyk died, the cameras must be manually switched on by police. They are automatic in other parts of the US. - According to Minneapolis government's policy, the body cameras must be turned on by when they anticipate they may be involved in a certain situation. - Situations where they must be switched on include: Traffic stops, arrests, physical confrontations, crimes in progress and suspicious person stops. - It was last week revealed that the usage of body cameras among officers in Minneapolis was low as 4% in some areas when responding to 911 calls. Source: Minneapolis Government Advertisement

Ms Damond's stepson shared images from the vigil, writing: 'people really showed love, thank you'

Ms Damond was a 'corporate speaker, trainer and coach' who worked to spiritually help others, according to her website and social media accounts.

Family friend Julia Reed addressed media on Monday, and said the woman would be 'undoubtedly' very missed.

'She was treasured and loved - we will miss her dreadfully,' she said.

Ms Reed, who had known Ms Damond for 32 years, said she would miss: '[Justine's] energy, intelligence, and the joy she brought to my life'.

Friend Marcus Ritchie mourned 'one of the world's most caring and sensitive souls', and called her 'a true inspiration to us all' in a Facebook post.

'There is no way to justify this incident as Justine Ruszczyk was such a beautiful person,' he wrote.

'There will be a lot to answer for!'

Originally trained as a vet at the University of Sydney, she was 'supporting individuals and organizations to discover the power and potential within their own brains and hearts.'

Ms Damond regularly held sessions at the Lake Harriet Spritual Centre, with many of her talks recorded and uploaded to YouTube.

She grew up on Sydney's northern beaches, with her father John the owner of a Dymocks bookstore at Warringah Mall and a prominent member of the community.

Hundreds of people gathered outside the Damond residence in the hours after her death to hold a vigil for the woman (pictured)

One mourner drew a heart with 'Justine' written inside, and a red and a yellow rose was laid on either side

Hundreds gathered outside the Damond home in the hours after her death to hold a vigil for the woman, with her neighbours remembering a 'beautiful light'.

'This woman was a beautiful light, she was a healer, she was loved, she should be alive - she should still be here,' one friend said.

Pictures showed a large group of people holding hands in a drive way, with colourful chalk drawings on the pavement - including a heart with 'Justine' written inside, and a red and a yellow rose laid on either side.

Her stepson Zach shared images from the event in his Instagram story, writing: 'people really showed love, thank you'.

One image showed a sign which read: 'Why did you shoot and kill our neighbour and friend?'.

The placard was surrounded by flowers, candles and a letter.

Nearby, a tea towel with an image of Australia was hung on a brick wall.

In a statement, the Minneapolis Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said an investigation was in its early stages, but confirmed police did not have their body cameras on during the incident

Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges said she was disturbed by the shooting and called on BCA to release information about Ms Damond's death as quickly as possible

Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges (pictured) said she was 'heartsick and disturbed by what occurred'

Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges said she was disturbed by the shooting and called on BCA to release information about Ms Ruszczyk's death as quickly as possible.

'As mayor of our city, a wife, and a grandmother, I am heartsick and deeply disturbed by what occurred last night,' Mayor Hodges said, the Star Tribune reports.

'I am heartsick and deeply disturbed by what occurred last night' - Mayor Betsy Hodges

'There are still many questions about what took place, and while the investigation is still in its early stages, I am asking the BCA to release as much information, as quickly as they are able to.

'My thoughts are now with everyone affected by this tragic incident, especially the deceased woman and her family.'
Sydney's train network was thrown into chaos after a death on the track left peak hour commuters stranded for up to 50 minutes.

Police said a person deliberately put themselves in the path of the train at Wahroonga station and was killed in the early hours of Monday morning.

Services along the northern line between Hornsby and Gordon stations were shut down for about two hours, only beginning again soon before 8am.

Police said a person deliberately put themselves in the path of the train at Wahroonga station and was killed in the early hours of Monday morning

Commuters took to social media in confusion, with a few in Wahroonga saying they saw dozens of emergency services in attendance

Thousands of passengers had to be re-routed through Ryde, Macquarie Park and even Strathfield to reach the CBD and other part of Sydney.

Sydney Trains advised that even though services were running again by 8am, passengers would still need to leave extra time.

Some said it took them up to 50 minutes longer than usual to reach the CBD after being redirected back through Hornsby.

Commuters took to social media in confusion, with a few in Wahroonga saying they saw dozens of emergency services in attendance.

Services along the northern line between Hornsby and Gordon stations were shut down for about two hours, only beginning again soon before 8am

'Wahroonga train station closed this morning. Police, fire and ambos everywhere,' one wrote on Facebook.

The problems were made worse by urgent signal equipment repairs at North Ryde.

If you or anyone you know needs help contact Lineline on 13 11 14.
The terrified British PR man at the center of the Russian White house scandal has cut short his luxury European tour to hold urgent meetings with his lawyer in LA, MailOnline has learnt.

Rob Goldstone, 56, has been on an extended holiday that he referred to as his gap year with his partner, David Wilson, documenting their travels on social media.

But amid fears that he would be assassinated for setting up a meeting with Donald Trump Jr and some Russians  one of whom had worked in counterintelligence  Goldstone caught an emergency flight from Athens to Los Angeles where he has been locked in talks with his attorney.

He has found himself in the middle of an international scandal and he is terrified, a friend of the British-born publicist told MailOnline.

Rob Goldstone, the PR executive at the center of the White House Russia scandal, has ended his holiday to fly to the US where he is seeking legal help. He is pictured above in Azerbaijan on July 10, before deciding to cut short his luxury 'gap year'

He doesnt know whether he will carry on with his holidays in a few weeks or if he will have to remain underground. All of his friends are worried.

The flamboyant PR executive, known for his formidable girth and passion for silly hats, has spent recent weeks indulging his habit of posting selfies with young men he has met on his travels on social media.

Referring to the men as Muppets, he has posed with them in a range of exotic locations from Croatia to Turkey. Last year, he posted a selfie with the caption, packing for Russia  its almost Muppet time.

In recent weeks he has been on a luxury cruise around the Greek islands where he partied with young men working on the ship, posting selfies all the way.

Disembarking in Athens, he dined on moussaka at his favourite rooftop restaurant, Cafe Avissinia, which offers stunning nighttime views of the Acropolis.

Goldstone had been documenting his trip on social media. He is pictured on June 16 in Hawaii, before he jetted to Europe

Goldstone checked out of the Athernaeum Intercontinental in Athens as the scandal gained momentum

Goldstone had planned to spend the year traveling but decided to cut his trip short as his involvement in the scandal became known last week. He is pictured above in Athens before (right) and at the start of his trip (left) in June

One of the waiters who served Goldstone told MailOnline: He was a very friendly, happy guy who wanted to be everyones friend. He seemed to love the dishes here and ate many of them. He didnt seem troubled at all.

But Goldstones attempts to shake off the scandal failed as it gained momentum, forcing him to cancel arrangements he had made with several young men in Athens to travel back to the States.

He told friends he had checked out of the exclusive Athenaeum Intercontinental hotel, which boasts a gourmet restaurant, spa and rooftop bar.

It comes as revelations intensify that Donald Trump's campaign sought damaging information from Russia about his opponent, Hillary Clinton, with Goldstone acting as a go-between.

The meeting Donald Trump Jr. held with Russians last year came just days before a Russian hacker named Guccifer 2.0 dumped thousands of Democrat documents online.

Goldstone set up a meeting between Russian lawyers and Donald Trump Jr. last year. He also promised the support of his clients, Moscow-based pop star Emin Agalarov who he said wanted to 'help' the Trumps. Goldstone is pictured with Agalarov and Donald Trump in 2012

Key passage: Goldstone offered official information from a Russia 'crown prosecutor' - a British term equivalent to a United States attorney - which would incriminate Hillary Clinton. Trump Jr responded: 'I love it.'

Donald Trump Jr. (left, addressing the scandal on Hannity last week) and Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya (right) who he met with

The president has defended his son since news of the meeting emerged

Russian-American lobbyist Rinat Akhmetshin, who is known to have worked in counterintelligence and is suspected of being a spy, sparked outrage last week when he said he was also at the meeting.

Akhmetshin claimed that Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya attended the meeting with a plastic folder full of documents on the Democratic National Committee and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

She left the dossier at Trump Tower after the meeting, Akhmetshin added. This directly contradicted Trump Jr's claim that no information had been received from the visiting Russians.

It is unclear if the documents were directly linked to the ones that Guccifer 2.0 leaked to WikiLeaks several days later, which are thought to have been hacked from DNC servers.

In emails sent shortly after Trump secured the GOP nomination last year, Goldstone is seen offering to connect Donald Trump Jr to lawyer Veselnitskaya, telling Trump that a Russian prosecutor had offered to provide sensitive information on Clinton to the campaign.

He also claimed that his clients, Moscow-based real estate developer Aras Agalarov and his pop star son Emin Agalarov, had helped along the Russian government's support for Donald Trump.

The revelations over the past week underscore the White Houses inability to shake off the Russia story and close the book on a narrative that casts a shadow over Trump's presidency.

Trump Jrs account of his Trump Tower meeting has changed on an almost daily basis. At first, the meeting was said to be about a Russian adoption program. Then, it was to hear information about campaign rival Hillary Clinton.

Finally, Trump Jr was forced to release emails  mere moments before The New York Times planned to do so  that revealed he said he would love Russia's help with the campaign.
A man who fell to his death from a pub balcony is being remembered as a person who had a 'heart of gold'.

Henry Cusack, 28, was enjoying a night out with friends at the Sail and Anchor Hotel in Fremantle, Western Australia on Saturday when tragedy struck.

Police say it appears Mr Cusack had been sitting on a sofa on the balcony when he lent back and fell through a cafe blind onto the pavement.

Emergency services were called about 8.30pm and Mr Cusack was rushed to Fiona Stanley Hospital but was pronounced dead soon after, just days out from his 29th birthday.

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Henry Cusack (pictured) died after falling from a pub balcony in Fremantle, Western Australia while on a night out with friends on Saturday

Police say Mr Cusack had been on a sofa on the balcony of the Salt and Anchor Hotel (pictured) when he lent back and went through cafe blinds

Emergency services were called to the scene (pictured) about 8.30pm. Police say they are not treating Mr Cusack's death as suspicious

Mr Cusack (pictured), from west Perth, died just days out from what would have been his 29th birthday

'He was at the pub last night drinking with friends and was sitting on the back of the sofa chair,' a Western Australia police spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia.

'The sofa was on the balcony, he leaned back and went through the cafe blinds.

'We are not treating the death as suspicious as this is a health safety matter.'

Family friend Michael Snell told Seven News Mr Cusack's relatives have been left devastated by his death.

Tributes have flowed for Mr Cusack on social media, who is being remembered as a 'wonderful young man'

The 28-year-old (pictured) has also been remembered by close friends for his 'heart of gold'

'He was just a really good character. Bright, always friendly, wouldn't of had an enemy in the world,' he said.

'I've been talking to people on the phone - there's people breaking up on the phone. It's just a tragic event.'

Mr Cusack's heartbroken father briefly visited the accident scene on Sunday.

Tributes have flowed for Mr Cusack on social media where one wrote: 'Your heart of gold will shine on forever'.

Another posted: 'We lost a wonderful young man. Could make so many people laugh and so many friends - a very good sportsman'.

Mr Cusack, from west Perth, was also remembered as 'one of a kind' who left 'a footprint on this world'.

Daily Mail Australia contacted the Sail and Anchor Hotel who declined to comment on the tragic incident.

A report will be prepared for the coroner.
Thousands of stroke patients stop taking life-saving statins because they are worried about side effects, research suggests.

Others refuse to receive the pills at all because they are put off by misleading scare stories, scientists said.

The researchers, who assessed stroke survivors attitudes to statins, said patients often do not trust their doctors enough to take the drugs. Six million Britons take statins every day to reduce their cholesterol and ward off heart disease.

Patients are said to have received the pills because they're put off by scare stories

But experts believe another six million who could benefit do not take them. They are particularly important for people whose hearts are at risk  especially those who have suffered a heart attack or a stroke in the past.

Statins are proven lifesavers, slashing the chance of repeat stroke, yet a scientific row over the dangers has dragged on for years, which medics fear has put many people off.

The researchers, writing in the BMJ Open journal, said: Although statins are known to reduce the risk of stroke by as much as 25 per cent, benefits are undermined by suboptimal adherence.

Roughly 30 per cent of patients fail to take their prescriptions properly. Dr Mike Knapton, associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation, added: It is deeply concerning some patients are stopping their medication and putting themselves at risk without first consulting their doctor.

There is no doubt that statins reduce your risk of having a second stroke or heart attack and the vast majority of people experience no or only minor side effects. We urge people to continue taking their medication as prescribed.

Statins are proven to slash the chance of repeat stroke - but scientific rows have dragged on for years

The research team, from Cambridge and Queen Mary universities, examined conversations on an internet forum run by the Stroke Association charity. Several patients said they had experienced negative side effects, such as muscle pains, and stopped taking the pills as a result. Others reported they, or the person they were caring for, stopped taking statins after reading negative stories about side effects.

One reason for failing to follow doctors advice was lack of trust. The researchers said: Survivors expressed concerns about being prescribed medications they considered inappropriate, questioned their GPs motivation to prescribe and at times realised when prescribing mistakes occurred.

Practical concerns, such as the pills being too big, were also a factor. Dr Anna De Simoni, a public health academic in Cambridge, said: Doctors need to listen to these concerns, discuss the benefits and drawbacks of taking the medication, and be willing to support a patients informed decision to refuse medications.

A lack of trust in doctors' advice is thought to have led to patients stop taking the medicine

But co-author James Jamison, also from Cambridge, said doctors could still challenge their patients views. Statins are the most commonly prescribed medication on the NHS, and cost less than 2 a month per patient. NHS watchdog NICE has advised millions more should take them  even if they do not have any symptoms of heart disease.

But a study last summer found 200,000 people had stopped taking statins due to a series of misleading papers that claimed side effects were far more widespread than previously thought.

Around 150,000 Britons a year suffer from stroke, of whom 40,000 die within 12 months.
A teenage girl has been charged with armed robbery after she allegedly stormed into a Queensland service station and demanded cash while wielding a large knife.

The 16-year-old girl allegedly stormed into Freedom Fuels in Bundaberg, north of Brisbane, around 6.30pm on Saturday, according to police.

The teen allegedly shoved a woman and child out of the way before confronting two staff members with the knife.

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A teenage girl has been charged with armed robbery after she allegedly stormed into a Queensland service station (pictured) and demanded cash while wielding a large knife

A female staff member behind the counter gave the robber $500, store owner Muhammad Ali told News Mail.

CCTV captured the incident as it unfolded.

Video footage shows the assailant, who is wearing a hat and black fabric over their face, holding a large knife in their right hand and as they opened up a small rainbow bag for staff place cash in.

'She had a bag with her and told my staff member to put the money in it, Mr Ali told the publication.

'We did not see her face because it was hidden and she was also wearing a cap.'

Staff contacted the police quickly after the teenager allegedly fled.

Police revealed on Monday they had arrested and charged a 16-year-old girl with the crime.

She is facing a charge of armed robbery and an unrelated count of stealing.

Mr Ali told News Mail he was happy no one was injured during the incident.

'I think everyone will be scared about this happening again in the future,' he said.
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop is far more popular with voters than Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, new research has found.

Participants in focus group sessions, convened by UMR Research, described Ms Bishop as 'smart', 'strong' and a 'leader' with 'talent', while the prime minister was labelled 'smug' and 'arrogant', The Australian reported.

Ms Bishop downplayed the results and said Labor was 'being cheeky' commissioning the survey, before dodging questions over whether she has aspirations to become prime minister.

Julie Bishop has dismissed research showing she is far more popular with voters than Malcolm Turnbull

Speaking on ABC's Insiders program on Sunday, Ms Bishop said Labor was 'being cheeky' commissioning the survey

'I understand that this is a poll commissioned by the Labor Party and it is certainly for the Labor Party,' Ms Bishop told ABC's Insiders on Sunday.

'It's clearly just mischief making, Labor being cheeky and I think we should dismiss it and then move on to some more important topics.'

She said there is no doubt that Mr Turnbull will lead the coalition to the next federal election.

Ms Bishop said there is no question that Mr Turnbull will lead the coalition to the next federal election

Roy Morgon research in October last year found Ms Bishop was the preferred coalition leader over the Prime Minister, 34 to 25 per cent

'I have stood for election as deputy leader of the party. And our party has elected me on a number of occasions. And so, I will continue as deputy as long as my party elects me as deputy,' she said.

'I'm committed to working with Malcolm Turnbull and I agree absolutely with Barnaby Joyce that Malcolm Turnbull is the leader of our party and will lead us to the next election, and I look forward to working with him as the deputy leader of the Liberal Party.'

Roy Morgan research in October last year found Ms Bishop was the preferred coalition leader over the Prime Minister, 34 to 25 per cent.
A charity has launched plans that would see wild lynx in the British countryside for the first time in more than 1,000 years.

The Lynx UK Trust has submitted an application to Natural England to release six Eurasian lynxes in the Kielder Forest region of Northumberland.

The cats would be released for a five-year trial period while equipped with movement-tracking collars.

A charity has launched plans that would see wild lynx in the British countryside for the first time in more than 1,000 years

Dr Paul ODonoghue, the chief scientific adviser on the project, said it is potentially the first return of an extinct predator in the UK, after the British lynx was wiped out around 1,300 years ago by fur hunters.

He said: Weve now reached a point where we feel every piece of research has been done ... The only way to move truly forward is with an intensively monitored trial.

The lynx has been reintroduced in Germany, France and Switzerland, and there are now more than 10,000 in Europe.

Natural England would have to approve the plan. However, Scottish authorities are also being consulted in case the cats cross the border, and Scotlands environment secretary Roseanna Cunningham said there were serious concerns about the proposals.
The country's second-in-command has opened up about his relationship with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, revealing they aren't friends and once had a huge fight.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce told GQ Australia he and Mr Turnbull had a 'furious argument' about the carbon tax.

'We'd had a huge blue ... furious argument, absolutely furious,' Mr Joyce said.

Mr Joyce (pictured) said he had a furious argument with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull

Mr Joyce (pictured right) said he and Mr Turnbull (pictured left) get along but aren't friends

'Shouting, screaming, the whole lot.'

Needing other people to step in and break up the fight, Mr Joyce, a former bouncer, said onlookers had to separate the two men and remove Mr Joyce from the room.

The fight took place when Mr Turnbull was the Liberal Opposition Leader leading the charge to back the Rudd Labor government's proposed emissions trading scheme in 2009.

Mr Joyce, then a Nationals senator, and several conservative Liberal MPs were opposed to any form of carbon pricing, which led to Tony Abbott ultimately topping Mr Turnbull as Liberal leader in December 2009.

Despite being raw to start with, Mr Joyce said the two leaders now respected each other.

Mr Joyce said although he and the Prime Minister weren't close friends and their relationship was purely based on work, they got along with each other with confidence and respect.

Both being leaders of political parties, Mr Joyce said they both had jobs to do making them 'friendly ... not close'.

The self confessed 'hard man' who had his teeth handed back to him on a plate and had 28 stitches in his head said he had always known how to look after himself, using many of the skills he learned as a bouncer in Parliament.

Mr Joyce (pictured) said the fight between the two men had to be broken up by other people

Deputy PM (pictured left) said his relationship with the Prime Minister (pictured right) was one that was 'friendly ... not close' after the screaming fight about the carbon tax

Using his bouncer-knowledge means the Deputy PM can fine-tune his skills to work out who could really hurt him and who's bluffing.

'It sharpened my contempt for people who throw their ego around,' Mr Joyce said.

'I still find myself sizing rivals up.'

Mr Joyce (featured in GQ August magazine pictured) said he often used tactics he learnt when he was a bouncer in Parliament
A Muslim Imam who campaigns against radicalism and Sharia Law claims his Facebook page was shut down because he spoke out against Islamic State terrorism.

Sheikh Mohammad Tawhidi, from Adelaide, said his Facebook page was deleted after radical Muslims made 'false reports' in an effort to silence him.

'I'm not even allowed to criticise ISIS or Jihadis. Any comment against ISIS gets my page banned,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

Sheikh Mohammad Tawhidi (pictured) said his Facebook page was deleted after 'mass reporting of radicals'

Imam Tawhidi has publicly condemned terrorism, religious violence, radicalism and extremism.

In April he called for a 'review' of Islam in Australia and demanded Muslims respect freedom of speech and democracy.

His views garnered so much abuse from hardline Muslims he was forced into hiding this year in fear for his life.

He claimed hoards of Muslims targeted his Facebook page because they didn't agree with his views. He said their 'false reporting' forced Facebook to take action.

'I was banned by Facebook because radical Islamists made false reports about me and apparently I'm not allowed to even have a photo of myself either,' he said.

'I feel there's a political agenda behind this.'

Imam Tawhidi said Facebook removed a photo he posted of himself. He claimed he appealed the decision to close his page, but Facebook did not respond.

Imam Tawhidi said Facebook even removed a photo he posted of himself - without offering a reason why

'I was banned by Facebook because radical Islamists made false reports about me and apparently I'm not allowed to even have a photo of myself either,' he said.

This is the photo I referred to in my live stream one hour ago which Facebook immediately deleted. Radical Muslims are now preaching with weapons in their hands to motivate Jihadists. They'll probably delete this photo as well,' he wrote alongside Facebook's message of deletion

One member of the Sydney Islamic Discussion Facebook page called for fellow members to report as many of Imam Tawhidi's posts as possible, with the intention to get his page shutdown.

'Keep on reporting his posts, the least we can do is make his life a little hard,' one man said.

Imam Tawhidi created a backup page because he refused to be 'silenced'.

'I'm back on Facebook to expose the corruption of Islamic Extremism,' he said.

'I'm back on Facebook to expose the corruption of Islamic Extremism,' Imam Tawhidi said

'Keep on reporting his posts, he least we can do is make his life a little hard,' one man wrote in Sydney Islamic Discussion

The Muslim Imam amassed almost 50,000 followers on his Facebook page before it was deleted.

Imam Tawhidi's new Facebook page attracted almost 4,000 since it was created last week.

His return was met with support from followers who said it was 'outrageous' he was banned for expressing his opinion.

'So glad to see you will not be stopped Imam Tawhidi. Thank you for remaining steadfast,' one woman said.

'I am so wholeheartedly with you Imam Tawhidi. You are a great man and a great patriot for Australia and beyond. My support for you will only get stronger along with many others that 'wise up' or 'wake up'.'

Imam Tawhidi (centre) at a ralley in Adelaide, claims he has been wrongly silenced from speaking out on Facebook

'This is my backup page until Facebook publishes my original page once again. I will not be silenced. I'll be coming out live this evening,' Imam Tawhidi wrote online

The Adelaide based Imam, who emigrated from Iraq when he was 12, revealed hardline Muslims had threatened to shoot him if they saw him on the streets.

He said a $5,000 bounty was put on his head in April, with one man branding him an 'infidel' and publicly calling for his beheading.

Imam Tawhidi has courted controversy since he declared he only came to Australia 'because it was a non-Muslim country'.

Imam Tawhidi has courted controversy since he declared he only came to Australia 'because it was a non-Muslim country'

'If we knew after 30 years we are going to have burqas running around and mosques being erected on every corner and people proposing Sharia Law against democracy in this country we wouldn't have come,' he said.

The imam said he was opposed to new mosques being built claiming they would all eventually be run by 'radical Muslim leaders'.

His outspoken opinion led to escalating threats from radical Muslims.

Daily Mail Australia reached out to Facebook for comment but it was unable to provide comment before time of publishing.
Italy has threatened to issue 200,000 migrants with temporary EU visas as it struggles to cope with rising numbers reaching its shores.

Senior government officials are understood to be looking at a little-known Brussels directive to hand out residence permits allowing migrants access to full working rights, housing and benefits for up to two years.

It would also potentially allow them to travel throughout Europe under the Schengen scheme.

The UK is not part of the agreement but the provocative move would infuriate France and Austria, with whom Italy shares borders, and has been called a nuclear option.

Many of the migrants arriving in Italy are fleeing horrors in Libya, although the UN Refugee Agency this month said that seven in ten were economic migrants rather than refugees (stock photo)

More than 86,000 have landed in Italy so far this year after being rescued in the Mediterranean as they attempt the perilous crossing.

Many are fleeing horrors in Libya, although the UN Refugee Agency this month said that seven in ten were economic migrants rather than refugees.

The number of migrants in detention centres across Italy has reached capacity at almost 200,000  prompting protests this weekend.

Mario Giro, the deputy foreign minister, and Luigi Manconi, a senator with the ruling Democratic Party, told The Times that issuing migrants with temporary visas was under discussion.

Mr Giro and others from the Democratic Party believe Italy can exploit European Council Directive 2001/55, which states member countries would have to make provision for any displaced people to receive necessary assistance in terms of social welfare and means of subsistence and allow family to join them. The temporary permits last for a year but can be extended by a further year.

Moment Italian coastguard officers TORCH a people smuggling boat they intercepted en route from Africa This is the moment the Italian coastguard tosses a flare into a people smugglers boat on the Mediterranean. Within seconds, the rubber dinghy is engulfed in flames as thick black smoke rises into the sky. It is one of dozens of boats destroyed in this way on any single day as the coastguard battles to stop people smugglers bringing hundreds of migrants from Africa to Europe. The Italian coastguard tosses a flare into a people smugglers boat on the Mediterranean The rubber dinghy is engulfed in flames as thick black smoke rises into the sky The coastguard says destroying the boats is the only way to stop them being used again They make thousands of pounds a day ferrying people from the Libyan coast in small boats. Once migrants have been rescued by aid workers, they often drag the boat back to shore to be used again. This year has already seen record numbers of migrants making the dangerous trip, with Italy the frontline of the crisis. The coastguard says destroying the boats is the only way to stop them being used again. Advertisement

Those considered a security risk or who have committed serious crimes can be excluded. As the scheme currently benefits only EU citizens, police can turn back migrants from outside Europe.

But a temporary EU permit given by Italy would allow the migrants, most of whom want to travel to northern Europe, to do so, it is understood.

Mr Manconi said: Letting migrants travel once they reach Italy would create a real problem for our EU neighbours. But I hope it would force France to confront the migrant problem head-on.

The directive has never been used and invoking it would require approval from EU members, many of whom would likely oppose it. But Italy could also use domestic law to hand out temporary visas, it has been claimed.

Officials are said to be discussing a second option last used when Silvio Berlusconi was prime minister, the Times reported.

President Macron of France, pictured, has said that most of those who travel to Italy are economic migrants rather than refugees, and he will not allow them into France

The so-called Bossi-Fini law allowed it to hand temporary humanitarian visas to thousands of Tunisians who sailed to Italy during the Arab Spring in 2011.

Mr Giro said: The EU wants Italy to keep migrants in hotspots for months and be a deposit for arrivals, which is unacceptable. 

Italy has been forced by Brussels to open so-called hotspot centres intended to be the first port of call for newly-arrived migrants to house, care for and process those travelling to Italy.

President Macron of France has said that most of those who travel to Italy are economic migrants rather than refugees, and he will not allow them into France.

Mattia Toaldo, a senior analyst at the European Council on Foreign Relations, told the Times: If migrants continue to arrive and Italy decides to give them papers to cross borders and leave Italy it would be a nuclear option.

The Italian government and foreign ministry did not comment yesterday. But UK Conservative MP Andrew Rosindell said: I am surprised the Italians would act in such an irresponsible way.
A kebab shop devotee has proposed to his girlfriend with the help of his favourite meal.

Mavi Fish, Chips and Kebabs shop in Mornington Peninsula, south-east of Melbourne, was approached by the customer with the special request on Sunday.

The store's favourite customer popped the question with the ring box in the middle of the halal snack pack, surrounded by meat and chips.

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A Victorian man has successfully proposed to his girlfriend with the help of his favourite kebab shop

The proposal happened at Mavi Fish, Chips and Kebabs shop in Mornington Peninsula, a beachside area south-east of Melbourne

The store was approached by the customer with the special request on Sunday

His girlfriend said yes, snapping a photo of her engagement ring with the snack pack in the background.

'Today were approached by one of our favourite customers with a very special request,' the shop wrote on Facebook.



'I think we can safely say that it was the first time someone has been proposed to with food from us!'

'We're so happy and proud to be a part of their special day and we wish the couple a very happy life together.'

The halal snack pack is a popular Australian-Middle Eastern dish using kebab meat and chips topped with cheese and sauce in a Styrofoam container.

Social media users were quick to congratulate the couple and praised the man's creative proposal.

'At least the proposal was with the best food ever, HSP rocks it's the best', one commentator said.

Others were humoured by it, one saying: 'Proposal with a snack pack... This guy peaked too early'.

Women said it set the proposal bar high: 'Make sure my future husband knows to do this'.

Some members of the Halal Snack Pack Appreciation Society on Facebook disagreed, saying it wasn't the 'greatest proposal ever' when asked.

The proposal, posted to various Facebook pages, has been liked more than 1,700 times and viewed over 194,000 times.

The Halal snack pack is a popular Australian-Middle Eastern dish with Halal kebab meat and chips topped with cheese and sauce in a Styrofoam container

Social media users were quick to congratulate the couple and the man's creative proposal

Others were humoured by it, one saying: 'Proposal with a snack pack... This guy peaked too early'

Women said it set the proposal bar high: 'Make sure my future husband knows to do this'
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The disturbed mind of Britain's most notorious prisoner has been laid bare in a new series of artworks drawn from behind bars.

Charles Bronson, who has rebranded himself as Charles Salvador in recent years in homage to abstract painter Salvador Dali, has assembled a series of drawings based around what he calls a 'dirty dozen'.

As well as featuring typical motifs of Bronson's art, such as flying syringes filled with 'liquid cosh' - medication used to sedate prisoners that he was frequently given - spiders and security cameras, there are also references to other notorious criminals.

The names of Harold Shipman, the Cray twins, Ian Brady and Mira Hindley, Peter Sutcliffe, Levi Bellfield and Fred West all crop up in several of the drawings.

Two-faced heads, disembodied faces, strange creatures with human heads and men made into machines also recur through the artworks - as does Bronson's own image.

These are the latest artworks by Charles Bronson, who now goes by the name Charles Salvador in tribute to the surrealist painter Salvador Dali, giving a glimpse into the mind of the most notorious British prisoner

Bronson has assembled a series of drawings based around a 'dirty dozen' other prisoners including Harold Shipman, the Cray twins, Ian Brady and Mira Hindley, Peter Sutcliffe, Levi Bellfield and Fred West who are mentioned in his artworks

Flying syringes filled with 'liquid cosh' - a reference to drugs used to sedate prisoners - is a recurring theme of Bronson's art, along with spiders, cameras and other figures with wings which appear similar to his own moustache

Human figures that are part-man, part-machine also feature regularly in Bronson's pictures, along with dozens of egg-like figures and obscure references to nursery rhyme humpty dumpty

Bronson was initially jailed for seven years in 1974, but a series of violent assaults while inside led to him being given a life sentence in 1999. Since then he has become a cult figure, and clearly enjoys the attention he attracts

Bronson also seems to be mulling his own fate in several of the artworks, with frequent mentions of the afterlife. 'Hell awaits Ian Huntley' also features on the sign at the bottom of the drawing, indicating the issue is on his mind
Iran has sentenced a Princeton graduate to ten years in prison for 'infiltrating' the country to 'spy on behalf of America'.

News of the detention of Xiyue Wang, 37, came on Sunday, less than two months after relative moderate Rouhani beat a hard-line opponent to win reelection by running in large part on his record of pursuing greater engagement with the West.

Iran's judiciary - the country's pillar of hard-liners' influence - also confirmed President Hassan Rouhani's brother had been detained over allegations of financial misconduct.

Chinese-American dual national, Xiyue Wang, 37, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after the Iranian president accused him of 'infiltrating' the country to 'spy on behalf of America'

News of his detention was announced on Sunday by the Iranian judiciary, the country's pillar of hard-liners' influence

Wang, a Chinese-American dual national, was not previously known to be among the handful of Americans detained in Iran.

'It was verified and determined that he was gathering (information) and was involved in infiltration,' judiciary spokesman Gholamhosein Mohseni Ejehi said during a routine press briefing.

Ejehi did not identify Wang by name. But hours after he spoke, Mizan - a website affiliated with the Iranian judiciary - published an article attributed to an unnamed source that revealed his identity and included several photos of him apparently taken from the internet.

The Mizan article said he was born in Beijing and entered Iran as a researcher. It pointed to graduate studies he did at Princeton University in 2013 and 2014, and described him as a fluent speaker of Persian. Princeton had no immediate comment.

The news agency also claimed Wang had 'spider connections' with American and British intelligence agencies.

Wang was arrested on August 8 2016 and is accused of passing confidential information about Iran to the U.S. State Department and universities including Harvard

Wang was arrested on August 8, 2016, and is accused of passing confidential information about Iran to the U.S. State Department, Princeton's Sharmin and Bijan Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Iran and Persian Gulf Studies, the Harvard Kennedy School and the British Institute of Persian Studies, according to Mizan. It alleged he recorded some 4,500 pages of digital documents.

The U.S. State Department was not immediately able to provide details on the case. It said its citizens' safety and security is a top priority.

The U.S. does not maintain formal diplomatic relations with Tehran and warns its citizens traveling there that they risk arrest or being barred from leaving Iran.

'The Iranian regime continues to detain U.S. citizens and other foreigners on fabricated national-security related changes,' it said in a statement to The Associated Press. 'We call for the immediate release of all U.S. citizens unjustly detained in Iran so they can return to their families.'

The arrest of the president's brother, meanwhile, stunned many in Iran.

Ejehi said the brother, Hossein Fereidoun, was taken into custody over allegations of financial impropriety and is eligible for bail, but has not paid it yet.

Fereidoun is a close confidante of the moderate president, a cleric who changed his surname to Rouhani, meaning 'spiritual,' after joining the seminary decades ago.

Fereidoun was part of the negotiating team that ultimately sealed Iran's landmark nuclear deal with world powers in 2015, winning the country relief from international sanctions in exchange for limits on its atomic energy program.

Authorities also confirmed on Sunday that President Hassan Rouhani's brother, Hossein Fereidoun had been detained over allegations of financial misconduct. Fereidoun is pictured on July 3, 2017, sitting in a conference in Tehran, Iran

Fereidoun was a close confidante of the moderate president, pictured gesturing after delivering a televised speech in Tehran in May 2017

The deal was unpopular with Iranian hard-liners, whose influence runs deep within the judiciary. They saw the nuclear deal as giving too much away in exchange for too little.

Fereidoun has long been a target of hard-liners, who have accused him of misdeeds including money laundering and misappropriation of government funds.

The unproven allegations were a flashpoint during the May presidential election, with the president's hard-line challengers demanding that the judiciary investigate accusations against Fereidoun.

Wang is one of several Americans in Iranian custody.

Iranian-American art gallery manager Karan Vafadari was detained along with his Iranian wife last year. They have yet to be convicted of a crime.

Iranian-American businessman Siamak Namazi and his 81-year-old father, Baquer Namazi, are each serving 10-year sentences for 'cooperating with the hostile American government.'

Another Iranian-American, Robin Shahini, was released on bail last year after staging a weeks-long hunger strike while serving an 18-year prison sentence for 'collaboration with a hostile government.'

Still missing is former FBI agent Robert Levinson, who vanished in Iran in 2007 while on an unauthorized CIA mission.

Also in an Iranian prison is Nizar Zakka, a U.S. permanent resident from Lebanon who advocates for internet freedom. He lives in Washington D.C. and has done work for the U.S. government. He was sentenced to 10 years behind bars last year after being accused of espionage-related charges.
A self-confessed IRA bomber should be extradited to Britain to face justice, MPs urged yesterday.

They spoke out after republican terrorist Michael Christopher Hayes, 69, broke decades of silence to admit being part of the cell that killed 21 people in 1974 by planting bombs in two Birmingham pubs.

The atrocity was compounded when six men were wrongly convicted for the crime and imprisoned for almost two decades.

Michael Christopher Hayes, 69, broke decades of silence to admit being part of the cell that killed 21 people in 1974

Bombmaker Hayes last week told the BBC he accepted collective responsibility for all IRA attacks in Britain, and said he was sorry innocent people were killed.

Making clear how close he was to the planning and organisation of the Birmingham attack, he said he defused a third bomb when it became clear how many had died that night.

But Hayes  who now lives in a terrace house in south Dublin  refused to say if he planted the gelignite bombs himself.

When asked directly if he had, he replied: Im not telling you.

Yesterday Khalid Mahmood, Labour MP for Birmingham Perry Barr, said on the BBCs Sunday Politics programme that the families of victims of the attacks on the city suffer to this day.

Mr Mahmood added: If this happened anywhere else in the world, theyd leave no stone unturned to deal with this, but here we are forgetting about all the citizens of Birmingham that lost their lives. We should ask him to be brought here and to be questioned properly.

Jess Phillips, Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley, revealed yesterday she would be urging Theresa May to seek Hayess extradition, saying: If hes going to make these claims he should be called in to be questioned by the police.

Labour MP Khalid Mahmood said the families of victims of the attacks on the city suffer to this day

Otherwise its as if hes speaking with impunity and the people who died, it doesnt matter, and theres no investigations into their deaths.

Hayes had first been named as part of the five-strong team behind the murders in 1990, in a TV documentary which helped secure the release of the innocent Birmingham Six.

He has also boasted of placing the deadly Brighton bomb in 1984, with his only regret being that it failed to kill its target Margaret Thatcher.

Inquests into the Birmingham bombings begin in September but Hayes has said his conscience is clear and does not plan to attend.

He added: I can sleep at night, because I am not a murderer.

West Midlands Police said inquiries remain open and that any new evidence will be examined.
Disrespectful youths are trashing a war memorial as they are using it for a place to drink alcohol, take drugs and have sex on.

The mural, dedicated to servicemen and women who lost their lives during the war, is often seen covered in litter and beer bottles.

Calls have been made for the plaque to be fenced off as a mark of respect to the fallen comrades.

The Broadmeadows Memorial site in Victoria consists of three different murals on display

The area surrounding the memorial has been vandalise by youths for sex, alcohol and drugs

In the past, youths have used the Broadmeadows Town Park war memorial in Pearcedale Parade as a place to perform all their vice activities.

As a result, Hume Council has agreed to install signs around the war memorial to stop the young from wrecking the monument any further.

Cr Leigh Johnson told the Leader that the signs would deter people from damaging the memorial.

Broadmeadows Historical Society secretary Elayne Whatman told Daily Mail Australia that news was a bitter sweet victory for her.

'I tried for the last 14 years writing letters to the council asking for extra security (for the war memorial), but it all went on deaf ears.'

'I was surprised when a received a call informing me that the council would install cameras there,' she said.

Ms Whatman who has been the secretary for the society for the last 14 years said the memorial consist of three murals, which was each dedicated to the army, navy and air force.

She went on to vent her frustration over teenagers and young people's lack of consideration over the memorial which she described as a beautiful.

'People call it a brick of shit, people spit there, drink alcohol there and have sex there.

'There was also lot of food wrappers seen today (Monday) and it is a big mess, they must have had a big party there over the weekend.

'Such a disgrace,' she added.

She said more than 200 names of fallen servicemen were engraved on the murals.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Hume Council for comments.
Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has been ridiculed on her own Facebook page for posing in a picture with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who favours a controversial oil pipeline.

Sarah Hanson-Young's social media followers are wondering why the lawmaker from a pro-environment party would endorse a world leader who backs the Keystone XL pipeline, which will carry tar sands oil from Alberta in western Canada to the United States.

The pipeline was rejected by former U.S. President Barack Obama only to be approved this year by his Republican successor Donald Trump.

Senator Sarah Hanson-Young (left) met Canadian PM Justin Trudeau who supports the controversial Keystone XL pipeline

This man wondered whether Sarah Hanson-Young was smitten with the Canadian PM's looks

One woman warned Greens senator to be wary of being swayed by Trudeau's 'boyish charm'

Senator Hanson-Young's Facebook followers ridiculed her for posing in a picture with Mr Trudeau, who backs the oil pipeline despite being in favour of lowering Canada's carbon emissions.

'So basically, you've fallen for his good looks,' Roland Chan wrote. 'Do you support his tar sands oil extraction?'

Jo Connellan cautioned the Greens senator against falling for the good looking son of another former Canadian Liberal prime minister Pierre Trudeau.

'Environmental credentials not so good - don't get sucked in by the boyish charm,' she said.

The Greens senator's followers wondered if she cared more about the Canadian PM's looks

Senator Hanson-Young visited Canada only weeks after her whale watching fiasco broke

Another Facebook follower wondered if Senator Hanson-Young cared more about the Canadian prime minister's appearance than his environmental credentials.

'Best friend the tar sand industry ever had and he has great hair,' he said.

Senator Hanson-Young's trip to Canada comes just two weeks after it was revealed she charged taxpayers $3,874.24 to go whale watching with her 10-year-old daughter last year.

The 35-year-old South Australian had travelled to the Great Australian Bight last September under the guise of her efforts to ban oil and gas exploration in the marine reserve.

The senator's Facebook followers also wondered why she would meet a world leader who backed an existing $15 billion arms deal with Saudia Arabia, a nation under Sharia law that executes homosexuals and cuts off the hands of thieves.

Sarah Hanson-Young, who attends gay pride marches, was criticised for backing the Canadian prime minister despite his close ties with anti-gay Saudi Arabia

This Facebook follower said it was hypocritical for a Green to back a world leader who attended gay pride marches only to deal with a nation that kills homosexuals

One American man pointed out the absurdity of Senator Hanson-Young's embrace of Prime Minister Trudeau.

'What a great job he did selling a multi-billion dollar weapons deal to the Saudis, great conveyors of human rights they are,' Jimi Kilday Ferguson said.

Another man pointed out the hypocrisy of the Canadian PM attending gay pride festivals when he maintained close ties with Saudi Arabia.

'He sells guns to the Saudis then goes to the pride festival like he is a human rights champion,' he said.

'Sorry senator, this is a foul from you.'

However, plenty of Senator Hanson-Young's followers approved of the picture, considering both politicians favour taking in more refugees into their respective nations.

'Great to see fresh, young faces replacing angry white males,' Darryl Fry said.
A stressful experience such as losing a loved one, getting divorced or being fired can age the brain by up to four years, scientists say.

They have identified 27 life events that are so damaging to the brain that even one can age it prematurely, potentially leading to diseases such as Alzheimers later in life.

The damage can begin in childhood when problems such as having to repeat a year at school or being expelled were found to be significant stressful events.

Scientists have identified 27 life events that are so damaging to the brain that even one can age it prematurely, potentially leading to diseases such as Alzheimers later in life

Children whose parents struggled to find work or who had drug or alcohol problems also experienced damaging stress.

From the teenage years into adulthood, experiencing parental divorce, the death of a parent, sibling or child, infidelity by a spouse and serious conflict with the in-laws were all considered highly stressful. Money problems, including bankruptcy or being fired, and losing a home to fire or flood were also damaging.

Scientists believe severe stress causes inflammation of the brain, which could make it more vulnerable to problems such as dementia in the long term. Stressful events could also lead to depression, which puts people at higher risk of dementia.

Dr Maria Carrillo, of the US Alzheimers Association, said in addition to the 27 events listed, experiences such as changing schools as a child or a fraught house purchase could be traumatic enough to cause damage.

She added: The stressful events were throughout the lifespan  a variety of different things that you can imagine would be impactful and stressful. Dementia and brain health should be thought of as life-course issues, not just mid-life or late-life [problems]. We have to start thinking about brain health from birth, if not before.

A team from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in the US collected data from 1,320 people with an average age of 58, who provided information about their stressful experiences and took part in memory and thinking tests.

The study, presented at the Alzheimers Association International Conference in London, found experiencing more stressful events was associated with worse performance in the tests.

Stressful events could also lead to depression, which puts people at higher risk of dementia

Each stressful experience was equivalent to around four years of brain ageing in African-American participants. The average ageing effect across all participants was around 1.5 years per experience.

African Americans also experienced 60 per cent more stressful events on average than white people, which researchers said could explain a higher incidence of dementia in the ethnic group.

A type of brain scan rarely used in Britain because it is so expensive could help improve Alzheimers diagnosis in up to two thirds of patients, a Swedish study presented at the conference found.

A second study by UK researchers showed regular use of the PET scans could mean a more accurate diagnosis for one in five patients.
A one-year-old boy died Saturday after he was trapped for two hours inside a BMW that was parked outside his family's home in Florida.

Police in Delray Beach identified the boy on Sunday as Khayden Saint Saveur.

Khayden died one month shy of his second birthday, according to the Sun-Sentinel.

'It's tragic,' said the boy's uncle, Carly Saint Saveur.

'He was such an active kid. I don't know why this happened.'

Police arrived at the scene in the Rainberry Woods section of Delray Beach, a community that lies 50 miles north of Miami, at approximately 3.20pm on Saturday.

A police spokesperson said that when officers arrived, they noticed Khayden was unconscious inside the car.

A one-year-old boy died Saturday after he was trapped for two hours inside a BMW that was parked outside his family's home in Florida. Police in Delray Beach identified the boy on Sunday as Khayden Saint Saveur

Because the front doors were unlocked, officers were able to open the door and pull him out of the vehicle.

They immediately began to administer CPR until Delray Beach Fire Rescue arrived.

Khayden was rushed to Bethesda Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

Khayden was playing with other family members and may have been in the car for up to two hours when his family realized he was missing, according to police

Carly Saint Saveur told the Sun-Sentinel that the BMW belongs to his brother, Action Saint Saveur, who is the boy's father.

'[He] is not feeling well at all,' Carly Saint Saveur said of his brother. 'I'm scared for him.'

Police arrived at the scene in the Rainberry Woods section of Delray Beach at approximately 3.20pm on Saturday. A police spokesperson said that when officers arrived, they noticed Khayden was unconscious inside the car

Police said that one adult was home at the time Khayden is believed to have wandered outside to the driveway and opened the car door on his own.

Investigators said they are still examining evidence and have yet to reach a definitive conclusion.

The temperature in Delray Beach on Saturday reached a daytime high of 90 degrees.

Police said that the inside of a car parked outside in those conditions could climb to 150 degrees within a few minutes.

Hours after the boy's death, friends and family members visited the home. Several cars were seen lining the street as groups of people stood outside.

Neighbors of the family were still trying to make sense of the loss.

'He was always a jumpy little boy,' Anderson Exantus, 19, said.

'He had lots of energy. And his parents treated him really well.'
An obsession with new GCSE grades means children may not receive a proper education, the head of Ofsted is warning.

Major reforms risk losing the real substance of education because teachers will take a results-driven approach, says chief inspector of schools Amanda Spielman.

Traditional A*-G grades have been axed and from this year pupils saw GCSEs in English and maths graded 9-1, with 9 the top mark.

GCSEs were reorganized this year with pupils in English and maths graded 9-1

The changes will be brought in for all subjects in the next few years. Supporters argue the move is necessary to allow more differentiation between high-achieving children.

Extending the system is expected to make it tougher for pupils to achieve the top grade.

Pressure to succeed under the new regime means schools are finding it hard to make sure they put childrens interests first and think children, children, children, Miss Spielman told The Sunday Times.

The real substance of education is getting lost in our schools, she added. An inclination to drill them for exam success could follow, she warned, compromising their chance of getting a broad and balanced education.

Miss Spielman fears subjects such as art, music, drama and sport could be squeezed out as children as young as 13 decide what subjects to take. She has ordered inspectors to review what is being taught in lessons.

Schools were also said to be broadening some courses from two to three years so pupils could be adequately prepared.

This method might ensure they get cracking grades, she said, but it could leave them short of the skills required to thrive in later life.

Miss Spielman has never been a teacher but has 15 years experience in education and was chairman of Ofqual, the qualifications regulator.
NHS Nurses and doctors face losing their homes after being ordered to pay 12.8million in fines for parking at Wales' biggest hospital.

Staff at University Hospital of Wales lost a legal fight over the unpaid tickets and are now being hit with huge bills by the car park's private operator.

One nurse owes 150,000 in outstanding fines after a court ruled 128 must be paid for every unpaid ticket, plus 26,000 in court fees.

Staff at University Hospital of Wales face having to sell their homes after losing a legal fight (file picture)

More than 100,000 unpaid tickets have been racked up, meaning staff owe 12.8million to car park owners Indigo.

The hospital has 6,000 staff but the car park has only 1,800 spaces, so many have to park in spots reserved for visitors.

Staff, some of whom earn just 15,100, decided they would veto payment of any fines in protest at the lack of space.

Robert O'Brien, 35, quit his hospital job earlier this year when he was hit with almost 800 in fines from contractor Indigo, he now works as a salesman.

He said: 'I quit my job with the NHS because of the stress of being hit with parking fines.

'I loved the job but just couldn't take it any more.

This car was given a parking fine outside the University Hospital of Wales despite a sign stating 'cardiac emergency nurse on-call'

'I don't think it's too much to ask when you are working nights to be able to park at your place of work.'

Staff nurse Felicity Richards added: 'I have to allow 45 minutes to an hour extra to park my car every morning to find somewhere to park.

'By the time I get into work there are usually no parking spaces and I have to park off site and quite often I have to park a 20 to 25 minute walk away.'

The ruling by District Judge Clare Coates comes after a three day trial at Cardiff Civil Justice Centre.

The case involved three workers Stephen Dadswell, Emily Booth and Sophie Round - who parking contractor Indigo say have each racked up more than 100 parking tickets.

But the three NHS workers are part of a larger group of workers with unpaid tickets - and the hearing was seen as a test case for other staff who have also failed to pay.

Judge Coates' ruling means each unpaid ticket can be collected for 128 - amounting to a total of 39,000. She also ordered the group will have to pay 29,000 costs.

Speaking after the judgement, healthcare support worker Sophie Round, said: 'I am gutted.

Campaigner Sue Prior said the ruling is 'devastating' for doctors and nurses

'It's not really the outcome that we wanted and what we earn doesn't really cover the fines.'

Campaigner Sue Prior criticised the health board, saying: 'This ruling is devastating for doctors and nurses across the country.

'They have permitted a private parking company to do this. There is no common sense anywhere.

'At the moment we just need to sit back and assess what we are going to do because it costs money to appeal. It was like David and Goliath - and David lost.'

A dermatology consultant, who did not want to be named, said: 'We're routinely forced to use public car parks because there just aren't enough staff spaces available.

'Hospitals run like clockwork and if we choose to wait around for a staff space to become available then we'll be late for work and that's just not acceptable.

'The contempt for staff bringing their cars into work clear. It's disgusting for hard-working staff to have to shell out when the infrastructure just isn't up to scratch.'

'The hospital have also taken parking permits away from people who live close to free up room.

'We get annoyed about the lack of spaces, especially when we're in a rush. But I think the women who've been fined should have just paid the 10 fine and moved on.'

The hospital has 6,000 staff but the car park has only 1,800 spaces, so many have to park in spots reserved for visitors

Karen Jones, 63, from Cardiff, who was visiting at the hospital, said she believed staff shouldn't have to pay to park up.

She said: 'They shouldn't have to pay because they've got an important job to do.

'There's enough car parks around here for the public so I honestly don't think staff should pay. It's an awful lot of money these lot will have to cover now.'

The hospital has 10 car parks, which are split in half between the public and for staff.

It is now feared other members of staff could face further civil action over other outstanding unpaid parking tickets.

A spokesman for parking firm Indigo, , which had a 24million turnover last year, said: 'In April last year, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board and Indigo agreed a new set of measures to improve car parking on the University Hospital of Wales site.

'As a gesture of goodwill towards car park users, parking charge notices issued up to the end of March 2016 were cancelled.

'In addition, the cost of a Parking Charge Notice was reduced to 10, if paid within 14 days.

'Despite this, a number of people refused to pay for parking at the site. They also ignored the resulting PCNs and declined to use the formal appeals process.'

Have you been fined by this company? Email paddy.dinham@mailonline.co.uk Advertisement

The spokesman said the court action was taken against 'persistent offenders' who flout parking rules.

He said: 'As the company responsible for managing parking and ensuring the free flow of traffic at Cardiff UHW, we have an obligation to ensure enforcement of parking restrictions,' the spokeswoman said.

'For this reason, and with the full support of the health board, we took the strongest possible action against this small group of persistent offenders.

'The court's ruling has justified our decision to take this action and we hope this sends a clear message to users of the car parks at Cardiff UHW that they follow the terms and conditions for parking.'

More than 100,000 unpaid tickets have been racked up at the hospital (file picture)

One staff nurse said the parking situation was 'annoying' but said some action had been taken which helped NHS workers.

The woman, who asked not to be named, said: 'We have a park and ride available not far from here which only costs 1 and is useful.'

A spokesman for Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, said: 'The vast majority of over 98 per cent of staff comply with the parking regulations.

'It is disappointing that a few people have chosen to refuse to co-operate with the contractors Indigo Parking Services UK and have chosen to pursue this through the courts.

'All staff and others visiting University Hospital Wales are encouraged to comply with the parking regulations in order for us to keep the site, safe, free- flowing and allow access to emergency vehicles and vital health services.

'We are aware there are significant financial costs and the financial hardship the staff have placed themselves in.

'We encourage all staff to engage with Indigo Car Parking Service UK at the earliest opportunity to avoid mounting legal and court costs.

'A high proportion our staff are involved in front line clinical duties.

'We have arrangements in place for vital services that require easy access quickly such as on call surgeons and midwives and those whose skills are required urgently for patient care.

'The vast majority of posts are covered by shift patterns and rotas that do not require the level of urgency claimed.'
A Muslim group is offering to meet Australians for coffee one-on-one to give honest answers to questions about Islam.

Muslims Down Under will set up anyone for 'coffee and cake' with a practicing member of the religion in all major cities to improve mutual understanding.

Imam Mohammed Atae Rabbi Hadi, at Baitul Huda mosque in Marsden Park, Sydney, said for too many people, all they knew about Islam what they saw on TV.

A Muslim group led by Imam Mohammed Atae Rabbi Hadi (pictured) is offering to meet Australians for coffee one-on-one to give honest answers to questions about Islam

Muslims Down Under will set up anyone for 'coffee and cake' with a practicing member of the religion so they could understand more than what they see on TV

'They ask: Is Islam really a violent religion? If it's not, why has violence happened? What does jihad mean?' he told the Sydney Morning Herald.

'Why not meet an Aussie Muslim, and get to know them and see you have so much in common?'

The 25-year-old imam acknowledged extremism was a growing problem but said it was increasing in the far right too, and hoped better understanding could limit it.

The group ran Q&A sessions at Western Sydney University and Imam Hadi was running another in Mudgee in NSW's Central West next week.

The 25-year-old imam acknowledged extremism was a growing problem but said it was increasing in the far right too, and hoped better understanding could limit it

Muslims Down Under hopes interacting with everyday Australians directly would reduce Islamaphobia and allow both sides to have positive experiences.

'Instead of learning about Islam from sensationalist news, how about #MeetAnAussieMuslim and #DisscussIslam,' its website reads.

Its national coordinator Najm Sehar said if Muslims focused too much on the harassment they received they became scared of those around them and more isolated.

'When you hear about these reports, it almost encourages us to have phobias of each other,' she told the newspaper.

The group is loosely affiliated with the minority Ahmadiyya branch of Islam that Imam Hadi's mosque follows.

Muslims Down Under hopes interacting with everyday Australians directly would reduce Islamaphobia and allow both sides to have positive experiences

Muslims Down Under's website, where people can book a coffee with one of dozens of volunteers around the country, stressed 'love and education over hate'.

'We present 6 universally accepted human values rooted deeply in the Holy Quran (the true Islamic voice) as common ground in our fight against extremism and Islamophobia,' it reads.

The values were: No to terrorism; loyalty to Australia; separation of state and religion; freedom of conscience, speech and religion; no to discrimination; and power and equality for women.

The group's Twitter last week shared a graphic including a positive-sounding quote by the prophet Mohammad and adding the comment 'women are a source of blessings in every stage of life'.

The group's Twitter last week shared a graphic including a positive-sounding quote by the prophet Mohammad and adding: 'Women are a source of blessings in every stage of life'

Imam Hadi, whose great grandfather fought in World War One, was also one of several young men who attended a Sydney dawn service on Anzac Day wearing a 'Muslims for Loyalty' t-shirts.

'Were Muslims and we firmly believe that love for your country is part of your faith, to show solidarity with your fellow citizens is something that is part and parcel of our faith so thats why were here today and also be part of the broader community,' he told The Australian at the time.

'It shouldnt be about us and them, it should be about celebrating our nations history and human values.'
Victoria Butler-Cole is chairman of Compassion In Dying, the sister group to Dignity In Dying which campaigns to legalise assisted dying

Charlie Gards parents were astonished to find that the state-appointed lawyer representing the terminally ill baby leads a charity that backs assisted dying.

Victoria Butler-Cole is chairman of Compassion In Dying, the sister group to Dignity In Dying which campaigns to legalise assisted dying. They share the same chief executive, and trustees such as Mrs Butler-Cole can only sit on one if they support the aims of the other.

Mrs Butler-Cole is understood to have been appointed to the charity by Cafcass, a state body that acts as the voice of children in family courts and helps to ensure their welfare.

Charlies parents, Chris Gard and Connie Yates, were already unhappy about having to use a lawyer to represent their 11-month-old son, preferring to speak on his behalf themselves.

He is being treated for a rare genetic condition at Great Ormond Street Hospital while his case is heard at the High Court.

His illness has left him severely disabled. Doctors say he has irreversible brain damage and there is no hope for hope for him. It wants to switch his life support off.

The decision has been backed by Charlies state-appointed guardian, who is represented in court by Mrs Butler-Cole.

Charlies parents, Chris Gard and Connie Yates, were already unhappy about having to use a lawyer to represent their 11-month-old son

He is being treated for a rare genetic condition at Great Ormond Street Hospital while his case is heard at the High Court

A source close to the parents, who are from Bedfont, west London, told the Daily Telegraph they found it astonishing that Mrs Butler-Cole was appointed to act for Charlie when she is head of the sister body to Dignity In Dying, formerly the Voluntary Euthanasia Society, adding: The implication is obvious  it looks like a profound conflict of interest.

Charlie is due to be examined by Dr Michio Hirano, a US neurosurgeon

Compassion In Dying said it was wrong to suggest there was any conflict of interest between Mrs Butler-Coles role in the case and her views on assisted dying.

A spokesman said: There are clear differences between this case, the work of Dignity In Dying and the work of Compassion In Dying. The Charlie Gard case is about making decisions in the best interests of a seriously ill child.

Charlie is due to be examined by Dr Michio Hirano, a US neurosurgeon, who has flown to the UK at the invitation of the High Court.

Dr Hirano believes he can help Charlie with an experimental treatment. His arguments will be heard by the High Court when it rules on the case next Tuesday.

The High Court said in April that Charlie should be allowed to die with dignity, a decision confirmed by the Court of Appeal, the Supreme Court and the European Court of Human Rights.

But the case was referred back to the courts by Great Ormond Street Hospital after medical experts claimed that a new therapy could help to treat his illness.

Mrs Butler-Cole said that she was unable to comment while the High Court case was continuing.
As'ad's Bio

As'ad AbuKhalil, born March 16, 1960. From Tyre, Lebanon, grew up in Beirut. Received his BA and MA from American University of Beirut in pol sc. Came to US in 1983 and received his PhD in comparative government from Georgetown University. Taught at Tufts University, Georgetown University, George Washington University, Colorado College, and Randolph-Macon Woman's College. Served as a Scholar-in-Residence at Middle East Institute in Washington DC. He served as free-lance Middle East consultant for NBC News and ABC News, an experience that only served to increase his disdain for maintream US media. He is now professor of political science at California State University, Stanislaus. His favorite food is fried eggplants.
When eagle-eyed fans spotted a 'mystery white substance' behind Kim Kardashian in a selfie video last week, it turned out it was part of a marble table.

And now a deceptive plate may have caught a top Australian fashion designer in the same predicament.

The partner of Sydney eastern suburbs fashionista Alice McCall posted a picture to Instagram in April showing Ms McCall and two friends striking party poses.

A source sent the photographs to Daily Mail Australia on Monday morning, pointing out the white lines on top of a plate on the kitchen bench.

A source who sent the photograph to Daily Mail Australia pointed out an apparent white substance on the table in front of Ms McCall and two friends

The source pointed out the photograph had been 'quickly removed, cropped and reposted' in April without the white marking

Ms McCall said it was plate artwork, sending a picture of the plate and the benchtop she said it was placed on top of in the picture

The source said shortly after uploading it, Ms McCall's partner 'quickly removed, cropped and reposted' the photo without the 'substance' part of the picture.

'With a growing fashion power house, wouldn't you think twice about images posted on a public social media site?' the source said.

But in a statement, Ms McCall said the plate was actually a clever piece of hand-printed artwork.

'The black plate with white lines on it is in fact a piece of art, by the Australian artist, Daimon Downey,' she said.

Ms McCall said she collaborated with Mr Downey on her Mercedes Benz Fashion Week show in 2015.

In the statement from Ms McCall, Mr Downey said she was an owner of the rare plate, which he described as a 'funny joke piece'.

'Hand screen printed 'RAK" plates were an idea derived from the popular culture of cocaine almost permanent fixture in todays society,' he said.

'Screen printed and baked into black porcelain in a way that looks like total realism, it also delivers a shock or sometimes comical experience when left out of its box and left on tables, work desks or mums kitchen.

More examples of what Mr Downey said was his unique plate colletion

Top designer: Ms McCall is seen on left arriving at a David Jones fashion show in 2013, and on right ahead of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in April 2014

Ms McCall - who founded her label in 2004 - is seen here at the Fashion Week this year

'Originally made to hang on a wall like collectable grandma plate it has worked it way due to it realistic printing that it has become a funny joke piece with a 99% success rate of fooling anyone that its the real and dangerous deal.'

He said the plate had 'struck again'.

Ms McCall's partner, Daniel, removed the photograph from Instagram after Daily Mail Australia's questions.

Last week, Kim Kardashian fans pointed out what appeared to be 'white lines' in the background of a Snapchat video.

Kardashian initially tweeted the substance was 'sugar from our candy mess" following a visit to a lolly store with her children, North and Saint.

Much the same! Fans of Kim Kardashian last week believed they had spotted a powdery substance in the background of a social media post

Kardashian later clarified the supposed 'white substance' was actually part of her marble table

Upon closer inspection, revealed it was the natural colouration of her marble kitchen bench-top.

'That was not candy on my table! The table was marble this whole time!' Kardashian said.

'C'mon. I don't play like that... It's just not my lifestyle - I've never been like that.'

Ms McCall's 'pretty, feminine, chic and bohemian' designs are a common sight at Australian Fashion Week.

Her designs are now wholesaled in 25 countries and have been worn by the likes of Kate Moss and Katy England, according to her brand's website.
The United Arab Emirates are behind the hacking of a Qatari's state news agency earlier this year, it has been claimed.

On Sunday, The Washington Post cited anonymous US intelligence officials who claim to have evidence that UAE leaders were behind the breach which occurred at the end of May.

The hack resulted in the circulation of a false news story on Qatar News Agency which included made-up quotes that were attributed to Qatar's emir, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad al-Thani.

The made-up comments included the emir calling Iran, Saudi Arabia's biggest rival in the region, an 'Islamic power' and praising Hamas, a US-designated terror group.

US officials claim the UAE is behind the hacking of Qatar's news agency in May which sparked a diplomatic crisis. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was in Doha last week to try to resolve the crisis with Qatar's Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani (above together on July 11)

After the report appeared online and on television, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt all severed diplomatic ties with Qatar. They banned Qatari media from their countries afterwards, reigniting a simmering feud between the countries.

If the UAE is proven to be behind the attack, it suggests its leaders were eager to reignite the feud and wanted an excuse to sever ties with Qatar.

Its officials categorically denied having any involvement in the hack on Sunday. In a statement denying the Post's reports, ambassador Yousef al-Otaiba pointed again to Qatar's apparent support of terrorists.

'The UAE had no role whatsoever in the alleged hacking described in the article.

'What is true is Qatars behavior. Funding, supporting, and enabling extremists from the Taliban to Hamas and Qadafi. Inciting violence, encouraging radicalization, and undermining the stability of its neighbors,' he said.

UAE officials denied having any involvement in the hack. Above, the UAE embassy in Washington DC

President Trump has prioritized improving relations with Saudi Arabia but not with Qatar. He is pictured with Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud in Riyadh in May, two days before the hack

President Trump alluded to the division between Saudi-led Arab countries and Qatar after his visit

Qatari officials have not commented since the report was published.

The hack came within days of President Trump's visit to Riyadh where he called for peace in the region and where he urged Middle Eastern leaders to unite against terrorism.

As tensions flared after the report, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson flew to the region to try to narrow the rift.

He signed a counter terror agreement with Qatar and urged the neighboring nations to come together for the greater good, saying: 'No one's hands are cleans here.'

President Trump, however, has been critical of Qatar and its government.

During his trip to the Middle East, he focused on the US's relationship with Saudi Arabia and brokered a deal which will see the Saudis buy $110billion of arms from US companies.

He praised Tillerson this week, telling The Christian Broadcasting Network he believed he was doing a 'terrific job'.

The president conceded that he holds a 'different view' - his lean has been towards Saudi Arabia whereas Tillerson appears to be championing Qatar.
Backpackers have shared horrific stories of alleged exploitation, mistreatment and sexual abuse at the hands of 'predatory' farmers while picking fruit in Australia.

Among them is Canadian woman 'Chelsey', who accepted work on a grape farm in regional Victoria in the hope of gaining a one-year extension on her visa.

'The first day was alright, but then the farmer started to make comments about how great I would look in leggings,' she told the ABC's Australian Story program.

Chelsey said the farmer was driving her back to her hostel one night when she was forced to jump out of his truck after he lunged at her.

Backpackers have told horrific stories of exploitation, mistreatment and sexual abuse at the hands of 'predatory' farmers while picking fruit in Australia. Among them is Canadian woman 'Chelsey' (pictured), who accepted work on a grape farm in regional Victoria

Another to speak out against the highly-controversial visa system is British tourist Jo-Anne Cooke

'He's pulled over and he reached across and tried to come at me. He came around the truck and got on top of me when I was on the ground,' she said.

'I crossed my legs as hard as I could, I had my arms covering me. He was reaching to undo his pants - I just started punching and kicking.'

Chelsey reported the incident, but said police didn't press charges until another backpacker said she was assaulted by the same farmer.

He pleaded guilty and was convicted of sexual assault.

The current working holiday system requires backpackers holding 417 visas to undertake 88 days of work in regional Australia to be granted an extension.

Another to speak out against the scheme is British tourist Jo-Anne Cooke.

She told the program she and her friends were promised work on a farm in Queensland, but the work never came.

When we were in the showers, which had half see-through glass, he would come in on some excuse that he had an urgent message to deliver,' Ms Cooke said said of a hostel owner

The group were instead offered to work at their hostel to pay for their rent, but it was the hostel owner's 'sly' behaviour which angered Ms Cooke more than any financial uncertainty.

'He would find sly ways to touch the girls; he would rub up against us... When we were in the showers, which had half see-through glass, he would come in on some excuse that he had an urgent message to deliver,' she said.

When Marcel Weiser arrived in Australia last year, he went to work on a farm in Bundaberg. He lost his thumb on his very first day on the job.

'I was trying to remove a potato and heard a crunch and it was the sound of my thumb caught in the machinery... When I pulled out my hand my left thumb was missing,' he said.

When Marcel Weiser arrived in Australia last year, he went to work on a farm in Bundaberg. He lost his thumb on his very first day on the job

British tourist Mia Ayliffe-Chung was allegedly stabbed to death by a French tourist last year after working in a Queensland cane field to extend her visa

The horrifying stories come as the mother of murdered British tourist Mia Ayliffe-Chung heads a campaign to reform the requirements of 417 visa holders.

Rosie Ayliffe's daughter was allegedly stabbed to death by a French tourist last year after working in a Queensland cane field to extend her visa.

'As a bereaved mother I'm raw, and emotional, but I won't be ignored, and I won't allow anyone to ignore the facts being revealed to me on a daily basis,' she wrote for The Sydney Morning Herald.

'The stories have been pouring in since Mia's death, and each new horror affects me as if it were Mia who were the victim.'

Ms Ayliffe-Chung was allegedly stabbed to death by Smail Ayad, who she shared a dorm with at Home Hill, north Queensland, in the days before she died.

Fellow British backpacker Thomas Jackson, 30, was also allegedly attacked by the 29-year-old as he rushed to her rescue. He died five days later.

Ms Ayliffe-Chung's mother is heading a campaign to reform the requirements of of 417 and 462 visa holders

'As a bereaved mother I'm raw, and emotional, but I won't be ignored,' Ms Ayliffe wrote

In the following days, British police woke Ms Ayliffe in the middle of the night to deliver the horrific news. The heartbroken mother flew out to Australia to bury her daughter.

She said the devastation of losing her daughter on the trip of a lifetime led her to push for change to the 417 visa protocol.

In addition to writing to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Ms Ayliffe has also used social media to warn backpackers travelling to Australia.

'If you're travelling on your own, stay in groups or with male companions... never get into a vehicle with a stranger in any country in the world,' Ms Ayliffe wrote earlier this year.

'While it's good to be open and trusting, and it brings its own rewards, you have to travel smart and not take unnecessary risks.

'This is not saying this was the girl's fault in any way, but what we as a campaign are looking at is a system  88 days agricultural labour  which can be changed.'

Australian Story - Long Way From Home airs on Monday on ABC TV at 8.00pm.
An Iraqi man, who legally changed his name five times, has tried to get out of paying back welfare payments after he hid more than $1 million in cash and assets from Centrelink.

Rabee Ebady, 48, scammed the Department of Social Services $142,006 in disability, pension, Newstart allowance and rental welfare payments dating back to 2005, Herald Sun reported.

He appealed to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal to overturn the department's order to pay back the money due to unemployment and resulting financial hardship.

An Iraqi man, who legally changed his name five times, has tried to get out of paying back welfare payments after he hid more than $1 million in cash and assets from Centrelink

The tribunal heard Mr Ebady hid more than $1 million in cash and assets from Centrelink.

Mr Ebady failed to declare a total income of $691,566, offshore transfers totalling $447,631 and that he owned and sold a home in Fairfield without telling Centrelink.

He also legally changed his name five times in 15 years.

Mr Ebady was born as 'Rabei' Ebady in Iraq in 1969. In 2000 he changed his name to Robe Mnsor, back to Rabei Ebady in 2006, then to Waiel Kalf Ebady in 2008, and to Rabei Ebady again in 2014 and to Ali Ebady in 2015.

He admitted to using the names Wael (Kalf) Ebady, Rabeia Al Mansouri and Ebady Ali but denied using Asami Mahod, Khalil Ibrahim Alibrahimy and Khalil Abrahim.

Centrelink recorded his name as Rabee Abdulnabi Ebadi.

His disability support pension was cancelled in March last year.

Rabee Ebady, 48, scammed the Department of Social Services $142,006 in disability, pension, Newstart allowance and rental welfare payments dating back to 2005

The department claims Mr Ebady failed to explain deposits and transfers over 1,183 transactions detailed in almost 2,000 pages of bank statements and 58 accounts at six banks under his different names.

He told the tribunal he opened bank accounts and funded his gambling habits with his different names and with his wife's name, who also received Centrelink payments.

Mr Ebady used these bank accounts to apply for credit cards to fund his gambling habits and when debt collectors went after him for unpaid credit card debts, he would use a new name.

He told the tribunal he did not make international transfers through the informal 'hawala' money-transfer scheme and claimed he had his identity stolen after losing his wallet six times.

Tribunal senior member Jill Toohey said there was no reason why Mr Ebady should not have to repay his social security debts.

Financial hardship alone is not considered a 'special circumstance' for not paying back social security debts.
Two men have been charged after police seized more than $160,000 worth of protected reptiles allegedly taken from remote parts of Queensland and the Northern Territory wilderness.

More than 30 animals, including a black-headed python, a blue-tongue lizard and other rare frogs, snakes, geckos and skinks were seized after police stopped a car in Mount Isa last Thursday.

Two rare frogs died due to the poor confined conditions.

A black-headed python (pictured) was one of more than 30 reptiles seized by police

The reptiles seized in a random Mount Isa police stop have a street value of more than $160,000 - including this blue tongue lizard (above)

Rare snakes, lizards, geckos and skinks (pictured) were seized from a car by Queensland Police

Queensland Police Services spokesperson said a 19-year-old Dalby man and a 27-year-old Lower Beechmont man were intercepted on Old Mica Creek Road, Mount Isa, on July 13.

The animals seized were released into the care of officials from Department of Environment and Heritage Protection.

Detective Acting Sergeant Jarrod Horne said the detection of these offences and subsequent seizure of the protected animals will have significant impacts on deterring future offences.

The two men will appear in Mount Isa Magistrates Court on August 7 charged with nine counts of restriction on keeping or using a taken protected animal.

Wild reptiles (pictured) were allegedly taken from Northern Territory and Queensland outback

19-year-old man and 27-year-old man were charged with keeping taken protected animals (pictured) and will face court next month at Mount Isa Magistrates Court

Two rare frogs (not pictured) died from the poor conditions they were subjected to
Thousands of fans of the Hip Hop Duo, Insane Clown Posse, are headed to Washington D.C. to demand an end to their 'gang' designation.

Three thousand fans of the band - who call themselves the Juggalos - will be demonstrating in the capital in September to protest against the FBI's label, 'a loosely-organized hybrid gang', which has caused some to lose their jobs and to be profiled by the police.

The FBI has accused the music enthusiasts of displaying 'gang-like behavior' and engaging in 'criminal activity', the Guardian reported.

'Although recognized as a gang in only four states,' the FBI assessment stated. 'Many Juggalos subsets exhibit gang-like behavior and engage in criminal activity and violence.

Thousands of fans of the Hip Hop Duo, Insane Clown Posse (pictured) are marching in Washington D.C. to protest their gang designation

Three thousand fans (some of whom are pictured) of the band - who call themselves the Juggalos - will be demonstrating in the capital on September 16

'Law enforcement officials in at least 21 states have identified criminal Juggalo sub-sets, according to [National Gang Intelligence Center] reporting.

'Open source reporting suggests that a small number of Juggalos are forming more organized subsets and engaging in more gang-like criminal activity, such as felony assaults, thefts, robberies, and drug sales.'

The music enthusiasts are known for their dedication to the Clown Posse, which has Joseph Bruce and Joseph Utsler as its members.

The group is known to produce songs which condone and may even celebrate violence.

The lyrics of the first verse to their song, Insane Killers, are: 'We gives absolutely no f***s , natural born serial murderers, mass mothaf***in murdering muderers, b***h, come and meet your maker'.

The members of Insane Clown Posse, Joseph Bruce (right) and Joseph Utsler (left) are known to produce songs which seem to celebrate violence

They lyrics to their song, Insane Killers are : 'We gives absolutly no f***s , natural born serial murderers, mass mothaf***in murdering muderers, b***h, come and meet your maker'

While the group have organized fundraisers for charities and other positive events, they've been widely associated with violence. During the Clown Posse's concerts, fans have fought over benign issues, like soda.

The Juggalos typically decorate their faces with clown-like designs and have even come up with their own slang.

The music fans have gone to court to fight their case and are being represented by the American Civil Liberties Union and the Insane Clown Posse band itself.

On their page several fans have told their stories of how they've been targeted by police and employers for their work.

One woman - who credits ICP's music with helping to survive suicidal thoughts - claims she was registered as a gang member after a probation officer - which she went to see after she was arrested for a DUI - saw a tattoo on her body.

'It's not really fair that Juggalos are considered a loosely organised hybrid gang and Lady Gaga's Little Monsters are just considered harmless kids,' said Jason Webber, director of public relations at the band's record company, Psychopathic Records.

Violent fights have occasionally broken out during the Clown Posse's concerts. Pictured is the band performing at a 2015 concert
An international student from Saudi Arabia who was detained on his way to visit a US college is set to be beheaded in his home country for attending a pro-democracy rally, according to rights watchdogs.

Saudi national Mujtaba'a Al-Sweikat was 17 when he was arrested in 2012 as he attempted to fly to Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo as a prospective student.

On Friday, Al-Sweikat and 13 other prisoners accused of attending the rally, one disabled man, were transferred to the Saudi capital of Riyadh, where executions take place, according to human rights group Reprieve.

'This is an extremely worrying move from the increasingly brutal regime in Saudi Arabia,' Maya Foa, director of Reprieve, said in a statement.

Mujtaba'a Al-Sweikat is seen above. Al-Sweikat was just 17 when he was arrested in 2012 for attending a pro-democracy rally, and now faces imminent execution by beheading

'To execute a disabled man and a juvenile protester would be an appalling breach of international law and world leaders cannot stand silently by and let this happen,' said Foa.

Foa called on US President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Theresa May to establish a 'red line' with the ostensibly US-allied regime in Saudi Arabia.

Al-Sweikat was accepted by the Western Michigan University and was flying to the US to visit the school as a prospective student when he was first detained at King Fahd Airport, according to the American Federation of Teachers.

'Mujtabaa and others were arrested for attending a peaceful, anti-government protest, for which they were sentenced to death, a despicable violation of international law and basic humanity,' the AFT said in a statement.

Al-Sweikat was reportedly interested in studying finance in the US.

The group of prisoners set to be executed for attending the 2012 rally also includes Munir al-Adam, who is half-deaf and partially-blind after an accident as a child, according to Reprieve.

A Saudi execution is seen in this file photo. Rights watchdogs have called on the US to demand greater human rights protections from the Saudi regime, and ostensible US ally

The 14 prisoners were convicted on the basis of confessions obtained through torture, the group said.

The watchdog group said that Saudi Arabia had already carried out 14 executions in the past week, evidence, they claim, of an escalation under new Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman.

The Saudi regime last executed prisoners on January 2, 2016, when 47 people were killed in a mass execution.

Saudi Arabia is considered a key US ally in the Middle East, and just this week US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visited leaders in the state in an attempt to diffuse tensions between Saudis and another US ally, Qatar.
Brandon Walker, 20, is one of three men facing charges over the July 11 sex attack in Queens, New York

A 20-year-old man accused of taking part in a horrifying oral sex attack on a New York City churchgoer wept in jail as he insisted it was a 17-year-old boy who led the sickening assault.

Brandon Walker is facing charges along with 17-year-old Justin Williams and Julisses Ginel, 19, in relation to the attack on July 11.

The 50-year-old victim was walking home from Celestial Church of Christ in Jamaica, Queens, when she was pushed behind a dumpster and forced to perform oral sex at gunpoint at around 10.15pm.

On Sunday, Walker wept as he told The New York Post that he did not participate in the attack and that he was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

'It is a horrible situation I am in here. People in here threaten me because they see the news. Theyre all out to get me for something I never did. Just the wrong place at the wrong time,' he said from jail.

He claims Williams was the one who led the assault and that he watched in horror as it unfolded.

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Walker blames 17-year-old Justin Williams (pictured) for the attack and says he was in the wrong place at the wrong time

'I was walking way behind him, not with him, just smoking a cigarette and I saw him force this woman behind a truck. I kept telling him to stop. He went way too far. He shouldnt have done any of that, he had a gun in his hand and forced her to the ground. He wouldnt listen when I told him to stop,' he said.

He added that the teenager 'went crazy' that night and 'didn't take his meds'.

His account contradicts the teenager's. On Saturday, Williams told the Post in a separate interview that while he 'went first', it was Walker who forced the victim, a mother-of-two, to take off her clothes.

He said Walker ejaculated on to her and that after he was finished, a fourth man - named only as Isaiah - forced her to perform oral sex on him too.

The men were all seen in grainy surveillance footage appearing to hone in on the woman as she struggled along the sidewalk with a heavy handbag.

Ginel told police that he was present at the beginning and end of the incident. He said he did not partake in the forced oral sex and returned after going to fetch more condoms - which he said he retrieved to 'help my boys' - to find the fourth man 'finishing up'.

19-year-old Julisses Ginel was also arrested. He says he did not force the woman to perform oral sex on him

Walker, Williams, Ginel and another man who has not yet been identified were filmed on surveillance footage following the victim

The victim, a 50-year-old mother-of-two who is seen walking in a different direction, was leaving a church service when she was attacked

The men are seen dispersing on surveillance footage. The attack happened behind a dumpster moments later

Prosecutor are calling for all four of the men to face severe punishment.

'The crimes that the defendants are accused of committing that night are despicable and are deserving of significant punishment.

'Two of them are alleged to have subjected her to heinous acts of sexual abuse,' District Attorney Richard Brown said in a statement released over the weekend.

All three men have been charged with first-degree criminal sexual act, robbery, and first-degree sexual abuse.

Walker, insisting he is innocent, said he was determined to clear his name for the sake of his newborn daughter.

'I don't want my daughter to grow up without a father. I dont want to see her by looking through a glass. Im in here for something I didnt even do.'

He urged authorities to 'check the condom', claiming the lack of his DNA on it will exonerate him.

The men met through the homeless youth shelter where they all live. It was staff at that center who alerted police that they may have been involved in the attack last week.

The men claimed they were going to carry out robberies and intended to use fake guns to scare store owners into giving them money.

They are also accused of holding up two men the night after the assault and robbing them.
A man should be jailed for marrying a child bride, some 20 years his junior, during an Islamic ceremony in Melbourne, a prosecutor says.

Mohammad Shakir faces one count of going through a formal ceremony of marriage with a person not of marriageable age, at suburban Noble Park in September.

Prosecutor Krista Breckweg told the Victorian County Court during a brief hearing on Monday that Shakir, who has been in custody since his arrest in 2016, should be sent to prison.

Mohammad Shakir should be jailed for marrying a child bride, some 20 years his junior, during an Islamic ceremony in Melbourne, a prosecutor said on Monday (stock image)

The court was also told of conflicting evidence about the age of the bride.

Ms Breckweg said various records from immigration, government and school sources put the girl's age at 14 but her mother maintained she was 17.

Evidence including a video of the wedding ceremony will be aired during a one-day plea hearing on September 1.

Former Muslim cleric Ibrahim Omerdic, who married off the girl to 34-year-old Shakir, was spared jail last month after being found guilty of unlawfully solemnising the marriage.

Omerdic was sentenced to two months' prison, but immediately placed on a two-year recognisance release order, meaning he won't serve time in jail.

He was an imam of the Bosnian Islamic Society and Noble Park Mosque but was later sacked and had his celebrant licence revoked after his arrest.

Video footage of the ceremony was previously played in court, showing Omerdic telling the girl it was her 'duty to obey' her husband.

The case against Shakir is due to be mentioned briefly again on Friday.

Former Muslim cleric Ibrahim Omerdic (pictured), who married off the girl to 34-year-old Shakir, was spared jail last month after being found guilty of unlawfully solemnising the marriage
Amber Harrison has been ordered to pay Seven West's legal costs in her explosive court battle over her affair with the company's boss, Tim Worner.

The former Seven executive assistant has been embroiled in a bitter dispute with the media company since going public with details of the 18-month affair in December.

She had told Justice John Sackar that a decision in favour of Seven West Media would be 'punitive and pointless' and would send her bankrupt.

But Justice Sackar said Harrison could not substantiate her allegations and that she 'continued to run this case in the face of adverse' findings with a 'complete absence of evidence.'

'This conduct is in my view unreasonable, resulting in the Plaintiffs' incurring unnecessary and significant legal costs,' he said.

Amber Harrison was pictured out and about on Monday morning - hours before a Supreme Court Justice hands down his decision on whether she should pay Seven's court costs

Ms Harrison, seen in pictures left and right on Monday morning, is the former lover of Seven West Media CEO Tim Worner

Ms Harrison told the Supreme Court last week she was a foster mother and would be bankrupted by a costs decision - which could stretch into the hundreds of thousands of dollars

'Without any admissible evidence to rely on, the Defendant has not satisfied me of any grounds for why she should not pay the costs of the Plaintiffs.'

Justice Sackar said the long-running dispute had been 'engulfed in a vitriolic atmosphere' from the outset.

'The allegations from both sides, whether entirely true or not, have often been personal, scandalous, and sadly ripe for media and public consumption,' he said.

The media company had sought a permanent NSW Supreme Court gag order against Ms Harrison preventing her from leaking company documents and details of her affair.

It contended that her social media posts had breached a deed in which the company agreed to pay her $427,418 in instalments for her silence.

On the eve of the hearing, which was due to start on July 10, Ms Harrison abandoned her fight against Seven and agreed to the gag order.

The company then sought other orders, including one requiring Ms Harrison to pay all Seven's legal costs - which could amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

In arguing against paying all the costs, Ms Harrison said she was a foster mother and if an order was made it would affect her ability to provide for her family.

Last Monday, the court heard Ms Harrison, the former lover of Seven boss Tim Worner, waged a campaign that intended to humiliate him through the media

Amber Harrison leaked details about her affair with Seven West boss, married Tim Worner

'I should not be punished by the court system for taking a stand,' she said.

But Seven's lawyer, Andrew Bell SC, said the court proceedings started when she published stolen documents containing confidential legal advice to the Seven board, and that she'd flagrantly breached a deed of release.

'All Seven has done in this case... is come to court as it is entitled to do, to enforce rights and promises that were made to it in return for substantial sums of money,' Mr Bell said.
The mummified remains of an infant and an adult have been found at the Zeleny Yar medieval necropolis during comprehensive archeological exploration, the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area's official website reports.

"This year's field season has been highly successful. We've opened ten graves, five of which were never looted in ancient times. For a memorial like Zeleny Yar this is unusual," expedition head Alexander Gusev, a researcher from the Scientific Center for the Study of the Arctic (SCSA), said.

According to Gusev, the remains were wrapped in birch bark and thick fabric. The adult is covered with copper plates from head to toe. The infant is covered with the small fragments of a copper cauldron.

"When we saw that the adult's burial cocoon was in good condition, we couldn't risk opening it on the spot. To avoid spoiling the fabrics, we extracted it inside its soil shell," said Yevgenia Svyatova, an anthropologist from the Center for Protection and Use of Historical and Cultural Monuments.

The infant will be sent in its burial cocoon to the Institute of the Development of the North, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, in Tyumen within days.

SCSA partners  researchers from Seoul National University  will take histological, parasitological, paleo-DNA and other samples for study. Both finds will be subjected to computer tomography to identify the condition of the remains and presence of ritual artifacts inside the cocoons.

The results of the field exploration will be presented at the Arctic Archeology International Scientific Conference in Salekhard scheduled for November 19 to 23, 2017.

The archeological site near the village of Zeleny Yar was found in 1997 by a Russian-American expedition under the Living Yamal Project.
A data breach at international health insurance company Bupa has compromised the personal details of almost 20,000 Australian customers.

Bupa Global confirmed a rogue employee had 'inappropriately copied and removed' private customer information and given the sensitive data to 'other parties'.

Over half a million customers globally were affected, 19,595 of whom are believed to be Australian, as a result of the huge breach.

A data breach at international health insurance company Bupa has compromised the personal details of almost 20,000 Australian customers

'The data taken includes: names, dates of birth, nationalities, and some contact and administrative details including Bupa insurance membership numbers,' Bupa Global managing director Sheldon Kenton said.

'We are contacting those customers who are affected to apologise and advise them as we believe the information has been made available to other parties.'

Security expert Paul Edon warned those affected to be wary of convincing scam emails asking them to give away more sensitive financial or medical information.

'Unfortunately, humans are the weakest link in security,' Mr Edon told the BBC.

'Despite many of us being trustworthy, there are some insiders that break and damage that trust.'

Bupa stressed the leaked information did not include 'any financial or medical data', and said customers with local (domestic) health insurance policies.

A rogue employee 'inappropriately copied and removed' private customer information and gave the sensitive data to 'other parties'

The former employee who allegedly leaked the details was eventually fired by Bupa, who said they were 'taking appropriate legal action'.

'Protecting the information we hold about our customers is an absolute priority and I would like to assure customers that we are treating this seriously and taking steps to address the situation,' Mr Kenton said.

'This was not a cyber attack or external data breach, but a deliberate act by an employee.

'We have introduced additional security measures and increased our customer identity checks.

'A thorough investigation is underway and we have informed the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) and Bupa's other UK regulators.'

Customers with a policy number starting with 'BI' are said to be affected by the incident.
Residents on Sydney's northern beaches were left feeling all shook up after an earthquake rattled the area.

The 3.2 magnitude quake struck just after 10.30am on Monday about 35km off the Australian coast, with its impact felt most at Avalon.

Reports began filtering through to authorities almost immediately from residents in the area who could feel vibrations as a result of the quake.

Residents of Sydney's Avalon (pictured) reported feeling vibrations on Monday morning after a 3.2 magnitude earthquake rocked the area

Authorities said there was no tsunami threat to Australia's mainland following the earthquake

'This person felt a substantial vibration. There was also a report from a woman in Vaucluse who felt a notable rolling movement,' Geoscience Australia Duty Siesmologist Dr Andrea Thom told The Manly Daily.

The Joint Australian Tsunami Warning Centre issued a statement following the incident saying no tsunami threat was posed by the earthquake.

'Based on the magnitude and location of this earthquake, the JATWC has assessed that there is no tsunami threat to the Australian mainland, islands or territories from this earthquake,' the statement said.

The earthquake, which could be felt across a 28-kilometre radius, lasted only a few seconds.
Two of Australia's biggest breakfast cereal makers are no longer paying third-party companies to declare their products are fit for Muslims to eat.

Kellogg's and Sanitarium have declared there is no need to pay an Islamic business or charity to declare their products contain no pork or alcohol products.

Nestle no longer has halal certification applied to its chocolate bars, including Kit Kat, unlike its rival Cadbury.

Sanitarium, the maker of Weet-Bix, is no longer paying halal certification fees for exports

Kellogg's in 2016 chose not to renew its halal certification arrangements in Australia

However Nestle still pays halal fees for Milo, Magi noodles, Nescafe coffee, condensed milk and chilli sauces.

Halal certification fees charged to food manufacturers fund Islamic schools, mosques and religious activities.

Sanitarium, the Seventh Day Adventist company behind Weet-Bix, said it saw no need to to pay third-party halal certifiers for its products sold in Australia.

'As far as Sanitariums position on halal certification we do not use meat-based ingredients or alcohol,' a spokesman told Daily Mail Australia.

Nestle is no longer paying halal certification fees for chocolate bars, including Kit Kat

Who has stopped paying? Kellogg's confirmed that it stopped paying halal certification fees last year as a commercial decision. Sanitarium has stopped paying halal fees for its exported cereals and soy milk, but clarified it never put halal logos on its products sold in Australia. Nestle ceased paying halal certification fees in March 2016 for its chocolate bars but still has them for Maggi two-minute noodles, Nescafe coffee and condensed milk. Advertisement

'This means our products are suitable for people choosing halal or kosher foods.'

It added that its plant-based breakfast cereals and So Good soy milk were already fit for Muslim and Jewish consumption.

'We do not use and have never needed to use the halal or kosher certification symbols for our local Australian or New Zealand markets as it is unnecessary to do so,' the spokesman said, adding it had previously paid halal certification fees to export their products to 35 nations.

Kellogg's, which sells popular plant-based cereals like Corn Flakes and Special K, denied it last year changed its halal policies over public pressure.

'Theyre inherently halal, so we chose not to renew our certification in 2016 as part of a regular review of all certifications for our foods,' a spokesman said.

'This was a commercial decision, not the result of any public pressure or backlash.'

Halal Certification Authority president Mohamed Elmouelhy said halal opened the door to lucrative export markets in Muslim-majority nations like Indonesia and Malaysia

However Halal Certification Authority president Mohamed Elmouelhy said a public campaign against halal certification may have made companies think twice.

'Yes, of course. There was a campaign,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

Mr Elmouelhy has declined the reveal the details of his clients or where his halal fees went.

But he argued companies that had halal certification arrangements would have an easier time exporting to Muslim-majority nations like Indonesia and Malaysia.

'That brings in a lot of money to the company,' he said. 'Not just Cadbury, every single company.'

Halal Choices campaigner Kirralie Smith said many products were already suitable for Muslims and didn't need to have halal certification fees levied to 'state the obvious'

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson successfully moved a Senate motion to have the federal cabinet examine halal labelling laws

Halal Choices campaigner Kirralie Smith said halal fees were unnecessary for plant-based products anyway.

'Muslims will buy their products anyway,' she said.

'They're already halal. What we're concerned about is companies paying fees to state the obvious.'

Ms Smith, a farmer from northern New South Wales, ran as a Senate candidate with the Australian Liberty Alliance at last year's federal election and is now a member of Cory Bernardi's Australian Conservatives.

She said there was still a long way to go to achieve more transparency with halal certification regulations, with major food producers Vegemite and Bega cheese continuing to pay halal certification fees.

'I'm hoping that other politicians will continue to put pressure on the government,' she said.

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson in June successfully moved a motion in the Senate for the federal cabinet to examine existing halal certification labels.

She wants the government to explore the recommendations of a 2015 Senate enquiry into third-party halal certification.

Nestle said an Australian company halal certified its foods, apart from chocolate bars.

'The fee we pay in Australia, stays in Australia. The certifier is owned by a group of community organisations who invest in programs to support their local communities,' a spokeswoman said.

She said any small change to ingredients affected the halal certification process.

Nestle no longer pays for chocolate bars to be halal certified but third-party groups still levy a fee on Nescafe coffee, Maggi noodles, Movenpick ice cream and condensed milk
Ann Coulter has launched another Twitter tirade against Delta Airlines after it accused her of griping over $30 and accusing her of insulting their customers and employees.

The conservative commentator, 55, went into a Twitter tailspin when she was forced to give up her additional legroom seat, insulting Delta staff and her fellow passengers and even tweeting photos of them to her 1.6million followers on Saturday.

Delta, seemingly done with Coulter's insults, tweeted at her Sunday night: 'We're sorry you did not receive the preferred seat you paid for and will refund your $30. (cont)' and adding with a kick: 'Additionally, your insults about our other customers and employees are unacceptable and unnecessary.'

But Delta's response seemed to set Coulter off again, who was still tweeting around 2am eastern time on Monday morning.

'If you thought it was about $30, @Delta, why didn't you give this woman $30 and let me stay in my PRE-BOOKED, ASSIGNED seat?', she wrote.

Scroll down for video

Ann Coulter came under fire after spending her weekend tweeting nasty comments at Delta's crew and her fellow passengers over a mere $30 seat upgrade she didn't get

At Delta to Ann coming in for a landing 'will refund your $30.'

And while Deltas at it 'your insults about other customers and employees are unacceptable'

Coulter was still tweeting at 2am Monday morning about being inconvenienced on the short flight on Saturday saying Delta should've paid the woman who allegedly took her seating

The watching internet has a good laugh at Coulter 'Ann Coulter was tripping over $30. Wow!'

The internet earlier jumped on the fact that she had spent her entire weekend berating the airline and her fellow passengers over a $30 seat upgrade.

However Coulter, whose flight was from New York to Florida, could not let it go and continued to tweet about how she was upset even after Delta said it was refunding her the $30.

She continued to antagonize the airline by asking Joyce Kaufman, local Florida radio host of The Joyce Kaufman Show to call up the CEO with Coulter Monday.

Someone throw her a life jacket. Coulter couldn't help herself and kept at Delta late into Sunday night after the company pointed out her $30 seat charge would be refunded

Ann shared this mocked up image of a Delta plane on Sunday night as she continued to rant at the airline

The commentator's Twitter rant took off shortly before 6pm on Saturday night, after she had allegedly been asked to move from a seat she had chosen and paid for prior to boarding.

'Just when you think it's safe to fly them again, the worst airline in America is STILL: @Delta,' she wrote at 5.54pm.

'Does your union hate you, @Delta? Not really worth spending all that money on planes when @Delta gate staff give your seat away.'

Insults. Coulter called the flight attendants and gate agents 'Nurse Ratchets'

Coulter insulted her fellow passenger's height, comparing her to a dog

She then posted another rant, combined with a photo of the flight attendant who allegedly told the fiery commentator she had to move and quoted a conversation they had.

'"Why are you taking me out of the extra room seat I specifically booked, @Delta?' Flight attendant: "I don't know.

Coulter then took things a step further, posting a photograph of the young woman she accused of being given her seat, with the caption: '.@Delta didnt give my extra room seat to an air marshall or tall person. Heres the woman given my PRE-BOOKED seat.'

The 55-year-old maintained her Twitter rage for about two more hours, during which time she alleged someone from the airline 'snatched the ticket' from her hands and demanded she move without offering up any sort of explanation.

She also resorted to name calling during her meltdown, dubbing the flight attendants and gate crews 'Nurse Ratchets' after a character in the 1975 film One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, adapted from the 1962 novel.

Coulter then went on to compare the legs of her fellow flyer who ended up in her seat to that of a dog's. The 6ft tall Coulter saying: 'Hey @Delta, if it was so important for the dachshund-legged woman to take my seat, she should have BOOKED THE SEAT IN ADVANCE. Like I did.'

Coulter's Twitter rant took off shortly before 6pm on Saturday night, after she had allegedly been asked to move from a seat she had chosen and paid for prior to boarding

Coulter capped off her initial barrage of tweets by picturing people she claimed were in the aisle she was moved from

Coulter: 'Immigrants take American jobs (& seats on @Delta).'

The airline responded to Coulter's original criticism, with one of the people behind its Twitter account writing: 'Hey, Ann! I'm very sorry you had to change your seat on board today! I would like to look into this further.

'I understand how this must be extremely frustrating, Ann. I'd like to extend my sincere apology.'

However, many on social media were not as kind in their comments as the airline was, instead mocking Coulter.

'Broom in the shop?' Dane Rauschenberg wrote.

'Go ahead and say it Ann, they gave it to this brown woman. That's what offends you,' Hanna Flint tweeted.

Delta responded to Coulter's abuse on Twitter, writing: 'I understand how this must be extremely frustrating, Ann. I'd like to extend my sincere apology'

Coulter was attacked on Twitter on Saturday night after her rant about her seat being taken

'As a former flight attendant, I can say there are a lot of "emergency" reasons to put a family together. Most likely a death in the family... Which is confidential info they wouldn't be able to share with a dissatisfied passenger,' Gillian Brockell wrote.

'At least you aren't banned from boarding the plane because of your religious beliefs,' Josh Sanchez wrote, in reference to Coulter's frequent attacks on immigration and support of Donald Trump's travel ban.

Meanwhile, Delta's website also explains how changes are sometimes required even after someone pre-booked a certain seat.

'Delta accommodates the seating requirements of customers with certain types of disabilities,' the website reads.

'This could result in the occasional need to change another individual's pre-assigned seat, with bulkhead seats being particularly subject to reassignment. We appreciate your cooperation in these special circumstances.'
Aldi customers are kicking up a stink over the supermarket's claims that its cleaning wipes can be flushed down the toilet - when they allegedly can't.

The German retailer stocks a range of Green Action flushable bathroom cleaning wipes its website and packaging said could be flushed, one at a time, after use.

Aldi Australia customers are kicking up a stink over the supermarket's claims that its cleaning wipes (pictured) can be flushed down the toilet

But its customers complained this was misleading advertising and the products should not be sold on its shelves.

'Aldi - I love you most of the time but really... Green Action (ahem) 'Flushable' wipes on sale next week?!' one customer posted to Aldi's Facebook page.

'When will everyone realise that these things ARE NOT FLUSHABLE! Please don't help in harming the environment and our waste systems... get with the program!'

A few days later another social media user complained advertising the wipes as flushable was 'wrong'.

'They must not be flushed. It is misleading advertising. Sydney Water are constantly trying to stop the sale of flushable wipes and now you are making things worse!'

Customers and water authorities say wipes like the ones Aldi is selling don't break up in water like toilet paper and clog up drains

In Sydney alone, 1,000 tonnes of wet wipes had to be removed from the wastewater system in the past two years

The second customer's claim referred to research by consumer advocacy group Choice that found wet wipes clogged up sewers.

The ACCC was also concerned, launching court action in December against Kimberly-Clark Australia and Pental for making false or misleading claims by saying their products disintegrate as well as toilet paper.

'The impression given by the representations which Kimberly-Clark and Pental each made about these products was that they were suitable to be flushed down household toilets in Australia, when this was not the case,' ACCC Chairman Rod Sims said.

The German retailer stocks a range of Green Action flushable bathroom cleaning wipes its website and packaging said could be flushed, one at a time, after use

A survey found customers were easily influenced by the advertising as 73 per cent of consumers believed wet wipes wouldn't block drains.

A further 67 per cent thought it would break up like toilet paper, and according to Sydney Water a quarter of people flush wet wipes.

In Sydney alone, 1,000 tonnes of wet wipes had to be removed from the wastewater system in the past two years and they are blamed for about 75 per cent of all sewer blockages.

'Just because something is flushable doesn't mean it breaks down,' Sydney Water spokesman Peter Hadfield said.

'Technically my phone is flushable, but that doesn't mean it should go down the toilet.'

Wet wipes are are blamed for about 75 per cent of all sewer blockages

The ACCC launched court action against Kimberly-Clark Australia and Pental for making false or misleading claims by saying their products (pictured) disintegrate as well as toilet paper

Queensland Urban Utilities said fixing blockages cost it about $2.5 million a year, with wet wipes largely to blame.

Consumers themselves felt it too, with blocked and burst pipes costing up to $16,000 to fix - which plumbers like Darren Clancy vouched for.

'To call these flushable is insane... they're not breaking down and in some cases not even moving out of the pipes,' he told Choice.

'I've been doing this job for 30 years and wipes are now causing the worst blockages I've ever seen.'

Consumers themselves felt it too, with blocked and burst pipes costing up to $16,000 to fix - which plumbers like Darren Clancy vouched for

A survey found customers were easily influenced by the advertising as 73 per cent of consumers believed wet wipes wouldn't block drains

Choice tested 11 wet wipes claiming to be flushable for six hours in an agitator system that mimicked the environment of a waterway system.

Toilet paper broke up within minutes but the wet wipes remained intact apart from some tears.

Aldi's products were not among those tested and the supermarket insisted the new wipes met the INDA /EDANA Flushable Assessment (GD3 ) (FG501-FG507 ) and were biodegradable.

Consumers themselves felt it too, with blocked and burst pipes costing up to $16,000 to fix

Choice tested 11 wet wipes claiming to be flushable for six hours in an agitator system that mimicked the environment of a waterway system - and found wet wipes barely broke up

Its website also claimed they were eco-friendly and not harmful to the environment.

'Without compromising on performance and quality, we have restricted the use of harmful chemicals to limit our impact on the ecosystem,' it stated.

'More of the Green Action packaging is recyclable, reusable and made from sustainable materials to conserve natural resources.

'This offers peace of mind knowing you are using products that are less harmful to the environment.'
Criminals are avoiding justice because 'lazy' police do not know or understand the law well enough, according to a former top prosecutor.

Nazir Afzal, who led cases against the child abuse ring in Rochdale, said 'basic' cases were being charged 'prematurely' without proper investigations.

The former chief executive of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners was due to share his views with chief constables and commissioners at an event this week.

But he stepped down in May so he could appear on the BBC's Question Time to discuss the Manchester terror attack, against the advice of his bosses.

Nazir Afzal, pictured, was set to slam 'lazy police' at an event for chief constables and crime commissioners this week

His speech for the event, seen by The Times, said officers 'do not understand the law' and see charges as 'more important than convictions'.

Writing for the paper, he added: 'In relation to trials, they do not understand disclosure, and do not understand the consequences of failing to disclose evidence that is not part of the prosecution case.

'This can often mean that cases are stopped because it would be unfair to have a trial and that means that defendants who may be guilty are allowed to go free. Often this is down to poor supervision by senior officers and the quality of investigations.'

His notes also say that he has seen 'lazy policing' where officers simply 'seize cash' from offenders instead of going through the formal proceeds of crime process.

Mr Afzal said: 'It is lazy because they know they are allowed to keep 50 per cent of the cash that they seize but if they proceeded to prosecute, they would get less than half of that.'

The Times also reports Mr Afzal slammed 'shameful' officers who 'focus on single theories' even if evidence suggests other lines of inquiry should be followed.

It means the CPS is left trying to 'fix' cases that have not been investigated properly, according to the ex-prosecutor, while he added junior officers are taking on cases 'beyond their experience' because of 'widespread redundancies'.

Mr Afzal stepped down from his position as chief executive of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC) to make an appearance on the BBC's topical debate programme on May 25.

The former prosecutor said some officers were 'lazy' while junior officers were taking on work 'beyond their experience' because of 'widespread redundancies' (file picture)

The experienced lawyer oversaw a number of high profile convictions, including the Rochdale grooming gang and disgraced former BBC presenter Stuart Hall.

He also led the prosecutions of Coronation Street actors Bill Roache, who was cleared of rape, and Michael Le Vell, who was also acquitted of child sex abuse.

Mr Afzal led the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in North West England from 2011 to 2015. He became the first Muslim to be appointed to such a position and was Britain's most senior lawyer within the CPS.

In 2015 Mr Afzal quit his role at the CPS after he was accused of sending a text message to a defendant.

An internal inquiry exonerated him but he nevertheless handed in his resignation as more senior colleagues insisted his departure is due to an 'on-going drive for efficiency'.
Has Winnie the Pooh done something to anger China's censors?

Some mentions of the lovable but dimwitted bear with a weakness for 'hunny' have apparently been blocked on Chinese social networks.

Authorities did not explain the clampdown, but the self-described 'bear of very little brain' has been used in the past in a meme comparing him to portly Chinese President Xi Jinping.

In 2013, Chinese social media users began circulating a pair of pictures (above) that placed an image of Pooh and his slender tiger friend 'Tigger' beside a photograph of Xi walking with then-US President Barack Obama

In 2014, a photographed handshake between President Xi and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (not the one above) also sparked internet memes. Above, Abe and Xi shake hands before a group photo session for the G20 Summit in Hangzhou, China, last September

The handshake between President Xi and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been compared to an image of Pooh gripping the hoof of his gloomy donkey friend Eeyore (above)

And in 2015, a picture of Xi standing up through the roof of a parade car paired with an image of a Winnie the Pooh toy car (above) is said to be 'China's most censored photo' of the year

Posts bearing the image and the Chinese characters for Winnie the Pooh were still permitted on the Twitter-like Weibo platform Monday.

But comments referencing 'Little Bear Winnie' - Pooh's Chinese name - turned up error messages saying the user could not proceed because 'this content is illegal.'

Winnie the Pooh stickers have also been removed from WeChat's official 'sticker gallery,' but user-generated gifs of the bear are still available on the popular messaging app.

Comparisons between Xi and Pooh first emerged in 2013, after Chinese social media users began circulating a pair of pictures that placed an image of Pooh and his slender tiger friend 'Tigger' beside a photograph of Xi walking with then-US President Barack Obama.

Rabbit, Winnie The Pooh, Eeyore and Tigger pose for photos as Winnie The Pooh receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles

Chinese President Xi Jinping during bilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin Chinese President Xi Jinping visit to Russia on July 4, 2017

In 2014, a photographed handshake between Xi and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was matched with an image of Pooh gripping the hoof of his gloomy donkey friend Eeyore.

And in 2015, the political analysis portal Global Risk Insights called a picture of Xi standing up through the roof of a parade car paired with an image of a Winnie the Pooh toy car 'China's most censored photo' of the year.

Qiao Mu, an independent media studies scholar and former professor at Beijing Foreign Studies University, said the blocked bear content was unsurprising given the ruling Communist Party's sensitivity to depictions of its leader.

It is a particularly sensitive year as Xi is expected to consolidate power at a key party congress this fall.

Comments referencing 'Little Bear Winnie' - Pooh's Chinese name - on Weibo turned up error messages (above) saying the user could not proceed because 'this content is illegal'

'It's very murky what's allowed and what isn't, because officials never put out statements describing precisely what will be censored,' Qiao said, noting that many Winnie the Pooh photos were still proliferating on the Chinese internet.

In other contexts, references to the staple Chinese breakfast food 'baozi' have been taken down for evoking the president's nickname: 'Steamed Bun Xi,' Qiao said.

On Monday many Chinese social media users were testing the boundaries of the restrictions imposed on the bear who groans 'oh, bother' when things don't go his way.

'Poor Little Winnie,' one Weibo user wrote.

'What did this adorable honey-loving bear ever do to provoke anyone?'
Australian television viewers have been left baffled by an advertisement for a toilet air freshener - supposed to be sprayed before using the bathroom.

The 'V.I.Poo' product advert aired during an episode of Australian Ninja Warrior on Sunday night and it didn't take social media users long to call out the product.

'Did I really just see an ad for a product called V.I.Poo?' said one confused Twitter user on Sunday.

An advert aired during Ninja Warrior left the audience baffled on Sunday night

Viewers were quick to call out a commercial for a pre-toilet-use air freshener

In the commercial, a glamorous 'actor' is seen walking a red carpet posing for cameras before turning to the camera and announcing: 'Even Hollywood's latest sweet heart needs to punish the porcelain, occasionally.'

She explains the onset of embarrassment one can achieve from 'stinking the house out' when in the company of her famed friends.

Cue 'V.I Poo' - Air Wicks latest collection of toilet sprays meant to 'trap nasty smells in the bowl,' according to their website.

Following the airing of the ad, during prime time viewing, social media was flooded with comments questioning the products legitimacy or appropriateness

V.I poo, to be sprayed before using the bathroom, was promoted at the ad break

'Did I really just see an ad for a product called V.I.Poo?' said one confused Twitter user said on Sunday

The spray 'releases an odour neutralising fragrance that leaves the bathroom smelling better than before you used it'.

Following the airing of the ad, during prime time viewing, social media was flooded with comments questioning the products legitimacy.

'I can't believe V.I.Poo is a real product. Looks so much like a SNL fake commercial,' said one person on Twitter.

One hilarious user noted pointed out the success of being the star of such a commercial.

The spray 'releases an odour neutralising fragrance that leaves the bathroom smelling better than before you used it'

Air Wicks latest collection of toilet sprays meant to 'trap nasty smells in the bowl,' according to their website

One hilarious user noted pointed out the success of being the star of such a commercial

'Imagine being the woman in the VIPoo advert and breaking it to your mum that you've "finally made it",' they wrote.

According to statistics supplied to News.com.au, 50 per cent of women will hold onto their more serious business in the workplace, compared to 29 per cent of men who will 'hold in a poo'.

But, fret no more, with the new spray 'no red faces in front of your boss', the air freshener encourages users to 'poopulate' with confidence.
The shocking moment a former Taco Bell employee returned to the restaurant in a tea-tossing rampage has been caught on video.

The former employee named Margarita is seen in the video throwing gallons of tea around a Taco Bell in Converse, Texas in a dispute with the manager before being arrested.

The details surrounding the video are unclear, including when it was shot, the last names of the individuals involved, and what sparked the dispute.

The incident did take place at a Taco Bell on W Farm to Market Road in Converse, KSAT was able to confirm with a restaurant employee.

WARNING: EXPLICIT LANGUAGE

The former employee named Margarita is seen throwing gallons of tea around a Taco Bell in Converse, Texas in a dispute with the manager before being arrested

The incident did take place at a Taco Bell on W Farm to Market Road in Converse (pictured)

The video opens with a woman name Margarita, who is apparently there to pick up a final paycheck, flinging tea from a large dispenser at the manager Arturo across the counter.

Arturo retaliates by flinging an entire tea dispenser across the counter.

Margarita, still holding the empty dispenser she has emptied seconds earlier, hurls it back at him as the manager takes cover.

The irate ex-employee charges behind the counter with her 17-year-old son in tow.

Arturo unleashes a stream of profanities at the boy and then takes off his shirt, challenging him to fight.

Feet away, a customer looks in astonishment at the proceedings from through the drive-thru window.

Arturo unleashes a stream of profanities at the Margarita and then takes off his shirt, challenging her son to fight. Feet away, a customer looks in astonishment at the proceedings from through the drive-thru window

Margarita grabs a metal spatula and begins yelling in Spanish as her son retreats from the heated dispute

'Arturo the police is coming!' one employee says.

Margarita grabs a metal spatula and begins yelling in Spanish as her son retreats from the heated dispute.

'I don't want to be on the internet, don't put me on the internet,' the manager says, suddenly seeming to notice the female employee who is filming the action.

'I'm not going to put it on the internet, I'm just recording in case one of them did something crazy,' she replies coyly.

After a tense standoff between Arturo and Margarita behind the counter, the police arrive suddenly.

'I'm the manager, I'm the manager,' Arturo, still shirtless, shouts as he puts his hands in the air.

The officers swiftly handcuff Margarita and lead her from the fast-food establishment. The video ends with multiple cops tackling Margarita's son in the parking lot

The officers swiftly handcuff Margarita and lead her from the fast-food establishment.

'The cameras have everything! The cameras have everything!' Arturo goes on excitedly.

'Calm down, put on a shirt,' the cop replies.

The video ends with multiple cops tackling Margarita's son in the parking lot.

'I don't f--king get paid enough for this s--t, man,' one employee is heard muttering in the background.

It is unclear when the video was shot, but copies of it appeared online as early as Saturday.

Bexar County arrest records for the past seven days do not show booking records for a suspect named Margarita on criminal damage or trespassing charges.
Officers searching for Madeleine McCann have just 11 weeks left before their funding runs out.

The Metropolitan Police received an extra 85,000 earlier this year from the Home Office to continue the Operation Grange investigation.

But the cash dries up at the end of September, with officers still determined to find the youngster who went missing in Portugal 10 years ago.

Met Police officers searching for Madeleine McCann, left and right, have just 11 weeks left before funding runs out

Her parents Kate and Gerry, pictured, have not given up hope of finding their daughter 10 years after she went missing in Portugal

As reported by the Daily Mail, officers have made only two flights to Portugal in the past year.

The Met has defended its lack of officers in the country and said it 'did not have to justify how many times we are going to Portugal'.

A spokesman told The Sun: 'If we need to be in Portugal, in particular Praia da Luz, for policing reasons we will be there immediately.

'The investigation continues with focus and determination. It is not winding down, it is not grinding to a halt. It is on-going.'

The three-year-old vanished from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in Portugal on May 3, 2007.

Scotland Yard is chasing a critical lead it believes could crack the case and it is understood they have returned to a theory that burglars were involved.

She went missing from this apartment complex, pictured, in Praia Da Luz, Portugal

The McCann's, pictured, have even hired private investigators over the years in their search for their daughter

But the Portuguese police, who have previously accused the British of acting like a 'colonial power' in their country, say there is no evidence to back this up.

Carlos Anjos, the former head of the country's Policia Judiciaria officers' union, said the Metropolitan Police's theory that Madeleine was taken in a botched burglary is 'absurd'.

Parents Gerry and Kate led prayer services in May to mark the 10 year anniversary of her disappearance and said they had not given up hope and would 'overcome despair'.

Writing a message on the Find Madeleine website, Mrs McCann told how 'stressful and painful' the 'unwanted' occasion was.

Police, pictured searching for Madeleine in 2014, have been criticised for not making enough visits to Portugal to investigate

She wrote: 'We never thought we'd be in this situation so far along the line.

'Ten years- there's no easy way to say it, describe it, accept it.

'But the two themes that seem most appropriate to me as we reach this ten-year mark are perseverance and gratitude: We will go on, try our hardest, never give up and make the best of the life we have.'

Madeleine was discovered missing from her bed in the rented apartment by her horrified mother shortly after 10pm on May 3 2007.

She had been left alone with younger twin siblings Sean and Amelie while her parents were dining in the nearby Tapas restaurant with their seven pals, who became known collectively as the Tapas Nine.
PNGs vibrant democracy, including its extraordinary diversity and combination of individual choice and clan loyalties, may still be able to overcome such electoral bias in favour of ONeill.

This is 5,682 ghost voters for every PNC sitting member  more than 10 times the number of ghost voters for non-PNC sitting members.

Comparing the 2017 electoral roll with electorate population estimates based on the 2011 census, the Electoral Commission has created nearly 300,000 ghost voters in Peoples National Congress-controlled electorates.

STATISTICAL indicators suggest that Papua New Guineas ONeill government used its power of incumbency to cook the books in its favour in the current election.

This may depend on the moral choices about to be made by new independent members. ONeills party has likely manipulated this election.

May they choose wisely and morally, not just chasing PNCs money politics, when they decide on PNGs new government.

One extraordinary indicator of electoral bias is that PNC supported electorates had an average of 5,682 extra people on the electoral roll relative to their population.

The number of these ghost voters was over ten times larger than the average of 507 for non-PNC electorates.

Overall, there were nearly 300,000 more people on the electoral roll in PNC electorates than the latest population census would suggest. This is much greater than the extra 20,000 in non-PNC electorates.

It seems the cleansing of the 2017 electoral roll, assisted by Australia, was able to find nearly all the ghost electors in non-government seats, but failed abysmally in seats held by the government.

This is a very sad comment on the quality of the electoral commissioners management of the election. Combined with his failure to maintain the confidence of the independent Electoral Advisory Committee, he should resign and give power to a truly independent body.

So we know that this electoral bias provided nearly 300,000 extra votes to government-held electorates. But what does this mean in practical terms?

First, this type of electoral bias made it more likely that your name would be on the roll if you turned up to vote in an electorate controlled by the government.

Many citizens were disenfranchised by not having their name on the roll. For non-PNC electorates, if we exclude the statistical outlier of the electorate of Obura-Wonenara, all other non-PNC electorates had on average 864 less names on the electoral roll than suggested by the latest census.

The extensively reported incidence of double voting is easier to accomplish when there are more names on the roll. And its easier to sneak in a few extra pre-filled ballot boxes with ballots already marked in favour of the preferred candidate.

But the key issue is how these extra votes were actually distributed at the sub-electorate level  by local level government, ward and polling station.

The story of the Simbu election scrutineers indicated the type of manipulation that is easier to do in electorates where PNC members have many more ghost voters.

We know that due to clan loyalty and views of leadership, some seats will comfortably go to particular people and parties. In the case of finance minister James Marape. his re-election was expected, so it is hard to determine why there would need to be manipulation (one explanation is that it was targeted as an early declared victory to provide a head-start to the vital government coalition formation process).

In the 89 open electorates (not the 22 province-wide electorates), the average first preference vote was 8,500  only 20% of all votes cast. If you had the most first preference votes, you generally won the election three-quarters of all elected members won their first preference count.

So by adding even 1,000-2,000 possible votes in areas where candidates had particularly strong support, you could gain the extra few percent which can be vital for overall success. An average of 5,682 ghost voters provided enormous flexibility to manipulate the election.

Of course, there were an amazing amount of diverse factors influencing the election  proper and improper. So this type of manipulation would not necessarily overcome other issues which could affect a politicians popularity.

For example, it does not account for major election promises that are particularly beneficial to certain electorates, such as the prime ministers K3.5 billion give-away of a substantial share of its ownership of the PNG LNG project to landowners in Hela. Why wouldnt you vote for PNC with this massive handout (even as it destroys budget credibility and issues of equity across PNG)?

There are many factors and influences determining systematic bias that cannot be tested by mathematical analysis. The courts presumably will go into much more detail, such as whether voters were constitutionally allowed to vote on Sundays or whether there was unlawful intimidation in certain areas.

There are more rigorous statistical tools available to inform an understanding of the electoral bias evident in this election. Their application would require more detailed information and it is a shame the electoral commission is hiding this.

It was understandable that the electoral advisory committee resigned as it wasnt getting the kind of detailed information it required to do its job. Nevertheless, there may be enough public information to conclude that there has been systemic bias towards PNC and that some electorates have mathematically impossible outcomes.

Some of the mathematical impossibility bias indicators are crude but damning.

There was no explanation provided for how the first member elected, James Marape, won in an electorate where there were between 7,000 and 20,000 more votes cast than there were names on the electoral roll or shown in the latest population census.

This is the type of bias that the electoral advisory committee could have examined and, if there remained major issues of mathematical impossibility, recommended that the election in that electorate should be re-run.

As a general rule, unless some clear explanation can be provided, an election should be re-run if the number of votes cast exceed the number of people on the electoral roll or based on the latest census.

As the election count continues, a key third stage of the four stage election process, there is a great need for integrity from officials, scrutineers and police. And there are still key decisions ahead for the electoral commissioner and even the governor general.

These decisions would be better informed by greater information sharing  this could help confirm the legitimacy of the election.

Looking ahead, such analysis could also provide benchmarks for making the 2022 election better and fairer.

The final stage in this election is the formation of the governing coalition. No party will win an absolute majority and there is a clear coalition of parties that are anti-ONeill, including former coalition partner, National Alliance.

Independent members and parties opposed to ONeill have a critical role in shaping PNGs future.

Hopefully, they will reflect on the legitimacy of many PNC members who benefited from some form of vote rigging.

The early choice by the so-called Independent member for Koroba-Lake Kopiago, Petrus Nane Thomas, to immediately join PNC without time for considering alternatives was a disappointing start.

May other Independent candidates be guided by the Bible and their moral vision to decide whether such deliberate bias should be rewarded with the right to rule.
Police are hunting for a custody escapee who broke free from police minutes after being arrested.

Kyran Hubert John Naden, 31, was arrested when police responded to a break-in at Kitchener Place, Caringbah, about 8.30pm Sunday night.

New South Wales Police said they arrested Naden after a 'short struggle' but quickly escaped the Miranda Police Station while in custody.

Kyran Hubert John Naden, 31, (pictured) escaped police custody Sunday night after being arrested for a break-in at about 8.30pm

Police are hunting for Naden who escaped the Miranda Police Station (pictured) after being arrested for breaking in to a property in Caringbah

The Bathurst man is described as being Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander appearance, 177cm tall, thin build with brown hair and brown eyes.

Naden was last seen wearing a dark green tracksuit top and faded blue jeans.

'An internal investigation is being conducted into the events leading up to the man's escape,' Police released in a statement.
EasyJet boss Carolyn McCall will join ITV as chief executive on 900,000-a-year, it was revealed today.

Ms McCall, who begins her new role in January 2018, had been the front runner to secure the broadcaster's vacant top job after Adam Crozier stepped down at the end of June.

She will receive an annual salary of 900,000 - but is eligible for an annual bonus to a maximum of 180 per cent of salary, a long-term incentive plan up to 265 per cent of salary and a generous 15 per cent pension allowance.

ITV described it as 'broadly the same remuneration opportunity' to Mr Crozier's.

EasyJet boss Carolyn McCall (pictured in Moscow) will join ITV as chief executive on 900,000-a-year, it was revealed today

Ms McCall will also receive awards to compensate for remuneration arrangements forfeited on leaving EasyJet.

She has headed up the low-cost airline since 2010, prior to which she was chief executive of Guardian Media Group.

The mother-of-three  one of just seven female FTSE 100 bosses  was with easyJet for seven years after previously running the Guardian Media Group

'I'm really pleased to be joining ITV. It is a fantastic company in a dynamic and stimulating sector. I am looking forward to getting to know all of the people at ITV and helping it make the most of the amazing opportunities that it has in the future,' she said.

Ms McCall has also been a non-executive director of Burberry since 2014 and sits on the board of the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and is a Trustee at the Royal Academy.

Peter Bazalgette, chairman of ITV, said: 'In a very impressive field of high calibre candidates, Carolyn stood out for her track record in media, experience of an international operation, clear strategic acumen and strong record of delivering value to shareholders. I'm delighted we'll be working together at ITV.'

The mother-of-three  one of just seven female FTSE 100 bosses  was with easyJet for seven years after previously running the Guardian Media Group.

She worked her way up in the media company after starting as a research planner and became a close ally of former Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger.

The pair built up the papers website but were criticised for failing to make it profitable.

However, since joining EasyJet in July 2010 McCall had overseen a steady rise in share price rise of more than 200pc, or 914p, to 1347p.

This was despite rival Ryanair boss Michael OLeary initially dismissing her as some old media luvvie due to her lack of airline experience.

Rival Ryanair boss Michael OLeary initially dismissed her as some old media luvvie due to her lack of airline experience - but she helped easyJet's share price rocket

She was reportedly approached by retailer Marks & Spencer last year about becoming its boss but she turned down the job.

In replacing Adam Crozier, she has big shoes to fill.

The 53-year-old  who was on 941,000 a year  is widely credited with steering ITV through the Great Recession and transforming its fortunes.

Under his leadership its revenues have grown by more than 1bn and the broadcaster has reduced its reliance on advertising through investing in its production arm, leading to runaway hits Broadchurch, Downton Abbey and Vera.

The group endured its first drop in full-year advertising revenues since 2009 when it announced annual results in March, but underlying pre-tax profits still rose slightly to 847m in 2016 against 843m in 2015.

Croziers departure has sparked fears the company could fall into foreign hands, with American telecoms giant Liberty Global, the parent of Virgin Media, seen as a potential buyer.

Ahead of Ms McCall's departure, EasyJet shares went down down 0.8pc, or 11p, to 1347p. ITV was up 0.22pc, or 0.4p, to 181.9p.
A scam which saw horse meat served up as beef burgers in Britain has been busted after 65 people were arrested in a Europe-wide operation.

Police say the gang netted more than 20 million euros trading unfit horse meat across the continent.

Old, unfit or just unwanted horses were deliberately targeted in Portugal and the north of Spain and put down in two concrete slaughterhouses, police say.

The network was busted by the Spanish Civil Guard in conjunction with Europol in eight countries, including the UK, France, Portugal, Belgium, Italy, Romania, Switzerland and the Netherlands.

A scam which saw horse meat served up as beef burgers in Britain has been busted after 65 people were arrested in a Europe-wide operation. Police in Spain are pictured during a recent raid carried out in conjunction with Europol

Old, unfit or just unwanted horses were deliberately targeted in Portugal and the north of Spain and put down in two concrete slaughterhouses, police say. Police took footage of one of their raids (above)

Samples were taken (pictured) during some of the raids, which were carried out in conjunction with Europol

Police say the group altered the identity of the horses by replacing their microchips or falsifying their passports.

'The meat was distributed in different ways but mainly sent to Belgium, the largest exporter of horse meat throughout the European Union,' said a police spokesman.

The 65 suspects were arrested during a series of raids in Spain and included the alleged ringleader, a Dutch entrepreneur who is being linked directly with a horse meat scam which caused a major beefburger scare in Ireland in 2013.

The scam hit fast-food restaurants and frozen food shops who had no idea the products contained horse meat. The affected burgers were also found on sale in the UK.

Forensic experts discovered traces of 'bute,' a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, but not enough to cause health problems.

Police say the group altered the identity of the horses by replacing their microchips or falsifying their passports

'Nevertheless, this discovery generated social alarm in the affected countries and revealed similar happenings in the majority of European states,' said the spokesman.

Investigations in 2013 revealed that the Dutchman was behind the scam. He was a well-known figure in the horse meat world but had disappeared.

Last summer, police noted 'unusual behaviour' in the horse meat market and arrested the original ringleader in Belgium although he was living a 'discreet' life in Alicante.

He had put deputies in charge in the various countries, with the Spanish part of the organisation only being part of the Europe-wide operation.

The 65 suspects were arrested during a series of raids in Spain and included the alleged ringleader, a Dutch entrepreneur who is being linked directly with a horse meat scam which caused a major beefburger scare in Ireland in 2013. Some animals were discovered in poor condition with one suffering from a cut on the neck

In total, 300 officers carried out 29 raids and 100 inspections, arresting 20 of the 65 suspects in the very first day. They face charges of animal abuse, documentary falsification, prevarication, crimes against public health, money laundering and belonging to a criminal organisation

In total, 300 officers carried out 29 raids and 100 inspections, arresting 20 of the 65 suspects in the very first day.

They face charges of animal abuse, documentary falsification, prevarication, crimes against public health, money laundering and belonging to a criminal organisation.

Various bank accounts and real estate have been blocked and five new high-end vehicles seized.

The police investigation was coordinated by the Federal Police, the Federal Food Agency in Belgium and Guardia Civil. Different police actions were simultaneously carried out in France, Portugal, Italy, Romania, Switzerland and the United Kingdom,with the backing of Europol.
Olympic gold medallist Michael Diamond has been slapped with an interim apprehended domestic violence order.

The AVO was taken out to protect the fallen Atlanta and Sydney Olympian's wife Cathy, reports Fairfax Media.

Mr Diamond, 45, will not be allowed to go near his wife within 12 hours of drinking or taking illegal drugs.

Former Olympic gold-medallist Michael Diamond (pictured) has had an AVO taken out against him

The interim apprehended domestic violence order against Mr Diamond (pictured) is intended to protect his wife, Cathy

The AVO also cautions Mr Diamond against assaulting, threatening, stalking, harassing or intimidating her in any way.

He has also been asked to stay away from her property or threaten to damage it in any way.

Mr Diamond was asked by the publication if he would contest the AVO, to which he replied: 'None of your business, mate.'

Mr Diamond (pictured) has previously been in strife for firearms and drink driving offences

A magistrate warned Mr Diamond (pictured), 45, that future offenses could lead to jail time

This is not the first time Mr Diamond has been embroiled in controversy.

Mr Diamond was barred from competing in the 2016 Rio Olympics after he was charged with firearms offences and drunk driving.

He was given a good behaviour bond and warned that repeat offences could land him in jail.

Mr Diamond subsequently challenged the 10-year gun licence ban he received in May.

Mr Diamond (pictured) was not nominated to compete in the 2016 Rio Olympics due to his brushes with the law

Mr Diamond (pictured) won gold medals for Australia at the Atlanta and Sydney Olympic Games in the Men's Trap shooting

The AVO could dash his hopes of getting the ban overturned, and he may face prison if he commits future offences.

Mr Diamond has been consistently supported by Shooting Australia, who insisted on standing by the sporting hero.

'We will not turn our backs on someone who has been such a great servant of our sport and our country in the past,' a spokesperson said after Diamond was refused permission to compete at the Rio Olympics in 2016.

Mr Diamond (pictured, right) has been supported by Shooting Australia, who called him a 'great servant of the sport'
Hector Miguel Garnica, a 27-year-old father of three, is still missing after a flash flood hit the Arizona swimming hole where he was spending Saturday with his extended family

Adults, teens and children as young as two were enjoying a summer afternoon by cooling off in an Arizona creek when the gentle waters turned deadly.

The group of 14 from the Phoenix and Flagstaff areas had met Saturday for a day trip along a popular swimming hole near Payson, about 100 miles northeast of the capital. They set up lounge chairs not knowing an intense thunderstorm was dumping heavy rainfall just upstream in the Tonto National Forest.

The storm unleashed six-foot-high floodwaters, dark with ash from a summer wildfire, onto the unsuspecting family and friends. The torrent carried away tree branches and other debris and left a wake of nine bodies.

Search and rescue crews, including 40 people on foot and others in a helicopter, recovered the bodies of five children and four adults, some as far as two miles down the river. Authorities did not identify them.

A 27-year-old father of three, Hector Miguel Garnica, was still missing on Monday. The bodies of his wife Maria Raya, who would have been 26 on Sunday, and their three kids - three-year-old Emily, five-year-old Mia and seven-year-old Hector Daniel - were pulled from the water.

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The bodies of Garnica's wife, Maria Raya, and their three kids - three-year-old Emily, five-year-old Mia and seven-year-old Hector Daniel - were pulled from the waters this weekend. The family is pictured above

Maria's mother Selia Garcia, 60 (pictured), was also one of the nine killed in the flood

The names of the rest of the victims are as follows, according to the Arizona Republic: Maribel Raya, 24 (Maria's sister), and her daughter Erika, two; Javier Raya, 14 (Maria's brother); Selia Garcia, 60 (Maria's mother); and Jonathan Leon, 13 (Selia's grandson).

Four other members of the group - two adults and two children - were rescued from the waters on Saturday and hospitalized for hypothermia. They have since been released from the hospital.

Disa Alexander was hiking to the swimming area where Ellison Creek and East Verde River converge when the water suddenly surged.

Video she posted to social media showed torrents of water surging through jagged canyons carved in Arizona's signature red rock.

'I could have just died!' Alexander exclaimed on the video.

The above picture shows the flood waters coursing through the area on Saturday

She spotted a man holding a baby and clinging to a tree. Nearby, his wife was also in a tree. A boy Alexander described as the couple's son was on the rocks above the water.

This grainy image taken from video of the floods shows a father clinging to a tree with his baby in his hand. They are thought to have survived

Had they been swept downstream, they would have been sent over a 20-foot waterfall, Alexander said.

Alexander and others tried to reach them but couldn't.

Fortunately help was close by.

Some search and rescue team members were already near the swimming hole after getting a call to help someone who had suffered a bad allergic reaction, according to Detective Sgt. David Hornung of the Gila County Sheriff's Department.

When they arrived at the scene, 'they heard someone screaming for help and saw a man clinging to a rock,' said Hornung, who added that the man was safely rescued. 'Then they heard other people calling for help.'

Some 40 rescuers in bright orange T-shirts and helmets dotted the green landscape as they combed the waters and banks for the missing boy. A few brought along specially trained search dogs hoping to find him alive, Hornung said.

The family, who was staying in the area, declined to be interviewed when approached by an Associated Press reporter.

Lightning strikes as a monsoon sweeps toward north Phoenix Sunday night

The swimming hole is on the East Verde River around 10 miles north east of Payson and around 100 miles from Phoenix

The National Weather Service estimated up to 1.5 inches of rain fell over the area in an hour. The thunderstorm hit about 8 miles upstream along Ellison Creek, which quickly flooded the narrow canyon where the swimmers were.

Hornung noted that the National Weather Service had issued a flash flood warning about 1 1/2 hours before, 'but unless they had a weather radio out there, they wouldn't have known about it. There is no cell phone service out here.'

The swift waters gushed for about 10 minutes before receding in the narrow canyon, Hornung said.

'They had no warning. They heard a roar, and it was on top of them,' Water Wheel Fire and Medical District Fire Chief Ron Sattelmaier said.

While Arizona is known for its dryness, it gets bursts of heavy rains during the summer monsoon season. The severe thunderstorm was located in a remote area that had been burned by a recent wildfire, Sattelmaier said. The 'burn scar' was one of the reasons the weather service issued the flash-flood warning.

'If it's an intense burn, it creates a glaze on the surface that just repels water,' said Darren McCollum, a meteorologist

The floods occurred when a thunder storm struck part of Ellison Creek, eight miles north of the hole, sending water rushing downstream. Above, the scene under the First Crossing Bridge afterwards

One of the victims bodies was found beneath this bridge on Sunday afternoon

Five bodies were recovered from the river on Sunday, a day after the floods. Four others were found on Saturday and two people remain missing. Authorities continued searching the river on Sunday

Members of the Tonto Rim Search and Rescue team carried on the search for survivors

Authorities continued to search for the two missing people on Sunday afternoon

Pictured: What the creek normally looks like

Crowds looking to beat the Phoenix metro area's heat often head to the small creeks that flow out of the mountains forming swimming holes and a series of small waterfalls. But officials warn that visitors need to be aware of the dangers of a flash flood.

'I wish there was a way from keeping people from getting in there during monsoon season, ' Sattelmaier said 'It happens every year. We've just been lucky something like this hasn't been this tragic.'

Steve Stevens, a volunteer fire fighter with Water Wheel Search and Rescue, said visitors should stay away when there are flash flood warnings.

'The clouds over on the other side of the mountain can be dumping buckets, and all of a sudden there's a wall of water coming through that just wipes out everything in its path,' said Stevens, who has lived in the area for 20 years.

Sudden flooding in canyons has been deadly before. In 2015, seven people were killed in Utah's Zion National Park when they were trapped during a flash flood while hiking in a popular canyon that was as narrow as a window in some spots and several hundred feet deep.

In 1997, 11 hikers were killed near Page, Arizona, after a wall of water from a rainstorm miles upstream tore through a narrow, twisting series of corkscrew-curved walls on Navajo land known as Lower Antelope Canyon.
A senior federal government staffer has been found guilty of harassing his elderly parents-in-law after leaving them expletive-laden text and voicemail messages.

Brendan Blomeley, chief-of-staff to Liberal Senator David Bushby, government whip in the Senate, pleaded not guilty in Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court to using a carriage device to harass.

The court heard on Monday that Blomeley had sent his mother and father-in-law Julia and Ted Edwards a barrage of offensive telephone messages in December 2015.

Brendan Blomeley has been found guilty of harassing his parents-in-law via telephone

Brendan Blomeley called his parents-in-law 'f***ing mongrels', 'f***wits' and 'disgraces'

Brendan Blomeley is chief-of-staff to Liberal David Bushby, government whip in the Senate

The 42-year-old had called both Mr and Mrs Edwards, who are the parents of his estranged wife Emily Edwards, a 'f***ing mongrel', a 'f***wit' and a 'f***ing disgrace'.

Mr Edwards, 79, and Mrs Edwards, 73, are separated and each gave evidence against their erstwhile son-in-law.

The calls were made at a time Blomeley, whose wife had left him with their young son and daughter three months earlier, had not seen his children for 25 days.

Blomeley believed his parents-in-law were assisting their daughter in keeping him from seeing his children.

The court heard Blomeley had contacted Mrs Edwards eight times in 26 hours, with five texts and three voicemail messages. He had contacted Mr Edwards 17 times in 33 hours.

Blomeley told Mrs Edwards: 'You're a f***ing disgrace Julia Edwards. A f***ing disgrace. You make me sick. You make me absolutely sick.'

Brendan Blomeley's estranged wife Emily Edwards and her father Ted Edwards leave court

Political staffer Brendan Blomeley (right) leaves court with his lawyer Neal Funnell on Monday

Brendan Blomeley (left) leaves Downing Centre Local Court with lawyer Neal Funnell

'You people think you're so f***ing smart. You really are just a pack of f***ing mongrels. Julia Edwards, you are a f***ing mongrel.'

'I'm going to call you a f***wit. You're a f***wit, just like Ted. You're a f***wit of the highest order.'

Magistrate Megan Greenwood said the messages sent to Mr Edwards were even worse as they were 'repeated over and over'. Some came after 10pm.

Blomeley told his father-in-law: 'You're a f***ing a***hole', 'you're a f***wit', 'you're pathetic', 'you're just a f***ing mongrel' and 'you're a pathetic waste of space.'

Ms Greenwood discussed the relative offence of the f-word with Blomeley's barrister Neal Funnell.

Ted Edwards (far left) leaves court with his daughter Emily Edwards (second from left)

Brendan Blomeley will be sentenced for using a carriage device to harass on Thursday

Senator David Bushby (right), government whip in the Senate, is Brendan Blomely's boss

'There's a lot of swear words,' Ms Greenwood said of the contents of Blomeley's messages. 'F*** is said a lot.

'We all probably agree that the word f*** is used quite commonly in every day language.

'The word f*** has lost its outrageous meaning in much everyday usage but not in its pejorative (sense) - calling someone a f***ing mongrel, for example.'

Barrister Neal Funnell: 'Without trying to trivialise everything, I don't think it would take much imagination to come up with a word worse than f***wit to call somebody.'

Mr Funnell said his client had only been concerned about his children's whereabouts and well-being when he contacted his in-laws. 'What sort of father would just give up?' he asked.

He said Blomeley had also contacted police at Rose Bay, Cronullla, Sutherland and Gosford about getting access to his kids.

Brendan Blomeley's estranged with Emily Edwards leaves Downing Centre Local Court

Political staffer Brendan Blomeley pleaded not guilty to using a carriage device to harass

'It's just difficult to imagine who wouldn't lose their cool in that situation,' Mr Funnell said. 'Mr Blomeley was possibly losing his mind.'

Mr Funnell described Blomeley's words as 'colourful langauge' and 'name-calling'.

'He calls (Mrs Edwards) a f***ing mongrel a number of times and he calls her a f***wit a number of times.

'It's not language to be condoned in a civilised sense. It's not language that is to be commended. It's regrettable language. Mr Blomeley could have chosen his words better.'

Ms Greenwood saw it more seriously.

'I think someone might regard this to be vitriolic abuse,' she said.

Both Mr and Mrs Edwards had asked Blomeley to cease contacting them, Ms Greenwood noted, 'and you didn't leave them alone'.

Mrs Greenwood found the offences proven and will sentence Blomeley on Thursday.
As Jeremy Meeks and Topshop heiress Chloe Green continue to pack on the PDA, the Hot Felon's heartbroken wife has taken her children on a family trip to DisneyLand.

Melissa Meeks shared a photo with her two young sons posing with the Star Wars character Chewbacca during a family trip to Disney on Sunday night.

She also shared solo shot posing up in a black dress and heels, which she captioned: 'Wishing you all a blessed Sunday'.

Meanwhile, Jeremy Meeks, 33, and Green, 26, were seen dining out together at the swanky Italian restaurant Madeo in Los Angeles.

Jeremy Meeks, 33, and Chloe Green, 26, were seen dining out together at the swanky Italian restaurant Madeo in Los Angeles

Melissa Meeks shared a photo with her two young sons and an unidentified girl posing with the Star Wars character Chewbacca during a family trip to Disney on Sunday night

She also shared solo shot posing up in a black dress and heels, which she captioned: 'Wishing you all a blessed Sunday'

The pair took a united front as they wrapped their arms around one another as they left the restaurant on Sunday evening. Both Meeks and Green opted for an all-black look, with Chloe in a mid-length dress and Meeks in a leather jacket, black T-shirt and black jeans

The new couple smiled and held hands as they left the swanky West Hollywood hotspot on Sunday evening

Over the weekend, the new couple put on a defiant display at Rush Hour club in Dortmund, Germany.

The pair appeared to ignore the criticism swirling around their relationship, as they openly kissed and downed champagne in front of club-goers days after Meeks filed for a legal separation from Melissa.

Tossing her honeyed tresses over her shoulder, Chloe puckered up for a kiss with Jeremy, who looked to not have a care in the world as he openly kissed her back.

The pair have been spotted getting hot and heavy with PDAs on several occasions since their romance emerged.

Jeremy has found himself newly single after filing for legal separation from his former partner and mother-of-three Melissa Meeks - who he shares her youngest son with.

The aspiring catwalk star was married to the 38-year-old nurse, who stayed with him throughout his stint in prison, for eight years.

Letting their hair down: Topshop heiress Chloe Green, 26, put on a defiant display as she partied with 'hot felon' Jeremy Meeks, 33, at Rush Hour nightclub in Dortmund, Germany on Saturday

Pucker up! The pair appeared to ignore the criticism swirling around their relationship, as they openly kissed and downed champagne in front of club-goers

Defiant: Jeremy has found himself newly single after filing for legal separation from his former partner and mother-of-three Melissa Meeks - who he shares her youngest son with

The move came after she had filed for divorce, after confronting Jeremy outside of their Stockton home when he arrived back from his break in Turkey, where the controversial pictures of him cavorting with Chloe on the $145,000-a-week yacht emerged.

The couple's legal separation documents say they will share custody of their children.

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.

Melissa has told the Mail of her devastation, admitting that her husband had been seduced by the glamour of his newfound modelling career.

Not good: The move came after she had filed for divorce, after confronting Jeremy outside of their Stockton home when he arrived back from his break in Turkey, where the controversial pictures of him cavorting with Chloe on the $145,000-a-week yacht emerged

Low profile: Meanwhile, Chloe has been staying out of the spotlight ever since she was forced to delete her social media account after enraged social media fans slammed her over pictures showing her kissing married Jeremy

'I know it takes two to tango but she knew he was married,' she said. 'To me, that's unforgivable. My whole world has been torn apart by this. What do I tell our children? My heart is broken.

'What sort of woman would do something like this to another woman? My marriage wasn't perfect but I thought it could be saved, until this happened.

'Of course I'm angry at her. What she did is unforgivable. And I'm angry at him too. What they did destroyed my entire world.

'Did either of them think about the children and how this will affect them? They're the innocent victims in this. And so am I.'

Describing the moment she learned about her husband's affair, she added: 'Some random person I don't know sent a direct message with the photograph of my husband kissing that woman.

'I went into shock. I felt nauseated. It was like a bomb had gone off and my whole world had been blown apart.

Split: Jeremy has found himself newly single after filing for legal separation from his former partner and mother-of-three Melissa Meeks - who he shares her youngest son with

Out in the cold: The aspiring catwalk star was married to the 38-year-old nurse, who stayed with him throughout his stint in prison, for eight years

'I'd never heard of Chloe Green. I thought Jeremy was working.'

While Jeremy and Chloe reunited in Los Angeles, Melissa had been celebrating her birthday. She also shared a telling Instagram that read: 'Better to be slapped with the truth than kissed with a lie.'

Chloe, meanwhile, was last seen cutting a low profile as she enjoyed another sunny break with her billionaire father Sir Phillip Green, 65, in St Tropez.

She has been staying out of the spotlight ever since she was forced to delete her social media account after enraged social media fans slammed her over pictures showing her kissing married Jeremy.

Chloe's father Sir Philip, however, has said he is 'not getting involved' in his daughter's holiday romance.

The tycoon refused to be discuss his daughter's new romance, telling the Telegraph: 'With respect, I am not getting involved in it.'

Chloe is thought to have met Jeremy when he attended at an array of star-studded events during the Cannes Film Festival last month.

Fans fell in love with the former criminal and his good looks after his California mugshot went viral in 2014.
Gunmen shot dead a nurse and injured three others after opening fire at crowds of people waiting to cast their votes in an unofficial referendum seeking to oust President Nicolas Maduro.

Venezuela's opposition voted en masse against his plan to rewrite the constitution in a bid to reshuffle the government after nearly four months of violent protests.

Footage showed armed men on motorcycles shooting indiscriminately at hundreds of people lining up to cast their ballots in Caita, a working-class neighborhood in the capital Caracas.

Voters are seen fleeing in panic during the attack which the opposition has blamed on a 'paramilitary' gang.

Venezuela's opposition were voting against President Nicolas Maduro's bid to rewrite the constitution in a bid to reshuffle the government when the attack happened

Footage showed armed men on motorcycles shooting indiscriminately at hundreds of people lining up to cast their ballots in Caita, Caracas. Pictured: Violent protests against Nicola Maduro's governments taking place last week

The deceased woman has been identified as Xiomara Soledad Scott who died minutes after reaching hospital, BBC reported.

She becomes the 96th person to have died in nearly four months of protests and political agitation in Venezuela's streets.

'We lament this very much, with great pain,' opposition spokesman Carlos Ocariz said of the shooting.

Around 7.2million Venezuelans, out of 19million possible voters, cast ballots in the symbolic election against Maduro.

The unofficial referendum is reported to have been organised to denounce the government's big to vote for a new assembly on July 30.

This assembly would have the power to suspend state institutions, with critics arguing it would help create a dictatorship.

Central University of Venezuela president Cecilia Garcia Arocha said Venezuela had 'sent a clear message' to the world by voting in the unofficial referendum.

The woman shot dead by 'paramilitary' gunmen in Caracas (pictured) was identified as Xiomara Soledad Scott who died minutes after reaching hospital

The unofficial referendum is reported to have been organised to denounce the government's big to vote for a new assembly on July 30. Pictured: Anti-government protests in Caracas on July 10

'We do not want to be Cuba, we do not want to be a country without freedom,' said Julio Borges, leader of the opposition-controlled parliament.

'Today, Venezuela said yes to a dignified country, a democratic country, a country where people do not have to go because they have no future. The mandate the people have given us is clear.'

The central question before voters concerned Maduro's intention to hold an election on July 30 to choose 545 members of a citizens' body called the 'Constituent Assembly' that would redo the constitution.

A dry run of that election was also held Sunday, to detract from the opposition vote which the government branded 'illegal'.

Maduro told the opposition to 'not go crazy' with the results of its vote, though the head of the national electoral council told the opposition that the result would have 'no legal consequence.'

The Mexican government, critical of Maduro, called for the results of the opposition consultation to lead to a 'negotiated solution' to help 'restore' democracy.

Ordinary Venezuelans blaming food and medicine shortages on Maduro's policies, however, seized on the vote as a way of telling the president to leave office.

Around 7.2million Venezuelans, out of 19million possible voters, cast ballots in the symbolic election against Maduro. Pictured: Anti-government protests in Caracas on July 10

A dry run of that election was also held Sunday, to detract from the opposition vote which the government branded 'illegal'. Pictured: Anti-government protests in Caracas on July 10

Central University of Venezuela president Cecilia Garcia Arocha said Venezuela had 'sent a clear message' to the world by voting in the unofficial referendum. Pictured: The Bolivarian National Guard clash with anti-government protests in Caracas on July 10

People took to Caracas' streets after the vote shouting 'this government is falling' as motorists honked their horns in celebration.

During balloting, one voter, 49-year-old Tibisay Mendez, said Maduro and his officials 'only want to hold on to power - We are voting to get them out.'

Many wore white and the colors of the national flag as they cast their votes.

Government supporters - and public workers worried about keeping their jobs - stayed away.

Several Latin American countries and the Catholic Church have criticized Maduro's move to redraft the constitution.
David Davis urged the EU to 'get down to business' today as he kicked off the second round of Brexit talks - but appeared to have turned up without his notes.

The Brexit Secretary sat down with counterpart Michel Barnier for the second round of negotiations in Brussels this morning, saying he wanted to make progress on a deal for reciprocal rights for citizens.

But pictures showed the UK team without any paperwork as they sat across the table from the Eurocrats - who were armed with huge piles of documents.

After greeting Mr Barnier this morning, Mr Davis insisted the teams from the UK and EU were now getting to the 'heart of the matter'.

'For us it is incredibly important we now make good progress,' he said.

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Pictures showed David Davis's UK team (right) without any paperwork as they sat across the table from the Eurocrats led by Michel Barnier today - who were armed with huge piles of documents

After greeting Mr Barnier in Brussels today, Mr Davis insisted the teams from the UK and EU were now getting to the 'heart of the matter'

Standing alongside Mr Barnier, the Brexit Secretary said progress had to be made this month on a deal for reciprocal rights for citizens

'That we negotiate through this and identify the differences, so that we can deal with them, and identify the similarities so that we can move forward.

'And now it's time to get down to work and make this a successful negotiation.'

Mr Barnier said: 'I look forward to our negotiations this week. We'll now delve into the heart of the matter.

'We need to examine and compare our respective positions in order to make good progress.'

However, Mr Davis only stayed in Brussels for around three hours - before heading back to London and leaving officials to discuss technical details.

Mr Davis is facing strong opposition from the EU over Britain's proposals for rights of European nationals living in the UK, as well as pressure to accept paying a huge 'divorce' bill.

CITIZEN'S RIGHTS KEY TO FIRST PHASE OF BREXIT NEGOTIATIONS The first phase of the Brexit talks will cover the divorce settlement - with the main topics reciprocal rights for UK and EU citizens, the potential bill for Britain, and the Northern Ireland border. David Davis is facing strong opposition from the EU over Britain's proposals for rights of European nationals living in the UK, as well as pressure to accept paying a huge 'divorce' bill. Theresa May last month published a 'fair and serious' offer to guarantee the future rights of the 3.2 million EU citizens living in the UK and the 1.2 million British ex-pats in the EU. The proposal to grant EU nationals 'settled status', effectively indefinite leave to remain, was immediately dismissed by European Council President Donald Tusk as 'below our expectations'. Under the terms agreed between the EU and UK, negotiations are taking place in four-week 'rounds'. The second session is beginning in Brussels today. The EU says that only when 'sufficient progress' has been made on citizen's rights, the divorce bill and Northern Ireland will they move on to discuss future trade talks. Both sides have committed to 'transparency', and are expected to released updates about each round accompanied by press conferences. Advertisement

Theresa May last month published a 'fair and serious' offer to guarantee the future rights of the 3.2 million EU citizens living in the UK and the 1.2 million British ex-pats in the EU.

The proposal to grant EU nationals 'settled status', effectively indefinite leave to remain, was immediately dismissed by European Council President Donald Tusk as 'below our expectations'.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson then fanned the flames when he said in the Commons that Brussels could 'go whistle' if it expected the UK to pay a hefty 'divorce bill' in respect of its outstanding financial obligations.

Mr Barnier, who has made clear that he is not prepared to start talks on a trade deal until there has been sufficient progress on the financial settlement, retorted icily he could not hear any whistling, 'just the clock ticking'.

That row was quietly defused with a written Government statement acknowledging Britain had obligations to the EU which would continue after the UK had left and which 'need to be resolved'

However ministers also faced criticism at home over their plans to withdraw from the EU nuclear regulator, Euratom, amid warnings the UK find its access to radioactive isotopes used to treat cancer restricted.

All three issues will be on the agenda for this week's discussions, which are expected to continue to Thursday, along with the thorny matter of the future border between Northern Ireland and the Republic.

Mr Davis made clear his first priority would be resolving the issue of citizens' rights, saying he was determined to make 'real progress'.

'We made a good start last month, and this week we'll be getting into the real substance,' he said.

'Protecting the rights of all our citizens is the priority for me going into this round and I'm clear that it's something we must make real progress on.'

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, who is in Brussels on separate business, said: 'A very fair, serious offer has been put on the table by the UK Government about citizenship, the value we place on the 3.2 million EU citizens in our country.

Boris Johnson, pictured right with Slovenian counterpart Karl Erjavec at a meeting of foreign ministers in Brussels today, said the UK had made a 'fair and serious' offer on citizen's rights

Mr Johnson, seen today with EU French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, said he hoped the EU would look at the offer on rights for nationals in the 'spirit it deserves'

Chancellor Philip Hammond delivered an extraordinary public rebuke during a BBC interview yesterday against Brexiteer ministers who have been briefing against him

'The, I think, very good offer that we are making to them and the security they can have about their future.

'I hope very much that people will look at the offer in the spirit it deserves.'

The government's approach received a boost today as the Czech secretary of state for European affairs said Britain could get a 'much broader, much deeper' free trade deal with the EU than Canada.

BRITAIN COULD GET BETTER DEAL THAN CANADA, SAYS CZECH MINISTER The government's Brexit approach received a boost today as the Czech secretary of state for European affairs said Britain could get a 'much broader, much deeper' free trade deal with the EU than Canada. Ales Chmelar said he hoped there would be a 'mutually agreeable' trade deal and that it could see the UK and EU enjoy closer economic ties than the bloc's Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) with Canada. But Mr Chmelar warned that a 'deeper' relationship could also see Britain facing 'certain commitments', suggesting the Government would have to continue paying into the Brussels budget. Advertisement

Ales Chmelar said he hoped there would be a 'mutually agreeable' trade deal and that it could see the UK and EU enjoy closer economic ties than the bloc's Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) with Canada.

But Mr Chmelar warned that a 'deeper' relationship could also see Britain facing 'certain commitments', suggesting the Government would have to continue paying into the Brussels budget.

Mr Chmelar told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'We still hope that there will be a mutually agreeable settlement also on trade issues and we also hope that the UK will have a specific access to the European market, that's something that we have negotiated for example now with Canada, it can be much broader, it can be much deeper.

'And if it is deeper than other settlements, than other trade deals, then it is understandable that there will be also certain commitments.'

The talks takes place against a backdrop of bitter feuding among UK ministers over the Brexit strategy.

Over the weekend, Chancellor Philip Hammond angrily accused Cabinet rivals of trying to undermine his agenda for a 'softer' business-friendly Brexit prioritising jobs and the economy.

One unnamed Cabinet minister was reported have hit back, claiming Mr Hammond was part of an attempt by 'the Establishment' to prevent Britain ever leaving the EU.

The Daily Telegraph quoted the minister as saying: 'What's really going on is that the Establishment, the Treasury, is trying to f*** it up. They want to frustrate Brexit.'

A former aide to Mr Gove, Dominic Cummings, risked inflaming tensions today by describing Mr Davis as 'thick as mince'.

Mr Cummings - who helped run the Vote Leave campaign but says he has not spoken to Mr Gove since June last year - also branded Mr Davis 'lazy as a toad' and 'vain as Narcissus'.
Police have arrested a man over allegedly repeatedly sexually assaulting a young girl in a park in Sydney.

Authorities had released an image of a suspect they alleged was involved and a 37-year-old man turned himself in to police on Monday afternoon.

An inappropriate relationship is alleged to have begun when the man and the girl met online, when she was 14-years-old, and led to a number of meetings at an oval in Hornsby Heights between February 2015 and January 2016.

The man allegedly met the young girl on the chat website MeetMe.

Police have arrested a man over alleged repeated sexual assaults of a young girl in a park in Sydney

An inappropriate relationship is alleged to have begun when the man and the girl met online, when she was 14-years-old, and led to a number of meetings at an oval in Hornsby Heights between February 2015 and January 2016

The 37-year-old man handed himself in to Chatswood Police Station about 3pm, a police spokeswoman told AAP.

Detectives are questioning the man over the alleged assaults and he is expected to be charged.

Police have been searching for the man for months who they say 'may be named or use the name Alex.'

Detective Acting Superintendent Peter Yeomans earlier said the circumstances of such incidents were 'extremely traumatic'.

'A person who grooms young children online is what you'd describe as a predator,' he told reporters in Sydney.

Police has urged parents to speak with their children about online safety.

'Any app, online game or social media platform that allows the user to be in contact with someone they've only met online potentially puts them at risk,' Det Acting Supt Yeomans said.

The victim is now 'in good care' and seeing a specialist from NSW Health.

Anyone with concerns about suspected child abuse or exploitation should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Outside groups have been active in central New York before. But the Congressional Leadership Fund, a super PAC supporting House Republican candidates, is taking a new approach.

The Congressional Leadership Fund has opened an office in Manlius to support the group's door-to-door canvassing effort. The Syracuse-area location is one of 12 offices the super PAC has opened across the country.

By the end of this year, the Congressional Leadership Fund wants to have 30 offices in competitive congressional districts.

Super PACs like the Congressional Leadership Fund typically have millions of dollars at their disposal  the GOP-aligned group recently reported raising $12 million in the first six months of 2017  and use that money to finance advertising campaigns supporting Republicans and opposing Democratic candidates.

Corry Bliss, executive director of the Congressional Leadership Fund, said the super PAC will continue to use digital and television advertising to spread its message. But some of its war chest will be used to support door-to-door canvassing operations in competitive congressional races, such as the 24th district race in New York.

"We think the old model that super PACs and outside groups frequently use is kind of old and stale, which is you raise all this money, save it and then you do as much TV as you can do the last three weeks," Bliss said in a phone interview.

Bliss joined the Congressional Leadership Fund after managing U.S. Sen. Rob Portman's successful 2016 re-election campaign in Ohio. He utilized a similar approach for Portman's campaign that he is now implementing at the super PAC.

Portman, a Republican, had 15 offices across Ohio. The staff and volunteers at those offices knocked on more than six million doors leading up to Election Day, Bliss said.

The offices focused on local issues in the community. In Toledo, the campaign highlighted problems posed by harmful algal blooms and what Portman was doing to address them. Several offices had discussions with voters about the heroin epidemic, which affected residents throughout the state.

The goal of the ground game was to localize the race and tout Portman's results for the communities he represents. He won re-election by 21 points.

The Congressional Leadership Fund's strategy is to get an early start on the important races for 2018. Getting Katko, R-Camillus, re-elected, Bliss said, is a top priority. At the Manlius office, the group has a full-time employee who knocks on doors and makes phone calls to voters. Volunteers, which include high school students, also participate in the canvassing effort.

In the 24th Congressional District, which includes all of Cayuga, Onondaga and Wayne counties, plus the western part of Oswego County, the super PAC is targeting about 80,000 voters.

Bliss said the goal in central New York is to ensure Katko wins re-election.

"I would argue that he is one of the best members of the Republican caucus," he said. "When you look at the results he's delivered for the community, whether it'd be when he was a U.S. attorney fighting crime or the work he's done to combat the heroin and opioid epidemic that's unfortunately impacting many communities across the country.

"He's a real leader, not just in the state delegation but in the party. Quite frankly, we're not going to let him lose."

Evan Lukaske, a spokesman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said the Congressional Leadership Fund's involvement in the race exposes Katko's "glaring vulnerabilities."

"With unprecedented Democratic energy in central New York and a Republican repeal bill less popular than the Georgetown Hoyas, we feel great about our chances to replace Katko next fall," he said.

The Congressional Leadership Fund will be active in other New York races. The group opened an office in Yorkville to support its ground operation in the 22nd Congressional District. That race is expected to pit U.S. Rep. Claudia Tenney, a Republican, against Democratic Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi.

Bliss admitted that organizing this national campaign is harder than simply funding television and digital advertisements. While it may cost them more money, he thinks it will be effective.

As of last week, the super PAC's staff and volunteers had knocked on more than 1 million doors since the start of the 2017-18 election cycle.

"There is nothing more impactful than to knock on someone's door and have a nice conversation with them about what their member of Congress is doing to improve their community and their life," Bliss said. "That interaction is more meaningful than any television ad, and that's why we're focused so much on the ground game."
Muslim women wearing hijabs cheerfully arrived at a swimming pool in Sydney's west on Monday afternoon for the launch of women-only classes.

The Blue Water Swim School at Condell Park is closed to men for an hour at a time on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday afternoons and Tuesday night.

This is all so an aqua therapy group, Aquatic Flex, can run women's only lessons. One woman was pictured carrying foam noodles through the pool entrance on Monday.

Fatme Taha, director of Aquatic Flex and head swimming instructor, said her clients were a diverse group of 'young girls, mums, single mums and even grandmothers.'

'They include women who are Muslim, Christian, Hindu, Jewish and women of no faith. All are welcome,' she said in an online statement.

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A pool in Sydney's southwest has launched a ten-week, women-only swimming program

Muslim women wearing hijabs arrived at The Blue Water Swim School at Condell Park on Monday

The facility will close its pool to men for an hour at a time on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday afternoons and Tuesday night

'We do cater for women only and I do not and will not apologise for this,' Ms Taha added.

'I encourage all my clients to take their approach to physical activity seriously and provide a setting that will help achieve this.

Aquatic Flex said the swimming groups were 'diverse and inclusive of women from all socio-economic, cultural and religious backgrounds.'

Blue Water Swim School owner Simon Rodwell said Aquatic Flex had hired his pool to hold classes for women in the area with a high Muslim population.

'It's for women who want to be without any men there and, okay, a high proportion of them could be Muslim,' he told Daily Mail Australia on Friday.

'In western Sydney, there are a lot of Muslims here in this area, for sure.'

Fatme Taha, director of Aquatic Flex and head swimming instructor, said her clients were a diverse group of women (aqua lessons pictured)

Instructor Fatme Taha said most of her clients were Muslim women who preferred to be segregated from men

However, she said women of all different faiths were welcome and involved in the classes

'We do cater for women only and I do not and will not apologise for this,' Ms Taha said

Instructor Fatme Taha said most of her clients were Muslim women who preferred to be segregated from men.

'For our community, for sure, yes, they don't like to get mixed with men,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

'Segregated, yes, especially in the water because coming out of the water the lady feels revealed and the clothes gets tight on her and she feels uncomfortable so they prefer not to have men watching what they do.'

Images of women in hijab swimming costumes have been posted on Facebook to promote the classes.

They show the women in black holding foam pool noodles as part of an aqua therapy session to help deal with back pain, which is running for the next 10 weeks.

The pool at Condell Park in Sydney is closed to men for an hour at a time in the afternoon

The lessons were advertised on Facebook, explaining there would be 'no CCTV cameras' and free child minding

The Auburn Ruth Everuss Aquatic Centre's retractable curtains around pools for women's only session caused public outrage in May

In May, the council-run Auburn Ruth Everuss Aquatic Centre installed a retractable curtain around one of its three pools so women could swim privately during two set time slots on Wednesdays, infuriating many western Sydney residents who said it was like 'segregation'.

However Simon Rodwell, who runs his privately-operated pool in an industrial area of Condell Park with his wife Narelle, said there wasn't a backlash about the early afternoon women's-only sessions resuming next week.

'This is a private operation here. They're using it at times when we wouldn't be using it anyway,' he said.

The council pool at Auburn had curtains installed so women could swim without men seeing them
A former champion boxer has been jailed after bugging his ex-girlfriend's phone during a campaign to 'control' her.

Ronnie 'The Shark' Clark installed spyware on a phone he bought former partner Rebecca Graham and sent her menacing messages, a court heard.

The 32-year-old was jailed for nine months at Teesside Crown Court after he was convicted of the new offence of 'controlling or coercive behaviour'.

Boxer Ronnie 'The Shark' Clark has been jailed for a campaign of harassment against his ex

The court heard the super featherweight, from Dundee, met Miss Graham when she was just 13 but their relationship started later and they were together for more than two years from 2010.

They split after Miss Graham accused the boxer of having affairs, but Clark continued to harass her after they separated, the court heard.

He used the phone software to monitor who she was exchanging messages with and threatened to kill a man she was in touch with, The Dundee Courier reported.

A family member of Clark's also messaged Miss Graham telling her 'you know what he's capable of' and 'he's not scared of killing people'.

Clark, pictured during a boxing match last year, put spyware software on his ex's phone

Miss Graham told the court the campaign has left her with severe anxiety.

A victim impact statement said: 'My house has locks, alarms and kick bars, but if he flips out what is that going to do.

'Having the curtains open for one hour a day was an achievement for me.'

Clark, who started off as a kickboxer, was previously Scottish Super Featherweight Champion.

The court heard he had his fight licence revoked after his arrest and his jailing means he will miss a bout lined up for September in Hungary.

He appeared unrepentant on Facebook last week, posting a message which read: 'Truth will always conquer lies'.
Mata Hari was rumbled for being a double agent for the French and Germans and shot

An exotic dancer executed for being a traitor in the First World War was covertly watched by MI5 who helped to exposed her betrayal, it has been claimed.

Mata Hari, an internationally famous Dutch dancer on the Paris stage, was rumbled for being a double agent for the French and Germans and shot in 1917.

Now, a book claims UK secret services told the French about their concerns over the mother-of-two's treachery two years before she was executed aged 41.

And historian Mary Craig, who has studied newly released archive papers, claims Britain helped covertly gather evidence that led to her downfall.

Fears among UK officials were first raised when she gave contradictory accounts when interrogated by MI5 after arriving by ship in Folkestone, Kent, in 1915.

According to a report in The Times by Dominic Kennedy and Elizabeth Burden, records stated nothing incriminating was found after she was searched.

But the records added that she was 'regarded by police and military to be not above suspicion and her subsequent movements should be watched'.

Exotic dancer: Fears in the UK about Hari were first raised when she gave contradictory accounts when interrogated by MI5 after arriving by ship in Folkestone, Kent, in 1915

Archive records state that Hari was 'regarded by police and military to be not above suspicion and her subsequent movements should be watched'

Hari was sent back to France and all ports were told to stop her entering Britain. She then appeared in the Netherlands in 1915, where MI5 was watching her.

Reports sent to London by British agent Richard Tinsley that year revealed she was in financial trouble and had been given 15,000 francs from the German embassy.

Hari was suspected of 'having been to France on an important mission for the Germans'  before 'succeeding' in her task and getting money from the Germans.

Six days later Britain told France that she would be arrested and sent to Scotland Yard if she arrived in Britain  and she was continually watched while in Paris.

A new book by historian Mary Craig claims UK secret services told the French about their concerns over the treachery of Hari (pictured) two years before she was executed aged 41

According to The Times, Ms Craig writes in her new book: 'Although it may seem curious for the British to tell the French that a Dutch citizen would be arrested if she set foot in Britain, it was probably the most effective way they had to alert the French to their suspicions, given the lack of hard evidence against her at that time.'

Hari was eventually arrested for espionage by the French in 1917 before being put on trial and found guilty of revealing details about the Allies' new weapon, the tank.

The leaks by Hari, who had high-ranking military officers of different nationalities among her lovers, were said to have resulted in the deaths of thousands of soldiers.

A Tangled Web: Mata Hari, Dancer, Courtesan, Spy is by Mary W Craig and published by The History Press, costing 20
The husband of a woman who went missing from a boat off the Bahamas requested a letter of 'presumed death' just a day after the coastguard called off the search, court documents show.

Real estate sales associate Isabella Hellmann, 41, disappeared while sailing off the coast of the archipelago with her engineer husband of just three months Lewis Bennett, 38, in the early morning of May 15.

Mr Bennett, who has a nine-month-old daughter with Ms Hellmann, claims he was asleep when the boat struck an object 30 miles from Cay Sal and started sinking. When he woke up, he said his wife had disappeared.

Real estate sales associate Isabella Hellmann, 41, (right) disappeared while sailing off the coast of the archipelago with her engineer husband of just three months Lewis Bennett, 38, (left) in the early morning of May 15

Happy together: Isabella Hellmann had married British-Australian husband Lewis Bennett in Atlanta, Georgia, just a few months ago

He was later rescued from a life raft after sending out a distress signal.

The Coast Guard called off their three-day search which covered an area of more than 6,000 miles and was aided by helicopters, boats and aircraft, on May 18 for the missing wife who has been classified as being lost at sea.

Speaking exclusively to DailyMail.com at the apartment he and his wife bought last year in Del Ray Beach, British-born Mr Bennett, also an Australian citizen, revealed he made a trip to Cuba to try to find out if his wife had been found and taken there because of its proximity.

He said: 'I met the authorities there and checked every hospital, but there is no sign of her.

Bennett's catamaran was found about 30 miles from Cay Sal (as depicted by this map) and had partially sunk, but there was no sign of Hellman, who worked as a real estate sales associate at Signature International Real Estate in Delray Beach, Florida

The sailing boat was found capsized about 30 miles away from Cay Sal

Search: The Coast Guard released images of the search for Bennett's missing wife, which spread out from the hull of their capsized catamaran

'It is now two weeks since she has been missing, so I am not holding out much hope of seeing her so I have to come to terms with that.

'This is absolutely devastating for me. She is my soul mate. I thought we were going to be together forever.'

But in the latest twist, newly-released court documents show he asked officials to declare his wife of just three-months 'presumed dead' just days after her disappearance, ABC reported.

In a letter dated May 19, the Coast Guard said they could not grant the request - as Florida's missing person's law states that a missing person can only be declared legally dead if they have been missing for at least five years.

The letter is included in court documents related to Ms Hellmann's sister Adriana Difeo's action filed in the Palm Beach County court in June to take control of her sister's finances after accusing him of killing her sibling.

Friends of Ms Hellmann told ABC that the couple had had a fight about moving to Australia.

Mr Bennett told DailyMail.com that Hellman (pictured) was his 'soul mate' and he was 'looking forward to out life together'

'She was set on, "no, I'm not moving," and he was upset [about] her not wanting to go with him,' Sarah Cortes said.

The case is still being treated as a missing persons case by the FBI and the Coast Guard.

Mr Bennett, who is from Dorset in the UK, studied at Bangor University in Wales, and lived for several years in Queensland, Australia, met divorcee Isabella, 41, through the internet.

Speaking to DailyMail.com earlier this year he said: 'I had been with Isabella for four years. We were looking forward to our life together.

'We have got a daughter. We were planning a great life together and now I am alone without her. I loved her very much... we'll just have to see.'

Asked if it was any suspicion that he had harmed his wife that was fueling the investigation, he said: 'They haven't accused me of anything. Nobody has put that allegation directly against me.

'But I understand why they have to investigate and that is fair enough. I have got nothing to hide. They have to do what they have to do.'
North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un has accused Donald Trump of 'bluffing' over threats to take military action against the reclusive nation.

US President Trump called an emergency July 4 meeting to formulate a 'measured response' to the North's first intercontinental ballistic missile test, amid fears it could reach as far as Alaska.

Kim's spokespeople said the despotic leader was 'unfazed' over Trump's threats and branded the military drills the US military is currently undergoing in Australia as a 'show of force'.

'The US is crying out for mounting a military attack on the DPRK,' they told state-censored newspaper Rodong Sinmun, adding the missile test was an act of 'self defence'.

North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un has accused Donald Trump of 'bluffing' over threats to take military action against him

Kim's spokespeople said the despotic leader was 'unfazed' over Trump's threats and branded the military drills the US military is currently undergoing in Australia as a 'show of force'

They went on: 'This is just a ridiculous bluffing of those taken aback by the invincible might of the DPRK... The DPRK remains unfazed by the desperate moves of the US to stifle it.'

The US is currently undergoing a military exercise with Australia in north Queensland, in what is the largest joint exercise by the Australian Defence Force and the American military.

'It is a manifestation of stupidity that the US works hard to check the victorious advance of the service personnel and people of the DPRK,' Kim's henchmen said of the drills.

'The US is gravely mistaken if it arrogantly thinks that even a single shell should never be dropped on its mainland while carpet-bombing other countries.'

Trump spoke out against North Korea after Kim declared the country had finally achieved its dream of building a rocket that would 'fundamentally put an end to the US nuclear war threat and blackmail'.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson later confirmed the latest missile test was with an intercontinental ballistic missile.

Trump spoke out against North Korea after Kim declared the country had finally achieved its dream of building a rocket that would 'fundamentally put an end to the US nuclear war threat and blackmail'

The missile launch, which came as the United States prepared to mark its Independence Day, triggered a Twitter outburst from Trump who urged China to 'put a heavy move' on North Korea

And Tillerson says that's a new escalation of the threat posed to the United States and the world by North Korea.

The launch, which came as the United States prepared to mark its Independence Day, triggered a Twitter outburst from Trump who urged China to 'put a heavy move' on North Korea to 'end this nonsense once and for all'.

The US has requested a closed-door meeting of the United Nations Security Council on North Korea's latest missile launch, a spokesman for the US mission to the United Nations says.

Potential responses included sending additional troops to the region and possibly more sanctions.

North Korea has long sought to build a rocket capable of delivering an atomic warhead to the United States - something Trump has vowed 'won't happen'.

SOUTH KOREA OFFERS TALKS WITH NORTH TO EASE TENSION South Korea has offered to talk with North Korea to ease animosities along their tense border and resume reunions of families separated by their war in the 1950s. It is unclear if North Korea would agree to the proposed talks as it remains suspicious of the South Korean president's overtures, seeing the new leader's more liberal policy as still resorting to the United States to force North Korea to disarm. Seoul's proposal for two sets of talks indicates President Moon Jae-in is pushing to improve ties with Pyongyang despite the North's first intercontinental ballistic missile this month. South Korea has offered to talk with North Korea to ease animosities along their tense border (South Korean president Moon Jae-in pictured with former US leader Barack Obama) Vice defence minister Suh Choo Suk said the South's defence officials are proposing talks at the border village of Panmunjom on Friday to discuss how to end hostile activities along the border. Seoul's acting Red Cross chief Kim Sun Hyang said it wants separate talks at the border village on August 1 to discuss family reunions. North Korea's state media has not immediately responded to South Korea's overtures. Earlier this month, Mr Moon reiterated he is willing to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un if conditions are met. Mr Moon also said the two Koreas must halt hostile activities along the border, restart family reunions and cooperate on the 2018 Winter Olympics to be held in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Mr Moon has said he would use both dialogues and pressures to resolve the standoff over North Korea's nuclear programme. But his push has reported little progress with the North test-firing a series of newly developed missiles since Mr Moon's May 10 inauguration. North Korea's state media has not immediately responded to South Korea's overtures (South Korean president Moon Jae-in pictured with current US leader Donald Trump and wife Melania) The North's ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile) launch has stoked security worries as it showed the country could eventually perfect a reliable nuclear missile capable of reaching anywhere in the United States. Analysts say the ICBM that was tested could reach Alaska. After the launch, Mr Kim said he would never negotiate his weapons programmes unless the United States abandons its hostile policy toward his country. Mr Kim's statement suggested he will order more missile and nuclear tests until North Korea develops a functioning ICBM that can place the entire US within its striking distance. Advertisement

In an announcement of the missile test, North Korean officials called the launch, which leader Kim Jong-un supervised, a 'glistening miracle'.

The Hwasong-14 ICBM reached an altitude of about 1,741 miles (2,802 kilometres) and flew 579 miles (933 kilometres) for 39 minutes before hitting a target area on the sea off the east coast, according to North Korea.

Washington, Japan and South Korea gave similar figures, and US experts said the trajectory implied the device could reach Alaska.
Australia's military have been handed new powers to assist in responding to terrorist attacks.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull made the announcement in Holsworthy on Monday, explaining Special Forces soldiers will be involved in training law enforcement officers.

Mr Turnbull was pictured standing in front of masked, heavily armed special forces, positioned with hi-tech weaponry, as he made the announcement.

The soldiers appeared almost threatening, dressed in full camouflage gear, holding assault rifles, and some were wearing gas masks.

Malcolm Turnbull announced an overhaul to the way Australian law enforcement deals with terror attacks - giving the Defence Force new powers

Special forces officers stood behind Mr Turnbull as he made the announcement, and were seen holding assault rifles, dressed in full camo gear and some were seen wearing gas masks

The overhaul may also see soldiers embedded within existing law enforcement, and changes will be made so it is easier for the ADF to be called in during a terror attack.

'Our enemies are agile and innovative - we have to stay ahead of them,' said Mr Turnbull.

'State and Territory Police Forces remain the best first response to terrorist incidents, immediately after an attack starts,' a statement from the Prime Minister's office read.

'But Defence can offer more support to states and territories to enhance their capabilities and increase their understanding of Defences unique capabilities to ensure a comprehensive response to potential terrorist attacks.'

Standing behind the Prime Minister, alongside the special forces soldiers, were perhaps some of the unique capabilities he was referring to.

The Prime Minister inspected the Defence Force's weaponry, which included infra-red sensors, chain saws, assault rifles and a high-tech inflatable boat

WHAT WILL CHANGE IN TERROR RESPONSE OVERHAUL? Defence will offer specialist training to law enforcement teams

Embed soldiers within some law enforcement agencies 'to assist with liaison and engagement'

Process to 'call out' the Australian Defence Force will be streamlined to make it easier

States and Territories will be able to call in military earlier in an attack - before their own capability is exhausted

Defence will be given new powers to help in a terror situation and will be able to stop suspected terrorists from leaving the scene of an attack Under the changes, the ADF will offer special training to some law enforcement Advertisement

Officers were seen with high powered assault rifles, chainsaws, circular saws, infra-red sensors, and a high-tech inflatable boat.

While browsing the weaponry and gadgets, Mr Turnbull was also able to meet a working military dog.

In the case of a terror event, the Prime Minister clarified police would still be the first respondents immediately after an attack starts.

The newly announced overhaul is the first time Defences contribution to domestic counter-terrorism has been reviewed since 2005.
Britain's new state-of-the-art fighter jets are reportedly set to cost hundreds of millions of pounds over budget.

The RAF's new, US-built F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter have been hailed as the 'most powerful' fast aircraft in history by Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon.

But the jets have been plagued by a catalogue of problems which have sent costs soaring.

And there are concerns shortcomings in the technical systems underpinning the new generation of war planes will leave them unable to function properly.

Manufacturer Lockheed Martin has said the jets will cost the UK between 77 million and 100 million each.

The F-35B fighter jet, pictured, has been hit with a catalogue of problems which has reportedly sent costs spiralling

But The Times said the true cost of the planes delivered this year will be more than 150 million each to cover 'extras' such as software upgrades and spare parts.

The newspaper has uncovered a series of shocking failures with the new generation of warplane which raises serious questions about the project.

It found that the 'stealth' F-35 are unable to transmit data to British ships and older aircraft without revealing its position.

The plane's software system is vulnerable to cyber attack and cannot be tested independently by the UK.

While the weak broadband on the Royal Navy's principal aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth is also hampering the jet's abilities.

And some of the planes are expected to be too heavy to safely conduct a vertical landing - a key function which the jet had been designed to carry out.

And the problems face further problems as the department responsible for the computer networks essential to the aircraft's operation needs to find savings of 400 million this year.

Officials are reportedly aware more cash needs to be poured in to ensure the jets are properly connected to the networks of their aircraft carriers, but believe funding cuts mean there will not be enough money to buy the systems.

General Sir Richard Barrons, who was in charge of the military's information networks until last year, told the newspaper: 'The real virtue of the joint strike fighter is it's a stealthy information platform which happens to shoot down aircraft and bomb.

Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon has said the new fighter jets will be the most 'powerful and comprehensive' of their kind, but the MoD has faced criticism over reports they have problems transmitting data and with cyber securuty

'You need enough capacity to communicate with all of the other platforms: ships, aircraft and headquarters. [The Queen Elizabeth] may look impressive as a ship but technologically it's stuck ten years ago.'

Sir Richard said it was 'utterly pathetic' that Britain had prioritised 'metal and platforms' over 'warfare in the information age'.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said all the issues raised had been reported in the past and were under 'active management' by the Joint Strike Fighter joint programme office and the MoD.

It said the programme remained 'wholly with its cost approval' and that it did not recognise the 150 million cost figure cited by the newspaper.

An MoD spokesman said: 'The F-35B Lightning II aircraft is the world's most advanced fighter jet.

'Whether operating from land or with the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers as a central component of the UK's carrier strike capability, they will ensure a formidable fighting force.

'We are committed to the F-35 programme, which is on time, within costs and offers the best capability for our armed forces.'
A man accused of killing a teenager by running him down as he rode a stolen motorcycle in Western Australia's Goldfields region told police he was chasing the boy 'too close' but didn't mean to drive over him, a court has heard.

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was aged 55 in August last year when he was charged with manslaughter over the death of 14-year-old Elijah Doughty in Boulder, near Kalgoorlie.

The Supreme Court of Western Australia heard on Monday the man saw the boy riding one of two motorbikes that had been stolen from his property a day earlier, gave chase on a wet and uneven dirt track, and admitted he was 'too close' when the teenager suddenly turned in front of his ute.

The man accused of killing 14-year-old Elijah Doughty (pictured) fronted court in Perth today

Elijah's family, including mother Perina James (pictured, centre) heard the man give evidence about the death of the teenager last year

The boy, who wasn't wearing a helmet, tumbled under the car after the impact and died instantly from severe injuries to his neck, chest, pelvis and right leg, and also suffered a fractured skull and bruised lungs.

The man called 000 and was told to place the boy in the recovery position and commence compressions before paramedics arrived, but the teen was pronounced dead at the scene.

'All of a sudden, he's just gone straight in front of me and I've gone straight over the top of him,' the man told police.

The man, 55, who cannot be named, saw Elijah Doughty (pictured) riding a stolen motorcycle

Defence counsel Seamus Rafferty (pictured, centre) said his client was guilty of dangerous driving occasioning death but not manslaughter

The man told the court that he chased the teenager down a wet dirt track but admitted to being 'too close'

Race riots broke out when the man was charged with manslaughter last year. Doughty's sister (pictured) famously stood in front of police urging riots to calm down

He closed the gap just before the crash and admitted he was 'too close' when the boy suddenly turned.

'I was right on top of him. When he veered into me, I couldn't stop.

'I'd only just got up to him at that stage.

'I weren't trying to run him over.'

Elijah Doughty (pictured) died instantly after swerving his bike and being hit by the man's ute

The boy's mother Petrina James and grandfather Albert Doughty (pictured) are attending the trial

Angry demonstrators (pictured) threw rocks and bottles and stood on police cars with Aboriginal flags during the riots

The court heard the small, 70CC motorbike didn't have sentimental value to the man but the other one that was stolen did, and he hoped the boy could tell him where it was.

The father-of-two described the impact as 'horrible', telling police he didn't normally get into pursuits and in hindsight, he would 'not go down that path again'.

'He was clearly emotional from having his bike stolen,' prosecutor David Davidson said.

'In his own words, adrenaline was pumping.'

Perina James (pictured) was in court for the trial of the man accused of running down and killing her son

The death of Elijah Doughty prompted an outpouring of grief in the community and led to street protests

When tensions turned to violence outside the courthouse angry demonstrators smashed windows (pictured)

Defence counsel Seamus Rafferty said his client was guilty of dangerous driving occasioning death but not manslaughter.

The man made a split-second decision that he would always regret and had gone to the area to look for his bikes after police had told him it was a 'dumping ground'.

The jury has already seen CCTV footage of the early stages of the pursuit.

The boy's mother Petrina James and grandfather Albert Doughty are attending the trial, which is scheduled to run until Tuesday next week.

The father-of-two described the impact with Doughty (pictured) as 'horrible', telling police he didn't normally get into pursuits and in hindsight, he would 'not go down that path again'

Police officers (pictured) outside court hoped there would be no repeat of the violence of August last year

Racial tensions boiled over outside Kalgoorlie Magistrates Court in August 2016 when the 55-year-old man was charged with manslaughter.

Demonstrators smashed windows and stood on top of police cars holding Aboriginal flags and chanting 'We want justice.'

The violent clashes left 12 police officers injured and five cars smashed.
The UK internet's power couple have revealed they are paying the price for their fame as they struggle to maintain their private lives.

Alfie Deyes, 23, a YouTube video blogger, or vlogger, who is worth around 4million, said his own mother cannot make a surprise visit to the 1million Brighton home he shares with girlfriend Zoella  the UK's most successful vlogger  because of the sheer number of fans who turn up outside.

The pair also said although they appear together on camera they do not kiss because they want to keep their personal lives private.

Mr Deyes posts 20-minute videos on YouTube showing him carrying out daily tasks or talking about random topics, bringing in around 700,000 views a day.

Alfie Deyes and Zoe 'Zoella' Sugg, pictured at their 1million Brighton home, are struggling with uninvited fans showing up at their house

Mr Deyes, pictured, revealed his own mother cannot show up uninvited and has defended his right to a private life despite posting videos of his daily antics which garner around 700,000 views daily

The couple, pictured, have been together for four years and are the UK internet power couple

He has previously taken to social media to complain of fans trying to look into his house

The vlogger, 23, also said the couple have to deal with parents trying to use their children to take photos of them

He has also launched a successful book series, called Pointless, but said he wants to keep the majority of his output 'real', after accidentally getting into the business aged 15 when 'mucking about with a camcorder'.

Zoella  real name Zoe Sugg  and Mr Deyes have been together for four years and bought the property together, but are becoming concerned with uninvited fans, with Miss Sugg previously revealing she suffers from anxiety and panic attacks.

Mr Deyes told the Telegraph: 'People actually knock on our door. Every single day, parents drive their kids over  and the adults are the ones who get annoyed when we say we won't do pictures. They lift their kids onto the walls around our house, and throw stuff over. I'm always polite, but the way I see it, not even my mum turns up uninvited.'

He added there was a 'very fine line' between him filming his life and 'living his life' but that he is 'super-cautious' about how much he shows of his relationship.

Mr Deyes also said he keeps the focus off his romance with Zoella, pictured, in his videos because that is part of their personal life

Mr Deyes, pictured at the home, said he is 'always polite' to fans even if they are bothering the couple

Miss Sugg launched a fashion and beauty vlog in 2009 and now has more than 11 million subscribers, while her debut novel Girl Online is the fastest selling in history.

Mr Deyes grew up in Tottenham, north London, but moved to Brighton aged four. He launched his Pointless blog while at sixth form college and quickly gained a huge following before moving back to London with friend and fellow vlogger Caspar Lee.

But he said he decided to return to Brighton due to the hectic lifestyle.

He told the Telegraph: 'It was so hectic that I woke up feeling tired every day. When you walk around the Lanes in Brighton, everyone's head is up. In London, everyone is looking down.'

Mr Deyes added he is used to getting 'mobbed' in supermarkets and at the gym, but that most fans are 'super lovely', and said he never replies to trolls because 'if you're spending your days trying to bring others down, that must suck'.
Cops are hunting for three women accused of robbing two stores in Los Angeles using stun guns.

The women entered a CVS drugstore just before 9pm on July 14 on Rosemead Boulevard in Temple City, making off with an estimated $1,000 worth of goods.

When a manager approached them, one of the women pulled out a stun gun and activated it.

The women entered a CVS drugstore just before 9pm on July 14 on Rosemead Boulevard in Temple City, making off with an estimated $1,000 worth of goods. When a manager approached them, one of the women pulled out a stun gun and activated it (stock image)

The incident was caught on surveillance camera.

Then, just an hour later at around 10pm, the women reportedly stole baby formula from a Vons grocery store on Naomi Ave in Arcadia three miles away, before shocking a guard with the weapon, Fox 11 reported.

The security guard sustained a minor injury but was not taken to hospital.

Sgt. John Bonomo from Arcadia police told the news site: 'Fearing for his safety, he [the security guard] stepped away and watched as the three women entered a red vehicle.

An hour later at around 10pm, the women reportedly stole baby formula from a Vons grocery store on Naomi Ave in Arcadia three miles away (stock image)

'The vehicle was last seen fleeing east on Naomi Avenue.'

One witness told ABC7: 'I just went and picked up groceries and as I was exiting, I went to my car, I started hearing the Taser, so I turned my head. They had big purses. They had big bags. That I noticed.'

The women are described as black, in their mid-30s, and were dressed in black clothing.

They are thought to have made their getaway in a red four-door car with paper license plates.

According to Fox 11, the car is thought to be either a Kia or a Ford Focus.
Five members of upstate New York's congressional delegation have asked President Donald Trump to issue a major disaster declaration in response to flooding along Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River.

U.S. Reps. Chris Collins, John Katko, Louise Slaughter, Elise Stefanik and Claudia Tenney signed the letter sent to Trump requesting the declaration. If Trump declares the flooding a major disaster, federal assistance will be provided to the state and local municipalities.

The flooding began in the spring and affected communities along the lake and river, including Fair Haven in Cayuga County and Sodus Point in neighboring Wayne County. The high water levels have caused property damage and significant shoreline erosion has been observed.

"Shoreline communities across New York state have been hit hard by the unprecedented flooding along Lake Ontario this year," Katko, R-Camillus, said in a statement. "Homeowners, farmers, businesses and municipalities face grave repair costs."

Katko's district includes three counties  Cayuga, Wayne and part of Oswego  that have been impacted by the high lake levels.

Earlier this month, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that he would seek federal disaster aid. In the spring, after Katko and a few of his colleagues urged him to seek federal support, Cuomo said that the flood damage hadn't reached the threshold for a disaster declaration.

That changed as the flooding persisted.

After Cuomo's announcement, his request was backed by New York's senators, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand.

Tenney, whose district includes a portion of Oswego County, said she recently toured areas and saw the flood damage up close. Those impacted by flooding have "suffered for long enough," she said.

"It is imperative that they are compensated for the severe and irreparable damage to their properties," Tenney, R-New Hartford, said in a statement.

If the disaster declaration is issued, the Federal Emergency Management Agency will provide aid to state and local governments. The federal government recently granted a similar request for disaster aid in the aftermath of a major winter storm that hit several New York counties in March. The storm, like the floods, caused millions of dollars in damages.
Lauren Barnwell (pictured with her mother, Denise) was made to wear a lanyard because of her 'non-regulation' footwear after she fell down a flight of stairs

A school where 'hundreds' of students have been put into isolation and others have been forced to wear humiliating tags has been branded 'the strictest in Britain' by furious parents.

The hardline behaviour policy at Merchants' Academy, in Withywood, Bristol, includes kids being punished for having shoes which are too shiny, tapping tables and looking at the clock.

Pupils who flout rules have been forced to wear lanyards stating 'I have 24 hours to sort out my uniform'.

Denise Barnwell, 50, was furious when her daughter Lauren, 14, was made to wear one of the tags because she was wearing 'non-regulation footwear' after she injured herself falling down a flight of stairs.

Ms Barnwell said: 'She fell down the stairs from top to bottom and twisted her foot, as well as really injured her ribs, whilst wearing the normal school shoes.

'She was sat at home with her foot up and I had to come down to the school and tell them she wouldn't be wearing those shoes anymore.''

Lauren was then given a sign stating she had permission to wear alternative footwear - which she had to wear on a lanyard around her neck.

Her mother said: 'I think it's disgraceful. How is it going to affect their learning?

'Yes, it's nice if they look smart, but they're literally labelling children, and I don't think that's right.'

Lauren added: 'It's like a boot camp.'

In Charles' Dickens' novel 'David Copperfield' a cruel teacher makes the titular character wear a sign round his neck saying: 'he bites'.

The sign children are made to wear if they arrive at Merchants' Academy in Bristol wearing the wrong uniform

Nick Short has worked at Merchants' Academy since it opened in 2008 and replaced Anne Burrell (pictured together) as principal only last year

The new rules were rolled out at a fortnight before the end of term and coincide with the departure of head teacher, Nick Short, who will leave at the end of the end of term after only a one year in charge, to be replaced by Samantha Williamson.

Mother Petula Peacock was appalled by the policy and complained to the school.

Mrs Peacock, 49, said: 'The head has started off this policy which has caused absolute uproar. I'm not a wishy-washy person, I know my son's a good lad.

'We are talking hundreds of kids in isolation, they are just trying to prove a point.

THE SCHOOL'S STRICT NEW RULEBOOK In a new 17-page behaviour policy rolled out last month, the school sets out a stringent list of rules and regulations that pupils are expected to abide by. In return for following these commands, the school even promises it will 'keep exclusions to a minimum', which appears to be at odds with the testimonies of the furious parents. In regard to classroom behaviour, the school says: 'If a student is behaving in a way which does not support learning and the expectations of the Academy's Ready to Learn policy, the member of staff will address this with the student. 'If the poor behaviour persists the student will be sent to the Isolation room for 5 lessons, which includes a 15 minute detention at the end of the day.' The document acknowledges that rules on uniform will be upheld 'strictly' by members of staff. A basic code of conduct covers aspects such ensuring students walk on the left-hand side of corridors. There is also a list of items not prohibited by the academy, including multi-packs of food and aerosol. Exclusions are covered thoroughly in the document, including with a complex flow chart explaining the banning procedure. It says that students will be kept out of school for 'a serious breach, or persistent breaches, of the school's behaviour policy'. Advertisement

'It's stuff like making a girl wear a lanyard for wearing the wrong colour hairband.

'My son is worried about missing lessons, he is worried about being excluded.

'A girl took her blazer off to eat her school dinner - it was a hot day - and was put into isolation.'

A 17-page document was issued detailing the 'Behaviour for Learning' policy, as part of a crack-down on 'low-level disruption' including looking at a clock.

Refusal to complete isolation will result in exclusion, defiance leads to automatic isolation for five lessons including lunch, break and 15 minutes after school.

One pupil was taken to task over shoes which were 'too shiny' and instead forced to wear a replacement pair which was too small, it was claimed.

Amanda J Cawston raised concerns about the policy and wrote online: 'It appear's the punishments are rather harsh & don't really fit the 'crime'.

'It's also a possibility that a parent might only be able to afford the black shiny shoes in Primark as opposed to the proper school shoes in Clarks which although are nice are generally beyond the pocket of most parents.'

Geoff Brodie wrote: 'Isn't this what the nazi party did. Making people wear signs?? You would have thought that the school would have had a history teacher to point this out to them.'

Another said: 'It's bizarre. He's made it the strictest school in Britain.'

However others defended it and said rules needed to be obeyed.

Helen Sharpe wrote: 'To many wishy washy parents now a days have resulted in a generation of self entitled teens who think the rules don't apply to them and they are able to do what they like without consequence.'

And Jenna Anderson wrote: 'The start of a sea change. This is working incredibly effectively across Bristol.

'I look forward to the pupils and teachers reaping the rewards of this policy once the first couple of weeks' worth of teething issues are worked through.'

Head teacher Nick Short said: 'Low level disruption in class is known to negatively affect the progress and attainment of students.

'As a result, Merchants' Academy introduced a new Positive Behaviour policy, designed to minimise and remove low level disruption from lessons, allowing for higher levels of engagement and more progress to be made by all students.

'Extensive research and visits to other schools drew a conclusion 'Ready to Learn' was a policy which could be developed to benefit students at Merchants' Academy.

Mr Short defended the changes despite the fact he is leaving

'Parents and staff were then introduced to this policy through a range of communication methods which has included a number of assemblies and a range of parent events and drop-in sessions.'

'Since the new policy was implemented, staff and students are reporting much higher levels of engagement in class, with many students making more progress as a result of significantly lower levels of disruption.

'The number of students who have been isolated or excluded as a result of poor behaviour is much lower than predicted.

'I am pleased to report that the revised policy is already making a positive impact at Merchants' Academy, where ensuring the progress of our students is a top priority.'

Mr Short had been at the school since it opened in 2008 and was appointed principal in June last year.

Samantha Williamson will replace him after he tendered his resignation earlier this year. He leaves in August.

He had previously been the head of the secondary phase at the school.

Mrs Williamson left her role as principal of Dover Christ Church Academy in Kent, a position she has held since 2013.

She said: 'I can see enormous opportunity for the academy to become a community hub.

Mr Short poses with pupils, who look considerably happier than they are under the new, stricter rules

'The tenacity and resilience of the community, teamed with their strong support of Merchants' Academy, is a winning formula.

'The academy has fantastic resources that we can use to create many opportunities to bring the wider community into the school.

'I am passionate about ensuring all young people have high quality educational experiences, enabling them to develop interests and aspirations that lead to brilliant futures for themselves and their families.'
A homeless man who loaned his shows to an optician so he could get into a fancy restaurant has already had three job offers since news of his good deed spread.

Jonathon Byles' life is finally heading in a new direction after allowing Akbar Abadshah to wear his shoes when the optician was turned away from a restaurant for wearing sandals.

Mr Abadshah bumped into Jon, 38, in Manchester City Centre after the knock-back during a night out to celebrate his wife's birthday.

They pair got chatting about Mr Byles' predicament and he offered Mr Abadshah the shoes off his feet so he would be allowed into the upmarket Brazilian restaurant.

Homeless Jonathon Byles (second from left) bumped into Akbar Abadshah (centre) after the optician was refused entry to an upmarket restaurant because he was wearing sandals. Mr Abadshah took Mr Byles out for a meal as a way of saying thank you for lending him his shoes

They pair got chatting about Jon's predicament and he offered Akbar the shoes off his feet so he would be allowed into the upmarket Brazilian restaurant

Grateful Akbar was able to track down Jon so he could treat his new friend to a meal in the Spinningfields restaurant as a way of saying thanks.

The sandals Mr Abadshah was wearing when he was turned away from the restaurant in central Manchester.

The group were even allocated a private booth, and staff at the restaurant brought Jon's dog Ben and his friend some food while they waited outside.

Mr Byles, 38, said: 'The meal was amazing. I even brought a spare pair of shoes with me just in case Akbar didn't have the right footwear.

'They did everything they could to make it the best they could. They put us in a special booth room.

'It was a really good night. In some ways the rules of the restaurant allowed me to meet a really nice person.

'I hadn't done anything anybody else wouldn't have done.'

My Byles said that since the news of his selfless deed spread he has had three job offers from people who approached him in the street.

But because he is from New Zealand he has to wait to get his National Insurance number through so he can legally work here.

Selfless Mr Byles, who is from New Zealand, has already had three job offers from people who approached him the street after news of his good deed spread around Manchester

Mr Abadshah (far right) and Mr Byles (second right) were reunited after Jon loaned him his shoes to get into the Brazilian restaurant

Speaking of his new-found fame, he said: 'People have come up to me on the street since and said 'you're the guy from the paper, can I have your autograph?'

One guy even gave me a 120 sweat-shirt off his back.

'I said 'keep it', but he wouldn't take no for an answer'.

Mr Abadshah said: 'It was a lovely meeting. Jon said he loves his native New Zealand but all the love he has been shown in Manchester has convinced him to stay.'

Mr Byles says he ended up on the streets after someone stole his passport leaving him unable to return to New Zealand following a holiday.

Mr Abadshah is pictured left wearing the shoes loaned to him by homeless Mr Byles with his wife whose birthday they were celebrating

He has spent some of the last few months sleeping at a friend's house in Salford although he is still a regular on the streets of Manchester,

He came to Manchester for what was supposed to be a two-week break on December 20 but his passport was stolen at a party which meant he couldn't get his plane home.

When his money ran out in the middle of January he was forced to sleep rough. He is a dairy farmer who also drives trucks and is licensed to operate heavy machinery.
MSNBC's Joe Scarborough wrote a scathing op-ed on Sunday entitled 'Trump is killing the Republican Party, in which he explained his decision to leave the GOP.

The Morning Joe host slammed members of Congress who have 'shamelessly' stood by President Donald Trump, a 'longtime Democrat who switched parties after the promotion of a racist theory about Barack Obama'.

Prior to running for President, Trump himself had for months fueled conspiracy theories over whether Barack Obama was born in the United States, and thus eligible to be president.

MSNBC's Joe Scarborough slammed members of Congress who have 'shamelessly' stood by President Donald Trump, a 'longtime Democrat who switched parties after the promotion of a racist theory about Barack Obama'

Prior to running for President, Trump fuelled theories that Barack Obama was not born in the United States

'It is a dying party that I can no longer defend,' Scarborough wrote in the op-ed for The Washington Post.

Scarborough, who was elected to four terms in Congress from Florida starting in 1994, announced his decision to leave the GOP last week during an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

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.

'I am a Republican, but I'm not going to be a Republican anymore,' he said, adding that he planned to register as an independent voter.

Scarborough's claims that Trump left the Democratic party follow several reports of Trump switching party affiliations over the years.

Since the 1980s, Trump has switched political parties at least five times - initially registering as a Republican in 1987, a member of the Independence Party in 1999, a Democrat in 1999, a Republican in 2009, an independent in 2011 and Republican once again in 2012.

During his presidential campaign, Trump regularly said he had a wide range of political beliefs.

In July 2015, he told MSNBC: 'I identify with some things as a Democrat.' He made similar statements in 2004.

Scarborough announced his decision to leave the GOP last week during an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (pictured above) . He appeared as a guest with his co-host and fiancee, Mika Brzezinski, who recently was attacked by the Republican president

Scarborough slammed Trump and the GOP in his op-ed on Sunday, saying that the 'Republican Party left its senses'.

'Last week's Russia revelations show just how shamelessly Republican lawmakers will stand by a longtime Democrat who switched parties after the promotion of a racist theory about Barack Obama gave him standing in Lincoln's once-proud party,' he wrote.

He said that former Republicans would not recognize the party as it is today.

'Neither Lincoln, William Buckley nor Ronald Reagan would recognize this movement,' Scarborough wrote.

On Morning Joe last week, 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.'

Scarborough and Brzezinski had been friendly toward President Trump during the 2016 election but have been increasingly critical of him since his inauguration.

In February, he and Brzezinski banned Kellyanne Conway from their show.

Scarborough and Brzezinski had been friendly toward President Trump during the 2016 election but have been increasingly critical of him since his inauguration

It sparked a back-and-forth war of words online between the President and the show hosts, including accusations that Morning Joe was failing in the ratings.

But it didn't end there - in recent weeks, Scarborough and Brzezinski have been on the receiving end of further withering insults from the President's Twitter account.

Trump lashed out at the pair in a series of tweets, referring to them as 'Psycho Joe' and 'low-I.Q. Crazy Mika,' and claiming Brzezinski 'was bleeding badly from a face-lift' when he saw her last year at a New Year's Eve party at Mar-A-Lago.

Shortly after the attack, Scarborough and Brzezinski told of how they were then threatened by White House staffers who would blackmail them by having the National Enquirer publish a damaging story about their off-air relationship if they didn't apologize to Trump.

The hosts reached their biggest audience ever when they talked about President Trump's tweets about their show late last month.

Nielsen reported that 1.66 million people watched the MSNBC morning show the day after the tweets.

That narrowly beat the show's previous record, which came the day after President Trump was elected last year.

President Trump previously went after the pair in August of last year, threatening to divulge secrets about their relationship and calling them 'two clowns.'

He also referred to Brzezisnki as Scarborough's 'very insecure long-time girlfriend' and a 'neurotic and not very bright mess' in those tweets.
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Furious residents have been left 'angry and distressed' after learning that the HS2 rail link will pass through their newly built 200,000 homes.

Nigel and Amanda Hogue bought their house in the Shimmer housing estate near Mexborough because they thought it was a quiet, beautiful area.

But after learning that they will have to make room for the HS2 link they say their life has been turned upside down by the decision, and have been left in limbo.

Nigel and Amanda Hogue thought the Shimmer housing estate in Mexborough was a quiet, beautiful area

But now they've learnt that their estate will have to make room for the new HS2 line - and they are worried they will not be able to get a good price from the government

Speaking to Sky News, Mr and Mrs Hogue said: 'We bought this house in January 2015, this was going to be our unknown sort of thing until we retired and moved into something smaller.

'It's nice and quiet, we got another dog, we used the canal area. It's beautiful, nice and peaceful.'

But in the wake of the announcement about the last stage of the HS2 rail link, Mr and Mrs Hogue have been left 'angry and distressed'.

One minute delay is officially late Rail bosses have finally agreed to count a train as late if it arrives at the station more than a minute behind schedule. For years operators relied on lenient rules called the Public Performance Measure which stipulate trains are considered on time if they arrive at their final destination up to five minutes late. For longer trips this grace period rises to ten minutes. The system allowed rail companies to present a rose-tinted picture of their punctuality to passengers. Yet from May 28 to June 24 this year only 64.8 per cent arrived to the minute. Yesterday The Rail Delivery Group industry body said the new tougher targets should become the official measure used by Network Rail from April 2019. Operators will face penalties if they fail. Advertisement

Homes in their newly-built estate will be demolished to make way for the final link of the train line, which will link Leeds and York with Birmingham and the Midlands.

But the Hogues said that the prices being offered by the government for them to move were insulting.

Mr Hogue said: 'All that means is that you can sell it to the government but the they aren't going to give you a decent price for it.

'What they're offering is peanuts and ten per cent. To get the equivalent house is 240 grand.'

The final route was announced today with Sheffield set to be bypassed by the main line - although trains will still run there on the existing network - and homes on the Shimmer housing estate in nearby Mexborough bulldozed.

Some residents found out about the HS2 plans just weeks after moving into the two and three-storey town houses worth from 100,000 to 200,000. Some 166 properties have been built so far but there are still 46 outstanding.

Residents will lose their homes - built as recently as 2012 - because ministers decided the line should serve the existing Sheffield city centre station after proposals to run trains to Meadowhall shopping centre were shelved.

Labour's Rotherham MP Sarah Champion said she was 'furious' because South Yorkshire 'won't get a proper stop'. The Department for Transport said 16 properties on the Shimmer estate will be demolished.

Residents who opt to stay in the homes that are not being demolished are being offered a minimum of 30,000, while those who move out are being offered comparable homes, the DfT said.

Some respondents to a Government consultation had argued that the plans should take into account all 216 homes originally planned at the site.

The homes were built as recently as 2012, but residents will now lose them because ministers decided the line should serve the existing Sheffield city centre

Residents who opt to stay in the homes that are not being demolished are being offered a minimum of 30,000

Mr Grayling's decision on the route from Crewe to Manchester and Birmingham to the East Midlands and Leeds confirms six of the seven changes included in the November consultation.

He decided not to proceed with a proposal to move the line to the east of Measham, Leicestershire. The railway will run to the west of the village with a viaduct extended to mitigate the impact on commercial properties.

In the Commons today, Ed Miliband accused Transport Secretary Chris Grayling of a 'gross discourtesy' after it emerged the announcement on the final route for HS2 was likely to be 'sneaked out' in a written statement.

The former Labour leader was joined by Conservative and Labour MPs in raising points of order to voice their displeasure with Mr Grayling as the final route of the Manchester and Leeds arms of the railway was confirmed.

The final route of the HS2 high-speed railway was announced today with Sheffield set to be bypassed by the main line

Mr Miliband told the Commons after Communities and Local Government questions that there had been an expectation that Mr Grayling would come to the despatch box and make a statement to Parliament on the final decision.

Mr Miliband, who represents Doncaster North, added: 'All the indications are now that the news will be sneaked out in a written statement any time now.

'This is a gross discourtesy and adds insult to injury for my constituents.

Homes on the Shimmer housing estate in Mexborough in South Yorkshire will be bulldozed as part of the HS2 construction

'I would seek your advice about how we can get the Transport Secretary to come to the House and show some accountability on this issue.'

Four Labour MPs and two Tories also raised points of order, with cries of 'shocking' and 'where is he?' heard from the Opposition benches.

Commons Speaker John Bercow said: 'I'm not in a position to require a minister to come to the House today to make a statement.

'However, it is comparatively unusual for members on both sides of the House in unison to raise such a concern and to make, to all intents and purposes, an exactly similar request.

HS2 will be built in Phase 1 (London to Birmingham, services begin in 2026), Phase 2a (Birmingham to Crewe, 2027) and Phase 2b (Crewe to Manchester; Birmingham to Leeds, 2033)

'In the circumstances, the Secretary of State is bound to hear of these concerns within a matter of minutes, and if he wanted to come to the House today to make a statement I would certainly be very happy to facilitate him.'

Mr Bercow later announced that Mr Grayling 'would like to make a statement at the moment of interruption' on HS2 on Monday evening at around 10pm.

It is unusual for Cabinet ministers to make a statement so late in the Commons.

Mr Bercow said: 'I have acceded to that request on the basis that the official opposition is content to hear that statement at that time and I have received that assurance, so there will be a statement, I believe entitled HS2 Update, at the moment of interruption tonight.'

Earlier, Mr Grayling said the Government will ensure communities affected by the railway receive 'appropriate support and are treated with fairness, compassion and respect'.

Rail expert Michael Byng has estimated that HS2 will cost more than 400 million per mile making it the world's most expensive railway, according to reports.

The Sunday Times reported he calculated the scheme will cost up to 104 billion, almost double the Government estimate of 55.7 billion.

A Department for Transport spokesman (DfT) said: 'These claims are incorrect. We have not commissioned any advice from Michael Byng on the cost of HS2.'

An artist's impression of the Birmingham and Fazeley viaduct, part of the proposed route for the HS2 high speed rail scheme

He added: 'We are keeping a tough grip on costs and the project is on time and on budget at 55.7 billion.'

Meanwhile the Government announced today that troubled construction giant Carillion is among the firms awarded contracts for the building of phase one of the HS2 rail line.

The deals are worth 6.6 billion in total and will see tunnels, embankments and viaducts constructed between London and Birmingham.

The work is estimated to support 16,000 jobs. A partnership featuring Carillion has been commissioned for two of the projects.

The firm's share price tanked by more than 70 per cent last week after a profit warning and an 845 million write-off on construction contracts.

Mr Grayling said: 'This is a hugely important step in the construction of Britain's new railway and underlines this Government's determination to deliver an economy that works for all.

Changes to London Euston train station are among the proposals included as part of HS2 which could cost up to 104 billion

'HS2 will deliver vital links between some of our country's biggest cities, helping to drive economic growth and productivity in the North and Midlands.

'As well as providing desperately needed new seats and better connecting our major cities, HS2 will help re-balance our economy.'

Joe Rukin of the Stop HS2 campaign said: 'The case for HS2 has been invented by the very cheerleaders who intend to rake in billions of taxpayers' money which is desperately needed elsewhere, so it really is time to ditch this gigantic white elephant before it is too late.'

In February, Parliament granted powers to build Phase 1 of the line, which is due to open in December 2026.

'This will see trains travel at high speed between London and Birmingham before running on from Birmingham on the existing West Coast Main Line.

A computer generated image of an artist's impression issued by HS2 of the proposed station at Euston in London

Preparatory work has begun and major construction projects are due to launch in 2018/19.

Mr Grayling will soon publish a Bill to deliver Phase 2a from the West Midlands to Crewe, with services expected to begin in 2027.

Phase 2b from Crewe to Manchester, and Birmingham to the East Midlands and Leeds, is due to open in 2033.

The DfT released a study claiming HS2 could help to double the number of seats available to passengers suffering from overcrowded and infrequent trains in key northern towns and cities.

By freeing up space on existing lines there could be twice as many seats on rush hour services from Manchester Piccadilly towards Stoke, Crewe and the South, and from Leeds towards Wakefield, according to the report.

A poster protesting against the proposed high speed rail project is nailed to a fence on a field near Lymm, Cheshire

HS2 may also enable new direct trains from London to destinations such as Bolton, Rochdale and Grimsby, and from Manchester to Derby, the research found.

No decisions have been made on how extra capacity on existing lines will be utilised.

Mr Grayling defended the cost of the project, insisting that 'we are spending what it will take to deliver the best infrastructure in a way that is as sensitive as possible to the environment it's going through'.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'Anyone who travels by train today knows that in and around our big cities the railway lines are congested and the trains are full.

'If we're going to free up the capacity of our mainline rail network, and that's what this is all about - it's about taking express trains off the existing railway line so we can run more commuter trains, more freight trains - then you're going to have to invest over the next decade and more to make sure that can happen.'
A military court convicted a Jordanian soldier Monday of killing three U.S. military trainers at a Jordanian air base and sentenced him to life in prison with hard labor.

The defendant, 1st Sgt. Marik al-Tuwayha, who had pleaded 'not guilty' claimed he opened fire because he feared the al-Jafr base in southern Jordan was coming under attack on November 4.

The victims were 27-year-old Staff Sgt. Matthew C. Lewellen of Kirksville, Missouri; 30-year-old Staff Sgt. Kevin J. McEnroe of Tucson, Arizona; and 27-year-old Staff Sgt. James F. Moriarty of Kerrville, Texas.

As he was led out of the courtroom, al-Tuwayha said: 'I have all the respect for the king, but I was doing my job.'

Relatives of two of the slain soldiers sat quietly as the judge announced his ruling to a crowded court.

A military court in Amman, Jordan convicted Jordanian 1st Sgt. Marik al-Tuwayha (above center being led out of court) Monday of killing three U.S. military trainers last year and sentenced him to life in prison with hard labor

The three soldiers killed during the November 4, 2016 shooting in Jordan are (from left to right) Staff Sgt. Matthew C. Lewellen, Staff Sgt. James F. Moriarty, and Staff Sgt. Kevin J. McEnroe

Charles Lewellen, one of the bereaved fathers, later told The Associated Press that the verdict 'won't take the pain away,' but that it proved 'what we have been saying all along ... that he murdered our sons.'

Some of the relatives criticized Jordan's handling of the case and called for the death penalty, saying the maximum sentence in this case, life in prison, was not enough.

The three U.S. Army Green Berets were killed November 4, as their convoy waited at the gate to the base. Jordan initially said the Americans triggered the shooting by disobeying entry rules, a claim that was later withdrawn.

The trial 'confirmed that the deceased U.S. service members followed all established procedures when accessing the base the day of the incident, as we have noted before,' the U.S. Embassy in Jordan said in a statement. 'We are reassured to see the perpetrator brought to justice.'

Jordan is a member of a U.S.-led military coalition against Islamic State group extremists in neighboring Syria and Iraq. Jordan hosts troops, including trainers, from the U.S. and other countries as part of the anti-IS battle.

Al-Tuwayha, who had pleaded 'not guilty,' claimed during the trial in the Amman, Jordan court (pictured above behind bars in July) he opened fire because he feared the al-Jafr base in southern Jordan was coming under attack on November 4

The military court judge, Col. Mohammed al-Afeef, said at the start of the trial that the defendant had no known ties to militant groups. Above Jordanian judges presiding over the trial are pictured in July

The defendant has said he had 'no intention of killing anyone' and felt no resentment toward Americans. However, security camera footage of the incident, as described by the bereaved relatives, shows the shooting lasted for six minutes ( court session from July pictured)

The military court judge, Col. Mohammed al-Afeef, said at the start of the trial that the defendant had no known ties to militant groups.

This left questions about a possible motive.

The defendant and some of the gate guards testified that they heard what might have been a pistol shot coming from the direction of the U.S. convoy.

The defendant said he opened fire because he feared the base was coming under attack. Other guards said they held their fire because they couldn't determine the source of the sound.

The defendant has said he had 'no intention of killing anyone' and felt no resentment toward Americans.

However, security camera footage of the incident, as described by the bereaved relatives, shows the shooting lasted for six minutes.

They have said the video shows the defendant reloading and shooting at Americans who were waving their hands and yelling: 'We're Americans! We're friendly.'

A badge with a photo of 1st Sgt. Matthew Lewellen, a slain U.S. Army Green Beret, is shown pinned to the chest of his father, Charles, in Amman, Jordan on Monday

The video was shown to the family by U.S. law enforcement, but has not been released to the public.

Some of the relatives have questioned why the video was not screened during the trial and why the court did not ask a surviving U.S. soldier to testify, despite what they said was his willingness to do so.

Moriarty's father, Jim, wrote in a letter Monday to the Jordanian Embassy in the U.S. that the 'successful prosecution' was a 'good first step, but it is only the first step.'

In the letter given to The AP, Moriarty, a Houston lawyer, listed several demands to Jordan. This included allowing the defendant to be re-interviewed by the FBI about his motive and releasing the security camera footage to the families. Moriarty said the video had been entered into evidence at the trial.

Defense lawyer Subhi al-Mawas said he would appeal the court ruling.

In Jordan, life in prison can mean 20 years, with time off for good behavior.

Earlier this year, a Jordanian soldier who killed seven Israeli schoolgirls in a 1997 shooting rampage was released after 20 years.
A top Kurdish counter-terrorism official has claimed ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is alive and hiding in Syria.

Lahur Talabany said he was 99 per cent sure that al-Baghdadi, who was reported to have been killed in an airstrike in Iraq, is still in the group's de-facto capital of Raqqa, Syria.

He said: 'Don't forget his roots go back to al-Qaeda days in Iraq. He was hiding from security services. He knows what he is doing.'

Talbany also warned that despite recent setbacks and loss of territory, ISIS is preparing for a 'different fight' and will soon be an 'Al-Qaeda on steroids'.



He added: 'They are getting ready for a different fight I think. We have a lot tougher days ahead of us than people think. 'Al Qaeda on steroids.

'We saw why they were smarter. Al Qaeda never controlled any territory. They will be smarter.'

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A top Kurdish counter-terrorism official has claimed ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi (pictured in 2014) is alive and hiding in Syria

Iraqi security forces recently ended three years of ISIS rule in the Iraqi city of Mosul and the terror group is under growing pressure in Raqqa - both strongholds in the militants' crumbling self-proclaimed caliphate.

Last week, ISIS admitted al-Baghdadi has been killed dead, according to reports in Iraq.

The terror group is said to have confirmed that the 45-year-old was killed in an air strike in the Iraqi province of Nineveh.

Constant speculation over his life has raised questions about who might replace him as head of the terror group.

Talabany said it was hard to know which of top Baghdadi aides were alive or dead, but he believes most of the leadership is in Syria, south of Raqqa.

Lahur Talabany said he was 99 per cent sure that al-Baghdadi, who was reported to have been killed in an airstrike in Iraq. Pictured: An airstrike on Mosul, Iraq, last week

Iraqi security forces recently ended three years of ISIS rule in the Iraqi city of Mosul and the terror group is under growing pressure in Raqqa, where al-Baghdadi is reported to be hiding

He believes a younger generation of Saddam's former allies were expected to take key positions, adding: 'These are the people in line. The younger generation is always more dangerous.'

Security services face the daunting challenge of breaking up sleeper cells, typically made up of two facilitators and two operators.

'You don't need a lot of guys to set a bomb off. We continue to bust these sleeper cells,' said Talabany.

'Everybody we capture was getting ready to set up to carry out attacks in the region.'

Reports claim ISIS fanatics are scrambling to find a successor to the terror chief, who announced the formation of the group's so-called caliphate in Mosul in 2014.

A ban on jihadis talking about the leader's death has now been lifted, according to a source who spoke to Iraqi media.

Lat week, ISIS allegedly admitted al-Baghdadi has been killed dead, according to reports in Iraq. Pictured: Iraqi soldiers celebrate the liberation of Mosul

Last week, reports claimed ISIS fanatics were scrambling to find a successor to the terror chief. Pictured: Iraqis celebrating ISIS's defeat in Mosul last week

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 ISIS after a gruelling months-long campaign.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor said today that it also had information from top ISIS group leaders confirming the death.

'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,' said its director Rami Abdel Rahman.

'We learned of it today but we do not know when he died or how.'

The Pentagon said today that it had no information to corroborate the claims.

'We take any report of this nature with a large dose of salt,' Sebastian Gorka, deputy assistant to President Donald Trump, told Fox News.

The Pentagon said today that it had no information to corroborate the claims that al-Baghdadi had been killed last week. Pictured: War-ravaged Mosul in May

'We will verify it. We will look at the intelligence available ... and we will give a statement when we have the requisite facts.'

Coalition spokesman Colonel Ryan Dillon added: 'We cannot confirm this report, but hope it is true.

'We strongly advise ISIS to implement a strong line of succession, it will be needed,' he added.

There was no official confirmation or denial of the news on social media platforms used by ISIS.
Livio Mazzarello, 57, has sparked a police hunt after failing to turn up to his own trial where he was jailed for 14 years

Police are hunting a charming wine fraudster who faces 14 years in jail for dodging 46million in tax and failing to turn up to his own trial.

Livio Mazzarello, 57, has disappeared after he was found guilty to evading tax through his luxurious business The Italian Wine Company.

He ran the operation with Louisa Mbadugha, 59, who was jailed for three years for tax evasion.

The duo were rumbled after an investigation by HM Revenue and Customs revealed they lied about how much they imported and sold in a bid to evade duty and VAT.

During a raid on their warehouse in Neasden, London, officers discovered 350,000 in cash stuffed above ceiling tiles and hidden in a floor safe alongside 70,000 litres of duty free wine.

A spokesman for HMRC said: 'The extent of the fraud, committed between 6 June 2008 and 17 April 2013, is estimated at 46.5 million. Proceedings are underway to reclaim any profit obtained from these crimes.'

Both fraudsters were found guilty of the offences on June 8 2017 and Mbadugha was jailed for three and a half years on June 14 at the Old Bailey. Mazzarello absconded from trial but was sentenced to 14 years in his absence.

Upon sentencing Louisa Mbadugha, Judge Philip Katz QC, said: 'You were foolish to be charmed by crooks. Your role (in keeping records) was critical otherwise this fraud could not have happened.

Louisa Mbadugha, 59, who ran the company alongside Mazzarello, was jailed for three years

'Going to prison will have a profound effect on those you know and your standing in the community which has been destroyed.'

'You are a proud woman, stubborn and also very foolish. You allowed yourself to be charmed by crooks. You played your part in allowing that company to operate and to fool the tax authorities.

'As a result of your record keeping the total loss of the whole fraud was well over 40million - staggering amounts.

'You had clear warnings of interest being shown by the tax authorities and you enabled the Italian Wine Company to get away with this for a very long time indeed. You knew what was going on.

'You were not a main organiser but a salaried employee at a high level. I bear in mind this sentence will destroy your working life and I am taking a merciful approach.'

Mr Hughes said: 'The records held here were a sham bearing no relation to the true extent of the trading of the Italian Wine Company.'

When the company offices were searched large amounts of cash were discovered stashed under floorboards and in other hiding places.

CCTV footage of Mazzarelo counting the cash proceeds of the scam was also recovered.

Mazzarello's disappearance sparked a major police investigation to find him.

Simon York, the Director of Fraud Investigation Service, HMRC, said: 'Mazzarello and Mbadugha thought they had developed the perfect scheme to divert millions of pounds from public finances. They were stealing from the taxpayer and undercutting legitimate traders.

'The money they stole should have gone to fund vital public services, not straight into their pockets. They believed they could continue without fearing their criminal activities would be detected. They were wrong and we are working to reclaim any money they made from their crimes.

'We urge any member of the public who may have information about Mazzarello's whereabouts or anyone committing tax fraud to get in contact with us by calling 0800 788 887.'

Mazzarello, of Cricklewood Lane, London, was found guilty of evasion of excise duty, evasion of VAT, and money laundering Mazzarello was the company's principal shareholder.

Mbadugha, of Lewis Crescent, London, was found guilty of evasion of excise duty and with evasion of VAT.
Amber Harrison has been ordered to pay all Seven West Media's legal costs after a judge found she made allegations she could not substantiate and acted unreasonably in her battle with the company.

The ex-lover of Seven boss Tim Worner faces a bill which could total hundreds of thousands of dollars after she was ordered to pay costs on an indemnity basis - a higher rate than usually applies in legal disputes.

But Ms Harrison says she won't cough up.

Ms Harrison (pictured) has been embroiled in a long and bitter court battle with the Seven network

Amber Harrison leaked details about her affair with Seven West Media boss, married Tim Worner (pictured)

The former lover of Seven CEO Tim Worner, Amber Harrison (pictured), has been ordered to pay all Seven West Media's legal costs

A judge found Ms Harrison (pictured) made allegations she could not substantiate and acted unreasonably in her battle with the company

'I'm not going to pay it,' she told the Nine Network.

'I can't pay it. They knew it would bankrupt me and the Supreme Court of NSW has helped them do it.'

Ms Harrison, a former Seven employee, had been embroiled in a bitter battle with the broadcaster since December when she publicly revealed details of the affair and other confidential information.

Justice John Sackar said Ms Harrison decided to contest Seven's claim and run a cross-claim 'mounted on allegations she could not substantiate'.

Now Ms Harrison (pictured) says she will not cough up, as the large sum could 'bankrupt' her

'I can't pay it. They knew it would bankrupt me and the Supreme Court of NSW has helped them do it,' she said

She 'continued to run this case in the face of adverse interlocutory findings, settlement offers, and a complete absence of evidence', he said in his NSW Supreme Court judgment on Monday.

'This conduct is in my view unreasonable, resulting in (Seven) incurring unnecessary and significant legal costs.'

The media company had sought a permanent gag order preventing Ms Harrison from leaking company documents, detailing the affair or launching any legal proceedings.

It contended that her social media posts had breached her employment contract and a deed in which the company agreed to pay her $427,418 in instalments for her silence.

Justice John Sackar said Ms Harrison (pictured) decided to contest Seven's claim and run a cross-claim 'mounted on allegations she could not substantiate'

Julian Burnside (pictured), QC, represented former Channel Seven EA Amber Harrison in her battle with the network

Days before the hearing was due to start on July 10, Ms Harrison abandoned her fight against Seven, which then sought various orders, including all its costs.

The judge said 'numerous epithets' had been used to describe Ms Harrison and her motivations.

'I do not feel the need to join in the histrionics,' he said.

'The evidence on any view is relevantly clear, unequivocal and largely uncontested.

Ms Harrison (pictured) faces a bill which could total hundreds of thousands of dollars after she was ordered to pay costs on an indemnity basis

Seven's lawyer, Andrew Bell (pictured), SC, said the court proceedings started when she published stolen documents containing confidential legal advice to the Seven board, and that she'd flagrantly breached a deed of release

Seven, in a short statement, said: 'Seven West Media looks forward to putting this matter behind us'

'She had and has engaged in numerous breaches of the deed and employment contract, and these breaches have been persistent and flagrant.'

The judge said the proceedings had, from the outset, been engulfed in 'a vitriolic atmosphere'.

'The allegations from both sides, whether entirely true or not, have often been personal, scandalous, and sadly ripe for media and public consumption.'

Ms Harrison's decision to persist in running a case 'without any admissible evidence to rely upon reflects a real disregard for any adverse costs consequences that naturally flow from such conduct'.

The former executive assistant previously told the judge an indemnity costs order would be 'punitive and pointless' and would drive her to bankruptcy.

Ms Harrison said she was a victim 'of brutal corporate bullying and lawfare'.

Seven, in a short statement, said: 'Seven West Media looks forward to putting this matter behind us.'
The US doctor who wants to save Charlie Gard has spent five hours examining him at Great Ormond Street Hospital today.

Dr Michio Hirano believes he can help the little boy with experimental nucleoside drugs and travelled to London overnight at a High Court judge's invitation.

The Harvard-educated doctor, from Columbia University Medical Centre in New York, saw Charlie and his doctors today.

Dr Hirano and another doctor who cannot be named for legal reasons, believed to be from the Pope's hospital in Rome, examined Charlie and had access to all his notes and clinical data, including medical images.

They may also have demanded that he has a fresh brain scan - but the hospital would not confirm this today.

Charlie's parents Chris Gard and Connie Yates were at his bedside as usual to answer any of Dr Hirano's questions.

Charlie Gard's father Chris arrives at Great Ormond Street Hospital ahead of his son's consultation with US Doctor Michio Hirano

Dr Michio Hirano, who is a world expert on the nucleoside treatment being denied to Charlie, from the Columbia University Medical Center in New York, flew in overnight and saw the little boy today with a medic from the Pope's hospital in Rome

Charlie's parents Chris Gard and Connie Yates were at his bedside as usual today to answer any of Dr Hirano's question

After a five-hour consultation both doctors left through a side exit to the hospital to escape the glare of the world's media.

US Harvard-educated doctor who may be Charlie's last hope DR Michio Hirano  Charlie's last hope  is one of the world's top researchers in mitochondrial diseases and has spent 30 years working in neurology. The Harvard-educated doctor is an expert on the nucleoside treatment he says could help the little boy. Friends said he is known for winning the trust of patients through his caring nature and professionalism. The 56-year-old, whose father was an acclaimed neuroscientist, is a senior clinician at the Columbia University Medical Centre in New York. Dr Kei Doi, who went to the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York with Dr Hirano, said he 'really will do what he feels is best for the patient'. He said: 'He's a very caring individual and really goes out of his way to help people. He's very well-respected. 'I trust him wholeheartedly with any medical questions.' Twice-married Dr Hirano has treated others with conditions similar to Charlie's. His second wife, with whom he has two young daughters, is also a neurologist at Columbia. Dr Doi said Dr Hirano went to Cuba in the 1990s and met Fidel Castro after finding a vitamin absence that caused 26,000 Cubans to go partially blind. Outside work, Dr Hirano is 'shy' and likes listening to classical music, he added. Dr Hirano graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University and received his medical degree from Albert Einstein College. He trained in neurology at Columbia University Medical Centre. His father Asao, 90, used to be a professor of pathology and neuroscience at Albert Einstein and was head of neuropathology at a hospital in The Bronx. In 1965 Asao Hirano became the first person to observe proteins in neurons that were named 'Hirano bodies'. Dr Hirano's mother Keiko, 84, taught Japanese at a high school. One person who knows Dr Hirano well said: 'Little Charlie is in very good hands. I couldn't think of a finer person of physician for neurological issues. 'He truly is an exceptionally compassionate, noble human being.' Advertisement

Great Ormond Street has given Dr Hirano an honorary contract, which the hospital said gives him the same status as its own physicians.

GOSH clinical director received both doctors this morning - and confirmed he left at around 4pm.

A meeting between Dr Hirano, British clinicians and Charlie's mother Connie Yates will take place tomorrow.

The High Court will then rule on Charlie's case on July 25, ten days before his first birthday.

A spokesman for GOSH said that five steps that will be taken by both clinicians during the consultation.

She said: 'Two visiting physicians will be welcomed to review clinical data with respect to Charlie Gard's treatment.

'GOSH's medical director will formally receive each visiting physician.

'Each physician will have an honorary contract in place which allows them to examine the patient.

'For the purpose of this visit, this gives them the same status as our own clinicians and allows them both to examine the patient and to have full access to our records and facilities.

'They will have access to all clinical systems including diagnostic images.

'Clinical staff will be on hand to facilitate the visit.

'They will have an opportunity to clinically examine Charlie.'

In court last week, Charlie's parents Connie Yates and Chris Gard exploded with frustration as the hospital said they should be excluded from the make-or-break Great Ormond Street meeting.

'He's our son!' shouted Mr Gard, 32, after the hospital's barrister Katie Gollop QC said clinicians may not be able to 'speak freely' with the couple present.

Dr Hirano is a world expert on the 11-month-old's rare form of mitochondrial disease and is developing the treatment his parents have been begging to be given a chance.

He may be joined by two experts  one from the Pope's hospital in Rome and another from Barcelona.

On July 24 and 25, the High Court will rule on whether Charlie should be allowed to travel to the US for Dr Hirano's therapy  or have life-support withdrawn to 'die with dignity'.

Great Ormond Street says Charlie has irreversible brain damage, and is beyond hope. But Dr Hirano told the court there was up to a 56 per cent chance of improvement, saying the disease could be suppressing Charlie's brain and the experimental drug might relieve this.

This issue was described as 'absolutely material' by Mr Justice Francis.

But when he agreed with the hospital that Charlie's parents, of Bedfont, south-west London, should be excluded from this meeting, they shook their heads.

Their barrister Grant Armstrong argued Miss Yates, 31, was now such an expert in Charlie's condition that she had a right to be there. He said: 'Connie Yates has demonstrated a degree of knowledge that commands respect.

'She knows almost as much as anyone in the UK about this particular condition.

'She would say, 'I'm the mother, this is my child, I know more or less as much about these matters as the professionals. I may wish to comment. I wish to observe'.'

The judge said it was his 'strong belief' the experts should be left alone to have an open discussion about Charlie's brain damage.

But Mr Armstrong claimed it would be unfair for the baby's mother to be excluded while Great Ormond Street doctors  with their 'incredibly entrenched view' of Charlie's fate  were allowed in.

Connie Yates and Chris Gard listened as last week Dr Hirano offered to treat their son and said he hopes he could have a 50/50 chance of showing improvement

Eventually, the judge agreed to let Miss Yates into the meeting if she agreed not to disrupt the experts' debate.

This weekend Charlie may have another scan to determine if his brain is developing. The judge demanded evidence after the hospital said his head circumference had not changed in three months but Miss Yates said it had grown 2cm in a week.

Mr Justice Francis said he would leave it to the parents to decide if they wanted another scan.

Victoria Butler-Cole, for Charlie's court-appointed guardian, said they had noted 'apparent deteriorations in his physical condition' when they saw the boy this week.

Dr Hirano can be named after the judge lifted reporting restrictions on the case.

Outside court, the family spokesman Alasdair Seton-Marsden criticised the hospital for 'trying to block the parents of Charlie Gard from attending a meeting about their own child'.

But he condemned threats against doctors, lawyers and judges in the case.
Experts have claimed the Shroud of Turin is stained with the blood of a torture victim, supporting claims it was used to bury Jesus.

They say the linen cloth, believed to have been used to wrap Christ's body after crucifixion, contains 'nanoparticles' which are not typical of the blood of a healthy person.

The alleged findings contradict claims the face of Jesus was painted on by forgers in medieval times.

Experts have claimed the Shroud of Turin (pictured) is stained with the blood of a torture victim

Experts claim the linen cloth, believed to have been used to wrap Christ's body after crucifixion, contains 'nanoparticles' which are not typical of the blood of a healthy person

Elvio Carlino, a researcher at the Institute of Crystallography in Bari, Italy, says the tiny particles reveal 'great suffering' of a victim ' wrapped up in the funeral cloth'.

These particles had a 'peculiar structure, size and distribution,' added University of Padua professor Giulio Fanti.

He says the blood contained high levels of substances called creatinine and ferritin, found in patients who suffer forceful traumas like torture.

Professor Fanti said: 'Hence, the presence of these biological nanoparticles found during our experiments point to a violent death for the man wrapped in the Turin Shroud.'

The Shroud of Turin measures around three metres by one metre and contains a faintly stained image of a man which Christians believe depicts Jesus.

One professor said the particles found contain high levels of substances called creatinine and ferritin, found in patients who suffer forceful traumas including torture

It has been subject to intense scientific study to ascertain its authenticity.

The new findings were published in the US scientific journal, PlosOne, in an article titled 'New Biological Evidence from Atomic Resolution Studies on the Turin Shroud.'

The Shroud of Turin, which measures around three metres by one metre and contains a faintly stained image of a man which some believe to be Christ

The findings contradict claims that the shroud was forged in the Medieval era.

Fanti said the characteristics of these particles 'cannot be artifacts made over the centuries on the fabric of the Shroud.'

Researchers drew on experimental evidence of atomic resolution studies and recent medical studies on patients who suffered multiple acts of trauma and torture.

Elvio added: 'These findings could only be revealed by the methods recently developed in the field of electron microscopy.'

He said the research marked the first study of 'the nanoscale properties of a pristine fiber taken from the Turin Shroud.'

The research was carried out by the Instituo Officia dei Materiali in Trieste and the Institute of Crystallography in Bari, both under Italy's National Research Council, as well as the University of Padua's Department of Industrial Engineering.

The shroud is currently displayed at St John the Baptist Cathedral in Turin. During a visit to the city in 2015, Pope Francis paused in silent prayer before the Shroud.
Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner hasn't announced whether she will run for Congress in 2018, but a super PAC aligned with House Republican leaders is hoping the prominent central New York Democrat will enter the 24th Congressional District race.

Corry Bliss, executive director of the Congressional Leadership Fund, said in an interview with The Citizen that the group is eager to use the information they have collected on Miner, who's finishing her second term as mayor of Syracuse.

"John Katko could be so lucky as to run against Stephanie Miner to compare his record of results with her record of utter failure," he said. "So that would be a wonderful matchup. The opposition research we have on (Miner) is very exciting and I almost wish she was already running so we could already start attacking her."

Republicans have been critical of Miner, especially after she headlined an event in Syracuse to support Planned Parenthood. The purpose of the gathering, which was held in June, was to urge Katko, R-Camillus, to support access to women's health care facilities.

Before the event, Katko's campaign released a statement reiterating the GOP congressman's support for women's health care. The release also blasted Miner, referred to her as a "failed politician" and demanded that she either resign or "stand up and lead our city."

Miner's response noted that Katko has voted four times to cut off federal funding for Planned Parenthood and highlighted her support of the women's health care agency.

"While Washington politicians resort to personal attacks, I will not stop fighting for the issues important to the people of our region," she said in June.

One day after their exchange, Miner invited Katko to a joint forum on the congressional Republicans' health care proposal. A release distributed by Miner's office didn't criticize Katko. The mayor said she wanted to have a "thoughtful exchange of ideas" about the GOP health care bill.

When Katko's office responded, they blasted Miner for leading a protest instead of focusing on issues affecting Syracuse.

"Sadly, this type of failed leadership is what we have come to expect from Stephanie Miner," said Erin O'Connor, Katko's spokesperson. "Syracuse elected a mayor, not a professional protester."

Bliss continued the Republicans' line on Miner. He said she has a "record of failure" as mayor of Syracuse and expressed dismay that national Democrats would want her to run for Congress against Katko in 2018.

"It's astounding. I hope she runs," he said.

Bliss's comments came during an interview about the Congressional Leadership Fund's involvement in the 24th Congressional District race. The super PAC has opened an office in the Syracuse area and launched a door-to-door canvassing effort in the district, which includes part of Oswego County and all of Cayuga, Onondaga and Wayne counties.

The Congressional Leadership Fund reported raising nearly $12 million in the first six months of the year. The group received funding from its sister organization, the American Action Network, and a mix of billionaires and corporations.

The group's notable donors include Steven Cohen, a billionaire investor from Connecticut, who gave $1 million to the super PAC. Paul Foster, founder of Western Refining in Texas, also donated $1 million.

The Congressional Leadership Fund will play a key role in the 24th Congressional District race. Bliss said re-electing Katko is a top priority for the group.

So far, one Democrat has announced plans to challenge Katko. Anne Messenger, a businesswoman from Manlius, declared her candidacy last week.
Police are investigating after pictures emerged of a man dressed up as Hitler in a sickening photograph 'taken at an Orange Lodge' in Scotland.

The photo shows the man dressed as the Nazi leader making a salute while two children in front of him are wearing yellow star badges, which the brutal regime forced Jews to wear to identify themselves.

The image was posted on Facebook but has since been taken down, alongside another image of a man dressed as the Pope with a noose around his neck and another person who appeared to have 'blacked up'.

This picture of a man dressed as Hitler with two children wearing yellow star badges used by the Nazis to identify Jews has caused a police investigation to be launched after it was taken at an Orange Lodge in Airdrie

Another picture showed a man dressed as the Pope with a noose around his neck

Another picture from the party showed a person who had 'blacked up'

It is believed the images come from 2010 and 2013 and were taken at Airdrie District Orange Hall and Social Club.

Police Scotland said an investigation into a possible hate crime has been launched.

A spokeswoman said: 'The information has been passed to relevant officers to establish the facts and identify any criminality.

'Police Scotland takes all reports of hate incidents seriously and will investigate such reports appropriately and proportionately.'

Robert McClean, executive officer at Grand Orange Lodge Scotland said the organisation condemned the images but added they were taken at a 'private party' in 2010.

The image was taken at Airdrie District Orange Hall and Social Club in 2010 and Grand Orange Lodge Scotland said it was from a 'private party' and condemned the photo

'These images came to our attention on Friday afternoon and I was shocked and appalled to see them and I totally condemn them.

'They were taken seven years ago at a private party at the lodge and we have been in touch with that lodge and they have put in place measures to ensure this never happens again.

'If there is a police inquiry we will help in any way we can. There is no place for that type of behaviour here.'
The Australian Defence office has confirmed they have concluded successful tests of hypersonic missiles.

Minister for Defence Marise Payne revealed the tests of the missiles at Woomera Test Range, which exceed speeds of 10,000km/h or more than five times the speed of sound.

The government believe the results have 'the potential to revolutionise air travel, making it faster and cheaper to travel around the world and into space.'

The Australian Defence office has confirmed they have concluded successful tests of hypersonic missiles

Minister for Defence Marise Payne revealed the tests of the missiles at Woomera Test Range, which exceed speeds of 10,000km/h or more than five times the speed of sound

Minister Payne said in a statement released on her website on Monday saying Australia is now a step closer to achieving hypersonic flight.

'There are key military applications of this technology and by understanding hypersonic flight, the Australian Defence Force will be in a better position to respond to future threats,' she said.

Australian specialists had carried out the tests with the help of the US Air Force Research Laboratory, a partnership that has spanned over ten years. Airline giant Boeing also aided in the testing.

The research has cost nearly $70 million and the two nations are now working to develop new phases for future testing.

The government believe the results have 'the potential to revolutionise air travel, making it faster and cheaper to travel around the world and into space'

A man has captured the moment a mysterious 'mushroom cloud' formed over the Woomera military testing range in outback South Australia

A man has captured the moment a mysterious 'mushroom cloud' formed over the Woomera military testing range in outback South Australia.

Jason Wright snapped images of the cloud shortly after he says his drone was forced to the ground prior to hearing a loud explosion while he was near the testing range.

Mr Wright told Daily Mail Australia he had stopped off along the Sturt Highway with his partner and children to see Lake Hart on Saturday when the unusual incident occurred.

The experienced drone flyer had set-up his drone to take photos near the Lake Hart tourist rest area on the edge of the salt lake when he says it came down out of his control and made a hard landing.

Mr Wright, who lives in Coober Pedy, believes the drone's GPS-based tracker may have been interfered with.

About a minute after the drone fell, a 'fireball' erupted in the far distance, estimated to be as high as a 30-storey building, with the 'mushroom cloud' forming.

'It was quite a spectacular explosion. It was very bright and there was a lot of heat in it,' he said.

The Woomera Prohibited Area 'is used for the testing of war materiel' and is 'the largest land testing range in the world'.

Exclusion zones are in place at various locations within the prohibited area at different times of the year while military equipment is tested.
Women in some suburbs are too terrified to leave home alone as marauding gangs of violent criminals run amok.

As gang members commit armed robberies, violent assaults and home invasions with impunity, families in Melbourne's crime-ridden western suburbs are moving out.

They say suburbs like Werribee have become too dangerous to raise children, leaving them with no choice but to leave their communities.

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Local mum Alicia says she is 'scared to be anywhere by myself with the kids, I don't want to walk down the street, I don't want to leave the house, I'm scared to be at home by myself'

Violent criminals (pictured) are driving residents out of a swathe of suburbs in Melbourne's west

'I'm scared to be anywhere by myself with the kids, I don't want to walk down the street, I don't want to leave the house, I'm scared to be at home by myself,' local mother Alicia told A Current Affair.

'I'm in my 60s and Werribee used to be a lovely place and now you can't walk around after 7 o'clock at night,' said another man.

A masked gang broke into Ms Farouk's home in nearby Tarneit while she and her family were sleeping and she says crime is getting worse.

The increasingly brazen gang members (pictured) are terrorising local businesses with armed robberies

Crimes committed against a person are going up across Melbourne's west (pictured) with Werribee one of the worst

Werribee Crime Profile 2017 Crimes against a person: 1,015 Property and deception offences: 4,439 Drug offences: 317 Public order and security offences: 396 Justice procedures offences: 1,099 Other offences: 19 Total: 7,285 Statistics are from the year ending March Werribee has a population of 37,737 and is located 32km southwest of Melbourne's Central Business District Source: www.crimestatistics.vic.gov.au Advertisement

'It's getting more like a trouble zone, with the [new] Ravenhall prison, with the refugees moving in, it's getting hairy,' she said.

Home invasions are becoming all too common in Melbourne's west, as crime levels skyrocket.

Crimes that target other people like robberies and assaults have increased by 9.6 per cent in Werribee to 1015 cases this year, and a shocking 16.8 per cent in St Albans.

The new breed of brazen criminals are making life hell for business owners, holding knives to the throats of cashiers and smashing up stores.

A bottle shop owner, Mr Singh, said that young thieves did not even bother trying to hide, holding up the liquor bottles they were stealing for him to see.

Frustrated and scared residents now face the challenge of finding somewhere else affordable to live.

Saying that suburbs like Werribee are no place to raise children, some residents are even considering moving into caravans to escape the street violence.

Victoria Police says it is satisfied with the progress being made against crime in Melbourne's western suburbs, but fleeing residents suggest not enough is being done.
The inspiration behind the 007 film Moonraker has been revealed by a veteran who was recruited by Ian Fleming as a teen spy to stop the Nazis from building a nuclear bomb.

Peter Lyons, now 92, was just 19 when Fleming asked him to join a specialist Commando Unit he led called the 30th Assault Unit, which was tasked with seizing material the Germans were gathering to construct a nuclear bomb.

Mr Lyons was part of a group of just three Commandos sent behind enemy lines to a factory in Kiel, Germany, to find the uranium needed to build a bomb.

Peter Lyons aged 15 (left) roughly a year before he was recruited for the war effort, and aged 92 (right)

Mr Lyons serving during his time, during which he was sent behind enemy lines to find uranium and captured German scientist Hellmuth Walter

However, while the radioactive substance was not uncovered, it led to capture of German-born scientist Hellmuth Walter in May 1945.

Some people believe his capture formed the basis of Ian Fleming's James Bond novel 'Moonraker', with antagonist Drax's henchman also named Dr. Walter and said by Bond experts to be based on Hellmuth.

Peter said: 'Ian Fleming was the commander of the 30th Assault Unit of which I was in.

'We were sent to Kiel to find Uranium that we thought was being used for a nuclear bomb, but the ships that contained it managed to get away a few days before we got there.

Mr Lyons was under the command of Bond author Ian Fleming during the war

'We got there as the Russians were also closing in and managed to capture the German scientist Hellmuth Walter and brought him back to Britain.

'He was the top man in the factory which was building torpedos.

'We captured all of the top people from the factories and brought them back to Britain and sent the top rocket scientist to America.'

hile the radioactive substance was not uncovered, it led to capture of German-born scientist Hellmuth Walter (pictured) in May 1945

Hellmuth and a number of colleagues were later taken to the UK to work for the Royal Navy.

Mr Lyons, who was just 19 at the time of the capture, believes that Fleming used the unit as inspiration for the famous 'Moonraker' novel.

In the novel, Bond is seconded to Drax's staff as the businessman builds the Moonraker, a prototype missile designed to defend England.

Unknown to Bond, Drax is German, an ex-Nazi now working for the Soviets, planning to build the nuclear rocket and fire it at London.

He added: 'Ian Fleming set up the 30th Assault Unit a few years before the end of the war.

'The henchman of Drax in the novel is Dr. Walter who has the same surname as the top scientist that we captured.

'There are a number of similarities between parts of the Bond novel and the missions that we were sent on.'

The secret intelligence unit, which had been set up in 1942, featured later in a book titled Ian Fleming's Commandos by author Nicholas Rankin.

The mission is said to be the inspiration for Moonraker (Roger Moore pictured as James Bond), in which 007 foils a nuclear bomb plot by a former Nazi

Antagonist Drax (pictured, portrayed by Michael Lonsdale in the film) has a henchman in the book who is also named Dr. Walter and said by Bond experts to be based on Hellmuth

After two years of service, Peter, a father-of-two, who has six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, was tasked with tracking down and seizing any materials which could be used in the creation of an atomic bomb.

He is believed to be the last survivor of 30 Assault Unit.

The veteran from Penketh, Lancashire, said: 'It was the end of the war and they were short of people.

'We didn't do much training - there wasn't much time.

'They were stuck for people in the war. I signed up in 1943 and I went out on a boat not long after.

'They were drafting people to Japan and they told me that's where I was going. But then the three of us were given this secret mission.

After the war, Peter, who has been married for 69 years to his wife Gladys, received a number of medals for his service

'We had to find an atomic bomb. They were unheard of in England.'

Peter said that he understood the gravity of his task but kept calm to carry out the capture.

He added: 'I just took each day at a time.

'You don't think about what could happen. You have a job to do and that is what I decided to focus on.'

After the war, Peter, who has been married for 69 years to his wife Gladys, was recognised for his time in the forces and has received a number of medals for his service.
A train driver was filmed eating a sandwich as a woman was dragged along a subway platform after becoming stuck in the doors.

Belarussian national Natalya Garkovich, 43, suffered a broken her back and punctured a lung during the horrific incident in Rome, Italy.

She could not break free after her handbag's straps got caught in the carriage door as she tried to step on.

Shocking footage showed commuters looking on helplessly as she is pulled along the platform floor.

A woman is reported to have broken her back and punctured a lung after she became trapped in a train door in Rome, Italy

Belarussian national Natalya Garkovich, 43, could not break free after her handbag's straps were caught in the carriage door

One man is seen trying to free her from the door before the train starts to gather speed.

It is unclear whether she was able to free herself from the door before she got dragged into the underground tunnel.

Her handbag's strap is reported to have been too thin to trigger the sensors which automatically alert the driver someone is stuck, Corriere della Sera reported.

She is reported to have been saved when passengers on board pulled the emergency alarm.

The train's driver Gianluca Tonelli pulled out of the stop while eating a sandwich.

But Mr Tonelli, who is under investigation over the incident, has claimed he was not being 'reckless' by tucking into his lunch as he drove away away.

Horrifying footage showed commuters looking on helplessly as she is pulled along the platform floor

It is unclear whether she was able to free herself from the door before she got dragged into the underground tunnel

'I am devastated by what happened to that woman.' Corriere della Sera quoted him as saying.

'But in the video it can also be seen that I look twice in the mirror, I was not reckless.

'The lady made a strange maneuver up and down, the security system has not reported anything to me and I left. Now the most important thing is that she recovers soon.'
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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has come face to face with a two-month-old child named in his honor by Syrian refugee parents.

Little Justin Trudeau Adam Bilan, who was born in Alberta on May 4, appeared to be sleeping as he was introduced to his namesake during the Calgary Stampede on Saturday.

His parents, Afraa and Muhammad Bilan, came to Canada by way of Lebanon from war-ravaged Damascus with their two older children last year.

'It was actually very good, it was amazing. I can't believe that I met the Prime Minster Justin Trudeau,' Afraa said. 'He held [the baby] and he said, "This is Justin-Trudeau," and then he says, "I appreciate that you named him after my name"'

'It was actually very good, it was amazing. I can't believe that I met the Prime Minster Justin Trudeau,' Afraa said.

'He held [the baby] and he said, "This is Justin-Trudeau," and then he says, "I appreciate that you named him after my name".'

Speaking to the Toronto Star earlier this year, Afraa said the family loves and appreciates the prime minister.

'We love this man, we appreciate him,' she told the paper. 'He helped a lot of refugees. Hes the reason we are in Canada.'

She noted that little Justin Trudeau was the family's first Canadian and beat the rest of them to getting citizenship.

In May, the Canadian government estimated more than 40,000 Syrian refugees had arrived in the country since November 2015.

The prime minister also met with a Syrian refugee couple who was allowed to resettle in Canada by way of Lebanon last year. The couple, Afraa Hajj Hammoud and Mohammed Belal, were so grateful to be in their new country that they named their baby Justin-Trudeau Adam Bilal

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau paid a visit to the Calgary Stampede on Saturday after initially indicating he would skip the event

The Stampede is an annual 10-day rodeo and festival that draws over a million visitors to Alberta's largest city

A poll released in March found that nearly half of Canadians want to deport people who are illegally crossing into Canada from the United States.

A similar number disapprove of how Trudeau is handling the influx, according to a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll released on Monday.

A significant minority, four out of 10 respondents, said the border crossers could make Canada 'less safe,' underlining the potential political risk for Trudeau's Liberal government.

The increasing flow of hundreds of asylum-seekers of African and Middle Eastern origin from the United States in recent months is becoming a contentious issue in Canada.

Although there has been broad bipartisan support for high levels of legal immigration for decades in Canada, Trudeau is under pressure over the flow of the illegal migrants.

The Stampede is an annual 10-day rodeo and festival that draws over a million visitors to Alberta's largest city.

It features a parade, stage shows, concerts, agricultural competitions, chuckwagon racing, and exhibitions put on by indigenous First Nations tribes.

The Stampede has grown into one of Canada's most anticipated events on the calendar.

Trudeau said that during his visit, he was subjected to some 'gentle ribbing' from locals who reminded him that he forgot to mention the province of Alberta during his Canada Day speech on July 1, the CBC reported.

America's neighbor to the north is celebrating 150 years since confederation, when the British colonies of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick were united to form what is today known as Canada.

'I think everyone understands mistakes happen every now and then, and the fact I keep coming back to Alberta regularly is something most people appreciate very much,' Trudeau said.

It features a parade, stage shows, concerts, agricultural competitions, chuckwagon racing, and exhibitions put on by indigenous First Nations tribes

The Stampede has grown into one of Canada's most anticipated events on the national calendar. Trudeau is seen above meeting indigenous dancers

Trudeau said that during his visit, he was subjected to some 'gentle ribbing' from locals who reminded him that he forgot to mention the province of Alberta during his Canada Day speech on July 1

America's neighbor to the north is celebrating 150 years since confederation, when the British colonies of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick were united to form what is today known as Canada

Justin Trudeau dishes out pancakes at a Stampede pancake breakfast and greets visitors. The prime minister also met with a Syrian refugee couple who was allowed to resettle in Canada by way of Lebanon last year

Trudeau said he was subjected to 'gentle ribbing' over failing to mention Alberta during his Canada Day address on July 1

Trudeau is seen above speaking with an indigenous man. The First Nations are the predominant Aboriginal peoples of Canada south of the Arctic

Trudeau waves goodbye to the crowd at a Stampede breakfast. Organized by thousands of volunteers and supported by civic leaders, the Calgary Stampede has grown into one of the world's richest rodeos

Trudeau is clearly impressed as he listens to the Calgary Stampede Show Band as they play for him

Trudeau also enjoyed a beer while watching the rodeo. The rodeo is the heart of the Calgary Stampede

Trudeau seemed to be enjoying the atmosphere even as he faces political pressure due to his immigration policies

Trudeau talks with the Calgary Stampede Queen, Princesses and Indian Princess. Each year, a queen and two princesses are selected as Stampede royalty

They are chosen via a contest open to any woman between the ages of 19 and 24 who resides in Alberta. An emphasis is placed on horsemanship skills and ability to serve as ambassadors for both the Stampede and the city

Trudeau is the 23rd prime minister in Canada's history. The leader of the Liberal Party, Trudeau is the eldest son of former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau

Trudeau holds eight-month-old Eve Mackenzie at a Stampede breakfast. The pancake breakfast is a local institution during Stampede

One topic that has ignited fierce political debate in Canada in recent days is a $10.5million payout to a Canadian man held at Guantanamo Bay for a decade. Omar Khadr, a Canadian born son of a man affiliated with al Qaeda, sued the government after he said he was forced to plead guilty to killing a US soldier, Sgt. Christopher Speer, in Afghanistan. Protesters above erect a sign for Trudeau denouncing him for the payment

In Calgary, Trudeau said that while he understood the reasons for the backlash, he felt the government had no choice but to settle with Khadr because he could have won an even larger settlement in court
Theresa May is trying to draw a line under bitter Cabinet infighting by warning that leaks from within government cannot continue.

The Prime Minister has pleaded for senior ministers to settle their disputes privately after a wave of briefing against Philip Hammond.

The Chancellor issued an extraordinary public rebuke to colleagues yesterday after coming under heavy fire in a slew of stories.

Mr Hammond accused Brexiteers of trying to damage him because he was trying to focus the government's policy on ensuring the economy was not harmed as we leave the EU.

The PM's official spokesman said he was not 'aware of plans for a formal investigation' into the leaks.

But the spokesman made clear Mrs May would be issuing a dressing down when the Cabinet meets tomorrow.

'What I would say is of course Cabinet must be able to hold discussions on policy in private,' the spokesman said.

Philip Hammond (left yesterday) accused rival ministers of leaking details of conversations about public sector pay in a plot against him - Theresa May (pictured at Wimbledon yesterday) has been urged to sack feuding ministers in a bid to instil discipline

Boris Johnson, pictured right with Slovenian counterpart Karl Erjavec at a meeting of foreign ministers in Brussels today, has denied any involvement in briefing against Mr Hammond

Aides to Environment Secretary Michael Gove (pictured on a visit to a smoked salmon factory in London last week) have also flatly denied that he is involved in the briefing

'The PM will be reminding her colleagues of that tomorrow...

'She will be reminding them of their responsibilities.'

Asked whether that meant the PM accepted leaks from Cabinet were genuine, the spokesman said he was not getting into 'who said what, where and when'.

Mrs May has been struggling to maintain discipline in the government after the disastrous election saw the Tories stripped of their overall majority.

But her hand has been strengthened somewhat by support from party backbenchers, who are furious at the appearance of senior figures taking lumps out of each other publicly.

The powerful Conservative 1922 Committee has told the Prime Minister they would back any discipline she saw fit  including firing ministers who have routinely gone off message or publicly contradicted each other since the election.

A senior party source said: 'She has been informed that the membership are tired of self-indulgent ministers plotting or going AWOL on collective responsibility and that she should tell ministers this.'

David Cameron has also waded into the row by suggesting errant ministers should be strapped to a raft crossing a 'very, very dangerous river'.

Asked if there were any former Cabinet colleagues who should be sent on once of the National Citizen Service courses he championed as PM, Mr Cameron said: If it involved crossing a very, very dangerous river on a raft, I can think of a few Id want to strap together.'

The Chancellor was left embarrassed by reports over the weekend that he had told colleagues state workers were 'overpaid' and driving a train was now so easy 'even' a woman could do it. Yesterday he claimed he was being smeared by fellow ministers who disagreed with him over Brexit.

Mr Hammond has faced criticism for his publicly-stated belief that the UK should avoid a 'cliff edge' when it leaves the EU in 2019 and should instead move into period of 'transition' potentially lasting for years.

'If you want my opinion, some of the noise is generated by people who are not happy with the agenda which I, over the last few weeks, have tried to advance  ensuring that we achieve a Brexit which is focused on protecting our economy, protecting our jobs, and making sure that we have continued rising living standards in the future,' he told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show.

But another Cabinet member told The Telegraph that the Chancellor was treating pro-Leave ministers like 'pirates who have taken him prisoner'.

The unnamed minister added: 'What's really going on is that the Establishment, the Treasury, is trying to f*** it up. They want to frustrate Brexit.'

Mr Hammond is widely believed to be at odds with Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and Environment Secretary Michael Gove over Brexit, but said he did not know who had been briefing against him.

The Chancellor added: 'They shouldn't have done it, frankly, because Cabinet meetings are supposed to be a private space in which we have a serious discussion. I think on many fronts it would be helpful if my colleagues  focused on the job in hand.' Asked if there was now a fight to succeed Theresa May as party leader, he said: 'I certainly hope not. If there is I am no part of it.'

The Chancellor said 'Cabinet meetings are supposed to be a private space in which we have a serious discussion'

Mr Hammond refused to confirm a report in the Sunday Times that during a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday he said public sector workers were 'overpaid'. A Treasury source insisted that he did not use the word.

'I am not going to talk about what was or wasn't said in a Cabinet meeting  it is easy to quote a phrase out of context,' Mr Hammond said.

But he added: 'Public sector pay raced ahead of private sector pay after the crash in 2008-09. Taking public sector pay before pensions contributions, that gap has now closed.

'But when you take into account the very generous contributions public sector employers have to pay in for their workers' pensions  their very generous pensions  they are still about 10 per cent ahead.'

The Chancellor rejected claims he had made a sexist remark about driving trains, saying: 'I've got two daughters  I don't think like that, I wouldn't make a remark like that.'

International Trade Secretary Liam Fox denied briefing against Mr Hammond. 'I absolutely deplore leaks from the Cabinet,' he told the BBC's Sunday Politics. 'I think my colleagues should be very quiet.'

First Secretary Damian Green told BBC Radio 5 Live's Pienaar's Politics: 'The last thing anyone wants is for the Conservative Party to turn in on itself.'

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn told Sky News the 'varying accounts' coming out of Cabinet meetings were 'quite extraordinary'.

But he is also facing more evidence of Labour divisions on Brexit, with shadow business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey suggesting Britain could stay in the EU single market and customs union.

Mr Corbyn and shadow chancellor John McDonnell have both ruled out staying in the blocs.
The lawyer representing some of the alleged victims against Cardinal George Pell fears backroom deals could be done which see charges 'watered down' without their knowledge.

Ingrid Irwin, a Victorian lawyer representing some people accusing the Cardinal of abuse, believes complainants may face becoming 'lambs to the slaughter' if the crown and police cut deals during the trial.

'They are coming in as naive players into a sophisticated legal game...The complainants don't ever really know what is happening, they're just coming in there with their truth,' Ms Irwin told Nine News.

The lawyer representing sex victims against Cardinal George Pell fears backroom deals could see charges 'watered down' without their knowledge

Ingrid Irwin, a Victorian lawyer representing people accusing the Cardinal of abuse, believes complainants face becoming 'lambs to the slaughter' if the crown and police cut deals during the trial

Ms Irwin said sexual abuse complainants often are completely removed from the legal process, making them 'naive players into a sophisticated legal game.'

She predicts the case will be a drawn-out trial and each individual accuser may fight for separate trials.

However, some senior lawyers are concerned the Cardinal could be adversely affected by juror perceptions of him and the Catholic Church, and have said a judge-alone trial may be appropriate.

QCs Peter Chadwick and Remy van de Weil, who are not connected to the case, have questioned whether a jury can remain impartial during Pell's trial, the Courier Mail reported.

'There's been an awful lot of publicity, a lot of discussion and it's a good argument for a judge-alone trial, said Mr Chadwick.

However, Pell's seniors lawyers are concerned the Cardinal could be adversely affected by juror perceptions of him and the Catholic Church, and are arguing for a judge-alone trial

He and Mr van de Weil are calling for Victoria to follow NSW, Queensland, and Western Australia in allowing high-profile defendants to have judge-only trials.

Cardinal Pell is back in Australia after being charged with multiple historical sex charges.

The former Archbishop of Sydney and Melbourne has vehemently denied the allegations, saying that he is looking forward to his day in court.

'I'm innocent of these charges. They are false. The whole idea of sexual abuse is abhorrent to me,' he said in a press conference.

'Court proceedings now offer me an opportunity to clear my name and then return here back to Rome to work.'
China has completed the first test flight for the mass-produced model of drone bomber CH-5, according to state media.

The CH-5 unmanned aerial vehicle, also known as Rainbow-5, was unveiled last year and was said to be China's largest and most powerful drone bomber.

The aircraft can carry 16 missiles and fly up to 60 hours without refuelling, reaching a maximum range of 10,000 kilometres (6,213 miles).

CH-5, China's largest drone bomber, has entered its mass production stage, according to Chinese state media. Pictured, the unmanned aircraft is displayed at the China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition last November

The aircraft can carry 16 missiles and has a maximum range of 10,000 kilometres (6,213 miles). The CH-5 was unveiled last November in Shenzhen (pictured)

The test flight took place on July 14 at an airport in northern China's Hubei Province, according to Xinhua News Agency.

CH-5 DRONE BOMBER: WHAT WE KNOW Wingspan: 21 meters (69 feet) Maximum take-off load: 3,300 kilograms (7,275 pounds) Flight time: 60 hours Maximum range: 10,000 kilometres (6,213 miles) Maximum external load: 1,000 kilograms (2,204 pounds) Advertisement

China Central Television Station reported that the success of the trial fight meant CH-5 had entered into its mass production stage.

The mass-produced model has a wingspan of 21 meters (69 feet) and a maximum external load of 1,000 kilograms (2,204 pounds), said the report.

'Because of its external load, its reconnaissance and attacking capabilities has made a qualitative leap compared to the previous models,' Ou Zhongming, the General Director of the Rainbow Drone Project, told China Central Television Station.

The plane's maximum take-off load is 3,300 kilograms (7,275 pounds).

A redundancy system has been fitted into its flight control, which would enable the drone to carry on with its task even if one component breaks down, Mr Ou added.

The CH-5 is also capable of carrying high-definition radar systems which would allow the aircraft to conduct surveys at different altitudes.

The mass-production model of CH-5 successfully completed a test flight on July 14 in Hebei, northern China. The plane is said to be the Chinese equivalent to the American military drone, General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper. Pictured, the aircraft was displayed in Shenzhen last year

Chinese media claimed that CH-5 'is much more advanced' than MQ-9 Reaper (pictured)

CH-5 is developed and manufactured by the China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics. It's the latest member of the country's Rainbow Drone Project.

When the CH-5 debuted last autumn at the China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, Chinese media said it was the country's equivalent to the American military drone, General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper.

Global Times, a Chinese state-owned newspaper, claimed that CH-5 'is much more advanced' than MQ-9 Reaper.

CH-5 is said to be twice as big as China's last drone CH-4 and can carry 2.5 times more external load than CH-4.

The head engineer, Shi Wen, said in a previous interview with Global Times that the flight time of CH-5 would be expanded up to 120 hours in the future.

The original CH-5 made its maiden flight in August 2015 in China's Gansu Province.
Daniel Radcliffe, pictured, came to the aid of a tourist who was mugged and cut in the face by a pair of thugs on a moped in London

Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe rushed to help a tourist who was slashed across the face by a pair of thugs riding a moped.

The actor, 27, was among a group of people who ran to help the victim  aged in his 50s- after the attack in Chelsea.

The victim  who was only in the UK for a short holiday - had been targeted for his Louis Vuitton bag, which the muggers made off with after cutting his face with a knife.

It is the latest in a spate of incidents involving criminals riding mopeds following five linked acid attacks in east London last week.

Witness David Videcette, a former policeman who worked with the Met Police's counter-terror unit, said he saw the incident unfold from his car and tried to intervene.

He told the Evening Standard: 'They grappled with him [the victim] on the pavement. He wasn't going to give up the bag willingly. I tried to ram the bike with my car but I wasn't able to.

'They slashed him in the face with the knife and made off down the King's Road. I tried to follow them but I lost them as they were jumping red lights.'

Mr Vidicette told the paper he noticed the moped because it did not have a number plate and was 'cruising' along the street looking at pedestrians.

He said he called the police moments before one of the riders pulled out a knife and launched the attack.

Mr Vidicette added seeing a Hollywood actor helping out was a 'surreal moment'.

He told the Standard: 'He was a really nice bloke, a lot of stars wouldn't have stopped to help. The victim was very, very shaken up.'

The attack took place in Hortensia Road, Chelsea, and the thugs made off with a Louis Vuitton bag

A spokesman for the Met Police said: 'Police were called at approximately 6.10pm on Friday, July 14 to reports of a robbery in Hortensia Road.

'The victim - a man aged in his 50s - was walking in the road when two people riding a moped snatched his bag before riding off. The victim suffered a cut to the face during the incident.

'Officers from Kensington and Chelsea investigate. There have been no arrests made and inquiries continue.'

A spokesperson for Radcliffe said he was not commenting on the incident.
Parents can provide the best protection by following the recommended immunization schedule: giving their child the vaccines they need, when they need them. As you get ready to make appointments for school physicals, remember that vaccines give parents the safe, proven power to protect their children from serious diseases.

Meningococcal disease is a serious illness caused by a bacteria. It can lead to meningitis (infection found on the brain, spinal cord or blood). Meningitis is rare, but can be deadly. Even when it is treated, meningitis kills 10 to 15 infected people out of 100. Meningococcal disease is spread from person to person through close contact (coughing, kissing, sharing food/drinks).

Currently, two vaccines are available to protect your children from meningococcal disease: meningococcal ACWY and meningococcal B.

New York state immunization requirements for school entrance/attendance have recently changed related to the meningococcal vaccine:

 As of Sept. 1, 2016, New York state requires that all public and private school students entering seventh and 12th grades in New York state must be fully vaccinated against meningococcal disease types A, C, W and Y in order to attend school.

 The first meningococcal ACWY shot is now required for students entering seventh or eighth grade.

 The second meningococcal ACWY shot is now required before 12th grade.

In addition to the meningococcal vaccine, New York state requires children to receive other vaccinations prior to school entrance and attendance. To view the 2017-2018 state immunization requirements for school entrance and attendance, please visit health.ny.gov/publications/2370.pdf. Always check with your childs health care provider should you have questions.

Why are vaccines required?

Child care facilities, preschool programs, schools and colleges are prone to outbreaks of infectious diseases. This is why we have state requirements to protect and keep our children healthy. Children in these settings can easily spread illness to one another due to poor hand washing, not covering their coughs and other factors, such as interacting in crowded environments. Also, diseases can quickly spread among groups of children who arent vaccinated. Whether its a baby starting at a new child care facility, a toddler heading to preschool, a student going back to elementary, middle or high school, or even a college freshman, parents should check their childs vaccination records.

Every dose of a vaccine is important to protect your child and others in the community from infectious diseases. Talk to your doctor or other health care professional to make sure your child is up to date on all the vaccines he or she needs.

Todays childhood vaccines protect against serious and potentially life-threatening diseases, including polio, measles, whooping cough and chickenpox. There are many important reasons to make sure your child is vaccinated:

 Immunizations can protect your child from 14 serious diseases before they turn 2 years old.

 Vaccination is very safe and effective.

 Immunizations can protect others you care about.

 Immunization can save your family time and money.

 Immunization protects future generations by reducing the prevalence of serious diseases.

A recommended vaccine

While HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccine is closely connected to thoughts of sexuality, because of the way the virus is transmitted, it should be known as a virus that can cause cancer. HPV can cause different types of cancers long after someone becomes sexually active and is exposed to the virus. Although HPV is not required for school entrance, consider vaccinating against HPV as early as possible. Children who get the vaccine before the age of 15 only need two shots now.

Right now, the HPV vaccine is the only vaccine on the market that prevents cancer! If you have questions, please contact your childs physician or give the Cayuga County Health Department a call at (315) 253-1560.

Where to get vaccinated?

Parents should start by making appointments with their childs doctor. If for some reason you cannot get to the doctor, or if your doctor runs out of a particular vaccine, the Cayuga County Health Department hosts weekly clinics. Please give us a call should your child need an appointment. Appointments can be made by calling (315) 253-1560.
A German school has been evacuated after a gunman was seen in the grounds sparking a police manhunt.

The alarm was raised at Friedrich Ebert School in Esslingen, near Stuttgart this morning with students initially told to barricade themselves in their classrooms.

Police locked down the area after they were told someone had entered the school premises with a weapon. Witnesses told police they had seen a firearm tucked in a teenager's waistband.

A German school has been evacuated after a gunman was seen in the grounds sparking a police manhunt. Armed police were called to the scene this morning (pictured_

The alarm was raised at Friedrich Ebert School in Esslingen, near Stuttgart this morning with students initially told to barricade themselves in their classrooms

A man was arrested in the town but was released after police realised they were holding the wrong person.

Officers later tweeted that the suspect had probably fled on a motor bike.

Heavily armed police and a helicopter were seen in the area this morning as the manhunt got underway.

Heavily armed police and a helicopter were seen in the area this morning as the manhunt got underway

Police spokesman Bjoern Reusch said the suspect didn't use his weapon and nobody was hurt when he briefly showed up inside the school building

The armed man is described as being between 17 and 19, with a dark complexion and a beard. He was wearing a red T-shirt, blue jeans and reading glasses.

Police spokesman Bjoern Reusch said the suspect didn't use his weapon and nobody was hurt when he briefly showed up inside the school building.

They searched the secondary school but found nothing suspicious and asked students to assemble outside the building until they could be picked up by their parents, a police spokesman told DPA news agency.
Dramatic images have emerged of a car stationed on the roof of a house after its driver lost control of the vehicle and was propelled into the air.

The St. Louis Fire Department used ladder trucks to rescue the driver of the SUV, who drove up onto the homeowner's lawn, which lies on a hill with a steep incline, before launching onto the roof at around midday on Sunday.

Firefighters say the driver was trapped under the dashboard and taken away from the scene by first responders and transported to hospital.

An aerial view of the SUV on the roof. Homeowner, Bruce Redding, had just finished off paying for the home

Fire crews inspect the damage to the house. They had to use ladder trucks to reach the person trapped in the car

The driver is said to be alert and responsive but still in a critical condition following the accident close to St. Louis city center, Missouri.

The home owner was at the gym at the time of the crash so avoided harm but his modest property has incurred substantial damage to both its exterior and interior.

The accident also appears to have damaged a neighboring home.

Bruce Redding, who has lived in the home for 25 years and inherited it from his mom, said he was 'shaking' when he heard the news.

Redding, 66, who has just finished paying off his mortgage, told local network KSDK that many of the parked cars on the street are frequently hit by speeding vehicles and that 'everybody up and down here has had their yards redone' due to other accidents.

'I can see straight through my house,' said Redding. 'This is everything that I've worked for all my life, and for someone to run through a stop sign and destroy it ...'

'I'll just gather my thoughts. I'll talk to my insurance people and we'll just take it one step at a time.'

Terrell Jones, who lives directly to the left of Redding, said: 'So, my initial thought was to find out if he was in the house.

Michael Arras, the St. Louis Fire Department's deputy chief of special operations, said the scene was like nothing he had ever encountered

The front view of the house, all but destroyed by the flying SUV. Redding has lived in the property for around 25 years

The sped around the corner and up the slight hill to the rooftop. The local fire service says they haven't come across such an accident before

'I had a car smash, turn my railing off. I had another car smash into the side of the house, park right in between our houses,' he added.

Michael Arras, the St. Louis Fire Department's deputy chief of special operations, said it was like nothing he had ever encountered as a firefighter and they had to plan accordingly for the unique rescue.

Authorities arrived at the house about 12:40 p.m. to find the SUV on the roof and the driver trapped in the SUV.

'We had accessed the roof and the structure to see if it was safe to get on the roof,' Arras said. 'It was determined that it was viable. We put just enough on the roof to make the extrication and get off.'

Although Redding was was able to maneuver himself around in the living room after the crash the house may not be habitable again. His house is insured.

Locals hope that that the city adds speed bumps to slow the flow of traffic or see the intersection of close-by Lillian and Mimika become a one-way street, to prevent further crashes, reported KSDK.
While her father was inside a petrol station buying her an ice cream, a suspected sexual predator blew kisses at an eight-year-old girl and beckoned her into his car.

The horrified dad saw the stranger trying to lure his daughter away and ran outside causing the man to drive off.

Police believe the same person was seen watching girls playing on the swings in a nearby park in Mandurah, south of Perth.

Scroll down for video

Tim (pictured, right) was horrified when a stranger blew kisses at his daughter (pictured, left) before driving off when he came running out

Police believe the man who approached Tim's daughter (pictured) is the same person reported for watching young girls play on swings in a nearby park

Tim, the father of the targeted girl, was shocked as he watched the stranger approach his daughter, Perth Now reported.

'At first he started waving at my daughter, which I thought was strange. Then he started blowing kisses,' he said.

The ordeal continued when the man followed them into a shopping centre, only leaving them alone after Tim called police.

Relieved that he daughter is safe, Tim is worried that someone else might not be so lucky.

The girl's worried father (pictured, left) is afraid the man may strike again and commit a serious crime

'Chances are if hes not caught, he may do worse than just blowing a kiss next time,' Tim said.

'It just sends shivers up my spine.'

Mandurah Police are also investigating the indecent assault of a 16-year-old girl on Friday by a group of men.

The girl was walking home alone when one of the men touched her inappropriately and grabbed her by the wrists.

The girl ran away but was laughed at by the men as she tripped while making her escape.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted WA Police for comment.
A retired lecturer who feels 'entombed' by his terminal motor neurone disease has taken his 'fight for choice at the end of life' to the High Court.

Noel Conway, a 67-year-old grandfather, from Shrewsbury, was diagnosed with the disease in November 2014 and is not expected to live beyond 12 months.

He is reliant for 20 hours each day on a non-invasive ventilation device and was not well enough to be at the hearing in London today, although he hopes to attend by video link on Wednesday.

Campaigners from the Dignity in Dying group made fake coffins and even a large statue of a vindictive-looking judge for their protests outside the Royal Courts of Justice.

Noel Conway, a 67-year-old grandfather and retired lecturer, is challenging the current law on assisted dying

As he has less than six months to live and retains the mental capacity to make the decision, Mr Conway wishes to be able to enlist assistance from the medical profession to bring about a 'peaceful and dignified' death.

The law as it stands means that anyone who helped him would be committing a criminal offence.

He is seeking a declaration that the Suicide Act 1961 is incompatible with Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which relates to respect for private and family life, and Article 14, which protects from discrimination.

Richard Gordon QC, told Lord Justice Sales, Mrs Justice Whipple and Mr Justice Garnham that Mr Conway had expressed graphically the effect of his illness upon him, referring to the feeling of 'entombment'.

The group made fake coffins and even a large statue of a vindictive-looking judge for their protests

He said others in Mr Conway's position might consider making arrangements to fly to Switzerland to go to Dignitas to die far from home - and expose anyone who helped with the arrangements to a risk of prosecution.

But he did not see that as an option. Nor did he consider that he could take the step of either himself removing the ventilation device or asking another to do so.

'The choices facing the claimant are therefore stark and unpalatable: seek to bring about his own death now whilst he is physically able to do so but before he is ready to do so; or await death with no control over when and how it comes.'

Mr Conway, who is supported by Dignity In Dying, has already been to the Court of Appeal to win the right for what he calls his 'fight for choice at the end of life' to proceed.

Supporters of Mr Conway from the campaign group Dignity in Dying stand with placards outside the Royal Courts of Justice today

The case is opposed by the Secretary of State for Justice, with Humanists UK, Care Not Killing and Not Dead Yet UK also making submissions.

Mr Gordon said the evidence demonstrated that a practical scheme, including suitable safeguards, could be devised for those in Mr Conway's narrowly defined group who could safely be provided with assistance to die without affecting the legitimate aim of the protection of the weak and vulnerable.

Mr Conway's primary goal was to obtain a recognition that, as a matter of law, the current ban could not be justified in respect of him and the identified category.

Counsel said: 'It would be for Parliament to respond in due course to such a declaration, and for its consideration of the wider moral and ethical issues raised to be informed and guided by that recognition.'

Before the hearing, campaigners from both sides of the debate spoke out.

Lord Low of Dalston, the crossbench peer who is blind and a lifelong campaigner for the rights of disabled people, described fears expressed by Not Dead Yet UK as 'groundless'.

'Mr Conway's case is not based on the argument that disabled people are a burden - just that he should have the right of choice at the end of life in face of unbearable suffering.

'It is ironic that people who campaign so vehemently for disabled people to be given choice in every other aspect of their lives should seek to deny choice to a fellow disabled person over the time and manner in which he ends his own life.

'If Mr Conway were granted the right he is seeking, it would have no implication for other disabled people, other than that they too would have the right to choose the time and manner of their death.

Mr Conway's tragic case has garnered a large following of support who are hoping he gets his wish

'No-one would be compelled to avail themselves of this right if they did not wish to do so.'

Not Dead Yet UK, which opposes attempts to legalise assisted suicide for disabled and terminally ill people, said it recognised and empathised with Mr Conway's fears for his future but could not support his action.

Baroness Campbell of Surbiton, one of its founders, said: 'We have successfully seen off attempts to change the law on assisted suicide in Parliament.

'Now we must change tactics to ensure the courts continue to uphold our equal right to life.

'The law must not be weakened via the back door.'

Co-founder Phil Friend said: 'A change in the law is a terrifying prospect to the vast majority of disabled and terminally ill people who work hard towards achieving equality for all.

'Until we have reached that objective, assisted suicide will remain a dangerous and prejudiced option, likely to increase suffering and distress'.

A ruling is not expected until the autumn.
A German folk festival descended into violence after Iraqi and Afghan asylum seekers were accused of sexually harassing local women, it has been reported.

Several cases of sexual harassment and aggression were reported at Volksfest in the town of Schorndorf, Baden-Wuerttemberg state, police said.

No arrests have been made but police are treating a 20-year-old Iraqi man as a suspect - and three Afghan asylum seekers in a separate incident in which a 17-year-old girl was groped.

A crowd of more than 1,000 are reported to have hurled bottles at police officers who moved in to detain one of the suspects on charges of dangerous physical assault.

A German folk festival in the town of Schorndorf, Baden-Wuerttemberg state, descended into violence after Iraqi and Afghani asylum seekers were accused of sexually harassing local women (file photo of Oktoberfest in Munich)

Police said small groups of youths, many of whom are said to be immigrants, then began to vandalise the town which is home to just 40,000 people.

Authorities claimed they were roving through the streets armed with knives and replica handguns, firing flares and teargas.

Several police cars were sprayed with graffiti in the small town also dubbed 'Daimler city' because automotive inventor Gottlieb Daimler was born there in 1834.

The violence escalated when one of the suspects resisted arrest

Police chief Roland Eisele urged any women who were abused over the weekend to come forward.

He said 'the aggression and escalation of violence' was unprecedented in the town, near Stuttgart, and that the local police force had to request backup from other cities.

Police chief Roland Eisele (right, with mayor Matthias Klopfer) urged any women who were abused over the weekend to come forward

Police said in a statement that many youths 'with migrant backgrounds' were seen in the crowd, but Eisele said that it was impossible to estimate a percentage.

In a press conference Monday, Eisele evoked the chaos of Cologne's infamous 2015 New Year's Eve celebrations when men of North African and Middle Eastern appearance groped and assaulted hundreds of women, sparking widespread public outrage.

He stressed that the rowdy scenes in Schorndorf were less intense than those in Cologne or, more recently, the G20 riots in the northern port-city of Hamburg.

Far-left and anarchist militants burnt street barricades and threw rocks from rooftops during the meeting of world leaders.
A moped gang who were pictured armed with a hammer and crowbar outside the BBC during their terrifying London crime spree have been caught by police.

The three youths - aged 15, 16 and 17 and all from Islington - carried out an astonishing 103 offences in less than a month using mopeds to get away.

It is said they were so prolific that moped crime in the capital dropped after they were arrested. They are now awaiting sentence for a catalogue of offences.

Three members of a moped gang who terrified Londoners with hammers and crowbars during a spree in which they committed 103 offences have been arrested and appeared in court

The three teenagers were pictured on bikes near the BBC's headquarters in central London, the Evening Standard reported.

An iPhone was stolen from a woman in her 40s when it was snatched out of her hand as she waited to cross the road.

Radio 4 reporter Andrew Bomford said he saw the thieves almost crash into a man as they targeted him on a pedestrian crossing.

After the gang's arrest, a Scotland Yard spokesman said: 'Three youths have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to rob following a spate of moped-enabled robberies in central London.

'Three males - aged 17, 16 and 15 - appeared at Southwark Crown Court on Tuesday, 27 June and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to rob.

Met Police Commissioner last week told of her determination to stop 'boys' carrying out moped robberies and thefts

'The charge relates to 103 separate offences committed in central London - Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea and Islington - between 18 April and 5 May.'

Speaking last week, Met Police Commissioner said the growing number of crimes carried out by moped gangs made her 'very angry'.

She said moped thieves are mainly 'boys, who are talking about it, practicing their techniques and enjoying it'.

Offences involving mopeds have risen seven-fold in two years, from 1,053 in 2014 to 7,668 last year.

In Islington alone, the worst hit borough, more than 300 phones were being snatched every month at the height of the crime wave, stats show.
Shocking footage has emerged of the moment a driver performed a three-point-turn in the middle of a busy tunnel.

Police have labelled a driver 'stupid' for making the manoeuvre in the middle of Sydney's one-way City Cross Tunnel and accused them of putting lives at risk.

Officers are now working to identify the person behind the wheel who callously executed the turn in the early hours of July 2 before exiting the tunnel at the wrong end.

Police say the driver who made a three-point turn in the middle of Sydney's one-way City Cross Tunnel is 'stupid' as they put the lives of themselves and others at risk

Officers are now working to identify the person behind the wheel who callously executed the turn in the early hours of July 2nd

The vehicle narrowly avoids hitting a passing taxi and mini-bus, before making their way out of the tunnel

'Well it's just stupidity, to try and pull off a manoeuvre like that, putting that driver and other road users at great risk,' Chief Inspector Phillip Brooks told 7 News.

CCTV footage captured the driver's shocking lack of road insight around 2:30am as they navigated their vehicle to face the wrong way, before driving out of the underground road the same way they came in, into oncoming traffic.

The car narrowly avoids hitting a passing taxi and mini-bus, before making their way out of the tunnel.

Once at the top, the driver suddenly realises the potential danger of their actions if they continue driving against traffic, and completes another three point turn.

The driver then heads off down the 2.1km tunnel the correct way.

Traffic control supervisors monitor Sydney tunnels at all hours of the day from a station located in north west Sydney, capturing careless drivers on a tracking system.

Once at the top, the driver suddenly realises the potential danger in their actions if they continue driving against traffic, and completes another three point turn

After executing the second three-point-turn of the evening, in this event, the driver then heads off down the 2.1 kilometre tunnel the correct way

Nearly 50 cameras live-stream the action from inside the tunnels and roads around the city, recording images and footage which is then handed over to police in cases where carelessness or irresponsibility is demonstrated.

'The moment we see any incident, in any of our tunnels, or on any of our roads, our incident response teams can immediately take action,' Alisa Hitchcock from Transurban said.

A police spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia the matter is now being investigated.

The driver is likely to face charges including negligent driving on top of executing the illegal three-point-turn.
ISIS brides have revealed the reality of being a wife in the caliphate, describing jihadi speed-dating, women fighting in dormitories and religious fanatics who are 'only interested in sex'.

Ex-wives and widows of extremists told how they paid smugglers to help them flee from once the terror group started to lose territory in Iraq and Syria.

Dozens of runaway brides are reportedly now being held in a jail with their children at a refugee camp 30 miles north of the ISIS 'capital' Raqqa, in Syria. They have since described their bizarre lives as partners of ISIS fanatics.

ISIS brides have revealed the reality of being a wife in the caliphate, describing jihadi speed-dating, women fighting in dormitories and religious fanatics who are 'only interested in sex' (file picture)

According to CNN, one woman called Saida, who had fled to join ISIS from Montpellier in France, said she was desperate to return to return to Europe with her 14-month-old son.

She said she was lured to Syria with the promise of a new life with a devout husband.

But instead, she and others like her found all-female dormitories where women would fight among themselves and extremists who were obsessed with sex.

The French national said women would take part in rounds of speed dating where they would be selected as wives.

She told CNN women would write a 'sort of CV' for the Tinder-like system.

'She puts down her age, her name, what her personality is like, and what she looks for in a man. And men also post their CVs,' she said.

'So you meet, you talk for 15-20 minutes, and then it's a yes or no. If they both agree then they get married. It's very quick.'

Eventually, she paid 4,600 to smugglers to help her flee from the city, only for her husband Yassine to die during the escape bid.

Having fled, she now dreams of her old life in France and admitted she 'loved jeans and make up'.

Others have told of a woman who married and was divorced at least six times before a jihadi court threatened to whip her.

Ex-wives and widows of extremists told how they paid smugglers to help them flee from once the terror group started to lose territory in Iraq and Syria (file picture)

Three Indonesian sisters Rahma, Fina, and Noor, who did not end up marrying jihadists, said they saw fighting in all-female accommodation.

They had paid large amounts to travel to the ISIS-held city in the hope of marrying men who were 'pure Muslims' and taking advantage of free healthcare and education.

But Rahma said of the male extremists they met: 'They say they want to jihad for the sake of Allah, but what they want is only about women and sex. It's disgusting.'

Another ISIS wife, named as May, said she was only passing through Raqqa when she met her husband - a Moroccan militant called Bilal who she described as a pacifist who did not want to take up arms.

The Syrian English teacher, from Homs, was already a widow after her first husband was shot by a sniper.

But she said her new husband has ended up in jail in the town of Kobani - and is fearful she will not see him again.

She said: 'I want someone to kill me. Because I can't kill myself, because this is suicide.'

She added that other women in Raqqa had been left shocked after being divorced by foreign ISIS fighters only 'three to four days or one month' after marrying.

Fresh details of life under ISIS rule come as it emerged that US-backed Syrian fighters have clashed with the militants in the heart of Raqqa.

Scores of civilians have since fled areas controlled by the group in the extremists' self-styled capital.

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), aided by the US-led coalition, launched their offensive to capture the city on June 6, and have since taken several areas.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the fighting is concentrated in the south-western neighbourhood of Yarmouk and the Old City.

The SDF said intense fighting is under way in central Raqqa, adding that its fighters have taken positions near a centuries-old mosque.

The Kurdish-run Hawar news agency said some 180 civilians were able to flee areas controlled by IS while the Observatory put the number in the hundreds.
An 'annoyed' Remainer has declared his house a republic because he is so opposed to Brexit.

Dr William Riches' new 'state' is in Newnham, Gloucestershire was set up because he was 'mad' about the referendum result.

He claims he formed a symbolic republic out of anger claiming Britain's 'older generation' tipped the Brexit vote towards Leave when more young people wanted to Remain.

Dr Riches has declared his village property overlooking the Bristol Channel the 'Independent Republic of Middlewatch' - a nod to the name of his house - with the academic, his wife Judith, their children and grandchildren being the only citizens.

Remainer: Dr William Riches' new state is in Newnham, Gloucestershire, has declared his house a republic and his family are the only ones allowed in post-Brexit

Dr Riches claims he formed a symbolic republic out of anger claiming Britain's 'older generation' tipped the Brexit vote towards Leave when more young people wanted to Remain

He says that when Britain does leave the European Union all visitors to his home must pay 50 to enter his three-storey house.

Dr Riches plans to hold elections annually and he expects to replace his wife as President after next year's vote.

The couple have been issuing visas to friends and family - even going to the effort of designing them and printing them out.

They also plan to make their own passports although they have not yet decided what colour they will be.

He also said they are 'going to adopt the Euro and sign the Maastricht Treaty' after establishing a consul in the neighbouring village Lydyney.

Dr Riches joked: 'The next stage will be to negotiate for membership and to appoint an ambassador in Brussels.'

The sign outside his house reads: 'The Independent Republic of Middlewatch. This Republic remains a proud member of the European Union. All visitors to the Republic must show a valid British passport or obtain a visa from our consul in Lydney or consul general at the University of Milan'

But the couple feel the triggering of Article 50 will impact them personally, as friends with EU passports are forced to pay more than 1,000 for British ones.

The prospect of leaving the EU prompted their son to apply for German citizenship after working there for 12 years, which was issued to him.

Dr Riches spent much of his career working in Northern Ireland and fears the Brexit vote would jeopardise the peace agreements.

He said: 'I was so mad after the vote to leave that I decided to put the signs up and declare my home an independent republic', adding: 'I don't understand why the older generation voted against their children'.

A poster in his window reads: 'The Independent Republic of Middlewatch. This Republic is a proud member of the European Union. All non-EU residents wishing to visit the Republic must have a valid UK passport.'

His son, who lives in Germany, sent him an EU flag to hang in his window.

Dr Riches spent much of his career working in Northern Ireland and fears the Brexit vote would jeopardise the peace agreements. Pictured is his home Middle Watch House

Dr Riches plans to hold elections annually and he expects to replace his wife as President after next year's vote

Dr Riches said: 'I am a staunch Remainer and cannot see a future for this country now'

William, a former university professor, says England will be relegating itself to just a 'little island' when Article 50 is triggered.

Dr Riches said: 'I am a staunch Remainer and cannot see a future for this country now.

'All our literature, all our art, all our culture, all our history is intertwined with Europe so the idea that we are not part of Europe, that we are some small but significant little island, just annoyed me so much I had to do something.

'I was so mad after the vote to Leave that I decided to put the signs up and declare my home an independent republic.

'If I could declare us a republic and join Europe I probably would. Maybe I'll look into it.'

His symbolic gesture imitates the Ealing comedy 'Passport To Pimlico' - the 1949 film where residents of Pimlico declare the area a republic to avoid the strict rationing and other grim post-war realities faced in the rest of the UK.

Dr Riches took on the role of Vice President of the Republic, and the family have international links with his son holding Irish and German citizenship and his daughter living in America

The poster raised eyebrows in the village and Brexiteer Keith Jaynes, 80, said he did not think the couple would find much support locally. One punter in a local pub said it was seen as a 'satirical joke' by villagers

Dr Riches took on the role of Vice President of the Republic, and the family have international links with his son holding Irish and German citizenship and his daughter living in America.

He put a notice in the window before the vote imploring older people to consider the wishes of the majority of the 18 to 35-year-olds who wanted to remain in Europe.

He said: 'And I'd bet that the majority of people in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales would not be able to pass the citizenship exam that people have to take now.'

His wife Judith said: 'I think it's about time older people got their heads out of the clouds and recognised that the world doesn't go backwards, that things will never go back to the way they were when they were young.

'We were born before the war, it's not our time any more. It will take ten years so many of us will probably be dead before it happens.

'I don't think the notice will change any minds because our friends and neighbours voted remain anyway, but it's our way of making a protest and people who come here often apologise for not bringing their passports.'

Dr Riches' symbolic gesture imitates the Ealing comedy 'Passport To Pimlico' - the 1949 film where residents of Pimlico declare the area a republic to avoid the strict rationing and other grim post-war realities faced in the rest of the UK

But the poster raised eyebrows in the village and Brexiteer Keith Jaynes, 80, said he did not think the couple would find much support locally.

Mr Jaynes, who has lived in the village for his entire life, said: 'It's about 70 to 80 per cent Leave voters round here. I think it would upset people.'

One punter in a local pub said it was seen as a 'satirical joke' by villagers.

Another, Les Fry, 65, said: 'It's fun. I don't think it's going to start a trend, it's a bit of a mix round here.

'I walked past it the other day and thought it was a bit silly.'
Dagmara Przybysz, 16, pictured, who moved to Britain from Poland nine years ago, was discovered dead in May 2016

A teenager found hanging in the school toilets after being bullied and called a 'stupid Pole' wasn't discovered for 90 minutes after the teacher claims they didn't spot anything wrong.

Tragic Dagmara Przybysz, 16, who moved to Britain from Poland nine years ago, was discovered dead in a cubicle in the maths department in May 2016.

But today during an inquest into her death, it has emerged she wasn't found for an hour and a half after she left a maths lesson.

Dagmara was described as a beautiful, happy and popular pupil who had an extremely bright future ahead of her.

But an inquest heard she had confided to friends and family that she had been singled out because of her nationality by a cruel gang of bullies.

A coroner heard bullies at Pool Academy, Redruth, Cornwall, called her a 'stupid Pole' and told she 'did not belong here.'

Police revealed CCTV footage showed the schoolgirl leaving her lesson at 12.14pm and entering the toilet block which was visited by a number of girls during lunch hour.

But the teenager's body lay undiscovered for more than 90 minutes, despite one teacher checking the loos twice. They said they did not 'hear or see anything out of place'.

Dagmara's father Jedrzej Przybysz said he could not understand why it took so long for her to be found.

The exit was sealed off to students by 1.50pm and paramedics finally arrived at 2.09pm. Police arrived two minutes later.

Lorna Gibbon, a care supervisor at Pool Academy said she went to check the toilets at 12.45pm after hearing a 'banging and rattling noise.'

She said: 'It went on for about two to three minutes. I could not tell if it was coming from the boys or girls side.

'After I went to check and I could see the far end cubicle was shut. I could not hear anything or see anything out of place.

'I was in the toilets for about 30 seconds and did not see or hear anything.

'A short while later I heard on the school radio an ambulance had been requested to the maths area.'

Coroner Dr Emma Carlyon said said this evidence would be discussed later in the inquest, which continues tomorrow.

Pictured: Dagmara Przybysz, 16, took her own life after being taunted by bullies, an inquest heard

'Beautiful and kind': Her devasted mother described how Dagmara always stuck up for other children who were also targeted with racial slurs at school

Earlier today the court heard how Dagmara was the victim of racist bullies at school and was picked on by a gang of girls.

But kind-hearted Dagmara tried to not let it get her down as her mother revealed she was 'always sticking up' for other Eastern European pupils who were racially abused.

A post mortem found she died as a result of hanging and no drugs or alcohol were in her system.

Her death came as a complete shock to teachers, family and friends who said there was nothing to suggest she was about to take her own life.

But her mother Ewelina Przybysz told the first day of the inquest in Truro, Cornwall, how Dagmara often confided with her about the problems she was having at school.

Mrs Przybysz, of Truro, made reference to a post her daughter wrote on the controversial website Ask.fm, which has been linked previously with suicides of young people.

She said: 'She wrote on Ask.fm in answer to a question about what problems she had at school. Dagamra wrote 'racism'.

'She commented she did not like it when someone was nasty behind her back.

'She often talked about problems and she was often hurt when people said unpleasant things.'

Mrs Przybysz said there was one particular gang of girls that were causing her daughter problems.

She added: 'These girls came up to Dagmara and accused her of saying unpleasant things and then called Dagmara names.

'I did not know what they said on this occasion but it was just a few days before Dagmara passed away. She was barged into in the school corridor.

'That may have been ones being nasty to her. I do not know who these girls were.

'I do not know if these were racist in nature she told me she would have comments such as 'stupid Pole'.

'Comments were made towards another Polish child and Dagmara would always try to stand up to them.'

Previously police said they discovered Dagmara was bullied by a group of girls at school and pushed in a corridor on one occasion.

Shocking revelations: Today the inquest heard how Dagmara wasn't discovered for an hour and a half despite a teacher checking the toilets twice

But officers told the coroner at an earlier hearing they didn't speak to individuals because they didn't want to 'worry them' as they weren't 'in trouble in a criminal way'.

The inquest also heard about an incident at a PE lesson the day before Dagmara died that had left her very upset.

She fell out with fellow pupils during a rounders game and needed medical treatment after punching the wall in frustration.

Her mother added: 'She punched a wall so she could get away from these girls and the school.'

A school friend, who can not be named for legal reasons, also told the inquest Dagmara had been targeted by racist bullies.

She said: 'I used to sit next to her in class. She told me when year 10 girls said she 'did not belong here' in reference to the fact she was from another country.

'I told her to report this and I only know about this from what she told me.'

Answering questions from Dale Collins, who represents Pool Academy asked Dagmara's mother if the abuse was reported to the school.

Mrs Przybysz said: 'No, because she said she spoke to Miss Kent about this and it was not a problem anymore ... we think the biggest problem for Dagmara was not racism but bullying.'

Racist abuse: An inquest heard how Dagmara told her mother she was called a 'stupid Pole'

They said they did not know why she was being bullied.

Mr Collins asked about a post on Ask.fm from 2014 in which Dagmara said 'racism' when asked what problems she had at school.

He said: 'It could be that she had problems previously but there was no longer any problems.'

Mrs Przybysz said: 'She had a problem in the last few months.'

Lewis Simpson, Dagmara's boyfriend, said he met her when they were aged seven or eight and at primary school and had dated on and off since they were 14.

He said they were 'inseparable' after starting to date again on May 9, and 'felt that we were in a serious long-term relationship'.

He said Dagmara came to see him at his gandmother's house on the day before she died and had her arm in a sling, having injured herself in PE.

Lewis said: '(She said) she sat outside the changing room and heard girls saying horrible things about her because she had taken PE so seriously.

'She said her tutor was there and did not speak up for her.'

He said both he and Dagmara became angry later that day when discussing a rumour that they were going to break up, which he said was not true, and at one point she said to him 'What would you do if I killed myself?' but that he had not thought she was serious.

'I don't understand why they didn't like her!': Dagmara's heartbroken grandmother said she didn't know why girls at school bullied her

Both Dagmara's parents and Lewis told coroner Dr Emma Carlyon that she had not left any kind of note before her death.

Answering questions from Dr Carlyon and Mr Collins, Lewis said Dagmara told him that other pupils made racist comments to her such as 'go back to your own country' and he said: 'I think it got to her a little bit.'

A school friend, who can not be named for legal reasons, also told the inquest Dagmara had been targeted by racist bullies. Pictured above, the teen's Ask.fm account page

Her father Jedrzej Przybysz said that on the morning of her death he got a phone call from his daughter where she was crying and very upset.

Her father said: 'She was upset and crying and did not want to tell me the reason.

'Later on she said she had problems at school that she said I would not understand.

'I told her to go to school and on return we would have a serious conversation about this problem.'

Mr Przybysz said his daughter had made many friends at primary school since coming to the UK in February 2009 but had not settled at secondary school and asked to move.

Dagmara's uncle Tomasz Dobek took her to hospital after she had hurt her hand in the PE lesson the day before she died.

He added: 'We saw two girls on the pavement and Dagmara said 'uncle, can you run them over'.

'She told me she had hurt her hand while punching the wall as she some girls had laughed at her because she could not play the game properly.'

Dagmara had told her parents before about racist comments made to her at school

The inquest heard how Dagmara was a bright student who wanted to go on to study photography at Truro College and her death had come as a complete shock to everyone who knew her.

The inquest, expected to last three days, continues.

An ASK.fm spokesperson today said: 'ASK.fm is unable to discuss any user's account due to data protection laws.

'Since 2013, ASK.fm following considerable publicity about bullying on the platform, has made a huge investment to improve safety in its products, policies, infrastructure and leadership by both sets of new company owners, including ASK.com and currently Noosphere, which has positioned Ask.fm as a leader in online safety for young people, especially due to the technical innovation it has developed in filtering images and text to identify bullying and abusive content, and take action against 'bullies' and close accounts if necessary.

'ASKfm appointed an expert Safety Board in 2015 made up of world leading child safety experts.

'This Safety Board continues to advise ASKFm on the safety and the approaches that have been developed in a thorough and detailed way, where all developments are discussed and safety standards agreed.

'There has been significant investment in moderation procedures, resources and staff to remove offensive, hurtful and any content that may be threat to a child, including identifying predators and involves automatic filtering of all questions and answers exchanged by users, including questions asked by other users that go unanswered and resulted in doubling the amount of inappropriate Q&As being removed from the service.

Police said they discovered Dagmara was bullied by a group of girls at school and pushed in a corridor on one occasion

'ASK.fm has established a global 24-hour monitoring across 24 languages and a law enforcement officer to assist with any requests or investigations.

'Improved easier access to safety controls for users such as blocking users or blocking all anonymous questions.

'And robust reporting features making it easier for users to report any content or behaviour that concerns them.

'Developed a comprehensive Safety Centre with tailored guidelines for teens, teachers, parents and law enforcement, step-by-step guidance on safety controls to highlight user options, and expert articles to assist teens, parents and educators with a range of issues young people face online.

'ASK.fm has partnered with a number of NGOs and projects working with schools and developed safety resources for teens, parents, educators and law enforcement, for example with the Princess Diana Award charity's Anti Bullying Pro initiative in the UK, the European ENABLE anti-bullying project and in addition ASK.fm is a member of the Internet Watch Foundation for reporting child abuse images, following best practice in this area of child sexual exploitation.
I realize I probably dont have to tell anyone, but the Finger Lakes region has seen an unusual amount of rain this spring and early summer. Flash floods have caused damage to property in a matter of minutes, and weve even seen a drop in visitation over previous years. The rain has been quite a damper, and it seems to be continuing throughout the early summer weeks. I set out to ask our wineries what kind of effect all this precipitation is having on the vines.

I spoke with Dave Peterson, president and co-owner of Swedish Hill, Goose Watch and Penguin Bay wineries. Heres what Dave wrote on the topic:

While the weather has admittedly been wetter than most all of us would like, there is somewhat of a silver lining in it. With the excessively dry conditions in 2016, water tables needed to be recharged. Mother Nature seems to have now accomplished that! With the very dry conditions in 2016, newly planted vines struggled to get established and many of us resorted to hand-watering just to keep them alive. This year, those vines that barely survived last year are thriving and look green and lush. The new vines that we have planted this year are off to a great start, and have more than twice as much growth as last years new vines at the same stage. The rainy days, however, have made it harder for our vineyard team to keep up with the workload, and at times we have worked longer days on the sunny days to keep up. Weeds love the rain at least as much as the vines, so we are running our tillage tools every chance we get. Fortunately, technology has improved many of these tools to make it quicker and more efficient than in the old days. Quality of the grapes will mostly be determined by the weather mid-summer through the fall, so the spring and early summer rains really are not of major concern as to any negative effects on the wine quality. But we are all hoping things do start to dry out a bit!

I then interviewed Dave Pittard, co-owner of Buttonwood Grove Winery. Dave shared very similar sentiments. In addition, he recounted that last year, the winery planted half an acre of merlot and three quarters of an acre of chardonnay. The new vines love the excess rain, but any grass seed they have planted throughout the vineyard has been washed out. Pittard said, This was a great year to plant new vines!

He, too, shared that it is too soon to tell if the rain levels will affect this years crop. The biggest worry is the threat of mold and mildew. This calls for extra scouting. The vineyard team is looking more often than ever before at the crop to make sure that everything is under control. Theyve not needed to use additional preventative sprays, but theyre certainly keeping a close eye on the crop.

From 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Saturdays, Buttonwood Grove Winery offers free live music and encourages people to bask in the sun on the deck while enjoying a glass. Saturday, July 1, brought a torrential downpour in the middle of the winery's concert. This caused extreme runoff, and all the propertys drainage ditches overflowed. The Buttonwood team then spent days restoring the grounds after the heavy rain damage. (But you would never guess it, as the entire property is supremely stunning!)

My last conversation was with Mark Renodin, co-owner of Six Mile Creek Vineyards in Ithaca, as he stopped into the office to pick up more Cayuga Lake Wine Trail brochures. We had a brief discussion about Six Mile's vineyard as well. Per Mark, the winery has not yet made any adjustments to its regularly scheduled farming procedures. It has actually been a welcome flood of showers after last summers severe drought. The ground is still absorbing everything it can. Last year, the SMC team did not de-leaf the vines because they were so thin on the canopy due to lack of water. This rain is exactly what we needed! Renodin said.

In Ithaca, theyve not seen any negative effects on the vines themselves. The water table needed to be replenished. Mark is hoping to see the rain taper off come August, when veraison sets in. We dont want to be pessimistic, but if by chance the rain doesnt stop, the quality of the fruit could diminish, meaning the berries will plump up with too much water and not enough sugar. More rain may mean that the wineries would be forced to spray more fungicide, as well.

In 2016, Six Mile Creek planted 800 Marquette vines, a grandson of pinot noir, and a light-to-medium-bodied dry red that is common in colder climates. The grape was developed by University of Minnesota to have a cold tolerance of minus 37 Fahrenheit. Last year, the new plants didnt grow much at all, but now theyre looking great, he said!

The rain has been wonderful in the vineyards, but nearly everyone suspects it has had an adverse effect on visitation, negatively affecting sales. Given the fact that the vineyardists are hoping the rain tapers off about now, were hoping so from a marketing and management standpoint as well. Heres to outdoor live music in the vineyards with sunny skies to come!
Securitas robber Jetmir Bucpapa wants to serve the rest of his prison term in his native Albanian - but authorities are refusing to transfer him over fears he'll be released early

An Albanian robber jailed for Britain's biggest ever cash heist is fighting for the right to do his time in his home country.

But the government is trying to block the move amid fears he could get out early and get his hands on the missing millions.

Jetmir Bucpapa, 35, was one of four men jailed in 2008 for the notorious 53million gang raid on the Securitas depot in Tonbridge, Kent.

Staff were trussed up and locked in cages, a child kidnapped and threats made before the gang got away with the loot.

After a raid on the Iraqi Central Bank during bombing, it is the world's second biggest ever cash robbery.

Bucpapa was jailed for 30 years, but as much as 30m of the stolen cash has still not been found.

He is now fighting at the High Court to be transferred to an Albanian prison to be closer to his family.

Staff at the depot were tied up and locked in cages during the terrifying raid in 2006

Refusing to authorise his transfer, former Justice Secretary, Liz Truss, said the fact he could get out almost four years early in Albania and that the money has not been recovered justify keeping him in a UK prison.

Bucpapa was part of a gang which had carried out a huge robbery, and not all of them had been caught, said government barrister Christopher Knight.

'The Secretary of State is entitled to have regard to the fact of the unrecovered money and the risk he may benefit from this money to some degree,' he said.

'That is the reason people participate in armed robberies after all.'

Bucpapa applied for the move last year, but it was refused in a personally made decision by Liz Truss, leading to the challenge at the High Court.

His lawyers say the refusal is wrong because it is inconsistent with every other case involving an Albanian prisoner wanting to go home.

Bucpapa wants to be transferred back to Albania (pictured) but the UK is refusing to let him go

Of 17 previous cases, some of them brutal murderers, not one of them had been refused transfer to an Albanian prison, said Philip Havers QC.

Bucpapa had been ordered to hand over a nominal 1 under a confiscation order and there was no chance of him getting his hands on the missing cash, he added.

'He feels that, in the present case, he has been treated unfairly,' Mr Havers told Judge Martin McKenna.

The judge has now reserved his decision and will give his ruling at a later date.
A father was knifed to death by two thugs on a moped after refusing to hand over his 5,000 watch and phone, a friend said today.

Danny Pearce, 31, was on his way home from a night out with his girlfriend at a jazz bar when two muggers on a moped wearing motorbike helmets approached armed with a kitchen knife and a pistol, his pal claims.

At gunpoint, the thieves demanded his possessions but he refused and initially thought the muggers in motorbike helmets were joking.

But moments later one of the attackers jumped off the moped and lashed out with a 'big kitchen knife' and stabbed Danny in the throat as a woman screamed 'no, no, no', a source said.

Danny Pearce was killed when he refused to hand over his belongings to two assailants on a moped. Witnesses say one of them slashed his thoat

Tributes have poured in for the popular father, who close friend Hassan Matthews described as 'our lil' bro'.

He added: 'R.i.p to Danny Pearce. I cant believe it even now I'm still rubbing my eyes in disbelief. 'Eaglesfields very own turkey neck', our lil' bro.

'I hope whoever did you wrong are brought to justice.'

'And thank you for all our memories in tutor group LG. Even though I never spent time with you for some years you were a special person your mum treated me like family and you made all our lives better. Love you forever brother.'

Locals also heard around 12 shots fired but dad-of-one Danny is not believed to have suffered gunshot injuries.

The killers, who launched their attack at King William Walk, London, are now on the run from police, who say they are keeping an open mind as to the motive of the murder

A friend who came to lay flowers at the spot where he died said: 'He was with his girlfriend and was stabbed in the throat, I've known him since I was about 14.

'They wanted his watch, I think it was an expensive watch, about 5,000, it must have been a Rolex or something and he had a good phone.

'They tried to take his stuff and there was a boy holding out a gun and because he didn't give it to them the other guy jumped off the moped and stabbed him in the neck.

'Danny was not the kind of guy to start trouble, he was on his phone trying to get a lift home, he was with his girlfriend and his friend's girlfriend.'

Pointing at a child's drawing marked 'to daddy, love Gracie' among the bouquets of flowers he added: 'It's the drawing from his daughter Grace that makes me so sad, it just makes you think doesn't it.'

One of Mr Pearce's friends, Ellen Mercieca, 40, said: 'He liked his watches and he had a bit of a collection, like a typical boy he liked cars and watches.

'He had owned this one for quite a while, it was one of his favourites.

'Danny was cheeky, he was the one that everyone wanted to be around.

'He had so many friends, he was a cool dude.

A Chelsea scarf was left at the scene where popular father Danny Pearce was killed after he was attacked by the two males on a moped

'He was my friend for the last two years and he was always there, he was the first one that I would go to, a genuine lovely fella.

'When I last saw him in April he looked like he had settled down with his new girlfriend, he was happy.

'More than anything else I just want people to know how much he was loved by everyone, his friends and family.

Dozens of flowers, a Chelsea scarf and 'daddy' balloons were attached to the railings along the pavement where Danny died.

One note attached to flowers read: 'Danny, I don't want to believe you're gone.

'I love you so much, our friendship and memories will stay with me for the rest of my life.'

An eyewitness who watched as the horrific scenes unfold in Greenwich, south east London, said: 'It happened within about two minutes, I was watching from my window and the muggers were obviously challenging them.

A child's drawing marked 'to daddy, love Gracie' was left on railings close to the scene among bouquets of flowers dedicated to Mr Pearce

'This was a group of people who were having a nice time.

'I heard the screaming first, that woke me up and then the banging which sounded like fireworks.

'A girl was screaming, she was screaming for about four hours.

'The muggers were wearing crash helmets, one was on the bike and another off it holding a big kitchen knife.'

Barman Alex Gwillim, who works at the Greenwich Tavern, just yards from where Danny died, said: 'Two of my colleagues were turning the lights off at the pub when it all unfolded and they heard the screams, it was chaos.'

Another witness, who refused to be named, heard 12 shots fired beneath his window.

He said: 'There were about a dozen shots I'd say, but they were not very loud, sounded as if they were from a pistol.

'Then the woman was screaming 'no, no, no', that was what woke me up.'

Police appeal to public for information on moped-riding assailants amid capital crime spree

Detective Inspector Jo Sidaway, who is leading the investigation, said: 'At this early stage it is understood the victim was approached on King William Walk by two suspects on a moped.

'One suspect is believed to have been in possession of what appeared to be a firearm, the other a knife.

'During an altercation between the suspects and the victim, the victim was stabbed. The suspected firearm was discharged but enquiries continue regarding this.

'The suspects then fled the scene on the moped, and the victim then managed to make his way to a nearby address to ask for help. He was later pronounced dead there.

'I am appealing for any witnesses to any part of the incident, or anyone with any information, to contact our incident room and assist our investigation.'

Victim Mr Hussain said he saw others with worse injuries, including one with 'the left hand side of his face all burned'

Emergency services rushed to the King William Walk and despite efforts the man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Despite the efforts of the police and the London Ambulance Service, he was declared dead at the scene.

The killers are now on the run from police, who say they are keeping an open mind as to the motive of the murder.

With the killers still at large, anyone with information was urged to call police via 101 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

The killing is the latest harrowing crime to hit the capital in which the perpetrators were riding a moped.

On Thursday, UberEats and Deliveroo drivers were specifically targeted for their mopeds in a spate of horrific acid attacks across east London.

One rider was attacked and robbed while another man was heard 'screaming in agony' after suffering catastrophic injuries when doused with flesh-burning liquid.

Map: This graphic illustrates where the shocking acid attacks took place last night - one suspect has been held and the other is on the run

Another victim who also had his moped stolen was filmed having litres of water poured over his face by police to wash acid from his eyes by the side of the road in Hackney.

The two-man gang went on a rampage across east London as they sprayed five men between 10.25pm and 11.37pm in Stoke Newington, Hackney and Islington.

One of the drivers was confirmed to work for Deliveroo, while another was a father-of-one UberEats driver who said he was 'saved by his moped helmet'.

A 15-year-old boy was arrested at an address in Stoke Newington on suspicion of grievous bodily harm and robbery, after a 16-year-old was detained earlier this morning.

Jabed Hussain suffered burns to his lip when a corrosive liquid was squirted through his helmet at traffic lights before robbers snatched his 'pride and joy' moped.

The father-of-one is understood to have been the first of five victims sprayed with acid by two attackers who rode around Hackney on Thursday night.

Mr Hussain, 32, says he considers himself lucky after seeing the other victims nursing more serious injuries when he was treated in Whitechapel's Royal London Hospital.

Mr Hussain said:' The delivery driver of four years said: 'I was lucky because I was wearing a helmet which is totally burnt as was the hoodie I was wearing, the colours are completely different, like it has been exposed to fire.

Two men on a moped carried out five acid attacks in a 72-minute period in London on Thursday night, leaving one victim with life-changing injuries on Hackney Road junction with Queensbridge Road (pictured). Other delivery drivers rushed to the scene after the attack

'I had just finished work and was going home, I was stuck in traffic. Then suddenly I felt water on my face and I looked up and there were two boys on a bike.

'My face was burning but nobody opened their windows, I was screaming for help and as the liquid on my face was drying it was getting more and more burnt. I opened my helmet, I didn't know what to do, but I knew I needed water.

Call for knife-style crackdown Acid attacks should be treated in the same way as knife crime, say campaigners. Under current laws, a knife attacker can face attempted murder charges, whereas an acid attack would be classified as grievous bodily harm. It is also illegal to sell a knife of any kind to anyone under 18 or carry one in public without good reason. However, while attacking someone with a corrosive substance is illegal, it is not against the law to carry it. This means that it is increasingly the weapon of choice for many criminals, as caustic fluid can be bought for as little as 7 a litre, and there is no age restriction on its purchase. Jaf Shah, executive director of the Acid Survivors Trust, called for carrying acid in public to have the same penalty as possessing a knife. He added: 'In a way, [an acid attack] is almost like a safer crime to commit, especially for gang members perhaps lower down the hierarchy.' Advertisement

'One lady asked me what happened and I said that someone had put acid on my face.

'I said I need water on my face, it is burning, she went and got water from Co-Op and others got water too.

He was later rushed to hospital, where he saw other victims with worse injuries.

He added: 'One man I walked past at the Royal London Hospital had the left hand side of his face all burned.

'When my daughter saw my face...she was screaming and crying, she recognised me but she was looking at me in a different way.'

He spoke as police arrested a second suspect over the 72-minute spree across east London n Thursday night.

Witnesses said one attacker riding pillion would jump off and steal the victim's scooter with the other thief speeding away on the moped they arrived on.

Some of the victims were food delivery drivers and one Deliveroo employee has revealed 40 of his colleagues in east London are now refusing to work after dark.

He said groups of up to 12 youths are stealing their motorcycles when they visit housing estates and some drivers are now even carrying weapons to fight them off.

Scotland Yard said that a 16-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm and robbery. The arrest of the 15-year-old was announced this afternoon.

Chief Inspector Ben Clark, from Hackney Borough police, said: 'Each of these offences took place in busy locations and we know there may be witnesses who have not yet contacted us.

Police officers were seen pouring bottle after bottle of water over a victim, understood to be Mr Hussain, in a video that appeared on Twitter from Hackney Road

'If you saw something or managed to film or photograph anything that might help us please get in touch.

'These are hideous offences and must have been very frightening for all of the victims.

'I'm aware of rumours circulating that the victims were all food delivery riders set up in advance of the attacks. This is not the case.

'All victims were riding mopeds at the time of the attacks, but were from a variety of backgrounds.

'Of late we have seen more attacks using corrosive substances in London. I would urge businesses and parents to challenge those who they think may be trying to obtain or carry these substances as this could help prevent serious offences and life changing injuries being caused.'

A specialist NHS unit help one of the victims on the side of the road in Upper Clapton at just before midnight (left)

One of the victims was a Deliveroo rider, a spokesman for the company confirmed.

'These are truly shocking attacks and we are working with the authorities to help bring the perpetrators to justice,' the spokesman added.

'We are in touch with the rider and will be providing him with support.

'We have been in touch with all riders who were working in these areas at the time of last night's attacks to check whether they were a victim of these horrific crimes and to gather further information that might help the police with their inquiries.'

The shocking incidents come after a spate of acid attacks across Britain, including one on a 21-year-old model who was left with horrific burns to her face.

Experts say acid is becoming the weapon of choice for many criminals because it is not illegal to carry and can be bought freely from any hardware store.

Assaults using acid have more than doubled in England since 2012 - up from 183 five years ago to 504 in the year to March 2017. The majority have been in east London.

There were more than 1,800 reports of acid used in murders, robberies and rapes since 2010.

Last year acid was used in 454 crimes, up from 261 the previous year, with almost a third of the attacks carried out in the borough of Newham in east London, the figures show.

The problem has got so bad for Deliveroo drivers in east London that many are refusing to work past 9.30pm.

One worker revealed he was surrounded by up to 12 youths who threatened to attack him unless he handed over his moped.

The scene after two men on a moped carried out five acids attacks during a spree across the capital which lasted less than 90 minutes

He told the Hackney Gazette that 40 out of 50 staff will not work night shifts.

He said last week: 'In the past month physical attacks with knives have started. Drivers are being held at knifepoint, mostly in Shoreditch or Hackney Central.

'You can be riding along and they chase you on another moped.

'We're seeing groups of boys on three or four mopeds, with people on the back, running drivers off the road and taking their mopeds.

Aspiring model Resham Khan, 21, suffered 'life-changing' injuries in the acid attack

'On Queensbridge Road last week a driver was stopped at the lights and 10 boys on bikes said: 'Get off your bike.'

Revealing the anger among drivers he said: 'They are talking about forming packs of drivers to go back and get justice themselves. Drivers don't want to carry weapons but I know some that will.'

Last night the most serious incident has left a man with 'life-changing injuries' in Cazenove Road, Stoke Newington.

Local baker Samuel Leibowitz, 49, said he rushed to the scene to find the victim 'screaming in agony' and surrounded by 50 to 60 people who had flooded out of their houses.

He said: 'I got a call from a friend of mine saying there was an attack. I came running down the road and I saw a gentleman leaning on the wall with a cloth over his face.

'He was screaming in agony. There were people shouting and swearing. He was in a lot of pain'.

Samuel said he believes the victim was in his mid-20s.

He added: 'I could not see his face as he was holding the cloth and he was in a lot of pain. There were lots of people around him.

Miss Khan has said she wants to ensure 'no one ever goes through the living nightmare I have endured' after being left with horrific face and neck injuries after the incident

'People said he was attacked. I thought he must have been attacked with a knife or something but I saw the cloth and there were lots of people around him, so I didn't actually approach him.

'I realised there was no blood so I thought there must have been another acid attack.'

Last night police were called to the first attack at junction of Hackney Road and Queensbridge Road in Hackney at about 10.25pm.

The 32-year-old victim was sprayed in the face by the scooter gang after they pulled alongside him.

Miss Khan's cousin Jameel Muhktar also suffered 'life-changing' burns in the attack on June 21. John Tomlin has been charged with two counts of grievous bodily harm with intent

One of the riders then took his moped and his accomplice followed behind on the scooter they arrived on.

Witness Sarah Cobbold looked out from her flat near the Hackney Road attack to see police pouring huge bottles of water over the victim on her doorstep.

She said: 'It was just outside my flat, the victim was literally stood on my doorstep.

'Police had cordoned off the little area around the pavement and there was just a guy standing on my doorway and they were pouring huge, five-litre bottles of water over his head'.

Sophie Hall (pictured, left, as she set off for the club) was taken to a specialist burns hospital in Essex after acid was sprayed at a crowded east London club on Easter Monday

As she watched, around 25 moped riders arrived - many appearing to be from fast-food delivery companies such as UberEats and Deliveroo.

She said: 'I'm guessing maybe they had heard what happened and came down because they can't have all been driving round together'.

'I had thought someone must have chucked petrol or acid on him or something because they were covering him in water, but I have never seen that reaction to an attack, I thought maybe there had been an accident.

Little more than 20 minutes later, at around 10.50pm, another victim had been sprayed with searing liquid by the pair at the Upper Street junction with Highbury Corner, Islington.

The victim was taken to hospital in north London.

Then at around 11.05pm, the fast-moving attackers swooped on a man in Shoreditch High Street, tossing a substance in his face.

His injuries were not life-threatening, police said.

Quick thinking pub staff poured vinegar over him.

Horrified eyewitnesses said the victim, believed to be in his 40s, had stopped at traffic lights when another moped with a pillion passenger stopped less than a metre in front of him.

Staff at the Drunken Monkey on Shoreditch High Street saw the pillion passenger turn around and spray an ammonia-like liquid in his face.

Treat acid the same as knives, says MP Tougher and more consistent sentences are needed for those found guilty of acid attacks, a former minister has said. Stephen Timms (pictured) called for carrying acid to be made an offence and suggested licensing the purchase of sulphuric acid as he urged a change in sentencing guidelines. The Labour MP, who will lead an adjournment debate on acid attacks in the Commons on Monday, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'I think that the sentences for attacks of this kind should be reviewed - the guidelines for sentencing. 'I think we should have tougher and also more consistent sentences for those who are found guilty of carrying out these attacks.' Mr Timms said carrying a bottle of sulphuric acid without justification should be treated as an offence, like carrying a knife, and said there was a case to re-examine when it is appropriate to use stop and search powers. He said: 'I think that carrying acid should in itself be an offence, in the same way that carrying a knife wouldn't have been an offence some years ago. 'I think there's been a pretty effective change - I think the same change should be made for acid.' Mr Timms also called for sulphuric acid to be re-categorised so that a licence is required to buy the chemical, telling the programme: 'Sulphuric acid is already covered by the Explosives Precursor Regulations introduced last year, but it's in a kind of lower category in those regulations. 'I think it should be raised to the higher category, which would mean you'd have to have a licence in order to buy it.' Home Office Minister Sarah Newton said the Government was working on the three points raised by Mr Timms. Ms Newton told the same programme: 'I and my colleagues in the Home Office have been increasingly concerned about the escalation of incidents, especially in London, so we have been working with the Metropolitan Police and community policing on this for some months now.' She added: 'We are going through each and every one of those to make sure if there is more we can do, yes we will take more action.' Mr Timms' calls for tougher sentencing come after two males on a moped carried out five acid attacks across London in less than 90 minutes, according to police. Figures show a sharp rise in both over recent years. Met Police Commissioner Cressida Dick told LBC: 'Acid attacks are completely barbaric. I think, until recently, we haven't seent this at all, incredibly infrequent in the UK. It's something that has been used in other countries... I've known it in some Caribbean countries, I think it has been used in South America. 'I don't want people to think this is happening all over London all of the time, it's not. But we are concerned but it seems to be going up. We will arrest people, we will enforce the law. 'We are working with the Home Office to see if there can be any changes in the law.' Theresa May denounced the acid attacks as 'horrific'. A Downing Street spokesman said: 'It is already an offence to carry acid or a corrosive substance with intent to cause harm and anyone using it can be prosecuted for pretty serious offences including ABH and GBH. 'There was a meeting at the Home Office on July 4 and we are continuing to work with the police, health professionals and retailers to do more. 'The Prime Minister believes the use of acid in this way is horrific and we want to work with stakeholders to see what more can be done. 'It is clearly an extremely serious issue, which is why we are carrying out work to see what more we can do.' Advertisement

The brave delivery man fought back to prevent the thugs stealing his scooter despite being sprayed with the liquid.

He was the third of five people to be attacked in just 72 minutes by the moped thugs on Thursday night.

The eyewitness, who asked not to be named, said: 'One guy was on a moped at traffic lights when another moped stopped in front of him, and the passenger turned around and sprayed liquid at him.

'He had his visor down which helped him.

'The guy on the moped sat there in shock and then a kid pushed him off and tried to nick his bike.

'But he went back over to them and pushed the kid off and then both took off on their moped.

'They didn't manage to nick his bike. They rode off. They were just kids, about 17 or 18 years old.

'We got him into here and poured vinegar on his face while a friend of mine went to get his bike.

'I think it was ammonia they sprayed, I could smell it. When the police got here they poured litres and litres of water on his face'.

Within 15 minutes, they appeared to have struck again, launching their corrosive load at a man in Cazenove Road and causing 'life-changing' facial injuries.

The final assault of the night was reported to police at 11.37pm, when another man was confronted as he sat on his moped in traffic in Chatsworth Road.

After again spraying a liquid in a victim's face, the moped was stolen and both attackers fled.

A woman who lives in flats off Upper Clapton Road, who did not want to be named, said she heard shouting coming from outside.

'I just saw blue flashing lights and heard a load of shouting,' she said, adding that she heard someone shout 'Oi, what do you think you're doing'?'

She said: 'I just thought it was a fight broke out because it was the time people would have been coming home from the pub.

'There was so much shouting going on. I looked out my window in case it was a woman being mugged or attacked.'

Hazardous area response units were sent by the ambulance service to four of the scenes, while the victim of the Chatsworth Road attack took himself to hospital.

The Met Police said in a statement: 'Inquiries are ongoing and officers from Hackney CID are investigating.

'All five incidents are being treated as linked at this time.

'A male, in his teens has been arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm and robbery. He is currently in custody at an east London police station.

'Enquiries are ongoing and officers from Hackney CID are investigating'.

The string of assaults comes just days after a man appeared in court accused of throwing acid at an aspiring model and her cousin.

Resham Khan, 21, and Jameel Muhktar, 37, were left with life-changing injuries after the attack on Ms Khan's 21st birthday in Beckton, east London.

John Tomlin appeared at Thames Magistrates' Court on Tuesday charged with two counts of grievous bodily harm with intent.

A mass acid attack has also previously hit the capital this year.

On Easter Monday, acid was sprayed at a crowded east London club night, leaving two revellers partially blinded and others disfigured.

Arthur Collins, the former boyfriend of reality TV star Ferne McCann, was charged in connection with the attack.

Anyone with information or in possession of footage of the incidents is urged to contact police on 101 or tweet @MetCC. Alternatively, they can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
American police who shot dead a 40-year-old woman on Saturday night tried to resuscitate her as she lay dying, neighbours say.

Dustin and Roz Johnson told the Star Tribune said they had seen flashing lights near their home in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and walked towards them to see neighbour Justine Damond lying on the ground with officers trying to save her.

Ms Damond had called 911 to alert officers to a noise and possible assault in an alley behind her house. She was wearing her pyjamas when police arrived and she approached the driver's window.

Police tried to resuscitate Justine Damond (pictured) after fatally shooting her in Minneapolis on Saturday night

When police arrived at her home at around 11.30pm, 'one officer fired their weapon, fatally striking the woman' as she reportedly stood in her driveway

It is believed that she was shot through the driver's-side door by an officer in the front passenger seat.

No weapon was found at the scene.

The 40-year-old was originally from Sydney but had been living in the US for three years and was due to marry American businessman Don Damond, 50, in August.

The officers involved had their body cameras turned off, meaning there is no official account of the situation which led to the shooting.

Both officers involved in the shooting have been forced to take paid administrative leave, as is standard procedure following similar incidents.

Ms Damond was shot in the driveway of an alleyway on 51st Street in the Fulton neighbourhood (pictured)

Ms Damond had called police to report a noise in an alley near her home in South Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Saturday

A timeline shows the events that led up to the fatal shooting

Less than a week before Ms Damond's shooting, it was revealed that officers across the city were using body cameras at what appeared to be a low amounts, despite their high-profile roll out.

Under Minneapolis Police Department policy, officers 'should manually activate their PVR (portable video recorder) to Record Mode when reasonably safe and practical' in situations including 'suspicious person stops' and 'crimes in progress'.

While in other part of the United States body cameras are automatically turned on, their use requires manual input throughout Minneapolis.

Friends of the woman told the Star Tribune that she had often spoken out against gun violence and told 'how much better' things were in Australia.

Justine Damond (pictured) was wearing her pyjamas and was believed to have been speaking to an officer through the drivers-side window of the police car when she was fatally shot

Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges said she was disturbed by the shooting and called on BCA to release information about Ms Ruszczyk's death as quickly as possible.

'As mayor of our city, a wife, and a grandmother, I am heartsick and deeply disturbed by what occurred last night,' Mayor Hodges said, the Star Tribune reports.

'I am heartsick and deeply disturbed by what occurred last night' - Mayor Betsy Hodges

'There are still many questions about what took place, and while the investigation is still in its early stages, I am asking the BCA to release as much information, as quickly as they are able to.

'My thoughts are now with everyone affected by this tragic incident, especially the deceased woman and her family.'

Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges (pictured) said she was 'heartsick and disturbed by what occurred'

Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges said she was disturbed by the shooting and called on BCA to release information about Ms Damond's death as quickly as possible

Shattered friends said Ms Damond and her fiance were due to marry in August, with Ms Damond already using her husband's surname on her website.

At the time of the shooting Mr Damond, the vice president of Little Six Casino was away on business.

Her soon-to-be stepson Zach was reportedly also not at the home on Saturday night, returning on Sunday to discover the crime scene.

And just hours after the shooting he spoke to a local activist group, slamming police over the death of Ms Damond - who he called his 'best friend'.

Just hours after the shooting Zach Damond (pictured), her heartbroken soon-to-be stepson, spoke with close friends of the woman and slammed police over her death

'Basically my mum's dead because a police officer shot her for reasons I don't know,' Zach Damond said.

'I demand answers. If anybody can help, just call police and demand answers. I'm so done with all this violence. It's so much bulls**t. America sucks.

'She was a very passionate woman, she thought something bad was happening - and next thing you know they take my best friend's life.'

Ms Damond's Australian-based family released a statement through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on Monday afternoon.

'This is a very difficult time for our family. We are trying to come to terms with this tragedy and to understand why this has happened,' the statement read.

'We will not make any further comment or statement and ask that you respect our privacy.'

In a statement, the Minneapolis Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said an investigation was in its early stages, but confirmed police did not have their body cameras on during the incident

WHY DID POLICE HAVE THEIR BODY CAMERAS TURNED OFF? - The use of body cameras, or portable video recorders (PVR), was initiated in Minneapolis during 2016. - Police introduced the technology in an effort to reduce complaints about the behaviour of officers and also to ensure vital video evidence was captured. - In Minneapolis, where Ms Ruszczyk died, the cameras must be manually switched on by police. They are automatic in other parts of the US. - According to Minneapolis government's policy, the body cameras must be turned on by when they anticipate they may be involved in a certain situation. - Situations where they must be switched on include: Traffic stops, arrests, physical confrontations, crimes in progress and suspicious person stops. - It was last week revealed that the usage of body cameras among officers in Minneapolis was low as 4% in some areas when responding to 911 calls. Source: Minneapolis Government Advertisement

Ms Damond (pictured) was a 'corporate speaker, trainer and coach' who worked to spiritually help others and regularly ran workshops, according to her website and social media accounts

Ms Damond attended Manly High School and the University of Sydney.

Her friend Matt Omo, an Australian, told the ABC he hoped something positive could come from the tragedy.

'I only hope this evolves into something that can make a positive impact for the world,' he said.

Ms Damond was a 'corporate speaker, trainer and coach' who worked to spiritually help others, according to her website and social media accounts.

Family friend Julia Reed addressed media on Monday, and said the woman would be 'undoubtedly' very missed.

'She was treasured and loved - we will miss her dreadfully,' she said.

Ms Reed, who had known Ms Damond for 32 years, said she would miss: '[Justine's] energy, intelligence, and the joy she brought to my life'.

Hundreds of people gathered outside the Damond residence in the hours after her death to hold a vigil for the woman (pictured)

Ms Damond's friends told US media she had often spoken out against gun violence and told them 'how much better' things were in Australia

One mourner drew a heart with 'Justine' written inside, and a red and a yellow rose was laid on either side

Ms Damond's stepson shared images from the vigil, writing: 'people really showed love, thank you'

Friend Marcus Ritchie mourned 'one of the world's most caring and sensitive souls', and called her 'a true inspiration to us all' in a Facebook post.

'There is no way to justify this incident as Justine Ruszczyk was such a beautiful person,' he wrote.

'There will be a lot to answer for!'

Originally trained as a vet at the University of Sydney, she was 'supporting individuals and organizations to discover the power and potential within their own brains and hearts.'

Ms Damond regularly held sessions at the Lake Harriet Spritual Centre, with many of her talks recorded and uploaded to YouTube.

She grew up on Sydney's northern beaches, with her father John the owner of a Dymocks bookstore at Warringah Mall and a prominent member of the community.

Hundreds gathered outside the Damond home in the hours after her death to hold a vigil for the woman, with her neighbours remembering a 'beautiful light'.

'This woman was a beautiful light, she was a healer, she was loved, she should be alive - she should still be here,' one friend said.

Pictures showed a large group of people holding hands in a drive way, with colourful chalk drawings on the pavement - including a heart with 'Justine' written inside, and a red and a yellow rose laid on either side.

Her stepson Zach shared images from the event in his Instagram story, writing: 'people really showed love, thank you'.

One image showed a sign which read: 'Why did you shoot and kill our neighbour and friend?'.

The placard was surrounded by flowers, candles and a letter.

Nearby, a tea towel with an image of Australia was hung on a brick wall.

At a vigil for Ms Damond, women's activists wrote the names of other people gunned down by police in chalk on the pavement
A former enforcer for one of the biggest Mafia families in the US has turned his back on a life of crime to care for Brooklyn's abused and neglected animals.

James Giuliani, who worked for the Gambino crime family's Gotti faction, saw off the mob life years ago to start Keno's Animal Sanctuary.

The current population of the cage-less shelter in New York is some 52 animals, including dogs, cats and a host of more obscure critters such as lizards, tortoises, birds, squirrels, possums and raccoons.

James Giuliani receives a kiss and cuddles two dogs. The ex-mobster worked for the Gambino crime family's Gotti faction

Giuliani, 50, says the center has also saved the lives of a few pigs, some of which escaped from local butchers with their necks half cut.

The rescued wildlife find refuge in the sanctuary basement, one floor down from the dogs wandering free upstairs.

The former drug user and heavy drinker said that he believes saving animals is his calling in life and was put on the right path after he met his partner Lena.

'When I got into this, I didn't want to do it at all,' he admits. 'Who the f--k wants to do this? Would I rather be at the beach in Puerto Rico? Of course. But I gotta do this.

'I have an addictive personality,' Giuliani says.

'But now I have an addictive personality toward my passion. You gotta find something in your life. You gotta love it. If I don't do this, nobody will.'

'I rescue, no joke, 60 to 100 raccoons a year. About 30 to 60 possums,' he adds.

The homely center is in the district of Bensonhurst where Giuliani was arrested for conspiracy to commit hijacking, kidnapping and armed robbery.

He had a number of stints in prison saying there was a 'two year bit. There was a year bit, a six month bit.'

Now he now scours the same streets in search for stricken animals in need of rescue.

Giuliani cuddles life time resident of the sanctuary, Gabby. He saw off the mob life years ago to start Keno's Animal Sanctuary

The current population of the cage-less shelter in New York is some 52 animals

'Maybe I see my animals like me, grew up and never had a chance,' reflects Giuliani, who says he quit drinking 14 years ago. 'Maybe that's why I do it.'

The workaholic, who says he hasn't taken a day off in 1,160 days and sleeps just three hours a night, says 94% of the animals the center has taken have found new homes.

However, Giuliani is still not completely on the straight and narrow, in fact the center is violating city regulations as it needs to check over by the appropriate authorities, reports the NY Daily News.

'The Health Department regulates shelters to ensure animal safety,' said a spokesman for the department. 'We will look into this.'

The animal lover also co-owns Diamond Collar, a grooming salon and pet store in Brooklyn that was featured on Oprah Winfreys TV network OWN beginning in 2013.
A defence lawyer for one of four men charged with raping a teenage girl has suggested she made up the story after participating in a 'gang bang' at a NSW house party.

The barrister on Monday told a Sydney jury it was the teenager's way of 'dealing with it'.

Christian Dickens, 22, Aaron Jensen, 23, and two 21-year-old men, who were underage at the time and therefore can't be named, are accused of sexually assaulting the then 15-year-old girl at a Blue Mountains party in 2012.

Dickens' barrister, Nicole Carroll, said in her final submissions at the Downing Centre District Court (pictured) that after the party the girl denied being in a 'gang bang'

Dickens' barrister, Nicole Carroll, said in her final submissions at the Downing Centre District Court that after the party the girl denied being in a 'gang bang'.

'There's an onslaught of people questioning her ... and she has to deal with that,' the lawyer said.

'(It's) not unreasonable to suggest that this was her way of dealing with it - by claiming that it was against her will.'

During the party the girl didn't complain to anyone that she had been raped and nobody could confirm she cried for help, Ms Carroll told the jury.

Afterwards the girl 'conducted herself in quite an unusual way with the people she says assaulted her,' particularly when she later considered celebrating her birthday with them at the house where the alleged attack took place, Ms Carroll said.

'On my submission that is not consistent with someone who, as claimed, was attacked and assaulted,' she said.

The trial continues.
Britain's net borrowing has been slashed to its lowest level since the 2008 economic crash - finally hitting targets laid out in the EU's Maastricht treaty.

The UK's deficit - the gap between the amount of money the country raises and the amount it spends - fell to 47 billion in the last financial year.

This is a drop of nearly 30bn in a year and the equivalent of just 2.4 per cent of gross domestic product, according to the Office for National Statistics.

It is the first time in nearly a decade that the figure has fallen below the 3 per cent target laid out in the Maastricht Treaty.

The figures are a boost for the Chancellor Philip Hammond, who has insisted the Treasury should stick to its strategy of tackling the deficit by curbing public spending.

Chancellor Philip Hammond, pictured yesterday on the Andrew Marr Show, has cautioned against going on a spending spree despite growing clamour among his cabinet colleagues for the purse strings to be loosened and the one per public sector pay cap to be lifted

But in gloomier news, the figures reveal Britain's ballooning national debt is still wildly over the target laid out in the 1992 treaty.

The debt stood at an eye-watering 1.7 trillion for the year ending March 2017 - the equivalent of 88 per cent of gross domestic product, according to the ONS numbers.

This smashes the 60 per cent target set out in the treaty.

The targets were busted by countries across the European Union in the wake of the 2007/8 recession and financial crash, and the repeated breaches have gone unpunished by Brussels.

The figures come in the midst of a major political row over whether the Government should stick to its economic plan to try tackle the deficit and debt, or loosen the purse strings.

There are growing calls among Cabinet ministers for Britain to lift the one per cent public sector pay cap and to give staff a bigger pay rise.

The UK's deficit has fallen to its lowest level since the 2008 financial crisis - hitting the 3 per cent EU target for the first time in nearly a decade

But Mr Hammond has warned the move would come with a hefty bill and will need to be paid for through borrowing or taxes.

He has faced a backlash after a newspaper was briefed that he told his Cabinet collegues that public sector workers are still 'overpaid' when their pensions are taken into account, despite several years of pay restraint.

He was pointing out that public sector earnings are still higher than those in the private sector, despite years of pay restraint after the credit crunch sent the economy into a tailspin.

Appearing on the BBC's Andrew Marr show yesterday, the Chancellor lashed out at the leaks from private meetings in an extraordinary rebuke to his frontbench colleagues.

A Treasury spokesman said: We have made good progress in getting our deficit is down by three-quarters since 2010 but there is still further to go.

'We are committed to bringing the public finances back to balance by the middle of next decade, building a stronger economy that can deliver higher living standards for people across the country.
Abbiegail 'Abbie' Smith, 11, was found dead near her family's apartment complex in New Jersey on Thursday morning

The distraught mother of an 11-year-old girl stabbed to death allegedly by their neighbor broke down during his first court appearance, screaming at him to 'rot in jail'.

Andreas Erazo, 18, is charged with Abbiegail 'Abbie' Smith's murder after her body was found near the apartment building where she lived in Keansburg, New Jersey on Thursday.

'I hope you rot in jail,' Abbiegail's mother Carol Bennett-Smith screamed at him in Monmouth County Superior Court on Friday.

'My one and only daughter, you took her away from me. You need to rot in jail.

'You can't even look at us,' she yelled as Erazo sat hunched and stared at the ground.

Erazo, who is charged with murder and weapons charges, lived in the apartment above Abbie's family.

Her mother had reported her missing to police on Wednesday night after she was last seen inside her apartment at 7.45pm. Keansburg police launched a missing person's investigation.

Andreas Erazo, 18, is charged with Abbiegail's murder. He is pictured above during his first court appearance on Friday at Monmouth County Superior Court

The girl's mother Carol Bennett-Smith screamed at Erazo in court, telling him to 'rot in hell' for taking away her 'one and only daughter'

The girl's body was found the next morning behind the apartment complex. Prosecutors said police found her body wrapped in a blanket or comforter up on a rear roof.

Police could be seen climbing down from a low roof to get to her body.

Authorities were waiting for autopsy results before confirming a cause of death, but prosecutors said in court on Friday that she was stabbed to death.

Prosecutors described the killing as an isolated crime. Erazo has no prior criminal record.

Erazo faces life in prison if convicted on the murder charges.

One of Abbie's neighbors told NJ.com last week that the family moved into the apartment complex about three or four months ago.

Prosecutors said police found the girl's body wrapped in a blanket or comforter up on a rear roof. Police could be seen climbing down from a low roof to get to her body

The girl's body was found Thursday morning behind the apartment complex after she was reported missing the previous night

The neighbor said Abbie's mother was strict and didn't let her daughter leave the apartment without supervision.

Abbie 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.'

A memorial has been set up for the slain girl on Keansburg's Main Street.
A driver and his four passengers were hurt when his Tesla suddenly accelerated while on autopilot, careened off the road and flipped into a marsh.

David Clark, 58, of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, had put the electric car into its autopilot feature, and was approaching the intersection of 141st Street and 172nd Avenue in Irving Township.

He told police: 'When he engaged the auto pilot (sic) feature, that the vehicle suddenly accelerated causing the car to leave the roadway and overturn.'

David Clark, 58, and his four passengers were hurt when his Tesla suddenly accelerated while on autopilot, careened off the road and flipped into a marsh (stock image)

Clark, 58, of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, had put the electric car into its autopilot feature, and was approaching the intersection of 141st Street and 172nd Avenue in Irving Township (pictured)

The 2016 Tesla was found upside down in a nearby marsh. Clark and his four passengers suffered minor injuries.

This is not the first time a Tesla's autopilot has been blamed for a crash.

In the most serious case, former Navy Seal Joshua Brown, 40, of Canton, Ohio, was killed after his Tesla S, failed to notice a turning tractor, and neither the car nor the driver hit the break. He plowed into the vehicle at 74mph.

Elon Musk is the co-founder and CEO of Tesla cars and oversees all product development, engineering, and design

Other recent cases include the moment a Tesla Model S crashed into a highway barrier in Dallas in March, when its autopilot failed to spot the merging of traffic lanes and when a Model X crashed into a beauty salon in California.

In most cases, Tesla was able to pull the data logs from the car and found that the driver was actually to blame for ignoring alerts or not keeping their hands on the steering wheel.

Tesla's autopilot mode is not intended to be fully automated driving and the driver is required to keep hold of the steering wheel and stay alert at all times, according to the company's website. If they take their hands off the wheel, the driver receives a number of prompts and alerts to remind them to keep hold.

Tesla's website also states that drivers must take command of their cars after exiting highways.

'When you reach your exit, your Tesla will depart the freeway, slow down and transition control back to you,' the website said.

Former Navy Seal Joshua Brown was killed when his Tesla Model S crashed, pictured, while in self-driving mode on May 7, 2016 when a tractor-trailer unit pulled out in front of him

A Tesla spokesperson told Jalopnik they have launched an investigation into the incident.

'We have not yet established whether the vehicles Autopilot feature was activated, and have no reason to believe that Autopilot, which has been found by NHTSA to reduce accident rates by 40 percent, worked other than as designed.

'Every time a driver engages Autopilot, they are reminded of their responsibility to remain engaged and to be prepared to take immediate action at all times, and drivers must acknowledge their responsibility to do so before Autopilot is enabled.'

Tesla has an impressive safety record and have scored high on rollover safety tests due to the vehicle's low center of gravity, weight and they also have a strong roof structure.

A federal report found that Tesla cars fitted with an autopilot system are 40 per cent less likely to crash than models being monitored and controlled by a driver alone.
New Doctor Who Jodie Whittaker has been spotted out and about with her husband for the first time since she was announced as the first ever female Time Lord.

The Broadchurch actress, 35, was all smiles as she wandered through London with her husband, American actor Christian Contreras.

She was revealed as Peter Capaldi's successor as Doctor Who on Sunday afternoon following the Men's Wimbledon Final, making her the 13th reincarnation of the much-loved character.

The decision to cast a female actress in the role, which has previously been played by men and is currently held by Peter Capaldi, divided fans - but Whittaker was quick to reassure the doubters, telling them 'Don't be scared of my gender.'

The Broadchurch actress, 35, was all smiles as she wandered through London with her husband, American actor Christian Contreras

New Doctor Who Jodie Whittaker has been spotted out and about with her husband for the first time since she was announced as the first ever female Time Lord

She said: 'It feels completely overwhelming, as a feminist, as a woman, as an actor, as a human, as someone who wants to continually push themselves and challenge themselves, and not be boxed in by what you're told you can and can't be.

'It feels incredible. Because this is a really exciting time, and Doctor Who represents everything that's exciting about change,' she said, adding: 'The fans have lived through so many changes, and this is only a new, different one, not a fearful one.'

While many fans praised the BBC and the show's writers for choosing a female for the lead role, others slammed the decision as 'political correctness gone mad'.

Twitter user David Stephens said: 'Sorry this is so called equality, women's rights, political correctness gone mad-Dr Who was written/created as a man! End of.'

Broadchurch star Jodie Whittaker has been confirmed as the new Doctor. The announcement was made on BBC One after the Men's Wimbledon Final today

Whittaker was quick to reassure the doubters, telling them 'Don't be scared of my gender'

Clive Walton agreed, writing on his Twitter page: 'No the character is a man not a woman! As usual the BBC have to muddy the waters through political correctness that's what they do!'

Responding to the BBC's announcement, former fan Tony Moretta said on the social networking site: 'Well you're one viewer down already.'

But the decision won the praise of Sixth Doctor Colin Baker, who said: 'Well I never the BBC really did do the right thing and let the Doctor be in touch with her feminine side. As a father of daughters - result!'

The actress previously stripped off for her role in the 2006 film Venus, where she starred alongside acting heavyweights Peter O'Toole, Leslie Phillips and Vanessa Redgrave

Any many fans of the show have expressed their delight over the decision to cast the actress.

Georgina Hewitson tweeted: 'I must say I'm pleased we might get a generation of little girls running around with sonic screwdrivers and lightsabers.'

Amy Downes wrote: 'So pleased about #doctor13 - a fantastic actor and brave and exciting move from @BBCOne. Thank you Beeb - it's going [to] be amazing.'

One person, who tweets under the name Kagekabuki, reminded people of the television show's previous decisions to feature women in other prominent roles in the show.

They said: 'Friendly reminder that the TARDIS [the name of the spaceship the Doctor travels in] is female and The Corsair [another Time Lord] had male and female reincarnations.'

The 35-year-old, who was born in Skelmanthorpe, West Yorkshire, trained at the Guidhall School of Music and Drama

She said: 'I'm beyond excited to begin this epic journey - with Chris and with every Whovian on this planet. It's more than an honour to play the Doctor'. Right, she is pictured with her husband Christian Contreras

Whittaker was born on June 3, 1982, and attended Shelley College in West Yorkshire.

She spent a year travelling the world solo and later with a friend before she attended drama school. She trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, graduating in 2005 with the gold medal for acting.

In an interview with The Independent in 2011, she revealed that it was while studying there that she met her husband, American actor Christian Contreras. They had a daughter in April 2015, but have never publicly revealed the name.

She said: 'I don't really want to talk about relationships because it lets people into stuff. I'm not on Facebook for that reason.

'I find it a bit odd that acting comes with people knowing things about you that sometimes only your best mates know. I find it strange that you're expected to share it with millions of people you've never met.'

Despite some fans calling the decision 'political correctness gone mad' the casting won the praise of Sixth Doctor Colin Baker, who said: 'As a father of daughters - result!'

Despite her reluctance to discuss her personal life, Whittaker did reveal some information about her wedding to Contreras in 2009: 'I'm married to Christian  have been for two years  a fact that is probably on Wikipedia anyway.

'And I'm not going to deny I'm married, I wear a bloody wedding ring after all. We had a big wedding in Arizona  very attention-seeking, big dress, big guest-list kind of wedding.'

Whittaker is very secretive of her private life, and has no Instagram or Facebook accounts.

And she has now revealed she had told 'a lot of lies' in order to keep the announcement secret and had used the codename Clooney when discussing the role with her husband and agent.

The new episodes will see the actress team up with Broadchurch creator Chris Chibnall as he takes over from Steven Moffat as executive producer.

Explaining how she won the part, she said: 'We had a strange chat earlier this year where he tricked me into thinking we were talking about Broadchurch.

'And I started to quiz him about his new job in Wales, and asked him if I could be a baddie. And he quickly diverted the conversation to suggest I should consider auditioning to be the 13th Clooney.

'It was the most incredible chat because I asked every question under the sun, and I said I'd take a few weeks to decide whether I was going to audition.

Tony Moretta told the BBC they'd lost a viewer because of the casting - but Georgina Hewitson tweeted: 'I must say I'm pleased we might get a generation of little girls running around with sonic screwdrivers and lightsabers'

'He got a phone call within 24 hours. He would've got a phone call sooner, but my husband was away and there was a time difference.'

She added the freedom the role enjoys was why she wanted to become an actress in the first place.

Asked if she had been given any advice from previous actors who had played the role, Whittaker said: 'Well they can't because they haven't known until now, but I'm certainly expecting a couple of calls - I've got a couple of mates in there.

'I'm mates with a companion (Arthur Darvill), I'm mates with a trio of Doctors.

'I know Matt Smith, Chris Eccleston and obviously David Tennant. Oh! And let's throw in David Bradley! Four Doctors! So I'm hoping I get some calls of advice.'

The teaser begins with a mysterious, cloaked figure making their way through a wood

The suspenseful clip initially gives no clues as to the identity of the new Doctor

The figure stops and holds out an empty hand only for the key to the Tardis to materialise out of thin air

What we've all been waiting for: Broadchurch star Jodie Whittaker removes her hood to reveal she is the first ever female Doctor Who

In a testament to the acclaimed actress, ex-Doctor Peter Capaldi said: 'She has above all the huge heart to play this most special part. She's going to be a fantastic Doctor'

'Making history is what Doctor Who is all about', said Charlotte Moore, Director of BBC Content

Jess Phillips, MP for Birmingham Yardley, also waded into the debate. She said: 'If I'm honest I'm not fussed who plays Doctor Who but I like to see nice people being delighted and annoying the others.'

One mother also filmed the heart-warming moment Ms Whittaker was revealed as the Doctor - much to her daughter's delight.

Jenny Trout, from Michigan, filmed her daughter intensely watching the new trailer at their home.

In the footage, posted on her Twitter page, the young girl is seen watching the video.

Jenny Trout, from Michigan, filmed her daughter intensely watching the new Doctor Who trailer at their home

As Ms Whittaker is revealed, Ms Trout's daughter then turns to the camera with a huge smile on her face.

She then opens her mouth in shock and shouts: 'The new Doctor is a girl!' before the video ends.

It has been retweeted nearly 8,600 times and liked nearly 26,000 times.

New head writer and executive producer Chris Chibnall, who takes over from Steven Moffat on the next series, made the decision to cast the first ever woman in the iconic role.

He said: 'I always knew I wanted the Thirteenth Doctor to be a woman and we're thrilled to have secured our number one choice.

'Her audition for The Doctor simply blew us all away. Jodie is an in-demand, funny, inspiring, super-smart force of nature and will bring loads of wit, strength and warmth to the role. The Thirteenth Doctor is on her way.'

As Ms Whittaker is revealed, Ms Trout's daughter then turns to the camera with a huge smile on her face

Mr Capaldi announced plans to step down from the alien role in January, which prompted some fans and critics to call for Mr Moffat to change the Doctor's gender.

Mr Moffat, who also co-wrote the BAFTA award-winning Sherlock series with Mark Gatiss, had previously come under fire for choosing another man to play the role after Mr Capaldi was cast.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4, he said: 'I didn't not cast a woman... I cast a man. I didn't [cast a woman] because I wanted to cast Matt Smith and I wanted to cast Peter Capaldi.

'I didn't think it was a terrible idea [to cast a woman], I just thought, 'I want to cast those people'  that was it.'

He later flirted with the idea of casting a female doctor in the eighth series by casting Green Wing actress Michelle Gomez as The Doctor's archenemy, The Master.

Prior to Ms Gomez's casting, where she dubbed herself as 'Missy' rather than The Master, only men had held the role.

However, the character's future is now in question after Missy was killed and John Simm, who previously played the Master before Ms Gomez was cast, returned in 'The Doctor Falls'.

Ms Whittaker, who was born in Skelmanthorpe, West Yorkshire, trained at the Guidhall School of Music and Drama and made her professional debut in the play The Storm at the Shakespeare's Globe theatre 12 years ago.

The 35-year-old starred in the films St Trinian's, Good and Attack the Block and the television shows Tess of the D'Urbervilles, Return to Cranford, Marchlands and Black Mirror.

But Ms Whittaker gained notoriety after starring in the thrilling crime drama, Broadchurch, alongside Tenth Doctor, David Tennant.

She played Beth Latimer, the mother of 11-year-old Danny, who was found dead on a beach after being murdered.

The show became a huge success, winning several BAFTAs, and was praised by critics for its gripping story lines, which the production team went to great lengths to keep secret.

Ms Whittaker as Beth and Andrew Buchan as Mark in the ITV hit Broadchurch, which told the story of how their son was murdered

She is pictured with Viggo Mortensen in the 2008 movie Good, the story of John Halder

Speaking about her new role, she said: 'I'm beyond excited to begin this epic journey - with Chris and with every Whovian on this planet. It's more than an honour to play the Doctor.

'It means remembering everyone I used to be, while stepping forward to embrace everything the Doctor stands for: hope. I can't wait.'

Mr Capaldi praised the decision to choose Ms Whittaker and said: 'Anyone who has seen Jodie Whittaker's work will know that she is a wonderful actress of great individuality and charm.

'She has above all the huge heart to play this most special part. She's going to be a fantastic Doctor.'

Charlotte Moore, Director of BBC Content said: 'Making history is what Doctor Who is all about and Chris Chibnall's bold new take on the next Time Lord is exactly that.

'The nation is going to fall in love with Jodie Whittaker - and have lots of fun too!'

Jodie's predecessors: The 12 men who were cast as The Doctor The BBC's hit Sci-fi show Doctor Who was first launched by the BBC in 1963. It chronicles the journey of a Time Lord called 'The Doctor'. He is first introduced after fleeing his home planet, Gallifrey. The Doctor travels through time and space in his spaceship, called a TARDIS (Time And Relative Dimension In Space), which resembles a police box. During his travels, The Doctor meets people and invites them to voyage with him. They are known as his companions. He also encounters several evil beings, such as Daleks and Cyberman, and is forced to defeat them sing minimal resources, such as his Sonic Screwdriver, as they try to destroy or take over other planets, including Earth. As a Time Lord, The Doctor has the capacity to regenerate when he is wounded or dying. After regenerating, he takes on a new appearance and personality. The concept of regenerating was added into the series after the First Doctor, William Hartnell, became ill and stepped down from his role. The first run of Doctor Who ended in 1989 before being revived in 2005 with Christopher Ecclestone as the Ninth Doctor. Below is the full list of the actors who have been cast as the Doctor from 1963 to 2013. Starting the legacy: The First Doctor William Hartnell (1963-1966) Second and Third: Patrick Troughton (19661969) and Jon Pertwee (19701974) Fourth and Fifth: Tom Baker (19741981) and Peter Davison (19811984) Sixth and Seventh: Colin Baker (19841986) and Sylvester McCoy (19871989, 1996) Eighth and Ninth: Paul McGann (1996) and Christopher Eccleston (2005) Tenth and Eleventh: David Tennant (2005-2010) and Matt Smith (2010-2013) Twelfth: Peter Capaldi (2013 - 2017) Advertisement

Piers Wenger, Controller BBC Drama added: 'Jodie is not just a talented actor but she has a bold and brilliant vision for her Doctor.

'She aced it in her audition both technically and with the powerful female life force she brings to the role.

'She is destined to be an utterly iconic Doctor.'

Matt Strevens, Executive Producer said: 'I'm so thrilled that Jodie Whittaker said yes to playing the Doctor.

'I've been a fan for years and always hoped to work with her. She is an actor of great emotional range and inhabits every role with complete passion and conviction.

'Just thinking about what she will bring to the Doctor makes me as excited as a kid at Christmas. It's going to be a lot of fun.'
Stephen Mineo (pictured), 32, was killed inside his home in Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania, in the early hours of Saturday morning

A doomsday prepper shot dead by his girlfriend may have asked her to kill him so he could escape an 'online cult'.

Stephen Mineo, 32, was killed inside his home in Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania, in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Police were called to the home by 42-year-old Barbara Rogers, who confessed she shot her survivalist boyfriend once in the forehead at close range, the Morning Call newspaper reports.

Pocono Mountain police searched the apartment and found a 45-caliber handgun. Rogers has since been charged with criminal homicide, and is being held without bail.

However, stunning allegations regarding the shooting emerged over the weekend, with friends and neighbors of the 32-year-old suggesting he was being harassed by a highly-religious online cult and was so desperate to escape them he could have asked Rogers to shoot him.

'(Rogers) identified that the deceased was having online issues with a cult and he wanted to be killed and requested she do it,' police lieutenant Steven Williams told WBRE.

'They dropped him because they were too far out, they weren't religious, they were just a cult thing, so he got rid of that,' Kevin Wade told WNEP about how Mineo and Rogers tried to break away from the online group.

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Police were called to the home by 42-year-old Barbara Rogers (left), who confessed she shot Mineo (right) in the forehead at close range

Rogers told police she shot Mineo because her boyfriend - who claimed they were married since October 2016 - asked her to do it so he could escape an online cult. They are pictured together

Another friend of Mineo's posted a series of comments on Facebook naming the 'leader' of the alleged cult, and claiming the 32-year-old was bullied by her and her followers.

However, the alleged cult leader, Sherry Shriner, defended herself from allegations in a series of posts.

Shriner, who frequently rails against 'fake news', 'libtards', and the Democratic Party, wrote on Saturday night: 'I warned (Stephen) she was a Super Soldier who would kill him and move on... but I'm the "false prophet".

'Perhaps he finally figured her out..but it was too late for him. It wasn't the "online cult" that killed him... they always try and paint me as a cult...nice try libtards.'

In another post on Sunday night, Shriner wrote: 'They're trying to spin it that I'm responsible for Steve's death? No, Barb is. I tried to protect Steve. I tried to warn him about Barbara Rogers and he wouldn't listen to me.

Police said they were called to the home by Rogers, who admitted she shot her boyfriend in the head at close range. Pictured is an officer outside the Pennsylvania home

Rogers reportedly told police she killed Mineo because he asked her to so he could escape from an online cult that was harassing him. Pictured are officers at the scene

The woman named as the leader of the 'cult' accused of harassing Mineo posted a series of messages on Facebook Saturday and Sunday night defending herself from the allegations

'He thought I was insulting his 'wife'...when I was just trying to protect him from her! I knew what she was!

'They want to call me a cult leader? No. I'm just a humble servant and Messenger of the Most High. I've spent my life serving HIM and for that, I get beat up by Cain's kids, libtards, witches, Satanists, and haters everywhere.'

Mineo's social media accounts are full of posts about how the end of the world is coming and the need to prepare for it. He also spoke about the need to 'get right with god'.

It also claimed he married Rogers in October 2016. Rogers' Facebook page featured a number of posts on similar topics to Mineo's.

Rogers is scheduled to have a preliminary hearing on July 26.
Treleaven Wines in King Ferry is hosting VinoVinyasa, a yoga program, from 10:30 a.m. to noon Sundays this summer at the winery, 658 Lake Road, King Ferry.

The program takes place under the winery's Hangtime pavilion. Following the class will be a wine tasting.

Admission is $15 for the class and wine tasting, or $20 for the class and wine and cheese tasting. Advance reservations are recommended.

Participants must bring their own mats and be 21 or older to participate in the tastings, though nonalcoholic beverages will be available.

For more information, email info@treleavenwines.com or call (315) 364-5100.
Janice Dickinson has jetted off to Europe on her honeymoon with husband Dr Robert 'Rocky' Gerner. The former supermodel, 62, told DailyMail.com: 'We're having the time of our lives.'

Dickinson married Gerner, 70, in December last year in an intimate Beverly Hills ceremony. She said their honeymoon was delayed while she recovered from breast cancer and her husband recovered from a collapsed lung after falling off the roof of their home.

But the couple are now in Europe driving from Barcelona, Spain down into France, making stops along the way.

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Janice Dickinson and Dr Robert 'Rocky' Gerner enjoyed their honeymoon in Europe. The former supermodel was seen leaving a yacht at Saint Tropez in a colorful cover-up and yellow sandals

On Monday, Dickinson said the yacht will set sail from the south of France and will make stops at Cannes, Frejus and St Tropez before heading to Monaco (pictured on June 22)

Once in the south of France the honeymooners will hop on a luxury yacht and sail to Cannes and St Tropez before heading to Monaco on a trip of a lifetime.

In an exclusive interview Dickinson told DailyMail.com that so far the road trip has been 'wonderful'.

'We're having the time of our lives, it's been wonderful, we arrived in Barcelona on Monday and have been taking in the sights, it's a beautiful city.

'We're driving down to the south of France and should get there by Monday where we're taking a yacht and stopping at Cannes, Frejus and St Tropez and on to Monaco.'

Dickinson, who has been married three times, said she's enjoying some 'quality, alone time' with new husband Gerner - seven months after they got married.

She said: 'Last year was tough for us, I beat breast cancer and Rocky suffered a collapsed lung after falling off the roof so we only just managed to make it down the aisle, but we did and we had the most amazing wedding day.

The couple married at an intimate ceremony at the Beverly Hills home of Dickinson's friend. They had been engaged since 2012

'He's the brightest, funniest and most exciting man I've ever met in my life': Gerner and Dickinson met on a blind date and were set up by his son

'I was so delighted, ecstatic, over the moon, to marry Rocky.

'But with it being right before Christmas and all the hospital appointments and work commitments we had, we decided to put the honeymoon on hold until this year.

'It's our chance to finally spend some quality, alone time together and my chance to thank Rocky for being a wonderful husband and a huge support.

'He's the brightest, funniest and most exciting man I've ever met in my life.'

The psychiatrist proposed to Dickinson in 2012 after meeting the former supermodel and reality star on a blind date his son had set up earlier that year, but they put their plans on hold when she was diagnosed with Stage 1 breast cancer in March, 2016.

Thankfully, after undergoing two lumpectomies and completing a course of radiation therapy, Dickinson was declared cancer-free in August last year.

In October, Gerner suffered a collapsed lung and several broken ribs after plunging 15 feet from the roof of their house in Tarzana, California while doing repairs.

Despite this they continued on planning a wedding and finally married in an intimate ceremony at the Beverly Hills home of Dickinson's friend, Suzan Hughes on December 10.
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A Scottish island which became famous for a high-profile murder case more than 50 years ago has been put on the market for just 325K.

Little Ross Island, off the coast of south west Scotland, is up for grabs for around the same price as a two-bedroom flat in Edinburgh city centre.

The 29-acre island is home to a 19th century, fully automated lighthouse tower.

Little Ross gained national media attention in August 1960 when two visitors discovered the body of interim keeper Hugh Clark.

Little Ross is a 29-acre island home to a fully automated 19th century lighthouse tower. The island, off the west coast of Scotland, is on the market with a price tag of 325,000 - the same price as a two-bedroom flat in Edinburgh city centre

The island and its lighthouse gained national attention in August 1960 following the discovery of Hugh Clark's body, one of two relief lighthouse keepers that were on duty on the little island. The cottage is for sale, but the lighthouse is not

Another relief lighthouse keeper Robert Dickson, left, was convicted of murdering Mr Clark, right, and was initially sentenced to death before it was reduced to a life sentence

Despite the isolated spot's grizzly history a senior associate at a property firm expects the island will draw 'huge interest' from all over the UK and from abroad. The property listing includes a six bedroom, B-listed cottage and a courtyard

The listing also includes three B-listed, 'ruinous' barns and is completely off-grid with power drawn from solar panels and a small wind turbine. Robert Dickson, the second interim keeper, was sentenced to hang for Clark's murder but his punishment was later changed to life imprisonment

Robert Dickson, another relief keeper, was initially sentenced to hang for the murder, but his punishment was later changed to life imprisonment.

The property listing includes a six bedroom, B-listed cottage and courtyard, though the lighthouse tower is not part of the deal.

The tower, designed by Alan Stevenson, was built in 1843 to close the gap between other lighthouses at the Mull of Galloway and Southerness and remained manned until the infamous murder over a century later.

It is now owned and managed by the Commissioners for Northern Lighthouses who make regular maintenance visits to the property throughout the year.

The listing also includes three B-listed, 'ruinous' barns and is completely off-grid with power drawn from solar panels and a small wind turbine.

Potential owners will only be able to access the island via private boat or helicopter.

The islands news owners will need to have deep pockets as its location can only be accessed via private boat or by helicopter...meaning it is not really suitable for commuters, either

The lighthouse itself is now owned and managed by the Commissioners for Northern Lighthouses who make regular maintenance visits to the property throughout the year

The location is ideal for anyone who loves sweeping views of endless ocean and who wants to live an guaranteed life of peace, quiet and islation

'With a bit of TLC, the properties on the island could be turned into something truly stunning, with Little Ross Island once again being the perfect island retreat for future generations to enjoy,' said senior associate David Corrie

David Corrie, senior associate at Castle Douglas property firm Galbraith said Little Ross, off the coast of Dumfries and Galloway, offered 'fantastic development potential'.

He said: 'Back in the 1900's, the island was home to the head lighthouse keeper, underkeeper and their families, extending to 16 people, with a small dairy and piggery to provide subsistence for this family community.

'With a bit of TLC, the properties on the island could be turned into something truly stunning, with Little Ross Island once again being the perfect island retreat for future generations to enjoy.

'Private islands rarely come up for sale at an affordable price and particularly one with a habitable house and additional properties.

'Given the exciting prospect Little Ross Island presents, we expect a lot of interest from all over the UK as well as abroad.'
Terrifying footage shot inside a packed airliner shows the dramatic moment the jet was forced into an emergency landing after its tyre burst during take-off at Gatwick Airport.

Air Canada Rouge flight AC1925 was forced to return to London after declaring a mid-air emergency during the incident early this afternoon.

The Toronto-bound Boeing 767 had to circle in the sky to burn off and dump fuel before landing back at the airport to the relief of passengers.

It has caused major travel chaos with all flights at Gatwick halted for more than an hour following the incident forcing officials to switch to the airport's backup runway at 3.30pm.

Terrifying footage shot inside a packed airliner shows the dramatic moment the jet was forced into an emergency landing after its tyre burst during take-off at Gatwick Airport

In the dramatic footage, which was posted on Twitter, the jet can be seen shaking violently as it lands at Gatwick Airport with a burst tyre

But shortly before 5pm that too was also closed after debris from the burst wheel swept across the airfield.

Several incoming flights were diverted away with pilots on one jet declaring an emergency fearing that they were about to run out of fuel while waiting for clearance to land.

Pictures from earlier today showed a cloud of dust rising as the plane touched back down before fire engines drove out to meet it.

This is the moment an airliner with a burst tyre touched back down at Gatwick Airport today

Fire engines drove out to meet the Boeing 767 after it landed back at the airport this afternoon

A passenger on board tweeted: 'The plane blew a tyre on take-off and we've had to land back at Gatwick. Awaiting being towed to the gate.'

There were delays to nearly all arrivals as planes were held in the sky until the flight could return to the ground.

Justin Fretwell, who was in the plane behind tweeted: 'Stuck on runway. Aircraft in front ran over debris and burst a tyre. Airplane is at the end of runway engines off.'

It has caused major travel chaos with all flights at Gatwick halted for more than an hour following the incident

Officials are pictured inspecting the burst tyre on the jet at Gatwick Airport

The airliner was met by fire engines when it returned to the airport

The jet is seen with its burst tyre after landing back on the runway at Gatwick Airport

A spokesman for the airport said: 'An Air Canada Rouge flight to Toronto has returned to Gatwick after experiencing a burst tyre on take-off.

'Following this, Gatwick's runway has been closed since 14:12 to allow for a runway inspection, as it standard procedure in these circumstances.

'The current runway closure follows an earlier closure between 13:16pm and 13:45pm when the runway was closed for an inspection after this aircraft departed.

'We apologise as some flights will be delayed as a result and a few arriving flights are likely to be diverted to other airports.'

The plane had to fly in circles over the south coast to burn off fuel ahead of the landing

Passengers on the plane and aircraft stuck in a queue on the crowd told of their frustration

The flight was forced to burn off fuel by flying around Gatwick before it could return to land

An airline spokesman said: 'Air Canada Rouge flight 1925 Gatwick-Toronto, a Boeing 767 with 282 passengers on board, landed safely back at Gatwick.

'As per standard operation procedures and as a precautionary measure the crew requested emergency services presence after a tyre blew upon take-off.

'We are currently working to get our passengers on their way as quickly as possible.'
A Sicilian mayor has gone to extreme lengths to stop migrants moving into his area - by barricading an abandoned hotel where new arrivals were set to take up residence.

Vincenzo Lionetto Civa, mayor of Castel'Umberto in the Messina province, wrote an 'urgent and important' Facebook post, telling residents that the local prefect had informed him that the 30 or so migrants would be transferred to a local hotel.

'I don't believe this act of institutional involvement to be correct for the obvious reasons of the repercussions on our community,' he wrote in the post.

Vincenzo Lionetto Civa, mayor of Castel'Umberto in Messina, Sicily, led a dozen or so residents in surrounding the Canguro hotel in Sinagra with their cars on Saturday, though the migrants apparently were already inside

The mayor (pictured) wrote an 'urgent and important' Facebook post, advising residents that the local prefect had just informed him that the 30 or so migrants would be transferred to an abandoned hotel

He led a dozen or so locals in surrounding the Canguro hotel in Sinagra with their cars on Saturday, though the migrants apparently were already inside.

Several residents also took to Facebook to show their support for the mayor.

But his comments sparked outrage from some locals, with Filippo Torrisi writing: 'Mayor you must resign, this is racism. And coming from a Sicilian, a Sicily that for 150 years has 'invaded' the world with workers is really shameful.'

In a later post, the mayor wrote: 'Thank you everyone for your support, for the proposals and suggestions. I dissociate myself from violent and xenophobic comments which reflect neither the spirit of the initiative or my personal feelings.'

Photos posted on the mayor's Facebook page show locals use their cars to barricade the hotel

Tensions over migration are running high in Italy, with daily arrivals of new asylum-seekers and local officials complaining they don't have space to take them in. The issue is particularly sensitive with elections expected this year or next.

Spain's maritime rescue service says that it has saved 19 migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea in a small boat.

The service tells The Associated Press that all 19 migrants were men claiming Algerian nationality.

The boat was spotted late on Friday night, and rescuers reached it early on Saturday morning in waters off the southeastern coast of Spain.

Thousands of migrants from Africa attempt the perilous crossing to Europe in small boats that are unfit for the open sea and often launched by human smugglers.

More than 86,000 have landed in Italy so far this year after being rescued in the Mediterranean as they attempt the perilous crossing.

Many are fleeing horrors in Libya, although the UN Refugee Agency this month said that seven in ten were economic migrants rather than refugees.

Migrants wait to disembark from the NGO Medecins Sans Frontier Vos Prudence ship after being rescued at sea, at Salerno's harbor in Italy on July 14
An acquaintance of murdered Melbourne woman Karen Ristevski's husband says the man 'sent shivers down my spine' within the first five minutes of meeting him.

The man told Seven News he had met Borce Ristevski through a mutual friend in March 2016, while the Melbourne man was on a trip to buy clothes for the boutique he and Karen owned.

He claims while the pair had been drinking together in South East Asia, Mr Ristevski told him: 'This looks like a good place to get rid of somebody.'

An acquaintance of Borce Ristevski has claimed the man told him: 'This looks like a good place to get rid of somebody', while the pair were drinking in South East Asia

Karen Ristevski went missing in June 2016. Her body was found in bushland eight months later

The man, who remained anonymous in his interview, said he had also caught Mr Ristevski giving him a 'death stare'.

'He was just giving me a death stare - a cold, death stare - but I don't think he was looking at me, he was thinking about something,' the man said.

After seeing news reports of Karen Ristevski's death, the man took information his strange encounters with her husband to Victoria Police.

Officers have confirmed they are investigating the claims.

Mrs Ristevski's body was found by a jogger between logs in the Macedon Regional Park on February 20, eight months after she was reported missing.

Her husband Borce Ristevski (right) is a suspect in the police investigation into her murder

Her husband's lawyer, Rob Stary, has named Mr Ristevski as the prime suspect into his wife's disappearance.

Last month, Missing Persons Squad Inspector Tim Day refused to say he was the prime suspect, but confirmed police did consider him a suspect.

Mr Ristevski has continued to deny any involvement in his wife's death.

Mrs Ristevski disappeared on June 29 last year. She left the couple's Avondale Heights home that morning.

The couple reportedly had money problems prior to her disappearance.
Passengers on a train watched in horror as a two women - one of them pregnant - fought and abused each other on a train.

The fight lasted for eight minutes as the combatants traded kicks, punches, and insults while Melbourne commuters fled the carriage.

The pregnant woman stops to check whether she is bleeding early in the fight, but moments later is pushed and struck in the face.

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Passengers scattered as two women (pictured, left, centre) traded blows on a Melbourne train

One of the women (pictured, right) said she was five months pregnant and checked whether she was bleeding or not

The knowledge that one woman was carrying a child did not stop the violence from continuing

Horrified commuters rush to get out of the path of the women who walk down the carriage pushing and swearing at each other.

'I don't wanna kill your f***ing kid!' screams the woman in the dark jacket.

'If I lose this kid I swear to God it's on,' says the woman in grey.

The wild brawl sent other commuters (pictured, centre) rushing out of the way of the women

The melee may have been sparked by a post on social media, as one (pictured, left) accused the other (pictured, left) of putting something on Facebook.

'I'll f***ing smash you c***,' replies the other.

At one point the pregnant woman demands a phone from another passenger, but thankfully the train stops and the commuter is able to get off.

The melee may have been sparked by a post on social media, as one accused the other of putting something on Facebook.

The pregnant woman (pictured, left) is knocked to the ground several times during the fight

'Junkies don't deserve no babies,' the woman in black (pictured) yells at her pregnant opponent

'I don't do Facebook,' says the pregnant woman.

'Neither do I,' says the other, 'Chloe told me.'

The train finally stops for an extended period and transportation staff get involved but are unable to stop the brawling.

The video ends with the pregnant women in grey frantically looking for her plastic bag with four cans of Jim Beam Black in it before getting off.

'You kicked the baby you f***ing idiot,' she yells.

'Junkies don't deserve no babies,' comes the reply.

The bag can be seen getting stuck in the doors and breaking in the very beginning of the video.

'If I lose this kid I swear to God it's on,' screams the pregnant woman in gray (pictured, right)
A man has been charged with having sex with a teenager and is also accused of nine counts of child prostitution.

Police arrested the 37-year-old man on Monday for allegedly repeatedly sexually assaulting a young girl in a park in Sydney.

He is accused of 12 charges of sexual intercourse with person aged 14 to 16 and nine counts of engaging in acts of child prostitution.

An inappropriate relationship is alleged to have begun when the man and the girl met online, when she was 14-years-old, and led to a number of meetings at an oval in Hornsby Heights between February 2015 and January 2016

The Chatswood man was denied bail and will appear in Hornsby Local Court on Tuesday.

Authorities had released an image of the suspect on Sunday and the man turned himself in to police on Monday afternoon.

An inappropriate relationship is believed to have begun when the man and the girl met online, when she was 14-years-old, which led to a number of meetings at an oval in Hornsby Heights between February 2015 and January 2016.

The man is understood to have met the young girl on the chat website MeetMe.

The 37-year-old man handed himself in to Chatswood Police Station about 3pm on Monday, a police spokeswoman told AAP.

Detectives questioned the man before the arrest was made.

Police have been searching for the man for months who they say 'may be named or use the name Alex.'

Detective Acting Superintendent Peter Yeomans earlier said the circumstances of such incidents were 'extremely traumatic'.

'A person who grooms young children online is what you'd describe as a predator,' he told reporters in Sydney.

Detectives are questioning the man over the alleged assaults and he is expected to be charged

Police has urged parents to speak with their children about online safety.

'Any app, online game or social media platform that allows the user to be in contact with someone they've only met online potentially puts them at risk,' Det Acting Supt Yeomans said.

The victim is now 'in good care' and seeing a specialist from NSW Health.

Anyone with concerns about suspected child abuse or exploitation should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
This is the adorable moment a grandpa finds out his newest grandchild is actually a boy, after several generations of being the only male in the family.

Meeting his third grandchild for the first time in Breese, Illinois, USA, James Patrick is about to receive an unforgettable gift on the morning of his 49th birthday.

After having two sisters, four daughters and two granddaughters, James was resigned to being the only man in the family, after he had been told he was walking in to meet yet another girl, his third granddaughter.

However, all was not what it appeared, as his daughter, Carie Elbe, pulled back the baby's blanket to reveal a t-shirt that read, 'FYI: I'm a boy!'

Baffled at first, James soon shouted, 'no way,' as the penny finally dropped, before calling all of his family 'brats' as he wiped away his tears.

Carie, relieved to finally have the nine-month-long secret out in the open, said: 'Dad has been the only boy in a longline of girls, so when we found out the baby's gender at 20 weeks, we knew we had to keep it from him.

'The problem was our daughter, who is four, already knew so we had to talk her into keeping it a secret.

'Most of my friends and family knew, it was only Dad that didn't, which was incredible hard at times.

James Patrick received an unforgettable gift on the morning of his 49th birthday in Breese, Illinois, when his daughter Carie Elbe (right) revelaed the sex of her new baby

'He was thrilled for another grandbaby either way, but the way he found out that it was a boy and on his birthday as well, that was just the best.

'I just can't believe we managed to pull it off.

'My dad is still in disbelief with it all, but he absolutely loves baby Landry James.

'I still cry every time that I watch it.'
The EU is limiting the sale of inflatable boats and outboard motors to Libya in an effort to stop dangerous migrant smuggling across the Mediterranean.

Foreign ministers agreed to allow member countries to ban such export or supply 'where there are reasonable grounds to believe that they will be used by people smugglers and human traffickers'.

A statement said the measure will also apply to boats and motors transiting through the EU - though not to fishermen or others with legitimate need for them.

The EU is limiting the sale of inflatable boats and outboard motors to Libya in an effort to stop dangerous migrant trafficking across the Mediterranean

Foreign ministers agreed to allow member countries to ban such export or supply 'where there are reasonable grounds to believe that they will be used by people smugglers'

The foreign ministers also agreed to extend a border aid mission in Libya through the end of 2018 that helps Libyan security forces, notably in the lawless south.

Last week, a senior EU envoy urged Beijing to restrict the sale of inflatable dinghies that he said are used by trafficking gangs to carry migrants on treacherous sea journeys to Europe.

Around 1.4million refugees and migrants have made their way to Europe since 2015, many of whom are fleeing Syria's bloody civil war, in the biggest wave of migration the continent has seen since World War II.

Thousands have died, often while attempting to cross the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas in flimsy rubber boats.

Last year Italian coastguard vessels recovered more than a thousand such crafts, each with an average of 122 passengers.

Last week, a senior EU envoy urged Beijing to restrict the sale of inflatable dinghies

And migrant crossings from Libya to Italy on unsafe boats have climbed in recent weeks.

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.

More than 1,000 migrants are thought to have died in waters between the two nations, according to the International Organization for Migration.

The figure is 21 per cent higher than it was in 2016, and went up eight per cent between May to June.

Most of the arrivals were from either Guinea and Nigeria, followed by people from Ivory Coast and Bangladesh.

The number of migrants arriving in Italy by boat in the first six months of 2017 was about 85,000
Luxury goods including 3,000 watches and premium whisky are on sale in department stores in North Korea amid claims the proceeds are funding Kim Jong-un's nuclear weapons.

Photos show upmarket jewelry, perfume brands and clothing are all available in two high-end shops in the country's capital, Pyongyang.

One North Korean defector, who once helped to finance the import of illicit goods into the hermit state, said the sales could be going towards the nation's military program.

This story was uncovered by NK Pro analysts during a year long investigation into sanctions violations.

NK Pro is the worlds leading North Korea news and analysis platform from Korea Risk Group, a risk analysis firm focused exclusively on North Korea and the Korean peninsula.

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Luxury goods supposed to be withheld from North Korea under international sanctions have been pictured up for sale in the capital Pyongyang

Expensive watches, perfume, designer clothes and top-shelf alcohol at prices up to 3,000 were all pictured lining the walls of two luxury shops

Kim Kwang Jin, a North Korean defector who used to smuggle luxury good for the regime, said it is likely that Kim Jong-un is using profits from these goods to fund his nuclear weapons

Since coming to power Kim has been known to exploit unofficial private markets in North Korea, imposing loyalty tariffs to profit from the trade, which is still technically illegal

The images show glass cabinets filled with luxury items as well as wall plug adapters so that the foreign televisions and laptops they buy will work in their homes.

According to researchers, the outlets are called the Puksae Shop and Pottongang Ryugyong Shop and are kept away from the usual tourist hotspots.

They include cabinets dedicated to the German luxury brand Montblanc with one of the firm's watches on sale for 460,000 Won - roughly 3,000.

In a statement, Richemont, which owns the Montblanc brand, said it does not trade in North Korea or in countries that are subject to sanctions.

It told CNN: 'The imports you are referring to could be linked to unauthorized channel activities and/or involve counterfeited and/or second-hand products,' it said in a statement.'

Americaya, a luxury shoe brand based out of Singapore, was also for sale. Researchers claim the goods they found in North Korea are linked to traders in the island nation

Premium electronics brands such as Sony, Panasonic, Yamaha and Seiko were also found on sale. There is no indication any of these brands sold directly into the country, and their products were likely ferried there through dealers based in Singapore

Electrical outlets featuring British and European plug sockets were also found on sale, allowing buyers to plug their new appliances in

Of 14 categories of luxury goods banned from importation into North Korea, items fitting into eight of them were found on sale in the country

The luxury items are available to North Korea's wealthy elite, despite the UN saying two million of the country's citizens are struggling to survive on hand-outs from the state. It says the daily allowance is 650 grams of maize, rice and meat.

Kim Kwang Jin, who defected from North Korea having once helped to bankroll illicit imports into the country, suggested Pyongyang makes large amounts of money with its sale of luxury goods.

He told CNN: 'They earn a lot of dollars and cash from these luxurious department stores by selling all these goods and they re-allocate these dollars into their priorities like the nuclear and missile program.

'Luxury goods sales help them build more missile and nuclear material.'

He suggested the shops formed part of Kim Jong-un's secretive Office 39 group which US officials says

One western diplomat said only US currency could be used in the shops, CNN reported. Some would used dollar notes for items costing more than $2,000, the diplomat said.

The NK Pro website claims its investigation shows a link between the luxury shops in North Korea and traders based in Singapore.

The goods were found on sale at two shops which are kept well away from tourist areas of the capital, including Puksae, near the Arc of Triumph, in the north of the city

The Pothonggang Ryugyong shop was seen selling some of the most expensive items up for sale, including a Mont Blanc watch for 3,000

Many items, it says are banned under trade sanctions imposed on North Korea.

Last year, pictures of ski resorts flooded with luxurious international exports in North Korea raised new questions on how effective sanctions are on the rogue state.

Photos of people on French skis and Chinese snow mobiles in March 2016, emerged just weeks after the world imposed its toughest sanctions yet on the state as it refused to halt its nuclear weapons programme.

The UN has been trying for years to deter North Korea's nuclear programme by barring trade not only in weapons but in luxury items, in hopes of making Pyongyang's elite feel some pain.

In April, figures seen by MailOnline showed how Kim Jong-un imported a total of $1million (800,000) worth of alcohol in 2016 and appeared to have a penchant for spirits.

Official statistics revealed he spent $181,000 on vodka alone last year, up $32,000 on 2015.

North Korea raised tensions with the US and its allies earlier this month with a test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile that its defence officials said marked the 'final step' in creating a 'confident and powerful nuclear state that can strike anywhere on earth'.
The National Weather Service continues to have a flash flood warning posted for a portion of southern Cayuga County that has already been hit hard with flooding this month.

A strong storm system moved through the area, bringing damaging winds and heavy rainfall. A severe thunderstorm warning was issued for the storm, but that expired at 1:30 p.m.

Now, emergency responders are working throughout the area to assist with flooding conditions, as well as reports of wind damage.

The following text was provided with the flash flood warning:

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED Flash Flood Warning National Weather Service Binghamton NY 1255 PM EDT MON JUL 17 2017 The National Weather Service in Binghamton has issued a * Flash Flood Warning for... Southeastern Seneca County in central New York... Northwestern Schuyler County in central New York... Southeastern Yates County in central New York... Southern Cayuga County in central New York... * Until 700 PM EDT Monday * At 1255 PM EDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. * Some locations that will experience flooding include... Hector, Starkey, Covert, Locke, Genoa, Ledyard, Dundee, Tyrone, Moravia and Niles. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Move to higher ground now. Act quickly to protect your life.
Mohammed Noor has been an officer for two years and was the first Somali-American to serve in his precinct

The police officer who shot and killed an unarmed Australian woman in mysterious circumstances after she called 911 to report a disturbance behind her upscale Minneapolis home has been identified.

Mohamed Noor, who joined the department in March 2015, reached over and shot Justine Damond, 40, multiple times from the passenger seat of his squad car while she spoke to his colleague on the drivers side in a back alley.

Both officer's bodycams were off and the squad car camera not recording when Damond - who was in her pyjamas - was killed at around 11.30pm on Saturday, just a month before she was due to marry.

Ms Damond's heartbroken fiance Don Damond, fight back tears on Tuesday as he spoke of his partner's shocking death, claiming the police have failed to provide an explanation.

Mr Damond said the family were 'desperate for information' about her shooting - which he referred to as a 'homicide.'

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Justine Damond (pictured) was shot dead in her pyjamas by police in the United States, after calling 911 to report a disturbance in an alley near her home at South Minneapolis, Minnesota

Ms Damond's heartbroken fiance Don Damond, fight back tears on Tuesday as he spoke of his partner's shocking death, claiming the police have failed to provide an explanation

Mr Damond was comforted by his son Zach as he spoke to media gathered outside his home on Tuesday

Mr Damond said the family were 'desperate for information' about her shooting - which he referred to as a 'homicide'

Mr Damond described Justine as a 'teacher to so many' who lived 'a life of openness, kindness and love' and had a 'great wit and humour'

'Piecing together Justine's last moments before the homicide will be a small comfort as we grieve this tragedy,' Don told media gathered around his Minneapolis home.

'Our hearts are broken and we are utterly devastated by the loss of Justine,' he added.

'It was Justine that called 911 on Saturday evening reporting what she believed was an active sexual assault occurring nearby.

'Sadly, my family and I have been provided with almost no additional information from law enforcement regarding what happened after police arrived.

'We have lost the dearest of people and we are desperate for information.'

Friends of the Damonds comforted each other during the press conference

Mr Damond was out of town for business when the shooting occurred

A timeline shows the events that led up to the fatal shooting

Mr Damond described Justine as a 'teacher to so many' who lived 'a life of openness, kindness and love' and had a 'great wit and humour.'

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) - the state agency investigating the shooting - has so far kept tight-lipped on the circumstances that led to the death of the yoga and meditation teacher.

They have admitted that no weapons were recovered from the scene and according to the Star Tribune witnesses to the shooting have described Damond approaching the police cruiser in the alley behind her house.

She was holding her cell phone and talking to an officer on the drivers side before she was shot.

The only concrete statement the BCA has made so far is to confirm that 'At one point an officer fired their weapon, fatally striking a woman'.

Community leader: Officer Noor (center) met with Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges (not pictured) in 2016 where she praised him for joining the police force

Pride: This picture dates from 2015 and shows Officer Noor being inducted into the Somali American Police Association

Noor, 31, who is the first Somali-American police officer in his precinct, has in the past been personally praised by Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges.

He also holds a degree in administration and economics.

The Mayor demanded fast answers as the investigation began on Monday.

'I have the same questions you do, and I seek the same answers you seek,' said Mayor Hodges.

'This process is difficult, but I want to be sure we get this right.'

He has already retained the services of a lawyer, who said on Monday that his client is devastated at the death of Damond.

'We take this seriously with great compassion for all persons who are being touched by this,' said attorney Tom Plunkett according to The Star Tribune.

Mr Plunkett has also released a statement on behalf of Mr Noor, extending his condolences to Ms Damond's family.

Meeting and greeting: Mayor Hodges posted this picture of Officer Noor in his uniform to her Facebook page in 2016 along with a tribute to him

'Officer Noor extends his condolences to the family and anyone else who has been touched by this event. He takes their loss seriously and keeps them in his daily thoughts and prayers,' the statement read.

'He came to the United States at a young age and is thankful to have had so many opportunities. He takes these events very seriously because, for him, being a police officer is a calling.

'He joined the police force to serve the community and to protect the people he serves. Officer Noor is a caring person with a family he loves and he empathizes with the loss others are experiencing.

'The current environment for police is difficult, but Officer Noor accepts this as part of his calling. We would like to say more, and will in the future.

'At this time, however, there are several investigations ongoing and Officer Noor wants to respect the privacy to the family and asks the same in return during this difficult period.'

Minneapolis Chief of Police Janee Harteau issued a statement on Monday calling the death tragic.

'I have many of the same questions and it is why we immediately asked for an external and independent investigation into the officer-involved shooting death,' said Harteau.

'I also want to assure you that I understand why so many people have so many questions at this point. I've asked for the investigation to be expedited to provide transparency and to answer as many questions as quickly as we can.'

The driver of the squad car that pulled up in the alley behind the home Damond shared with her fiance has been identified as Matthew Harrity, a community service officer since 2016.

On Monday morning the heartbroken stepson of Damond appeared outside his home and had harsh words for Officer Noor.

'Why? Why did you do it?,' said Zach Damon.

'He has no idea the impact that he had on thousands of people. No idea.'

'I hope that he wakes up every single day and thinks about it, and then I hope that he thinks about how he can be a better person because that's what she did every single day. And if you don't do that, then you're not even living, either, man.'

Heartbroken: Zach Damond spoke to reporters outside his home on Monday morning and said he hopes the police officer who shot Justine Damond dead on Saturday night suffers

According to Minneapolis Star Tribune, the website Minnesota PoliceClips has audio of an exchange between dispatch and the officers involved.

One officer says that he sees a 'female standing behind a building' and 'one down' from the same location before saying they are performing CPR.

Police in Minneapolis are required to wear bodycams at all time, but they are not continually active and are manually switched on when an officer anticipates they will be needed.

It is not known why the squad car camera cannot be used in this case.

The decision to equip all police with bodycams came after the black motorist Philando Castile was shot by an officer in 2016 in controversial circumstances.

Noor, who joined the Minneapolis Police in March 2015, has had three complaints made against him in two years - including a lawsuit.

Two are from 2017 and one from 2016 is closed and according to Lou Raguse of Kare 11 is marked 'not to be made public'.

The lawsuit stems from a police call on May 25, 2017, when Noor and two other officers took a woman to hospital and she claimed that they carried out false imprisonment, assault and battery.

According to the ongoing lawsuit, the woman claimed that Noor 'grabbed her right wrist and upper arm' when moving her.

Ms Damond, also known as Justine Ruszczyk, was originally from Sydney but had been living in the US for three years and was engaged to marry American businessman Don Damond (right), 50, in August

Last year, Mayor Hodges wrote on her Facebook page that she 'wanted to take a moment to recognize Officer Mohamed Boor, the newest Somali officer in the Minneapolis Police Department.

'Officer Noor has been assigned to the 5th Precinct, where his arrival has been highly celebrated, particularly by the Somali community in and around Karmel Mall.'

On Saturday night, Damond had called 911 to attend a noise and possible assault in the alley, and was speaking to the two officers through the drivers side window when she was shot.

Neighbours told The Star Tribune they came out of their home to investigate the flashing lights and saw police trying to revive Ms Damond, who was lying on the ground.

Ms Damond had a well-known stance against guns, and there was no way she would have been armed on Saturday night, her friend Hannah, 21, told the paper.

She also explained Damond (nee Ruszczyk), who had already taken her fiance's last name often spoke about the benefits of Australia's tight gun control.

Despite her misgivings, Damond had elected to give up her life in Sydney for one in Minneapolis, where she lived with her fiance Don, who she described as the 'amazing, handsome hilarious, rockstar love of my life'.

In a Facebook post dating back to 2014, the woman describes her fiance Don as the 'amazing, handsome, hilarious, rockstar love of my life' (pictured)

Damond was due to marry fiance Don Damond, a former musician, in August, and become a step-mother to his 22-year-old son Zach.

At the time of the shooting Mr Damond, the vice president of Little Six Casino, was away on business.

Her soon-to-be stepson Zach was reportedly also not at the home on Saturday night, returning on Sunday to discover the crime scene.

And just hours after the shooting he spoke to a local activist group, slamming police over the death of Ms Damond - who he called his 'best friend'.

'Basically my mum's dead because a police officer shot her for reasons I don't know,' Zach Damond said.

'I demand answers. If anybody can help, just call police and demand answers. I'm so done with all this violence. It's so much bulls**t. America sucks.

'She was a very passionate woman, she thought something bad was happening - and next thing you know they take my best friend's life.'

Ms Damond was shot in an alleyway on 51st Street in the Fulton neighbourhood (pictured)

Just hours after the shooting Zach Damond (pictured), her heartbroken soon-to-be stepson, spoke with close friends of the woman and slammed police over her death

Ms Damond had previously spoken out against US gun laws and said it was better in Australia, where there is tight gun control

When police arrived at her home at around 11.30pm, 'one officer fired their weapon, fatally striking the woman' as she reportedly stood in her driveway, wearing pyjamas

Damond's Australian-based family released a statement through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on Monday afternoon.

'This is a very difficult time for our family. We are trying to come to terms with this tragedy and to understand why this has happened,' the statement read.

'We will not make any further comment or statement and ask that you respect our privacy.'

Neighbours say they saw officers desperately trying to resuscitate the woman after she was shot

Ms Damond (pictured) was a 'corporate speaker, trainer and coach' who worked to spiritually help others and regularly ran workshops, according to her website and social media accounts

Damond attended Manly High School and the University of Sydney.

Her friend Matt Omo, an Australian, told the ABC he hoped something positive could come from the tragedy.

'I only hope this evolves into something that can make a positive impact for the world,' he said.

Family friend Julia Reed addressed media on Monday, and said the woman would be 'undoubtedly' very missed.

'She was treasured and loved - we will miss her dreadfully,' she said.

Ms Reed, who had known Damond for 32 years, said she would miss: '[Justine's] energy, intelligence, and the joy she brought to my life'.

Friend Marcus Ritchie mourned 'one of the world's most caring and sensitive souls', and called her 'a true inspiration to us all' in a Facebook post.

'There is no way to justify this incident as Justine Ruszczyk was such a beautiful person,' he wrote.

'There will be a lot to answer for!'

Ms Damond's friends told US media she had often spoken out against gun violence and told them 'how much better' things were in Australia

Hundreds of people gathered outside the Damond residence in the hours after her death to hold a vigil for the woman (pictured)

Ms Damond's stepson shared images from the vigil, writing: 'people really showed love, thank you'

Originally trained as a vet at the University of Sydney, she was 'supporting individuals and organizations to discover the power and potential within their own brains and hearts.'

Ms Damond regularly held sessions at the Lake Harriet Spritual Centre, with many of her talks recorded and uploaded to YouTube.

She grew up on Sydney's northern beaches, with her father John the owner of a Dymocks bookstore at Warringah Mall and a prominent member of the community.

Hundreds gathered outside the Damond home in the hours after her death to hold a vigil for the woman, with her neighbours remembering a 'beautiful light'.

'This woman was a beautiful light, she was a healer, she was loved, she should be alive - she should still be here,' one friend said.

Pictures showed a large group of people holding hands in a drive way, with colourful chalk drawings on the pavement - including a heart with 'Justine' written inside, and a red and a yellow rose laid on either side.

Her stepson Zach shared images from the event in his Instagram story, writing: 'people really showed love, thank you'.

One image showed a sign which read: 'Why did you shoot and kill our neighbour and friend?'.

The placard was surrounded by flowers, candles and a letter.

Nearby, a tea towel with an image of Australia was hung on a brick wall.

One mourner drew a heart with 'Justine' written inside, and a red and a yellow rose was laid on either side

WHY DID POLICE HAVE THEIR BODY CAMERAS TURNED OFF? - The use of body cameras, or portable video recorders (PVR), was initiated in Minneapolis during 2016. - Police introduced the technology in an effort to reduce complaints about the behaviour of officers and also to ensure vital video evidence was captured. - In Minneapolis, where Ms Ruszczyk died, the cameras must be manually switched on by police. They are automatic in other parts of the US. - According to Minneapolis government's policy, the body cameras must be turned on by when they anticipate they may be involved in a certain situation. - Situations where they must be switched on include: Traffic stops, arrests, physical confrontations, crimes in progress and suspicious person stops. - It was last week revealed that the usage of body cameras among officers in Minneapolis was low as 4% in some areas when responding to 911 calls. Source: Minneapolis Government Advertisement

Hundreds of people attended the vigil outside Ms Damond's home on Sunday

Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges said she was disturbed by the shooting and called on BCA to release information about Ms Damond's death as quickly as possible

In a statement, the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said an investigation was in its early stages, but that police did not have their body cameras on during the incident.

Less than a week earlier it was revealed that officers across the city were using body cameras at what appeared to be a low amounts, despite their high-profile roll out.

Under Minneapolis Police Department policy, officers 'should manually activate their PVR (portable video recorder) to Record Mode when reasonably safe and practical' in situations including 'suspicious person stops' and 'crimes in progress'.

In a statement, the Minneapolis Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said an investigation was in its early stages, but confirmed police did not have their body cameras on during the incident

Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges said she was disturbed by the shooting and called on BCA to release information about Damond's death as quickly as possible.

'As mayor of our city, a wife, and a grandmother, I am heartsick and deeply disturbed by what occurred last night,' Mayor Hodges said, the Star Tribune reports.

'There are still many questions about what took place, and while the investigation is still in its early stages, I am asking the BCA to release as much information, as quickly as they are able to.

'My thoughts are now with everyone affected by this tragic incident, especially the deceased woman and her family.'
Gary Goldsmith said he was 'doing my civic bit' to help stop two thieves robbing tourists

The Duchess of Cambridge's 'black sheep' uncle has revealed how he tackled two pickpockets who were targeting drinkers in a London pub.

Gary Goldsmith, 52, said he had been 'doing my civic bit' to help staff at The Clachan pub in Soho stop two thieves robbing tourists yesterday afternoon.

The IT recruitment multi-millionaire also tweeted pictures of a man walking along the street and a woman with a handbag, saying: 'GG stepped in with the team at The Clachan to stop these two thieves robbing tourists! Doing my civic bit!'

The Metropolitan Police are investigating the incident at 1.50pm yesterday which saw a man a woman try to take the bag before they were challenged.

The duo then made off  and officers are now liaising with staff at the pub, owned by Mitchells & Butlers, in an attempt to progress the investigation.

A force spokesman said: 'Police received a third party report at approximately 1:50pm on Sunday, July 16 of an attempted bag theft at a pub in Kingly Street, W1.

Mr Goldsmith tweeted that he was 'doing my civic bit' to stop the theft taking place yesterday

Mr Goldsmith tweeted pictures of a man walking along the street and a woman with a handbag

IT recruitment multi-millionaire Mr Goldsmith attends Pippa Middleton's wedding to James Matthews in Englefield, Berkshire, in May with his 15-year-old daughter Tallulah

'Two people - a man and a woman - attempted to steal the bag; they were challenged before making off. The details of the victim were not provided.'

She added: 'Local officers will liaise with staff at the venue with a view to progressing this investigation. No arrests.'

Mr Goldsmith, who is known for his wild antics, was filmed in 2009 giving hard drugs to an undercover reporter and bragging about his royal connections.

He also revealed intimate details about Kate and William's private life, including how the prince openly discussed his future wife's figure at a family dinner.

Mr Goldsmith has a house on the Spanish party island of Ibiza called 'La Maison de Bang Bang'

Mr Goldsmith said he 'stepped in with the team' at The Clachan pub in Soho to stop the theft

Mr Goldsmith is Carole Middleton's brother (left) and the Duchess of Cambridge's uncle (left)

But he revealed in 2013 that his sister Carole Middleton apologised to him after the story broke on behalf of Kate 'about me being suddenly thrust into the limelight'.

Mr Goldsmith has a house in Ibiza called 'La Maison de Bang Bang' and drove to Kate's wedding in 2011 in a 280,000 Rolls Royce Phantom convertible.

He proudly advertised his attendance at Pippa Middleton's wedding in May on Twitter, but his 47-year-old spouse Julie-Ann was absent.

Mr Goldsmith is the younger brother of Pippa's mother Carole and has a 15-year-old daughter called Tallulah, who also attended Pippa's marriage.
A three-year-old boy has died after he was left in a boiling hot car in Las Vegas for at least an hour.

Little Chase Lee, of Fillmore, Utah, was found in the vehicle - which had fully closed windows, parked at the Grandview at Las Vegas, on Saturday afternoon.

Las Vegas police Lt. Roger Price says it was too late to save Chase, who was suffering from severe heat related injuries by the time his parents figured out where he was.

Video from KTNV

Chase Lee, of Fillmore, Utah, was found in the vehicle - which had fully closed windows, parked at the Grandview at Las Vegas, on Saturday afternoon (police at the scene)

He was taken to the nearby St. Rose Siena hospital where he was pronounced dead.

'Unfortunately, anytime this happens it's going to be a tragedy,' Price said. 'Anytime you lose a child, it's a tragic accident. Nobody intends for it to happen. It doesn't mean there wasn't negligence involved with it. But it's just something none of us want to see.'

He told the Review Journal that drugs and alcohol did not appear to be a factor.

Police say temperatures that day reached a high of 114 degrees Fahrenheit, which means the car's temperature could have reached 170 degrees.

Police say temperatures that day reached a high of 114 degrees Fahrenheit, which means the car's temperature could have reached 170 degrees

Las Vegas police Lt. Roger Price (pictured) says it was too late to save Chase, who was suffering from severe heat related injuries by the time his parents figured out where he was

His parents were part of a large family group was visiting from out of town, which included 12 kids. he family included relatives from different parts of the country.

Somehow, no one noticed Chase was missing.

'We have a very large family that came to town and appears to maybe have lost track of one of the juveniles. And unfortunately, by the time they found out what happened, too much time had already passed.'

The parents have not yet been charged so police are not releasing their names.

But abuse or neglect charges could be pending as detectives continue with their investigation.

Chase is the 16th child to have died from vehicular heatstroke in Nevada since 1996.

The same day he died, 23-month-old Khayden Saint Sauver died in Delray Beach, Florida, after being left in a hot car.
President Donald Trump kicked off the week defending his son for meeting with a Kremlin-linked lawyer during the campaign to try to obtain potential dirt on Hillary Clinton, tweeting that 'most politicians' would have done the same thing.

Trump jumped back into the Russia scandal just hours after tweeting that he was 'heading back to Washington' and promising that 'much will be accomplished' on trade, military and security issues.

'Most politicians would have gone to a meeting like the one Don jr attended in order to get info on an opponent. That's politics!' the president tweeted.

President Donald Trump tweeted that 'most politicians' would have taken a Russia meeting like his son Donald Trump Jr. did

The tweet explicitly defended the meeting on the grounds under which it was originally set up as revealed in emails released by the president's eldest son: to discuss potentially damaging information on Donald Trump's Democratic rival.

An initial statement by Trump Jr. last week concealed that intention, stating that the meeting was to deal with Russian adoption issues.

The email chain he ultimately released revealed that the meeting was set up by British music executive Rob Goldstone, who wrote touting Russian 'government' support for his father in the email that got the ball rolling.

THAT'S POLITICS: President Trump tweeted that 'most politicans' would have taken the meeting Donald Trump Jr. did

By the end of last week, it emerged that Kremlin-linked lawyer Natalia Veselnetskaya as did Russian-American lobbyist Rinat Akhmetshin. Both have been actively involved in efforts to role back the Magnitsky Act, which imposes sanctions on human rights violators.

At the press conference in Paris last week, Trump similarly deployed an everybody-does-it argument.

President said 'much will be accomplished' during the coming week, though he kicked it off with a new statement about an undisclosed Russia meeting involving his son

BACK TO WORK: President Donald Trump waves upon arrival at the White House in Washington, Sunday, July 16, 2017 after attending a women's pro golf tournament at his course in Bedminster, New Jersey

He said the meeting his son attended was 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,' Trump said. '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.'

Flying aboard Air Force One on the way to France, Trump told reporters: '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.

Donald Trump Jr met with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya last June, after being promised by an intermediary dirt on Hillary Clinton

Russian-American lobbyist Rinat Akhmetshin (background in glasses) was working with Natalia Veselnitskaya on an effort to kill the Global Magnitsky Act around the same time as the Trump Tower meet-up. He confirmed to the AP he attended the controversial get-together

Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya speaks ABC's 'Good Morning America' about meeting with Donald Trump Jr. in footage aired Wednesday

The meeting was also attended by Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner and former campaign chair Paul Manafort.

Kremlin-linked lawyer Veselnetskaya has confirmed she attended, as did Akhmetshin, who once served in a Soviet counterintelligence unit and reportedly has ties to Russian intelligence, though he denies it. Both are involved in the effort to counter the Magnitsky Act, which targets sanctions at human rights abusers.

Kushner, who works in the White House, neglected to initially disclose the meeting in a form he turned into the government to get a security clearance.

He has since amended it to reportedly add more than 100 foreign contacts, including undisclosed contacts with Russians.
The government is poised to announce the creation of a new Home Affairs portfolio that will strengthen the nation's ability to fight terrorism.

It is the brainchild of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Immigration Minister Peter Dutton and will resemble the UK's Home Office and Homeland Security in the US.

Under the new arrangement, ASIO, the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Border Force will work together as part of one agency.

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Mr Turnbull (pictured) is determined to improve Australia's counter-terrorism capability

Mr Dutton (pictured) will head up a new super-portfolio that will enhance coordination and cooperation among the different bodies fighting terror

The new portfolio will bring together the AFP (pictured), ASIO and the ABF together into one agency

This will allow them to improve communication, coordination and engagement on counter-terrorism, the Daily Telegraph reported.

Mr Dutton will head up the new super-portfolio, which is expected to be in operation by the end of the year.

The plan was first floated in 2016, but met opposition from three figures who feared losing power under the new portfolio - Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, Justice Minister Michael Keenan, and Attorney-General George Brandis.

Mr Turnbull and Mr Dutton will announce the creation of the new Home Affairs portfolio on Tuesday

Mr Turnbull (pictured) has recently overhauled the Defence Force's role in fighting terror, enabling special forces soldiers to be involved in training law enforcement

Mr Dutton (pictured) will preside over a portfolio similar to the Home Office in the UK and Homeland Security in the US

Australia's intelligence agencies have also had concerns about information sharing, despite the success of the similar setups in the US and the UK.

Mr Turnbull is keen to bolster Australia's efforts to deal with the threat of global Islamic terrorism, and announced a law enforcement shakeup on Monday.

The overhaul means that special forces soldiers from the Defence Force will be involved in training law enforcement officers.

Soldiers will also be embedded within some law enforcement agencies, and states and territories will be able to call in the military earlier.

'Our enemies are agile and innovative - we have to stay ahead of them,' Mr Turnbull said.
It was the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor that finally pushed the United States to enter World War II, but a little-known bombing at the World's Fair in New York City nearly a year-and-a-half before - which resulted in the deaths of two NYPD officers - may have laid the groundwork.

It has been suggested that the bomb may have been planted by a British spy, in an attempt to gain American support for the British cause.

NYPD Lt. Bernard Whalen has studied the World's Fair bombing extensively for two books he wrote on the history of New York's finest.

On July 4, 1940, a bomb went off at the World's Fair in New York City. It has been suggested that the British may have been behind the attack

Two NYPD bomb squad members were killed in the attack and five others were injured

In an interview with the Daily Beast, Whalen refused to point fingers in the unsolved bombing, but said, 'You could draw the conclusion that it was an inside job'.

Exactly a month before the July 4, 1940 bombing, the British evacuated their entire Army from Europe after the Nazis pushed them back to Dunkirk.

That same month, Prime Minister Winston Churchill dispatched Sir William Stephenson to New York City to set up a spy shop for the British intelligence agency, MI6.

One of Stephenson's U.S. spies was Ian Fleming, who went on to author the James Bond novels. And he based the character after World War One hero Stephenson, who he described as 'very tough, very rich, single-minded, patriotic, and a man of few words'.

Joseph Lynch (left) and Ferdinand Socha (right) were the two officers killed in the unsolved bombing

The bomb was found in the British pavilion of the World's Fair. It has been suggested that the British may have been behind the attack to garner American support for WWII

Both Stephenson and Churchill shared the opinion that the British needed the Americans to win the war, so one of his main jobs was turning U.S. public sentiment against the Germans and their allies.

At that point, many Americans were still torn about which side to support, and the British were hardly the only groups maneuvering to win American hearts and minds.

The German American Bund was one group that was spreading the idea of a Aryan state in America with its Long Island retreat where attendees could learn about the Nazi movement.

There was friction between these competing groups as well. Just two weeks before the World's Fair bombing, the German Library of information in the New York City German Consulate building, was bombed, as were the offices of The Daily Worker newspaper, then the outlet of the Community Party. The Soviets at that time had a peace agreement with Hitler.

And just days before the July 4th holiday, the British pavilion at the World's Fair received a phone threat, saying to 'get out of the building. We're going to blow it up'.

In the weeks before the bombing, Winston Churchill sent Sir William Stephenson (left), the real-life inspiration for James Bond (Daniel Craig as the character, right), to New York City to set up an office of the British intelligence agency MI6

On the day of the bombing, it was an electrician that found the bomb in air conditioning space of the British pavilion, which was showing off the Crown Jewels and an original Magna Carta.

That man alerted security at the pavilion, all of whom were current or former British military.

The bomb was taken out of the building to a spot along a fence, out of the way of the World's Fair traffic, and the NYPD's six-man Bomb and Forgery squad was called to investigate.

Joseph Lynch was at home celebrating Independence Day with his family when he got the call. He picked up his partner, Ferdinand Socha, on the way to the fairgrounds.

Churchill allegedly wanted Stephenson to gain the U.S.'s support in World War II, and it's been suggested that the bombing could have struck an emotional chord for Americans

The bombing came exactly a month after the British evacuation at Dunkirk (above)

Nazi pilots shot at British troops from the air as they tried to evacuate back to their home country from France

Back then, officers in the bomb squad didn't have any special tools or gear to protect them, so Lynch used his pocket knife to tear open the bag.

Inside, he found twelve sticks of dynamite attached to a timer. He turned to his partner and said 'It's the business'. Those would be his last words, as the bomb then exploded, creating a five-feet-wide by four-feet-deep whole in the ground. Lynch and Socha died and five other officers were injured - two of them critically.

The NYPD immediately began investigating the bombing, and the FBI joined in.

A German emigre and Bund member was eventually deported in the course of the investigation, but nothing actually connected him to the bombing.

Today, the case remains unsolved and open.

Whalen says the way the British security men at the World's Fair reacted after the bombing is suspicious.

The family of Joseph Lynch received this silver bowl from the British after his death

He says the case file shows that after the bombing there were 'indications that police could not speak to security staff without permission, which was not freely granted'.

'If I wanted to solve a crime, I wouldn't impede investigators in any shape or form,' Whalen says. 'It could have just been the stuffy British attitude, but the authorities at the Paviolion were interfering'.

He also finds it strange that the FBI never seemed to follow up on any leads. When he asked the FBI for copies of their investigation into the bombing, they told him they had nothing.

Whalen says that the idea of the bombing being an inside job by the British to get support from the Americans would have made sense.

'You'd get a lot more sympathy [for the British cause],' Whalen speculates, 'if brave guys were killed.'

And if someone was trying to get the attention of the American people, Whalen says that the World's Fair would have been the perfect target.

'If you were going to do something to garner world attention, you couldn't pick a better target.'
A self-confessed acid attacker has revealed rivals' girlfriends are targeted because they worry more about their looks - and that thugs dip knives in chemicals so wounds won't heal.

A new documentary by Vice investigates the sharp rise in attacks using corrosive substances in the UK.

Since 2010 there have been 1,800 reported acid attacks in the London, with a steep 70% rise between 2015 to 2016.

A self-confessed acid attacker has revealed that they target rivals' girlfriends because they care more about their looks

As the number of victims grows, data suggests Britain has the worst record in the developed world for assaults with household acids like bleach and drain cleaner.

And an anonymous attacker made the shocking admission that 'nine times out of ten' such attacks would be reserved for girls.

'I've heard about people putting [acid] on a knife and stabbing someone so their wounds won't heal,' the anonymous attacker said.

'On a guy, I probably wouldn't, I'd probaby wouldn't, I'd do something physical.

'On a girl, they love their beauty, so hurt them.

'Cause on a guy if you get scarred, it's a scar. You show it to your guys... "Yeah, this happened to me, innit. Yeah, it's nothing, it's nothing.

'But, a girl, it's like "look at my face" - you know what I'm saying?'

'Nine times out of ten, I'll use it on a girl, honestly, innit.'

The subject also recounted one attack he and a friend had made on someone from an opposing gang when a male victim was physically assaulted and his girlfriend had acid thrown in her face outside a Tesco.

He said: '[We] waited for them, they came out. I'm racking up the guy just punching him and whatnot.

'And my boy he just undid the bottle and he just splashed the girl.

'She started screaming, her face was all messed up.'

The subject also recounted one attack he and a friend had made on someone from an opposing gang when a male victim was physically assaulted and his girlfriend had acid thrown in her face

Only a quarter of recorded attacks have led to charges being brought, for fear of a repeated attack or a lack of trail for police to pinpoint attackers.

The man explains that this is due to the fact that talking to the police is something that simply does not happen in his neighbourhood, and even claimed that his victims deserved their life-changing injuries.

'This is block war', he said. 'No snitching, simple as that no snitching.'

He added: 'With the war on the mandem, if someone got acid in their face, trust me, they did something.

'No ifs no buts, they deserved that.'

The film also shares the story of Samir Hussain, a victim of an unprovoked attack who has been left with physical and psychological scars after sulphuric acid was thrown over him outside a cinema.

The film also shares the story of Samir Hussain, a victim of an unprovoked attack who has been left with physical and psychological scars after sulphuric acid

Mr Hussain was struck as he left a cinema, where the attackers had already been throwing sweets at him inside the auditorium

He explained that he was struck as he left a cinema, where the attackers had already been throwing sweets at him inside the auditorium.

He was repeatedly kicked and punched on the floor and his car was smashed before the corrosive substance was thrown on him.

He said: 'My first thought was 'why me' because I hadn't done anything wrong. At the same time, seering pain - I had third degree burns on the side of my face.

'My identity has changed because of what happened. I am scarred for life and I'm not the person I wanted to be.

'Closure is probably never going to happen, because I am scarred for life so when I look in the mirror or if I ever have a happy time in my life and look back at memories Im always going to be scarred now.'

It comes after the victim of a horrifying acid attack orchestrated by her possessive ex-boyfriend which left her with one ear appeared on ITV show Lorraine demanding harsher punishments for attackers.

Adele Bellis, 25, appeared on ITV show Lorraine demanding harsher punishments for attackers, while the tragic case of Resham Khan (right) has also recently come to light

Adele Bellis, 25, lost an ear, was left partially bald and has permanent scarring following the sulphuric acid attack at a bus stop in her home town of Lowestoft, Suffolk, on August 14 2014.

It was the culmination of a six-month campaign by her former partner of seven years, Anthony Riley, 26, of Lowestoft. Five months earlier she had been stabbed in the face by one of his friends.

The tragic case of Resham Khan, 21, and her cousin Jameel Muhktar, 37, who both suffered 'life-changing' burns after an attack in Beckton, East London, has also come to light recently.

A 16-year-old boy appeared in court today to deny carrying out a 72 minute acid attack spree against six people.

She said: 'They should get a longer sentence in prison. I think there should be a set sentence in place, a hard sentence. We are alive but we have to live with the trauma. I still have half a head of hair, no ear. I'm still having counselling and treatment.'

The charges come after moped-riding suspect along with an accomplice, attacked the victims, squirting acid on them before stealing their bikes, in a 90-minute crime spree.

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared charged with 13 offences in connection to the attacks on Thursday night in north and east London

Five acid attacks took place in a 72-minute period in London on Thursday night, leaving one victim with life-changing injuries on Hackney Road junction with Queensbridge Road (pictured). Other delivery drivers rushed to the scene after the attack

The boy, who cannot be named because of his age, appeared charged with 13 offences in connection to the attacks on Thursday night in north and east London.

Police had initially said five men were targeted but the court heard there were six victims in connection with the alleged incidents.

Another high-profile incident saw 20 people injured by acid spray in a London nightclub in March.

Arthur Collins, ex-boyfriend of TOWIE star Ferne McCann, was charged with that attack.
A Taiwanese woman was granted a divorce after the 'blue ticks' on a messaging app showed her husband had read her messages but not replied.

The term 'blue-ticking' was made famous by WhatsApp and Line messaging apps, which notify you when someone has seen your text.

Judge Kao ruled the six months of unanswered Line messages, including one when she was admitted to hospital following a car accident, was proof their marriage was beyond repair.

On one occasion the woman, known only as Ms Lin, told her husband she was in the emergency room and asked why he was not replying, Hsinchu family affairs court heard.

A Taiwanese woman was granted a divorce after the 'blue ticks' on a messaging app showed her husband had read her messages but not replied

'The defendant did not inquire about the plaintiff, and the information sent by the plaintiff was read but not replied to,' the court ruling said. 'The couple's marriage is beyond repair.'

The husband is reported to have sent her a message months after the accident but 'did not show any concern for her', judge Kao said.

He added: 'It appears there's very little interaction with the plaintiff; the defendant rarely replies to the plaintiff's messages.'

Previously married Ms Lin, in her 50s, has been married to the defendant since 2012, the BBC reported.

Judge Kao said the unanswered messages were 'the last straw' in an otherwise troubled marriage.

The court heard how the defendant's family was 'unfriendly' towards Ms Lin after she moved into a home with his mother, younger brother and sister-in-law.

The term 'blue-ticking' was made famous by WhatsApp and Line messaging apps, which notify you when someone has seen your text

She is said to have covered most of the family's bills and expenses because her husband did not have a regular income, while his family restricted how long she could shower for.

Ms Lin said: 'A normal couple shouldn't treat each other like that The Line messages were a very important piece of evidence.

'It shows the overall state of the marriage that the two parties don't have good communication,' she said.

Lin's husband, who is yet to show up for a court hearing, can file an appeal.
The investigation into a deadly shooting at a suburban Cincinnati gender-reveal party has taken a strange turn.

Colerain police say the woman who was the focus of the party, Cheyanne Willis, wasn't even pregnant at the time of the event despite, posting on Facebook that she was expecting a boy.

The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that Colerain Police Chief Mark Denney says police don't have an explanation, only speculation, about why Willis claimed to be pregnant.

The Colerain Township 21-year-old woman was hosting the party to disclose the gender of her the baby she claimed to be pregnant with when the deadly shooting occurred July 8.

Autum Garret was killed and eight others, including three children, were wounded during the shooting when two men opened fire inside of a home. Police haven't identified the suspects or their motive.

Shot: Cheyanne Willis (pictured with friends) was shot along with seven others. It was her gender reveal party - but now it turns out she was never pregnant

Police said in a statement Monday that their investigation is being impeded by 'leads known to be lies' and resistance from crime victims

Cheyanne wrote that she was pregnant with a boy hours prior to the shooting on Facebook

Willis was shot in the leg and treated at University of Cincinnati Medical Center before she was released. A family member who was also shot had claimed that Willis was no longer pregnant after the shooting.

She had told local media she lost her unborn child after she was wounded.

Police said in a statement Monday that their investigation is being impeded by 'leads known to be lies' and resistance from crime victims.

'(We) have been given information we have found to be false,' the statement reads.

'Hours and days have been wasted following leads known to be lies when they were provided to our officers. From the very beginning of this investigation, we have met significant resistance that is uncommon from victims of crime wanting a resolution.

The attackers, wearing hoodies, entered through the front door while the residents were watching a film and opened fire for one-to-two minutes before fleeing on foot on July 8

Autumn Garrett (left, with her two kids) was killed in the attack. Her husband (right) was hit in the head but is said to be responsive

Cheyanne is pictured inside the house with friends (including the Garretts, left, rear) and family before she was shot. The killers have not yet been identified

Authorities say that at least 14 rounds were fired during the shooting at the home on Capstan Drive (file above prior to the shooting)

'As an example, we were led to believe an unborn child was murdered in this incident only to find out that was not the case. That information is not provided to embarrass anyone, only to provide a fair understanding of the challenges we have faced in the past nine days.

'The Colerain Police Department will not comment further on any other misleading information, other than to say we wish our time had been spent on true leads that would help us remove these dangerous criminals from the streets.

'We ask that those with information to respect the fact that resources will be used to follow up on every lead or tip.

'Providing misleading information only makes the task of solving this crime more difficult.

'We will be consulting with the Hamilton County Prosecutor in the coming days to update their office and seek advice on how to proceed with some of our information.'

Filmed: On Christmas Eve 2014, Willis, then 19, was filmed being attacked (right) by two people. Her ex-boyfriend Quincy Gardner (right), then 20, was charged with robbery

'Theft': Also charged was Cheyenne Fisher (pictured, then 21). Fisher had claimed on Facebook that she had 'slapped her up' because she thought Willis had stolen her car

Authorities say that at least 14 rounds were fired during the shooting at the home on Capstan Drive.

Those who were shot were watching a Spider-Man movie after the party.

Willis was filmed being beaten up on Xmas Eve 2014 (pictured); her ex-boyfriend and a woman were charged with robbery

This is not the first time Willis has been involved with the police. She was the subject of a brutal attack on Christmas Eve 2014 where she was beat up by another woman in a parking lot while it was filmed.

They then wrote 'I got my a** whooped' on her head and signed it.

Her ex-boyfriend Quincy Gardner, then 20, and a woman, 21-year-old Cheyenne Fisher, were charged with robbery in connection with the incident.

Fisher later said in a Facebook post that she 'slapped her up' because she believed Willis had stolen her car.

Weeks after that incident, a grand jury decided not to indict Gardner and Fisher.

Authorities are asking anyone with information in regards to the shooting to call the Colerain police at 513-321-COPS or text them at 513-470-7165. There is a $10,000 reward in the case.
This is the shocking moment a young woman's handbag explodes when an e-cigarette inside suddenly goes off like a firework.

The spectacular incident was caught on CCTV cameras in an underground Metro station in Minsk, the capital city of Belarus.

The woman, wearing black pants and a long grey cardigan, was approaching a ticket barrier, carrying the bag over her shoulder, when it suddenly burst into flames.

She is seen in the video footage jumping back in fright and throwing the bag to the floor as flames and sparks shoot from it in all directions.

A police officer then walks up to the woman and puts out the fire by stamping on the bag with his foot.

The woman was not badly injured in the incident, which happened at the Victory Square Metro station in central Minsk.

A spokesman for the Minsk Metro service confirmed that the fire was caused by an exploding electronic cigarette.

A woman's bag suddenly ignites in flame after an e-cigarette explodes in her bag, pictured, in the Metro underground in the Belarusian capital of Minsk. While shocking, luckily no one was injured

The woman, wearing black pants and a long grey cardigan, pictured, was approaching a ticket barrier, carrying the bag over her shoulder, when her bag suddenly burst into flames

He said: 'The e-cigarette burst into flames inside the bag. Luckily, a Metro policeman was able to put out the fire within few seconds.'

The footage is proving popular with viewers after it was posted on video-sharing websites.

A police officer then walks up to the woman, picured, and puts out the fire by stamping on the bag with his foot. A spokesperson for the Minsk Metro service confirmed that the fire was caused by an exploding e-cigarette

There are many cases around the world of e-cigarette batteries exploding and this woman, pictured, is lucky to have not been injured in the incident. Some on social media said it meant it was time to quit smoking

Netizen 'Spivakov' commented: 'This is a great reason why you should quit smoking altogether!'

'Vlad' said: 'I bet this poor girl will need the help of psychologist after this.'

And 'Petya766' added: 'This is just unbelievable! On the bright side the girl wasn't harmed, I'd have cr***ed my pants if i was in her shoes!'

There are many cases of e-cigarette batteries exploding, which have caused great injury around the world, including loss of eyesight.

Earlier this year, the UK implemented new rules for e-cigarettes, such as better labels and warning on packaging.
A British-Muslim commentator has described the coverage of Yassmin Abdel-Magied as 'bullying' and questioned why it entered mainstream media.

Appearing on Q&A on Monday evening, journalist Mehdi Hasan said the reaction to the former ABC personality leaving Australia to move to Britain was 'nothing but racism, xenophobia and bigotism'.

Abdel-Magied revealed earlier this month on Twitter she was moving to London to participate in the 'Aussie rite of passage.'

Hasan defended her decision saying: 'a lot of you Australians came to Britain long before Yassmin Abdel-Magied.'

Mehdi Hasan said the reaction to the former ABC personality leaving Australia to move to Britain was 'nothing but racism, xenophobia and bigotism'

Hasan believes the reaction, particularly from politicians, was racially-driven and an example of bullying through social media

Abdel-Magied revealed earlier this month on Twitter she was moving to London to participate in the 'Aussie rite of passage'

The question was raised to the panel on Monday about the hysteria that followed Abdel-Magied following her controversial Anzac Day post where she accompanied the traditional commemoration phrase 'Let We Forget' with 'Manus, Nauru, Syria Palestine...'

The Facebook status was met with widespread anger, which eventually drove the ABC to axe her show Australia Wide.

Hasan believes the reaction, particularly from politicians, was racially-driven and an example of bullying through social media.

'If you're a woman on social media you get it worse than anyone else, if you're a woman of colour you get it even worse, and if you're a woman in a headscarf then the target is really on you,' he said on Q&A.

Abdel-Magied revealed earlier this month on Twitter she was moving to London to participate in the 'Aussie rite of passage'

The question was raised to the panel on Monday about the hysteria that followed Abdel-Magied following her controversial Anzac Day post where she accompanied the traditional commemoration phrase 'Let We Forget' with 'Manus, Nauru, Syria Palestine...'

'If you're a woman on social media you get it worse than anyone else, if you're a woman of colour you get it even worse, and if you're a woman in a headscarf then the target is really on you,' he said on Q&A

'Muslims get told you're not integrating, you're not voting, you're not taking part. Then young Muslims step forward, take part, become activists, go on media, but then you're an extremist, you're an infiltrator, you're a radical, you're anti-Western

He also decried the plight of Muslims within modern society and their impact on becoming influential media figures.

'Muslims get told you're not integrating, you're not voting, you're not taking part. Then young Muslims step forward, take part, become activists, go on media, but then you're an extremist, you're an infiltrator, you're a radical, you're anti-Western.

' You can't win, you're damned if you do and damned if you don't.'

Queensland Liberal MP Matt Canavan agreed with Hasan that there had been enough coverage of Abdel-Magied, but denounced her for 'denograting the armed services'.

'We do have certain things in our country that we should cherish and Anzac Day is one of those.'

Canavan said he was unaware of his colleagues saying Abdel-Magied should leave the country when asked by Hasan.

Queensland Liberal MP Matt Canavan agreed with Hasan that there had been enough coverage of Abdel-Magied, but denounced her for 'denograting the armed services.' 'We do have certain things in our country that we should cherish and Anzac Day is one of those'

'As Brit, can I just point out, a lot of you Australians came to Britain long before Yassmin Abdel-Magied'

Hasan was given the last word on the issue, to which he asked 'you want me to deal with this topic again?'

He said the issue was a 'lightning rod' for other issues and it was 'disturbing' when politicians and people were making comments about her and she was unable to defend herself.

'As Brit, can I just point out, a lot of you Australians came to Britain long before Yassmin Abdel-Magied.'

Labor MP Terri Butler replied by saying: 'Don't forget you sent a few over here too.'
The Zac Brown Band have flown in to visit a teenage fan who missed their gig after he was paralyzed in a diving accident.

Thomas Schoettle, from Glenolden, Pennsylvania, was playing in a his friend's backyard pool on June 27 when he dived off the board and hit his head.

The 17-year-old, who was left paralyzed by the accident, was rushed to hospital with a fractured neck, bruised spinal chord and several other injuries. He has since been moved to the Bryn Bawr Rehab Center, in Pennsylvania.

Not only was Thomas coming to terms with his significant injuries, he was also forced to miss a performance of his favorite artist, the Zac Brown Band, in Camden, New Jersey on Friday.

When it became clear the teen would have to miss the concert, a family friend decided to try and bring the band to him. And as soon as Zac Brown heard about the tragic accident, he and his manager flew down to the rehab center in his helicopter for a surprise visit.

The Zac Brown Band have flown in to visit teenage fan Thomas Schoettle who missed their gig after he was paralyzed in a diving accident

Brown spent around an hour by Brown's bedside, chatting to the young fan and give him band merchandise

Thomas was stunned.

'I saw Zac walk in, and I said to myself is that Zac brown? Wait, that is Zac Brown, oh my god!

'My heart was going,' he told us.

His mom Samantha Springfield-Schoettle, a medical consultant, says her son lit up when Brown walked into his hospital room.

'It lifted his spirits, she said. 'He was cool, I was really taken aback he was in this room talking to him.'

'I talked to him for about an hour. He's a normal, nice, dude,' Thomas added. 'We talked for a little bit then he gave me two hats, a shirt, a signed album.'

Schoettle, from Glenolden, Pennsylvania, (with his mom Sam) was playing in a his friend's backyard pool on June 27 when he dived off the board and hit his head

'And next year, once I get better, he gave me a card so I can go to a free show and go to the front, and I can go on stage with him.'

He said that the promise of being able to join the band on stage was pushing him to get better as soon as he could.

'The concert gives me motivation to get better,' he said.

'I should be walking by September with a walker. I should have recovered by around February or March.

The band also gave Thomas a special shout-out and dedicated his favorite song to him at the concert, according to event-goers.

Thomas is already recovering well after the accident and has regained the feeling and movement in his upper body, and is beginning to recover the feeling in his right leg, while his left leg is causing him 'excruciating' pain.

But it will be months before he fully recovers.

The teen had been round his friend Jack' house, who he has known since they were six and considers a 'second family' when tragedy struck.

Thomas's (left 0mom Samantha Springfield-Schoettle, a medical consultant, says he son lit up when Brown (right) walked into his hospital room

Brown has also given Thomas the motivation to get better soon: The chance to join him onstage at one of his concerts next year

'What happened was, I climbed up a ladder, I jumped and did a flip, and landed on my neck. I'm in the pool and tried to swim up, and my arms and legs wouldn't work,' he told us.

'I am sitting there and trying to pull myself up and tried to call to my friend Jack but I got a lot of water in my mouth and lungs.'

'I thought I was going to die,' added Thomas, who realized he was paralyzed after the accident. 'I thought I was going to drown.'

He said that eventually his friend saw him floating in the pool and jumped into to save him. His father began CPR and called 911 for an ambulance.

''I thought I was paralyzed,' he added.

In hospital, doctors found the teen had a bruised spinal chord, two fractures in the neck and several other injuries. He had to undergo surgery to insert metal screws in his neck.

Thomas (left) said he thought he was going to die after the accident, while his mom (right) was equally terrified

The Zac Brown Band performs at Fenway Park on August 7, 2015 in Boston, Massachusetts

His mom Sam said she was terrified after learning about her son's accident.

'I was very scared for that 11 days he was in hospital,' she told us. 'I'm just glad he can move his upper body.

'I just hope he gets better, and we will deal with what we get.'

Thomas, a senior at Bonner & Prendergast Catholic High School, said he will miss summer school and the first few weeks of next term but is hoping to be able to return without missing much school.

Meanwhile, his mom Sam and father Tom Schoettle have started a GoFundMe page to help raise money to cover Thomas's hospital expenses which has raised almost $7,000.
Prisoners have already started rioting ahead of a total smoking ban across many UK jails, it was revealed today.

Tobacco will gradually be outlawed in English jails from August 31 - but inmates have revealed that some started trouble as soon as the ban was announced.

Some 'nicotine addict' prisoners became violent and staged sit-ins knowing they would be moved to another jail where they can smoke freely.

Inmates in Drake Hall Women's Prison went berserk and sat on the roof after a ban was tested there in May, one insider said.

Inmates in Drake Hall Women's Prison went berserk and sat on the roof after cigarettes were removed from sale and smoking was banned in a trial there in May

Britain's toughest jails are preparing themselves for unrest and violence when a smoking ban comes into force across UK jails on August 31 (file image)

One woman recently released from the Staffordshire jail told Metro.co.uk: 'We got all the leaflets about how the ban was going to happen  first the shop would stop selling tobacco, and then the total ban would come in.

Prisoners won back right to smoke in their cells just last year Senior judges ruled in 2016 that the ban on smoking in public places did not apply to state run jails. The decision meant that prisoners won back the right to smoke in their cells. In a key ruling, the Court of Appeal overturned a High Court judgment that the 2007 ban covered all public places and workplaces in England and Wales. It means the Government can carry on with its plans to roll out a ban in jails gradually - but could not impose a blanket ban. Government lawyers had warned against a 'particularly vigorous' ban on smoking in prisons amid fears it could spark disturbances and risk the safety of staff and inmates. Advertisement

'Within the first week of the shop stopping selling it there was a riot. Loads of prisoners refused to go back to their cells and it was mayhem.

'There were women screaming and shouting, sitting on the roofs of blocks. After it calmed down a lot of those involved were transferred, probably to prisons where they can smoke.

'If women in an open prison riot, then what are all the men in a maximum security jail going to do?'

The prison has said that it is still 'working towards becoming smoke-free'.

Four in every five inmates currently smoke, and the decision to force them to be smoke-free by August 31 has not been well received.

Some prisons in England and Wales have decided to bring in smoke free rules gradually - first taking them off sale before banning smoking in cells and prison grounds.

It appears urban Category B jails in cities will be longer-term projects.

The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) says it intends to make all jails north of the border 'smoke-free' by November 2018.

Alex Cavendish, who is now a prison academic having spent time in jail himself, said that prisoners will cause trouble to get moved from a smoke-free jail.

Mr Cavendish also believes that smuggling of cigarettes in by family or corrupt staff will be a major problem.

He told Metro: 'Hard core nicotine addicts know that they only need to cause trouble for staff before they are shipped out to another establishment.

This in turn is reflected in a rise of disciplinary offences, including violence.

Another key concern is the potential impact of a smoking ban on the smuggling of contraband tobacco into prisons, either by visitors or by corrupt members of staff.

Many prisons across Britain currently allow inmates to smoke in their cells - because it is classed as their 'home' - but not in communal parts of the jail or in exercise yards (file photo)

Prisoners are smoking e-cigarettes as part of a move which could lead to a ban on smoking in jails - and these are being sold in some jails

A trial was held across 21 prisons in Wales last year, with a sharp spike in fighting and vandalism reported at HMP Cardiff.

Convicts are being encouraged to sign up for courses and replacement devices in order to help them kick the habit before the deadline.

Aside from the risk of increased trouble, critics fear the move could see an rise in contraband substances, such as Spice, being smuggled in.

Belmarsh and Strangeways are among the notorious jails where some of the country's most ferocious prisoners will have to deal with the changes.

In April 2016 three prisoners staged a seven-hour rooftop protest over a smoking ban at their jail.

They were visible from the street and were shouting to passers-by. A week earlier fellow HMP Swansea inmate Dean George, 40, killed himself after he was prevented from lighting up, it was claimed.

Swansea introduced a trial ban in the January. Officials said it had been operating normally since then and that all prisoners have support to quit smoking if they need it. They denied widespread unrest.

Four jails in Wales went smokefree in January and four in England will follow suit within a few weeks.

The Prison Service will enforce a smoking ban - but only when it is safe - meaning it will not be a blanket ban.

A MoJ spokesman said: We have always been clear that we would not set any arbitrary targets for prisons to become smoke-free.

They will only become smoke-free when it is safe to do so. This phased introduction will reduce the risk to staff and prisoners of exposure to second hand smoke, whilst maintaining the safety and security of our prisons.
A single father with a plethora of face tattoos has revealed that people often feel scared of him and that he was forced a quit a job over his distinctive ink.

Luke McCormack, from Wollongong, said he notices people staring at him and knows they are intimidated by the tattoos on his face.

'I've seen people walk past while shopping and grabbing their handbags or partner's hands tighter because they feel scared and intimidated,' he told Seven News.

A single father with a plethora of face tattoos has revealed that people often feel scared of him and that he was forced a quit a job over his distinctive ink

Luke McCormack, from Wollongong, said he notices people staring at him and knows they are intimidated by the tattoos on his face

Mr McCormack believes he has been discriminated against because of the body art, after being asked to cover the ink up when being interviewed for a sales position.

'Because of a rough cover people don't want to give us a go,' he said.

His last job was more than 12 months ago, as a mechanic at a motorcycle retailer, but he had to quit after his marriage broke down and he had to be at home with his three-year-old son.

'People judge. Always have, always will,' he said. 'Little do they know I was a husband, now I'm a single dad trying to do right by my son.'

His last job was more than 12 months ago, as a mechanic at a motorcycle retailer, but he had to quit after his marriage broke down and he had to be at home with his three-year-old son

Mr McCormack says while he understands it was his decision to put the tattoos on his face and risk employment difficulties, he doesn't believe that makes the discrimination acceptable

Mr McCormack says while he understands it was his decision to put the tattoos on his face and risk employment difficulties, he doesn't believe that makes the discrimination acceptable.

'That shouldn't make people judge me.'

A teenage father from New Zealand with 'DEVAST8' tattooed across his mouth took to social media to express his desperation for work.

Mark Cropp, 19, from New Zealand, took to social media on Wednesday afternoon to beg someone to look past his criminal convictions and heavily-tattooed face and give him a chance at work.

Within hours he had been inundated with job offers and said he had 'stopped counting when he reached 45'.

Some of the jobs required him to have his own car - he clarified - but he will need help getting to the work site.

'Until I get my first paycheck and get a car I won't be able to get myself around,' he said.

The 19-year-old (pictured) had taken to social media in frustration that his face tattoos were preventing him from finding work

Mark 'Devast8' Cropp (pictured) has revealed that he has turned down 45 job offers since his story went viral

The former criminal revealed he will be getting the artwork - designed by his brother after a night of drinking home brew in jail - removed as soon as possible.

'I am just working out a date to get it taken off - which sucks because it is going to hurt,' he said.

'And because, you know, this tattoo means something to me and my brother did it for me so it is hard to make the decision to get rid of it.

'But I know it is the best thing for my future - and I want to be a person my family can look to for support.'

The artwork was designed to make him 'look tough' when he landed in jail following a long string of violent behaviour.
Jason Reed, 39, was arrested on Sunday after he got into a fight with the 50-year-old man, who needs to use a cane, on the Sussex Highway in Delaware

A minivan driver found himself in handcuffs and sporting a black eye after a road rage attack on a disabled man that ended with him being punched in the face.

Jason Reed, 39, was arrested on Sunday after he got into a fight with the 50-year-old man, who needs to use a cane, on the Sussex Highway in Delaware.

Police said Reed, of Syracuse, New York, was driving his Chrysler Town and Country behind the man when he became angry that the car was traveling the speed limit in the left lane.

He started overtaking the man's car but allegedly struck his bumper with his minivan when he abruptly changed back into the left lane.

The man then drove into the center median and stopped his car.

Reed, who was driving with his wife and two children, also pulled over and got out of his car to confront the other driver.

The driver had also gotten out of his car with the use of his cane as Reed allegedly started arguing with him.

Both men pulled over into the center median on the Sussex Highway in Delaware and a fight broke out between them

Police said the argument quickly escalated and both men started fighting. The man's car was damaged even further when the men fell into the side of the vehicle.

The 50-year-old victim managed to break away and forced Reed to the ground. He held him there until state troopers arrived.

The man was slightly injured but didn't require medical attention. Reed was left with a black eye.

He was charged with possession of a deadly weapon (vehicle), reckless endangering, criminal mischief, endangering the welfare of a child, malicious mischief by motor vehicle, disorderly conduct and failure to remain within a single lane.

He was arraigned at jailed at Sussex Correctional Institution on $40,350 bond.
A liberal government-transparency group is claiming a legal victory over the Trump administration, saying that in eight weeks' time it will know who met with Donald Trump at his Palm Beach, Florida residence.

But it's unclear whether any visitor logs exist at Mar-a-Lago, the president's members-only club that served as the 'winter White House' until it closed for the summer in mid-May.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, which was chaired by longtime liberal attack dog and Hillary Clinton defender David Brock until Election Day, said in a press release that 'the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will turn over visitor logs for President Trumps Mar-a-Lago residence.'

The administration of Donald Trump, shown in December at his Mar-a-Lago estate, is expected to release visitor logs from the members-only club  but no such records might exist

Trump, shown in April with Chinese President Xi Jinping, has conducted government business at Mar-a-Lago during at least seven weekends since becoming president

Trump used the Mar-a-Lago backdrop in February to name General H.R. McMaster (left) as his national security adviser and Keith Kellogg (right) as McMaster's chief of staff

CREW, which has already filed more than 100 Freedom Of Information Act lawsuits against the Trump administration, said it will post them online by September 8.

The group's spokesman, Jordan Libowitz, told Politico: 'We don't know exactly what records they have. What that means is somewhat of a mystery, but whatever records they kept, we will be getting.'

He insisted to DailyMail.com that something  however small  will be forthcoming.

'We know they have logs,' Libowitz said, 'because with Trump Tower, they told us there were no records to produce, but with Mar-a-Lago there were.'

A scheduling order filed Friday by Judge Katherine Polk Villa covers only a small subset of members and guests described in 'records of presidential visitors at Mar-a-Lago.'

CREW has made the same demand for records of Trump's visitors at Trump Tower and at the White House itself.

The president's meetings at his former office in midtown Manhattan all took place during the transition period, before he took office, putting them out of reach of the federal FOIA law.

The administration has resisted calls for the release of visitor logs from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, saying that the Obama White House omitted scores of names on national security grounds from what it published online on  making the accounting purposely incomplete.

But CREW's executive director Noah Bookbinder said Monday that 'the public deserves to know who is coming to meet with the president and his staff.'

'We are glad that as a result of this case, this information will become public for meetings at his his [sic] personal residences  but it needs to be public for meetings at the White House as well.'

Democratic lawmakers introduced a bill in March, the sarcastically named 'Making Access Records Available to Lead American Government Openness {MAR-A-LAGO) Act.'

The legislation, which has gone nowhere in the House of Representatives, would have forced the White House to start collecting records and releasing them.

Mar-a-Lago is a socialite's dream, but it's not known who has been bending the president's ear there

But a former Secret Service agent told Politico at the time that the government can't make records magically appear if no one has kept them in real-time.

'You can posture all day long, but the service can't produce something that doesn't exist,' said Jonathan Wackrow.

Trump has spent seven weekends at Mar-a-Lago since becoming president, including five of his first nine in office, meeting with foreign heads of state and conducting other government business there.

In at least one case, purchasers of $300 tickets to the Palm Beach Republican Party's Lincoln Day Dinner had access to the club, and some rubbed elbows with the president.

According to Politico, Mar-a-Lago doesn't track the identity of club members' guests who come in and out, even when Trump is on the property.
A vicious, protracted brawl broke out over a pizza in a fast food outlet at 2am on a Sunday morning in Canada.

Paul Michael, 23, was at the restaurant when the brawl began at.

He said it started when a woman entered the restaurant on Queen Street by Broadview Avenue, Toronto and complained that her pizza order was late.

'They didn't call her to tell her it was ready so in the middle of the Pizza Pizza, she started screaming how she wasn't satisfied,' Michael told TheStar.com.

'She was making this big scene and then someone else said something and one person just started grabbing another.

'So everything just started going crazy,' he said.

Michael started recording the scene and the video has been watched more than 300,000 times on YouTube.

'Everyone started pushing each other,' he said. 'I don't know how those other people really got involved. I just sat there and filmed the whole event.'

Toronto police were called at 3:04 a.m. and one person was charged with public intoxication.

The fight broke out at a pizza restaurant on Queen Street by Broadview Avenue in Toronto

Police said that approximately 10 people were involved in the fight, but there were no criminal charges laid.

In the video, two girls cradle their precious pizza as they cower away from the escalating brawl.

Staff pile over the counter presumably to try to break-up the fight.

A man holds a pizza box high above the warring throng as approximately seven people fight.

A man holds a pizza box high above the warring throng as approximately seven people fight

One of the staff members seems to separate the two angry sides but then a splinter fight breaks out.

A girl then picks up a chair and looks as if she is going to try to hit someone with it but other people hold her back.

Things seem to have calmed down a little until a woman headlong charges into a few people and then seems to evict another person from the business.

A girl in a blue dress is then dragged by her hair along the floor.

Another woman attacks a woman who is still lashing out while a man tries to restrain her.

Reaction to the fight was animated on Youtube after the video was posted.

Bosfuc Scremani wrote: 'This is the best episode of 'Orange is the New Black' I've ever seen!'
The government today bowed to pressure and announced it will invest an extra 1.3billion into schools across the country in the biggest funding boost in a decade.

Justine Greening said they had 'recognised' people's concerns during the General Election campaign that schools were not getting the money they need.

But the Education Secretary has not been given any extra cash by the Chancellor for the move.

She has had to plunder the budget allocated to free schools and the government's now abandoned plans to launch a new generation of grammars in order to bankroll the pledge.

The announcement of the extra cash, which will be spread over the next two years, comes after a backlash to plans to change the schools funding formula which would have seen some institutions lose out while others gained.

Education Secretary Justine Greening announced 1.3billion will go into schools over the next two years in the biggest funding boost in a decade

Unveiling the cash in a statement to the House of Commons today, Ms Greening said it will help the country transition to the new schools funding formula when it is introduced in two years time.

She told MPs there will be 'significant extra investment into the core schools budget over the next two years'.

She added: 'This funding is across the next two years as we transition to the national funding formula.'

She said the additional investment into the core schools budget and secondaries with 'high needs' would provide 'the investment they need to offer a world-class education to every single child'.

Ms Greening hailed the new cash as the 'biggest improvement in the schools funding system for well over a decade'.

Under the funding boost, the schools budget will go up from 41billion to 42.2bn in 2018/19. And it will go up again the following year to 43.5bn.

Ms Greening told the Chamber: 'This is a strong announcement of additional money while making sure that our schools budget is for the first time spread fairly across our children and our schools across the country'

Ms Greening also said efficiency experts will be sent into schools with the worst finances.

She added: 'The significant investment we're making in schools and the reforms that we're introducing underpin our ambition for a world-class education system.

Labour's Angela Rayner said the cash is just a sticking plaster and more money is needed to make sure schools get the money they need in the long run

'Together they will give schools a firm foundation that will enable them to continue to raise standards, promote social mobility and to give every child the best possible education and the best opportunities for the future.'

A number of schools have written begging letters to parents pleading for donations amid reports that classrooms are suffering shortages of textbooks and buildings a re being left to crumble as budgets are squeezed.

The long-awaited new schools funding formula was announced at the end of last year.

It is designed to finally even out the vast inequalities in funding which means that schools in London get far more cash per pupil than many areas elsewhere in the country.

But the changes had sparked anger because many areas were in line to have cuts to their funding.

The announcement today will reassure parents in areas that are set to lose out bthat they will be insulated.

While many MPs welcomed the move, Labour's shadow education secretary Angela Rayner said it is not enough.

She said it is 'nothing more than a sticking plaster per pupil funding will still fall over the course of this parliament unless further urgent action is taken'.
A top homicide detective has backed an appeal put forward by convicted double murderer Jason Roberts to be freed from prison.

In an affidavit, Ron Iddles says he believes it is likely convicted murderer Bandali Debs acted alone in the killings of Sergeant Gary Silk and Senior Constable Rodney Miller - and that Roberts was not involved.

'I reviewed it (the investigation). Yes, I did a report. There are some disturbing facts,' Mr Iddles told the Herald Sun.

A top homicide detective has backed an appeal put forward by convicted double murderer Jason Roberts (pictured left with former girlfriend Nicole - the daughter of the co-accused) to be freed from prison

He said on the basis of probability he doesn't believe Roberts was involved.

QC David Grace has now been recommended the case be revisited after Attorney-General Martin Pakula considered Roberts' plea for mercy and sought advice.

In a statement provided to Mr Iddles, Bendali's daughter - Roberts' former girlfriend, claims Roberts was with her the night of the murders.

Mr Pakula had intended to announce the matter would go to the Court of Appeal however instead denied Roberts' application on March 24, the Herald Sun reported.

Ron Iddles (pictured) says following his review of the case fellow convicted murderer Bandali Debs acted alone in the killings of Sergeant Gary Silk and Senior Constable Rodney Miller

On Monday he refused to give insight into that decision but stated the choice was his alone.

'Having considered all of the submissions and all of the advice it was  and remains  my view that the matter ought not be referred to the Court of Appeal.'

People understood to be close to the case have claimed the change of heart was politically driven, after citing phone calls were made alerting him to 'significant backlash'.

In December 2016, laws which deny killers of police officers rights to parole were introduced.

On Monday night slain cop Rodney Millers widow, Carmel Arthur said: 'After 19 years, enough is enough.'
The architect of Vote Leave tonight branded Brexit Secretary David Davis as 'thick as mince' as a row over delivering the referendum deepened.

Dominic Cummings blasted Mr Davis was also 'lazy as a toad' and 'vain as Narcissus' - the latter a mythological Greek God who fell in love with his own reflection.

The brutal jibes came amid a growing battle inside the Cabinet about exactly how the Government should be delivering Brexit.

Dominic Cummings (pictured at a Commons committee last year) tonight branded Brexit Secretary David Davis as 'thick as mince' as a row over delivering the referendum deepened

Mr Cummings, an ex-advisor to Michael Gove who spearheaded the Vote Leave campaign, has repeatedly warned Government risks squandering Brexit

Mr Davis and his team were back in Brussels today for the latest round of talks with chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier.

But the Brexit Secretary faced mockery for being photographed at the meeting with no papers while his EU rivals held thick bundles of documents.

Mr Cummings, an ex-advisor to Michael Gove who spearheaded the Vote Leave campaign, has repeatedly warned Government risks squandering Brexit.

Mr Cummings, who tweets as @odysseanproject, said today that Civil Service chief Jeremy Heywood was in a 'parallel universe' on Brexit and warned Whitehall had 'mega failed to prepare' for the negotiations.

And he jibed: 'DD (David Davis) is manufactured exactly to specification as the perfect stooge for Heywood: thick as mince, lazy as a toad, and vain as Narcissus.'

David Davis (pictured right today) faced mockery for being photographed at the meeting with no papers while his EU rivals held thick bundles of documents

Mr Cummings latest intervention came against a backdrop of bitter feuding among UK ministers over the Brexit strategy.

CITIZEN'S RIGHTS KEY TO FIRST PHASE OF BREXIT NEGOTIATIONS The first phase of the Brexit talks will cover the divorce settlement - with the main topics reciprocal rights for UK and EU citizens, the potential bill for Britain, and the Northern Ireland border. David Davis is facing strong opposition from the EU over Britain's proposals for rights of European nationals living in the UK, as well as pressure to accept paying a huge 'divorce' bill. Theresa May last month published a 'fair and serious' offer to guarantee the future rights of the 3.2 million EU citizens living in the UK and the 1.2 million British ex-pats in the EU. The proposal to grant EU nationals 'settled status', effectively indefinite leave to remain, was immediately dismissed by European Council President Donald Tusk as 'below our expectations'. Under the terms agreed between the EU and UK, negotiations are taking place in four-week 'rounds'. The second session is beginning in Brussels today. The EU says that only when 'sufficient progress' has been made on citizen's rights, the divorce bill and Northern Ireland will they move on to discuss future trade talks. Both sides have committed to 'transparency', and are expected to released updates about each round accompanied by press conferences. Advertisement

Over the weekend, Chancellor Philip Hammond angrily accused Cabinet rivals of trying to undermine his agenda for a 'softer' business-friendly Brexit prioritising jobs and the economy.

One unnamed Cabinet minister was reported have hit back, claiming Mr Hammond was part of an attempt by 'the Establishment' to prevent Britain ever leaving the EU.

The Daily Telegraph quoted the minister as saying: 'What's really going on is that the Establishment, the Treasury, is trying to f*** it up. They want to frustrate Brexit.'

Earlier, Mr Davis sat down with counterpart Michel Barnier for the second round of negotiations in Brussels this morning, saying he wanted to make progress on a deal for reciprocal rights for citizens.

But pictures showed the UK team without any paperwork as they sat across the table from the Eurocrats - who were armed with huge piles of documents.

After greeting Mr Barnier this morning, Mr Davis insisted the teams from the UK and EU were now getting to the 'heart of the matter'.

'For us it is incredibly important we now make good progress,' he said.

'That we negotiate through this and identify the differences, so that we can deal with them, and identify the similarities so that we can move forward.

'And now it's time to get down to work and make this a successful negotiation.'

Mr Barnier said: 'I look forward to our negotiations this week. We'll now delve into the heart of the matter.

'We need to examine and compare our respective positions in order to make good progress.'

After greeting Mr Barnier in Brussels today, Mr Davis insisted the teams from the UK and EU were now getting to the 'heart of the matter'

However, Mr Davis only stayed in Brussels for around three hours - before heading back to London and leaving officials to discuss technical details.

Mr Davis is facing strong opposition from the EU over Britain's proposals for rights of European nationals living in the UK, as well as pressure to accept paying a huge 'divorce' bill.

Theresa May last month published a 'fair and serious' offer to guarantee the future rights of the 3.2 million EU citizens living in the UK and the 1.2 million British ex-pats in the EU.

The proposal to grant EU nationals 'settled status', effectively indefinite leave to remain, was immediately dismissed by European Council President Donald Tusk as 'below our expectations'.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson then fanned the flames when he said in the Commons that Brussels could 'go whistle' if it expected the UK to pay a hefty 'divorce bill' in respect of its outstanding financial obligations.

Mr Barnier, who has made clear that he is not prepared to start talks on a trade deal until there has been sufficient progress on the financial settlement, retorted icily he could not hear any whistling, 'just the clock ticking'.

Over the weekend, Chancellor Philip Hammond (pictured yesterday on Andrew Marr) angrily accused Cabinet rivals of trying to undermine his agenda for a 'softer' business-friendly Brexit prioritising jobs and the economy

That row was quietly defused with a written Government statement acknowledging Britain had obligations to the EU which would continue after the UK had left and which 'need to be resolved'

However ministers also faced criticism at home over their plans to withdraw from the EU nuclear regulator, Euratom, amid warnings the UK find its access to radioactive isotopes used to treat cancer restricted.

All three issues will be on the agenda for this week's discussions, which are expected to continue to Thursday, along with the thorny matter of the future border between Northern Ireland and the Republic.

Mr Davis made clear his first priority would be resolving the issue of citizens' rights, saying he was determined to make 'real progress'.

'We made a good start last month, and this week we'll be getting into the real substance,' he said.

'Protecting the rights of all our citizens is the priority for me going into this round and I'm clear that it's something we must make real progress on.'
The age of budget air travel could be about to get even cheaper and companies might even pay you to travel - according to the boss on one budget firm.

Skuli Mogensen, the CEO of low-cost Icelandic carrier WOW, said he is actively considering such measures for 'special' and 'trusted' customers.

To qualify, travellers would have to be willing to book all of their hotels and activities through the airline, then promote the trip on social media.

Skuli Mogensen, CEO of Icelandic carrier WOW, said customers willing to book hotels and activities through his company, then post about the trip on social media, could be rewarded

He told The Telegraph: 'A lot of people now, both pre- and post-travel, share pictures with their friends.

'If we do a good job and they spread the word, it is powerful customer feedback. As they are our advocate, they can be rewarded accordingly.'

He said the airline was 'actively working towards' being able to reward trusted customers in this way.

WOW already offers trans-Atlantic flights from 149.99, provided travellers are willing to go via Reykjavik and pay extra for hold luggage and an on-board meal.

WOW air has joined Norwegian offering budget trans-Atlantic flights from the UK, forcing premium brands such as Air France to fund subsidiary companies to compete

It follows from the launch of the first budget UK to US flights from Norwegian Air, which offers one-way flights from Edinburgh to New York from 139.

Even premium airline brands have been forced to readjust to pressures from low-cost rivals, with BA offering new price bands and removing free food from short-haul flights in order to compete - though the changes have been blasted by some.

On Monday Air France announced it was creating budget subsidiary company 'Boost' in order to restore routes to profitability and gain new, younger customers.

Lufthansa offers low-cost, long-haul flights via its Eurowings budget subsidiary while British Airways-parent IAG launched new airline Level this year.
The former dean of the University of Southern California's medicine school has a history of partying with young criminals and allegedly taking meth and ecstasy with them.

An investigation by the Los Angeles Times uncovered the sordid history of Dr Carmen Puliafito, 66, who abruptly quit his job last year soon after a 21-year-old woman overdosed in his Pasadena hotel room.

The woman, named as Sarah Warren, was rushed to hospital after the overdose in March 2016 and was able to recover. Police found meth in the hotel room but no one was ever arrested.

Dr Carmen Puliafito, the former dean of the University of Southern California's medicine school, has a history of partying and allegedly taking meth and ecstasy with criminals

He resigned as dean of Keck School of Medicine three weeks later after a witness to the overdose informed police and USC of Puliafito's behavior.

Puliafito's secret life was chronicled in photos and video shot between 2015 and 2016 by his drug-related friends.

The woman, named as Sarah Warren, was rushed to hospital after the overdose in March 2016 and was able to recover. Police found meth in the hotel room but no one was ever arrested

The footage, reviewed by the Times, allegedly shows him taking pills and smoking from glass meth pipes.

It showed Puliafito - a renowned eye surgeon - partying with others in hotel rooms, cars and even the dean's office at USC.

He was filmed once showing an orange pill on his tongue before he swallowed it and said: 'Thought I'd take an ecstasy before the ball.'

The surgeon was also filmed heating a glass meth pipe, inhaling and blowing out white smoke.

Puliafito, nor USC, would not comment on the allegations.

Warren said she met Puliafito while working as a prostitute in 2015. They saw each other regularly and she claims they would often spend the night together in hotel rooms he paid for.

When she overdosed, Puliafito told the 911 operator he was a doctor.

'My girlfriend here had a bunch of drinks and she's sleeping,' he told the dispatcher. When asked if the woman had taken anything else, he replied: 'I think just the alcohol.'

The 66-year-old abruptly quit his job as dean of Keck School of Medicine in March last year soon after a 21-year-old woman overdosed in his Pasadena hotel room

Puliafito (right) is pictured standing next to Arnold Schwarzenegger at the opening a USC clinic in 2010

Several men, most with criminal convictions, said Warren had introduced them to Puliafito. They claimed he had given them drugs like meth while they partied.

Puliafito, who is married with three children, oversaw hundreds of medical students, professors research grants as dean of USC's med school.

He was also heavily involved in fundraising and attended star-studded USC galas where he would pose behind celebrities, including Jay Leno, Gwyneth Paltrow and Pierce Brosnan.

When he resigned from his $1.1 million job, the Harvard graduate said it was to explore outside opportunities.

Puliafito heavily involved in fundraising and attended star-studded USC galas where he would pose behind celebrities, including Jay Leno. They are pictured above in 2014

Puliafito helped invent a laser technology to help diagnose and treat eye disease.

He also worked as director of the University of Miami's Bascom Palmer Eye Insitute from 2001 to 2007 before taking up his post at USC.

He was once hit with a lawsuit by an optometrist while working at the Miami university accusing him of assault and battery in 2006. Puliafito denied wrongdoing and him and the university reached a settlement with the optometrist the following year.

He is still on faculty at USC and his website says he still sees new patients at campus eye clinics.

Puliafito does not have a criminal record.
The latest episode in the White House's Russia soap opera is pitting allies of the president against each other and creating divides in the president's family as key figures in the collusion drama rush to protect their own interests.

President Donald Trump and his eldest son, now at the center of the allegations following the disclosure of his meeting with a Russian attorney, have retained separate attorneys. So has Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner.

Trump's former campaign hands are meanwhile pointing the finger of blame at each other for the disclosure last week of the most damning evidence yet of attempted cooperation between the Republican's election apparatus and the Kremlin.

The latest episode in the White House's Russia soap opera is pitting allies of the president against each other and creating divides in the president's family as key figures in the collusion drama rush to protect their own interests. The president and his son have obtained separate lawyers

Trump's former campaign hands are meanwhile pointing the finger of blame at each other for the disclosure last week of the most damning evidence yet of attempted cooperation with the Russians. Roger Stone (right) posited that it was Corey Lewandowski. Lewandowksi brought up Stone's ties to Paul Manafort

Manafort supposedly told Stone that it wasn't him. The former Trump campaign manager declined to comment, through a spokesman

Donald Trump Jr last week confirmed that he set up a meeting for himself, Kushner and former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort that he believed would yield dirt on Hillary Clinton.

He was told in an email exchange that the person he was meeting with, who turned out to be Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya, had sensitive information on Clinton that came from the inside the Kremlin.

After a drip, drip, drip of reports from the New York Times, Trump Jr released the email exchange in full. He also retained criminal defense attorney Alan Futerfas, a litigator who's defended members of the mob.

President Trump is being represented by an entirely different set of lawyers. His team is led by Marc Kasowitz of Kasowitz, Benson Torres.

'I certainly dont represent Donald Trump, Jr,' a litigator for the president, Jay Sekulow, said Sunday.

Now the Times obtained the emails implicating the president's son in Russian collusion remains a secret. Any number of people could have played Judas Iscariot in the incident.

At least eight people are known to have attended the June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower. Aside from the Trump representatives and the lawyer, an interpreter, a Russian-American lobbyist, a publicist that the president and his son both knew from the Miss Universe pageant in Moscow and a representative for Russian pop star Emin Algalarov and his father.

Roger Stone, a longtime friend of the president who briefly worked as an adviser on his campaign, suggested last week that Kushner was the culprit.

He told DailyMail.com on Monday he no longer believes that's the case.

'I actually think Jared Kushner like everyone else in this drama has been unfairly accused,' he said.

Stone accused former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski of obtaining the emails and sending them to the Times.

Lewandowski called Stone, whom he fired from the campaign, a 'serial liar' and unequivocally denied that he had anything to do with the affair that happened after he'd already been dismissed from the Trump operation or its disclosure.

WAS IT JARED? Roger Stone, a longtime friend of the president who briefly worked as an adviser on his campaign, suggested last week that Kushner was the culprit. He retracted his speculation on Monday

In a call with DailyMail.com he noted that Stone was a business partner of Manafort, who was eventually pushed out of the Trump campaign, too, after the Republican National Convention.

He has also worked with Michael Caputo, the Trump communications advisor who gave testimony to the House Intelligence Committee on Friday behind closed doors, Lewandowksi noted. Caputo used to live and work in Russia.

Stone was set to testify, as well, but his appearance was postponed until after the August recess. He expects to appear before the panel in September.

The friend of Trump's won't comment on the current status of his relationship with the sitting president other than to say that he's a '100 percent solid Donald Trump supporter' and thinks the New York native is 'great.'

Trump lawyer Jay Sekulow emphasized Sunday that he represents the president - but not Don Jr, the accused

Trump's White House has attempted to distance the president from the former Nixon aide who's also been accused of collusion over his contact with a Russian hacker who's been accused of wreaking havoc on the DNC's email system.

It has also put space between the president and Manafort, who was ousted from the operation amid charges that he took illegal cash payments for consulting work from the Ukrainian government.

Stone says Manafort told him that he was not behind the leak of Trump Jr's emails with a Russian pop star's publicist, Rob Goldstone, who set up the fateful meeting at Trump Tower.

The Times had previously reported that Manafort disclosed the meeting to Capitol Hill investigators before it revealed the contact between Goldstone and Trump Jr.

Having been off Trump's team for nearly a year, it's not clear that Manafort even has his emails from the campaign in his possession to pass on if he wanted to.

Manafort's name has come up repeatedly in conversations, though, as someone with an ax to grind, given his unceremonious exit from Trump's campaign.

Jason Maloni, a spokesman for Manafort, told DailyMail.com this afternoon, 'We're not going to say anything for the record.'
These are the faces of the most wanted British fugitives across the world.

From people accused of being paedophiles and sex attackers to alleged fraudsters and drug smugglers, these fugitives have so far managed to evade authorities.

The International Criminal Police Organisation, known as Interpol, is charged with hunting them down.

Interpol, an international organisation that helps police forces cooperate, is helping to hunt the fugitives down. Pictured, Interpol president Meng Hongwei

The international organisation helps police forces around the world cooperate and share information.

The 24 criminals are all British nationals. But many posses dual citizenship or contacts in foreign countries which have allowed them to dodge police.

Below is a full rundown of the wanted fugitives.

Paul Colin Francis Meekin

Paul Colin Francis Meekin fled India when he was charged with sexually harrassing a teenager

Age: 43

Languages spoken: English, Arabic, Korean

Charges: Cruelty to a child, publishing or transmitting obscene material

Meekin was a headmaster of an international school in Bengaluru, India, when he was arrested on charges of sexually harassing a 13-year-old. He then fled to Kuwait , where he is suspected to have used forged documents to teach again.

Harris John Binotti

Harris John Binotti mysteriously left Myanmar for Thailand a few days after a colleague died

Age: 26

Languages spoken: English

Charges: Murder

Binotti is wanted in connection with the death of a fellow teacher in Myanmar in 2016. The 26-year-old, originally from Dumfries in Scotland, is believed to have fled to Thailand the day after his colleague's body was found

Kerrin Gold

Kerrin Gold was taken in custody for hashish possession - but escaped through a toilet window

Age: 38

Languages spoken: English

Charges: Possession of Hashish

Kerrin Gold dramatically escaped from authorities in Mumbai in 2005. He was found transporting 12kg of hashish in the airport just as he was about to board a flight,. He was brought to a local hospital for an examination but he escaped through the window of toilet.

Ahmad Omar Sheikh

Ahmad Omar Sheikh is a notorious Pakistani terrorist. He is currently in prison but the US wants to extradite him

Age: 43

Languages spoken: English, Urdu, Arabic

Charges: Conspiracy to commit hostage taking resulting in death, hostage taking resulting in death, conspiracy to commit hostage taking, hostage taking

Sheikh is a British/Pakistani terrorist who had links to various militant organisations, including Al-Qaeda and the Taliban. He is currently being held in a Pakistani prison, but the United States want to extradite Sheikh in connection with the murder of journalist Daniel Pearl.

Roy Lawrence Piechocki

Roy Lawrence Piechocki is wanted by police in the US in connection with ten counts of sexually exploiting a minor

Age: 56

Languages spoken: English

Charges: Sexual exploitation of a minor

Originally, from Hillingdon, west London, Piechocki is wanted by police in the United States over ten counts of sexually exploiting a minor. He is described as just under six feet tall with brown hair and blue eyes.

Mark Paul Walker

Mark Paul Walker, from Birmingham, is wanted by police in India on suspicion of forgery

Age: 50

Languages spoken: English

Charges: Cheating, forgery

Birmingham-born Mark Paul Walker is wanted by police forces in India on suspicion of forgery.

William Blackledge

William Blackledge is a notorious drug smuggler who is said to have collaborated with the Colombian cartels in the 1980s

Age: 81

Languages spoken: English

Charges: Continuing criminal enterprise, conspiracy to import 1,000 kg or more of marijuana and 5kg or more of cocaine, conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 1,000kg more of marijuana and 5kg or more of cocaine

Blackledge has been wanted for decades on drug trafficking charges. He is alleged to have taken part in drug flights from Colombia to Florida during the 1980s carrying large amount of Cocaine. He then allegedly joined forces with Canadian gangsters who started to import cocaine in Europe. The group was connected to the 1985 shooting and wounding of a Florida State Trooper.

Arti Dhir

Arti Dhir is alleged to have hatched a plot to kill a 12-year-old orphan and collect his insurance money

Age: 52

Languages spoken: English, Hindi, Panjabi

Charges: Punishment for murder, punishment for kidnapping, kidnapping in order to murder, criminal conspiracy

Dhir is accused of being part of a conspiracy to adopt a 12-year-old orphan in India, insure him for a huge amount and then murder the boy to collect the life insurance money.

Robert Timmins

Robert Timmins allegedly killed his neighbour when he was living in Estonia

Age: 65

Languages spoken: English

Charges: Manslaughter, unlawful handling of firearms, drunk driving

Timmins, a seaman, allegedly killed a neighbour in Estonia in 2011. He cooperated with authorities, but they didn't specify that he had to remain in the country. After he fled Estonian police referred the case to Interpol.

Leo Morgan

Leo Morgan is serving 10 years in a Panamanian jail. He is on the Interpol list however because he is facing extradition to Russia

Age: 60

Languages spoken: English

Charges: Large scale drug trafficking

Cocaine king-pin Leo Morgan has spent ten years languishing in a Panamanian prison. He has been served with an Interpol red notice however because he is wanted by police in Russia in connection with 'large scale drug trafficking'. Morgan is desperately trying to block his extradition to war-torn Chechnya.

Phillip Anthony Smith

Phillip Anthony Smith, 46, is wanted in connection to qualified theft in the Philippines

Age: 46

Languages spoken: Tagalog, English

Charges: Qualified theft

The 46-year-old, from Hull, is wanted by police in the Philippines in connection with qualified theft.

Kameka Kenesha Ross-Levy

Kameka Kenesha Ross-Levy is wanted by police in Jamaica

Age: 34

Languages spoken: English

Charges: Shooting with intent.

Ross-Levy was born in Jamaica but is a British citizen. She is wanted by police in Jamaica.

Charles Richard Harsden Noton

UPDATE: On 10 October 2019 the case against Charles Noton was dismissed in his favour. All of the charges against him in the Costa Rican criminal proceedings were dismissed and the Interpol Red Notice against Mr Noton was accordingly cancelled.

Charles Richard Harsden Noton is wanted in connection with fraud in Costa Rica

Age: 42

Languages spoken: Spanish, English

Charges: Fraud

Norton, from Gloucestershire, is being sought by Costa Rican police in connection with charges of fraud.

Mueen-Uddin Chowdhury

Mueen-Uddin Chowdhury is suspected of committing war crimes in Bagladesh

Age: 67

Languages spoken: Bengali, English, Urdu, Arabic

Charges: Crimes against humanity

Chowdury is suspected of having a roll to play with the killing of Bengali intellectuals with the Pakistani Army during the Bangladesh war of independence in 1971. He was also the director of the Muslim Spiritual Care Provision in the NHS and chairman of the Multi-Faith Group for Healthcare Chaplaincy.

Daren Michael Elarmo

Daren Michael Elarmo was a commercial pilot who is believed to have groomed two boys on social media

Age: 47

Languages spoken: English

Charges: Kidnapping, child abuse

Elarmo was a commercial pilot, who is wanted by officers in the United States in connection with grooming two boys on social media. He was last believed to be living in Spain.

Ashok Uppal

Ashok Uppal is wanted by Indian police in connection with cheating

Age: 58

Languages spoken: Hindi, English, Panjabi

Charges: Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property, rape, criminal conspiracy.

Uppal is wanted by Indian police in connection with cheating and dishonesty.

Fletcher Ivor

Fletcher Ivor is wanted in connection with cannabis smuggling (and is said to have been the 'neighbour from hell')

Age: 54

Languages spoken:English

Charges: Possession of 10kg cannabis

Ivor is wanted by police in India in connection with possession of cannabis. He allegedly moved back to the UK - where his neighbours said he made their lives a constant misery with death threats and acts of vandalism.

Baldev Deol

Baldev Deol is wanted in connection with the murder of his business partner

Age: 63

Languages spoken: English, Panjabi

Charges: Kidnapping, Murder, Disappearance of evidence

Deol is wanted in connection with the murder of his business partner in India.

John Fitzgerald

Age: 72

Languages spoken: English, Spanish

Charges: Drugs offenses

David Austien De Montaige

Age: 63

Languages spoken: English

Charges: Cheating

Christian Michel

Age: 55

Languages spoken: English

Charges: Money laundering
Matthew Christian uploaded the sexual encounter onto XTube

A celebrity PR manager who secretly filmed himself having sex with a married lawyer then uploaded the video onto a porn site was spared jail.

Matthew Christian, 44, recorded the sexual encounter with the man at his home in north London and posted it on Xtube without his knowledge.

The victim, whose face is clearly visible in the footage, was outed by Christian as only a few close family and friends knew he was bisexual.

Christian, who has worked with the likes of Matt Lucas and Vivienne Westwood, said he was high on cocaine and crystal meth when he posted the film.

He titled the clip Getting f***** VV by hot married Arab type guy and claimed below that the victim liked being recorded having sex.

The footage had been viewed more than 150,000 times before it was pulled from Xtube, but it has also been shared across dozens of other porn sites.

The victim didnt become aware it had been uploaded on to the internet until a friend contacted him in January 2016.

Prosecutor Nadeem Holland said: Mr Christian and the victim had discussed the fact he had not come out and that he was subject to cultural and societal pressures and this has caused him enormous anxiety and stress.

Matthew Christian, pictured here with Michelle Collins and Adam Woodyatt, worked as a PR guru for several celebrities

Christian took a great interest in the victims background, the court heard, and had raised the subject more than once.

When he was arrested in September last year, Christian made admissions in interview but claimed he thought the victim knew he was being filmed.

He pleaded guilty to one count of voyeurism at Thames Magistrates Court last month.

Christian - who has since got married - appeared at Wood Green Crown Court today for sentence with his husband and several friends.

Handing him 22 weeks imprisonment suspended for 12 months, Judge Joanna Greenberg QC said: The private lives of each and every one of us is something that we are entitled to have respected.

In your case you abused the trust placed in you by the victim because he expected that his privacy would be respected.

When arrested, Christian (left) told police he thought the victim knew they were being filmed

She continued: His private life was not something he had revealed to his family. It was his choice when and how he revealed it.

Im in no doubt that you knew the victims family were unaware of his sexuality. Your conduct exposed him to something like 150,000 viewers.

A judge told Christian that what he did was 'cruel and wicked'

Its of note that he was visible but you were not easily identifiable.

Everyone knows and I am sure you knew that once something is out in cyber space it is there for ever. You allowed that film to be available to anyone and everyone by placing it on the internet.

What you did was a cruel and wicked thing to do.

Christian was also ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work, pay 1,500 in compensation, pay 435 costs and complete a 20 day rehabilitation requirement.

He was also ordered to sign on to the sex offenders register for the next seven years.

In a statement, the victim said he has been suffering from acute anxiety and panic attacks.

He has had to make repeated requests to porn sites to have the footage removed, and lives in fear that it will be viewed by one of his colleagues.

I am not sure how I will ever be able to break out and break free of this fear, and I have lost out on the opportunity to form relationships with other men, he said.

I was not ready mentally or emotionally to come out of the closet.

Christian was an account manager at Neil Reading PR working with celebrities including Dawn French, hypnotist Paul McKenna, Mackenzie Crook, Matthew Wright, Nick Knowles and Dr Miriam Stoppard.

Since the incident with Christian (right) the victim says he has suffered acute anxiety and panic attacks

He has also worked with celebrities on the Strictly Come Dancing Live Tours.

Christian previously worked for Impressive PR, where he worked on The Chortle Comedy Awards 2010, with Rick Astley and arranged interviews with Matt Lucas and Vivienne Westwood.

Christian met the man on gay dating site called barebackparty.com before chatting on Grindr, the court heard.

The men met three times for casual sex in 2015 and on the second occasion Christian took the opportunity to secretly indulge his fantasies.

Christian, who has no previous conviction other than a caution for ecstasy possession in 1997, told police he had put the laptop a few meters away when he recorded it.

Christian pictured with Strictly Come Dancing stars Alison Hammond and Thom Evans. Christian said he was 'high on coke and crystal meth' when he uploaded the video

He told police he had done it before with men who had consented to being filmed liked it so much he thought he would try it again.

But this time he did not ask permission before filming the sex and uploading the video for all to see.

He said he was high on coke and crystal meth when he uploaded the video, as he wanted positive comments about his own sexual ability.

He lost his PR job when the victim sent a group email to his work colleagues telling them what Christian had done.

Sarah Day, for Christian, said: Mr Christian has made significant changes in terms of his lifestyle - changes that would ensure that no activity such as this would occur in the future.

There is no consumption of drugs or alcohol, so hes no longer putting himself in a situation where he would make similar decisions.

Hes now married, providing a level of stability in his personal life meaning that no meetings such as this would be forthcoming in the future.

She added that he has now found another job as a publicist.
The Kremlin continued to crank up the pressure to try to force the return of its seized diplomatic compounds, sending notorious U.S. ambassador Sergey Kisylak to the State Department to try to claw back the properties.

As it ratcheted up the public appeals to get back the diplomatic compounds the U.S. says were spy nests, Kislyak  who has become a well known figure in the unfolding Russia scandal  was seen at Foggy Bottom for a day of talks.

The longtime diplomat joined Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as they prepared to sit down Monday with undersecretary of State Thomas Shannon at the State Department in Washington to discuss the freighted issue.

Kislyak, who recently got a send-off at the St. Regis Hotel in Washington in advance of his planned return to Moscow, has been at the center of the unfolding Russia saga, having met with with fired national security advisor Mike Flynn and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner during the transition.

He has nevertheless maintained his profile. On Friday night, he dined at hot spot 701, just across the street from Trump's luxury hotel, the Washington Post reported.

Russia on Friday threatened to retaliate against the US seven months after former President Barack Obama expelled 35 Russian officials from America (stock photo)

Moscow wants the Trump administration to find the 'political will' to return diplomatic compounds seized from Moscow in the tail end of the Obama administration to punish Russian election meddling, according to the Kremlin.

And Moscow is cranking up the rhetoric to try to force the return of the seized Maryland and New York compounds, which the Obama administration says were used for spies but Russia covets as tranquil retreats.

Foreign minister Sergey Lavrov called the seizure 'robbery in broad daylight' Monday, Russian state media reported.

As top diplomats meet in Washington to discuss the charged issue, Moscow is demanding the return of the compounds, which U.S. intelligence says were used for spying, 'without preconditions.'

Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov says Russian President Vladimir Putin raised the issue directly in his one-on-one meeting with President Donald Trump in Paris last week, though Trump has tweeted that sanctions didn't come up in their meeting that lasted two hours and 15 minutes.

'We still hope that our American colleagues will demonstrate a certain political wisdom and political will,' Peskov said in a conference call with reporters.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, second from left, and Russian Ambassador to the U.S. Sergey Kislyak, right, arrive at the State Department in Washington, Monday, July 17, 2017, to meet with Undersecretary of State Thomas Shannon. Moscow is trying to claw back diplomatic compounds seized to punish alleged election interference

'We have repeatedly said that we think any conditions are unacceptable. We think that the diplomatic property must be returned without any conditions and talks,' Peskov said Monday, CNN reported.

'What is happening is -- de facto and de jure -- a violation of international law,' Peskov continued. 'Contacts are happening between the foreign policy departments. Kremlin, as it is, does not really participate but as you know this issue was raised by President [Vladimir] Putin during his G20 meeting with President Trump in a quite straightforward manner.'

Obama shut down two Russian Federation estates that US officials believed were used as spy bases for the Kremlin

Trump tweeted earlier this month: 'Sanctions were not discussed at my meeting with President Putin. Nothing will be done until the Ukrainian & Syrian problems are solved!'

The meeting comes as political Washington was rocked by daily revelations about a June meeting between Donald Trump Jr. and a Kremlin-linked lawyer where dirt on rival Hillary Clinton was promised in advance.

The Russian government has threatened to retaliate against the United States for the seizure and expulsion of Russian diplomats from the US and two of its properties were shuttered.

Russia's Foreign Ministry said on Friday that it was prepared to toss out American officials from the country and close down a number of US properties in retaliation if two of its recreational compounds in the United States were not reopened.

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov talks to journalists after a meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO). Lavrov has compared the seizure of the compounds to 'robbery in broad daylight'

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, left, and Russian Ambassador to the U.S. Sergey Kislyak, right, arrive at the State Department in Washington, Monday, July 17, 2017, to meet with Undersecretary of State Thomas Shannon

In December 2016, former President Barack Obama ordered 35 Russian officials to leave the United States and shut down two Russian owned estates that the American security establishment believed were used as a spy base for the Kremlin.

Following the order, Russian President Vladamir Putin said he would not retaliate, leading then President-elect Donald Trump to praise the Russian leader in a tweet.

'Great move on delay (by V. Putin) - I always knew he was very smart!' Trump wrote on Twitter from Florida on December 29.

The Washington Post later reported that the Obama administration struggled to find ways to retaliate against Moscow after the US discovered that Putin was directly involved in a cyber campaign to disrupt and discredit the US presidential race over two years ago.

President Trump and Putin last week discussed the two diplomatic compounds but did not reach an agreement.

I'M OUTTA HERE: 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

Russia threatens US by warning that it will kick out American diplomats and shutter its properties if it does not reopen compounds in US officials believe was used as a spy base

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters on Friday that Moscow 'will have to take reciprocal measures' if the issue is not resolved.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov and US Undersecretary of State Tom Shannon are scheduled to meet on Monday for much-anticipated talks that Moscow abruptly canceled last month in response to new Ukraine-related sanctions announced by the Trump administration.

Russia is hoping that Shannon will have 'detailed suggestions on how to resolve the situation' with the Russian property in the US, Zakharova said.

The State Department wants a deal that could include restarting US adoptions of Russian children.

It also has to deal with concerns at home - the FBI and some US intelligence professionals fear giving back the sites would aid Russian spy efforts.
Just another quiet day in suburbia...until a car smashes into a tree and rolls through the neighbor's front yard.

An external home surveillance camera in Washtenaw County, Michigan captured the spectacular moment when a four-door sedan sped down a street, jumped a curb and then crashed into and felled a tree, coming to a stop on its hood only after completing two full rotations along the ground.

Seconds later, four men  one after another  manage to climb out of the same rear window of the overturned car and then, seemingly uninjured, quickly run away. The surveillance video then jumps forward two minutes to show a fifth man as he jogs away from the vehicle.

A surveillance camera captured the moment when a stolen Toyota Avalon jumped a curb and crashed into a tree in a suburban neighborhood in Washtenaw County, Michigan

The car felled the tree before beginning the first to two complete rotations along the ground

Minutes later, rubberneckers both walk and drive into frame, slowing down or stopping entirely to stare at the unexpected sight of an upside down car on a manicured front lawn. Eventually authorities and an emergency vehicle arrive on the scene.

It turns out there's more to the crash than merely being a joyride gone wrong, though  the car was actually stolen five days prior to the stunning accident.

Authorities said that the 2006 Toyota Avalon was purloined from Pittsfield Township on July 7, reports MLive.

The crash took place five days later, about 12 miles away from where the car was stolen, on July 12 at 3.12pm.

The car flipped over twice before coming to a complete stop on its rooftop

Five people inside the crushed car managed to escape and run away, seemingly uninjured

By the time local authorities arrived, the car's occupants were long gone

Neighbors reported the crash to authorities, who said that before colliding with the tree, the driver of the stolen car had sideswiped a street-parked car, hitting the parked car so hard that it was moved several feet and its side mirror was ripped off.

Melissa Frutos, who owns the sideswiped car, told Click On Detroit that the stolen car was traveling about 60 to 70mph before it crashed into the tree.

Frutos told MLive that the neighborhood is a busy one for 'walkers, joggers and dogs so its very fortunate no one outside of the culprits were injured.' She also noted that it was a lucky thing that the neighbor's kids were not playing outside at the time of the crash, as they frequently do.

Police are still trying to identify the people who escaped from the car. It is unclear if they were also involved in the car's theft.
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A former Girl Scouts camp in the Ohio wilderness is set to be auctioned off this week.

The 282-acre property in Loudonville features cabins, pavilions and even an outdoor pool.

It was an active Girl Scouts camp until 2002, and housed up to 140 campers in its heyday. Its current owner has used the property has a hunting and nature lodge.

'This thing's got the full package,' Brian Bauer, of Moss Oak Properties, told Realtor.com.

A former Girl Scouts camp in the Ohio wilderness is set to be auctioned off this week. Above, one of the buildings on the property

The 282-acre property in Loudonville features cabins, pavilions and even an outdoor pool. Above, the fireplace in the main building

It was an active Girl Scouts camp until 2002, and housed up to 140 campers in its heyday. Its current owner has used the property has a hunting and nature lodge.

'This thing's got the full package,' Brian Bauer, of Moss Oak Properties, told Realtor.com .

Above, the fenced-in swimming pool at the property in the middle of the Ohio wilderness

According to the listing, the property features an updated owner's cabin with a full bathroom and kitchen.

'The lodge type structure is secluded and hearkens to State Park type architecture with stone corner pillars and a heavy beam cathedral ceiling along with a center fireplace large enough for a small bonfire,' the listing reads.

The main building also has a commercial kitchen attached to a walk-in cooler.

Other features throughout the property include nurse's quarters and several other cabins, a tradition log home, multiple ponds including one that is stocked and a fenced in pool.

According to the listing, the property features an updated owner's cabin with a full bathroom and kitchen

'The lodge type structure is secluded and hearkens to State Park type architecture with stone corner pillars and a heavy beam cathedral ceiling along with a center fireplace large enough for a small bonfire,' the listing reads

The main building also has a commercial kitchen attached to a walk-in cooler. Above, a look inside one of the buildings

Other features throughout the property include nurse's quarters and several other cabins, a tradition log home, multiple ponds including one that is stocked and a fenced in pool

The property also has marketable timber that could provide harvests for 20 to 40 years. Above, a building on the property

Interested bidders can bid on the whole property or just parts of it. Above, a clearing on the property

'You can buy one or two parcels, or buy it all. The high bidder can take as many parcels as they want,' another listing agent, Jason Miller, said

The property also has marketable timber that could provide harvests for 20 to 40 years.

Interested bidders can bid on the whole property or just parts of it.

'You can buy one or two parcels, or buy it all. The high bidder can take as many parcels as they want,' another listing agent, Jason Miller, said.

Some of the parcels are as small as five acres while the largest is 86 acres.

Bauer says that Loudonville 'is considered the camping and canoe capital of Ohio,' so the property would be great for the outdoorsman. It's located just an 80-minute drive from either Cleveland or Columbus.

There's been a shortage of cabin rentals in the area, which is driving up demand.

Miller says he sees the property being turned into a retreat for a church group or a corporation.

Some of the parcels are as small as five acres while the largest is 86 acres. Above, a nature walk through the property

Bauer says that Loudonville 'is considered the camping and canoe capital of Ohio,' so the property would be great for the outdoorsman. It's located just an 80-minute drive from either Cleveland or Columbus

There's been a shortage of cabin rentals in the area, which is driving up demand for properties

Miller, the listing agent says he sees the property being turned into a retreat for a church group or a corporation
A white former Texas police officer has been indicted on a murder charge in the April shooting death of a black teenager who was leaving a party.

Ex-Balch Springs police officer Roy Oliver was indicted by a grand jury on Monday in the death of 15-year-old Jordan Edwards on April 29, Dallas County District Attorney Faith Johnson said.

Oliver was fired in May for violating department policies after police department officials reviewed body camera footage of the incident, which showed Oliver shooting his rifle into a moving vehicle that was traveling away from him and another officer.

Edwards, a high school freshman, was leaving the party with his two teenage brothers and two other teens.

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Former Balch Springs police officer Roy Oliver (left) was indicted by a grand jury on Monday in the death of 15-year-old Jordan Edwards in April

Police arrived at the scene in Balch Springs, a suburb about 15 miles east of downtown Dallas, to investigate an underage drinking complaint when they heard unrelated gunshots and spotted the vehicle leaving.

Shots from Oliver's rifle pierced the front passenger window, hitting Edwards in the head as he sat in the front seat.

Oliver also was indicted on four charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon by a public official related to the other four teens who were in the car.

Oliver's attorney, Jim Lane, did not immediately return a phone message seeking comment Monday.

The Dallas County Sheriff's Department charged Oliver with murder in May, less than a week after the shooting. Oliver turned himself in and posted bond.

Jordan's parents Charmaine and Odell Edwards arrive for a news conference in Dallas in May. Their son was leaving a party with his two brothers and two other teens when he was killed

Jordan Edwards, left, poses for a photo with his father, Odell Edwards, in an undated photo

Last month, Oliver was indicted on two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon by a public servant in an unrelated incident, where he is accused of displaying a gun during a traffic accident.

Oliver was off duty in Dallas when another vehicle rear-ended his and, according to a police report, he pulled his service weapon and kept it pointed at the ground.

A Dallas officer who responded to that incident didn't file charges, but officials with the district attorney's office said last month that it 'showed a pattern of behavior.'

The district attorney's office asked for Oliver's previous bond to be increased, saying he was considered a danger to the community.

Oliver paid bond in the two charges for the off-duty Dallas incident and the increased bond for the murder charge in June.

His family described him as a 'perfect father figure' who may have been suffering PTSD at the time. He is pictured above with his two children born 11 days apart to different women
White House press secretary Sean Spicer defended Donald Trump Jr.'s meeting with a Kremlin-linked lawyer as being 'about adoption' just hours after President Trump defended it as a legitimate exercise in gathering campaign dirt.

By stressing adoption, rather than promised incriminating information on Hillary Clinton, Spicer used an argument put forward by Trump Jr. more than a week ago, when key details about the meeting were not yet known to the public.

'There was nothing that  as far as we know  that would lead anyone to believe that there was anything except for discussion about adoption and the Majinsky [ph] Act,' Spicer told reporters during an off-camera press briefing.

He was referring to the Magnitsky Act, a 2012 law slapping sanctions on human rights violators that the Kremlin was anxious to roll back.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer said there was nothing 'that would lead anyone to believe that there was anything except for discussion about adoption' and the Magnitsky Act when Donald Trump Jr. met with Russians in Trump Tower

The Kremlin put a halt to U.S. adoptions of Russian children in response to the law, which was itself enacted following the death of lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, who died in a Russian prison after exposing an alleged $230 million fraud.

Spicer's defense made no mention of a stated purpose for the meeting  and one that the president noted online Monday morning: gathering dirt on rival Hillary Clinton.

'Most politicians would have gone to a meeting like the one Don jr attended in order to get info on an opponent. That's politics!' the president tweeted Monday. But Spicer appeared to be fighting on ground Trump Jr.'s allies had relinquished days aso.

Spicer said the meeting was about adoption and sanctions, although it was initially billed as being about potential dirt on Hillary Clinton

Rather than downplaying Hillary material as the purpose of the meeting, the president has argued that virtually any politician likewise would have attended a meeting with the promise of dirt on a rival.

When British music publicist Robert Goldstone first contacted Trump Jr. about the meeting, he explicitly mentioned 'information that would incriminate Hillary and her dealings with Russia' and said it 'could be very useful to your father.'

His June 2016 email  posted online by Trump Jr.  said the information was 'part of Russia and it's government's support for Mr. Trump.'

Key passage: Goldstone offered official information from a Russia 'crown prosecutor' - a British term equivalent to a United States attorney - which would incriminate Hillary Clinton. Trump Jr responded: 'I love it.'

Reporting of the course of last week revealed that the meeting was attended by Kremlin-linked lawyer Natalia Veselnetskaya and Russian-American lobbyist Rinat Akhmetshin.

Both have been actively involved in efforts to role back the Magnitsky Act, which imposes sanctions on human rights violators.

At the press conference in Paris last week, Trump also defended the meeting on the grounds that other politicians would have done the same thing.

THAT'S POLITICS: President Trump tweeted that 'most politicans' would have taken the meeting Donald Trump Jr. did

Donald Trump Jr met with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya last June, after being promised by an intermediary dirt on Hillary Clinton

PR executive Rob Goldstone emailed Donald Trump Jr to set the controversial meeting up. He confirmed to the Associated Press that he participated in the gathering. Next to be revealed to be there was interpreter Anatoli Samochornov (right)

Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya speaks ABC's 'Good Morning America' about meeting with Donald Trump Jr. in footage aired Wednesday

Flying aboard Air Force One on the way to France, Trump told reporters: '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.

In a televised appearance last week days after the story broke, Trump Jr. acknowledged the meeting was about 'opposition' research.

'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,' Trump Jr told Sean Hannity in a sit-down that aired on Fox News.

'For me this was opposition research, they had something you know maybe concrete evidence to all the stories I'd been hearing about, probably under reported for years not just during the campaign so I think I wanted to hear it out,' the president's eldest son said.
How do you tell the owner of a property that he is infringing on state land after he had lived in that property and on that land for years, this while he is paying his power and water bills regularly and receiving mail at that address, too? No doubt, serious resistance will occur.

After January 25th, the army and the police force directed their efforts towards maintaining law and order. Many then considered the security vacuum that emerged a golden opportunity enabling them to do as they please. As authorities did not have the time nor the manpower to go after the corrupt and fraudulent souls, state and agrarian lands became free for looters.

Today, Illegal urban monstrosity rules. As one drives along the Ring Road, the number of eyesore buildings in red brick exteriors, haphazardly built, some with no windows, others erected along sharply narrow streets, while others creeping up dozens of storeys but have no elevators and no appropriate foundation mar ones sight. Immediately one asks: did proprietors get permits to erect such ghastly buildings? If not, what emboldened them to spend millions over structures that are not inspected, safe, or permitted?

As one drives along the Mehwar towards October 6th and Alexandria Desert Road, the green space is sparse, few and far between, when only a few years back, only lush greenery and palm trees populated the area. The hideous red brick structures have sprung there, too, eating up prime agricultural land.

As a builder builds more floors than permitted, he is never told to tear down the illegal storeys, but only to pay a fine. Alexandrias 13-storey leaning tower is a case in point. According to Ahram Online, The building subsided after additional floors were illegally added to it, weakening its foundations, and tilting it forward.

Not only agricultural land was encroached upon but the Nile banks, heritage and tourist areas, and even street curbs were overrun by those who inched slowly into state land day in and day out. Earlier this year a total of 26,322 violations along the river banks had been removed, Ahram Online cites.

The reasons behind the barrage of violations is clear: in a country with no deterrents and no restraints, fear does not exist. Encroachment and violations are not penalized.

However, lets be fair; this approach had gone on for years even before January 25th though it indeed escalated after January 25th. It was the way of the land. Live and let live; officials, themselves erring, looked the other way, allowing opportunists to do as they pleased. No one lived up to what was expected of them. Ethics and morals became a way of the past.

This has changed.

To use a currently infamous idiom, President Sisi is now readily draining the swamp of illegal encroachment on state lands. "It is no longer acceptable for anyone in Egypt to encroach upon state lands. It is no longer acceptable for people to take lands that belong to the state," he said. Anyone who uses land that doesnt belong to him is a common thief.

And as much as it is the best action that couldve happened, many will lose homes and businesses in the affected and ultimately bulldozed areas leaving bitterness to manifest itself against the government and the regime. But President Sisi has never shrugged off responsibility even if ultimately it can diminish his popularity.

And it is high time someone takes the bull by the horn and acts on the infringements, criminalizing violations.

However, retrieving looted land, demolishing illegal buildings, and curtailing encroachment are dangerous if not extreme measures. El Warraq Island reacted violently to the abolishment of homes on state land. Said Tafshan died in the clashes and 19 others were injured. According to Ahram Online, 31 policemen, including two generals, were injured, too.

It is not going to be easy to evict thousands of owners then demolish thousands of homes. Though the violators knew all along that theyve illegally encroached on state land, they have been allowed to do so. We must expect resistance and utter dismay; nevertheless, it has to happen once and for all. This will fix the ongoing wrong, abolish corruption, and prevent further violations.

I truly hope these evacuees will not be abandoned and left on the street. Though offenders, they are also victims of shoddy standards and a blase attitude that remained the norm for decades encouraging others to do the same.

Offenders are in the thousands if not in the millions, but only an iron fist can change the mentality of those who think anything and everything is up for grabs. It will hurt and the ramifications are not very clear, but it has to be done.

Once Egyptians realize that there is a law to abide by, that corruption is unacceptable, and that they will face punitive measures for their actions, Egypt will be on the right track.
Mathieu Laine has been cleared of assaulting his ex-wife and a young child

A close friend and advisor to French President Emmanuel Macron has been cleared of assaulting his ex-wife and a young child.

Mathieu Laine, 42, was accused of attacking Eleonore Salin and a 10-year-old boy outside his 7.7million Kensington home.

She claimed the entrepreneur came at her shouting aggressively as she got out of an Uber cab before yanking her forcibly by the arm.

Mr Laine, an influential French intellectual, was also accused of pinning the child up against a wall hitting him around his legs and calling him a little sh*t.

Wearing a smart blue suit and tie, the defendant was found not guilty of two counts of assault by beating after a two day trial at Hammersmith Magistrates Court.

Judge Karim Ezzat said Ms Salin, a trained criminal lawyer, was an unreliable witness and a woman battling with the unexpected end to a relationship.

He told Mr Laine that it was for the crown to make the case and rely on the witnesses to prove it.

I will say from the outset, from the witnesses, the crown have not discharged the burden of proof, said Judge Ezzat. I do not find you guilty of either of the two offences. I find you not guilty.

I find you did not grab her arm or assault her in any way.

In regards to the assault alleged by the child, which wasnt reported until two weeks later, Judge Ezzat found it did not take place.

Addressing Mr Laine, the judge said: I found you a reliable and credible witness and accept the account you put forward.

Eleonore Salin, left, claimed she was grabbed when she arrived at his 7.7million house, right, on Boxing Day last year

Judge Karim Ezzat ruled Ms Salin, a trained criminal lawyer, was an unreliable witness

Laine counts Emmanuel Macron as a 'close friend'

Those are the reasons why I find you not guilty.

Mr Laine describes French premier Mr Macron as a very good friend and is a trusted advisor to him.

He is now married to Alix Foriel-Destezet, daughter of French billionaire businessman Philippe Foriel-Destezet.

They have a two year-old daughter together.

Earlier, wearing a long flowing white shirt, she had told the court Mr Laine was an amazing person and loving both her, her children and his own who would not resort to physical violence.

Ms Foriel-Destezet burst into tears and hugged her husband ouside court following the judges decision.
An investigation has found the F-35 Lightning II, the most expensive aircraft of its kind, may be unable to function properly as a result of defence cuts

Britain is paying hundreds of millions of pounds for flawed fighter jets, it was claimed yesterday.

An investigation has found the F-35 Lightning II, the most expensive aircraft of its kind, may be unable to function properly as a result of defence cuts.

The UK is buying 138 of the planes and their US manufacturer, Lockheed Martin, claims the aircraft will cost between 77million and 100million each.

But an analysis suggests they could actually cost up to 150million each thanks to a range of hidden costs. It is claimed that items such as software upgrades and spare parts are buried in US defence contracts and not included in the published figures.

In addition, four of the jets that have been ordered cant safely take off and land vertically because they are too heavy. Experts also said cuts had meant the Ministry of Defence had failed to invest enough on communications  meaning the jets may not be able to effectively talk to each other.

And this was just the start of a string of failings uncovered by the Times investigation. For example, the so-called stealth jet cannot transmit data to British ships without revealing its position.

One test pilot had to land in almost total darkness after night vision failed in the F-35s 309,000 helmet, and its software system is vulnerable to cyber attack. Britain, which has pledged to spend more than 12billion on the new jets and aircraft carriers by 2021, is to buy 138 F-35s. The first squadron will arrive at RAF Marham next August and will be deployed on HMS Queen Elizabeth, the first of two new aircraft carriers, from 2020.

But the carrier has a broadband connection of only eight megabits, four times weaker than that for an average household. The F-35 will not be able to send data on enemy threats back to ground forces.

The UK is buying 138 of the planes and their US manufacturer, Lockheed Martin, claims the aircraft will cost between 77million and 100million each

The Times also found that defence staff had failed to buy a critical system enabling the plane to communicate with older friendly aircraft while maintaining stealth capability. It has to switch to an unsecured wavelength, which could give away its position.

The jet is still in development, but US aviation expert Pierre Sprey said: It is unbelievably abnormal to have this level of problems. Manoeuvrability is appallingly bad.

Lockheed Martin disputed the 150million figure, saying the F-35 programme was delivering performance and driving down cost.

The Ministry of Defence said the F-35 programme was on time, within costs and offers the best capability for our Armed Forces. A spokesman added that all the issues with the plane were under active management.

However, an MoD source said last night that military figures were scathing about the investigation by the Times newspaper, added: It was a rehash of stories and back-of-the-fag-packet figures from the Times.

Wing Commander Jim Beck, one of the UKs most experienced F-35 pilots, said: The F-35 is the best aircraft Ive ever flown.

It is the most advanced multi-role fighter jet out there and the aircraft most suited to the UKs needs. But the claims will add to fears that Britains defence is not getting the money it needs while the aid budget goes up year on year.
A man in his 40s has been arrested after police discovered a woman's dead body inside a Melbourne home overnight.

Emergency services were called to the home in Lalor, in north Melbourne, around 1am on Tuesday and found the woman, whose age is unknown, police said.

It is unknown how the woman died but police said the man and woman were known to each other.

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A man in his 40s has been arrested after police discovered a woman's dead body inside a home in Lalor, north of Melbourne, overnight (pictured)

Emergency services were called to the home around 1am on Tuesday and found the woman, whose age is unknown, police said (pictured)

The man was arrested at the home and is 'assisting police with their inquiries.'

It is believed the home was purchased just two weeks ago and a 'sold' sign was seen out the front, according to 9News.

A neighbour said they had seen two men at the property since it was sold, but never a woman.

Forensic detectives were still at the home around 6.30am.

The investigation is ongoing and no charges have been laid.

The man was arrested at the home and is 'assisting police with their inquiries'

It is believed the home was purchased just two weeks ago and a 'sold' sign was seen out the front
Charlie Gard had his first brain scan since April ahead of yesterdays arrival of the American doctor who wants to save him.

Dr Michio Hirano flew to London from New York and went straight to examine the 11-month-old at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH).

The Harvard-educated neuroscientist  Charlies last hope  was joined by a doctor from the Popes hospital in Rome, which is also offering to treat the boy.

They spent five hours at the hospital with him and studied his latest brain scan, taken on Sunday.

Charlie Gard had his first brain scan since April ahead of yesterdays arrival of the American doctor who wants to save him

Charlies parents Connie Yates and Chris Gard, of Belfont, south-west London, were present for the electroencephalogram (EEG), which monitors brain activity.

The results have not been made public but could be crucial in determining his fate. Last night a source close to the family said they remain optimistic.

Today the two doctors will return for a make-or-break meeting with GOSH medics.

Miss Yates, 31, will at the discussion about whether her son can be saved, after convincing the High Court judge in the case that she should be there.

Dr Michio Hirano flew to London from New York and went straight to examine the 11-month-old at Great Ormond Street Hospital

Charlies London doctors say previous brain scans and other tests show he is irreversibly brain damaged and beyond hope.

But Dr Hirano, who specialises in Charlies rare form of mitochondrial depletion syndrome, says his experimental therapy has a 56 per cent chance of meaningful improvement.

A transcript of the meeting will be handed to Mr Justice Francis, who will decide next Tuesday  ten days before Charlies first birthday  whether he should be allowed to try the therapy or should have his life support withdrawn so he dies with dignity.

It emerged yesterday that the judge held an emergency directions hearing over the weekend, believed to be from his home.

Although the case is being held in open court, the media was given no information about the weekend hearing or why it could not wait until the working week. The judge was on leave yesterday and unavailable for comment.

Yesterday Miss Yates spent all day at GOSH, but Mr Gard was seen arriving shortly before Dr Hirano and a fellow expert from the Bambino Gesu Hospital in Rome came to examine Charlie. After a five-hour consultation both doctors left through a side exit.

Charlies parents Connie Yates and Chris Gard, of Belfont, south-west London, were present for the electroencephalogram (EEG), which monitors brain activity

Father-of-two Dr Hirano, 56, whose father was also an acclaimed neuroscientist, is a senior clinician at the Columbia University Medical Centre in New York.

A spokesman for GOSH said the two men were welcomed by the hospitals medical director before being shown to Charlies bedside.

She said each physician was given an honorary contract granting them the same status as local clinicians, and allowing them to examine the patient and to have full access to records and facilities. They will have access to all clinical systems including diagnostic images, she added.

An EEG Charlie had on March 30 was described as very severe by Dr Hirano in the April High Court case. But he said he would try the experimental drugs as the alternative is that he will pass away.
The family of a teen who was hit and killed by a NJ Transit train in 2015 has filed a new civil lawsuit in an attempt to reopen the investigation into her death.

Tiffany Valiante, 18, of Hamilton Township, New Jersey, died after having been hit by a NJ Transit train traveling 80mph on July 12, 2015. After an investigation, her death was ruled a suicide  stating that she purposely stepped in front of the oncoming train.

Valiante's parents, Stephen and Dianne Valiante, however, believe that she wasn't suicidal and say that she was hit by the train while she was trying to escape from kidnappers, reports Press of Atlantic City.

Tiffany Valiante, 18, was hit and killed by a NJ Transit train in July 2015. After an investigation, the medical examiner's office stated that she committed suicide. Her parents have now filed a civil lawsuit alleging that she died while trying to escape from kidnappers

The civil suit was filed on July 10 in the Atlantic County Superior Court, just days before the two-year statute of limitations for filing a civil lawsuit expired.

Although no defendants were named  except as multiple 'Does'  the complaint stated that Valiante was 'the victim of a conspiracy to inflict bodily harm' and noted that she was 'violently abducted' and 'subsequently murdered by the defendants while attempting to flee her imprisonment.'

Besides kidnap and murder, the lawsuit alleges destruction of evidence.

Valiantes parents state in their complaint that the New Jersey's State Medical Examiner's Office's exam was 'significantly flawed' when it reached the suicide conclusion six days after her death.

According to the suit, the authorities failed to check into Valiante's mental state, do any DNA testing on either her clothes or her body or perform a rape kit exam.

Her family also questioned about the fact that, based on bloodhound results, investigators said that Valiante took a four-mile circular route prior to stepping in front of the oncoming train.

The Valiante's attorney, Paul D'Amato told the Press of Atlantic City that the reason for the civil suit was to 'take what is a cold case and open it up.'

Valiente, a high school athlete, was due to attend Mercy College and play volleyball there. On the night she died, she was at her cousin's house attending a graduation party

The lawsuit questions why authorities didn't ask about her mental state, do any DNA testing on her clothing or body or perform a rape kit prior to determining that she died of suicide

He added that the family is troubled by the fact that 'the legacy of their daughter at this point in time is suicide.'

The 6 foot 2 inch tall Valiante planned to attend Mercy College to play volleyball. At the time of her death, no drugs or alcohol were found in her body.

D'Amato said that the Valiantes decided to pursue a civil suit because they require a lower standard of proof, as opposed to criminal cases, which require proof beyond a reasonable doubt.

The Valiantes' lawsuit is set to include affidavits from the Atlantic County Medical Examiner's Office, as well as a forensic pathologist who will speak to the 2015 suicide determination. The suit will also enable D'Amato to subpoena people for additional information about her death, some of who had not been previously interviewed by authorities.

This is the second time that the Valiantes have filed a lawsuit regarding their daughter's death.

In 2016, they filed a lawsuit claiming that the ME's office had miscategorized Valiante's death as a suicide. As defendants, they listed the New Jersey Office of Attorney General and Medical Examiner's Office, according to NJ.com.

They did not seek any monetary damages in the 2016 lawsuit. All they asked was that the manner of her death be changed due to what D'Amato, at the time, called a 'classic rush to judgement,' according to CBS Philly.

In the newly-filed suit civil suit, the Valiantes claim that on the night of her death, Valiante was at her cousin's house, across the street from their home, attending a graduation party. The suit also states that Valiante's mother found her sneakers and headband while walking the route she took from her cousin's house to where she died.

When she was struck by the train, Valiante was barefoot. Her cell phone was found discarded off a road near her home.
Donald Trump said Monday that Republicans urgently need 'crusty' Arizona Sen. John McCain back in the Senate so a plan to repeal and replace the Obamacare law can move forward.

The president predicted that 'it's going to happen,' despite wavering from several GOP senators including both conservatives and moderates.

'We hope John McCain gets better very soon, because we miss him,' Trump said during an event highlighting his 'Made in America' initiative.

'He's a crusty voice in Washington. Plus we need his vote.'

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Donald Trump said Monday that Republicans urgently need the 'crusty voice' of Sen. John McCain back in the Senate so a plan to repeal and replace Obamacare can move forward

McCain, shown last week before his cranial surgery, is expected to be away from work for between one and two weeks

The GOP holds just 52 seats in the 100-member U.S. Senate, meaning that any three defections will derail the legislation.

Two senators, the libertarian-leaning Rand Paul of Kentucky and the centrist Susan Collins of Maine, have already said they see no scenario for 'yes' votes.

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Monday that the Senate will 'defer' voting on the Better Care Act until McCain returns to Washington.

On Friday a Mayo Clinic doctor removed a large blood clot from a vessel over McCain's left eye, under the skull and near his brain's frontal cortex.

He is expected to be at home in Arizona for at least one week.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer said Monday that the president has invited a group of unnamed senators to the White House for an evening working session meant to iron out their differences.

'It's a very, very hard time they're having with the Obamacare situation,' Trump said Monday, while predicting that 'we're going to surprise a lot of people.'

'The Republican senators are great people,' he added, 'but they have a lot of different states. Some states need this, some states need that.'

With Vice President Mike Pence standing behind him, the president declared that 'we're getting it together and it's going to happen.'

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has been forced to put the Republican health care bill on hold until McCain can return

Trump delivered his remarks during a 'Made in America' products showcase at the White House, where he was seen trying on a custom Stetson cowboy hat

'Right, Mike?' he asked.

'Yes sir,' Pence responded.

Trump ended his sentence: 'I think.

'And when it does happen, that will be a big day in America. Believe me. Big day in America.'

Trump ran on a platform of dismantling his predecessor's highest-profile legislative achievement, which he claimed had become a 'disaster' as insurance co-ops failed and underwriting companies fled.

But finding a replacement that could attract majorities in both houses of Congress has proved tough, even though Republicans control the House and Senate.

McConnell tried last week to appease conservatives by adding an amendment allowing insurers to sell bare-bones 'catastrophic coverage' policies as long as they offer at least one other option that would have complied with the Obamacare law.

But the most recent draft also includes some of the Obama-era law's tax increases and offered $70 billion in new subsidy spending to lower premiums, measures sure to please moderates.

For other constituencies, he included $45 billion in new money to fight opioid addiction, along with a provision allowing individual medical insurance buyers to pay with pre-tax dollars.

A group of eight Republican senators  in addition to Collins and Paul  are still vacillating.

McCain is among them.

Governors from their home states could tip the scale in Trump's favor  or doom the bill  depending on their reactions to cuts in Medicaid spending.

The Republican National Committee on Monday condemned a member who shared a nasty post urging McCain to 'just die already.'

Republican national committeewoman Diana Orrock of Nevada tweeted, "Amen," as she responded to another Twitter user who wrote 'Please Just (expletive) Die Already" above the hashtag 'JohnMcCain,' the Associated Press reported.

Republican National Committee spokesman Ryan Mahoney called Orrock's tweet "extremely inappropriate" and pointed to McCain's sacrifices as a war hero, whom he wished a speedy recover.

Orrock deleted the tweet.
Officials found 400 pounds of marijuana inside Mexican-manufactured cars that had been delivered to dealerships in Northeast Ohio and Pennsylvania.

During a delivery inspection at a Ford dealership in Kent, Ohio, employees found a suspicious package in the spare tire compartment of a new Ford Fusion.

It turned out to be marijuana compressed to fit into the small space.

A photograph released by the Dilworth Police Department in Minnesota shows the several tightly packed crescents-shaped packages with pot inside. When two halves were put together, they created a circular shape like a tire.

Packages were found in 14 other Ford Fusions in Portage, Stark and Columbiana counties in Ohio and one in Pennsylvania, totaling 400 pounds of marijuana that's worth over $1million.

Four hundred pounds of marijuana was found inside Mexican-manufactured cars that had been delivered to US dealerships at several locations. During a delivery inspection at a Ford dealership in Kent, Ohio, employees found the drug (above) in the spare tire compartment

Packages were found in 14 other Ford Fusions in Portage, Stark and Columbiana counties in Ohio and one in Pennsylvania. The cars were manufactured in Sonora, Mexico, crossed the border through Arizona and had all gone through a rail yard in Warren, Ohio (stock photo)

The cars were manufactured in Sonora, Mexico, crossed the border through Arizona and had all gone through a rail yard in Warren, Ohio.

'They were marked so they could visually checked by whoever was going to receive the drugs,' Portage County Sheriff David Doak told the Record-Courier.

'We found 15 packages in all, over $1million in street value.'

This isn't the first time marijuana has been smuggled through cars from Mexico into the US.

'There was a dealership in Minnesota,' Doak said. 'The authorities said the cars left a Mexico plant.

At street value, the marijuana costs at least $1million. The packages of pot had been compressed and stored in the spare tire compartments of the new cars (stock photo)

'Someone boarded the train to pack the drugs and discard the spare tires and the smugglers board the train to retrieve the shipment.

'That was a while ago, but it's part of what we're looking at.'

Bob Bolanzo, the head of the Youngstown Federal Drug Enforcement Administration told local outlet The Vindicator that this is the first marijuana smuggling operation of its kind in the northeast Ohio area.

The Youngstown DEA and the Portage County Sheriff's Office are conducting the ongoing investigation.
A bride-to-be shot dead by police after calling 911 to report a rape died from a single gunshot wound to the abdomen.

Autopsy results reveal Justine Damond, who was wearing her pyjamas when she was shot by policeman Mohamed Noor, died as a result of a homicide.

The officer aimed at the Australian from the passenger seat of his squad car while she spoke to his colleague on the driver's side in a back alley.

On Monday, her fiance Don Damond said the family were 'desperate for information' about her shooting - in which he referred to as a homicide.

Her heartbroken parents spoke for the first time on Tuesday afternoon, describing their shock at their daughter's death and calling on 'the light of justice to shine down'.

Don Damond,fiance of an Australian woman shot dead by police after she called 911 to report a sexual assault happening in the alley behind her home, fought back tears as he claimed that the cops have failed to provide any explanation

Mohammed Noor (left) shot Justine Damond, 40, (right) who was wearing pajamas, from the passenger seat of his squad car while she spoke to his colleague on the drivers side in a back alley

Don Damond, Ms Damond's fiance, was comforted by a friend after addressing the media

'We thought yesterday was our worst nightmare but we awoke to the ugly truth and it hurt even more,' a shattered John Ruszczyk said, flanked by his wife.

'Justine, our daughter, was so special to us and so many others. We went down to Freshy (Freshwater) beach this morning and saw the blackness turn to light.

'Justine was a beacon to all of us, we only ask that the light of justice shine down on the circumstances of her death.'

The 40-year-old was gunned down by Noor, 31, the first Somali-American officer in his precinct.

In a statement released by his attorney, the officer said he takes the family's loss 'seriously and 'keeps them in his daily thoughts and prayers'.

'He came to the United States at a young age and is thankful to have had so many opportunities. He takes these events very seriously because, for him, being a police officer is a calling. He joined the police force to serve the community and to protect the people he serves. Officer Noor is a caring person with a family he loves and he empathizes with the loss others are experiencing,' the statement read.

'The current environment for police is difficult, but Officer Noor accepts this as part of his calling. We would like to say more, and will in the future.'

'At this time, however, there are several investigations ongoing and Officer Noor wants to respect the privacy to the family and asks the same in return during this difficult period.'

Mr Damond, who addressed the assembled media from his backyard in Minneapolis, said 'piecing together Justine's last moments before the homicide will be a small comfort as we grieve this tragedy.'

'Our hearts are broken and we are utterly devastated by the loss of Justine,' he added, as he was comforted by his son Zach during the press conference.

Don's voice broke, and the grieving fiance appeared on the edge of tears, as he described the little he did know about what took place the night Justine died.

Don's voice broke, and the grieving fiance appeared on the edge of tears, as he described the little he did know about what took place the night Justine died

'Piecing together Justine's last moments before the homicide will be a small comfort as we grieve this tragedy,' said Don, addressing the assembled media from his backyard in Minneapolis

Don Damond is hugged by a family member as he breaks into tears after the press conference

Many of Justine's family, friends and loved ones were emotional at the press conference

Justine Damond (pictured with her husband to be) was shot dead in her pyjamas by police in the United States, after calling 911 to report a disturbance in an alley near her home at South Minneapolis, Minnesota

A timeline shows the events that led up to the fatal shooting

Friends left flowers at a makeshift memorial near the alley where Ms Damond was shot and killed

STATEMENT FROM POLICE OFFICER MOHAMED NOOR 'Officer Noor extends his condolences to the family and anyone else who has been touched by this event. He takes their loss seriously and keeps them in his daily thoughts and prayers.' 'He came to the United States at a young age and is thankful to have had so many opportunities. He takes these events very seriously because, for him, being a police officer is a calling. He joined the police force to serve the community and to protect the people he serves. Officer Noor is a caring person with a family he loves and he empathizes with the loss others are experiencing.' 'The current environment for police is difficult, but Officer Noor accepts this as part of his calling. We would like to say more, and will in the future. At this time, however, there are several investigations ongoing and Officer Noor wants to respect the privacy to the family and asks the same in return during this difficult period.' Advertisement

'It was Justine that called 911 on Saturday evening reporting what she believed was an active sexual assault occurring nearby.

'Sadly, my family and I have been provided with almost no additional information from law enforcement regarding what happened after police arrived.

'We have lost the dearest of people and we are desperate for information.'

Don described Justine as 'kind and so darn funny'.

'She touched so many people. She was a teacher to so many, in living a life of openness, kindness and love,' he said. 'She made us all laugh with her great wit and her humor.'

'Our lives are forever changed as a result of knowing her.

'It's difficult to fathom how to go forward without her in my life.'

Don, who promised to provide further statements as more information came to light, also thanked friends, family and strangers for 'the amazing outpouring of love and support that we received' after the loss of Justine.

'The death of Justine is a loss to everyone who knew her.'

Both officer's bodycams were off and the squad car camera not recording when Damond was killed just a month before she was due to marry.

Supporters used chalk to share colourful messages of love near the alleyway where Ms Damond was killed on Saturday night

The messages were accompanied by the names of others who had been shot my police

Don Damond's son Zach Damond comforts a woman at the event at their home on Monday

Don said that everyone who knew Justine had been affected by her death (he hugs family and friends after making his statement to the press)

Friends and family held hands to support Don Damond as he addressed the press

The shooting occurred near the intersection of 51st Street and Washburn Avenue South, in the city's Fulton neighborhood.

The driver of the squad car that pulled up in the alley behind the home Damond shared with her fiance has been identified as Matthew Harrity, a community service officer since 2016.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) - the state agency investigating the shooting - has so far kept tight-lipped on how the circumstances that led to the death of the yoga and meditation teacher.

They have admitted that no weapons were recovered from the scene and according to the Star Tribune witnesses to the shooting have described Damond approaching the police cruiser in the alley behind her house.

She was holding her cell phone and talking to an officer on the drivers side before she was shot.

The only concrete statement the BCA has made so far is to confirm that 'at one point an officer fired their weapon, fatally striking a woman'.

Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman told the Star Tribune on Monday the police officers' body cameras should have been operating when they responded to Ms Damond's call.

'I do understand this, they were driving down an alley, the victim approached the car. That's not necessarily a time you must [be taping], but frankly I think it's a time you should,' he said.

The county attorney said he would decide whether or not to charge Noor with the shooting.

Community leader: Officer Noor (center) met with Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges (not pictured) in 2016 where she praised him for joining the police force

Pride: This picture dates from 2015 and shows Officer Noor being inducted into the Somali American Police Association

Noor, 31, has in the past been personally praised by Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges.

He also holds a degree in administration and economics.

The Mayor demanded fast answers as the investigation began on Monday.

'I have the same questions you do, and I seek the same answers you seek,' said Mayor Hodges.

'This process is difficult, but I want to be sure we get this right.'

Minneapolis Chief of Police Janee Harteau issued a statement on Monday calling the death tragic.

'I have many of the same questions and it is why we immediately asked for an external and independent investigation into the officer-involved shooting death,' said Harteau.

'I also want to assure you that I understand why so many people have so many questions at this point. I've asked for the investigation to be expedited to provide transparency and to answer as many questions as quickly as we can.'

On Monday morning the heartbroken stepson of Damond appeared outside his home and had harsh words for Officer Noor.

'Why? Why did you do it?,' said Zach Damond.

'He has no idea the impact that he had on thousands of people. No idea.'

'I hope that he wakes up every single day and thinks about it, and then I hope that he thinks about how he can be a better person because that's what she did every single day. And if you don't do that, then you're not even living, either, man.'

Heartbroken: Zach Damond spoke to reporters outside his home on Monday morning and said he hopes the police officer who shot Justine Damond dead on Saturday night suffers

Meeting and greeting: Mayor Hodges posted this picture of Officer Noor in his uniform to her Facebook page in 2016 along with a tribute to him

According to Minneapolis Star Tribune, the website Minnesota PoliceClips has audio of an exchange between dispatch and the officers involved.

One officer says that he sees a 'female standing behind a building' and 'one down' from the same location before saying they are performing CPR.

Local news have reported that Noor shot across his partner who was the driver of the squad car and both have been placed on administrative leave pending the investigation.

Police in Minneapolis are required to wear bodycams at all time, but they are not continually active and are manually switched on when an officer anticipates they will be needed.

It is not know why the squad car camera cannot be used in this case.

The decision to equip all police with bodycams came after the black motorist Philando Castile was shot by an officer in 2016 in controversial circumstances.

The BCA is currently trying to establish if any video of the shooting exists and Noor has already hired an attorney, according to local Minneapolis news.

Noor, who joined the Minneapolis Police in March 2015, has had three complaints made against him in two years - including a lawsuit.

Two are from 2017 and one from 2016 is closed and according to Lou Raguse of Kare 11 is marked 'not to be made public'.

The lawsuit stems from a police call on May 25, 2017, when Noor and two other officers took a woman to hospital and she claimed that they carried out false imprisonment, assault and battery.

According to the ongoing lawsuit, the woman claimed that Noor 'grabbed her right wrist and upper arm' when moving her.

Mayor Hodges wrote on her Facebook page last year that she 'wanted to take a moment to recognize Officer Mohamed Boor, the newest Somali officer in the Minneapolis Police Department.

'Officer Noor has been assigned to the 5th Precinct, where his arrival has been highly celebrated, particularly by the Somali community in and around Karmel Mall.'

Ms Damond, also known as Justine Ruszczyk, was originally from Sydney but had been living in the US for three years and was engaged to marry American businessman Don Damond (right), 50, in August

On Saturday night, Damond had called 911 to attend a noise and possible assault in the alley, and was reportedly speaking to the two officers through the drivers side window when the officer in the front passenger seat shot her through the drivers side door.

Neighbours told The Star Tribune they came out of their home to investigate the flashing lights and saw police trying to revive Ms Damond, who was lying on the ground.

Ms Damond had a well-known stance against guns, and there was no way she would have been armed on Saturday night, her friend Hannah, 21, told the paper.

She also explained Damond (nee Ruszczyk), who had already taken her fiance's last name often spoke about the benefits of Australia's tight gun control.

Despite her misgivings, Damond had elected to give up her life in Sydney for one in Minneapolis, where she lived with her fiance Don, who she described as the 'amazing, handsome hilarious, rockstar love of my life'.

In a Facebook post dating back to 2014, the woman describes her fiance Don as the 'amazing, handsome, hilarious, rockstar love of my life' (pictured)

Damond was due to marry fiance Don Damond, a former musician, in August, and become a step-mother to his 22-year-old son Zach.

At the time of the shooting Mr Damond, the vice president of Little Six Casino, was away on business.

Her soon-to-be stepson Zach was reportedly also not at the home on Saturday night, returning on Sunday to discover the crime scene.

And just hours after the shooting he spoke to a local activist group, slamming police over the death of Ms Damond - who he called his 'best friend'.

'Basically my mum's dead because a police officer shot her for reasons I don't know,' Zach Damond said.

'I demand answers. If anybody can help, just call police and demand answers. I'm so done with all this violence. It's so much bulls**t. America sucks.

'She was a very passionate woman, she thought something bad was happening - and next thing you know they take my best friend's life.'

Ms Damond was shot in an alleyway on 51st Street in the Fulton neighbourhood (pictured)

Just hours after the shooting Zach Damond (pictured), her heartbroken soon-to-be stepson, spoke with close friends of the woman and slammed police over her death

Ms Damond had previously spoken out against US gun laws and said it was better in Australia, where there is tight gun control

When police arrived at her home at around 11.30pm, 'one officer fired their weapon, fatally striking the woman' as she reportedly stood in her driveway, wearing pyjamas

Damond's Australian-based family released a statement through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on Monday afternoon.

'This is a very difficult time for our family. We are trying to come to terms with this tragedy and to understand why this has happened,' the statement read.

'We will not make any further comment or statement and ask that you respect our privacy.'

Neighbours say they saw officers desperately trying to resuscitate the woman after she was shot

Ms Damond (pictured) was a 'corporate speaker, trainer and coach' who worked to spiritually help others and regularly ran workshops, according to her website and social media accounts

Damond attended Manly High School and the University of Sydney.

Her friend Matt Omo, an Australian, told the ABC he hoped something positive could come from the tragedy.

'I only hope this evolves into something that can make a positive impact for the world,' he said.

Family friend Julia Reed addressed media on Monday, and said the woman would be 'undoubtedly' very missed.

'She was treasured and loved - we will miss her dreadfully,' she said.

Ms Reed, who had known Damond for 32 years, said she would miss: '[Justine's] energy, intelligence, and the joy she brought to my life'.

Friend Marcus Ritchie mourned 'one of the world's most caring and sensitive souls', and called her 'a true inspiration to us all' in a Facebook post.

'There is no way to justify this incident as Justine Ruszczyk was such a beautiful person,' he wrote.

'There will be a lot to answer for!'

Ms Damond's friends told US media she had often spoken out against gun violence and told them 'how much better' things were in Australia

Hundreds of people gathered outside the Damond residence in the hours after her death to hold a vigil for the woman (pictured)

Ms Damond's stepson shared images from the vigil, writing: 'people really showed love, thank you'

Originally trained as a vet at the University of Sydney, she was 'supporting individuals and organizations to discover the power and potential within their own brains and hearts.'

Ms Damond regularly held sessions at the Lake Harriet Spritual Centre, with many of her talks recorded and uploaded to YouTube.

She grew up on Sydney's northern beaches, with her father John the owner of a Dymocks bookstore at Warringah Mall and a prominent member of the community.

Hundreds gathered outside the Damond home in the hours after her death to hold a vigil for the woman, with her neighbours remembering a 'beautiful light'.

'This woman was a beautiful light, she was a healer, she was loved, she should be alive - she should still be here,' one friend said.

Pictures showed a large group of people holding hands in a drive way, with colourful chalk drawings on the pavement - including a heart with 'Justine' written inside, and a red and a yellow rose laid on either side.

Her stepson Zach shared images from the event in his Instagram story, writing: 'people really showed love, thank you'.

One image showed a sign which read: 'Why did you shoot and kill our neighbour and friend?'.

The placard was surrounded by flowers, candles and a letter.

Nearby, a tea towel with an image of Australia was hung on a brick wall.

One mourner drew a heart with 'Justine' written inside, and a red and a yellow rose was laid on either side

WHY DID POLICE HAVE THEIR BODY CAMERAS TURNED OFF? - The use of body cameras, or portable video recorders (PVR), was initiated in Minneapolis during 2016. - Police introduced the technology in an effort to reduce complaints about the behaviour of officers and also to ensure vital video evidence was captured. - In Minneapolis, where Ms Ruszczyk died, the cameras must be manually switched on by police. They are automatic in other parts of the US. - According to Minneapolis government's policy, the body cameras must be turned on by when they anticipate they may be involved in a certain situation. - Situations where they must be switched on include: Traffic stops, arrests, physical confrontations, crimes in progress and suspicious person stops. - It was last week revealed that the usage of body cameras among officers in Minneapolis was low as 4% in some areas when responding to 911 calls. Source: Minneapolis Government Advertisement

Hundreds of people attended the vigil outside Ms Damond's home on Sunday

Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges said she was disturbed by the shooting and called on BCA to release information about Ms Damond's death as quickly as possible

In a statement, the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said an investigation was in its early stages, but that police did not have their body cameras on during the incident.

Less than a week earlier it was revealed that officers across the city were using body cameras at what appeared to be a low amounts, despite their high-profile roll out.

Under Minneapolis Police Department policy, officers 'should manually activate their PVR (portable video recorder) to Record Mode when reasonably safe and practical' in situations including 'suspicious person stops' and 'crimes in progress'.

In a statement, the Minneapolis Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said an investigation was in its early stages, but confirmed police did not have their body cameras on during the incident

Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges said she was disturbed by the shooting and called on BCA to release information about Damond's death as quickly as possible.

'As mayor of our city, a wife, and a grandmother, I am heartsick and deeply disturbed by what occurred last night,' Mayor Hodges said, the Star Tribune reports.

'There are still many questions about what took place, and while the investigation is still in its early stages, I am asking the BCA to release as much information, as quickly as they are able to.

'My thoughts are now with everyone affected by this tragic incident, especially the deceased woman and her family.'
Standing in the airport departure lounge, surrounded by scenes of despair, Francesca Pearce began to cry.

After months spent planning her best friends hen weekend to Amsterdam, she and her fellow partygoers dreams of sipping prosecco by the citys canals and staying in their pre-paid, bijou hotel were becoming more distant by the minute.

Four hours after arriving at Heathrow, the party of eight learned their fate: their British Airways flights were cancelled. As a result of the airlines now infamous system outage seven weeks ago, their eagerly awaited trip was over.

Astonishingly, the problems seem to have been caused by an IT worker accidentally turning off the power supply, prompting the shut-down of BAs entire system.

800 flights were either cancelled or delayed when British Airways' IT systems failed spectacularly two months ago, but despite company promises to 'fully honour' its obligation to compensate, passengers say they are still waiting for their money (file)

The womens anger, however, was tempered by the conviction that they would at least get their money back. We were sure British Airways would reimburse us after making such a massive mistake, says Francesca.

But as of today  nearly two months on from the calamitous May 27 weekend which caused travel chaos for some 75,000 passengers  the friends have yet to receive any money, thwarted by a complex compensation system and an elusive customer services department.

In fact, it was only when this newspaper got involved with their case, that the airline seemed to show interest in their plight.

Communication has been terrible from the start and I wont be flying with British Airways again, says Francesca, 27, from London.

She and her friends are far from the only ones reeling from the aftermath of the worst technical crisis in the airlines recent history. Nearly 800 flights were cancelled  including my own  on what was not only the start of the Spring Bank Holiday weekend, but the beginning of half-term and one of the airlines busiest days of the year.

Honeymoons and holidays were missed, a wedding postponed and desperately-ill passengers left stranded on runways or separated from medication in their suitcases.

British Airways assured customers it would fully honour its obligation to compensate. But almost two months on and it seems the company is buckling under the weight of its promise.

Some of those who have had their flights reimbursed, meanwhile, complain they have had expenses claims unfairly cut.

It is a monumental PR disaster for what was once considered the nations favourite airline, whose parent company, International Airlines Group, made a record 144 million profit in the last quarter.

And it comes at a time when BA is already struggling to deal with staff strikes over pay disputes and a backlash from their decision to scrap free food and drink in economy class from this January.

Despite British Airways being voted the best airline in the world in 2006, by 2016 they had dropped to 40th place, says aviation analyst Alex Macheras. The majority of passengers I speak to now have more negative things to say about BA than positive.

Can their reputation bounce back? I dont think so  and thousands of flyers feel they were not compensated adequately for something that was entirely BAs fault.

They are sentiments echoed by Francesca, who bought her groups flights, costing 150 each, to Amsterdam this January. Francesca then paid 150 up front on two nights hotel accommodation for each hen and hundreds more on activities.

There was to be a prosecco cruise on the canal, a treasure hunt and a cycle ride for which 12 bikes had been hired. She put the approximate 4,000 cost on her husbands credit card.

When the women arrived at Heathrow at 11am, they were greeted by mammoth queues and, after they had passed security, information boards devoid of information. Staff tried to flag delays on whiteboards. Everyone was panicked. We werent offered food and drink and there were no announcements, says Francesca, a communications consultant.

Mail writer Antonia Hoyle, who was caught up in the disaster with children Rosie and Felix, is just one of those who feels let down by the 'world's favourite carrier'

Indeed, it was only from an online BBC report in the afternoon that the group discovered all flights from Heathrow and Gatwick due to depart before 6pm had been cancelled. I cried, says Francesca. The whole trip had been my responsibility. All other airline flights were booked up. We had no way of making it.

But we werent the worst off. There was a mother with a disabled child distraught because she couldnt access their medication in a suitcase already checked in.

A man was telling customer services that his visa had expired and he wasnt legally allowed to be in the country.

Told the airport doors were locked as there were too many passengers trying to leave at the same time, they were trapped until 6pm when, Francesca says, a steward took pity on us and suggested we escape by taking a train to another terminal.

That Tuesday she drafted a letter the hens sent detailing their expenses. It took hours of digging to decipher where to send the letter to  there was no information on BAs website, says Francesca.

Eventually, passengers were told they could claim online, after which each hen was emailed a case number. But six weeks passed and despite constant chasing they heard nothing.

My familys 1.40pm flights from Gatwick to Lanzarote were also cancelled on May 27. My daughter, Rosie, six, and son Felix, four, were devastated and my husband Chris and I desperate to save our holiday. The nearest, and earliest, replacement flights we could find left Manchester at 6 am the next day  for 1,757.20.

After four hours waiting for our luggage to be returned we drove home to London and took a 235.75 train and taxi journey to Manchester, before spending the night in Manchester airport.

By the time we reached our hotel in Lanzarote the following lunchtime I was exhausted and sick at the expense, yet told myself it would all be worthwhile as we would be compensated. But while we were reimbursed 1,460 after a fortnight  around two thirds the cost of our original BA flights  I spent hours trying to claim money wed spent on extra travel and compensation we were due.

Under EU regulations passengers are entitled to 250 compensation for flights up to 1,500 km; 400 for flights within the EU of more than 1,500km and other flights between 1,500km and 3,500km; and 600 for all other flights.

Communication has been terrible from the start and I wont be flying with British Airways again Francesca Pearce, who was due to fly to Amsterdam for a hen do

Passengers are also entitled to food and drink compensation, overnight accommodation and travel to and from the airport.

Plus, says Coby Benson, flight delay legal manager at Bott & Co legal firm, we are also entitled to reimbursement for the extra money we paid for our replacement flights.

If a flight is cancelled, an airline should offer free replacement flights. Its a little known fact that it doesnt have to be with the same airline, he says.

If a passenger booked a replacement by themselves they should cover the cost of that flight.

Yet despite my frequent attempts to contact customer services, the only personalised correspondence I had received by the end of last week was a letter saying that in order to look into my problems BA first need written permission from Chris, Rosie and Felix under the Data Protection Act.

Asking a four-year-old to sign a legal disclaimer felt ridiculous  and is, of course, nonsensical as I am his legal guardian anyway.

Those with legal representation may be faring better.

Benson  who estimates the fiasco could cost BA over 100 million  says that of up to 1,000 cases Bott & Co have dealt with, 30 per cent have been settled, and that BA have paid out all so far without unnecessary argument.

I wonder if thats the difference between sending a solicitors letter and your average person writing in, says Benson.

Quite. But many BA passengers cant afford legal representation, having spent most of their money on their ill-fated holidays.

Charity fundraiser Sara Haffner was left almost 2,000 out of pocket after her familys flights from Heathrow to South Africa were cancelled and she spent 3,700 on replacements with Virgin airlines.

I felt sick spending that amount of money, says Sara, 41, a single mother to Marco, nine, and Toby, six. Why should I have to pay the price for someone pulling the wrong plug out?

Sara  whod saved up for 18 months to afford the 1,590 cost of her familys flights for a safari, staying at a cousins lodge  only realised her 7.05pm flight to Johannesburg was cancelled when she arrived at Heathrow Terminal 5.

Sara, from London, saw there were seats left on a Virgin flight leaving at 8.30pm from Heathrow Terminal 3. I had to call my mum and ask to borrow money but an urge to get there no matter what took over, says Sara.

Once in South Africa, she spent three days trying to assess how to claim compensation.

It cast a cloud over the holiday. The BA website kept crashing. I spent hours filling in forms. Nobody from BA called us. Id chosen to fly BA through loyalty  I was such a regular customer I had a BA Amex card. But they didnt care.

By the end of June, Sara had received a refund for her BA flights and 600 (527) compensation for each passenger in her party, but BA refused to pay her the difference in flight costs.

I didnt claim for any meal replacements or telephone or internet bills  all I wanted was the flight money, says Sara.

Alanna Allen has been left around 500 out of pocket after her flight home from Sardinia was cancelled on May 27. She was kept on the Italian island for an extra day and the airline refused to fully reimburse her expenses.

We spent the entire time online trying to work out how to get back and only spent what we needed to, says hair salon owner Alanna, 30, married to Daniel, 34, a driver.

She and Daniel were told their 7.25pm flight was cancelled ten minutes before it was due to go.

All the local hotels were booked so we had to stay in a hotel a 45-minute drive from the airport, says Alanna.

She and Daniel paid 213 (187) for car hire, and for dinner we ate a club sandwich and salad nicoise, says Alanna.

We certainly werent being extravagant  but it was an expensive area and our full hotel receipt for accommodation and food that evening and the next day was 395 (347). The whole time we were online trying to find return flights, or on hold or being cut off by BA customer services. It wasnt as if we were enjoying ourselves.

It was 4pm the next day before Alanna  who had been trying to get through since 6am that morning  spoke to a BA customer services operator who put her on a flight at 9.25pm that evening.

The mood among passengers was bitter, especially when those who hadnt eaten had to pay for their dinner, says Alanna.

Four weeks later she received compensation, but it had been capped at 100 for her car hire, 100 for food and drink and 100 for hotel accommodation  around half her claim. BA refused to pay for our 75 taxi home, she says.

Since contacting British Airways on Thursday and letting them know I was writing about my experience  and those of Francesca, Sara and Allana  I have been fully reimbursed and received a formal apology.

I have been told Francescas case is now being dealt with, but is taking longer to process because several cases need to be merged.

Sara has now been paid the difference her Virgin flights cost. I was told Alanna and Daniel have received EU compensation and expenses including hotel and transport, and reasonable costs for everything else.

A BA spokesperson said they had created a dedicated page for claimants on their website and added: We have put additional resource into our customer relations teams, and thousands of payments have already been made to customers who have completed their claims.

We are processing claims as quickly as possible, and thank our customers for their patience.
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Jaqui Beale needed stitches after being attacked by cows when walking her dog

Victims of cow attacks have warned walkers of the dangers of cattle kept in fields with their calves.

Jacqui Beale, 48, suffered broken ribs and a punctured lung, and was left needing stitches to her face after she was set upon by the beasts while walking her dog.

The dog groomer told how she was left in fear for her life when the animals went for her in May this year as she came across them with their young.

'The dog was on a lead, but they weren't going for the dog, they came for me and knocked me over,' she said.

'I was bashed about by about eight cows. I remember being tossed from one to another and thinking I wasn't going to survive.

'All I could hear was snorting and breathing, it was terrifying.'

Ms Beale, from Wirksworth in Derbyshire, managed to get herself to safety, but warned others who may be unprepared for attacks.

She said: 'If I had had a child with me or had been an old person who couldn't get out of the field, it would have been even worse. You wouldn't expect it, but cows move really fast.

'This has left me really scared. I respect animals and have always kept my dog on a lead, but that wasn't enough.

Ms Beale feared that others might be unprepared for cow attacks, and says she's 'too scared to go near them now'

'I live in the countryside surrounded by lovely fields, but I'm too scared to go near them now.

'There are lots of popular walks near me, but if you do them you risk being mauled.'

Grandfather-of-five Mike Pace is still in the process of having his leg reconstructed after he was attacked by cows in August last year.

The 55-year-old said he thought he was going to die when he was trampled while walking along a public footpath with his wife, Gill, during a camping holiday in Abersoch in Gwynedd, Wales.

Ms Beale suffered broken ribs and a punctured lung during the attack

'There were around 30 cows behind us and Gill then noticed they had calves,' said the father-of-four, from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire.

'As we started to walk the other way, this black bullock that had been staring looking menacing charged me and threw me up in the air and then the other cattle just started trampling me.

'The black bullock started lifting its back legs off the ground and trampling me.

'While on the floor I had a conversation with myself thinking I was going to die. I told myself I'd had a good life.'

Last year 55-year-old Mike Pace (pictured left) was trampled by a heard of cows during a camping holiday in Wales. He is still in the process of having his leg reconstructed (right)

Mrs Pace escaped unharmed, but her husband, who works as a manager at BMW, spent more than a month in hospital and still needs crutches to walk.

He and Ms Beale are both taking legal action and Sally Gray, a personal injury specialist at Slater and Gordon, is representing a number of people who have been injured by cattle.

She said: 'Cows grazing in a field seem like the image of tranquillity, hence why people assume there's no threat.

'Indeed, they are very docile animals, often unbothered by people walking in their fields. However, when they have calves it's a different story.

Cows are normally docile creatures but become extremely agitated when humans appear while their calves are near

'Around this time of year we get lots of cases relating to injuries caused by cows - some very nasty and potentially fatal.

'Recent data shows that cows are the most dangerous large animals in the UK and, when it comes to public liability and the risk owed to the public, farmers have been advised not to put calves and their mothers in fields that are open to the public together.

'Owners of animals that have the potential to cause serious injury need to make sure they're kept in suitable areas.'
Margaret Kellis, 81, from Aberdeen, North Carolina, has been denied a reduced bail because she is a 'danger to herself and others'

A wheelchair-bound murder suspect has been denied a reduced bail because she is a 'danger' to the public, one year after her husband was found shot to death.

Margaret Kellis, 81, from Aberdeen, North Carolina, was described as a 'danger to herself and others' during a hearing on Wednesday, the Pilot reported.

The judge denied her request to lower her bail from $ 1 million to $1000,000 after Kellis's attorneys said she needed to see her terminally ill son.

Prosecutors said Kellis posed a flight risk, had intimidated witnesses testifying against her to change their statement and even threatened to kill another inmate.

'I have been told by family members that if she is released, we will never see her again,' Homicide Detective Sergeant Anthony Guerra told the judge during the hearing.

The judge refused her request to lower her bail from $ 1 million to $1000,000 after defense attorneys said she needed to see her terminally ill son

Kellis is accused of killing her husband Dallas, 76, who was found dead from gunshot wounds in his abdomen and head in July 2016, the Pilot reported.

On that day, Kellis called 911 to report his death. According to transcripts, she told a detailed story of how the day unfolded before telling the operator he had died.

'My nephew died down in Bladen County and we were going down there,' she said.

'My husband told me when I woke up this morning (to) run up to McDonald's and get a ham sandwich and when you get back we'll get dressed and go, that way we won't have no mess to clean up.

'So I went up there and when I came back, I didn't go in the room, I just went to the door and called him and said come on and eat your sandwich. He didn't answer me, but that's not unusual. He does that a lot. He'll doze back off.

'So I went back in there and sat down and ate mine. He hadn't come, so I went and called him. He didn't answer me. I went on to the room and I seen him '

The dispatcher interrupted saying, 'Okay ma'am, what's going on?'

'I think he's dead,' she said.

Kellis has been in jail since she was arrested on October 4.
A litter of puppies smuggled to Britain in a 30-hour journey from Eastern Europe still had their umbilical cords attached, undercover investigators revealed yesterday.

The five English bulldogs were just four weeks old when they were seized by officials at Dover  11 weeks below the legal age for transportation.

The smugglers had brought surgical tools to insert the legally required microchips into them on arrival.

The puppies needed urgent medical attention following their discovery in March, but after a period in quarantine all have been rehomed by Dogs Trust.

Their 1,000-mile journey from Lithuania was revealed by the charity, which set up an undercover investigation to highlight the horrors of puppy smuggling from Europe.

It said animal cruelty laws were flouted by the foreign criminals.

Dogs Trust filmed the conditions the puppies are bred in and the long, cramped trips they are forced to make across Europe to Britain, where they are often sold for more than 1,000 each.

A litter of puppies smuggled to Britain in a 30-hour journey from Eastern Europe still had their umbilical cords attached, undercover investigators revealed yesterday

Footage also showed smugglers being shown how to inject the puppies with a sedative before arriving at Customs so their illicit cargo sleep while checks are carried out, making them less likely to be found.

Dogs Trust told how a litter of four four-week-old pugs was seized in May at Dover, having been transported from the Czech Republic in a small wicker basket with film wrapped over it.

There was just one small breathing hole in the top of the basket and vets found that none of the puppies had been weaned, indicating that they had been taken from their mother far too young. One of the pugs died after its arrival.

The five English bulldogs were just four weeks old when they were seized by officials at Dover  11 weeks below the legal age for transportation

From 2012, the number of puppies entering the UK soared after requirements for all dogs to spend six months in quarantine before arrival were lifted.

Paula Boyden, veterinary director for Dogs Trust, said this 'effectively invited corrupt dealers to traffic puppies without the required treatments', adding: 'Urgent action is needed to stop the puppy smuggling scandal.

'The number of prosecutions is far too low and the lack of visual checks at ferry ports and borders is unacceptable. We want to see stronger deterrents, including prison sentences.

The smugglers had brought surgical tools to insert the legally required microchips into them on arrival

'The Government must revise pet travel legislation when the UK leaves the EU.'

She said Dogs Trust had paid for the quarantine costs of more than 500 illegally imported puppies since 2015 and found them new homes, adding: 'Until Dogs Trust stepped in, seized puppies were at risk of being put to sleep or turned away at the borders.'

Its investigators saw puppies in a packed van from Lithuania confined to pet carriers stacked with other packages with no air conditioning in temperatures of 25C (77F). They were given water twice and not fed at all. Vets in Poland and Lithuania were filmed faking pet passports and rabies vaccination records.

The puppies needed urgent medical attention following their discovery in March, but after a period in quarantine all have been rehomed by Dogs Trust

Most puppies intercepted by the Dogs Trust arrived from Hungary, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Slovakia and Romania. More than 95 per cent were too young to travel and 6 per cent died later due to poor health, malnutrition and dehydration.

The puppies smuggled in are bred in large numbers in horrific conditions in Central and Eastern Europe by corrupt breeders.

So-called designer dogs such as pugs, dachshunds and English and French bulldogs make up 82 per cent of those intercepted at the border.
The State Department is expanding its definition of 'close family' to include grandparents and other relatives that constitute a bona fide U.S. relationship for visa applicants and refugees from six mainly Muslim nations.

In response to a federal judge's order last week, the department on Monday instructed U.S. diplomats to consider grandparents, grandchildren, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, aunts and uncles, nephews and nieces and first cousins to meet the criteria for applicants from the six countries to receive a U.S. visa.

Those had been omitted by the department after the Supreme Court partially upheld the Trump administration's travel ban in June.

Under the rules applicants from the six countries have to prove a bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the U.S. to be exempt from the ban.

Bowing to the federal court: Trump's State Department widened its definition of 'close family' after a Hawaii judge's adverse ruling last week

U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson (above in March 2017) in Honolulu has said grandparents and other relatives should not be barred from entering the United States under President Donald Trump's temporary travel ban involving six Muslim-majority countries

The move follows a ruling by a federal in Honolulu last week that grandparents and other relatives should not be barred under the temporary travel ban.

The order, by U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson in Honolulu, dealt a fresh courtroom defeat for Trump as the Republican president seeks to toughen U.S. immigration policy.

The state of Hawaii had asked Watson to narrowly interpret a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that revived parts of Trump's March 6 executive order banning people from the six countries for 90 days.

Watson last Thursday declined to put on hold his ruling exempting grandparents and other relatives from the ban.

Watson harshly criticized the government's definition of close family relations as 'the antithesis of common sense,' in his ruling.

'Common sense, for instance, dictates that close family members be defined to include grandparents. Indeed, grandparents are the epitome of close family members,' he wrote.

A Justice Department spokeswoman declined to comment. Neal Katyal, an attorney for the state of Hawaii, called the ruling a 'sweeping victory' on social network Twitter.

The U.S. Supreme Court last month let the ban on travel from the six countries go forward with a limited scope, saying it could not apply to anyone with a credible 'bona fide relationship' with a U.S. person or entity.

The Trump administration then decided that spouses, parents, children, fiances and siblings would be exempt from the ban, while grandparents and other family members traveling from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen would be barred.

Watson (above) harshly criticized the government's definition of close family relations as 'the antithesis of common sense,' in his ruling

The Trump administration also said that all refugees without a close family tie would be blocked from the country for four months.

Trump said the measure was necessary to prevent attacks. However, the state of Hawaii sued to stop it, disputing its security rationale and saying it discriminated against Muslims.

Hawaii's attorney general Douglas Chin asked Watson to issue an injunction allowing grandparents and other family members to travel to the United States. Hawaii and refugee groups argue that resettlement agencies have a 'bona fide' relationship with the refugees they help, sometimes over the course of years.

The Justice Department said its rules were properly grounded in immigration law.

The roll-out of the narrowed version of the ban was more subdued than in January, when Trump first signed a more expansive version of the order. That sparked protests and chaos at airports around the country and the world.
A man and woman in South Carolina have been arrested for the murders of a married couple who went missing in the state two weeks ago.

Jordan Marie Hodge, 21, and Kenneth Wayne Carlisle, 28, were arrested on Sunday for the murders of 64-year-old Linda McAllister and 45-year-old William Clemons.

Police have also charged the pair with credit card fraud. Clemons, who called himself Chet, is friends with Hodge on Facebook.

McAllister and Clemons had not been seen since July 1 when they disappeared in their hometown of Conway.

Jordan Marie Hodge, 21, and Kenneth Wayne Carlisle, 28, have been charged with murder and credit card fraud

William 'Chet' Clemons, 45, and his wife, 64-year-old Linda McAllister, went missing in Conway, South Carolina, on July 1. Police say they believe the couple are dead

Horry County detectives say Hodge and Carlisle were both seen in the area on the day they vanished.

Authorities are yet to identify human remains found in Horry County on Sunday but the discovery is linked to the investigation in to the pair's disappearance.

In a news release on Sunday, detectives said they had reason to believe the pair were dead.

'Through a cooperative investigation between our agency and the Conway Police Department, probable cause has been established to believe that the missing couple from Conway are deceased.

'Confirmation will be released by the Coroner's office.

'Kenneth Wayne Carlisle, 28 of Aynor and Jordan Marie Hodge, 21 of Aynor have both been arrested and charged with murder.

'Our condolences to the families involved and our appreciation to the Conway Police Department for their assistance. More information will be released when available.'

Relatives of the missing couple held a candle lit vigil on Monday night.

It is not known how long Clemons and McAllister had been married or what either did for work. The man described himself as 'self-employed' on social media.

Hodge and Clemons are friends on Facebook but beyond that, no connection between the two couples has been established
Aid cash is being dispatched overseas in a last-minute frenzy each year to meet spending targets, a watchdog said yesterday.

Whitehall departments are dishing out as much as 98 per cent of their budgets in the final three months of the year, according to the National Audit Office.

Theresa May pledged at the election to keep David Camerons commitment to funnel the equivalent of 0.7 per cent of national income into overseas development.

Keeping the target in line with economic growth means ministers have to find new ways of spending ever greater sums of money.

Theresa May pledged at the election to keep David Camerons commitment to funnel the equivalent of 0.7 per cent of national income into overseas development

The cash pot is now so large  13billion a year  that the Department for International Development (Dfid) is asking other ministries to help dole it out.

In a major review, the NAO said ministers were failing to ensure officials could cope with the extra expenditure. It raised concerns over accountability and whether the success or failure of schemes was being assessed properly.

The watchdog found there were problems with officials splurging cash shortly before end of year deadlines  with five government departments using half or more of their overseas development budget in the last three months.

The Department of Energy and Climate Change, which was given 311million last year to help poor countries become more environmentally friendly, spent 98 per cent of the money in the final quarter.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs was allocated 67million to promote sustainable farming overseas and to tackle the illegal wildlife trade. Figures show that 64 per cent of the cash was rushed out of the door in the last three months of the year.

The Department of Health, which received 45million for international stop smoking projects and vaccine programmes, used 57 per cent in the final quarter. That figure was matched by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, which received 1million to protect cultural heritage sites in war zones.

The NAO said some of the departments that had seen a sharp spike in their allocation of aid money had not been properly prepared for the surge.

The Department of Healths expenditure under Jeremy Hunt rose 177 per cent from 2014 to 2015

The Ministry of Defences expenditure rose 335 per cent from 2014 to 2015, the Department of Healths by 177 per cent, and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills by 157 per cent.

The NAO warned that only one of the four objectives for UK aid spending was supported by measurable targets, which include strengthening global peace, security and governance and promoting global prosperity.

Sir Amyas Morse, head of the NAO, said: Meeting the target has become a more complex undertaking and the resulting gaps in accountability and responsibility require more effort to manage.

Charities and aid groups last night joined the criticism.

Richard Pyle, of Oxfam, said: The UK public rightly expects the Government to be clear about where aid money is spent and for it to be spent effectively to help those most in need.

This report shows that too often other departments  to whom the Government is giving increasing volumes of aid  are falling short in this respect.

A Development Department spokesman said: Dfid is responsible for 74 per cent of the Governments overseas spending.

Other government departments have direct responsibility for their share of the development budget and are accountable to Parliament and UK taxpayers for how they spend.
Steve Bloom 'doesn't butter his parsnips' when dealing with the public

A market town is celebrating after a shop keeper branded Britains rudest bookseller announced he is selling his business.

The Yorkshire Dales town of Hawes is saying a relieved goodbye to Steve Bloom, 63, who admits hes a man who doesnt butter his parsnips when dealing with members of the public.

He refused to accept he had been driven out yesterday, despite complaining in January of a vicious witch-hunt

The bookseller said he sold the shop of his own volition - partly to escape his whinging customers.

Mr Blooms policy of charging 50p entry to his Bloomindales store - designed to stop time-wasting browsers - caused constant rows with his customers, but he refused to back down.

After a storm of protest about his Basil Fawlty-esque rants at those who dared question his entry fee, he managed to avoid offending anyone for almost four months.

But lately the outraged letters to the local council from visitors to the town have started again.

This month alone two customers complained about him - one of them saying a group of 15 customers were so shocked by the rude and patronising little man that they they packed up and left town.

One wrote: Hi, we had a pleasant visit to Hawes today - that is up until we visited the local bookshop Bloomingdales. What a very unpleasant rude man this is, I asked for a specific author of book and he was trying to charge me to look around. I felt very uneasy and uncomfortable in his shop and left straight away after this, I was so taken back and shocked that my family actually left Hawes altogether, such a shame the trip ended in this way, a discredit to Hawes.

Bloom's Basil Fawlty-esque rants have created storms of protest in the small Yorkshire Dales market town of Hawes

The second said: I was in Hawes in mid-June when you had a free craft fair on in the hall. I was therefore surprised to find on entering a small book shop that I had to pay 50p to enter said free fair, from an incredibly rude and patronising little man.

Needless to say the party of 15 people and classic cars I was with walked straight out. We went to Dent where there were no misleading free signs, and had a wonderful time.

I wont be wasting any time or money returning to your town, frankly I hope your tricking and fleecing of tourists bankrupts your hall.

Councillors have led a charge to get Bloom to move after a storm of complaints from visitors

Depending on your response I am minded to bring the fraudulent advertising of a free fair that attracted a 50p entrance fee, to local trading standards.

Had we been aware of the charge to enter the free fair we would not have parked and swelled your coffers by 15 hours worth of parking charges.

But even as he announced he had sold up, Mr Bloom was unapologetic and refused to accept he had been driven out by his enemies on the local council.

Likening himself to US President Donald Trump, he said he had offered himself up despite winning the war with Hawes Parish Council and Richmondshire District Council.

Mr Bloom said: I hope that none of the people who have been trying to drive me out are claiming any kind of victory because it isnt, I have left of my own free will.

It got very difficult sitting in my shop listening to people talking about me as the man who charges 50p entry. I will not miss the moaning.

Id be sitting there and have to listen to people saying, this is the shop that was on the news, and, hes the one who charges entry just to look at his books, and it gets to me.

Bloom said he was like Donald Trump, and added that he'd 'offered himself up' to the council

I gained a certain notoriety and I suppose much of it was of my own invention but I dont have regrets.

I think my restraint has been slipping recently, probably because I knew I was going to leave, so there have been one or two confrontations although I havent seen their complaints about me.

The council were desperate to get rid of me but they didnt manage, I won that battle.

They did everything they could to drive me out but they never managed because my position was secure, I had a protected tenancy.

However, Ive now offered myself up and have got rid of myself, but theres nothing for them to feel pleased about.

It is like Donald Trump, they can make a lot of smoke and noise but they cannot get rid of him and so it was with me. It was a feud, theres no doubt about that.

Councillor John Blackie said the people of Hawes were delighted that Bloom was quitting

Councillor John Blackie, who represents Hawes on Richmondshire District Council, has led the campaign to force Mr Bloom to change his ways or leave the town.

In an email to one of the most recent complaints he spelled out the towns delight that he would be quitting.

Mr Blackie writes: Complaints to the Parish Council about the Bookseller have still continued to arrive since January, albeit at a much slower rate, but with two serious complaints arriving within days of one another in July it would appear that Mr Bloom is up to his old tricks again.

It could be though, his renewed bout of rudeness and unpleasantness he showed towards you is that it is his last stand because the chairman of the Hawes Market House Trustees, Graham DiDuca, reported at the July meeting of the Parish Council that Mr Bloom has sold his business and is expected to be leaving the town for good in the next two weeks.

Bloom said he will not miss the moaning and insists he leaves of his own free will

If so in the opinion of very many local people, the Parish Council, and myself, it is not a moment too soon and we cannot wait to wave goodbye forever to a trader that in his appalling and utterly unacceptable attitude towards his customers (and it was not just visitors  he could be equally rude to local people) represents the very opposite of all we show and do to extend a very warm Upper Dales welcome to those that come to Hawes for a day out, for their holidays, as local people for their day-to-day business.

We are so very sorry you have found it necessary to complain and I urge you and your family to return some time in the future and I guarantee you will not have the same distressing experience again.

You will find a rich variety of traders in the town, some characters of course for which the town is famous for, but none who will be rude or unpleasant, I guarantee you.

Certainly if you call into the bookshop post-Bloom you will find the couple who have taken it on are very welcoming and have absolutely no intention of charging an entrance fee.
It was the must-have gadget of the 1970s before its popularity fizzled out.

But Sodastream is now hoping to make a comeback  by attracting lager drinkers into home brewing.

The company is looking to form a beer partnership that will push its carbonated water machines into British homes again.

Sodastream is hoping to make a comeback  by attracting lager drinkers into home brewing

Chief executive Daniel Birnbaum yesterday revealed that the company is in discussions with potential partners that will provide liquid beer concentrates to pair with its machines in the next 12 months.

It comes after trials in countries such as Germany, Switzerland and Austria, saw Sodastream offer concentrates that created a five per cent lager with its machines, which use gas cylinders to carbonate regular tap water.

Users are provided with concentrated beer to put in their glass. They then fizz up water using the Sodastream device, and add that to the alcoholic cordial.

Mr Birnbaum said: Its a lot quicker and easier and of a higher-quality product to do home brewing with Sodastream than it is to go ahead and do your own existing home brewing the way you do it right now.
A tattoo artist has caused an outrage after filming himself tattooing the leg of a cat.

He uploaded the video of the process to his social media account on July 13.

The man, from China, has apologised for his behaviour, and the cat has been sent to a rescue centre.

A tattoo artist from China has apparently tattooed his kitten's leg. The man also shared a video of the process (left) online. The feline is at a rescue centre now (right)

The cat is four months old and is the man's pet.

The man, nicknamed 'Qiangzi', has run a tattoo parlour in Jining, China's Shandong Province, for seven years, reported People's Daily Online.

People's Daily also shared a screenshot of the video, which shows the cat having patterns and the Chinese character 'endurance' tattooed to its right foreleg.

'Qiangzi' apparently told a reporter that 'tattoo is a form of art' and he wanted to give it to his pet.

The man gave the cat anaesthetics after shaving the fur off its leg.

'Qiangzi' explained to MailOnline that he inserted semi-permanent ink into the kitten using an eyebrow tattoo pen.

'The ink contains plant extract and will cause no harm to the animal. The tattoo will fade out as skin changes over time,' he said.

He said the anaesthetics dosage had been used according to the veterinarian standard.

He said that he had used the anaesthetics very carefully: 'I bought the anaesthetics from an animal hospital and an excessive dosage of it could kill my cat.'

The kitten is being looked after by an animal rescue centre (left). The tattoo can be seen fading as the feline's carer, Ms Zhu, washed the wound everyday (right)

'Qiangzi' first posted the video to a closed messaging group on social media. He has deleted the footage since.

However, a screenshot of the video has been widely shared by the public last week as people criticised the man for his 'cruel' behaviour.

One web user with the screen name 'secretamente' said on Weibo: 'Did you have the cat's permission before doing this?'

Others said there were many other ways to practise tattooing and that it was not necessary to do it on a cat.

'Nikandouwodishi' wrote on the artist's Weibo account: 'You can practise on a piece of pork, or even buy synthetic skin on Taobao. Why did you do it on an animal?'

The man told a reporter 'tattoo is a form of art' and he wanted to give it to his cat (file photo)

Apparently, the tattoo artist has realised his fault.

He claimed on his Weibo account that he had taken the cat to Zhangying Stray Animal Rescue, a nearby animal rescue centre, to beg forgiveness from the public.

He also said that he still wanted the cat back, so he had donated 50 yuan (5.65) to the animal rescue centre and asked for permission to take the animal home.

Zhu Enxia, 55, the founder of the rescue centre, confirmed to MailOnline that the cat was being looked after by them.

A video sent by Ms Zhu shows the cat recovering as the tattoo faded.

'I sterilised its wounds every day and the fur on its leg are growing out already,' Ms Zhu said.

She also stated that she would not give the cat back to the tattoo artist. The cat is waiting for a new owner.

The man, nicknamed 'Qiangzi', has run a tattoo parlour in Jining (pictured) for seven years

Jason Baker, the Vice President of PETA Asia said abusing animals is not art.

Mr Baker said: 'Even though the cat this person has abused were supposedly anesthetised while receiving the tattoos, these procedures were still unnecessary and painful, and could lead to complications that endanger the animals' health.'

Dr Manilal Valliyate, a veterinarian and chief executive officer at PETA India, commented that the skin is a very sensitive organ.

He said: 'Not only would tattooing damage these delicate structures, any resulting injury or infection would also compromise the skin's role as the body's first-defence system.

'It's highly unethical and cruel to subject animals to procedures that offer them no benefit and only cause them harm.'
Nemo's dad would have become his mum by the time he returned from his journey, new research has claimed.

Contrary to the popular Disney film Finding Nemo, Marlin would not have been waiting for the plucky little clownfish when he arrived back at their anemone.

That's because male clownfish change sex when their partner dies, to take on their role of protecting territory and their fellow fish.

The new study has revealed the lengths that female clownfish will go to in defending their homes.

Scroll down for video

Marlin (right) would have become Marlene by the time Nemo (left) returns in the Disney film Finding Nemo, experts from two universities in Paris have found

CLOWNFISH SEX CHANGE Nemo's dad would have become his mum by the time he returned from his journey, experts from two universities in Paris have claimed. Clownfish live in tropical climates on anemones where they stay their entire lives. Males carry out the majority of the parental care of their young. They take care of their eggs by 'nipping' them to keep them free of fungus and debris, and fan them to give them oxygen rich water. Female clownfish are larger and more aggressive than males. They protect the anemone and attack predators, even fending off sharks. The researchers found that if she dies or is eaten then the male changes sex over a few weeks. There need to be lots of hormonal changes to become fully female. When the male has changed sex, the largest adolescent male becomes her new mate. Advertisement

Experts from two universities in Paris have researched the behavioural, physiological and hormonal changes in anemonefish, or clownfish, over several years off the island of Moorea in French Polynesia.

Clownfish live in tropical climates on anemones where they stay their entire lives.

Male fish tend to look after the eggs and fan them while females act as security guards, issuing warning calls and even launching attacks.

It has been known for some time that the distinctively striped orange fish, immortalised in the digital animation, become female if their mate is eaten or dies.

But the new study reveals just how viscous they can become.

In the film, Nemo's mother is eaten by a barracuda but his father, Marlin survives.

Nemo, the only surviving baby, is then lost and pursued by sharks before eventually finding his way back to his father.

To ensure the survival of the clownfish group however, Marlin would have become Marlene the researchers say.

And in extraordinary new footage, they capture the moment that a female clownfish swims away from its home to attack an approaching shark.

Dr Suzanne Mills, an evolutionary biologist from Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes at Criobe, said: 'The female is aggressive to predators and protects the anemone.

'If that female gets predated upon or dies, the male, Nemo's dad, then changes sex and becomes a reproductive female.

'So when Nemo finally gets back to his anemone at the end of the film, he's actually meeting his Mum.

'Our video shows a female swimming out to attack a black tip reef shark passing by the edge of her territory.

Nemo's dad, a male clownfish (pictured), would have become his mum, taking on her role of protecting territory and their fellow fish

'Anemonefish tend not to move too far from their anemone for risk of predation, so this behaviour is even more risky in this light.'

Clownfish are found in the Indo-Pacific ocean and the males carry out the majority of the parental care.

They take care of their eggs by 'nipping' them to keep them free of fungus and debris, and fan them to give them oxygen rich water.

Female clownfish are larger and more aggressive than males.

They protect the anemone and attack predators, even fending off sharks.

Female clownfish are larger and more aggressive than males. They act as security guards, protecting the anemone and attacking predators, even fending off sharks (pictured).

Clownfish live in tropical climates on anemones (pictured) where they stay their entire lives. Males take care of their eggs by 'nipping' them to keep them free of fungus and debris, and fan them to give them oxygen rich water

CLOWNFISH Clownfish, or anemonefish, are found in the Indo-Pacific ocean. They're extremely tied to their sea anemone homes, which sting and eat other fish. But the anemonefish can live in the anemones tentacles, so they're protected from predators in this way. They form simple social groups and are monogamous, with the females the more dominant and larger of the pair. Advertisement

The researchers found that if she dies or is eaten then the male changes sex over a few weeks.

There need to be lots of hormonal changes to become fully female.

They would then mate with a younger male from the adolescent population already living on the anemone.

Dr Ricardo Beldade, a marine biologist with Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique at Criobe, added: 'Because of the sex change the same individual can have an opportunity to breed as a male and a female.

'The couple defends the anemone together in their own way and they both need each other to survive and reproduce. '

The team is now investigating how these hormonal, behavioural and physiological characteristics of anemonefish are affected by climate change and other human-induced changes such as boat engine noise.

The presented their current findings at the 50th anniversary symposium of the Fisheries Society of the British Isles at the University of Exeter, held from July 3 to 7.

Clownfish, or anemonefish, are found in the Indo-Pacific ocean. The French researchers examined behavioural, physiological and hormonal changes in populations over several years off the island of Moorea in French Polynesia (pictured)
A star located just 11 light-years away from Earth is sending out 'strange' radio signals leaving experts baffled.

The mysterious signals appear to be coming from Ross 128, a little-explored red dwarf star which is not known to have any planets surrounding it.

Researchers said the unusual signals were picked up in 'almost periodic' bursts, and added further investigation is needed to find the source of the signals.

A star located just 11 light-years away from Earth is sending out 'strange' radio signals, scientists have said (stock image of a satellite against star trails)

WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THE SIGNALS? Professor Abel Mendez, an astrobiologist at the University of Puerto Rico, said it was unlikely that the signals were sent by aliens, but added that the possibility could not yet be ruled out. In a personal blog post reporting his findings, Professor Mendez said 'we have never seen satellites emit bursts like that' and noted that the signals 'very peculiar'. But he added that the signals may have instead come from an orbiting satellite, which could have been obstructing the view of the telescope. The signals could also be the result of a stellar flare, an outburst of energy from the surface of a star. Such outbursts can travel at light-speed and emit powerful radio signals, which are capable of disrupting satellites and communications on Earth. Advertisement

The radio signals were detected using the Arecibo Observatory, a large radio telescope located in Puerto Rico.

Professor Abel Mendez, an astrobiologist at the University of Puerto Rico, said it was unlikely that the signals were sent by aliens, but added that the possibility could not yet be ruled out.

'The SETI [Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence] groups are aware of the signals,' Professor Mendez told Business Insider.

Professor Mendez said the signals may have instead come from an orbiting satellite, which could have been obstructing the view of the telescope.

'The field of view of [Arecibo] is wide enough, so there is the possibility that the signals were caused not by the star but another object in the line of sight,' Mendez said, adding that 'some communication satellites transmit in the frequencies we observed.'

But in a personal blog post reporting his findings, Professor Mendez said 'we have never seen satellites emit bursts like that' and noted that the signals 'very peculiar'.

Professor Mendez heard the signals over a ten-minute period at 8.53PM ET (1.53AM BST) and wrote that they were 'unique to Ross 128'.

He added: 'Observations of other stars immediately before and after did not show anything similar.'

The signals could also be the result of a stellar flare, an outburst of energy from the surface of a star.

Ross 128 is located in the Virgo Constellation. Pictured is NGC 4388, a spiral galaxy found within the constellation of Virgo

The radio signals were detected using the Arecibo Observatory (pictured), a large radio telescope located in Puerto Rico

THE HISTORY OF SETI The independent Seti (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) Institute, established in 1984. In 1992 the first planet outside the solar system is confirmed by the institue, an almost certainly uninhabitable world orbiting a pulsar. In 2009 Nasas Kepler telescope launches and, over the next few years, finds hundreds of planets. And in 2014, the first planet of a similar size to Earth and at the correct distance from its parent star to host water, called Kepler 186-f, was found. Advertisement

Such outbursts can travel at light-speed and emit powerful radio signals, which are capable of disrupting satellites and communications on Earth.

However solar flares typically occur at much lower frequencies that than that of the signals observed by Arecibo, Professor Mendez said.

The researchers are now planning to observe Ross 128 and its surroundings many more times, beginning on July 16.

'Success will be to find the signal again' at the star's location but not in surrounding directions, Professor Mendez said.

'If we don't get the signal again then the mystery deepens.'

Seth Shostak, a senior astronomer at the SETI Institute, told Business Insider that the group is 'well aware of the signals'.

'The chances are high that they're terrestrial interference, in fact. That's really always been the case,' said Dr Shostak.

'Right now there's really only one compelling signal from outer space that might come from aliens: the WOW signal.'
A new handset designed to take on the iPhone and Samsung Galaxy could be launched in the UK before 2017 is out.

Essential, founded by Android inventor Andy Rubin, hopes to take on the industry leaders and has secured 230 million ($300 million) to make it happen.

The technology firm has held talks with major network operators to secure a launch date for the minimalist mobile in the UK, Japan and western Europe.

Customers in the US who pre-ordered the handset, however, are still waiting for theirs to arrive and there have been rumours of trouble at the startup.

A new handset designed to take on the iPhone and Samsung Galaxy could be launched in a number of major markets before 2017 is out. Dubbed the 'Essential Phone PH-1', the phone is based on the Android operating system and will be shipped without any apps

ESSENTIAL'S PLANS A new handset designed to take on the iPhone and Samsung Galaxy could be launched in a number of major markets before 2017 is out. Essential, founded by Android inventor Andy Rubin, hopes to take on the industry leaders and has secured 230 million ($300 million) to make it happen. Executives from the California company met with UK operators, including EE, last week to thrash out a deal. They are said to be setting their sights on western Europe and Japan in the coming weeks. At the time of launching the PH-1, Essential claimed it would be shipping its first models to customers in the US within 30 days. But almost 50 days later customers who pre-ordered are still waiting, with no word from Essential on when they can expect them to arrive. In recent days it was announced that Essential had lost its vice president of marketing, Brian Wallace. This is said to to be the latest sign of turmoil at Essential, according to reports in Business Insider. Advertisement

Executives from the California company met with UK operators, including EE, last week to thrash out a deal.

They are said to be setting their sights on western Europe and Japan in the coming weeks.

Dubbed the 'Essential Phone PH-1', the phone is based on the Android operating system and will be shipped without any apps, or proprietary 'bloatware'.

It has been created with 'trend setters and technology seekers' in mind, according to Essential's chief operating officer Niccolo de Masi.

It features a modular design that will allow consumers to attach various accessories, like a 360-degree camera which has already been announced by the firm.

Other audio, fitness and virtual reality products will allow users to expand the basic functions of the smartphone.

Essential believe this innovative approach will allow them to compete and even outperform their established rivals.

Speaking to the Financial Times, Mr De Masi said: 'Consumer choice has declined due to Samsung and Apple.'

He added that those companies have 'slowed the pace of innovation to boost quarterly profits.'

At the time of launching the PH-1, Essential claimed it would be shipping its first models to customers in the US within 30 days.

Essential is working with US carrier Sprint to provide the handsets.

The founder of Android, Andy Rubin, finally unveiled his new Android smartphone in May. The handset features a 5.71-inch, 2,560 x 1,312 edge-to-edge display

It also boasts Qualcomm's high-end Snapdragon 835 processor and what Essential claims is 'one of the world's best phone cameras'

But almost 50 days later customers who pre-ordered are still waiting, with no word from Essential on when they can expect them to arrive.

In recent days it was announced that Essential had lost its vice president of marketing, Brian Wallace.

Last Friday is was confirmed that has left the company to join i.am+, the 'connected lifestyle' company founded by musician will.i.am.

This is said to to be the latest sign of turmoil at Essential, according to reports in Business Insider.

MailOnline has approached Essential for a comment, but has not yet received a response.

Rubin officially unveiled his new Android smartphone in May.

The Essential comes with a magnetic connector which will allow for connection of a 360 degree camera accessory (pictured)

This graphic shows the smartphone's 360 degree camera accessory. This clips to the rear of the phone, weighs 35g and includes a dual 12-megapixel fisheye sensors that can capture 4K 360 video at 30fps

KEY FEATURES - 5.71-inch, 2,560 x 1,312 edge-to-edge display - Screen protected by Corning's Gorilla Glass 5 - Will display at a 19:10 aspect ratio at 500 nits brightness - Dimensions: 5.6 inch (141.5 mm) tall, 2.8 inches (71.1 mm) across, 0.3 inches (7.8 mm) thick. - Will weigh less than 6.5 ounces (185 grams) - Titanium body with a ceramic back - 13-megapixel dual-camera system - 360-degree camera accessory - 128GB of internal storage - 3,040mAh battery - a USB Type-C port - A fingerprint sensor - Costs $699 (543) and comes in black, grey, white and green Advertisement

The handset features a 5.71-inch, 2,560 x 1,312 edge-to-edge display.

It boasts Qualcomm's high-end Snapdragon 835 processor and what Rubin claims is 'one of the world's best phone cameras.'

The phone is made out of titanium, instead of aluminium, to help it survive accidental drops. It features a ceramic back.

It is modular and can be fitted with a 360-degree camera accessory.

This clips to the rear of the phone, weighs 35g and includes a dual 12-megapixel fisheye sensors that can capture 4K 360 video at 30fps.

The back has a 13-megapixel dual-camera system designed for low-light photography.

The front camera of the Essential smartphone is a 8MP unit with a 16:9 aspect ratio.

It comes with a magnetic connector, 128GB of internal storage, a 3,040mAh battery, a USB Type-C port and a fingerprint sensor.

The screen is protected with Corning's Gorilla Glass 5 and it boasts a 19:10 aspect ratio at 500 nits brightness. Average LCD displays produce between 200 to 300 nits.

The handset (pictured) will be available in black, grey, white and green and features 128GB of internal storage, a 3,040mAh battery, a USB Type-C port and a fingerprint sensor

The handset measures 5.6 inch (141.5 mm) tall, 2.8 inches (71.1 mm) across and 0.3 inches (7.8 mm) thick. It will weigh less than 6.5 ounces (185 grams)

There is no traditional 3.5mm headphone jack, but the Verge claims it may ship with a headphone dongle in the box.

The handset measures 5.6 inch (141.5 mm) tall, 2.8 inches (71.1 mm) across and 0.3 inches (7.8 mm) thick. It will weigh less than 6.5 ounces (185 grams).

Essential is launching the phone in the US to begin with, and it will be rolled out globally the near future.

It costs $699 (543) and comes in black, grey, white and green.

Rubin believes the phone is an 'iPhone killer' and can take on the likes of Apple and Google.
The 'forgotten father' of evolution Alfred Russel Wallace may have let Charles Darwin take the credit for his role in the world-famous theory.

Never-before-seen handwritten notes have revealed how the British biologist hated publicity and 'grew tired of medals' during his lifetime.

The notes suggest that Wallace - who published the theory of evolution alongside Darwin and even coined the term 'origin of species' - may have chosen to become forgotten by history.

The findings stand in stark contrast to previous speculation that Darwin cheated Wallace out of his rightful place in history.

Alfred Russel Wallaces handwritten notes to his editor James Marchant about a book he was writing at the time of his death in 1913 called 'Darwin and Wallace'

British biologist Alfred Russel Wallace is often described of the 'forgotten father of evolution'. He is pictured in a painting by John William Beaufort

In a letter to his editor, James Marchant, Wallace said that he was 'rather tired of medals' after being awarded countless scientific awards during his lifetime.

Another note reveals how the biologist refused to be painted by John Collier, the artist responsible for immortalising the face of Charles Darwin.

'I think it possible I may have declined rather abruptly and perhaps Collier may have felt hurt,' Wallace wrote, according to the Guardian.

The handwritten letters are part of a private collection which also includes drafts for a book called 'Darwin and Wallace'.

The draft outline for the book, which Wallace failed to write before his death in 1913, will go on auction next week.

The draft notes are part of a private collection of letters written by Wallace to his friends and colleagues. The letters reveal that Wallace hated publicity and grew 'tired of medals'

In the draft copy of his book (pictured), Wallace explains how he and Darwin both contributed to the theory of evolution, but consistently refers to the theory as 'Darwinism'

In the drafts, Wallace explains how he and Darwin both contributed to the theory of evolution, but consistently refers to the theory as 'Darwinism'.

The collection also contains a letter from shortly after Wallace's death by his son, William, in which he refuses an offer for his father to be buried at Westminster Abbey.

'Neither my mother nor my father himself would desire it,' William Wallace wrote.

'We all of us are averse from publicity and unnecessary ceremony.'

Wallace refused to be painted by John Collier, the artist responsible for immortalising the face of Charles Darwin in this masterpiece

During his lifetime, Wallace was awarded the Order of Merit, one of the highest honours that can be given to a civilian.

However in a letter to a friend, Wallace said that he declined an invitation to receive the reward at Buckingham Palace because he didn't want to buy a new suit for the occasion.

Dr George Beccaloni, director of the Alfred Russel Wallace Correspondence Project, said the 24 letters are 'fascinating'.

'They give a from-the-horse's mouth account of Wallace's views,' he told the Guardian.

'They show Wallace wasn't much of a self-publicist. He missed some very good publicity coups.'
Police could one day use body cameras fitted with real-time facial recognition to help them catch criminals and find missing people.

Motorola has partnered with artificial intelligence startup Neurala to create smart cameras capable of independently searching for criminals and missing children.

The companies are still developing a prototype, but hope the AI-driven cameras could soon help police find targets in 'suspicious' or 'chaotic' environments.

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Police could one day use body cameras fitted with real-time facial recognition. Pictured is a demo of the technology being used to locate a missing child on a busy street

HOW DO THE SMART CAMERAS WORK? Neurala has created patent-pending facial recognition software capable of working on very small computers, allowing it to be used on wearable devices. The cameras will use artificial intelligence to automatically scan hundreds of faces in a crowd, notifying authorities when they come across a known target. Neurala's founder, Massimiliano Versace, said the software works in a similar way to the mammalian brain, allowing it learn faster than traditional search technology. The technology is composed of a group of specialised processors which form different parts of a 'mini brain'. And the new technology is capable of machine learning, meaning the more faces that it encounters, the faster it comes at detection. Advertisement

'We see powerful potential for artificial intelligence to improve safety and efficiency for our customers, which in turn helps create safer communities,' said Paul Steinberg, chief technology officer at Motorola.

'But applying AI in a public safety setting presents unique challenges.

'Neurala's 'edge learning' capabilities will help us explore solutions for a variety of public safety workflows such as finding a missing child or investigating an object of interest, such as a bicycle.'

Neurala has created patent-pending facial recognition software capable of working on very small computers, allowing it to be incorporated into wearable devices.

Motorola said today that the software will be combined with its devices, including its Si500 body-worn camera.

The cameras will use artificial intelligence to automatically scan hundreds of faces in a crowd, notifying authorities when they come across a known target.

And the new technology is capable of machine learning, meaning the more faces that it encounters, the faster it comes at detection.

'Neurala's technology enables AI applications to learn at the edge after their deployment,' said Mr Steinberg.

'This can unlock new applications for public safety users. In the case of a missing child, imagine if the parent showed the child's photo to a nearby police officer on patrol.

'The officer's body-worn camera sees the photo, the AI engine 'learns' what the child looks like and deploys an engine to the body-worn cameras of nearby officers, quickly creating a team searching for the child.'

Motorola said today that the software will be combined with its devices, including its Si500 body-worn camera

Neurala's founder, Massimiliano Versace, said the software works in a similar way to the mammalian brain, allowing it learn faster than traditional search technology.

Dr Versace described the structure of this software in a 2010 research paper.

He reported that the technology is composed of a group of specialised processors which form different parts of a 'mini brain'.

Dr Versace described the new king of processing as 'computation that can be divided up between hardware that processes like the body of a neuron and hardware that processes the way dendrites and axons [nerve cells] do.'

Pictured is a demonstration of the new technology. An officer wears the camera while another follows the real-time activity of the smart camera as it searches for a missing child

The smart camera has 'learnt' to look for the face of the child after viewing a photograph of him. The AI is able to locate the child as he walks along a busy high street

Using this technique allows AIs to learn using less code, meaning smaller computers with less processing power can be used.

Mimicking the human brain also reduces the risk of 'catastrophic forgetting', which occurs when a neural network forgets its previous training.

Dr Versace said: 'Neurala's L-DNN (Lifelong Deep Neural Network) technology eliminates the risk of 'catastrophic forgetting,' the number-one problem limiting the growth of deep learning neural networks for real-time use.

'Neurala's technology solves the problem instantly at the device, accelerating the development of new AI applications that can learn at the edge after their deployment.'
The ferocious Tyrannosaurus Rex was too big to sprint and couldn't outrun a speedy human, research has found.

Scientists have worked out the dinosaur's maximum speed for the first time and found it was only 16.5 miles per hour (26.5 kph).

Thanks one mph faster than the average human, and a 11 mph slower than the fastest man on Earth, Usain Bolt.

Large animals take longer to accelerate, so smaller ones like the cheetah set the records, the researchers said.

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Scientists have worked out the T-Rex's maximum speed for the first time and found it was only 16.5 miles per hour (26.5 kph) - similar to the average human's. Pictured is the T-Rex in the 1993 film Jurassic Park

WHY BIGGER ANIMALS ARE NOT THE FASTEST Larger animals run out of energy supplied by the muscles before being able to reach their theoretically possible maximum speed. This is because the acceleration phase requires muscles to function anaerobically, without oxygen, during which only limited stores of energy are available. Small to medium sized animals accelerate quickly and have enough time to reach their theoretical maximum speed. But large animals are limited in acceleration time and run out of readily mobilisable energy before being able to reach their theoretically possible maximum. Advertisement

A study of almost 500 species from experts at the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research in Leipzig, Germany, found animals only have so much time to reach maximum speed.

This is because acceleration comes from working in short bursts anaerobically - without oxygen.

And as this time is limited big beasts will never match medium sized ones.

The latest formula provide the best theory yet for why bigger animals are slower, a phenomenon scientists have previously struggled to explain.

The same pattern also occurs in air or water with marlins and peregrine falcons the quickest fish and birds, respectively.

The speed of dinosaurs has been debated for decades. Some scientists say T-Rex could reach 45 miles per hour (72 kph) while others have suggested it was more like a plodding cyclist at 11 miles per hour (17.5 kph).

Now the study, published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, shows T Rex would never have been able to keep up with a Jeep as it did in Jurassic Park.

Zoologist Dr Myriam Hirt, of the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research, Leipzig, said: 'Palaeontologists have long debated the potential running speeds of large birds and dinosaurs, that roamed past ecosystems.'

Her unique formula combined body mass, power and time needed for acceleration.

This graph shows the relationship between Body Mass and Maximum Speed of Dinosaurs using a new mathematical model developed by scientists. The results found that the medium-sized raptors were fastest and that the T-Rex was slower than first thought

TOP 10 FASTEST LAND ANIMALS 1) Cheetah 2) American Antelope (Pronghorn) 3) Springbok 4) Wildebeest 5) Lion 6) Blackbuck antelope 7) Hare 8) Greyhound 9) Jackrabbit 10) African wild dog Advertisement

It calculated T Rex's speed at about 16.5 miles per hour (26.5 kph) - more than twice as slow as the much smaller Velicoraptor which could have got up to 34 miles per hour (55 kph).

The average sprinting speed of a human is about 15 miles per hour (24 kph).

Dr Hirt said: 'This is consistent with theories claiming Tyrannosaurus was very likely to have been a slow runner.'

The essence of her hypothesis is simple - animals have only a finite amount of time to accelerate from a standing start before they can accelerate no longer.

They find this is because the acceleration phase requires muscles to function anaerobically, without oxygen, during which only limited stores of energy are available.

Larger animals take longer than smaller ones to accelerate to their maximum speed.

So if acceleration time in the anaerobic phase exceeds the amount of energy that can be made available to muscles, the maximum achievable speed reaches an upper limit.

Dr Hirt said: 'Put simply, small to intermediately sized animals accelerate quickly and have enough time to reach their theoretical maximum speed, whereas large animals are limited in acceleration time and run out of readily mobilisable energy before being able to reach their theoretically possible maximum.'

The new model provides results for the top speed of animals (pictured), showing that body mass causes a drop-off in top speed. This is because acceleration comes from working in short bursts anaerobically - without oxygen. As this time is limited big beasts are not the fastest

So their speed is less than would be expected from their power.

Comparing the output of their 'time-dependent model' to data from 474 animal species, weighing from 30 micrograms to 100 tons, her team found maximum speed drops off a cliff as animals grow beyond average size.

Acceleration is produced through the rapid conversion of metabolic, or chemical, energy into mechanical which takes place through anaerobic metabolism in 'fast-twitch' muscle fibres.

So it only lasts until these fast-twitch fibres run out of their metabolic fuel - and the time available for acceleration is limited by the amount of these fibres.

But although larger animals have more fast-twitch muscle fibres so can accelerate for longer they also take a longer time to reach a given absolute speed.

At some point, the amount of time required to accelerate to faster speeds will exceed that available for acceleration and so faster speeds are never reached, explaining the paradox.

Moreover for biggest animals such as T Rex, which weighed up to nine tons, the time required to accelerate to faster speeds starts to outstrip the time available for acceleration.

This means maximum speed capability starts to decrease.

Large animals take longer to accelerate, so smaller ones like the cheetah set the records, the researchers said (file photo)

Dr Hirt said scientists have always struggled with the fact that, in running animals, the largest are not the fastest.

She said: 'In nature, the fastest running or swimming animals such as cheetahs or marlins are of intermediate size. There have been numerous attempts to describe this phenomenon.

'Although biomechanical and morphological models have been tailored to explain this within taxonomic groups, a general mechanistic model predicting the large-scale pattern across all taxonomic groups and ecosystem types is still lacking.

'Here, we fill this void with a maximum speed model based on the concept that animals are limited in their time for maximum acceleration because of restrictions on the quickly available energy.

'Consequently, acceleration time becomes the critical factor determining the maximum speed of animals.'

Dr Christofer Clemente, an animal ecophysiologist at Sunshine Coast University in Maroochydore, Australia, who reviewed the study for the journal, said: 'The exciting part of this proposal is it applies equally well to animals on land, in the air and in water.'
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has unveiled the first images captured by its spherical camera drone on the International Space Station.

Int-Ball arrived at the ISS on June 4, and can be controlled from the ground to gather photos and videos of its surroundings in the space environment.

The camera can also navigate autonomously, and scientists are aiming to improve its capabilities so it can move and record anywhere at any time without human intervention.

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The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has unveiled the first images captured by its spherical camera drone on the International Space Station. Int-Ball (pictured) arrived at the ISS on June 4

JAXA'S INT-BALL Int-Ball arrived to the Japanese Experiment Module Kibo on the ISS on June 4. The camera ball uses 3D printed internal and external components, and uses drone technology such as Miniaturized Attitude Control Sensors and Actuators in an All-in-one Module. While it can be controlled from a ground station, it can also move autonomously. The space agency hopes it will one day operate entirely on its own, to free up astronauts time.

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The new footage from Int-Ball shows a first-hand view inside the ISS, offering a look at the extensive equipment lining the station walls, and the astronauts as they carry out different tasks.

It was delivered to the Japanese Experiment Module Kibo early last month, where it is now going through its initial verification.

According to JAXA, scientists on the ground at the Tsukuba Space Center can control its activities and view the images and footage in real time.

This can then be relayed to the onboard crew.

The camera ball uses 3D printed internal and external components, and uses drone technology such as Miniaturized Attitude Control Sensors and Actuators in an All-in-one Module.

Eventually, its hoped that it will be able to operate entirely on its own.

This could help to free up astronauts time, as photographing takes up about 10 percent of their working hours, according to JAXA.

The new footage from Int-Ball shows a first-hand view inside the ISS, offering a look at the extensive equipment lining the station walls, and the astronauts as they carry out different tasks. Stock image

With the Int-Ball, the onboard crew could ultimately achieve zero photographing time.

As the technology continues to improve, it could be applied to future exploration missions as well, to gather footage that can be viewed in real time.

The Int-Ball isnt the first cartoonish-looking robot JAXA has sent to space to assist the crew.

In 2013, the agency sent a miniature humanoid named Kirobo to space, to keep astronauts company.

The Int-Ball isnt the first cartoonish-looking robot JAXA has sent to space to assist the crew. In 2013, the agency sent a miniature humanoid named Kirobo to space, to keep astronauts company

Kirobo is the work of the The Kibo Robot Project and his Japanese maker Dentsu after an appeal by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency

It was launched with Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata, and could speak to him in his own language, take pictures, and even update his Twitter account to share his adventures with viewers down on Earth.

The language processing technology was contributed by Toyota, and Kirobo speaks in a synthesized voice.

A camera on his head is fitted with facial recognition software.

Kirobo is the work of the The Kibo Robot Project and his Japanese maker Dentsu after an appeal by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.

After nearly two years in orbit, the adorable robot splashed back down to Earth in the Pacific Ocean aboard a cargo spacecraft in 2015.
NASA has revealed a stunning new view of the mysterious jets spewing material from Saturn's moon Enceladus.

Experts say the subsurface ocean that lurks beneath the moon's icy crust has all the ingredients for life.

In the new image, the intriguing south-polar jets are viewed from afar, backlit by sunlight while the moon itself glows softly in reflected Saturn-shine.

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Experts say the subsurface ocean that lurks beneath the moon's icy crust has all the ingredients for life. In the new image, the intriguing south-polar jets are backlit by sunlight

WHAT IT SHOWS This view looks toward the Saturn-facing hemisphere of Enceladus (313 miles or 504 kilometers across). North is up. The image was taken in visible light with the Cassini spacecraft narrow-angle camera on April 13, 2017. The view was acquired at a distance of approximately 502,000 miles (808,000 kilometers) from Enceladus and at a sun-Enceladus-spacecraft, or phase, angle of 176 degrees. Image scale is 3 miles (5 kilometers) per pixel. Advertisement

Observations of the jets taken from various viewing geometries provide different insights into these remarkable features. Cassini has gathered a wealth of information in the hopes of unraveling the mysteries of the subsurface ocean that lurks beneath the moon's icy crust.

This view looks toward the Saturn-facing hemisphere of Enceladus (313 miles or 504 kilometers across).

North is up.

The image was taken in visible light with the Cassini spacecraft narrow-angle camera on April 13, 2017.

The view was acquired at a distance of approximately 502,000 miles (808,000 kilometers) from Enceladus and at a sun-Enceladus-spacecraft, or phase, angle of 176 degrees.

Image scale is 3 miles (5 kilometers) per pixel.

The Cassini spacecraft is now several weeks into its grand finale mission, which will ultimately see it plunge into Saturn's atmosphere on September 15.

In its 13 years orbiting Saturn, the craft has obtained unprecedented insight on the planet and its moons, including Enceladus.

Earlier this month, another image showed a stunning look at the moon's north pole, dotted with craters and other strange markings.

This region is said to be entirely unlike the south pole, which is home to plumes of gas.

And, in April, scientists revealed the craft had discovered a 'missing ingredient' that now means Enceladus has nearly all the elements needed to support microbial life.

Hydrogen gas, discovered in high-powered jets of water during Cassini's deepest plunge, is now said to be 'a potential source of chemical energy that could support microbes on the seafloor of Enceladus,' researchers revealed during a NASA press conference.

The gas is the final piece of the puzzle following the discovery of water in an ocean under Enceladus's surface.

It means Saturn's sixth moon may have the same single-celled organisms with which life began on Earth, or more complex creatures still.

These organisms, still found on our planet within the darkest depths of our oceans, use hydrogen and carbon dioxide as fuel in a process known as 'methanogenesis.'

Hydrogen gas, discovered in high-powered jets of water during Cassini's deepest plunge, is now said to be 'a potential source of chemical energy that could support microbes on the seafloor of Enceladus,' researchers revealed during a NASA press conference

WHAT IS ENCELADUS? Enceladus is Saturn's sixth largest moon, at 313 miles wide (504 kilometers). Cassini observations have revealed hydrothermal activity, with vents spewing water vapour and ice particles out from a global ocean buried beneath the icy crust. According to NASA, the plume includes organic compounds, volatile gases, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, salts, and silica. And, Cassini recently discovered hydrogen gas, said to be the missing ingredient for life. While it may look 'inhospitable' like Saturn's other moons, the observations now it may have the elements needed to support life. Advertisement

'What is intriguing about the data at Enceladus, with the hydrogen detection, is that we are now able to determine how much energy would be available from the methanogenesis reaction at Enceladus,' said Chris Glein, Cassini INMS team associate at SwRI during the press conference.

'We have made the first calorie count in an alien ocean.'

This, the researcher explained, is a major step in assessing the moon's habitability.

While they haven't found life itself on Enceladus, Glein says the geochemical data 'could allow for this possibility.'

The building blocks of life on Enceladus are water, which no form of life on Earth can exist without, an energy source and six elements  carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus and sulphur.

The last two of these, phosphorus and sulphur, have not yet been found in Enceladus's ocean  but scientists suspect them to be there because the rocky core of the moon is believed to be chemically similar to meteorites containing them.

This now paves the way for further explorations to find life in our solar system.

'Although we can't detect life, we've found that there's a food source there for it,' said Hunter Waite, lead author of the Cassini study.

'It would be like a candy store for microbes.'

Cassini observations have revealed hydrothermal activity, with vents spewing water vapour and ice particles out from a global ocean buried beneath the icy crust.

Earlier this month, researchers unexpectedly found the organic molecule methanol around it in groundbreaking research.

Researchers say the discovery suggests that material spewed from Enceladus undertakes a 'complex chemical journey' once vented into space.

The Cardiff team say the unexpectedly large quantity of methanol may have two possible origins: either a cloud of gas expelled from Enceladus has been trapped by Saturn's magnetic field, or gas has spread further out into Saturn's E-ring.

It is the first time that a molecule from Enceladus has been detected with a ground-based telescope.

Past studies of Enceladus have involved the NASA/ESA Cassini spacecraft, which has detected molecules like methanol by directly flying into the plumes.

Recent work has found similar amounts of methanol in Earth's oceans and Enceladus's plumes.

In this study, Dr Jane Greaves of Cardiff University and Dr Helen Fraser of the Open University detected the bright methanol signature using the IRAM 30-metre radio telescope in the Spanish Sierra Nevada.

'This observation was very surprising since it was not the main molecule we were originally looking for in Enceladus's plumes,' says Greaves.

Enceladus's plumes are thought to originate in water escaping from a subsurface ocean through cracks in the moon's icy surface.

Eventually these plumes feed into Saturn's second-outermost ring, the E-ring.

The Cardiff team say the unexpectedly large quantity of methanol may have two possible origins: either a cloud of gas expelled from Enceladus, or gas has spread further out into Saturn's E-ring.

Dr Emily Drabek-Maunder of Cardiff University presented the results at the National Astronomy Meeting at the University of Hull.

'Recent discoveries that icy moons in our outer Solar System could host oceans of liquid water and ingredients for life have sparked exciting possibilities for their habitability,' she said.

'But in this case, our findings suggest that that methanol is being created by further chemical reactions once the plume is ejected into space, making it unlikely it is an indication for life on Enceladus.'

Team member Dr Dave Clements of Imperial College, points out: 'Observations aren't always straightforward.

'To interpret our results, we needed the wealth of information Cassini gave us about Enceladus's environment.

'This study suggests a degree of caution needs to be taken when reporting on the presence of molecules that could be interpreted as evidence for life.'

It is the first time that a molecule from Enceladus has been detected with a ground-based telescope.

Cassini will end its journey later this year, leaving remote observations through ground- and space-based telescopes as the only possibility for exploring Saturn and its moons  at least for now.

Drabek-Maunder adds: 'This finding shows that detections of molecules at Enceladus are possible using ground-based facilities.

'However, to understand the complex chemistry in these subsurface oceans, we will need further direct observations by future spacecraft flying through Enceladus's plumes.'

Saturn's icy, ocean-bearing moon Enceladus may have tipped over in the distant past, stunning new Cassini images have shown.

NASA says there is evidence that the moon's spin axis - the line through the north and south poles - has reoriented.

This could have been caused by a collision with a smaller body, such as an asteroid.

Working with image data from NASA's Cassini mission, researchers have found evidence that Saturn's moon Enceladus may have tipped over, reorienting itself so that terrain closer to its original equator was relocated to the poles. This phenomenon is known as true polar wander.

Examining the moon's features, the team showed that Enceladus appears to have tipped away from its original axis by about 55 degrees - more than halfway toward rolling completely onto its side.

'We found a chain of low areas, or basins, that trace a belt across the moon's surface that we believe are the fossil remnants of an earlier, previous equator and poles,' said Radwan Tajeddine, a Cassini imaging team associate at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, and lead author of the paper.

The area around the icy moon's current south pole is a geologically active region where long, linear fractures referred to as tiger stripes slice across the surface.

Tajeddine and colleagues speculate that an asteroid may have struck the region in the past when it was closer to the equator.

'The geological activity in this terrain is unlikely to have been initiated by internal processes,' he said.

'We think that, in order to drive such a large reorientation of the moon, it's possible that an impact was behind the formation of this anomalous terrain.'

In 2005, Cassini discovered that jets of water vapor and icy particles spray from the tiger stripe fractures - evidence that an underground ocean is venting directly into space from beneath the active south polar terrain.

Whether it was caused by an impact or some other process, Tajeddine and colleagues think the disruption and creation of the tiger-stripe terrain caused some of Enceladus' mass to be redistributed, making the moon's rotation unsteady and wobbly.

The rotation would have eventually stabilized, likely taking more than a million years.

By the time the rotation settled down, the north-south axis would have reoriented to pass through different points on the surface - a mechanism researchers call 'true polar wander.'

The polar wander idea helps to explain why Enceladus' modern-day north and south poles appear quite different.

The south is active and geologically young, while the north is covered in craters and appears much older.

The moon's original poles would have looked more alike before the event that caused Enceladus to tip over and relocate the disrupted tiger-stripe terrain to the moon's south polar region.

The results were published in the online edition of the journal Icarus on April 30, 2017.

NASA's Cassini spacecraft has sent back a stunning new view of Saturn's moon Enceladus  an icy world now known to contain nearly all of the ingredients to support life. The breathtaking new image shows a 'dimly illuminated' Enceladus,

Earlier this month, NASA's Cassini spacecraft has sent back a stunning new view of Saturn's moon Enceladus  an icy world now known to contain nearly all of the ingredients to support life.

The breathtaking new image shows a 'dimly illuminated' Enceladus, with sunlight reflecting off Saturn to create a thin crescent.

This view also shows some of the 'fractures and furrows' that span the icy surface of the 313-mile-wide moon.

According to NASA, the image was captured in visible light by Cassini's narrow-angle camera on December 25, 2016, from roughly 104,000 miles (168,000 kilometers) away.

Earlier this month, another image showed a stunning look at the moon's north pole, dotted with craters and other strange markings. This region is said to be entirely unlike the south pole, which is home to plumes of gas
The maker of the world's most deadly firearm has unveiled plans for a radical AI controlled gun for the Russian military.

Kalashnikov, best known for its AK-47 rifle, is building 'a range of products based on neural networks,' including a 'fully automated combat module' that can identify and shoot at its targets.

The new products were revealed in an interview with Kalashnikov spokeswoman Sofiya Ivanova by TASS, a Russian government information agency.

The Kalashnikov 'combat module' will consist of a gun connected to a console that constantly analyses image data to identify targets. According to Kalashnikov it will be able to 'make decisions' on whether to shoot.

The Kalashnikov 'combat module' will consist of a gun connected to a console that constantly crunches image data 'to identify targets and make decisions,' Ivanova told TASS.

'In the imminent future, the Group will unveil a range of products based on neural networks,' she said.

'A fully automated combat module featuring this technology is planned to be demonstrated at the Army-2017 forum.'

The exhibition of Russian military hardware is due to take place from 22-27 August in Moscow.

According to the expo's web site, it will feature a range of 'cloud connected' military devices alongside the latest hardware.

A Kalashnikov photo that ran with the TASS piece showed a turret-mounted weapon that appeared to fire rounds of 25mm or so, according to Defense One.

Russian weapons makers see robotics and AI as key to future sales, according to Sergey Denisentsev, a visiting fellow at the Center For Strategic International Studies.

'There is a need to look for new market niches such as electronic warfare systems, small submarines and robots, but that will require strong promotional effort because a new technology sometimes finds it hard to find a buyer and to convince the buyer that he really needs it,' Denisentsev said in April.

In 2015, then-Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work said fully automated killing machines were un-American.

Dale Ormond, who directs research at the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering said at Thursday's Defense One Tech Summit that he did 'not foresee that Department of Defense would give AI the ability to make decisions on executing lethal force.'

Instead, the U.S. military wants its AI to focus first on helping intelligence analysts sift through data and make faster decisions.

Mikhail Kalashnikov, the designer of Klashnikov sub-machinegun holds his AK-47 with serial number 1 during the celebration of the 60th anniversary of his famous weapon

Earlier this year Kalashnikov revealed its first ever spy-in-the-sky drone and is planning on rolling it out for public sale.

The Kalashnikov Group famous for the AK-47 will officially reveal what it is describing as a noiseless unmanned reconnaissance and surveillance aircraft at next month's MAKS international air show near Moscow.

It has a four hour flying time and can be launched by hand as Vladimir Putin's biggest weapons maker takes a step back from its AK-47 - a rifle that has killed more people than any other firearm on the planet.

The Kalashnikov Group's state-of-the-art drone which is said to be completely noiseless

The drone, pictured here from behind, can be launched by hand and will on sale to the public

A zoom camera and thermal imaging module can be mounted on the unmanned aircraft

The drone weighs 7.5 kilograms and also boasts vertical takeoff capability.

Reportedly, three types of noiseless drone to be released onto the market by the weapon manufacturing giant.

A zoom camera and thermal imaging module can be mounted on the unmanned aircraft.

Nikita Zakharov, deputy chief executive of ZALA AERO, part of the Kalashnikov empire, claimed: 'There are no rivals to the ZALA 421-16E2 either in Russia or in the world for their functionality, simplicity and reliability of operation.

'The unmanned aerial vehicle has a noiseless flight mode which is so important for defence and security agencies.

'The first drones have already been handed over to customers.'

The drone is expected to complete Russian government trials this year.

The AK-47 assault was invented by Mikhail Kalashnikov in the former Soviet Union in 1947.

More than 100 million Kalashnikov rifles have been sold worldwide, accounting for a fifth of the entire global stock of firearms.

A study by the World Bank revealed between 20,000 and 100,000 people are killed every year by handheld guns in conflicts around the world.

It is predicted most of these were attributable to the AK-47.

A veiled Sudanese woman holds an AK-47 during a demonstration, in Kartoum, Sudan

The simplicity of the gun means that child soldiers, like the one pictured centre with an AK-47, can use them as murder weapons

The study said: 'The AK-47 was initially designed for ease of operation and repair by glove-wearing Soviet soldiers in arctic conditions.

'Its breathtaking simplicity means that it can also be operated by child soldiers in the African desert.

'Kalashnikovs are a weapon of choice for armed forces and non-state actors alike.'

It has since been adopted as the weapon of choice by the world's barbaric terror groups including Islamic State, who used AK-47s to spray bullets into the crowd at the Bataclan in Paris in the November 2015 atrocities.

In the same year, Tunisian Seifeddine Rezgui waged a campaign of terror in the popular resort of Sousse as he fired Kalashnikovs killing 38 holiday makers.

Among other Kalshnikov lines are speedboats, clothes and missiles.

The Siberian-born inventor died aged 94 in 2013.
Netflix added more U.S. and international subscribers than expected in the second quarter as new original shows such as '13 Reasons Why' as well as the latest season of hit political drama 'House of Cards' helped attract more viewers.

Shares of the company were up 9 percent at $176.2 in trading after the bell.

Netflix announced Monday that it added 5.2 million subscribers in the April-June quarter, and now has 104 million subscribers worldwide.

The company said on Monday it added 4.14 million subscribers internationally in the quarter ended June 30, compared with the average analyst estimate of 2.59 million. Pictured, CEO Reed Hastings

It added 4.14 million subscribers internationally in the quarter ended June 30, compared with the average analyst estimate of 2.59 million, according to datafrom analytics firm FactSet.

The streaming giant, whose original shows also include 'Orange is the New Black' and 'The Crown', added 1.07 million subscribers in the United States, compared with analysts' average expectation of 631,000.

The company's typically slow second quarter got a boost from the shift in the release of the fifth season of 'House of Cards' from the first quarter.

Netflix - which has expanded globally in the last few years, rolling out shows in different languages - is expecting international subscriber additions of 3.65 million for the current quarter.

The streaming giant's original shows also include 'Orange is the New Black' and 'The Crown' (pictured)

Analysts on average had estimated 3.2 million additions.

The company, which crossed the 100 million subscriber mark in April, said it expected positive international contribution for the full year.

Netflix is spending $6 billion a year on content to lure new subscribers in a quest to become the dominant streaming service around the world even as it faces a slowdown in the United States.

The Los Gatos, California-based company said revenue rose 32.3 percent to $2.79 billion in the quarter.

The company's net income rose to $65.6 million, or 15 cents per share, in the latest quarter from $40.8 million, or 9 cents per share, a year earlier.
The United States and Australia have concluded a series of secretive hypersonic test flights of a radiccal glider designed to fly at mach 8 at the Woomera test range in South Australia.

The tests had initially confused locals who saw a strange 'mushroom cloud' form.

However, the full details of the radical tests of a 'hypersonic glider' have now been revealed.

Scroll down for video

The secretive test flew HyShot V, a 'hypersonic waverider' designed to fly at Mach 8 (8000 km/hr). Australia's defence minister Marise Payne said tests achieved 'significant milestones'.

THE WAVERRIDER According to the University of Queensland website, the test flew HyShot V, a 'hypersonic waverider designed to fly at Mach 8 (8000 km/hr).' The test was to see the craft separate from its rocket booster in space and perform controlled manoeuvres as it enters the atmosphere. This flight did not have a scramjet attached. It was about learning how to fly a hypersonic vehicle at high altitude, the UQ site says. Advertisement

The tests were carried out as part of the Hypersonic International Flight Research Experimentation (HiFIRE) programme, Australia's defence minister Marise Payne congratulated Canberra's Defence Science and Technology Group (DST) and the US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) 'on another successful hypersonic flight at Woomera test range.'

She said that the tests have achieved 'significant milestones, including design assembly, and pre-flight testing of the hypersonic vehicles and design of complex avionics and control systems.'

She said Canberra and Washington DC are drafting plans for future hypersonic work.

'Hypersonic flight is more than five times the speed of sound and has the potential to revolutionise air travel, making it faster and cheaper to travel around the world and into space,' Minister Payne said.

'There are key military applications of this technology and by understanding hypersonic flight, the Australian Defence Force will be in a better position to respond to future threats.'

According to the University of Queensland website, the test flew HyShot V, a 'hypersonic waverider designed to fly at Mach 8 (8000 km/hr).'

The experimental flight took place at the Woomera Test Range, South Australia and was part of a joint research program conducted by DST Group and AFRL, partnering with Boeing, BAE Systems and the University of Queensland, it was revealed.

UQ Chair of Hypersonic Propulsion Professor Michael Smart said the triumph advanced the realisation of hypersonic flight in Australia's commercial and defence sectors.

'Hypersonic flight has the potential to revolutionise air travel, making it faster and cheaper to travel around the world and into space,' said Professor Smart.

According to the University website, the test flew HyShot V, a will be a 'hypersonic waverider designed to fly at Mach 8 (8000 km/hr)'

'It will separate from its rocket booster in space and perform controlled manoeuvres as it enters the atmosphere,' the site says.

'This flight will not have a scramjet attached. It is about learning how to fly a hypersonic vehicle at high altitude.'

Previous HiFIRE launches have achieved speeds of Mach 7.5.

The tests involve the ballistic launch of a vehicle that includes hypersonic inlet, a scramjet cumbustor (through which air flows at supersonic speeds) and a nozzle.

The next planned launch is called HyShot VII. It will be a scramjet-powered waverider vehicle and the HyShot team plans to fly the scramjet-powered vehicle horizontally for up to a minute at Mach 8. It is planned for 2019.

WHAT IS SCRAMJET PROPULSION? Scramjets are 'airbreathing' aircraft because rather than carrying both fuel and the oxygen needed to provide acceleration, they carry only hydrogen fuel and 'pull' the oxygen needed to burn it from the atmosphere. Air is forced into the front of the engine and as hydrogen is injected into the airstream, the gases are compressed causing the temperature to rise and ignition to occur. This generates huge amounts of thrust and enables the jet to travel at speeds far in excess of the 1,350mph top speed of Concorde. Advertisement

BAE Systems Australia issued a statement saying: 'We were pleased to support the DST with the successful flight trial; the most complex of all HIFiRE flights conducted to date, to further the fundamental scientific understanding of hypersonic flight This flight trial is a significant step forward in proving this technology and enhancing our collective understanding of how it could be employed across a range of applications.'

The next planned launch is called HyShot VII.

'It will be a scramjet-powered waverider vehicle and its design will make use of the information learned from HyShot V and VI,' the UQ site claims.

'A depressed trajectory will be used for this flight and the HyShot team plans to fly the scramjet-powered vehicle horizontally for up to a minute at Mach 8.'

It is planned for 2019.

Last year the joint US-Australian military research team sent a scramjet attached to a rocket booster to an altitude of 172 miles (278km) at Mach 7.5 - or seven times the speed of sound.

Jason Wright captured the moment a mysterious 'mushroom cloud' formed over the Woomera military testing range in outback South Australia. He snapped images of the cloud shortly after he says his drone was forced to the ground prior to hearing a loud explosion while he was near the testing range. Mr Wright told Daily Mail Australia he had stopped off along the Sturt Highway with his partner and children to see Lake Hart on Saturday when the unusual incident occurred.

Mach 7.5 classes it as 'hypersonic travel', which is defined as travel at more than five times the speed of sound.

'It is a game-changing technology...and could revolutionise global air travel, providing cost-effective access to space,' Australia's chief scientist Alex Zelinsky said in a statement following earlier tests.

Scientists have said hypersonic technology could cut travelling times drastically.

While military bosses have refused to reveal details of the tests carried out as part of the Hypersonic International Flight Research Experimentation (HiFIRE) programme, a previous trst (pictured) was able to send a scramjet attached to a rocket booster to an altitude of 172 miles (278km) with a top speed of Mach 7.5

For instance, a trip from Sydney to London could be done in two hours for the 10,500 miles (17,000 km) flight.

And the 3460 mile (5571km) trip from London to New York could take just 35 minutes.

Engineers involved in the programme - called Hypersonic International Flight Research Experimentation (HIFiRE) - eventually want the engine to run at Mach 7 or 5370mph.

There are a number of new supersonic technologies in development. Nasa recently announced it was attempting to build new quiet supersonic technology as part of its X-plane division that could be available in 2020 (Nasa's Quiet Supersonic Technology pictured)

Michael Smart a hypersonics expert from the University of Queensland said the scramjet was a supersonic combustion engine that uses oxygen from the atmosphere for fuel, making it lighter and faster than fuel-carrying rockets.

He said: 'The practical application of that is you could fly long distances over the Earth very, very quickly but also that it's very useful as an alternative to a rocket for putting satellites into space.'

THE HYPERSONIC RACE Scramjets have been under development for decades, but a breakthrough came in May 2013 when the US Air Force Research Laboratory's Boeing X-51A WaveRider flew for 240 seconds over the Pacific. It flew on scramjet power, reaching Mach 5.1 and ran until its fuel was exhausted. Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works - builder of the Mach 3.5 SR-71 Blackbird spyplane - then unveiled plans to develop a successor, dubbed the SR-72, pictured. Designed for reconnaissance and strike missions, the SR-72 would combine turbojet and scramjet engines to enable the aircraft to take off from a runway, accelerate to a Mach 6 cruise, and then return to a conventional runway landing. Lockheed Martin has also recently said it's close to making a breakthrough to developing a military plane that can fly at Mach 6  six times the speed of sound. In November 2013, the firm announced it was developing an SR-72 spy plane (illustrated) said to be able to accelerate up to Mach 6 Lockheed Martin believes a prototype could be flying as soon as 2023 and the SR-72 could enter service by 2030. Advertisement

Mach 2.5 is about the speed limit for gas-turbine engines.

Any faster and the temperature and pressure of air entering the engine is too high for the turbo machinery inside.

To fly at hypersonic speed - Mach 5 and above - requires a different type of engine such as a supersonic-combustion ramjet, or scramjet.

These engines have no moving parts.

Instead of the rotating compressor and turbine in a jet engine, air is compressed and expanded by complex systems of shockwaves under the front of the aircraft, inside the inlet and under the fuselage at the rear.

Travel becomes hypersonic when temperatures get so hot that air molecules become unstable and begin losing electrons. At these speeds the air becomes an electrically-charged field.

At supersonic speeds, air moves through a series of channels until is slowed down to a point where fuel can be more easily injected and ignited.

This releases energy and thrust.

At hypersonic speed, this air moves even faster, which makes it difficult to slow down to the speed of sound and therefore requires specialist fuel and technologies, as seen in engines including the pulse detonation engine (PDE).

HYPERSONIC PASSENGER PLANES COULD TAKE OFF IN TEN YEARS Boeing has pledged to make hypersonic passengers planes a reality and says they could be operating within a decade. 'I think in the next decade or two you're going to see them become a reality,' Boeing Chairman and CEO Dennis Muilenburg told CNBC at the Paris Air Show in June However, he admitted the firm still has to prove there are enough people who could afford tickets to make it worthwhile. Another firm working to make the vehicles a reality is Boom Supersonic. The company received 26million ($33million) in funding back in March, when it announced it was ready to build its XB-1 jet prototype. Backed by Virgin tycoon Richard Branson, the 'Baby Boom' jet could usher in a new era of affordable supersonic travel. Claimed to be the 'world's fastest civil aircraft ever made', the XB-1 Supersonic Demonstrator is due to take off on its first test flight later this year and could take passengers from London to New York in 3.5 hours, its maker claims. The company said the jet, which will cost more than $200 million (160 million) to build, may carry passengers by the early 2020s. The subsonic flight test will be conducted near Edwards Air Force Base in Southern California in partnership with Virgin Galactic's The Spaceship Company. Nasa recently said it is is seeking proposals for the development of its supersonic X-plane, with plans to begin work as early as next year. The Quiet Supersonic Transport low-boom flight demonstrator aims to produce a much lower 'boom' than other supersonic aircraft. The space agency is hoping to see the first flight tests take place in 2021, according to Aviation Week. Advertisement

Scramjets, however, have been under development for decades.

A breakthrough came in May 2013 when the US Air Force Research Laboratory's Boeing X-51A WaveRider flew for 240 seconds over the Pacific,

It flew on scramjet power, reaching Mach 5.1 and ran until its fuel was exhausted.

Today's test was used to measure heat on the outside of a vehicle in hypersonic flight, Smart said.

The next test, scheduled for 2017, would involve the scramjet engine separating from the rocket booster and flying on its own, he added.
Adventures can happen at any age, as this moving story goes to show.

MailOnline Travel recently accompanied 53-year-old George Shomo as he got his first passport, took his first flight and embarked on his first boat ride to one of the world's most remote spots, Sable Island off the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada.

The caretaker who still lives in the Brooklyn neighbourhood where he was born, was moved to tears as he entered a rural landscape - a world away from the streets of New York he's traversed for more than five decades.

Soaking it all in: MailOnline Travel recently accompanied 53-year-old George Shomo as he got his first passport, took his first flight and embarked on his first boat ride to one of the world's most remote spots, Sable Island off the coast of Canada

Talking about what it was like stepping on to the sandy shores of Sable Island, George said with a twinkle in his eye: 'I felt like a child going outside for the first time, fresh air and an ocean breeze.'

The workaholic, who says he hasn't taken holiday for years, won the trip to Sable Island in a raffle at the Explorers Club where he has been employed for the past four years as a janitor.

The expedition, run by the family-run cruise company Adventure Canada, saw 198 passengers board a boat in St. John's, Newfoundland & Labrador, before hitting Sable Island.

The spit of sand, referred to as a 'smile in the middle of the Atlantic' with its curved shape, measures 26 miles long, double the length of Manhattan.

Talking about what it was like stepping on to the sandy shores of Sable Island, George said with a twinkle in his eye: 'I felt like a child going outside for the first time, fresh air and an ocean breeze'

The expedition, run by the family-run cruise company Adventure Canada, saw 198 passengers board a boat in St. John's, Newfoundland & Labrador, before hitting Sable Island

Three years ago it was given National Park Reserve status with its unique colony of wild horses and more than 300,000 grey seals.

It is also a bird watcher's paradise, with it being a home to the threatened Roseate tern and it is the only breeding ground of the rare Ipswich sparrow.

George said he had no idea where the island was and he wasn't too keen to go on the intrepid holiday at first.

'I don't trust anyone else to do my job so I told my boss I didn't want to go.

'But he said if I didn't take the trip I shouldn't go back to work. After he said that I went about getting my passport, I didn't want to lose my job. The lines for getting a passport were insane but I made it in the end!'

Making new friends: George pictured on board the Ocean Endeavour with the boat's hotel manager

Into the wild: George said he had no idea where the island was and he wasn't too keen to go on the intrepid holiday at first

Many passengers said travelling with George - who said he was hit by financial hardship and racial discrimination growing up in 1960s New York - was a humbling experience.

One holidaymaker said: 'He's such a great guy and so witty. It's been wonderful travelling with him and see his eyes light up at all of the new experiences.'

The New Yorker said one thing he was particularly scared about was getting in the little zodiac inflatable boats from the main ship, which were used to take passengers to shore.

But after seeing others make the journey before him, he felt more at ease.

He explained: 'I was scared off falling in the water as I can't swim but I saw little old ladies getting in and out of those things and I just thought "if they can do it, I can."'

Flying was also something George was fairly terrified about.

It is possible to charter a plane to Sable Island and Adventure Canada runs an eight-day expedition cruise to the National Park Reserve with the itinerary shown above

The spit of sand, referred to as a 'smile in the middle of the Atlantic' with its curved shape, measures 26 miles long, double that of Manhattan

He said he had been in an airport before as he spent several years working for the TSA (Transportation Security Administration) at JFK Airport after the 9/11 attacks but that was the closest he'd ever been to a plane before his recent adventure.

Reciting his first flight experience, George said: 'I sat there and started panicking. I'd never been that high in my entire life. I closed my eyes and gripped the arm rests with both hands as we took off. Luckily I wasn't sick or anything.'

Other firsts included drinking a shot of strong rum and kissing a dead cod fish on the lips, a local tradition in Newfoundland & Labrador as part of an initiation ceremony called 'screeching in'.

George was 'screeched in' during a short stopover in the Newfoundland & Labrador community of Francois.

He jokingly likened the fishy ordeal to kissing an ex-lover.

George says he doesn't know when or where his next trip will be.

However, he jibed: 'When I next have an argument with my girlfriend, I'll tell her I'm leaving for China or somewhere. That will keep her quiet.'
A 13-year-old girl has described the terrifying moment a great white shark took her surf board from her with the teeth marks left in the fiberglass as a lasting memento.

Zoe Steyn from East London, South Africa, was waiting to catch a wave when she came face-to-face with the 10 foot long predator.

She said all she saw was a 'huge black eye' looking straight at her as she was thrown from her board and into the water.

Zoe Steyn from East London, South Africa, was waiting to catch a wave when she came face-to-face with the 10 foot long predator

Recalling the chain of chain of events, the school girl told The Telegraph: '[I heard] a huge bang as it took my board and began shaking it.

'It latched on with its jaws just missing my leg and it tipped me backwards and I fell in and I just saw the black shape of it in the water and panicked.'

Luckily Zoe's friend, 40-year-old JP Veaudry was in the water at the time and he was able to offer a helping hand.

He told MailOnline Travel that he didn't see the shark but he saw all of the thrashing in the water as Zoe paddled towards the shore.

The experienced surfer, who also works as a photographer, added: 'It all happened very quickly.

'I heard a death defying scream and saw loads of thrashing about in the water.

The shark left its teeth marks in Zoe's board as a lasting memento

An eye witness said that he didn't see the shark but saw lots of thrashing in the water as Zoe made a dash towards the shore (stock image)

'Zoe was screaming and flailing in the sea as the shark had pulled the board out from under her. My first thought was to get out of there and onto the beach.

'But I couldnt just leave her out there with the shark so I paddled straight out to get her and she had got back on her board and I paddled back in with her.'

Amazingly Zoe escaped the incident unscathed.

Mr Veaudry said it was lucky she was sitting on the surf board when the shark attacked as her arms were out of the way.

The incident took place on July 7 around the Nahoon Reef.

Great white sharks are said to be common in waters off East London. Famously surfer Shannon Ainslie was attacked by two sharks in the area when he was 15 years old but miraculously lived to tell the tale

Zoe's father said although she was shaken up by the incident, she got back in the water the next day.

He added via a thread on the surf website zigzag.co: 'The declining shark population is of great concern to her! She will be back in the water tomorrow for our local trials. We are very grateful that her encounter/ attack ( call it what you will), left her unscathed.

'Also, all you guys who rushed to her aid and paddled back to shore with her are just awesome! Thats the spirit we try and instill in our children, and testimony to the camaraderie in the surfing community! We are truly grateful!'

Mr Veaudry, who lost a leg in a motorbike incident and now surfs as an adaptive champion, says great white sharks are common in waters off East London.

Famously surfer Shannon Ainslie was attacked by two sharks in the area when he was 15 years old but miraculously lived to tell the tale.
A weary-looking Dakota Johnson was photographed holding a lidded coffee cup while outdoors in Savannah on Sunday.

The 27-year-old, who's in Georgia shooting her upcoming movie The Peanut Butter Falcon, was seen that day with her co-star Zack Gottsagen and a female pal.

Dakota had teamed a powder blue T-shirt with high-waisted blue trousers and a stylish black purse that matched the open-toe black slippers she'd popped on.

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On the go: A weary-looking Dakota Johnson was photographed holding a lidded coffee cup as she stepped out in Savannah during some off-time from filming

The Peanut Butter Falcon stars Zack as 22-year-old Zak, who has Down syndrome and who - in hopes of going to wrestling school - flees his nursing home.

He soon winds up with an outlaw played by Shia LaBeouf and the nursing home employee Dakota's playing as travel companions.

With a cast that also includes Bruce Dern and MacGyver actor Jermaine Rivers, the movie's co-written and co-directed by the duo of Tyler Nilson and Mike Schwartz.

Company: The 27-year-old, who's been in Georgia to shoot her upcoming movie The Peanut Butter Falcon, was joined out by her co-star Zack Gottsagen and a female pal

Shia recently returned to filming after falling afoul of law enforcement yet again - this time aiming profanity-laced racist diatribes at police during his arrest for obstruction, public drunkenness and disorderly conduct - per DailyMail.com.

His tirades, seen in multiple videos obtained by TMZ, included taunting a white officer that his wife watches porn of 'black d***,' and sniping at a black officer that his going 'straight to hell' was 'savage' on account of the fact 'you a black man.'

According to the Chatham County Sheriff's Office, 31-year-old Shia was taken into custody around 4am on July 8 and was released that day on a $3,500 bond.

The ensemble: Dakota had teamed a powder blue T-shirt with high-waisted blue trousers and a stylish black purse that matched the open-toe black slippers she'd popped on

Family affair: Later on in the day, Dakota was visited by her father Don Johnson and his wife Kelley Phleger

Shia's tweeted an apology calling himself 'deeply ashamed of my behavior' and offering 'no excuses for it,' also noting that 'The severity of my behavior is not lost on me' and confessing to reaching 'a new low. A low I hope is a bottom,' he added.

'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,' he wrote in the message he posted to Twitter on Wednesday.

Shia was spotted back to work on set in Savannah by July 10, two days after his latest arrest, which was his sixth overall, as DailyMail.com have reported.
The half-sister of late INXS rocker Michael Hutchence has made no secret of her strained relationship with niece Tiger Lily.

And Tina Hutchence has now published an emotional open letter in New Idea magazine, wishing Tiger Lily a happy 21st birthday and begging her to reconnect with the family.

'Since you were very young we have had an unnatural one-way relationship which exists because of tragedy,' wrote Tina.

'Since you were very young we have had an unnatural one-way relationship': Tina Hutchence has published an emotional open letter in New Idea magazine, wishing Tiger Lily a happy 21st birthday and begging her to reconnect with the family

'The loss of a loved one normally brings people closer- but there was never going to be anything conventional about this situation. Outside forces intervened and we haven't been afforded an ongoing relationship.'

She later added: 'I wish I were part of your life.'

Tina also used the open letter to extend some sage advice about adulthood, telling Tiger Lily that she should show interest in other people and to chose her friends carefully.

'I wish I were part of your life': Tina also used the open letter to extend some sage advice about adulthood, telling Tiger Lily (pictured) that she should show interest in other people and to chose her friends carefully

She also described fond memories of Michael and Tiger Lily before the INXS' tragic death.

Tina had penned an open letter to her half-brother's daughter, Tiger Lily, begging her to come home to Australia.

A year later, Tina revealed that she and Tiger Lily had not mended any fences, telling Sunrise last year the pair have 'not too much' contact.

Happy birthday indeed! Meanwhile, Tiger Lily is rumoured to 'inherit millions' as she turns 21 this week (Pictured: Paula Yates and Michael Hutchence with Tiger Lily in 1997)

Tina's letter comes three years after she published a similar essay in New Idea magazine, imploring Tiger Lily to return to Australia.

Meanwhile, Tiger Lily is rumoured to 'inherit millions' as she turns 21 this week.

The daughter of Paula Yates will reportedly receive the money through a trust fund which was set up by her INXS musician father before his death, Graeme Culliford at the Sun on Sunday reported.
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Bethenny Frankel showcased her enviably taut figure in a striped multicolored bikini while in the Hamptons on Sunday.

The 46-year-old Real Housewife Of New York City had accessorized with aviator shades and a black top hat.

Standing beside her was Million Dollar Listing New York's Fredrik Eklund, with whom she is shooting the upcoming show called Keeping It Real Estate, according to Bravo.

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Looking fabulous: Bethenny Frankel showcased her enviably taut figure in a striped multicolored bikini while shooting her new reality TV show in the Hamptons on Sunday

Rolling: The brunette small-screen icon had the camera on her as she worked on Keeping It Real Estate, according to Bravo

Erik, 40, bared his musclebound arms in a blue tank top he paired with black short shorts, and his hair had been arranged into a pristine coiff.

That morning Bethenny had posted an Instagram photo in which she'd slid into a grey unitard and contorted herself into a yoga pose on a pink mat.

'Lets get physical. #DancerPose is fab for strength, flexibility, & coordination,' captioned the Skinnygirl impresaria, who used to have a chat show called Bethenny.

In cold water: Here the TV vet is seen with Million Dollar Listing New York's Fredrik Eklund who is her co-star on the new TV venture for Bravo

Let's hope the sharks are sleeping: The cover girl and the prince of real estate sure seemed chummy on the water

Workout queen: The looker had on a fanny pack as she paddle boarded with a long leash

Hugs in the Hamptons: The leggy brunette put her arms around Eklund after they shot a scene

Hydrating: Eklun chugged on a drink while Frankel texted away as they stood by an outlook

Bravo, which will air the new show, had revealed she had landed an upcoming show with Fredrik in April, back when it had still got the working title The Bethenny And Fredrik Project.

By the time Fredrik put in an appearance on The Daily Dish Podcast last month, however, the title had switched to Keeping It Real Estate - though, as Fredrik dished on the podcast, there'd been a livelier option tabled in the intervening time.

'I wanted what Bethenny had came up with very early on, which was Flip A B****. It was so freaking good,' Fredrik said, his idea having been that 'we can use 'b****,' like, with a dollar sign, like in the - that's, because she's a b****. I'm a b****. We're gonna flip the b**** out of these properties and then - anyway, it couldn't be used, so.'

Dynamic duo: Standing beside her was Eklund who wore a blue shirt and black shorts

He's allowed: 'But Keeping It Real Estate is good, because it is a lot of personal stuff. The real estate is there. It's like a backdrop, and we are investing millions of dollars of our own money into these properties,' he divulged.

Fredrik's gone on: 'But it's very real in the sense that it's her life. It's my life. It's a lot of that, and then, our friendship. 'Cause I love her, and she loves me, and we are - but we fight, and we, ugh, she's so freaking annoying. She's a freak.'

The realtor reality star, who'd married artist Derek Kaplan in 2013, continued: 'I mean, but she's a genius. I mean, she's all those things. I mean, you know her, so, yeah.'
She usually stuns in choice couture on the red carpet.

But Elizabeth Banks took the day off from glamour as she was seen in a colorful quirky jumpsuit in Los Angeles on Sunday.

The 43-year-old actress exemplified bohemian chic as she rocked the sleeveless number while getting her fill at a local farmer's market.

Hit or miss: Elizabeth Banks, 43, was seen in a quirky jumpsuit in Los Angeles on Sunday

The Pitch Perfect star decided to grace the public in a multi-colored, frenetic patterned jumpsuit that did little to accentuate her svelte physique.

Daring to be different, she paired the look with a simple set of basic sandals and mirrored retro shades.

The director/producer threw caution to the wind as she swept her trademark blonde tresses up in a messy bun.

Boho babe: The actress exemplified bohemian chic as she rocked the sleeveless number while getting her fill at a local farmer's market

Color palette: The Pitch Perfect star decided to grace the public in a multi-colored, frenetic patterned jumpsuit that did little to accentuate her svelte physique

With cash in hand, the 30 Rock alum sampled some of the farmed goods sourced from local companies.

At one point, she shared a hearty laugh with a mystery friend as they stood in front of a produce kiosk.

A helpful stranger pointed Elizabeth and her friend to a different area of the heavily populated farmer's market.

Pit stop: Perhaps a long day was ahead of her as the three-time Emmy nominated star stopped for a coffee to refuel

Chow down: With cash in hand, the 30 Rock alum sampled some of the farmed goods sourced from local companies

Perhaps a long day was ahead of her as the three-time Emmy nominated star stopped for a coffee to refuel.

The shopping expedition was quite a success as Elizabeth carried two huge knapsacks full of the day's booty.

Elizabeth can next be seen in Pitch Perfect 3, which she produced as well.

Jokes abound: At one point, she shared a hearty laugh with a mystery friend as they stood in front of a produce kiosk
She overcame many obstacles to become an award-winning actress, including the death of her father when she was a young child.

And Naomi Watts, 48, has revealed in a new interview with The Guardian that rock band Pink Floyd stepped in to support her family after her father Peter Watts died from an overdose in 1976.

The Mulholland Drive star was just seven-years-old when her father lost his life at the age of 31.

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Strength: Naomi Watts, 48, has revealed in a new interview with The Guardian that rock band Pink Floyd stepped in to support her family after her father Peter Watts died from an overdose in 1976

Grateful: Peter was a sound engineer for the Wish You Were Here hitmakers (above), who helped the Watts family in the immediate aftermath of his death.

Peter was a sound engineer for the Wish You Were Here hitmakers, who helped the Watts family in the immediate aftermath of his death.

She said: 'When he died, my dad hadnt saved money, and I guess my mum didnt have any. 'So they, the band, very kindly Trust fund doesnt sound right at all. I think they gave my mum a few thousand dollars to help get things under way. A lump sum, to help. It was kind that they did that.'

The Impossible actress said she burst into tears when a Pink Floyd fan gave her a photo of her father in which she could clearly see his smile for the first time in her life.

She spoke of the importance of the moment: 'Youve got to understand, Ive got maybe three photos of my dad, and maybe two memories, and all of the photos of him are either out of focus or hes a tiny speck in the background.'

Close bond: Naomi, her mother Myfanwy (above) and brother Ben moved to Australia in the early 1980s (pictured in April 2011)

Emotion: The Impossible actress said she burst into tears when a Pink Floyd fan gave her a photo of her father in which she could clearly see his smile for the first time in her life

The Australian actress' parents Myfanwy Roberts and Peter Watts had divorced when she was four.

Reflecting on her parents quirky styles, she said: 'Id had enough of cool. I didnt want cool. I wanted my parents to wear three-piece suits and tweed, not leather pants and four-inch platform boots.'

Close: The Kent-born star credits moving around a lot as a child after her father's death- she went to nine different schools in England before emigrating to Australia at 14 - with learning how to reinvent herself (pictured with mother Myfanwy in October 2016)

The Kent-born star credits moving around a lot as a child after her father's death- she went to nine different schools in England before emigrating to Australia at 14 - with learning how to reinvent herself.

The family moved to the North Shore area of Sydney where Naomi settled and eventually made friends with a teenage Nicole Kidman.

The aspiring actresses were cast together in Australian comedy, 1991's Flirting.

After a few episodes of Home & Away she was cast in the Hollywood movie Tank Girl and moved to the States.

New venture: The Oscar nominee will next appear on-screen in Netflix drama Gypsy where she plays an NYC therapist who feels so suffocated in life that she fakes new identities in order to work her way into strangers' lives

Naomi, who labelled herself 'unhireable' spend many years being rejected at every audition before she got her big break in 2001's Mulholland Drive.

She will next appear on-screen in Netflix drama Gypsy where she plays an NYC therapist who feels so suffocated in life that she fakes new identities in order to work her way into strangers' lives

She was in a long-term relationship with Spotlight actor Liev Schreiber. After 11 years, the couple went their separate ways last year, but maintain a close relationship for their sons Sasha, 10 and Samuel, nine.
They finally consummated their relationship, after weeks of on/off romance in the villa.

But the excitement of Love Island fans soon turned to rage after Chris and Olivia's first romp on Sunday, when the blonde beauty appeared to criticise their saucy antics.

Speaking to Montana and Amber on the terrace, the 26-year-old admitted she is glad she had sex with farm boy hunk, 22, as she now knows what to 'teach' him in the bedroom - a claim viewers immediately blasted as 'disrespectful'.

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'So disrespectful': Love Island fans raged Chris and Olivia's first romp on Sunday, when the blonde beauty appeared to criticise their saucy antics

Chris and Olivia became the fourth couple to romp in the house, after weeks of turbulent romance - which saw them split and reconcile once again on Friday.

However viewers were soon left reeling after Olivia appeared underwhelmed by her steamy night with Chris, and discussed the tryst seemingly without much care.

Recalling the evening to Amber and Montana, she explained: 'We sh**ged last night. I don't know why we hadn't done it yet.'

Ouch: Speaking on the terrace, the 26-year-old admitted she is glad she had sex with farm boy hunk, 22 (above), as she now knows what to 'teach' him in the bedroom

Despite admitting she 'couldn't walk right' following their night of passion, she continued that she felt no closer to the hunk since their romp - reasoning bluntly that she was 'not a virgin'.

Yet, the blonde left viewers most furious when she claimed she now knew what she needed to 'teach' him regarding sex.

She continued: 'I'm just glad we've done it now, as now I know all the things I'm going to teach him already.

Sealed the deal: Chris and Olivia became the fourth couple to romp in the house, after weeks of turbulent romance - which saw them split and reconcile once again on Friday

Not happy: However, the blonde left viewers furious when she claimed she now knew what she needed to 'teach' him regarding sex

'Because the first time neither of you know what each other likes so you test the waters, and we had to be gentle because he's hung like a racehorse and I've been living like a nun.'

Before she added matter-of-factly: 'But, it's done.'

Viewers immediately took to Twitter to slam Olivia for her 'disrespectful' words for the fan favourite.

Brutal: She also added she felt 'no closer' to the hunk after their romp, citing the fact that she was 'not a virgin' as the reason

Not impressed: Viewers immediately took to Twitter to slam Olivia for her 'disrespectful' words for the fan favourite

One viewer kicked things off by writing angrily: 'Olivia really doesn't deserve Chris. It's frustrating me.'

As another added: 'Olivia is perpetually embarrassed by Chris. Let him go and find someone who appreciates him.'

Deeming her actions rude and disrespectful, another added: ''I already known all the stuff I'm gonna teach him' Olivia is so disrespectful towards Chris it is unreal.'

While another chimed in: 'All the stuff I'm gonna teach him. Nahh Olivia is saying his sex game is wack. The disrespect she has for Chris.. '

Bad to worse: It was not the only time Olivia ruffled feathers on the episode however - going on to cause a stir when she made her attraction to male model Jamie(left) quite clear

Cooking up a storm: The boys were asked to cook their female partners burgers in Sunday's challenge, with Jamie (second left) stripping shirtless for the task

A further viewer then added in defense of the handsome Gloucestershire native: 'I love Chris, why does have to bring him down at any given situation.'

It was not the only time Olivia ruffled feathers on the episode however - going on to cause a stir when she made her attraction to male model Jamie quite clear.

The boys were tasked with cooking their female partners burgers in Sunday night's challenge.

Stripping shirtless to whip up dinner however, his hunky appearance soon caught the eye of Olivia, who giggled as she watched: 'I want him to bend me over that kitchen counter.'

Saucy: His hunky appearance soon caught the eye of Olivia, who giggled as she watched: 'I want him to bend me over that kitchen counter'

Hypocrticial: Fans once again flocked to Twitter to criticism the blonde for her comments - after her romp with Chris and claims she wanted them to work out romantically

Fans once again flocked to Twitter to criticism the blonde for her comments - after her romp with Chris and claims she wanted them to work out romantically.

Viewers immediately took to the site to question in shock: 'Why's Olivia eying up Jamie girls thirsty asf' and 'Did Olivia just say she would like Jamie to bend her over the counter?!?'

Another poked fun at her desire for romance with Chris, adding: 'So Olivia wants to bang Jamie and doesn't stand up for Chris. Ideal Girlfriend material?'

One fan even claimed her to be with Chris for the prize money, writing: 'I swear 5 mins ago Olivia said she wanted Jamie to bend her over... now she wants Chris to be her boyfriend where's the money at?'

Making it official:However, many fans were left apologising for their criticism at the end of the episode, after Olivia sweetly asked Chris to be her boyfriend

Heart-warming: Fans were left teary-eyed when the blonde declared her love for her beau, by telling him he was the 'best person she'd met in a long time'

'Cutest thing I have ever witnessed': Viewers proceeded to gush of the moment on Twitter

While another simply vented their frustration at her behaviour, interjecting: 'Every time Olivia speaks I'm tempted to get up and walk out of whatever room I'm in out of sheer frustration #PrayForChris'

However, many fans were left apologising for their criticism at the end of the episode, after Olivia sweetly asked Chris to be her boyfriend.

Fans were left teary-eyed when the blonde declared her love for her beau, by telling him he was the 'best person she'd met in a long time', and had 'restored her faith' in men.

Viewers gushed of the moment on Twitter: 'Olivia and Chris are official omg! Cutest thing I have ever witnessed' and 'I might have just teared up watching Olivia and Chris... what is wrong with me.'

Another added: 'Olivia drives me insane most times but her speech for Chris was the cutest thing.'

Sealed with a kiss! They then decided to be boyfriend and girlfriend, and shared a sweet kiss on the terrace

Underneath the sheets: Chris and Olivia became the fourth couple to romp in the villa on the episode, after Amber and Kem, Montana and Alex and Jess and Dom

Before a further fan acknowledged: 'I actually really like Olivia, she's just a girl that's been through a lot in relationships but now realised Chris is a good guy.'

Many other fans questioned why they received so much social media hate, writing: 'How does no one like Olivia and Chris?? I think there one of the best couples.'

Olivia and Chris are the fourth couple to settle on official girlfriend-boyfriend status - after Amber and Kem, Gabby and Marcel, and Montana and Alex.

While Gabby and Marcel have not yet had sex, the other three couples join Jess and Dom as the pairs who have got steamy under the sheets.

However Olivia and Chris may now be the fourth of five couples to go all the way, after it was teased at the end of the episode that Jamie and Camilla had finally sealed the deal.
They're both favourites in Channel Nine's captivating new show, Australian Ninja Warrior.

And now a magazine has claimed there was chemistry on set of this hit show between contestants Olivia Vivian, 27, and Ashlin Herbert, 22.

On Monday, New Idea reported that Olivia had been leaving comments on Ashlin's Instagram.

Chemistry on set? Ninja Warrior star Olivia Vivian leaves flirty comments on fellow contestant Ashlin Herbert's social media

Olivia was the first to comment on Ashlin's latest Instagram picture with 'love it' along with a cat emoticon.

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to both for comment.

Reports: On Monday, New Idea reported that Olivia had been leaving comments on Ashlin's Instagram

The love's growing: Olivia was the first to comment on Ashlin's latest Instagram picture with 'love it'

Looking for thr hot guys: And the speculation may not be too far fetched with Olivia openly declaring in her Ninja promo interview that she was there for the sea of hunky and toned men

Olivia openly declared in her Ninja promo interview that she was there for the sea of hunky and toned men.

'I'm doing Ninja Warrior to perve on all the hot guys,' she said laughing.

While Olivia's social media pages are devoid of any romance, Ashlin is believed to have had a girlfriend named Holly, but his last shared a post with her was on Valentine's Day earlier this year.

Single? While Olivia's social media pages are clear off men, Ashlin is believed to have had a girlfriend named Holly, but his last shared a post with her was on Valentine's Day earlier this year

The pair also share a common loss of their fathers at a young age.

Since the passing of Olivia's dad, she's opened up a cafe called The Leaky Tap in his honour.

Both appearing on last Monday's episode, Ashlin became the fastest competitor finishing the challenge in just over one minute whilst Olivia merely missed out after failing to run up the warped wall.
She's always a sartorial stand out.

And Julianne Moore was ever-radiant in a white shift during her appearance at Italy's Giffoni Film Festival Sunday.

The 56-year-old beauty looked effortlessly stylish on the red carpet, where she paired her flowy frock with black espadrilles to showcase her thin stems and porcelain skin.

Ciao bella! Julianne Moore looked ever-radiant in a white shift and black espadrilles on the red carpet of Italy's Giffoni Film Festival Sunday

The Oscar winning talent was elegant as ever in a creme shift with bell sleeves and a hem just above the knees - perfect for summertime in the festival's host city of Giffoni Valle Piana (located south-east of Naples.)

There to accept the festival's prestigious Truffaut Award, the scarlet haired beauty wore her locks down loosely while adorning her face with minimal makeup.

She teamed her glowing look with dainty hoops and a glittering rings.

Red hot! The scarlet haired beauty, who was there to accept the festival's prestigious Truffaut Award, wore her locks down loosely while adorning her face with minimal makeup

Fan favorite! Julianne was barely about to contain her beam as she headed to the stands to chat with some of her Italian fans

Stunning smile: The 56-year-old actress teamed her glowing look with dainty hoops and a glittering rings

Outside in the sun, the Big Lebowski actress added studded shades to block the rays.

Julianne was barely about to contain her beam as she headed to the stands to chat with some of her Italian fans.

And inside the event she spoke directly to her young fans, telling the audience to never 'let anybody say that you can't do something.'

What a stud! Outside the Big Lebowski actress donned studded shades to block out the rays

Forget the naysayers! Inside the event the star spoke directly to her young fans, telling the audience to never 'let anybody say that you can't do something'

She continued, 'Find what you are really fond of and keep doing it: soon youll understand where it will take you.'

'My juvenile love for reading made me want to convey emotions through the staging of a well written text.'

Julianne won an Oscar in 2014 for portraying a woman with Alzheimer's in Still Alice, which was based on a bestselling novel by Lisa Genova of the same name.
He may be known for his innocent baby faced looks and charm as Geoff Campbell in Home And Away but Hell's Kitchen star Lincoln Lewis is rumoured to be at 'war' on set of the reality show.

According to Woman's Day, the 29-year-old had been 'warring' with former One Nation politician David Oldfield.

'Production had to get in between them at one point,' reveals an insider.

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At war! Hell's Kitchen star Lincoln Lewis is rumoured to be at 'war' with former One Nation politician David Oldfield on set of the reality show

Daily Mail Australia reached out for comment on the claims.

Meanwhile the buff Logie winning actor has been on holidays while taking a break from filming Hell's Kitchen.

While on the tropical holiday, Lincoln posted a photo posing in front of a waterfall wearing swimming shorts and sunglasses.

He captioned the snap: 'My Whitsundays holiday started with a painful 5am training session with my bro @antonzafirmma then got slightly more enjoyable after taking a wander through the falls'.

Happy holiday: Lincoln is taking a break from filming a new reality show venture on Channel Seven Hell's Kitchen

Big star: The 29-year-old flaunted his enviable bod to his 116k followers which welcomed his loyal fangirls to post their adoring messages for the Aussie hottie

The jaw-dropping photo which flaunted the actor's abs received many comments such as: 'Marry me maybe?' and: 'I didn't even notice the waterfall because you're so hot!'

He even got the attention of fellow actor Daniel Macpherson who commented: 'Look at the bloody size of ya'.

Lincoln has posted several pics of the picturesque scenery, but none of them got as much attention as the shirtless snap.

All grown up! Lincoln is known for his role as Geoff Campbell in Home & Away

He shared an inspirational snap with the caption: 'We only get one so find your passion & love in this one life & never give up'.

Lincoln is currently filming Hell's Kitchen in Sydney where he will also star alongside Geordie Shore star Gaz Beadle, Bachelorette and radio host Sam Frost, former NRL player Willie Nelson and The Chase Australia's Issa Schultz.

The contestants will learn under the watchful eye of Marco Pierre White and the show will air on Channel Seven later in the year.
Last year Here Come The Habibs! attracted criticism for its portrayal of an Australian-Lebanese family, which some viewers claimed used racist stereotypes.

And with the comedy now in its second season, Rob Shehadie has hit back at the controversy.

'We're becoming a land of whingers!' the co-creator and star of the program said in Monday's TV WEEK magazine.

'We're a land of whingers!' Here Come The Habibs! star Rob Shehadie told TV WEEK magazine that Australian audiences are taking themselves too seriously

'We're becoming a land of whingers. We need to go back to the laid back Australia, when we could just enjoy something for what it was,' Rob told the publication.

'When Kath & Kim came out, no one had an issue with it (playing stereotypes). But put the word 'Habibs' in the title and people are up in arms,' he continued.

'The industry doesn't have enough work as it is, so we need to forget the controversy and negativity and focus on the positive.'

Having his say: 'We're becoming a land of whingers. We need to go back to the laid-back Australia, when we could just enjoy something for what it was,' Rob told the publication

'We created this show purely for comedy reasons': Rob said Here Come The Habibs! wasn't made to 'put some diversity on Australian TV'

This is not the first time Rob has claimed that Australian audiences are forgetting how to see the funny side of things.

Rob said in an interview with The Sunday Telegraph last month: 'The world is getting very seriouswhich is very serious.'

'We created this show purely for comedy reasons,' the personality, who also portrays Janesh in the series.

'We didn't say, "Let's do a show to put some diversity on Australian TV." For us, it's always been about the laughs,' Rob added.

Making headlines: The high-rating program attracted controversy before it even went to air, with some Australians dismissing it as 'casually racist'

The high-rating program attracted controversy before it even went to air, with some Australians dismissing it as 'casually racist'.

Social media users were quick to criticise the concept when the first trailers were aired, with some even likening it to 'blackface'.

'This show is an utter embarrassment to the Lebanese community, and not to mention racist!' read an angry Facebook comment.

Success! Despite the initial backlash, Here Come The Habibs! went on to be a success for Channel Nine, with season two currently airing on the network

Despite the initial backlash, Here Come The Habibs! went on to be a success for Channel Nine, with season two currently airing on the network.

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia in March last year, Rob revealed those people denouncing the show only managed to hype it up and attract more viewers.

'We should thank the critics because they made the show bigger,' he said.

The last laugh: Rob told Daily Mail Australia last year that the critics 'made the show bigger'
They are the most talked-about couple on new reality series Yummy Mummies.

And Carlos Vannini and Maria DiGeronimo are not hesitant to express their love for each other on the controversial television show or social media.

Carlos, 34, shared a recent photo to his Instagram where he indulged in an apparent foot fetish with his longtime partner.

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Lovebirds: Carlos Vannini, 34, shared a recent photo to his Instagram where he indulged in an apparent foot fetish with his longtime partner Maria DiGeronimo

The barbershop owner could be seen holding on tightly and puckering up to his girlfriend's freshly manicured left foot.

The bald-headed motorcycle enthusiast kept his eyes closed as he placed his lips on the side of her toes, which were perfectly manicured with a shade of pastel pink.

'There's nothing I don't love about my girl,' the tattooed husband gushed in the snap's caption.

Starry-eyed: The couple are not hesitant to express their love for each other on the controversial television show or social media

Maria's mother Margharita added to Carlos's tribute to her daughter in the image's comment section.

'An [sic] me too,' she lovingly offered.

Maria left her own note in response to the picture, replying to Carlos: 'My world'.

'There's nothing I don't love about my girl,' he gushed in the snap's caption

During a recent episode of Yummy Mummies, Maria and Carlos celebrated the impending arrival of daughter Valentina with a $4,000 baby shower.

After the ceremony, Carlos presented her with a $7,000 money 'bouquet' and jewellery worth $15,000.

'I know you don't like flowers, so I got you a bouquet of money,' he boasted.
She is in Berlin promoting her latest movie Atomic Blonde which tells the story of a agent who must do what ever she can to survive.

And Charlize Theron, 41, looked every inch the sexy spy as she promoted the upcoming thriller flick at Soho House in Germany on Sunday.

Putting on a daring display, the actress flaunted her long slender pins in a thigh-skimming zip skirt as she appeared to show an affinity to her role with ease.

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Smooth criminal! Charlize Theron, 41, looked every inch the sexy spy as she promoted the upcoming thriller flick at Soho House in Germany on Sunday

The Italian Job beauty teamed her sexy garment with an oversized stripy shirt, which she wore with the cuffs rolled up to her elbows.

The South African native takes on the role of an agent who must do whatever she can to survive when she is sent to Berlin to retrieve a priceless dossier.

She finds an ally in David Percival (James McAvoy) as they must find a way to survive in the Cold War thriller out in the US on July 18.

She made the cut: The actress flaunted her long slender pins in a thigh-skimming zip skirt as she appeared to show an affinity to her role with ease

Directed by David Leitch, Atomic Blonde will also feature stars including Sofia Boutella and John Goodman.

The Mad Max: Fury Road showed the sexy spy role suited her down to the ground when she added to her statuesque height with skyscraper heels.

For drama, she wore a slick of scarlet lipstick and light touches of eye makeup to court the attention of onlookers.

Fashionista: The Italian Job beauty teamed her sexy garment with an oversized stripy shirt, which she wore with the cuffs rolled up to her elbows

In true fashionista style, the Monster star swept her golden tresses into a half-up do and let the rest of her locks tumble down in loose waves.

The star found her role in the upcoming flick challenging and even cracked her teeth when she clenched her jaw too hard when learning tough moves for the film.

Charlize told Variety magazine: 'It happened the first month of training. I had severe tooth pain, which I never had in my entire life.

Towering: The Mad Max: Fury Road showed the sexy spy role suited her down to the ground when she added to her statuesque height with sky-scraper heels

'[The dentist had] to cut one of the teeth out and root canals. It was tough. You want to be in your best fighting shape, and its hard.'

As for her personal life, Charlize has no biological children of her own but raises two young adopted kids at their family home in Los Angeles.

The star is mother to Jackson, now six, who she adopted from South Africa in 2012, and August, who is almost two, from a family in the USA, adopted in 2015.
She's currently shooting her new film Isn't It Romantic in New York.

And on Sunday, Australian actress Rebel Wilson took a break from set and enjoyed a gym session.

The 37-year-old was spotted on her way to her workout, wearing bright purple leggings and a statement T-shirt.

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Rebel with a cause! Australian star Wilson wears a statement T-shirt with colourful leggings as she heads to the gym in New York

The bubbly blonde wore a black top with a slogan across the front that read: 'Be your own kind of beautiful.'

She had a purple crop top underneath and accessorised with a black cap and sunglasses.

The Pitch Perfect star pulled her longs locks off her face and into a low ponytail, and went makeup free.

Break from set: She's currently shooting her new film Isn't It Romantic in New York

She skipped carrying a traditional gym bag, and instead carried a black leather and studded designer handbag.

Rebel is appearing in Isn't It Romantic, with Pitch Perfect co-star Adam Devine, Priyanka Chopra, and Liam Hemsworth.

Set for release in 2019, the film centres on a woman who is trapped inside a romantic comedy.

Next up: Rebel is appearing in Isn't It Romantic, with Pitch Perfect co-star Adam Devine, Priyanka Chopra, and Liam Hemsworth

Earlier this month, it was revealed that Rebel had purchased a 'paparazzi proof' $3.85 million (US $2.95 million) New York apartment, no doubt handy as she shoots her latest film.

Rebel told Women's Wear Daily: 'I just love New York and since I'm filming a movie here this summer I thought I may as well buy a place.'

According to the publication, the Bridesmaids star has secured a two-bedroom apartment in a luxury Tribeca condominium.

Rebel recently launched her own plus-sized fashion label in New York, after winning her defamation case against Bauer Media in Melbourne.

While the AU$6 million she may receive from her lawsuit could pay for her new pad, she has announced all the money would go towards the Australian film industry.
She took time off from her radio gig on KIIS FM's Kyle and Jackie O Show.

And on Sunday, Jackie 'O' Henderson shared a series of sweet holiday snaps from her time spent at Fiji's luxurious Kokomo Private Island.

Joined by husband Lee and daughter Kitty, six, the 42-year-old captured the Instagram post: 'The most amazing two weeks off in Fiji'.

'The most amazing two weeks in Fiji': Jackie 'O' Henderson, 42, shared sweet holiday snaps with husband Lee and daughter Kitty, six, to Instagram on Sunday

'Can't wait to be back on air tomorrow. Had the most amazing two weeks off in Fiji,' Jackie began.

'You know you've had a great holiday when you shed a few tears on your last day. That damn farewell song gets me every time,' she continued, while tagging Fiji's Kokomo Private Island.

The caption featured alongside a series of sweet family snaps, with Jackie, husband Lee and daughter Kitty, lapping up the island's stunning beaches and picture-perfect views.

Getaway: The KIIS FM personality enjoyed two weeks with her growing brood at Fiji's luxurious Kokomo Private Island

Holiday fun: A series of playful snaps shared to the social media site saw Jackie's brood lapping up the island's picture-perfect views

Family snaps: Little Kitty was seen beaming in one particular image with her photographer father Lee

One particular image saw the trio posing on the sand, with a heart shape made out of pebbles forming part of the backdrop.

Another heartwarming snap saw Jackie gazing adoringly at her daughter, the youngster wrapping one arm around her famous mother.

Jackie and her brood enjoyed a luxurious stay at Kokomo Private Island, with prices starting at $6,500 AUD per night.

Island activities: Another image saw Jackie and Kitty seated in the centre of a heart shape made out of pebbles

Off she goes: One photo saw Kitty making the most of the island's facilities, being taken around on a golf cart

Quality time: The blonde beauty gazed adoringly at Kitty, the youngster wrapping one arm around her famous mother

The retreat offers the utmost in relaxation, with each villa featuring an infinity pool and private deck.

Those wanting to immerse themselves in the wonder of the island, can visit the resort's own dive centre with scuba and snorkelling adventures.

Just two weeks prior, Jackie and her brood were pictured cutting casual figures as they arrived in Fiji.

Active: Kitty looked to make the most of the resort's own dive centre, seen sporting a black wetsuit

Luxury: The family enjoyed a stay at Kokomo Private Island, with prices starting from $6,000 AUD per night

Opting for low-key attire, Jackie wore a flannel shirt teamed with distressed denim trousers.

Grey Nike trainers, dark sunglasses and her wedding band were accessories, while a novel looked to be her favoured choice of relaxation.

The group headed for a helicopter, making their way to the private island.

Catering to your desires: The retreat offers the utmost in relaxation, with each villa featuring an infinity pool and private deck
In just one week, Channel Nine's smash hit program Ninja Warrior has proven itself a ratings juggernaut, having smashed Ten's MasterChef in the war for eyeballs once again.

Accoring to OzTam ratings, Ninja Warrior pulled a massive 1.76 million viewers on Sunday night, while MasterChef fell behind with just 806,000 viewers.

Thanks to the success of Ninja Warrior, Nine had no difficulty winning the Sunday night race, bringing in 38.8 per cent audience share.

It's a knockout! In just one week, Channel Nine's smash hit program Ninja Warrior has proven itself a ratings juggernaut, having smashed Ten's MasterChef in the war for eyeballs

Meanwhile, reports claim that Nine is desperate to ride Ninja Warrior's success into an expanded second season, given that the first season is just three weeks long.

According to The Australian, Nine would not officially confirm a second series is in the pipeline, but executives did 'privately confirm it' and are considering sending the finalists to Japan to compete in an international tournament.

Peter Newman, head of unscripted content at production company and format rights holder Endemol Shine told The Australian: 'We were hoping [Ninja Warrior] would definitely go over a million and to see the reaction of social media it was clear this was bigger than we thought it was going to be.'

Leaving Ten's chefs in the dust: Accoring to OzTam ratings, Ninja Warrior pulled a massive 1.76 million viewers on Sunday night, while MasterChef fell behind with just 806,000 viewers

'Ninja Warriors is definitely going to make everyone sit up and think, what other areas can we take a bit of a risk on usual reality genres?'

According to Mediaweek editor James Manning, much of the show's success can be attributed to the high interest-rate among men.

Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, Mr Manning explained: '[Men] think 'I could do that' or 'I could beat him' or 'I could get that far,' they naturally compare how they might have gone on the course,' he said.

Testosterone friendly: Australian Ninja Warrior is just as big a hit with men as it is with women

Keep it coming! Meanwhile, reports claim that Nine is desperate to ride Ninja Warrior's success into an expanded second season, given that the first season is just three weeks long

The publication reported that figures released by Fusion Strategy reveal that the top 20 shows in 2017 have an 'overall audience bias' of 62 per cent female to 38 per cent male.

Fusion Strategy chief executive Steve Allen told the publication that Australian Ninja Warrior could represent a 'wake-up call' to networks to cultivate more male content in their programming.

'The commercial network programmers and program creators are conscious that too many shows don't have enough male content or viewers,' he said.

'There is no way to can get a show to rate more than one million viewers if you are only attracting one half of the population.'
He's the Australian-born actor who found fame as the second person to play the iconic playboy spy James Bond.

But George Lazenby, 77, fathered a daughter in Australia before he took on the role, though a source close to the actor claims he doesn't like to talk about it publicly.

Speaking to Woman's Day, Jennifer Lazenby, 55, revealed that she was raised by her grandfather and his wife, and wasn't aware of her famous father's identity until she was 13.

Famous dad: George Lazenby, 77, fathered a daughter in Australia before he took on the role of James Bond with a source close to the actor claiming he doesn't like to talk about it publicly

'When I was 13, I was shown a picture of the Marlboro Man on the back cover of a magazine and told "That's your dad," she said.

Jennifer was the result of a short-lived union between George and Maureen Powell who was a fitness instructor at the Royal Military College Duntroon in Canberra.

She revealed that it took her 'years' before she made contact, but once she did - via a letter - George responded to Jennifer 'with a phone call immediately'.

Surprise: Jennifer Lazenby, 55, revealed that she was raised by her grandfather and his wife and wasn't aware of her famous father until she was 13

'I tried ringing his agent, but he asked questions I didn't want to answer,' Jennifer, who runs a dance school in Western Australia, said. 'Then at 28, I sent a letter to Dad's home in Hawaii. I'd probably laboured over writing it for 13 years.

It was reported that George, who was in Western Australia earlier this year to promote his documentary Becoming Bond, didn't mention his Australian daughter during the visit, despite Jennifer being by his side during the film's opening night.

'They just don't like to talk about it publicly,' an unnamed source told the publication.

Shock: 'When I was 13, I was shown a picture of the Marlboro Man on the back cover of a magazine and told "That's your dad," she said. George is pictured in a scene from On her Majesty's Secret Service

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Jennifer Lazenby for comment.

George signed on to play the iconic tuxedo wearing and martini drinking spy character after Sean Connery quit the role in 1968.

Starring in the 1969 film On her Majesty's Secret Service, George quit the role after that film's release.

While he has enjoyed a long and prolific career since, Bond remains George's best known role.
He's the hunky Australian actor who plays Thor, the strongest being in the universe.

But unlike his superhero character who might use is trusty hammer Mjolnir to traverse the skies, Chris Hemsworth prefers to take a private jet.

The chiselled actor took to Instagram on Sunday after attending screening of footage from the upcoming Avengers: Infinity War at a special event for Disney fan club members in California.

Up and away: Unlike his superhero character who might use is trusty hammer Mjolnir to traverse the skies, Chris Hemsworth prefers to take a private jet

The photo showed Chris posing next to an untagged 'mate' flashing a 'devil horns' sign as the pair prepare to board a private plane.

With a bag slung over his shoulder, Chris looked every bit the 'casual Aussie' in a simple white T-shirt, black shorts and a pair of flip-flops, or what Chris would undoubtedly call thongs.

He completed his in-flight ensemble with a pair of dark aviator-style sunglasses.

Fan favourite: The chiselled actor took to Instagram on Sunday after attending screening of footage from the upcoming Avengers: Infinity War at a special event for Disney fan club members in California

His travel buddy, who flashed a 'shaka' sign in the photo, was dressed almost as a mirror image of Chris in a pair of white shots, thongs and a dark blue T-shirt.

In tagging the jet-setting post, Chris was quick to thank the fans who turned out for the event, saying the response to the footage was 'insane.'

'Thanks to all the @disneyd23 fans who turned up to see the #avengersinfinitywar footage, response was insane!! see ya next time! @marvel #thorragnarok,' he captioned the post hinting that a similar event may be created around his upcoming standalone Thor film.

Fun times: He posed with the cast of the movie at the event

As testament to Chris' crowd insanity claims, his legion of followers were quick to gush over the post with a formidable 410,827 followers hitting like on the high-flying photo.

'It was everything to see you in person. Thank you,' one fan commented while another offered a similar: 'That was amazing! Thank you!!!!'

The highly anticipated Avengers: Infinity War is due for release in 2018 while Thor: Ragnarok will hit Australian screens in October.
She's the beautiful fiancee of The Bachelor's Tim Robards.

And in the latest issue of Cosmopolitan Bride, Anna Heinrich stuns on the cover and in an exclusive eight-page fashion shoot, as the magazine documents her shopping for her wedding gown.

On Monday, the blonde lawyer posted the cover to Instagram, with the following words: 'I'M A BRIDE.... well, almost! ;) To be asked to shoot the cover of was such an amazing honour.'

Bride to be! In the latest issue of Cosmopolitan Bride, Anna Heinrich stuns on the cover and in an exclusive eight-page fashion shoot, as the magazine documents her shopping for her wedding gown

'I'd never tried on a wedding dress before, so this was such a special moment for me. If there are any bride-to-be's out there, I hope you love it, and pick up a copy,' the 30-year old added.

Wearing an off the shoulder, white lacy gown, Anna wears her flaxen locks out and holds a bouquet of white flowers on the cover.

Keeping her makeup simple, she looks the picture of content as she smiles for the camera.

Vintage: In one photo from the spread she is seen seated on a couch wearing a long-sleeved chiffon number

Inside the exclusive fashion shoot, Anna is pictured wearing an array of glamorous gowns.

In one she is seen seated on a couch wearing a long-sleeved chiffon number.

In another, Anna wears a ballerina-inspired gown with full chiffon tulle and long sleeved bodice.

Ballerina inspired: Anna also wears a ballerina-inspired gown with full chiffon tulle and long sleeved bodice

Anna and Tim announced their engagement via Instagram back in May, after four years together.

Meanwhile, the smitten couple recently holidayed together in Santorini, Greece.

Wearing a small black bikini and keeping sun safe with a straw brimmed hat, Anna was all smiles as she flaunted her trim and toned figure for the camera during the trip.

So in love! The smitten couple were recently holidaying together in Santorini, Greece

A shirtless Tim showed off his tanned and buff physique with his arm around his fiancee.

Anna and Tim often show off their incredibly fit bodies on their social media pages, often in very revealing swimwear.

Anna and Tim left for their European holiday on June 21 and stopped by their good friend's wedding in France.

Read more on Anna's wedding gowns in this month's issue of Cosmopolitan Brides, out now.

Bikini babe: Anna proudly showed off her incredible body during her trip
They've been a picture of loved-up bliss for three years.

But on Monday, Woman's Day magazine wrongly claimed that Bindi Irwin, 18, and Chandler Powell are 'caught in a love triangle'.

'He's worried sick she might be falling for him,' a 'source' allegedly told the publication of the 20-year-old's supposed 'jealousy' of his girlfriend's bond with Luke, 27.

'Chandler's worried sick she might be falling for him': Magazine bizarrely claims Bindi Irwin, 18, is 'caught in a love triangle' with Powell, 20, and best mate Luke Reavley, 27

'He's worried Bindi might be getting cold feet (about their romance),' the "insider" reportedly told Woman's Day of Chandler's concerns.

'That's why he got so annoyed a few weeks ago when he saw Luke giving Bindi a long hug - it was too much as far as he was concerned.

'The trouble is Chandler has noticed that Bindi seems to be spending a lot more time with Luke lately and he's worried sick she might be falling for him,' the source allegedly went on to say.

Claims: 'The trouble is Chandler has noticed that Bindi seems to be spending a lot more time with Luke (pictured) lately and he's worried sick she might be falling for him,' the source allegedly told the publication

Bizarre insinuations: Woman's Day magazine alleged that Luke, who joined Australia Zoo as the family's executive assistant in 2007, shortly after the death of Steve Irwin, struck up a close friendship with Bindi

Woman's Day magazine went on to claim that Luke, who joined Australia Zoo as the family's executive assistant in 2007, shortly after the death of Steve Irwin, struck up a close friendship with Bindi.

Representatives for Australia Zoo have since slammed the claims, telling Daily Mail Australia: 'Another claim we were never contacted about because they know we'd tell them the truth, not true at all.

'Luke is Terris Executive Assistant and has worked with the family for years. Although Bindi and Chandler are not married, they are firmly an item.

'If Woman's Day think that makes a triangle, I suggest they go back to school to study their geometry,' the spokesperson continued.

Picture-perfect: The bizarre claims come just one week after Bindi gushed over Chandler in a loved-up social media snap

Sweet embrace: Posting a photo of the high-profile pair embracing, the wildlife warrior wrote in the caption: 'Being in love is the greatest adventure of all'

The bizarre claims come just one week after Bindi gushed over Chandler in a loved-up social media snap.

Posting a photo of the high-profile pair embracing, the wildlife warrior wrote in the caption: 'Being in love is the greatest adventure of all'.

Fans of the duo were quick to comment on the image, with most asking when the pair would be getting married.

'Can you just get married yet?' asked one, while another made a cheeky request: 'Can I get an invite to the wedding please?'

Bindi and her American beau have been dating for three years. They first met in November 2013 when Bindi gave the professional wakeboarder a tour of Australia Zoo.

Still going strong: Bindi and her American beau have been dating for three years. They first met in November 2013 when Bindi gave the professional wakeboarder a tour of Australia Zoo
She has been reveling in engagement bliss since her husband Oliver Curtis proposed to her for a second time last week.

And Roxy Jacenko, 37, appears to be enjoying the spoils of the happy announcement, having received a congratulatory bouquet of flowers from a friend on Monday.

Taking to Instagram with a photo of herself and the enormous bouquet, Roxy gushed: 'The most magnificent delivery all the way from the USA. Can't wait to catch up Debbie.'

Flowers for the bride! Roxy Jacenko, 37, appears to be enjoying the spoils of the happy announcement, having received a congratulatory bouquet of flowers from a friend on Monday

Meanwhile, Roxy is gearing up to renew her wedding vows following Oliver's shock proposal on Friday night.

Asking Roxy to marry him for a second time, the jailbird presented her with a Nicholas Haywood ring that has been valued at up to $450,000 - double the cost of the ring Oliver first proposed with in 2010.

The ring, from Sydney's Nicholas Haywood Jeweller, features a round brilliant diamond centre stone, which is framed by a diamond halo and cut claw diamond band.

Will you marry me? (Again): Oliver proposed to Roxy for a second time on Friday and the family have been celebrating ever since

The proposal was much-needed good news for the star, taking place just hours after the mother-of-two was forced to clean her Paddington offices after a vandal pelted the building with ink-injected eggs.

The proposal celebration comes after a tough year for both Roxy and Oliver.

The father-of-two was jailed over year ago in June 2016, after he was found guilty of conspiring to commit 45 illicit trades.

Silver lining? The proposal was much-needed good news for the star, taking place just hours after the mother-of-two was forced to clean her Paddington offices after a vandal pelted the building with ink-injected eggs

Around the same time, Roxy was diagnosed with breast cancer and later underwent surgery.

Earlier this year, she revealed that the challenging times ultimately affected her multi-million dollar PR business.

'My business took a hit last year and that was off the back of all the drama surrounding me with my husband's sentencing and my cancer,' she said at a seminar in April.
She's the Home And Away star who announced her relationship with Tyson Mullane on Valentine's Day last year.

And Pia Miller's romance with Tyson is still going strong, with the pair getting very amorous in the ocean during a loved-up Byron Bay getaway over the weekend.

The model, 33, looked stunning in a pair of skimpy black bottoms and a leopard print bikini top for the beach outing.

Loved up: Pia Miller's romance with Tyson is still going strong, with the pair getting very amorous in the ocean during a loved-up Byron Bay getaway over the weekend

Cupid's arrow: Pia announced she was in a relationship with Tyson on Valentine's Day last year

Summer Bay stunner: The TV soap star looked trim, taut and terrific in her swimwear

That was close! The Home And Away actress, 33, wore a pair of skimpy black bottoms and a leopard print bikini top, but had a small wardrobe malfunction as the pair frolicked in the sea

Fun in the surf: In the water, Pia's attention was clearly on Tyson, with the brunette beauty wrapping her legs around his waist and embracing him tightly

The soap star suffered a minor wardrobe malfunction as the pair frolicked in the sea.

Flaunting her slender body in the surf, Pia looked fit and fabulous as she soaked up the sun during her romantic trip.

She appeared in happy and confident spirits, like she had just stepped out of Summer Bay.

Lovebirds! The couple kept close as they strolled out of the water with Tyson clinging close to the Chilean-born beauty

Meanwhile, businessman Tyson flaunted his tattooed chest and arms in a pair of black board shorts.

In the water, Pia's attention was clearly on her boyfriend as she wrapped her legs around his waist and embracing him tightly.

The couple kept close as they strolled out of the water with Tyson clinging close to the Chilean-born beauty.

The PDA didn't stop in the water, either as they continued their canoodling session as they strolled along the golden sand.

Romance: The PDA didn't stop in the water, either as they continued their canoodling session as they strolled along the golden sand

Canoodling: Walking behind his girlfriend as they left the surf, Tyson had his arms wrapped around Pia's slim midriff

The perfect couple! It appears Pia and Tyson's romance is getting hotter by the day

Walking behind his girlfriend as they left the surf, Tyson had his arms wrapped around Pia's flawless midriff.

They looked to be sharing a joke as they traversed the shoreline with Pia appearing to laugh at something Tyson said.

He also took the time to give Pia a romantic kiss on the shoulder as they cuddled up.

Sun safe: By the time they reached dry sand, Tyson had wrapped a blue and white striped towel around his neck and Pia wore an Akubra-style hat

He can't keep his hands off her! Pia and Tyson looked very much in love during their getaway

By the time they reached dry sand, Tyson had wrapped a blue and white striped towel over his shoulders and Pia wore an Akubra-style hat.

Standing behind her beau, Pia wrapped her arms around Tyson, grabbed her phone and snapped a selfie to document the romantic interlude.

As they stood together, Pia and Tyson appeared to be deep in conversation while Pia's raven locks dried in the sun.

Memories: Standing behind her beau, Pia wrapped her arms around Tyson, grabbed her phone and snapped a selfie to document the romantic interlude

Beach talk: As they stood together, Pia and Tyson appeared to be deep in conversation while Pia's raven locks dried in the sun

Sea date! The exchange quickly turned playful with Pia throwing a wry smile at her boyfriend

Having fun! Pia gave her lover quite the eyeful as they later chatted on the sand

The exchange quickly turned playful with Pia throwing a wry smile at her photographer beau.

In fact, throughout the duration of their loved-up beach session, Tyson could barely take his eyes off Pia.

After announcing her relationship with Tyson on Valentine's Day in 2016, Pia gushed about her blossoming relationship to TV Week.

Only eyes for her! Pia and Tyson's loved-up trip may have fans speculating about a proposal

Lovebirds: The pair were never far from one another's side

Fit and fabulous! The stunning actress was glowing from head-to-toe

'Entering into anything new has its own challenges and excitement and beauty and fear,' she explained, before adding: 'Everything is falling into place.'

Prior to starting his relationship with Pia, Tyson was in a long-term relationship with model and presenter Cheyenne Tozzi, 27, parting ways in late 2014.

Pia separated from her former husband, Melbourne Football Club star Brad Miller, in October 2015.

Fawning: After announcing her relationship with Tyson on Valentine's Day in 2016, Pia gushed about her blossoming relationship to TV Week

In love: 'Entering into anything new has its own challenges and excitement and beauty and fear,' she explained, before adding: 'Everything is falling into place'
She is a lady with dangerous curves.

And saucy Kate Beckinsale put them on display as she went for a stroll in a semi-sheer top in Los Angeles on Sunday.

The Pearl Harbor actress, who is dating a male model more than half her age, seemed in good cheer as she pranced around in the trendy Pacific Palisades area.

A bit of all white: Kate Beckinsale sizzled in a semi-sheer top in Los Angeles on Sunday

The 41-year-old looked sensational as she pranced around in her white top, extremely tight trousers and boots.

She rounded off her look by wearing her hair up and donning a pair of trendy black sunglasses.

It is certainly easy to see how the toned movie actress netted her latest boyfriend Matt Rife, 21, a male model who is just three years older than her daughter Lily.

Kate seemed to be relishing the Los Angeles sunshine after a spell back home in England earlier this month.

Pretty fly: She even managed to look good as she waved away a flying pest

Shady lady: She completed her look with trendy black sunglasses

Feminine charms: Kate is known for flaunting her dangerous curves at high profile events

During her stay she attended London's famed West End theater district, where she had taken in a play with her 48-year-old British ex Michael Sheen.

The pair, who split in 2003 following an eight-year relationship, have remained close.

'Its so normal for us. We split up ages ago. We have been not together far longer than we were ever together,' she told the Evening Standard in December of their enduring friendship.

'But I really love him and like him and we make each other roar with laughter.'
She will undergo a life-changing operation on her spine in just over a week's time, funded by TV's very own Simon Cowell.

And Britain's Got Talent star Julia Carlile, 15, left festival-goers in tears as she performed for the last time before travelling to America to undergo her operation.

The teenage dancer - who suffers from the painful condition scoliosis - wowed the crowds as she delivered a routine alongside the rest of her MerseyGirls troupe at Formby Festival in Liverpool on Sunday.

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One last dance: Britain's Got Talent star Julia Carlile, 15, left festival-goers in tears as she performed for the last time before travelling to America to undergo her operation for scolosis, which has been funded by Simon Cowell

Despite reports alleging that music mogul Simon had offered to pay for her surgery, neither Julia nor the talent show judge had confirmed the claims - until now.

Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, she confessed: 'Simon came and spoke to us backstage.Just walking off stage and he said he was paying for it and I couldn't believe it.

'Annie came up to me and said Simon wants to speak to us. He said we did a really good performance.'

He's a big softy really: Julia revealed that Simon approached her backstage during her stint on Britain's Got Talent and told her he would pay the 175,000 required for her surgery

The operation will set the 57-year-old star back 175,000, and will see Julia travel to New York with her family on Sunday.

The teen will then travel to New Jersey will she will receive the surgery that has restored her hope in being able to dance again.

The procedure, called vertebral body tethering, involves screws being fixed along a cord inside the back.

It takes just 6 weeks to recover compared to 6 months and is reversible if it doesn't work.

Optimistic: The teen will then travel to New Jersey will she will receive the surgery that has restored her hope in being able to dance again

Unsurprisingly, emotions were running high as the dance group - who are made up of Julia's friends, as well as her older sister Alice, 17 - weeped after performing together for the last time before the operation.

Opening up about her tear-jerking final performance, Julia confessed: 'It was quite sad. I'm not going to see any of the girls now before my surgery. We were all crying and saying bye to each other, hugging and crying. we are really, really close friends.'

MailOnline has contacted Simon's representative for comment.
She recently teased a collaboration with cleaning brand ENJO Australia.

And Roxy Jacenko debuted a second trailer of the commercial she filmed for the company on Monday.

The 37-year-old shared the promotional footage, filmed at her Bondi home under a week ago, via her Instagram account.

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Lights camera action! Roxy Jacenko debuted a second trailer of the commercial she filmed for ENJO cleaning company on Monday

The PR queen can be seen smiling widely from behind a kitchen counter and waving as her daughter Pixie Curtis, five, looks on.

The mother-of-two is seen in various stylish outfits as she poses for the cameras and checks the frames being shot from time to time.

She starred in the commercial alongside ENJO's founder and CEO Barb de Corti, who is seen seated with Roxy on her couch in one scene.

On set: The 37-year-old shared the promotional footage, filmed at her Bondi home under a week ago, via her Instagram account

Mummy's little girl: The PR queen can be seen smiling widely from behind a kitchen counter and waving as her daughter Pixie Curtis, five, looks on

This is the second teaser for the commercial, with the first video showcasing Roxy dressed in a white singlet, multi-coloured leggings and Adidas sneakers.

She is seen posing with a mopping device from the cleaning brand while Pixie and her younger brother Hunter, two, are also featured.

A shot of her with Barb plus their photographer and makeup-artist is also part of the footage, which she shared to her Instagram account the day the video was filmed.

Teamwork: She starred in the commercial alongside ENJO's founder and CEO Barb de Corti, who is seen seated with Roxy on her couch in one scene

The high-profile publicist recently celebrated her 'second engagement' to husband Oliver Curtis, after he proposed with a 6-carat ring rumoured to be worth $450,000.

After a difficult year filled with legal woes, health struggles and split speculation, the couple appeared to formally rekindle their love on Friday.

The proposal was much-needed good news for Roxy, taking place just hours after she was forced to clean her Paddington offices after a vandal pelted them with eggs.

Second chance: The high-profile publicist recently celebrated her 'second engagement' to husband Oliver Curtis on Friday, after he proposed with a 6-carat ring worth $450,000
Their relationship has been going from strength to strength, ever since they first met on Channel 4's The Jump earlier this year.

And proving their romance is as serious as ever, Vogue Williams appeared smitten with boyfriend Spencer Matthews as they attended this year's Global Gift Gala on Sunday night.

The Irish model, 31, looked simply stunning at the bash - held at the Gran Melia Don Pepe resort in Marbella, Spain - as she stepped out in a show stopping ruffled floor-length gown.

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Loved-up: Vogue Williams, 31, put on a stunning display in a floor-length ruffled gown alongside her beau Spencer Matthews, 27, at the Global Gift Gala held in Marbella on Sunday

Vogue dazzled in the elegant design that featured layered detailing around the neck and sleeves, as well as its lengthy wrap-over skirt that boasted a thigh-high split.

It cinched in at the waist to accentuate her svelte frame and teased a look at her assets, thanks to its plunging neckline.

With her slender legs on full display, Vogue added some height to her red carpet look with a pair of clear barely-there heels.

She accessorised her dress with a gold pendant around her neck and swept her lightened locks up into a chic up-do, leaving the front sections of her bonce loose to frame her face.

Picture perfect: Her dress perfectly highlighted her svelte frame and lengthy legs while Spencer cut a dapper figure in a tailored two-piece suit and large bow tie

New look: He commanded attention at the charity bash thanks to his newly dyed peroxide blonde buzz cut

Finishing off her ensemble with a glamorous make-up look, Vogue seemed more than content as she cuddled up to her reality star beau on her arrival to one of the many events hosted across the globe in aid of Eva Longoria's charity The Global Gift Foundation.

Spencer, meanwhile, cut a dapper figure while suited and booted for the occasion.

He sported a tailored two-piece with a white shirt underneath and large bow-tie and found himself turning heads thanks to his newly dyed buzz cut.

The former Made In Chelsea star, 27, had shaved his head, along with his best pal Jamie Laing, in order to aid his efforts of going incognito while filming for Channel 4's Hunted.

Daring 'do: He had shaved his head, along with best pal Jamie Laing, in order to further their chances while filming for Channel 4's Hunted over the last few weeks

'Looking dapper as always my love': Vogue had taken to Instagram to gush about her beau prior to their arrival at the star-studded event

The series follows people - including celebrities - trying to flee from 'hunters' and adopting a battle-like tactic in order to do so. And it seems the boys' felt ridding themselves of their usual locks would help them go unnoticed.

As filming wrapped, Spencer then further shocked fans by debuting his peroxide blonde 'do. He insisted he simply 'fancied a change' after taking to the catwalk for Dolce & Gabbana in Italy for his first major runway appearance.

While his new look garnered a mixed reaction from fans, it appears Vogue is a fan of the change and was recently seen gushing about her new flame on Instagram.

She shared a shot of the duo together as they prepared to head to the Global Gift Gala and penned alongside it: 'All ready for the @globalgiftfoundation in Marbella...thank you for this amazing dress @paulcostelloeofficial looking dapper as always my love @spencermatthews.'

Pucker up! Former Made In Chelsea star Spencer, meanwhile, shared a selfie with Vogue where she was seen planting a kiss on his cheek

Spencer, meanwhile, described Vogue as the 'one and only' and uploaded a selfie of her planting a kiss on his cheek.

Their appearance together comes after reports surfaced suggesting the pair had taken their relationship to the next step and moved in together.

It had been claimed that Vogue has already joined Spencer in his West London residence, but a source told MailOnline: 'Vogue and Spencer aren't currently living together, but it is something they are seriously considering for the future.'
With the dust settling on an eventful week it was a surprisingly upbeat Shia LaBeouf who greeted fans during his latest appearance in Savannah, Georgia.

The troubled actor, 31, found himself engaged in conversation after asking a passer-by for a cigarette while idling on the steps of a nearby building on Sunday afternoon.

Seemingly happy to return the favour, Shia  best known for his former role in the hugely popular Transformers franchise  delighted the female fan by granting her request for a selfie.

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Subdued: Troubled actor Shia LaBeouf looked typically relaxed as he idled on the steps of a building in Savannah, Georgia after asking a passer-by for a cigarette on Sunday afternoon

The actor looked typically casual in a T-shirt and shorts as he relaxed during a welcome break from the Georgia set of his latest film, The Peanut Butter Falcon.

A pair of battered Converse trainers completed his low-key look, while the unkempt beard hes been sporting over recent weeks was still in evidence.

Shia was stepping out little more than a week after launching a verbal tirade at Georgia police officers following his arrest in the lobby of a local hotel.

She's not Shia: The Hollywood actor returned the favour by granting her request for a selfie - and even took the picture on her behalf

The American star yelled 'F*** you b****' and ranted about 'black' porn before he was arrested in a Georgia hotel at 4am by the Savannah Police Department. He was later released after posting $7,000 bond.

He issued an apology after body camera footage of his arrest was released, writing on Twitter: 'I am deeply ashamed of my behavior and make no excuses for it.'

According to police, the incident was sparked when Shia was rebuked by a bystander he asked for a cigarette.

Controversy: Shia was stepping out little more than a week after launching a verbal tirade at Georgia police officers following his arrest in the lobby of a local hotel (pictured, after his arrest)

Police said he then became disorderly and abused an officer, before he ran to his hotel in an attempt to avoid being arrested.

But Shia was booked and charged with public drunkenness, disorderly conduct and obstruction.

In a video obtained byTMZ, the Hollywood star can be seen 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***.
She's the former Biggest Loser contestant-turned-host who is known for always being body positive.

And on Monday Fiona Falkiner lived up to her reputation again by showing off her curvaceous figure in a black two-piece.

The 33-year-old shared the snap of herself in the skimpy swimwear from her holiday on Australia's Norfolk Island.

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'Summer bod? Winter bod? Who cares!': Fiona Falkiner flaunts her killer curves in black bikini as she holidays on Norfolk Island

Despite the Island's chilly winter temperatures, the tanned beauty was beaming as she posed in front of vast greenery.

'Summer bod? Winter bod? Who cares! I think everybody is bikini worthy!' Fiona captioned the image.

The TV personality, who wore a pair of large black sunglasses for the Instagram photo, also added inspirational hashtags including '#bethebestyoucanbe' and '#bodyconfidence'.

Confident in Colombia! Earlier this year the 33-year-old shared photos of herself holidaying in a very skimpy black bikini

Living it up! The star also donned a bikini as she danced and sipped what appeared to be a cocktail

The fitness fanatic is no stranger to sharing snaps of herself in swimwear.

Earlier this year, a bikini-clad Fiona appeared to be living it up during a holiday to Colombia.

She shared a raft of images of the trip with fans, including pictures of her dancing in a skimpy bikini while she sipped what appeared to be a fruity cocktail.

Role model! Fiona is known for always being body positive

It comes after Fiona wrapped up her hosting duties on Channel Ten reality series, The Biggest Loser: Transformed, which was axed due to poor ratings.

At the time Ten program chief Beverley McGarvey said: 'We're disappointed. It really hasn't resonated with audiences the way we had hoped.

'We hoped it would do a lot better but it simply hasn't. We think we've given it as long as we possibly can.'
She was the fresh-faced blonde who burst onto The Bachelor as an intruder last year.

And on Monday, Steph Dixon flaunted not only a brand new look but also a sparkling accessory on her ring finger.

The 25-year-old flashed the rock while attending a society event in Melbourne last week with former Bachelorette star David Witko.

Got a secret? The Bachelor's Steph Dixon (right) sparked engagement rumours by wearing a diamond ring on THAT finger while attending a Melbourne soiree with David Witko last week

In an Instagram photo shared from the Cambridge Clothing soiree, the former reality TV star also appeared to have switched up her look.

Displaying a notably darker hair colour, she also swapped her bright makeup for a rich berry lip and lashes of black eyeliner.

The socialite struck her signature side-on pose for the shot, proudly showing off her petite frame and slender limbs.

New look? Steph, who flashed the mystery ring in an Instagram photo (right) shared from the event, also appeared to have dyed her hair a shade darker

She flaunted her enviable figure in a slinky blue gown with tie-up corset detailing.

Steph looked happy and carefree, while cuddling up to David, who vied for Sam Frost's heart in The Bachelorette 2015.

She accessorised with a pair of statement earrings and, most notably, a glitzy Colette by Colette Hayman ring- but it is unclear if she is engaged.

TV fame: Steph is best known for her role on The Bachelor last year, starring Richie Strahan

Steph was recently romantically linked with former Married At First Sight star Jesse Konstantinoff.

Nick Furphy, who also starred on MAFS, shared footage on social media recently that suggested the duo were now dating.

In the video, Jesse and Steph were seen strolling down a street together. Nick had tagged their names and wrote 'new item'.
Since pictures first emerged of the pair kissing on a yacht in Turkey at the beginning of July, they have been inseparable.

And continuing to flaunt their new romance, Chloe Green and 'hot felon' Jeremy Meeks stepped out hand-in-hand as they enjoyed a dinner date on Sunday night, following their return to Los Angeles.

The Topshop heiress, 26, donned a slinky little black dress for their meal, dressing to impress in the form-fitting frock, as she and her defiant beau, 33, appeared to ignore the criticism surrounding their relationship.

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New romance: Chloe Green, 26, and Jeremy Meeks, 33, continued to flaunt their relationship as they returned to Los Angeles on Sunday night

Chloe stunned in her understated number that boasted a low-cut neckline and sheathed her slender frame.

She added some height to her ensemble with a pretty pair of mesh heels, that included cut-out detailing and a row of bows along the front, and slung an embroidered bomber jacket over her shoulders.

The former Made In Chelsea star - who had appeared on series two of the reality show while dating Ollie Locke - toted her essentials in a stylish scarlet red clutch bag and swept her long tresses up in a tousled up-do.

Jeremy, meanwhile, was clad in an all-black ensemble, complete with a leather jacket and fedora hat.

Date night: The duo had enjoyed a meal out at Madeo restaurant in West Hollywood

Stylish duo: Chloe looked incredible in a from-fitting black pencil dress that sheathed her slender frame, while Jeremy was clad in an all-black ensemble

He was pictured wrapping his arm around his new flame as they left Madeo restaurant in West Hollywood.

The duo appeared in high spirits together as they headed home clutching each other's hand, with Chloe seen smiling from ear-to-ear.

Their appearance in Los Angeles comes after they had jetted into Dortmund, Germany - making an appearance at Rush Hour club.

Pictures emerged of the couple openly kissing and downing champagne in front of club-goers.

In one shot, Choe tossed her honeyed tresses over her shoulder and puckered up for a kiss with Jeremy, who looked not to have a care in the world as he openly kissed her back.

Jet-setters: Their appearance in Los Angeles comes after the couple had flown to Dortmund, Germany - making an appearance at the Rush Hour club

Letting their hair down: The Topshop heiress and her beau put on a defiant display as they cosied up together, following the criticism that has surrounding their new romance

Jeremy has found himself newly single after filing for legal separation from his former partner and mother-of-three Melissa Meeks - who he shares her youngest son with.

The aspiring catwalk star was married to the 38-year-old nurse, who stayed with him throughout his stint in prison, for eight years.

The move came after she had filed for divorce, having confronted Jeremy outside of their Stockton home when he arrived back from his break in Turkey, where the controversial pictures of him cavorting with Chloe on the $145,000-a-week yacht emerged.

The couple's legal separation documents say they will share custody of their children.

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.

Pucker up! They were pictured openly kissing and downing champagne in front of club-goers - just days after Jeremy has filed for a legal separation from his ex-wife Melissa Meeks

Defiant: The aspiring model was married to mother-of-three Melissa - who he shares her youngest son with - for eight years

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.

Melissa later told the Mail of her devastation, admitting that her husband had been seduced by the glamour of his newfound modelling career.

She said: 'I know it takes two to tango but she knew he was married. To me, thats unforgivable. My whole world has been torn apart by this. What do I tell our children? My heart is broken.

'What sort of woman would do something like this to another woman? My marriage wasnt perfect but I thought it could be saved, until this happened.

Not good: The move came after she had filed for divorce, after confronting Jeremy outside of their Stockton home when he arrived back from his break in Turkey, where the controversial pictures of him cavorting with Chloe on the $145,000-a-week yacht emerged

Of course Im angry at her. What she did is unforgivable. And Im angry at him too. What they did destroyed my entire world.

Did either of them think about the children and how this will affect them? Theyre the innocent victims in this. And so am I.

Describing the moment she learned about her husband's affair, she added: Some random person I dont know sent a direct message with the photograph of my husband kissing that woman.

I went into shock. I felt nauseated. It was like a bomb had gone off and my whole world had been blown apart.

Low profile: Chloe, meanwhile, had been staying out of the spotlight ever since she was forced to delete her social media account after enraged social media fans slammed her over pictures showing her kissing married Jeremy

Id never heard of Chloe Green. I thought Jeremy was working.

Prior to their trip to Dortmund, Chloe and Jeremy had reunited for the first time since their vacation in Turkey on the same day his former partner Melissa had been celebrating her birthday.

Melissa had shared a photo of herself marking her birthday to Instagram, along with another telling post that read: 'Better to be slapped with the truth than kissed with a lie.'

Chloe, meanwhile, had been cutting a low profile in the wake of the pictures of herself and Jeremy in Turkey surfacing, as she enjoyed another sunny break with her billionaire father Sir Phillip Green, 65, in St Tropez.

Split: Jeremy has found himself newly single after filing for legal separation from his former partner and mother-of-three Melissa Meeks - who he shares her youngest son with

Out in the cold: The aspiring catwalk star was married to the 38-year-old nurse, who stayed with him throughout his stint in prison, for eight years

She has been staying out of the spotlight ever since she was forced to delete her social media account after enraged social media fans slammed her over pictures showing her kissing married Jeremy.

Chloe's father Sir Philip Green, 65, has said he is 'not getting involved' in his daughter's holiday romance.

The tycoon refused to discuss his daughter's new romance, telling the Telegraph: 'With respect, I am not getting involved in it.'

Chloe is thought to have met Jeremy when he attended at an array of star-studded events during the Cannes Film Festival last month.

Fans fell in love with the former criminal and his good looks after his California mugshot went viral in 2014.
Intermittent rain wasnt enough to prevent Amanda Holden letting her hair down while attending a wedding with her loved ones on Saturday afternoon.

The Britains Got Talent judge, 46, raised a celebratory champagne flute after watching her close friend and former PA Michaela Drake exchange vows with her new husband in Canary Wharf.

Given the occasion Amanda looked typically glamorous in a low-cut, floral embellished top and breezy pleated midi-skirt as she chatted with guests outside the east London venue.

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Good times: Amanda Holden raised a celebratory champagne flute after watching her close friend and former PA Michaela Drake exchange vows with her new husband in Canary Wharf on Saturday

The TV personality was joined by husband Chris Hughes, 43, and their two children  daughters Alexa, 11, and five-year old Hollie.

With both children taking prominent roles during the ceremony  Alexa served as bridesmaid while Hollie was the flower girl  Amanda appeared keen to ensure they looked their best.

Standing alongside her husband, the star fussed over her youngest daughter, who looked adorable in a floral headpiece, flowing white dress and gold flats.

Proud mum: The star fussed over her youngest daughter Hollie who looked adorable in a floral headpiece, flowing white dress and gold flats for her role as flower girl at the ceremony

That's better: Amanda ensured her daughter looked perfect as they mingled with guests outside the east London venue

Eager to document their appearance at the wedding, Amanda later paused to take a picture of Chris and Alexa, who wore a cream cape over her aqua green Bridesmaids dress.

With rain periodically falling, the bride  who looked stunning in an elegant off-the-shoulder wedding dress  stayed dry beneath an umbrella as she chatted to guests.

Amanda previously admitted her hectic work schedule, coupled with the inevitable responsibilities that come with parenthood, leaves her little time to spend with Chris, who she married in 2008.

Family time: Amanda was joined by her husband of nine-years, Chris Hughes

Say cheese: She was seen taking a picture of her husband alongside oldest daughter Alexa, who served as a bridesmaid

Plenty to talk about: The family chatted amongst themselves after filing out of the church

Looking good: Given the occasion Amanda looked typically glamorous in a low-cut, floral embellished top and breezy pleated midi-skirt

Cheers! The star clutched her champagne glass as she weaved through the crowd of guests

She told Metro: 'Were both so busy. Its about trying to carve out a bit of time for us  we have to explain to the girls that they must go to bed and let us have time alone, which is hard. My poor husband  hes so far down the list.

Amanda also admitted that she frequently enjoys embarrassing her daughters, adding: 'I do this thing at the moment when I drop Lexie off at school  I wind the window down and shout, I love you! and she turns round and glares at me.

Or I turn the music up really loud and wind the windows down so Im like a rapper mum. Its hilarious!

Picture perfect: Amanda appeared keen to document her family day out at the wedding with a series of photos

Tasteful: Known for her provocative outfits on Britain's Got Talent. Amanda ensured her latest ensemble did not overshadow bride Michaela

Busy: The presenter previously admitted her hectic work schedule, coupled with the inevitable responsibilities that come with parenthood, leaves her little time to spend with Chris

Centre stage: With rain periodically falling, the bride  who looked stunning in an elegant off-the-shoulder wedding dress  stayed dry beneath an umbrella as she chatted to guests
She has enjoyed global success since winning Australia's Next Top Model in 2009.

And on Monday, Tahnee Atkinson flaunted her famous curves in a playful Instagram snap shared from her Italian getaway.

The 25-year-old posed seductively while climbing up a swimming pool ladder, offering a generous glimpse of her ample cleavage.

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Wish you were here? On Monday, model Tahnee Atkinson displayed her ample cleavage in an Instagram snap, as she seductively climbed a swimming pool ladder during her Italian getaway

Tahnee was soaking up the European sunshine at Fontelina beach club in Marina Grande, Capri.

Wearing a black bandeau bikini, the beauty's slender figure was on full display.

Her tanned skin glistened in the sun, while her brunette locks were swept away from her face in a low bun.

Incredible: Tahnee often flaunts her sensational physique in bikini-clad snaps on Instagram

Tahnee went makeup-free for the pool day, highlighting her striking natural looks.

She kept her accessories to a minimum, wearing a thin, elegant gold necklace.

The model held onto the pool ladder with outstretched arms while taking a step up, an angle that showcased her curves perfectly.

Twinning: Bambi Northwood Blyth (left) and Tahnee Atkinson (right) wore matching bikinis at the beach while they were both holidaying in Italy

She balanced herself by resting her derriere against the railing while gazing seductively at the camera.

Tahnee has been keeping her Instagram followers updated on her Italian adventures, sharing regular updates from picturesque locations.

It seems she's also been exploring other parts of Europe, as she posted a picture of herself en route to the Greek island, Ithaca, last week.
She's the daughter of one of the most famous supermodels in the world.

And Kaia Gerber, 15, showed that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree as she looked the spitting image of her mother Cindy Crawford while out and about in West Hollywood, California on Monday.

Going for a causal look in a pair of denim shorts, Kaia was spotted going incognito as she left through the back door of The Nice Guy club with her bodyguard.

Supermodel genes: Kaia Gerber, 15, showed that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree as she looked the spitting image of her mother Cindy Crawford while out and about in West Hollywood, California on Monday

Kaia paired her denim shorts - which featured a frayed hem and a turned up cuff - with a three quarter length sleeve white knitted top.

She teamed the look with a pair of chunky lace up boots, which added an edgy touch to the otherwise sweet ensemble.

Leaving her brunette tresses in loose waves, Kaia also sported delicate hoop earrings and bronze eye make up.

Lying low: Going for a causal look in a pair of denim shorts, Kaia was spotted going incognito as she left through the back door of The Nice Guy club with her bodyguard

Lookalikes! Kaia is the spitting image of her mother Cindy Crawford (right)

Kaia has been following in her supermodel mother's footsteps from a young age, and has begun to successfully carve her own career in the industry.

As a 10-year-old, Kaia had posed for a Versace campaign - but Cindy had halted her daughter's budding modelling career a month after the ad had been released, deeming her 'too young'.

Three years later, Kaia returned to the industry after landing a contract with IMG Models.

Stylish: Kaia paired her denim shorts - which featured a frayed hem and a turned up cuff - with a three quarter length sleeve white knitted top

Edgy: She teamed the look with a pair of chunky lace up boots, which added an edgy touch to the otherwise sweet ensemble

The agency shared the news to their social media in July 2015, along with a picture of her from her Vogue Italia spread, shot by Steven Meisel.

Kaia made her debut in American Vogue two months later; the teen posed in a casual dress for a photo featured in the magazine's coveted September issue.

She landed her first campaign at the age of 14 for jewellery line Chrome Hearts and the same years she starred in her first magazine cover.

Stepping out: Leaving her brunette tresses in loose waves, Kaia also sported delicate hoop earrings and bronze eye make up

Kaia had posed with her mother Cindy for the cover of Vogue Paris' April issue, shot by famous photographer Mario Testino.

Now her modeling career is on the rise; she has chalked up campaigns for Marc Jacobs' Daisy fragrance and beauty line as well as for Alexander Wang and Penshoppe.

The beauty has also been featured in Interview, CR Fashion Book, Pop magazine, Teen Vogue and Chrome Hearts magazine and was a cover girl for Love magazine earlier this year - the spread had been shot by fellow model Kendall Jenner.
She's recently shared plenty of photos of herself working up a sweat at the gym.

But it seems Georgia Love's passion for exercise comes second to something even closer to her heart - pizza.

On Monday the 28-year-old posed at her local F45 centre in a hilarious slogan top which read: 'Abs are cool but have you tried stuffed crust pizza?'

'Abs are cool but have you tried stuffed crust pizza?': The Bachelorettes Georgia Love wore a hilarious slogan top during an F45 gym session on Monday

A regular at Melbourne's F45 Training South Yarra, Georgia has treated fans to several behind-the-scenes snaps from the gym.

In this latest photo, she is seen shrugging her shoulders while wearing the top, clearly agreeing with its sentiments.

The picture was accompanied by the caption 'But seriously', and the hash tags, 'You wanna pizza me?', 'ABS-olutely' and 'weirdough'.

Colour co-ordinating her top with black tights, the TV personality's skin looked bronzed and glowing.

Good boy! A regular at Melbourne's F45 Training South Yarra, Georgia has treated fans to several behind-the-scenes snaps from the gym

Georgia's 155,000 Instagram followers clearly agreed, as they shared comments below the amusing photo.

'This shirt is everything!' wrote a fan, while another added: 'Where is that top from? Love it!'

The pun-loving TV journalist was also described as the 'Queen of hash tags' by a follower.

Georgia is currently dating mechanical plumber Lee Elliott, who she fell in love with on The Bachelorette last year.

Pun-tastic! The Bachelorette star is known for sharing photos from her life - and her fondness for including hilarious puns in her hash tags
Nikki Phillips and her husband Dane Rumble have welcomed a baby son.

The New Zealand model and TV presenter, 33, confirmed the happy news via Instagram on Monday evening.

She told her 78,000 followers: 'Our handsome little man is here... born 17.07.17 at 8.47am weighing 3.5kg and height 53.5cm (yup has my legs).'

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'We feel extremely blessed and our hearts are exploding': Model Nikki Phillips and her husband Dane Rumble welcomed a baby son on Monday, but have yet to reveal his name

Nikki added: 'We are so smitten and all doing well. Thank you to my amazing Insta fam for all your loving messages. We feel extremely blessed and our hearts are exploding.

'No name yet, just taking it all in!', she continued, before tagging Dane and adding the hash tags, 'baby boy' and 'birthday boy'.

The baby is something of a miracle for the couple.

Nikki previously said she was overjoyed to conceive, having been warned it may be difficult after she was treated for stage three cervical cancer.

Bundle of joy: The New Zealand model and TV presenter, 33, confirmed the happy news via Instagram that her first baby had arrived on Monday evening

Doctors discovered cancerous cells in 2009 after Nikki had a routine pap smear and they were later removed.

Nikki met Dane while undergoing post-operative testing for the cancer and has said he was 'amazing' throughout the ordeal.

In March this year, the Kiwi beauty revealed on The Morning Show she had suffered three miscarriages before her son was conceived.

'Its no Beyonce post but our best adventure yet is on its way': After two years of trying, the married couple announced their pregnancy news on Instagram in March

'There are so many things that can go wrong, from fertility to IVF, to miscarriages... it's such a journey,' she said.

Nikki married jewellery designer Dane in Bali, Indonesia in 2014.

The couple, who are both from New Zealand, first met at a Jamiroquai concert where Dane was the opening act.

Miracle baby: Nikki has previously battled cervical cancer after being diagnosed following a routine pap test. Pictured with husband Dane Rumble in August 2016

After two years of trying, the pair announced their pregnancy news on Instagram in February when Nikki was four months pregnant.

In the post, the couple were pictured holding hands and a pair of baby sneakers.

'It's no Beyonce post but our best adventure yet is on its way,' she wrote in the caption.

'Baby Phillips Rumble is due early July and we are beyond excited, slightly terrified but utterly blessed.'

Nikki added: 'We can not wait to meet our little miracle. I've always dreamed of being a mother, but never knew it could be.'

Glowing! Nikki shared her pregnancy journey with her 78,000 Instagram followers and has been showing off her baby bump in an array of stylish maternity outfits in recent months

Nikki shared her journey with her 78,000 Instagram followers, regularly documenting how her body was changing.

She seemed to effortlessly transition into pregnancy style, showing off her baby bump in an array of stylish maternity outfits.

Nikki has previously said she will be in no rush to bounce back to her pre-pregnancy frame following the birth of her son.

'There is a lot of pressure but at the same time I'm just going to listen to my body. My main focus is my baby,' she said.
She recently flaunted her sexy side when she stripped down to a racy red swimsuit.

And Nicole Kidman proved there's plenty more where that came from as LOVE magazine shared yet another provocative shot from their shoot with the Hollywood actress on Sunday.

Looking back seductively at the camera, the 50-year-old star flashes a glimpse of her pert posterior from beneath a denim jacket that is draped around her thighs.

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Bottoms up! Nicole Kidman flashed a glimpse of her pert derriere as LOVE magazine shared another steamy snap of the beauty posing for their latest shoot

Also showing off her kooky side, another post from the magazine depicts the beauty pulling a series of playful poses in a short clip.

Waving her arms in the air, the Nicole shows off her fun-loving nature as she skittishly puckers up a pout.

But it's her youthful figure that no doubt captures the most attention, as Nicole flashes her toned torso in a knotted white T-shirt.

Fun-loving: Also showing off her kooky side, another post from the magazine depicts the beauty pulling a series of playful poses in a short clip

Howdy! Waving her arms in the air, the Nicole shows off her fun-loving nature as she skittishly puckers up a pout

Possibly nodding at her country musician husband Keith Urban, the mother-of-four also dons a cowgirl hat in the short clip.

Sharing a snippet from the Big Little Lies star's recent interview with the publication, the caption read: 'Theres no real strategy or thought behind it  I just kind of go where I feel like going, which has been to both my detriment and advantage at times.

'Im very drawn to working with my friends: working with people I know, or that I feel are auteurs. So a lot of it is just driven by the storyteller, the filmmaker.' #lovedup.'

'What was I doing? I lost my mind!': Nicole posed in a VERY racy red swimsuit for the cover of LOVE as she reveals she thought the pictures were too 'crazy' to publish

Nicole's latest shoot with the magazine saw her seriously break the mould as she posed in her raunchy red swimsuit.

The revealing one-piece had criss-cross lacing going up the front and she teams it with a cowboy hat.

Her blonde locks are styled into loose curls as she smoulders in front of the camera while sashaying down the street.

And a faux fur jacket falls down past her wrists and threatens to slip down onto the road beneath her.

A break from the norm: Nicole's sense of style is typically more conservative in style - pictured at the Beguiled photocall in LA on June 11

The accompanying caption reads: 'From disco til dawn', with the picture giving the impression that she has been partying all night.

The shoot is so sexy that Nicole admits she wondered if she had made a huge mistake in agreeing to take part.

She said: 'I thought about this shoot afterwards. I was like, "what was I doing? I lost my mind! How are the shots? Do they look crazy?"

The pictures appear on the front cover of the 18th issue of the fashion-led glossy magazine which is a firm favourite between supermodels and celebrities.

Aside from potentially breaking the internet with her latest shoot, the lovely lady has also been busy filming.

She's also working on sci-fi action adventure Aquaman, slated for release on December 2018.

The movie tells the story of Arthur Curry, who learns that he is the heir to the underwater kingdom of Atlantis.

He must step forward to lead his people and to be a hero to the world.
Her friends Binky Felstead and Joshua Patterson recently welcomed their baby girl India into the world.

And it seems Louise Thompson, 26, has caught the maternal bug too as she admitted she would love to have three children with her beau Ryan Libbey, 27.

The Made In Chelsea star confessed: 'We talk about having a family often. I would like to have at least three children! But I still have a few things I need to tick off my bucket list first.'

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Power couple: Ryan Libbey, 26, and Louise Thompson, 27, flaunted the results of their hard work spent in the gym as they frolicked in their swimmers at Walt Disney World Florida last week

The couple, showing off their toned bodies while frolicking at Walt Disney World Florida last week, agreed that moving in together was the first step.

Ryan said. 'Of course. Louise and I would love to have a family together one day.

'We both want to take each step, moving in together was the first hurdle. Marriage would be next, then we can talk about baby Ryans.'

Not just yet: Discussing their plans for the future - including parenthood - Louise admitted 'I am too selfish at the moment'

Wow: The diminutive reality star looked toned to perfection in her stylish bikini, and displayed her shredded stomach and lean legs as she walked hand in hand with Ryan through the pool

However, Louise admitted that she hasn't 'changed a nappy' yet: 'Im not looking forward to it. I am a control freak so I imagine I will be very hands on, but at the same time Ryan is incredibly paternal, so I will leave the tough tasks to him!

'Plus I am 1000000% NOT against having a nanny.'

The diminutive reality star looked toned to perfection in her stylish bikini, and displayed her shredded stomach and lean legs as she walked hand in hand with Ryan through the pool.

Rippling physiques: The pair made quite the couple as Ryan clad his muscular frame in a pair of tiny green swimming trunks

Sweet: The pair posed for photos with their favourite Disney characters, including Minnie and Mickey Mouse

Having a giggle: The couple embraced their inner children as they posed with Buzz Lightyear and Woody from Toy Story

So happy: The sweet couple looked like they had a blast as they soaked up the sights of Walt Disney's newest land, Pandora  The World of Avatar

Hand in hand: Both Louise and Ryan had a wonderful time as they strolled through Pandora in Avatar themed headgear

The pair made quite the couple as Ryan clad his muscular frame in a pair of tiny green swimming trunks.

The hunk was the perfect advocate of his personal training profession, as both he and Louise - who sparked their romance when he trained her - looked sensational.

Discussing how they got in shape before their trip, Louise said: 'My main mantra is eating when Im hungry and sticking with that so I dont eat for the sake of it anymore.

Safari ride: Louise and Ryan both dressed to impress in funny headgear

Holiday shape up: Discussing how they got in shape before their trip, Louise said: 'My main mantra is eating when Im hungry and sticking with that so I dont eat for the sake of it anymore'

Discussing her getaway with Ryan, Louise said: 'Ive never been to any of the Disney parks with a boyfriend before. Ive been with family and also with a girlfriend but I wanted to experience it with Ryan!'

'I will normally have two very large meals a day but not three because that is what works best for me and gets me through the day with a lot of energy. My personal favourite trend right now is sober socialising!'

Discussing her getaway with Ryan, Louise said: 'Ive never been to any of the Disney parks with a boyfriend before. Ive been with family and also with a girlfriend but I wanted to experience it with Ryan!

'He loves Disney a lot, so I just wanted to see the look on his face when we did all the attractions, including luxurious accommodation and amazing restaurants that accommodate to our healthy lifestyle.'

When asked what their highlights of the trip were, Louise gushed: 'I have a couple of highlights. I loved the new Flight of Passage in Pandora  The World of Avatar, the Festival of Fantasy Parade and the Kilimanjaro Safari.'

'A few rides that have had the most impact for me were Flight of Passage, Soarin Around the World and Tower of Terror,' added Ryan. 'I would absolutely return in the future.'

Fun in the sun: Louise wore a sweet frilled top which flashed her toned stomach and a tiny denim skirt
Lynda Bellingham's widower Michael Pattemore appeared on This Morning on Monday to give his side of the story following his very public spat with her two sons, Michael and Robbie Peluso.

The 61-year-old, who has since found love again, claims he has suffered '18 months of hell' and has had 'strange women spit in his face' as details of the rift between him and the sons emerged.

He told Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford: 'I've had 18 months of hell. I went to do a charity gig one day up in Manchester. Two ladies came down a platform and said, "Oh, are you Mr Spain?" and spat in my face.

'Women spit in my face': Lynda Bellingham's widower told This Morning about his 18 months of hell following the star's death.. as he claims she was '50k in debt' when she passed away

'And even in my own home town, people are wondering if it's true what's being said, and it's not.'

Michael also revealed that the former Loose Women panellist was 50,000 in debt when she died but they had money tied up in properties worth millions.

He explained: 'I've had 18 months of hell ... she was 50,000 in debt. That's a fact. Across bank accounts and credit cards.

He explained: 'I've had 18 months of hell ... she was 50,000 in debt. That's a fact. Across bank accounts and credit cards' - pictured together holding her OBE in 2014

'Even though she was in debt, we had properties worth several million pounds. Those properties are all in mortgage and they bring an income in now.

'What the boys, [Michael, 34, and Robbie, 29,] never told the nation was that in my will, they got left the first one million pounds plus a quarter share of the remainder of the properties. They could've walked away with a couple million pounds.'

Michael believes Lynda would be 'rolling in her grave' over the rift between him and her sons regarding what she left them in her will.

He said: 'Even though she was in debt, we had properties worth several million pounds. Those properties are all in mortgage and they bring an income in now'

Michael and Robbie Peluso lashed out at their estranged stepfather earlier this year for allegedly depriving them of their inheritance, evicting them from their family home and squandering the late star's cash on lavish holidays.

But Michael - who was married to Lynda from 2008 until her death in 2014 - is adamant the boys have got it all wrong and his late wife would be fuming with the way things have been handled because he's followed her wishes accurately.

He continued: 'She would be rolling in her grave [at the thought of the rift]. I think there's a puppeteer pulling their strings. They thought there was a huge pot of gold at the end of the rainbow but there wasn't.

Feud: Michael is adamant the boys have got it wrong and Lynda would be fuming with the way things have been handled because he's followed her wishes accurately' - pictured in 2016

'I've given them a flat. Their first email over to our email lawyer was: "My boys wanted a roof over their head."

'I've supplied them with a roof over their head and now they want it sold. She specifically wanted that I live them the first million and then divide the rest up between our four children - my two kids and hers.'

Michael claims this was not the first time Lynda found herself in debt and Michael was forced to cover her son Michael's college fees because she was so broke.

He said: ''I've supplied them with a roof over their head and now they want it sold. She specifically wanted that I live them the first million and then divide the rest up between our four children - my two kids and hers'

He said: 'At one point, Lynda's work went really thin to the ground to the point she nearly let her own house out in London to come over to me to live in Spain but then she ended up getting Loose Women, Calendar Girls and she started to go back up again. The last two terms of Robbie's sixth form college, I had to pay the fees.'

And, although Michael is adamant he doesn't want to speak about the rift again, he doesn't think there's any chance that he will patch things up with Lynda's boys.

The latest interview comes a day after it was revealed Michael has found love again two years after the Loose Women star died of cancer.

Michael describes his new partner, office manager Pam, 54, who he met through a mutual friend last Christmas, as a 'tonic'.

The revelation comes after he was forced to deny accusations from Bellingham's sons that he blew their inheritance after their mother's death.

Moving on: Michael , left, has found new love with office manager Pam, right

Speaking to the Mirror about his new love, Mr Pattemore, from Somerset, said: 'Shes a lovely person, full of sunshine and happiness. She never seems to be down.

'Thats been such a tonic for me. We have lots of laughs together.'

Sad: Former Loose Women star Bellingham died in 2014 from cancer

He added that they only manage to see each other at weekends as Pam who lost her partner of 15 years in 2011, works in Staffordshire.

Mr Pattemore said: 'Id describe ours as a developing relationship. Lifes taught me that you never know whats round the next corner.'

All Creatures Great and Small actress Bellingham died in 2014 aged 66 after a battle with colon cancer.

Mr Pattemore, who was her third husband, pays for a bouquet of flowers to be laid at her grave in Crewkerne, Somerset, every fortnight.

Following her death, Mr Pattemore reportedly bought an eight-bedroom mansion for 605,000 and spent thousands on exotic holidays.

Last year, the timeshare-salesman sparked controversy when he claimed he still has sex with with Bellingham's ghost.

Ms Bellingham split from her son's father, Italian taxi driver Nunzio Peluso, in 1994, and it was just the three of them until she met Mr Pattemore ten years later.

During the 1980s Ms Bellingham was dubbed the 'nation's favourite mum' thanks to her role on the Oxo adverts as the loving wife who cooked up mouthwatering meals for her family.

She joined as a panelist on ITV's Loose Women in 2007 and was a contestant in the 2009 series of Strictly Come Dancing.
They were the first couple from ITV2's dating series Love Island to welcome a baby together.

But just two months after giving birth to the couple's first child, Cally Jane Beech, 25, has confirmed her split from boyfriend Luis Morrison, 22.

The reality star has moved out of the home she shared with her beau, taking their daughter Vienna - who is now her 'main priority' - to stay with her at her mother's house after having her relationship hit by 'cheating' claims.

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All over: Love Island's Cally Jane Beech, 25, has confirmed her split from boyfriend of over a year Luis Morrison, 22

A representative for Cally confirmed her split from Luis in a statement to new! magazine.

It read: 'Callys really upset that she and Luis have split up.

'She needs some time to get her head around it all. She and Vienna have moved out of the home she shared with Luis and shes back with her mum... her main priority is Vienna.

'Cally doesn't want to speak to anyone at the moment. Her main priority is Vienna'

New parents: Their break up comes just two months after the duo welcomed their first child together, daughter Vienna

'Really upset': A representative for Cally confirmed her split from Luis in a statement to The Sun that read: 'Callys really upset... she needs time to get her head around it all'

She and Luis had sparked speculation that all was not well with their romance by both posting cryptic tweets at the beginning of July.

The model had posted on Twitter: 'If you u love something let it go ... only then will you really know.'

Her tweet didn't go unnoticed by her 87,000 followers, with many concerned fans sending Cally messages of support.

One had responded: 'When you have a baby, it's the hardest time for any couple. Don't give up.'

Another added: 'Are you and luis ok?'

Moving out: They added that the model has left the home she shares with him and is now living at her mother's house with their daughter Vienna

Rumour mill: Cally tweeted 'If you u love something let it go' sparking concern among her followers that she and Luis had called it quits earlier this month

Just the day before, Luis found himself at the centre of claims he had been 'unfaithful' after posting himself on the social media site: 'The grass is never greener.'

Cally added further fuel the fire as she swiftly responded: 'N u already know this,' followed by a thumbs up emoji.

She has also deleted any reference to Luis from her Instagram page.

Mail Online have contacted a representative for Cally. A representative for Luis has also been contacted.

The couple's relationship hasn't been smooth sailing in recent months, with Cally admitting in an earlier interview with the same publication that she and Luis didn't speak for two weeks prior to her going into labour in May.

Cryptic: Cally posted the mysterious tweet on Saturday after previously admitting the couple's relationship had been placed under strain

Further fuel to the fire: Luis posted a cryptic tweet of his own saying 'the grass is never greener'

Swift response: Cally was quick to respond to Luis' comment 'n u already know this'

New arrival: The couple announced their pregnancy in October last year with Vienna arriving on May 7

During the interview, Cally was honest about her first experience of motherhood, revealing that fierce arguments with Luis half way through her pregnancy contributed to the unsettling time.

'I think we took on a lot at the same time,' she explained of the tense second half of her pregnancy. 'You know at the start of the relationship you have a honeymoon period - I want that all the time.

'I feel like that kind of affection had gone out of the window because he was so busy with his business. It was a shock for me really. I mean he's been really good since but he knows what I want in the relationship. I want the Lu I was in love with on Love Island that was crazy about me.'

She went onto explain that the stress of moving to a new house near Leeds in January and Luis starting a business as the director of Celebrity Cars contributed to the arguments, which ultimately led Cally to decide to stay with her mum two weeks before the birth, admitting the couple needed a break.

Loved up: The couple had appeared rock solid since starting their relationship in 2015

Devoted dad: The couple regularly share sweet snaps of themselves with their daughter

'We weren't really talking before I went into labour - I just didn't want it to turn into another argument,' she said. 'It was only about two weeks that we weren't speaking. I said "I'll just call you if I go into labour."'

In the end Luis was by Cally's side throughout her gruelling 32 hour labour which resulted in an emergency caesarean when Vienna's heart rate plummeted.

They had revealed they welcomed a baby girl named Vienna on May 7, penning on Instagram: 'The most amazing day and feeling ever. When 2 became 3.'

Just last month, Luis was seen gushing over Cally on his Instagram page, suggesting the duo had managed to get things back on track. Commenting on his former flame, he had said: 'Imagine looking like this 4 weeks after your traumatic pregnancy! Absolute milf.'

Cally had been very vocal about her experience of giving birth and spoke candidly of her gruelling route to parenthood - voicing her dismay on social media as she questioned the modern day 'labour procedures' shortly after Vienna's arrival.

Welcoming their daughter: They had revealed they welcomed a baby girl named Vienna on May 7, penning on Instagram: 'The most amazing day and feeling ever. When 2 became 3'

Difficult nine months: The star has previously spoken out about her 'traumatic pregnancy'

The mother-of-one shared a note reading: 'Just wanted to say Hull women's at Children hospital midwifes and student nurses was absolutely fantastic with me from the moment I went into labour couldn't be more grateful they never left my side...

'However I can't get something off my brain and i need to say I definitely do not agree with today's labour procedures at all, a woman knows her own body and if I didn't listen to mine my labour result could have been a whole lot worse and Iv thought about this every time I look at my baby.

'I find it actually upsetting to talk about my labour with my mum and luis who had to experience it with me and that's really sad at such a special time (sic)'.

Where it all began: Cally was reunited with former flame Luis on Love Island's first rebooted season in 2015 and the pair instantly became a couple once more

Cally had been reunited with Luis on Love Island's first rebooted season that played out onscreen in 2015.

Luis had chosen Cally out from a group of potential female islanders to have her join the villa as a late addition, explaining the pair had met previously but never had the opportunity to let their romance blossom.

Soon after her entry, the pair became a couple once more and their relationship appeared to go from strength to strength. They had announced they were expecting their first child together in October last year.
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He has found himself embroiled in a bitter feud with his former flame Lauren Goodger, after she claims she was forced to leave Essex hotspot Sheesh to make way for his arrival.

But Mark Wright appeared to brush off the scandal as he took to the DJ decks to entertain the crowds at BH Mallorca Hotel on Saturday as part of his weekly residency overseas.

The former TOWIE star, 30, decided to go shirtless in front of his adoring fans, baring his muscular physique for all to see during his personal appearance.

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Brushing off his troubles: A shirtless Mark Wright, 30, appeared to put his bitter feud with ex Lauren Goodger behind him as he DJ'ed in Mallorca on Saturday

Lapping up the attention from party-goers, Mark was seen parading his shirtless frame up on stage in front of the decks.

The TV presenter was clutching onto his black t-shirt in one hand and a microphone in the other, as he raised his arms in the air, gesturing to the ceiling, while facing away from the crowds.

Posing for a selfie, Mark flashed a huge smile while appearing to get everybody else in the resort pumped up as they enjoyed the day's festivities in the sunshine.

Sporting huge shades, he was seen manning the decks alongside a couple of pals, as well as interacting with the masses poolside throughout his set.

Feud: Lauren had slammed the former TOWIE star on Twitter and branded him 'pathetic', after accusing him of having her 'removed' from Essex eatery Sheesh in Chigwell

Not a care: Mark showcased his muscular physique as he hammed it up in front of adoring fans

Mark has landed himself a gruelling work schedule of late, which often sees him dividing his time between London, Los Angeles and Mallorca.

But he has still managed to find time to hang out in his hometown of Essex and his latest trip to Sheesh, Chigwell saw him feel the wrath of his former fiancee Lauren.

The ex-coupled had arguably been the original golden couple on The Only Way Is Essex, with the first two series of the structured reality show charting their turbulent on/off relationship.

Loving it: The TV presenter was in high spirits as he entertained the masses poolside

Pro: Mark has landed himself a weekly slot DJ'ing at BH Mallorca Hotel on the Spanish island

Hands up! He was seen shooting smoke in the direction of the crowds as they partied away

They had got engaged on the ITVBe reality show, but later called things off for good in 2012.

Earlier this month, Lauren had slammed reports claiming she was removed from restaurant Sheesh due to not having a booking and had asked her ex to 'own up'.

Insistent that hadn't been the case, Lauren raged in a series of tweets: 'Funny how your team "source" has thought of this idea story now as a cover up when this morning is was "no comment" dirty LIARS!

Smile: Mark was spotted interacting with the crowds and taking selfies in front of the DJ booth

Casual: He was clad in a black t-shirt and shades for his personal appearance overseas

'There was no drama at all actually very friend other guests, listen believe me now!

'That is bullsh** and I have witnesses so by lying you've just made it 100 time worse! Man up and own up to YOUR F*** UP!!! I was asked to leave because mark was coming end of story!!! Unbelievable.'

Her remarks came after Lauren launched into an online tirade slamming Sheesh as she claimed two bouncers removed her in a 'threatening' manner after Mark informed management that he was on his way.

Furious with the treatment she'd received at the eatery - which is popular among the Essex social set - she frantically typed to the micro-blogging site: 'Wow literally can't not explain what just happened to me ... BIG MISTAKE [sic].'

Care-free: He appeared to be at ease despite the drama he has recently been subject to with regards to his former flame Lauren

She vented: 'Broke up YEARS ago. Your married Im with Joey grow the f**k up. Absolutely pathetic & DISGUSTING behaviour. Not staying silent no more #bully [sic]' adding 'Sheesh & Mark you should be ashamed'

Replying to someone's concerned response, Lauren posted: 'I will be [okay] cos I'm not letting this one go this time! Wrongen! [sic]'

A few minutes later she hopped back onto Twitter to share: 'Y AM I BEIN FORCED 2LEAVE SHEESH BY 2 BOUNCERS IN A THREATENIN WAY TELIN ME MARK WRIGHT IS COMIN AND BEST I LEAVE.. [sic].'

She went on, being sure to drive the point home: 'R THEY 4 REAL LIKE I GIVE A S**T AND IM GNA DO SOMETHIN 2 SUM1 WHOS IRRELEVANT.. ITS BEEN 5 YRS YET IM BEIN MADE 2LEAVE COZ MARK IS COMING [sic].

'Broke up YEARS ago. Your married Im with Joey grow the f**k up. Absolutely pathetic & DISGUSTING behaviour. Not staying silent no more #bully [sic]' adding 'Sheesh & Mark you should be ashamed (sic).'

History: She and Mark had dated for ten years, with their tumultuous relationship playing out on the first two series of TOWIE

'He think he's the king of Essex': Lauren continued to slam Mark following the incident - which he has denied happening - and vented: 'He is so up his own a**e'

She rounded it all off with a final: 'SO PATHETIC!'

Still furious with her ex-beau, Lauren - who is now dating jailbird Joey Morrison - added to The Sun: 'Mark thinks hes the king of Essex. Hes so up his own a**e. I was so embarrassed and upset.'

She had also claimed to new! magazine that it hasn't been the first time Mark has had her 'removed' from venue, making explosive claims that he had been seeing her at the 'same time' he started dating his wife Michelle Keegan.

'In 2012 he got me removed from Faces nightclub. We were still sort of seeing each other and I think he'd just started seeing Michelle.'

Angry: Lauren had taken her fury out on her ex-beau publicly on Twitter and later claimed that he had been seeing her at 'the same time' he began dating his wife Michelle Keegan

In response to the magazine's article, a spokesperson for Mark said that the TV star 'emphatically denies' that he had her rejected from the venue or that was he seeing both Lauren and Michelle at the same time.

He began dating Michelle after meeting her in Dubai at the end of 2012 and the pair became engaged nine months later in September 2013.

They wed in May 2015 at St Mary's Church in Bury St Edmonds, before hosting a lavish reception for family and friends at Hengrave Hall, Suffolk.
The fate of humanity rests in the hands of Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford.

On Monday, Warner Bros dropped a new trailer for Blade Runner 2049, giving a better glimpse of what's in store for the highly-anticipated sequel.

In the visual, the Star Wars actor and the Notebook alum realize they have to team up to save the world.

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Dynamic duo: Harrison Ford and Ryan Gosling must team up to save humanity in the new trailer for Blade Runner 2049

Back in action: The Star Wars icon played Rick Deckard in the original 1982 film, and is reprising his role for the upcoming sequel

The clip debuted during Good Morning America and shows Ryan, 36, portraying new LAPD officer, K, while the 75-year-old reprises his role as Rick Deckard.

The character hunted off-world replicants who escaped to Earth to find their creator and get extensions on their allotted life spans.

The sequel to the 1982 sci-fi flick takes place around 30 years after the first film's events.

In the trailer, K uncovers a secret that had been buried for quite some time, one that could cause total chaos for what's left of society.

After his big discovery, he manages to track down his predecessor, who had been missing for three decades.

When K asks Rick why he vanished for so long, the former blade runner had some words of warning for the cop.

'I covered my tracks, I scrambled the records. We were being hunted!' he explained.

Bad boy: Jared Leto also stars as the villain, Neander Wallace, in the highly-anticipated film

Grim plot: 'Replicants are the future, but I can only make so many,' the Suicide Squad alum explained in the trailer

Not much is revealed in the way of plot, but the video did cement Jared Leto as villain Neander Wallace.

'Every leap of civilization was built off the backs of slaves,' the 30 Seconds To Mars frontman mused.

'Replicants are the future, but I can only make so many,' he continued.

Intense moments: Ryan, who plays LAPD Officer K, is seen with a cut on his nose and pinned to the ground while a gloved hand covers his mouth

Dark and dangerous: The visual boasts massive explosions and high-speed car chases

Sharp shooter: The Notebook alum participates in a fast-paced shootout while using one hand to put an attacker in a chokehold

The two-and-a-half-minute, action-packed clip boasts shootouts, explosions, fight scenes, and car chases.

In one shot, Harrison peers out the window of a skyscraper through a pair of binoculars.

'They know you're here,' he suddenly says to Ryan, just before a hover car crashes through the side of a building.

Fight, fight, fight... Ryan gets in an intense fight scene with co-star Dave Bautista

The first half of the fast-paced clip follows the Nice Guys actor as he tries to track down the Indiana Jones icon.

It opens as the new blade runner approaches Dave Bautista's character, in an attempt to acquire information about Harrison's whereabouts.

'I thought you might be able to help me with a case. Any idea where I can find him?' he asks the wrestler.

'You police, planning on taking me out?' the bodybuilder questions.

'I would much prefer that to the alternative,' Ryan offers, before the visual quickly cuts to an intense combat scene between the two.

Words of warning: Robin Wright cautions the La La Land star that war could be on the horizon if other people found out what he had learned

When the La La Land alum believes he's finally figured out the Fugitive actor's location, he tells Robin Wright's character about his discovery.

But the House Of Cards star is more concerned that other people might find out about Ryan's progress.

'If this gets out, we've bought ourselves a war,' she warns him.

Star-studded cast: Ryan (center) poses with co-stars Ana de Armas (left), and Sylvia Hoeks (right) at the Blade Runner 2049 photocall last month

The star-studded cast also includes Barkhad Abdi, Ana de Armas, Mackenzie Davis, Sylvia Hoeks, Lennie James, and Carla Juri.

And Harrison isn't the only member of the original film's cast to return for the sequel.

Edward James Olmos is reprising his role as Gaff for the flick.

Familiar faces: Also returning for the sequel is Edward James Olmos, who starred alongside Harrison as Gaff in the original movie

Ridley Scott directed the first movie back in the 1980s, and will stay on as Executive Producer for the sequel.

He has handed the directorial reins over to Denis Villenueve.

Writers Hampton Fancher and Michael Green handled the screenplay, which still follows Fancher and David Peoples' initial story.

Blade Runner 2049 will hit theaters on October 6.
Their hectic schedules cause them to spend plenty of time apart, but Kim Kardashian and Kanye West still find time for date nights.

The married couple of three years were all smiles as they left a recent showing of War For The Planet Of The Apes at a Sherman Oaks, California theater.

The 38-year-old beauty wore her usual flesh-baring fashion, going braless in a white cropped top that exposed a hint of underboob and a pair of taupe-colored skintight leggings.

Flashing Lights: Kim Kardashian and Kanye West caught a screening of War For The Planet Of The Apes over the weekend in Sherman Oaks, California

Curves ahead: Her skintight taupe-colored pants showed off her famous physique as she got into their Maybach

She paired the outfit with a pair of strappy heels for the not-so-casual trip to the cinema.

Her long dark locks were worn wavy and cascaded down her back as she made her way to and from their Maybach.

Kanye sported a bright red hoodie with paint-splattered grey jeans and tan shoes, surely from his own Yeezy collection.

LOL: The couple, who have both spoken out against smiling, couldn't contain their laughter

Why so serious?: They soon went back to a more sullen look as Kanye touched his wife's famous bum

During a speech at the Fashion Front Row awards in 2015, Kanye revealed he doesn't smile because it doesn't look 'cool.'

'The paparazzi always come up to me, Why you not smiling? and I think, not smiling makes me smile,' he explained.

'When you see paintings in an old castle, people are not smiling cause it just wouldnt look as cool.'

'Not smiling makes me smile': Kanye has said that he doesn't smile because it doesn't look cool

A wrinkle in time: Kim has also denounced smiling, saying in a 2014 post that it causes wrinkles

Late night date night: Their children four, and Saint, one, did not join them for the movie night

Kim has gone on her own crusade against the joyful expression, saying that smiling causes wrinkles.

In a 2014 Instagram post, the reality star wrote, 'I do smile... even laugh on occasion. Not too often though because it causes wrinkles.'

Kim and Kanye's children North, four, and Saint, one, did not join them for the movie night, as the film would likely be too scary for the youngsters.
Jennifer Aniston takes her workout routines very seriously.

And the 48-year-old Friends vet doesn't seem to let a little knee injury get in the way of a 75-minute sweaty yoga session.

The wife of Justin Theroux stepped out of The Class by Taryn Toomey in New York City on Sunday flashing a band over her left knee.

No stopping her! Jennifer Aniston wore a knee band as she was seen leaving The Class in New York City on Sunday

Feel the burn: The Friends vet said she likes the 75-minute classes by Taryn Toomey

The band was over her knee, not on it, suggesting the item was restricting her muscles.

The Christmas Office Party actress is not known to get injuries very often even though she is committed to working out nearly daily with jogs and yoga sessions.

Aniston looked fit as can be in her tight grey tank top that was soaked with sweat.

Trim lady: The 48-year-old actress works hard for those curves. Aniston looked fit as can be in her tight grey tank top that was soaked with sweat

She also had on Capri black workout leggings and sneakers.

And the Along Came Polly star was sure to flash a bottle of Smart Water, which she is a spokesperson for.

While the Horrible Bosses star was working on her strength and stretching, hubby Justin Theroux was spotted working up a sweat as he biked around the Soho neighborhood of New York.

The Leftovers lead showed off his impressively muscular arms in a sleeveless shirt paired with ripped jeans and a Wu Tang hat while peddling his gold cycle.

Peddle to the metal! While the Horrible Bosses star was working on her strength, hubby Justin Theroux was spotted working up a sweat as he biked around the Soho

Welcome to the gun show! The Leftovers lead showed off his impressively muscular arms in a sleeveless shirt paired with ripped jeans and a Wu Tang hat while on his gold cycle

Along with her busy acting career, Aniston also is the face of Aveeno, EyeLove and Living Proof.

In August she told Marie Claire she is very into her special yoga routine: 'I absolutely love The Class. It's in New York with Taryn Toomey.'

Since her interview, Toomey has added classes in LA's Santa Monica, Brentwood and Hollywood neighborhoods.

Loves her body: In August she told Marie Claire: 'I absolutely love The Class. It's in New York with Taryn Toomey.' Here she is seen with Justin Theroux in February

'It's one of the greatest workoutsa 75-minute workout, kind of like yoga mixed with bootcamp,' said the Marley & Me star.

'It's my newest love. But I love yoga in general. It's so important for me to incorporate it into my routine, it's important for my sanity!'

And she said she does eat fattening foods once in a while.

'My cheat snacks are pizza or Mexican food. That's been my forever love affairMexican food. But yeah it has to be something savory or cheesy. I'm not tempted by sweets.'

A body to envy: 'It's one of the greatest workoutsa 75-minute workout, kind of like yoga mixed with bootcamp,' said the Marley & Me star; seen in 2016

And she broke down her meals: 'Breakfast is usually a shake, because I didn't like eating in the morning. But I know it's a healthy thing, so I try to get something in my body.

'For lunch and dinner, honestly it's pretty much the same thingmaybe some sort of fish or protein, a fruit salad, pasta once in awhile. A big salad. And I drink a lot of water. Like, a lot. But yeah, I keep it pretty basic.'

The ex-wife of Brad Pitt's next film is Dumplin' with Danielle Macdonald about a girl with the nickname Dumplin' who enters a beauty pageant in order to win over the boy she likes and 'stick it to the other girls at school,' according to imbd.com.
Her Instagram account is littered with sizzling snaps, as she frequently poses in various states of undress to show her incredible body.

And Elizabeth Hurley went for one of her sexiest looks to date on Monday as she went topless in a sexy clip in which she wore just bikini bottoms while reclining on a sunlounger and learning her lines for The Royals.

The 52-year-old actress once again showed off age-defying figure as she flashed a generous glimpse of side-boob in the cheeky clip while also displaying her endless legs and perky posterior in her coquettish pose.

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Cheeky! Elizabeth Hurley went for one of her sexiest looks to date on Monday as she went topless in a sexy clip in which she wore just bikini bottoms while reclining on a sunlounger and learning her lines for The Royals

Elizabeth is known for her age-defying features and physique, which make her look like a woman half her age, a fact she is often keen to flaunt among her 632,000 followers - with Monday being no exception.

As she enjoyed the summer sunshine, the stunning star beamed into the camera while ensuring she was tanline free by whipping off her top while lying in the blissful setting where she revealed she was learning lines.

Taken in Herefordshire, she added a caption on the shot reading: 'Learning my lines Herefordshire style', as she beamed giddily into the camera.

The stunning star plays Queen Helena in E! hit The Royals, where she first scooped the role in 2015 before becoming a fan favourite in the US.

Oh my! The 52-year-old actress once again showed off age-defying figure as she flashed a generous glimpse of side-boob in the cheeky clip while also displaying her endless legs and perky posterior in her coquettish pose

Legs for days: Just days before in yet another sexy social media snap, she put on a leggy display in a black lace mini dress, to expose her toned and tanned pins as she leisurely reclined on a pleather chair

Just days before in yet another sexy social media snap, she put on a leggy display in a black lace mini dress, to expose her toned and tanned pins as she leisurely reclined on a pleather chair.

The racy garment 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 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 in the week she displayed an impressive yoga move in a striking 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: Earlier in the week she displayed an impressive yoga move in a striking snap, which showed her clad in a skimpy hot pink bikini while arching her back all the way down to the ground

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.

She 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.'
Jordan Peele and Chelsea Peretti are proud parents of a baby boy.

The Get Out director, 38, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine actress, 39, welcomed a son into the world on July 1.

They named their child Beaumont Gino Peele, according to E! News.

Happy news: Jordan Peele and Chelsea Peretti, pictured in February, welcomed a baby boy on July 1

Peretti revealed she was pregnant in February with a playful nod to Beyonce's dramatic Instagram announcement.

Peretti posted a selfie on Instagram sporting a sizeable baby bump inside Yayoi Kusama's Infinity Mirrored Room at The Broad museum in LA.

She captioned the snap: 'beyonce schmonce.' (Beyonce gave birth to twins Rumi and Sir last month.)

'Beyonce schmonce': Chelsea revealed her pregnancy back in February shortly after Beyonce's famous announcement

Peretti and Peele are no strangers to social media surprises: in April last year they revealed via Instagram they had eloped together.

'Eloped a bit ago... only witness was this little guy,' she wrote at the time, sharing a picture of her pet dog in a Hawaiian shirt her bouquet, and her wedding ring, all sitting on a bed.

The couple began dating in 2013 and were engaged by November of 2015.

Before tying the knot at their ceremony, the pair were involved in a popular ad campaign fro Booking.com, in which they planned their elaborate wedding.

Peele is one half of the Emmy award-winning comedy sketch duo Key And Peele with his long time collaborator Keegan-Michael Key.

The pair released their first feature length film last year - Keanu - while Peele is set to make his directorial debut this month with the release of his horror film Get Out.
She is one of Poland's most famous exports.

So it was only fitting that Joanna Krupa put on a fairytale appearance as she stepped out in Warsaw to meet the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at a glittering party on Monday.,

The blonde beauty, 38, looked like a princess in a soft blush gown with a bardot neckline that showed off her pert and ample cleavage.

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Princess: Joanna Krupa put on a fairytale appearance as she stepped out in Warsaw to meet the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at a glittering party on Monday.

Polish beauty: The blonde beauty, 38, looked like a princess in a soft blush gown with a bardot neckline that showed off her pert and ample cleavage

The elegant draped shoulders flashed her toned shoulders and arms while also highlighting her glowing tan.

The ethereal gown featured a rather racy thigh high split that ran up the left side of the stunning gown, exhibiting the model's extremely toned pins, and leaving her close to a wardrobe malfunction.

Aware she was about to enter royal circles, the former Real Housewife of Miami looked posed and polished with her caramel tresses styled sleek and straight and worn over one shoulder

Adding height to her already statuesque frame, she slipped on a pair of rose hued patent stilettos.

Daring: The ethereal gown featured a rather racy thigh high split that ran up the left side of the stunning gown, exhibiting the model's extremely toned pins, and leaving her close to a wardrobe malfunction

Her pretty make-up was kept soft and understated with glowing gold eyeshadow, fluttery lashes and a generous splash of highlighter and peachy blusher.

Joanna's plump pout was slicked with a frosted pink gloss and adding a splash of colour, she toted a red quilted bag.

It was a welcome return for the the star who spent her first five years living in Warsaw before moving to Illinois in the United States.

The glamorous outing comes just days after Joanna filed for divorce from her husband of four years, Romain Zago.

Catwalk worthy: Aware she was about to enter royal circles, the former Real Housewife of Miami looked posed and polished with her caramel tresses styled sleek and straight and worn over one shoulder

Radiant: Her pretty make-up was kept soft and understated with glowing gold eyeshadow, fluttery lashes and a generous splash of highlighter and peachy blusher

The split is amicable with Krupa telling DailyMail.com the pair remain 'best friends.'

'Were on great terms and Im very grateful Romain is supporting me right now. We are on great terms, we talk more than ever,' she said.

Joanna met the couple at a Queen's birthday party held at the Orangery in Lazienki Park and hosted by the British ambassador.

William and Kate are currently on the first leg of their five day tour of Poland and Germany.

The royal couple had earlier met President Andrzej Duda and the First Lady Agata at the Presidential Palace and visited the Warsaw Rising Museum.

Royal tour: Kate looked interested as her husband donned VR goggles to see a view of Warsaw during a visit to the Heart business incubator in the Warsaw Spire building to meet young entrepreneurs, during their five day tour of Poland and Germany

Kate, 35, couldn't help dissolving into giggles as her husband donned VR goggles to see a view of Warsaw during a visit to the Heart business incubator in the Warsaw Spire building to meet young entrepreneurs.

Kate was also introduced to a robot made by a company called Proton, which moved when she patted its head.

Earlier, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge received a rapturous welcome from crowds who lined the streets in the hope of catching a glimpse of the royal visitors, bearing gifts, bunches of flowers and even a sign saying: 'We love William and Kate'.
When Bella Hadid was photographed out on Monday, her previously already short bob had been trimmed to an even shorter cropped look.

The 20-year-old modeling wunderkind had shown off a bit of her enviably trim midriff in a white crop top she'd worn without a bra on underneath.

Her high-waisted white trousers were torn at one knee and played up her pencil thin legs, and she'd slid on a nude and white pair of platform shoes.

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Short and sweet: Bella Hadid showed off in New York on Monday

New look: Bella has trimed her long bob into a shorter style. She is pictured right in Venice last month

She'd popped on a gleaming pair of hoop earrings, having slung a small black purse over her right shoulder, and she was also seen at one point in white boots.

Bella had showcased that shorter hairdo in a couple of Instagram posts she'd uploaded on Sunday, one of them a mirror selfie taken in a creperie on Mykonos.

'888 my number,' the younger sister of Gigi Hadid had captioned that Greek holiday photo, in which she'd worn a tiny white crop top over a pair of tiny denim skirt.

Hinting: The 20-year-old modeling wunderkind had shown off a bit of her enviably trim midriff in a white crop top she'd worn without a bra on underneath

On the go: Her high-waisted white trousers were torn at one knee and played up her pencil thin legs, and she'd slid on a nude and white pair of platform shoes

She was in a pair of torn jeans, a white top and a hat in the next Instagram photo, which saw her sitting on an airplane with pale green cream smeared onto her face.

Bella wrote: 'coming home mama' in the caption, indicating her return stateside from a European excursion that's also included the Pride In London Parade 2017 on July 8.

She'd still got the slightly longer bob during that parade, posing for Instagram with her pal Kendall Jenner and tagging photographer Mike Rosenthal and hairstylist Jen Atkin, the latter of whom's styled several of the Kardashian-Jenner clan.

Smiling ear to ear: She'd popped on a gleaming pair of hoop earrings, having slung a small black purse over her right shoulder, and she was also seen at one point in white boots

Holding forth: Covering this year's August issue of InStyle , Bella theorized that 'working this much is going to give me a better platform to do bigger things in the world'

Covering this year's August issue of InStyle, Bella theorized that 'working this much is going to give me a better platform to do bigger things in the world.'

She continued: 'Im not saying I dont love my job, but people think modeling is just a bulls*** thing to become more famous,' the daughter of Yolanda Hadid allowed.

'I was 100 percent independent by the time I was 18, and I paid for my own apartment. That wasnt because of my parents. I worked my ass off for two years.'

Though her mother used to be a Real Housewife Of Beverly Hills, 'Im not really into the whole gossip thing or the drama, but there are some parts that are funny.'

Bella went on to say: 'The women [on the show] are all supercute. Im not sure I could be on reality TV. Its nothing against them - love them, bless their hearts,' qualifying: 'But I think Im going to stick with modeling for now.'

She also dished about her friend Kendall, recalling: 'I met her for the first time seven years ago over Twitter. That was before we started modeling; I was probably 14 or 15.'

'That was before we started modeling': She also dished about her friend Kendall Jenner, recalling: 'I met her for the first time seven years ago over Twitter

'888 my number': Bella had showcased that shorter hairdo in a couple of Instagram posts she'd uploaded on Sunday, one of them a mirror selfie taken in a creperie on Mykonos

'coming home mama': She was in a pair of torn jeans, a white top and a hat in the next Instagram photo, which saw her sitting on an airplane with pale green cream on her face

As Bella's recounted the development of the friendship, 'We met up and had sushi, and now were best friends. Shes a pretty significant human I met online.'

She did address a rougher comments aimed at her online, saying: 'Imagine that somebody is telling you that youre a piece of sh*** every day on social media. You kind of feel like, Well, am I a piece of s***? You dont really know.'

She's floated a potential acting career as well, saying: 'People think that I dont smile and Im super cold. With acting you can show more of who you are. I would have to get a hold of my ADD, but otherwise I think it would be fun.'

Close-up: Bella also showed off her new hairdo to her Instagram Story's following that day
As an award-winning actress she isn't afraid to flash the flesh on-screen.

And Charlize Theron, 41, showed she isn't afraid of rocking a daring look in real life as she wowed at the world premiere of her new film Atomic Blonde in Berlin, Germany on Monday.

The star oozed glamour in the racy look which featured a tiny ivory Christian Dior bralette which showcased her pert bust and incredibly toned midriff.

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Busty: Charlize Theron, 41, showed she isn't afraid of rocking a daring look in real life as she wowed at the world premiere of her new film Atomic Blonde in Berlin, Germany on Monday

Pert: The star oozed glamour in the racy look which featured a tiny ivory Christian Dior bralette which showcased her pert bust and incredibly toned midriff

The Monster actress looked truly confident and radiant in the revealing outfit, which she paired with a thigh-grazing sparkling miniskirt revealing her tanned and toned pins.

The all-white ensemble was completed with a pair of matching stilettos, which added height to the Oscar winner's already statuesque frame.

Her platinum lob was worn in chic tousled waves and parted on the side.

In demand: The former model looked incredible in her racy ensemble as she waved at fans

Ample: Charlize flashed her assets in the designer bralette as she got up close and personal with her fans

Leggy: The Monster actress looked truly confident and radiant in the revealing outfit, which she paired with a thigh-grazing sparkling miniskirt revealing her tanned and toned pins

Leading lady: Her stunning features were enhanced with smoky eye-shadow, fluttering lashes and a hint of liner

Glamourpuss: The blonde beauty looked radiant and confident as she worked the crowds clad in the cheeky outfit

Hey there: Her platinum lob was worn in chic tousled waves and parted on the side

Her stunning features were enhanced with smoky eye-shadow, fluttering lashes and a hint of liner.

Adding an atomic splash of colour, she slicked on a powerful scarlet pout.

Keeping her accessories simple and sparkling, she wore oversize diamond earrings and a clutch of silver rings on her scarlet manicured hands.

She was later joined by co-star Sofia Boutella, 35, who looked glamorous in a sparkling black gown with a quirky white collar, teamed with stilettos.

Pals: She was later joined by co-star Sofia Boutella, 35, who looked glamorous in a sparkling black gown with a quirky white collar, teamed with stilettos

Friendship: The pair looked close as they cuddled up fora series of glamorous shots

Wow factor: The pair put on a smouldering display as they worked the cameras

I got you: Charlize towered over her gorgeous co-star as she flashed a beaming smile

Formidable trio: Charlize and Sofia were joined by co-star Til Schweiger for a shot

Her caramel flecked brunette locks were worn in a elegant topknot and she enhanced her eyes with fluttery lashes and liner.

Charlize was spotted putting on an incredibly busty display as she signed autographs for her loyal fans outside the theatre.

Directed by David Leitch, Atomic Blonde is an action-packed Cold War thriller starring Charlize as a ruthless and talented MI6 spy on a mission in Berlin.

The cast also features Sofia Boutella, John Goodman and James McAvoy, with the movie due to hit cinemas later this month.

Winning smile: The South-African born beauty looked like a true Hollywood superstar as she signed autographs

Jetsetters: Charlize, Sofia and Til posed up in front of the city buildings

Legs for days: The star flaunted her phenomenal figure as she posed with fans

Popular: The star flashed a brilliant smile as she made one fan's dreams come true with a snap

Work it: Charlize certainly fit the bill with her smouldering appearance at the premiere

The star is mother two young children; Jackson, now six, who she adopted from South Africa in 2012, and August, now almost two, from a family in the USA, adopted in 2015.

Charlize said she found her role in Atomic Blonde challenging as she revealed she ended up cracking her teeth from clenching her jaw too hard whilst learning some of the tough moves shed have to do in the feature.

She added to Variety magazine: 'It happened the first month of training. I had severe tooth pain, which I never had in my entire life. [The dentist had] to cut one of the teeth out and root canals. It was tough. You want to be in your best fighting shape, and its hard. I had the removal and I had to put a donor bone in there to heal until I came back, and then I had another surgery to put a metal screw in there.'

Striking: Charlize looked flawless from all angles as she waved the crowds
They've starred together in action-packed flick Snow White and The Huntsman.

And now Charlize Theron's co-star Chris Hemsworth, 33, has put her name forward to take on another iconic role - James Bond.

The Aussie hunk told W Magazine 41-year-old Charlize could 'beat the s**t out of me' and any villain, making her a perfect fit for the first female 007.

'I think she could beat the s**t out of me': Chris Hemsworth wants to see Charlize Theron become the first female James Bond

The Thor star told the publication Charlize embodied the attributes James Bond needed being both 'smart as hell' and physically fit.

'Well Ive made the comment that Charlize Theron should be the next Bond because she scares the hell out of me,' Chris said.

'I think she could beat the s**t out of me and most villains out there  not saying Im a villain.'

Staying in the role? Chris has put Charlize forward for 007, British actor Daniel Craig is rumoured to be signing on to play the spy for the fifth time

Chris explained that he knew Charlize was up for the job after seeing her take on challenging stunts on film sets.

The two have appeared on screen together twice; in Snow White and The Huntsman and The Huntsman: Winter's War.

'You know I worked with her on Snow White and The Huntsman, watching her in those fight scenes doing it in those high heels and an eight-foot long gown was even more impressive so. And I just think, "Why not, its time",' he said.

Former co-stars: Chris explained that he knows Charlize is up for the job after seeing her take on challenging stunts on film sets

While Chris has put Charlize forward for 007, British actor Daniel Craig is rumoured to be signing on to play the spy for the fifth time.

Meanwhile actress Jodie Whittaker has been named the next Doctor Who, making her debut in the Christmas special later this year.

The Broadchurch star will be the first female Time Lord in the show's more than 50 year history.
Tim Robards made his Australian Ninja Warrior debut on Monday night.

And shortly after, viewers took to Twitter to poke lighthearted fun at the former Bachelor star's failed run on the obstacle course.

'Tim, you did not receive the Ninja Warrior version of a rose,' one particular social media user commented of the 34-year-old.

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'Tim, you did not receive the Ninja Warrior version of a rose': Viewers poked lighthearted fun of Bachelor star Robard's failed run on obstacle course, to Twitter following Monday night's episode

Lighthearted banter: One particular social media user referenced 34-year-old Tim's former run on another reality series, The Bachelor Australia

'Tim. You did not receive the #NinjaWarriorAU version of a rose,' one viewer Tweeted on Monday night, referencing the muscular star's run on another reality series, The Bachelor Australia.

Another followed suit with: 'I'm sorry Tim you did not receive a @NinjaWarriorAU course rose. Please say goodbye to all the other ninjas,' alongside an image of The Bachelor host Osher Gunsberg.

One fan of the show enjoyed Tim's obstacle course debut, simply posting to Twitter: 'Will watch @MrTimRobards on #NinjaWarriorAU on repeat!!!'

And hilariously another gave a shout-out to fellow Bachelor, Blake Garvey, who has gone under the radar of late: 'I wonder what Blake Garvey is up to right now'.

Familiar face: Another followed suit with: 'I'm sorry Tim you did not receive a @NinjaWarriorAU course rose. Please say goodbye to all the other ninjas,' alongside an image of The Bachelor host Osher Gunsberg

Entertainment: One fan of the show enjoyed Tim's obstacle course debut, simply posting to Twitter: 'Will watch @MrTimRobards on #NinjaWarriorAU on repeat!!!'

Humour: And hilariously another gave a shout-out to fellow Bachelor, Blake Garvey, who has gone under the radar of late: 'I wonder what Blake Garvey is up to right now'

On Monday night's episode, Tim came undone on the 'Cones To Cargo Net' obstacle after losing his grip and plummeting into the water below.

Hindered by a recovering bicep injury, the fitness enthusiast impressively made his way through the first part of the challenging course, as his fiancee Anna Heinrich, 30, cheered him on from the sidelines.

Despite failing to make it through to the semi-finals, Tim was in good spirits post-race, telling co-host Freddie Flintoff: 'I just wasn't getting the swing right.'

Failed run: On Monday night's episode, Tim came undone on the 'Cones To Cargo Net' obstacle after losing his grip and plummeting into the water below

Support: The chiropractor's fiancee Anna Heinrich, 30, cheered him on from the sidelines

In good fun: In a series of videos shared to the muscular personality's Instagram story, Tim documented himself at home with friends watching his unsuccessful performance on the show

He joked: 'I was a bit hot. Felt like a dip - you know!'

And in a series of videos shared to the chiropractor's Instagram story, Tim documented himself at home with friends watching his unsuccessful performance on the show.

Laughing off his failure, Tim joked: 'I got a spray tan for this and everything and look what happened!'

After that Anna could be heard in the background saying: 'You mucked up!'

Laughing it off: Anna could be heard in the background saying: 'You mucked up!'
Yolanda Hadid has still got it.

On Monday, the 53-year-old took to Instagram to share a steamy photo of herself in a see-through shirt.

The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills alum was completely braless while donning a black, mesh top.

Bold and braless: Yolanda Hadid, 53, showed some serious skin in a black mesh top

The TV personality used her hands to cover her breasts while wearing the three-quarter sleeve top.

The blonde sported a full face of makeup and highlighted her features by slicking her short locks back.

'Getting back to work life and loving the New York State of mind........,' she wrote.

Model behavior: The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills alum worked as a model for 15 years

Blonde beauty: The reality star was discovered by Eileen Ford and signed to Ford Models

Between the telling caption, the heavy makeup, and the racy outfit, it's possible the mother-of-three was alluding to a return to modelling.

Before settling down, the reality star worked as a model for 15 years.

She was first discovered by Eileen Ford after Dutch designer Frans Molenaar asked her to replace one of the models in his runway show.

City slicker: The blonde has been heavily documenting her time in NYC on Instagram

After being signed to Ford Models, the beauty worked all over the world, including cities like Paris, Milan, Tokyo, New York, and Los Angeles.

The Bravo celeb eventually left the industry to start a family with Mohamed Hadid, and had Gigi, Bella, and Anwar Hadid.

But her offspring have certainly taken after mom's good looks, with all three currently enjoying success in the fashion world.

Taking the plunge! Mom Yolanda wowed in an olive green jumpsuit which was zipped just enough to cover the essentials while revealing a hearty dose of the Dutch model's cleavage

Carry that weight! Little brother Anwar was less polished, donning khaki sweats with a stripe down the side as he schlepped a blue patterned duffel besides his mama

Earlier today the European native met up with her runway ready children, seen heading out from daughter Gigi's NYC apartment besides her youngest Anwar while the family headed to meet sister Bella for dinner.

Yolanda wowed in an olive green jumpsuit which was zipped just enough to cover the essentials while revealing a hearty dose of the Dutch model's cleavage.

Her baby Anwar, 18, looked less polished, donning khaki sweats with a stripe down the side as he schlepped a blue patterned duffel besides his mama.

Her baby boy! The former Real Housewife added a splash of color to her look with a red handbag while placing a gentle hand on her 18-year-old's arm as they walked together

Proud parent! Mom Yolanda posted a family picture of model offspring Anwar, Bella and Gigi (left to right) with the caption 'My everything in one place' later that day on Instagram

While at dinner with sister Bella, Yolanda posted a picture of her model offspring with the caption 'My everything in one place.'

She added the tags '#HappyMommy' and '#PerfectSummerNight' for extra effect.

The hot mama has been posting a series of shots during her time in the Big Apple, including several silhouettes that flaunt the city's iconic skyline.

In one, she dons the same green jumpsuit while standing in front of a massive window.

Pensive personality: The European native appeared lost in thought while watching the sun set beyond the skyline across the Hudson River

'Life is about climbing the mountain until you can see the view....... #Gratitude #Remission #NewYorkStateOfMind,' she captioned it.

In another, she posted a picture of the sunset as she sat on a railing along the Hudson River.

'Always finding Quiet spaces in new places...... #NYC #Beauty #GodIsGood #InTheLight,' she wrote.

Famous family: Yolanda (center) poses alongside her two daughters, Gigi (right), and Bella Hadid (left)

And Yolanda wasn't the only member of her famous family who ditched her bra this week.

On Monday, Bella, 20, was also in NYC, sans underwire.

The brunette showed off her new bob while strutting the streets in an all-white ensemble, including a crop top she did not wear with a bra.

The model continued to display her lack of underwear on her Instagram story, where she showed off her new haircut.
Venezuelans turned out to vote here in Barcelona, and in cities across Spain

In Miami, Madrid and across Latin America Venezuelans living abroad enthusiastically cast ballots in a vote organized Sunday by the opposition that sought to undermine unpopular President Nicolas Maduro.

"I feel like a liberator!" exclaimed Monica Rodriguez in Miami, the city with the biggest expatriate Venezuelan population and one of 500 worldwide to host a poll.

The 44-year-old, pushing her baby in a carriage, was one of thousands lined up to cast a ballot.

"This isn't an election, it's a declaration" against Maduro and his policies, said another, Rosa Tejeiro de Reyna, aged over 60.

The vote was designed to gauge electoral acceptance of a plan by Maduro to rewrite his country's constitution.

But, with Venezuelan officials dismissing the vote as "illegal" and electorally irrelevant, defiance was high among those frustrated with the drawn-out crisis rocking Venezuela.

A Venezuelan opposition leader in Miami estimated there were more than 100,000 voters in southern Florida

Jose Hernandez, a representative of the Venezuelan opposition in Miami, said: "Venezuelans are much more than what the government represents. And when we pull together democratically we can do so much more than everybody believes possible."

He estimated there were more than 100,000 voters in southern Florida.

According to 2015 census data, 273,000 Venezuelans live in the United States -- half of them in Florida, especially in and around Miami.

In Los Angeles, a Venezuelan actor, Edgar Ramirez, said the vote was a chance to stand up for "all those people who died from neglect, insecurity, and the lack of leadership and transparency in Venezuela."

- Under Spain's sun -

In Colombia, as 50,000 Venezuelans were estimated to have voted on Sunday

Polling stations were set up across Latin America, from Brazil to Argentina, Panama, Chile, Mexico and Colombia, which has experienced a mass influx of Venezuelans from across the border, and where as many as 50,000 people were estimated to have voted on Sunday.

In Spain, hundreds of Venezuelans queued in the blazing heat in Madrid to cast their ballots.

"I want the entire world to see that there are millions of Venezuelans who do not agree with the Maduro regime and that want to live in democracy and peace," 60-year-old Maria del Perez, clutching a Venezuelan flag, told AFP.

People held up their passports or newspapers to shield themselves from the sun as they waited to cast their ballots in one of the 40 cardboard urns decorated with stickers that read "The People Decide!"

Volunteers, many wearing yellow vests, manned tables and guided people to the outdoor voting stations.

Voting was also underway in Barcelona and several other Spanish cities.

Hundreds of Venezuelans queued in the blazing heat in Madrid to cast their ballots

The number of Venezuelans who live in Spain soared by a quarter in 2016 over the previous year to almost 69,000 according to government data.

Venezuelans account for the largest number of asylum requests in Spain, ahead of Syrians, says the Spanish Commission for Help to Refugees.

Carlos Alfano, 25, who moved to Spain last month, said rampant crime and lack of medicines were the biggest problems for Venezuela under Maduro.

"It is a silent genocide," he said.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for tougher regulations to crack down on financial risks to the world's number-two economy, which grew more than expected in the second quarter of the year

China posted better-than-expected second quarter growth on Monday, but analysts warned that the momentum will not last as authorities clamp down on rising debt.

The economy expanded 6.9 percent in April-June, the same as the previous three months and better than the 6.8 percent tipped in an AFP survey.

"The national economy has maintained the momentum of steady and sound development in the first half of 2017, laying a solid foundation for achieving the annual target and better performance," national statistics bureau spokesman Xing Zhihong said.

"However, we must be aware that there are still many unstable and uncertain factors abroad and long-term structural contradictions remain prominent at home," Xing told reporters.

Industrial production grew 7.6 percent in June while retail sales were up 11 percent, both better than the previous month, according to the official data.

But analysts expect a deceleration of the overall economy.

"China's strong first half to the year won't last," Julian Evans-Pritchard, China economist at Capital Economics, said in a note.

"The recent crackdown on financial risks has driven a slowdown in credit growth, which will weigh on the economy during the second half of this year," he said.

- Crackdown on risk -

Debt-fuelled investment in infrastructure and real estate has underpinned China's growth for years but Beijing has launched a crackdown over fears of a potential financial crisis.

Fitch Ratings on Friday maintained its A-plus rating for the country for China but said its growing debt could trigger "economic and financial shocks".

The statement followed Moody's decision in May to downgrade China for the first time in almost three decades on concerns over its ballooning credit and slowing growth.

President Xi Jinping called for tougher regulations to crack down on financial risks during a weekend National Financial Work Conference, which sets the tone for reforms, according to state media.

The government will continue to deleverage the economy through prudent monetary policy and by reducing leverage in state-owned enterprises, Xi said.

The conference showed that authorities will intensify financial regulation "unprecedentedly, through a much more centralised and empowered organisational set-up", ANZ's China economist Raymond Yeung said in a note.

"Debt reduction will become an important consideration in monetary policy," Yeung said, predicting more corporate defaults and a tightening of credit policy among banks.

Despite the economic deleveraging, however, "we do not think this event will trigger an immediate monetary tightening".

- 'Gradual slowdown' -

Analysts expect tighter restrictions on property purchases and bank lending will continue to weigh on the economy in the months ahead.

But a sharp slowdown in the second half is unlikely as policymakers prepare for an important Communist Party congress later this year that will likely cement Xi's place as the most powerful leader in a generation.

"It is therefore highly probable that authorities will use the resources and policy tools at their disposal to ensure a positive economic outcome," Citibank said in a note.

The government has trimmed its 2017 growth target to around 6.5 percent, after it expanded 6.7 percent in 2016 -- its slowest rate in more than a quarter of a century.

While the Nomura Group raised its 2017 growth forecast from 6.7 percent to 6.8 percent, the Tokyo-based financial firm said in a note that it still expects a "gradual slowdown" as the property sector appears set to "lose steam" in the second half.

Premier Li Keqiang said last month that the country could reach this year's economic growth targets.

Last quarter's growth momentum had continued into the current one, he said, noting that traditional economic indicators such as power generation and consumption, and new business orders had increased "significantly".
Talks between North and South Korea are rare, and usually take place at Panmunjom, a truce village on the heavily fortified frontier that separates the two countries, where solders from both sides face off

South Korea on Monday offered to hold rare military talks with North Korea, aiming to ease tensions after Pyongyang tested its first intercontinental ballistic missile.

The offer of talks, the first since South Korea elected dovish President Moon Jae-In, came as the Red Cross in Seoul proposed a separate meeting to discuss reunions of families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War.

The South's defence ministry proposed a meeting to be held on Friday at the border truce village of Panmunjom, while the Red Cross offered to hold talks on August 1 at the same venue.

If the government meeting goes ahead, it will mark the first official inter-Korea talks since December 2015. Moon's conservative predecessor Park Geun-Hye had refused to engage in substantive dialogue with Pyongyang unless it made a firm commitment to denuclearisation.

"We make the proposal for a meeting... aimed at stopping all hostile activities that escalate military tension along the land border," the defence ministry said in a statement.

Pyongyang residents watch TV announcer Ri Chun-Hee speak about the successful launch of the intercontinental ballistic missile "Hwasong-14" on a big screen near the Pyongyang Railway Station in Pyongyang on July 4, 2017

The Red Cross said it hoped for "a positive response" from its counterpart in the North in hopes of holding family reunions in early October. If realised, they would be the first for two years.

Millions of family members were separated by the conflict that sealed the division of the two countries. Many died without getting a chance to see or hear from their families on the other side of the heavily-fortified border, across which all civilian communication is banned.

With the passage of time, the number of survivors has diminished, with only around 60,000 members of divided families still left in the South.

"North Korea should respond to our sincere proposals if it really seeks peace on the Korean Peninsula", Cho Myoung-Gyon, Seoul's unification minister in charge of North Korea affairs, told reporters.

Cho stressed that Seoul "would not seek collapse of the North or unification through absorbing the North", and urged Pyongyang to restore cross-border communication channels including a shuttered military hotline.

- Escalating tensions -

Moon, who took power in May, has advocated dialogue with the nuclear-armed North to bring it to the negotiating table and vowed to play a more active role in global efforts to tame the South's unpredictable neighbour.

But Pyongyang has staged a series of missile launches in violation of UN resolutions -- most recently on July 4 when it test-fired its first ICBM, a move which triggered global alarm and a push by US President Donald Trump to impose harsher UN sanctions.

Washington has also called on China, the North's sole ally, to put more pressure on Pyongyang to curb its nuclear ambitions, which have advanced rapidly under leader Kim Jong-Un.

The latest ICBM test -- which Kim described as a "gift" to the Americans -- was seen as a milestone in Pyongyang's quest to build a missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead that can hit the US mainland.

China's foreign ministry welcomed Seoul's peace gesture, saying it hopes "the two sides will move in a positive direction to... break up the stalemate and to relaunch the dialogue and negotiations".

China is reluctant to pressure the North too far for fear of regime collapse. It is worried about an influx of refugees and possible US troops stationed on its border in an unified Korea.

The proposed meetings would be a "rare opportunity to ease tension that has built up for 10 years", said Cheong Seong-Chang, of the South's Sejong Institute think tank.

"It would at least help let off some steam out of the current crisis, although the North would still maintain that it would not give up its weapons programmes," he said.

The agenda for the military meeting could include moves to suspend propaganda campaigns operated on both sides of the border for years, Cheong added.

The South's military has deployed dozens of giant loudspeakers along the tense border to blare out a mix of world news, K-pop songs and other propaganda targeting young North Korean soldiers.

The military has also occasionally launched giant balloons containing anti-Pyongyang leaflets across the border.

The North has responded with its own propaganda broadcasts and sent anti-Seoul leaflets via giant balloons across the border.
Today's Thai 'hermits' are more connected than ever: armed with smart phones, Facebook profiles and business-savvy, a new crop of mystics are harnessing tech to cultivate followings across Asia.

From communing with forest spirits to whipping up love potions, Thailand's cave-dwelling hermits once conducted their supernatural endeavours with just ancient magic and ritual as their guide.

But today's sorcerers are more connected than ever: armed with smart phones, Facebook profiles and business-savvy, a new crop of mystics are harnessing tech to cultivate followings across Asia.

"Woah," Toon says ominously as he peers down at an astrological chart on his smartphone, the tips of his scraggly grey beard dangling just above the screen.

"You will have some kind of accident by the end of the month," he tells an AFP reporter, offering to conduct a ceremony to counteract the bad karma.

Surrounded by a cornucopia of glittering Buddha statues, eerie dolls and other spiritual trinkets, the 57-year-old uses sacred powders and ointments to conduct his 'good luck' ritual.

Surrounded by a cornucopia of glittering Buddha statues, eerie dolls and other spiritual trinkets, the 57-year-old Thai 'hermit' Toon uses powders and ointments to conduct his 'good luck' ritual.

Several other hermits -- known in Thai as "reusee" -- are gathered in the teak-wood room in his spacious home in northeastern Thailand.

But hundreds of other disciples abroad are also hanging onto his every word, with a Taiwanese client broadcasting the ceremony on Facebook Live and translating for viewers back home.

"His customers and students want to see. They miss him," the Taiwanese woman, Ann Liu, explains as Toon wraps protective string around her husband, a regular client.

"He has over 200 students there."

- The jet-set -

A former bank employee, Toon is at the forefront of a growing number of 'new age hermits' to crop up in Thailand's spiritual underworld -- a densely populated scene of shamans, exorcists and astrologers.

A former bank employee, Toon is at the forefront of a growing number of 'new age hermits' to crop up in Thailand's spiritual underworld -- a densely populated scene of shamans, exorcists and astrologers.

While the kingdom is overwhelmingly Buddhist, there is still widespread belief in animistic spirits and ghosts.

Toon was called to the spiritual practice 16 years ago, swapping his secular garb for white robes, growing out his beard and decorating his arms in hand-etched tattoos.

Using Facebook and LINE to advertise his services, he has tapped a deep well of overseas intrigue -- especially among ethnic Chinese -- for rituals and charms aimed at boosting business prospects and mending relationship woes.

He now has hundreds of followers in places such as Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, Malaysia and Singapore, and travels far and wide to offer spiritual solace.

"Now hermits have to live in towns so they can help people easily," Toon explained to AFP outside his luxurious home -- a decorated compound that merges a traditional Thai sala with a modern house, replete with a shiny black SUV in the driveway.

But his jet-setting is on his clients' tab, in a luxury lifestyle that could not be further from the solitary, forest-dwelling existence of his predecessors.

Thailand's traditional hermits were ascetics who disavowed worldly excesses and spent most of their time alone in the jungle, engaged in deep mediation.

"Now hermits have to live in towns so they can help people easily," Toon explained to AFP outside his luxurious home -- a decorated compound that merges a traditional Thai sala with a modern house, replete with a shiny black SUV in the driveway.

"Also, I have a wife and I'm worried she couldn't live in the forest," he added.

- Supernatural boom -

Anthropologists say Toon and his 21st century peers, whose numbers are estimated to be around 200 in Thailand, are only the latest players to profit from a "supernatural boom" in Asia.

Anthropologists say Toon and his 21st century peers, whose numbers are estimated to be around 200 in Thailand, are only the latest players to profit from a "supernatural boom" in Asia.

Free-market forces and technology have abetted, rather than diluted, superstitions that can dictate everything from daily routines and business moves to high-level political decisions.

Thailand is renowned for its coterie of occult figures and spiritual fads.

Unlike other governments in neighbouring countries like China and Vietnam that have suppressed folk religions, Thai authorities have given fringe practices a free reign to flourish.

From life-like 'angel dolls' to limited edition protective amulets, superstitious crazes routinely sweep the kingdom, fuelled by celebrity endorsements and media coverage.

Many of the must-have charms are aimed at promoting wealth and other modern aspirations.

"The reusees (hermits) fit into the recently emerging popularity of this kind of practice," said Thai anthropologist Visisya Pinthongvijayakul.

Unlike other governments in neighbouring countries like China and Vietnam that have suppressed folk religions, Thai authorities have given fringe practices a free reign to flourish.

"A lot of customers, especially business owners, now come to Thailand to seek auspicious power from alternative people other than monks," he added.

It is undoubtedly a lucrative business for people like Toon, whose clients pay hundreds of dollars for the ceremonies.

Thanks to the power of the web, he now has more foreign customers than Thais.

But he claims his practice hasn't changed at all.

"All of my followers are human... and so their thoughts are the same: they want love, they want good luck, and they want to be rich."
A man watches a hard-hitting online campaign ad just weeks before national elections, in Nairobi on July 13, 2017

A strikingly toxic campaign ad was unleashed online in Kenya just weeks before national elections -- a potentially explosive move in a country where politics and ethnicity are closely aligned.

The 90-second video, shot in moody monochrome, presented a dystopia in which Raila Odinga, the leading opposition candidate, wins the August vote and plunges the nation into a violent and inept dictatorship.

Under this scenario, tribes would be set against one another while terrorists run riot. "Stop Raila, Save Kenya. The Future of Kenya is in Your Hands," the video said.

East Africa's largest economy holds its general election on August 8, a decade after disputed poll results fuelled violence that left more than 1,100 dead and hundreds of thousands displaced.

Supporters of presidential candidate Raila Odinga rally in Kenya's capital Nairobi

It is unclear who is behind last week's slick video or "The Real Raila", the shadowy pro-government outfit that disseminated it.

But some on Kenya's vibrant social media networks were quick to blame Cambridge Analytica (CA), a company credited with using its data mining and psychological profiling techniques to help swing recent votes in the United States and Britain.

In May, local press reported President Uhuru Kenyatta's Jubilee campaign had hired CA. A spokesman, Nick Fievet, declined to comment on CA's possible work in Kenya but said it had "no connection" with the attack video.

- 'It can lead to war' -

With 7.1 million Facebook users and an estimated two-thirds of Kenya's 45 million people able to access the internet, there is a critical mass of people leaving an increasingly detailed trail of information about their fears and preferences -- a rich resource for those seeking to influence voting choices.

"Here it can lead to war," said John Githongo, a veteran anti-corruption campaigner. "The wrong video, the wrong information, it can go out of control."

Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta campaigns in Nairobi

Githongo believes both government and opposition seek to use the new techniques, only the ruling party is more effective. "Jubilee has been way ahead from the very beginning."

CA worked on Kenyatta's last campaign in 2013 -- devised by PR company BTP Advisers -- to paint Kenyatta and his running mate William Ruto as victims of a Western imperialist plot to try them at the International Criminal Court for politically motivated tribal violence.

"We made the election a choice about whether Kenyans would decide their own future or have it dictated to them by others," said a statement by London-based BTP, which is reportedly working with Kenyatta and Ruto again this year.

- Data collection -

According to its website, CA "designed and implemented the largest political research project ever conducted in East Africa" ahead of the 2013 vote to hone a campaign based on voters' desires for jobs and fears of "tribal violence".

It also "segmented the Kenyan population into key target audiences".

Now there are fears data will be swept up and used to create psychological profiles of voters so that specific messages can be tailored to specific voters.

Frederike Kaltheuner, a policy officer at data advocacy group Privacy International, is worried by the "lack of any kind of data protection framework" in Kenya.

"There are concerns about the integrity of data in Kenya. Who would have access to it? Who is storing it? Do people even know what is being collected about them? None of these questions are being answered," she said.

Others are concerned about what happens when you seek to segment a society for electoral purposes where already politicians' primary appeals are to their ethnic constituents.

"There are very strong communities in Kenya and that's exactly the kind of situation present where you can start to drive different conversations about the election in different sub-communities," said Paul-Olivier Dehaye, a Swiss mathematician and data activist who has studied CA's techniques.

"We've seen it with Brexit and the US election, and the same can be done in Kenya, or elsewhere that there's a lot of fragmentation already."

- Fake news, trolls and bots -

"Fake news", a term that dominates political discourse in the United States, has already made itself felt in Kenya's election

Jeffrey Smith, executive director of the US-based Vanguard Africa, an organisation promoting free and fair elections, has been under attack since he invited Odinga to the United States in March to meet policymakers.

Soon afterwards fake letters -- complete with Vanguard's company header and Smith's forged signature -- began to circulate on Kenyan social media purporting to reveal efforts to rig Kenya's election for Odinga.

Smith then started suffering at the hands of trolls.

"At least once a week I'll wake up and have hundreds of Twitter notifications from accounts that are clearly bots and trolls tweeting in a coordinated manner, posting the same bogus and entirely false information over and over again," Smith said.

Data scientist Timothy Oriedo, founder of consulting company Vault Global, acknowledges the growing importance of the online battleground but says old-style tactics still play a key role.

"The old techniques of voter suppression, the normal things, will continue: ballot stuffing, gerrymandering," he added.
Indian members of parliament queue to cast their votes for the next president at Parliament House in New Delhi

Indian lawmakers voted Monday for a new president certain to come from the bottom of the Hindu caste system, in an election seen as strengthening Prime Minister Narendra Modi's grip on power.

Ninety-nine percent of the 4,896 legislators nationwide voted in the poll, according to officials, in what Modi termed a "historic" election to choose the titular head of state.

Ram Nath Kovind, the candidate of Modi's right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and a former lawyer and state governor from the Dalit community, is certain to win.

His main rival is Meira Kumar, the nominee of the Congress-led opposition and also a Dalit.

But the BJP, which won a landslide in a general election in 2014, has for the first time assembled enough electoral college votes across the country to push through its presidential candidate. Congress has traditionally dominated the post.

"There is no rocket science, Ram Nath Kovind will win today," Praful Patel, a leader of the small opposition Nationalist Congress Party, conceded as he cast his vote.

Counting of votes and the result will be announced on Thursday.

Modi was among the first to vote, using a specially approved violet ink pen. The election commission barred the use of personal pens to ensure clean voting.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives to cast his vote in the presidential election

"The presidential poll this time is historic. Probably for the first time no party has made any undignified or unwarranted comment on the rival candidate," Modi tweeted on the eve of the poll.

The polling day ended with the right-wing party announcing its senior leader Venkaiah Naidu as its vice-presidential candidate, pitting him against Congress backed Gopal Krishna Gandhi -- grandson of India's iconic freedom fighter Mahatma Gandhi.

Naidu is a cabinet member in the Modi government and is likely to triumph over Gandhi in the August 5 elections.

India's current two-time vice-president Mohammad Hamid Ansari retires in August and the next titular vice-president will be chosen by an election similar to the Monday's presidential polls.

- Dalit attack -

"Every political party has kept in mind the dignity of this election."

India's prime minister wields executive power, but the president can send back some parliamentary bills for reconsideration and also plays a guiding role in the process of forming governments.

Analysts said the election of Kovind, 71, would help Modi tighten his grip on power and accrue political capital by sending an important message to the Dalits, a long-disdained electoral group once known as "untouchables".

Dalits, who number around 200 million in the nation of 1.3 billion, are among India's poorest communities and relegated to the margins of society.

Despite legal protection, discrimination is rife and Dalits are routinely denied access to education and other advancement opportunities.

On the day of the vote, media reported the case of a Dalit labourer allegedly beaten to death by upper-caste attackers, highlighting the plight of the "untouchable" caste.

Modi's rivals have protested at Kovind's nomination, citing his association with the radical right-wing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the ideological power behind the BJP.

The opposition nominee Kumar, the daughter of freedom fighter Babu Jagjivan Ram, was a diplomat before entering politics in 1985 and became India's first woman speaker in 2009.

Her nomination, which followed Kovind's, was seen by many as an opposition attempt to counter Modi's move to woo Dalits.

Ram Nath Kovind: assured of a presidential election victory

Congress president Sonia Gandhi rallied opposition ranks before the vote, calling the contest a "clash of ideas and a conflict of disparate values".

"We cannot and must not let India be hostage to those who wish to impose upon it a narrow-minded, divisive and communal vision," Gandhi said.

Votes from the BJP's traditional Hindu base propelled Modi to his 2014 legislative victory, especially in the battleground states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

Dalit support will be key for the BJP before the 2019 general election as the party has been largely shunned by Muslims, who make up about 14 percent of the population.

"The Dalit community has bases across the country especially in all the big, electorally significant states," said Nistula Hebbar, political editor of The Hindu newspaper.

"The community's vote is important for all, especially for the BJP. In a democracy, their numbers matter a lot," she told AFP
Pakistani troops patrol the upscale Hayatabad area of Peshawar

A suicide bomber struck a vehicle carrying members of the paramilitary Frontier Corps (FC) in Pakistan's northwest on Monday, killing two and wounding six others, police said, in an attack claimed by the Taliban.

The attack took place in the upscale Hayatabad area of Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

The blast came a day after the Pakistani military said it has launched a fresh ground operation in a strategically important valley in the region, part of an operation that began in November to clear the militancy-wracked area.

"A suicide bomber hit the FC vehicle in Hayatabad killing two men and wounding six others, including two FC soldiers and four civilians," local senior police official Imran Malik told AFP.

The two killed were both members of the FC, part of the Pakistani army who specialise in operations along the border with Afghanistan.

Another senior police official, Sajjad Khan, confirmed the attack and casualties, which the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP, or Pakistani Taliban) claimed in a statement.

Peshawar, which has suffered for years from militancy and unrest, was the site of Pakistan's deadliest ever attack, a Taliban assault on an army-run school in 2014 that left more than 150 people dead, most of them children.

Violence across Pakistan has declined in recent years following a series of military offensives against insurgents along the country's northwestern border.

But the remnants of militant groups are still able to carry out periodic bloody attacks, particularly in the northwest.

On Sunday the military announced the new ground operation in the Rajgal Valley in Khyber Agency, one of the seven semi-autonomous tribal regions along the border with Afghanistan.

The offensive is part of Operation Radd-ul-Fassad, which was launched after a wave of attacks across the country in February.

A military spokesman said the operation in the mountainous valley, aimed at preventing Islamic State militants from crossing into Pakistan from Afghanistan as well as targeting members of the Pakistani Taliban, would be "difficult".

He said some 500 families had been evacuated from the area ahead of the operation, and that Afghan and NATO forces across the border had been notified.

The announcement comes a day after reports in Pakistani media suggested that a new bill passed last week by Washington includes provisions for tightening restrictions on United States assistance to Pakistan.

Islamabad has accepted billions in aid from Washington during its years-long battle against militancy.
MISSOULA  Secretary of State Corey Stapleton has called for more thorough reviews of rejected ballots to identify cases of voter fraud, sparking an email feud with Missoula County and frustrating other election officials from Republican and Democratic counties who see no evidence of a broken system.

Stapleton, who took office in January, is the first Montana secretary of state in memory to declare a crackdown on voter fraud as a priority. The Republican's policy shift mirrors similar efforts cropping up in other states, where the GOP has secured a growing number of the top election posts, and as President Donald Trump has asserted  with no evidence to date  that he lost the popular election because of millions of illegal votes.

In Montana, Stapleton and other top Republicans opposed allowing counties to do an all-mail election to fill a U.S. House seat vacated in March. Some criticized that stance as a politically motivated effort to suppress votes. Last month, Stapleton issued a press release suggesting one rejected ballot in Missoula County was the result of fraud. Election administrators and political analysts questioned why he would target a Democratic stronghold rather than Yellowstone County, a GOP-leaning community with a higher rate of rejected ballots.

Stapleton denied any suggestion he is looking to score political points by taking up his partys latest cause. He noted, for instance, that he has joined several states refusing to turn over voter databases to Trumps Election Integrity Commission for privacy reasons. The request has been temporarily withdrawn as courts weigh in on lawsuits filed in its wake.

Some of the questions Ive asked or points Ive raised, nobody has ever bothered to discuss, Stapleton said of his offices interest in reviewing rejected ballots for signs of fraud. We have not convicted anyone of voter fraud in Montana this century If you question it like I am, its almost heresy. They take it as an affront to the job theyre doing.

Regina Plettenberg, president of the Montana Association of Clerk and Recorders, said members of her organization were caught off guard by Stapletons press release critical of Missoula County, wishing he would have first talked to the professional organization about what he thought had been done wrong.

She and Yellowstone County Elections Administrator Bret Rutherford  both of whom work in communities that reliably elect GOP candidates  said they are open to suggestions from Stapleton about how to improve but worry continued discussions of voter fraud without any substantive proof of malice could unnecessarily weaken public trust in elections. Numerous academic studies repeatedly have found no evidence of wide-scale fraud in American elections.

Plettenberg, the Ravalli County clerk and recorder, said the majority of rejected ballots in Montana result from simple human error, either on the part of the voter or of temporary workers who review ballot signatures.

According to state statistics from the last two elections provided by Stapleton, mail ballots were most often rejected because they arrived late, were missing a signature, or had a signature that did not match the voters registration file. A handful more were rejected when someone casting a provisional ballot did not have a photo ID or for other, unspecified reasons.

Plettenberg said she does not think Montana elections officials are shirking their duties to guard against fraud or to report potential crimes to local police for investigation. Those cases are rare and investigations can be difficult, she said.

Its circular, Plettenberg said. The secretary of state feels its the duty of election administrators and local law enforcement to investigate these, yet were hearing from our local law enforcement that the secretary of state needs to be a part of this process.

Rutherford agreed. He wondered why Stapleton had singled out Missoula County when Yellowstone County rejected five times as many ballots in Mays special election  still less than 1 percent of votes cast  and questioned how Stapleton proposes to strengthen elections.

Is he saying we should send every single one of those to the county attorneys office? Think of the volume of the man hours to dig into something like that when you know 99.9 percent is just a voter error, Rutherford said. Do you spend excessive resources and money to find something thats not there in the first place?

Stapleton points to the 1,833 ballots rejected in Mays special election as evidence that something in Montanas current system can be improved. There were 383,301 votes counted, which means fewer than 0.5 percent of ballots were rejected. Barely more than 0.2 percent were rejected in the fall 2016 election. The difference appears, in part, to be because more people mailed their ballots late for the special election.

Stapleton described a culture of permissivity in Missoula County after his office learned that one of the 91 rejected ballots from Mays election had been reported by a woman who said she had not cast her vote by mail despite records showing she had. After her complaint, the county reviewed the absentee ballot cast in her name and concluded the signature might have been a mismatch. They rejected the original ballot and allowed the woman to cast a new one.

For weeks, Stapleton has traded pointed emails with Elections Administrator Rebecca Connors and the Missoula County attorneys office. At the heart of that dispute is whether county elections officials and local law enforcement did enough to review the case, which Missoula leaders chalk up to a likely instance of mail getting mixed up at an apartment complex. Stapleton has argued it should be investigated until local leaders can confirm that theory definitively or instead prove criminal fraud.

Current practices, Stapleton said, assume the majority of disqualified ballots are honest mistakes and not attempts to fraudulently vote. He wants to turn that assumption on its head and has argued local election administrators, police and county attorneys must do more to identify bad actors and convict them.

He said he does not believe Montana has experienced the kind of significant, organized fraud caught by election officials in some other states, in large part because the process here remains human-intensive and does not use electronic voting machines. But Stapleton nonetheless worries the state could be vulnerable without a closer analysis of rejected ballots. Or, maybe criminals simply have not been caught yet, he said.

In the best case scenario, theres zero fraud, which he said would mean the state could do a better job to help voters reduce simple errors since it is not rare for local races to be decided by a handful of votes.

In the worst case scenario, some were forged or there was mal intent, he said. Thats a problem, and we should be able to talk about that without getting personally attacked or accused of trying to replicate what Trumps doing.

Local election administrators have watched Stapleton spar with Missoula County from afar, wondering if they, too, soon will be targeted or if this is just a bad start to what could be a fruitful effort to improve elections security.

If Missoulas doing it wrong then were all doing it wrong,'' Plettenberg said. "Maybe there is a change of direction that his office wants us to take.

Im hopeful hell get some solutions and bring that to our group and train our group on how hed like to see us to proceed in future elections.

The association has formally requested Stapletons elections chief, who has served under multiple secretaries of state, to provide additional training on signature verification and ballot rejection at its August conference.

Our group has always had a better partnership with our secretary of states office, she said.

Both Stapleton and local officials admitted their relationship had a rocky start just a few months into the former legislators first term as secretary of state when he opposed an all-mail ballot for the special election, saying it would weaken ballot security and disenfranchise Native American voters. The majority of counties argued they wanted the mail-in option, which would have been significantly cheaper and not any less secure than in-person polling.

In separate interviews, Stapleton and elections administrators said they hope to move past that professional difference. Yet both see it as a sign of underlying disagreements about the security of mail voting that could shape future discussions.

Stapleton said he has heard no pushback from elections administrators about the new focus of his office  except from Missoula County. He said he has not yet reached out to other elections officials or to any local law enforcement groups because his office is still gathering information about rejected ballots and they have not yet developed suggestions on how to improve security.

Broadly, Stapleton said he expects changes to the election process itself would be more effective than administrative rule changes about how ballots are handled. He said that he would not suggest an end to mail ballots, which he thinks the state can "make work. Instead, he said other possibilities include shifting away from the U.S. Postal Service, better options for IDs or creative ideas Montana could adopt from other states.

I hope something good can come of this, Stapleton said. Personal attacks aside from reporters and officials from Missoula County.
Sri Lankan batsman Kusal Mendis (left) plays a shot as Zimbabwe wicketkeeper Regis Chakabva looks on during the fourth day of a one-off Test at the R Premadasa stadium in Colombo on July 17, 2017

Kusal Mendis scored a fluent half-century to keep Sri Lanka's hopes of chasing a record 388 alive on day four of the one-off Test against Zimbabwe on Monday.

The hosts were 170 for three at stumps, with Mendis (60) batting alongside Angelo Mathews (17) at Colombo's R. Premadasa Stadium.

Sri Lanka's highest-ever successful run chase was against South Africa in 2006, when they achieved their 352-run target in Colombo.

Zimbabwe skipper Graeme Cremer dented the hosts with his leg-spin, claiming the important wickets of Upul Tharanga (27) and his opposite number Dinesh Chandimal (15).

Opener Dimuth Karunaratne was bowled by left-arm spinner Sean Williams for 49 as the visitors persisted with an all-spin attack in the 48 overs bowled in the innings so far.

Karunaratne said Cremer -- who bagged his maiden five-wicket Test haul in Sri Lanka's first innings -- would pose the biggest threat on a fifth-day track.

"We have got to watch out for Cremer. He is creating the most trouble. There is lot of assistance for the wrist spinner," Karunaratne told reporters.

"We have already got 170 runs on the board... once the ball gets softer, it gets easier. If these two guys are able to hang in there for one and a half hours we will get into an interesting position."

Mendis, who fought off hamstring trouble in the final session of play, put together an unbeaten 37-run stand with Mathews to take the delicately poised Test into its final day.

Zimbabwe were earlier bowled out for 377 in the second session, with Sikandar Raza (127) top-scoring for the visitors with his maiden Test century.

Cremer was the last man out for 48 off left-arm spinner Rangana Herath, who returned figures of 6-133 to take his match tally to 11 wickets.

The Pakistan-born Raza steered the team's middle and lower order to help his side accumulate another 318 runs after being reduced to 59-5 on day three.

Raza's 144-run partnership with Malcolm Waller (68) was the highlight of the Zimbabwe innings after the pair resumed on the overnight score of 252-6.

"Feels great to get my maiden Test hundred," said all-rounder Raza, who also opened Zimbabwe's bowling with his off-spin.

"All the batters put up a tremendous show. Brilliant effort by all the guys to get us into this position. The result of this game now can go our way."

Zimbabwe are seeking their first-ever Test win against Sri Lanka, who are looking for redemption under new Test captain Chandimal.

He took over from Mathews, who resigned after calling the one-day series loss a "hard pill to swallow".
Thailand's King Vajiralongkorn gains direct control over royal assets under a new law

A new law giving Thailand's king direct control over royal assets worth billions of dollars went into force Monday, the latest move by an increasingly assertive monarch to consolidate his power.

King Maha Vajiralongkorn inherited one of the world's great fortunes when he ascended the throne in October following the death of his father Bhumibol Adulyadej who ruled for seven decades.

Thailand's monarchy is shielded from both criticism and scrutiny by a draconian lese majeste law and does not declare its wealth.

But analysts say the Chakris are one of the world's wealthiest royal dynasties, with estimates varying between $30-60 billion.

Most of this wealth is controlled by the opaque Crown Property Bureau (CPB), a vast portfolio that includes massive property ownership and investments in major companies.

On Sunday the Royal Gazette published a new law governing the CPB that was passed by the junta's rubber-stamp legislature last week and went into effect on Monday.

The main change gives Vajiralongkorn power to appoint all members of the committee that oversees the CPB.

Under the previous law, the committee's chairman was the finance minister, a move meant to ensure some semblance of government oversight.

That requirement has now been removed, allowing Vajiralongkorn free rein to appoint who he likes to head the committee.

Is is the first time that law has been changed in 69 years.

On paper the monarchy has little constitutional power.

But under Bhumibol's long and charismatic reign it came to wield huge political and economic clout behind the scenes.

Academics often dub Thailand a "network monarchy" in which major aristocratic families, businesses and state bureaucracies, including the military, all benefit from royal patronage.

The country's first succession in 70 years stirred anxiety among powerbrokers about how the new monarch would manage those complex relationships.

Since Bhumibol's death, a series of legal changes have been made which analysts say strengthens Vajiralongkorn's power.

At the request of the new king's office the junta waved through constitutional amendments earlier this year.

Among these was a provision allowing the king to travel overseas without having to appoint a regent in his stead, and an end to the need for all royal decrees to be countersigned by a government official.

Vajiralongkorn also took direct control of five state agencies overseeing royal affairs and palace security that were previously under government or military control.

In the past Thailand has responded to published estimates of the monarchy's wealth by pointing to the previous law governing the CPB, arguing that it was the government which had ultimate say over the royal wealth.
Smoke billows following an airstrike on the western frontline of Raqa on July 15, 2017, during an offensive by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters, to retake the city from Islamic State (IS) group fighters

US-backed forces said Monday they had seized a new neighbourhood from the Islamic State group in the jihadist stronghold of Raqa in northern Syria.

The Syrian Democratic Forces, an alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters, have been pressing an operation to capture the jihadist stronghold since last year, and they penetrated the city in June.

"The Al-Yarmuk district was liberated yesterday," the SDF's spokeswoman for the Raqa operation, Jihan Sheikh Ahmed, told AFP.

Al-Yarmuk is a large neighbourhood on the southwestern outskirts of the city.

"The operation is continuing but there are many fierce clashes," Ahmed said, speaking in the town of Ain Issa, 50 kilometres (30 miles) north of Raqa.

"We are taking steady and sound steps. What is important to us is not speed, but liberating civilians and eliminating Daesh (IS)," she added.

An AFP reporter in Jazra suburb on the western outskirts of the city on Monday saw US-led coalition forces at a joint position with SDF fighters firing artillery in the direction of IS posts deeper inside Raqa.

Progress inside Raqa has been hampered by extensive mining of neighbourhoods, which has slowed advancing SDF fighters and also had devastating consequences for civilians trying to flee.

"There have been many casualties, fighters and civilians, caused by mines," an SDF commander told AFP, without giving his name.

"Yesterday, we buried six civilians after a mine exploded as they were trying to escape," he added.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the SDF had advanced in Al-Yarmuk but did not yet fully control the district.

The monitor said the militia held the western portion of the district but that heavy fighting was continuing.

It also reported that hundreds of civilians had fled IS-held parts of the city towards areas now controlled by the SDF in the past 48 hours.

The SDF on its social media accounts said Monday its forces "managed to free about 500 civilians who were trapped inside the Al-Daraiya and Al-Tayar neighbourhoods, as well as 150 others from the Old City" inside Raqa.

Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said a steady stream of civilians was fleeing IS-held districts.

"Whenever there is a lull in the fighting, they leave towards areas held by the SDF," he said.

The Observatory, a Britain-based monitoring group, estimates the US-backed force currently holds around 35 percent of the city.

The SDF began an operation to capture Raqa in November 2016 and spent months taking territory around the city before finally entering it.

It has been backed by heavy US-led coalition air strikes, including several on Monday that killed at least three civilians, according to the Observatory.

More than 330,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began with anti-government protests in March 2011.
San Miguel Corporation president Ramon Ang speaks at the Philippine Stock Exchange during the listing of San Miguel. Top newspaper Philippine Daily Inquirer said on July 17, 2017 its owners are in talks to sell the publication to Ang

Top newspaper the Philippine Daily Inquirer said Monday its owners are in talks to sell the publication, months after President Rodrigo Duterte threatened a shame campaign against them over critical coverage of his drug war.

Marixi Prieto, chairwoman of the Inquirer Group of Companies, said the family had decided to quit the newspaper business and was in talks to sell it to tycoon Ramon Ang, president of top Philippine conglomerate San Miguel Corp.

"The Prieto family's decision to divest after 25 years is a strategic business decision that it believes will maximise group opportunities for the Inquirer group," the paper said in a statement.

Ang said Monday he has accepted the Prieto family's offer to invest in the Inquirer Group but gave no details.

Neither side mentioned the paper's longstanding dispute with Duterte, who has said Ang helped fund his presidential campaign.

In March Duterte described the Inquirer and major television broadcaster ABS-CBN as "sons of whores" and warned them of karmic repercussions for criticising him for alleged human rights abuses in the drug war.

"I'm not threatening them but someday their karma will catch up with them," Duterte said, singling out the Prietos as well as the Lopez family that controls the television network.

"They're shameless, those sons of whore journalists."

He also threatened to use the government's television station to shame the two families, and the subject has been a recurring theme in many of the president's speeches.

Duterte had vowed during the election campaign last year to kill tens of thousands of drug dealers and users to stop the country from sliding to narco-state status.

Since he came to power a year ago police and unknown gunmen have killed thousands of suspects, but Duterte has rejected criticism from human rights groups that his crackdown may amount to a crime against humanity.

Prieto described Ang as a "longstanding friend and business partner" and said the talks, begun in 2014, restarted early this year.

"The family is confident that Mr Ang will uphold the Inquirer Group's commitment to pursuing the highest standards of journalism."

Ang said in a statement the paper would "continue to uphold the highest journalistic standards and make a difference in the society it serves".

The planned Inquirer acquisition follows a pattern of Philippine conglomerates buying into news outlets, sparking concern about media consolidation.
A trench has been dug around the University of Maiduguri to prevent attacks by Boko Haram jihadists

Eight people were killed on Monday when a female suicide bomber detonated her explosives at a mosque in northeast Nigeria, in the latest attack in the restive region.

The head of the Borno state emergency management agency, Ahmed Satomi, said the blast happened at about 5:30 am (0430 GMT) in the London Ciki area of Maiduguri, which has been at the epicentre of Boko Haram violence since 2009.

"She killed eight people and injured 15 others. The mosque was being guarded by civilian JTF (joint task force militia) during prayers," he told AFP.

"Unknown to them, the girl was being pursued from another part of town by residents who were suspicious of her movement at the time.

"When she approached the mosque, they demanded that she stop to be searched but she suddenly bolted into the mosque and set off her bombs."

Three other female suicide bombers were located in Maiduguri at about the same time, said Satomi.

Two were killed in the Mammanti area as they tried to cross the ditch around the city perimeter while another set off her explosives in the suburb of Simari, he added.

It is the second time in a week that four female suicide bombers have sought to cause carnage in Maiduguri.

Last Monday, at least 19 people were killed and 23 others injured when four women set off their bombs in the Molai Kolemari area of the city.

Boko Haram has increasingly used women and young girls as human bombs as they have been forced out of captured territory due to a sustained military counter-insurgency.

Maiduguri has been repeatedly attacked in recent months, with mosques, markets, camps for those displaced by the conflict and other civilian "soft" targets hit regularly.
US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley holds photos of victims as the UN Security Council meets in an emergency session in April about a suspected deadly chemical attack that killed civilians, including children, in Syria

The European Union on Monday imposed sanctions against 16 more high-ranking military Syrian officials and scientists over chemical weapons attacks on civilians, a statement said.

The move by the bloc's foreign ministers brings to 255 people now facing a travel ban and an assets freeze over President Bashar al-Assad's violent crackdown on civilians during a five-year civil war.

"The EU added these 16 persons for their role in the development and use of chemical weapons against the civilian population," an EU statement said.

The EU will release the names of those hit by the sanctions on Tuesday, it said.

The UN's chemical watchdog, the OPCW, last month concluded that sarin was used as a chemical weapon in the April 4 attack in the Syrian town of Khan Sheikhun that killed at least 87 people including children.

The sanctions decision "shows the resolve of the UK and the rest of our friends in Europe in dealing with those who are responsible for chemical weapons attacks," British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson told reporters just before the decision was announced.

Syria is already subject to an oil embargo, restrictions on certain investments, a freeze of the assets of the Syrian central bank held in the EU, as well as export restrictions.

It also is under sanctoins on equipment and technology that might be used for internal repression as well as on equipment and technology for the monitoring or interception of internet or telephone communications.
Maarik Al-Tawaiha stands behind bars during his trial at a court in Amman on July 17, 2017

A Jordanian court on Monday sentenced a soldier to life imprisonment over the killing of three American military trainers outside an army base last year.

The military court in Amman found 39-year-old Maarik al-Tawaiha guilty of shooting the trainers as they waited to enter the King Faisal base at Al-Jafr in southern Jordan on November 4.

The charge sheet did not indicate that he had any ties to militant groups.

US embassy staff and relatives of the victims were present at Monday's hearing, which took place under heavy security.

The court sentenced Tawaiha to "hard labour for life", a term that usually lasts 20 years but could stretch to a full lifetime, a judicial official told an AFP correspondent at the courthouse.

It also demoted him from sergeant to second private and threw him out of military service.

The prosecution in June accused him of "voluntary manslaughter" over the deaths of Matthew Lewellen, Kevin McEnroe and James Moriarty.

He was also charged with "insulting the dignity and reputation of the armed forces and violating military orders".

Tawaiha had been in custody since November but denied the charges.

The court had heard evidence from base guards and forensic experts.

In its ruling, the court said the incident had happened when vehicles carrying the trainers approached the gate of the base.

At that moment, there was "a low sound of gunfire from a distant and unknown source".

US soldiers carry a flag-draped coffin holding the remains of Matthew Lewellen on November 7, 2016. He died of wounds sustained when his convoy came under fire entering at the Al-Jafr base

Tawaiha, who was in a guard post at the gate, told the court he had opened fire on the cars carrying the American trainers because he suspected an attack on the base.

The court said he "fired a full magazine of ammunition... intending to kill them after it was clear to him who they were and that they were American personnel".

It said he had disobeyed orders by failing to follow rules of engagement before opening fire.

The incident left three Americans dead and wounded a Jordanian soldier.

The King Faisal air base hosts trainers of various nationalities including Americans.

Jordan, which hosts some 2,200 American military personnel, is a key American ally and a member of the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group in neighbouring Syria and Iraq.

US forces have trained a small group of vetted Syrian rebels in Jordan, and American instructors have also trained Palestinian security forces inside the kingdom.

Tens of thousands of Iraqi, Yemeni and Libyan forces have likewise received training in Jordan.

In 2015, the United States said it would increase overall US assistance to Jordan, which is hosting hundreds of thousands of refugees from the brutal war in Syria, from $660 million to $1 billion annually for the period to 2017.

The Al-Jafr shootings came almost a year after a Jordanian policeman gunned down two US instructors, a South African and two Jordanians at a police training centre east of Amman, before being gunned down.
More than 86,000 migrants have arrived in Italy this year -- a 10 percent increase over the previous year

Italy's government has delayed a parliamentary vote on a citizenship rights bill as tensions rise over the number of migrants arriving on the country's shores.

The proposal to give children born on Italian soil to foreign parents citizenship rights at birth or after at least five years of Italian schooling enjoys the support of Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni's centre-left Democratic Party (PD).

But Gentiloni said late Sunday that the bill would be dropped until later in the year considering other "urgent deadlines" and "difficulties that have arisen on certain fringes of the majority".

He gave his "personal commitment" to ensure the bill was approved in the autumn.

Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano, who leads a small centrist party in the ruling coalition, had said that while the bill had his support in principle, he could not guarantee the necessary votes in favour considering the current climate.

A poll last week showed the bill is losing support among Italians, even though such a path to citizenship exists in many other EU countries, and despite supporters insisting the draft law has nothing to do with newly-arrived migrants.

Over 86,000 migrants have arrived so far this year, up over 10 percent compared with the same period in 2016.

The left-leaning La Repubblica daily called on the political class to "be straight with Italians and dismantle lies".

"This law has nothing to do with those who are disembarking on our coasts," it said.

Under the proposed bill, one of the parents would have to have been legally present in Italy for five years for children born here to be granted citizenship, so it would not apply to those refused asylum and ordered to leave the country.

Matteo Salvini, head of the anti-immigration Northern League party, described Gentiloni's decision as "a victory" for his party, saying: "If they try again, they'll find us ready. Stop invasion".

Some 45 mayors in Sicily have demanded a meeting with the government this week after a heated protests over the distribution of newly-arrived migrants on the southern Italian island.
Malaysian authorities have arrested a Vietnamese man and seized a stash of elephant ivory worth almost $70,000

Malaysian authorities have arrested a Vietnamese man and seized a stash of elephant ivory worth almost $70,000, an official said Monday, highlighting the country's role as a hub for the wildlife-smuggling trade.

The man was detained Friday at Kuala Lumpur's main international airport after flying into the country from Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, said airport customs chief Hamzah Sundang.

Officials stopped the suspected smuggler -- whose identity was not revealed -- in the airport terminal as he was acting suspiciously.

When they checked his luggage, they found 10 packages containing elephant ivory weighing 36 kilograms (80 pounds) that had been cut into small pieces, which activists said was likely going to be fashioned into jewellery.

Authorities said the haul was worth about 300,000 ringgit (almost $70,000).

The man had been due to travel on to Vietnam, where there is high demand for ivory which is prized locally for decorative purposes and in traditional medicine.

The latest seizure underlines Malaysia's role as a transit point in the global wildlife smuggling trade. Earlier this month, Hong Kong customs officials discovered 7.2 tonnes of ivory tusks in a shipment from Malaysia.

The global trade in elephant ivory, with rare exceptions, has been outlawed since 1989 after populations of the African giants dropped from millions in the mid-20th century to around 600,000 by the end of the 1980s.

Anyone found guilty of importing rare animals or their parts into Malaysia can be jailed for up to three years and fined.

Kanitha Krishnasamy, acting regional director for wildlife trade monitoring network Traffic, hailed the latest discovery by Malaysian authorities, which follows recent seizures of rhino horns and pangolins.

She said the operations were "crippling illegal traders from profiting from this business".
Rodrigo Duterte (C) poses with MILF leaders and government officials as they hold a draft of the Bangsamoro Basic Law

President Rodrigo Duterte offered self-rule to the Philippines' Muslim minority on Monday in an attempt to defeat Islamist militants who seized a southern city in the gravest challenge to his year-old rule.

Duterte hopes the promise of autonomy will persuade Filipino Muslims to reject the Islamic State group, whose followers still control parts of Marawi after nearly two months of fighting that had left more than 500 people dead.

Duterte vowed to shepherd through Congress a "Bangsamoro Basic Law" bill jointly written and submitted to him Monday by government officials and the country's largest Muslim guerrilla group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

"This moment is a significant step forward in our quest to end centuries of hatred, mistrust and injustice that cost and affected the lives of millions of Filipinos," he said in a speech to MILF leaders and government officials.

Both sides said that giving the mainly Catholic nation's large and largely impoverished Islamic minority a better choice was crucial to heading off the lure of violent extremism.

"These misguided people have filled the vacuum created by our failure to enact the basic law, and feed into the frustration of our people," MILF chairman Murad Ebrahim told the same gathering, referring to the Marawi gunmen.

Muslims since the 1970s had waged a decades-old insurgency that claimed more than 100,000 lives in the Mindanao region that includes Marawi.

The MILF signed a peace treaty with Duterte's predecessor Benigno Aquino in 2014 but Congress refused to pass the self-rule bill -- a key provision of the accord.

Small rebel factions began pledging allegiance to the IS soon afterwards. The Marawi attack on May 23 was their first major action, forcing Duterte to impose martial rule across Mindanao.

The chief government peace negotiator, Irene Santiago, said Manila expects the bill's passage within a year.

"The next 12 months are full of opportunity but also fraught with so much danger. The dangers are staring us in the face: violent extremism, the source of the crisis in Marawi," Santiago added.

An Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao has been in place in parts of the south since after a rival faction, the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), signed peace with Manila in 1996.

However it had failed to end violence and rebellion.

Santiago said both the MILF and MNLF helped to draft the new self-rule bill giving all sides optimism about its passage.

Duterte is also set to decide within the week whether to extend military rule over Mindanao.

The constitution limits martial rule to 60 days, a safeguard against abuses put in place after the downfall of the Ferdinand Marcos dictatorship.

However Congress can authorise an extension.

The military said there were still 60-80 gunmen holed up in about 500 Marawi houses and buildings after weeks of day and night air strikes and artillery pounding.

About 300 civilians also remain trapped in the area and some of them have been taken hostage, the military said.
Billings Public Library will host a series of programs on Irish genealogy, in conjunction with the exhibit, Erins Exiled Children: The Irish of America and the Making of Modern Ireland, in August. The programs will be at the Billings Public Library, 510 N. Broadway.

An Introduction to Irish Genealogy Online, presented by PJ Smith of the Yellowstone Genealogy Forum, and Kathy Robins and Lynne Puckett, library staff, will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 3, in the community room. This program covers the basic information needed to start researching Irish ancestors online and includes informational handouts.

From 2:30 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 5, Jacquie Ziegler, onomastics expert, will present, Irish Names Through History, or How Conchobar Became Connor, in the community room. Participants can learn what their Irish ancestors names may have been and how their names might have changed once they came to America.

An Irish Genealogy Hour will take place from noon to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 8, in the computer classroom. Robins and Puckett will offer assistance with hands-on research of Irish ancestors. This is the first of a series  the Irish Genealogy Hour will be offered every Tuesday afternoon through October. Each week will showcase a different resource.

All of the presentations are free and open to the public. For more information, call the library at 657-8258.
IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has been reported dead or wounded several times

Moscow on Monday said it was struggling to confirm if the leader of the Islamic State group Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is dead or alive, a month after reporting his possible demise.

The Russian army said in June that it was trying to verify information that its jets killed Baghdadi during a bombing raid near the IS stronghold of Raqa in Syria.

But over a month after the announcement Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia still had "no more precise information" on Baghdadi's fate.

"The information coming in is contradictory and is being checked by the relevant agencies," he said.

Baghdadi, the undisputed leader of global jihadism, has been rumoured wounded or killed a number of times in the past.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitor, said last week it had heard from senior IS leaders in Syria's Deir Ezzor province that Baghdadi was dead.

But Pentagon chief James Mattis said on Friday that he could not "confirm or deny" if Baghdadi is dead, adding that Washington's approach was to "assume he's alive until it's proven otherwise".

Baghdadi's group has earned global notoriety for imposing a hardline form of Islam that has included stonings, beheadings and amputations as it has claimed the creation of a "caliphate" after snatching territory across Syria and Iraq.

The fortunes of its "caliphate" have since turned with massive offensives launched by US-backed forces in Iraq and Syria.

Russia has been flying a bombing campaign in Syria since 2015 in support of its ally President Bashar al-Assad.
North Korea test-fires an intercontinental ballistic missile on July 4, 2017

European Union member countries agreed Monday to consider imposing new sanctions on North Korea after it tested its first intercontinental ballistic missile.

Last month, the EU expanded its sanctions blacklist after North Korea launched a volley of surface-to-ship cruise missiles off its east coast.

EU foreign ministers met on Monday to condemn the July 4 intercontinental ballistic missile test launch as an "outright violation" of UN Security Council resolutions.

North Korea "is the country against which we (Europeans) have the most restrictive measures and we decided we will consider adopting further measures in full coordination with our international partners," EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini told a press conference after the meeting.

EU sanctions against North Korea date back to 2006 and are part of international efforts to halt a nuclear and ballistic missile programme that experts say is intended to give Pyongyang the capability to hit the US mainland.

The foreign ministers also stressed the need for a diplomatic rather than a military solution and kept the door open to dialogue.

"Denuclearisation of the Korean pensinula must be achieved through peaceful means. This excludes military action," Mogherini said.

The ministers agreed to follow the diplomatic lead of South Korea which has just offered to hold rare military talks with North Korea on Friday at the border truce village of Panmunjom.

Mogherini said Beijing, North Korea's neighbour and main trade partner, is increasing its diplomatic efforts when asked to comment on criticism it was not putting enough pressure on Pyongyang.

"What I have seen in recent months in my dialogue with the Chinese authorities from the highest level down has been a sincere commitment to find a solution to tensions on the Korean peninsula," she said.

She said China's role will form a "consistent part" of the talks she will attend at the Asia regional forum in Manilla in August.

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said the foreign ministers had opposed any effort to engage in a dialogue with North Korea before it takes a concrete step.

"They have got to make serious moves toward denuclearising their country before it is right for us to begin a proper dialogue," he said, summing up what he saw as the EU position.
Israeli soldier Elor Azaria, who shot dead a wounded Palestinian assailant in March 2016, is embraced by his mother Oshra at the start of his sentencing hearing in a military court in Tel Aviv on February 21, 2017

An Israeli soldier who shot dead a wounded Palestinian assailant will be placed on house arrest pending his appeal of his manslaughter conviction and 18-month sentence, the army said Monday.

A military court ruled that Elor Azaria will be placed under house arrest on July 20, when his mandatory three-year military service ends, an army spokeswoman said.

The French-Israeli infantry medic has been under "open arrest" confined to his army base.

Military judges are expected to rule on his appeal on July 30, Israeli media reported. His imprisonment has been postponed pending his appeal.

Azaria was convicted in January and sentenced the next month after a trial that deeply divided Israeli society.

The March 2016 shooting in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron was caught on video by a rights group and spread widely online.

It showed Abdul Fatah al-Sharif, 21, lying wounded on the ground, shot along with another Palestinian after stabbing and wounding a soldier, according to the army.

Azaria then shot him in the head without any apparent provocation.

He said he feared Sharif was wearing an explosive belt and could blow himself up, a claim judges rejected.

The trial captivated Israel and highlighted deep divisions in public opinion between those who decry his actions and those who say he was justified.

A number of Israeli politicians have called for him to be pardoned, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Amnesty International has said Azaria's sentence does "not reflect the gravity of the offence," while the UN human rights office said it was an "unacceptable" punishment for "an apparent extra-judicial killing".
Kidnappings are frequent in this eastern part of the DRC, related to communal conflict between the Nande and Hunde tribes on one hand and ethnic Hutus on the other

Tribal militia forces have kidnapped two Roman Catholic priests in the troubled North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo, officials said Monday.

Kidnappings are frequent in this eastern part of the DRC, related to communal conflict between the Nande and Hunde tribes on one hand and ethnic Hutus on the other. The two priests come from the Nande ethnic group.

"The curate Charles Kipasa and the vicar Jean-Pierre Akili ... were taken overnight by Mai-Mai who led them off to the mountains. They also took two vehicles and two motorbikes," Bishop Paluku Sikuli of the Beni-Butembo region told AFP.

"I confirm the kidnapping of two priests from the Catholic parish of Bunyuka by unknown armed persons," the administrator of the province's northern Beni district, Amisi Kalonda, said. "Our defence and security services are working to find them."

"The kidnappers abandoned the two vehicles that were transporting them," Kalonda added.

In 2012, three priests were abducted near Beni by Ugandan rebels of the Allied Democratic Forces, who have been driven out of neighbouring Uganda and are notorious for their cruelty. There has been no word of them since.

Local communities like the Nande, Hunde and Kobo, who form the majority population in North Kivu, regard Hutus as foreigners originating in neighbouring Rwanda. Rivalry over land and resources date back for generations.

The Mai-Mai first emerged as community self-defence groups formed on a mainly ethnic basis.

During the Second Congo War (1998-2003), many of these groups were armed by the distant Kinshasa authorities to help battle invading Ugandans and Rwandans.

Rich in precious minerals, the east of the DRC has been unstable for 20 years. Several dozen local and foreign armed groups stand accused of serious rights abuses against civilians, such as rape, killings and abductions.
Uber drivers have faced regular violence and intimidation from traditional meter-taxi operators, who accused them of stealing their jobs

A South African Uber driver whose car was torched five weeks ago died of his injuries on Monday, the company said, after an attack allegedly involving rival metre-taxi drivers.

The man was parked on a street in the capital Pretoria at night when his vehicle was set alight and he suffered severe burns, Uber Africa said in a statement.

The company said the attackers were unknown, but it pointed to the metre-taxi business that has suffered due to competition from the ride-hailing app.

"We know that these actions do not represent the entire industry, however, this violence and intimidation against those who choose to use technology apps, like Uber, must stop," Uber said.

Police declined to comment, while an action group of Uber drivers told local news website enca.com that the victim was targeted in a "turf war between Uber and metre-taxi drivers".

Since arriving in South Africa in 2013, Uber drivers have faced regular violence and intimidation from traditional meter-taxi operators, who accused them of stealing their jobs.

The San Francisco-based firm said it had requested an urgent meeting with the police minister to address safety concerns.

Attacks on Uber drivers have focused on central Pretoria, downtown Johannesburg, the main rail stations and Johannesburg airport.

Uber has hired private security teams to patrol at some locations, and launched an emergency phone line.

At least one other Uber vehicle has been torched in recent weeks.

Earlier this year, metre-taxi drivers blocked the highway to the airport to protest against Uber.

Several cases of violence against drivers have also been reported in other South African cities.

Uber has expanded rapidly but often faced regulatory hurdles and protests in countries including Germany, Spain and Hungary.

Critics and competitors say it dodges taxi regulations.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un seen celebrating the successful test of an intercontinental ballistice missile July 5, which has prompted calls at the UN for tougher sanctions on Pyongyang

Japan on Monday downplayed South Korea's offer to hold military talks with North Korea, saying the priority should be piling pressure on Pyongyang through sanctions.

"This is not a time for dialogue. This is a time for pressure," Japan's foreign ministry spokesman Norio Maruyama told reporters in New York where Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida was attending a UN meeting on development.

"This is a time to raise pressure in order to conduct a serious dialogue," said Maruyama.

South Korea's defence ministry proposed a meeting to be held Friday at the border truce village of Panmunjom to ease tensions after Pyongyang tested its first intercontinental ballistic missile.

If the meeting goes ahead, it would be the first official inter-Korea talks since December 2015.

The offer came as the United States is locked in difficult negotiations with China at the United Nations on a new sanctions resolution in response to the ICBM test.

The tougher measures could include an oil embargo, a ban on North Korean guest workers, banning North Korean ships from all ports and stronger trade restrictions.

Japan supports new sanctions but also maintains that Russia and China must do more to fully implement the current set of measures targeting their economic ties with North Korea.

In the first six months of this year, trade between China and North Korea increased 10.5 percent to $2.5 billion, compared to the same period last year, according to official figures from Beijing.

Iron ore imports from North Korea surged, with China arguing that the UN sanctions resolution allows for trade if the income is used for the livelihood of civilians.

In May, Russia opened a new ferry service from Vladivostok in the far east to North Korea's Rajin port, a move seen as a boost to bilateral ties.

"What is important is to stop the flow of currency to North Korea" said Maruyama.
Smoke billows following an airstrike on the western frontline of Raqa on July 17, 2017

Heavy bombardment and fierce fighting shook the Islamic State group's Syrian stronghold Raqa on Monday, as US-backed forces said they captured a new neighbourhood from entrenched jihadists.

Bursts of gunfire and artillery as well as the thud of air strikes conducted by the US-led coalition filled the air in western neighbourhoods of Raqa, on what AFP's correspondent said was the heaviest day of bombardment to date.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, updating an earlier toll, said the air strikes killed at least 10 civilians, two of them children.

Thick pillars of black smoke dotted the city skyline, lined with bombed-out concrete homes and the damaged minaret of a mosque.

"Our American friends are bombing with mortars," a fighter from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said after a string of blasts near the front line in western Raqa.

The SDF's Kurdish and Arab fighters have been pressing an operation to capture the jihadist stronghold since last year with coalition air support and the backing of a US Marines artillery battery.

An AFP reporter in Jazra suburb on the western outskirts of the city on Monday saw coalition forces at a joint position with SDF fighters firing artillery in the direction of IS posts deeper inside Raqa.

- Regime forces advance south of Raqa -

On another front, Syrian government forces have swept across territory south of Raqa, capturing a string of villages and oilfields from the jihadists, state media said Monday.

"Over the past two days, army units recaptured a number of villages and oilfields in western parts of Deir Ezzor province and southern parts of Raqa," the official news agency SANA said.

The Syrian Observatory said the government advance was backed by heavy Syrian and Russian air strikes.

"Regime forces have captured between 1,500 and 1,800 square kilometres (580 and 700 sq miles) in Raqa province over the past 48 hours," Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said.

In its separate operation, the SDF has spent several months encircling Raqa and first broke into the northern city in early June.

On Monday, it announced it had captured Al-Yarmuk, a large neighbourhood on the southwestern outskirts of the city.

"The Al-Yarmuk district was liberated yesterday," the SDF's spokeswoman for the Raqa operation, Jihan Sheikh Ahmed, told AFP in Ain Issa, 50 kilometres (30 miles) north of Raqa.

"We are taking steady and sound steps. What is important to us is not speed, but liberating civilians and eliminating Daesh (IS)," she added.

IS first seized Raqa in early 2014, and the city has since become synonymous with the group's most gruesome atrocities.

It carried out brutal public beheadings and is thought to have used Raqa as a hub for planning attacks overseas.

The jihadists are putting up a fierce defence against the SDF, including with car bombs, improved explosive devices, and weaponised commercial drones.

SDF fighters on Monday heard a light buzzing noise coming from outside and began looking to the sky.

"It's a Daesh drone," one militiaman warned.

Progress inside Raqa has also been hampered by extensive mining of neighbourhoods, with devastating consequences for civilians trying to flee.

"There have been many casualties, fighters and civilians, caused by mines," an SDF commander told AFP, without giving his name.

"Yesterday, we buried six civilians after a mine exploded as they were trying to escape."

- Up to 50,000 civilians still trapped -

The United Nations estimates that up to 50,000 civilians remain trapped in Raqa, down from some 100,000 people at the end of June.

A member of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters, points at sniper positions of Islamic State (IS) fighters in western Raqa on July 17, 2017

The SDF on its social media accounts said Monday its forces "managed to free about 500 civilians who were trapped inside the Al-Daraiya and Al-Tayar neighbourhoods, as well as 150 others from the Old City" in Raqa.

The Syrian Observatory monitoring group said hundreds of civilians had fled IS-held parts of the city in the past 48 hours towards areas now controlled by the SDF.

"Whenever there is a lull in the fighting, they leave towards areas held by the SDF," Observatory head Abdel Rahman said.

The Britain-based monitoring group estimates the US-backed force currently holds around 35 percent of Raqa.

It said the SDF held the western portion of Al-Yarmuk district but that it had not fully captured the district and heavy fighting was continuing.

More than 330,000 people have lost their lives in Syria since the country's multi-party conflict broke out with anti-government protests in March 2011.
A man walks past a member of the Iraqi forces in west Mosul a few days after the city's recapture from Islamic State fighters

Revenge attacks against Iraqis accused of siding with the Islamic State group in Mosul are on the rise after Iraqi forces recaptured the city, the UN envoy warned Monday.

Jan Kubis told the UN Security Council that he was concerned by a "rising popular sentiment in favor of collective punishment of families perceived to be associated with Daesh."

"Countrywide, Iraqis perceived to have links with Daesh are being increasingly subjected to evictions, confiscation of homes, and other retribution and revenge measures," he said. Daesh is an Arabic acronym for IS.

The United Nations has asked Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to take "urgent steps" to halt the evictions and other vindictive acts.

On July 9, Iraq declared victory in its nine-month military campaign to retake Mosul from the Islamic State, which seized the country's second-largest city in June 2014.

Nearly one million people were displaced during the military operation that left the city in ruins.

Kubis said that the defeat of IS in Mosul "should not conceal the fact that the road ahead is extremely challenging," with the militant group still in control of territory in at least three governorates.

The rise of IS in Mosul is seen as linked to deep-seated resentment among Sunni Muslims against the Shiite majority.

Kubis praised the marjaiya, the supreme council of Iraq's Shiite clerics, who stressed in their victory sermons the need to "remedy the longstanding problems" and warned against resorting to more violence.

Turning to the decision by the Kurdistan region of Iraq to hold a referendum on independence in September, the UN envoy urged both sides to enter into negotiations.

These should address the status of Kirkuk, budgetary issues, oil and revenue sharing, among other areas, said Kubis.

"The absence of a meaningful political dialogue could turn a conflict of interests into a different kind of conflict," he warned.

In a joint statement adopted last week, the Security Council called for a redoubled focus on reconciliation, the safe return of the displaced and accountability for crimes.

The council was meeting for the first time since the recapture of Mosul during which Iraqi forces were backed by the United States and France, two permanent council members.
The acquittal of a Minneapolis police officer for the shooting death of a black motorist has sparked protests in the city even as authorities investigate the death of an Australian woman in another police shooting

Authorities in the US state of Minnesota on Monday were investigating the police-involved shooting of an Australian woman, who was killed under mysterious circumstances after placing an emergency call.

Justine Damond was fatally shot by one of two responding officers Saturday night, after she called 911 to report a possible assault in an alleyway in her Minneapolis neighborhood.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, which investigates all officer-involved shootings in the state, would not say what precipitated the shooting. The officers' body cameras were not activated during the incident, authorities said.

"The BCA's investigation is in its very early stages," the agency said in a Sunday news release. "More information will be available once initial interviews with incident participants and any witnesses are complete."

The BCA did not respond Monday to a request for comment.

The Minneapolis Star Tribune, citing three anonymous sources, reported that one of the pair of responding officers shot a pajama-wearing Damond through the window of the police car, after she had approached the driver's side window to talk to the other officer.

"I am heartsick and deeply disturbed," Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges said at a Sunday news conference.

"We have few facts at this point," she said. "We all want to know more."

Hodges was particularly interested in finding out why the officers' body cameras were not turned on during the fatal encounter. All Minneapolis police are outfitted with the cameras.

Local TV station WCCO identified the officer who fired his weapon as Mohammed Noor, who joined the force in 2015 as the first member of the state's sizeable Somali immigrant community to become an officer in Minneapolis' fifth police district, where the shooting occurred.

Australian media and friends described Damond as a 40-year-old yoga and meditation instructor, who had moved from Sydney to Minneapolis to marry her fiancee Don Damond. A man who identified himself as Damond's stepson said she was killed after calling police to report a possible crime.

- Call for help -

"She heard a sound in the alley, so then she called the police and the cops showed up," Zach Damond said in a Facebook posting. "And then, next thing I know they take my best friend's life."

Hundreds gathered in Damond's neighborhood Sunday demanding answers.

"Justine should be here. This should not have happened," Bethany Bradley told the gathering. "And no one's saying anything."

"A woman should not call for help and end up murdered," she said.

The incident is the latest questionable police-involved shooting to rock Minnesota.

The fatal shooting of motorist Philando Castile last year during a traffic stop sparked outrage and protests. Police officer Jeronimo Yanez was acquitted of manslaughter in the case. Castile's family received a $3 million settlement to avoid a federal civil rights lawsuit.
Resorts, hotels, restaurants and other service-sector businesses, like these pictured in Atlantic City, say they depend on the foreign workers because it is harder to recruit young Americans for the jobs paying $10-$15 an hour for the summer

The Trump administration announced Monday an increase in seasonal worker visas that US resorts depend on, but the move halfway through the summer is unlikely to alleviate a nationwide shortage.

Holiday vacation destinations around the United States -- including President Donald Trump's own Mar-a-Lago country club in Palm Beach, Florida -- depend on tens of thousands of temporary workers in the summer and winter, many of them young people from eastern Europe and Asia.

Some 66,000 "H-2B" visas were allocated for this summer, and resorts from Maine to Florida along the US east coast have complained they don't have enough.

On Monday the Department of Homeland Security said it would allow another 15,000 workers this fiscal year, but only for businesses "likely to suffer irreparable harm" without them.

Given the 30-60 day processing time, the move is unlikely to help many, tourism industry officials said.

DHS blamed the lateness of the move on Congress's slow action to approve a fiscal 2017 budget, finalized only in May.

But they said the increase was part of Trump's "America First" effort to strengthen US industry.

In June seven senators representing states with important summer vacation destinations asked DHS to double the number of H-2B visas.

Resorts, hotels, restaurants and other service-sector businesses say they depend on the foreign workers because it is harder to recruit young Americans for the jobs paying $10-$15 an hour for up to four months in the summer.

Josh Bass, president of the Currituck Chamber of Commerce, which covers the northern section of North Carolina's popular Outer Banks Atlantic seashore, said the shortage of H-2B visas had made things for difficult for local businesses, and caused at least one to shut down.

The increase is positive, he said, but "it's probably too late for this summer."
Shakespearean actors are loud, especially at midnight.

Their voices rivaled the chorus of coyotes singing at 4 a.m. recently on Poker Jim Butte. Once a year Custer Gallatin National Forest allows the cast and crew of Montana Shakespeare in the Parks to perform a show and camp out next to the fire tower on Poker Jim Butte.

The rest of the 50 or so people who took in a performance of George Bernard Shaws You Never Can Tell navigated the dusty dirt road back down from the 4,350-foot butte to homes in the Tongue River Valley and beyond.

For more than 40 years, Poker Jim Butte has hosted Shakespeare productions. But the run almost ended in 2015 when a longtime sponsor pulled out. Kelsey Walton, 21, wouldn't let the tradition die.

Her grandparents, Laurel and Elmer "Butch" Fjell, have been hosting actors and helping sponsor the troupe since 1962.

I just couldnt let this go away, Walton said. Ive been coming out here every year since I can remember."

In 2015 when Walton found out that the show might not go on, she started a GoFundMe campaign.

"I raised $2,000 in a month," she said.

Every year since, Walton has been one of the main sponsors of the performance.

It was a tradition. Id go backstage and try on wigs, meet the actors, she said.

Audience members drive for miles to see the production performed by the professional acting troupe, based at Montana State University in Bozeman. They come early and leave late, eager to visit with neighbors, meet the actors or just enjoy the sunset.

Folks came last week from Ranchester and Sheridan, Wyoming; and Bozeman, Colstrip, Forsyth, Birney and Otter. One man drove out from Minneapolis.

Some visitors stayed until after dark while their kids gave impromptu performances on the stage or played hide and seek with the Shakespeare troupe. It was like a summer block party.

Part of the evening fun was climbing the stairs to the 30-foot-high fire tower and taking photos of the sunset to the west or the moon rise in the east. Smoke from a wildland fire burning about six miles away created a brilliant orange sky.

Andrew Gaskill from Ashland, which is about 23 miles away, comes almost every summer. His older brother was fighting the fire he watched from the tower.

I love coming here in the summer, especially when there are fires, Gaskill said.

Laurel Fjell, who drove up from Birney, which is about 11 miles away, counts on her fingers how many people live in Birney, where she has lived for decades.

Its 12, unless some in-laws are in town, she said.

Yet, the Birney community along with ranchers from the nearby community of Otter pitch in to feed the actors.

Actors and patrons alike will tell you that Poker Jim Butte is the most unusual venue on the tour, which includes 61 communities across Montana, Wyoming, Idaho and Washington. The butte got its name from a cowboy who was caught in the 1890s playing cards on the butte instead of riding herd on the cattle grazing across the open range.

Carol and Peter Clark took the 90-minute drive up from Ranchester, Wyoming, for the performance.

"You never know what's going to happen. A dog might run across the stage or lightning might strike," Peter Clark said.

The area still has open range cattle and you can expect to see a cow or two standing in the middle of the road, curiously observing your vehicle and reluctant to move.

Sierra Berry, a summer intern working at the Natural Resources Conservation Service office in Forsyth, was wowed by the beauty of the place.

"I've been to Shakespeare in the Parks productions in California, but this takes it to a whole new level," she said.

The locals used to host the actors overnight in their homes, but for the last few years the actors have rolled out their sleeping bags on the stage and slept under the stars.

Charlotte Mae Ellison, a Chicago-based actor, said she trusts the team to get her safely from venue to venue, but the drive to Poker Jim Butte involved some tight turns and plenty of red dust.

Theyve been doing this for 45 years. They take care of all the details so I dont have to think a lot about them. Its our 11th day on tour and weve gotten into the rhythm of it.

Aila Peck, also a Chicago-based actor in her first year with the company, was excited about the challenge of the tour.

I wanted an adventure, Peck said. I wanted to bring theater to audiences who arent used to having it."

The cast is responsible for setting up and tearing down the two-story stage and packing it into trailers pulled by 4-wheel-drive trucks. Theyve got it down to a two-hour task.

Actor Miles Duffey is on his eighth tour with the company, including six Shakespeare in the Schools tours. He believes Shakespeare would be thrilled with the effort to bring the show to Poker Jim Butte.

Just look at this place. Were on top of a butte," Duffey said. "There is just something magical about being outside."
US Senator John McCain, shown here in Kabul in early July, is recovering from surgery to remove a blood clot from his head

The future of the Republican effort to squash Obamacare hung in the balance Monday with Senator John McCain, whose vote is needed to pass the legislation, recovering from surgery away from Washington.

There are no votes to spare in the contentious effort to pass a new health care reform bill through Congress, where Republican leaders are desperate to fulfill President Donald Trump's campaign pledge to dismantle the 2010 reforms of his predecessor Barack Obama.

So when McCain, 80, announced that doctors in Phoenix removed a five-centimeter (two-inch) blood clot above his eye, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he would "defer" the upcoming vote on the bill by at least a week.

Republicans hold 52 of the chamber's 100 seats, but two Republicans -- one conservative and one moderate -- have already declared their opposition. Democrats are united against the legislation.

Several others in the party have expressed reservations about the legislation, leaving it hanging by a thread just weeks before the Senate decamps for its summer recess -- a break already delayed in a bid to wrangle support for the controversial plan.

Unlike in some legislatures around the world, US lawmakers must be present in Congress to vote.

Senate leadership held to the idea that a vote was forthcoming.

"I believe as soon as we have a full contingent of senators, that we'll have that vote," number two Senate Republican John Cornyn told NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday.

Trump, who has had his differences with McCain, said Monday: "We hope John McCain gets better very soon, because we miss him. He's a crusty voice in Washington -- plus, we need his vote."

Spokesman Sean Spicer said the president would invite several senators to the White House later Monday to discuss the measure.

- How much recovery time for McCain? -

But questions swirled about how much recovery time McCain may need, after doctors performed a craniotomy, an opening of the skull in order to access tissue or blood near the brain.

While McCain's office said he will be recuperating in Arizona this week, neurosurgeons said typical healing may take longer.

"I think it's going to take him a few weeks to recover from this," Norberto Andaluz, a neurosurgeon and craniotomy specialist with Mayfield Clinic in Cincinnati, Ohio, told AFP.

One major factor for recovery time is the level of impact the operation had on the brain, said Andaluz, who is not involved in McCain's care.

Another issue is the underlying pathology.

Doctors removed several malignant melanomas on McCain's skin in the 1990s and 2000s, including an invasive melanoma in 2000.

Experts say McCain's latest operation suggests the possibility of a return of skin cancer. His office said test results are expected in the coming days.

Last week, he appeared to be in his usual talkative form with reporters in Congress.

- 'Simply unworkable' -

A delayed health care vote would undoubtedly complicate McConnell's effort to ram the legislation through the Senate.

President Donald Trump's health care reform, the subject of frequent protests, is one of the pending issues forcing the US Senate to delay its summer break

Republican leaders are eager to notch a major legislative victory for Trump, but there is a pending logjam of important business in the Senate, including consideration of raising the limit on federal borrowing.

Achieving Trump's goal of ditching Obama's sweeping health care reforms has been elusive as his administration nears the six-month mark later this week.

Some fear that repealing the Affordable Care Act could adversely impact millions of Americans by effectively forcing them off of Medicaid, the health insurance program for the poor and the disabled, or making health costs soar for people with pre-existing conditions.

There is little institutional support for the bill, and even less for an amendment introduced by Senator Ted Cruz that would allow insurers to offer bare-bones plans.

"It is simply unworkable in any form and would undermine protections for those with pre-existing medical conditions, increase premiums and lead to widespread terminations of coverage," the chief executives of America's Health Insurance Plans and the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association warned in a letter to McConnell.

The House of Representatives passed its Obamacare repeal in May. But the Senate has stumbled, with Republicans in rival conservative and moderate wings finding it hard to get on board.

Democrats smell blood in the water.

Former vice president Joe Biden eviscerated the plan Monday, saying it would take "peace of mind" away from millions.

"They want to drag us back to a time -- not all that long ago -- when Americans could be denied basic health care because they were unable to afford it," he wrote in The Washington Post.

Failure to pass the bill would mark a humiliating defeat for Republicans who have spent seven years vowing to kill off Obamacare.

A Post poll released Sunday showed Americans preferred Obamacare to the Republican plan by 50 percent to 24 percent.
Pentagon chief Jim Mattis is finalizing plans to present a new Afghanistan strategy to President Donald Trump in a bid to reverse what US generals call a stalemate at best

Afghan security forces supported by US air power have retaken the center of volatile Nawa district from the Taliban in southern Helmand province, US officials said Monday.

Backed by strikes from F-16 fighters and AH-64 Apache attack helicopters, Afghan troops began the two-day operation Saturday near the city of Lashkar Gar, which is the capital of Helmand.

Officials said the operation to retake the center of Nawa would improve security in Lashkar Gar, particularly at an airfield just outside the city.

The US military touted the advance against the Taliban as a significant success for the Afghan security forces, which have struggled to contain a resurgent Taliban in recent years.

Afghan police Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Omar said the US air support was an important part of the operation.

"The air support provided by the coalition forces increased the morale amongst the Afghan uniform police personnel," he said in a statement.

The operation comes as Pentagon chief Jim Mattis finalizes plans to present a new Afghanistan strategy to President Donald Trump in a bid to reverse what US generals call a "stalemate" at best.
Indian conglomerate Mahindra Group announced plans for $1 billion in additional investment in the US, adding thousands of jobs

Indian conglomerate Mahindra Group plans to double its US investment in the next five years, where it is hoping to its two-wheel electric scooters will win over American millennials.

"We're very bullish," executive chairman Anand Mahindra told reporters. "We're going to double our bets here."

The company plans $1 billion in additional investment, executives said.

Mahindra, which operates globally in 10 sectors including aerospace, farm equipment and financial services, already has invested $1 billion in the United States, where it has 3,000 employees.

The biggest group of workers is in information services with 2,300, which is projected to grow to 5,000 as the company steps up recruitment at US universities.

The company also plans to make additional hires in North American tractors and autos, officials said.

Mahindra said he was taking a nuanced view of US environmental politics, planning to co-chair a climate summit with California Governor Jerry Brown in spite of President Donald Trump's vow to exit the Paris climate agreement.

"America is not just Washington DC. America is very complex."

The company is manufacturing a fleet of electric two-wheel bikes and scooters that executives describe as potential transportation disruptors.

Mahindra's GenZe e-bike and e-scooter brand announced a partnership Monday with Postmates, an on-demand delivery system in New York and San Francisco that could be expanded to 200 cities. The scooters are produced at a plant in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

The vehicles are fast becoming more popular in Europe, though Mahindra managing director Pawan Goenka conceded the US as a "car crazy country," remained a greater challenge.

Mahindra offered a strong endorsement of the Indian government's setting of a 2030 target for all-electric cars, although he said the objective was "aspirational."

"In India, we've suffered from a poverty of aspirations, not just a poverty of income," Mahindra said.

But lower battery costs will help accelerate the uptake of electric cars, an essential outcome for India, he said.

He said the prospect of 250 to 300 million households owning conventional cars is "a nightmare for the globe, not just for India."

"You're going to have to move towards fleet sharing and you're going to have to move towards electric."
Evaldas Rimasauskas is pictured in district court in Vilnius in May 2017

A Lithuanian man who allegedly swindled $100 million (87 million euros) from tech giants Google and Facebook must be extradited to the United States, a court ruled on Monday.

"The court has ruled in favour of extraditing Lithuanian citizen Evaldas Rimasauskas to the United States for criminal prosecution," Judge Aiva Surviliene said.

The 48-year-old was arrested in March in the Baltic state at the request of US authorities, who accuse him of deceiving the two US firms in 2013-2015 by posing as a large Asia-based hardware vendor.

Facebook and Google are mentioned in the indictment, Rimasauskas's lawyer confirmed to AFP.

In a public statement, US prosecutors said Rimasauskas used "email accounts that were designed to create the false appearance that they were sent by employees and agents" of the Asian manufacturer.

He is also accused of forging invoices, contracts and letters to trick the companies into wiring over $100 million to overseas bank accounts under his control, according to prosecutors.

The scam was pulled off using deception and no Google systems were hacked, according to the California-based internet giant.

Google updated its internal processes to guard against similar incidents and recovered the money lost.

"We detected this fraud against our vendor management team and promptly alerted the authorities," a Google spokesman told AFP.

"We recouped the funds and we're pleased this matter is resolved."

Facebook did not respond to an AFP request for comment

Rimasauskas faces a maximum of 20 years in jail if convicted, the judge said.

Rimasauskas's lawyer, Snieguole Uzdaviniene, said she would appeal.
"With the progressive decline of coastal habitats worldwide, our findings suggest it's better to have a non-native habitat than no habitat at all," said lead author Aaron Ramus, a post-doctoral student at University of North Caroline, Wilmington

A kind of Japanese seaweed that is considered an invasive species in the United States is actually serving an important role in restoring barren and vulnerable coastlines, US researchers said Monday.

In many lagoons and estuaries of the North Atlantic, native seagrasses and oyster beds have been "severely reduced," due to global warming, pollution, disease and overharvesting, said the report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

In North Carolina, where the study took place, some 97 percent of seagrasses, 90 percent of oyster reefs and 12 percent of salt marshes have been lost relative to their historical extent.

In these mudflats, invasive Gracilaria vermiculophylla has been spreading, so researchers decided to analyze how it was affecting the ecosystem.

The Japanese seaweed is believed to have made it into North Carolina via the export of a kind of oyster -- known as the Pacific Oyster (Crassostrea gigas) -- from Japan.

Over a 10-month span, 48 large plots with different densities of Gracilaria were studied for changes in vital services to the environment, including soil stabilization and erosion control, storm surge and flood protection, biodiversity, food production, and habitat for economically important seafood species.

They found the invasive plants helped biodiversity in many ways, particularly by boosting habitat for young shrimp, crab and fish.

"We did not find a significant relationship between Gracilaria cover and sediment stabilization, a process that underpins erosion control," said the report.

Overall, the picture was positive, and suggests invasive underwater weeds may help, not harm native species and ecosystems, said co-author Brian Silliman, associate professor of Marine Conservation Biology at Duke University's Nicholas School of the Environment.

"Our experimental study shows for the first time that this can be the case," he said.

Still, millions of dollars are spent annually to eradicate or contain a host of invasive species all over the world in the name of conservation.

"Conservation and restoration practitioners must now begin the hard conversation about changing their black-and-white picture of invasive species impacts," Silliman said.

The problem is not unique to North Carolina, but extends globally.

Recent studies have found that as many as 20 percent of coral reefs, 30 percent of seagrasses, 45 percent of salt marshes and 90 percent of oyster reefs have been lost worldwide, according to background information in the article.

"With the progressive decline of coastal habitats worldwide, our findings suggest it's better to have a non-native habitat than no habitat at all," said lead author Aaron Ramus, a post-doctoral student at University of North Caroline, Wilmington.

"There's a good chance that many invaders don't have the negative effects that we often think they do."
The United States had a $25 billion goods trade deficit with Malaysia last year

The United States and Malaysia will establish working groups to address trade matters such as labor, intellectual property and the environment, US officials announced Monday.

The agreement came following a meeting between Malaysian authorities and officials from the office of the US Trade Representative.

"The United States is holding talks with key trading partners across Asia, reflecting the priority the Trump Administration places on deepening trade ties with countries in the region," the office said in a statement.

Both the United States and Malaysia had been signatories to the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a 12-nation trade pact which addressed such issues.

However, Trump withdrew the United States from the pact in January, part of the new administration's retreat from trade liberalization.

The administration has said it prefers bilateral trade agreements to multilateral treaties like the TPP.

The United States had a $25 billion goods trade deficit with Malaysia last year, exporting aircraft, medical instruments and electrical machinery but importing similar goods as well as rubber, furniture and bedding, the USTR said.
Unlike their counterparts from wealthier countries, the Afghans had unique problems they had to contend with such as a lack of some basic equipment

Huddled around a small table in the halls of a cavernous Washington concert hall, a group of Afghan teenage girls tweak gears and sprockets on their radio-controlled robot, hoping to best the competition.

But the six proud nerds from war-torn Afghanistan's western province of Herat almost didn't make it to the US capital for the chance to take on other high school students from around the world.

Twice denied US visas until a late intervention by President Donald Trump's administration, they are now hoping to set an example for girls in their ultra-conservative country.

Even in a venue crowded with hundreds of teens, the Afghans were difficult to miss on Monday in their bright blue T-shirts paired with white hijabs -- and trailed wherever they go by a throng of journalists.

"Robotics is a field that is part of my life. I'm so happy to be here and participate against the other teams," 15-year-old Lida Azizi told AFP, adding she was a "bit nervous" about taking part in her first competition.

"I'm happy to come and represent Afghanistan," chimed in 14-year-old Fatema Qaderyan.

The plight of the Afghan team had made headlines around the world after it appeared to underscore the negative consequences of stricter visa policies for Muslim countries under Trump.

The US leader recently succeeded in passing a limited version of a long-touted travel ban -- temporarily barring visitors from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen without a "bona fide" US connection and all refugees -- pending a hearing by the Supreme Court.

Twice denied US visas until a late intervention by President Donald Trump's administration, an Afghan robotics team competing in Washington is hoping to set an example for girls in their ultra-conservative country

Afghanistan was not on the list, but critics contended the frequency of such refusals undermined the administration's pledge to empower women. A team from Gambia was also temporarily barred.

Eventually, however, all 163 teams -- including those from Iran, Sudan and a team of Syrian refugees -- were granted visas.

- Unique challenges -

On Monday, teams from around the world jostled into Washington's historic DAR Constitution Hall, excited to test their skills on laser-lit stages as a sportscaster provided live commentary.

Between rounds, some traded tips and tricks on modifications to make the most of their kit-built devices.

The competition tests multiple skill sets -- programming the machines, adjusting the hardware to maneuver more efficiently, and dexterity in controlling the devices while under time pressure.

Alireza Mehraban, the Afghan team "mentor", explained his team was selected from a tough school competition featuring 150 students. The group was cut to a shortlist of 20 before the final six were picked.

And unlike their counterparts from wealthier countries, the Afghans had unique problems they had to contend with, such as a lack of some basic equipment.

"We up-cycled material and used trash," said Mehraban, explaining how the team created a simple suction device using a Coca-Cola bottle.

They also lacked match preparation, added Roya Mahboob, an Afghan tech entrepreneur who helped organize the visit.

"When they built their robot, they had to ship it straight to the US so they didn't have the opportunity to really play and practice."

- First-round win -

With two 'drivers' and a tactician overseeing the action, the Afghans narrowly prevailed in their first round in a timed-game against a rival team that involves scooping up scoring balls and placing them in bins while avoiding penalty balls

With two 'drivers' and a tactician overseeing the action, the Afghans narrowly prevailed in their first round in a timed match against a rival team that involves scooping up scoring balls and placing them in bins while avoiding penalty balls.

But the result was less significant than its symbolism for a country that ranks a dismal 152 out of 155 nations in the global Gender Inequality Index despite moderate gains among the urban middle classes.

"Fifteen years ago, Afghan women couldn't read and write and they didn't have any rights," said Mahboob.

"And today with the help of the international community, we have a lot of women going to school, going to university -- they are becoming ministers."

Mahboob predicted the girls' efforts at the Washington event, which runs through Tuesday, would "have a big positive message for the Afghan community."

"We are the same as the boys and they should give us the same opportunity. If you give access to education and technology it doesn't matter what your gender is," she said.
Two Iranian men have been indicted for hacking a Vermont-based defense contractor and stealing weapons design software, and then distributing the software to Iran

Two Iranians were indicted Monday in the United States with hacking a defense contractor and stealing sensitive software used to design bullets and warheads, according to the Justice Department.

According to the newly unsealed indictment businessman Mohammed Saeed Ajily, 35, recruited Mohammed Reza Rezakhah, 39, to break into companies' computers to steal their software for resale to Iranian universities, the military and the government.

The two men -- and a third who was arrested in 2013 and handed back to Iran in a prisoner swap last year -- allegedly broke into the computers of Vermont-based Arrow Tech Associates.

The indictment said they stole in 2012 the company's Prodas ballistics software, which is used to design and test bullets, warheads and other military ordnance projectiles.

The material stolen from Arrow Tech was protected by US controls on the export of sensitive technologies, and its distribution to Iran was banned by US sanctions on the country.

The two men were charged in the Rutland, Vermont federal district court, which issued arrest warrants for the two, who are believed to be in Iran.

In 2013 the US secured the arrest in Turkey of a third Iranian in the case, Nima Golestaneh, 30, who was extradited to the United States.

In December 2015 he pleaded guilty to charges of wire fraud and computer hacking.

One month later he was freed as part of a prisoner exchange with Tehran, which returned four Americans in exchange for seven Iranians who had been arrested in separate schemes to obtain and smuggle to Iran sensitive US technologies.
Former US vice president Joe Biden, seen here with his wife, Jill, will embark on a tour of 19 cities to coincide with the release of his book

Former US vice president Joe Biden is to release a memoir in November revealing how he coped with the devastating loss of his son to cancer, his publisher said Monday.

The book will be titled "Promise Me, Dad: A Year of Hope, Hardship, and Purpose" and will go on sale on November 14, Flatiron Books said in a statement.

According to The New York Times, the title is a reference to something Biden's son, Beau, told his father before he died.

"Promise me, Dad. Give me your word that no matter what happens, you're going to be all right," Beau Biden reportedly said at a family gathering in November 2014.

Beau Biden, who served for eight years as attorney general of his father's home state of Delaware, died of brain cancer on May 30, 2015, at the age of 46.

Flatiron Books described the upcoming book as an "intimate memoir" that "reveals the most momentous year" in Biden's public life.

"Promise Me, Dad is a personal story from a father, grandfather, husband, and friend as he confronts the inevitability of devastating personal loss, while trying to balance his duty to his family and his country," according to the publisher.

In a statement, Biden said he hoped that sharing his story "will strike a chord with other Americans who have walked the same path I have.

"I have always been fortunate to have an incredible support system around me, and I understand how many people in this country go through far worse than I have, with far less support," Biden said.

Biden, 74, a longtime senator from Delaware, served as vice president during all eight years of Barack Obama's presidency.

The former vice president will embark on a tour of 19 US cities in November to coincide with the release of his book.
After a series of bad meat shipments from Brazil to the US, the USDA has stopped Brazilian beef imports until the until the Brazilian government addresses the food safety issues

The United States will not resume imports of beef from Brazil until food safety issues have been addressed, US Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said Monday.

Purdue met with his Brazilian counterpart, Blairo Maggi, to discuss the issue after Washington late last month halted all beef imports from the country following a rash of bad shipments discovered in US ports.

"Though Brazil pressed for a timeline for restoration of beef imports... any timeline would have to depend upon progress being made by Brazil," Purdue told the Brazilian official, the USDA said in a statement following the meeting.

The agency's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) began inspecting all Brazil beef imports in March after a series of bad meat shipments were discovered, and through late June had stopped 11 percent of the beef meant for the US market, about 1.9 million pounds (862,000 kilograms).

The normal rejection rate is one percent, USDA said.

At the time the ban was imposed, Purdue said, "Ensuring the safety of our nation's food supply is one of our critical missions, and... my first priority is to protect American consumers."

Maggi detailed the corrective actions Brazil has taken and continues to take to address the food safety concerns, the USDA said, without providing specifics.

Brazil is the world's leading beef and poultry exporter. The US ban comes after a scandal in March when 21 meat processors in the South American country were accused by Brazilian police of adulterating bad quality meat and bribing inspectors.

That prompted some 20 countries -- including chief beef markets China and Hong Kong -- to suspend all Brazilian meat imports.

The bans caused havoc in the $13 billion a year industry, which employs some six million people, before being finally lifted.
The former director of Glasgow-based organizations intended to help domestic violence victims will spend time in federal prison for stealing grant money from the programs.

Chief U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen on July 14 in Great Falls sentenced Toni Louise Plummer-Alvernaz to one year in prison and ordered $246,024 restitution.

Plummer-Alvernaz pleaded guilty to theft from a program receiving federal funds. A second count of wire fraud was dismissed as part of a plea deal.

Plummer-Alvernaz used federal money as a slush fund to line her own pockets, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan G. Weldon in a sentencing memo.

Congress has tried to address domestic violence in Montana and in Indian country by providing federal funding.

Plummer chose to victimize victims yet again by stealing money meant to help some of the most vulnerable people in the community, Weldon said.

Plummer-Alvernaz was the executive director for the Montana Native Womens Coalition and the Womens Resource Center.

The organizations received about $1.6 million in federal grand funds from the Department of Justices Office of Violence Against Women.

Plummer-Alvernaz, the prosecution said, embezzled about 15 percent of the grants by inflating work hours, using the organizations credit cards for vacations to Mount Rushmore and California, claiming travel when no travel occurred, taking cash advances and bonuses and paying family members money they were not entitled to receive.

The case is the latest in a series of prosecutions by the U.S. Attorneys Guardians Project into public corruption, fraud and theft in federal grants, contracts and programs. The project is an anti-corruption strike force created in 2011 and includes agents with the FBI, DOJ Office of Inspector General and local law enforcement.
Trump's no 'dying in the streets' pledge faces reality check

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump has often said he doesn't want people "dying in the streets" for lack of health care.

But in the United States, where chronic conditions are the major diseases, people decline slowly. Preventive care and routine screening can make a big difference for those at risk for things such as heart problems and cancer, especially over time.

That edge is what doctors and patients fear will be compromised if Republican efforts to repeal the Obama-era health law lead to more uninsured people. The uninsured tend to postpone care until problems break through.

It's a message that lawmakers are hearing from doctors' groups and constituents, in letters and emails, and at town hall meetings.

About 10 years ago, Cathy Cooper of Ocala, Florida, was battling a blood cancer. Against doctor's advice, she continued to work full time as a paralegal, through chemotherapy and radiation, just to preserve her health insurance. Cooper said she would schedule chemo on Fridays, spend the weekend sick from side effects and report back to work Monday.

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McConnell defers action on health care after McCain surgery

PHOENIX (AP) - Sen. John McCain's absence from the Senate as he recovers from surgery for a blood clot has led the GOP leadership to postpone consideration of health care legislation already on the brink.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Saturday night he was deferring action on the measure as McCain recovers at his home in Arizona. Surgeons in Phoenix removed a blood clot from above McCain's left eye on Friday. The 80-year-old Senate veteran was advised by doctors to remain in Arizona next week, his office said.

"While John is recovering, the Senate will continue our work on legislative items and nominations, and will defer consideration of the Better Care Act," McConnell said in a statement.

A close vote had already been predicted for the GOP health care bill, with all Democrats and independents coming out against it and some Republicans opposed or undecided. With the GOP holding a 52-48 majority, they can afford to lose only two Republicans. Vice President Mike Pence would break a tie for final passage.

Two Republicans, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Susan Collins of Maine, have already said they'll vote against the measure.

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Honolulu fire: Victim remembered as talented and caring

HONOLULU (AP) - A Hawaiian Airlines in-flight manager called his brother as smoke filled his 26th-floor apartment in Honolulu before he and his mother lost their lives in the blaze, the man's brother said.

Pearl City Community Church Pastor Phil Reller told The Honolulu Star-Advertiser (http://bit.ly/2tXsf7e) that police confirmed that two of the three victims killed in the blaze Friday are his mother and brother.

Reller told the newspaper he received a call from his brother, Britt Reller, 54, saying he had been taking a shower when he smelled the smoke. He rushed out but was unable to get to their 85-year-old mother, Melba Jeannine Dilley. He had crawled under a bed and wasn't heard from again, his brother told the newspaper.

Britt Reller had worked as an in-flight manager for Hawaiian Airlines for two years. In an emailed statement to The Associated Press on Saturday, Robin Sparling, vice president of in-flight services at the airline, said Reller "was a talented manager and caring co-worker and we will miss him terribly. Our hearts are with Britt's brother, Phil, and his entire family."

The fire broke out in a unit on the 26th floor, where all three of the dead were found, Fire Chief Manuel Neves said.

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Analysis: Slow leak of Russia news flooding White House

NEW YORK (AP) - As Air Force One flew home from Europe, news was set to break about a meeting that Donald Trump's eldest son had with a Kremlin-connected lawyer, promising yet another round of unwelcome headlines about the president and Russia. And that happened twice within a week.

The day-after-day drip-drip-drip of revelations over the past week about Donald Trump Jr.'s contact with the Russian lawyer in 2016 underscores the White House's inability to shake off the Russia story and close the book on a narrative that casts a shadow over Trump's presidency. No matter how presidential Trump may have looked on his back-to-back trips to Europe in recent days, the persistent questions about connections between Trump's team and Russia prevent him from savoring a public relations victory and building momentum for his stalled legislative agenda.

"Omissions are as harmful as contradictions because it seems like you're hiding something," Ari Fleischer, former press secretary to President George W. Bush, said of the Trump team's strategy. "From a communications standpoint, it's unforgiveable."

Indeed, Trump Jr.'s account of his Trump Tower meeting has seemingly changed on an almost daily basis. At first, the meeting was said to be about a Russian adoption program. Then, it was to hear information about campaign rival Hillary Clinton. Finally, Trump Jr. was forced to release emails - mere moments before The New York Times planned to do so - that revealed he had told an associate that he would "love" Russia's help in obtaining negative details about the Democratic nominee.

Even the number of people who attended the meeting has changed. On Friday, a prominent Russian-American lobbyist told The Associated Press that he, too, had been part of the discussion.

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Feds appeal judge's travel ban ruling to Supreme Court

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Trump administration is seeking to close a legal window opened for tens of thousands of refugees to enter the United States, appealing a federal judge's order directly to the Supreme Court.

U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson had ordered the government to allow in refugees formally working with a resettlement agency in the United States. His order also vastly expanded the list of U.S. family relationships that refugees and visitors from six Muslim-majority countries can use to get into the country, including grandparents and grandchildren.

In its appeal Friday night, the Justice Department said Watson's interpretation of the Supreme Court's ruling on what family relationships qualify refugees and visitors from the six Muslim-majority countries to enter the U.S. "empties the court's decision of meaning, as it encompasses not just 'close' family members, but virtually all family members. Treating all of these relationships as 'close familial relationship(s)' reads the term 'close' out of the Court's decision."

Only the Supreme Court can decide these issues surrounding the travel ban, the Justice Department said. "Only this Court can definitively settle whether the government's reasonable implementation is consistent with this Court's stay," it said.

On Saturday, the U.S. Justice Department asked the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to put Watson's ruling on hold while the Supreme Court considers its appeal.

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NOT REAL NEWS: A look at what didn't happen this week

A roundup of some of the most popular, but completely untrue, headlines of the week. None of these stories are legit, even though they were shared widely on social media. The Associated Press checked these out; here are the real facts:

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NOT REAL: Trump Jr.: "My Russian Meetings Prove I'm A Real American That Knows How To Create Opportunities And Fake Advantages"

THE FACTS: Hoax site politicot.com published a lengthy defense attributed to Donald Trump Jr. of his meeting with a Russian lawyer last summer during the campaign against Hillary Clinton, featuring a screen grab of the president's son speaking on Fox News. Trump never made the remarks, with quotes like "our people value results above all else" and "the end justifies the means," in public statements. In his Fox interview this week, the president's eldest son called the meeting routine opposition research, but added he "probably would have done things a little differently."

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Debate over use of jumbo bomber as wildfires rage in West

BOISE, Idaho (AP) - A giant aircraft that can fly high above oceans on intercontinental flights instead jets in low and slow over a flaming forest, trailing a long plume that settles on the ground and creates a wildfire-stopping barrier.

The operators of the Boeing 747 converted from a passenger jet into a firefighting air tanker say it has proven itself battling forest fires in countries outside the U.S. The modifications allow it to drop more than 19,000 gallons (72,000 liters) of a flame-squelching combination of ammonium phosphate and sulfate mixed with water that comes billowing out in a red-colored line.

"We just happen to be the biggest, fastest firetruck in the air," said Jim Wheeler, CEO of Global SuperTanker Services.

But the company says the U.S. Forest Service is seeking to keep the plane grounded by offering a contract limiting firefighting aircraft to 5,000 gallons (18,900 liters) of fire suppressant and won't say why. The company says the federal agency is putting homes and lives at risk just as the current wildfire season surges past the 10-year average for land area burned in a decade that includes some of the most destructive and deadly wildfire seasons on record.

Late last month, the company filed a protest with the Forest Service contesting the size limit that appears to conflict with the Forest Service's 2012 air tanker modernization strategy report. That document identifies large-capacity tankers as an important part of the firefighting effort as the agency tries to pay for fighting fires without using money intended for such things as improving recreation opportunities for forest visitors.

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Cousins' lives escalate from petty crimes to alleged murder

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - The cousins started small - break-ins, jewelry heists and traffic violations - but on Friday they were charged in a grisly crime spree that ended with police unearthing the bodies of four young men from two pits buried deep on a sprawling family-owned farm.

Police found the missing men after a grueling, five-day search in sweltering heat and pelting rain, but it's still not clear why the 20-year-old suspects' crimes escalated from petty offenses.

For Cosmo DiNardo, whose lawyer said he confessed to all four killings in exchange for being spared the death penalty, brushes with the law began in his early teenage years.

He was about 14 when the Bensalem Police Department first had contact with him. Over the next six years, he had more than 30 run-ins with its officers, department director Frederick Harran said, although court filings reflect only the minor infractions and traffic stops that came after age 18.

DiNardo enrolled at Arcadia University in Glenside in the fall of 2015 with hopes of studying biology and had an eye on international travel, according to a blog post announcing the incoming class.

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Turks commemorate 1 year since failed coup with huge march

ISTANBUL (AP) - President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed to "rip the heads off" of terror groups and coup-plotters who tried to end his more than decade-long rule on Saturday, as Turkey marked the anniversary of the country's crushed military coup with a series of rallies and other commemorative events.

Accompanied by his family and the families of the victims of the coup, Erdogan joined a massive, flag-waving crowd near the iconic July 15 Martyrs' Bridge in Istanbul to remember 250 people who died on July 15, 2016 resisting the coup.

He inaugurated a hollow, globe-shaped monument featuring the names of the victims near the foot of the bridge, before flying to Ankara to attend a special session in parliament at the exact moment it was bombed a year ago.

"Exactly a year ago today, around this hour, a treacherous attempt took place," Erdogan told tens of thousands of people in Istanbul who converged at the bridge following a "national unity march."

"The July 15 coup attempt is not the first attack against our country, and it won't be the last," he said, referring to a series of terror attacks that also hit the country. "For that reason, we'll first rip the heads off of these traitors."

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Brazil court dismisses Ryan Lochte false report case

SAO PAULO (AP) - A Brazilian court has dismissed the criminal case against U.S. swimmer Ryan Lochte, who had been charged with filing a false robbery report during the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

The court confirmed in a statement this week that it tossed out the case after determining that Lochte's robbery claim made to NBC did not constitute the filing of a fake report, a crime punishable in Brazil by up to 18 months in prison.

"We are pleased that the court has finally dismissed the criminal prosecution against Mr. Lochte, while also acknowledging that he committed no crime while in Brazil. We are hopeful that the prosecution accepts the court's decision so that this story can finally be put to rest," Jeff Ostrow, Lochte's Florida-based attorney, said in an email to The Associated Press on Saturday.

Lochte told NBC last year that he and fellow swimmers Jack Conger, Gunnar Bentz and Jimmy Feigen were robbed at gunpoint in a taxi by men with police badges as they returned to the Olympic Village from a party Aug. 15.

Video captured by surveillance cameras showed the athletes getting into a confrontation with security guards at a gas station when their cab pulled over to let them use the restroom.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) - Gaza's militant Hamas rulers on Saturday called on Palestinians to attack Israeli forces in Jerusalem after a sacred site was closed following a deadly assault there.

Hamas described the closure of the site - known to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as the Temple Mount - in a statement as a "religious war" and Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum called on the Palestinian "uprising" to target the Israeli army and West Bank settlers.

Israel made the rare move after three Palestinian assailants opened fire there Friday, killing two Israeli police officers before being shot dead. The attackers were devout Muslim citizens of Israel.

Israeli border police officers stop people from entering the Damascus Gate in Jerusalem's Old City, Saturday, July 15, 2017. On Friday, three Palestinian assailants opened fire from a sacred site known to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as the Temple Mount, inside the walled Old City, killing two Israeli police officers before being shot dead. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)

On Saturday, the White House condemned the attack in a strongly-worded statement.

"The people of the United States are heartbroken that terrorists brutally gunned down two Israeli police officers," said Press Secretary Sean Spicer. "There must be zero tolerance for terrorism. It is incompatible with achieving peace and we must condemn it in the strongest terms, defeat it, and eradicate it."

Hamas staged a rally celebrating the attack

The Muslim-administered site is revered by both Muslims and Jews. Israel says it won't reopen before Sunday.

The Dome of the Rock Mosque in the Al Aqsa Mosque compound is seen in Jerusalem's Old City Saturday, July 15, 2017. On Friday, three Palestinian assailants opened fire from a sacred site known to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as the Temple Mount, inside the walled Old City, killing two Israeli police officers before being shot dead. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)
CHEASPEAKE, Va. (AP) - Fire officials say three people have died after a fire at a senior living complex in Chesapeake, Virginia.

The fire happened early Saturday morning at Chesapeake Crossing Senior Community Apartments.

The Chesapeake Fire Department says six people - including two firefighters - were taken to the hospital with various injuries.

A firefighter walks at the scene of an apartment fire, Saturday, July 15, 2017 in Chesapeake, Va. A fire at a senior living complex in Chesapeake, Virginia, has injured four people, including a firefighter. The fire happened early Saturday morning at Chesapeake Crossing Senior Community Apartments. Chesapeake Fire Capt. Lawrence Matthews says three residents and one firefighter were taken to a local hospital. (Steve Earley /The Virginian-Pilot via AP)

Three of five buildings in the complex caught fire.

Firefighters arrived at 4:41 a.m. to find flames through the roofs of three buildings. Crews from Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Suffolk and Mayock, North Carolina, responded to the fire.

Much of the roofing and upper walls of the buildings collapsed. Smoke could still be seen over the complex Saturday afternoon.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

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Information from: The Virginian-Pilot, http://pilotonline.com

Marian White waits for information from the Red Cross about shelter after the early morning fire at the Chesapeake Crossing Senior Community Apartments, Saturday, July 15, 2017 in Chesapeake, Va. A fire at a senior living complex in Chesapeake, Virginia, has injured four people, including a firefighter. The fire happened early Saturday morning at Chesapeake Crossing Senior Community Apartments. Chesapeake Fire Capt. Lawrence Matthews says three residents and one firefighter were taken to a local hospital. (SSteve Earley /The Virginian-Pilot via AP)
BERLIN (AP) - German authorities say a South Korean airliner headed for Switzerland was escorted to Stuttgart Airport by two German military jets after losing radio contact.

Police said officials determined after the Boeing 777 landed safely on Saturday evening that there was a problem with the aircraft's radio equipment. They said Sunday that they received some 250 calls from residents because of sonic booms caused by the two fighter jets.

The German news agency dpa reported that Stuttgart Airport said the 211 passengers on the Korean Air flight from Seoul to Zurich had to spend the night on cots in a terminal because it wasn't possible to organize buses at the late hour and there weren't enough hotel beds available.

The passengers were taken to Switzerland by bus early Sunday.
WARSAW, Poland (AP) - Thousands of government opponents protested in Warsaw and other cities in Poland on Sunday against new judicial reforms and future plans to change the Supreme Court.

Legislation that was adopted last week has drawn condemnation from European Union politicians and from Poland's opposition. They say it violates judicial independence and the rule of law.

Under the new legislation, lawmakers appoint members of the National Council of the Judiciary, which draws up and enforces ethical guidelines for judges, reviews judicial candidates and seeks opinions on new rules and regulations to ensure they are constitutional.

Thousands of anti-government protesters with lit candles gather in front of the Supreme Court in a continuation of protest in Warsaw, Poland on Sunday, 16 July 2017, against latest changes in legislation that reorganize the judiciary. They say the changes violate judicial independence and the rule of law. Earlier in the day a massive protests was held in front of the parliament. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Another draft law calls for the retirement of all Supreme Court judges and new appointments to be made by the justice minister, and reorganization of its work. Among the court's tasks is confirming the validity of elections and ruling on especially difficult cases.

The protesters gathered twice on Sunday, first during the day in city centers. In the evening, they assembled outside courthouses and placed lights around the buildings in a show of support for judges.

The demonstrations, held under the slogan of "In the defense of the courts," were the latest in a string of mass anti-government demonstrations challenging the conservative, populist Law and Justice party, which has been in power for 20 months. Their main theme has been the defense of democracy under the ruling party, which controls both houses of parliament and also enjoys support from President Andrzej Duda. The fractured and weak opposition has posed little challenge to the government, other than participating in the protests.

In Warsaw, a noisy crowd gathered before the parliament building, chanting "we will defend democracy" and other slogans against ruling party leader, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, who is Poland's most powerful politician, whom they called a "dictator."

"We, the citizens, are defending the rule of law, we are on the side of the law," said one of the protest leaders, Wladyslaw Frasyniuk, a top pro-democracy activist in the 1980s.

The main opposition party's leader and a former foreign minister, Grzegorz Schetyna, warned that the ruling party may use the new regulations to manipulate electoral returns. Crowds also gathered in Krakow, Szczecin, Poznan and elsewhere.

The ruling party has already put loyalists on another top court, the Constitutional Tribunal, a move that has drawn condemnation from European Union leaders.

Kaczynski, a lawyer, insists Poland's judiciary system is a continuation of the communist-era one. He says the court system is inefficient and needs "radical changes" and new people.

Many experts and judges agree that the justice system and especially courts need reforms that would speed up the handling of cases, but say Law and Justice proposals are going in the wrong direction.

Poland is still a young democracy, after it shed communist rule in 1989 and joined the EU in 2004.

Thousands of anti-government protesters with lit candles gather in front of the Supreme Court in a continuation of protest in Warsaw, Poland on Sunday, 16 July 2017, against latest changes in legislation that reorganize the judiciary. They say the changes violate judicial independence and the rule of law. Earlier in the day a massive protests was held in front of the parliament. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Thousands of anti-government protesters with lit candles gather in front of the Supreme Court in a continuation of protest in Warsaw, Poland on Sunday, 16 July 2017, against latest changes in legislation that reorganize the judiciary. They say the changes violate judicial independence and the rule of law. Earlier in the day a massive protests was held in front of the parliament. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Thousands of anti-government protesters hold lit candles in front of the Supreme Court in a continuation of protest in Warsaw, Poland on Sunday, 16 July 2017, against latest changes in legislation that reorganize the judiciary. They say the changes violate judicial independence and the rule of law. Earlier in the day a massive protests was held in front of the parliament. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Thousands of anti-government protesters with lit candles gather in front of the Supreme Court in a continuation of protest in Warsaw, Poland on Sunday, 16 July 2017, against latest changes in legislation that reorganize the judiciary. They say the changes violate judicial independence and the rule of law. Earlier in the day a massive protests was held in front of the parliament. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Government opponents protest in front of the parliament building in Warsaw, Poland, Sunday, July 16, 2017, to protest the latest changes in legislation that reorganized the judiciary. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Government opponents protest in front of the parliament building in Warsaw, Poland, Sunday, July 16, 2017, to protest the latest changes in legislation that reorganized the judiciary. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Government opponents protest in front of the parliament building in Warsaw, Poland, Sunday, July 16, 2017, to protest the latest changes in legislation that reorganized the judiciary. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Government opponents protest in front of the parliament building in Warsaw, Poland, Sunday, July 16, 2017, to protest the latest changes in legislation that reorganized the judiciary. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Thousands of anti-government protesters with lit candles gather in front of the Supreme Court in a continuation of protest in Warsaw, Poland on Sunday, 16 July 2017, against latest changes in legislation that reorganize the judiciary. They say the changes violate judicial independence and the rule of law. Earlier in the day a massive protests was held in front of the parliament.(AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Government opponents wave Polish and EU flags as they protest in front of the parliament building in Warsaw, Poland, Sunday, July 16, 2017, to protest the latest changes in legislation that reorganized the judiciary. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)
MILAN (AP) - Italy's Culture Ministry says the number of visitors to Italian museums continues to rise two years after reforms that included opening top museum positions to foreigners for the first time.

The ministry said Sunday that the number of museum visitors rose by 7 percent to more than 23 million in the first half of the year, more than 2 million more than the same period last year.

Culture Minister Dario Franceschini said the reforms, which also granted more autonomy, had boosted innovation "with immediate results, starting with a greater digital presence."

In this Feb. 24, 2006 file photo, people look at the paintings of Amedeo Modigliani on the first day of the exhibition of works of this Italian painter and sculptor in Rome. The Italian Culture Ministry on Sunday, July 16, 2017, said that the number of museum visitors rose by 7 percent to more than 23 million in the first half of the year, more than 2 million more than the same period last year. (AP Photo/Pier Paolo Cito)

The increase in visitation also has boosted revenues by 17 percent, to 88 million euros (about $100 million) in the period.

The top three regions were Lazio, which includes Rome, Campania to the south, home to Naples, and Tuscany.
CHICAGO (AP) - A Chicago community activist who worked to fight violence was fatally shot less than a block from the offices of his nonprofit, according to police and the man's relatives.

William "Willie" Cooper, 58, was shot Saturday afternoon near the offices of Lilydale Outreach Workers for a Better Community on Chicago's South Side. Cooper was the principal officer of the anti-violence group, which provides jobs to local teenagers.

Police said Cooper was walking when someone shot him from a dark-colored vehicle driving by. Cooper suffered wounds to his torso and mouth. About 20 shell casings were scattered near his body, according to his wife, Sherry Clark, with whom he had three children.

"People are so cold-hearted. How could you take somebody's life? He helped everybody. I just don't understand," Cooper's niece, Patricia Carter, told WLS-TV.

No one was in custody as of Sunday afternoon and investigators have yet to identify any persons of interest, Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi told The Associated Press. He said detectives are trying to determine whether Cooper was targeted or the victim of a random shooting.

"It's too early to say at this point," Guglielmi said, noting that investigators were trying to track down any surveillance video that may have captured the shooting.

Relatives arriving at scene of the shooting were in tears. They gathered with other family members in front of the nearby offices where Cooper had worked.

"He did a lot for the community," his wife told the Chicago Tribune.

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Information from: Chicago Tribune, http://www.chicagotribune.com
Nine people were killed when floodwaters from a sudden rainstorm thundered through a tranquil swimming area in Tonto National Forest.

Crews continue to search Sunday afternoon for a person still unaccounted for, a day after the flash flood hit the Cold Springs canyon, located about 100 miles (160.93 kilometers) northeast of Phoenix.

The popular cooling spot, known as the Ellison Creek or Water Wheel swimming holes, is accessible through several hiking trails. It is about 20 feet wide and 20 feet long with a waterfall above it.

It isn't the first time people have been killed when flash floods swept through so-called slot canyons, which are formed by the wear of water in rock and are typically significantly deeper than they are wide.

Here's a look at other deadly flooding incidents in slot canyons in the U.S. during the past few years:

FLASH FLOOD AT ZION NATIONAL PARK

Seven people were killed in Utah's Zion National Park in September 2015 when they were tapped during a sudden flash flood while hiking. The group was trapped by floodwaters in a popular slot canyon that was as narrow as a window in some spots and went several hundred feet deep.

A park ranger said at the time that the flooding went from a "trickle to a wall" of water. The group - comprised of hikers in their 40s and 50s - had set out on their trek hours before a flash-flood warning prompted park officials to close the canyons.

A Ventura County, California, sheriff's sergeant, Steve Arthur, was among those killed.

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COUPLE SWEPT AWAY IN FLASH FLOOD

A husband and wife from California were killed in September 2008 when they were trapped in a flash flood while hiking in a slot canyon in the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument in Utah.

Authorities said Gordon and Kathy Chapple of Walnut Creek, California, had been hiking in the canyon with their children when the flood hit. The couple, in their 60s, was swept away in the flood. Their bodies were later found in downstream drainage.

The rest of the group clung to canyon walls and was able to climb out.

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RAINSTORM AT LOWER ANTELOPE CANYON

Eleven hikers were killed in August 1997 when a 40-foot-high wall of water from an unexpected rainstorm boomed through a narrow, twisting series of series of corkscrew-curved walls known as Lower Antelope Canyon, near Page, Arizona.

Some of the hikers were washed 4 miles down the canyon, which is on Navajo land.

The hikers included two people from the U.S., seven from France, one from Britain and one from Switzerland, officials said at the time.
NEW YORK (AP) - The pastor of a church where a congregant was attacked last week at gunpoint says people are afraid to come worship.

Pastor Kehinde Oyetunde told the Daily News that more than 200 people usually turn up on Sunday at the Celestial Church of Christ in Jamaica, Queens. But only a small group came this week, after a woman was held at gunpoint and attacked a half-block from the church. A group stood outside and prayed for the victim Sunday.

The 50-year-old congregant says she was robbed and forced to perform sex acts at about 11 p.m. on Tuesday. Police arrested three suspects. A fourth is at large.

Other congregants say they'd feel safer with better street lights and increased police patrols in the area near the church.

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Information from: Daily News, http://www.nydailynews.com
BALTIMORE (AP) - Jose Quintana dazzled in his debut for the Chicago Cubs, striking out a season-high 12 in seven innings to beat the Baltimore Orioles 8-0 Sunday for a three-game sweep.

Acquired by the World Series champions during the All-Star break from the Chicago White Sox for a playoff push, Quintana (1-0) allowed three hits, walked none and joined Matt Garza as the only pitchers in Cubs history to fan 12 in their debut.

Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo homered to help the Cubs move over .500 for the first time since June 29. The Cubs hit 10 home runs during the sweep.

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Jose Quintana throws to the Baltimore Orioles in the second inning of a baseball game in Baltimore, Sunday, July 16, 2017. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Ubaldo Jimenez (4-5) allowed six runs and 11 hits, one shy of tying a career-high, over 3 2/3 innings.

DODGERS 3, MARLINS 2

MIAMI (AP) - Justin Turner homered and singled to increase his batting average to .374, and Los Angeles won for the 29th time in 33 games, including nine in a row.

Five Los Angeles pitchers combined for 16 strikeouts with no walks. Kenley Jansen got the four outs for his 23rd save in as many chances as the Dodgers (64-29) climbed 35 games above .500 for the first time since 1977 by completing their big league-high 11th sweep.

Giancarlo Stanton lost his glove over the 8 1/2-foot wall in right field trying unsuccessfully to catch a triple by Chris Taylor.

Rich Hill (6-4) allowed one run and struck out nine in five innings.

Chris O'Grady (1-1), making his second big league start, gave up three runs in five innings.

NATIONALS 14, REDS 4

CINCINNATI (AP) - Daniel Murphy hit two of Washington's five home runs and had five RBIs.

Adam Lind and Jose Lobaton added two-run shots and Anthony Rendon had a solo homer, his third home run in two games, to help the Nationals to their fourth straight victory.

Earlier in the day, the Nationals acquired relievers Ryan Madson and Sean Doolittle from Oakland for right-hander Blake Treinen and a pair of prospects.

Tanner Roark (7-6) allowed three unearned runs in six innings, and Homer Bailey (2-3) gave up eight runs and hits in four innings.

YANKEES 3, RED SOX 0,1ST GAME

RED SOX 3, YANKEES 0, 2ND GAME

BOSTON (AP) - Mookie Betts hit a two-run homer and Jackie Bradley Jr. went over the bullpen wall to steal one from Aaron Judge, helping David Price shut down New York and giving Boston a split of the day-night doubleheader.

A day after the teams played 16 innings, they spent another long day at Fenway Park and ended the four-game series the way they started: with the Red Sox 3 1/2 games up in the AL East.

In the night game. Price (5-2) pitched eight innings, allowing seven hits and striking out eight. One night after giving up a tying homer in the ninth, Craig Kimbrel pitched the ninth for his 24th save.

Masahiro Tanaka (7-9) gave up three runs on eight hits in 7 2/3 innings, striking out nine. The Yankees are the last team in the majors to be shut out.

CC Sabathia (8-3) allowed two hits over six innings in the opener, and Didi Gregorius hit a solo home run for New York. Rick Porcello (4-12) was the loser.

BOSTON (AP) - CC Sabathia (8-3) allowed two hits over six innings, and Didi Gregorius hit a solo home run around the Pesky Pole in the opener of a day-night doubleheader.

Boston stranded 10 runners and went 0 for 11 with runners in scoring position, leaving the Red Sox 2 for 31 RISP in series and 2 for 51 against the Yankees this season.

Rick Porcello (4-12) gave up three runs - one earned - and nine hits in six innings.

New York took a 2-0 lead in the fourth when Ji-Man Choi hit a sacrifice fly and Ronald Torreyes had an RBI single after shortstop Xander Bogaerts allowed Clint Frazier's grounder to bounce off his glove and chest for an error.

TIGERS 6, BLUE JAYS 5

DETROIT (AP) - Miguel Cabrera walked with the bases loaded in the 11th inning Sunday, giving the Detroit Tigers a 6-5 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.

With the score 5-all, Alex Avila was walked by Jeff Beliveau (1-1) leading off the 11th, Nicholas Castellanos reached on an error by third baseman Josh Donaldron and Lucas Harrell walked Justin Upton and Cabrera,

Warwick Saupold (2-1) got the win with a scoreless 11th.

ROCKIES 13, METS 4

NEW YORK (AP) - Ian Desmond provided an instant spark for the slumping Rockies in his return from the disabled list, and Nolan Arenado hit one of Colorado's three homers.

Charlie Blackmon was credited with an inside-the-park home run - even though his drive actually cleared the orange line atop left-center field fence - and Gerardo Parra also went deep to help the Rockies win for only the sixth time in 21 games.

DJ LeMahieu and Mark Reynolds each had four of Colorado's 18 hits to back rookie Jeff Hoffman (6-1), handed a huge early lead while pitching with family and friends in the stands. Steven Matz (2-3) gave up seven runs and nine hits and was chased after failing to retire four batters in the second.

BRAVES 7, DIAMONDBACKS 1

ATLANTA (AP) - Matt Kemp hit a three-run homer and Brandon Phillips doubled three times as Atlanta completed a three-game sweep and sent Arizona to its season-high fifth straight loss.

Jaime Garcia (3-7) allowed one run and four hits in seven innings as the Braves (45-45) reached .500 for the first time since April 17, when they were 6-6.

Zack Godley (3-4) gave up seven runs despite his career-high nine strikeouts in six innings.

PIRATES 4, CARDINALS 3

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Adam Frazier's game-ending single capped a two-run rally in the ninth against Brett Cecil (1-3), who also gave up Jordy Mercer's RBI double.

Wade LeBlanc (4-2) pitched a hitless ninth.

MARINERS 7, WHITE SOX 6

CHICAGO (AP) - Nelson Cruz homered on a 3-0 pitch from Chris Beck (1-1) leading off the 10th inning, his 19th home run this season, as Seattle overcame a 5-0 deficit and won its fourth straight. Chicago has lost four in a row.

Nick Vincent (3-1) earned the win, and Edwin Diaz struck out Jose Abreu, Todd Frazier and Garcia - all swinging - for his 16th save.

ASTROS 5, TWINS 3

HOUSTON (AP) - Mike Fiers (6-4) struck out a season-high 11 over seven innings, while allowing two runs and four hits. Nori Aoki had two hits and two RBIs.

Kyle Gibson (5-8) yielded four runs and six hits in six-plus innings.

PHILLIES 5, BREWERS 2

MILWAUKEE (AP) - Rookie Nick Williams hit his first career grand slam - on lefty reliever Tyler Webb's first pitch since he was acquired Thursday from the Yankees for minor league first baseman Garrett Cooper. Williams homered off Webb last month in the minors.

Jeremy Hellickson (6-5) struck out six and allowed four hits and two runs over five innings for his first win since June 4.

Rob Scahill (1-3) allowed three runs and did not retire a batter.

ROYALS 4, RANGERS 3

KANSAS CITY, Missouri (AP) - Texas right fielder Shin-Soo Choo lost Lorenzo Cain's routine fly in the sun, and the ball glanced off his glove for a tiebreaking RBI single with two outs in the ninth as Kansas City stooped a five-game losing streak overall and a 12-game skid against Texas.

Choo tried to shield his eyes, but even sunglasses didn't help on Cain's sliced flyball.

Kelvin Herrera (2-2) pitched a spotless ninth. Jason Grilli (2-5), acquired by Rangers from Toronto on July 2, took the loss.

ANGELS 4, RAYS 3

ANAHEIM, California (AP) - Pinch-hitter C.J. Cron connected for a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the eighth off Adam Kolarek after Andrelton Simmons singled against Jumbo Diaz (1-4).

Trailing 4-2, the Rays scored once in the ninth and loaded the bases with one out. Bud Norris got Tim Beckham to ground into a double play for his 14th save, ending Tampa Bay's four-game winning streak.

David Hernandez (1-0) pitched a scoreless inning as Los Angeles avoided a three-game sweep.

ATHLETICS 7, INDIANS 3

OAKLAND, California (AP) - Cleveland starter Trevor Bauer got just two outs in a four-run first inning and matched the shortest start of his big league career as the Oakland completed a surprising three-game sweep of AL Central-leading Cleveland, which has lost four straight for the first time since 2015.

Bauer (7-8) allowed four runs, three hits and two walks while throwing just 24 of 43 pitches for strikes in facing seven batters.

Ryon Healy and Jaycob Brugman hit two-run singles in the first, and Jed Lowrie homered against Dan Otero for a 5-0 lead in the third.

Sean Manaea (8-5) struck out eight in seven innings, allowing two runs and five hits.

PADRES 7, GIANTS 1

SAN DIEGO (AP) - Hector Sanchez and Corey Spangenberg each hit a three-run home run off Jeff Samardzija (4-11), who allowed seven runs and nine hits in six innings. Samardzija is tied with Colorado's Tyler Chatwood for the most losses in the NL.

Sanchez homered for the second straight game as he once again replaced injured catcher Austin Hedges.

Trevor Cahill (4-3) gave up one run and eight hits in 6 2/3 innings
WILLISTON, N.D.  Authorities have filed a murder charge against a Minot man accusing of killing a man in Williston.

Twenty-seven-year-old Alex Eggleston is accused in the Friday fatal shooting of 43-year-old Vance Neset. He could face life in prison if convicted of murder. He also faces a felony weapons charge.

Court documents don't list an attorney for Eggleston. A message left at a telephone listing for him in Minot wasn't immediately returned.

Neset is the stepson of former North Dakota Board of Higher Education Chairwoman Kathleen Neset.
CHESHIRE, Conn. (AP) - It's a day seared into the memories of all involved: The July 23, 2007, home invasion in which two paroled burglars broke into a Cheshire, Connecticut, home after dark, terrorized the family for hours and killed a woman and her two daughters.

The viciousness of the crime upended notions of suburban security, delayed the abolition of Connecticut's death penalty, and became the subject of TV shows, documentaries and books. It drew comparisons to the 1959 killings portrayed in Truman Capote's "In Cold Blood."

Jennifer Hawke-Petit, 48, was strangled. Her daughters, 17-year-old Hayley and 11-year-old Michaela, were tied to their beds and died of smoke inhalation. Hawke-Petit and Michaela also were sexually assaulted. Hawke-Petit's husband and the girls' father, Dr. William Petit Jr., was beaten but survived.

FILE - This July 2007 file photo provided by police, made available Sept. 21, 2011, by the Connecticut Judicial Branch as evidence and presented in the Joshua Komisarjevsky trial in New Haven, Conn., shows a fire-damaged portion of the William Petit home in Cheshire, Conn., where his wife Jennifer Hawke-Petit and daughters Hayley and Michaela were killed during a home invasion July 23, 2007. (AP Photo/Connecticut Judicial Branch, File)

The killers, Joshua Komisarjevsky and Steven Hayes, are serving life in prison. They originally were sentenced to death, but Connecticut abolished capital punishment in 2012.

Komisarjevsky picked Hawke-Petit and Michaela as targets when he saw them at a grocery store. He followed them to their home, left and later returned with Hayes.

The two broke in around 3 a.m., smashed Dr. Petit's head with a baseball bat as he slept and tied him up in the basement. They tied the two girls to their beds. Later in the morning, Hayes drove Hawke-Petit to a bank, where she withdrew $15,000 under the threat of her family being harmed.

After Hawke-Petit and Hayes returned to the house, Hayes sexually assaulted and strangled her. Komisarjevsky had assaulted Michaela. The intruders poured gasoline around the house, including on or around the girls, set it on fire and fled in the Petits' car after police had surrounded the home. They crashed into police cruisers down the street and were arrested.

Dr. Petit managed to free himself and escape out the cellar hatchway as fire consumed the house. He has re-married and was elected to the state House of Representatives in November.

No public remembrances have been announced this year. But as the 10th anniversary approaches, some recollections of that day:

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MARY LYONS, bank branch manager

Lyons was working at the Bank of America branch in Cheshire when Hawke-Petit came to withdraw cash. Hayes had driven her to the bank and waited outside, with the threat that her family would be harmed if she didn't get the money.

Lyons said Hawke-Petit did not have any identification, but told Lyons what was going on.

"She explained to me that her family was being held and as long as she got the money and got back to the house everybody would be OK," Lyons said. "I just knew from the look on her face and the look in her eyes that she was telling the truth. Her eyes told me - a look from one mom to another mom."

Lyons approved the transaction, and Hawke-Petit left with $15,000. Lyons called police.

Lyons, who retired in 2010, pays an annual visit to a memorial garden on the site of the Petits' former home.

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CYNTHIA HAWKE-RENN, Hawke-Petit's sister

Hawke-Renn was at home in North Carolina, getting annoyed. She was trying to plan a family beach vacation, and her sister wasn't returning her messages.

Then came the call around 2 p.m. from Dr. Petit's sister, Johanna Petit Chapman. Hawke-Renn immediately thought something bad, like a car accident, had happened.

"I said, 'Is it the girls? Are they dead?'" she asked. "She said, 'Yes. How did you know?'"

When Chapman explained what happened, Hawke-Renn did not believe it.

"I said to her, 'Hanna, this sounds like a really sick dream,'" she said.

Hawke-Renn remembers screaming, "No, no, no." Reality set in when she saw TV news reports at the airport on her way to her parents' home in Pennsylvania.

Nearly every year on the anniversary, Hawke-Renn said she wakes around 3 a.m., about the time the killers broke into the Petits' home. Over the next seven hours, she imagines her relatives' suffering minute by minute.

"We have horrific grief," she said. "It really does affect you in ways that are hard to describe to people. ... It's not easy to be anywhere on the anniversary date."

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BOB PICOZZI, former Petit neighbor

Picozzi drove by the Petits' house on his way to work around 4:30 a.m., 90 minutes after Komisarjevsky and Hayes had broken into the house. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

His wife later called to tell him what happened. After work, he joined onlookers outside the Petit house, and then returned home in disbelief.

"I was just stunned," he said. "I dropped my briefcase and I slumped into a chair next to me. I was devastated."

Picozzi didn't know the Petits well, but he said the murders were the worst thing that happened in his life.

"I learned a long time ago I will never ever get over this," he said. "Instead, what I have to do is learn to live with it, and I'm still trying."

Driving by the Petits' property is a constant reminder, he said. He often thinks of what Hayley and Michaela might have been doing now.

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MICHAEL MILONE, Cheshire town manager

Milone got a call from the deputy police chief that morning saying there was a potential hostage situation.

"As soon as I got off the phone, just about every apparatus we have - fire and police - went by my office," he said.

His office and the police department received hateful emails for years after the murders from people upset about the police response. The Petits' relatives and others have suggested police could have entered the home and saved the family.

"Our police did what they were trained to do," Milone said.

After going to the scene that day and taking part in a news conference, Milone sat alone in his office, in shock.

"It was the most surreal experience I've ever had," he said. "It was just horrible. It just sent a chill through everyone, especially because it's a small community. It's a safe community."

FILE - In this July 23, 2007 file photo, firemen investigate a burned area of the home of Dr. William Petit Jr. in Cheshire, Conn. Intruders broke into the home and held the family hostage for several hours before setting the house on fire. Dr. Petit was severely beaten, and his wife Jennifer Hawke-Petit and daughters Hayley and Michaela were killed. (AP Photo/George Ruhe, File)

FILE - In this Oct. 5, 2010 file photo, Dr. William Petit Jr. speaks outside Superior Court in New Haven, Conn, after Steven Hayes was convicted in the the July 2007 home invasion killings of Petit's wife Jennifer Hawke-Petit and daughters, Hayley and Michaela. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill, File)

FILE - In this Dec. 9, 2011 file photo, Cynthia Hawke-Renn wears a button with a photo of her sister Jennifer Hawke-Petit and her sister's children Hayley and Michaela outside Superior Court in New Haven, Conn., after a jury condemned Joshua Komisarjevsky to death for the home invasion deaths of Hawke-Petit and her daughters in July 2007. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill, File)

FILE - This undated file photo released in February 2010 by the Connecticut Department of Correction shows Steven Hayes, one of two men convicted for the slayings of a Jennifer Hawke-Petit and her two daughters during a 2007 home invasion in Cheshire. (AP Photo/Connecticut Department of Correction, File)

FILE - This March 14, 2011 file photo released by the Connecticut Department of Correction shows Joshua Komisarjevsky, one of two men convicted for the slayings of a Jennifer Hawke-Petit and her two daughters during a 2007 home invasion in Cheshire. (AP Photo/Connecticut Department of Correction, File)
BEIRUT (AP) - U.S.-backed Syrian fighters are clashing with Islamic State militants in the heart of Raqqa, the extremists' self-styled capital, as scores of civilians flee areas controlled by the group.

The Syrian Democratic Forces, aided by the U.S.-led coalition, launched their offensive to capture the city on June 6, and have since taken several areas.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says Monday's fighting is concentrated in the southwestern neighborhood of Yarmouk and the Old City.

The SDF says intense fighting is underway in central Raqqa, adding that its fighters have taken positions near a centuries-old mosque.

The Kurdish-run Hawar news agency says some 180 civilians were able to flee areas controlled by IS while the Observatory put the number in the hundreds.
LONDON (AP) - The annual count of swans belonging to Queen Elizabeth II has begun on the River Thames.

The five-day event known as Swan Upping dates back to the 12th century and began as a ritual to ensure there were enough swans for feasting. Now it is more about conservation. Data from the census is collected to assess the growth of the swan population.

The British monarch traditionally claims ownership of all unmarked swans in open water.

Queens Royal Swan Marker David Barber checks out a cygnet near Staines, England, as the ancient tradition of counting swans along the River Thames begins, Monday July 17, 2017. The ritual known as Swan Upping dates back to the 12th century when the ownership of all unmarked mute swans in open water in Britain was claimed by the Crown in order to ensure a ready supply for feasts. (Steve Parsons/PA via AP)

Swan Uppers - a team of dedicated boaters - are tasked with finding swans on a specific stretch of the River Thames. When a group of cygnets is spotted, they cry "All Up," then mark the young birds and check them for disease or injury.

David Barber, the queen's official Swan Marker, hopes the event will draw attention to the threats young swans face on the river, particularly from natural predators, dogs, egg theft and vandalism.

Barber said this year's preliminary results are looking very positive.

"We've caught more young cygnets with less injuries than before," he said of the first day's Swan Upping. "We are extremely pleased."

The full results will only be clear at the end of the week, however, as it takes five days for the Swan Marker to complete his path up the Thames.

People pick up swans near Shepperton Lock, England, as the ancient tradition of counting swans along the River Thames begins, Monday July 17, 2017. The ritual known as Swan Upping dates back to the 12th century when the ownership of all unmarked mute swans in open water in Britain was claimed by the Crown in order to ensure a ready supply for feasts. (Steve Parsons/PA via AP)

Swan Uppers row near Shepperton Lock, England, as the ancient tradition of counting swans along the River Thames begins, Monday July 17, 2017. The ritual known as Swan Upping dates back to the 12th century when the ownership of all unmarked mute swans in open water in Britain was claimed by the Crown in order to ensure a ready supply for feasts. (Steve Parsons/PA via AP)

Queens Royal Swan Marker David Barber checks out a cygnet near Staines, England, as the ancient tradition of counting swans along the River Thames begins, Monday July 17, 2017. The ritual known as Swan Upping dates back to the 12th century when the ownership of all unmarked mute swans in open water in Britain was claimed by the Crown in order to ensure a ready supply for feasts. (Steve Parsons/PA via AP)
BERLIN (AP) - Police said a man who was seen with a firearm at a high school in southwestern Germany on Monday was on the loose, but that students were allowed to leave the school after a search there turned up nothing.

Police spokesman Bjoern Reusch said the suspect didn't use his weapon and nobody was hurt when he briefly appeared inside the school in Esslingen, near Stuttgart. He probably fled on a motor bike, they later tweeted.

The Friedrich Ebert School was put under a security lockdown for a time Monday morning and all students had to stay inside their classrooms while officers searched the building. Other schools and kindergartens in Esslingen were also under lockdown, but eventually all children were allowed to leave and join their parents.

A policeman guards at a road near a school in Esslingen, Germany, Monday, July 17, 2017. Police said a suspect wanted after he showed up with a firearm at a high school in southwestern Germany on Monday was still on the loose because they initially arrested the wrong man. Police tweeted that the man they arrested was let go again and that the suspect had probably fled on a motor bike. (Sven Friebe/dpa via AP)

Police described the suspect on Twitter as wearing a blue T-shirt and light shorts. Local and federal police were looking for the suspect with helicopters and also blocked some streets in the city.

Police did make one arrest, but said they quickly realized they had the wrong man.
BERLIN (AP) - A big crowd of youths threw bottles at police during a festival in southwestern Germany and officers could not always control the situation, security officials said Monday. They also reported that two women were sexually harassed by three Afghan asylum-seekers and one Iraqi citizen.

Police said that many of the youths - a lot of them recent high school graduates - had been drinking. Two different groups first clashed with each other, but later united against the police at the festival in Schorndorf, near Stuttgart, on Saturday night, according to the German news agency dpa.

"The police did not always have the situation under control," police president Roland Eisele from nearby Aalen said at a press conference, adding police had to withdraw at one point and ask for additional officers from nearby towns.

People walk across the 'Schorndorfer Woche' festival in Schorndorf, Germany, Monday, July 17, 2017. German authorities reporting four cases of women being sexually harassed, and three Afghan asylum seekers are suspects in one case. The incidents in Schorndorf near Stuttgart on Friday and Saturday evenings three cases of sexual harassment on Friday, in one of which an Iraqi is suspected, and a further case on Saturday. In the latter case, the three Afghans allegedly groped a 17-year-old girl. (Christoph Schmidt/dpa via AP)

Police said about 1,000 youths gathered in a town park. Some of them threw bottles at police and two police vehicles were sprayed with graffiti.

Police said earlier reports that a lot of youths with immigrant roots were involved in the confrontation were not true.

The harassment incidents included the sexual harassment of a 25-year-old woman by an Iraqi suspect, and three young Afghans who allegedly groped a 17-year-old girl. Police were investigating the allegations and said alcohol was involved in both cases, but none of the suspects was arrested.

Police announced that for the last two days of the festival on Monday and Tuesday, they would add better lighting and more staff.

In a separate incident Saturday, several young women reported a group of about a dozen drunken Afghan asylum-seekers at a festival in Boeblingen, which is also located on the outskirts of Stuttgart. The women accused the men of groping and sexually insulting them.

Police said in a written statement that some of the men, who were aged between 18 and 20, had to be handcuffed and taken to the police precinct because of their aggressive behavior toward the officers. All of them were later released, but were not allowed to return to the festival.
MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) - Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin has removed two top officials at New Hampshire's only veterans hospital and has ordered a review of the facility amid allegations of "dangerously substandard care."

The Boston Globe reported (http://bit.ly/2utP3xD) that 11 physicians and medical employees alleged the Manchester VA Medical Center was endangering patients. They described a fly-infested operating room and surgical instruments that weren't always sterilized.

The Office of the Special Counsel, a federal whistle-blower agency, found "substantial likelihood" the allegations were true.

Following the newspaper report, Shulkin on Sunday removed hospital Director Danielle Ocker and Chief of Staff James Schlosser.

Ocker and Schlosser acknowledge the hospital has problems but say they are being addressed and patient safety hasn't been compromised.

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Information from: The Boston Globe, http://www.bostonglobe.com
SRINAGAR, India (AP) - Four Pakistani soldiers, one Indian soldier and a child were killed Monday as Indian and Pakistani troops traded fire across a cease-fire line dividing the troubled Kashmir region between the two countries, officials said.

Indian army spokesman Lt. Col. Manish Mehta said Pakistani troops fired mortar shells and automatic weapons into the Rajouri sector of Indian-controlled Kashmir on Monday morning. A mortar shell landed on a bunker, wounding a soldier who later died at a hospital, he said.

Mehta called the Pakistani firing an unprovoked violation of a 2003 cease-fire between the neighbors and said Indian troops returned fire.

In Islamabad, the director general of military operations, Maj. Gen. Sahir Shamshad Mirza, accused Indian soldiers of attacking a Pakistani army vehicle, killing four soldiers.

Three civilians, two on the Indian side and one on the Pakistani-controlled part of the Himalayan region, were also reported injured.

Senior Indian police officer S.P. Vaid said in the Poonch area, near Rajouri, an 8-year-old girl was killed and her mother was wounded when a shell landed on their house.

Recent violence in the region has affected at least 5,000 civilians on the Indian side who have homes in the area, according to local civil administrator Shahid Iqbal.

Iqbal said all schools in the Poonch area have been closed and at least 120 students were evacuated from one school in armored vehicles after several shells landed nearby.

Kashmir is split between India and Pakistan but is claimed by both in its entirety. The nuclear-armed rivals have fought two of their three wars over Kashmir.

The two armies often blame each other for initiating firing across the cease-fire line.

Insurgents have been fighting for Indian-controlled Kashmir's independence or its merger with Pakistan since 1989. India accuses Pakistan of arming and training the rebels, a charge Islamabad denies.
MIDDLEBURG HEIGHTS, Ohio (AP) - A 13-year-old girl from Ohio has received a national Girl Scout Award for helping save her grandmother's life.

WJW-TV reports (http://bit.ly/2u0dBNS ) Lila Szojka received an award Sunday for courage under pressure for rescuing her grandmother when the woman began choking while they were eating at a restaurant in Middleburg Heights.

The grandmother, Laura Noar, says she was dining with Lila in March when food got lodged in her throat. Lila had just completed a first aid and CPR training course and performed the Heimlich maneuver on her grandmother.

Lila encourages other girls to join Girl Scouts because "you never know when something like that could come in handy."

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Information from: WJW-TV, http://www.fox8.com
ISTANBUL (AP) - Ten Turkish human rights activists who were detained by police while attending a training workshop appeared before court officials in Istanbul on Monday to face possible charges or be released from custody.

The activists, including Amnesty International's Turkey director Idil Eser, were detained earlier this month at a hotel on Buyukada island off Istanbul and questioned by anti-terrorism police.

Amnesty said the group was being investigated for membership in an armed terrorist organization. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has made vague accusations against the 10, saying they were holding a meeting that had the "nature of a continuation" of last year's failed coup attempt.

Andrew Gardner, researcher on Turkey of Amnesty International, poses for the photographers outside Istanbul's court, Monday, July 17, 2017. Ten Turkish human rights activists, including Amnesty International's Turkey director Idil Eser, who were detained by police while attending a training workshop appeared before a court in Istanbul on Monday to face possible charges or be released from custody. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)

Amnesty has called for their release and said their case is a test for Turkey's judiciary.

"Turkey will be disgraced in the eyes of world if these human rights defenders are put in prison for defending human rights," Andrew Gardner, Amnesty's Turkey researcher, told a group of reporters outside the courthouse.

Other than Amnesty, the activists are members of the Women's coalition, the Helsinki Citizens Assembly, the Human Rights' Agenda Association, the Association to Monitor Equal Rights and the Rights Initiative. Their two trainers - a German and a Swede - were also detained.

Turkey has blamed the July 15, 2016, failed coup on followers of U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen and has branded his movement a terror organization.

The country declared a state of emergency days after the coup and launched a massive crackdown, arresting about 50,000 people and dismissing more than 100,000 from government jobs. The crackdown initially focused on people with suspected ties to the alleged coup plotters, but has been extended to include politicians, journalists and activists.

Turkey's parliament on Monday voted to extend the state of emergency, which was due to expire on July 19, by a further three months. Erdogan has said the state of emergency would be regularly extended until tranquility is restored.

Eser is the second top Amnesty International official in Turkey to face prosecution. Last month, Amnesty's Turkey chair, Taner Kilic, was arrested for alleged links to Gulen's movement.

"It's no exaggeration to say that Amnesty International in Turkey and in fact the whole of the Human Rights movement here in Turkey faces an existential threat," Gardner said.

In a related development, 19 people - including former soldiers - went on trial in Istanbul, for raiding the headquarters of Dogan media holding on the night of the failed attempt in a bid to take over two of its television stations and Hurriyet newspaper.

They face life terms in prison if found guilty of charges of trying to overthrow the state and membership in a terror group.

Also Monday, a group of lawyers gathered at a courthouse in Istanbul to protest the detention of a colleague, Mustafa Yaman, on alleged links to Gulen.

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Associated Press writer Suzan Fraser in Ankara contributed to this report.

Andrew Gardner, researcher on Turkey of Amnesty International, poses for the photographers outside Istanbul's court, Monday, July 17, 2017. Ten Turkish human rights activists, including Amnesty International's Turkey director Idil Eser, who were detained by police while attending a training workshop appeared before a court in Istanbul on Monday to face possible charges or be released from custody. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)

Andrew Gardner, researcher on Turkey of Amnesty International, talks to members of the media, outside Istanbul's court, Monday, July 17, 2017. Ten Turkish human rights activists, including Amnesty International's Turkey director Idil Eser, who were detained by police while attending a training workshop appeared before a court in Istanbul on Monday to face possible charges or be released from custody. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)

Turkish lawyers hold a protest outside Istanbul's court, Monday, July 17, 2017, demanding the release of Mustafa Yaman, a lawyer who according to Turkish media was detained earlier this month on suspicion of links to U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, accused by Turkey of masterminding last year's failed coup. Turkey has arrested more than 50,000 people in a large-scale crackdown launched after the failed coup attempt. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)

Turkish lawyers hold a protest outside Istanbul's court, Monday, July 17, 2017, demanding the release of Mustafa Yaman, a lawyer who according to Turkish media was detained earlier this month on suspicion of links to U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, accused by Turkey of masterminding last year's failed coup. Turkey has arrested more than 50,000 people in a large-scale crackdown launched after the failed coup attempt. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)

Turkish lawyers hold a protest outside Istanbul's court, Monday, July 17, 2017, demanding the release of Mustafa Yaman, a lawyer who according to Turkish media was detained earlier this month on suspicion of links to U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, accused by Turkey of masterminding last year's failed coup. Turkey has arrested more than 50,000 people in a large-scale crackdown launched after the failed coup attempt. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)

Turkish lawyers hold a protest outside Istanbul's court, Monday, July 17, 2017, demanding the release of Mustafa Yaman, a lawyer who according to Turkish media was detained earlier this month on suspicion of links to U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, accused by Turkey of masterminding last year's failed coup. Turkey has arrested more than 50,000 people in a large-scale crackdown launched after the failed coup attempt. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)

Turkish lawyers hold a protest outside Istanbul's court, Monday, July 17, 2017, demanding the release of Mustafa Yaman, a lawyer who according to Turkish media was detained earlier this month on suspicion of links to U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, accused by Turkey of masterminding last year's failed coup. Turkey has arrested more than 50,000 people in a large-scale crackdown launched after the failed coup attempt. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)

Turkish Army officers forcibly carry Haldun Gulmez, a former army special forces lieutenant accused of attempting to kill Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the night of the July 15, 2016 failed coup attempt, to a court in Mugla, southern Turkey, Monday July 17, 2017. The trial resumed Monday and the suspects - 37 of them former military personnel - facing possible life sentences on charges that include attempted assassination, are accused of attacking the hotel in the resort of Marmaris where Erdogan was vacationing with his family, killing two policemen. Erdogan had left the hotel shortly before it was stormed. (Taylan Yildirim/DHA-Depo Photos via AP)

Turkish Army officers forcibly carry Haldun Gulmez, a former army special forces lieutenant accused of attempting to kill Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the night of the July 15, 2016 failed coup attempt, to a court in Mugla, southern Turkey, Monday July 17, 2017. The trial resumed Monday and the suspects - 37 of them former military personnel - facing possible life sentences on charges that include attempted assassination, are accused of attacking the hotel in the resort of Marmaris where Erdogan was vacationing with his family, killing two policemen. Erdogan had left the hotel shortly before it was stormed. (Taylan Yildirim/DHA-Depo Photos via AP)

Backdropped by a painting depicting Turkey's founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan chairs the National Security Council meeting in Ankara, Turkey, Monday, July 17, 2017. Erdogan says the country's top security advisory body will discuss on Monday whether to further extend a state of emergency that was declared after last year's failed coup. Erdogan also said he would approve "without any hesitation" any legislation that would be passed in parliament to reinstate the death penalty. (Presidency Press Service Pool Photo via AP)
Despite near record low prices in the uranium industry, a new company is planning to do exploration at historic mine sites in the Cowboy State and begin production of yellowcake in the next few years.

URZ Energy Corp. launched its IPO on the TSX Venture Exchange, a Canadian stock exchange, last week.

Initial operations will be explorative, as the company gauges the potential of the historic sites, one near Baggs, one in Natrona County and another in the Shirley Basin.

Starting out, operations will likely provide around 25 jobs, half of those contractors to do the drilling.

The company has a tentative goal of producing half a million tons of uranium annually, with that increasing to between 1 million and 2 million tons a year. Once operations are underway, the company should generate between 100 and 125 jobs, said CEO Glen Catchpole.

Catchpole is a familiar name in the Wyoming uranium industry. He was the CEO of Uranerz Energy, which operated the Nichols Ranch facility in Johnson County.

Uranerz disbanded in 2015 when its assets were bought by Energy Fuels for $180 million. Catchpole stayed on as a board member for Energy Fuels until joining URZ in February.

It may seem like odd timing to start new operations, Catchpole said.

The uranium industry has faced a number of challenges in recent years, with low prices significantly cutting back production. Operators were so concerned by price lows that companies recently approached Wyoming lawmakers seeking a tax break.

Global competition and reduced demand has kept the price depressed, but new nuclear facilities being built  which use enriched uranium to produce power  have some hopeful of a price rise. Demand is expected to increase overseas and some anticipate a supply shortage, Catchpole said.

He anticipates the value of uranium to slowly rebound over the next five years.

That will give URZ valuable time to do exploration and seek permitting for three potential mine sites in Wyoming, Catchpole said.

Our approach is the contrarian approach, he said. In terms of real dollars, prices are as low as theyve ever been. But we think that is a good time to get back into the uranium business.

The company will be able to acquire properties and minerals at a reasonable price, given the state of the industry.

And financiers are ready to support a good business despite uraniums challenges, he said.

There are a number of backers, or investors, looking for a place to put their money these days, he said. We see that, and if we can present a good business plan, then there is that interest there to do that.

Catchpole said the mine sites look favorable for in situ recovery operations and will be developed according to which shows the most potential first.

These projects have changed hands multiple times over the years.

The Gas Hills Project sits in a uranium district about 45 miles east of Riverton. It was explored back in the 1950s with activities into the 80s, according to the company.

Another area acquired by URZ, the Juniper Ridge Project, lies just west of Baggs. Seven companies mined the area after uranium was discovered there in 1951.

Energy Fuels bought the Juniper Ridge project in 2013.

URZ, formerly called Summit Point Uranium Corp., has also acquired a number of sites in Utah and Colorado. But the focus is on Wyoming, Catchpole said.

I have a lot of confidence in Wyoming and a lot of experience here, he said. I feel that it is the right place for us to be.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) - A baby sitter in Florida is accused of breaking a 3-year-old's arm and beating him with a spatula because he wet his pants.

News outlets report 21-year-old Haillee Howell was arrested Friday and charged with aggravated child abuse.

An arrest report says Howell was watching the boy and his brothers, ages 7 and 8. They were dropped off at Howell's home in Daytona Beach around noon Thursday. When the mother returned to pick them up, Howell told her the child had "wet his pants."

The mother says the child started crying in the car, saying his arm hurt.

She took him to the hospital and police say X-rays showed two bones broken in his wrist.

Police say Howell denied abusing the boy. A lawyer wasn't listed on jail records.
HARGEISA, Somalia (AP) - Somalia's internet has returned after an outage of more than three weeks cost the Horn of Africa nation about $10 million a day, authorities said Monday.

Hormuud Telecom, the country's largest telecom company, announced the restoration of service in a message to subscribers.

The loss of internet service sparked anger across Somalia and affected the central and southern parts of the country including the capital, Mogadishu. The government called it a "major disaster."

Officials and internet providers attributed the problem to a commercial ship that they said cut an undersea cable.

Major companies reported millions of dollars in revenue losses. University studies were disrupted.

The internet outage also complicated efforts to combat a nationwide drought that has half of the country's 12 million people in need of assistance.

Residents in the capital celebrated the return of service. "This helps a lot," Abdirashid Duale, the CEO of the largest international Somali remittance company, Dahabshiil, told The Associated Press. "The internet outage has affected many of our customers."

The lack of internet service also stranded patients who were seeking medical attention abroad as they couldn't access online paperwork.

"The internet outage had my father stuck in Mogadishu. Now we can take him to India having received all medical paperwork via internet," said Nur Hussein.

Somalia is trying to emerge from a quarter-century of conflict. The fragile central government remains a target for the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab extremist group, which often carries out deadly attacks in the capital.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Two environmental groups are suing the Trump administration for stretching the red snapper season for recreational anglers in the Gulf of Mexico.

Robert Jones of the Environmental Defense Fund and Chris Dorsett of the Ocean Conservancy said during a conference call with reporters Monday that both groups want their lawsuit to prompt discussions about improvements.

Jones said changes are needed. "The way we're managing red snapper today stinks," he said, with states setting widely different anglers' seasons in their waters and federal seasons getting shorter and shorter.

FILE - In this Nov. 30, 2005, file photo, a few whole red snapper are shown for sale at Joe Patti's Seafood Market in Pensacola, Fla. Two environmental groups have sued the federal government for stretching the red snapper season for recreational anglers while acknowledging that could add years to the species' recovery from nearly disastrous overfishing. (AP Photo/Mari Darr~Welch, File)

But he added, "I don't want to return to the bad old days when my dad and I could barely find a red snapper."

An anglers' group said the lawsuit comes as no surprise.

"Of course they sued, that's what the environmental groups do. ... They hate it when Americans enjoy America's plentiful public resources," David Cresson, executive director of the Coastal Conservation Association of Louisiana said in an email.

The U.S. Commerce Department said it's reviewing the suit. It has said the economic benefit from allowing weekend fishing this summer by recreational anglers in federal waters outweighs the harm to the red snapper species, which is still recovering from disastrous overfishing.

Defendants are Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and two department agencies, the National Marine Fisheries Service and its parent agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

State agencies along the Gulf, which were not sued, had no comment.

Gulf state officials had lobbied for and praised the change, but the federal lawsuit filed in Washington says the decision violated several laws by ignoring scientific assessments, promoting overfishing and failing to follow required procedures.

The prized sport and table fish has rebounded under fishing limits and procedures set by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council , but is only halfway to its goal, Dorsett and Jones told The Associated Press earlier. The lawsuit isn't trying to cancel the current season but seeks to prevent similar decisions in the future.

In a phone interview, Cresson credited much of the resurgence to a smaller shrimp fleet since Hurricane Katrina and requirements for escape hatches to let fish swim out of shrimp nets.

In June, more than a week after a three-day recreational season had expired, the Commerce Department gave anglers 39 more days to fish federal waters for red snapper if states agreed to match those dates and close their waters the rest of the time.

"One of the driving forces behind the lawsuit was to keep this from happening again, both in the Gulf of Mexico and around the country. The rule rides roughshod over some of the most basic commonsense requirements" of the law governing U.S. fisheries management, said Andrea Treece, attorney for Earthjustice , which represents the Ocean Conservancy.

Among other things, the lawsuit said, the season was extended without adequate notice or time for public comment.

The federal notice stated that reopening federal waters off Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida for three-day weekends through Labor Day, plus three holidays, could put the goal date for rebuilding the species back from 2032 to 2038. But it said it's worth it because Gulf states' economies were being hurt by the short season for anglers in private boats and because different management approaches were undermining management.

The original three-day anglers' season, which started June 1, had been set because anglers overfished their quota last year. They have regularly done so. Each year's overage is subtracted from the following year's quota, resulting in shorter and shorter seasons.

"The quotas are based on bad science and unfair allocations and a faulty system," Cresson said.

Anglers were allocated nearly 60 percent of this year's 5.4-million-pound (2.5-million-kilogram) recreational quota, with the rest going to federally licensed charter boat captains, who were assigned a 49-day season starting June 1.

Jones praised Louisiana's system for monitoring the red snapper recreational catch through surveys done at dockside and by email and phone.

He said states also should require electronic reports from anglers to keep tallies as fish are caught. The federal government gets such reports from commercial boats, each of which must stop fishing when it reaches its own quota.

Commercial fishermen agree with many of the points made in the lawsuit, said Eric Brazer, deputy director of the Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Shareholders' Alliance , an association of commercial snapper and grouper fishermen in the Gulf.

He said the reopening "looks like it will set the clock back quite a ways on red snapper."
PORTAGE, Ind. (AP) - Chemical tests at an Indiana tributary that feeds Lake Michigan are coming up clear following a spill of a potentially carcinogenic chemical.

The Burns Waterway has been tested weekly for hexavalent chromium following April's spill at a U.S. Steel facility, The (Northwest Indiana) Times (http://bit.ly/2txsXq0 ) reported. Nearly 300 pounds (136 kilograms) of the chemical was spilled, which is more than 580 times the daily maximum limit allowed under state law.

Coming into direct contact with the chemical can cause skin reactions.

The Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is assisting U.S. Steel with long-term monitoring of four beaches on the waterway. U.S. Steel conducts water testing at Indiana American Water's intake in Ogden Dunes.

"This is simply about keeping visitors safe," said Charles Morris, an environmental protection specialist at the National Lakeshore.

He said none of the samples taken from the beaches so far have shown a concentration above the 0.03 milligrams per liter minimum detection level for hexavalent chromium. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's drinking water standard is 0.1 milligrams per liter.

Sampling will continue until the end of August.

The April spill prompted the temporary closure of several area beaches and the intake in Ogden Dunes. They were later reopened once EPA tests found no traces of the chemical.

Lake Michigan provides drinking water to many residents in Lake, Porter and LaPorte counties.

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Information from: The Times, http://www.nwitimes.com
ST. LOUIS (AP) - Missouri is no longer the only state without a prescription drug monitoring program.

Republican Gov. Eric Greitens on Monday signed an executive order establishing a drug monitoring program that will focus on those prescribing the drugs and filling the prescriptions.

The announcement was made at Express Scripts, a suburban St. Louis based pharmaceutical provider. The company will be a private-sector partner in the state program.

Greitens says the state's approach could potentially become a national model.

Missouri lawmakers for years have considered a drug monitoring program to combat doctor shopping and prescription opioid addiction. But efforts have until now failed, largely because of privacy concerns about keeping medical information in a database.
"Afterlife: a Novel" (Thomas & Mercer), by Marcus Sakey

The line between life and death is a mere dimension that's easier to breach than previously thought in "Afterlife," Marcus Sakey's latest mind-bending thriller.

FBI Agent Will Brody finds himself falling in love with his boss, Claire McCoy. They have only been together for a short time, but it feels to both of them that they have known each other forever. They both begin thinking about their future and starting a family when a case intrudes. A terrorist has been randomly killing people in Chicago, and when Brody discovers a lead, he pursues it. Brody has no idea it's a trap, and he doesn't survive an explosion.

This cover image released by Thomas & Mercer shows "Afterlife," a novel by Marcus Sakey. (Thomas & Mercer via AP)

McCoy identifies Brody's body and vows revenge. While she pursues clues, she's devastated by grief. Soon she begins having dreams providing her information as if Brody is sending her messages from beyond the grave. Of course that isn't possible - or is it?

Brody finds himself wandering a desolate Chicago with everyone there afraid of what's coming. He's learned that death is only the beginning, and the veil separating the living from the dead is very thin.

Sakey has crafted an original and unpredictable tale that puts a different spin on the battle between good and evil.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - A white former Oklahoma police officer will face a fourth trial in the shooting death of his daughter's black boyfriend, a prosecutor said Monday.

Three mistrials in less than a year have been declared in the case of Shannon Kepler, who was charged in the August 2014 fatal shooting of 19-year-old Jeremey Lake in Tulsa.

Kepler doesn't deny shooting Lake, but told investigators he acted in self-defense because he thought Lake was armed. Police found no weapon on Lake or at the scene.

FILE - In this Friday, June 30, 2017 file photo, Shannon Kepler, left, arrives with his legal team for afternoon testimony in his third trial in Tulsa, Okla. Kepler, a former Oklahoma police officer who fatally shot his daughter's black boyfriend in 2014, will face a fourth trial in the shooting death. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File)

Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler said in a statement Monday that prosecutors and the Tulsa Police Department "are in full agreement that this case should proceed with prosecution."

"The very nature of our criminal justice system is premised upon the finality of a verdict," Kunzweiler said. The prosecutor previously said jurors should be compelled to reach a verdict.

In Kepler's most recent trial, held this month, jurors deadlocked 6-6 after almost three hours of deliberations.

All of Kepler's previous trials have been overseen by District Judge Sharon Holmes. Juries in Kepler's previous two trials, in November and February, deadlocked 11-1 and 10-2 in favor of guilt before Holmes declared mistrials after up to 12 hours of deliberations in each case.

It's unclear why Holmes allowed the jury to deliberate much longer in the first two trials. A spokeswoman for Holmes on Monday said the judge would not comment on the case.

Kepler's attorney, Richard O'Carroll, said he's never heard of a case being tried four times and suggested there is political motivation behind the prosecution's plan.

"It's a waste of valuable resources," O'Carroll said.

A spokeswoman for Lake's family did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment about the prosecutor's decision.

Kepler, who retired from the force after he was charged, was a 24-year police veteran who has said he was trying to protect his 18-year-old daughter, who had run away from home and was living in a crime-ridden neighborhood. O'Carroll said Lisa Kepler had been in and out of a homeless shelter after her father prohibited her from bringing men into his house.

Lake's death is one of several in which black men have been killed by police officers. The killings have added to already tenuous race relations in Tulsa, echoing national conversations about police use of force. In Tulsa, race relations have been strained for more than a century. The city of about 400,000 has yet to fully heal from a 1921 race riot that killed 300 black residents and burned down a thriving business district.
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iranian state TV is reporting that a soldier has opened fire on his comrades, killing three and injuring six others.

The Monday report says the incident took place when soldiers were resting at a military base in the town of Abyek, some 62 miles (100 kilometers) west of the capital Tehran.

The report said the assailant was injured after he shot himself and he was taken to a nearby hospital.

The attack happened after higher officers opposed the attacker's request for a transfer to his hometown.

None of the soldiers was identified in the report.

In September, a soldier killed himself after shooting to death three of his comrades.

Military service of up to 24 months is mandatory for men aged 19 and above in Iran.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - A member of the New England Mafia who was convicted for his role in the shakedown of Rhode Island strip clubs for protection money has died. Alfred "Chippy" Scivola (skee-VOH'-lah) was 76.

Scivola's obituary says he died Friday at Rhode Island Hospital. The Woodlawn Funeral Home in Cranston confirmed the death.

The cause of death was not disclosed, but when he was sentenced in 2012, his lawyer said Scivola had a pacemaker and respiratory problems.

Scivola was released from prison in January 2015. He lived in Johnston.

He is survived by his wife, Loretta, three children, three stepchildren, six grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

A funeral is scheduled for Tuesday at Holy Ghost Church in Providence, followed by burial at St. Ann's Cemetery in Cranston.

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This story has been corrected to show Scivola lived in Johnston, not Johnstown.
One of John Mellencamp's sons has been arrested in Indiana on charges of public intoxication and resisting law enforcement.

Police say 22-year-old Speck Mellencamp was arrested early Sunday after he and his 23-year-old brother, Hud, were involved in a fight outside a Bloomington restaurant.

Police say Speck Mellencamp was 'very belligerent and uncooperative' with officers and medical personnel trying to treat him for injuries at the scene and at a hospital.

Speck Mellencamp, 22, was arrested early Sunday after he and his 23-year-old brother, Hud, were involved in a bar fight

Speck, whose father is rocker John, right, was previously arrested in 2013 for a fight. That mugshot is seen at left. He served four days in 2015 for the 2013 fight

He was released on bond. A message seeking comment was left for his attorney.

Hud Mellencamp told police a man attacked him. The Herald-Times reports he suffered a scratch on his neck and a small cut on his nose.

After a 2013 fight, the brothers were charged with felony battery. Speck Mellencamp served 96 hours in jail.

His mother is former supermodel Elaine Irwin, who split from Mellencamp in 2011.
The authors of the U.S. Constitution, specifically James Madison in The Federalist Papers, were concerned about the tyranny of the majority." This is why we have three branches of government, checks and balances, the Bill of Rights, and the rule of law.

Our democracy itself was established as a guard against a tyranny of the minority, where a despot or minority group might seize power and ignore the rights and wishes of most citizens. Putins Russia with the FSB (security agency) and oligarchs, Syria under Bashar al-Assad and the Alawites, or Saddam Hussein and minority Sunnis in Iraq before his overthrow reflect this type of government. It is referred to as minoritarianism. It is often associated with a coup detat, or violent seizure of the state, or with fraudulent elections. The wishes of most citizens are frequently ignored and majorities are marginalized or, in more extreme cases, oppressed.

Arguably the United States now has, despite Republican control of the presidency, both houses of Congress, and some would say the Supreme Court, a form of minoritarianism. It does not represent a seizure of the state, nor is it a tyranny. But it is certainly a government that ignores the wishes of a majority of Americans in establishing most policy and in how it administers the government.

Donald Trump is not a majority president with a mandate. He won with only 46 percent of the popular vote, losing by 2 percent (3 million votes) to his nearest rival and by about 9 million votes out of all votes cast. One recent job approval rating had him at 36 percent. He is the U.S. president thanks to the Electoral College in an election that remains tainted by outside events.

The Republican Party holds 52 seats in the U.S. Senate, but these seats represent only 44.7 percent of the U.S. population. The House of Representatives is slightly majoritarian (a 49 percent to 48 percent margin among 2016 voters), but only a minority of Americans approve of its major proposals. For example, less than 20 percent of Americans approve of either the House or Senate health care bills in most polls, while a majority now favor improving Obamacare instead.

In almost every other major area, the president and Republicans in Congress are engaging in practices and pursuing policies opposed by a majority of Americans, some by large margins. To name a few:

60 percent to 70 percent of Americans favor remaining in the worldwide Paris Climate Accord.

65 percent approve of continuing the Obama policies on normalization of relations with Cuba.

Over 80 percent consider Russia a major threat.

60 percent to 90 percent favor stricter background checks and other measures to help combat gun violence.

74 percent favor doing everything possible to protect the environment (over 60% say Trumps environmental policies are going in the wrong direction).

60 percent oppose a border wall.

70 percent favor existing protections for womens reproductive rights, while only about 30% favor cutting funding for Planned Parenthood.

The list goes on. But pick your polls and issues and the basic result is the same: Trump and Republicans are governing only for a core constituency of 25 percent to 40 percent, while showing no interest in advancing or even considering the views of most Americans. The rest of America has become obstructionists, the enemy, or worse, if you follow Twitter.

This situation raises two issues for Americans to confront going forward: 1. To what extent will the president and a Republican government continue to ignore the views of larger America? 2. Can our system of checks and balances, designed in part to protect minorities, also work to advance the interests and aspirations of the American majority in a minoritarian government?

For the moment what we have is a government of the minority, by the minority, and for the minority.
MORGANTON, N.C. (AP) - A North Carolina man pleaded guilty on Monday to the 2014 shooting death of his elderly neighbor, just weeks after receiving a life sentence for plotting a massacre on behalf of the Islamic State.

Multiple media outlets report 21-year-old Justin Nojan Sullivan admitted Monday in a Burke County courtroom that he shot and killed 74-year-old John Bailey Clark in December 2014 as he slept in his bedroom.

Sullivan was tied to his neighbor's slaying after federal authorities launched a terror investigation, which was prompted by a 911 call in April 2015. His father told police that the young man was destroying religious items in their home in Morganton.

Weeks of communications with an undercover informant followed. He was arrested at the family's home on June 19, 2015, after he allegedly communicated with an Islamic State figure that same month via social media about making a video of a terrorist attack. Sullivan was accused of planning to use an assault rifle and silencer to carry out an attack at a concert, bar or club, which he believed would kill as many as 1,000 people.

Investigators said Sullivan told them he planned to carry out the attack when his parents would be out of town. Sullivan also allegedly offered an undercover FBI employee money to kill his parents to prevent them from interfering.

Forensic tests on his father's .22-caliber rifle later determined that the same gun had been used to shoot Clark in the head. Authorities accused Sullivan of taking the man's money to finance the act of terror.

A Burke County grand jury indicted Sullivan on a murder charge in the death of Clark, who lived a few doors down from him, said District Attorney David Learner.

Sullivan's lawyer, Victoria Jayne, said Burke County prosecutors agreed not to seek the death penalty. She couldn't be reached for additional comment on Monday, but she told The Charlotte Observer that he pleaded guilty because "Justin just wants to get this over with," before he is assigned a federal prison to serve his ISIS sentence.

"He's sort of anxious at this point of getting into the federal Bureau of Prisons. He's very nervous about that," Jayne told the newspaper. "He is socially awkward and he is socially immature."
PHOENIX (AP) - A federal trial considering whether an Arizona law that shuttered a popular Mexican-American studies program in Tucson was enacted with discriminatory intent resumes this week and will include testimony from the man behind the effort to end the program.

Former Arizona schools chief Tom Horne, who was behind the battle against the program the year that lawmakers passed the state's landmark immigration law, is scheduled to testify on Tuesday. He also defended the law that restricts ethnic studies courses in public schools as the state's former attorney general, saying it helped keep "radical" curriculum out of classrooms.

The 2010 law prohibits courses if they promote resentment toward a race or a class of people, are designed primarily for peoples of a particular ethnic group, or advocate ethnic solidarity instead of the treatment of peoples as individuals.

FILE - In this June 15, 2011, file photo, protesters gather to support the Tucson Unified School District as Superintendent of Public Instruction John Huppenthal announces that the Tucson Unified School District violates state law by teaching it's Mexican American Studies Department's ethic studies program at a news conference at the Arizona Department of Education in Phoenix, Ariz. Arizona authorities are back in federal court in Tucson this week over a years-long legal battle against a 2010 state law targeting ethnic studies in public schools that resulted in the shuttering of a popular Mexican-American Studies program, launching tense student protests. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, file)

It effectively ended the Mexican-American studies program at the Tucson Unified School District, launching protests by students and parents who felt the courses were important and improved performance in school.

A group of students sued the state over the ban, saying it was overly broad and violates the right of free speech.

Most of the law has been upheld by the courts, but a judge will now determine whether it was enacted with discriminatory intent.

"The legislative history makes clear that the statute while, broader in nature, was directed at the Mexican-American studies program," plaintiffs' attorney Jim Quinn said.

Arizona denies that the law was enacted with racial discrimination.

"With respect to TUSD's MAS program, the evidence shows that concerns existed that the program was based on a divisive, separatist, politicized pedagogy that taught students to see themselves as exemplars of an oppressed ethnicity rather than as individuals with the opportunity to control their own destinies and achieve their own goals," state attorneys wrote in court filings.

The Tucson program was implemented in 1998 and focused on Mexican-American history, literature and art in an effort to keep Mexican-American students in school and engaged. The TUSD board dismantled the program in January 2012, a month after the law took effect, to keep from losing state funding. Program advocates say students who participated in the program outperformed their peers in grades and standardized tests.

Horne's grievance with the program dates back to 2006, when labor rights activist Dolores Huerta delivered a speech at a TUSD high school in which she said Republicans hate Latinos.

Horne got word of the comments and sent an aide to rebuff the remark. The aide, a Latino woman who told students she was a proud Republican, was met with protests. Horne attributed the protests to students in the Mexican-American Studies program.

A years-long battle against the program began. In 2010, the same year Arizona passed its landmark immigration law known as SB1070, legislators approved the ethnic studies law. It took effect at the end of 2011.

In 2015, the Tucson Unified School District said it was expanding the teaching of a "culturally relevant" curriculum developed to follow a decades-old racial desegregation lawsuit.

The announcement by the district's former superintendent was met with disapproval by the man who was at that time in charge of state schools, John Huppenthal. He spent his last hours in office threatening to cut school funding over the new courses. He had just lost a primary election after news reports revealed he had been posting derogatory comments- including about the Mexican-American Studies program- under a pseudonym online.

Huppenthal, who as a state senator helped pass the ban on ethnic studies, testified in court this month that he didn't think passing the 2010 law would necessarily end the Mexican-American studies program. He said he thought the program would be changed but not canceled.

Huppenthal told The Associated Press he felt the ongoing trial was irrelevant because the district has resumed some form of ethnic studies and is being monitored by the state.

"I think that Tucson Unified learned a valuable lesson which I hoped they did about the fact when you have something like this that's controversial, you need to follow state law, you need to follow a curriculum," Huppenthal said.

The culturally relevant courses are now taught at all TUSD high schools, Superintendent Gabriel Trujillo said Monday. Trujillo says the district worked with the Arizona Department of Education to ensure the courses don't violate the state law. He said the courses are "very scripted" and include offerings like American history from an African-American perspective.

FILE - In this Jan 3, 2011, file photo, outgoing Arizona schools chief Tom Horne announces in Phoenix, Ariz., that a major school district in Tucson is violating a new state law by continuing an ethnic studies program designed primarily for Hispanics. Arizona authorities are back in federal court in Tucson this week over a years-long legal battle against a 2010 state law targeting ethnic studies in public schools that resulted in the shuttering of a popular Mexican-American Studies program, launching tense student protests. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, file)

FILE - In this Jan 3, 2011, file photo, outgoing Arizona schools chief Tom Horne announces in Phoenix, Ariz., that a major school district in Tucson is violating a new state law by continuing an ethnic studies program designed primarily for Hispanics. Arizona authorities are back in federal court in Tucson this week over a years-long legal battle against a 2010 state law targeting ethnic studies in public schools that resulted in the shuttering of a popular Mexican-American Studies program, launching tense student protests. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)
Richard Holley, 62, faces extortion, burglary and intimidating a public officer charges after allegedly leaving a threatening note at Republic senator Dean Heller's office

A Las Vegas man has been taken into custody after police said he broke into a Republican senator's office and left him a threatening note about voting to repeal Obamacare.

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said in a statement that Richard Holley, 62, was arrested on Monday and is now facing charges of extortion, burglary and intimidating a public officer after allegedly leaving the threatening note outside Senator Dean Heller's office door.

Authorities released surveillance video from the July 16 incident, along with an alert noting that the break in suspect sported a grey beard, producing an anonymous tip that led police to Holley.

Indeed, it appears that Holley has dyed his hair and beard bright red in a failed effort to avoid detection.

Police said patrol officers responded to the building where Heller's office is located after an alarm company reported a burglary alarm at 9.06am.

Police said neither the building nor Heller's office was burglarized, however an investigation turned up a 'threatening note' addressed to Sen. Heller, left near the door to his office.

Police released surveillance footage, seeking the identity of this man. An anonymous tip pointed authorities to Holley, who had died his grey beard bright red in the interim

According to the arrest report, obtained by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the note said, 'Sen. Heller, I am sick and will die without continued medical care.'

It also said that, 'If Im going to die because you voted to repeal or replace with a death bill, I will take you with me. If Im going to die so are you.'

The handwriting from the threatening note appeared to match Holley's handwriting, taken from a 2004 written statement regarding his having been the victim of a robbery, according to the arrest report.

Authorities said that Holley has Type 2 diabetes, a chronic condition, and that his wife has a several health issues of her own, including osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, eye problems and blood pressure problems. She is also said to be awaiting back surgery.

Holley did not admit to being the man captured in the surveillance footage outside Sen. Heller's office, however, police believe that Holley was wearing the same sneakers as the man in the video at the time they were searching his house.

Holley's son and daughter-in-law, who live in the house, reportedly confirmed that the man in the video was Holley, while Holley's wife told police that Holley had ordered the baseball hat he is seen wearing in the video.

Sen. Heller (in his office), who represents Nevada, voted for the July 'skinny' healthcare bill. The bill ultimately failed. He is up for re-election in 2018's midterm elections

When asked if the note indicated a serious threat being made against the senator, Holley reportedly said, 'Definitely not from me.'

Sen. Heller is regarded as the most endangered GOP incumbent senator in next year's midterm elections.

He is the only one running for re-election in a state President Donald Trump lost to former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

Like most Republicans, Sen. Heller spent the bulk of his years in the Senate since his 2011 election, pushing to repeal President Obama's Affordable Care Act. However, he joined with Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval, a fellow Republican, to oppose the June repeal efforts.

In July, Sen. Heller voted for the 'skinny' repeal bill, which ultimately failed to move forward.
BOSTON (AP) - A New York man is suing the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston for sexual abuse he says he suffered decades ago at a church-affiliated home for orphaned and foster children.

Andre Jones, who's 51, said Monday that he was abused in the 1970s by the late Brother Edward Anthony Holmes, a supervisor and counselor at the now-shuttered Nazareth Child Care Center.

Holmes pleaded guilty to sexual abuse of children and other charges in 2006. He was sentenced to five years in prison and died in 2011, said one of Jones' lawyers, Patrick Noaker.

Andre Jones of New York, speaks outside the Suffolk County Courthouse Monday, July 17, 2017, in Boston after a lawsuit was filed on his behalf against the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston. He holds a photo of himself when he was 8 years old. The suit alleges Jones was sexually abused as a child by the late Brother Edward Anthony Holmes, a deceased convicted pedophile who was a supervisor at Nazareth Child Care Center where Jones said he lived from 1975 to 1978, starting when he was 8 years old. (AP Photo/Bill Sikes)

The Archdiocese of Boston, the fourth-largest archdiocese in the country, declined to comment on the lawsuit.

The archdiocese, which calls itself the spiritual home for more than 1.8 million Catholics, became an epicenter of the global Catholic Church sex abuse scandal that exploded in 2002, ignited by reporting from The Boston Globe.

Nationwide, the church has paid roughly $4 billion in settlements since 1950. More than 6,500 clergy members have been accused of abuse, and hundreds have been removed from church work.

Nazareth was a residential program for children removed by the state from their homes and awaiting foster care placement that operated on archdiocese land from the 1800s until around 1988.

Jones, speaking in front of Suffolk County Superior Court on Monday, said he was sent to Nazareth in 1975 at age 8 because his mother was dealing with mental and emotional problems and his father was an abusive alcoholic.

He said Brother Holmes, who was his photography teacher and counselor, sexually assaulted him and other boys multiple times in the center's photography darkroom, in his home in Fairhaven and on camping trips in New Hampshire's White Mountains.

In the Catholic church, "brothers" are men who have taken the vows of a religious order but are not ordained priests.

Jones, who lived at Nazareth until 1978, said he had been ashamed to step forward all these years. He said he struggled to hold down a steady job, dealt with substance abuse issues and attempted suicide as a result.

"This was my arrested development," he said, holding a black and white photo of himself as a child. "I'm still looking for this boy."

Jones, who is represented by the group Lawyers Helping Survivors of Child Sex Abuse, said he hopes a jury trial will determine the appropriate compensation. His lawsuit doesn't specify any monetary damages.

Lawyer Mitchell Garabedian, who represents church sex abuse victims but isn't affiliated with Jones' lawsuit, said he's not surprised at the new allegations.

"Individuals usually can't come forward and report the sexual abuse until much later in life," said Garabedian, who has represented hundreds of accusers in Boston and elsewhere, including dozens at Nazareth during Holmes' tenure. "Their coping mechanisms won't allow them to."

Andre Jones, of New York, speaks outside the Suffolk County Courthouse Monday, July 17, 2017, in Boston after a lawsuit was filed on his behalf against the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston. At left is Patrick Noaker, one of his attorneys. The suit alleges Jones was sexually abused as a child by the late Brother Edward Anthony Holmes, a deceased convicted pedophile who was a supervisor at Nazareth Child Care Center where Jones said he lived from 1975 to 1978, starting when he was 8 years old. (AP Photo/Bill Sikes)
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) - Male prep school students who recorded relationships with girls on a cardboard crown this spring violated campus rules but not the law, the head of the school said Monday.

The crown incident at St. Paul's School was among those cited by the state attorney general's office last week when it began an investigation into allegations of sexual assault and misconduct there. The investigation also was prompted by information about a student sexual conquest ritual called the Senior Salute, revealed during a recent graduate's 2015 trial and the school's recent release of a report about teachers sexually assaulting students years ago.

In a letter to parents, students and school personnel on Monday, Rector Michael Hirschfeld said the school hired an investigator in May after a student reported a possible sexual competition.

The investigation, which was completed last week, found that five boys violated a school rule by using the crown to document their relationships with girls. The boys listed their own names and were neither competing with each other nor soliciting sexual relationships to be listed, Hirschfeld said, and the investigator found no violations of state law.

Current students have been disciplined, he said.

"While we recognize our community is not immune to the pressure adolescents face in today's world, it is our shared belief that our community and our values do not tolerate disrespectful behavior of any kind," he wrote.

The director of public affairs at the NH Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, Amanda Grady Sexton, criticized the school for relying on a private investigator.

"Under no circumstances should schools be launching their own investigations into suspected child abuse or criminal activity, and we hope that this practice has come to an end at St. Paul's School," she said.

School officials have said they're cooperating with the attorney general's investigation, which is focused on whether the school engaged in conduct that endangered the welfare of a child. Authorities also are looking into whether the school violated a law that prohibits obstructing criminal investigations.

The spotlight first fell on St. Paul's when new graduate Owen Labrie, of Tunbridge, Vermont, was charged with sexually assaulting a freshman girl as part of Senior Salute, a tradition in which seniors seek out younger students as sexual conquests.

Labrie was acquitted in 2015 of raping a 15-year-old girl but was convicted of misdemeanor sexual assault, child endangerment and using a computer to lure the girl for sex, a felony that requires him to register as a sex offender for life. Although sentenced to a year in jail, the 21-year-old Labrie has remained free under curfew while he appeals his convictions. He was 18 at the time of the assault.

The report released in May detailed sexual misconduct at the school spanning decades. It found credible allegations against 13 former faculty and staff along with evidence the school failed to either protect students or fully investigate their complaints when asked 17 years ago. The school has denied it has a culture of sexual abuse but has enacted measures to address the issue.
Chris Froome reclaimed the yellow jersey in the Tour de France as Michael Matthews won stage 14 in Rodez.

Australian Matthews burst clear of Belgian Greg Van Avermaet on the steep finish to the 181.5km stage from Blagnac to claim honours on the day.

Team Skys Froome crossed the line just behind in seventh place while Astanas Fabio Aru struggled up the hill and lost his overall lead.

Three-time Tour winner Froome now leads the general classification by 18 seconds from the Italian, with Frenchman Romain Bardet of AG2R La Mondiale third, 23 seconds back.

 FLASH  A fast uphill finish, Chris Froome back in Yellow and @blingmatthews' great win in Rodez! #TDF2017 pic.twitter.com/hEwis05mhr  Tour de France (@LeTour) July 15, 2017

With gradients of 10 per cent in the 600-metre climb to the finish line, Saturdays stage was primed for the punchers and so it proved as Matthews did battle with Philippe Gilbert, Edvald Boasson Hagen, and Van Avermaet  winner on this finish in 2015.

Quick-Step Floors Gilbert went early with BMCs Van Avermaet on his wheel, but Matthews burst past them both and the Team Sunweb rider had time to celebrate before the line.

Van Avermaet finished second with Norwegian Boasson Hagen of Team Dimension Data completing the podium.

The climb was enough to create gaps in the peloton, and Froome pounced to significantly boost his bid for a fourth Tour crown and third in a row.

Victoire pour @blingmatthews ! Et de 2 pour @TeamSunweb ! / Second stage win for Sunweb with Matthews today! #TDF2017 pic.twitter.com/4cqIns2hb2  Tour de France (@LeTour) July 15, 2017

Irishman Dan Martin and Colombian Rigoberto Uran were with Froome at the line to strengthen their places in the overall top 10 while others lost pockets of time.

Cannondale-Drapacs Uran sits fourth, 29 seconds down, with Froomes Spanish team-mate Mikel Landa 77 seconds off the pace in fifth place.

Martin once again defied the back problems he has been suffering since a crash on the Mont du Chat last week with a fine ride, and is now only 86 seconds off yellow in sixth.

Burys Simon Yates of Orica-Scott retains the white jersey as the best young rider, seventh overall and two minutes and two seconds behind Froome.

Bury's Simon Yates retains the white jersey for the leading young rider

Froome had lost yellow on Thursdays stage to Peyragudes, but blamed the time he gave up on the brutal final climb up the mountaintop airfield on a lack of proper fuelling rather than a loss of form.

There was certainly no shortage of power in the way he attacked the finish to this stage, and he will now hope to carry yellow to Paris.

Weve given up the yellow jersey once and Ive seen a pretty disappointed Froomey when he had to hand it over, Skys Luke Rowe said at the finish. He wont do it again.

This remains the closest the Tour de France has ever been at this stage in the race, but even after losing yellow Froome stayed favourite for overall victory with a time trial still to come in Marseille next weekend.

RT pour gagner ce @MaillotjauneLCL @lecoqsportif signe par @chrisfroome / RT to win this Yellow Jersey signed by Froome #TDF2017 pic.twitter.com/G4a5u6nQIn  Tour de France (@LeTour) July 15, 2017

That status is only reinforced with the yellow jersey back on his shoulders.

It did help to know the finish from two years ago, but Im back in yellow because the team kept me at the front, Froome said.

Without their job, theres no way I could keep my position. In the last 500m, I heard shouting in radio, push, push, push Its amazing to hear that. Every second here is worth fighting for. It is still so close.
Roger Federer is on the cusp of winning his 19th grand slam title at Wimbledon on Sunday but Marin Cilic stands in his way.

Federer will be the overwhelming favourite to beat Cilic on Centre Court but he has not always had it easy against the Croatian.

Here, Press Association Sport looks at three talking points ahead of the final.

Can Cilic do it again?

Cilic has only beaten Federer once in seven attempts, but after losing their first five encounters in a row he has caused the Swiss problems in the last two.

Federer was blown away by Cilic in the US Open semi-final in 2014 when the Croatian blitzed his way to a 6-3 6-4 6-4 win before going on to lift the title.

Then last year, in the quarter-finals at Wimbledon, he almost did it again, leading Federer by two sets and with three match points, before his opponent roared back to win in five. Cilic knows he has the weapons to beat Federer. He just has to find them.

Might Federer get nervous?

So so happy and privileged to be in another @Wimbledon final. See you all Sunday   Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) July 14, 2017

While last years meeting will perhaps give Cilic confidence, Federer is a different player this year.

With his knee fixed and body rested after sitting out the French Open, Federer is yet to drop a set at this years tournament.

But the 35-year-old is bidding to win a record eighth Wimbledon crown and he knows he may not have many more chances to pull clear of Pete Sampras and William Renshaw in the all-time list.

All the pressure is on Federer and while history suggests few know better how to handle the big occasion, Cilic will be hoping to capitalise.

Could the court be a factor?

The courts at Wimbledon have been criticised this year

Venus Williams took a long and suspicious look at the Centre Court baseline and, clearly unimpressed, made an enquiry to the umpire before the start of the womens final on Saturday.

Federer himself said the courts were slippery last week while Andy Murray thought they were not as good as last year.

Williams watched at least two balls die as they struck the lines against Garbine Murguruza and while it is not unusual for the baseline to be worn at this stage of the fortnight, Federer and Cilic might be wary of more bad bounces on Sunday.
John McDonnell has said people responsible for social murder at Grenfell Tower should be held to account.

The shadow chancellor insisted he has no regrets for saying the victims of the disaster in west London were murdered by political decisions taken over recent decades.

He reiterated the claim and defended his previous remarks while appearing on BBC 1s Andrew Marr Show.

(Jeff Overs/BBC/PA)

At least 80 people are thought to have died in last months devastating fire at Grenfell Tower.

Mr McDonnell, asked if he regretted saying people were murdered by political decisions, replied: No I dont regret that. I was extremely angry with what went on. Im a west London MP, this site is not far from me.

Political decisions were made which resulted in the deaths of these people. Thats a scandal.

Firefighters spraying water at Grenfell Tower

Pressed on the use of the word murder, Mr McDonnell replied: Theres a long history in this country of the concept of social murder where decisions are made with no regard to consequences of that, and as a result of that people have suffered.

Thats whats happened here, and Im angry.

He added: I believe social murder has occurred in this incidence and I believe people should be accountable.

Mr McDonnell, asked to explain who are the murderers, said: I think theres been a consequence of political decisions over years that have not addressed the housing crisis that weve had, that have cut back on local government so proper inspections have not been made, 11,000 firefighter jobs have been cut as well  even the investment in aerial ladders, and things like that in our country.

John McDonnell and Andrew Marr

Presenter Andrew Marr asked if the Labour MP was suggesting the politicians who sanctioned the cuts are murderers.

Mr McDonnell replied: I believe politicians have to be held to account. I remain angry at how many people have lost their lives as a result of political decisions made over years.

He added: I do not resile from what Ive said and I remain angry at the loss of life that has taken place not far away from my constituency.

Mr McDonnell made his original comments  that people at Grenfell Tower were murdered by political decisions that were taken over recent decades  during a debate at Glastonbury Festivals Left Field tent, which asked whether democracy is broken.

Philip Hammond

Mr McDonnells claim that the fire was social murder was roundly condemned by Chancellor Philip Hammond.

It is a disgraceful suggestion in line with many other things John McDonnell has said over the years. There is absolutely not a shred of evidence to support that, he told The Andrew Marr Show.
Donald Trumps lawyer has said that there was nothing illegal in the meeting the presidents eldest son had with a Russian lawyer during last years presidential campaign.

Donald Trump Jrs willingness to meet with the lawyer in the expectation of receiving incriminating information about Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton has raised new questions about possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.

How do we know Trump jr meeting w Russians lasted only 20 mins? How do we know there was no significant information received -or given?  Mia Farrow (@MiaFarrow) July 16, 2017

The presidents lawyer, Jay Sekulow, defended Mr Trump and his son in a series of appearances on Sunday on five television networks.

Donald Trump

He said repeatedly that nothing in the meeting was in violation of the law.

In addition to Mr Trump Jr, others in the June 2016 meeting included President Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort, both of whom played major roles in the campaign.
The latest bizarre revelation about the Russian governments meddling in the 2016 U.S. elections dominated national news last week.

Yet the American public is still substantially in the dark about this meeting. On Friday, McClatchy Washington Bureau reported that a Russian-American lobbyist also attended that Trump Tower meeting. Donald Trump Jr. didnt mention the lobbyist when he purported to be transparent about the meeting at the same hour it was being disclosed by the New York Times  13 months after it occurred.

As Americans try to make sense of this Trump family intrigue, the Donald Trump Jr. story has nearly obliterated public discourse on crucial policy issues, such as the Senates health care legislation that could be voted on before the end of July.

Although Donald Trump Jr. admits expecting to get negative information about Clinton at that June 2016 meeting, he claims that no such information was actually provided. Yes, he put his hand in the cookie jar, but he didnt get any cookies.

That doesnt excuse his terrible judgment. Donald Trump Jr. compromised himself  and the other Trump aides he brought to the meeting. Writing for the National Review, David French explains the blackmail threat well:

By taking meetings with enemies, expressing a willingness to cooperate with enemies, and concealing those meetings, you grant your enemy leverage over your political fortunes. We do not know the extent of the Trump teams interactions with the Russians. The Russians, however, do, and they know if the Trump team is lying in its most current round of public statements. If there are further contacts or more or different embarrassing paper trails, then that knowledge can hang like the sword of Damocles over the heads of relevant Trump officials. Can that impact their dealings with Russia?

Appalling disregard for honesty is a terrible distraction from the bad policy changes that have been made in the first six months of this administration and are being made  like ripping apart the nation's health care safety net.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller and the FBI should be investigating Donald Trump Jr.s Russian contacts, along with other evidence of Russias attempts to influence, disrupt and discredit Americas election process. House and Senate committees must pursue truth before party loyalty to publicly disclose what really occurred as Vladimir Putin infiltrated Americas free and open election process.

Its going to take time to unravel the Russian connections. First, Americans need to pay attention to what Congress and the president are doing this week. Legislation is pending in the Senate and has passed the House to drastically reduce access to health care for middle- and low-income Americans, especially for women. Speak up now to prevent Washington, D.C., from harming Americas health.
Joanne Calderwood could not salvage Scottish pride as all three home fighters suffered defeat on UFCs return to Glasgow.

A sell-out crowd of more than 10,000 packed into the SSE Hydro hoping to cheer Calderwood and compatriots Stevie Ray and Paul Craig to victory.

Joanne Calderwood (blue shorts) is defeated by Cynthia Calvillo

But there was to be no repeat of the promotions first visit to the city back in 2015, when Calderwood and Ray both tasted triumph.

Kilmarnocks Calderwood  ranked number eight on the UFCs strawweight contenders list  had to forfeit 20 per cent of her purse after failing to make the 115 pound limit.

But her weight advantage did not put off rival Cynthia Calvillo, who now extends her unbeaten record to six straight wins.

THE first fighter with 3 wins in 2017... all before the end of July!! @Cyn_Calvillo #UFCGlasgow pic.twitter.com/LO5BIDwQwa  UFC (@ufc) July 16, 2017

The American has been tipped for a big future by UFC president Dana White and showed why late in the first round of the co-main event as she dragged Calderwood to the floor before looking to lock in the Scots arm.

Calderwood wriggled clear but had her face smeared with blood early in the second as Carvillo connected with a precise left hook.

The Hydro leapt to its feet as both women went for a spinning back fist but it was the home favourite who made the bigger connection. Both acknowledged the others attempt with a mid-round high-five.

But the hostilities resumed in the third and Calderwood was relieved to hear the buzzer as Calvillo dragged her down and went for another rear choke hold.

There seemed to be a disagreement between the fighters at the end and the judges did little to brighten Calderwoods mood as they declared Calvillo the victor by 30-27, 30-27, 30-28.

More boos as Calvino gets the call. Tough night for the Scots pic.twitter.com/g9hDZn0j36  Andy Newport (@AndyNewportDR) July 16, 2017

Ray, meanwhile, was looking to boost his hopes of a bumper new UFC contract with a third straight win against Philadelphias Paul Felder but ended up suffering the first knock-out of his career.

The Kirkcaldy clubber lasted barely four minutes before the referee called a halt to Irish Dragon Felders onslaught.

More disappointment for the home crowd. Felder stops Ray midway through R1 after dropping him with knee and then a flurry of elbows pic.twitter.com/pq0SB1f0P7  Andy Newport (@AndyNewportDR) July 16, 2017

He sent his lightweight opponent to the floor with a vicious knee before ending it with three thudding elbows into Rays jaw.

Again good to see @StevenRayMMA back on his feet and no lasting damage pic.twitter.com/gugQO7tS1E  Andy Newport (@AndyNewportDR) July 16, 2017

The first big clash of the night also saw another local favourite suffer disappointment as former teacher Craig was stopped by Vegas Khalil Rountree.

The American light heavyweight seemed able to land his left-hand at will and eventually dropped his Airdrie opponent with a crushing uppercut. When he raced in to rain down a series of hammers there was no other option but to call the fight off.

Good to see @PCraigmma leave ring under his own steam. Was a brutal stoppage pic.twitter.com/kh0frMesra  Andy Newport (@AndyNewportDR) July 16, 2017

There was Scottish success on the undercard, however, as Edinburgh lightweight Danny Henry got his UFC career off to a winning start after receiving the unanimous nod from the judges after outlasting Swede Daniel Teymur over three rounds for a debut win.

The main event saw Conor McGregors gym-mate Gunnar Nelson suffer a surprise defeat as he was knocked out by Argentine welterweight Santiago Ponzinibbio midway through the first round.

Meanwhile, Welshman Jack Marshman also got the decision in his middleweight war with Canadas Ryan Janes.
The American doctor who has offered to treat Charlie Gard has attended a meeting at Great Ormond Street Hospital, to help decide whether the 11-month-old will go to the US for treatment.

Michio Hirano, a professor of neurology at the Columbia University Medical Centre in New York, spent around four and a half hours inside the hospital on Monday.

Charlie suffers from mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome (Family handout/PA)

Great Ormond Street Hospital said there was an honorary contract in place, meaning that for the duration of the visit Dr Hirano had the same rights as one of the hospitals own clinicians.

He was also given full access to Charlies medical records, and hospital and clinical facilities, including diagnostic images.

Dr Hirano was also given an opportunity to examine Charlie, according to the hospital.

Chris Gard and Connie Yates have clashed with doctors (Family handout/PA)

Meetings between the American neurosurgeon and other medical experts are due to continue on Tuesday.

A judge has previously ruled that Charlies mother, Connie Yates, can be present for the meetings with Dr Hirano.

Charlies parents are fighting for the right to take the 11-month-old to the US for a therapy trial for his rare genetic condition, overseen by Dr Hirano.

Charlie is being treated in Great Ormond Street Hospital in London (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

Great Ormond Street Hospital specialists say that treatment will not work, and the little boys life support should be turned off.

His parents, from Bedfont, west London, have already lost battles in the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. They also failed to persuade European Court of Human Rights judges to intervene.

Mr Justice Francis has considered the couples latest claims at preliminary hearings in the Family Division of the High Court in London over the last few days.

He is due to stage further hearings later this month following this weeks specialist gathering.
David Cameron has suggested he would like to strap some of his former Cabinet colleagues on a raft and send them down a very, very dangerous river.

The former prime minister warned the Conservatives risked slipping backwards by moving away from the liberal agenda he championed as leader from 2005-16.

And he suggested the administration that succeeded his last year needed to do more to present an inspiring vision to counter the appeal of Labours Jeremy Corbyn.

Really +ve & uplifing first meeting of @NCS Patrons yesterday - listening & learning from grads & meeting inspirational teens taking part. pic.twitter.com/ztE7JY39Sc  David Cameron (@David_Cameron) July 15, 2017

Speaking to the Evening Standard after chairing a board meeting of patrons of the National Citizen Service (NCS) scheme, which he founded, Mr Cameron said: It is very important that the Conservative Party doesnt slip backwards.

The Conservative Party only succeeds if it is a party of the future.

Modernisation isnt an event. It is a process. A political party should be asking itself all the time, Am I properly in touch with and reflecting the society and the country?.

I want us to go on being the open, liberal, tolerant party that we became post-2005 because I think that was part of our success.

By bringing young people together @NCS can change lives & our country too. Heres why it's needed more than ever: https://t.co/4GCiJP2svx  David Cameron (@David_Cameron) July 14, 2017

Asked whether any of his former Cabinet colleagues could benefit from the kind of outward-bound courses which NCS provides, Mr Cameron said: If it involved crossing a very, very dangerous river on a raft, I can think of a few Id want to strap together.

Mr Cameron said that Tories needed to push their idealistic vision to counter Mr Corbyns drive for younger voters.

We on the centre-right side of the argument have to have just as inspiring a vision, a more inspiring vision, of how you build not just a strong economy but a strong society and a better life, he said.

David Cameron with Jeremy Corbyn (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

A lot of young Corbyn backers had forgotten just how dangerous this full-on programme of nationalisation, state control and rampantly high taxes can be, he said.

Mr Cameron said he was halfway through writing his memoirs and was enjoying the process, even though it was hard work.

He said he hoped they would be a rip-roaring read.
Cuco Martina has been reunited with his old Southampton boss Ronald Koeman after moving to Everton on a free transfer.

The right-back, 27, was out of contract with the Saints after two years on the south coast and has now penned a three-year deal at Goodison Park.

Curacao international Martina was signed by Southampton when Toffees boss Koeman was in charge and the defender has also played under Everton assistant Erwin Koeman, Ronalds brother, during his time in Holland.

Cuco Martina

Everton have had a busy summer in the transfer market, bringing in the likes of Wayne Rooney, Sandro Ramirez and Jordan Pickford, and Martina admits their approach persuaded him to move to Merseyside.

Everton is a big club with big ambitions and Im really looking forward to joining this group of players and the manager as we try to step forward next season, the defender told evertonfc.com.

Obviously, I know the manager from my time at Southampton, so I know what he wants and he knows what I can do.

Everton supporters are really passionate about their club and everyones excited about where the club is aiming. You can see this is a club that wants to achieve something and the players we are bringing certainly show this.

The Toffees regular right-back Seamus Coleman suffered a double-leg break while on international duty in March so will miss the start of this campaign, while Koeman was also keen to acquire more defensive options ahead of their return to the Europa League.

Cuco Martina is an experienced player who can perform in different positions at the back, which is important, Koeman added.

 | @RonaldKoeman believes Martinas ability to play in several positions will be a valuable asset to #EFC



 https://t.co/DQGtigws9q pic.twitter.com/mdkR4ZKar1  Everton (@Everton) July 17, 2017

Its also important, with the number of games we will face in the coming campaign, that we have strength and competition in the squad.

I brought the player to Southampton, so I know what he can do for us here and this is why Ive now brought him to Everton. He is a player who will strengthen our squad and be able to play in different positions when thats needed, too.

Martina made 36 appearances over two seasons with Saints and scored just once, although it was a stunning long-range strike in a 4-0 victory over Arsenal in 2015.

Evertons latest recruit was part of the travelling party bound for Holland on Monday as part of their pre-season preparations.

Under-21 internationals Pickford and Sandro, who missed last weeks friendly in Tanzania having been given extra time off after featuring at Euro 2017, were also on the plane but Ross Barkley was not.

The club have explained a groin injury has again prevented the midfielder from joining Koemans squad.

Barkley had been given an ultimatum this summer of signing a new contract or being sold but last week his manager claimed his future was no clearer.
A teenager has been charged over a suspected acid attack in London.

The incident took place on Burdett Road in Mile End on July 4.

A man in his 20s and a woman in her 40s were taken to hospital for treatment. Both victims are yet to be named following the attack.

The incident took place on Burdett Road (pictured) in Mile End, east London, on July 4

The Metropolitan Police revealed that Mustafa Ahmed has been charged in connection with the incident.

He will appear at Thames Magistrates' Court today to face two charges - one count of wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm (GBH) and one count of attempted wounding with intent to do GBH.

Scotland Yard said three other teenage youths arrested on suspicion of GBH have all been released under investigation.
KINSHASA, July 13 (Reuters) - The son-in-law of Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos said on 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 neighbouring 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 Wednesday's 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.

Kabila's 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 due to challenges registering millions of voters. Opposition leaders accuse Kabila of trying to cling to power.

A Congo government spokesman said he was not aware of Dokolo's conviction. Authorities have repeatedly rejected allegations that Congo's justice system is targeting Kabila's opponents.

Dokolo has emerged in recent months as one of Kabila's fiercest critics, especially on Twitter, following the president's refusal to step down when his constitutional mandate expired in December.

After Wednesday's 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 Defence Minister Joao Lourenco, the ruling party's 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 due to growing Angolan frustration over Congo's 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 neighbouring countries. (Reporting By Aaron Ross; Editing by Toby Chopra)
PRAGUE, July 14 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press reports and events to watch which may affect Czech financial markets on Friday. ALL TIMES GMT (Czech Republic: GMT + 2 hours) =========================ECONOMIC DATA========================== Real-time economic data releases.................... Summary of economic data and forecasts........... Recently released economic data.................. Previous stories on Czech data............. **For a schedule of corporate and economic events: http://emea1.apps.cp.thomsonreuters.com/Apps/CountryWeb/#/2E/events-overview =========================NEWS=================================== T-BILLS: The yield on an 8-week Czech Treasury bill hit a new low of -0.4 percent at an auction on Thursday as demand jumped due to a larger chunk of money chasing the short-term paper after a redemption in June, dealers said. Story: Related stories: WHITE LIONS: A zoo in the Czech Republic is celebrating the birth of quintuplet white lions, a rare breed on the verge of extinction in the wild. Story: Related stories: CEE MARKETS: The Czech Republic sold 8-week Treasury bills at the lowest ever yield and Central European government paper firmed on Thursday as markets were awash with money and investors expected slower monetary tightening in the United States. Story: Related stories: ---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------ Index/Crown Currency Latest Prev Pct change Pct change close on day in 2017 vs Euro 26.1 26.118 0.07 3.36 vs Dollar 22.847 22.857 0.04 10.92 Czech Equities 1,000.92 1,000.92 0.17 8.61 U.S. Equities 21,553.09 21,532.14 0.1 9.06 Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1500 GMT ========================PRESS DIGEST======================== BMW: BMW may invest billions of crowns into a testing centre for self-driving cars in the Czech Republic, the paper said citing unnamed sources and an interview with Finance Minister Ivan Pilny, who just mentioned that talks with the carmaker were under way, but declined further comment. Neither BMW nor the Czech state's investment arm, Czechinvest, were willing to comment on the contract. Mlada Fronda Dnes, page 1 (Reuters has not verified the stories, nor does it vouch for their accuracy.) For real-time stock market index quotes click in brackets: Warsaw WIG20 Budapest BUX Prague PX For updates on CEE currencies TOP NEWS -- Emerging markets Prague Newsroom: +420 224 190 477 E-mail: prague.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com (Reporting by Prague Newsroom)
DUBAI, July 16 (Reuters) - An Iranian court has sentenced a U.S. dual national to 10 years in jail on spying charges, Iran's judiciary spokesman said on Sunday, the latest case involving dual citizens held on security charges in the country.

The spokesman did not name the person or give any details about when the sentence was passed but said the person was a citizen of the United States and an unnamed country other than Iran.

"This person, who was gathering information and was directly guided by America, was sentenced to 10 years in prison, but the sentence can be appealed," spokesman Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei said on state television.

Mizan, the Iranian judiciary's official news site, later identified the American as Xiyue Wang, whom it said is a 37-year-old Beijing-born historian at Princeton University who was "spying under the cover of research".

The U.S. State Department did not identify its jailed citizen, but accused Iran of fabricating national security-related charges to detain Americans and other foreigners.

"We call for the immediate release of all U.S. citizens unjustly detained in Iran so they can return to their families," a State Department official said. "All U.S. citizens, especially dual nationals, considering travel to Iran should carefully read our latest Travel Warning."

Wang was also active at the university's Sharmin and Bijan Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Iran and Persian Gulf Studies, which Mizan said has links to Western intelligence agencies and Israel.

"The American spy arrested in Iran was also at the center and his mission was to collect confidential information and documents," Mizan said, adding that he had copied 4,500 documents.

Wang was arrested in July 2016 as he was trying to leave Iran "after he became nervous about his situation", Mizan said.

Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers lifted most international sanctions and promised Iran's reintegration into the global community in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program.

The potential detente with the West has alarmed Iranian hardliners, who have seen a flood of European trade and investment delegations arrive in Tehran to discuss possible deals, according to Iran experts.

Security officials have arrested dozens of artists, journalists and businessmen, including Iranians holding joint American, European or Canadian citizenship, as part of a crackdown on "Western infiltration."

The arrests have undermined Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's goals of reviving business and political ties with the West, as well as pushing for more political and social reforms at home, Iran experts and observers said.

Several Iranian dual nationals from the United States, Britain, Austria, Canada and France have been detained in the past year and are being kept behind bars on charges including espionage and collaborating with hostile governments. (Reporting by Dubai newsroom; Additional reporting by Lucia Mutikani in Washington; Editing by Richard Balmforth and Sandra Maler)
BEIJING, July 17 (Reuters) - China's top graft-buster launched a scathing attack on the ruling Communist Party's members on Monday, writing that party political culture remained "unhealthy" and governance weak even after five years of renewed effort to fight the problem.

The comments by Wang Qishan, who runs the party's anti-corruption watchdog, came after sources said a senior official who was considered a contender for promotion at autumn's key party congress is being investigated for "discipline violations".

Wang said the routine anti-graft inspections that have begun since President Xi Jinping took office five years ago always discovered the same problems.

"All of the issues discovered during the inspections reflect the weakening of party leadership, shortcomings in party building and insufficient efforts to strictly enforce party discipline," Wang wrote in the party's official People's Daily.

"Party concepts are faint, organisation is lax and discipline flabby. The root is in the party's internal political life being not serious and unhealthy," he said.

Xi's crackdown on corruption has seen dozens of senior officials jailed, reaching right into the upper echelons of the party. Xi has warned, like others before him, that the problem is so serious it could affect the party's grip on power.

The party has declared that its campaign against corruption will never end.

The crackdown has not just been focused on issues like bribery and using public money to fund lavish lifestyles. It has also taken aim at those whose political loyalty is found lacking or who express doubt in public about party policies.

Wang said some party members practised "political nihilism", casting aside their beliefs, while others were guilty of "phoney politics", seeing the word of the leadership as nothing more than slogans.

The party has long said it alone can deal with corruption, dismissing any calls for an independent body separate from the party to tackle the issue.

"If you leave the leadership of the party, inspections cannot play such an important role and achieve such obvious results," Wang wrote. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Paul Tait)
By Christine Kim

SEOUL, July 17 (Reuters) - South Korea on Monday proposed military talks with North Korea, the first formal overture to Pyongyang by the government of President Moon Jae-in, to discuss ways to avoid hostile acts near the heavily militarised border.

There was no immediate response from North Korea to the proposal for talks later this week. The two sides technically remain at war but Moon, who came to power in May, has pledged to engage North Korea in dialogue as well as bring pressure to impede its nuclear and missile programmes.

The offer comes after North Korea claimed to have conducted the first test of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) earlier this month, and said it had mastered the technology to mount a nuclear warhead on the missile.

"Talks and cooperation between the two Koreas to ease tension and bring about peace on the Korean peninsula will be instrumental for pushing forth a mutual, virtuous cycle for inter-Korea relations and North Korea's nuclear problem," South Korea's Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon told a news briefing.

The United States, South Korea's main ally, which has been trying to rally international support for tougher sanctions on North Korea, appeared cool to the proposal, recalling President Donald Trump's statements that conditions must be right for dialogue.

"I think the President has made clear in the past with respect that any type of conditions that would have to be met are clearly far away from where we are now," White House spokesman Sean Spicer told a news briefing.

The South Korean defence ministry proposed talks with the North on July 21 at Tongilgak to stop all activities that fuel tension at the military demarcation line.

Tongilgak is a North Korean building at the Panmunjom truce village on the border used for previous inter-Korea talks. The last such talks were held in December 2015.

Cho also urged restoration of cross-border military and government hotlines that North Korea cut last year in response to South Korea's imposition of new economic sanctions after a nuclear test by Pyongyang.

South Korea also proposed separate talks by the rival states' Red Cross organisations to resume a humanitarian project to reunite families separated during the 1950-53 Korean War.

The South Korean Red Cross suggested talks be held on Aug. 1, with possible reunions over the Korean thanksgiving Chuseok holiday, which falls in October.

The last such reunions were in October 2015.

BEIJING IN FAVOUR

China, which has close ties to Pyongyang despite its anger over North Korea's missile and nuclear tests, welcomed the proposal, saying cooperation and reconciliation could help ease tensions.

"We hope that North and South Korea can work hard to go in a positive direction and create conditions to break the deadlock and resume dialogue and consultation," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told a daily news briefing.

The proposals come after Moon said at the G20 summit in Hamburg this month he was in favour of dialogue despite the "nuclear provocation" of North Korea's latest missile test.

When Moon visited Washington after being elected president, he and Trump said they were open to renewed dialogue with North Korea but only under circumstances that would lead to Pyongyang giving up its weapons programmes.

"The fact that we wish to take on a leading role in resolving this (North Korean) issue has already been understood at the summit with the United States and the Group of 20 summit meetings," Cho said on Monday.

In the proposal for talks, South Korea did not elaborate on the meaning of hostile military activities, which varies between the two Koreas. South Korea usually refers to loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts by both sides, while North Korea wants a halt to routine joint U.S.-South Korea military drills.

Moon suggested this month that hostile military activities at the border be ended on July 27, the anniversary of the 1953 armistice agreement. Since no truce was agreed, the two sides remain technically at war.

Asked if South Korea was willing to be "flexible" on military drills with the United States should North Korea be open to talks, Cho said the government had not discussed the matter specifically.

Pyongyang has said it will not engage in talks with Seoul unless it turns over 12 waitresses who defected to South Korea last year after leaving a North Korean restaurant in China.

North Korea says South Korea abducted the waitresses, but Seoul has said they defected of their own free will. Cho said this matter was not included on the talks agenda. (Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in BEIJING and David Brunnstrom in WASHINGTON; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan and Diane Craft)
Dear Doctor: My daughter always gives my grandson her cellphone to play with -- and he's only 18 months old. I read that this can cause speech delays. How serious is the risk? Does it stunt children in other ways?

Dear Reader: The allure of the screen is powerful. We've all seen pairs of diners in restaurants, rows of parents at the playground and groups standing together at a party, each absorbed in the solo glow of their smartphone.

Now, with handheld devices taking so many forms, it's no surprise that children who haven't yet begun to speak know their way around an iPad. Perhaps nothing drives this point home better than a YouTube video (almost 5 million views so far) that shows a 1-year-old tapping and swiping on a magazine, frustrated as she tries to make it behave like the tablet she so clearly prefers.

Now comes a study that suggests this early affinity for digital gadgets may come at a price. Led by Catherine Birken, M.D., a staff pediatrician and scientist at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, the findings suggest a link between the amount of time children under 18 months old spend with a handheld screen, and a delay in their use of expressive language.

Over the course of the four-year study, parents of 894 children between the ages of 6 months and 2 years clocked how much time their kids spent with handheld screens. By the time of their 18-month check-ups, one-fifth of the children logged 28 minutes per day.

By using a test that measures language delay, researchers found a link between increased screen time and a lag in the use of expressive language. They looked at behaviors like whether a child used words or sounds to interact with others, how each child put words together, and how many words a child knew and understood.

It turns out that every 30-minute increase in screen time resulted in an additional 50 percent risk of language delay. But there was reassuring news as well. Developing other forms of communication, such as social interaction, body language and gestures, didn't slow down due to screen time.

These results back recommendations made by the American Academy of Pediatrics last year. The academy suggests that, other than the occasional video chat, kids younger than 18 months should be completely unplugged. And while that makes wrangling a cranky infant (or two) at the grocery store checkout line even more challenging, the payoff is you increase the odds that your child will develop well-rounded and age-appropriate communication skills.

Once kids pass the 18-month threshold, a digital free-for-all is not the answer. Instead, this is the time to gradually introduce them to high-quality programming. Spend time with them as they explore; help them understand what they're seeing. And just as importantly -- teach them there's a time to put the screens away.

The truth is -- and here we circle back to the universal allure of screens -- we all have to lead by example. Read a book, play a board game, go for a walk. Put the phone down. If we won't, why will they?
By Isabel Coles

BARTELLA, Iraq, July 17 (Reuters) - Their husbands, sons and brothers are dead, but the women and children Islamic State militants left behind will live to pay the price for their actions.

As Islamic State's days of ruling over vast swathes of Iraq come to an end, questions are emerging about what to do with their families.

For now, many of them are effectively imprisoned in a rubbish strewn encampment east of Mosul, where the last people to be displaced from the city have been taken.

"All the men were killed," said 62 year-old Umm Hamoudi, who fled the Midan district last week with 21 members of her family -- all women and children.

Her husband, an Islamic State member, was wounded in the fighting for the Old City. They tried to carry him off the battlefield but he was too heavy, so they said goodbye and left him there to die.

Displaced civilians are returning home to rebuild their lives, but those who suffered three years of extreme violence and privation under Islamic State say the militants' relatives have no place among them.

Leaflets threatening militants' families have appeared in areas retaken from Islamic State, and vigilantes have thrown grenades at their homes.

"Revenge is not a cure," said Ali Iskander, the head of the Bartella district where the camp is located. "These families should undergo rehabilitation courses"

Local authorities in Mosul recently issued a decree to exile Islamic State families to camps so they can be rehabilitated ideologically.

But rights groups say collective punishment undermines the prospects for reconciliation after Islamic State, and risks fostering a generation of outcasts with no stake in Iraq.

"If we isolate them, how will we bring them back into the fold of the nation?" said a local official visiting the camp on Saturday. "They will become Daesh".

"WE ARE LOST NOW"

Umm Hamoudi's daughter was only 14 years old when her father married her off to an Islamic State militant.

He too was killed around one year ago while the girl was pregnant with her first child, who lay sleeping on the floor of the tent, oblivious to the stigma that will likely cloud the rest of his life.

Umm Suhaib, 32, last heard from her husband two months ago. "He is certainly dead," she said, showing no emotion.

She threatened to leave him when he joined Islamic State around one year after the group took over, but did not because of their four children.

A devout Muslim, her husband was seduced by the idea of a modern-day caliphate, and offered his skills as an engineer in service of Islamic State's state-building project. He came to regret his decision, Umm Suhaib said, but by then it was too late. "He wasted his life and threw ours away with it," she said. "We are lost now".

Like other women whose male relatives joined Islamic State, Umm Suhaib said she was powerless to stop him.

"I have no authority over them," 50 year-old Fatima Shihab Ahmed said of her two brothers who joined the group. She believes one of them is still alive in the militant-held city of Tel Afar, which Iraqi forces plan to assault next.

Ahmed is also a suspect herself: a neighbor's son accused her of working for Islamic State's morality police known as the Hisba, which punished women who broke the militants' strict dress code. She denies it.

None of Umm Yousif's close male relatives joined Islamic State, she said. She was separated from her wounded husband as they fled the Midan district last week and believes he was taken to a hospital after being screened by Iraqi security forces for links with the militants.

"Maybe he is dead. Perhaps he is alive," she said, pleading to be allowed out of the camp so she could look for him.

"They say 'you are all Daesh', but we are not. Even if we were, what is it to do with women and children? Each person is responsible for himself." (Editing by Michael Perry)
SOFIA, July 17 (Reuters) - These are some of the main stories in Bulgarian newspapers on Monday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

-- Bulgarian border authorities have detained 15 illegal migrants in the region of the southern town of Svilengrad, the interior ministry said. Pre-trial proceedings have been initiated (Monitor, Standart, Trud)

-- The number of punished drug-related crimes in Bulgaria in 2016 were 2,079, nearly 20 percent more than in the previous yeara, the national statistical institute said in an annual report. A total of 1,906 people were convicted for this type of crime

-- Slavia Sofia defender Petko Hristov is set to join Italian Seria A club Fiorentina on a three-year contract, the Bulgaria U-19 international said (Tema Sport, Standart, Trud, 24 Chasa)
ANTANANARIVO, July 17 (Reuters) - Madagascar's finance minister announced his resignation on Monday following media speculation over differences of opinion between him and the president.

"The conditions enabling me to successfully complete my mission are not fulfilled," Gervais Rakotoarimanana told a news conference, without providing any further explanation for his decision.

"That's why I handed in my resignation as minister of finance and budget to the president of the republic on Friday." (reporting by Lova Rabary; writing by Katharine Houreld; Editing by Gareth Jones)
ANTANANARIVO, July 17 (Reuters) - Madagascar's finance minister announced his resignation on Monday, citing a lack of support and differing points of view.

While Gervais Rakotoarimanana did not identify who was behind the rift, media outlets have speculated over differences between him and the president, Hery Rajaonarimampianina.

Rakotoarimanana said he submitted his resignation to the president on Friday, blaming a "lack of support" for his decision to quit.

"There was also a different point of view and difference between methods of work," he told a news conference.

The Indian Ocean island state's economy has been struggling with a drought and the destruction caused by a severe cyclone, the International Monetary Fund said last month.

Madagascar is one of the world's poorest countries, despite reserves of nickel, cobalt, gold, uranium and other minerals.

The government's attempts to reform the mining sector were put on hold after investors expressed alarm.

"The conditions enabling me to successfully complete my mission are not fulfilled," Rakotoarimanana added.

(Reporting by Lova Rabary; writing by Duncan Miriri; Editing by Alison Williams)
By Lawrence White

LONDON, July 17 (Reuters) - The trial of Barclays and four former top executives charged with fraud over undisclosed payments to Qatari investors as part of a 12 billion pound ($15 billion) emergency fundraising during the 2008 financial crisis has been set for January 9 2019, a judge said on Monday.

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) last month charged Barclays Plc, John Varley, Roger Jenkins, Tom Kalaris and Richard Boath with conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation when they negotiated a capital injection for the bank from Qatar.

The bank, Varley and Jenkins also face one charge of unlawful financial assistance.

In a court hearing in London on Monday that lasted under one hour, Judge Andrew Edis set the date of the trial.

Barclays raised around 12 billion pounds in two emergency fundraisings in June and October 2008, mainly from wealthy Gulf investors, that allowed it to avoid being nationalised at the height of the credit crisis. (Writing by Anjuli Davies; Editing by Rachel Armstrong)
By Chijioke Ohuocha

LAGOS, July 17 (Reuters) - Shares in Nigerian oil company Oando fell close to a one-month low on Monday on news that regulators were investigating the firm's shareholding structure following its $1.65 billion acquisition of ConocoPhillips' Nigerian business.

Shares in Oando, which are also listed in Johannesburg and Toronto, fell 9.54 percent in Lagos, down for the second session in a row, to a level last seen in June.

"Our attention has been drawn to a report ... stating that Oando is under investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) following petitions filed by some foreign investors in Oando Nigeria Plc, in relation (to) shareholding structure," it said in a statement.

Oando acquired ConocoPhillips's Nigerian business in 2014 aimed at moving the business upstream into oil exploration and production from being a petroleum products retailer. But high financing costs coupled with lower oil prices have hit profits, analysts say.

The company said it was aware that the regulator was in receipt of a petition but that the claims were "unsubstantiated, misleading and defamatory" and that it had received board, shareholder and where required SEC approval on the matter.

It added that the company was cooperating with the SEC. (Editing by Greg Mahlich)
By Ori Lewis

GUSH ETZION SETTLEMENT, West Bank, July 17 (Reuters) - T aking in the scene of a simulated fruit market in an Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank, a group of tourists ponders whether a poster-size figure of an Arab man holding a cellphone is a threat and should be shot.

The aim of the mock scenario is to teach rapt foreign visitors how to deal with an attack on a market. It is part of a counter-terrorism "boot camp" organised by Caliber 3, a company set up by a colonel in the Israeli army reserves.

Entrance to the gated compound in the Gush Etzion settlement bloc - built on land the Palestinians want for their own state - costs $115 for adults and $85 for children.

Admission includes watching former Israeli commandos take down an "attacker" and other means to thwart assaults, including the use of an attack dog. Adults can shoot live rounds at a firing range.

While most of those signing up are American visitors, there have also been tourists from China, Japan, India and South America, keen to experience Israeli-style security training in an attraction condemned by the Palestinian mayor of the nearby town and an anti-settlement group.

The facility opened in 2003, running courses for security guards during a Palestinian uprising that included suicide bombings and shooting attacks and which was met by Israeli military operations across the West Bank. After the intifada subsided, tourist visits began in 2009.

The man in charge, Colonel Sharon Gat, said staff stressed the importance of vigilance and caution. The Arab man depicted on his cellphone was deemed innocent by the instructors, so the target did not end up being shot.

SECURITY INDUSTRY

"In two hours you can't become a professional, but we give visitors some awareness of what it means to secure yourself, your community and your family," said Gat.

"Many (visitors) have heard from their friends (about us), that this was the highlight of their trip to Israel and that is why they come. They know it's an attraction they can't see anywhere else," he said.

Yasser Sobih, mayor of the nearby Palestinian town of al-Khader, condemned the Israeli venture.

"The participation of tourists in training in these camps built on occupied Palestinian land means that they support the occupation and we ask them to stop it," he told Reuters.

One of the visitors, Rabbi Moshe Bryski of Agoura Hills in California, said that if he was ever caught in an attack, he would run and hide since he does not carry a weapon.

But he said the training had given him "an understanding and an appreciation of what those in the security industry face".

Yotam Yaakoba, of the anti-settlement group Peace Now, criticised the venture as a "cynical and unseemly way of making money from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict".

Many Israelis have served in the military, and it is not unusual for off-duty soldiers and police and some civilians to carry weapons in public, but gun control laws are strict.

Over the past two years, during a surge in Palestinian street attacks, Israeli passersby have in a few cases shot and wounded or killed assailants or suspected attackers.

Rights groups have accused Israel of using excessive force in some incidents. Israel says its forces act lawfully to counter lethal threats.

Palestinians want to establish a state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Along with most of the world, they consider settlements illegal and an obstacle to peace. Israel disagrees, citing biblical, historical and political connections to the land - many of which the Palestinians also claim - as well as security interests. (Additional reporting by Ali Sawafta in Ramallah, Editing by Jeffrey Heller and Alison Williams)
By Krisztina Than

BUDAPEST, July 17 (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is likely to focus on business rather than history in Budapest as he looks to deepen ties with Hungary, whose leader Viktor Orban's flirtation with the radical right has unnerved Jews living there.

During a two-day visit starting on Tuesday, Netanyahu will also meet the Polish, Czech and Slovak leaders as part of efforts to build support for Israel's interests in international forums.

He arrives at a sensitive moment, less than a month after Orban praised Hungary's interwar leader Miklos Horthy - a Hitler ally - and used an image of Jewish U.S. financier George Soros in an anti-immigration billboard campaign.

Yair Lapid, who heads Israel's centrist Yesh Atid opposition party, called on Netanyahu to cancel the visit over the poster campaign, which Budapest has denied was anti-Semitic. .

But Israel's foreign ministry last week accused Soros - who funds dozens of pro-democracy and human rights groups - of undermining the government, suggesting right-winger Netanyahu may find common ground with Orban over clampdowns on non-governmental organisations critical of their administrations.

"We had the Horthy (remark) and then the billboard campaign. The billboard campaign created a certain domino effect reaction in the Jewish community," Israeli ambassador Yossi Amrani told Reuters in Budapest. "People expressed fears."

Amrani reiterated that Israel was committed to protecting Jewish communities and fighting anti-Semitism. At the same time, Israel was seeking cooperation with Budapest.

"The PM is visiting because we believe there is common ground and certain strategic interests. We still believe this is possible," Amrani said.

Netanyahu's visit will be the first to Hungary by an Israeli prime minister since the fall of communism.

Like Hungary, Israel has passed legislation that seeks to limit the influence of NGOs that receive a large portion of their funding from abroad.

Human rights group Amnesty International said on Monday it was worrisome that both leaders were conducting campaigns against civil organisations.

"We call on both prime ministers to fundamentally change their attitude with relation to human rights," Amnesty said.

CARS AND FENCES

The meetings will focus on business cooperation, mainly in the car industry, as Central Europe hosts assembly plants of major manufacturers, the Israeli ambassador and an official close to Netanyahu told Reuters.

"There's quite a bit of economic activity in the region in which Israel shares an interest.. Israel has expertise in technology related to the (auto) industry," the official said.

"Israel has an interest in building good bilateral relations that are then reflected in multinational forums," he added.

Israel has sought better ties with countries that have a vote in multilateral forums, whether the EU or the United Nations, which it hopes will help defend its interests when Israel is criticised.

Poland has just been elected into the U.N. Security Council as a non-permanent member for the next two years.

Defence and security would also be discussed, as Europe struggles with the influx of migrants from the Middle East and Africa.

"Europe is awash in refugees so people are interested in how to deal with that issue," the official close to Netanyahu said.

Hungary, which built a double fence on its southern border to keep migrants out, has held discussions with Israel about purchasing security fences. (Additional reporting by Luke Baker in JERUSALEM; editing by John Stonestreet)
By Emma Batha

LONDON, July 17 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Scores of Turkish nationals living overseas risk being left stateless after Ankara threatened to strip them of citizenship over alleged links to last year's failed coup, rights campaigners said on Monday.

Turkey said last month it would revoke the nationality of 130 citizens unless they returned within three months and reported to the authorities.

Rights campaigners warned that Turkey's threats flew in the face of international law which prohibits the arbitrary deprivation of nationality.

Human rights lawyer Amal de Chickera said anyone not possessing a second nationality would risk ending up stateless, as would their children.

"There is extreme concern that this marks the beginning of the arbitrary deprivation of nationality en masse of those perceived as dissidents," added de Chickera, co-director of the Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion (ISI) think tank.

In a report on Monday, ISI urged the international community to consider granting refugee status to Turkish citizens who have been issued with summons, and said it should carefully monitor cases of anyone at risk of statelessness.

The 130 names include people who left Turkey after the attempted coup and others who have been living abroad for some time. One man who contacted ISI said his family had not been involved in any criminal activity and were now terrified.

A major crackdown since the defeated coup has deepened the divide between Western-facing, secular Turks and those who back President Tayyip Erdogan's Islamist-rooted politics.

More than 50,000 people have been detained for alleged links to the putsch, and some 150,000 people have been sacked or suspended from their jobs.

Erdogan warned on Saturday - the anniversary of the foiled coup - that "nobody who betrays this nation can remain unpunished".

De Chickera said Turkey was one of a growing number of states that were using threats to rescind citizenship as a "weapon to stifle dissent".

But he was not aware of any other country that had threatened to strip citizens of nationality for failing to present themselves for investigation.

He said ISI research also suggested that Turkish consulates were refusing to renew passports of other Turkish citizens living abroad "who have a black mark against their name", and were refusing to grant nationality to their children, potentially leaving them stateless.

Between April and June, ISI was alerted to nearly 80 cases concerning babies born to Turkish parents living in a dozen countries including Nigeria, Afghanistan, Egypt and Indonesia.

With no nationality, stateless people are denied the basic rights most people take for granted. Sometimes referred to as "legal ghosts", many live in destitution on the margins of society.

U.N. chief Antonio Guterres has described the plight of the world's estimated 10 million stateless people as a cancer that must be excised. The United Nations launched a campaign in 2014 to end statelessness in a decade.

(Editing by Ros Russell; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, which covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, corruption and climate change. Visit news.trust.org to see more stories.)
By Cyril Altmeyer and Victoria Bryan

PARIS, July 17 (Reuters) - Air France said it will move forward with plans to launch a new lower-cost airline this autumn after the project won approval from the main SNPL pilots' union on Monday.

The plan, dubbed "Boost", is Air France's response to pressure from Gulf carriers. It will operate 10 long-haul and 18 short-haul aircraft at lower costs than its main brand in a bid to restore some routes to profitability and gain new customers.

The chief executive of parent group Air France-KLM told Reuters last month that the new airline would attract not only younger customers on vacation, but also business customers.

The move comes as other traditional carriers launch their own budget, long-haul airlines to meet competition on the north Atlantic from the likes of Norwegian and Wow. Lufthansa offers low-cost, long-haul flights via its Eurowings budget subsidiary while British Airways-parent IAG launched new airline Level this year.

The trade union approved Air France's plans on Monday by a majority of just over 78 percent. The deal also includes efforts to increase productivity by around 40 million euros ($46 million) annually across the Air France operations, as part of the group's "Trust Together" programme.

The agreement comes just days after cabin crew also agreed a new collective agreement, thus removing two sources of uncertainty for Air France as it seeks to bring costs down and battle competition from the Gulf carriers on one side and budget rivals on the other.

Air France-KLM shares, which have already more than doubled this year in light of improving traffic and revenue trends, were up 2.5 percent in late session trading.

Air France's head of human resources said the airline aimed to recruit 250 pilots per year over the next three years.

Air France-KLM is due to report second-quarter results on July 28.

($1 = 0.8724 euros) (Reporting by Cyril Altmeyer; Additional reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta; Editing by Adrian Croft)
Bismarck Police said the man got in a grey pickup parked in the alley near Main Avenue and North Fifth Street and crashed it into another car parked in that alley. After that, he allegedly fled south by foot across the railroad tracks. The suspect was take into custody at Buffalo Wild Wings, 218 S. Third St., after a witness, who was following him, told police he was inside.
VILNIUS, July 17 (Reuters) - A Lithuanian accused of swindling Facebook and Google out of more than $100 million through an email fraud scheme must be extradited to the United States to stand trial, a court in Vilnius ruled on Monday.

Evaldas Rimasauskas denies the allegations and will appeal against the decision to a higher court, his lawyer said.

According to a U.S. indictment made public in March, Rimasauskas is charged with wire fraud and money laundering, which each carry a maximum prison sentence of 20 years, and identify theft, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of two years.

Rimasauskas has been in custody since March at the request of U.S. prosecutors.

"Material presented to the court provides enough evidence to think that Rimasauskas could have committed the deeds that he is accused of," the judge, Aiva Surviliene, said as he read the verdict.

But his lawyer, Snieguole Uzdanaviciene, said the evidence provided by U.S. prosecutors was too vague and would not be considered evidence in a Lithuanian court.

She also called for Rimasauskas to be investigated in Lithuania rather than the United States.

"We are talking about a Lithuanian citizen, and material presented to the court describe him as acting on Lithuanian territory, not elsewhere, and using means and tools which were within territory of Lithuania," she said.

The U.S. indictment did not name the companies involved, but Uzdanaviciene told reporters Facebook and Google were both mentioned in the U.S. extradition request. The Lithuanian court decided against making the request public. (Reporting by Andrius Sytas; Editing by Niklas Pollard and Alison Williams)
Mrs Marini Fernando, who taught us in Grade Eight, was the best English teacher I ever had. She had that ability to inspire passion in us, particularly those of us who took to her period less for her lessons than the intricate ways in which she got us to love them. She was particular about dictionaries. I remember when we couldnt guess the meaning of a particular word, shed get us to peruse the Big Book. I cant remember a time when we didnt have it open. It was all part of her ramrod, but gentle-hearted nature. She could get us to do what she wanted, the way she wanted, without chastising us too much.

Looking back, I believe she was responsible for my subsequent passion for reading and writing, not least because she was behind various schemes in our school to improve our reading habit. She opened a class library, appointed library leaders, and lent us books from her personal collection. Because this was outside the syllabus, she didnt emphasise on the dictionary: Just read through them carefully was what she told us. Added to that was her weekly book report session, where she would make us write capsule reviews of the books we borrowed from the main library.

Whatever funds we raise, we plough back to refurbish and modernise it

Years later, when I discovered my love for writing, during that difficult period in our youth- when we dont know what to do after we leave school and start looking for jobs- I credited her for having inspired me. I had always been an avid reader, having progressed through those inevitable stages we readers encounter, from Aesop and the Grimm Brothers to Enid Blyton and Richmal Crompton and to the Hardy Boys, Agatha Christie, and (as of now) everyone else. Reading helped me become a better writer. Writing helped me become a better reader. It worked both ways. I suppose thats the greatest lesson Mrs Marini taught me.

Now it doesnt take much time to read, but it takes a lot to create the love reading. Because of the effort entailed in it, we become lazy. Part of the reason for that, I think, is that we hang on to our textbooks so much that we dont care about the worlds outside them; we think that everything we need to know is contained therein. This is a misconception as far as retaining and applying knowledge is concerned. We dont visit our libraries enough, simply put. We should. Not because its a miracle cure, but because libraries are a good index of the way we think ahead, as a nation and a people.

The Library Readers Association (LRA) of Royal College is the oldest club in that school (established in 1846) and probably the only club of its kind in any school in the country. Age, however, hasnt diminished its vitality, which is why its set to organise a series of events highlighting reading (and writing). Among them, their flagship project will be held on July 31 and August 1. Because these are no ordinary feel-good campaigns, I am interested. This piece is hence about that project, Royal Bookland.

True to its title, Bookland will feature an exhibition involving bookshops from across the country. But the LRA has been handling such exhibitions for the last few years. Whats special about it this time are two other events that are to be held alongside it; a quiz and a short story competition. The latter will be categorised according to language and age. Much of the history behind those two and the club can be rooted in a rather determined committee headed by two boys: Rajitha Abeysinghe (Chairman of the Organising Committee of Bookland) and Sanura Kulanaka (Chairman of the Association). I managed to talk with both.

I first spoke with Rajitha, rather he spoke to me. The decision to go beyond an exhibition this year, he explained, was based on LRAs mission; to transform the Royal College Library into the leading institution of its kind in Sri Lanka, not just for its students, but also for their community. Whatever funds we raise, we plough back to refurbish and modernise it. However, we felt that it wasnt enough. That is why we began organising a series of seminars, attended by leading writers. Apparently the short story competition had been the result of one such seminar, held about three weeks ago during school hours. That seminar had been headed by Malinda Seneviratne and mooted by the Chairman of the LRA, Sanura Kulanaka, whom I spoke with. We organised it within three days. The important thing is that we didnt force anyone to come. We just announced that students were welcome. In the end it had a turnout of 138 students, all of whom were entranced by what Mr Malinda said. Naturally, one thing led to another, and soon the Association was organising a competition based on the seminar. So far, we have received 20 submissions, of which 17 are in Sinhala and three in English,Kulanaka said.

What interests me here is how the Association has strove to keep the entire project (the culmination of their annual Library Week) as out-there as possible. The quiz competition, on that count, will involve outside parties, all of whom will get a chance to patronise the exhibition. It was actually an afterthought of ours. We entered into an agreement with the Royal College General Knowledge Club and invited more than 50 schools, he said. Underlying all these has been the LRAs efforts to uplift the habit of reading among their students, efforts which will spill over at Bookland.

We came up with class libraries and organised several reading camps. We got our students to do more than just skim through a book. We asked readers from lower grades to pour out their feelings about them through drawings, while readers from upper grades were asked to write short reviews. It was, I daresay, a success, not least because small children love to draw and children in general love to stand out from the others in what they write. It has also aided in maintaining discipline; ever since those camps and class libraries began, students have been shouting less in their classrooms. Rajitha interjected here, We stand by the principle that if we dont read, we cant write, and if we dont write, there wont be any readers. Aptly put.

We give our students time to read their books, because its not about meeting the authors

These havent been their only projects, of course. Nena Pahana, a joint effort by the LRA and Edex, donates books to rural schools annually. Several reading sessions have supplemented it. This gives students the opportunity to meet contemporary writers. Last year we featured Dileepa Abeysekara over his translation of Shehan Karunatilakas Chinaman. This year we featured Dr Susith Ruwan over his Ravana Meheyuma cycle of novels. We give our students time to read their books, because its not about meeting the authors. Its about asking questions relating to craft, creativity, and even certain flaws which crop up in their work. A field trip this year to the National Library (Kiyawanna Purudu Wenna! Pothak) and several joint projects with the General Knowledge Club have further enriched their activities. Aiding these efforts, moreover, have been the teachers behind the Association. Weve been helped by our teacher in charge, Mrs Yugantha Liyanage, also the Assistant Principal at our school. Our librarians have always been a source of strength for us, particularly their head, Mrs Hemanthi Wijesundera. And in one sense we have to be grateful to our mothers and fathers too. There was much more that I gained from these two boys when I was talking with them, particularly Sanura. I sense a writers streak in him, though I will withhold comment. Except, perhaps, for one point; he is quite outspoken about what he is doing and has done, the kind of outspokenness which can win both friends and foes. To this end I asked him as to where he wants to take the Association to, and he replied, I want to take them to the Public Library, the British Council Library (if time permits), organise short story competitions and also enter into competitions organised by other institutions. In fact with the 20 or so stories we have collected so far, we can come up with a collection which can be published, even submitted.

So what will we see during these two days? The quiz competition, consisting of five rounds of 10 questions each, will be held from 3 to 6 pm on July 31 at Royal College Union Skills Centre. This time will also be used to conduct the awards ceremony for the short story competition (open to any student from any government or international school, and judged by a panel consisting of teachers and experts in the field). The exhibition will continue the following day, from 8 am to 12 pm. What the final outcome will be, we cant predict. Frankly, I dont think I am meant to. All I know is that Ive been looking forward to an event of this nature ever since I left Grade Eight and the best English teacher I got. That explains my enthusiasm, naturally.

UDAKDEV1@GMAIL.COM

Photos courtesy of the Photographic Society of Royal College.
PESHAWAR AFP July17, 2017- A suicide bomber struck a vehicle carrying members of the paramilitary Frontier Corps (FC) in Pakistans northwest Monday, killing two and wounding six others, police said, in an attack claimed by the Taliban.



The attack took place in the upscale Hayatabad area of Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.



The blast came a day after the Pakistani military said it has launched a fresh ground operation in a strategically important valley in the region, part of an operation that began in November to clear the militancy-wracked area.



A suicide bomber hit the FC vehicle in Hayatabad killing two men and wounding six others, including two FC soldiers and four civilians, local senior police official Imran Malik told AFP.



The two killed were both members of the FC, part of the Pakistani army who specialise in operations along the border with Afghanistan.
Allegations against ex-navy spokesman D.K.P. Dassanayake are baseless, Pivithuru Hela Urumaya General Secretary, Udaya Gammanpila said today.

He told a news conference that Commodore Dassanayake was not involved in the abduction and disappearance of 11 youth and the statements made by Police Media Spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara with regard to the allegations were false and baseless.

"I challenge the police media spokesman to an open debate so that I could prove who should be arrested over the allegations made against Commodore Dassanayake," Mr. Gammanpila said.

He said a war hero should not be held responsible so-called abductions and disappearances.

"We are not in a position to defend the accused but we are keen to see that justice is meted out and provide evidence against those who should be arrested," Mr. Gammanpila said. (Sheain Fernandopulle)

Video by Isuru
The complex correlation between reinforced concrete shear walls, steel frames and outriggers in modern skyscrapers was demystified by one of the worlds leading structural engineers at a professional forum in Colombo recently.



Using case studies of some of most remarkable high rises under construction around Predrag Eror

the world, Altair structural engineer and Derby Design Engineering principal Predrag Eror explained how structural design principles enable tall buildings to sway with no compromise to their integrity.



Eror was an invited speaker at Vision for High Rise Buildings  3 organised by the Society of Structural Engineers Sri Lanka (SSESL). His presentation on Structural Systems for High-rise Buildings was attended by 240 engineering professionals and students and included an hour devoted to questions and answers.



I was impressed with the depth of interest in the subject and the enthusiastic engagement of the audience, Eror said. Naturally, there was extra interest in the design elements of the Altair building, which is one of a kind, and one of the most interesting constructions I have been involved with in my 30 years as a structural engineer.



The six buildings presented as case studies in complex design principles were the 2020 Tower in Dubai (300 metres; 63 floors), Tiara United Towers also in Dubai (225 metres; 62 floors), Crescent City Tower in Baku, Azerbaijan (210 metres; 43 floors), Vida Dubai Creek Harbour building (210 metres; 52 floors), Mina Seyahi Le Meridien Hotel extension (127 metres; 31 floors) and Altair in Colombo (230.1 metres; 68 floors). Predrag Eror is the structural engineer for all of these edifices.

While explaining the design principles and laws of physics that apply to the commonest types of structural systems followed in the construction of high-rise buildings, Eror stressed that the structural engineers responsibility is not only to design the structure for permanent loading conditions, but to provide the initial idea on how the building is to be constructed, develop methods of construction, check all stages of construction, and actively work and assist the builder during the construction process.



With Altair for example, Derby Design Engineering was involved even before the architect was appointed, and has been engaged in testing and monitoring every stage and element of the construction, including piling, floor slabs, staircases and bridges, Eror said, disclosing that in-depth research was conducted into high-grade concrete, as a result of which Altair was built with a concrete conforming to the highest British standard, a grade previously unused in Sri Lanka.



Altair comprises of two structures, one a 230.1 meter vertical tower and the other a tower that is inclined from level 5 to level 39 and goes vertical up to roof level at a height of 209.1 metres. The inclined or stepping tower has an angle of 13.8 degrees from the vertical and leans towards the vertical tower. The towers are connected by steel outriggers at four points at levels 39 and 41.

Each tower is supported by external walls and internal core walls forming a three dimensional structured frame. These walls are in the range of 350-500 millimetres thick. Above the podium level, the external walls are transferred via transfer beams which are also supported by reinforced concrete columns and reinforced concrete walls at podium level.

forced concrete spandrel beams and reinforced concrete columns supported by transfer beams at Level five of the podium. The external frame of the inclined tower is composed of diagrid members made of steel columns which are supported by transfer beams also at Level five.



There was a lot of interest in the diagrid structure of the inclined tower, in how the two towers are connected together, how they work together and how they work independently, stated Eror.



He said the interest shown by structural engineers in Sri Lanka mirrors the reaction the Altair building generates among those who see images of it around the world. Every modern technique and idea seen in high rise buildings around the world has been applied here, he said, revealing that he has spent 50 percent more time on Altair than on the most complicated building he has worked on to date.

In Dubai, I was told that if this building had been located in the Marina, it would have sold out in two days, Eror added.
Utter the words, Application Support and you will be met with a variety of reactions. To some, it merely translates into extended work hours. Another popular reaction is that of condescension, where the word support implies assistance, hence an Application Support Engineer would qualify as an Assistant to the more proficient Developer. You may also witness reactions of boredom where this line of work is believed to lead you towards a dead-end in your career, effectively de-skilling a person as all that is needed is to answer calls and deal with customers: customer care.

It is due to this negative perception that IT Engineers prefer developing a career in core development, IT infrastructure services and Robotics to that in Application Support. You could say that it is taboo to utter the word support when referring to a designation or work-stream. In contrast, we now live in a world where almost anything related to IT is provided as a service. We have Software as a Service (SaaS), Platforms as a Service (PaaS) and even Database as a Service (DaaS) to name a few. Robotics, AI and even Data Science could all be provided as a service, so why not jump on that bandwagon and remain at the bleeding edge of technology? Certainly, one might feel inclined to do so and there is no fallacy in that. However, take a moment to understand how one incorporates service into the words  as a service.

Building these services or products alone is not a viable solution for any business. It needs a service wrap around it whereby reliability, availability, scalability, etc. is ensured. It needs a support service. Looking at any standard development lifecycle, software maintenance or application support makes up the largest component of effort and represents a retainer for any product or service being sold. With all this untapped revenue and opportunity at stake, why would anyone opt to develop something, deploy and gift it away?

What is Application Support?

A major misconception with application support is that the core activities comprise of defect fixes and incident resolution. On the contrary, this is mere speculation as the more rewarding aspects to the stream are non-correctional activities. Lets delve further by studying the various types of work-streams involved:

 Adaptive  constantly altering the system to cope with changes in the environment

 Perfective  implementing enhancements based on user requirements

 Corrective  troubleshooting and remedying errors in the system

 Preventive  improving reliability to avoid future possible problems in the system

Believe it or not, 75% of maintenance effort falls under the first two types. But, lets take the supposedly simplest ones first: corrective and preventive maintenance.

Isnt corrective & preventive maintenance monotonous?

Yes and no. This line of work is in contrast, an adrenaline junkies nirvana. Corrective maintenance or incident resolution is synonymous to a Formula 1 pit stop. The engineering marvel built by designers and developers enters the pit stop for urgent and important repairs. With no time to lose, the engineers now should rapidly swap tires, refuel and change a front fender, all in just under three seconds. With so much pressure and no room for error (this is life and death as everyone in the pit stop at the time is at risk), does this sound monotonous? Yes, the designers did a great job at building the car, however without the pit stop crew, there wouldnt be any race being run. Similarly, with software engineering, the Application Support crew faces many such situations daily, be it thwarting DDoS attacks, capacity or even mysterious one-off incidents.

Over time, however as more preventive actions are applied and the IT system stabilizes, incidents such as these reduce in frequency. Here come the days of boredom. Well, that is up to you. If you are happy with the way things work, then youve created that ambience of inactivity. Think about automation; eliminating the other monotonous tasks you are performing and even venturing into adaptive / perfective tasks. How much more could you accomplish?

The robotic automation apocalypse is upon us!

Are you content working with tasks that were always meant for robots? If so, then simple robotic automation ought to replace you entirely. If not, then help introduce adaptive and perfective changes to the system so they work better and at the same time, leave robotic tasks to robots. Our engineers work with RPA frameworks as well as the good old scripting mechanism to make IT systems more reliable and resilient by eliminating human error and reducing execution time. How great is a system that manages itself? Only a support engineer could create that.

Contrary to popular belief, most Support Engineers prefer automation as they constantly strive towards newer experiences and learning opportunities. Yes, they do not simply nurse systems. They too get their hands dirty with technology, albeit from a different perspective and objective. As this is the area of preference, it is also the one that consumes most of a Support Engineers time. Is that a bad thing? Is anything bad if you are enjoying it?

A sense of pride

Caring for the system exposed to the whole world from its infancy, helping it mature into the wonder it was meant to be. Supporting mission-critical systems that could forever change the face of humanity. Building synthetic remediation systems and self-learning capabilities through failure, like organic beings. Application Support Engineers are the sole guardians of IT systems. Isnt that something to be proud of?

At Virtusa we work with leading IT systems in the world spanning various lines of businesses such as Telecommunications, Healthcare, Banking and Media to name a few, our Support Engineers gain both technical and the more interesting domain expertise. While you work your way through the latest technology, arent you keen to understand how business functions work? How are telephone lines provisioned? How are ambulances called out in the event of an emergency in the healthcare sector? What logic goes into loading and unloading ferries without them toppling over? Unlike anyone else, Support Engineers gain this exposure by directly interacting with live data and systems accessed by millions of people worldwide. This certainly is not mere assistance.

What will you do?

Will you take the monotonous route or will you help create something extraordinary? Do you see yourself being de-skilled or do you see yourself growing along with the system? Do you build and let go or do you parent the system? Will you see yourself redundant through robotics or unleash your passion through innovation?

Your choice will affect your experience and opportunity to help shape the future of this world. The world needs support. Will you step away from dogma, embrace a role in Application Support and wear it like a badge of honor? I sure did.

(Misnad Haque is Senior Architect - Technology Services at Virtusa . A technologist and an advocate of Innovation in the field of Application Support & Maintenance (AS&M). He presently heads the Engineering arm of the Tech Ops practice in Colombo, introducing concepts such as Autonomics, AI and IoT into the vast AS&M space.)
REUTERS, 16th JULY, 2017

At least 16 Hindu pilgrims were killed and 27 injured on Sunday after a bus they were travelling in skidded off a mountain road and fell into a gorge in Indian Kashmir, a senior police official said.



The bus was heading towards Srinagar, the state capital, when it veered off the mountainous road in the Kashmir Valley, Mohan Lal, senior superintendent of police, told Reuters.



Police and air force have launched a recuse operation and have so far airlifted 19 injured pilgrims, with some of them in critical condition, Lal said.



In a Tweet, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences on the loss of lives.Hundreds of thousands of Hindus visit the Amarnath cave deep in the Himalayas in the months of July and August every year.



Last week seven Hindu pilgrims, most of them women, were killed in a gun battle that erupted in Indian Kashmir following two militant attacks on police, stoking outrage and protests nationwide.

Both India and Pakistan claim Kashmir in full, but govern separate parts, and have fought three wars since independence from Britain in 1947, two of them over Kashmir.
Integrated Reporting (IR) recognizes that a business has a wider stakeholder community that can influence its performance than just the providers of finance. IR also recognizes that a business deploys many capitals financial and non-financial. IR has demonstrated that a companys value is enhanced when these aspects are recognized and reported.



The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka (CA Sri Lanka) together with the Integrated Reporting Council of Sri Lanka (IRCSL) continued to be at the helm in helping organisations, particularly listed companies, understand the importance and benefits of IR by publishing a supplementary guide to help corporates create and add value to stakeholders.



A Supplement to a Preparers Guide to Integrated Corporate Reporting publication builds on fundamental concepts relevant to the IR framework and expands on several vital components including materiality, stakeholder engagement, connectivity, reliability and completeness, consistency and comparability, which are believed to be very relevant to corporates in Sri Lanka.



The latest publication is a follow up to the Preparers Guide to Integrated Corporate Reporting issued by CA Sri Lanka in 2015 to provide localized guidance to corporates to produce a more comprehensive integrated report, while moving away from the conventional annual reports. The latest guide aims to help organisations to comprehend the requirements based on the IR framework and the guiding principles.



With businesses today facing heightened expectations on their role in society and the world and with earning profits only being one of many criteria by which performance is measured by stakeholders, IR has taken centre stage in recent years. As the national body of accountants, CA Sri Lanka has been at the forefront in helping corporates embrace this framework, which goes beyond traditional financial reporting and helps organisations offer a more holistic picture to their internal and external stakeholders and even those who are indirectly linked to the organisation.



CA Sri Lanka President Lasantha Wickremasinghe highlighted that in recent years, IR has taken increased importance in the context of creating corporate value and sustainability

to organisations.



In ensuring Sri Lankas corporates are in line with these relevant developments, the institute took the lead to provide leadership and insight by launching several initiatives to educate organisations in the country on the frameworks, he said.



Key among them, Wickremasinghe explained was the establishment of the IRCSL, which consists of professionals from the accounting and non-accounting sectors, regulators, chambers and academics. He also said that the Preparers Guide to Integrated Corporate Reporting and the latest publication were all part of a larger programme to help corporates understand the importance of

this framework.



We have also included a special award category for integrated reporting in the Annual Report Awards, to promote the framework among companies in the country, he said.



IR is an important framework because it aims to bridge the gap between financial and non-financial capitals and in the current context with expectations from corporates rising, this is very pertinent and we believe more and more organisations should embrace this framework if they are to enjoy performance, financial stability along with sustainability, Wickremasinghe added.



IRCSL Chairman Asite Talwatte said that in 2015, CA Sri Lanka released the Preparers Guide to Integrated Corporate Reporting in order to support and facilitate organisations to embark on the

IR journey.



Since then, and based on the current requirements, we have taken steps to publish a supplementary guide which covers various guiding principles under the framework, which are relevant for organisations in Sri Lanka, he said.



Talwatte elaborated that during various forums, it became evident that there was a need to issue a separate publication on the guiding principles, as some organisations did not have the required clarity and understanding on these principles.



So, we took steps to develop this supplementary guide for the benefit of these organisations who required more insight on these guiding principles,

he said.



While explaining that the IR framework tries to bridge the gap in annual reporting where hitherto only financial information was disclosed, Talwatte noted that the IR framework promotes the importance of financial and non-financial capitals such as social capital, human capital and even environmental factors relating to an organisation.



There has been a positive outcome shown by companies using the IR framework and as a country that has a growing consumption, along with strong urbanization, there is an increasing need for corporates to understand their responsibilities to all stakeholders and even the environment, he added.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed Saturday to carry out harsh measures against alleged putschists, stressing he would seek to bring back the death penalty, during a mass rally on a bridge in Istanbul attended by hundreds of thousands.



Those traitors will always be remembered with hatred, Erdogan said, adding that Turkey never hesitates to crush the heads of those who betray.



He also pledged to rip off the heads of these traitors first, referring to terrorists, in the speech, which was laden with Islamic references and strong criticism of the opposition.



Erdogan added that prisoners arrested in connection with the coup would now wear a Guantanamo-style uniform to court, referring to the controversial US prison camp in Cuba.



The speech on the Bosporus Bridge, which was renamed Martyrs Bridge last year and was one of the main battlegrounds of the 2016 coup, took place in front of thousands of people waving Turkish flags.

Erdogan also took part in late-night commemorations in the countrys capital for those who died in the attempted coup, while opposition parliamentarians boycotted the event.



In Ankara, Erdogan stressed he would sign a bill to reinstate capital punishment if one was presented to him. If such a measure were to be debated and passed by parliament, he would sign it without hesitation, the Turkish president said.

Istanbul/Ankara (dpa),

16 July 2017
Roger Federer won a record eighth Wimbledon title and became the tournament's oldest champion Sunday with a straight-sets victory over injury-hit Marin Cilic who dramatically broke down in tears midway through the final.

Federer claimed his 19th Grand Slam title 6-3, 6-1, 6-4 and at 35 is Wimbledon's oldest men's winner of the modern era, succeeding Arthur Ashe, who was almost 32 when he won in 1975.

However, the Swiss superstar's 11th Wimbledon final, and 29th at the majors, will also be remembered for the moving sight of the popular Cilic breaking down in tears after slipping 3-0 behind in the second set.

The seventh seeded Croatian, the 2014 US Open champion, sobbed inconsolably and buried his head in his towel as his title dream slipped away.

He had his left foot taped at the end of the second set but it was in vain as Federer became the first player since Bjorn Borg in 1976 to win Wimbledon without dropping a set in the entire tournament.

"He's a hero," Federer said of his opponent.

Twelve months ago, Federer was defeated in five sets in the semi-finals by Milos Raonic and promptly shut down his season to rest a knee injury.

"It's disbelief I can achieve such heights. I wasn't sure I would ever be here in another final after last year," said Federer, who turns 36 in three weeks' time and who has now broken the tie for seven Wimbledon titles he shared with Pete Sampras and William Renshaw.

"I had some tough ones in the finals, losing two against Novak (Djokovic).

"But I always believed. I kept on believing and dreaming I could get back.

"Here am I today with the eighth. It's fantastic, if you keep believing you can go far in your life."

Federer won his 18th Slam in Australia in January on his return to the tour before adding the Indian Wells and Miami Masters back-to-back and a ninth Halle grasscourt title.

He also skipped the entire claycourt season.

"Iave got to take more time off," joked Federer, playing in just his seventh event of the year.

"I'll be gone again for the next six months! I don't know if it will work as well again."

Cilic, who had spent four and a half hours more than Federer getting to the final, said a blister that he first suffered in his five-set win over Sam Querrey in the semi-final was to blame for his troubles.

"I got a bad blister and fluid just came down under my callous in the foot," explained Cilic.

"I still felt the pain. Every time I had to do a reaction fast, fast change of movement, I was unable to do that."

However, Cilic explained that his courtside tears were for his emotional rather than physical pain.

"It was just that feeling that I wasn't able to give my best," he said.

Beneath a star-studded Royal Box where Prince William and wife Kate rubbed shoulders with actors Hugh Grant and Bradley Cooper, Cilic had his first break point in the fourth game.

It was saved by Federer and it was to be Cilic's only glimmer of hope.

Federer broke in the next game when his opponent suffered a nasty fall on the worn surface which was to ultimately undermine his challenge.

Federer then served up two love service games before claiming the opener 6-3 off a Cilic double fault, the Croatian's second of the final.

The Swiss superstar swept into a 3-0 lead in the second set and at the changeover, Cilic slumped in his courtside chair in tears and in obvious pain.

The trainer and doctor were summoned before Cilic hid his head in his towel in a desperate attempt to compose himself.

The 28-year-old held serve on the resumption but the lethal barrage continued, Federer stretching his lead over his friend to 4-1.

Cilic dropped the set 6-1 and called a medical timeout to have his left foot bandaged and take a painkiller.

His discomfort was reflected in his statistics.

By the end of the second set, he had served just two aces compared to the 130 he had fired past bamboozled opponents in his previous six rounds.

Federer pounced again with a break for 4-3 and wrapped up the one-sided final with a second serve ace to complete his coronation after just 1hr 41 minutes.

Fittingly, he too wept at the end.
Last month, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to boost apprenticeship programs in the United States. These are training programs, offered in a variety of formats, usually by businesses, to convey skills to individuals for specific vocations.

It's a great idea, but like all great ideas, the key is in execution.

Currently, 505,000 people have apprenticeships through 2,100 programs registered with the government. Trump has committed to a lofty goal of creating 5 million apprenticeships over the next five years.

Truth is, I get nervous whenever I hear about any government initiative that claims to provide what our economy needs.

The last thing we need is a new army of government bureaucrats pretending they are going to forecast what kind of jobs we need and then subsidizing businesses and unions to set up training programs.

But Trump's plan doesn't appear to do that. It establishes a wide berth for firms, or unions, or trade associations to decide on their own what they need to do. Those who are actually doing the work and doing the hiring need to decide themselves who and what they need.

Current data from the labor market screams out that we can do a better job building a work force fitting what businesses need.

The Labor Department reported 6.04 million job openings in April and 5.05 million hires. So a million jobs are still floating out there looking to be filled.

At the same time, there were 6.9 million unemployed. Sure, you say, they don't have the skills for those million jobs. But isn't that the point? Isn't this the work we need to do  get those who can't find work trained and motivated?

Furthermore, if we care about our nation's future, we've got to look at the deeper social problems leading to pockets of chronic unemployment.

There are 1.7 million who are unemployed in the long term, 27 weeks or more. We have a growing population, disproportionately prime-age men, who have just dropped out of the labor force.

The black unemployment rate has been double the national average for the last half-century and that is roughly where it is today. Black youth ages 16-19 have an unemployment rate of 27.3 percent.

So, if I am nervous about government bureaucrats planning out apprenticeship programs, what can government do?

Trump is proposing the federal government put up $200 million to help firms make these apprenticeships happen. Good, but we can't rely on new government spending to be the answer.

The answer is removing barriers. Here are two ways.

One, consider vocational schools and training as part of education choice.

Sens.Ted Cruz and Mike Lee introduced a bill, the Enhancing Educational Opportunities for All Students Act, in the last Congress that would permit use of Section 1 education funds  funds that the federal government gives to school districts to help low-income children  to enable any child to go wherever they want to school.

Why should that $14 billion be locked in the public school system? Give a poor child a voucher, or the equivalent, that can be used to go to a vocational school. Businesses could joint-venture and help finance and build the programs to train these kids.

So let's dust off and pass the Enhancing Educational Opportunities bill. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is the right person in the right place to help make this happen.

Second, let businesses use the funds they spend on training to count toward salary for purposes of the minimum wage. This would allow a firm to hire a young person and pay below minimum wage but also provide training, the value of which would hike the wage above the minimum. This is a way around the damage that minimum wage causes and would provide a platform for unskilled youth to get trained.

If we use government to make the marketplace more free and flexible, apprenticeships can help build a 21st-century American labor force.
A large number of representatives from the UK government authorities, international organisations, non-governmental bodies and private sector businesses joined the UK-edition of the Global Ceylon Tea Party, which was hosted by the Sri Lanka High Commission in London on July 6 in close collaboration with the Colombo Tea Traders Association and Sri Lanka Tea Board.



In her welcome address, High Commissioner of Sri Lanka in the UK Amari Wijewardene highlighted the valuable role played by James Taylor, the Scottish planter, who pioneered commercial plantation of teas in the island 150 years ago and the overall contribution made by the British in the subsequent development of the tea industry. She also placed special emphasis on the world-wide recognition gained by Ceylon teas due to their premium quality and

distinctive flavours.



Addressing the gathering, International Tea Committee Chairman Ian Gibbs stated Sri Lanka had been an active player within the global tea industry, making a substantial contribution as a leading producer and exporter of black teas. He also said that Sri Lanka had been in the forefront as key exporter of value-added teas to the world.



Honorary Sri Lanka Tea Ambassador in the UK, Mike Bunston also spoke on this occasion. He presented a detailed account of the history and the gradual evolution of the Ceylon tea industry over the last 150 years. He said that the industry, which started with just 19 acres of tea plantation, had come a long way with many achievements. He also pointed out that the industry should take effective measures in addressing the challenges it had encountered in the current times if Sri Lanka was to retain its prominent status in the global

tea industry.



Speaking on behalf of Finlays Colombo Limited, one of the sponsors of the event, Sathyani Rajapaksha, Procurement Manger of the company, stated that Finlays was very happy to join the tea party in London as there was a long-established relationship between the UK and Ceylon

tea industry.



Guests enjoyed the evening with a wide variety snacks and sweets and freshly brewed Ceylon teas, representing the seven agro-climatic tea growing regions in

the island.
Hayleys Advantis has further solidified its position in the Maldives with the addition of two new landing craft that will further expand the range of services offered by their subsidiary, Total Transport Solutions Maldives (Pvt) Limited (TTS).



These landing craft will allow TTS to actively participate in discharging cargo midstream and make deliveries in shallow waters.



Commenting on the latest acquisition, TTS Chief Operating Officer Arosha Fernando said: As a nation that relies heavily on imports, the Maldives would benefit from a sophisticated integrated logistics provider like TTS and as we expand our capabilities it is the Maldives that will reap the benefits.



The addition of these two new landing craft will also improve infrastructure development projects like the construction of resorts, thus helping the tourism industry grow. It is forward thinking initiatives like this that have made TTS a leading logistics service provider in the Maldives.The two landing craft are Malaysian built with 500-tonne and 325-tonne cargo carrying capacity. Each has a steel hull and twin 350 horsepower engines.



Ideally suited for shallow waters, these craft will give TTS access to islands with no proper jetties by allowing them to take cargo directly onto the beach thus removing a logistical hurdle that will vastly increase the options available to their customers.

These new landing craft will also help us cater to a segment that requires shallow water deliveries, which will further expand our end-to-end service portfolio. The acquisition of the new landing craft was driven in part by our vision that the economic future of the Maldives is closely tied to the prosperity of the logistics industry, said Fernando.



TTS is a joint venture between Sri Lankan logistics giant Hayleys Advantis Limited and Arowana Investment (Pvt) Limited based in the Maldives. Strengthened by the wide logistics network of Hayleys Advantis, which spans across 10 countries in the Asian region, TTS plays a pivotal role in the logistics and supply chain management industry in the Maldives.



The group is also backed by the diversified blue-chip conglomerate Hayleys PLC.

Fisheries industry says commercial aqua farming must to achieve export target

Sri Lankas fisheries industry, which has been given a US$ 1.5 billion annual export target by the government, is requesting policy consistency to set up commercial aqua farming, which should make up around half of the countrys seafood exports to reach the target.



The Prime Minister gave us a target of US$ 5 billion in exports. We said we have to be realistic. We then agreed upon a target of US$ 1.5 billion in exports, Sri Lanka Seafood Exporters Association Spokesman Channa Weeratunga said.



Seafood exports increased 4 percent year-on-year to US$ 170 million in 2016, according to the Central Bank, due to the lifting of the EUs fisheries ban on Sri Lanka in June 2016.

Speaking to Mirror Business on the sidelines of the GSP Plus: How Real Is It? seminar organized by the Young Professionals Association of the United National Party, Weeratunga said that 70 percent of Sri Lankas seafood exports is tuna.



But were losing our tuna stock rapidly, he said.



According to him, the worldwide average is for 50 percent of seafood produce to come from wild catch, and 50 percent to be sourced from farming, with some countries now starting to rely even more on farming, due to the decline of fish in the ocean.



The Central Bank also noted that 25 percent of the countrys fish harvest is lost due to poor handling, the improvement of which is critical for the industry.



Due to the lack of fish in the sea to sustainably maintain export growth, Weeratunga said that commercial farming of fish, shrimp and crabs are required to reach the US$ 1.5 billion target, which he said the government requested them to achieve in the near future.



So, of this US$ 1.5 billion, we need to reach a level where 50 percent of production comes from farming, which is the global average, he said.



Central Bank data indicated that just 3 percent of Sri Lankas fish harvest is sourced from farming, although Weeratunga said that this number could actually be even lower at 1-2 percent.



He added that the disease resistant Vannamei shrimp variety, which has a harvest of 6 tonnes per acrecompared to the current Tiger Prawn variety cultivated in Sri Lanka with a harvest of 1 tonne per acreneeds to be introduced to large scale aquaculture parks in the size of around 3,000-4,000 acres.



We need 10 of these 3,000 acre parks to reach the US$ 1.5 billion target, he added. However, he said that due to the lack of streamlined policies the industry is facing great difficulties in even starting the first of such parks. (CW)
Janashakthi- National Civilian Bravery Awards 2017

When we were small, our minds were conditioned in such a way that as soon as the word hero is mentioned, elegant figures wearing capes and fancy clothes swooping out of the sky and saving the day come to our minds. But what most of us dont realize is that heroes who dont wear capes, who are set apart from the rest of the humanity only by their selflessness and bravery, walk among us even now. While millions of people go through the everyday motions of their lives, that handful of people make heroic sacrifices to ensure the well-being of others disregarding their own, sometimes putting their own lives at risk in the process.

Fifteenth of June saw a group of such people, from all over the country, assemble into Nelum Pokuna Theatre for the Civilian Bravery awards 2017. Awards were given under three categories; National Civilian Bravery Awards, Civilian Bravery Philanthropy Awards and Civillian Bravery Fauna/Flora Awards.

Eranga cared little about his life

All animals including humans are programmed in a way that they usually value their lives beyond everything else. Whenever their lives are threatened, they rely on instinct and do all they can to save themselves. Eranga Wikumsiri, an Economic Development Officer of the Aranayake Samasara Division, was attending a meeting held in his division when he heard about the landslide of the Samasara Kanda. He along with his brother went against their ingrained instinct for survival. They braved the mouth of the devil and went from house to house in the risk area, notifying the residents of the impending doom. The brothers were tirelessly helping people evacuate the area when the second landslide struck. Eranga along with his brother was swallowed up by the torrent of earth. Even though Eranga will never reunite with his wife and his little son, more than sixty families continue to see the light of day thanks to his courageous actions. Erangas post-humus Gold Civilian Bravery Award, for the incredible feat of saving lives of the others at the cost of his own life, was received by his wife at the ceremony.

An Aircraftsmans diving feat

Naveen Dhanushka Bandara, a young aircraftman at the Air Force Base in Batticaloa, was walking to town when he saw a crowd gathered around an area of the Batticaloa lagoon. On making inquiries, he learned that a three-wheeler with four passengers had been driven onto the lagoon and was underwater. Not a single person in the crowd wanted to brave the water, which was notorious for being infested with crocodiles. The warrior who made the sky his battle ground, bravely waded into unfamiliar waters. He ignored the grave danger to his own life in diving into the murky lagoon-hiding deadly creatures in its depth-in search of the lives of four unknown people. The muddy water clouded his vision, leaving him grasping in the deep waters. He was able to grab hold of a child during his first attempt. He dived again and again, each time carrying another life to safety. He saved a woman and another child. On his third attempt, responding to shouts from the crowd that there was another one left, he dived back immediately, even though he was beyond exhaustion. He recalls the tightening sensation in his lungs while he was diving and the feeling of impending death with each stroke of his limbs. He grabbed the last victim by the hair and swam ashore with the last bit of energy he possessed. Only then did Naveen realize that the lady was pregnant and that he had saved two lives instead of one!

His heroic feats didnt end there. He confesses that most of the crowd was only interested in videotaping and photographing the event, not in offering help. This sums up the ugly side of todays society in one sentence. Therefore, Navin, dripping with water and clad only in a pair of briefs, accompanied the victims to the nearby hospital in a vehicle. He left the hospital wearing a towel that the staff gave him after admitting the patients

The witty security officer

Saman Rohitha Jayasinghe, who worked as a security officer in a bank in Katukurunda had just had his lunch when he noted two people wearing helmets and jackets in the parking lot. Even though its not unusual for people to enter the bank wearing jackets, he instinctively knew that something wasnt right. So he returned to his post just in time to see one of them taking out a T56 and fire at him. Saman, dodging the bullets, rang the alarm and fired back at them with his rifle. The would be thieves whose plans of instant richness, with other peoples hard earned money, were ruined by the quick thinking of Saman. The thieves fled on their bike. Saman, whose instincts were honed by his years of working at the Air Force, was able to identify another suspicious person lurking inside the bank at the time of this incident. This person on questioning admitted that he was an accomplice of the thieves. Saman saved the reputation of his work place, preventing the bank from incurring a huge monetary loss. He was concerned about the impending risk to the life of his fellow workers and the customers inside of the bank. He helped avoid a massive disaster using his quick wit and by exploding into action.



Ten heroes including Naveen and Saman received Civillian Bravery Silver awards at the function for their bravery and dedication shown while going above and beyond the boundaries of duty to safeguard the lives of the others.

Kapurubanda gave all he had

The landslide in Aranayake Samasara Kanda was a tragedy that melted the hearts of many Sri Lankans. E.M.Kapurubanda was one such person, but rather confining his sympathy to words, he wanted to contribute in any way he could to those whose lives that were upturned due to the tragedy. He decided to donate his land consisting of three acres so that houses could be built for the people who lost their homes. Now 15 new homes are built on the land that used to be his. At a time when the family members go against each other for a few perches of land, the generous act of Kapurubanda won him the Civillian Philanthropy award.

Rewarded five and a half decades later

This year, in addition to the Budal Na Golden Award, a special bravery appreciation medal, a concept by Hon. Karu Jayasooriya, was awarded to Wijenamage Magilin Nona. It was the year 1961 and a group of children, in which she was a member, were crossing the cross over above the Diyagama Ela. Suddenly the log split part, causing the children on it to fall in to the rowdy waters below. Magilin Nona, a young lass at the time, even after being seriously injured on one foot during the incident, managed to save seven lives, three were her own younger siblings. Her brave actions were commemorated with deafening applause when she took to the stage to receive the award, five and a half decades after the event.

Awards were given under three categories; National Civilian Bravery Awards, Civilian Bravery Philanthropy Awards and Civillian Bravery Fauna/Flora Awards

Special guests

The National Civillian Bravery Awards, a concept born in the mind of Mr. Kasun Chandrarathne, President of the Foundation of Civilian Bravery Sri Lanka, was held for the 23rd time this year. The event was partnered by Janashakthi Insurance, with Wijeya Newspapers contributing as the sole printed media partner. Karu Jayasuriya, the Speaker of the Parliament, was the chief guest at the ceremony. Many other distinguished guests including State Minister of Defence Ruwan Wijewardene, Bryce Hutchinson, Australian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka, and the Inspector General of Police Pujith Jayasundare graced the event as special invitees.
Circumstances prove that neither side can lose face

Dr.Hu Shisheng, Director of Chinas Institute of South, South East Asian and Oceanic Studies.

The India-China military and political staff at Doklam on the Bhutan-Tibet border appears to be in for the long haul because both sides seem to have painted themselves into a corner and cant back out without loss of face.

In an interview with the Times of India, Dr. Hu Shisheng, Director of the Chinese Institute of South, South East Asian and Oceanic Studies, has said that the situation is alarming because of the logjam the two sides have got into.

Neither side can afford to be regarded as the loser, he said.

Both sides have fundamental interests to be asserted and protected. Hu said that while informal back channel lines of communication might be present, or come up in the course of time, formal talks are ruled out until India fulfils Chinas basic condition that it must withdraw from its positions in Doklam unilaterally.

The Chinese commentator, who appears to be the most balanced and sober of the lot from China, made it clear that nothing must be expected from the interaction between the Chinese and Indian National Security Advisors (NSAs) which is to take place on the sidelines of the BRICS NSAs conference in Beijing on July 26 and 27.

Hu said that while informal back channel lines of communication might be present, or come up in the course of time, formal talks are ruled out until India fulfils Chinas basic condition that it must withdraw from its positions in Doklam unilaterally

Hu said that both the Chinese and Indian media, especially the social media, have gone overboard heightening the tension and whipping up public sentiments..

In these circumstances, Hu didnt favour open talks between the countries because a transparent dialogue will come under public comment and criticism and these could prove to be disastrous. By implication he suggested back channel efforts.

However, the onset of the severe Himalayan winter could have a sobering effect because both sides may have to withdraw to warmer places, Hu said. However, such a withdrawal would only be temporary as both sides will return to their original positions when the weather improves, to prove their point, he added.

It is very difficult to avoid a military conflict, the Chinese scholar said coldly.

Restrained stand

Of the two parties to the conflict, India is the more restrained in view of its military and economic weakness vis-a-vis China. India hopes that China will stop its threatening rhetoric and agree to talks if its anger isnt stoked further by utterances from New Delhi.

While the Indian leadership from Prime Minister Narendra Modi downwards has observed total silence, Foreign Secretary S.Jaishankar has said that India and China should not convert differences into disputes.

But the Chinese say that the standoff in Doklam is not a difference but a dispute. Its about Indias challenging a settled border flowing from the treaty of 1890. The border was agreed to by British India and Tibet in 1890 and demarcated on the ground in 1895, they correctly point out.

Very significantly for the first time, India has conceded that the entire India-China border running into more than 3000 km from the West to the East is disputed, thus opening a Pandoras Box. This is a departure from the long standing official Indian position that the McMahon Line (ML) drawn on a map in 1914, but not demarcated on the ground till date, is sacrosanct.

India has been claiming that British India, Tibet and China had agreed to the ML at the Simla Conference in 1914. But Foreign Secretary S.Jaishankar told a seminar at the Lee Kwan Yew Centre for Public Policy in Singapore recently, that the entire India-China border is unsettled and therefore conflicts like that over Doklam are only natural and routine and nothing to be unduly worried about.

This strengthens Chinas case that the McMahon Line (ML) was an imperial imposition which China hadnt accepted. Neville Maxwell, author of Indias China War sides with China on the ML saying that the British didnt publish the ML for years hoping that the Chinese would come on board. China hadnt come on board when it was published in 1929. The British also hid the fact that the Simla Conference wasnt about the Tibet-British India boundary, but about British Indias establishing special relations with Tibet with Chinas consent.

Reacting to Jaishankars remarks, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Geng Shuang, said that while the earlier frictions (in 2013 and 2014) were over undefined sections of the boundary, namely the ML, the standoff over Doklam is over a settled boundary.

India accepts the 1890 pact is valid, but disputes the actual line on the ground. As Neville Maxwell said in an article in South China Morning Post recently, the present controversy is due to the fact that border markers have disappeared due to climatic conditions or local mischief makers. But he argues that the boundary is easy to locate by going back to the detailed description of it in the 1890 pact.

Increased belligerence

In this situation, China has increased its belligerence issuing new threats every other day. Beijing began with a threat to crush India militarily as it did in the 1962 war. It then went on to say that Indias control over Sikkim and Bhutan is illegitimate; that it is time Sikkim and Bhutan revolted against Indian rule or hegemony with Chinese support; that New Delhi should remember that its hold on the North Eastern states which are bristling with insurgencies, is tenuous; and finally that China can intervene in Kashmir militarily if Pakistan wants.

If India withdraws from Doklam to meet Chinas condition, its tantamount to accepting that it had committed aggression. The other humiliating aspect of the Chinese condition is that the withdrawal should be unilateral

If India withdraws from Doklam to meet Chinas condition, its tantamount to accepting that it had committed aggression. The other humiliating aspect of the Chinese condition is that the withdrawal should be unilateral. That is, India will withdraw and China wont. This means that India wont have even symbolic parity at the talks table.

India will also have to accept that it has no automatic right to respond to Bhutans appeal for help to check Chinas attempt to grab its territory. This is tantamount to nullifying the 2007 Indo-Bhutan agreement which says that the two sides shall cooperate closely on issues relating to their national interest.

China wants this aspect of Bhutans relations with India to be nullified because it facilitates Indias involvement in Bhutans affairs to the detriment of China, as in the present case. China has long been trying to disentangle Bhutan from India and making it a Chinese satellite.

The present controversial road being built by China in the Chumbi valley is only 30 kms form the Siliguri corridor in India, which is a chicken neck linking mainland India with its troubled North Eastern Indian states. Over the years, China has been claiming parcels of Bhutanese territory for its infrastructure projects and Bhutan has been giving in to Chinas demands.

India, which was turning a blind eye to this, woke up to the dangers inherent in Chinas moves when the Chinese lengthened the road in Doklam towards the Siliguri corridor.
Spokesperson of the Foreign Affairs Ministry Mahishini Colonne has sent the following letter to the Editor:

Your kind attention is drawn to the interview published in the Daily Mirror newspaper of 12 July 2017, titled New Enforced Disappearances Bill: Sri Lanka will be submitted to jurisdiction of ICC. It is riddled with inaccuracies pertaining to the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance Bill. For example, the title of the article/interview itself is completely erroneous as the Bill doesnt provide for jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC). Moreover, the Bill provides for prospective effect and not retrospective effect; and Mr. Pinochet, for example, was never the President of Venezuela.

Enclosed herewith is a note prepared in the format of Questions and Answers which provides the factual details pertaining to the Bill.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW  THE FACTS

1. Why is there a need to criminalise enforced disappearances?

Sri Lanka has had a history of allegations of enforced disappearances, white van abductions etc. This is evidenced by the numerous commissions of inquiry which have looked into such allegations over many decades.

All citizens / persons have a right not to be subject to enforced disappearance.

This should be seen PRIMARILY as Sri Lankas responsibility to her own citizens. The aspect of signing the International Convention is secondary, and flows from the primary responsibility of Sri Lanka to her citizens.

Criminalising enforced disappearances was recommended by the LLRC, and promised by the previous government.

2. What is an enforced disappearance?

The Offence is defined in section 3.

3. (1) Any person who, being a public officer or acting in an official capacity, or any person acting with the authorization, support or acquiescence of the State -

(a) arrests, detains, wrongfully confines, abducts, kidnaps, or in any other form deprives any other person of such persons liberty; and

(b) (i) refuses to acknowledge such arrest, detention, wrongful confinement, abduction, kidnapping, or deprivation of liberty; or

(ii) conceals the fate of such other person; or

(iii) fails or refuses to disclose or is unable without valid excuse to disclose the subsequent or present whereabouts of such other person, shall be guilty of the offence of enforced disappearance...

Therefore in order to be an enforced disappearance, BOTH of the following elements must be present:

there must be a deprivation of liberty as set out in part (a) (It should be noted that this does not apply to missing persons per se but only to those who are disappeared or subject to deprivation of liberty); AND

there must be a refusal to acknowledge the deprivation of liberty OR a concealing of the person OR a failure to disclose the whereabouts of the disappeared person

Section 3 also provides for the liability of NON-STATE actors, as well as superior officers who have direct control; willfully / consciously disregard information that their subordinated are engaging in enforced disappearances; or fail to take legitimate action to prevent same.

Sri Lanka has had a history of allegations of enforced disappearances, white van abductions etc. This is evidenced by the numerous commissions of inquiry which have looked into such allegations over many decades

3. Will this Act prevent the arrest of terrorism or other suspects, due to the way in which deprivation of liberty is defined?

A fear has been expressed that the Act will hinder investigations.

deprivation of liberty means the confinement of a person to a particular place, where such person doesnt consent to that confinement;

HOWEVER, the deprivation of liberty isnt criminalised or prevented by the Act. As seen from the explanation of section 3, the offence is only established if there is a deprivation of liberty, COUPLED WITH a refusal to acknowledge the deprivation of liberty OR a concealing of the person OR a failure to disclose the whereabouts of the disappeared person.

Law enforcement authorities are entitled to arrest (in accordance with the law). This doesnt mean that arrested persons can be held in secret detention, because that would leave room for abuse, torture, extra-judicial killings etc. The Act will not hinder investigations.

4. Will this Act result in the prosecution of armed forces or police personnel, for alleged offences committed during the Armed Conflict?

No. The Act doesnt have retrospective operation, and will only apply to allegations of enforced disappearances committed after the Act comes into force. The act is to prevent enforced disappearances in the future.

5. Will the Bill result in International Prosecutions?

Its open to any country to prosecute for offences, if their law provides for same. This would be so regardless of this Act. However, by providing the legal mechanism for a domestic prosecution, it would be possible for Sri Lanka to argue that its competent to prosecute in respect of domestic violations, and that there should be no international prosecutions (in an international tribunal) in respect of same. Its an accepted principle in international law that international fora will not assume jurisdiction if a crime can be effectively prosecuted in domestic fora. Section 6 specifically provides that the High Court of Sri Lanka shall have exclusive jurisdiction to try offences under the Act. Therefore, by enacting the law, Sri Lanka will be taking responsibility for the investigation and prosecution of alleged Enforced Disappearances committed within Sri Lanka, and thus be able to argue that the matter should not be prosecuted before International Fora.

6. Who is a victim?

The disappeared person

Any individual who has been affected as a direct result of an enforced disappearance [section 25]

7. What are the rights of a victim?

To know the truth regarding the circumstances of enforced disappearances

To know the progress and results of the investigations relating to enforced disappearances

To know the fate of the disappeared persons [section 14]

8. What are the rights of a person deprived of liberty?

Not to be held in secret detention (i.e. not to be held in an unauthorised detention centre)

Subject to the conditions established by law, to communicate with and be visited by his/her relatives, attorney-at-law or any other person of his/ her choice.

That law enforcement authorities maintain registers of persons held in detention (this will reduce the incidence of secret detention / extra judicial killings)

9. Why arent the provisions in the Penal Code sufficient?

The Penal Code deals with unlawful restraint and confinement.

However, the scope of this law is different. It deals with situations where the initial arrest may (or may not) be lawful, and goes on to require that the arrested persons not be held in secret detention, that his location not be concealed etc. Thus, the scope of the offence of Enforced Disappearance and unlawful restraint / confinement is different.

Rather than confining itself to creating a new offence, the objective of the Act is to create a culture in which Enforced Disappearances do not occur.

10. Summary

In short, the objective of the Bill is to ensure that Enforced Disappearances dont occur. While there can be lawful arrests, persons must be held in lawful detention centres, and their arrest documented. This will prevent torture, abuse and extra judicial killings. Unless one intends to propagate a white van culture, or a culture of illegal abductions and / or killings, there would be no basis to object to the enactment of the Bill.
Oman Air has been named as the winner of the Best Airline Staff Service in the Middle East award at the prestigious Skytrax World Airline Awards 2017 - voted for by air travellers based on their own experiences.

The award was presented at a ceremony held at the recent Paris Air Show. Itrecognises the commitment of Oman Airs staff to providing theirguests with quality, comfort and a seamless passenger experience.

This years award of Best Airline Staff Service in the Middle East follows wins in the same category in 2011, 2014 and 2015 and comes during a time of great growth for the airline. Paul Gregorowitsch, Chief Executive Officer, Oman Air, commented:We are delighted that Oman Air has been recognised by the World Airline Awards for our outstanding staff service. The awards are the most prestigious accolades available within the air travel industry and offer an unparalleled benchmark of quality for the services airlines offer. To have won this award fourtimes is a testament to the extraordinarily high standards of hospitality that our colleagues provide to all our guests. That hospitality is an extension of Omani culture, so this award is recognition not only of Oman Airs service, but also of the warm welcome offered to every visitor to Oman.

Oman Air is currently engaged in a well-considered and sustainable expansion programme which will see the carrier operate 70 aircraft to around 75 destinations by 2023. In recent months, the airline has increased the size of its fleet, launched new services to Guangzhou, Nairobi and Manchester and increased frequency on a number of its established routes.

Oman Air has continued to receive awards from industry bodies, consumer groups and publications around the world. Notably, the airline was awarded Best Business Class Airline  Middle East and Best Economy Class Airline  Middle East at the World Travel Awards 2016. This follows Oman Airs success in the same awards two years earlier when the airline was named Worlds Leading Economy Class Airline. The carrier has also claimed Best Luxury Airline, Middle East at this years Business Destinations Awards, following success in the same category in 2011, 2012 and 2013.
Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) General Secretary and Agriculture Minister Duminda Dissanayake in an interview with the Daily Mirror spoke about the partys future in the wake of attempts by a section of its members to leave the National Unity Government together with the United National Party (UNP). He shared the following:

Presidents personal view is that the Executive Presidency should be abolished

As a party, we believe in him to be the best candidate

SLFP should honour agreement with UNP on Unity Government

SLFP will contest PC Polls separately

Parties engaged in hostile politics in the past

Its unreasonable to accuse Govt of delaying LG elections

MR is misleading the public

SLFP cant give MR nominations to contest Presidential polls again

After it lapses on December 31, we will decide on the next step

The two parties achieved something, but much more remains to be done

Q A group of SLFP MPs has decided to quit the govt. President Maithripala Sirisena has asked them to remain till December 31, 2017. Why is this?

We joined hands with the UNP to govern the country for two years in conformity with a decision by the partys Central Committee. The agreement, signed in this regard, will be effective till December 31. If we are to take a new decision, it should happen only after that timeline lapses. That is the reason for the President to make such a request. We have to wait at least till December 31.

Q You are the General Secretary of the party. According to your experience, what are your predictions after December 31?

As an individual, I cant foresee the partys decision in this regard. Its a decision to be taken by the Central Committee after all deliberations. The two parties joined hands to ensure development and to enact legislation, considered difficult to achieve when a single party governed. In this manner, there is still a lot more work remaining to be done. The Constitution-making process is underway. There are elections to the local authorities and the provincial councils pending at the moment. We are talking about a new electoral system. We are yet to achieve all these.

The two parties should focus on delivering in this regard. People should also give mind to it. Unless we fulfil these obligations, the two parties would be rendered failures in the public eye. This is what we promised to the people. That duty is cast upon both the parties. After the agreement lapses, both sides should decide how to proceed in this regard.

It is clear that we will not contest with the UNP. We will contest separately. We contested the 2015 parliamentary election separately though we worked for the victory of President Sirisena as the common candidate

Q Now these members have, however, threatened to leave. How do you see this as the General Secretary?

They expressed their views on action to be taken after the agreement lapses on December 31. Once an agreement expires, it is rendered null and void. That is what these MPs meant. They did not say anything with malice. We will decide after December 31, and that would become the partys decision.

Q Now the elections are due this year for the North Central, Eastern and Sabaragamuwa Provincial Councils. How about the preparations to face them?

It is clear that we will not contest with the UNP. We will contest separately. We contested the 2015 parliamentary elections separately though we worked for the victory of President Sirisena as the common candidate. The SLFP will contest on its own. The SLFP is ready to face any election.

Q The govt is accused of delaying the local government elections inordinately. Why is that?

It is unreasonable for anyone to make the allegation at the govt on the delay. When a new polling system is introduced, it has to be acceptable to many in the country. The legislation, enacted during the previous rule, had to be changed upon request by some parties aggrieved by the changes introduced at that time. Accordingly, several committees were appointed for wide public deliberations. It was a time-consuming exercise. Otherwise, the govt did not drag its feet on the matter. It was giving a fair share of hearing to the peoples complaints only to correct the situation. That is it. Now, everything is in place. So, we will be able to have the elections within a short period of time.

In the past, it was politics full of venom and acrimony. When one party was in power, it created chaos for the other. Be that as it may, the leaders of both sides have always stood shoulder to shoulder with each other

Q As for the PC polls, are you trying to say that the two parties would contest separately and form a joint administration thereafter?

We can see about it at that time. We are in the position that we contest separately. That is it.

Q UNP and the SLFP engaged in hostile politics for several years in the Anuradhapura district which you represent and many party men from both sides were victimized at the end. Now, you are part of a UNP-led government. How do you feel it?

To be honest, we engaged in hostile politics. In the past, it was politics full of venom and acrimony. When one party was in power, it created chaos for the other. Be that as it may, the leaders of both sides have always stood shoulder to shoulder with each other at the topmost level. Discord has been sown among the grassroots members only. We realized that we could do justice to people by being together. My father was once imprisoned due to political reasons. It does not mean that I should also serve jail terms in the future. I should not leave room for a culture of vindictive politics to my offspring. I am a person striving for policy-centred politics.

Q The UNPers suffered a lot at the hands of your fathers leadership in Anuradhapura. The arson attack on Dr. Raja Johnpulles residence in the run up to the 2008 PC polls was one such incident. What do you feel about these UNPers now?

Everything happened on political grounds, and not on personal reasons. There was no personal vendetta involved. We had clashed with each other during political marches and rallies. We have attacked each others political offices. These were incidents of political violence, not personal scuffle. Today, we are united with each other. Therefore, we do not find any issues with UNPers.

MR is misleading the general public, that is obvious to us. He cannot seek presidency again in terms of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution. Then, how could the SLFP give nomination to him? Then, what should I tell?

Q You said recently that SLFP would not give nomination to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. You came under criticism for making such a statement. What did you actually mean?

MR is misleading the general public, that is obvious to us. He cannot seek presidency again in terms of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution. Then, how could the SLFP give nomination to him? Then, what should I tell? He is 72 years old now. We are talking about a presidential election to be conducted in three years time. Both MR and former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga are not eligible for candidacy next time. Our candidate is none other than President Maithripala Sirisena.

Q President Sirisena came to office with the sole promise of abolishing the Executive Presidency and not contesting for the second time. Is there any change of mind now?

It is his personal view. I, as the General Secretary, say President Sirisena is the best bet the party has. The President has delivered something to the country. We want to field a candidate who can win. If the President declines to accept it, then we would have to consider the next option.

Q As the General Secretary, are you aware of any intention by the President to contest for the second time?

We have not spoken to him about it. We consider what we should do as a party. If the President is willing, he will be the best candidate for us. Otherwise, we have a second tier of leaders ready to contest.

Some powers of the executive presidency have been pruned already. Other powers could not be pruned because of the ruling by the Supreme Court.

Q Does the SLFP believe that the Executive Presidency should be abolished?

Some powers of the executive presidency have been pruned already. Other powers could not be pruned because of the ruling by the Supreme Court. Otherwise, we were ready for it. Yet, in keeping with the court ruling, we had to go for reforms that did not warrant the approval of people by referendum. We are not opposed to the abolition of the Executive Presidency. When powers are fully devolved to the PCs under the 13th Amendment, there should be some safeguards. We have to work out measures in the greater interests of the future of the country. The executive has control over the provincial councils today. We believe in such control. We have to work out a Constitution meant for generations to come. It is not something meant for the present rule.

We have to iron out the shortcomings in the present Constitution and bring in changes to address the issues at hand. One may call it a new Constitution and another may not. Therefore, we should not engage in a hair-splitting theorizing exercise and arguing that it is a new Constitution or not. One group argues that there should be a new Constitution. Some others say there should only be Amendments.

Whatever, they might say, we have to rectify the shortcomings in the present one with changes in the greater interests of the future of the country.
By Zahara Zuhair

The Colombo Rubber Traders Association (CRTA) recently stressed the industry, together with the government should urgently come up with a mechanism to retain the smallholders during times of rubber price decline in order to ensure adequate supply to rubber products manufacturers.



If the price drops many of the smallholders would go out of tapping and look for other employment.

And the worse situation is some destroy the rubber for plywood to make money out of the rubber trees. This has a long-term impact; this is an issue we have seen over the last few years, CRTA Chairman Sunil Poholiyadde said at CRTAs 98th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held last Friday.

In Sri Lanka, almost 70 percent of the rubber production comes from the smallholder sector. In 2016, the rubber price hit a low of nearly Rs.200 a kilo, whereas the growers were used to a price level of almost Rs.600 a kilo. This has resulted in many rubber growers discontinuing harvesting and some going to the extent of uprooting rubber trees to generate funds they require.



However, Poholiyadde noted that he is glad to see natural rubber prices seeing an increase, exceeding Rs.400 a kilo at the Colombo auction this month.



At the same time, he said the domestic rubber consumption has also seen an increase from 127 million kilos in 2015 to 142 million kilos in 2016.

Sri Lanka had to import a portion of its requirement due to the low production in the country.

Sri Lankas rubber production fell 11 percent year-on-year to 79 million kilos in 2016.



Pholiyadde attributed the lower production to reduced prices due to external reasons and adverse weather conditions.



Traditional rubber growing areas have more rainfall than experienced before, while areas such as Ratnapura becoming not so economical.



There have been extremely dry spells, extremely long periods of wet weather, whi ch have hampered the tapping operation and as a result there has been a drastic drop in production. So, we need to get in to non-traditional areas for cultivating rubber, open new areas of rubber cultivation, he stressed.

He said that another major factor for the drop in production is the alienation of the rubber land for urbanization and other industries.



I am informed by the Planters Association that a further 2500 hectares of rubber land of the Regional Plantation Companies (RPCs) have been identified for acquisition, to be used for other industrial purposes.



This becomes a major threat to the industry, and I appeal to the authorities to carefully analyse the situation since RPCs production would drastically drop in the future if this continues to happen, he said.



Pholiyadde said he is confident that if alternate additional land is offered to RPCs, most of them who have downstream value addition, would accept this offer, where land could be offered from non-traditional areas, and the country as a whole will benefit from additional exports of value added natural rubber products.



With regard to the Rubber Master Plan which was launched in 2016, he said that if this plan is to be achieved, in his view a fair amount of production has to take place within the country even to attract or expand the current value addition.



If not, manufacturers would prefer to set up or relocate their facilities in countries where rubber is grown, which would obviously be feasible considering freight charges for raw materials, he remarked.

Im afraid to say if we do not produce and if the raw materials have to be imported from other countries, the manufacturer may move out, which has happened in the recent past.



Even countries like Malaysia and Indonesia who produce palm oil, they support the smallholders to grow rubber and supply, assuring volume. I dont think anyone would like to invest without assured supply, he stressed.



Therefore, I reiterate that the cultivation of rubber needs to be expanded on a solid plan, he said.

According to the Rubber Master Plan, the production has to increase to 300,000 metric tonnes by 2045 and also with value addition the export revenue should go up to US $ 5 billion by year 2030.

Rubber imports, a temporary measure: Govt.

Articulating the thoughts of Plantation Industries Minister Navin Dissanayake, his Advisor Lakna Paranawithana, who attended the event on the ministers behalf said, the governments decision to allow a maximum of 1000 metric tonnes of rubber to be imported through the State Trading Corporation (STC) within a period of three months, would not affect the local market because an adjustment of customs import duty will keep the cost of imported rubber over local auction prices.

Please bear in mind that the government must balance the interests of producers as well as rubber consumers who add value to local raw rubber, Paranawithana said, assuring that it is going to be strictly a temporary policy measure to keep the value-added industry going.



He said that as the industry last year recorded the lowest ever rubber output in its history, to arrest this alarming trend, it is important to enhance the productivity and quality through innovation that will bring down costs.



Last year, we had recorded the lowest ever rubber output in Sri Lanka. This is the direct response of most of our producers to price signals.

They are apparently not productive compared with some of our global competitors as well as local producers. Such producers need guidance and motivation, he said.



The Rubber Master Plan has proposed nine new projects to improve rubber production, productivity, and quality, he added.



Paranawithana noted that after the successful completion of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) funded 5,000-hectare project in Moneragala with an investment of US $ 22 million, they have commenced a Smallholder Tea and Rubber Revitalization (STARR) project to add another 3,000 hectares of small holdings in Ampara and Moneragala.



He also said they are exploring the possibilities of planting rubber in suitable areas in Northern and Eastern regions.



Negotiations have taken place with the Northern and Eastern provincial councils, and we are trying to obtain land. Technically it is approved, now it is about getting social acceptance, he said.



He further said that the ministry is organizing an international trade fair in Colombo to be held in August covering rubber, tea and coconut value chains.
REUTERS, 16th JULY, 2017

Venezuelas opposition holds an unofficial referendum on Sunday to increase pressure on President Nicolas Maduro as he seeks to create a legislative superbody that his adversaries call the consolidation of a dictatorship.



The symbolic poll, which will also ask voters if they want early elections, is intended to further dent Maduros legitimacy amid a crippling economic crisis and three months of anti-government protests that have led to nearly 100 deaths. The opposition has cast the vote, which begins at 7 a.m. local time at some 2,000 centres around the country, as an act of civil disobedience to be followed by zero hour, a possible reference to a national strike or other escalated actions

against Maduro.
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This is Up and Down, where we give a brief thumbs up and thumbs down on the issues from the past week.

Up

Midcontinent Communications has made a big investment in providing faster web service to communities it serves in North Dakota. Midco has extended gigabit service to 40 cities in the state. It plans to have service to 100 percent of its network by the end of the year. This comes to about a $75 million investment  $150 million if the companys buildout in Fargo is included. This service should be a boost to businesses and entrepreneurs along with residents who enjoy a variety of devices.

Down

Morton County has seen another Dakota Access Pipeline case dismissed. The prosecutor asked for the dismissal after a judge ruled to suppress evidence taken from a drone. Myron Dewey was facing a misdemeanor stalking charge for trying to take film using a drone of security personnel. The judge ruled that prosecutors did not provide enough evidence that search and seizure of the unmanned aerial device was legal. This isnt the first time a pipeline case has failed to pass muster in Morton County. The courts shouldnt have to worry about dealing with weak cases.

Up

It was a great experience last week for students from Century and Legacy high schools on a fossil dig. Two students had discoveries that excited the paleontologists conducting the dig. Theres no better way to learn than to get an opportunity to go into the field with experts. The photos of the thrilled students told the whole story. They learned a lot about North Dakotas history on the trip and had fun in the process.

Down

Its been a struggle for North Dakota to get the federal government to help pay the costs of the Dakota Access Pipeline protests. The Morton County Sheriffs Department, North Dakota Highway Patrol, National Guard and other law enforcement agencies got stuck with dealing with the protests on federal land. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers allowed the protests to continue on federal land where others arent allowed to camp. When the protests grew and continued for months the costs also increased. Theres one estimate that the state and Morton County incurred $38 million in costs due to the protests. Gov. Doug Burgum asked President Donald Trump to declare a disaster so the state could be compensated. The president rejected the request. The congressional delegation promises to continue the fight for payments, but its unlikely the state will see the full amount. The federal government needs to pay for its bad judgment during the protests. The company behind the pipeline, Energy Transfer Partners, has offered to help pay the costs. Whether the state can or will take them up on the offer remains to be seen.

Up

Its good to see the North Dakota Indian Education Summit grow. The fourth annual event was held last week in Bismarck and more than 130 educators attended. The summit offered a variety of speakers, covered numerous topics and included 20 breakout sessions. The North Dakota Department of Public Instruction modeled the summit after an event in Montana. Educators find these events useful and DPI should be commended for starting it.

Down

A longtime business in Mandan will be closing at the end of the month. Bonanza has been operating for nearly 40 years on the east end of the city. The building is for sale, but it appears another restaurant may take the space. Bonanza will be missed.
It speaks for the narcissism enveloping the country when a news item in a national TV website declares To boost defence ties with India, US House clears over $600 billion (Rs 38.5 lakh crore) Bill. The reference is to the passage of the humongous US defence budget by the lower House of Representatives.

It needs to be passed by the upper house, the Senate, before going to the president to be signed into law.

Mere amendment

One would imagine from the headline that the entire purpose of the legislation is to promote India-US relations. But the actual fact is that the India part is just in the form of an amendment moved by Indian-American Congressman Ami Bera, tacked on to the Bill, with no financial implications at all.

All it calls for is that the US State and Defence departments develop a strategy for advancing defence cooperation between India and the US within 180 days of the Bill becoming law.

Two other amendments by Dana Rohrabacher and Tom Poe call for the US secretary of defense to certify, prior to making reimbursements to Pakistan, which could be of the order of $400 million (Rs 2,57,000 lakh) per annum, that Islamabad is taking demonstrable steps to take on the Haqqani network and ensure security of supply convoys going to Afghanistan.

These amendments gather one-day headlines and are thereafter ignored. What the final shape of the US defence budget Bill will be can only be determined after the Senate passes its version and the two are reconciled. These amendments may simply fall off the map. Even if they get through, which it is likely they will, they mean little.

For India, a legislative roadmap, minus any financial or legal commitment means little. For Pakistan, there is a good case to argue that the amendments actually enable US aid, not block it. No legislative directive can alter the realpolitik with which a US administration has to deal with Pakistan. And neither, despite its fulminations about Pakistani betrayal can it alter Islamabads strategic calculus.

The new Trump administration has yet to reveal its hand on South Asia.

Past instances

We have been there before. In 1985, in a similar move to stop Pakistan from developing nuclear weapons, the Pressler Amendment was passed. It demanded an annual certification from the US president that Pakistan does not have nuclear weapons. Despite evidence to the contrary, the US president routinely gave the certification because US was locked into a proxy war against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan.

Only after the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan in 1990 did the US president refuse his certification. By that time it was way too late. Looked at carefully, the Pressler Amendment was actually an amendment to enable the US to give Pakistan aid, not to block it. If the US Congress really feels strongly about Pakistani betrayal and so on, they can simply pass an amendment to block aid to Pakistan. All this business about certification is eyewash.

Actually, to go by the law, Pakistan remains a Major Non-NATO Ally, a legal category involving some 17 countries which gives them a range of benefits. They can establish cooperative projects with the US Defense Department for R&D, get priority delivery of US surplus equipment, get finance, loans of equipment and materials to lease certain equipment and so on.

Future hope

Israel is an MNNA, but it is specially privileged through a US-Israel Partnership Act that allows the United States to share and exchange research technology, intelligence, information, equipment and personnel. Israels status is unique and it is designated as a major strategic partner.

Since 2016, India has been designated as a major defence partner of the US. So while in statements, the US has said that it will treat India at a level at par with that of the United States closest allies and partners, the only legislative commitment we have is through Ami Beras amendment in this years Defense Department bill which calls on the Pentagon and State Department to develop an India strategy.

No doubt, we will get there some day, but not right now. The major defence partner designation was mentioned in the 2016 budget and formally conferred by the Obama administration a month before it left office. The new Trump administration has yet to reveal its hand on South Asia.

For the past several months the US national security adviser, HR McMaster, is reviewing the US South Asia policy which includes issues relating to India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. The review has been delayed, but you can be sure, its focus will not be India, but Afghanistan and Pakistan.

As for India, relations are on an even track and it is unlikely that there will be any dramatic change in any new US policy towards the region.
It's always been a crime to blow a stop sign, but now it's double trouble if you also were reaching for a dropped granola bar or trying to put on lipstick.

A new law set to take effect on Aug. 1 adds a $100 penalty if a driver violating a traffic law was also doing something distracting.

There's no set list of what counts as a "distraction," but the law said it's to include any activity "not necessary to the operation of the vehicle" that "reasonably impairs, or would reasonably be expected to impair, the ability of the individual to safely operate a vehicle."

North Dakota Highway Patrol spokesman Lt. Michael Roark said he is hopeful the law will make the roads safer.

"Put the phones down, put the distractions away and just allow a little more time to drive," he said. "If itll help save lives, then it will help us all."

Officers will be on the lookout for what drivers are doing while they commit other traffic offenses, such as swerving into other lanes. Some examples of distractions could be reaching around the car or turning around to talk to see what's in the back seat, he said.

"The verbage itself offers officer discretion," he said.

He said he was not sure yet how often the law will be used, as it is not a provision the agency actively sought. Officers will be trained on the law in the next month.

Bismarck Police Lt. Jeff Solemsaas said distracted driving is a big problem in the city.

"Looking at crash reports, the vast majority are caused by some form of distraction or another," he said. "You rear end a car at a red light, you're probably doing something you weren't supposed to be doing."

He said people are often looking out the window, talking to a passenger, adjusting a radio or using their cell phones.

A 3.5 hour texting-and-driving enforcement in Bismarck on Thursday caught 23 people improperly using their phones while driving, according to data provided by Solemsaas.

The current law said that, for adults, it is a crime to text and drive, but it's OK to check a GPS, dial a phone number or use a handheld phone. For juveniles, it's a crime to talk or text.

Solemsaas, who is in charge of the traffic division, said he's planning to go to a training on the new law at the end of the month, so he can understand better what is expected in terms of enforcing the new law.

The distracted driving law, House Bill 1430, was passed in the last legislative session. The name of the cited offense is "failure to maintain control."

Rep. Corey Mock, D-Grand Forks, said he worried that North Dakota lacked a law to discourage distracted driving.

He argues that making it a "secondary offense" keeps out unnecessary or excessive citations. The vagueness of the law is intentional, he added, to allow for the wide range of distractions that cause bad driving and collisions.

"You're going to be able to drive and eat skittles ... but if doing something else causes you to lose control of your vehicle, you need to rethink that behavior," he said.
DEVILS LAKE -- About 30 boats came to the rescue of a Minto, N.D., man, his daughter and the family dog after their pontoon erupted in flames Saturday on Devils Lake.

David Gerszewski, 50, said he and his daughter took the pontoon out Saturday evening for a joyride to make sure it was running well before taking the rest of the family out on the lake. Around 5:30 p.m., Gerszewski said he noticed smoke rolling out of the back end.

In minutes, it was totally engulfed in flames, he told the Herald Sunday. We all bailed off.

Gerszewski said he isnt sure how the fire started, but they got off as fast as they could. His daughter grabbed the dog and threw it off the pontoon and into the water before jumping in herself, he said. Wearing lifejackets, the three were able to swim away to a safe distance as the pontoon burned.

However, the three were about 2 or 3 miles away from the shoreline. Gerszewski said they could float and let the current take them to shore if they were lucky, but that could take hours.

Luckily, about 25 to 30 boats in the area saw the smoke and flames and immediately came to their rescues, he said. One boater pulled the dog into his craft as Gerszewski and his daughter climbed in.

There were a lot of boats that came flying up to make sure they were all right, he said.

Gerszewski, his daughter and the boaters sat for about an hour watching the pontoon flames burn until they extinguished on their own. Then the boaters helped pull the incinerated pontoon in to shore.

The pontoon is sitting on a trailer waiting to be looked over by an insurance agent, Gerszewski said. Its a total loss, but everyone is fine and escaped injury, he said.

It just kind of shook me up a bit when it went up, he said. I couldnt believe how fast it went up in flames.  Theres nothing left to it.

He said he was thankful the boaters came to help him and his daughter.

That would have been long float, he said. Im just glad nobody got hurt.

He did have some advice for people who are boating.

Make sure everybody has lifejackets, he said. Be prepared because it happens.
In letters sent to Governor Terry McAuliffe and Charlottesville city officials, civil liberties activists and attorneys asked Monday for an investigation into whether Virginia State Police and the Charlottesville Police Department acted unlawfully when they used warzone tactics to provide security at a July 8 Ku Klux Klan rally in Justice Park.

In the days following the July 8 rally organized by the Loyal White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, local activists and their allies have questioned why militarized police used tear gas to disperse protesters who remained on East High Street after the rally had ended. The letters also call on local and state authorities to use less aggressive means for maintaining safety at an alt-right rally scheduled for next month in Emancipation Park.

Drafted by the attorneys with the Legal Aid Justice Center, the National Lawyers Guild, the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia and the Rutherford Institute, the two letters relayed an appreciation for the authorities interest in maintaining public safety, but outlined a number of concerns about the conduct of the police.

It appears to us that Charlottesvilles oppositional and aggressive style of policing exacerbated an already difficult circumstance, and led to several avoidable incidents, such as mass arrests, said the letter addressed to the City Council, Police Chief Al Thomas and City Manager Maurice Jones.

The letters allege that the group of protesters affected by the tear gas did not demonstrate a clear and present danger of violent conduct.

Volunteer legal observers with the National Lawyers Guild and the ACLU, as well as journalists monitoring the rally and the incidents afterward, were also affected by the tear gas.

Regardless of whether some protesters voiced anti-police viewpoints, the law has recognized that when properly trained, police officers are expected to exercise greater restraint in their responses than the average citizen when confronted with what might otherwise by fighting words, the letters said.

Police arrested 22 anti-Klan protesters throughout the day with charges such as obstruction of free passage and assault on a police officer. Aside from one person charged with assault, three others are facing felony charges for wearing masks in public.

Last week, activists associated with Solidarity Cville, Showing Up for Racial Justice Charlottesville and the Antifascists of the Seven Hills called for the charges to be dropped.

Monday evening, the City Council will hold its regular meeting at 7 p.m. More than 60 people, a majority of whom have said they wish to address issues related to the July 8 rally, have signed up to speak during the opening public comment period.
Campus Reform, a project of the Leadership Institute, recently interviewed students in Washington, D.C. to get their opinions on socialism. Not surprisingly, most of them were all for it. And also not surprisingly, most of them could not explain what they mean by socialism.

While its tempting to mock these students for supporting an economic system they cant define, Im not sure those of us on the right side of the political spectrum can do any better.

I remember hearing that Bill Clinton was a socialist, and then Barack Obama came along. Obama was also called a socialist and then a self-proclaimed socialist, Bernie Sanders, ran for president. Since all three of these politicians supported different policies what did people mean by saying they were all socialists? Was it nothing more than an all-purpose slur against liberals?

If so, our use of the term as an insult doesnt seem to be deterring people from identifying with socialism. A poll taken last year found that only one in three millennials has a very unfavorable view of socialism and almost half (45 percent) of younger Americans say theyd likely vote for a presidential candidate that described themselves as socialist.

But what do they mean by the term? What exactly do we Americans mean when we us the term socialism?

In his article An Attempt to Define Socialism, published in The American Economic Review, John Martin says,

Definitions of socialism are almost as numerous as the combatants for and against socialism. Unbelievers claim the same right as believers to define the term, as Mark Twain said people should spell according to the dictates of their own conscience. The results are confusion and misunderstanding, muddy thinking and a woeful working at cross purposes in matters of national importance. So bewildering is the babel of voices that some people deny that socialism can be defined at all.

Martin published this article in 1911. Today, over a hundred years later, its still questionable whether socialism can be defined at all.

But lets not give up just yet. Lets look at some way that socialism has been defined in modern times.

The Economist magazine seems to agree about the babel of voices for their attempt at a definition sounds like a shrug of who really knows?:

The exact meaning of socialism is much debated, but in theory it includes some collective ownership of the means of production and a strong emphasis on equality, of some sort.

A collective ownership of the means of production does seem to be a common defining feature. As Robert Heilbroner says in the Concise Encyclopedia of Economics, socialism is defined as a centrally planned economy in which the government controls all means of production.

That seems a bit too narrow, too pure, since few self-proclaimed socialist governments control all the means of production. So lets look at what the socialists have to say. The World Socialist movement claims,

Central to the meaning of socialism is common ownership. This means the resources of the world being owned in common by the entire global population. . . . In practice, common ownership will mean everybody having the right to participate in decisions on how global resources will be used. It means nobody being able to take personal control of resources, beyond their own personal possessions.

This is a bit too broad, and sounds more like pure communism. Few Americans would agree this is what they mean by the term.

The Oxford Dictionary of Economics has a definition that seems to come closest to the colloquial usage:

The idea that the economys resources should be used in the interests of all its citizens, rather than allowing private owners of land and capital to use them as they see fit.

This definition appears to include what most supporters of socialism want from the economic system but leaves out a key element that has been part of the definition for over a hundred years: collective ownership of the means of production. Is that part of the definition still essential?

The reality is that since the fall of the Soviet Empire, most self-proclaimed socialists are not really interested in the state controlling the means of production as long as the wealth that is produced by capital can be redistributed by the government.

This preference is similar to a primary concern of crony capitalism. The crony capitalist wants to use government to privatize profits and socialize risk and losses. In other words, businesses and individuals can successfully benefit from any and all profits related to their line of business, but avoid losses by having those losses paid for by society.

What the new socialists want is the reverse. They are generally comfortable with individuals and businesses owning the means of production and (sometimes) privatizing the risks and losses that come with production as long as they can socialize the profits that are created by capital. (Some people, of course, support individual ownership of capital and the socialization of risks and losses and the socialization of (most) profits.)

As self-proclaimed democratic socialist Bernie Sanders has explained,

I dont believe government should take over the grocery store down the street or own the means of production, but I do believe that the middle class and the working families who produce the wealth of America deserve a decent standard of living and that their incomes should go up, not down. I do believe in private companies that thrive and invest and grow in America, companies that create jobs here, rather than companies that are shutting down in America and increasing their profits by exploiting low-wage labor abroad.

While Sanders proposes to provide government assistance to workers who want to purchase their own businesses by establishing worker-owned cooperatives, he appears to mostly believe the best approach to social ownership is for government to regulate and redistribute economic profits both to workers and to society in a way that he deems to be fair.

While allowing businesses to be privately owned, Sanderss brand of socialism advocates the use of government regulation and mandatory wealth redistribution to achieve economic equity in society. On the regulation side, this would include determining the minimum level of workers pay and benefits (i.e., $15 a hour and mandatory family leave) as well as limits on how much profits companies can earn (Democratic socialism means that we have government policy which does not allow the greed and profiteering of the fossil fuel industry). Additionally, Sanders proposes increasing taxes, both on individual and on corporations, so that the government has more money for the purposes of redistribution (e.g., he proposes a top rate on individual income of 52 percent). But while he wants government to regulate business, he is not calling for the state to seize direct control of the means of production.

So is Sanders-style democratic socialism really socialism? Is socialism without collective ownership of the means of production still socialism? Im not sure it is, which is why I think we need a new term, such as redistributionism or neo-socialism, to refer to this idealized economic system.

Since no one seems to know what socialism means anyway, maybe its time to try out a new word for the latest flavor of failed economics preferred by Americans.
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio recently said on a radio show that he would like to ban panhandling but wouldnt try because the courts wouldnt allow it.

Many panhandlers are not particularly in need and just are finding a way to get some easy money and that does frustrate me, he said.

We  a sociologist and an economist based in New York City  have studied panhandling in downtown Manhattan for several years. We think that de Blasio and other leaders who want to root out panhandling can use smarter ways to quell local fears of being scammed while ensuring that the poor are able to solicit alms.

We have looked at where panhandlers work and how their numbers change over time. We have also talked to many panhandlers at length. This kind of scholarship is rare, so policymakers in the Big Apple and in other communities may want to check out our findings.

Legal trouble

As the proportion of major American cities banning panhandling shot up to 27 percent from 19 percent between 2006 and 2016, opponents increasingly sued to overturn these restrictions.

A series of court rulings affirming the constitutional right to panhandle in places like Tampa, Florida and Frankfort, Kentucky bode badly for these bans.

But curbside solicitations should  at least theoretically  command broad enough support to not require a judicial assist. Egalitarians want to transfer wealth from the rich to the poor. Libertarians prefer voluntary transactions that circumvent bureaucracy. Religions of all kinds tell believers to give alms.

When more people give

One aspect of panhandling we have researched is how it responds to the flow of donations. Do more people do it, in other words, when the number of passersby grows?

Not really, it appears.

To figure this out, we monitored the rate of panhandling in downtown Manhattan  a square mile that includes Wall Street, Ground Zero and the surrounding areas  from 2014 to 2015. During this period, One World Trade Center opened near the former site of the twin towers, much of Ground Zero was restored and tourism surged. But the number of panhandlers increased very little.

Even when we saw sidewalk traffic spike, we saw only a modest uptick in the total number of hours people spent panhandling. That suggests that giving to panhandlers does not tend to increase the frequency of solicitations.

We also counted the number of people who panhandle at a time in downtown Manhattan. Teaming up with some of our students, we found an average of eight to 10 panhandlers actively asking for donations at any given time during peak summer hours. Despite de Blasios concerns, thats not a lot, considering that this small area generates as much economic activity as the state of Wyoming and includes some of the worlds richest pedestrians.

Given that its hard to think of a better place to panhandle, we were surprised to find so few people doing it. One reason why these numbers may seem low is that they dont include the majority of homeless people we found because they werent panhandling.

Problems and regulation

Most governments that crack down on panhandling do it out of concern that it will bother passersby who dont want to give. We studied this problem to see what could be done.

The math is pretty simple: The greater the ratio of pedestrians who want to give compared to pedestrians who dont, the smaller this problem is.

That gave rise to our core idea about what it takes to regulate panhandling intelligently. That is: Encourage what we call successful panhandling, which brings together willing donors and willing solicitors; and discourage unsuccessful panhandling, which targets people who dont even want to see solicitations, let alone give money to someone asking for help on the sidewalk.

Whats wrong with most anti-panhandling ordinances is that they try to ban or discourage both kinds instead of promoting the former and discouraging the latter.

Panhandling credentials

The policies we think will work best would spread information about panhandlers, particularly through the issuance of credentials. The basic problem now is that potential donors know very little if anything about the panhandlers they encounter. That makes them reluctant to give.

Case in point: Almost any time we talked to a colleague or friend about our panhandling research, the first topic that came up was scams  they either declared that all panhandlers were scam artists or asked us what we had learned about how many were scam artists. But none of the panhandlers we encountered were faking their poverty. And contrary to what de Blasio said, they were putting in long hours and werent raking in easy money.

People in some professions  personal trainers and acupuncturists, for instance  have solved similar problems by establishing credentials. As we proposed in a recent paper, we believe the same approach might reduce concerns about panhandling, in turn reducing efforts to restrict or ban the practice.

How might this work?

Nonprofits that aid low-income people, churches, business-improvement districts and other groups could issue (and rescind) panhandling credentials. Authorized panhandlers could wear a special button, hat or other item to convey their status.

These worn items would include ID numbers that potential donors could verify, and a system could be established to report counterfeits. These ID numbers might also make way for cashless panhandling, as Sweden now allows, and they might also assist in reporting and discouraging aggressive panhandling.

Wed welcome credentialing experiments in Manhattan and elsewhere in the U.S. People who want to give donations and people who need to ask for them deserve a better chance of finding each other.

Brendan O'Flaherty is a professor of economics at Columbia University, and Gwendolyn Dordick is a lecturer in the sociology department of City University of New York. This commentary originally was published on The Conversation, an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.
Students of the free market say that economics is merely human action. Economists also understand that policies have unintended consequences  such as reducing the number of children born in a nation. The Adam Smith Institute, based in London, has released a new report describing one such consequence due, in part, to central planning and overregulation.

The British housing crisis has inadvertently discouraged women from having 157,000 children, its report finds. Young couples in the UK increasingly struggle to afford a home of their own. The average price of a home in London has increased from 55,000 in 1986 to 492,000 today (approximately $71,800 to $642,250 U.S.). While that is due in part to urbanization, the ASI notes that some government policies artificially reduce the supply even as demand rises.

The new ASI study found that rising housing prices increased fertility for homeowners but decreased birthrates among those who rent. While the former is more confident in its economic future, the latter is struggling to save up for a home. Higher prices require higher deposits. In the meantime, the housing that couples can afford may not be large enough to accommodate all the children they wish to have.

ASIs analysis found that a 10% rise in house prices resulted in 4.9% decrease in births amongst renters and a 2.8% increase in births amongst home owners over the whole 18-year time period [1996 to 2014]. The net effect is a 1.3% decrease in births over the entire period, equating to approximately 157,000 missing children.

Unfortunately, in the ten years between 2004 and 2014 homeownership fell from 60% to 35% among 25-34 year olds  the key childbearing demographic, the report, written by Andrew Sabisky, notes.

While careful to stipulate that child-bearing decisions are not exclusively, or even primarily, economic, they state that family size is driven in part by financial considerations. When weighing the decision as to whether or not to have another [child], parents who simply cannot afford to do so will often not, no matter how much they might want another baby for other reasons.

As newborns become more scarce, the average age creeps upward, and the number of Brits aged 85 and older will more than double in the next 18 years.

While a highly regulated-and-subsidized housing market discourages some Brits from having children, that population drop will further undermine the British economy. Any decrease in population levels exerts significant economic pressures on a nation with an old-age pension system like the UK (or the U.S.):

Lower mortality and fertility rates imply a rise in the dependency ratio (the ratio of non-workers to workers). The consequences for public finances are obvious. 55% of welfare spending currently goes to pensioners (as of 2014/15). In an ageing population this number is likely to rise even further. As of 2014 there were 3.2 working-age people for every pensioner; by 2037 this number is projected to fall to 2.7 (House of Commons Library, 2015). The rise in the numbers of very old people  as discussed above  presents an additional burden. The average 85 year old is estimated to cost the NHS three times as much as the average 65-74 year old (House of Commons Library, 2015).

The housing trend illustrated by ASI exacerbates an already contracting population. The UKs total fertility rate (TFR) has not met the replacement level since 1972. Sadly, as ASI notes, by European standards, the UKs TFR (1.82) is quite impressive. The British birthrate exceeds that of Germany (1.5), Italy (1.35), or Spain (1.33). Slightly more fertile European nations still fall short of replacement levels; the closest is France at 1.96. These rates track rather closely with the Heritage Foundations Index of Economic Freedom and the Fraser Institutes Economic Freedom map.

This is a salient fact: Market economies produce enough goods for young people who are so inclined to support more children. The world is incalculably richer for their fecundity. Every human creature who is born on earth is the sign par excellence of the Creator and Father who is in Heaven, said Pope Benedict XVI in 2010.

Those economies that reject the market have the opposite effect. After Bolivarian populist socialism plunged Venezuela into the depths of recession, many of the nations women had themselves voluntarily sterilized. Similarly, a 2014 Princeton study found that 426,850 Americans will never be born because women chose not to have children after experiencing the Great Recession and the statist policies that slowed the recovery. Finally, according to the Guttmacher Institute, nearly three-quarters of women who seek an abortion say they cant afford a baby right now. Economic opportunity has profound human consequences.

Our governments must learn to construct policies that do not accidentally have the side effect of making it harder to have children, ASI states. Government limits on the design and height of housing complexes have capped the number of apartments available. Allowing development on 3.7 percent of Londons Green Belt would create a million new homes, ASI estimated in a previous study. Loosening other regulatory restrictions and reducing or abolishing taxes would also bring down housing costs. You can read ASIs new report here. A previous summary of ASIs housing policy proposals may be found here.

Any parent can attest that no amount of economic security will make someone feel adequately prepared to care for a child. And one ought not view human beings as economic goods; human dignity is incomparably higher than private budgetary issues.

However, history and human nature make clear to us that economic concerns will intrude upon even the most intimate questions of life and death. Therefore, those who affirm the intrinsic value of human life should be concerned to promote a market environment that provides hope, growth, and opportunity for all its citizens  and their posterity.

(Photo credit: Keith Williamson. This photo has been cropped. CC BY 2.0.)
Mumbai: The Gujarat High Court on Monday turned down Essar Steel's plea challenging the Reserve Bank of India's June 13 circular directing banks to start insolvency proceedings against 12 major non-performing assets. Essar Steel that also owns money to lenders was part of that circular.

Each of these 12 accounts that have failed to repay loan to banks have an outstanding debt of Rs 5,000 crore. It may be noted that Gujarat HC had stayed an insolvency proceedings against Essar Steel as the company had argued before the court that it was in advanced stage of restructuring its debt.

"The company had argued before the HC that it should not be treated on par with other eleven accounts (firms) which have been closed now, while Essar Steel is still doing well with an annual turnover of Rs 20,000 crore," a report on The Economic Times said.

The RBI was last month given sweeping powers to deal with bad loans that have plagued India's banking system. Bad loans stood at Rs 1 lakh crore in 2015-16 and from their have peaked to Rs 6 lakh crore. Some other estimates put them at Rs 8-10 lakh crore that includes bad loans of some private banks.

"The stressed assets of Indian banks are likely to increase to 15 per cent of total loans by March 2018 amid rising requirements for regulatory capital until 2019," ET quoted S&P Global ratings as saying in a recent report.
In volume terms, 5.12 lakh shares of the company were traded on BSE and over 77 lakh shares changed hands at NSE during the day.

New Delhi: Ahead of Wipro's board meeting this week on stock buyback and quarterly results, its shares rose by over 3 per cent today, adding Rs 3,949 crore to the firm's market valuation.

Shares of the company gained 3.12 per cent to settle at Rs 267.60 on BSE. During the day, they had gone up by 5.54 per cent to Rs 273.90. On NSE, they rose by 2.69 per cent to end at Rs 266.85. The stock was the biggest gainer on both Sensex and Nifty.

The company's market valuation on BSE went up by Rs 3,948.99 crore to Rs 1,30,224.99 crore. In volume terms, 5.12 lakh shares of the company were traded on BSE and over 77 lakh shares changed hands at NSE during the day.

A meeting of the board of directors of the company will be held over July 19-20 to consider a proposal for buyback of equity shares and consider April-June quarter results on July 20, Wipro Ltd had informed BSE last week.
Hyderabad: Ratings agency S&P Global on Monday announced its plan to hire around 650 staff over two years for its upcoming Global Talent Centre in Hyderabad.

Speaking to this newspaper over telephone, S&P Global CIO Krishna Nathan said, We shall use our partner Ness Digital Engineerings facility for the GTC before moving to our new facility in one of the newer state-of-the-art IT parks in the city.

When asked about hiring, he said, S&P Global may retrain some of its existing staff for the centre, while the rest would be graduates that help us innovate on technology such as cloud.

Speaking on the partnership, Ness Digital Engineering CEO Paul Lombardo said, Were thrilled to further grow our 10-year old relationship and help the company take advantage of the abundant talent in India to establish a global center that delivers new solutions.
New Delhi: The US has not made any 'comprehensive changes' in its work visa programmes, including H-1B visas, so far despite India taking up the issue with the American government from time to time, Parliament was informed today.

Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the problems being faced by the IT industry have been raised by India with the US government from time to time at various levels.

India has also taken up the matter on US visa fee hike in the dispute settlement body of the World Trade Organization (WTO), she said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.

"The US has not made any comprehensive changes to the work visa programmes including H-1B visas so far," she said.

The minister also said India has made continuous efforts to raise concerns pertaining to IT and ITeS industries in different bilateral meetings including in the Trade Policy Forum.

Indian IT industry has raised concerns over the proposed changes in the US visa regime. Any changes may result in higher operational costs and shortage of skilled workers for the USD 110 billion Indian outsourcing industry.

Indian IT sector, which contributes 9.3 per cent to the country's GDP, is one of the largest private sector employers at 3.7 million people.

The US contributes nearly 62 per cent of the exports, while EU is the second largest market for Indian IT services exporters contributing approximately 28 per cent.
The Reserve Bank of India has refrained from releasing its asset liability figures for the week ended June 30.

New Delhi: The Reserve Bank has refrained from releasing its asset liability figures for the week ended June 30, which is also the last day for depositing defunct currency notes by NRIs.

June 30 is also the last day of July-June financial year followed by the central bank.

This is probably for the first time, RBI in its Weekly Statistical Supplement has not come out with the figures for week ended June 30. "The figures for Friday, June 30, 2017 will be published as part of RBI's Balance Sheet in August 2017 in the Annual Report of the bank," RBI said in its latest statistical supplement. Instead, the central bank has given figures for the week ended July 7.

Last week, RBI Governor Urjit Patel informed a parliamentary standing committee that the bank was still not in a position to provide the exact amount of demonetised currency returned to the central bank.

He also said the RBI has cut staff holidays to complete counting of currency notes and ordered more machines to expedite the process. The central bank chief said employees were working "round-the-clock" except on Sundays.

As part of efforts to fight corruption and black money menace, the government last year demonetised old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes. As on November 8, 2016, the total amount of currency in circulation was Rs 17.7 lakh crore, which included specified bank notes (SBNs) of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000.

There was a 50-day window for exchanging old notes at banks and post offices from November 9 to December 30. After December 30, designated offices of RBI accepted junked notes till June 30 under various categories.

Besides, Indians who were abroad during November 9 to December 30 were given a three-month grace period till March 31 to deposit junked notes. In the case of NRIs, the window was open till June 30.
In phase first 17.92 lakh people were identified for large deposits and asked to e-verify their bank deposits during demonetisation last year.

New Delhi: As part of Operation Clean Money second phase, income tax department claimed on Friday that it has identified 5.56 lakh new people whose bank deposits during demonetisation was higher than claimed in tax returns.

These are persons whose tax profiles were found to be inconsistent with the cash deposits made by them during the demonetisation period, the I-T department said.

All identified persons are being informed through email and SMS for submitting their response online.

In phase first 17.92 lakh people were identified for large deposits and asked to e-verify their bank deposits during demonetisation last year. Some 9.72 lakh people had submitted online response.

IT department said that another one lakh persons who did not disclose all bank accounts during e-verification in the first phase of Operation Clean Money have also been identified.

The information in respect of the cases and accounts identified by the I-T department has been made available in the e-filing window of the PAN holder in the e-filing portal of the I-T department.

The taxpayer will be able to submit online explanation without any need to visit income tax office.

The PAN holder can view the information using the link Cash Transactions 2016 under Compliance section of the portal.

All identified persons are being informed through email and SMS for submitting response online, the I-T department said.

I-T department has on-boarded two specialised data analytics agencies and a business process management agency to augment departmental capability in analysing large volumes of cash deposit data, track the compliance status of taxpayers and reporting entities.

While launching a new website on Operation Clean Money, CBDT in May had claimed that its searches after demonetisation has resulted in people admitting undisclosed income of Rs 16,398 crore and seized assets of Rs 900 crore (Rs 636 crore in cash).
The 50-share index ended above the 9,900 level for the first time by surging 29.60 points, or 0.30 per cent, at new peak of 9,915.95.

Mumbai: Showing renewed strength, the Nifty closed above the 9,900 level for the first time and the Sensex set a fresh life high today, building on optimism about corporate earnings.

Most Asian shares ruled firm, picking up cues from stronger than expected economic growth in China and expectations that the Federal Reserve will tread with care in tightening its policy, given lacklustre data, which led to a record close in the US on Friday.

Investors were optimistic that blue-chip companies might post encouraging first quarter numbers in coming days. On top of it, monsoon progress so far has been above-normal.

The 30-share Sensex jumped further to set a life-time high of 32,131.92, before ending up 54.03 points, or 0.17 per cent, at a new record 32,074.78. It broke its previous life high of 32,037.38, hit on July 13. The gauge has lost 16.63 points on Friday.

The 50-share index ended above the 9,900 level for the first time by surging 29.60 points, or 0.30 per cent, at new peak of 9,915.95, surpassing its previous closing high of 9,891.70 hit on July 13.

"Start of Parliament's Monsoon Session and anticipations of any updates on the banking sector pushed Nifty within striking distance of 10,000. Investors look less daunted by psychological mark as earnings season has encouraged a stock specific approach," said Anand James, Chief Market Strategist, Geojit Financial Services.

Wipro rose the most, up 3.12 per cent, ahead of its board meeting to discuss buyback of shares. Infosys firmed up 1.37 per cent after the company on Friday posted better-than-expected earnings and maintained 2017-18 revenue growth guidance.

Other big gainers were Adani Ports, ICICI Bank, Cipla, Hindustan Unilever and Reliance Industries. Jubilant FoodWorks surged 9.31 per cent after the company today reported 25.53 per cent jump in net profit for the June quarter.

The BSE realty index came out on the top with a gain of 1.28 per cent. Metal, IT and technology indices followed. The broader markets too turned better.
The film stars Kirti Kulhari and Neil Nitin Mukesh in the lead roles.

Mumbai: Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar was today provided with a security cover by the Maharashtra government in the wake of several protests the director has been facing for his upcoming film 'Indu Sarkar'.

The development comes after Bhandarkar had to cancel the promotional events of his movie in Pune and Nagpur, fearing wrath of Congress workers who had gathered to protest the film's release.

According to the sources close to Bhandarkar, he has been given a security cover of two personnel, by his side, till the film does not release.

A senior police official confirmed the news and said Mumbai Police have provided 'adequate security' to Bhandarkar.

Congress has objected to the film, set against the Emergency era, saying it has portrayed Indira Gandhi and her son Sanjay Gandhi in a bad light.

Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam demanded that the film should be screened before senior party leaders to allay their concerns of any defamatory references to the Gandhi family.

A press conference for the promotion of "Indu Sarkar" had to be cancelled in Nagpur yesterday, after the Congress workers protested against the film.

A day earlier, event of the movie at Pune too, was cancelled after few Congress workers took to protest against the Kirti Kulhari starrer.

Bhandarkar had tweeted saying that the team was stranded "like hostages in the hotel room" in Pune when the press conference was opposed in the city.

The film is scheduled to release on July 28.
Mumbai: Ranbir Kapoors first project Jagga Jasoosas one of the producers is garnering him critical acclaim overall and also for his acting in the film. The film stars Katrina Kaif in a crucial role and is directed by the versatile and talented Anurag Basu. The film, which is out in the theatres, is being loved by one and all. Another reason, the film was continuously in the limelight was the lead pairs infamous separation in the real life. Ranbir is currently in New York shooting for the Dutt biopic.

This was his professional life, talking about his private life, the actor got upfront and personal with a leading tabloid and revealed what all does he expect from his girlfriend.

He revealed, "There are varying degrees of what you expect (from a person). As you grow older, you understand more about life, and how much you have to give (back) in a relationship. What I was like while dating a girl in school, and what I am now, and what I will be to my girlfriend later or my wife will be very different. There is no way to measure it. But there is a different sense of evolvement so far as love in my life is concerned."

When the tabloid asked the actor, if he ever went out on a date with a non-filmy background person, this is what the actor had to say to that.

He quipped, "Unfortunately, I don't. I'm so obsessed with my films, my life at the movies, and working through the year, that I don't really get to meet people unless I travel, or it's a chance encounter. Usually, the only people you get to meet are from the (film) industry. And mostly you interact with actresses. I'm not saying that's a bad thing. Film people are amazing, but I'd like to, you know, go on a date"

However, he thinks that it might be difficult for that person to date Ranbir. He said, "I think it'll be hard for that person though, because of the kind of lives we live. There'll be a lot of insecurities. But if you meet somebody who's sorted, and if you're yourself sorted"

Talking about if hes on the dating app Tinder, this is what he says, "It's not a bad thing to be on Tinder. Tinder is doing good to people  it's getting them together. But I'm happy falling in love with my own company. I've always been like that. I don't mind travelling, having breakfast, lunch, dinner, alone. Sure, being with someone is amazing. There is nothing more beautiful than that. But being alone is something I also enjoy very much."
Mumbai: In the recent days, nepotism- the word has been the most used and searched word, courtesy- the nepotism controversy ignited by the fierce Kangana Ranaut on filmmaker Karan Johars chat show.

Filmmaker Karan, (son of producer Yash Johar) who hosted an award show in New York along with Saif Ali Khan (son of actress Sharmila Tagore) and Varun Dhawan (son of director David Dhawan), who joined them for a segment, took a dig at Kangana by chanting nepotism rocks at the award function.

When Varun, who won Best Actor in a Comic Role for his film Dishoom came to collect the award on stage, Saif (Kanganas co-star from Rangoon) referred to the nepotism row that caused a huge havoc in Bollywood.

This is the conversation the trio had on stage:

Saif to Varun: "You are here because of your Papa."

Varun to Saif: "And you're here because of your mummy."

Karan Johar: I am here because of my Papa.

KJo, Saif and Varun said in unison: "Nepotism rocks."

However, this did not go well with a certain sect of audiences and the trio faced severe storm of criticism on Twitter for joking about it in Kanganas absence.

The ones tweeting included Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi:

I'd like to see the likes of Karan Johar, Saif & Varun Dhawan try their Nepotism humor when Kangana is in their presence. #IIFA  Abhishek Singhvi (@DrAMSinghvi) July 17, 2017

I don't know what kind of entitlement you need to actually find 'nepotism rocks' funny. Like yeah it did for you and that makes you a loser.  Floof. (@meownologue) July 17, 2017

Three overgrown children got on stage at #IIFA2017 and hollered "nepotism rocks". Real mature. Mantastic.  Coconut Kanmani (@HazeedaVijay) July 17, 2017

Earlier, this year in February, Kangana Ranaut accused Karan Johar for being 'intolerant' towards outsiders and a 'flag bearer of nepotism' on his popular chat show, which led to an outrage of a harsh banter between the two via different interviews to the media.

After which, Karan at an event in London said that he was done with the 31-year-old actress playing the woman and victim card.

Kangana's comeback appeared in an interview to Mumbai Mirror: "I use every card possible. At the workplace, it's the badass card to fight cutthroat competition. With my family and loved ones, it's the love card. When fighting the world, it's the dignity card, and for a seat in a bus, it's the woman card."

"Why is Karan Johar trying to shame a woman for being a woman? This kind of talk is demeaning to all women. I can't speak for Karan Johar's understanding of nepotism. If he thinks that it is restricted to nephews, daughters and cousins, I have nothing to say. But, to say that he chose not to give me work is to mock an artiste. His memory appears to be poor because we worked together in a movie (Ungli), which was produced by him. And quickly realised our sensibilities did not match," she added.

Other celebrities who spoke about the boiling controversy were:

Aamir Khan said that helping friends and family was a 'normal human tendency,'

Sonam Kapoor said on NDTV Spotlight that she found Kangana 'very entertaining,'

Karan's protege Alia Bhatt said too much was being made of the issue, and actresses Anushka Sharma and Swara Bhaskar - neither of who have Bollywood roots - denied nepotism exists in the industry.

Karan Johar , who for the last and final time wrote in a column for NDTV.com: "I accept that nepotism is a reality, that it exists. Nepotism is a result of easy access to an exceptional resource. I acknowledge that my father was a producer and that made my first film, even the idea of it, possible. But let's also not forget that I started as the son of a producer with five failures behind him."

Kangana will next be seen in Hansal Mehtas Simran, and his Rangoon co-actor Shahid Kapoor won Best Actor Award for Udta Punjab.
L-cysteine is an amino acid that eliminates acetaldehyde, a compound in cigarettes believed to play a role in tobacco addiction by enhancing the brains responses to nicotine

A new lozenge containing the amino acid L-cysteine is an effective, nontoxic smoking-cessation product, according to researchers in Finland.

At least two US experts are not convinced, however.

The study was conducted by Dr. Kari Syrjanen who, along with five co-authors, works in Helsinki for Biohit Oyj, the company that funded the study and markets the lozenge as Acetium.

L-cysteine is an amino acid that eliminates acetaldehyde, a compound in cigarettes believed to play a role in tobacco addiction by enhancing the brains responses to nicotine.

The research team recruited close to 2,000 cigarette smokers online and randomly assigned about half to use the L-cysteine lozenge with every single cigarette they smoked for six months, and the other half to use a dummy lozenge.

All participants kept an electronic diary, recording the number of cigarettes smoked and how much they enjoyed smoking each one.

Altogether, 753 people followed the directions for the entire study, and another 944 followed the directions most of the time, according to the report in Anticancer Research.

Over six months, 331 people who finished the whole study quit smoking: 181 (18.2 percent) who took the L-cysteine lozenge and 150 (15 percent) who took the placebo.

Among those who adhered strictly to the directions, 170 (45.3 percent) who took the L-cysteine lozenge quit smoking compared with 134 (35.4 percent) who took the placebo.

Less smoking pleasure and smoking sensations changed were given as strong reasons for quitting. Six percent of participants in the study reported adverse events (although the researchers didnt collect the details), and the rate was about the same in both groups.

Dr. Scott Sherman, co-director of the Section on Tobacco, Alcohol, and Drug Use at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York called the study promising but said the lozenge is not ready for prime time.

The results are modest, he said by email. The researchers didnt compare the lozenge to other smoking-cessation treatments, he noted, and its not clear if it would have worked as well if participants werent required to complete the daily diary.

The lozenge isnt available in the US, and other formulations of L-cysteine might not work as well as the one that was tested, Sherman noted. If the manufacturer wanted to sell the product in the U.S. and claim that it helps with quitting smoking, it would need to be approved and regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, he said.

Martha Tingen, director of the Tobacco Control Initiative at Augusta University in Georgia, also noted study limitations; including the fact that one-third of the people who originally enrolled didn't actually participate.

Also, she pointed out in an email, The study was based solely on self report. There was no face-to-face and no one checked participants blood, saliva or expelled air to see if they actually decreased or quit smoking.

Most successful smoking-cessation interventions also include behavior counseling, she added. If you have somebody youre accountable to, it makes you feel better.

Sherman said if one of his relatives wanted to quit smoking, I would tell them to use one of the seven medications demonstrated in (the US) to be effective - nicotine replacement (patch, gum, lozenge, inhaler and nasal spray), bupropion and varenicline - in conjunction with a call to Quitline (1-800-QUIT-NOW), as that remains the best way to quit smoking.

His preference? The combination of a nicotine patch plus either nicotine gum or lozenge, particularly since they are available over the counter.

The authors and Biohit representatives did not reply to requests for comment.
As per ICMR officials, WHO guidelines have not been met in India that delays the development of the vaccine.

Chennai: A vaccine to prevent dengue is the need of the hour since the dreaded disease has consumed 22 people and has infected nearly 21,000 people across the country in the last seven months since the beginning of 2017.

Though dengue vaccines have been approved in other countries, they remain under review in India despite increasing number of fresh cases every year.

Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) says a study for dengue virus will be conducted in various zones in the country with around 80,000 samples, before any vaccine can be introduced. And dengue vaccines that have been made in India have been waiting for regulatory clearances due to delay in clinical trial.

World Health Organisation had recommended dengue vaccine named Dengvaxia manufactured by Sanofi Pasteurs two years ago and recommended that countries should consider introduction of vaccine where epidemiological data indicate a high burden of disease.

As per ICMR officials, WHO guidelines have not been met in India that delays the development of the vaccine. Though many Indian vaccine companies are ready to invest in the development of dengue vaccine, vaccine development could not advance as dengue infection varies according to dynamic climatic conditions at different places.

ICMR is conducting a dengue census across the country to collect more data from different zonal population to provide more data on baseline seroprevalence of the vaccine. Based on the survey report, we can decide on the necessity of the dengue vaccine.

An expert committee will be looking into the report to decide on various alternatives available as the dengue vaccine and can finalise on which vaccine will be feasible for the country, Dr Soumya Swaminathan, Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) told Deccan Chronicle.

She added that within six months more data will be available for ICMR to review the report on dengue surveillance. After the report review, development of dengue vaccine can proceed.

WHO expected the Dengvaxia vaccine to be an integrated part of the Global Dengue Prevention and Control Strategy (2012-2020), but the long pending clinical trial did not waive and was rejected by Indian health ministry.

The available dengue vaccines are waiting for the clinical dengue surveillance report to be put into use. The running clinical trials in India on dengue vaccines would delay its introduction further and the numbers of dengue cases would surge.

Health dept steps up screening in south

With a rise in the dengue cases in the city, public health department is taking initiatives such as door-to-door testing of all fevers, checking stagnation, distribution of oral medication and mass awareness campaigns.

As Tamil Nadu reported 4,407 cases until July 9 this year, the number of cases has outnumbered the total number of 2,531 cases reported last year. Taking the situations under consideration, the state health department has started field inspection and source reduction on a large scale at district and village level, especially in southern districts.

Kerala records the highest number of 10,337 cases this year, which increases the risk of a surge in dengue cases in southern districts of Tamil Nadu. Public health director K. Kolandaisamy said that state is coordinating with medical officers in Kerala to share information in the case management.

We are informing medical officers if new cases need to be reported to the medical officers in Kerala. The resources and control measures are being shared across borders to prevent any sort of outbreak. Medical field officers along with anganwadi workers, district medical officers and others are going door-to-door to create awareness among people on dengue and its control. The field staff is being trained in dengue case management, he said.

He added that the corporation health department is checking on the stagnation of water to avoid breeding of mosquitoes. Zonal camps, awareness campaigns in schools are being taken.

As per the health department officials, Suspected cases of dengue are being tracked regularly. The treatment provided to the patients is being monitored.

Source reduction and vector identification continue in the identified areas

of Krishnagiri, Salem, Theni, Coimbatore, Kanyakumari, Virudhunagar and Erode.
As soon as the alert SI overpowered him, the entire neighbourhood had gathered there and started beating up the boy (Representational Image)

Chennai: A teenaged boy had been giving sleepless nights to parents of minor girls in East Tambaram and Selaiyur for the last three weeks as he went on a kissing spree, sometimes to the extent that the girls suffered bleeding injuries on their lips.

He was caught on Sunday evening by a woman sub inspector in East Tambaram when he was rushing out after trying to kiss a minor girl in the house. As soon as the alert SI overpowered him, the entire neighbourhood had gathered there and started beating up the boy.

The police official somehow stopped the angry mob and took the boy to a nearby hospital and also alerted the Selaiyur police. According to local residents, the boy, a Class-X student of a government school in Chitlapakkam, had been caught on CCTV footage earlier but they could not trace him.

Local residents had even formed a neighbourhood watch team to nab the suspect who had been troubling young girls in the locality. When they came to know he was admitted to hospital, more people from the neighbourhood reached the hospital to have a look at him.

Selaiyur police had to strongly remind them that people cannot take the law into their own hands when it comes to dealing with the offender, who in this case is also a minor. After giving him first aid, the police took him to an undisclosed location.
The couples eldest daughter had witnessed this and had kept quiet out of fear, police sources said.

Chennai: Irate over his wife not cooking meat for a relative, a 30-year-old man murdered his wife by strangling her while she was asleep at their residence in Ernavoor on Sunday night. Hours after murdering his wife, the man hanged himself to death on Monday morning.

The couple, Mohan and Sarala, lived with their three daughters, Mahalakshmi (8), Anu (7) and Kavya (6) at Tsunami quarters here. On Sunday afternoon, Mohans sister had come to their house to visit them from New Washermanpet. Police investigations revealed that the man had picked up a quarrel with his wife, chiding her for not cooking meat in spite of knowing that guests were coming home. The relative had pacified the couple and left after a few hours. However, after Mohans sister left home, the man again started fighting with his wife over the same issue. The squabble had continued well into the night, a police officer said.

Around midnight, the man had woken up and strangled his wife with bare hands, killing her in the process. The couples eldest daughter had witnessed this and had kept quiet out of fear, police sources said.

On Monday morning, Mohan too was found hanging in the bathroom after which the children alerted the neighbours. Police rushed to the scene and secured the bodies of the couple and moved them to the Government Stanley Hospital for autopsy. Ennore Police registered a case and took versions of Mohans sister and eldest daughter Mahalakshmi.
Hyderabad: Continuing his tirade against the Congress, municipal minister K.T. Rama Rao on Saturday said unless the people bury it completely, Bangaru Telangana cannot be achieved.

Participating in a series of meetings in Mahbubnagar district headquarters on Saturday, Mr Rama Rao accused Congress leaders, especially leaders from erstwhile Mahbubnagar district of creating hurdles in the governments endeavour for Bangaru Telangana.

He inaugurated Haritha Vanam (Green Park) in Mahbubnagar city that is spread into 250 acres and also inaugurated a ropeway of 200 metres of the proposed 1km stretch planned.

Addressing a public meeting, Mr Rama Rao said, How can they try to stall Palamuru-Rangareddy lift scheme which will be the lifeline for erstwhile Mahbubnagar district?

Referring to the cases filed by local Congress leaders, he said, They did nothing for the district during their rule, but now, when we are trying to develop the district, they want to create problems for us.
Srinagar: India and Pakistan Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) on Monday spoke to each other over the hotline as clashes between the armies on the Line of Control (LoC) intensified.

In the latest ceasefire violations by Pakistan in twin districts of Poonch and Rajouri in Jammu region and Uri sector of the Kashmir Valley, one Indian soldier and an 8-year-old girl were killed and two civilians and a soldier were injured on Monday.

Several Army vehicles and a shelter caught fire as the Pakistanis used mortar bombs, small arms and automatics to target the Indian positions in these sectors, officials in Jammu and Srinagar said.

Earlier on Sunday, Islamabad had reported the death of its four soldiers due to drowning in Neelan River (called Kishan Ganga in Jammu and Kashmir) in PoKs Athmuqam sector after their vehicle was allegedly fired upon by Indian forces in alleged ceasefire violation. One civilian was injured in the firing, they said.

Heavy exchanges were reported on Monday when Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations Major General Sahir Shamshad Mirza spoke to his Indian counterpart Lt. Gen. AK Bhatt and reportedly raised the issue of ceasefire violations in the backdrop of the death of four Pakistani soldiers. The request for the DGMO-level talks was made by Pakistan.

However, Let. Gen. Bhatt rejected the Pakistani charge and said that all ceasefire violations were initiated by the Pakistani troops and that the Indian army reserved the right to retaliate appropriately.

The DGMO also reiterated that the Indian army is sincere about maintaining peace and tranquillity along the LoC.

Officials said that Naik Mudasir Ahmed and an 8-year-old Sajida Kafeel were killed in firing on Monday morning by Pakistani troops in Manjakote area of Rajouri and Balakote sub-sector of neighbouring Poonch.

Two other civilians were injured in Rajouri, said Deputy Commissioner Shahid Choudhary.

The officials said that a mortar shell landed in an Army bunker at 7:30 am, killing 37-year-old Ahmed.

He was a brave and sincere soldier who loved his job to the core, added defence spokesman, Lt. Col. Manish Mehta.

Incidentally, Ahmed who is survived by his wife and two children was a resident of Kashmirs Tral, the same area where Hizb-ul-Mujahedins Internet-savvy commander Burhan Wani had come from and whose killing by troops on July 8, 2016 had sparked off widespread unrest in the Valley.

Another Army jawan was injured later on Monday when the Pakistani troops resorted to firing and shelling in Uri area of the Valley. The firing was still underway when reports last came in and the Army said that its men were responding to ceasefire violation strongly and effectively.

The firing in Uri came hours after Lt. Gen. Bhatt, made it implicit that Indian Army reserved the right to retaliate appropriately to any incident of violation of ceasefire but is sincere in its effort of maintaining peace and tranquillity along the Line of Control provided there was reciprocity."

Lt. Gen. Bhatt, during his hotline contact with Pakistani counterpart, also emphasized that all ceasefire violations had been initiated by Pakistan. He said that the trend of infiltration along the LoC continued with the active support of Pakistan forward posts.

The Army officials in Poonch and Rajouri said that the latest firing and shelling by Pakistani troops has been reported from Poonchs Balakote and Rajouri's Manjakote and Bhimber Gali sectors.

It is mainly Manjakote where 4,000-5,000 civilian population has been affected. Intense firing is going on since 8 am. Infrequently mortar shells have landed in villages. Four to five affected families were evacuated, DC Rajouri Choudhary told this newspaper over the phone.

He added that though mass evacuation is not needed at this stage, the border dwellers have been asked to take precautionary measures.

Also sixteen schools were closed as a precautionary measure. The affected villages are Panjgrain, Rajdhani and Naika. Two civilians were injured in the shelling and one of them Shah Begum who received critical splinter wounds was admitted in district hospital while the other injured Sharief Ahmed was given first aid, the DC said.

Choudhary said that 120 students were stuck in a government-run school at Panjgrain and that after receiving an SOS from the headmaster senior officers coordinated for their safe evacuation as shelling was reported of have affected nearby area.

He said that the order for closure of schools was issued by him soon after reports of heavy shelling in Manjakote.

Weve sounded alert and advised the residents to stay indoors. Also, field officers have been deputed for coordination and various locations notified as camps for likely evacuation. Further ambulances were rushed to Ghambir, Panjgrain, Manjakote and Brahmna, he said.

On July 15, an Indian Army Naik Mohammad Naseer was killed in firing and mortar shelling by the Pakistani troops in Rajouri sector. The same day, exchange of fire was reported also in Balakote, Panigrian, Manjakote and Naika areas in Rajouri and Poonch sectors.

A day earlier, two Army men were killed in a similar incident on the LoC in Kupwara district. Lance Naik LN Ranjit Singh and Rifleman Satish Bhagat were killed in the Pakistani firing in Furkiya area of Chowkibal.

They belonged to the Armys Jammu and Kashmir Rifles and were residents of Jammu region of the State.

Earlier during the week, a jawan of the Territorial Army Muhammad Showkat and his wife Safia Bi were killed and their three daughters Zaida Kouser (6), Robina Kouser (12) and Nazia Bi and another person were injured when a mortar fired by the Pakistani troops exploded near their home in Karmara village of the Poonch sector.

The same day, the Pakistani authorities reported death of five civilians and injuries to a score others in the Indian firing and shelling in Chirikot, Satwal and other sectors on their side of the de facto border.

Indias deputy high commissioner JP Singh was summoned by Pakistans Director-General (South Asia and SAARC) Muhammad Faisal to the Foreign Office in Islamabad for the second consecutive day on July 9 over the alleged ceasefire violations by the Indian troops along the LoC.

On July 12, two soldiers were killed after Pakistan violated ceasefire in Kupwara sector of Kashmir.

Indian officials said that as many as two dozen violations of the November 2003 ceasefire agreement have taken place, so far, in June alone.

The 745-km LoC has witnessed multiple incidents of ceasefire violation in recent weeks. After each clash between the Indian and Pakistani troops, the two sides blamed each other for initiating the firing. Several civilians and soldiers on the two sides have lost their lives in the exchanges of fire and thousands of families have abandoned their homes and relocated to safer locations on both side of the de facto border.

A report from Islamabad said that four Pakistani soldiers were drowned in Neelam after their vehicle was fired upon by Indian forces on Sunday. So far, only one body has been fished out of the river, said an official in Muzaffarabad. Pakistan army spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor had said earlier that the vehicle was targeted as it was moving along the Neelum in Athmuqam town, 73-km from Muzaffarabad.

He alleged that ceasefire violations by India along the LoC were the highest in 2017. There were 315 ceasefire violation by India in 2014, 248 in 2015, and 382 in 2016 while this year, so far, the number of such violations is 580," he alleged.

A Muzaffarabad-based reporter said that the PoK authorities have banned tourists from relocating to the picturesque Neelam valley in view of the border skirmishes. DC Neelam Choudhary Muhammad Fareed said that tourists who were already holidaying in the valley have started leaving it and as a precautionary measure those planning to visit the area have been asked not to come as threat to people here is too great.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Defence, Subhash Bhamre, visited forward Army posts and other locations in Siachen glacier, eastern Ladakh and eastern Ladakh where he was briefed on the security situation by senior Army commanders.
Bengaluru: While Parappana Agrahara Central prison continues to be in the news for wrong reasons, here comes yet another case of violation of prison norms. It is learnt that a group of 20 lifers manage all the activities inside the prison

The group comprising convicts in murder and rape cases who are serving the term in Parappana Agrahara Central Jail run the show and even a leaf cannot move inside the jail without their knowledge.

These convicts are kept in a separate barrack equipped with all facilities. Every new entrant to the jail first has to see them and it is upon their direction the cell is allocated, a reliable source told Deccan Chronicle.

The group is so influential that even the allocation of duties and shifts to jail wardens are managed by them.

Everything is dependent on how you behave with them. Acting rude in front of them would not only cost you your comfort, but also you are sure to get beatings from them. This happens in front of everyone. Nobody dares to question them, the source added.

It is learnt that the group manages all the illegal activities inside the prison and gather money by roll call. "If any prisoner wanted to see their relatives, or wanted something from outside, he needs to first contact the group member and hand over them money. Everything comes at a price here," the source said.

And, this happens under the watch of jail supervisors and nothing is hidden from them.

Want good cell? Shell out more

According to a source, once the undertrials walk into the jail, they have to meet the gang members first. After financial negotiations, they would be provided with the cells.

If one pays more, he would get good cell which would have additional luxuries including the gang's special attention and paying less or nothing means a normal cell and unfavorable treatment throughout his stay."

Vinay to probe prison scandal from Monday

The retired IAS officer Vinay Kumar, who is heading the fact-finding committee to look into allegations of irregularities and preferential treatment to jailed AIADMK leader V Sasikala and stamp paper scam kingpin Abdul Karim Telgi, will begin the probe from Monday.

The IAS officer on Saturday briefly visited the Parappana Agrahara Jail. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has directed the officer to submit a preliminary report within a week and a comprehensive report in a month.

Undertrials dad dies, kin not allowed to meet him

The wife and sister-in-law of an undertrial prisoner, who had come to the Parappana Agrahara central prison to inform him about the demise of his father, were not permitted to meet him by the prison staff on Sunday morning.

The staff allowed them later after the incident was aired by TV channels.

It is alleged that the staff initially denied them the permission citing the ongoing developments for the last 2-3 days.

Rajanna, who hails from Tumakuru, was arrested by the Kodigehalli police in connection with a case recently. His father passed away in Tumakuru early Sunday. Thus, his wife Aruna and sister-in-law Prema had come to the prison on Sunday morning to inform him about the incident and take him to perform the last rites of his father.

However, the prison staff denied them permission citing that the condition within jail was not conducive in the wake of protests on Saturday evening. They also allegedly told the women to come after two days.

After waiting for nearly four hours, they approached the media-persons who were present near the jail. Once the news was telecast by TV channels, the prison authorities allowed them to meet Rajanna and convey the message.
Name of Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu has surfaced as BJP's vice presidential candidate. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: After a heated presidential poll on Monday, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) parliamentary board will meet in Delhi at 6 pm to decide on NDA's vice presidential candidate.

Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu is speculated to be BJP's candidate for vice presidential poll.

However, talking to media, Naidu said, "All other things are only speculations. Whatever Parliamentary Board decides is final." I'm not aspiring to become anything, party finally decides about the candidature, he added.

Earlier as well, Naidu had gone on record, indicating his reluctance to take up the job, quipping that he wanted to remain Usha Pati (husband of Usha, the name of his wife) and not become Upa-Rashtrapati (Vice-President).

There is speculation that BJP may pick a candidate from a region where it has been traditionally weak so as to send out a positive message. Party's chief Amit Shah has identified states like Kerala, Telangana and West Bengal as the new growth region for the party.

As was the case with its presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind, a Dalit seen as a surprise pick, the party might go for a face that will help it politically.

Apart from Venkaiah Naidu, names of Maharashtra Governor C Vidyasagar Rao and party's Kerala MLA O Rajagopal are being mentioned as probables.

An alliance of 18 opposition parties, including the Congress, has already announced Gopalkrishna Gandhi as its candidate for vice presidential poll scheduled for August 5.

Tuesday is the last date for filing of nominations. The electoral college for the election consists of 790 MPs of the two chambers of Parliament.

The ruling bloc enjoys an overwhelming majority in the electoral college and BJP has expressed confidence about garnering anywhere between 500 and 550 votes.
New Delhi: The Centre on Monday told the Supreme Court that giving people additional time to deposit the old notes will defeat the point of demonetisation and its battle against black money, NDTV reported.

Earlier in June, the apex court observed that citizens with valid reasons -- such as imprisonment -- could not be deprived of an opportunity to exchange old notes, giving the Centre and Reserve Bank of India two weeks to come up with a solution. It had asked the government to consider creating a window for people with such legitimate reasons to deposit scrapped notes.

The Supreme Court had clubbed together different citizens which included a woman who had delivered a baby during the time of demonetisation and another who was coping with the death of a family member, the report added.

"If there is a genuine person, he should have the opportunity if he has failed to deposit for a valid reason. You can't take his money away, it is his money," the Chief Justice of India, JS Khehar said at the last hearing on July 5.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2016 had announced the demonetisation of 500 and 1000 Rs notes with a deadline of December 31 for people to deposit or exchange the old notes. The move had led to the withdrawal of 86 per cent of India physical currency. The Centre had later introduced a new Rs 500 and Rs 2000 note with the aim of fighting corruption and eliminating black money.

In a meeting with the parliamentary committee on Wednesday last week, RBI governor Urjit Patel said the number of scrapped notes returned post demonetisation were still being counted.

In the meeting which lasted more than three hours, the central bank chief faced a lot of questions from the members. However, members expressed displeasure over Patel failing to provide any 'specific number' on the amount of money returned to the banking system post the note ban in November, 2016.
New Delhi: An electorate consisting of 4,120 MLAs and 776 MPs voted on Monday to elect the 14th president of India, as Pranab Mukherjee's term as country's first citizen is inching towards its end.

Also Read: Lawmakers cannot carry pens inside voting chamber in Prez poll: EC

The contest is between former Bihar Governor Ram Nath Kovind and former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, with the scales tipped towards Kovind. Along with the JD(U), NDA has completely backed Kovind while 17 Opposition parties have backed Meira Kumar.

Since both the candidates are Dalit, the poll has been dubbed as a 'Dalit vs Dalit' contest, triggering the Congress to term it as a clash of ideologies.

A total of 32 polling stations - one in Parliament House and one each in the state legislative assemblies - have been set up, officials said.

The Election Commission (EC) has appointed 33 observers who are overseeing the conduct of the election. While two observers are present in Parliament House, one each is deployed in the respective state assemblies.

The ballot paper will be in two colours - Green color Ballot for use by MPs and Pink color for use by MLAs.

The ballot paper will have two columns - first column containing candidates' names and second column for marking preferences by electors.

The ballot paper will be in English and Hindi for use by MPs and in official languages of the state and in English for use by MLAs.

The result will be declared on July 20 in New Delhi.

Highlights:

03:10 pm: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said, "It's vote against injustice. For sake of country we urge everyone to not support BJP & stand beside people."

She said, "We voted for Meira Kumar in Presidential poll to register our protest against 'present atrocities' in the country."

03:05 pm: Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah voiced hope that parties facing the BJP in the states will revisit their decision to vote for NDA pick Ram Nath Kovind "considering the situation" in the country.

"There is hope that those parties, which have till now opposed the BJP and will be the target of the party in the coming state elections, might change their decision (to support Kovind) at the last moment considering the situation in the country," Omar told reporters after casting his vote at Jammu and Kashmir assembly.

"As far as the numbers are concerned, it seems the NDA has an advantage in the electoral college, but in a secret ballot you cannot show your vote to anyone," he said.

Also Read: Voting for Presidential Poll in Tamil Nadu ends

02:30 pm: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar and senior Akali leader Parkash Singh Badal cast

their votes for the presidential poll in Haryana.

02:15 pm: Voting to elect the next President of India concluded in the Rajasthan Assembly, with 199 legislators out of 200 exercising their franchise.

Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot cast his vote in Gujarat.

02:14 pm: 100 per cent polling recorded in voting for Presidential Poll in Himachal with all 67 MLAs casting their vote.

02:06 pm: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis casts his vote in Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis (Photo: ANI | Twitter)

01:30 pm: By voting for Ram Nath Kovind, we've registered our protest against crimes of CPI(M), Congress & TMC: Ashish Saha, who quit TMC earlier this year.

1:20 pm: Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar cast his vote in the first one hour. Goa Forward Party's Jayesh Salgaoncar and Vinod Palyekar, Congress' Philip Neri Rodrigues, Ravi Naik, Digambar Kamat and Tony Fernandes, and BJP's Pramod Sawant and Pravin Zantye were among the early voters.

1:15 pm: The impact of the Darjeeling unrest was seen during voting in West Bengal with a heated exchange between TMC MLA Paresh Pal and GJM MLAs. Pal lashed out at three GJM MLAs saying they have set the hills on fire, according to reports.

He also claimed that West Bengal BJP President Dilip Ghosh was the reason behind the unrest, a war of words between them.

1:13 pm: Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has cast his vote.

12:30 pm: Opposition candidate Meira Kumar speaks to media, says, "I have requested the members of the collegiums to pay heed to their conscience, because there is nothing purer and more powerful than that. They should consider it in the best interest and the future of the country".

Also Read: Vote for ideology that binds India: Prez candidate Meira Kumar to lawmakers

The former Lok Sabha speaker, Meira Kumar said, the ideology of social justice, inclusiveness, secularism, transparency, freedom of expression and press, poverty alleviation and total destruction of caste system binds India together. It is very important that we protect and preserve it.

Opposition Presidential candidate Meira Kumar. (Photo: ANI | Twitter)

11:44 am: Nationalist Congress Party's (NCP) leader Praful Patel said all NCP MPs and MLAs have voted for Meira Kumar.

11:37 am: Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said the fight between Kovind and Kumar was "one of ideologies" and rated the latter as the best choice for the president's post.

"The president should be a person pursuing an ideology under which everybody should be equal for him. And when there is a clash of ideologies, I think our candidate (Kumar) is the best," Azad, the Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha, said.

11:30 am: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati expressed satisfaction that a Dalit leader would occupy the office of the president irrespective of who won the poll.

Mayawati also claimed it was because of her party that the NDA and the opposition had to field candidates from the community.

"Winning or losing (a poll) is a different issue. Whoever wins, the good thing is a Scheduled Caste person will be the country's president. And I think it is a good thing for our movement, the party.

"And the NDA, the BJP had to field a Dalit candidate for the presidential poll because of the BSP and the other side (the opposition) too," she told reporters outside Parliament.

11:28 am: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik casts vote for the next president at the state Assembly.

10:59 am: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan arrives at MP Assembly to cast his vote.

10:50 am: Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal cast his vote at the state Assembly.

10:40 am: Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said Kovind will register a "decisive victory" and would turn out as an "honest" president, who, he said, will work hard according to the Constitution.

"It would have been better if there was consensus (among all parties over Kovind's nomination). But no issues," he said.

10:35 am: DMK working president MK Stalin casts his vote at Tamil Nadu Assembly.

10:30 am: Jailed MLAs Chhagan Bhujbal and Ramesh Kadam will be brought to Maharashtra Legislative Assembly from prison for voting.

10:30 am: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu casts his vote in the state Assembly.

10:25 am: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath casts his vote in the state Assembly in Lucknow. "This is matter of pride for the people of Uttar Pradesh, the the son of the state is going to become the President", he said.

Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya and Union Minister Uma Bharti also cast their vote at Tilak hall, Lucknow.

10:20 am: Modi, Amit Shah cast their votes at the Parliament.

Presidential poll: Prime Minister Narendra Modi casts his vote. (Photo: PTI | Twitter)

10:00 am: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister is the first person to cast his vote from state assembly premises in Chennai.

09:45 am: Narendra Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah arrive at Parliament.

09:25 am: "Kovind ji will win (the election) with a respectable and comfortable margin," Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu told reporters ahead of the polling.

09:15 am: CPI(M) urged voters, comprising MPs and MLAs, to pick the "custodian of the Constitution" thoughtfully.

"Hope the electoral college picks the custodian of India's Constitution thoughtfully....Vote to uphold constitutional values of our republic," party general secretary Sitaram Yechury said on Twitter.

Hope the Electoral College picks the custodian of India's Constitution thoughtfully: Vote to uphold Constitutional Values of our Republic.  Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) July 17, 2017

Narendra Modi had congratulated NDA presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind a day earlier, and assured him of his governments support.

Also Read: As Presidential poll continues, all you need to know about election process

At a meeting of the NDA MPs which was also attended by Kovind, Modi recalled that the former Bihar governor had worked as a 'sahyogi' (aide) of Morarji Desai when he was the prime minister and said this government will offer all 'sahyog' (cooperation) to him.

Kovind's win against opposition candidate Meira Kumar is a foregone conclusion as the ruling coalition has secured the support of nearly two-thirds of the electoral college, with some political parties even outside the NDA fold throwing their weight behind him.

Quoting Modi, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said the prime minister also offered his congratulations in advance to the Dalit leader.

Kumar also made light of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi's call to MPs and MLAs for "vote of conscience", saying 40 political parties have supported Kovind's presidential bid and non-NDA chief ministers of states like Bihar, Tamil Nadu and Odisha have also announced their support for him.

"The way ahead is very clear," he said, underlining the clear majority enjoyed by the NDA candidate. On the occasion, BJP MP Bhupender Yadav made a presentation to the MPs about the voting process to ensure that they vote correctly.

Modi highlighted that the campaigns by the two presidential candidates and parties supporting them had been very dignified and showed the maturity of the Indian democracy.

During the meeting, he also noted that 75th anniversary of the Quit India movement falls on August 9 and told the MPs that country-wide events should be held between August 9 and 15, to mark the occasion.

Also Read: MPs to present President Pranab Mukherjee with coffee table book as farewell gift

He pitched for discussions and programmes for five years till 15 August 2022, the 75th Independence Day, aimed at pro-poor programmes and a good governance agenda.

The prime minister, Kumar told reporters, also noted that the advent of the year 2018 will mark the enrolment of "new millennial voters", those born in 2000 and after, and said they should be welcomed and made aware of their responsibilities.

Besides Kumar, BJP chief Amit Shah and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley addressed the MPs.
Chennai: Superstar Rajinikanths long-term friend and well-wisher Raja Bahadur lashed out at BJP MP Subramanian Swamy for his scathing remarks on the veteran actor.

Bahudur who visited the Temple City on Sunday vented out his anger against the BJP leader for his unsavoury remarks alleging that the actor is illiterate and that it will be better if he did not enter into politics.

Subramanian Swamy has no locus standi to talk about Rajinikanth. How many times did he meet Rajini. He (superstar) is two fold intelligent and literate than Subramanian Swamy, friend Raja Bahadur thundered.

I know about Rajni with whom I have moved closely for the last 47 years. What does Subramanian Swamy know about Rajini? Bahadur asked.

This Bengaluru based friend of the actor who had acted in a Kannada film, had earlier said that Rajini would certainly make his political debut.
While Rs 3 lakh will be given to the family from the Chief Minister's Public Relief Fund, another Rs 10 lakh will be given as relief to the family, Mr Palaniswami said

Chennai: Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Sunday announced financial relief of Rs 13 lakh to the family of the fireman who died while dousing fire at a bakery. He also offered a job to one of his family members.

Meeting those injured in the fire accident at the Government Kilpauk Medical Hospital, the Chief Minister announced that a family member of Egaraj, the dead fireman would be given a job by the government along with the monetary compensation.

While Rs 3 lakh will be given to the family from the Chief Minister's Public Relief Fund, another Rs 10 lakh will be given as relief to the family, Mr Palaniswami said. He also announced a relief of Rs 50,000 to those grievously injured in the fire accident and Rs 25,000 for those injured in the accident.

The affected people will be treated under the Chief Minister's Comprehensive Insurance Health Scheme and monetary compensation will be given to all the injured people, Mr Palaniswami said. Health Minister C Vijayabhaskar also visited the victims and consoled them.
His interrogation and records available with security agencies showed his alleged role in the suicide attack on a CRPF camp in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, on January 1, 2008, an official said. (Photo: ANI | Twitter)

Mumbai: A suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist, allegedly involved in the 'fidayeen' attack on a CRPF camp in Uttar Pradesh in 2008, was on Tuesday arrested at the city airport shortly after he flew in there from UAE, a police official said.

Salim Mukim Khan alias Abu Amaar alias Arif, a native of Hathgaon in Fatehpur district of Uttar Pradesh, was nabbed in a joint operation by anti-terrorism squads of Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh police when he arrived at the international airport from the UAE, he said.

Salim, facing lookout notice, was stopped at an immigration counter on the intervening night of July 16 and 17 and taken into custody, the official said.

His interrogation and records available with security agencies showed his alleged role in the suicide attack on a CRPF camp in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, on January 1, 2008, he said.

Eight persons, including some CRPF jawans, were killed in the terror strike.

Salim was also a financier of suspected ISI agent Aftab Ali, who was arrested in May in Faizabad by Uttar Pradesh ATS, he added.

While being abroad, he had been in contact with Aftab and gave instructions to him about terror activities and funding, the official said.

Aftab had been in constant touch with the Pakistan High Commission and had gathered information about several defence establishments in UP, he said.

Salim's name had first cropped up as terror module in 2008 during interrogation of suspected terrorists, Kausar and Sharif, who were arrested in 2008 for the attack at the CRPF camp, he said.

The duo had claimed that Salim, along with them, had received terrorist training at a camp in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, in 2007, the official said.

After the Rampur attack, a case was registered under relevant sections of the IPC, the Arms Act, the Explosive Substances Act, the Explosives Act and the Foreigner Registration Act, he said.

Initial inquiry by the Maharashtra ATS indicated that Salim was suspected to be associated with Pakistan-based terror outfit LeT, the official said.

The UP ATS will seek his custody for questioning in the Rampur attack and alleged involvement in severeal other anti-national activities under their jurisdiction, he said.

The Maharashtra ATS is extending all cooperation to its UP counterpart for Salim's interrogation, the official added.
New Delhi: Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan had an exchange over the hotline on Monday with regard to ceasefire violations allegedly being committed by troops of both countries on the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border (IB) in Jammu and Kashmir.

The request for the DGMO-level talks was made by Pakistan.

During the talks, Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations Major General Sahir Shamshad Mirza reportedly raised the issue of Indian troops targeting their Pakistani counterparts, resulting in the death of four Pakistani soldiers in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

The Indian Army's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO), Lt. Gen. AK Bhatt, reiterated that all ceasefire violations were initiated by Pakistan, and in that context, the Indian Army reserved the right to retaliate appropriately.

He also reiterated that the Indian Army is sincere about maintaining peace and tranquillity along the LoC.

The last DGMO-level talks took place on June 5, 2017, again on the request of the Pakistan side. The Pakistani side then lodged a protest over the alleged killing of some civilians on their side by Indian Army's retaliatory firing to Pakistani ceasefire violations, which was strongly denied by the Indian side.

It was stated then that the Pakistan Army was needlessly escalating tensions along the border. Lt. Gen. AK Bhatt conveyed then that the Indian Army "is a professional army and will not harm civilians in any manner."

The DGMO-level talks then were held at 10.30 am, Indian Army said in a statement.

Before this, the DGMOs held talks on May 2, a day after the beheading of two Indian soldiers by Pakistani side.

The Indian Army maintains that that if the Pakistan Army continues to abet infiltrations and cause trans-LoC firings, the Indian Army will take appropriate retaliatory actions.
Glimpses of BJP Parliamentary Board Meeting at BJP HQ, New Delhi. (Photo: Twitter | Amit Shah)

New Delhi: Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu, a veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader from Andhra Pradesh, will be NDA's vice presidential candidate, party president Amit Shah said on Monday.

Naidu was chosen at the BJP Parliamentary board meeting in New Delhi attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior party leaders.

A fitting candidate for the office of Vice President, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Venkaiah Naidu.

Sixtyeight-year-old Naidu currently holds the portfolios of Information and Broadcasting and Housing and Urban Affairs.

The former BJP president is pitted against Gopalkrishna Gandhi, who was chosen by an alliance of 18 opposition parties, including the Congress.

The electoral college for the August 5 election consists of 790 MPs of the two chambers of Parliament.

Naidu will file his nomination on Tuesday at 11 am, Shah said.

Tuesday is the last day for the filing of nominations.
Hyderabad: Alleging that the Congress was the No. 1 hurdle in the development of Telangana state, municipal minister K.T. Rama Rao on Monday said that the people should get rid of it.

Addressing the TRS Vidyardhi Vibhag convention in Telangana Bhavan, the minister rubbished the claims that it was the Congress that granted statehood to Telangana.

The same Congress had merged Telangana region in 1956 much against the wishes of the people and it also evaded granting of statehood to Telangana for many years. Indeed Congress leaders of Telangana worked against the movement, Mr Rama Rao said, adding that it was only due to strenuous efforts of TRS chief K. Chandrasekhar Rao that generated a mass movement which ultimately forced the Congress to concede the demand.

He accused Congress leaders were now resorting to stalling the development of the state by taking up agitations against irrigation schemes and other development projects.

Mr Rama Rao asked the students wing of the TRS to publicise the state governments development agenda, including exposing the Congress anti-development stance.
Hyderabad: Stating that Warangal DCC president N. Rajender Reddy was being falsely implicated in the murder of corporator Anishetty Murali Manohar in Warangal, TPCC president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Monday requested Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao to direct the DGP to order another inquiry into the case.

In a letter to the CM, the TPCC chief said that the inquiry should be conducted by officers other than the ones conducting the investigation at present.

He said that after the murder of the corporator on July 13, the main accused surrendered before the local police and admitted to their crime. However, two days later, the police named Mr Rajender Reddy and Congress leaders Pothula Sreeman and Kanuganti Shekar as accused, at the behest of local TRS leaders, the TPCC president said.

He said that the police claimed that Mr Rajender Reddy planned the murder in December 2015 but at that time, he was grieving for his only son who had died in a road accident.

Meanwhile, several DCC presidents met in Gandhi Bhavan on Monday and reviewed the incident.

Later, they alleged before the media that despite Mr Rajender Reddy not having any rivalry with Murali, he was falsely implicated in the case, only due to pressure from local TRS leaders.

They said with this attitude of the TRS and police, it would be difficult for the leaders of other political parties to survive.
New Delhi: An unprecedented 99 per cent voting was recorded in the presidential elections on Monday with many parties openly cross-voting in favour of NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind, whose victory was a forgone conclusion given the strong arithmetic in his favour.

In around 9-10 states, there was 100 per cent polling while overall 99 per cent polling was reported, said the returning officer, Lok Sabha secretary-general Anup Mishra.

While six Trinamul MLAs from Tripura voted in favour of Mr Kovind, Samajwadi Partys Shivpal Yadav said that a section of SP MLAs and MPs had also voted in favour of the NDA nominee after instructions from party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav. A section of AAP MLAs and MPs are also said to have voted in favour of Mr Kovind despite Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal supporting the Opposition presidential candidate, Ms Meira Kumar. BJP MLA Om Prakash Sharma claimed at least 10-12 AAP MLAs had voted for Mr Kovind.

BJPs Gujarat MLA Nalin Kotadia voted for Ms Kumar over the Patidar agitation issue.

The NCP, meanwhile, denied reports that some of its MLAs and MPs had cross-voted, and asserted that the party supported Ms Kumar. The rumours that NCP MPs and MLAs are voting for Mr Kovind are false. We are voting for Meira Kumar, NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said.

The states/UTs which recorded 100 per cent voting include Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Gujarat, Bihar, Haryana, Himachal Prad-esh, Jharkhand, Naga-land and Puducherry.

PM came 4 minutes early, first to vote

The sanctioned strength of both Houses of Parliament is 776, out of which 771 MPs were eligible to cast their votes. There are two vacancies each in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, while one BJP MP, Chedi Paswan, does not have voting rights.

Though 717 MPs were to cast their vote in New Delhi, only 714 cast their ballot. Missing in action were the Trinamuls Tapas Pal, BJDs Ram Chandra Hansdak and Ambumani Ramadoss of PMK.

Fifty-four MPs, including former defence minister Manohar Parrikar, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, his deputy Keshav Prasad Maurya and Union minister Uma Bharti had sought permission to cast their votes in state capitals. BJP president Amit Shah, who is an MLA from Gujarat, had also sought permission to cast his vote in Delhi.

All Trinamul MPs cast their votes in Kolkata. In New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the first person to cast his vote. Mr Modi is understood to have reached a good four minutes before the election process was due to begin.

The counting of votes will take place at 11am on Thursday, July 20. The first ballot box to be opened will be the one from Parliament House, after which the ballot boxes received from the states will be counted on an alphabetical basis. The votes will be counted on four separate tables, and there will be eight counting rounds.

A total of 4,896 voters - 4,120 MLAs and 776 elected MPs  were eligible to vote in the presidential polls. The MLCs of states with a Legislative Council are not part of the electoral college. While the value of an MLAs vote depends on the population of the state he or she belongs to, the value of an MPs vote remains the same, at 708.
Although often carried away by enthusiasm, Subramanian Swamy could not be faulted for telling a TV channel that India needs long-term engagements with China for the benefit of both nations. Contrary to speculation, the Malabar 2017 exercises by the Indian, Japanese and US navies in the Bay of Bengal that ended on Monday can only further that objective. In fact, if Oliver Cromwells aphorism about trusting in God and keeping your powder dry were adapted to Sino-Indian relations, the trust would be in strength, goodwill and diplomacy, while the powder is kept dry. The confrontation in Doklam must not be allowed to lead to another Himalayan war. But neither can India again be taken by surprise as over the Tibet-Xinjiang road built through the Aksai Chin plateau when no one was looking. Doklam, which both Bhutan and China claim, is at the tip of the Chumbi Valley that Sir Charles Bell, Britains political officer responsible for Sikkim, Tibet and Bhutan, called a dagger aimed at the heart of India. It has long been known that this trijunction was the real stumbling block in the China-Bhutan talks. The Chogyals of Sikkim had their summer palace in Chumbi, which a Sikkimese official administered.

In 1890 the crumbling Celestial Empires Manchu envoy, who did as his British secretary advised, signed the Anglo-Chinese convention whereby China recognised Sikkim as a British protectorate in return for Britain recognising Chumbi as Chinas, thereby also accepting Chinese overlordship over Tibet. Sikkim and Tibet were not consulted, and rejected the convention. But who cared? Although the British gave Chumbi to China, they delineated its western boundary with Sikkim along a 14,500-ft ridge that gives Indian troops full view of Chinese military fortifications and troop movements in the entire valley. China is trying to counter this advantage with a road on Chumbis eastern boundary with Bhutan. Chinas then PM Zhou Enlai didnt anticipate this strategic need when asked about Chinese claims to the Dragon Kingdom at his New Delhi press conference on April 30, 1960. I am sorry to disappoint, he retorted. We have no claim with regard to Bhutan, nor do we have any dispute with it. You may recall that in its letters to the Indian government, the Chinese government twice mentioned that China has no boundary dispute with Sikkim and Bhutan and that China respects Indias special relations with Sikkim and Bhutan. According to the Chinese version, Zhou said proper and not special relations. The distinction is interesting, for special is not always proper.

Contradicting Zhous denial of any dispute with Bhutan, the two countries have held 23 rounds of talks since 1984 without resolving differences along the undemarcated 470-km border. While Thimphu might keep New Delhi in the picture, the talks are bilateral with no scope for an Indian role. Clause 2 of the 1949 Indo-Bhutanese treaty stated that Bhutan would be guided by Indias advice in conducting its foreign policy. The 2007 treaty of peace and friendship in perpetuity which replaced the 1949 treaty spoke instead of abiding ties of close friendship and cooperation and committed both governments to not allowing their territory to be used for activities harmful to the national security and interests of the other. Not only is China, the Dragon Kingdoms only other neighbour, denied a foothold in Bhutan, but despite the continuing border talks, the two countries do not have formal diplomatic relations. Bhutanese reports indicate China is prepared to discuss all other sectors of the border except the Doklam plateau, where it claims 269 sq km of Bhutanese territory. The contested area sticks like a dagger into the narrow strip of land called Chickens Neck, or Siliguri corridor, which connects Indias Northeast to the rest of the country. A successful Chinese military thrust into this area could split India. There are three other territorial disputes in western Bhutan. China probably also views Haa Dzong (castle) with suspicion since this seat of the once powerful Dorjee clan of the Kings half-Sikkimese grandmother, Ashi Kesang Wangchuck, now houses the Indian Military Training Team.

In 1996 China reportedly offered to exchange this 269 sq km stretch for the 495 sq km that it claims in the north-central sector of Bumthang. Whether on their own or at Indias urging, both King Jigme Singye Wangchuck, Bhutans fourth Dragon King, and his son, the present monarch, King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, have rejected the offer. Indian reports indicate Bhutan sought Indias help when it discovered the Chinese were building a motorable road inside Bhutanese territory towards the Royal Bhutanese Army camp at Zornpelri. The Chinese had reportedly already built what Bhutans media calls a major road till the Yadong town in the Chumbi valley. Small, landlocked, vulnerable and entirely dependent on India both economically and for access to the world, Bhutan is understandably playing it very cautiously. It cannot afford to provoke China. Priding themselves on being Indias best friend in South Asia, the Bhutanese know that India sees its own security as being tied up with the Dragon Kingdoms. Jawaharlal Nehru warned in the Lok Sabha in 1959: We have publicly, and rightly, undertaken certain responsibilities for the defence of Sikkim and Bhutan, if they are attacked. It is very necessary for us to understand that if anything happens on their borders, then it is the same thing as an interference with the border of India. That is still Indias position. Geography will not allow Bhutan to escape the complexities of Sino-Indian relations. But it would be illogical of India not to mend fences with its closest neighbour and biggest trading partner. An economically and militarily stronger India can only stabilise the balance without any need for media militancy or sabre-rattling bombast.
Acting on a directive of the Lok Sabhas Public Accounts Committee, the CBI will now be writing to the government seeking its permission to restart the investigations into the alleged Bofors payoffs. Given this governments special animosity towards the Nehru-Gandhi family, is there room for any doubt about what its decision will be? By todays standards, the Bofors deal was really small and the quantum of the alleged kickbacks laughably miniscule. But a quarter of a century ago it was huge. It caused a change of government and possibly set India off in a new direction. In March 1986, a contract worth $285 million, or about Rs 1,600 crores, was entered into between the government of India and Swedish arms company Bofors for the supply of 410 155mm howitzer field guns. By contrast, in September 2016 India signed a deal of about Rs 58,000 crores, or 7.8 billion euros, for 36 off-the-shelf Dassault Rafale twin-engine fighters. Each Rafale will cost about Rs 680 crores and its a little over Rs 1600 crores per aircraft for the whole deal. The kickbacks alleged in the Bofors deal were supposed to total `64 crores in all. One can only speculate as to how many Bofors there are in the Rafale deal.

In the late 1970s, Voest Alpine purchased the design for a relatively light and rugged 155 mm howitzer from Gerald Bull, a well-regarded Canadian weapons designer. Iraqs Saddam Hussein, then fighting a war with Iran, liked the planned 155 mm howitzer and a deal was struck for Voest Alpine to make them. The conservative party led by Kurt Waldheim, which was quite sympathetic to Iraq, then governed Austria. (Waldheim was soon uncovered by the Jewish Documentation Centre of Simon Wiesenthal to be a former Nazi and driven out of office.) But before the conservatives went, 160 Gerald Bull-designed howitzers, the Noricum GHN45 were manufactured and assembled for shipment to Iraq. (Gerald Bull was killed by the Mossad in Brussels in March 1990 as he had begun redesigning Scud missiles for Iraq to make them more accurate and nuclear-capable).

The Iraqi plan came to naught when Bruno Kreisky became Austrian Chancellor. Kreisky came from a prominent Vienna Jewish family and promptly scrapped the deal as it violated Austrias neutrality laws. Kreisky was also a personal friend of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and was instrumental in making the Congress Party a member of the Socialist International, much to the chagrin of George Fernandes German SDP friends. Kreisky persuaded Mrs Gandhi to take those 160 guns readied for the Iraqis and help him out. Mrs Gandhi was very obliged to Kreisky for saving her from socialist opprobrium after she had imposed the Emergency. And what are a few guns between friends? The GHN45 howitzers were indeed very good and with base bleed shells had the longest reach of all howitzers available then. They were accurate, rugged and easy to maintain. They came out best in the Indian Army trials supervised by the highly regarded DG Weapons Evaluation, the late Lt Gen. Misbah Mayadass. India would have benefitted greatly by entering into this deal as the Austrian government had also agreed to transfer the manufacturing technology and plant to India. Like in all such deals a small something was also to be made to the Congress Partys war chest. In 1983, this money was also made over in advance, in anticipation of the formal order and the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.

(Mrs Gandhi often made leader-to-leader deals of this kind. In 1970, she bought the Sukhoi-7 fighter-bomber on Leonid Brezhnevs say, so. The Su-7 proved a great success in 1971.) Kreisky left office in 1983. In 1984, Mrs Gandhi was assassinated and a new chapter began. Olof Palme, Prime Minister of Sweden, soon befriended Rajiv Gandhi. Palme had an Indian connection. His aunt Anna Palme was the mother of Rajni Palme Dutt, at one time general secretary of the Communist Party of Great Britain, and a good friend of Mrs Gandhi and Jyoti Basu during their UK days. Palme was a big and respected name in world affairs and had strenuously opposed the US war on Vietnam. He inspired Rajiv Gandhi to take the initiative on nuclear disarmament. The implicit quid pro quo for facilitating Rajiv Gandhis easy entry to the global high table was the purchase of the Bofors FH45 howitzer. Palme was also facing a re-election and his partys coffers needed topping up. The Indian howitzer order would do the trick. The donation by the Bofors Foundation at Karlskrona to the Swedish SDP is proof of this.

The Austrian government then advised the Indian government to have this money returned and close the matter. This was the first time the new Indian Prime Minister heard about it. He was furious. A very powerful minister in his government was summarily sacked. Now a way was sought to set this account right. Bofors was required to close this hole. This was being arranged via a Swiss banker Francis Laffont. The route went like this. Bofors pays Laffont. Laffont pays Voest Alpine, and the money already paid in India stays where it is. In all probability, it was used up in the 1984 elections. Voest Alpines representative in New Delhi, a man called Unterweger, was Ottavio Quattrocchis neighbour in Delhi. Being expatriate businessmen, they became good friends. It was also well-known that Quattrocchi had easy access to the Prime Ministers house because of the well-known connection. Quattrocchi was the India representative for Snamprogetti ENI, the Italian government-owned engineering conglomerate, and was no stranger to controversy.

As was the well-established practice then, Unterweger also cut a deal with Quattrocchi. When the Voest Alpine deal collapsed, Quattrocchi was required to close that account, as did the Congress Party. So one more payoff stream was organised by Bofors to Quattrocchi to close this hole. The Quattrocchi method of cutting deals with all competing suppliers is a common practice in India now. Usually the best-suited item is chosen, and it still keeps the system smooth and palms greased. Bribes to be paid in India are also a way of getting money out by foreign executives for themselves. The Hinduja brothers with their Swiss banking expertise take this to the next level.

People like the Hindujas have friends in all parties and many countries. Lest we forget, it was Atal Bihari Vajpayee who wrote to Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao seeking closure of the Bofors case against the Hinduja brothers. And it was Srichand Hinduja who accompanied Brajesh Mishra to his meetings with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and French President Jacques Chirac after the nuclear tests in 1998. The Hindujas also midwifed the Sukhoi deal during P.V. Narasimha Raos days. After the Goenka-Gurumurthy conspiracy with President Zail Singh to dismiss Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi lapsed, Bofors became the stick to beat him with. The subsequent behaviour of the successive governments did indicate that while there is something to hide, they were not in agreement on what to hide. The Congress kept sheltering Quattrocchi, and the BJP was more intent on shielding the Hinduja brothers. The fact is that the two roads crisscrossed, and neither the truth prevailed, nor did the law take its course. So will the caged parrot now shred the veils?
On July 14, 2015, NASAs New Horizons spacecraft made its historic flight through the Pluto system.

To celebrate two-year anniversary of NASAs New Horizon flyby of the Pluto system, NASA has unveiled a "set of detailed, high-quality global maps of Pluto and its largest moon Charon".

On July 14, 2015, NASAs New Horizons spacecraft made its historic flight through the Pluto system  providing the first close-up images of Pluto and its moons and collecting other data that has transformed our understanding of these mysterious worlds on the solar systems outer frontier.

Scientists are still analyzing and uncovering data that New Horizons recorded and sent home after the encounter.

The complexity of the Pluto system  from its geology to its satellite system to its atmosphere has been beyond our wildest imagination, said Alan Stern, New Horizons principal investigator from the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado.

(Photo: NASA)

Everywhere we turn is new mysteries. These new maps from the landmark exploration of Pluto by NASAs New Horizons mission in 2015 will help unravel these mysteries and are for everyone to enjoy, added Stern.

--With inputs from NASA.

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This is without a doubt, this could only cause more confusion among users, especially because in some parts of the world, like the southern hemisphere, the Redstone 3 update would see daylight during the spring.

Microsoft had announced earlier this year about its next Windows 10 release would be called Falls Creators Update. This would be a successor to the Creators Update, mostly because its launch date is projected to take place in the fall.

But while this designation does make sense for Americans, who refer to autumn as to fall, this doesnt align with the naming used by other countries across the world, such as those in Europe.

Microsoft will be using different names for the Windows 10 Redstone 3 Update, with the new release likely to be called Fall Creators Update in the United States and Autumn Creators Update in other countries, like the United Kingdom.

This is without a doubt, this could only cause more confusion among users, especially because in some parts of the world, like the southern hemisphere, the Redstone 3 update would see daylight during the spring.

On the other hand, it is expected that most people would refer to the update as to Windows 10 version 1709, and Microsoft now itself uses the version number in its official documentation.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
The Nigeria-based Boko Haram extremist group often targets the city where its eight-year insurgency. (Photo: Representational/File)

Maiduguri (Nigeria): At least eight people are dead after a suspected female suicide bomber detonated at a mosque in northeastern Nigeria.

A spokesman for a civilian self-defense force in Maiduguri city says the bomber was being chased by local security workers on Monday morning and ran into the middle of worshippers and exploded. At least 13 people are wounded.

Spokesman Danbatta Bello says another bomber got stuck in barbed wire and blew up not far from the mosque.

He says two other female suicide bombers were shot and killed in Maiduguri around the same time the mosque was attacked.

The Nigeria-based Boko Haram extremist group often targets the city where its eight-year insurgency began and has increasingly used girls and young women to carry out attacks.
People carry the body of Sayed Tafshan, who died during clashes between security forces and residents of al-Waraq island, on the northern fringes of Cairo, Egypt. (Photo: AP)

Cairo: Egyptian police on Sunday fired tear gas to disperse a rock-pelting crowd of residents defending their homes on a Nile River island against bulldozers sent by the government to demolish their illegally-built dwellings.

The clashes left one person dead and 50 others injured. The violence on the island of el-Waraq on the southern fringes of Cairo is likely to stain a nationwide campaign launched this summer by Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, Egypt's general-turned-president, to restore government control over state-owned land.

El-Sissi has vowed in televised comments to show no lenience to anyone taking illegal advantage of state-owned property, saying the law would prevail regardless of how powerful or wealthy the offenders were.

Anyone using land that does not rightfully belong to them, he angrily said, is a "common thief." Illegal use of state land is widespread in Egypt, as well as building on agrarian land in violation of the law.

Since el-Sissi launched his campaign earlier in the summer, local media has been showing images of police and army troops demolishing buildings illegally built or operating without a license, attempting to project an image of a government keen on protecting what is being billed as "people's property."

To el-Waraq's middle class and poor residents, however, the sight of bulldozers coming to demolish their homes may have been more than they could bear at a time when they, like most Egyptians, are struggling to cope with soaring prices for food and services, a result of ambitious reforms introduced by el-Sissi's government to revive the country's battered economy.

"Get lost! Get lost!" the protesters shouted at the scores of policemen who descended on the island early Sunday, backed by bulldozers, scores of riot policemen and led by senior police generals.

The protesters, mostly young males, succeeded in forcing the bulldozers to turn away, but clashes soon began.

The Health Ministry said a resident died and another 19 were wounded in the clashes. It did not say how the man, Sayed el-Tafshan, died, but a photo of his body posted on social media networks showed chest wounds compatible with birdshot.

The Interior Ministry, which controls the police, said its forces only used tear gas. A ministry statement said a total of 31 people policemen as well as contractors who arrived with them on the island were injured in the clashes. The injured policemen included two generals.

Ten residents were arrested for their part in the violence, it added. Video clips posted on social media networks showed hundreds of angry islanders, mostly young men, at the man's funeral, marching through farm fields while chanting "We will sacrifice the martyr with our soul and blood."

The statement said the residents attacked police with firearms, birdshot guns and rocks, and that police responded with tear gas. It said up to 700 building and land violations were recorded on the island. It acknowledged the death of one islander and that 19 others were injured.

In el-Waraq, a mostly agricultural island with shoddily built apartment blocks, residents maintain that their homes are legal, citing the government's supply of drinking water and electricity.

One of the Nile's largest islands in Egypt, it is home to nearly 200,000 people and is linked to the mainland by six ferries. "How is my home illegal when you have for years provided me with water and electricity," said resident and civil servant Mahmoud Essawi. "It's our land and we are not leaving."

In a separate development, Egypt's military said its jet fighters destroyed 15 all-terrain vehicles carrying weapons and explosives along with "criminal elements" after they were detected getting ready to cross the Libyan border into Egypt.

A military statement Sunday said the warplanes monitored and "dealt" with the vehicles over the past 24 hours, but it did not say whether the airstrikes targeted them while on Egyptian soil.

It also did not mention Libya by name, making only a thinly veiled reference to the North African nation.
Islamabad: Embattled Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's legal team today dismissed as illegal and biased a probe panel's final report that recommended filing of a graft case against him and his children as the Supreme Court resumed the hearing of the Panamagate graft case.

A six-member Joint Investigation Team (JIT) set up by the Supreme Court to investigate charges of money laundering against 67-year-old Sharif and his family had submitted the report on July 10 to the court.

Khawja Harris on behalf of Sharif filed a response to the JIT report, rejecting its findings and accusing it of bias and violation of the original mandate.

"The JIT report is not only against the law but also the constitution of the country and its finding are, therefore, of not legal value," he said.

He also objected to the documents obtained from the foreign countries, which he said was against laws of the country.

He asked the court to provide the volume 10 of the report which was kept confidential on JIT's request. Harris also urged the court to reject the JIT report.

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on his behalf separately submitted objections over the JIT report in the Supreme Court registrar's office.

Earlier, Naeem Bokhari representing Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in his arguments appreciated the JIT and asked the court to implement the report and disqualify the Prime Minister.

Later, Fawad Chaurdry of PTI told the media that Sharif has lost moral and political grounds to continue as prime minister.

"He (Sharif) would not only be disqualified but also go to jail," he said. Minister of state for information Mariam Aurangzeb said the government would accept the decision of the court. The court adjourned hearing till tomorrow.

Major opposition political parties have asked Sharif to step down and stay away from power until his name was cleared. However, Sharif has rejected JIT findings and refused to resign by saying that he was not charged of any specific crime.

His Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz party has also supported him to contest the report in the court.

The six-member JIT was set up in May by the Supreme Court with the mandate to probe the Sharif family for allegedly failing to provide the trail of money used to buy properties in London in 1990s.

Last year, the Panama Papers revealed that three of Prime Minister Sharif's children owned offshore companies and assets not shown on his family's wealth statement. The assets in question include four expensive flats in Park Lane, London.

The top court took up the case in October last year on petitions filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Awami Muslim League and Jamaat-e-Islami and reserved the verdict in February after conducting hearings on a daily basis.
The Joint Investigation Team had questioned Sharif's sons -- Hussain and Hasan last month over the family's alleged improper business dealings. (Photo: File))

Islamabad: Opposition parties in Pakistan on Monday called on the Supreme Court to remove Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from office after an investigation found that he and his family possess wealth exceeding their known sources of income.

The investigation is linked to the mass leak of documents from a Panama-based law firm in 2016, which revealed that Sharif and his family have offshore accounts.

Naeem Bukhari, a lawyer for opposition leader Imran Khan, submitted the request to the court. The court has the constitutional power to disqualify someone from serving as prime minister, and is expected to rule in the coming weeks.

The Sharifs have denied any wrongdoing. Their attorney, Khawaja Haris, argued Monday that the probe was flawed. The court will resume hearing the case Tuesday.
The CCTV reported that the military drill was organised in the Tibet Autonomous Region (Photo: AP)

Beijing: As Sikkim standoff between India and China continues to intensify with every passing day, Chinese military on Monday held live-fire drills in the Tibet area close to the Arunachal Pradesh border, a state-run Chinese media reported.

The military exercise, held by Chinas Peoples Liberation Army (PLA), did quick movement troops drill and also practiced destroying enemy aircrafts with artillery and tankers, a Hindustan Times report said, quoting China Central Television (CCTV) report.

The state-run media fail to mention the reason for the drill at the border area of India as this is the latest in the series of war threats by the Chinese side post the border dispute between India and China over tri-junction Dokalam area.

The brigade that conducted the (latest) drills was from the PLAs Tibet military command and is one of Chinas two plateau mountain brigades, the national broadcaster of China, CCTV, said.

The CCTV reported that the military drill was organised in the Tibet Autonomous Region in the middle and lower reaches of Yarlung Zangbo River, located in the upper stream of the Brahmaputra River which flows through China, India and Bangladesh.

The Chinese river Yarlung Zangbo which enters India through Arunachal, where it is called Siang before it becomes the Brahmaputra in Assam. China has been building dams over it, causing concern in India that it could affect the flow of the Brahmaputra.

The Chinese media report also stated that the troops from various military units joined the exercise which involved use of anti-tank grenades and missiles.

There has been video recorded by another state-run Chinese tabloid Global Times, which shows radar units identifying enemy aircraft and soldiers using anti-aircraft artillery to annihilate targets, the Hindustan Times report said.

This could be believed as an indirect message to the Indian government and its military as China has been blaming India for the standoff and has asked India to withdraw its troops from Sikkim border for peaceful diplomatic talks between two countries.

Moreover, China has also been claiming that large parts of Arunachal, Indias easternmost state, as their territory called as southern Tibet.
Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday filed objections over a report submitted by the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) on Panama Papers issue in the Supreme Court. The 10-page document submitted by the premier accused JIT of probing Panama Papers case by violating its mandate. JITs biased report should be rejected, Mr Nawaz Sharif appealed the apex court. He has also sought volume 10 of the report which was kept confidential on JITs request.

Finance minister Ishaq Dar also submitted objections over Panama JIT report in SC registrars office. Earlier, the Supreme Court resumed hearing of Panama Papers case. The three-member implementation bench of the apex court headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan is hearing the case. The six-member JIT, set up by the apex court to investigate charges of money laundering against Mr Sharif, submitted its 60-day investigation report to the court on July 10. The JIT found significant disparities in the Sharif familys income and actual wealth.

Later, the opposition parties said the Prime Minister was no more truthful and honest and the Supreme Court will decide the fate of the country. Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) vice-chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi said the whole nation was looking towards the SC, and it was a very important day in the countrys history. He said PML-N members themselves were now asking Mr Sharif to step down. Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed bashed the government and said it wants to delay the proceedings, and to take the country towards civil war.
China's military today said it has conducted live-fire exercises in the remote mountainous Tibet region to test its strike capability on plateaus, amid the standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in the Doklam area in the Sikkim sector.



The People's Liberation Army (PLA) conducted the 11-hour long live-fire exercises at an altitude of 5,000 meters on the plateau in Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, aimed at improving the combat capability on such locations, the military said.



The exercise was conducted by a ground combat brigade of the PLA Tibet Regional Command this month and involved scenarios such as rapid deployment, multi-unit joint strike and anti-aircraft defense, state-run China Daily quoted a PLA press release as saying.



The exercise effectively tested the brigade's joint strike capability on plateaus, according to the press release.



The brigade that conducted the drills was from the PLA's Tibet Military Command and is one of China's two plateau mountain brigades.



The PLA Tibet command guards the Line of Actual Control (LAC) of the India-China border along several sections connecting the mountainous Tibetan region.



According to the CCTV report, the brigade has long been stationed around the middle and lower reaches of the Brahmaputra (Yarlung Zangbo in Chinese) River which flows into India and Bangladesh. The brigade is responsible for frontline combat missions.



The drills included the quick deployment of troops and different military units working together on joint attacks.



Video posted online showed soldiers using anti-tank grenades and missiles against bunkers and howitzers for artillery coverage.



The video also showed radar units identifying enemy aircraft and soldiers using anti-aircraft artillery to destroy targets, the report said.



Separately, Tibet's mobile communication agency conducted a drill on July 10 in Lhasa, capital of Tibet, where members of the agency practiced setting up a temporary mobile network to secure communications in an emergency.



Earlier reports said the PLA units exercised in Tibet with several modern weapon systems including a new light battle tank being manufactured by China.



Qin Zhen, executive editor of Ordnance Knowledge magazine, said that the recent exercises have displayed the strong combat capability of the PLA's plateau units.



He said that in recent years the Chinese military developed a number of lightweight weapons such as a wheeled infantry fighting vehicle and a new light tank to meet requirements of mountain operations.



Xiao Ning, editor-in-chief of Weapon magazine, said the new light tank features strong firepower, advanced armor and good mobility, so it is suitable for deployment on plateaus.



China and India have been engaged in a standoff in the Dokalam area in the Sikkim sector, where Indian troops stopped road construction by Chinese soldiers on June 16.



China claimed that they were constructing the road within their territory and has been demanding immediate pull-out of the Indian troops from the disputed Dokalam plateau.



New Delhi has expressed concern over the road building, apprehending that it may allow Chinese troops to cut India's access to its northeastern states.



India has conveyed to the Chinese government that the road construction would represent a significant change of status quo with serious security implications for it.



Doka La is the Indian name for the region which Bhutan recognises as Dokalam, while China claims it as part of its Donglang region.



Of the 3,488-km-long India-China border from Jammu and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh, a 220-km section falls in Sikkim.


Lawmakers across the country began casting their vote on Monday for the election of the 14th President of India.



Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP President Amit Shah exercised their franchise at Parliament House a little after 10:00 a.m. when the voting began, Scores of NDA members had queued up outside Room No. 62, where a polling booth has been set up for Parliamentarians and five MLAs who have opted to cast their votes here.



NDA candidate Ramnath Kovind is in direct contest with the joint opposition nominee Meira Kumar. Both Kovind and Kumar are from the Dalit community and have canvassed hard by visiting states to seek support of legislators.

Kovind, a former Bihar Governor, has a clear edge in the election with support from 63% voters in the electoral college that has a vote valure of 10.98 lakh.



The candidature of Kumar, a former Lok Sabha Speaker, has been supported by 16 opposition parties including the Congress, the Trinamool Congress, CPI(M), SP, BSP, DMK, JD(S) among others.



Congress President Sonia Gandhi had on Sunday called for a conscience vote terming in the presidential election, which she termed was as a clash of ideas and conflict of disparate values.



Ramnath Kovindji will win with a comfortable and respectable margin, Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu told reporters.


Defence spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia said Pakistani troops resorted to heavy shelling and firing on forwarding areas and border hamlets in Rajouri district at around 7.30 am on Monday which was strongly and effectively retaliated by the Indian army. In the exchange of fire, Naik Muddasar Ahmed was grievously injured when mortar shells landed on his bunker. He succumbed to his injuries while being evacuated, he said.



37-year-old Ahmed belonged to Dacho village of Tral in south Kashmir and is survived by his wife and two children. Tral is the native area of slain Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, who was killed by security forces last year in July.



In a separate ceasefire violation, a nine-year-old girl Saida was killed after a shell fired by Pakistani troops hit her house in Behroti area of Balakote sector of Poonch district. An official said two civilians were also injured in shelling in Manjakote belt of Rajouri and have been hospitalised.



In the wake of heavy mortar shelling from across the border, authorities ordered the closure of 16 schools in Rajouri district. "District administration ordered the closure of all schools early morning. However, 120 students were held up in a government school at Panjgrain and on the report of headmaster senior officers coordinated for their safe evacuation as shelling had reportedly affected the nearby area," said a statement, issued by the Deputy Commissioner Rajouri.



The authorities sounded the alert and advised the residents to stay indoors and field officers have been deputed for coordination, the statement said. Meanwhile, an army man was injured on Monday after India and Pakistan exchanged fire and shelling along the LoC in Uri area of north Kashmirs Baramulla district. An official said that the armies are exchanging heavy fire in Kamalkote area of the district.



The latest ceasefire violations occurred even as the directors general of military operations (DGMO) from both countries spoke on Monday at the request of the Pakistani army. On July 12, two soldiers were killed after Pakistan violated the ceasefire in Kupwara sector of north Kashmir.



There have been hundreds of violations of the 2003 ceasefire agreement by the Pakistan along the LoC and the International Border in J&K since Indian army carried surgical strikes on terror launch pads in Pakistan occupied Kashmir on September 29 last year.





A soldier and a nine-year-old girl were killed while three persons were injured in Pakistan firing along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday.
Karnataka government on Monday transferred Bengaluru DIG (Prisons) D Roopa, who alleged VIP treatment for AIADMK (Amma) leader Sasikala, to the traffic department. The government also cracked down on senior IPS officers in charge of the prisons department for the their recent fracas.



Director General of Police (Prisons) H N Sathyanaranaya Rao who is due for retirement at the end of this month has been shunted out without a posting, while his deputy DIG (prisons) D Roopa too has been shown the door. She, however, has been posted as DIG and Commissioner for Traffic and Road Safety, Bengaluru in place of ADGP A S N Murthy.



The two were in the news for last one week accusing each other in public. The fight had not come to an end even after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah slapped a notice on Roopa.



It all started with Roopa giving a report to the government on irregularities in central prisons at Parappana Agrahara and even said that Rs 2 crore had been paid to provide special treatment to tainted AIADMK (Amma) leader V K Sasikala housed in the jail. Rao, while denying any wrongdoings said that Roopa was not aware of prison rules and jail mannual.



Meanwhile, chief of Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) N S Megharik has been posted as ADGP (prisons) in the upgraded post.



Intel Chief Shunted



A day after Siddaramaiah expressed his anger over intelligence failure, the govenrment transferred Director General of Police (Intelligence) M N Reddi. He is now posted as DG ACB in place of Megharikh.



In Mysuru on Sunday, Siddaramaiah had expressed his anger at Reddi and a former IPS officer and advisor to the Home Minister Kempaiah for their failure on gathering intelligence on Magnaluru violence and on the fight between Rao and Roopa.



Reddi is replaced by DGP Amrit Paul while Murthy has been posted as ADGP (forest cell).
In a stern message conveyed by the top Army brass, India today told Pakistan that it reserves the right to retaliate appropriately against any incident of ceasefire violation along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir.



In a telephonic conversation, Lt. Gen. A K Bhatt, the director general of military operations (DGMO), also told his Pakistani counterpart that the Indian Army was sincere about maintaining peace on the LoC.



The DGMO made it explicitly clear that the Indian Army reserves the right to retaliate against any ceasefire violation, but "is sincere in its effort of maintaining peace and tranquillity along the LoC provided there was reciprocity", Army spokesman Col. Aman Anand said.



The telephone exchange took place three hours after the Pakistani army fired mortar shells along the LoC in the Poonch and Rajouri districts, killing an Indian Army jawan and a nine-year-old girl.



Anand said the conversation was initiated by the Pakistani commander, Maj Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza, who raised the issues of the "targeting" of Pakistani army troops and the death of four Pakistani soldiers and one civilian in the Athmuqam Sector of PoK facing the Indian Keran Sector in Kupwara district last week.



The nearly 10-minute-long conversation over the hotline between the two army commanders came amid rising incidents of ceasefire violations by the Pakistan army and a spurt in violence in Jammu and Kashmir.



"The Indian DGMO in response highlighted that all ceasefire violations were initiated by the Pakistan army and the Indian Army only responded appropriately to them," he said.



Firing by Indian troops was initiated only against "armed intruders attempting to infiltrate from close proximity of Pak posts along the Line of Control", he said.



In Islamabad, the Pakistan army said DGMO Mirza had "strongly protested the deliberate targeting" of a Pakistan army vehicle by Indian forces. It said four soldiers were killed when a vehicle "hit by fire from across the LoC" fell into a river.



While we dont want to go down the path where we start choking each others supply lines... any such recurrence will invoke more strong and effective measures from Pakistans side, Mirza said.



The Indian Army spokesman said Bhatt put across "emphatically" that the trend of infiltration along the LoC continued with the active support of Pakistani forward posts, impacting peace and tranquillity as well as the internal security situation.



"This was evident from continued attempts of sniping and targeting of our troops undertaken through cross border actions duly supported by Pakistani army troops," he said.



There were 23 incidents of ceasefire violations, one BAT (Border Action Team) attack and two infiltration bids by Pakistan in June, according to the Army.


The Yashwantpur-Hosur passenger train saw the second protest within a week as commuters traveling from Bengaluru blocked the train to oppose 'lack of punctuality' in the service.



Hundreds of passengers blocked the train (train number 06592) for more than two hours at Byappanahalli A Cabin halt station protesting against the delay and the regulation of the train due to crossing of express trains at Byappanahalli junction.



The train which leaves Yashwantpur at 6.30 am, came to Byappanahalli A Cabin only at 7.30 am. Thousands passengers, a majority of them techies from northern parts of the city travelling to the IT belt in eastern part of the city who missed their log-in hours started a protest.



The train, which arrived at 7.30 am, left Byappanahalli A Cabin only at about 9.30 am. Police personnel had to come to disperse the protesters.



Stopping the train is not a solution as it further delays the train and affects more number of people. But the railways has to understand that this is a crucial train used by about 9,000 people every day and delays like this affect their lives. Steps should be taken to solve the problems, said Suhas Narayana Murthy, a techie who is campaigning for more trains on the route..



Last Thursday, angry commuters blocked the train at Anekal Road station for more than an hour as the train coming from Hosuru reached the station nearly 50 minutes late.


Embattled Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's legal team today dismissed as illegal and biased a probe panel's final report that recommended filing of a graft case against him and his children as the Supreme Court resumed the hearing of the Panamagate graft case.



A six-member Joint Investigation Team (JIT) set up by the Supreme Court to investigate charges of money laundering against 67-year-old Sharif and his family had submitted the report on July 10 to the court.



Khawja Harris on behalf of Sharif filed a response to the JIT report, rejecting its findings and accusing it of bias and violation of the original mandate.



"The JIT report is not only against the law but also the constitution of the country and its finding are, therefore, of not legal value," he said.



He also objected to the documents obtained from the foreign countries, which he said was against laws of the country.



He asked the court to provide the volume 10 of the report which was kept confidential on JIT's request.



Harris also urged the court to reject the JIT report.



Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on his behalf separately submitted objections over the JIT report in the Supreme Court registrar's office.



Earlier, Naeem Bokhari representing Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in his arguments appreciated the JIT and asked the court to implement the report and disqualify the Prime Minister.



Later, Fawad Chaurdry of PTI told the media that Sharif has lost moral and political grounds to continue as prime minister.



"He (Sharif) would not only be disqualified but also go to jail," he said.



Minister of state for information Mariam Aurangzeb said the government would accept the decision of the court.



The court adjourned hearing till tomorrow.



Major opposition political parties have asked Sharif to step down and stay away from power until his name was cleared. However, Sharif has rejected JIT findings and refused to resign by saying that he was not charged of any specific crime.



His Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz party has also supported him to contest the report in the court.



The six-member JIT was set up in May by the Supreme Court with the mandate to probe the Sharif family for allegedly failing to provide the trail of money used to buy properties in London in 1990s.



Last year, the Panama Papers revealed that three of Prime Minister Sharif's children owned offshore companies and assets not shown on his family's wealth statement. The assets in question include four expensive flats in Park Lane, London.



The top court took up the case in October last year on petitions filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Awami Muslim League and Jamaat-e-Islami and reserved the verdict in February after conducting hearings on a daily basis.
Mr Ballot Box from Mumbai!



Absurd it may sound but it is actually a fact. The Ballot Boxes for the Presidential elections - when they are transported from state capitals to New Delhi are actually booked as passengers.



The Ballot Box is placed on a seat in the aircraft and does not go in the cargo hold - for reasons of safety and security and prevent any kind of tampering.



"The Ballot Box is booked as a passenger," officials in the Maharashtra Legislature told Deccan Herald on Monday.



As far as Maharashtra is concerned, the Ballot Box will be carried by Dr Anant Kalse, Principal Secretary of Maharashtra Legislature and Assistant Returning Officer, R J Kudtarkar, Deputy Secretary and Assistant Returning Officer and MM Kaj, Joint Secretary (II).



In an intimation letter to Anoop Mishra, Returning Officer for election to the office of the President of India-2017 and Secretary-General, Lok Sabha, Parliament House, the Maharashtra Government had intimated that: ".....The tickets of J-Class of the above-mentioned officers and of the Ballot Box from Mumbai to New Delhi have been purchased for the onward journey."



The ticket is generally booked as Mr Ballot Box as far as Maharashtra is concerned.



In fact, the Ballot Box right from its journey from New Delhi to Mumbai or other state capitals and back involves extreme security and care.



Four to five days before the polls, officials from Maharashtra Legislature visit New Delhi to collect the box and bring back. After reaching Mumbai, the box is escorted to the specially constructed strong room' of Vidhan Bhavan under tight security.



The Vidhan Bhavan strong room is guarded 24x7 by in-house security and Mumbai Police and kept under the stringent vigil of CCTV cameras as well. On the day of the polls, the box is taken out from the strong room and placed in the polling room. After the polls are over, the mouth of the box is sealed - locked and once again is kept in the strong room - before it is taken out for onward journey to the national capital.
The Supreme Court today directed the Centre to set up a panel to substitute the court-appointed oversight committee, headed by former CJI R M Lodha, to look after the affairs of the Medical Council of India (MCI), with the government saying it would come up with names by tomorrow.



A five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice J S Khehar observed that the Centre should constitute a panel which would replace the oversight committee set up last year by the apex court to oversee the MCI's functioning till the government put in place an alternate mechanism.



"We all want this. The whole country want this. You (Centre) should have your committee. There is no shortage of eminent persons," the bench, which also comprised Justices J Chelameswar, R K Agrawal, D Y Chandrachud and S Abdul Nazeer, said.



"If the government does it, fine. And if the government will not do it, then we will have to do it. There should be an alternate mechanism as per the earlier order of this court," the bench said.



Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar told the apex court that the government would come up with the names for the alternate committee by tomorrow morning.



"We will come up with an alternate mechanism which will deal with the grievances of medical colleges in the country," he told the bench after which the court fixed the matter for tomorrow.



The court was dealing with the question whether the apex court-appointed three-member oversight committee will continue to look after the affairs of MCI.



The committee, set up by the court on May 2 last year, was to function for a period of one year or till a suitable mechanism was brought in by the Centre to substitute it.



During the hearing, senior lawyer Kapil Sibal, appearing for some medical colleges, told the bench that till date, no alternative mechanism has been put in place by the Centre despite the fact that the oversight panel was to function for only one year or till a suitable mechanism was evolved.



He argued that the MCI was bound by the directions of the oversight committee but the council was not adhering to them.



"If oversight committee has passed certain directions, the MCI is bound to obey it. They cannot say we will not obey the committee's directions. It will amount to contempt of this court because the committee was constituted by the Supreme Court," he said.



Sibal also said that even the committee has said that the MCI has adopted an "non-compliant attitude" and defied them on several aspects.



Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Hamdard Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, said the tenure of the oversight committee should be extended by one more year or till the time the Centre comes out with a mechanism to deal with the issues relating to functioning of MCI.



"One year has gone by. What is the problem if the court will say that oversight committee's term is extended by another one year? Why are we fighting over this? There are a number of petitions related to MCI issue which are pending in this court," he said.



The Solicitor General said the government had constituted a high-level committee under the chairmanship of the vice- chairman of the Niti Aayog and a National Medical Commission Bill has been drafted, which will replace the Indian Medical Council Act.



He said that a Group of Ministers had suggested some changes in the draft and the bill is now ready to be placed before Parliament.



The bench, however, asked, "From May 16, 2016 to May 15, 2017, you (government) were supposed to find an alternative mechanism. But you didn't do that. Now, you give us the scheme. Is it (bill) likely to be passed in this session?"



Responding to this, the Solicitor General said he cannot say whether the bill will be passed in the ongoing session.



Meanwhile, Additional Solicitor General Maninder Singh told the apex court that a five member committee, comprising special Director General of Health Services and others, has been set up which will be an "alternate mechanism" to deal with the issues.



During the hearing, the bench observed that the Centre was well within its right to accept or decline the recommendations of the oversight committee but the government must come out with its own panel.



"I feel that this court never wanted to constitute a committee. You choose a committee having eminent persons. You are the government and you have all the resources. You do it," the CJI said, adding that if the government had come out with its committee, the oversight panel would have gone by now.



The apex court had on July 13 agreed to set up a five- judge constitution bench to deal with the matter after Rohatgi had said it was an urgent matter as counselling for admissions in MBBS and BDS was underway.



The Centre had earlier told the apex court that it had taken steps to put the alternative mechanism in place and there was no need now for the oversight committee to continue.



MCI had contended that the directions of the constitution bench which had set up the oversight committee were based on certain material which could not be controverted at the time of the order.
Karnataka is releasing 25 to 30 per cent of total inflows in Cauvery basin to Tamil Nadu every day as per a Supreme Court order, state minister M B Patil said here today.



The state had also since June 1 released 2.2 tmc ft water to the neighbouring state, he said.



"We are releasing 25 to 30 per cent of the inflow of water in Cauvery basin every day to Tamil Nadu as per the Supreme Court order," the water minister told reporters here.



He said that in July, the basin should have received 1,000 tmc ft of water, but had not got it. Hence, the state was not in a position to spare the stipulated 34 tmc ft to Tamil Nadu.



On July 2, farmers had staged protests at Gajalagere and Ilavala villages in Mandya district of Karnataka, flaying the government for releasing water instead of taking steps to increase storage level at KRS Dam.



The farmers and pro-Karnataka outfits had also staged protests on June 30 by getting down into a bathing ghat in Srirangapatna against the release of water to neighbouring Tamil Nadu.
Tamil Nadu minister D Jayakumar today hit out at actor Kamal Haasan over his allegations of corruption against the state government, asking him to refrain from making "generalised comments".



The finance minister also asked the popular actor to make such comments after entering politics, adding that he did not have the "guts" to do so.



Jayakumar wondered why Haasan had not levelled such allegations when late chief minister J Jayalalithaa was alive and questioned why he was speaking out now.



"Even if he speaks, there should be truth in it. There is not an iota of truth (in his allegations). It is just mudslinging on the government and therefore we are also responding," he told reporters here.



"He (Haasan) has no guts to enter politics. But making generalised comments to malign (the government) is not acceptable," he said.



The minister's statement comes days after his cabinet colleagues S P Velumani and C Ve Shanmugam had hit out at the actor for charging the government with corruption.



Velumani had sought evidence from Haasan to back his charge and also asked whether the actor was ready to furnish details of the taxes he had paid for his films.



Law Minister Shanmugam wanted a case to be filed against Haasan.



The 62-year-old actor, however, was supported by many opposition parties.



Rebel AIADMK leader and former chief minister O Panneerselvam said everyone was entitled to express their opinions in a democracy.



"That right cannot be taken away by those in power. It will be a good democratic approach to give a proper reply to a differing opinion," he told reporters.



Opposition Leader M K Stalin pointed out that his party had also been raising the issue of corruption against the ruling AIADMK.



"So are you (AIADMK) ready to file case against us also? If yes, we are ready to face it in court," he said.



Haasan found support from the CPI's state unit, who backed him on his corruption allegations, and also argued against "intimidating" statements aimed at him.



The actor had only exercised his freedom of expression, and many incidents in the state, including rescinding of the RK Nagar bypoll were proof of corruption, CPI State Secretary R Mutharasan said.



The April 12 bypoll to RK Nagar, necessitated following the death of Jayalalithaa, had been cancelled by the Election Commission following allegations of money power.



"It is condemnable that statements amounting to intimidation are being made against Kamal Haasan," he said in a statement.



CPI(M) also came to Haasan's defence, saying criticism was a constitutionally guaranteed right of all citizens.



"CPI(M) state committee strongly condemns some senior ministers targeting Kamal Haasan for exercising that right and making unsavoury criticism against him," the party's state unit Secretary G Ramakrishnan said.



He said AIADMK party leaders and ministers "should not forget" that its General Secretary V K Sasikala was in jail in connection with a corruption case.



Ramakrishnan said the ministers could come up with adequate response to Haasan's charge, but it was "not proper to ask whether he had paid taxes for his films."
The Supreme Court today castigated the Madhya Pradesh police for not getting a video pertaining to the 2013 communal riots over rumours of cow slaughter and producing them as crucial evidence before a trial court, warning the officials of action.



"You (Deputy Superintendent of SIB) are in for a serious trouble, sir! Why have you not got the VCD examined," asked a a bench comprising Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice D Y Chandrachud, while taking strong note of the acquittal of nine of the 12 accused persons in one of the 12 rioting cases in which FIRs have been lodged.



The bench warned that it would "fix accountability" of the concerned police officers.



"Nine persons, out of 12, have been acquitted. Three have been absconding," it said, asking why no action has been taken and was it because the accused belonged to "a political party".



The bench then granted two weeks to activist Anurag Modi, who had filed the plea through advocate Pyoli, to peruse the judgement of a district court acquitting nine persons in a rioting case. Modi had filed the appeal against an order of the Madhya Pradesh High Court in the case.



It also asked the police officials to respond why they did not get the VCD of the crime authenticated by a forensic laboratory and produce it as evidence before the trial court.



Initially, the court was convinced that the police had annexed the VCD in their charge sheet and a social activist was not supposed to interfere with the probe and the police reports.



Later, the bench got irked when it was informed that the VCD was not used as evidence in the lower court and nine accused have been acquitted in a case.



Earlier, the apex court had taken the state police to task, saying it seemed it had not examined the videos and photographs pertaining to the riots which had been triggered by an alleged rumour that a cow had been slaughtered.



It had directed the Investigating Officer (IO), who had probed the 12 FIRs lodged in connection with the riots that had taken place on September 9, 2013 in Kheda and Pahatgaon villages of Harda district, to appear before it today.



In the riots, 54 persons had lost their houses and businesses. Twelve FIRs were registered by police naming Surendra Singh Rajput alias Tiger as the main accused in all the cases.



The apex court, on February 17, had directed the state police "to place the concerned charge sheet, along with the translated version thereof, on the record of the case" within four weeks. On perusal of the charge sheets, the court had pointed out that they had not identified the culprits.



Modi had sought a probe against local BJP leader and former minister Kamal Patel and his son alleging they had instigated the riots with an eye on the assembly elections slated three months later.



The High Court had rejected the plea saying that the probe in the case was complete.



The petitioner had alleged that the riots were orchestrated by the Bajrang Dal, VHP and Goraksha Commando Force and that the then District Magistrate had named these organisations in his letter to Assistant Chief Secretary (Home) on September 20, 2013. However, these organisations were not named in any of the charge sheets filed in the case, it alleged.



"The entire incident was stage managed and well-planned, attempted to be portrayed as one of communal nature.



"In fact, the cow had died of choking of respiratory pipe and asphyxia caused by large amount polythene consumption ... and 12 FIRs were registered initially, yet none included the names" of the BJP members "who were main conspirators and instigators," the plea alleged.



The petition has sought a CBI probe in the matter on the ground that the local police was hand-in-glove with the leader. It has also alleged that Surendra Singh Rajput, the key accused named in all 12 FIRs, was still absconding.
Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, who is in the eye of the storm ever since the CBI raided Lalu-Rabri residence in Patna on July 7 in connection with the land-for-hotels scam, on Monday said that the issue of his resignation was only "a media creation."



Breaking his silence, Lalus younger son said this when he came to the Bihar Assembly premises here to participate in voting for the presidential election. He also blasted senior BJP leader Sushil Modi for indulging in negative politics and said, Modi jis only job is to malign others.



Tejashwis assertion comes a day after JD (U) secretary general KC Tyagi said that Nitish had not set any deadline for his resignation nor ever asked him to quit. However, Tejashwi should clarify before the Chief Minister and end political uncertainty in the State, said Tyagi in New Delhi on Monday.



Meanwhile, senior JD (U) leader and former Minister Ramai Ram, who last week was the first to say that a four-day deadline has been earmarked for Tejashwi to quit, on Monday took a U-turn and said, I never talked about the deadline. All I had said was that Tejashwi should clarify his position to Nitish and clear the air.



In the meantime, 241 MLAs out of total 243 members in the Bihar Assembly today cast their votes in the presidential polls. While the JD (U) has backed NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind, the RJD and Congress members voted for Opposition nominee Meira Kumar. While one MLA BK Sinha voted in Dehradun (with the permission of the EC), the other BJP MLA Anand Bhushan Pandey could not vote due to serious illness.
Over 1,500 passes to enter Uttar Pradesh Assembly premises have been cancelled in a bid to beef up security after recovery of plastic explosive in the campus last week, the office of the Assembly speaker said today.



Also, a team of officials will visit assemblies of Gujarat and Maharashtra to study their security system.



In an official statement, UP Assembly Speaker Hriday Narayan Dixit said, as many as 365 entry passes, 715 vehicle passes of former MLAs and 421 temporary passes have been cancelled.



"In view of a packet containing 'suspicious product' found in the Assembly premises, it becomes imperative to take tough measures from the security point of view," he said.



The Speaker said it has also been decided that security system of the Lok Sabha and other state assemblies will be studied and subsequently implemented in the UP Assembly.



"After the Budget session, a study of the security system of Gujarat Assembly and Maharashtra Assembly is proposed," Dixit said.



For this, a team under the speaker will visit the assemblies in both the states. The team will interact with the speakers and other officials in this regard.



It will also take all the necessary steps to implement the appropriate security mechanism in UP Assembly.



"As of now, the democratic system of governance happens to be the most advanced one, and unfortunately some anti social and anarchic elements wanted to harm it, as it was reflected in the incident which took place in the UP Assembly.



"Our responsibility is that this system of democracy should be strengthened," he said.



About 150 grams of PETN (Pentaerythritol tetranitrate) explosive was found wrapped in a paper close to the seat of the Leader of the Opposition, Ram Govind Choudhary, in the Assembly on July 12.



Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had said described it as a "dangerous terror conspiracy".
Welcome Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a flower and a Khadi handkerchief or book but not bouquets.



This is the latest directive to states and other institutions from the Ministry of Home Affairs. It has said no bouquet should be presented to the Prime Minister during his domestic tours.



"I am directed to state that it has been desired by the competent authority that no bouquet may be presented to the prime minister during his tours within India," the MHA said in its communication to the states.



It said a flower along with a khadi handkerchief or a book may be presented to welcome Modi. "All states and union territories are requested to suitably sensitise all concerned to ensure strict compliance of the above instructions," it said.



Modi had earlier said that people should gift books or handkerchief rather than flower bouquets which land up in the dustbin after few days.



"We should gift Khadi handkerchieves as it will help poor artisans, and books so that people are inspired to get into the habit of reading," he had said.



"Giving a book or a Khadi product always helps. It is long lasting," Modi had tweeted after a 'Mann ki Baat' programme last month. In a speech in Kerala also he referred to this theme, "I appeal to people to give a book instead of the bouquet as a greeting. Such a move can make a big difference."



Taking a cue, the midnight function to unveil Goods and Service Tax (GST) at Parliament's Central Hall on June 30 also saw Finance Minister Arun Jaitley welcoming guests, including President Pranab Mukherjee and Modi, with a rose.


The opposition's vice presidential candidate Gopal Krishna Gandhi today came in for criticism from the Shiv Sena for having sought mercy for Mumbai serial blasts convict Yakub Memon, but the Congress defended the decision.



Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut today accused the former West Bengal governor of "putting all his might" to save Memon, a "bombing plotter", from gallows.



"Memon was a bombing plotter and a pawn in the hands of Pakistan which waged war against India. Gandhi had put all his might to save Memon. He had written a letter to the President seeking mercy for Memon.



"You have nominated such a man as the vice presidential candidate. What type of mindset is this? Narrow or broad? Is this in the national interest?" he asked.



Coming to Gandhi's defence, Congress leader Anand Sharma questioned on what basis was the Sena questioning the credentials of Gandhi who had distinguished himself as a civil servant and India's envoy to South Africa and Sri Lanka.



"If they are questioning the credentials of the person of the stature of Gopal Krishna Gandhi ji, who stands by Gandhian values, who has distinguished himself in every assignment - as a civil servant, as India's high commissioner to South Africa, to Sri Lanka as an ambassador, as a professor.... On what basis are they questioning?" he said.



Sharma also said the Congress party needed no certificate from those questioning Gandhi's credentials as it had made great sacrifices in the fight against terrorism.



Memon was the lone convict in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case who was sent to the gallows.



He was executed on July 30, 2015 in connection with the serial blasts that claimed over 250 lives and left more than 700 others injured.



The Congress-led opposition had on July 11 picked Gandhi, a grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, as their candidate. The election is scheduled for August 5.



The BJP parliamentary board met here this evening and chose Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu as the NDA's nominee for the election.
Correcting an anomaly in rate setting by the GST Council, the government Monday increased cess rates on cigarettes which had become cheaper after implementation of Goods and Services Tax from July 1.



The hike in rates to be implemented from Monday-Tuesday midnight will bring an additional Rs 5,000 to the central exchequer. The GST Council has decided to hike cess on cigarettes to take the windfall manufacturers were making, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said after a review meeting after a fortnight of the GST roll out.



The meeting was conducted through video conferencing after which the finance minister addressed the media here. Jaitley said the anomaly in fixing the rates of cigarettes by the GST Council had brought down the total tax incidence on cigarettes post-GST. It has been corrected and the pre-GST rates restored, he said.



28% tax on cigarettes remains, 5% ad voleram remains and the cess changes as per the length of the cigarettes, the finance minister said. Consequently, the cess on cigarettes of up to 65 mm was raised by Rs 485 per thousand sticks and on those exceeding 65 mm by Rs 792 per thousand sticks.



Jaitley said while any reduction in tax incidence of items of mass consumption would be welcome, the same would be unacceptable in the case of demerit goods like cigarettes. Sources said cigarettes were the only item of discussion in Monday's GST Council meeting which reviewed the roll out. The finance minister said the roll out had been fairly smooth and both the Centre and states were responding to queries by stakeholders on a real time basis.



To a question on proposed traders strike due to hike in rates of several goods especially textiles, Jaitley said his experience was completely contrary and that input credit helped in bringing down prices of most of the commodities.




The Centre today told the Supreme Court that no more grace period will be granted for depositing the scrapped Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, saying the very object of demonetization and elimination of black money will be defeated if a fresh window is given.



The Centre was responding to the July 4 directive by a bench headed by Chief Justice J S Khehar asking it to consider granting a window to those who have not been able to exchange the scrapped notes for genuine reasons.



The apex court had said that people should not lose their own money for no fault of theirs. "The very object of demonetization and elimination of black money will be defeated if a window is opened for a further period as the persons in possession of the specified bank notes (scrapped notes of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500) would have had sufficient time and opportunity to carefully plan the reasons and excuses for not depositing the SBNs within the permitted period that is before December 30, 2016," the Ministry of Finance said in its affidavit.



The government said it has taken a "conscious decision" that no necessity or any justifiable reason exists either in law or on facts to invoke its power under The Specified Bank Notes (Cessation of Liabilities) Act, 2017 to extend the period for exchanging the scrapped currency.



The affidavit said that none of the petitioners has given any valid ground as to why they could not deposit the scrapped notes through his or her authorised third person.



Justifying its decision not to give any further window, the affidavit said, "The period thus available for everyone to exchange and or deposit the specified bank notes was spread over 51 days (except for closed holidays) unlike the earlier demonetization drive carried out in the year 1978, when it was restricted to six days only."



It said that "the period November 9, 2016, to December 30, 2016, was fairly a very long period during which any one can either himself or through his authorised agent/third person could have deposited/exchanged the specified bank notes subject to following the prescribed norms."



"In other words, what was permitted was exchange and or deposit of specified bank notes during a block period a period up to and including December 30, 2016, either in person or through authorised third person," it said.



The Centre said that the Ministry of Home Affairs had in July reported that as per intelligence agencies, there were reports of large scale misuse of the window for the exchange of the old currency notes.



"Seizure of cash during the month of November and December 2016 was to the tune of Rs 147.9 crore and Rs 306.897 crore and seizure of gold for the month of November and December 2016 was 69.1 kg and 234.267 kg respectively," it said.



The affidavit further said that large quantities of new notes were also seized indicating the exchange of old currency cash with new currency circumventing the rules.



"The CBI has informed that they have registered 63 cases relating to irregularities committed during the post-demonetization period involving 57 regular cases and 6 preliminary enquiries from November 25, 2016, to April 30, 2017. The cases allegedly involve total amount of Rs 395.19 crore," it said.



The apex court is hearing a batch of petitions, including one filed by Sudha Mishra seeking a direction to authorities to allow her to deposit demonetised notes as she could not do so during the period specified by the Centre and the RBI.



Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on November 8 last year announced that Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes would no longer be a legal tender from the next day.



The government had assured the people that demonetised currency notes could be exchanged at banks, post offices and RBI branches till December 30, 2016. If people were unable to deposit them by that day, they could do so until March 31, 2017, at RBI branches after complying with certain formalities.



Earlier, the apex court on March 6 had issued notices to the Centre and RBI on the petitions alleging tweaking of rules on exchanging demonetised currency notes.



The Prime Minister's address to the nation on the evening of November 8 last year on demonetization and subsequent notifications of the federal bank that the devalued currency notes can be exchanged at RBI offices even up to March 31, 2017 were valid assurances which stood breached by the ordinance, the counsel for petitioner Sudha Mishra had said.



One of the pleas has also referred to the Specified Bank Notes Cessation of Liabilities Ordinance and said the government had breached the assurance.



However, the Ordinance, issued on December 30 last, had specified that only those who were abroad or armed forces personnel posted in remote areas or others who could give valid reasons for not being able to deposit the cancelled notes at banks, could deposit the demonetised currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes till March 31.



The deadline for the general public to deposit the scrapped currency in bank or post office accounts expired on December 30, 2016.
Janata Dal (Secular) state unit spokesperson S L Bhojegowda on Monday took exception to the recent order of the government to book criminal cases against those who have encroached upon forest and gomala lands in Malnad region.



Addressing reporters here, Gowda urged the government to take cognisance of the prevailing condition of the farmers and the purpose of livelihood for which they have encroached upon the land. The government should ensure justice by allotting the same land on compassionate grounds, he said. Appealing to the government to not to liken such farmers to the encroachers in urban areas, Gowda urged the government to exempt farmers who have encroached up to 10 acres of land from filing a criminal case against them. While there is a clear demarcation between encroachment and lang-grabbing, the government should take measures to allot land to people who have submitted applications under Forms 53 and 54.



Gowda said Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bhima Yojana and Weather-based Crop Insurance Scheme have not benefited the farmers. A total of 27 farmers in the district have availed benefit of Rs 3.88 lakh in the form of insurance, under Fasal Bhima Yojana. The local MLA should focus on direct debit of insurance amount to farmers bank accounts. Most importantly, the farmers should not be forced to enrol under the schemes, he said. Fasal Bhima scheme should be withdrawn, he demanded.



He demanded clarity from the government whether the recently announced farm loan waiver is effective from the fiscal year 2016-17 or the ongoing fiscal. The government is yet to release its share of loan waiver money to the co-operative banks, he said.



He said the government should take steps to solve pay disparity between high school teachers and PUC lecturers. The recent announcement to regularise 20,000 pourakarmikas in the state should not remain on paper but should be implemented in toto. The BJP MPs from the state should exert pressure on the Centre to waive crop loans advanced by nationalised banks.




Modest changes in the way broiler birds are raised are likely to have consequences for nine billion birds a year. In the work that The HSUS does to relieve animal suffering, theres no category with as many lives at stake. Photo by Perdue

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Maryland-based Perdue Farms, one of the biggest brands in the production of poultry raised for meat, is making one of the most important announcements of any major producer in the field. Last summer, The HSUS  along with Compassion in World Farming and Mercy For Animals  worked with Perdue to commit the company to a series of reforms to address chronic animal welfare problems (a separate set of problems from the mistreatment of laying hens in the egg industry that were also campaigning to change). These policies address the inhumane way chickens are bred (to grow so large so fast that they suffer crippling and even fatal injuries), the cramped and barren facilities they spend their lives in, and the inhumane slaughter systems that dominate the poultry industry.

Within the world of poultry production, Perdues pledge to address these concerns was particularly significant, given that the company is the fourth largest in the field and slaughters 700 million birds a year (about eight percent of all production in the United States). It came not long after The HSUS launched its Nine Billion Lives campaign, calling on producers and retailers involved in the chicken business to shape up.

Today, were announcing step two in our collaborative discussions with Perdue. The company, now having seen 25 major food retailers agree to changes in their purchasing practices for chicken, has said it will commit to working with these and other stakeholders to honor these new animal welfare standards.

Meeting the demands of its customers may seem like an obvious pledge for any supply-oriented company. No company can survive if it frustrates its customers wishes. But in the world of Big Agriculture, that hasnt always been the case. Many major producers have fought the public and the retail sector for years on animal welfare. For example, consumers were rightfully outraged for decades over the treatment of veal calves, expressing concern that these poor creatures were chained by their necks in tiny crates. Yet veal producers continued using that practice until The HSUS was able to apply sufficient pressure to the industry and secure a pledge from it to phase out the crates. But it took far too long  almost a quarter century.

From my vantage point, the announcement from Perdue today is as big and as important as a prior pledge related to pig production practices by Smithfield Foods  also a big brand in the world of animal agriculture.

In 2007, just two months after The HSUS led a successful ballot initiative in Arizona to ban the cage confinement of breeding sows, Smithfield, the worlds biggest pork producer, said that over the next decade it would convert all of its company-owned pig-producing facilities away from gestation crates to group housing.

Now, 10 years later, Smithfield is on target to complete that conversion this year. That assurance from the biggest producer in the field set us up for success with the nations biggest food retailers in our campaign to end the widespread use of gestation crates. A few years after Smithfields announcement, The HSUS had negotiated agreements with McDonalds, Burger King, Kroger, and more than 100 other big brand names to shake up their supply chains and phase out their purchase of pork from operations that confine sows in gestation crates. Weve also passed bans on gestation crates in about 10 states.

When producers fight these changes, it doesnt halt reform, but it slows it. In particular, it complicates the path for retailers to implement their plans and honor their pledges.

When we announced our Nine Billion Lives campaign some months ago  to curb the most egregious practices in the industrial poultry production model  we and others in the animal movement came out strong by winning reforms from Burger King, Boston Market, Aramark, Subway, Jack in the Box, Compass Group, Panera Bread, and others. These companies have pledged to require their suppliers to transition to healthier breeds of birds, give birds more space to live, provide enrichments like perches and hay bales, and slaughter them in a less cruel manner using Controlled Atmosphere Stunning to render the birds unconscious prior to being shackled and killed.

These pledges are so important, but they wont have full force until these companies know that they can secure enough chicken in order to meet the demand for meat for their customers.

Perdues pledge should give every company selling chicken the confidence that it will be able to meet any pledge it makes. And it also signals the same thing to other food retailers were now asking to hop on board with our campaign. Consistent with our history of listening to our consumers and customers, writes the company, Perdue is committing to work side-by-side with these existing and future new customers to ensure that products from animals raised according to their committed standards will be available to meet their demand.

With todays commitment from Perdue, I see something much bigger than a routine announcement. Modest changes in the way broiler birds are raised are likely to have consequences for nine billion birds a year. In the work that The HSUS does to relieve animal suffering, theres no category of animal use with as many lives at stake.

Youll hear more from us on this topic. But todays announcement is going to be talked about a lot in the years ahead. Kudos to Jim Perdue and his company for standing with The HSUS on this important set of issues.

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NABARD has launched a water campaign to cover around one lakh villages in vulnerable and water-stressed areas where groundwater is over exploited, Bankers Institute of Rural Development joint director K S Pai said.



Speaking at the 36th Foundation Day of NABARD on BIRD campus here recently, she said NABARD is giving a greater push to promote digital technology adoption among rural masses through the Financial Inclusion Fund. A national-level financial inclusion survey has also been launched, he added.



She said NABARD has touched the lives of 100 million poor rural households through its SHG-Bank Linkage Programme under which more than eight crore rural women have been provided with sustainable rural livelihood opportunities through credit, capacity-building and market linkages.



Under Rural Infrastructure Development Fund, NABARD has cumulatively disbursed Rs 2.30 lakh crore which has helped in creation of additional irrigation potential of 291 lakh hectare, creation of rural road network of Rs 4.28 lakh km, building rural bridges of 10 lakh metres and creation of non-recurring employment of 23 billion man-days which has helped in enhancing income levels in rural areas and also agriculture production and quality of living.



Mangalore University vice chancellor Prof K Byrappa, who was the guest of honour, complimented NABARD for touching the lives crores of rural women through its linkage programme and supporting creation of rural infrastructure in agriculture and social sectors, thus helping in nation-building. He opined that several technological innovations to improve agriculture developed by the research institutes have confined to the labs. He requested NABARD to build necessary ecosystem for the same, so that the technology reaches the farmers.



Karnataka Bank non-executive chairman P Jayaram Bhat, who was the chief guest, released the training calendar of BIRD for the second quarter of 2017-18. He spoke on Sustainable Approach to Doubling of Farmers Income by 2022.




As there is no cremation land in Palimaru Gram Panchayat limits, the residents of the village tried to cremate the body of a dead man, in front of the Gram Panchayat office on Monday.



Poovappa Mestri, a 65-year-old mason, died on Sunday night, following heart attack. As there is no crematorium land in Palimaru, the body had to be taken to the nearby village. Opposing the lack of facility, his relatives, villagers and Dalit Sanghars Samiti activists staged a protest in front of the office and set up the funeral pyre to cremate the body.



The police intervened and convinced the protesters to withdraw their decision. The body was later cremated near the house of the deceased. The villagers had submitted a memorandum to the Gram Panchayat to provide a crematorium to Palimaru as bodies have to be taken to Padubidri Gram Panchayat limits. A 1.05 acre land was identified in Adve-Palimaru for the purpose. But when the Gram Panchayat started the work, a local person approached the court and got a stay order, they said.



Opposing this, the villagers boycotted the ward meeting proposed to be held at Palimar Gram Panchayat on Monday. Tahsildar Maheshchandra, who visited the spot, directed the village accountant to identify another land for crematorium.



Gram Panchayat president Jithendra Furtado said that efforts will be made to vacate the stay order for the construction of crematorium. A fund of Rs 15 lakh, from MLALAD fund and GP grants have been reserved for crematorium, he added.




The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested a woman director of a Dubai-based firm in connection with its probe in a money laundering case in the AgustaWestland chopper scam, officials said on Monday.



The arrested has been identified as Shivani Saxena, a resident of Palm Jumeira in Dubai. Shivani is an active director of M/s UHY Saxena, Dubai, and M/s Matrix Holdings.



Investigators claimed that the proceeds of the crime have been routed through M/s UHY Saxena and M/s Matrix Holdings and further layered and integrated in buying immovable properties and shares.



According to the ED, M/s AgustaWestland International Ltd, the UK, paid euro 58 million as kickbacks through M/s Gordian Services Sarl, Tunisia, and M/s IDS Sarl, Tunisia, for the deal involving 12 VVIP choppers.



These companies further siphoned off the said money/proceeds of crime in the name of consultancy contracts to M/s Interstellar Technologies Ltd, Mauritius, and others, which were further transferred to M/s UHY Saxena, Dubai, M/s Matrix Holdings Ltd, Dubai, and others, an ED statement read.



Investigation revealed that Shivanis husband Rajiv Saxena is a beneficial owner of M/s Interstellar Technologies Ltd, Mauritius. They are also partners in M/s UHY Saxena and M/s Matrix Holdings Ltd.



Both these companies received the proceeds of the crime in their respective Dubai bank accounts from M/s Interstellar Technologies Ltd. Mauritius..., the statement said.
As many as 222 of the total 224 MLAs in the state exercised their franchise for the Presidential poll in Bengaluru on Monday.



Congress MP from Chikkodi Prakash B Hukkeri was the lone MP to vote at the Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru, the venue for the poll in Karnataka, while other MPs from the state voted at Parliament House in New Delhi.



The absentee legislators were JD(S) rebel MLA N Cheluvarayaswamy, who is away in the United States, and YSV Datta of JD(S). Dattas sister passed away in Kadur, Chikkamagaluru district, on Monday morning.



The three major parties  the Congress, the BJP and the JD(S)  held their respective legislature party meetings at the Vidhana Soudha in the morning before the commencement of the polling.



The Presidential election is witnessing a direct fight between the NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind and the Opposition nominee Meira Kumar. The JD(S) had announced that it will support Meira.



In Karnataka, the electoral college comprises 28 Lok Sabha members, 12 Rajya Sabha members and 224 MLAs. The value of each vote of an MP is 708, while that of an MLA from Karnataka is 131.



BJP MLAs were among the first to vote for electing the next President of India. Polling was held between 10 am and 5 pm at the committee room on the first floor of the Vidhana Soudha in the presence of observers from the Election Commission of India (ECI).



Chief Minister Siddaramaiah arrived at the polling booth along with five of the seven JD(S) rebel MLAs  B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan, M B Ramesh Bandisiddegowda, H C Balakrishna, Bhima Naik S and R Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy. The JD(S) had suspended seven MLAs for cross-voting during the Rajya Sabha polls last year.



JD(S) members led by their state president H D Kumaraswamy voted soon after Siddaramaiah left the polling booth.



Specially serial-numbered pens with violet ink were provided to the voters to ensure that only the writing instrument issued by the ECI is used by voters to mark their votes.



Hukkeri said he had opted to vote from his home state as a mark of tribute to the people of Karnataka who had elected him.



The Vidhana Soudha, which of late has been wearing a deserted look, was a beehive of activity on Monday. The corridors of power were crowded with people, many from other districts, who had made a beeline to the Vidhana Soudha knowing that the entire Cabinet and all the MLAs would be present for the Presidential poll.



Four MLAs arrive in wheelchairs



Four MLAs S R Vishwanth (BJP), Rudresh Gowda, Basavaraj Rayareddy and M H Ambareesh (all Congress) took the wheelchair route to the polling booth. While Gowda is suffering from a bout of illness, Vishwanath and Rayareddy recently suffered fracture in their legs after they slipped and fell. Ambareesh indulged in some dramatics much to the delight of onlookers.



Ambareesh who was walking into the Vidhana Soudha saw Rayareddy being helped from his wheelchair into his car.



Ambareesh then sat on the wheelchair and directed his gunman to wheel him to the polling booth. Dari bidro (make way), he shouted at the videographers capturing the drama.



At the polling booth, he got up, cast his vote and leaned on the ballot box posing for photographers, photo thegiro (take photo) he said. ECI officials cautioned him. He then asked his gunman to wheel him away.
Ballot boxes containing the votes cast in the Presidential election got special privilege on their flights back to New Delhi on Monday.



As per the directions of the Election Commission of India (ECI), officials responsible for the conduct of the poll booked a separate seat as a passenger for the ballot boxes on their flights from state capitals to New Delhi.



The box is placed on a seat in the aircraft and does not go in the cargo hold - for reasons of safety and security and to prevent any kind of tampering.



While Karnataka Assembly secretariat officials booked a seat for the ballot box in the name of Cabin Baggage, Maharashtra officials booked the seat in the name of Mr Ballot Box.



Three officials from Karnataka  Assistant Returning Officer (ARO) for the Presidential poll in Karnataka, S Murthy, Assembly Deputy Secretary M S Kumaraswamy and Under Secretary B S Mahalingesh  boarded the 9.10 pm Air India flight to New Delhi with the ballot box.



Further, the sources said, the box will have to be kept on the seat next to the ARO, who is responsible for its safekeeping. It is mandatory that front row seats are booked.



As far as Maharashtra is concerned, the box will be carried by Dr Anant Kalse, Principal Secretary of Legislature and Assistant Returning Officer, R J Kudtarkar, Deputy Secretary and Assistant Returning Officer, M M Kaj, Joint Secretary (II).



In an intimation letter to Anoop Mishra, Returning Officer for election to the office of the President of India-2017 and Secretary-General, Lok Sabha, Parliament House, the Maharashtra Government had intimated: ...The tickets of J-Class of the above-mentioned officers and of the Ballot Box from Mumbai to New Delhi have been purchased for the onward journey.



The officials have to personally hand over the boxes to Mishra at Parliament House in New Delhi. Arrangements are made by Parliament security and the Delhi police to drive straight to the aircraft and accompany the officials and the box to Parliament House, the sources added.



The votes will counted on Thursday.






The RBI directed the consortium of banks led by the State Bank of India to start insolvency proceedings against Essar Steel for holding Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) worth 31,671 crore as on March 31, 2016, while it owed lenders Rs 45,000 crore.



No relief

The court of Justice SG Shah on Monday issued an oral order stating that no relief could be granted to the steel major. The court is expected to issue a detailed order later.



The judgement is being seen as a big motivation for banks to tackle bad loans, especially for state-run banks who have seen their NPAs mount over Rs 6 lakh crore as of December 31, 2016.



The total NPAs in the banking system in the country, meanwhile, are estimated to be about Rs 10 lakh crore. In its petition filed on July 4, Essar Steel had challenged the RBI directive to refer the cases of 12 companies with high NPAs (including Essar) to National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) and begin insolvency proceedings.



An amendment to the Banking Regulation Act had handed the central banks sweeping powers to crack the whip on bad loans.





The Gujarat High Court on Monday dismissed Essar Steels writ petition challenging the insolvency proceedings brought against it by a consortium of banks on RBI directives.
The probe into Samajwadi Party (SP) supremo Akhilesh Yadavs wife Dimple Yadavs unopposed election to the Lok Sabha in the 2012 bypoll from Kannauj parliamentary constituency has gathered momentum after a change of guard in Uttar Pradesh.



A team of the Crime Branch CID reached Kannauj on Sunday and launched an investigation into allegations that rival candidates were kidnapped by SP supporters as a result of which they failed to file their nomination papers.



Party leaders had rejected the allegations. According to police, the team quizzed people from different sections to assess the veracity of the allegations. The team also recorded statements of people from the media and leaders and workers of different political parties.



Some district officials were also questioned. The team will submit its report to senior officials very soon, said a police officer in Kannauj.



Akhilesh Yadav, who had won the Kannauj seat in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls, resigned after he became the chief minister in 2012, necessitating a bypoll from there.



Dimple was declared elected unopposed as she was the lone candidate in the fray after the last date for filing nominations.



A petition was also filed in the court seeking a probe into the matter. Though the CBCID probe was ordered in 2012 itself, it could not begin as the SP was the ruling party in the state.



After the change of guard in the state following the BJPs victory in the Assembly polls earlier this year, the probe was revived. Sources said that the investigation into the matter will be expedited. Dimple Yadav is currently the Lok Sabha member from Kannauj. She retained the seat in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.






It looks like the Cauvery basin will witness one more year of distress. Weak monsoon in the state so far has resulted in poor inflow into the four reservoirs in the Cauvery basin KRS, Kabini, Harangi and Hemavathi  and the combined storage levels stood at 26 tmcft compared to 57.89 tmcft last year.



Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru on Monday, Water Resources Minister M B Patil said the state government will wait for two more weeks and if the monsoon fails to pick up, it will convene a meeting of all stakeholders to decide on its next step of action.



Last year, the state was considered to be reeling under its worst drought during the last 40 years. The total storage in the four reservoirs of Cauvery basin stood at 57.89 tmcft this date last year. However, today, the combined storage level stands at 26 tmcft, less than half compared to last year, Patil said. He said the government is keeping its fingers crossed and hoping for good rain in the coming days.



He said priority will be accorded to drinking water, followed by agriculture and supply of water to industries. The kharif season has begun and there is no adequate water for irrigation purposes. Farmers should realise the situation, the minister said.



The water level in reservoirs in North Karnataka is also low, but better compared to that in the Cauvery basin, he added.



Patil said given the distress situation, it is not practically possible for Karnataka to release the stipulated quantum of water to Tamil Nadu as per the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal award. He said that from June 1 till date, Karnataka has released 2.2 tmcft of water to Tamil Nadu. As per the award, Karnataka has to release 44 tmcft (10 tmcft in June and 34 tmcft in July) to the neighbouring state. The state is releasing about 25 to 30% of the total inflow to Tamil Nadu every day, he said.



The minister said the state government was ready for an out-of-court settlement to resolve the Mahadayi River water dispute with Goa and Maharashtra. He denied reports in a section of the media that the Malaprabha River water is being diverted to the Mahadayi.



He said the state government had given an undertaking before the Supreme Court and Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal that it will not divert water to Kalasa Banduri project till completion of hearing and was abiding by it.






Prime Minister Narendra Modi has again sprung a surprise by picking Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu as candidate for the vice presidents election next month. As was done in the case of selection of Ram Nath Kovind as the Presidential candidate, Modi kept his name under wraps till the last hour.



The prime minister made public his decision to field Naidu only at a meeting of the BJP parliamentary party  just a day before the last date for filing nomination for the vice presidential election. It was not exactly clear why Modi chose Naidu.



But most BJP leaders thought that, being the most prominent face from south, who had worked for the partys organisation and growth, he was an inevitable choice. The BJP could not ignore south when it entertained ambitions in the region.



With his indifferent health, Naidu was also finding his ministerial work a bit too heavy. He was handling key portfolios of urban development as well as information and broadcasting. With pressure mounting from the Prime Ministers Office for visible progress in key projects like smart cities, the workload of the urban development ministry had increased by leaps and bounds.



Late Sunday evening when his name came under intense speculation, 68-year-old Naidu sought to clarify by issuing a statement that he was not a front-runner and its not appropriate to speculate and such speculation in respect of high Constitutional position is not advisable.



Also his close associates said Naidu was not ready to leave active politics as yet, but would abide by the partys wishes. But, by Monday morning, Naidu could not resist accepting greetings when he was mobbed by MPs and leaders in Parliament, congratulating him in advance.



Naidu is the only person in the BJP who resigned from the post of party president and later accepted the post of vice president under L K Advani after the 2004 poll debacle. In 2002, when the then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was unhappy with Gujarats handling of riots, Naidu was among the top leaders who backed Modis continuation as chief minister.


BPharma and DPharmacourses come under the purview of the Drugs Control Department. Drugs controller Bhagoji T Khanapure said the seat matrix was ready but since the matter is pending in the court, counselling cannot be held.



The fee for the course in government colleges is fixed at Rs 14,030 and for government-quota seats, the fee is Rs 21,430. As the counselling is getting delayed, parents and students allege that private colleges are giving away their management quota seats for Rs 4 to Rs 5 lakh.







Students who want to pursue BPharma are worried as the seat matrix for colleges offering the course is not yet available.Counselling for the course is conducted by the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) through the Common Entrance Test (CET). Though the second round of allotment is already under way for other professional courses like engineering, BSc (Agriculture) and veterinary sciences, B-Pharma seats in private colleges have not been included in the process.The delay is because private college managements have gone to the high court over the issue of seat-sharing. Earlier, colleges were supposed to give 20% of their seats to the government to be allotted to students at a concessional fee. This year, the government asked colleges to share 50% of their seats. Objecting to this, college managements took the matter to the court, where the case is pending.As a result, B-Pharma seats were kept out of the first round of counselling. In the second round, only 50 seats in government pharmacy colleges were available for students to opt from.
UPDATED

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos is shooting back at one of her biggest political foes and defending her approach to civil rights enforcement, but the political brawl over the issue isnt dying down.

In a July 11 letter to Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., DeVos said that while upholding the nations civil rights laws is among the most important missions at her department, the Obama administrations decision to expand the scope of investigations into potential violations meant that too many individual students complaints went unaddressed. That approach, DeVos said, created a justice delayed is justice denied situation.

On Monday, however, Murray, the top Democrat on the Senate education committee, called for the top civil rights official under DeVos, Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Candice Jackson, to resign over comments she made about sexual assault on college campuses .

Ms. Jacksons callous, insensitive, and egregious comments regarding sexual assault on college campuses crossed a serious line and highlighted her clear biases in this area in a way that, to me and many women and men across the country, should disqualify her from service in the position of top Department of Education protector of students right to be safe at school, Murray said in a statement.

In a separate July 14 response , Murray told the secretary that her department still hasnt provided information she has previously asked for, including on open cases involving transgender students and sexual harrassment as of the end of January and on all the civil rights probes at her department that have been closed.

DeVos handling of civil rights has become one of the most controversial elements of her tenure. The education secretary has said that, on her watch, the office for civil rights will take a case-by-case approach to complaints, to ensure faster resolutions and avoid overreach from Washington. However, her critics charge that such an approach willfully ignores systemic problems in education involving civil rights. The back and forth from a few days ago is the latest installment in this running argument.

In her letter to Murray, DeVos struck back at what she called incorrect statements and unfounded arguments the senator and other Democratic lawmakers put forward in a letter they sent DeVos late last month regarding civil rights issues . DeVos stressed that she was returning the office for civil rights investigative branch to being a neutral, impartial investigative agency. The secretary also said:

At the previous administrations direction, OCR all too often automatically handled individual complaints as evidence of systemic institutional violations. As a result, OCR staff were forced to expand the scope of these investigations dramatically beyond the facts alleged in the filed complaint. This led to unprecedented processing times and significant backlogs, which in turn harmed students. ... Too many students have been forced to wait for months, and in some cases years, for adjudication of their complaints while OCR chose to collect years of data about an institution.

In her July 14 response, Murray reiterated her demands for information concerning, among other things:



Whether the department will continue to post resolution agreements to civil rights cases online.

Any internal memos and other discussions about potential budget cuts to OCR. (The proposed Trump budget would cut OCR.)

A complete, unredacted copy of the manual that investigators at OCR will use under DeVos leadership.

Jackson spurred outrage last week when she told the New York Times that 90 percent of sexual assault cases on college campuses involved both students being drunk and failed relationships. Jackson quickly apologized, and DeVos said Thursday that there needs to be a new approach to investigations into such incidents under Title IX, although she didnt get into specifics.

Earlier this year, DeVos rescinded the Obama administrations transgender guidance to schools designed to give students more protectionsher department has since stated that when it comes to transgender students rights, the feds should focus on bullying , but not equal access to facilities.

Last month, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights said it was launching a two-year investigation into how DeVos Education Department and other federal agencies handle civil rights issues. The commission is led by Catherine Lhamon, the former top civil rights official at the department during much of President Barack Obamas second term.

Read DeVos July 11 letter to Murray below:

And here is Murrays July 14 response:

Photo: Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos testifies on Capitol Hill last month before a Senate appropriations subcommittee about the Trump administrations proposed fiscal 2018 budget. (Susan Walsh/AP)

Follow us on Twitter at @PoliticsK12 .


Meanwhile, at the ongoing document verification for NEET counselling at the KEA office in Malleswaram, candidates complained about lack of facilities.



The toilet facilities are available only inside the building and we have to wait outside until our turn comes. Many are coming from outside the state and there is no place to sit, a parent said.



Many students and parents were using the washroom facility in the office of the Pre-University Department, opposite the KEA.



The first batch of students was supposed to complete the process by 11 am but because they started late, it did not get over in time. We have to wait several hours to get our turn, one student said.







Medical and dental course aspirants from Karnataka have more reason to cheer as the state government has decided to reserve 50% of open quota seats in minority institutions for students of Karnataka domicile.The decision was made following a demand from students and parents in the state, led by the Karnataka Medical Students and Youth Doctors Association.On Monday, the association along with members of the Karnataka Sanghatanegala Okkoota staged a protest outside the office of the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA). Following this, members of the association also met the principal secretary, Medical Education.On Saturday, the government had approved to increase the reservation for students of Karnataka domicile from 30% to 50% in institution seats in private, non-minority colleges. The remaining 50% institution seats are open quota which will be allotted based on the candidates All India Rank (AIR) in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET). Of the total seats available in private colleges, 40% seats are handed over to the government, 20% are management quota and NRI seats. The remaining 40% seats are institution seats.In minority institutions, 55% of seats were in the institution quota. Of these, 66% seats were reserved for candidates of the respective linguistic or religious minority. Though non-Karnataka candidates are considered for the category, priority is given to students of Karnataka domicile.The remaining 34% of institution seats were open-quota seats, to be filled on the basis of merit. Now, 50% of this is reserved for candidates from Karnataka.We have reserved 50% seats because of a demand from students. However, we cannot increase the reservation beyond 50% as it could run into problems in the court, said Medical Education minister Dr Sharanprakash Patil.


Naidus rise has not been a cakewalk. He lost his mother Ramanamma when he was 18-months-old, after a buffalo gored her. He was brought up by his grandmother.



Naidu, who began his career as a student politician, was imprisoned under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act during the Emergency. He later became the president of the Janata Partys youth wing in Andhra Pradesh.



He served as the Yuva Morcha chief for three years from 1980 and was also the BJP Legislature Party leader in Andhra Pradesh in 1980 and 1985 .



Naidu, a four-term Rajya Sabha MP, became the general secretary of the BJP in 1993 and later served as the party president from September 2002 to October 2004.

The birthday gift came 17 days later, but it was one of the sweetest for M Venkaiah Naidu, as he was chosen the NDA nominee for the vice presidential poll. Rumours that the urban development minister was the ruling partys pick for the post were doing the rounds since Monday morning.As soon as he walked up to the Opposition benches in the Rajya Sabha, where he is a member, Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad and D Raja from the CPI were seen congratulating him, even before an official announcement.From Usha pati, you are finally becoming Uparashtrapati, senior CPM MP Sitaram Yechury said referring to Naidus earlier comment that he was Ushas pati (husband) and did not want to become the rashtrapati (President).The candidature of Naidu, son of late Rangaiah, a farmer hailing from Chavatapalam in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh, was discussed widely before the BJP chose Ram Nath Kovind as its Presidential candidate.


Trai also sought telecom firms opinion on floor pricing in written. In the meeting, the issue of fixing upper ceiling, if required, will also be deliberated, a senior official from Trai told DH.



Telecom tariffs are currently under forbearance, meaning that operators are only required to report their plans to Trai within seven days of launching them. However, there is no upper or lower ceiling, and the telecom regulator has only fixed a ceiling for tariffs during roaming.



Following the entry of new comer Reliance Jio with freebies, some of the telecom operators have suggested that Trai should fix floor prices to ensure the sector doesnt plunge into crises.



Four major lenders, including SBI and HDFC Bank, during their recent meeting with a group of officials in the Department of Telecom had expressed concern over the growing debt in the telecom sector as it already crossed Rs 5 lakh crore.



Lenders have also apprehended about the possibility of default by the companies on their loan repayments unless corrective steps taken.



When Trai earlier convened the meeting of telecom companies representatives to discuss the sectors financials, some companies like Idea suggested imposition of a minimum floor price for voice and data services.



However, Reliance Jio said that financial stress in the telecom sector is mainly due to existing operators like Airtel and Idea investing in unrelated areas instead of focusing on telecom business. However, the incumbent operators dismissed this, saying predatory pricing on Jio has dented the finance of the sector.

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has convened the meeting of representatives of telecom service providers to discuss the issue of fixing floor prices for voice and data services, on July 21.


In his response, Lt Gen A K Bhatt highlighted that all ceasefire violations were initiated by the Pakistan army and the Indian Army only responded appropriately, an army spokesperson said.



Indian troops fired as armed intruders were attempting to infiltrate from the close proximity of Pakistan posts along the 740 km-long Line of Control (LoC).



The two countries signed an agreement in November 2003 to maintain a ceasefire along the disputed border. However, ceasefire violations have become quite common in recent months.



Lt Gen Bhat made it implicit that the Indian Army reserved the right to retaliate appropriately to any incident of violation of ceasefire but it is sincere in its efforts to maintain peace and tranquillity along the LoC, provided there was reciprocity.



The telephonic conversation between the two military officers took place within hours of the killing of Indian soldier Mudasir Ahmad and seven-year-old Saida in Pakistani shelling.



The Indian DGMO also put across emphatically that the trend of infiltration along the LoC continued with the active support of Pakistan forward posts impacting peace and tranquillity along the LoC and India's internal security situation.



A top Indian Army commander on Monday sternly told Pakistan that since all ceasefire violations were initiated by the Pakistan army, the Indian Army has the right to retaliate appropriately.This was conveyed by Lt Gen A K Bhatt, the Indian Armys Director-General of Military Operations (DGMO), to his Pakistani counterpart Maj Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza during unscheduled telephonic talks.Maj Gen Mirza made the request to hold talks to raise the issue of Pakistan army posts being targeted by Indian fire.The Pakistan DGMO said four Pakistani soldiers and one civilian were killed in the firing in Athmuqam Sector of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), opposite to Indias Keran sector in Jammu and Kashmir.
A record 99% of eligible voters (elected MPs and MLAs) across the country exercised their franchise in the 14th Presidential election that pitted NDAs Ram Nath Kovind against the joint Opposition candidate Meira Kumar.



Kovind enjoyed a clear edge over Meira as the ruling BJP had rallied the support of almost 40 political parties comprising 63% of the total votes. The counting of votes is scheduled to commence from 11 am on Thursday. In addition, the BJP poll managers were expecting an increase in the vote share on account of cross voting.



There were reports of cross voting by sacked TMC legislators in Tripura, a section of the SP in Uttar Pradesh and some disgruntled AAP MLAs in Delhi. An AAP legislator in Punjab, H S Phoolka, who had opposed Meiras candidature, abstained from voting.



In Parliament, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the first to cast his vote having arrived at the polling booth a good 10 minutes before the polling began at 10 am. Modi's early arrival sent the Election Commission (EC) officials into a tizzy, but Modi told them he would wait till polling commences.



BJP chief Amit Shah, an MLA from Gujarat, also cast his vote in Parliament. The electoral college for the Presidential election comprises elected MPs and MLAs  a total of 4,896 voters. According to the EC, of the 771 MPs entitled to vote (4 vacant and 1 disqualified), 768 cast their votes (99.61%). Similarly, out of the 4109 MLAs entitled to vote (10 vacant and 1 disqualified), 4083 voted (99.37%).



Almost 99% of the electors cast their vote which is probably the highest ever voting percentage, Lok Sabha Secretary General Anoop Mishra, also the returning officer, told reporters.



Mishra said 100% polling was reported in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhatisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Nagaland, Uttarakhand and Puducherry.



BJP Lok Sabha member from Sasaram, Chhedi Paswan, was ineligible to vote as the Patna High Court had disqualified him from membership of the House. Three MPs  Tapas Paul of the TMC, Ram Chandra Hansdak of the BJD and Anbumani Ramadoss of the PMK - did not vote. Paul and Hansdak are in custody, Mishra said.


The government on Monday cracked the whip on senior IPS officials in charge of prisons and intelligence. The home department has sent Director General of Police (Prisons) H N Sathyanaranaya Rao on leave, and taken away prison responsibilities from Deputy Inspector General of Police (Prisons) Roopa and Chief Jail Superintendent Krishna Kumar.



Roopa was pitted against Rao and Kumar in a public spat soon after she filed a report alleging irregularities at the Parappana Agrahara central jail in Bengaluru. Her main charge was that her boss was providing special privileges, including a cook and a fully furnished office, for convicted Tamil Nadu politician V K Sasikala.



Chief of Intelligence M N Reddi was shown the door for his failure to gather Intelligence on the recent violence in the Mangaluru region, and the demonstrations at prisons across the state for and against top prison officials. He is now additional director general of police, Anti-Corruption Bureau.



Rao has just a couple of weeks to retire, and is therefore unlikely to be given any posting. His deputy Roopa is now deputy inspector general and commissioner for traffic and road safety, Bengaluru, in place of additional director general of police A S N Murthy. The home department has also transferred Kumar without any posting. His deputy Anitha R now holds additional charge.



Inquiry begins

Former IAS officer Vinay Kumar began his inquiry on Monday. He will look into the alleged irregularities at the central prison, based on Roopas report.






Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu was on Monday picked by the BJP to contest against Gopalkrishna Gandhi in the vice presidential election. The decision to field Naidu, veteran politician from Andhra Pradesh, was taken at a BJP parliamentary board meeting. The election is slated for August 5.



The BJP is planning an aggressive push in the south ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. The Opposition is fielding Gopalkrishna Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhis grandson, who is a retired IAS officer and a diplomat.



Naidus 25 years in politics and his farming background tilted the scale in his favour. The vice president is also the chairman of the Rajya Sabha, where Naidu has served four terms. After the meeting at the BJP's Ashoka Road headquarters, party chief Amit Shah announced Naidu would be the NDA candidate in the vice presidential election.



Shah described him as an important leader from the south. Naidu holds urban development, and information and broadcasting portfolios. Born on July 1, 1949, Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu, a Kamma by caste, comes from Nellore district in Andhra Pradesh. He graduated in law from Andhra University in Visakhapatnam and pursued student politics as an ABVP leader.



Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who presided over the meeting attended by senior ministers, tweeted to hail him as a fitting candidate for the office of Vice President. Shah told reporters Naidu would file his papers at 11 am on Tuesday. Before that, he will have to quit as minister holding two important ministries.



Venkaiah Naidu, 68, was recently told by BJP president Amit Shah about prime minister Narendra Modi's decision to field him for vice president. Naidu was reluctant as it would curtail his active political life. Shah, however, told him some decisions were taken in the party's interest. Naidu then agreed, according to an aide. Naidu met Modi on Monday, hours before the party made public his name to fight the election.



He has always accepted party decisions in the past and he has done that this time as well, Shah told reporters. With the NDA having numbers on its side, the BJP will be able to install its candidate as vice president for the second time. It had placed Bhairon Singh Shekhawat in the post earlier. Naidu has come a long way from being a sahayak of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in the late 1960s.






UPDATED

Arlington, Va.

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos drew on a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision on special education to renew her calls for school choice at an annual gathering of special education officials and experts from around the country Monday.

In remarks at the federal office of special educations leadership conference, DeVos reflected on the unanimous opinion in Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District . The court in March said individualized education programs for students with disabilities must be appropriately ambitious. In so doing, it rejected a standard that students special education plans plans must only confer a minimalor de minimis"benefit to adhere to federal special education law.

De minimis? The minimum? De minimis is preposterous, DeVos said.

Heres where her school choice theme came in: Endrew F.'s parents moved him to a private school that specialized in educating students with autism, because they said his individualized education program wasnt changing from year-to-year. They sued their Colorado school district for tuition.

A unanimous supreme courtand that doesnt happen every daydisplayed common sense in interpreting [the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act] to apply a better standard to Endrew and all our students, DeVos said.

But while honoring Endrews parents, we should also recognize that Endrews parents had the advantage of resources to choose another school for him.

Most families dont have that advantage and thus they dont have a choice, she said. This is neither right nor just, and its fundamentally at odds with the American value of equal opportunity. Every family should have the ability to choose the learning environment that is right for their child. They shouldnt have to sue their way to the Supreme Court to get it.

Setting Priorities for Civil Rights Complaints

DeVos also addressed the sensitive issue of civil rights enforcement. The education secretary has said that the Obama administration spent too much time handling individual complaints as examples of systemic institutional violations . That meant that complaints took too long to resolve, she said in a letter to Sen. Patty Murray, the top Democrat on the Senate education committee.

In comments that appear to allude to that letter, DeVos told the special educators that she has reestablished equal treatment of IDEA cases in the office for civil rights, ensuring they are prioritized as much as any other complaints. Children with disabilities are no less deserving of their civil rights protections than any other student. Under my watch, that practice has ended, and it will not stand.

UPDATE: As I was reminded by one of the attendees at the conference, it should be noted that the Education Departments office for civil rights does not investigate IDEA cases, exactly. But my attempt to explain just who does investigate IDEA complaints was muddled in an earlier version of this post, said Candace Cortiella, the director of the Advocacy Institute . While the federal office of special education programs monitors state compliance with special education law, it does not directly investigate complaints about a given students individualized education program. Responsibility for oversight of local IDEA implementation is designated to the states.

The civil rights office, on the other hand, enforces the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Both of these are civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination against all people with disabilities, including students. Acting OCR chief Candice Jackson sent a letter to the departments regional offices in June that trims back Obama-era policies that used individual complaints to OCR as a trigger to investigate potentially systemic problems.

Improving the IDEA Website

DeVos also drew attention to the departments work in revamping the website that hosts the text and regulation of the IDEA, along with other resources. The website crashed in January around the time that DeVos was nominated. A refreshed IDEA website rolled out in June.

It was a mess. It hadnt been updated in over a decade, and its server literally had been left in a back corner to gather dust, she said.

The overhaul was accomplished with the suggestion of educators in the field. You deserve a regularly improving vehicle for getting the information you need, and were committed to continuing to iterate and improve this site, DeVos said.


Roopa had exposed corruption in the Bengaluru Central Prison at Parappana Agrahara and the supply of drugs and narcotic substances in the jail, he stated. The government, instead of conducting a thorough enquiry into the irregularities, is trying to white-wash the entire episode, Yeddyurappa said in a statement.



JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy also slammed the government for transferring Roopa and accused it of targetting a whistle-blower. It (transfer) is not unexpected. The government has been targeting whistle-blowers. It is now the turn of Roopa to expose corruption and irregularities in Bengaluru central prison. The government does not want the truth to come out, he told reporters.



Why did the government shift the convicts in a hurry?...Even the family members of the convicts were not informed about it, he said.



Meanwhile Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that Roopa had been transferred in the interest of administration.





The Opposition BJP and JD(S) on Monday lambasted the state government for transferring IPS officer D Roopa.BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa said Roopas transfer proved that the government was meant only for the corrupt.


Santosh was found to be staying in a house at Nonavinakere in Tiptur taluk of Tumakuru district on Sunday. The police went there with a warrant, but he was not there. The police handed over the warrant to Santoshs father, but he refused to receive it. The police displayed a notice on the door of Santoshs house and returned to Bengaluru.



Santosh was expected to be at his Mahalakshmi Layout house around 10.30 am on Monday, but he did not turn up. A special team is searching for Santosh.







The city police have slapped a notice on N R Santosh, the personal assistant of BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa, for his suspected role in the attempt to kidnap Vinod, the personal assistant of the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council K S Eshwarappa.The police suspect the involvement of Santosh in the case. The police went to Yeddyurappas residence searching for Santosh. He needs to be interrogated in the case, said a senior police officer.
The way the state government has handled sensitive issues in the Home Department hasnt gone down well with several retired police officers. Law-enforcement agencies, which receive large grants and have introduced many innovative schemes lately, have been getting extensive bad press.



Retired officers attribute the governments failure to address the crises to lack of proper leadership, delay in redressing legitimate grievances and failure to anticipate the consequences of standoffs among serving officers.



Some retired officers say Kempaiahs appointment as advisor to the home minister triggered unpleasant incidents. For the first time, the government appointed an advisor to the Home minister. I feel there was no need for such an appointment. The home minister should have all the powers, said former DGP (Prisons) H T Sangliana. I dont know what kind of advice he (Kempaiah) gives, but there are many in the department who dont think highly of him.



A former commissioner of Bengaluru police echoed him. Kempaiah has an equal number of friends and foes in the department. He decides which officer will work where. While some officers are frequently transferred, others are ignored for key postings. The Congress government has surpassed the BJP regime in the number of transfers in the Home Department. Kempaiahs rivals dared violate the All India Service (Conduct) Rules as transfers were effected on personal grounds, he said on condition of anonymity.



Sangliana said the top brass failed to pick the right officers to handle sensitive issues. Loyalty to the leadership is very important. The leader should quickly act but that hasnt happened. This is because many dont like the leadership.



Former state police chief Shankar Bidari, however, does not think that Kempaiah is responsible for the unsavoury incidents. The government itself mishandled every situation and failed to curb irregularities in the department. Its not the advisor to the home minister, but the governments priority that is important, he said.



A former DGP, who served in the present dispensation, said that action was delayed on several occasions as former home ministers K J George and G Parameshwara were reluctant to heed the advice. They just brushed off the threats posed by insiders or adopted the wait-and-watch policy. Nobody at the helm of affairs bothered about what was brewing deep inside and anticipated the consequences. Two examples are the constables threat to go on mass leave and the scandal involving former minister H Y Meti.



He said the governments failure to prevent two protests  by constables and KSRP personnel  badly affected the morale of the police force and brought disrepute to it.




The Supreme Court on Monday asked the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to file a report on a plea by four people challenging their conviction and sentence of life term in the 2005 IISc, Bengaluru, attack case. A bench of Justices S A Bobde and L Nageswara Rao told Additional Solicitor General Atmaram Nadkarni to furnish a report on behalf of the NIA within four weeks as the convicts claimed they are not associated with any proscribed terror organisation.



The convicts are Mohammed Razhur Rehman alias Umesh, a native of Nalgonda in Telangana, Afsar Pasha alias Basheeruddin, a resident of Lakkasandra in Bengaluru, Mohammed Irfan of Mulbagal in Kolar district and Nazimuddin alias Munna from Chintamani in Chikkaballapur district.



The convicts were awarded life term for the offence of conspiracy to wage war on the country, among others. The Bengaluru police claimed all of them belonged to the banned terror outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba.



In their appeal filed by advocate Farrukh Rasheed, the petitioners contended the HC as well as the trial court had categorically found no evidence to hold them guilty of the offences under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.



Among other grounds, they submitted that the police had failed to provide any material to connect them to the banned organisation, except the statements recorded by them, which could not be relied upon as evidence.



After issuing notice to the Karnataka government on their appeal on October 21 last, the court had earlier sought a report from the government, represented by Additional Advocate General Devdutt Kamat, over their mental condition to ascertain if they belonged to any radical organisation.




Soon after the state government shunted out senior prison officials, six photographs of five rooms claimed to have been given to jailed AIADMK (Amma) leader V K Sasikala on the first floor of the womens barrack in the Bengaluru Central Prisons at Parappana Agrahara, were leaked to the media on Monday.



According to prison sources, all the five rooms, with curtains for hiding the prison bars, were being shared by Sasikala and Elavarasi - both convicted in the disproportionate assets case. These rooms are being used by the two convicts as Yoga room, TV room, kitchen, living room and office. The two spend their time in these five rooms on the first floor, which have been barricaded from other rooms on the same floor.



In one of the photographs, said to be of Sasikalas dedicated kitchen, there is a shelf with some utensils including a pressure cooker, a few jars which seemed to contain oil, coffee powder and tea leaves.



There were also clothes, mattresses and other accessories made available for her. In one of the photographs, there were chairs upon which documents were piled up.



The prison authorities neither confirmed nor denied that these photographs were of Sasikalas rooms.



A source from the prison said that there is a Hopcoms outlet and a canteen at the central prison from where inmates buy snacks and other items which they stock in their cell. And a leaked photograph could reflect that in one of Sasikalas room.




The government on Monday issued a clarification, claiming that it took quick action to handle the situation in the prisons department.



In its unrelenting pursuit of truth and justice, the government made consistent efforts to enquire into and act strictly upon cases of serious irregularities, in the larger public interest, said a press release.



The statement was prompted by news channels and media websites terming the transfer of DIG D Roopa punishment for exposing irregularities in prisons.



The statement said after allegations of irregularities raised by Roopa, the government immediately ordered a high-level enquiry into the case, to unearth facts. This decision was taken in view of the governments commitment to public interest, truth and justice.



On Roopas transfer, the government said, The public conduct after the DIGs first report, and despite the immediate institution of enquiry, have not been in the spirit of officers abiding by service rules and protocol. Despite the enquiry being in process, Roopa and (DG Prisons) H N Sathyanarayana Rao went to the media to discuss the case.



The interaction of both police officers with the media during the course of inquiry was unwarranted and amounted to a serious violation of All India Services Conduct Rules, the statement read.



In view of this violation, the government issued show-cause notice to both the officers. The subsequent visit by the officers concerned to Parappana Agrahara central prison witnessed disturbances. In order to maintain the sanctity of the enquiry process and safeguard it from further interference, the government has asked Sathyanarayana Rao to proceed on leave, while Roopa has been transferred and posted as Commissioner for Traffic and Road Safety, Bengaluru, the government said, defending the decision.



The government is committed to allow the enquiry to proceed unhinged so that evidence-based truth emerges, following which necessary and strict action will be taken to bring the guilty to book, the press release from the chief ministers secretariat said.
As news of the transfers of senior prison officials H N Sathyanarayana Rao and D Roopa spread among inmates on Monday, the Parappana Agrahara jail witnessed unrest.



Prisoners raised slogans against the government. They wanted to know why chief jail superintendent Krishna Kumar was still in his position when Roopa, who had filed a report alleging irregularities by him, had been shunted out.



The prisoners were also irked at learning about 30 of their co-prisoners being taken away to different jails in the state.



They were furious when they heard Krishna Kumar and some other jail staff had battered prisoners who had submitted information on prison irregularities to Roopa.



Prison sources said the prisoners taken away from Bengaluru had been assaulted by jailers at the behest of Krishna Kumar. As the protests grew louder, the home department issued a transfer order for Krishna Kumar as well.



Retired IAS officer Vinay Kumar will begin his inquiry into Roopas allegations of irregularities at the Parappana Agrahara Central prisons on Tuesday. On Monday, he met the home secretary, who briefed him about the fracas between two senior prison officials.



Sources said everything at Parappana Agrahara is now going according to the jail manual.



That includes restrictions on the frequency and duration of visits by outsiders. It is highly unlikely Vinay Kumar will find any evidence of irregularities listed by DIG D Roopa, sources said.




The High Court of Karnataka on Monday issued notices to the state government, the Union government, the National Highways Authority of India and others in a batch of petitions challenging the decision of the state government not to renew the excise licences in view of the Supreme Court direction.



The petitioners stated that the authorities have erred in not considering that the highway path of all the national highways passing through Bengaluru city were bypassed by use of other roads.



The petitioners contended that several roads which were previously forming part of national highway network, but within the jurisdiction of urban bodies and municipal limits, were declared urban and local authority roads and also maintained by the local administration. The petition contended that the mere fact that a part of 77.64 km of road, passing through Bengaluru city, is closed for vehicular movement on occasions such as the New Years Eve itself proves that it is not part of highway.



Justice Vineet Kothari directed the state government to clarify its stand by the next date of hearing on Thursday. In view of the urgency in the matter, let the learned Advocate General clarify the stand of the state in this regard on the next date of hearing, the court said.



Around 3,500 bars in Karnataka, 683 of them in Bengaluru, have been either closed or forced to shut liquor service as their licence was not renewed due to a Supreme Court judgement banning bars within 500 metres of highways.



Notice to state, blast victim

The high court on Monday issued notices to state government and 2013 Malleswaram blast victim N S Leesha on a writ appeal filed by Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).



A division bench headed by Chief Justice Subhro Kamal Mukherjee has requested the single-judge bench not to proceed with the hearing on the fresh petition filed by Leesha during the pendency of the writ appeal.



In the petition, the MHA contended that the state and the central governments have given financial help to Leesha. It stated that the order of the single-judge bench to form a policy for helping blast victims was beyond its scope. The single-judge bench had directed the state government to provide a job to Leesha and directed the Union government to formulate a policy.




Airbnb Host Must Pay $5,000 for Blatant Racial Discrimination

Tami Barker, a former Airbnb host in California, settled a civil rights complaint against her for $5,000, and has agreed to a whole host of other demands, after it was discovered that she discriminated against an Asian renter. Dyne Suh, and a few friends, had rented Barker's cabin through Airbnb. However, when Barker realized Suh was Asian, she cancelled the reservation, hours before it was set to begin.

Even though a last minute cancellation may be incredibly rude, it would not have been discriminatory but for what the host texted to Suh. In short, Barker sent Suh text messages essentially stating she didn't like Asians and foreigners, and further asserting that Trump's victory allowed her to discriminate. Airbnb and California's Department of Fair Employment and Housing did not agree with Barker, and took action.

Consequences for Airbnb Discrimination

Airbnb kicked Barker off the site, after this incident went public, for violating their antidiscrimination policy. After the DFEH investigated, an odd settlement was reached. In addition to paying Suh $5,000, Barker must attend community education and take a college course in Asian-American studies, volunteer with a civil rights organization, and personally apologize to Dyne Suh. Had Barker refused this agreement, Suh would have strong claims against her under California civil rights laws.

After the settlement, Tami Barker's attorney explained that Barker regrets her "impetuous actions and comments." Sadly, her attorney's use of the modifier "impetuous" is significant as it seems to imply that Barker still holds the same discriminatory beliefs, but merely regrets expressing those beliefs before thinking through the consequences of expressing them. While not explicitly stated, based on Barker's attorney's careful word choice, it sounds like the cheapest settlement term, the apology, might be the one that causes Barker's the most difficulty.

Airbnb and California Cooperate to Fight Discrimination

Interestingly, Airbnb and the California state agency charged with fighting discrimination in housing and employment, the DFEH, have agreed to work together to identify Airbnb hosts that discriminate illegally. Basically, state regulators will pose as regular Airbnb users and review whether certain hosts discriminate or violate the law.

Under California's Unruh Civil Rights Act, victims of illegal discrimination committed by individuals and businesses are entitled to a minimum of $4,000 in monetary damages for each act of discrimination they suffer.

Related Resources:
The Kannada Development Authority (KDA) has directed the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to ensure that shops and commercial establishments display their name plates in Kannada. KDA has asked the BBMP to implement this within a fortnight.



Amid an uproar over inclusion of Hindi in Namma Metro trains and stations, KDA chairman S G Siddaramaiah held a meeting with BBMP officials and directed them to ensure that Kannada is used in the display boards of shops and commercial buildings in the city. Siddaramaiah said it was disheartening to know that Basavanagudi Road is popularly known as Bull Temple Road in English. He expressed his worry over the plight of Kannada if the same trend continued. BBMP commissioner N Manjunatha Prasad told the KDA chairman that he would take up the issue in the BBMP Council and initiate measures to retain Kannada language and culture.



The KDA chairman emphasised that Kannada will thrive in the city if the commissioner takes proper action. He also suggested to the commissioner to implement Dr Sarojini Mahishi report which allows nameplates to have 60% Kannada and 40% of other languages. Members of KDA Dr Siddalingaiah and Prof Chandrashekar Patil were also present during the meeting.




Namma Metro is set to grow further reaching new and far corners of the city. However, it will remain disconnected from other modes of transport which is evident from the location of stations on the Gottigere-Nagawara line.



Phase 1 of Namma Metro, built at a cost of about Rs 14,000 crore with a six-year-delay, has remained isolated without proper connection to other modes of transport at key junctions like Majestic, Yeshwantpur and City railway stations.



Baiyappanahalli Metro was not linked to the railway station in Baiyappanahalli for three years. It took three years for building the MG Road Metro stations Church Street entrance. Even today, there is no access to Peenya, Jalahalli and Dasarahalli stations from the other side of NH-4 on Tumakuru Road. BMRCL has continued the same attitude in Phase 2, said urban transport expert Sanjeev Dyamannavar.



Dyamannavar has written a letter to Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) managing director calling for realignment of the proposed Cantonment Metro station to integrate it with the Cantonment railway station.



Pointing out that station locations have been finalised based on availability of land instead of passenger needs, he stated that BMRCL should focus on these problems before pressure mounts on it to finish the project.



In Phase 2, there is no plan for integration of KR Puram Metro and Railway stations. The Jnanabharathi Metro station also remains disconnected from Jnanabharathi railway station, the letter states.



Nothing is impossible



However, BMRCL MD Pradeep Singh Kharola said different Metro and railway stations can still be connected with skywalks or subways. The Cantonment Metro station will be 200 metres away from the railway platform, a subway can connect both. Similarly, the Jnanabharathi station can be connected. Station location depends on multiple factors, from availability of land to the alignment as well as potential connectivity. The present alignment passes through the thickest part of the city. We have to go where people are. Technically and financially, the proposed Cantonment station is more efficient and viable. There are various options to connect the railway station, Kharola said.



He said there were plans to connect Jnanabharathi and KR Puram railway and Metro stations. At present, only the stations are finalised. As the project moves forward, we will make sure they are connected to other modes of transport nearby, he added.




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A love rat conman who fleeced thousands of pounds from a Derby woman he met on an online dating site has nothing left after gambling it away.

Craig Brown obtained more than 670,000 from two women who lived 50 miles from each other in Derby and Coventry. Each believed he was away working for their future while he was actually with the other.

By the time his cruel deceptions came to light, both had even sold their homes on the strength of his worthless promises.

Brown was jailed for five-and-a-half years in March after pleading guilty at Warwick Crown Court to four charges of fraud and two of assault.

At that time a confiscation hearing under the Proceeds of Crime Act was adjourned for an investigation into the 47-year-old's finances.

And at the resumed hearing, prosecutor Justin Jarmola said police financial investigators had established Brown, of Kingswood Court, Nuneaton, had a benefit of 674,495 from his dishonesty  but that he has no assets.

So Judge Richard Bond made a confiscation order under the Proceeds of Crime Act for a nominal 1  to be paid within three months, with one day in prison in default.

Explaining the need for an order in such a small amount, Mr Jarmola said: "The reason the order is made is that, should any funds or assets be discovered in the future, or Mr Brown come into any money, this order can be revisited."

During the original hearing it was said Brown met his first victim, who lived in Derby and owned her own home, through an on-line dating website in June 2010.

Within four months Brown, who claimed to own a business called Jade Security, had moved into her home and proposed to her  but having gained her trust, he set about defrauding her.

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As they began house-hunting, he persuaded her he needed 3,000 to set up a mortgage  and she also paid for 'legal fees' over their proposed purchase of various houses which fell through.

Brown encouraged her to give up her job, claiming he could support her, but the relationship then became volatile, and he assaulted her by stamping on her foot, breaking a bone in it, and later grabbed her by the hair, pulling out a chunk.

He claimed his company had a lucrative contract, but that they needed to put up 50,000 to secure it, of which he said his partner was providing 40,000 and he needed to find the rest.

Brown showed her a bank slip purporting to show his non-existent company had a balance of 800,000 which he claimed had been temporarily frozen by the Inland Revenue, so she took out a 5,000 loan to help out.

In March 2015 she sold her home, still believing they were looking for another place, and Brown cruelly persuaded her to put the 44,000 proceeds into his account on the basis that it earned higher interest than hers.

They ended up living in a caravan home on which she was again paying the mortgage, said Stuart Clarkson, prosecuting.

His deception finally came to light in September last year when she believed they were going on holiday to Florida with members of his family.

When the airport taxi turned up without him, his sister and the woman contacted the holiday company  only to find nothing had been booked.

"She was left with no savings and no home, estranged from her own family, and living with the fact that the previous six years of her life had been a lie," said Mr Clarkson.

(Image: Coventry Telegraph)

Brown had also been living a lie during those six years with a Coventry woman he had met through the same dating site.

Claiming he had a kitchen-fitting business, he persuaded her to part with 3,300 to help with a supposed problem with his tax, and then to invest 47,000 in a non-existent garage business.

After their return from a holiday in Turkey, he convinced her he had arranged to have a house built for them there  and to help fund the fictitious project she gave him her 55,000 savings and cashed an endowment policy for a further 11,000.

Brown later claimed funds had run out for the project, and persuaded her to sell her home and to hand over the 120,000 proceeds to finance its completion.

And as more and more money was needed, her father was also taken in by the lies and transferred large sums of money to her to then transfer to Brown  even taking out loans against his own home to help them.

Nick Devine, defending, said: "The money he obtained went exclusively to fund his run-away gambling habit. He hoped the big win would come in, but of course it didn't."
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Derbyshires biggest secondary school has been placed in special measures after inspectors found every area they examined inadequate.

They said that weak leadership had contributed to falling standards, pupils had been put at risk because safeguarding had not been checked for effectiveness, teaching was weak or inadequate in all subjects and incidents of poor behaviour have increased.

They conclude that pupils are ill-prepared for life in modern Britain.

They also said that the 1,964-pupil schools exam results in 2016 were among the worst in England and parents had expressed their dissatisfaction with leadership, quality of teaching and behaviour and safety of pupils in online survey Parent View.

The findings of the Ofsted team come at the end of a turbulent period for John Port School in Etwall, from where the head teacher Chris Sainsbury was suspended last month and this week resigned from his post.

An interim academy board was brought in during last October and November after half of the schools governing body resigned, citing a lack of confidence in Mr Sainsbury, acting head since 2012 and then head from 2014. The board has been working since to turn the school around.

An acting head  Karen Squire - is due to take over from September 1  and the school is also hoping to become part of the Spencer Academies Trust.

The inspectors report, follows their visit to the school in early June, and says that leaders and managers weak leadership have contributed to the sharp decline in standards, since the last inspection in 2015, when the school was rated good.

The sixth form at the school did not escape criticism and the inspectors found that too many students in the sixth form fail to complete the courses they have started and too few achieve the high grades.

Also coming in for criticism was the previous governing body, which presided over the school until April 2016, for not effectively holding leaders to account and having fractured relationships with school leaders.

The interim academy board, headed by education expert Sir Barry Day, has brought much-needed stability and strength to leadership, according to the report.

Sir Barry was appointed by the Secretary of State to preside over the interim academy board, which comprises of other national leaders of governance. The inspectors said the board had worked hard to establish clear policies and systems to monitor the school effectively and has also acted quickly to address safeguarding concerns brought to its attention.

Safeguarding issues included disorganised and chaotic documentation, an out-of-date safeguarding policy on the website and not all standard vetting procedures having been undertaken meaning pupils have unnecessarily been put at risk.

Two areas were singled out for having praise  the quality of teaching in English, which the inspectors said had rapidly improved and they also decided that newly-qualified teachers are supported well.

Sir Barry said: I am assured that the changes which are coming into place now will see the school turn around.

The school will now undergo termly monitoring inspections to check on progress until it is decided that there is no longer any need for special measures.
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A new railway station serving HS2 will be built in Toton, it has been confirmed by the Government - and the route will be carried over Long Eaton by a high level viaduct.

The station will be intended to serve both the Derby and Nottingham areas and see new rapid services linking the region to Yorkshire, Birmingham and London.

Toton was chosen as the location because of it being equidistant between Derby and Nottingham, its good existing infrastructure and the space being available for development.

The Government has said the project could open up land for new housing development and attract new tech companies to the region.

It is expected the new station will bring faster journey times from Derby to other cities.

Previously HS2 Ltd, the company responsible for delivering the scheme, estimated Derby to Leeds would be 50 minutes on average via HS2, down from 77 minutes using the fastest existing routes. Derby to York would be 57 minutes, down from 86 minutes. Derby to Newcastle would be 126 minutes, down from 150 minutes. Derby to Heathrow would be 86 minutes, down from 151 minutes.

HS2 also previously said it expected a 20-minute saving for Derby to central London.

In a statement, the Government has said the HS2 route will "pass through Long Eaton on a high level viaduct to reduce severance and other impacts."

But the plans have been met with concern from campaigners who say the development will "destroy" the town.

Ben Timberley from the Stop HS2 Erewash Group said: "This viaduct will do lots of damage for Long Eaton. It will destroy the town.

"Long Eaton is a town that is struggling, it does not have a major employer or a thriving town centre and it has its social problems. Cutting it in half is probably one of the most idiotic suggestions you could make for economic recovery. That doesn't take into account the business that's going to be lost because some firms have been left with no choice but to move because of HS2."

However, Erewash MP Maggie Throup said the new viaduct could help put Long Eaton "on the map".

She said: "Whilst I am disappointed that the option to tunnel under Long Eaton was not seen as a viable option, the decision to pursue a high-level viaduct gives us a fantastic opportunity to create a truly iconic structure.

"I believe the design of the viaduct will be a key factor in the public acceptance of the project and I will be lobbying the Government to provide HS2 Ltd with the funds to design and build a viaduct that puts our area truly on the map."

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said: "It was great to see Nottingham and Derby working together to maximise the reach of our new high speed rail revolution. The high speed link at Toton will give the region's businesses better and faster access to some of the country's biggest cities.

"HS2 will bring a massive economic boost to the East Midlands  with the prospect of 74,000 jobs being created and land being opened up for housing."

The announcements were part of a wider package which confirmed Britain's high speed rail lines to the north west, East Midlands and Yorkshire.

It is set to bring a massive economic boost for the north and the midlands by increasing productivity and creating new business opportunities.

The proposed Toton station design includes four high speed platforms, and four platforms for conventional services allowing connections to Nottingham, Leicester and Derby. There will also be two fast lines through the middle of the station for non-stopping services.

It added: "The HS2 route near East Midlands Airport will now closely follow the eastern side of the A42. This avoids a tunnel under the airport, does not cross the A42, and reduces the impacts on communities."

Phase 1 of HS2 is due to open in December 2026 and will see trains travel between London and Birmingham, before running on from Birmingham on the existing West Coast Main Line.

Phase 2 has two separate parts. Phase 2a from the West Midlands to Crewe will launch in 2027. And phase 2b - from Crewe to Manchester, and also from the West Midlands to Leeds, South Yorkshire and the East Midlands - will open in 2033. This last bit is the section coming through parts of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.
Farmers said that the potato market in Shan State may disappear due to the new Military Council agreement to allow potatoes grown in China to be...


The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions is the respected global body representing libraries all over the world; in an open letter to the World Wide Web Consortium, the organization says the recent decision to standardize DRM for the web has undermined the web's openness and the ability of libraries and other public institutions to fulfill their important social role.

IFLA identifies the laws that protect DRM (like Europe's EUCD and the US's DMCA) as barriers to these activities and notes that the W3C refused to enact a widely supported proposal to extend its existing rules that ban members from invoking the law to shut down legitimate activity, giving the web the worst of both worlds: an easier road for people to want to use DRM, and no protections for those whom DRM harms.

IFLA joins a host of other global and international bodies who think the W3C is getting this wrong: from UNESCO to the Internet Archive  not to mention the dozens of W3C members who voted against it, including national libraries.

EFF will formally appeal the W3C's decision this week. This process has never been invoked and the CEO of the W3C and one of the DRM working-group chairs have publicly advocated for rules that make the appeal less effective, and harder to invoke successfully, overruling the veteran cyberlawyer who is their head of strategy.



In all of these cases, incorporating EME into HTML without a similar effort to protecting the

rights of libraries and their users creates a risk of unbalancing the Internet. IFLA therefore calls

on the World Wide Web Consortium to:  Reaffirm support for freedom of expression, as demanded by the Universal Declaration

of Human Rights.  Reconsider the integration of EME into the HTML standard, delaying this until

adequate protections for user rights are in place.  Restart the earlier, productive multistakeholder talks on amending the W3C's

membership agreement to require members to respect limitations and exceptions to

copyright by refraining from invoking DRM laws enacted following the WIPO  Copyright Treaty over activity that is lawful save for the circumvention of DRM.

Explore means of providing such protections, both through advocating for laws that

allow for straightforward circumvention10 or non-application11 of DRM when this is

preventing legitimate uses, and for less invasive forms of DRM.



IFLA Statement on Technological Protection Measures, and the Proposed Integration of

Encrypted Media Extensions into the HTML Standard (16 July 2017) [IFLA]


California says that non-compete agreements are unenforceable, and that's been a huge factor in the state's growth  in particular, it's the most likely reason that California's tech economy zoomed past the Route 128 tech economy of Massachusetts  the land where talent goes to die.



As workers become more desperate and as corporate interests come to dominate more and more state legislatures, noncompetes are being used to lock up the working lives of sandwich makers and people who dig holes for $10/hour. This situation has alarmed many policymakers, who were reassured that the laws they voted in would only be used to stop senior execs from stealing trade secrets and going to the competition.





As states across the country move to moderate, reform or eliminate their noncompete rules, Idaho is bucking the trend, thanks to the aggressive lobbying of incumbent businesses, who paid to get the state to enact one of the most overreaching, unfair, one-sided noncompete regimes in the USA.





Ironically, this is billed as part of the state's bid to become a tech hub. Noncompetes are particularly bad for the tech industry because so many startups flame out, meaning that the smartest people who go to the earliest startups in a new field are effectively locked out of working in that field for three years from the day they realize that their bosses don't know what they're doing.





Tech is one of the few sectors without a labor surplus, and tech workers can take their pick of jobs: more specifically, they can choose to seek employment outside of Idaho. The argument that investors will give more money to entrepreneurs who can indenture their talent is cute, but the reality is that investment capital is much more dependent on having a proven team than it is on being able to abuse that team with the assistance of feckless lawmakers in your state-house.

Ilana Rubel, one of the few Democrats in Idaho's House of Representatives, became the bill's fiercest critic. Ms. Rubel, a Harvard-trained lawyer who does intellectual property litigation for the Silicon Valley-based law firm Fenwick & West, described the proposal as "toxic to a good business ecosystem." "This bill was a giant thumb on the scale in favor of old established business at the expense of start-ups," Ms. Rubel said. Despite the bill's passage, Ms. Rubel is undeterred. She has drafted legislation to repeal the law and is enlisting tech executives to help. As Jeff Reynolds, a local entrepreneur who advises young companies at a co-working space called Trailhead, noted: "If you're in Boise, Idaho, and you're trying to build a start-up culture, it's not like we have a head start in doing that. We shouldn't try to put new impediments in our way." At a hearing last year to debate the proposed law, one of those who showed up was Mr. Sedrick, the Zenware chief executive who lost two engineers to TSheets. He didn't mention his competitor by name, but complained about a local software company "hand-poaching" engineers.

Quit Your Job for a Better One? Not if You Live in Idaho

[Conor Dougherty/New York Times]
Honda has unveiled the 2018 Accord, and as is always anticipated with Honda's full length Accord, the new luxury sedan comes with a host of features, upgrades to the infotainment system, new styling and driving dynamics. Some of the highlights of the 2018 Honda Accord include a 10-speed automatic transmission, two-motor hybrid driving, assisted driving and connected car systems, and a lot more. Here's looking at what's new here.

The technology inside

The 2018 Honda Accord does away with the dual-step displays to the central column, and instead has a TFT MFD on the instrument cluster and an 8-inch infotainment display mounted on the central dash. The system gets all the regular support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with standard features like a 3D satellite navigation unit, wireless music playback, support for USB and HDMI, and more. New to the 2018 Honda Accord are HondaLink connected car services, that add advanced telematics like continuous on-road assistance, remote unlocking and start/stop of engine, speed tracking, geofencing and more. These bring new levels of technology to the equipment array of the Accord, and makes the infotainment system more useful for the owner.

Other elements in the Honda Accord include an augmented Head-Up Display with Traffic Sign Recognition, wireless charging, NFC, onboard WiFi hotspot and more. The speaker setups range from 4-speaker, 6-speaker and 10-speaker variations, with audio power output ranging between 160W and 450W.

Honda Sensing

The array of advanced driving assist features under the Honda Sensing umbrella include Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), lane and road departure warnings, adaptive cruise control, low-speed follow, traffic sign recognition, blind spot information, driver awareness monitor, surround parking sensors and Cross Traffic Monitor. The 2018 Honda Accord will have a multi-angle rear view camera with dynamic guiderails to aid parking. All of these make the car get considerable level of machine-driven assistance, and most of its applications right now are aimed at road safety rather than aiding the driving experience. These use onboard laser sensors to gauge surroundings and give adaptive driving features, but do not encourage the driver to take his eyes off the road.

Powertrain

The 2018 Honda Accord gets a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine producing 192bhp of peak power and 260Nm of torque. Meanwhile, the 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine produces 252bhp of power and 370Nm of torque. All variants based on the former engine gets a 6-speed CVT or 6-speed manual transmission options, while the more powerful unit gets a first-in-class 10-speed automatic transmission. Along with Normal and Sport driving modes, the 2018 Honda Accord gets adaptive dampers that adjust the suspension intelligently, depending on the driving mode and the terrain. Adding to that is the new platform's torsional rigidity, all of which combine to make the long sedan more stable and a better handler than before. The new Accord also rides slightly lower than its predecessor, leading to lower centre of gravity.

India launch

There is no clarification on when the new Accord might come to India. The present generation Accord came to India in 2016, and the new 10th generation Accord will only encounter a global launch later this year. We certainly do not expect to see it in India until at least late 2018.
Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is expected to launch at an event in New York on August 23. The handset is expected to offer dual rear camera setup and 6.3-inch Infinity display.

Samsung is expected to announce Galaxy Note 8, the successor to its ill-fated Galaxy Note 7 smartphone on August 23. The handset has leaked multiple times in the past and could be the most expensive smartphone yet from the South Korean smartphone maker. The Galaxy Note 8 is confirmed to feature the Infinity Display design seen on Galaxy S8 duo and now the upcoming handset's design may have been teased by Samsung on Twitter.

Samsung Electronics' chip design arm Exynos has tweeted a picture promoting it's Exynos 8895 SoC alongside what looks like Galaxy Note 8 smartphone. The device in the picture seems to be a general render sans any physical button and seems inspired by Samsung's 2017 flagship lineup. The wider display, however, suggests that the handset could be the early renders of Galaxy Note 8.

While Samsung has not officially revealed any details around Note 8, most rumours suggest it will be available in both Snapdragon 835 and Exynos 8895 variants. A DigiTimes report citing component makers in Taiwan claims the smartphone will only be available in September.

The Galaxy Note 8 is rumoured to sport a 6.3-inch Quad HD+ dual curved edge display and could be taller and wider than Samsung's Galaxy S8+. It is highly anticipated to offer dual rear camera setup with one wide angle lens and another telephoto lens. The device is also rumoured to offer 6GB RAM as standard and retail at a starting price of 999 (around Rs 72,000). Samsung is reportedly advancing the launch in order to benefit from Apple's supply constraints for the next generation iPhone. The Note 8 is also believed to offer a smaller 3300mAh battery, an improved S Pen with translation features and retail in black, blue and gold colour options.
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SK Hynix 6Gb LPDDR3

SK Hynix has developed 6Gb low-power DDR3 (LPDDR3) using 20nm-class process technology. This product is a high-performance mobile memory solution that features low power consumption and high-density, ideal for premium mobile devices, according to the chipmaker. Four 6Gb LPDDR3 chips can be stacked up and realize a high density of maximum 3GB solution in a single package. In consequence, this package reduces the operating power as well as the standby current by 30% and the height of the package becomes thin compared to SK Hynix' 4Gb-based one. In addition, it works at ultra low-voltage of 1.2V thus it satisfies low power consumption which mobile applications demand, according to the vendor. The SK Hynix 6Gb LPDDR3 works at 1866Mbps, and with a 32-bit I/O it processes up to 7.4GB of data per second in a single channel, and 14.8GB in a dual channel. It can be provided in a form of package-on-package (PoP) to mobile devices.
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MOUNT VERNON (AP)  The president of a Washington auto business has been ordered to pay $240,000 back to the state in lost sales tax.

The Skagit Valley Herald reported Wednesday that American Auto and Body LLC President Khaled E. Saad pleaded guilty June 23 to first-degree theft after he had been accused of collecting retail sales tax from customers, but not submitting it to the state.





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MARINA, Calif. (AP)  The last remaining sand mine in the United States will close in 2020.

The California Coastal Commission unanimously approved an agreement Thursday to shut down the Lapis Sand Plant located on a remote beach in Monterey County.





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RICHLAND (AP)  The Department of Energy's Office of Inspector General plans an investigation into allegations of retaliation against an employee of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

Aleta Busselman contends she was removed from her position after she declined to make changes to a report that blamed management for a $530,000 theft of government money.





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ELBA  Dont Stop Believin the Elba High School Marching Tiger Band will Faithfully try to wow crowds with a Journey-themed show this year.

Band director Shaun Hammonds said the show will contain a smashup, or medley, of the 1970s/80s rock bands most famous hits, including the aforementioned two, Open Arms, Separate Ways and Any Way You Want it.

Its all the ones you can sing along to, he said. I kind of got out of the (format of) one song then a break, one song then a break. You keep the crowd into it (that way).

The show will feature some solos, but soloists have not been selected. Last year, Hammonds said he rotated the soloists from week to week.

The band will also perform a snippet of a Blue Man Group act at the end of the show, a tribute to the bands upcoming trip to participate in Chicagos St. Patrick Day Parade. During the trip, the band will watch a Blue Man Group show.

The Tiger Band will also perform at a few competitions this fall, but the specifics have not been finalized, Hammonds said.

On the field, drum major Jessica Lewis leads the unit for the third consecutive year. Hammonds noted the band has an influential senior class this year.

The leaderships gonna be great. Theyve been leaders for the last two or three years, he said.

The group leads a band that features more than 100 members  which is more than one-third of the entire high schools population.

Elbas a band town, Hammonds said. They love the band. They always have.

Hammonds notes the band will be celebrating its 75 th year of existence this year, and a big reunion is planned. He encouraged alumni to visit the bands Facebook page periodically for details.
Pedestrian struck and killed on U.S. 231

An Alabama woman was killed early Saturday morning when she walked into the path of an oncoming vehicle on U.S. 231 in Jackson County, according to Florida Highway Patrol reports.

Officials say Teresa Lynn Brown, 41, of Slocomb, was walking westbound and attempting to cross over the southbound travel lanes of U.S. 231 just north of State Road 71 around 5:09 a.m. She walked into the path of a 2006 Ford F-350 truck driven by John Paul Kelley, of Rehobeth, AL, officials said, violating his right of way. The front of the truck struck Brown, then came to rest facing south in the southbound shoulder of U.S. 231. Brown came to rest facing east on the outside travel lane of the road, south of the area of impact, and was pronounced dead on the scene.

Kelley, 52, and his passenger, Bradley E. Buchanan, 34, were not injured in the incident.

One dies in Blue Springs Road crash

Marianna man Calvin Tee Turner, 69, of Marianna, died in a Saturday night crash on Blue Springs Road. The Florida Highway Patrol reports that Turner was driving a 1985 Ford F-150 truck westbound when the vehicle entered the shoulder around 9:31 p.m. Officials say Turner then overcorrected and traveled into the path of an eastbound 2005 Infinity FX35 being driven by 40-year-old Marianna resident Steve Paramore. The front of the Infinity collided with the left side of the Ford. The truck spun clockwise after impact and came to rest in the west ditch. The Infinity traveled into the west-side ditch before coming to rest facing north. Paramore suffered minor injuries in the crash.

Motorcyclist critically injured on U.S. 231

A motorcycle driver was critically injured when he crashed the vehicle on U.S. 231 in Jackson County late Saturday morning. Officials say Earl Keith Sampson, 71, of Panama City, was taken to Bay Medical Center for treatment. The Florida Highway Patrol reports that Sampson was southbound on U.S. 231 approximately 500 feet north of Estelle Street when he failed to negotiate a right curve. He traveled off the roadway and onto the grass median before colliding with a culvert. On impact, the motorcycle became airborne. When it then landed, the force of impact caused the cycle to rotate counter-clockwise and overturn. It came to rest in a north travel lane on its right side facing east. Sampson was separated from the bike when it overturned, and he came to rest on the east shoulder of the road facing east.
Wiregrass cotton farmers, like producers of the crop around the nation, are hoping to see positive changes when the ink is dry on the 2018 farm bill.

Cotton took a hit in the current farm bill, as the crop was stripped out of the commodities title which had, until then, guaranteed a government-supported base price for the crop in the case of depressed natural market prices that would otherwise leave them with potentially extreme losses.

Although producers were offered a different program  STAXwhich they could buy into as a means of augmenting regular crop insurance, many producers say its not really working as anticipated.

Cottons current dilemma is in part due to a World Trade Organization dispute with Brazil over fair competition issues. To settle that matter and level the playing field to Brazils satisfaction, lint was plucked from price-loss program that peanuts and many other traditional crops enjoy.

Industry farmers think theyve found a way to work around that circumstance. They want cottonseed recognized as an oilseed, a designation that could give cotton farmers access to risk protections that would help overcome the loss of protection on the lint side.

Cotton producers say the lack of an effective safety net is leading many to transition significant amounts of acreage out of cotton into peanuts and soybeans.

If that trend continues, they fear, the repercussions will be felt far beyond the field. If business is slow enough as a result of this transition, gins could go out of business. And without gins, the remaining producers would be out of business because of the limited number of gins remaining to handle the harvest.

As cotton producers try to work their way back to a meaningful spot in the farm bill, peanut producers are supporting that effort. Many producers rotate both cotton and peanuts into their operations, so that the fortunes of one affect the fortunes of the other. Meanwhile, peanut producers are trying to keep their protections in the farm bill alive.

All products are facing uncertainty, with early word already in the wind regarding potential farm bill funding cuts overall.

While each producer has crop-specific aims that sometimes run in competition with other products as they scramble for the best they can get in the upcoming farm bill, theres one thing most agree on: research dollars are important.

Vital university-based research programs are already under the microscope for possible cuts in the reimbursement dollars they receive for the work they do and the knowledge they gain and pass on to farmers. Many producers contend that the research is critical to developing new and more cost effective means of getting crops into and out of the ground at the maximum yield and health possible.
A man was shot and killed Sunday night after he attempted to rob a Dothan church parishioner, according to police.

Police indicate Steffon Parreese Valentez Tolver died from a single gunshot wound after trying to rob a person of $50 at Crossroads Baptist Church, located on Westgate Parkway in Dothan. According to police, a church employee shot Tolver once with his personal handgun after Tolver tried to rob him.

The incident happened around 10:40 p.m. Sunday.

From the information I have received, two church employees were inside the building at the time the altercation occurred, said Dothan Police Chief Steve Parrish. An additional church employee had left the premises to run an errand, and arrived back after the suspect had entered into the church.

According to Parrish, Tolver entered through the back door of the church. Once he was inside the church, Tolver robbed the parishioner of approximately $50, and then attempted to rob an additional staff member.

Parrish said that is when the staff member fired his personal handgun once, striking Tolver in the upper torso. The suspect fled from inside the church building and collapsed outside from his injuries, Parrish said.

According to Houston County Coroner Robert Byrd, Tolver was pronounced dead at 1:18 a.m. Monday morning.

Dothan Police are still investigating the case.

Court records indicate Tolver pleaded guilty to first-degree robbery in January of 2011 and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. It is not immediately known how much of his sentence was served.

Tolver was arrested in April of 2010 and charged with robbing a person in the parking lot of an apartment complex near South Edgewood Street. Police indicated he used a toy gun during the robbery. At the time of the sentencing, Tolver's attorney said Tolver did not have any previous felony convictions as an adult, but had one as a juvenile when he was 12.

Calls to Crossroads Baptist Church for comment were not returned.

Alabama has laws that allow for the deadly use of force if a person feels imminently threatened. The law also does not require a person to retreat if that person has a lawful right to be in that specific location.

Alabama's self defense law states, in part:

(a) A person is justified in using physical force upon another person in order to defend himself or herself or a third person from what he or she reasonably believes to be the use or imminent use of unlawful physical force by that other person, and he or she may use a degree of force which he or she reasonably believes to be necessary for the purpose. A person may use deadly physical force, and is legally presumed to be justified in using deadly physical force in self-defense or the defense of another person ... if the person reasonably believes that another person is:

(1) Using or about to use unlawful deadly physical force.

(2) Using or about to use physical force against an occupant of a dwelling while committing or attempting to commit a burglary of such dwelling.

(3) Committing or about to commit a kidnapping in any degree, assault in the first or second degree, burglary in any degree, robbery in any degree, forcible rape, or forcible sodomy.

(4) Using or about to use physical force against an owner, employee, or other person authorized to be on business property when the business is closed to the public while committing or attempting to commit a crime involving death, serious physical injury, robbery, kidnapping, rape, sodomy, or a crime of a sexual nature involving a child under the age of 12.

The law further states:

A person who is justified under subsection (a) in using physical force, including deadly physical force, and who is not engaged in an unlawful activity and is in any place where he or she has the right to be has no duty to retreat and has the right to stand his or her ground.
Circuit Judge Larry Anderson has once again been named the presiding judge for the 20th Judicial Circuit for Henry and Houston counties. Anderson has served as judge for both counties for the past 21 years.

The title of presiding judge rotates every two years so that each judge in the circuit can have an opportunity to serve.

In the administrative aspects of the position, I will deal with issues such as bondsmen, reassigning cases on recusal and addressing any issues that may come up with our judges, Anderson said. The monthly judges meetings will be held to address any problems or concerns they may have. By holding the monthly meetings we can stay on top of any issues the judges may have.

According to Anderson, while serving as presiding judge, he plans to address issues related to the more than 1,800 backlogged cases waiting to go before the grand jury.

We have between 1,800-1,900 backload drug cases waiting to go before the grand jury, Anderson said. The reason we have so many cases on backload is due to the fact of waiting on results back from labs sent to the Alabama Department of Forensic Science. I have spoken with the director of the Alabama Department of Forensic Science and informed the director I looked forward to working with his office in assisting to reduce that log, if he would commit to working up our drug cases that we are currently waiting lab work for.

They are, however, making strides in reducing the backlog, but it still needs to be lower, and I believe with us working together it will continue to decrease. We want the Alabama Department of Forensic Science to be informed when a case has been disposed. They need to be in the loop. We dont want them to waste their time on a disposed case, Anderson added.
A Georgetown, Kentucky woman has died from injuries she suffered in a two-vehicle crash Saturday afternoon, three miles south of Opp.

According to information from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Karen Sue Ritchie, 46, was critically injured when the 2015 Toyota Tundra she was riding in was struck head on at 3:40 p.m. by a 2005 Nissan Altima driven by William Antonio Edwards, 21, of Opp. Ritchie was flown to Baptist Hospital in Pensacola, Florida where she was pronounced at 11:45 a.m. Sunday.

Ritchie was riding in the Tundra with her husband, Kevin Ritchie, who was driving. He and Edwards were taken to area hospitals for treatment of their injuries. The crash happened at the 18.4 miles marker along U.S. 331.
According to information from the Florida Highway Patrol, Calvin Tee Turner, 69, of Marianna, died after a collision on Blue Springs Road at 9:31 p.m. His 1985 Ford F-150 left the road and when Turner overcorrected, his truck ended up in the eastbound lane and was struck by a 2005 Infiniti FX35 being driven by Steve Paramore, 40, of Marianna.
*M*ake what you will of this. In the modern era of partisan polarization, which can be dated back to the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980, only the presid...
Business / Economy

by Staff Reporter

THE Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe is on the verge of securing $500 million from international lending institutions which will cover for the country's immediate needs during the foreign currency dry season when the tobacco season comes to an end.In addition, the Apex Bank is also negotiating with lenders for additional funds to boost exports through the continued provision of export incentives facility through bond notes, RBZ Governor Dr John Mangudya said last night.In interview, Dr Mangudya said the first priority was to secure money to cover critical needs once the tobacco seasons has ended.Tobacco is a major foreign currency earner for the country but the selling season is coming to an end.Last year the country earned nearly $1 billion from tobacco exports."On this one ($500 million), we are almost close, we have agreed the terms and conditions and this is the money that we will use to cover essentials such as fuel and electricity when the tobacco selling season comes to an end," he said.On the cash shortages, Dr Mangudya said people must understand that bond notes were never introduced to solve the cash shortages but as an export incentive."At the moment we have $175 million worth of bond notes and this must be seen in the context of being the value of the export incentives that we have given so far. Going forward we are also looking at securing another fund to ring fence the incentive and this must not be mistaken as to say we are just increasing bond notes in the market. We will be increasing the export incentive facility to boost our exports and increase generation of foreign currency. The bond notes have become a downstream benefit and I can understand when this benefit is now being taken as a solution to our cash problems," he said.The negotiations, said Dr Mangudya, were still in infancy hence he could not divulge how much or which lenders the bank was negotiating with.The $200 million facility which is being used to support the export incentive was secured from the Africa Export Import Bank (Afrexim Bank)."We need to push exports and that is the only solution to our problem. We introduced the export incentive so that our goods can become competitive and so that we can also manage to get the foreign currency," he said.Dr Mangudya said at the moment exports were lower than imports resulting in expenditure being more than the income."At the end Government is forced to borrow from the local market and this increases money supply - money which, however, is not backed by foreign currency. When the civil servants and other workers are paid they want to access their money in notes. They want to access money which is not there," he said.Dr Mangudya said the solution then lies in pushing exports and promote more remittances from Zimbabweans living outside the country.He added that some retailers were also to blame as they were not banking their proceeds and also not accepting the plastic money."Apart from $175 million in bond notes and coins we also have $600 million in other currencies but it is because of the indiscipline of some traders who are refusing to bank and adopt plastic money and this is causing cash problems. These retailers are refusing to bank because they want to externalise the money, they are corrupt and this rent seeking behaviour must stop. Instead of selling goods they are now selling money, money is no longer used as a store of value or commodity of exchange but is now a commodity which is now being sold. We need to change this," said Dr Mangudya. He reiterated that people must embrace plastic money.
' Susan' talks exclusively to Rory Thomas about her experiences

(illustration by Rory Thomas) Tweets by @ealingtodaycouk Participate Sign up for our weekly Ealing newsletter Comment on this story on the There were cockroachesloads of cockroaches, she winced. At night, they crawled through the hollow of your bed. You could hear them. We used to stuff the hollow frame with paper and set fire to it. Then they came screaming out the other end. Susan recounts the wretched conditions of her prison cell in Santa Monica Womens Jail in Peru. She served four, of a nine-year sentence for attempting to traffic illicit substances to the UK, before receiving a pardon from the President of Peru in 2009. Susan isnt her real name. She asked that it be changed before publication to protect the identity of her children and grandchildren. For the same reason, she also requested not to be photographed. She did however, agree to have her image drawn. Susan is 63 years-old, short in stature, with a rueful face and thin yellow hair. She lives alone in a modern one bedroom flat off Ealing Broadway, has two children - a girl and a boy - and grandchildren. She grew up in South Ealing. Three days per week Susan is one of three core volunteers at Ealing Soup Kitchen where she has worked for eighteen months. The charity - which provides food and other services to the homeless and the needy - has been running since 1973 and has its main premises at Saint Johns church, Mattock Lane. I love it! she beams. I hate it if I cant go and I feel I might be letting people down. We have a great laugh, people give me a hug or a kissthere's people who are a pain in the arse but theres people who are a pain in the arse everywhere. Before she became a volunteer at the soup kitchen, Susan was a client. She was referred by RISE (Recovery Intervention Services Ealing) where she was, at the time, receiving therapy for crack cocaine addiction. Most of my life I occasionally used cocaine. Im not a drinker, I just fall asleep. But (Charlie) made me so happy, and talkative. One day someone said, you like coke  try this, and it was crack. She maintains there is no detox for crack because it is generally accepted that the drug is not physically additive. I disagree, youre hooked the first time  its euphoria. But its short-lived and ten minutes later youre looking for the next one. She recalls she started using crack regularly around 2005. Before long, Susan found herself addicted to crack cocaine and deeply in debt for several thousand pounds. With no way to repay the money and in a fit of desperation she accepted an ultimatum from her dealer who guaranteed - if she accepted - the debt would be cleared and leave her with some residual money to live on. She was to travel with an affiliate to Lima, Peru, in South America, collect 6kg of cocaine and transport the drugs back to the UK in a suitcase. I was living in a really rough area of Northolt at the time. He paid for my flights and the hotel, he bought me a suitcase. I went with this guy who had done it before - a friend of the dealer. We were there two weeks. I went off and did the sightseeing stuff - Machu Picchu and all that - and he went out and got the stuff. At the end of the two weeks Susan was back at the airport checking her suitcase containing the cocaine and preparing to fly. They put it on the carousel and off it went - everything was fine. But then, randomly, they just decided to check it. I was shaking head to foot. Officials found not six but 16kg bricks of cocaine wrapped in Susans clothes. I had no idea there was that many  I was shocked. They even brought a dog in after the fact to appear like an official bust. She was put in a holding cell and later taken to the Palacio de Justica. Within a month, Susan was in Santa Monica Prison. But it would be a year before she was officially found guilty for trafficking of illicit drugs. She went to prison in 2005. She becomes sombre. The prisonit was awful. Old, dilapidated, falling apart, overcrowded. Everyone is lumped together: murderers, terrorists, child abusers - you name it. There were cockroaches. 6am start, cold water showers and filthy mattresses. At Christmas, all we got was the little complimentary shampoo bottles you get in hotelsand six-month-old copies of The Times! I shared my cell with two othersit was about 6x8ft. When I arrived, a girl who had already served two years took me under her wing and introduced me to nice people, and helped me to speak Castellano. Inside the prison there was a laundry, hair salon and a kitchen. Inmates taught languages, cut hair or made bags to earn money, or get reduced sentences. Susan begins to cry. It was even worse because both my parents died from cancer within six months of one another while I was insideIts still painful because I felt like I exacerbated their condition. Her consolation was visits from her son once a year with letters and chocolates, phone calls, and financial support from her children to find a good lawyer. One morning they came and got me, waving a form. It was official pardon from the President of Peru, Alan Garcia Perez. That was 10am. I was out by 3pm. I was shaking so much I couldnt give my fingerprint. She claims it was the first pardon for a British citizen in twenty years. She produces a wad of legal documents, police reports and affidavits - some bearing the official stamp of the Judiciary of Peru; some daubed with inky finger prints. Its so corrupt. It took years to find all the people involved, and the employees of the hotel and airport who handled my bag. Once they had their testimonies that I hadnt handled the bag and didnt know the weight, I was pardoned. Four years. Attached to the documents is a photograph of Susan at the time of the arrest. She is much thinner, almost gaunt, with thick blonde hair and wide curious eyes. After her release, Susan returned to the UK where she has lived since. Her father had served on the HMS Belfast and she received special permission to scatter his ashes on the ship. She tried to find her dealer to tell him about her ordeal, but after several failed attempts, she gave up. She never saw him again. When I got home I did nothing for six months. Then I started using crack heavily once more. For a while Susan had nightmares. She still sleeps with the light on at night and the sound of metals gates startle her. But after therapy and working for Ealing Soup Kitchen, she feels stronger and uses her unique experience to help others. They taught me how to deal with the terriblethe guilt of using and the thought of not being a good mum. I cant thank them enough. If people ask me (at the soup kitchen) then Ill tell them. Then they know, I know, where theyre coming from. I just dont judge anybody. As Shakespeare said: If you prick us do we not bleed? - I really believe everyone deserves respect. This gives me purpose. I feel like Im making a difference. Im different. I feel I can help people. After being in prison and going through so much, Susan values her family above all. She has now been clean for four years and enjoys little freedoms like paying bills, the view from her flat and volunteering. She recently celebrated her sixty third birthday and is now looking forward to being a grandmother. Rory Thomas 11 July 2017
Lovells new development the perfect place to call home

Homebuyers looking for their dream home in Telford are being encouraged to enquire about the new homes at Lovells recently opened development on Matlock Avenue.

The two and three bedroom homes at the stylish new development, The Oaklands, are ideal for first time buyers. The homes are ready to move into this summer, meaning that there is no stress of an upward chain and making the process of moving in quicker and easier.

Money can be saved as the new homes at The Oaklands are furnished with integrated appliances, including a fridge freezer, a Bosch stainless steel electric oven and a Bosch stainless steel four ring gas hob.

First time homebuyers can also save on their energy bills. The homes at The Oaklands are more energy efficient compared to older homes. According to Rightmove, a new home is up to four times more energy efficient than a traditional second hand home. This is due to excellent insulation and the materials used for new homes. Living at The Oaklands therefore offers a more eco-friendly lifestyle, while saving money in the long term.



All Lovell homes are built with a 10 year National House Building Council (NHBC) warranty, meaning that homebuyers can be assured that they are buying a home built to the latest industry standards.

Michelle Barnsley, Field Sales Manager at Lovell Homes, said: We build our homes to the highest specification. 95% of the buildings materials used are made in Britain, meaning that Lovell homes are built to the utmost quality as standard.

The Oaklands is the perfect development for first time buyers. The new homes are located close to Telford with excellent transport links. There are also many schools nearby, making the development an ideal place for homebuyers looking to settle and start a family.

With prices starting from 164,950, the homes at The Oaklands are affordable. We are also proud to offer the Governments Help to Buy: Equity Loan scheme, as we want to help first time buyers get their foot on the property ladder.

The Government Help to Buy: Equity Loan scheme allows homebuyers to buy a new home under the value of 600,000 with just a 5% deposit and 75% mortgage, with the final 20% made up by an equity loan provided by the Government.

Homebuyers who purchase plot 88 at The Oaklands, a Westwood style three bedroom semi-detached home with a single garage and fitted carpets throughout, will be offered 1000 towards their legal fees. The home is priced at 164,950 or 131,960 with the Help to Buy: Equity Loan scheme, where only a 5% deposit of 8,248 is required. The equity loan provided by the Government is 32,990 and the mortgage required by homebuyers is 123,713.

For more information about the Help to Buy: Equity Loan scheme, visit lovellnewhomes.co.uk/our-offers/offer/help-to-buy.

For more information about the new homes available at The Oaklands, visit lovellnewhomes.co.uk/developments/midlands/the-oaklands/.
Entertainment / Music

by Staff Reporter

Sinazo,, a group acclaimed for pioneering Kalanga house music in Zimbabwe, has followed suit to the recent release of their successful Kalanga Culture Lover EP Album with a sizzling single entitled Tapinda. This also comes after the hit track Kalanga Child landed them a double nomination at the glitz-and-glamour Bulawayo Arts Awards. Their leader Tish Malaba Ncube also won a UK award for creative writer of the year in the inaugural North of England Women's Awards and Achievers Awards for the Creative Writer of the Year Award."Tapinda is a song that addresses the everyday hustles of mothers and fathers in their quest to fend for their families" explains Tish Malaba. "There was a time I was looking forward to have a chilled weekend with a friend of mine but they decided last minute that they were going for an overtime night shift because they trying to raise funds for an important project for their daughter." It was at that moment when I vividly pictured the daily hustles of parents out there, including my own parents when I was growing up".Gqom is defined by redbullmusicacademy.com, as a haunted groove built out of drawn-out synth drones, cascading tom and snare rolls and elements like chants or whistles. It often sounds like a continuous build-up with the menace of a drop that never comes, combining the trance-inducing, repetitive feel of the darkest tech-house with a spaciousness and tension akin to grime and early dubstep.Tapinda will be found in all major online music shops like iTunes, Amazon, Googleplay and others.
DoNotPay, an AI-based chatbot app created to help fight parking tickets in the UK, now addresses roughly 1,000 consumer concerns and is available throughout the United States as well as across the pond. The apps creator, Stanford University student Joshua Browder, announced the expansion last week.

Powered by IBM Watson, DoNotPay has about 1,000 bots capable of tackling a variety of legal and service issues, ranging from fighting ones landlord to appealing against unreasonable warranties, to getting a refund when a company doesnt fulfill its promise.

The app lets users use a feature similar to instant messaging to get help.

When opened, the app presents a blue screen that asks what it can help the user with, and offers a search field in which the user can type a response.

It then triggers a series of options. The user selects the appropriate one, and a bot fills in PDFs or generates letters based on the information entered by the user.

DoNotPay also offers an extra help option. Clicking on it triggers a blank email addressed to DoNotPay support in the UK. Users supply their own details and are promised a response within 24 hours.

The app apparently can connect users to outside help, such as selected agencies, as well.

Though DoNotPay focuses specifically on guiding consumers through commonplace but complex legal forms and issues, its easy to see how the companys approach to using a bot-enabled infrastructure might be applicable in related circumstances, observed Charles King, principal analyst at Pund-IT.

Pursuing small-time fraudsters and broken device contracts are areas where the complexity of the process subtracts substantially from the potential benefits, he told CRM Buyer. If [the app] can fix that, more power to them.

How the App Works

The app does a reasonable job interpreting natural language requests on the whole.

For example, typing in the word warranty in the search field triggered a bot that would help file a demand for a refund for an item with impractical and unreasonable warranty guidelines, and the extra help request field.

Consumers whose needs arent met by the 1,000 bots still can get assistance directly from DoNotPay. For example, typing in medical bill or bank overcharges triggered the extra help field, which lets users email the apps support staff with their problem.

Weve needed something like this for a while, said Laura DiDio, principal analyst at ITIC.

A lot of people dont have the time or energy or the type of personality where theyre going to keep [pursuing a solution]. she told CRM Buyer, and this app will be very useful there.

Some Tweaking Needed

The app automatically verifies a users location and provides the relevant information for that locality.

For example, typing in the words parking dispute from a San Francisco location triggered options to dispute a parking ticket in Los Angeles, San Francisco and two other California cities.

It also served up an option to appeal parking tickets in Washington, D.C.

In response to a landlord dispute search, DoNotPay served up options for fixing unrepaired property and retrieving an unreturned security deposit in California, along with parking dispute options for California.

Need for Consumer Protection

The current political climate could mean more consumers soon may be seeking DoNotPays help.

For example, the U.S. House of Representatives has passed the Financial Choice Act, which will reverse the Dodd-Frank banking reforms put into place after the global banking crisis of 2008.

Some companies and bad actors are actively exploiting loopholes in regulations and laws meant to protect consumers, King noted. If DoNotPay can help close those off, the company deserves ample success.

Theres always a need for services where an organization can cut through red tape, DiDio remarked. I could see where [this app] could change the landscape quite a bit.
Google recently announced the end of its policy of scanning user emails for targeted advertising purposes  a controversial practice that riled privacy advocates and spurred legal challenges.

Gmail is the worlds most widely used email provider, with more than 1.2 billion users.

Google attributed its decision to gains it has made in the enterprise. Its G Suite business over the past year has more than doubled in size to 3 million paying corporate customers, who are not subject to the scanning process.

G Suites Gmail is already not used as input for ads personalization, and Google has decided to follow suit later this year in our free consumer email service, said Diane Greene, senior vice president at Google Cloud. This decision brings Gmail ads in line with how we personalize ads for other Google products.

Ads are based on user settings, and users can disable personalization, Greene noted.

G Suite will continue to be ad-free, she said.

Legal Fight

The policy change represents a major step forward for online privacy, said Marc Rotenberg, executive director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, which has challenged the Google practice in court.

EPIC opposed Google scanning email from the start and won several significant battles, including the 2014 decision to end scanning of student emails, he told TechNewsWorld. Keep in mind also that Google was scanning the email of non-Gmail users, which raised problems under federal wiretap law and was the frequent target of lawsuits.

Rotenberg cited a specific case One case that is pending appeal before the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, Marquis v. Google, is a class action, Rotenberg noted. It was launched by a resident who alleged his AOL account had been scanned for advertising purposes.

The suit argues that the practice amounts to wiretapping, because Massachusetts is a two-party state that requires both parties consent prior to recording any information.

A settlement was reached late last year in a California class action brought by Daniel Matera and Susan Rashkis, who accused Google of violating federal wiretapping and state privacy laws by scanning non-Gmail accounts for advertising purposes.

As part of that settlement, Google agreed to pay US$2.2 million in legal fees, but a federal judge earlier this year rejected the agreement.

Enterprise Concerns

As Google makes further inroads into the cloud business, it recognizes that customers are going to be very wary of anything that threatens their privacy and security when compared against incumbent cloud services providers, noted Jeff Kaplan, managing director of ThinkStrategies.

Google has always assumed that its users accept the implicit cost of using its free app, he told TechNewsWorld, which is that they will be targets of its ads and other search engine marketing mechanisms.

However, as it tries to build its enterprise business, Google has recognized it must abandon this tactic to remain competitive with other enterprise and collaboration alternatives, such as Microsoft Office 365, Kaplan said.

Its not likely that the new privacy objective will harming Googles ability to generate revenue, said Jim McGregor, principal analyst at Tirias Research.

Google gathers tons of information from other sources, he told TechNewsWorld, and already has massive amounts of data on just about everything, including individuals.
Verizon, the largest wireless phone company in the U.S., last week confirmed that data belonging to about six million of its wireless customers was exposed after the information mistakenly was allowed to remain unprotected on an Amazon cloud server.

The disclosure follows reports that an engineer at Nice Systems, which provides workforce management technology to track call center performance, allowed the data of 14 million Verizon customers to reside on an Amazon Web Services S3 bucket.

The Verizon data was part of a larger data exposure, according to UpGuard, the firm that discovered the problem.

Data from Orange, a Paris-based telecom, was exposed as well, it said.

Of greatest concern were the Verizon personal identification numbers that were left exposed, along with customers names, addresses and account information, said Chris Vickery, director of cyber risk research at UpGuard.

With that detail, a fraudster could have master access to a Verizon customers account control, he told the E-Commerce Times. It would be theoretically possible to order new hardware or issue a new SIM card for a phone.

Getting a new SIM card would allow a fraudulent actor to overcome two-factor authentication requirements, Vickery said.

Upguard disclosed the information to Verizon on June 13 and the breach was closed on June 22.

Nice Systems technology is used around the world for government surveillance, according to UpGuard.

Nice officials confirmed the Verizon exposure, but denied the error was indicative of any larger problem within the company. The company did not comment on the reported Orange data exposure.

A human error that is not related to any of our products or our production environments, nor their level of security, but rather to an isolated staging area with limited information on a specific project, allowed a customers data to be made public for a limited period of time, Nice said in a statement provided to the E-Commerce Times by spokesperson Ilana Hart.

Disputed Impact

Data belonging to six million customers was exposed, Verizon confirmed.

The company is committed to customer security and privacy, it said, and it apologized for the incident.

The number of exposed accounts reported in the original media report was overstated, Verizon said.

A vendors employee put the data onto a cloud storage area and incorrectly set the storage to allow external access, Verizon explained, emphasizing that there was no loss or theft of Verizon customers information.

The only party  besides the vendor and Verizon  to gain access to the customers information was the researcher who discovered the exposure, Verizon said.

It was Chris Vickery, director of cyber risk research at UpGuard, who discovered the exposed data, an UpGuard spokesperson confirmed to the E-Commerce Times.

The back story to the incident is that the vendor was supporting an approved initiative to help Verizon improve a residential and small business wireline self-service call center portal and required certain data for the project, Verizon explained.

The overwhelming majority of the exposed data had no external value, the company said, but it confirmed that it included a limited amount of personal information.

The data supported a wireline portal, Verizon said, and it included a limited number of cellphone numbers for customer contact purposes.

To the extent that PINs were included in the data set, they were used to authenticate a customer calling into Verizons wireline call center, but they did not provide online access to customer accounts, according to the company.

Repeated Pattern

The Verizon data exposure is eerily similar to the breach of 198 million voter records at Deep Root Analytics, which also was sitting on Amazon S3 servers and was discovered by the same UpGuard researcher, noted Mark Nunnikhoven, vice president of cloud research at Trend Micro.

Although Upguard hasnt discussed how it discovered the exposed data, its likely the researcher scanned the S3 namespace  a unique root folder where users store their data  looking for misconfigured buckets, Nunnikhoven told the E-Commerce Times.

Amazon should not be blamed entirely for the incident, he said, noting that the S3 buckets are secure by default.

All AWS servers operated on a shared responsibility model for operations and security, he said. That means that both AWS and the user have responsibilities for securing data.

S3 customers have to decide which data to store and who can access it, Nunnikhoven noted.

It appears that in both of the recent cases, the customers took explicit steps to configure the policies to allow unauthorized access.

The pattern that is emerging, Vectra Networks CTO Oliver Tavakoli told the E-Commerce Times, is that the impact of a single, sloppy misconfiguration in the cloud is likely to have a much bigger effect than the same misconfiguration inside the companys own data center.
ECSU Grad Bonner Named HBCU Alumnus of the Year

Elizabeth City State University alumnus Michael Bonners star continues to shine.

The 2013 ECSU graduate, and nationally celebrated elementary school teacher, was honored Friday, July 14, in Washington D.C. at the annual HBCU Awards banquet as Alumnus of the Year.

The event took place in the nations capital, attended by numerous honorees, and HBCU school officials. Bonner was one of three finalists from ECSU for the 2017 awards, sponsored by HBCU Digest, an online news organization dedicated to reporting news about the countries many historically black colleges and universities.

ECSU Student Government Association president, Brittney Lamb, was a finalist in the Female Student of the Year category, and Dr. Linda Hayden was a finalist for the Female Faculty of the Year category.

Bonner was unable to attend the banquet; however Vice Chancellor for University Advancement, Dr. John Michael Lee, accepted the award.

The thing thats great about Michael, Lee told the banquet crowd, is not only does he represent ECSU, but he also represents the best of education.

Bonner, a native of Perquimans County, has been a rising star for some time now. Bonner is a teacher at South Greenville Elementary in Greenville, North Carolina and through innovative teaching methods has not only raised the achievement level a group of underserved students with an enthusiasm for learning, but also has been caught in the national spotlight since last January.

Because of his innovative teaching methods using music to advance reading in his elementary school students, Bonner was featured on The Ellen DeGeneres Show more than once, honoring him and his students. He says the key to overcoming poverty is education and with that in mind he is always working on creative ways to reach his students.

To break the cycle of poverty, education is the number one tool, said Bonner in an interview last January.

Bonners experience as a young teacher, and his decision to break new ground with his students, not only led him to being acknowledged nationally, but more importantly led his students to increased success in learning.

Bonner said he knew going in to South Greenville Elementary that there would be a challenge before him. Out of 36 schools in the Greenville, North Carolina school district, it was the least popular, and arguably the most troubled when it came to the kids.

At South Greenville Elementary, teacher turnover has been high in the recent past, said Bonner. But none of that would deter Bonner. He was determined that he would reach his kids.

At first, Bonner said he wasnt seeing the results hed hoped for in the test scores. Standard teaching methods were not reaching these kids. He needed to find a way to reach them and get them excited about learning.

You have to find some way to engage, he said.

So Bonner began using music to teach his kids.

Bonner told his kids that if they performed well on their standardized tests, he would make a music video featuring them, and the song they created in class. That was their reward and they earned it.

The music video went online and something happened. It went viral, and eventually caught the attention of his local television CBS affiliate, and that led to the CBS national news desk picking it up, which led to exposure to one of the producers with the Ellen DeGeneres Show.

The producer told Bonner they were sending a crew to interview his kids for an online series they were producing. As a thank you, they would send him to Los Angeles as a guest on their show. Of course the whole thing was a ruse, and Bonner became a special guest on the show, highlighting and celebrating his efforts as a teacher.

Ellen DeGeneres presented Bonner and his school with technical equipment to help them continue creating videos and as aids to education. Wal-Mart, said Bonner, presented the school with $25,000, and the show set up a Go Fund Me site for South Greenville, to aid in needed funds.

Since that time, Bonner and his students appeared once more on the DeGeneres Show, and hes been the featured speaker at a number of events, including at ECSU. Bonner says hes received job offers, and continues to hear from people impressed with his success.

But for now, Bonner is happy working with his students in Greenville. That is where the ECSU graduate, and teachers star shines brightest.
News / National

by Simbarashe Sithole

Join Simbarashe Sithole's whatsapp group on 0733819355

A grade six pupil at Mushumbi primary school in Mbire district, Mashonaland Central, allegedly went berserk and started attacking other pupils including three teachers before destroying window panels.The boy (name withheld) is reported to have caused the havoc soon after break time around 11am forcing the headmaster to dismiss the whole school and calling the police to help apprehend him.One of the teachers at the school who spoke in confidentiality said the boy was so possessed to the extent of almost killing one of the teachers who tried to restrain him from assaulting others."We were shell shocked to see the boy assaulting his colleagues three teachers tried to restrain his but to no avail instead on the teachers identified as M r Zinyemba escaped death by a whisker when he was grabbed by the throat only to be released when he was motionless."Villagers and teachers failed to apprehend him and called the police who used maximum force in handcuffing him after he had destroyed window panels.When Bulawayo24.com visited the school, almost quarter of the schools window panels were destroyed including the headmasters office.He reportedly destroyed the windows using his fists hence a lot of blood could be seen gashing out of him hence he had to be rushed to Chitsungo Hospital where he is currently being attended to under police guard.Meanwhile, Schools heads were advised to be on the watch out of strange happenings in schools at a Heads meeting held in Mbire on Friday.
As many school districts around the nation grapple with declines in state funding, some district leaders are arriving at a questionable solution: Cut the school week to four days. But are these districts adopting the shorter week without both considering other ways to save money and counting the risks to students?

In Oklahoma, where nearly a hundred school districts have shifted to four-day weeks , districts that cut instructional days still keep classrooms open for the same number of hours per year by extending the remaining school days, according to The Washington Post. All teachers and most professional staff get the same annual pay for the four longer days, with the savings coming only from that fifth day of busing costs, utility bills, and wages of some support staff, such as those in custodial or food services. Given that professional salaries account for the lions share of district spending, this is a tough way to save money.

Newcastle, one such hard-hit Oklahoma district, saved $110,000 per year out of its $12 million annual budget by switching to a four-day week. The district cut 20 percent of its school days in order to save 0.9 percent (yes, thats nine-tenths of one percent) of its budget. Districts in other states get about the same results , according to a 2011 study from the Education Commission of the States.

There are lots of ways to save 1 percent of the budget, none pain-free. Newcastle, for example, employs over 100 teachers. In a normal year, four to six teachers would retire or move away, and not filling their jobs would save a lot more than 1 percent of the district budget, according to my research at the Center on Reinventing Public Education. Depending on which teachers leave, the district could rely on less costly online courses to fill the gap or ask an administrator to fill in. Other alternatives include reducing the time that school libraries are open, cutting vice principals in the high school, eliminating substitutes, and expecting administrators to cover for absent teachers.

Supporters of the four-day week assert that the longer days make up for the missed fifth day. But teachers and students, especially the younger children, may not work as effectively at the end of such long days, thus reducing overall learning. Low-income and minority students, who generally have fewer learning resources at home, stand to lose disproportionately from the loss of a day in school. High school students assigned homework every school day will have one less evening of preparation per week. And days lost to illness or weather will have a greater impact on learning time.

Nobody seriously argues that less time in school will increase student learning. And heres the rub: The hundreds of four-day-week districts in Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oklahoma, and Oregon are overwhelmingly rural districts, which, on average, fall below state means on student achievement, graduation rates, and college attendance. A policy that just holds student results to previous levels will not expand students college options or help communities attract new businesses and jobs.

There are lots of ways to save 1 percent of the budget, none pain-free."

While there is little concrete research on the impact of such a significant schedule shift, a doctoral dissertation from the University of Montana that analyzed results over several years reported a decline in achievement scores of students with four-day school weeks once the novelty wore off and good intentions eroded.

At the Center on Reinventing Public Education, we have been studying the spread of the four-day week throughout the West and Midwest and often hear how popular it is with teachers and some families who enjoy a day off or the ability to take advantage of the long weekend. We also hear how rural district leaders are finding that teachers like it so much that returning to a five-day week would be politically difficult, no matter what happens to revenues or how it affects student outcomes.

At a time when rural and small-town communities are suffering in many ways, nobody should be complacent about actions that could make things worse. Some localities might look at all the facts and decide that a four-day week will work for their students. Thats their right in an era of local control. But governors and state superintendents of education need to make sure local communities look at real numbers and dont jump blindly onto a bandwagon that they might never be able to get off.

It would help if states, starting with Oklahoma, increased funding to rural districts to make up for purchasing power lost since the 2008 recession. States could also eliminate requirements like class-size caps that districts cant afford or comply with, but which cause them to keep their teacher counts up even as everything else crumbles.
K-12 school spending this year got caught up in budget standoffs that, in some states, led to brief government shutdowns. And the drama isnt over yet.

Though most state legislatures now have wrapped up business for the year, several this summer still are trying to design new revenue models, K-12 funding formulas, andin the case of Kansas and Washingtonawaiting court approval to assure their new school spending plans are constitutional.

Meanwhile, the fiscal pressures continue. Unlike the economy at large, state revenue, for a variety of reasons, has not fully recovered from the recession. More people are shopping online, which has especially hurt state sales-tax receipts, and while the national unemployment rate is at historic lows, workers income has not rebounded as strongly as after previous recessions.

Because of decreased sales and income tax receipts, the vast majority of states missed revenue projections for the fiscal year that ended June 30. Legislators over the past few months have been enmeshed in hostile debates over how to distribute shrinking pots of money to their schools.

A few states, including Georgia, Idaho, and Tennessee, ultimately added more money to their K-12 budgets this year, to provide for bumps in teacher salaries or reduced class sizes. But others, such as Alaska, Connecticut, and Oklahoma, hacked away at their school budgets.

Going to the Brink

Several states took their funding battles to the brinkand, in a couple of cases, beyond.

Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner, a Republican, vetoed a $36 billion spending plan July 4 that proposed to put an additional $350 million in the states public school coffers. But the states Democratically-controlled House of Representatives overrode that veto, sparing a state shutdown that wouldve prevented the schools from opening this fall and the states credit rating being downgraded to junk status.

But Rauner had yet to sign S.B. 1which went to the governors desk in Mayto overhaul the Illinois K-12 funding formula so that the state picks up more of public schools costs

And in Maine, Gov. Paul LePage, also a Republican, signed a $7.1 billion budget July 4 that increases education funding by $162 million and adds $1.15 million in state money to the federal Head Start preschool program. That ended a three-day government shutdown. Last fall, Maine residents voted to increase taxes on those making $200,000 or more to increase school spending, a proposal LePage said was illegal since the states legislature, not the voters, has taxing authority. He vowed to ramp up his push for more accountability on school spending.

We emptied the war chest on everything else in the state to take care of education and we are getting a subpar system, LePage said, according to the Portland Press Herald. And now we got some reforms, you just watch me go the next year. There is going to be some hell to pay in education.

New Jerseys government shutdown lasted three days before GOP Gov. Chris Christie and the state legislature agreed July 4 on a budget that provides schools with $181 million more in funding. Christie this past year unsuccessfully pushed to upend that states long-standing funding formula.

Unfinished Business

At least 11 states are in the process of overhauling their school funding formulas, an unusually high number, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

In Texas, the legislature is in a special session through Aug. 18 to consider, among other measures, whether to adopt a new funding formula. The states supreme court said last year that it was not in its purview to judge the effectiveness of the states school spending plan. A formula proposed during this years session that wouldve provided poor districts with more money and allowed wealthy districts to spend more of their locally generated tax revenue failed.

Delaware, Idaho, and Maryland, meanwhile, all have set up commissions to study ways to replace their school funding formulas.

Court Battles

And new funding formulas created after long-running legal battles over school funding in two other states await final sign off from the courts.

In Washington, legislators decided July 1 to increase school spending by $7.3 billion over the next four years. The state supreme court is expected to decide in the coming weeks whether the boost in spending adequately satisfies a 2012 ruling that said districts shouldered way too much of school costs. The state has since expanded pre-K access and all-day kindergarten but had a difficult time figuring out how to raise teacher salaries so that the minimum starting salary for teachers is $40,000.

Kansas supreme court was expected to hear arguments July 18 on the constitutionality of the legislatures new school formula, passed just weeks before the end of its session. The new funding formula provides $285 million more over the next two years, far short of what plaintiffs in the long-standing Gannon v. Kansas decision say is necessary. If the high court deems the new funding formula unconstitutional, the legislature risks the justices shutting down the school system until lawmakers come up with another plan.
News Details

Metal nano-particles inherit semiconductor-like properties due to their small size

Date: 17/07/2017While the semiconductor industry heading towards the extremely challenging 5 nm nodes and down further, silicon becomes a tougher material to handle, that giving way to use III-V compound/wideband gap semiconductors and any new material such as graphene. Even, why not metals!Researchers at University of Hamburg could exploit the properties of metals, where metals in their nano particle form shows semiconductor like properties. Dr. Christian Klinke and team produced transistors by depositing metal nano particles as thin films of size one layer of nano particles, kind of atomic thick. The metal nano particles refused to show their metallic character under current flow but show energy gap due to Coulomb repulsion of the electrons among one another. The researchers could shift the gap energetically by using a controlling voltage, so that current can be switched on and off, just like a MOSFET. Though this is not a totally new approach, but the difference is instead of depositing individual nano particle structures, these researchers deposited nano particles as thin films, which is said to be a simpler process and reliable. The transistors made out of this process are called "Coulomb transistors".All this invention does not matter, as long as it doesn't make sense commercially viable, but the researchers present the three important advantages of this Coulomb transistors. They are:1. The synthesis of metal nanoparticles by colloidal chemistry is very well controllable and scalable.2. It provides very small nanocrystals that can be stored in solvents and are easy to process.3. The Langmuir-Blodgett deposition method provides high-quality monolayered films and can also be implemented on an industrial scale.The above advantages resulting into use of present semiconductor lithography equipment/processes/methods to fabricate these coulomb transistors at deeper nm nodes.The details of this scientific research results are published in the scientific journal "science advances".However researchers cautiously alert there is still lot of research to be done in this area. another area of application this technology is they can also be used as chemical sensors.To learn more on this, visit the researcher's page at https://www.chemie.uni-hamburg.de/pc/klinke/
World Aquaculture 2017 casts spotlight on Africa

Press release

African aquaculture signalled its coming-of-age at World Aquaculture 2017 (WA2017), the first international conference and exposition of the World Aquaculture Society (WAS) held on the African continent at the Cape Town International Convention Centre June 26-30, 2017.



This year's annual meeting was co-organized by WAS with the Aquaculture Association of Southern Africa (AASA) and the South African Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF).

The WA2017 meeting succeeded in attracting an entirely new pan-African participation to the international aquaculture community, with 1,297 of the delegates originating from 33 African countries. The total number of delegates at WA2017 was 1,981 representing 87 countries, which was complemented by the well supported trade show with 87 exhibitors.

The conference theme, "Sustainable Aquaculture - New Frontiers for Economic Growth - Spotlight on Africa" highlighted the potential of aquaculture production to support economic development and investment opportunities in Africa - the world's second fastest growing regional economy. The presentations and trade show activity confirmed that aquaculture in Africa is in a high growth phase, strongly supported by investors, government and international development and finance institutions.

World Aquaculture 2017 attracted substantial sponsorship and support from African governments, development institutions and the commercial sector. These included the South African Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF), the African Union's Inter-African Union for Animal Resources and NEPAD, and the WorldFish Centre. The industry Gold Sponsor was the Aller-Aqua group from Denmark, which has indicated its confidence in the growing aquafeed market in Africa by making investments in feed manufacture and distribution in Egypt, Nigeria and Zambia.

The "Spotlight on Africa" theme provided a fascinating profile of the rapidly evolving sector in Africa. Keynote presentations by Dr. Rohanna Subasinghe, former Chief of Aquaculture for FAO, and Dr. Sloans Chimatiro, Acting Country Director with WorldFish Zambia, outlined the growing fish deficit in Africa and unfolding continental policies to support aquaculture development. Regional status reports highlighted the rapidly growing African aquaculture production, particularly catfish in Nigeria and tilapia in Egypt, Ghana, Uganda and Zambia. In recognition of the early developmental stage of African Aquaculture, special sessions on Developing African Aquaculture Value Chains, Financing African Aquaculture and African Aquaculture Policy Day were organised by the African Union, NEPAD, World Bank and WorldFish.

The highlight of the event was the consensus achieved to launch an African Chapter of the World Aquaculture Society. Substantial institutional support was committed to this process with the African Union's NEPAD Agency agreeing to host a WAS African Chapter Office and the South African DAFF providing seed finance.

The Student Programme included a special tour of the DAFF Marine Research Aquarium and a well-received writing workshop presented by Dr Rodrigue Yossa from Cameroon who was an inspiring role model for African students. Emerging student research talent was highlighted during Spotlight Presentations at the Plenary opening session where the top three student abstracts were presented. The best student abstract was won by an African student, Ms Rufaida Duhai of Sultan Qaboos University in Oman.

The Spotlight on Africa theme concluded with the WorldFish/SADC African Aquaculture Policy Day, which resulted in a joint policy statement being released by the Southern and East African Development Community stakeholders encouraging the establishment cooperative institutional frameworks for effective governance, creation of consolidated R&D centres of excellence for coordinated sustainable aquaculture research and investment in capacity building and educational programs.

Despite the travel distance and high cost for international delegates, WA17 attracted wide international participation, with representatives from 87 countries delivering 489 oral and 215 poster presentations.

Congratulations and endorsement of the meeting outcomes have poured in from many quarters including Sir Michael New (WAS President 1997-1998), AU Chairman H.E. Mr. Alpha Conde - President of the Republic of Guinea, Mr. Senzeni Zokwana - the South African Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and NEPAD CEO Dr. Ibrahim Assane Mayaki. The spirit of the meeting is captured in the words of Sir Michael New:

20 years ago I expressed two realisable dreams in my final President's Column in our WAS magazine.

The members of your boards, your steering and local organising committees and your conference and home office teams have this week achieved the second of those aspirations (my other was to witness the election of our first Asian President).

I can hardly explain how thrilled I was last night to hear that nearly 1,300 Africans from 33 African countries are here at our conference in Cape Town this week.

I wish to sincerely congratulate all of you and the many others, including our sponsors, who worked with you to achieve my dream. I know very well the amount of hard and prolonged work that you all have injected into this event. The expected formation of an African Chapter is the icing on the cake. Well done, all of you!

The meeting cemented the emerging relationship between the WAS and Africa which will be nurtured under the incoming WAS Presidency of Dr. Bill Daniels.



Here are stats for WA'17
Japan to cut tariffs on EU pig meat imports

Japan has agreed to cut tariffs significantly on EU pig meat imports.

The UK AHDB Pork said the 4.3% ad valorem duty for high-value pork cuts and a specific duty on low-value cuts equivalent to 3.82 (US$4.37)/kilogramme will be reduced over the next 10 years.

It added that the duty on high-value cuts will be phased out entirely in 10 years, while the specific duty on low value cuts will be reduced to just 0.40 (46 cents)/kg over this time period.

Processed pig meat will be tariff-free, although EU trade in this is much smaller amounting to 20,000 tonnes in 2016. "Volume-based safeguarding clauses will apply during the transition period to minimise any significant impact on the Japanese pig meat industry", said the pork division of the levy body Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board.

Pig meat is already the primary EU agricultural export to Japan, with total shipments (excluding offal) worth over 1.43 billion ($1.637 billion) last year. This accounted for 21% of the export market value.

The AHDB Pork said the tariff reductions will boost the competitiveness of European pig meat on the Japanese marketplace, adding this could facilitate growth in export volumes, taking market share from the US (currently Japan's largest supplier of imported pig meat) where the full tariff will still apply.

"Indeed, the US pork industry has expressed concern about JEEPA (Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement), urging the US government to also finalise a trade deal with Japan", AHDB Pork noted.

It also noted that while JEEPA could provide a boost to EU pork exports to Japan, the 10-year phasing-in period means it will be a while before these benefits are felt fully. "Nonetheless, with expectations that Japanese import demand could grow as domestic producers retire without succession, additional opportunities for the EU could be significant".
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.
News / National

by Staff reporter

At least 10 political parties under the United Citizens Alliance (UCA) yesterday have thrown their weight behind MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai in a huge boost for the former prime minister who is mobilising an opposition alliance to challenge President Robert Mugabe in next year's elections.The parties said they would rally behind the "tested" Tsvangirai because they believed he was the best candidate going into the make or break harmonised polls.The parties include Freedom Front, Zanu Ndonga, National Democratic Party, among others.The meeting where Tsvangirai was endorsed was supported by Concerned Citizens Support Network of Zimbabwe.UCA chair Jeolson Mugari said the #novotespliting campaign they launched yesterday was meant to ensure the opposition contested the elections as one force."We are going to visit all the provinces. Our next stop is Bulawayo and from there we will visit the whole country. This is going to cascade to all the provinces," he said."Our preferred candidate is Dr Morgan Tsvangirai. Suppose we put Mai Mujuru (Joice-National People's Party leader), she only has two years in opposition."We have to go with Dr Tsvangirai because he has managed to stand the test of time against Zanu-PF."Musician Hosea Chipanga, leader of the Kingdom of God on Earth political party, who also attended the event said he had decided to enter the political ring because his music was always interpreted politically."I now want to turn what I had been singing about into practice," said Chipanga, who said he registered his party with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission last June.He said the idea of a coalition meant bringing parties with a big and small following together to achieve electoral victory.National Electoral Reform Agenda youth chairperson Tawanda Kalonga said the opposition could not afford to split votes in next year's polls."We can't afford to split the votes again come 2018 elections. As the Nera youth forum we are saying let's run behind only one candidate who is Morgan Tsvangirai," he said.Tsvangirai has been negotiating with a number of opposition parties to form a coalition to challenge Mugabe (93) who wants another five-year term despite his advanced age.
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News / National

by Staff reporter

MDC-T vice president Nelson Chamisa has conceded his party has failed residents in the City of Harare as the bulk of the party's Councillors cannot discharge their mandates, hence the poor service delivery.While articulating the functions of Councillors to people in his constituency, Chamisa, who is legislator for Kuwadzana, says the problems of failed lighting, poor sanitation and bad roads highlight some of the failures of Harare Councillors, the bulk of whom are from the MDC-T party.He said the city is experiencing such low service delivery due to Councillors who fail to understand their roles.The gathering saw the party also endorsing the biometric voter registration process.The MDC-T leadership's admission that its Councillors have failed to address service delivery issues testify to the agenda to discredit the ruling government by deliberately disregarding their duties so that residents are subjected to poor service delivery and blame the government.
It looks like T.I. and Tiny may be reconciling for once and for all. The rapper celebrated TInys 42nd birthday on a romantic vacation in St. Lucia.

Could it be possible that the drama between these two has finally come to an end? Prior to the trip, T.I. wrote a heartfelt message for Tiny on Instagram.

He called her his lady love and also referred to her as one of his best friends.

Happy Gday to my beautiful lovely lil loud mouth, argumentative know it all,sh*t kickin, Cap ass Southside Patna. @majorgirl As a couple, we've experienced some of the greatest moments in our lives together & burnt a hole in a bunch of big bags of money, in some of the most beautiful places in the world. And while I may have f***ed up & still have so many more f*** ups in me on so many levels, one thing that's never gon change is how I consider you, he wrote.

Awe Big Daddy! Cant do nothing but say I will always love u forever and a day! Always said you were the man to make my dreams come true! Tiny commented on his post.

The romance clearly didnt end there. While on their vacation, they were seen cuddling and getting really cozy with one another.

Just enjoying the beautiful day in St. Lucia still celebrating life. Thank you for an amazing birthday, Tiny wrote in the caption of a photo of herself in a bathing suit.

The couple tried keeping their vacation low-key, especially since they did not share any photos of them together on social media. Although, The Shade Room managed to find a photo of the two getting rather cozy with one another.

Tiny filed for divorce from her husband in December of 2016. However, in recent months, the two have reunited amid rumors of their divorce. They even held hands on stage during a Xscape concert earlier this month.

It is hard to tell where T.I. and Tiny decide to take their relationship, but it looks like they are starting to really patch things up.
Women account for 28% of the world's researchers, even though, according to UNESCO, 53% of graduates at bachelor and master level are women. The Universities of Warwick and Liverpool, together with the EPSRC-funded XMaS beamline and the ESRF have joined forces to promote women in science.

This is the third year that the ESRF welcomed British female high school students, aged 16-17, to encourage them to pursue a career in science.

The students participated in two full days of hands-on experiments within the framework of the ESRF's outreach programme Synchrotron@School. The programme, which has been running since 2013, thanks to a partnership with the French Academie de Grenoble, offers high school students a one-day immersion in the world of X-ray science with visits of the ESRF's beamlines and infrastructure. Synchrotron@School aims at encouraging students, male and female alike, to pursue careers in Science and Technology.

The ESRF welcomed a group of 15 British young women on 4th July. These students are the winners of a national UK competition for which an essay on the legacy of the British crystallographer Kathleen Lonsdale had to be written; their prize was a two-day visit to the ESRF. The purpose of this competition is to enhance students awareness of the importance of pursuing scientific studies. The initiative ties in well with the ESRF's outreach programme Synchrotron@School. Alison Caldecote, in charge of these students, said: "I am often interviewed on the importance of encouraging women in science. Why does it matter? Because of all that untapped talent!" These students, knowingly or unknowingly, stand for women in science.

Group picture at the ESRF Visitor Centre - @G.Sette

During their two-day stay at the ESRF the students enjoyed the Synchrotron@School programme. They discovered what it is like to be a scientist by touring the laboratory, meeting ESRF scientists, as well as carrying out experiments, analysing data, presenting the results and generally experiencing life as an on-site scientist. A fair amount of time was spent at the XMaS beamline where Laurence Bouchenoire, beamline scientist, and Didier Wermeille, scientist in charge, introduced them to the experiments carried out at XMaS and their applications, to their work on the beamline, and to life in general as a scientist. "The idea of this trip was that those young girls could talk and hopefully be inspired by some women working at the ESRF having different background and positions (scientists, engineers, postdocs, PhD and master students)" explained Laurence Bouchenoire.

Visit of ID23-1 beamline with Gianluca Santoni, ESRF scientist - @G.Sette

Only a few people are ever given the opportunity to visit and to learn about a synchrotron. All of the students participated fully in every activity and it would seem that they all enjoyed their stay.

[To] have been able to win this competition and to come here to the ESRF is incredibly important to me, thanks to that we can discover the work of scientists said Lucy. Some of the students, like Lucy were interviewed while they were carrying out experiments. They all want to continue their studies further in a scientific field. Medicine, engineering, chemistry, or physics could prove to be their vocation. Natalie, another student, said I think that women need to hold the same place in science as men. There are so many wonderful women scientists.

The ESRF hopes that this session will stimulate scientific vocations or at least will help to change the students perceptions of people working in science. As underlined by Caldecote The goal is to encourage women in the fields of science as women are under-represented, particularly in physics.

Poster session for the students - @XMaSSchoolTrip

The XMaS beamline staff and the ESRF communication group would like to thank the following scientists for their involvement and for inspiring the students through their presentations and enthusiasm: Camille Berruyer, Caroline Bissardon, Blanka Detlefs, Marie-Christine Dominguez, Gabrielle Giachin, Emilie Lefrancois, Oonagh Mannix and Gianluca Santoni.

Text by Giacomo Sette, Video by Leo Gagliardini
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A mother from Brentwood has been left 'fuming' at the response from a second-hand tech store after they terminated her son's work experience because of his learning disabilities.

Fernanda Conde's son Ricardo, 15 was not permitted to complete a two week placement at CeX at The Baytree Centre in Brentwood because his autism meant he needed 'constant supervision'.

CeX told Essex Live that they thought they could initially offer Ricardo a placement, but that this was found to be 'impossible' due to the workload and staffing issues.

A spokesperson said: "CeX are very keen to get Ricardo the work experience in a suitable CeX store.

"We have provided work experience placements in the past and currently have colleagues with autism in the business. CeX is an equal opportunities employer."

The store also said they have tried to make contact with the work experience placement coordinator at the school in order to sort out an alternative.

They continued: "CeX would like to offer a work placement in larger CeX stores which include Chelmsford, Central London or Ipswich where colleague numbers are better suited to support Ricardo's work experience placement and for him to get the most out of it."

However, Mrs Conde says that when taking on students from The Endeavour School, a special needs school, they should already have been aware that his disabilities would require extra supervision.

She said: "This had been planned for months and they had put themselves down as taking on work experience from Endeavour. It is a special needs school so you would know that they need more care and attention.

"They knew he was autistic because I spoke to the manager and made sure.

"It has made me even more worried about his future."

Ricardo had to complete the remainder of his work experience at the school, working as a caretaker.

Mrs Conde said this has impacted on her son's confidence.

"He stays in his room most of the time," she said.

"He does not know what to do in the future. He asks me why he was born like this and why he was born different.

"His confidence has just gone now."

Ricardo is back at school and going to normal lessons, but has not recovered from the situation.

Mrs Conde added: "We went to a shop in Romford to get his prom suit and he had a screaming match and was punching and kicking me.

"He said he was having a bad day because he was thinking of the shop. He is so confused and angry.

"I haven't seen that behaviour for a few years now in public."

The family have been going through a stressful time as Mrs Conde has been recovering from a bilateral mastectomy operation in April.

She said: "My emotions have been all over the place and then for this to happen it just makes me cry all the time. It has put me even lower in my recovery.

"It's so hard to live with a child with autism and special needs and then you have people who are so negative."

Ricardo, who dreams of becoming a film producer, will be attending college next year, but his family are nervous for the future.

Mrs Conde added: "How and where will he work and who will give him a chance in life?"

Since Essex Live first published the story, the family has been approached by another shop in Brentwood who has kindly offered Ricardo several hours of work experience.

"That really touched me and it was so nice," Mrs Conde said.

"There has been some lovely feedback."
Opinion / Columnist

The MDC-T President, Morgan Tsvangirai's desperate attempts to coin reasons to cover for his impeding dismal performance in the 2018 Harmonised Elections is quite disgusting.Cancer-stricken Tsvangirai unashamedly exposed his election fear when he claimed that ZANU PF had already started rigging through side electoral registration, while referring to a normal Civil Registration exercise by the Home Affairs Department of Civil Registration, the Registrar Generals Office. Not only did this expose his cowardice and unpreparedness for election, but his lack of knowledge for local and current affairs in his country. The MDC-T party has become irrelevant in Zimbabwe's geo-political set up. This shall remain one of the major reasons for its electoral loss and not civil registration as he is claiming.Afro-Barometer couldn't have put it better when it released its political party election forecast revealing that the MDC-T party only managed to thrive from 2005 to 2008, while the country was hard hit by sanctions which were meant to create fertile ground for regime change. At that time, Government was still struggling to find balance and workable policies to rescue the country from the impact of sanctions. Due to MDC-T's lack of progressive ideologies and winning policies, it lost the popular vote to ZANU PF as from 2009 to date since ZANU PF had managed to pull the country back from the doldrums that MDC-T leader and its masters had deposited it. ZANU PF ideologies are people centred and patriotic to the wellbeing of the country and its people, whereas MDC-T waits for their handlers to hand down ideologies that do not apply in the African set up. This is why ZANU PF will always win.Morgan Tsvangirai should desist from playing the victim to circumstances he created due to his empty-headedness. Cde Chombo was on point when he described him as a mad person who is illiterate on Government work, after the latter claimed that ZANU PF was conducting a parallel voter registration exercise in Marange. One can imagine how embarrassed the learned party leaders in his party felt about their boss's ignorance on government matters. How can he be so ignorant of the functions of the government department he once supervised during his stint as a Prime Minister?The Registrar General's Office, is the Department responsible for Civil Registration and does not deal with voter registration as that responsibility was taken over by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), in the year 2013.The RG's Department is in Marange to assist the Johanne Marange sect with civil registration of its members. The RG's office chose this opportune time because it brings together all the Johanne Marange church congregants from all over the country for their annual grand meeting dubbed Penda (Pentecostal). Nothing is sinister there.Ailing Morgan Tsvangirai should desist from being an alarmist, and concentrate on solving his coalition challenges. He has failed to even make up his mind as to who he wants to coalesce with between People's Democratic Party (PDP), leader Tendai Biti and National People's Party leader (NPP), Joice Mujuru. He is afraid to lose his power the same way he lost his relevance within the MDC-T after failing to win elections for four consecutive elections. Instead of gearing his party for next year's harmonised elections, he is busy looking for who and what to blame for his dismal loss. It is interesting to note that winners are those who learn to take full responsibility for their actions, yet losers such as MDC-T on the other hand are those who blame others for their failures.It is everyone's opinion that MDC-T should seriously consider a change of leadership if it is to have a chance in the 2018 elections. Tsvangirai has become a liability to the party and should have the courtesy to step down and let either Joice Mujuru or Tendai Biti take over the reins of the coalition.
Liu Xiaobo, Chinese human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, died last Thursday (13 July) in prison. He was a co-author of Charter 08  a manifesto calling for the elimination of one-party rule in China  adopting name and style from the anti-Soviet Charter 77 issued by dissidents in former Czechoslovakia.

He was the renegade Chinese intellectual and a prominent figure of the 1989 events at the Tiananmen Square promoting democracy and human rights. His authorship of Charter 08 brought him a lengthy prison sentence that eventually led to his death under guard at the age of 61. He is the first Nobel Peace Prize laureate to have died in state custody since Carl von Ossietzky, the German pacifist, who won the award in 1935 and died of maltreatment three years later.

Liu Xiaboo had had cancer but the Chinese government revealed that he had suffered from the illness after it was beyond treatment. His wife, Liu Xia, who is under house arrest and smothering surveillance, was prevented from speaking about her husbands condition but in a brief video conference with a friend she said: Cant operate, cant do radiotherapy, cant do chemotherapy.

The European Union leaders have expressed their most sincere condolences and respect to Liu Xiaobos wife Ms. Liu Xia, his family and friends. The EU leaders also appealed to the Chinese authorities to allow Ms. Liu Xia and his family to bury Liu Xiaobo at a place and in a manner of their choosing and to allow them to grieve in peace. They also called on Beijing to allow Ms. Liu Xia and her brother Mr. Liu Hui to leave China if they wish to do so.

Zeid Raad al-Hussein, the United Nations high commissioner for human rights, said on Thursday that 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.
MUNICH, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

- Recommended label update for LIXIANA(R) provides guidance on its use in patients undergoing transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE)-guided and delayed cardioversion - Update is based on data from ENSURE-AF, the largest prospective randomised clinical trial of anticoagulation for cardioversion of patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF), to date[1] - LIXIANA is now the only non-vitamin K oral anticoagulant (NOAC) with specific label guidance for early cardioversion within two hours after LIXIANA intake in the TEE-guided approach

Daiichi Sankyo Europe GmbH (hereafter, "Daiichi Sankyo") today announced that the European Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has recommended approval of a label update for the company's oral, once-daily direct factor Xa-inhibitor LIXIANA(R), to provide guidance on its use in patients undergoing transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE)-guided and delayed cardioversion (treatment to restore a normal heart rhythm).

The label update is based on results from the ENSURE-AF study, the largest, prospective randomised clinical trial of an anticoagulant for cardioversion in patients with NVAF. The study enrolled 2,199 patients, and compared once-daily LIXIANA with enoxaparin/warfarin with a median time in therapeutic range (INR 2-3) of 70.8 %.[1] These data support the use of LIXIANA as an effective and safe alternative to the best possible conventional treatment with enoxaparin and warfarin.[1] LIXIANA's rapid onset of action allows for prompt cardioversion in the TEE-guided approach as early as two hours after LIXIANA intake, helping to avoid delays or postponements of the procedure.

"ENSURE-AF provides important insight into the use of LIXIANA in the setting of TEE-guided and delayed cardioversion in NVAF patients," said Wolfgang Zierhut, MD, Executive Director, EU Cardiovascular Medical Affairs. "We are pleased that the CHMP has recognised the importance of the ENSURE-AF data for LIXIANA in this common procedure, by recommending this label update. Daiichi Sankyo is committed to supporting patients and physicians by advancing understanding of the efficacy and safety of LIXIANA in different clinical settings, through studies such as ENSURE-AF."

Cardioversion is a procedure used to restore normal, regular heart rhythm in AF patients. Due to an associated risk of thrombotic events such as stroke, guidelines recommend anticoagulation before and after the procedure.[2],[3],[4] The delayed onset of action and fluctuations in INR associated with VKA treatments such as warfarin, can result in costly and inconvenient delays to cardioversion in patients.[5] Initial treatment with enoxaparin (followed by overlapping VKA treatment) until the VKA reaches the therapeutic range of INR 2-3, represents the best possible conventional treatment.[5]

The primary efficacy endpoint of the ENSURE AF study was a composite of stroke, systemic embolic events, myocardial infarction and cardiovascular mortality, which occurred in five patients in the LIXIANA 60/30 mg arm versus 11 in the enoxaparin-warfarin arm. The primary safety endpoint was major and clinically relevant non-major bleedings (CRNM), which occurred in 16 patients in the LIXIANA arm versus 11 patients in the enoxaparin-warfarin arm.[1] The difference between the treatment arms was statistically non-significant.[1]

Event rates of thromboembolism and major and CRNM bleedings were low in the LIXIANA and exceptionally well-controlled warfarin arms. There was no difference between the TEE-guided approach and the delayed cardioversion setting.[1]

These data support the use of LIXIANA as an effective and safe alternative to the best possible conventional treatment with enoxaparin and warfarin, and allow for prompt cardioversion in the TEE-guided approach as early as two hours after LIXIANA intake.[1]

This label update makes LIXIANA the only NOAC with specific label guidance for early cardioversion within two hours after LIXIANA intake in the TEE-guided approach.

About ENSURE-AF

(EdoxabaN vs. warfarin in subjectS UndeRgoing cardiovErsion of Atrial Fibrillation)

ENSURE-AF is a Prospective, Randomised, Open-Label, Blinded Endpoint evaluation (PROBE) , parallel-group phase 3b study, evaluating the efficacy and safety of once-daily edoxaban versus enoxaparin/warfarin in patients undergoing electrical cardioversion. The primary efficacy endpoint was the composite of stroke, systemic embolism, myocardial infarction and cardiovascular mortality. A total of 2,199 NVAF patients undergoing electrical cardioversion were enrolled at 239 clinical sites across North America and Europe. Patients were randomised to receive edoxaban 60 mg (or a reduced dose of edoxaban 30 mg for specific patients with renal impairment or low body weight or P-glycoprotein inhibitor use) or enoxaparin/warfarin for 28-49 days. Edoxaban demonstrated comparable efficacy and safety to well-managed enoxaparin/warfarin (mean time in therapeutic range on warfarin was 70.8%) for the prevention of stroke and other blood clot complications.[1]

About Atrial Fibrillation

AF is a condition where the heart beats irregularly and rapidly. When this happens, blood can pool and thicken in the chambers of the heart causing an increased risk of blood clots. These blood clots can break off and travel through the blood stream to the brain (or sometimes to another part of the body), where they have the potential to cause a stroke.[6]

AF is the most common type of heart rhythm disorder, and is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality.[7] An estimated 8.8 million Europeans suffered from AF in 2010, and this figure is expected to at least double over the next 50 years.[8] Compared to those without AF, people with the arrhythmia have a 3-5 times higher risk of stroke.[9] One in five of all strokes are as a result of AF.[3]

About Edoxaban

Edoxaban is an oral, once-daily, direct factor Xa (pronounced "Ten A") inhibitor. Factor Xa is one of the key components responsible for blood clotting, so inhibiting this makes the blood thin and less prone to clotting. Edoxaban is currently marketed by Daiichi Sankyo and its partners in more than 20 countries around the world.

The edoxaban Summary of Product Characteristics can be viewed here: enlace .

About Edoxaban Clinical Research Programme (ECRP)

Daiichi Sankyo is committed to expanding scientific knowledge about edoxaban, as demonstrated through our research programmes evaluating its use in a broad range of cardiovascular conditions, patient types and clinical settings in atrial fibrillation (AF) and venous thromboembolism (VTE). The Edoxaban Clinical Research Programme includes multiple RCTs (randomised, controlled trials), registries and non-interventional studies, with the goal of generating new clinical and real-world-data regarding its use in AF and VTE populations. Daiichi Sankyo expects that more than 100,000 patients will participate in the Edoxaban Clinical Research Programme, including completed, ongoing and future research.

The RCTs include:

(CONTINUA)
No, you'll not likely receive any points for the CISCO certificates.



They are not academic and require no specialised academic study to achieve - they are a professional (i.e. non academic) qualification with no value in the academic world.



All the certificates prove is



"The CCIE certifies the skills required of network engineers to plan, operate and troubleshoot complex, converged network infrastructures on a wide variety of Cisco equipment."



One does not specifically require a post-secondary qualification (B.Sc or MSc) to become certified and one does not specifically require that certification to work on CISCO branded equipment.
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A proposed law to regulate transgender Texans access to restrooms would seriously hurt the states ability to attract new businesses, investment and jobs, more than a dozen Dallas-based CEOs told the states top three lawmakers Monday.

CEOs of 14 major Texas companies  including Doug Parker of American Airlines, Randall Stephenson of AT&T and Gary Kelly of Southwest Airlines  joined a growing chorus of executives railing against a potential bathroom law. The group bashed the bill as bad for business in a letter sent Monday to Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio.

In a 30-day special session that starts today, Texas legislators are set to debate two proposals preventing transgender men and women from using bathrooms that match their gender identity. The issue has divided the states top three Republicans, with Abbott and Patrick backing the bill and Straus siding with opponents. San Antonio and Austin have already lost more than $12 million in conventions as a result, and the state stands to lose an estimated $587.5 million in future meeting business if it is adopted into law, according to state tourism officials.

Our companies are competing every day to bring the best and brightest talent to Dallas, the CEOs wrote in the letter. To that end, we strongly support diversity and inclusion. This legislation threatens our ability to attract and retain the best talent in Texas, as well as the greatest sporting and cultural attractions in the world.

Letter opposing Texas bathroom bill To see the letter in a new window, click here

The CEOs who signed the letter also include Richard Templeton of Texas Instruments, Thomas J. Falk of Kimberly-Clark, Sean Donohue of the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, Dallas Cowboys Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith of EJ Smith Enterprises and Trevor Fetter of Tenet Healthcare.

Business leaders have repeatedly warned lawmakers that passing such a law would make the state less competitive and lead to billions of dollars in economic losses, citing fallout after North Carolina passed a similar bill.

IBM published full-page ads Sunday in the San Antonio Express-News, Austin-American Statesman and Dallas Morning News and announced Friday a digital ad campaign opposing a bathroom bill in any form. The company also sent a letter Monday to its employees in Texas vowing to fight transgender bathroom legislation.

A bathroom bill like the one in Texas sends a message that it is OK to discriminate against someone just for being who they are, wrote Diane Gherson, IBMs senior vice president of human resources. It threatens IBMs ability to bring the best and brightest to our Texas workforce  a community that is now over 10,000 strong and represents a diversity of perspectives, backgrounds and experiences.

A group of Texas executives and tourism leaders  including Texas Association of Business CEO Jeff Moseley, Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau CEO Phillip Jones and Phil Gilbert, general manager of design in IBMs Austin division  hit the steps of the Capitol building in Austin on Monday to urge lawmakers to flush the proposals.

More and more, these workers are deciding where to relocate based on lifestyle and values, not just salary, David Heard, co-founder and CEO of Tech Bloc, a San Antonio-based technology advocacy group, said at the news conference. We have to create and maintain an open environment these young workers want to be a part of.

Heard said the bill would make it more difficult to fill jobs.

Attracting tech talent is not easy, Heard said. Already, we know that it will take years to overcome the perceptions that this very bathroom debate has already created  perceptions that Texas is intolerant, unwelcoming and hostile to vulnerable minorities. What will be even more devastating are the future economic hits  should this proposed bathroom bill become law. This bathroom bill is a job killer.

Other business owners agreed. But Abbott spokesman John Wittman did not, saying, The reason businesses are coming to Texas is because of the economic climate Texas has established with low taxes, reasonable regulations, right-to-work laws and litigation reform. The business reality is far different than the press narrative. The truth is that businesses look at what is best for their bottom line, and Texas is that place.

The states $129-billion-a-year tourism industry could see the most immediate and visible effect. Tourism officials in San Antonio, Austin, Dallas and Houston estimate combined economic losses of $587.5 million if conventions that have threatened to cancel their events over the bathroom bill pull the trigger. San Antonio and Austin have already lost at least $12.6 million in convention business over the bill. OpenStack Foundation, an open-source cloud computing platform, relocated its 2019 global summit from Austin to Denver because of the bill.

Convention organizers have already shown a willingness to pull their events from Texas over controversial legislation. Two groups  the American Hispanic Lawyers Association and the National Womens Studies Association  yanked their conventions from the Dallas area after Abbott signed Senate Bill 4, which will allow law enforcement officers to ask detainees about their immigration status and will penalize officers and elected officials who dont comply with federal immigration law.

Voter Guide: What to know for the midterm election Your guide to the Texas and San Antonio races and candidates on the Nov. 8 ballot.

Stephen Hartnett, president of the National Communication Association, based in Washington, D.C., told members earlier this year that the organization may have to move its November convention from Dallas after California barred state employees in June from using taxpayer funds to travel to Texas.

California enacted the ban after Texas lawmakers passed a law allowing adoption groups with religious affiliations to cite sincerely held religious beliefs to deny adoptions and services to prospective parents and children, which opponents say will allow discrimination against LGBT couples who want to adopt.

The American Association of Law Libraries, based in Chicago, will no longer consider Texas cities because of the adoption bill and uncertainty over whether the bathroom bill will pass, the associations president, Greg Lambert, said Monday. The group is holding a 1,400-attendee convention in Austin this week and has held meetings in San Antonio, Lambert said, but will look elsewhere when booking future meetings.

The power that we have is the power of the purse, and were going to use that power, Lambert said. If that has nothing but a symbolic effect on them that they see, so be it.

Lambert, chief knowledge services officer at the Jackson Walker law firm in Houston, has another reason for opposing the proposed bathroom law: his 15-year-old transgender son, he said.

State lawmakers have put forth one bill that would apply solely to restrooms, showers and changing facilities under the purview of school districts. School officials at Houston Independent School District have been very good to his son, Lambert said, but he worries that the state will disrupt the districts accommodation.

We dont plan on leaving, but we plan on fighting while were here, Lambert said.

Tech leaders, including Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Apple CEO Tim Cook, have implored Abbott not to pursue discriminatory legislation, while a group of 30 of the worlds largest money managers, including BlackRock and T. Rowe Price, with more than $11 trillion in assets under management, have urged Abbott and Patrick not to pass the legislation.

jfechter@express-news.net

Twitter: @JFreports

Peggy Fikac of the Austin Bureau contributed to this report.
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Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday called municipal tree preservation ordinances, such as San Antonios, socialism and applauded a legal opinion from Attorney General Ken Paxton suggesting that local ordinances protecting trees are unconstitutional.

The attorney generals opinion comes just as the Legislatures special session, which includes plans to address municipal tree ordinances, is scheduled to begin. All municipal preservation ordinances could be in the states cross hairs if the Legislature takes up the issue, regardless of the details of the individual local laws.

Paxtons opinion was issued as a response to an inquiry from state Sen. Donna Campbell, R-New Braunfels, who asked the attorney general whether tree ordinances violate the Texas Constitution.

At a Texas Public Policy Foundation event Monday, Abbott said hes always thought that tree preservation ordinances in Texas constitute a government taking.

But theres bigger picture here. ... And this must be understood, and that is if you look at what has been said by all these cities in this public debate, theyre saying, Listen: Trees add to the greater good of the city. They also improve the environment, he said at the event. Think about what I just said. Municipalities are saying they have the right to impose a fee on you for removing a tree because if you remove a tree, youre diminishing the greater good of the city, and the greater good of the environment.

What they are doing, they have articulated the per se definition of collectivism, socialism. That must be eradicated and stopped in the state of Texas.

Mayor Ron Nirenberg, meanwhile, called out Paxton for merely seeking publicity.

Attorney General Ken Paxtons newly released opinion on tree ordinances is essentially a publicity stunt on the eve of a special session in which local control is under attack. While it suggests there is a fundamental problem with tree ordinances observed by local communities in the state, in truth, there is not, the mayor said in a news release. This is the legislative equivalent of shouting fire in a crowded theater. The opinion does not challenge any previous court rulings. San Antonios tree ordinance is balanced to meet both private and public interests. The ordinance survived a court challenge, and I am confident that it can do so again.

For two decades, San Antonio has maintained a tree preservation ordinance, which applies to undeveloped land but does not prohibit the removal of trees from developed properties. It has faced several legal challenges, none of which has been able to repeal the local law.

City Manager Sheryl Sculley said San Antonios ordinance meets legal requirements.

We believe the attorney generals opinion on the constitutionality of local tree ordinances accurately states the current law, she said in a prepared statement. The city of San Antonios tree ordinance, which is well within the legal parameters laid out in the attorney generals opinion, is reasonably aimed at ensuring development projects are aligned with other key public objectives such as environmental protection, public health, quality of life and preservation of military base operations. The ordinance does not prohibit individual homeowners from taking action with respect to trees on their property.

State Sen. Jose Menendez, D-San Antonio, said he was dismayed by both Paxtons opinion and Abbotts statements, noting that when he was first elected to the Legislature in 2000, the Republican mantra was about local control.

Of late, however, the GOP-controlled Legislature has declared war against local control. He pointed out the irony of Abbotts continued legal attacks against the federal government when he served as attorney general, alleging government overreach. The state, Menendez said, is doing the same thing that Abbott and others chided about the feds.

Ive heard stories that the governor wanted to cut down a pecan tree in his back yard to build a pool, Menendez said, referring to Abbotts home in Austin, where a tree preservation ordinance also applies to developed properties. Now he has a personal agenda with the rest of the state.

Menendez noted that local governments are best poised to make local decisions because of their officials proximity to their constituents.

jbaugh@express-news.net

Twitter: @jbaugh
Courtesy Photo /U.S. Treasury Department

A man federal officials say is the father-in-law of a top-ranking member of the Zetas drug cartel has admitted to taking part in a conspiracy to smuggle hundreds of kilograms of cocaine into the United States.

Jesus Fernandez de Luna, whos from northern Mexico near the Texas border city of Eagle Pass, had been accused by U.S. prosecutors of smuggling drugs and helping the Zetas launder money through quarter horse purchases. In a criminal complaint filed in 2012 in Austin, a Drug Enforcement Administration agent wrote that Fernandez was the father-in-law of Omar Trevino, who briefly served as the Zetas boss.
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It was 18-year-old Alexandra Buadas first vote. And while unofficial in nature, she said it could remain the most meaningful in years to come.

I want the young people like me to be able to realize their futures. I want to support the freedom of my country, she said.

On Sunday, she cast a ballot against the overhaul of the Venezuelan Constitution  part of a worldwide plebiscite organized by the countrys opposition party. More than 1,200 Venezuelans cast votes, many in the name of democracy and peace, at the Fonda Latina on the North Side.

The votes were tallied into the global count Sunday night and are expected to be presented to Venezuelas National Assembly as a show of solidarity with those opposed to the countrys president, Nicolas Maduro, and what many perceive as oppressive armed forces.

The site was organized by the Asociacion Venezolana en San Antonio, which was founded in 1992 and according to association officials has more than 1,000 members. The unofficial vote  more a show of solidarity than an election  occurred in hundreds of cities and countries.

Maduros decision to overhaul the 1999 constitution comes after months of violent anti-government protests and rising rates of violent deaths in Venezuela.

Many have fled the country in recent years. Buadas family moved from Venezuela to San Antonio for their own safety exactly one year ago last Thursday, she said.

Things were getting really dangerous there, with protests and everything just down the street, Buada said.

The countrys economic crisis  despite being rich in oil  has caused a crippling shortage of food and medications, leading to reports of food trafficking by the Venezuelan military.

The cheapest food is government-owned and price-controlled. A Venezuelans ID number determines which days they can shop for food. For Buada, it was Thursday.

Thursday was my day, and sometimes Id get there and thered be such a line that by the time I got to the front there was no food left, she said. So we had to leave.

Many others who cast their vote on Sunday said the same.

In Venezuela theres nothing. You have to make decisions like toilet paper or milk? Milk or food? If youre looking for an antibiotic, you have to drive around to 15 pharmacies to find one thats selling it, said Julia, who didnt want to give her last name out of fear of retribution  her family still lives in Venezuela.

The government will take revenge. I cant risk it, she said.

Her mother died of an infection in Venezuela a few years ago and Julia has suspicions that the antibiotics she was being given werent the right treatment, but were just the only thing available.

At the San Antonio voting site, Venezuelans of all ages showed up, at first trickling in and then, as the polls approached their 6 p.m. closing time, in long lines out the door.

People wore hats and spandex with the brightly colored red, blue and yellow colors of Venezuelas flag. Next to the polling stations were boxes where people could donate school supplies to Venezuelan children.

I can tell if we dont do anything right now well end up in a civil war, said Kenny Montgomery, a member of the Venezuelan association here. We dont even own any arms, we just have our will and wish for democracy. And with that were ready to fight for freedom.

sfosterfrau@express-news.net
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AUSTIN - Gov. Greg Abbott has raised another $10 million-plus for his campaign account, giving him $40.8 million in the bank heading into election season.

It took just 12 days for Abbott to bring in his latest haul, which was touted by his campaign. His detailed campaign finance report, including donors and expenses, will be posted on the Texas Ethics Commission website.

The time period for raising money this year was short for lawmakers and statewide officeholders.

They were barred from accepting contributions for a period that began 30 days before the regular legislative session convened in January and ended 20 days after its May 29 adjournment.

Contributions received by June 30 showed up on the July 15 campaign finance report.

Abbott, who announced for re-election Friday in San Antonio, isnt expected to face serious competition in the GOP primary. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, whose name is periodically floated as a possible Abbott challenger, has said he wont run against Abbott and announced for re-election early this year.

Democrats, with a long losing streak in statewide elections, havent yet promoted a candidate  although Dallas businessman Jeffrey Payne told CBS 11 in Dallas-Fort Worth that he plans to run and loan his campaign $2.5 million for the effort.

More Information Campaign contributions Shown are war chests of recent winning Texas gubernatorial candidates for the similar time period. July 15, 2013: Greg Abbott (R): $20,978,130 July 15, 2009: Rick Perry (R): $9,355,100 July 15, 2005: Rick Perry (R): $8,754,648 July 15, 2001: Rick Perry (R): $2,191,005 July 15, 1997: George Bush (R): $305,472 See More Collapse

My campaign is building the largest grass-roots army ever assembled in the Lone Star State, with the goal of keeping Texas the brightest beacon of freedom in the country. In the upcoming election, our campaign will be relentless in our efforts to identify and turn out conservatives to keep Texas red, Abbott said in a statement.

Officials can continue fundraising through the special session Abbott called to begin Tuesday. It doesnt include the same restrictions as a regular session.

Abbotts fundraising prowess was touted by Michael Quinn Sullivan of the tea-party aligned Empower Texans as a possible factor that could help persuade lawmakers facing re-election to side with the governor on issues he has placed on the special-session agenda that begins Tuesday.

House Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, opposes Abbott on the bathroom bill, which would prevent transgender people from using multioccupancy restrooms that align with their gender identity in public facilities, or at least in schools.

The House also has voted against school vouchers, and Abbott has placed on the special-session agenda a proposal that would allow state financial support for private school tuition for special-needs students.

Abbott now boasts a campaign war chest in excess of $40 million with no viable re-election opponent in sight. House members should be wondering how he might use some of that money should they decide to side with Straus, Sullivan said on Facebook.

Manny Garcia, deputy executive director of the Texas Democratic Party, said of the governors war chest, Abbott is going to need every single cent he can get his hands on to cover up his lies and put lipstick on his record of weak leadership.

But Abbotts report appears to show that his brand of conservative politics retains some momentum.

Abbotts campaign on Monday reported that nearly 45 percent of his donations came from first-time donors, with more than 91 percent of all donations being less than $200.

Abbotts campaign also reported that 92 percent of his donors are Texans. His last gubernatorial opponent, Democrat Wendy Davis, raised a significant amount of her campaign donations from outside the state.

Mondays campaign filings by Abbott seemed to set the stage for a repeat of 2014, when he crushed former state Sen. Davis, even though she raised more than $38 million. Abbott raised more than $46 million for that race, reports at the time showed.

His victory cemented the continued Republican dominance of state politics for two decades. The last Democrat was elected to statewide office in 1994. Democrats last held the Texas governors office when Ann Richards won in 1990.

To put the size of Abbotts war chest in perspective, consider that Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who has underfunded Democrat Mike Collier running against him, announced last week that he more than $17 million in the bank  including $4 million that he raised in June.

Cal Jillson, a Southern Methodist University political science professor who has watched Texas politics for decades, said he expects Abbott could raise as much as $80 million before the current election cycle ends with the general election in November 2018. For comparison, Jillson noted that Democrat Tony Sanchez spent an estimated $70 million  most of his own money  to run against Perry in 2002  and lost.

(Abbott) has run statewide five times now, so he has built a tremendous campaign infrastructure  a fundraising network, county chairs, volunteers in place  and that plus the money in the bank is extraordinary even for a Texas politician, Jillson said. Rick Perry never had that much money to start any of his races.

pfikac@express-news.net

Twitter: @pfikac

Austin Bureau Staff Writer Mike Ward contributed to this report.
Anthoni Salim said to me early in the piece, when you come to Asia I drive the locomotive and you are in the first wagon behind  when I come to Australia you drive the locomotive and I am in the first wagon behind.
Its a reminder why CBH is committed to investments along the grain supply chain, so that additional value can be captured and returned to the current and future growers, which certainly assists in years of low production.
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Stephanie Davis' baby son has learnt to sit up by himself.

Stephanie Davis

The 24-year-old actress couldn't contain her excitement after she watched six-month-old Caben-Albi heave himself up on to his bottom and balance for a few minutes.

Taking to her Twitter account on Sunday (16.07.17) evening, she wrote alongside a picture of the little one: "He did it!!! He can now sit up by himself!! One proud mummy right now he's very pleased with him self as u can tell #6months#beautiful (sic)."

Unfortunately Caben's father Jeremy McConnell missed out on the milestone as he's currently in Dublin, Ireland, after he fled to his hometown following a bust up with the former 'Hollyoaks' star in which she was later arrested on suspicion of assault.

A source said recently: "Jeremy seems to be carrying on like he has no cares in the world. He has a son who is six-months-old who he hasn't been in touch with for two weeks now - not even a call to anyone to find out how he is or to check if he is well. It seems like he was keen to play happy families when it suited him, but now he is single he has forgotten about his son which is a disgrace. To be doing nightclub appearances given his situation is concerning for everyone."

However, the 28-year-old hunk's friends have claimed the reason he hasn't been in touch with anyone to find out about his son's welfare is because the police have told him not to contact Stephanie following the row in which she was arrested for assault.

An insider explained: "The police have told Jeremy he can't speak to Steph. He misses his son with all his heart but there is nothing he can do."
Kajol will soon be seen in Tamil action-comedy drama 'Velai Illa Pattadhari 2' and the actor has said she initially contemplated quitting the film as she was unable to memorise her dialogues in the language.



Kajol made her debut in Tamil films with Rajiv Menon's 'Minsaara Kanavu' in 1997, which saw her in the role of an aspiring nun, Priya, opposite Arvind Swamy and Prabhu Deva. Although the actor had an incredible experience working in the 'VIP 2' alongside Dhanush and director Soundarya Rajinikanth, she said she found the process of learning her lines in Tamil quite difficult.



"Acting is a little more difficult in a language that you don't understand, like Tamil. It was a process for the first two days. I saw my scene paper, and I was like, 'Okay. You could take somebody else for the film now.'"



"But Soundarya and Dhanush were very sweet and kind and decided to work on me a little more. By the third day, I was willing to finish the rest of the film. It was an entirely different experience," Kajol said.



The actor said it's been an amazing journey working in a Tamil film after so long. "'VIP 2' was a fantastic team. I had a great time and made some great friends. I thank Soundarya and Dhanush for taking the time and trouble to help me and make me look good on screen."



Kajol noted cinema has changed a lot in the past two decades including the way people work and she believes that the change is important as it helps one grow as an artiste. "Today we have given a 'Baahubali' which has crossed everybody's imagination and enthralled people from all over the world. Change is essential to growth, and we have developed as an industry."



"And we are not talking about only one particular state in the country now. So, I think that in itself shows how much we have changed and the kind of exposure we have had." The actor also denied reports that her role Vasundhara Parameshwar in 'VIP 2' was initially written for superstar Rajinikanth.



"Vasundhara Parameshwar was always a female character. It was always written with a 'woman' in mind," she said. 'VIP 2' is a sequel to the 2014 Tamil blockbuster 'VIP' ('Velai Illa Pattathari') and is co-produced by Kalaipuli S Thanu's V Creations and Dhanush's Wunderbar Films.



Directed by Soundarya, the movie is slated to release on July 28 in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi to coincide with Dhanush's birthday.



The Hindi version of the film, which also features Amala Paul, Samuthirakani and Vivek in important roles, is titled 'VIP 2: Lalkar.'








The labour ministry of Cambodia will initiate a survey on garment workers' living conditions. The review will be carried out by the National Institute of Statistics (NIS) before the minimum wage talks, likely to begin this month. The garment and footwear sector is very important for the Cambodian economy as it fetches $6 billion annually from exports.

At present, the garment industry workers of Cambodia are getting a minimum wage of $153 per month. The minimum wage for garment and footwear workers for 2018 will be decided by the Labour Advisory Council (LAC) in October. The LAC comprises of representatives from the government, trade unions and employers.

The survey will be carried out on a sample of 1,500 garment workers in 75 factories of Phnom Penh and its provinces, said labour minister Ith Sam Heng in a statement. Beginning from July 31, 2017, the review is expected to continue till August 28, 2017. (RR)

The labour ministry of Cambodia will initiate a survey on garment workers' living conditions. The review will be carried out by the National Institute of Statistics (NIS) before the minimum wage talks, likely to begin this month. The garment and footwear sector is very important for the Cambodian economy as it fetches $6 billion annually from exports.#

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
The United States should not withdraw from the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), but seek to improve it, VF Corporation vice president and managing director product supply-Americas, Randy Price said, while testifying recently before the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR). Price testified along with a host of business leaders.

In his testimony, Price recommended the US Administration use caution as they explore potential changes to aspects of the NAFTA textile and apparel rules and flexibilities. He also testified that while there is room for improvement in the agreement, any changes should increase competitiveness and flexibility.

We recommend focusing on growing NAFTA trade, not contracting it, Price said. If you look at potential changes to NAFTA, any changes you make will impact existing business and trade built over decades and impact jobs in the United States, Price said.

The United States should not withdraw from the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), but seek to improve it, VF Corporation vice president and managing director product supply-Americas, Randy Price said, while testifying recently before the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR). Price testified along with a host of business leaders.#

Explaining why NAFTA matters to VFs business, Price said, I see every day how NAFTA has supported an integrated textile and apparel supply chain that has helped VF grow and thrive and benefited our US suppliers.

NAFTA supports tens of thousands of VF jobs in the United States as well as tens of thousands of jobs at our U.S. suppliers who grow the cotton and make the materials that go into our NAFTA-made products. NAFTA has been good for our industry, he added.

Citing an example he said, a pair of Wrangler brand jeans assembled in one of VFs Mexican factories uses cotton from Texas, fabrics and zippers from Georgia, and threads from North Carolina. This process supports thousands of jobs across the United States. Without NAFTA there would be significantly less demand for these US exports, and our VF supply chain in the US, Mexico and Canada would be much smaller, Price said.

Business leaders who testified before the USTR included those from the US Fashion Industry Association, the National Council of Textile Organizations and the American Apparel and Footwear Association. (RKS)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
The Dixie Group, one of Americas fastest growing floorcovering companies, has announced that it has purchased all of the yarn manufacturing assets of the former Royalty Carpet Mills Porterville, California yarn plant. The company has also announced that it will lease the Porterville building through a long term arrangement within the next two weeks.

The Dixie Group will begin hiring former associates to manage and operate the yarn plant.

The output from the yarn plant will allow The Dixie Group to better service its West Coast customers and provide yarn capacity for future growth. Production is expected to begin the week of July 31, 2017. (RKS)

The Dixie Group, one of America's fastest growing floorcovering companies, has announced that it has purchased all of the yarn manufacturing assets of the former Royalty Carpet Mills Porterville, California yarn plant. The company has also announced that it will lease the Porterville building through a long term arrangement within the next two weeks.#

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
Indo-American Chamber of Commerce (IACC) has suggested some points for smooth transition of Goods and Services Tax (GST) from its truncated avatar to a full-fledged tax structure that upholds its basic principle One India One tax. It has suggested that the government should draw up a road map for reducing the number of slabs in the GST.

World over, GST or a similar comprehensive indirect tax will have either one slab or at best two. In India, the five slab tax structure makes it complicated and difficult to comply with, IACC said in a press release. We have to draw up a roadmap for further pruning the number of rates in a time bound manner. In the given situation, it is prudent to do away with highest slab/s and amalgamating it/them with next lower slab on account of two reasons. One, any increase in rates will lead to resistance and even protracted litigations and the two, the human ingenuity is such that a product may be given a different name, shape, texture and size to fit into a lower slab, SK Sarkar, chairman, Finance Committee, IACC, said.

For players in the textile value chain, the GST will force them to source goods and services from the organised sector. It is because natural fibres (cotton, wool) which were exempted from tax, would be taxed under GST. Since a significant portion of the textile industry is in the unorganised sector, there will be a gap in the flow of input tax credit as it is not allowed if the registered taxpayers procure the inputs from the unorganised sector, according to the IACC.

Indo-American Chamber of Commerce (IACC) has suggested some points for smooth transition of Goods and Services Tax (GST) from its truncated avatar to a full-fledged tax structure that upholds its basic principle 'One India One tax'. It has suggested that the government should draw up a road map for reducing the number of slabs in the GST.#

Another important issue that has to be addressed to is the conceptual ambiguity in the GST structure. A close scrutiny of the present structureCentral GST, State GST and Inter-State GSTreveals that GST has not brought any significant improvement over the earlier VAT. Under the GST, the manufacturing states feel that their interests have been jeopardized as GST is a destination based tax. It is important to evolve pragmatic schemes that should address the genuine concerns of manufacturing states in order to shore up their faith in the dispensation, the release states.

Next, there will be an additional cost for small businesses in the manufacturing sector. Under the excise laws, only manufacturing business with a turnover exceeding Rs 1.50 crore had to pay excise duty. Under GST, the turnover limit has been reduced to Rs 20 lakh, increasing the tax burden for many manufacturing SMEs. For many of the SMEs, the compliance will be tough, and will come at an additional cost of installing GST compliant software and training employees on how to use it. It is ideal that some support from the government flows to the small scale sector to motivate them switch over to the GST, said Sarkar.

What we have to do is to constantly monitor the activities and take ameliorative steps as and when they are noticed. Also, there should be a strong say for the small and medium enterprises at the GST Council to articulate their problems, says Vasant Subramanyan, national vice president, IACC. (RKS)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
Intertek, a leading global total quality assurance provider to industries worldwide, has joined the Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) programme. Intertek will support the programme's vision of implementing sustainable chemistry and best practices in the textile, leather and footwear industries to protect consumers, workers and the environment.

Intertek is committed to work collaboratively towards achieving the milestones set out in the programmes joint roadmap, through active engagement with other brands, retailers and stakeholders. ZDHC is a major body which is leading the textile, leather and footwear industries to advance towards zero discharge of hazardous chemicals.

"We are trusted by a number of fashion brands and retailers worldwide in assuring their hazardous chemical-free supply chain. By becoming a member of the ZDHC programme, we are joining a collaborative community of experts and practitioners with the goal to protect the interests of consumers and our environment through the implementation of sustainable practices in the textile, leather and footwear industries," Calvin Yam, senior vice president of Global Softlines at Intertek said.

Intertek will be joining 23 fashion brands, 33 value chain affiliates, as well as 14 industry associates to drive industry-wide change in responsible chemical management. Leveraging its robust experience and capabilities in assurance, testing, inspection and certification, as well as in the textiles and footwear industry, Intertek delivers comprehensive solutions, enabling fashion retailers and brands to fulfill their ZDHC programme commitments. (RR)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - General Cable Corp. (BGC) said that its board has initiated a review of strategic alternatives to maximize shareholder value, including a potential sale of the Company. The company has engaged J.P. Morgan Securities LLC as financial advisor and Sullivan & Cromwell LLP as legal advisor to assist in the process. There can be no assurance that the Board's strategic review will result in any transaction, or any assurance as to its outcome or timing. The company also announced preliminary financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2017. The Company expects to report revenues of approximately $923 million for North America, Europe and Latin America. The company also expects to report reported operating loss and adjusted operating income for the second quarter of about ($23) million and $32 million, respectively. The expected reported operating loss primarily reflects a one-time non-cash charge of about $36 million related to the sale of the Company's investment in Algeria, which was divested consistent with the Company's previously announced divestiture program. Additionally, as of June 30, the Company maintained availability of approximately $360 million under its $700 million asset-based revolving credit facility. The company plans to report second quarter 2017 results in a press release on August 2, 2017. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
BASEL (dpa-AFX) - Prima BioMed Ltd (PRR.AX, PBMD)announced late Sunday that it will receive a second undisclosed significant clinical milestone payment from Novartis (NVS). The payment is based on the collaboration and licensing agreement between the companies, relating to Prima's IMP701 LAG-3 antibody, also referred to as LAG525. The LAG525 antibody is currently being evaluated in clinical trials together with Novartis' PD1 inhibitor PDR001 for the treatment of cancer. The company noted that Novartis has full responsibility for the continued development of the antibody program. Prima is eligible to receive further potential development-based milestone payments and royalties on sales following commercialisation of the products. IMP701 is a therapeutic antibody originally developed by Immutep S.A.S to target LAG-3. This antagonist antibody plays a role in controlling the signalling pathways in both effector T cells and regulatory T cells or Treg. IMP701 was licensed to CoStim Pharmaceuticals in 2012 which was subsequently acquired by Novartis in 2014. In Australia, Prima BioMed shares were gaining around 4 percent on Monday's trading. 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) - Infrastructure group Balfour Beatty PLC (BBY.L) announced Monday its notification of intent to be awarded two contracts by High Speed 2 or HS2, worth a combined total of about 2.5 billion pounds. The two contracts have been awarded to Balfour Beatty's 50:50 joint venture with VINCI. Balfour Beatty VINCI will deliver Lot N1, valued at about 1.32 billion pounds, and Lot N2, valued at about 1.15 billion pounds, between the Long Itchington Wood Green tunnel to the Delta Junction / Birmingham Spur and from the Delta Junction to the West Coast Main Line tie-in respectively, in a two-part design and build contract. According to the firm, the contract awards reflect the innovative and collaborative nature of the joint venture. Balfour Beatty's in-depth knowledge and expertise of British transport will join with VINCI's High Speed Tours-Bordeaux project in France. Leo Quinn, Balfour Beatty Group Chief Executive, said, 'This is a generational engineering project. HS2 will provide vital infrastructure not only to rebalance the economy, but also to fuel growth in skills, jobs and prosperity across the UK for the future. Balfour Beatty's joint venture with VINCI has world-class capability in this area and our selection as preferred bidder for two sections is a major endorsement of our strength.' The company noted that main construction work is scheduled to start in 2018/19, following a period of detailed design work. 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.
Sensome's first application of its AI-powered micro-sensor technology can detect the composition of the blockage in the brain during stroke treatment

Sensome, formerly Instent, a company developing a revolutionary micro-sensor technology for smart medical devices out of France's Ecole polytechnique, announced today that it has completed its 4.7m seed round to bring its first product to clinical trials. Venture capital firm Kurma Diagnostics led a syndicate with the new Paris-Saclay Seed Fund and ID Invest, joined by a group of business angels.

Sensome's novel sensing technology can be integrated with any medical device to reliably identify biological tissues in contact with the device. The technology combines micrometric impedance sensors that communicate wirelessly outside the body and machine learning algorithms for accurate and predictive real-time analysis.

Sensome's first product integrates its proprietary technology with a guidewire for the treatment of ischemic stroke. When a brain blood vessel is blocked by a clot, millions of brain cells die every minute. Depending on the composition of the blood clot, the choice of tool to remove the clot significantly impacts the time to reopen the artery, ranging from minutes to hours. Sensome's connected stroke guidewire will help select the fastest device to reopen the vessel for each patient. Ischemic stroke affects over 1.5 million people across Europe and the US every year.

"This seed round allows us to prepare first-in-human testing of our neurovascular product next year and to enter the stroke space," says Franz Bozsak, CEO of Sensome, who co-founded the company with Abdul Barakat, professor at the Hydrodynamics Laboratory at Ecole polytechnique. "The connected stroke guidewire will finally provide physicians with the information they need to reduce procedure times. This first smart product with Sensome inside will pave the way for future devices integrating our technology for the benefit of patients."

About Sensome: www.sensome.com

About Kurma Partners: www.kurmapartners.com

About Paris-Saclay Seed Fund: www.seedfund.parissaclay.com

About Idinvest Partners: www.idinvest.com

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170717005263/en/

Contacts:

Sensome

Franz Bozsak, +33 1 69 33 52 66

press@sensome.com
TSX:ORV

TORONTO, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Orvana Minerals Corp. (TSX:ORV) (the "Company" or "Orvana") is providing the following production results for the El Valle Mine ("El Valle") in Spain and Don Mario Mine ("Don Mario") in Bolivia for the third quarter of fiscal 2017 ("Q3 2017").

Record consolidated quarterly gold production of 26,414 ounces;

Consolidated gold equivalent production of 35,292 ounces in Q3 2017 representing an increase of 27% compared to Q2 2017;

On track to meet fiscal 2017 production guidance;

El Valle gold and copper production increased by 15% and 24%, respectively, compared to Q2 2017 due to higher recoveries and tonnes milled; mill throughput averaged 2,284 tonnes per day ("tpd") in the period;

Don Mario completed first full quarter of commercial production from the re-commissioned carbon-in-leach circuit ("CIL Circuit") achieving a 48% increase in gold production compared to Q2 2017 and gold recovery of 89.3%, exceeding target of 80%.

Production Highlights

























Q3 2017 Q2 2017 YTD 2017 FY 2017



El Valle Don Mario Total El Valle Don Mario Total Total Guidance Operating Performance













Ore milled (tonnes) (dmt) 197,469 166,370 363,839 157,621 150,231 307,852 1,012,292

Gold Equivalent

















Production (oz) 18,265 17,027 35,292 15,908 11,775 27,683 87,384

Gold

















Grade (g/t) 2.35 2.66 2.49 2.60 2.50 2.55 2.33



Recovery (%) 91.9 89.3 90.6 90.4 71.1 81.2 82.5



Production (oz) 13,705 12,709 26,414 11,917 8,596 20,513 62,626 85,000 - 95,000 Copper

















Grade (%) 0.53 0.79 0.65 0.58 0.75 0.66 0.72



Recovery (%) 80.2 68.3 73.7 74.1 54.6 63.7 64.0



Production ('000 lbs) 1,857 1,980 3,837 1,503 1,364 2,867 10,292 13,000 - 14,000 Silver

















Grade (g/t) 11.69 5.40 8.81 13.49 5.48 9.58 10.81



Recovery (%) 75.0 68.8 73.3 74.7 58.2 70.1 71.2



Production (oz) 55,682 19,896 75,578 51,080 15,405 66,485 250,343 300,000 - 350,000

"The recent significant investments we have made into our operations are resulting in consistent quarter over quarter improvements in our production results. We are pleased to report the highest quarterly consolidated gold production in Orvana's history," said Jim Gilbert, Chairman and CEO. "With the improved gold production from the successful implementation of the CIL Circuit at Don Mario, we are well positioned to extend the life of Don Mario. At El Valle, the return to sustained higher mill throughput rates, in excess of our target of 2,000 tonnes per day, has allowed for higher metal production despite mining through lower grade skarn zones. We look forward to reporting Orvana's continued progress over the remainder of fiscal 2017."

Production - El Valle Mine

The El Valle and Carles Mines produced 13,705 ounces of gold in Q3 2017, an increase of 15% compared to 11,917 ounces of gold produced in Q2 2017.

Copper production in Q3 2017 was 1.9 million pounds, compared to 1.5 million pounds in Q2 2017.

Mill throughput in Q3 2017 averaged 2,284 tpd, an increase of 24% compared to 1,844 tpd in Q2 2017 and in excess of target mill throughput rate of 2,000 tpd.

The increased metal production was primarily due to higher tonnes milled of 197,469 tonnes in Q3 2017 versus 157,621 tonnes in Q2 2017, as well as higher average recoveries, offset by lower head grades.

Production - Don Mario Mine

During Q3 2017, the first full quarter of commercial production for the CIL Circuit, Don Mario surpassed its targeted gold recovery rate of 80%. Gold production increased to 12,709 ounces, or 48% compared to 8,596 ounces of gold produced in Q2 2017. Gold production was also positively impacted by higher gold grades of 2.66 g/t in Q3 2017 versus 2.50 g/t in Q2 2017.

Copper production in Q3 2017 was 2.0 million pounds, compared to 1.4 million pounds in Q2 2017, primarily driven by an increase in copper recoveries of 25%.

About Orvana

Orvana is a multi-mine gold and copper producer. Orvana's operating assets consist of the producing gold-copper-silver El Valle and Carles mines in northern Spain and the producing gold-copper-silver Don Mario mine in Bolivia. Additional information is available at Orvana's website (www.orvana.com).

Cautionary Statements - Forward-Looking Information

Certain statements in this information constitute forward-looking statements or forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws ("forward-looking statements"). Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, potentials, future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "believes", "expects", "plans", "estimates" or "intends" or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "will" or "are projected to" be taken or achieved) are not statements of historical fact, but are forward-looking statements.

The forward-looking statements herein relate to, among other things, Orvana's ability to achieve improvement in free cash flow; the potential to extend the mine life of El Valle and Don Mario beyond their current life-of-mine estimates; Orvana's ability to optimize its assets to deliver shareholder value; the Company's ability to optimize productivity at Don Mario and El Valle; estimates of future production, operating costs and capital expenditures; mineral resource and reserve estimates; statements and information regarding future feasibility studies and their results; future transactions; future metal prices; the ability to achieve additional growth and geographic diversification; future financial performance, including the ability to increase cash flow and profits; future financing requirements; and mine development plans.

Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company as of the date of such statements, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. The estimates and assumptions of the Company contained or incorporated by reference in this information, which may prove to be incorrect, include, but are not limited to, the various assumptions set forth herein and in Orvana's most recently filed Management's Discussion & Analysis and Annual Information Form in respect of the Company's most recently completed fiscal year (the "Company Disclosures") or as otherwise expressly incorporated herein by reference as well as: there being no significant disruptions affecting operations, whether due to labour disruptions, supply disruptions, power disruptions, damage to equipment or otherwise; permitting, development, operations, expansion and acquisitions at El Valle and Don Mario being consistent with the Company's current expectations; political developments in any jurisdiction in which the Company operates being consistent with its current expectations; certain price assumptions for gold, copper and silver; prices for key supplies being approximately consistent with current levels; production and cost of sales forecasts meeting expectations; the accuracy of the Company's current mineral reserve and mineral resource estimates; and labour and materials costs increasing on a basis consistent with Orvana's current expectations.

A variety of inherent risks, uncertainties and factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control, affect the operations, performance and results of the Company and its business, and could cause actual events or results to differ materially from estimated or anticipated events or results expressed or implied by forward looking statements. Some of these risks, uncertainties and factors include fluctuations in the price of gold, silver and copper; the need to recalculate estimates of resources based on actual production experience; the failure to achieve production estimates; variations in the grade of ore mined; variations in the cost of operations; the availability of qualified personnel; the Company's ability to obtain and maintain all necessary regulatory approvals and licenses; the Company's ability to use cyanide in its mining operations; risks generally associated with mineral exploration and development, including the Company's ability to continue to operate the El Valle and/or Don Mario and/or ability to resume long-term operations at Carles Mine; the Company's ability to acquire and develop mineral properties and to successfully integrate such acquisitions; the Company's ability to execute on its strategy; the Company's ability to obtain financing when required on terms that are acceptable to the Company; challenges to the Company's interests in its property and mineral rights; current, pending and proposed legislative or regulatory developments or changes in political, social or economic conditions in the countries in which the Company operates; general economic conditions worldwide; and the risks identified in the Company's Disclosures under the heading "Risks and Uncertainties". This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Company's forward-looking statements and reference should also be made to the Company's Disclosures for a description of additional risk factors.

Any forward-looking statements made in this information with respect to the anticipated development and exploration of the Company's mineral projects are intended to provide an overview of management's expectations with respect to certain future activities of the Company and may not be appropriate for other purposes.

Forward-looking statements are based on management's current plans, estimates, projections, beliefs and opinions and, except as required by law, the Company does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements should assumptions related to these plans, estimates, projections, beliefs and opinions change. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

The forward-looking statements made in this information are intended to provide an overview of management's expectations with respect to certain future operating activities of the Company and may not be appropriate for other purposes.

Jeff Hillis, Chief Financial Officer, T (416) 369-6281, E jhillis@orvana.com
LONDON, UK / ACCESSWIRE / October 5, 2017 / Pro-Trader Daily takes a look at the latest corporate events and news making the headlines for CME Group Inc. (NASDAQ: CME) ("CME"), following which we have published a free report that can be viewed by signing up at http://protraderdaily.com/optin/'symbol=CME. The Company announced on October 03, 2017, that the Average Daily Volume (ADV) for September 2017 reached 17 million contracts, up 13% from September 2016. CME is the world's leading and most diverse derivative marketplace, where it stated in September 2017 that the total options volume averaged 3.6 million contracts per day, up 25% from September 2016, while electronic options averaged 2.4 million contracts per day, up 36% YOY. Open interest was 114 million contracts at the end of September 2017, advancing 11% from the end of September 2016. For immediate access to our complimentary reports, including today's coverage, register for free now at:

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At Pro-TD, we make it our mission to bring you news that matter about the stock you follow. Today, our research desk covers a blog story on CME. Go directly to your stock of interest and access today's free coverage at:

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The Announcement

CME announced that the metals volume averaged at 660,000 contracts per day, in September 2017, up 72% from September 2016. The Company reached quarterly ADV of 611,000 contracts, up 42% from Q3 2016, including the records for Gold Copper and Platinum Futures and options. The silver futures and options ADV advanced 37% to 93,000 contracts, according to CME.

The foreign exchange volume for the Company stood at 1.3 million contracts per day in September 2017, up 30% from September 2016. CME reached Euro FX futures and options ADV of 296,000 contracts, up 22% YOY. The Company observed Japanese Yen futures and options grew 39% to 231,000 in September 2017. CME achieved a 31% growth for British Pound futures and options, hence averaging about 170,000 contracts.

The interest rate volume was about 8.2 million contracts per day in September 2017, up 26% from September 2016. CME reached record quarterly and monthly ADV in electronic Interest Rate options of 1.1 million and 1.3 million, respectively. CME also achieved a 55% growth in Weekly Treasury options ADV to 161,000 contracts.

CME reported the agricultural volume of 1.1 million contracts per day in September 2017, advancing 17% from September 2016. The Company observed Corn futures and options ADV to advance 12% to 310,000 contracts YOY in September 2017, while agricultural options ADV advanced 16% to 219,000 contracts YOY.

CME observed the energy volume averaging 2.7 million contracts per day in September 2017, up 9% from September 2016. The Company reached record quarterly ADV of 2.7 million contracts, up 17% from Q3 2016, including a record 1.5 million WTI futures and options contracts. On the other hand, Natural Gas futures and options advanced 13% to 579,000 contracts, including an electronic Natural Gas futures and options growth of 19% to 482,000 contracts in September 2017.

Company Growth Prospects

CME observed an equity index volume averaging 3.1 million contracts per day in September 2017, declining 18% YOY. Post the launch of the Company's Russell 2000 futures in July 2017, and Q1 2017 rollover of positions from September quarterly contracts to December, over 91% of open interest previously held on Intercontinental Exchange transitioned to CME. With this transfer of positions, CME expects overall equity average rate-per-contract to be about 69 cents in Q3 2017.

Last Close Stock Review

At the closing bell, on Wednesday, October 04, 2017, CME Group's stock marginally fell 0.33%, ending the trading session at $136.88. A total volume of 1.01 million shares have exchanged hands. The Company's stock price soared 10.66% in the last three months, 16.44% in the past six months, and 35.35% in the previous twelve months. Moreover, the stock rallied 18.66% since the start of the year. The stock is trading at a PE ratio of 27.97 and has a dividend yield of 1.93%. The stock currently has a market cap of $46.59 billion.

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LONDON, UK / ACCESSWIRE / July 17, 2017 / Pro-Trader Daily takes a closer look at Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) as the Company's stock will begin trading ex-dividend on July 18, 2017. In order to capture the dividend payout, investors must purchase the stock one day prior to the ex-dividend date that is by latest at the end of trading session on July 17, 2017. Are you looking for research on dividend stocks, if so register with us now for your free membership at:

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Dividend Declared

On June 14, 2017, Caterpillar's Board of Directors voted to increase the quarterly cash dividend by $0.01 to $0.78 per share of common stock, payable August 19, 2017, to shareholders of record at the close of business on July 20, 2017.

"Our improved cost structure, strong balance sheet, and solid cash flow make it possible for us to continue our long history of returning value to shareholders through our dividend," said Caterpillar CEO Jim Umpleby.

Caterpillar's indicated dividend represents a yield of 2.88%, more than double the average dividend yield for the Industrial Goods sector of 1.24%. Caterpillar has paid higher dividends to its shareholders for 23 consecutive years, and since 2007, the Company's cash dividend has more than doubled. Caterpillar has paid a cash dividend every year since the Company was formed and has paid a quarterly dividend since 1933.

Dividend Insights

Caterpillar has a dividend payout ratio of 75.4%, which indicates that the Company distributes approximately $0.75 for every $1.00 earned. The dividend payout ratio reflects how much money a Company is returning to shareholders versus how much money it is keeping on hand to reinvest in growth, to pay off debt, and/or to add to its cash reserves.

According to analysts' estimates, Caterpillar is forecasted to report earnings of $5.28 in the coming year, which is substantially higher than the Company's annualized dividend of $3.12.

As on March 31, 2017, Caterpillar had cash and cash equivalents worth $9.47 billion, while the Company's current assets totaled approximately $35.55 billion against current liability of $27.64 billion. The strong financial position provides a cushion for the Company to absorb any fluctuations in earnings and pay its dividend without interruption for a long period of time.

About the Company

With 2016 sales and revenues of $38.537 billion, Caterpillar is the world's leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines, and diesel-electric locomotives. The Company principally operates through its three product segments: Construction Industries; Resource Industries and Energy & Transportation; and also provides financing and related services through its Financial Products segment.

Recent Development for Caterpillar

On June 28, 2017, Caterpillar announced Doug Hoerr, Vice President of the Material Handling and Underground Division (MH&U), has elected to retire from the Company. Caterpillar's board of directors has appointed a new vice president, and the Company also announced new responsibilities for three current vice presidents.

"For more than 20 years of his career with Caterpillar, Doug worked in a wide range of accounting and finance roles with increasing levels of responsibility and global scope," said Jim Umpleby, Caterpillar's CEO, "In 2012, Doug was named group CFO for Customer & Dealer Support, a position he held until being named a Caterpillar vice president in 2015."

Stock Performance

Caterpillar's share price finished last Friday's trading session at $108.77, marginally advancing 0.28%. A total volume of 4.48 million shares have exchanged hands. The Company's stock price soared 16.83% in the last three months, 15.73% in the past six months, and 35.86% in the previous twelve months. Additionally, the stock surged 17.28% since the start of the year. Shares of the Company have a dividend yield of 2.87% and currently have a market cap of $63.91 billion.

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ONTARIO, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 07/17/17 -- Kiwa Bio-Tech Products Group Corporation (OTCQB: KWBT) ("Kiwa Bio-Tech" or the "Company"), a company focused on eco-friendly bio-based fertilizers promoting soil health, announced that the Company launched its new KIWA-ETS brand and introduced the "Harmless Agriculture" concept at a major industry conference on July 7, 2017. The Conference was sponsored by China's Ministry of Agriculture and China Agricultural Products Processing Industry Development Association ("CAPPIDA") in Guilin, Guangxi province. Kiwa has now been authorized by CAPPIDA to establish the Specialty Committee of the Harmless Agriculture Standard System Construction for all of China.

The initiation of the new "Harmless Agriculture Standard" reflects the focus of China's agricultural industry on rational international standards. KIWA will be the principal developer of China's harmless agriculture standards. This appointment positions KIWA to be a significant player in the microbial fertilizer industry in China.

Mr. Changsheng Liu, Consultant for Kiwa, Research Fellow of the ETS Biology Research Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences ("CAS"), was invited to give a special presentation at the Conference related to harmless agriculture to representatives from China's provincial agricultural administrative departments who were in attendance.

Mr. Yongling Song, Chief Technology Officer of Kiwa and Associate Research Fellow of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science ("CAAS"), gave a plenary talk of which the theme is "KIWA-ETS -- the Representative Brand of Harmless Agriculture."

At the Conference, Kiwa also exhibited its microbial fertilizer products. Kiwa's technology and products have been recognized and praised by the governmental officials from the CAAS and CAPPIDA.

Yvonne Wang, the Chief Executive Officer of Kiwa, along with certain of its senior advisors participated in the Conference with officials from China's Ministry of Agriculture, CAPPIDA, the Committee for China's Agricultural Technology, Innovation and Development under the State Council, and the municipal leaders from the Guilin City.

"As a significant promotor of harmless natural agriculture, Kiwa has officially presented its KIWA-ETS microbial fertilizer brand to the market. We are looking forward to working closely with CAPPIDA to evolve China toward harmless agriculture," stated Wang at the Conference.

About Kiwa Bio-Tech Products Group Corporation

Kiwa Bio-Tech Products Group Corporation develops, manufactures, distributes, and markets innovative, cost-effective and environmentally safe bio-technological products for agricultural and environmental conservation. The Company's products are designed to enhance the quality of human life by increasing the value, quality and productivity of crops and decreasing the negative environmental impact of chemicals and other wastes.

Kiwa is dedicated to eco-agricultural development and environmental control by developing, producing, and selling bio-technological products with high technology, low-cost, and high productivity to satisfy the growing market demand. Kiwa's development is creating a standardized and ecologically safe agricultural industry chain platform. The Company's development effort is based in China, and has gradually expanded to the international market.

Kiwa uses new bio-technological skills at its core, with organic, ecologically sound, and "green" practices as its theme. The Company strives for customer satisfaction and continued development. Kiwa is dedicated to making safe food, further developing eco-agriculture and upholding a responsibility of contributing to China's agricultural safety, food safety, and a healthy lifestyle. For more information on Kiwa and its products, please refer to the Company's website at www.kiwabiotech.com or the Company filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, available for free at www.sec.gov.

This press release contains information that constitutes forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any such forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from any future results described by the forward-looking statements. Risk factors that could contribute to such differences include those matters more fully disclosed in the Company's reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking information provided herein represents the Company's estimates as of the date of the press release, and subsequent events and developments may cause the Company's estimates to change. The Company specifically disclaims any obligation to update the forward-looking information in the future. Therefore, this forward-looking information should not be relied upon as representing the Company's estimates of its future financial performance as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release.

CONTACT:



Kiwa Bio-Tech Products Group Corporation

Molly Han

molly@kiwabiotech.com




HOLLYWOOD, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 07/17/17 --nFusz, Inc. (OTCQB: FUSZ), (formerly bBooth), the Hollywood-based digital technology company, is pleased to announce that Mohammad Amanullah, nFusz's Director of Broadcast & Government Applications, will attend the 64th Annual Texas Association of Broadcasters Convention & Trade Show event on August 9 - 10 in Austin, Texas.

More than 40 industry experts, including Amazon, Google and YouTube executives, will meet to share exclusive insights into new initiatives, showcase innovative strategies, and much more. The convention is comprised of a two-day event with 124 trade-show style booths, 30 different programs, and an array of speakers covering a wide range of industry topics.

The event is the largest state and regional broadcast gathering, attracting many of the industry's most notable professionals. "I'm delighted to introduce nFusz and our Interactive Broadcast And Streaming Video Products to such noteworthy industry experts," states Mr. Amanullah.

The event marks one of the many initiatives Mr. Amanullah has planned this year as new head of the Company's interactive broadcast and streaming video product strategy for its Notifi technology.

About nFusz, Inc.

nFusz, Inc. (OTCQB: FUSZ) is a Hollywood-based digital tech company. Our proprietary next generation interactive video technology is the core of our new broadcast and cloud-based, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) products. We offer subscription-based Customer Relationship Management (CRM), sales lead generation, and social engagement software on mobile and desktop platforms for sales-based organizations, consumer brands, and artists seeking greater levels of engagement and higher conversion rates. Our software platform can accommodate any size campaign or sales organization, and is enterprise-class scalable to meet the needs of today's global organizations. Our service is built around our proprietary 'Video-First' Notifi technology, which places interactive video front and center in all customer and prospect communications. We've re-invented what a CRM, lead-gen tool should be in today's video-centric business and social environment. Now watch for our live broadcast interactive video platform that will redefine what 'engagement' means in consumer video consumption. For more information on nFusz, Inc., visit www.nFusz.com.

Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements

This press release may contain "forward-looking" information within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In accordance with the safe harbor provisions of this Act, statements contained herein that look forward in time that include everything other than historical information, involve risks and uncertainties that may affect the Company's actual results. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and there are a number of important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements made by the Company, including, but not limited to, plans and objectives of management for future operations or products, the market acceptance or future success of our products, and our future financial performance. The Company cautions that these forward-looking statements are further qualified by other factors including, but not limited to, those set forth in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, and other filings with the U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission (available at http://www.sec.gov). The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any statements in this release, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

For more information, please visit: www.nFusz.com

Please address media inquiries to:

info@nFusz.com

855.250.2300, extension 2



Please address investor inquiries to:

investors@nFusz.com

855.250.2300, extension 3




WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Oscar winning actor Martin Landau, 89, has died. The tall, all-purpose actor died Saturday in Los Angeles of 'unexpected complications' following a brief stay at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, his publicist Dick Guttman said. Best known for roles in the hit suspense drama Mission: Impossible and 1960s blockbusters like Cleopatra, Landau won the Academy award for best actor in a supporting role for his performance as a broken-down horror movie star Bela Lugosi in Ed Wood. The New York born cartoonist-turned-actor shot to fame by playing a homosexual henchman in Alfred Hitchcock's 1959 classic North by Northwest. After he quit Mission: Impossible after three seasons in 1969 because of a contract dispute, Landau's feature films career saw two decades of recess. Landau returned to the screen through Francis Ford Coppola's Tucker: The Man and His Dream in 1988. The following year, he acted in Woody Allen's comedy drama Crimes and Misdemeanours. He received Oscar nomination for best supporting actor for his roles in these two films. The big award that eluded Landau twice came his way in Tim Burton's 1994 biographical comedy drama Ed Wood. Landau, who had a relationship with Marilyn Monroe for few months, was also a known acting teacher. 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.
HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA -- (Marketwired) -- 07/17/17 -- Note to editors: There are four maps associated with this press release.

Erdene Resource Development Corp. (TSX: ERD) ("Erdene" or "Company") is pleased to provide additional assay results from the Company's 2017 drill program at its 100% owned Bayan Khundii Gold Project ("Bayan Khundii") in southwest Mongolia.

"We are now at the mid-point of the initial 2017 drill campaign in the Bayan Khundii region and thus far have defined several new areas that will require definition drilling, particularly west and east of Striker, the Northeast Zone, and importantly north and west of Midfield. It is very encouraging to continue to intersect broad zones of gold mineralization along the margins of the established 1.3 kilometre by 500 metre mineralized trend," said Peter Akerley, Erdene's President and CEO. "As we continue to expand outward from that area in Q3 we will be testing six new target areas up to 1 kilometre from the original discovery at Striker Zone. In addition, as drilling progresses through Q3, we will move into the untested 3.5 kilometre long gold-in-soil anomaly that continues north to Altan Arrow, and ultimately return to drilling at our Altan Nar project, 16 kilometres to the northwest."

Highlights

-- Success from step-out drilling and geophysical surveys leads to an expanded target area at Bayan Khundii -- Drilling west of the Striker and Midfield zones returns multiple, high- grade, 1-metre intervals between 10 g/t and 22 g/t gold -- Drilling up to 150 metres west of the Striker Zone returns multiple gold mineralized intersections over a 250-metre by 200-metre area, including 28 metres of 1.4 g/t gold (BKD-172) -- Drilling west of Midfield Zone returns 36 metres of 1.1 g/t gold (BKD- 166) -- Upcoming Q3 drilling of five untested targets and continued definition of new targets north and east of the Midfield and Striker zones with closer-spaced drilling -- Regional structural analysis and detailed structural analysis of Bayan Khundii and Altan Nar projects will be undertaken during Q3 -- Drill results to continue throughout Q3

A series of plan maps have been attached for reference:

http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/Figure1_ERD.jpg

http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/Figure2_ERD.jpg

http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/Figure3_ERD.jpg

http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/Figure4_ERD.jpg

Western Extension of Striker and Midfield Zones

Hole BKD-166, located west of the Midfield Zone, intersected a thick package of the host Devonian volcanic tuff and returned 36 metres of 1.1 g/t gold commencing at 120 metres depth (86 metre vertical depth) (see Table 1). This hole was drilled 50 metres west of previously reported drill hole BKD-100, drilled in Q2-2017 along the western edge of the Midfield Zone. BKD-100 did not return significant gold mineralization as the hole intersected a syenite intrusion at shallower depths than expected and was speculated to truncate the western extension of Midfield. However, hole BKD-166 suggests the syenite encountered in BKD-100 may be relatively restricted in extent and that the Midfield mineralization continues west of BKD-100. Additional drilling will be required to confirm the true extent of the mineralization in this area.

A series of holes were completed south of BKD-166, to the west of the Striker Zone and covering a 250-metre by 200-metre area, and returned multiple gold mineralized intersections under younger, post-mineralization cover. Results included 5 metres of 4.5 g/t gold within 28 metres of 1.4 g/t gold in hole BKD-172, located 130 metres west of the westernmost drilling in the Striker Zone (see Table 1).

The results west of Midfield and Striker have established multiple targets that justify additional closer-spaced drilling in Q3-2017.

Table 1. Bayan Khundii drill highlights

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Interval (m) Drill Hole From (m) To (m) (1) Gold (g/t) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- BKD-166 120 156 36 1.07 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- incl 120 121 1 13.5 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- BKD-172 93 159 66 0.70 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- incl 123 151 28 1.43 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- incl 145 150 5 4.52 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- incl 149 150 1 10.7 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- and 188 206 18 0.34 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- BKD-173 27 84 57 0.17 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- and 130 136 6 3.04 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- incl 133 134 1 11.4 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- BKD-175 110 131 21 0.25 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- and 136 146 10 0.56 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- and 177 181 4 5.66 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- incl 179 180 1 22.2 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- BKD-176 112 133 21 0.49 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- and 164 195 31 0.42 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- and 203 221 18 0.22 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

(1) Reported intervals are not true width. At this time, there is insufficient data with respect to the shape of the mineralized system to calculate true orientations in space. They represent drill intersection widths from holes drilled at a dip of -45 to -85 degrees and oriented to the north-northeast. The Bayan Khundii mineralization is interpreted to be moderately dipping (approximately 40 to 50 degrees to the southwest).

For a complete table of results for all drilling by Erdene at Bayan Khundii in 2015, 2016 and to date in 2017, including the holes released today, please click here.

Southern Extension of Northeast Zone

Six, 80-metre spaced holes were completed over an area south and southwest of the Northeast Zone (BKD-160 to BKD-165). All holes except one (BKD-160) intersected the host silicified volcanic tuffs that are typical for Bayan Khundii, with four holes returning low-grade gold mineralization, including 0.1 to 0.3 g/t gold over 6 to 28 metre intervals. A closer spaced (40 metre) drill program will be completed in this area during Q3-2017 to evaluate continuity of mineralization from the Northeast Zone southwest to the Midfield Zone.

Hole BKD-122, located on the southern boundary of the Northeast Zone (reported on June 8, 2017), is located 100 metres northeast of the six holes discussed above, and returned 14 metres of 0.75 g/t gold from surface and 21 metres of 0.72 g/t gold at 63 metres vertical depth. In addition, two rock chip samples collected a further 600 metres to the northeast of BKD-122 (NE Extension prospect) returned gold assay values of 6.9 g/t and 0.4 g/t gold. The Company will complete additional drilling in this area in Q3-2017.

Going Forward - Q3-2017 Drill Program

The Q3 drill program at Bayan Khundii will focus on follow-up drilling around newly discovered, high-grade mineralization encountered in Q2-Q3 exploration and on exploring a series of geophysical and geological targets within the 2-kilometre by 1.8-kilometre Bayan Khundii target area. In advance of this drilling, additional geophysical work was completed in Q2-Q3 2017, including induced polarization dipole-dipole and ground magnetic surveys that have further defined these new target areas. Approximately 10,000 metres of drilling remains in the current 24,000 metre program. In addition to the on-going Bayan Khundii drill program, the Company will also complete regional drilling between Bayan Khundii and Altan Arrow and a follow-up drill program at its neighboring Altan Nar gold-polymetallic project, 16 kilometres northwest of Bayan Khundii. This work will have two objectives: 1) to follow up on the high-grade silver-gold-lead-zinc mineralization intersected during the Q4-2016 and Q2-2017 drill programs, and 2) to test targets generated from an expanded Q2-2017 geophysical survey that included a high-resolution ground magnetic survey that provides increased magnetic detail including areas of low magnetic response interpreted as altered mineralized zones where hydrothermal fluids resulted in magnetite-destruction within host lithologies, and results from a six-line, 12 kilometre, induced polarization dipole-dipole survey centred on the Discovery Zone.

In addition to the drilling work outlined above, the Company will also be conducting both regional structural analysis and detailed structural analysis of Bayan Khundii and Altan Nar projects. Petrographic analysis will also be completed on a suite of samples to provide additional information pertaining to the petrogenesis of the Company's projects. Additional interpretation of geophysical data, especially induced polarization and magnetic surveys results, will also be conducted by third party consultants using recently-generated physical property data for a representative suite of samples from the Bayan Khundii project.

Background on Bayan Khundii Gold Project

In Q2-2015, Erdene conducted an initial exploration program on the southern portion of the Company's 100%-owned Khundii exploration license in southwest Mongolia where an early rock-chip sampling program revealed multiple very high-grade surface quartz veins that returned up to 4,380 g/t gold. Since that time, drilling has revealed the presence of very high gold grades, with up to 306 g/t gold over 1-metre intervals, within broad mineralized envelopes, with up to 131 metres of 3.9 g/t gold, including 80 metres of 6.0 g/t gold. The Company has completed a comprehensive exploration program at Bayan Khundii that has included: geological mapping; soil geochemical surveys; additional surface rock chip sampling; a ground magnetic survey; gradient array and dipole-dipole induced polarization surveys; and the completion to date of 25,988 meters of drilling in 177 drill holes. In addition to this work, a series of detailed follow-up studies have also been completed, predominantly on drill core and minor surface outcrop, including: petrographic and mineralogical analyses; a fluid inclusion study; SEM gold composition analysis; Short-Wave Infra-Red Analysis (SWIR); structural analysis; and overall petrogenetic analysis. Detailed studies indicate the mineralized zones can be characterized as low-sulphidation, quartz-illite-adularia type mineralization that was presumably formed in a back-arc extensional environment.

In Q1-2016, the Company concluded preliminary metallurgical test work at Bayan Khundii, indicating that gravity concentration and cyanidation of the gravity tails yield very good overall gold recoveries for both high-grade and low-grade composites, yielding 99% gold recovery from the high-grade composite (24.9 g/t gold) and 92% gold recovery from the low-grade composite (0.7 g/t gold). Additional metallurgical work is underway with completion anticipated in Q3.

The Bayan Khundii license has a 2% net smelter returns royalty ("NSR Royalty") in favour of Sandstorm Gold Ltd. with a buy-back option to reduce the NSR Royalty to 1%.

Qualified Person and Sample Protocol

Michael MacDonald, P.Geo. (Nova Scotia), Vice President Exploration for Erdene, is the Qualified Person as that term is defined in National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this news release. All samples have been assayed at SGS Laboratory in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. In addition to internal checks by SGS Laboratory, the Company incorporates a QA/QC sample protocol utilizing prepared standards and blanks.

Erdene's sampling protocol for drill core consisted of collection of samples over 1 metre or 2 metre intervals (depending on the lithology and style of mineralization) over the entire length of the drill hole, excluding minor post-mineral lithologies and un-mineralized granitoids. Sample intervals were based on meterage, not geological controls or mineralization. All drill core was cut in half with a diamond saw, with half of the core placed in sample bags and the remaining half securely retained in core boxes at Erdene's Bayan Khundii exploration camp. All samples were organized into batches of 30 samples including a commercially prepared standard, blank, and either a field duplicate, consisting of two 1/4 core intervals, or a laboratory duplicate. Sample batches were periodically shipped directly to SGS in Ulaanbaatar via Erdene's logistical contractor, Monrud Co. Ltd.

About Erdene

Erdene Resource Development Corp. is a Canada-based resource company focused on the acquisition, exploration, and development of base and precious metals in underexplored and highly prospective Mongolia. The Company has four exploration licenses and a mining license in southwest Mongolia. In addition to the Bayan Khundii and Altan Nar projects, other deposits and prospects within these licenses include: Khuvyn Khar - an early-stage, copper-silver porphyry project with multiple drill targets and significant copper intersections; Nomin Tal - a narrow, high grade copper-gold discovery; Zuun Mod - a large molybdenum-copper porphyry deposit; and Altan Arrow - an early-stage gold-silver project. In addition to the above properties, the Company has an Alliance with Teck Resources Limited on regional copper-gold exploration in the prospective Trans Altai region of southwest Mongolia. For further information on the Company, please visit www.erdene.com. Erdene has 145,550,586 issued and outstanding common shares and a fully diluted position of 156,592,160 common shares.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain information regarding Erdene contained herein may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements may include estimates, plans, expectations, opinions, forecasts, projections, guidance or other statements that are not statements of fact. Although Erdene believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to have been correct. Erdene cautions that actual performance will be affected by many factors, most of which are beyond its control, and that future events and results may vary substantially from what Erdene currently foresees. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration results, continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. The forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The information contained herein is stated as of the current date and is subject to change after that date. The Company does not assume the obligation to revise or update these forward-looking statements, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.

NO REGULATORY AUTHORITY HAS APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED THE CONTENTS OF THIS RELEASE.

Contacts:

Erdene Resource Development Corporation

Peter C. Akerley, President and CEO, or

Ken W. MacDonald, Vice President and CFO

(902) 423-6419

info@erdene.com / www.erdene.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ErdeneRes




Technavio's latest market research report on the global admission management software marketprovides an analysis of the most important trends expected to impact the market outlook from 2017-2021. Technaviodefines an emerging trend as a factor that has the potential to significantly impact the market and contribute to its growth or decline.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170717005523/en/

Technavio has published a new report on the global admission management software market from 2017-2021. (Graphic: Business Wire)

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 top three emerging market trends driving the global admission management software marketaccording to Technavio research analysts are:

Increase in the integration of admission management software with CRM

Emergence of real-time tracking in admission management software

Emergence of admission management app

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.

Increase in the integration of admission management software with CRM

There is an increase in demand for integration of admission management software with customer relationship management (CRM) software. The integration offers a wide view of student interactions, from enrolments to alumni relations. Notifications will be sent through e-mail, SMS text, mobile apps, and social media. Further, with the addition of CRM to admission management software, the end-users can attract and retain students through their preferred communication channel and get a complete picture of their relationship with the university or institution.

"The integration of admission management software with CRM enables personalized attention to the prospective learner and maximizes the conversion of inquiries to enrolments. For the college and university staff, this will lead to a digital workflow moving the application process from one stage to the next, providing performance metrics and a collaborative platform," says Ishmeet Kaur, a lead analyst at Technavio for enterprise applicationresearch.

Emergence of real-time tracking in admission management software

Schools, colleges, and universities receive a huge amount of unstructured data from new students. Advanced analytical tools are required to get meaningful insights from this data. Admission management software helps institutions get real-time visibility into the entire admission recruitment process. It is always necessary to keep an eye on the student enrolments and their queries, which is possible through the real-time analytics feature provided by most of the vendors in the admission management software market.

"The real-time feature of the software also enables the institution to see how it is progressing with dashboards, prospect ratings, and direct recruitment strategies based on the criteria set by the institution. Creatrix Campus, ZAP, and Eduleap are some of the vendors that provide real-time tracking in admission management software," says Ishmeet.

Emergence of admission management app

With applicant information scattered in multiple systems, it can be difficult for the admission staff in colleges and universities to access applicant summaries to make timely admission-related decisions. The admission evaluation app makes it easy to take fast, well-informed admission-related decisions and gives visibility into the entire admission process. The emergence of admission management app in the market eases the process of admission.

Lexmark provides Lexmark Admissions Evaluation App that provides the admission staff with a single view of the student documents needed to process an application. The app provides mobile access to the applicant information and workflow, which allows faster decisions. The app can also be customized as per the needs of schools/universities.

Browse Related Reports:

Global Telemonitoring Systems Market 2017-2021

Global Stress Testing Market 2017-2021

Global OSS BSS 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/20170717005523/en/

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www.technavio.com
IRVINE, CA / ACCESSWIRE / July 17, 2017 / Khang & Khang LLP (the "Firm") announces a securities class action lawsuit against Snap Inc. ("Snap" or the "Company") (NYSE: SNAP). Investors who purchased or otherwise acquired shares (1) pursuant and/or traceable to the Company's initial public offering on or about March 2, 2017 (the "IPO"); and/or (2) on the open market from March 2, 2017 through June 6, 2017, inclusive (the "Class Period"), are encouraged to contact the Firm by the July 17, 2017 lead plaintiff motion deadline.

If you purchased shares of Snap during the IPO or 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 by 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 choose to take no action and remain a passive class member.

According to the Complaint, during the Class Period, Snap made false and/or misleading statements about its reported user growth. On May 10, 2017, post-market, the Company issued its first quarterly report as a public company, revealing disappointing user growth, being the slowest year-to-year growth rate in at least two years. When this information reached the public, Snap's stock price dropped materially, which harmed investors according to the Complaint. On May 16, 2017, a report was published stating that former Snap employee, Anthony Pompliano, filed a lawsuit against Snap, "claim[ing] he was fired after three weeks on the job for raising questions about allegedly false growth metrics [and] seeking whistleblower protection against retaliation by [the] company."

If you want to learn more about this lawsuit, or if you have 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.

Contact

Joon M. Khang, Esq.

Telephone: 949-419-3834

Facsimile: 949-225-4474

joon@khanglaw.com

SOURCE: Khang & Khang LLP
IRVINE, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 07/17/17 -- Cannabis Science, Inc. (OTC PINK: CBIS), a U.S. company specializing in the development of cannabinoid-based medicines, has found a California facility ideal for its large-scale manufacturing and product distribution center as it ramps up its efforts to supply cannabinoid medications in high-demand by self-medicating patients. As Nevada's Governor issues a Statement of Emergency due to the potential of limited cannabis availability, CBIS is actively looking for a similar facility in Nevada.

"We have found a perfect space for our initial, large-scale manufacturing and product distribution in California," stated Mr. Raymond C. Dabney, CBIS' President, CEO, and Co-founder. "We also have impeccable partners to assist in our rapidly moving, high-growth schedule. We now have access to the required machinery and expertise to begin the in-house manufacturing process." CBIS' experts will oversee operations to ensure that the Company's established protocols are flawlessly replicated. This type of manufacturing and distribution facility allows CBIS to distribute its products to patients faster, in much larger volumes, and in a very cost-effective manner. Being its own manufacturer and producer of the raw materials required for its manufacturing processes, CBIS will ensure that cost-effective standards are applied to the production of its current products, including pills, extracts, creams, tinctures, and sprays. CBIS' quality assurance program will also be applied to the development and distribution of new and exciting products that can be developed and released on demand for self-medicating patients.

A new opportunity has appeared and CBIS believes that this augers well for the future. Nevada's governor has endorsed a Statement of Emergency declared for marijuana regulations, after the state's tax authority declared that many stores are running out of marijuana and cannabinoid products. The Nevada Tax Commission said in a statement that it will consider emergency regulations to provide a structure for marijuana distribution to retailers. Based on reports of adult-use, marijuana sales have already far exceeded the industry's expectations at the state's 47 licensed retail marijuana dispensaries. Given that many stores are running out of inventory, the Department must address the lack of distributors immediately.

"We have considerable land holdings in Nevada through our partnerships and we see this as an outstanding opportunity for us to speed up our cultivation efforts in Nevada. This huge demand will help us achieve our goals of becoming a large-scale producer in Nevada. This supply concern should help accelerate our approvals for licensing and help us begin new product sales in Nevada in the very near future," concluded Mr. Dabney.

About Cannabis Science, Inc.

Cannabis Science, Inc. takes advantage of its unique understanding of metabolic processes to provide novel treatment approaches to a number of illnesses for which current treatments and understanding remain unsatisfactory. Cannabinoids have an extensive history dating back thousands of years, and currently, there are a growing number of peer-reviewed scientific publications that document the underlying biochemical pathways that cannabinoids modulate. The Company works with leading experts in drug development, medicinal characterization, and clinical research to develop, produce, and commercialize novel therapeutic approaches for the treatment for illnesses caused by infections as well as for age-related illness. Our initial focus is on skin cancers, HIV/AIDS, and neurological conditions. The Company is proceeding with the research and development of its proprietary drugs as a part of this initial focus: CS-S/BCC-1, CS-TATI-1, and CS-NEURO-1, respectively.

Forward-Looking Statements

This Press Release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Act of 1934. A statement containing 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. Some or all of the events or results anticipated by these forward-looking statements may not occur. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include 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. Cannabis Science, Inc., does not undertake any duty nor does it intend to update the results of these forward-looking statements. Safe Harbor Statement. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a 'safe harbor' for forward looking statements. Certain of the statements contained herein, which are not historical facts are forward looking statements with respect to events, the occurrence of which involved risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements may be impacted, either positively or negatively, by various factors. Information concerning potential factors that could affect the company is detailed from time to time in the company's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Cannabis Science, Inc.

Dr. Allen Herman

Chief Medical Officer (CMO)

allen.herman@cannabisscience.com

Tel: 1-888-263-0832



Cannabis Science, Inc.

Mr. Raymond C. Dabney

President & CEO, Co-Founder

raymond.dabney@cannabisscience.com

Tel: 1-888-263-0832




CINCINNATI (dpa-AFX) - Activist investor Nelson Peltz Monday announced his plans to seek a a board seat at Procter & Gamble. In a regulatory filing, Trian Fund Management L.P., Peltz's investment funds which own about $3.3 billion of shares of Procter & Gamble, said Peltz will seek election to P&G's Board of Directors at the 2017 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. 'As one of P&G's largest shareholders, and given P&G's disappointing results over the past decade, Trian has a keen interest in helping the Company address the challenges it is facing,' the filing said. Trian said that Procter & Gamble requires to curb cut costs and trim its bureaucracy in order to improve its performance. Trian said its analysis shows that P&G's $10 billion cost-cutting program, launched in 2012, has had no discernible impact on profits or sales growth. In an effort to improve its profit, P&G has sold unprofitable brands, including 41 beauty brands to Coty and has turned its focus on its core brands including Tide, Pampers and Gillette. Trian believes that Peltz's significant expertise and long track record of working successfully with management teams and boards to turn around consumer companies and drive sustainable long-term shareholder value will be invaluable to P&G as it works to overcome its challenges. 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.
DUBLIN, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

The "Engineering Services Outsourcing (ESO) Market Analysis By Application (Aerospace, Automotive, Construction, Semiconductor, Pharmaceutical, Telecom), By Location, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2014 - 2025" report has been added to Research and Markets' offering.

The Global engineering services outsourcing (ESO) market is expected to reach USD 1.49 trillion by 2025

ESO providers play a crucial role in providing mechanical, technical, and software support to their clients. Due to the growing complexity of product designing, prototyping, visual designing and engineering, and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), the role of ESO vendors has become crucial to OEMs.

The engineering services outsourcing business was primarily aggregated under the Information Technology (IT) or the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry. However, due to rapid technological advancement and growing demand, the ESO segment has evolved to expand its operation in the telecom, aerospace, automotive, healthcare, and other major verticals by spending heavily on product development and offering engineering expertise across various industries.

Multinationals based in the U.S., UK, Germany, France, and Japan among other developed nations are outsourcing services to countries such as India which provide skillful resources at lower prices.

The threat of Intellectual Property (IP) confidentiality breach is a barrier to the growing ESO demand. Companies have to be very vigilant to avoid IP theft, especially in a few offshore locations where prosecuting firms who allegedly misuse patents and confidential data is perceived as a difficult task due to the prevalent legal enforcements. IP theft results in significant losses for the business. As a result, the companies may not wish to share confidential data with engineering service providers.

The key industry participants include EPAM Systems, Inc., GlobalLogic, Infosys Limited, HCL Technologies Limited, Luxoft, QuEST Global Services Pte. Ltd., Tech Mahindra Limited, Wipro Limited, and Tata Consultancy Services Limited

Further key findings from the report suggest:



- Growing at a CAGR of around 30% over the forecast period, the offshore ESO segment is expected to account for a greater revenue share of the total market by 2025

- In 2016, the estimated size of the onshore ESO segment was around USD 70 billion

- The aerospace, consumer electronics, and telecom ESO segments are expected to witness a robust growth

- The aerospace ESO segment is expected to account for over 13% of the total revenue share by 2025 and is projected to be the fastest-growing over the forecast period

- Asia Pacific accounted for the largest market share of the global ESO industry in 2016; China, India, Vietnam, and the Philippines were the most sought after global outsourcing destinations



Key Topics Covered:



1. Methodology and Scope



2. Executive Summary



3. ESO Industry Outlook



4. ESO Application Estimates & Trend Analysis



5. ESO Location Type Estimates & Trend Analysis



6. ESO Regional Estimates & Trend Analysis



7. Competitive Landscape



Altair Engineering, Inc.

Alten GmbH

Altran Technologies S.A

Aricent Group

ASAP Holding GmbH

AVL List GmbH

Bertrandt

Cybage Software Pvt. Ltd.

EDAG Engineering GmbH

EPAM Systems Inc.

ESG Elektroniksystem- und Logistik-GmbH

FEV Group

Gigatronik Stuttgart GmbH

GlobalLogic Inc.

HCL Technologies Limited

HORIBA, Ltd.

IAV GmbH

Infosys Limited

ITK Engineering GmbH

Kistler Instrumente AG

Luxoft

MBtech Group GmbH & Co. KGaA

Mindfire Solutions

Mindtree Ltd.

MR Plan GmbH

P+Z Engineering GmbH

P3 Automotive GmbH

QuEST Global Services Pte. Ltd.

RLE International, Inc.

Sonata Software

Tata Consultancy Services Limited

Tata Elxsi Limited

Tech Mahindra Limited

Wipro Limited

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/8d9hkl/engineering

Media Contact:

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
The top auto parts manufacturers in the US are paving the way for consistent and increasing growth rates for the auto parts industry. According to recent figures obtained by BizVibe, the overall auto parts market in the US, has surpassed US$70 billion in revenue since 2016. The global auto industry's backbone the US auto parts manufacturing industry, has been led by few major vendors that continues to innovate and adapt.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170717006130/en/

BizVibe Announces Their List of the Top 10 Auto Parts Manufacturers in the US (Graphic: Business Wire)

BizVibe is home to more than 54,000 automobile components and spares parts companies around the world, including many in the US. In a recent article titled Top 10 Auto Parts Manufacturers in the US, BizVibe discusses the top vendors in the US' booming auto components industry. Here are some of the leading auto parts manufacturers in the US:

1. Dana Inc.

Dana Incorporated is one of the largest American worldwide suppliers of drivetrain, sealing, and thermal-management technologies for the auto industry. Founded in 1904 and headquartered in Maumee, Ohio, the company employs more than 23,000 people in 25 countries. Dana Incorporated products have helped drive some of history's greatest vehicles from the Model T and the World War II-era Jeep, to London taxicabs, 18-wheel rigs, giant earth-moving machines, and every car on the NASCAR racing circuit.

2. Lear

Lear Corporation is ranked #151 on the Fortune 500 with world-class products designed, engineered, and manufactured by a diverse team of talented employees. As a leading supplier of automotive seating and electricals, Lear serves its customers with global capabilities while maintaining individual commitment. With headquarters in Southfield, Michigan, Lear maintains 257 locations in 38 countries around the globe and employs approximately 156,000 employees.

3. Tenneco

Tenneco is one of the world's leading auto parts manufacturers and distributors of Clean Air and Ride Performance products and technology solutions for diversified markets, including light vehicle, commercial truck, off-highway equipment and the aftermarket. Headquartered in Lake Forest, Illinois, Tenneco has 31,000 employees working in 91 manufacturing facilities and 15 engineering and technical centres around the world.

4. BorgWarner

BorgWarner Inc is one of the largest components and parts suppliers in the global automotive industry. It is primarily known for its automotive powertrain products for light vehicles, medium heavy-duty vehicles, off-Highway, and aftermarket. BorgWarner has now over 27,000 employees working in its 62 facilities in 17 countries.

5. Visteon

Visteon Corporation is a leading global automotive supplier that designs, engineers and manufactures innovative electronic products, especially automotive cockpit electronics for vehicle manufacturers. Visteon supplies its products to many world's largest car brands, including Ford, Renault/Nissan, Mazda, BMW, GM, Honda, PSA, JLR, VW, Daimler and others.

Read the entire list of Top 10 Auto Parts Manufacturers in the US on BizVibe

BizVibe is home to over seven million companies across 700+ industries, including 107,000 companies in the packaging industry worldwide. Using BizVibe's platform, users can generate leads, shortlist prospects, network with businesses from around the world, and trade seamlessly. The BizVibe platform allows you to discover the highest quality leads and make meaningful connections with companies of interest, all in real-time. Claim your company profile for freeand let BizVibe connect you with potential business partners. To make things as simple as possible, use the BizVibe Chatbot to create new business opportunities

About BizVibe

The single-minded focus of BizVibe's platform is to make networking easier. Over the years, we've searched far and wide to figure out how businesses connect and enable trade. That first interaction is usually fraught with the uncertainty of finding a potential partner vs. a potential nightmare. With this in mind, we've designed a robust set of tools to help companies generate leads, shortlist prospects, network with businesses from around the world and trade seamlessly.

BizVibe is headquartered in Toronto, and has offices in London, Bangalore and Beijing. For more information on the BizVibe network, please contact us

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170717006130/en/

Contacts:

Sony Gomes

BizVibe Media Marketing Executive

media@bizvibe.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.
CALGARY, ALBERTA and VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 07/17/17 -- The Western Canada Alliance of Wall and Ceiling Contractors ("Alliance") today released an open letter sent to Ministers Bill Morneau and Chrystia Freeland imploring them to resolve the issue of the crippling anti-dumping tariffs on U.S. imports of gypsum (aka drywall) in Western Canada.

The Alliance letter explains why it feels abandoned by the Trudeau government and frustrated with being forced to absorb a massive 43 per cent anti-dumping tariff on U.S. drywall. It requests the government resolve the gypsum issue not only because it benefits Western Canadian consumers and the livelihoods of its members but because it is essential to negotiating a favourable agreement for the Canadian softwood lumber industry and advancing Canada's position in the NAFTA negotiations. The letter comes as the U.S. government today released their list of negotiating objectives for NAFTA modernization.

The letter further outlines:

-- How the government's misguided "bargaining chip" trade negotiation strategy to ignore the implementation of a duty holiday on its own people, leaves the issue unresolved, and creates a roadblock in softwood lumber negotiations with the U.S. -- This issue now has the attention of the U.S. government. The Alliance testified before the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) at its June 2017 NAFTA consultation hearings in Washington. The panel was alarmed and surprised by the hypocrisy of the Canadian government when the Alliance explained it had been harmed by duties imposed on U.S. imported gypsum board. Our government was offering the same argument made against Canadian imports into the U.S. of softwood lumber and the harm on U.S. homebuilders. -- From the perspective of the Trump Administration, Canada has now imposed extreme duties on U.S. gypsum manufacturers, created a monopoly for a French-owned company, and now other foreign countries are entering the Canadian market to fill the void left by the U.S. -- The contractors' financial situation is worse today than it was in Fall 2016. Anti-dumping duties have devastated the economics of the industry's standard, fixed-price contracts. Over the last six months, the Alliance estimates Western Canada's 100 largest commercial drywallers (combined) have been forced to absorb over $20 million in unanticipated duty costs. Further imperiling their financial situation is a 6 per cent increase in U.S. drywall pricing announced on July 6. -- The Alliance's appeal to the Ministers to implement the duty holiday recommended by the Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT) on U.S.- imported gypsum into Western Canada. This will allow for the following: -- the contractors can clear out their fixed-price contracts during the height of this summer's building season; -- allows the government to take this issue off the softwood lumber and NAFTA negotiation tables; and -- is a win-win for both the Western Canadian drywall contractors and the Canadian softwood lumber industry. Open Letter: The Honourable Bill Morneau, P.C., M.P. Minister of Finance Department of Finance Canada 90 Elgin Street Ottawa, ON K1A 0G5 The Honourable Chrystia Freeland, P.C., M.P. Minister of Foreign Affairs House of Commons Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6

July 17, 2017

Dear Minister Morneau and Minister Freeland:

As Canada closes its NAFTA modernization consultation period, the United States releases its list of negotiating objectives for NAFTA, and our two countries seek to resolve the perennial softwood lumber dispute, we ask you to reconsider the predicament of the construction industry in Western Canada. This may derail all of Canada's interests in its trade discussions with the U.S.

The Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT) ruled in February that Canadian duties of 200 per cent on imports of U.S. made gypsum (drywall) imposed by the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) in September 2016 were against the public interest. The CITT reviewed the duties, reduced them to 43 per cent and ordered a duty holiday that would expire at the end of July (i.e. this building season). This duty holiday would allow Canada's construction community to work through fixed priced and long-term contracts with U.S. suppliers. This would alleviate the damage caused to Western Canadian consumers.

We, The Western Canada Alliance of Wall and Ceiling Contractors (the "Alliance") feel unsupported by our federal government given your refusal to enact the duty holiday. As a result, over the last six months we estimate that Western Canada's 100 largest commercial drywallers have been forced to absorb over $20 million in unanticipated duties. Despite our repeated requests that you enact our duty holiday nothing has changed.

To compound the issue, U.S. manufactured drywall prices have increased in Western Canada by six per cent as of July 6. The entire cross border supply chain is reacting to the heavier duties on gypsum, now competing with the monopoly the Trudeau Government has granted to a French-owned company manufacturing in Canada. These higher costs will ultimately have to be passed on to the Canadian consumer. And we know this issue will be moving to Eastern Canada in the coming months.

Additionally, the issue of duties imposed on U.S. imports of gypsum board is being used in what we believe is a misguided "bargaining chip" strategy in Canada's softwood lumber negotiations and NAFTA modernization. This approach threatens the possibility of reaching favourable results in each of these proceedings. Specifically, in the softwood lumber dispute, the Canadian government argues that duties on softwood lumber imports into the U.S. will hurt U.S. homebuilders. The hypocrisy of this argument is apparent when it is Canadian contractors who have been blind-sided by their own government with heavier duties found by the CITT to be against the Canadian public interest.

This issue now has the attention of the U.S. government. We recently presented our concerns to the U.S. Trade Representative at its NAFTA modernization consultation hearings in Washington. We never wanted to be caught in these larger trade discussions, nor have to appeal to the U.S. government to bring awareness to our distress - it was the repeated failure of the Government of Canada to award the recommended relief that has caused us to pursue our only remaining recourse. The panel was clearly alarmed during the hearing and in follow-up meetings to learn that we have been harmed by trade duties imposed by our own government on our purchases of U.S. exported gypsum. We explained that our predicament is the same as Canada's argument against U.S. softwood lumber duties, which purportedly harm U.S. homebuilders. Of greater concern to U.S. interests, is the issue of alternate drywall supply now coming into Canada from foreign countries such as Mexico. From the perspective of the Trump Administration, Canada imposed extreme duties on U.S. gypsum manufacturers, created a monopoly for a French-owned company manufacturing in Canada, and now other foreign countries are entering the Canadian market to fill the void left by the U.S.

We wish to be clear: we stand in solidarity with the softwood lumber industry. It is important for Canadians to appreciate that the government's current trade negotiation strategy abandoning the duty holiday recommended by the CITT to protect the Canadian public leaves this issue unresolved and Canada's trade position vulnerable. We are simply asking you to impose the recommended relief that, in turn, will assist our fellow Canadians in the softwood lumber and NAFTA negotiations.

With regard to the NAFTA, the failure to implement this public interest relief significantly weakens Canada's negotiating position on dispute resolution issues such as Chapter 19. Chapter 19 is needed to avoid the unfairness of domestic U.S. trade tribunals. The U.S. has noted that Canada's claims are questionable. This is because Canadian contractors cannot get relief from their own government even where Canadian trade tribunals have recognized the imposition of duties is against the Canadian public interest.

Last week when our Prime Minister addressed U.S. governors in Rhode Island, he urged them to stand with Canada ahead of NAFTA renegotiation talks for the sake of both economies. He said protectionism hurts "the very workers these measures are normally intended to protect." He added, "once we travel down that road, it can quickly become a cycle of tit-for-tat, a race to the bottom, where all sides lose."

"Gypsum for Softwood" is that very kind of hypocrisy and vicious cycle of protectionism. Implicit in that statement is that policymakers such as you should make the straightforward decisions when they are as clear as those presented to you in this matter. Resolve our issue as recommended by the Canadian International Trade Tribunal and move on to serving the interests of Canada in softwood lumber and NAFTA negotiations.

This is an open letter that will be circulated to the media.

Respectfully,

Dan Ujczo,

Counsel to The Western Canada Alliance of Wall and Ceiling Contractors.

About The Western Canada Alliance of Wall and Ceiling Contractors

The Alliance membership includes small and medium size businesses in Western Canada who are in the business of acquiring and installing drywall in various commercial, institutional and residential applications. Alliance members employ installers and tradespeople in the construction sector across Western Canada. Find the Alliance online on Facebook - @westerncanadaallianceofwallandceilingcontractors or on Twitter - @wcawcc.

Contacts:

Colleen Finnegan

Finnegan Communications

416.618.4605

colleen@finneganpr.ca



Fiona Johnston

Finnegan Communications

647.466.6769

fiona@finneganpr.ca




TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 07/17/17 -- Aberdeen International Inc. ("Aberdeen" or the "Company") (TSX: AAB) reports, in accordance with the policies of the Toronto Stock Exchange, that the nominees listed in the management proxy circular dated June 14, 2017 for the 2017 annual and special meeting of shareholders of Aberdeen (the "Meeting") were elected as directors of the Company. Shareholders at the annual meeting also approved the appointment of the Company's auditors and the renewal of the Company's stock option plan. Aberdeen management would like to thank shareholders for their participation and continuing support.

Detailed results of the vote for the election of directors held at the Meeting on July 13, 2017 in Toronto, Ontario are set out below.

Election of Directors

The shareholders approved the election as directors of the persons listed below, based on the following vote.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Percentage of Percentage of Nominee Votes For Votes Withheld ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Stan Bharti 98.33% 1.67% ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- George Faught 98.57% 1.43% ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bernard Wilson 98.58% 1.42% ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Maurice Colson 98.57% 1.43% ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- General Lewis MacKenzie 98.81% 1.19% ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

NORMAL COURSE ISSUER BID

The Company is renewing its Normal Course Issuer Bid ("NCIB"), subject to Toronto Stock Exchange ("Exchange") approval, to buy back its common shares through the facilities of the Exchange. Any purchases made pursuant to the NCIB will be made in accordance with the rules of the Exchange and in some instances may be effected through alternative Canadian trading systems and will be made at the market price of the common shares at the time of the acquisition.

The board of directors of Aberdeen believes that the underlying value of the Company is not reflected in the current market price of its common shares, and may not be so reflected at certain times during the course of the NCIB, and has thus concluded that the repurchase and cancellation of common shares pursuant to the proposed NCIB presently constitutes an appropriate use of financial resources and would be in the best interest of Aberdeen shareholders.

The maximum number of common shares that may be purchased for cancellation pursuant to the NCIB is that number of common shares that represents 10% of the common shares in the public float. Based on the 62,786,282 common shares in the public float as at July 11, 2017, the maximum number of shares to be purchased and cancelled would be 6,278,628. Aberdeen notes that the number of its shares in the public float is less than the 88,912,282 total basic issued and outstanding Aberdeen common shares as of July 11, 2017 because the public float number does not include 26,126,000 common shares held by Aberdeen reporting insiders. Daily purchases will be limited to 16,608 common shares other than block purchase exceptions. This number represents 25% of the average daily trading volume for the six-month period from January 2017 to June 2017 being 66,433 common shares. The actual number of common shares that would be purchased, if any, and the timing of such purchases will be determined by Aberdeen considering market conditions, share price, its cash position, and other factors including other investment opportunities. Aberdeen had a previous NCIB, which terminated effective March 9, 2017, pursuant to which Aberdeen purchased 6,616,846 securities at a weighted average price of $0.18.

Purchases under the NCIB are permitted to commence on July 20, 2017 and will terminate on July 19, 2018 or the date upon which the maximum number of common shares have been purchased by Aberdeen pursuant to the NCIB. There cannot be any assurance as to how many common shares, if any, will ultimately be acquired by Aberdeen under the NCIB. Aberdeen intends that any shares acquired pursuant to the NCIB will be cancelled.

Aberdeen will make no purchases of common shares other than open market purchases that may be made during the period that the NCIB is outstanding.

ABOUT ABERDEEN INTERNATIONAL

Aberdeen International is a global resource investment company and merchant bank focused on small capitalization companies in the mining and metals sector.

For additional information, please visit our website at www.aberdeeninternational.ca and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and check out Aberdeen's YouTube Channel.

Cautionary Notes

This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, without limitation, statements regarding the election of directors and purchases proposed to be made under the NCIB. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including risks inherent in the mining industry and risks described in the public disclosure of the Company which is available under the profile of the Company on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on the Company's website at www.aberdeeninternational.com. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

Contacts:

Stan Bharti

Interim Chief Executive Officer

Aberdeen International Inc.

stan@forbesmanhattan.com

+1 416-861-2267




CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 07/17/17 -- Trican Well Service Ltd. ("Trican") (TSX: TCW) intends to release its Second Quarter 2017 results on Thursday, August 10, 2017 after the close of the market.

The Company will host a conference call on Friday, August 11, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. MT (12:00 p.m. ET) to discuss the Company's results for the 2017 Second Quarter.

To listen to the webcast of the conference call, please enter: http://edge.media-server.com/m/p/wyp3ezg8 in your web browser or visit the Investors section of our website at www.tricanwellservice.com/investors and click on "Reports".

To participate in the Q&A session, please call the conference call operator at 1-844-358-9180 (North America) or 478-219-0187 (outside North America) 15 minutes prior to the call's start time and ask for the "Trican Well Service Ltd. Second Quarter 2017 Earnings Results Conference Call".

The conference call will be archived on Trican's website at www.tricanwellservice.com/investors.

Headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Trican provides a comprehensive array of specialized products, equipment and services that are used during the exploration and development of oil and gas reserves.

Contacts:

Dale Dusterhoft

Chief Executive Officer

ddusterhoft@trican.ca



Michael Baldwin

Senior Vice President & CFO

mbaldwin@trican.ca



(403) 266-0202

2900, 645 - 7th Avenue S.W.

Calgary, Alberta T2P 4G8

(403) 237-7716 (FAX)

www.tricanwellservice.com




Icertis Contract Management Platform to Replace Disparate Legacy Systems with Intuitive, Enterprise-Wide Contracting Solution

FRANKFURT, Germany and BELLEVUE, Washington, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --Icertis, the leading provider of enterprise contract management in the cloud, today announced that BASF SE, the world's leading chemical company, has selected the Icertis Contract Management (ICM) platform to serve as the foundation for BASF's modernization of its global contracting processes. This forward-looking initiative will help accelerate contracting velocity across BASF's world-wide sales and corporate teams, increase visibility through a single easy-to-use, enterprise-wide contracting system, and ensure compliance.

"At BASF we are committed, through science and innovation, to enabling our customers to meet the current and future needs of society," said Matthew Lepore, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer of BASF Corporation and sponsor of the project. "The Icertis platform's ease of use and intelligent insights will help us optimize the value of our commercial relationships, increase contracting efficiencies, and help reduce contractual risk."

The fast pace of the chemical business meant that BASF wanted to transform its contracting processes to serve the company's customers more efficiently. BASF selected Icertis' intelligent, cloud-based platform due to its intuitive user interface, support for all types of contracts, ease of deployment and ability to adapt to changing requirements. With the ICM platform, BASF will be able to easily create and modify workflows, automate its contracting processes and ensure greater visibility into contractual obligations and deviations.

"As BASF looks to build a sustainable future with their customers, we are thrilled to help them build a sustainable, future looking approach to contract management," said Samir Bodas, Co-founder and CEO of Icertis. "BASF's selection of Icertis further establishes our leadership in the manufacturing space and global leadership in enterprise contract management. We look forward to partnering with BASF on their transformation journey over the next decade."

Thorsten Herrmann, General Manager Enterprise und Partner Group, Microsoft Germany said, "The Icertis Contract Management platform built on Microsoft Azure is powering BASF to reinvent contract management as they create chemistry for a sustainable future. The combination of Icertis and Azure provides an innovative, scalable cloud solution that enables companies to digitally transform their foundation of commerce."

Icertis Opens New Frankfurt Office

Icertis also announced the opening of a new Frankfurt office to serve customers like BASF and Daimler, continuing Icertis' rapid growth in EMEA. The office will be led by Martin Mohr, VP and General Manager of EMEA, and serve as the company's European headquarters. Icertis' Frankfurt office will be the company's seventh office, and third in EMEA including Zurich and Stuttgart.

More than 1+ million subscribers trust Icertis to manage over 3.5+ million contracts in more than 90+ countries and 40+ languages. For more information about the Icertis Contract Management platform, visit www.icertis.com.

About Icertis

Icertis, the leading provider of enterprise contract management in the cloud, solves the hardest contract management problems on the easiest to use platform. Icertis helps companies transform their commercial foundation increasing compliance, improving governance, mitigating risk and enhancing user productivity, thereby maximizing ROI and accelerating time to value. The Icertis Contract Management (ICM) platform is used by 1+ million users at companies like 3M, Becton Dickinson, Cognizant, Daimler, and Microsoft, to manage 3.5+ million contracts in 40+ languages across 90+ countries. For more information, visit www.icertis.com .

Icertis Media Contact:

Sarah Nickell

Barokas Public Relations for Icertis

icertis@barokas.com

303-895-5673

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/371539/picture1_Logo.jpg
CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 07/17/17 -- Raise Production Inc. (TSX VENTURE: RPC) ("Raise" or the "Company") announces award of Australian Patent.

Horizontal Wellbore Production System

The Company is pleased to announce that it has received the Australian patent for its Horizontal Wellbore Production System (the "System"). The patent grant legally protects the intellectual property for a number of method claims for the System in that country. The Australian patent is in addition to the Canadian Patent received previously and once again validates the uniqueness of the System and the process of producing horizontal wellbores with multiple pumps.

This is the first international patent award for the System. The Company is well into the patent process with its system and method applications and has had positive feedback in all of the additional eight international regions where the application is in process including the United States. The Australian patent is particularly valuable as the Company has been in initial discussions with E & P companies in that country over the last few months for both the System and the High Angle Lift Solution ("HALS").

About Raise Production Inc.

The Company is an innovative oilfield service company that focuses its efforts on the production service sector, utilizing its proprietary products to enhance and increase ultimate production in both conventional and unconventional horizontal oil and gas wells.

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 news release.

This news release contains certain forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from these anticipated in such statements.

Contacts:

Eric Laing

President and Chief Executive Officer

elaing@raiseproduction.com



Susan Scullion

Chief Financial Officer

sscullion@raiseproduction.com



Raise Production Inc.

2620-58th Avenue S.E.

Calgary, Alberta T2C 1G5

(403) 699-7675

www.raiseproduction.com




DUBLIN, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

The "North America HVAC Contained Server Market - Forecast to 2022" report has been added to Research and Markets' offering.

The North America Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Contained Server Market size is expected to grow from USD 634.8 million in 2017 to USD 1.5 billion by 2022.



The market is driven by factors, such as proliferation of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and startups; significant cost savings achieved by server owners; and rapid deployment and construction period. However, HVAC contained server vendors face various obstacles, such as less awareness about the technology and manufacturing the HVAC contained server cabinets according to varying rack size and volume.



There has been an increasing demand for servers that support high-intensity computing, specifically for Internet of Things (IoT) and edge computing. In addition, with the rapid growth in data and server traffic, mobile devices, and social media among customers, the demand for efficiently cooled servers has grown exponentially. They are scalable servers, providing high performance for mission-critical applications. As they are high-end systems providing excellent performance, the cooling needs of these servers are also greater compared to lesser Rack Unit (RU) servers.



Among the countries taken into consideration for the study, Canada is expected to witness the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The ever-increasing internet penetration, due to improvement in wireless infrastructure, is expected to drive the demand for HVAC contained servers. With more and more businesses in Canada coming online, these businesses would require local data storage systems with inbuilt cooling solutions, which would be effectively catered to by HVAC contained server vendors. The country's various government initiatives for startups, along with the existence of world-class universities, have created a successful startup ecosystem in Canada.



SMEs are responsible for employing more than 90% of Canada's workforce, and the SME's contribution to the Canadian economy is around 30%, which effectively portrays the huge SME culture in the country. Since, SMEs and startups are the major customers of HVAC contained servers, they are expected to fuel the market growth in Canada.

Companies Mentioned



Black Box Corporation

Crenlo

EIC Solutions, Inc.

Hitachi Systems

Karis Technologies Inc.

Rackmount Solutions

Schneider Electric Se

Stulz GmbH

Tripp Lite

Vertiv Co.



Key Topics Covered:



1 Introduction



2 Research Methodology



3 Executive Summary



4 Premium Insights



5 Market Overview



6 North America HVAC Contained Server Market Analysis, By Form Factor



7 Market Analysis, By Cooling Capacity



8 Market Analysis, By Organization Size



9 North America HVAC Contained Server Market Analysis, By Vertical



10 Geographic Analysis



11 Competitive Landscape



12 Company Profiles



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/kkqxzj/north_america

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com



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MANILA, Philippines, July 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

~ 5 lucky winners will be awarded a small business worth 150,000 pesos each and 42 customers will win 10,000 pesos ~

Xpress Money, one of the world's most dependable money transfer brands, has launched 'Win your dreams', an exclusive campaign for its customers based in the Philippines, in association with M Lhuillier. The companies are giving 5 of their lucky customers a chance to win a Pangkabuhayan Showcase, a small business worth 150,000 pesos each. These customers will get the opportunity to start their own business and thereby contribute to the earnings of their families. This will also ease out the responsibilities of their loved ones abroad to an extent, who are striving overseas to give their families a better life back home in the Philippines.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151023/279887LOGO )



The campaign began on July 1st, 2017 and will be on till August 11th , 2017. During this time, all customers who receive money through Xpress Money at any M Lhuillier location will be enrolled for the lucky draw for a chance to win big. In addition to the 5 lucky winners who will win a small business worth 150,000 pesos each at the end of the campaign, there will also be weekly winners announced, who will win 10,000 pesos each. In total, 42 customers will stand a chance to win 10,000 pesos each through the campaign.

Xpress Money believes in giving back to society through different sustainable initiatives, is offering Filipino customers a chance to improve their lives with an initial backing that will help them build and sustain their livelihood.

"The Philippines is a very important market for Xpress Money, and we're constantly looking at ways to create value in the lives of our customers. Through this initiative, we aim to empower our customers by providing them with a unique business opportunity, through which they can support the monetary needs of their families and enhance their lifestyle. We encourage all our customers in the Philippines to make the most of this opportunity by using Xpress Money's services, so that they can avail the offer and stand a chance of winning the grand prize," said Ashwin Gedam, Vice President, Global Marketing, Xpress Money.

"Tulay ng PaMLyang Pilipinois a promise of service we make to the millions of loyal M Lhuillier customers who depend on us. Our partnership with Xpress Money aims to deliver on that promise, as we provide OFW's an added facility to send remittances to their loved ones here in the country. We are happy to be part of the success of each Filipino family in their journey, as they stand to win apangakabuhayanshowcase. This is a valuable prize that will help sustain their lives," said Malou Rocha, marketing manager of M Lhuillier Financial Services.
By leveraging that specific phenomen called Uberization, which has already brought to us services trying to satisfy the needs generated by large sharing economy-based ecosystems, HyreCar, a US based startup, has launched a marketplace offering flexible car rental options for ride sharing drivers working on platforms such as Uber and Lyft.

Given this simple introduction, we want to try to describe what HyreCar is and how and where it works.

What is it?

HyreCar operates a car rental marketplace for Uber or Lyft ridesharing drivers and car owners to connect and to form mutually beneficial and profitable partnerships with no contracts, no sign up fees and no waiting involved.

The Problem

Both Uber and Lyft, the two largest ridesharing companies in the USA, offer drivers the opportunity to give lifts to people across their cities either full time or in their spare time. In order to do it, they should qualify to join by meeting some Uber and Lyft requirements. These requirements are related to both the driver and the car. On one hand, for drivers, these include the age, experience, and driving record. On the other hand, car requirements are more difficult to meet, especially in the Lyft case.

In a previous article (read it here), we highlighted that nearly 24% of drivers for services such as Uber and Lyft dont have access to qualified vehicles while many personal cars remain in garages.

To help drivers solve the problem, HyreCar operates a website and mobile app to rent cars from owners by the day, week, or month to drive for on-demand service companies such as Uber and Lyft (Postmates and more).

The solution: how does it work for drivers?

1) Drivers who want to use HyreCar can sign up with Facebook, Google, or via email. The service wil then verify a users ridesharing status and eligibility in order to become an approved driver.

2) In order to find a car, drivers enter their location and desired dates and browse the site for privately-owned vehicles.

3) They can click the Book Now button to request the vehicle with owners having 24 hours to confirm or deny a request.

4) Drivers can also skip the wait and book cars instantly for listings that have the Instant Book feature.

5) Drivers can arrange pickup time with the car owner.

6) They can download insurance, registration, and vehicle inspection documents, upload those to their ridesharing portal, confirm the damage waiver, and present a license.

7) They can turn their ridesharing app on and start working.

8) When driving has come to an end, Drivers can give the keys back and rate the service in order to build solid relationships in the community.

The solution: how does it work for car owners?

1) Car owners can start getting the vehicle inspected, uploading their registration along with photos.

2) They will be notified when a driver wishes to rent their car.

3) They should respond to the request ASAP in order to get to know the driver who requested the car.

4) They organize when and where to drop off the car.

5) They confirm vehicle condition, note gas and mileage, and click the confirm pick up button.

6) The car is protected under a ride-sharing insurance and roadside assistance is available.

7) They organize when and where to drop off the car.

Where is Hyrecar avalable?

The marketplace, which also provides specific support for drivers, owners to report accident or damage and insurance policies, is currently available in 28 states across the US, with new markets opening up each month. Among others, it operates in large cities such as Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, and Washington DC, with more to come soon.

Key People

 Joe Furnari, CEO & CFO

 Abhi Arora, COO, and

 a team of over 10 people in total.

FinSMEs

17/07/2017
New Delhi: Profit-making Air India Express is preparing a 10-year vision document as it looks at expanding its fleet and flying to more foreign destinations, a senior airline official said.

The plan is being prepared amid the government working on a road map for disinvestment in Air India, the debt laden parent of the low-cost carrier which remains bullish on growth prospects.

While the national carrier has been in the red for long, AI Express remained in the black for second consecutive year, posting Rs 296.7 crore net profit in 2016-17. "It is business as usual" and the the airline would keep growing, Air India Express CEO K Shyam Sundar said in response to queries on whether there are business uncertainties in the wake of Air India disinvestment decision.

On future plans, he said the carrier would expand its aircraft fleet and fly to more overseas destinations.

"The airline is in the process of drawing up a long term plan that will focus on expanding the fleet as well as the overseas footprint. The airline is also looking to consolidate the existing operations," Sundar told PTI.

Air India Express has a fleet of 23 Boeing 737-800NG aircraft, each having a seating capacity for 189 people. "A ten-year vision document for Air India Express is being prepared. Consulting firms KPMG and ICF have been tasked with the job," Sundar said.

The airline would also be firming up its fleet strategy based on short-term and long-term priorities. It flies to 15 international destinations including Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah, Bahrain, Doha, Kuwait, Muscat, Salalah, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Riyadh and Dhaka.

On domestic routes, it has flights between Chennai- Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode-Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi- Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi-Kozhikode. AI Express has 545 weekly departures and it flew 3.4 million passengers in 2016-17.

Boosted by higher revenues and reduction in costs, the airline posted a net profit of Rs 296.7 crore in the last financial year even though it had declined from Rs 361.68 crore recorded in 2015-16 period. AI Express, which has been operationally profitable for the last four years, saw its revenue rise to Rs 3,335 crore in 2016-17.

"Prudent commercial and management interventions including better utilisation of its assets gave rise to reduction of about 5-7 per cent in unit costs contributing to the positive financial outcome (in 2016-17)," the airline had said while announcing the results last month.

On June 28, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, gave its in-principle approval for considering strategic disinvestment of Air India and five of its subsidiaries. Air India Express is one of the subsidiaries.

A group of ministers, headed by finance minister Arun Jaitley, would be deciding on the final contours of the disinvestment process. Among other issues, the panel would be looking at the de-merger and strategic disinvestment of three profit-making subsidiaries. PTI RAM SA ABM

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New Delhi: Bharat Petroleum Corp has made its first purchase of US oil, buying high sulphur crude Mars and Poseidon in a tender, its head of refineries R Ramachandran said.

BPCL is the second Indian refiner to buy US Gulf crude after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Washington last month when President Donald Trump said the United States looked forward to exporting more energy products to the world's third-biggest oil buyer.

BPCL has bought a cargo containing 500,000 barrels each of Mars and Poseidon for delivery from 26 September to 10 October.

Ramachandran said the landed price of the American oil cargo would be "reasonably competitive" to the delivered price of the high sulphur oil from the Middle East.

Earlier this month Indian Oil Corporation, the nation's top refiner, bought 1.6 million barrels of Mars.

A trade source said BPCL has bought the cargo from Shell.

Refiners in India, the world's third biggest oil consumer, are diversifying crude imports as cheaper alternatives have emerged due to a global supply glut despite OPEC and some non-OPEC producers cutting output to jack up prices.

Share of Middle Eastern crude in India's imports shrank in June to the smallest since October 2015, while that from south America, Africa and Central Asia including Russia rose.

Current market dynamics are also helping India's plan to deepen energy ties with the United States.

West Texas Intermediate oil prices are depressed relative to Middle East benchmark Dubai because of rising US shale oil production and as the OPEC cuts have reduced the amount of Middle East medium, sour crude.

Global oil output in June is 1.2 million barrels per day above a year ago, the International Energy Agency said on Thursday in its latest monthly report.

"We are also looking at buying low sulphur oil from America if priced competitively. Our refineries need both low sulphur and high sulphur oil," he said, adding the latest purchase was a trial cargo.

BPCL aims to operate its Kochi refinery in Southern India at expanded capacity of 310,000 barrels per day (bpd) from September, he added.

India is the latest Asian country to buy U.S. crude after South Korea, Japan, China, Thailand, Australia and Taiwan after the OPEC cuts drove up prices of Middle East heavy-sour crude, or grades with a high sulphur content.
The Alexa Conference, the annual gathering of developers for Amazon's emerging voice technology, announced today that EPB, Chattanooga's major utility provider, has signed on as a major sponsor. The Alexa Conference will take place in January in Chattanooga, drawing hundreds of attendees from around the world.

"EPB has played a central role in Chattanooga's story as a technology-oriented city," said Bradley Metrock, producer of The Alexa Conference. "EPB's partnership with The Alexa Conference demonstrates a continued level of commitment to Chattanooga's evolution."

According to Hodgen Mainda, who leads community development for EPB Fiber Optics, sponsoring the Alexa Conference is an opportunity to showcase Chattanoogas community-wide gig-speed network.

EPB is proud to sponsor the Alexa Conference because we want to help cultivate thought leaders, developers and entrepreneurs who are focused on the rapidly growing voice-enabled technology industry, Mainda said. When Chattanooga became the Gig City a few years ago, part of our vision was to offer our community-wide network as a living laboratory for new technologies. Hosting the Alexa Conference is an incredible opportunity for us to join with those who are on the cutting-edge of one of the technologies that is accelerating the development of the Internet-of-Things.

EPB will lead a tour of the city of Chattanooga, in partnership with the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce and the Chattanooga Convention and Visitors Bureau, so tech talent attending The Alexa Conference can see all that the city offers. Additionally, The Alexathon, a competition to develop an Alexa skill in a short period of time during The Alexa Conference, will now be branded "The Alexathon, Powered By EPB."

We're excited the Alexa Conference chose Chattanooga, and we're looking forward to hosting entrepreneurs and developers who are using voice-enabled tech to grow the innovation economy, said Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke. Through our ultra, high-speed internet and the work of our Innovation District leaders, Chattanooga is letting the world know we're a place for innovation. The Alexa Conference is a great opportunity for visiting businesses as well as exposure for Chattanoogans who want to work for or build the next great tech company.
New Delhi: Businesses can start uploading their sale and purchase invoices generated post 1 July on the GSTN portal from 24 July, a top company official said on Sunday.

The Goods and Services Tax has kicked in from 1 July and so far, the GST Network, the company handling the IT backbone for new tax regime, has been facilitating registration of businesses.

"We plan to launch the invoice upload utility on the portal on July 24 so that businesses can come forward and start uploading the invoices on a daily or weekly basis to avoid month-end rush," GSTN Chairman Navin Kumar told PTI.

Generating invoices for dealings above Rs 200 and keeping invoice records in serial number even if maintained manually, are pre-requisites for claiming input tax credit under the GST regime.

The GSTN had last month launched an offline Excel format for businesses to keep their invoice records and from July 24 this Excel sheet can be uploaded on the portal.

Kumar said GSTN would put up a video on its portal to assist businesses in uploading invoices.

Besides, a call centre help desk has been set up to assist taxpayers regarding any query they might have about the new tax regime.

"We have been reaching out to trade and industry associations telling them that those who have about 10,000 invoices a day, they should upload it on GSTN portal on a daily/weekly basis to avoid last moment rush," Kumar said.

So far, over 69 lakh excise, VAT and Service Tax assessees have migrated to the GSTN portal and nearly five lakh new registrations have happened under GST.

Under GST, which is a single tax in place of multiple central and state levies like excise, service tax and VAT, businesses are required to upload on GSTN portal invoices of their trade every month.

Kumar had earlier said that the offline Excel tool can upload 19,000 invoices data on GSTN portal at one go and the process takes just half a minute.

So, if businesses which generate about 10,000 invoices a day upload the data on a daily or weekly basis, it would be less cumbersome for them.

While uploading invoice on the GSTN portal, a business would need to mention the invoice number and date, customer name, shipping and billing address, customer and taxpayers GSTIN, place of supply and HSN code.

Also, the taxable value and discounts and rates of CGST, SGST and IGST would have to be filled, along with item wise details like description, quantity and price.
Singapore: India's growing economy and digital push have caught the attention of hackers and an increasing wave of cyber attacks could soon badly impact the country, experts from Russian cyber security firm Kaspersky Lab have warned.

India and other South Asian countries are now on the radar of cyber attackers, said experts, adding that the government and corporates need to procure state-of-the-art, New Age security solutions to thwart their plans.

The impact of recent global cyber attacks were clearly visible in India as "WannaCrypt" -- that affected 150 countries globally -- and the recent "Petya" malware attack hit computers in the country.

"India's growing economy and digitalisation are really a big concern as cyber attackers have now begun focusing on developing countries with big populations and average incomes," Eugene Kaspersky, Chairman and Chief Executive of Kaspersky Lab, told IANS on the sidelines of the recently-concluded "Interpol World 2017" conference in Singapore's Suntec City.

His comments came as the Moscow-based cyber security firm found that the "Petya" attack hit Gateway Terminal India operated by AP Moller-Maersk at the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), a facility near Mumbai which is India's biggest container port.

The terminal was unable to load or unload because of the attack as it failed to identify which shipment belongs to whom.

According to Vitaly Kamluk, Director of Global Research and Analysis Team for APAC at Kaspersky Labs, there was no cyber security threat till 2010 and India was quite safe till then.

But now, India and other "developing countries are most vulnerable, especially the financial sector. We perceive that banks are most vulnerable in India", Kamluk told IANS.

Stephan Neumeier, Managing Director of Kaspersky Lab Asia Pacific, stressed the need to educate people to save them from becoming victims of cyber attacks.

"As India's economy is growing fast, more and more people are now getting access to Internet. They have 4G access and Android devices are becoming popular. They need to be educated about anti-virus solutions as mandatory for devices and be made aware about not falling for phishing attacks," Neumeier emphasised.

He suggested that malicious emails or links should also be part of the awareness process.

"Countries like India are developing very fast which opens doors for more cyber attacks," Neumeier added.

The experts also recalled how over 200,000 users were affected in 150 countries after the "WannaCrypt" virus attack which paralysed computers -- with a demand being made for a payment of $300 in bitcoins (crypto-currency or virtual currency) for a system to be unblocked.

Citing reports, Kaspersky Lab said that cyber crime costs the world $450 billion per year, which is almost the annual budget of Russia, China and Japan.

The experts said the hackers target government ministries, banks, utilities, other key infrastructure and companies nationwide, demanding ransom in crypto-currency.

Giving the example of Bangladesh, the experts said the hackers recently made a bank heist in the country and made away with $1 billion in one attack, since the security was vulnerable.
The Gujarat High Court on Monday dismissed Essar Steel India Ltd's appeal against a central bank order that asked creditor banks to start insolvency proceedings against the steelmaker, lawyers on the case said.

The ruling is a boost to the government, which in May tweaked Indian banking laws to empower the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to tackle the country's bad debt issue, allowing the RBI for the first time to direct lenders to force defaulters into insolvency courts.

The ruling paves the way for the start of bankruptcy proceedings against Essar Steel, although the company could appeal the ruling. The company did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Essar Steel had argued that it should have been given an opportunity to present its case before the Reserve Bank of India decided to include the company among 12 defaulters that would be referred to bankruptcy court.

Essar had also argued that proceedings could result in the company's demise when it was "almost in the stage of revival" and working to resolve its debt problems, according to court documents.

The RBI had in June asked lenders to start insolvency proceedings against 12 companies, as part of new powers it gained this year to help the country cut down on the more than $150 billion in stressed assets in the banking system.

On Friday, Essar Steel's counsel Mihir Thakore argued that the SBI and other lender banks under the Joint Lenders Forum may not have approached the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) for

insolvency proceedings, had the RBI not issued the circular.

The company was challenging the RBI's directive, not the SBI's decision. The State Bank was asked by the RBI to file a case before the NCLT against Essar Steel through the circular, advocate Thakore said.

The action was a violation of his client's fundamental right to equality before the law and equal protection of the law under Article 14 of Constitution, he said.

Though the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code is in force since December 2016, the lender banks did not opt for insolvency proceedings because they knew it would "jeopardise company's operations" as suppliers may stop supplying material on learning about such action, Thakore said.

RBI counsel Darius Khambata said the steel firm had suppressed facts and misled the court to get a favourable decision.

He argued that though Essar Steel at one point "even agreed to go to NCLT," the company did not mention it in the petition. Had it mentioned it in the petition, the court would have disposed of the case immediately, Khambata said.

"The company was aware about SBI's action. They were also aware that lenders will file for insolvency proceedings ... You can not play games with the court. This court is being misled," the RBI lawyer said.

Essar Steel owes lenders around Rs 45,000 crore ($6.99 billion), of which Rs 31,670 crore had become non-performing as of 31 March 2016, the Mint newspaper previously reported citing court hearings.

With inputs from Reuters, PTI
New Delhi: A group of Indian scientists have identified molecules which are effective in inhibiting the growth of tuberculosis-causing bacteria - Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

The molecules target an important gene, IdeR, which is essential for the survival of the bacteria. This development could lead to new drugs against tuberculosis (TB) in future. We have identified inhibitory molecules against IdeR, a key iron regulator that is crucial for survival of the TB pathogen, said professor Anil K Tyagi, a senior scientist at the University of Delhi and lead researcher of the study. The findings have been published in the journal Scientific Reports.

In laboratory studies, the new molecules were not toxic in human liver cells and kidney cells and could efficiently reach the bacteria present within the cell, researchers said.

For decades treatment of TB has remained unchanged. Patients have to take multiple drugs over 6 to 9 months, which makes the treatment effective but largely inefficient due to associated side effects and high rate of patient non-compliance. This, in turn, increases the risk of developing drug resistant form of TB which is difficult to treat. Therefore, scientists are searching for better treatment which is shorter in duration and requires fewer drugs.

We employed computer aided drug discovery and experimental approaches to identify inhibitors against an essential protein of TB bacteria, explained Dr Garima Khare, one of the lead researchers. In doing so, researchers were able to identify additional features that contribute to better inhibition of this proteins activity.

The study holds promise as it reports the structure and properties of likely drug molecules which are effective in inhibiting the bacteria by targeting a single essential bacterial gene vis-a-vis the multi-gene approach of the present treatment regimen. These inhibitors will open new avenues for rational modifications for developing more potent molecules against IdeR for the development of new TB drugs hopes professor Tyagi.

The study was conducted at Department of Biochemistry, University of Delhi South campus by Akshay Rohilla, Dr Garima Khare and Dr Anil.K Tyagi. The research was funded by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT).
New York: Diversified Mahindra group plans to invest US $1 billion across business verticals in the US over the next five years as it aims to double revenues from the American market to US $5 billion.

The Mumbai-headquartered group, which currently employs around 3,000 people in the country, also plans to double the headcount over the next five years as it looks to expand operations.

"We have so far invested around US $1 billion in the US among all the businesses and we should invest another billion over the next five years," Mahindra & Mahindra Managing Director Pawan Goenka told PTI here in an interview.

The quantum of investment, however, would depend on various factors like market conditions and success of various projects that are currently underway in the US, he added.

Elaborating on various strategic projects, Goenka said the company has bid for a US postal service contract and if it comes through it would help the company grow exponentially in the country.

When asked about the groups ambitions in terms of revenues in the US, Goenka said: "In the next five years, we are targeting doubling revenue to about US $5 billion."

The US $19 billion group currently generates around US $2.5 billion from its seven business verticals in the US. The major group firms active in the country include IT major tech Mahindra and Mahindra USA which sells tractors and utility vehicles in the country.

When asked to elaborate on the factors that would help the company achieve desired results, Goenka said the growth would be led by various factors like the launch of a new off road vehicle by its arm Mahindra North America Technical Centre (MNATC) besides other group entities.

"The growth will be led by Mahindra USA where we intend to double revenues from US $500 million to US $1 billion in next five years and then there is Tech Mahindra," he added.

Mahindra is also looking at doubling its manpower in the country over the next five years.

"Mahindra currently employs more than 3,000 locals in the US and as things are going we are going to double that over the next 4-5 years," Goenka said.

He said success of Mahindra brand in the US is very important as accomplishment in the country would mean recognition in various other geographies.

"Building the Mahindra brand in the US is very important for us because it is the place everyone looks up to. The brand which gets successful in this market gets automatic recognition in so many places," he said.

While confirming that Tech Mahindra is facing visa issues, he said the IT major is working on resolving the matter.

"Other than IT business where... there are both locals and people brought in from India, none of our other businesses have huge number of Indians (brought) to the US for work," Goenka said.

He further added: "The company's objective has never been to bring in people from India. We have invested here we have employed people here and thus we are not really been impacted by the new polices."

After being nudged by the Trump administration, the IT major Tech Mahindra now has been focusing on local hiring. It has been recruiting from colleges in the US and this year it plans to add around 2,200 people in the country, which remains its biggest single market in the world.

When asked if the company is facing any discrimination in the US, Goenka said: "There is no discrimination I can think of in conducting business in the US...laws, taxes are same for everyone. I dont see any kind if disadvantage for Indian multinationals here."

Besides, MNATC, Tech Mahindra and Mahindra USA, the group is also present across various other verticals including aviation, electric two wheelers and supply chain.
Yes, there has been notable improvement in the digital transactions across segments in last seven months. The question is how to define this spike  a revolution brought about by Prime Minister Narendra Modis demonetisation and the governments digital push or something that would have happened anyway in the financial system even without a shock therapy?

A primary assessment of the trend in various segments shows that the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes has certainly caused a spike in digital transactions in the immediate months (December 2016 in particular), as people rushed to alternative channels to do transactions in the wake of a sudden cash crunch and some are sticking to those channels. However, the level of usage of these channels hasnt stayed at the peak levels seen in the subsequent months of the demonetisation.

To be sure, these digital payments channels have still shown a healthy growth trend but volumes have declined while value has more or less retained pace, which means less number of people are using it. The only exception to this trend is UPI transactions, where there has been an exponential growth  mainly on account of a low base. Post the initial bump, the trend is beginning to stabilise, albeit, on a lower side. This is still an encouraging trend and more clues are still emerging.

According to the RBI data, the volume of debit card usage (perhaps the most popular non-cash instrument for common man to make payments) spiked to 415 million in December last year from just 236 million in the previous month when the demonetisation was announced. The value of transactions jumped from Rs 32,200 crore to Rs 58,000 crore in just one month. But, in the months after that the volume decline to 328 million and value to Rs 49,000 crore. In May this year, the volumes have declined from the December peak to 267 million and value to Rs 37,500 crore. So, between November to May, the increase in volume is 13 percent and value 16 percent.

Though not part of the digital family, cheque transactions  another preferred mode for transactions for a good number of Indians  rose to 130 million in volume and Rs 6.8 lakh crore in value in December from 87 million and Rs 5.4 lakh crore in November. But, in May this year, the volume and value stood at 97 million and Rs 6.7 lakh crore.

The volume trend shows that more people opted for non-cash modes when cash-shortage was at its peak, even for small transactions. Post this, a part of this group has continued to use non-cash instruments while others returned to good old cash. But such improvement has not shown any dramatic rise as seen across channels such as NACH/NEFT and PPI (see the table), if one looks at the November-May period.

Digital payment transactions in Rs billion System Nov-16 Dec-16 Jan-17 Feb-17 Mar-17 Apr-17 May-17 RTGS 101894 110980 100603 95267 154095 111744 113313 Cheque Truncation System (CTS) 5419 6812 6618 5994 8063 6991 6746 EFT/NEFT 8808 11538 11355 10878 16295 12156 12411 Immediate Payment Service (IMPS) 325 432 491 482 565 562 586 National Automated Clearing House (NACH) 607 627 541 654 899 972 761 Credit card usage at POS 266 311 327 287 334 331 361 Debit card usage at POS 322 580 490 358 357 375 375 Prepaid Payment Instruments (PPIs) 51 98 110 96 107 104 107 Mobile wallet 33 74 84 69 73 74 72 PPI cards 15 21 24 25 31 27 33 Mobile banking 1366 1498 1383 1280 1731 1612 2133 Total 119105 132972 122027 115390 182549 134948 136897 Source: RBI Bulletin

The big exception has been UPI that allows customer to transact between different bank accounts through same application installed on their mobile phone. Here, the volume has grown to 10 million transactions in June against 2 million in December with value jumping from Rs 706 crore to Rs 3,067 crore. Trends on digital transactions have begun to stabilise but a clearer picture will emerge only say after a period of one year when cash situations turn normal completely and small businesses come back to normalcy recovering from the note ban impact.

No doubt  there is a growth in Indias digital journey and in all fairness, the demonetisation has done its part. But, the growth has not been something that should be over-hyped in the context of the demonetisation. This is a mistake some analysts are committing. A recent report from SBI economists said India has leapfrogged three years of digitisation in just seven months.

"If demonetisation had not happened, it would have taken three years more for credit plus debit cards transactions on point of sales (PoS) terminals to reach the current level of Rs 700 billion (assuming a yearly growth rate of 25 per cent)," the report stated. It further said "we believe that increasing number of PoS terminals (post demonetisation Indian banks have been able to set up 11.8 lakh extra PoS terminals) and ease of doing digital transaction will increase this level further. Clearly, India has leapfrogged three years of digitalization in just seven months," the report said.

Just that the SBI report goes with the dangerous assumption that a lasting shift in the consumer behaviour would happen by forcing them to do so, i.e. by denying access to cash overnight, instead of facilitating such a transition through an incentive-based mechanism and creating the right framework. Going by that logic, a complete withdrawal of currency from the system would have made a 100 percent shift to digital transactions possible overnight, because people simply do not have another way to transact. Hence, saying like three years of progress was made in seven months is bit of a stretch.

The idea of saying this is not to negate the progress seen across some non-cash channels or discredit the government's efforts to encourage people embrace non-cash economy. India is indeed moving towards a world of digital transactions and the Modi government deserves credit for the efforts it is making to create awareness and facilitate such a shift, but that progress will happen only gradually. Even in the case of UPI, one should remember that the current sharp growth seen in numbers is more on account of a low base. Remember, major banks began to offer UPI-linked payment services in a big way only in December last year.

There are tasks ahead in Indias digital journey. Mobile connectivity and seamless internet availability remain a problem in rural India. Very recently, we saw one union minister climbing a tree to use his mobile phone during one of his rural visits to Rajasthan. If that is the plight of a union minister, one can imagine the difficulties the common man encounters to use his mobile phone internet for financial transactions. The required infrastructure needs to be built before we hope for a mega change. Yes, the demonetisation has certainly acted as a trigger to encourage more people embrace digital transaction channels and the governments efforts to create awareness is helping the drive. But lets not over-hype the progress.

Data contribution by Kishor Kadam
Lucknow: Amid fears among Tata Consultancy Services employees that Indias largest software outsourcer may close down its unit here, the Uttar Pradesh government today said it will not let TCS go out of the state capital.

"We will not let it (TCS) go from the state capital. We will look into it," states Finance Minister Rajesh Agarwal told PTI here.

TCS employees have also approached Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to ensure that the company did not leave Lucknow.

Agarwal's assurance came after UP ministers Swami Prasad Maurya and Mohsin Raza told the employees last week that their interests would be protected.

Maurya, who is state labour and employment minister, had said necessary negotiations would be held to protect the interest of its employees, numbering around 2,000.

Raza too had said if needed, he would speak to the TCS management and the employees to find a way out.

While the TCS staff panicked, a company spokesperson described certain media reports as "rumours."

"There have been rumours and reports being circulated in the media about the company's 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," a TCS spokesperson said in a statement on Thursday.

"TCS is working to ensure that employees get the opportunities in Noida and other centres across India," the statement said.

It came in the wake of media reports that TCS staffers claimed they were informed by their team leaders and senior officials that the company is wrapping up the work at the Lucknow unit.

Tata Consultancy Services added 11,202 (gross) employees during the quarter under review, taking its total head count to over 3.85 lakh.
It was earlier reported how politicians like Shashi Tharoor and Derek O' Brien have posted selfies with the Snapchat dog filter as a symbol of support to All India Bakchod (AIB) who got themselves in legal trouble following a joke on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

AIB had tweeted a picture of Modi clicking a selfie with the dog filter and 'wanderlust' as the caption, taking a dig on his multiple foreign visits. A multitude of Twitter users criticised the comedians for the same and even brought it to the notice of the Mumbai police who forwarded the same to the cyber cell.

Though AIB deleted the tweet, the cyber cell lodged an FIR against it under defamation and under the IT Act for posting 'inappropriate content' on social media.

However, since the court of law would demand a full-proof evidence i order to rule the case against AIB, the cyber cell has requested Twitter authorities to retrieve the deleted Modi meme.

Hindustan Times, which reports the same, quotes cyber cell expert Vijay Mukhi as saying, "Even if you delete a post, that does not mean it has disappeared from the internet.

Twitter will still have a copy, which it can retrieve. A screenshot of the post will suffice initially, but the court will need Twitter officials to verify the photograph as the accused had used their platform."

via GIPHY
Akshaye Khanna tends to use the word artiste a lot, and not just for himself. Do note however  given the oft chance you may bump into him somewhere and miraculously manage to strike up conversation  that its unlikely hell indulge you in a stirring dialogue on his acting process. Then again, he could. Carpe diem!

Khannas unstudied oddity is a refreshing change of pace from 25-year old superstars who play cutesy games with bloggers and bring their A-game everywhere. Despite his recent move into a more media-friendly space, he isnt someone whos embraced the Age of Instagram with gusto. Youre going to think twice before approaching this 42-year old with a Ive heard youre a prankster on sets? hoping to incite giggles and intimate disclosure via a 20 sec video. But rest assured, he wont bite either. Or he could.

Where social niceties fail, inborn talent stays afloat. Nobody can dispute his effortless charisma and nuance in front of the camera. That said, Dil Chahta Hai and Gandhi, My Father remain twin rarities in a career of OTT films such as Aa Ab Laut Chalein, Taal, Mere Baap Pehle Aap, Hulchul and No Problem. The words underutilized and underrated always pop in discussions on him. To his credit, Khannas suitably grounded. I dont know if I could have done that role, he admits in a heartbeat on being asked if he could have channeled Nawazuddin Siddiquis spot-on Daryaganj detective in their latest release, Mom.

Team Player

Despite serial break-taking, Khanna has his contemporary cinema game on point. Hes characteristically low-key, crediting the entire package of Mom for the positive responses hes been getting via calls and WhatsApp. The reactions are genuine and that doesnt happen unless a film has moved you, he reasons.

Hes also bullish on first-time director Ravi Udyawar, clearly relieved and instantly gabbier when the spotlight shifts off him. Ravi is a highly intelligent person. Hes an artist, illustrator - a gold medalist from the JJ School of Arts - which is apparent when you see his work. Hes someone who creates beauty, and has made such a layered film with plenty of subtext.

Of his own approach, he admits to being very instinctive, offering spontaneous reactions to what is given to him on paper. I dont think much, he shrugs aside visions of prolonged head-butting with directors on or off sets. Of course, there are differences of opinions, but once youve agreed to be a part of a filmmakers vision, his word is the last word on set. You have to accept his way. Then he adds, somewhat conspiratorially, Its always been my experience that when youre working with someone very good, even if you dont agree with a particular scene while shooting it, it fits together in the larger picture that hes seeing.

For an actor who has worked with old school Bollywood stalwarts like Subhash Ghai, JP Dutta and Priyadarshan, Khanna intends to cruise into millennium storytelling and slicker filmmakers, without much ado. You have to adapt a little. My approach changes, I dont change.

The thrill of reality

I prod him on his attachment  or lack of  to vanity in approaching roles, referring to the stylish edge he brought to crime branch inspector Mathew Francis, even without the signature lop-sided smirk that had propelled Humraaz and Race to super hit status. He seems a smidgen annoyed at the suggestion that he chases cool cop roles, even if in a realistic setting. It doesnt help his case that first-look posters of his next release, the remake of 1969 psychological thriller Ittefaq, show him in a stern mustachioed avatar and - quoting a blogger fan - ready to ready to interrogate the s**t out of someone. If you read the script of Mom, hes not written as a stylish character. Its not something thats up to me. Its nice to play stylized characters, but its not a must.

Further damaging said case, he declares that his favourite genre of cinema is the spy thriller. We have these amazing agencies like RAW. There must be thousands of stories out there waiting to be told. I throw in a few recent titles. Baby was nice, but there has to be much more, he presses on passionately. Not that cinema is on his personal watch list anymore. He mulls over the topic sincerely but cant come up with a film thats stayed with him apart from Clint Eastwoods Sully  over the past five years. The writing on television is far superior these days; theres a longer engagement there, he brightens up at the prospect, referring to cult series like Homeland and 24. Has he seen Orange is the New Black? No, is it good? he queries with the curiosity of a newly minted telly nerd.

His guilty pleasure is unexpected, the American reality television series, Shark Tank, rife with aggressive entrepreneurs and snarky judges. If you pictured him immersed in more soulful pursuits a la Dil Chahta Hais shy Sid, prepare for a leaner, meaner machine. Or not.
Days after the Pune press conference of Madhur Bhandarkar's political drama Indu Sarkar was cancelled, another one to be held in Nagpur suffered the same fate due to protests by Congress party members.

Taking to Twitter, the director tweeted to Rahul Gandhi, asking him and his party to stop interfering in the press conferences of his upcoming film.

Dear @OfficeOfRG after Pune I have 2 cancel today's PressCon at Nagpur.Do you approve this hooliganism? Can I have my Freedom of Expression? pic.twitter.com/y44DXiOOgp  Madhur Bhandarkar (@imbhandarkar) July 16, 2017

Before the press conference could begin, he tweeted:

In Nagpur today for #InduSarkar promotions. Looking for some gr8 media interactions in the heart of India.@iamkirtikulhari @InduSarkarMovie  Madhur Bhandarkar (@imbhandarkar) July 16, 2017

During the protests at the Pune venue, Bhandarkar said that the Congress party workers had barged into the room, disrupted the ongoing event and left him and his crew "stranded like hostages in [the] hotel room".

Congress workers hv barged in the Hotel lobby & created ruckus,me & team are stranded like hostages in hotel room. #pune activity cancelled. pic.twitter.com/6GHX1VHGD8  Madhur Bhandarkar (@imbhandarkar) July 15, 2017

Earlier in July, city Congress general secretaries Girish Joshi and Vivek Khandelwal put out a statement asserting that they would not allow Indu Sarkar to be screened in Indore at any cost. "Under the garb of the freedom of expression, the movie touches the subject of Emergency. It purposefully features the lookalikes of (former Prime Minister) Indira Gandhi and her son late Sanjay Gandhi to sully our party's image," read the statement.

The film has been mired in controversy ever since it first made headlines. Maharashtra Congress leader Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil threatened that party workers would hit the streets if the film maligned its leaders. "If our apprehension that history has been distorted is found to be true, it will hurt people's sentiments. If an attempt has been made to malign the image of Congress leaders, party workers may hit the streets in protest. The CM should intervene to prevent untoward incidents and maintain law and order," he said.

Sanjay Nirupam wrote a letter to the chief of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), Pahlaj Nihalani, asking for an exclusive pre-screening of the film for the Congress, to which Nihalani responded by saying that he is not obligated to respond. Jyotiraditya Scindia described the film as being "fully sponsored", adding, "The organisation and the individual who is behind the film is known to us. We totally condemn the false depictions in the film."

The CBFC has recommended 14 cuts to Indu Sarkar, to which Madhur Bhandarkar responded with disappointment, adding that the makers of the film would now approach a revision committee.

Indu Sarkar is set against the backdrop of the Emergency, and has within its narrative characters based on the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and her son Sanjay. It stars Neil Nitin Mukesh, Kirti Kulhari, and Tota Roy Chaudhary, and is scheduled to release on 28 July.
The Fish and Wildlife Commission returns to its meeting schedule July 20-21 at the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agencys Ray Bell Region II Building in Nashville.

The two-day session will begin at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, a change from the standard 1 p.m. starting time of a two-day meeting. The Friday formal meeting starts at 9 a.m.

Chuck Yoest, assistant chief of the Wildlife and Forestry Division, will provide a follow-up presentation to the recent chronic wasting disease (CWD) introduction to the commission. Yoest will share an update on recent discoveries regarding CWD, and offer thoughts on how to further limit the possibilities of it being discovered in Tennessee.

Tennessee is in the middle of its boating season. Glenn Moates, assistant chief in the Boating and Law Enforcement Division, will give an outline of TWRA boating safety and enforcement efforts for 2017. He will also provide boating statistics from Memorial Day, Operation Dry Water, and Independence Day.

A review of the Tennessee in Need of Management List and Threatened and Endangered Species List will be presented to the commission. The guidelines for state listing and delisting are to be conducted every two years for consideration of possible addition or deletion of species.

Discussion regarding possible funding options for the Brandt Information Services marketing proposal made at the commissions May meeting will be discussed. Brandt became the agencys new license vendor last Oct. 31.

TWRA Executive Director Ed Carter and members of the staff will present a preliminary look at the annual agency budget. It will be for fiscal year 2018-19.
Madhur Bhandarkar is most likely to knock on the doors of Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT). In the wake of the ongoing protests against his upcoming political drama Indu Sarkar, CBFC chief Pahlaj Nihalani has asked Bhandarkar to approach FCAT in order to get his film certified.

The Congress party has taken their outrage straight outside CBFC office in Mumbai. The protesters have decided to stand outside the office to make their stand even stronger. Mumbai Mahila Congress members are also planning to meet Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) Chairman Pahlaj Nihalani to discuss their contentions about the depiction of past Congress leaders in the film.

The Mumbai Youth Congress has sent out a letter to Nihalani demanding the promos to be stopped and the film's screening to be banned:

Owing to these protests and outrage, Bhandarkar has been given police protection; he will have two policemen in the day and two at night for his security, reports NDTV.

Speaking to Firstpost Hindi, Bhandarkar said, "Congress can't change history by threatening me. My daughter and my entire family have gone under shock after this turn of events. I had never expected anything like this to happen."

Indu Sarkar is making headlines ever since the trailer of the film was out. Set against the backdrop of the Emergency, the film has characters based on the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and her son Sanjay Gandhi.

The Congress party is apprehensive that the film might distort history and show the party leaders in bad light. Thus it has been persistently opposing the film and the character portrayals and has lately turned to sending open threats to the film-makers. First in Pune, an event was cancelled and the entire film's team was in sort of a "hostage" situation on 15 July.

Bhandarkar said in one of his tweets, "Congress workers have barged in the hotel lobby and created ruckus, me and the team are stranded like hostages in hotel room. Pune activity cancelled."

Congress workers hv barged in the Hotel lobby & created ruckus,me & team are stranded like hostages in hotel room. #pune activity cancelled. pic.twitter.com/6GHX1VHGD8  Madhur Bhandarkar (@imbhandarkar) July 15, 2017

This was followed by the director showing his disappointment after another promotional show was cancelled in Nagpur. Bhandarkar tweeted to Rahul Gandhi, asking him and his party to stop interfering in the press conferences of his upcoming film. Dear @OfficeOfRG after Pune I have 2 cancel today's PressCon at Nagpur.Do you approve this hooliganism? Can I have my Freedom of Expression? pic.twitter.com/y44DXiOOgp  Madhur Bhandarkar (@imbhandarkar) July 16, 2017

CBFC has suggested 12 cuts and two disclaimers in the film. Bhandarkar had been asked to remove words like RSS and Akali from Indu Sarkar. He had previously mentioned that he will visit the revising committee regarding this. He also refused to make any changes as instructed by the censor board. Speaking about this, he said, "The censor board asked me to cut nearly 16 scenes from the film which were passed during the trailer and promos. I can't understand their logic behind this move. I won't delete those scenes off the film."

He had previously tweeted expressing his disappointment regarding these proposed cuts:

#InduSarkar censor cuts list.in trailer dialogues is ok not in the film. pic.twitter.com/sKbkFJonpU  Madhur Bhandarkar (@imbhandarkar) July 11, 2017

All this fuss around the film precipitated when Mumbai Congress President Sanjay Nirupam penned a letter to Nihalani, asking for the movie to be screened for them before it is censored. Ever since the film has been in some or the other news.

Indu Sarkar stars Neil Nitin Mukesh, Kirti Kulhari, Supriya Vinod, Anupam Kher and Tota Roy Chaudhary. It is slated to release on 28 July.
Kochi: A single bench of the Kerala High Court on Monday posted the bail application of superstar Dileep for Thursday.

When the application came up before the court, the prosecution pointed out that it needed time to study the case, after which the court decided to post it for Thursday.

The trial court had denied bail to the actor on Saturday. The superstar was arrested last Monday and was remanded to 14 days judicial custody for conspiring in the abduction and molestation of a popular Malayalam actress, in February in Kochi.

The police on Monday also took statements from two legislators, Congress leader Anwar Sadath who is close friend of Dileep, and Mukesh - a CPI-M backed legislator.

"I answered all questions that were asked," said Sadath, who represents Aluva Assembly constituency from where Dileep hails. Prime accused Pulsar Suni was the personal driver of Mukesh for a year, after which he was removed. "I was asked about Suni," said Mukesh. Suni and his accomplices were arrested a week after the incident.
Actor Dileep, who is a suspect in the abduction and assault case of a Malayalam actress, is currently in the Aluva sub-jail and has been at the receiving end of hate on social media. It was recently reported that his official website  dileeponline.com  was down as a result of being hacked.

It is being speculated that this hacking is a result of the hate he has received from his own fans and fans of the Malayalam actress in question. Currently, when the website is searched for on Google, the link appears with the description 'Official Website of Malayalam Criminal Dileep. Get latest updates, news, images and more'. But when it is clicked on, the viewer is told that the site is "performing some maintenance at the moment".

Following Dileep's arrest, there has been a polarisation of opinions regarding the actor. While crowds of people yelled slogans such as 'Welcome to Central Jail' against him when he appeared before court and jail, he has also found unwavering support amid die-hard fans.

Fan pages on Facebook have been putting out messages in an effort to make him seem innocent in the public eye. Initially, even the Association of Malayalam Movie Actors (AMMA) came out in support of him and openly protected him, with president Innocent feigning ignorance about the assault case.

On 15 July, Dileep was denied bail by the court and has returned to jail custody. The police provided 19 pieces of evidence against him and an interrogation probing into his involvement as a conspirator continues. The abduction and assault of the Malayalam actress took place when she was travelling from Thrissur to Kochi by car on 17 February. Pulsar Suni, her driver and the main accused, is currently in jail.

During initial questioning rounds by the police, the actor denied knowing Suni despite his name appearing in letters from the jail Suni is currently in. The police alleged that he was seeking revenge against the actress because she was responsible for the ending of his marriage to Manju Warrier.
Firstpost had earlier reported that Bombay High Court had given Maharashtra government two weeks' time to justify Sanjay Dutt's early release from Pune's Yerwada prison. The government finally filed an affidavit, justifying the leniency by citing "good behaviour, and discipline while in jail," as per a Hindustan Times report.

Advocate general Ashutosh Kumbhakoni filed the affidavit which states that Dutt exhibited good behaviour and participated in all institutional activities, be it physical training or educational programmes. Therefore, the government granted him an early release on these grounds.

On 25 February, 2016, Dutt was released eight months and 16 days ahead of his five year term, despite getting regular paroles.

The actor was convicted for possessing arms which were part of a consignment used in the Mumbai blasts of 1993, killing over 257 people and injuring some 700. The court's decision to ask the Maharashtra government to file an affidavit explaining the leniency in Dutt's case, came after Pradeep Bhalekar, the chairperson of Samajik Karyakarta Saurakhan Samiti, filed a public interest litigation.

In the PIL, Bhalekar claimed that Dutt had already been treated differently in jail and benefited from regular paroles. The petition also alleged that if the court were to apply the same standards to all prisoners, 27,740 inmates would become eligible to go scot-free.
The relationship between the Tamil film industry (or Kollywood, as it is colloquially called) and the E Palaniswamy government in Tamil Nadu has reached an all-time low. First the state government was humbled when they had to withdraw the additional local body taxes in addition to GST on cinema tickets. Theatres across the state shut down for four days and a gentle reminder from a central government minister that you cannot have double taxation, had the Tamil Nadu government running for cover.

Then Kamal Haasan made a statement that the state government was highly corrupt  which rubbed EPS and his colleagues the wrong way. Kamal Haasan's battle with the state government has been a long-running one, going back to when J Jayalalithaa was alive. After the Chennai floods, Haasan had remarked that the (Tamil Nadu) government's mismanagement almost sank the state. And the actor also commented a while ago that the system has collapsed, when the Jayalaithaa government needled him. In fact, a few months after her death, even superstar Rajinikanth had also said that the system needs a revamp.

The EPS government perhaps thought that Kollywood would remain docile, like it was during the Jayalalithaa regime. Now all and sundry in the industry, in one way or the other, have started talking against the EPS government  a government that Kollywood thought would never last for 100 days. A superstar like Vijay openly declared his support for the farmers of Tamil Nadu, who were said to have been neglected by the state government. And Rajinikanth has dropped hints about joining politics and cleaning up the Augean stables. EPS government expected film stars and the trade in the state to continue with the servile attitude that they showed during the last six years of the Jayalalithaa government.

Finally, the state government has hit back. They have told the Tamil film trade that as per GST rules, the state  through local bodies  can impose additional tax and they will not waive it, unlike other states. The industry is already under pressure with falling footfalls when they increased ticket prices after 11 years following GST implementation. The Tamil Nadu government has set up a committee to look into the matter, as they do not want the film industry to slip away from their hands.

Meanwhile Kamal Haasans big splash on Star Vijay with Big Boss Tamil ran into trouble when a fringe Hindu group (Hindu Makkal Katchi) filed a police complaint against Bigg Boss and the star. The group said he should not endorse a show like Bigg Boss which is against Tamil culture and Hindu tradition. They also threatened that if the show is not taken off air, then they will attack the sets and the participants and ensure the shoot is stopped.

In an attempt to get back at Kamal Haasan, the ruling AIADMK has also stooped to attacking him personally. Tamil Nadu law minister CV Shanmugham said, "Kamal Haasan deserves to be booked under the SC and ST ACT for the remark about 'slum behaviour' made by one of the participants on Bigg Boss Tamil, which is hosted by him." The minister also said that Haasan had no moral right to question and criticise the functioning of the state government. Shanmugham also made disparaging comments about Haasans personal life by saying, "Kamal Haasan has no moral right to comment on peoples life. He was living with a woman he was not even married."

The Municipal Administration minister in the EPS cabinet SP Velumani said, "Kamal Haasan, if he has some kind of evidence against the state government, should show it. Let us also audit your accounts and check on the amount you have paid as taxes. There seems to be an all-out effort to tarnish Kamal Haasan, who was bold enough to express his views.

The only person who came out in support of Kamal Haasan was Opposition and DMK leader MK Stalin, who said, "Kamal Haasan is reflecting the sentiments of the people. It is the right of every voter, including Kamal, to criticise the benami and horse trading government in power. Kamal Haasan thanked Stalin through a series of tweets, while his colleagues in the industry  as usual  have kept their mouths shut.
Chandigarh: Families of 39 Indians abducted in Iraq by the Islamic State are hopeful that their loved ones would be re-united with them.

The families, mostly from Punjab, were hoping to receive some "good news" about their kin after the defeat of the terror group in Mosul.

They met Union Minister Sushma Swaraj on Sunday in Delhi who informed them that those abducted might be lodged in a jail in Badush in northwest Mosul.

"We have kept our hopes alive about our family members who went missing in Iraq three years ago," Davinder, whose elder brother Gobinder (45) is missing in Iraq, told PTI.

"We still have hope...we have not got any bad news yet from the government's side," he said.

"Badush is still under the control of the Islamic State. It will take at least 2-3 months to get the area freed from its control and then the government will be in a position to say something more," said Davinder, a resident of Murar village in Punjab's Kapurthala district.

He said it was the 12th meeting of family members of missing men with the Union minister since their disappearance.

Gurpinder Kaur, whose brother Manjinder Singh has been missing, said she was on Sunday hoping to hear "good news" after the Iraqi government announced the liberation of Mosul from the Islamic State.

"We thought that we will get to hear some good news about our family members during today's meeting but we were told they have been kept in a jail. The government does not have any information whether they are safe or not," said Gurpinder, a resident of Bhoewal village in Amritsar district.

Sarwan, a resident of Amritsar district whose brother Nishan (30) is missing, said his family was hoping that the missing persons were safe and sound wherever they were in Iraq.

Swaraj on Sunday said her Iraqi counterpart might bring fresh information about them when he visits India on 24 July.

She had earlier assured Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh that her ministry was making all-out efforts to trace the Indians.

Amarinder had called up Swaraj recently to seek her intervention, saying that the families were keenly awaiting the return of their kin following the defeat of the Islamic State and needed the Central government's support in bringing them back.
New Delhi: Jammu and Kashmir accounted for 49.5 percent of the human rights violation complaints against the armed forces between 2012 and 2016, revealed an RTI reply.

Meanwhile, the state's share in the monetary relief recommended was a mere three percent, it said.

A total of 186 complaints were received between 2012 and January 2016 from seven states, said the Ministry of Home Affairs while replying to an Right to Information application.

The other six states were Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura.

The RTI reply was received by Venkatesh Nayak of the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative in April this year from the CPIO of the ministry.

According to the reply, by January 2016 more than two-thirds of these complaints (127) are said to have been disposed of. The data does not indicate whether these complaints were found to be true or false.

Also, more than 57 percent of the complaints from Assam are shown as pending.

"Jammu and Kashmir accounted for 49.5 percent of the human rights complaints received against the armed forces during this period (2012 to January 2016)," the reply said.

"A little more than 31 percent of the complaints were received from the people in Assam. Manipur accounted for a little more than 11 percent of the total number of complaints. Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Tripura accounted for less than 10 complaints each. Only one complaint was received from Nagaland during this period," according to the reply.

"About 40 percent of the complaints are clubbed under the category 'defence forces' without any detailing as to what kinds of complaints they are," according to the ministry reply.

"When the distinct categories of 'death in army encounter' and 'death in army firing' are added, the proportion of complaints received against the defence forces goes up to more than 61 percent of the total number of complaints received against all armed forces operating in the seven states," Nayak said.

The RTI response also says ten of these complaints relate to the crime of abduction and rape - received from Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Jammu and Kashmir and Tripura.

The data also shows that monetary relief to the tune of Rs 6.47 crore was recommended in 117 cases.

"It is not known whether this was ex-gratia relief granted or compensation awarded. Further, it is not known how many complainants or victims actually received the monetary relief and which government (Central or State) made the payments," Nayak said.

While Jammu and Kashmir accounted for almost 50 percent of the complaints, its share in the monetary relief recommended was a mere three percent at Rs 21 lakh, it was revealed.

"Only five cases were found to be eligible for monetary relief in Jammu and Kashmir. On the other hand, Assam, which accounted for less than a third of the complaints, received the largest proportion (48 percent) of monetary relief recommended by the government. In 57 cases from Assam, monetary relief was recommended to the tune of Rs 3.10 crore," he explained.

The second largest share of monetary relief was recommended for Manipur at Rs 2.28 crore in 38 cases followed by Arunachal, which accounted for only three complaints but monetary relief to the tune of Rs 36 lakh was recommended, according to the application.

"Meghalaya and Tripura received recommendations of monetary relief to the tune of Rs 22 lakh against six and eight cases respectively. No monetary relief was recommended in the case of Nagaland in the lone complaint of abuse of power received in 2015-16 (up to January 2016)," he added.
At 8.20 pm on 10 July 2017, a bus carrying pilgrims undertaking the Amarnath Yatra was attacked by terrorists in Batengoo  leaving eight dead and 13 others, including some policemen, injured.

The Batengoo incident occurred seven years after a terror attack that left 30 people dead, in the base camp of Pahalgam.

On site, and on social media, there was an outpouring of support for the families of the deceased, and the injured.

Just a day later, pilgrims resumed their journey, with several thousands pouring into the Valley to trek to the holy Amarnath cave.

At the Baltal camp, for instance, there was the usual hubbub of yatris entering and leaving. Perhaps in fewer numbers, but yatris continued their trek, threat to life notwithstanding. This was exactly a week after the terror attack.

Among them were Binder Singh and Sudesh Sharma, who had travelled to the Valley on their motorcycle, all the way from Haryana. "One can die anywhere, but it is better if one dies in the home of bhagwan," Binder said, while Sudesh added the duo "wasn't scared of anything".

They were joined by other yatris, also on bikes.

Security arrangements at Baltal and elsewhere along the Amarnath Yatra route had been beefed up in the wake of the 10 July attack. Making his way though security checks, Pandirang Patel from Uttar Pradesh shrugged when asked if he wasn't afraid after the attack. "Life and death is in the hands of god," he said. Another pilgrim we met, from Punjab, said the heavy security made him feel safe from any other militant attacks.

A similar sentiment was echoed by Promod Kumar from Ghaziabad, who was travelling with his family and friends. The group said they had left their safety in the hands of god  and had faith in the security arrangements.

"People die everywhere. Death is inevitable," said Vijay Kumar, who was returning to his home in Amritsar having finished the Yatra. He has been undertaking the Amarnath Yatra for the past 17 years and said no one could harm him.

Security check slips were pasted on the sides of Yatra buses at Baltal, and pilgrims were ferried into them under heavy guard. The pilgrims queued up patiently for bus tickets, under the watchful eyes of the security personnel.

Meanwhile, Mohd Shahid Khatana, a pony-wallah from Rajori said this was one of the worst seasons of the Amarnath Yatra, in terms of business. Khatana rents his pony to yatris. Taxi driver Javaid Rishi also said that there had been little work this year, because of the terror threat.

Pilgrim Manoj Kumar Yadaw, at least, didn't seem to be too apprehensive about the threat. He had completed his yatra safely and was going back home. "The Muslims in the Valley are good people," he said. "Everyone here is so good."

Click here to see the complete photo essay.
After continuous heavy rains in Odisha, the government has issued a red alert in the state. According to NDTV, more rains are expected:

Red alert in #Odisha after heavy rain, IAF choppers pressed into action https://t.co/cGNdXYQid2 pic.twitter.com/C1BvqST1p3  NDTV (@ndtv) July 17, 2017

Heavy rains were also known to lash parts of the New Delhi, according to an ANI tweet:

Rain lashes the national capital; visuals from Delhi's Firozeshah Road and Vijay Chowk pic.twitter.com/GsH8QZgU3q  ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

The red alert in Odisha comes after flash floods crippled the state. According to IANS, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has kept four Mi-17 helicopters ready for rescue and relief operations in Odisha where heavy rains triggered flash floods in parts of Rayagada and Kalahandi districts.

Heavy to very heavy rainfall, coupled with gusty surface wind, is likely to hit several parts of Odisha due to low pressure over the Bay of Bengal, the weather department had said on Sunday. The Met office department issued advisories for fishermen and told them not to venture into the sea, saying that the sea condition will be rough to very rough.

The Met department also predicted strong gusty surface wind from the northwesterly direction in the southern region and southeasterly direction in northern region with a speed reaching 45-50 kmph, and gusts up to 60 kmph, which are likely to prevail along and off the Odisha coast.

"Four helicopters are on standby awaiting weather clearance," said the Defence ministry in the statement. The Odisha government sought the help of the army and the air force to rescue the marooned persons and urged the Central government to provide four helicopters to intensify relief and rescue operations.

Several bridges, including a railway overbridge, were washed away in the floods caused by incessant rains in the two districts. Besides, major roads were damaged by floodwaters.

The defence ministry said that since it is not possible to rescue them through boat by Orissa Disaster Rapid Action Force and fire services, the assistance of IAF is required for rescue and airdrop of relief material in the affected areas of Rayagada district.

The Hindu reported that the Odisha government air-dropped packets of food in the district. The report said that "a record 395.25 mm rainfall was measured at Narla block of the district while Lanjigarh recorded 254.4 mm, Thuamul Ramput (207.3 mm), Bhawanipatna (200 mm), Madanpur (167 mm), Kalampur (136 mm) and Koksara (135 mm) during past 24 hours."

"Four helicopters have been requisitioned. State Emergency Operation Center in Special Relief Commissioner Office is tracking the situation closely," the statement had said.

Furthemore, the India Meteorological Department's (IMD) had predicted that Odisha was likely to receive heavy rainfall due to formation of a low pressure area created in Northwest Bay of Bengal off North Odisha.

Met department also said that under the influence of the upper air cyclonic circulation over Northwest Bay of Bengal and its neighbouring areas, a low pressure area was formed over Northwest Bay of Bengal off North Odisha and Gangetic West Bengal coast at 8.30 am on Saturday.

Fishermen were advised to be cautious while venturing into sea.

In previous instances of rain hitting the nation, reports stated that the monsoon has reached Maharashtra and West Bengal in an article on 12 June. The article said that the south-west monsoon has arrived in Odisha, and that moderate to heavy rainfall would be expected in several parts of the state.

With inputs from agencies
Ramban/Jammu: Seventeen Amarnath pilgrims were killed and 29 injured when a bus skidded off the Jammu-Srinagar national highway and rolled down into a deep nallah in the Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, officials said.

The deceased, including two women, belonged to Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Assam, Haryana, and Madhya Pradesh, they said. Sixteen of the injured persons were critical, the officials added.

"The 17th batch of Amarnath Yatra left from Bhagwati Nagar, Jammu, at 4:06 am today. At 1:45 pm, one of the SRTC buses met with a fatal accident and rolled down into a nallah near Nachilana army camp in the jurisdiction of Banihal Police Station," a police spokesman said.

The bus of Jammu and Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation (JKSRTC) was part of the convoy of vehicles carrying 3,603 pilgrims from Jammu to twin base camps of Baltal and Pahalgam of pilgrimage to cave shrine of Amarnath in South Kashmir Himalayas.

The injured pilgrims were rescued and the bodies were retrieved in an operation launched by the Army, the CPRF and police, with the help of locals of the area, he said.

As many as 20 injured pilgrims were airlifted to the Government Medical College (GMC) Hospital for treatment and eight were shifted to SKIMS hospital in Srinagar by ambulances, he said.

However, one of those injured succumbed at the GMCH, he said, adding that the death toll rose to 17.

Two of those with minor injuries were discharged. The bodies were airlifted to the GMC hospital, Jammu, for identification and for other legal and medical formalities.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed pain at the loss of lives of in the accident and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of those killed and Rs 50,000 for the seriously injured.

"Extremely pained by the loss of lives of Amarnath Yatris due to a bus accident in Jammu Kashmir. My thoughts are with the families of the deceased," Modi tweeted.

"I pray that those injured in the bus accident in J&K recover soon," the prime minister added.

The JKSRTC ordered an in-house inquiry into the road accident.

"An in-house inquiry committee has been constituted to look into the circumstances that led to this tragic accident involving an SRTC bus carrying the Amarnath yatris," its managing director Mir Afroz Ahmad said.

Defence minister Arun Jaitley, home minister Rajnath Singh, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti expressed condolences at the loss of lives.

Home minister Rajnath Singh spoke to Jammu and Kashmir Governor NN Vohra and chief minister Mehboob Mufti and took stock of the situation, officials said.

This is the second major tragedy to affect the Amarnath yatris this year.

Earlier, on 10 July, militants attacked a bus carrying pilgrims in which eight persons lost their lives.

The CRPF acted as the first responder at the accident site today as a team deployed in Ramban immediately rushed to there along with doctors, ambulances and a Quick Action Team (QAT), a CRPF spokesman said.

"Once again the commitment of the CRPF was evident by their prompt action..The personnel of the force were also present at the Jammu airport from where the injured yatris were rushed to GMCH, Jammu," he said.
The Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) will be joined on Monday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Georgia Governors Office of Highway Safety, the Tennessee Highway Patrol, the Georgia State Patrol, and local law enforcement for a press event to launch Operation Southern Shield, a regional mobilization to crack down on speeding from Monday through Sunday. The purpose of Operation Southern Shield is to increase enforcement during this heavy vacation travel period when the rate of fatal crashes is highest throughout the Southeast. Other participating states include Alabama, Florida, and South Carolina.

According to the Tennessee Integrated Traffic Analysis Network (TITAN), the number of Tennessee speed-related fatalities increased by approximately eight percent from 2012 to 2015. According to the NHTSA, the number of speed-related fatalities in Georgia increased nearly 50 percent during this time period. In an effort to reduce fatal crashes, the THSO and partners will target our regions major highways and high-risk locations. For more information, please contact Arriale Tabson at arriale.tabson@tn.gov or 615-767-3242.


Srinagar: The Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) on Sunday announced a compensation of Rs 3 lakh to the next of kin of Amarnath pilgrims killed in the bus accident in Jammu and Kashmir and Rs 1 lakh each to the injured.

Jammu and Kashmir governor NN Vohra, who is also chairman of SASB, expressed his deep grief over the incident and conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families of those killed, an official spokesman said in Srinagar.

He said on behalf of the shrine board, Vohra announced relief of Rs 3 lakh to the next of kin of those killed and Rs 1 lakh each to those who were injured.

Sixteen Amarnath pilgrims were killed and around 27 injured, 19 of them critically, when their bus skidded off the Jammu-Srinagar national highway and rolled into a deep nullah in the Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir this afternoon.

The spokesman said that on learning about the accident, Vohra immediately flew to Banihal along with Chief Secretary BB Vyas, DGP SP Vaid and Chief Executive Officer of SASB Umang Narula, to oversee the rescue operations being carried out by the district administration with the help of the Indian Air Force.

As per the governor's earlier directions to the chief secretary, the seriously injured pilgrims were evacuated to Jammu through IAF helicopters, the spokesman said.

He said the governor met the critically injured yatris who were airlifted in a M17 helicopter after he arrived at Banihal.

He met the doctors and enquired about the medical treatment given to the yatris before they were airlifted in his presence.

The governor also visited the Banihal sub-district , where after discussion with the chief secretary and the attending doctors, he directed that the bodies of the 16 dead pilgrims be transported to Jammu. And from there, after embalming and other formalities, the bodies would be sent by air to the their hometowns, the spokesman said.

He also appreciated the prompt relief provided by a local NGO who rescued the injured pilgrims, in coordination with the district administration, and sanctioned an amount of Rs 5 lakh to them for strengthening their humanitarian endeavours, the spokesman said.
Ramban/Jammu: Seventeen Amarnath pilgrims were killed and around 29 injured when a bus skidded off the Jammu-Srinagar national highway and rolled down into a deep nallah in the Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, officials said.

Following is the list of the deceased:

1. Pawan Kumar (Bihar)

2. Dalip Kumar (Bihar)

3. Rohit Kumar (Patna, Bihar)

4. Sagar Kumar (Gandhipath, Bihar)

5. Ram Karan Sharma (Jaipur, Rajasthan)

6. Shalinder Singh (Berobin, Rajasthan)

7. Ravinder Singh (Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh)

8. Ravinder Singh (Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh)

9. Rahul Kumar (Golapur, Danapur Cantt)

10. Meena Devi (Denapur, Bihar)

11. Sikander (Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh)

12. Sheeshpal Saini (Saini Nagar, Nawalgarh)

13. Darshan Singh (Bishnah)

14. Gogal Chand

15. Rachet Sharma (New Delhi)

16. Chander Kumar

17. Unidentified male aged about 28 years
Director-General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt General AK Bhatt on Monday spoke to his Pakistani counterpart over the repeated exchange of fire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, after a five-year-old girl and a soldier were killed in Jammu and Kashmir in heavy shelling by Pakistani force.

The latest in a series of Pakistani border aggression came even as two senior military commanders of the two countries held talks over repeated exchanges of fire along the LoC which divides Jammu and Kashmir between them.

The deceased girl, who was hit by a Pakistani shell, was identified as Saida of Balakote in Poonch district. The soldier was killed in Rajouri district's Tarkundi area.

Defence Ministry spokesman Lt Col Manish Mehta said the firing along the LoC was still going on after Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked shelling at Bhimber Gali, Mendhar and Balakote sectors of Poonch and Rajouri districts.

The Indian Army retaliated "strongly and effectively", Mehta said.

As the firing was on, the Directors General of Military Operation (DGMO) of India and Pakistan spoke over hotlines to deescalate the border tension. The DGMOs usually speak on Tuesdays but Monday's was an unscheduled conversation on Pakistan's request.

The Indian DGMO conveyed to his Pakistani counterpart that India reserves the right to retaliate to any cross-border firing along the LoC. The two DGMOs also deliberated on the situation along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir, an Army official said.

The Indian DGMO highlighted that "all ceasefire violations were initiated by the Pakistan Army and the Indian Army only responded appropriately," an army statement said.

"The trend of infiltration along the LoC continued with active support of Pakistan forward posts impacting peace and tranquility along the LoC and also the internal security situation."

He said continued attempts of sniping and targeting of Indian troops were "undertaken through cross border actions supported by Pakistani Army troops.

The Indian officer also put across emphatically that the "trend of infiltration along the LoC continued with the active support of Pakistan forward posts."

The DGMO also noted that firing by Indian troops was initiated against armed intruders trying to sneak into India "from close proximity of Pakistan posts".

During the talks, the Pakistan DGMO, Maj Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza, raised the issues of targeting of Pakistani troops resulting in the death of four soldiers and a civilian in Athmuqam sector of Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

Pakistan's The News daily quoting unnamed sources said the Pakistan DGMO "strongly protested" against the deaths on Sunday.

"The Pakistan Army reserves the right to respond any Indian aggression," the daily said, quoting the sources.

According to the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), Indian troops targeted an Army vehicle that fell into the Neelum river and the four soldiers drowned.

The two armies have repeatedly exchanged heavy fire this summer along the winding LoC that has left many soldiers and civilians dead on both sides.

Two Indian soldiers were killed in Kupwara sector of the Kashmir Valley on July 12.

India and Pakistan had in November 2003 agreed to cease fire along the de facto border but violations have intensified since the 2016 Kashmir unrest and amid souring of ties between the two countries.

There have been 23 incidents of ceasefire violations, one BAT (Border Action Team) attack and two infiltration bids by Pakistan in June in which four people, including three jawans, have been killed and 12 injured.

With inputs from agencies
Beijing: China's military has conducted live-fire exercises in Tibet amid the ongoing standoff between Indian and Chinese troops at the Dokalam area in the Sikkim sector.

The People's Liberation Army (PLA) conducted live-fire exercises in Southwest China's Tibet autonomous region, state-run China Central Television reported on Friday, without mentioning the exact timing of the drills.

The brigade that conducted the drills was from the PLA's Tibet Military Command and is one of China's two plateau mountain brigades, Global Times reported.

The PLA Tibet command guards the Line of Actual Control (LAC) of the India-China border along several sections connecting the mountainous Tibetan region. According to the CCTV report, the brigade has long been stationed around the middle and lower reaches of the Brahmaputra (Yarlung Zangbo in Chinese) River which flows into India and Bangladesh and is responsible for frontline combat missions.

The live-fire drills included the quick delivery of troops and different military units working together on joint attacks. Video posted online showed soldiers using anti-tank grenades and missiles against bunkers and howitzers for artillery coverage.

The video also showed radar units identifying enemy aircraft and soldiers using anti-aircraft artillery to destroy targets. The drills lasted 11 hours.

Separately, Tibet's mobile communication agency conducted a drill on July 10 in Lhasa, capital of Tibet, where members of the agency practiced setting up a temporary mobile network to secure communications in an emergency.

Earlier reports said the PLA units exercised with several modern weapon systems including a new light battle tank being manufactured by China.

China and India have been engaged in a standoff in the Dokalam area in the Sikkim sector, where Indian troops stopped road construction by Chinese soldiers on 16 June.

China has been demanding immediate pull-out of the Indian troops from the disputed Dokalam plateau.

Doka La is the Indian name for the region which Bhutan recognises as Dokalam, while China claims it as part of its Donglang region.

Of the 3,488-km-long India-China border from Jammu and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh, a 220-km section falls in Sikkim.
Editor's note: The flood situation in Assam has worsened, with at least 99 people dying and 22.5 lakh being affected in 21 districts. The Indian Army has been called out for rescue operations in the state. This article on Assam's lack of infrastructural and administrative response to flooding is part of a series and originally appeared on 17 July, 2017. It is being republished in view of the current situation.

***

This three-part series on recurring Assam floods will examine what ails the state's fight against this annual phenomenon. The second part will take a closer look at the existential crisis of the vulnerable Majuli island. The third part will seek to examine if dredging the river Brahmaputra is the panacea that the state has been looking for all these many years.

Former Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi once famously replied to a reporter who questioned him on the government's inaction in the wake of devastating floods: "America tu baanpani hoi," he said, which translates into "Floods also happen in America." It was an ingenious way to deflect attention from a human tragedy that is akin to an annual ritual of mayhem in the state.

The floods were often bad when Gogoi was in power from 2001 to 2016. The chief minister had three straight terms. So when the governments changed at both the Centre and state, there was hope that things would get better. However, the people probably expected a bit too much.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi had raised hopes while campaigning  that the flood and erosion problems would be given utmost priority and people would escape the fury of nature that they were subjected to for all these many years  but nothing happened in the first two years. Assam did not get any funds, probably because Congress was in power at the state level. But even a year after BJP's Sarbananda Sonowal took over as chief minister, there is no change on the ground," an official unwilling to be named said.

"No fund under the National Disaster Response Force has been released to the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) during the last two years for the restoration of flood damages," the official added.

Though the government has claimed sufficient funds are available, a severe financial crunch has affected even maintenance of flood and erosion control infrastructure, let alone building new ones.

"There has been no change at all, though we have relatively new governments both at the Centre and the state. Despite big announcements, nothing has been implemented. There is a huge difference between what they say and what is being done on the ground," All Assam Water Resources Contractors' Association president Muhi Borgohain told Firstpost from Guwahati.

Sonowal had set 31 March, 2017, as the deadline before which all damaged dykes across the state were to be repaired. Clearly, this did not happen as intended.

"When the chief minister said damaged dykes, it wasn't clear whether he specifically mentioned those embankments and dykes that were damaged during last year's flood or those before that. Practically speaking, all embankments are more or less damaged and could not be repaired before 31 March," Borgohain said.

The damaged flood protection infrastructure was to be repaired under the SDRF scheme. "It was estimated that 168 points at different embankments across the state will be repaired at a cost of Rs 1,500 crore. And while the funds were available on paper, the government actually had only Rs 345 crore. So it was finally decided that repair work would go ahead with the available funds and a two-phase project was initiated under the State Disaster Management Authority. In the first phase, 98 points were to be repaired at a cost of Rs 203 crore, and the remaining 70 points were to be repaired in the second phase at Rs 142 crore. Just before the monsoon set in, we somehow completed repairing the first phase. However, due to the hurriedly completed work, many of these developed defects," he said.

"This happened due to delay in releasing the money. So it has worked at some places and didn't work at some others. Releasing little money won't solve the issue," Borgohain said, pointing out to the large-scale damage that floods caused this time.

The second phase is yet to begin.

Now, leave alone the central-aided schemes, even state-run projects are facing financial hurdles because of which contractors are left to fend for themselves. Usually the deputy commissioner of a district is the main authority on whose nod the bills get cleared.

"In SDRF schemes, the norm is that the deputy commissioner has to issue a certificate stating that the work has been done to his satisfaction. But there are many DCs who delay the process and wait for the monsoon to see if the work is up to par. Even if there is a minor issue, the certificate is denied until it the problem is rectified by the contractor at his own cost," Borgohain said.

Apparently, many contractors are yet to get their dues because they have not been issued these certificates. This tug-of-war has also led to a stalemate going forward with effective flood and erosion control schemes.

Funding issues have also negatively impacted the lives of the people. The Laharighat embankment disaster and the one on the Ranganadi river in Lakhimpur are just two examples of such. The latter was breached at its right and left flank at Aamtala and Bogolijan, causing massive destruction.

"This was a Rs 365 crore central project. In March 2015, it cleared 30 percent of its cost. But even after two years, when the project is around 80 percent complete, the Centre has not released the rest of the money. As per the rules, it should have done when the project was 55 percent complete. The project has remained unfinished, which has led to breaches," the association president said.

Half-baked approach

Clutching at straws has often been the case with government agencies when it comes to tackling flood and erosion. And when the tempers of the helpless run high, governments would typically rush in with some half-baked semi-successful formula meant to give hope that a certain embankment won't be breached or an entire village won't simply vanish due to erosion.

"There are some embankment schemes for Morigaon district. But building embankments alone is not sufficient. Steps must also be taken to protect erosion and these need to happen simultaneously. An embankment was built at Laharighat in Morigaon district, but no bank protection measures were taken. The estimated cost was around Rs 20 crore while the government released only Rs 10 crore. The embankment was built but the bank was not protected. As a result, it washed away," Borgohain said.

This happened on Saturday. Just last week, both Sonowal and state water resources minister Keshab Mahanta visited the area and assured the people that the embankment was sturdy enough to withstand the strong current of the Brahmaputra river.

The Solengi river at Gohpur witnessed a similar situation. This year, the town was adversely affected due to floods. An embankment was built at a cost of Rs 5 crore without essential river protection, though the original cost was estimated at Rs 15 crore. Once again, the government failed to release the entire funds.

Political disruptions

The situation is so dire that even the state water resources minister offers little hope to contractors.

"The water resources minister told us that the government is not releasing funds. 'Without funds how can I make the contractors work?' is what he told us," Borgohain recalled.

A quiet political angle is also emerging. Mahanta belongs to Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), a coalition partner of the BJP government in Assam, while Sonowal and state finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma are both from the BJP.

"There is a silent clash brewing between the BJP and the AGP. Since the water resources minister is from a different party, the finance minister is not giving him funds," he said.

Corruption has reduced but not disappeared

Allegations of corruptions are common when it comes to flood and erosion control projects in Assam.

"An expense is required only to get a project sanctioned from New Delhi. There are also expenses in Dispur and on the ground. However, things have got little better after a strict monitoring system has been introduced irrespective of the scheme size. Third-party monitoring has become a norm. All projects below Rs 100 crore are monitored by state-run engineering colleges while projects above Rs 100 crore are monitored by IIT Guwahati," an official privy to the process who did not wish to be named told Firstpost.

Cost sharing quandary

The Modi government's intentions have come under a cloud as many flood and erosion control schemes proposed by the Assam water resources department have been lying unapproved for years. The cost sharing model has also changed with different Five Year Plans.

"According to the 11th Five Year Plan, the expenditure in the Flood Management Programme was to be shared in 10:90 pattern, with the state bearing 10 percent of the cost and the Centre shouldering 90 percent cost of the total outlay. There were 100 schemes under the 11th Plan. Only after the state gives a certificate that its share was utilised does the Centre release its share in two tranches. The monitoring of these projects is done by the Brahmaputra Board. Under the 11th Plan, there are many projects where the second tranche is yet to be released. The outstanding amount comes to around Rs 240 crore," Borgohain said.

There is no outstanding so far as the state share is concerned in the 11th Five Year Plan schemes.

With the implementation of the 12th Five Year Plan, the cost sharing pattern changed again. This now became 30:70: With the state bearing 30 percent of the project cost and the remaining 70 percent to be borne by the Centre.

"Forty-three schemes came under the 12th Five Year Plan. The states' share came to Rs 51 crore before BJP came to power. This is yet to be cleared. Almost the entire amount from the Centre is outstanding. Only a project in Dhakuwakhana saw 50 percent released but the rest is still to be cleared," he said.

After BJP came to power at the Centre in 2014, the cost sharing equation saw yet another change. This has now become 20:80 between the state and the Centre. The govt tabulated the total outstanding amount of both plans and reached a cumulative figure. "By combining two Five Year Plans, the Centre owes Rs 1,200 crore to the contractors. This includes the Rs 51 crore of the state which has now become Rs 115 crore after the new calculation," the association president said.

State budget gives water resources a miss

Although the math is ready, other concerns stand in the way. In the 2015-16 state budget itself, no allocation was made to the water resources department. Following this, the association raised the matter with the chief minister and the water resources minister in December, after which it was agreed that Rs 115 crore will be included in the state's supplementary budget. The principal secretary even assured that the Rs 115 crore will be released in June (although it should have been ideally released by 31 March, the last day of fiscal year).

"The money is yet to be released. They told us the state would tell the Centre via the chief minister to include Rs 1,200 in the Union supplementary budget in July. So far, we are yet to hear any news. Even the Centre has said that the state has not established a proper correspondence. The Centre can release the money only after the state produces a certificate stating its share has been utilised," Borgohain said.

Raging rivers won't stop

Former chief minister Gogoi was right. Floods happen even in America. However, what his government and the one that followed did not learn was that abroad, there is always a sincere attempt to mitigate the crisis and not mire the people in a web of facts, figures and funds.

Read Part II and Part III here
Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop will be on a two-day visit to New Delhi from Tuesday during which she will call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and meet her Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj to take forward bilateral engagement on defence and security issues.

Australia's High Commissioner to India, Harinder Sidhu, said the visit places emphasis on India as one of Australia's top economic and security partners, a statement from the Australian High Commission here said.

"We are committed to exploring ways to expand our engagement even further," Sidhu said.

"Our countries have a dynamic and growing knowledge partnership, flourishing people-to-people links and converging political, economic and strategic interests. And there is scope for us to do much more together."

Bishop will meet Sushma Swaraj for the Foreign Ministers' Framework Dialogue to talk about "our deepening regional engagement, defence and security issues", the statement said.

She will call on Prime Minister Modi to follow up on his meeting with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull earlier this year.

Bishop will deliver the second Indo-Pacific Oration, setting out how Australia and India can work together to build peace, prosperity and a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific, the statement said.
New Delhi: The government has asked all institutes of higher learning to participate in 'swachhta' ranking, where the institutes will be judged on several criteria like availability of toilets and garbage disposal system on their premises.

A notice published on the Ministry of Human Resource Development website on Monday said the entries would be accepted between 20 July and 31 July. The learning centres can participate through registering themselves on the ministry's website.

A team from the ministry would visit the institutes in August to assess the claims made by them and accord rankings subsequently.

The factors enlisted upon which the ranking will be done include availability of toilets in hostels and academic buildings, their maintenance and water facility, garbage clearance in campus and its disposal, use of any innovative technology for solid and liquid waste management, and green coverage of the campus.

The rankings would be finalised in September and awards will be conferred upon the top institutes on 8 September.
New Delhi: The All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) on Monday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of uttering "hypocritical rhetoric" on the violence unleashed by cow vigilantes and accused him of "running with the hare and hunting with the hounds".

Condemning Modi for "empty hypocritical rhetoric" over "barbaric violence unleashed by self-styled Gaurakshaks patronized by the Sangh Parivar", it said he maintained silence when continuous incidents of organised lynching happened in the name of cow protection.

"The close links of many of the people involved in the attacks with the BJP and Sangh Parivar have also been exposed from time to time. No action has been taken against the perpetrators of the crime so far," it said in a statement.

"Rather than take action against the culprits, the effort has been to harass the victims of such attacks by filing cases against them on the basis of false charges.

"The culprits in the killing of Pehlu Khan and named in the FIR are yet to be arrested and so are the culprits in other cases of lynching. A case of cow theft has been charged against the slain victim and no compensation provided to the victim's family."

The Kisan Sabha urged Modi "to stop the hypocrisy and take action on barbaric cow vigilante groups as well as provide compensation to the victims of their attacks".

It also criticized Modi for claiming that the cow was treated like a mother.

"While individuals are free to have their own beliefs and opinions, a Prime Minister is constitutionally bound to promote scientific temper. He should desist from making such statements."

It said the setting up of a Committee for Scientific Validation and Research on Panchagavya with wide terms of reference, filling it with people with RSS-VHP links and seeking to involve government departments, IIT Delhi and research institutes was aimed at providing employment to their cadre and imposing their views upon citizens.

"There are already institutions of national repute which are carrying out research on Indian breeds and also on manure which are however starved of funds."

The Kisan Sabha accused the Modi government of trying to communalise the society and promote corporate interests by bringing a notification restricting cattle trade.
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The electoral college which elects the President through the system of proportional representation, comprises MPs and members of state legislative assemblies.

The counting of votes will take place on 20 July in New Delhi where all the ballot boxes will be brought from various state capitals.

Election for the next President of India will be held today where NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind is pitted against opposition nominee Meira Kumar.

Five MLAs will cast their ballot in Parliament House and four other legislators will vote in state assemblies which they have not been elected to. Usually, MPs vote in Parliament House and MLAs in their respective state assemblies.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and his Goa counterpart Manohar Parrikar are among 55 MPs who will vote in their state assemblies instead of Parliament House for the presidential election.

This will be the second time India will elect a Dalit President since 1997. KR Narayan was the first, and so far the only person from the Dalit community to hold India's highest constitutional post.

The electoral college for the election consists of 790 MPs of the two chambers of Parliament.

The ruling bloc enjoys an overwhelming majority in the electoral college and BJP has expressed confidence about garnering anywhere between 500 and 550 votes.

The BJP parliamentary board would meet today to pick the ruling NDA's vice presidential candiadate as 18 July is the last date for filing of nominations.

All arrangements have been completed for the presidential election, and polling will take place in Parliament House and respective state assemblies between 10 am and 5 pm. Elected members of both houses of Parliament and assemblies in states, including the National Capital Region of Delhi and the Union Territory of Puducherry, are eligible to vote.

Opposition parties are expected to raise the military stand-off with China, though in a restrained manner, the law and order situation in Kashmir in the wake of the recent terror attack on Amarnath pilgrims and incidents of lynching over beef controversy and suicide of farmers in some states.

The day also marks the beginning of the Monsoon Session which is expected to be stormy with the Opposition parties all set to corner the government over a range of issues concerning national security, foreign policy and other domestic matters while the ruling alliance is gearing up to counter the onslaught on it.

Mishra had allegedly filed wrong accounts of election expenditure relating to articles and advertorials in the media in the 2008-2013 Assembly elections.

The Election Commission of India has barred Madhya Pradesh minister Narottam Mishra from casting his vote in the presidential elections since the poll panel had disqualified him for three years over paid news charges.

A special court in Mumbai has allowed senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal's application seeking permission to vote in the 17 July presidential election. Bhujbal has been in judicial custody since his arrest under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) last year.

Since the election is through a secret ballot, the parties cannot round up their members and make sure they vote for a particular candidate.

Cross-voting can't be ruled out even as parties claim to have taken up a battle of 'ideologies'. The presidential elections have split open rifts in political parties, with parties fearing that dissidents may indulge in cross-voting. For instance, the Samajwadi Party appears divided with camps led by Mulayam Singh Yadav and party chief Akhilesh Yadav all set to vote for rival candidates, triggering possibility of cross-voting. Mulayam has expressed his support for Kovind while the Akhilesh camp is backing Meira Kumar.

Narendra Modi, speaking to the press outside Parliament, said that he hoped that the Monsoon Session will be filled with new vigour and a spirit to promote national interest. He said that the Monsoon Session is important on many counts as not only will the nation choose it's 14th president, but the 75th anniversary of August Kranti.

The Election Commission has barred legislators from carrying their own pens and a special serial numbered pen with violet ink will be used for voting. Following the ink controversy in the Rajya Sabha polls in Haryana in 2016, the poll panel has decided to use special pens for the electors to mark their votes in the presidential and vice-presidential polls.

Five MLAs will cast their ballot in Parliament House and four other legislators will vote in state assemblies which they have not been elected to. Usually, MPs vote in Parliament House and MLAs in their respective state assemblies.

Yogi Adityanath has reached the state Assembly to cast his vote for presidential elections 2017. The Uttar Pradesh chief minister is one of few MPs to cast vote from state Assembly. In all, 55 MPs will vote from state Assemblies.

Ram Nath Kovind, who belongs to the BJP, has the backing of all the party's allies besides several regional parties. Here is a list of non-NDA parties supporting the BJP' presidential nominee.

The only time a truly apolitical figure gets elected is when a party chooses under coalition compulsions, for instance NDA's move to elect the hugely respected Abdul Kalam.

The post of the president is ostensibly apolitical but every party treats it as a ploy to send signals to its political base and BJP, Congress have stayed true to the script. It is amusing that the Congress president is seeking to take the moral high ground and talking of "conscience vote" because it is her party that sent someone like Pratibha Patil to Raisina Hills.

Sonia Gandhi's contention that the presidential poll is a "clash of ideas" and a "conflict of values" rings hollow. It is quite clear that Congress is trying to make a virtue out of political helplessness, short as they are of crucial numbers in the polling game.

"I hope all political parties, MPs will work for national interest and will engage in high standard of debate and provide value addition," Modi said.

The prime minister hoped that the successful "rains" of GST will fill the Monsoon session with pleasant smell like that emanating from dry soil after showers.

While a stormy Monsoon Session is expected as the Opposition is prepared to target Centre over key issues like farmer suicides and cow vigilantism, Narendra Modi expressed hope of a fruitful Parliament session.

Even as the BJP managed to gain support of as many as 40 parties, including several who arenot NDA allies, for Ram Nath Kovind, Kerala will remain a glaring exception. Kovind is likely to get only one vote  that of BJP MLA O Rajagopal, the lone elected BJP MLA in the state. Both the LDF and UDF are supporting Meira Kumar.

Officials said that polling in Parliament House will take place in Room Number 62 and MPs will vote according to tables allocated to states they represent.

While the Lok Sabha Speaker, an elected member, can vote, the two nominated members in the Lower House from the Anglo-Indian community cannot. Twelve nominated members in Rajya Sabha are also ineligible. The total value of votes of the electoral college is 10,98,903. The value of vote of an MP is 708 while that of an MLA varies from state to state depending on the size of its population.

A total of 4,896 voters  4,120 MLAs and 776 elected MPs  are eligible to cast their ballot. MLCs of states with legislative council are not part of the Electoral College.

Senior leaders and Mulayam loyalists are expected to follow suit. Although the small dissidence will have no effect on the overall result of the presidential polls, but it is interesting to note here that Uttar Pradesh MLAs enjoy the maximum weightage in electoral collage. The value of vote of an MP is 708 while that of an MLA varies from state to state depending on the size of its population.

Amid talks of cross-voting from the Opposition camps, the rift in Samajwadi Party is not helping Meira Kumar's cause. SP patrons Mulayam Singh Yadav and Shivpal Yadav have declared that they will support Kovind, while Akhilesh Yadav is with Congress' Meira Kumar.

He also said that the party led by Akhilesh Yadav did not consult him or Mulayam over presidential elections.

The rift in Samajwadi Party was out in the open once again as Mulayam camp declared allegiance to Ram Nath Kovind. Shivpal Yadav, speaking to CNN-News18, said that Kovind hails from Uttar Pradesh and is a secular figure. He also said that the presidential polls should ideally be conducted wih unanimity.

Opposition presidential nominee Meira Kumar will recieve overwhelming support from West Bengal where 288 MLAs of the 299 are supporting Kumar. All legislators, barring three from the BJP and three from Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, an NDA ally, will vote for Kumar.

Sonia, on Sunday, called for a "conscience vote" while attacking the Narendra Modi government for trying to impose "narrow-minded, divisive and communal vision" on the country.

"It is my firm belief that the Monsoon session will provide an opportunity to all political parties and MPs to enter into high standard of debate and to provide value addition for taking major decisions in larger national interest," he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoped the "growing stronger together" spirit of the GST will bring enthusiasm to Parliament proceedings and that political parties will engage in high standard of debate and provide value addition during the Monsoon session.

There are 288 MLAs in Maharashtra who are eligible to vote in the election. Besides, there are 48 Lok Sabha MPs and 19 Rajya Sabha members from Maharashtra.

Jailed NCP MLAs Chhagan Bhujbal and Ramesh Kadam are also expected to cast their votes in the presidential election, a Vidhan Bhawan official said.

The voting for the presidential election started at the Vidhan Bhawan in south Mumbai on Mondya morning with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is an MLA from Nagpur, among the early voters.

Poll debate a sad reflection of the immaturity of Indian democracy It says little about the maturity of our democracy when the ongoing debate around presidential polls is around the caste identity of the contesting candidates, not their achievements. Ramnath Kovind distinguished himself as a lawyer and has a long career as an administrator and a Parliamentarian. Ex-speaker of Lok Sabha Meira Kumar, daughter of Babu Jagjivan Ram, has a similar stellar career to boast of. But all the commentaries and debates so far have focused on which candidate is more "Dalit" than the other. The prime minister, yesterday and today, struck a note of harmony and conciliation but he would know that Kovind's selection had as much to do with BJP's need to woo Dalit community. Congress looked outmanouvred in choosing another Dalit candidate to forge opposition unity and then later tried to spin it as a battle of principles. The sad truth is, politics of identity trumps every other parameters during polls in India. Presidential polls are no exception.

In the Lok Sabha, the BJP has 10 MPs from Chhattisgarh while the Congress has one.

Marwahi MLA Amit Jogi, expelled from the Congress, had said he would support Meira Kumar. The Congress has also suspended Gunderdehi MLA Rajendra Kumar Rai.

In the 90-member Chhattisgarh Assembly, BJP has 49 MLAs whereas the Congress has 39. One MLA is from the BSP while another is independent legislator.

Voting for the presidential election began at the Chhattisgarh Assembly complex in Raipur on Monday morning.

"Because all MPs don't necessarily vote only according to conscience, they also vote according to party lines and party lines are divided somewhat on ideology, principles and political positioning. So, I don't read too much into any other statement, except the fact that this is a clear case of the NDA scoring big in terms of the numbers," he added.

There is no rocket science involved in predicting that the ruling NDA's nominee Ram Nath Kovind would win the presidential poll, senior NCP leader Praful said on Monday.

In the Haryana Assembly, ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators Kamal Gupta and Latika Sharma were among the first voters.

Punjab has a Congress government since March. The party has 77 legislators in the 117-member assembly.

The Congress legislators later gathered at the Punjab Bhawan here for a meeting on the issue.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had called all Congress legislators in the state for breakfast before the voting.

Voting began in the Punjab and Haryana assemblies here on Monday morning to elect the country's 14th President.

Voting for presidential elections will end at 5pm today. After the polling ends, the ballot boxes from the states would be flown to Delhi and stored in Parliament. The votes would be counted and results would be announced on 20 July, and the new President will assume office on 25 July.

Though the outcome of Presidential poll is forgone conclusion but BJP leadership is not taking it easy. It is keen to send out a message that Opposition is disunited and PM Modi's candidate has support from across the party lines.

The BJP under Narendra Modi-Amit Shah dispensation has acquired a tendency to punch above its weight. In last year's Rajya Sabha elections, the BJP fetched some extra seats than its strength in state Assemblies because it managed to get additional votes from other parties and Independents. After recent round of assembly elections even as the BJP did not have required numbers to form its government in Goa and Manipur, it outmanoeuvred Congress and formed government in these two states.

Ram Nath Kovind is sure to win Presidential election but what is of real interest is his victory margin over Opposition candidate Meira Kumar. The ruling NDA was slightly short of 50 percent of value of votes in the electoral college but now, with the support of several non-NDA parties, its candidate appears all set to get around 65 percent votes. BJP leaders believe that it could reach 70 percent mark or even more.

Sonia Gandhi and Meira Kumar's appeal to MPs and MLAs to vote as per their conscience  and not vote as per their party's official line  may eventually boomerang on them. Kumar has again and again urged legislators to caste their vote according to their conscience in a battle of ideologies. However, in this election, political parties can't issue whip and the voting is secretive. Mark Tejashwi Yadav's words as he expressed his anguish over cross-voting. Although he linked this with ruling NDA's insecurity in the polls but it was not difficult to make an easy reading of voting pattern.

While the TMC in West Bengal is backing UPA's Meira Kumar, the Tripura branch of the TMC has come out in the support of NDA's nominee Ram Nath Kovind.

While Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party has come out in support of Meira Kumar, there is a threat of 10-12 MLAs voting for Ram Nath Kovind. However Kejriwal told the Delhi Assembly, "We are supporting Meira Kumar (Opposition presidential candidate). All should vote following their conscience."

In the Monsoon Session this year, there are 79 bills which are to be passed in both the Houses of Parliament. With Kovind in the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Modi government may look for the speedy passage of the bills.

While Kovind's Dalit background may have been a reason for his elevation, the former Bihar Governor can also help the NDA to get his assent on key bills, especially through the ordinances route.

Former Haryana Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Congress Legislature Party leader Kiran Choudhary excercised their votes in the designated polling station for Haryana.

The Old Committee Room in the Assembly was the designated polling station in Haryana, while in Punjab, the polling was being held in the Assembly complex. The voting began at 10 am and will conclude at 5 pm.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar and senior Akali leader Parkash Singh Badal were among those who cast their votes for the presidential poll on Monday.

"The president should be a person pursuing an ideology under which everybody should be equal for him. And when there is a clash of ideologies, I think our candidate (Kumar) is the best," Azad, the Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha, said.

Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said the fight between Kovind and Kumar was "one of ideologies" and rated the latter as the best choice for the president's post.

"Kovind ji will win (the election) with a respectable and comfortable margin," Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu told reporters ahead of the polling.

"comfortable" margin, while the opposition said its joint pick Meira Kumar was the best choice in the "clash of ideologies".

As lawmakers voted to elect India's next president, the ruling BJP exuded today confidence that NDA nominee Ram Nath Kovind would win with a

The NCP dismissed reports that its MPs and MLAs were voting for NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind. The rumours are false. We are voting for our candidate Meira Kumar, NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik told Hindustan Times.

The Trinamool Congress had come out in support of Opposition's candidate Meira Kumar. However, the Tripura branch decided to vote against Meira and backed Ram Nath Kovind.

Talking to media persons, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said, "We voted for Meira Kumar to register our protest against "present atrocities" in the country."

Chief Electoral Officer, Tamil Nadu, Rajesh Lakhoni said the ballot box would be sealed at 5 pm and taken to Delhi by a 9.10 pm flight.

Voting for the presidential election in Tamil Nadu was over in just about two hours today with 232 legislators, Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan, and a Kerala MLA casting their votes at the Assembly secretariat conference hall in Chennai.

Sonia Gandhi's contention that the presidential poll is a "clash of ideas" and a "conflict of values" is unconvincing. It is evident that Congress is trying to make a virtue out of political helplessness, short as it is of crucial numbers in the polling game. It is also a hollow statement because the Congress clearly doesn't practice what it preaches.

Leave alone the race to Raisina, Congress looks out of shape for 2019 as well

"A farmers son, Venkaiah Naidu Garu brings years of experience in public life and is admired across the political spectrum," Modi said about the urban development minister. "The years of Parliamentary experience M Venkaiah Naidu Garu has will help him discharge the important role of Rajya Sabha Chairperson," the prime minister added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to go for a Cabinet expansion as senior minister M Venkaiah Naidu's almost certain election as the next vice president will leave two heavyweight portfolios without a Cabinet minister. Naidu, whose candidature as the NDA's vice presidential candidate was announced on Monday, currently holds charge of the ministries of Information and Broadcasting and Urban Development. Read more here .

Narendra Modi may go for Cabinet expansion as Venkaiah Naidu's nomination likely to vacate two portfolios

Naidu started his political journey as a student leader in 1971. The BJP veteran, who is a key member of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's cabinet, had cut his political teeth during the Emergency of 1975-77 when he went underground against the government of Indira Gandhi and eventually got jailed. Read the full profile here .

Venkaiah Naidu is NDA's vice-presidential candidate: All you need to know about the BJP veteran

The former Bihar Governor is also a trained lawyer and a constitutional expert, who is known to have worked on Dalit issues.

The 71-year-old BJP politician known to keep a low profile, is now tipped to become the President of India, if speculations by media reports turn out to be trues. A farmer's son hailing from a small village near Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, Kovind's humble origins and simple lifestyle were stressed by BJP leaders. His caste identity further forked a pitched battle, with the NDA claiming to have nominated a member of the Dalit community for the highest constitutional post in India.

Kumar is the best thing to have happened to the Opposition since VP Singh won a by-election in Allahabad three decades ago. If the Opposition carries forward its bonhomie, buries the egos of its prima donnas, Kumar could be a readymade candidate to take on Narendra Modi in 2019.

From the defeat of the presidential polls could rise the Opposition's prime ministerial candidate for the 2019 elections.

Even if Meira Kumar loses the presidential poll, this could be the beginning of her story.

"I also believe in the inner voice of conscience," she also said.

When asked about cross-voting, she said that such words should not be used for such elections.

"This is my commitment. This is why I joined politics," she added.

"We just made the voices of many people who believe in a certain set of principles stronger," she said.

"Most of the people believe in a certain set of principles. We fought these elections on the basis of those principles," Meira Kumar told reporters.

According to Financial Express , Kovind is leading over Kumar from states like Bihar and Assam.

According to News18 , Ram Nath Kovind got 27,189 votes from Andhra Pradesh while Meira Kumar got none. Fron Arunachal Pradesh, Kovind got 448 votes while Kumar got 24. From Assam, Kovind got 10,556 while Kumar got 460.

As of now, the total number of votes polled are 6,84,179. There are 37 invalid votes.

Ram Nath Kovind got six votes in Delhi while Meira Kumar got 55. Six of the votes were rejected.

Ram Nath Kovind has crossed the half way mark as the last phase of counting is underway, ANI reported

Kovind has a long career in politics behind him. He has headed the BJP's Dalit Morcha and is among one of the few Dalit faces the party could boast of in it's folds in north India. The party has also nominated him as its Rajya Sabha MP from the Hindi heartland twice in the past, where he enjoyed consecutive terms from 1994 for the next 12 year till March, 2006.

Ram Nath Kovind is the 14th President of India: All you need to know about him

"I want to tell the people that Ram Nath Kovind is going to the Rashtrapati Bhawan as a representative of the poor," said Kovind. He added that protecting the Constitution is his responsibility now.

The Congress stood for "fake" slogans of Dalit empowerment as it did not field a Dalit when its candidate won the presidential elections in 2007 and 2012, he said.

BJP spokesperson GVL Narsimha Rao said there were many to say that it was indeed an ideological contest with the NDA's "merit-based" selection pitted against the dynasty promoted by the Congress-led alliance.

This easy demeanour has stood the Kanpur-born former lawyer in good stead, say political watchers. He is not just a Dalit leader, but is known for his organisational skills and is a loyal member of the BJP, attributes that not many in the larger NDA family can boast of.

It was perhaps Kovind's non-confrontational approach to politics that led the JD(U) chief to back him for the president's office even though he had been critical of his appointment as the governor, but later it led to the curious situation of the party endorsing the opposition's candidate Gopalkrishna Gandhi for the vice president's post.

Stepping away from quietude to the spotlight of constant scrutiny that comes with being the country's first citizen, Kovind was picked for the job by the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) from Raj Bhavan in Patna, where he had struck an easy working relationship with Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar.

This easy demeanour has stood the Kanpur-born former lawyer in good stead, say political watchers. He is not just a Dalit leader, but is known for his organisational skills and is a loyal member of the BJP, attributes that not many in the larger NDA family can boast of.

It was perhaps Kovind's non-confrontational approach to politics that led the JD(U) chief to back him for the president's office even though he had been critical of his appointment as the governor, but later it led to the curious situation of the party endorsing the opposition's candidate Gopalkrishna Gandhi for the vice president's post.

Stepping away from quietude to the spotlight of constant scrutiny that comes with being the country's first citizen, Kovind was picked for the job by the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) from Raj Bhavan in Patna, where he had struck an easy working relationship with Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar.

From burning lamps using ghee, distributing sweets to welcoming guests with 'gulaal' and flowers, a festive spirit permeated the atmosphere in Jhinjhak, 160 kilometres from Lucknow. Family members of the newly-elected president, who will go to Delhi by train on 23 July, have already started buying clothes for the swearing in ceremony.

Heartiest congratulations and best wishes to Shri Ram Nath Kovind on being elected as the 14th President of India #PresidentMukherjee

How easy was it for Ram Nath Kovind to win the election?

Congratulations to #RamNathKovind for being elected as 14th President of India. The nation has got an honest & dedicated President: Assam CM pic.twitter.com/O3Noq3n9gq

#RamNathKovind 's victory marks an important milestone in the political history. It reflects empowerment of weaker sections of society:J&K CM pic.twitter.com/4SWFqLitPY

Confident that he (Ram Nath Kovind) will work for all from his position.Had very good experience with Pranab Da: Lok Sabha Speaker S Mahajan pic.twitter.com/4URZdxrXXo

The stage is all set for the election of the 14th President of India in a contest in which National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate Ram Nath Kovind has a clear edge in the electoral college over the opposition nominee Meira Kumar.

The total value of votes of the electoral college is 10,98,903, and the NDA candidate is slated to cross the halfway-mark and get about 63 per cent votes.

Kovind, who belongs to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has the backing of all the party's allies besides several regional parties, while Kumar has been fielded by the Congress and some major opposition parties in what they call an "ideological battle" against the ruling party.

Both Kovind and Kumar are from the Dalit community and have canvassed hard by visiting states to seek support of legislators.

All arrangements have been completed for the presidential election, and polling will take place in Parliament House and respective state assemblies between 10 am and 5 pm. Elected members of both houses of Parliament and assemblies in states, including the National Capital Region of Delhi and the Union Territory of Puducherry, are eligible to vote.

In a last-minute appeal ahead of Monday's election, Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Sunday urged members to "vote their conscience" while attacking the Narendra Modi government for trying to impose "narrow-minded, divisive and communal vision" on the country.

Addressing a meeting of several Opposition parties on the eve of the poll, she said the election represented "a clash of ideas" and "a conflict of disparate values".

Modi, on the other hand, said NDA nominee Ram Nath Kovind had the support of 40 parties and expressed confidence about his victory. The prime minister urged the alliance lawmakers, including legislators in the states, to cast their ballots.

Parliamentary affairs minister HN Ananth Kumar later said that the meeting, held in the Parliament House Library building was also addressed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah and leaders of other alliance parties, including Lok Janshakti Party chief Ram Vilas Paswan and Shiromani Akali Dal's Harsimrat Kaur Badal.

Kumar said Modi noted that chief ministers of Odisha, Bihar, Telangana and Tamil Nadu had extended their support to Kovind.

Modi was quoted as saying that there was "clarity" about the presidential poll and the "road ahead is also clear". Before addressing NDA MPs, Modi also addressed a meeting of BJP parliamentary party executive committee.

Those present included party leaders LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley, M Venkaiah Naidu, Ananth Kumar and Thawar Chand Gehlot, besides Shah. Modi asked them to ensure the presence of MPs during the House proceedings.

Since the election is through a secret ballot, the parties cannot round up their members and make sure they vote for a particular candidate. Election for the next President of India begins today: NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind is pitted against Opposition nominee Meira Kumar.

The counting of votes will take place on 20 July in New Delhi where all the ballot boxes will be brought from various state capitals.

The electorate, comprising elected Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members and members of state Assemblies, is tilted in favour of the NDA, but the Opposition is still working to seek support of some regional parties in favour of their candidate.

The NDA, led by the BJP, has 5,37,683 votes, which includes the Shiv Sena. They're short by around 12,000 votes. But promised support from the BJD, the TRS and the YSR Congress and likely backing from the AIADMK factions could offset the shortfall of the presidential votes by a substantial margin.

Alluding to the NDA nominee having an edge in both elections, Sonia said: "...the numbers may be against us. But the battle must be fought and fought hard. We cannot and must not let India be hostage to those who wish to impose upon it a narrow-minded, divisive and communal vision."

"This election represents a clash of ideas, a conflict of disparate values. The election demands a vote of conscience to preserve the India that the Mahatma and that illustrious generation of freedom fighters, joined by thousands upon thousands of ordinary men and women, fought for," she added.

Noting that both the president and vice-president were entrusted to discharge the duties in a manner that preserves, protects and defends both the Constitution and the law, "both of these are, sadly, under siege today", she said: "We must ensure, therefore, that the best minds and the best servants of India stand at the helm."

Monsoon Session begins today

The day also marks the beginning of the Monsoon Session which is expected to be stormy with the Opposition parties all set to corner the government over a range of issues concerning national security, foreign policy and other domestic matters while the ruling alliance is gearing up to counter the onslaught on it.

Opposition parties are expected to raise the military stand-off with China, though in a restrained manner, the law and order situation in Kashmir in the wake of the recent terror attack on Amarnath pilgrims and incidents of lynching over beef controversy and suicide of farmers in some states.

The Opposition parties that include the Congress, CPM, Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Party, Nationalist Congress Party, BSP, Janata Dal-United, the Rashtriya Janata Dal and DMK among others, have already clarified that besides the elections of the president and vice-president, they will coordinate on the Parliament floor to corner the government.

With inputs from agencies
Srinagar: Dialogue with separatists cannot be held at gunpoint, and they should help to create a conducive atmosphere by dissociating themselves from the ongoing violence in the Valley, Jammu and Kashmir deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh said on Monday.

Singh said the PDP-BJP Agenda of Alliance (AoA) spoke of facilitating talks as "dialogue is the only way.

"But talks cannot be held at gunpoint. Talks cannot happen by exerting pressure, by killing innocents, attacking pilgrims or police officers of Jammu and Kashmir."

"People who want to talk should come forward and say that they are ready and should dissociate themselves from this," Singh told reporters.

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti had written a letter to separatists when home minister Rajnath Singh came to Srinagar last year, but they did not come forward.

"A Parliamentary delegation came here but they shut the doors. They have to come out of this situation to talk. Dialogue needs an atmosphere, which is not there. These people do not want dialogue," the BJP leader said.

Asked about the draping of slain militants in Islamic State flags, Singh said it was a cause of concern.

"This is a cause of concern and those who say this is a political issue, those who talk about the disintegration of India, should understand this.They should understand, and I think they understand, that this is radicalisation in which there is no room for any other thinking," he added.

"The way (Hizbul Mujahideen commander Zakir) Moosa threatened to hang Hurriyat leaders, people should understand that their aim is the murder of humanity and attack on Sufism and inclusive thinking, which believes in peace," he said.

The deputy chief minister said Kashmiris were peace-loving and that is the reason that everybody condemned the attack on Amarnath pilgrims.

"Nobody can deny the reality. Those who are trying to mislead the people cannot deny that.

"What happened with Deputy Superintendent of Police (Ayub) Pandith (who was lynched), Lieutenant Umer Fayaz (who was killed at a relative's place in south Kashmir) and Station House Officer (Feroze Dar, who was killed, along with five other cops, by militants)  they all were Kashmiri Muslims and the sons of soil. Their murder was a part of the same thinking which is trying to take us in other way.

"But, I believe that the people of Kashmir will not accept this and will oppose it openly," he said.

Asked about Mehbooba's statement on China, Singh said Beijing is playing politics by meddling in Kashmir and the country has no business to mediate on the issue.

"Everybody knows what China is doing in Jammu and Kashmir. 5,152 square kms of land is with China which has been illegally transferred by Pakistan to China under lease. Then China is occupying our Aksai Chin illegally, forcibly.Now, China is coming forward with the ill-conceived proposals to mediate which it has no business doing," he said.

Singh said the India of 2017 "is not the India of 1962, so they must understand and see reason," Singh told reporters.

Asked about the presidential election, he exuded confidence that NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind will win comfortably.
Anti-Violence Worker, 9-Year-Old Boy Fatally Shot In Separate Weekend Shootings

By Stephen Gossett in News on Jul 17, 2017 5:00PM



Crime scene tape (Photo by LukaTDB via Shutterstock)

An anti-violence activist was shot and killednot a block away from where he held community outreach; and a nine-year-old boy was fatally shot in separate shooting over a violent weekend in Chicago, according to police and reports.

Activist William "Willie" Cooper, 58, was shot at around 4:15 p.m. on Sunday afternoon in the 100 block of West 95th Streetclose to the Lilydale Outreach Workers for a Better Community, a nonprofit that provided teens with jobs, where Cooper was principal officer, according to police and reports. The victim was walking when gunmen drove up and opened fire, police said. He was pronounced dead pronounced dead on the scene and police did not have anyone in custody as of Monday morning.

"People are so cold-hearted," Patricia Carter, the victim's niece, told ABC7. "How could you take somebody's life? He helped everybody. I just don't understand."

In a separate shooting, nine-year-old Gustavo Garcia, 9, was struck and killed while he was riding in an SUV on Friday night in the 3500 block of East 97th Street, on the Far Southeast Side, according to police and reports. A second victim, a 31-year-old man was shot in the back, face and chest and listed in critical condition at Advocate Christ Medical Center, police said. No suspects were in custody as of Monday.

The boy would have turned 10 next month, activist Andrew Holmes told the Sun-Times. He was remembered as a kid who "loved playing video games, loved his classmates and looked forward to going back" to school, the paper reports.

At least 56 people were shot, 11 fatally, over the weekend, the Tribune reports.

Law enforcement officials and the Department of Justice last month announced a new Chicago Gun Task Forcewhich includes 20 extra permanent Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents. President Donald Trump said ahead of the announcement that Chicago violence had reached "epidemic proportions."
New Delhi: The Directors General of Military Operation of India and Pakistan held talks on Monday over the repeated exchange of fire along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir, during which the Indian side pointed out that all the ceasefire violations were being initiated by the Pakistan Army.

The Indian DGMO highlighted that "all ceasefire violations were initiated by the Pakistan Army and the Indian Army only responded appropriately," an Army statement said.

The Indian officer also put across emphatically that the "trend of infiltration along the LoC continued with the active support of Pakistan forward posts."

Meanwhile, heavy shelling and firing exchanges were on between Indian and Pakistani Army on Monday morning on the Line of Control (LoC), a defence official said.

Pakistan, initiating the attack, resorted to unprovoked targeting of the Indian positions on the LoC in Bhimber Gali sector of Jammu and Kashmir, defence ministry spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Manish Mehta said.

"The indiscriminate firing using small arms, automatics and mortars that started from 7.30 am is still on," Mehta told IANS in Jammu.

The Indian Army was retaliating strongly and effectively, he added
An Army jawan and a nine-year-old girl were killed while three persons injured in heavy firing and mortar shelling by the Pakistan Army along the LoC in Poonch and Rajouri districts of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday.

#UPDATE Naik Muddasar Ahmed,belonging to J&K's Tral,lost his life in ceasefire violations by Pakistan on Indian Army posts in Rajouri sector pic.twitter.com/d0t3SBHNzu  ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

The Indian Army retaliated, triggering heavy exchanges.

"The Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked firing on Indian Army posts in Rajouri sector and Poonch district at around 0730 hours. The Indian Army retaliated strongly and effectively", a Defence spokesman said.

In the fire exchange, Naik Muddasar Ahmed was grievously injured when mortar shells landed on his bunker, the spokesman said, adding that he was evacuated to the MI room where he succumbed to injuries.

37-year-old Ahmed, who belonged to village Duchoo, is survived by wife Shaheena Muddasar and two children.

"Ahmed was a brave and sincere soldier. He loved his job to the core," the spokesman said. The nation will always remain indebted to him for the supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty, he said.

Pakistan also shelled mortars on civilian areas in Balakote, Manjakote and Baroti belts, a police officer said.

In the firing and shelling, 9-year-old Sajada Houser was killed at Baroti, police officer said.

Following the ceasefire violation, Director-General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt Gen AK Bhatt on Monday spoke over the phone to his Pakistani counterpart and conveyed that India reserves the right to retaliate to any cross-border firing along the LoC. The two DGMOs also deliberated on the situation along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir, an army official said.

According to sources close to Hindustan Times, the unscheduled conversation between two DGMOs took place on the request of the Pakistani side in face of increased ceasefire violations.

A senior district official of Rajouri said two civilians were injured in shelling in Manjakote belt of Rajouri district and have been hospitalised. A jawan was also injured, he said.

All schools in border of Manajote and Balakote belts are closed and people have been advised not to come out of their homes in view of the heavy shelling, they said.

Seven persons, including four jawans were killed, in ceasefire violations by Pakistan Army along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir in July this year.

On 10 July, Pakistan Army had targeted villages and forward posts along the LoC in Poonch sector with mortars and small arms, damaging a trade facilitation centre and police barracks. In the shelling, a trade facilitation centre and police barracks were damaged.

On 8 July also, Pakistani army had violated the ceasefire and resorted to mortar shelling and firing along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district in which an army jawan and his wife were killed and their three daughters suffered injuries.

There were 23 incidents of ceasefire violation, one Border Action Team (BAT) attack and two infiltration bids by Pakistan in June in which four people, including three jawans, were killed and 12 injured.

With inputs from PTI
Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on Sunday asked officials to intensify the investigation into the incidents of the illicit drug trade and adulteration of food items, which were unearthed recently.

The chief minister held a high-level review meeting at Pragati Bhavan here, where he directed the officials concerned to take stringent measures against those supplying drugs and indulging in adulteration. The meeting was held against the backdrop of busting of a high-end narcotics selling racket by the state Excise department.

Asking the officials to conduct a detailed investigation from all angles into such rackets, Rao told them not to spare anyone irrespective of his or her position.

"In this shady business, don't leave anyone. Any politician, even if there is a Cabinet minister involved in this crime, file cases against him," the chief minister is quoted as saying in an official release issued in Hyderabad. Expressing pain over the incident in last month wherein blood was adulterated with saline in the city, Rao asked the officials to modify the Acts to give the guilty life imprisonment and bring in changes and amendment to the existing Acts if needed.

In the wake of state Prohibition and Excise department officials arresting 13 persons since 2 July on charge of selling and supplying high-end narcotics like LSD and MDMA in the city, Rao said there is an urgent need to protect the brand Hyderabad.

The gang catered to about 1,000 customers, including students of city-based schools and colleges, a film producer, and some senior officials of MNCs and employees of IT firms in Cyberabad.

Based on the information provided by the arrested persons, the department has summoned 12 persons, including some Tollywood personalities, seeking explanations on their alleged links with the drug-peddlers who have been directed to appear before the authorities from 19 July onwards.

"Officers in the state are doing a good job in controlling the drug menace, adulteration in food items andthe sale of spurious seeds. We are catching those involved in this shady business and raids are being conducted at several places.

"But don't be complacent with the good work you have done so far, go ahead with much more zeal and work till the end. Increase intensity of the investigations, go deeper, find out who are playing the key roles and take action against all those guilty," Rao said.

He said the government has given the total freedom to officials on these issues as far as investigation is concerned. The government's aim is very clear. There should not be any (selling of) drugs or adulteration in the state. Arrest the guilty even if they are famous, he said, adding that there is no place for any violation of law.

"There won't be any political interference in the case and this government has no need to protect anyone. Even if there is any involvement of politicians don't spare them even if they belonged to the TRS. Register cases against them and send them to jail. Even if there is a Cabinet minister don't spare him/her. The state government will not protect such persons. You have total liberty in catching the culprits," Rao said.

On Telangana Excise Enforcement Director Akun Sabharwal on Saturday postponing his leave till the completion of the probe into the drug racket, Rao said, "I have asked Sabharwal not to go leave as the case is being investigated". The TRS chief also instructed the officials to take such measures that people should get frightened to consume drugs or sell them in Hyderabad. "Change Hyderabad into a drug-free city," he said.

Telangana Home Minister Nayani Narasimha Reddy, Excise Minister T Padma Rao, state DGP Anurag Sharma, besides senior officials of different departments were among those who attended the meeting.

The DGP informed the chief minister on the measures undertaken to control adulteration of food items and spurious seeds.

"56 teams are working on the spurious seeds' issue and 14 teams on adulteration of food items. As far as spurious seeds are concerned, 77 cases were registered and 72 persons have been arrested so far whereas 340 cases were registered and 562 arrests have been made in connection with the adulteration of food items," Sharma said.

Stating that the supply of drugs, adulteration of food items and spurious seeds are organised crimes, Rao asked officials to create a special wing for monitoring such illegal activities.

"Some corrupt officials is the main reason for the supply of drugs and illicit seeds and the ACB should act more rigorously. Prepare a list of such corrupt officials in the state and keep a close vigil on them. File cases and punish those offering bribes as well as those accepting it," he added.
Days after she exposed the VIP treatment given to AIADMK (Amma) chief and convict VK Sasikala in Bengaluru's Parappana Agrahara Central Prison, DIG Prisons D Roopa was transferred on Monday, CNN News18 reported. Karnataka DGP (Prisons) HN Sathyanarayana Rao, accused of accepting bribes from the Jayalalithaa aide, was also transferred with immediate effect.

This is the transfer order of DIG D Roopa. This is the price of #Honesty. This is the price #Whistleblowers have to pay. pic.twitter.com/qIsPLuxjpw  Zakka Jacob (@Zakka_Jacob) July 17, 2017

According to the report, Roopa was transferred to the traffic and road safety department. However, Roopa refused to react to her transfer. Talking to News18, she said, " I have not received the notice copy and will react only after receiving the copy of the letter." Meanwhile, the state government's notification said that NS Megharikh, Additional Director General of Police, Anti-Corruption Bureau, was transferred with immediate effect and posted as Additional DGP, Prisons, in place of Rao. However, the notification did not mention who will replace Roopa, while also remaining silent on the fate of Rao.

#BREAKING -- DIG prisons D Roopa transferred to DIG and Commissioner of traffic road safety pic.twitter.com/6Mp7Jo181h  News18 (@CNNnews18) July 17, 2017

#BREAKING -- DIG Roopa to CNN-News18- I have not received the notice copy; will react after receiving the copy pic.twitter.com/MES67p1z4d  News18 (@CNNnews18) July 17, 2017

Sasikala was accused of bribing Rao and Bengaluru central jail officials for undue favours on Wednesday.

"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 a four-year sentence in an illegal wealth case for allowing her special privileges," said a local news channel that quoted Roopa.

However, Rao denied them and accused Roopa of gross subordination. "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.

Roopa was also served notice by the state government asking her to explain why she reported the issue to the media.

"It is absolutely against the rule book," Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said, expressing open displeasure over public comments by the Deputy Inspector of General (Prisons) in her report, which has also brought her superior and other prison officials under a cloud of bribery allegations.

With inputs from agencies
Faridabad: CPM leader Brinda Karat on Monday demanded police security for the two persons who were injured when Junaid Khan was stabbed on board a train on 22 June.

She met police commissioner Hanif Qureshi and submitted a letter demanding security for the youths.

"There has been no requisition from the victim's family for police security. The administration is monitoring the situation. If there is any threat, security will be provided," the officer said.

Though the youths have been discharged from the hospital, they still have to go for check-ups and work. "I have been informed they are not completely safe", she said.

"Hence, I have requested the administration to provide them police security," Karat said.

The killing of 17-year-old Junaid had triggered a nationwide outrage. His brothers had alleged that they were called "beef eaters" by the accused.
Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa is analysing the evidence against former Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav in response to Jadhav's mercy petition. This development came about after a military appellate tribunal rejected the plea.

There is nothing really to analyse and the procedural agenda is being followed by Pakistan as per its arbitrary schedule. The August deadline for appeals to run out looms and the death sentence is that much closer.

Between the public interest litigation asking the Lahore High Court not to permit the Pakistan government to free Jadhav but to ensure he is hanged, and the dilly dallying over granting his mother a visa to visit him, the chessboard is set for the endgame.

Islamabad has sussed out that the issue in India is no longer on the front burner and that public and official stamina has lost its wind after the orgy of backslapping self-congratulations engaged in by the media and ministers when the International Court of Justice halted his execution in May and indicted Pakistan on six counts. None of this intimidated Pakistan and it did not even bother to grant the basic call for consular access.

Truth be told India has no evidence that he is even alive.

Jadhav's importance is lessening for Pakistan because of the loss of traction this issue has suffered in the Indian mind. There is no percentage now in hanging him and it is our swift turnover of the newsworthy that might be his salvation.

This is ironical. Because we have taken our foot of the pedal, Jadhav might be saved through our natural ennui. Without an audience in this theatre, Pakistans performance is moot. So, why not come out smelling good? Show the world that Pakistan has mercy, it is not a rogue state, it has laws, it means well and seeks peace  all these elements and more giving this otherwise beleaguered nation a shine.

It can bleed its show of compassion for months to come, even dunking this doughnut into the Kashmir cup of tea, and using it as a heavy bargaining chip against its neighbour the next time there is an impasse.

Compare all this to the paltry advantages of executing him: A two-day furore in India, half a dozen unread editorials, some garbled high-pitched shrillness on television channels, the extinguishing of a life, the underscoring of Pakistan as a cruel entity and the worsening of relations.

There's more edge in continuing the charade till it runs dry, and then being the good guy.

The PR quotient in releasing Jadhav is, therefore, much higher than in killing him. The first step towards the humanitarian option has already been made. The leading Pakistani newspaper, Dawn has called for the mother of the alleged 'spy' to be granted a visa and allowed to meet her son. If that happens, can consular access be far behind? There is no logic in denying it once he has been met.

Is it not ironical that our growing indifference to this mans plight could well be the trigger for his release. Stranger things have happened.
Even if Meira Kumar loses the presidential poll, this could be the beginning of her story.

From the defeat of the presidential polls could rise the Opposition's prime ministerial candidate for the 2019 elections.

Kumar is the best thing to have happened to the Opposition since VP Singh won a by-election in Allahabad three decades ago. If the Opposition carries forward its bonhomie, buries the egos of its prima donnas, Kumar could be a readymade candidate to take on Narendra Modi in 2019.

Kumar's defeat in Monday's polls is almost certain. Her rival, NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind, has nearly 70 percent votes. Though the Opposition has asked members of the electoral college to listen to their "conscience" before casting their vote, Kumar is unlikely to break the ruling coalition's unity. With around 30per cent votes, she is likely to lose by a huge margin.

But, her candidature has served two purposes. One, it has brought about a semblance of unity within the Opposition parties. Two, it has raised Kumar's profile and given her a pan-India identity. Both these developments could be the starting points for the Opposition's strategy in the next general elections.

The next general elections may be a few months away. But its contours are becoming visible. It is almost certain that upper caste voters would back Modi. The PM's urbane, business-friendly appeal and the image of 'Hindu Hriday Samrat' has created a solid vote bank among urban voters and rural upper castes. This voter is expected to stay firmly behind Modi and the BJP in 2019.

The BJP has been trying to expand this base with its Dalit outreach, a strategy that has led to Kovind's candidature for the president's post. The Opposition's only chance of putting up a tough fight in 2019 depends on how effectively it is able to counter the BJP's strategy of snaring Dalits.

Kumar can be the ideal candidate to stop the BJP. An erudite scholar with the credentials and experience required to become India's prime minister, she can't be straitjacketed as a token dalit. Her clean record, impeccable credentials and non-controversial past make her stand out apart from the crowd of politicians of her age. In addition, she is from Bihar, a state that has the potential for changing the complexion of parliamentary elections with its 40 seats.

Bihar is important because it is the only state that has shown the desire and ability to resist the Modi wave. In the 2015 Assembly elections, its voters proved that given an alternative they were ready to look beyond Modi and the BJP. Propping up Kumar as the opposition's prime ministerial candidate could galvanise the Bihari voter again, in the process leaving Nitish Kumar the Hobson's choice of either supporting her or facing the consequences of opposing the first dalit woman from the state with a realistic chance of becoming India's PM.

Kumar's potential as a putative PM candidate is, of course, incumbent on several factors. First, the Congress will have to rise above its love for the dynasty, address Rahul Gandhi's prime ministerial ambitions  assuming he has them  and come to terms with the fact that it needs to act as a pivot of opposition, a facilitator of unity in 2019, instead of a party that believes it is entitled to lead the opposition. Only in this role, where its hands are folded in humility, its hubris is set aside, can the Congress have a realistic chance of ensuring the opposition puts up a joint challenger to Modi in 2019.

The other important variable is the index of opposition unity. The schisms within the opposition became apparent during the process for selecting its presidential candidate, proving yet again how difficult it is bring them together. Yet, a beginning was made. As a senior Congress leader told the Indian Express, in three years, this was the first time the opposition came together as a united force. This says a lot about the way ahead. This nascent unity was further consolidated by the return of JD(U) in the opposition camp for the vice-president's election.

But, the key question now is, can the opposition continue to stay united till 2019? Will it be able to handle the contradictions in the politics of the Trinamool Congress and the Left, the ambitions of Mulayam Singh and Mayawati and leaders of the 18 parties that have united for the vice-president's election?

If they manage to hold on to the common agenda of defeating Modi, remain committed to what Sonia Gandhi has described as an ideological battle, Meira Kumar may just emerge as the surprise challenger to the BJP.
Mumbai: Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday said those farmers who are solely dependent on agriculture for income would get the benefits of the loan waiver, announced by the state government last month.

"Farmers having the annual turnover of over Rs 10 lakh are excluded from the loan waiver scheme. The reason behind such bar is that those having higher income are basically earning from non-agricultural activities as well. As they have another source of income, they will be kept out of the loan waiver bracket. We want to offer loan waiver only to those farmers who are totally dependent on agriculture for their livelihood," Fadnavis said.

He was speaking with a group of farmers as a part of his initiative "Mi Mukhyamantri Boltoy", where he interacts with a select group of people and also responds to queries of farmers raised through emails and SMSes.

The chief minister said various projects worth Rs 4,000 crore will be implemented across 15 districts of the state to improve agricultural productivity.

"It will help the farmers to improve the yield and eventually increase their earning. The districts are from Vidarbha, Marathwada and North Maharashtra," he said.

While answering a query raised by a farmer, Fadnavis said, "If a farmer is black-listed due to outstanding loan amount and is ineligible for availing fresh crop loan, the loan will be waived under the scheme and such farmers will become eligible for fresh loans".

Following strident protests by farmers last month, the state government had announced the farm loan waiver of Rs 34,022 crore.

As per the Government Resolution (GR) issued later, those persons having annual turnover of more than Rs 10 lakh and those who are registered under VAT or Service Tax would be ineligible for loan waiver.

Similarly, retired persons excluding ex-servicemen whose monthly pension is Rs 15,000 or more are also not eligible.

The serving and former public representatives are also excluded, as per the GR.

The farmers who have paid off their outstanding loans after 30 June, 2016, would get a blanket help of Rs 25,000 from the state government.
Kochi: A single bench of the Kerala High Court on Monday posted the bail application of superstar Dileep for Thursday.

When the application came up before the court, the prosecution pointed out that it needed time to study the case, after which the court decided to post it for Thursday.

The trial court had denied bail to the actor on Saturday.

The superstar was arrested last Monday and was remanded to 14 days judicial custody for conspiring in the abduction and molestation of a popular actress, in February in Kochi.

The police on Monday also took statements from two legislators, Congress leader Anwar Sadath who is close friend of Dileep, and Mukesh  a CPM backed legislator.

"I answered all questions that were asked," said Sadath, who represents Aluva Assembly constituency from where Dileep hails.

Prime accused Pulsar Suni was the personal driver of Mukesh for a year, after which he was removed.

"I was asked about Suni," said Mukesh.

Suni and his accomplices were arrested a week after the incident.
Kolkata: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday blamed the Modi government's "diplomatic failure" for the "deterioration" in ties with neighbours like China, Nepal and Bangladesh, and said her state "suffered" because of it.

"If China takes over Sikkim, which has similarities with Darjeeling, that will be because of the Centre's failure. Relations with neighbouring countries like China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh have deteriorated because of the central government's diplomatic failure," she said amid the continued standoff between the Indian and Chinese armies in the Sikkim section.

"West Bengal suffered on account of this failure because it is sandwiched...It is the gateway to Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan," she told reporters after casting her vote in the presidential election.

Emphasising that she has always been for sharing good relations with Bangladesh, Banerjee said she had spoken to the external affairs minister when an effigy of that country's premier Sheikh Hasina was burnt by the VHP on 1 July.

Targeting central government agencies like the IB, SSB, RAW and NIA, the chief minister wondered what these were doing when around 400 schools teaching Chinese language sprang up at Pashupathi gate near Darjeeling. "What were the IB and SSB doing?" she asked.

"Who let the Jamat enter through Satkhira district (in Bangladesh)? Who opened the borders for them? They (Jamat) are against Hasina and tried to start a riot in West Bengal. But the people of the state are good and managed to resist the attempt. They had tried to start riots by spreading fake videos on social media," she alleged. She claimed the state government was in possession of details of who allowed troublemakers to enter West Bengal from Satkhira.

"West Bengal will not be an easy task for the BJP. If BJP thinks that by killing people in the name of 'gauraksha' or by firing guns or by initiating riots they can grab Bengal, they are mistaken. And if we protest, we will be threatened by the CBI, ED and I-T," she said.

"But I would like to tell them that we never bow our heads (before the Centre)," she said.
Big Star Is Hosting A Pop-Up Restaurant Featuring Chefs Paul Kahan & Sean Brock

By Rachel Cromidas in Food on Jul 17, 2017 4:39PM



Photo via Flickr

Wicker Park's Big Star is getting ready to host a one-day pop-up restaurant that's sure to interest local foodies: Celebrated local chef Paul Kahan of Blackbird and One Off Hospitality Group is teaming up with Sean Brock, the star chef of popular Nashville and Charleston, South Carolina spots, to serve up tacos inspired by their own menus.

You may want to start lining up on Damen Avenue now: there will be no tickets or reservations for the July 23 popup; everything is served a la carte on a first come, first served basis. Brock told the Tribune that his tacos will include fried chicken skin with a pasilla de Oaxaca sauce, grilled catfish with Appalachian tomato gravy, and pig ears with Appaalchian sour cabbage and salsa.

The popup will also be serving a special Old Fashioned drink with single-barrel bourbon from Kentucky's Heaven Hill distillery. The popup will open at 5 p.m. and feature bluegrass music from local band The Ship Breakers, featuring members of the Henhouse Prowlers.



This post has been updated with new information about the band performing.
India's next president is all set to be elected on Monday. The contest is between the ruling NDA's nominee Ram Nath Kovind and UPA's candidate Meira Kumar. However, the number is stacked up in favour of Kovind, with nearly 70 percent of the electoral college expected to support the former Bihar governor. Meira, on the other hand, is expected to be backed by 17 Opposition parties, including the Congress.

The president is elected by the electoral college, which comprises the MPs in both Houses of the Parliament and the MLAs in all Assemblies across India. MLCs of states with Legislative Council are not part of the electoral college.

While the Lok Sabha Speaker, an elected member, can vote, the two nominated members in the Lower House from the Anglo-Indian community cannot. Twelve nominated members in Rajya Sabha are also ineligible.

Since the election is through a secret ballot, the parties cannot issue a whip to their members to vote for a particular candidate.

The total value of votes of the electoral college is 10,98,903, and the NDA candidate is slated to cross the halfway-mark and get about 63 per cent votes.

The value of every vote of an MP is 708 while that of an MLA varies from state to state depending on the size of its population.

Uttar Pradesh is the most populated state in India. As a result, MLAs from the state enjoy the highest value of vote: 208. MLAs from Sikkim, on the other hand, have the lowest vote value: seven.

The total value of votes of 776 Members of Parliament is 5,49,408, while the total value of votes of 4120 MLAs adds up to 549474. The total value of votes in the electoral college adds up to 10,98,882.

The NDA has 5,37,683 votes, with the shortage of around 12,000 votes. However, in the electoral arithmetic, Kovind has a distinct advantage over Meira, a former Lok Sabha Speaker, with non-NDA parties like Janata Dal (United) and Biju Janata Dal (BJD), who are not allied with BJP, deciding to vote for him.

The Janata Dal (United) has about 1.91 percent of electoral college votes, while the BJD of Odisha has 2.99 percent. In addition, the ruling TRS in Telangana (two percent), different factions of AIADMK (5.39 percent), YSR Congress (1.53 percent) have also announced their support to Kovind.

While 2180 MLAs and 530 MPs support the NDA candidate, 1,628 MLAs and 232 MPs belonging to 17 Opposition parties back Meira.

According to The Indian Express, Kovind began with the support of 28 parties but now has the backing of 42. The counting of votes will take place on 20 July in New Delhi where all the ballot boxes will be brought from various state capitals.

With inputs from IANS
What will be the fate of eighth-century scholar Bhavabhutis classic play Uttarramacharita in the days to come? Will it be suppressed?

This disturbing thought has been coming back to the mind again and again as the RSS-VHP-BJP campaign to revise, rewrite and redact Indias literary, religious, cultural and political history gathers momentum at a time when the trio is ruling in big states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Assam, besides having its own prime minister at the Centre. Soon after the Narendra Modi government assumed power at the Centre, HRD minister Smriti Irani in July 2014 chose Y Sudershan Rao to head the Indian Council for Historical Research (ICHR). Rao had earlier been the chief of the Andhra Pradesh chapter of the Akhil Bharatiya Itihas Sankalan Yojana (ABISY), an organisation set up by the RSS to rewrite Indian history from a Bharatiya perspective and to remove the distortions introduced by western scholars and their Indian followers.

Soon after his appointment as ICHR chairman, Rao declared in a newspaper interview: "The stories of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata cannot be termed ahistorical just because there is not enough archaeological hard evidence. Excavations cannot be done in many places since people are living there and you cannot evict them.

Rao had written several articles seeking to establish that stories of the Puranas and particularly the Ramayana and the Mahabharata were truthful accounts of historical events. Elsewhere, he had also claimed that Indians were flying aeroplanes, carrying out stem cell research, and might even have been using cosmic weapons 5,000 years ago. In his view, the two epics were adequate to understand the ancient world rather than relying on evidence or research. His views were in conformity with those that Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed soon after coming to power. Addressing an audience of doctors, he declared that the Hindu god Ganesha's head was an evidence that ancient Indians knew how to perform plastic surgery and Karna, the famous Mahabharata warrior, was in fact a test-tube baby.

In view of the centrality of the two epics in the history project of the RSS, its not at all surprising that ABISY organising secretary Balmukund Pandey is busy organising a massive seminar in August in Gorakhpur, the fiefdom of Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, where "nationalist historians" will discuss how to purge Ramayana of some unsavoury incidents related to Ramas life. These include Sitas agni pareeksha (trial by fire) and her eventual banishment on account of rumours. Pandeya argues that these episodes have been added to the Uttarkanda of Valmikis Ramayana to show Rama in a bad light. "How could Rama who was maryada purushottam ask Sita to sit on a pyre? How could he banish her?"

So, after the Rajasthan government decided to change school history books to tell the students that it was not Mughal emperor Akbars armies but Maharana Prataps armies that emerged victorious from the battle of Haldighati, now, it is the turn of our epics to suit the whims and fancies of the RSS that wants to propagate calendar history along with calendar art, of which the best audio-visual representation was Ramanand Sagars tele-serial Ramayan. If there can be fake news, there can be fake history too.

The main objective behind such exercises is to sanitise Indias history and its religious, literary and cultural heritage to craft a single, hegemonic version that would obliterate all others. Such an approach militates against the countrys age-old tradition of plurality, diversity and coexistence. These exercises are coterminous with the RSS-VHP attempt to fabricate a single, Semiticised version of Hinduism with a single religious authority  remember the so-called Dharma Sansads of the 1990s  and a single interpretation of religious texts.

If Pandeya and his associates succeed in their effort to redact the Ramayana and omit the episode of Sitas banishment from it, what will happen to Bhavabhutis celebrated play Uttarramacharita, written in 7th century CE, because the entire play revolves around the episode of Sitas banishment and Ramas remorseful longing for her? Will it be banned, or taken out of circulation, irrespective of the fact that Ramas most popular name Ramachandra occurs for the first time in this play? Earlier, he was referred to as either Rama Dashrathi or Rama Bhadra.

While Rao claimed to have fixed the date when the Mahabharata was written, the fact remains that both the Ramayana and the Mahabharata were composed orally and were transmitted from one generation to the other over a period of several centuries through individual and collective recitations. In this process, many layers of text and meaning were added to it. The consensus among historians is that the writing of the two epics took place between 400 BCE and 400 CE. And there are many versions of both the epics with regional variations. So far as the Ramayana is concerned, Valmikis and other Ramayanas portray Rama as an ideal kshatriya king without attributing divinity to him. The cult of Rama worship began much later. It must be mentioned that the various versions of Rama Katha disagree with one another on virtually every point, be it the story of Sitas birth or Rama having one or more than one wife, or Sita having one son or two sons or eight sons, and so on.

Most scholars agree that the Uttarkanda found in the current version of Valmikis Ramayana is a later interpolation as neither the Mahabharata nor does the Harivansha Purana, Vayu Purana, Vishnu Purana, Nrisingha Purana, Buddhist Anamakam Jatakam and Gunabhadras Uttara Purana contain any reference to Sitas banishment. Anatakam Jatakam was translated into Chinese in 251 CE and, although it contains no mention of Sita being abandoned by Rama, it does mention that slanderous rumours were floating in Ayodhya about Sitas purity. So, in this respect, the ABISY leaders argument seems to be valid.

However, what is questionable is his organisations attempt to prepare a single, authoritative version of the epic that will not contain episodes like Rama abandoning Sita or killing a shudra called Shambooka. This attempt militates against the core of Indian culture and tradition, as it would mean de-legitimising a host of other extant versions of the epic. The fact remains that the Uttarkanda of the Valmiki Ramayana, Kalidasas Raghuvamsa, Bhavabhutis Uttarramacharita, Kundamala, Vimal Suris Paumchariyam, Ravishens Padmacharita, Kathasaritsagara, Bhagawat Purana, Padma Purana, Jaimineeya Ashvamedha, Tibetan Ramayana, Updeshpad, Kahavali, Hemchandras Jain Ramayana, Krittivasas and Chandravalis Bengali Ramayanas, Kashmiri Ramayana, folk songs, Gujarati Ramayanasara, Rama Kathas of Sri Lanka, Cambodia and Thailand, Adhyatma Ramayana, Ananda Ramayana and a host of other versions do contain direct or indirect references to Sitas banishment.

It should be noted that different versions of the Ramayana have different beginnings and endings. And, it should also be borne in mind that the Indian tradition has differentiated between the Ramayana and the Mahabharata by calling the former as kavya (poetry) and the latter as itihas (as things happened). So, the Ramayana and its various versions are poetic tellings and retellings of a story that undergoes a kind of transmutation during this process as it involves poets writing in different times, societies, cultures and even countries. Therefore, no single version can be elevated to the status of the only authoritative version.
Muzaffarnagar(Uttar Pradesh): Five persons were injured in a clash between two communities at Dukhad village in Muzaffarnagar, police said on Monday.

Sanjay, who belonged to the Thakhur community, had gone to the Dalit locality for some work where an altercation broke out between him and another man, police said.

Soon the situation turned violent as more people from both sides joined them and engaged in brickbats, leaving five of them injured, an official of Khagoliya police station said.

He said the injured, Sanjay, Yogender, Vikas, Monti and Sachin, were rushed to a nearby hospital.

A case has been lodged by the police and security stepped up in the village, the official said.
Voting to elect the country's 14th President began on Monday morning. All elected MPs and member of Legislative Assemblies are eligible to cast their vote to elect the successor of Pranab Mukherjee, who demits office on 25 July.

The contest is between National Democratic Alliance (NDA) nominee Ram Nath Kovind and candidate of several major opposition parties Meira Kumar, who was former Lok Sabha Speaker. The total value of votes of the electoral college is 10,98,903, and the NDA candidate is slated to cross the halfway-mark and get about 63 percent votes.

Kovind, who belongs to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has the backing of all the party's allies besides several regional parties, while Kumar has been fielded by the Congress and some major opposition parties in what they call an "ideological battle" against the ruling party.

Both Kovind and Kumar are from the Dalit community and have canvassed hard by visiting states to seek support of legislators.

All arrangements have been completed for the presidential election, and polling will take place in Parliament House and respective state assemblies between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Elected members of both houses of Parliament and assemblies in states, including the National Capital Region of Delhi and the Union Territory of Puducherry, are eligible to vote.

Counting of votes in the election will be taken up on July 20 and the result will be known the same evening -- four days before the end of the term of President Pranab Mukherjee. The new President is set to take over on July 25.

Officials said that polling in Parliament House will take place in Room Number 62 and MPs will vote according to tables allocated to states they represent.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress President Sonia Gandhi and party Vice-President Rahul Gandhi would vote on table number 6 as they are all MPs from Uttar Pradesh, the officials said.

With input from IANS
Patna: RJD leaders have requested Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and coalition partner Lalu Prasad to sit together to solve the crisis in the ruling coalition, but the ruling JD (U) on Sunday said "everything is all right".

"Coalitions may see tensions and pressures but everything is all right in the grand alliance," said Janata Dal-United spokesperson Neeraj Kumar.

Without naming Nitish Kumar, who is also JD (U) president, he said that the able leadership manage to get out of the crisis that erupted after the CBI filed a corruption case against deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav - the younger son of RJD chief Lalu Prasad - and solve it.

Rashtriya Janata Dal leader and former union minister Ragunath Jha said, "Lalu and Nitish Kumar should sit together,talk to each other to end the crisis."

Another senior RJD leader and former MP Shivanand Tiwari has appealed to Nitish Kumar to end the crisis. "I appeal to Nitish Kumar with folded hands to solve the crisis and save Mahagathbandhan from split," he said, adding that the BJP has been trying to split the grand alliance.

According to the sources in JD (U) and RJD, leaders from both parties will now attack the BJP rather than each other.

Meanwhile, Nitish Kumar on Sunday evening did not say a word about Tejashwi Yadav, while addressing his party legislators and senior party leaders at his official residence in Patna, said party state president Vashisht Narain Singh.

"Nitish Kumar hardly spoken about Tejashwi Yadav and ongoing crisis in the ruling alliance... he only discussed issues related to the presidential polls on 17 July," a JD (U) legislator said.

Similarly, Lalu Prasad also did not say anything over the crisis while addressing his party legislators and senior party leaders at his official residence here on Sunday evening.
The BJP parliamentary board will meet on Monday to pick NDA's vice-presidential candidate, Business Standard reported. The meeting and announcement of their candidate was slated to happen on Sunday, but it was postponed to Monday.

BJP parliamentary board meeting on Vice Presidential candidate scheduled to take place at BJP headquarters later today. pic.twitter.com/AJADWFNDxg  ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

News18 reported that an executive meeting of the BJP parliamentary party will be held on Monday afternoon. Following that, a meeting of all NDA MPs and leaders will take place. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah would be present in the meetings. The meeting of the NDA is important as the alliance lacks numbers in the Rajya Sabha and it will need to pick a candidate acceptable across party lines.

The BJP is confident that it will be able to gather between 500 and 550 votes, according to The Indian Express. The JD(U), while voting for the NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind in the Presidential election will back the UPA candidate in the Vice-Presidential election.

The front runners for the candidacy include Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu and Tamil Nadu governor C Vidyasagar Rao, according to a Hindustan Times report. The selection of either of Naidu or Rao will be part of the BJP's efforts to make inroads in South India ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Naidu hails from Andhra Pradesh while Rao is from Telangana. The names of Madhubani MP Hukumdev Narayan Yadav, Manipur governor Najma Heptulla, and Kerala governor P Sathasivam were considered too.

Naidu had earlier said that he was not interested in any ceremonial position that would keep him away from the people and would not contest the vice-presidential poll even if someone compelled him. "Never am I going to participate in vice-president elections even if anyone compels me," he had said. He had further added that he would neither want to become the rashtrapati (president) nor uparashtrapati (vice president) but was happy being Usha's pati (his spouse).

The Asian Age has said that no major opposition is expected if Naidu is declared the nominee. However after the surprise selection of Ram Nath Kovind for the President's post, there is a chance that a dark horse could emerge in the Vice-Presidential election too.

The Opposition has already picked Gopalkrishna Gandhi as its candidate.

Shah had earlier met two senior RSS leaders Bhaiyyaji Joshi and Krishna Gopal to discuss the ruling NDA's candidate for the 5 August Vice President's election. The RSS is believed to be in favour of the ruling NDA selecting a candidate belonging to the upper caste and southern India for the post of vice-president, in its discussions with the BJP on the issue, sources said.

The elections for the 13th Vice-President of India, if required, will be held on 5 August with the counting too taking place on the same day. The last date for filing nominations is 18 July. The scrutiny will take place on the same day and the last date for withdrawing nomination is 21 July. Members of Parliament will use special pens for marking their choice.
Mandsaur: Patidar quota agitation leader Hardik Patel said the government shouldn't "compel farmers to become Naxals".

Patel, who had crossed swords with the BJP government in Gujarat during the agitation for OBC quota, also said that he didn't recognise Narendra Modi as the prime minister of the country.

He was speaking at `Kisan Maha-panchayat' organised by Patidar Samaj (a Patidar organisation) at Narayangarh in Mandsaur district of Madhya Pradesh, which had witnessed an intense farmers' agitation last month.

When farm loans can be waived in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, why can't it happen in Madhya Pradesh, he asked. "This country is run by farmers. Don't compel farmers to become Naxals," Patel said.

Farmers would never have to face bullets if those sitting in Bhopal and Delhi were true leaders, he said, referring to death of five protesters in police firing in Mandsaur during the agitation last month.

"I don't recognise Narendra Modi as the prime minister of the country (Main Narendra Modi-ko desh-ka pradhan mantri nahi manta)," he said. Farmers in MP have paved the way for a nationwide farmers' agitation, Patel said.

Earlier, Madhya Pradesh Patidar Samaj president Mahendra Patidar told the gathering that the farmers' agitation in the state was self-motivated. He also demanded that the state government should restart procurement of opium poppy husk (which is cultivated in the area) or the farmers would sell the crop to anyone who wants to buy it.
As the monsoon session of Parliament began on Monday, West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee set a stormy tone and refused to "bow" before the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre.

"We will play an aggressive role in the Parliament. We are ready to go to jail but will not bow our heads," Banerjee said as per PTI.

She called demonetisation and the Goods and Services Tax (GST) the biggest scams in the country, according to ANI.

Demonetisation and GST biggest scams. We will not bow down our head, we will be happy to go to jail: Mamata Banerjee, WB CM pic.twitter.com/RVS0ACv0bz  ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

Banerjee also urged non-NDA political parties to unite against the BJP and stand with the people. "All opposition parties must unite together. This is the best time," she said. Speaking on the presidential elections, she said, "We voted for Meira Kumar to register our protest against present atrocities in the country," reported PTI. She called the election a "vote against justice".

It's vote against injustice. For sake of country we urge everyone to not support BJP & stand beside ppl: WB CM on #PresidentialElection pic.twitter.com/g1cwAhcUtQ  ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

BJP and TMC have been at loggerheads over the Nepali-speaking Gorkhas' protests for a separate Gorkhaland, with Mamata accusing the BJP of fuelling unrest in West Bengal to destabilise her government. Mamata also boycotted the all-party meeting held ahead of the crucial Monsoon Session on Sunday.

"The TMC has decided to boycott the all-party meeting," party leader and Rajya Sabha member Derek O'Brien said last week about the customary meeting that the parliamentary affairs minister calls on the eve of a Parliament session.

However, TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee was sent to attend another meeting called by the Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan on Sunday.

Mamata Banerjee also spoke about the ongoing border row with China in the Sikkim sector, criticising the government for leaving the "borders open." The stand-off between India and China in the Doka La plateau at the tri-junction of India, China and Bhutan borders, is now a month old issue, with no end to it yet in sight.

Why are the borders kept open? What is SSB, IB, RAW doing here? People belonging to the Jamaat are being allowed inside: CM Mamata Banerjee pic.twitter.com/zJ2g1xYNtK  ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

Banerjee has also blamed BJP-led Centre for orchestrating the violence in Darjeeling. "We will not give in to the Centre's conspiracy.I ask people who are playing with fire in the hills to give up and help in restoring peace there because violence is pollution and peace is the solution," she had said earlier in June.

The Mamata Banerjee-led party, along with the Congress and the Left parties, had earlier boycotted the GST rollout organised by the government in Parliament on 30 June for rollout of the GST.

With inputs from agencies
Chandigarh: Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday said his government plans to mark its three years with a massive rally in October and a slew of events, including a good governance conclave.

He announced this at the Haryana Swarna Jayanti Celebrations Authority's Governing Body meeting here. The Khattar government's three years coincides with Haryana's 50 years of statehood.

"The massive rally will be held in the last week of October and it will highlight the major achievements of the government," Khattar said after voting in the presidential election.

He said he believed that the NDA's nominee Ram Nath Kovind will be elected as India's next president.

"It has been decided that the rally will also commemorate the concluding ceremony of the state's Swarna Jayanti Year. The date and venue of the proposed rally would be finalised soon," the chief minister said.

The Khattar government completes its three years on 26 October.

The chief minister said he would address a series of gatherings at his Chandigarh residence in August.

These will be attended by representatives of various sections of the society, including farmers and traders, he said.

Khattar directed officials to organise a state-level Good Governance Conclave where intellectuals of the state will share their views on the issue.

To promote Haryana's art and culture at the national and the international level, the state would soon announce its new film policy, the draft of which has already been prepared, he said.

He said an exhibition of about 100 photographs of people who made vital contribution to India's freedom struggle would be organised.

"It has been decided to organise the Haryana Swarna Jayanti quiz contest in all schools and colleges of the state to create awareness and generate interest among the youth about the state's history, culture, literature, ethos and personalities," Khattar said.

He said the BSF has sought permission for its women's motorcycle commando team to perform in various events being during the Swarna Jayanti Year.

On providing identity cards to gau rakshaks in the state, Khattar said if such cards are issued, it would be done in consideration of the law and order situation.
People In Jail On Nonviolent Charges Must Be Granted Bonds They Can Actually Afford, Judge Orders

By Stephen Gossett in News on Jul 17, 2017 8:37PM



Shutterstock

The cash bond system in Cook County has long been a source of controversy, with activists arguing that the structure keeps poor low-level offenders behind bars ahead of their trial because they are unable to afford bond.

The chief county judge on Monday took a step toward the reform that such critics envision when he directed other bond-court judges to set bail amounts no higher than what a defendants "who pose no danger" can affordeffectively assuring the release of such defendants ahead of trial. The order, from Chief Judge Timothy Evans, takes effect on Sept. 18.

"Defendants should not be sitting in jail awaiting trial simply because they lack the financial resources to secure their release," Chief Judge Evans said in a statement. "If they are not deemed a danger to any person or the public, my order states that they will receive a bail they can afford."

The new order marks a turning point by requiring the consideration of defendants' financial status: "For the first time, court staff and judges will be required to inquire into the ability of a defendant to pay a bail amount," according to the Cook County Court.

Other avenues for pre-trial release that don't unduly burden those facing charges include individual-recognizance bonds and electronic monitoring, neither of which require money to be paid.

The order incorporates "pretrial risk assessments" that also consider the criminal histories of those who have been charged when assessing bail for low-level offenders.

"This order represents a dramatic improvement of our pretrial justice system in Cook County and thus our entire criminal justice system," said Sharlyn Grace, Senior Criminal Justice Policy Analyst at Chicago Appleseed Fund for Justice, in a statement. "No longer will access to money determine who awaits trial in jail and who awaits trial in the community. As a result, our courts will be fairer for all county residents."

Cook County has been taking gradual steps toward bond reform in recent months. State's Attorney Kim Foxx announced last month that prosecutors would recommending to judges that defendants charged with non-violent charges be released between arraignment and trial. Foxx said Evans' order "provides important guidance for the judiciary and the entire criminal justice system on the need to reduce our reliance on monetary bond."

"There is often no clear relationship between the posting of a cash bond and securing the safety of the community or the appearance of a defendant," she added.
It promises to be a heavy-duty Monsoon Session for the Narendra Modi government in Parliament. From Monday, the Opposition is likely to put the government through some litmus tests on vital issues that may not affect its standing within Parliament but will definitely test its ability to take some firm decisions and stand up for those it has already taken.

While there are several issues almost begging for a heated debate, the most important will be the election of the new President of India slated for Monday.

Polling will take place between 10 am and 5 pm at Room No 62 in Parliament House. The two main contenders for the countrys top post are NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind and Opposition nominee Meira Kumar.

Apart from this, the India-China border crisis, Amarnath terror attack, lynching by cow vigilantes, farmers agitation and of course, the GST, are likely to be on top of the Oppositions agenda as it gets an official opportunity to demand answers from those in power. However, the Modi government has already tried to shore up its defences.

To begin with, it has saved the Parliament quite a bit of pandemonium by calling an all-party meet on the India-China border issue on 14 July. In doing so, the government has already achieved consensus on one of the most pressing issues. This is being billed as an astute move by the government, not just to achieve consensus but also to make the functioning of the Parliament smoother as it gets down to business on Monday.

Political activities ahead of D-day

As is the custom, ahead of the 12th session of the 16th Lok Sabha, the government called an all-party meet on Sunday at 11 am to determine the Opposition's agenda and communicate its own stand. It was attended by leaders of various parties in both the Houses of the Parliament. The prime minister addressed the meeting. However, Trinamool Congress (TMC) reportedly skipped the meeting.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi convened a meeting of Congress MPs at 4 pm. Launching a scathing attack on the NDA government, she stated that the presidential election was a fight against narrow-minded, divisive and communal vision. Addressing Opposition leaders in the presence of their presidential and vice-presidential candidates  Meira Kumar and Gopalkrishna Gandhi  she said in these contests the numbers might be against them but the battle must be fought and fought hard. This meeting was followed by high tea.

Narendra Modi met NDA MPs at Parliament Library at 5 pm.

According to sources, both Meira Kumar and Gopalkrishna Gandhi met MPs of 18 non-NDA parties in a closed-door meeting and made presentations. Speaker Sumitra Mahajan called a meeting at 7 pm, the objective of which was to deliberate on the issues that are likely to be discussed in the Monsoon Session.

Issues likely to dominate Monsoon Session

The Opposition is expected to create pressure on the government on the following issues: Madhya Pradesh farmers agitation, Goods and Services Tax (GST), cow vigilantism and lynching by right-wing fringe elements, India-China border issues, India-Pakistan border issues, Kashmir, and the security lapse that led to the killing of pilgrims during Amarnath Yatra.

The Monsoon Session is also likely to discuss some acts which have been pending in Parliament for a long time. The session, scheduled between 17 July and 11 August, will witness a total of 19 sittings. The agenda for legislation includes 18 bills for consideration and passing. There are 16 bills listed for introduction, consideration and passing.

14 July all-party meeting: An astute move by government

The Modi government has insulated itself from any attack from Opposition on the border issue by garnering unconditional support from them during an all-party meeting convened by external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj on 14 July.

It is important for Narendra Modi to stand firm on this border issue with China so that he can prove that hes no Atal Bihari Vajpayee or Manmohan Singh. Because these two former PMs gave concessions to China and allowed Chinese military to have its own way, political analyst professor MD Nalapat said.

In fact, it is Pakistan whos instigating Chinese military and the latter is serving Pakistans objective. Modi has taken a strong decision of keeping the troops stationed at Doka La to prevent China from constructing the road. By securing support from Opposition during all-party meet on Friday, the prime minister has already taken a leap ahead. Comparatively, the NDA government will be in an advantageous position during the Monsoon Session, he added.

While addressing the customary all-party meet called by the parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar on Sunday  a day ahead of the first day of the Monsoon Session  Modi asserted that while Indians believe that the cow is like our mother, people should not take the law into their own hands. Modi said that cow vigilantism should not be given political or communal colour as the nation doesn't benefit from it.

This statement has, once again, clarified his intent on the issue of cow vigilantism and lynching. The Opposition has decided to pursue this issue aggressively on the floor of Parliament.

The day's programme

On the first day of the Monsoon Session, the Lok Sabha will not conduct any business. The session will begin at 11 am and the following members will take an oath or affirmation, sign the Roll of Members and take their seats in the House: Farooq Abdullah (Srinagar Parliamentary Constituency, Jammu and Kashmir) and PK Kunhalikutty (Malappuram Parliamentary Constituency, Kerala).

It will be followed by obituaries honouring the following Members of Parliament (MPs): Vinod Khanna (sitting member LS), Anil Madhav Dave (Union minister of state and member Rajya Sabha) and former MPs Subedar Prasad Singh, Ajit Kumar Saha, Era Sezhiyan and Narayan Chaudhary.

The House will then adjourn.

In the Rajya Sabha, tribute will be paid to Akhilesh Das Gupta (former member), sitting members Anil Madhav Dave and PG Reddy and ex-members Dasari Narayan Rao, C Narayan Reddy and UK Lakshmana Gowda.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to go for a Cabinet expansion as senior minister M Venkaiah Naidu's almost certain election as the next vice president will leave two heavyweight portfolios without a Cabinet minister.

Already, two key ministries  defence and environment  are without a full-time minister.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan are holding the additional charge of these two portfolios respectively.

Naidu, whose candidature as the NDA's vice presidential candidate was announced on Monday, currently holds charge of the ministries of Information and Broadcasting and Urban Development.

BJP sources said a reshuffle in the Union council of ministers is expected after the Monsoon Session of Parliament, and some new faces could also be inducted into the Cabinet.

While Manohar Parrikar's move to Goa as its chief minister in March left the defence ministry without a full-time Cabinet minister, the death of Anil Dave in May caused a vacancy in the environment ministry.

Modi first expanded his cabinet in November 2014 when he inducted 21 new faces, including Parrikar as defence minister.

In July last year, Modi undertook another reshuffle in which he appointed Prakash Javadekar as the human resource development minister, replacing Smriti Irani, who was shifted to textiles.
New Delhi: Top Congress leaders on Monday deliberated on a strategy for the Monsoon Session of Parliament during which the party is likely to raise issues of lynching incidents and vigilantism, the Kashmir situation and the border stand-off with China.

The party's top brass met on Monday under the chairmanship of Sonia Gandhi. Rahul Gandhi and leaders of the party in both houses of Parliament were among those present.

Sources said Congress will demand a debate on rising incidents of lynching and atrocities on Dalits and minorities and have given notices too.

A united Opposition is all set to raise the heat on the government over other key issues like the action of law enforcement agencies against some opposition leaders over corruption, fallout of the GST, the agrarian crisis and the policy towards Pakistan.

The increased Opposition synergy comes at a time when 18 parties have come together under one platform to pin the government on some key issues.

The parties came together on the presidential and vice-presidential election, but are keen to take the unity further in raising issues in Parliament.

Another joint meeting of Opposition leaders is slated for Tuesday with other Opposition parties for evolving a joint strategy to corner the government.
Ranchi: All the 81 elected MLAs of Jharkhand Assembly on Monday cast their votes to elect the 14th president of the country.

The NDA polling agent at the Jharkhand Assembly polling station and urban development and transport minister CP Singh told media, all the 81 elected MLAs had exercised their franchise by 1.30 pm.

Singh said, polling began at 10 am as per schedule and he was among the early voters.

As per the strategy made at Chief Minister Raghubar Das residence on Sunday, most of the NDA MLAs and other legislators supporting the NDA candidate, arrived together at around 11 am to cast their votes.

The chief minister, all his cabinet colleagues and other MLAs of the NDA and its supporters exercised their franchise by 11.30 am.

Immediately after most of the NDA MLAs had cast their votes, most of the opposition MLAs, which included 19 MLAs of JMM, seven of Congress, two of Jharkhand Vikash Morcha (Prajatantrik), one each of CPI (ML-Liberation) and Marxist Coordination Committee reached the polling booth.

The opposition MLAs were led by former chief minister and leader of the opposition in the Assembly (of the JMM) Hemant Soren and JPCC president and Congress MLA Sukhdeo Bhagat, cast their votes by noon.

The JPCC president claimed that 30 MLAs, including 19 of JMM, seven of Congress, two of JVM (P) and one each of CPI (ML-Liberation) and Marxist Coordination Committee voted for Opposition candidate Meira Kumar.

BJPs chief whip Radha Krishna Kishore claimed that a total of 49 MLAs including 43 MLAs of BJP, four of Ajsu party (NDA ally) and Gita Koda of Jai Bharat Samanta Party and Bhanu Pratap Sahi of Nau Jawan Sangharsh Morcha cast their votes in favour of NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind.

Kushwaha Shivpujan Mehta of BSP and Anosh Ekka of Jharkhand Party also cast their votes but did not reveal for whom they had voted.

CP Singh told newsmen that although the 81 elected MLAs had cast their vote by 1.30 pm, the ballot box will only be sealed at 5 pm as per the schedule as any of the MPs from the state may cast their vote at the Jharkhand Assembly polling station.

Jharkhand has 20 MPs, including six from the Rajya Sabha.
Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar and senior Akali leader Parkash Singh Badal were among those who cast their votes for the presidential poll in Chandigarh on Monday.

The Old Committee Room in the Assembly was the designated polling station in Haryana, while in Punjab, the polling was being held in the Assembly complex.

The voting began at 10 am and will conclude at 5 pm.

Former Haryana chief minister and senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Congress Legislature Party leader Kiran Choudhary excercised their votes in the designated polling station for Haryana.

Amarinder Singh, former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, AAP's senior leaders Sukhpal Khaira and Aman Arora and Lok Insaaf Party's two legislators Balwinder Bains and Simmerjit Singh Bains cast their votes in the Punjab Assembly complex, an election office spokesman said.

Ruling NDA's Ram Nath Kovind is pitted against opposition candidate Meira Kumar in the race to the country's top constitutional post.

Special pens have been supplied by the EC for the lawmakers to cast their votes on ballot papers both in Haryana and Punjab assembly complexes.

A poster carrying detailed instructions with regards to the polling, including asking the MPs and MLAs to mark their votes only with the designated pen for the purpose, has been put up near the entry gate of the Haryana Assembly.

The AAP has announced its support to former Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar. However, citing the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, senior AAP leader HS Phoolka, who is a legislator from Punjab, did not participate in the polling on Monday.

AAP's ally the Lok Insaaf Party had earlier announced its support to Kovind.

The Congress, which stormed to power in Punjab in March after a gap of 10 years, has 77 MLAs in the 117-member state Assembly, while the AAP has 20 and the Lok Insaaf Party two.

The SAD-BJP coalition has 18 MLAs (Shiromani Akali Dal 15, BJP three) in the Punjab Assembly.

Among the Lok Sabha members from Punjab, the Congress has four, the SAD three, the BJP had two but recently, its Gurdaspur MP Vinod Khanna passed away.

The AAP has four Lok Sabha members from Punjab, of whom two have been suspended by the party.

In the Rajya Sabha, the Congress and the SAD have three members each, while the BJP has a lone member from the state in the Upper House of Parliament.

In the 90-member Haryana Assembly, the ruling BJP enjoys a majority with 47 MLAs and the support of five Independents, while the Congress has 17 MLAs.

INLD, the principal opposition, has 19 members, while the SAD and the BSP have one MLA each.

Among the Lok Sabha MPs from Haryana, the BJP has seven, the INLD two and the Congress one.

In the Rajya Sabha, the BJP has one member of the five from the state and media baron Subhash Chandra, an Independent member, was elected to the Upper House last year with the saffron party's support.

The Congress has two Rajya Sabha members from Haryana, while the INLD has one.
Legislators from various states and members of both Houses of the Parliament went to vote in the 15th Presidential Election of India to elect India's Fourteenth President on 17 July. The office of the President of India is one that is fundamental to its constitutional way of life but the real functions of the job are seldom understood by the public at large.

India's system works in a similar manner to that of the United Kingdom, however, India doesn't have a monarchy and therefore it's head of state is an elected official who discharges a similar function that the Queen does in the UK. India's presidential system is what makes India a republic. The head of state is not a person who rules by divine right (unlike doctrines that support monarchies) but rules by virtue of having the authority of law to govern. Therefore, unlike the UK the role of the President of India is more clearly defined and the election of a person to that office is also a process that is outlined clearly.

The President has the following powers:

I. Power of appointments

The president by being the head of the Union executive (which includes the president, prime minister and council of ministers) has the power to make all appointments concerning the Union. The President appoints the prime minister, the attorney general, judges of the higher judiciary, governors of the state, the comptroller and auditor general, Indian ambassadors and high commissioners. This power to appointment though has to be exercised within the constitutional frameworks that govern how they are to be done. For example, technically under law, the president can appoint any person qualified to be a member of the Parliament as the prime minister. But convention requires that this power only be exercised by appointing the candidate who is most likely to secure a majority in Lok Sabha. Similarly, while appointing the governor, the attorney general and others, the president is confined to the advice of the prime minister and while appointing judges of the higher judiciary, the president has to be guided by the constitutional provisions, law and conventions regarding how judges are to be appointed. Apart from this, the president also summons and dissolves Lok Sabha and can summon or dissolve it at any time on the advice of the prime minister.

II. Defence powers

The president is also the supreme commander of the Indian Armed Forces and has the implicit power to make war and dictate peace. The office also has the ability to take measures necessary to protect India from internal and external forms of aggression while also ensuring a well-staffed and functioning army. In practice, once again this power is exercised by the prime minister and the cabinet in the name of the president. However, members of India's armed forces are answerable to the office of the President of India and not his ministers. Which means if India needs to use nuclear weapons or go to war, the direction cannot come from the defence ministry but must come straight from the president's office. This is important as it allows for a second form of review before the armed forces are deployed and pushes the army out of the control of the government. So, no government can use the army in furtherance of a coup. The primary duty cast on the president  defend and protect the Constitution and the laws  ensures that the office of the president will always be there to ensure the army is a professional organisation rather than a political one.

III. Reserve powers

Ordinarily, all bills require presidential assent and the assent is tendered or rejected on the advice of the prime minister. Further, the president's powers to declare emergency are also limited to the advice of the prime minister. But the president has certain reserve powers, which while not explicitly enumerated, flow from the nature of the office itself. For example, if the president were to be presented with a bill that in the president's view would violate the Constitution, the president may refuse to sign it and send it back to the Parliament for reconsideration. If the Parliament sends it back, then the president is required to sign it. But there can be cases where the president need not send the bill back at all but just refuse to sign it notwithstanding. This is called a 'pocket veto'. Zali Singh employed the pocket veto during the Postal Bill in 1986 by refusing to sign the bill as he felt it would infringe on civil liberties. Even Rajendra Prasad took issue in the initial days of the Indian Republic with Nehru's Hindu Code Bill saying that he would not sign anything that would violate his conscience.

In fact, APJ Abdul Kalam showed the strength of the office during the office of profit controversy by returning the government's first bill and only passing it the second time around. Even the second time his concerns weren't addressed, but Kalam held firm and decided that he was going to lay them bare anyway. This is what the office is about, the office is about having a president who is not a mute spectator to constitutional happenings, but is involved in ensuring that the checks and balances are maintained.

All of this brings us to the method of electing this officer. Ideally, in most democracies it would make sense to put the office of the president to a general public ballot and the candidate would be one chosen by all the people. This is how it works in most other republics. Even the US' system of the electoral college is tied to a popular election in the states. But in India, it is the state assemblies and the Parliament that eventually elect the president.

The argument for the indirect election of the President of India comes from the federal nature of the office. The President of India being the federal head of state is a person that has to be elected via broad national consensus. This means that no one state, merely by virtue of its population, should have the ability to influence the outcome of an election. Unlike Lok Sabha, where it's all about popular mandate, the electoral college creates a system by which there is a balance between the most populous states and the least populous states. This allows for the office in most cases to be placed above politics and there are attempts to form a broad all-party consensus to the office.

In summation, the president is a key player in Indias political destiny. But it's important that the bearer of the office be one who is above politics. The current presidential election is one of the most politically charged in history. How will this affect the tenure of the future president is one that will have to not just be examined by constitutional experts but also political ones.
New Delhi: As voting to elect India's next president got underway on Monday, the BJP exuded confidence that its candidate Ram Nath Kovind would win with a "comfortable" margin while the opposition CPM asked the electoral college to vote thoughtfully and uphold the Constitution.

Kovind, the former Bihar governor, is contesting against the opposition's joint candidate and former Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar.

"Kovind ji will win (the election) with a respectable and comfortable margin," Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu told reporters ahead of the polling. Naidu, however, refused to comment on the BJP parliamentary board's meeting to pick the ruling alliance's vice presidential candidate. 'Let the presidential poll get over first', he said.

The CPM, which is backing Meira Kumar, urged voters, comprising MPs and MLAs, to pick the "custodian of the Constitution" thoughtfully.

"Hope the Electoral College picks the custodian of India's Constitution thoughtfully: Vote to uphold Constitutional Values of our Republic," party general secretary Sitaram Yechury said on Twitter.

Hope the Electoral College picks the custodian of India's Constitution thoughtfully: Vote to uphold Constitutional Values of our Republic.  Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) July 17, 2017

With both Kovind and Kumar belonging to the Dalit community, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati expressed satisfaction that a Dalit leader would occupy office of the president irrespective of who won the poll.

Mayawati also claimed it was because of her party that the NDA and the opposition had to field candidates from the community. "Winning or losing (a poll) is a different issue. Whoever wins, the good thing is a Scheduled Caste person will be the country's president. And I think it is a good thing for our movement, the party. And the NDA, the BJP had to field a Dalit candidate for the presidential poll because of the BSP and the other side (the opposition) too," she told reporters outside Parliament.

The voting for the presidential poll began at 10 am on Monday and will continue till 5 pm.

The results of the poll will be declared on 20 July.
Lawmakers across India voted on Monday to elect the country's 14th President with Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu declaring that ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate Ram Nath Kovind would win with a "comfortable and respectable margin" against opposition-backed Meira Kumar.

"Kovindji will win with a comfortable and respectable margin," Naidu said before voting.

Polling to choose the successor of incumbent Pranab Mukherjee, who demits office on 25 July, started simultaneously in both Houses of the Parliament in the national capital and state assemblies at 10 am.

All elected MPs and MLAs are eligible to cast their vote through secret ballot.

As voting picked up, many MPs, including women members, were seen queuing up in the Parliament House outside the polling booth in Room No 62 for the voting that closed at 5 pm.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah were among the first to cast their votes in the Parliament. Modi, clad in a beige colour sleeveless jacket over a white kurta-pyjama, reached the Parliament premises early to vote on Monday, also the first day of the over three-week monsoon session of the Parliament.

The prime minister said the session was expected to herald in a new hope for India. "Today the monsoon session begins. Like the monsoon brings hope, this session also brings the same spirit of hope," he said.

Shah, who is an MLA from Gujarat, was allowed to cast his vote in the Parliament. Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul also voted.

State Assemblies saw brisk voting

In state assemblies, polling began on a brisk note in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, as legislators voted in the first three hours of polling.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal led the AAP lawmakers to vote. In Punjab, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had called all Congress legislators in the state for breakfast before the voting. The Congress legislators later gathered at the Punjab Bhawan for a meeting on the issue.

In the Haryana Assembly, ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators Kamal Gupta and Latika Sharma were among the first voters. Tamil Nadu chief minister E Palaniswami was among the first voters at the Assembly complex in Chennai. He was followed by house speaker P Dhanapal, DMK's MK Stalin and former chief minister O Panneerselvam.

Himachal Pradesh Assembly saw 100 percent voting as the state became the first to complete the election process.

100 per cent polling recorded in voting for #PresidentialPolls in Himachal with all 67 MLAs casting their vote.  Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 17, 2017

Talking to media persons, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, whose party had come out in support of Opposition's candidate, said, "We voted for Meira to register our protest against 'present atrocities' in the country." The TMC leader also slammed the NDA government over the Goods and Services Tax (GST) as well as the 8 November, 2016 decision to demonetise old notes of Rs 500 and 1,000.

Threat of cross voting

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) dismissed reports that its MPs and MLAs were voting for NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind. The rumours are false. We are voting for our candidate Meira, NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik told Hindustan Times. On the other hand, the Tripura branch of TMC decided to vote against Meira and backed Kovind.

The Samajwadi Party was also a divided house with Mulayam Singh and Shivpal Yadav supporting Kovind while the Akhilesh Yadav faction backing Meira.

The arithmetic

The Election Commission put up a total of 32 polling stations  one in Parliament House Room No 62 and rest one each in state legislative assemblies  for the polls. The ballot boxes will be brought to Delhi for counting on 20 July, when the results will be declared.

A total of 776 MPs and 4,120 MLAs are eligible to vote. The total value of votes of the electoral college is 10,98,903. The NDA has 5,37,683 votes, with the shortage of around 12,000 votes.

However, in the electoral arithmetic, Kovind has a distinct advantage over Meira, with non-NDA parties like Janata Dal (United) and Biju Janata Dal (BJD), who are not allied with BJP, deciding to vote for him. Kovind is slated to cross the halfway mark and get about 63 percent votes.

In the electoral college each MP and MLA is allocated a value to determine the vote value of an MLA, it is calculated on the basis of the population of the state (as per 1971 Census) to which the MLA belongs. Hence, the value of the vote of an MLA remains the same within his/her state but varies across different states. For instance, the value of an Uttar Pradesh MLA is 208 while that of a Sikkim MLA is 7. The sum total of the value of all MLAs votes is equal to the value allocated to votes of all the MPs combined. All the MPs are allocated the same value for their vote.

While 2,180 MLAs and 530 MPs support the NDA candidate, 1,628 MLAs and 232 MPs belonging to 17 Opposition parties back Meira.

Advantage Kovind

Kovind, the former Bihar governor, has a numerical advantage over Meira, who is a former Lok Sabha speaker , as the numbers are stacked in favour of the ruling NDA. The BJP and allies have nearly 63 percent of the votes while the Congress-led opposition has a little over 35 percent. Independents and other smaller parties, who have not made their choice known, have two percent of the votes. If elected, Kovind will be the second Dalit President of India after KR Narayanan, who held the post between 1997 and 2002.

According to political commentator, Sanjay Singh while the outcome of the election is a forgone conclusion, the BJP leadership is not taking it easy. It is keen to send out a message that the Opposition is disunited and Modi's candidate has support from across the party lines.

Meira appeals to parties to vote according to conscience

Opposition candidate Meira requested members of the electoral college to "heed the inner voice of their conscience" and vote in the best interest of the country. "This ideology is of social justice, inclusiveness, secularism, transparency, freedom of expression, freedom of press and total destruction of the caste system. This is the ideology which binds India together. So, it is very important that we protect and preserve it," the five-time Lok Sabha MP had said on Sunday.

Her son Ansul said that it was not a personal fight "but a fight of ideologies". "The forces which are present should be decimated. If it's just about numbers then why are we going through the whole process. The winner can be announced earlier based on the parties' support. We are excited... We are part of it. I have travelled with my mother," Ansul said.

However, Meira's pitch for votes according to conscience can backfire. Singh argued that such an argument would not work as political parties cannot issue whip and the voting is secretive.

"Mark Tejashwi Yadav's words as he expressed his anguish over cross-voting. Although he linked this with ruling NDA's insecurity in the polls but it was not difficult to make an easy reading of the voting pattern," he wrote.

Sreemoy Talukdar added that the debate around the presidential campaign showed the immaturity of India's democracy. "It said little about the maturity of our democracy when the ongoing debate around presidential polls was around the caste identity of the contesting candidates, not their achievements. Kovind distinguished himself as a lawyer and has a long career as an administrator and a Parliamentarian. Ex-speaker of Lok Sabha, daughter of Babu Jagjivan Ram, has a similar stellar career to boast of. But all the commentaries and debates so far have focused on which candidate is more 'Dalit' than the other," the author rued.

Will Kovind help NDA pass key legislations?

While Kovind's Dalit background may have been a reason for his elevation, the former Bihar governor can also help NDA get his assent on key bills, especially through the ordinances route.

The NDA government would like Kovind in the Rashtrapati Bhavan to pass bills like Gujarat's GCOCA bill, which had been rejected by Kalam, Pratibha Patil and Pranab Mukherjee. First passed by the Narendra Modi-led Gujarat government in 2003, the bill has repeatedly been rejected over concerns regarding certain aspects of the bill.

Kovind was a practising advocate in the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court before he jumped into the political arena. The 71-year-old had also represented India at the United Nations General Assembly in 2002. Additionally, Kovind had also been a Rajya Sabha MP between 1994 and 2006, which gives him legislative experience too.

With several key reforms, especially in the economy, yet to be taken in the next two years of the Modi government, Kovind's counsel may help the Centre.

In the Monsoon Session this year, there are 79 bills which are to be passed in both Houses of the Parliament. With Kovind in the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Modi government may look for a speedy passage of these bills.

With inputs from agencies
Gandhinagar: Former Gujarat chief minister Anandiben Patel was among the first to cast their votes as voting for the presidential election started at the state secretariat in Gandhinagar on Monday.

As the Assembly complex is undergoing renovation, the voting is taking place at Swarnim Sankul-2 complex inside the secretariat. Anandiben Patel, who is the MLA grom Ghatlodia in Ahmedabad, cast her vote.

NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind was in Gandhinagar on Saturday to seek support of BJP MLAs and MPs. UPA candidate Meira Kumar visited Gujarat in June to launch her campaign from the iconic Sabarmati Ashram.

Congress chief whip Balwantsinh Rajput said MLAs and MPs can also cast vote in Delhi.

Meanwhile, rebel BJP MLA Nalin Kotadia said he will vote against the NDA candidate to protest "atrocities" against members of the Patel community during the 2015 quota agitation. Kotadia was suspended from the party recently.

The ruling BJP has 122 MLAs in Gujarat, while the Congress has 57, the NCP two and the JD(U) one in the 182-member Assembly. In the Lok Sabha, all 26 MPs from the state belong to the BJP.

BJP president Amit Shah, the MLA from Naranpura constituency in Ahmedabad, will cast his vote in Delhi, party sources said.
Polling, to elect the 14th President of India, is underway. The battle is between NDA's nominee Ram Nath Kovind and UPA's candidate Meira Kumar. However, media reports have been suggesting that Kovind is expected to garner about 63 percent of the total votes in the electoral college.

If the prediction comes true after the results are announced on 20 July, it will be for the first time that the NDA will have its own candidate in the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Kovind's nomination came as a surprise because, apart from other names, Jharkhand Governor Draupadi Murmu was considered to be the favourite among senior BJP and NDA leaders. The names of external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan were also making the rounds.

Political commentators have called Kovind's nomination to India's top constitutional post as BJP's ploy to shed its upper-caste image and woo the Dalit community, especially in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

While Kovind's Dalit background may have been a reason for his elevation, the former Bihar Governor can also help the NDA to get his assent on key bills, especially through the ordinances route.

Ordinances are issued by the Centre when the Parliament is not in session. According to Article 123 of the Indian Constitution, the president can give his assent to an ordinance if he or she is satisfied that there is a need for such an action. Having a NDA nominee as the president can help the ruling alliance push through its ordinances.

Ordinances have been a way for the NDA to circumvent the Rajya Sabha, where it lacks a majority. Between 2014 and August 2016, the Modi government issued 22 ordinances to bypass the Upper House of the Parliament. A 2015 Firstpost article noted:

"The compulsion of the Modi government appears to be its poor strength in the Rajya Sabha. While it can pass bills in the parliament because of its brute majority, they will face a roadblock in the upper house. The solution to such a situation is not bypassing the system itself, but to take everybody along. Why pass legislation without the will of the people?"

It is to be noted that the BJP-led NDA is only expected to get a majority in the Upper House by 2018.

While presidents are generally considered rubber stamps in India, there have been times when the president has refused to toe the government line and reserved bills for reconsideration, There are two prominent instances of the president refusing assent to a bill.

In 1987, the then president Zail Singh refused to give his assent to the Indian Post Office (Amendment) Bill, creating friction between him and Rajiv Gandhi. Two decades later, in 2006, APJ Abdul Kalam refused to approve the Office of Profit bill, passed by the Congress-led UPA government.

Not only bills, but presidents have in the past also rejected Centre's call for imposing President's Rule in states. In 1998, then president KR Narayanan sent back a proposal from the caretaker IK Gujral government to impose President's Rule in Uttar Pradesh, which was then ruled by BJP's Kalyan Singh.

The NDA government would like Kovind in the Rashtrapati Bhavan to pass bills like Gujarat's GCOCA bill, which had been rejected by Kalam, Pratibha Patil and Pranab Mukherjee. First passed by the Narendra Modi-led Gujarat government in 2003, the bill has repeatedly been rejected over concerns regarding certain aspects of the bill.

Kovind was a practising advocate in the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court before he jumped into the political arena. The 71-year-old had also represented India at the United Nations General Assembly in 2002. Additionally, Kovind had also been a Rajya Sabha MP between 1994 and 2006, which gives him legislative experience too.

With several key reforms, especially in the economy, yet to be taken in the next two years of the Modi government, Kovind's counsel may help the Modi government.

In the Monsoon Session this year, there are 79 bills which are to be passed in both the Houses of Parliament. With Kovind in the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Modi government may look for the speedy passage of the bills.

With inputs from agencies
Report Reveals Rampant Racism & Misuse Of City Resources In Water Department

By aaroncynic in News on Jul 17, 2017 7:21PM



City Hall, via senor codo/Flickr according to a quarterly report released from the Office of the Inspector General.

In a letter published by the office, Inspector General Joe Ferguson wrote that the investigation found egregious, offensive racist and sexist emails distributed by and among employees of the Department of Water Management (DWM) that extended to senior levels of department management and that suggested the existence of an unrestricted culture of overtly racist and sexist behavior and attitudes within the department.

Several individuals within the department have been ousted in recent weeks, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Among them were Commissioner Barrett Murphy, managing deputy William Bresnahan and district superintendent Paul Hansen. According to both the Sun-Times and Chicago Tribune, the OIG uncovered the emails while investigating Hansen for using his email account to sell guns.

According to the report, Hansen, who is not named in it, used his city email account to negotiate personal purchases or sales of at least four firearms and five cars with private individuals. Additionally he and several other employees sent racist, sexist, homophobic, and islamaphobic emails along with sexually explicit photos and videos. Among some of the most reprehensible communications (WARNING: GRAPHIC LANGUAGE AHEAD):









An email with the subject line Chicago Safari Tickets that was sent to multiple high-ranking DWM employees, the body of which states If you didnt book a Chicago Safari adventure with us this 4th of July weekend this is what you missed, and then lists the number of people shot in several neighborhoods of color. The email goes on to say that all Chicago Safari packages include 3 deluxe Harolds Chicken meals a day and Youll also see lots and lots of animals in their natural habitat.







An email containing an image of a Ku Klux Klan robe on a stick in the middle of a watermelon patch.







Emails referring to Muslims as rag head cock suckers







Emails suggesting that people should have thrown grenades at a black Italian politician instead of bananas.







An email declaring a heterosexual pride day which in part began To all of my friends who are tired of taking a BACK SEAT to gays, lesbians, homosexuals, trans genders, women soldiers, bra burners, female boy scouts, women libbers, tree huggers, and eco-commie-environ-freaks, the looney left, Greens, social justice warriors and worse of all  those f------ Democrats!



As if that wasnt enough, the report says that an employee used city computers to access websites unrelated to city business on thousands of occasions over a four-month period, including sexually explicit, age-restricted videos on YouTube.

The report is the latest in a series of scandals surrounding the department. In late June, seven current and former employees of the department filed a lawsuit alleging African-Americans were subject to racial slurs, denied promotions, and sexually harassed because of their race, according to the Tribune. The lawsuit alleges employees were repeatedly subjected to the use of the n-word, faced "undue disciplinary hearings in retaliation for speaking out, were regularly denied promotions or transfers, given less-desirable work assignments, and more.

Some employees who spoke out against the culture and filed multiple complaints with Chicago Police Department, the Department of Human Resources, and the OIG were subject to derogatory and threatening messages, according to the report.

In early July, two former employees spoke with Mary Mitchell at the Sun-Times, telling her they were reluctant to testify because of the harassment, saying they felt intimidated, and were seeking police protection.

They apparently told him that we are responsible for him losing his job. We are afraid of this guy, said David Reed, a former forensic scientist for the department.

We have expressed that concern to the corporation counsel, said Christopher Harris, another forensic scientist. They say there is nothing they can do. The police can give us special attention for two weeks and thats it. After that, we are on our own. The way the city operates, they get us to testify, and after two weeks and something happens, theyll say: Go away.

Both men told Mitchell they received threats, racist emails, and text messages even after they left the department.

The employees who either resigned or were terminated have been put on a do not rehire list. In response to the report, a spokesperson for the Mayors Office told the Tribune it acted swiftly.

"Mayor Emanuel has been clear that the conduct uncovered by the OIG's investigation does not reflect Chicago's values and will not be tolerated, which is why he acted swiftly to address the issue and bring in new leadership at the Department of Water Management," said Shannon Breymaier.


Ranchi: Three independent legislators cast their votes in Ranchi on Monday in favour of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate Ram Nath Kovind in the Presidential election.

The three independent legislators who voted in favour of the NDA candidate are Geeta Koda, Bhanu Pratap Shahi and Enos Ekka.

"We voted in favour of the NDA candidate. The president should be elected by consensus," Geeta Koda told the media in Ranchi.

Of the 81 state legislators, 80 have cast their votes in the premises of the Jharkhand assembly where the polling is underway.

Three jailed legislators voted after taking permission from the court. They were BJP's Sanjiv Singh, facing a murder case; Pradeep Yadav of the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prajatantrik; and Independent legislator Enos Ekka, also facing a murder case.

Pradeep Yadav is in jail in connection with a case related to instigating villagers against Adani Power in Godda district.

NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind for the Presidential poll is likely to get the vote of 50 legislators.

"NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind's victory is 200 per cent guaranteed. His election indicates a common man can become the President of India," chief minister Raghubar Das said after casting his vote.

Former chief minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) executive president Hemant Soren, who is leader of Opposition in the assembly, said it is a "fight of ideology".
Polling begins in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh assemblies for the country's 14th President on Monday.

Legislators from Telangana began casting their votes at the state legislative assembly in Hyderabad while their counterparts from Andhra Pradesh were exercising their franchise at the state assembly in Amaravati.

Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, state assembly speaker Madhusudhana Chary and leader of opposition K. Jana Reddy were among the firsts to cast their votes in Hyderabad.

Ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) has already announced its support to National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate Ram Nath Kovind. TRS has 90 members in 119-member assembly.

Kovind was also assured support of five legislators of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and three of Telugu Desam Party (TDP)

The vote value of each MLA in Telangana is 132.

TRS held mock polling on Sunday and again on Monday morning to ensure that all its lawmakers would cast their vote perfectly.

Main opposition Congress party, which has 13 members, six legislators of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) and the lone member of Communist Party of India (Marxist) will back United Progressive Alliance (UPA) candidate Meira Kumar.

However in Andhra Pradesh, the NDA candidate is expected to get the support of all legislators as both ruling TDP-BJP alliance and lone opposition YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) have announced that they will vote for Kovind.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP national president N.A Chandrababu Naidu and assembly speaker Kodela Sivaprasada Rao were among the first to cast their votes.

This is the first time polling for presidential election is being held in Aamaravti.

In 175-member state assembly, TDP has 124 members including 21 defected from YSRCP. BJP has four legislators. Lone opposition YSRCP has 46 legislators.

Every legislator in Andhra Pradesh has a vote value of 159.

MPs from both the Telugu states were casting their votes in Parliament
New Delhi: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Monday expressed happiness that a Dalit would become the next President of India, irrespective of who wins the election.

After casting her vote, she said: "Whenever elections happen, one wins while the other loses. However, I am happy whatever be the result, a Scheduled Caste person is going to become the President. It is a happy moment for our movement and our party."

The contest is between National Democratic Alliance (NDA) nominee Ram Nath Kovind and candidate of several major opposition parties Meira Kumar, former Lok Sabha Speaker. Both come from Dalit background.

The NDA has fielded former Bihar governor Kovind for the top constitutional post, while former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar is the joint opposition candidate.

The counting of votes will take place on 20 July in New Delhi where all the ballot boxes will be brought from various state capitals.

The tenure of incumbent Pranab Mukherjee comes to an end on 24 July.
Aizawl: Thirty four legislators in the 40-member Mizoram Assembly voted for the presidential election till 1.30 pm on Monday, assistant returning officer for the polls SR Zokhuma said.

Zokhuma told PTI that Mizoram finance minister Lalsawta and Assembly Speaker Hiphei were the early voters.

All five MLAs of the opposition Mizo National Front (MNF) and the only representative of Mizoram People's Conference (MPC) cast their votes.

Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla would cast his vote around 4 pm.

The 34 Congress legislators were expected to support the Congress-led oppositions presidential candidate Meira Kumar while the five MNF members were expected to vote in favour of the ruling NDA nominee Ram Nath Kovind.

Meanwhile, MPC Vice President Vanlalhlana said that the lone MPC legislator was authorised by the party high command to exercise his franchise freely.

The value of a vote of each Mizoram legislator is eight.
Hyderabad/Amaravati: Almost all legislators in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh Assemblies had cast their votes by Monday afternoon to elect the country's 14th president.

Over 100 out of the 119 legislators in Telangana and 169 out of the 175 in Andhra Pradesh had exercised their franchise by 1 pm, officials said.

Both the states witnessed brisk polling since the process began at 10 am.

Legislators from Telangana cast their votes at the state legislative Assembly in Hyderabad while their counterparts from Andhra Pradesh exercised their franchise at the state Assembly in Amaravati.

Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, state Assembly speaker Madhusudhana Chary and Leader of Opposition K Jana Reddy were among the first to cast their votes in Hyderabad.

Ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) has already announced its support to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate Ram Nath Kovind. The TRS has 90 members in the 119-member Assembly.

Kovind was also assured support of five legislators of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and three of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP)

The vote value of each legislator in Telangana is 132.

All TRS legislators, including ministers, reached Assembly premises in three buses from party headquarters Telangana Bhavan, where mock polling was held for the second time since Sunday to ensure that all lawmakers cast their vote properly.

Main opposition Congress, which has 13 members, will back the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) candidate Meira Kumar.

The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), which has seven MLAs and the lone member of the Communist Party of India-Marxist has also announced their support to Meira Kumar.

However, AIMIM leader in assembly Akbaruddin Owaisi could not participate in the voting process as he is in London for medical treatment. TRS member Dasari Manohar Reddy is also not likely to cast vote as he was undergoing treatment in a hospital.

In Andhra Pradesh, almost all legislators had exercised their franchise by afternoon.

The NDA candidate is expected to get the support of all legislators as both ruling TDP-BJP alliance and lone Opposition YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) have said that they will vote for Kovind.

Andhra Pradesh chief minister and TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu and Assembly speaker Kodela Sivaprasada Rao were among the first to cast their votes.

Leader of Opposition and YSRCP president YS Jaganmohan Reddy and other members of his party also cast their ballots.

This is the first time polling for presidential election is being held in Amaravati.

In the 175-member state Assembly, the TDP has 124 members, including 21 who defected from YSRCP. The BJP has four legislators. The Opposition YSRCP has 46 legislators.

Every legislator in Andhra Pradesh has a vote value of 159.

The voting process will continue till 5 pm. All the ballots will then be sent to Delhi, where counting will take place on 20 July.

Members of Parliament from both the Telugu-speaking states were casting their votes in Parliament House in New Delhi.
Mumbai: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Monday dismissed reports that its lawmakers were voting for the NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind in the presidential election.

"The rumours that NCP MPs and MLAs are voting for the NDA presidential candidate are false. We are voting for our candidate, Meira Kumar," NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said in a statement.

"We have been part of her candidature selection process and we were with her during filing of her nomination papers. All rumours are baseless and should be ignored," he added.

Malik's statement came in response to reports in a section of the media that its legislators and MPs were voting for Kovind on Monday.

On Saturday, independent legislator Ravi Rana said that at least 10 Congress and five NCP legislators from the state would vote for the NDA candidate.

However, leaders of both parties immediately pooh-poohed his claims and said they were meant to create confusion.
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Ramesh Chennithala and legislators from the state cast their vote in the presidential election in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday.

Vijayan and his cabinet colleagues along with CPM-led ruling LDF legislators exercised their vote at the state assembly.

CPM veteran and former chief minister VS Achuthanandan and Congress leader Oommen Chandy were among prominent MLAs to cast their votes, assembly officials said.

The lone BJP MLA O Rajagopal was among the early voters.

In the 140-member assembly, Vengara seat in Malapuram is vacant after incumbent MLA PK Kunhalikutty resigned after his election to the Lok Sabha from Malappuram Lok Sabha seat that fell vacant following death of IUML leader E Ahmed.

From Kerala, NDA nominee Ram Nath Kovind is only expected to secure the vote of the lone BJP MLA.

The ruling CPM-led LDF and Congress headed UDF Opposition had announced their decision to back the united opposition candidate and former Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar.

Kerala Congress(M) led by former finance minister KM Mani, which had snapped ties with the UDF, also extended its support to Kumar.

Similarly, the lone independent MLA PC George had also announced his backing to Kumar. The voting will end at 5 PM.
New Delhi: As lawmakers voted to elect India's next president, the ruling BJP exuded confidence on Monday that NDA nominee Ram Nath Kovind would win with a "comfortable" margin, while the opposition said its joint pick Meira Kumar was the best choice in the "clash of ideologies".

"Kovind ji will win (the election) with a respectable and comfortable margin," Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu told reporters ahead of the polling.

Naidu, however, refused to comment on the BJP parliamentary board's meeting to choose the ruling alliance's vice presidential candidate. Let the presidential poll get over first, he said.

Another Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said Kovind will register a "decisive victory" and would turn out as an "honest" president, who, he said, will work hard according to the Constitution.

"It would have been better if there was a consensus (among all parties over Kovind's nomination). But no issues," he said.

Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said the fight between Kovind and Kumar was "one of ideologies" and rated the latter as the best choice for the president's post.

"The president should be a person pursuing an ideology under which everybody should be equal for him. And when there is a clash of ideologies, I think our candidate (Kumar) is the best," Azad, the Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha, said.

Backing Kumar, the CPM urged voters, comprising MPs and MLAs, to pick the "custodian of the Constitution" thoughtfully.

"Hope the electoral college picks the custodian of India's Constitution thoughtfully....Vote to uphold constitutional values of our republic," party general secretary Sitaram Yechury said on Twitter.

Hope the Electoral College picks the custodian of India's Constitution thoughtfully: Vote to uphold Constitutional Values of our Republic.  Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) July 17, 2017

Yechury and senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge asked all MPs and MLAs exercising their franchise to vote according to their "inner conscience".

"We believe in democracy and that's why we are contesting (the poll). All the voters, including those from the BJP, should also vote as per their conscience," Kharge said.

With both Kovind and Kumar belonging to the Dalit community, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati expressed satisfaction that a Dalit leader would occupy the office of the president irrespective of who won the poll.

Mayawati also claimed it was because of her party that the NDA and the Opposition had to field candidates from the community.

"Winning or losing (a poll) is a different issue. Whoever wins, the good thing is a Scheduled Caste person will be the country's president. And I think it is a good thing for our movement, the party.

"And the NDA, the BJP had to field a Dalit candidate for the presidential poll because of the BSP and the other side (the Opposition) too," she told reporters outside Parliament.

The voting for the presidential poll began at 10 am and will continue till 5 pm.

The result of the poll will be declared on July 20.
Hyderabad: The voting for the presidential election began in the Telangana legislative Assembly in Hyderabad on Monday with chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao casting the first vote.

The ruling TRS had earlier declared support to NDA nominee Ram Nath Kovind in the election.

The TRS members arrived at the Assembly in a bus from their party office.

The party on Saturday conducted a meeting of its MLAs to familiarise them with the voting procedure.

The value each MLA's vote in Telangana is 132.

The authorities have made elaborate arrangements for the election.

The opposition's nominee for the top constitutional post is former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar.

Kovind, the former Bihar governor, and Kumar earlier visited Hyderabad to mobilise support for their candidature.

In the 119-member Telangana Legislative assembly, excluding a nominated member who doesn't have voting right in the presidential election, the ruling TRS has a strength of 82, followed by Congress (19), MIM (7), BJP (5), TDP (3), CPI (1), CPI-M (1)and Independent (1).

There are 16 Lok Sabha members and 10 Rajya Sabha members from Telangana.

Noting that Meira Kumar was the Lok Sabha speaker when the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill (for the formation of Telangana) was passed, the Congress had earlier said all electors in Telangana should vote for her as an expression of gratitude.
Vic Mensa Takes Plea Deal, Gets 2 Years Probation In Gun Case: Report

By Stephen Gossett in Arts & Entertainment on Jul 17, 2017 5:55PM

Chicago rapper Vic Mensa has reportedly struck a plea deal on gun charges, according to TMZ.

Mensa was arrested for carrying a concealed weapon in Los Angeles back in March. He told police that he had a gun in the car after he was pulled over for running a stop sign, Mensa showed a permit, but it was reportedly invalid because it was issued from a different state.

He pled no contest to a charge of carrying a concealed firearm; and second chargecarrying an unregistered loaded firearmwas dropped.

The District Attorney's office told TMZ that Mensa will serve two years' probation. He won't do jail time if he pays $500 and an added $1,325 in restitution.

Mensa's debut full-length, The Autobiography, releases on July 28. A teaser EP came out in June. He joined fellow Savemoney alum Joey Purp onstage at Pitchfork Music Festival on Sunday.
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya and Union minister Uma Bharti were among those who cast their votes for the presidential poll here on Monday.

The voting begun at 10 am at the Tilak Hall here.

After casting his vote, the chief minister told reporters that NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind will win the election with a huge margin.

"This is matter of pride for the people of Uttar Pradesh, the the son of the state is going to become the president", he said.

Both Adityanath and Maurya have not yet resigned from the Lok Sabha and are voters as MPs.

After the conclusion of voting at 5 pm, the ballot boxes will be sealed and sent to Delhi.

The NDA has fielded former Bihar governor Kovind for the top constitutional post, while former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar is the joint opposition candidate.

The counting of votes will take place on 20 July in New Delhi where all the ballot boxes will be brought from various state capitals.

The tenure of incumbent Pranab Mukherjee comes to an end on 24 July.
New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejirwal on Monday said MLAs should vote in the presidential poll according to their conscience.

Earlier in the day, an Opposition BJP MLA had claimed that "10-12 legislators" of the ruling AAP had voted for the NDA's candidate, Ram Nath Kovind.

"We are supporting Meira Kumar (Opposition presidential candidate). All should vote following their conscience," Kejriwal, who cast his vote in the Delhi Assembly, said in response.

"In a democracy, whoever gets more votes wins," Kejriwal added.

As voting for the presidential elections gathered steam with Delhi legislators arriving at the Assembly, among the first to vote were deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, sacked AAP minister Kapil Mishra and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, Vijender Gupta.

"My vote went to one who is all set to become next president," Mishra, who was the first AAP MLA to vote, told reporters.

"More than who wins, it is important that the country wins," Sisodia said.

BJP MLA Om Prakash Sharma had said, "Around 10-12 AAP MLAs, who are unhappy with Kejriwal, have cast their votes in favour of Ram Nath Kovind."
Putting all speculations to rest, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has finally announced Union Minister of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation as well Information and Broadcasting, M Venkaiah Naidu, as its nominee for the post of vice-president of India.

If Naidu gets the support that NDA presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind has received, Prime Minister Narendra Modi shall have both the top posts of the nation of his choice. That too in an almost unchallenged manner and without facing a tough fight.

And these two highly-anticipated elections  for the new president and the vice-president  have nailed the biggest truth of contemporary India. The Opposition in India is a toothless and fangless section that makes a lot of noise, but it's not equipped to give a unified fight to the NDA government especially the one that has an absolute majority and can go dangerously unchecked.

The fissures were there even when the parties set out to choose their nominee for the post of the president. The Opposition could not pool its resources to throw up one consensus candidate who would have fought the elections on his own strength. The Opposition's eventual candidate Meira Kumar though strong in her own merits, seemed more like an afterthought than a first, unequivocal choice.

It's funny that even on the morning of the election for the post of the president, top leaders from the Opposition camp such as Samajwadi Party (SP) supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav were announcing their intentions to support Kovind.

So, where is India's Opposition? Has it finally drowned under the BJP wave?

The Congress party along with 18 non-BJP parties had challenged the NDA for a tough fight in the presidential poll. But, a series of developments have presented the Opposition block as weak.

Even Congress president Sonia Gandhis appeal to give a unified fight against "narrow-minded, divisive and communal vision" doesn't seem to be working.

Besides Mulayam, his brother and Samajwadi Party leader Shivpal Yadav has also appealed to back Kovind.

Meanwhile, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati tweeted: "No matter who wins, the president will be from Dalit community. Huge victory for our movement and party.

An independent MLA from Maharashtra Ravi Rana has claimed that around 25 opposition MLAs were in touch with him and would vote for Kovind.

In addition, BJD (Odisha), TRS (Telangana) and YSR Congress (Andhra Pradesh) are in a group of six political parties that hold 13 percent vote share in the presidential electoral college and have expressed to support NDA.

Had the Congress-led Opposition managed to secure support of this group of six, it would have been in a comfortable position.

An article in The Economic Times states that the Oppositions 35.47 percent votes combined with the 13.06 percent vote share of these six parties give them a total of 48.53 percent  just short of the NDAs vote share of 48.64 percent in the presidential contest".

Giving the number game, the NDA, besides successfully garnering support from BJD, TRS and YSR Congress, has also got support from one of the two AIADMK factions, and from one or two smaller groups. This should help NDA to cross the majority mark.

According to a Firstpost article  the NDA, led by the BJP, has 5,37,683 votes including the Shiv Sena; and the shortage is around 12,000 votes. But the promised support from the BJD, the TRS and the YSR Congress and likely backing from the AIADMK factions could offset the shortfall of the presidential votes by a substantial margin.

"There'll be a lot of cross-voting in both the presidential and vice-presidential polls. Resultantly, the NDA candidates will be in an advantageous position," said political analyst Professor MD Nalapat.

With the vice-presidential election likely to go the same way, is it going to be total domination for the BJP-led NDA in electoral politics? Moreover, what does this say about the 2019 General Elections? At least one thing is clear  the signs for the fractured Opposition are not right.
It seems that Tamil Nadu law minister CV Shanmugam does not understand movies. Well, at the very least, he doesn't understand Kamal Haasan's movies.

Because only someone spectacularly ignorant would describe Kamal, of all people, as a "third-rate actor."

Someone, do me a favour: Send Shanmugam some of Kamal's best movies: Nayagan, Apoorva Sagodharargal, Moondram Pirai, Mahanadi, Indian, Swathi Muthyam, Avvai Shanmughi and more. Shanmugam has also said that Kamal has no right to speak about the AIADMK regime. So make him sit through Pushpak as well.

The last three days have seen the Tamil Nadu government's Kamal obsession reach a fever pitch. No, not that kamal (the one that belongs to the BJP. The saffronisation of the AIADMK is a done deal and Chennai's worst-kept secret). Tamil Nadu ministers are upset with the actor for having said that there is "corruption in every department." So they have decided to take Kamal to the cleaners.

Municipal administration minister SP Velumani wants Kamal to provide evidence to back up his claims. "If you have evidence then prove it. Let us audit the tax you've paid for the movies you have produced," he said, issuing a veiled threat to use the power of the government against the actor.

But charity should begin at home. Velumani first needs to explain how his name reportedly figured in the list seized from health minister C Vijayabaskar's residence during the income tax raid before the RK Nagar by-election, which was subsequently called off.

The document allegedly showed that five senior ministers, including Chief Minister E Palaniswami and Velumani, were tasked with distributing Rs 89 crore at the rate of Rs 4,000 per voter to ensure victory for their candidate TTV Dinakaran. The municipal administration minister had allegedly been allocated Rs 14 crore to bribe 37,291 voters.

Velumani has perhaps forgotten that during the RK Nagar campaign, there was corruption in every street and by-lane. The AIADMK would do well not to suffer from short-term memory loss like Aamir Khan's Ghajini.

What can be more shameful than the fact that the Election Commission even today finds it difficult to conduct free and fair elections in the heart of Chennai.

Shanmugam made the attack personal by taking a dig at Kamal's live-in relationship. "Kamal went against Tamil and Indian culture and had a live-in relationship with an actor. He then abandoned her. He has no right to talk about us or anyone else in this country,'' he said.

The Bigg Boss show in Tamil that Kamal is hosting has come as handy cudgel with which to beat the actor. The reality show has been criticised for broadcasting anti-Dalit comments and the law minister wants action against Kamal under the Prevention of SC/ST Atrocities Act.

Fair enough.

Pardon my interruption, but Shanmugam should really do something about the honour killings that are taking place in Tamil Nadu  members of the Thevar and Gounder communities, which form the backbone of the AIADMK, are accused of targeting Dalits  taking a swing at Kamal alone is simply missing the forest for the trees.

Higher education minister KP Anbazhagan has really lowered the level of discourse. He dismissed Kamal as "a human being not worth considering." Finance minister D Jayakumar accused Kamal of indulging in loose talk.

Perhaps Jayakumar forgot that many AIADMK MLAs were allegedly caught on tape saying that money was paid to members of the ruling faction during February's trust vote. And if Kamal is indeed unworthy of consideration, one wonders why so many senior ministers are going out of their way to attack him.

The irony is that when Rajinikanth addressed his fans in May, said that people were getting into politics to make money and criticised the crocodile-infested swamp, the cat got the AIADMK's tongue. None of these ministers took on Rajini. Perhaps because they realised that the superstar was backed by Delhi.

But the AIADMK wants to make an example of Kamal. To make a statement: Mess with the Tamil Nadu government at your own peril. It is another matter entirely that Kamal and the AIADMK have not had a smooth relationship. Particularly since his movie Vishwaroopam released in 2013. The actor believes vested interests played a part in creating problems for the film by egging on Muslim fringe groups. Now, Hindu fringe groups are doing the same against Bigg Boss.

Unlike Rajini, Kamal does not mask his punches in diplomacy. He was critical of the government's handling of the 2015 Chennai floods, supported the Marina uprising in favour of jallikattu in January and over the past few months, has been vocal in echoing the voice of the people both in the mainstream and social media. He articulated the south Indian film industry's position on GST beautifully and succeeded in getting taxes on tickets below Rs 100 reduced.

An actor well-respected for his craft, empathy and stance on social issues being critical of the government is something the AIADMK would not appreciate. Especially when the party is under siege.

Tamil film comedian and pro-AIADMK MLA Karunas said, "Let him step into politics and try cleaning up instead of just talking."

At least one politician admits that it's a dirty game.

But knowing the fascination Tamil Nadu has with Kollywood, such a challenge may not be prudent.
The protests in Tripura led by Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT) have entered the seventh day without any fruitful outcome. The Tripura government run by the CPM-led Left Front has not responded yet. All prominent parties have refused to support the demand for a separate state. But, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has promised the upgradation of the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) to Autonomous State Council (ASC) which will be funded directly by the Centre without any interference from the state government, if it comes to power.

Tipraland or Twipraland is like the mythical phoenix. It emerges from its ashes every now and then, mostly when elections in Tripura are around the corner.

Tribal politics and militancy: early phase

The Communist Party of India (CPI) had emerged in Tripura as a mass literacy and tribal land rights movement against the Tripura Royal House. In the mid-20th century, when the Gana Mukti Parishad (Peoples Liberation Council) movement had started under Nirpen Chakraborty, Dasarath Deb and Biren Dutta, it was seen as the liberator of the hill people, the tribal. Deb was called the uncrowned king of the Borok people. Chakraborty, who was born in Bikrampur, Dhaka district (now part of Bangladesh), could speak fluent Kokborok. The Congress, on the other hand, can be seen as a patron of Bengali migration from East Pakistan after the Partition till Bangladesh was created in 1971.

After a long rule of Congress, the Leftists came to power by popular vote in 1978. One of the primary agendas of the CPM, which came overground after a brief period of armed class struggle, was the formation of the TTAADC. After coming to power under the leadership of Chakraborty, the Left administration started to work on the implementation of the TTAADC under the (present) sixth schedule of the Constitution. The communists had massive tribal support back then. The Tripura Upajati Juba Samiti (TUJS) also supported the cause of autonomous district council for the tribal areas.

But, things seemed out of order throughout the 1978-1988 Left rule. The seeds of separatism in Tripura were sown in 1978 with the emergence of Tripura National Volunteers (TNV), the first armed insurgent group in the state which asserted ethno-national claims of 'Tripura for Tribals'. It was led by the romantic idealist leader Bijoy Kumar Hrangkhawl who saw an opportunity to negotiate in the Mizo way. During 1979-80, when the TTAADC issue was at the centre of all events, TNV often declared bazar bandhs (market strikes) which led to violent communal riots. After a very bloody riot and amid heavy opposition from Congress and Amra Bangali (We are Bengalis), Chakrabortys government was able to establish the TTAADC in 1982, one year before the Assembly election which he won comfortably for a second term.

In its active ten years, TNV fueled bloody riots killed thousands. Mandai  where more than 300 were killed in a single night  remained a shivering example for generations to come. The TNV almost ran a parallel government in the hills. In the riots of 1980, people died on both sides of the line. Ananda Marg backed Amra Bangali, a political party comprising Congress deserters that still exists, also committed one of the most atrocious crimes during the riots. Ironically, the TNV surrendered with the defeat of Left front in 1988. The demand for separation almost vanished as they negotiated for only three more Scheduled Tribe reserved seats in the state Assembly making it 20 out of the 60 seats. Hrangkhawl joined mainstream politics to form the famous 'jut' (coalition) with Congress.

Second Wave of militancy

With time, the 'jut amol' (coalition era) became a synonym of atrocity and misrule. And, in the hills, two more insurgent groups came up  the National Liberation Front of Tripura and All Tripura Tiger Force. If one were to believe the rumours, then NLFT was formed out of the rebels who didn't follow BKH into mainstream politics and continued their struggle for independence in the guerrilla style. While NLFT was an extreme subnational separatist group opposed to the CPM, the ATTF was a military outfit 'created' to counter NLFT. ATTF was more pro-CPM. But both had cadres from the disbanded TNV in its rank and file.

In the 1990s and early 2000s, Tripura saw the worst form of gang wars vis-a-vis 'struggle for independence'. It was a civil war. ATTF launched a movement called Operation Roukhala whose main aim was ethnic cleansing of the Bengalis. The NLFT later joined them. It continued throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. The NLFT later gave a call for a Christian Tripura with the backing of the Baptist church. It was chaos all around.

The top players

The TTAADC has been always controlled by CPM except for two brief terms  1990-95 when a coalition of Congress-TUJS controlled the council and 2000-05 when the Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT) controlled it. In the Autonomous District Council elections of 2000, the NLFT declared that only IPFT can contest. In a highly tensed election CPM and IPFT were the only two parties who contested for 28 seats in the ADC. The IPFT got a majority assuming power for the first and only time in the council.

The TUJS had been the overground political wing of the TNV during its heyday. When Hrangkhawl quit militancy, and returned to constitutional politics, he joined the ranks of TUJS and became its leader. The IPFT was founded in 1997 with the primary objective of securing tribal rights. In 2002, the two parties were merged to form Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT) as pressure came from NLFT to unite all tribal fronts under one umbrella.

The IPFT took a rebirth in the backdrop of the 2009 Lok Sabha elections under the leadership of NC Debbarma with the sole objective of Tipraland  a separate state comprising the ADC area. n 2010 ADC elections they got a little over 2,000 votes altogether. But gradually they hijacked the tribal vote base from INPT. In the 2015 ADC elections they came in the second position securing over a lakh votes among the four lakh odd voters. But they fell short of winning even a single seat and the Left Front white washed the elections.

After the 2003 Assembly election, CPM was the majority party throughout the state and was in a position to track down the militants. The Tripura State Rifles was empowered and massive combing operations were started. The Indo-Bangla border was sealed as well. The militants, who by now forgot their original freedom struggle, and were being cut off from supplies took to cheap businesses like pornography.

The Future

By 2010, insurgency-related incidents in Tripura were almost negligible. The state returned to peace even though the draconian law AFSPA continued till as late as 2015. But, in these times of peace, we can at least say that the ADC area has one-degree college and several schools.

Now, if we take a close look at the map of the ADC even though the tribal areas have a large portion of landmass full of flora and fauna, the major centres of economic and social activities are out of it  in the urban spaces. Most of the sub-divisional headquarters are out of it. The two universities, medical colleges, NIT, and all important educational and other institutions like district hospitals are out of the TTAADC. The area is totally incapable to function as a federal state of the Indian union as it doesnt even have the basic infrastructure to sustain the lives of twelve lakh people residing in it.

Above all, even if a separate state is created, the CPM is still going to rule over it as it enjoys an absolute majority in the TTAADC. So, practically a separate statehood makes no sense in democratic terms. If one considers the electoral performance of the IPFT in the recent past. They have improved exponentially in the last few years and are mobilising a large number of crowd in their public meetings.

So, instead of going on 'naked' protests, the right course of action would have been to follow the electoral path and win the ADC elections, which doesnt seem impossible given the rise of BJP and the bad phase of CPM in the state. The IPFT can actually follow the TUJS of 1990s and join hands with BJP, a national party which is in power at the Centre and is also eyeing the state Assembly. If the objective is to gain tribal rights and develop the ADC area, then capturing power at the state Assembly is more feasible and wiser.

The Author is doing his post-graduation in modern and contemporary history at the Centre for Historical Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University
Buried in the drama of Jammu and Kashmir and West Bengal is the ongoing political drama in faraway Tripura, a state firmly in the sights of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Assembly elections are due in 2018. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has been in government since 1993, and Chief Minister Manik Sarkar is nearing the end of a staggering fourth term.

Now BJP wants it all. No less than the partys at-any-cost results-meister, Amit Shah, announced it in May. It would be another step in North East India after winning Assam in 2016, and controversially wresting Manipur in March 2017, both these from the Congress.

Many are seeing the ongoing agitation and blockade by the Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura, which is demanding a separate Twipraland, in that light: An agitation seemingly out of nowhere. Surely the BJP is behind it, in the same way it is trying to kick up a storm in West Bengal, using any means at hand, from communal tension to heightening the tension in the Darjeeling Hills over the Gorkhaland issue.

While this could well be true to BJPs form, to assume the agitation is without basis would be both a disservice to hyper-local aspirations, as well as where Tripura stands today in the larger scheme of things. Moreover, though the BJPs calling card is to play with fire, this could prove to be one instance too many, jeopardising both aspirations of the indigenous people, and that of Tripura.

There is a history to it that demands recognition and respect.

It was not long ago the kingdom of Tripura, bound by Bengal to its north, west and south; to the east a slice of Cachar, the southernmost tip of Assam, and a slice of the Lushai Hills district (later to become the Indian state of Mizoram). The Manikya kings ruled in a nearly unbroken line since the 15th Century  the 13th Century , if you consider the semi-mythical Ratna Fa  until 1949. The current titular king, Pradyot Manikya, told me he identifies himself as Tiprasa, as the provinces indigenous collective of peoples, mostly of Tibeto-Burman stock, call themselves.

Tiprasa as an identity is more inclusive than Borok, insists Pradyot, because it includes people beyond the Tripuri tribes who have immigrated over the past several centuries. Its an important nuance because this identity is distinct from Tripuras overwhelming Bengali identity.

In 1947, the queen regent Kanchan Prava Devi, Pradyots grandmother, signed a treaty of accession to India. For all practical purposes it stopped being Twipra, the land by the water, jettisoned the British-colonial Hill Tipperah, and emerged fully as Tripura, the Sanskritised, and mythical triple city-realm of earth, sky and heaven to which the original conjoining of tui and pra in the Kok Borok language was as different as earth and sky.

The name wasnt all that would change. Nearby Bengal had become East Pakistan. Tripura went from being majority indigenous Borok people, mainly Tripuri, Reang, Noatia, Halam, besides other tribes, and some Meitei (Manipuri), to being majority Bengali.

Between 1941 and 1951, years of the decadal census, the percentage of tribal folk in Tripura dropped from a little over 53 percent to a little over 37 percent. By 1981 it had dropped below 30 percent. The Census of 2011 shows the tribal population hovering above 30 percent.

Today, instead of East Pakistan it is Bangladesh to its north, west and south.

The final Partition of India was a disaster for Tripura, as journalist and longtime analyst of North East Indian and Bangladesh affairs Subir Bhaumik put it. Tripura, he maintained, became an insignificant little pariah in Indias backyard.

Partition robbed Tripura of a direct link with what is sometimes known as mainland India, with residents of Tripura required to either fly to Kolkata, or to travel several days by bus and train to reach places beyond Guwahati: Kolkata, New Delhi and elsewhere.

Trade and industry remained basic. Agriculture was for decades the primary activity. Only in this millennium would Tripuras resources like natural gas really come of age, and new geopolitical realities would spark growth and hope and links leveraging its unique location and recent history.

Meanwhile, Bengalis swamped Tripura, arriving as refugees from East Pakistan as a result of incidents of communal violence even in the years after 1946 and 1947, and wars with India, in varying annual waves of hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands and, sometimes, hundreds of thousands.

In 1952, close to a quarter of a million refugees poured in, dwarfing even the near-two hundred thousand of a year earlier. Pakistans piecemeal, drawn out conflict with India over 1964-65 drew more than a hundred thousand. Pakistans butchery in 1971 massively opened floodgates. Tripuras population of about a million and half at the time  already majority Bengali  swelled by a third, according to a US State Department memo to president John F Kennedy. Doinik Shongbad, a daily newspaper in Agartala, in mid-1971 estimated refugees at nearly 1.3 million. Nearly all were Bengali.

Now Bengalis control everything: Politics, administrations, trade, political and socio-cultural discourse, even the language of office and official communication and education. The official languages of Tripura are Bangla and Kok Borok  the latter is a matter of form more than substance.

In the late 1970s, an article in India Today magazine estimated that a staggering 90 percent of land that did not belong to government was owned or controlled by non-tribals. Some land that was deeded to Tripuri communities by their former kings, a prescient intervention, was given over to settle refugees  and more was encroached upon.

Protest was a given. As early as 1967 an indigenous youths organisation, Tripura Upajati Juba Samiti was formed, with the intention of official recognition for Kok Borok and autonomous tribal councils as encouraged by Indias Constitution. As importantly, perhaps, there was demand for the restoration of traditional tribal lands that successive non-monarchical government had either given to non-tribal settlers or kept silent as these were appropriated. In the early 1970s, an angry but half-hearted effort of Tripuri reclamation took root with Tripura Sena army. It took till 1978 with the formation of the armed group, Tripura National Volunteers, or TNV, for the largely Bengali government to pay attention.

Some observers, including Bhaumik, maintain trouble could have been averted had the incoming Left Front communist government, which took over from the electorally overwhelmed Congress, had nominated a tribal person as chief minister instead of a Bengali. At any rate the communists did try to make amends. In early 1979, they moved to restore to tribals land grabbed by non-tribals, and moved the Tripura Autonomous District Council Bill in the provincial assembly.

It had the opposite effect. Several hundred Bengalis, grouped under the radical Amra Bangali, or We are Bengalis, began a cycle of violent protest. Matters escalated.

Eighteen hundred people ultimately lost their lives in clashes between tribals and non-tribals  mostly Bengali. Several thousand homes were destroyed. The Indian Army had to intervene. Even as this fire abated, TNV was up and running, targeting government and Bengali civilians.

It would be nearly a decade before TNV entered peace negotiations for a better deal for tribal folk, which some analysts have dismissed as counter-productive  and Bhaumik, in his blunt manner, describes it as ridiculous, because it provided three more seats to tribals in Tripuras Assembly, and little else.

A slew of militant groups sprang up subsequently  and, in an irony that marks see-sawing relations between India and Bangladesh with nearly every change of government in that country  finding shelter mainly in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh and sometimes in the plains, in the heartland of the Bengali.

The lessening of militancy and outright attacks against Bengali settlers has taken a mixture of governance in Tripura; change of geopolitical equations, which led to a more India-friendly government of Sheikh Hasina for much of this millennium severely reducing sanctuary for all manner of rebels against India; and some so-called surgical strikes of Tripuras own making.

After nearly two decades, in 2015 Tripura removed the heavy-handed Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, or AFSPA, applied primarily in the tribal areas, a development of immense significance. Insurgency had reduced to a trickle. Development became the slogan.

Natural gas and the natural order of things led to Tripuras attitudinal and policy resurgence. After discovery in the 1970s, natural gas is today Tripuras one of two biggest tickets to prosperity, with the discovery of huge reserves and the exploitation of some marking it as a major energy producer in far-eastern India and, with the commissioning of a major power station at Palatana fuelled by that gas, fully able to handle its own power needs and contribute to its neighbouring provinces, and also lessen the need for expensive hydroelectricity projects that bring the attendant misery of displacement. Tripura now exports surplus electricity to elsewhere in North East India, and Bangladesh.

Bangladesh permitted trans-shipment of equipment for ONGCs gas-based power plant in Palatana, Tripura, in March 2011, using waterways in this case, up to Ashuganj port on the Meghna  and then travelling by road southeast to Akhaura close to the busy border.

This usually sees a steady stream of trucks from Bangladesh carrying cement, fish, stone chips, readymade garments, crockery, and several other items; not much flows in the reverse direction except visitors. From the border checkpoint its a few short kilometres into the suburbs of Agartala. Trans-shipment of rice by state-run Food Corporation of India to Tripura through Bangladesh is today an established precedent.

The Agartala-Akhaura access is being upgraded; so is the road and rail access south from Akhaura to Chittagong port, the main attraction for Tripura and far-eastern India, and access to the river port of Ashuganj, only 40 kilometres from Agartala. A road and rail link from Agartala south from Agartala to the border town of Sabroom is being boosted, and a bridge built by India to reach Chittagong, a little over 70 kilometres south of Sabroom. And eastern India, and several other regions in far-eastern India besides Tripura, would benefit from greater access of people and goods across Bangladesh, a near-seamless web that ceased with Partition. For all the criticism aimed at it, such interaction has actively been encouraged by the communist government, which has also welcomed diplomatic and business delegations in particular from Bangladesh.

Tripura was already 'Acting East' years before Indias so-called Act East Policy was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. For all that, the resentment of the indigenous folk remain, and they voice it often enough, accusing the state government of keeping them in the bylanes of development as Tripura marks its growth.

Exploiting resentment is a fraught project. In the Darjeeling Hills, the BJP distanced itself from a Gorkhaland project as soon as it became evident that supporting it might win them three Assembly segments, but lose West Bengal.

Aspirations of the Tiprasa people are more than legitimate; and to aid in their fruition is the duty of any government. But the BJP might realise to some cost that the Bengalis in Tripura arent going anywhere, and their aspirations are legitimate too. And if it panders to the Bengali majority, it risks the eruption of anger among the Tiprasa, the risk of a return to conflict.

I would imagine a plea for inclusive governance and development trumps fire. Theres even a saying made popular since 2014, often at the expense of public funds: Sabka saath, sabka vikas.

The author is an award-winning writer of several books, a columnist, and consultant to think-tanks and media. He tweets @chakraview.
New Delhi: Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Sunday said the presidential election scheduled for Monday demands a "vote of conscience" as it represents a clash of ideas and conflict of disparate values.

She also described the electoral contest as the Opposition's fight against a "narrow-minded, divisive and communal vision" while addressing a gathering of opposition parties in New Delhi where its presidential and vice presidential nominees, Meira Kumar and Gopalkrishna Gandhi respectively, were formally introduced.

"We must have confidence in the values we believe in. This election represents a clash of ideas, a conflict of disparate values. The election demands a vote of conscience to preserve the India that the Mahatma and the illustrious generation of freedom fighters, joined by thousands upon the numbers of ordinary men and women, fought for," she said.

The Congress chief said the numbers may be stacked against them, but "the battle must be fought and fought hard".

"We cannot and must not let India be hostage to those who wish to impose upon it a narrow-minded, divisive and communal vision," she said.

According to the text of her speech, she said, "We must stand more aware than ever of who we are, what we fought for in our Independence struggle and what future we want for ourselves."

She said the presence of representatives from different parties to support Kumar and Gopal Gandhi confirms that "the fight for an inclusive, tolerant and pluralistic India is being truly waged".

The vice presidential poll will be held on 5 August.

The JD(U), which skipped the all-party meeting convened by the government this morning, stayed away from the opposition event too.

"We know Meira Kumar as the former speaker. But many had not met Gopal Gandhi. It was a sort of formal introduction with them," said CPM's Sitaram Yechury.

Gandhi said Kumar and Gopal Gandhi have, with tremendous dignity and commitment, distinguished themselves throughout their long careers. "Through their work and their lives they have also advocated those very values and principles that have defined and guided India for the last 70 years," she told the gathering.
After being the frontrunner, BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu was on Monday declared as the nominee for the post of vice-president.

Naidu, who is among the most experienced leaders in the BJP, will contest against Opposition's Gopalkrishna Gandhi, in the 2017 vice-presidential polls.

Growing up in politics

Born on 1 July, 1949 in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh, Naidu joined the RSS by accident  his links go back to his childhood days when he chanced upon a 'shakha' while playing.

Naidu started his political journey as a student leader in 1971. He was the president of the student union at VR College, where he pursued his bachelor's degree in politics and diplomatic studies. He later also became the president of the student's union of colleges affiliated to Andhra University.

Naidu pursued law and was involved in the movement launched by Jayaprakash Narayan. He was the president of the youth wing of the Janata Party in Andhra Pradesh from 1977 to 1980.

Early political career



The BJP veteran, who is a key member of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Cabinet, had cut his political teeth during the Emergency of 1975-77 when he went underground against the government of Indira Gandhi and eventually was jailed.

He remained underground until his arrest, distributing anti-government literature in educational institutions in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, travelling on a scooter along with a woman activist on pillion in a bid not to arouse suspicion.

He was accused of disturbing a meeting of Sanjay Gandhi, and got handcuffed during transit from one jail to the other.

Naidu hit the national scene when he was one of the prominent Opposition spokespersons during the campaign by NT Rama Rao after the latter's dismissal as the Andhra Pradesh chief minister by Indira Gandhi in the 1980s.

Even though the BJP was on a weak wicket in southern India, Naidu embraced it tightly. After Emergency, he was elected to the Andhra Pradesh Assembly in 1978 and was a legislator till 1985. After the BJP was formed in 1980, he became vice-president of its youth wing.

Rajya Sabha experience

The 68-year-old BJP veteran is a four-time Rajya Sabha member. He was elected in 1998 to the Rajya Sabha from Karnataka, and later made his way back in 2004. His third term in the Council of States began in June 2010, and he was later re-elected in June 2016 from Rajasthan. Between 2006-2008, he was the chairman of the Committee on Petitions in Rajya Sabha.

Influence in southern India

As The Times of India points out, having nominated Ram Nath Kovind who hails from Uttar Pradesh for the president's post, BJP will achieve a regional balance with Naidu. With this, the party hopes to gain a stronghold in south India as Karnataka is the only state in the south where BJP has a significant political presence.

Seniority among peers

Naidu, who is known for his witty one-liners, is among the most senior leaders in the BJP. He has handled key organisational assignments in the BJP and became its president in 2002. He was rural development minister during the first NDA government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, his inspiration, along with senior party leader LK Advani.

It is not surprising to know that Modi himself pitched for Naidu on Monday when he vouched on social media for the BJP leader's abilities.

I know @MVenkaiahNaidu Garu for years. Have always admired his hardwork & tenacity. A fitting candidate for the office of Vice President.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 17, 2017

A farmers son, @MVenkaiahNaidu Garu brings years of experience in public life and is admired across the political spectrum.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 17, 2017

The years of Parliamentary experience @MVenkaiahNaidu Garu has will help him discharge the important role of Rajya Sabha Chairperson.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 17, 2017

Modi said it was Naidu's experience that made him 'a fitting candidate' to become a Rajya Sabha chairperson.

Naidu is currently the Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Urban Development and Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation. He was the Parliamentary Affairs Minister for the first two years in the Modi government.

His term as Urban Development Minister has seen several initiatives including the Smart Cities campaign.

With inputs from IANS
M Venkaiah Naidu is most likely to be the next vice-president of India. In fact, the Union minister filed his nomination on Tuesday. Flanked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah, party veteran LK Advani and other senior BJP leaders, Naidu thanked AIADMK leader M Thambidurai for his support.

Delhi: #VenkaiahNaidu files nomination for #VicePresidential poll; PM Modi, BJP president Amit Shah and other NDA leaders present pic.twitter.com/uTpyFDhuK9  ANI (@ANI_news) July 18, 2017

Though the contest is between him as the ruling NDA candidate and the Congress-led 18 Opposition parties' candidate Gopalkrishna Gandhi, the outcome of the 5 August polls is probably a foregone conclusion.

This time, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah did not spring any last minute surprise. Even the media got speculations on Naidu's nomination right. His nomination was in sync with what was being discussed in the power corridors  that the ruling BJP wants a leader from south India for the vice-president's post. The party is trying hard to make inroads in regions beyond Karnataka. Naidu, one of the senior most BJP leader and the Union minister for Housing and Urban Affairs, Information and Broadcasting, is from Andhra Pradesh and had been based in Hyderabad. His elevation can emotionally appeal to people in both Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. In fact, with Naidu's nomination, BJP has got the regional balance right  presidential nominee from north India and vice-president from south.

Naidu's elevation as the vice-presidential nominee is the story of a political leader who has the strength and energy to mould himself as per the developing situation.

Back in 2002, Naidu succeeded K Jana Krishnamurthy as the BJP president after resigning from the post of rural development minister. He emerged as a leader of national importance in a party which was largely considered to be a north Indian party. As the party president, he is credited for bringing synergy between the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government and the BJP as an organisation. He was especially close to LK Advani.

Famous for his one-liners, in 2003, Naidu came up with the loh purush (iron man) and vikas purush (development man) slogan for Advani and Vajpayee respectively. Not taking kindly to the remark, Vajpayee at a 7 Race Course Road function had said, "Na tired na retired, Advani ji netritva mein vijay ki ore prasthan (neither tired nor retired, proceed to victory path with Advani)." It took some time for the party to come out of the shadows the contentious remark.

Ahead of 2004 parliamentary election, Naidu came out with 'Mission 300  Ek haath me BJP ka jhanda doosre hath me NDA ka agenda'. The BJP lost the election, and Naidu was removed from the post of party president with Advani succeeding him. After Advani's downfall in 2005 over his controversial remarks on Mohammad Ali Jinnah, many thought it was the end of the road for Naidu.

In 2014, however, Naidu became a part of the Modi government and the core committee.

Naidu has a tough task cut for him if he becomes the vice-president and the chairman of Rajya Sabha  managing the smooth running of the House.
The Bhartiya Janata Party parliamentary board will meet in the evening to pick the ruling NDA's vice presidential candidate. The meeting is expected after the voting for the presidential poll ends.

There is speculation that the saffron party may pick a candidate from a region where it has been traditionally weak so as to send out a positive message. Its chief Amit Shah has identified states like Kerala, Telangana and West Bengal as the new growth region for the party.

As was the case with its presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind, a Dalit seen as a surprise pick, the party might go for a face that will help it politically. Names of Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu, Maharashtra Governor C Vidyasagar Rao and O Rajagopal are being mentioned as probables.

An alliance of 18 opposition parties, including the Congress, has already announced Gopalkrishna Gandhi as its candidate for vice presidential poll scheduled for 5 August .18 July is the last date for filing of nominations.

The electoral college for the election consists of 790 MPs of the two chambers of Parliament.

The ruling bloc enjoys an overwhelming majority in the electoral college and BJP has expressed confidence about garnering anywhere between 500 and 550 votes.
The South African Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said Sunday they will spend about 7.5 million U.S. dollars by March 2018 to support emerging black filmmakers in the country.

At the Emerging Black Filmmakers Workshop during the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF), Director of Film Production at the DTI, Nelly Molokoane said the South Africa Emerging Black Filmmakers Incentive started in 2014 and has so far benefited 40 filmmakers.

"We are planning to host intense workshops in various provinces to assist filmmakers in accessing this support," said Molokoane.

Some producers have been struggling to access funding and the workshop was an information session. The Emerging Black Filmmakers Workshop was targeted at emerging film producers who want to access the incentives scheme and inform them on how to do it.

The workshop was hosted to assist those that needed training on the incentive scheme and guidelines, said Molokoane.

Rehad Desai, Director of the Marikana documentary, Miners Shot Down and a beneficiary of the incentive, said the funding will enable South African producers to compete on the continent and in the world in terms of quality production.

"We are seeing far more films being produced since the launch of the scheme and this means funding of projects happens in a lot short space of time and one can go into production quicker. This also means our production companies are becoming sustainable but the incentive can be made more accessible as some of the costs are regarded as non-qualifying and this affects the production qualification," he added.

DIFF is an annual event which is the oldest and largest film festivals in Southern Africa. The film festival started on July 13 and will end on July 23, 2017.
BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu, who has been nominated as the vice-presidential candidate of the ruling NDA alliance, resigned from his post as Union minister in the Narendra Modi cabinet, reports said.

Naidu's resignation was confirmed by The Hindu as well as the News18 on twitter.

Just in- @MVenkaiahNaidu resigns as Union minister  The Hindu (@the_hindu) July 17, 2017

Sixty-eight-year-old Naidu was in-charge of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and Urban Poverty Alleviation as well as Information & Broadcasting ministries.

Naidu is among the most experienced leaders in the BJP, and is pitted against Opposition's Gopalkrishna Gandhi, in the 2017 vice-presidential polls. The BJP leader

Earlier speaking about Naidu's candidature in the vice-presidential elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that it was Naidu's experience that made him 'a fitting candidate' to become a Rajya Sabha chairperson.

"I know @MVenkaiahNaidu Garu for years. Have always admired his hard work and tenacity. A fitting candidate for the office of vice-president," the prime minister had tweeted, soon after the announcement of the decision of BJP's Parliamentary Board, the highest decision-making body of the party. Modi reportedly also attended the meeting.

"Naidu started as a student leader and rose through the ranks and all NDA allies support his candidature," said BJP president Amit Shah while announcing his candidacy on Monday. Shah added that Naidu is respected as a minister across the country and party lines.

Naidu will file his nomination on Tuesday at 11 am.

With agency inputs
Hyderabad: The ruling TRS in Telangana would support the candidature of Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu for the vice-president's post, TRS member of Parliament B Vinod Kumar said on Monday.

"Chief minister (TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao) told us to support. He asked us to go and sign on the papers," Vinod Kumar told PTI when asked for the party's stance.

A release from the chief minister's office said Prime Minister Narendra Modi called up Rao and sought his support for Naidu's candidature.

Modi telephoned Rao, informed him about the decision of Naidu's candidature and sought support, it said.

BJP President Amit Shah on Monday night announced Naidu's candidature for the vice-president's post after a meeting of the party's Parliamentary Board, BJP's highest decision making body.
Information and broadcasting minister M Venkaiah Naidu has been selected as the NDA candidate for the post of vice-president, BJP president Amit Shah announced at a press conference on Monday evening.

Shah went on to say why Naidu deserves candidature of this post. "Naidu started as a student leader and rose through the ranks and all NDA allies support his candidature,"Shah said adding across the country and party lines, Naidu is respected as a minister.

Venkaiah ji has a lot of experience, all NDA allies have welcomed this decision: BJP President Amit Shah at a press conference in Delhi pic.twitter.com/TM5thMiQmj  ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

BREAKING -- NDA picks @MVenkaiahNaidu as their Vice-Presidential candidate. pic.twitter.com/3JfCsPic6N

Naidu will file his nomination on Tuesday at 11 am.

M Venkaiah Naidu is a fitting candidate for the office of vice-president, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday soon after the senior BJP leader was chosen as the ruling NDA's candidate. Modi described 68-year-old Naidu as a farmer's son who "brings years of experience in public life and is admired across the political spectrum".

He said he has always admired the hard work and tenacity of Naidu, currently a minister in his Cabinet holding the portfolios of Information and Broadcasting and Urban Development.

"I know @MVenkaiahNaidu Garu for years. Have always admired his hard work & tenacity. A fitting candidate for the office of Vice President," the prime minister tweeted, soon after the announcement of the decision of BJP's Parliamentary Board, the highest decision-making body of the party.

"The years of Parliamentary experience @MVenkaiahNaidu Garu has will help him discharge the important role of Rajya Sabha chairperson," Modi added. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Parliamentary Board met on Monday evening, sources told IANS. Prime Minister Narendra Modi reportedly attended the meeting.

Naidu, 68 and a former BJP president, met Modi and spoke with BJP president Amit Shah, the sources said.

Earlier, Naidu had stated categorically that there was no chance of him contesting the vice-presidential election.

"Never am I going to participate in vice-president election even if anyone compels me," Naidu said.

"Happiness for me is to meet people, be among them and serve them. I cannot stay away from people by taking up any ceremonial position," the minister added.

He had declared he would neither want to become the rashtrapati (president) nor uparashtrapati (vice president) but was happy being Usha's pati (his spouse).

"I wish to speak without any barriers and say what I feel, travel to different places, meet people and eat their food," he added.

Naidu has been pitted against Gopalkrishna Gandhi whose name was endorsed by all 18 Opposition parties, including the JD(U), which is backing the NDA's candidate in the presidential poll. The former West Bengal Governor will file his nomination tomorrow too.

Gopalkrishna Gandhi, grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, is an acclaimed civil servant, diplomat and governor, who is a strong votary of secular ethos, and has clear and independent views.

Gandhi, 72, had a distinguished career in the civil service before he became a diplomat and governor. Later, he turned an academic, author and columnist.

Gandhi's term as West Bengal governor between 2004-09 coincided with the violent land struggles in Singur and Nandigram that contributed to the Left losing its dominance in the state and Trinamool Congress replacing it in power in the state.

The term of Vice-President Hamid Ansari, who is also ex-officio chairman of the Rajya Sabha, ends on 10 August.

With inputs from agencies
Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu has congratulated Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu on being nominated as NDA candidate for the post of Vice-President of India.

Soon after BJP president Amit Shah announced candidature of Venkaiah Naidu, the national president of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) telephoned the senior BJP leader to congratulate him.

Chandrababu Naidu said Venkaiah Naidu was the most suitable personality for the post.

Several leaders of TDP, a constituent of BJP-led NDA, have hailed Venkaiah's candidature for the key post.

Union Minister of State for Science and Technology YS Chowdary said that Telugu people are proud over the choice of Venkaiah Naidu. The TDP leader was confident that the BJP leader will get support from all parties.

The TDP leaders including MPs and state ministers welcomed Venkaiah Naidu's candidature and recalled his efforts as central minister over last three years to help Andhra Pradesh.

Telangana's ruling party Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) has also hailed Venkaiah Naidu as the candidate for the post of vice-president.

"Many Congratulations & warm wishes to Sri @MVenkaiahNaidu Garu on being chosen as the Vice Presidential candidate of NDA," tweeted KT Rama Rao, a state cabinet minister and son of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao.

Many Congratulations & warm wishes to Sri @MVenkaiahNaidu Garu on being chosen as the Vice Presidential candidate of NDA.  KTR (@KTRTRS) July 17, 2017

The TRS, which voted for NDA candidate for the President's post Ram Nath Kovind in the election held on Monday, is also likely to support Venkaiah Naidu, who hails from Andhra Pradesh.
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday congratulated Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu for being chosen as the NDA vice-presidential candidate.

"The decision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP parliamentary board is a matter of pride for all sections of the society," Adityanath said in a statement.

He said that Naidu has had a long experience in public life and has ably discharged his duties both in the organisation and government.

He has made a remarkable contribution in the field of rural development and his selection for the coveted post amounts to extending respect to the rural population, Adityanath said.

"His contribution has made him popular both in northern India and all over the country...his love for Hindi is known to all," he added.

Naidu, 68, was chosen at a BJP Parliamentary board meeting attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior party leaders in New Delhi on Monday.
Kabul(Afghanistan): An Afghan official says the country's security forces have driven the Taliban out of a key district in southern Helmand province from where they had been threatening the provincial capital of Lashkar Gah.

Defense ministry's spokesman, Daulat Waziri, said on Monday that the battle to recapture the district of Naway had been fierce. He says more than 50 Taliban fighters were killed and five security forces were wounded.

Naway is located just 16 kilometers, or 10 miles, from Lashkar Gah, and had been a staging arena for militant attacks on the city.

Government troops also captured a large cache of ammunitions and guns. The Taliban did not immediately comment on reports of the district's fall.

US and NATO troops are in Helmand to assist Afghan security forces when needed.
Los Angeles: Flash flooding that swept over a swimming hole near Payson, Arizona has left at least eight people dead with several still missing, authorities said.

Sheriff's office staff responded to an emergency call after the flooding at the Cold Springs Swimming Hole, said J Adam Shepherd of the Gila county sheriff's office.

"Eight individuals have been confirmed deceased and search operations continue for remaining missing individuals," Shepherd said in a statement, without specifying how many people were still unaccounted for.

A flash flood warning was in effect for southeast Arizona until Sunday evening, according to the National Weather Service.

According to the Arizona Emergency Information Network, flash flooding has claimed at least 40 lives in the state since 1996, more than any other storm-related hazard.
Yaounde: A Cameroon army vessel transporting "dozens" of troops from the elite Rapid Intervention Brigade capsized off the country's southwestern coast, a security source said.

The boat "capsized on Sunday between the city of Limbe and Bakassi. There were dozens of troops on board, including a colonel," the source told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The Rapid Intervention Brigade is in the front line of Cameroon's fight against Boko Haram jihadists in the far north.

"The army has begun searches," the source said, while another source close to the Cameroon army said at least one body had been recovered.

As well as the troops the boat was also transporting equipment for construction work at a military base on the Bakassi peninsula, where the Brigade has helped to bring security after a previous spate of hostage-takings.

Though Boko Haram originated in , the Islamic State-affiliated group has carried out frequent attacks in Cameroon, Chad and Niger.Cameroon's Far North region, which borders Nigeria, has seen a resurgence in attacks blamed on Boko Haram after months of relative calm.

Last week two bombers blew themselves up in northeastern Cameroon killing 15 people in an attack blamed on Boko Haram. Some 200,000 Cameroonians from the Far North region have fled their villages in fear of the violence.
Kinshasa: At least 27 people have perished and 54 are missing after an overcrowded boat sank in a river in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a local official said on Sunday.

Most of the victims of the tragedy on the Kasai river were students on holiday, local administrator Jacques Mbila told AFP.

The main reasons for the sinking were "overcrowding and drunk driver", Mbila added.

The accident happened overnight Thursday to Friday on the river Congo in the Idiofa area in the southwest of the vast country.

Local radio journalist Nelly Mafuta said she saw two nuns among the 27 dead, and the Idiofa cathedral said it held a mass in tribute to the victims.

The boat had left Dibaya in the restive central Kasai province on Thursday, heading northwest for its final destination of Ilebo more than 500 kilometres away.

Such transport is one of the most used in DR Congo with its numerous waterways including the Kasai river, the country's second longest after the mighty Congo at over 2,360 kilometres.

Boats frequently capsize in DR Congo, most often due to taking on too many passengers, the lack of safety measures and inexperienced helmsmen.

Violence in the Kasai region erupted last year after a tribal chieftain known as the Kamwina Nsapu openly challenged the authority of President Joseph Kabila's government and was killed in a police operation in August 2016.
New York: US President Donald Trump once again attacked the media on Sunday for what he calls its fake news, this time for disparaging his son, Donald Trump Jr., in their coverage of the Russia case.

"Hillary Clinton can illegally get the questions to the Debate & delete 33,000 emails but my son Don is being scorned by the Fake News Media?" Trump posted on his Twitter account.

On Saturday, Trump had already tweeted his view that the latest information about his inner circle conspiring with Moscow to damage Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton's chances in the 2016 election was unfounded.

"With all of its phony unnamed sources & highly slanted & even fraudulent reporting, #Fake News is DISTORTING DEMOCRACY in our country!" the president tweeted on Sunday.

Nonetheless, it was his own son, Donald Trump Jr., who made public this week some emails in which he enthusiastically welcomed the idea of getting damaging information about Clinton from a Russian lawyer, Efe reported.

Aside from that, the president tweeted his thanks to one of his campaign advisers, Michael Caputo, for "so powerfully" telling the House of Representatives' Intelligence Committee that "there was no Russian collusion in our winning campaign."
Chinese villagers suing for the return of a statue they claim was stolen from their local temple have demanded that the Dutch owner disclose the identity of the disputed artifact's new holder.

The Zhang Gong Patriarch on display at the Hungarian Natural History Museum in Budapest, Hungary, in 2015. [Photo/Xinhua]

The 1.2-meter-high Buddha statue, which contains mummified human remains, was bought by Oscar van Overeem, an architect and experienced art collector in Amsterdam, in 1996.

However, on Friday, Van Overeem told a court in Amsterdam that he had exchanged the statue for several Buddhist artifacts, and no longer knows where it is. He declined to name the new holder.

The plaintiffs claim the 11th-century relic was stolen from a temple in Yangchun village in the eastern province of Fujian more than 20 years ago, and that it contains the mummified remains of Zhang Gong, a revered Buddhist monk who lived during the Song Dynasty (960-1279).

They began the process of retrieval after recognizing the artwork, known as the Zhanggong Patriarch, when it was exhibited in Hungary in March 2015.

While Van Overeem conceded that the Buddha originated in Fujian, he insisted it is not the statue that was stolen from the temple in Yangchun.

The villagers said Van Overeem had previously agreed to return the statue if conditions he stipulated were met, but when negotiations failed they filed the lawsuit with the Dutch courts.

The demand was debated during the first day of the court hearing.

The case is being watched closely because it could mark the first successful retrieval of a Chinese relic via court proceedings. Previous relics have been returned to their rightful owners through diplomatic channels.

Anonymous holder

At the hearing, Van Overeem stated that the new holder of the statue is a "collector-investor-intermediary", who "is aware of the mummy controversy and political sensitivities, and prefers to remain anonymous".

When asked to disclose the holder's name, or email exchanges that would illustrate how the deal was negotiated and the conditions under which the exchange was made, he refused.
Washington: The US Secret Service on Sunday denied a suggestion from President Donald Trump's personal lawyer that it had vetted a meeting between the president's son and Russian nationals during the 2016 campaign.

Donald Trump Jr has acknowledged that he met in New York with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya after he was told she might have damaging information about his father's rival, Democrat Hillary Clinton.

"Well, I wonder why the Secret Service, if this was nefarious, why the Secret Service allowed these people in. The president had Secret Service protection at that point, and that raised a question with me," Jay Sekulow, a member of the president's legal team, said on Sunday on the ABC news program "This Week."

In an emailed response to questions about Sekulow's comments, Secret Service spokesman Mason Brayman said the younger Trump was not under Secret Service protection at the time of the meeting, which included Trump's son and two senior campaign officials.

"Donald Trump Jr was not a protectee of the USSS in June 2016. Thus we would not have screened anyone he was meeting with at that time," the statement said.

According to emails released by Trump Jr last week, he eagerly agreed to meet Veselnitskaya, who he was told was a Russian government lawyer. Veselnitskaya has said she is a private lawyer and denies having Kremlin ties.

On Friday, NBC News reported that a lobbyist who was once a Soviet counter-intelligence officer participated in the meeting, which was also attended by Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and the president's former campaign manager, Paul Manafort. The meeting appears to be the most tangible evidence of a connection between Trump's election campaign and Russia, a subject that has prompted investigations by congressional committees and a federal special counsel.

Moscow has denied any interference and the president and Trump Jr. have denied any collusion.

Sekulow's comments about the Secret Service drew quick criticism, including from Frances Townsend, who advised former Republican President George W Bush on homeland security.

"Ok let's try to deflect blame & throw those in @SecretService who protect @POTUS @realDonaldTrump @FLOTUS & family under the bus," she said on Twitter.

The Secret Service's mission is to provide physical protection for the US president. The agency also protects major presidential candidates. But its role in vetting people who meet with a US president or candidates is limited to ensuring physical safety.

Lawyer: Trump Unaware of Meeting

Trump himself has said he was unaware of the meeting between his son and the Russian lawyer until a few days ago. "The president was not aware about this meeting, did not participate in this meeting," Sekulow told the CBS program "Face the Nation." Sekulow added that Trump was not aware of any meetings between his campaign staff and Russians.

A federal special counsel and several congressional panels are investigating allegations by US intelligence agencies that Russia meddled in the 2016 US presidential election to hurt Clinton and help Trump. They are also investigating potential connections between Russian officials and the Trump campaign.

Senator Mark Warner, the top Democrat on one of the panels investigating the matter, the Senate Intelligence Committee, told CNN: "The level of credibility from the senior level of this administration really is suspect."

Warner said he wanted to hear from everyone who attended the June 2016 meeting.

"Whether we will be able to get the Russian nationals to come over and testify is an open question, (but) those people that our committee has jurisdiction over, the Americans, I sure as heck want to talk to all of them," Warner said.
Berlin: German chancellor Angela Merkel said on Sunday that she stood by her decision to hold a G20 summit in Hamburg even after it was marred by street protests that turned violent.

"Things happened that were unacceptable. I don't shirk my responsibility," Merkel told ARD public television.

The chancellor sought to defuse a political row over the gathering, when anarchist mobs battled riot police, torched cars and looted shops even as world leaders talked trade and climate and enjoyed a Beethoven concert.

Local lawmakers from her centre-right Christian Democratic Union have blamed Hamburg mayor Olaf Scholz for failing to organise sufficient police protection.

And others have attacked Merkel herself for her choice of Germany's second city as the venue.

"The federal government was the host," Merkel said. "It was clear that it had to take place in a big city, and I was pleased that Olaf Scholz agreed... I've made it clear to the Hamburg CDU that I think they're wrong" to criticise him.

Away from the shocking television pictures of burning barricades, Merkel said she had been "happy" with the results of the talks among heads of government.
London: The United Arab Emirates warned Qatar on Monday it could not belong to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) if it undermined regional security, calling for a "change of behaviour" but not "regime change".

Anwar Gargash, the UAE state minister for foreign affairs, also denied a Washington Post report saying that his country had been behind an alleged cyber attack on Qatar in May which sparked a crisis.

Speaking at the Chatham House international affairs think tank in London, Gargash repeated claims  denied by Qatar  that the country funds extremists.

"This is our message: You cannot be part of a regional organisation dedicated to strengthening mutual security and furthering mutual interest and at the same time undermine that security," he said.

"You cannot be both our friend and a friend of Al-Qaeda."

Saudi Arabia and its allies imposed sanctions on Doha on 5 June, including closing its only land border, denying Qatar access to their airspace and ordering their citizens back from the emirate.

The four Arab states accuse Qatar of ties to Iran and of funding Islamist extremist groups. Qatar has denied the accusations.

The Gulf crisis is the worst to hit the region since the establishment of the GCC in 1981.

"We've sent a message to Qatar. We've said we are not there to escalate. We are not after regime change. We are after a change of behaviour," Gargash said.

"We need to do that and when we do that, come back to the fold and we can work together," he added.

'GCC in crisis'

Gargash said there was a broader problem with financing for extremists in the Gulf but that countries like Saudi Arabia were "dealing with it".

"The difference is that the Saudi government realises it does have an issue and the Saudi government is acting over the last years to deal with this issue," he said.

Regarding the possibility of Qatar being excluded from the GCC, Gargash said: "The GCC is in crisis and I don't think it serves our purposes to say let's take Qatar out."

"What we really do want is we either reach an agreement and Qatar's behaviour changes, or Qatar makes it own bed and they can move on and we can move with a new relationship. But we cannot have a member who is undermining us and supporting extremism," he said.

Qatar has accused its neighbours of being behind an alleged cyber attack on Doha's state media which set into motion the current diplomatic crisis.

The alleged hack of the Qatar News Agency website on 24 May attributed explosive remarks to Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.

The remarks covered sensitive political subjects such as Iran, Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, Israel and the United States.

They were quickly seized on by news organisations outside Qatar, but Doha said they were false.

Asked about a Washington Post report citing US intelligence officials saying the UAE may have been behind the hack, Gargash said it was "purely not true".
Jerusalem: Clashes erupted outside Jerusalem's al-Aqsa mosque compound on Sunday as Israeli authorities implemented new security measures at the mosque entrance.

According to media reports, several Palestinians were injured during the clashes.

A video footage broadcast on Israel's Channel 2 showed anti-riots police beating and kicking demonstrators outside the compound, Xinhua reported.

A police statement said one person was arrested for rioting.

The Israeli measures, including CCTVs covering the entire compound, checkpoints and metal detectors at the entrances, were installed after three Palestinian Muslims with Israeli citizenship shot dead two Israel policemen on Friday morning.

The gunmen, all from the Arab city of Umm al-Fahm in central Israel, were subsequently shot and killed by the police.

Immediately after the incident, Israel shut down the compound, saying that security forces need to check the site for more militants or ammunition.

It was the first time in 50 years that Israel closed the compound, which is Islam's third holiest site.

On Sunday, Israel reopened the holy site but required all visitors to undergo security checks through metal detectors that were placed at two gates. Only Muslim residents of Jerusalem were allowed to enter.

The police said they plan to gradually open additional gates, after installing metal detectors.

The Waqf, a Muslim religious authority that administrates the compound, rejected the new measures and refused to hold prayers at the mosque. The Waqf said that the measures were a breach of the status quo.

Omar Kiswani, director of al-Aqsa Mosque, told reporters outside the site that "the closure, the occupation, and the prevention of the call for prayers are all unfair and unjust and constitute a violation of the UN resolutions and the international agreements."

"We hold the Israeli government responsible for the changes they have made in the al-Aqsa Mosque and taking its control away from us. We will stay outside the mosque until we get back the way it was taken from us," he said.
Peshawar: A suicide bomber from the Pakistani Taliban militant group on Monday hit a vehicle carrying paramilitary force members, killing two, including a major, and injuring ten others in northwest Pakistan.

The suicide attacker with explosive-laden motorcycle hit the Frontier Constabulary (FC) convoy at a traffic signal in Peshawars Hayatabad area, police said. Two Frontier Corps men, including a major, were killed in the attack, SSP Operation Sajjad Khan said.

Ten others, including passersby, were injured in the blast near Bagh-e-Naran chowk in Hayatabad. Two vehicles that were part of the convoy were completely damaged in the blast.

Security personnel cordoned off the area after the explosion as rescue services shifted the injured to Hayatabad Medical Complex.

Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan has accepted responsibility for attack.

The attack comes a day after the Pakistan army announced it had launched an operation in the Khyber tribal region to rout Islamic State militants.
Lahore: "I wish no girl is born to a poor family," says Muhammad Azeem, the father of Pakistan's social media sensation Qandeel Baloch, who was killed by her brother in the name of 'honour' last year.

Qandeel, whose real name was Fouzia Azeem, was allegedly strangulated by her brother Waseem on 15 July 2016 for bringing shame to the family in Multan, some 350km from Lahore.

In his confession video, Waseem expressed no regret in killing his sister, saying, "I am proud of what I did. I drugged her first then I killed her. She was bringing dishonour to our family."

Qandeel used to support her poor parents from the money she made through these controversial means. After her death, her parents are living a poverty-stricken life.

"Qandeel was not my daughter but she was my son. She provided us financial and emotional support," 82-year-old Azeem lamented with tears in his eyes.

"My wife has gone to collect money from the people in our neighbourhood for Qandeel's death anniversary and we would continue to remember her till our last breath," he added.

Qandeel's parents held Quran Khawani on Saturday to mark her first death anniversary in their small house in Shah Sadar Din, a town in Dera Ghazi Khan, some 400km from Lahore.

"I will never forgive my son for killing my beloved daughter. Those who are saying that I have forgiven Waseem are wrong. I am in favour of strict punishment for Waseem for killing his sister so that no brother should commit such a heinous act in future," Azeem was quoted as saying by the Express Tribune.

Azeem had refused to testify against his other son Aslam for his alleged involvement in Qandeels murder.

Qandeel's father was furious about the role of Pakistani cleric Mufti Abdul Qawi, who was embroiled in a scandal with her after she uploaded her pictures with him during a meeting.

"Qawi is also responsible for Qandeel's murder. Since the time Qawi's video appeared with my daughter on social media, her life was in danger. Qawi is a liar and I am afraid that someday he might issue a religious decree against me for supporting Qandeel."

He also complained that police deprived the couple of all the things that belonged to Qandeel.

"The police took away her mobile phone, purse and other valuables worth Rs 1 million," he said, adding "I am totally disappointed with the justice system in our country. I only demand justice from Allah Almighty."

Qandeel rose to fame due to her bold videos and pictures many considered as 'obscene' she posted on her Facebook account.

Qawi said Baloch had met this fate because she had humiliated a religious figure (him).

A Multan's sessions court has already indicted three suspects  Waseem, Qandeel's cousin Haq Nawaz and taxi driver Abdul Basit.

The suspect, however, denied committing the crime. Another suspect Zafar Khosa is absconding.
Islamabad: Embattled Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif's legal team on Monday dismissed as illegal and biased a probe panel's final report that recommended filing of a graft case against him and his children as the Supreme Court resumed the hearing of the Panamagate graft case.

A six-member Joint Investigation Team (JIT) set up by the Supreme Court to investigate charges of money laundering against 67-year-old Sharif and his family had submitted the report on 10 July to the court. Khawja Harris on behalf of Sharif filed a response to the JIT report, rejecting its findings and accusing it of bias and violation of the original mandate. "The JIT report is not only against the law but also the constitution of the country and its finding are, therefore, of not legal value," he said.

He also objected to the documents obtained from the foreign countries, which he said was against laws of the country. He asked the court to provide the volume 10 of the report which was kept confidential on JIT's request. Harris also urged the court to reject the JIT report.

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on his behalf separately submitted objections over the JIT report in the Supreme Court registrar's office.

Earlier, Naeem Bokhari representing Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in his arguments appreciated the JIT and asked the court to implement the report and disqualify the Prime Minister. Later, Fawad Chaurdry of PTI told the media that Sharif has lost moral and political grounds to continue as prime minister. "He (Sharif) would not only be disqualified but also go to jail," he said. Minister of state for information Mariam Aurangzeb said the government would accept the decision of the court.

The court adjourned hearing till tomorrow.

Major opposition political parties have asked Sharif to step down and stay away from power until his name was cleared. However, Sharif has rejected JIT findings and refused to resign by saying that he was not charged of any specific crime. His Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz party has also supported him to contest the report in the court.

The six-member JIT was set up in May by the Supreme Court with the mandate to probe the Sharif family for allegedly failing to provide the trail of money used to buy properties in London in 1990s.

In 2016, the Panama Papers revealed that three of Prime Minister Sharif's children owned offshore companies and assets not shown on his family's wealth statement. The assets in question include four expensive flats in Park Lane, London.

The top court took up the case in October last year on petitions filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Awami Muslim League and Jamaat-e-Islami and reserved the verdict in February after conducting hearings on a daily basis.
Peshawar: A Taliban suicide bomber on Monday hit a vehicle carrying paramilitary force members, killing three soldiers, including a major, and injuring nine others in the restive northwest Pakistan.

The suicide attacker with explosive-laden motorcycle hit the Frontier Constabulary (FC) convoy at a traffic signal in Peshawars Hayatabad area, police said.

Three FC men, including a major, were killed in the attack, Superintendent of Police Imran Malik said.

Nine people, including two security personnel, were injured in the blast, Malik added.

SSP (operations) Sajjad Khan said 10-12 kilograms of explosives were used by the bomber, who was riding the bike.

Two vehicles that were part of the convoy were completely damaged in the blast.

Security personnel cordoned off the area after the explosion as rescue services shifted the injured to Hayatabad Medical Complex.

Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack.

TTP spokesman Muhammad Khurasani in a statement mailed to media said slain Major Jamal Sheren was on their hit list.

The terror group vowed to carry out more attacks on FC troops.

The attack comes a day after the Pakistan army announced it had launched an operation in the Khyber tribal region to rout Islamic State militants.
The Hague: Three years after Flight MH17 was shot down by a missile over war-torn Ukraine, more than 2,000 relatives gather today to unveil a "living memorial" to their loved ones.

A total of 298 trees have been planted in the shape of a green ribbon, one for each of the victims who died on board the Malaysia Airlines flight en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur.

Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima will join government and international officials at a solemn ceremony to dedicate the memorial in the park of Vijfhuizen, close to Schiphol airport in where the flight took off from on 17 July, 2014.

The names of all the 298 passengers and crew killed in the disaster will be read out by their families, and 17 local children will lay flowers.

While most of the victims were Dutch, there were 17 nationalities on board including Australians, Britons, Malaysians and Indonesians. "A tree symbolises 'hope' and 'future' in many cultures," the victims families association said in a statement.

"We not only want to honour the MH17 victims, but also want to create a place where everyone can keep their memories of the 298 passengers alive." Funded by donations, the project was designed by artist Ronald A. Westerhuis and landscape architect Robbert de Koning after it was chosen out of three proposals by relatives in late 2015.

As the third anniversary of the tragedy dawns, no suspects have been arrested although it was announced this month that any trials will be held in The Netherlands.

About 100 people are wanted in connection with the disaster, after Dutch-led investigators concluded the plane was shot down by a Russian-made BUK missile transported from Russia into areas held by pro-Russian rebels.

The trees in the memorial will be surrounded by sunflowers, which bloom in July, and will "radiate a golden glow" over the trees, the foundation said.

The flowers also represent "the sunflower fields in eastern Ukraine where some parts of the plane wreckage were found".

Each of the trees bears the name of one of the victims. And at the heart of the forest of 11 different tree varieties is a steel memorial shaped like an eye, turned upwards looking at the skies.

One apple tree has been dedicated to 16-year-old Gary, from Rotterdam, whose body has still not yet been identified. "It's nice to think that he has a tree, since we have not received his body. We don't want Gary to be forgotten. We don't want any of the 298 victims to be forgotten," his father Jan Slok, told the daily AD newspaper.

The 16-metre-long steel eyebrow above the eye represents "the burden of the loss," the Trouw daily said, adding with time it will rust, a symbol of the slow passage of pain. The victims' names are also engraved in the pupil of the eye. If you look inside, you can see both yourself and the name of your loved one," Westerhuis told Trouw.
Istanbul: Turkey's parliament voted on Monday to renew a state of emergency in effect since last year's failed coup attempt sparked the biggest crackdown in the country's modern history.

The state-run Anadolu news agency said lawmakers agreed to a three-month extension of the current emergency law, which had been due to expire on Wednesday.

The vote followed the first anniversary of the attempted putsch against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, marked in Istanbul and Ankara by mass rallies and bellicose rhetoric aimed at his opponents.

Following the foiled coup  blamed on US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen  authorities have arrested at least 50,000 people and sacked more than 100,000.

Erdogan also shored up his position by winning a referendum on enhancing his powers earlier this year.

Erdogan, addressing hundreds of thousands of supporters in Istanbul at an anniversary rally on Saturday, said he was thinking of bringing back the death penalty for coup plotters - a measure that would effectively end Ankara's European Union membership hopes.
Guo Mengjia, 24, is a well-known ruan artist and folk musician in China. She has inherited and seeks to pass on love of the traditional Chinese music instrument through a distinctive performance and teaching style honed by years of exploration in the folk music field.

The ruan dates back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907). It is a plucked instrument with a fretted neck, a circular body and four strings. The music produced by this instrument sounds natural and melodious, with an extremely resonant style. Nowadays, it is widely used for solo, duet and orchestral performances, and as a song and dance accompaniment.

Guo Mengjia poses for a picture in an activity celebrating 65 years of diplomatic relations between China and Denmark. Guo has participated in overseas performances and cultural exchanges many times since she was a university student. [Photo/China.org.cn]

Diligent student eager to learn

Guo started to study traditional Chinese music at the age of nine. The first musical instrument she became involved was the guzheng rather than the ruan. This is another ancient Chinese plucked instrument with 21 or 25 strings. Guo's performance reached Level 10 -- highest for amateur performers in China -- before she met Xu Yang, a professor and expert in the ruan at the Central Conservatory of Music.

Professor Xu was deeply impressed by Guo's talent, good mastery of instrumental performances and her high artistic accomplishment. In 2006, she was admitted to the Central Conservatory of Music Middle School and studied under Professor Xu to learn to play the ruan systematically.

In 2011, Guo fulfilled her long-cherished dream by being enrolled in the Traditional Instruments Department of the Central Conservatory of Music majoring in the ruan.

In the same year, she joined the China Youth National Orchestra, at the same time becoming a member of the well-known Shengfeng Folk Music Band. She has been to Austria, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Denmark and other countries many times with her orchestra and band to participate in musical performances or other cultural exchanging activities.

Due to her outstanding performance, Guo has won many awards in her career, including the Bronze Prize at the First Beijing International Ruan Competition in 2010, the Golden Bell Award at the Ninth National Musical Competition in 2013, and the Top Prize for Excellent Teachers at the Second National Ruan Art Show in 2015.

Guo's great achievements at such a young age are primarily due to her talent, diligence, tireless efforts and persistent pursuit of her music dream.

However, not to be overlooked is the great support she has received from her family. "I should especially thank my mother for her help. She has always been strict with me and always cheer me up in my ruan study," she said.
Washington: The US Secret Service (USSS) is pushing back on Donald Trump's attorney's remarks that there was nothing questionable going on at a meeting between the president's eldest son a Russian lawyer.

On Sunday, the president's attorney Jay Sekulow told ABC News: "Well, I wonder why the Secret Service, if this was nefarious, why the Secret Service allowed these people in?...The president had Secret Service protection at that point, and that raised a question with me."

After Sekulow's comments aired on ABC, the Secret Service responded that it would not have checked out the participants of the meeting because Donald Trump Jr was not under their protection at the time of the meeting last June.

"Donald Trump Jr was not a protectee of the USSS in June 2016," the agency told CNN in a statement on Sunday evening.

"Thus we would not have screened anyone he was meeting with at that time."

The meeting, which took place in Trump Tower in New York City, involved Trump Jr, the president's son-in-law Jared Kushner, then-campaign chairman Paul Manafort, Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya, publicist Rob Goldstone, Russian-American lobbyist Rinat Akhmetshin and at least two other people, sources familiar with the meeting told CNN.

The meeting has drawn widespread scrutiny since The New York Times first reported about its existence last week.

In the wake of the Times' report, Trump Jr posted a series of emails on Twitter between himself and Goldstone, an acquaintance who pointed to the Russia attorney as the source of potentially damaging information on Hillary Clinton as "part of Russia and its government's support for Trump", reports CNN.

The president has maintained having no knowledge of the meeting.

On Sunday night, Sekulow told CNN that Trump did not know about the meeting, saying: "The president was not engaged in this, was not aware of it."
Washington: The US government on Sunday asked Iran to release all Americans unjustly detained in that country, after learning of a 10-year sentence imposed on a US citizen.

"The Iranian regime continues to hold US citizens and other foreigners captive on bogus charges related to national security," Efe quoted a US State Department official as saying. The unnamed official also called for the "immediate liberation of all US citizens unjustly detained in Iran."

"All US citizens, especially those of dual nationality, who are considering a trip to Iran, should read carefully our latest travel warning," the source said.

As reported in various US media, a person of US nationality, whose identity has not been released, was sentenced Saturday to 10 years in prison in Iran for entering that country surreptitiously to "gather information."

In October 2016, two US citizens, Siamak Namazi and his father, Baquer Namazi, who also have Iranian nationality, were sentenced to prison in Iran. Washington has been demanding their release ever since.

And because 10 years have gone by since the 2007 disappearance of former FBI agent Robert Levinson in that country, the US government also asked Iran to fulfil its commitment to help find him.

In January 2016, Tehran authorities freed The Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian and another three Iranian-American citizens in exchange for the US dropping charges against seven Iranians.
Washington: Maryam Mirzakhani, an Iranian-born mathematician who was the first woman to win the coveted Fields Medal, has died in a US hospital after a battle with cancer. She was 40 years old.

Mirzakhani' friend Firouz Naderi announced her death on Saturday on Instagram, and her relatives confirmed the death to the Mehr agency in Iran.

"A light was turned off today. It breaks my heart ..... gone far too soon," wrote Naderi, a former director of Solar Systems Exploration at NASA.

"A genius? Yes. But also a daughter, a mother and a wife," he added in a subsequent post.

Mirzakhani, a professor at Stanford University in California, died after the cancer she had been battling for four years spread to her bone marrow, Iranian media said.

In 2014, Mirzakhani won the Fields Medal, the equivalent of the Nobel Prize for mathematics, which is awarded by the International Congress of Mathematicians.

The award recognized her sophisticated and highly original contributions to the fields of geometry and dynamical systems, particularly in understanding the symmetry of curved surfaces such as spheres.

She had already won the 2009 Blumenthal Award for the Advancement of Research in Pure Mathematics and the 2013 Satter Prize of the American Mathematical Society.

Born and raised in Tehran, Mirzakhani initially dreamed of becoming a writer, but by the time she started high school her affinity for solving mathematical problems and working on proofs had shifted her sights.

"It is fun - it's like solving a puzzle or connecting the dots in a detective case," she said when she won the Fields Medal.

"I felt that this was something I could do, and I wanted to pursue this path."

Mirzakhani became known on the international mathematics scene as a teenager, winning gold medals at both the 1994 and 1995 International Math Olympiads - finishing with a perfect score in the latter competition.

In 2008 she became a professor of mathematics at Stanford. She is survived by her husband and young daughter.
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Rescuers work at the site of a house fire in Changshu, east China's Jiangsu Province, July 16, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

Police in east China's Jiangsu Province said they have arrested a suspect for alleged arson after a fire engulfed a house that claimed 22 lives Sunday morning.

The suspect, surnamed Jiang, was in police custody. Local police gave no further information on the suspect.

The fire broke out at around 4:29 a.m. in a two-story residential house in Yushan Town in Changshu City, leaving 22 people dead and another three injured. The three face no life-threatening injuries.

A total of 24 disaster-relief teams have been set up to offer legal and mental support for the families and relatives of the victims.

The fire was put out at 5:28 a.m. Further investigation into the cause of the accident is under way.
Chocolate and cocoa giant Barry Callebaut has ushered in a new era of innovation with the reveal of its second-generation chocolate in Venice, Italy, this week. The... Read More
European Council President Donald Tusk (C), European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker (R) and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attend a joint press conference after the EU-Japan Summit in Brussels, Belgium, July 6, 2017. [Xinhua]

As European leaders endeavor to steer the EU out of economic crisis, they are looking at several ways to boost growth. Discussions on free trade deals  whether successful as in the case of the pact agreed with South Korea in 2011, or unsuccessful, as with the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) during the Obama presidency  are among the most important elements.

The most recent example is an agreement with Japan, with Brussels and Tokyo hailing the initiative announced only hours before the Hamburg G20 Summit, as creating the potential for win-win results in the medium- and long-term.

The EU is Japans major trading and investment partner, contributing approximately 10 percent of the latters total trade volume, while Japan is the EUs second biggest trading partner in Asia after China.

Japans Europe-bound shipments are dominated by machinery, electrical machinery, motor vehicles, optical and medical instruments, and chemicals, while European exports to Japan principally involve motor vehicles, machinery, pharmaceuticals, optical and medical instruments, and electrical machinery.

The trade volume reached 82 billion in 2014, 90.2 billion in 2015 and 85.9 billion in 2016, with the EU enjoying a surplus moving in a range of 3.1 billion to 5.4 billion during this period.

The process finally leading to a free trade agreement started at the EU-Japan Summit of 2011. Two years later, EU member governments instructed the European Commission to start negotiations with Japan lasting until this month.

Brussels believes its free trade agreement with Japan can follow the example of the Republic of Korea in becoming a beacon of success. According to official data, European exports to South Korea increased 55 percent over the last five years.

The EU is now expecting improved market access for agricultural products in Japan as well as the practical protection of geographical indications such as Tyroler Speck, Munich beer, Jambon d'Ardennes and Polska vodka.

It also seeks to benefit from implementation of non-tariff measures on several products and government procurement by Japan. For its part, Japan mainly counts on the elimination of high tariffs on industrial products and the improvement of regulatory issues facing Japanese companies in Europe.

Yet, the process is still not complete. As the New York Times reports, Japanese negotiators have refused to include whaling and logging in the talks, which have angered environmental groups. Also, the EU and Japan disagree on how future disputes will be resolved as well as on data protection.

More importantly, the forthcoming ratification process is not a simple procedure on the EU side, where the experience of trying to ratify a trade pact with Canada last year shows what can go wrong. Many voices are also suggesting free trade deals only give more power to multinationals at the expense of ordinary European citizens, especially young ones.

From another perspective, politicians and analysts largely view the EU-Japan free trade agreement as a straightforward response to the protectionism of U.S. President Donald Trump. Reuters called it a political agreement between two economic entities accounting for a third of global GDP heavy with symbolism.

However, while symbolism is certainly apparent, substance is more debatable. Although the president of the European Commission has played down prospects of any further negotiating difficulties and has said he hoped the treaty could go into effect early in 2019, this cannot be taken for granted.

Both the EU and Japan were perhaps motivated to announce their trade deal due to shared alarm at Trumps apparent shift away from multilateral open trading systems towards an aggressive America First policy. In their effort to do so, they have perhaps overlooked important problems not easily solved. Brussels and Tokyo seem determined to proceed but more time is required.

All in all, it is premature to draw conclusions on the future impact of the EU-Japan free trade deal as long as important details remain unsettled. Influenced by spontaneous enthusiasm, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe went even further and expressed the hope that the recent announcement could encourage the early enactment of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP).

As the U.S. alone represents more than 60 percent of the initial members GDP, it is questionable whether  after its abrupt withdrawal  the TPP can be implemented despite the ongoing Japanese pressure on the remaining 10 countries involved. It is rather Chinas led integration initiative in the Asia-Pacific region that seems more feasible under current circumstances.

George N. Tzogopoulos is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit:

http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/GeorgeNTzogopoulos.htm

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.
BlackRock Inc, the world's biggest asset manager, reported a massive influx of cash into its low-cost funds but nonetheless fell short of Wall Street's forecasts as price cuts and lower performance fees dented revenue.

The New York-based company's largely index-tracking iShares exchange-traded funds have been growing at a record pace, pulling in a record $74 billion during the most recent quarter, up from $16 billion a year earlier.

Investors of all types have been scooping up the funds and fleeing more expensive products as a way to access the market. Fees have raced toward zero on some products as BlackRock faces competition from asset managers offering ETFs at or near their cost of managing them.

Fast asset-gathering helped push BlackRock's assets under management to nearly $5.7 trillion, while revenue gained 6 percent to $2.97 billion and earnings per share rose 10 percent to $5.22, or $5.24 after adjusting for non-recurring items and charges that do not affect the company's value.

That missed Wall Street analysts' average target of $5.40 per share and $3.02 billion revenue forecast, and the company itself acknowledged fees were lighter due to "previously announced pricing changes."

BlackRock has cut some fees on funds in a competitive bid to win business when investors move money. Wells Fargo & Co analyst Christopher Harris said in a note that the decline in fees was a "negative surprise."

But Chief Executive Larry Fink told Reuters that revenues were lighter in part because "episodic" performance fees that some high-fee funds get when they beat their targets were lower.

"All the drivers that we really control that can grow quarter over quarter over quarter - the momentum is accelerating, not decelerating," said Fink.

"When you think about where we're taking the firm we're very happy."

BlackRock's net income rose 8.6 percent to $857 million. The company's shares were marginally down in premarket trading on Monday. The stock closed at $438.34 on Friday.

(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; Additional reporting by Diptendu Lahiri in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta, Bernard Orr)
Bank of New York Mellon Corp, the world's largest custodian bank, appointed former chief executive of Visa Inc Charles Scharf as its CEO, effective immediately.

The company's shares were up 2.4 percent at $53.60 in light premarket trading on Monday.

Scharf will replace Gerald Hassell, who will remain as chairman until his retirement on Dec. 31, the company said.

Scharf will then become the chairman.

Scharf, who headed Visa from October 2012 to December 2016, played a key role in orchestrating the world's largest payments network's reunion with its European affiliate.

Hassell, 65, chief executive at BNY since 2011, served as its president since the merger of Bank of New York and Mellon Financial Corp in 2007 through 2012.

(Reporting by Sruthi Shankar in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila)
This year is a pivotal one for Suncor Energy (NYSE: SU). That's because the Canadian oil sands giant will finally see the fruit of its investment in two major growth projects. On top of that, the company should deliver further improvements at Syncrude after buying a majority stake in the legacy oil sands asset last year. These catalysts suggest that the best is still ahead for the company and its investors.

Ready to receive first oil at Hebron

On the final day of 2012, Suncor Energy and its partners, which include oil giants ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM) and Chevron (NYSE: CVX), sanctioned the Hebron project off of Canada's east coast. The companies have since invested about $14 billion into the project, which should finally start producing oil later this year. What's worth pointing out is that when the partners approved the Exxon-led project, oil was in the triple digits. However, even though oil started crashing a couple of years ago, the partners made the tough decision to continue the development. It's a decision that will start paying off later this year when Hebron begins ramping up to its capacity of 150,000 barrels per day. Given Suncor Energy's 22.7% stake in the project, it will be a meaningful contributor to production growth in the coming year.

Finishing up Fort Hills

Not that long after sanctioning Hebron, Suncor Energy along with partners Total (NYSE: TOT) and Teck Resources (NYSE: TECK) approved the development of the Fort Hills oil sands project in Canada. At the time, the partners expected that the project would cost 13.5 billion Canadian dollars ($10.7 billion) and produce at a peak rate of 180,000 barrels per day after delivering first oil in late 2017.

However, several things have changed since that time. Oil prices collapsed, which provided Suncor with the opportunity to buy another 10% interest in the project from Total so that it now controls a 50.8% stake. Meanwhile, the project's price tag has run up, first to an estimated CA$15.1 billion ($12 billion) and more recently to a new projection of CA$16.5 billion-CA$17 billion ($13 billion-$13.4 billion), which will help boost its capacity up to 194,000 barrels per day. That said, one thing that hasn't changed is that Suncor Energy expects the project to be a key contributor to its production growth and cash flow in the years ahead, even at current oil prices.

Getting the most out of Syncrude

The third leg of Suncor Energy's near-term catalysts is its recently expanded stake in Syncrude. Last year, the company paid more than CA$7.5 billion ($5.9 billion) to buy another 41.74% interest in Syncrude, boosting its stake in the facility to 53.74%. By taking a majority stake in the facility, Suncor Energy had the ability to push for changes to improve its reliability and drive down costs. The company has already achieved some noticeable results, including improving its reliability from 71% in 2015 to 78% last year.

That said, the company is just getting started on its plan to improve the facility. For example, Suncor wants to share services with its adjacent base mining operations, which should reduce costs. Likewise, it intends to optimize the development of its oil sands leases to keep costs down. These initiatives should help improve Suncor's margins and boost the cash flow it can generate from these assets.

Adding it all up

Suncor Energy estimates that these three catalysts should fuel 10% compound annual growth in its production on a per-share basis through 2019. Because of that output growth and its margin expansion opportunities at Syncrude, the company is on pace to generate significant cash flow in the coming years. In fact, the company projects that cash flow from operations could be over CA$8 billion ($6.3 billion) this year, even though oil is only expected to average around $52 per barrel. That's not too far off its cash flow peak of CA$9.4 billion ($7.4 billion) in 2013 when oil averaged nearly $98 per barrel. With just a little bit more improvement in oil prices, it's entirely possible that Suncor Energy could set a record for cash flow as early as next year because of the ramp up of production at Hebron and Fort Hills, as well as continued progress in improving margin at Syncrude. Needless to say, it appears that the best is yet to come for Suncor, even if oil doesn't come close to its former peak.

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With no deal on a new, two-year state budget in sight, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy on Monday made a renewed pitch for legislators to pass his temporary "mini budget" in the meantime and help protect services to the state's neediest residents.

The Democrat appeared in Hartford at HARC Inc., a nonprofit organization that serves people with intellectual disabilities. Like other nonprofit social service agencies across the state, HARC is facing funding cuts because Malloy is running the government using his limited spending authority and executive powers.

Malloy told a group of HARC officials and family members of HARC clients that he wishes he didn't have to make cuts that affect initiatives such as employment programs and adult day services. But he said he has no choice because the General Assembly didn't pass a two-year budget or his temporary budget before the fiscal year ended June 30.

"I'm not happy. I'm trying to have you understand that," he said of the cuts. "If we're not going to have a permanent budget ... in a matter of days, then let's get beyond that and let's do something that at least brings about a level of relief. That's what I'm looking for."

House Democrats had hoped to vote Tuesday on a new two-year budget but instead plan to hold a closed-door meeting to discuss the status of budget negotiations. House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz, D-Berlin, who previously opposed the idea of passing a stop-gap budget for at least 90 days, said Monday that he still doesn't think it's a good idea.

"Every day that we delay and do not sit down and negotiate in earnest toward a full two-year budget is a step back, and that is the only thing a so-called 'mini budget' would do," he said in a written statement, adding that lawmakers need to "solely focus" on moving Connecticut forward and providing stability to nonprofit agencies, municipalities and businesses.

Aresimowicz said last week that he was optimistic a new, two-year budget that covers a projected $5 billion deficit will be passed by July 31. A new, two-year budget is roughly $40 billion.

Asked if he thought a vote by July 31 is possible, Malloy noted that the state's budget is complicated. For example, lawmakers still don't know if the state employee unions will agree to $1.5 billion in concessions over two years. Votes were wrapping up Monday night. Tallies were expected to be revealed Tuesday.

HARC officials and family members said they want a state budget as soon as possible. They're particularly worried about six looming furlough days, when no employment or day support activity will be reimbursed by the state. The first one is July 26.

Janice Marden, vice president of employment and day services at HARC, said there are 107 Hartford-area clients employed at places like hospitals, insurance companies and food service companies. She said those entities rely on HARC workers daily and couldn't accommodate furloughs, potentially putting the employment collaborations at risk.

"We do some very vital work. For us not to be there would be a loss to the companies," she said. "This is going to have devastating effects to our employment opportunities."

In the meantime, she said, HARC is considering absorbing the cost, which she estimated to be about $25,000 to $30,000 per furlough day, to protect the jobs for the HARC clients, some of whom have worked at the same site for decades.
A Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) driver who reportedly told investigators that his car's Autopilot feature caused a crash now says he deactivated the system beforehand.

In its police report obtained by The Associated Press on Monday, the Kandiyohi County Sheriff's Office said David Clark, 58, blamed Autopilot for a crash Saturday evening in Hawick, Minnesota. Clark initially told deputies that when he engaged the Autopilot feature, the car suddenly accelerated, left the roadway and overturned in a marsh. Clark and his passengers sustained minor injuries.

But in an email sent Monday afternoon to the sheriff's office, Clark said he was confused in the moments after the crash. After discussing the crash with his fellow passengers, he now believes that he disengaged Autopilot by stepping on the accelerator before the crash.

"I then remember looking up and seeing the sharp left turn which I was accelerating into. I believe we started to make the turn but then felt the car give way and lose its footing like we hit loose gravel," Clark wrote in the email.

Clark confirmed to the AP that he sent the email.

Tesla, whose shares were down 2.5% on Monday, rebounded 1.3% to $323.64 in recent trading Tuesday.

Not true. Email from customer. pic.twitter.com/4P3QO7EMLW  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 17, 2017

Palo Alto, California-based Tesla said it's investigating the incident and will cooperate with local authorities.

Autopilot automatically maintains a set speed, slows down and brakes in traffic and keeps the car within a lane. When drivers turn on the system, a message reminds them to remain engaged and be prepared to take the wheel. Drivers can take their hands off the wheel, but only for short periods. If they ignore three separate warnings to put their hands on the wheel, the system will turn off.

Federal safety regulators investigated Tesla's Autopilot last year after a fatal crash in Florida. In that case, a Tesla Model S hit a tractor-trailer.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in January it found no safety defects in the system and declined to issue a recall. The agency examined the Florida crash and others where Autopilot was engaged and found that, in many cases, driver error was to blame. It also said Tesla's manuals and instructions make clear that human drivers are responsible for driving the car.

It is unclear if the agency will investigate the Minnesota crash. A message seeking comment was left with a NHTSA spokeswoman.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Thailand's new king, who succeeded his late father last year, has tightened control over what is reputed to be the world's richest royal fortune, estimated to be worth more than $30 billion.

A law that became effective Monday places the Crown Property Bureau, essentially a holding company for the royal palace's assets, under King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun's direct control.

The bureau's assets represent the lion's share of the royal family's wealth, which Forbes magazine in 2011 estimated at more than $30 billion, much of it in real estate.

Previously the bureau was technically under the government's control, with the finance minister in the position of board chairman.

The new law allows the king to manage the Crown Property Bureau as he sees fit, which includes appointments of the agency's administrative members. The wording suggests that there are no restrictions on how he chooses to exercise his authority.

Previous shake-ups under the new king gave him control of palace agencies that had been under government, military and police authority, with their staff members considered civil servants or state officials.

Vajiralongkorn's father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, in practice could also exercise ultimate authority over the various agencies, even if indirectly, because of the prestige commanded by the throne and his personal popularity. However, he is generally believed to have left those agencies to be run by the professionals in charge of them, who in many cases were trusted aides who had served him for years.

The 2011 Forbes article estimating the palace's wealth earned a written rebuke from the Thai Embassy in Washington, which emphasized that the royal assets held by the bureau are not the king's personal property, but belong to the institution of the monarchy and are "held in trust for the nation."

After 70 years on the throne Bhumibol had won the trust and devotion of most of his countrymen, who knew no other monarch. Vajiralongkorn, however, with a reputation as somewhat of a playboy, seems not to have earned the same respect as his father. Eager to secure his authority, he has also replaced some of his father's old loyalists with his own appointees.

Vajiralongkorn's position is also complicated by his inheriting the throne under a military government that came to power in a 2014 coup. His father's relationship with the military was complicated, evolving from a measure of dependence on the army when Thailand had a strongman dictator, to holding the upper hand over them.

Thailand's fractious politics of the past decade, including street violence, strengthened the generals' position, with an ailing Bhumibol unable to effectively exercise his influence. Vajiralongkorn's relationship with the army is still in the formative stage.
The U.S. dairy lobby is ratcheting up the pressure on Canada as talks to renegotiate NAFTA draw closer, demanding concessions the Canadian government looks unwilling to grant, according to people familiar with the file.

The result could be a brawl that sours efforts to modernize the North American Free Trade Agreement, under which Canada sends most of its exports to the United States. Mexico is the pact's third member.

U.S. farmers have long chafed about supply management, the term for Canada's system of tariffs and quotas to keep domestic prices high and imports low. A 2016 deal that allowed Canadian farmers to sell milk proteins to domestic processors at a discount, curbing the flow of American imports, further raised their ire.

Jaime Castaneda, senior vice-president for the U.S. Dairy Export Council, said the influential lobby group will pursue fresh challenges through the World Trade Organization unless Canada stops the proteins sale.

"If we can't resolve this through negotiations, I believe my members will be very clear that everything is on the table," he said in a phone interview.

A WTO panel ruled in 2002 that Canada breached its trade obligations through illegal subsidies to its dairy industry, siding with the United States. The U.S. and Canada reached a settlement in 2003.

Castaneda said challenges against the protein sales could eventually result in rulings that force Canada to ditch supply management.

In June, U.S. agriculture secretary Sonny Perdue said he would prefer to address dairy irritants before NAFTA talks begin and said supply management was fine as long as though it did not harm the U.S. industry.

But on July 14 he appeared to toughen his stance, saying through a spokeswoman he felt "all options should be on the table" in the NAFTA talks and that dairy remained a concern.

Although dairy was originally excluded from the original 1994 deal, the United States may push for it to be part of the talks on a new pact.

"I don't see why it wouldn't be, when you're looking at an overall trading relationship ... there is no doubt in my mind that it would be on the table," said one person familiar with Washington's approach.

Despite the more strident U.S. line, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government has little interest in compromise.

"We are fully trade compliant and trade in dairy products massively favors the United States," said a Canadian government source.

Canada's dairy sector includes C$6 billion ($4.8 billion) in annual farmer milk sales.

Fearing the domestic industry's lobbying muscle, Canadian politicians of all stripes mostly treat dairy as a sacred cow.

In May, dairy farmers helped ensure the defeat of a Conservative party leader candidate who advocated eliminating supply management.

"Dairy farmers are a force to be reckoned with. I think (politicians) will do well to listen to our concerns," said Manitoba dairy farmer David Wiens, an executive of the influential Dairy Farmers of Canada.

Dairy is one of several commodities, including lumber and wine, that have sparked complaints by the Trump administration leading into NAFTA talks. U.S. President Donald Trump said in April he would stand up for domestic dairy farmers against what he called unfair Canadian practices.

The American side also wants Canada to start cutting tariffs to allow more imports. As part of the talks on a proposed 12-nation Pacific trade treaty in 2015, Canada agreed to open up 3.25 percent annually of its dairy supply.

That treaty was still-born and any talk of concessions is now off the table.

"The industry is not prepared to give any additional access to the Canadian market," said Yves Leduc, head of government relations at the Dairy Farmers of Canada lobby group.

(By David Ljunggren and Rod Nickel; Writing by David Ljunggren; Editing by Nick Zieminski)
VMware Inc. stock gained Monday morning after a report said that the software company is in talks with Amazon.com Inc.'s cloud business to expand their partnership into software for corporate data centers. The Information reported Monday, based on an anonymous source, that VMware and Amazon Web Services are discussing developing software for corporate data centers that would allow companies better access to public-cloud resources like AWS while keeping some information on their own servers. The hybrid-cloud software approach would be a first for Amazon on such a large scale, and could allow VMware, an important software component for many data centers, to address a larger market of companies that want a hybrid-cloud approach. The two rivals are already working on a partnership that would allow AWS customers to access the VMware public cloud. Neither company confirmed the talks with The Information, though VMware cloud exec Mark Lohmeyer said, "there will definitely be opportunities to create more integration points between VMware and AWS over time." VMware jumped after the report landed about a half-hour into Monday's trading session, and was up about 2.5% in midday trading; Amazon had gained about 0.9% as the S&P 500 and other broad indexes tracked gains of about 0.1%.

Copyright  2017 MarketWatch, Inc.
In the wake of the Seattle City Councilas unanimous vote last week to approve an income tax on only its wealthiest residents, a massive legal fight is brewing as opponents allege the ordinance violates the stateas constitution.

Washington is one of seven states that does not have a personal income tax. In fact, state law prohibits a city or county from taxing net income, causing some to assert the tax is unconstitutional right off the bat. However, proponents of the tax believe there could be legal exception if the court interprets the statute differently.

But the state constitution has other clauses that could pose a problem for the cityas proposal. In addition to the ban on net income, there is also a stipulation that all taxes be auniform upon the same class of property.a The Supreme Court has historically ruled that income is included under the definition of property, according to The Seattle Times, which would in fact make the tax on one income class unconstitutional. Additionally, there could be a debate over whether a city itself is allowed to create a local tax at all.

One Washington-based tax advocacy organization, the Freedom Foundation, said last week it ais prepared to challenge the action in court a hopefully with a coalition of other freedom-minded organizations.a The group has not only referred to the tax as illegal and unconstitutional, but also as an aassault on taxpayers.a

aThis attack on uniform treatment under the law is very alarming,a said Freedom Foundation senior policy analyst Jami Lund, in an interview with FOX Business. aYou canat target some people for taxation.a

Lund said the group will be meeting with attorneys this week to challenge the tax.

However, Seattle Mayor Ed Murray has indicated he is not afraid to duke it out in court. Last week at a rally before the vote, Murray said, aWe welcome that legal challenge. We welcome that fight,a according to The Washington Post.

The proposal in question is a personal income tax on Seattleas top earning residents. Individuals with incomes in excess of $250,000 and those filing jointly with incomes in excess of $500,000 would be subject to a 2.25% tariff. People with incomes below those thresholds would not be affected.

Seattle believes the tax will raise around $140 million per year and could help close the wealth gap in the city, while the mayor also cited President Donald Trumpas economic agenda as a reason to introduce the tax.

aSeattle is challenging this stateas antiquated and unsustainable tax structure by passing a progressive income tax,a Seattle Mayor Ed Murray said in a statement on his website last week. aOur goal is to replace our regressive tax system with a new formula for fairness, while ensuring Seattle stands up to President Trumpas austere budget that cuts transportation, affordable housing, healthcare, and social services. This is a fight for economic stability, equity, and justice.a

Supporters say the tax would impact just 20,000 out of more than 660,000 Seattle residents.
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The American researcher sentenced to ten years in prison for spying in Iran is not a Chinese national, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said in Beijing Monday.

Media reported Wang Xiyue, a 37-year-old history researcher who was imprisoned by Iran for ten years after being found guilty of being "an infiltrating American agent," holds dual Chinese and American citizenship.

Lu Kang denied the claim, saying that China does not recognize dual nationality.

"As he has American citizenship, I can tell you that he is definitely not a Chinese national," Lu said.
While a vote on the Senateas newly released health care bill has been delayed due to Sen. John McCainas (R-Ariz.) unexpected absence, the White House continues to work behind the scenes with Congress on a tax reform overhaulasomething Americans should expect to see by Christmas, according to one senator.

Even though the GOPas struggle to coalesce around a singular plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act has some worried about the window for other items on President Donald Trumpas agenda, tax cuts will be done abefore Christmas,a said Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) during an interview with FOX Business Monday. Grassley said the bill should ideally be complete by Thanksgiving in order for the IRS to have enough time to get its affairs in order.

White House officials, including Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and National Economic Director Gary Cohn, have said they have been meeting weekly, if not daily, with lawmakers on taxes. Grassley acknowledged the importance of having the administration involved in the tax reform push.

aHaving presidential leadership is absolutely essential and I can vouch a for the president and his cabinet being involved with it, because Iave been involved in several meetings where a Secretary Mnuchin and the economic advisor [Gary Cohn] was there as well,a Grassley said.

While the administration rolled out its broad vision for the tax code transformation in April, they are now working on putting together a format that the White House, the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee can all agree on a even if the specific details are decided upon at a later date, according to Grassley.

However, time is of the essence for the president and his administration. In order to push both health care and tax reform through using the reconciliation process, health care needs to be done before the new budget is passed a presumably before the onset of the 2018 fiscal year in October. Next yearas budget will need to include instructions for tax reform reconciliation, at which time Congress will lose its mandate to pass health care using the fast-track process.

The vote on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellas (R-Ky.) revised health care bill, which was expected this week, was delayed after Sen. McCain underwent surgery for a blood clot. Sources told Fox News Monday he will be out for at least a week, until he is cleared to fly back to D.C.

However, even before the delay, the health care bill was breathing on life support after Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) announced last week they would both reject the new proposal. Paul objects to the stabilization funds for the insurance markets, calling it acrony capitalisma during an interview with FOX Business, while Collins remains unsatisfied with the proposed changes to Medicaid.
Martin Landau, a celebrated actor with dozens of movie and TV credits to his name, including the Mission: Impossible television series, has died at age 89, Fox News has confirmed.

Landau died around 1:30 PT on Saturday following unexpected complications while he was hospitalized at UCLA Medical Center.

GEORGE A. ROMERO, CREATOR OF 'NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD,' DEAD AT 77

The prolific actors most notable credits included the Mission: Impossible television series, Alfred Hitchcocks classic film North by Northwest, and his role in Ed Wood, for which he won an Oscar.

Landau got his start as a newspaper cartoonist at the New York Daily News, according to The Hollywood Reporter. He was 17 when he began at the news outlet, and quit five years later to pursue an acting career after turning down a promotion.

He was also an admired acting teacher, to students like Jack Nicholson.

WILL SMITH OFFICIALLY DISNEY'S GENIE FOR LIVE-ACTION 'ALADDIN'

The beloved actor got his start on-screen in the 1950s. TMZ reported he appeared in almost 200 films and television shows and worked until his death.

Landau quit "Mission: Impossible" after three seasons in 1969 due to a contract dispute, according to THR. He finally became an Academy Award winner for his role in Tim Burton's "Ed Wood" in 1994 after previously losing out to Kevin Kline and Denzel Washington.

'DOCTOR WHO' CASTS FIRST FEMALE DOCTOR

The legendary actor dated Marilyn Monroe for several months and was best friends with James Dean in the 1950s.

Landau, who was born in Brooklyn, is survived by two daughters from his marriage with "Mission: Impossible" co-star Barbara Bain.

Fox News' Ashley Dvorkin contributed to this report.
Actor Daniel Radcliffe is being hailed a hero after he rushed to help a tourist who was slashed in the face and robbed by thieves on a moped in London last week.

The "Harry Potter" star was in west London Friday evening when he and a group of passersby helped the man suffering from a gash on his face, according to the Evening Standard. The man was said to be a tourist visiting the United Kingdom with a significant other.

Metropolitan police said in a statement: "The victim -- a man aged in his 50s -- was walking in the road when two people riding a moped snatched his bag before riding off. The victim suffered a cut to the face during the incident."

A representative for Radcliffe confirmed to Fox News the actor was at the scene that evening, but could not comment further because "it's a police matter."

The thieves made off with the man's Louis Vuitton bag. Former police officer David Videcette told The Evening Standard he saw Radcliffe comforting the tourist.

"It was a bit of the surreal moment, I said 'you're Daniel Radcliffe and he replied, 'I am,'" Videcette told the news station.

"He was a really nice bloke, a lot of stars wouldnt have stopped to help," Videcette said.

Videcette added that he saw the moped-riding thieves cruising down the street, observing people before selecting their target. Videcette said he called police once he realized the two men were acting suspicious.

London police are investigating the incident. No arrests have been made.
If theres one person whos a big fan of Paris Hilton, its Paris Hilton.

Her reality TV series The Simple Life may have ended in 2007, but the hotel heiress still enjoys binge watching old episodes.

The Simple Life, which also starred Nicole Richie, first aired in 2003. It chronicled the two stars attempting to navigate manual labor outside of Hollywood.

My boyfriend [Chris Zylka] and I watch it all the time, the 36-year-old told Refinery29.com. I think one of the most funny ones was when Nicole and I worked at Sonic. We were just dressed up on those big milkshake outfits, and we were running around and causing trouble. We always had so much fun on that show. [Richie] is so funny.

Still, there is one thing that bothers Hilton, even to this day.

People think because of the character I played  people assume before they meet me that Im a really ditzy dumb blonde, she explained. Thats the one thing that kind of annoys me sometimes. They just think because of the reality show thats who I really am. But that was just a character that I created. I didnt realize what a huge success [it would be]  that I would have to continue playing this character for five years. With everything thats happening, though, with my business, I think people can understand that you couldnt possibly get this far being a dumb blonde.

These days, Hilton is more interested in being recognized as an entrepreneur. Its been reported that she sells $200 million worth of perfume annually. She also owns three hotels, 35 boutiques around the world and is a product manufacturer who has launched everything from makeup to childrens wear.

Hilton told Fox News in February that she has zero plans to do reality TV again.

I get calls every single day from networks and companies pitching ideas for a show, she explained. Every single day. I really enjoyed being a pioneer in the reality television world, but now Im on to bigger and better things. I dont know, Im just not into the whole reality thing anymore at all. I just see myself more as a businesswoman now and thats what I really prefer to put my focus on now.
Family-style options have made their way to Chick-fil-A menus  but only in select cities.

The Atlanta-based chain announced on Monday that they're bringing their new "Family Style Meals" to three markets including Greensboro, N.C., Phoenix and San Antonio.

CATHOLIC SCHOOL BANISHES CHICK-FIL-A

The new meal options are designed to feed up to four people, and include the choice of one entree, two side dishes  including new offerings such as bacon baked beans or mac and cheese and eight mini rolls at a cost of $29.99, with additional entrees, sides and beverage available for an extra cost.

Chick-fil-A says that the entree options for the family style meal will include: Chick-n-Strips (12-count); Original Chick-fil-A Chicken Breasts (4-count); Chick-fil-A Nuggets (30-count) and Grilled Chicken Breasts (4-count).

In addition to bacon baked beans and mac and cheese, customers can choose to pair their entrees with side orders fruit cups, or the chain's superfood side salad with broccolini, kale and dried cherries.

Our customers told us that they wanted an even more convenient way to share meals at home or on the go, so we worked directly with a group of parents to design every part of Family Style Meals," said Matt Abercrombie, Chick-fil-As menu development manager, in a press release.

Abercrombie also told Business Insider that dinner is currently the least busy meal at Chick-fil-A restaurants.

CHICK-FIL-A NOW OFFERS A GLUTEN-FREE BUN, BUT THERE'S A CATCH

Chick-fil-A's Family Style Meals will be available in Greensboro, N.C., Phoenix and San Antonio through November 18, Chick-fil-A confirmed on its press site. If successful, the meals will be added to menus nationwide along with the chain's new sides.
In a court hearing on Thursday (July 13), the parents of Charlie Gard, the critically ill baby in Britain, were at odds with their son's hospital over a seemly straightforward fact: The size of their baby's head. By why is head size such an important metric for infants' health, and how difficult is it to measure?

Charlie's parents, Chris Gard and Connie Yates, are engaged in a legal battle over treatment for their son, who was born with a rare genetic condition that usually results in death in the first few months of life. The 11-month-old cannot breathe on his own, has seizures and is blind and deaf. His parents want to take Charlie to the United States for an experimental treatment, but his doctors have disagreed, saying that the treatment would not help and would only extend Charlie's suffering.

US DOCTOR MEETS WITH SPECIALISTS TREATING CHARLIE GARD

Now, the High Court in London, which previously ruled in favor of the hospital, is deciding whether to reopen the case on the grounds of new evidence.

One point in the dispute is Charlie's head size. Doctors at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, the hospital treating Charlie, have said that his head circumference hasn't changed in three months, indicating a lack of growth that would be an important consideration for the case, according to the BBC . But Charlie's parents disagree. Yates says she has measured her son's head regularly, and that there is a 2-centimeter difference between her measurements and the hospital's measurements, the BBC reported. The judge called this dispute "absurd," and asked for the baby's head to be measured independently in the next 24 hours.

In general, doctors regularly measure the size of infants' heads because head circumference is an important marker of brain growth , said Dr. Saima Aftab, medical director of the Fetal Care Center at Nicklaus Children's Hospital in Miami. "The size of the head tracks very closely with the size of the brain," said Aftab, who is not involved in Charlie's case and so cannot comment on his case specifically.

If an infant's head growth doesn't track with the expected growth curve, it can be an early sign that something is wrong, Aftab said. However, doctors don't rely on only head circumference to determine if there are problems with a baby's development  they also look for signs such as whether the baby is meeting certain development milestones, Aftab said. These signs include sitting up and reaching for things, she said.

CHARLIE GARD'S DISEASE AND LEGAL CASE: AN EXPLAINER

However, there are extreme cases  for example, if a child's head size at birth was less than the 10th percentile, and the head continued to stay small  that could trigger doctors to perform neurological exams sooner than they would in other, less severe cases, Aftab said.

A lack of head growth for three months during infancy would be "very alarming," Aftab said.

As for how easy it is to precisely measure a baby's head circumference, it depends on how you look at the question. The act of measuring a child's head is fairly simple  all you need is a tape measure, Aftab said. But to make sure the measurements are consistent, and to determine whether the head circumference falls within the expected range for babies that age, health care providers undergo special training, Aftab said. Doctors look for specific "landmarks" on the baby's skull to take measurements consistently, she said.

"While the tools are very simpletrained medical professionals have the knowledge of anatomical landmarks," so they can take consistent measurements, Aftab said. Parents who are not trained probably would not be able to do this, she said. That's why pediatricians recommend that parents don't try to take head circumference measurements themselves, but instead, have doctors take these measurements at regularly scheduled time points.

During the hearing yesterday, Charlie's parents walked out of the courtroom because they disagreed with a statement the judge made, according to the BBC. But they returned to the courtroom in the afternoon. The judge, Justice Nicholas Francis, says he hopes to issue a decision about the case early next week, according to the New York Times .

Original article on Live Science .
To the bewilderment of Moscow-watchers everywhere, some Americans have raised the prospect of an anti-terror alliance with Russia.

How can we have a counter-terror alliance with terrorists?

Vladimir Putins government may not be Islamist, but it has committed acts of terror the scope of which equals the misdeeds of ISIS, purposely bombing hospitals, clinics, schools and refugee columns in Syria, as well as committing atrocities within its borders in the Caucasus and in neighboring states such as Georgia and Ukraine. Russian savagery has created far more new terrorists than its killed old ones. And Putins security services murder dissidents and journalists at home and abroad, which is old-fashioned, by-the-KGB-book terrorism.

Even setting aside Putins proven efforts to subvert the crucial tool of our self-government, free elections, do we really want our men and women in uniform to serve shoulder-to-shoulder with Russian war criminals?

Anyone who still says, Yes, must answer a basic question: What, specifically, would the Russians bring to the anti-terror fight that would outweigh the negatives?

A glib answer, such as Bombs, doesnt cut it. Which technical or military capabilities could Russia offer that we dont possess in abundance?

The answer to that one is None. Putin has a small core of marginally competent combat forces, but theyre already overstretched in Ukraine and Syria (both of which turned out to be a lot harder than Russias new czar anticipated). The rest of the Russian military is a scrap-heap manned by ill-trained conscripts. As for bombs, the Russians quickly found themselves rationing their meager stocks of expensive smart bombs in Syria, dropping old-fashioned dumb bombs on civilians instead.

On top of that, Russian weapons dont work very well. And their security services, focused on disrupting Western governments, dont have good intelligence on global terrorism. Theyd like to have us share our sources with them, though.

An anti-terror alliance with Russia would bring us only shame. But it would be great news for Putin, who craves recognition as a world-class leader. On a practical level, wed be loaning him our military to do what his own forces cant. How is that a good deal for our troops or taxpayers?

Meanwhile, Russian special operators help the Taliban and other terror groups find better ways to kill U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

Should we reward Moscow for that?

Even beyond these recommendations to embrace the bear, we now have American apologists for Iran, claiming that Moscows allies in Tehran arent really so bad, after all. They remind us that Iran hasnt struck our homeland as Saudi-funded al Qaeda or ISIS do.

That much is true. Iran hasnt sent terrorists to our shores. But Iranian-supplied IEDs and other weapons, as well as Tehrans Shia militia surrogates and Revolutionary Guards masterminds, killed or permanently disabled thousands of American troops in Iraq. Anyone who claims that we should cooperate with the Iranians insults our dead and mocks our wounded veterans.

(Washingtons a town where everyone claims to honor our vets, but where parents wouldnt dream of letting their children serve. Disabled veterans cant afford to live anywhere near the Beltway, where contractors, lawyers, lobbyists and media stars would be embarrassed to live in a home that cost a mere million bucks. For our vets, out of sight is out of mind -- except when it comes time to pose with a flag and a legless veteran for a campaign photo op.)

Then there are the political hacks and media hangers-on who built careers on noisy patriotism, condemning Putin and damning Iran throughout the Obama years, only to turn on a dime and portray them as potential pals today.

If you lie down with dogs, you dont just get up with fleas. Sometimes, you get up with rabies. This magnificent country of ours, which remains the ideal and hope of billions of the oppressed around the world, needs to strengthen our alliances with free nations that share our values, from NATOs farthest borders to Australia. The best way to defeat terrorists isnt to link arms with mass-murderers who hate us, but to renew our commitment to our traditional allies, to those states that share our commitment to liberty, the rule of law and the rights of the individual.

Terrorist states, such as the Russian Federation or the Islamic Republic of Iran, need not apply.
As Washington stumbles over ObamaCare repeal and delays tax reformand while seemingly endless scandals monopolize headlinesits all too easy to lose hope that transformative policy change is possible.

But those seeking a return to fiscal sanity should take heart: Significant reforms are advancing at the state level that could spur a bottom-up course correction across the country.

For proof, see Pennsylvania. As public pension crises nationwide near the tipping point, the Keystone Stateeven under divided governmentoffers a ray of hope in a fractious political environment.

The Pew Charitable Trusts called Pennsylvanias pension law enacted in June one of the mostif not the mostcomprehensive and impactful reforms any state has implemented.

The reform, which contains major 401(k)-style components, garnered healthy bipartisan support in the Republican-dominated state Legislature. But why did Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf, a Democrat once rated the most liberal governor in America, sign the legislation after vetoing similar pension reform in 2015?

The answer is simple yet instructive: Budgetary pressures and political realities gave him no other choice.

Fifteen years ago, Pennsylvanias pension plans for state employees and school teachers held a surplus. Yet, in the past ten years alone, the plans unfunded liabilities ballooned more than 800 percent to $71 billion last year.

Thats more than $6,000 of debt for every man, woman, and child in the state.

The debt surged because lawmakers boosted pension benefits in 2001, then for years pushed off required contributions. Their deliberate underfunding coupled with stock market losses transformed a pension debt ripple into a tsunami.

Pennsylvania is far from alone in suffering a politically-created pension crisis. Moodys Investors Service estimates unfunded liabilities for public pensions across the nation will reach $1.75 trillion this year.

Sadly, hardworking Americans bear the consequences of poor pension policy.

In Pennsylvania, rapidly rising pension costs caused property taxes to skyrockethitting retirees on fixed incomes hardand strained school budgets. From 2009 to 2015, public school funding grew by $3.9 billion, yet nearly half of this increase went to pay pension debt. On top of that, 10 percent of the state budget is now consumed by pension payments.

Against this grim fiscal reality, government union leaders fought all reform effortssucceeding even when Republicans controlled the legislature and governors office. And in 2015, Wolf vetoed pension reform legislation.

Reform looked hopeless, but below the surface, change was underway.

A grueling, nine-month impasse over Wolfs first state budget drove down his approval numbers and derailed his agenda. In 2016, voters, most of whom wanted pension reform, handed pro-reform lawmakers their largest majorities in the state House and Senate in decades.

This year, facing yet another budget deficit driven by pension costs and needing a victory for an uphill reelection battle, Wolf was forced to muzzle his labor allies and sign a popular and responsible reform.

Beginning in 2019, new state employees and school teachers, plus newly elected lawmakers, will enroll in a side-by-side hybrid retirement plan. This plan couples a smaller pension with a new 401(k)-style component. New workers could also choose a straight 401(k)-style plan, and current employees and re-elected lawmakers can opt in to the new system.

The sixth-largest state in the nation has finally begun to transition from traditional defined benefit pensions to the 401(k)-style plans private sector adopted years ago.

While this reform is no panaceait does little to reduce the $71 billion taxpayers oweit will reduce the future risk to families by approximately two-thirds.

And unlike traditional pensions, the plans 401(k)-style components cannot be underfunded and can be taken from job to job. Todays workforce needs such portable retirement plans.

This new system establishes a firm foundation that Pennsylvania can build upon.

States like Illinois, New Jersey, and Connecticut grappling with their own public pension crisesand lawmakers in Washington D.C., facing seemingly insurmountable roadblocksshould look to Pennsylvania for inspiration.

Even a state with a deep partisan divide can make monumental progress to address our biggest challenges.
The Trump administration inherited a massive student loan mess from the Obama administration, which inherited the seedlings of todays crisis from the Bush administration. Over a million Americans now default on their student loans each year. And if Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and her team fail to act fast, they will soon become complicit in a government debacle that exceeds the savings and loan bailout of the 1980s in scale.

Todays saga started just before the Great Recession, when President George W. Bush authorized billions in student aid and signed into law forgiveness initiatives that allowed public service workers to write off any remaining debt after just 10 years of repayment. More recently, the Obama White House expanded Bush-era loan forgiveness and replaced our bank-based student loan program with a government-run direct lending program.

The problems with direct lending began almost immediately: repayment rates plummeted, and late last year, the GAO issued a scathing report arguing that oversight of the loan program suffered either from incompetence or malfeasance. Along the way, the U.S. Department of Education miscalculated likely losses from a segment of loans by an estimated $100 billion.

There are over seven million Americans in default on their student loans already. Over 20 million more Americans have little or no hope of ever paying down their loans. Many will suffer irreconcilable damage to their credit scores, impacting their ability to get a mortgage, buy a car or get a job.

Albeit well-intentioned, the Department of Education now sits atop the largest sub-prime lending bubble since the mortgage boom  except this time the predatory lender is the U.S. government.

Since the federal government took over the loan program in 2010, the Department has issued nearly $1 trillion in student loans. The Wall Street Journals Josh Mitchell reports that 35 percent of borrowers were sub-prime. Fifteen percent had no credit score at all. As it turns out, federal loans have virtually no underwriting standards  education equivalents of now infamous liar loans that fueled the mortgage crisis.

One might imagine that the ballooning federal burden reflects a boon for student borrowers. But in an ironic twist, the statutory interest can now reach almost eight percent - more than double the two to three percent students paid under the bank-based system. As a result, less than 60 percent are now making interest and principal payments while rate hikes fund an estimated $30 billion in Obama-era health care programs.

To add insult to injury, a GAO report released last month now indicates that improper payment rates in the direct lending program could be as high as five percent. Its no wonder that stories of fraud, poor servicing, and massive losses are starting to surface. The U.S. Department of Education is one of the smallest federal agencies  ill-equipped to manage a trillion-dollar pool of loans. So what should Secretary DeVos do?

First, tell the American people the extent of the problem. Published estimates suggest the current write-down for student loans will exceed $500 billion. No intelligent conversation can be had about the economic risk and opportunities of policies like income-based repayment or public service loan forgiveness until the government writes off enough to give policymakers the flexibility they need to fix the problem.

Second, explore administrative channels to slow the pace of borrowing. Currently, a borrower (or a parent co-signer) can borrow enough money to destroy their financial future with little paperwork, no counselling, and virtually no information on potential negative ramifications. The secretary could implement a seven-day waiting period between applying for a loan and receiving a loan. During such a waiting period, borrowers should receive disclosure schedules written in plain English. Secretary DeVos could offer guidance to encourage aid counselors to recommend less debt and provide more frequent updates on expected payments.

Third, the secretary should embrace the transfer of the loan program to the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The loan program is rife with political risk and the future will focus on garnishing wages and tax refunds to collect unpaid student loan balances. Default rates will continue to soar until the Treasury has the expertise and tools to enforce payment. There is only downside for Secretary DeVos in owning the student loan debacle, and she will find herself deep in the unwinnable morass of student loan politics.

Finally, restricting access to student debt at a time when a college degree is table stakes for economic mobility will, sadly, hit our most vulnerable students hard. Therefore, the secretary should consider efforts to ease the pain for low-income Americans that have little financial impact on the Treasury. For example, it costs more to collect on small loans than the government gains. Secretary DeVos could argue for loan forgiveness for all loans below $3,000 (and in the interim instruct servicers not to engage in legal actions against such borrowers).

The human toll of the student loan crisis is staggering. There are over seven million Americans in default on their student loans already. Over 20 million more Americans have little or no hope of ever paying down their student loans. Many will suffer irreconcilable damage to their credit scores, which will impact their ability to get a mortgage, buy a car or get a job. The government created this mess. Hopefully the administration is in a unique position to tell the truth to the American people about the size of the crisis and put steps in place to fix the issues, rather than make them worse.
This week, President Trump kicked off Made in America Week. At the Department of the Interior, we are taking this opportunity to promote and strengthen Americas tradition of outdoor recreation on public lands. The all-American outdoor experience was the idea of visionaries like President Theodore Roosevelt, and has been carried on by the federal government and Congress for years. It could not have been possible without help from philanthropic foundations, American businesses, and thousands of public-private partnerships across our public lands.

We already have thousands of partners across the country who fund and assist with visitor services, infrastructure, and even land acquisition for increased public access.

In my recent visit to Boston Harbor National Recreation Area, I learned how it is a unique example of a public-private-public partnership where federal, state, and private organizations work together to manage the land, provide boat transportation between islands, restore historic lighthouses and forts, lead educational tours, and complete janitorial and maintenance tasks. All of this could not be possible without the joint effort.

Private individuals and philanthropic organizations also help maintain our public lands.

For example, earlier this year, President Trump donated his first quarter salary of about $78,000 to the National Park Service to restore historic battlefields. Private foundations like the Civil War Trust, National Park Foundation, and Save Historic Antietam all chipped in, and with matching donations we were able to fund a $263,000 project to restore a historic structure and nearly mile-long fence at Antietam National Battlefield in Maryland.

Some of our most-iconic, all-American outdoor experiences, like riding a historic Ford Red Jammer bus in Glacier National Park, staying overnight in the El Tovar lodge at the Grand Canyon, or whale watching in Alaskas Glacier Bay National Park, would not be possible without the valued work of American businesses and workers.

To highlight and expand on Made in America partnerships and products, this week Interior is hosting a roundtable with outdoor recreation industry leaders to brainstorm innovative ideas for how we can work together to build upon the outdoor experience on public lands. Some ideas Ive already heard are for outdoor recreation outfitters to make investments in our public lands for things like energy-efficient cabins and fishing access points.

The Department is focused on identifying and expanding the best existing services, and bringing in new services to parks and recreation areas to preserve and enhance the American outdoor experience.

For example, Wi-Fi access, internal transportation, campgrounds, boat ramps, concessions, and even restrooms are not available on many public lands. Also, once somebody gets to a recreation area, common services like boat, ATV, and fishing pole rentals are often unavailable. Our goal is to expand services so public access to our public land is expanded for all Americans.

More partnerships does not mean privatizing our parks as some have wrongly suggested. I am opposed to the sale or transfer of our public lands, and under my watch our public lands will remain public, For the benefit and enjoyment of the people, as the famous Yellowstone Roosevelt Arch states.

Having partners on public lands also does not mean the tour bus will look like a race car covered in corporate stickers. Some of our most iconic features are only possible thanks to partnerships.

Expanding partnerships will allow parks and public lands to deliver better services to more visitors, while allowing our rangers to focus on things like the health of the ecosystem, guided tours, educational services, and land management.

The All-American Outdoor Experience is part of who we are as Americans, but its also a big economic driver for communities across the country. As a whole, the outdoor recreation industry generates $887 billion in consumer spending and supports 7.6 million American jobs, according to industry analysts. In addition, the revenue the industry produces is a major boost to our economy.

Made in America is as much about products as much as it is about the shared American experience created here. It is about making memories by taking a kid fishing for the first time, or in my case, taking my wife hiking early in our relationship.

Theres a reason why 330 million people from across the country and around the world visit our parks every year, and why millions more flock to public lands from coast to coast: Its because these spaces are uniquely American.

This Made in America Week, lets unite with a common pride in our country, standing behind American businesses and engaging in American outdoor traditions that have stood the test of time.
Every couple of years, pop culture internet holds its collective breath while they await the revelation of a new Doctor Who, the main character of BBCs massive cultural hit, stemming back almost as long as James Bond. This year, BBC threw their fans a bone by finally, at long last, introducing a female Doctor. For those unaware of why this may matter or not, the character of Doctor Who is a genderless time lord, an alien who regenerates and take the form of a human being after their previous form is either killed or otherwise expires. Its a plot device that allows the character and the dynamic between the Doctors mortal assistants (usually but not always female) to stay fresh in the minds of the producers.

The 13th doctor however will not take the form of another man. Actress Jodie Whittaker will take over the lead character, a first for a woman. Expectedly this of course drew media to questions of sexism and misogyny as Whittaker herself told fans in an announcement not to Fear her gender.

Just as media did with a black stormtrooper, there was an attempt to create a casting controversy where there wasnt one. Blogger Mike Partyka tweeted out I felt a mild disturbance in the Force, as if millions of male voices suddenly yawned and said, Okay I hope she does good. This was a perfect summation of the overall reaction. Still, however, that did not stop media outlets and social justice warriors from attempting to find some narrative of rampant sexism regarding the casting of Whittaker.

Democrat congressional candidate Brianna Wu tweeted out Feminist friends! Take time to enjoy the comments sections over the new #DrWho13. Misogynist man-babies are having a NUCLEAR MELTDOWN. Except there really was no meltdown. There were no hashtags threatening to boycott. There were no mass protests on social media. Whittakers casting was accepted with avid curiosity and was overall positive.

What there was were a few comments, once again by random twitter and Facebook users with no real influence. This, however, did not stop other outlets from running with it -- Buzzfeed in particular.



People Are Making The Most Hilarious Jokes About The People Who Are Not Okay With A Woman Playing The Doctor In "Doctor Who blasted the headline of a story written by reporter Remy Smidt and TV Editor Scott Bryan.

"The hilarious" jokes cited in the piece came at the expense of exactly three twitter users. Thats right, three. One of them, a business news reporter for The Advocate, named Timothy Boone, did not voice any displeasure, but simply tweeted I dont know about this. Boone is a verified Twitter user but with only 600 Twitter followers. One fan tweeted, Im not watching anymore. This person has 650 twitter followers. Another twitter fan, with under 200 twitter followers simply tweeted Ruined. Another anonymous user cited in the piece had 115 twitter followers.

This great internet protest of the new Lady Doctor amounted to a few private Twitter users voicing an opinion who cumulatively have gathered less than a total of 2,000 twitter followers. The Buzzfeed piece then went on to cite a disproportionate amount of Twitter users with larger followings to clap back at them which in fact actually proves the point that there was not rampant sexism directed at Whittaker or the casting decision.

Doctor Who: Jodie Whittaker casting splits fans, read the headline over at BBCs official site, for a similar story. Again, the BBC cited two negative comments with an overwhelming response of positive comments from former cast members, celebrities and media personalities.

Once again, media outlets are attempting to create a fake controversy where there really isnt one in hopes of generating some narrative about how sexist and unaccepting of women (or change) our society is. Whittaker is bound to be asked about the fans and the haters online during press junkets. Shed do a lot of good by ignoring this game.

Stephen L. Miller has written for Heat Street and National Review Online. Follow him on Twitter at @redsteeze.
Sen. Bernie Sanders wife, Jane Sanders, is crying sexism against the man responsible for an FBI investigation into the allegations she fraudulently obtained a loan for the Vermont college she once oversaw.

I find it incredibly sexist that basically hes going after my husband by destroying my reputation, and thats not OK, Jane Sanders told The Boston Globe.

The FBI investigation began in early 2016 after Brady Toensing, a former official for Donald Trumps presidential campaign in Vermont and now a candidate for U.S. attorney in the state, filed a complaint alleging Jane Sanders committed bank fraud.

SANDERS BLAMES REPUBLICANS FOR FBI PROBE OF WIFE

Toensing, according to the Washington Examiner, started researching Jane Sanders in 2014, years before her husband Sen. Sanders, I-Vt., would run for president.

Jane Sanders led the small liberal-arts school Burlington College from 2004 to 2011. The college closed in 2016 after struggling to pay back creditors, and ultimately lost its accreditation.

"Jane Sanders must think Hillary Clinton's campaign was sexist for viewing the alleged bank fraud as a major issue, too," said Michael Ahrens, Rapid Response Director for the RNC. In publicly leaked emails from Clintons presidential campaign in 2015, Clinton's team looked into using Jane Sanders role in the colleges failure against then-candidate Bernie Sanders.

JANE SANDERS LAND DEAL: FEDERAL PROBE REPORTEDLY SEEKING GRAND JURY TESTIMONY

The opposition research by the Clinton campaign, which highlighted Jane Sanders' connection to Burlington College and its financial downfall, shows that both ends of the political spectrum speculated about her connection to the schools monetary collapse.

Toensing said he wants everyone to be treated fairly, regardless of their status.

My goal is for a full, fair, and impartial investigation  thats all I care about, Toensing told the Globe. That people be treated the same regardless of status in this system.

Fox News' Joe Weber contributed to this report.
Mike McCurry, Bill Clintons spokesman during the impeachment mess, used to describe his strategy as telling the truth slowly.

The Trump White House seems to have upgraded that approach to very slowly.

Damage control is an art, and its one the current administration has not yet mastered. Even if you believe the whole Russia story is overblown and being pushed by a hostile media, a president and his team have to be able to minimize controversial revelationsespecially when, as in the case of Donald Trump Jr., they are based on facts.

By not disclosing there was another person in the meeting between Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya and Don Jr., Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort, the White House allowed NBC to break the story Friday just as the uproar was starting to fade a bit. Not only did administration officials fail to get ahead of the news, they turned what could have been a two-day story into a weeklong mess.

And the fact that the other participant, Rinat Akhmetshin, is not just a Russian-American lobbyist but a former Soviet intelligence officer just makes it look like the White House had something to hide. It may or may not mean anything that, as the Daily Beast, reported, Akhmetshin was accused in a lawsuit of hacking into two computer systems of a Russian mining company. But lets just say the appearance isnt great.

And Akhmestshin told the AP that the Russian lawyer, Veselnitskaya, had given the Trump team a printout of questionable donations to the DNC, as opposed to offering nothing at all on the Democrats.

When Don Jr. did his interview with Sean Hannity, the Fox host asked him if he had met with any other Russians. Not in a formalized meeting or anything like that, because why would I? Trump said.

At another point Hannity asked, So as far as you know, as far as this incident is concerned, this is all of it?

This is everything. This is everything, the presidents son replied.

It wasnt.

The better course, in retrospect, would have been to say by the way, there was another guy in the meeting, here is his name, I didnt know anything about him. That would have been plugged into the stories but not left on the street like a ticking time bomb.

Keep in mind that Don Jr. originally gave the New York Times, which broke the story, a narrow statement saying the meeting was primarily about a Russian adoption program. White House officials drafted that statement, and Im told it was over the objections of the presidents son, who wanted to provide a more detailed statement.

In the second statement, Don Jr. acknowledged that he took the meeting because he was told Veselnitskaya had opposition research on Hillary Clinton, and that this was authorized by the Russian governmentbut turned out to be a pretext to talk about U.S. sanctions that led to the elimination of the adoption program.

And the younger Trump released the emails setting up the meeting only when told that the Times was about to publish them.

The president defended his son, and the story was starting to play itself out when the latest shoe dropped.

Maybe the media, as usual, are making too much of this. Maybe theres a gotcha element to the coverge. With some Democrats crying "treason," the press is again ready to go beyond the available facts.

But its harder for an administration to make that case when it holds back relevant details until they dribble out in the press--as Ari Fleischer agreed on yesterday's "Media Buzz."

Lanny Davis, the Clinton White House lawyer who dealt with the accumulated scandals, later published a book titled Truth to Tell: Tell It All, Tell It Early, Tell It Yourself.

The Trump team might check it out if it wants to stop getting blindsided on this Russia story. If its going to leak out anyway, telling it early is the best course.
Former FBI Director James Comey is writing a book about his career in public service, including his dramatic and short tenure in the Trump administration, and all major publishing houses have expressed interest, his literary agent said.

Comey has been meeting with editors and publishers in New York in recent days and is being represented by literary agency Javelin partners Keith Urbahn and Matt Latimer, the New York Times reports. It will not be a "tell-all memoir," the report says, but it will delve into his role in the Hillary Clinton email investigation and his conversations with President Donald Trump regarding the Russian election interference probe:

"Its a book about leadership and his search for truth, informed by lessons and experiences hes had throughout his career, including his recent experiences in the Trump administration," said Mr. Latimer, whose agency also represents Tucker Carlson and Donna Brazile. "It will speak to a broader desire in our country for more ethical leadership."

Mr. Comey has been unexpectedly thrust into the spotlight in recent months. When he was fired, Mr. Comey was four years into a 10-year term. He didnt go quietly. Instead, he leaked the contents of memos he had kept that documented his conversations with Mr. Trump, including, according to Mr. Comey, a conversation in which the president urged him to drop the federal investigation into Mr. Trumps former national security adviser, Michael T. Flynn.

Almost immediately after his firing, agents and publishers pounced, setting off speculation that Mr. Comey was contemplating writing a book. News outlets ran articles positing that Mr. Comey could land an eight-figure advance for a memoir.

Comey was initially reluctant to write a book, according to the report, but he decided that he "had something to say beyond a rehashing of his career highlights and low points, according to his agent." His goal is to draw lessons about ethics and leadership from his service in government, which included clashes with the Bush administration over domestic surveillance.

Click for more from the Washington Free Beacon.
A threatening note was left at Republican Senator Dean Hellers office in Las Vegas Sunday after a break-in, police have confirmed to Fox News.

Patrol officers with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department saw the note left for Sen. Heller next to the door to his office when they responded to a call from a burglar-alarm company just after 9 a.m. Sunday morning.

SEN. DEAN HELLER'S LAS VEGAS OFFICE BROKEN INTO, POLICE SAY

In a statement, the department said that officers took a report for the threatening letter but the content will not be disclosed while the investigation is open.

Sen. Hellers office also would not comment, citing the pending investigation.

The senator has been thrust into the national spotlight amid the Trump administrations effort to repeal and replace ObamaCare. Heller was one of a handful of Republicans to announce his opposition to an earlier version of the bill. Proponents of the bill have ramped up pressure to get his support.

Fox News' Andrew Craft contributed to this report.
Most people have no idea what constitutes a motion to proceed in the Senate.

But daily life motions to proceed help explain what the term means on Capitol Hill.

A boyfriend wants to marry his girlfriend. He drives a few hours late one night to pay his girlfriends father a visit. The boyfriend asks permission to have his daughters hand in marriage before he pops the question.

Thats a motion to proceed.

Youre ready to buy a home. But first you have to collate all your paperwork, employment history and credit reports so the bank can determine if you are pre-approved for a mortgage.

A motion to proceed.

It kind of works that way in the Senate, too.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., planned to move to proceed to retool the GOP-controlled chambers health care bill this week. The Senate must clear at least one procedural bar to start debate, but cannot advance to the bill without at least a simple majority of votes.

McConnells plans went haywire over the weekend when word broke that Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., had a blood clot above his eye. McCains office said doctors performed a minimally invasive craniotomy on the senator.

A craniotomy is a procedure in which physicians temporarily remove part of the skull to reach the brain. McCains office said the senator is recovering at home and that he would remain in Arizona over the coming days.

A couple of hours later, McConnell announced the Senate would defer consideration of the health care bill.

McConnell may have wanted to hold a mid-week vote on the Senates motion to proceed on health care. Prospects for the Senate having a simple majority willing to start debate was a jump ball at best. But McCains confirmed absence reflected one Capitol Hill maxim: You cannot alter congressional mathematics.

You cannot do anything if the math doesnt work. With McCain out for at least a week, the math was clear: McConnell didnt have the votes.

There are 52 Republican senators and 48 senators who caucus with the Democrats. McConnell released a revamped health care bill last Thursday. Its unclear whether the legislation could command the votes to pass. But something else was crystal clear: Senate Republicans were on the cusp when it came to having enough votes on the motion to proceed to the bill.

Republicans could only lose two votes to make a prospective roll call a 50-50 tie. That was OK because Vice President Pence would break the deadlock. Within an hour of Republicans learning of the health care revisions, GOP Sens. Susan Collins, Maine, and Rand Paul, Kentucky, opposed the motion to proceed.

Buttonholed by a phalanx of reporters in the Ohio Clock Corridor off the Senate chamber, Collins said she would very likely vote no on the motion unless the Congressional Budget Office produced better numbers on Medicaid.

On Fox News, Paul described the updated plan as ObamaCare lite and said, It doesnt fix the fundamental flaws of ObamaCare.

So at best, the Senate only had 50 yeas to proceed to the bill. Thats why a yea vote by McCain was so crucial. But McCain made it clear he wasnt impressed with the new draft.

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, he said last week. I intend to file amendments that would address concerns raised by Arizona Governor Doug Ducey and other leaders across our state about the bills impact on Arizonas Medicaid system.

The biggest issue is the motion to proceed, mused Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan. Were going to look pretty silly if we dont.

And once McCain was out, the calculus flopped.

The Senate would have only 99 senators present: presumably 51 Republicans and 48 Democrats. But already the yeas on the motion to proceed dwindled to a maximum of 49. Thats not a majority of 99. The GOP needed at least 50.

It would be another matter if McConnell flipped Collins or Paul. But they seem dug in for now. Plus, the Senate is a body of comity and tradition. People would look askance at McConnell if he somehow turned Collins or Paul, suddenly had 50 yeas out of 99 and moved ahead. The Senate generally doesnt engage in dirty pool.

Many would argue the Republican leadership took advantage of McCains absence to score a legislative victory. Not fair to McCain, to say nothing of Arizona.

Math always matters in Congress. And mathematics seems to hold a particular sway over health care policy. Democrats wielded a 60-40 edge over Republicans in January, 2010 as they tried to usher the final version of ObamaCare to passage.

Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., died in 2009. Paul Kirk, also a Massachusetts Democrat, was appointed as a placeholder so the party could fend off a GOP filibuster with 60 yeas.

However, in January, 2010, Sen. Scott Brown, R-Mass., unexpectedly prevailed in a special election for that seat. Suddenly Democrats encountered a math problem. They only had 59 yeas. Republicans could filibuster ObamaCare and block Democrats efforts to overcome the filibuster with just 41 votes.

Thats why Democrats turned to the special budget process called reconciliation, which requires only a simple majority to approve bills.

It was one thing for Republicans to lack 60 votes to undo ObamaCare. Its another thing when they cant even cobble together 51 votes just to start the debate.

Health care could be back on the Senate floor next week or whenever McCain returns to the Senate. But his absence reveals how fragile the vote count is at any step of the process.
The number of people thought to be involved in the alleged unmasking of American citizens under the Obama administration could be expanding, according to a source close to the House Intelligence Committees review.

The source with knowledge of the review told Fox News the records suggest the unmasking goes beyond key officials like former National Security Adviser Susan Rice, former CIA Director John Brennan and former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Samantha Power.

The source said more than a half-dozen former senior Obama administration officials are now of interest to House committee investigators.

Committee Chairman Devin Nunes, R-Calif., issued subpoenas in May to the CIA, FBI and NSA for records about the identification of American citizens in intelligence reports, also known as unmasking.

The subpoenas covered 2016 and were issued after allegations Rice and others unmasked associates of now-President Trump. Fox News is told the agencies have now fully complied.

While Nunes has taken himself out of the committees Russia inquiry following an ethics complaint which he has denied, the chairman remains involved in the unmasking inquiry. Committee Democrats have criticized Nunes for issuing subpoenas in his current capacity.

Separately, the committee has been preparing to hear from Rice in a closed-door session as early as Tuesday, though the former national security adviser is no longer expected to testify that day.

The unmasking issue is likely to be a central focus of her eventual testimony.

The source said some of the unmasking in question could be routine  though other requests appeared unwarranted and will require more explanation. The source said House investigators are only at the beginning of their assessment and described the paper trail as containing a significant number of records.

The congressional scrutiny at this stage does not mean investigators have concluded any official violated the law or internal regulations.

Rice spokeswoman Erin Pelton previously told the Associated Press that Rice is cooperating with House and Senate intelligence committees.

Rice in March had told PBS she knew nothing about Trump associate unmasking.

But in early April, she acknowledged she asked for the identities of U.S. citizens in intelligence reports, while defending those requests as routine and denying leaking any Trump-related information.

"I leaked nothing to nobody, and never have," she told MSNBC.
Even with the Senate health care bill on hold pending the return of a key lawmaker, moderate Republicans already have extracted what critics call "payoffs" from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in exchange for their support.

Those familiar with the process, even from the other side of the aisle, told Fox News this is how things get done. But the sweeteners are reminiscent of the wheeling and dealing then-Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., did to pass ObamaCare, which Republicans criticized at the time.

And just as critics used nicknames like the Cornhusker Kickback to blast those ObamaCare add-ons, some are doing the same for the special provisions tucked into the ObamaCare overhaul.

Get ready to hear howls about what critics dub the Polar Payoff (for Alaska GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski); Bayout Bailout (for Louisiana GOP Sen. Bill Cassidy); and Sunshine Sellout (for Florida GOP Sen. Marco Rubio).

These provisions were added in an effort to win over votes from these senators, Capitol Hill sources told Fox News.

They are as follows:

Polar Payoff -- The revised legislation requires that 1 percent of funds meant to 'stabilize' the insurance market are available to states where the cost of insurance premiums are at least 75 percent higher than the national average, sources told Fox News. Alaska is the only state that meets this benchmark under the new legislation and would receive $1.82 billion over the next eight years, sources said.

Bayou Bailout -- Louisiana and Alaska -- and potentially other states -- would benefit from this sweetener. The provision, a major selling point for Cassidy, would tweak the formula so that states that were late to expand Medicaid could get more funding.

Sunshine Sellout -- Sources said this provision was meant to benefit Rubio's Florida. The tweak would change the way funding is calculated under the Disproportionate Share Hospital program, resulting in more money for Florida.

Former Nebraska Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson, who was the beneficiary of ObamaCare's "Cornhusker Kickback" and received considerable GOP scorn at the time, told Fox News on Monday that Republicans are guilty of hypocrisy.

When roles are reversed, its humorous, Nelson told Fox News. Republicans were criticizing Democrats for things done back then, and now, theyre engaged in the same thing in order to get the number of votes necessary.

Nelson noted it could become even more necessary to cut deals with moderate Republicans, as Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., is off of Capitol Hill for at least one week after an emergency medical procedure.

But former chief of staff for Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., David Krone, said this is just politics.

All politics are local, you have got to let things play out, and were seeing now that its a lot harder to operate in sunshine than in darkness, Krone told Fox News. As far as deals go, the average American doesnt understand them and thinks theyre payoffs and a slimy part of the process, but deals like this have been around for centuries.

Krone added: If you believe the deal enhances the bill, or gets you a vote, then thats what you have to do.

But Krone suggested Republicans are going down the same road as Democrats: Theres nothing wrong by doing it  but lets stop the fantasy of saying it's somehow different from what Democrats did.

Meanwhile, other moderate senators have been looking for issue-based concessions like funding to fight opioid abuse and additional Medicaid spending. Republican Sens. Murkowski, Dean Heller of Nevada, Rob Portman of Ohio, Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia and John Hoeven of North Dakota met with McConnell last week to make their requests.

McConnell cant afford any more GOP defections, so deals with moderate Republicans could become the norm in the days and weeks leading up to a vote.

I do think that Senator McConnell knows whats best, like Reid did, and knows his caucus better than anybody, Krone said, referring back to Reids ObamaCare deal. He got everybody to agree on something.

Fox News' Mike Emanuel contributed to this report.
Three decades before Ed Murray was elected Seattle's mayor, an Oregon child-welfare investigator found that he had sexually abused his foster son, prompting state officials to conclude that "under no circumstances" should Murray serve as a foster parent in the future.

The findings were reported Sunday by The Seattle Times , after Oregon's Department of Human Services in April unearthed old records  previously thought to have been destroyed  at the newspaper's request. The agency initially withheld many of the documents, but it released them to the Times this month after it appealed, agreeing that it was in the public interest to do so.

"In the professional judgment of this caseworker who has interviewed numerous children of all ages and of all levels of emotional disturbance regarding sexual abuse, Jeff Simpson has been sexually abused by . Edward Murray," Child Protective Services caseworker Judy Butler wrote in the May 1984 assessment.

Murray's former foster son, Jeff Simpson, is one of four men who publicly accused him this spring of sexually abusing them long ago. Murray adamantly denies the allegations, but he declined to seek re-election.

In a written response Sunday, Murray said the child-welfare investigator never interviewed him and that neither he nor his attorney was informed of the findings at the time. He said the allegations were fully investigated and prosecutors never brought charges.

"That she believed Jeff's claims at the time and advocated on his behalf is painful to see, but does not change the fact that, based on the totality of the evidence that was collected, the District Attorney declined to file charges," Murray said.

Still, the Times reported, the newly disclosed records reveal that a Multnomah County prosecutor declined to pursue charges because of Simpson's troubled personality, not because she thought he was lying.

"It was Jeff's emotional instability, history of manipulative behavior and the fact that he has again run away and made himself unavailable that forced my decision," Deputy District Attorney Mary Tomlinson wrote.

She added: "We could not be sure of meeting the high burden of proof in a criminal case  of proof beyond a reasonable doubt and to a moral certainty. However, this in no way means that the District Attorney's Office has decided Jeff's allegations are not true."

Simpson, now 49, had been abandoned as an infant. He lived under Murray's care for nearly a year and a half as a teenager, after meeting him when Murray counseled him at a Portland center for troubled teens in the late 1970s.

Simpson said the abuse began in 1980, when he was 13 and spending a weekend with Murray. The abuse continued after Murray became his foster father and lasted until he left Murray's care at age 16, Simpson said. At times, Murray paid Simpson $10 or gave him drugs for sex, he said.

He considered suing Murray in 2008, but his lawyer declined to pursue the case over a statute of limitations issue. By then, Murray was a Washington state senator, Democratic powerbroker and gay rights advocate. He was elected mayor in 2013.

Simpson told the Times he was happy the Oregon documents backed his claims. "Wow, wow. Thank you, Jesus," he said.

Simpson added that he and his attorney had tried to find such documents, but they were told none existed.

The Times first published details about Simpson's claims in April when a Kent man, Delvonn Heckard, made similar accusations against Murray in a sexual-abuse lawsuit. Heckard withdrew his lawsuit in June, saying he intends to refile after Murray leaves office.

In May, Murray's personal spokesman, Jeff Reading, provided The Times with copies of several statements from people who supported Murray when Simpson first made his allegations in 1984.

Reading said he was providing the information because "there is an existing body of evidence that rebuts and contradicts what Jeff has said."

One was from a counselor who had worked with Simpson at Murray's request, and said he "did not believe that allegation at the time, and found it to be completely irrational."

Some of the same statements were included in the state foster records released this month. The investigator considered them before making her finding, the newspaper reported.
The Secret Service pushed back on a suggestion Sunday from President Trumps outside attorney that the now-infamous 2016 meeting the president's eldest son took with Russian representatives would not have happened if the Secret Service considered it a problem.

Jay Sekulow had questioned why the Secret Service allowed Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya and others into Trump Tower for the meeting with Donald Trump Jr. in June 2016.

If this was nefarious, whyd the Secret Service allow these people in? Sekulow said on ABCs This Week. The president had Secret Service protection at that point. That raised a question with me.

But according to the Secret Service, their protection did not extend to the presidents son at that point in the campaign.

Donald Trump Jr. was not a protectee of the USSS in June 2016, a USSS official said. Thus we would not have screened anyone he was meeting with at that time.

The Secret Service has authorization to protect family members of the president, vice president, president-elect and vice president-elect, along with other individuals in the presidential line of succession. They also are authorized to protect major presidential and vice presidential candidates and their spouses within 120 days of a general election.

Donald Trump Jr. would not have fallen into those categories at that time.

Sekulow, in multiple interviews on Sunday, tried to downplay the controversy over the 2016 meeting, apparently held after an intermediary said a Russian lawyer could have damaging information on Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. The meeting details have revived allegations of collusion with Russia which the Trump team denies.

Fox News Brooke Singman and Wes Barrett contributed to this report.
The office of Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., was broken into Sunday, police said.

Las Vegas Metro police told Fox 5 Vegas that someone broke into the office lobby in the morning.

A source told KLAS-TV a threatening note was also left at Hellers office. Authorities could not confirm whether a note was left.

"We can't comment on/discuss ongoing investigations, a Heller spokesperson told KLAS-TV.

Heller had been thrust into the national spotlight over the Trump administrations effort to repeal and replace ObamaCare. Pressure has been put on him to declare support for the bill.

If Heller supports the bill, he would likely be parting ways with Nevada's popular GOP Gov. Brian Sandoval in a state that did not support President Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election.
Susan Rice is no longer expected to visit Capitol Hill on Tuesday for a meeting with the House committee probing allegations she "unmasked" President Trump associates in Russian meddling probes.

Rice had been expected to face tough questions on her role in the matter while serving as then-President Barack Obamas national security adviser. Trump alleges Rice may have committed a crime by asking government analysts to disclose the names of his associates documented in intelligence reports.

Fox News was initially told Rice would be giving closed-door testimony Tuesday before the Republican-led House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

SUSAN RICE SUGGESTS RACE, GENDER BIAS LINKED TO 'UNMASKING' BACKLASH

But that session has apparently been postponed.

The panel is leading one of several investigations into Russian meddling in the 2016 White House race, which have engulfed the Trump administration and evolved to include questions about whether anybody on Trumps campaign team colluded with the Kremlin to defeat Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.

Ohio GOP Rep. Jim Jordan last week told Fox News that he wants Rice to answer the basic question: Did you unmask the names and if so why?

He also argued that Americans indeed deserve to know the truth about the Trump associates but they also want answers from high-ranking Obama administration officials who may have misled Americans on critical matters -- including Rice, as U.S. ambassador to the U.N., saying the fatal 2012 Benghazi terror attacks were largely sparked by an anti-Muslim video.

The American people want to get the truth on all of these issues, said Jordan. He also raised concerns about how Obama Attorney General Loretta Lynch handled the Clinton email investigation and whether James Comey exposed classified information in an apparent effort to retaliate against Trump firing him as FBI director.

Rice has denied that she did anything inappropriate, saying she was authorized as Obama's national security adviser to seek the identities of people whose names were redacted from intelligence reports.

And she has suggested that her race and gender may be playing a role in the controversy, in a recent New York Magazine interview.

Rice spokeswoman Erin Pelton says Rice is cooperating with House and Senate intelligence committees, as she had said she would.

Congressional investigators have also issued subpoenas to the NSA, CIA and FBI seeking "unmasking" information related to three individuals: Rice, former CIA Director John Brennan and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power.

Rice told PBS in March that she knew nothing about the unmasking of Trump associates.

She later acknowledged having occasionally sought the identities of Trump associates who communicated with foreigners, a process known as unmasking in the intelligence community. But she later told MSNBC, I leaked nothing to nobody.

Among those reportedly unmasked was Michael Flynn, Trumps national security adviser until undisclosed conversations with Russian ambassador to the U.S. Sergey Kislyak led to his resignation in February.

Fox News' Joseph Weber, James Rosen, Chad Pergram and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
President Trump took to Twitter Monday morning defending his son anew over his controversial meeting with the Russian attorney who supposedly promised dirt on Hillary Clinton.

Most politicians would have gone to a meeting like the one Don Jr. attended in order to get info on an opponent. Thats politics! Trump tweeted Monday.

In recent days, the president has posted multiple Twitter defenses of his son, Donald Trump Jr., in the wake of new revelations surrounding his June 9, 2016 meeting at Trump Tower with Kremlin-linked attorney Natalia Veselnitskaya and other associates.

Trump Jr., his brother-in-law Jared Kushner and then-campaign chairman Paul Manafort were known to have attended the meeting with Veselnitskaya and music publicist Rob Goldstone, who brokered the get-together promising campaign dirt on Hillary Clinton.

RUSSIAN LOBBYIST, UNNAMED TRANSLATOR ATTENDED TRUMP TOWER MEETING WITH RUSSIAN LAWYER

But as of Friday, the number of people known to have attended the controversial meeting grew to eight, including Rinat Akhmetshin, a Russian-American lobbyist who confirmed his attendance, and two others.

The meeting lasted just 20 minutes, but caused a massive headache for the White House by reigniting claims that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia.

The president also tweeted on Sunday, slamming Clinton and questioning media coverage of the meeting.

HillaryClinton can illegally get the questions to the Debate & delete 30,000 emails but my son Don is being scorned by the Fake News Media? Trump tweeted, referring to CNN debate questions allegedly leaked by former CNN contributor and DNC official Donna Brazile.

TRUMP UNLOADS ON HILLARY OVER DOUBLE STANDARD, AMID REPORTS DEMS ALSO GOT FOREIGN HELP

Sundays tweet wasnt the first directed at Clinton in an effort to shed light on a double standard in terms of media coverage of the former Democratic presidential nominee and his son.

Last week, Trump unloaded on Clinton and tweeted: Why arent the same standards placed on the Democrats. Look what Hillary Clinton may have gotten away with. Disgraceful!
Its been nearly 500 days since the presidential election, but even still, President Trump and Hillary Clinton havent stopped their bickering.

Once friends  Clinton was even a guest at Trumps third wedding in 2005  the two New Yorkers havent left their squabbling behind in what was a volatile campaign season.

Heres a look at the jabs Clinton and Trump have taken at one another since Nov. 8, 2016.

March 17: 494 days since the election

In a lengthy Facebook post, Clinton sought to clarify remarks she made about voters, particularly women, who cast their ballot for Trump in 2016. In particular, she said men pressured white women to vote for Clinton.

During an interview last week with an Indian news publication, I was asked about 2016, and whether Trump is the virus or a symptom of something deeper going on in American society. Like most Americans, people overseas remain shocked and dismayed at what they are witnessing daily, Clinton said.

Clinton said she understood that many people were upset over her misinterpreted comments and stressed that there are women in the U.S. who question whether powerful women do have the ability to be leaders.

I know this because even I spent parts of my life wondering if I could achieve the same as male leaders, and a lot of that insecurity stemmed from my gender and how society views women, she said. When I was serving in various roles in public life, I was always more popular when I was working for or defending a man then when I was out there on my own. Thats the point I was making, in an effort to explain to an audience some of the many dynamics that have gone into these tumultuous last few years.

In her post, Clinton continued with a jab at Trump and his iconic slogan.

As I said throughout the campaign, Trumps message was dark and backwards looking, she wrote. I dont need to list the reasons, but the foundation of his message, Make America Great AGAIN suggests that to be great we have to go back to something we are no longer. I never accepted that and never will.

March 10: 487 days since the election

While on a trip to India, Clinton sat down for an interview during the India Today Conclave 2018 conference in Mumbai and castigated the president.

She accused Trump of having quite an affinity for dictators and said he really likes their authoritarian posturing and behavior.

And as for her election loss more than a year ago, Clinton said the Democratic Party does not do well with white men or married, white women.

And part of that is an identification with the Republican Party, and a sort of ongoing pressure to vote the way that your husband, your boss, your son, whoever, believes you should, she told India Today editor-in-chief Aroon Purie.

She added that Trump ran a backwards campaign that appealed to misogynists and racists. His campaign slogan  Make America Great Again  was looking backwards," she added.

She claimed Trumps message to voters was: You know, you didn't like black people getting rights, you don't like women, you know, getting jobs. You don't want, you know, to see that Indian American succeeding more than you are.

"I won the places that represent two-thirds of America's gross domestic product, Clinton continued. So I won the places that are optimistic, diverse, dynamic, moving forward.

March 5: 482 days since the election

In a tweet, Trump accused the Obama administration of launching an investigation into his campaign in order to help Clinton  or Crooked H, as he called her  win the election.

Why did the Obama Administration start an investigation into the Trump Campaign (with zero proof of wrongdoing) long before the Election in November? Trump said. Wanted to discredit so Crooked H would win.

Unprecedented. Bigger than Watergate! Plus, Obama did NOTHING about Russian meddling, he continued.

Feb. 28: 477 days since the election

Linking to a Washington Post report detailing a testimony from Adm. Michael S. Rogers, the head of U.S. Cyber Command who also directs the National Security Agency, Clinton warned in a tweet the Russians are still coming.

Rogers recently told the Senate Armed Services Committee that were probably not doing enough to deter Russians from interfering in future elections, including the 2018 midterms.

Our intelligence professionals are imploring Trump to act. Will he continue to ignore & surrender, or protect our country? Clinton asked.

Feb. 23: 472 days since the election

During his speech before the Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor, Md., Trump called out the crooked media and the crooked candidate, referring to Clinton.

His remark led the crowd to begin chants of lock her up, a common refrain at Trump campaign rallies.

Jan. 12: 430 days since the election

After reports surfaced that Trump lamented immigration from s---hole countries, Clinton took aim at the president in a tweet. She lambasted his ignorant, racist views of anyone who doesnt look like him.

The anniversary of the devastating earthquake 8 years ago is a day to remember the tragedy, honor the resilient people of Haiti, & affirm Americas commitment to helping our neighbors. Instead, were subjected to Trumps ignorant, racist views of anyone who doesnt look like him.

A day prior, Clinton retweeted conservative commentator Bill Kristol.

Two weeks ago a 26-year old soldier raced repeatedly into a burning Bronx apartment building, saving four people before he died in the flames. His name was Pvt. Emmanuel Mensah and he immigrated from Ghana, a country Donald Trump apparently thinks produces very subpar immigrants, Kristol tweeted.

Jan. 11: 429 days since the election

In an early morning tweet, Trump called Clintons missing emails into question.

Did Dems or Clinton also pay Russians? Where are hidden and smashed DNC servers? Where are Crooked Hillary Emails? What a mess!

Jan. 7: 425 days since the election

On Twitter, Trump quoted parts of a column by the New York Posts Michael Goodwin, which had praise for the current administration and criticism for Clinton.

Goodwin said in his column, as Trump quoted, that the mere thought of Clinton in the White House, doubling down on Barack Obamas failed policies, washes away any doubts that America made the right choice.

Jan. 6: 424 days since the election

Trump slammed Clinton and others who questioned his intelligence in a series of weekend tweets. He said his former opponent went down in flames.

Now that Russian collusion, after one year of intense study, has proven to be a total hoax on the American public, the Democrats and their lapdogs, the Fake News Mainstream Media, are taking out the old Ronald Reagan playbook and screaming mental stability and intelligence, Trump said.

Actually, throughout my life, my two greatest assets have been mental stability and being, like, really smart. Crooked Hillary Clinton also played these cards very hard and, as everyone knows, went down in flames. I went from VERY successful businessman, to top T.V. Star to President of the United States (on my first try), Trump continued. I think that would qualify as not smart, but genius  and a very stable genius at that!

Jan. 5: 423 days since the election

A scathing, tell-all book about the Trump White House hit the shelves, and the president used his former opponent to criticize the media coverage of it.

Well, now that collusion with Russia is proving to be a total hoax and the only collusion is with Hillary Clinton and the FBI/Russia, the Fake News Media (Mainstream) and this phony new book are hitting out at every new front imaginable. They should try winning an election. Sad!

Dec. 31: 418 days since the election

On New Years Eve, Trump said a Clinton presidency would have lowered the value of stocks by 50 percent.

If the Dems (Crooked Hillary) got elected, your stocks would be down 50% from values on Election Day, Trump said in a morning tweet. Now they have a great future  and just beginning!

Dec. 11: 398 days since the election

In Seattle, Wash., to discuss her book What Happened, Clinton blamed her presidential loss, in part, on Russian hackers influencing social media and massive voter suppression, the Seattle Times reported.

She also said Trump doesnt just like Putin, he wants to be like Putin.

Dec. 2: 389 days since the election

After Michael Flynn, Trumps former national security adviser, pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI in regards to its investigation into Russian interference in the presidential election, Trump compared Flynns situation to that of Clintons.

"So General Flynn lies to the FBI and his life is destroyed, while Crooked Hillary Clinton, on that now famous FBI holiday 'interrogation' with no swearing in and no recording, lies many times  and nothing happens to her? Rigged system, or just a double standard?" Trump tweeted.

Clinton, too, took digs at Trump while she was at a Teen Vogue summit in California.

Speaking to Black-ish star Yara Shahidi, Clinton addressed the presidential debate when Trump stood closely behind her as she moved around the stage, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

She also discussed some of the things Trump said about her, particularly him calling her a nasty woman.

All of that stuff he did didnt end up hurting him that much because men are given a much broader range of emotions to demonstrate their authentic feelings, Clinton said.

Nov. 18: 375 days since the election

Trump encouraged Clinton to get on with [her] life while he also seemingly encouraged her to run for president again.

Crooked Hillary Clinton is the worst (and biggest) loser of all time. She just cant stop, which is so good for the Republican Party, the president tweeted. Hillary, get on with your life and give it another try in three years!

Nov. 17: 374 days since the election

In a video for the progressive Mother Jones website, Clinton questioned the legitimacy of Trumps presidency.

I think there are lots of questions about its legitimacy, the former secretary of state said. She also suggested that she believes Trumps campaign colluded with Russian officials to win the election.

Nov. 3: 360 days since the election

Trump again castigated the DNC and Clinton over allegations that the party colluded with Clinton to hand her the nomination.

Everybody is asking why the Justice Department (and FBI) isnt looking into all of the dishonesty going on with Crooked Hillary & the Dems, Trump said on Twitter. New Donna B book says she paid for and stole the Dem Primary. What about the deleted E-mails, Uranium, Podesta, the Server, plus, plus

People are angry. At some point the Justice Department, and the FBI, must do what is right and proper. The American public deserves it!

The real story of Collusion is in Donna Bs new book. Crooked Hillary bought the DNC & then stole the Democratic Primary from Crazy Bernie!

Trump also noted that Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.  who he referred to as Pocahontas  answered in the affirmative when asked by CNN if she believed the DNC was rigged in favor of Clinton.

Nov. 2: 359 days since the election

Former interim DNC chairwoman Donna Brazile claimed that the party rigged the primary in favor of Clinton over Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. In response, Trump alleged that Clinton broke campaign finance laws and is guilty of money laundering.

Donna Brazile just stated the DNC RIGGED the system to illegally steal the Primary from Bernie Sanders. Bought and paid for by Crooked H, Trump said. This is real collusion and dishonesty. Major violation of Campaign Finance Laws and Money Laundering  where is our Justice Department?

Later, in an interview with Fox News The Ingraham Angle, Trump continued to criticize the DNCs apparent involvement with Clinton.

Oct. 19: 345 days since the election

Trump used news about a controversial Obama-era 2010 uranium deal to blast the media  using Clinton to do so.

Uranium deal to Russia, with Clinton help and Obama Administration knowledge, is the biggest story that Fake Media doesn't want to follow! Trump tweeted.

Oct. 18: 344 days since the election

In response to the revelation that Comey drafted a statement about the Clinton email investigation months before the probe was completed or he even interviewed her, Trump blasted both his former FBI director and former opponent online.

As it turned out, James Comey lied and leaked and totally protected Hillary Clinton. He was the best thing that ever happened to her, Trump said.

He also implied that the letter Comey wrote exonerating Crooked Hillary Clinton was obviously a fix.

Oct. 16: 342 days since the election

Trump said he would like to see Clinton challenge him in 2020.

"I was recently asked if Crooked Hillary Clinton is going to run in 2020," Trump tweeted. "My answer was: 'I hope so!'"

Trump later reiterated his desire for Clinton to run during a press briefing in the Rose Garden. He also criticized her for sticking up for professional athletes who have chosen to kneel during the national anthem in a sign of protest.

Oct. 13: 339 days since the election

While discussing the multiple sexual assault and harassment allegations against movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, Clinton said there is someone admitting to being a sexual assaulter in the Oval Office.

The really sad part of the campaign was how this horrific tape, what he said about women in the past, what he said about women during the campaign, was discounted by a lot of voters, Clinton told the BBC.

Clinton was most likely referring to the infamous Access Hollywood tape from 2005 that caught Trump bragging that he could do anything to a woman because of his status. He also said he could grab them by the p----.

Trump later apologized for his comments and chalked them up to locker room talk.

Sept. 21: 317 days since the election

When Trump met with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, the Asian leader used a word that Trump liked to hear  deplorable. Using a translator, Moon said North Koreas actions were deplorable.

I am very happy that you used the word 'deplorable,' Trump said. I was very interested in that word.

In Clintons new memoir about the presidential election, she blamed her use of the word deplorables to describe Trumps supporters, in part, for her loss.

Sept. 13: 309 days since the election

As Clinton began her book tour across the country, promoting her memoir of the 2016 election, Trump dusted off his favorite campaign nickname for her.

Crooked Hillary Clinton blames everybody (and every thing [sic]) but herself for her election loss. She lost the debates and lost her direction! Trump said.

The deplorables came back to haunt Hillary. They expressed their feelings loud and clear, he continued in another tweet. She spent big money but, in the end, had no game!

While Clinton apologized for calling Trump supporters deplorable at the time, she defended her use of the word in an interview with CBS News.

I thought Trump was behaving in a deplorable manner. I thought a lot of his appeals to voters were deplorable. I thought his behavior, as we saw on the Access Hollywood tape was deplorable. And there were a large number of people who didnt care. It did not matter to them, Clinton said.

As the Daily Caller noted, the deplorable comment came almost a full month before the Access Hollywood tape was released.

July 24: 258 days since the election

Trump addressed approximately 40,000 people in West Virginia for the annual Boy Scout Jamboree  and couldnt resist taking a few jabs at Clinton.

He told the crowd that the reason he won Michigan was because he worked hard there unlike Clinton.

You know, my opponent didnt work hard there because she was told  she was going to win Michigan, Trump said.

Trump also repeated his questions about the investigation into possible collusion between the Russian government and his campaign during the presidential election continues.

So why arent the Committees and investigators, and of course our beleaguered [Attorney General Jeff Sessions], looking into Crooked Hillarys [sic] crimes & Russia relations? Trump tweeted.

July 22: 256 days since the election

Trump asked on Twitter why a special counsel or the attorney general isnt investigating more alleged crimes committed by Comey and Clinton.

In his tweet, Trump referenced the emails deleted from Clintons private server she used during her tenure as secretary of state.

In an additional tweet, Trump again compared his sons publishing of emails pertaining to a meeting with a Russian lawyer to Clintons own handling of her email server.

July 16: 250 days since the election

As Trumps son is criticized for meeting with a Russian lawyer who was supposed to have damaging information about Clinton during the presidential campaign, Trump defended his son on social media  while still criticizing his former opponent.

Hillary Clinton can illegally get the questions to the Debate & delete 33,000 emails but my son Don is being scorned by the Fake News Media?

Former CNN commentator and interim Democratic National Committee chairwoman Donna Brazile admitted in March 2017 to sharing debate questions with the Clinton campaign ahead of the primary town hall event.

July 12: 247 days since the election

On Twitter, Trump railed on the alleged double standards for Democrats.

Why arent the same standards placed on the Democrats, Trump tweeted. Look what Hillary Clinton may have gotten away with. Disgraceful!

July 10: 244 days since the election

As Trump came under fire for allowing his daughter, Ivanka, to sit in his place during a meeting at the G-20 summit, the president attempted to turn the tables on Clintons own daughter.

In a tweet, Trump alleged that if Clinton would have let daughter Chelsea Clinton sit in for her, the media would have heralded the decision.

If Chelsea Clinton were asked to hold the seat for her mother, as her mother gave our country away, the Fake News would say CHELSEA FOR PRES!

Chelsea Clinton got in on the feud and responded on social media.

Good morning Mr. President. It would never have occurred to my mother or my father to ask me. Were you giving our country away? Hoping not, she said.

May 31: 204 days since the election

After Clinton placed the blame of her presidential loss on a variety of reasons  misogyny, Facebook and the Democratic National Committee, to name a few  Trump took to Twitter.

Crooked Hillary Clinton now blames everybody but herself, refuses to say she was a terrible candidate. Hits Facebook & even Dems & the DNC, Trump tweeted.

Clinton fired back less than an hour later, mocking Trump for an erroneous but viral tweet he sent earlier in the day.

People in covfefe houses shouldnt throw covfefe, she said.

May 26: 199 days since the election

Clinton didnt miss an opportunity to criticize the president while she delivered the commencement address at Wellesley College in Massachusetts.

When people in power invent their own facts and attack those who question them, it can mark the beginning of the end of a free society, Clinton said. That is not hyperbole; it is what authoritarian regimes throughout history have done  They attempt to control reality.

May 24: 197 days since the election

Clinton harshly condemned Trumps proposed budget plan after she was honored by the Childrens Health Fund, a nonprofit in New York City. Clinton said Republican lawmakers are mounting an onslaught against the needs of children and people with disabilities, women and seniors.

The budget shows an unimaginable level of cruelty and lack of imagination and disdain for the struggles of millions of Americans, including millions of children, she said. None of us can remain silent in the face of these attacks.

"It hurts the well-being of children," Clinton continued. "It's time to send a resounding message that we will not stand for this attack on the most vulnerable among us."

May 3: 176 days since the election

Focusing on national security threats from North Korea, Clinton criticized Trump for his penchant for tweeting.

"If [Trump] wants to tweet about me I'm happy to be the diversion because we've got lots of other things to worry about. And he should worry less about the election, and my winning the popular vote, than doing some other things that would be important to the country," Clinton said at an event in New York City.

May 2: 175 days since the election

Clinton took a jab at Trump during a television interview as he continuously focused on his loss of the popular vote in the election.

He should worry less about the election and me winning the popular vote and more about other things, the former secretary of state said.

Remember, I did win more than 3 million votes than my opponent, Clinton added.

She also said that shes now a private citizen and part of the resistance.

April 23: 166 days since the election

Trump seemed to continue to compete with Clinton for the popular vote.

New polls out today are very good considering that much of the media is FAKE and almost always negative, Trump tweeted. Would still beat Hillary in popular vote.

Trump then cited an ABC News/Washington Post poll that he said showed almost all stand by their vote for Trump.

March 29, 2017: 141 days since the election

In one of her first public speeches since she lost the election, Clinton excoriated the Trump administration without actually using Trumps name.

Of Trumps policies, Clinton encouraged the women gathered to resist, insist, persist, enlist.

These are bad policies that will hurt people and take our country in the wrong direction, she said.

Dec. 23: 45 days since the election

Trump quoted Russian President Vladimir Putin to express his opinion on his former opponent.

Vladimir Putin said today about Hillary and Dems: In my opinion, it is humiliating. One must be able to lose with dignity. So true! Trump tweeted.

Dec. 21: 43 days since the election

Trump criticized Clintons campaign style in a tweet, arguing that she focused on the wrong states.

Campaigning to win the Electoral College is much more difficult [and] sophisticated than the popular vote, Trump said. Hillary focused on the wrong states!

Nov. 27, 2016: 19 days since the election

Trump claimed that Clinton won the popular vote by nearly 3 million people because millions of people  voted illegally.

In addition to winning the Electoral College in a landslide, I won the popular vote if you deduct the millions of people who voted illegally, Trump, then the president-elect, tweeted.

Fox News Brooke Singman and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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 long and about 65 feet 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.
Seventy years ago, the US dropped 23 nuclear bombs on Bikini Atollincluding one that was more than 1,000 times larger than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima, per the Guardian.

Steve Palumbi calls it "the most destructive thing we have ever done to the ocean." Yet the Stanford marine sciences professor and fellow researchers have found a thriving marine ecosystem in the waters in and around the crater left by the Bikini Atoll nuclear tests.

Palumbi says their studythe first looking in-depth at the effects of radiation on marine lifeshows marine life is "remarkably resilient." While there are some signs of mutation in nurse sharks in the area, according to USA Today, hundreds of schools of fish are apparently healthy, as are the giant coconut crabs munching on radioactive coconuts.

Perhaps most impressive is the coralsome of it as big as carswhich appears to have started growing as soon as a decade after the bombings. The coral shows no signs of being cancerous, and researchers hope learning why that is could potentially help humans fight cancer in the future, the Stanford Daily reports.

"The terrible history of Bikini Atoll is an ironic setting for research that might help people live longer," Phys.org quotes Palumbi as saying. The testing on Bikini Atoll rendered it a nuclear wasteland, one that is still unsafe for human habitation, but the bombs may have ultimately helped the coral, fish, and other marine life currently living there.

"In a strange way they are protected by the history of this place ... because they have been left alone," Palumbi tells the Guardian. (Now blowing up on YouTube: secret nuclear test footage.)

This article originally appeared on Newser: Even the Crabs Eating Radioactive Coconuts Appear Healthy
A couple of NASA computers dating back to the Apollo mission era have been recovered from the basement of a deceased engineer in Pittsburgh. The revelation comes from a NASAOffice of the Inspector General (OIG) report, which was released with the engineer's name redacted in response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.

Hundreds of tape reels many of them unmarked were found alongside the computer. The labeled tapes appear to contain details of space science-related missions such as NASA's Helios and Pioneer 10 and 11, which first flew by Jupiterand Saturn.

NASA was first contacted about the objects by a scrap dealer who had purchased them from the engineers heir."Please tell NASA these items were not stolen," the heir told the scrap dealer. "They belonged to IBM Allegheny Center Pittsburgh, PA 15212. During the 1968-1972 time frame, IBM was getting rid of the items so [redacted engineer] asked if he could have them and was told he could have them."

Because the computers were marked with a plate labeled Goddard Space Flight Center NASA Property, the dealer decided to reach out to the agency for clarification.

The sheer size of the machines may have been enough to deter the agency from reclaiming them. The computers are too heavy to be moved manually and likely required a crane to transport, according to the report. No. We do not need the computers, NASA wrote. We have no use for those computers."

Though the tapes may sound intriguing, they didn't hold up well in the engineer's care. In fact, an archivist from NASA Goddard Archives recommended they be destroyed as they were moldy and had little historical value.

"Based on the decision reached by the Goddard science experts and myself, there is no evidence that suggests this material is historically significant, and the lack of contextual contract-related information about the creation or the content of this material, coupled with the poor condition and the potential health risk posed by this material, I recommend disposal through the immediate destruction of all magnetic tapes, the archivist wrote.
American Airlines is clearing the air after a funky news story began making headlines on Sunday evening.

According to several local news outlets, including WNCN and The Charlotte Observer, officials at Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) explained that an American Airlines aircraft was forced to evacuate on Sunday evening after a passenger passed gas on the plane. The International Business Times, too, reported that the stench was so bad it caused nausea and headaches among passengers.

AA FLIGHT ALLEGEDLY DELAYED DUE TO 'URINE SMELL'

However, an American Airlines representative who spoke with Fox News claims that none of the story is true.

Andrew Sawyer, a spokesperson for Raleigh-Durham International Airport, has also confirmed that the plane in question was never even evacuated, but deplaned normally after landing. The airports comments do suggest that at least one passenger was affected by an odor issue after leaving the aircraft.

Medical call for persons affected by an odor came in after plane deplaned normally, Sawyer told Fox News.

The representative for American Airlines could only confirm that an aircraft crew is currently evaluating the plane.

In the meantime, several social media users took to Twitter to crack jokes, with a few applauding the gassy passenger for his/her fictional feat of flatulence.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

Sawyer did not confirm which flight, specifically, the persons affected by an odor had deplaned.
Disney announced a several new additions to its parks at the companys annual D23 Expo in Anaheim, Calif., but it was the news about its new Star Wars hotel that had fans quivering in their Darth Vader pajamas.

While discussing the details of the previously announced Star Wars lands at Disneyland and Disney World  which now go by the name Star Wars: Galaxys Edge  Disney Parks & Resorts chairman Bob Chapek revealed that Disney Worlds attraction will include an immersive resort where guests will be able to live out their Star Wars fantasies.

Its unlike anything that exists today, Chapek said during the presentation. From the second you arrive, you will become a part of a Star Wars story. Youll immediately become a citizen of the galaxy and experience all that entails, including dressing up in the proper attire.

GUEST AT DISNEYLAND PARIS SUING AFTER CREME BRULEE SCORCHES HER FACE

In addition to their new Star Wars garb, guests will also part of a narrative taking place at the starship-themed hotel, and theyll be able to interact with hotel employees dressed as droids and aliens, reports The Verge. Plus, any windows inside the starship will only look out onto outer-space scenes, further immersing guests in the Star Wars galaxy.

Once you leave Earth, you will discover a starship alive with characters, stories and adventures that unfold all around you, added Chapek. It is 100 percent immersive, and the story will touch every single minute of your day and it will culminate in a unique journey for every person who visits.

Or, as Bryan Bishop of The Verge describes it, Disney wants to build a Westworld for Star Wars fans.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

Needless to say, Star Wars fanatics are already losing their Jedi-loving minds on Twitter.

Chapek didnt specify when the immersive Star Wars resort is set to open, but TravelPulse reports that the first Star Wars: Galaxys Edge park will open at Disneyland in 2019, followed at a later date by the park in Disney World.

Other new attractions at the Star Wars: Galaxys Edge lands (at both Disneyland and Disney World) will include a Millennium Falcon simulator and a space battle attraction. Further details from the D23 Expo can be found here.
WASHINGTON  Three Senate Democrats are calling on the White House to review and possibly revoke Jared Kushner's security clearance. They are pointing to the revelation of a meeting with Russian contacts during President Donald Trump's campaign.

Kushner is a senior adviser to Trump and his son-in-law. Along with other Trump officials, he attended a June 2016 meeting with a Russian lobbyist who indicated she had damaging information about Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Kushner disclosed the meeting on his security clearance paperwork, but Democrats have questioned how much he disclosed.

Democratic Senators Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Al Franken of Minnesota and Mazie Hirono of Hawaii say in a letter to the White House that given the meeting, Kushner's top access "may pose a danger to this country."
The 14 people who were caught in a flash flood at a popular swimming hole in Arizona Saturday were identified by police on Monday and some were members of an extended family, authorities said.

One man remains missing.

Officials had previously said the last missing person was a 13-year-old boy, but have since realized that his body was recovered Sunday. Authorities now say the person missing is a 27-year-old man who has not been identified.

About 40 volunteer search-and-rescue workers and four search dogs resumed the search early Monday.

Gila County Sheriff's Office identified the others who were rescued from the flood as Julio Garcia, 29, Esthela Atondo, 28 and Marina Garcia, 1. The people who were killed are Jonathan Leon, 13, Mia Garnica, 5, Emily Garnica, 3, Danial Garnica, 7, Javier Raya-Garcia, 19, Selia Garcia Castaneda, 57, Erica Raya-Garcia, 2, Maribel Raya-Garcia, 24, and Maria Raya-Garcia, 27.

ARIZONA FLASH FLOOD: AT LEAST NINE KILLED IN UNSUSPECTING STORM, INCLUDING FIVE KIDS

The group from the Phoenix and Flagstaff areas had met Saturday for a day trip at a swimming hole near Payson, about 100 miles northeast of the capital. The intense thunderstorm caught everyone by surprise, unleashing 6-foot-high floodwaters mixed with trees and other debris onto the group.

The National Weather Service estimated up to 1.5 inches of rain fell over the area in an hour. The thunderstorm hit about 8 miles upstream along Ellison Creek, which quickly flooded the narrow canyon where the swimmers were.

Gila County Sheriffs Detective Sgt. David Hornung said the National Weather Service had issued a flash flood warning about 1 1/2 hours before, "but unless they had a weather radio out there, they wouldn't have known about it. There is no cell phone service out here."

"They had no warning. They heard a roar, and it was on top of them," Water Wheel Fire and Medical District Fire Chief Ron Sattelmaier said.

While Arizona is known for its dryness, it gets bursts of heavy rains during the summer monsoon season. The severe thunderstorm was located in a remote area that had been burned by a recent wildfire, Sattelmaier said.

Sudden flooding in canyons has been deadly before. In 2015, seven people were killed in Utah's Zion National Park when they were trapped during a flash flood while hiking in a popular canyon that was as narrow as a window in some spots and several hundred feet deep.

In 1997, 11 hikers were killed near Page, Arizona, after a wall of water from a rainstorm miles upstream tore through a narrow, twisting series of corkscrew-curved walls on Navajo land known as Lower Antelope Canyon.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.


Cops in Los Angeles County are on the hunt for a group of women accused of robbing at least two stores -- and using a stun gun to shock staffers who got in the way.

One robbery unfolded just before 9 p.m. last Thursday at a CVS in Temple City. The other occurred closer to 10 p.m. that same day at a Vons grocery store in Arcadia, Fox 11 reported.

The stores are within three miles of each other, according to KABC.

At CVS, two women entered the store, cleared an estimated $1,000 worth of merchandise off the shelves and turned to make their getaway. A manager approached the women when one of the suspects pulled out a stun gun and activated it, KTLA reported.

PENNSYLVANIA MURDER TIED TO ONLINE CULT, POLICE SAY

Less than an hour later, three female suspects entered Vons and tried again to steal an unspecified amount of baby formula, according to investigators. When approached by a security guard, one of the women used a stun gun to shock the guard, Fox 11 added.

In both instances, the women were described as black, in their mid-30s and dressed in black clothing. They got into a red four-door car with paper license plates, which could possibly be a Kia or Ford Focus, Fox 11 reported.

Click for more from Fox 11.
An Oregon woman is facing multiple charges after she allegedly towed her two young children and another child in a plastic toy wagon tied to her vehicle on Wednesday.

Alana Donohue, 27, is charged with three counts of reckless endangering, Springfield police say. She is accused of towing her two-year-daughter, four-year-old son, and eight-year-old nephew around a roundabout.

Authorities say that witnesses reported that a woman towing three kids -- and that Donohue drove as fast as 30 miles per hour.

"A witness reported the toddler began crying after the wagon went up on two wheels during the trip," a news release said. "That same witness reported observing Donohue pull over and move the toddler from the wagon to the car and then continue driving with the 4 year-old and the 8 year-old still in the wagon."

Donohue was indignant when drivers tried to get her to stop and said they should "mind their own business," the release said.

COPS: MOM SPLIT BOTTLE OF WHISKEY WITH TEEN DAUGHTER, WAITED HOURS TO CALL FOR HELP WHEN GIRL GOT SICK

Donohue confessed to towing the kids and claimed to have been traveling 5 miles per hour, Springfield police spokesman Lt. Scott McKee told The Oregonian.

"Given the time of day, it's right at 5 o'clock, it's a busy intersection," he said. "It feeds from three different directions."

Drugs and alcohol were ruled out, police said. Donohue's children have been placed with someone else, the newspaper added.
Loralynn Ingreso, the girlfriend of Thomas Meo  one of four men found murdered in Pennsylvania earlier this month  has posted an emotional tribute on Facebook, describing him as loyal, respectful, and her best friend.

I met him at the end of 2015. From the start, our time together was an adventure, he brought me to the stop of that parking garage to enjoy a view of the city as we shared some tunes and were surprised with just how much we had in common, Ingreso wrote Thursday. From that night, I knew he had my heart, which was terrifying, but one of the best feelings in the world.

She called him a man who kept his word, and someone who never allowed preconceptions or judgements to hinder him from connecting with others.

Tom had an innate selflessness nature about him. I recall him offering to give my friend a ride to the library because it was dark out and snowing pretty, Ingreso also wrote. That memory has always stuck out to me, because I dont know if I would have even done that if I had a car, I was selfishly thinking about the loss of a parking spot.

The heartbroken girlfriend concluded that Meo would forever be her sweet angel boy and that God blessed her with his presence in her life.

PENNSYLVANIA COLD CASE: POSSIBLE HUMAN REMAINS FOUND IN POLICE CHIEF'S MURDER

Meo, along with several other young men  Mark Sturgis, 22, Dean Finocchiaro, 19 and Jimi Tar Patrick, 19  were found dead earlier this month, allegedly murdered by Cosmo DiNardo, 20 and his cousin Sean Kratz. DiNardo, according to court documents, told investigators that he had a marijuana-related deal pre-arranged with Meo and had him park his car at a Solebury Township property before driving both he and Sturgis to a nearby property where Kraz was waiting.

DiNardo claimed to have shot Meo and Sturgis as they exited the vehicle. Sturgis was fired on several times, but because Meo was still screaming and DiNardo said he had run out of ammunition, he then run over him with a backhoe. The suspect told authorities he used the machine to put the bodies into a metal tank, where Finocchiaros corpse had already been dumped.

MOURNERS IN PACKED CHURCH CELEBRATE LIFE OF ROAD-RAGE VICTIM

The bodies were then dropped the bodies into the roaster, gasoline added, and set it on fire. The bodies of Meo, Finocchiaro and Sturgis were found buried 12 feet deep in one common grave. The remains of Patrick were recovered from a separate location on the farm.

Authorities had charged DiNardo earlier this year with having a gun despite an involuntary mental health commitment. In seeking $5 million bail on a stolen car charge this week, prosecutors said he had been diagnosed with schizophrenia. He also injured his head in an ATV crash a year ago.
An Arizona family that went to a popular swimming hole on Saturday to celebrate a birthday was swept up by flash floods that killed nine of them, including several children.

The family, from Phoenix, went to Cold Springs in Tonto National Forest on a sweltering afternoon to celebrate Maria Rayas birthday, according to the Arizona Republic. Fourteen family members were at the celebration, including Rayas three children and her husband, as well as extended members of the family.

Suddenly, a nearby flash flood brought water surging into the area where the family and about 100 others were swimming. One eyewitness described it to the Republic as a six-foot tall, 40-foot wide black wave that seemed to come out of nowhere.

Arizona floods: What we know so far

"They had no warning. They heard a roar and it was on top of them," Water Wheel Fire Chief Ron Sattelmaier told the newspaper.

Among the dead are Raya, 27, and her children  Emily, 3, Mia, 5 and Danial, 7, and five of her family members, Jonathan Leon, 13. Selia Garcia Castaneda, 57, Erica Raya-Garcia, 2 and Maribel Raya-Garcia. Her husband, Hector Garnica, 27, is still missing.



A GoFundMe page set up for the family has raised more than $14,000 as of early Monday afternoon.

This is to help Hector and Maria Garnica and [their] 3 kids [and] family members cover the cost of burying all 5 of them after the sudden tragedy in Payson that happened yesterday! the page says, they still haven't found Hectors body yet and we just want him to be with his family!!

At least four other members of the family were taken to the hospital. Authorities said it was at least three generations that had come together for a celebration that suddenly turned tragic.

"It was an extended family  brothers, sisters, aunts, cousins, a grandmother," said Detective David Hornung of the Gila County Sheriff's Office.

Mandisa Alexander, who was heading toward the swimming hole to celebrate her birthday, said the water was pushing trees and rising fast. She said she saw a man stuck in a branch holding his toddler daughter. She said she tried to rescue the father and daughter as water surrounded them, but she fell back and couldnt reach them.

ARIZONA FLASH FLOOD: AT LEAST NINE KILLED IN UNSUSPECTING STORM, INCLUDING FIVE KIDS

Eventually the helicopter came and took a couple of people out. We were able to communicate from up top, we were able to communicate with the guy that was down below and he was saying he was with, like, 10 other people, she told reporters.

The National Weather Service estimated up to 1.5 inches of rain fell over the area in an hour. The thunderstorm hit about 8 miles upstream along Ellison Creek, which quickly flooded the narrow canyon where the swimmers were.

Hornung noted that the National Weather Service had issued a flash flood warning about 1 1/2 hours before, "but unless they had a weather radio out there, they wouldn't have known about it. There is no cellphone service out here."

While Arizona is known for its dryness, it gets bursts of heavy rains during the summer monsoon season. The severe thunderstorm was located in a remote area that had been burned by a recent wildfire, Sattelmaier said. The "burn scar" was one of the reasons the weather service issued the flash-flood warning.

"If it's an intense burn, it creates a glaze on the surface that just repels water," said Darren McCollum, a meteorologist

Crowds looking to beat the Phoenix metro area's heat often head to the small creeks that flow out of the mountains forming swimming holes and a series of small waterfalls. But officials warn that visitors need to be aware of the dangers of a flash flood.

"I wish there was a way from keeping people from getting in there during monsoon season, " Sattelmaier said "It happens every year. We've just been lucky something like this hasn't been this tragic."

Fox News' Kelly Burke and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The search is still on for a 27-year-old man authorities say has been missing since a flash flood slammed into a popular swimming area on the East Verde River, about 100 miles northeast of Phoenix on Saturday.

A group of 14 friends and family were enjoying the cool waters at the Cold Springs Swimming Hole just north of the small town of Payson when a 6-foot wall of water, mud, dead wood and ash swept into the remote area.

It was caused by monsoon rains that hit a 7,000-acre burned out area some eight miles upstream. Gila County Sheriff's Spokesman, Sgt. David Hornung, says a warning was issued about an hour and a half before the remote swimming hole was hit.

ARIZONA FLASH FLOOD KILLS 9 FAMILY MEMBERS WHO WERE CELEBRATING BIRTHDAY

"There was probably no way they heard that there was a flash flood warning because there was no cellphone service and you're probably not going to get too many radio stations down in there either"

Scott Muller was working with the National Forest Service, clearing trees upstream from the swimming area, when he and his co-workers heard what sounded like a freight train. He pulled out his cellphone in time to capture the churning mass passing by but had no idea people were in the path downstream.

The danger of flash floods are always present during the monsoon season in the southwest.

"It could have happened to anybody, said local resident Dustie Ibbles. It happened so fast and you don't really have time to react."

Eyewitness Mandisa Alexander was just arriving at swimming hole when disaster struck.

"The water is calm, she said, and next thing we know there's just a bunch of water coming down."

She and four others tried unsuccessfully to help a man holding a toddler while trapped in the rushing current.

ARIZONA FLASH FLOOD: POLICE NAME VICTIMS KILLED AND RESCUED IN STORM

"...Tried to put a branch out to see if we could try to rescue him, and people were yelling and saying 'get out of the water', she said. So we ended up falling back and we got out and we weren't sure if there was more water coming down."

Carlos DeZubeldia and a companion unknowingly arrived just after the flood went through the area. They were on the trail to the swimming hole when a couple walking out told them to turn back because there was a body along the path.

"We decided to go further to see if there was anything we could do and we came across one of the ladies wrapped around a tree," he said.

DeZubeldia, who works in the medical industry, says rescue workers soon arrived on the scene.

"I looked in their faces and you could tell they were just in awe. They were really caught off guard and they didn't really know what to do. It was horrible."

In a press release Monday, the Gila County Sheriff's Office released the names of the 9 confirmed dead whose bodies were recovered over the weekend. They include 2-year-old Erica Raya-Garcia, 3-year-old Emily Garnica, 5-year-old Mia Garnica, 7-year-old Danial Garnica, 13-year-old Jonathan Leon, 19-year-old Javier Raya-Garcia, 24-year-old Maribel Raya-Garcia, 27-year-old Maria Raya-Garcia and 57-year-old Selia Garcia Casteneda.

The name of the missing man has not been released.

Gail O'Brien contributed to this report.
An Australian woman engaged to marry an American next month was shot and killed by a Minneapolis cop Saturday night after calling police to report an incident, leading her family and investigators to question what caused the deadly shooting.

The woman, identified as Justine Damond, 40, was killed in the late-night shooting in the city's Fulton neighborhood, Fox 9 reported. She reportedly had called to report an assault.

Two Minneapolis police officers responded to a 911 call of a possible assault just north of the 5100 block of Washburn Avenue S. just before 11:30 p.m. Saturday, the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said in a news release. "At one point, an officer fired their weapon, fatally striking a woman."

Police were trying to determine whether any video of the incident exists. The body cameras of the officers involved were not activated, according to police. No weapon was found at the scene.

Basically, my moms dead because a police officer shot her for reasons I dont know.  Zach Damond

Damond, an Australian national and instructor with the Lake Harriet Spiritual Community, was engaged to be married in August and has a son, according to Fox 9. Her fiance, identified by the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, as Don Damond, was reportedly on his way home from a business trip.

Damond, whose maiden name was Ruszczyk but went by her fiance's last name, called police after hearing a sound in a nearby alley, according to their son, Zach Damond, 22.

Basically, my moms dead because a police officer shot her for reasons I dont know, Zach Damond told the Star-Tribune. I demand answers. If anybody can help, just call police and demand answers. Im so done with all this violence.

Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges, at a press conference Sunday, called the shooting "tragic." She released a lengthy statement urging people to be patient as as information on the shooting is being released.

"You can rest assured that I will share any official updates I receivewith city officials, community stakeholders, and with you," Hodges said.

Michelle Gross, from Communities United Against Police Brutality, released a statement on Damond's death.

"Sadly we now [mourn the life of] Justine, a white woman living in southwest Minneapolis--who simply notified the police about an assault she was concerned about," Gross said. "She was being a good neighbor! And she lost her life being a good neighbor."

Both officers were placed on administrative leave.

The medical examiner's office will be conducting an autopsy.

The shooting comes a year after a Minnesota officer shot Philando Castile, an elementary school cafeteria worker, several times during a traffic stop. The deadly police-involved shooting sparked nationwide outcry. The officer, Jeronimo Yanez, was acquitted and received $48,500 to leave the department.

Click here for more from Fox 9.
A Colorado appeals court ruled Thursday that the possible presence of marijuana in a vehicle, detected by drug-sniffing dogs, does not give police the authority to search the vehicle.

A three-judge panel ruling in the case of a Craig resident agreed that police officers need more cause to search a vehicle without permission, according to the Grand Junction Sentinel.

Judge Daniel Dailey wrote in his ruling that it could be legal marijuana in the certain vehicle.

Because Amendment 64 legalized possession for personal use of one ounce or less of marijuana by persons 21 years of age or older in Colorado, it is no longer accurate to say, at least as a matter of state law, that an alert by a dog which can detect marijuana  but not specific amounts  can reveal only the presence of contraband, he wrote.

Dailey added the dog sniffing the vehicle could infringe upon a legitimate expectation of privacy.

The judges ruled in a February 2015 case. Craig police Cpl. Bryan Gonzalez followed a truck driven by Kevin McKnight that was leaving a house authorities had raided two months earlier.

Gonzalez said in testimony that he pulled McKnight over for making a turn without signaling and later called for a drug-sniffing dog. The dog sniff revealed a pipe that is mostly associated with meth smoking, according to the paper.

McKnight was convicted of possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a controlled substance.

However, the appeals court ruled the drug-sniffing dog could not tell what he was sniffing because marijuana is legal in Colorado. Thus, officers did not have enough probable cause to search the vehicle.
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 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 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 that 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 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 that 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 that 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.
Dogs arent just mans best friend  theyre friends with deer, too.

A dog in Long Island, New York jumped into the Long Island Sound, the body of water between Connecticut and Long Island, to rescue a young deer stuck in the water.

Storm just plunged into the water and started swimming out to the fawn, grabbed it by the neck, and started swimming to shore, the dogs owner, Mark Freeley, told CBS New York.

WASHINGTON STATE BIOLOGISTS RESCUE 33 PYGMY RABBITS

Once the dog swam back to shore, he put the deer on the ground, laid next to it and started to nudge it.

Freeley said after the initial rescue, the deer ran back into the water, presumably frightened by Storm and the ordeal.

Freeley and Frank Floridia, of animal rescue group Strong Island Rescue, took the charge this time and both waded into the water after the fawn.

MICHIGAN FIREFIGHTERS RESCUE DUCKLINGS USING YOUTUBE SOUND CLIPS

The second rescue was a lot of anxiety, Floridia said. He told CBS it took about eight minutes to get a rope around the animal.

The deer was carried to the rescues van. It was reportedly covered in ticks and sustained an eye injury, but its resting at a local animal rescue until its recovered.
A pair of father-and-son U.S. Army veterans is kayaking down the entire Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico for a good cause.

Jeff and Logan Hastings started their journey on May 1 at the headwaters of the Mississippi River. They've said they're hoping to call attention to veterans issues including suicide and PTSD.

Were trying to bring awareness through this trip. [For three months] were trying to put our feet in their shoes, Logan Hastings said noting the difficulties of the voyage.

Jeff joined the U.S. Army in 2009 and served as a chaplain in Iraq and Kuwait from 2010 to 2011. Logan enlisted in the Army in 2007 and completed two tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. He also received a Purple Heart for wounds he suffered after an explosion in Afghanistan.

After returning stateside, Logan says he had a lot of problems mentally and physically. He refused to take prescribed medicine and decided to self-medicate with alcohol.

Logan emphasized that many veterans who often need help never reach out for it.

Every soldier that gets out has a different scenario. Just because they dont have some physical attribute thats wrong or they dont walk with a limp or something doesnt mean they arent hurting, Logan told Fox News along the banks of the Mississippi River. There are plenty of things going on in their minds, their hearts. Some of them dont know how to get the help, others know how and they cant get it.

Logan says he originally came up with the idea to kayak down the Mississippi River as a fun trip with a friend. The idea then turned into a fundraiser. His friend wasnt able to go on the trip so his father jumped at the opportunity. Jeff says he noticed a change in himself after being deployed and suffered from depression and PTSD.

He said, Dad, weve got to do something to wake up our country, Jeff told Fox News. He said he wanted to kayak the entire length of the Mississippi [River] to suffer myself because my buddies are suffering.

The nearly three-month journey can be treacherous at times with the threat of rough weather and high temperatures. Both men have lost weight and Jeff passed out while on the river at one point. They start early each day to avoid the extreme heat.

This is the first time either of the men has taken on a major kayaking trip of this magnitude. Each night they set up camp on the banks of the river and share photos on their Facebook page along the way. Jeff and his wife founded the Warrior 180 Foundation to assist veterans. All donations in support of the trip go towards to the organization.

We provide crisis intervention for families of veterans, for veterans in the military, Hastings said. If veterans find themselves, or their families in a crisis, marriage trouble, drugs or alcoholism, depression, PTSD, thoughts of suicide. We come in either on the phone or if we can be there we travel there.

Both men are able to talk and share things they never spoke about including the struggles they both faced after being deployed. Although theyve gotten to know each other better their focus remains clear.

People have the freedoms they do today because of the sacrifice of these veterans and we need to give back to them. Im not saying that because I am a veteran. Thats the reason Im doing this, Logan said.

As of July 17, the men have just fewer than 300 more miles to go before they reach the Gulf of Mexico. You can follow along with their journey by visiting their Facebook page.
Newlyweds honeymooning in Florida kidnapped and raped a woman at a motel and then got naked the following day inside a nearby convenience store and stole a couple of sodas, police said Friday.

Miami-Dade police said Rashada Hurley and Timothy Lowe kidnapped a 27-year-old woman at a Publix in Hialeah as she was pulling out of her parking space. Police said Hurley got out of her vehicle and hit the woman over the head with something rendering her unconscious, according to the Miami Herald.

The woman told police that when she woke up Hurley, 32, was choking her as Lowe, 37, was driving her car. They all arrived at a Motel 6 and Hurley used the womans credit card to purchase a room, police said.

An affidavit added that the woman was raped and forced to perform oral sex on Hurley. She then escaped when the couple was distracted, according to the Herald.

Police arrested Hurley and Lowe after a convenience store employee called 911 about a naked couple who poured themselves some sodas and left without paying. Investigators linked the couple to the alleged assault and the woman identified one of her captors out of a lineup, the Herald reported.

Hurley and Lowe were jailed on kidnapping, carjacking, robbery and sexual battery charges and were denied bond on the kidnapping charges.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A high-rise fire in Hawaii killed three people and injured dozens of others and some did not even know an inferno had broken out in the building until they opened their doors or saw firefighters rushing in.

Several residents of the Marco Polo high rises in Honolulu told the AP on Sunday the fire alarms are located in the hallways and they had trouble hearing them when the blaze broke out. They said there were also no flashing alarm lights or public announcements about the fire.

Britt Reller jumped out of the shower when the fire started and did not realize the building was up in flames until smoke started to billow through his apartment, his brother said. He rushed out to try to save his 85-year-old mother, but he couldn't reach her and sought refuge from the smoke and flames under a bed.

His brother, a local pastor, was on the phone with Reller at the time. He never heard from him again, and police later told him that both Reller and his mother, Melba Jeannine Dilley, were among those killed.

"He said the smoke was very, very thick, and I heard him calling for my mother and then the phone went dead," Reller said. "I drove about 12 miles from my office to his apartment and then I just had to watch from outside. I'm still in shock. It is just surreal."

Joanna Kuwata, 71, lived alone and could not make it out of the building, her sister told the AP. She died of smoke inhalation.

Cory La Rose, an Air Force cyber technician, told the AP said he did not realize the building had no sprinklers when he moved in in May. He said there were no announcements or flashing lights when the fire occurred.

"I just heard a loud ringing, which is what caused me to look outside. I actually thought it was something from the street that was making the noise. After I saw people running out and went out the hallway myself, that's when I knew it was a fire alarm going off."

Gordon Kihune, who has lived in the building for about 12 years, said he hasnt seen any fire extinguishers or hoses in the building that he can remember.

The building known as the Marco Polo residences is not required to have fire sprinklers, which would have confined the blaze to the unit where it started, Honolulu Fire Chief Manuel Neves said.

Officials have not released any information about a possible cause for the blaze.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
An alert bus driver in San Francisco helped catch a woman who snatched a 6-month-old girl out of a parked car early Sunday, authorities said.

The San Francisco Police Department told KTVU the woman grabbed the baby from the father's vehicle around 8:30 a.m. in the city's South of Market neighborhood while the father was preparing a bottle to feed the little girl near the car.

After officials put out a city-wide alert, a MUNI bus driver spotted the suspect and infant about 5 miles away.

Police caught up to the bus around 9 a.m. and took the woman into custody, where she was booked on kidnapping charges, police told KTVU.

"Everybody got involved, this was a big deal," SFPD Lt. Martha Juarez told ABC 7.

As the woman was arrested by police, she was asked if she took the child, to which she replied "no."

The infant was taken to the hospital as a precaution, but there were no reported injuries.

The suspect's name was not immediately released, and police were investigating if there is any relationship between the woman and the family.

Read more from KTVU.
Police in Massachusetts rescued a dog after it was left in a car Sunday at an outlet mall.

The Wrentham Police Department said in a Facebook post it was 88 degrees outside when they came across the dog.

"88 degrees outside. When will people learn? The temp inside your car soars over 100 degrees! Why would you leave your beloved pet "member of the family" in a car like this?!," the department said in a Facebook post.

The dog was "safe and cool," and resting at a police station, police said.

The dog's owner is expected to be charged, according to police.
A Mexican folk religion involving human sacrifice and devoted to "Holy Death" is growing in popularity among drug traffickers and violent criminals, prompting Texas officials and the Catholic Church to warn about honoring the so-called "Saint Death."

Authorities are speaking out about the religion devoted to La Santa Muerte, which translates to Holy Death and "Saint Death," that has gained popularity steadily since the late 1980s among Mexican-American Catholics.

Shes not a saint. There is nothing good that can come out of praying to her, Sante Fe Archbiship John Wester said in February. We have a lot of saints who represent the teaching of Jesus Christ. This is an aberration.

Clad in a black nuns robe and holding a scythe in one hand, Santa Muerte appeals to people seeking all manner of otherworldly help, from fending off wrongdoing and carrying out vengeance to people seeking protection for their drug shipments against law enforcement.

Devotees often use Catholic prayers and set up shrines in "her" honor.

The Catholic Church in Mexico and the U.S. denounces the skeleton "saint," and warns that worship is spiritually dangerous. In February, Wester, El Paso Bishop Mark Seitz and San Angelo Bishop Michael Sis in Texas joined their counterparts in Mexico in urging Catholics to avoid honoring the folk saint and called her antithetical to the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Law enforcement officials in Austin, Texas told KVUE the religion has become prominent among drug traffickers and violent criminals.

"We're seeing more and more criminals that are praying to Santa Muerte, Robert Almonte, a former narcotics detective, told the television station.

Almonte, who now gives seminars across the country educating law enforcement on the signs of the folk religion, said officers are now "encountering elaborate Santa Muerte shrines" when entering homes on drug search warrants.

Austin police told KVUE they haven't seen any ritualistic killings in the area, but in two separate incidents the names of a judge and probation officer were found written on a piece of paper.

"Their hope is to actually have the officer or detective or what not - something bad happen to them and they might be able to go free from their cases," an undercover officer told KVUE.

A 2008 kidnapping by Gulf Cartel members of rival members in the Sinaloa Cartel featured executions in public Santa Muerte shrines, according to a 2014 FBI law enforcement bulletin.

And a massacre earlier this month of more than two dozen prisoners in a Mexican prison may be tied to a ritual of Santa Muerte, the Catholic News Agency reported.

The killings of 28 prisoners at the Las Cruces jail in Acapulco included executions "in the middle of a ritual to Santa Muerte" led by drug traffickers, according to documents obtained by the Mexican newspaper Reforma.

State authorities refused to comment on the ritual aspect of the massacre, but Roberto Alvarez Heredia, security spokesman for Guerrero state, said in the statement the killings began because of constant dispute between rival groups inside the prison.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Read more from KVUE.
A North Carolina man pleaded guilty on Monday to the 2014 shooting death of his elderly neighbor, just weeks after receiving a life sentence for plotting a massacre on behalf of the Islamic State.

Multiple media outlets report 21-year-old Justin Nojan Sullivan admitted Monday in a Burke County courtroom that he shot and killed 74-year-old John Bailey Clark in December 2014 as he slept in his bedroom.

Sullivan was tied to his neighbor's slaying after federal authorities launched a terror investigation, which was prompted by a 911 call in April 2015. His father told police that the young man was destroying religious items in their home in Morganton.

Weeks of communications with an undercover informant followed. He was arrested at the family's home on June 19, 2015, after he allegedly communicated with an Islamic State figure that same month via social media about making a video of a terrorist attack. Sullivan was accused of planning to use an assault rifle and silencer to carry out an attack at a concert, bar or club, which he believed would kill as many as 1,000 people.

Investigators said Sullivan told them he planned to carry out the attack when his parents would be out of town. Sullivan also allegedly offered an undercover FBI employee money to kill his parents to prevent them from interfering.

Forensic tests on his father's .22-caliber rifle later determined that the same gun had been used to shoot Clark in the head. Authorities accused Sullivan of taking the man's money to finance the act of terror.

A Burke County grand jury indicted Sullivan on a murder charge in the death of Clark, who lived a few doors down from him, said District Attorney David Learner.

Sullivan's lawyer, Victoria Jayne, said Burke County prosecutors agreed not to seek the death penalty. She couldn't be reached for additional comment on Monday, but she told The Charlotte Observer that he pleaded guilty because "Justin just wants to get this over with," before he is assigned a federal prison to serve his ISIS sentence.

"He's sort of anxious at this point of getting into the federal Bureau of Prisons. He's very nervous about that," Jayne told the newspaper. "He is socially awkward and he is socially immature."
A North Carolina woman who is 81 and confined to a wheelchair would not seem to fit the profile of a dangerous criminal suspect but that is how prosecutors are describing her, according to a report Monday.

Margaret Kellis, of Aberdeen, is accused of killing her husband and has been locked up since her arrest, the Southern Pines Pilot reports.

Moore County prosecutors labeled Kellis dangerous at a bail hearing last week.

They said that in the lock-up she threatened to kill another detainee 45 years younger than her.

Shes also tried to intimidate witnesses in the murder case to change statements, prosecutor Peter Strickland said, according to the paper.

He told the judge Kellis was a danger to herself and others and that she posed a flight risk if released on bail, the paper reported.

I have been told by family members that if she is released, we will never see her again, Homicide Detective Sgt. Anthony Guerra told the judge during the hearing.

Court-appointed defense attorney Arthur Donadio urged the judge to lower the bail from $1 million to $100,000, the paper reported.

He said Kellis wanted to get out to see her son who is terminally ill.

At the end of the hearing, Judge James Webb denied the request.

Dallas Kellis, 76, was found dead of gunshot wounds to the abdomen and head in July 2016. She was arrested three months later, according to The Pilot.

The paper reported that a transcript of the 911 call shows Kellis took her time to inform the operator of the emergency.

My nephew died down in Bladen County and we were going down there, she said, according to the transcript. My husband told me when I woke up this morning (to) run up to McDonalds and get a ham sandwich and when you get back well get dressed and go, that way we wont have no mess to clean up.

"So I went up there and when I came back, I didnt go in the room, I just went to the door and called him and said come on and eat your sandwich. He didnt answer me, but thats not unusual. He does that a lot. Hell doze back off. So I went back in there and sat down and ate mine. He hadnt come, so I went and called him. He didnt answer me. I went on to the room and I seen him 

The transcript shows the dispatcher interrupted saying, O.K. maam, whats going on?

I think hes dead, she said.
Cosmo DiNardo, the man who confessed last week to killing four men who disappeared earlier this month in Pennsylvanias Bucks County, has claimed to have killed at least two other people, according to a series of reports -- but investigators are looking into whether the claims are legitimate.

During DiNardos confession, he also said that he had killed two people in Philadelphia when he was 15, a person with knowledge of the conversation told The New York Times.

A Philadelphia police spokesman told Fox 29 that homicide investigators were aware of DiNardo's claims. They're investigating any potential links between the confessions and any unsolved cases, but currently do not have many details.

PENNSYLVANIA MURDERS: KILLER USED PIG ROASTER TO BURN BODIES, OFFICIAL SAYS

The Bucks County District Attorney is vetting all statements made by DiNardo in his confession, the spokesman said.

After killing the four men, DiNardo, 20, confessed to burning the bodies in a metal tank that was converted into a cooker that he labeled a "pig roaster.

DiNardo has been charged with all four homicides and 20 other counts, including abuse of corpse, conspiracy and robbery, according to court documents.

His alleged co-conspirator and cousin, Sean Kratz, 20, faces 20 counts, including three of criminal homicide.

Click for more from Fox 29.
Where C.S. Lewis Meets CSI: Dr. Barbara Golder 'Lady Doc Lawyer' Combines Medicine, Law, and Bioethics Expertise with Catholic Teaching to Address Issues of the Day, Including Charlie Gard Award-winning Novelist draws from 40 years of front-line experiences as a Catholic Medical Examiner, Physician and Lawyer to now focus her writing and speaking from a Catholic perspective



Contact: Dr. Barbara Golder, M.D., J.D., 423-320-1739,



CHATTANOOGA, Tenn., July 17, 2017 /



Golder served for four years on the USCCB's National Advisory Committee and earned a National Catholic Certification in Healthcare Ethics from the National Catholic Bioethics Center. Her experience with forensic investigation and law helped lead her to creating gripping and believable mysteries with characters that are simply living their Catholic faith as life unfolds. Her highly acclaimed series, 'The Lady Doc Murders,' has received



"I use storytelling to introduce some important ideas about God and faith in a way that isn't quite so threatening to people who are not of faith," says Golder, who just released her second book in this series, 'Dying for Compassion,' published by Full Quiver Press, following 'Dying for Revenge,' which released last year.



As a Jewish convert and former Episcopalian and Methodist, Golder has appeared on EWTN's 'The Journey Home' with Marcus Grodi, 'EWTN Bookmark' with Doug Keck. Golder blogs at



Golder is the Director of Adult Faith Formation and Evangelization at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga, TN and is the keynote speaker for this year's national Catholic Writers Guild Live Conference, taking place in Chicago from July 19th-21st.



Dr. Barbara Golder is available for interviews.

Share Tweet Contact: Dr. Barbara Golder, M.D., J.D., 423-320-1739, ladydoclawyer@gmail.com CHATTANOOGA, Tenn., July 17, 2017 / Christian Newswire / -- If you like the popular television series 'CSI: Crime Scene Investigation' and C.S. Lewis, then you'll enjoy the works of Dr. Barbara Golder. As a physician, medical examiner, attorney, and bioethicist in the secular world for over 40 years, Barbara Golder is combining her Catholic faith with her front-line experiences, as she now focuses on speaking and writing from a Catholic perspective.Golder served for four years on the USCCB's National Advisory Committee and earned a National Catholic Certification in Healthcare Ethics from the National Catholic Bioethics Center. Her experience with forensic investigation and law helped lead her to creating gripping and believable mysteries with characters that are simply living their Catholic faith as life unfolds. Her highly acclaimed series, 'The Lady Doc Murders,' has received rave reviews . "It is rare indeed to find an author who not only tells a good story but writes with real literary flair. Barbara Golder is such an author. We find the plot twists and twisted characters that one would expect in a good murder mystery, but also the fine character development and deep insight into the human condition which separates the truly great mysteries from the run of the mill," says Joseph Pearce, Author of 'The Quest for Shakespeare.'"I use storytelling to introduce some important ideas about God and faith in a way that isn't quite so threatening to people who are not of faith," says Golder, who just released her second book in this series, 'Dying for Compassion,' published by Full Quiver Press, following 'Dying for Revenge,' which released last year.As a Jewish convert and former Episcopalian and Methodist, Golder has appeared on EWTN's 'The Journey Home' with Marcus Grodi, 'EWTN Bookmark' with Doug Keck. Golder blogs at 'Catholic365.com' 'LadyDocLawyer.com' , and is a new weekly writer for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles' 'Angelus News,' where she addressed the Charlie Gard case from a Catholic perspective.Golder is the Director of Adult Faith Formation and Evangelization at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga, TN and is the keynote speaker for this year's national Catholic Writers Guild Live Conference, taking place in Chicago from July 19th-21st.Dr. Barbara Golder is available for interviews. Listen here to her recent commentary about Charlie Gard on EWTN/Ave Maria Radio's 'Catholic Connection' with Teresa Tomeo.
A Mississippi man who fatally beat a 3-year-old girl because she couldn't correctly answer questions about numbers told investigators that "this was a tough world and she had to be tough if she wanted to survive," Meridian Police Chief Benny Dubose said Monday.

Joshua Salovich was charged with capital murder, meaning he could face the death penalty, and held without bail. Detectives testified in an initial court appearance that the 25-year-old boxer-in-training beat toddler Bailey Salovich at maximum force with a bamboo rod, a cellphone cord and his hands.

Salovich's court-appointed lawyer didn't immediately respond to a phone message and an email seeking comment Monday evening.

Dubose said it isn't clear whether Salovich is the child's biological father.

Police were called Friday afternoon after the child arrived at a local emergency room with bruises and cuts all over her body, and at least one head wound, Dubose said.

Questioning Salovich and the child's mother separately, Dubose said Salovich told police that he was asking the toddler questions about numbers and would "pop" her when she answered incorrectly. Salovich said he had used the same method to discipline the child at least five times per week, Dubose said. Salovich told police he used a bamboo rod until it broke, then switched to a cellphone cord to administer some of the licks. Other blows came from his hand.

"He did state that on that day, the child was giving an unusual amount of incorrect answers," Dubose said.

The girl was later taken by helicopter to a Jackson hospital for treatment, where she died Saturday afternoon, Dubose said. Police said the toddler's injuries included bleeding in the brain and lungs, and possible retinal detachment. Police are awaiting autopsy results to determine a cause of death.

When investigators asked Salovich how hard he had hit the child, on a scale of 1 being a tap and 10 being as hard as he could, "he rated them all 10s, with no hesitation," Dubose said.

The Meridian Star reported that detectives Kevin Boyd and Thomas Abate testified that Bailey Salovich soiled herself and, after Joshua Salovich removed her clothing, she soiled herself again.

Dubose said Joshua Salovich and the mother, who has a different last name, said the mother was in a different room, explaining why she hasn't been charged. But Dubose said police are still investigating, including whether the mother knew about his punishment methods.

Dubose said police hadn't received any earlier reports about the child or the adults.

The Meridian Star reported that the mother, who cried with relatives through most of the preliminary hearing, collapsed after the hearing and was taken to a local hospital by ambulance.

Dubose said that in his decades of police work, it's unusual for someone to freely admit abusing a child as Joshua Salovich did.

"He was pretty straightforward about what he did and why he did it," Dubose said.

___

Follow Jeff Amy at: http://twitter.com/jeffamy . Read his work at https://www.apnews.com/search/Jeff_Amy .
A 3-year-old boy died Saturday after officials said he was left in a parked car for at least an hour in triple-digit heat at a Las Vegas resort.

The Clark County Coroner's Office identified the boy Sunday as Chase Lee of Fillmore, Utah, FOX 5 reported. His official cause of death is still pending until a toxicology report is done.

The boy was found around 4:50 p.m. Saturday in a car at the Grandview Las Vegas and was suffering from heat-related injuries, police said.

Lt. Roger Price from the Las Vegas Metro Police Special Victims Unit told FOX 5 the parents of the boy left him in the car at the resort parking lot for over an hour. The temperature in Las Vegas reached a high of 113 degrees Saturday, according to AccuWeather

"Any amount of time in that environment can be deadly to a child," Price said.

Authorities told the television station it appeared the parents were visiting Las Vegas as part of a large reunion that brought together family members from across the country, and they lost track of the child.

Read more from FOX 5 Las Vegas.
A 97-year-old World War II veteran received his high school diploma Sunday during a special celebration in South Philadelphia.

This is goodI had to wait a long time for it, but I got it, Charles Leuzzi told WPVI.

VETERANS ORGANIZATION HELPING WAR HEROES FORGE SPECIAL BONDS

After being forced to leave high school to support his family during his junior year, Leuzzi said he was drafted as a teen to fight in World War II.

A decorated veteran with two purple hearts and four bronze star medals, Leuzzi has now added a high school diploma to his collection.

DYING ARMY VETERAN ASKS FOR PHONE CALLS, TEXT MESSAGES

The Philadelphia School District gave him his honorary diploma on Sunday during the celebration, where he was surrounded by family and friends.

When asked if he was going to college, he told WPVI, Yeah, might as well, I dont have anything else to do.
An Iranian court has sentenced a Chinese-American man to a decade behind bars on charges of spying for the United States.

The dual national was identified as Xiyue Wang, a 37-year-old history researcher, according to Mizan Online, a website affiliated with the judiciary. He was not previously known to be among the handful of Americans detained in Iran.

The man was gathering information and was directly guided by America, deputy judiciary Chief Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejeie said on state television Sunday, adding that the sentence can be appealed.

Hours after he spoke, Mizan published an article attributed to an unnamed source that revealed the Chinese-American man's identity and included several photos of him apparently taken from the Internet.

PRESIDENT TRUMP EXPECTED TO CERTIFY IRAN'S COMPLIANCE ON NUCLEAR DEAL

"We continue to use all the means at our disposal to advocate for U.S. citizens who need our assistance overseas especially for the release of any unjustly detained U.S. citizens held overseas. We call for the immediate release of all U.S. citizens unjustly detained in Iran so they can return to their families," a State Department official told Fox News.

Tehran authorities earlier this year stated that around 70 spies, who are dual nationals from the United States and other Western countries, are serving sentences in the countrys capital, but the identities of only a few have been made public. In October, 80-year-old former UNICEF official Baquer Namazi, an Iranian-American, and his business consultant son Siamak Namazi, were handed 10-year prison terms for espionage and collaboration with the American government.

IRANIAN RESEARCHER DENIED U.S. ENTRY HAS TIES TO MILITIA

Their supporters and relatives have appealed to the Trump administration to negotiate their release, insisting that the pair are being held as pawns for Iran to exert leverage on the U.S. and that the two are rapidly declining health.

Fox News' Rich Edson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
As disease outbreaks raise the danger for as many as 20 million people faced with famine and mass starvation in a clutch of strife-torn African and Middle Eastern countries, some of the worlds largest non-government aid organizations are issuing a rare collective call for private relief donations over the next two weeks, alongside a longer-range, multibillion-dollar United Nations appeal that is so far less than half funded.

Without immediate help, the aid organizations warns, 1.4 million severely malnourished children will die.

In effect, the new campaign is an attempt to put some humanity back into the worlds overwhelming humanitarian relief crisis, where intractable conflicts, tidal waves of refugees and debates about fusing development and humanitarian aid have sometimes blunted the traditional heart-strings appeals that galvanize American private generosity.

Its very hard to get peoples attention, explained Carolyn Miles, CEO of Save the Children and one of the forces behind the joint appeal. We wanted to see if we can make a lot more noise.

'Its very hard to get peoples attention.'  Carolyn Miles, CEO of Save the Children

As usual, however, the U.S. has already been the biggest government responder to the heightened famine alarm. Last week, the Trump administrations USAID office announced an additional $639 million in humanitarian assistance for the four countries, bringing the U.S. total of such aid to more than $1.8 billion since the beginning of fiscal year 2017.

The coordinated private-sector appeal involves an array of the worlds biggest humanitarian organizations, ranging from Portland-based Mercy Corps to Oxfam to Save the Children and World Vision, calling themselves the Global Emergency Response Coalition (GERC). They have been joined by a number of globe-girdling corporations, including PepsiCo, Google and Twitter, and the asset management giant BlackRock.

Many of the aid organizations operate not only independently, but as implementers of major U.N. humanitarian programs in a variety of countries. But their new donations call is independent of the U.N. appeal.

Famine has already been formally declared in parts of northern Nigeria, as well as portions of South Sudan, and drought conditions have worsened already disastrous conditions in Somalia.

But the biggest famine driver in all four cases is man-made sectarian conflict, which shows few signs of receding, leading to mass displacements of people in Yemen, South Sudan and Somalia that are major contributors to the worst refugee crisis since World War II.

Adding another ugly dimension to the crisis, major outbreaks of cholera are striking some of the weakened refugee populations in the four targeted countries; in Yemen, where the cholera crisis is described as the worst in the world (more than 300,000 cholera cases identified), food aid money has been diverted to medical relief, according to the U.N.s emergency relief coordinator, Stephen OBrien.

Says Scott Paul, senior humanitarian policy adviser for Oxfam: Weve seen complex crises before. But what is unprecedented is that all these complex crises are happening at the same time.

The GERC appeal is just the latest attempt to galvanize rapid action around the hunger crisis in four countries: Yemen, South Sudan, Somalia, and northern portions of Nigeria, which in some cases is driven by drought, but also by seemingly intractable civil conflict. So far, the campaign has not been going well.

Last February, U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres and an array of other top U.N. officials declared that they needed $4.4 billion in donations by the end of the following month to stop the growing famine risk; they go nowhere near that amount.

The U.S. also is supplying safe water, and support for hygiene and health programs to fight the disease.

So far, overall humanitarian aid to the four countries, according to U.N. figures, amounts to about $2.8 billion out of $6.2 billion required this year. And they, in turn, represent only about a quarter of the overall U.N. humanitarian appeal for this year, which totals about $23.5 billion. Only $8.3 billion, or about 36 percent of that total, has so far been pledged.

(By contrast, the overall revenues of the eight organizations in the GERC appeal amount to about $3.9 billion, with roughly $1.4 billion coming from the U.S. government.)

Those numbers point to, among other things, an increasing climate of donor fatigue, brought on by the sheer magnitude of the worlds growing humanitarian crises, and the repetitive din of the efforts to confront them, interspersed with often-windy U.N.-sponsored humanitarian summits.

Its hard to break through on any of these things, observes Save the Childrens Miles. She observes that the various aid organizations own research has pointed to a lack of American popular awareness of the international hunger crisis, which has traditionally sparked a generous individual response.

Meantime, the overall need keeps climbing. Overall, the number of people who need humanitarian assistance has virtually doubled since 2010, from about 53 million to 101.2 million, according to the U.N.s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance.

Significant parts of that staggering tally are due to the ineffectuality of solutions to conflicts that continue to wreak devastation, such as the Syrian civil war, which has added millions of refugees to the global tally. The U.N. has asked for some $9 billion for Syria and surrounding countries in 2017, and so far has gotten only about $3.3 billion.

The numbers underline a broader problem, according to Brett Schaefer, an expert on U.N. financing at the conservative Heritage Foundation in Washington: If you take a look at the recent history of U.N. funding campaigns, you see a target dollar amount and then delivery of half or less of that number.

What this reveals is donor exhaustion, Schaefer told Fox News. Part of the issue is that in the past, these crises were of short duration. Now we have semi-permanent refugee camps. This is the world we are in: We have allowed so many situations to fester.

The point of the new coalition response, in some ways, is to bring the focus of the aid crisis back to some of its traditional basics  including the possibility that a short-term appeal can produce tangible short-term results.

We can definitely say that the kind of focused relief programs that we need to run in this crisis can definitely save millions of lives, says Deepmala Mahla, South Sudan country director for humanitarian giant Mercy Corps. We can provide seeds, we can provide money to replace farm animals, we can help provide water. We can help people to save themselves.

And we know that if we dont, millions will die.
The U.S. doctor who has offered to treat terminally ill Charlie Gard has attended a meeting at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) to decide whether the baby should travel to America for therapy.

Dr. Michio Hirano of Columbia University Medical Center, who specializes in rare genetic diseases, arrived in London and will discuss Charlie's condition with doctors treating him and independent specialists.

CHARLIE GARD: US DOCTOR WILL TRAVEL TO UK TO ASSESS ILL INFANT

After that, the UK High court will listen to the doctor and decide again whether he should be allowed to travel to the U.S. for treatment.

Hirano, believes that the chance of treatment being successful are between 11 to 56 percent and he hopes to improve muscular strength.

A spokesman for the Gard family, Alasdair Seton-Marsden, said the experimental treatment gives Charlie a small but significant chance of improvement.

Today, Charlie's case has moved from the chances of this ground-breaking therapy working from being as close to zero, as to make no difference to, according to the expert evidence that's been heard in court, to a small but significant chance," Seton-Marsden said.
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U.S.-backed Syrian fighters fought Islamic State militants in the heart of Raqqa, the extremists' self-styled capital, on Monday, as scores of civilians fled areas controlled by the group.

The Kurdish-led group has been one of the most effective forces fighting IS in Syria, but has also clashed with Turkish-backed Syrian forces elsewhere in the country. As it battled IS in Raqqa, the SDF also fought Turkish-allied Syrian forces in Ein Daqna, in the neighboring Aleppo province, according to Syrian activists and Turkish media.

The Syrian Democratic Forces, aided by the U.S.-led coalition, launched their offensive to capture Raqqa on June 6, and have since taken several areas. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Monday's fighting is concentrated in Raqqa's southwestern neighborhood of Yarmouk as well as a central area close to the Old City.

The SDF says intense fighting is underway in central Raqqa, adding that its fighters have taken positions near a centuries-old mosque known as the Old Mosque. The Kurdish-run Hawar news agency says some 180 civilians were able to flee areas controlled by IS, while the Observatory put the number in the hundreds.

The SDF said 11 IS fighters have been killed in the clashes since Sunday. The IS-linked Aamaq news agency said 14 SDF fighters were killed in the fighting in Raqqa on Sunday alone.

The intensification of fighting comes a week after Iraqi forces declared victory against IS in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, the largest the extremists have held. The loss of Raqqa would deal a major blow to IS, but the group still holds wide areas of the eastern province of Deir el-Zour, bordering Iraq.

That province figures to be the backdrop to the next phase of the war on IS, with government forces backed by Russia and Iran approaching from the west and south. Pro-government forces reached the edges of the Bashari mountain range on Monday, after seizing the Zamla natural gas field one day earlier, the Observatory and Syrian military media reported. The advance secures further natural resources revenues for the government and puts government forces in a position to penetrate the Deir el-Zour countryside.

The SDF is dominated by a Kurdish militia known as the YPG, which Turkey views as an extension of the Kurdish insurgency raging in its own territory. Turkish troops and allied Syrian forces rolled into Syria last year in order to battle IS and halt the advance of the SDF. The U.S.-led coalition has sought to stop the fighting between Turkey and the SDF, both of which are allies against IS.

The website of Turkey's pro-government A Haber television said Turkish-backed Syrian opposition fighters launched a "large" operation against the SDF in Ein Daqna, close to the Turkish border. The website quotes unnamed local sources as saying that intense clashes are ongoing.

The Observatory said Monday's fighting killed two Turkey-backed fighters and left several SDF fighters wounded. A Haber said at least one Turkish-backed fighter was killed and some 14 were wounded.

Rezan Hiddo, an SDF political officer, said the group had repelled the assault on Ein Daqna. Hiddo said Turkish artillery struck the village as well as near a Russian military outpost in nearby Kafr Janneh, which is also under SDF control. Russia deployed what it called observer units into the region earlier this year to discourage clashes between Turkey and the SDF.

"We are waiting for the American government to apply diplomatic pressure on Turkey to halt the aggression," said Hiddo.
The Israeli government is opposing lifting barriers that would make it easier for same-sex couples to adopt children in the country, a position that has infuriated the nation's LGBT community ahead of a pivotal court hearing this week.

The Israeli government has informed the High Court of Justice that it does not plan to lift controversial rules only in place for same-sex couples who want to adopt children in Israel. A group of parliamentarians, however, on Monday issued a fiery statement disagreeing with that position.

This is a foolish and discriminatory decision that is accompanied by unprecedented homophobia, the statement said. The Israeli government is again abandoning the gay community and this highlights governments cynical use of the community: In English they boast about [being a gay-friendly country], but in Hebrew they deny basic rights.

In the brief presented to the High Court, the government argued that the Children's Welfare Service believes having same-sex parents would add additional baggage for the adopted child, who may already feel different from his peers.

Concerning same-sex couples, the state brief added, it has been decided by the professional bodies in the Labor, Social Affairs and Social Services Ministry not to act at the present time to change the existing law.

Same-sex couples can currently be approved for adoption, but they are treated unfavorably compared to heterosexual married couples. Same-sex couples can only adopt children for whom no adoptive heterosexual married parents can be found -- and often those children come from at-risk families or have special needs. Same-sex couples also typically wait longer to adopt and, if they're approved, the partners are considered to be two individual adoptive parents in the eyes of the law. The petition to the High Court was filed by the Association of Israeli Gay Fathers, together with the Israel Religious Action Center of the Reform movement, against the Social Affairs Ministry and the attorney general.

The Association of Israeli Gay Fathers in its petition to the High Court called the current policy discriminatory and said it mortally harms their right to a family.

Only three same-sex families -- two male couples and one female couple -- have managed to adopt children in Israel since 2008, when it became legal for such couples to adopt. A report from the Social Affairs Ministry obtained by Israeli newspaper Haaretz shows that in comparison, 1,700 heterosexual couples adopted children during that same period. Same-sex couples filed some 550 requests for adoption or surrogacy from 2008 through 2016.

Leading a chorus of criticism of the governments position, gay Israeli pop star Harel Skaat targeted Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, accusing her of perpetuating stigmas for young children and treating homosexuals as second-rate citizens.

Following the public criticism, Welfare and Social Affairs Minister Haim Katz on Monday publicly said he disapproved of the states position, saying it had not been correctly formulated and should not have been submitted. The minister does not intend to deny this or that group from the ability to adopt, his ministry said in a statement. Rather, it said, Katz supports a position that had been agreed with the Justice Ministry that provides for a wide-ranging reform in adoption services.
One of the men arrested in connection with an Israeli corruption case involving the purchase of multi-million dollar naval vessels from Germany is in negotiations to become a states witness, Channel 2 reported Monday.

Miki Ganor, the suspected middleman in the deal to sell German submarines and vessels to the Israeli government, is detained by police and could reportedly incriminate senior Israeli officials and politicians. Ganor's original lawyer quit due to the negotiations, but has since been replaced.

The negotiation between Ganor and the state reportedly began several days ago. At a hearing Monday, a judge at the Rishon Lezion District Court extended Ganor's arrest until Thursday, after the sides came to an agreement.

Investigators suspect Ganor, along with former National Security Council deputy head Avriel Bar-Yosef, paid out bribes in connection with a decision by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to buy three submarines from the Germany company ThyssenKrupp, despite opposition from the Israeli Defense Ministry.

Ganor is suspected of fraud, money laundering and conspiracy to commit a crime. He was arrested a week ago and remains behind bars, along with Bar-Yosef.

Netanyahu is not suspected in the case but his personal lawyer and cousin, David Shimron, who was under house arrest for several days until his release on Saturday, has been questioned multiple times by the police investigation unit Lahav 433.

Coalition chairman MK David Bitan of Netanyahus Likud party said he wasnt worried by news Gabor could turn state's witness.

"When they look for a states witness, it means that they had nothing to begin with, he said.

Police are planning to summon Netanyahu to testify on what he knows about the issue, and specifically as to whether he knew of the corruption allegations against Bar-Yosef when he sought to appoint him head of the National Security Council in 2016.
The Latest on the war in Afghanistan (all times local):

2:30 p.m.

The U.N. says Afghanistan's protracted war killed a record number of civilians in the first six months of this year, blaming Taliban insurgents for most of the deaths.

In a report released Monday, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein called the numbers "horrifying," adding that they "can never fully convey the sheer human suffering of the people of Afghanistan."

Of the 1,662 civilians killed in the first six months of this year, the report said 40 percent died as a result of suicide bombings, improvised explosive devises and pressure-plate devises. More women and children were also among the dead this year.

The U.N. says that represents a 2 percent rise from the same period the previous year.

___

1 p.m.

An Afghan official says the country's security forces have driven the Taliban out of a key district in southern Helmand province from where they had been threatening the provincial capital of Lashkar Gah.

Defense Ministry's spokesman, Daulat Waziri, said on Monday that the battle to recapture the district of Naway had been fierce. He says more than 50 Taliban fighters were killed and five security forces were wounded.

Naway is located just 16 kilometers, or 10 miles, from Lashkar Gah, and had been a staging arena for militant attacks on the city.

Government troops also captured a large cache of ammunitions and guns. The Taliban did not immediately comment on reports of the district's fall.

U.S. and NATO troops are in Helmand to assist Afghan security forces when needed.
The Sound of the One New Man is Being Unlocked and Released to all the Nations in 2017--the Hebrew Year of 5777 Contact: Donna Rogers, 813-230-6369



TAMPA, Fla., July 17, 2017 /



This book is the first of a three-part series of four transformational and revolutionary books, which shall be used as a catalyst to usher in monumental "reformation" to the body of Christ worldwide. These books will dispel the lies, and confront the great apostasy taking place in the body of Christ.



Five hundred years ago, Martin Luther, Calvin, and other reformers initiated the Protestant Reformation. Book 1 of this three-part series describes how, in 2017, in the Hebrew year of 5777, God is finishing the work that Luther, Calvin, and many others started.



God is raising up a new breed of reformers who will be called the "Repairers of the Breach," because they will help orchestrate and execute the total restoration and reconciliation of all things, especially concerning all Israel. This final reformation shall usher in the final Great Awakening to all the nations.



"Who is Israel?" is the question the body of Christ must answer before it's possible to fully understand the fundamental purpose of the Biblewho we are in Christ, and why it matters!



Unfortunately, God's people are perishing from a lack of knowledge based on the whole counsel of His Word, His everlasting covenants, and a lack of understanding of their Hebraic roots in Christianity.



Satan has orchestrated the greatest "identity" theft throughout the synergy of the ages, in order to kill, steal, and destroy the birthright and inheritance of God's sons and daughters in Christ, which is based on the everlasting covenant God established with Abraham and his descendants.



Jesus Christ is coming back soon for His triumphant, glorious bride who is fully mature in Him and lacking nothing. The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" Yet our bridegroom will not appear a second time until His beloved bride discovers her true identity in Him, understands who Israel is, and why it matters!



"This book is a masterpiece due to the wealth of information it contains. I especially recommend this book to all leaders in the body of Christ. You will be delighted that you purchased and read this book because your walk with God will never be the same. Get ready for a life-changing experience." ~ Overseer Jerry S. Mallory, Kingdom Life Builders Int'l Ministries



Share Tweet Contact: Donna Rogers, 813-230-6369TAMPA, Fla., July 17, 2017 / Christian Newswire / -- Announcing ordained Minister Donna M. Rogers newest release, "Who Is Israel? Discovering Our True Identity in Jesus Christ and Why It Matters!" Book 1: The Foundation.This book is the first of a three-part series of four transformational and revolutionary books, which shall be used as a catalyst to usher in monumental "reformation" to the body of Christ worldwide. These books will dispel the lies, and confront the great apostasy taking place in the body of Christ.Five hundred years ago, Martin Luther, Calvin, and other reformers initiated the Protestant Reformation. Book 1 of this three-part series describes how, in 2017, in the Hebrew year of 5777, God is finishing the work that Luther, Calvin, and many others started.God is raising up a new breed of reformers who will be called the "Repairers of the Breach," because they will help orchestrate and execute the total restoration and reconciliation of all things, especially concerning all Israel. This final reformation shall usher in the final Great Awakening to all the nations."Who is Israel?" is the question the body of Christ must answer before it's possible to fully understand the fundamental purpose of the Biblewho we are in Christ, and why it matters!Unfortunately, God's people are perishing from a lack of knowledge based on the whole counsel of His Word, His everlasting covenants, and a lack of understanding of their Hebraic roots in Christianity.Satan has orchestrated the greatest "identity" theft throughout the synergy of the ages, in order to kill, steal, and destroy the birthright and inheritance of God's sons and daughters in Christ, which is based on the everlasting covenant God established with Abraham and his descendants.Jesus Christ is coming back soon for His triumphant, glorious bride who is fully mature in Him and lacking nothing. The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" Yet our bridegroom will not appear a second time until His beloved bride discovers her true identity in Him, understands who Israel is, and why it matters!"This book is a masterpiece due to the wealth of information it contains. I especially recommend this book to all leaders in the body of Christ. You will be delighted that you purchased and read this book because your walk with God will never be the same. Get ready for a life-changing experience." ~ Overseer Jerry S. Mallory, Kingdom Life Builders Int'l Ministries
As the acid attack epidemic continues plaguing Britain, the victim of a horrific assault in London -- who recently had her 15th surgery in four years -- spoke out Monday to implore politicians to toughen sentences for perpetrators.

Tara Quigley told Sky News she was attacked four years ago after opening her door to a young boy who asked if a woman named Michelle lived at the address. When she told him no, the boy left, only to later come back and throw a bottle of acid at her.

"Almost straight away I knew it was acid because my skin was bubbling on my chest and the pain was excruciating," she said. "I just knew I had to get to water."

Quigley then threw herself into a bath, but the damage from the small amount of acid was already done.

One of her dogs who was near her at the door was blinded after being splashed with acid, and part of a radiator by the front door and clothes hanging nearby melted.

The Metropolitan Police said late Saturday a 16-year-old boy faced 15 charges, including grievous bodily harm, for the most recent set of attacks in London.

The number of reported attacks with corrosive liquids in London rose from 261 in 2015 to 454 in 2016, according to police. Some appear related to gang activity or the theft of cars and motorbikes.

Quigley said she believes such attacks "should carry a life sentence because of the effect it has on the victims."

Quigley recently underwent her 15th operation to repair the damage from her own brutal attack. Her face has healed, but the scarring on her neck remains.

Besides the physical scars, Quigley said she's been to counselling and still fears going outside her home.

"The anxiety when I do go out is so overwhelming that generally I get 10 minutes down the road and I just come home because I just can't handle it, to be honest," she said. "I constantly look over my shoulder."

The teen found guilty of the attack, who was 15 years old at the time, is still in prison.

"I cry over it. I have nightmares. I think about it every time I look in the mirror and see my neck," Quigley said. "My family were affected by it, mentally. Every time there's a new case on the news, it kind of brings it all back to me. You just relive it, constantly."

Read more from Sky News.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau gave Omar Khadr a big payout, but the terrorists real victims may never see any of that money.

Canada agreed to pay the former Guantanamo prisoner a reported $8 million in a lawsuit alleging civil rights violations. The settlement included an apology.

The Canadian-born Khadr was 15 in 2002 when he tossed a grenade in a firefight that killed U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Speer, a special forces medic.

Tabitha Speer, the soldier's widow, and Layne Morris, who was blinded in the firefight, won a $134 million wrongful-death default judgment against Khadr two years ago in Utah.

JUDGE DENIES REQUEST TO FREEZE EX-GITMO PRISONER'S ASSETS

Lawyers for the widow and Morris requested an order freezing Khadrs assets, but last week a Canadian judge threw out the request, calling it extraordinary."

Conservative Member of the Canadian Parliament and official opposition critic for foreign affairs Peter Kent wrote in The Wall Street Journal Monday that the timing of the payout undermines Tabitha Speers legal options to collect on the judgment.

He added that Trudeaus actions are an affront to the memory of Christopher Speer, to Tabitha Speer and her children, to Layne Morris, to our U.S. allies and to all men and women in uniform.

He also called the settlement a cynical subversion of Canadian principles.

Mr. Trudeau made Omar Khadr a millionaire, and he didnt have to, Kent wrote.

Trudeau said last week that it could have cost more than $30 million if the case was not settled.

"The measure of a society, of a just society, is not whether we stand up for peoples rights when its easy or popular to do so, its whether we recognize rights when its difficult, when its unpopular," he said. "We are a society that stands up for peoples rights, and when governments fail to respect peoples rights we all end up paying. I think that is the lesson that hopefully future governments will draw from this settlement."

Khadr sued the Canadian government for $16 million in 2015 after he was released on bail. He claimed he was tortured at Gitmo.

Morris told Fox News last week that it was just crazy that you would give someone like that $8 million because his feelings got hurt. I know he spent time in Guantanamo. That was due to his own actions.

Tabitha Speer hasnt commented on the settlement to Khadr.

She last updated her Facebook page in June with a photo of her husband and their two young children, Taryn and Tanner. The children are now teens.

TRUDEAU DEFENDS MULTIMILLION PAYOUT TO EX-GITMO INMATE

Everyone wants to say hes the child, hes the victim. I dont see that. My children are the victims.  Tabitha Speer

In 2010, she confronted Khadr from the witness stand at the Guantanamo war crimes tribunal after Khadr struck a plea deal.

My husband was a good man, Speer told Khadr, according to a story at the time in the Albuquerque Journal. You will forever be a murderer in my eyes.

The paper reported that the widow urged the jury to reject arguments that Khadr, the son of an Al Qaeda leader, deserved a break.

Everyone wants to say hes the child, hes the victim, the widow said. I dont see that. My children are the victims.

In a 2005 court affidavit in a lawsuit against Khadr, Speer recalled the day her husband was deployed.

I reected on what a great marriage and family we had, she said. I thought we would be together forever to watch our children grow. I had no idea that within days, my world would be torn apart."

She also recalled in the affidavit her feelings when she returned home to North Carolina from Germany.

"I could not fathom how empty our house was, she said. I sat in the middle of the living room floor, explaining to Taryn what happened to Daddy. This was the hardest thing I have ever done. I needed to be strong for Taryn and Tanner, but needed to grieve myself. Telling a little girl her daddy would not be coming home was excruciating.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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The Philippines' largest Muslim rebel group said Monday a peace accord it's trying to implement with the government is "the best antidote" for violent extremism exemplified by a bloody siege of southern Marawi city by Islamic State group-aligned militants.

Government and rebel representatives submitted a new draft law to President Rodrigo Duterte which aims to establish a more powerful Muslim autonomous region in the country's south under a 2014 peace deal that stalled in Congress under his predecessor.

"This is the best antidote to the violent extremism that has wrought havoc" in many Muslim areas, Moro Islamic Liberation Front Vice Chairman Ghazali Jaafar said during the presentation of the proposed autonomy bill to Duterte at the presidential palace in Manila.

Once established, the autonomous government, to be called Bangsamoro, "would be at the forefront of keeping public order and safety, dispensing justice within the bounds of law and addressing the basic requisites of a good life," Jaafar said.

Duterte pledged to back the bill in Congress as long as it adheres to the Philippine Constitution and promotes the plight of minority Muslims.

"I am for this," Duterte said to applause from officials and the insurgents, who came in business suits. "Within the context of the Republic of the Philippines there shall be a Bangsamoro country."

The rebels, who dropped their secessionist bid in exchange for broader autonomy, signed a pact with the government to establish a region with more powers and funding for minority Muslims in the south of the predominantly Roman Catholic nation and end a decades-long rebellion.

The conflict has left about 150,000 people dead and stunted development in the resource-rich but poverty-wracked region.

The peace pact would have been a major legacy of Duterte's predecessor, Benigno Aquino III, but the legislation stalled in Congress in 2015 after some rebels from the 11,000-strong Moro Islamic Liberation Front became entangled in fighting that killed 44 police commandos during an anti-terrorism raid in southern Mamasapano town.

The commandos managed to kill top Malaysian terror suspect Zulkifli bin Hir, who had long been wanted by the United States, but the large number of police deaths sparked public outrage and prompted lawmakers to stall passage of the autonomy bill.

Rebel leader Al Haj Murad Ebrahim said amid growing frustration among Muslims over the bill's failed passage, extremist groups in the south emerged.

"These misguided people have filled the vacuum created by our failure to enact the basic law and fed into the frustration of our people," Murad said at the ceremony, which was attended by leaders of the Senate and House of Representatives.

"Today, we watch with utter disgust at the destruction that violent extremism has inflicted in the city of Marawi," Murad said.

Irene Santiago, a government official dealing with the rebels, said public and congressional support for the Muslim autonomy bill is crucial. "The dangers are staring at us in the face," she said.

Officials say more than 550 people, including 411 militants, have been killed in nearly two months of fighting in Marawi, a bastion of Islamic faith in the south.

On Sunday, troops cleared 50 more buildings and houses after clashes that left eight militants and two soldiers dead, military chief of staff Gen. Eduardo Ano told reporters.

Troops are bracing for a "final push to really break their line and finally clear the whole area of Marawi," Ano said, adding that "the battleground is now down to less than a square kilometer area."

Duterte is expected to announce this week whether he will extend a 60-day declaration of martial law in the southern region to deal with the Marawi insurrection, the most serious security crisis he has faced since assuming power in June last year.

___

Associated Press writer Teresa Cerojano contributed to this report.
Russia's Supreme Court has rejected an appeal of its nationwide ban on the Jehovah's Witnesses religious denomination.

The court's appeals chamber has upheld the April approval of the Russian Justice Ministry's call to halt Jehovah's Witnesses activities and to declare it an extremist organization.

The rejection of the religious group's appeal allows Russia to liquidate the 395 Jehovah's Witnesses congregations and seize their property. The group claims about 170,000 adherents in Russia.

Jehovah's Witnesses spokesman David Semonian said in a statement that "it's very concerning that despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, powerful elements within Russia continue to frame our organization as extremist."

Viktor Zhenkov, a Russian attorney for the group, said Monday's ruling would be appealed to the European Court of Human Rights, according to the Interfax news agency.
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.
Starting Saturday, the 4,051 Caroline County residents who receive benefits under the federal Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program will be able to use them at the countys two weekly farmers markets.

In April, the county Board of Supervisors unanimously approved giving $9,861 to the Virginia Community Food Connections to establish the SNAP electronic benefits card and Virginia Fresh Match incentive program in Caroline.

SNAP shoppers can now use their EBT cards to purchase wooden tokens at the Bowling Green market on Saturday mornings and the State Route 639 market on Thursday afternoons.

Each blue market token equals $1 and can be used to buy any SNAP-eligible food, which includes fruits, vegetables, meat, cheese, eggs, baked goods, jams and honey.

At the same time, shoppers will get one free red Virginia Fresh Match token for each blue token they purchase, up to $20. This token can be used to buy fresh producefruits and vegetables only.

So if someone spends $20 at the market, they can get $20 for free, exclusively for fruits and vegetables, said Elizabeth Borst, president of VCFC.

Caroline is considered a food desert, Borst said.

The problem is simple and very widespread, she said. Healthy food is often unaffordable and difficult to access for low-income families. Families want to be healthy, but there are barriers. When people have a few dollars a day to spend, they will buy what they can afford and that is often making them sick.

With the market token Fresh Match program, $2 turns into $4, half of which will be devoted to fresh produce.

Besides helping families make healthy choices, Borst said, the program will attract shoppers to the Caroline farmers markets.

SNAP EBT cards are already accepted at farmers markets in King George and Spotsylvania counties and Borst said she has seen Caroline shoppers go to Spotsylvania to use their benefits.

Another benefit of the program is that spending stays in the local economy.

SNAP benefits are spent largely at big box stores, Borst said. Our goal is to keep that money local.

According to VCFC, SNAP spending earned local farmers $160,000 last year.

There is a multiplier effect when benefits are spent in the county, Borst said.

For more information about SNAP/EBT and Virginia Fresh Match, e-mail vcfcinfo@gmail.com, call 804/633-5071 or visit virginiafreshmatch.org.
A five-member, all-female jury deliberated four hours Friday in awarding local landowner Richard Dwyer $762,240 in just compensation for his 5.4 acres that the town of Culpeper took four years ago through eminent domain to build Col. Jameson Boulevard.

Through this whole experience, I was trying to hold my losses to a minimum, Dwyer said after the verdict was read around 5 p.m. Friday. This is a no-win for either side. This is devastating for me.

Dwyer had asked the jury to award him $4.5 million for the land bordered by Sperryville Pike and Old Rixeyville Road that he had intended to develop back in 2013 with a large apartment complex on a larger 25-acre parcel. Around the same time, the town condemned part of what the landowner considered was a key portion of the developable land, diminishing its potential by one-third.

Before condemning the land, the town offered Dwyer $466,000 for it and then nearly $1 million, both of which he rejected. In court, the towns attorneys asked the jury to return a verdict of just compensation in the case of $132,022.

I think the jury stated the case and made its decision, said Culpeper Public Works Director Jim Hoy after the verdict. The town will abide by that decision.

Dwyer and his attorneys indicated that they may appeal with lawyer Joe Waldo saying they would file an exception to the jury instruction about the existence  or not  of a present, permanent and joint use existing on the combined parcels when the town condemned it on July 17, 2013.

We felt like the instruction on unity of land was improper and may be an issue to appeal the case on, said Waldo, who specializes in eminent domain cases. He said such an instruction was irregular for condemnation cases and they objected to it.

Culpeper County Circuit Court Judge Susan Whitlock read out loud 21 jury instructions Friday morning, saying that the town of Culpeper was empowered by law to take all of the land that it did to build the road and that the case was about just compensation only.

Just compensation, she said, is the fair market value of the land and damages, if any, done to the remaining parcels of land as a result of the taking. Whitlock said an intention to develop a piece of property in the future is not an actual use and the jury would have to decide if Dwyers land, in fact, had a present, permanent and joint use existing on it  for the apartment development  when it was condemned.

Its not a matter of the value of the property to the town or Richard Dwyer personally, she said.

Whitlock said jurors should consider the advantages and disadvantages of the property as well as the needs of the community in determining its highest and best use.

You cannot consider speculative use, she said.

The town, through its various experts, contended that the apartment project was economically infeasible due to extra-ordinary development costs at the site associated with floodplain, topography and lack of two required access points.

Dwyer, through his experts, contended that he spent tens of thousands of dollars in moving forward with the development plan starting in 2008 when the recession happened, causing it to be put on hold. When he picked it back up a few years later, the town was pursuing its competing plan long on the books to build the commuter route connecting Bus. 29 and U.S 522.

After the highway developed the property, he couldnt build the apartments, Waldo said.

He said the town went to war with Dwyer when he refused its offers of just compensation. The town and VDOT  which funded half of the $10 million Col. Jameson Boulevard project  brought in a team of experts to dispute the lands best use as apartments, for which it was zoned, Waldo said.

They spent $284,000 to prove that $132,000 was just compensation, he said of consulting fees.

Dwyers appraisers, meanwhile, determined just compensation much higher  at $3.3 million  taking into account the value of the property, pre-take, for the large apartment complex, comparing it to projects in Fredericksburg and Charlottesville. A development plan for his project showed two dozen apartment buildings on the property where hundreds of units were envisioned.

You take away the open space and the developable area and you make it more difficult to develop the density of the remaining property, Waldo said in closing. The property on the day of the condemnation was in a developable condition.

Then the most valuable piece of the larger parcel was taken, he added, saying Dwyer, based on his lifelong knowledge of the community and the building industry, was going to build the apartments.

The town said it was impossible, Waldo said. These new experts said you cant, cant, cant. Everything was a negative. Developers get paid to solve problems, to put everything together.

He contended that his clients property is in a great location in a vibrant town and that the demand for smaller apartments is present in Culpeper. Speaking to the jury, Waldo said their lives hopefully would go back to normal after a verdict it reached.

You will go back to your home, your families and your jobs, he said. But if just compensation is not paid to Richard Dwyer, his life will never be the same. A property owner never recovers from a condemnation when they are not treated fairly.

Attorney Jeffrey Huber, representing the town, in his closing arguments, told the jury that the case before them was about the unity of use of Dwyers land and the best use for it. He contended that there was no actual joint use for the assemblage of parcels when the town condemned the 5.4 acres.

Its not about plans, concepts or dreams of what might happen in the future, Huber said, reminding the jury of its site visit to Dwyers land on a sweltering Monday. You visited the property  there is no joint use for any of them. All he had on the day of the taking was a puzzle.

Yes, Dwyer had a site plan, the attorney added, but it was never approved.

It kind of looks like he saw what was coming and he did what he could to make it look like had unity of use when the land was taken, Huber said.

Besides, he added, Dwyers site plan for the project was flawed in that it did not show proper access. Huber cast dispersion on the accuracy of the appraisals offered by Dwyers witnesses saying they did not consider financial feasibility of the apartment complex in reaching their amounts or the lack of market demand.

It hits you in the head like a two-by-four  theres been no multi-family built in Culpeper for 10 years, he said. There is no demand for this type of project.

The jury, including two men who were dismissed by random draw as alternates, was attentive  notwithstanding a few heavy eyelids  during the duration of the trial that included myriad details, graphs and information. Two of the female jurors ultimately selected to decide the case revealed during jury selection on Monday that they had other personal matters to consider that might cause them to not give full attention during jury duty. One said she was scheduled to drive to Florida Friday morning to care for her grandchildren while the other said she owned a business that no one else could run but her.

The eminent domain trial attracted various spectators during its five days including a group of students from James Madison University assigned to sit in on it as part of a land planning class.

According to court testimony, Col. Jameson Boulevard is used by 6,000 to 10,000 vehicles per day. It is named for Col. John Jameson, a Revolutionary War figure from Culpeper. A plan for the connector road, also called the inner loop, had been on the books for decades in Culpeper, but its construction gained speed under the leadership of former Mayor Chip Coleman.

A month before the town condemned the land needed for the property, including Dwyers, he hosted a town hall meeting about the project. Also in 2013, town council approved a 1-cent increase in the meals tax, in part, to pay its share for constructing Col. Jameson Boulevard.
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With combating rural crime on the minds of many farmers, Farmers Weeklys Machinery team has gathered together a selection of high-tech items that could help stiffen up on-farm security.

In our Ultimate guide to farm security, we highlight some of the kit on offer to help farmers dissuade thieves and fly-tipper from setting foot on their farms.

Featuring locks, chains, alarms, gates and CCTV from a range of companies there should be something to suit every budget.

See also: Business Clinic: Keys left in tractors  are they insured?

Locks Price Padlocks come in all shapes and sizes, with prices ranging from 5 to 150. Better-quality items come with a European CEN standard ranging from one to six in terms of ease or difficulty of overcoming it. Dont get a cheapie lock  instead look out for well-known makes, such as Abus, Squire, APC, Sterling and Abloy, and be prepared to spend 20-40. Check whether they are water resistant, too, if they are sitting in the wind and rain day in, day out. There are also padlocks that sound an alarm if they are tampered with. APC, has a modestly priced 8mm shackle LK-333 model for 6.36. Once you have set the padlock (you have 15 seconds to do that) it will activate an alarm if anyone moves it and theres a failsafe system to stop the wind accidentally setting it off. Design The design of the padlock can also make a difference. A hardened shroud makes it relatively difficult to get bolt croppers on to the shackle. So, can any padlock withstand a burglar armed with a cordless grinder? It depends whether they are making a racket or not. Some manufacturers claim that their shackle has ceramic inserts to slow down the grinders progress. Its true that a really determined thief with a 42in set of bolt cutters or a cordless grinder can cut through even a 13mm padlock shackle, but theyre heavy and cumbersome and so are less likely to be taken on thieving forays.

Chains and shackles Tom Richardson from CJ Supplies, a company conducts more than 100 security surveys a year for farmers and landowners, says that farmers need to upgrade the chains they have traditionally used to secure field gates. Size An 8mm chain link is too small, 10-13mm is the norm and 16mm will stop most thieves. Also, you need 1m of chain per gate to do a proper job of securing them. The cost of CJ Supplies chain is 35/m for 10mm link and 50/m for 13mm. Chains sold at local DIY places are cheaper, but tend to be weaker. Padlock A weld-on hasp on a padlock can be very effective and padlocks need to be enclosed, not exposed. Good padlocks need to be serviced, if they are to last. CJ Supplies also sells the Mul-T-Lock range, which uses one patented key to operate several different types of lock. Shackle diameters on the NE Series padlocks go from 8mm to 14mm, while the C Series stretches from 8mm to 16mm. If you have a shed with something really important to guard, the high-tech but somewhat pricey Mul-T-Lock KonnectLock incorporates GPS location and a SIM card. It tells you when someone has opened and closed the padlock by sending you an email or text.

Alarms Driveway alarms If you want to keep an eye on the farmyard but dont want to shell out a lot of money on security and spend ages staring at CCTV footage, a driveway alarm could be the answer. There are several of these about, but here are a couple of well-known makes. They all do more-or-less the same thing, which is to set up a beam across a driveway using passive infra-red. If the beam is broken, an alarm or light will go off in the house, workshop or any other buildings. Dakota Dakota, sold by Northampton company Ultrasecure, sells a simple Dakota 2500 driveway and perimeter alarm. You can set it up as far as 800m from the house or farm office and if someone breaks the beam, it will sound the alarm. The beam is narrow, so it wont pick up rabbits and rats. You can alter the volume of the alarm from gentle to ear-splitting, so theres no danger of missing the alert. Cost is 180 plus 20 for a fake bird box to disguise the receiver and the PP3 battery should last for nine to 18 months. You can add a siren or bell for about 200. Dakota also sells a useful vehicle-detecting driveway alarm system that you bury a couple of inches under a track or roadway. This means you know if a tractor, pickup or car has come into the farmyard rather than a staff member, cow or walker. The cost is 300. Alarms for Farms Kelso, Roxburghshire-based company Alarms for Farms has been installing alarm systems, CCTV and GPS trackers since 1994 and was set up by farmers. Its 200 Standard Active Solar Dual-beam Gateway Alarm lets you set an infra-red solar-powered 20m beam across a gateway, though beams up to 200m (349) are offered. If anyone drives or walks through, an alarm goes off in the farmhouse, farm office or farm building up to 800m away. No groundworks are needed. A 15-day battery pack and small solar panel on top of each beam unit allow completely wire-free installation. However, if the beam is in permanent shade, you can add a 25 50mmx100mm solar booster on a wire that can be placed in a sunnier spot. A mains power supply is also available for any beams that are to be sited within a building or tractor shed. Beam alignment is simple, says the company, with an audible beep confirming correct alignment. For longer beams (60m and above), a 15 laser pen helps installation. The receiver can be connected to a telephone dialler, which will alert you or a neighbour in the event of an intrusion and up to ten numbers can be alerted by voice call or text message.

Gates and barriers One of the great traditional things about farms is you can usually drive in, park your car and go and knock on the front door. However, with more and more petty thieves and fly-tippers, it is getting increasingly necessary to install some form of gate. But what are the options for achieving security without nuisance? There are lots of makers out there, and here are some possibilities. Dofygate Norfolk farmer Jim Alston has been selling his Dofygate gates for several years. Rather than going down the traditional wood gate route, he designed a lightweight and rather more high-tech option. As you approach, you press a button in the car/truck/tractor or on foot and the gates quickly open and then close behind you. The gate is solar-powered and gives off a mild shock to deter dogs and livestock. Prices go from 993 to 2,296 depending on how much tech you want. Tailormade Cambridgeshire manufacturer Tailormade reckons its road blockers are all but impregnable. Two heavy-duty gates plus a massive 20mm-thick steel flap that rises up from a trench via two top-links makes it impossible to get through, says the companys Alan Rogerson. It is powered by a combination of a 12V 200Ah battery and solar power (so theres no need for a mains supply) and it can open and close 100 times a day for five days even if there is no wind or sun. It can also be fitted with a SIM card to allow you to control it remotely. Cost of a 3m unit plus gates is 9,500 and most farmers would do their own groundworks to keep costs down. Wellington Security Essex company Wellington Security has been making farm gates for 15 years and specialises in swinging and trackless sliding gates. Standard opening widths are 4m upwards and the companys Paul Gilder says trackless types are becoming more popular as they give more protection against ram-raiders. The gates can be supplied galvanised and/or powder-coated, he says, and four out of five are now specified with GSM technology access control. This means you can open the gate via your mobile phone without having to be physically anywhere near it. Costs are typically from 4,000 for a swinging gate and 7,000 for a sliding gate. Both types can be configured to work from solar power so theres no need to have a mains supply. Gatecare Northampton-based company Gatecare offers something a bit different from other gate makers. t allows you to motorise an existing gate by fitting a linear actuator gate-opening system that is wholly powered by solar, so there is no need for mains power or underground cables. The 10W unit is aimed at users opening and closing the gate 10-20 times a day, the 18W unit will suit people opening/closing the gate 20-60 times a day and the 28W unit is for those likely to move it 60-100 times a day. Gates from 3.6m up to 12m can be motorised and if there is something in the way of the gate the system will automatically open again. You can open or close the gates remotely from your mobile phone, too. Prices go from 2,000 to 5,000, though most set-ups cost 2,500 to 3,000. Turnpikes Hertfordshire company Turnpikes offers 4.8m galvanised swing gates for 3,500 to 5,000, depending on how much automation you want. They are factory assembled, pre-wired and can be relatively simply bolted down to the customers prepared base. A safety beam stops the gate if someone is in the way and key fob operation plus entry and exit keypads are offered. Sliding gates are a bit more expensive, it says  5,500 to 8,500  and quick-to-open 5, 6 and 7m openers are available. A cantilever system means there is no track needed on the ground and a safety beam should stop any accidents.

CCTV systems There are dozens of CCTV systems out there, from big-name companies and small specialists. Some will do the whole thing for you from start to finish, while others require you to do a bit of work. Prices can vary massively, so look at one or two companies before handing over the cash. Farm specialists There are also quite a few local CCTV specialists that already deal with farmers, such as CCTV Systems (Cheshire), Farmers Eye (Dundee) and Agricamera (Devon) so its worth having a look locally. Scottish firm Alarms for Farms also now sells CCTV with full HD cameras (1,9201,080P) that can be installed around the farm for security and calving. They are all linked by wireless access points to your existing router, allowing you to view the footage on any PC, tablet or smartphone. DIY Want to do it yourself? Maplins sells Swann CCTV. An eight-channel 1TB CCTV kit with four cameras and a digital video recorder (DVR) costs a reasonable-sounding 350. It has 1,080 HD and the cameras have night vision up to 15m. Movement and heat trigger the passive infrared (PIR) sensor and starts recording and theres a 102deg vertical field of view. However, you cant connect remotely via your phone. Spaldings A four-camera wireless CCTV setup from Spaldings will cost you 1,516. For that, you get four cameras and a 500GB digital video recorder (DVR) for monitoring livestock and barns/machinery. The range is 300m in the day and 30m in the dark and you can use cable to go round trees and buildings. The DVR starts recording only when the cameras spot movement so you wont have to struggle through hours of footage. You can hook up the DVR to the internet to see live footage remotely on a PC, phone or iPad. Bushnell Bushnells Trophy Essential E3 trail camera is usually aimed at people who want to get pictures of wildlife but it can be good for capturing fly-tippers too. The camera can sit there for 12 months on a set of batteries until a vehicle or person breaks the sensors PIR beam. At that point, the camera can capture one to three pictures in a burst or five to 60 seconds of video at a time. The cameras 16 MP resolution should give you good, clear images. This 160 version wont tell you that the beam has been broken and send pictures/video  you have to stomp out to the field or wood and take out of the card. If you want to know immediately someone has broken the beam, you can go for the 240 Trophy Cam HD Wireless. This will send the images straight to your mobile phone via 4G (assuming you have decent reception). GuardCam Want something a bit simpler and cheaper? Redditch firm ESPUK offers a range of GuardCam all-in-one units. The basic kit costs about 90 and combines an LED floodlight, audible warning and 1,080x720P high-definition CCTV recording. It can store 60,000 still images or 750 20-second video clips, and the PIR detector has a range of 12m. Images are kept on an SD card (standard is 4GB but you can have up to 32GB) and times and dates of events are automatically recorded. You have to take out the SD card to view it, but that wont be a problem for most people. CCTV rules If you are using CCTV as part of your business (as opposed for leisure purposes), then technically you could come under the 1998 Data Protection Act. That means you cant hide CCTV cameras and should have a sign that says CCTV is being used for the purposes of crime prevention. You should also ensure that the cameras arent pointed at other householders and businesses. Amateur CCTV footage can be used in a court to secure a conviction, but there should be a clear audit trail to show where the footage has come from and when. Check, too, that you have formally notified the Information Commissioners Office, describing your use of personal data. This costs 35/year.
Story Highlights 34% say Trump has presidential personality and leadership qualities

40% say they agree with Trump on issues that matter most

Obama, Bush always rated better on personality than issues

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- More U.S. adults say they agree with Donald Trump on issues (40%) than say he has the personality and leadership qualities a president should have (34%). That is a departure from what Gallup measured for former Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush, who consistently scored better on personality and leadership than on issue agreement when in office.

On average, Americans rated Obama better on personality than on issues by 14 percentage points, 60% to 46%. For Bush, the average was nine points higher on personality, 59% to 50%. Americans rate Trump lower on personality than on issues by six points.

The results for Trump are based on combined data from separate Gallup polls conducted June 7-11 and July 5-9.

Not surprisingly, given his job approval rating of 38% in the July 5-9 poll, Americans do not hold Trump in high regard on either issues or leadership qualities. The percentage of Americans who say they agree with Trump on the most important issues nearly matches his approval rating. But significantly fewer Americans say he has the personality and leadership qualities a president should have. In fact, 18% of Americans approve of the job Trump is doing even though they do not think he has the proper make-up to be president.

Gallup did not ask the personality and issue items consistently during the Bush or Obama administrations, but the 33% in the July survey who said Trump has the personality and leadership qualities a president should is far below any other single measurement in its trend. The next lowest measurement in the trend was 49% for Bush in October 2005, a time when his job approval ratings were falling in the wake of the government's poor response to the Hurricane Katrina disaster and Bush's withdrawing his nomination of Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court. Gallup did not update the question later in Bush's second term, when his approval ratings were below 30%; it is possible his numbers on personality and leadership would have been worse in the final years of his presidency.

The 40% who say they agree with Trump on issues is an average of a 40% reading in Gallup's June survey and 39% in the July survey. Both are among the lowest individual measurements in Gallup's trend, along with readings of 40% and 41% for Bush on this dimension in May and October 2005, respectively.

Usually less than half of Americans have said they agreed with the president on issues. This likely reflects partisan divisions of the general public, with Americans' party preferences influenced to a large degree by their issue preferences. Only once in Gallup's trend, in January 2002 shortly after the 9/11 terror attacks, did well-above a majority say they agreed with the president on issues. At that time, 71% of Americans said they agreed with Bush on issues.

Trump's average 40% issue agreement score is still worse than those for Obama (46%) and Bush (50%), but is closer to the ratings of his predecessors than his ratings on the character dimension are.

Republicans Largely Fuel Personality/Issue Gap

Although majorities of Republicans rate Trump positively on both his character and issue agreement, they are more likely to say they agree with him on the issues (87%) than to say he has the personality and leadership qualities a president should (75%). The Republican gap on the two dimensions is largely responsible for the differences in ratings among Americans overall.

Among independents, there is a smaller gap -- 35% agree with Trump on issues and 28% believe he has the right presidential character. Democrats show no difference in their overwhelmingly negative opinions on the two dimensions -- 6% agree with Trump on issues and 6% say he has the personality and leadership qualities a president should.

Republicans More Likely to Say They Agree With Trump on Issues Than Say He Has Personality and Leadership Qualities a President Should Have Republicans Independents Democrats % % % Agree with Trump on issues that matter most 87 35 6 Trump has personality/leadership qualities a president should 75 28 6 Gap (percentage points) 12 7 0 Data represent average of June and July poll data. Gallup

In contrast, all party groups rated Obama and Bush higher on personality and leadership than on issues, though Republicans rated Bush only slightly lower on issues than on character.

Trump's ratings among his fellow Republicans on issue agreement (87%) are largely similar to those for Bush among Republicans (90%) and Obama among Democrats (83%). But Republicans rate Trump significantly worse on personality (75%) than they rated Bush (94%) or than Democrats rated Obama (92%).

The same pattern plays out among those who do not identify with the president's party. Trump's ratings on the personality dimension among independents and members of the opposition party are much worse than those for Obama and Bush on the same dimension with independents and their opposing parties. But Trump's ratings on issues are not much lower among independents, or supporters of the opposition party, than was the case for Obama and Bush.

Ratings of Recent Presidents on Personality and Leadershp Versus Issues, by Political Party Figures are percentage who say president has the personality and leadership qualities a president should have, and who say they agree with the president on the issues that matter most Trump Obama Bush % % % Personality/Leadership Qualities Own party 75 ^ 92 # 94 ^ Independents 28 60 54 Opposition party 6 # 23 ^ 28 # Issues Own party 87 ^ 83 # 90 ^ Independents 35 44 43 Opposition party 6 # 9 ^ 17 # ^ Republican Party; # Democratic Party; Data represent averages from each time questions were asked during president's tenure. Gallup

Bottom Line

Americans believed Bush and Obama had the necessary personal qualities to be president, even if many didn't support their policies or approve of the job they were doing as president. However, that is not the case for Trump, particularly among Democrats and independents, but also a fair number of Republicans. Only one in three Americans believe Trump has the personality and leadership qualities a president should, including a non-trivial minority of Republicans.

Trump's perceived character shortcomings appear to be the primary basis for why Americans disapprove of the job he is doing. As such, much of the opposition to Trump is more fundamentally rooted in who he is, rather than how he is doing his job, which suggests negative opinions of him will not change easily. These data also suggest that some segment of his supporters are supporting him primarily on the basis of issue agreement. However, if he fails to deliver on key Republican proposals the party was unable to pass when Obama was in office, those supporters may fall away and his already low approval ratings could erode further.

Historical data are available in Gallup Analytics.
Disclaimer: I am not a certified accountant or a lawyer, and none of this may be constituted as legal or financial advice. Seek guidance from a CPA or attorney for details specific to your situation. This article is meant as a general overview of global taxes, not an in-depth treatise on how to sell your game globally.

Game development is all about the creation of other worlds, memorable characters, and gameplay design. Mechanics and systems and fun. But beyond that, development is a business: its the act of creating a product to sell many copies of, preferably worldwide. As such, its absolutely essential to learn about the more technical subjects you might not be knowledgeable in, such as the inner workings of the prime source of government revenue: global taxation.

The way in which governments raise and spend revenue has a substantial impact on the economic and social development of nations. Despite it not being the only source of government revenue, it is the most important in nearly every country. According to the most recent estimates from the International Center for Tax and Development, total tax revenues account for more than 80% of total government revenue in about half of the countries in the worldand more than 50% in almost every country.

With something as hugely profitable as taxes are for the government, it is absolutely essential for business owners and creators to understand what to do outside of their own country. The selling of goods on a worldwide scale is clearly advantageous in terms of sales and returns on investments, but it doesnt come without its own set of complexities. Game developers would be wise to take heed to something as essential as understanding regulations that could save them time and money long term.

We begin this entry by providing an overview of taxation on a global scale by analyzing data, discussing recent trends and patterns in taxation from around the world. From there, we observe what this means for developers so as to help simplify this daunting endeavor.

Overview: A Global Perspective

In an effort to provide a more comprehensive approach to taxation policies and data, lets begin with a general view of global tax revenue. Who takes the bigger cuts when compared to the average, and what are these larger tax percentages on? Are there any trends to be aware of? Finally, what about taxes on goods and services? This is something that directly affects anyone creating and distributing goods on a global scale, including game developers.

America vs. the World

Internationally speaking, the total 2014 U.S. tax revenue equaled 26% of gross domestic product (GDP)below the 34% average for developed countries. Korea, Chile, and Mexico all collected even less than the U.S. Unfortunately for those in Europe, most taxes exceeded 40% of GDP, 6% above the average. This is explained by the fact that the government in those countries provides more services than the U.S..

In fact, the U.S. collects 24% of total tax revenue on things like retirement, disability, and other social security programs. This is compared to the 26% OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) average. Property taxes are more expensive, at 11%, a whopping 5% more than the OECD average. To ease the blow, only 17% of revenue from goods and services is collected. This beats the 33% average.

Analyzing Patterns

Taxation patterns around the world reveal large differences among countries, especially between the developed and the developing. More specifically, developed countries collect a larger share of their national output in taxes than developing countries. Furthermore, they tend to rely more on income taxation to do so. Developing countries, on the other hand, rely more heavily on trade taxes, as well as taxes on consumptionthe purchase and use of goods and services by the public.



In fact, the data shows that developed countries actually collect much higher tax revenue than developing countries despite comparable permitted taxation rates. This is even after accounting for underlying differences in economic activity, regionally speaking. This suggests that cross-country differences in government revenue capacity is largely determined by differences in compliance and efficiency of tax collection. Both of these factors are affected by the strength of political institutions.

To pose a blanket statement, governments generally finance policy through the use of taxes, grants (usually through development assistance transfers), and debt (deficits and reductions of budget surpluses). Although taxation isnt the only source of revenue, it is by far the most important.

Taxation on Goods & Services

More recent data suggests that direct taxation, and specifically that of income, remains more important in developed countries than in developing countries. The image above plots total revenue from taxes on income and profits (horizontal axis) against revenue from taxes on goods and services (vertical axis).



Clearly, there is a positive correlation on the chart: the higher the income, the higher the taxes on goods and services. European countries (marked in orange) are mainly located further toward the top right.



Most of the countries are close together on the chart as well, meaning they feature higher income tax revenues than commodity tax revenues. In other words, despite the high cost of taxation on the public, taxes on income are always higher. Denmark is another case altogether, however. Their income tax revenues more than double that of taxes levied on goods and services.

Impact on Game Developers

There is an entire world filled with regulations and charges well beyond your cubicle. Fortunately, there are a few details to keep in mind and some steps to take to make the process of handling global taxation easier.

Digital Taxation

For the sake of beginning with the bad news, if youre primarily selling your games in digital form, you might be surprised to know that rules about worldwide taxation change consistently for digital goods. For instance, for the E.U. alone, digital businesses who sell their goods in Europe must apply, collect, and remit VAT (Value Added Tax, a consumption tax on consumer spending) against all customer invoices. If you sell to VAT-registered businesses, they are exempt under a reverse-charge scheme, but you are required to have their VAT registration details.

For those selling goods in Norway, business to consumer (B2C) transactions for e-services from non-established suppliers to Norwegian consumers are required to charge VAT. The annual threshold to collect this tax is NOK 50,000.

Japanese tax, known as consumption tax is 8% and needs to be charged on all B2C E-commerce transactions delivered by foreign businesses to Japanese consumers. That means developers must register and designate a tax agent for themselves in Japan.

The best way to approach this issue, regardless of which country youre selling your game in, is to clearly state this at checkout (price of $20 + sales taxes). Furthermore, clearly state that taxes will be charged on your website so theres no sticker shock at checkout. It would also help to show customers what their costs will be in their currency.

U.S. Income/Business Tax

Before diving into how tax on a business is determined, lets explain U.S. income taxation. Consider it a refresher course.

You and your employer determine a gross income (before taxes), you fill out a W-4 form, which collects information like if youre single or married and then helps pinpoint whether you have children or other dependants. These are known as personal allowances, and the number of them determined how much income tax your employer will withhold from each paycheck.

Filing income taxes in April is pretty much a way to set up with the IRS. Technically, youve been playing taxes all year long, and come April of each year, youre just determining if you paid the correct amount. If you paid too much, you get a refund. If you didnt pay enough, you have to write another paycheck.

Filling out income tax forms like the 1040 are confusing, mainly because theyre based on a tax code that is over 5,000 pages long. For an overview on the steps, there are many resources available right online.

So, what changes when determining taxes on a business? Well, think revenue minus expenses. To start, you calculate your business income, which means taking your gross (prior to tax) business receipts or sales and subtracting your cost of goods sold to arrive at your gross profit. From there you deduct your business expenses, like getting Unity or a new Wacom tablet.

Generally speaking, any income you receive that is connected with your business is known as business income and needs to be reported on a business tax return.

Some things to consider are gross income from sales (bulk of the income you receive), miscellaneous business income, cost of goods sold (especially if your business uses inventory), and deductions. As a side note about deductions, it is absolutely a great idea to collect every legitimate deduction possible. This will help reduce your taxable income and tax bill.

Steps in Preparation

Note, the following steps are only applicable to U.S. developers looking to sell internationally. Unfortunately, this article does not touch on steps for international developers solely due to the fact that international taxation is intricate and would make sense in its own article entirely.

Ultimately, youre the person responsible for your taxes. In a studio setting, the studio founders are in charge. Tax professionals are simply advocates. This means keeping good records of all expenditures, important events, and decisions is critical. Donations to charity, business costs, office suppliesthe works. The more you keep track ofand the easier you organize it allthe better off your tax professional will be. It will open the lines of communication and cut down the time spent having to answer questions or trying to find certain receipts.

Assuming youre an indie developer who can afford to hire a tax professional, consider looking into recommendations from your local IGDA chapter, or other developers. The reason being that most tax professionals have no clue how the gaming industry works, and as such, would have a much more difficult time managing your tax needs. This is especially important from a business perspective. Game development means there are several tax problems and questions throughout the year, not just every February, so having a good professional to call is handy.

Key qualities to score in a tax professional would be knowledge of business taxes, an understanding of how digital goods are distributed and taxed internationally, and of course, experience working with creatives.

One thing that is applicable to both record-keeping and the qualities in a tax professional is communication. Developers absolutely must ask any and all questions they may have in order to completely understand how to manage things accordingly. Meanwhile, the tax professional should be answering those questions and asking questions of his/her own so as to understand the developers business on a deeper level. This communication leads to an open line of communication where everything is out on the table, making the overall process easier.

Of course, the common fear is the possibility of wasting an hour with an accountant. If they are charging hourly, it might seem silly, asking questions rather than getting things done. However, if a developer really does want the help of a tax professional, they need to understand how the overall process works. How and why are they charging you?

Ernest Jones, a CPA known for providing free tax information and advice through weekly Reddit AMAs also made a point: some CPAs will do fixed fee engagements after clarifying what services will be provided at what cost. This might not seem like a revelation, but it is important to be mindful of it due to the complexity of taxes between jurisdictions. U.S. CPAs probably wont be able to help with VAT issues in Europe, for instance.

For those of you who cannot afford a tax professional, there is a lot you can do to help make the process easier for yourself. Granted, professionals exist for a reason: they are experts at helping other experts from other industries. As a developer, youre an entrepreneur, and as such, youre managing more than someone who works a 9-5. You desperately need a tax professional, but again, for the sake of knowledge, there are steps to take.

Getting a tax guide, such as The Definitive Guide to Taxes for Indie Game Developers, is a great starting point, as it is chock-full of valuable information, covers all the basics, and answers burning questions. Pay particular attention to what youre allowed to write off and how the law applies to your business and personal situations.

VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) clinics are also viable options, as they are IRS programs predominantly composed of students and retired CPAs that offer tax aid to individuals earning less than $64,000 annually. Some VITA sites also offer self-prepping options that allow you to use IRS-sanctioned software to do your taxes, while asking the volunteers any questions you might have. The software is available for free assuming your income is under the $64,000 threshold.

As a blanket statement, self-employed developers generally will receive VITA help after combining all their profits and other income streams. If you own something other than a sole proprietorship, this may not be the case, as your earnings will likely be more than the threshold. Even if theyre not, the IRS assumes that if you own an S or C corporation, youre beyond the point of needing VITA.

Further Resources

If youre looking to tap into the international market for your goods, check out the U.S. Commerce Department, the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Export-Import Bank of the United States. If youre wondering where to begin your search, try Export.gov, a site created by international trade experts and economists. Remember, there are also many state operating agencies aimed at helping entrepreneurs export their products.

Merchant of Record

Of course, no article on taxation is complete without talking about Merchant of Record. If youre operating an eCommerce website that sells goods, you are a Merchant of Record. This means youre the person being held liable by your bank to process your customers payments. This includes debit and/or credit card payments that get processed through your website. The Merchant of Record (MOR) is the person that is responsible for more than just payments, however. They are also in charge of maintaining PCI compliance, building sophisticated risk and fraud mitigation systems, anti-money laundering (AML) compliance as well as KYC, chargebacks and even processing sales tax.

If it sounds like a lot, thats because it is. Collecting payments from global online customers needs to be secure, and involves mandatory actions like opening up merchant accounts, putting payment gateways in place, managing contracts with global payment service providers and abiding by global taxation requirements. In fact, only the Merchant of Record can sell products and pay taxes on behalf of his partner.

Something that may help ease the burden is knowing that there are game service providers, launchers and payment processors that hold the MOR status. For instance, Digital River has a Commerce Business Infrastructure (CBI) that allows them to act as both MOR and Seller of Record (SOR). As the Merchant of Record, Digital River is held financially liable by the bank that processes the end consumers credit and debit card payments. This includes all full and partial returns to the card, and any chargebacks. They also take on a tax and compliance risk to ensure all digital transactions are handled according to the law.

For developers, this is great news. Working with companies like Digital River means your company doesnt need to create a local entity. All the details regarding different global online markets and buying options, exportation restrictions and even regulatory fees are handled by Digital River. This cuts down on your research time, amount of effort during tax time, and any chances of mistakes.

Another company that provides such services and acts as a Merchant of Record is the popularly used video game service provider, Xsolla. Headquartered in Los Angeles, with offices around the globe, Xsolla operates as the merchant of record for companies like Valve, Twitch, Ubisoft, Epic Games, and Nexon. As such, they compile with credit card association regulations and PCI standards, while establishing and maintaining relationships with the banks that process payments. As a seller, they are in charge of the end result of selling digital products to end users, while accounting for local consumption taxes, establishing terms and conditions of sale and handling all chargeback and refund issues. In other words, Xsolla accelerates global expansion for game developers and publishers, hence saving time and money, since there is no need to open local entities, or calculate and pay local taxes. Game developers can focus on game development, while Xsolla takes care of the rest.

Now, to be clear, partnering up with a game services provider and shucking the title of MOR on them does not give you an excuse to throw away all records of expenditures or trackings of revenue. As a developer and entrepreneur, youll still need to ensure everything is accounted for regardless. Even though they will certainly take the blame for any mishaps, they are not the ones running your business  theyre running theirs.

Taxation & You

Its been well-established that game developers are creators first, before anything else. In fact, its taken a long time for developers to accept their true titles: business owners. The good news is that there is no better example of how well creativity and business sense can mesh like game development. By creating something marketable and then selling it globally through digital distribution, developers are not only taking control of their own business endeavors, they are making their game-related goals a reality.

The trouble is, of course, that anything profitable is generally difficult. Its not as easy as simply embedding a few buttons on a website and making it live. In fact, thats the last step in a series of steps that involve standard Merchant of Record actions, such as opening up merchant accounts and putting payment gateways in place.

The good news is that there are a few game service providers that take the MOR title unto themselves, essentially taking the financial risk, so you can have more peace of mind. That being said, it is not an excuse to let your business slide. Keeping track of all outgoing and incoming finances can help during tax time for both your business and your personal activities. Always consult a tax professional with any questions year round, especially if they are knowledgeable in things like digital goods, exporting, and of course, game development.

And remember, there are many sources to consult for additional information! You can consult your local VITA clinic with any questions not covered in this article.

If you enjoyed this article, dont hesitate to retweet it out! We love making new friends here at Black Shell Media, so dont be a stranger.
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.
Iran Says U.S. Dual National Jailed For 10 Years On Spying Charges

July 16, 2017

Iran has identified the U.S. national sentenced to 10 years for spying as Xiyue Wang, a 37-year-old researcher at Princeton University.

Mizanonline, the official news agency of Iran's judiciary, on July 16 said Wang, who was born in China, was arrested on August 8, 2016, while trying to leave Iran.

The report said the man was part of "an infiltration project" to collect "highly confidential articles" for U.S. and British organizations, including Princeton, the U.S. State Department, Harvard University, and the British Institute for Persian Studies.

The State Department issued a statement confirming it was "aware of reports regarding Xiyue Wang, a U.S. citizen detained in Iran."

"We continue to use all the means at our disposal to advocate for U.S. citizens who need our assistance overseas, especially for the release of any unjustly detained U.S. citizens held overseas," the State Department said.

"We call for the immediate release of all U.S. citizens unjustly detained in Iran so they can return to their families," it added.

The report by Mizanonline said Wang "was able to digitally archive 4,500 pages of the country's documents, while under covert surveillance."

It said the documents were taken from "research and cultural archives" and "the libraries of some state organizations."

As "proof," Mizanonline published a note in an annual report by the British Institute of Persian Studies in which Wang thanked a librarian for helping him make contact with academics in Iran.

Iran earlier said the man was a dual citizen of the United States and an unnamed country other than Iran. It was not immediately confirmed if Wang is also a citizen of China.

Several Iranian dual nationals from the United States and other Western countries have been detained in Iran over the past year and are being kept behind bars on charges, including espionage and collaborating with hostile governments.

In January, Tehran's chief prosecutor said as many as 70 "spies" were serving sentences in Tehran prisons.

In October, U.S.-Iranian business consultant Siamak Namazi and his 80-year-old father, Baquer Namazi, a former UNICEF official, were sentenced to 10 years in prison for "espionage and collaboration with the American government."

Tensions between the United States and Iran have heightened since the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump.

Trump has vowed to pull the United States out of a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers that eased sanctions against Tehran in return for curbs on Tehran's nuclear program.

Last month, the U.S. Senate supported further sanctions against Iran for its "continued support of terrorism." The bill must still be passed by the House.

Iran threatened to respond with "reciprocal and adequate measures."

Based on reporting by AFP, Reuters, and RFE/RL's Radio Farda

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-spying-us-china- princeton-prison-sentence/28619490.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Iran Sends Chinese-American Scholar to Prison for 10 Years for 'Espionage'

By VOA News July 16, 2017

An Iranian court has sentenced a Chinese-American scholar to 10 years in prison on "infiltration" charges, Iran's judicial spokesman said Sunday. The announcement triggered an immediate protest from the U.S. State Department.

Xiyue Wang, 37, a dual national of China and the United States, was arrested nearly one year ago, according to Mizan Online, a news agency operated by the Iranian judiciary.

"The Iranian regime continues to detain U.S. citizens and other foreigners on fabricated national-security related changes," the State Department said in a statement to news agencies. "We call for the immediate release of all U.S. citizens unjustly detained in Iran so they can return to their families."

At least four Iranian-Americans currently are being held in Iran, and a fifth is free pending an appeal of his sentence of 18 years in prison for alleged national-security crimes.

The deputy chief of Iran's judiciary, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejeie, gave few details about the case involving Xiyue Wang when he announced the court action Sunday: "The person was identified and arrested by the intelligence forces. The court has sentenced the person to 10 years." The sentence can be appealed.

Princeton University officials identified Xiyue Wang as a researcher and fourth-year graduate student working toward a doctorate in Eurasian history of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The regime-approved report published in Tehran said Xiyue Wang was arrested on August 8, 2016, and accused of passing confidential information about Iran to the U.S. State Department, to Princeton's Sharmin and Bijan Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Iran and Persian Gulf Studies, to the Harvard Kennedy School and to the British Institute of Persian Studies.

Wang "digitally archived" 4,500 pages of Iranian documents for foreign research institutions, according to Mizan Online. It published screenshots of Wang's Princeton web page and an excerpt of a March 2016 report from the British institute that quoted Wang as saying he had been in contact with "senior scholars" at Iranian government archives in Tehran and Mashhad.

Mizan cited the statement as evidence that Wang was on a covert mission, even though the institute's report was publicly available.

At least four Iranian-Americans are known to be detained or imprisoned in Iran: Baquer Namazi, 80, and his son Siamak are serving 10-year sentences in Tehran's notorious Evin prison and are believed to be in ill health. Also, Karan Vafadari, who owns an art gallery in Tehran, was arrested last July with his wife, who is a permanent U.S. resident.

American Gholamrez Reza Shahini of San Diego, California, was sentenced to 18 years in prison for national security crimes but has appealed the judgment and is free on bond.

The U.S. government has repeatedly called for the Americans' release. An unknown number of Iranians holding European passports are also believed in custody in Iran; among them are Britons, Austrians and French citizens.

Iran-U.S. relations, tense for years, have drastically deteriorated since President Donald Trump said he would review U.S. participation in the nuclear deal reached with Iran in 2015. The historic agreement between and the group of world powers, including the United States, was hailed as a breakthrough in the quest to stem Iran's nuclear ambitions.

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U.S. Department of Defense

Press Operations

News Release

No. NR-265-17 July 14, 2017

Statement by Chief Pentagon Spokesperson Dana W. White on death of ISIS-K leader in Afghanistan

U.S. forces killed Abu Sayed, the emir of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria - Khorasan Province (ISIS-K), in a strike on the group's headquarters in Kunar Province, Afghanistan, July 11.

The strike also killed other ISIS-K members and will significantly disrupt the terror group's plans to expand its presence in Afghanistan.

ISIS leaders chose Abu Sayed to lead the group after Afghan and U.S. forces killed the previous ISIS-K leaders - Hafiz Sayed Khan in late July 2016, and Abdul Hasib, in late April of this year.

Afghan and U.S. forces launched a counter-ISIS-K offensive in early March 2017 to drive fighters from Nangarhar and send a clear message to ISIS that there is no sanctuary for their fighters in Afghanistan.

For more information, please refer queries to U.S. Forces - Afghanistan.

http://www.defense.gov/News/News-Releases/News-Release-View/Article/1248198/

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U.S. Department of Defense

Press Operations

News Release

No. NR-264-17 July 14, 2017

Navy to Commission New Guided-Missile Destroyer John Finn

The Navy will commission its newest guided-missile destroyer, the future USS John Finn (DDG 113), during a 10 a.m. HAST ceremony Saturday, July 15, at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii.

The new destroyer honors Chief Aviation Ordnanceman John Finn, who received the Medal of Honor for heroism during the first attack by Japanese airplanes at Pearl Harbor. While under heavy machine gun fire, Finn manned a .50-caliber machine gun mounted on an instruction stand in a completely exposed section of the parking ramp. Wounded multiple times, he had to be convinced to leave his post. After receiving first aid treatment, he overcame the effects of his injuries and returned to the squadron area to supervise the rearming of returning planes. Finn served throughout the war, earning a commission and eventually being promoted to the rank of lieutenant. He passed away in May 2010 at the age of 100.

Adm. Harry Harris, commander, U.S. Pacific Command, delivers the ceremony's principal address. Mrs. Laura Stavridis, wife of retired Adm. James Stavridis, serves as the ship's sponsor.

"The commissioning of USS John Finn marks the beginning of what will be decades of exceptional service for this ship," said the Honorable Sean Stackley, acting Secretary of the Navy. "During World War II, Chief Finn distinguished himself through heroic service to his fellow Sailors and our nation. I know the men and women who make up the crew of USS John Finn will carry his legacy forward with the same selfless service he distinguished more than 75 years ago."

Designated DDG 113, John Finn is the 63rd Arleigh Burke-class destroyer and the first of her class commissioned since USS Michael Murphy joined the fleet Oct. 6, 2012. John Finn will be able to conduct a variety of operations, from peacetime presence and crisis management to sea control and power projection. John Finn will be capable of engaging in air, surface and subsurface battles simultaneously and will contain a myriad of offensive and defensive weapons designed to support maritime warfare, including Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) capabilities.



The ceremony can be viewed on the Navy Live blog at http://navylive.dodlive.mil.

Media may direct queries to the Navy Office of Information at 703-697-5342. Additional information on Arleigh Burke class destroyers is available online at http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=4200&tid=900&ct=4

Additional history and an information graphic on Finn can be found online at https://www.history.navy.mil/news-and-events/multimedia-gallery/infographics/heritage/u-s--legend--john-w--finn.html

http://www.defense.gov/News/News-Releases/News-Release-View/Article/1247909/

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New Guided-Missile Destroyer Signals U.S. Resolve, Pacom Chief Says

By Cheryl Pellerin DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, July 15, 2017  The Navy's newest Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer sends a signal to allies and adversaries in the Asia-Pacific region that what happens in the region matters to the United States, the commander of U.S. Pacific Command said in Hawaii today.

The Asia-Pacific region is inextricably linked to America's future security and economic prosperity, Navy Adm. Harry B. Harris Jr. said during a commissioning ceremony for the USS John Finn at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.

"America is a Pacific nation, a Pacific leader and a Pacific power -- always has been and always will be," Harris said.

Smart Power, Hard Power

"We believe in peace through strength -- smart power backed by hard power -- and the ship's hard power personified sends a clear signal to our friends and to our adversaries, that we will remain laser-focused on the Indo-Asia Pacific," the admiral said.

That's why the United States is sending its best people and its best platforms to the region, Harris said, noting that the USS John Finn is the first new construction ship built from the keel up with the Aegis Baseline 9 weapon system, which enables the ship to simultaneously conduct air warfare and ballistic missile defense.

"That means the John Finn brings both the saber and the shield to the fight," Harris said. "American know-how to get her done -- anytime and anywhere."

The John Finn's advanced combat systems, along with the innovative spirit and dedication of the ship's crew, "are powerful reminders of our readiness to fight tonight. This warship is the embodiment of America's resolve to protect our homeland and defend our allies," the admiral said.

No one should doubt that America remains as committed as ever to the vital Asia-Pacific region, he said.

"In my opinion," Harris said, "we can't get our most advanced assets here fast enough."

The admiral said that while the ship's commissioning is a Navy ceremony, and today is a Navy day, "we now live in a world where we must learn, think and fight jointly."

Today, Harris added, "we go back to the roots of not only America's Navy but of our Marine Corps, our Army and Air Force as we take special note of what lies at the very core of the joint force, the continuing recognition  of who we are and what we value as military leaders -- the absolute nature of accountability, the science of command and the art of leadership."

USS John Finn

The Navy's newest destroyer is named after chief aviation ordnanceman Navy chief petty officer John Finn, who on the morning of Dec. 7, 1941, manned a .50-caliber machine gun during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor at Naval Air Station Kaneohe Bay. Wounded more than 20 times, he continued to fight until the attacks ended. Finn died in 2010 at age 100.

Finn received the first Medal of Honor of World War II for his heroism.

"USS John Finn is about to join the Pacific Fleet and the Pacom joint team," Harris said. "This ship and her crew are ready to sail into harm's way and assume the critical mission of safeguarding our nation's interests in the Indo-Asia-Pacific."

The ship's name is fitting, the admiral added, because the best joint fighting force the world has ever seen exists today "because of the men and women who did their duty, right here on this island, 75 years ago."

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3 soldiers killed amid mutiny in Ivory Coast military

Iran Press TV

Sat Jul 15, 2017 2:41PM

Three soldiers have been killed as a fresh round of infighting erupts in a barracks in Ivory Coast.

A military officer said on Saturday that the soldiers were killed in a shooting that began overnight in a barracks at Korhogo, a city in the north of Ivory Coast.

"There are three dead soldiers," said the officer without elaborating. Other sources in the area said three bodies in military fatigues and with gunshot wounds had been taken to a local morgue.

Residents in the capital Abidjan reported similar gunfire in a former UN base near the city. They said the shooting lasted from about 1:30 a.m. to after 3:00 a.m.

"We were all very scared. We don't know what's going on," said a resident. Local sources said calm was restored in the area on Saturday morning.

For months, Ivory Coast's army has been battered by tension and infighting. Elements within the military have staged mutinies to demand promised bonuses. A payoff of 12,000 CFA francs (18,000 euros) per head was eventually agreed by the government in May, five months after the revolt started.

Most of the mutineers are former rebel soldiers who were incorporated into the country's armed forces after the end of a decade-long civil war in 2011. There are also about 6,000 "demobilized" rebels who have not been integrated into the military and have been pressing for similar demands on bonuses.

Ivory Coast, a former French colony in West Africa, mostly relies on export of cocoa to finance its budget and falling prices has badly affected government coffers. That comes as security forces have become tougher in dealing with the tension in the armed forces. Two former rebel leaders were jailed on Tuesday for obstructing a road in the central city of Bouake.

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Australia should aim to become major arms exporter: minister

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 13:23, July 16, 2017

CANBERRA, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Australia needs to "reverse the current situation" and become one of the world's premier arms exporters, according to the nation's Defense Industry Minister Christopher Pyne.

Speaking with local media on Sunday, the minister said that Australia must become self-sufficient in the way that it builds its defence capabilities, adding that creating an arms export industry would deliver self-sufficiency and build strategic relationships with ally nations in the Middle East.

Pyne said he would like to see Australia "design, build and export ships, vehicles, (and) missiles" with the 200 billion Australian dollars (152 billion U.S. dollars) the government has set aside for defence over the next decade.

"My ambition and the government's ambition is to reverse the current situation," Pyne told Fairfax Media, "There's absolutely no reason why we can't be as capable as Italy, Germany, France, Great Britain."

Currently, Australia is the world's sixth largest importer of defence goods, while it is the 20th largest exporter. Pyne said that within two decades, Australia should be exporting arms at similar levels to Germany, Britain and France, behind the United States and Russia as the world's largest defence hardware exporters.

Pyne said that creating a competitive arms industry would do wonders for the alliances which Australia holds with key Middle Eastern nations such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

"Why wouldn't we want to cement our relationship with a country like the UAE, which shares many of our values in terms of the geopolitical issues that we face through things like defence exports?" Pyne said.

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Pakistan says India shelling killed 4 soldiers in Kashmir

Iran Press TV

Sun Jul 16, 2017 5:22PM

The Pakistani military has accused the Indian forces of killing four Pakistani soldiers by firing from across the Line of Control (LoC) in the divided Kashmir region.

"Indian troops targeted an army vehicle moving along LoC ... The vehicle fell into the river and four soldiers have drowned," Pakistan's military said in a statement on Sunday.

The statement said Pakistani forces recovered the body of one soldier from the Neelum River and that search was going on to find the remaining three.

Officials in India's ministry of defense said they were not informed about the incident.

India and Pakistan have seen a surge in fighting over the past months along the LoC, the de facto border which separates the two parts of Kashmir controlled by the two nuclear-armed neighbors. The two countries have repeatedly accused each other of violating a 2003 truce.

The cross-border clashes intensified following a spike in protests in the Indian-administered Kashmir last year which came after a senior militant commander was killed in the area. People in the Muslim-majority Kashmir have for years demanded independence or a merger with Pakistan. India has ignored the call and continues to police the region with a 500,000-strong military force. It also accuses Pakistan of supporting the militants in Kashmir, a charge denied by Islamabad. About 70,000 people have been killed in India's crackdown in Kashmir since 1989.

The Pakistani military said Sunday that it had responded to the cross-border fire from the Indian side. There was no confirmation from India and whether there were any casualties.

India said Wednesday that two of its soldiers had been killed in firing from the Pakistani side of the border. Indian authorities blamed Pakistani forces for the incident.

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14 escape Philippine jail, 3 get killed

Iran Press TV

Sun Jul 16, 2017 7:11AM

More than a dozen prisoners escaped from a jail in the restive southern Philippines on Sunday, but at least three of them were killed in police pursuits.

Fourteen prisoners escaped from a police station jail in the war-torn town of Jolo. Police forces chased them, killing three and wounding and recapturing a fourth.

The other ten were at large, and police were using drones and sniffer dogs to locate them.

Jolo is a base of the Abu Sayyaf militant group, and some of the inmates who escaped were linked to the outfit, according to provincial the police chief, Senior Superintendent Mario Buyuccan.

The police station jail was holding a total of 32 inmates, who were mostly drug dealers, according to Buyuccan.

He explained that there was no connection between the Sunday jailbreak and the fighting in the town of Marawi, where the army is fighting Daesh militants.

Mass escapes from prisons are commonplace in the Philippines, where prison facilities are often overcrowded, poorly maintained, and inadequately guarded.

In the country's biggest jailbreak, more than 150 prisoners fled from a prison in the south in January after about a hundred gunmen stormed the facility.

Abductions

Separately, suspected militant-bandits from the Abu Sayyaf group abducted four workers in a school in a southern Philippine province where President Duterte visited troops waging an offensive against the outfit.

About 20 militants barged into a grade school compound in the town of Patikul in Sulu Province shortly after midnight Saturday and seized six painters and carpenters, one of whom managed to escape and alerted the police.

Army troops later rescued another worker.

During his brief visit to Sulu on Saturday, Duterte awarded medals to wounded troops.

The president has ordered government forces to eliminate the militants, who still hold several foreign and Filipino hostages in Sulu's jungles.

In Marawi, Philippine soldiers are fighting an urban war against terrorists from the Abu Sayyaf and Maute groups, both of which have pledged allegiance to Daesh.

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Afghan Forces Recapture Southern District From Taliban

RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan July 16, 2017

Afghan troops have recaptured a district from Taliban militants in the volatile southern province of Helmand, a government official said.

A large-scale operation to retake Helmand's Nawa district began early on July 15 with Afghan troops moving in from three different directions as international forces provided air support, Omar Zowak, the provincial governor's spokesman said.

Zowak said security forces seized the district center and other key areas in Nawa, which was overrun by the Taliban nine months ago.

According to Zowak, at least 12 Taliban militants were killed and two Afghan policemen were wounded in the operation in Nawa, some 15 kilometers south of the provincial capital, Lashkar Gah.

The Taliban has a strong presence in Helmand.

Earlier in July, a U.S. soldier was killed and two others were wounded in a suspected Taliban attack in Nawa.

U.S. military officials said the soldiers had been conducting an operation with partnered Afghan security forces when they came under fire.

About 13,000 U.S. and allied troops in a NATO-led force are deployed in Afghanistan.

With reporting by khaama.com, tolonews.com

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/afghanistan-southern-nawa- district-recaptured-taliban/28619007.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Trump's Lawyer Defends Son's Meeting With Russians, Says President Had No Knowledge Of It

July 16, 2017

One of U.S. President Donald Trump's lawyers has defended his son, Donald Trump Jr.'s meeting with a Russian lawyer last year in hopes of obtaining damaging information about his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

Speaking in a series of interviews on major U.S. television political talk shows on July 16, attorney Jay Sekulow dismissed allegations the president knew of the meeting and deflected questions on its appropriateness.

"The president was not aware about this meeting, did not participate in this meeting. As far as other meetings go, look, the president has said that he was not aware of it, wasn't involved in it. And there's been no indication otherwise," Trump's personal attorney, Jay Sekulow, said on CBS News in one of five interviews he did on the matter.

Trump Jr. disclosed this week that he agreed to meet with Russian lawyer Natalya Veselnitskaya in June 2016 after he was told she represented the Russian government and had damaging information on Clinton.

The president's eldest son said he would "love it" if that were the case, and he invited his brother-in-law, Jared Kushner, and Trump's campaign chairman at the time, Paul Manafort, to join the meeting, according to e-mails Trump Jr. released this week.

It was later revealed that other Russian associates, including a lobbyist with ties to Russian intelligence, were also present at the meeting at Trump Tower in New York City.

The e-mails are the most concrete evidence to date that Trump's campaign might have been willing to accept Russian help to win the election and are now a major focus of investigations in Congress.

Both Donald Trump Jr. and his father have repeatedly insisted that nothing came out of the meeting at Trump Tower in New York during the presidential campaign in June 2016.

The president has called the meeting "standard practice" during a political campaign and Sekulow attempted to deflect any blame on Trump by saying that the meeting must have been acceptable since the Secret Service let the entourage into the offices for the meeting.

"I wonder why the Secret Service -- if this was nefarious -- why the Secret Service allowed these people in?" Sekulow told ABC's Jon Karl. "The president had Secret Service protection at that point, and that raised a question with me."

Reuters quoted Secret Service spokesman Mason Brayman as saying the younger Trump was not under Secret Service protection at the time of the meeting, which included Trump's son and two senior campaign officials.

"Donald Trump, Jr. was not a protectee of the USSS in June, 2016. Thus we would not have screened anyone he was meeting with at that time," Brayman said in an emailed response to Reuters' questions about Sekulow's comments.

The younger Trump has offered to cooperate with Congress about the matter and would be the first member of the president's inner circle to testify before committees that are investigating Russian attempts to influence the election.

With reporting by Reuters, AP, and AFP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/trump-jr-sekulow-russian- meeting-knowledge/28619404.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Gunmen Open Fire on Voters in Unofficial Referendum in Venezuela

By VOA News July 16, 2017

Gunmen on motorcycles fired on a group of voters in Caracas casting ballots Sunday in a non-binding referendum on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's plans for a new constitution.

Opposition officials say one woman was killed and three other people were wounded. They blame the attack outside a church in one of Caracas' poorer districts on pro-government "paramilitaries."

An opposition statement says it feels "great pain" over the shooting.

Turnout was reported heavy for the opposition-sponsored referendum asking voters whether they approve of a July 30 election for a special assembly to draft a new constitution.

Maduro has said changing the constitution is the only way to pull Venezuela out of its deep economic and social crisis.

"I'm calling on the opposition to return to peace, to respect for the constitution, to sit and talk," he said Sunday. "Let's start a new round of talks, of dialogue for peace."

But the opposition says the assembly will be rigged in Maduro's favor. It says rewriting the constitution is nothing but a Maduro ploy to turn Venezuela into a socialist dictatorship and destroy dissent.

They hope a strong voter turnout will increase the pressure on Maduro.

One voter who rejects the new constitution summed up the feelings of millions of Venezuelans, telling the Associated Press "there's no medicine, no food, no security...no separation of powers, no freedom of expression."

The drop in global energy prices along with government corruption has destroyed Venezuela's oil-rich economy. There are severe shortages of basic goods such as gasoline, flour, sugar, and cooking oil. Supermarket shelves are bare and many Venezuelans cross into neighboring Brazil and Colombia to buy food.

Daily clashes between pro-government marchers, protesters, and police frequently blows up into violence. Nearly 100 people have been killed.

Maduro blames his country's woes on the United States and warns against intervention by the Organization of American States, saying that would surely bring on civil war.

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Chang Hong-5 (CH-5)

combat and reconnaissance drone

China's new attack and reconnaissance drone, the Caihong 5, or CH-5 [ Rainbow 5 ] may be thought of as a Reaper "with Chinese characteristics". It bears a striking resemblance to the American MQ-9 Reaper  the primary offensive unmanned aerial vehicle used by the US Air Force. Shi Wen, chief designer of the CH series, said the CH-5 was as good as the US-made General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper, a hunter-killer drone often deemed by Western analysts as the best of its kind, But the CH-5 is no match for the MQ-9: The Chinese drone can carry only 900kg of weapons, while the US one can handle 1,750kg.

China is ready to mass-produce the CH-5 reconnaissance/combat drone, the nation's latest offering to the international armed drone market. The first mass-produced CH-5 made its debut flight, in which it was airborne for more than 20 minutes, at an airport in Hebei Province on 14 July 2017. Ou Zhongming, project manager of the Caihong, or Rainbow series of drones at the China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics in Beijing, said after the test that several nations, including current users of other CH models and new clients, are in talks with the academy on procurement of the CH-5, which is believed to be one of the best unmanned military aircraft in the world.

The China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics is the country's largest military drone exporter by the number of products sold overseas. Its CH-series drones have been sold to militaries in more than 10 countries, making it the largest drone family the country has exported, according to statistics from the academy. Shi Wen, chief designer of the CH series, said the CH-5 outperforms all of its Chinese-made counterparts when it comes to operational endurance and payload capacity.

Twice as big as its predecessors in the CH family, the drone can stay in the air for 60 hours, almost three times that of other Chinese models. Its maximum operational range is designed at 10,000 kilometers, according to Shi. The drone's 1-metric-ton payload capacity enables it to bring as many as 24 missiles on a single mission, strong enough to take out a convoy of armored vehicles.

China's heaviest-yet drone - comparable to the US Reaper - made its maiden flight, Chinese media reported on 31 August 2015. The Caihong 5, was in the air over an undisclosed location in Gansu Province for just 20 minutes. It surpassed the previous model developed by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation by 2.5 times in terms of carrying capacity.

The revelation came days ahead of the big military parade, which China held on September 3 to commemorate the defeat of Imperial Japan in World War II. Beijing announced that more than 80 percent of the military hardware it planned to display had never been shown to the general public before. Over 10 foreign nations, including Russia, contributed their troops to the grand event in Beijing.

The latest and heaviest drone in the CH family is the CH-5 combat and reconnaissance drone, which has prompted keen interest among foreign clients, even though it made its first flight in August 2015, according to Shi Wen, chief drone designer at the China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics in Beijing. The CH-5 is made of composite materials and has a wingspan of 21 meters. It can stay in the air for up to 30 hours and operate at an altitude of up to five km. It can fly at speeds ranging from 160 to 220 km/h and operate 2,000 km from ground control if connected via satellite.

China's self-developed unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) the CH-5, representing a world standard in size and weight, made its maiden flight in Gansu province on 01 September 2015. The maiden flight, scheduled in the early morning to avoid rush hour for civil flights, took 20 minutes before it landed smoothly as programmed.

The country's biggest UAV, with a wingspan of 20 meters, has a maximum takeoff weight of 3 tons, maximum payload of around 900 kilograms and an endurance of more than 30 hours at low- and medium-altitude. CH-5 is twice the size of its previously-developed counterparts. CH-5 is the largest reconnaissance and strike drone developed by the country according to the Chinese Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC).

The UAV will affect the way of dealing with anti-terrorist attacks in future, since its heavier loading capacity enables it to accommodate perspective radar to detect terrorists inside buildings or woods and communication-command devices to lead a drone fleet, said Ou Zhongming, head of the UAV project at the CASC. "It will increase the range of reconnaissance from 30 kilometers to 80 kilometers, which will discover targets over a longer distance and prevent any danger," Lan Wenbo, an official at the CASC told CCTV. The aircraft is designed to perform reconnaissance, surveillance, targeting, intelligence gathering, electronic warfare, border patrol, island defense and anti-terrorism missions.

While previous armed drones typically had a maximum takeoff weight of less than 1,500 kg, the CH-5 is able to fly with a weight of 3,300 kg, according to the academy's specifications. The larger capacity enables the drone to have more reconnaissance devices so it can detect a given target within an 80 km radius, said Lan Wenbo, a chief engineer. Shi said the CH-5 is capable of launching various air-to-surface missiles and laser-guided bombs and will be able to conduct early-warning operations after an upgrade.

The highly anticipated CH-5 (Rainbow-5) unmanned aerial vehicle was officially launched on 03 November 2016 at the 11th China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition (Airshow China 2016), being held in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, between Nov. 1-6, by its developer, China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics (CAAA). The existence of the CH-5 has been known by the public since its first flight in September last year. But the official launch of CH-5 nonetheless signaled that it was another step closer to entering the service of the Chinese military as well as the international market.

The CH-5 is the latest UAV of the Rainbow series. Long endurance at middle-high altitude is what its developer keeps boasting. Shi Wen, the chief designer of the rainbow series drones, confirmed at the product launch that the CH-5 can stay airborne for 40-50 hours at a time and has a range of 10,000-20,000 kilometers while carrying normal payloads. When carrying eight AR-1 air-to-ground missiles, the airborne endurance will still be maintained at around 32 hours.

He said that the data already look pretty nice compared with its principal competitor, U.S. MQ-9 Reaper (formerly named Predator-B). "Hovering above a hostile region for that a long time creates enough deterrence. You can just imagine a drone carrying eight missiles and watching you from above non-stop for 24 hours," said Shi. He still insisted that a hunter-killer drone does not necessarily have to fly too high or too fast. Instead, an altitude of 3,000-5,000 meters is optimal for drones such as the CH-5 and its predecessors, the CH-3 and CH-4.

"The drone isn't like a fighter jet. It isn't meant for dog fights, but for continuous surveillance and launching strikes whenever necessary. Flying too fast or too high will decrease the chance of success since you should either extend the missile's range or descend to a lower airspace," he said, also explaining why the CH-5 uses a hot-bulb engine. By contrast, Reaper as well as Chinese Wingloong (winged dragon), a drone designed by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), both use turboprop engines, capable of yielding higher speed and higher service ceiling at the cost of more fuel consumption and slower airborne endurance.

At the product launch ceremony, video footage shows CAAA developers talking about successful combat experiences of the CH-3 and CH-4 in undisclosed African countries, which naturally led to the question of who may be the potential buyers of this latest drone. Shi said all countries along the "Belt and Road," except the ISIS-haunted Syria, are potential customers for the CH-5. He also clarified that Chinese drones do not have to be "cheaper" than Western products to obtain more orders on the international arms market. "We may be a little inexpensive, but we do win by our reliability, not our lower price."

By one report it can carry a payload of 3 tons and is said to have wall-penetrating radar [a somewhat implausible claim]. The CH-5 is capable of carrying bombs and missiles and traveling up to 2,100 miles. By another estimate the UAV would have around 1.3 tons of weight for fuel and weapons. Accordingly, if the CH-5 carries eight AR-1s, it would leave around 700kg of space for fuel, providing the UAV with a combat radius of 1,500km. If the CH-5 is loaded to maximum capacity with eight AR-1s and two FT-7s, it would still have room for around 400kg of fuel, equivalent to a combat radius of 1,000km.

Sina refutes reports that the CH-5 is equipped with a domestic WJ-9 turboprop engine, noting that as it is a low-mid altitude UAV the CH-5 is more likely powered by a piston engine. If so, Sina suggests that the CH-5 could be matched with a Lycoming O-540 engine that has around 300 horsepower, though this would make it difficult for the drone to top speeds of more than 300 km per hour.

Made of composite materials, it has a wingspan of more than 20 meters, air-cruising time of more than 30 hours, takeoff weight of three tons. The long hang time enables the CH-5 to work in conjunction with ground-based radar for reconnaissance and search, thus enhancing the joint intelligence, monitoring and reconnaissance capability.

The drones chief designer, Ou Zhongming, said it can be equipped with wall-penetrating radar capability, which would allow it to track targets inside buildings. At the moment Chinese drones are not allowed to open fire without a go from an on-ground observer. The technology has been widely used by the US during operations in the Middle East. Terrorists have their hideouts. They can hide in a bush or in a house. That requires us to go through walls and identify the objects inside, Ou said in a CCTV report. Another designer, Lan Wenbo, said Rainbow 5 can be armed with electronic warfare equipment that would protect other drones from detection and hacking.

China is the world's biggest drone producer by some estimats, but it focuses on the civilian segment of the market, and mainly toy drones that are sold on e-Bay. Countries like the US and Israel are leading in military applications of larger robotic aircraft, particularly weaponized ones.

According to experts, the CH-5 does resemble America's Predator and the magnified version of Reaper in appearance because that appearance has the best layout before there is any revolutionary breakthrough in aerodynamics.

But the CH-5 is not a copycat and has Chinese characteristics in many details. Its airfoil, aerodynamic trimming and turboprop engine are all different from the American product, indicating an optimized layout achieved by Chinese engineers based on a large amount of wind tunnel tests and precise calculations. What's more, CH-5 features "one-key landing", meaning that it can realize automatic takeoff and landing with a simple button operation.

Chinese experts held that CH-5 performs better than Predator but not as good as Reaper in a comprehensive comparison, but considering Reaper's larger size and heavier weight, CH-5 is still able to compete with it in combat capability. It's definitely a seeded player.

In July 2020 the Rainbow-5 UAV team went to the field to carry out project compliance and perform intensive flight missions. In this mission, Rainbow-5 drone completed the marine application functional verification flight for the first time. It verified the system-wide electromagnetic compatibility, load function, and platform performance for subsequent application demonstrations. The next step will be to test the true marine environment. Adapted to the environmental characteristics of marine missions such as high temperature, high humidity, and high salt fog. For example, all the connectors were replaced with titanium alloy materials that are resistant to marine environments.

The marine application Rainbow-5 UAV system is a high-altitude long-endurance large-scale drone built for the complex and changing marine situation and marine environment. system. The UAV system can carry loads such as optoelectronics and wide-area search radar, with wide-area reconnaissance and surveillance capabilities and multiple task load integration capabilities.

If the US will not sell Jordan what it wants, Jordan may turn to China's Caihong 5 or an Israeli drone, the Heron TP. "China recently unveiled its version of the Reaper drone, the Caihong 5, capable of carrying bombs and missiles and traveling up to 2,100 miles," said Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., in a Wall Street Journal opinion piece 20 September 2015. "Jordan has expressed interest in buying the Caihong 5 if the U.S. refuses to export the Reaper."

Hunter, whose congressional district covers San Diego, home to Predator and Gray Eagle manufacturer General Atomics, has been vocal on the issue before. In February 2015, he wrote a letter urging President Obama to reverse a decision to deny General Atomics an export license to market the unmanned Predator XP to Jordan.

Even the head of Air Force acquisition agreed. On the heels of the Dubai Air Show, Bill LaPlante said the U.S. should act more quickly to allow allies to buy American weaponry, further citing the market threat posed by the Chinese. He cited drones specifically, saying, Guess whos [in Dubai] selling stuff? I dont know. China? Our partners are saying: even if [a Chinese weapon] doesnt work, I can buy theirs, even if it doesnt work well and works about a third of the time. Its still worth it. Those guys are at war and its existential for them.







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Romania: Patriot missiles not aimed at increasing tensions with Russia

Iran Press TV

Sat Jul 15, 2017 8:38PM

Romania has stressed that its possible purchasing of seven US-built Patriot missile defense systems is aimed at bolstering the country's defense and not antagonizing Russia.

"We are not getting ready to attack anyone. We are preparing ... for our army to benefit from modern, efficient features. They are meant to defend us, to guarantee the security of Romanians," Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said on Saturday.

Earlier in the month, the US State Department announced that it has approved the possible sale of defense systems worth $3.9 billion to the NATO country Romania.

Romania is yet to formally announce the purchase of the missile defenses systems, whose main contractors would be Raytheon Co and Lockheed Martin Corp.

Romania has been part of NATO since 2004, and is committed to increase its defense spending to two percent of its gross domestic product this year.

NATO drills kick off in Romania

Meanwhile, NATO and partner countries have begun war games in Romania being overseen by high ranking NATO officials and Iohannis.

Soldiers from Romania, the US, Ukraine, Armenia and Croatia are taking part in the exercises, in which US and Romanian military aircraft are also present.

The United States has deployed contingents of troops since Russia's reunification with Crimea following a referendum in March 2014. The US deployments have been supplemented by four NATO battle groups of more than 1,000 soldiers.

Western countries have moved to step up their military presence in Eastern Europe to deter what they call the Russian "aggression."

Moscow is wary of NATO's military build-up near its borders. In response, Russia has beefed up its southwestern military capacity, deploying nuclear-capable missiles to its Baltic enclave of Kaliningrad bordering Poland and Lithuania.

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Powerful drone ready for global market

People's Daily Online

(China Daily) 10:01, July 16, 2017

China is ready to mass-produce the CH-5 reconnaissance/combat drone, the nation's latest offering to the international military drone market.

The first mass-production CH-5 made its debut flight, in which it was airborne for more than 20 minutes, at an airport in Hebei province on Friday afternoon.

Ou Zhongming, project manager of the Caihong, or Rainbow, series of drones at the China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics in Beijing, said after the test that several nations, including current users of other CH models and new clients, are in talks with the academy on procurement of the CH-5, which is believed to be one of the best unmanned military aircraft in the world.

"Today's flight means the CH-5's design has been finalized and we are ready to mass-produce it," he said, refusing to name potential buyers.

The China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics is the country's largest military drone exporter by the number of products sold overseas. Its CH-series drones have been sold to militaries in more than 10 countries, making it the largest drone family the country has exported, according to statistics from the academy.

Shi Wen, chief designer of the CH series, said the CH-5 outperforms all of its Chinese-made counterparts when it comes to operational endurance and payload capacity. The plane is as good as the US-made General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper, a hunter-killer drone often deemed by Western analysts as the best of its kind, he added.

The prototype CH-5 was first flown in August 2015. The drone is made of composite materials and has a wingspan of 21 meters. Twice as big as its predecessors in the CH family, the drone can stay in the air for 60 hours, almost three times that of other Chinese models. Its maximum operational range is designed at 10,000 kilometers, according to Shi.

The drone's 1-metric-ton payload capacity enables it to bring as many as 24 missiles on a single mission, strong enough to take out a convoy of armored vehicles.

The unmanned aircraft is also able to carry an airborne early warning system to act as a platform for regional surveillance and battlefield command and control. It also can carry electronic warfare instruments to collect electronic intelligence and to jam enemy communications or radar.

Moreover, the CH-5 can detect underwater targets such as submarines when mounted with certain devices, Shi said.

The CH-5 can also use high-resolution cameras, radar and radio transmitters to serve a wide range of civilian and public sectors.

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UN chief underlines 'sustained commitment' to JCPOA

Iran Press TV

Sat Jul 15, 2017 5:12PM

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres has stressed the importance of "sustained commitment" of all parties to the obligations under the landmark nuclear agreement between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries.

Guterres issued a statement overnight marking the second anniversary of the historic agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), aimed at ensuring the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program.

He added that the JCPOA stakeholders' "sustained commitment is essential for the long-term viability and success of the agreement."

He welcomed the recent recommitment to the "full and effective implementation" of the deal expressed by the JCPOA parties during their 7th meeting of the Joint Commission monitoring the deal's implementation in the Austrian capital of Vienna on April 25, calling on them to continue to work together "in good faith and reciprocity."

He said that both Iran and the P5+1 group should support further pursuit of the JCPOA and pledged that he would do the same.

The UN chief also commended Iran for implementing its nuclear-related commitments in accordance with the JCPOA.

"The JCPOA was a major achievement in the area of nuclear non-proliferation," Guterres said, adding, "It gives us all hope that the most complex issues in this domain can be addressed through dialogue, understanding and cooperation."

The UN chief stressed, "It is in the interest of the international community that this achievement of multilateral diplomacy endures transitions and implementation challenges cementing our collective commitment to diplomacy and dialogue."

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 on July 14, 2015 and started implementing it on January 16, 2016.

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 UN Security Council later unanimously endorsed a resolution that effectively turned the JCPOA into international law.

The statement by the UN chief came after European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini also urged all sides to the JCPOA to remain committed to their obligations under the deal.

"This deal belongs to the international community, having been endorsed by the United Nations Security Council, that expects all sides to keep the commitments they took two years ago," Mogherini said in a statement on Friday.

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Iran, Russia hold joint naval drills in Caspian Sea

Iran Press TV

Sat Jul 15, 2017 3:18PM

The Iranian and Russian navies have staged joint exercises in the Caspian Sea to strengthen naval cooperation between the two countries.

The drills were held in the world's largest enclosed inland body of water on Saturday, the last day of the Russian naval fleet's presence in the Islamic Republic.

The Iranian Navy's missile-launching Peykan-class warships also conducted exercises during the drills.

Russian Navy's fifth fleet berthed at the northern Iranian port city of Anzali on Thursday for a three-day stay in line with efforts to boost naval cooperation among the Caspian Sea littoral states, Mehr News Agency reported.

It was the fifth Russian naval flotilla visiting the Iranian Caspian port city in the past decade.

Iran and Russia have formed a strong alliance in recent years, with their naval vessels making regular "friendly port calls."

On March 7, a flotilla of Iranian warships left the country's northern territorial waters for Russia in a bid to convey the Islamic Republic's message of peace and friendship.

The naval fleet, comprised of the domestically-manufactured Damavand destroyer and a missile-launching frigate, dubbed Derafsh, set sail for Makhachkala, the capital city of the Republic of Dagestan, in Russia.

The flotilla is the fourth fleet dispatched by the Iranian Navy in its northern waters. The Navy has previously sent three fleets to Russia and one to Azerbaijan.

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Two years on, UN chief stresses 'sustained commitment essential' for Iran nuclear deal

15 July 2017  Marking the second anniversary of the historic agreement aimed at ensuring the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear programme, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has commended the Gulf country for implementing its nuclear-related commitments.

Two years ago, Iran and the so-called 'E3+3' or 'P5+1'  composed of China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States  reached an agreement, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which was endorsed by the Security Council.

"The JCPOA was a major achievement in the area of nuclear non-proliferation," said Mr. Guterres in his statement issued overnight.

"It gives us all hope that the most complex issues in this domain can be addressed through dialogue, understanding and cooperation," he added.

He welcomed the recent recommitment expressed by the JCPOA stakeholders on 25 April to the full and effective implementation of the Plan, and called on them to continue to work together in good faith and reciprocity.

"Their sustained commitment is essential for the long-term viability and success of the agreement," he said, also calling on all Member States to support further pursuit of this historic agreement and pledging that he will do the same.

"It is in the interest of the international community that this achievement of multilateral diplomacy endures transitions and implementation challenges cementing our collective commitment to diplomacy and dialogue," he stressed.

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IRGC deployed on east to guarantee sustainable security

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, July 16, IRNA -- The ground forces of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) are deployed on eastern borders of the country to guarantee stability and sustainable security there, according to an Iranian official.

Senior Adviser to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Major General Yahya Rahim Safavi, made the remarks in a meeting with commanders of the regional headquarters of the IRGC in Razavi Khorassan Province on Sunday.

Since 2001, the US suffered enormous strategic defeats and by military attacks into Afghanistan and Iraq and paying several trillion dollars in expenses and sustaining several thousand fatalities could not achieve its pre-determined goals.

Safavi said the US power has been fading since 2025 and later power will move from west of the world to the east and Asia (China, Russia and India) and Iran is considered now as regional power in West Asian region.

He added that the US coalition, the Zionists, Saudis, Turkey and Jordan are subject to defeat now, whereas the coalition of Iran, Russia, Syria and Lebanese Hezbollah are winners and Iran has turned to a regional power now.

The major general pointed to enemies' efforts to disrupt domestic security of Iran in different political, economic, cultural and security areas and reiterated deployment of ground forces of the IRGC on the eastern borders is aimed to guarantee stability and sustainable security there.

1391**1420

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Iran says use of WMDs against its ideology

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, July 16, IRNA -- Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Sunday that use of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) including nuclear weapons are against Islamic Republic of Iran's ideology.

Speaking to Fareed Zakaria "One On 1," talk show in CNN, Zarif referred to use of chemical weapons by former Iraqi dictator Saddam against Iranian nation during the eight-year imposed war (1980-88) and said Iran is a victim of use of chemical weapons.

Zarif said Iran was a victim of chemical weapons but never tried to build such weapons.

Foreign minister said the WMDs are against Islamic Republic of Iran's ideology and they will not promote the country's security.

Accessing the nuclear arms will be a threat to Iran's national security, he stressed.

The peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program has been confirmed several times by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the minister said.

Iran has explicitly declared before and after the nuclear talks that it does not seek to access (nuclear) arms, Zarif added.

He said that the IAEA has rejected the baseless claims on Possible Military Dimension (PMD) of Iran's nuclear program, resulting in closure of Iran's PMD case.

Zarif said that IAEA has confirmed Iran's commitment to its obligations for seven times but the US has not been loyal to its commitments enshrined in the JCPOA.

As one of the major multilateral diplomatic achievements acclaimed by different sides, two years pass of the world's approval of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Being the fruit of a series of difficult and lengthy negotiations between Iran, world's major powers and the European Union (P5+1+EU) over Tehran's nuclear activities, the JCPOA was finally signed by all sides on July 14, 2015 in Vienna.

During the past two years and within the period of the historic deal's implementation, the JCPOA has been facing some ups and downs mostly by one of the sides of the deal which happens to be the US making up excuses and trying to put the deal under question.

Continuing its principled policy to build confidence, Iran has implemented the JCPOA precisely throughout the past 24 months and this can be proved by the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) several reports approving the full implementation of the JCPOA contents by Tehran.

In the Meantime, the European Union has always stressed the full implementation of the JCPOA by all sides including the US.

9191**1420

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Iran, Russia hold joint naval exercises in the Caspian Sea

ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency

Sun / 16 July 2017 / 16:01

Tehran (ISNA) - Naval forces from Russia and Iran on Saturday took part in naval exercises in the Caspian Sea.

The Russian fleet, including the Makhachkala of the Navy Brigade of the Caspian Sea, participated in the exercises.

It had berthed at Iran's northern port city of Anzali on Wednesday as part of programs to boost military cooperation between the two countries.

It was the fifth Russian fleet that visited the Caspian port of Iran during the last decade, while vessels from both countries regularly make "friendly visits".

Iran has also sent fleets to Russian ports on similar missions.

In October 2016, a Russian naval flotilla arrived in Anzali in response to the dispatch of Iran's naval fleets to Astrakhan in southern Russia in September. The visits aimed to convey messages of peace and to help improve bilateral ties.

More fleets from Caspian littoral states would arrive in Iran's northern ports in the future, said Iran's Rear Admiral Afshin Rezaei Haddad.

"The navies of five Caspian littoral countries are cooperating to secure it as the sea for peace, mutual respect and good-neighborliness," he added.

End Item

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Iran's Judiciary Detains President's Brother In Corruption Case

RFE/RL's Radio Farda July 16, 2017

Iranian President Hassan Rohani's younger brother, Hossein Fereidoun, has been arrested on unspecified financial crimes charges and an American citizen has been sentenced to a decade behind bars for "infiltrating" the country.

In announcing both cases during a regular press briefing with local journalists on July 16, judiciary spokesman Gholamhosein Mohseni Ejei said Fereidoun, a senior diplomat who took part in the talks that led to a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, was taken into custody over allegations of financial impropriety and is eligible for bail.

"Multiple investigations have been conducted regarding this person, also other people have been investigated, some of whom are in jail," spokesman Ejei said at the news conference, which was broadcast live on television.

"Yesterday, bail was issued for him but because he failed to secure it he was referred to prison," Ejei added. He said Fereidoun would be released "once he provides the bail."

The United States immediately called upon Iran to release any U.S. citizens or other foreigners being held on "fabricated" charges.

"We call for the immediate release of all U.S. citizens unjustly detained in Iran so they can return to their families," the AFP news agency quoted a State Department official as saying without making specific reference to a person.

The unproven charges were a focal point of the May presidential election, with the president's hard-line challengers demanding a judicial investigation of the accusations against Fereidoun, who is also a top aide to President Rohani, a relative moderate.

Rohani, who changed his surname from Fereidoun years ago, trounced his nearest opponent to secure a second term in office in the first round of voting in the election.

Fereidoun has long been accused by Iran's hard-liners of financial crimes and corruption. He has reportedly been linked to officials at the center of a scandal involving inflated salaries for managers of a state insurance company.

In January, a group of conservative Iranian parliamentarians called for Fereidoun to be put on trial for economic crimes, a move critics described as politically motivated.

Many Iranian hard-liners, whose influence runs deep within the judiciary, were upset with the nuclear deal Fereidoun helped strike. They felt it gave away too much for too little in exchange.

The U.S. citizen whose sentence was also announced on July 16, was not named but Ejei described the person as a dual citizen of the United States and another foreign country.

"It was verified and determined that he was gathering [information] and was involved in infiltration," Ejei said.

Ejei did not elaborate on the specific charges that led to the conviction, which he said could be appealed. He also did not say when the verdict was rendered.

With reporting by AFP, AP, Reuters, BBC, and tasnimnews.com

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-rohani-brother-arrested -hossein-fereidoun/28619166.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Iranian FM: US Fails to Implement Provisions of Iran Nuclear Deal

Sputnik News

21:05 16.07.2017

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif stated that the United States has failed to implement its part of the Iranian nuclear deal.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  The United States is failing to implement provisions of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) known as the Iranian nuclear deal, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told the CNN broadcaster in an interview on Sunday.

"The United States has failed to implement its part of the deal For instance, when the White House made the announcement a couple of days ago that President [Donald] Trump used his presence in Hamburg during the G20 meeting in order to dissuade leaders from other countries to engage in business with Iran, that is a violation of not the spirit, but the letter of the JCPOA," Zarif said.

He pointed that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was the only international organization responsible for monitoring Iranian compliance with the deal and it confirmed many times fulfilling the agreement by Tehran.

In July 2015, Iran and the P5+1 group of countries, namely China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, the United States and Germany, signed the JCPOA. The nuclear deal stipulated a gradual lifting of the economic and diplomatic sanctions previously imposed on Iran in exchange for Tehran maintaining the strictly peaceful nature of its nuclear program. The plan's implementation began in January 2016.

Trump's tough stance on Iran, however, differs from the position held by his predecessor Barack Obama, who actively promoted signing the deal. Trump believes that the Iranian nuclear deal has been ineffective and, therefore, must be revised.

 Sputnik

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Analysts: Tehran Sees Liberation of Mosul as Victory for Iraq and Iran

By Mehdi Jedinia July 15, 2017

A senior adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader has described Iraq's liberation of Mosul from Islamic State (IS) as a victory for Tehran.

Ali Akbar Velayati, an adviser to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, told reporters, "Liberation of the Iraqi city of Mosul from the hands of IS marks a triumph for Iran as well as for Iraq."

Majid Rafizadeh, a political scientist at Harvard University, said the victory by Iraqi forces "helped Tehran tip the regional balance of power against its Sunni-dominated rivals such as Saudi Arabia."

"The emergence of IS characteristically paved the road for Tehran to pursue its geopolitical, financial and strategic ambitions beyond its borders and helped Iranians to establish their manifestation through networks of affiliated proxy groups," Rafizadeh added.

Tensions between Iran and longtime rival Saudi Arabia have escalated in recent weeks, since the Saudis and their Persian Gulf partners cut ties to Qatar, citing, in part, Qatar's association with Iran and Tehran's alleged link to terrorism.

Iran's role

Two days after Iraq Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi claimed victory in Mosul over Islamic State, the commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps Quds Force, General Qasem Soleimani, detailed the role IRGC played in leading Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) in their fight against Islamic State.

"We didn't limit ourselves to sharing advice to our Iraqi brothers, but we extended our support by giving them the key to our ammunition depot and backed their operations with IRGC Sukhoi squadron," Soleimani said.

The exact number of PMF troops is unclear, but it's estimated to be between 100,000 and 120,000.

Iraq's parliament approved the integration of PMF as an official wing of Iraqi's security forces in November 2016, a move that has increased Tehran's role in Iraq's security and military sectors.

Iranian officials have rejected the notion that Tehran's support of the PMF and other Iraqi military sectors is aimed at increasing its regional clout. But a recent speech by Soleimani appeared to contradict those statements.

"Iraq's national army is on its way to internalize [Shi'ite] ideology," Soleimani said. "We have also helped in the procedure of purifying the Iraqi army from Baathi elements and it is moving toward becoming a Hezbollah-like army."

Iranian influence

Some analysts believe Soleimani's comment reveals some aspects of Tehran's outreach to boost its influence in Iraq institutionally.

"Tehran has deeply penetrated into security and military sectors of Iraq," Rasool Nafisi, a Virginia-based Middle East expert, said. "Many of the Iraqi officials have pledged allegiance to Iran's leader and see themselves committed to Tehran."

Iran may use its influence in Iraqi institutions not only to promote its regional ambition of confronting the Sunni powers, but in possibly challenging Washington, some analysts believe.

US in the region

U.S. President Donald Trump has portrayed Iranian influence as a global threat on par with IS and al-Qaida. In reaction to IS's twin attacks in Tehran last month, Trump implied that the Iranian government was ultimately to blame.

"We underscore that states that sponsor terrorism risk falling victim to the evil they promote," he said in a White House statement.

In recent comments, Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis said regime change will be necessary before the U.S. and Iran can have substantially positive relations.

In response, the deputy chief of staff of Iran's armed forces, Brigadier General Massoud Jazzayeri, said Friday that Iran is determined to drive all foreign troops out of the region. "Americans are not welcome here and must leave immediately."

Analysts warn some PMF groups may turn against the U.S. forces if tensions arise between Washington and Tehran.

"If there is a perception that the U.S. will keep its military presence in Iraq and will have a mission more than just training the Iraqi security forces, then that will increase the incentive for the Shi'ite militias to more directly apply pressure on the United States to leave," said Sarhang Hamasaeed, director of Middle East Programs at the U.S. Institute of Peace in Washington.

U.S. officials said there won't be a hasty withdrawal of more than 9,000 U.S. and coalition forces after Mosul's liberation. And one aim is to stabilize the region outside Mosul, where more than 25,000 Iraqi troops, including paramilitary forces made up of Sunni tribal fighters and Shi'ite militiamen, have been clearing IS from villages.

"Washington and Tehran look at the regional stabilization through different lenses," Harvard political scientist Rafizadeh said.

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100s of Iraqi soldiers, fighters killed in US-led airstrikes: Iraqi MP

Iran Press TV

Sun Jul 16, 2017 6:11PM

An Iraqi lawmaker has blamed the US-led coalition purportedly fighting the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group in the country and neighboring Syria for killing hundreds of army soldiers and pro-government fighters from the Popular Mobilizations during airstrikes against alleged militant hideouts.

Faleh al-Khazali, a member of the Iraqi parliament's security and defense committee, said in a statement on Sunday that US-led military aircraft have struck Iraqi forces in many areas, and killed hundreds of them, Arabic-language Iraq News Network reported.

Khazali noted that the Western military contingent is "not serious about fighting Daesh militants, and seeks to support them through maintaining safe and accessible supply routes."

The Iraqi legislator further called on the Joint Operations Command (JOC) to "coordinate, control and provide more accurate information regarding the strikes of the US-led coalition in a bid to reduce the loss of innocent civilians as well as government troops."

Khazali underlined that the extent of the damage caused by the US-led coalition warplanes could be best surveyed in the troubled western province of Anbar, where the substantial level of destruction has delayed the return of displaced people to their native areas.

Iraqi police arrest female Daesh leader in Mosul

Meanwhile, Iraqi security forces have arrested a woman in the Old City of Mosul, who is considered as the female leader of Daesh terror outfit.

Arabic-language Shafaaq news agency reported on Sunday that the woman, identified by the nom de guerre Ahlam Mohsen Ali, was arrested less than a week ago with her brother, a prominent terrorist, as the pair were trying to escape from the western quarter of Mosul and sneak into the eastern side.

The woman grew up in al-Houd village of Qayyarah subdistrict, which lies on the western bank of Tigris River and some 60kilometers (35 miles) south of Mosul. She left her husband months before the fall of Mosul in June 2014, while collecting sensitive intelligence about Iraqi security personnel and their fortifications.

On July 10, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi formally declared victory over Daesh extremists in Mosul, which served as the extremists' main urban stronghold in the conflict-ridden Arab country.

In the run-up to Mosul's liberation, Iraqi army soldiers and volunteer fighters from the Popular Mobilization Units, commonly known by the Arabic name Hashd al-Sha'abi, had made sweeping gains against Daesh since launching the operation on October 17, 2016.

The Iraqi forces took control of eastern Mosul in January after 100 days of fighting, and launched the battle in the west on February 19.

An estimated 862,000 people have been displaced from Mosul ever since the battle to retake the city began eight months ago. A total of 195,000 civilians have also returned, mainly to the liberated areas of eastern Mosul.

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Libya's UN-backed government urges nationwide polls in March

Iran Press TV

Sun Jul 16, 2017 3:0PM

Head of Libya's Government of National Accord (GNA) has called on all political groups and armed factions in the country to endorse nationwide elections next year, an initiative that is expected to stumble amid widening differences between rival camps of power.

Fayez Seraj, who serves as GNA's prime minister, said in a speech released late Saturday that his government would try to hold parliamentary and presidential elections in March 2018, calling on rival groups based in east and west of Libya to set aside differences and contribute to the political process.

Seraj said the roadmap could help Libya overcome the current crisis and move toward unity.

"I am confident that the national spirit will overcome the narrow personal interests, and invite everyone to offer compromise even if it's painful to do so," said the premier, while also calling for a national ceasefire and the gradual merging of rival parliamentary bodies based in Tripoli and in the eastern city of Tobruk.

Libya, an oil-rich country in North Africa, has been beset by widespread fighting and political rivalry since long-time dictator Muammar Gaddafi was toppled and killed in 2011. The rival governments in west and east of the country, which enjoy support of alliances of militant groups, have rejected numerous efforts to bring an end to the country's conflict.

The GNA took office in late 2015 when the UN finally managed to gain partial support from political and armed factions and convinced them to sign a peace deal. However, the eastern-based groups, including the militia led by powerful military commander Khalifa Haftar, have rejected GNA's authority. This comes as fighting and political division have made it increasingly difficult for Seraj to form a functioning government since he took office in March last year.

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Pakistan Launches Counterterrorism Operation in Tribal Zones

Sputnik News

22:08 16.07.2017(updated 03:49 17.07.2017)

Pakistan has launched an offensive to "wipe out terrorists" in the Rajgal Valley in its Khyber District, which borders Afghanistan, where Daesh is "getting stronger," according to an army spokesman.

The district is part of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan (FATA).

The operation, Khybar-4, will cover about 250 square kilometers in which pro-Daesh groups like Jamaatul Ahrar and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, as well as the Pakistani Taliban, have become entrenched. This is "the most critical area in the [FATA]," said Maj. General Asif Ghafoor, director general of Pakistan's Inter-Services Public Relations on Sunday.

Daesh's presence across the border is increasing, "necessitating this operation to eliminate influence of Daesh being exported to Pakistan through Rajgal valley," he said, according to the Dawn news agency.

Ghafoor rejected the notion that Daesh has any organized presence in Pakistan, however.

"We will not allow them to establish themselves. In Afghanistan, yes, it is getting stronger, but we don't believe it is the same as the Daesh in the Middle East," he said.

"In Pakistan, the Jamaat-ul-Ahrar has shown an alliance with Daesh Daesh as an organization does not exist, but if splinter groups of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan and other terror groups try to jump on the Daesh bandwagon, we are already taking care of them through other means, like in the Khyber-4 operation," he said.

Though Afghan forces have been informed and Afghanistan may support the operation on their side of the border, the offensive is a purely domestic affair, Ghafoor said.

"No other force will have boots on the ground in our country. All operations are conducted by Pakistani security forces," he asserted. He also couldn't resist a minor dig at Pakistan's troubled neighbor: "If the Afghan army were as capable as the Pakistan Army, then maybe the issue [of terrorism] would be resolved sooner," Ghafoor said.

Pakistan is in the midst of a push, dubbed Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad, to snuff out terrorism within the country. Khyber-4 falls under the umbrella of this operation, as does a large-scale project to fence the border with Afghanistan and Iran. Some 46 major operations have been launched under Radd-ul-Fasaad so far, Ghafoor noted, and more than 1,760 joint checkposts established in coordination with police and other law enforcement agencies.

"We are working brick by brick to bring normalcy back to Pakistan with the support and in support of other institutions," he said.

 Sputnik

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Pakistan Unleashes New Anti-IS Military Operation Near Afghan Border

By Ayaz Gul July 16, 2017

Pakistan's military launched a major ground offensive Sunday to clear an isolated militant-infested border valley that Islamic State loyalists are using to export terrorism into the country from its bases in neighboring Afghanistan, where the group is "gaining strength", said an army spokesman.

Major-General Asif Ghafoor told reporters that the operation dubbed Khyber-4 has been tasked with eliminating militant hideouts from an area of about 250-square kilometers in the Rajgal valley. He said militants linked to pro-IS groups, Jamaatul Ahrar and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, as well as the Pakistani Taliban are entrenched there.

"Presence of Daesh is increasing [in areas opposite to Rajgal across the border in Afghanistan], necessitating this operation to eliminate influence of Daesh being exported to Pakistan through Rajgal valley," asserted Ghafoor, using the Arabic acronym for Islamic State.

The army spokesman underscored challenges the terrain is expected of pose on Pakistani troops, saying the valley consists of eight passes and houses mountain peaks with ranges up to 4,200 meters.

Thousands of troops are participating in the operation and they will be assisted by the Pakistani air force, he added. The general noted that investigators working on recent deadly bombings in Pakistani border areas have also traced back their links to IS' Afghan bases.

General Ghafoor said the military informed its Afghan counterparts and the NATO-led Resolute Support mission in advance about launching of Sunday's operation so they could enhance deployment on their side to prevent fleeing terrorists from entering Afghanistan.

The eastern Afghan province of Nangarhar borders the Rajgal valley.

The U.S. military in partnership with Afghan forces has been conducting major ground operations, backed by airstrikes, against IS bases in volatile the districts of Nangarhar and the adjoining Afghan province of Kunar.

A U.S airstrike in Kunar earlier this week killed the chief of Islamic State in Afghanistan, Abu Sayed. He was the third head of the terrorist group the U.S. military has eliminated in the past year.

Meanwhile, General Ghafoor said fencing the entire 2,600-kilometer border with Afghanistan and construction of outposts as well as forts is underway to effectively guard the largely porous frontier against terrorist infiltration.

Pakistan says the fence is necessary in part because of a lack of cooperation from authorities in Kabul. The border region has long been a source of instability, with militant groups, terrorists and smugglers using the remote, mountainous terrain as cover.

Ghafoor again rejected charges his country is harboring anti-Afghanistan militants, including the dreaded Haqqani network.

"Pakistan has undertaken operations [on its soil] against terrorists of all hues and color, including Haqqanis," he reiterated.

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Syrian government forces regain control of four oil fields in Raqqah, Dayr al-Zawr

Iran Press TV

Sat Jul 15, 2017 3:37PM

Syrian government forces have managed to seize back oil fields in the militant-held northern province of Raqqah and in the eastern province of Day al-Zawr from Daesh Takfiri terrorists as they continue to score more territorial gains against the extremists across the war-ravaged Arab country.

An unnamed military source told Syria's official news agency, SANA, on Saturday that army troopers had established complete control over Wahhab, al-Fahed, Dubeisan and al-Kabeer oil fields in addition to al-Qaseer, Abu al-Qetat and Abu Kattash oil wells during the military operations.

The source added that a large number of Daesh terrorists, including high-ranking Saudi and Tunisian militant commanders, were also killed and 29 car bombs, five battle tanks, five command centers, a training camp and two arms caches were destroyed.

Elsewhere in the Jam'ayiat al-Zahra district of the northwestern province of Aleppo, Syrian army units thwarted an attack by foreign-sponsored Takfiri extremists on military outposts.

Dozens of terrorists were killed and wounded as government soldiers engaged in fierce clashes with the Takfiris.

The developments came only a day after Syrian Air Force fighter jets bombarded Daesh positions in Raqqah and Hama, inflicting heavy losses on the terrorists' ranks and military equipment.

A military official, requesting anonymity, said several vehicles, a number of them equipped with heavy machineguns, were destroyed as the jets pounded al-Shujeiri, Khirbat al-Haloul, al-Zamla districts besides the southern and southwestern parts of Raqqah Province.

The official added that Syrian aircraft also targeted Daesh fortifications in Abu Hanaia and Salba districts in the western-central province of Hama.

The military official went on to say that Syrian Air Force aircraft also carried out a series of aerial assaults against Daesh gatherings near al-Kanamat Bridge, Huweija Bridge as well as Dayr al-Zawr Airport.

Syria has been fighting different foreign-sponsored militant and terrorist groups since March 2011. UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura estimated last August that more than 400,000 people had been killed in the crisis until then.

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Russia's embassy compound in Syria hit by mortar shells

Iran Press TV

Sun Jul 16, 2017 4:44PM

The Russian embassy in Syria has been targeted by shelling from foreign-backed militants operating in the capital Damascus.

Syria's official news agency SANA reported that two shells were fired at the diplomatic mission. One of the projectiles hit the embassy compound, while the other fell nearby.

Earlier this year, the Russian embassy compound in the Syrian capital was the target of a pair of mortar shelling launched "precisely" from the terrorists-controlled Jobar area, which lies a few kilometers northeast of Damascus.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the shell from the February 2 attack landed somewhere between the main office and the residential buildings and the projectile used in February 3 assault exploded around 20 meters from the main entrance to the embassy.

It added that the two attacks had no casualties but inflicted some material damage on the building.

Moscow launched its campaign against the Daesh Takfiri terrorists and other militant groups in Syria upon a request from Damascus in September 2015. Its airstrikes have helped Syrian forces carry out effective counterterrorism operations against foreign-backed militants operating in the country since 2011.

Hmeimim in Syria's western coastal province of Latakia serves as Russia's permanent air base inside the war-ravaged country, and is adjacent to the Bassel al-Assad International Airport, with which it shares some airfield facilities.

Earlier this year, Damascus and Moscow signed a treaty to lease the base to Russian military forces for 49 years, extendable for an additional 25 years.

Russia also plans to upgrade its naval base in Tartus, the second largest port city in Syria, where Moscow has been keeping a support and maintenance facility for its naval forces since 1977.

Military sources said expansion of the naval base, located some 86 kilometers south of Hmeimim, would enable bigger vessels to call at the military site. Moscow is reportedly considering deployment of S-300 surface-to-air missile defense systems and Bastion coastal missile launchers there.

Car bomb attack injures 5 civilians in militant-held Idlib

Separately, at least five civilians have sustained injuries when a car rigged with explosives went off in Syria's militant-held northwestern city of Idlib.

Local sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the explosion took place in front of a clinic in the city, located roughly 300 kilometers (186 miles) north of Damascus, on Sunday afternoon, noting that two children and a woman were among the victims.

Civil defense and ambulance teams quickly rushed to the scene, and extinguished the fire and provided assistance to the injured civilians.

Landmines leave three dead in western Syria

Meanwhile, three people have lost their lives when two landmines planted by Takfiri Daesh terrorists exploded on a road leading to Umm Haratayn village in the Suran sub-district of Syria's western-central province of Hama.

Syria has been fighting different foreign-sponsored militant and terrorist groups since March 2011. UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura estimated last August that more than 400,000 people had been killed in the crisis until then.

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Takfiris fight each other as Assad ouster fades away

Iran Press TV

Sun Jul 16, 2017 8:10AM

Raging clashes between Takfiri terrorists in Idlib are raising fears of widespread violence in the northwestern Syrian province which is held by militant groups.

The fighting between Ahrar al-Sham, which is backed by Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey, and al-Qaeda-linked Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham is the the first major escalation of infighting among Takfiri groups since they reached a truce in February.

Idlib has become the base for thousands of terrorists who fled Syria's largest city of Aleppo after facing a rout against government forces in December in their worst defeat since March 2011.

Rival terrorist groups are now competing for clout in the territories they control after seeing their campaign to topple the Syrian government broadly in tatters.

On Saturday, Ahrar al-Sham said Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, also known as HTS, was sending reinforcements to the town of Saraqeb and the Jabal al-Zawiya region in preparation for an attack, accusing the group of acts of "tyranny."

The Ibaa News Agency of HTS, instead, accused Ahrar al-Sham of setting up checkpoints and detaining one of its commanders and his bodyguard.

The so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based monitor which is sympathetic to militants, said the two groups had clashed near the village of Tel Touqan.

More clashes loom as the two sides are rushing militants to the frontlines, with the US news agency Associated Press expressing worries that the infighting could affect their fight against Syrian troops who have been gaining ground over the past year.

Further confrontation could also draw other terrorist groups into the infighting, especially after Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham reported the deaths of two more members near the Sarjeh village and blamed Suqour al-Sham, a strong Ahrar al-Sham ally.

Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham is part of a Takfiri coalition spearheaded by Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, which was formerly known as al-Nusra Front or al-Qaeda's Syria offshoot.

Due to the barbarity of their actions, al-Nusra and Daesh are not subject to an all-Syria truce deal clinched late last year with the mediation of Russia, Iran and Turkey.

The infighting among terrorist groups comes as international efforts to bring more Syrian areas under the ceasefire gain track and more militant groups desist from their campaign to topple the Syrian government.

On Saturday, Russia's Ambassador to the UN Office in Geneva, Alexey Borodavkin, said UN-led Syria talks have a chance of making progress because demands for the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad have receded.

He said the seventh round of talks which ended on Friday had produced positive results, especially a "correction" in the approach of the main opposition delegation, the Saudi-backed High Negotiations Committee, whose mantra before was "Assad must go".

"The essence of this correction is that during this round the opposition never once demanded the immediate resignation of President Bashar al-Assad and the legitimate Syrian government."

Borodavkin said the HNC and its backers in Western and Persian Gulf capitals have realized that peace needs to come first, and then political reforms could be negotiated.

Over the past year, the opposition has suffered military defeats at the hands of Syrian forces and neither US President Donald Trump nor French President Emmanuel Macron is calling for Assad's immediate ouster.

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Iran Aims To Boost Prestige Of Beleaguered Afghan Proxy Force In Syria

Frud Bezhan July 16, 2017

Iran has sent thousands of Afghan Shi'a to the battlefields of Syria, catapulting them to the front lines of President Bashar al-Assad and his allies' brutal six-year war against armed rebels, some of them foreign-backed, and Islamist extremists.

As the first line of attack, the poorly trained proxy force made up of mainly Afghan migrants and refugees known as the Fatemiyoun Division has suffered a high rate of attrition, observers say, with coffins of fallen soldiers paraded and buried in Iranian cities almost every week.

To foster morale and lure new recruits to Fatemiyoun, Tehran is seeking to burnish the image of the beleaguered group -- comprising mainly Afghan refugees from the Hazara Shi'ite minority recruited and trained by Iran's powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).

Iranian authorities have renamed streets to honor the Afghan Shi'ite fighters, state media have glorified fallen fighters and highlighted their sacrifices while likening them to martyrs, and the group is frequently visited by General Qassem Soleimani, the influential, media-savvy head of the IRGC's elite Quds Force, which is responsible for operations outside of Iran's own borders.

Footage aired by Qatar-based television network Al-Jazeera in June showed footage of Soleimani, who is overseeing Iran's war effort in Syria, praying and addressing the Afghan fighters near the Syria-Iraq border.

Iranian state media reported recently that the Lebanese militant group Hizballah was training Afghan "special forces" in sniper skills, "night-vision mounted weapons," and surveillance. Hundreds of trainees were said to have been deployed across Syria.

The IRGC published photos of the training in June.

"In reality, there is absolutely no hard evidence of [the] existence of such skills among the Fatemiyoun fighters," Ali Alfoneh, a nonresident senior fellow at The Atlantic Council in Washington and a leading IRGC expert, told RFE/RL. "This is a myth carefully nurtured by the IRGC to boost the prestige of the brigade."

'Cannon Fodder'

Iranian authorities quietly began deploying armed volunteers, including many Afghans, to complement other Iranian forces advising and fighting alongside Assad's troops after civil war broke out in Syria in 2011.

Iran has recruited thousands of Afghan migrants and refugees within its own borders. There is also evidence of Tehran covertly recruiting hundreds of Afghan Shi'a inside Afghanistan. Afghanistan is majority Sunni, but 15 percent of its population, mainly Hazaras, are Shi'ite with religious links to Shi'ite-majority Iran.

The United Nations estimates the number of Afghan citizens in Iran at just under 1 million, but Tehran puts the figure closer to 3 million. Tehran has expelled many Afghans and periodically threatens those who remain -- and Kabul, which is battling Afghanistan's own insurgents -- with mass expulsions.

Iranian authorities say the fighters travel to Syria and Iraq voluntarily to defend holy Shi'ite sites. Some reports suggest Afghans are offered financial reward and Iranian residency permits to join the fight in Syria.

Alfoneh says the IRGC considers the Afghan fighters "cannon fodder," considering the seemingly minor investment made to train them and the exposure they face on the battlefield.

In interviews with BBC Persian, defectors from the Fatemiyoun Division who reportedly fled to Turkey and Greece alongside Syrian refugees said they received two or three weeks of IRGC training in Iran prior to their deployment in Syria.

Ahmad Shuja, a former Afghanistan researcher for Human Rights Watch (HRW), says the Fatemiyoun fighters never describe themselves as deployed in urban areas to keep the peace or indeed to safeguard the holy shrines they are ostensibly there to protect.

"They are always out in the desert, fighting the tough fight, and taking high casualties," says Shuja, who has been following Fatemiyoun propaganda online and speaking to their fighters since 2016.

Thousands Of Fighters

There are no precise figures on the number of Afghans killed in Syria, where Iran is thought to have sent many thousands of volunteers and military advisers to gird Assad's forces.

Iranian media regularly report on their funerals while offering few details about the circumstances of their deaths.

The head of Iran's Foundation of Martyrs said in November that more than 1,000 fighters, including Iranians, Afghans, and Pakistanis, deployed by Iran to Syria have been killed.

Alfoneh says, based on the number of funerals held for Afghan fighters in Iran, at least 656 Afghans have been killed in combat in Syria since September 2013, a figure he says is "disproportionately high."

The IRGC has also sent its own officers to the division, adding to the toll of Iranian officers killed in Syria.

Alfoneh says the Fatemiyoun Division has suffered a "catastrophic attrition rate" far higher than Tehran has acknowledged -- at least 20 percent of the total force.

A total of 15,000 Fatemiyoun fighters have been deployed in Syria since the beginning of the Syrian conflict in 2011, he says.

Experts say the bleak numbers should not cloud the importance of the group to the IRGC and its military objectives in Syria and beyond.

"Fatemiyoun fighters have been an integral part of the plan to relieve pressure on Assad's forces, says Shuja.

Iran has provided military support to Assad's forces since at least 2012 in the form of military advisers and volunteers, but it denies sending its own troops. Even so, Iranian media have reported the death of a handful of Iranian commanders along with hundreds of Iranian fighters.

Iran's assistance and Russia's intervention through a sustained bombing campaign have been credited with helping to reverse the tide of the war in favor of Assad, a longtime ally of both countries.

Alfoneh says that, by mobilizing Afghans, Tehran has managed to establish an "operational proxy force" that can do Iran's bidding in future wars.

Pro-Iranian groups have been established across the region, becoming key players in the political and military scenes in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-syria- afghan-proxiy-force-boost-image- fatemiyoun/28619046.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Iraqi Interior Ministry Says Daesh Leader Baghdadi Likely Still Alive

Sputnik News

20:26 16.07.2017

Abu Ali Basri, the head of the intelligence and counterterrorism department of the Iraqi Interior Ministry, stated that Abu Bakr Baghdadi, the leader of the Daesh terror group (outlawed in Russia), is likely to be alive and he is hiding nearly Syria's Raqqa.

CAIRO (Sputnik)  Abu Bakr Baghdadi, the leader of the Daesh terror group (outlawed in Russia), is likely to be alive and is currently hiding on the outskirts of the Syrian city of Raqqa, Abu Ali Basri, the head of the intelligence and counterterrorism department of the Iraqi Interior Ministry, said Sunday.

"He is hiding in Syria, to be precise outside Raqqa," Basri said, as quoted by the Al Arabiya broadcaster.

Basri pointed out that the Iraqi security services are interested in persecution of Baghdadi and his followers more than anyone else.

On Tuesday, the Al Sumaria News broadcaster claimed that the Daesh issued a statement confirming Baghdadi's death.

On June 16, the Russian Defense Ministry said Baghdadi was likely to be eliminated as a result of a Russian Aerospace Forces strike on a militant command post in the southern suburb of the city of Raqqa in late May. It noted that it was in the process of confirming the information through various channels.

 Sputnik

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Turks Commemorate One Year Since Failed Coup

RFE/RL July 15, 2017

Tens of thousands of people waving Turkish flags joined a national unity march in Istanbul on July 15, converging at an iconic bridge to mark the anniversary of a military coup attempt in which hundreds were killed.

The Bosphorus Bridge, now called the July 15 Martyrs' Bridge, was the scene of clashes between civilians and soldiers in tanks on July 15 last year. Some 250 people were killed and more than 2,000 injured across Turkey in the struggle. Thirty-five coup plotters were also killed.

As part of the commemoration, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoganjoined the crowd near the bridge where he unveiled a martyr's memorial to honor those who died opposing the coup.

Erdogan, who was accompanied by children wearing shirts with Turkish flags and relatives of the deceased, promised to punish his enemies and praised the unarmed civilians who stood up to the coup plotters.

Striking a grim note, Erdogan threatened to "chop off the heads" of traitors, prompting cries from the crowds that capital punishment should be restored in Turkey. He reaffirmed "I will sign it" if parliament passes any bill on resuming executions.

Erdogan then said those being tried on suspicion of involvement in the attempted coup should wear "uniform suits like in Guantanamo" when appearing in court -- a reference to the orange jumpsuits used at the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay.

Marches were also taking place in Ankara.

Earlier in the day, Erdogan and members of the opposition came together in parliament to mark the anniversary of last year's failed coup.

Turkish soldiers attempted to overthrow the government and the president using tanks, warplanes, and helicopters on July 15, 2016. The coup attempt was put down by civilians and security forces.

In the aftermath of the coup attempt, Turkey declared a state of emergency that has been in place ever since that has allowed the government to rule by decree and to dismiss tens of thousands of people from their jobs.

More than 50,000 people have also been arrested for alleged links to U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, who Turkey blames for orchestrating the failed coup, and other terror groups.

Gulen has denied the allegations.

In the latest government decree published July 14, almost 7,400 more state employees were fired, including teachers, academics, military and police officers, bringing the number of dismissed to more than 110,000.

Authorities claim the crackdown is necessary to purge state institutions of those linked to Gulen.

Critics, including rights groups and some Western governments, say Erdogan is using the state of emergency introduced after the coup to target opposition figures including rights activists, pro-Kurdish politicians, and journalists.

The U.S. State Department on July 15 issued a statement praising the bravery of the Turkish people who took to the streets to "preserve the rights and freedoms of their democratic society."

But the statement also warned that curbs on key freedoms erode "the foundations of democratic society."

"The preservation of democracy requires perseverance, tolerance, dissent, and safeguards for fundamental freedoms," it said.

"More voices, not fewer, are necessary in challenging times."

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg paid homage to those who lost their lives resisting the coup and said attempts to undermine democracy in any one of the allied nations was "unacceptable."

July 15 has been declared a national holiday in Turkey.

Public transportation in Istanbul and Ankara is free over the weekend and bus destination signs displayed messages of congratulations.

In the run-up to the anniversary, Turkish media has been saturated by coverage of last year's failed coup, with some channels showing almost constant footage of young men and even head-scarved mothers facing down armed soldiers and tanks in Istanbul.

With reporting by Reuters, AP, and dpa

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/turkey-commemorates- failed-coup/28618280.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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All those responsible for failed coup will be beheaded: Erdogan

Iran Press TV

Sun Jul 16, 2017 1:34AM

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned that he will chop off the heads of traitors while the country marks the first anniversary of a failed coup.

Addressing a thousand-strong march on Saturday, Erdogan warned that his government was seriously mulling reintroducing the death penalty.

"First of all we will chop off the heads of those traitors," he said.

"Did my people have guns in their hands? They had their flags -- just as they do today -- and a weapon way more effective. They had their faith," he added.

Any move towards reintroducing capital punishment in Turkey would end negotiations for the country's EU accession.

Turkey has been attempting to become part of the EU for decades. Formal EU accession negotiations, however, began in 2005. The process has been mired in problems, and only 16 chapters of the 35-chapter accession procedure have been opened for Ankara so far.

In November last year, the European Parliament suspended the accession talks with Ankara over concerns regarding human rights and the rule of law following the July 15 coup attempt.

In January, Turkey called on the EU to resume the negotiations.

Turkey witnessed a coup attempt on July 15, 2016, when a faction of the Turkish military declared that the government of Erdogan was no more in charge of the country.

A few hours later, however, the coup was suppressed. Almost 250 people were killed and nearly 2,200 others wounded in the abortive coup.

"We paid a price but there is no price for the independence and future we obtained in return for that sacrifice," he said.

Erdogan also said that those being tried over the coup would be made to wear uniforms similar to the notorious orange jumpsuits used at US military prison at Guantanamo Bay.

"When they appear in court, let's make them appear in uniform suits like in Guantanamo," he noted.

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Political Polarization Deepens in Turkish Commemoration of Defeated Coup

By Dorian Jones July 16, 2017

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has inaugurated a monument to commemorate the 250 people who died opposing a military coup a year ago .

The monument opposite Erdogan's huge presidential palace depicts Turkey's national symbol, the moon and crescent.

With tens of thousands of people attending, the inauguration ceremony after dawn prayers Sunday was called from presidential palace's mosque.

"Be sure, that none of the traitors who point a gun at our country, nation, freedom and future will ever see the light of day again," Erdogan promised the cheering crowd. "[Those who carried out the coup] will die over and over again every day while they rot behind prison walls," Erdogan added.

The main event of the two day commemoration was held late Saturday at Istanbul's July 15th Martyrs bridge. The bridge was the scene of some of worst violence, during the failed coup with soldiers opening fire on crowds opposing the takeover, killing 36.

"We will rip off the heads of those who carried out the coup," Erdogan declared to hundreds of thousands of people who gathered at the bridge. He called on parliament to reintroduce the death penalty, saying he would immediately sign the legislation, claiming the feelings and sensibilities of those killed during the failed military take over had to be respected.

On the night of July 15th, 2016, rogue military elements sought to seize power. Along with 250 people killed, more than 2,000 were injured resisting the take over.

During that night tanks mowed down people resisting and soldiers shot at crowds answering Erdogan's call to resist. In the capital, Ankara, jets bombed the parliament and helicopter gunships strafed police and security headquarters.

Commemorations Saturday extended into early hours Sunday. People making mobile telephone calls around midnight heard an Erdogan speech instead of ring tones.

Political division spotlighted

Erdogan addressed a rally outside the parliament at 2:23 Sunday morning, the exact time one year before planes bombed the parliament.

"The coup soldiers disgraced themselves when bombing the parliament as our lawmakers stood higher," Erdogan said to the large crowd waving Turkish flags. The ceremony was boycotted by the main opposition Republican People's Party, who complained at being excluded from speaking at the ceremony.

The boycott underlined the divisive acrimonious atmosphere the commemorations were held in. Earlier Saturday, CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu, slammed the president for the ongoing post coup crackdown, claiming it was more about silencing legitimate critics, Kilicdaroglu raised questions whether Erdogan had foreknowledge of the coup calling it a "controlled coup."

The Turkish president hit back during his speech Saturday, "Some insistently say "controlled coup." They try to defame the glorious resistance of our nation. This is impudence, this is immorality," said Erdogan. He devoted much of his key Saturday speech attacking the opposition leader calling him a "coward" and suggesting he was even helping "coup plotters agenda."

The opposition leader last Sunday called a rally of more than one million people in Istanbul calling for an end to emergency rule.

Erdogan in successive of speeches Saturday and Sunday, promised no let up in the crackdown, suggesting it could be further intensified. The crackdown has resulted in more than 150,000 people losing their jobs, with a further 7,000 being purged Friday, while according to official figures more than 50,000 people have been jailed.

EU cites respect for human rights

The European Union has again voiced concern, "Whoever wants to join the European Union is joining a union of values," Jean Claude Juncker head of the EU commission wrote in an op-ed published Sunday for German newspaper Bild. Brussels has repeatedly warned the reintroduction of the death penalty would end Turkey's decades long membership bid.

"I don't look at what Hans and George say," Erdogan said to cheering crowds Sunday, Han's and George is the president's often used disparaging reference to European opinion.

With Turkey's membership effort currently frozen and few expectations it has a chance of success, Brussels appears to have little leverage.

But observers point out human rights considerations, in particular the death penalty, could complicate on going efforts to expand a custom's union between Ankara and the European Union. Erdogan has in the past called for the return of capital punishment and then quietly shelved it.

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U.K., EU Set To Open Next Round Of Brexit Talks In Brussels

RFE/RL July 16, 2017

The United Kingdom and the European Union are set to launch the formal round of negotiations expected to settle terms for Britain's eventual withdrawal from the 28-member bloc.

The United Kingdom and the European Union are set to launch the formal round of negotiations expected to settle terms for Britain's eventual withdrawal from the 28-member bloc.

Britain's Brexit secretary, David Davis, will be in Brussels on July 17 with his EU counterpart, Michel Barnier, for four days of talks.

The sides have less than two years to settle terms before Britain leaves  either with a deal or without -- on March 30, 2019.

The plans are for Davis and Barnier to shake hands in a photo opportunity at the European Commission's Berlaymont headquarters at 9:15 a.m. before the first full negotiation session.

The two negotiators met informally last month, when they exchanged gifts. But this session is expected to be more tense, with many difficult questions to be decided, including the rights of EU citizens in Britain and vice versa after Brexit.

"We made a good start last month, and this week we'll be getting into the real substance," Davis said on July 16. "Protecting the rights of all our citizens is the priority for me going into this round, and I'm clear that it's something we must make real progress on."

There are some 3 million EU citizens in Britain, and about 1.5 million U.K. nationals in the other 27 EU countries. Until Brexit, most EU citizens have so-called "freedom of movement," allowing them to reside and work in member states.

Also to be determined is the cost of Britain's exit from the bloc. The EU reportedly wants Britain to pay from $70 billion to more than $110 billion to cover ongoing EU budget commitments, an amount the British have rejected.

Finance chief Philip Hammond said on July 16 that Britain will take responsibility for the money it owes, saying, ""We're not a country that walks away from its debts."

Foreign Minister Boris Johnson had earlier said the EU could "go whistle" for its money in reaction to financial demands.

British officials recently have also brought up the idea a transitional period after the March 2019 deadline to avoid a "cliff edge" scenario when it leaves the EU, although the length and details have yet to be determined.

Three weeks of further talks are scheduled to start in late August.

With reporting by Reuters and the BBC

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/brexit-britain-davis-european- union-barnier-brussels/28619492.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Ocean View, Delaware, July 17, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --



Global Barite Market is estimated to exceed USD 4.1 billion by 2024; according to a new research report by Global Market Insights, Inc. Rapidly growing oil & gas industry primarily in the U.S. owing to excess availability of shale reserves along with changing industry dynamics to increase dependency on alternative energy sources has pushed barite market size in the past few years. This is prospective to continue owing to strong need to meet energy demand in several industries including transportation, power, etc. which will subsequently generate ample growth avenues for barite market size by 2024.

In addition, positive growth indicators in the pharmaceuticals industry primarily in Asia Pacific will complement barite market size by 2024, owing to improving healthcare standards and rising geriatric population. This is due to widespread product applications in diagnosis and as fillers in plasters.

Request for a sample of this research report @ https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/1328

Sturdy growth in paints & coatings industry owing to rapid industrialization and urbanization in Asia Pacific will propel barite market size by 2024. White & off-white barite is majorly used to prepare pigments in the paints industry. Rapidly growing construction industry primarily in China and India due to mounting population and improving socio-economic factors will be driving paints & coatings demand across end user business such as automobile.

Inadequate geographical barite occurrence along with high transportation cost may hinder barite market size by 2024. Furthermore, easy accessibility to existing alternatives including hematite, ilmenite, etc. which are also used as weighing agent in the energy sector is likely to hamper barite market size by 2024.

Browse key industry insights spread across 172 pages with 219 market data tables & 14 figures & charts from this 2017 report Barite Market in detail along with the table of contents at:

https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/barite-market

Upto grade 3.9 barite market size is probable to attain CAGR over 3% by 2024. It is lower grade and is formed by 50/50 ratio of product and other alternative weighing material such as ilmenite and hematite. Grade 4.2 is projected to grow at a CAGR near to 4% by 2024, as it is widely used in the oil & drilling industry owing to its excellent rheological properties, which makes it desirable as a weighing agent. They are premium quality grades and are found beneath the earth surface. However, grade 4.2 is gradually being replaced by grade 4.1 in the oil & drilling industry as it possesses similar attributes and is cost effective compared to grade 4.2. This replacement is also due to increasing transportation issues related with grade 4.2.

Grey barite market size is estimated to attain CAGR of over 4% owing to its extensive application in oil & drilling industry by 2024. It helps in cooling the drill bit and subsequently suspend the rock bits by increasing the hydrostatic pressure which compensates for high-pressure zones experienced during drilling. White & off-white barite grades will experience average industry growth as it is used in paints & coating, cosmetics and rubber applications.

Rising population in the Asia Pacific along with progressive consumer lifestyles is driving automobile industry which in turn will propel rubber industry over the projected timespan. This tendency is expected to make noteworthy contribution to rubber & plastics segment of barite market size by 2024. Furthermore, rapid pace of oil & drilling industry due to the U.S. shale boom will also contribute towards the product market size by 2024. North America is likely to witness CAGR of over 4.5% over the projected time spell.

Key industry share contributors of barite market size are Spectrum Chemical Mfg. Corp., New Riverside Ochre, Halliburton, Excalibar Minerals, Ashapura Group of Industries, Barium & Chemicals, Inc and Deutsche Baryt Industries.

Make an inquiry for purchasing this report @ https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/1328

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Polymer Modified Bitumen (PMB) Market Size 20172024

Polymer Modified Bitumen (PMB) Market Size was estimated over USD 9.5 billion in 2016 and the industry will likely grow by a CAGR more than 4% up to 2024. Key players in the PMB market include Tiki Tar Industries, Ooms Avenhorn Holding India Pvt Ltd., AMT Techno, Offshore Petrochem Pvt Ltd., MBD Industries, Maruti Group, Veekay Industries, L N Petro Chem, Lagan Asphalt Group Ltd, IKA group, Gulf Petrochem, Marini S.P.A., Royal Dutch Shell, The Richmond Group, Bitumat Compan6y Limited, South Machinery, Allied Bitumen Complex, Space Petro Energy Pvt. Ltd. (SPEPL), Ratnamani Industries, and RoadStar to name a few.

https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/polymer-modified-bitumen-PMB-market

Sodium Hydrosulfite Market Size 20172024

Sodium Hydrosulfite Market size was estimated over USD 1 billion in 2016 and the industry will likely grow by a CAGR of about 4% up to 2024. The rising paper products demand in Asia Pacific will drive the global sodium hydrosulfite market growth till 2024 owing to its extensive application as a reductive bleaching agent for pulp in the paper manufacturing process. Guangdong ZhongCheng Chemicals Inc., AZ Chemicals, Inc., BASF SE, and Jinhe Group are the top players in the industry.

https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/sodium-hydrosulfite-market

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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.

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A Georgia woman suspected in the assault of a Danville man was released on bond after a hearing Monday morning.

Juanita Melissa Harris, 45, from Lawrenceville, Georgia, had a bond of $1,500 set during a hearing Monday. Harris is charged with malicious wounding in connection with a stabbing incident Wednesday afternoon on West Thomas Street in Danville.

As part of the bond agreement, Harris will stay with a family member in Danville and have no contact with the victim. Judge George Jones said he also took Harris medical conditions into account in choosing to set the bond.

There are medical issues that need to be addressed, Jones said.

According to a Danville General District Court criminal complaint, the victim stated Jones stabbed him in the stomach, and the victim had a large open wound in his upper abdomen.

Harris next hearing is scheduled for Sept. 14.
Clifford Garland Gaddy, M.D., 93, died of natural causes on Wednesday, July 12, 2017, at his home. His death follows by only a few months that of his much loved wife of 71 years and best friend, Inez Chapman Gaddy. He was born January 8, 1924, in Lake View, South Carolina, a son of Finn Duncan and Orilla Lupo Gaddy. He attended Lake View High School, Wingate Junior College, and Wake Forest College. Following military service in World War II, he graduated in 1947 from Wake Forest's Bowman Gray School of Medicine, where he then did a year of cardiovascular research in the Department of Physiology. He completed his internship, residency, and fellowship in cardiology at the University of Virginia Hospital in Charlottesville, Va., after which he became an instructor in the Department of Medicine. In 1952, he entered a clinical practice in internal medicine and cardiology in Danville, Va., which he continued until his retirement in 1999. He was a member of the American Society of Internal Medicine and served on the board of directors of the Virginia State Society of Internal Medicine. He was a fellow of the American College of Physicians and a member of the Virginia State Medical Society, the American Medical Association, and the American College of Cardiology. He also served as president of the Memorial Hospital Medical Staff of Danville and president of the Danville-Pittsylvania County Medical Society. Active in the city's civic and religious life, he received the Junior Chamber of Commerce's Outstanding Young Citizen award only a few years after his arrival in Danville. He was a longtime member of the Danville Rotary Club, where he served in numerous capacities, including the office of president, and was honored as a Rotary International Paul Harris Fellow. He was a dedicated member and active lay leader of the First Baptist Church for over half a century, with service ranging from Sunday school teacher to chairman of the Board of Deacons. In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by his four brothers, Sidney, Maston, Duncan, and Aaron, and a sister, Meta. He is survived by his four sons, Clifford Garland Jr., Charles Stephen, Gary Douglas, and Robert Lawrence Gaddy, two daughters, Elizabeth Ann Gaddy Witman and Janet Marie Gaddy; twenty grandchildren, and thirteen great-grandchildren. The Memorial/Celebration of Life service for Dr. Clifford G. Gaddy will be at First Baptist Church in Danville, Va., on Sunday, July 23, 2017, at 2 p.m. with the Reverend John Carroll officiating. The family will receive friends from 1 to 2 p.m. at First Baptist in the Heritage Room before the service. More info available at www.townesfuneralhome.com.
A taco-tequila bar, a grocery store and a brewpub will be opening on Craghead Streets 500 block, owner Rick Barker announced Monday.

Fresh, local ingredients and a choice of indoor and outdoor dining options will be part of each new business.

Stephan Parry, managing partner of the Parry Restaurant Group, plans to open a taco-tequila restaurant/bar this fall, featuring 10 6-inch taco options and more than 100 brands of tequila.

It will be located in the Hughes Building at 530 Craghead St.

The restaurant group has 13 restaurants throughout Virginia, including two other taco-tequila bars: El Jefe Taqueria Garaje in Lynchburg and Tucos Taqueria Garaje in Roanoke.

Were glad we attracted Steve to the River District, Barker said. Hes at the top of his game  with an ability to develop a menu to a local market; its very localized and offers quality food and atmosphere.

The interior will be themed after the Mexican holiday, Day of the Dead, which honors the lives of family members who have died.

Plans call for seating for 54 diners inside, with additional seating for 66 outside.

Well be able to use the outside dining most of the year, Barker said. Well have gas heaters and fire pits.

Barker said they have tried to tie the opening of the new businesses  and the apartments above to the completion of the sidewalk renovations the city is doing and the parking lots being built by the Industrial Development Authority.

A new market also plans open next door to the taco-tequila bar.

Steve DelGiorno  who owns the 616 Farm to Table restaurant on North Main Street as well as the Chatham Public House and Le Petite Rebelle in Chatham  will open the Craghead Market, featuring healthy, organic and minimally processed food options. Fresh baked goods, fresh flowers, staple grocery items, fresh produce and meats, beer, wine, dairy and frozen foods will be carried, as well as prepared foods and salads from a 14-foot salad bar.

Delivery to River District locations will be available.

It will all about food, DelGiorno said. It will be a scaled-down version of Whole Foods or Weaver Street Market in Hillsboro, North Carolina.

Bulk foods, such as different types of flours and granolas, will be available by the pound.

It will have everything you need to go home and cook a great restaurant-quality meal, DelGiorno said.

The third project announced Monday is a partnership between Barker and DelGiorno to open Preservation Ale and Smokehouse at 518 Craghead St.  the former Gibsons Dry Prizery  in 2018.

The restaurant will serve up southern barbecue with some twists, incorporating Nashville-, Memphis- and Korean-style flavors, DelGiorno said.

An on-site brewery will have its own seating behind double doors leading from the restaurant, so people sampling the brews will be surrounded by the equipment making those brews, Barker said. The brewpub will offer rotating taps of lagers, ales and specialty beers.

The building was slated for demolition, but we offered to buy it and restore it, Barker said. Its the oldest tobacco prizery downtown.

Renovations to the historic, 1871 building are set to begin this fall, including the addition of a courtyard for outside dining.

DelGiorno said he has been asked if Danville needs another brew pub, in addition to Ballad Brewing on Craghead Street and 2 Witches Winery and Brewing Company on Trade Street.

We did a tremendous amount of research into this, DelGiorno said. The data says the more breweries clustered together, the more successful they become.

Multiple breweries attract travelers in a two-hour drive time range around the cluster, he said.

One wont attract travelers, but if there are more, they become a destination, DelGiorno said. Its like the food truck rodeo they had  4,000 people came to that, a lot of them from out of town.

Seven new high-end apartments over the Hughes and Venable buildings will also be ready shortly, Barker said. All have different layouts, with one or two bedrooms and baths, as well as a variety of finishing touches, like different cabinet styles in each of the kitchens.

Additional commercial spaces will be available.

Barker and DelGiorno have several projects in the works beyond this block of Craghead Street, including a partnership at the soon-to-be-completed Crema & Vine in the former gas station at 1009 Main St., and projects they are working on individually.

DelGiorno said the projects being done in the River District  by all of the development groups currently working on various buildings  will help revitalize the whole city.

The more we transform the River District, the better Danville will be, DelGiorno said.

Corrie Teague Bobe, assistant director of economic development for the city, said city officials are pleased with how the revitalization of the River District is coming along.

Were excited to see the 500 block of Craghead Street come back to life, Bobe said. These three businesses are unique and the concepts were requested from visitors to the River District  both from here and from other places  over the past few years.
TSX:ORV

TORONTO, July 17, 2017 /CNW/ - Orvana Minerals Corp. (TSX:ORV) (the "Company" or "Orvana") is providing the following production results for the El Valle Mine ("El Valle") in Spain and Don Mario Mine ("Don Mario") in Bolivia for the third quarter of fiscal 2017 ("Q3 2017").

Record consolidated quarterly gold production of 26,414 ounces;

Consolidated gold equivalent production of 35,292 ounces in Q3 2017 representing an increase of 27% compared to Q2 2017;

On track to meet fiscal 2017 production guidance;

El Valle gold and copper production increased by 15% and 24%, respectively, compared to Q2 2017 due to higher recoveries and tonnes milled; mill throughput averaged 2,284 tonnes per day ("tpd") in the period;

Don Mario completed first full quarter of commercial production from the re-commissioned carbon-in-leach circuit ("CIL Circuit") achieving a 48% increase in gold production compared to Q2 2017 and gold recovery of 89.3%, exceeding target of 80%.

Production Highlights

























Q3 2017 Q2 2017 YTD 2017 FY 2017



El Valle Don Mario Total El Valle Don Mario Total Total Guidance Operating Performance













Ore milled (tonnes) (dmt) 197,469 166,370 363,839 157,621 150,231 307,852 1,012,292

Gold Equivalent

















Production (oz) 18,265 17,027 35,292 15,908 11,775 27,683 87,384

Gold

















Grade (g/t) 2.35 2.66 2.49 2.60 2.50 2.55 2.33



Recovery (%) 91.9 89.3 90.6 90.4 71.1 81.2 82.5



Production (oz) 13,705 12,709 26,414 11,917 8,596 20,513 62,626 85,000  95,000 Copper

















Grade (%) 0.53 0.79 0.65 0.58 0.75 0.66 0.72



Recovery (%) 80.2 68.3 73.7 74.1 54.6 63.7 64.0



Production ('000 lbs) 1,857 1,980 3,837 1,503 1,364 2,867 10,292 13,000  14,000 Silver

















Grade (g/t) 11.69 5.40 8.81 13.49 5.48 9.58 10.81



Recovery (%) 75.0 68.8 73.3 74.7 58.2 70.1 71.2



Production (oz) 55,682 19,896 75,578 51,080 15,405 66,485 250,343 300,000  350,000

"The recent significant investments we have made into our operations are resulting in consistent quarter over quarter improvements in our production results. We are pleased to report the highest quarterly consolidated gold production in Orvana's history," said Jim Gilbert, Chairman and CEO. "With the improved gold production from the successful implementation of the CIL Circuit at Don Mario, we are well positioned to extend the life of Don Mario. At El Valle, the return to sustained higher mill throughput rates, in excess of our target of 2,000 tonnes per day, has allowed for higher metal production despite mining through lower grade skarn zones. We look forward to reporting Orvana's continued progress over the remainder of fiscal 2017."

Production  El Valle Mine

The El Valle and Carles Mines produced 13,705 ounces of gold in Q3 2017, an increase of 15% compared to 11,917 ounces of gold produced in Q2 2017.

Copper production in Q3 2017 was 1.9 million pounds, compared to 1.5 million pounds in Q2 2017.

Mill throughput in Q3 2017 averaged 2,284 tpd, an increase of 24% compared to 1,844 tpd in Q2 2017 and in excess of target mill throughput rate of 2,000 tpd.

The increased metal production was primarily due to higher tonnes milled of 197,469 tonnes in Q3 2017 versus 157,621 tonnes in Q2 2017, as well as higher average recoveries, offset by lower head grades.

Production  Don Mario Mine

During Q3 2017, the first full quarter of commercial production for the CIL Circuit, Don Mario surpassed its targeted gold recovery rate of 80%. Gold production increased to 12,709 ounces, or 48% compared to 8,596 ounces of gold produced in Q2 2017. Gold production was also positively impacted by higher gold grades of 2.66 g/t in Q3 2017 versus 2.50 g/t in Q2 2017.

Copper production in Q3 2017 was 2.0 million pounds, compared to 1.4 million pounds in Q2 2017, primarily driven by an increase in copper recoveries of 25%.

About Orvana

Orvana is a multi-mine gold and copper producer. Orvana's operating assets consist of the producing gold-copper-silver El Valle and Carles mines in northern Spain and the producing gold-copper-silver Don Mario mine in Bolivia. Additional information is available at Orvana's website (www.orvana.com).

Cautionary Statements - Forward-Looking Information

Certain statements in this information constitute forward-looking statements or forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws ("forward-looking statements"). Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, potentials, future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "believes", "expects", "plans", "estimates" or "intends" or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "will" or "are projected to" be taken or achieved) are not statements of historical fact, but are forward-looking statements.

The forward-looking statements herein relate to, among other things, Orvana's ability to achieve improvement in free cash flow; the potential to extend the mine life of El Valle and Don Mario beyond their current life-of-mine estimates; Orvana's ability to optimize its assets to deliver shareholder value; the Company's ability to optimize productivity at Don Mario and El Valle; estimates of future production, operating costs and capital expenditures; mineral resource and reserve estimates; statements and information regarding future feasibility studies and their results; future transactions; future metal prices; the ability to achieve additional growth and geographic diversification; future financial performance, including the ability to increase cash flow and profits; future financing requirements; and mine development plans.

Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company as of the date of such statements, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. The estimates and assumptions of the Company contained or incorporated by reference in this information, which may prove to be incorrect, include, but are not limited to, the various assumptions set forth herein and in Orvana's most recently filed Management's Discussion & Analysis and Annual Information Form in respect of the Company's most recently completed fiscal year (the "Company Disclosures") or as otherwise expressly incorporated herein by reference as well as: there being no significant disruptions affecting operations, whether due to labour disruptions, supply disruptions, power disruptions, damage to equipment or otherwise; permitting, development, operations, expansion and acquisitions at El Valle and Don Mario being consistent with the Company's current expectations; political developments in any jurisdiction in which the Company operates being consistent with its current expectations; certain price assumptions for gold, copper and silver; prices for key supplies being approximately consistent with current levels; production and cost of sales forecasts meeting expectations; the accuracy of the Company's current mineral reserve and mineral resource estimates; and labour and materials costs increasing on a basis consistent with Orvana's current expectations.

A variety of inherent risks, uncertainties and factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control, affect the operations, performance and results of the Company and its business, and could cause actual events or results to differ materially from estimated or anticipated events or results expressed or implied by forward looking statements. Some of these risks, uncertainties and factors include fluctuations in the price of gold, silver and copper; the need to recalculate estimates of resources based on actual production experience; the failure to achieve production estimates; variations in the grade of ore mined; variations in the cost of operations; the availability of qualified personnel; the Company's ability to obtain and maintain all necessary regulatory approvals and licenses; the Company's ability to use cyanide in its mining operations; risks generally associated with mineral exploration and development, including the Company's ability to continue to operate the El Valle and/or Don Mario and/or ability to resume long-term operations at Carles Mine; the Company's ability to acquire and develop mineral properties and to successfully integrate such acquisitions; the Company's ability to execute on its strategy; the Company's ability to obtain financing when required on terms that are acceptable to the Company; challenges to the Company's interests in its property and mineral rights; current, pending and proposed legislative or regulatory developments or changes in political, social or economic conditions in the countries in which the Company operates; general economic conditions worldwide; and the risks identified in the Company's Disclosures under the heading "Risks and Uncertainties". This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Company's forward-looking statements and reference should also be made to the Company's Disclosures for a description of additional risk factors.

Any forward-looking statements made in this information with respect to the anticipated development and exploration of the Company's mineral projects are intended to provide an overview of management's expectations with respect to certain future activities of the Company and may not be appropriate for other purposes.

Forward-looking statements are based on management's current plans, estimates, projections, beliefs and opinions and, except as required by law, the Company does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements should assumptions related to these plans, estimates, projections, beliefs and opinions change. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

The forward-looking statements made in this information are intended to provide an overview of management's expectations with respect to certain future operating activities of the Company and may not be appropriate for other purposes.

SOURCE Orvana Minerals Corp.
Royalty Generation. EMX has a fourteen year track record of generative exploration that has evolved into an avenue to organically generate mineral property royalty interests and cash flows. The strategy is to leverage in-country geologic expertise to acquire prospective properties on open ground through license application or claim staking, and to build value through low cost work programs (i.e., mapping, sampling, geophysical surveys, etc.). These properties are optioned or sold to partner companies for retained royalty interests, advance minimum royalty payments, project milestone payments, and other considerations that may include equity interests. Pre-production payments provide early-stage cash flows to EMX, while partner companies build value through exploration and development. EMX participates in the project upside at no additional cost, with the potential for future royalty payments upon the commencement of production.



Examples of EMX royalty generation success are the portfolio of properties in a) Turkey, including the Balya lead-zinc-silver mine, as well as the Akarca gold-silver and Sisorta gold properties being advanced towards development by partner companies, b) the western United States where EMX has copper and gold royalty properties and properties optioned for a royalty interest with companies such as Kennecott Exploration Company (Rio Tinto) and Coeur Explorations Inc., c) Sweden and Norway consisting of polymetallic properties in historic mining districts sold to Boreal Metals Corp. ("BMC") for retained royalty interests, an equity interest in BMC, and other considerations, and d) Haiti, including gold and copper properties sold to Newmont for a retained royalty interest and cash payments. Importantly, in addition to the retained royalty interests, the sale of these assets provided substantial income to EMX for supporting growth of the Company's property portfolio and building shareholder value.

Examples of EMX royalty generation success are the portfolio of properties in a) Turkey, including the Balya lead-zinc-silver mine, as well as the Akarca gold-silver and Sisorta gold properties being advanced towards development by partner companies, b) the western United States where EMX has copper and gold royalty properties and properties optioned for a royalty interest with companies such as Kennecott Exploration Company (Rio Tinto) and Coeur Explorations Inc., c) Sweden and Norway consisting of polymetallic properties in historic mining districts sold to Boreal Metals Corp. ("BMC") for retained royalty interests, an equity interest in BMC, and other considerations, and d) Haiti, including gold and copper properties sold to Newmont for a retained royalty interest and cash payments. Importantly, in addition to the retained royalty interests, the sale of these assets provided substantial income to EMX for supporting growth of the Company's property portfolio and building shareholder value.

Royalty Acquisition. EMX has been pursuing the prudent acquisition of royalty property interests since 2011. The purchase of royalty interests allows EMX to choose quality assets for acquisition that range from producing mines to advanced development properties. These purchases are designed to "jump start" organic royalty portfolio growth process by providing EMX with immediate to near term royalty cash flow. Although the competition to purchase royalty interests is intense, the Company's in-country royalty generation initiatives often inform the timely identification of top tier acquisition candidates. EMX's royalty acquisition initiatives are led by Mr. Thomas Mair, General Manager of Corporate Development.



Key acquisitions to date include the Leeville royalty property in the heart of the Northern Carlin Trend, and the Brestovac royalty property in Serbia's prolific Timok Magmatic Complex. The Leeville royalty has paid gross revenue of US $9.8 million to EMX (current through Q1, 2017) from Newmont's Leeville, Turf, and other underground gold mining operations. Royalty upside, at no cost to EMX, comes from Newmont's delineation of a new gold trend that extends southeast from the Leeville mining complex and includes portions of the Rita K and Full House projects. EMX's purchase of Timok royalty properties in 2014 included the Brestovac license's Cukaru Peki deposit, which is on a fast track development schedule by operator Nevsun Resources Ltd. This purchase resulted from EMX's on-the-ground experience in Serbia developed while building an exploration portfolio sold to Reservoir Capital Corp. in 2006 for cash and retained royalty interests. One of the properties in that portfolio was Brestovac West, which is now an EMX royalty property that lies adjacent to the Cukaru Peki discovery, and covers the high-grade gold Corridor Zone.

Key acquisitions to date include the Leeville royalty property in the heart of the Northern Carlin Trend, and the Brestovac royalty property in Serbia's prolific Timok Magmatic Complex. The Leeville royalty has paid gross revenue of US $9.8 million to EMX (current through Q1, 2017) from Newmont's Leeville, Turf, and other underground gold mining operations. Royalty upside, at no cost to EMX, comes from Newmont's delineation of a new gold trend that extends southeast from the Leeville mining complex and includes portions of the Rita K and Full House projects. EMX's purchase of Timok royalty properties in 2014 included the Brestovac license's Cukaru Peki deposit, which is on a fast track development schedule by operator Nevsun Resources Ltd. This purchase resulted from EMX's on-the-ground experience in Serbia developed while building an exploration portfolio sold to Reservoir Capital Corp. in 2006 for cash and retained royalty interests. One of the properties in that portfolio was Brestovac West, which is now an EMX royalty property that lies adjacent to the Cukaru Peki discovery, and covers the high-grade gold Corridor Zone.

Strategic Investment. An important complement to EMX's royalty generation and royalty acquisition initiatives comes from opportunistic strategic investment in mineral exploration opportunities with under-valued upside potential. Exit strategies can include royalty positions, equity sales, or a combination of both. As well, these investments can lead to EMX's identification of candidates for acquisition or merger.



An early success resulted from EMX's seed level investment in Standard Uranium Corp. that was timed just before the uranium market upswing of 2005-2007. The Company's recognition of upcoming uranium supply shortfalls allowed EMX to quickly realize a substantial profit over a two to three year timeframe. EMX's more recent strategic investment in IG Copper LLC ("IGC") and the Malmyzh joint venture (51% IGC, 49% Freeport-McMoRan) provides significant upside exposure to an emerging district scale porphyry copper-gold discovery

VANCOUVER, Jul 17, 2017 - Eurasian Minerals Inc. (the "Company" or "EMX") (TSX VENTURE:EMX) (NYSE MKT:EMX) is pleased to announce that the Company will officially change its name to "EMX Royalty Corporation" effective on July 19, 2017. The Company, as EMX Royalty Corporation, will continue to trade under the ticker symbol EMX on both the TSX Venture and NYSE MKT exchanges. The new CUSIP number is 26873J107 and the new ISIN is CA26873J1075. The Company is also rolling out a new web site hosted at www.emxroyalty.com.EMX Royalty Business Model. The Company's name change highlights its focus on realizing royalty income from a growing and diversified mineral property portfolio that spans five continents. There are three key foundations underpinning the Company's business model:EMX is steadily increasing global revenue streams from royalties, advance royalties and other cash payments to balance overall company-wide expenditures. The goal is to sustain the Company's royalty generation, royalty acquisition, and strategic investment activities while providing multiple opportunities for exploration and production success with minimal dilution to our shareholders.Share Issuances. EMX intends to issue 20,239 shares (valued at US $18,000) to a senior consultant of the Company in respect of work performed for EMX in the second quarter of 2017 as detailed in the Company's News Release of May 3, 2017. EMX valued the 20,239 shares at the VWAP of its shares on the NYSE MKT for the five trading days ended June 30, 2017.EMX leverages asset ownership and exploration insight into partnerships that advance its mineral properties, with EMX retaining royalty interests. EMX complements its generative business with strategic investment and third party royalty acquisition.Mr. Dean D. Turner, CPG, is a Qualified Person under NI 43-101 and consultant to the Company. Mr. Turner has reviewed, verified and approved disclosure of the technical information contained in this news release.Neither the 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.Forward-Looking Statements: This news release may contain "forward looking statements" that reflect the Company's current expectations and projections about its future results. When used in this news release, words such as "estimate," "intend," "expect," "anticipate," "will" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, which, by their very nature, are not guarantees of the Company's future operational or financial performance, and are subject to risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause the Company's actual results, performance, prospects or opportunities to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and factors may include, but are not limited to: unavailability of financing, failure to identify commercially viable mineral reserves, fluctuations in the market valuation for commodities, difficulties in obtaining required approvals for the development of a mineral project, increased regulatory compliance costs, expectations of project funding by joint venture partners and other factors.Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this news release or as of the date otherwise specifically indicated herein. Due to risks and uncertainties, including the risks and uncertainties identified in this news release, and other risk factors and forward-looking statements listed in the Company's MD&A for the quarter ended March 31, 2017 (the "MD&A") and the most recently filed Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2016, actual events may differ materially from current expectations. More information about the Company, including the MD&A, the 20-F and financial statements of the Company, is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on the SEC's EDGAR website at www.sec.gov.David M. Cole, President and Chief Executive Officer(303) 979-6666Dave@EurasianMinerals.comwww.EurasianMinerals.comScott Close, Director of Investor Relations(303) 973-8585SClose@EurasianMinerals.com
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 17, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Calibre Mining Corp. (TSX-V:CXB) (the Company or Calibre) is pleased to announce the start of the 2017 drilling program on the 100% owned Primavera Gold-Copper Porphyry Project, Nicaragua.



Highlights

The 2017 drilling program at Primavera has begun and will test a series of high priority targets in two areas within the overall Primavera Gold-Copper Porphyry District;

1) NE Trend (2km x 1km area) extending northeast from the existing deposit, and

2) San Francisco Target (2km x 2km area) centered three kilometres southeast of the Primavera deposit.





1) NE Trend (2km x 1km area) extending northeast from the existing deposit, and 2) San Francisco Target (2km x 2km area) centered three kilometres southeast of the Primavera deposit. This is the first drilling program at Primavera since 2012 and will consist of approximately 45 Reverse Circulation drill holes totaling 8200 metres. Drilling will in part be guided by a series of recommendations made by Dr. Richard Sillitoe, one of the worlds foremost porphyry experts, following his site visit and evaluation in February 2017.





The Primavera Gold-Copper Porphyry Deposit contains an Inferred Resource at a 0.5 g/t AuEq cutoff of 45.0 million tonnes grading 0.84 g/t AuEq (0.54 g/t Au, 1.15 g/t Ag and 0.22 % Cu) containing 782,000 ounces of gold, 1.7 million ounces of silver and 219 million pounds of copper (1.2 million AuEq ounces).





Numerous high priority drill targets prospective for further gold-copper porphyry mineralization exist within the 5.0 kilometre by 4.0 kilometre Primavera target area as defined by anomalous gold and copper in rock and soil samples, magnetic and radiometric geophysical anomalies, and targets where geological mapping has identified porphyry style mineralization or alteration.

Greg Smith, President and CEO of Calibre stated: We are extremely excited to get back drilling on our flagship 100% owned Primavera Gold-Copper Porphyry District. Calibres exploration programs within the five km by four km Primavera target area have identified numerous high priority geochemical, geophysical, and geologic targets which highlight the potential for further gold-copper porphyry discoveries within the Primavera district. Porphyry gold-copper deposits tend to occur in clusters and to date Calibre has discovered the first porphyry deposit in Nicaragua that hosts a 1.2 million AuEq ounce resource.

The 2017 drill program is the first drilling program at Primavera since 2012 and will consist of approximately 45 Reverse Circulation drill holes totaling 8200 metres. The 2017 drilling program at Primavera has begun and is testing a series of high priority targets in two areas; 1) the NE Trend covers an area 2km x 1km extending northeast from the existing deposit, and 2) the San Francisco Target with an extent of 2km x 2km centered three kilometres southeast of the Primavera deposit.

In February 2017 a site visit was completed by one of the worlds foremost porphyry experts Dr. Richard Sillitoe. Dr. Sillitoes extensive experience and insights advanced the understanding of the Primavera Gold-Copper deposit. Several of Dr. Sillitoes conclusions will have a significant positive impact on the exploration programs going forward and have been incorporated into the planned drill program including; 1) the (Primavera) prospect has many similarities to other gold-rich porphyry deposits, including a good Au/Cu correlation, presence of abundant hydrothermal magnetite and a molybdenum-rich halo to the gold-copper zone, 2) in view of the widespread occurrence of porphyry copper deposits in district-scale clusters and alignments, exploration needs to be focused on assessment of nearby, untested areas, and 3) the proposed programme of scout drilling of geochemical targets is considered the best means of further appraising the district potential.

Recent surface rock sampling completed as part of the field preparations for the RC drilling program have further enhanced the drilling targets. Results includes high grade gold and copper in two of four samples collected along the NE Trend with samples collected 1.5 and 2.25 kilometres northeast of the Primavera Deposit. Results including 4.09 g/t Au, 18.9 g/t Ag, and 1.71 % Cu and a second sample returning 5.50 g/t Au. The mineralized material consists of diorite hosted quartz breccia and stockworks with chalcopyrite and bornite. No previous drilling exists with one kilometre of these anomalous samples and the upcoming program will include drill holes targeted in these areas.

Primavera Au-Cu Porphyry Project  100% Calibre Mining

The Primavera Project zone consists of classic porphyry style gold-copper mineralization. Porphyry style mineralization is hosted within the volcanic and intrusive rocks and associated with both potassic and propylitic alteration. The chalcopyrite +/- bornite copper mineralization is primarily hosted by a quartz veinlet stockwork and overall sulphide content is quite low. Drilling encountered intense zone of potassic alteration dominated by potassium feldspar, biotite, and magnetite. In addition the presence of sheeted and banded quartz-magnetite veins along with the alteration and mineralization textures further confirmed the potential for a gold-copper porphyry system. Primavera is the first porphyry gold-copper project discovered in Nicaragua and the mineralization remains open for expansion.

A maiden resource estimated in December 2016 for the Primavera Gold-Copper Porphyry Deposit contains an Inferred Resource at a 0.5 g/t AuEq cutoff of 45.0 million tonnes grading 0.84 g/t AuEq containing 782,000 ounces of gold, 1.7 million ounces of silver and 219 million pounds of copper (1.2 million AuEq ounces).

Inferred Resource at a cutoff of 0.5 g/t AuEq for the Primavera Au-Cu Porphyry Deposit

tonnes Au

g/t Ag

g/t Cu

% Au

Eq Au

ozs Ag

ozs Cu

Lbs Au Eq

ozs 44,974,000 0.54 1.15 0.22 0.84 782,000 1,661,000 218,670,000 1,200,000

Notes: CIM definition standards were followed for the 2016 resource estimate which used Ordinary Krig grade estimation within a three-dimensional block model with mineralized zones defined by wireframed solids. A base cutoff grade of 0.5 g/t AuEq was used for reporting resources. Densities varied by material type and ranged from 2.4 for saprolite to 2.71 for diorite and the volcanics. Numbers may not add exactly due to rounding. Gold Equivalent (AuEq) calculated using $1300/oz Au for gold, $2.40/lb for Copper, and $20.00/oz Ag for silver. Mineral Resources that are not mineral reserves do not have economic viability. 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 and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in upgrading them to an indicated or measured mineral resource category. WSP 's resource estimate for Primavera is based on drill core assay results from a total of 33 holes totaling 13,491 metres of drilling and 52 trenches totaling 660.9 metres. Variograms were generated for gold, copper and silver and search parameters established for grade interpolation using kriging. All details of the Resource Estimate are summarized in a National Instrument 43-101 technical report available on SEDAR prepared by Todd McCracken, P.Geo. of WSP, who is independent of Calibre and a Qualified Person ("QP") as defined by Section 1.5 of National Instrument 43-101.

Geochemical and geophysical surveys have outlined a five kilometre by four kilometre area, the Primavera Regional Anomaly, interpreted to outline an intrusive/volcanic complex and which highlights the potential for additional gold-copper porphyry discoveries. Additional ground surveys were completed in 2015 and 2016 and additional high priority targets have been outlined but not tested by drilling. Calibre has completed data compilation and target prioritization. The planned drilling is targeting anomalies adjacent to the current deposit and exploration drilling designed to identify additional porphyry mineralization associated with the numerous geological, geochemical, and geophysical anomalies and targets within the Primavera Project. A second regional scale anomaly, San Isidro, has been defined by geochemical and geophysics exploration and covers an area 4.0 kilometres by 2.0 kilometres located five kilometer west of the Primavera Anomaly.

Calibre is committed to best practice standards for all exploration, sampling and drilling activities. Drilling was completed by independent and experienced firms. Analytical quality assurance and quality control procedures include the systematic insertion of blanks, standards and duplicates into the sample strings. Samples are placed in sealed bags and shipped directly to Acme Labs (a Bureau Veritas Group Company) in Managua, Nicaragua for sample preparation and then to Bureau Veritas Lab in Vancouver, Canada for 50 gram gold fire assay and ICP-MS multi element analyses.

The technical content in this news release was read and approved by Gregory Smith, P.Geo, President and CEO of the Company who is the Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101.

About Calibre Mining Corp.

Calibre owns a 100% interest in over 413 km2 of mineral concessions in the Mining Triangle of Northeast Nicaragua including the Primavera Gold-Copper Project and Santa Maria Gold Project. Additionally the Company has optioned to IAMGOLD (176 km2) and Centerra Gold (253 km2) concessions covering an aggregate area of 429 km2 and is party to a joint venture on the 33.6 km2 Rosita D gold-copper-silver project with Rosita Mining Corp.. Major shareholders of Calibre include gold producer B2Gold Corp., Pierre Lassonde and management.

Calibre Mining Corp.

Greg Smith

Greg Smith, P.Geo.

President and CEO

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains certain forward-looking statements. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as expects or does not expect, is expected, anticipates or does not anticipate plans, estimates or intends or stating that certain actions, events or results  may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to materially differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements.

Safe Harbor Statement under the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Except for the statements of historical fact contained herein, the information presented constitutes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements including but not limited to those with respect to the price of gold, potential mineralization, reserve and resource determination, exploration results, and future plans and objectives of the Company involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievement of Calibre to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.



For further information contact:

Ryan King

604 628-1012

www.calibremining.com


Despite a full-court press from the White House this weekend, many of the nation's governors remain unsupportive of the latest version of legislation that would replace the Affordable Care Act, which was released by the Senate late last week As the nation's state leaders gathered in Providence, R.I., this weekend for their annual summer meeting, numerous Trump administration officials, including Vice President Mike Pence, sought to convince governors to support the Senate's Obamacare repeal bill.But the White House's efforts were not well received."Everyone's having a hard time getting their head wrapped around the numbers and how it doesn't mean it's just a gigantic shift of expenses from the federal government to the states," said Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, the outgoing chair of the National Governors Association and a critic of Republican efforts to overhaul health care. "I think every governor is very concerned."Governors' gravest worries are the proposed deep cuts to Medicaid, the per-patient cap on Medicaid spending and the phasing out of funding for states that expand Medicaid to more low-income people.The governors were briefed on the Senate bill Saturday in a two-hour closed-door session with Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price and Medicaid administrator Seema Verma. The federal officials sought to quell governors' concerns that the bill's funding cuts and Medicaid caps would result in millions of people losing insurance.In the meeting, Price and Verma disputed Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that 22 million people would lose coverage under the last version of the Senate bill by 2026, including some 15 million Medicaid recipients, according to governors who attended the briefing. The CBO is expected to release an updated estimate of this version early this week.Even some Republican governors said it is difficult to discount the CBO numbers."I think you have to give some confidence to the CBO," said Arkansas GOP Gov. Asa Hutchinson, although he added that it's difficult to estimate the true impact of the legislation because it would allow individuals to choose what kind of coverage they want.One GOP governor, Brian Sandoval of Nevada, is seen as particularly crucial to the debate. His support of a repeal bill would likely sway Nevada Republican Sen. Dean Heller's vote on the legislation. Sandoval opposed previous versions of repeal-and-replace legislation, and Heller cited Sandoval's opposition when he announced last month he did not support the earlier Senate bill.But Saturday's closed-door meeting did not seem to change Sandoval's mind."I'm no different than I was," the governor told reporters after the meeting, according toHe said he plans to come to a final decision on the bill this week.With a slim 52-member majority in the Senate, Republicans have no votes to spare. Senators Susan Collins of Maine and Rand Paul of Kentucky have both signaled they will not support the current bill. If they lose the support of Heller or any other GOP senators, the bill would effectively be dead. That's why on Saturday night, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced he would defer a vote on the bill until Sen. John McCain of Arizona, who is home recovering from a blood-clot surgery, could return to Capitol Hill to cast a vote.That delay likely won't help the bill's chances.The CBO's release this week of estimates on uninsured individuals could add to a drumbeat of opposition from governors who say Congress should abandon its efforts to overhaul Medicaid, at least for now.Even some Republican governors who support health-care changes have said that Medicaid reform and other ACA reforms should be done separately."By mixing the two, you're looking at cuts not just in funding, but in services -- in key constituencies, in the elderly, for children," said GOP New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu on MSNBC after the new Senate bill was released. "These are things we just can't risk to lose."
Touting nearly three decades' worth of legislative experience, including six years in leadership, House Speaker and Nashville Republican Beth Harwell is officially launching a campaign to become Tennessees next governor.I think I have a proven, practical results record. I have been in state government and proved that I know a great deal about our state. I have the knowledge and experience to hit the ground running on day one, Harwell said in an interview with the USA TODAY Network - Tennessee.As governor, I will lead on jobs, cutting taxes, guaranteeing every child has a great school and ensuring our Tennessee values are protected.
Top officials in the Democratic National Committee are worried about a sudden drop in voter registrations in Colorado, concerned that President Donald Trump's new election commission is encouraging Democrats across the country to remove themselves from the electoral grid for fear of revealing personal information to the GOP leadership.Led by DNC Chairman Tom Perez, they've begun an effort _in conjunction with the Colorado Democratic Party _to persuade other members of the party's rank-and-file to stay registered."If you unregister, you are giving a victory to proponents of voter suppression," Perez said in an interview with McClatchy.Denying the GOP a victory on this issue, he said, is the party's new rallying cry."That's our message," Perez said. "And we're out there delivering that message in every way possible."More than 3,000 Colorado voters have unregistered since Trump's Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity requested personal data on voters in late June, according to the Colorado secretary of state's office. The commission, created to investigate alleged voter fraud in states across the country, drew bipartisan backlash this month with its request, with officials in both parties declining to provide the information out of concern for voters' privacy.The Colorado voters who withdrew their registration represent less than one-tenth of 1 percent of the state's total number of registered voters, said officials with the Colorado secretary of state's office. And Democratic officials say they haven't seen widespread examples of voters revoking their registration in other states.But to Perez, the case in Colorado is an example of the Trump-created commission trying to make it more difficult to vote. He and other Democrats have accused the group of laying the groundwork for Republican-led efforts that would make voting more difficult. (Trump has said, without evidence, that 3 million to 5 million men and women voted illegally in the last election. Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by nearly 3 million.)"The commission has nothing to do with election integrity and everything to do with voter suppression," Perez said.The chairman said the DNC is working closely with the Colorado Democratic Party to spread the word to voters not to unregister. It's part of a broader effort from the DNC to offer more support to state parties: The committee last week announced a new initiative to funnel more money to them as well as hiring additional staff to offer support."What we're seeing in Colorado, we hope that doesn't spread elsewhere," said one DNC official. "That's why we're working on educating voters across the country about this. We're not trying to incite panic, but the DNC itself is monitoring this situation and is concerned by what we're seeing."Kris Kobach, the Republican secretary of state in Kansas and vice chairman of Trump's commission, dismissed concerns about voters withdrawing their registration."It could be a number of things," he said, according to Breitbart. "It could be, actually, people who are not qualified to vote, perhaps someone who is a felon and is disqualified that way, or someone who is not a U.S. citizen saying, 'I'm withdrawing my voter registration because I am not able to vote.' It could be a political stunt _ people who are trying to discredit the Commission and withdrawing temporarily because they are politically active but planning to get back on the voter rolls before the election next November."
Warning that liberals are trying to mess with Texas, a confident Gov. Greg Abbott promised Friday hell fight to keep Texas in conservative hands if voters give him another four years in office.Every far-left liberal from George Soros to Nancy Pelosi are trying to undo the Texas brand of liberty and prosperity, Abbott said, referring to the Democratic mega donor and U.S. House minority leader, respectively. I have news for those liberals: Texas values are not up for grabs.Abbotts wife Cecilia and daughter Audrey were at his side when Abbott made his re-election bid official at Sunset Station, the historic and beautifully restored train depot in the St. Paul Square District in downtown San Antonio. His daughter introduced the governor to the cheering audience, telling the crowd, there truly is no place like Texas and no better person to lead it than my dad.When Abbott took the stage he quickly began ticking off a list of what he considered his top accomplishments, including a business tax cut, curbs on abortion, more road construction and what he called the toughest border security law in the country.One of the biggest applause lines came when Abbott touted passage of Senate Bill 4, which supporters call a ban on so-called sanctuary cities and detractors describe as a show me your papers law because it allows police to inquire about immigration status during any lawful detention, including after a routine traffic stop.We finally have banned sanctuary cities, Abbott said. It is irresponsible and reckless to release known criminals back out on your streets.Lest his supporters get complacent, Abbott noted that Democrats  who havent won a statewide race since 1994  made impressive gains in Harris County in the last presidential election and warned that liberals think that they have found cracks in our armor.I will not allow big government policies to lead Texas down the wrong path, Abbott said. Im counting on you to have my back.Abbott never specifically referred to the special session of the Legislature that begins next week. The governor was forced to call lawmakers back following the end of the 140-day regular session to avoid a shutdown of the Texas Medical Board and a few other agencies that became hostages in a war between House and Senate leaders.But Abbott, responding to a clamor from conservative activists, did refer to some of the other items he wants addressed  including changes to the property tax system and more curbs on abortion  during the special session. He didnt talk about the bathroom bill that seeks to restrict which bathrooms transgender Texans can use.But he was asked about it at an event earlier, and he told reporters he wanted the legislation  opposed by major business groups and top CEOs  because of a tough legal issue that pits local school policies against guidelines under Title IX, a federal statute that bans discrimination based on gender in schools.Obviously Im pro-business, Abbott said. What we have to do is to find a way to make the law and the way that schools operate in the state of Texas consistent with Title IX. Thats one of our objectives during the special session.Fridays kick-off event was held four years to the day after Abbott first threw his hat in the ring  just across the highway from the train depot at La Villita  in 2013. Abbott noted earlier Friday that he again chose his wifes hometown of San Antonio  and the place where he got married  to ask voters for another four years in office.Now, like then, he is the runaway favorite to win the states top elective office. Now, like then, he is sitting on top of a huge warchest that any rival would struggle to match. And today, just like in 2013, Abbotts Republican Party is again favored to win every statewide elected office.Being as close as we are to the election, Abbott looks extraordinarily strong, said Austin-based GOP consultant Ted Delisi. Theres not even a rumor or a sniff of opposition. This is as good as it gets.A lot has changed, though, since Abbott took the reins from longtime Gov. Rick Perry four years ago.The Democrats have been swept out of power in Washington, removing a convenient foil for Republicans. President Trumps low approval ratings and scandal-prone White House, meanwhile, are creating headwinds for the GOP nationally. And at home, Texas Republicans are as divided as ever, with relatively moderate House members and their leaders battling more conservative Senate counterparts.So if Abbott has anything to worry about on the political front at this point  and its not clear he does  it would be from within his own party as opposed to any candidate the bedraggled Texas Democrats have conjured up so far.Though firebrand Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has steadfastly denied any interest in a race against Abbott, talk of a sudden reversal or last-minute betrayal has become something of a parlor game among Austin insiders and lobbyists.Even if Patrick did take on the governor, though, University of Texas pollster Jim Henson said it would be a tough race for the lieutenant governor. Abbott has the highest approval ratings of any statewide officeholder and Henson said the governors numbers among conservative Republicans make him nearly bulletproof.Patrick is a pretty formidable politician, Henson said, but he does start with weaker job approval ratings and less name recognition than the governor does. And he would have to change Republican primary voters minds about Greg Abbott.Despite the challenges GOP candidates confront nationwide, Abbott has even less to fear from Democrats. With less than five months before the deadline to file for a spot on the primary ballot, no serious Democratic contender has emerged yet in the governors race.Former Democratic state Rep. Allen Vaught of Dallas is looking hard at a statewide run  but not for governor. Instead, hes thinking about running for lieutenant governor, even though the Democrats already have a serious if little known contender in Houston businessman Mike Collier running for that spot. He said Patrick is a softer target than Abbott.I dont think anybody is unbeatable, but I think Patrick is more vulnerable than Abbott from a common sense point of view, Vaught said.Former Democratic state Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer of San Antonio has also been mentioned as a potential Abbott challenger. This week Martinez Fischer told the Texas Tribune hes not ruling it out and has been talking with party leaders and progressive donors about a possible run. But it hasnt moved beyond those conversations into anything concrete.Fischer did lay out a possible attack line: he said Abbott was exposed on the economy, noting that in the land of the Texas Miracle the states unemployment rate is now above the national average and Texas is slipping in the rankings as the best place to do business.Abbott is already working to take the sting out of any criticism of economic slippage in Texas. About an hour and a half before his campaign announcement, Abbott toured the San Antonio headquarters of aircraft maker Boeing  which recently announced it was locating its new global services division in Plano  to tout the growing connection between Boeing and the state of Texas.During a brief exchange with reporters, Abbott was asked about a CNBC study of the top states in which to do business. For the first time since the cable network began ranking states, Texas fell out of the top two, and instead placed fourth. Abbott blamed a fall in oil prices but said hes working to keep the economy diversified.Listen, oil got cut in half and Texas is still an energy state and whenever oil prices get cut in half its going to be impact our economy, Abbott said. The reason why Im here (at Boeing) is because this is an example of my efforts to ensure that we are expanding jobs in areas that have nothing whatsoever to do with energy so that when oil prices do take the tumble in the future we wont suffer this type of setback.
On Saturday, in the evening, at Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC attended a performance of the Creative Generation  State Schools Onstage (C-GEN) 2017 event, followed by a reception.
On Sunday, in the morning, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC and Mrs Kaye de Jersey departed Brisbane for an official visit to Cairns.

In the afternoon, at the Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal, Cairns, the Governor and Mrs de Jersey attended the Queensland Music Festival Cape York Instrumental Program performance as part of the 2017 Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF).

Following, at the Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal, Cairns, the Governor, with Mrs de Jersey, officially closed the 2017 CIAF, addressed guests and presented the CIAF Art Awards Peoples Choice Award.

In the evening, at Barlow Park, Cairns, the Governor and Mrs de Jersey attended the National Rugby League Telstra Premiership Round 19 match between the South Sydney Rabbitohs and the North Queensland Cowboys.
On Monday, in the morning, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC and Mrs Kaye de Jersey returned to Brisbane from an official visit to Cairns.
Description

GIS - 17 July 2017 : The Cooperative Development Fund operating under the aegis of the Ministry of Business, Enterprise and Cooperatives, will manage the following Schemes to assist cooperatives societies. The Cooperative Development Fund operating under the aegis of the Ministry of Business, Enterprise and Cooperatives, will manage the following Schemes to assist cooperatives societies. The Schemes are namely, the Upgrading of Cooperative Societies Scheme; the Scheme for Market Fair for Cooperative Societies; the Scheme for Acquisition of IT Facilities; and the Education Scheme for Cooperative Societies.

The Upgrading of Cooperative Societies Scheme would provide assistance for the purchase of equipment and other relevant tools; the promotion of bio and green products, eco-packaging, quality and attractive labelling, barcode certification and value-added activities, and the provision of consultancy services.

On the other hand, the Scheme for Market Fair for Cooperative Societies would provide assistance for the organisation of market fairs while the Scheme for Acquisition of IT Facilities would provide assistance for the procurement of a computer or a laptop.

As regards the Education Scheme for Cooperative Societies, it would assist members of Societies to attend a training course locally or abroad.
Description

 GIS - 17 July 2017: Africa has placed industrialisation as a major policy thrust which is benefiting from immense support from rich countries and Mauritius has to take advantage of the geographical proximity with the continent in order to achieve market diversification. In the process, we also have the potential to share our skills and industrialisation experience with many African countries.

This statement was made this morning by the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Consumer Protection, Mr Ashit Kumar Gungah, at the opening ceremony of a workshop on Exporting to Africa, at Cyber Tower 1, Ebene.

The two-day workshop is organised at the initiative of Enterprise Mauritius. Its major objectives are to provide focused capacity building to all Small and Medium Enterprises exporting as well as those with deemed export potential to Africa and the region, and to tap into available opportunities existing under the free trade agreements in the region. It also aims at fostering a better understanding of export markets; sanitary and phytosanitary issues; barriers such as tariff and non-tariff measures; customs clearance; export procedures; and freight issues among enterprises exporting or intending to export to Africa and the Indian Ocean islands.

Minister Gungah explained that the organisation of the workshop is highly opportune as it takes place at a junction where Africa is rising as a continent of hope and a land of opportunities. This rise, he highlighted, is highly positive for Mauritius as the coming years are expected to mark a turnaround in the economic performance of many African countries after a spell of low growth mainly due to lower commodity prices.

He also underscored that Mauritius is striving to fully exploit all opportunities under the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) to boost all avenues for regional integration. The tripartite free trade agreements, which regroup SADC, COMESA and the East African Community markets, promise to be a major development to better tap many African markets.

Furthermore, he pointed out that Mauritius has taken various commendable actions to enhance trade with Africa through the Export Credit Insurance scheme, which subsidises the insurance premium for exports to Africa, and the Freight Rebate scheme, among others. Mr Gungah stated that Mauritius cannot rely only on traditional markets given the political and economic uncertainty prevailing in the aftermath of the Brexit, before adding that the deepened economic diplomacy with Africa will bear meaningful outcomes.
Description

GIS - 17 July 2017: Mauritius needs its intellectual capital to come up with innovative and progressive ways to tap and exploit the countrys untapped natural resources and this is why, for a long time to come, our major asset will continue to be and remain our people, said the Minister of Education and Human Resources, Tertiary Education and Scientific Research, Mrs Leela Devi Dookun-Luchoomun, today at Hennessy Park Hotel, in Ebene.

The Minister was addressing the 2016 Higher School Certificate laureates at a reception hosted in their honour by her Ministry. Gifts were also presented to the laureates. Several personalities as well as the families and friends of the laureates and their rectors were present at the reception.

In her speech, Minister Dookun-Luchoomun, stated that the human factor will be decisive in shaping the future of Mauritius and Government will spare no efforts in developing its human capital. We are set to celebrate 50 years of our independence next year and, we can legitimately uphold and take pride in the fact that much of the success of our country and of the solid repute it has earned internationally can be placed at the doorstep of advances made in education, she pointed out.

Education, observed the Minister, is a dynamic sector as it is at the heart of development and drives change and innovation and thus it has itself to be in a constant state of flux. This feat has largely been the result of an education system woven together by generations of teachers and students. Moreover, as the education system is embarking on a reform process, it is important to uphold the central tenets of equity, equality, justice and fairness, the Minister emphasised.

Mrs Dookun-Luchoomun recalled that Budget 2017-2018 has reviewed allowances under the Mauritius Scholarship Scheme by providing for an increase of Rs 20 million. The yearly allowance for laureates pursuing postgraduate studies locally has also been increased by 10%, while the yearly allowance for Additional Laureates studying abroad has been increased by 20%.

The Minister thus urged laureates to seize this opportunity to excel in their fields of study and return to Mauritius with their expertise and know-how and also to create prospects to serve the country and the world to the best of their ability with excellence, honesty and integrity.
Description

 GIS - 17 July 2017: The Prime Minister, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, reaffirmed Governments determination to boost development in Rodrigues as an integral part of the Republic of Mauritius adding that no efforts will be spared to provide necessary resources for the continued development of the island and improve quality of life of the Rodriguans.

He was speaking on Friday 14 July 2017 in the National Assembly on behalf of the Minister Mentor, Minister of Defence, Minister for Rodrigues in reply to a private notice question with focus on the economic development in Rodrigues and the progress achieved regarding namely: the construction of a new runway, water supply, and health services.

Prime Minister Jugnauth made an overview of the various development achieved so far in Rodrigues and spoke on the implementation of several infrastructure projects in the island namely roads, social amenities, health services, education facilities and law and order issues, adding that the transformation which is visible has been widely acknowledged by Rodriguans.

He further pointed out that actions have already been initiated for the implementation of various developmental projects in collaboration with the Rodrigues Regional Assembly (RRA) to modernise the economy of Rodrigues and further improve the standard of living of Rodriguans. To that effect, provision has been made during the financial year 2017-2018 for an amount of Rs 4.4 billion to Rodrigues, of which some Rs 3.4 billion has been allocated to the budget of the Rodrigues Regional Assembly and around Rs 1 billion to the budgets of Ministries and Departments for meeting expenditure related to Rodrigues, highlighted Mr Jugnauth.

Regarding the new runway, the Prime Minister informed the House that in view of the importance of this major project, actions were initiated for the enlistment of the services of a Consultant for the Design, Cost Estimation and preparation of Tender Documents for the Extension of Runway at Plaine Corail Airport. The contract was awarded to GIBB (Mauritius) and TPS Consult Ltd in April 2016 for the total sum of Rs 24 333 500, in compliance with all procurement regulations.

As for the improvement in water supply, he underscored that two desalination plants at Pointe Venus and Caverne Bouteille respectively are operational at 50% and that Government is monitoring closely the rehabilitation works of the two plants which are expected to be completed by this year enabling them to operate at full capacity. Moreover, Mr Jugnauth enumerated several projects funded to the tune of Rs 120 million by the European Union to alleviate water problem in Rodrigues.

As regards the improvement of health services, the Prime Minister pointed out that Government is assisting the RRA in the implementation of the following projects: e-health project; master plan for Health; conversion of the ex-maternity ward into a new paediatric ward at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital; extension of La Ferme Area Health Centre; setting up of the Medecin de Famille project; provision of a sewage treatment plant at Queen Elizabeth Hospital; construction of X-Ray Room at Mont Lubin Area Health Centre; and purchasing of additional 4 new ambulances, amongst others.

These initiatives, he said will allow the RRA to improve health services for both inpatients and outpatients, in areas such as obstetrics/gynecology, surgery, general medicines, orthodontics, psychiatry and dentistry. Other facilities, include the arrangements to increase the frequency of visiting specialists to attend to patients in fields like oncology, ophthalmology, ENT, cardiology, physical medicine, dermatology, neurosurgery, orthodontics and speech therapy and the provision of scholarships to Rodriguans to be trained as doctors as well as specialists, Mr Jugnauth added.
(TNS) - Nine people were dead, including six children, and one man was missing after a flash flood roared through a popular Arizona swimming hole on Saturday afternoon.The deadly incident at the Cold Springs swimming hole in Tonto National Forest followed heavy rains that had spurred thunderstorm and flash flood warnings from the National Weather Service in areas scarred by a recent wildfire.Officials suspended their search Sunday evening but were expected to resume on Monday.The Gila County Sheriffs Office first received a 911 call about a search-and-rescue operation at the swimming hole about 3:20 p.m. Saturday, according to the departments website.Sheriffs Sgt. David Hornung said Sunday that the dead were members of a family that had gathered together for the day.From what I understand, they were brothers and sisters and nephews and cousins. It was a big group of people out there enjoying swimming in the river and playing in the water, he said.The children who died ranged in age from 2 to 17 and the adults from 24 to 60, Hornung said.The victims, he said, were probably caught without warning by the flood.It wasnt even raining where these people were at, he said. The flash flood came from above them.Relatives told the Arizona Republic newspaper that the victims were members of a Phoenix family that had gone to the swimming hole to celebrate a birthday. The newspaper said the dead included two mothers and their children, a grandmother and two teenage boys. The husband of one of the women who died was still missing, the paper reported.The weather service issued a flash flood warning Saturday afternoon, but the area is fairly remote, Hornung said.The people who were down there probably didnt have cellphone service. There was no real way to warn them about the possibility of a flash flood, he said.A total of 14 people were initially reported missing, but four of them were rescued within about an hour of the incident, Hornung said.The rescue was helped by the fact that a search-and-rescue team had been deployed nearby to help a hiker who had suffered an allergic reaction.When they were finishing that up, they heard people yelling for help, and they went down to the river and found them, Hornung said. Had they not been there, it probably would have been an hour before any search-and-rescue got there.The swimming hole is popular with tourists and locals, a place where families often gather to escape the heat, said Chris Fabri of Phoenix, who maintains a website about Arizonas swimming holes and has been visiting Cold Springs for more than two decades. The swimming hole is north of Payson, Ariz.A video shot by a witness, Disa Alexander, shortly after the flood and posted by various news outlets showed a man in a tree holding a baby as water rushed around him.Local news site Payson Roundup said rescue workers had saved a father clutching a child on Saturday.LisaMarie Zamora of Payson was hiking with her husband in the national forest late Saturday afternoon when the couple noticed water coming down the road.We saw debris in the water and then all of a sudden it was like someone released a dam, she told the Los Angeles Times by phone. It just engulfed the whole road we were on. There were sandals, bottles, food, all of it going downriver.Zamora said that although Cold Springs is popular with families, it is surrounded by slick rock and has always seemed somewhat treacherous to her.Even without the flooding, its kind of dangerous. With the flooding, you cant stop the water from pulling you down or downriver, she said.Fabri said the swimming hole has long been a treasured place to get away.The water is so cold that when its 100-something degrees out in Phoenix, and you drive out there for a day trip  its just refreshing, he said. Its nice to get up there. Youre in a very primitive, prehistoric looking area with all the granite. Its just gorgeous.Fabri said he visited the area with his young daughter.Im sure Ive been up there during monsoon season, he said. You just dont think about that. Thats the unfortunate thing. People need to think about it.The National Weather Service on Saturday issued a flash flood warning for Gila County at 2:12 p.m. That report noted that rain was continuing to fall over an area near the canyon, which had been scarred in the Highline fire that burned about 7,000 acres in June.The report said flash flooding was likely within creeks and washes draining from the Highline scar.At 3:09 p.m., about 10 minutes before authorities were called about the flooding, the weather service issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Gila and Yavapai counties.Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey offered his condolences on Twitter on Sunday to the relatives of those killed.Deepest prayers for those lost in the Gila County tragedy, for their families and the entire community, he wrote.2017 the Los Angeles TimesVisit the Los Angeles Times at www.latimes.com
Air traffic control today

A push to privatize

Consumer groups, rural airports speak up

(TNS) -- After decades of debate and failed attempts at reform, an effort to transform the countrys air traffic control system  which handles nearly 44,000 daily flights  is facing the most favorable conditions for takeoff its had in years. proposal that would spin off the federally-managed air traffic control system into a private, not-for-profit corporation is working its way through the House of Representatives, with a vote possible as early as this week.The plan is widely supported by commercial airlines, including American Airlines and Southwest, who argue changing management is key to speeding up the modernization of the systems aging infrastructure, which in turn can improve efficiency and reduce traffic congestion as more and more people take to the skies each year.Its also got key backers in President Donald Trump, who made privatizing the broken air traffic control system a central part of his infrastructure proposal unveiled last month, and Pennsylvania Congressman Bill Shuster, whos championed the bill as chairman of the House transportation committee.But passage of the proposal is far from certain, with critics warning that it would concentrate too much power in the hands of the airlines and Democrats worried about privatizing a major piece of government infrastructure.As the debate heats up, heres what to know about the current air traffic system, why airlines want to privatize it and why critics are urging caution:At any given time, there are as many as 5,000 aircraft navigating the skies over the United States with the help of some of the Federal Aviation Authoritys 14,000 air traffic controllers.The airspace is the most complex and most trafficked in the world. Thanks to the air traffic control system, its also widely considered to be the safest.But critics say its not the most efficient, especially when it comes to deploying new technologies needed to modernize the system.The FAA launched a major, multi-billion dollar modernization effort known as NextGen in 2007.One of the biggest changes in that program is a shift from ground-based radar to satellite-based systems that provide more accurate tracking of aircraft. Other changes would provide better weather data and simplify communications between pilots and air traffic controllers.Together, the technologies are meant to improve safety while also allowing better management of air traffic to help reduce congestion, in turn driving down passenger delays and lowering fuel costs for airlines.But progress has been slower than airlines would like  hampered in part by bureaucratic procurement processes and a lack of stable long-term funding  and could take more than a decade to fully complete.Reform proponents see privatization as a way to free the air traffic control system from Congressional gridlock and establish a more stable funding stream based on user fees rather than the current mix of taxes on passenger tickets, fuel, cargo and more.Its a model that has been used successfully around the world, including in Canada, but never for an air traffic system as large as in the U.S.Shusters bill would establish a corporation overseen by a board of 13 directors chosen with input from commercial, regional and cargo airlines, general and business aviation interests, and unions representing air traffic controllers and pilots.CEOs for both American and Southwest have spoken out in favor of air traffic control reform, with Southwests Gary Kelly calling it the single biggest opportunity for aviation. Theyre joined by leading aviation industry groups, airline employee unions and the union representing air traffic controllers, which said Shusters proposal protects our workforce.Delta Air Lines had long been a major holdout, arguing that privatization threatened to disrupt progress that was already being made to improve the existing system. But on Thursday, the Atlanta-based carriers CEO Ed Bastian said the company is working with Congressman Shuster on the plan and that its not philosophically opposed to privatization."What we want to do is make certain that we have the proper governance, transparency and cost efficiency to drive the reforms needed in the next air-traffic control system that gets modernized," Bastian said.Beyond setting up the general organizational structure and a framework for the transition, the bill leaves many of the details on operations and fees to be filled in by the new air traffic organizations leadership.Critics have questioned the lack of specificity in the bill and what it will accomplish beyond vague promises of less congestion and more efficiency, often noting that the majority of delays are due to factors under airline control.Groups representing general aviation operators, rural airports and consumer interests have also warned that privatizing air traffic control would remove a key level of public oversight and concentrate too much power in the hands of commercial airlines.Shusters bill includes some protections for smaller users  which include commuter, agricultural and private flight operations  from overly burdensome fees. But there are still concerns that the new system could shift even more focus and investment to the nations largest airports at the expense of the roughly 5,000 other airfields scattered around the U.S.Theres a host of ways that private interests and the commercial airlines could alter and run the system to their own benefit to the detriment of consumers and smaller communities, said Selena Shilad, executive director of the advocacy group Alliance for Aviation Across America.Lawmakers face a late September deadline to pass a funding bill for the Federal Aviation Administration, the most likely vehicle for air traffic reform. A separate version that does not include privatization plans is also being considered in the Senate, setting up a possible clash in the coming months.
(TNS) -- Despite widespread alarm over the breadth of Russian cyber attacks on state and local election systems last year, including revelations of Dallas County being targeted, Harris County officials are refusing to say whether hackers similarly took aim at the nation's third-largest county.Releasing information on whether Harris County election systems saw attacks from Russian hackers would threaten the county's cyber security by emboldening hackers to further target local systems, county officials said this week.The county's argument was dismissed by experts, who said the secrecy is unnecessary, and could actually downplay the seriousness of the threat and the resources needed to combat it."There's this concept in security called 'security through obscurity,' sort of, if they don't know about it they won't come after it," said Pamela Smith, a consultant at Verified Voting, a San Francisco-based nonprofit that promotes voting integrity. "But to really have robust security, you want people to be able to know that it's there ... I think what the public wants to know is that you're aware of the threat and you're taking steps to mitigate."Bruce High, the chief information officer and executive director of the county's Central Technology Services, said Harris County overall sees on average more than a million hack attempts every day. He even acknowledged a recent "spike" in attempts to hack Harris County servers from outside of America's borders.He declined to answer, however, whether any foreign actors behind those attempts have been identified."Harris County is working with Homeland Security and the FBI to protect our systems and the information on them," High said in an e-mail. "The information you are requesting is too detailed and could cause a cyber-security risk."The county's lack of disclosure comes amid a fierce national debate over whether and to what degree American politics have been intentionally manipulated by sophisticated international adversaries, like Russia.In June, Bloomberg reported that Russian hackers "hit" voter databases and software systems in 39 states, in some cases penetrating campaign finance databases and software used by poll workers, and attempted to alter or delete voter data in Illinois.The Dallas Morning News published a story last month that election officials there had found attempts to hack their election system ahead of the November election - possibly to try to delete voter registration rolls and cause chaos on election day. The newspaper reported that election officials there cross-referenced hundreds of suspicious or possibly Russian-linked IP addresses provided to them by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security against those that had attempted to access Dallas County servers in early October and found 17 matches.Dallas County election officials could not be reached for comment Thursday.Harris County officials will not say whether something similar happened here.Dan Wallach, a Rice University computer science professor and scholar at the Baker Institute for Public Policy, who has testified before Congress about the cyber security threat to elections, said that to an advanced threat like Russia, there likely are no secrets about Harris County elections.Asked if Harris County had been targeted in a similar manner as Dallas County, High said the county had not received a list of IP addresses from the Department of Homeland Security. He added that both the FBI and theHomeland Security department will flag Harris County when they have concerns about specific IP addresses.High did not respond to questions seeking details on how often such concerns are brought up, how big of a "spike" in hacking attempts the county was experiencing and over what period of time, whether that spike was election-related or which systems had been targeted.Wallach said he was concerned about the ability of many local jurisdictions, including Harris County, to protect against a targeted threat from an advanced adversary like Russia. He said he believed it was probable that Russia had at least targeted Harris County servers, but also that in many cases, attackers are so sophisticated that local officials would not even know that their systems had been breached."The category of adversary we're facing now is not something that Harris County government is equipped to deal with," Wallach said.High said the county uses both outside firms and internal resources to check its systems for vulnerabilities."Harris County uses a multi-layer approach to cyber security with preventative, detective and corrective controls, including vulnerability management, intrusion prevention, threat management and security governance," High said in an email. "We are constantly working proactively to enhance our security posture."Precinct 3 Commissioner Steve Radack said he would defer to High's judgment on whether to release information."The more we boast, the more we talk about it, just gives people, some people, inspires them to try to attack us," he said.In response to questions about not releasing more information and the potential threat from Russia, Precinct 2 Commissioner Jack Morman said in an email that High has "extensive private and public sector experience in technology.""I don't think any organization is ever totally safe from hackers ... that's why we have to stay ahead of the curve as much as possible," Morman said.Harris County Judge Ed Emmett, Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis and Precinct 4 Commissioner Jack Cagle did not respond to requests for comment.Wallach said more likely targets for Russian hackers would be battleground states, like Florida, where influencing or manipulating the vote could have greater impact."The saving grace of Harris County is that we are in Texas, and Texas is not a battleground state," Wallach said.Still, he said it was important to understand the full picture to set up the right protections."The important thing is not obsessing over what Russia did or did not do in 2016, it's what Russia and China and other countries do in 2018 or 2020 and beyond," he said.
OMAHA  State Sen. Bob Krist plans to leave the Republican Party and run against GOP Gov. Pete Ricketts next year as a third-party candidate.

Krist said he'll seek signatures to put a new party on the ballot rather than run as an independent.

Nebraska law requires independent candidates running for governor to gather signatures from 10 percent of all registered voters. There were 1.2 million Nebraskans registered to vote in the 2016 general election.

Getting a third party on the ballot requires only 5,000 signatures.

The 60-year-old Krist, from Omaha, has been in the Nebraska Legislature since he was first appointed by then-Gov. Dave Heineman in 2009. He's barred by term limits from seeking re-election.

Krist says he wants to restore a "nonpartisan attitude" in the state. The state's legislature is officially nonpartisan, but some lawmakers  including Krist  have complained that it is becoming overtly partisan.

"It's divisive," Krist told the Omaha World-Herald. "It's counter to everything we need to do right now. I believe the emphasis should be on working together."

Krist said he also wants to restore a "separation of power" between the Nebraska executive and legislative branches. He said that separation has blurred under Ricketts' tenure.

Ricketts and Lt. Gov. Mike Foley announced in June that they'll seek re-election next year.

Ricketts' campaign declined to comment on Krist's announcement, saying the governor won't comment on potential candidates.

But the state Republican Party in a news release called Krist's announcement "another flip-flop," citing Krist's statements in May that he would not leave the GOP.

"If the definition of 'flip-flop' is someone who does what he believes, then I'll own it," Krist said.
The study, by a team from Duke University, Tsinghua University, Duke Kunshan University and Peking University, appears in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine .

Exposure to ozone, long associated with impaired lung function, is also connected to health changes that can cause cardiovascular disease such as heart attack, high blood pressure and stroke, according to a new study of Chinese adults. The findings associated ozone exposure with markers of platelet activation and increased blood pressure. Ozone concentrations were lower than the levels capable of influencing pulmonary function, which is the main basis for current regulatory standards.

Ozone is formed through a chemical reaction that occurs when sunlight interacts with nitrogen oxides and other organic compounds that are generated by coal-burning, vehicle exhaust and some natural sources.

The team studied 89 healthy adults living in Changsha City, China, for one year. They monitored indoor and outdoor ozone levels, along with other pollutants. Of the 89 participants, 25 (28%) were women and the mean (SD) age was 31.5 (7.6) years. The 24-hour ozone exposure concentrations ranged from 1.4 to 19.4 parts per billion (ppb), corresponding to outdoor concentrations ranging from 4.3 to 47.9 ppb.

At four intervals, the study team took participant blood and urine samples and used a breathing test called spirometry to examine a set of factors that could contribute to cardiovascular and respiratory disease.

The team examined inflammation and oxidative stress, arterial stiffness, blood pressure, clotting factors and lung function in participants. They noted blood platelet activation (a risk factor for clotting) and an increase in blood pressure, suggesting a possible mechanism by which ozone may affect cardiovascular health. These effects were found with ozone exposure lower than that which affects respiratory health, and lower than current Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) air quality standards.

This study shows that standards for safe ozone exposure should take into account its effect on cardiovascular disease risk. In 2015, 108 million Americansone third of the populationlived in counties with ozone levels that exceeded standards set by the EPA. In contrast, only 31 million Americans live in counties where other pollutants exceed EPA standards. Junfeng (Jim) Zhang, from Duke and Duke Kunshan University

The production of ozone globally will be exacerbated by a warmer climate, so it will be an increasing trend with climate change, said Zhang. Ozone is a difficult pollutant to control because its creation in the atmosphere is complex. For example, a reduction in nitrogen oxides does not necessarily mean a reduction in ozone levels, Zhang explained.

This study was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51420105010), the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (T32-ES021432) and the Duke Global Health Institute Doctoral Scholars Program.

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To many, the revelation that Donald Trump Jr. was anxious to get dirt on Hillary Clinton from the Russians will not come as a surprise. It is but the latest example of the take-no-prisoners, anything-goes politics of our day.

The real surprise  the part of the story that we should be gravely concerned about is that this disclosure will not matter to a great many American voters. After thinking and writing about politics for two decades, I have come to the conclusion that the real issue we face is not the conduct of public officials or their surrogates, but how nefarious acts are now sanctioned, and even applauded, by so many on both sides of the partisan fence.

So whats changed?

For one, the nature of partisanship is different. Until about a decade ago, ones attachment to a party was centered around policy disputes or cues from groups and associations. But todays version is grounded in the fear and loathing of the other side. Trunkloads of data, much of it from the Pew Research Center, suggest each side sees the other party as crazy and certainly dangerous. So it does not matter what your side does so long as it keeps the nut jobs on the other side at bay.

A new volume by political scientists Christopher Achen and Larry Bartels further fine-tunes our understanding of how people vote and which party they identify with. Their book, Democracy for Realists: Why Elections Do Not Produce Responsive Government, suggests that we dont think through issues, policies and candidate characteristics but instead see elections as us versus them. They argue that voters tie themselves with racial, ethnic, occupational, religious, recreational and other groups, with partisanship as the byproduct. Our group identity determines vote choice. We gather comfortably with our tribe and tune out other points of view.

A central force propelling hostility toward the other party is the partisan media. Many outlets have figured out a sustainable business model. Smaller audiences can be profitable, so long as they remain loyal. Loyalty springs from crisis and menace. This leads to treating every issue as a true threat to our existence or a usurpation of fundamental rights. The other party is always the villain.

Then there is the online world. Voters rarely explore new ideas and perspectives but share, like and retweet concordant ones. As recently noted by journalist and author Megan McArdle, Social media, of course, makes this problem worse. Even if we are not deliberately blocking people who disagree with us, Facebook curates our feeds so that we get more of the stuff we like. What do we like? People and posts that agree with us.

In the recent past, news was more widely viewed as objective, leading to a high degree of accepted facts and authority. When the news media unraveled the story of Watergate, for example, citizens of all partisan stripes accepted it as fact.

Which leads us to alternative facts, the aggressive spinning of policies and arguments regardless of contrary verifiable information. This may be a game-changer in our politics. The barrier for evidence has, it seems, evaporated, and emotion-rich information is used to draw more viewers, readers and listeners. If we add the continual drive for fresh news and the high costs of creating traditional journalism, we are left with little consensus or authority.

Finally, popular culture has also probably contributed to our growing indifference to nefarious acts. We pick our reality show contestant and applaud every backhanded, despicable move that gets him across the finish line. There cant be two winners or a collective good, only a sole survivor. And the best part of the show is when things get truly ugly.

The latest Trump team revelation is a shocker, but even more stunning is the meager impact it will likely have on his supporters. As noted in a recent USA Today story, in Trump country the Russia disclosure is no big deal.

As voters, citizens are called to judge those in power. But there must be an objective standard for the assessment, which is why the framers put so much stock in a free press. The governed in a democracy must be willing and able to fairly judge the acts of the governors. But today, your side has always done a good job and the other party has always failed. Any contrary revelation can be explained away as fake news.

The key ingredient in the democratic accountability process  objectivity  is disappearing, and the foundation of our limited government has been shaken. In Federalist #51, James Madison wrote, A dependence upon the people is, no doubt, the primary control on the government ... Many are starting to wonder if Americans are up to the job  and whether the fate of the grand experiment is at risk.
Probably dont do this. Photo: Ray Lego/Getty Images

Americans now consume more bacon than the nations 60,000 pig farmers can comfortably produce: Frozen pork-belly reserves are at a six-decade low, according to USDA data, and consumers last year managed to buy 14 percent more bacon than they did in 2013  a year in which demand was so high, prices rose to an all-time record. This obsession is once again causing the price to skyrocket, so keep this in mind the next time youre about to purchase more bacon salt and another family-size jar of Baconnaise to enjoy with your latest bacon-of-the-month-club order. This years prices are in fact 80 percent higher than last years. Per The Wall Street Journal:

Pig farmers are struggling to keep up with demand. The national hog herd rose to a seasonal record of 71.7 million head in early June, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, up 3% from a year earlier. But it hasnt been enough to satiate bacon demand. Stocks of pork bellies in commercial freezers fell to 31.6 million pounds in May, down 59% from a year earlier and the lowest figure for the month since the USDA began keeping track in the 1950s.

Voracious demand has left wholesalers in a squeeze, the Journal adds. An analyst tells the paper that supermarkets and other retailers have turned hand-to-mouth, buying only what they need, waiting for production to increase and prices to decline, while a livestock trader observes that [e]verybody and their mother now has a bacon sandwich  like the new Triple Thick Brown Sugar Bacon at Arbys, a sandwich with nearly a one-inch-thick mound of bacon piled on it. Fast-food atrocities and higher prices arent the worst of it, either: Some particularly slick restaurants and retailers have apparently started using extra-thin bacon slices, but charging consumers the same price.
A spread from the restaurant. Photo: Tirzah Brott

In New York, tiny restaurants that hit the big time (of critics reviews and best of lists) tend to serve tasting menus with prices as exclusive as their seats. But the nine-seat Mr. Donahues is a lunch counter specializing in a retro-leaning style of American cooking  think dishes like dry-aged meat loaf and confetti tomatoes  offered for the flat, affordable price of $20 for a main, sauce, and two sides. The restaurant was a hit, earning a NYT Critics Pick and two stars from the New York Times Pete Wells, as well as praise from New Yorks Adam Platt. But it wasnt meant to last. Owners Ann Redding and Matt Danzer have announced that the restaurant will close on August 5.

In a letter that will be posted to the restaurants website, the pair (also behind the Thai hit Uncle Boons) says the decision was made after coming to the realization that the concept is ill suited to the limitations of our tiny space. This doesnt necessarily mean the end of their crab imperial, as the letter states they hope to find a new space for Mr. Donahues, and they say they will open a takeout version of Uncle Boons in the spot. Its what we originally got the space for, Redding says, adding that they should be able to open it pretty quickly.

Heres the full note from Redding and Danzer:
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Haiti - NOTICE : Minister of Health denies





Marie Greta Roy Clement, Minister of Public Health, categorically denies information circulating on social networks, including Facebook, according to which public hospitals will be closed.



Minister Clement took the opportunity to remind that all decisions concerning the population are disseminated through press notes, circulars or official meetings with the press.



The Minister is counting on the understanding of the population.



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - DR : The extreme right Dominican surfer on the Haitian migratory crisis





The former candidate defeated to the Dominican presidency Pelegrin Castillo of the Progressive National Force (FNP), rejects the statements of the Dominican military authorities who affirm to have control of the migration situation on the border with Haiti https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21499-haiti-flash-more-than-140-000-haitians-turned-back-at-the-dominican-border.html



He accuses the army of being corroded by corruption and allowing hundreds of illegal Haitians to cross the border. Moreover, although a minority right-wing minority party in the Dominican Republic has a capacity of nuisance. Returning to its recurring theme, the Party again evokes a peaceful invasion of Haitians, which would be part of a secret project of the Americans to merge the two countries of the island. He considers this to be a serious threat to territorial integrity and considers it a constitutional obligation of the Dominican Government to protect the border and control Haitian migration. Although unbelievable, these remarks unfortunately meet favorable echoes among Dominican ultra-nationalists, often responsible for tensions and violence on our compatriots.



Reacting to this unhealthy propaganda, Jean Tholbert Alexis, Minister Counselor in charge of the Consulate of Haiti in the province of Altagracia, strongly denied that his compatriots were invading the Dominican Republic peacefully and assured that there was no plan or intention, either current or future, aimed at any merger between the two nations, unlike the rumors circulated as part of a hate propaganda campaign on social networks. He recalled that there existed only a fraternal communion with the Dominican Republic, second economic partner of Haiti.



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21541-haiti-dr-minister-of-defense-contradicts-the-haitian-ambassador.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21521-haiti-flash-military-reinforcement-at-the-dominican-border.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21519-haiti-flash-dr-multiplies-controls-nearly-4-000-haitians-repatriated-in-recent-days.html

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-21514-icihaiti-flash-arrests-and-deportations-of-more-than-400-haitians-in-pedernales.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21503-haiti-flash-deportations-recommendations-of-the-consulate-of-haiti-to-the-haitians-in-dr.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21499-haiti-flash-more-than-140-000-haitians-turned-back-at-the-dominican-border.html



SL/ HaitiLibre


















(HedgeCo.Net) The Securities and Exchange Commission today brought fraud charges against 13 individuals allegedly involved in two Long Island-based cold calling scams that bilked more than one hundred victims out of more than $10 million through high-pressure sales tactics and lies about penny stocks.

The SEC alleges that the orchestrators of the scheme used boiler room-style call centers to make hundreds of thousands of cold calls that included the use of threatening and deceitful sales techniques to pressure victims  many of whom were senior citizens  into purchasing penny stocks. For example, as part of one such scam, a boiler room salesman allegedly claimed that the Walt Disney Company was buying into a purported media and internet company and that would cause the penny stocks price to increase substantially.

During these calls, victims were allegedly harassed and threatened by sales personnel. When one victim complained about his losses, a sales representative allegedly said, I am tired of hearing from you. Do you have any rope at home? If so tie a knot and hang yourself or get a gun and blow your head off. According to the SECs complaint, in a typical phone call, telemarketers would direct victims to place trades and tell them how many shares to purchase and at what price. With this information about the victims trades, the orchestrators and the boiler room sales personnel allegedly placed opposing sell orders to dump their own shares, realizing more than $14 million in illegal proceeds while the victims lost millions of dollars, including retirement savings.

SEC investigators learned of the alleged scheme from investor complaints and used technological tools and innovative investigative approaches to build evidence  within a matter of months from receiving the complaints  against the defendants who went to great lengths to evade detection.

These kinds of scams cause devastating harm to investors, said Stephanie Avakian, Co-Director of the SECs Enforcement Division. Investors must beware of the sort of conduct alleged in our complaint  things like unsolicited calls, high-pressure sales tactics, and promises that a no-name stock is going to skyrocket.

Scott W. Friestad, Associate Director of the SECs Enforcement Division, added, The defendants allegedly used boiler rooms and high-pressure sales tactics to swindle seniors into investing their life savings in microcap securities they were secretly manipulating for their own profit. But, through a combination of technology and innovative investigative approaches, we were able to unravel the alleged scheme and prevent further investor harm.

In a parallel action, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of New York announced criminal charges.

The SECs complaint, filed in federal district court in Brooklyn, N.Y., charges all defendants with fraud and nine with market manipulation. The SEC is seeking permanent injunctions, disgorgement with interest, civil penalties, penny stock bars, and an officer-and-director bar from one of the orchestrators of the scheme. The complaint also names 27 individuals and entities that received proceeds from the fraud, as relief defendants.

The SECs complaint also charges certain defendants with acting as unregistered brokers. The SEC encourages investors to check the backgrounds of people selling them investments by using the SECs investor.gov website to quickly identify whether they are registered professionals.

The SECs investigation, which is continuing, has been conducted by Andrew Elliott and Cecilia Connor and assisted by Leigh Barrett. The investigation was supervised by Scott Friestad and Amy Friedman. The SECs litigation will be handled by Matthew Scarlato and James Smith and supervised by Jan Folena. The SEC appreciates the assistance of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of New York, British Columbia Securities Commission, Ontario Securities Commission, and Oregon Division of Financial Regulation.
The Supreme Administrative Court (KHO) on Friday turned down an appeal submitted by the young man on grounds that his actions demonstrate disregard to values protected under international treaties and the constitution of Finland.

An Iraqi man who assaulted his sister for dishonouring the family will be deported from Finland.

The Supreme Administrative Court ruled that the culture-based violent behaviour within the family demonstrated disregard to values protected under both the constitution of Finland and the international treaties that are binding to Finland, it explained in its ruling.

The man had been sentenced to a suspended prison term of six months for the assault and, consequently, issued a deportation order by the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) in March, 2016. He was ruled to have hit her sister in the face with the palm of his hand, kicked her in the legs, pulled her hair and hit her with the tube of a bong.

The appellant told during the criminal proceedings that a daughter must live by certain rules in their culture. Because the sister has not listened to the appellant, the appellant committed the said acts of physical violence, the court said.

Migri justified its decision by pointing out that the man was neither employed nor in education in Finland. The deportation was also deemed to pose no threat to the safety of the man as he had lived most of his life in Iraq.

The defendant lodged an appeal against the deportation order.

The order, however, was upheld by both the Administrative Court of Helsinki and the Supreme Administrative Court. The latter stated that the personal circumstances of the appellant  such as his young age, previous language studies and romantic relationship with a Finn  were taken into consideration in the ruling.

Such circumstances were outweighed by the grounds for the deportation.

The appellant is a single young man with the capacity to work, and as a Shia Arab he is part of the majority in southern Iraq. The appellant has strong ties to Iraq, because he has lived most of his life there and because his father has moved back there, stated KHO.

The aliens act prescribes that a conviction of a criminal offence that carries a maximum penalty of at least one year in prison can be cited as justification for issuing a deportation order. An assault carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison in Finland.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT

Photo: Emmi Korhonen  Lehtikuva
A BEAVER leader from Stoke Row has stood down from her role with the villages group after 23 years.

Julia Barry, who has lived in the village for 33 years, joined Stoke Row 1st Beavers in 1994 when her eldest son Rupert was a member.

She was asked to become a leader as Trevor Gibbins, who was then the group leader, was standing down.

Mrs Barry said: I really enjoy seeing children do some of the things that I used to do when I was growing up in an era where children had more freedom. Beavers are very happy being away from modern technology, mobile phones, iPads and televisions.

They love doing things like climbing trees, following nature trails, going for hikes in the dark, doing obstacle courses, making fires, cooking marshmallows and playing in woods in the dark with torches. These are just some of the things they may never do at home.

Mrs Barry said she also enjoyed the annual family camps, when the children get their first experience of camping, adding: It gives me particular pleasure whenever a Beaver achieves something they find hard for the first time.

She said she enjoyed helping the children to learn new skills, especially ones they did not learn elsewhere. Mrs Barry said: Beaver scouts is such a valuable and unique opportunity for the children as they learn to build up important social skills, how to look after themselves and others safely and they become more aware of the wider world round about them.

We do have boundaries and rules and I encourage the children to abide by the golden rule: Do to others what you want them to do to you.

Mrs Barrys final session was on Wednesday last week at the recreation ground in the village where she gave out badges to the children. She said: I shall certainly miss the Beavers, I love their natural honesty, enthusiasm, spontaneity and love of the simple things in life.

I have got a huge amount of enjoyment and satisfaction of working with the Beavers over the last 23 years and also met some fantastic people but now is the right time for me to move on.

Mrs Barrys role will be taken on by Robin Salter, from Peppard, and Jenny Lowe, from Stoke Row.

I am leaving the Beaver colony in the hands in a wonderful team of leaders and helpers who I am sure will get as much satisfaction from it as me, Mrs Barry said.

I strongly feel that everyone has something to offer this organisation and would encourage others to get in touch to learn more.

Mr Gibbins, who lives in the village, said Mrs Barry had done a historic amount of work for the group.

He said: She has been a fantastic leader and the longest serving since the group started in 1973. Nobody has done more than her in her 23 years of service.
A BUSINESSMAN from Henley hopes his invention will revolutionise the way in which household electricity is generated.

Harry Corrigan is working with scientists at Brunel University to develop the Energy Tree, a 16ft device which looks exactly like a tree but will function as both a giant solar panel and a wind turbine.

He says it will generate at least 12,000 kilowatt hours per year, almost four times the amount that a typical three-bedroom home in Britain consumes annually.

The estimated purchase cost of the tree is about 15,000 but this could come down gradually as the technology improves.

Its leaves will be made of a thin layer of photovoltaic film, which converts sunlight into electricity, coated in a protective substance to increase their flexibility so they bend and flutter in the wind.

This coating is being developed by Mr Corrigans team together with a second substance that will amplify the effects of sunlight. This will replace the thick layer of glass that ordinary solar panels require to function.

The devices branches will be connected to miniature generators inside the recyclable trunk, producing additional power.

Energy would go straight to the buyers home and any excess could either be sold to the National Grid under the Governments feed-in tariff scheme or stored in a regenerative hydrogen cell, a type of battery that does not expire.

The researchers have built a prototype version of the device which does not resemble a tree but uses the same technology.

A number of private companies and aid organisations have agreed to trial it this year in remote African villages which rely on diesel generators for their electricity and an investment bank has signed up to trial it in homes along the costs of Spain and Portugal.

Australian Mr Corrigan, 69, of Ruperts Lane, is developing the tree through his company SolarBotanic and says it could be the first step towards every household generating its own power instead of relying on a grid supplied by coal, gas or nuclear power stations, wind farms or hydroelectric plants.

He says this would, in turn, help reduce air pollution and climate change, both of which result from burning fossil fuels.

The father-of-three, who grew up in Western Australia, did not attend university. Instead, he and his wife Cora travelled around Europe doing casual work before eventually settling in London.

He pursued a range of ventures before joining the chemical industry and overseeing the development of a protective coating for oil rigs to reduce corrosion by sea water.

The couple spent eight years living in Texas, where many of Mr Corrigans clients were based, before he retired and went back to Australia in 1994.

However, he quickly became bored so he went to Africa and launched a company that built temporary IT classrooms in shipping containers for people living in slums. He spent almost six years doing this.

Mr Corrigan came up with his Energy Tree idea while on holiday in France in 2007.

He says: I could see this whole bunch of wind turbines and thought it was such a shame that they were spoiling the beautiful countryside.

I believe renewable energy is the future and therefore hugely important but I thought there had to be a better way of doing it.

I wanted to develop something that would work in harmony with the environment and wondered: how hard would it be to develop something that worked in the same way but blended in with its surroundings?

I started researching it and everything I read said it wouldnt be possible, though I was sure there had to be a way.

Unfortunately, Id had the idea at the worst possible time as the financial crisis hit in 2008 and nobody was interested in funding a renewable energy start-up so I put it on the back burner for a while.

Mr Corrigan revived the idea in 2012 following a chance meeting with a member of staff from the University of Brunels engineering and design department at a business seminar.

He was convinced that the departments team of professors and PhD students could help him bring it to life and they agreed a partnership.

Mr Corrigan, who moved to Henley from Ealing in 2013 when his son Conor, now 21, was offered a place on the London Wasps rugby academy, says: Having decided that a realistic tree would be more aesthetically pleasing, the first question was how many leaves were needed for it to be viable.

The Brunel team worked it out and soon determined that it was impractically expensive so the only buyers would be people looking to show off. It wasnt a commercially viable product.

However, they have been working to improve the technology and theyve come up with some ideas that are very inspirational. We have regular brainstorming sessions with experts in so many different disciplines, such as aerospace and electrical and mechanical engineering as well as chemists and computer scientists.

The photovoltaic material has always existed but were working towards making it more effective in the leaf form by developing coatings that dont interfere with its ability to collect energy.

Initially, the project only had a solar element but the team soon realised this would not be enough to justify continuing. The leaves alone could generate about 2,000kWh a year, which is the same as a typical domestic array of six to eight solar panels, but the tree would cost much more to install.

The researchers considered adding a miniature generator to each leaf, which would generate electricity in the wind, but these proved too fragile.

Dr Zahir Dehouche, the universitys course director for sustainable energy technologies, then had the idea of branches, which tests showed would produce at least 10,000kWh a year.

Dr Dehouche also developed a more effective type of hydrogen cell so the surplus energy could be stored.

Mr Corrigan says: The results of those tests were quite exceptional. It was a simple but ingenious solution and thats when I knew we were in business.

It felt terrific  when I arrived home that night, I could barely remember anything about the drive home because I was so excited. That was a landmark day for us.

Last year, he was approached by an African firm that owns mobile phone masts across the continent and leases them to network operators. It was looking for a more reliable way to power them as diesel generators can break down and are often stolen.

Mr Corrigan will supply the company with a simplified model comprising solar panels and a miniature wind turbine connected to a hydrogen cell which can provide power for up to 10 days in poor weather.

He is also in talks with international aid agencies about installing more models in refugee camps across Africa and the Middle East.

Mr Corrigans investors will also sell the prototypes to Spanish and Portuguese clients who will sell the energy to their local grids and keep any profit they make.

He says: Its success will be decided by commercial factors  if we can keep the cost down, people will buy it.

Personally, Im much more interested in the potential applications in places like Africa because if we dont do something fairly quickly about climate change, it will trigger mass migrations on a scale that will make anything thats happening today look like a trickle by comparison.

If people living in rural areas cant grow anything, they will head for cities and, in turn, people will start fleeing those cities as they become overpopulated and hit by crime. It wont be long before theyre knocking on our doorstep if that is allowed to happen.

Mr Corrigan is now attempting to raise about 1mllion in capital to build the first proper version of the device, which he hopes to achieve by the end of this year.

Then there will be further tests before he seeks funding for production on a larger scale.

He hopes eventually to create a series of local power networks or smart grids powered by energy forests, large clusters of Energy Trees which would generate, store and distribute power for nearby homes and businesses.

He says: I think the Energy Tree could have a dramatic effect on climate change and I have the wherewithal and the drive to see it through. Im sure it will become profitable but thats not whats chiefly motivating me.

Despite whats happening in the political world, even things like Donald Trump pulling out of the Paris climate accord, the world is inevitably moving towards renewable energy. Its a bandwagon that cant be stopped.

There may be some areas where councils are reluctant to grant planning permission because its not a real tree but in the long run I think common sense will prevail because the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages.

I can see this being widely adopted in the UK, though it will be a longer journey than in some other places.

The Exchequer received 29.5billion from the car and oil industries last year and its not going to give that up readily but that will change over the next few years.

Elon Musk, the chief executive of [car manufacturer] Tesla, has predicted the end of traditional utility firms in the next 20 years, which sounds like heresy as its currently one of the biggest sectors there is.

However, we are moving towards a scenario where every home is powered by its own battery and coming off the grid.

Mr Corrigan says his invention will coincide with the rise of electric cars and could be used to charge the vehicles at home. This would reduce air pollution, which is a major concern in Henley town centre as its narrow streets trap pollutants emitted by vehicle exhausts.

He says: There are lots of little things we can do to help the environment but pollution from petrol and diesel cars is among the biggest problems. We rely on our cars so we cant just give them up but electric cars will allow us to keep those benefits without the drawbacks.

Im old and experienced enough to see that this is about playing the long game. Were looking at a complete paradigm shift in the way we produce energy and you cant just bring that in overnight.

It has been a challenge because most people want to see the finished version before giving their support but Ive been lucky to find some investors who have faith in the idea.

For more information, visit www.solarbotanic.com
HENLEYS Upper Thames Rowing Club took home six trophies at this years Henley Masters Regatta while Henley Rowing Club also chalked up a win.

Upper Thamess womens D eight of Juliet Machan, Judith Byrne, Miriam Luke, Louise Wymer, Naomi Ashcroft, Sally Pollock-Morris, Elise Cope, Helen Mangan and Jo Wilby won in their category after defeating Putney Town by two lengths in the final of the two-day regatta on Saturday.

Sculler Bob Gullett won in the H singles, beating Sean Morris of Wallingford Rowing Club by a length-and-a-half, while Pete Jacobs and Dan Sadler won the E pairs by three-and-a-quarter lengths over a composite pair from Hollingworth Lake Rowing Club and Newark Rowing Club.

Nick Horne and Mark Tritton won the C pairs by two lengths over an Ardingly Rowing Club and Maidstone Invicta Rowing Club composite.

Meanwhile Sean Collinson, of Henley Rowing Club, won the E singles by a length-and-a-half against Duncan Gwilliam, of Stourport Rowing Club.

Two composite crews featuring Upper Thames members also won their finals. David Hope was part of a composite with Bradford-on-Avon Rowing Club who won the E coxless fours against Ardingly Rowing Club while Tim Lincoln won in the H coxless fours alongside members of Minerva Bath and Ardingly clubs, beating a crew from his own club.

Meanwhile, an Upper Thames mens H quad were defeated by a composite crew from Durham and Wallingford rowing clubs and Quintin Boat Club.

A mens C coxless four lost by a canvas in their final against Rob Roy Boat Club while an Upper Thames and Shiplake Vikings composite mens F double scull of Upper Thames Jeremy Dobbin and Vikings Bruce Gascoine were defeated by Tideway Scullers School. An Upper Thames mens B quad lost their final by two feet to a Star Club and Peterborough City composite and a mens G coxless four of Walter Scott, Willy Almand, Lee Brown and Paul Stuart-Bennett were defeated by Australias Toowong Rowing Club.

A womens C eight lost by two lengths to a Canadian composite crew from Don Boat Club and Toronto Sculling Club and a mens G eight lost by two-thirds of a length to their rivals from Quintin Boat Club.

Finally, Upper Thames Antonia van Deventer and Anna Van Leemputten lost in the final of the womens C double sculls to Strathclyde Park Rowing Club.

About 1,400 athletes took part in this years 24th annual event, with some coming from as far afield as Brussels, Mexico and Argentina.

They included a winning womens D quad from Cambridge Boat Club, of the United States, and Tideway Scullers School, which comprised former Olympians Annabel Eyres, Mary Mazzio, Cynthia Matthes and Andrea Thies.

The fastest time was recorded by London Rowing Clubs C eight, who completed the course in two minutes and 59 seconds, beating Crabtree Boat Club by half a length in their final. The oldest competitor was Howard Copping, 90, of Ross Rowing Club, who rowed in a G quad with his son Jerry.

Jennie Robb, the regattas events secretary, said: It was a very successful regatta. The feedback weve had from visiting clubs is so positive in terms of how much they enjoyed it and how friendly everybody was.

There is always a great ambience and a high standard of competition, plus great sportsmanship between the competitors.

At one point, a single scull was knocked off the racks and damaged by a sudden gust of wind and a rower from Upper Thames let the owner use their boat so that they could compete in their final. Thats just typical of the supportive, friendly spirit of the event.

The wonderful weather also helped. When the course is looking that beautiful, even the umpires have smiles on their faces all day.
COMMUTERS in Henley were hit with delays during the Henley Festival after signal failures caused trains from London to be cancelled.

Issues on the line between the capital and Slough caused long delays and cancellations on Wednesday and Thursday last week, which had knock-on effects for the connecting Great Western Railway services on the Henley Branch Line.

Many travellers were unable to reach their connecting trains at Twyford from Paddington, while direct services to Henley were also affected.

Services were also affected on Friday morning as some trains had to be left at the wrong station overnight due to the cancellations.

The Henley Branch User Group tweeted: A hideous 48 hours for GWRs staff and passengers. Things *seem* to be back on track.

Neil Gunnell, of Henley Trains, said: Commuters will have felt somewhat battle weary after struggling to get home two nights running last week. In one case last week no services could get into or out of Paddington for more than four hours, with commuters having to turn to Southwest or Chiltern Trains.

But Mr Gunnell praised GWR for holding the last train on the branch line on Thursday to make sure it connected with a delayed service from Paddington.

A joint statement from Network Rail and GWR said: We fully recognise the scale of disruption to the many passengers who experienced difficulties and we are extremely sorry for the challenges it caused. Network Rail teams were on the ground to fix the problem as soon as possible, but it took considerably longer than we would have liked before the signalling was restored at 8.18pm.

Network Rail is conducting an immediate investigation into the cause of this failure and is putting in place additional measures to reinforce signalling equipment in the area until the results of the investigation are known, and a permanent solution is in place.
Mel C and All Saints | Henley Festival | Sunday, July 9

IT could be said that there was a shared cultural legacy uniting both of Sundays Henley Festival headliners.

Both girl group All Saints and former Spice Girl Mel C could at various times in the late Nineties be snapped stumbling out of the Met Bar on Londons Park Lane at 4am.

But far less trivially, both acts had, at one point or another, elicited the producing chops of William Orbit, whose ground-breaking knob-twiddling skills and ability to conjure up unique soundscapes for clients including Madonna went on to define an era of crafted pop, right on the back of the guitar-based Britpop frenzy. With its Orbit-produced opening track, Melanie Cs brilliant triple-platinum selling 1999 album Northern Star still holds up.

Its combination of

co-written catchy, yet deceptively simple melodies and honed lyrics makes for both a pleasing and thought-provoking listen in equal measure.

While some might be more familiar with her appearances as a reality television judge, such as in Superstar, Mel C has continued to pursue her career as a solo pop artist, with seven studio albums to her name.

Despite a less than full lawn and grandstand attendance, this consummate professional rallied an initially low-energy audience to her cause.

Bounding enthusiastically from one end of the stage to the other with emphatic dance moves, she pounded through a carefully constructed setlist, which included Anymore and Dear Life from her atmospheric 2016 album Version of Me.

Her cover of Sias Cheap Thrills stirred the crowd to yell out the title chorus back at her, and her version of Bryan Adamss anthem When Youre Gone (her first post-Spice Girls recorded outing) was warmly received.

But most anticipated of all, and certainly garnering the greatest of crowd cheers and spontaneous singalongs, were the numbers from her aforementioned Northern Star album: Never Be the Same Again, the title track, and the frenetic I Turn to You to close.

Her impassioned hammering on an 18-inch tom-tom centre-stage on the latter brought a fitting conclusion to the 10-song set.

After a short interval the Appleton sisters Nicole and Natalie, Melanie Blatt and Shaznay Lewis took to the stage  the original line-up of All Saints, and as reformed in 2014 after a second split in 2009.

Still one of the most successful girl groups of all time, their 1997 debut album All Saints included three UK number one singles, and was followed by their first chart-topping album Saints and Sinners in 2000.

With all four taking their rightful places in line for opener I Know Where Its At, this black-suited gang looked as attractive as ever, with figures belying their age and voices clearly in check.

Slaloming in between each other in free-spirited dance routines and taunting the crowd with cheeky asides, the group kept the public on its feet for the duration.

No All Saints setlist would be complete without the three-minute bestsellers Never Ever, Under the Bridge and Bootie Call, and the girls delivered in spades.

One of their finest singles, Black Coffee sounded as fresh as ever, and works from their return-to-form 2016 album Red Flag, the emotionally shocking One Strike and reflective Puppet on a String, suggested theres plenty of life in the quartet yet.

Mel C joined for the finale  a plucky performance of arguably All Saints most important contribution to the pop lexicon, Pure Shores, commissioned for Danny Boyles film The Beach.

With stunningly crisp sound production and attendees obviously delighting in the experience as much as those on stage, this was both a rousing and pertinent send-off for the last night of 2017s Henley Festival.

Martin Dew
Pet Shop Boys | Henley Festival | Thursday, July 6

WHAT do the Pet Shop Boys mean to you?

Its fairly safe to ask that question given that Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe have sold more than 50 million records in their

four-decade career.

Since forming in 1981 they have racked up 42 top 30 singles in the UK  22 of which were top 10 hits, with four reaching number one.

On Thursday night, at least, the Pet Shop Boys meant a barnstorming pop party that had much of the Henley Festival lawn and grandstand on their feet for long stretches of the evening.

While most acts would be content to walk on stage and wave to the crowd, the synthpop duo had something else in mind.

Cue lights. Cue music. And a pair of apparently innocuous large white discs on either side of the stage that looked as though they might be subject to a visually dazzling video projection at some point in the evening.

Prop stars, if you will.

Then, of course, they swung round to reveal Tennant and Lowe. Had they been there all this time? It didnt matter. Magicians never reveal how they do their tricks, but right away the pair were keen to remind us of their credentials.

Opportunities, their third single, deliciously satirised the Thatcherite enterprise culture of the Eighties while at the same time helping irrevocably to define it.

Being part of the thing you take aim at is what one former Henley MP would recognise as being akin to his widely disseminated policy on cake  pro having it and pro eating it.

But then the Pet Shop Boys have never limited themselves. Their work encompasses dance music, pure pop, and lushly orchestrated album tracks. They collaborated with Derek Jarman on stage shows and videos, made a film with Jack Bond, and  if such a thing is possible  produced definitive cover versions of songs by Elvis and the Village People. They even beat the Pogues Fairytale of New York to the Christmas number one.

So if they made playing Henley look easy, nobody should really have been too surprised.

Masters of stagecraft, they were backed by a dazzling array of visual projections and lighting effects, with hedgehog-style lasers firing off into infinity.

A series of reveals included the removal of the stylish space helmets they arrived on stage wearing. They were also joined by drummers and other band members, including a violinist, wearing Daft Punk-style helmets.

If I didnt quite have the energy to stand for the whole show, there were many around me who were up and dancing away throughout.

Opportunities B-side In the Night  for years the theme to The Clothes Show  had everyone in the capacity crowd jigging about, to the point where our bit of the grandstand was vibrating beneath our feet. New York City Boy had a similar effect before there was a brief lull.

Everyone was just settling back into their seats when the opening bars of West End Girls rang out and they all sprang back up again.

Stagecraft, you see.

Then it was time for Its a Sin to take the roof off. Even the bits that didnt have a roof. The bands second number one, I had always been slightly agnostic about it. Live, though, the songs sweeping power and regretful majesty was wholly manifest. Even I got the point.

Shortly afterwards we were treated to a snippet of Heart as a kind of disguised intro before the band launched into a rousing rendition of Go West that had the whole crowd singing along. The Village People themselves will do well to top it when the play Rewind later in the summer.

Seasoned crowd-pleasers, we didnt have long to wait for the encore. Domino Dancing off difficult third album Introspective was a delight and had my neighbour nodding along appreciatively before Neil and Chris signed off with Always on My Mind.

What do the Pet Shop Boys mean to me? They are artists. They are storytellers. They are magicians. And, yes, they are stars.

Matthew Wilson
Gareth Chubb pictured on the streets of Belfast at the weekend

Kinahan cartel associate Gareth Chubb has been snapped strolling around the streets of Belfast, only weeks before Dutch authorities decide whether to convict him on firearms and attempted manslaughter charges.

Chubb was tracked down to a hotel in Belfast city centre on Saturday, when he met up with a number of people close to him over the past few days.

While the Dubliner may be one of Ireland's most wanted, with both the Hutch mob and gardai taking a keen interest in his whereabouts, the convicted criminal did not dress inconspicuously.

He was decked out in an eye-catching salmon-coloured tracksuit and carried a designer leather man bag.

Chubb (30) was arrested in Amsterdam on February 3 after allegedly pointing a firearm at a man in Smokey's cafe in Rembrandt Square.

He was released from custody on May 24.

Dutch prosecutors appeared before magistrates in Amsterdam on Wednesday to recommend that Chubb be sentenced to four years for the offences.

However, the court has yet to make a decision on the matter.

Evidence

It was initially reported that the attempted manslaughter charges against Chubb had been dropped due to lack of evidence.

However, a spokesman for the Dutch justice department said: "The prosecutors recommended a four-year sentence for attempted manslaughter and illegal possession of a firearm if he is found guilty. The verdict will be announced on July 26."

It is believed Chubb entered Northern Ireland to avoid the attention of the gardai and rival criminals.

Security sources said they had received intelligence that he was back in Ireland, but added that he had not been spotted in the Republic.

Gardai want to speak to him in relation to minor offences and were actively seeking him in recent days.

Chubb, wearing his loud sportswear and sporting his man bag, visited restaurants and bars and went on a shopping spree during his trip to Belfast.

He looked tired as he walked around, yawning following a boozy night out on Friday.

Security sources said he may well have visited Dublin while on his trip.

As well as gardai wanting to speak to him, Chubb is under threat from rival criminals and was previously told that his life was under threat.

He has close links to some of the most senior members of the Kinahan cartel.

While free now, he must return to the Netherlands for his hearing on July 26.
A pregnant mother-of-one stole high-performance electric guitars from music shops by hiding them up her long skirt after her husband passed them to her.

Madelina Iancu (19) and husband Veniamin Raducanu (23) stole two guitars, worth 6,000, in two visits to Dublin city centre shops on consecutive days, a court heard.

Planned

Raducanu, who claimed to have an "interest in music", was jailed for six months for his part in the theft, while Iancu had her six-month sentence fully suspended.

Judge Michael Walsh said they had been "carefully planned, carefully orchestrated" crimes.

He refused to suspend Raducanu's sentence after defence solicitor Michelle Finan argued there was case law covering equal treatment of male and female accused on identical charges.

The couple, from Coolmine Court, Blanchardstown, both pleaded guilty to theft and garda obstruction.

Dublin District Court heard they stole a Gibson Les Paul electric guitar, worth 2,999, from X Music on Exchequer Street on July 2. The following day they stole a 3,000 Warner guitar at Some Neck Guitars on Aungier Street.

The court heard the pair went to the first store and Raducanu passed a guitar to his wife, who placed it under the long skirt she was wearing. They were later identified on CCTV.

The next day, the pair did the same thing. Later the following day, gardai called at their home with a search warrant and both accused violently resisted.

Opportunistic

The guitars were discovered undamaged in a back bedroom.

The couple, from Romania, had been in Ireland since February and neither had any previous convictions.

"It was opportunistic. They thought they had got away with it the first time and did it again," Ms Finan said.

Refusing Ms Finan's application to also suspend Raducanu's sentence, the judge said he had made a "subtle distinction" in relation to the evidence in each case.
Horsemeat was found in burgers in Irish supermarkets

A man suspected of being behind a food scam that led to potentially dangerous horsemeat being sold as beef in Ireland is locked up in a Spanish jail.

Dutch meat trader Jan 'Flash Harry' Fasen denied duping customers when the scandal broke in 2013.

However, it emerged yesterday that Fasen is in a Spanish jail after being extradited from Belgium for his alleged part in a new scam.

Seized

Spanish police helped dismantle a network suspected of putting horsemeat unfit for human consumption into the food chain and making a profit of 23m a year.

They said 65 people have been arrested in Spain alone.

Several bank accounts and properties have been frozen and five high-end cars seized as a result.

Horsemeat was found in beefburgers in Irish and British supermarkets, including four of Tesco's own-brand meat products, in 2013.

Ten million burgers were taken off shelves and sales fell by 43pc. As many as 13 European countries were implicated in the scandal.

Spanish police said "unusual signs in the horsemeat trade" last summer aroused their suspicions.

They uncovered an organisation that was sending Spanish and Portuguese horsemeat unfit for human consumption to Belgium - Europe's leading meat exporter.

In the course of investigations, police tracked down Fasen to a property in Calpe, near Alicante on the Costa Blanca.

"From there he maintained business interests in activities that he controlled in northern Europe," said Spanish police.

"This person managed this network from the shadows using men of confidence in each of the territories in which it was present."

At the time of the 2013 scandal, it was reported that Fasen had been convicted of marketing South American horsemeat as halal-slaughtered Dutch beef.

He was alleged to have made 3.43m from the fraud.
BLOUNTVILLE, Tenn.  Local musician CanJoe John VanArsdall will be included alongside Peter Frampton and the rock band YES in a book that will tell the stories of musicians, their equipment, and their journeys in the industry.

David Rowell, an author and deputy editor of The Washington Post Magazine, is writing the book.

The book is my exploration of how and why we make the music we do, he said. I think its a portrait of what the music can give you and also what it cant. ... Its basically my journey over all these years of spending time with musicians and kind of capturing who they are through their particular piece of equipment -- through their particular music.

VanArsdall, widely known as simply CanJoe John, has been making canjoes for more than 20 years. The canjoe is a one-string instrument with a slender piece of solid wood serving as the neck and body and a can at the base as the resonator. The neck is fretted like any other stringed instrument.

He later created the Tour of Smiles, when he visits childrens hospitals to play the canjoe for the patients, who also get their own canjoes.

Rowell stumbled across the Blountville musician on YouTube while researching his book. VanArsdall was playing Over the Rainbow on his canjoe.

That song has always moved me, said Rowell. I was so struck by the beauty of this strange and simple instrument.

Rowell got in touch with VanArsdall and bought a canjoe to learn how to play it. He later decided to include him in his book. Rowell recently spent a week in Bristol and Blountville with VanArsdall.

Im seeing lots of different facets of Johns musical life, said Rowell. John has a really profound story. He created this strange and beautiful instrument that is such an underdog of an instrument. Its a one-string instrument that plays about 10 notes. How do you play with world class musicians? He found a way to do that.

Last year, VanArsdalls story caught the attention of media communication students at Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky. The seniors spent time with him to create their documentary entitled The CanJoe Man Can. Its slated for release this summer.

VanArsdall said hes been able to continue playing by not relying solely on his music as his income. He calls himself a jack-of-all-trades. He restores antique log buildings, fiddles and furniture; builds and sells canjoes, and makes jerky to sell.

Ill dig a ditch if somebody will pay me the decent fare to go dig that ditch in the afternoon until I can span the gap to go make another dollar in the music business, said VanArsdall.

He added that hell do anything to pay the bills so he can be a musician, which he believes is what he was born to be.

Rowell said during his visit he found that the music industry in Bristol is very competitive. He went to the Birthplace of Country Music Museum and learned a lot about the 1927 Bristol Sessions recordings. Rowell plans to include the Bristol Sessions in his book.

Also included will be the story of a Maryland man named Bill who plays one of the largest drum sets in the world inside a storage facility, according to Rowell.

He gets government assistance so he doesnt have a regular job, he said. He bicycles over to the storage facility six days a week and spends about 40 hours a week playing these incredible drum solos. ... Im basically the only one thats heard them [solos].

Rowell is also a percussionist.

A chapter will detail what Rowell learned about heavy metal music from heavy metal band Pig Destroyer and his experience at Deathfest  a U.S. metal music festival.

The chapter on YES will detail the push of the group Voices for YES to get the band in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The group was formed after thousands of fans joined together to sign a petition in favor of the bands induction into the Hall of Fame.

The book, for which there is not yet a title, will be released in the spring of 2019.
WISE, Va. -- A man who threatened his wife and shot at her through a door Saturday was found dead a short time later, according to the Wise County Sheriff's Office.

The body of Scottie Lynn Hamilton, 60, was found with a single gunshot wound to the head, according to a news release.

At around 4:19 p.m. Saturday, police were called to a domestic disturbance in the 7,000 block of Indian Creek Road in Wise.

The man's wife, who was not named, called 911 to report she had been assaulted by her husband, who was in the bedroom loading a gun. She hid in the bathroom with the door locked and two gun shots were fired through the door, the release states.

A deputy arrived and the wife was safely removed from the home.

A gunshot was hard inside the house. Negotiators arrived and attempted to make contact with Hamilton for an hour with no success, according to the Sheriff's Office.

A robot was sent in and the body was found on the bed.
In Bristol, Virginia, nearly half of all households struggle with poverty.

About 20 percent of these people fall below the federal poverty line and receive assistance.

Another 25 percent quietly struggle day in and day out to purchase food, care for their children and get necessary medical treatment.

You likely know some of the latter group. Theyre child care providers, mechanics, retail workers, store clerks and office assistants. This might apply to the family next door.

It might apply to you.

ALICE families and individuals are those who are "Asset Limited, Income Constrained and Employed," according to the United Way.

The United Way calls such individuals and families the ALICE population, those who are asset limited, income constrained and employed. Unlike households that fall under the federal poverty line, and thus qualify for governmental aid or social service programs, those in the ALICE population have jobs. They earn enough to squeak above the governments definition of poverty.

In United Way of Southwest Virginias service area, the number of ALICE households is as high as 35 percent. The ALICE rate, combined with a poverty rate at 24 percent, shows that as many as 59 percent of households in the region cannot afford the basic cost of living.

Bristol, Virginia: 20% Households in Bristol, Virginia, that are under the federal poverty line. 25% Households in Bristol, Virginia, that are not under the federal poverty line but struggle to afford basic necessities.

But they still earn less than what the basic cost of living requires, rendering them virtually invisible to the system, according to a new United Way report.

The ALICE Report, released today for the commonwealth of Virginia, shows that more than 39 percent of Virginia households faced financial hardships in 2015. That figure, according to United Way, paints a more complete picture than the 11 percent of Virginia households that fall under the federal poverty mark.

Washington County, Virginia: 14% Households in Washington County, Virginia, that are under the federal poverty line. 29% Households in Washington County, Virginia, that are not under the federal poverty line but struggle to afford basic necessities.

Of Bristols 7,700 households, one-quarter are designated by the United Way as part of the ALICE population. In Washington County, 14 percent of 22,673 households are officially in poverty. Another 29 percent are ALICE homes.

Percent of households in nearby Virginia counties that are either below the federal poverty line or qualify as an ALICE household:  Russell: 53%  Scott: 46%  Smyth: 44%  Wise: 49%

Travis Staton, president and CEO of the United Way of Southwest Virginia, said such folks are the forgotten middle of those in need, because while they dont meet federal requirements, theyre not out of the woods as far as being able to make it.

It basically boils down to: They dont earn enough to support the necessities of what the cost of living is in their community, Staton said.

He wants to be clear: Its not that ALICE individuals and families are simply unable to afford smart phones or premium TV packages, which they cant. These people struggle each month to make basic ends meet. To pay their mortgages. To attempt to save for a rainy day. To buy their children the most basic of school supplies.

How to help: In the short term, ALICE families and individuals often have trouble weathering small emergencies. Donating time and money to organizations that offer temporary housing, child care assistance, meals and rides to work can greatly help the ALICE population.  Donate to United Way of Southwest Virginia: unitedwayswva.org/give  Donate to United Way of Bristol: unitedwaybristol.org The United Way report notes that in the long term, however, structural economic changes will be needed to provide better jobs and to make Virginia more affordable for hardworking families.

The ALICE report lists four primary reasons why Virginia has so many individuals stuck in this no mans land of poverty.

First, low wage jobs dominate local economies. More than 57 percent of all jobs in Virginia pay less than $20 per hour, with most paying between $10 and $15, according to the report.

If you earn $15 an hour, you make $30,000 in a year. A family of four with two children pre-school-aged or younger needs to make at least $51,864 a year, the report states, and that is the bare-minimum budget, without room for savings, emergencies or pleasure.

Second, the basic cost of living is more than most of the states jobs can support. The average annual household survival budget for a Virginia family of four, with the same family makeup as above, is $61,068, significantly more than double the U.S. family poverty level of $24,250.

Third, the Great Recession of 2008 worsened economic conditions for ALICE households, and job opportunities have not returned to 2007 levels since.

Finally, public and private assistance helps, but doesnt provide financial stability. The income of ALICE and poverty-level households in Virginia is supplemented with $12.2 billion in government, nonprofit and health care resources, according to the United Way. Even if those benefits are distributed evenly and allocated according to need, there is still a 35 percent unfilled gap for all households to meet the ALICE threshold for economic survival.

DeVonne Phipps is executive director of Bristol Faith in Action, a network of 85 churches that serve those in financial need. Phipps said one of the most concerning aspects of the ALICE community is that theyre not visible.

They look like theyre gainfully employed, theyre consistent with bringing in income in the household and yet they just cannot get ahead, Phipps said. They are a car repair [away] from disaster.

Phipps said the Bristol area is seeing a few troubling trends that speak to the United Ways findings.

The first is job loss. Phipps said her organization is seeing a lot of people in Bristol who are experiencing first-time job loss. They still have to pay their bills and mortgages, so to be unemployed for the first time throws them into a real panic.

Some people dont lose their jobs, but their hours get cut back.

These people were likely already stretched thin, Phipps said, and all of a sudden theyre making half of what they needed. Then a car breaks down, or a medical emergency strikes, and a new carburetor or a steep copay is devastating.

The next thing you know, theyre in a true financial crisis, she said.

According to The ALICE report, after the recession, there was a wide variation in the recovery of jobs across the state. Since then, the greatest gains have been made in Blacksburg, Charlottesville, Harrisonburg, Northern Virginia, Richmond and Winchester.

The Lynchburg metro area has had the least recovery, and Hampton Roads, Roanoke and Bristol have also not regained all jobs lost since the height of the recession.

There are just not a lot of job opportunities in Bristol that are what we would consider gainful employment, Phipps said. There are plenty of minimum wage jobs, but youre not going to get across that poverty line if all we have to offer are minimum wage jobs.

The United Way of Southwest Virginia is trying to tackle these problems. Staton said United Way knows it cant magically reduce the cost of living or create hundreds of high-paying jobs. So first, its trying to help people become financially literate.

The organization is in the process of creating two financial stability centers. One will serve Carroll County, Grayson County and the city of Galax. A three-year contract has been awarded to Virginia Tech Universitys extension office to operate the center.

The other center will be in Richlands in collaboration with the Southwest Virginia Workforce Development Board, he said.

Staton said the goal of the centers will be to teach financial planning, debt management and offer credit counseling. The centers are on track to open January 2018.

He also noted that efforts to bring higher-paying jobs are important. For example, Staton commended the efforts of Gov. Terry McAuliffe and the GO Virginia program, which is working to create state financial incentives and other assistance to encourage collaboration on private-sector growth and job creation by business, education, and government in the commonwealth.

Staton said the United Way isnt advocating for subsidization for these individuals. Rather, business leaders, the government and advocacy groups need to be thoughtful about how the economy is being built and how they can help the ALICE population earn greater wages, he said.

Visit: unitedwayswva.org/ALICE to read the full report, watch a video about the ALICE population and get more information.

The ALICE Report is another tool that United Way leaders expect will help the ALICE community. Staton noted that policymakers and community and business leaders will likely use the report in future decision making. The data will be updated every two years to analyze trends.

As for Phipps, she would like to see more community building. Specifically, she mentioned connecting people who have found success in life with ALICE families and individuals to create strong relationships and mentorship roles.

She also noted that donations have been down at Bristol Faith in Action.

Its going to take this community to lift up our poor, she said.
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 last 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 downbecause 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?
Nearly 80 PA people have been charged for Jan. 6 riot. Three are dead.

news
Between 2010 and 2015, more than 16,000 people were charged with a crime in Cumberland County, according to an analysis of court records conducted by The Sentinel.

This includes the equivalent of 36 percent of the countys black population and roughly 6 percent of the countys white population, according to court records.

While not all of those cases resulted in a prison sentence, most of the convictions will remain on the defendants record and follow them throughout their lives, regardless of future criminal involvement.

For many, criminal conviction can mean lower earning potential, more difficulty entering the workforce and can even mean the person is entirely shut out of some professions.

With more than 10 million working-age adults with a prison record or felony conviction in the United States, the sum total of these individual problems with employment can act to actually depress the economy.

From a labor perspective, you have some sector of the labor force that is just incapable of being employed, said Benjamin Levin, associate professor at the University of Colorado Law School. Those are economic effects that transcend the individual.

The U.S. economy lost roughly $60 billion in economic output in 2008 because of the sheer volume of people with criminal records, according to a study conducted by economist John Schmitt and Kris Warner for the Center for Economic and Policy Research.

The two men found between 1.5 million and 1.7 million people were excluded from the labor force because of their criminal history, increasing the unemployment rate by nearly one percentage point.

The rise in the ex-offender population, and the resulting employment and output losses, overwhelmingly reflects changes in the U.S. criminal justice system, not changes in underlying criminal activity, the study states. Instead, dramatic increases in sentencing, especially for drug-related offenses, account for the mushrooming of the ex-offender population that we document here.

The rates

Incarceration rates in the United States began to climb in the 1970s along with crime rates.

However, incarceration rates continued to climb even as violent crimes plunged during the last 20 years.

There were roughly 200,000 people incarcerated in the United States in 1970, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics.

In 2014, there were more than 2.2 million people locked up in state, federal or local facilities, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics.

This is despite violent crime rates being roughly equivalent to 1970 levels, according to the FBI.

The world is just different after a conviction and after they get out of prison, Levin said. Thats not just because people are more likely to have a range of psychological issues, theyre likely to have lost friends and family members, but also, because the law paints with a very broad brush, and thats a brush that tends to really harm many, many people.

On the individual level, the effects of a conviction or incarceration can be great.

Theres sort of this vast legal web that just makes it very difficult for people to gain employment, Levin said.

The American Bar Association has compiled a database of collateral consequences or negative things that happen as a result of a conviction but not directly part of a persons sentence.

In Pennsylvania, there are more than 560 employment or professional licensure-related collateral consequences of a conviction, according to the American Bar Association.

Consequences

These can range from disbarmentor revocation of a professional license to things like prohibiting a person with a conviction or civil judgement demonstrating a lack of business integrity from owning, operating or managing a WIC authorized retailer such as a grocery store.

More than 100 of those consequences only require a misdemeanor conviction, according to the ABA.

The staggering thing ... if you yourself do not have a criminal conviction, or someone close to you has a criminal conviction, its hard to grasp how vast that web is, how many statutes there are and just how many jobs are just off the table, Levin said. The idea that there is just this huge swath of jobs that is just gone should be very concerning.

The United State ranks first in the rate of incarceration at roughly 670 inmates per 100,000 people, according to the International Centre for Prison Studies.

The U.S. outranks countries like Russia and Rwandan with roughly 430 inmates per 100,000 people each, Iran with 287 inmates per 100,000 people and Mexico with 192 inmates per 100,000 people, according to the ICPS.

Roughly 500,000 more people are incarcerated in the United States than in China, but China has an overall population more than four times that of the United States, according to ICPS data.

Prisons largely house poor people and they largely house people who are not going in highly skilled or highly trained. Its one of the ways the criminal justice system and the economy are so closely linked, Levin said. When we are dealing with situations where people dont have other economic options and dont have other ways to make a living, those are often the people who are winding up in prison or committing crimes.
SCRANTON  The man looked stunned after Patrolman Paul Tomczyk handed him a few pieces of paper.

The officer just finished explaining that his girlfriend, who is the mother of his children, had requested an emergency protection from abuse order against him when Capt. Dennis DAugostine threw him another curveball.

He asked if he could pray for him.

DAugostine, 37, is one of two front-line chaplains with the Scranton Police Department.

Formerly the lead pastor at Steamtown Church on Pittston Avenue, he stepped back to a support role there to focus on transforming what had been a ceremonial position  where the duties entailed little more than saying prayers at ceremonies  to one entwined with community policing, a brand of law enforcement in which officers forge strong personal ties with the neighborhoods they protect.

His church pays his salary, so his service comes at no expense to the city.

To go from soft-spoken, nondenominational pastor to police chaplain, he shaved his beard and cropped short his shaggy mop of hair. He wears a badge, a bulletproof vest and tactical boots. He has a radio, but carries no firearm or handcuffs. He has no authority to arrest anyone.

Jesse Miller, lead pastor at City Lights Church in Scranton, is the citys other front-line chaplain. Officer Thomas Genovese is assigned to the chaplain program as an officer liaison, though his police duties come first. The department seeks a third volunteer chaplain.

DAugostines post, the first of its kind in Lackawanna County, started about two years ago. It follows a national trend in which chaplains are taking a stronger role in community policing.

Departments across the country are under increased scrutiny and reeling with public image problems amid accusations of racial profiling and brutality.

Scranton Police Chief Carl Graziano said an active chaplain, who spends time on the beat with other officers, injects a gentler demeanor into the mix.

When you see the worst that people can do, you become very guarded, he said of police.

A chaplain at the scene of a domestic dispute could turn a potentially explosive incident into one that ends in peace.

Since taking the top spot at the Scranton Police Department, Graziano has made a number of progressive moves to improve relations between officers and the community, including bringing back neighborhood beat officers who patrol on foot and on bicycles.

DAugostine graduated from what is now Clarks Summit Universitys seminary. He lives in West Scranton with his wife, Kelly, and three sons.

He splits his working hours between his church and the department, often riding alongside another officer into the wee hours of the morning.

One of the most critical jobs DAugostine and Miller perform is notifying family members when a loved one has died. Many officers say relief from that burden alone has made their jobs easier.

Spiritual help







Officer Nancy Baumann, a tough veteran cop from Manhattan who never lost her New York accent, pulled her cruiser around onto Front Street in South Scranton. DAugostine was riding shotgun.

Baumann saw something she didnt like and honked the horn.

A man emerged from one home, and she quickly explained that his car, with its rear end up on blocks, violated a city ordinance. She wasnt leaving until he took it down.

Normal citizens dont know what all of the laws are, she said. You have to teach them.

The man explained that he couldnt take it down without help.

Ill help you, Baumann said blankly. She and DAugostine exited the cruiser and helped guide the car onto the ground.

The man and Baumann had a history, she said. He had found his mother dead on the couch last fall, and Baumann was the officer dispatched to investigate. He was very distraught, she said, which is where a front-line chaplain might step in.

I think Dennis would have been more helpful, maybe in a spiritual way, she said. I mean, I dont know if the guy believes in God or anything, and I dont think that thats what Dennis is here for, to make everyone believe in God or whatever, but he could do more spiritual stuff that I cant.

Face of God

A Supreme Court decision from the 1970s paves the way for religion and public agencies to lock arms while upholding the First Amendments establishment clause, which says the government cannot favor one religion over another.

In Lemon v. Kurtzman, the justices established the three-pronged Lemon Test, which, as it translates to DAugostines position, says he must have a secular purpose, must not excessively entangle the government with religion, and neither proselytize nor inhibit religion.

That means he can ask someone if they would like to pray, but cant preach while wearing the badge.

The Pennsylvania State Police has 71 chaplains scattered across the commonwealth. The FBI has its own chaplain program, and many large cities have chaplains  either trained officers, volunteers or both.

Chicagos Police Department began its chaplain program in 1980. Director Rev. Dan Brandt said his chaplains, some of whom are duly sworn officers, support the departments 11,500 officers and 5,000 civilian employees. They generally do not engage the community as in Scranton.

Brandts most important job, he said, is reminding officers of the value of their work.

In some neighborhoods, throughout the course of the day, they are the only face of God or normalcy or order that some folks get the opportunity to see, Brandt said. Thats key  reminding them of the sacred nature of the work is something thats very important.

As they traverse the city streets of South Scranton together, Baumann and DAugostine needle each other relentlessly.

DAugostine grew up in a Catholic household in New Jersey. Unlike Baumann, theres no trace of an accent when he speaks.

And he and Baumann have very different opinions about where to get the best local pizza.

Im from Ocean City, New Jersey, originally, so I know my pizza, he said. Im going to say the best pizza is ...

I didnt know pastors lie, Baumann said, cutting him off and shooting him a coy look. Youre saying, Im from Ocean City, New Jersey, so I know my pizza.

Wheres the lying at? Im Italian from South Jersey, he shot back.

Doesnt matter, they have (expletive) pizza in New Jersey compared to Manhattan, she said.

The conversation disintegrated into further lighthearted jostling.

I love Dennis and Jesse (Miller), Baumann said. I think theyre down to earth. ... I just think it takes a lot of weight off the police officer when it comes to the really, really serious stuff.

Expanding program

While DAugostine can respond to calls from other departments if asked, hes working to get training for other chaplains to serve on the front lines in their municipalities.

Hes undergoing an intense screening period to join the FBIs chaplain program, and working with other departments in the county.

I want to raise up chaplains for departments that want chaplains, he said.

One Thursday afternoon, 11 men and women sat in the police headquarters roll call room for a training session.

They dissected trauma and its after-effects on the mind. They talked about how a chaplain, even without police powers, can be a critical ally.

Most of the time, the cops want you because youre their second set of eyes, said Rev. Daniel Schafer, a pastor and chaplain from New Jersey who led the two-day training. I cant tell you how many times that a cop or a firefighter will say, Hey, I turned around on that call and I saw that you were there and I was OK.

However, not all cops see the chaplain programs purpose.

Graziano said even in his own ranks, some officers, who find comfort in routine and dont like it disrupted, have yet to embrace it. Citing other departments, the chief said it typically takes about five years to get everyone to buy in.

Brandt said he has seen even atheists accept chaplain programs because the chaplains strengthen the whole department.

They may not feel that theyre going to need the services, but they know that the guy next to them, whose life is in their hands, has that support system, Brandt said. Even if you dont feel the need for it yourself, youre safer for it.

David Clark, of South Canaan Twp., hung up his badge three years ago after his second DUI. He sat that day in the roll call room among other cops and pastors looking to become chaplains.

When I got involved in law enforcement, I was working obnoxious amounts of hours, he said, explaining that he soaked the stress from the job and all of his free time in booze. As I got older, those behaviors became bad habits which ultimately became addictions.

He longs to return to law enforcement, but said he doesnt feel like he deserves it unless he can give something back. So he is taking classes at Clarks Summit University, and working to obtain his equine therapy license to help other cops.

In addition to serving his local police department as a front-line chaplain, Clark envisions a retreat at his farm for police who, like he did, need a chance to dry out.

After several falls and hard lessons learned, I decided this is the way Ive got to go, he said.

Still a human







It was almost 2 a.m. when Officer Tomczyk parked his cruiser on Thunderbird Drive.

With the emergency PFA order in hand, he and DAugostine rapped on the apartment buildings aluminum storm door.

Bewildered, and slightly agitated, a couple in pajamas answered. It took a few moments to realize that they werent the ones the police sought that night.

After about five minutes, the man they were seeking appeared from behind the building, still wearing his work uniform. Tomczyk had spoken with him by phone earlier and he knew the cops would be coming soon.

His girlfriend had requested the PFA, alleging that he had pushed her out of his car, threatened to kill her father and drove off with their son.

She asked the court to bar him from contacting her and their two children, the 1-year-old boy and a daughter, born just 10 days earlier and in a neonatal intensive care unit out of town.

The 22-year-old man was visibly shaken. He told the officers he and the woman had a loving relationship and didnt understand the PFA.

DAugostines prayer was simple. He put his hand on his shoulder and asked God to protect his little girl and help her body to heal.

In those few moments, the mans rigid exterior melted. He started sobbing gently.

After the prayer, he flicked on his cell phone and asked the officers if they wanted to see photos of his baby girl.

Back in the cruiser, Tomczyk debriefed the encounter.

Whether he did what he did or not, hes still a human being, Tomczyk, the patrolman, said. He saw care. ... Hes going to be more receptive to the Scranton Police Department in the future whether he needs us or we need him.
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The ongoing flare-up at Doklam and Chinas actions and statements have far-reaching implications for the future of India-China relations. It has brought into sharp definition the thinking among Chinas senior leadership echelons about India and their intentions into the open. It will take long for the threats issued by Chinas official media to recede from public memory. Indias foreign and security establishments will have taken cognisance of the articles published by Chinas state-owned media.

Note would certainly have been taken of the nearly 20 articles in the state-owned Global Times: warning India of a repeat of the 1962 war, that China will reverse its agreed position on Sikkim, start an international campaign questioning the close India-Bhutan ties, stir up trouble in the northeast and send Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) troops into Kashmir at Pakistans ostensible behest. An image of a Peoples Daily edition of 1962 was also in circulation on the popular Chinese sites Weibo and WeChat on July 12, 2017. The articles and statements by official spokesmen would have been approved at a high level in the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and reveal the thinking of the senior echelons of the CCP about India.

Chinas state-owned media is tightly controlled by the CCPs powerful propaganda department which often issues thrice daily advisories on how and what to print and prominence to be given to any particular subject. Articles relating to neighbouring countries are especially vetted. Since the CCP central committee (CC)s propaganda department issued Document No: 9 in August 2013, progressively stringent restrictions are being imposed on the media and social media. Document No: 9 unequivocally declares that the power of leading the press and media is always controlled by the hands of those who are at one with the central committee of the Party with comrade Xi Jinping as general secretary.

The threat about Chinas intention to reverse its recognition of Sikkim as part of India, repeated by Chinese diplomats in New Delhi, underscores the remark by a Chinese vice-foreign minister to the visiting Indian external affairs minister in 2008 that the issue of Sikkim remains unsettled. The warning about promoting insurgency in the northeast, after Deng Xiaoping reversed Maos policy of exporting revolution in 1979, has as backdrop the clandestine links maintained by Chinese Intelligence over the years with Indias northeast insurgent groups. The warning can well impact on the proposed Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) Corridor. Incidentally, China was allowed a consulate in Kolkata though it has refused to permit India to reopen one in Lhasa. The article attempting to draw a parallel between Indias action in Dokalam in support of Bhutan and a possible Chinese intrusion in Kashmir ostensibly at Pakistans instance, brings into focus Chinas links with Kashmiri separatists and the growing collusion between China and Pakistan and the pronounced military content of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

In the course of the ongoing face-off at Doklam, there can be little doubt that China is exploring various options including military. The area of the face-off falls within the operational jurisdiction of the PLAs Shigatse (Xigaze) military sub-district subordinate to the western theatre command. The present commander of the western theatre command, 62-year old General Zhao Zongqi, is one of the few serving PLA generals with experience of battle, having fought in the Sino-Vietnam war in 1979, where he also operated under cover in enemy territory. He has two decades of service in Tibet and is familiar with the area and terrain. Fang Jianguo, the incumbent PLA commander in Shigatse, similarly has a promising career ahead. He has been described by the PLA headquarters as a pacesetter and outstanding commanding officer of the PLA while the Chengdu military region called him an excellent commanding officer of the whole army. Both anticipate further promotions. The present political commissar of the Shigatse (Xigaze) military sub-district, PLA Colonel Xu Qingming is also familiar with the area having earlier served as political commissar of the Lingzhi Military subdistrict. All three would view the ongoing face-off as a setback to their operational plans and likely argue in favour of strong action to dissuade India.

While efforts to de-escalate the situation to mutual satisfaction should continue, national security concerns must henceforth predominate. Throughout this face-off India has been sagacious in its comments while trying for a diplomatic resolution. The old Indian saying: words are sharper than arrows and once released cannot be taken back is helpful in such cases.

Jayadeva Ranade is a former additional secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat and is president of the Centre for China Analysis and Strategy
There seems to be no dignity even in death in rural Madhya Pradesh.

In bizarre case highlighting pathetic condition of healthcare in the state, the post mortem of a teenage girl who was electrocuted was allegedly carried out on a tractor-trolley in Panna districts Simariya village on Sunday.

But police and doctors defended themselves by saying that the deceased girls injuries were inspected on the trolley and the post mortem was conducted inside the autopsy room at the primary health centre, more than 250 km from Sagar.

According to Simariya police, 15-year-old Raksha had gone to her fathers agriculture field to give him lunch around 10 am on Sunday. On her way back, her right leg touched a live electricity line lying on the ground in the field. She was electrocuted and died on the spot and her right leg was severed at the shin.

Her father, already reeling under shock, was in for some more distress when he and a few villagers took the body in a tractor-trolley to the Simariya Primary Health Centre for autopsy.

Villagers alleged that the autopsy room was in dismal condition and a doctor and his assisting staff conducted the post mortem on the trolley as locals watched. A plastic sheet was set up over the trolley as it was drizzling in the area.

Fifteen-year-old Raksha was electrocuted after her right leg came in contact with a live power cable across an agricultural field, (HT PHOTO)

The post-mortem was carried out on the trolley, said Triloki Thakur, one of the villagers who accompanied the victims father to the health centre.

The police and doctors defended themselves against the allegations. Dr Verendra Singh Chouhan , Simariya PHC in-charge told HT that he conducted deceased autopsy.

We inspected deceased girls injury marks outside on the trolley as it was dark inside the autopsy room. After inspection the autopsy was conducted inside the room, he said.

He failed to explain how the post mortem could have been carried out if it was dark inside the autopsy room.

Chief medical and health officer Panna (CMHO) Dr LK Tiwari told HT that he had inquired about the matter and came to know that inspection of wounds was conducted outside by doctor and staff as there was more light outside but autopsy was conducted inside autopsy room.

The police also stuck to a similar line.

Simariya police station officer GS Bajpayee told HT that doctors had inspected the girls body on the trolley but autopsy was done inside autopsy room.

In this case electricity department lapses have come out as electric line was lying on the ground. A case has been lodged and investigation has started, he said.
Nawazuddin Siddiqui is probably considered one of the most versatile actors in Bollywood today, but it took him more than 12 years to build that reputation. Despite all the setbacks, the actor says he isnt desperate for roles and is extremely happy with the pace at which his career is progressing. Ive played some amazing roles with some amazing film-makers, he says. I have no complaints. In fact, I think this is a great time to be an actor, as our audience is evolving every day. This only means that an actor will be accepted in a wide array of roles.

Nawazuddins next film, Munna Micheal, will see him put on his dancing shoes for the first time in a film. He says that dancing makes him uncomfortable, but he took a leap of faith anyway. I dont enjoy dancing. I underwent two days of practise on Sabbirs (Khan, director) insistence, he says.

Put your #Swag Mode On! 

Song OUT in 2 hours, first on Eros Now and on YouTube at 4 PM.@iTIGERSHROFF @ErosNow pic.twitter.com/qG4cV46rRg  Nawazuddin Siddiqui (@Nawazuddin_S) July 5, 2017

Ask him if he will ever do the conventional prancing-around-a-trees song and dance routine, and he says. That will never be my style. Plus, where are the trees these days? There are such few tress to run around (laughs).

Seedha khade hoke dance nahi hota humse aur inko dekho! #MunnaMichaelPoster @iTIGERSHROFF @ErosNow @vikirajani @sabbir24x7 A post shared by Nawazuddin Siddiqui (@nawazuddin._siddiqui) on Jun 7, 2017 at 7:22pm PDT

The actor who hails from Budhana, Uttar Pradesh says he often takes off to his village to unwind. I love going back home. I work in the farms and I think thats what keeps me grounded. In my village, people get excited for two days when my film releases, but after that, they go back to behaving normally. If films hadnt happened, I would have been a farmer. I dont want to look at life and think that Im an achiever. I am a realistic person and I want to be like that.

Nawazuddin also money isnt a motivation to work. For me, money is not important, he says. It is not my motivation to work. I have a lot of land in Budhana, and if I wanted money, I could have opened a sugar mill there. Acting makes me happy. It helps me discover myself, so I am here for a very selfish reason.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui is usually offered intense roles and he admits that they take a lot out of him. But on the upside, he isnt worried about being typecast. I dont think that can happen, since I am not a conventional hero. Also, I havent restricted myself to working in a single genre. Ive tried to be experimental, he says.

Manto Poster A post shared by Nawazuddin Siddiqui (@nawazuddin._siddiqui) on May 23, 2017 at 1:31pm PDT

But what attracts him towards playing grey characters? I think they have more scope to perform. With roles that are black or white  negative or positive  you have to follow certain character graphs. Grey roles allow you extra room for improvement. Theyre more real and personal, Nawaz says.

In the day and age, when most actors use social media to communicate with their fans, Nawazuddin says he tries to restrict his interaction to just the professional sphere. I dont use Twitter for personal interactions. When you post something, someone takes it out of context and then there is unnecessary drama and things get blown out of proportion. We should stop being so involved with social media, he says.

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Producer and CBFC chairperson Pahlaj Nihalani is not a fan of the International Indian Films Academy (IIFA) awards. In fact he says he has boycotted what he considers an international farce that lost its relevance when actor Amitabh Bachchan opted out of it in 2011.

He lashes out at this years nominations. Look at the hypocrisy. They havent even nominated Aamir Khan for Dangal and Akshay Kumar for Airlift and Rustom just because they wouldnt attend their weekend holiday plans masquerading as an awards function.

Nihalani says many actors who were taken to New York did not even attend the awards events. They were too tired after partying all night. What I want to know is, who is paying for this extravagance?, asks Nihalani, and adds, It is our foreign exchange being squandered as every top star is given tickets for his spouse, children, parents , ayahs, bodyguards, friends, friends of friends .. Ive heard stars are even given money to shop.Who is paying for all this? IIFA is selling Indian cinema to various countries and probably getting many financial benefits. But is the Indian government benefiting from this global event?, he says.

Nihalani says he is dismayed to see senior individuals from Mumbais film industry being ridiculed at IIFA. I think the day Mr Bachchan opted out, IIFA lost its dignity and relevance. In 18 years, how much global impact has Indian cinema made and what hand did IIFA have in this?

Nihalani has also challenged IIFAs claim of representing Indian cinema abroad. He says, Initially we had cinema from various states getting token representation at the awards.Now we only have Bollywood. So why do they call themselves the International Indian films awards? Its such a sham! Bollywood is not Indian cinema.

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A major, global cyber attack could trigger an average of $53 billion of economic losses, a figure on par with a catastrophic natural disaster such as US Superstorm Sandy in 2012, Lloyds of London said in a report on Monday.

The report, co-written with risk-modeling firm Cyence, examined potential economic losses from the hypothetical hacking of a cloud service provider and cyber attacks on computer operating systems run by businesses worldwide.

Insurers are struggling to estimate their potential exposure to cyber-related losses amid mounting cyber risks and interest in cyber insurance. A lack of historical data on which insurers can base assumptions is a key challenge.

Because cyber is virtual, it is such a difficult task to understand how it will accumulate in a big event, Lloyds of London chief executive Inga Beale told Reuters.

Economic costs in the hypothetical cloud provider attack dwarf the $8 billion global cost of the WannaCry ransomware attack in May, which spread to more than 100 countries, according to Cyence.

Economic costs typically include business interruptions and computer repairs.

The Lloyds report follows a US government warning to industrial firms about a hacking campaign targeting the nuclear and energy sectors.

In June, an attack of a virus dubbed NotPetya spread from infections in Ukraine to businesses around the globe. It encrypted data on infected machines, rendering them inoperable and disrupted activity at ports, law firms and factories.

NotPetya caused $850 million in economic costs, Cyence said.

In the hypothetical cloud service attack in the Lloyds-Cyence scenario, hackers inserted malicious code into a cloud providers software that was designed to trigger system crashes among users a year later.

By then, the malware would have spread among the providers customers, from financial services companies to hotels, causing all to lose income and incur other expenses.

Average economic losses caused by such a disruption could range from $4.6 billion to $53 billion for large to extreme events. But actual losses could be as high as $121 billion, the report said.

As much as $45 billion of that sum may not be covered by cyber policies due to companies underinsuring, the report said.

Average losses for a scenario involving a hacking of operating systems ranged from $9.7 billion to $28.7 billion.

Lloyds has a 20-25% share of the $2.5 billion cyber insurance market, Beale said in June.
Fact box: National Strategic Plan for Malaria Elimination

Published: July 17, 2017

The Union Health Ministry and Family Welfare for first time has unveiled National Strategic Plan (NSP) for Malaria Elimination (2017-22). It has set malaria elimination deadline as 2027, three years ahead of the global deadline.

The NSP is based on 2016 National Framework for Malaria Elimination framed with support of WHOs Global Technical Strategy for Malaria, 2016-2030.

Features of the Plan

The NSP is a year-wise roadmap for malaria elimination across the country. The plan aims to achieve universal case detection and treatment services in malaria endemic districts to ensure 100% diagnosis of all suspected cases, and full treatment of all confirmed cases. It seeks to maintain a malaria-free status for areas where transmission has been interrupted.

Categorisation of Districts: The plan divides country into four categories, from 0 to 3 based on their annual parasite incidence (API). The first category, Zero has 75 districts having of API of malaria for the last three years. The Category 1 covers 448 districts, in which the API is less than 1 per 1,000 population.

The Category 2 covers 48 districts, in which API is one and above, but less than 2 per 1,000 population. The Category 3 covers 107 districts, in which API of two and above per 1,000 population.

Targets: The plan aims to eliminate malaria (zero indigenous cases) in all Category 1 and 2 districts by 2022. In Category 3, the target is bring remaining districts under a pre-elimination and elimination programme by 2022.

Four components, based on recommendations WHO: Diagnosis and case management; surveillance and epidemic response; prevention  integrated vector management; cross-cutting interventions, which include communication, advocacy, R&D and other initiatives.

Funding: The resources required for the elimination of malaria is around Rs 10,653.16 crore over a period of five years (2017-2022). These resources will be managed from government sources, international donors, and the corporate sector as part of corporate social responsibility (CSR).

Significance: This is for the first time, the Union Health Ministry has come up with a roadmap for elimination of malaria in the country. Prior to it, effort was to control malaria under the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDC). The NSP lays down detailed strategy with operational guidelines for all states towards set targets. It has also given a detailed breakdown of annual budgetary requirements over five years.

Background

Malaria is a vector borne disease caused by parasitic protozoans belonging to the Plasmodium type. It is most commonly transmitted by an infected female Anopheles mosquito. According to the World Malaria Report 2016, India accounts for 89% of the incidence of malaria in the South-East Asia region.

In India, malaria is caused by the parasites Plasmodium falciparum (Pf), found more in the forest areas and Plasmodium Vivax (Pv), more common in the plains. Most malaria cases are mainly concentrated in tribal and remote areas of the country.

The majority of malaria reporting districts are in Indias eastern and central parts. Six states  Odisha (40%), Jharkhand (20%), Chhattisgarh (20%), Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram (5-7%) report most of the malaria cases in India. These states, along with tribal areas of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra account for 90% of Indias malaria burden.

Month: Current Affairs - July, 2017

Topics: Chhattisgarh  Odisha

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The Gujarat High Court on Monday dismissed Essar Steels petition that had challenged the Reserve Bank of Indias (RBI) directive to banks for initiating insolvency proceedings against the company.

Justice S.G. Shah passed an oral order saying no relief will be granted to Essar. A detailed order is expected later on Monday.

This sets the stage for Essars creditors such as State Bank of India (SBI) and Standard Chartered Bank to proceed against the company in the National Company Law Tribunal under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), provided Essar does not challenge the court decision in the Supreme Court.

The Judge also said he has asked RBI to be more careful without giving out any details.

Essar Steel in its petition to the court has challenged a 13 June directive of RBI, in the form of a press release, in which the Central bank directed banks to refer a dozen cases, including Essar Steel, directly to NCLT. Essar contested a line in the RBI release which said NCLT will accord priority to these cases. It also objected to being clubbed with 11 other defaulters and said it was in discussion with banks to restructure repayments.

The Central Bank, after receiving sweeping powers to resolve bad loans through an amendment to the Banking Regulation Act, issued the 13 June circular on the criterion that the total banking exposure of the company should be at least Rs5,000 crore and 60% of this exposure should have turned non-performing as of March 2016.

Essar Steel owed lenders around Rs45,000 crore, of which Rs31,671 crore had become non-performing as of 31 March 2016.

(Story published in arrangement with Livemint)
Madhya Pradesh denied on Monday news reports that state government hospitals had been ordered to have astrologers in out-patient departments, calling the speculation absurd.

State health minister Rustam Singh said the government had made no such decision and denied even a discussion on the issue had taken place.

Media persons using the information on OPD in government hospitals should have taken care to at least talk to any government authority to know if the information they were having was correct, he added.

His denial came after news reports quoted an official of the government-run Maharishi Patanjali Sanskrit Sansthan who said astrologers and soothsayers would consult with patients suffering from various diseases in OPDs of state-run hospitals.

I am amused at the news. This is absurd, unfounded and it is not possible at all, said principal secretary (health) Gauri Singh.

Maharishi Patanjali Sanskrit Sansthan director PR Tiwari said the scheme was limited to a yoga centre in Bhopal where people could consult astrologers and vastu experts that might not be related to health but other things such as marriage, education or jobs.

It will not be an OPD but a consultation centre, he said.

Sansthan deputy director Prashant Dolas said the Yoga Centre was already giving advice to people how to cure diseases with the help of Yoga.

We will add astrology and vastu to it. Astrology and vastu are established sciences. The idea of giving advice to people by astrologers and vastu experts of Sansthan came as we are going to run diploma courses on these two subjects from September onwards. There is no government decision as such, he said.
Uttarakhand will develop four hydroponic farms - to be known as Kamalphonic - on experimental basis with help of Israel to promote aqua farming in the hill state, irrigation minister Satpal Maharaj said on Monday.

Hydroponic farming is the system of growing food in water without the use of soils. We will call it Kamalphonic farm as lotus is also grown naturally on water, said Maharaj.

The irrigation department has already began work to create infrastructure for the four farms in Dehradun, Pauri, Chamoli and Almora districts, he said.

The farms will be set up with the help of Israeli agricultural experts. These are completely aquatic farming that dont require earth to grow crops or plants, the minister said.

It can help hill farmers to get better yields in terms of quantity as well as quality. We have small land holdings in hill areas and hydroponic farming can support farmers take up vertical cropping with water storage facilities on the base of every stair.

The minister said the irrigation department would create and maintain the hydroponic farms as a pilot project to help the agriculture and horticulture departments to take up and promote the new pattern of farming specially in hills, where size of farmland was small and per unit area yield was low.

Irrigation secretary Anand Bardhan said: This (new system) can open a gateway for new mode of farming in the state and lead to augment farmers income by many folds.

Hydroponic farming is an Israeli agricultural technique based completely on circulating water that carries all essential macro and micro nutrients needed by plants.
Its been over a fortnight since the goods and services tax regime kicked in. But about 85,000 registered traders in the Capital are still to migrate to the new regime, sources in Delhi governments trade and taxes department said .

According to a government estimate, about 4.15 lakh traders were registered with the tax department under the previous value-added tax (VAT) regime. Around 3.3 lakh traders are said to have migrated to GST till last week.

Sources in the department said while many traders have not been able to migrate due to mismatch in the permanent account number (PAN) provided by the traders, others have still not turned up for registration.

Any registered trader continuing with business without completing the formalities will technically be illegal, a senior tax department official said.

H Rajesh Prasad, commissioner, trade and taxes department, however, said while the number of traders who have not been able to migrate due to the PAN mismatch is not much.

The number of such traders would not be more than a few thousand. One major reason for the PAN mismatch is change in proprietorship over generations or partnership firms changing hands. The old registration must have details of the older proprietor, said Prasad, who has been closely associated in the GST implementation.

However, such traders are being advised to apply afresh and get a new application reference number and continue with trade, Prasad said.

Officials said while the department is making efforts to ensure all eligible traders are enrolled under the GST, the number of overall registered traders is likely to be corrected due to several reasons.

Many of registered traders might have stopped business altogether. There is also a possibility other few accounts are either dormant or are no more eligible for the registration owning to the annual turnover cap, an official said.

All traders with an annual turnover of R 20 lakh have to register with the trade and taxes department.

In order to assist the traders in GST implementation, the Delhi government has decided to run six GST help vans in commercial areas to address traders problems arising out of the new tax regime. The government has also decided to set up help desks in smaller markets.

The decision was taken after deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, who holds the finance portfolio, held a meeting with senior officers of the trade and taxes department on the implementation of the GST last week.

The government has already put in place GST facilitation centres.

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After receiving complaints from commuters that drivers do not stop buses at designated stops, the Delhi government has decided to install CCTV cameras at bus stops.

Not halting the bus at the designated spot but close to the bus stop not only leads to chaos and congestion on roads, but it also poses a challenge to the differently abled, senior citizens, women and children.

Cameras at bus stops will also help us investigate cases of speeding and rash-driving. People wait at bus stops for a minimum of 10 minutes in Delhi and this would also ensure safety of commuters, especially women, a transport official said.

The project has been pegged at a cost of Rs140 crore, which will be taken from the Nirbhaya Fund.

The government has already received in-principle approval for its share from the fund from the ministry of home affairs. Besides, the need for cameras at bus stops apart from buses was cited by the MHA only, another official said.

At present, the capital has 1,864 bus queue shelters (BQS), of which 1,321 are managed by the Delhi Transport Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (DTIDC), 346 by the Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System (DIMTS) and 197 by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC).

The practice is so common among drivers of the government-run buses that the transport department is already carrying out a drive to prosecute them. It has formed an 80-member team of enforcement officials who in just five days have prosecuted 1,296 such drivers.

The officials, dressed in plain clothes, have been deployed at bus stops like Dhaula Kuan, ITO, AIIMS, Mukarba Chowk, Peeragarhi, Laxmi Nagar and INA.

From July 10 to 15, we have taken action against 393 drivers of DTC, 454 drivers of the cluster or orange bus service and 449 of metro feeder buses and gramin sewas, the official added.

In June, the Delhi Cabinet, in its meeting chaired by chief minister Arvind Kejriwal had approved installation of CTTV cameras in 6,350 Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and cluster buses. However, at present, there are only 5,725 buses being run by the government and 536 more buses are in the pipeline.

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The Delhi government has released Rs100 crore for the Signature Bridge project, which was hit by a fund crunch slowing down its last phase of construction.

Delhi tourism minister Rajendra Gautam said, on Monday, that the finance department has sanctioned the amount after examining the contractors demand for an additional Rs250 crore.

For the construction of the bridge, which was supposed to be ready for the 2010 Commonwealth Games, a budget of Rs1,131 crore was sanctioned but till now Rs1,575 crore have been spent. This bridge was conceptualised by the Sheila Dikshit government in 2004. Gautam, who had inspected the bridge earlier, had written to the chief secretary, saying that the work should not go on beyond December 31, this year, under any circumstances.

This fresh infusion of funds will ensure that work, which had considerably slowed down, resumes. Around 92% of the project is completed. We might release more depending on the justification of the demand, he said.

Located over the Yamuna in Wazirabad, this bridge with a bow-shaped steel pylon of the bridge will be twice as high as the Qutub Minar. Being built on the lines of the London Bridge, it was meant to be showcased during the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

In January, lieutenant governor Anil Baijal had directed the authorities concerned to send to him a monthly progress report of the project.
In Delhis posh neighbourhoods, 27-year-old Irfan was a nameless and faceless burglar who broke into homes and made away with jewellery and other valuables. But, in his native village in Bihars Sitamarhi district, Irfan portrayed himself as a social worker who organised health camps and funded the weddings for poor families -- all to fuel his political ambitions.

The police were on his trail ever since May this year when he allegedly stole gold and diamond jewellery worth lakhs of rupees from a house in New Friends Colony. He was, however, caught on a CCTV camera and it did not take the investigators too long to identify him.

Once his address was known, police raided his native village and nabbed him on July 6. When the police caught him, he was wearing a Rolex watch that was allegedly stolen from a house in Delhi. He had also recently bought a Honda Civic sedan after selling some stolen items.

Within no time, his link to a dozen similar burglaries in the posh localities of south Delhi was revealed. Irfan lived in a rented house in Jamia Nagar.

Police officers said Irfan alias Ujala was trying to earn the image of a Robin Hood in his village to achieve a larger objective. Irfan harboured political ambitions. He was consciously creating that image to fuel his dreams, said an investigator.

When the police team traced him to his village earlier this month, residents of his village refused to accept that Irfan was a thief who would frequently steal from the rich residents of south Delhi.

Villagers insisted that Irfan was a Delhi-based businessman who did social work in his village. They respectfully addressed him as Ujala Babu, an investigator told Hindustan Times. Police said Irfan not only presented a larger than life image in front of the villagers, he had also been lying to his girlfriend -- a woman who had apparently acted in a few Bhojpuri films.

The police team had to convince the villagers by showing them CCTV footage of Irfans alleged involvement in thefts in New Friends Colony and Lajpat Nagar. A search of his property led to the seizure of stolen jewellery, watches and other valuables worth over Rs 20 lakh.

Irfan was arrested from Bihars Pupri district July 6. (Picture: Sourced)

While the police team too was initially taken aback by Irfans reputation, a further investigation into his life revealed that he harboured a dream to make it big in local politics and all his social work was a conscious effort to realise his dream.

He would don kurta-pyjama and frequently upload pictures of his social work on Facebook. He was very conscious of his image and used to participate in the smallest of social activities in his village. He even used to discuss a foray into politics with the people he helped, said the investigator.

The larger portion of his loot, however, would fund his frequent pub visits, expensive cars, costly watches and clothes. He once offered to give Rs 10,000 at a bar in Delhi if the live performers there sang a song of his choice, said Romil Baaniya, DCP (south-east).

Irfan has told his interrogators that he would never wear shoes or slippers while committing the burglaries that mostly involved breaking into houses through doors or windows of houses locked from outside. He believed that if he would walk barefoot, he would be able to steal without alerting anyone, said an officer.

(This story has been updated with details)

Read: He sold momos, dreamt of Audi: How Delhi murder suspect took shortcut to luxury

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Delhi University colleges released the fifth cutoff list for admissions on Monday, which saw most sought-after colleges close admissions to popular course choices.

With only about 10% of the seats still up for grabs, the cutoffs for the few seats that are still available at these colleges for the some of the more popular course choices has not dipped by more than a mark or two.

COMMERCE AND ECONOMICS:

Economics (Hons) has seen a dip of upto 3.5% points at Lakshmibai College, but is closed for admissions at most sought-after colleges such as Hans Raj College, and Indraprastha College for Women (IP College) in the fifth list. However, few seats have now become available at colleges such as Kirori Mal College (KMC) after withdrawals, where the cutoff is set at 96.5%.

Seats are still available at colleges like Ramjas College, Daulat Ram College, and Hindu College. Hindu College has set the highest cutoff for the course at 97.25%, which is the same as that in the fourth list.

Under the fifth list, BCom (Hons) has now closed at Ramjas College and Sri Venkateswara as well. However, the seats are still available at IP College, Gargi, Kamala Nehru and others. Most well known colleges have not reduced their cutoffs by more than 0.5% points.

HUMANITIES:

BA English (Hons) is now available again after withdrawals in colleges such as Hans Raj College and Kalindi College. It has, however, closed at Lady Shri Ram College (LSR), Ramjas College, and Maitreyi College under the fifth list.

The cutoffs for English (Hons) has also dropped by upto 3.5% points. The highest cutoff for English is at Miranda House, where the cutoff requirement is 95.75%, which is 0.5% points lower than that of the fourth list.

For History aspirants, seats have become available in the fifth list after withdrawals at colleges such as Kamala Nehru College, and the cutoff has dropped by up to 4% points. The highest cutoff for History is at LSR, which is the same as that in the fourth list, at 96.25%.

Seats for Political Science are also available at certain colleges such as Kamala Nehru College, Gargi College, and Ramjas College. Though the cutoff has dropped by up to 3% points, it has not dropped by more than a mark or two in most sought-after colleges that still have seats available. Ramjas has the highest cutoff with a requirement of 94.75%, which is only 0.25% points lower than the fourth list.

BA Programme is closed at most well known colleges. However, some such as IP College, Ramjas College, and Miranda House have a few seats remaining, with a cutoff requirement of 88.5%, 91.5%, and 93.25% respectively.

SCIENCES:

Chemistry (Hons) is still available at colleges like Gargi, Kalindi, and Hans Raj. However, the cutoff requirements have not dropped by more than 1% point.

IP College, Gargi, and Kamala Nehru have reopened admissions to Mathematics (Hons) after withdrawals.
Engineers of the Delhi Jal Board deferred their proposed strike to protest the alleged humiliation of senior officials by an Assembly panel, after the water ministers intervention.

DJB employees had earlier said that they will not work from Monday until the chairman of Delhi Assemblys committee on government undertakings (COGU) and other committee members tendered an unconditional apology to the DJB CEO and its employees for their misbehaviour.

Water minister Rajendra Gautam met unions on Sunday and promised to resolve the issue after which the decision to put off the agitation was taken, a member of the engineers body said.

But the government continued its attack against DJB CEO Keshav Chandra as a case against him has been referred to the Delhi Assemblys privilege committee.

The committee on estimates of the Delhi Assembly is probing alleged irregularities pertaining to 14 sewage treatment plants (STPs), which are being set up for the cleaning of Najafgarh and other supplementary drains under Phase-1 of the Maily Se Nirmal Yamuna Revitalisation Plan 2017. The CEO was asked to appear before it over this issue. The engineers who had come with him were asked to step out so that he could be questioned individually. Instead of responding to the questions, he shouted at the members of the panel, water minister Rajendra Gautam told Hindustan Times. He said a few officials were misguided and misled into protesting.

The panel has every right to ask questions about spending of tax payers money on these projects. Everyone is answerable to the people. If anyone has done illegal tenders or orders, we will take action, the minister said.

DJB CEO Keshav Chandra couldnt be reached for his comments.

A days strike wont affect water supply in Delhi. However, in case the government failed to respond swiftly, the strike might have stretched on indefinitely, causing waters woes.

A member of the engineers association said Gautam on Sunday assured that the matter would be resolved, so the protest has been deferred. We will meet again on Tuesday to decide the next course of action, he said.

Earlier, the DJB officials had said they were unhappy about privilege proceedings being initiated against their CEO Keshav Chandra. Officials said they even heard Chandra being screamed at for not releasing funds for a project, something which they claim was not under his jurisdiction.

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Every time 15-year-old Shamita Jaiswal returns home after school, even during the monsoon, she seems to be drained out.

The family physician of the Jaiswals have told Shamitas anxious mother that it was the rising heat index in Delhi, which is taking the toll on the girl.

Heat index combines temperature and relative humidity to determine how hot you actually feel. It is a measure of the stress on humans.

This heat index is rising in Delhi, along with other cities. The heat index in Delhi is rising by 0.60 degrees a decade during summer months. During the monsoon months, it is increasing by 0.55 degrees per decade, said AK Jaswal, a former scientist with the Indian Meteorological Department, Pune.

A recent study by four scientists from the IMD and Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, published earlier this year, revealed that the average heat index in India was also increasing. In summer, it is going up by 0.56 degrees Celsius and during monsoon it is increasing by 0.32 degrees Celsius every decade.

The study revealed that most of the mega cities in north India, including Delhi, are in the hot category of the heat index during summer and in very hot category in monsoon.

It is because of heat index that Delhiites are complaining of exhaustion and heat stress, even though the mercury is staying in the normal range, said a senior official of the National Weather Forecasting Centre in New Delhi.

This rising heat index is already taking a heavy toll on the health of Delhiites both directly and indirectly, doctors have warned.

Over the past decade, the number of patients suffering from diseases triggered by rising heat, humidity and pollution have apparently shot up. Patients suffering from vector-borne diseases, viral diseases and other heat-and-humidity-related ailments such as heat strokes, heat exhaustion and cramps are occuring in more numbers, said Rommel Tikko, senior consultant, department of internal medicine, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket.

The risk of heat-related illness becomes greater as the weather gets hotter and more humid. The human body normally cools itself by perspiration, or sweating, wherein the sweat evaporates and carries heat away from the body. However, when the relative humidity is high, the evaporation rate of sweat is reduced. This means heat is removed from the body at a lower rate.

Viral diseases, respiratory diseases, skin diseases, allergies and a range of diseases triggered by parasites that thrive in hot and humid weather conditions are rising. These diseases have shot up by almost 20% over the past one decade at least, said SP Byotra, head of medicine department, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.

Delhis senior citizens and old timers also claimed that stress level because of weather conditions seems to be going up over the years.

Heat is synonymous to Delhi and central India. But the character of this heat seems to be changing. Earlier, we never used to feel drained out. But now, it is gradually becoming hot and humid, which is taking a toll on us, said Prakash Sharma, who owns a spice stall in Old Delhi.

Even though the level of tolerance varies from person to person, usually heat index less than 35 degrees is considered comfortable. But when it goes beyond 50, it usually becomes stressful and we get exhausted very quickly, said Amit G Dhorde from Pune University.

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The second and third nights of the Big River Chautauqua in Bonne Terre featured two distinguished characters who experienced World War I from different perspectives.

On Friday, Karen Vuranch depicted humanitarian and writer Edith Wharton, while Kevin Culton spoke as General John J. Pershing on Saturday.

Both speakers were introduced by Paul S. Vickery as President Woodrow Wilson. Taking the stage on the second night, Vickery addressed some questions about Wilson before introducing the character of Edith Wharton.

She was kind of our unofficial diplomat there in France, Vickery said as Wilson. And she was an excellent representation of who we are. She also represented the cause of the French very well to us. She was one of the reasons that popular opinion swung towards our getting involved with the war.

Vuranch portrayed a Wharton from 1933, years after World War I and concerned about the looming threat of a similar European war.

I lived through the Great War, Vuranch said. I know the destruction that war can bring. But then, my life has been bracketed by war.

Vuranchs Wharton spoke about being born during the American Civil War and growing up mostly in Europe as a member of an upper class American family. She spoke about her education and interest in literature from a young age, despite her parents discouragement of her writing aspirations.

She led the audience through her early life and marriage, then the subsequent printing of her book penned on the topic of interior design, which soon gained a great amount of fame in America and Europe.

Vuranch then described further success in the realm of fiction and poetry, accumulating a repertoire of poetry, short fiction and novels that continued to earn Wharton a name in the literary world.

Wharton was living in Paris at the outbreak of World War I. She described the growing tensions in France as the war ignited across Europe and as refugees began to arrive in Paris.

Wharton began raising funds to provide aid to those displaced by the Great War.

In 1919, when the war was over, our agency found homes for 9,000 Belgian refugees, she said. We had created jobs for 800 women, and we had served 250,000 hot meals and built eight hospitals.

She spoke of her travels to the frontlines of the war and her appreciation for the soldiers who were tasked with fighting in the dreaded trenches. She spoke of Americas entry into the war, and the eventual defeat of Germany and its allies.

Finally, she spoke about being the first woman awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Literature in 1921 for her novel, "The Age of Innocence."

Speaking out of character, Vuranch said shes been doing Chautauqua performances since 1989 along with teaching college courses and writing her own fiction.

The third night, featuring Kevin Culton as General John J. Pershing, focused on how Pershing came to be the leader of American forces in World War I and how he was successful. Vickerys Wilson introduced Cultons portrayal of Pershing to the stage with a salute.

Basically, we gave him two orders, Wilson said. We told him, Order number one is to get everybody organized and go over there. Order number two is to come back.

Cultons Pershing spoke to the crowd about the generals young days with a goal of becoming a lawyer. Having to take over his familys business at a young age, those goals had to be put on hold.

Eventually, Pershing became a teacher and began attending a training school for teachers. While at the school, Pershing was made aware of an advertisement for an appointment to the West Point Military Academy.

Pershing applied and received the appointment to the academy, planning to use the education to reach his dream of becoming a lawyer. After becoming acquainted with the military life, however, Pershing changed his mind and career path.

He talked about his education and assignment to New Mexico, where he took part in actions against native peoples, whom he gained a deep respect for. In addition to learning from the Native Americans, Pershing learned about military organization on assignment in Cuba, the Philippines and Japan. It was these experiences that shaped Pershing into the perfect candidate to lead American forces in World War I.

Im going to speak tonight, of something Ive never spoken of publicly, he said, before describing his loss of his family in a house fire while he was away on duty.

All of this kind of brings us to where we are today, he said. As to how we became involved in this war over there. I hope Ive explained it so that you can understand that with the war in Cuba, we inherited a status as a world power. We cannot sit on our laurels and let our European allies take the brunt of this.

The third night ended with all of the weekends performers taking the stage together out of character while Culton took questions from the crowd.
A group of 15-odd students of Jawaharlal Nehru University, including members of the students union, staged a protest on Monday against the alleged disciplinary action taken against multiple students for acts of activism.

They burnt documents containing the order that around 10-odd students will not be allowed to register for the new academic session.

The protest meeting, held outside the administrative block of JNU, saw a group of students equivocally condemning the alleged autocratic and authoritarian regime at the university.

They students set fire to the order signed by the chief proctor that claims 14 students have been restricted from registering for the new semester.

The order said they were found guilty of misconduct by a probe committee in two separate incidents.

Students found guilty of unlawfully confining JNU authorities, during the protests following Najeeb Ahmeds disappearance and disrupting Academic Council proceedings, have been barred from registering for the new session unless they pay a fine, a JNU official said.

The list of students includes JNUSU members and Umar Khalid, among others.

Mohit Pandey, who is one of the 14 students and the president of JNUSU, claimed the procedure was against the rules of the university, as they were not allowed to restrict the registrations of any student.

However, officials maintained they were within their rights to do so. In case you are fined, or are found guilty of anything illegal, the university can stop registrations... Students can register when they clear the fines. Two students have already paid the fine, said the official.

JNUSU members have said that they may consider legal recourse, unless the decision is not revoked.
Irrational laws and road safety were at the back of additional sessions judge (ASJ) Sanjeev Kumar mind while he sentenced Utsav Bhasin to two years in jail for 2008 BMW hit-and-run case. ASJ Kumar, who reminded PM Narendra Modi about laws for human death which are not at par with the strict laws on cow deaths, also had some words of advice for parents.

In his order, which he requested be sent to the Prime Minister, the judge quoted the words often seen at the back of auto-rickshaws: Papa, please come back home early. The judge observed that it was a touching gesture and said that it is also the responsibility of families, parents to raise awareness among children about road safety as there is an accident every minute in this country.

Read: Survivor remembers dead friends wish to make a film like Rock On

The judge said he hoped that when the prime minister releases the achievements of his government on its fourth year anniversary, steps to enhance sentence under section 304A  death caused by negligence, for which the businessmans son was convicted  will be included in the list.

On Saturday, the judge sentenced Bhasin, the son of a Haryana businessman, to two years imprisonment and a compensation of Rs 12 lakh. In his order, where he noted that sentencing policy for some offences are not rational because offences such as cheque bouncing and killing a human is only two years while the sentence for killing a cow is five, seven or 14 years in different states.

Read: 14 years in jail if you kill cow, 2 if you kill people: Judge in BMW case

While requesting the prime minister to enhance punishment for human death, he quoted the words of poet Ramavtar Tyagi: Aadmi chahe toh taqdeer badal sakte hai, poori duniya ki woh tasveer badal sakte hai, aadmi soch toh le uska irada kya hai (Humankind can change its fate if it wants to, can change the entire picture of the world if it wants to, as long as there is a strong resolve to do so).

The poets words were used in a song in the 1975 Bollywood movie Jindagi aur Toofan.

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The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) claimed on Monday that few Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislators cross-voted in favour of NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind, which was a signal to the upheaval in the Arvind Kejriwal-led party.

Leader of opposition Vijender Gupta, who was the polling agent for Kovind, said that AAP MLAs were deeply anguished with the stand taken by its top leadership.

The party had always stood against the Congress. But the Presidential election brought the party in line with the Congress and United Progressive Alliance (UPA). A number of MLAs had already threatened to vote against the UPA candidate. Having realised the same, Kejriwal thought it would be better to give freedom to his MLAs and asked them to vote as per their conscience, Gupta said after the polling closed.

Soon after the voting started, BJP legislator OP Sharma claimed that at least 10-12 AAP legislators were likely to vote for the NDA candidate and it will become clear after the votes are counted on July 20.

Replying to a specific question over the BJPs claims, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said, We are supporting Meira Kumar (opposition candidate)  all should vote according to their conscience.

While BJPs claims will be tested after the counting of votes, sacked AAP minister Kapil Mishra said he voted for the candidate who is all set to be the next president.

Gupta claimed that Kejriwal himself was annoyed with Congress and UPA leadership because they were never invited in the meetings to discuss the election. The UPA went to the extent of not nominating any polling agent for Meira Kumar in Delhi Vidhan Sabha, he added.
Voting for the Presidential polls concluded at the Delhi Assembly, with 67 out of 69 eligible legislators in the 70-member House exercising their franchise on Monday.

Two Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislators  Saurabh Bharadwaj and Devender Shehrawat  did not turn up to cast their votes, said election commission officials after the polling ended.

Party functionaries said Bhardwaj could not vote as he is abroad, while MLA Shehrawat, who was suspended from the AAP in September last year for anti-party activities, said he was in Delhi, but chose not to vote in order to register his protest as the party and the government were working with a bias against his assembly seat.

I did not vote in the Presidential election to draw attention of the party towards its policy of bias against the Bijawasan constituency. The Delhi Jal Board has recently stalled a sewage project in my constituency despite the fact that it was being funded under the Centres Atal Bihari Urban Improvement Scheme. Unlike other constituencies, funds are not being allocated by the DSIIDC (Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation) in Bijwasan, Shehrawat said, adding that the government has failed to allot him an office in his constituency despite repeated requests.

There are 65 AAP MLAs in the Delhi Assembly, while the opposition BJP has four. One seat is lying vacant since March since AAP legislator Ved Parkash quit his party membership to join the BJP.

Voting in Delhi Assembly started on a slow pace on Monday. While three BJP MLAs, including leader of opposition Vijender Gupta, were the first to exercise their franchise soon after voting started at 10 am, former AAP minister Kapil Mishra was the first from the ruling party to cast his vote. Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia was next.

Voting gathered steam around noon after chief minister Arvind Kejriwal arrived to cast his vote and was welcomed by speaker Ram Niwas Goel and a batch of other AAP MLAs. AAP legislator Pankaj Pushkar was the last to exercise his franchise, about 20 minutes before the polling closed at 5 pm.

Speaking to reporters after casting his vote, Delhi labour minister Gopal Rai said that though the numbers are with NDAs (National Democratic Alliance) Presidential candidate in the country, the situation is different in Delhi.

In Delhi, the MLAs are with Meira Kumar. We need to protect the democratic values, Rai said.
Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia was one of the first few MLAs to reach the Delhi assembly on Monday morning to vote for the presidential election. The AAP senior leader voted at around 10.20am, minutes after voting started across the country at 10am. A BJP MLA, meanwhile, claimed that at least 10-12 AAP MLAs would cross-vote.

Outside the Delhi Vidhan Sabha, Sisodia told reporters, More than who wins, its important that the country wins.

Sacked AAP leader Kapil Mishra, who was also a Delhi cabinet minister, was among those who came in early to vote. Mishra, who spoke to reporters outside the assembly, said, My vote went out to the one who is all set to become the President.

Live update: Ram Nath Kovind, Meira Kumar in contest, election begins for Indias next President

Room number 31 in the state assembly has been converted to a polling booth for Monday. Two of the four BJP MLAs OP Sharma and Jagdish Pradhan also voted early.

The NDA will with a huge margin because at least 10-12 AAP MLAs who are unhappy with the Arvind Kejriwal will cross vote in favour of Ram Nath Kovind, said BJP MLA Sharma. Responding to reports of AAP MLAs cross-voting, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said, The MLAs should follow their conscience while voting. In democracy whoever has the number wins. We are supporting Meira Kumar.

BJP MLAs OP Sharma and Jagdish Pradhan at Delhi Vidhan Sabha on Monday. (HT Photo)

The voting at the state assembly will be held till 5pm. A total of 69 legislators  65 from the AAP and three from the BJP  will vote for the two presidential candidates Ram Nath Kovind and Meira Kumar.

Kovind, former Bihar governor, is the National Democratic Alliances (NDA) candidate while former speaker Meira Kumar is the oppositions candidate.

The AAP is supporting Meira Kumar, who if elected could be the second woman President of the country. Following a meeting of its political affairs committee, the party has reportedly decided to back Kumar. Kumar also met the party chief and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday. She also tweeted a photograph of their meeting.

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We in India love our cinema and wear the film critics hat with ease. Thats a good sign of the freedom of speech and, at times, even reflects the maturity of the audience we are. The problem is when some take the job of the censor board upon themselves and judge whether one of the other film should be shown or whether a scenes or words should be deleted. Or indeed, whether the whole subject is unsuitable.

And this is one of the many problems Hindi filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar is facing these days. His film Indu Sarkar, based on the 21-month Emergency between 1975 and 1977 imposed by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, has run into opposition from the Congress, which is demanding that the film be screened first to them before it is sent to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). Party members are concerned about the depiction of their leaders in the film, and thus the disruption of the films press conferences. So much for freedom of expression.

Why is it that organisations  cultural, religious, and especially political  and even governments are so sensitive when it comes to the depiction of its leaders? Why is it that they are so thin-skinned? India has had many tall leaders and yet why is it that a true depiction of them is missing from popular culture? Why is it that a culture of concealing or glossing over the shortcomings of our leaders is encouraged? Mahatma Gandhi, with his unquestionable contribution towards the formation of modern India, was not a perfect human being. And, some argue, that it is those shortcomings that enhance his greatness. Why is it difficult for many to realise that their leaders are/were also human, with all the accompanying frailties? This hypersensitivity that stymies true depictions of our leaders must stop. On the contrary, we often resort to hagiographies that give a distorted recollection of history.

Though Mr Bhandarkar has stressed that about 70% of his film is fiction, the multiple fronts at which the filmmaker is being attacked is a good pointer as to why seldom Indian filmmakers, especially mainstream filmmakers, venture into making biographies or historical drama in a serious manner.

Movies are not necessarily accurate depictions of individuals and events  for that we have documentaries. But where such movies become important is that they recreate events, and open leaders and events to discussions and debates. And it is through such debates that posterity attains a better understanding of history. We cannot, and must not, block any attempt that leads to it.
Barely two months after chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh expressed his displeasure at just 57% pass percentage in Class-10 exams in the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB), questions are being raised on the quality of toppers as well.

Sample this: Only around half (50%) of Class-10 toppers (students with a score of 80% and above) who applied for a seat at 10 government-run Meritorious Schools in the state have cleared the entrance test for admission to Class-11 this year.

WHAT ARE MERITORIOUS SCHOOLS A brainchild of former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, these schools were started in 2014 on the lines of Bihars famed Super-30. Only students scoring 80% and above in the PSEB are eligible to take the entrance test. There are 10 schools, affiliated to the PSEB, offering admission in Class 11. The aim is to place deserving students in professional colleges at the national level and train them, free of cost. The schools, that offer 4,100 seats, are located in Amritsar, Bhatinda, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Mohali, Ferozepur and Sangrur.

A brainchild of former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, these schools were started in 2014 on the lines of Bihars famed Super-30. The schools aim to nurture bright matriculates from government schools and prepare them for admission to professional colleges after Class 12, free of cost.

The government spends Rs 40 crore a year on these schools that offer 4,100 seats. This year, only 2,700 students have qualified.

In the entrance test, most of the 5,000 students who took the test could not answer questions like What is the plural of fish; Name the biggest planet in the Universe and so on. The passing marks at the entrance test were 33%. The test comprises 50-mark papers each, in English, maths and science.

The authorities will now conduct a re-test on August 2 only to accommodate the less competent students, sources said. The test was re-conducted last year as well, with 1,400 seats going vacant.

An officer of the society that runs Meritorious Schools told HT that even of 2,700 students who have qualified, most have scored less than 70 marks on 150.

Ludhiana produced the largest number of students with 80% or more, but also has the largest failure rate.

PURPOSE DEFEATED

The idea was to groom backward and poor, but deserving students and to train them to gain entry to professional courses. However, many undeserving students are getting in, defeating the purpose of setting up of these schools, said former vice-chancellor of Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU) Prof Ajaib Singh Brar. Brar had suggested the concept to Badal.

MASS COPYING A REASON?

A search for reasons and several conversations with teachers revealed that mass copying and the policy of no-detention policy (now in the process of being phased out) till Class-8 has led to the situation.

You cannot fail students till Class 8. Many schools are short off staff and where the teachers strength is good they are deployed in non-teaching work like elections, population surveys etc, a teacher from Hoshirpur district said.

She added, On top of this, you have a system where the ACR of a teacher is based on the results. Mass copying then results, she claimed

DGSE SHOWS CONCERN

Director general, school education, Punjab Parshant Kumar Goyal said, We are concerned. I have ordered officers to check if the question paper in the entrance was tough or is the students performance poor.

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After the revision in class 10 schoolbooks, the University of Rajasthans (RU) history department is set to include a book that projects Rajput king Maharana Pratap as a victor in the 1576 Battle of Haldigati against Mughal emperor Akbars forces.

Historical evidence shows that Pratap had fled the battlefield with more casualties on his side and later continued his guerrilla warfare against the Mughals. The dominant view about the battle so far has been in favour of the Mughal army.

But those who dispute the dominant view, including the revised history schoolbook, say that the Mughal armys failure in capturing or killing Maharana Pratap, its decision to not pursue Prataps army after he fled, and Akbars displeasure with his generals Man Singh and Asaf Khan prove that Pratap prevailed in the war.

School education minister Vasudev Devnani had in March this year questioned Akbars victory asking why he attacked Mewar six times if he won the battle, and pronounced the Rajput king the victor.

The history department of RU, in a meeting of its board of studies last month, decided to include Dr Chandra Shekhar Sharmas Rashtra-Ratna Maharana Pratap in the list of recommended readings in the paper Rajasthan Through the Ages in the second semester of MA History.

Sharmas book, according to the minutes of the meeting, has a fresh interpretation of Maharana Pratap, and projects him as a great freedom fighter, besides projecting him as a victor in the battle of Haldighati.

The board also decided to include a topic Debate on the outcome of the Battle of Haldighati in the topics to be covered under the paper.

The universitys academic council subsequently approved the boards decisions, which means students shall be studying the revised syllabus from this year onwards.

The idea to teach Akbars defeat in the university was first mooted by a BJP MLA Mohan Lal Gupta, also a member of the universitys syndicate, in a meeting of the syndicate in February this year.

The MLA had suggested that a book Atit se Sakshatkar by Onkar Singh Lakhawat and another one by Prof KS Gupta on the Haldighati battle be included in the syllabus.

Lakhawat, however, wrote to the department that he has neither authored nor edited any book by that title. Prof Gupta too had not written any book on the topic but said he has written some research papers.

After deliberations, the board felt there is a need to know the latest researches on Maharana Pratap and the battle of Haldighati, and Dr Chandra Shekhar Sharmas book was included in the syllabus.

Under the BJP government in the state, several schoolbooks have been rewritten to promote its parent RSSs saffron ideology.

Hindutva ideologue Savarkar gained prominence while Nehru and Gandhi were relegated to periphery, and rival Congress was termed a nurtured baby of the British, among other changes.

BJP leaders have said that students were being taught distorted versions of history earlier, and it was only bringing those leaders to the fore who were deliberately ignored by Communist historians.

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The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) proposes to hold the finals for classes 10 and 12 on same dates in two shifts, a move that will reduce the examination period and give teachers extra time to check answer-scripts more thoroughly.

The new plan was designed after the board met principals of some of the top schools in New Delhi and its satellite cities.

The CBSE, which has two panels committees to suggest ways to improve the system, will review the suggestions before a final decision is taken.

The countrys largest school board that has more than 18,000 institutions affiliated to it holds the two exams usually from March 1, barring exceptions such as this years state assembly elections that delayed the test by more than a week.

The exams run close to 45 days because of an array of subjects and separate time-tables for the two classes.

The plan to set common dates for both exams, with Class 12 in the morning and Class 10 in the afternoon, is likely to decrease the overall duration of the finals.

At present, exams are not held in the afternoon.

The reduced number of exam days will give evaluators  a pool of schoolteachers selected by the CBSE  more time to check the answer-scripts of students before the results are declared in May.

The teachers usually get a small window to check the answers, given the sheer size of the number of examinees.

More than a million students wrote the Class 12 exam this year.

By conducting Class 12 and 10 exams on the same day we can reduce the examination period and provide more time to the evaluators, a senior board official said.

The CBSE has drawn criticism for its evaluation system as several students complained of variation in marks after asking the board for a relook.

The board said it took extra care to cut faults, but the possibility of human error cannot be ruled out in calculating the marks, putting them on answer-scripts and feeding them manually in computers.

Efforts are made to further improve the system, the official said. The meeting with principals was called to gather views before deciding anything on the evaluation and examination system, the official said.

According to sources, most principals were against reevaluation or rechecking of answer-scripts, but wont mind verification of marks.

A longer evaluation period will be better for students. This will give teachers more time to look at the answer sheets, maybe more teachers can look at them. This will ensure fewer errors, a principal said.

Another principal said we have assured the board we will send our best teachers to check answers.

It has also been suggested that the board should ask students to suggest teachers who could be good evaluators. Another suggestion is to increase the remuneration of evaluators, at least by 20%, and to set a figure as to how many copies they need to check.

We are looking at restricting the number of copies that can be evaluated by a person in six hours so that quality is maintained, the CBSE official said.

(Inputs from A Mariyam Alavi in New Delhi)

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With the Union ministry of human resource development (MHRD) releasing just half of the budget allocated under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), child-centred activities in UT government schools have been suffering.

Implementation of self-defence training, remedial teaching and other components that are given the go-ahead by the Project Approval Board (PAB) were affected last year due to fund crunch.

Sources say this year, too, children will have to suffer too.

In 2015-16, the PAB, which is under the MHRD, released only 60% of the approved budget to UT. Against the allocation of Rs 59 crore, only Rs 35 crore were disbursed. The balance, Rs 24 crore, never came.

In 2016-17, the PAB had approved Rs 65 crore budget under the SSA. But the amount disbursed to UT was just 50%: Rs 33 crore. Now, in 2017-18, once again the UT has received only 45% of the sanctioned Rs 68 crore in the first instalment, even as it had requested for at least 60%.

SHARING PATTERN REVISED, NO CHANGE ON GROUND

Till 2015-16, the Centre and state/ UT used to share the SSA burden in the ratio of 60:40.

In October 2015, the Centre revised the sharing pattern and decided to take 100% responsibility of UTs. It was also decided that the notification will be applicable from start of the financial year: April 1, 2015.

However, the MHRD released only 60% of the amount.

As a result, many child-centric activities could not be performed at UT government schools.

The education department, in fact, had to release salaries of 1,000 teachers working under the SSA out of the state budget. For it, it had to take Rs 23-crore loan from the Chandigarh Housing Board and Chandigarh Renewal Energy and Science & Technology (CREST).

The SSA teachers welfare association protested twice and also sent a legal notice to the UT administration, finance ministry and MHRD in February 2017. The association also took up the issue with the member of Parliament Kirron Kher.

In March 2017, the UT administrator wrote to the HRD minister to release 100% of the allocated budget to Chandigarh.

AND ITS SAME OLD STORY THIS YEAR

The MHRD ministry promised to give 60% of the budget for meeting the SSA expenses up to October 2017.

But in the first instalment only Rs 31 crore of Rs 68 crore were released.

UT education secretary KK Jindal said: the Centre has assured us of the release of the remaining amount. None of the activities will suffer. Funds have already started coming in.

Already, teachers are awaiting their salaries for May and June besides 10% of the dues for April.

If MHRD fails to release the remaining amount before October, 850 teachers may suffer in September and October as well.

Now the education department will have to pick and choose: whether to give the salaries or to organise activities for children, said Arvind Rana, president of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan teachers welfare association. Both cant be done with just 45% of the amount. Last year, too, children were deprived of important activities, including remedial classes in Classes 6-8.

Rana said with the next instalment being released in November, the department will have to struggle again.

BUDGET ALLOCATION

Intro: Earlier 60%, the Centres share under SSA was enhanced to 100% in 2015

Fiscal Allocated Released Share

2015-16 59 cr 35 cr 60%

2016-17 65 cr 33 cr 50%

2017-18 68 cr 31 cr 45% (first instalment)

Caption: Due to fund crunch, implementation of self-defence training, remedial teaching and other child-centric components under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan are being hampered at government schools in Chandigarh. HT file

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State Representative Mike Henderson, R-Bonne Terre, touted the importance of having a balanced state budget when he spoke before the Desloge Chamber of Commerce at its monthly investors luncheon held Tuesday at city hall.

In his introduction, Henderson, who represents the 117th district, noted that he had spoken recently at the Bonne Terre Chamber of Commerce luncheon.

"I want to apologize to some of you who probably have heard some of this at Bonne Terre," he said. "A lot of things haven't changed in Jeff City since I spoke at Bonne Terre about a week, week-and-a-half ago."

Henderson spoke about the $27.8 million Missouri state budget and the fact that only $8 to $9 billion of it is discretionary. "The rest of it is pretty much locked into what you are going to do with it," he said. "It's not like you have $27.8 billion and can spend it anywhere and anyway you want."

Despite that, Henderson stressed that the state of Missouri is in much better financial shape than its next door neighbor, Illinois.

"I'll say this  you're lucky to be in Missouri," he said. "I don't know how many of you have kept up, but Illinois right now has $240 billion in unfunded pensions and they're in debt almost $20 billion. They've just raised taxes 33 percent.

"Now, just think about that for a second. They raised taxes 33 percent to get to a balanced budget and then they had $240 billion in unfunded pension plans, which means they're not every going to fund them. I don't know what they're going to do  if the pensions will go under and the people won't get their pensions. That'll be up to the courts.

"That'll be a mess and they still have $20-$25 billion in bills that they have not paid and they're going to have to try to pay those bills. That's because their constitution lets them have an unbalanced budget. They can spend more than they take in  just like the federal government.

"Never ever, ever let them change it in Missouri ... and it would take a constitutional amendment. You may hear about things that get cut  'I can't believe they cut this, I can't believe they cut that. They shouldn't have taken money away from here.' And it is bad, but the bottom line that it's protecting you to have a balanced budget.

"You can have a balanced budget and do all those things that everybody wants you to do, but who pays for it in the end? You all are going to pay for it in the end because they'll raise taxes. That's the only way you can do it and keep expanding all those programs."

While Henderson said he didn't see any move to change the law regarding the state's mandated balanced budget, but that doesn't mean it couldn't happen sometime in the future.

"At some point somebody will probably put that on the ballot  maybe during your lifetime  to take that requirement off so we can offer more services. We never want that to get away. They just came out with a list of the most fiscally responsible states in the country and we came in 11th. Now, no one wants to say, 'All right, we're number 11,' but we were very, very close to the top five in the numbers  and out of 50 states  that's not bad."

Following Henderson's presentation, board member Dave Shaw reminded the investors that this year's Desloge Labor Day Picnic is coming up soon.

"Planning for the picnic is going strong," he said. "Please let [Executive Director Loni Ruediger] know if you or your company would like to volunteer and what days and times you have available. Your help is much appreciated and we could not put this picnic on without you."

Shaw also made mention of a long-time board member and former chamber president who will no longer be able to serve.

"We are sorry to lose Chuck Odle as a board member due to work conflicts in his job," he said. "He has been a huge asset to our chamber board and we will miss him and his valuable contributions.

"We hope he will be able to still be part of this community and continue to support the chamber with his knowledge of the Labor Day Picnic and all of the other events that the chamber hosts."

The next Desloge chamber investors luncheon is set for Aug. 1. Ruediger said that, while she believed the meeting will occur at city hall, she will confirm the location later this month.
The new academic session at Delhi University (DU) begins on July 20. And freshers have mixed feelings  nervousness about whether theyll fit in and excitement to step into a more chilled-out phase of their lives. Some even fear being bullied. But heres what: From the various college authorities and societies to student political parties and even the Delhi Police, everyone is working towards ensuring a smooth run for the anxious fuchchas.

Well welcome the freshers with chocolates and roses, and brief them about the syllabus and course details, as there are minor changes in the syllabus every year that freshers dont usually know of, says Shauryaveer Singh, a student of Campus Law Centre and a member of National Students Union of India (NSUI).

For safety and a ragging-free campus, the student political wing has made a list of locations where CCTV cameras are required. University is planning to install cameras in the campus premises and have asked for recommendations as to where they should be installed. We have noted down 23 locations to ensure security, especially for the girls, adds Singh.

Some drama always helps! So, besides orientation programmes, fuchchas can expect anti-ragging plays on campus. Dr Rama, principal of Hans Raj College, shares, The seniors students will stage plays on the anti-ragging theme. A committee of teachers will also monitor the college premises. She adds, No one will be able to bully anyone and if any student faces any issue, they can contact me without any hesitation.

Above all, Delhi Police plans to tighten vigilance. We will deploy more female officers, dressed in casuals, in the campus. Women helpdesks will be established at Arts Faculty, Miranda House, Ramjas College, Kirori Mal College and Hans Raj College. We will coordinate with the anti-ragging committees of each college and department, says Jatin Narwal, Deputy Commissioner of Police (North).

More so, the Delhi Metro has been requested to make announcements in trains and stations about DU being intolerant towards ragging, reads a release issued by the varsity.

Follow @htshowbiz for more

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After five rounds of seat allocation at Indian Institutes of Technology, one seat - at IIT Bhubaneswar - remained unclaimed. Close to 421 seats were vacant across all engineering institutes.

In the latest round, which ended on Sunday, about 69 seats from various IITs allotted in previous rounds and not accepted by students were reassigned. Most of the seats were from IIT-Kharagpur, IIT (BHU) Varanasi, Indian School of Mines (ISM) Dhanbad and IIT-Tirupati, among others.

All seats were taken up in IIT-Bombay after the second round of allotment.

Since students are allowed to withdraw admissions till the sixth round, many seats remain vacant still. We have two more rounds after this and hopefully there will be no vacancy this year, said an official from the Joint Entrance Examination-Advanced (JEE-Adv) office.

This is the third year when Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA) is conducting admissions for IITs, National Institutes of Technology (NITs), Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs) and other Government Funded Technical Institutes (GFTIs).

About seven rounds of seat allotment will take place this year. Last year, 76 seats remained vacant across IITs after six rounds.

No withdrawal of admission will be allowed in the seventh and final round, and we hope no seats will remain vacant till then, an official from JoSAA said. The sixth and seventh round of seat allotment will be announced on July 18 and July 21, respectively.

After the fifth round of allocation, close to 421 seats still remain vacant across all institutes, including one in IIT-Bhubaneswar. About the latter, a JoSAA official said,This particular seat is in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category and there seems to be no candidate eligible for the seat anymore, therefore it is not being allotted.

There are 36,208 seats available across 97 institutes including all IITs, NITs, IIITs as well as GFTI (Government Funded Technical Institutes) . Of these 10,988 seats are in IITs.

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One labourer died, another one was seriously injured and a third had a narrow escape after they were trapped in the soil while digging for a sewer pipe of the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) in Sector 43 on Monday evening.

The labourers fell into a pit, almost 15-20 feet deep, that they had dug to lay the sewer pipeline, the fire department officials said. The work was being carried out by a contractor hired by the MCG.

All three labourers, aged around 20, were from Bihar and the injured was admitted to Paras Hospital where he is undergoing treatment.

The deceased has been identified as 20-year-old Santosh from BeguSarai, Bihar and the injured labourer is Shintu from Vaishali, Gaurav Kumar, station house officer (SHO) of the Sushant Lok police station said.

The third worker was rescued by the public before the firefighters arrived, Lalit Kumar, assistant fire officer, said.

The incident happened around 4.50 pm and the police and fire officials immediately rushed to the spot.

All three were in the pit, which was at least 20 feet deep, and the loose soil fell on them. One of them had his legs stuck in the soil and was pulled out by rescuers. Another was seriously injured and was stuck at least 10 feet inside the soil, Kumar said.

The victim was buried under the soil and his neck fell on the spade with which he had been digging the surface, Kumar said.

Sushant Lok SHO Gaurav Kumar said that the digging started on Monday. The police detained the operator of the earth moving machine and the supervisor from the site immediately after the incident.

Read I District administration alerted about labourers being used for currency exchange in Gurgaon

The contract for digging the pit for the sewer line was awarded to Rajesh Kumar.

Gopal Kalawat, a former engineer of MCG said that the work had been recently been assigned to the private contractor and neither the MCG nor the contractor was really at fault.

This was an accident and we will try our best to compensate (the victims family), he said.

Jitender Singh Chauhan, BJPs district media coordinator, said the contractor has been asked to compensate the family of the deceased.

The victims family will be given a compensation package of about 2 lakh. The family has agreed to accept it. The contractor will bear the expenses for his funeral in Bihar, said Chauhan, who mediated during a meeting between the labourers and the contractor in the wake of the incident.

The victims body will be kept in the mortuary till his family members arrive . No police case has been registered till now.
The first half of 2017 has seen a spurt in the number of deaths and infections caused by Influenza A (H1N1), popularly referred to as swine flu in India.

Till July 9, H1N1 affected 12,460 people and caused 600 deaths as against 1,786 infections and 265 deaths in the whole of last year.

Experts are also alarmed at the number is high among young adults. About 40% of the deaths and 50% of the infections are among people in the 20-50 years age group, with no co-morbid conditions.

Dr Pradeep Awate, state surveillance officer, Maharashtra, said this could be because young people move a lot, and are therefore vulnerable to swine flu, which is an air-borne infection. His state has topped the list in the country with 2,324 cases and 284 deaths so far.

Authorities blamed it on indiscriminate testing  even when unnecessary  by private laboratories.

Flu outbreaks offer people a herd immunity that lasts for a year or two. Since Maharashtra had fewer cases in 2016, there is a higher number this year, Dr Awate said.

What is encouraging, according to experts, is that the situation no longer demands isolating H1N1-positive people as was done to contain the spread in 2009, when the virus was new to India and affected close to 50,000 people and killed more than 2,700.

Antigenic Shift

The National Institute of Virology, Pune, ruled out mutation theory and some experts believe that the jump in numbers could be attributed to two factors: antigenic drift and the spread of a different strain (sub-type of virus) of H1N1 virus.

According to the US Centres of Disease Control, antigenic drift are small changes in the genes of influenza viruses that happen continually over time as the virus replicates. These small genetic changes usually produce viruses that are closely related to one another and an immune system exposed to a similar virus will usually recognise it and respond. But these small genetic changes can accumulate over time and result in viruses that are anti-genically different.... When this happens, the bodys immune system may not recognise those viruses.

Dr Chand Wattal, honorary consultant in clinical microbiology at New Delhis Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, however, said antigenic drift was not a major issue. If the virus mutates, then we consider it a problem.

The Michigan Strain

On the other hand, the studies point towards a new strain of H1N1 virus: the Michigan strain, which has been in circulation since the end of 2016 and has replaced the earlier California strain.

NIV says it is not more virulent than the California strain. Before the H1N1 came to India in 2009, H3N2 was the dominant flu strain since 1919. Now it is H1N1, and till everyone has immunity, waxing and waning of cases and deaths will happen, said a researcher from National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

Also, if we compare deaths reported due to communicable diseases such as TB or diarrhoea, the swine flu-related deaths are much lower, he said. The World Health Organisation has also recommended a vaccine for the new strain, named as A/Michigan/45/2015 to replace A/California/7/2009.

Testing for Flu

The governments guidelines do not recommend anyone with fever to be randomly tested, and divides cases in three categories  a, b and c, wherein category a is of people who experience mild symptoms, category b is people with moderate symptoms and c are those with severe symptoms. They recommended use of medicines in category b and c patients, as those with mild symptoms are capable of recovering at home with symptomatic treatment, and treatment if symptoms are serious and the person has difficulty breathing.

Vaccines and Medicines

On the new vaccine recommended by WHO, Dr Soumya Swaminathan, director of the Indian Council of Medical Research said it was needed as the current one may be ineffective.

Though no vaccine provides 100% protection, it is advisable to take a shot if one is at high risk, especially if suffering from diabetes, hypertension, on immunosuppressants, cancer treatment, etc.

The Drug Controller General of India (DGCI) recently eased norms for the sale of anti-viral medicine Oseltamivir and Zanamivir, which are used to treat H1N1.

The sale so far was restricted to only a handful of chemists until now, but the new notification allows more pharmacies to sell the medicine. However, a signed and stamped prescription from a registered medical practitioner is still needed to buy the medicine over the counter.

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A five-year-old girl and a soldier were killed in heavy Pakistan firing along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, forcing India to warn the neighbouring country it reserved the right to hit back.

A soldier and two civilians were also injured in the intense shelling on Indian posts and villages in Rajouri and Poonch districts, affecting around 5,000 people as authorities sounded an alert, asking residents to stay indoors, and closed at least 16 schools indefinitely.

Lt Gen AK Bhat, director general of military operations (DGMO), told his Pakistani counterpart that the Indian Army reserved the right to retaliate as all ceasefire violations were initiated by Pakistan.

The two DGMOs usually speak on Tuesdays but this unscheduled conversation took place on the request of the Pakistani side in face of increased ceasefire violations, sources said.

Naik Muddasar Ahmed (37) of the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JAKLI), was grievously injured when mortar shells landed on his bunker in Bhimber Gali sector, the army said in a statement. He was taken to a hospital but couldnt be saved.

The native of Tral in Pulwama in southern Kashmir is survived by his wife and two children. The army said the nation will always remain indebted to him for the supreme sacrifice.

Another JAKLI jawan, Naik Firdous, was severely injured in Poonchs Balakote, sources said.

Five-year-old Saida Kafeel Kouser was killed when a shell landed on her house in Balakote.

Two Rajouri residents, Shah Begum, wife of Mohammed Sharief of Panjgrain and Sharief Ahmed were also injured in the shelling.

The Pakistani side started firing indiscriminately at around 7.30am, targeting the Bhimber Gali sector, defence spokesman Lt Col Manish Mehta said, adding the Indian side was retaliating strongly.

Schools shut; 120 students stuck in Rajouri

The firing was so intense that the Rajouri administration closed at least 16 schools near the de facto border.

Rajouri deputy commissioner Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary told Hindustan Times that heavy mortar shelling was reported in forward areas of tehsil Manjakote in Rajouri at 8. 30 am on Monday.

A population of 4,500-5,000 in villages of Panjgrain, Rajdhani and Naika among others was affected, he said.

While schools were closed early morning, 120 students were held up in government school at Panjgrain as the shelling was on. They were evacuated safely by senior police officers, he added.

The Rajouri district administration has made arrangements for establishment of camps in case the situation flared up.

First aid medicines, tents, ration and other requisite items have been rushed as reserve.

Dr Shahid said the schools closed for an indefinite period include primary schools in Sharmabasti, Korapani, Nangal, Tadyalla, Chakwa, Trutta Dhara, Mahal Rajdhani, Kalvatra Mohalla, Lal Beig, Rependi, Kotedhar, Chakli, middle schools in Naika, Kundinakkar, Paryali, Lambibari and high schools in Khorinar and Dhar.

An alert has been sounded and the people have been advised to stay indoors. Schools at Ghambir Brahmna, Kakora, Manjakote, Panchayat Ghar and other locations have been notified as camps, he said.

This summer, there has been a heavy exchange of fire along the LoC that has left many soldiers and civilians dead on both sides.

On July 12, two Indian soldiers were killed in Kupwara sector.

The two countries had in November 2003 agreed to hold fire along the LoC but violations have intensified since 2016 as relations have nosedived.

5 Pakistani soldiers dead

Five Pakistani soldiers were killed when their vehicle fell into a river in the Neelum Valley after it was targeted by the Indian Army.

The vehicle carrying five soldiers fell into the Neelum river on Sunday, ISPR, the publicity wing of the Pakistani army, posted on its website. Body of one of the soldiers was found and a search was on for others, it said.

(With agency inputs)

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Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu is set to become Indias next vice president, having been named by the Bharatiya Janata Party as the ruling alliances candidate on Monday.

He will go into the August 5 election with a clear advantage over the oppositions candidate Gopalkrishna Gandhi.

The vice president is selected by an electoral college of 790 parliamentarians from both houses, where the National Democratic Alliance  the BJP and its partners  form a majority with 410 members.

He is one of the most senior and experienced leaders across party lines, BJP chief Amit Shah said after a meeting of the partys parliamentary board that cleared his name. He has more than 25 years of experience in public life.

I know @MVenkaiahNaidu Garu for years. Have always admired his hardwork & tenacity. A fitting candidate for the office of Vice President.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 17, 2017

A farmers son, @MVenkaiahNaidu Garu brings years of experience in public life and is admired across the political spectrum.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 17, 2017

The years of Parliamentary experience @MVenkaiahNaidu Garu has will help him discharge the important role of Rajya Sabha Chairperson.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 17, 2017

Late on Monday night, Naidu resigned from the urban development, housing and poverty alleviation, and information & broadcasting ministries in the Union government. He will also have to resign from the Upper House to run for the post of vice president.

The BJP is my mother. I feel like I am leaving my mother, Naidu told Hindustan Times.

According to sources, Modi spoke to JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar, Telugu Desam Party president Chandrababu Naidu and Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar for support. Kumar has already pledged support to Gandhi.

Two sets of nomination papers in support of Naidus candidature will be filed tomorrow  the last day of nomination. Prime Minister Modi, Union home minister Rajnath Singh, finance minister Arun Jaitley and external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj will propose Naidus name.

In addition to Naidus long legislative experience  he is a four-term member of Rajya Sabha it is the BJPs expansion plans for the Southern India that is understood to have influenced the decision in favour of the Andhra politician.

Opposition parties have managed to block several bills in the Rajya Sabha, where the government is in a minority. The ruling alliance was, therefore, keen on nominating someone with experience who can help steer bills by building consensus in the Upper House.

The NDAs relationship with current chairman Hamid Ansari was never warm.

The BJP will become the single largest party in Rajya Sabha next year when elections for 58 RS berths, including 10 from Uttar Pradesh, are held in May.

Before Mondays meeting, Naidu met Prime Minister Modi and BJP chief Shah in the morning and they communicated to him the partys decision. A formal announcement was made after the BJPs parliamentary board meeting.

The PM, sources told HT, told Naidu that letting him go was a personal loss, but the party wanted to benefit from his long legislative experience in the upper house of which he will become the chairman after being elected as the vice president.

The Andhra politician, sources said, was reluctant to take up the job that will mean an end to his active political career. But Modi eventually persuaded him, they said.

Naidu was a minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. A student of law in college, Naidu is the second BJP leader, after Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, to occupy the post of the vice president. He became the BJPs president in 2003 at an early age of 54.

Naidu was associated with the RSSs student wing in his early days, and served as the president of Andhra University Students Union. He was elected to the legislative assembly of Andhra Pradesh in 1978 and, again, in 1983.

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The unnatural death of predecessor Kalikho Pul returned to haunt Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu on Monday as his government that changed three party colours completed a year in office amid a black day protest.

The milestone is personal for Khandu, as his government wearing the Bharatiya Janata Partys saffron has more than five months to go to complete a year.

The chief minister had first headed a Congress government that switched over to the regional Peoples Party of Arunachal (PPA) and then to BJP on December 31 last year.

The Mere Vichaar Andolan Committee (MVAC) on Monday observed black day to mark Khandus one year in power and staged a demonstration in state capital Itanagar.

The committee, named after Puls 60-page suicide note titled Mere Vichaar that blamed Supreme Court judges and a few Arunachal Pradesh politicians for driving him to death, has been demanding a probe into the events that made Pul sacrifice his life.

Pul was found hanging in the chief ministers bungalow on August 9 last year.

Even after the 2019 assembly election, July 17 will always be a Black Day and August 9 a Suicide Day for us unless Khandu and his deputy Chowna Mein quit, MVAC convenor Kaling Tasingh said.

Khandus reign since July 17 last year, though, has been fairly uneventful compared to the preceding 12 months that saw power changing hands thrice with a dose of Presidents Rule (PR) in between.

The frontier state had been experiencing political turbulence since October 2015, when former chief minister Nabam Tuki removed Pul as finance minister. Pul mobilised the MLAs and revolted against Tuki, and the ensuing political drama led to the imposition of PR in the state on January 26 last year.

PR was lifted on February 19 to pave the way for Pul to head a rebel Congress government that wore the regional PPA colour a month later.

But the Supreme Court reinstated Tukis Congress government on July 13. Tuki took over charge only to resign and make way for Khandu days later.

On Sunday, Khandu launched a campaign to root out corruption in the state by asking bureaucrats and police officers to compulsorily sensitise people against graft.

But MVAC and another tribal organisation called Boh Ramo Bokar Elite Society said such a drive would be meaningless if Passang Dorjee Sona, an MLA in Khandus core group, does not clear his stand on an allegation that he had received Rs 4 crore from Pul.

Sona, who is a parliamentary secretary for tourism, refuted the allegation. I have always maintained that I am open to investigation, he said.

Green Arunachal Foundation, another NGO, also said the Khandu government completed one year with a track record of failures, particularly in checking crimes, providing potable water and taking precautionary measures against natural disasters.

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The government told the Supreme Court on Monday that people cannot be given another chance to deposit old currency notes that were demonetised in November, warning that a new exchange window suggested by the top court would defeat the purpose of the exercise.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on November 8 announced in a surprise television broadcast that banknotes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denominations would cease to be valid the following day, wiping out an estimated 86% of the cash in circulation. People had till December 30, 2016 to deposit their old notes in their accounts.

That it is most respectfully submitted that the very object of demonetisation and elimination of black money will be defeated if a window is opened for a further period as the persons in possession of the specified bank notes (SBNs) would have had sufficient time and opportunity to carefully plan the reasons and excuses for not depositing the SBNs within the permitted period, a government affidavit to the top court said.

The November exercise, meant to purge cash hoarded as black money, triggered unprecedented rush at banks, and the governments rivals accused it of harassing the people by mismanaging the exercise.

Any number of benami transactions and user proxies for the purpose of producing and depositing SBNs would then arise which the departments would have great difficulty in deciding any genuine case from the numerous bogus ones, the government said to the SC, which asked the government to open another window for those who had legitimate reasons for not depositing the old notes before the deadline.

The top court is hearing petitions filed by those who were denied permission by the Reserve Bank of India to deposit their money after the deadline.

During the last hearing, the Chief Justice of India asked the government to consider giving some more time to people who were unable to visit banks for depositing money due to genuine reasons. It had warned the government against issuing orders if it did not do so.

What if someone is terminally ill and could not deposit the money. If someone has a genuine reason, you cannot deny him the opportunity to deposit the money. You cannot be allowed to deprive a person of his money, a bench headed by Chief Justice JS Khehar had told solicitor general Ranjit Kumar.

According to the petitioners, the Prime Minister had in his speech on November 8, 2016 assured that old currency would be accepted at select RBI outlets till March 31, 2017. But an ordinance was brought in that declared possession of old notes illegal, which the government said was done to plug the malpractices and irregularities noticed during the first three weeks after demonetisation.

There was unusual spurt of cash sales  without PAN in most cases - immediately after the announcement. Bills were split to hide identity of purchasers; sales were backdated; receipts were shown for advance payments on future sale, the government said in its affidavit to detail some of the ways in which people attempted to pass off illicit cash.

The affidavit cited specific instances of how money was allegedly laundered and routed through accounts of shell companies and was layered through intermediary accounts before being received in accounts of bullion traders.

These, the government said, forced the government to cancel or restrict exemptions granted.

As a result of the raids and other strict measures enforced, more than Rs 610 crore in cash (Rs 513 crore in old notes) and valuables were seized by the IT Department and other government agencies.

The undisclosed income detected in the above actions was of more than Rs 5,400 crore, the government said.

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Children of officers and workers of an Assam paper mill have been temporarily bailed out by a BPL-like assistance to continue studies.

Nagaon Paper Mill (NPM) in central Assams Jagiroad, about 75km east of Guwahati, stopped production in March. Its sister plant, Cachar Paper Mill (CPM) in southern Assams Panchgram, went out of production in 2015.

The mills, each with an installed capacity of 1 lakh metric tonnes per annum, are wholly owned by the Hindustan Paper Corporation (HPC), a central public sector undertaking that has two subsidiaries with state government stakes  the long-dead Tuli paper mill in Nagaland and the thriving Hindustan Newsprint Limited in Kerala.

The salary of 750 CPM employees stopped from October last year. Two months later, it was the turn of 750 NPM employees.

Because of liabilities, people who were drawing Rs 50,000-100,000 were suddenly penniless. Two of our colleagues who didnt save enough for such a situation committed suicide in May, said Atanu Mahanta, vice-president of NPM Officers and Supervisors Association.

Ten others are psychologically scarred after receiving police notice for loan default. We desperately need Rs 900 crore of a proposed revival package of Rs 1,500 crore for HPC to restart the mills before things get worse, Mahanta added.

Assams BJP-led coalition government proposed a revival package to the Union ministry of heavy industries and public enterprises, state industries minister Chandra Mohan Patowary had said in the last assembly session.

Mahanta is among a dozen fathers whose children had to give up seats in institutes across India because of inability to pay admission and course fees.

But those pursuing medical, engineering and other degree courses in Assam had the option to be marked, the paper mill employees said, as BPL or below poverty line.

The local MLA, BJPs Pijush Hazarika, said, It is not exactly BPL. Our government introduced Suhit scheme for the underprivileged last year, under which an MLA is given Rs 50 lakh to spend for the needy in health and education. After approval from the chief minister and finance minister, I provided Rs 7.5 lakh for 70 wards of Nagaon Paper Mill employees to pursue higher studies. It was the least I could do for an iconic mill that sustained Jagiroad for so many years.

Hazarika believes the paper mills will be profitable from day one if revived. The demand is high, and it wont take the mill much time to script a turnaround with a good team at the helm.

A combination of poor management, irregular supply of fuel due to National Green Tribunals ban on coal mining, low availability of raw materials and shutdown of a vital chemical unit by pollution control board is seen to have dealt a blow to Assams central sector PSU paper mills.

NPM, which started commercial production from October 1985, is Indias oldest public sector paper mill. CPM began commercial production three years later.

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Chinas military said it has conducted live-fire exercises in the remote mountainous Tibet region to test its strike capability on plateaus, amid the standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in the Dokalam area in the Sikkim sector.

The Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) conducted the 11-hour long live-fire exercises at an altitude of 5,000 meters on the plateau in Southwest Chinas Tibet Autonomous Region, aimed at improving the combat capability on such locations, the military said.

The exercise was conducted by a ground combat brigade of the PLA Tibet Regional Command this month and involved scenarios such as rapid deployment, multi-unit joint strike and anti-aircraft defense, state-run China Daily quoted a PLA press release as saying.

The exercise effectively tested the brigades joint strike capability on plateaus, according to the press release.

The brigade that conducted the drills was from the PLAs Tibet Military Command and is one of Chinas two plateau mountain brigades.

The PLA Tibet command guards the Line of Actual Control (LAC) of the India-China border along several sections connecting the mountainous Tibetan region.

According to the CCTV report, the brigade has long been stationed around the middle and lower reaches of the Brahmaputra (Yarlung Zangbo in Chinese) River which flows into India and Bangladesh. The brigade is responsible for frontline combat missions.

The drills included the quick deployment of troops and different military units working together on joint attacks.

Video posted online showed soldiers using anti-tank grenades and missiles against bunkers and howitzers for artillery coverage.

The video also showed radar units identifying enemy aircraft and soldiers using anti-aircraft artillery to destroy targets, the report said.

Separately, Tibets mobile communication agency conducted a drill on July 10 in Lhasa, capital of Tibet, where members of the agency practiced setting up a temporary mobile network to secure communications in an emergency.

Earlier reports said the PLA units exercised in Tibet with several modern weapon systems including a new light battle tank being manufactured by China.

Qin Zhen, executive editor of Ordnance Knowledge magazine, said that the recent exercises have displayed the strong combat capability of the PLAs plateau units.

He said that in recent years the Chinese military developed a number of lightweight weapons such as a wheeled infantry fighting vehicle and a new light tank to meet requirements of mountain operations.

Xiao Ning, editor-in-chief of Weapon magazine, said the new light tank features strong firepower, advanced armor and good mobility, so it is suitable for deployment on plateaus.

China and India have been engaged in a standoff in the Dokalam area in the Sikkim sector, where Indian troops stopped road construction by Chinese soldiers on June 16.

China claimed that they were constructing the road within their territory and has been demanding immediate pull-out of the Indian troops from the disputed Dokalam plateau.

New Delhi has expressed concern over the road building, apprehending that it may allow Chinese troops to cut Indias access to its northeastern states.

India has conveyed to the Chinese government that the road construction would represent a significant change of status quo with serious security implications for it.

Doka La is the Indian name for the region which Bhutan recognises as Dokalam, while China claims it as part of its Donglang region.

Of the 3,488-km-long India-China border from Jammu and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh, a 220-km section falls in Sikkim.
Top Congress leaders on Monday deliberated on a strategy for the monsoon session of Parliament during which the party is likely to raise issues of lynching incidents and vigilantism, the Kashmir situation and the border standoff with China.

The partys top brass on Monday met under the chairmanship of Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and leaders of the party in both houses of Parliament were among those present.

Sources said the Congress will demand a debate on rising incidents of lynching and atrocities on Dalits and minorities and have given notices too.

A united opposition is all set to raise the heat on the government over other key issues such as the action of law enforcement agencies against opposition leaders over corruption, fallout of the GST, the agrarian crisis and the policy towards Pakistan.

The increased opposition synergy comes at a time when 18 parties have come together under one platform to pin the government on some key issues.

The parties came together on the presidential and vice-presidential election, but are keen to take the unity further in raising issues in Parliament.

Another joint meeting of opposition leaders is slated for Tuesday with other opposition parties for evolving a joint strategy to corner the government.
A draft bill aimed at amending the Cinematography Act has proposed doing away with the Central Board of Film Certifications powers to make filmmakers modify or delete the content of their projects.

Instead of truncating parts of a film, the government body  commonly known as the censor board  will give filmmakers reasons for the certification it is likely receive. They will then have the option of either accepting the boards decision or modifying the movie to make it suitable for more universal certification. The reviewing committee of the board may be approached over any disagreement in this regard.

A committee headed by renowned filmmaker Shyam Benegal had suggested that the censor board be stripped of its powers to demand excisions or modifications in a movie. The panel was set up by the government to suggest a holistic framework for certification of films and recommend a framework that would provide efficient and transparent user-friendly services.

The censor board, an autonomous body under the information and broadcasting (I&B) ministry, certifies films on the basis of their content. The ratings range from universal to adult, and films are allowed to be screened in theatres or television only after they have been granted the requisite certification.

The body has witnessed many controversies since former director Pahlaj Nihalani was appointed as its chief in January 2015. The most recent ones pertain to Madhur Bhandarkars Indu Sarkar, an Emergency-based tale that has been asked to carry out 12 cuts, and The Argumentative Indian, a documentary on Nobel laureate Amartya Sen that was stalled for using words such as cow, Hindutva and Gujarat.

The Benegal report, submitted in two parts over April and August last year, became the mainstay of the exercise to revamp the Act. The draft, which was prepared by the ministry after reviewing the Benegal Committee recommendations, will be subjected to inter-ministerial consultations and then forwarded to the cabinet for approval.

Sources told HT that the draft bill also suggests adding newer categories, such as UA 12+, UA 15+ and adult-with-caution, as suggested by the Benegal committee. Besides this, it will give the central government the power to suspend the screening of a movie  instead of leaving it in the states control.

Union I&B minister M Venkaiah Naidu had told filmmakers last month that the government was in agreement with most recommendations of the (Benegal) report, and every effort would be made to facilitate the amendments.

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A special court has issued an order directing attachment of beleaguered businessman Vijay Mallya and his associates in the UK and Switzerland in connection with the IDBI loan default case.

The court last week also allowed the agencys request for issuance of Letter Rogatory to the UK to assist it in the probe. The court has also directed issuance of LR to carry out investigations about those accounts.

According to the CBI, there were many commissions and omissions on the part of IDBI officials in the process of sanctioning and disbursement of loan of Rs 1,300 crore to Kingfisher Airlines (KFA).

According to the chargesheet, about Rs 260 crore was diverted by the KFA, while Rs 263 crore was used to pay salaries, tax deducted at source, income tax and loan instalments.

A part of the loan amount was also allegedly diverted by Mallya for his personal expenses, the agency had said.

The CBI had said all the arrested IDBI officials were instrumental in sanctioning and facilitating disbursement of the loan.

The IDBI allegedly showed undue favour to KFA in the matter of sanction and disbursement of short-term loans of Rs 150 crore in October 2009 and Rs 200 crore in November 2009, and another corporate loan of Rs 750 crore in November 2009, the agency had said.
Former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Farooq Abdullah on Monday asserted that India lacks the power to take China-occupied Kashmir back from Beijing.

In Ladakh, China has occupied the Aksai Chin. We shout about it, but do not have the power to take it back, Farooq said, adding that the only way to resolve the tension with China is to be friends with them, as war is not a solution.

India should enhance their diplomatic channels and with that they should resolve this matter. China is Pakistans friend, had we maintained our friendship with China, they would not have been friends with Pakistan, he said.

Farooq asserted that Chinas motive is to make the Karakoram by-pass, which would serve as their silk route and will connect them to the port. Which eventually passes through region occupied by China.

Dalai Lama is another issue. They are asking to send him out of the country. India knows how to give one shelter, cannot throw someone out of the country, he said.

New Delhi and Beijing have been involved in a lengthy standoff along the Line of Actual Control adjoining Sikkim on Indias eastern border.

New Delhi has expressed its serious apprehensions over Beijing constructing a road in the Sikkim sector of the LAC.

India claims Sikkim border as part of its territory, while China has said that the area falls on their side as per the 1890 treaty signed between British and China.

Consequently, China suspended the annual Kailash Manasarovar Yatra and conceded that the decision to suspend the pilgrimage was due to the border scuffle.

It also alleged that the Indian troops had crossed the Sikkim sector of the Indo-China border. Beijing has accused New Delhi of violating a convention signed in 1890 between Britain and China relating to Sikkim and Tibet.
India on Monday rejected as utterly baseless, malicious and mischievous reports in a section of the Pakistani media claiming that over 150 Indian Army soldiers died in Sikkim due to a Chinese rocket attack.

Ministry of external affairs spokesperson Gopal Baglay said such reports are utterly baseless, malicious and mischievous. No cognisance should be taken of them by responsible media.

His response was to a report by Pakistans Dunya news channel claiming that 158 Indian soldiers were killed in a Chinese cross border rocket attack.

Dunya said that many Indian soldiers were also wounded in the purported rocket attack. It said A two-minute footage that was broadcast on China Central Television showed the Chinese soldiers attacking an enemy position using rocket launchers, machine guns, and mortars.

Bilateral tension between China and India has escalated over the past few weeks over a stand-off between their armies in Doklam region in the Sikkim sector, with Beijing demanding that New Delhi withdraw its troops for any dialogue to take place.

The Chinese state-run media has also been openly talking of war and of teaching India a lesson like the defeat of the 1962 war.
The Pakistan army violated ceasefire in north Kashmirs Uri sector after an incident of shelling across the Line of Control, police said on Monday.

They said that the shelling happened in Kamalkote area of Uri at around 3:30 pm on Monday.

The area is silent now, said an official manning police control room, Baramulla. An army spokesperson also said that Indian troops were retaliating.

News agencies had reported that a jawan was injured in the ceasefire violation but officials told HT that they have received no confirmation about this yet. Armys Srinagar-based spokesman, Rajesh Kalia, was unavailable for comment.

Earlier in the day, a five-year-old girl and a soldier were killed in heavy Pakistan firing. The intense shelling of Indian posts and villages in Rajouri and Poonch districts also left a soldier and woman battling for life as the director generals of military operations (DGMOs) of the two countries spoke over the phone.

The Indian Army reserved the right to retaliate as all ceasefire violations were initiated by Pakistan, Lt Gen AK Bhat told his Pakistani counterpart.

BSF-Pakistan Rangers hold meet

On Pakistan Rangers request, the BSF on Monday also held a high-level meet with the Rangers on the international border in Samba sector.

From 1100 hrs to 1200 hrs, a commandant-wing commander level flag meeting was held between Border Security Force and Pakistan Rangers in Samba area, said a BSF spokesman.

During the meeting, both the border guarding forces discussed recent unprovoked firing in Samba sector and other issues related to the border management, the spokesman said.

It was decided to re-energise instant communication between field commanders, whenever required, to resolve petty matters, he said.

(With agency inputs)
Timely intervention of the Jammu and Kashmir Police saved eight minor boys from joining militant groups and reunited them with their families in the past one month in Kupwara district, an official spokesman said today.

Four minor boys of Gulgam village were rescued and their plans to join militants were foiled by a police party deputed for the purpose near the Line of Control, he said

They, after proper counseling at the Kupwara Police Station, were handed over to their parents, the spokesman said.

Timely intervention of the police last week prevented four more youths from joining militant groups, he said.

Police teams were sent to different locations after receiving information that they had fled from their homes, the spokesman said.

The parents of the boys and their relatives played a positive role by providing timely information, giving their contact numbers and other details, he said.

The spokesman said two boys from Shatmuqam Lolab were intercepted at Pulwama when they were heading towards Tral.

The others hailing from Bumhama were intercepted at Vodhpora area. They were planning to move towards Shopian area, he said.

During investigation, all the boys confessed that they were going to join a militant group as they were being reprimanded by their parents for various reasons, including poor academic performance, and that they were fed-up with their poverty stricken lifestyle, he said.

All the rescued boys have been properly counseled and motivated for their re-union with their families, the spokesman said.
At a time when angry protests against gory rape and murder of a school girl in Shimla districts Kotkhai tehsil spilled over to roads, an Australian woman launched an online petition by the name, 16 year old girl gang-raped in Himachal: Stop rising drug and alcohol abuse in the state.

Ruchika Chauhan, a Kotkhai resident settled in Sydney. In the petition, Chauhan has questioned the safety of women in Himachal, besides demanding impartial probe to nab the real culprits.

To lose a loved one is devastating. To lose a loved one to rape and murder is horrific. To be denied justice causes unimaginable pain says the petition, which so far has received over 2,800 signatures in support.

Chauhan appreciated police efforts to unravel the murder but simultaneously questioned investigations into murder that led to public outrage. The police arrested six perpetrators, some allegedly drunk or drug-affected. Their ages are from 19 to 42. The locals believe they are not all the culprits, says the petition.

It adds, They believe some perpetrators from prosperous and affluent families are still walking free. In a country like India, where theres widespread corruption, freedom can be bought. This incident is under active investigation, there is much we still do not know!

The petition also raises concern about the rising the drug indolence, hooliganism abuse and alcoholism in the state.

Kotkhai is a relatively affluent area, where apple orchards have brought individual prosperity to many. But affluence has been accompanied by rising indolence in the younger generation. Hooliganism, drug and alcohol abuse, drink-driving, fights; and now, rape and murder; is increasingly common, wrote Ruchika.

( In the earlier version of the copy, it was incorrectly mentioned that the online petitioner, Ruchika Chauhan, is settled in Melbourne. The correction has been made)

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Even as a global petition on the rape and murder of a schoolgirl in Shimla districts Kotkhai tehsil raised questions about womens safety, various units of Himachal Pradesh, particularly crime investigating departments, are facing an acute shortage of women staffers.

After the allegedly botched up investigations led to an unprecedented public outcry, the police are now planning to post more women staff in the grossly understaffed intelligence and crime investigation department (CID). The CID has a staff strength of 657 comprising both personnel and officials. Most of the women staffers are deputed on office duties, and are not directly involved in investigations.

Public outrage against the gory crime has not only put the government in the dock, it has also raised questions about police efficiency. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up under Inspector General of Police (South range) Zahur Zaidi, following the initial protests, also had no women officers. The SIT arrested six persons and concluded that the girl was raped in the isolated woods of Haliala forest. But what muddied the waters was that those arrested did not include persons whose photos went viral on Facebook after they were uploaded on chief minister Virbhadra Singhs FB page only to be removed later.

SIT should have had a woman officer. I have strongly called for increasing the strength of women staff in CID, former Himachal Pradesh director general of police (DGP) ID Bhandari told HT. At least 20% of the CID staff should be women, said Bhandari, who led the CID department for long before his superannuation three years ago.

Falma Chauhan, state vice president of Janwadi Mahila Sangthan, said women in Himachal are feeling insecure. Women safety in Himachal is at risk. The government should take steps to instil security amongst them, she said.

Women staffers comprise only 20% of the police force. In 2014, the HP government had announced that it would set up all-woman police stations across the state. So far, they are functional only in Shimla, Kullu and Dharamshala.

Himachal Pradesh DGP, Somesh Goyal, parried questions on inadequate women staff in CID. The responsibility for women-related crimes rests largely with the districts, which have mahila police stations as well as anti-human trafficking units (AHTUs). Women police personnel have been made available for mahila battalions in all the districts, he said.

TIMELINE:

July 4: Gudiya (name changed) goes missing

July 5: Her relatives launch a manhunt to locate her

July 6: Her body found in woods.

July 7: Her murder leads to protest in Shimla and Kotkhai.

July 8: Locals set a five-day deadline for the police to nab culprits

July 9: Police constitute SIT under IG south

July 12: Police detain six youths for questioning

July 13: Police arrest six persons

July 14: Mob vandalises police station in Theog

July 14: Government refers matter to CBI

July 15: Massive protest on Shimlas Ridge ground

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The Centre has expressed its reservations in responding to a petition before the Supreme Court that calls for declaring as unconstitutional the Article 35A  which grants the Jammu and Kashmir legislature powers to define the states permanent residents.

Attorney general KK Venugopal told the bench headed by Chief Justice JS Khehar that the NDA government was not keen on filing an affidavit in the case, and wants a larger debate on the issue, which it said was a very sensitive matter.

The attorney general asked the CJI to refer the matter to a larger bench as constitutional issues were involved in the case. The court said a three-judge bench will hear the matter after six weeks.

The Article 35A of the Constitution provides special rights and privileges to the permanent residents of J&K  a provision which came into effect in 1954 when the the President used the powers conferred on him by Article 370 to introduce the Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Order 1954.

Under the said provision, which appears in the Constitution as an appendix  and not as an amendment  to the Article 35, citizens from other parts of the country are prohibited from acquiring immovable property in the J&K, taking up employment under the state government, availing of the state-sponsored scholarship schemes, or settling permanently anywhere in the state

The petition, filed by a Delhi-based NGO, We the citizens, demanded that the Article 35A should be held unconstitutional as the President could not have amended the Constitution by way of the 1954 order, and that it was only supposed to be a temporary provision. The Article was never presented before Parliament, and came into effect immediately.

The state of J&K has defended the provision, saying in its affidavit that the Article has become a permanent feature of the Indian Constitution.
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Shock and disbelief are the predominant sentiments in four localities of Danapur, located on the western fringes of the state capital, which lost six residents, including a woman, in a bus accident on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway, while they were on way to the Amarnath shrine on Sunday.

How could this have happened? This is the question on the lips of those who have lost their dear ones and neighbours who were planning to make the same trip but lived because they didnt, for one reason or another.

For, the Amarnath pilgrimage is a popular annual outing for many families resident in Danapur,known for being the locational of the divisional railway headquarters bearing its name. Hundreds make the trip every year and return with enough of the Baba Bholenaths blessings, to last them the year up to the next trip.

This year, about 500 persons from Danapur went on the pilgrimage. With a deep sense of loss,family and relations acknowledge six of them will never make it back home.No wonder, a pall of gloom has descended on localities of Jhunjhun Road, Biwiganj, Bhatthapar and Gajadharchak.

This tragedy is unprecedented in scale, mumbled Dinanth Prasad, of Jhunjhun Road, as he waited for the arrival of the bodies od his two sonsPawan and Dilip - who were killed in the mishap, on Sunday.

The other victims from Danapur were identified as Meena Devi, 55, Sagar, 22, of Bhattapar, Rahul Kumar, 20, and Rohit Kumar, 21. Three of the victims were students and worked in jewellery shops in the sadar bazar area, an old market place in the city. Most of the jewellery shops remained closed on Monday as traders mourned the dead.

"My mother was not interested in going to Amarnath Yatra owing to her old age. But I convinced her not to cancel the pilgrimage. Now, I regret why I persuaded her to go," said Rajesh of Biwiganj, who lost his mother Meena Devi in the mishap.

A grieving Jawahar Prasad, of Gajadharchak, a fruit and vegetables vendor and husband of mishap victim Meena Devi, recalled how his wife was very keen to go on the pilgrimage and that he could not accompany her owing to his other engagements.

Another victim, Rahul of Biwiganj, had undertaken the Amarnath trip for the first time. He was to get married next year. It is a big tragedy for us, said his younger brother Rohan.

The death of Rohit, of Bhattapar, has left his two sisters crestfallen. We were waiting tie rakhi round his wrist on Raksha Bandhan day (to be celebrated on August 7). But now we will never be able to do so again, said one of them.

Pradeep Prasad, also of Biwiganj, weeping inconsolably as he morned the loss of his son, Sagar, who worked with a jeweller. He was a very religious and god-fearing person. Our world has come apart since the authorities informed us about his death Sunday evening," he said.

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Four people, including an Assam Rifles jawan, were injured when militants exploded a powerful Improvised Explosive Devise (IED) in the busy commercial locality of Imphal on Monday, police said.

The incident occurred at around 10:50am in the vicinity of Soibam Leikai in Imphal East district, said a senior police officer.

Four people including a jawan of the Assam Rifles were injured in the incident.
An excavator was turned into an ambulance to take a patient from Manipur to nearest hospital in neighbouring Myanmar on Saturday, in another instance of deplorable condition of the health-care service in the country.

The patient could not withstand the arduous journey and died on the way, community leaders said, alleging development disparity between the states majority Meitei-dominated Imphal Valley and the surrounding hills, inhabited mostly by tribal communities.

In a country where bullock carts, handcarts and bicycles  shoulders too  are turned into mortuary vans due to lack of ambulance service, 40-year-old Thangtinlen Baite got his final ride in the bucket of an excavator used to dig or remove earth.

There have been several instances in different parts of the country where kin of diseased were forced to take unusual mode of transportation to carry bodies in the absence of ambulance. But even by that standard, Baites case stood out for its bizarreness.

Baite, suffering from an unknown illness, was from New Gamnom village in Khengjoi subdivision of Manipurs Chandel district. The village is close to Indias border with Myanmar.

Baites kin had the option of taking him to the nearest primary health sub-centre on the Indian side at Sehlon, about 2km from the village. But, locals said, it has had no doctor or medicine for ages.

The other health sub-centre in the area  at New Somtal some 20 km away -- too was of no help. Villagers then decided to take Baite to Khampat Hospital in Myanmar in the excavator they requisitioned from a nearby construction site.

He died midway to the Myanmar hospital situated 50km from New Somtal.

There was no point in taking him to the New Somtal sub-centre as nothing works there. And the question of taking him to the nearest Indian hospital, at Moreh (Manipur) 65km away, did not arise because there is no road, Michael Lamjathang Haokip told HT.

Haokip represents an association of Thadou community students. Baites belong to the Thadou tribe.

But, as central government employee Minthang Haokip pointed out, the Moreh hospital too is in a sorry state of affairs. People there go to Tamu across the border in Myanmar for treatment, he said.

We will inquire why the patient could not get medical facilities in nearby health centres, said a senior health official of the state on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to speak to media.

The Thadou Students Association said Baites death should make the Bharatiya Janata Party-led coalition government in Manipur walk the talk of giving more attention to the hills.

Much of Manipurs development is visible in the Imphal Valley while the hills suffer from lack of proper infrastructure.

Baite died because there was no road or healthcare service at hand. And a damaged bridge forced him to take the last journey in a JCB (excavator) that can negotiate rough conditions, a spokesperson of the association said.

If hospitals and all-weather roads are a must, why should people have to go to Myanmar for basic needs? Does PMGSY (Prime Ministers Gram Sadak Yojana) really work in remote areas and does Border Area Development Programme really exist? Michael asked.

He urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take note of Baites death and try to make a difference in the lives of the people of the Northeast.

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West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday accused the Narendra Modi-led central government of undermining the interest of her state by spoiling relations with neighbouring countries.

Bengal that has borders with Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh is bearing the brunt of deteriorating relations with all neighbouring countries. If today Sikkim goes under the control of China, Darjeeling will pay the price. What was the necessity of spoiling the relation with all bordering nations, said the chief minister.

She was speaking to the media inside the assembly premises after casting her vote in the Presidential elections.

Banerjee was referring to the ongoing standoff between Indian and Chinese armies at the tri-junction of Bhutan, China and India (Sikkim), which is showing no sign of easing. The Bengal border is about 90 km from the point of face-off.

More than 400 Chinese language schools were set up near Pashupati Gate. What were R&AW (Research and Analysis Wing) and SSB (Sashastra Seema Bal) doing? she remarked.

The Pashupati gate is at the border of Darjeeling and Nepal.

She claimed Bengal has become a sandwich in these conflicts.

Banerjee is the second chief minister to express concern over the ongoing faceoff with China. Earlier Sikkim chief minister Pawan Chamling had said his state did not merge with India to become a sandwich between China and Bengal.

The tiny Himalayan state lost about Rs 60,000 crore in the past 30 years due to intermittent blockades in Bengals Darjeeling over demand for a separate Gorkhaland state, he claimed.

Banerjee also accused the Border Security Force (BSF), a central paramilitary force, of allowing the radical groups from Bangladesh to infiltrate into her state.

I have a documentary evidence to prove that Jamaat (members of radical Jamaat-e-Islami) elements infiltrated into Bengal without any resistance through the border at Satkhira, she said.

Satkhira is a Bangladesh district sharing border with West Bengals North 24 Parganas district.

What was BSF doing there? Which battalion of BSF was posted there? We have all the information, she claimed, adding, The Jamaat is also against Sheikh Hasina (Bangladesh prime minister), she added.

She also flayed the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) for burning the effigy of Hasina near the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata earlier this month.

We want good relations with Bangladesh, said Banerjee, who is also the chairperson of the ruling Trinamool Congress.

Raising her pitch for Opposition unity, the chief minister said, We, 17 parties, have voted unitedly for Meera Kumar, to register our protest despite the imminent victory of the BJP-nominated candidate. This Opposition unity should continue.

She said some non-NDA parties are backing BJP out of fear.

But let me caution them that BJP would not spare them in future. So they should stop backing the party, she added.
Efforts to protect the Ganga have put Haridwar in a spot, where a thriving pilgrimage business is likely to be hit by orders from the countrys top environment court that banned new construction around the river and imposed heavy fines for dumping waste in it.

The administration has till now attempted to skirt the restrictions by classifying the river as a canal, drawing the anger of religious leaders.

Ganga, which brings waters to millions of Indians in its more than 2,500-km course from Uttarakhand to the Bay of Bengal, is considered sacred by Hindus, making Haridwar  largely regarded as the spot where the river enters the plains after originating in the Himalayas  one of Hinduisms most important pilgrimages.

Lakhs of Hindus visit Haridwar every year, powering the local economy runs by the thousands of thousands of shops, eateries and guesthouses.

Most of these will be subject to the National Green Tribunals restrictions announced last week. The NGT laid down a fine of Rs 50,000 for anyone dumping waste within 500 metres of the river and banned construction work within 100 mtrs of the banks.

Read more: Penalty strike: Day after NGT order, people continue to pollute Ganga in Haridwar

But the order mentions the word river, and traders in Haridwar said it does not apply to them.

The British built the Ganga canal for irrigation purposes on which majority of Ganga ghats of Haridwar are based, including Har-Ki-Pauri, said Durgesh Singh, a local trader and a member of the Samajwadi Party.

Har ki Pauri is the most important landmark in the city and the epicentre for Kumbh gatherings that draw lakhs of pilgrims who leave behind trash such as plastic packets and waste from offerings.

The previous state government led by Harish Rawat issued a notification declaring the Ganga as a canal from Bhoopatwala till Shri Daksheswar Mahadev temple, a stretch within which lay Har ki Pauri. The notification was seen as an attempt to avoid problems for development works close to the bank.

The previous governments order stands till date. The authority will deal accordingly when the new notification is issued, Ashok Pandey, commissioner, municipal corporation told Hindustan Times.

After assuming office, chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat suggested that the predecessors decision could be reversed. We wash all the sins of previous government, he said in a visit to Haridwar, without naming Harish Rawat.

Local legislator and urban development minister in the BJP government, Madan Kaushik said government will go through the NGT order before taking any steps. The governments intention is clear and is committed to protect the river.

The Ganga Sabha, a body that looks after the matters pertaining to Har-Ki-Pauri, said it will oppose the government if it tries to protect commercial interests over the river.

For centuries Kumbh and Ardh Kumbh were organised on banks of Ganga at Har-Ki-Pauri so how can one challenge or question the existence of Har-Ki-Pauri or the main stream of Ganga? said Purushottam Sharma, president of Ganga Sabha.

JP Badauni, a local RTI activist who had earlier filed petitions on the Ganga said that on behalf of city-based akhadas, he will shortly file a writ petition in the High Court and NGT seeking clarification on the river and canal.
The Centre informed the Supreme Court that so far it has not taken any policy decision on the commercial release of Genetically Modified (GM) mustard crop.

A bench comprising Chief Justice JS Khehar and Justice DY Chandrachud considered the statement of Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, that the government is considering various aspects of the matter and has invited suggestions and objections on the commercial roll out of GM crops.

The bench granted the government one weeks time to apprise it as to by when it will take a well-informed and well-intentioned policy decision on the rollout.

The apex court had on October 17 last year extended the stay on the commercial release of GM mustard crop until further orders.

The court had restrained the commercial release of the crop for 10 days on October 7, 2016.

The court had asked the Centre to seek public opinion on such seeds before releasing it for cultivation purpose, even as government approval is awaited.

Mustard is one of Indias most important winter crops which is sown between mid-October and late November.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for petitioner Aruna Rodrigues, alleged that the government was sowing the seeds in various fields and said the bio-safety dossier has to be put on website, which has not been done yet.

Alleging that field trials were being carried out without doing relevant tests, he had sought a 10-year moratorium on them. Bhushan said a Technical Expert Committee (TEC) report has pointed out that the entire regulatory system was in shambles and a 10-year moratorium should be given.

Rodrigues had filed the plea seeking a stay on the commercial release of GM mustard crop and prohibition of its open field trials.

He had also urged the court to prohibit open field trials and commercial release of Herbicide Tolerant (HT) crops including HT Mustard DMH 11 and its parent lines/variants as recommended by the Technical Expert Committee (TEC) report.
President Pranab Mukherjee said on Monday that universities should not be a place for rote-memorising but an assembly of inquisitive minds.

Addressing a function, he said students should be allowed to raise important research questions and break new grounds in scientific discoveries, artistic creativity and philosophical ruminations.

The President urged all to think about the future of Indian universities as a continuation of Indias rich history and heritage of education.

Let our universities of the future reinvent our rich past heritage of Kautuhalshala, hitherto silenced by the pedagogy of rote-memorising for test, Mukherjee said.

A Kautuhalshala is an assembly of inquisitive minds where questions are raised.

He said let the universities of the future help produce the next generation of great scientists, philosophers, artists, teachers, doctors, engineers and innovators.

The President was speaking after receiving the first copy of the book Future of Indian Universities: Comparative and International Perspectives from Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen who formally released it at the function held at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The book has been complied by C Raj Kumar, Vice Chancellor of OP Jindal Global University.
Pakistan has banned tourists from a valley in Pakistani-occupied part of Kashmir a day after it said four of its soldiers drowned after their vehicle was hit by Indian gunfire and plunged into the Neelum River.

Choudhary Mohammad Fareed, a top government official in Neelum, says the threat to people is too great and that no new tourists would be able to enter. The stay permits for those already in the valley will not be extended.

Picturesque Neelum Valley stretches along the boundary separating the Pakistani-controlled Kashmir and parts of Kashmir in India and draws many tourists.

Both nuclear-armed states claim the disputed Kashmir region in its entirety. Pakistan and India often trade fire across the dividing line, blaming each other for violations of the cease-fire agreement signed in 2003.
India on Monday termed as utterly baseless, malicious and mischievous a report about casualties of Indian soldiers in Sikkim due to military action with another country.

External affairs ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay also said that no cognisance should be taken of these reports by responsible media.

Such reports are utterly baseless, malicious and mischievous, Baglay said in response to a query on reports in Pakistani media.

His reaction came after a Pakistani media organisation reported at least 158 Indian soldiers have been killed on Monday as China fired rockets across the border on Indian border installations.
Pakistan violated the ceasefire on Monday morning along the Line of Control in Bhimber Gali sector in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.

The Pakistan Army started firing using small arms, automatics and mortars from 0730 hours, officials said, adding that the Indian Army was retaliating strongly and effectively.

An Indian Army jawan was killed on Saturday in firing and mortar shelling by Pakistani troops in Rajouri sector. Lance Naik Mohammed Naseer, 35, from Poonch, was hit during the firing by Pakistani troops,an army spokesman said.

In June, there were 23 incidents of ceasefire violation, one attack by a BAT team and two infiltration bids by Pakistan, in which four persons, including three jawans, were killed and 12 injured.

#WATCH Ceasefire violation by Pakistan along the LoC in Rajouri's Manjakote sector (J&K). Indian Army retaliating. pic.twitter.com/EVZfMFYNU2  ANI (@ANI_news) 17 July 2017
Close to 99% voting was recorded for electing Indias 14th president, the returning officer for the poll announced on Monday. The counting of votes will take place on July 20.

Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Gujarat, Bihar, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Nagaland, Uttarakhand and Puducherry recorded 100% voting.

In Parliament House, the voting percentage was 99%, said Lok Sabha secretary general Anoop Mishra, who is also the returning officer for the polls.

He said while the sanctioned strength of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha is 776, 771 MPs were eligible to cast their votes.

There are two vacancies each in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, while one BJP MP Chedi Paswan does not have voting rights, he added.

In Delhi, 717 MPs were to cast their ballot but only 714 exercised their franchise. The TMCs Tapas Pal, the BJDs Ram Chandra Hansdak and Ambumani Ramadoss of the PMK did not cast their votes.

Fifty-four MPs had sought permissions to cast their vote in state capitals. These included Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar, his UP counterpart Adityanath, his deputy Keshav Prasad Maurya and Union minister Uma Bharti.

BJP chief Amit Shah, who is an MLA from Gujarat, had also sought permission to cast his vote in Delhi.

Trinamool Congress MPs cast their votes in Kolkata.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the first person to cast his vote, Mishra said.

He also said that except for Andhra Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Manipur and Tripura, data has been received from all other states which indicates that the voting was close to 100%.

Counting will begin at 11 am on July 20. First the ballot box of Parliament House will be opened, and then, the ballot boxes received from states will be counted on alphabetical basis.

The votes will be counted on four separate tables and there would be eight rounds of counting. Thirty two polling stations including the one in Parliament house, was set up in various states.

A total of 4,896 voters -- 4,120 MLAs and 776 elected MPs -- are eligible to cast their ballot. MLCs of states with legislative council are not part of the electoral college.

While the value of an MLAs vote depends on the population of the state he or she belongs to, the value of an MPs vote remains the same at 708.

The value of an MLAs vote in Sikkim is seven while in Uttar Pradesh, it is 208.
Indias elected MLAs and MPs voted to elect the next President and BJP-led NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind appears to have the advantage against his opponent Meira Kumar, a former Lok Sabha Speaker and the oppositions nominee.

Paper ballots were used in the presidential election. The electoral college of the presidential election comprises 4,120 MLAs and 776 MPs with a total vote value of 10,98,903 -- 549,408 for 543 Lok Sabha and 233 Rajya Sabha parliamentarians, and 549,495 for 4,120 legislators in state assemblies.

Read more: How India picks its President: Visually explained

The halfway mark is expected to be 549,442, but that will depend on the number of valid votes.

Kovind is expected to win the polls, described by his rival, opposition candidate Meira Kumar, as a battle of ideologies.

The result will be declared on July 20. President Pranab Mukherjees tenure ends on July 24.

Here are live updates:

5.30 pm: Voting for the presidential poll in Assam was completed more than three hours before the time limit.

The voting went very peacefully and there was no issue at all, the principal secretary to Assam assembly Mrigendra Kumar Deka said.

Former chief minister Tarun Gogoi and BPF member Kamal Shing Narzary are supposed to vote in Delhi, he said adding the rest 124 MLAs of the 126-member house cast their votes before noon itself.

Voting to elect the 14th President of India saw a total of 234 ballots cast in Tamil Nadu.

Aam Aadmi Partys HS Phoolka was the only MLA in the 117-member Punjab assembly not to cast his vote

4.50 pm: The voting for the presidential election ended in the Madhya Pradesh legislative assembly premises today with 228 legislators casting their votes.

4:30pm: The 81 MLAs of Jharkhand Assembly cast their votes to elect the 14th president of the country on Monday.

4:05pm: We voted for Meira Kumar in presidential poll to register our protest against present atrocities in the country, says TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee.

3.30pm: Voting for the presidential election in Tamil Nadu got over in just about two hours with 232 legislators, Union minister Pon Radhakrishnan, and a Kerala MLA casting their votes at the Assembly.

3.14pm: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said this is a vote against injustice. For sake of country we urge everyone to not support BJP and stand beside people.

It's vote against injustice. For sake of country we urge everyone to not support BJP & stand beside ppl: WB CM on #PresidentialElection pic.twitter.com/g1cwAhcUtQ  ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

3.12pm: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) dismisses reports that its lawmakers are voting for NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind. The rumours are false. We are voting for our candidate Meira Kumar, NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik says.

2.55pm: Himachal Pradesh records 100% polling with all 67 MLAs casting their vote.

2.45pm: Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh, his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar and senior Akali leader Parkash Singh Badal are among those who cast their votes for the presidential election.

2.30pm: AIADMK leader and former Tamil Nadu chief minister O Panneerselvam says he hopes the issues plaguing Tamil Nadu be resolved after the presidential election.

2pm: Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and Telanganas KC Rao cast their vote at the respective state assemblies in the presidential election.

1.20pm: SP leader Shivpal Yadav says he cast his vote for Kovind and added: Kovind will win.

1.10pm: Senior NCP leader Praful says NDA nominee Ram Nath Kovind will win the presidential election, there is no rocket science involved in this prediction.

1.04pm: 214 votes have been cast till noon at UP Vidhan Bhavan.

1pm: Former minister and SP legislator Shivpal Yadav arrives at the Uttar Pradesh asembly to cast his vote. I will vote for Ramnath Kovind. And more and more SP voters should vote for Kovind, he had said before leaving for casting his vote.

Former minister and SP legislator Shivpal Yadav arrives at the UP assembly to cast his vote. (Subhankar Chakraborty/HT Photo)

12.50pm: Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik casts hhis vote in the presidential election at the state assembly in Bhubaneswar on Monday. Patnaiks Biju Janata Dal had earlier announced its support to NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind.

Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik casts his vote in the presidental election at the Assembly in Bhubaneswar on Monday. (Arabinda Mahapatra/HT Photo)

12.38pm: NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind appears ahead of Oppositions Meira Kumar in presidential election. Watch Hindustan Times analysis on Facebook Live.

12.31pm: Opposition presidential candidate Meira Kumar says she is fighting the battle of ideologies. Had urged collegium to listen to voice of their conscience and decision will be taken in Indias favour.

12.30pm: Leader of SP legislature party, Ram Govind Chaudhary, said 29 party MLAs had cast their votes by 12.30pm. Fearing cross-voting, Chaudhary is holding meeting with loyal MLAs at the party legislature party office located in Vidhan Bhawan.

12.12pm: Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, his deputy Manish Sisodia, sacked AAP leader Kapil Mishra, Two of the three BJP MLAs -- OP Sharma and Jagdish Pradhan  and other Delhi legislators cast their votes at the assembly. (Live updates)

11.55am: We are thankful to PM Modi and BJP national president Amit Shah for giving UP the pride of giving the country its next president, says UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath comes out of the UP assembly after casting his vote in the presidential election on Monday. (Subhankar Chakraborty/HT Photo)

11.50am: Samajwadi Party legislator Shivpal Yadav says NDA presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind is a known to me already. He is our neighbour and a Dalit.

11.40am: Congress president Sonia Gandhi, vice president Rahul Gandhi and partys chief whip in Lok Sabha, Jyotiraditya Scindia, cast their votes in the Parliament.

11.30am: Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh casts his vote at the Parliament.

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh casts his vote at the Parliament on Monday. (Sonu Mehta/HT Photo)

11.22am: Meanwhile, both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have been adjourned till Tuesday after a short proceeding in the first day of monsoon session on Monday.

11.20am: The former Presidents of India and their winning margin.

1st Presidential poll (1952) Candidate Name Votes Dr. Rajendra Prasad 507,400 K.T. Shah 92,827 Thatte Lakshman Ganesh 2,672 Chowdhry Hari Ram 1,954 Krishna Kumar Chatterjee 533 2nd Presidential poll (1957) Candidate Name Votes Dr. Rajendra Prasad 459,698 Chowdhry Hari Ram 2,672 Nagendra Narayan Das 2,000 3rd Presidential poll (1962) Candidate Name Votes Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan 553,067 Chowdhry Hari Ram/t6,341 Yamuna Prasad Trisulia 3,537 4th Presidential poll (1962) Candidate Name Votes Zakir Hussain 471,244 Kota Subbarao 363,971 Khubi Ram 1,369 Yamuna Prasad Trisulla 232 Bhamburkar Shriniwas Gopal 232 Brahma Deo 232 Krishna Kumar Chatterjee 125 Kumar Kamla Singh 125 Chandradutt Senani 0 U.P. Chugani 0 Dr. M.C. Davar 0 Chowdhry Hari Ram 0 Dr. Man Singh Ahluwalia 0 Manohara Holkar 0 Seetharamaiah Ramaswamy Sharma Hoysala 0 Satyabhakt 0 5th Presidential poll (1969) Candidate Name Votes Varahagiri Venkata Giri (INDEPENDENT) 401,515 / 420,077 Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy (INDEPENDENT) 313,548 / 405,427 C.D. Deshmukh 112,769 Chandradatt Senani 5,814 Furcharan Kaur 940 Rajabhoj Pandurang Nathuji 831 Babu Lal Mag 576 Chowdhry Hari Ram 125 Sharma Manovihari Anirudh 125 Khubi Ram 94 Bhagmal 0 Krishna Kumar Chatterjee 0 Santosh Singh Kachhwaha 0 Dr. Ramdular Tripathi Chakor 0 Shri Ramanlal Prushottam Vyas 0 6th Presidential poll (1974) Candidate Name Votes Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed (INC) 754,113 Tridib Chaudhuri (INDEPENDENT) 189,196 7th Presidential poll (1977) Candidate Name Votes Neelam Sanjiva Reddy Won unopposed* *37 candidates filed nominations, 36 got rejected 8th Presidential poll (1982) Candidate Name Party Votes Zail Singh Indian National Congress 754,113 H.R. Khanna Independent 282,685 9th Presidential poll (1987) Candidate Name Party Votes R. Venkataraman Indian National Congress 740,148 V. R. Krishna Iyer Independent 281,550 Mithilesh Kumar Independent 2,223 10th Presidential poll (1992) Candidate Name Party Votes Shankar Dayal Sharma Indian Nationlal Congress 675,864 G.G. Swell Independent 346,485 Ram Jethmalani Independent 2,704 11th Presidential poll (1997) Candidate Name Party Votes K.R. Narayanan Indian National Congress 956,290 T.N. Seshan Independent 50,631 Kaka Joginder Singh a.k.a. Dharti Pakad Independent 1,135 12th Presidential poll (2002) Candidate Name Party Votes Abdul Kalam Independent 922,884 Lakshmi Sahgal CPI(M) 107,366 13th Presidential poll (2007) Candidate Name Party Votes Pratibha Patil Indian National Congress 638,116 Bhairon Singh Shekhawat Independent 331,306 14th Presidential poll (2012) Candidate Name Party Votes Pranabh Mukherjee Indian National Congress/UPA 713,763 P.A.Sangma Independent 315,987

11.15am: Former Lok Sabha speaker says Somnath Chatterjee said it appears that NDA candidate Kovind will win the presidential election. Happy that vast majority of votes from West Bengal will go to Meira Kumar, he says.

11.10am: In Madhya Pradesh, controversial Congress MLA Shakuntala Khatik, who got bail from Supreme Court in connection with a case of inciting violence during Mandasur farmers protest, casted her vote with along with her party MLAs at the MP State Legislative Assembly.

Congress MLAs going to cast their vote for presidential election in Bhopal. (Mujeeb Faruqui/HT Photo)

11.02am: In Bihar, chief minister Nitish Kumar-led JD(U) is supporting NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind, while senior partner of the Grand Alliance RJD is backing opposition candidate Meira Kumar.

11am: As voting begins at the Bihar assembly, NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind enjoys an edge over UPA-backed Meira Kumar.

10.57am: Uttar Pradesh chief minister is confident of Kovinds win after casting his vote: It is good fortune of UP that for the first time President will be from UP.

10.53am: Assam legislators, including chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, cast their votes in the presidential election.

Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal casts his vote at the assembly in Guwahati. (AN)

10.50am: Madhya Pradesh chief minister wishes NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind.

All the best to Shri Ram Nath Kovind Ji for the #PresidentialElection. Am confident you will receive huge support & emerge victorious.  ShivrajSingh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) July 17, 2017

10.48am: BJP MP and Union minister Uma Bharti voted in UP Vidhan Bhavan. Who will win is clear. We only have to see how big will be the victory margin, says Uma Bharti.

10.44am: In Tamil Nadu, DMK working president MK Stalin casts his vote in the presidential election.

10.41am: Jailed MLAs Chhagan Bhujbal and Ramesh Kadam will be brought to Maharashtra Legislative Assembly from prison for voting.

10.30am: BSP MLA Lalji Verma said all the 19 legislators from his party will vote for Meira Kumar.

10.28am: BSP president Mayawati said: No matter who wins, President will be from Scheduled Caste. Huge victory for our movement and party.

10.25am: On Samajwadi Party legislators Shivpal Yadavs open support for NDA presidential candidate Kovind, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Kesav Prasad Maurya said, He is most welcome.

10.20am: MLAs queue up at Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly to cast their votes in the presidential election.

10.15am: PM Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah cast their votes at the Parliament.

Delhi: PM Narendra Modi & BJP President Amit Shah cast their votes at the Parliament for #PresidentialPoll2017 pic.twitter.com/UXk1Xz7Wou  ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

10.10am: Voting begins at the UP Assembly in Lucknow amidst heightened security following discovery of PETN (explosive) in Vidhan Sabha on July 12.

10.09am: MPs begin to cast vote in the presidential election in the Parliament.

10.08am: PM Modi says Growing Stronger Together is the other name for GST. GST shows the good that can be achieved when all parties come together and work for the nation, PM tweeted.

10.07am: BJP president Amit Shah, a legislator from Gujarat, arrives at the Parliament to vote in the presidential election.

10.05am: Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks ahead of monsoon session. This monsoon session is special because we have got an opportunity to elect the next President and vice-president, says the PM.

9.57am: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath will be among the first lawmakers to vote at the UP assembly in Lucknow.

9.50am: Preparations are underway at Karnataka Legislative Assembly in Bengaluru ahead of the presidential election.

Bengaluru: Preparations underway at Karnataka Legislative Assembly ahead of the #PresidentialElection pic.twitter.com/HsMv3y3qTN  ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

9.40am: Union minister Venkaiah Naidu said NDA presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind ji will win with a comfortable and respectable margin.

9.33am: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah to cast their votes at 10 am in the Parliament, news agency ANI tweeted.

9.20am: BSP chief Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav (though he himself is not a voter as he is an MLC) are supporting Meira Kumar while the Mulayam-Shivpal faction is extending support to Kovind.

9.15am: Uttar Pradesh has a total of 403 MLAs. Of these, BJP and allies include 325 legislators, SP 47, BSP 19, Congress 7, RLD 1 and NISHAD 1. There are three independent MLAs.

9am: Of the total value of 10,96,004 votes, the opposition is eyeing around 400,000 and also is hopeful of cross-voting in the absence of a party whip. The opposition parties are taking all steps to ensure there lawmakers dont vote for Kovind.

8.53am: BJP supporters perform hawan at Varanasi for NDAs presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovinds victory.

Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh): BJP supporters perform 'hawan' for NDA's presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind's victory #PresidentialPoll2017 pic.twitter.com/LxySX4cHmK  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) July 17, 2017

8.45am: Rehearsal has begun for the swearing-in ceremony of the new President at Delhis Vijay Chowk.

8.34am: Leaders of opposition parties to meet at 10am in the Parliament: ANI

8.25am: How opposition parties stand

Apart from the JD(U), the Telangana Rashtra Samithi, the YSR Congress Party, both factions of the AIADMK and the Biju Janata Dal have extended support to Kovind.

With the Samajwadi Party still a divided house, its two factions are likely to vote for two different candidates during the presidential election.

8.20am: Heres what Congress president Sonia Gandhi said

A day before the presidential election, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi described on Sunday the contest as a fight against a narrow-minded, divisive and communal vision.

Addressing opposition leaders in the presence of their presidential and vice presidential nominees --- Meira Kumar and Gopal Krishna Gandhi, the Congress president told participants to fight the battle and fight hard despite the ruling dispensation seemingly having a numerical advantage.

8.15am: PM Modi Congratulates Kovind in advance

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated NDA presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind in advance and assured him of his governments support, a day before the election to the top constitutional post.

Modi termed the lack of bitterness in the poll campaign as a sign of maturity in the Indian democracy.
PATNA Voting in the Presidential election on Monday served to underscore the emerging faultlines within Bihars ruling grand alliance (GA), as two of its constituents - the RJD and Congress, made common cause of backing opposition candidate Meira Kumar and JD (U), the third constituent, backing NDA nominee Ram Nath Kovind.

Many MLAs reached the voting venue in the Bihar assembly building well ahead of commencement of the exercise at 10 am, only to assemble round their respective party leaders before they queued up to cast their ballot to elect the next President of India.

Chief minister Nitish Kumar, who stirred a hornets next with the GA by deciding that his party, the JD (U) would back NDA nominee in the Presidential poll, didnt turn up at the polling venue. This was apparently because he is a member of the state legislative council and, as such, ineligible to vote.

But Kumars deputy, RJD chief Lalu Prasads son Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, was present at the polling venue and in comman d as his party MLAs, all 80 of them in the 243-member Bihar assembly, joined 27 Congress MLAs in voting for Meira Kumar.

Tejashwi gave no indication he was under JD (U) pressure to resign as deputy CM, in the wake of an FIR filed against him by the CBI in the land for railways hotels lease case. He remained in his chamber with Congress minister Awadhesh Kumar Singh until all RJD and Congress MLAs had voted for Meira Kumar.

Although he too, like CM Kumar, was ineligible to vote in the Presidential poll, being an MLC, BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi arrived early and sat in the chamber of Prem Kumar, leader of the opposition in assembly, to supervise voting.

Modi was seen helping MLAs from BJPs NDA allies - like Jitan Ram Manjhi-led HAM-S, Ram Vilas Paswan-led LJP and Upendra Kushwaha-led RLSP, to cast their votes in favour of Kovind.

Water resources minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh and parliamentary affairs minister Shravan Kumar, both of the JD (U), also reached the assembly campus early, apparently to keep a watch on activities of the party legislators.

It was perhaps because of the strained ties between the JD (U) and RJD, following the stalemate caused by Tejashwis refusal to put in his papers, that JD (U) MLAs indulging in conversation with legislators of the Congress or the RJD, were separated and guided to Shravan Kumars chamber.

We have a different line (from Congress and RJD) on the presidential poll and this has to be manifested in our actions too, said Lalan Singh, while guiding party MLA Sarfaraz Alam to the JD(U)s gathering.

Bihar Congress chief and education minister Ashok Choudhary too spent his time with deputy CM and other party legislators in the assembly till the last vote of party legislators was cast. Congress MLAs, numbering 27, were the first to finish casting their votes.

But JD (U) leaders waited till 2.30 pm as party MLAs, Hari Narayan Singh and Shyam Bahadur Singh arrived late.

Contrary to a claim by RJD leaders, all four Independent MLAs, namely, Anant Kumar Singh (Mokama), Rinku Singh (Valmikinagar), Ashok Chaudhary (Kanti) and Baby Kumari (Bochaha), seemed to have voted for Kovind, going by their activity on the assembly premises.

They rushed to the opposition leaders chamber to greet the BJP leaders, before standing in the queue to vote.

BJP legislator from Darbhanga, Sanjay Saraogi, was the first to stand in the queue at 8.50 am. But RJD MLA Lalit Yadav, who was also the partys polling agent, was the first to cast his vote. There were around 100 legislators jostling with one another in queue when the booth was opened for voting.

CPI (ML) (Liberation) legislator from Gopalganj Satyadeo Ram was the last MLA to cast his vote. RJD leader Raj Ballabh Yadav, lodged in Biharsharif jail, also turned up to vote with special permission from the court.

A total of 241 out of 243 MLAs cast their votes on the Bihar assembly premises. RJD legislator from Obra Vinod Kumar Sinha exercised his franchise in Dehradun with permission from the Election Commission of India (ECI). BJP legislator from Bhabhua, Anand Bhushan Singh, did not vote as he was admitted in a Delhi hospital.

BLURB

Contrary to the claims of RJD leaders, all four Independents, including Mokama MLA Anant Kumar, Rinku Singh (Valmikinagar), Ashok Chaudhary (Kanti) and Baby Kumari (Bochaha) seemingly voted for Kovind, if their activity on the assembly premises was any indication

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Indias lawmakers in Parliament and state assemblies voted on Monday to elect the countrys next president in an election that pits two veteran Dalit leaders against each other. (HIGHLIGHTS)

The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) nominee, 71-year-old Ram Nath Kovind, is expected to win the polls, described by his rival, opposition candidate Meira Kumar, as a battle of ideologies.

The result will be declared on July 20. President Pranab Mukherjees tenure ends on July 24.

The presidential poll this time is historic. Probably for the first time no party has made any undignified or unwarranted comment on the rival candidate, Modi said before casting his vote.

Every political party has kept in mind the dignity of this election.

Modi hopes Kovinds election could help the BJP shake off allegations of bias against Dalits, a charge magnified by a series of attacks on the community, among Indias poorest and relegated to the margins of society.

It will be only the second time that India has had a Dalit head of state.

Dalits, who number around 200 million in the nation of 1.3 billion, form a sizeable chunk of the population in some states which go to polls this year and early next year.

The polls also laid bare the divisions within the Congress-led opposition parties, which had hoped to project a show of unity ahead of the general elections in 2019.

JD(U) leader and Bihar chief minister, Nitish Kumar, deciding to back Kovind is seen as a biggest setback for the opposition. Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaiks Biju Janata Dal too has backed the NDA candidate.

With the numbers stacked against her, Meira Kumar urged members of the electoral college to heed their voice of conscience and vote for an ideology that binds India.

...I am a candidate in this contest to fight the battle of ideology, Kumar said.

The former Lok Sabha speaker said that the ideology of social justice, inclusiveness, secularism, transparency, freedom of expression and press, poverty alleviation and total destruction of caste system binds India together.

Kumar, the daughter of freedom fighter Jagjivan Ram, was a diplomat before entering politics in 1985 and became Indias first woman speaker in 2009.

Her nomination, which followed Kovinds, was seen by many as the oppositions attempt to counter Modis move to woo Dalits.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi rallied opposition ranks before the vote, also calling the contest a clash of ideas and a conflict of disparate values.

We cannot and must not let India be hostage to those who wish to impose upon it a narrow-minded, divisive and communal vision, Gandhi said, in an apparent reference to allegations that the BJP government was not doing enough to rein in fringe Hindu groups targeting Muslims.

Both Kovind and Kumar held a series of meetings across states to mobilise support for their candidature.

But Kovind, a former Bihar governor, is expected to garner more than 70% of the votes as the NDA enjoys a brute majority in the Lok Sabha and also in 17 states.

The Election Commission appointed 33 observers to oversee the election. While two observers were present in Parliament House, one each was deployed in the state assemblies.

Indias prime minister wields executive power, but the president can send back some parliamentary bills for reconsideration and also plays a guiding role in the process of forming governments.

Some presidents, such as Pranab Mukherjee, have tried to act as conscience-keepers, using their constitutional authority to defend Indias founding principles as a secular, diverse democracy.

Kovinds ascent to the top post in the country will be first by a leader who started out with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological mentor of the BJP.

(With agency inputs)
The stage is set to elect the countrys 14th President.

A total of 4,896 lawmakers will vote on Monday to elect the successor of Pranab Mukherjee, who demits office on July 25.

Given the BJP-led NDAs strength, its candidate Ram Nath Kovind appears to have the advantage against his opponent, Meira Kumar, a former Lok Sabha Speaker and the oppositions nominee.

If elected, 71-year-old Kovind will be the second Dalit to become President after KR Narayanan.

The total combined value of votes in the presidential election is 1,098,903  549,408 for 543 Lok Sabha and 233 Rajya Sabha parliamentarians, and 549,495 for 4,120 legislators in state assemblies.

The halfway mark is expected to be 549,442, but that will depend on the number of valid votes.

Kovind is expected to garner more than 70% of the votes as the NDA enjoys a brute majority in the Lok Sabha and it also 17 states.

We have the support of 21 chief ministers and more than 30 political parties, said BJP general secretary Bhupendra Yadav, who is Kovinds campaign manager.

Apart from the Janata Dal (United) that dealt a blow to the opposition camp by announcing its support to Kovind, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi, the YSR Congress Party, both factions of the AIADMK and the Biju Janata Dal have extended support to the former Bihar governor.

For her part, 72-year-old Kumar is banking on the inner conscience of lawmakers to defeat Kovind in a Dalit versus Dalit battle.

Its not a symbolic fight  It will be a good, tough fight, CPI general secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy said.

The opposition is hopeful of cross-voting in the absence of a whip by political parties.

But the fear of cross-voting has prompted Trinamool Congress head and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee to ask her party MPs to cast their votes in Kolkata.

Born on October 1, 1945, at Kanpur Dehat in Uttar Pradesh, Kovind was elected to the Rajya Sabha in 1994 and served two consecutive terms for 12 years till March 2006.

He was a lawyer in the Delhi high court and Supreme Court for about 16 years until 1993. He was the central governments advocate in the Delhi high court from 1977 to 1979 and its standing counsel in the top court from 1980 to 1993. Kovind became advocate-on-record of the Supreme Court in 1978.

Kumar shares many similarities with Kovind. Both are Dalits, studied law, were active politicians and describe reading as their favourite pastime. Kumar joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1973 and after 15 years of service, she moved to politics.

Daughter of former deputy prime minister Jagjivan Ram, Kumar got elected to the Lok Sabha five times  first when she defeated BSP leader Mayawati and Ram Vilas Paswan from Bijnor in 1985.

In her long career, she had her share of controversies too. She landed in a row for occupying a bungalow in Lutyens Delhi by getting her fathers erstwhile residence converted into a memorial, even as she held another ministerial home.

The UPA government of the time wrote off a bill of Rs 1.98 crore that she owed.

Like her father, Kumar had strained ties with the Congress for a while. She quit the party in 2000 and returned two years later. After serving as a cabinet minister in the Manmohan Singh government, she became the first woman to occupy the Lok Sabha Speakers post in 2009.

Whether Kovind will win with a convincing margin or the Bihar ki Beti (Bihars daughter) is able to emerge triumphant in the war of ideologies will be known on July 20, when the poll result is scheduled to be declared.

Read: Ram Nath Kovind or Meira Kumar: Presidential election 2017 live updates

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In the last few months, almost every journalist has become familiar with KB Koliwad, Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly. The familiarity began in March this year, when Koliwad famously announced that he was forming a House committee to frame rules and regulations for electronic media  a Lakshman Rekha, he called it, to restrict the arbitrary telecasting of news. Koliwad said this came after MLAs across parties complained about the medias irresponsible reporting, particularly by news channels. As senior MLA BR Patil of the Karnataka Janata Paksha had said, the media was performing the roles of petitioner, advocate and judge and was, without evidence, projecting politicians in a poor light and disrespecting us.

Now, four months later, Koliwad and the Karnataka Legislative Assembly have been in the news for redrawing this Lakshman Rekha more clearly. So clearly, in fact, that the House unanimously sentenced two local journalists, the well-known Ravi Belagere of Hi Bangalore, and Anil Raju of Yelahanka Voice to a full year in jail on 21st June. Along with the jail term, they were fined Rs 10,000 each  Koliwad announced that if the fine wasnt paid, they would have to spend another six months in jail. As of 28th June, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah instructed the home department to not arrest Belagere for now, as he is suffering from ailments.

And yes, it was the legislative assembly that did the sentencing.

The reason for this? Both Belagere and Raju had allegedly published defamatory articles about the Congress MLA BM Nagaraj, SR Vishwanath, an MLA of the Bharatiya Janata Party, and Koliwad of the Congress.

What is striking is that the Congress and the BJP have come together to attack press freedom in Karnataka. To most journalists, the MLAs move to complain to the Assemblys Privileges Committee claiming that the two journalists had breached their parliamentary privileges seems almost too convenient, and a guaranteed victory. Parliamentary privilege is legal immunity given to MLAs, so that they have protection against civil or criminal liability for actions or statements made in the House, or during the course of their work. And, as MLAs, the privileges gave them much more power than anybody else.

A part of the problem, as both journalists and politicians are quick to point out, is that there is no codification of what amounts to privilege, and what should be considered as breach of privilege. Many argue that the common sense answer to this question is that a breach of privilege is something that stops MLAs from carrying out their duties as an MLA, something that neither Hi Bangalore, nor Yelahanka Voice has done. Most media houses that have reported on the Belagere and Raju case only referred to their articles as being defamatory, without expressly stating what was in them. According to The Telegraph, Belageres story, published back in 2014, had reportedly accused BM Nagaraj and his family of making disproportionate amounts of money, while Hi Bangalore, according to the Indian Ex-press, carried a piece about Koliwad attempting to get into the state cabinet. BJPs Vishwanath had claimed that Raju published defamatory pieces, reportedly blackmailing him and others from the Yelahanka constituency.

Perhaps, some of the hesitation of explaining what was defamatory about the pieces came from the gossipy reputation that both Hi Bangalore and Yelahanka Voice seem to have. Historian and writer Ramachandra Guha, who begins by saying he is outraged and appalled at the Assemblys decision, says hes heard the journalists are a little bit on the scurrilous side, but nevertheless this (sentencing) is not the solution. The fact of the MLAs untrammelled powers was confirmed when it emerged that Koliwad himself was conveniently the complainant in Belageres case. This fact threw up further complications  the two journalists, who would otherwise have had the option of appealing to the Speaker of the house, now couldnt do this, because the chief of the enquiry committee was the Speaker himself.

Finally, both Belagere and Raju chose another option and moved the High Court on 27th June, filing a joint petition in court, seeking a stay on the Assemblys jail order.

Koliwads verdict on 21st June had stunned everybody and reopened the debate on press freedom that has only intensified since the raids on NDTV co-founder Prannoy Roy and Radhika Roys house on 5th June.

Simultaneously, this also reopened an ethics debate that journalists, particularly those working in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka are unfortunately too familiar with  that having the option of breach of privilege provides MLAs with extra freedom, allowing them to circumvent due legal process, using the Privileges Committee to attack any form of political dissent.

Since June 21st, the Committee to Protect Journalists, an independent nonprofit organisation that promotes press freedom, has condemned the Assemblys move, as has Amnesty International India and the Editors Guild of India, all demanding the immediate reversal of the sentences citing the importance of press freedom. The press has the right to raise difficult issues and ask tough questions of the government. State governments must respect journalists constitutional right to freedom of expression and not try to browbeat them into toeing their line, says Asmita Basu, Programmes Director at Amnesty International India to HT over email. Basu then goes on to argue that Parliamentary privilege can be used to give lawmakers immunity from prosecution for what they say in the legislature. But the concept of breach of privilege shouldnt be used to prosecute people for lowering the dignity of legislatures, she says. Others, like senior journalist Gauri Lankesh, argue that such a law shouldnt exist in a democratic country that values free speech. What makes them [MLAs] special? If theyre really so offended, they should fight it out in court, she tells HT.

Journalists like Lankesh say that this is certainly not the first time that press freedom is being threatened in south India (and as Basu points out, press freedom has also been a glaring issue in Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir). As journalist Krishna Prasad recently wrote, Karnataka, under Chief Minister Siddaramaiahs watch, has seen TV stations being blacked out, while the police, citing court orders, have imposed gag orders on the reporting or telecast of incidents of crime, the home minister has gagged the police, and the education minister has gagged teachers. In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, both KCR and Chandrababu Naidu are in the middle of a crackdown on dissent  blocking TV channels with unofficial bans, and being intolerant towards independent journalists.

On a side note, no journalists accused of breach of privilege in TN (infamous for such cases) have received as high a punishment as Belagere and Raju. This includes the closely documented case of the Privileges Committee sentencing S Balasubramaniam, editor of Tamil weekly Ananda Vikatan to three months in jail for publishing a cartoon under the MG Ramachandran government in 1987. The cartoon, which had two people in it, was reportedly captioned, the one who looks like a pickpocket is a member of the legislative assembly and the one like a dacoit is a minister. Before this, the same thing had happened to AM Paulraj in 1985, the editor of the Tamil traders journal Vaniga Otrumai. Later, things didnt get much easier under Jayalalithaa, when such breach of privilege cases came up in 1992, 1994, and 2003.

But, when this comparison to TNs crackdown on journalists is brought up, Brijesh Kalappa, an advocate in the Supreme Court, spokesperson for the Congress, and former legal advisor to the Karnataka government, who doesnt agree that the Belagere and Raju case has anything to do with press freedom, is quick to tell HT, This is too large a connection to make to Tamil Nadu. This is not showing any kind of trend.

In Karnataka, Lankesh says that in the past, journalists have been pulled up for breach of privilege for extremely small stories. In 2009, for instance, Rajan Hunasawadi of Samyukta Karnataka was hauled up for running a piece quoting a Congress politician calling then Assembly Speaker KG Bopaiah as unfit to hold office, where the headline carried the word nalayak [unworthy]. Then, in 2012, Kiran Thakur, the editor of Tarun Bharat, a Marathi daily published from Belgaum, was forced to apologise standing, amazingly enough, in a makeshift dock in the Assembly, for publishing defamatory and baseless reports against then BJP MLA Abhay Patil and Congress MLA Shyam B Ghatage. I am sorry. My newspaper has never published any material to undermine the dignity and supremacy of this house, he was made to say.

Lankesh herself was once called by the Privileges Committee, and asked to carry a front-page apology in 2009 for a story she had written. I argued that I hadnt written about what the MLA had said inside the House, but outside, she says, and settled on running an apology inside the weekly (however insincere, she adds), because there were bigger battles to be fought, she says.

It is difficult not to be alarmed that only journalists are complaining about the glaring problem of press freedom. People associated with political parties in Karnataka have condemned the move, while refusing to say anything about press freedom.

The first thing that Dinesh Amin Mattu, the media advisor to the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah says (and repeats) is, This [decision] has nothing to do with either the government or the Chief Minister. Then, when asked if this curbs the freedom of the press, Mattu says, No, there is some procedure. Its the constitutional right of the legislature. If the system is there, then anybody can use it. If they pass another Act or rule to curb the freedom of the press, then anybody can question. Similarly, Kalappa, spokesperson for the Congress, who wrote a Facebook post on 26th June about the Assembly decision says, There must be a reconciliation between both sides and things must go on. He then adds to HT, According to me it is not an infringement on press freedom. It is a separate issue. There have been excesses from both these journalists. But its not a government decision. Its the whole body.

On the other hand, S Suresh Kumar of the BJP, says, I feel there is a disconnect between the media and the elected representatives. This disconnect is causing all these things to happen, although he says that Belagere and Rajus cases were clear cases of defamation. Then, after a pause, he adds, Today they have these two incidents. It becomes a precedent and this precedent could be an attack on freedom of press.

Perhaps, all this explains the sense among journalists like Lankesh, who say that opposing parties who fight tooth and nail on all fronts do come together and find common ground for things like curbing the press.

Guha agrees. Theres always cross-party collaboration for things like higher remuneration or foreign tours, and theres also cross-party collaboration to suppress the press.

And Lankesh is certain that the only way we can begin to move forward from here is if the law about breach of privilege itself goes.

Belagere, was admitted in a hospital in Dharwad soon after news of his arrest was announced, and there are reports of him refusing to go with the police who came to arrest him. Both Raju (hes still at large, reports say) and Belagere were missing, avoiding arrest. But as Prasad wrote, You may dislike his [Belageres] publication, dislike its prurient pursuits, dislike its gossip and scandal mongering. You may have heard stories and rumours of his lifestyle, whatever. None of that matters before the larger principle of justice.

(Published in arrangement with GRIST Media)
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) insisted on Monday that it cannot make public the list of big loan defaulters. The names have already been submitted to the Supreme Court in a sealed cover.

The RBI counsel told a bench headed by Chief Justice JS Khehar that disclosing the names could have an adverse impact on businesses.

There are a series of statutes that can be looked into to decide whether the disclosure can be made, the counsel told the bench, which asked the RBI to file an affidavit on the issue. The court will take up the matter after four weeks.

RBIs stand was in response to a demand made by the Centre for Public Interest litigation (CPIL)  an activist organisation  seeking disclosure of those who owe over Rs 500 crore to banks.

The central bank was made a party in the public interest petition that was filed in 2003 where CPIL pointed out the bad loans advanced to a few companies by state-owned Housing and Urban Development Corp. Ltd. RBI was directed to provide a list of defaulters and expressed concern over rising bad loans.

The court wanted to know how state-owned banks and financial institutions were clearing large-scale loans without proper guidelines. It asked the RBI to spell out if there were guidelines to oversee advancing of such loans and whether there were adequate systems in place to recover them.

RBI gave several reasons for piling bad loans. Delays in securing government clearances, completing acquisition of land and poor credit appraisal and monitoring by banks were some of them.
The UP police on Monday registered separate cases against 300 unidentified people and nine identified for their alleged role in arson and stone-pelting over a land dispute near a mosque in Varanasi the previous night.

The clash broke out after a man reportedly hitched his cow under a tin shed near the mosque in Sigra area .

Six people were injured and several vehicles damaged in the stone-pelting during the clash.

The police said Mahendra Singh Mintu, a lawyer, claimed he had been hitching his three cows there for many years. As the space under the shed turned muddy because of rain, he asked his nephew to put some dry soil, to which some people from the minority community raised objections, saying the land belonged to the mosque.

An argument turned into a clash, after which the police arrived and resorted to a mild cane charge and use of teargas to control the situation.

District magistrate Yogeshwar Ram Mishra said a large police contingent has been deployed to maintain peace in the area.

Senior administrative and police officials also rushed to the spot to ensure there was no further flare up.

A large contingent of police was deployed in the area to maintain peace in the area.

The DM has instructed police to immediately book those involved in the clash. He also appealed to the people not to pay heed to rumour, adding strict action would be taken against those who tried to breach the peace.

Senior superintendent of police RK Bhardwaj said cops are keeping an eye on the situation, which is under control. A case will be soon registered over the incident.
The Supreme Court has given the Centre until Tuesday to spell out its stand on the status of the oversight committee (OC), constituted by the apex court last year to oversee the functioning of the Medical Council of India (MCI).

Headed by former Chief Justice RM Lodha, the three-member committees year-long tenure has come to an end with the top court still waiting to learn if the Centre has extended its term or put in place any other appropriate mechanism  conditions it had laid out while forming the committee to lay the groundwork for the overhaul of the regulatory body (MCI), which, the court feels, has failed in discharging its duties.

The five-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice JS Khehar, told solicitor general Ranjit Kumar that there must be an

alternative mechanism to deal with the issues ailing the countrys medical colleges, concerns which justice Lodha had flagged last year.

The bench rejected Kumars submission that a five-member committee, headed by the special director of health services, will be in place to address the grievances arising out of the shoddy functioning of the Medical Council of India , which regulates the countrys medical education and the profession.

Kumar also told the court that the National Medical Commission Bill, which replaces the MCI, was before a group of ministers which had approved the draft Bill.

But the solicitor general could not assure the court if the Bill would be taken up for discussion in the monsoon session of Parliament, which began on Monday. The session with 14 non-Friday working days will conclude on August 11.

Several medical colleges have submitted before the court that the object of the oversight committee was to ensure the Centre came out with a law and that until such time, the panel will remain in place.

When the Chief Justice of India pointed out that the order was clear the committees term will only be for a year, the colleges requested that the court extend its tenure until the legislation was enacted.

Former attorney general Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for a private college, said the malady affecting the regulatory body continues to exist, as the remedial measures suggested by the top court were yet to be addressed.
A suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist, allegedly involved in the fidayeen attack on a CRPF camp in Uttar Pradesh in 2008, was today arrested at the city airport shortly after he flew in there from UAE, a police official said.

Salim Mukim Khan alias Abu Amaar alias Arif, a native of Hathgaon in Fatehpur district of Uttar Pradesh, was nabbed in a joint operation by anti-terrorism squads of Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh police when he arrived at the international airport from the UAE, he said.

Salim, facing lookout notice, was stopped at an immigration counter on the intervening night of July 16 and 17 and taken into custody, the official said.

His interrogation and records available with security agencies showed his alleged role in the suicide attack on a CRPF camp in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, on January 1, 2008, he said.

Eight persons, including some CRPF jawans, were killed in the terror strike.

Salim was also a financier of suspected ISI agent Aftab Ali, who was arrested in May in Faizabad by Uttar Pradesh ATS, he added.

While being abroad, he had been in contact with Aftab and gave instructions to him about terror activities and funding, the official said.

Aftab had been in constant touch with the Pakistan High Commission and had gathered information about several defence establishments in UP, he said.

Salims name had first cropped up as terror module in 2008 during interrogation of suspected terrorists, Kausar and Sharif, who were arrested in 2008 for the attack at the CRPF camp, he said.

The duo had claimed that Salim, along with them, had received terrorist training at a camp in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, in 2007, the official said.

After the Rampur attack, a case was registered under relevant sections of the IPC, the Arms Act, the Explosive Substances Act, the Explosives Act and the Foreigner Registration Act, he said.

Initial inquiry by the Maharashtra ATS indicated that Salim was suspected to be associated with Pakistan-based terror outfit LeT, the official said.

The UP ATS will seek his custody for questioning in the Rampur attack and alleged involvement in severeal other anti-national activities under their jurisdiction, he said.

The Maharashtra ATS is extending all cooperation to its UP counterpart for Salims interrogation, the official added.
Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav brushed aside questions on the growing demand for his resignation as media speculation, even as the BJP said he has only two options - resign or get sacked.

Responding to a question on the growing demand for his resignation, Tejashwi told reporters outside the Assembly that it (resignation demand) is only in the media.

Tejaswi had skipped an official function on July 15, in which he had to share dais with chief minister Nitish Kumar, indicating that the acrimony between the JD(U) and the RJD has reached a flash point in the wake of an FIR registered by the CBI against the deputy chief minister.

RJD president Lalu Prasad has also ruled out the resignation of his son Tejaswi.

While Tejaswi stuck to his gun not to quit, BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said, Tejaswi Yadav has only two options - either tender resignation or get sacked.

Sushil Modi, who is the state BJP Parliamentary party chief, urged Nitish Kumar to stand firm on his ground (seeking resignation of Tejaswi)... BJP is standing with him on his decision on this issue.

Though none of the JD(U) spokesmen made any statement on the issue today, party MLA Shyam Bahadur Singh said, Gatbandhan aaj toot jaye to achha hain... BJP ke saath kaam karne mein maja ata hain (its better if the alliance breaks today... we love to work with the BJP).

Congress MLA Shakil Ahmad Khan and MLC Dilip Chaudhary suggested senior leaders of the three coalition partners to talk among themselves to hammer out a solution.

Amid reports of the BJP going soft on Nitish since the Tejaswi Yadav episode came to the fore, Sushil Modi thanked the chief minister for his support to NDAs presidential pick Ram Nath Kovind.

Nitish Kumars support to NDA nominee holds a lot of significance for which we thank him, Sushil said claiming, along with NDA and JD(U) MLAs, four Independents have also voted for Kovind.

Accompanied by RJD chief whip in the Assembly Lalit Yadav, Tejaswi Yadav also claimed 100 per cent voting by the RJD and Congress MLAs in favour of Meira Kumar.

Three CPI(ML) MLAs have also voted for the UPAs presidential candidate.
Love jihad. A phrase no one had heard of till 2009. But some parts of the Christian community in Kerala are now convinced its a real thing  that Muslim boys were seducing their girls and tricking them into marriage. And the BJP is reaping the benefits.

Mathew Mar Gregorios, the Bishop of the Syrian Independent Orthodox Church, believes that love jihad is a reality and that the time has come for youngsters to stand up and fight this evil. You should see the number of messages I get daily from parents of girls on my phone. There is a rampant conversion of Christian girls into Islam in the Malabar region. Since I am heading a Church denomination here, I have my limitations to talk about it openly, the Bishop tells HT.

Love jihad is a misnomer because its a conversion ploy, not love, he says. In most cases that I have seen personally and intervened too, its just the pretence of love. Once married, the girl gets abandoned most of the times. Conversion is the only motto and it is aimed at increasing the numbers of one community. Some people have even alleged an IS link to all this, which needs to be probed.

Those who believe in love jihad point to the story from June 2016, when two Christian girls Nimisha and Merin converted to Islam and reportedly left along with their husbands to join the Islamic State in Afghanistan.

Or they point to the May 24, 2017, Kerala High Court ruling about a Kerala woman named Hadiya (formerly Akhila), who had converted to Islam from Hinduism to get married to a Muslim boy. The HC ordered her to return to her parents, and not to her husband Shafin Jahan, conveniently forgetting that she was a major who had a right to decide. Based on a habeas corpus petition filed by Hadiyas father, a bench of the HC court deemed void the marriage between the two.

Following the Hadiya case, a month ago, the Kerala High Court had directed the Director General of Police (DGP) to investigate love jihad. There are enough reasons to be concerned about. I can only tell you that a special team under crime branch has been formed to investigate love jihad, TP Senkumar, the DGP tells HT.

Another case is of 29-year-old Aparna Vijayan who had gone missing for 15 days (ahead of her wedding on April 11) while studying at Jewel Medical Trust in Ernakulam. When her mother finally found her, she was at Sathya Sarani Charitable Trust (an institute that aims to propagate Islam among non-Muslims, according to a DNA report, and also helps in conducting the religious ceremony) where she was reportedly taken by another student to convert her to Islam. Sathya Sarani already has cases against it at the HC and complaints from parents along with the State Human Rights Commission, who allege that their wards had been converted to Islam by the organisation and then use boys as alibis to build a good reason.

The Hadiya Jehan case may have been the tipping point for a group of young men from Kochi to set up a Christian Helpline (CHL) to fight love jihad. Renjith Abraham Thomas, a former member of BJPs minority religious wing, set up the CHL and claims it has the blessings of the majority of the Church in Kerala. And that it has nothing to do with the BJP. Out of every 10 girls who get converted to Islam, eight may be Hindus, but the remaining two are always Christians. Hence, we realised the community should have a helpline similar to what the Hindus have. We have started with social media campaigns, we have an office in Kochi and active helpline where weve started receiving calls from parents and even distraught girls, Thomas tells HT.

Adding fuel to the CHL claims, an unverified notice has been circulating on WhatsApp offering cash rewards to Muslim youth for converting and marrying women from other religions. Sources in the state polices intelligence have confirmed to HT that an investigation has been launched on this.

Its hard not to notice that news of the helpline  or other signs of Keralas accepting love jihad as a real, uncontested concept  is accompanied by a visit by BJP President Amit Shah to Kerala in June. Shahs meeting with bishops and cardinals points to BJPs hopes of cultivating this and other anxieties of the Christian community into votes.

If the believers are concerned with such a scenario, then you cannot fault them for it. Though officially, the diocese has not taken a stand, we are concerned. So if there are people working towards stopping such a thing what is wrong in supporting them, asks Father Jimmy Poochakatt, spokesperson, Syro Malabar Church.

Not everyone is on board though. The CPM has called love jihad a hidden agenda of the Sangh Parivar in Kerala to use religion as a tool to get minority votes for the BJP. Senior party leaders are saying that the RSS is behind a section of the people (those who arent office bearers but people whove worked with them and left for other jobs or sympathisers of the Sangh Parivar like those working for its mouthpiece Janmabhoomi and other places) who claim allegiance to the minority morcha which is raking up this issue at this time so as to polarise the society.

Religion is a personal matter. What is wrong in people switching to another religion if they wish to? Renowned author Madhavikutty took the name of Kamala Surayya after embracing Islam. Similarly, actor and writer Balachandran Chullikkad converted to Buddhism. Its their choice and tomorrow they may come back to their mother religion if they are dissatisfied with their adopted one. But raising this issue in public domain is only to poison the minds of society through communal politicking, says CPM politburo member MA Baby.

Even as it distanced itself from CHL, saying it has no role to play in it, the BJP looks to gain political points from the division of Keralas two largest minority communities. But it wont be easy for the BJP to wash its hands off CHL given the new bonhomie between the party and church heads, during Amit Shahs recent visit to Kerala .

If the party wants to win in more constituencies in Kerala, the Christian vote is going to be crucial. Without their help we simply cannot win big. So, the party will obviously make all its moves to get them on its side, BJP state spokesperson MS Kumar told HT.

Love jihad is one thing. But arent there plenty of other and obvious deal-breakers?

Among those present during Shahs visit was Alphons Kannanthanam, a member of the BJP National Executive Council and a Christian from the Christian stronghold Kanjirapally in Kottayam district, who says that the beef ban discussion was not on the table. In spite of attempts to depict the cow slaughter notification as beef ban, BJP could not be alienated from Christians in Kerala, because the Bishops know the reality. The majority of the Christians see the BJP as a pro-development party, an agenda they can also easily associate themselves with, Kannanthanam told HT.

Perhaps the BJP believes that love jihad or similar tactics successfully deployed elsewhere could work with the Christian community in Kerala too. The CPM feels that since the BJP had learned a bitter lesson trying to warm up to the Muslim community during the Malappuram by-election, it is now working hard to appease at least the Christians.

The party added that the BJPs game plan was very evident when it conducted a felicitation ceremony on April 27, 2017, to celebrate the centenary of Philipose Mar Chrysostom, the Major Bishop of the Mar Thoma Syrian Church based in Thiruvalla in Central Kerala, also the Christian heartland. LK Advanis visit (he flew down to take part in the celebration) is not only an attempt to renew old personal ties between the BJP patriarch and the ageing, highly influential Bishop but also forge stronger bonds for the future.

Moreover, in what is seen as a shrewd move, the partys minority morcha wing conducted another programme in Kochi to felicitate the same Bishop. It was attended by KM Mani, the Kerala Congress (M) leader, who was showing off a new-found warmth for BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan on the dais. Mani even openly admitted that being gifted a lotus was pleasant and a new change for him, sending out hints like hammers.

Manis party, which was once a part of the Congress-led UDF coalition, has a sizeable influence over the Christian votes in central Kerala, and his readiness to join the NDA speaks well of the BJPs chances to woo the Christian vote.

Women activists in Kerala disagree. Not only are they rejecting the concept of love jihad, but many believe that this is again just a claim of the Sangh Parivar to divide the society by acting as champions of women.

I think it is a clear cut ploy by the RSS and its affiliated organs. If they have such issues with conversion they should oppose women who get converted into Hinduism also. That they are so happy to accept. Then what right do they have to oppose those who get converted to Islam, asks K Ajitha, a former naxalite-turned-social activist who runs an NGO called Anweshi.

On the other hand, there is the church, the High Court and the state police all ready to give the love jihad story the gleam of legitimacy. And for the BJP its another opportunity to make inroads into the Christian vote bank in Kerala in the run up to the 2019 polls.

(Published in arrangement with GRIST Media)
Four people of a family were burnt to death over an alleged property dispute between siblings in Katihar district on Sunday night.

A couple and its two daughters were burnt to death in sleep at Coundi village under Barsoi police station, 60 km east of district headquarters Katihar and 305km east of Patna.

The charred bodies of the victims were sent for post mortem examination to the district hospital.

The victims have been identified as Kedar Singh (45), his wife Pratima Devi (40), and their two daughters Dimple Kumari (15) and Soni Kumari (17). Son Laxman Kumar Singh (12), who was sleeping in the other room, managed to escape in the nick of time.

The police have lodged an FIR on the basis of his complaint. The boy has named his uncle Manoj Kumar, younger brother of victim Kedar Singh, as an accused. He is since absconding.

READ | Two killed over digging of soil in Raghopur block of Bihars Vaishali district

Laxman said, My uncle used to threaten my parents over a piece of ancestral land, which he wanted to grab and sell. On Sunday, he threatened my father of dire consequences and later at night he set the house ablaze, killing my parents and sisters, who were asleep.

Laxmans mother and his sisters died on the spot while his father Kedar died at the Katihar Medical College Hospital (KMCH) during treatment. Kedar was initially taken to the Katihar sadar (district) hospital, where doctors referred him to the medical college.

Locals said the accused Manoj was a habitual gambler and used to invest money in lottery. He wanted to sell a chunk of land, held as a joint property with his brother Kedar. Manoj killed his brother when Kedar resisted, said some villagers. They even alleged that Manoj was a habitual drunkard and often spent time gambling in West Bengal.

Confirming the incident, Katihar superintendent of police Siddharth Mohan Jain said, The accused escaped soon after the incident.

The police said it was in contact with the West Bengal police and confident of arresting the accused.

Katihar has been infamous for killings over property dispute. Two years ago a family of four, including two minor children, were burnt to death over a land dispute. They were sleeping when some villagers locked them from outside and set their house ablaze.
A discreet call went out as bullets whizzed past and the report of automatic rifles echoed in the surrounding mountains of south Kashmirs Pulwama district on July 3.

The message from Bamnoo village to a police station in north Kashmir was short. Keep a grave ready.

Security forces have killed two militants, but their partner was holed up in a house and fighting desperately. In the thick of the counter-insurgency operation, ground intelligence suggested the third gunman could be a foreigner.

The man was shot dead hours later and his grave was ready by the Jhelum river in Baramulla districts Gantmulla village, about 100km away.

But the pit remained empty for two weeks, covered with a tin sheet. The body never reached the pre-assigned grave. The man turned out to be a Kashmiri and was buried in his native village.

The gravediggers labour in windy, rainswept Gantmulla didnt go waste, though.

The corpse of an unidentified foreign militant, killed in a cave hideout in Pulwamas Tral forests, arrived a fortnight later.

The waiting burial pit became one of the 43 graves of foreign militants on a rocky patch in Gantmulla, a mountain village buffeted by breathtaking greenery and the Jhelum. It is close to the Line of Control, the de-facto border between Indian and Pakistan, and 65km north of Srinagar.

The graveyard is strategically sandwiched between Sheeri police station and a military camp.

Except for two small rocks placed at each end of the grassy mounds, the rudimentary graves in two neat rows are mostly unmanned and unmarked.

For epithets, some of the older graves have small metal plaques with serial numbers, betraying the bare minimum information  the place of death. The graves are numbered till 22. The rest are ready but police are hard-pressed for time.

S. No 1: From Khrew, reads the oldest plaque. Khrew is a town in Pulwama.

Sheeri police officers keep a record of the dead on their watch, but wont share any details. They wont even tell the graveyards age, though villagers believe it sprang up probably a year ago.

Little is known about dead foreign militants. Police provide patchy strands of information such as the militants code name, his organisation and the time he has been active in the Kashmir Valley. His life and family remain a mystery.

Police said villagers help during the last rites. Abdul Majeed Mir, a 50-year-old tea-seller, was the first gravedigger to lend a hand.

We are all humans and it is a universal obligation for us to respect the dead. Also, the Prophet taught us to perform the last rites of people with respect. Rest, I dont care whether they are militants or otherwise, Mir said.

The graveyard overlooking the Baramulla highway is open for the public. Many strangers offer special prayers from the road itself, a constable said.

The imam of the village mosque, Mufti Aijaz, leads the funerals but the revolting sight of mutilated bodies almost forced him to quit.

A corpse with its face blown off  a body without the back of its head, and another with no flesh on its legs. Anyone would get disturbed by such scenes, he said.

I decided to leave the responsibilities of an imam. But the people did not allow me to.

The shroud of official silence and secrecy helps authorities prevent people from making a martyr of the non-Kashmiri militants. The strategy is followed diligently after thousands of people in south Kashmir attended the funeral of Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Abu Qasim, a Pakistani from Multan, in December 2015.

That funeral prompted police not to hand bodies of foreign militants to residents of places where they are killed for burial.

Still, a 28-year-old man of Gantmulla feels proud to be part of the funeral of guest militants.

They are martyrs. I feel very proud to get a chance to touch their bodies, he said.
Information and broadcasting minister M Venkaiah Naidu has been finalised as the ruling NDA candidate for vice presidential poll and the announcement will be made on Monday evening, BJP sources have said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) parliamentary board will meet in the evening to announce Naidus candidature, according to the sources. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the meeting.

The 68-year-old Naidu, a former BJP president, met Modi and spoke with BJP president Amit Shah, the sources said.

Maharashtra governor C Vidyasagar Raos name was also considered for the August 5 contest.

The last date for filing nomination papers for the vice presidential election is Tuesday.

The term of vice president Hamid Ansari, who is also ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, ends on August 10.
Some heated moments were witnessed in the West Bengal Assembly during the Presidential polls on Monday after a ruling Trinamool Congress legislator lashed out at the GJM counterparts for setting Darjeeling ablaze and attacked state BJP president Dilip Ghosh for escorting them to the house.

Spotting the three Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) legislators in the assembly lobby alongside Ghosh, Trinamool MLA Paresh Pal apparently lost his cool. After setting Darjeeling hills on fire, you are still chatting? he angrily told the GJM lawmakers.

Amar Rai, one of the GJM members hit Amar Rai hit back with a challenge to Pal.

Go and say these words there (the hills), he said.

At this, Pal said: I will teach you a lesson, prompting another counter from the GJM legislator.

Pal then vented his ire on Ghosh for ushering them into the assembly. Dilip Ghosh does not know any courtesy... he has brought these people, who dont know how to speak decent words, and have poor taste. There people have set the hills aflame. We are loyalists of Mamata Banerjee. Otherwise, we would have taught them a lesson.

Pal then went close to Ghosh, pointing a finger at him as he said that it was only only due to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjees magnanimity that they were still there. The indecent way in which you speak, you cannot be the spokesperson of any party.

Ghosh hit back. Dont show me didi (elder sister, as Banerjee is popularly called), said the BJP leader, who has time and again in the past hogged the limelight for making controversial comments and only a couple of days back, threatened to torch Banerjees residence if she dared to take any action against him.

Ghosh later said such kind of attack was unimaginable. Is the relationship (between legislators of rivals parties) one of quarrel or killings? How can he (Pal) use such language. We have never seen this kind of politics.

Why do you make friends when you wont be able to continue? he said, apparently referring toA the good relations he had with Pal in the past.

Rai later called Pals comments very childish. It is our duty also to vote. We have just come to the assembly to cast our votes, and we will be back. Because we know, Darjeeling is burning. We are aware of that. We know our responsibility.

Because after all, we are colleagues, whether you belong to the BJP, or to the Trinamool or to the Congress, or CPI-M, or GJM. I think we should have mutual respect for each other. There are political differences we have. But I think there is scope to solve these. But shouting and accusing, I dont think that is the solution. This shows their (Trinamools) mentality.
Whats in a name? A lot, feels Nainital MLA Sanjeev Arya who wants change in the names of some weird-sounding tourist points in the Lake City: Suicide Point, Phansi Gadhera (hangmans bay in English) and Sadiya Taal (decaying lake).

Arya plans to send a proposal to the state government for changing these tourist hubs names that evoke an uneasy feeling among tourists.

We dont think these names give out a good message to lakhs of tourists who visit Nainital every year. I have sought suggestions from people (regarding new names for these spots) and also asked local activists to apprise me if there are more such (awkward) names in region that need to be changed, Arya told Hindustan Times.

The BJP lawmaker said apart from Sadiya Taal, the others were not even registered names. For instance, the name Suicide Point was coined by guides and horse ride operators in the area just to attract tourists. Wed rather promote the spot for its huge potential for adventure tourism, he said.

In fact, a few years ago, beautification work of Sadiya Taal took place after which it was decided to name it as Sarita Taal, but it continues to be known as Sadiya Taal among locals and tourists.

The MLA has asked the local body to provide municipal records regarding the registered names of these places. I will then pursue the matter with the urban development ministry and (chief minister Trivendra Singh) Rawat ji to change the names, he said.

Historian-activist Ajay Singh Rawat of Nainital said apart from the Suicide Point, a place that never existed, the other two spots have immense historical significance and hence their names shouldnt be changed.

The name Phansi Gadhera symbolises our freedom struggle as the Rohillas -- who attacked Haldwani during the First War of Independence in 1857 -- were hanged by the British there. If they change the name, they will change history, Rawat asserted.

Similarly, Sadiya Taal was called so by locals because it was originally a wetland and associated with the traditional water management system of the hills. Moreover, it is historically important as (the then Kumaon commissioner) Sir Henry Ramsay had introduced potato cultivation at Sadiya Taal for the first time in the region in 1856, so this name, too, should stay, Rawat said.

Last year, residents of Chorgaliya (lane of thieves in English), a village panchayat in Nainital district, had launched a campaign to change the embarrassing name of their area.

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Till last month, Joyita Mondal Mahi was a member of the transgender community who was working for the welfare and development of her marginalised community. On July 8, the world changed for the 29-year-old when she attended office as Bengals first transgender judge of a Lok Adalat.

On her first day as judge at Islampur in the North Dinajpur, Joyita, who was known as Joyonto in the past, heard quite a few cases involving recovery of loan taken from banks.

In most of the cases I suggested negotiation which the litigants found acceptable. In one specific case I ordered the bank authorities to confiscate a mortgaged property and recover the loan because the borrower simply refused to sit for talks,  said Mondal.

Joyita Mondal Mahi addressing a conference on transgender welfare in the city. (Facebook)

Records cant establish whether Mondal is the first transgender person to be appointed judge of a Lok Adalat in the country and she too is not too keen to find out. Law says that Lok Adalats can appoint social workers with established credibility as judges. I was appointed because I am a social worker and not because I am a transgender person. I cross checked with several national associations and NGOs but none could say for sure whether any transgender person had earlier been appointed as a Lok Adalat judge, said Mondal.

When I came to Islampur around nine years ago my job was restricted to working for the rights and development of the transgender and LGBT community. But as I slowly progressed and got in touch with district administration officials, I felt the urge to work for all people and not just a community, she said.

Two years ago, Udyami Yubak Brinda Durga Puja committee, a community organisation, in partnership with transgender rights activist group Pratyay Gender Trust, made history with its idol that was modelled on the Ardhanarishwar or the composite androgynous form of Shiva and Parvati. (HT Photo)

In 2015, Mondal joined projects that involved setting up of an old- age home for HIV- positive people and formation of patients welfare committees. My performance drew the attention of the district administration and I was recommended for this appointment, said Mondal.

She said her new assignment will not hamper her regular work because Lok Adalats are convened once or twice a month. There is a monthly honorarium of Rs 1,500 for every session I attend. I am also entitled to travel expenses etc. But the association, responsibility and honour are more important than the money, said Mondal.

Ranjita Sinha, member of he West Bengal Transgender Development Board said Mondal got the job without any recommendation from either the board or any association representing the third gender. And I am sure she will do well, said Sinha.

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Lucknow girl Aahana Kumra, who shot to fame after playing Amitabh Bachchans daughter in TV series Yudh, is elated over the buzz her next film has created even before its release.

We shot Lipstick Under My Burkha in 2014. For around one and a half year, we did not hear anything from the director (Alankrita Srivastava), but just when I had lost the hope I got a call from her about Tokyo screening where I saw the film for the first time, says Aahana, who is upbeat about the content of the film that hits screens this week.

The excitement fizzled out when the Censor Board banned the film. Finally, after clearance from tribunal, with minor cuts, it is releasing and the response we have got is phenomenal, she tells HT City over phone.

The film has been showcased in festival across the globe and received huge acclaim and bagged awards.

Aahana says she plays a beautician who wants to break-out of small-town restrictions and enjoy life.

My character is in a healthy sexual relationship with her boyfriend (Vikrant Massey) when her parents want her to marry another man (Vaibhav Tatwawaadi). I have some intimate scenes with both which they have shot with lot of sensitively and aesthetically.

Initially, Aahana had her some apprehensions. In the script it (bold shots) looked brilliant and made lot of sense but then its not easy to film them. Lot of things came in mind  how will it look on screen, will society accept, what will parents think and who will be opposite me...etc. Shooting it was even tougher as I have not done something like this before. But, Alankrita handled it very well and my co-actors were very supportive, he says.

The actor was very curious about her parents feedback. The day it was screened in Tokyo it was screened in MAMI fest in Mumbai too. I saw the film in Japan while my mom saw it in Mumbai and wonder what she called up to say that she is proud of me. She could relate with Ratna Pathaks role. I saw the film with my father just recently, he says.

Talking about the films subject she says, The subject of woman sexuality they have picked up is very relevant. From a 20-year-old to mid-50s we are four women of different age groups who want to break free from their daily chores. Sexual desire is something everyone has. The only difference is that not everyone talks about it. Then women turn rebel of their routine and is seeking freedom explore a different side of life.

The film has been produced by Prakashji (Jha). He makes very socially relevant film and this one too is all about exploring oneself. This one is also very relevant!

After Yudh she did serial Agent Raghav, hosted Pro-Kabaddi and did two web series  Inside Edge where she played an alcoholic and Official Chukiagiri where she played a corporate bitch.

The La Martinere Girls College alumna has last been to her hometown in 2016. We all are now settled in Mumbai. Last, I came here for a wedding. I wished we came to Lucknow for promotion but thats not out hand. I will like to visit the city soon to refurbish my wardrobe, she says.
Former BJP MLA from Pilibhit Sukhlal Bharti allegedly shot himself with his licensed revolver at his residence on Sunday, police said.

Bharti represented Barkhera seat of Pilibhit from 2007 to 2012. He was 62 and was suffering from cancer.

Superintendent of police, Pilibhit, Kalanidhi Nathani said Bharti allegedly shot himself at around 7 am in the balcony of his house in Vasundhara Colony of Sangadi area.

We have started preliminary investigation but prima facie it appears to be a case of suicide, Nathani said.

The body has been sent for post-mortem examination.

Bhartis son Dhruv told HT said, He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in December last year and his condition started deteriorating after May. Due to his condition, he was forced to remain confined in the house.

Dhruv , his sister and mother were present in the house when the MLA shot himself. The family has not lodged a police complaint in this connection.

Bharti belonged to one of the oldest political families of the region. His father Krishna Lal Bharti represented Bharkera assembly constituency for seven terms. Sukhlal was a manager at Allahabad Bank and joined politics after the death of his father.

He was one of the front-runners for Barkhera seat in 2017 election but was denied a ticket by the BJP. He is survived by his wife and five children.

Senior political leaders, including BJP MP from Bareilly Santosh Gangwar, expressed grief over Bhartis death.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is likely to take over investigation into the recovery of the high potential plastic explosive powder PETN (Pentaerythritol tetranitrate) in the legislative assembly on Monday.

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday asked for an investigation into the case by the NIA, a team of which visited the spot on Saturday though the formal probe by the central agency will begin only on Monday.

For its part, the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad has already started a probe into the episode.

Inspector general (ATS) Asim Arun said the state government had recommended a NIA probe into the recovery of explosives in legislative assembly. The NIA team will arrive on Monday to start investigation in the case, he said.

Arun said the state forensic science laboratory is conducting a detailed test of the powder found in the assembly hall. The preliminary test confirmed that the material was PETN. The ATS or the NIA will send the powder for a retest to a top national laboratory, he said.

The legislative assembly staff registered an FIR at the Hazratganj police station on Friday.

The ATS recorded the statement of the assembly, secretariat staff as well as Samajwadi Party MLA Manoj Pande from Unchahar as the PETN was found below the cushion of a seat that he usually occupies. The statement of the remaining staff was recorded on Sunday.

Additional director general (Security) Vijay Kumar and ADG (Agra zone) Ajay Anand inspected the mock drill and security arrangements at the Vidhan Bhavan.

Apart from ATS commandos, UP Police personnel and fire brigade staff were also spotted in the UP legislature. The Uttar Pradesh Police had already put in place anti-sabotage measures apart from sounding a high alert.

Besides, the ATS looked into the details of CCTV footage of 23 cameras of which 12 are in the assembly. It is also studying the Doordarshan recording. Quick Response Teams, and additional PAC personnel have also been deployed in the UP Legislature. An integrated security plan is being deliberated upon.
Pravin Togadia, the international working president of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), addressed a meeting of state-level VHP activists on Sunday -- the second day of his visit to the city. Kashmir should be handed over to the Army for giving a befitting reply to stone pelters and bank robbers. Once that is done, the situation there will improve, said Togadia addressing the media on the sidelines of the event.

He also held J&K chief minister Mehbooba Mufti responsible for the declining situation in the state.

To questions regarding the timeline of Ram temple construction in Ayodhya, he said, The Bharatiya Janata Party has devoted the last three years to making the country strong economically. The Ram temple will be constructed after enacting a law.

Reacting to the terror attack on Amarnath pilgrims, he remarked, Muslims get money from public funds to go for Haj, but Hindus have to finance their Amarnath Yatra. On top of that, they are being killed in Kashmir. The government needs to take some tough steps.

While the VHP leader avoided making any direct comments on Prime Minister Narendra Modis appeal to gau rakshaks to shun violence, he did say that the cow vigilantes should not fear anybody. Gau rakshaks should not worry about what people say. Today, the country is demanding Hindu awareness, he said.

Togadia also urged activists of VHP sister organisations -- Satsang, Durga Vahini, Matra Shakti and Bajrang Dal -- to work to raise the membership of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad.

VHP activists should make efforts to enrol two lakh new members for participating in the Bajrang Dal meeting to be organised in December. The activists should also serve kanwarias, he said.

After the meeting, Togadia paid obeisance at the Tika Ram temple here.
A day after a massive fire broke out at the trauma centre of the King Georges Medical University (KGMU) in Lucknow, the university administration admitted to five deaths but not due to the blaze.

The authorities said the deaths occurred as the patients were in a serious condition.

Talking to media persons, the KGMU medical superintendent Prof Vijay Kumar said two children died before the fire broke out and three others, who were shifted to other wards, died during treatment.

Addressing a hurriedly called press conference, KGMU vice-chancellor Prof MLB Bhatt said doctors and medical staff were quick to respond to the tragedy and their decision to transfer patients was right.

Prof Bhatt claimed that KGMU doctors and staff worked swiftly and dedicatedly to rescue the patients. He, however, avoided questions from newspersons and left the conference hall saying he had to go for selection committee interviews.

As many as eight deaths have been reported within 24 hours of fire incident.

The probe committee comprising district administration officials said two patients died during shifting. It said accountability would be fixed after the probe report is submitted.

The inquiry committee, that will submit its report by Wednesday, comprises district magistrate Kaushal Raj Sharma, SSP Deepak Kumar, electrical safety officer and chief fire officer of the fire department.

Services have been partially restored at the trauma centre. New admissions are being allowed but the operation theatres are yet to be started. We are putting things in order but it will take some time, the medical superintendent said on Monday.

The DM said the fire broke out due to overheating of some electrical equipment in the store.

Ram Pyeri of Hardoi died at 7.30 pm on Saturday due to cardiac arrest while two other children died at around 6.45 pm before the fire broke out at 7 pm. One of them is from Lalitpur district while details of the other child are not available.

Read more| Lucknow: Fire at King Georges Medical University trauma centre, patients evacuated

Two patients  Sadhu Singh Rastogi, 44, of Lakhimpur Kheri and Hemant Kumar, 38, of Lucknow, died during the course of shifting from the Trauma Centre. Three other deaths reportedly have nothing to do with the fire incident.

It seems no lessons have been learnt from the past incidents as this is not the first time that alarms remained silent in case of a fire.

Two months ago, a short circuit in one of the sleep labs in the department of physiology caused a major fire resulting in loss of property but water sprinklers did not work.

Even after the incident, no effort was made to check the fire alarms and water sprinklers.
Gangster Abu Salem, convicted last month in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case, moved a plea on Monday seeking parole or temporary bail for marriage.

Two years before, a woman had moved a plea before the TADA court seeking its permission to get married to the gangster .

The woman had in June 2015 approached the court to allow her to marry Salem after it was reported that Salem had married her over the phone during a train journey when he was being taken to Lucknow for a court hearing under police escort.

The application has been since pending before the TADA court hearing the case of 1993 Mumbai blasts case where Salem was recently convicted.

Read: 1993 Mumbai serial blasts: Why Abu Salem is likely to escape capital punishment

On Monday, Salem moved an application through his lawyer Farhana Shah that he may be allowed to attend the officer of the registrar to marry the woman. Salem, in his application, attached judgements of the apex court citing examples in which the accused were allowed to marry. The court has asked CBI to file a reply on the plea.

We have given the court two citations -- one from the Bombay High Court and another from the Delhi High Court -- stating that a person can be granted bail or parole for marriage, said Shah.

The TADA court in Mumbai had convicted Salem and five others in June for their role in the serial bomb blasts of March 12, 1993 in which 257 people were killed.

The CBI had earlier this month sought life imprisonment for Salem, convicted under stringent sections of the now-repealed TADA (Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act in the bomb blast case.

(With PTI inputs)
The Maharashtra government filed an affidavit in the Bombay high court on Monday, justifying actor Sanjay Dutts early release from Yerwada Jail after he was convicted for his role in the 1993 blasts case.

Advocate general Ashutosh Kumbhakoni submitted the affidavit stating that Dutt displayed good behaviour, and discipline while in jail, participated in institutional activities such as physical training, educational programmes and performed all allotted work in accordance with prescribed standards thus earning early remission according to the statutory rules.

The state allows a convict to earn seven days of remission a month if they follow the prison rules, and display exemplary conduct. Such remissions however, are not allowed while the convict is out of prison on parole or furlough.

Dutt spent a little over a year and four months in jail as an under trial. He spent about two-and-a-half years in jail as a convict. During this period, Dutt was out for 256 days between June 2013 and February 2016, the affidavit reads.

The state claimed that on October 19, 2015, Duty had filed an application requesting special remission. However, the state rejected the application in December 2015.

On February 25 2016, however, considering Dutts conduct, the state decided to let him out eight months and 16 days before he completed his five-year sentence.

Dutt was convicted for illegal possession and destruction of an AK-56 rifle in 1993 serial blasts case.
The government of Maharashtra on Monday announced it would provide appropriate security to filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar in the wake of the criticism he has attracted for making his latest movie Indu Sarkar.

The security has been provided after a scheduled press conference of Bhandarkar in Nagpur was cancelled when Congress activists did not allow him to come out of his hotel.

The film is set against the backdrop of the 1975-77 Emergency and apparently has characters inspired by the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and her son Sanjay Gandhi.

According to media reports, Bhandarkar was put up at hotel in Nagpur on Sunday. His press conference was scheduled to be held at the Port O Gomez restaurant in Gandhi Nagar at 11.30am, but around 50 Congress workers, led by city president Vikas Thakre, gathered in front of the hotel and started raising slogans against the filmmaker and the movie.

In Nagpur today for #InduSarkar promotions. Looking for some gr8 media interactions in the heart of India.@iamkirtikulhari @InduSarkarMovie  Madhur Bhandarkar (@imbhandarkar) July 16, 2017

Sensing trouble, Bhandarkar cancelled his press conference at 11.15am His personal staff passed on the message to journalists gathered at Port O Gomez.

Around 10 to 12 workers were also present at the press conference venue but they did not do anything as Bhandarkar did not turn up.

Read more: I will not show Indu Sarkar to anybody before release: Madhur Bhandarkar

Bhandarkar on his part tweeted another post to Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, saying, Dear @OfficeOfRG after Pune I have 2 cancel todays PressCon at Nagpur.Do you approve this hooliganism? Can I have my Freedom of Expression

Dear @OfficeOfRG after Pune I have 2 cancel today's PressCon at Nagpur.Do you approve this hooliganism? Can I have my Freedom of Expression? pic.twitter.com/y44DXiOOgp  Madhur Bhandarkar (@imbhandarkar) July 16, 2017

Bhandarkar had to cancel the promotional activity of Indu Sarkar in Pune on Saturday after receiving threats from local Congress party workers.

In Pune too, the management of the hotel where the director had put up advised him not to go outside.

On the charge that the film maligns the image of Indira Gandhi and other Congress leaders of the past, Bhandarkar said, I have not made the film to malign anyone. Otherwise I would have made a 100% documentary, and not a film.

Read more: Important to tell todays generation about the Emergency: Madhur Bhandarkar
Maharashtra is likely to become the second state, after Uttar Pradesh, to garner the highest number of votes for NDA presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind. Barring Kshitij Thakur, the Nalasopara MLA from Bahujan Vikas Aghadi, 287 MLAs and Bharatiya Janata Partys Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Kakade cast their vote in the presidential election held on Monday. BJP managed to get support from Shiv Sena and most of the independent MLAs.

BJP leaders from Maharashtra have claimed that more than 190 MLAs of the total 288, had voted for Kovind. Ruling party BJP said that there had been some cross voting with some from the opposition also voting for the NDA candidate. BJP leader and parliamentary affairs minister Girish Bapat said that many Congress and NCP MLAs had voted for the NDA candidate. Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari, who was in the Vidhan Bhavan during the voting, said that it was a myth spread by the ruling parties and no cross voting had taken place.

Almost all opposition parties in the state, including the Congress, Nationalist Congress Party, Peasants and Workers Party, Samajwadi Party, AIMIM and CPI(M) have supported Meira Kumar. Shiv Sena, which has 63 MLAs in the lower house, has announced its support for Kovind.

The votes of MLAs from Maharashtra is valued at 175, as per the formulae based on the states population in 1971.

BJP MLA Medha Kulkarni was the first to vote at 10am, followed by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, ministers Chandrakant Patil, Prakash Mehta, NCP leader and former deputy chief minister Ajit Patil in the first two hours. Parliamentary affairs minister Girish Bapat was the last to vote at 4.15pm.

NCP legislators Chhagan Bhujbal and Ramesh Kadam, who have been jailed in graft cases, cast their votes. Both were brought under police protection after being granted special permission by the courts.

The ballot boxes were sent to Delhi for the counting to be held on July 20. The boxes will reach the counting centre in Parliament late at night, said Anant Kalse, principal secretary of the state legislature.

With the support from the independent MLAs and some smaller parties, BJP has the strength of about 136 MLAs. Shiv Senas 62 MLAs will vote for our candidate, taking the tally to over 195. We also expect a large number of the opposition MLAs to vote for us, said BJP spokesperson Madhav Bhandari.

Congress, however, said that the BJP was deliberately spreading rumours of cross voting. The ruling parties are discontent over government functioning. This is likely to lead to cross voting from the ruling camp, a statement from the Congress read.

NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal arrives. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT)

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Cyber police investigating the defamation and obscenity case against All India Bakchod (AIB) said they are seeking Twitters help to retrieve the groups now-deleted photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

After receiving a complaint on our Twitter handle, we took swift action and registered an FIR. However, investigations revealed that the group had deleted the photo in question. We need Twitter to verify if such a post was actually uploaded or not, said a senior officer from cyber department, who did not wish to be named.

On Thursday, AIB tweeted a picture of Modis doppelganger peering into his mobile phone at a railway station.

They also uploaded a picture of Modi himself, onto which a dogs nose, ears and tongue were superimposed using a Snapchat filter. This was accompanied by the hashtag #Wanderlust, meant to allegedly mock Modis frequent foreign trips. After receiving a barrage of insults and hate messages from trolls, the group deleted its post.

An FIR was registered against the group. Even if you delete a post, that does not mean it has disappeared from the internet. Twitter will still have a copy, which it can retrieve. A screenshot of the post will suffice initially, but the court will need Twitter officials to verify the photograph as the accused had used their platform, said cyber expert Vijay Mukhi.

Some experts alleged selective action. I agree with the FIR, but why are the police only targeting AIB? Why have they not acted against other instances of harassment and abuse on Twitter? There is so much trolling on that site. Everyone should be treated equally under the law, said cyber expert Ritesh Bhatia.
Legal experts have criticised the Mumbai police for registering a case of defamation and obscenity against All India Bakchod (AIB) following the groups Twitter post about Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Senior lawyer and activist Abha Singh, through whom an FIR was registered against AIB for the groups 2015 roast show, told HT that she completely disagreed with the polices move.

The IT Act has not been violated as far as obscenity is concerned. PM Narendra Modi or his relatives should have filed a case of defamation. No third party can register such a case. That is why no FIR was registered when similar complaints were made after AIB co-founder Tanmay Bhat was accused of insulting Lata Mangeshkar and Sachin Tendulkar, she said.

However, she said the groups humour was not in good taste.

Comparing our Prime Minister to a dog amounts to defamation. But, in this case, Modi can ask the police to file an FIR or they can register a case on his behalf, but only if he consents. If the cops did not seek Modis consent beforehand, then they are misusing the law to intimidate people and curtail freedom of speech. The post was definitely not obscene, said Dr Olav Albuquerque, a lawyer.

Well-known criminal lawyer Majeed Memon also said that only an aggrieved person could ask the police to file a defamation case. He added that AIB can approach the high court if they want to quash the FIR.

Cyber law advocate Vicky Shah disagreed. Police were right to register a FIR. The court will decide the quantum of punishment based on the findings. Responsible citizens should not commit such offences, he said.

Mumbai police spokesperson DCP Rashmi Karandikar released a press statement saying the police filed an FIR after asking their legal experts for advice.
Researchers discovered three new animal species in Mumbai in 2016, according to a report by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) under the Union environment ministry.

The report, titled Animal Discoveries 2016  New Species and New Records published in June, found one species of Annelida, a ringed or segmented worm species called Hetreospio indica from Madh Island, Mumbai.

The Amitus vignus. (HT)

The second discovery was a new wasp species called Amitus vignus from Bhiwandi. It belongs to the hymenopteran (insects, comprising the sawflies, wasps, bees, and ants) order of the Platygastridae family.

Reptile species Cyrtodactylus varadgirii was discovered at the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) and Aarey Milk Colony. It was named after Dr Varad Giri, former curator of the Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai (BNHS), for his contributions to Indian herpetology.

As many as 21 new species  two new species of spiders, six species of crabs, one species of butterflies, four species of sawflies and wasps, three species of bugs, two species of fish and three reptiles  were discovered across Maharashtra, in the Sahyadri range and at Sindhudurg, Kolhapur, Amravati, Malvan, Matheran, Devrukh, Guravwadi, Satara, Pune and Ratnagiri.

One of the most startling discoveries was a thread-legged assassin bug earlier found at Sri Lanka. It was spotted in India for the first time and identified based on the species collected from Sataras caves.

Myiophanes greeni - the thread-legged assassin bug. (HT)

State forest minister Sudhir Mungantiwar told HT that new species were being discovered at Aarey and SGNP despite Mumbais massive urban sprawl  a matter of global significance. We are delighted that 21 new animal species were discovered in Maharashtra. To make this study more detailed, our state biodiversity board has started working to identify plant and animal species from each village in the state by forming a local biodiversity committee, he said. Private companies will fund this project at the local level. Within a year, we will have a detailed checklist of more newly discovered species from the state.

The report identified more than 500 new species of plants and animals in India. Of these 194 were identified for the first time in the world. As many as 313 new species of animals were identified, 83 for the first time in the world. As many as 319 species of plants were identified, 113 for the first time in the world.

Lemyra (Thyrgorina) pseudoburmanica - a butterfly species discovered in Matheran. (HT)

Various dedicated teams of scientists from ZSIs headquarters and regional centres assisted by scientists from across the country have documented the list of animal species. ZSIs scientists have collected more than a million specimens belonging to various groups of animals from far corners of the country. I congratulate the team for a commendable job, said Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union environment minister.

Mumbais environmentalists welcomed the discoveries, especially those from SGNP and Aarey. While SGNP is protected, Aarey colony is also home to a large number of wild animals.The area and its biodiversity needs to be protected at any cost, said Godfrey Pimenta, trustee, Watchdog Foundation.

Cyrtodactylus varadgirii was discovered at Aarey Colony and SGNP. (HT)

HT had reported on May 13 that the jumping spider (Piranthus decorus) had been discovered at Aarey Milk Colony after 122 years, by independent researcher and wildlife photographer, Rajesh Sanap. It was first spotted in Burma, now Myanmar, in 1895.

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In July, seven more people died of swine flu and two died of leptospirosis. Several cases of rain-related illnesses such as gastroenteritis, malaria and dengue were also reported.

The seven swine flu deaths takes the toll to 22 in Mumbai this year. Health experts, however, have ruled out that a mutation in the virus is causing the deaths. They attributed the spread of the H1N1 virus to an antigenic drift  small genetic changes that accumulate over time and result in viruses different from the original strain.

On Monday, the public health department of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) confirmed the seven deaths (from July 1 to July 15). These include patients from Mumbai and those who came for treatment. So far, 874 patients have tested positive for H1N1, 341 in July alone.

Among the victims from Mumbai was a 57-year-old Bandra resident, who had other conditions such as obesity and hypertension and travelled to Gujarat a few days before being diagnosed.

READ: Swine flu on the rise among Indias young, kills 600 in first half of 2017

Three other victims were from Mumbai, all women. They received treatment at private hospitals and were shifted to public hospitals when their condition worsened, said Dr Padmaja Keskar, executive health officer of the BMC. Dr Pradip Awte, state surveillance officer, said, Last year,the California strain was circulating. This year, its the Michigan strain is circulating. People may not have developed immunity to it.

The two leptospirosis deaths were also reported in July. The bacterial disease spreads through direct contact with urine of infected animals or contaminated water, soil or food. Officials said a 32-year-old Kanjurmarg vegetable vendor and 30-year-old Matunga electrician died.

Officials confirmed 544 cases of gastroenteritis, 309 of malaria and 28 dengue cases in July. Vegetable vendors and animal adoption workers must wear proper footwear. If you have fever, myalgia, redness of the eye  go to a doctor, said Dr Keskar.
A 21-year-old man was killed after a tempo rammed into his motorcycle on the newly constructed Balasaheb Thackeray flyover in Jogeshwari (West) at 2.30pm on Saturday.

This is the first fatal accident that has taken place on the flyover since it opened in February last year.

Police said the man, Sahil Mishra, was a student who lived at Majas Road in Jogeshwari (West) with his uncle Surjit Mishra, 46, who is a businessman.

Eyewitnesses said he had been riding helmetless. Mishra was travelling to Vikhroli when the accident occurred.

It was raining and so after the motorcycle was hit, the rider skidded and lost control of the vehicle owing to the wet road. He fell off and hit his head, said Sanjay Bhushan, a public relations officer who was on his way to Veera Desai.

The tempo driver sped away. By the time we alerted the police, he was long gone, he added.Mishra was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was declared dead.The Oshiwara police registered case of hit-and-run against the unidentified driver and are investigating,

We are examining CCTV camera footage of the flyover to identify the accused who fled without helping the victim, said Subhash Khanvilkar, senior inspector, Oshiwara police station.
Nationalist Congress Party leader and former deputy chief minister Chhagan Bhujbal said that he was innocent and was praying to god for an opportunity to prove himself.

Bhujbal, who voted in the presidential election at Vidhan Bhavan on Monday, said that he was suffering from many ailments, but it would take him only a brief time to prove his innocence once he was out.

Bhujbal, who was brought to Vidhan Bhavan at 12.15 pm in an ambulance escorted by police vans, cast his vote and left for Arthur Road jail in about two hours. He was greeted by his party leaders and legislators, some of whom even touched his feet. Bhujbal, who has been arrested in March 2016 in Maharashtra Sadan scam case, also met colleagues.

We met him. He appeared shaken and said he was suffering from ailments. He said he wanted to work for the party and assist Pawar saab (NCP chief Sharad Pawar) to strengthen the party. He reads about 11 newspapers in jail and keep track of the partywork through news reports, said NCP leader and former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar later.

Bhujbal had lunch at the office of the chairman of the legislative council Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar. I am innocent. I had never been a shareholder in the companies that are named in the money laundering case. If I come out of prison, it will only take me a few days to prove my innocence.

Another party leader Jayant Patil said, He turned sentimental after meeting us. He has been repeatedly saying that he had not committed any offence and was being targeted.

Bhujbal, who had been treated at government hospitals early this year, was complaining of arthritis, colitis and has been advised angioplasty.
Those who have not got seats in the first round of first-year junior college (FYJC) admissions can fill the online form by 5pm on Tuesday.

While you have a second chance for the admissions, things may not get any better on the Mumbai-Pune expressway, where the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) is removing loose soil and boulders from adjacent hills to prevent landslides and ensure safety of motorists.

On the one hand, the government of Maharashtra announced security to filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar in the wake of the criticism he has attracted for making his latest movie Indu Sarkar, while on the other it filed an affidavit in the Bombay high court on Monday, justifying actor Sanjay Dutts early release from Yerwada Jail.

Adding to the citys Monday morning blues were heavy rain, waterlogged roads and traffic snarls.

Heres the top 5:

1. FYJC admissions: No seat in first round? Follow these 10 steps to fill your online form by July 18

Students who have not applied for first-year junior college (FYJC) admissions so far can fill the online form by 5pm on Tuesday. The education department will keep the application link open, so students who are left out of the admission process can apply in the second round, which starts from Thursday.

2. Mumbai-Pune road trip? Brace for traffic snarls as loose soil, boulders are being removed

Brace for traffic snarls on the Mumbai-Pune expressway as the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) is removing loose soil and boulders from adjacent hills to prevent landslides and ensure safety of motorists.

Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar with police officials. (ANI)

3. After Congress protests against Indu Sarkar, BJP-led state government to provide security to Bhandarkar

The government of Maharashtra on Monday announced it would provide appropriate security to filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar in the wake of the criticism he has attracted for making his latest movie Indu Sarkar.

4. Sanjay Dutt deserved early release from jail, says Maharashtra government

The Maharashtra government filed an affidavit in the Bombay high court on Monday, justifying actor Sanjay Dutts early release from Yerwada Jail after he was convicted for his role in the 1993 blasts case.

5. Grab your umbrellas, heavy rains lashed Mumbai overnight, are set to continue today

Mumbaiites awoke to heavy rain as showers continued on Monday. While the Colaba weather station, representative of south Mumbai, recorded 64.2mm rain, the Santacruz weather station, representative of the suburbs, recorded 46mm rain, between 8.30pm Sunday and 8.30am Monday.
The Maharashtra State Power Generation Company Limited (MSPGCL) suspended a senior engineer for allegedly posting an obscene picture on a WhatsApp group, of which energy minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule is a member.

The firms managing director, Bipin Shrimali, suspended the chief engineer of the Koyna hydroelectric power generation projects Pophali unit for allegedly sending the photograph to the group Energy minister live between 12 am and 1 pm on July 14. He was suspended indefinitely on July 15, said MSPGCL officials.

We will conduct an internal inquiry into the incident. The engineer claims that his phone was not in his possession when the message was sent. We will take a final decision after the inquiry has been completed, said an MSPGCL spokesperson.

He said this was the first time such an incident had occurred in the firms history and as such, there was a need to set a precedent. We were under pressure to act after the incident went viral on social media. The inquiry will determine if the engineer is innocent or guilty, he said.

The employee will be paid 50% of his salary and a dearness allowance for the duration of his suspension.
The Bombay high court has refused to protect a Shiv Sena shakha that epitomises the way illegal structures come up in cities  a makeshift pandal morphs into a tin shed that slowly makes way for a brick-and-mortar permanent structure, despite repeated demolitions by the civic authorities .

This shakha on Mahatma Gandhi Road in Mulund (West) started out as a temporary Ganesh pandal way back in 1998 and was rebuilt a number of times after being demolished by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

In my view there is no reason to grant the stay, said Justice Gautam Patel. To do so would be to continue the perpetuity and illegality, the judge added while rejecting the plea.

According to the BMC, permission for a temporary Ganesh pandal was granted to the then Shakha Pramukh Dilip Dalvi in 1998. The mandap was converted into a tin shed after the Ganeshotsav. When the civic authorities sought to demolish the shed, the Shakha Pramukh obtained a temporary stay on the demolition. Eventually the stay was vacated and the shed was demolished in August 2009 on the high courts orders. The Shakha was, however, re-constructed and was again demolished in December 2010.

The repeated action of the civic authorities failed to deter the Sainiks, who re-constructed the shakha yet again, barely a month after the second demolition. The civic body again arranged for removal of the illegal structure, but the action was postponed for want of police protection.

Shiv Sena office bearers then pulled down the shed themselves, only to build it once again . In March 2011, when the BMC again issued notice of demolition, Shrirang Narvankar, the then shakha pramukh approached the city civil court .He claimed that the Shakha was a census slum and was therefore entitled to protection from demolition.

Though initially, the lower court extended protection, in January 2015 it dismissed Narvankars suit, which prompted him to approach the high court.

The high court, however, refused to grant any interim relief. Noting the manner in which the structure was repeatedly demolished by the civic body and reconstructed by the Shiv Sainiks, Justice Gautam Patel refused to extend protection to it. In my view there is no reason to grant the stay. To do so would be to continue the perpetuity and illegality, the judge said while rejecting the plea.

To gain protection, the Plaintiff (Narvankar) would have had to show some minimum level of authorisation for this structure, the judge said, adding, There being none such authorisation, no protection against demolition can be granted or continued.
Eight unidentified men riding four motorcycles brutally attacked two others with choppers in Bandra (East) on Sunday.

Police said Mussikuddin Qazi and his neighbour Nasir Khan had met at the tea stall in Nirmal Nagar at 12.30am. a When they were returning home on their motorcycle, they noticed two motorcycles following them. They sped up, but as they approached Kherwadi road, four men and attacked them with choppers and knives. They stabbed us and slit our wrists. We tried to flee but the since the area was dark and did not have streetlights, they overpowered us, said Qazi.

The accused had chopped off two of his fingers.A few passersby took us to Bhabha Hospital, said Qazi.

Nirmal Nagar police registered a case against the group for rioting and assaulting the two men. The two told police they work for the Slum Rehabilitation Authority and were in charge of a project in the Behrampada slums outside the Bandra railway station.

We have had several differences with the builder over the project. He had threatened us. We suspect that the attackers are his henchmen, said Khan.

Qazi was brutally attacked and did not regain consciousness until today afternoon. We will urge the police to register a case of attempt to murder, said Khan.

Police said they would examine CCTV camera footage of the area. We will record Qazis statement and register a case of attempt to murder, said an officer from the Nirmal Nagar police station.
The Mumbai Police on their own instantly filed an FIR for defamation against All India Bhakchod for a tweet on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but they are yet to file a defamation case on the complaint made by a woman activist 16 months ago that she was being trolled on Twitter.

Aftab Siddique, local activist and chairperson of the 33rd Road Khar ALM-14, has struggled since last year to file a first information report (FIR) for online harassment and defamatory comments against her on Twitter. Despite several efforts she is still to get a copy of the FIR and is not even sure if an FIR has been registered by the police.

Siddique became a target of trolls on Twitter for supporting poor tenants of a slum rehabilitation authority building against a builder. She was called an extortionist, a blackmailer, a thief, and a bribe taker several times on Twitter. In March last year, she approached the Khar police and managed to get only a non-cognisable (NC) complaint registered even though she gave a written complaint alleging defamation.

Senior advocate Abha Singh told HT that a FIR is made out for defamation in case a person calls you an extortionist on the internet.

However, Aftab did not give up. She wrote complaints to Mumbai Police Commissioner Datta Padsalgikar in April last year, which was forwarded to the cyber police within two days. Aftab was called to the cyber police station a year later, in May this year, to record her statements.

However ,till date Aftab is not sure if the police have even registered a FIR in the matter. I am still to get a copy of the FIR. They told me they will take Bandra magistrate courts permission to find out if my FIR is made out. Did they take courts permission to file the case against AIB? They told me they will register a case but I am not sure as I am yet to get a copy of the FIR. A copy is supposed to be given to the complainant on the day an FIR is registered. Aftab has submitted a list of 13 names to the Mumbai police , whom she accuses of defaming her on Twitter.

HTs phone calls to the deputy commissioner of police (cyber), Akbar Pathan, went unanswered.
Brace for traffic snarls on the Mumbai-Pune expressway as the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) is removing loose soil and boulders from adjacent hills to prevent landslides and ensure safety of motorists.

The drive, however, is affecting traffic flow, as motorists are being stopped midway.

On Monday, the MSRDC was removing soil from a hill near Khopoli, inconveniencing motorists coming to Mumbai from Pune.

If the huge boulders and loose soil fall on the highway, it will seriously affect the vehicular movement. Soil and boulders are being removed from the hills as a precautionary measure, said a senior MSRDC official.

The MSRDC has also formed a special team to handle the task along the highway.

The team is patrolling the area between Khalapur and Lonavala city, as the area has seen maximum landslides in the past.

The team is using police stations and police chowkies located along the highway to monitor the progress.

They are working in close collaboration with the state highway authorities as well as the local police.

The official said, We are trying to ensure motorists dont suffer because of the work. Vehicles are being stopped only once in an hour and that is also not for more than 15 minutes. Most of our work is being done on the Pune-Mumbai lane.

The work has been going on for the past four to five weeks. At the moment, we cant say how much time it will take. Our team will keep patrolling the highway throughout the monsoon, he said.

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Two months after a three-year-old was allegedly raped in an Andheri school, Mumbai psychiatrists have written to the Maharashtra child rights panel to complain about the slow pace of investigations.

The accused, a 57-year-old school trustee from France, had gone to Paris as part of a school trip. The police said he has returned to India and they have recorded his statement, but they have not arrested him. Psychiatrists have demanded that action be taken against the trustee and another teacher accused in the case.

On May 18, the girls mother asked the police to file a case of rape under section 376 (2) of the Indian Penal Code and sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act against the trustee of an international school and a nursery teacher.

The Maharashtra State Commission of Protection of Child Rights (MSCPCR) decided to look into the polices investigation, after reading media reports.

At the previous hearing, the police told the commission that they had sought the ministry of external affairs support to contact the trustee. However, psychiatrists complained that they had not made any progress.

The trustee was supposed to be arrested upon his return in the last week of June. Neither he or the accused teacher have been held. The legal formalities required to deport the trustee have not been initiated, said Harish Shetty, senior psychiatrist, LH Hiranandani Foundation Hospital, Powai in his complaint.

He added that he would like the child rights panel to bring the guilty to book as soon as possible.

The police officials said that he has not been arrested as he is cooperating with the police investigations and he has not received anticipatory bail. A police official requesting anonymity said, The accused arrived in India around a week ago. We have recorded his statement and he has denied the charges.

The child was allegedly raped late last year, said police. The teacher took her to the trustees room, where he sexually assaulted her. Earlier this year, the girls mother noticed a change in her daughters behaviour and questioned her. The girl then told the mother about the assault, said police.

The woman told police that the trustee also sexually assaulted a three-year-old boy. Police contacted the boys parents, seeking to verify the allegation.

Mumbai educators and teachers said they were shocked by the allegations and highlighted the need for better awareness regarding how to handle child sexual abuse complaints. They said there was a need to sensitise students about how to differentiate between a good and bad touch.

If a child complains about sexual abuse it should not be ignored. The commission was set up to protect children, it must ensure that such complaints are investigated and the guilty are booked soon, said Father Francis Swamy, principal of the St Marys School (ICSE) Mazgaon and joint secretary of the Archdiocesan Board of Education, which runs 150-odd schools in Mumbai. In 2015, ABE formulated a child protection policy, which had rules for teachers and other staff members.

Schools must form a strong policy against sexual abuse and other malpractices, said principals. Child sexual abuse is a reality. There are several complaints every year. Teachers must discuss them in a sensitive and appropriate manner to ensure that students are on their guard. Schools need to form an action plan to handle such incidents, said Swamy.

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The Mumbai crime branch investigating the alleged sex and drugs cult run by Sunil Kulkarni, said it did not find evidence that he had drugged any women.

Kulkarni was arrested in April, after a Malad-based couple approached the Bombay high court, claiming that he had drugged and sexually exploited their daughters.

However, the crime branch filed a charge sheet on Saturday, saying the women said Kulkarni had neither given them any medicines nor sexually exploited them. Following this, the charges of drug abuse registered against Kulkarni were dropped.

Unit 9 of the crime branch submitted the 300-page charge sheet at the esplanade mansion court, said police inspector Mahesh Desai. The police searched Kulkarnis Bandra residence and recovered sleeping pills, a pen drive and pornographic books. However, they did not find any evidence of sexual abuse or human trafficking said a crime branch officer.

Based on evidence gathered by the crime branch, Kulkarni had been charged under section 465 (forgery), 468 (forgery for cheating) and 292 (obscene) and f 67 (publishing of obscene information in an electronic form) of the IT Act.

Earlier, Kulkarni was charged with cheating and extorting students on the pretexting of helping them secure MBBS seats in Delhi, Nagpur and Pune colleges.
A group 50 students and teachers on Monday staged protested at the University of Mumbais (MUs) campus,Fort, against the delay in declaring degree college results.

The protesters, led by Bombay University and College Teachers Union (BUCTU), criticised the varsitys failure in assessing papers and declaring results within 45 days of examination  as required by the law. They also voiced opposition to what they termed as extreme harassment of examiners by issuing  threatening letters to them.

This year, the MU adopted an on-screen marking process for assessing answersheets against the traditional pen-and-paper evaluation. The decision caused a delay in declaring results, as the MU could not appoint an agency to conduct on-screen marking for a long time. Even after the process began, the technical glitches in the system slowed down the pace of assessment.

After Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao, who also serves as chancellor of the public universities in the state, took cognisance of the issue and asked the MU to declare results by July 30, the university tried to speed up the process. Letters were issued to more than 1,000 teachers, who didnt show up to assess papers, warning them of the consequences of skipping the assessment work.

However, the teachers have asked the varsity to revoke the letter.

Its not the teachers, but the university which is at fault here. We do report to Centralised Assessment Programmes (CAP) centres, but often there are no papers available for assessment on the server. Many of us are yet to be allotted CAP centres, said Balasaheb Salve, a teacher from BNN College, Bhiwandi, and a member of BUCTU.

The protestors have suggested that delaying the results amounts to blocking job and higher education opportunities to the students. They will demand increasing the capacity of OSM, while advocating yet stronger intervention by the chancellor.

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From Linking Road to the eastern and western expressways, heavy rain across the city brought traffic to a halt on all major routes  jams that began on Monday morning and continued till late at night.

Among the worst hit areas was the Andheri subway, which had to be shut for traffic after it flooded. This led to congestion at several other points that connect the suburbs east and west.

There was waterlogging reported at Linking Road in Bandra, SV Road and VM Road, while the Santacruz Chembur Link Road and the WEH reported slow moving traffic all through the day, especially in the evening.

There were long lines of vehicles on the Eastern Freeway and Eastern Express Highway in the evening.

In south Mumbai, motorists complained of a jammed JJ Flyover.

Vehicles navigate a flooded Kurla road. (Pratik Chorge/HT Photo)

In the morning, motorists complained of slow moving traffic between Borivli and Andheri on the Western Express Highway. The congestion got worse after two accidents on the WEH.

A mini-van toppled in Kandivli, blocking the path of vehicles. The traffic police moved the van and stopped buses and trucks from taking the flyover. It was 11am by the time vehicles started moving smoothly on this southbound stretch.

The second accident took place in Goregaon around 8am. A traffic police official said a car tyre burst, causing it to crash into the divider. The motorist was not injured, said the police but added that it slowed the movement of vehicles.

One commuter, Pravin Shetra, alerted officials and other commuters about waterlogging on the SV Road in Bandra. Waterlogged SV Road in Bandra near National College bus stop. Cars take Linking Road, he posted on Twitter. But despite the flooding, traffic moved smoothly on this route, compared to WEH.

A traffic snarl at JVLR on Monday. (Pratik Chorge/HT Photo)

Slow-moving traffic was reported along the New Link Road in Oshiwara, Malad and Kandivli.

On the Eastern Express Highway, motorists were stuck between Thane and Vikhroli. Traffic moved slowly near the Amar Mahal junction owing to the renovation work on the flyover.

On the Eastern Freeway, motorists said there were no snarls between Govandi and south Mumbai in the morning, but as the rains continued, there was severe congestion on this stretch too.

South Mumbai also saw snarls, with motorists getting stuck between Annie Besant Road and Lala Lajpatrai Road while driving towards Peddar Road and Hughes Road.

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Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut slammed the Congress on Monday for nominating former diplomat Gopalkrishna Gandhi as the vice presidential candidate of an alliance of 18 Opposition parties.

Reason: Gandhi had opposed 1993 Mumbai blasts convict Yakub Memons death sentence, said Raut.

Raut said the Shiv Sena will not extend its support to Gandhi. Even after the plotters of the Mumbai 1993 blasts were given capital punishment, some people tried their best to get the death sentence commuted and show leniency. Gopalkrishna Gandhi was one of them. I think the Congress party is insulting the country by nominating such a person to a constitutional post. It is an insult to patriots and to the countrys sentiments,he told the media.

Do you want Gopalkrishna Gandhi as VP ? who opposed hanging of 93 Mumbai Blast plotter Yakub Memon.

Jai Hind pic.twitter.com/wHPJ4wOT9t  Sanjay Raut (@rautsanjay61) July 16, 2017

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will pick its vice presidential candidate in a parliamentary board meeting on Monday, with July 18 being the last date to file nominations. The vice presidential poll is scheduled for August 5. The electoral college for the vice presidential poll consists of 790 MPs of the two chambers of Parliament.

Shiv Sena has announced its support for National Democratic Alliance candidate Ram Nath Kovind for the presidential election currently underway.
A group of thieves enter a jewellery shop by drilling a hole from the store next door, steal jewellery kept on display but dont touch a safe full of gold, and they do so when the CCTV cameras were switched off  all on a night of heavy rain. They also leave behind their tools.

The Palghar police feel something doesnt add up and are now probing if the theft could be an inside job.

The shop from where the thieves drilled the hole had been closed for three months. They entered through the back room of the jewellery shop and stole Rs8.5 lakh worth of jewellery, while leaving behind the Rs20 lakh worth of gold kept in an iron safe. The CCTV cameras were switched off since July 5.

Inspector Kiran Kabadi of the Palghar police said they used an iron rod, screwdriver and other small weapons to break the wall and entered the shop through the same hole. But they left behind their weapons, Kabadi said.

The police said there are several loopholes, from the switched off cameras to the heist being timed when the stores owner was hospitalised.

We are questioning workers and the store staff. We feel it is an inside job as the shop has been robbed the same way thrice before, Kabadi said.
The city will get two new Metro rail corridors. The Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) gave its approval to the Lokhandwala-Jogeshwari-Kanjurmarg (Metro 6) and Thane-Bhiwandi-Kalyan (Metro 5) line. An MCZMA approval is important as the alignment for the two lines partially falls in the ecologically sensitive Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ).

The MMRDA has identified an 18-hectare plot in Kanjurmarg for the Metro-6 car depot that falls in the CRZ area. Similarly, the Metro 5 alignment crosses the Ulhas River near Kalyan. The MCZMA gave clearance to the two Metro lines in its meeting held at the end of June. Satish Gavai, principal secretary, state environment department, said, The MCZMA decided to give its approval to the projects with a standard set of conditions. These include installation of noise barriers, the mandatory plantation of mangroves, construction on stilts at a few places and so on. A major portion of the alignment is not in CRZ, and it is mostly the car depot of Metro 6 that falls in the eco-sensitive area, Gavai said.

Senior MMRDA officials said they are trying to resolve the litigation on the plot that is earmarked for a Metro 6 car depot. The plot is in legal dispute, but we are approaching the high court through the collector to resolve the issue, said UPS Madan, metropolitan commissioner, MMRDA. In a bid to fast track the construction of the two Metro lines, the MMRDA is planning to place the project proposals before the state cabinet for its nod within the month. The next step for us is to seek cabinet approval; we hope to get the nod by this month-end or before Independence Day, said Pravin Darade, additional metropolitan commissioner, MMRDA.

The 14.47-km Metro-6 corridor would be the second Metro line in the city to provide the crucial east-west rail connectivity. According to the MMRDAs plan, the Metro 6 corridor, which will go via the Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR), will have 13 stations along the route. The 24-km Metro-5 corridor will connect Thane and Kalyan via the power loom town of Bhiwandi and will have 17 stations. The estimated cost of Metro 6 is Rs6,672 crore, while Metro 5 is estimated to cost around Rs8,416 crore. The two elevated corridors will have interchanges with existing, under-construction Metro corridors and also with the suburban railway network in the city.

Read more:

Make Metro 2B underground: Mumbai residents tell government
Two people were beaten up in Namauli village in Greater Noida for allegedly stealing cows and handed over to the police.

The two have been identified as Navbahar and Shiv Kumar, both from Dankaur. According to the police, they are aged between 22 and 25 years.

Police said the incident took place around 2pm on Saturday when some people of Namauli village spotted the two youth goading three cows into a transport van near LG Chowk.

Two of the villagers claimed that the cows belonged to them.

Akhilesh Tripathi, station house officer (SHO), Knowledge Park police station, said, Two persons were brought to the police station by a group of people alleging that they were caught stealing cows in Namauli village.

They were intercepted by the villagers near LG Chowk in Greater Noida. The group of villagers nabbed the two and thrashed them with fists and sticks. Later, the two were brought to the police station by the villagers along with the cows, said Kamal Shankar Trivedi, the investigating officer.

Sarda Chand and Pal, both residents of Namauli village, alleged that the duo had stolen their cows when they were grazing in an open space near the village on Saturday afternoon. They claimed the two were goading the cows into a transport van, he added.

Read more: 14 years in jail if you kill cow, 2 if you kill people: Judge in BMW case

On preliminary questioning, it was revealed that Navbahar and Shiv Kumar were transporting the cows to Bulandshahr to sell them, said the investigating officer. Villagers had alleged that there have been many instances earlier when their cows had gone missing, but it has not been reported to the police, Trivedi said.

Police have booked the two men under sections 379 (theft) and 411 (possession of stolen property) of the IPC and produced them before court on Sunday, from where they have been sent to judicial custody.

Read more: Dear gau rakshaks, dont lynch, instead help Indias cows live a life of dignity

However, no case has been filed against those who thrashed the two.
The family members and relatives of slain gym trainer, Sajan Bhati, blocked traffic at Salarpur on Monday morning demanding immediate arrest of Bhatis murderers. The family members alleged involvement of 10 persons in Bhatis killing, while the police has arrested only two accused so far.

The 26 year-old gym trainer was murdered in front of his residence in Salarpur on the night of July 11. According to Sajans father Gajraj Bhati, 10 persons armed with countrymade pistols reached their residence in a Swift Dzire and a Mahindra Scorpio and opened indiscriminate fire at his son, who had just returned from his work. Sajan received six bullet injuries on his body and died on the spot.

Hundreds of men took to streets on Monday morning to protest, blocking the Dadri-Surajpur-Chhalera (DSC) Road for over two hours from 8 am to 10.30 am, before police used mild force to disperse the protesters.

Commuters had a harrowing time passing through the stretch near Salarpur on the DSC Road. I had gone to meet a friend in Sector 71 early in the morning. When I was returning around 9.30 am, I got stuck in a jam at the T-point near Salarpur. I had to take a detour via sector 104 and then through the service road of the expressway to reach my shop, said Anil Aggarwal, a trader at Bhangel.

The protesters alleged the three people involved in the murder of Bhati were roaming freely in Salarpur village, but police is not arresting them.

Police assured the protesters of arrests in the matter and restored the traffic flow in the area.

Arun Kumar Singh, superintendent of police (city), said, We have arrested two men, who are key accused in the matter. We are after the others involved in the crime. Separate teams have been formed to nab the absconders and technical surveillance is mounted on the accused.

The two, who were arrested on Saturday are identified as Pradeep Bhati, 30, and his alleged accomplice Amir, 27. Police officials said Pradeep had made the plan to eliminate his cousin, Sajan Bhati, and taken the help of six men to execute it.

The FIR was registered against Pradeep Bhati, Rishipal, Shripal, Papinder, Nitin, Rinku and Kalu and three unidentified men.

During questioning, Pradeep told the police that a disputed piece of gram sabha land occupied by Pradeep and Sajans family was the reason behind the murder.

Police said Pradeep had constructed some shops on the land and rented them out, from which he would earn Rs 30,000 per month. However, when Pradeep started renovating the shops last month, Sajan forced him to stop, claiming his share, according to the police. After that, Pradeep shifted to Greater Noida and started a business with someone identified as Malkhan, officials said.

Police said Pradeep told them he had invested Rs 6 lakh in the business, but Sajan broke up the deal after taking Malkhan into confidence. Pradeep was upset over the financial losses and decided to eliminate Sajan, police added.
The Noida authority chief executive officer Amit Mohan Prasad will meet residents welfare associations on July 20 to discuss and encourage them to participating in the management of solid waste produced in the city.

On June 2, the authority approved a policy under which RWA can purchase a machine that makes compost out of bio-degradable waste. The authority will bear 75 percent of machine cost and remaining 25 percent machine cost will be spent by the respective RWA. The authority will purchase the compost for use in city parks. RWA has the choice of selling the compost in the market to generate revenue.

The objective of the authority with this scheme is that the waste gets treated at the generation point itself. By doing this, the authority wants to save cost needs to be spent in segregation and transportation of the waste from household to designated place.

However, since June 2, no RWA has come forward to participate in this scheme, officials said.

To begin with, we will rope in 25 RWAs under this scheme. As of now, no RWA has submitted an application. To encourage RWAs, I have called a meeting to discuss the scheme in detail. Our motive is to make Noida a clean city with the help of RWAs. I hope RWAs will come forward to apply for this scheme and participate in making Noida a better city, said Prasad.

According to a study, Noidas 14 lakh population generates nearly 660 tonnes of waste daily. However, the city that was developed 40 years ago, does not have a landfill site for disposal of its municipal solid waste. It dumps solid waste onto roadsides and vacant spaces in sector 137 along the Noida Expressway.

We hope that this scheme works and delivers because at present garbage is dumped on roads and vacant spaces thereby causing pollution. It is a good initiative and we will discuss the scheme with the CEO before applying for the same. There are many RWAs which are interested in it. But we will apply only after a proper discussion with officials, said AN Dhawan, former general secretary of federation of Noida RWAs (FONRWA), a residents body.

Noida and Greater Noida will dump waste at Astoli landfill site, which will be operational by 2018, said officials.

We will work in association with the Noida authority because it is for the public good. The scheme seems to be good. But we will get to know more about it in the meeting, said Harish Verma, vice-president of sector 20 RWA.

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Last Wednesday at 7am, 45-year-old Ramesh Kumar was setting up his makeshift tea shop in Sector 76 for his early morning customers, he said. He claims he had no knowledge of the mob violence at Mahagun Moderne Society that was going on a few hundred metres from his shop at that time.

Ramesh is one of the 30-odd kiosk owners whose makeshift shops were demolished by the Noida authority on Monday as the temporary structures had come up on government land.

He said he had spent Rs20,000 to acquire the shop and the goods he needed. Like Ramesh, there are other 30 other shopkeepers who have lost their livelihood the demolition drive six days after the violence at Mahagun Moderne society violence.

Rumours of a domestic help being beaten up and held captive had enraged a mob which allegedly attacked the housing society and vandalised property there.

The Noida authority has officially claimed that the demolition was not due to the recent violence, but the demands for action against illegal workers in Noida have increased ever since.

However, Ramesh fails to understand what he has to do with it all. I had nothing to do with the crowd that attacked Mahagun society. I am a resident of Barola village and was busy setting up my tea shop when the violence took place in the society. I have three children to look after and the officers have demolished my shop and destroyed my livelihood, he said.

Rameshs friend Pappu (36), who like Ramesh says he belongs to Hardoi district in UP, too sold vegetables in the area from a kiosk that was demolished on Monday.

My wife is dead and I am supposed to feed my three children. I have been selling vegetables (here) for the past four months. Now, I am thinking of selling vegetables from a cart, he said.

Another vegetable seller, 22-year-old Sanjay Yadav, has been in business in the area for only two years, but is one of the oldest shopkeepers in the area.

I am the sole bread winner of my family and the demolition has destroyed my stock of vegetables. How will I earn from tomorrow? I have to support my whole family, he said.

Authority officials claimed the drive was carried out as the shops were set up illegally.

The encroachers were already served notice by the Noida authority to remove their makeshift settlements. When they failed to vacate the land, the authority razed their structures. The action was not taken because of the Mahagun Moderne violence, said Awneesh Kumar, circle officer, city-3, who was a part of the police team accompanying the authoritys demolition wing officials.

While there have been calls against illegal Bangladeshis in the area following the Mahagun violence, Kumar said the encroachers in the area were from different parts of India.
In the last one year, the unending cycle of violence (including the cross-border ones) and protests in the Kashmir Valley have given prime time television news anchor a lot of fodder. Unfortunately, very few have taken a professional, matured and balanced approach on these issues; instead, they have assumed an overtly aggressive (read nationalist) posture. Things have come to such a pass that they themselves are deciding whether the Centre should impose presidents rule in the Valley or not.

Some of the television channels seem to be devoted to the Indian Army; they behave as if they are part of the forces and fighting the battle on the ground along with them. Every action of the Army is eulogised, howsoever, reprehensible such a stance may appear to its viewers. These channels have been joined by a band of former Indian Army officers who are invited to the studios just for one reason: They happily toe the channels nationalist line.

On the opposite side, there are the retired Pakistani army officers. They are first invited to the studios to discuss a matter of bilateral importance and then insulted thoroughly. In the process, their voices are rarely heard.

Unfortunately, the Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat has also been in the news in stark contrast to his reticent predecessor. No one grudges him the publicity he gets from the media but it is not appropriate of such a senior army officer to get embroiled in controversy.

We are elated when TV news shows that the Indian Army has destroyed posts across the border. The other side too brags about inflicting heavy casualties on us.

It is becoming increasingly difficult to understand who is telling the truth.

I know Kashmir well because I have served in the Valley between 2006 and 2009 as DIG (operations) of Srinagar and I have no hesitation to add that the electronic media by its irresponsible actions is widening the chasm between the citizens of the Valley and the rest of the country. They must stop humiliating the people of the Valley. If they continue to do so, even those who dont support violence will be forced to review their stand. As it is the lynching of Muslims in different parts of India is affecting the Valley.

If New Delhi is serious about changing the scenario in the Valley, the security forces, the administrative machinery and politicians need to pay attention to the sensitivities of the people.

By all means the Union government and the security forces must be firm with those who break the law, but, at the same time, it must also remember that a large number of people in Kashmir want peace and normalcy, and rebuild their destroyed lives and careers.

These people are on our side, let us not alienate them.

If that happens, India will find it difficult to contain the disaster.

MP Nathanael is former inspector general of police, CRPF

The views expressed are personal
A woman from Pune was arrested by the city police for allegedly pouring hot oil on her husband in an inebriated state on Saturday night. A case was filed under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) Section 324, according to police sub inspector Jaywant Hansathe of Wanowrie police station.

Jaya Arjun Shersia (38) had been drinking with her husband Bharat Arjunram Shersia (26) on Saturday night. When he went to sleep, Jaya poured hot oil on his torso, inflicting burns on him. PSI Hansathe said that both of them were under the influence of alcohol and the police have not been able to ascertain the reason behind such a move. Jaya was produced in the Lashkar court on Monday. The police have asked for seven days custody, the officer said.

While Bharat works in Chembur in Mumbai at a mobile store, Jaya is a saleswoman working in Pune, the officer added. Bharat used to visit her in Pune once or twice a week, the police said. He filed a complaint on Sunday after which he was taken to the Sassoon General Hospital. The doctors at the hospital said that his torso suffered 10% burns, according to the police.
A group of gangsters and their supporters on Monday manhandled deputy superintendent of the central jail here by breaching the cordon of the high-security zone.

Peeved at the isolation of one of the prisoners for violating jail norms, they jumped the security wall of the cell and pounced on deputy superintendent Harbhajan Singh, who was on a round of the premises.

A number of inmates who came to the rescue of the officer were also manhandled.

On Sunday, the jail authorities had isolated convict Gurpreet Singh alias Ladi, who is undergoing a sentence in an attempt to murder case, when he over-ruled their directives regarding security.

Sources said he was using a mobile phone and refused to move inside the barrack.

Irked at his isolation, the inmates lodged in barrack numbers 12 and 13 went berserk and came out by scaling the walls. The offenders included gangster Daljit Singh Bhana.

The sources said since the security staff was inadequate to handle the assaulters, the authorities initially tackled the offenders mildly but once additional police force reached the premises, they were given a sound bashing.

Jail superintendent Vikramjit Singh Panthey was not in the jail premises when the incident took place. He was on an official visit to Chandigarh.

Meanwhile, a complaint has been lodged in this connection with the city police station, seeking registration of a case against ten inmates.

BLURB Deputy supdt Harbhajan Singh was on a round when inmates pounced on him in protest against isolation of one prisoner

STAFF SHORTAGE

Notably, the Hoshiarpur central jail was upgraded by the previous SAD-BJP government, but staff shortage was not addressed.

As many as 1,000 prisoners are currently lodged in the jail against a capacity of 600, whereas the number of security guards deployed here is only nine.

No doubt, we are grappling with staff shortage, but the higher authorities are seized of the matter, said Panthey.

He said ten gangsters are lodged in the jail at present, besides several other hardcore offenders.

The inmates take refuge in human rights law which makes their handling tough, he added.
After Union external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj informed the families of Indians missing in Iraq that they might be in Badush jail which was yet to be freed from terror group ISIS, the families who were in Delhi on Sunday are a disheartened lot.

They have been knocking the doors of the government since reports of the abductions came in. A ray of hope emerged last week when Iraqi Forces freed the city of Mosul from ISIS and the Indian government sent its officials to Iraq to trace the 39. However, no concrete clues emerged of their location.

Talking to HT, Gurpinder Kaur, one of the family members said, I met the Union minister today but I am disheartened. We all came with lot of hope but things are not moving forward and there is hardly any clue. Almost everyone is disheartened but we hope wherever all youth are they remain safe.

Read | Sushma Swaraj says missing Indian hostages were last located in an Iraqi prison

The minister told that inputs from Iraq have come that the 39 Indians might be in Badush prison which is still under the influence of the ISIS and the clashes are still on there with the Iraqi troops, added Gurpinder, who waits for her brother Manjinder Singh to come home.

Issue is that last time when we met the Minister we were told that the Indian government had had concrete information about the location of the Indians there. But now it seems that those inputs were wrong. We are disheartened.

He added that every family was waiting for good news.

We thought that the government will find them once Mosul is free but now with Government saying that they are likely in Badush prison, we have no option other than waiting for fights to end there.

Earlier they told that they have inputs that all youth are in a church in Mosul but now they say their input was not right. The government is standing where it was, she added.

Similarly Harbhajan Kaur also said that it was disappointing that till now there is no concrete information about the missing youth.

She is waiting for her son Harsimranjit Singh to return home. He is also among the 39 missing and hails from Babbowal village in Amritsar district.

Notably, out 39 Indians missing in Iraq, most of them hail from Punjab.

The families have met the minister around 12 times over the issue and now after Mosul got free; the MEA had called the families to Delhi on Sunday to meet the Minister.

The mobile phones of all the Indians are not working since past three years and no family member has established any contact with them.

All the youngsters who went to Iraq had gone there to eran livelihood but there is no word on them after they were abducted by the ISIS.

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Brigadier Sanjive Kumar Singh, a third-generation infantryman and a popular figure in Chandigarh, looks back with satisfaction at a career of 36 years with extensive experience in counter-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir and the North East.

As a young Captain, he carried out reconnaissance across the LoC (Line of Control) in Siachen, monitoring Pakistani troop movements in 1984.

Serving with the Assam Rifles in Imphal, he established an effective intelligence network which led to successful operations against NSCN (Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland) insurgents and PLA (Peoples Liberation Amry of Manipur) separatists.

Commanding a company of 16th Rajputana Rifles in Kupwara in the 90s, he worked with Jallaluddin Chaudhary, a top surrendered militant whose information he developed to carry out successful operations.

This was the time when Captain Sanjay Chauhan of his battalion carried out a daring operation, disguised as a Pakistani terrorist in the Rajwar forests, killing ten terrorists before his four-man team was overwhelmed.

Posted on the staff with HQ 5 Sector, Rashtriya Rifles, Sanjive synchronised terrorist surrenders.

He was the pivotal liaison with Kuka Parray, the top Ikhwani and his group of turned terrorists.

This was the crucial time when strenuous efforts resulted in the restoration of uniformity which led to the holding of assembly elections in 1996  a singular achievement of the security forces. Commanding his battalion in the Mahadev Gap and in NausheraPir Badesar, Sanjive used unconventional methods to lay ambushes on the LoC leading to an appreciable fall in infiltration.

As many as 35 terrorists were killed with the recovery of a huge amount of weapons and ammunition.

Finally, as deputy commander of Victor Force in South Kashmir, the handsome Brigadier used his long experience of counter-insurgency to coordinate area dominance in his formations zone and the incident-free organisation of two Amarnath Yatras.

I feel privileged to have been his friend for over 40 years.

LAST HURRAH OF THE OLD INDIAN HORSED CAVALRY

There was considerable excitement in the media when the Prime Minister visited the Haifa War Cemetery in Israel giving our people an education they lacked. Haifa, a Turkish rear guard position was captured by two regiments of the States Forces  Jodhpur Lancers and Mysore Lancers (now part of 61st Cavalry).

The main lesson that emerged from World War I was the redundancy of horsed cavalry as an arm of decision because of advances in warfare.

Haifa, a fortified town was taken by a full-fledged old-style cavalry charge by the Jodhpur Lancers followed by their Mysore comrades.

In a sense, it was the last hurrah of the old Indian horsed cavalry.

Another distinction these regiments shared has eluded the media and historians. They were led to victory by Indian officers at a time when the first Indian commissioned officers were barely making an entry into the British Indian Army.

It would take another quarter of a century before the first Indian took command of a unit.

TALK ON THE BATTLE OF TIGER HILL

Brigadier MPS Bajwa who commanded the formation that captured Tiger Hill, will talk about the Battle of Tiger Hill during the 1999 Kargil War on July 19, Wednesday, at the Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development, Sector 19A at 10.30am.

(Please write in with your narratives of war and military life to msbajwa@gmail.com or call/WhatsApp on 093161-35343)
Ex-IPS officer Dr Arun Oraon has taken over the charge of All Indian Congress Committee (AICC) secretary, and begun his journey in the organisation on a humble note. He is the second IPS officer from Jharkhand after Dr Ajoy Kumar, who quit the service to serve society through politics. Kumar is currently serving as AICC spokesperson.

A Punjab cadre IPS, Oraon opted for voluntary retirement three years back and had decided to take a plunge in politics. He joined Congress few months later and waited at the fence for the party leadership to give him a responsibility.

The party last weekend announced his nomination as the national secretary and gave him the responsibility of strengthening the organisation in neighbouring state, Chhattisgarh under the guidance of general secretary, PL Punia and another secretary, Kamleshwar Patel.

Chhattisgarh is headed for Assembly polls next week. Congress has pinned high hopes of retaining power this time as rival BJP, ruling the state for last three terms, is facing anti-incumbency and fronting peoples ire for failing to deliver to their expectations. Worse: The Left wing extremism issue has failed to die down and local tribal community continue to complain of gross human rights violations by forces, thereby alienating them from the saffron party.

I am happy that I got the opportunity to work in Chhattisgarh. We share several things in common including culture, language and rights issues, said Oraon, who is a prominent tribal face and hails from a respected political family. His father, Bandi Oraon has been an MLA, his father-in-law, Late Kartik Oraon had served in Indira Gandhi cabinet and mother-in-law, Late Sumita Oraon had been an MP. His wife, Geetashree Oraon has been a minister in the previous UPA government in Jharkhand.

All set for his maiden visit to Chhattisgarh after anointed secretary on Tuesday, Oraon is optimistic that he would be able to exploit his experience in the police service as well as politics to bring Congress back to power in the state.

People in Chhattisgarh are fed up with the ruling party. Our organisation there is pretty strong as compared to Jharkhand and they are doing a good job. Last time, the deficit with BJP was merely one per cent although we were 10 seats behind BJPs 49. The socio-political-religious scenario has changed over the years and we would be giving the ruling party a tough fight this time, Oraon told HT.

He said the protests against power plants, forced land acquisition and anti-people policies of Raman Singh government has already hit the ruling party hard.
Popular writer Vakkantham Vamsi, known for his contribution to hit films such as Kick and Temper, turns director with upcoming Allu Arjun starrer Telugu action flick Naa Peru Surya, which is slated to go on the floors later in July. On Sunday, the makers confirmed that actor Anu Emmanuel, currently shooting for Pawan Kalyans yet-untitled Telugu film, has been finalised as the leading heroine. Tamil actors Sarath Kumar and Arjun will be seen playing pivotal roles in the film, which will be high on action and emotions.

Apparently, Vamsi was supposed to make his directorial debut nearly two years ago when a leading star promised to work with him. Unfortunately, the project never took off and Vamsi had to wait, hoping things would magically become alright. They didnt and he was shattered as his long wait to don the directors hat didnt come true. Finally, when he pitched the story to Arjun, he immediately agreed to do the project. While most top stars have second thoughts about working with a newcomer, Arjun is teaming up with Vamsi because he believed in the script and his vision.

The film will have music by Vishal-Sekhar duo and popular cinematographer-filmmaker Rajeev Ravi will crank the camera and this project marks his Telugu debut.

Anu Emmanuel has worked in film likes Swapna Sanchari and Action Hero Biju in the past.

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Rana Daggubatis Ghazi, a story about the mysterious sinking of PNS Ghazi, a Pakistan-deployed submarine was one of the best Indian films in recent times. On the lines of Ghazi, comes another film about the disappearance in 1979 of the bulk carrier owned by the Kerala Shipping Corporation. Nivin Pauly will play the lead in the film, which will mark the directorial debut of cinematographer Jomon T John, currently busy working on Rohit Shettys Golmaal Again.

Sharing more information about the film on his Facebook page, Nivin wrote: Announcing my new project with my dearest Jomon T John who will make his directorial debut in this film titled Kairali. The ship, with a crew of 49, was carrying 20,000 tonnes of iron ore from Margao in Goa to Rostock in Germany. It went off the radar 500 km from Margao. Nivin further wrote: I am totally excited to be part of this ever since I heard the story. The movie will be scripted by my dear friend Sidhartha Siva and it will be jointly produced by Pauly Jr Pictures and Real Life Works. The project will roll from December.

Nivin currently awaits the release of Tamil film Richie, in which he plays a gangster. In Malayalam, he is shooting for Hey Jude, which marks the debut of actor Trisha Krishnan in the industry.

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As winter is here with the seventh season of Game of Thrones, the network HBO could not withstand the excitement of the fans as they barraged the main website, leading to a technical glitch.

The users who tried to visit HBO.com saw an error message displayed, which read there was a problem loading the page, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

But the website resumed its service during the final half of the episode of the GOT East Coast premiere.

A spokeswoman for the network said that HBO Go was experiencing outages in Latin America on Sunday and the team was working to resolve the problems.

The portal suffered similar problems at the time of the fourth season premiere of Game of Thrones in 2014, when the site crashed during the finale of the first season of True Detective.

The networks over-the-top video streaming service, HBO Now was also suffering from a snag. While some users who logged into the service were met with a loading bar and could not access the new episode, others complained about slow buffering.

Some of the users took to social media to express their outrage.

That moment when your 30 minutes into season 7 of @GameOfThrones and @HBONowHelp crashes... wrote a Twitter user, along with a gif of Jon Snows dejected face.

While other tweeple wrote, Am the only @GameOfThrones fan that doesnt get to watch the premiere tonight cause HBO has been processing for hours... Im not okay.

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A weekend of bloodshed in Chicago left 11 people dead, including a nine-year-old boy, as police struggled to contain the gun violence plaguing the city in the US heartland.

The boy was killed while riding in an SUV with a 31-year-old man. A grey sedan pulled alongside and someone inside began shooting, according to police who did not identify either victim.

The older man was struck in the back, face and chest, and was in critical condition at a hospital, police said. The young boy died of a gunshot wound to the back.

The two were among 56 shot in the period between Friday afternoon and Monday morning, according to the Chicago Tribune newspaper, which keeps a running tally of the runaway shootings, which have been mostly gang-related and concentrated in a few economically struggling neighbourhoods.

Eleven people in total were killed, the Tribune reported.

Chicago police, which do not include in its tally incidents that occur in the city but outside the departments jurisdiction, on Monday reported 35 shootings and 10 murders over the same weekend period.

Warm summer months often bring higher levels of violence to Chicago streets. Over the July 4 holiday, 101 were hit by gunfire and 14 killed, according to the Tribune. The youngest of the victims during that four-day period was just 13 years old, the newspaper said.

The violence has drawn a great deal of media attention because it is where former president Barack Obama worked as a civil rights attorney and law professor. Obama still maintains a high profile in the city, where his presidential library is to be built.

Other US cities such as St Louis or Baltimore have even higher murder rates relative to the size of their populations, but the sheer number of shootings in Chicago gets it noticed more.

The Drug Enforcement Agency recently announced that more agents would be sent to aid Chicago law enforcement, by forming a task force to battle the illicit drug trade, which fuels gun violence.
Britains Brexit minister vowed to get down to work as he kicked off a first full round of negotiations on Monday, but a year after Britons voted narrowly to quit the EU their government still seemed at odds over what it wants.

Its time to get down to work and make this a successful negotiation, veteran anti-EU campaigner David Davis said as he was welcomed to the European Commission by the European Unions chief negotiator Michel Barnier for four days of talks.

But back in London, British media were rife with talk of infighting that echoed the divisions Prime Minister Theresa Mays Conservative party suffered during the EU referendum. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, attending a different meeting in Brussels, passed up an opportunity to deny that was the case.

His backing was seen as vital for the 52-48 percent victory of the Leave camp in June last year. Asked point blank on Monday if the cabinet was split on Brexit, Johnson simply said he was pleased negotiations had begun and then defended the offer May has made to protect the rights of EU citizens in Britain.

Struggling for authority after losing her majority last month in an election she did not need to call, May faces questions inside her party on whether she can exercise control. That is worrying EU negotiators, who stress that 20 months until Brexit is very little time to negotiate an orderly divorce.

Finance minister Philip Hammond, who like May campaigned last year to keep Britain in the EU, said on Sunday he believed most of his cabinet colleagues now backed the idea of having two years or more of a transition period after Brexit in March 2019 - to soften the disruptive effect on society and the economy.

That had not been the case a month ago, Hammond said. That was a reminder of a gulf in perceptions across the Channel where EU leaders have assumed from the outset that Britain would need more than the two years allowed by treaty to negotiate the deal it wants to retain close, open trading links with the continent.

Hammond accused unnamed colleagues of briefing against him to try to undermine what is seen as his push for a soft Brexit that would prioritise trade rather than hardliners demands for controls on EU immigration or an end to EU legal oversight.

Transition period

Trade minister Liam Fox, who favours a cleaner break with the EU, said on Sunday he could live with a transition - during which it is likely Britain would keep paying a share of the EU budget and follow EU rules - as long as it was kept short. That is also the view in much of the EU, where leaders do not want to see Britain given an indefinite half-in, half-out status.

Divisions over such basic issues of the Brexit negotiations could raise the risk again of a failure to reach a deal. That would see huge uncertainty for businesses and millions of people across Europe as Britain would simply be out of the bloc on March 30, 2019 with no clear rules on what that should mean.

London and Brussels have taken initial negotiating positions saying they are ready for such an outcome. But most officials in Brussels believe Britain, for one, must be bluffing, since the legal limbo into which it would be pitched would be so damaging.

However, Gus ODonnell, Britains former top civil servant, said the chances of a smooth Brexit were at risk. It appears that cabinet members havent yet finished negotiating with each other, never mind the EU, he said.

British businesses are anxious to see a coherent approach in Mays government to indicate early on how a transition would work and how long it would run to help them make investment decisions.

A weekend of media briefings from competing factions within the Conservatives did little to reassure companies, though most cabinet ministers appear now to accept that there needs to be what May calls an implementation phase.

In Brussels, Davis acknowledged it was incredibly important to make progress, that we negotiate through this and identify the differences so that we can deal with them and identify the similarities so that we can reinforce them.

Barnier told reporters: We will now delve into the heart of the matter. We need to examine and compare our respective positions in order to make good progress.

Both men declined further comment. Barnier said they would brief the media on Thursday after the first round wraps up.

Working groups will focus on three issues: citizens rights; the EU demand that Britain pay some 60 billion euros ($69 billion) to cover ongoing EU budget commitments; and other loose ends. Barnier has dismissed the British rights offer as falling short of the EU demand that its 3 million citizens there keep all their existing rights for life and have recourse to the EU courts to enforce those rights even after Britain has left.

A fourth set of talks, run by Davis and Barniers deputies Oliver Robbins and Sabine Weyand, will focus on curbing problems in Northern Ireland once a new EU land border separates the British province from EU member Ireland to the south. Some of that will have to wait for clarity on future trade relations.
Chinas Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) has held live-fire drills in Tibet, close to the Indias border in Arunachal, to practice quick movement of troops and destroy enemy aircraft, the state media has said.

The reports didnt say when and why the 11-hour military exercise was held, the latest in a series of the war games the Chinese have talked about following the month-old standoff between the two countries in Doklam region that borders Indias northeast frontier in Sikkim.

The brigade that conducted the (latest) drills was from the PLAs Tibet military command and is one of Chinas two plateau mountain brigades, China Central Television (CCTV), the national broadcaster, said.

The report is being seen as a message to the Indian government and military, as China claims large parts of Arunachal, Indias easternmost state, as southern Tibet.

The drill was held in the Tibet Autonomous Region in the middle and lower reaches of Yarlung Zangbo river, which is located in the upper stream of the Brahmaputra river which flows through China, India and Bangladesh.

The Yarlung Zangbo enters India through Arunachal where it is called Siang before it becomes the Brahmaputra in Assam. China has been building dams over it, causing concern in India that it could affect the flow of the Brahmaputra.

The mountain brigade had long been stationed around the middle and lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo and was responsible for frontline combat, the nationalistic Global Times quoted the CCTV report as saying.

It said quick delivery of troops and different military units coming together for joint attacks was practised, which also involved use of anti-tank grenades and missiles.

The video also shows radar units identifying enemy aircraft and soldiers using anti-aircraft artillery to annihilate targets, the English language tabloid said.

It wasnt clear if the drill was part of a military exercise carried out earlier this month at 15,000 feet in the Tibet plateau, the first time the PLA had gone so high.

state media video show heavy artillery guns in use in military exercise in Tibet @htTweets pic.twitter.com/B0YPLE5Bbr  sutirtho patranobis (@spatranobis) July 17, 2017

During the exercise, the Chinese soldiers tested new equipment including tanks, the official Xinhua news agency had said.

Earlier, the Chinese military had announced it tested a light-weight battle tank in Tibet near the Indian border.

The 35-tonne tank has carried out trials in the plains of Tibet, PLA spokesman Col Wu Qian had said in a media briefing.

The purpose is to test the parameters of the equipment and is not targeted against any country, the PLA spokesman had said to a query if the tank was targeted at India.

In the last few days, China has rebuffed Indias conciliatory tone on resolving the impasse in Doklam, which is located at the narrow but strategically important tri-junction of India, China and Bhutan.

China has accused Indian soldiers of trespass and preventing it from building a road in the region, which is claimed by Bhutan.

Beijing wants India to withdraw its troops from Doklam before the two sides can open talks. New Delhi says the road, if built, will have serious security implications for India.
German police said Monday several assaults and cases of sexual harassment were reported in alcohol-fuelled weekend disturbances that saw youths rampage through a small town and hurl bottles at police.

No arrests had been made over the alleged harassment, but police were treating as a suspect a 20-year-old Iraqi man and, in a separate case in which a 17-year-old girl was groped, three Afghan asylum seekers aged 18-20.

Police chief Roland Eisele urged other women to come forward if they were abused on Friday or Saturday night during the chaotic scenes that started at a local festival in the southwestern town of Schorndorf, Baden-Wuerttemberg state.

Eisele said the aggression and escalation of violence were unprecedented and unexpected in the town of about 40,000 people, located near Stuttgart, and that the local police force had to request backup from other cities.

Police said in a statement that many youths with migrant backgrounds were seen in the crowd, but Eisele said that it was impossible to estimate a percentage.

Officers in riot gear moved into a crowd of about 1,000 Saturday night in the town centre to detain a suspect on charges of dangerous physical assault but came under attack as others hurled bottles at them.

Witnesses had reported small groups of youths, some armed with knives or replica handguns that can fire flares and tear gas, roving through the medieval town centre, police said.

Several police cars were sprayed with graffiti or otherwise vandalised in the small town also dubbed Daimler city because automotive inventor Gottlieb Daimler was born there in 1834.

In a press conference Monday, Eisele evoked the chaos of Colognes infamous 2015 New Years Eve celebrations when men of North African and Middle Eastern appearance groped and assaulted hundreds of women, sparking widespread public outrage.

He stressed that the rowdy scenes in Schorndorf were less intense than those in Cologne or the riots in the northern port-city of Hamburg before and during the July 7-8 Group of 20 summit, when far-left and anarchist militants burnt street barricades and threw rocks from rooftops.
The United Arab Emirates was not responsible for an alleged hack of Qatari websites which helped spark a month-long diplomatic rift with Doha, the UAEs minister of state for foreign affairs said on Monday.

Anwar Gargash denied as false a story in the Washington Post that cited US officials saying the UAE had orchestrated the hack of Qatars state news agency.

The Washington Post story today that we actually hacked the Qataris is also not true, he told the London-based think-tank Chatham House.

Qatars emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, was quoted in May as praising Gazas ruling Hamas movement and calling Iran an Islamic power.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt imposed sanctions on Qatar on June 5, cutting diplomatic and transport ties with the tiny Gulf monarchy, after accusing it of financing militant groups and allying with their regional arch-foe Iran. Doha denies the accusations.

Gargash said the four Arab powers were in the process of discussing additional sanctions on Doha.

There will be some tightening of the screws, he said in an interview on the sidelines of the event, declining to give a time frame on when new measure could be introduced.

We will see what are these screws, whether they are financial, whether they are other, but they completely within our (remit) as sovereign states.

Yet the UAE would not escalate its boycott by asking companies to choose between doing business with it or with Qatar, he added.

Gargash, who also suggested international monitoring of Qatar was needed, added there were no plans for a meeting between the two sides under the auspices of Kuwait, a neutral Gulf Arab country seeking to mediate in the spat.

We are too early to speak about meetings, before we get a mediation with some traction, he said.
Moscow on Monday said it was struggling to confirm if the leader of the Islamic State group Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is dead or alive, a month after reporting his possible demise.

The Russian army said in June that it was trying to verify information that its jets killed Baghdadi during a bombing raid near the IS stronghold of Raqa in Syria.

But over a month after the announcement Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia still had no more precise information on Baghdadis fate.

The information coming in is contradictory and is being checked by the relevant agencies, he said.

Baghdadi, the undisputed leader of global jihadism, has been rumoured wounded or killed a number of times in the past.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitor, said last week it had heard from senior IS leaders in Syrias Deir Ezzor province that Baghdadi was dead.

But Pentagon chief James Mattis said on Friday that he could not confirm or deny if Baghdadi is dead, adding that Washingtons approach was to assume hes alive until its proven otherwise.

Baghdadis group has earned global notoriety for imposing a hardline form of Islam that has included stonings, beheadings and amputations as it has claimed the creation of a caliphate after snatching territory across Syria and Iraq.

The fortunes of its caliphate have since turned with massive offensives launched by US-backed forces in Iraq and Syria.

Russia has been flying a bombing campaign in Syria since 2015 in support of its ally President Bashar al-Assad.
The runway at Britains London Gatwick airport was briefly closed on Monday after a planes tyre burst during take off, a spokesman for the airport said.

A runway inspection was ordered after a Air Canada flight was forced to return to the airport following the incident.

The runway had reopened, the Gatwick spokesman said. The airports website showed small delays for some flights.

Gatwick Airport said in a statement planes are currently using the airports back-up runway.

We apologise as flights for the rest of the day will experience delay and there will be some cancellations, the statement said.
An ambulance carrying South Africas first democratically elected president Nelson Mandela caught fire as it was rushing him to hospital, his doctor revealed in a book published on Monday.

The incident is one of several bizarre episodes contained in the book chronicling Mandelas final years by Vejay Ramlakan, who was South Africas surgeon general and the former presidents physician until his death in 2013.

Ramlakan was accompanying Mandela from his Johannesburg home to a specialist heart hospital in Pretoria in June 2013 when smoke began billowing from the ambulance carrying the former liberation leader.

A pall of black smoke enveloped the ambulance as it slowed to a halt in the fast lane of the freeway, Ramlakan wrote.

I lifted my focus from the section of road in the headlights to glance ahead and saw what appeared to be a vehicle on fire.... This was awful. Madiba in an ambulance on fire, added Ramlakan, using Mandelas clan name.

Despite the fears of Mandelas medical team, their patient was unharmed and after 30 minutes was transferred to a backup ambulance to complete the journey.

Ramlakan also revealed that shortly after Mandelas death at the age of 95 in December 2013 following a prolonged respiratory infection, a spy camera was found in the morgue where his body was held.

I found this a symptom of the lunacy of persons whose unfettered curiosity was most barbaric, he wrote.

In 2011, three spy cameras filming the Mandela household and family cemetery were also discovered near Qunu, Mandelas birth village in South Africas Eastern Cape region, 450 kilometres (280 miles) southwest of Durban, Ramlakan wrote.

The book Mandelas Last Years was released ahead of Mandela Day on Tuesday, an annual day to honour his memory.
Three years after Flight MH17 was shot down by a missile over war-torn Ukraine, nearly 2,000 relatives gathered Monday to unveil a living memorial to their loved ones.

A total of 298 trees have been planted in the shape of a green ribbon, one for each of the victims who died on board the Malaysia Airlines flight en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur.

Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima joined government and international officials at a solemn ceremony to dedicate the memorial in the park of Vijfhuizen, close to Amsterdams Schiphol airport, where the flight took off from on July 17, 2014.

The names of all the 298 passengers and crew killed in the disaster were read out by their emotional families, and the Dutch royals and others laid flowers.

While most of the victims were Dutch, there were 10 nationalities on board including Australians, Britons, Malaysians and Indonesians.

Its three years to the day that MH17 was shot down in mid-air, said Evert van Zijtveld, the head of association of the victims families. But for us it was yesterday. That day... left a void in our lives. There is a life before and after July 17, 2014. These victims can never be forgotten, he said. This monument is for now and for future generations.

A tree symbolises hope and future in many cultures, the victims families association said in a statement. We not only want to honour the MH17 victims, but also want to create a place where everyone can keep their memories of the 298 passengers alive.

Funded by donations, the project was designed by artist Ronald A. Westerhuis and landscape architect Robbert de Koning after it was chosen out of three proposals by relatives in late 2015.

Relatives embrace during the revealing of the National Monument for the MH17 victims in Vijfhuizen, The Netherlands, July 17, 2017. (AP)

Never forget

As the third anniversary of the tragedy dawns, no suspects have been arrested although it was announced this month that any trials would be held in The Netherlands.

About 100 people are wanted in connection with the disaster, after Dutch-led investigators concluded the plane was shot down by a Russian-made BUK missile transported from Russia into areas held by pro-Moscow rebels.

In Kiev, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on Monday insisted Moscow must be held to account over the tragedy.

It was a barefaced crime that could have been avoided if not for the Russian aggression, Russian system and Russian missile that came from Russian territory, Poroshenko wrote on Facebook.

Russia and the separatist authorities it supports, however, continue to deny any involvement and have sought repeatedly to deflect the blame onto Ukraine.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said in a statement his thoughts were with the victims families and urged all states to cooperate fully with efforts to establish accountability for the incident.

Names of the victims during the revealing of the National Monument for the MH17 in Vijfhuizen, The Netherlands, July 17, 2017. (AP)

Sunflowers

The trees in the memorial will be surrounded by sunflowers, which bloom in July, and will radiate a golden glow, the foundation said.

The flowers also represent the sunflower fields in eastern Ukraine where some parts of the plane wreckage were found.

Each of the trees bears the name of one of the victims. And at the heart of the forest of 11 different tree varieties is a steel memorial shaped like an eye, turned upwards looking at the skies.

One apple tree has been dedicated to 16-year-old Gary, from Rotterdam, whose body has still not yet been identified.

Its nice to think that he has a tree, since we have not received his body. We dont want Gary to be forgotten. We dont want any of the 298 victims to be forgotten, his father, Jan Slok, told the daily AD newspaper.

The 16-metre-long steel eyebrow above the eye represents the burden of the loss, the Trouw daily said, adding with time it will rust, a symbol of the slow passage of pain. The victims names are also engraved in the pupil of the eye.

If you look inside, you can see both yourself and the name of your loved one, Westerhuis told Trouw.
Separate bombings targeted members of Pakistans paramilitary border force on Monday, killing at least three troops and wounding eight, officials said.

In the first attack, a Taliban suicide bomber on a motorcycle hit a Frontier Corps vehicle in Peshawar, near the Afghan border, killing two troops and wounding seven.

A few hours later, a second bomb struck at Chaman in southwestern Balochistan province, also on the border with Afghanistan, killing a soldier and wounding another.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif filed objections to an investigative panels report that concluded his familys assets exceeded their sources of income as Pakistans Supreme Court resumed hearing the Panamagate case on Monday.

The hearings are expected to decide the future of Sharif, who is fighting for his job and contesting the Joint Investigation Team (JIT)s damning corruption report.

The top court could put Sharif on trial on corruption charges or even disqualify him, but few expect the judges to dismiss the case after JIT appointed by the court tabled a damaging 254-page report into his family wealth.

In a petition filed through his lawyer, Sharif said most of the information collected by the JIT is baseless and mala fide, and that the head of the panel used personal friends and relatives to make a case against the premiers family.

Sharif, 67, also said the JIT misused its powers and, in many instances, misrepresented his family and its business dealings. Finance minister Ishaq Dar, related to Sharif by marriage, also filed objections to the JITs report.

The premier also argued that some documents from foreign governments included in the JITs report had no legal value and should not be considered as evidence. Referring to Inter-Services Intelligences representative in the JIT, Sharif said the person was not an employee of the spy agency and could not represent it on such a body.

Pakistani policemen cordon off the main entrance of the Supreme Court during a hearing on the Panama Papers case in Islamabad on July 17, 2017 after the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) presented a final report of its investigation probing allegations of money laundering against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family. (AFP)

The counsel for Imran Khans party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, which had petitioned the apex court to investigate the allegations against the Sharif family, told the judges that the JIT had highlighted how the Sharifs had been unable to establish the money trail in several transactions.

The Supreme Court adjourned the matter till Tuesday after hearing the lawyers from both sides.

Minister of state for information Marriyum Aurangzeb told reporters she was encouraged by the proceedings and expected the court to reject the JITs findings and exonerate the Sharif family of all charges.

After the full documents are reviewed by the Supreme Court, and documents pertaining to Volume 10 (of the JITs report) are examined, the case against the prime miniser and his family will collapse, she said. The decision to hold the prime minister guilty lies with the Supreme Court, not the JIT.

Volume 10 includes sensitive documents supplied by foreign countries which were not included in the JITs report.

Pakistani lawyers shout slogans against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif next to PML-N party leader Daniyal Aziz (left) outside the Supreme Court during a hearing on the Panama Papers case in Islamabad on July 17, 2017. (AFP)

Sharif has denied any wrongdoing after the JITs report alleged his familys vast wealth was beyond their means, and accused his children, including daughter Maryam Nawaz, of signing forged documents to obscure the ownership of four posh London flats.

He has also rejected demands by opposition parties to resign, warning his ouster would destabilise Pakistan and endanger hard-won economic gains since his election victory in 2013.

The Supreme Court ordered the JIT to investigate after the Panama Papers leaks showed Sharifs two sons and his daughter owned offshore assets worth millions of dollars. The revelations fuelled suspicions that the family had used offshore companies to launder ill-gotten wealth.

In April, Sharif narrowly escaped disqualification after the Supreme Court ruled there was insufficient evidence to remove him  by a 2-3 split  over the Panama Papers leak. It then ordered a probe by the JIT, which included representatives from military intelligence agencies.

Sharif has talked of a conspiracy against him but has not named anyone. His allies privately claim elements of the powerful military and the judiciary are bent on toppling him.

The army spokesman brushed aside questions about claims the militarys hidden hand was the driving force behind the JIT, saying the Pakistan army is not directly connected.
Dont tell Earl Boissonou he cant do something.

On Sunday afternoon, after nearly three years of work, the 79-year-old retired schoolteacher held a party at Fern Ridge Reservoir to celebrate the completion of his latest pet project: a miniature tugboat he built by hand in his Corvallis garage.

Nearly 40 friends, neighbors and relatives were on hand for the boats christening, including daughter Audrey Boissonou, who drove up from Walnut Creek, California, with her two teenagers for the event.

Isnt this incredible? she marveled after her 14-year-old son, Aaron Rassiq, cracked a ceremonial bottle of wine across the vessels bow.

Everybody said hed never do it, she added. But the people who said that dont know my dad.

Boissonou, who taught in the Albany school district for many years, has been sailing since 1968 and has always enjoyed working with his hands. A dedicated artist who paints, draws and sculpts, he took up boat-building some years back as a way to keep busy while recuperating from a liver transplant.

His first project was an Adirondack guideboat, an open-hulled craft that looks like an oversized canoe with oarlocks, which he built in 2009 using a kit for some of the more crucial parts.

The tug was a much more ambitious undertaking. Using a set of plans he bought for $150, Boissonou constructed the craft kit-free. A few specialized parts (including a steering wheel that his wife picked up at a garage sale for $3) were purchased off the shelf, but he fabricated the vast majority of the vessel himself, mostly out of Douglas fir.

The result is an 18-foot, 2,400-pound boat, propelled by a 9.9-horsepower outboard motor, that can carry four people and has sleeping berths for two. With its red-and-black hull, crisp white cabin and gleaming brass fittings, it looks like a tiny tugboat but is more accurately termed a pocket cruiser.

Its reminiscent of an older tug-style boat, but its not an exact replica of anything, Boissonou said.

Although he wont disclose how much money he has invested in the vessel, the amount of time and effort that went into it is substantial. Boissonou reckons he put in an average of 2 hours a day on the project over the last two years and 11 months.

He also had about a dozen volunteer helpers, most notably a couple of his neighbors  Dr. Bruce Thomson, a retired physician who lives next door, and Caleb Washburn, a home-schooled teen from down the street.

The cruisers name, Dr. Petra, is a play on the soft drink Dr. Pepper that also commemorates Thomson and a Boissonou family dog that died some time back.

After christening the craft on Sunday, Boissonou backed his trailer down to the waters edge and soon had the boat bobbing on the waves beside one of the docks at Richardson Park Marina. Wearing a jaunty blue captains hat with scrambled eggs on the brim, the proud skipper invited onlookers to come aboard for a tour and a quick spin around the bay.

One of the naysayers who tried to dissuade Boissonou from the undertaking was his wife, Cherrill.

Hes always wanted to do this. I came home one day about 10 years ago and there was masking tape all over the garage floor, she recalled with a smile.

He said, Itll just fit.

I said, What?

He said, A tugboat.

I said, No. Youre not building a tugboat.

She might as well have saved her breath. Knowing her husband as she does, she said from the dock on Sunday, shes not the least bit surprised that he ignored her admonition and completed the project anyway.

He gets real one-track, she explained. He was an elementary teacher, but I think his real calling should have been this. Once he gets going, hes just amazing.

Boissonou has rented a slip for the Dr. Petra at Fern Ridge, an Army Corps of Engineers reservoir about 40 miles south of Corvallis, and plans to spend a lot of quality time on the boat there with his wife this summer. He also plans to take the mini-tug out on various lakes around the Northwest and maybe even go for a cruise on Puget Sound.

As for his next project, it wont be another boat.

Im done, Boissonou said with finality. Ive built two, I like both of them and we intend to use this one quite a bit.

He also intends to get back to his artwork, producing some new paintings and sculptures and whatever else comes to mind.

I just do stuff, he said with a shrug. I like to keep busy.
President Rodrigo Duterte offered self-rule to the Philippines Muslim minority on Monday in an attempt to defeat Islamist militants who seized a southern city in the gravest challenge to his year-old rule.

Duterte hopes the promise of autonomy will persuade Filipino Muslims to reject the Islamic State group, whose followers still control parts of Marawi after nearly two months of fighting that had left more than 500 people dead.

Duterte vowed to shepherd through Congress a Bangsamoro Basic Law bill jointly written and submitted to him Monday by government officials and the countrys largest Muslim guerrilla group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

This moment is a significant step forward in our quest to end centuries of hatred, mistrust and injustice that cost and affected the lives of millions of Filipinos, he said in a speech to MILF leaders and government officials.

Both sides said that giving the mainly Catholic nations large and largely impoverished Islamic minority a better choice was crucial to heading off the lure of violent extremism.

These misguided people have filled the vacuum created by our failure to enact the basic law, and feed into the frustration of our people, MILF chairman Murad Ebrahim told the same gathering, referring to the Marawi gunmen.

Muslims since the 1970s had waged a decades-old insurgency that claimed more than 100,000 lives in the Mindanao region that includes Marawi.

The MILF signed a peace treaty with Dutertes predecessor Benigno Aquino in 2014 but Congress refused to pass the self-rule bill -- a key provision of the accord.

Small rebel factions began pledging allegiance to the IS soon afterwards. The Marawi attack on May 23 was their first major action, forcing Duterte to impose martial rule across Mindanao.

The chief government peace negotiator, Irene Santiago, said Manila expects the bills passage within a year.

The next 12 months are full of opportunity but also fraught with so much danger. The dangers are staring us in the face: violent extremism, the source of the crisis in Marawi, Santiago added.

An Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao has been in place in parts of the south since after a rival faction, the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), signed peace with Manila in 1996.

However it had failed to end violence and rebellion.

Santiago said both the MILF and MNLF helped to draft the new self-rule bill giving all sides optimism about its passage.

Duterte is also set to decide within the week whether to extend military rule over Mindanao.

The constitution limits martial rule to 60 days, a safeguard against abuses put in place after the downfall of the Ferdinand Marcos dictatorship.

However Congress can authorise an extension.

The military said there were still 60-80 gunmen holed up in about 500 Marawi houses and buildings after weeks of day and night air strikes and artillery pounding.

About 300 civilians also remain trapped in the area and some of them have been taken hostage, the military said.
The Kremlin on Monday said Washington must unconditionally restore its access to diplomatic compounds in the United States ahead of high-level talks on the issue.

Russia is angry that Washington is still barring its diplomats from using two compounds in the states of New York and Maryland after then president Barack Obama in December ordered the ban on access in response to suspected Russian meddling in the US election.

We consider it absolutely unacceptable to place conditions on the return of diplomatic property, we consider that it must be returned without any conditions and talking, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told journalists.

He spoke as Thomas Shannon, the US State Departments third-in-command, was set to host Russias deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov in Washington later Monday.

Diplomats quoted by Russian news agencies said the issue of the residential complexes would be on their agenda.

The talks between Shannon and Ryabkov were earlier scheduled for June but Russia cancelled them, citing new US sanctions linked to the conflict in Ukraine.

When President Vladimir Putin and US counterpart Donald Trump met for the first time at the G20 summit in Hamburg this month, the Kremlin strongman raised the question quite unambiguously, Peskov said.

He added that we still hope our American colleagues will show political wisdom and political will.

Obama announced the US was shutting down residential complexes in December at the same time as he expelled 35 Russian diplomats for spying.

He said the measures were in response to US intelligence reports of Russian hacking and an alleged influence campaign to sway the US presidential election in Trumps favour, describing the compounds as used by Moscow for intelligence-related purposes.

At the time Putin held off from retaliating, saying he would wait to see how Trump reacted after he came into the White House.

But hope that Trump will soon follow up on campaign pledges to boost relations have fizzled as any ties to Moscow have become toxic for the White House amid a maelstrom of US investigations into possible collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign.

Now Russia has decided to ratchet up threats that it could belatedly take revenge by blocking a country house and a storage facility used by the US Embassy in Moscow.

Foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said last week: If Washington decides not to solve this issue, we will have to take counter actions.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova complained last week that the US was also refusing to issue visas for Russian diplomats to replace those expelled.
A South African Uber driver whose car was torched five weeks ago died of his injuries on Monday, the company said, after an attack allegedly involving rival metre-taxi drivers.

The man was parked on a street in the capital Pretoria at night when his vehicle was set alight and he suffered severe burns, Uber Africa said in a statement.

The company said the attackers were unknown, but it pointed to the metre-taxi business that has suffered due to competition from the ride-hailing app.

We know that these actions do not represent the entire industry, however, this violence and intimidation against those who choose to use technology apps, like Uber, must stop, Uber said.

Police declined to comment, while an action group of Uber drivers told local news website enca.com that the victim was targeted in a turf war between Uber and metre-taxi drivers.

Since arriving in South Africa in 2013, Uber drivers have faced regular violence and intimidation from traditional meter-taxi operators, who accused them of stealing their jobs.

The San Francisco-based firm said it had requested an urgent meeting with the police minister to address safety concerns.

Attacks on Uber drivers have focused on central Pretoria, downtown Johannesburg, the main rail stations and Johannesburg airport. Uber has hired private security teams to patrol at some locations, and launched an emergency phone line.

At least one other Uber vehicle has been torched in recent weeks. Earlier this year, metre-taxi drivers blocked the highway to the airport to protest against Uber.

Several cases of violence against drivers have also been reported in other South African cities.

Uber has expanded rapidly but often faced regulatory hurdles and protests in countries including Germany, Spain and Hungary. Critics and competitors say it dodges taxi regulations.
A mosque in the British city of Manchester has been severely damaged in a suspected arson attack, police said on Monday.

Five fire engines tackled the blaze at the Nasfat Manchester Islamic Centre on Droylsden Road in the northern England city and Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said they are treating Sundays incident as suspicious.

We sent five pumps to the scene and an investigation is now underway. The fire is being treated as suspicious and a joint investigation has been launched by GMP and GMFRS (Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service), a GMP statement said on Monday.

Nasfat (Nasrul-Lahi-l-Fathi Society of Nigeria) opened up in Manchester as a mosque and Islamic centre in 2009 and it has about 300 members.

It has been seriously damaged  the police will not let us in. We dont know why this happened. We try to be good neighbours and we try to be involved with our local community, said mosque spokesperson Shamusideen Oladimeji.

Monsurat Adebanjo-Aremu, secretary of the centre, told Manchester Evening News that Sundays fire was the third such major fire incident in a year. She said people have also urinated outside.

The mosque has previously been targeted with two pigs heads thrown into the building while people were praying and a minibus was destroyed in an arson attack in 2014.

In the latest attack, pictures from the scene show flames erupting from the roof of the single-storey building.

No one was present inside the centre during the incident.
British Prime Minister Theresa May will remind her cabinet that top level government discussions must remain private, her spokesperson said on Monday, responding to a series of reported leaks after recent meetings.

Mays grip on control of her cabinet, which is divided over Brexit, has been severely weakened by last months election result when May lost her parliamentary majority, reopening the debate about the nature of Britains EU exit.

Finance minister Philip Hammond, who has championed a softer form of Brexit, bore the brunt of a series of critical newspaper stories over the weekend about what was said at private government meetings. He said he was being attacked because of his views on Brexit.

Of course cabinet must be able to hold discussions on government policy in private and the Prime Minister will be reminding her colleagues of that at the cabinet meeting tomorrow, the spokesperson told reporters.

He said he was not aware of any plans for a formal inquiry into the leaks.

Shell just be reminding them of their responsibilities and making the point that ministers across government need to be focused on getting on with delivering for the British public, the spokesperson said.
The US Transportation Security Administration said on Monday it had lifted a ban on passengers on Saudi Arabian Airlines carrying large electronics like laptops onboard US-bound flights, the last carrier under the restrictions.

In March, US officials imposed restrictions on passengers carrying laptops and other large electronic gear in cabins on nine airlines, most of which were Middle Eastern carriers, to address the potential threat of hidden explosives.

Last month, US officials announced new security requirements for all airlines rather than an expansion of the laptop ban and have been dropping the restrictions from airlines as they boosted security.

A TSA spokesman said the US government had lifted the restrictions at Saudia Arabian Airlines main hub in Jeddah at King Abdulaziz International Airport on Monday. US government officials will visit Riyadhs King Khalid International Airport later this week to confirm compliance there as well, spokesman James Gregory said.

On Thursday, the US Department of Homeland Security issued a revised directive to airlines around the world in response to requests that it clarify aviation security measures scheduled to begin taking effect later this week.

An airline official briefed on the matter said the directive gave airlines more flexibility and additional time to obtain explosive trace detection equipment. The official was not authorized to discuss sensitive security issues with the media and requested anonymity.
The US government is allowing 15,000 additional visas for temporary seasonal workers to help American businesses in danger of suffering irreparable harm because of a shortage of such labour, the Department of Homeland Security said on Monday.

US Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly found after consulting with Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta that there were not enough qualified and willing American workers available to perform temporary nonagricultural work, the department said in a statement.

As a demonstration of the administrations commitment to supporting American businesses, DHS is providing this one-time increase to the congressionally set annual cap, Kelly said in a statement.

Temporary workers at seasonal resorts as well as in landscaping, seafood harvesting and processing are among those eligible, the government said.

Congress gave Kelly authority to authorize additional visas earlier this year and he said in May he planned to grant at least some additional visas.

Many seasonal businesses and members of Congress have pleaded with Kelly to issue the visas, citing an urgent need for workers.

Roy Beck, president of NumbersUSA, a group that favors reduced immigration levels, said in a statement the decision threatens to reverse the trend of reports emerging around the country of employers working harder and raising pay to successfully recruit more unemployed Americans for lower-skilled jobs.

This is yet another example of the administration and Congress failing to keep the Trump campaign promise of putting American workers first, he said.

DHS said the government has created a new tip line to report any abuse of the visas or employer violations.
It was a new kind of war.

In less than a decade the United States had sided with former enemies, retired its most famous general and settled with bitter foesex-alliesfor nothing more than a stalemate. President Harry Truman called it a police action. The press called it the Forgotten War. Trying to make sense of it, in January 1952 a correspondent for Readers Digest and the Saturday Evening Post joined the Task Force 77 commander, Rear Admiral John Black Jack Perry, on his flagship, the aircraft carrier Valley Forge. James A. Michener was researching what would become the classic story, and arguably greatest film, about the Korean War: The Bridges at Toko-Ri.

In those days of research for Toko-Ri I would participate in catapult takeoffs and cable-grabbing landings many times, wrote Michener, a World War II naval officer who had won the Pulitzer Prize writing about combat on sultry tropical islands. In the wintry Sea of Japan, with victory nowhere in sight, he wanted to know, Have Americans lost their moral courage?

The Happy Valley was then on its third of four tours of Korea, and earning a darker nickname: Death Valley. Since early December 1951 its air group had lost eight aviators, starting with 25-year-old Harry Ettinger. On his first night-interdiction mission, Ettingers Douglas AD-4NL Skyraider was hit by anti-aircraft fire south of Wonsan. He and his crew of two bailed out. Almost two months later, on February 7, Army intelligence revealed that Ettinger had been spirited from captivity by anti-Communist North Korean partisans. They were packing him out on a stretcher toward Wonsan Harbor, and in need of helicopter pickup.

The rescue fell to Chief Petty Officer (Aviation Pilot) Duane Thorin on the heavy cruiser Rochester. One of the Navys first chopper jocks, Thorin had made more than 130 pickups from hostile territory with his little Sikorsky HO3S-1. He was skeptical of this mission, though, particularly when an Army intel operative insisted not only on coming along, but also loaded down his Horse with medicine and a radio for the partisans. Weight is very critical in this machine, especially in this kind of operation, Thorin warned. We could carry very little, no more than 150 pounds including his transceiver. And it was stressed that it must all be out of the helicopter before we brought the man [Ettinger] aboard.

Helicopter pilot Duane Thorn, an experienced pilot, crashed during a rescue attempt when Harry Ettinger rushed Thorns hovering helicopter. (National Archives)

At 6 a.m. on the 8th, three F4U Corsairs and three Skyraiders took off from Valley Forge on a ResCAP: rescue combat air patrol. The frozen hillside pickup site appeared to be clear of enemy troops, but its terraced, stair-stepped rice paddies were too narrow for Thorins Sikorsky to set down. He planned to hover while the supplies were offloaded and the passenger put aboard, but when the Horse came down, the stretcher-bound Ettinger darted out from cover. Thorin shouted at the Army agent: Dump that stuff out! Right now!

Too late. Ettinger hurled himself aboard. Burdened with all three men plus the extra gear, the chopper grounded, one wheel off the terrace. It tipped, rolled and struck its rotor blades on the frozen ground.

Out at sea Valley Forge prepared to launch the mornings scheduled mission. At Samdong-ni, near the villages of Poko-ri and Toko-san (names Michener would later combine for his fictional Toko-ri), three bridges crossed the bottom of a deep, winding river valley. Lieutenant Commander Robert Iron Pants Schreiber of attack squadron VF-194 would lead the strike against them, but not in flashy new jet fighters. The big prop-driven AD Skyraiders were the Navys only aircraft able to destroy the bridges, conceded Grumman F9F Panther pilot Lieutenant Kenneth C. Kramer, noting they were capable of carrying the big 2,000-lb. blockbuster bombs.

Recon photos had revealed the valley of Samdong-ni was studded with Russian-made 37mm radar-controlled quad cannons. Panthers would speed ahead to take out the guns, and two Corsairs would try to keep any stray Korean heads down, but the bridges were up to the Skyraiders. We had no illusions as to what we were in for, remembered Schreibers wingman, Lt. j.g. Richard Kaufman. Lieutenant Bob Komoroff, who had been best man at Kaufmans wedding, would lead the second section, with Ensign Marv Broomhead as last man through. I was very uncomfortable, recalled Kaufman, knowing that the rescue helicopter from the Rochester was not available.

The three bridges at Samdong-ni show damage inflicted by Navy Skyraiders on February 8, 1952, during the mission that served as the inspiration for James Micheners novel. (National Archives)

At the helo wreck near Wonsan, the Americans had barely extricated themselves when North Korean troops emerged from cover and closed in. The ResCAP came down to strafe them with cannons. The explosive rounds sounded like popping corn, recalled Thorin of huddling against a bank as shrapnel sizzled through the trees above us, close enough that I felt the breeze.

The enemy gave back just as hot. Five of the six ResCAP planes took hits. Lieutenant John McKennas F4U-5N lit up. He radioed that he was making for open water, but the flames spread to his cockpit. The Corsair struck the ocean, McKenna going MIA. Lieutenant Mel Schluters Skyraider was hit, though he managed to reach air base K-50, just over the border at Sokcho-ri. The others circled the crash site as long as they could, but finally, out of ammo and low on fuel, they had to make for K-18, Kangnung.

Meanwhile Schreibers half-dozen prop planes arrived over Samdong-ni. We spread out in a loose tailgate racetrack pattern 12,000 feet above the bridges, Kaufman recalled, so as to attack out of the sun. We were to drop the three centerline and inboard 1,000-pound bombs on the first run, saving the 250-pounders carried on the wings if necessary. Seeing little evidence of flak suppression, they guessed their jet escort had hurried on to the Thorin crash site. The Panthers put the gun crews on alert, Kaufman realized, so when we arrived a half hour later, they were waiting for us.

As Schreibers dark blue AD rolled into its bomb run, Kaufman saw the snowy white valley erupt: All hell broke loose. In my 30 missions over North Korea thus far, it was the heaviest flak I had ever seen. And it was his turn to head into it.

I was diving about a thousand feet behind Schreiber, he remembered. I descended into the valley in a 60-degree dive, dive brakes extended to stabilize at 280 knots at the release point. For 15 seconds each Skyraider ran a deadly gantlet, the likes of which movie audiences would only remotely experience. We went in so low that the guns on the hilltops were shooting down at us, Kaufman recalled. I really didnt have time to concern myself with the flak tracers and bursts all around me. Accelerating to 360 knots at full power, 1,000 feet and 4 gs on the pullout was our plan to get through.

Lt. Cmdr. Robert Schreiber (left) led VF-194 against the bridges. Ensign Marv Broomhead, downed during the attack, waves from a helicopter after his repatriation at wars end. (National Archives)

Miraculously, it worked. The Skyraiders all came out of the valley of death untouched. Looking back from 6,000 feet, though, they saw that only two of the bridges were down. They would have to tempt fate again.

At Wonsan, Thorin remembered, There were covering aircraft overhead throughout the day. A flight of Corsairs from USS Philippine Sea was keeping watch when an HO3A-1 from a landing ship off the coast came to the rescue. The flop-flop sound of a helicopter roused all of us, said Thorin, recognizing the aircraft and even the faces of its crew, but hearing some firing at the helicopter by the troops above the cutbank, and the distinctive splat of one round striking it. The chopper made two approaches, but was driven off to an emergency landing on the cruiser St. Paul.

Huddling beside Thorin, Ettinger said, Im sorry I got you guys into this mess. Thorin blamed Army intel.

At Samdong-ni, Kaufman followed Schreiber down on their second bomb run with 20mm cannons blazing, trying to suppress some of the groundfire. He pickled his wing bombs and banked away, Komoroff right behind him. With four aircraft dropping dozens of 250-pounders on one bridge, the smoke and dust was so thick they couldnt immediately discern the damage, but saw the odds had caught up to them. Broomheads AD was fleeing eastward down the valley, streaming smoke.

A Skyraider takes off from USS Valley Forge in March 1951 while a Sikorsky HO3S-1 rescue chopper stands by. (National Archives)

I am hit, Broomhead radioed. He had been grazed in the head by shrapnel or a small-caliber round. His Skyraider didnt have the power to climb. Im losing rpms.

Bail out, Schreiber told him.

Im already too low, Broomhead said. I have to find some place to set down.

We followed him about nine, ten miles, recalled Kaufman. Broomhead spotted a snow-covered mountaintop clearing and brought the stricken Skyraider in. The crash was sudden in a flurry of snow as he hit and skidded to a stop in about 300 feet. The engine broke off but there was no fire. All was quiet. Broomhead had fractured his back and broken both ankles. He finally dragged himself from the cockpit. As I buzzed over him on a go-around circle, I saw him lying by the wing in the snow, Kaufman said. He rolled over and waved to me.

The two Corsairs were already low on fuel. While Kaufman and Komoroff orbited down low against the inevitable arrival of enemy troops, Schreiber went high to call a rescue chopper. With two already down, the nearest was 100 miles up the coast, off the light cruiser Manchester. Marine Corps pilot Lieutenant Edward Moore and 1st Lt. Kenneth Henry were artillery spotting for shore bombardment, Henry having volunteered just for a taste of combat. They hurried south.

The multiple shootdowns were sucking in aircraft like a Pacific typhoon. Aboard Valley Forge, Michener was listening to the radio chatter. Word of the situation flashed through the fleet, he would write. Pilots insisted on going in to get their men.

An HO3S-1 hovers above the deck of the cruiser Manchester off the Korean coast in 1951. (U.S. Navy)

Lieutenant Ray Edinger, executive officer of VF-653, took the assignment on his day off. They gave me three Corsairs and one ADto go out and relieve the Res-CAP at the Thorin site. Partway there, they were alerted to Broomheads crash. Edinger diverted the Skyraider and a Corsair to it while he and his wingman relieved the Philippine Sea flight over Thorin. They spent two hours strafing with cannons and 5-inch HVAR (high-velocity air-launched rockets). One of Edingers hangfired, and his wingman took a hit. Just as a second flight of Phil Sea Corsairs arrived, Edinger heard a thump and was told he was streaming oil. I looked out at the left wing, and sure enough, its all running out, he recalled.

When Moores HO3S-1 wafted up to Broomheads mountaintop crash site, now surrounded by North Koreans, it ran into a barrage of groundfire. The Horse collapsed onto the snow and rolled on its side. Both crewmen got outHenry hobbling with a sprained kneeand managed to reach Broomhead, who was now unconscious. The Americans circling overhead saw them drag him away from his wrecked Skyraider.

Things were getting worse at Thorins crash site, too. Some time after noon a Marine helicopter came looking for us, moving upslope over the open area about 200 yards outside of our hideaway, he said. An HO4S, it had capability of taking all three of us. The Sikorsky Chickasaw had a crew of two and could carry 10, but by now the downed Americans realized they were just bait in a trap. Thorin knew that If we were to break out into the open area where this helicopter could pick us up, both it and ourselves would be a well-centered target for all of the troops in the vicinity. All things considered, it seemed best to let the Marine helicopter pass on by. He and Ettinger stood up so every aviator and enemy soldier in sight could see them raise their hands.

Ray Edinger managed to land his Corsair on the Valley Forge. (Courtesy Ray Edinger)

Meanwhile Edinger, fleeing seaward at full throttle, realized his Corsairs engine should be dead. His leak wasnt oil, but hydraulic fluid. It meant putting down on Valley Forge with no flaps, no locked-down landing gear, maybe not so much as a tail hook, not to mention the hung rocket still on his wing. But having made it out over the waterand against the advice of the carrier crew, who all but ordered him to ditch or divert to K-18Edinger was determined to come aboard, no matter what. They wouldnt let me land untilthey put the [crash barrier] fences up and were going to put a line of donkeys [tow vehicles] there.

His first approachno flaps, straight inwas too fast, and Edinger got a wave-off. He wound the F4U back around the circuit and hung it in the air at near-stall speed, hose-nose so high he had to slide open the canopy and stick his head out to see the LSO give him the cutthroat signal to chop throttle. The Corsair smashed down on its bent wings. On impact the live HVAR tore loose, skittering across the deck until two anonymous, heroic deckhands tackled it and pitched it overboard. Edingers F4U was dragged below on its belly.

A bad day was coming to a bad end. A stolid fury settled upon the U.S. fliers, wrote Michener, and with it an agonizing despair. As darkness descended, the Siberian wind gusted toward 60 knots over North Korea. An Army chopper couldnt quite reach Broomhead, Moore and Henry. It had space for only two men, and Broomhead was unconscious, Michener learned. To try to carry him the 200 yards under enemy fire would be fatal. Moore and Henry might make it in a quick dash, but they would not leave Broomhead. They waved the helicopter away.

Night fell. At first light aircraft hurried back to the crash sites, to find only the remains of the wrecks and blood on the snow. We gave all those guys up for dead, Kaufman said.

Here was complete failure, Michener declared in the July 1952 Readers Digest. Helicopter[s], planes and men were lost in the futile tragedy. The enemy had a field day and we had nothing. Nothing, that is, except another curious demonstration [that] sometimes defeat does actually mean more to democracy than victory. When the chips were down, Michener assured Saturday Evening Post readers, These pilots of Admiral Perrys task force are as heroic as any men who have ever fought for the United States.

And the defeat, it turned out, wasnt total. Photorecon planes revealed all three bridges at Samdong-ni had been taken down. Ettinger, Thorin, Broomhead, Moore and Henry, even Ettingers Skyraider crew and Thorins Army intel passenger, all survived, and were among those repatriated in a prisoner exchange at wars end.

I cherish those experiences as among the most exciting Ive ever had, Michener would recall. When the time came to write the novelI strove to capture each violent action and its significance. He would become famous for massive historical epics. His story of Korea, published in its entirety in one issue of Life magazine, was one of his shortest, though Michener always called it his best single piece of writing. For many Americans, The Bridges at Toko-Ri remains their only experience of the Forgotten War.

Frequent contributor Don Hollway thanks Richard Kaufman for his photos, video and recollections of his friend James Michener and flying the Toko-ri mission, as well as Christina Thorin for sharing photos and memories of her father. For further reading, Hollway recommends: Such Men as These, by David Sears; and, of course, Micheners The Bridges at Toko-Ri, both the film and novel. For more info, photos and video, see donhollway.com/toko-ri.

The Real Bridges at Toko-Ri originally appeared in the September 2016 issue of Aviation History Magazine. Subscribe today!
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"I believe that Martians are spying on us from the bottom of the ocean."

 Annabella Sciorra, actress

The U.S. was the only nation at the recent G20 meeting that didnt confirm its commitment to the Paris Climate Accords? Pshaw! Doesnt matter.

California Gov. Jerry Brown will host a 2018 international gathering to reassert Californias commitment to the Accords? Bother! Its all a waste of time.

It turns out that all this hubbub about fixing climate change by reducing our emissions is based on a false claim: that so called greenhouse gases are causing the planet to warm up. The planets warming, all right, thats been measured. But the real cause has nothing to do with the greenhouse effect.

Now, I must admit, based on the consensus view of virtually all the worlds climate scientists, I have long believed the standard greenhouse effect explanation for global warming. I repudiated alternative hypotheses, such as the idea that the sun is sending more heat our way. I rejected assertions that climate change is a hoax, a plot cooked up by  take your pick  greedy scientists in England, the Chinese or envirofascists.

I rejected alternative explanations, that is, until the truth was revealed to me, as follows:

At twilight, about a week ago, I was walking in the woods near my house. What seemed at first to be a distant star approached me rapidly, until it hovered a few feet before me. This glowing object, about the size of a small car, focused a warm beam of light on my face.

Transfixed by this ray, I soon discovered that the intent of this visitation was to instruct me about the history and meaning of climate change. While in just a few seconds, more information was imparted to me via the ray than I can relate in many volumes, the gist of it is this.

Mars, as many have suspected, is populated by intelligent beings, and hosts an advanced civilization. (The presence of canals on that planet and the numerous sightings of Martian spacecraft make this abundantly clear, but our government has conspired to cover it up.)

Since the invention of the telescope in 1608, the Martians have been forced to live underground to hide from our prying eyes. This has caused them to relinquish farming on Mars surface, and they survive by growing mushrooms in underground caves. But when we landed the Viking spacecraft on Mars in 1976, the Martians realized that humans intended to invade their planet and steal their resources.

They therefore decided to make a preemptive strike against the earth. But, fearing retaliation, they decided to strike covertly by positioning millions of small mirrors, invisible to us, throughout the solar system. Collectively, these mirrors would focus the suns rays on our planet, gradually heating it, over a period of about 150 years, until it became uninhabitable  or at least until we become utterly incapable of invading Mars.

We, of course, would fail to understand the true cause of our demise, and would resort to fallacious explanations, which would lead to numerous time-wasting arguments.

This intelligence was imparted to me by a member of a minority faction on Mars that believes there could be peace between our planets, and a sharing of knowledge and resources that could benefit both peoples. The disclosure could save us all.

Because of the purity of the Martians motives, the great risk s/he took in divulging state secrets, and the profound impact of my experience, I now accept the Martian Mirror theory of climate change as gospel. Its easier to understand than our climate science, and its at least as convincing as the Chinese hoax theory at our ecological house.
Renting a private house in California to enjoy beach vacations is always a fantastic idea, whether you are visiting with your soulmate, kids, friends or you are just alone. If you are also planning an unforgettable beach-side vacation and stay in a private house offering 360 views of the striking beach and the city from the deck, check-in to this 100-foot-tall water tower house, located in the westernmost corner of Orange County, California.

The water tower is one of the most famous beach-front landmarks of California. The good news is, it is no more a water tower, but a luxurious rental that you can book at TripAdvisor on your next beach vacation.

Before knowing what facilities this vacation home offers, lets dig a little deeper into its history. Build in 1892, the house once was a historic water tower of service steam engines that used to travel along the California coast. After steam engines were discontinued in 1980, a group of local residents rescued the water tower from being knocked down with the help of Save Our Water Tower movement. As a result, the water tower had been handed over to architects and builders to be converted into a beautiful house.

Read More: Belgian businessman converts 100ft water tower into amazing family home

Designed to accommodate eight people comfortably, the three-story house conceals four bedrooms, four bathrooms, a living room, a dining area, a lounge, a kitchenette, and a deck offering panoramic views of the city and beach. The kitchen features appliances like full-size refrigerator, coffee maker, oven and a dishwasher. Providing all essential amenities required for a luxury living, the rental house also features a hot tub on the deck, and a rain shower fitted in the bathroom with a sliding barn door.

This beautifully converted rental house is perfect for family getaways and get-together at $4,971 for three nights.
Rapper DMX, whose given name is Earl Simmons, has pleaded not guilty to 14 counts of tax fraud in the US. He could face over a 40-year prison sentence.

The American hip-hop star is scheduled to appear in a Manhattan court today, after being released on bail Friday.

Authorities claim Simmons avoided $1.7 million (1.5 million) in taxes during the early 2000's, allegedly setting up bank accounts in other people's names, or paying large sums in cash.

"Celebrity rapper or not, all Americans must pay their taxes," the indictment states.

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Simmons is also charged with failing to file tax returns and falsely filing for bankruptcy. The rapper's bail agreement doesn't allow him to leave NYC, but Simmons is scheduled for a number of shows this summer.

Five of DMX's records have reached number 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, with hits such as 'X Gon' Give it to Ya' and 'Party Up (Up in Here).' He has also appeared in films including Romeo Must Die and Exit Wounds.
The two legends had both worked on the classic North By Northwest.

Inventor of the modern zombie film George A. Romero has died aged 77 following a short battle with lung cancer.

His manager Chris Roe said that he died in his sleep with his family around him, adding that he was listening to the score of The Quiet Man, which was one of his favourite films.

Romero pioneered the zombie film as its own horror genre, with the 1968 film Night Of The Living Dead.

While zombies had appeared on film before, they had been presented as living humans controlled by voodoo.

Romero's depiction of undead corpses proved enduring and influential, and became a vehicle for wry social comment and satire just as much as horror thrills and chills.

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On the same day, veteran character actor and Oscar winner Martin Landau died aged 89 after a short hospitalisation.

Landau and Romero had both worked on the classic Cary Grant film North By Northwest , as the following tweet mentions.

When George A. Romero was 19 he worked as a pageboy on NORTH BY NORTHWEST, Martin Landau's 2nd film. #imafuckingnerd  Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) July 17, 2017

Shaun Of The Dead co-creator Edgar Wright has paid tribute to Romero in a blog post, saying that "even if he was pigeonholed somewhat in the genre realm, one of the reasons that his work resonates still is because of fierce intelligence and humour behind it. His zombie films alone are the work of a major satirist, being highly vivid socio-political metaphors".
The copy of Double Fantasy that John Lennon signed for Mark David Chapman just hours before his assassination has gone on sale for $1.5 million (1.3 million).

This marks the third time the album signed by the legendary Beatle has been put up for sale by California-based dealers Moments In Time.

John Lennon was shot outside his home which overlooked Central Park on December 8, 1980.

The building's superintendent found the signed album in a flower planter outside the front gate after Lennon was killed. He turned it over as evidence that was later used in the case against Chapman.

The album was made famous when pictures emerged in the media of Lennon signing it for his killer.

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The District Attorney in the case later returned the copy to the man who found it. A lifelong Beatles fan, he went on the sell it in 1999. It was sold again in 2010 for $850,000 (741,000).

Now the incredible artefact will change hands again. The album cover and dust jacket have Champan's forensically enhanced fingerprints. It also comes with police reports, and a letter of gratitude from the District Attorney to the man who turned the album over. On the cover, which shows Lennon kissing wife Yoko Ono, his autograph is scrawled over her neck.

Chapman continues to serve 20 year-to life in prison for Lennon's murder. He has been denied parole nine times.
The Tennessee acoustic-blues musician will be heading to Dublin this November.

Nearly a year after selling out Londons Union Chapel, Julien Baker will be heading to Whelans on November 9, as part of a world tour.

Baker has been recording new material in her native Memphis and is due to release her new album later this year. In addition to selections from 2015s widely acclaimed Sprained Ankle and 2017s Funeral Pyre 7, fans can expect a hefty dose of new music on this run of dates.

The first half of 2017 has already seen Baker tour worldwide, with headline shows across North America, Australia and Europe, as well as support slots for Conor Oberst and The Decemberists.

Julien Bakers latest 7 Funeral Pyre  her debut release for Matador Records  together with previously unreleased track B-side Distant Solar Systems, has recently earned critical acclaim from outlets across the board.

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Tickets go on sale Wednesday, 19th July at 9am.
Los Angeles rapper ScHoolboy Q arrived in Southern California on Friday to discover that someone else's dog had arrived with him.

The artist, whose given name is Quincy Matthew Hanley, took to Twitter in anger.

You guys r idiots @united HOW U PUT MY DOG ON THE WRONG FLIGHT???? I need answers  ScHoolboy Q (@ScHoolboyQ) July 14, 2017

ScHoolboy Q had been flying from Missouri to Burbank, via a layover in Denver. His French bulldog puppy, Yeeerndamean, was accidentally mixed up with another dog and put on a flight to Chicago.

The infuriated hip hop artist told CNN that he planned to sue.

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United Airlines, which has had a series of PR blunders this year, said in a statement that they had returned ScHoolboy Q's dog to him the same evening, apologising and offering the rapper a refund.

The rapper once said "only thing I got is my girl and my dogs." He has separate Instagram accounts for two of his dogs. Yeerndamean is the newest addition to the family.
The big takeaway from the new NBC/Wall Street Journal poll is that Senor Trumpanzee's job approval rating in the counties that fueled his 2016 victory stands at 50%. That's true... but out of context and irrelevant when you scratch the surface just a little tiny bit. Who cares that the reddest hellhole counties in Wyoming and Mississippi still support Trump. That's what they do. What's important here is that the counties that Obama won in 2008 and 2012 and then flipped to Trump in 2016, are the ones with the big buyers' remorse now-- and eager to flip back... as long as the Democrats don't nominate another establishment, status quo candidate like Hillary Clinton.

The poll's sample was taken from 439 counties in 16 states-- Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin-- that either flipped from Barack Obama to Trump, or where Trump greatly outpaced Mitt Romney's performance in 2012.



But there's a significant difference in Trump's approval rating in the these two kinds of Trump counties.



In the Trump "surge counties" (for example: Carbon, Pa., where Trump won 65 percent to 31 percent, versus Romney's 53-45 percent margin)-- 56 percent of residents approve of the president's job performance.



Trump beat Hillary Clinton in these "surge" areas nationwide by a combined 65 percent-to-29 percent margin in 2016.



But in the "flip counties" (for example: Luzerne, Pa., where Obama won 52 percent to 47 percent, compared to Trump's 58-39 margin), Trump's job rating stands at just 44 percent.



Trump won these "flip" areas overall in 2016, 51 percent to 43 percent.

Many of the counties that flipped from Obama 2012 to Trump 2016 were Bernie counties in the primaries. These voters were desperate to find a different way forward for their families and communities and Hillary represented the status quo that wasn't serving their interests. Many of them preferred Bernie-- not just over Hillary, but over Trump-- but in November they made the calculation that Hillary was the greater evil and voted for Trump. I'll show you a key county in half a dozen of the states the poll looked at:

 Cedar Co., Iowa- Obama beat Romney 52-47% in 2012 but it flipped to Trump who beat Hillary 56.2% to 38.1%-- after giving Bernie a 55.7-44.3% win over Hillary. Bernie also took more votes than Trump in the county caucus: 354 to 281.

 Bay Co., Michigan- Obama beat Romney 52-46% in 2012 but it flipped to Trump who beat Hillary 53.5% to 40.9%-- after giving Bernie a 49.3-46.0% win over Hillary. Bernie also took more votes than Trump in the primary: 6,363 to 5,738.

 Carroll Co., New Hampshire- Obama beat Romney 54-45% in 2012 but it flipped to Trump who beat Hillary 50.3% to 44.7%-- after giving Bernie a 63.1% to 36.0% win over Hillary. Bernie also took more votes than Trump in the primary: 5,655 to 4,182.

 Jackson Co., North Carolina was a virtual tie in 2012 but last year Trump took it, beating Hillary 53.9% to 42.0%. In the primary, Bernie beat Hillary 57.0% to 38.1% and took 3,021 votes compared to Trump's 1,624.

 Wood Co., Ohio- Obama beat Romney 51-47% in 2012 but it flipped to Trump who beat Hillary 50.9% to 42.4%-- after giving Bernie a 53.7-45.8% win over Hillary. Bernie also took more votes than Trump in the primary: 7,165 to 6,911.

 Columbia Co., Wisconsin- Obama beat Romney 56-43% in 2012 but it flipped to Trump who beat Hillary 48.3% to 46.2%-- after giving Bernie a 60.5-39.2% win over Hillary. And again, Bernie also took more votes than Trump in the primary: 6,455 to 4,413.
Houston's business leaders have nailed down their plan to amp up the city's entrepreneurial ecosystem, with the launch of a "strategy office" aimed at boosting venture capital investment and connecting young businesses with established industries that might need the technologies they develop.

The office will be led by John Nordby, vice president for innovation at the Greater Houston Partnership, and will be charged with executing a 41-page plan that includes changes to regulations, the establishment of a "tech district" in a yet-to-be-determined neighborhood, and the recruitment of an office of a large technology company such as Apple or Google.

The effort comes after a year or so of discussions around why Houston, a center of corporate research and development, has fallen short on measures of startup activity and "disruptive" innovation that can upend entire industries, as Uber has done with taxis or Dropbox with web storage.

That kind of business culture requires talent, money, customers and a mechanism for bringing them together. Houston's challenge has been that those ingredients have been distributed across a vast landscape, often locked inside large companies.

This new office's mission is to shake them loose.

The plan was written on a pro-bono basis by the consulting firm Accenture, with participation from a city task force headed by City Council member Amanda Edwards; local universities; the Houston Technology Center; the Texas Medical Center; Station Houston, a startup incubator; and large energy companies such as Chevron and Shell.

On the agenda: A marketing campaign with conferences and advertising to highlight Houston's innovative capacity, a "founder visa" program that will help foreign tech workers come and stay here and city policies that pave the way for innovative businesses, such as regulations for autonomous cars.

Help from the wealthy

The plan also includes granting tax abatements for businesses that locate in a certain neighborhood designated for tech startups, activating local wealthy people to invest in young firms and raising a $100 million fund to be overseen by professional managers.

Some of those tasks, especially regulatory changes and tax breaks, will require action by the city. Although Mayor Sylvester Turner expressed support for the general ideas in his State of the City address a few weeks ago, they remain ideas.

"The mayor has not committed to anything specifically," said Gina Luna, a former head of JPMorgan Chase's Houston Office who led the Partnership's task force. "There's no timeline for any of this yet."

Venture capitalist Blair Garrou, managing director of the Houston-based Mercury Fund, will chair the strategy office's board of directors.

The plan focuses on a few key sectors: cybersecurity, robotics and the "industrial internet of things," which refers to machines that can be connected wirelessly, such as a smartphone-controlled thermostat.

Looking at Chicago

The Strategy Office is modeled on Chicago's ChicagoNext, which delegates projects to major players like universities and big businesses and makes sure everything is coordinated and on schedule. Members of the city task force that helped draw up the plan visited Chicago, which over the past several years has created a hub for young tech businesses called 1871.

John Reale, co-founder of Station Houston, said such technologies are most needed by Houston's biggest industries: health care, energy, aero-space, manufacturing and logistics.

"All of them have this underpinning layer of data science," Reale said. "That's really the common core here."
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The closer you look at the Republican bill repealing Obamacare, the more you realize it's simply another means to government-funded health care.

Instead of making the health care system more efficient, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell wants to give taxpayer money to private companies and shift costs onto state and local taxing authorities. It still taxes and spends a lot of money, just differently.

The new version of the Better Care Reconciliation Act doesn't cut all of the taxes on the wealthy like the last one did. Instead, it spends the money on subsidizing health insurance companies so they'll keep premiums down in a couple of states. If it passes, Texans will be subsidizing Alaskans' health care.

Frankly, giving taxpayer money to private for-profit insurance companies sounds a lot like Obamacare. But McConnell apparently thinks government subsidies are just dandy when he needs to pass legislation.

The GOP proposal also spends $45 billion of federal taxpayer money on opioid addicts. There is no doubt that opioid addiction is a problem, but I don't remember any government largesse for inner cities devastated by crack cocaine and heroin in the 1980s and 1990s.

Back then, conservatives talked about personal responsibility and launched a war on drugs. The U.S. incarceration rate jumped 500 percent, and now about 20 percent of prisoners in the U.S. are nonviolent drug offenders. Most are minorities.

Now that drug abuse is hurting different communities, McConnell is talking about compassionate rehabilitation. But only if they are addicted to the right drug in the right community, apparently.

Also in the personal responsibility department, the new version of the bill still allows Americans to skip buying health insurance, perhaps the height of personal irresponsibility.

None of us plans to get pinned in our car by a dump truck. Nor do we welcome colon cancer. But these things happen. Every year that I pay for health insurance and don't need it is a good year. I don't feel cheated. I feel lucky.

What angers me is when someone who can afford insurance doesn't buy it and then experiences a horrible misfortune. Inevitably, these people are shocked by the size of their bills, and even more shocked that there are no government programs to save them from bankruptcy. Next thing you know, their kids are holding bake sales and car washes.

In the end, these people don't pay their bills, and my taxes and insurance premiums rise to pay for their care. There is nothing conservative about encouraging freeloaders.

I feel a tad more sympathy for those who buy so-called limited benefit plans, the kind included in the new bill after lobbying by Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. He wants to give Americans the option of buying cheaper plans, but neither he nor insurance companies are very forthcoming about the paucity of benefits these plans offer.

Obamacare prohibited these plans because too many consumers didn't understand their coverage until it was too late, and consumer watchdogs panned them as misleading rip-offs.

A typical limited benefit plan only pays for three primary care visits a year and one day in the hospital. Annual benefits are limited to $25,000 to $100,000. Advocates say this is more than enough to cover the annual medical needs of the average healthy person.

That works until you are unhealthy. A premature baby or a severe injury can easily cost over $1 million. A simple cancer case costs more than $100,000 a year to treat, while rare cancers are three or more times more expensive. Under the bill, you would be banned from switching to a full coverage plan for at least six months to keep you from gaming the system.

So what happens when sick people go bankrupt? The rest of us pay for the doctors' and hospitals' losses through higher local taxes or higher insurance premiums.

In the ultimate case of cost-shifting, though, the latest proposal still cuts the proportion of federal dollars available for Medicaid, the joint state-federal program that in Texas cares for poor children, their mothers and the indigent elderly.

Until now, the federal government splits Medicaid costs, paying at least 50 percent of the bill, with no limit on spending. The GOP plan would impose a cap, while doing nothing to limit health care costs. Demand, by the way, does not magically shrink just because politicians cut the budget.

Texas lawmakers have been limiting spending by slashing Medicaid benefits, such as therapy for special-needs kids. Texas hospitals complain that the state's reimbursements don't cover the cost of caring for Medicaid patients, and they say it's getting harder to charge other patients more to make up the losses.

Hospital districts, therefore, have to raise property taxes. Again, Congress is not saving us money. Lawmakers are just attempting to make themselves look good by shifting the burden.

None of this qualifies as conservative, or helpful. The GOP plan fails to get at the real problem, which is escalating bills from health care providers and insurance companies. Until they are ready to fight that battle, the GOP bill is no better than Obamacare.
As the Texas Legislature gears up for a special session next week, Gov. Abbott made it clear he wants lawmakers to pass vouchers for children with disabilities. The theory is that by providing public funding for a private education, vouchers will provide parents a "choice" in how to best educate their child.

But will parents of children with disabilities really have the choice they want?

The governor, lieutenant governor and others appear to believe that private education is better than public education for these children; thus, the state should divert taxpayer dollars to pay for private education. But is this really what parents want for their children or what children with disabilities want for themselves? Can private entities really provide students with disabilities a better education?

My experience says no, and so does research. As a mother of a 17-year-old with a disability, I have advocated for children with disabilities and their families for more than 14 years. Students with disabilities perform better academically, socially, emotionally and cognitively when educated in classrooms with their typical peers and with appropriate supports. I've witnessed firsthand that most students with disabilities and their parents want an education in community schools with neighborhood peers.

This is their choice, but public education is not successfully providing this option. If community public schools had the resources and training to effectively educate these children, parents would not be desperate for an alternate solution.

Lawmakers are completely missing the heart of the problem, which is why they are failing to provide an effective solution.

Is a state voucher enough to pay for private school?

The answer is no, and lawmakers know it. By pushing vouchers, Texas leaders are saying to us, "We're sorry we can't live up to the promise we made to educate your child and ensure schools are complying with the laws we've passed. We can't give you enough money to pay for tuition at a private school, and we know there are very likely no inclusive private schools in your community that will admit your child. But here's an $8,000 check anyway. Please feel free to take your child elsewhere. Good luck."

Are there private schools in their communities who will admit any child with a disability?

Almost no community private schools provide an inclusive education for children with disabilities and the ones that do struggle to do it well, not having the capacity to take more than a few children with disabilities. I tried for years to start an inclusive private school or a program in an existing private school for children with disabilities. My hope was to build a teaching institution that would train educators and model best practices in education for students with disabilities.

I came to realize that any private school we created could not physically accommodate all children who need help, could not effectively provide the inclusive education necessary to prepare students with disabilities for independent life in their communities, and that this was not a sustainable solution for meeting the needs of students with disabilities.

Another hard truth for me was that parents and teachers in existing private schools (even Christian schools) do not want my child there, and that is exactly what I was told. This is not a viable "choice" for students with disabilities or their families.

Will vouchers guarantee that children with disabilities can live independently and be part of society as contributors to the economy?

Each year, United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) publishes a report called "The Case for Inclusion," which ranks the 50 states and Washington, D.C., on how well state Medicaid programs serve Americans with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. When reviewing the report, a state's philosophy regarding including people with disabilities in society, beginning in schools, is reflected in the results.

Each year, Texas ranks at the bottom of the list. In 2016, Texas ranked number 50 out of 51.

This ranking is not surprising since our legislature voted in 2015 to cut the amount of money that speech, physical and occupational therapists are paid by Medicaid, the federal-state health insurance program for the poor and disabled, when they treat children with disabilities. Again this session, the Legislature, pushed by the lieutenant governor and the Senate, voted against restoring funding for disabled children's therapy services.

These cuts directly affect children with disabilities in public schools because the services provided for these students are funded by Medicaid. Public schools are still required to provide the services, but must fund them from their existing budgets.

In addition to the Medicaid cuts, the Legislature passed a budget this session that provides the smallest share of state funding for education in at least 20 years, according to the Austin American-Statesman.

Vouchers are not a proven solution for the real problems faced in special education for students with disabilities and will divert even more money out of public education.

Will providing a voucher to a few kids whose parents can afford to pay the difference for tuition really help?

If we want our students with disabilities to be productive, independent contributors to our economy, legislators must require public schools to follow the law and educate students with disabilities in their neighborhood public schools. If we are not creating opportunities for people with disabilities and preparing them for those opportunities, then not only will they suffer, so will Texas.

In Fort Bend ISD, where I'm president of the board of trustees, we have been intentional in creating inclusive learning environments where students with disabilities can reach their full potential. We have developed an innovative co-teaching model, provided specialized training for teachers, established a Special Education Parent Advisory Council, developed curriculum with embedded modifications and accommodations to assist teachers with differentiating instruction in classrooms, and we are in the process of creating an inclusive district charter preschool model.

The FBISD board has allocated the extra resources necessary to support these students, but we also just voted to establish Collaborative Communities, an effort to partner with community members, businesses, faith-based organizations, nonprofits and others who can fill the gap created by the state in supporting these and other students.

If Texas is the best state in the union, and I believe it is, then work with us, Governor, to be leaders in the nation by implementing these and other innovative solutions. Texas' most vulnerable students are counting on us to provide the same education and opportunities we provide all students. We cannot let them down.



Kristin Tassin serves as president of the Fort Bend ISD Board of Trustees and is a mother of three daughters, one of whom has a disability. She is a graduate of Louisiana State University, where she obtained her Bachelor of Science Degree in Quantitative Business Analysis (Computer Science option). She earned her Juris Doctor from Louisiana State University Law School. She is managing partner of a law firm practicing intellectual property and special education law, and she is co-founder and director of a charitable organization that supports children with disabilities and their families. Tassin was founding PTO president at a Title 1 school and is currently chair of a local legislative District Advisory Team that makes recommendations on education policy.

DENIED: How Texas kept tens of thousands of disabled children out of special education.

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We were motoring through nowhere Alabama late one night last September, in the middle of a cross-country move to Houston, a trip that had already tested the limits of my sanity, when Jason Isbell's voice filled our cramped minivan  and changed our lives.

Milo, the 8-month-old, had started screaming around Williamsburg, Va., and hadn't really stopped in the four days since.

At first, we drove during the day: The kid screamed. Next day, we tried hitting the road around the time he'd normally take a nap: He screamed. We left super early: He screamed.

Screw it, I thought as we pulled out of Birmingham around dusk, I'll drive through the night.

Now, as I zoomed down a darkened stretch of highway somewhere between Tuscaloosa and Meridian, the baby was wailing so loud, I couldn't hear the voice of my GPS. The 5- and 3-year-olds hadn't been able to fall asleep and were starting to whine. My wife stared blankly out the passenger window, probably imagining how her life would have turned out if she'd married someone with the cash to buy a few plane tickets.

It was desperation, really, when I grabbed my phone and hit play on one of my favorite albums from the last few years: "Something More Than Free" by Jason Isbell. If I couldn't calm the kid, maybe I could drown him out with Americana tunes.

A few twangy guitar chords emanated from the car speakers, and then the words: "I've been working here / Monday, it'll be a year / And I can't recall a day when I didn't wanna disappear."

The screaming quieted. What the hell?

By the time Isbell sang the line, "Working for the county keeps me pissin' clear," Milo was asleep.

It was a fluke, I thought.

But I was wrong.

PARENTS WILL do damn near anything to get a baby to sleep. That was one of the first things I learned after my oldest, Ezra, was born six years ago.

I remember pacing with him for hours one night that first week, trying to give my wife a break, but I crashed before he did. Fell asleep standing up and walked him right into the wall.

My mother-in-law was staying with us and could tell we were struggling. She took the baby and sent me to bed. Hours later, we awoke to find Ezra sleeping in her arms and a Michael Buble cover of "Me and Mrs. Jones" playing on repeat: "Me and Mrs. Jones, we got a thing going on / We both know that it's wrong."

Every night after that, we rocked or bounced the kid to sleep while Buble crooned about a filthy affair with a married woman. I must have heard the song 10,000 times that year. We didn't stop to consider the long-term psychological impact on our newborn.

I'd have played Marilyn Manson if it made him sleep.

Nearly six years later, as I crossed into Mississippi in a van full of sleeping kids, the Jason Isbell album ended. As I fiddled with my phone, looking for different music to play, Milo began to stir in the silence.

A few seconds later, he was wailing.

More Information What: Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit When: Tuesday, July 18, 7 p.m. Where: Revention Music Center See More Collapse

WE LISTENED to that album on repeat for the rest of the trip. The last leg, between New Orleans and Houston, was lovely.

We cruised over the swampy marshes of Louisiana, nodding along as Isbell serenaded us: "Are you living the life you chose? / Or are you living the life that chose you?"

As we settled into our new home, Isbell became part of our daily lives. He sang to us at nap time. He sang to us as we explored Houston. He sang to us as we laid Milo down to sleep at night  and he kept on singing, on repeat, straight through the night.

We started calling him by his first name, like he was part of the family.

When Milo fussed in the morning: "Put Jason on."

When Milo awoke in the middle of the night: "The phone died. He needs Jason."

When Milo went on a nursing strike: "All he wants is Jason."

My wife didn't even like his music at first. Sounded too country to her ear. But after being subjected to it repeatedly, she grew to appreciate the songwriting, and soon she was singing along to her favorite tracks: "You were riding on your mother's hip / She was shorter than the corn / All the years you took from her / Just by being born."

But as with all good things, excess began to spoil it.

Months passed, and it finally happened: Jason fatigue set in.

ISBELL WON a raft of awards for "Something More Than Free." It might be the most beautiful American folk album I've ever heard.

Milo ruined it for me.

Like him, I've now been conditioned to nod off as soon as I hear those first few chords. Lyrics that I'd loved started to grate on me: "You thought God was an architect, now you know / He's something like a pipe bomb ready to blow."

We needed to wean him. And we have.

For the past few months, I've gotten Milo to sleep by walking him through the neighborhood while I listen to Harry Potter audiobooks.

It seemed we'd turned the page on that chapter of our lives  and so had Jason. Last month, he released a new album with his band, the 400 Unit, and I love it.

My wife heard Isbell's tour was stopping in Houston this week and even suggested we try to go  but only if we could find a sitter.

Then, last week, a thunderstorm rolled through and blew out the power at our house. No electricity to run fans or a noise machine. No way to walk Milo through the neighborhood without getting soaked. After a couple hours trying and failing to get him to sleep, I gave in.

I strapped him into his car seat and started the van. I hit play on my phone then backed out of the driveway.

Jason's voice rose above the distant rumble of thunder and, within a few minutes, had soothed the baby to sleep.

Mike Hixenbaugh (@Mike_Hixenbaugh) normally covers health care and medicine for the Chronicle. He'll be writing stories about raising three kids in Houston.

Bookmark Gray Matters. As with all good things, excess could spoil it.
A former teacher was sentenced to 15 years in prison for sexually abusing a student at a Heights elementary school in Houston.

The teacher, Miguel Angel Yepez, 41, was convicted of indecency with a child after a trial that ended Thursday, prosecutors said.

"The jury spoke loud and clear," Assistant District Attorney Ashley Guice said. "This is a horribly sad example of betrayal by someone entrusted with protecting our children."

READ ALSO: Ex-substitute teacher allegedly had sex with student multiple times

Yepez was charged in December 2013 with the crime, 2 years after the abuse began.

During the 2011-2012 school year. Yepez, who was the then-8-year-old girl's teacher, groped her at her desk in her second-grade class at Harvard Elementary School.

During the trial, the student's mother said she had asked Yepez to watch over her daughter, who was struggling as the family went through a divorce.

READ ALSO: School employee pleads not guilty to rape, sodomy

She felt she served her daughter to Yepez on a "silver platter," she said through tears, according to a news release from the Harris County District Attorney's Office.

Yepez started working at Harvard Elementary in August 1999, said HISD spokeswoman Lila Hollin in an email.

He was still a teacher at the school in October 2013, when law enforcement alerted Houston ISD that he was being investigated. That month, he was moved to an off-campus position, Hollin said.

In December 2014, he stopped working for the Houston ISD.

Another former Harvard Elementary student spoke during the trial, as part of a provision in child abuse cases that allows the jury to hear testimony that demonstrates, among other things, the accused's state of mind and consistency in his or her character or relationship with children, said JoAnne Musick, chief of sex crimes for the district attorney's office.

That former student, now an adult, said Yepez groped her in 2002 while she was attending Harvard Elementary.

READ ALSO: Alvin ISD worker accused of improper relationship with student

Yepez was not her teacher. He was a family friend. In the 2002 case, the suspected abuse happened away from campus, at the apartment where her family lived, according to court records.

She was initially afraid to tell anyone, the woman said in court.

Yepez was charged in 2015 with indecency with a child in connection with the 2002 incident, but the case was dismissed after Thursday's conviction.

Yepez did not appear to have been convicted of any other crimes in Harris County.

"Though this took time, justice has been served," Musick said. "Those who violate the most sacred trust of our community -- caring for our children -- will be prosecuted and punished accordingly."
We live in an age air-travel uprisings - in the year of the dead baggage rabbit and the dragging of Dr. Dao. Across the United States and much of the world, this is a time of terminal brawls and pre-takeoff walkouts, as frustrated passengers fight back against the airlines with cellphone cameras and viral outrage.

But what to make of Ann Coulter's arrival to the battle?

Shortly after landing in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Saturday, she launched a full scale Twitter assault against Delta Air Lines - which had apparently bumped her from an aisle seat to a window seat in the same row.

It wasn't the most obvious moral outrage. There were no lost teeth or passengers dragged by the wrists down the aisle. In fact, the whole dispute concerned a $30 seat upgrade, according to Delta, which has promised to refund Coulter for her inconvenience.

That hasn't stopped her war. Digressing from her usual commentary on liberals and immigrants, Coulter kept tweeting about the incident all weekend, eventually comparing Delta to dictators and claiming the booking process cost $10,000 of her time.

Delta, meanwhile, has gone far beyond bland statements of contrition. It's hitting back at Coulter and even claiming the moral high ground - accusing the polemicist of slandering its passengers and transgressing the "mutual civility" that we should all expect on board an airplane, even in this age.

Coulter's tweet: "So glad I took time investigate the aircraft & PRE-BOOK a specific seat on @Delta, so some woman could waltz at the last min & take my seat."

Some time after her flight from New York landed Friday, Coulter began to publicly expose the indignities she had documented on board.

"Why are you taking me out of the extra room seat I specifically booked, Delta?" she wrote beneath a photo of a flight attendant staring at her with some evident concern.

Coulter had, she wrote, been "kicked out of a CAREFULLY PRE-BOOKED seat to a less desirable seat" before takeoff. A flight attendant had "snatch[ed] my ticket out of my hand," explaining only that an "emergency" necessitated the change, she said.

She never said exactly which less desirable seat she was moved to. But as Coulter tweeted into Sunday night, Delta released an account of events from flight 2582 that sounded significantly less dire.

Coulter had originally booked a window seat in an exit row, an airline spokesman wrote: 15F - a comfy seat with extra leg room.

Less than 24 hours before takeoff, according to the airline, Coulter switched her selection to 15D - an aisle seat in the same row.

"At the time of boarding," the statement continues, "Delta inadvertently moved Coulter to 15A, a window seat, when working to accommodate several passengers with seating requests."

So, Coulter went back to a window seat - still in the same row; just the opposite side of the plane. Her new seat had exactly the same amount of legroom, an airline spokesman told The Post.

While acknowledging "some confusion" during boarding, Delta contends that all passengers moved seats upon request, and "there were problems or concerns escalated" until the flight landed and Coulter started tweeting.

"The airline's social media and customer care teams made several attempts to connect with her to apologize for the seat mix-up," reads Delta's statement, and the airline's Twitter history shows it reached out within an hour of her first complaint.

"However," the statement continues, "they did not hear back from Coulter until Sunday evening."

Coulter, who did not reply to questions from The Washington Post, has not disputed Delta's account of her seating arrangements.

But she has continued to complain that she was "ordered" to move, retweeted a fan who called her treatment "abuse," and compared the flight crew to Nurse Ratchet and Stasi police.

Delta says Coulter's seat upgrade cost a mere $30, which the airline has promised to refund.

Coulter calculates things differently. Moving three seats down represented $10,000 in sunk time, she contends.

Her tweet: "$30! It cost me $10,000 of my time to pre-select the seat I wanted, investigate type of plane & go back periodically to review seat options"

We don't know how long Coulter spent to "investigate" the seating layout on her plane. Nor can we pretend to know the objective value of Ann Coulter.

But there's little doubt that she's made a lucrative career in the book and cable news worlds - if one largely built around outrage.

Outraged by Bill Clinton.By the godless "Church of Liberalism." Lately by immigrants, again and again and again.

And now by Delta.

While Coulter has yet to write a book about her flight, she had tweeted about it nearly 50 times by Sunday morning.

Some fans already consider her an advocate for mistreated passengers, and Coulter appears to have embraced that portrayal - threatening to interrogate Delta's CEO on-air.

A picture of politeness

Delta's initial replies to Coulter were contrite. "I understand how this must be extremely frustrating, Ann. I'd like to extend my sincere apology," a representative wrote on Twitter Friday evening.

But lately, not so much; "@AnnCoulter Additionally, your insults about our other customers and employees are unacceptable and unnecessary."

"What started out as complaints eventually turned into a public attack on the airline's employees and customers," a Delta spokesman wrote - after Coulter shared a photo of the "dachshund-legged woman" who took her aisle seat, and complained that "immigrants take American jobs (and seats on Delta.)"

So the airline has apologized and promised to refund Coulter $30 - even as it condemns her "derogatory and slanderous comments."

"Her actions are unnecessary and unacceptable," the airline wrote Sunday. "Delta expects mutual civility throughout the entire travel experience."

Of course, Coulter hasn't let them get the last word.

She defended her Twitter rant as "the picture of politeness" - and restyled her seating complaint as a struggle against fascism.
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With two parents killed on Lake Conroe at night last week, officials hope to schedule a meeting within the next few weeks to discuss measures to increase safety on the lake.

Sara and Jason Clark, both parents from Magnolia, died when a bass fishing boat struck their boat around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday. Jason Clark died on scene, while Sara Clark died in the hospital Friday.

The crash prompted a renewed skepticism about the effectiveness of lights boats must have after dark, and whether the San Jacinto River Authority, which governs and operates Lake Conroe, can change the rules in place on the lake to require more lighting.

10-YEAR-OLD CALLED HERO: Child called 9-1-1, directed rescuers to her family's boat

The Texas Water Safety Act requires boats to have three running lights operating while the boat is out at night: a red light on the front-left side of the boat, a green light on the front-right side of the boat and a white light on the back of the boat. That way, boaters approaching a vessel at night can tell the vessel's direction of travel in order to avoid a collision.

Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace Wayne Mack said development on the lake  particularly on the south side along Texas 105  can sometimes obscure those lights.

"In our lake, it's very difficult because of all the development," Mack said. "With the residential and commercial development, you can't see the minimum amount of lighting that's required on a watercraft."

One avid boater, Panorama Village resident Jack DeNina, might have the solution.

He's developed an anti-collision light similar to those on aircraft. His invention, called Life Lite, would replace the white light required on the back of the boat with a strobing light so passing boaters can more easily recognize another vessel on the water.

DeNina ran into problems when he first tried it out years ago, however. He said authorities with the SJRA told him he could not have any additional lighting on his boat since state law governs the prescribed lighting on boats.

SJRA General Manager Jace Houston said Friday that even if SJRA wanted to change the requirements for Lake Conroe boaters in terms of the required lights on board, it simply doesn't have the authority to do so.

"I'm willing to sit down with anybody and do anything we can to try to make boating safer on Lake Conroe," Houston said. "We're willing to sit down and be creative to try and find solutions to make boating safer for everybody, but we do have certain parameters we have to operate within."

The SJRA does have certain speed limits for boats at night, Houston said. Boats traveling under dark can only go as fast as it takes them to "plane," or run parallel with the water, according to SJRA rules.

"That won't do any good," DeNina said. "A boat's got to go 30 mph just to get on a plane. At 30 mph if you hit another boat, you have a 60 mph impact. That's just as deadly as going 60 mph. The speed limit is not the answer. I think any additional safety equipment mandated (is the answer)."

The Texas Water Safety Act states a political entity, such as SJRA, "may make rules and regulations relating to the operation and equipment of boats which it deems necessary for the public safety," but any rules adopted by SJRA must conform to other provisions of the law.

Houston said he's looking forward to the meeting, which has yet to be scheduled.

Even in light of the Clark family tragedy on Tuesday, Precinct 1 Constable's Office officials said the lake is safe for boaters despite the amount of attention the crash drew.

"The recreational traffic we have versus the accidents we have on Lake Conroe is pretty big," Constable's Lt. Tim Cade said. "We have so many boaters day in, day out who are on the lake. We have our fair share of boat wrecks, but it's nothing in comparison."

The meeting, which Cade said will include SJRA, constable and legislative officials, has yet to be scheduled.
AMMAN, Jordan - A military court is expected to rule Monday in the murder trial of a Jordanian soldier accused of killing three U.S. military trainers, including one with ties to Houston, in a shooting spree at a Jordanian air base.

The high-profile case had caused some friction between allies Jordan and the United States. Jordan initially suggested the U.S. troops triggered the shooting by disobeying gate procedures, a claim that was disputed by the U.S. and later withdrawn.

The defendant, 1st Sgt. Marik al-Tuwayha, pleaded "not guilty." If convicted, he faces life in prison. In Jordan, that can mean a 20-year term, with good behavior.

Earlier this year, a Jordanian soldier convicted of killing seven Israeli schoolgirls in a 1997 shooting rampage was released after 20 years.

The U.S. soldiers were killed Nov. 4 when their convoy came under fire at the entrance of an air base in southern Jordan.

The victims were 27-year-old Staff Sgt. James Moriarty of Kerrville; 27-year-old Staff Sgt. Matthew Lewellen of Kirksville, MO.; and 30-year-old Staff Sgt. Kevin McEnroe of Tucson, AZ. Relatives of the slain U.S. Army Green Berets attended parts of the month-long trial in Jordan's capital of Amman.

'Painfully disappointing'

Some of the family members criticized the legal proceedings and potential punishment as inadequate.

"We've felt discouraged and disappointed with every way Jordan has handled this case since the moment the bullets were first fired," Moriarty's sister, 31-year-old Melissa, said in a statement sent to the Associated Press. "What is on the table is a measly 20-year 'life' sentence, for taking three lives. It's all rather depressing and painfully disappointing," she said. "This isn't going to provide some kind of closure, as some may think."

Her father, Jim, a Houston attorney, and McEnroe's father, Brian, previously said they had more faith in Jordan's legal system after attending the trial but that questions remain.

Relatives of the soldiers asked why the judge decided not to show security camera footage of the shooting in court and chose not to put a surviving U.S. soldier on the stand, despite his willingness to testify.

Killing is 'not a game'

The defendant and some of the gate guards testified that they heard what might have been a pistol shot coming from the direction of the U.S. convoy. The defendant said he opened fire because he feared the base was coming under attack. Some gate guards said they held their fire because they couldn't determine the source of the sound.

The defendant has said he initially opened fire from inside a guard house where he was at the time, believing he was complying with rules of engagement. He has said he had "no intention of killing anyone" and felt no resentment toward Americans.

The bereaved families previously said that according to the surveillance footage, shown to them by U.S. law enforcement, the shooting lasted for six minutes. They said the video showed the defendant reloading and shooting at Americans who were waving their hands and yelling: "We're Americans! We're friendly."

A relative of al-Tuwayha said the defendant, like other members of his clan, are loyal to God, king and country.

"People from our tribe, especially Marik, know nothing but the military, King Abdullah and God," said Sayel Abu Tayeh. "That is all they have. Killing three souls is not a game to us."

The judge said after a hearing last week that he will rule in the case Monday.
WASHINGTON - A top Senate Republican vowed on Sunday to bring the party's health care bill to a vote as soon as possible, even as detractors said they would use a delay caused by the absence of Sen. John McCain to mobilize further opposition to the measure.

"I believe as soon as we have a full contingent of senators, that we'll have that vote," the No. 2 Senate Republican, John Cornyn of Texas, said on NBC's "Meet the Press."

But questions emerged Sunday over when that might be. McCain, 80, had a craniotomy - a procedure in which doctors create an opening in the skull - on Friday to remove a blood clot above his left eye, and he is recovering at home in Arizona. A statement from his office had indicated that he would be out this week, but neurosurgeons not involved with McCain's surgery said the recovery period for such a procedure was often longer.

Aides to the Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, said it was unclear how long the delay would last.

The timing of the Senate vote is crucial. The more it is delayed, the more likely the bill is to fail, supporters and opponents say. Moreover, the Senate schedule will soon be packed with other legislation, like an increase in the statutory limit on federal borrowing and spending bills for the fiscal year that starts Oct. 1. In addition, Republicans are eager to cut taxes and simplify the tax code.

Bill a top priority

The Senate has struggled to pass a health care bill, delaying a vote on a previous version of the legislation in June. Several Republican senators have expressed reservations or outright opposition to the new version as well, and Republicans need McCain's vote to have any chance of passing it.

The bill, to repeal and replace major provisions of the Affordable Care Act, is a top priority for President Donald Trump and Republicans in the House, which passed its own repeal bill in early May.

Cornyn acknowledged that "there's uncertainty about what the final outcome will be." Asked what would happen if the bill did not pass, he said: "I assume we'll keep trying. But at some point, if Democrats won't participate in the process, then we're going to have to come up with a different plan."

Critics of the Senate's health care bill, taking advantage of the delay, said Sunday that Republican leaders needed to rework the legislation in fundamental ways. Given the additional time, they said, Senate committees should hold hearings to solicit opinions from the public and from experts on health care and insurance.

"We should not be making fundamental changes in a vital safety net program that's been on the books for 50 years, the Medicaid program, without having a single hearing to evaluate what the consequences are going to be," Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said on CNN's "State of the Union."

Roughly 20 million people have gained coverage through the Affordable Care Act, a pillar of President Barack Obama's legacy. But Cornyn described the law on Sunday as a failed "exercise in central planning and command and control."

The White House did not respond to a request for comment on Sunday, but Trump has been urging lawmakers to pass the bill, saying he is waiting with pen in hand.

On Friday, Vice President Mike Pence assured skeptical governors that "the Senate health care bill strengthens and secures Medicaid for the neediest in our society," putting the program, which serves more than 70 million low-income people, on "a path to long-term sustainability."

But Collins said: "I would respectfully disagree with the vice president's analysis. This bill would impose fundamental, sweeping changes in the Medicaid program, and those include very deep cuts. That would affect some of the most vulnerable people in our society, including disabled children, poor seniors. It would affect our rural hospitals and our nursing homes. And they would have a very difficult time even staying in existence."

She added, "There are about eight to 10 Republican senators who have serious concerns about this bill."

Paul's prediction

Republicans hold 52 Senate seats, and all Democratic senators oppose the bill. Collins and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., have said they will vote against even starting the debate, meaning all other Republican senators need to vote for the legislation if it is to pass.

Paul's reasons for opposing the bill are very different from Collins'; he says it retains too much of the Affordable Care Act. And he predicted that support for the legislation would erode because of the delay prompted by McCain's absence.

The Senate Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer of New York, said Sunday that he did not think delaying the vote would change the outcome.

"Time is not the problem in the present health care bill," Schumer said. "The problem is the substance. It slashes Medicaid, which has become something that helps middle-class New Yorkers - millions of them, literally - and millions of Americans."

The delay gives critics of the repeal bill more time to investigate numbers being used by the Trump administration to defend it.

The administration has been telling Congress and governors that the bill includes plenty of money to provide private insurance for people who would lose Medicaid coverage. But those estimates are based on particular assumptions.
Sirens and flashing lights filled the dark sky Sunday morning after yet another police chase - this time a pursuit that ended in a fiery crash that left two men dead in north Houston.

High-speed chases have been a source of controversy in recent years, but Houston Police Department was prompt in offering an explanation as to why their officer started pursuing these two men.

"It was a very short pursuit lasting under two minutes and we're very fortunate that it had no innocent citizens or officers injured in this incident," HPD spokesman Kese Smith said Sunday. "But at the end of the day the suspects are responsible for their actions."

The weekend double fatality is symptomatic of a nationwide problem: high-speed police pursuits are dangerous and sometimes fatal. Between 300 and 400 drivers, officers and innocent bystanders die every year during police pursuits, according to federal data. That's roughly one person a day and one officer every six to eight weeks, according to the non-profit Pursuit Safety.

"Obviously, pursuits are like police shootings in that you have policies in place to try to find a balance between when it's appropriate and when it isn't," said Larry Karson, an assistant professor of criminology at University of Houston-Downtown. "We're talking about the potential of deadly force because cars are considered a deadly weapon."

In this case, officers were investigating a crash around 1 a.m. in which one of the drivers fled without stopping to exchange information. Afterward, Houston police spotted a vehicle and tried to make a traffic stop near Crosstimbers and Airline.

Instead of pulling over, the truck sped away and sparked a high-speed pursuit, Executive Assistant Chief Troy Finner told reporters at the scene.

The chase started southbound on Interstate 45 before turning east onto the North Loop. After the suspects exited at Irvington, they sped through two red lights and then crashed into a concrete pillar in the 1700 block of Kelley.

The truck burst into flames. Officers initially tried to douse the blaze, but it was too late. Both the driver and a male passenger died at the scene.

"I would like to speak to the human element of this accident," Finner said. "In speaking to the officer - he's a two-year veteran - good officer, very emotional. People think that with our jobs sometimes we're just machines, but we're not. We're human beings. We have families just like everybody else."

Authorities called out counselors to help the distressed officer, Finner said.

"I also want to say something to the families," Finner continued. "We haven't identified the individuals but we know that they have families as well. So we're praying for the officers, but we're praying for the suspects' families as well."

Authorities did not immediately identify the men who died and said that it wasn't clear why they fled.

Now, HPD's internal affairs will probe whether the response was justified, as is standard protocol.

"An investigation will determine how the officer's actions balance against the policies and procedures of the department," Smith said.

The vast majority of police chases nationally - around 92 percent - are for non-violent crimes, according to 2008 data from the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

But despite the dangers, the risky pursuits continue. Just a day before the north Houston chase, Bellaire police pursued an allegedly intoxicated man through southwest Houston in the wee hours of the night. Less than 10 days before that, two Houston police officers got in crashes while chasing a suspected car thief - who also got in a crash that ended the 10-mile pursuit. On July 2, a suspect ended up in the hospital after a chase ended in a dramatic crash in the southwest part of the city.

But many of the recent wrecks have been mercifully free of fatalities - though that's not always the case.

In 2016, the Houston area saw at least 13 chase crashes in 13 weeks, leaving six people dead and nine injured, according to a Houston Chronicle analysis at the time.

Although some local departments have been reluctant to release their pursuit policies, HPD's eight-page policy - which aims to "minimize the risk of injury to officers and civilians alike" - is publicly available. The document repeatedly acknowledges the possible dangers of police pursuits, as when it outlines conditions under which a chase can begin, such as if the officer "in good faith reasonably believes that under the circumstances the need to immediately apprehend the suspect(s) outweighs a clear risk of harm to the public in initiating or continuing the pursuit."

The policy also dictates that the officer's superiors keep tabs on chases as they unfold.

"We have a supervisor who will be constantly monitoring the conditions of the pursuit," Smith said, "and can - and we have in the past - call off pursuits when it can be determined that we can get an ID and file a warrant at a later date, or if the conditions are deemed too dangerous."

But the nitty-gritty of applying written policies to real life can pose challenges and draw questions.

"Very few people question the need to pursue violent felons," Karson said. "At the other end of the spectrum, many people question the need to do high-speed pursuits for traffic violations - the problem becomes those things in between."
AUSTIN - Nine years ago, fresh off a term as a Smith County commissioner in northeast Texas, JoAnn Fleming drove to Dallas for a "boot camp" with other like-minded conservatives.

It wasn't on the radar of the public or most of the Texas political establishment. But many now consider it a key event in the birth of the tea party movement.

The goal was to examine how government works - and how they could force changes to make officials more accountable.

Also on the agenda: how to get their point across, voter to voter.

"Konni Burton was there, as were a lot of other people whose names would become familiar to a lot of Texans in the years to come," Fleming said, referring to the Republican who went on to become a state senator from Colleyville. "I had thought that once I was through with elected office, I'd take two years off to become a normal person again. Obviously, I didn't."

Within weeks, she said, the tea party movement in Texas was born.

It was a seed that quickly blossomed on the national stage with calls from grass-roots activists to cut federal spending, taxes and the size of government, and reduce the federal deficit. The movement burgeoned just as Democrat Barack Obama was moving into the White House.

Back in Texas, the tea party emerged as a decentralized movement that slowly expanded its focus to state government in Austin, even as a few Texas elected officials including then-Gov. Rick Perry joined their ranks to help bash federal overreach and the wasteful bureaucracy in D.C.

Now, with Republicans firmly in charge in both capitals, Texas' tea party activists are shifting their focus to the next phase in their evolution: as a political movement that is now an established insider power player at the Capitol, despite its historic outsider bravado.

Tea party caucuses have grown ranks in both the state House and Senate - the Freedom and Liberty caucuses, they are called - and Burton is now a senator in the chamber where staunch GOP conservatives are in charge, starting with the presiding officer, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.

'Coalition approach'

The next step for the tea party will be played out front and center in the special legislative session that begins Tuesday. Gov. Greg Abbott, who formally announced his re-election bid Friday, has set a 20-issue agenda - much of it tailor-made for tea party regulars - that will pit the strongly conservative Senate against the more moderate House over controversial issues such as the bathroom bill, property-tax reforms, school-choice for special-needs children and how to better finance public schools.

"We are moving from solely a tea party effort to a coalition approach because we have common ground with a lot of other organizations on other issues," said Fleming, who is executive director of Grassroots America - We The People, a tea party group. "People in the tea party movement have been asking for some time how we can get help to effect change, and the answer is that it takes time to build trust and build coalitions. That's where we are now."

In recent months, even during the regular legislative session that ended in May, tea party groups from around Texas partnered with local pro-business groups, toll-road opponents, medical organizations, mainstream Republican groups and immigration-reform organizations, to push for the passage or defeat of legislation, both in Austin and in Washington. With the special session just days away from its start, the coalition supporting passage of many - if not all - of Abbott's agenda has grown to more than 60 groups.

'Natural progression'

At a June 26 summit meeting in Dallas, 121 leaders representing 59 organizations met to discuss the special session - including members of the State Republican Executive Committee, GOP county chairs and conservative organizations - and plan their lobbying strategy.

That promises to put additional pressure on the Texas House, where Speaker Joe Straus has publicly compared some of the items to horse manure and suggested that a number may not get approval in the House. Ten of the 20 bills were approved by the Senate during the regular legislative session, and Patrick predicted on Thursday that the rest will easily pass his chamber - likely very soon after the 30-day special session begins.

"This is no longer solely a tea party effort," said Del Carothers, a Georgetown rancher who has been active with several Texas tea party groups since 2011.

"We have grown way past where we started out. Once you get a civics lesson on how our government actually operates, you know it has to change to be responsive to the people. And you know that if you really care about citizen-driven government and freedom, which is what the Founding Fathers intended, you have to be involved and make that happen," he said.

"If you sit around on your ass, government will run your life and they'll waste your money."

Mark Jones, a Rice University political scientist who has studied the rise of the tea party as a political force, said the increasing clout of the activists should come as no surprise in Red State Texas.

"The tea party movement had been building for some time, and it took off in Texas when Gov. Perry gave his Tax Day speech in 2009 and went from being a pragmatic centrist to straddling the tea party line," he said. "The next natural progression is for these groups to start exerting their influence in who is elected and to expand their clout by building coalitions with other groups. That's what's happening now."

In Texas, where many legislative seats are filled by the candidate who wins the Republican primary, tea party candidates often win. Perhaps their biggest surprise was the 2013 election of Ted Cruz over Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst for a U.S. Senate seat.

"In the special session, where all the items are of a conservative nature, the hiding places will be gone for Republicans who want to say they're conservative but not vote that way," said Dale Huls, with the Clear Lake Tea Party near Houston. "The best vote some of them can make may be the one not taken, especially in the House, because if they vote against our issues we're going to be watching everything they're doing.

"This is put up or shut up time."

For Republicans who refuse to support the tea party agenda, Huls and other activists said the coalition of groups wants them censured by the Republican Party of Texas. Even before the special session begins, a deeply divided Republican Party of Bexar County passed a resolution on Monday calling for "a change in leadership in the Texas House" - a surprising move considering that Speaker Straus, a target of tea party anger on many issues, is from San Antonio.

'Everybody can win'

Despite the predictions that the tea party influence could push much of Abbott's more controversial agenda items, including the bathroom and property-tax reform bills, to pass during the special session, when they failed during the regular session, House leaders privately say they think that is unlikely. That's because most of the controversial bills will simply not have enough support from Republicans and Democrats to pass in as strident a form as the Senate wants, said one House committee chairman.

"The agenda for the special session is part of an election campaign," said longtime Austin political consultant Bill Miller. "It's set up perfectly so that if not everything the tea party wants is passed, the governor can say well I tried. Re-elect me, and we'll get it done next year. Dan Patrick can say the Senate passed everything, and Joe Straus can say it was the will of the House, and the Senate and the House are much different chambers.

"Everybody can win."
Houston firefighters delivered over 32,000 signatures to City Hall Monday in support of putting a ballot initiative on the November election mandating parity in pay between firefighter and police-officer ranks.

The petition drive for the pay-parity initiative began more than a week ago, and followed the fire union's decision last month to sue the city over stalled contract talks, alleging Mayor Sylvester Turner's administration failed to negotiate in good faith.

Houston firefighters have been without a contract for three years. The "evergreen" terms that had governed their employment during that time lapsed last month, reverting to state law and local ordinance. City Council made the terms in that local ordinance less favorable in a unanimous vote on the same morning the union filed its lawsuit.

"This petition drive was necessary because Houston firefighters are at a breaking point," said Marty Lancton, president of the Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association at a press conference Monday morning. "We now are asking the voters to help Houston fire fighters because the city refuses to do so."

Former Houston City Attorney Dave Feldman, who is advising the petition effort, said a formal cost estimate of the initiative if approved in November has not been determined.

Using average figures for the cost of police and fire personnel without regard to rank, increasing fire base pay to match that of police would cost roughly $40 million in the current fiscal year. The city finance department projects annual budget deficits of more than $100 million for the next five years.

"What they are asking voters to sign is ill-defined and making the most simplistic assumptions could cost the city more than $40M," Mayor Sylvester Turner said. "That would force the city to schedule layoffs in all department areas or further delay maintenance on buildings and purchase schedules for much needed equipment."

The signatures for the initiative still need to be verified by the city secretary. State law requires 20,000 signatures from qualified voters to include a proposed amendment to the city charter on the ballot.
AUSTIN  IBM, one of the state's largest technology companies, is declaring it will continue to go to blows with the Texas Legislature over proposed legislation to restrict which bathrooms transgender people could use.

The tech giant sent a letter to employees Monday vowing to fight the legislation. The letter followed a day after running full-page ads IBM ran in major Texas newspapers opposing the proposals and comes as the company is sending 20 employees, including top executives, to Austin to fight the legislation.

"It just behooves any company to really figure out, if you're going to really try to recruit the best talent and you're competing with companies that are operating in locations that do no have this type of discriminatory bills, you have to ask yourself, where are you going to grow," said Phil Gilbert, general manager of IBM design at a press conference on the south steps of the capitol.

Opposition from New York-based IBM comes as the business community continues to pressure the Republican-led legislature and governor to abandon so-called "bathroom bills" they say are discriminatory and could hurt business in Texas.

Ten executives from Texas companies and tourism bureaus delivered similar messages at the capitol Monday morning, telling reporters the legislation will scare away conventions, sporting events and quality talent. So far, $66 million in conventions have been cancelled in Houston, San Antonio, Austin and other major Texas cities, according to Texas Welcomes All, a coalition of businesses, organizations and tourism groups.

Advocates for the bill say the measures would ensure safety and privacy for women and girls in restrooms and locker rooms. The push is led by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a tea party Republican who controls the Senate and has made passing a bathroom bill a priority this year.

IBM's letter came on the eve of a 30-day special session called by Gov. Greg Abbott who wants lawmakers to pass a bill to renew the Texas Medical Board and other state agencies. Once that bill is passed, Abbott said he wants lawmakers to take up 19 other measures, including "privacy" legislation that would allow the state to restrict which bathrooms transgender people can use in schools or government buildings.
Gov. Greg Abbott should run for mayor.

He can pick any city. Come back to the old hometown and challenge Sylvester Turner. Stay in the state capital and run against Steve Adler. If big cities don't appeal to Abbott, he could try West University Place, where Mayor Susan Sample could school him in small-town politics.

Abbott, who called a special session of the state Legislature that begins Tuesday, apparently thinks he knows how to run every city from El Paso to Texarkana. Just look at the session agenda. It's a bunch of bullet points cribbed off a direct-mail piece from a city council campaign.

So taxpayers have the honor of bankrolling an $800,000 (at a minimum) special session and forcing elected officials to cancel vacations so we can (a) speed up local permitting processes or (b) prevent municipal governments "from changing rules midway through construction projects" or (c) override local tree preservation rules like those adopted in Galveston after Hurricane Ike. And of course, he's calling on state lawmakers to impose caps upon local spending.

Our governor could have focused the Legislature's attention on some issues that really do need the state government's help. He could have asked lawmakers to create a commission studying a coastal storm surge protection system. He could have suggested more pre-kindergarten or vocational education programs. Maybe he could have even lobbied for funding to save the Battleship Texas.

Instead he picked a fight with city halls across the state and challenged state legislators to deal with his gripes against smaller governments. These mundane issues are municipal concerns best resolved by local folks who know what's happening in their own communities. They're not what we need state lawmakers to worry about, especially in a special session.

All we really need our Legislature to do is pass the sunset legislation that fell by the wayside in the regular session. We've said it before and we'll say it again: the slogan for this special session should be "Sunset and Sine Die."

Abbott declared late last week that he's running for re-election as governor. But if he really cares about the local affairs cluttering his special session agenda, he needs to run for a local office. And the campaign slogan on his next batch of bumper stickers should say "Abbott for Mayor."
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The Privacy Act allows the covert collection of information in limited circumstances, says Carl Blake, a senior associate with Simpson Grierson.

According to Blake, employers are entitled to record employees without their knowledge if there is reason to believe they are engaged in appropriate or unlawful behaviour. However, employers are still expected to comply with the Privacy Act.
However, while Pearson encourages execs to engage with sad employees, she says leaders should resist any temptation to push for higher spirits or offer advice on how to cope with their sadness.

Specifically, do not tell sad employees that you know how they feel  you couldnt, she warns. Do not compare their sad situations with your own: Your examples may seem insensitive and irrelevant.

The Arizona-based academic says employees who have suffered a dramatic loss or personal ordeal often become more detached which can discourage managers from intervening but insists leaders should step up as they have the ability to lighten the burden.

If employees have experienced a serious personal loss, help them temporarily make work a lower priority so that they can focus on dealing with their grief, she suggests. Allow employees to overcome their sadness at their own pace. Help them connect with their natural support systems.

Some options to temporarily relieve the full burden of work include providing time off or a few days of shortened work hours, permitting affected employees to work remotely, identifying avenues for transferring some of their responsibilities to colleagues, and encouraging them to postpone or cancel work travel.
mohammadali/Flickr Designed by : My mom (a favour to the couple)

Thanks to our multicultural society, you may find yourself at a wedding this summer that celebrates in ways you aren't familiar with  and we're here to help. Each week, the HuffPost Canada Living team will take a look at a different culture's wedding and tell you about the customs, traditions and rules that go along with celebrating your friends' big days.

At a first glance, a Persian wedding may look similar to other weddings you've been to: long white wedding gowns, a cake-cutting spectacle and of course, the first dance.

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"What sets Persian weddings apart is their tradition-infused ceremony. The ceremony is rich with old customs and stunning details conducted in an intimate setting around an elaborate spread of symbolic items to ward off the evil eye," says Sara Baig of Sara Baig Designs.

The spread, which is called sofreh aghd, often has food and floral arrangements, among other things, as well as a mirror called a aayeneh-ye bakht, which is the mirror of fate. For Persians, marriage is an important day not only for the couple, but also for the two families uniting as one, Baig says.

"Marriage is regarded as a union for life and as in most cultures, both men and women are encouraged to hold hands through thick and thin and treat each other with respect and trust."

On average, Baig says, Persian weddings can have over 300 guests, cost over $80,000, and last for about an hour  followed by hours of eating and dancing.

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Here are 9 things you may not know about Persian weddings:

Guest Code: Persian Weddings See Gallery
It seems like hardly a month goes by without a sensationalist headline about a white couple being denied a black baby or some internet clickbait from a worthy adopter who can see beyond the colour of their children. It's a topic than intrigues and beguiles.

There's a deep imprint of pragmatism stamped on every aspect of adoption. Of course, we're looking for the best solution, but in all reality by the time we get to consider the plan for adoption, the 'best' solution has long gone. We're actually looking to make the best with what we've got. Time frames, ages of children, sibling groups, disability, uncertain pasts and uncertain futures all impact on the decisions that are made in relation to the best outcomes for children who wait for adoptive parents. I understand all of that, but the issue that keeps me and the media in a state of flux is the issue of race and more to the point of transracial adoption and does it matter?

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Author's own image.

For our family, it was a set of circumstances that led us to be parents of children of a different colour to us. It's something that we live with daily. We never go out as a family without me being aware of our difference and that we, at the very least, demand an explanation. Of course, nobody ever asks, well maybe occasionally, but people are curious and a black child holding the hands of two white adults walking down the street at the least piques people's interests. It's tempting to say love is colour blind and that it doesn't matter - a glib answer to a tricky issue. As a good parent I have to see colour and, like it or not, I have to see that it does matter. I wish it didn't but that is the reality of the world I inhabit, the fact as a white middle class man I've never experienced racism or prejudice, is a poor excuse for not knowing that the world will look at my black daughter very differently. As she grows into a young woman, labels and stereotypes will stick pretty easily to her.

White parents raising black or minority ethnic children is an emotive issue, for all. In the 1970s the National Association Black Social Workers described the practice of placing black children in white homes as a, 'peculiar form of genocide'. At the other end of the spectrum is Michael Gove, the then Education Secretary, describing an adoptive child finding a racial match as a 'bonus'. With my pragmatic hat on I believe that the truth lies between these two positions, that with preparation and support tied to thoughtful, sensitive and robust parenting we can navigate this challenge. However, I would prefer that we did not have to.

It's an area of uncertainty; we record the ethnicity of the children waiting for adoptive parents but not of the parents looking for children. We note that those children wait on up to 300 days longer but having removed the duty to consider ethnicity in matching children with parents, why does it remain longer? Prior to the law being changed to remove the need for adoption agencies to consider the ethnicity of children when matching, it was believed 70% of the delays were due to the challenges of finding matches. Is it as simple that practitioners are still nervous about transracial adoption? Of course knowing the ethnicity of the adopters we have waiting would help. The fact that we do not record the colour of adopters or the racial matches when children are placed for adoption reinforced the idea that it doesn't matter. Policy downplays the significance of racial matching but on the ground there must be a mismatch with practice. Is there still an anxiety about transracial adoption?

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That Macron chap's a genius, right? Inviting Trump over to Paris, the city he claims isn't itself anymore (sorry, the city he says his good, real-life mate claims isn't itself anymore), giving him a free meal inside the Eiffel Tower, showing him a patriotic military parade, reminding the world's press of their close friendship? It all points towards how much of a master manipulator he is.

This is roughly the position much of the press took when reporting on Emmanuel Macron and Donald Trump's day out in the City of Lights. What I find fascinating is the difference in tone many of these publications took when covering Theresa May's visit to Washington in January. Then, a leader of a large European country with a surprisingly fragile economy cosying up to Trump was seen as desperate. Now, it's being portrayed as a bromance. Why?

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Could it be down to image? Quite possibly. Even back in January, with high approval ratings and a majority in the Commons, May lacked a certain something. Vast swathes of the country disliked her, she'd never won an election to show that she had a real mandate to rule and her majority was slim and hardly of her doing. On top of that, there were other troubles brewing. Even back at the peak of her powers, there was an uneasy feeling in the air, a feeling that sooner or later the inevitable economic slowdown would start to bite and then she'd be in real trouble. That's partly why the Tories were so keen on holding an early election - better to get it out the way and get a strong mandate to lead than to wait until 2020 when the economy is likely to have sunk even further.

Macron, on the other hand, came across very differently last week. His honeymoon is still very much raging, despite his recent comments on Africa. His party has a big majority in the French parliament, he was elected in a landslide and even his Netflix documentary wasn't half bad. When he invited Trump to France, it looked to most people like it was on his own terms, or as much as things can be when dealing with Trump. And not to be too harsh, but people like Macron. He won power by being fresh, young and charismatic. May won because she was seen as a safe pair of hands. One image gives people hope, the other far less so.

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There are few things as important to our society, and our nation, as democracy. That is right and proper, because a country whose people are unable to periodically choose their leaders and - importantly - hold them to account beckons dictatorship, and dictatorship leads to conflict, oppression and isolation.

What we tend to forget, though, in our thrall for the process of democracy, is that the whole purpose of democracy is to have a fair, just, legitimate government which governs in the best interests of its people.

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The whole point of democracy is protecting and advancing the best interests of the people.

Without this, democracy is a paper exercise, not unlike that which we continue to witness in countries which are avowedly democratic but very much authoritarian in reality, such as Russia, Zimbabwe and now Turkey.

Democracy is also a process, not a single event. It is not a tick-box exercise. Democracy needs to happen continually. If it doesn't, it dies.

We had a General Election in this country last month.

Despite this, there are still those who pretend that it didn't happen. For them, democracy ended on 24 June 2016. For them, a flawed and contradictory referendum result is the only thing that should guide our country into an increasingly uncertain and dangerous future. Our destiny as a nation, sealed that one fateful day.

The sheer complexity and the political and economic damage of pursuing Brexit is already abundantly, and increasingly, clear.

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More strikingly, though, and possibly even more importantly, Brexit is utterly incoherent.

This is not a question of tactics, or negotiations. Brexit itself, as government policy, is inherently incoherent.

Not even Brexit's most ardent supporters can or have ever been able to provide a good reason for Brexit, other than invoking the "will of the people" in the extremely selective way described above.

Don't think, don't ask - just do. Sounds rather authoritarian to me. Not very democratic at all.

It is mirrored by, and mirrors in turn, the approach to government by one Donald Trump, whose vision, policies and behaviour are similarly erratic and incoherent, aside from perhaps having as their main goal the personal aggrandisement of himself and his family. Let us call this "Trumpism".

Neither Brexit norTrumpism are genuine ideologies, much less real plans of action. They are a fantasy - a demagogic ego-trip which maintains that "because I will it so, it must and will be thus."

In reality, Brexit has nothing to do with democracy, and everything to do with a self-centred, insular view of the world.

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Brexit says that because we voted to make Britain Great Again, we will be great again. Because we say we can strike much better trade deals on our own, we will do so. Because we don't want to have to respect the European Court of Justice, or pay the EU the money which we committed to paying years ago, we don't have to.

We don't have to do anything we don't want to, and we can have everything we want, just by willing it so. It takes Nietzsche to a whole new level.

Yet this is now government policy. More - it is the government policy.

But tearing up the rule books and pretending that you can do whatever you like, so long as you're keeping enough of the right people sweet, is no way for a government to function, let alone respect the "will" of the people, or pursue their best interests.

It is crazy nonsense. There is only one place where crazy nonsense leads on the world stage, and it sure isn't in the best interests of anyone, much less the British people.

The Great Repeal Bill is crazy nonsense built on a premise - Brexit - of crazy nonsense. It cannot be endorsed in any shape or form by anyone who genuinely believes in democracy.

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Just this week, the British government quietly agreed to paying the EU's "extortionate" divorce bill. Evidence that when the music stops, and crunch time comes around, and we have nothing to show for all the bluster and grandstanding, a few quips by Boris Johnson aren't going to save either his bacon or ours.

Leave voters can't fault politicians for trying their best to "make a success of Brexit." The fact is that it never could be, and now is the time to start coming clean with the British people.
I recently had the pleasure of being the make up artist for a Models Of Diversity photoshoot. Based in the ever bustling location of Marble Arch, London. An area that reflects what Models Of Diversity is all about: diversity. Take a brief walk along Oxford Street and you will be submerged into an array of different cultures, ethnicities and unique styles. This is what London is about: embracing everyone.

The shoot was for UK based plus size clothing brand Lovedrobe. Catering for the curvy girls in size 16 to 32 and providing the latest trends at affordable prices. Stylist Michelle Navarro selected looks for each of the models, choosing pieces to compliment each model's assets to their full potential.

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Image Oliver Morris

On shoot we had four models to get ready, all totally different and unique. Showing a variety of curves and ethnicities. Models Of Diversity like to represent all models, regardless of skin colour or size and this was reflected in the models that were selected By MOD CEO, Angel Sinclair, from the casting process.

Image Oliver Morris

As a make up artist, it is my job to follow the brief for the shoot and view the models' outfits so I can compliment the make up to it. Angel Sinclair, who was directing the shoot, specifically asked for a very natural spring/spring/summer look.

For each model I kept it simple with a dewy base and peachy pinky tones on the cheeks and lips for a slight pop of colour. With a variety of different skin tones to work on I had to use my skills to adapt to each individual model. I use foundations that I can add lightening or darkening drops to as to customise to the model's skin tone.

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It is important for the public to see a realistic image that they can relate to. These are the consumer, so the brands need to get behind this and introduce models of all abilities, skin colour or size. The fashion industry is showing slow changes with regards to diversity, however Models Of Diversity are on a mission to speed up the process as are many body positive bloggers that are spreading the self love message across social media.

International Model Ira, who flew over from Germany for the shoot, is very comfortable and confident within herself and loves her body, and so she should. In front of the camera Ira is a performer and knows her angles, her confidence is everything, saying size is nothing

"Every size is beautiful, it doesn't matter if you're able or disabled. It is not about the size or ability. It is about the personality and that makes a model."

Image Oliver Morris

A statement that reflects into everyday life also. To those women who may struggle with low self esteem because they are not a 6ft size 8 model they see in the magazine, remember you are beautiful because it's your personality from the inside that reflects on the outside to showcase your true beauty.

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As with most random and horrifying experiences, we tend to rationalise with ourselves that terror attacks are things that happen to other people. We tell ourselves, 'it wouldn't happen to me'.

For me, as a survivor of the 7/7 bombings, I can no longer maintain this mind-set. I know only too well how indiscriminate terror attacks are, and how little you can do to stop yourself becoming a victim.

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Society as a whole shares this threat of terrorism, and this means, across society, we have a shared responsibility to fight it. We need collaboration across governments, charities, private sector firms and individuals in order to root out extremism from within our communities.

What is essential in every aspect of society is that we foster a narrative, and a feeling, of unity. Ideologies of hatred and xenophobia which attempt to dehumanise 'the other side' are at the root of both Islamic extremism and far right extremism.

As shapers of our common sense of society, the media, the government and the internet have large roles to play.

The media must strive to report well-sourced information and avoid seeking sensationalist headlines simply to maximise sales. The government must do all they can to condemn the atrocities committed by these terrorists, but also to condemn the bigotry, xenophobia and Islamophobia that has spiked in recent months. Failing to challenge the racist rhetoric surrounding immigration debates, for example, serves to politically legitimise Islamophobic and far right extremist views.

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The internet has transformed the way in which extremists radicalise and recruit, enabling them to reach global audiences in ever more dynamic ways. Vulnerable people, often seeking a sense of identity, are then radicalised through online material or groomed for recruitment. The rise in Islamophobic hate crimes leaves Muslims increasingly isolated and susceptible to radicalisation.

12 years ago, after I narrowly escaped becoming a fatal victim of Germaine Lindsay's suicide attack which killed 56, I dedicated my life to fighting radicalisation from within my community, the Muslim community.

I recently appeared on BBC Sunday Morning Live to speak about the success of JAN Trust's pioneering and unique method to tackle online radicalisation, which puts women at the heart of its strategy.

After community consultation, we developed our award winning Web Guardians programme which educates mothers on how to be effective guardians of their children preventing them being radicalised online.

At present we have no funding to continue our vital Web Guardians programme, leaving the most vulnerable in our society at risk of radicalisation, and the wider society at risk of falling victim to indiscriminate terrorist attacks.

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Given the quick succession of terrorist attacks that the UK has suffered in recent months, the urgency to find support for our Web Guardians programme is stronger than ever.
MATT DUNHAM via Getty Images

Rights Scepticism, namely the belief that human rights actors and institutions, foreign and domestic, are somehow bad for our interests is a curiously recent British obsession. Lowering human rights standards is not something you will hear much in mainland Europe, nor would you hear many Americans talk about repealing their beloved Bill of Rights.

Steve Coogan's character, Alan Partridge perhaps best summarised the normalisation of rights scepticism when he described British culture as "tutting when you see an ice-cream van selling hamburgers... a healthy suspicion of human rights... a Punch and Judy show having a giggle at a domestic incident...".

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The problem with rights scepticism is it started as a relatively harmless contrarian stance but is now an unhealthy nihilistic obsession.

From Magna Carta to the English Bill of Rights through to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and latterly, the Human Rights Act, British political history is thread through with successive generations' battle to secure their rights.

By taking power away from monarchs and embedding them in Parliament, there has been substantial progress made in securing peace and prosperity over centuries. After the atrocities of the Second World War, Conservative politicians such as Winston Churchill and lawyers such as David Maxwell-Fyfe helped establish major rules-based orders that challenged countries to conform to a higher standard of conduct, both towards their citizens and to each other through an agreed set of laws and levers of accountability.

The current Conservative government has been pursuing an agenda on rights for years, firstly with promises to repeal the Human Rights Act and secondly through public fights with the European Court of Human Rights. Following the trigger of Article 50, attention has turned to the EU's Charter of Fundamental Rights and the European Court of Justice.

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Rights scepticism has been espoused in spite of the fact that human rights are politically and legally integral to both our unions, the UK and the EU. The Human Rights Act is written into the Good Friday Agreement which has maintained peace in Northern Ireland and the Charter of Fundamental Rights is written into the EU Treaties in order to maintain peace between European nations and ensure there isn't a slide back into the Fascism and Communism that scarred the twentieth century.

The UK's current crop of politicians seem strangely remote from this historical progress in Europe especially now for the sake of the perceived short term gain of Brexit. By abandoning a European consensus on human rights the UK is in danger of worsening the global instability that stalks contemporary politics be it via Trump, the MENA region, Putin or North Korea.

Before the General Election, Theresa May did in fact commit to staying in the European Convention on Human Rights, our most important international law on rights after campaigning by prominent Conservatives and groups such as Liberty and Amnesty UK.

Now the fight has stepped up to another level.

The Lib-Lab proposal to bring the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights into UK law in the EU (Withdrawal) Bill, published last week shows that there is an important vision of the UK emerging that protects and does not abandon our joint European legacy on rights and freedoms.

As 89up pointed out in our report, They're Your Rights: Fight for Them, which warned about the threat to human rights from Brexit, EU law has helped British people secure their rights in cases on same sex partnerships, air pollution, state surveillance and mistreatment of workers to great effect in recent times. If the UK wants a future relationship with the EU, and to protect jobs, the environment, data privacy and equality, we should accept the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.

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It's not just all about the rule of law either, human rights exist to ensure there is a real set of moral principles that underpin our society's values. A human rights framework that is equivalent to the EU should be guiding our trade and relations with other states which apart from being in our national economic interest, will also help to prevent global conflict.

For now, Brexit and how the UK complies with the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights will affect how we as people and as a country will experience the effects of globalisation for many years to come. Theresa May, or the next Conservative Party leader, should resist the temptation to pander to their pollsters who insist on rhetoric to turn out rights sceptic voters. When it comes to human rights, it's time to speak, act and legislate on what everyone needs, not just on what Alan Partridge wants to hear.
Picture this scenario:

It's midweek and a few friends are discussing going for a meal and some drinks on Friday evening.

People without a food allergy will most likely have the following thoughts:

'Great, what shall I wear? What time are we all meeting? Where shall we eat? The list is endless'...

People with a food allergy will most likely have the following thoughts:

'Will I be able to eat at the chosen restaurant? What oils do they use? Will the group mind changing location if I can't eat there? What if someone next to me eats something I'm allergic to? What if there are nuts at the bar? Will people around me know what to do I have a reaction? Will they know how to use the Epipen? Shall I just cancel?'

A simple outing can cause individuals living with food allergies and anaphylaxis a great deal of stress and anxiety.

To this day, many people are unaware of the dangers of anaphylaxis or what it really is. The Anaphylaxis Campaign define it to be:

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Anaphylaxis is an extreme and severe allergic reaction. The whole body is affected, often within minutes of exposure to the substance which causes the allergic reaction (allergen) but sometimes after hours.

In addition, The Anaphylaxis Campaign highlight the 14 major allergens that have the potential to induce an anaphylactic reaction:

celery, cereals that contain gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, lupin, milk, molluscs, mustard, nuts, peanuts, sesame seeds, soya and sulphur dioxide.

I remember my first anaphylactic reaction and it haunts me to this day. As a nut allergy sufferer I am limited to what Indian sweets I can have as nearly all of them contain some type of nut. So, I decided to take matters into my own hands and made a sweet dish myself. I have to be honest, I felt quite accomplished that I had managed to make the dish without burning my mother's kitchen down! Anyway - I added a layer of chocolate on to the sweet dish to top it off - I used a chocolate I had been eating for years, so I thought I'd be okay with the ingredients and didn't think to check (rookie mistake - ALWAYS check) and of course that chocolate had hazelnut - which I now know I am severely allergic to!

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Within minutes of eating this sweet dish, I felt a horrible knot forming in my throat, coupled with a wheeze and cough that didn't seem to want to subside. I could feel my lips starting to swell and my skin began to itch. I had no idea what was happening to me, all I remember was not being able to breathe and my sister running towards me with an Epipen. A paramedic had arrived in minutes who managed to stabilise my breathing although my heart rate remained racing. I was taken off to the hospital where I spent hours in the high dependency unit just in case the reaction came back!

That day was a learning curve for me and those around me. The feeling of not being able to breathe is the worst feeling I have ever experienced in my life.

As a result of that day, I now find myself being cautious over what I eat, what products I use on my body, the companies I travel with and what those around me eat. Now, those who are yet to meet someone living with anaphylaxis may be thinking 'oh what an over-reaction, you can't possibly be that bad, it must all be in your head'...

Truth be told, it is that bad. Living with anaphylaxis is life changing. It's life changing for the person involved, but those around them too!

Just because anaphylaxis can't be seen, it doesn't mean it's not there. Just because it can't been seen people don't know enough about it! To give you some perspective;

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- Over 150 Million Europeans experience chronic allergic diseases, with the prediction that by the year 2025, half of the entire EU population will be affected (EAACI, 2016).

- The UK has the highest prevalence rates of allergic conditions in the world with over 20% of the UK population experiencing 1 or more allergic disorder (Levy, 2004).

- Between the years of 1992 - 2012 there was a 618% increase in the rate of anaphylaxis in the UK (Turner, 2015).

- 11-26 Million Europeans are estimated to suffer with food allergies. If this was to be projected into the world's population of 7bn, there would be 240-550 Million food allergic people (Pawankar et al., 2013).

(Stats taken from Allergyuk.org)

Anaphylaxis and food allergies are common!

Remember anaphylaxis can also occur through latex, medicines, general anaesthetic as well as insect stings.

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If someone around you starts to show symptoms of anaphylactic shock call 999 immediately and inform the operator the person maybe having an anaphylactic reaction. Anaphylaxis usually develops suddenly and gets worse very quickly.

The symptoms include:

* feeling lightheaded or faint

* breathing difficulties - such as fast, shallow breathing

* wheezing

* a fast heartbeat

* clammy skin

* confusion and anxiety

* collapsing or losing consciousness

There may also be other allergy symptoms, including an itchy, raised rash (hives), feeling or being sick, swelling (angioedema), or stomach pain.
More than 100 American cities host online open data portals brimming with information on crime, housing, transit, traffic, and neighborhood boundaries. Such initiatives have promised to make government more transparent, accountable, and accessible, at a time when the publics trust is scraping bottom .

But so far, open data has largely fallen short of those lofty ambitions. Part of the problem seems to lie in design: Many online portals are hard for non-expert citizens to use. They keep datasets passively afloat, leaving it up users to know exactly what data they want and how to skim it out, skills which many lack. The numbers are therebut for whom, and for what purpose?

Years in the making, a new tool aims to shift that paradigm. Launched Monday by the global GIS mapping software giant Esri, ArcGIS Hub is an online platform that clusters datasets around specific citywide initiatives, in the hope that people can more readily tap into information applicable to their lives. Rather than ask what data should be available, this asks cities to think about what people care about, says Andrew Turner, the chief technology officer of Esris R&D Center in Washington, D.C. He estimates hes spent 15 years theorizing about this tool (and about two years building it with his team).

Unlike the dashboards cities have built in attempts to engage the spreadsheet-averse, the Hub aims to simplify pathways to the data, rather than the data itself.

Take, for example, the city of South Bend, Indiana, an early adopter of the Hub. In some neighborhoods, nearly 25 percent of lots are vacant. For years, resident groups have labored to maintain empty properties in their neighborhoods, out of vested interests in their own home values. The city, meanwhile, has launched a handful of programs designed to keep blight in check, from matching grants for home repairs to legal assistance for property acquisitions.

The Hub lets the city draw these efforts into one common space. A citizen can click through a visual narrative on the citys progress so far, checking quick stats at abandoned properties in map or charts. If shes inclined, she can mine full datasets that have long been available through South Bends portal, such as demolition orders and code violations, plus additional statistics from federal and state agencies that the Hub layers on.

Rather than mixing in one giant pool for intrepid users to skim out, information sets are grouped into categories of interest (note the graphic above). Unlike dashboards cities have built in attempts to engage the spreadsheet-averse, the Hub aims to simplify pathways to the data, rather than the data itself. You can ask it whatever question you want, says Turner.
ELKO  Where can I see wagon ruts from the California Trail times? is a question often asked by visitors at the California Trail Interpretive Center and by local residents.

On July 22, the Humboldt Highroad, Bureau of Land Management and the California Trail Center will lead a driving tour of the California Trail through the Thousand Springs Valley off Highway 93 north of Wells. The group will meet at the Winecup Ranch entrance 26 miles north of Wells on Highway 93 at 8:30 a.m. The tour should conclude mid-afternoon.

Ruts across northern Nevada are still visible today. Weather, time and modern uses have worn the ruts down over the years and make them less visable. With help from the Highroad and BLM guides one can learn to detect and better see the remaining ruts on public lands.

Those interested in participating please call Jan Petersen at 778-5478. Four-wheel drive cars are not necessary. The tour is limited to 15 cars. Those participating should bring a lunch and snacks.
Jaclyn Grabicki and 10 students from her dance school attended a world dance competition in Florida in June. Dancecapade students in their Disney-supplied costumes. PreviousNext

Adams Dance School Competes In Disney World



On stage at Disney World, where the school won four bronze medals. ADAMS, Mass.  Dancecapade School of Dance was one of 10 dance schools in the world that recently competed in the first Walt Disney World Dance Competition.

"A lot of people don't know where Adams even is and I think a small dance school from a small-town marching and competing in Disney World is an accomplishment," school owner and instructor Jaclyn Grabicki said. "It's something you wouldn't think would happen, and it is a big deal."

Grabicki said 10 girls from her dance school made the trek to Florida in late June. She registered for the competition and the school was invited.

"Some of them I don't think have ever been to Disney, some I don't think were ever on a plane," she said. "They may have been a little freaked out on the plane but they had a great time."

Schools from throughout the country and the world attended the competition and the team went against dance groups from Honduras and Alaska.

"They were able to meet kids from other parts of the world and were exposed to different cultures and dancing," Grabicki said.

She said her troupe spent four days at the park and their first task was to march in the parade. Grabicki said they spent time before the trip learning specific choreography sent to them by Disney.

"The kids danced down Main Street in the Magic Kingdom and that is something a lot of kids can't say," she said. "Hundreds of people were standing on both sides of the road ... people from all over the world were watching."

Grabicki's mother, Joyce, who helped organize the trip, said Disney also sent the dancers uniforms and blue glittery shoes.

"They have a very strict policy and the kids couldn't even wear their wristbands and they changed the color of the shoes," she said. "It used to be red sparkle shoes and they changed it to blue so they got to debut them on Main Street."

The competition itself was in Epcot between Canada and the United Kingdom parks.

"They broke the competition up into 90-minute intervals and there were all different kinds of genres," Grabicki said. "There was ballet, jazz, tap, hip-hop and open. It was a very smooth competition."

She said the competition was judged by some big names in dancing such as professional dancer Whitney Carson, who was on the shows "Dancing with The Stars" and "So You Think You Can Dance."

She said the school brought home four bronze medals.

On their down time, they explored the park and went on rides and, on their last day in Florida, were invited gala complete with a buffet, DJ and Disney characters.

Grabicki said traveling as a team is an important experience for the young dancers

"I have been dancing since I was a kid and I was never able to travel and have this kind of experience," she said. "One of my goals is to give my students these opportunities ... it is great for them and looks good on a college application."

Grabicki's mother said the dance school has been planning for the trip since October and relied on the community to help raise the $1,000 each dancer needed to make the trip.

"The community was very receptive and they are a big part of this," Joyce said. "Even though this area is struggling they still helped out and these kids all got to go to Disney."
Williams College's Jason Moran leads the Conservation Commission on a site visit to see the path of a proposed culvert replacement project.

Williamstown Conservation Commission Reviews Culvert Project



Christmas Brook enters the current undersized culvert below Latham Street across from Williams College's Towne Field House. WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass.  The Conservation Commission on Thursday began its review of plans for a larger culvert to carry the Christmas Brook under downtown and into the Green River.

Williams College is proposing to r eplace the existing, undersized culvert with a precast box culvert that is at least 5 feet by 12 feet, the top of which will sit 5 to 7 feet below grade.

Representatives from the college and Manchester, Conn.,-based engineering firm Fuss & O'Neill laid out the project and took questions from the commission which the applicant will address when the hearing is continued in August.

College attorney Jamie Art laid out the reasons for the project.

"The culvert project  is part of the college's commitment to invest in town capital projects to the mutual benefit of the town and the college," he said. "We have an over 800-acre watershed that all funnels down to undersized pipes that run under Latham Street, across the Facilities parking lot, under the Facilities building and down across Meacham Street to Water Street and discharges into the Green River.

"It's gotten to the point where every couple of years now, we have some significant flooding in the area from Walden Street south down to Spring Street, Meacham Street, Latham Street and Water Street. . The culvert project, which is a big project, emerged as the number one priority to be the most effective means to alleviate the flooding and have a long-standing, long-term fix to the problem."

Although much of the proposed culvert  like the existing conduit  will be under college land, the project will require significant digging along Latham and Meacham Streets, through the town-owned property at 59 Water St., and across Water Street for the discharge into the Green River.

If approved, the project likely will start at the east end, where the new culvert will terminate below Water Street. That way, the subsurface work can be completed before the Massachusetts Department of Transportation rebuilds that stretch of Route 43 next year.

The new culvert will measure at least 5-by-12 (60 square feet) and replace a conduit that at some points is about a third that size, 4-by-5 (20 square feet). The length of the new culvert will be 1,312 feet; the last 350 feet will measure 6-by-12 (72 square feet).

The culvert replacement is just one of several infrastructure projects the college has in the works for downtown Williamstown.

"This project is one the commission has been looking forward to for many years," Commissioner Philip McKnight said, referring to the fix for a persistent flooding problem. "But it's also a project that is one of four other projects. The overall view would be helpful to the commission. You have the municipal parking lot, the hotel, the invasive species and the now-delayed ecological restoration project. At some point, maybe you can talk about how it ties in."

Jason Moran from the college said there is one more project that McKnight did not mention, a pipe to carry discharge from the stormwater detention system planned to go below the Spring Street parking lot down Latham Street and into Christmas Brook.

Originally, the Notice of Intent for the culvert project included ecological restoration of Christmas Brook to the south and west downtown, where it enters the culvert at Latham Street. But after consultation with the commonwealth's Department of Environmental Protection and the Army Corps of Engineers, the college decided to drop that work for now and focus on the culvert.

The invasive species removal McKnight mentioned is covered by a separate application already before the commission.

The plans for the new Williams Inn, which is planned to go before the commission later this summer, do not really impact the volume of runoff into Christmas Brook, the applicant explained.

"The inn itself is not tied to the stormwater study in that the inn could happen without any of this work, and it wouldn't make the problem worse because the inn is handling its own stormwater on the site itself," Williams Senior Project Manager Jason Moran told the commission.

Eric Bernardin of Fuss & O'Neill elaborated on the point, explaining that although the planned inn will increase impervious surface area, it will not contribute to flooding in the area.

"The water from that site, the existing flows, go into the culvert," Bernardin said. "But they are taking care of the differential between the existing and proposed [with on-site stormwater management]."

Art said the proposed inn will be analogous to the new unified science center in that respect.

"They capture the rainwater and reuse that for things like flushing toilets and battery cooling," Art said. "There actually is stormwater management on site that further reduces flows from the redevelopment, and the inn is going to do the same thing.

"If anything, their [stormwater] projections are conservative for the inn project."

The applicant promised to discuss more how the culvert project fits in with the rest of the work planned for downtown at the hearing's continuation. By then, the Con Comm also will have the results of a peer review of Fuss & O'Neill's project design by Marlborough's Comprehensive Environmental Inc.

One part of that design raised a concern with the commission's newest member on Thursday evening. Lauren Stevens asked why the project did not include daylighting Christmas Brook west of Water Street instead of continuing the underground culvert beneath the former Town Garage site.

Bernardin said that daylighting the stream at the project's east end was one of the options studied. But given the depth of the culvert by the time it enters the 59 Water St. property at its west end, the daylighting would cut a 105-foot swath through the site, currently an unimproved parking lot.

Such a change would eliminate most of the lot's current use, as a parking lot, and forestall any future development for a site that has been eyed in the past as a possible home for affordable housing, market rate housing and a new fire station, among other things. The widest part of the 59 Water St. lot, its street frontage, is 200 feet. At the rear, it's about 130 feet wide.

Bernadin also noted that, at best, 200 or 300 feet of the brook could be daylighted at the project's east end, the majority would still be underground, and the increase in habitat would not be worth the impact of exposing the brook.

Stevens pressed the college to reconsider.

"This is a once, I hope, in a lifetime opportunity," Stevens said. "Once that pipe is in the ground and working, nobody is going to want to dig it up. Maybe it's worth looking a little closer at that opportunity."
he Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts held a Brain Injury Awareness Night with the Pittsfield Suns on Sunday, July 16.

Berkshires Beat: Brain Injury Group Raises Awareness at Pittsfield Suns Game

Brain game: The Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts held a Brain Injury Awareness Night with the Pittsfield Suns on Sunday, July 16.

There was a table for the Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts, and to share brain injury knowledge and help raise awareness, the Pittsfield Suns hosted a trivia game.



Rebecca Gleason, a brain injury survivor from North Adams and Northern Berkshire Brain Injury Support Group Facilitator for the Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts, prepared for months before singing the National Anthem at the Pittsfield Suns game.

Scott Steves, also a brain injury survivor from North Adams, threw out the first pitch.







How wonderful: Two New York-based former summer campers have started their own summer camp for grownups. Camp Wonderful is a three-day, two-night sleepaway summer camp for grownups from Aug. 25-27 at Camp Timber Trails in Tolland.

Camp Wonderful founder and summer camp expert Jonah Spear is a lifelong summer camp devotee, has co-directed youth camps at Rowe Camp and Conference Center in Western Massachusetts, launched and co-hosted family camps at Rancho La Puerta and The Esalen Institute, is a former counselor of Camp Grounded, working 14-sessions there, and has been a summer camper since he was 9 years old.



Spear founded Camp Wonderful with lifelong camp friend Randy Kohn, an entrepreneur and trapeze artist who had his first sleepaway camp experience at French Woods Festival of the Performing Arts - the camp on which Wet Hot American Summer is based. Camp is where Kohn was first introduced to the flying trapeze. He spent the next nine years as a camper and staff member. Kohn toured with the Shriner circus performing the triple somersault on the flying trapeze and now works in sales and strategy at tech start ups.



Camp Wonderful will offer a range of playshops, from inwardly focused, calming experiences centered on yoga, mindfulness, and gratitude practices to wild, exuberant celebrations of life on the flying trapeze, the 15-acre private lake, and of course, camp staples like, s'mores, singalongs, capture the flag, and Camp Wonderful's own WonderGames!



Camp Wonderful is technology free, and campers forgo their phones, computers, and watches, and any work-related talk. The camp is also substance free. Camp invites folks from all backgrounds with with all identities to join - whether they went to camp as a kid or not. Learn more online.







Branching out: The Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires has partnered with Elder Services of Berkshire County and Massachusetts College of Liberal Art to offer office hours in Central and Northern Berkshire County, beginning in August.



On the second Friday of every month, the NPC will be on location at Elder Services at 877 South St. in Pittsfield, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. NPC founder Liana Toscanini will offer consultations free of charge by appointment at 413-441-9542. Toscanini is donating her time and Elder Services is donating space so that nonprofits in the Pittsfield area can gain access to NPC services more easily.



The Inside/Out stage at Jacob's Pillow is free outdoor dance.

The wheels on the bus: Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival in Becket recently launched the Pittsfield-Pillow Express, a Saturday bus service connecting Jacob's Pillow and three Pittsfield neighborhoods. This free bus service is open to all and is specifically aimed at helping families, community groups, and individuals without independent transportation access the Pillow's many free and low-cost events and programs. The service kicked off June 24 and runs through Saturday, Aug. 26.



The Pittsfield-Pillow Express route includes three pick-up and drop-off locations in the Morningside, Westside and Downtown neighborhoods. Those who take the bus can enjoy a matinee performance with discounted tickets available only to bus riders, a free PillowTalk, free tour, a free Inside/Out performance, and more. Outside food and beverages are welcome and picnicking is encouraged. Pittsfield pickups occur on Saturdays at noon and 3 p.m. and the bus departs from Jacob's Pillow at 4:15 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. To reserve a spot on the bus, call 413-207-4082. For more information, go online.





Playing around: The City of Pittsfield Department of Community Development Recreation Program is continuing the Summer Parks Playground Program at three city parks this summer through Friday, Aug. 18. The Summer Playground Program offers a wide variety of recreation activities to Pittsfield children ages 6 to 13 at no cost. Playground leaders create safe, supervised and fun-filled environments with activities including sports, games, arts and crafts, and nature activities.



The program will be held 9 a.m. 4 p.m. Monday through Friday through Friday, Aug. 18. Playground leaders will be stationed at Clapp Park, Deming Park and The Common. The program is designed to provide "drop-in" activities for children; please know that the program is not a substitute for day camp or childcare.



More than just a fun time, the program fosters self-esteem and friendships and provides participants with positive and caring role models. For more information, contact Becky Manship, the Recreation Activities Coordinator, at 413-499-9370.





Granting wishes: The Ventfort Hall Association has received three grants from the town of Lenox and the state of Massachusetts.



The Town of Lenox's Community Preservation Act Fund has awarded a matching grant in the amount of $30,000 to be used for the exterior stabilization of the building. Ventfort Hall has also been approved to receive a capital grant in the amount of $125,000 from the Massachusetts Cultural Facilities Fund program. This matching grant will be used for exterior restoration on the building and the elevator project which is currently underway.



In addition, Ventfort Hall has also been awarded a $40,000 emergency grant from the Massachusetts Preservation Projects Fund to address repairs to the structural deficiencies in the gable and masonry areas on the roof. These grants, and the continued support of our many donors, will allow Ventfort Hall to restore and improve the mansion. The association has just celebrated its 20th anniversary.
Thomas A. Dee, president and CEO of Southwestern Vermont Health Care (left), accepts a $25,000 donation from James Brown, president and CEO of The Bank of Bennington.

Biz Briefs: Bank Donation to SVMC Funds Child-Friendly Waiting Areas

For the kids: The Bank of Bennington presented a $25,000 donation to Southwestern Vermont Health Care earlier this month at the bank's flagship location at 155 North S. in Bennington, Vt. The funds, given in celebration of the bank's centennial year, are dedicated to the creation of several interactive, child-friendly waiting areas within the health system.



Dubbed Kids Korner, the first two interactive play waiting areas will be developed at the pediatrics practice and on the Women's and Children's unit at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center in Bennington.



This is the first of several donations the bank plans to make to celebrate its centennial year. The Bank of Bennington has a strong history of supporting community activities throughout the regionespecially those that bring community together and benefit children, such as Little League, the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program, and local food pantries.





Video days: The Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires presents "Video for Nonprofits and Small Businesses" on Wednesday, July 19, from 10 a.m. to noon at Berkshire Community College South County Center at 343 Main Street in Great Barrington. The cost is $25 for NPC members and $35 for non-members.



In this two-hour workshop led by Diane Pearlman of The Berkshire Film and Media Collaborative, participants will learn the basics of making an effective video.Topics include: how to write a creative brief, what's involved in the production process, legal aspects to consider, how much time should it take, and most importantly, budget options and what you can expect to get for your money.



Pearlman has been in the film and media business for more than 25 years. The Berkshire Film and Media Collaborative is a nonprofit that creates educational, workforce and production opportunities in the film and media industry as an economic initiative for the western Massachusetts region. She is the producer of the short film "A Tree. A Rock. A Cloud" directed by Karen Allen currently on the festival circuit.





Real changes: William Pitt and Julia B. Fee Sotheby's International Realty, with an office in Great Barrington, has partnered with Buyside, a company specializing in turning buyer data into leads, listings and profits, to launch a powerful new platform for significantly increasing buyer and seller leads. The program works by consuming thousands of buyer leads and buyer-related activities from multiple sources around the web from Zillow to Trulia to The New York Times, as well as open house showings and many other resources. These are then aggregated in real time into Buyside's robust proprietary system, allowing William Pitt and Julia B. Fee Sotheby's International Realty to cultivate these potential buyers and intelligently match them to both company listings and agents within the company.



As part of the program, the company has incorporated a client-facing "What is Your Home Worth?" section on the homepage, providing potential sellers with the capability of instantly receiving a valuation of their home. The site's quick search tool has also been outfitted with a "Sell Your Home" tab that directs users to a new Instant Home Valuation website. This landing page combines multiple automated valuation models with visualizations of real-time buyer activity, equipping agents with insights on buyer demand to help them generate seller leads, and illustrating for sellers the number of actual buyers looking for a home just like theirs.




iciHaiti - Politics : Creation of the Parliamentary Front against Hunger





The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) welcomes the adoption by the Chamber of Deputies of the Resolution on the official establishment of the Parliamentary Front against Hunger in Haiti (FPFH). This adoption makes Haiti the 18th country in the region of Latin America and the Caribbean and the first francophone country in the world, to have this associative structure of Parliamentarians engaged in the fight for food and nutritional security.



"The Parliamentary Front Against Hunger in Haiti (FPFH), which we have just created with FAO support, will serve as a more inclusive and integrated platform for discussion and reflection on key issues related to food and nutrition security and right to food in the country, with a view to allocating adequate resources Political : to the formulation and implementation of public policies and programs related to food and nutrition security, facilitating people's access to healthy and adequate food, and eradicating hunger and malnutrition in the country," declared the deputy Yves Dupras, Rapporteur of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Food Security



Dr. Nathanael Hishamunda, FAO Representative in Haiti, stressed that the role of the legislature in the fight against hunger is crucial, given its capacity in the formulation and adoption of laws and in the allocation of resources required for the implementation of agricultural policies, strategies and programs and of food and nutrition security in Haiti. While confirming the commitment of the United Nations to support the FPFH, he hoped that the Front could establish exchanges with other Fronts in the Region, including that of the Dominican Republic, with the aim of strengthening its capacities qnd to structure quickly.



IH/ S/ iciHaiti


















July 14

Ralph A. Bejarano Jr., 19, of Elko was arrested at the Elko County Fairgrounds for minor purchasing or consuming alcohol and minor in possession of alcoholic beverage in public. Bail: $710

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Brandon J. Blunt, 37, of Elko was arrested on the 12th Street Bridge for treasspass not amounting to burglary. Bail: $195.

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Joseph Collazo, 56, of Wendover, Utah was arrested at 340 Commercial St. for failure to appear after bail on a misdemeanor. Bail: $1,000

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Rebecca L. Cornell, 18, of Elko was arrested at the Elko County Fairgrounds for minor purchasing or consuming alcohol. Bail: $355

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Kyle S. Cox, 29, of Caliente was arrested on 12th and Opal Street for DUI, operating a motorcycle or trimobile without a license, and motorcycle or moped tail lamp violation. Bail: $1,370

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Anneliese M. Hunt, 18, of Spring Creek was arrested at the Elko County Fairgrounds for minor purchasing or consuming alcohol and false statement to obstruct a public officer. Bail: $1,495

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Harold J. Larson Jr. , 43, of Ryndon was arrested at 5870 Coal Mine Canyon Road for resisting public officer and disturbing the peace. Bail: $1,495

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Courtney R. Miller, 27, of Wells was arrested at 444 South Fourth St. for DUI, proof of insurance required, driving too fast for conditions, two counts of failure to maintain lane or improper lane change and failure to possess or surrender registration. Bail: $2,790

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Tyrone C. Novikoff, 29, of Genesee, Idaho was arrested on Fourth and Silver streets for maintaining or permitting nuisance. Bail: $415

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Ramigo G. Perez, 37, of Battle Mountain was arrested on a warrant at the Elko County Jail for failure to appear after bail on a felony, and three counts of Nevada Criminal Justice Information System detrainer. Bail: $115,000

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Casey J. Plaster, 22, of Elko was arrested on Eighth and Commercial Street for possession of a controlled substance. Bail: $5,000

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Jordan S. Redger, 27, of Elko was arrested on Coal Mine Canyon Road for escort by felony prisoner. Bail: $20,000

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Cole D. Schick, 19, of Spring Creek was arrested at the Elko County Fairgrounds for minor purchasing or consuming alcohol beverage. Bail: $355
ELKO  A fire that started around 1:30 p.m. Monday in Kittridge Canyon expanded to about 1,000 acres in two hours, threatening homes in the Osino area and burning across Interstate 80 and East Idaho Street.

An evacuation center was set up at the old Elko High School gym for residents along White Rock Road and from Osino, as the blaze was driven eastward by the wind.

The Oil Well Fire forced the closure of I-80 in both directions.

There were unconfirmed reports of structures being damaged. Police asked residents to stay away from the area to avoid congestion.

One Very Large Air Tanker was ordered to aid other aircraft fighting the blaze.

For questions or concerns, contact the Elko County Sheriff's Office at 738-3421 or Elko Central Dispatch at 777-7300.
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We had Messerschmitts flying overhead, thousands of extras on the beach, minesweepers in the background, a 350ft destroyer and torpedo boats all in the same shot.

This is what Neil Andrea, marine coordinator on forthcoming epic movie Dunkirk, was standing alongside director Christopher Nolan on a single-camera boat with a crane and Imax in the middle of the action last year.

Andrea is convinced this was the biggest naval film shoot ever. Where most films use the magic of CGI to fill in backdrops, Nolan and his team actually filmed on location in Dunkirk with real war ships and fighter planes.

On certain days, there were up to 60 ships in the water, enthuses Andrea, veteran marine coordinator of major movies including the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Captain Phillips and National Treasure.

The Moonstone, where Cillian Murphys character spent most of his time

It didnt matter what the crew had worked on before; when we headed to such scenes, with explosions going off, we were all blown away like never before. It was basically a re-enactment of the real events.

As most will know, Dunkirk was a famous Second World War evacuation effort of Allied troops from the beaches in and around the Northern French commune, which took place over 10 days in 1940.

A quickly assembled fleet of more than 800 boats  including motor yachts, pleasure steamers and fishing boats  rushed to Dunkirk and rescued nearly 340,000 British, Belgian and French soldiers from the shore.

The then-Prime Minister Winston Churchill described the evacuation as a miracle of deliverance. And that is an apt way of describing what Nolan and his team have achieved with their re-enactment.

Andrea had been briefed before the film began shooting and had read the script, which caused a number of expletives to leave his mouth in awe, but nothing could prepare him for the true scale of what he was to work on from January to September 2016.

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I was within four feet of Chris [Nolan] from start to finish of the shoot. He is a brilliant director, but demands perfection and was insistent the film had to look real, not using visual effects in front of a screen above a tank somewhere.

This meant the experience wasnt a bed of roses and proved hugely challenging for all concerned, but everyone mucked in to do whatever needed to be done.

Kenneth Branagh stars as Commander Bolton in the upcoming war thriller

For Andrea, this meant finding and coordinating 60 ships from nine different countries over 5 months. No easy task.

Finding a WWII ship is actually not that hard, but finding ones that actually work and are able to manoeuvre on a daily basis is tough, he explains.

The biggest find was the 350-foot long French destroyer, the Maille-Brez: a museum piece from Nantes that had to be towed using a pair of 200 foot tugs.

We moved the destroyer around manually, and were able to hide the tug boats from shot because the ship was so big, explains Andrea. It took a lot of work and we had to be so careful, especially in bad weather, as the ship was being forced to do things its not used to.

The same went for the little boats, which were actual originals used in the real Dunkirk evacuation. They were piloted by the owners who had little filming experience and so had to be briefed beforehand. It was like herding cats, laughs Andrea.

The centrepiece of these little boats is the Moonstone, on which Mark Rylance and Cillian Murphys characters are based throughout most of the movie.

Andrea found and coordinated 60 ships from nine different countries

It was such an intimate environment on that boat, which is just 43ft long, says Andrea. Aside from the actors, there was just myself, Chris, the first assistant director, DoP and the two camera assistants above deck, the sound, prop and hair and make-up guys below deck.

There were some pretty hairy days heading to the set in this wooden 1930s boat, which would shake violently when struck by the waves. Chris would turn to me and say What do you think? Should we turn back?, remembers Andrea. Much like the original guys 76 years before, they chose to carry on and complete the mission.

But safety was the watchword. As a Warner Bros Studio led project, there had to be checks and balances, and safety boats on hand at all times. All the departments (stunts, special effects, marine etc) worked closely together to make sure the process was as smooth as possible.

Andrea had to draw on all his experience in and around the water. Fortunately, this was plentiful. Having grown up near Miami Beach, the sea was always close by. Fishing and diving have always been passions. Indeed, Andrea has his own dive suit company: Neptunic Sharksuits.

Testing them has proved a dangerous challenge, however. Andrea has actually stuck his arm in the mouths of sharks. Their teeth have caused residual cutting. The risk is if a shark grabs your arm and then twists and roles. We had someone who had their arm removed from the shoulder while feeding a shark. The good news is he was able to keep hold of it and had it sowed back on, says Andrea.

Another passion is photography, which led to camera work back in the 1990s. He started doing documentaries and commercials, before making the natural transition to movies with his business partners, Dan Malone and Bruce Ross of Marine Crew: a full service marine and underwater production outfit.

His first big project was Castaway with Tom Hanks. But he was second unit and had little involvement. Then it was Oliver Stones Any Given Sunday. That was a crazy experience. Working with Al Pacino on Miami Beach in the 1990s. There were politics with the actors and Stone was pretty intense, but he also knows how to get things done.

However, it was working on the Pirates films where he got a real flavour of dedicated marine work on a large project, as he was involved in shooting every day.

To be a part of those films has been incredible, admits Andrea. They also involve big boats, but there are only four or five at a time, and theyre built over steel ship structures  some of them half ships, others fake ships. By contrast, for Dunkirk the scale of actual working boats being operated by people was much larger.

Typically, in most films you would have a ship that creates a wake, then visual effects would come in and take that boat out and put in the real boat featured in the movie. Not for Dunkirk. Everything happens in real life in real time.

Everyone on set was permanently aware and alert  no one was looking at their cell phones or sitting around. They were all completely absorbed in the action as we hope the audience will be when they see this spectacular film, concludes Andrea.

Dunkirk is on nationwide release from 21 July
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Daniel Radcliffe reportedly rushed to help a tourist who was attacked by robbers on a moped in London.

According to the Evening Standard, the Harry Potter star was one of a group of people who went to help a man targeted by thieves on King's Road in Chelsea.

The two men reportedly stole the man's Louis Vuitton bag and left him with a facial injury.

David Videcette told the Standard he noticed the men behaving suspiciously and began following them, intervening in the attack by shunting the moped with his car after seeing them pull out a knife.

Returning to the scene, he found Radcliffe looking after the victim, who was a tourist in the UK on holiday.

Netflix Originals 2017: All the films and TV shows to look out for Show all 14 1 /14 Netflix Originals 2017: All the films and TV shows to look out for Netflix Originals 2017: All the films and TV shows to look out for A Series of Unfortunate Events: season 1 Starring: Neil Patrick Harris, Malina Wiessman, Will Arnett, Cobie Smulders, Patrick Warburton Release date: Out now Netflix Originals 2017: All the films and TV shows to look out for Riverdale: season 1 Starring:KJ Apa, Lili Reinhart, Camila Mendes, Cole Srpuse, Madchen Amick Release date: New episodes every Friday Netflix Originals 2017: All the films and TV shows to look out for iBoy Starring: Bill Milner, Maisie Williams, Miranda Richardson Release date: Out now Netflix Originals 2017: All the films and TV shows to look out for Santa Clarita Diet: season 1 Starring: Drew Barrymore, Timothy Olyphant, Nathan Fillion, Patton Oswalt Release date: 3 February Netflix Netflix Originals 2017: All the films and TV shows to look out for Ultimate Beastmaster Hosted by: Terry Crews Release date: 24 February Netflix Originals 2017: All the films and TV shows to look out for Love: season 2 Starring: Gillian Jacobs, Paul Rust, Claudia O'Doherty Release date: 10 March Netflix Netflix Originals 2017: All the films and TV shows to look out for Iron Fist: season 1 Starring: Finn Jones, Jessica Henwick, David Wenham, Rosario Dawson Release date: 17 March Netflix Originals 2017: All the films and TV shows to look out for Sense8: season 2 Starring: Toby Onwumere, Doona Bae, Jamie Clayton, Tuppence Middleton Release date: 5 May Netflix Originals 2017: All the films and TV shows to look out for House of Cards: season 5 Starring: Kevin Spacey, Robin Wright, Neve Campbell, Joel Kinnaman Release date: 31 May Netflix Originals 2017: All the films and TV shows to look out for Dear White People: season 1 Starring: Antoinette Robertson, Brandon P Bell, Logan Browning Release date: TBC Netflix Originals 2017: All the films and TV shows to look out for Okja Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Tilda Swinton, Lily Collins, Steven Yeun, Giancarlo Esposito Release date: TBC Netflix Originals 2017: All the films and TV shows to look out for Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later Starring: Elizabeth Banks, Paul Rudd, Janeane Garofalo, Bradley Cooper, Amy Poehler, Alyssa Milano, Jai Courtney Release date: TBC Netflix Originals 2017: All the films and TV shows to look out for Master of None: season 2 Starring: Aziz Ansari Release date: TBC Netflix Originals 2017: All the films and TV shows to look out for Stranger Things: season 2 Starring: Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Finn Wolfhard, Millie Bobby Brown Release date: TBC

"It was a bit of a surreal moment," Videcette said. "I said: 'You're Daniel Radcliffe' and he replied: 'I am.'

"He was a really nice bloke, a lot of stars wouldn't have stopped to help. The victim was very, very shaken up."

A spokesperson for Radcliffe confirmed he was present but declined to comment further.

There has been a spate of incidents involving mopeds in London in recent weeks, some involving suspected acid attacks.

On 15 July the Metropolitan Police said they were called to the scene of an attempted robbery on a moped in Dagenham, where the rider was approached by two men on another moped who squirted a "noxious substance" at him.

On the same day, a man was stabbed to death by moped attackers during an early-morning altercation in Greenwich.
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Hollywood is paying tribute to George A Romero, the horror maestro who shaped the zombie genre, after his passing at the age of 77.

The Bronx-born filmmaker whose credits include the influential Night of the Living Dead (1968), Dawn of the Dead (1978) and Day of the Dead (1985) died in his sleep after a brief but agressive battle with lung cancer.

Following the news, a wave of tributes poured out from across Hollywood with many praising the legendary pioneer for his contributiuons to horror including author Stephen King as well as filmmakers John Carpenter (Halloween) and Zack Snyder who remade Dawn of the Dead in 2004.



Romero followed up his Living Dead trilogy with Land of the Dead (2005), Diary of the Dead (2007) and, most recently in 2009, Survival of the Dead. The original trilogy is attributed with birthing the zombie genre inspiring numerous films to come as well as popular TV series The Walking Dead.

His other credits include arthouse vampire film Martin (1970). In 1991, he also made a brief cameo in one of the most famous scenes from Silence of the Lambs starring Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster.

Best horror films of all-time Show all 10 1 /10 Best horror films of all-time Best horror films of all-time The Shining The retailer play.com used a heart rate monitor on film watchers to assess what horror films set pulses racing. The Heres Johnny scene in which Jack Nicholson peers through a hole in a door he has just created with an axe came up on top. The rest of the film isnt any less scary as a writer coops his family up in an empty Colorado hotel for the winter. Stanley Kubrick creates tension at every turn, especially when he follows Danny riding his bicycle along the corridors. AP Best horror films of all-time Rosemary's Baby Roman Polanskis adaptation of Ira Levins best-seller is the daddy of demon baby movies. It involves a struggling couple, a pregnant Catholic girl and unemployed actor, played by Mia Farrow and John Cassavetes, who move into an apartment block and are befriended by Satanist. The occult is scary, but not nearly as evil as Guys decision to sacrifice his wife for an acting role. Polanskis brilliance is that the horror is not the supernatural but the doubts that brew up in our own minds. Paranoia reigns. Getty images Best horror films of all-time Psycho There is a sense of foreboding even before petty thief Vera Miles checks into the Bates motel. Then we are introduced to Norman Bates and his Oedipus complex. The fact that Bates on the surface seems mild-mannered and ordinary only made his transformation scarier. Showers would never be the same, in the must iconic murder scene on celluloid. Getty Images Best horror films of all-time Blue Velvet The huge amount of film noir elements in the narrative of David Lynchs murder tale often see this 1986 American tale overlooked on horror lists. But this film is aimed to chill and has the aesthetics, pacing and tension of the greatest horror, including severed ears, dwarfs, and the supernatural. But its Dennis Hoppers Frank Booth that is the clincher, whenever hes on screen, whether hes harassing Isabelle Rossellini or encouraging singing, hes the scariest character that has ever been on-screen. Best horror films of all-time Nosferatu - A Symphony of Horror The granddaddy of the genre, this silent masterpiece, an unauthorised adaptation of the Dracula tale (The Stoker estate won a case ordering all copies of the film destroyed, which was thankfully unenforceable in Germany), sees director FW Murnau establish many of the touchstones of the genre including vampires lusting after blood Getty Images Best horror films of all-time The Orphanage The haunted house is a staple of horror movies, especially of American horror. But its this Spanish gem from 2007 that is the scariest of them all. It starts with a mother whose attempts to deal with her childhood inner demons seeking closure by buying the orphanage in which she was born, and taking on the demands of looking after not just her own imaginative adopted son, but six other Orphans. What ensues is an eerie homage to Jack Claytons The Innocents that once again proves that nothing is as scary on film as creepy children. Best horror films of all-time Anti-Christ Lars von Triers says it was while he was undergoing cognitive therapy for depression that the idea to make a film exploring the semiotics and tools used by depression came to mind. Charlotte Gainsbourg and Willem Dafoe play a couple coping with the death of their son. She cannot belief his response and he hers. The result is a film featuring gender mutilation, talking foxes and where chaos reigns. Booed at Cannes only seems to cement its status. Best horror films of all-time Don't Look Now Adaptations of Daphne du Mauriers prose have a habit of making great horror films, especially in the hands of Alfred Hitchcock (Birds and Rebecca). British director Nic Roeg created this masterpiece when he took Mauriers short story and meshed it with his trademark non-linear approach to the story of parents attempting to come to terms with the death of their young daughter by moving to Venice. Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie give career best performances in a film that has a clairvoyant, serial killer, but most scary of all, feelings of guilt. Best horror films of all-time Suspiria There are not many directors who have made more horrors than Italian maestro Dario Argento. His 1976 effort Suspiria remains his masterpiece. An American ballet dancer goes to study in the Black Forest, where she meets a pair of lesbians administrators (Alida Valli and Joan Bennett), a bizarre shrink (Udo Kier, an actor who adds to the terror level of any movie) and discovers that the school was once a notorious witches coven. All this done in piercing Technicolor and a terrific synthesised score. Best horror films of all-time Audition J-Horror (Japanese horror) went through a purple patch at the end of the 90s with Hideo Nakatas excellent Dark Water follow Ring trilogies. However, the most chilling film of the era was directed by Takeshi Miike, who makes films like they are cups of morning coffee. He uses the casting couch as the source of his evil as a friend tries to find a television producer a new wife by hosting a fake casting call. Miike slowly pulls us into the tale, as we discover dark secrets of both the widower and the actress who has caught his eye.

As he died, Romero was listening to the score of The Quiet Man, one of his favourite films, with his wife, Suzanne Desrocher Romero, and daughter, Tina Romero.
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Following the release of Jurassic World, Colin Trevorrow was quickly nabbed by Disney to direct the upcoming ninth instalment in the Star Wars saga.

For some, alarm bells were already ringing. The Jurassic Park sequel may have been a phenomenal box-office success, but the reviewing consensus seemed to mistake the nostalgia heavy blockbuster good, but not great.

Then came The Book of Henry earlier this year, the directors third feature film, following World and Safety Not Guaranteed. The reviews were shocking, The Independent calling the film this year's must un-see movie.

Star Wars fans have been rather frightened by the announcement; where JJ Abrams had an expansive, acclaimed back catalogue and Rian Johnson had Looper, Trevorrow has little to fall back on.

However, the director insists hes still the man for the job. "Not only did I grow up on these stories, like all of us did, [but] I think that the values of Star Wars are values that I hold very close and very dear in my life," he told The Hollywood Reporter.

"I feel that the message of the way that the Force teaches you to treat other people and show respect for others, and the way it guides you through life, is really important to me. And I hope everybody would realise that that set of stories has affected me as deeply in my life as it has affected them.

Trevorrow emphasised how studio blockbusters have become more collaborative over time, saying the producers now have more say than ever.

I think that except for very, very rare circumstances, there is no such thing as final cut anymore. And I think the best-case scenario for any film is that the producer and the writer and the director are all on the same page and making the same movie."

"Ive been fortunate enough in all the films that Ive made so far that we havent had internal conflicts, as far as the movie that we were making. That can happen, and I know thats frustrating for all involved when it does," he added. Thats not a situation Im involved in.

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He also spoke highly of Kathleen Kennedy, head of LucasFilm and the person who has spearheaded the sequel trilogy and spin-offs.

Jurassic World director Colin Trevorrow (Rex Features)

Recently, Kennedy fired the Han Solo spin-off directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller half way through the shoot, choosing Ron Howard as a replacement. The Lego Movie duo were reportedly removed from the project over creative differences.

Asked about the trouble, Trevorrow said: "Movies are very personal, and art is very personal, and for people to try to turn that into something that is salacious or something that will get clicks is frustrating and sad for me because I know that [movies] mean a lot to everyone involved," he said. "And everybody involved in that movie is passionate about it and worked on it very hard and continues to work on it very hard.

Over the weekend, a behind-the-scenes clip from Star Wars: The Last Jedi was released, feature numerous new creatures and a closer look at many characters.
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Roger Waters has accused Thom Yorke of "whining" over criticism of the band's upcoming gig in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Radiohead are set to play the show on 19 July despite repeated requests for them to cancel by campaigners, as part of an ongoing cultural boycott of the country.

An open letter issued by Artists For Palestine UK - which was signed by artists including Waters, Thurston Moore, Ken Loach and actress Maxine Peake - called on the band to reconsider the gig.

Director Loach also wrote an open letter to Yorke, published in The Independent, which asked the band to "join the cultural boycott of Israel" and urged Yorke to meet with him to discuss it.

Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke performs at Coachella festival in April 2017 (Getty)

Rather than agree to a meeting, however, Yorke responded with a message on Twitter where he argued that "playing in a country 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," he continued. "We don't endorse 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 and not closed ones, about shared humanity, dialogue and freedom of expression. I hope that makes it clear Ken."

Ex-Pink Floyd member Waters has since hit out at Yorke over his lack of communication regarding the issue.

In a Facebook Live conversation with the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement, he said: "We should observe the picket line. Anybody who's tempted to do that [gig], like our friends in Radiohead... if only they would actually educate themselves.

"I know Thom Yorke's been whining about how he feels insulted, people are suggesting he doesn't know what's going on. Well Thom, you shouldn't feel insulted because if you did know what's been going on, you would have a conversation with [director] Ken Loach, who's been begging you to have a conversation, or with me, I begged you, Thom."

He added that Yorke's alleged lack of communication was "extremely unhelpful to everybody".

"I look forward to - if you feel like it, when you finish your trip to Israel, because you probably still will go - write me a letter and tell me how much good you did and how much change you managed to affect by chatting with musicians," he said.
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Emmanuel Macron, the French president, thinks he may have convinced his American counterpart, Donald Trump, not to withdraw the US from the Paris Agreement on climate change.

The Republican billionaire had repeatedly pledged to withdraw from the international accord during his election campaign but his administration was split over the issue with an announcement about what he would do repeatedly delayed.

When Mr Trump revealed his decision to withdraw, he suggested the US might stay if he was able to negotiate a far better deal.

Sir Richard Branson said recently that he had a feeling that the president is regretting what he did, adding that his influential children could be changing his mind.

And Mr Macron said the US leader seemed open to reconsidering when they spoke during Mr Trumps state visit to France last week.

"He understood the sense of my approach, notably the link that exists between global warming and terrorism. He told me he would try to find a solution in the coming months," Mr Macron said, according to le Journal du Dimanche.

The Times also reported that Mr Macron had said: "We talked in detail about what could enable him to come back into the Paris accords."

After Mr Trump's suggestion he would renegotiate the agreement, France, Germany and Italy issued a joint statement dismissing the idea that it would be changed. The UK was notably absent from the signatories although Theresa May later also ruled out any alterations.

Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Show all 22 1 /22 Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Donald Trump's international Presidential trips French President Emmanuel Macron and US President Donald Trump AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips French President Emmanuel Macron and US President Donald Trump talk as they leave the Army Museum at Les Invalides in Paris AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips German Chancellor Angela Merkel and US President Donald Trump arrive for the group photo at the G7 Taormina summit on the island of Sicily in May 2017 Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Mr Trump was pressed on the subject at the G7 summit in Italy Getty Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump gives a speeech at the Warsaw Uprising Monument on Krasinski Square Getty Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump and Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May during a ceremony at the NATO headquarters before the start of a summit in Brussels, Belgium Reuters Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Montenegro's Prime Minister Dusko Markovic is seen to the right of Donald Trump at a Nato summit in Brussels REUTERS Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Pope Francis meeting with US President Donald J. Trump EPA Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Pope Francis poses with US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump arrives at Palazzo del Quirinale ahead of the meeting with Italian President Sergio Mattarella Ufficio Stampa Presidenza della via Getty Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump is seen during a joint press conference with the Palestinian leader at the presidential palace in the West Bank city of Bethlehem AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas meets US President Donald Trump PPO via Getty Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks with US President Donald Trump prior to the President's departure GPO via Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shake hands after delivering a speech at the Israel Museum AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump lay a wreath in the Hall of Remembrance as White House senior advisor Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump watch on during a visit to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial museum AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump visit to Yad Vashem Holocaust museum in Jerusalem accompanied by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu GPO via Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump takes his seat before his speech to the Arab Islamic American Summit in Riyadh in Saudi Arabia Reuters Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, US President Donald Trump and US First Lady Melania Trump look at a display of Saudi modern art at the Saudi Royal Court in Riyadh AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump and Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud take part in a signing ceremony at the Saudi Royal Court in Riyadh AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips King Salman presents Donald Trump with The Collar of Abdulaziz al-Saud Medal at the Royal Court Palace on 20 May AP Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump is welcomed by Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud upon arrival at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump walk on the South Lawn prior to their first foreign trip Getty Images

A recent scientific paper in the journal Nature warned time was running out to prevent dangerous climate change, which is expected to begin somewhere between 1.5 and two degrees Celsius.

It said that the world could emit enough carbon to bust the Paris Agreement target of keeping global warming as close to 1.5C as possible in anything from four to 26 years. Global emissions, the researchers said, would have to start falling rapidly from 2020 at the latest.


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The plummeting cost of renewable energy means even if Donald Trump pulls the US out of the Paris climate change accord, America will still meet its commitments in the agreement, a new report has said.

Analysts at investment company Morgan Stanley say prices for clean energy will soon sink to lower than more polluting sources.

With the exception of a few countries in Southeast Asia, renewable energy will be the cheapest form of power in almost every country by 2020, the report said.

We project that by 2020, renewables will be the cheapest form of new-power generation across the globe," the company wrote.

By our forecasts, in most cases favourable renewables economics rather than government policy will be the primary driver of changes to utilities carbon emissions levels.

"For example, notwithstanding President Trumps stated intention to withdraw the US from the Paris climate accord, we expect the US to exceed the Paris commitment of a 26-28 per cent reduction in its 2005-level carbon emissions by 2020.

The price of solar panels fell 50 per cent between 2016 and 2017, the report's authors said. They added that wind turbines, too, had become significantly more efficient, as scientists have developed longer wind blades.

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 Trump has steered the US towards becoming one of only three nations in the world not to be part of the Paris accord, which is designed to slow the pace of global warming.

The US President argues the agreement puts American industries at risk and is too soft on major polluters including China and India.
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A monthly delivery of chocolate is perhaps one of the most decadent things we can imagine receiving in the post regularly  if youre a serious chocoholic, that is. A surprise, posted to us, without having to choose, or even leave the house, is sheer bliss.

Although subscriptions are nothing new, they really found their legs during the pandemic. For many businesses, such as recipe boxes or meat boxes direct from farms, they became one of the easiest ways for people to be able to buy food without going to shops, which were struggling to keep food on shelves as it was. Many independent and small businesses were so overwhelmed with new customers, they had to stop new ones signing up.

Of course, chocolate wasnt in the same category of necessities such as fruit, veg, meat and other daily essentials but that time paved the way for increasing amounts of people wanting to have something sent to them, rather than picking it up while doing their weekly shop.

Cakes, biscuits, wine, flowers and chocolates sent as letterbox sized gifts, were used as loving ways to connect with separated friends and family during the pandemic.

For the chocoholic in your life, these are perfect gifts, especially as you dont need to wrap them and they can be sent direct, hassle free, to the recipient  remember, that can be you too!

How we tested

Lucky for us, we put each box thoroughly through its paces by eating every single chocolate on offer. We know, its a tough job. We were looking for excellent quality, interesting flavours that werent reminiscent of liqueur chocolates and werent sickly sweet. Extra points went to brands that consider ethics when it comes to cocoa sourcing and production, as well as thinking about making packaging easier to recycle.

The best chocolate boxes and subscriptions for 2022 are:
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A couple have warned new parents not to let anyone kiss their baby after their newborn contracted meningitis aged just one week old.

Nicole and Shane Sifrit noticed that daughter Mariana had stopped eating and wouldn't respond after numerous attempts to wake her up just a few days after she was born.

The newlyweds were forced to leave their wedding after just two hours in order to rush her to the hospital, where Mariana was quickly diagnosed with Meningitis HSV1 - despite neither member of the Iowa-based couple possessing the virus.

"It immediately went downhill from there. Within two hours she had quit breathing and all of her organs just started to fail", Shane said.

This means that Mariana contracted the disease from a third party, and identifying that person is nearly impossible. Although the virus is often associated with cold sores, most of those infected don't even need a cold sore in order to pass it on, let alone show any other symptoms.

It's possible that she could've contracted the illness from something as simple as a family member or friend kissing her. And, as a child under six months old, Mariana would've been highly susceptible to infection due to the lack of a fully-developed immune system.

Mariana is currently on life support in the University of Iowa hospital.

(You Tube (You Tube)

She has a kidney team, a liver team, a blood team, a neurology team, Nicole said. I have to stay strong for her because she is still staying strong."

The couple have spoken out on social media to warn fellow parents against the easily-contractable illness and update friends and family on her status under the hashtag #thefightformariana.

"Keep your babies isolated", Nicole told WHO TV, "don't let just anyone come visit them. Make sure they are constantly washing their hands. Don't let people kiss your baby and make sure they ask before they pick up your baby."
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The final photo taken by a 14-year-old girl who was electrocuted while using her mobile in the bath has been released as a warning to others.

Madison Coe, from Lovington, New Mexico, sent a text message to a friend of her phone plugged into an extension cord just moments before she died.

When you use and (sic) extension cord so you can plug in your phone while you're in the bath, the text read.

Recommended Man risks electrocution while sleeping next to iPhone

While it was originally thought that the teenager had dropped her charging Samsung Edge Plus into the bath, it has now been revealed that the phone was not immersed in the water.

Instead, police believe that Madison died after touching the frayed extension cord she was using to charge the phone and that she was most likely unaware of the damage.

Relatives believe the accident was caused either when the young girl plugged in her phone or as she grabbed the handset while it was being charged.

Her family agreed to release the chilling photo in a bid to raise awareness of the dangers of using electronic devices near water so that others dont make the same mistake.

The bathroom is a place for showers and personal time and your phones don't belong in the bathroom, step mom Felisha Owens told KRQE.

It is believed that Madison died after touching the frayed extension cord she was using to charge the phone (Lovington Police Dept)

Electricity and water do not mix. All it takes is a drop.

Her grandmother Donna OGuinn revealed that the school girl was left with burn marks on her hand from where she touched the device.

I call her my shining star. She was very smart. Very good student in school. She just loved life, she said.

She was just sweet to everybody and everybody loved.

This is such a tragedy that doesnt need to happen to anyone else.

Madison's family want to stop others from making the same mistake

And we want something good to come out of this as awareness of not using your cell phone in the bathroom as it is plugged in and charging.

We need to be aware. We need to teach our children that electricity and water do not mix.

District officials also released a statement saying, It is with heavy hearts that Frenship Independent School District mourns the loss of Madison Coe.

We wish to share our heartfelt sympathy with her family and friends as we carry the burden of this tragedy together.
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The exciting discovery that two genes are linked to Alzheimers could lead to a way of treating the devastating and currently incurable disease, scientists believe.

One gene was found to have a protective effect, while different mutations of the other appeared to make the condition more or less likely.

While genes that affect the chance of getting this form of dementia have been identified before, these two are thought to offer a greater chance of leading to an effective treatment.

Dr Rebecca Sims, of Cardiff Universitys School of Medicine, said: These particular genes, which suggest that immune cells in the brain play a causal role in the disease, are very good targets for potential drug treatment.

These are much more exciting than previous genes we have identified. All of the other genes we have highlighted  affect the risk of Alzheimers disease but how they work is very unclear.

Unlike other genes know to affect Alzheimers, these two, PLCG2 and ABI3, were found to cause changes in proteins involved in the disease. This process is easier to influence artificially, suggesting new drugs could be developed to stimulate or dampen down the effects.

And Dr Sims said: In addition to identifying two genes that affect the risk of developing Alzheimers disease, our new research reveals a number of other genes and proteins that form a network likely to be important in its development.

About 850,000 people in the UK have Alzheimers, which causes proteins to build structures called plaques and tangles in the brain.

These affect nerve cells ability to communicate and eventually they start to die and the brain actually gets smaller.

Dr Doug Brown, director of research and development at the Alzheimers Society which helped fund the research along with Alzheimers Research UK, echoed Dr Simss optimism.

Over 60 per cent of people with dementia have Alzheimer's disease, yet despite its prevalence we still don't fully understand the complex causes of the disease, he said.

The discovery of two new risk genes for Alzheimers is an exciting advance that could help to deepen our understanding of what happens in the brains of people with the disease.

These genes reinforce a critical role for special cells in the brain  called microglia  that are responsible for clearing up debris including damaged cells and proteins.

And Dr Rosa Sancho, head of research at Alzheimers Research UK, said the discovery was like finding puzzle pieces that biologists can start to fit together to build a complete picture of a disease.

There are currently no treatments to slow the progression of Alzheimers and increased investment in research is vital so that we can capitalise on new findings and drive progress for people with the condition and their families, she said.

Health news in pictures Show all 40 1 /40 Health news in pictures Health news in pictures Coronavirus outbreak The coronavirus Covid-19 has hit the UK leading to the deaths of two people so far and prompting warnings from the Department of Health AFP via Getty Health news in pictures Thousands of emergency patients told to take taxi to hospital Thousands of 999 patients in England are being told to get a taxi to hospital, figures have showed. The number of patients outside London who were refused an ambulance rose by 83 per cent in the past year as demand for services grows Getty Health news in pictures Vape related deaths spike A vaping-related lung disease has claimed the lives of 11 people in the US in recent weeks. The US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has more than 100 officials investigating the cause of the mystery illness, and has warned citizens against smoking e-cigarette products until more is known, particularly if modified or bought off the street Getty Health news in pictures Baldness cure looks to be a step closer Researchers in the US claim to have overcome one of the major hurdles to cultivating human follicles from stem cells. The new system allows cells to grow in a structured tuft and emerge from the skin Sanford Burnham Preybs Health news in pictures Two hours a week spent in nature can improve health A study in the journal Scientific Reports suggests that a dose of nature of just two hours a week is associated with better health and psychological wellbeing Shutterstock Health news in pictures Air pollution linked to fertility issues in women Exposure to air from traffic-clogged streets could leave women with fewer years to have children, a study has found. Italian researchers found women living in the most polluted areas were three times more likely to show signs they were running low on eggs than those who lived in cleaner surroundings, potentially triggering an earlier menopause Getty/iStock Health news in pictures Junk food ads could be banned before watershed Junk food adverts on TV and online could be banned before 9pm as part of Government plans to fight the "epidemic" of childhood obesity. Plans for the new watershed have been put out for public consultation in a bid to combat the growing crisis, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said PA Health news in pictures Breeding with neanderthals helped humans fight diseases On migrating from Africa around 70,000 years ago, humans bumped into the neanderthals of Eurasia. 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The average 10 year old consumes the equivalent to 13 sugar cubes a day, 8 more than is recommended PA Health news in pictures Child health experts advise switching off screens an hour before bed While there is not enough evidence of harm to recommend UK-wide limits on screen use, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health have advised that children should avoid screens for an hour before bed time to avoid disrupting their sleep Getty Health news in pictures Daily aspirin is unnecessary for older people in good health, study finds A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine has found that many elderly people are taking daily aspirin to little or no avail Getty Health news in pictures Vaping could lead to cancer, US study finds A study by the University of Minnesota's Masonic Cancer Centre has found that the carcinogenic chemicals formaldehyde, acrolein, and methylglyoxal are present in the saliva of E-cigarette users Reuters Health news in pictures More children are obese and diabetic There has been a 41% increase in children with type 2 diabetes since 2014, the National Paediatric Diabetes Audit has found. Obesity is a leading cause Reuters Health news in pictures Most child antidepressants are ineffective and can lead to suicidal thoughts The majority of antidepressants are ineffective and may be unsafe, for children and teenager with major depression, experts have warned. In what is the most comprehensive comparison of 14 commonly prescribed antidepressant drugs to date, researchers found that only one brand was more effective at relieving symptoms of depression than a placebo. Another popular drug, venlafaxine, was shown increase the risk users engaging in suicidal thoughts and attempts at suicide Getty Health news in pictures Gay, lesbian and bisexual adults at higher risk of heart disease, study claims Researchers at the Baptist Health South Florida Clinic in Miami focused on seven areas of controllable heart health and found these minority groups were particularly likely to be smokers and to have poorly controlled blood sugar iStock Health news in pictures Breakfast cereals targeted at children contain 'steadily high' sugar levels since 1992 despite producer claims A major pressure group has issued a fresh warning about perilously high amounts of sugar in breakfast cereals, specifically those designed for children, and has said that levels have barely been cut at all in the last two and a half decades Getty Health news in pictures Potholes are making us fat, NHS watchdog warns New guidance by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the body which determines what treatment the NHS should fund, said lax road repairs and car-dominated streets were contributing to the obesity epidemic by preventing members of the public from keeping active PA Health news in pictures New menopause drugs offer women relief from 'debilitating' hot flushes A new class of treatments for women going through the menopause is able to reduce numbers of debilitating hot flushes by as much as three quarters in a matter of days, a trial has found. The drug used in the trial belongs to a group known as NKB antagonists (blockers), which were developed as a treatment for schizophrenia but have been sitting on a shelf unused, according to Professor Waljit Dhillo, a professor of endocrinology and metabolism REX Health news in pictures Doctors should prescribe more antidepressants for people with mental health problems, study finds Research from Oxford University found that more than one million extra people suffering from mental health problems would benefit from being prescribed drugs and criticised ideological reasons doctors use to avoid doing so. Getty Health news in pictures Student dies of flu after NHS advice to stay at home and avoid A&E The family of a teenager who died from flu has urged people not to delay going to A&E if they are worried about their symptoms. Melissa Whiteley, an 18-year-old engineering student from Hanford in Stoke-on-Trent, fell ill at Christmas and died in hospital a month later. Just Giving Health news in pictures Government to review thousands of harmful vaginal mesh implants The Government has pledged to review tens of thousands of cases where women have been given harmful vaginal mesh implants. Getty Health news in pictures Jeremy Hunt announces 'zero suicides ambition' for the NHS The NHS will be asked to go further to prevent the deaths of patients in its care as part of a zero suicide ambition being launched today Getty Health news in pictures Human trials start with cancer treatment that primes immune system to kill off tumours Human trials have begun with a new cancer therapy that can prime the immune system to eradicate tumours. The treatment, that works similarly to a vaccine, is a combination of two existing drugs, of which tiny amounts are injected into the solid bulk of a tumour. 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Rex Health news in pictures Potential key to halting breast cancer's spread discovered by scientists Most breast cancer patients do not die from their initial tumour, but from secondary malignant growths (metastases), where cancer cells are able to enter the blood and survive to invade new sites. Asparagine, a molecule named after asparagus where it was first identified in high quantities, has now been shown to be an essential ingredient for tumour cells to gain these migratory properties. Getty Health news in pictures NHS nursing vacancies at record high with more than 34,000 roles advertised A record number of nursing and midwifery positions are currently being advertised by the NHS, with more than 34,000 positions currently vacant, according to the latest data. Demand for nurses was 19 per cent higher between July and September 2017 than the same period two years ago. 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On this trajectory that could rise to nearly 200,000 excess deaths by the end of 2020, even with the extra funding that has been earmarked for public sector services this year. Reuters Health news in pictures Long commutes carry health risks Hours of commuting may be mind-numbingly dull, but new research shows that it might also be having an adverse effect on both your health and performance at work. Longer commutes also appear to have a significant impact on mental wellbeing, with those commuting longer 33 per cent more likely to suffer from depression Shutterstock Health news in pictures You cannot be fit and fat It is not possible to be overweight and healthy, a major new study has concluded. 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The class is therefore predominantly aimed at parents but you actually do not have to have children to take part Getty Health news in pictures 'Fundamental right to health' to be axed after Brexit, lawyers warn Tobacco and alcohol companies could win more easily in court cases such as the recent battle over plain cigarette packaging if the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights is abandoned, a barrister and public health professor have said Getty Health news in pictures 'Thousands dying' due to fear over non-existent statin side-effects A major new study into the side effects of the cholesterol-lowering medicine suggests common symptoms such as muscle pain and weakness are not caused by the drugs themselves Getty Health news in pictures Babies born to fathers aged under 25 have higher risk of autism New research has found that babies born to fathers under the age of 25 or over 51 are at higher risk of developing autism and other social disorders. 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The genes were found after the DNA of tens of thousands of people with the disease was compared to the DNA of people who did not have it.

According to the NHS website, people with Alzheimers live for an average of eight to 10 years after they start to get symptoms although this can vary considerable from person to person.

There's no cure for Alzheimer's disease, but medication is available that can help relieve some of the symptoms and slow down the progression of the condition in some people, it says.

Various other types of support are also available to help people with Alzheimer's live as independently as possible, such as making changes to your home environment so it's easier to move around and remember daily tasks.

Psychological treatments such as cognitive stimulation therapy may also be offered to help support your memory, problem solving skills and language ability.

The research was described in a paper published in the journal Nature Genetics.
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Owen Paterson, the former Environment Secretary and high-profile Brexit-supporter, has objected to the idea that the UK might pay into the EU budget for continued "access" to the single market after Brexit.

The United States, Japan Australia, they do not pay for access to the market, he told the BBC's Today programme on Monday.

Normally, if you want to pay for access to a market you pay a tariff. And we dont want to have tariffs. We want to have reciprocal free trade. So I think that is one area where I think emphatically, we will not want to pay anything.

Not even if that means we lose a great deal of trade as a result? Mr Paterson was asked by his BBC interviewer.

No because we pay a tariff, which of course hits them much harder because they have this massive surplus with us. Last year they had a surplus of 71.8bn. The Germans sold us 950,000 cars. Its absolutely in everyones interests that we get a reciprocal free trade deal."

Its a complete nonsense that we as an independent, sovereign, nation of the same level standing as countries like US, Australia or Japan should pay something. I also think it would probably be against WTO [World Trade Organisation] rules anyway because theyd be discriminatory.

The remarks have caused some degree of bafflement and derision on social media.

So what is Mr Paterson talking about? Do his comments make sense? And what is the true situation with regard to the UK and the single market post-Brexit?
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Poundland has been forced to delay the launch of what appears to be a copycat chocolate bar, provoking the ire of Toblerone.

The budget retailer originally announced plans to launch Twin Peaks, its own distinctive double-peaked chocolate bar, at the beginning of July. Switzerlands Toblerone took exception and has since sent a legal letter to the discount superstore. The dispute puts the introduction of Twin Peaks on hold.

Poundlands take on the triangular classic reportedly weighs 30g more than the Toblerone original, pitting it as a potential rival and possibly threatening the Swiss chocolatier's foothold in discount stores.

Whilst packaging for the new bar closely resembles that of its more luxurious counterpart, Twin Peaks reportedly takes its inspiration from The Wrekin hill in Shropshire while the shape of Toblerone is widely believed to be based on the Matterhorn mountain. Manufacturing also differs: Poundlands version is made in Birmingham. Toblerone, though owned by US confectionery Mondelez, is made in Switzerland.

The row comes on the back of Toblerone's decision last year to increase the gap between its triangles and reduce the weight of the chocolate bars in response to rising commodity prices.

Mondelez exports Toblerone to about 120 countries around the world, with its main sales channel being duty-free outlets, but a surge particularly in sugar prices has ramped costs up for the manufacturers.

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

Poundland has yet to provide a new launch date. A spokesperson for Poundland said, Twin Peaks is still in development.

The companies trading director Barry Williams told The Telegraph that Poundland shoppers are savvy and that the changes to the Toblerone bar last year didnt go unnoticed.

He said that Poundland is responding to a need to create a new 1 alternative and that its important to have chocolate bar with a British taste, and with all the spaces in the right places.
Monitoring of peaceful assemblies: report

Helsinki Committee of Armenia has published a report on the monitoring of peaceful assemblies for the period of July 2016 to 30 June 2017. There were numerous instances of unlawful interference in and violence against the assemblies organized in Yerevan and Gyumri from 17 July through 4 August 2016. Provisions of the RoA Law on Freedom of Assemblies as well as the established procedure for interference in assemblies were not complied with. Unjustified and unlawful interference with the course of assemblies took place. Numerous civic activists were subjected to persecution because they exercised their right to freedom of assembly. Prohibition to conduct assemblies and unjustified restrictions on assemblies venues by the Police were orchestrated. Such restrictions can be imposed only in cases defined and through the procedure established by the RoA Law on the legal regime of the state of emergency. However, in the above-mentioned period of time the state of emergency was not declared in any part of the Republic of Armenia. Violence and threats against reporters not only caused personal physical and moral harm but also jeopardized coverage of peaceful assemblies and impeded the exercise of the right to freedom of assembly by assembly participants. Many citizens were forcibly taken to and were held for hours without any grounds in police departments as well as in the barracks of the police force. Individuals who were not rally participants as well as assembly participants family members were subjected to pressure and violence. Even though some policemen who had committed violations during the July 2016 events were subjected to disciplinary sanctions, nevertheless, not a single serviceman of law-enforcement agencies or any other individual has so far been criminally prosecuted. As was the case in the previous reporting period, the number of policemen performing their duties in assembly venues was disproportionally large. Also present again were plainclothes policemen who in contrast to earlier periods of time did not interfere in the course of the assemblies and did not detain assembly participants. Those police units that constantly perform their duties at peaceful assemblies did not have insignia on their uniforms, which could make their identification difficult when necessary. Groundless detentions of participants of peaceful assemblies aimed to restrict persons participation in a given assembly or in future assemblies or to prevent planned assemblies from taking place. Find the whole report here
Sign up to our free fortnightly newsletter from The Independent's Race Correspondent Nadine White Sign up to our free fortnightly newsletter The Race Report Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

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Update March 8, 2021: After a two-year fight to clear his name, a judge threw out charges against Pawel Uczciwek and called the allegations against him a colossal waste of time. For the full story, click here.

A man accused of hitting a Muslim woman and trying to pull off her headscarf has denied the attack, claiming he was trying to protect his girlfriend from racist abuse.

Aniso Abdulkadir said she was waiting for a tube at Baker Street Station in the early hours of Saturday morning when a man attacked her. She claimed her friend was also pinned against a wall and spat at.

She posted a photo of her alleged attacker on Twitter and urged others to share the image in order to identify him, attracting more than 35,000 retweets by Monday afternoon.

But Pawel Uczciwek, who identified himself as the man in the photograph, rejected the accusations and said he was simply trying to diffuse a fight.

"I defended my partner by trying to completely diffuse a racist attack from three random females," Mr Uczciwek, who says he is a 28-year-old architect from London, wrote on Twitter.

"As a result, one of the females in particular responded by making malicious completely false allegations against me and I would like to confirm I never hit or attacked anyone."

The British Transport Police (BTP) said they were aware of Mr Uczciwek's statement

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 the BTP said: Behaviour like this is totally unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

This incident has been reported to us and were investigating.
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More than a dozen new homes in South Yorkshire will need to be demolished to make way for the new HS2 railway line after the Government unveiled the route for the section phase of the 55.7bn project.

The eastern section of the line, linking Birmingham and Leeds via Sheffield, will go through a newly-built housing estate.

Sixteen properties in Mexborough will be bulldozed to make way for the high-speed railway, the Department for Transport (DfT) said.

Residents will lose their homes because ministers decided the line should serve the existing Sheffield city centre station after proposals to run trains to Meadowhall shopping centre were shelved.

The Western branch of the HS2 line will connect the West Midlands with Manchester via Crewe.

Labour's Rotherham MP Sarah Champion said she was "furious" because South Yorkshire "won't get a proper stop".

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling's decision on the route from Crewe to Manchester and Birmingham to the East Midlands and Leeds confirms six of the seven changes included in the November consultation.

Mr Grayling decided not to proceed with a proposal to move the line to the east of Measham, Leicestershire.

The proposed route for the HS2 high-speed rail scheme in the north-west, East Midlands and Yorkshire (PA)

The railway will run to the west of the village with a viaduct extended to mitigate the impact on commercial properties.

Meanwhile, Ed Miliband has accused Mr Grayling of a "gross discourtesy" after it emerged the announcement on the final route for HS2 was likely to be "sneaked out" in a written statement.

The former Labour leader was joined by Conservative and Labour MPs in raising points of order in the Commons to voice their displeasure with Mr Grayling.

Earlier on Monday, troubled construction giant Carillion was among firms awarded contracts for the building of phase one of the line.

The deals are worth 6.6bn in total and will see tunnels, embankments and viaducts constructed between London and Birmingham.

High-speed trains are expected to begin operating between London and Birmingham in 2026.

Mr Grayling said: "This is a hugely important step in the construction of Britain's new railway and underlines this Government's determination to deliver an economy that works for all.

"HS2 will deliver vital links between some of our country's biggest cities, helping to drive economic growth and productivity in the North and Midlands.

"As well as providing desperately needed new seats and better connecting our major cities, HS2 will help re-balance our economy.

"We will now get on with building the railway, while continuing to ensure affected communities get appropriate support and are treated with fairness, compassion and respect."

A protest poster near Manchester marks the proposed route (AFP/Getty)

Opponents of the project claim it will run over budget, create havoc during construction and have disastrous environmental consequences.

Joe Rukin, of the Stop HS2 campaign, said: "The case for HS2 has been invented by the very cheerleaders who intend to rake in billions of taxpayers' money which is desperately needed elsewhere, so it really is time to ditch this gigantic white elephant before it is too late."

But supporters hope it will reduce the need for environmentally-damaging domestic flights between London and northern cities.

In February, Parliament granted powers to build the first phase of the line, which will see trains travel at high-speed between London and Birmingham before running on from Birmingham on the existing West Coast Main Line.

Preparatory work has begun and major construction projects are due to launch in 2018-19.

Services on phase 2a from the West Midlands to Crewe are expected to begin in 2027.

Phase 2b from Crewe to Manchester, and Birmingham to the East Midlands and Leeds, is due to open in 2033.
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A nurse says she is facing a bill of about 150,000 in charges to a private company for parking at the hospital where she works after she and colleagues lost a court ruling.

The unnamed nurse is just one of 75 members of staff at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff who lost a court battle against Indigo Park Services, which manages car parks on the site.

The doctors and nurses have been ordered to pay an initial 39,000 in outstanding parking charges and 26,000 in court costs after a judge at the civil justice court ruled they must pay 128 per ticket.

The charges relate to the period between April and May last year and campaigners involved in the case warn the charges will mount as staff have continued to be issued tickets in the interim.

Indigo brought the case against the NHS staff who parked in visitor parking while at work because there is not enough space for them all to use the allocated staff parking.

One woman told the BBC she can spend almost an hour on some days searching for a place to park.

Cardiff and Vale Hospital Trust issues more than 8,500 car parking permits to staff but there are about 1,800 employee parking spaces on the entire site  meaning there is not enough space for staff.

The case was brought against three members of staff who have over 100 parking charge notices (PCNs) outstanding between them, but it will be binding on the 72 others who have also been issued with fines.

Barry Beavis, who acted as a lay representative for the nurses in court as they could not afford a barrister, told The Independent the staff were devastated at the verdict as these were life changing amounts of money.

He said the nurse who faces 150,000 in charges told him: She said Ive got about 1,200 parking charges. She said I get three or four a week and all I can do is write on them to stop hassling me and I send them back to them.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures 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 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

She pays them 1.05 a week through her permit. She says I pay my 1.05 to park there. I have to park there. I work there so I pay to park there but they keep telling me its the wrong car park. Twelve hundred times, 128 each.

Sue Prior, a local parking campaigner who helped prepare the case, said some of the nurses were handing in their notices at the prospect of incurring more fines.

They have permitted a private parking company to do this. There is no common sense anywhere. It was like David and Goliath  and David lost, she told Wales Online.

Mr Beavis said the charges against the staff were set to go up as the firm had been sitting on all the PCNs they had issued since the court case begin.

Although the firm cancelled all the fines issued before March 2016 as a gesture of goodwill, Mr Beavis said: It was conveyed directly to me by the supervising solicitor for the other side that Indigo Park Services have got in the bottom of a filing cabinet, literally 100,000 parking charges that they have issued over the last 12 months that they can seek to recover from staff.

The judge ruled each nurse must pay 128 per ticket (Rex)

A crowdfunding campaign has now been launched to help the nurses launch an appeal against the verdict and they are looking for a barrister to take the case on pro bono.

Mr Beavis, who owns a fish and chip shop in Billericay, Essex, was asked to represent the staff in court after he took his own parking charge case to the Supreme Court in 2015.

The judge made errors in law. I dont represent many people in court and I am not a great advocate. Their barrister is more experienced at this and he put his case forward better than I could but I think there are grounds for appeal, he added.

He said he had been campaigning against private parking charge companies who he said were currently out of control, adding that the Government needed to appoint a regulator to control the completely rogue industry.

A spokeswoman for Indigo Park Services told The Independent: In April last year, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board and Indigo agreed a new set of measures to improve car parking on the University Hospital of Wales site.

As a gesture of goodwill towards car-park users, parking charge notices issued up to the end of March 2016 were cancelled. In addition, the cost of a PCN was reduced to 10.00, if paid within 14 days.

Despite this, a number of people refused to pay for parking at the site. They also ignored the resulting PCNs and declined to use the formal appeals process. The recent court hearing related to three persistent offenders, who have accumulated in excess of 100 PCNs between them since April 2016.

As the company responsible for managing parking and ensuring the free flow of traffic at Cardiff UHW, we have an obligation to ensure enforcement of parking restrictions. For this reason, and with the full support of the Health Board, we took action against this small group of persistent offenders. The courts ruling has justified our decision to take this action.
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Pornograhy websites are to be ordered to install age-verification software to ensure users are not under 18.

Sites face being banned in the UK if they fail to comply with tough new regulations set to be announced by the Government on Monday.

An estimated one million children access explicit websites each month, according to the NSPCC. The charity warns pornography can give children a warped view of relationships, increase "risky" behaviour, and create unrealistic expectations of body image and performance.

Recommended What could happen after the government crackdown on online pornography

The Government also plans to appoint a regulator to police sex websites. The British Board of Film and Classification, which sets age limits for films, DVDs and computer games, is set to have its remit expanded to include enforcing age-verification on x-rated sites.

Digital Minister Matt Hancock said: "We are taking the next step to put in place the legal requirement for websites with adult content to ensure it is safely behind an age-verification control.

"All this means that while we can enjoy the freedom of the web, the UK will have the most robust internet child protection measures of any country in the world."

Sex websites could require users to provide details from their credit card, which cannot be legally issued anyone under 18. Gambling websites already use a similar system.

The new regulator will tell internet service providers to block sites that do not take steps to prevent under-18s accessing pornography.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said it wanted all porn sites to have age-verification controls in place by April 2018.

Mr Hancock will formally begin the process with a written statement to the House of Commons on Monday.

Will Gardner, chief executive of internet safety charity Childnet, said: "Protecting children from exposure, including accidental exposure, to adult content is incredibly important, given the effect it can have on young people. Steps like this to help restrict access, alongside the provision of free parental controls and education, are key.

"It is essential to help parents and carers, as well as young people, be more aware of this risk and what they can do to prevent exposure and also to make sense of exposure if it happens."

Just under half of 11-to-16-year-olds and more than a quarter of 11-to-12-year-olds have viewed pornography online, according to an NSPCC report published last year. Researchers found children were more likely to stumble upon explicit sites that access them directly.
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Social workers in the UK are working an average of 64 days of overtime a year, leading care workers associations to warn that overworking increases the risks of child abuse cases such as that involving Baby P.

A study showed as many as 92 per cent of the 100,000 registered social workers in the UK are working an average of 10 hours unpaid overtime each week, amounting to approximately 480 hours every year, or 64 days per person.

The Social Workers Union (SWU) and the British Association of Social Workers (BASW) said the numbers give alarming evidence of the difficulties social workers experience.

As a result of the unpaid overtime, over 50 per cent of current social workers are considering leaving the profession within the next 18 months, the study found.

With the number of trainees in the sector falling, such a deficit could result in a social care crisis in the UK.

Social workers having to deal with more cases with fewer resources could result in increased risks for those being cared for, and could increase the chances of another child abuse tragedy such as that of Baby P.

Peter Connelly, a 17-month-old boy, died in 2007 after suffering more than 50 injuries over an eight-month period.

During that time he was repeatedly seen by childrens services and NHS professionals who failed to pick up on the abuse. His case led to three inquiries and a nationwide review of social service care.

Dr Ruth Allen, chief executive of the British Association of Social Workers, told The Independent that although there were many contributing factors to his particular case, excessive overtime could lead to higher risks including not being able to work early enough with a family to prevent things going wrong and missing signs.

She said social workers who have the time to do their jobs properly and have the time for recovery and reflection are in a better position to spot cases which might need further attention.

Its no guarantee that youll avoid all tragedy, but youre in a better position to be able to see warning signs. The other key thing is youre in a better position to go in early and see things deteriorating, she said.

She said the issue is underpinned by austerity and public funding cuts, which affect some of the poorest authorities the most.

There needs to be a complete recommitment to equalising communities access to good, preventive social work for adults and children, she said. And that means making more fair funding regimes, ending austerity and reversing cuts.

Former social worker Lucy Kirland told The Independent the amount of overtime she worked factored into her decision to quit. The job took over my life completely, she said.

She added: Theres always a risk youre going to miss something. Most of the time, the job doesnt allow you to spend quality time within the family home or with that child.

You often have so many home visits to do that day and a mountain of case notes that it is often cut short. You probably miss things because of that. You will miss things because the system does not enable you to be a good social worker, it just enables you to be really good at judging something in 10 minutes and panicking to write it up.

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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

The author of the study, Jermaine Ravalier, from Bath Spa University, said: What our research has revealed is that the majority of social workers are actually deeply fulfilled by their work but the satisfaction they feel can no longer outweigh the lack of support they are experiencing.

Deep budget cuts are forcing social workers to take on more cases than ever, putting them under pressure to deliver a service to people that are often vulnerable with fewer resources. In order to keep up, they are simply giving away days of their personal time.

If this keeps up, and the social workers we spoke with do leave the profession, local authorities will be forced to pay for contract workers who are expensive, transient, and certainly wont be working lots of free hours.

Commenting on the study, John McGowan, general secretary of the SWU, said: Dr Ravaliers research has highlighted what the reality of being a social worker is in todays austerity Britain.

It is a great concern that the majority of social workers are considering leaving the profession due to having to work an extra 10 hours a week unpaid to meet their workload and protect vulnerable people.

Social work intervention in a vulnerable persons life can greatly improve the quality of life and opportunities for that person and the people that support them, who otherwise may need increased intervention from a range of agencies that costs more to the taxpayer but also reduces the quality of life for the person.

In light of the findings, the study recommends the Government focus on improving

Mr Ravalier added: The government has enjoyed years of huge savings in the form of conscientious employees giving up their own time. The funding blackhole that many predict we are facing almost certainly does not take this into account, so the situation is likely to be much worse than thought.

If we do see a mass exodus then these costs will have to be taken into account  a crisis is definitely looming and thousands of people, including the elderly, the very young and those with health issues, are at risk of slipping through the net.

With this evidence in hand, the Government needs to consider its spending position on social care very soon and inject a great deal of money into the sector.
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David Davis is facing damaging accusations that the Government is tearing itself apart over Brexit, as the critical negotiations resume in Brussels.

The Brexit Secretary will hold fresh talks with the European Commissions chief negotiator on Monday, just a day after the Cabinets deep policy split was revealed by the Chancellor.

Philip Hammond lifted the lid on Cabinet feuding by claiming damaging stories about him had come from fellow ministers out to get him because he is pushing for a softer Brexit.

Recommended Chancellor says Cabinet infighting is bid to sabotage soft Brexit

Meanwhile, Liam Fox, the International Trade Secretary, fired his own warning shot by laying down strict conditions for any transitional deal, as demanded by the Chancellor.

Mr Fox ruled out any delay to full EU withdrawal that prevented Britain from signing trade deals with non-EU countries from day one after departure day, in March 2019.

Tim Farron, the Liberal Democrat leader, seized on the splits, saying: The Conservative Government is more interested in tearing itself apart than getting on with the monumental challenge it has set itself on Brexit.

In Brussels, Mr Davis is expected to insist the Government is now ready to get down to business, after EU warnings that the clock is ticking on Britain.

He will press for agreement on the future rights of three million EU citizens living in the UK, and one million Britons living in the EU, as his personal priority for the second round of the talks.

EU leaders have already rejected Theresa Mays generous offer to EU citizens in the UK as falling short, insisting it will deprive them of some current rights.

But Mr Davis will say: We made a good start last month and this week well be getting into the real substance.

Protecting the rights of all our citizens is the priority for me going into this round and Im clear that its something we must make real progress on.

The other key conflicts are over the size of the divorce bill that Britain must pay to meet its obligations to the EU and over the threat to the border with the Republic of Ireland.

Crucially, last month, Mr Davis caved in to the EUs insistence that the talks would only move onto trade when enough progress had been made on Brussels three priorities.

Last week, Michel Barnier, the Commissions negotiator  in warning the clock is ticking  called on Mr Davis to properly explain Britains position as the talks resume, laying bare Brussels frustration.

Setting out the huge difficulties ahead, Mr Barnier said: How do you build a relationship based on trade and security to last with a country where you dont have trust?

The talks resume against the backdrop of the Chancellor lashing out against un-named colleagues he accused of briefing against him.

Mr Hammond all but admitted a report that he had told the Cabinet that public sector workers are overpaid was true  while denying he had said even a woman can drive a train.

Asked why colleagues are going for you, he pointed to disputes over Brexit, saying: If you want my opinion, some of the noise is generated by people who are not happy with the agenda that I have.

Mr Farron added: Philip Hammond recognises that leaving the single market would be catastrophic for the UK economy, yet Theresa May and much of the Conservative Cabinet is pushing through a disastrous extreme Brexit.

And Jeremy Corbyn said: It seems quite extraordinary that were having varying accounts coming out of every Cabinet meeting about who said what to who and at what point in the meeting they said it, and everybody saying nothing actually happened.
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David Cameron has said he would like to strap some of his former colleagues to a raft and throw them in a "very, very dangerous river", in his first interview since the general election.

The former Prime Minister made the comments after being asked whether any of his previous co-workers should attend National Citizen Service, his flagship summer camp initiative.

If it involved crossing a very, very dangerous river on a raft, I can think of a few Id want to strap together," Mr Cameron told the Evening Standard, which is edited by his longtime ally and former Chancellor George Osborne.

Mr Cameron was speaking after the first patrons' board meeting of the National Citizen Service scheme, which he set up shortly after Mr Cameron entered Downing Street.

The programme was designed to instil social responsibility in young people as part of his "big society" vision, but critics have said there is scant evidence it works.

During the interview, Mr Cameron described June's general election result as "depressing", saying the Conservative party needed to offer a "more inspiring vision" to attract younger voters.

The former Prime Minister warned the Conservative Party needed to be careful it did not "slip backwards" from the more "liberal, tolerant" party he said he presided over.

He was halfway through writing a memoir, Mr Cameron said, promising it would be a "rip-roaring read ".

The comments came amid reports the Cabinet was "tearing itself apart" over Brexit as negotiations with the EU resumed.

Indicating an ongoing Cabinet dispute, Philip Hammond said damaging stories about him had been leaked by fellow members angry at him for pushing for a soft Brexit.

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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

Earlier in July, Mr Cameron distanced himself from Cabinet members and key Brexit figures Boris Johnson and Michael Gove when he said critics of austerity were "selfish".

The Foreign Secretary and Environment Secretary had broken ranks and suggested the public sector pay cap should be lifted.
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Brexit secretary David Davis has been criticised after being pictured sitting down to EU negotiations in Brussels without any notes.

The minister returned to the UK after half a day of talks and a photo opportunity after Article 50 discussions resumed on Monday morning.

In a photograph posted out through official channels, Mr Daviss approach was in stark contrast to the European Commission negotiators, who sat with large piles of paper in organised binders.

The Department for Exiting the European Union did not respond to a request for comment on the ministers lack of notes.

Liberal Democrat Brexit spokesperson Tom Brake said: We have less than twenty months of Brexit talks left, yet David Davis has skulked back to the UK after just half a day.

He didn't have any position papers with him because this government has no agreed Brexit position.

This is a government with no papers, no plan and no time for the most important negotiations of a lifetime.

They are meant to be negotiating Brexit but they cant even negotiate among themselves.

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

The UK and EU teams will negotiate on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday for coordinators meetings and negotiating groups before a final announcement and press conference on Thursday.

Negotiators are expected to address the issue of citizens rights, the financial settlement between Britain and the EU, and the question of Northern Ireland during the talks.

A spokesman for the Department for Exiting the European Union said: "As the Secretary of State has said, it's time to get down to business. Both sides have today got round the table and started the serious business of working through our positions in a number of areas.

"We recognise that this will be a complicated and technical process and we look forward to coming back tomorrow to make progress on the work we have begun today."
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The former head of the Vote Leave campaign has branded the Brexit Secretary as thick as mince and as lazy as a toad.

Dominic Cummings said David Daviss Repeal Bill contained provisions that would allow ministers to cave in to EU demands at the last minute.

Mr Cummingss outburst reflects continuing disagreement between different wings of the Brexit movement, which saw intense infighting at the time of last years EU referendum.

It comes on the same day that Mr Davis made a half-day trip to Brussels to negotiate with EU officials, where he faced criticism for being pictured sitting down for talks without any notes.

In the photograph, Mr Daviss approach was in stark contrast to the European Commission negotiators, who sat with large piles of briefing papers in organised binders.

Responding to the thick as mince comment, Andy Wigmore, a figure associated with the rival Leave.EU faction, labelled Mr Cummings Super Prat.

Mr Cummings, who masterminded the claim that Brexit could fund the NHS to the tune of 350m a week, said earlier this month that there was a chance that leaving the EU would turn out to be an error following a decision by morons in Government to withdraw from the European atomic energy community, Euratom.

In a stream of messages on Twitter the former Vote Leave chief said the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill tabled by the Government last week could allow ministers to alter their Brexit position at the last minute to secure a lengthy transition period, which he suggested was favoured by Mr Davis, Chancellor Philip Hammond and Cabinet Secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood.

He said the Brexit Secretary was manufactured exactly to specification as the perfect stooge for Heywood: thick as mince, lazy as a toad and vain as Narcissus.

Mr Cummings, a former special adviser to Michael Gove in the Department for Education, worked behind the scenes on the Vote Leave campaign that was fronted by figures including Mr Gove and Boris Johnson, while fellow Brexiteer Mr Davis appeared on platforms for the Grassroots Out organisation, which was aligned with the rival Leave.EU organisation funded by Ukip donor Arron Banks.

Dominic Cummings giving evidence to a parliamentary committee (UK Parliament) (Youtube)

The Vote Leave director has now said that Mr Davis spent the campaign boozing with [Nigel] Farage, predicting defeat and briefing [against] Vote Leave and was involved in the single crappest TV news for Leave of entire campaign, when Grassroots Out unveiled George Galloway as a supporter.

Mr Cummings insisted his latest comments were not prompted by any falling out between Mr Gove and Mr Davis, insisting he had not spoken to the Environment Secretary about his Cabinet colleague since before last years referendum.

He said the implications of Clause 9 of the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill may not be understood by MPs or even by Prime Minister Theresa May.

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

The Clause gives ministers the power to use secondary legislation to make legislative changes which they consider appropriate for the purposes of implementing the withdrawal agreement, including by amending the Bill itself.

Mr Cummings said this would embolden EU negotiators to make greater demands on the UK because they would know ministers were not bound by the text of the bill and can be arm twisted up to last second.

David Davis was pictured with no briefing notes during his trip to Brussels (PA) (PA Images)

The Government would be empowered to ditch almost anything they promise up to last minute when arms twist, making it much easier to implement a protracted transition period to full withdrawal from the EU, he warned.

On the photograph of Mr Davis at the negotiating table, Liberal Democrat Brexit spokesperson Tom Brake said: We have less than twenty months of Brexit talks left, yet David Davis has skulked back to the UK after just half a day.

He didnt have any position papers with him because this Government has no agreed Brexit position.

This is a government with no papers, no plan and no time for the most important negotiations of a lifetime.

They are meant to be negotiating Brexit but they cant even negotiate among themselves.
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The Education Secretary has announced an extra 1.3bn in funding of schools in England over two years  to be raised by cuts elsewhere in the wider education budget.

Justine Greening said the money, which amounts to around 650m a year, would be rolled out at the same time as a new funding formula for schools.

She argued that the new schools funding formula, to be introduced next year, would replace a current funding system that was unfair, opaque and out of date.

We recognise that at the election people were concerned about the overall funding level in schools as well as its distribution, and as the Prime Minister said we are determined to listen, she told the House of Commons.

In a crucial change of policy direction, 280m of the cash is expected to come from cuts to the free schools programme budget  previously a flagship programme for the Government.

The spending change follows a debate in Theresa May's Cabinet about the extent to which the Conservatives should relax austerity and spending cuts.

Ms Greening, who hailed the cash as the biggest increase in schools funding in a decade, is among ministers to have apparently called for more cash for her department  but she has apparently failed to convince the Chancellor to provide extra funding.

The additional funding I am setting out today together with the introduction of a national funding formula will provide schools with the investment they need to offer a world class education to every single child," she told MPs on Monday afternoon.

There will therefore be an additional 1.3bn for schools and high needs across 2018-19 and 2019-20 in addition to the schools budget set at spending review 2015.

Ms Greening said the funding would help schools transition to the national funding formula and that future spending decisions would be set out in a future spending review.

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 Education Secretary said the total schools and high needs budget would increase from 41bn in 2017-18 to 42.4bn in the first year of the increase and 43.5bn in the year after that.

Labours Shadow Education Secretary Angela Rayner accused the Conservatives of being in full retreat from their own manifesto.

Astoundingly, this has all been funded without a penny of new money from the Treasury  perhaps the Chancellor didnt want to fund schools and thought that teachers and teaching assistants were just more overpaid public servants, she said.
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Nikol Pashinyan, Nancy Pelosi discuss a number of issues related to the Armenian-American agenda and regional developments
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Theresa May should make Jeremy Corbyn a member of her Brexit negotiating team, a top EU official has suggested.

Guy Verhofstadt, the European Parliaments Brexit coordinator, said the Prime Minister losing her majority in the general election was a rejection of her hard Brexit plan and other voices should be listened to as negotiations with the European Union get into full swing.

The former Prime Minister of Belgium was critical of Ms May and described the election result as an own goal. He said it was now the Governments responsibility to determine whether or not they would take the result into account when determining their negotiating position.

Brexit is about the whole of the UK. It will affect all UK citizens, and EU citizens in the UK. This is much bigger than one political partys internal divisions or short term electoral positioning. Its about peoples lives, Mr Verhofstadt told The Independent.

I believe the negotiations should involve more people with more diverse opinions. Some recognition that the election result was, in part, a rejection of Theresa Mays vision for a hard Brexit would be welcome.

Asked if that meant Ms May should include other party leaders in her negotiating team, a spokesman for Mr Verhofstadt said: Absolutely.

Mr Verhofstadt was also highly critical of the manner in which Ms May has handled the negotiations thus far, describing her actions as somewhat chaotic, but stopped short of offering any advice.

I am not going to give Theresa May advice on the Brexit negotiations, he told The Independent. That is a matter for her and her government. However, in line with the European Parliaments resolution, I do think that the negotiations need to be conducted with full transparency. But that is a general point.

Regarding the handling of Brexit so far, I think it has been somewhat chaotic. It has been over a year since the referendum now and we have only just started the negotiations. This delay has created uncertainty, which has not been good for anybody  not for the UK, not for the EU and not for citizens.

The European Parliament holds the right to veto any potential Brexit deal, placing Mr Verhofstadt in a unique position. Although he is not directly negotiating with Britain, as the Parliaments point man, Mr Verhofstadt can offer extensive scrutiny on any proposals that Britain makes.

When asked what it would take for the European Parliament to vote against the Brexit deal, Mr Verhofstadt referred to the red lines that had previously been released by the Parliament.

It is a very detailed resolution which clearly stated that citizens interest must be a priority, there should not be a trade-off between security and the future economic relationship, no hard border in Ireland, the UK must honour all obligations (including budgetary obligations) it has committed to, and importantly there is to be no cherry picking, he said.

The comments come as Mr Corbyn and Shadow Brexit Secretary Sir Keir Starmer met with Michel Barnier for the first time, though the EU official stressed he will negotiate only with the UK Government.

Arriving for the talks, Mr Corbyn said he was representing 13 million people who voted for Labour at the general election.

Mr Barnier, who is the EUs chief Brexit negotiator, also held talks with Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, and Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones at his office in the European Commission headquarters, Berlaymont.

These are crucial negotiations for our country, Mr Corbyn said.

We are here to ensure that we protect jobs and living standards and to try to discover exactly what the views of the EU are on the whole process.

Speaking ahead of the visit, Mr Corbyn said Labour is a government in waiting that is ready to take up the responsibility for Brexit negotiations.

He added: In contrast to the Conservatives megaphone diplomacy, we will conduct relations with our European neighbours respectfully and in the spirit of friendship.

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

The second round of Brexit negotiations is set to commence in mid-July with citizens rights likely to dominate the agenda again.

Both sides have made initial proposals on citizens rights and there has been controversy across the continent about Britains position.

The current plans restrict the right of EU citizens in the UK to bring over family members and also lead to the loss of protection of the European Court of Justice.

Critics branded Ms Mays offer vague and not sufficient and the topic is likely to feature heavily during the second round of negotiations.
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Theresa May is running an enfeebled Government without authority following the general election last month, according to the former deputy Prime Minister Lord Heseltine.

The extraordinary comments from the Tory peer came after a weekend of in-fighting in the upper echelons of the Conservative party, with a series of damaging briefings against Philip Hammond, the Chancellor.

Describing the bitter recriminations at Cabinet level as distressing, Lord Heseltine, however, added the Prime Minister lacked the authority following the calamitous election result last month, in which she lost the partys majority, to dismiss those responsible for the leaks.

She can't sack leading Brexiteers because she has no authority, so you have an enfeebled Government, he told BBC Radio 4's World At One. My guess is thats its a leading Brexiteer  I have no evidence but thats where the self-interest lies.

Lord Heseltine continued: I think it's very distressing. I think that the chances are there will be a general election in two years and I don't see any sign of the Conservative Party focusing on how it wins that election.

He said that, in the Government's fragile condition, its best interests were to be bold (and) forward-looking and effectively dare the opposition to bring it down.

But he said he was frightened that any change in the leadership would simply mean a different prime minister persisting with Mrs May's Brexit is Brexit approach. That is not going to win us the next election, he added.

Lord Heseltine, who was earlier this year sacked from five Government advisory roles for rebelling on crucial Brexit vote, said that the European Union is well aware that the current Government is without authority.

This is a deeply divided Government, he said, warning that Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, was now in the position of being able to wait and see which way public opinion moves on Brexit before positioning the party to reap the electoral benefits.

On Monday - in an attempt to restore order to the Cabinet  the Prime Ministers spokesman said Ms May, during Tuesdays Cabinet, would reprimand ministers for leaking and briefing against the Chancellor. In just three days, Mr Hammond has been accused by his colleagues of making sexist comments at the Cabinet table, attempting to subvert Brexit and describing public sector workers as overpaid during a debate on the one per cent pay cap.

In a briefing to journalists in Westminster, Ms Mays spokesman added: Cabinet must be having all discussions of Government policy in private and the Prime Minister will be reminding her colleagues of that in cabinet tomorrow,

But asked whether he could confirm that the negative briefings were originating from Ms May's Cabinet, the spokesperson said: I'm not going to get into speculation of who said what where and when.

Asked about the briefings over the weekend, the Chancellor criticised his colleagues for briefing against him and said the damaging stories were coming from people who are not happy with the agenda that I have, which is to steer Britain towards a transitional exit deal with the EU.
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A man who was on his way to a job interview a week after being released from jail jumped off a city bus to save a car crash victim.

Aaron Tucker, from Bridgeport, Connecticut, was on the bus early in the morning on his way to the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que restaurant for his interview after being released from prison after serving almost two years in jail.

As the bus screeched to a halt at a stop, Mr Tucker noticed a car had hit a tree and flipped over.

Recommended Dutch prisons are giving inmates keys to their cells

The bus driver said he was not going to get out and help and that if Mr Tucker got off the bus, he would have to keep driving to complete his route.

Mr Tucker ran towards the vehicle which was gushing smoke and unbuckled the driver's seat belt to drag him away.

As it caught fire, nearby auto repair shop workers rushed over with a fire extinguisher while Mr Tucker kept the bleeding driver calm and covered the man's head wound with the shirt off his back.

"Your family wants to see you. Keep your eyes open," Mr Tucker reportedly kept saying to the driver, with whom he stayed until an ambulance came.

"I just wanted to make sure he was all right, and that's what I did," he said to WestportNow.com. Emergency personnel called him the "true hero".

Mr Tucker's job interview was a hugely important first step for his transition from prison into larger society, but he kept his perspective saying that "a job can come and go, but a life is one time thing".

He had left his halfway house with under $2 in his pocket that morning, but after hearing his story community members have rallied around the man trying to change his life for the better for his nearly two-year-old son and the boy's mother.

A crowdfunding page has raised over $50,000 in just a few days since the accident and Mr Tucker was given a suit by a local business owner as well as more than a few job offers.

Mr Tucker, who earned his high school diploma and became a tutor while incarcerated, said all of the money will be put towards taking care of his family.
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It is no secret the line between celebrity and politics is becoming increasingly blurred in America. Not only is the sitting President a former Apprentice host, WWE Hall of Famer and infamous property tycoon but Kid Rock just dropped a massive hint he will be running for the senate.

Caitlyn Jenner is now following suit and considering running for the US Senate to represent California.

The Olympic gold medallist and transgender activist, who is a lifelong Republican and formerly expressed support for Donald Trump, said she had a keen interest in politics.

I have considered it. I like the political side of it, Jenner said in a radio interview with New Yorks AM 970 which was broadcast on Sunday.

The 67-year-old, who is a politically conservative Christian, said she planned to make a choice within the next six months or so.

She said: I got to find out where I can do a better job. Can I do a better job from the outside, kind of working the perimeter of the political scene, being open to talk to anybody? Or are you better off from the inside, and we are in the process of determining that.

The transgender icon is a supporter of President Trump which is likely to curry her little favour in a state where the mogul-turned-politico lost by more than four million votes. However, she has publicly rebuked the President for his regressive transgender bathroom policy and been working to make the Republican Party more inclusive towards the LGBTQ community.

Jenner publicly revealed she was transitioning in 2015, saying, For all intents and purposes, I am a woman.

In pictures: Kardashian/Jenner magazine covers Show all 9 1 /9 In pictures: Kardashian/Jenner magazine covers In pictures: Kardashian/Jenner magazine covers In pictures: Kardashian/Jenner magazine covers Kim Kardashian for Love magazine shot by Steven Klein and styled by the magazine's editor-in-chief Katie Grand In pictures: Kardashian/Jenner magazine covers In pictures: Kardashian/Jenner magazine covers Kendall Jenner and Cara Delevingne for Love Magazine photographed by Slve Sundsb, Styling: Katie Grand In pictures: Kardashian/Jenner magazine covers In pictures: Kardashian/Jenner magazine covers Kim Kardashian on the cover of Paper Magazine In pictures: Kardashian/Jenner magazine covers In pictures: Kardashian/Jenner magazine covers Kendall Jenner on the cover of Harper's Bazaar Harper's Bazaar In pictures: Kardashian/Jenner magazine covers In pictures: Kardashian/Jenner magazine covers Kendall Jenner on the cover of Love Magazine LOVE In pictures: Kardashian/Jenner magazine covers In pictures: Kardashian/Jenner magazine covers Kendall Jenner on one of the covers of Teen Vogue's September issue In pictures: Kardashian/Jenner magazine covers In pictures: Kardashian/Jenner magazine covers Kim Kardashian on the cover of Brazil Vogue In pictures: Kardashian/Jenner magazine covers In pictures: Kardashian/Jenner magazine covers Kim and Kanye on the cover of American Vogue In pictures: Kardashian/Jenner magazine covers In pictures: Kardashian/Jenner magazine covers Caitlyn Jenner on the cover of Vanity Fair Reuters / Vanity Fair

Since coming out as transgender, Jenner has arguably become the most famous openly transgender woman in the world. She has also fronted an E! reality show I am Cait and continued to make appearances on Keeping up with the Kardashians along with her ex-wife Kris Jenner, children Kendall and Kylie Jenner and stepchildren Kim, Khloe, Kourtney and Rob Kardashian.

The California Republican Party is famed for electing celebrities - most notably President and former Governor Ronald Reagan, former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and former Carmel Mayor Clint Eastwood.

Another example of the spheres of celebrity and policy colliding includes Dwayne The Rock Johnson's apparent political aspirations. The actor's 2020 presidential campaign has just been filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

The paperwork was filed on behalf of the actor by a West Virginian man named Kenton Tilford. Despite the fact support for the professional wrestler is growing, there is not thought to have been any communication between Mr Tilford and Johnsons team as of yet.

Johnson is registered as an independent. He spoke at the 2000 Republican National Convention but also attended the Democratic National Convention the same year.

In May, he said he would take on President Trumps policies, saying he would like to see better leadership, responsibility and poise from the Oval Office.

He appears to have been flirting with the notion of embarking with a political career for some time.

After the Washington Post ran a piece assessing his presidential chances last year, Johnson described the prospect as "very alluring" in an Instagram post.

At the time he said: "Interesting piece from the Washington Post on if I ran for POTUS I could actually win. Writer Alyssa Rosenberg did some pretty good research into my background (slave descendants fighting for their freedom, Revolutionary War etc).

"Much more to uncover but well done. More and more pieces like this are popping up due to the Presidential election and they're cool/fun to read... I care DEEPLY about our country... and the idea of one day becoming President to create real positive impact and global change is very alluring. Buuuuut until that possible day, the most important thing right now is strong honest leadership from our current and future leaders of this country."
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Ann Coulter, the conservative commentator known for her strident and frequently vitriolic outbursts, is to receive $30 from Delta after she embarked on a Twitter tirade, after being reassigned to a seat with less leg room.

Ms Coulter, 55, author of books such as High Crimes and Misdemeanors: The Case Against Bill Clinton, attacked the airline after she was apparently unable to sit in the seat she had pre-booked.

Airline crew training at @Delta: Replicate Stanley Milgrams prison experiment at Yale, inducing normal ppl to brutally torture fellow man, Mr Coulter wrote.

Hey @Delta, if it was so important for the dachshund-legged woman to take my seat, she should have BOOKED THE SEAT IN ADVANCE. Like I did.

She then suggested that the ideal job for Delta employees might be prison guard, animal handler, or Stasi policeman.

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. 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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. 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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

Delta said it would refund Ms Coulter, who is 6ft, the $30 she paid for the seat. On Twitter, it added: Additionally, your insults about our other customers and employees are unacceptable and unnecessary.

Reuters said that Delta had yet to comment on the incident. Ms Coulter said she had not yet been told why she had been moved from the pre-booked seat.
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Being President of the United States is hard, and one could argue that the person sitting in the Oval Office needs all the help he can get - earthly or divine.

Donald Trump was prayed for on the campaign trail. Barack Obama called his Christian faith a sustaining force. And George W. Bush began his second term with prayer and reflection at Washington National Cathedral.

But an image of evangelical pastors laying hands on and praying over President Trump last week has struck an especially visceral chord with critics of Trump and his policies.

The religious leaders in the Oval Office said they were praying for God to give Trump guidance, supernatural wisdom and protection.

But in the short term, their photo turned into a lightning rod.

Chief among the critics on Saturday, was Reverend William Barber II, the leader of several morality-based protest movements that have targeted Trump and his policies.

On MSNBC's AM Joy on Saturday morning, Barber called the now-viral photo theological malpractice bordering on heresy.

When you can p-r-a-y for a president and others while they are p-r-e-y, preying on the most vulnerable, you're violating the most sacred principles of religion, Barber told host Joy Reid.

The attack is unsurprising given Barber's history. He's lashed out at politicians who he says use obscure biblical texts as scriptural cover for laws that hurt people. Barber has extended his disdain to the religious leaders who support them.

He told The Washington Post that the Bible says little about abortion, prayer in schools and same-sex marriage, but there are hundreds of scriptures that deal with how people should treat the least of these.

That biblical admonition, he believes, should extend to the political debate over who gets health care and who goes without, as he told Reid:

When we have this extremist Trump Republican agenda that takes health care, transfers wealth to the greedy, that's hypocrisy and sin. Seven hundred billion dollars, Joy? You haven't seen that kind of transfer of wealth on the backs of bodies of people since slavery. Claiming to care about life, but then passing a bill when you know thousands will die - 22 million people, poor, working people will be hurt - that is hypocrisy and sin. When you know it will hurt children, the disabled and veterans, that is sin. That is hypocrisy.

Laying hands on someone is a particularly intimate act for Evangelicals, communing with people and with God at the same time. As The Post's Sarah Pulliam Bailey wrote: Jesus' apostles in the New Testament would touch believers. It's seen as a sign of responsibility or authority. Many Christians lay hands on those who are being ordained in the church.

But things start to get dodgy when the practice is brought out of the church and into, well, the Oval Office.

Trump has said he is a Presbyterian, but he does not attend church regularly and has not joined any of the DC-area Presbyterian churches.

Still, white evangelicals overwhelming voted for Trump, according to the Pew Research Center. A survey in April found that 80 percent of white evangelical Protestants who attend church once a month approve of Trump's job performance.

Johnnie Moore, who photographed the laying hands moment, then tweeted it, said Monday's meeting was an informal gathering where they prayed for wisdom, that God would protect him and his family and that God would lead him. It was normal, what a lot of us pray when we pray for elected officials, he said. It was like a meeting of friends.

Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Show all 22 1 /22 Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Donald Trump's international Presidential trips French President Emmanuel Macron and US President Donald Trump AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips French President Emmanuel Macron and US President Donald Trump talk as they leave the Army Museum at Les Invalides in Paris AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips German Chancellor Angela Merkel and US President Donald Trump arrive for the group photo at the G7 Taormina summit on the island of Sicily in May 2017 Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Mr Trump was pressed on the subject at the G7 summit in Italy Getty Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump gives a speeech at the Warsaw Uprising Monument on Krasinski Square Getty Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump and Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May during a ceremony at the NATO headquarters before the start of a summit in Brussels, Belgium Reuters Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Montenegro's Prime Minister Dusko Markovic is seen to the right of Donald Trump at a Nato summit in Brussels REUTERS Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Pope Francis meeting with US President Donald J. Trump EPA Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Pope Francis poses with US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump arrives at Palazzo del Quirinale ahead of the meeting with Italian President Sergio Mattarella Ufficio Stampa Presidenza della via Getty Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump is seen during a joint press conference with the Palestinian leader at the presidential palace in the West Bank city of Bethlehem AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas meets US President Donald Trump PPO via Getty Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks with US President Donald Trump prior to the President's departure GPO via Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shake hands after delivering a speech at the Israel Museum AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump lay a wreath in the Hall of Remembrance as White House senior advisor Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump watch on during a visit to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial museum AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump visit to Yad Vashem Holocaust museum in Jerusalem accompanied by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu GPO via Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump takes his seat before his speech to the Arab Islamic American Summit in Riyadh in Saudi Arabia Reuters Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, US President Donald Trump and US First Lady Melania Trump look at a display of Saudi modern art at the Saudi Royal Court in Riyadh AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump and Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud take part in a signing ceremony at the Saudi Royal Court in Riyadh AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips King Salman presents Donald Trump with The Collar of Abdulaziz al-Saud Medal at the Royal Court Palace on 20 May AP Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump is welcomed by Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud upon arrival at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump walk on the South Lawn prior to their first foreign trip Getty Images

Still, Barber repudiated the religious leaders, who he said should be calling out Trump's actions, not laying hands on him.

What leaders ought to be doing is challenging the president - challenging McConnell, challenging Ryan and challenging these senators and others and not trying to appease them, Barber said. Instead, they're acting like priests of the empire rather than prophets of God.

The Washington Post
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A couple on their honeymoon have been accused of kidnapping and raping a woman in Florida before stealing sodas while naked from a convenience store the next day.

Police took newlyweds Rashada Hurley, 32, and her new husband Timothy Lowe, 37, into custody on charges of petit theft after their nude jaunt to the store, but later put two and two together that their suspects could be responsible for the alleged rape from the day before.

The 27-year-old woman who was allegedly beaten, kidnapped, and sexually assaulted by the couple quickly picked her assailants out of a police lineup.

The victim was picked up by her attackers while pulling out of a Publix grocery store parking spot in Hialeah, a city outside of Miami. She was allegedly approached by Ms Hurley as she pulled out of her spot. When the victim, who has not been named, rolled down the window, Ms Hurley allegedly struck her on the head, knocking her out, according to the Miami Herald.

The victim told police that she woke up with Ms Hurley choking her while Mr Lowe drove her car to a Motel 6. The couple then used her credit card to rent a room for them.

Once inside the motel room, the woman was allegedly forced to have sex with them, including performing oral sex on Ms Hurley.

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. 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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. 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At one point when the attackers were distracted the victim was able to escape.

The following day Mr Lowe and Ms Hurley were arrested on unrelated charges of public nudity after walking into a shop and pouring themselves a couple of sodas that they then didnt pay for. Another nearby store also said that the couple had been there naked.

The two were found a couple blocks away from the 7-11 convenience store they took the sodas from.

The couple were jailed on charges of kidnapping, car jacking, robbery, and sexual battery charges. They were both denied bond on the kidnapping charges.
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Hackers tried to access South Carolina's voter registration system almost 150,000 times on Election Day alone, a new report from the state's Election Commission has revealed.

The report plays into a larger pattern of attempted hacking in the 2016 election, in which the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) says more than 20 US states were targeted. Intelligence officials believe much of the election meddling was carried out by Russian hackers.

The news comes as President Donald Trump's eldest son has been called to testify before a Senate committee on his meeting with a Kremlin-connected lawyer during the 2016 campaign.

Recommended Vladimir Putin says Donald Trump believed his hacking denials

In South Carolina, state officials met with the FBI and state law enforcement about the attempted hacking as early as August 2016, according to The Wall Street Journal. In September, the state requested help from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and hired its own private cybersecurity firm.

That month, the DHS located 55 different vulnerabilities on devices used by the Election Commission  vulnerabilities that could be used to access the voter registration database and the Commission's public-facing website.

The private security firm took more than three weeks to patch the majority of these vulnerabilities, DHS reports reveal. By Election Day, however, all but one vulnerability had been fixed.

According to the Election Commission's report, unidentified malicious actors tried 149,832 different times to find that vulnerability on 8 November.

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

South Carolina officials found no evidence that the voter rolls were actually breached. They believe the attacks were carried out by automated bots, rather than thousands of individual actors.

Still, Chris Whitmire, the State Election Commissions director of public information and training, said this pattern marked a major departure from years prior.

Security has been a top priority for the [State Election Commission] since implementing the statewide voting system in 2004, Mr. Whitmire told the Journal. However, events leading up to the 2016 General Election, including the breaches of other states voter-registration systems, created an election-security environment that was very different.

And South Carolina was not alone, officials from the Department of Homeland Security testified last month.

As of right now, we have evidence of election-related systems in 21 states that were targeted, Jeanette Manfra, the acting deputy undersecretary for cybersecurity and communications at DHS, told the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Sources told Bloomberg that number could actually be much higher: As many as 39 states were targeted by an attack on poll-worker software, the sources allege. The attack reportedly breached dozens of voter databases, and at least one campaign finance database.

In a Senate testimony last month, former FBI Director James Comey warned that the threat of Russian hacking was far from over.

[This] it is a long-term practise of theirs, the former intelligence official said. It's stepped up a notch in a significant way in '16. They'll be back.
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A mother says she has been forced to resign as secretary general of an Islamic faith organisation after she attended the marriage of her gay son.

Earlier this month, a gay Muslim man named Ali Reza married his partner Paul in Vancouver.

It comes after a couple who had one of the UK's first same-sex marriages involving a Muslim partner received online abuse, some from fellow Muslims.

 One of first Muslim same-sex marriages takes place in UK

Ali Reza's family gave their full support and celebrated the wedding, but they soon became the target of public condemnation from leaders of their Shia Ithna-Asheri sect, also known as Khoja.

A petition was started calling for Ali Reza's mother, Siddika, to resign from her position as secretary general of NASIMCO (the Organisation of North American Shia Ithna-Asheri Muslim Communities).

The petition, which received nearly 1,000 signatures, said: "It is indisputable that the Secretary General, [Siddika], took part in the same-sex wedding of her son. The wedding was celebrated openly and proudly, with #AliandPaul2017 hashtag on social media.

"While we believe it is not necessary to extensively or deeply examine the personal lives of the members of NASIMCO, this incident cannot be dismissed as 'the personal lives of [Ali Rezas] family.'

"Traditionally, a wedding is a public demonstration of a relationship. This sin was not done in private, but rather was publicly celebrated and promoted. It goes against the legitimate majoritarian interpretations of Jaffari fiqh, which NASIMCO must uphold."

It also for the resignation of the organisation's president, Mohammad A Dewji, saying he knew about the wedding in advance but failed to condemn it.

The groom's mother, Siddika, was forced to resign from her position at NASIMCO.

Her resignation notice, sent in the form of an open letter, describes how she came to accept her son's homosexuality and support his marriage to Paul.

London Pride 2017 Show all 14 1 /14 London Pride 2017 London Pride 2017 Revellers in Trafalgar Square in front of the National Portrait gallery take part in London Pride, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) parade in London EPA London Pride 2017 A man wearing two hats attends the Pride in London Festival Getty London Pride 2017 Protesters demonstrate during the Pride in London Festival in London. This year's London Pride event marks 50 years since homosexuality was decriminalised in England and Wales under the 1967 Sexual Offences Getty London Pride 2017 The parade passes Nelson's Column as revellers take part in London Pride, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) parade in London, EPA London Pride 2017 Members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community take part in the annual Pride Parade in London on July 8 AFP London Pride 2017 Revelers enjoy the Pride London Parade in London. The Parade attracts an estimated crowd of 1 million onlookers, while around 26,500 people are taking part in the annual Parade making this the city's biggest one-day event and one of the world's biggest LGBT+ celebrations. AP London Pride 2017 Revellers take part in London Pride, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) parade in London EPA London Pride 2017 A participant sits on a rainbow coloured flag during the Pride in London Parade in central London PA London Pride 2017 Two men sit on a rainbow flag painted on the pavement at Oxford Circus as revellers take part in London Pride, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) parade in London, Britain EPA London Pride 2017 Revellers take part in London Pride, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) parade in London EPA London Pride 2017 A woman from the homeless charity 'Crisis' takes part in London Pride, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) parade in London EPA London Pride 2017 Revellers wave their flags as they take part in London Pride, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) parade in London EPA London Pride 2017 A woman walks past a shop front decorated with the Pride flag colours Getty London Pride 2017 People ride a tube escalator decorated with the Pride flag colours Getty

She wrote: "For us this is about standing up for Alis God given right to live a life that would not be filled with the burden of religious guilt and compounded by communal scorn and societal shame.

"The guilt and the scorn could potentially drown anyone and effect the human character. Many turn to drugs and alcohol (social vices) and some commit suicide."

She added: "We chose not to have that for our son. We wanted him to be the best human being possible.

"When he chose Paul, we agreed to support him to settle down. It has been a painful and challenging journey that only a mother can understand."

Siddika also said: "In moments of darkness, I realised that the only way for Ali to live an authentic life and not have to hide and fear rejection was to give him space to reach his human potential as Gods creation."

In a Tweet, NASIMCO also said its president, Mohamed A Dewji, and vice-president, Sukaina Sumar-Ebrahim, had resigned, though it is unclear whether this is linked to the outcry.

A statement from Mr Dewji posted on 12 July said: "NASIMCO strongly rejects recent allegations that suggest the organisation condones and advocates for behaviour that is considered to be un-Islamic.

"We strive to uphold and promote the values, ideals and practices of the Islamic Shia Ithna-Asheri faith. Any information to the contrary is false and misleading.

"In regard to the specific matter highlighting the private life of a NASIMCO official, we assure all community members that we are looking into the issue quite seriously and will address it in an appropriate and timely manner."

The Independent has contacted Ali Reza and Siddika, as well as NASIMCO, for comment.
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A group of Native American tribes have said they will continue to uphold the Paris Climate Change Agreement despite Donald Trump's withdrawal from it earlier this year.

Four Native American nations across three US states have joined together to aggressively address climate change after the federal government announced it would withdraw from the agreement, signed in December 2015.

The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, the Quinault Indian Nation, the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community and the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Tribes of Alaska said they would work together to protect the environment in their respective territories and to promote the cause in the rest of the US.

Since they announced the agreement last month, the Swinomish in Washington state have partnered with the Skagit Climate Consortium to protect the regions salmon from pollution and warming waters, while the Tlingit and Haida tribes in Alaska are monitoring ocean acidification levels and harmful algae blooms, the High Country News reported.

Although Native American tribes own carbon footprints are relatively small, they are set to be some of the communities worst hit by climate change.

There are 567 federally recognised tribes in the US and 40 per cent of them live in Alaska, which is set to be one of the states most affected as the planet warms.

In August last year a small Alaskan coastal village on an island just north of the Bering Strait voted to evacuate rather than pay for costly environmental defences to cope with rising sea levels.

Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons Show all 33 1 /33 Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons Donald Trump's first 100 days in office were marred by a string of scandals, many of which caught the eye of the Independent's cartoonists Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons Trump's first 100 days have seen him aggressively ramp up tensions with his nuclear rivals in North Korea Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons Mr Trump has warned of a "major, major conflict" with the pariah nation lead by Kim Jong Un Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons Mr Trump dropped the "mother of all bombs" on alleged ISIS-linked militants in Afghanistan, amid an escalation of US military intervention around the globe Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons Mr Trump has been accused of falling short of the standards set by his predecessors in the Oval Office, including Franklin D Roosevelt Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons The tycoon's ascension to the White House came at a time when the balance of power is shifting away from Western nations like those in the G7 group Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons Western politicians, including the British Conservative party, have been accused of falling in line behind Mr Trump's proposals Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons Brexit is seen to have weakened Britain, reducing still further any political will to resist American leadership Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons Mr Trump's leadership has been marked by sudden and unexpected shifts in global policy Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons Trump's controversial missile strike on Syria, which killed several citizens, was seen by some analysts as an attempt to distract from his policy elsewhere Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons The President has also spent a large majority of his weekends golfing, rather than attending to matters of state Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons Though free of gaffes, a visit from Chinese president Xi Jinping spotlighted trade tensions between the two states Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons One major and unexpected setback came when Mr Trump's Healthcare Bill was struck down by members of his own party Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons Mr Trump has been a figure of fun in the media, with his approval at record lows Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons A string of revelations about Mr Trump's financial indiscretions did not mar his surge to the White House Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons Outgoing President Barack Obama was accused of wiretapping Trump Tower by his successor in America's highest office Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons The alleged involvement of Russian intelligence operatives in securing Mr Trump the presidency prompted harsh criticism Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons The explosive resignation of Security Adviser Michael Flynn, who lied about his links to the Russian ambassador, was just one scandal to hit the President Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons Many scandals, such as the accusation Barack Obama was implicated in phone-hacking, first broke on Mr Trump's Twitter feed Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons Donald Trump's election provoked mass protests in the UK, with millions signing a petition to ban him from the country Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons Donald Trump cited a non-existent terror attack in Sweden during a campaign rally Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons Donald Trump stands accused of stoking regional tensions in Eastern Asia Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons North Korea has launched a number of failed nuclear tests since Mr Trump took power Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons Theresa May formally rejected the petition calling for Mr Trump to be banned from the UK Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons When Mr Trump's initial so-called Muslim ban was struck down by a federal justice, the President mocked the 69-year-old as a "ridiculous", "so-called judge" Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons A week after his inauguration, Theresa May met with Mr Trump at the White House Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons Donald Trump's first days in office were marked by a hasty attempt to follow through on many of his campaign promises, including the so-called Muslim ban Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons Donald Trump's decision to ban citizens of many majority-Muslim countries from the US sparked mass protests Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons Revelations about Donald Trump's sexual improprieties were not enough to keep him from being elected President Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons British PM Theresa May was criticised by many in the press for cosying up to the new President Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons One of Mr Trump's top aides, Kelly Anne Conway, was mocked for describing mistruths as "alternative facts" Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons British PM Theresa May was quick to demonstrate that her political aims did not hugely differ from Mr Trump's Donald Trump's first 100 days: in cartoons Donald Trump's inauguration, on 20 January 2017, sparked protests both at home and abroad

The village of Shishmaref, which has just under 600 residents, is blighted with poverty and may struggle to relocate to the mainland.

The residents also voted to leave in 2002 but were unable to do so due to cost.

One of the signatories to the agreement, the Standing Rock Sioux, has become famous for their long standing opposition to the proposed Dakota Access Pipeline, which would bring oil from North Dakota to Illinois.

The tribe argues that the 1,172 mile pipeline would cross its sacred burial grounds and threaten its water supply as it crosses the Missouri River just a mile from the tribes reservation.

From September 2016 members of the tribe, who were later joined by activists, blocked attempts to begin work on the site.

In December, Barack Obama denied an easement for the construction of the pipeline but Donald Trump signed an executive order approving it within days of entering the White House.

International leaders have condemned Mr Trump for pulling out of the agreement and the decision left the US isolated at the G20 in Hamburg earlier this month.
Amendment on gun sale to Turkey adopted

WASHINGTON, D.C. - As part of H.R. 2810, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018, Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Representative Dave Trott's (R-MI) amendment on a proposed gun sale to Turkey was adopted as part of the overall bill, reported the Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly). The amendment stated: "It is the sense of Congress that the proposed sale of semiautomatic handguns for export to Turkey should remain under scrutiny until a satisfactory and appropriate resolution is reached," in light of the Turkish security guards attack against peaceful protesters in our nation's capital. "Over the past few months, we've seen our NATO allies take extraordinary steps against Turkey, and it's time for the State Department to do the same. We need to block this arms sale and once and for all point a finger in Erdogan's chest and tell him that a strategic location does not place Turkey above the law," Rep. Trott said. "Just two months ago, Erdogan's henchmen, with him complacently observing just feet away, launched a brutal attack on peaceful protestors exercising their first amendment rights. A notorious oppressor of basic human rights and freedom, Erdogan imported his nefarious attitudes to our nation's capital. While Erdogan's thugs may run unchecked in Ankara, this is the United States of America and this is totally unacceptable," he added. Rep. Trott's amendment to H.R. 2810 highlighted concerns that "the security force that participated in this violence may be the recipient of arms exported from the United States under a proposed deal." The amendment builds on the unanimous passage last month of H. Res. 354, which condemned the violence that took place outside the Turkish Ambassador's residence on May 16 and called on the perpetrators to be brought to justice under U.S. law. In its letter to the House Rules Committee this week, the Assembly strongly supported the Congressman's amendment and urged its adoption. Approval by the Rules Committee paved the way for its adoption by the full House of Representatives. "The Armenian Assembly commends Rep. Trott for his ongoing efforts to hold Turkey accountable for its actions. Adoption of this amendment sends a strong message that the United States will not let its democratic values be trampled upon by a foreign government," said Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny. In addition to his amendment, Rep. Trott spearheaded a bi-partisan letter last month with 36 Members of Congress to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson opposing an anticipated gun sale to Turkey. "We can no longer enable Turkey to compromise our democratic values, and this proposed arms sale is nothing short of an endorsement of the actions of President Erdogan's security force. As such, we strongly urge you to reject this proposed sale and any potential weapons transfer to President Erdogan's security detail," the letter stated. Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian issues. The Assembly is a non-partisan, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.
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A leading historian at Yale University has warned that Republicans under Donald Trump risk being remembered like the conservatives of 1930s Germany, who were overcome by the radical right in Adolf Hitlers ascension to power.

Writing in The Guardian, Timothy Snyder, Housum professor of history at Yale University, claims the mendacity-industrial complex of the Trump administration makes conservatism impossible, and opens the floodgates to the sort of drastic change that conservatives opposed.

He examines the language of the Presidents campaign and of his staff, from Chief Strategist Steve Bannon to the administrations acknowledgement of Holocaust Remembrance Day, and its relation to the far-right in 1930s Germany and America.

Mr Snyder claims Mr Bannon wants to undo the legacies of 1940s America, which saw a fight against fascism and the results of President Roosevelts New Deal, which provided jobs and financial support for millions of Americans affected by the Great Depression.

Mr Bannon told the Hollywood Reporter last year the administration was going to build an entirely new political movement with everything related to jobs.

It will be as exciting as the 1930s, greater than the Reagan revolution  conservatives, plus populists, in an economic nationalist movement, he told the publication.

[Mr Bannon] seems to have in mind a kleptocratic authoritarianism (hastened by deregulation and the dismantlement of the welfare state) that generates inequality, which can be channelled into a culture war (prepared for by Muslim bans and immigrant denunciation hotlines), Mr Snyder claims.

He adds that Mr Bannon refers to fascist authors to defend his views, and believes that history repeats a process in which national virtue must be defended from permanent enemies.

 US president Donald Trump vows to put America first

Mr Trumps use of the term America first in his rhetoric about bettering the country also references an isolationist, anti-Semitic national organisation from the 1940s of the same name that opposed the countrys involvement in the Second World War and urged the government to negotiate a peace deal with Adolf Hitler.

Mr Snyder adds that on Holocaust Remembrance Day, President Trump drew widespread criticism when he failed to mention Jews in his official statement.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer sparked further outrage by claiming that Hitler was not using gas on his own people the same way as Assad is doing, in reference to the belief Bashar al-Assads government had used chemical weapons on civilians in Syria in April.

Mr Spicer apologised for his comments, but Mr Snyder called the original statement an error of fact that reveals a deeper absence of ethics.

The only way to believe that the German handicapped people and the German Jews who were gassed were not Germans is to accept the Nazi definition of race, he added.

He warned that Republicans must find their courage  and their conservatism  fast if they do not wish to be remembered as the German conservatives of the 1930s.
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An experienced skydiver jumped to his death from a plane after telling his wife in a final message that he was not going to pull the cord on his parachute.

Vitantonio Capotorto, 27, recorded a video telling Costansa Litellini he was "going somewhere wonderful" before killing himself by leaping from a height of 13,500ft.

His wife, 25, rushed to the skydiving centre in DeLand, Florida, and begged staff to stop her husband diving.

An employee radioed the plane's pilot but Mr Capotorto had already jumped.

Vitantonio Capotorto recorded a video message to his wife Costanza Zitellini before jumping to his death (Vitantonio Capotorto/Facebook) (Vitantonio Capotorto/Facebook)

Police searched for him from the sky and the ground before his body was found in an open field near to DeLand Municipal Airport, where the centre is based.

Investigators then learned of the "disturbing" final message. In the video, Mr Capotorto told his wife he was going to jump out of a plane on Tuesday but "not going to pull the cord and that he was going somewhere wonderful".

Skydive DeLand manager Mike Johnton told the Daytona Beach News-Journal that Mr Capotorto's wife arrived "moments too late" to stop the jump.

The couple both worked at United Parachute Technologies, a company that makes containers for parachutes.

Mr Capotorto, an Italian national who lived in DeLand, was an avid sky-driver who had made more than 600 previous jumps. His social media profiles show numerous photos of him in the air, sometimes with a GoPro-style camera strapped to his head.

Tara Richard, an employee at the skydiving centre, told police "he had seemed normal" when she saw him before take-off.

"We express our deepest sympathy for his family and his friends," Skydive Deland said in a statement.

The centre said Mr Capotorto was a licenced sky-diver with the appropriate training to jump alone and had paid for the flight.

For confidential support call the Samaritans in the UK on 116 123, visit a local Samaritans branch or visit their website.
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A Tesla owner who blamed his car's autopilot feature for "suddenly accelerating" and flipping his vehicle has said that it was actually him.

The crash occurred west of the Minneapolis, Minnesota, and David Clark claimed he had engaged the semi-autonomous driving feature in his Tesla electric car on a country road.

According to the Kandiyohi County Sheriff's office, Mr Clark's Tesla was found overturned in a marsh but the injuries were "minor".

But Mr Clark has since said it was actually his own mistake.

To the best of my recollection I had engaged the autopilot system but then I had disengaged it by stepping on accelerator," an email sent by Mr Clark to the sheriff's department read. "I then remember looking up and seeing the sharp left turn which I was accelerating into.

"I believe we started to make the turn but then felt the car give way and lose its footing like we hit loose gravel. That was the feeling that I was trying to describe to you that I had lost control of the vehicle. The next thing I know tall grass is whipping past the windshield and we were traveling at an odd angle in the ditch and then flipped over the right side and ended up on the roof.

The "cruise control" option in Teslas use cameras, radars, and an on-board computers to detect lanes, other vehicles, and objects in the road, steering as needed.

Tesla said in a statement following the accident that it has "no reason to believe [the autopilot feature] worked other than as designed."

The company has not yet responded to the request for information on if drivers and purchasers of Tesla vehicles receive some sort of training to use the feature. The Washington Post reported that Tesla does require drivers to keep their hands on the steering wheel even while the feature is engaged, however.

This is the second time the Palo Alto, California-based company's autopilot feature has been blamed for an accident.

In Gainsville, Florida, in May 2016, a driver was killed when his Tesla, going 70 miles per hour, crashed into a truck. It was the first known crash of a partly autonomous vehicle.

Tesla Model X reviewed Show all 11 1 /11 Tesla Model X reviewed Tesla Model X reviewed Tesla Model X Tesla Model X reviewed Tesla Model X Tesla Model X reviewed Tesla Model X Tesla Model X reviewed Tesla Model X Tesla Model X reviewed Tesla Model X Tesla Model X reviewed Tesla Model X Tesla Model X reviewed Tesla Model X Tesla Model X reviewed Tesla Model X Tesla Model X reviewed Tesla Model X Tesla Model X reviewed Tesla Model X Tesla Model X reviewed Tesla Model X

After the incident, the National Transportation Safety Board issued a full report on the crash and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) decided not to issue a recall of that model of Tesla cars, finding no safety defect.

Though there was a subsequent debate about the safety of such a feature, it was reported that the driver ignored six audio and seven visual warnings issued by the car's system to keep his hands on the steering wheel.

 Safety fears after Tesla driver dies in autopilot crash

Tesla has also implemented an automatic "off" feature for autopilot. If drivers continuously ignore safety warnings now, the car will disable autopilot until the next time the car is started.

Mr Clark nor the police have confirmed whether he got any warnings from his Tesla prior to the accident.

Elon Musk, Tesla CEO, recently said at the National Governor's Association semi-annual meeting that "Probably in 10 years, more than a half of new vehicle production is electric in the US...I think almost all cars produced will be autonomous."

"There will not be a steering wheel in 20 years...it will be like having a horse" Mr Musk said.

For the time being, a Tesla owner in California filed a federal lawsuit against Tesla for the same "sudden acceleration" problem. His SUV was parked in his garage when it unexpectedly crashed into his living room, injuring him and destroying walls.

A request for class-action status has been filed as well in an attempt to add seven other Tesla drivers with complaints in other states that were listed in the NHTSA database.
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Senator John McCain's medical condition may be more serious than previously thought, experts have said, raising concerns his absence from Washington could further jeopardise the fate of the Republican healthcare bill for which his vote is vital.

The Senate's Republican leadership had been hoping to hold a vote on the measure that would repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare, this week, but Mr McCains surgery to remove a blood clot above his left eye has thrown some uncertainty around the new bill.

With a majority of 52 senators, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell can only afford to lose two votes on the bill. Republicans Rand Paul and Susan Collins, for different reasons, have already publicly announced that they would vote against beginning debate on the bill, meaning that Mr McConnell needs Mr McCains support to move the legislation forward.

Recommended McCain blood clot surgery delays vote on replacement for Obamacare

But it is uncertain how quickly the 80-year-old Republican and Vietnam War veteran will recover. While a statement released by Mr McCains office suggested that he would be in Arizona recovering for just this week, neurosurgeons interviewed by The New York Times said the typical recovery period could be longer.

Mr McCains office said that following a routine annual physical, Mr McCain underwent surgery to remove a two-inch blood clot from above his left eye during a minimally invasive craniotomy with an eyebrow incision at the Mayo Clinic Hospital in Phoenix.

Usually, a blood clot in this area would be a very concerning issue, Dr Nrupen Baxi told The New York Times. Mr Baxi is an assistant professor of neurosurgery at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City.

The recovery time from a craniotomy is usually a few weeks, the doctor added. Usually, a blood clot like this is discovered when patients have symptoms, whether its a seizure or headaches or weakness or speech difficulties. Generally, its not found on a routine physical because doctors would not know to look for it.

Delays in Mr McCains recovery do not appear to bode well for the Senates healthcare bill, as his absence from Capitol Hill gives the forces of opposition  including hordes of healthcare provider organisations and patient advocacy groups  more time to mobilise.

Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Show all 22 1 /22 Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Donald Trump's international Presidential trips French President Emmanuel Macron and US President Donald Trump AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips French President Emmanuel Macron and US President Donald Trump talk as they leave the Army Museum at Les Invalides in Paris AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips German Chancellor Angela Merkel and US President Donald Trump arrive for the group photo at the G7 Taormina summit on the island of Sicily in May 2017 Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Mr Trump was pressed on the subject at the G7 summit in Italy Getty Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump gives a speeech at the Warsaw Uprising Monument on Krasinski Square Getty Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump and Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May during a ceremony at the NATO headquarters before the start of a summit in Brussels, Belgium Reuters Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Montenegro's Prime Minister Dusko Markovic is seen to the right of Donald Trump at a Nato summit in Brussels REUTERS Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Pope Francis meeting with US President Donald J. Trump EPA Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Pope Francis poses with US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump arrives at Palazzo del Quirinale ahead of the meeting with Italian President Sergio Mattarella Ufficio Stampa Presidenza della via Getty Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump is seen during a joint press conference with the Palestinian leader at the presidential palace in the West Bank city of Bethlehem AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas meets US President Donald Trump PPO via Getty Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks with US President Donald Trump prior to the President's departure GPO via Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shake hands after delivering a speech at the Israel Museum AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump lay a wreath in the Hall of Remembrance as White House senior advisor Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump watch on during a visit to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial museum AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump visit to Yad Vashem Holocaust museum in Jerusalem accompanied by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu GPO via Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump takes his seat before his speech to the Arab Islamic American Summit in Riyadh in Saudi Arabia Reuters Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, US President Donald Trump and US First Lady Melania Trump look at a display of Saudi modern art at the Saudi Royal Court in Riyadh AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump and Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud take part in a signing ceremony at the Saudi Royal Court in Riyadh AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips King Salman presents Donald Trump with The Collar of Abdulaziz al-Saud Medal at the Royal Court Palace on 20 May AP Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump is welcomed by Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud upon arrival at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump walk on the South Lawn prior to their first foreign trip Getty Images

House Speaker Paul Ryan, who has already passed a healthcare bill in the lower chamber, told CBS Face the Nation that the longer the bills consideration drags on, the less conservatives will like it.

In an interview with NBCs Meet the Press, Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn said, As soon as we have a full contingent of senators, well have that vote. Its important we do so.

Healthcare is hard. And we know that, he added. But we have no choice.

Even if Mr McCain was going to be in Washington this week, there is still a question over whether the Senate Republican leadership would have gained enough support to pass a bill. The Arizona senator had been noncommittal on how he would vote but did express pessimism about Republicans being able to reach a consensus on the issue.

A sticking point on the measure  the latest iteration of which was released last week  has been the proposal to significantly decrease spending on Medicaid, a healthcare programme for the poor. This proposal has worried moderates, as cuts to the programme are likely to leave millions of people without health insurance and will shift the cost of healthcare to the states.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) predicted that the previous Senate healthcare bill would increase the number of people without health insurance by 22 million by 2026.

Meanwhile, conservatives are worried that the proposal does not do enough to roll back former President Barack Obamas signature legislation, the Affordable Care Act.

It is estimated that about eight to 10 Republican senators have deep concerns about the bill.

Time is not the problem in the present healthcare bill, said Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer, according to the New York Daily News. The problem is the substance. It slashes Medicaid, which has become something that helps middle class New Yorkers and millions of Americans.
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Donald Trumps former ethics chief has claimed the President is making the United States an international laughingstock.

Mr Trumps unprecedented conflicts of interest  and unwillingness to disentangle from them  have created an ethics crisis, former Director of the Office of Government Ethics Walter Shaub said.

Its hard for the United States to pursue international anti-corruption and ethics initiatives when were not even keeping our own side of the street clean. It affects our credibility, Mr Shaub told The New York Times. I think we are pretty close to a laughingstock at this point.

Mr Shaub, who was appointed to his position by former President Barack Obama in 2013, announced his 19 July resignation earlier this month. His role as OGE Director was to promote laws concerning conflicts of interest in government, while overseeing White House employees' financial disclosures and providing ethics training.

Its clear that there isnt more I could accomplish [at the OGE], Mr Shaub told The Washington Post of his resignation.

He added: In working with the current administration, it has become clear that we need to strengthen the ethics program."

The Director has clashed with the Trump administration frequently since inauguration day, pushing the President to divest from his businesses and reprimanding one of his top advisers, Kellyanne Conway.

In November, the OGE tweeted at Mr Trump to say it was "delighted that youve decided to divest your businesses. Right decision! The President had not, in fact, divested.

Later, Mr Shaub publicly criticised Mr Trumps decision to set up a blind trust for his business interests, deeming it "not even halfway blind.

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

In a statement to the Times, the White House accused Mr Shaub of grandstanding and lobbying for more expansive powers in the office he holds.

Mr. Schaubs[sic] penchant for raising concerns on matters well outside his scope with the media before ever raising them with the White House  which happens to be his actual day job  is rather telling, Lindsay E. Walters, a White House spokeswoman, said in an emailed statement.

In his new role at the Campaign Legal Center, a nonpartisan group of election law experts based in Washington DC, Mr Shaub will work to promote better ethics in government.

He has already proposed several changes to executive ethics laws, including giving the OGE power to subpoena records, and revising financial disclosure rules  plus, of course, requiring all presidents to hand over their tax returns.

The two ranking members of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Republican Trey Gowdy and Democrat Elijah Cummings, have already signalled their interest in meeting with Mr Shaub.

Despite his well-earned reputation for pushing back against the President, however, Mr Shaub said he never intended to start a rift with Mr Trump.

I would not have picked this fight, he told the Times. But I have never been one to shy away from bullies.
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Eight to 10 Republican US senators are said to have serious concerns about Republican healthcare legislation to dismantle and replace Obamacare, meaning that one of President Donald Trump's key campaign promises is still no closer to becoming a reality.

Moderate Republican Senator Susan Collins, who opposes the bill, said that the major concern for her were the cuts to Medicaid, the government health insurance programme for the poor. "I don't know whether it will pass," Ms Collins said of the legislation.

The Senate, which is delaying its consideration of the bill while Arizona Republican Senator John McCain recuperates from surgery to remove a blood clot, will take it up as soon as all senators are available, Senator John Cornyn, the second-ranking Republican senator, said.

Recommended McConnell delays recess to allow more time to pass healthcare bill

Mr McCain's absence cast doubt on whether the Senate would be able to pass legislation to dismantle and replace the Affordable Care Act, Democratic former President Barack Obama's signature legislative achievement, commonly known as Obamacare.

Ms Collins is one of two Republican senators who have already said that they would not even vote to open debate on the latest version of the bill released on Thursday, meaning one more defection from the Republican ranks could kill it..

The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters

Republicans control the Senate by a 52-48 margin. With the Democrats solidly opposed to the legislation, the Republicans can only pass the bill if all their other members back it and if Republican Vice President casts his tie-breaking vote in favour.

There are about eight to 10 Republican senators who have serious concerns about this bill, Ms Collins told CNN's State of the Union programme, faulting the bill for its major cuts to Medicaid.

We should not be making fundamental changes in a vital safety net programme that's been on the books for 50 years - the Medicaid programme - without having a single hearing to evaluate what the consequences are going to be, she added.

 Australian reporter's searing takedown of Donald Trump goes viral

The bill unwinds Obamacare's Medicaid expansion over three years, from 2021 to 2024. But it goes beyond repealing Obamacare by imposing drastic cuts to Medicaid that deepen in 2025.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated the bill would cut Medicaid by nearly $800 billion by 2026, and would cut Medicaid 35 percent come 2036.

Mr McCain, who plans to stay in Arizona this week after a procedure to remove a 2-inch (5cm) blood clot from above his left eye, has expressed concern about the healthcare bill but has not said how he would vote. We need Senator McCain in more ways than one. As soon as we have a full contingent of senators we will have that vote, Mr Cornyn, of Texas, told NBC's Meet the Press.

Reuters
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Chinas drive towards online censorship has claimed its latest victim: Winnie the Pooh.

References to the cartoon bear on social media have been the subject of a crackdown with posts on Sina Weibo, Chinas answer to Twitter, removed.

Pictures and animated gifs of Winnie were also taken down from the messaging app WeChat.

Recommended White House refers to Chinese President as leader of Taiwan

Xi Jinpings government offered no explanation for the ban, which comes amid heightened sensitivities ahead of the Communist Partys national congress  a meeting of the upper echelons of the party held every five years.

Associations between Mr Xi and Winnie stretch back to 2013, when a photo emerged of the Chinese leader walking alongside the then-President Barack Obama.

Social media users were quick to point out the resemblance between that picture and a drawing of Winnie and Tigger standing side by side.

A year later, a meeting between Mr Xi and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was depicted using the bear alongside his friend Eeyore, the depressed donkey.

The comparisons re-emerged in September 2015, when Mr Xi was pictured standing through the sunroof of his car during a military parade.

Censors acted then to block images of Winnie sitting in a plastic toy car after one Weibo post attracted 65,000 shares in little more than an hour.

Steve Tsang, director of the London-based Soas China Institute, said the crackdown on freedom of expression had been increasing since Mr Xi assumed office in 2013.

Commenting on the latest move to limit dissent, he said: You have Obama as Tigger, next to the portly Pooh bear, as if he was clearing the way for a heroic tiger to follow.

In that context it is not very respectful, but if they knew the story, they would not find it objectionable.

They cannot take a joke. It is President Xi Jinping so they cant take any risks, and the Communist Party doesnt do humour.

They will see it as Mr Xi being compared to a bumbling, silly, comic figure.

If the comparison had been with Captain America or Superman, it probably would have been OK.

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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. 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In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. 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Mr Tsang predicted even higher sensitivity among state censors in the lead up to the 19th Congress of the Communist party, which is scheduled for the autumn.

He told The Independent: Censorship has been increasing ever since Mr Xi became leader.

In the run up to the congress any criticism will be seen as more than just disrespectful. It will be seen as someone trying to undermine his government.

Chinas heavily censored state media and social networking platforms were tested last week with the death of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo.

Reports of his death were strictly controlled despite tributes rolling in from around the world.

Dr Angela Stanzel, policy fellow on the Asia and China programme at the European Council on Foreign Relations, added: The Chinese censorship of Winnie Pooh illustrates (again) how serious Mr Xi is about consolidating his power position and establishing a personality cult.

Mr Xi wants to be seen as Chinas most powerful leader since Mao Zedong, as 'core leader', not as a cute Winnie the Pooh or the big smiling Panda we often compare him to.

In particular in view to the upcoming party Congress, Mr Xi needs to remain credible as powerful leader and such comparisons contradict the image he wants to see of himself.
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Two months after Indonesias most conservative province drew international headlines for publicly caning two young gay men for having sex with each other, the governor is considering making such whippings private to avoid negative news media attention and prevent any adverse impact on outside investment.

The proposed changes in Aceh province have caused a stir in Indonesia ever since local news media reported that President Joko Widodo had met with the newly inaugurated governor, Irwandi Yusuf, to discuss ways to improve the provinces international image.

In an interview with local media, Vice Governor Nova Iriansyah said that because of the international attention on public whippings: We will minimalise press coverage and conduct it inside prisons. Right now its in front of the mosque, right after Friday prayers.

Recommended Indonesia canes two gay men 83 times after vigilante group raid

He added, I think the national government is right that we have to do something.

In a statement, the governors office emphasised the provisional nature of the discussions to end public canings, noting that the decision required approval from Muslim scholars and Acehs Legislature.

Even as the Indonesian province considers moving the public floggings indoors, a highly conservative state in neighbouring Malaysia, Kelantan, passed a law allowing it to become the first state in the country to hold public canings. Currently, caning in Malaysia is conducted in private, often in prison yards and away from crowds.

On caning days in Aceh, huge crowds gather to watch as convicts are publicly beaten, an event resembling a medieval spectacle. Longtime critics of public caning said they were glad to hear that the punishment might be phased out.

It will mean nobody will be publicly humiliated anymore, said Ratna Sari, the head of Womens Solidarity, Aceh, a progressive group. Still, she said, it was only a small step forward since canings will still be conducted, only out of sight.

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 men accused of having sex with each other were each sentenced in May to 85 lashes in public, the first case of people being punished for homosexuality in the province under a strict version of Shariah law.

The sentences alarmed rights activists, who called the punishment a dangerous development in Aceh, a semiautonomous province on the northern tip of the island of Sumatra. One of Indonesias poorest provinces, a legacy of the three-decade civil war with Jakarta, it has received comparatively little investment from Jakarta-based conglomerates.

The New York Times
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A man from India's lower-caste Dalit (Untouchable) community is expected to be elected president.

Ram Nath Kovind, 71, is the former governor of the eastern state of Bihar.

The Dalits are the lowest rank of India's traditional caste system, and were traditionally considered "impure" and pushed to the margins of Indian society.

Mr Kovind is an associate of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, or National Volunteer Corps, a Hindu group that has long been accused of stoking religious hatred against Muslims.

The group is also the ideological parent of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP, which controls enough seats in federal and state legislatures to push its favoured candidate.

The votes will be counted on Thursday, and Mr Kovind expected to win easily.

 India launched 104 satellites into space on one mission

The president's role is largely ceremonial but as the custodian of the constitution, the president has played an important role in times of uncertainty, such as a hung parliament.

Mr Kovind is facing Meira Kumar, a former parliament speaker and a fellow-Dalit backed by the opposition Congress party.

Mr Modi, among the first to cast his vote in parliament, said he looked forward to working with Mr Kovind.

"My government will offer full cooperation to him," he told members of parliament from the ruling coalition.

Mr Kovind's likely victory is expected to help Mr Modi and the BJP consolidate even greater political power.

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

Some presidents, such as outgoing President Pranab Mukherjee, have tried to act as conscience-keepers, using their constitutional authority as the head of state to defend India's founding principles as a secular, diverse democracy.

Mr Modi's rivals say minority Muslims have feared for their wellbeing and have been targeted by fringe Hindu groups since he took office in 2014.

Sonia Gandhi, the head of the Congress party, appealed to members of parliament to vote for Ms Kumar to protect India's secular values.

"We cannot and must not let India be hostage to those who wish to impose upon it a narrow-minded, divisive and communal vision," she said.
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South Korea has offered to have military talks with North Korea in order to ease tension across their border and resume the reunion of families separated by their war in the 1950s.

It is the first formal overture to Pyongyang by the government of President Moon Jae-in, which said the two sides should discuss ways to avoid hostile acts near the heavily militarised border.

It is unclear if the North would agree to the proposed talks, as it remains suspicious of the South Korean President's actions, seeing the new leader's more liberal policy as still resorting to the United States to force North Korea to disarm.

The offer comes after the North claimed to have conducted the first test of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) earlier this month, and said it had mastered the technology to mount a nuclear warhead on the missile. South Korea and the United States dispute the claim.

 North Korea celebrates rocket launch with massive concert

It also comes amid a surge in petrol and diesel prices in the hermit state, weeks after a Chinese state oil company suspended fuel sales amid international pressure on Pyongyang to curb its nuclear and missile programmes.

China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC), a state-controlled company, halted diesel and petrol sales to the reclusive state over the last month or two, according to Reuters.

Kang Mi-jin, a defector who speaks regularly to market sources inside North Korea and reports commodity prices for Daily NK, said the price spikes in recent weeks were caused initially by the rumours, later confirmed, that China was restricting the flow of oil to North Korea.

North Korea gets most of its fuel from China, with some coming from Russia. A prolonged cut by China would threaten critical supplies of petrol and diesel and force North Korea to find alternatives sources of refined fuel products.

After North Koreas frequent missile tests including its very first ICBM test, the international community has vowed to tighten sanctions and China simply cannot exclude itself from the recent movement, although it probably does not want to indefinitely cut off fuel sales to the North," Mr Kang said.

The government is likely North Korea's largest user of fuel products, but most petrol and diesel bought by ordinary citizens comes from private dealers and smugglers, experts say.

Primary users of fuel products in North Korea include fishermen, farmers, truckers and the military.

In pictures: North Korea military drill Show all 8 1 /8 In pictures: North Korea military drill In pictures: North Korea military drill North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un watches a military drill marking the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA) KCNA/Handout via REUTERS In pictures: North Korea military drill A military drill marking the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA) is seen in this handout photo by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) KCNA/Handout via REUTERS In pictures: North Korea military drill A military drill marking the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA) is seen in this handout photo by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) KCNA/Handout via REUTERS In pictures: North Korea military drill A military drill marking the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA) KCNA/Handout via REUTERS In pictures: North Korea military drill A military drill marking the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA) KCNA/Handout via REUTERS In pictures: North Korea military drill This image made from video of still images broadcast in a news bulletin by North Korea's KRT, shows what was said to be a 'Combined Fire Demonstration' held to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the North Korean army, in Wonsan, North Korea. KRT via AP Video In pictures: North Korea military drill This image made from video of still images broadcast in a news bulletin by North Korea's KRT, shows what was said to be a 'Combined Fire Demonstration' held to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the North Korean army, in Wonsan, North Korea. KRT via AP Video In pictures: North Korea military drill This image made from video of still images broadcast in a news bulletin by North Korea's KRT, shows what was said to be a 'Combined Fire Demonstration' held to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the North Korean army, in Wonsan, North Korea. KRT via AP Video

In an act to rein in the North, the United States is preparing new sanctions on Chinese banks and firms doing business with Pyongyang possibly within weeks, two senior US officials told Reuters.

The proposals for the talks between the North and South come after the Souths President said earlier this month at the G20 summit in Hamburg he was in favour of dialogue despite the nuclear provocation of the Norths latest missile test.

The South Korean defence ministry has proposed talks with the North on 21 July at Tongilgak to stop all activities that fuel tension at the military demarcation line. Tongilgak is a North Korean building at the Panmunjom truce village on the border used for previous inter-Korea talks, with the last talks being held in December 2015.

Talks and cooperation between the two Koreas to ease tension and bring about peace on the Korean peninsula will be instrumental for pushing forth a mutual, virtuous cycle for inter-Korea relations and North Korea's nuclear problem, the South's unification minister Cho Myoung-gyon told a news briefing.

Mr Cho also urged the restoration of military and government hotlines across the border, which had been cut by the North last year in response to the South imposing economic sanctions after a nuclear test by Pyongyang. In all, the North has conducted five nuclear tests and numerous missile tests.

This photo, distributed by the North Korean government, shows what was said to be the launch of a Hwasong-14 intercontinental ballistic missile, in North Korea's northwest (Korean Central News Agency via AP) (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)

The North's latest ICBM launch has stoked security worries as it showed the country could eventually perfect a reliable nuclear missile capable of reaching anywhere in the United States. Analysts say the ICBM that was tested could reach Alaska.

After the launch, the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, said he would never negotiate his weapons programmes unless the United States abandons its hostile policy toward his country. His statement suggested he will order more missile and nuclear tests until North Korea develops a functioning ICBM that can place the entire US within its striking distance.

When asked if South Korea was willing to be flexible on military drills with the United States should North Korea be open to talks, Mr Cho said the government had not discussed the matter specifically.

North Korean Leader Kim Jong-un celebrates the test-fire of the intercontinental ballistic missile Hwasong-14 (Reuters) (REUTERS)

Pyongyang has repeatedly said it refuses to engage in all talks with the South unless Seoul turns over 12 waitresses who defected to the South last year after leaving a restaurant run by the North in China.

North Korea says the South abducted the 12 waitresses and the restaurant manager and has demanded their return, but the South has said the group decided to defect of its own free will. Mr Cho said this matter is not included on the talks agenda.

Mr Moon suggested earlier this month hostile military activities at the border be ended on 27 July, the anniversary of the 1953 armistice agreement that ended the Korean War. Since no truce was agreed, the two sides remain technically at war.

Additional reporting by agencies
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A young father with the word "DEVAST8" tattooed across his face has been inundated with job offers after his story was shared around the world, but said he was still "waiting for the right one".

Mark Cropp, 19, took to Facebook on Wednesday to beg employers to look past his prominent facial art, which was drunkenly inked by his brother while they were both spending time in jail.

Within hours he was deluged with offers of employment and said he "stopped counting when I reached 45". But he has yet to accept a position.

 Grandad breaks world record

"I am just waiting for the right one to come about,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

The teen, from Auckland, New Zealand, said part of the problem was many of the jobs required a car.

"Until I get my first paycheck and get a car I won't be able to get myself around,' he added.

He said he had received two firm job offers, including from a scaffolding firm owner who is tattooed himself, and was mulling both over.

Mark Cropp's Facebook post sparked a flurry of offers (Facebook)

"We've all made bad choices, doesn't mean we are bad people," company boss Douglas George Herbert told the New Zealand Herald.

"I'm a big brown man covered in tattoos myself, and I have been on the receiving end of judgement from people who don't even know me."

Mr Cropp was serving a two-year jail term for aggravated robbery when his brother did the facial art using a makeshift needle and fermented food.

The brother had apparently been drinking an alcoholic home brew made from fermented apples, sugar and bread and intended the tattoo to be smaller than it was.

Mr Cropp said: "I fell asleep and eight and a half hours later I woke up with this.

"I completely forgot about it and then when I looked in the mirror I was like 'holy sh**' so I have had to live with it from then."

Questionable tattoos and to who they belong to Show all 15 1 /15 Questionable tattoos and to who they belong to Questionable tattoos and to who they belong to Celebrities and their questionable tattoos Questionable tattoos and to who they belong to Jennifer Lawrence The Hunger Games actress said she got this 'H2O' tattoo while on holiday with the Hemsworths, although she wishes she'd got the '2' in the correct position Getty Questionable tattoos and to who they belong to Celebrities and their questionable tattoos Questionable tattoos and to who they belong to Amanda Seyfried Amanda Seyfried got rhe word 'minge' tattoed on her foot after being inspired by Colin Firth's overuse of the word while on the set of Mama Mia Questionable tattoos and to who they belong to Celebrities and their questionable tattoos Questionable tattoos and to who they belong to Celebrities and their questionable tattoos Questionable tattoos and to who they belong to David Dimbleby The Question Time Host, aged 75, said he was inspired by his star sign, Scorpio, and isn't even bothered that his ink is missing two legs BBC Questionable tattoos and to who they belong to Celebrities and their questionable tattoos Questionable tattoos and to who they belong to Ed Sheeran Ed has probably got more tattoos than a normal person has had hot meals. They include a lego man, a Heinz label and a few random scribbles. Cool Getty Images Questionable tattoos and to who they belong to Celebrities and their questionable tattoos Questionable tattoos and to who they belong to Cara Delevingne Proof you should never consider a tattoo while hungry, model Cara got the word 'bacon' inked on the sole of her foot Getty Images Questionable tattoos and to who they belong to Celebrities and their questionable tattoos Questionable tattoos and to who they belong to Drake Drake's 'prayer hands emoji' tattoo is very 2015 but surely it's going to date a bit? Just ask the guy with a Bebo tattoo if he has any regrets Getty Images Questionable tattoos and to who they belong to Celebrities and their questionable tattoos Instagram/Katy Perry Questionable tattoos and to who they belong to Katy Perry Katy has been, erm, spontaneous with a lot of her tattoo choices, but this one is really bizarre Getty

The teenager has accepted an offer to have the artwork removed for free since his Facebook post.

He said prospective employers had "shrugged and laughed" at him over the tattoo.

"When I went into the job centre one day they said 'we would not even employ you with that ugly thing on your face'," he said.

He is now considering taking up the scaffolding job once his tattoo is lasered off and he has permission from his probation officer.

The teenager hopes finding work will help him and his girlfriend win back custody of his daughter, who has been placed in care.
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Emmanuel Macron called anti-Zionism a new form of anti-Semitism during a strongly-worded speech in which he condemned Frances historic collaboration with the Nazis.

The French President was speaking in Paris at an event to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Vel DHiv round-up, in which 13,152 French Jews were deported to Nazi concentration camps by the then French government in July 1942. Fewer than 100 of those detained survived.

Like his recent predecessors, Mr Macron accepted the French state was responsible for the act, which took place under the Vichy regime.

"There are those who say Vichy wasn't France," he said. "It's true that Vichy wasn't all of France, but Vichy was the government of France and the French establishment. It was responsible for deporting French Jews, and not the Germans."

Mr Macron also condemned modern-day anti-Semitism and said this included anti-Israel sentiment.

Addressing Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister, who attended the event, the French leader said: We will never surrender to the messages of hate; we will not surrender to anti-Zionism because it is a reinvention of anti-Semitism.

France has been blighted by anti-Semitic attacks in recent years and thousands of French Jews have left the country, many of them moving to Israel.

In 2012 an attack on a Jewish school in Toulouse killed four people, including three children, while a 2015 shooting at a kosher supermarket in Paris left four people dead.

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

French comedian Dieudonne Mbala Mbala also provoked outrage after making repeated jokes about the Holocaust, likening Jews to slave drivers and inventing a Nazi-like salute.

During his lengthy speech, Mr Macron criticised those who have denied Frances role in historic crimes against Jews - a clear reference to far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who said during the presidential election campaign earlier this year, in which she was defeated by Mr Macron, that France could not be held responsible for the Vel dHiv round-up.

Speaking shortly before Mr Macron, Mr Netanyahu vowed to stand with France in the fight against Islamist extremism.

Militant Islam wants to destroy our common civilisation he said. The militant Shiites led by Iran, the militant Sunnis led by Isis  both seek to vanquish us.

Militant Islamists do not hate the West because of Israel. To the contrary, they hate Israel because of the West, because they rightly see in Israel a forward bastion of our common values of freedom, humanism, democracy. They try to destroy us, but also they try to destroy you.

The zealots of militant Islam who seek to destroy you, seek to destroy us as well. We must stand against them together; we must remain strong against them together; and we must defeat them together.

Mr Netanyahus presence at the event had been criticised by some French Jews, who said it was nothing to do with Israel and should not be political.
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Nearly as many Iraqi and Syrian civilians have died in US-led air strikes under Donald Trump as were killed during the whole administration of Barack Obama, independent analysts say.

As of 13 July, more than 2,200 civilians had been killed by the US-led international coalition against Isis since Donald Trump entered the White house in January - compared with the estimated 2,300 civilians who died during similar strikes between 2014 and 2016.

Roughly 80 civilians per month died in strikes under Mr Obama but this has now risen to approximately 360 per month under Mr Trump, according to research by the military tracking organisation Airwars.

Part of the rise in these figures is due to the changing nature of the war against Isis, as the jihadist group became entrenched in the major cities of Mosul and Raqqa, coalition officials say, though they insist that every effort is made to avoid civilian casualties.

Despite this, there are indications that under President Trump protections for civilians on the battlefield have been lessened, the Daily Beast reported.

The coalition's own civilian casualty figures are much lower than Airwars', but they too show an increase since January.

Around 40 per cent of the 603 civilians the coalition has admitted killing during the campaign died during the first four months of Mr Trumps administration.

The new figures come after Mr Trump promised to bomb the s*** out of Isis on the campaign trail.

In pictures: US missile strike against Syria Show all 7 1 /7 In pictures: US missile strike against Syria In pictures: US missile strike against Syria The guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) launches a tomahawk land attack missile in the Mediterranean Sea AP In pictures: US missile strike against Syria The United States military launched at least 50 tomahawk cruise missiles at al-Shayrat military airfield near Homs, Syria, in response to the Syrian military's alleged use of chemical weapons in an airstrike in a rebel held area in Idlib province EPA In pictures: US missile strike against Syria Shayrat airfield in Syria Getty Images In pictures: US missile strike against Syria US Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) fires a tomahawk land attack missile in Mediterranean Sea Reuters In pictures: US missile strike against Syria US Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) fires a tomahawk land attack missile in Mediterranean Sea Reuters In pictures: US missile strike against Syria President Donald Trump speaks at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla., after the US fired a barrage of cruise missiles into Syria in retaliation for this week's gruesome chemical weapons attack against civilians AP In pictures: US missile strike against Syria Syria's President Bashar al-Assad Reuters

Following a new war plan unveiled by US Secretary of Defense General James Mattis in February, the US has focused its efforts on annihilation tactics and shoving Isis out of safe locations in an attrition fight.

But during a meeting of the anti-Isis coalition in May, General Mattis insisted there had been no changes to our continued extraordinary efforts to avoid innocent civilian casualties.

In one incident in Mosul in March, the US admitted it was responsible for the deaths of 101 men, women and children.

Britain, France, Australia and Belgium have also taken part in the bombing campaign but the US is the only one to admit responsibility for any civilian deaths.
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One person in Cairo has been killed after police attempts to evict residents from an island in the Nile turned violent, the Egyptian Interior Ministry has confirmed.

Security forces arrived on al-Warraq island on Sunday morning, in an attempt to move people before planned demolitions of allegedly illegal building  they were met with resistance from protesting locals.

The forces were surprised by demonstrations by some of the trespassers, who had assaulted the forces by firing birdshots and throwing stones ... which pushed the forces to fire tear gas to disperse the protesters and to control the situation, a statement from the Interior Ministry said.

 What happens when a girl walks through Cairo University campus

As well as one death, at least 19 residents and 37 police were injured in the clashes, before the police were forced to withdraw to avoid further escalation of the situation. Some reports said up to 50 locals were injured.

One officer who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity said that the mission failed from A-Z because of a lack of proper coordination.

The island of al-Warraq is only 1,300 acres big, but is home to around 90,000 people. While President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi announced in May that local authorities in Cairo had been ordered to prioritise reclaiming state-owned land from squatters, most residents claim they have a right to live there, and that they had not received prior warning of Sundays planned eviction.

Egypt's leaders struggle to regain control Show all 2 1 /2 Egypt's leaders struggle to regain control Egypt's leaders struggle to regain control 548021.bin Reuters Egypt's leaders struggle to regain control 547641.bin

We were born on this island ... we have proof of ownership, our parents were born here ... they want to give it to the Emirates to build hotels, 20-year-old Marzouk Hany told Reuters during a march to mark the funeral of Syed Tafshan, the man who was killed.

The Egyptian authorities said last month that they had retaken control of about 95,390 acres of public land.

Greater Cairo is home to some 22.5 million people and more than 300 poverty-stricken slums. A report from Euromonitor International expects the citys population to grow by another half a million by the end of 2017.
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Following the loss of its territory, Isis will morph into an insurgency that will resemble "al-Qaeda on steroids", the most senior anti-terrorism official in Iraqi Kurdistan has said.

While the group was defeated in Mosul earlier this month, effectively spelling the end of the Iraqi half of its so-called caliphate, the battle against the militants could take another three or four years in total, Lahur Talabany said in an interview with Reuters.

The fight for the group's last urban stronghold of Raqqa over the border in Syria is underway, but is also expected to be long and bloody.

 Drone footage shows the devastation in Mosul's old city and the destroyed al-Nuri Mosque

The jihadists' morale will not be easily bruised, Mr Talabany said, claiming that according to his sources Isis' leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is still alive - despite several recent unconfirmed reports of his death.

"Baghdadi is definitely alive. He is not dead... We believe 99 percent he is alive," he said. "Don't forget his roots go back to al-Qaeda days in Iraq. He was hiding from security services. He knows what he is doing."

The notoriously secretive leader is currently south of Raqqa, the official added.

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

To avoid detection, Baghdadi is believed to be avoiding telecommunications and frequently moving location in Isis' last slivers of territory on the Iraqi-Syrian border.

Moscow claimed in June that it had killed him in an air strike, although the Pentagon, Syrian Kurdish forces and Iraqi officials were all quick to say the report could not be corroborated.

Last week, a war monitor said senior Isis sources had confirmed Baghdadi is dead, as did Turkish officials. There has been no official confirmation from Isis' media wing Amaq.

Observers believe that several senior members of Isis are primed to take over from the Syrian Baghdadi in the event of his death, the majority intelligence officers who once served under former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.
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Iraqi security forces kill Isis prisoners because they believe that if the militants are sent to prison camps they will bribe the authorities in Baghdad to release them. That is why Iraqi soldiers prefer to shoot them or throw them off high buildings, says one Iraqi source. A former senior Iraqi official said he could name the exact sum that it would take for an Isis member to buy papers enabling him to move freely around Iraq.

The belief by Iraqi soldiers and militiamen that their own government is too corrupt to keep captured Isis fighters in detention is one reason why the bodies of Isis suspects, shot in the head or body and with their hands tied behind their backs, are found floating in the Tigris river downstream from Mosul. Revenge and hatred provoked by Isis atrocities are motives for extrajudicial killings by death squads, but so is distrust of an Iraqi judicial system, which is notoriously corrupt and dysfunctional.

Paranoia at the end of a very violent war partially explains why so many Iraqis are convinced that dangerous Isis members can always bribe their way to freedom. Dozens of posts on social media from Baghdad allege that suicide bombers who blow themselves up killing many civilians had previously been detained by the security forces and released in return for money. We die in Baghdad because of corruption, reads one post, frequently shared with others. One tweet says: Daesh [Isis] pays the government and kills us in Baghdad.

Fears may be exaggerated, but are not entirely without substance. Isis may have suffered heavy losses in Mosul, but can still operate. A senior Kurdish official said that recently, during the funeral of a leader of the Shammar tribe in Rabia, no less than 17 Isis suicide bombers were discovered. This shows they can still plan and carry out operations even if they are weaker.

Anti-Isis residents in Mosul are now making the same allegation. I know two men in my neighbourhood notorious for being members of Daesh who have just been released by the government, complains Saleem Mohammed, a resident of the Nabi Yunus district in east Mosul. One of them used to go on Daesh patrols in the markets here to look for people who were smoking cigarettes. He added that people were frightened that the suspected collaborators, who had been freed, were members of Isis sleeper cells or had now been recruited as Iraqi government spies.

Saleem says that an important cause of distrust between those who had always opposed Isis and those who had joined it or collaborated with it is that the latter had often developed prosperous businesses during the three years that Isis was in power. He said that many of these collaborators have shops in the markets and people buy from them, though they may shun the owners. He knew one man who had been poor before Isis arrived, but made money working as a security man at Isis checkpoints where large bribes were often paid for free passage. The man had been arrested, was released and has now moved with his family to Turkey.

Isis commanders and militants often came from impoverished Sunni villages on the outskirts of Mosul that look like a collection of huts. While they controlled Mosul there was hostility between them and the traditional inhabitants of the city. What is provoking particular anger in Mosul is that well-off Daesh families are being released and coming back to live in well-furnished apartments, while poor people are still living in the camps, says Saleem.

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 situation in east Mosul is far better than in the west of the city because it was always wealthier, saw less destruction from air strikes and artillery, and has been free from Isis control for six months. Though the Iraqi government claims to have won a complete victory over Isis in the Old City in west Mosul, there is still the occasional sound of gunfire and air strikes. There is an exodus of people across the Tigris river from neighbourhoods in the west that are damaged but not totally destroyed to east Mosul where there is electricity and water. A shortage of accommodation for those moving within the city has led to a tripling of rents.

A crucial boost to the economy of Mosul is that the government is paying back salaries for public employees that were not paid under Isis rule. Education, health and municipal workers are getting their salaries leading to much more activity in the local markets. People have started buying cars and property again and there are long queues of trucks bringing goods from Irbil and Kurdish controlled areas into the city.
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Qatar has called the alleged hacking of its state news agency by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) a violation of international law.

Reports surfaced in the Washington Post on Sunday claiming that government officials in Abu Dhabi orchestrated the planting of a fabricated story in Qatari media on 24 May that contributed to the current political spat in the region.

Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani was falsely quoted as praising Hamas and Hezbollah, as well as speaking positively about Iran and Israel  remarks that drew the ire of Saudi Arabia and the UAE, and were later used as justification for severing diplomatic ties with the tiny Gulf kingdom.

 UAE: Diplomacy will be given 'one or two more chances' before they 'part ways' with Qatar

The information published in The Washington Post ... revealed the involvement of the United Arab Emirates and senior Emirati officials in the hacking of Qatar News Agency, the Doha governments communication office said in a statement on Monday.

The report unequivocally proves that this hacking crime took place, it added.

Earlier on Monday, the UAEs foreign minister Anwar Gargash told an audience at London think tank Chatham House there was no truth to the allegations made by both Qatar and The Washington Post, which cited information newly analysed by US intelligence services.

It is understood the FBI has been assisting Qatar with an investigation into the hack for several weeks.

The story quotes unnamed US sources who believe senior UAE government officials had discussed the planned hacks of the news agency and government social media accounts on 23 May  the day before they occurred.

US President Donald Trump visited the region the next day, meeting with Gulf leaders in Riyadh, and the operation was put into action later the same day.

 Saudi Arabia cuts ties with Qatar over terror links

It was not clear whether the UAE hacked the Qatari sites itself or paid another entity to do so, The Post added.

The false remarks by Emir Al Thani were quickly picked up and circulated by other Gulf news outlets, even after Qatar issued a statement clarifying the story was fabricated. Officials in Doha said the bad faith with which their assurances were received showed evidence of foul play at the time.

Riyadh, Abu Dhabi and allies in Egypt and Bahrain cut trade and political ties with Qatar on 5 June, claiming that Doha meddled in international affairs and funded terrorist organisations. Qatari officials have vehemently denied the claims.

The five-week-old standoff has led to economic chaos, split up families, stranded migrant workers and led to US worries about the impact on coalition counter-terrorism efforts against Isis. All talks aimed at de-escalating the crisis have so far proven inconclusive.

A US State Department spokesperson said on Secretary of State Rex Tillersons return from the region over the weekend that no party was expecting a near-term resolution to the row.

Al Jazeera  the Qatari owned broadcaster that operates worldwide  was also hit by a cyber attack last month that took out all of its operating systems, websites and social media platforms. It is not clear who or what was behind the incident.
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Running a school in the enclave controlled by Syria's al-Qaeda affiliate, Syrian-American Rania Kisar has become skilled in getting her way, either by negotiating with the militants or by pushing back against them.

When she was preparing for the students' graduation, the militant group sent an inspector who told her not to play music at the ceremony. She argued back. Then on graduation day, she invited the group.

The ceremony started with a nod to tradition with a Quranic recital in line with the inspector's wishes. But then as the students filed out in front of an audience of relatives and local officials, as well as representatives from the militant group, Kisar played Pomp and Circumstance  the anthem used at American graduations.

It was a calculated gamble: she was betting the militants would not make a scene.

It was matter-of-fact. They did nothing, she said. But she knew why they had intervened in the first place. If they don't interfere, they won't be considered powerful, she said.

Idlib province in north western Syria is the last major stronghold of the rebellion that erupted in 2011 against President Bashar al-Assad. Al-Qaeda's branch is the strongest force in the territory: it leads an alliance of factions known as Hayat Fatah al-Sham and dominates the administration set up by the opposition to run the province.

But the group has to tread carefully, balancing between its aim to control and its wariness of triggering a backlash from residents and other factions. So far, it has stayed relatively pragmatic: it takes every opportunity to show it is in charge but has shown no interest in a wide-scale imposition of an extremist vision of Islamic law.

They halted public killings of criminals; there are no religious police patrolling streets, arresting or beating people  and they haven't forced women to wear the niqab face veil.

That is a sharp contrast to the Isis in the stretches of Syria and Iraq where the rival militant group has ruled the past three years.

Instead, al-Qaeda administrators and fighters try to enforce some rules on a smaller scale while avoiding heavy-handed confrontation and presenting themselves as the champions of Syria's revolution against Assad.

Idlib now stands in a tenuous position among the international and regional powers that are effectively carving up Syria.

Assad's military had threatened an offensive on Idlib but is now focused elsewhere, against Isis militants to the east. Turkish troops and their Syrian allies who control parts of neighbouring Aleppo province were reportedly mobilising to move into Idlib  prompting sharp warnings from Hayat Fatah al-Sham against any attempt to do so. The United States is also focused on its own campaign against Isis with the assault on Raqqa, and it is unclear how it and Assad's ally Russia want to deal with Idlib in the future.

In the meantime, Idlib, swelling with more than 900,000 Syrians displaced from other parts of the country, is the refuge of an opposition movement that hoped to create a new Syria and only a few years earlier appeared to have the momentum in the conflict.

Now Kisar and others like her are trying to keep al-Qaeda's influence at bay.

Everyone sold us out, she said in a recent interview in her office in Istanbul, where she regularly travels.

Kisar said the international community's fear of radical Islamists taking over Syria is exaggerated and reflects a lack of understanding of the Syrian opposition. She and others argue that the militants are needed, they provide services and infrastructure as well as skilled fighters for now, but will not have support later.

From the start, Kisar has been a true believer in the uprising. After the revolt began in 2011, she left her administrative job at a Dallas university and joined the opposition.

She traveled with fighters on the front lines, helping displaced people. She organised services in opposition territories. Along the way, she survived an air strike and lost a colleague who was kidnapped by Isis militants and was later believed killed.

Finally, she settled in Maaret al-Numan, Idlib's second largest city. It was one of the few strongholds of the moderate Free Syrian Army, the umbrella group for the internationally-backed opposition factions. In recent years, radical factions like al-Qaeda have grown in influence and gained a foothold. But Maaret's residents largely continued to support the FSA. They held repeated protests whenever al-Qaeda fighters went too far, arresting journalists or cracking down on opponents.

In 2015, Kisar launched her foundation  SHINE, or the Syrian Humanitarian Institute for National Empowerment.

It provides classes for adults in computers, programming and web design. Registered in Dallas and funded by donations from Turkey and private citizens in America and elsewhere, the foundation has so far graduated 237 students.

Kisar takes great pride in the result: a geek squad of tech-savvy men and women who can fix smart phones and computers. That is vital in opposition-held areas, where there are no telephone lines and the population relies on satellite internet for communication.

There are no private institutes, no universities, there are no hospitals, she said. It is us, a bunch of locals, volunteers, stepping forward and saying, OK, I am going to clean the street, I am going to go volunteer in a hospital and I am going to build a school... This is my part. This is my honour.

Her first brush with the militants came when she had to explain her work to gain accreditation from the bureaucracy they control.

She bickered with one official, arguing that armed groups should not control civilian affairs. He wouldn't look her in the eye since she's a woman. But when he heard I am from America, he said: 'We have every honor that an American Muslim is here and wants to be here', she recalled.

Even in heated debates with the militants, she said, she has always kept a respectful tone, something that has helped keep her operating.

It also helps that she is a woman. I can get away with a lot of things, she said with her characteristic giggle. There is a lot more leniency toward me because I am a woman.

The ultraconservative militants were concerned that SHINE provides classes for men and women. So she negotiated to keep it going by segregating the space  men on the bottom floor, women on the top. When air strikes hit the top floor, she set up separate areas on the ground floor.

The militants sent inspectors to ensure classes observed their interpretation of Islamic laws. The strictly computer-focused program had nothing that would offend them, she said. They want to interfere in everything, she added.

Hayat Fatah al-Sham is increasingly intervening in day-to-day affairs in Idlib and in civil society groups, confiscating goods and taking control of exchange bureaus, said Sam Heller, a Syria fellow at the Century Foundation. Its attempts to seize a role in provision of relief aid have alarmed the aid community, he said.

At the same time, it is struggling between its identity as a hard-line jihadi movement and its ambition to lead the rebellion with its variety of factions, wrote another Syria watcher, Mona Alalami in a recent Atlantic Council article.

When that balancing act breaks down, violence can explode.

In June, Maaret al-Numan was shaken when pitched street battles erupted between al-Qaeda militants and the FSA, bringing gruesome revenge killings and leaving at least six civilians dead. HTS fighters opened fire on residents protesting against their presence in the streets.

For a moment, the chaos seemed to shatter Kisar's spirit. It is going to break loose, she said over the phone at the time. Everybody is fighting everybody.

She left town for several days to breathe.

Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Show all 12 1 /12 Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War A man crosses a street in Aleppo, December 12, 2009 Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War A vendor sits inside an antique shop in al-Jdeideh neighbourhood, in the Old City of Aleppo, December 12, 2009 Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War A view shows part of Aleppo's historic citadel, overlooking Aleppo city, Syria Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War A view shows part of Aleppo's historic citadel, Syria Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Visitors walk inside Aleppo's Umayyad mosque, Syria Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War People walk inside the Khan al-Shounah market, in the Old City of Aleppo, Syria Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War A man walks past shops in al-Jdeideh neighbourhood, in the Old City of Aleppo, Syria Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War People walk along an alley in al-Jdeideh neighbourhood, in the Old City of Aleppo, Syria Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Visitors tour Aleppo's historic citadel, Syria December 11, 2009 Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War A general view shows the Old City of Aleppo as seen from Aleppo's historic citadel, Syria December 11, 2009 Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War People walk near Aleppo's Bab al-Faraj Clock Tower, Syria October 6, 2010 Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War A man stands inside Aleppo's historic citadel, overlooking Aleppo city, Syria December 11, 2009 Reuters

Eventually, calm was restored with a shaky reconciliation, though one that increased the militants' influence: the FSA faction running the town had to leave their offices, replaced by an agency linked to al-Qaida.

Kisar resumed her work  and her own balancing act. This time, she was preparing festivities for local children to celebrate a major Muslim holiday.

You must check out the videos, she said, giggling. It is like Disneyland. It is SHINEland. It is majestic.

Associated Press
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The United Arab Emirates foreign minister has hotly denied that his government was responsible for the alleged hack of a Qatari state news agency which helped spark the current diplomatic crisis enveloping the Gulf.

The Washington Post story today that we actually hacked the Qataris is also not true, Anwar Gargash told London-based think tank Chatham House on Monday.

Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt - followed by a handful of other Muslim countries - abruptly cut off all diplomatic and trade ties with tiny Qatar on 5 June, alleging that the state interfered in the affairs of its Arab neighbours and funded terror organisations. Qatar vehemently denies all the allegations against it.

 UAE: Diplomacy will be given 'one or two more chances' before they 'part ways' with Qatar

Talks aimed at resolving the deepening rift, mediated by Kuwait, have so far been unfruitful. International allies such as the US are worried that the row could affect coalition counter-terrorism efforts against Isis.

The falsified news report which surfaced in late May quoting Qatars Emir Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani as praising Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran and Israel was a sign of the row that was to erupt two weeks later: the quotes were met with a particular storm of criticism by Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which in retaliation blocked Qatari-owned al-Jazeera from broadcasting.

Qatar said at the time that it had been hacked by unknown entities. Later, it blamed the UAE for the planted story - an allegation backed up by the US intelligence sources quoted in the Washington Post on Sunday.

Newly analysed information showed that senior UAE government officials had discussed the planned hacks of the news agency and government social media accounts on 23 May - the day before they occurred, the newspaper said, quoting unnamed officials.

It was not clear whether the UAE hacked the Qatari sites itself or paid another entity to do so, the Post added.

The UAEs ambassador to the US, Yousef al-Otaiba, also issued a statement describing the report as false.

 Saudi Arabia cuts ties with Qatar over terror links

What is true is Qatar's behaviour. Funding, supporting, and enabling extremists from the Taliban to Hamas and Gaddafi. Inciting violence, encouraging radicalisation, and undermining the stability of its neighbours, the statement said.

While US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson flew to the region last week in an effort to bring the parties to the negotiating table, a State Department spokesperson did not predict any breakthrough in the near future.

On his departure Mr Tillerson had left proposals with the Saudi-led bloc and Qatar which included a common set of principles that all countries can agree to so that we start from... a common place, Robert Hammond said on Saturday, but we dont expect any near-term resolution.
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With thick plumes of smoke obscuring the crater of Mount Vesuvius and pitching ash onto the villages below, the fires ravaging Naples notorious volcano last week were a sombre reminder of the vulnerability of Italys third largest city.

Climactic conditions have been ripe for fires  Italy is facing a heatwave, and theres been no significant rainfall in Naples since February. The nearby Amalfi Coast has also been hit with a series of brush fires, but the image of Mount Vesuvius in flames understandably captured rather more attention.

Thanks to efforts from the authorities, the fires have now been put out. But not only did they draw inevitable comparisons to the deadly volcanic eruption in 79AD that wiped out Pompeii and Herculaneum; they reminded the world of Napless darker side  and a reputation that the city has long been trying to discard. Because its believed they were started deliberately.

Naples has long been a much maligned city, painted by those in other parts of Italy  as well as abroad  as a lawless place thats best avoided. Even the name conjures up images of pickpockets, muggings, piles of uncollected rubbish and mafia killings. Tourists flying into Naples International Airport tend to head straight to the Amalfi Coast or the islands rather than venture into town; Sorrento is often the preferred choice for the stepping-off point to Pompeii. Naples has art, culture, world-famous food and immense charm  it should be overrun by visitors. The fact that it isn't is down to that reputation.

In recent years, the city has made huge strides in changing its image. Luigi de Magistris, whos been mayor since 2011, has been widely applauded for his efforts to turn the city around. Naples reputation abroad has become much more appealing  even Elena Ferrantes books have provided a new perspective to the city.

But now the spectre of arson has reminded the world of its less salubrious sides.

The fires on Vesuvius have dominated the Naples skyline for the past week (Carmine Benincasa)

Neapolitans have a complicated relationship with Mount Vesuvius. The volcano is an ominous symbol of the city, and a stark reminder of the hardships and rebirths it has had to endure over the centuries.

Seeing it in flames last week has caused anguish in Naples, and underscored the citys complicated history with crime and corruption. Both police and mafia experts like writer Roberto Saviano trace the fires back to criminal activity, laying the blame firmly at the door of the Camorra crime syndicate.

People forget that Mount Vesuvius is an enormous landfill used by the Camorra to dispose of waste, Saviano explained in a video posted to his Facebook page. By burning the ground now, theyre able to make more space for future disposals.

Saviano has also cited an Italian law forbidding construction for 15 years on previously burnt land  a handy way to bolster the Camorras control of the citys waste disposal. Others speculate that with local unemployment at 28 per cent, a disaster will generate more work.

The possible reasons are varied but each come back to a lack of authority, disorder and criminality  all aspects with which Naples is so often associated. The fires on the Amalfi Coast are also thought to have been started deliberately  yet its Naples that the worlds spotlight has come to rest on.

The fires on Mount Vesuvius are believed to have been started deliberately (Carmine Benincasa)

What does that mean for tourists? Luckily, not a huge amount. Walk along the Lungomare (waterfront) at the moment, and youll get a prime view of the volcano  no longer shrouded in smoke, as of last weekend, thanks to relentless action by Canadair aircrafts which helped to extinguish the flames.

In fact, theres never been a better time to visit. In recent years, Naples has been edging towards a sort of cultural renaissance. The energy in the city right now is palpable, thanks to de Magistris leadership  and theres a push towards making things more visitor-friendly. In the past several years, Naples has been the focal point of sporting events including America's Cup, the Giro d'Italia and the Davis Cup. Since 2012, the waterfront has been a pedestrian-only zone, inviting families to walk and bike along the Bay of Naples  with its views that have captivated people for millennia. And the city was recently awarded a 100m (877m) grant by the European Union to modernise its historic centre  one that is already recognised as a Unesco World Heritage Site.

Young Neapolitans are starting up social urban projects with the aim of stimulating the local economy. La Paranza social cooperative now offers tours of Naples catacombs, and runs other activities in Rione Sanita (historically one of the more maligned neighbourhoods), while Made In Cloister has turned 15th century cloisters near the train station into a booming space for art and culture that hosts pop-up installations, concerts and other events.

Neapolitans have a complex relationship with Vesuvius (Livia Hengel)

And people are noticing. Tourism is on the rise, with 12 per cent more people visiting the city than at this time last year, contributing 10bn (8.7bn) to the local economy  a 50 per cent increase on 2016.

Co-existing with the Camorra is an unfortunate fact of life for Neapolitans, and Mount Vesuvius is a constant reminder of the citys proximity to disaster, but Naples is resilient and has come so far in recent years. With much to love about the city  ineffable spirit, immense cultural riches and world-renowned cuisine, for starters  visitors will likely find more reasons to return, rather than stay away.
Reply given to Russias offer addressed to Armenia

Speaker of the Russian State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin offered Armenian authorities to grant an official status to the Russian language in Armenia so that Armenian driving licenses can be recognized in the territory of Russia. According to the law, which came into force on June 1, 2017, foreign citizens are not allowed to work in the territory of Russia with their national driving licenses. According to another law adopted on July 14, national driving licenses of the citizens of several EEU member states were recognized in the territory of Russia. It refers to the member states, where the Russian language has an official status. During the meeting with Speaker of the RA NA Ara Babloyan, Volodin particularly noted, I can only say one thing- grant an official status to Russian, and the law will automatically refer also to Armenia. According to the interview given to News.am, Armen Ashotyan, Chairman of the NA Standing Committee on Foreign Relations, said that at that moment he gave a relevant response and highlighted that the issue of granting an official status to Russian isnt on the agenda of Armenia and isnt planned to be. As for ratification of Armenian driving licenses in Russia, Armen Ashotyan noted that the parliamentary delegations of two countries agreed to continue the discussions on that issue in other parliamentary formats, trying to find the most optimal solution to the issue. The only official language of the Republic of Armenia is Armenian, and it is a constitutional norm, said the NA Deputy Speaker Eduard Sharmazanov in reply to the question by Asekose.am in connection with the offer of Speaker of the Russian State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin.
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Between the 1950s and mid-1990s, tens of thousands of immigrants constructed a towering community 12 stories high across a 6.4-acre lot in Hong Kong.

It was called the Kowloon Walled City.

With a population of 33,000 squeezed into a tiny lot, the city at its peak was 119 times as dense as present-day New York City. Although it faced rampant crime and poor sanitation, the city was impressively self-sustainable until its demolition began in 1993.

In the late '80s, the Canadian photographer Greg Girard found his way into the windowless world.

He shared photos and thoughts about his time in Kowloon Walled City with Business Insider.

Though Hong Kong had been under British rule for decades by the time construction began, a clause in an 1842 treaty meant China still owned the property that would become Kowloon Walled City. Caught in legal limbo, it was effectively lawless.

By 1986, the Walled City had caught the attention of the photographer Greg Girard. Girard would spend the next four years in and out of the city, capturing daily life inside its teetering walls.

The Lego-like city was built over decades as residents stacked rooms on top of one another. The end result looked formidable, Girard told Business Insider, but who knows?

(Greg Girard (Greg Girard)

At night, the city's lawlessness became truly apparent. Crime was rampant, and anyone who knew better wouldn't trespass near the city's walls.

Even though the area wasn't terribly dangerous by the time Girard visited, he said local children were still told by their parents not to go near Kowloon Walled City.

(Greg Girard (Greg Girard)

The city had just about every business imaginable, for better or worse. At night, schools and salons were converted into strip clubs and gambling halls. Trafficked drugs  mostly opium  made frequent appearances.

One woman, Wong Cheung Mi, worked as a dentist.

Like many of the Walled City's dentists, Wong could not practice anywhere else in Hong Kong. This type of arrangement drew hordes of working-class citizens to visit the city for affordable healthcare and services.

Stacked housing blocks meant virtually no sunlight could pierce through. Even during the day, Girard says, it was nighttime all the time in there.

The one place of respite from the dampness was on the roof, though Girard said this was the most unsafe  there were a lot of additional things sticking out and spaces between buildings that had been combined.

(Greg Girard (Greg Girard)

In-house manufacturing was a huge part of the Walled City's infrastructure. Dog-meat butchers, entrepreneurs, and noodle makers enjoyed zero oversight inside the walls.

Hui Tuy Choy opened his noodle factory in 1965, free to ignore codes about health, fire, and labour.

Some of the most common products manufactured in the city were fish balls, which producers sold to local restaurants.

Sanitation was of minimal importance, Girard said  it was an intensely difficult place to function, with no laws governing health or safety.

(Greg Girard (Greg Girard)

Law enforcement typically intervened only for serious crimes, Girard says, though rumors were always swirling that Hong Kong's government preferred to turn a blind eye.

One law that was consistently enforced was that the Walled City could be no higher than 14 stories. Otherwise, low-flying airplanes would have trouble meeting the nearby runway.

Despite its seedy reputation, the Walled City offered a sense of togetherness to thousands of people who had no community, Girard says.

Its physical reality kind of belied this community that it was, Girard says, adding that people's attitudes toward him changed around 1990 when they learned the structure was to be knocked down.

People began living increasingly quiet, traditional lives. Though he entered as a threatening outsider, Girard eventually left having formed genuine relationships.

After the city was torn down in 1994, a park was built in its place. Today, Kowloon Park attracts photographers, bird-watchers, and tourists looking to relax in scenic Hong Kong  with plenty of room.

Hong Kong is kind of a surreal place, Girard said. The Kowloon Walled City was one of its more surreal mutations, but Hong Kong evolves, and Kowloon evolves.

You can find more of Girard's photographs of Kowloon Walled City on his website.

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Read the original article on Business Insider UK.  2016. Follow Business Insider UK on Twitter.
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The trail from Parque Lage to Corcovado and Rio de Janeiros famous Christ the Redeemer statue has been temporarily closed after a Polish man was stabbed there on 7 July.

The man was one of 58 victims to be robbed along the 4km-long path in just 10 days.

Valeria Aragao, head of Rios tourist police department, argued for the trail inside Tijuca National Park to be shut until sufficient police can be stationed there for hikers protection.

Patrolling in the region will never be efficient because human resources in the security forces are overwhelmingly under-resourced, she told The Rio Times. I do not recommend that this trail be used. I suggest a temporary closure.

I have a meeting with the park to deal with this officially. We have already pointed out the vulnerabilities.

After a sharp rise in the number of attacks, volunteers nailed posters to trees showing the image of a gun and the words Be cautious. Do not risk your life written on them in Portuguese.

One of the modern seven wonders of the world, Christ the Redeemer can still be accessed by train and taxi.

The robberies on the Corcovado trail appear to be committed by young men from the local favelas (slums), often armed with knives, who wait for tourists to pass by. Over 150 people have been robbed there so far this year.

Twenty one-year-old Dutch student Renate Trinks told news.com.au about her experience of being mugged along the trail by three Brazilian men.

When we were closer they showed us their knives and told us to sit down and give them all our stuff, she said.

While we were handing over our belongings more tourists were coming and they robbed everyone.

Robbers lie in wait on the trail up to Christ the Redeemer (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Some people had a lot of cash on them, and expensive cameras, [the robbers] had two backpacks full of stuff.

They said there was a guy waiting for us with a gun, but we never saw this guy. So I think it was just to scare us.

At the beginning when I saw their knives I was a little scared but the robbery itself was not too scary, they were pretty calm. They gave back passports and credit cards.

I had read online that the hike was pretty dangerous and I already had a bad feeling about it so I didnt bring my watch and rings. I decided to bring my phone to take pictures.

Recommended Rio citizens to receive new app to record police violence in favelas

Co-founder of adventure tourism company Jinga Experience, Evan Farr, told The Rio Times: Unfortunately the Corcovado Hike has recently suffered from these incidents. It is a shame to see this happen to such a great Rio experience.

The reality is, it is known that most people hiking the Corcovado trail will be carrying valuables because the summit is Christ the Redeemer, so the hikers become targets.

He advises tackling more difficult paths.

The trails that are least likely for encountering trouble are the more difficult ones to access, for example the trails deepest into the Tijuca Forest like Pico da Tijuca and Bico de Papagaio, and hikes further away from downtown like Telegrafo and Pedra da Tartaruga.
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A shooting range in Israel has come under fire for offering tourists the chance to pretend theyre security services shutting down terror attacks  using targets mocked up to look like Palestinians.

Caliber 3, which is based in the West Bank and run by a former member of the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), calls itself the premier academy for counter terror and security. It offers six programs for tourists, including desert Survival Training, krav magna martial arts, and Combat Rappelling using paintball guns.

Its Ultimate Shooting Adventure has raised eyebrows for its use of real guns and simulated terror attacks  with targets dressed up in Palestinian keffiyehs.

Photos on the companys Facebook page show photos of men wearing keffiyehs for target practice, and the terrorists in live combat situations also wearing the traditional Palestinian scarves.

But a spokesperson told The Independent that this was only because the targets are made to look as real as possible, replicating generic street scenes.

"This is not strange at all," said Yoav Fleishman, Foreign Relations Manager. "We have a very diverse set of target posters, and many times the population who train are used to that kind of population on the ground. We want to simulate a (regular) street which means the people who walk around the street are the people you see on the target posters.

"We have many kinds of posters. Some of them are Arabs because that's the kind of population we have here. You can focus on that and say that is what we do but that would be an oversimplification, reading the situation inappropriately.

"We try to keep it as (realistic) as possible."

Tourists use real guns and ammunition for the two-hour session, Haaretz reported. Its live counter-terror demonstration includes a simulated suicide bombing, knife attack, sniper tournament using real assault and sniper rifles, and a demonstration of forces taking down a suspect with attack dogs.

The sessions cost $115 (88), with a $30 discount for children. Children are not allowed to use guns - since the minimum age to use weapons in Israel is 18.

Caliber 3s website describes the Ultimate Shooting Adventure as its legendary introduction program and says its suitable for tourists of any age who would like to get a taste of Israeli methods of shooting and combat.

Learn from the experts about weapons handling, counter terrorism tactics and the values that guide the Israel Defense Forces, it adds.

There are six similar facilities across Israel, according to Middle East Monitor.

Caliber 3 opened in 2003, originally to run counter-terrorism courses for professionals. Founder Sharon Gat is a former IDF colonel. Between 22,000 and 25,000 foreigners visit each year, Fleishman told The Independent.

Most are from the US, Gat told Haaretz, but numbers are increasing from China, Russia, Italy, France and South America. The company is running a week-long US-based program in Pennsylvania next month. They will also run another in San Diego.

Although authorities initially banned him from offering the courses to foreign tourists, Gat told Haaretz that the Israeli government now understands the importance of what we do People who do our programs become ambassadors for the State of Israel.

He said that the thought came to him after thinking about the horrors of the Holocaust. "I said to myself that I am going to open this place to the public to show what a long way the Jewish people have come in 75 years, he said.
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Strange images of Hamad International Airport in Doha circled the world early last month. After a diplomatic row that saw Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates sever ties with Qatar, blocking access to their airspace, photos appeared to show that the second busiest airport in the region had effectively become a ghost town.

Around 30 million passengers pass through Doha every year, but last month, travellers reported that the airport was deserted.

Id heard whisperings on social media that with the empty planes, flying Qatar Airways was like taking a private jet.

 Trump says Qatar has 'historically been funding terrorism at a very high level'

Did that make it a good or a bad idea to fly Qatar in the circumstances? With a ticket from Phnom Penh to Houston via Doha booked long before the incident kicked off on 5 June, I didnt have the luxury of choice.

I flew on 30 June, just before the laptop ban was lifted. And although I was preparing myself for the worst, I was in for a big surprise.

Before the flight

The omens werent good. I assumed, when the crisis started, that Qatar Airways would email me explaining whether the airspace ban would affect my flight or not.

Obviously it would, because although I wasnt flying to any of the countries involved, Qatar had been forced to change its normal flight paths into Doha  albeit slightly  in order to avoid flying through UAE airspace.

Visitors love a selfie with Dohas iconic teddy bear (photographs by Carla McKirdy) (Carla McKirdy)

But there was no statement released, no travel warnings for ticketed passengers  not even any reassurance that their flight would be operating and wouldnt be delayed.

The policy of silence extended to the website, too. Three weeks into the dispute, I scoured it for clues; there was nothing. Finally, on 7 July, a notice addressing the diplomatic incident finally went up  yet at the same time, the site still advertised Dubai as one of its top destinations, although it had been a month since Qatar Airways last flew there.

On arrival

At Phnom Penh airport, the attendant at the check in desk welcomed me with a big smile. Business or pleasure? she inquired. Small talk aside, she said nothing about the elephant in the room. I looked around for any update about the effects of the diplomatic row, but it was in vain. There was only one thing left to do: hope for the best.

Onboard

Forget those enticingly empty plane photos; onboard, it was business as usual, with a fully packed flight. Crew made no reference to the diplomatic crisis  not even when outlining the flight path we would take.

The flight map showed the difficulties caused by the airspace ban (Carla McKirdy)

The only evidence of the row was a blink-and-youll-miss-it moment. The onscreen flight tracker showed our plane leaving Vietnam and inching its way towards Qatar in a straight line  except for a sharp dip off-route to avoid cruising over UAE airspace.

I reckon it added about 10 minutes flying time  but because delays are built in to schedules, we still landed on time.

At Doha

So what about that ghost-town airport? On arrival at Hamad International Airport (where I was in transit), just one subtle sign revealed that something was possibly amiss: bright red letters reading cancelled on the screens next to flights listing destinations such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Riyadh.

But that was the only thing visible; anyone unaware of the ongoing news would be none the wiser about the reason  or the fact that theyd been cancelled for weeks. All other scheduled services appeared generally to be on time.

The only reference to the ongoing political crisis were the cancelled flights (Carla McKirdy)

But there was none of the ghost-town air  from the looks of it, every other plane must have been as full as mine. The corridors were full of people spilling out of security, weaving their way through the crowds towards their respective departure gates, and stopping for an obligatory selfie in front of the giant teddy bear artwork thats synonymous with Doha airport.

Everything was working like clockwork; everyone seemed oblivious to the diplomatic incident going on around them and threatening their travel plans.

Qatar has some pretty good offers on at the moment  prices may not be enough to entirely counter the worries that have been instilled in the travelling public, but decent deals include Kathmandu from 454, Bali from 539 and Perth from 638.

Would I travel with them while the future still looks so uncertain, though? Only at the right price.
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The news that Robbie Gibb, who edited the BBCs political programmes, has been appointed Theresa Mays Director of Communications must have caused deep puzzlement to the tabloid press, assorted Tory backbenchers and everyone else who subscribes to the idea that the Corporation is a writhing mass of pinkoes  but surprised they shouldnt be.

The BBCs political output has long had more than its fair share of Conservatives in prominent roles  none more so than Andrew Neil, who previously worked for the Conservatives Research Department and who now chairs the holding company that owns the Daily Telegraph and the Spectator. Superb interviewer though he is, it is unusual for any broadcaster, whether left or right-wing, to dominate political coverage as much as Neil does on the BBC, who fronts the weekday Daily Politics show and presents his own programmes on Sunday mornings and Thursday evenings.

The appointment of Robbie Gibb was unsurprising; he was treading a well-worn path. Mays predecessor David Cameron appointed the then head of BBC TV News, Craig Oliver, to be his Director of Communications and before him the then Conservative Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, appointed Guto Hari, a BBC political correspondent, to head of his media team.

However, it is not being argued here that the BBC is biased towards the right nor, for that matter, to the left  but it does have a bias and that is towards the centre: the consensus, as it sees it.

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This means that, for the most part, its coverage spans no further than from the centre-left to the centre-right. Indeed, a succession of senior BBC journalists have accepted that the Corporations political coverage struggles to escape the Westminster bubble, which is perhaps one reason why the BBCs coverage of the last two general elections and the Brexit referendum failed to adequately reflect the national mood (though the BBC was far from being alone in this failing).

But this bias towards the centre appears not to be taking into account the rise of Corbyn and his new Labour Party. In support of this contention, I call in evidence the BBCs two flagship Sunday political programmers presented respectively by Andrews Marr and Neil.

Both programmes, apart from having big-name political interviews, also include three-person panels of political journalists. I have monitored the panels of the two programmes for the past five weeks and have found that of the 30 possible panellists, 20 have been from the right or centre-right, eight from the centre left, one from the left and one  the BBC presenter Victoria Derbyshire  of no declared political position.

In other words, theres a two-to-one bias to the right or centre-right on these panels, which, given the consistency over the period monitored, cannot simply be attributed to happenstance.

But is this imbalance of any real significance? The answer in my view is yes, on two levels.

First, because these press panels play a crucial role in providing the context in which the remainder of these programmes are seen, they set the dominant narrative for both the presenters, the guests and the audience.

But second, and perhaps more importantly, they are indicative of where the BBCs political staff believe the current centre of political balance to lie.

Most observers accept that the political centre moves. Under Thatcher and Blair, it was to the right, but since the 2017 general election, if not before, it has clearly moved to the left. That is yet to be reflected across the BBCs coverage.

This is not to suggest that the BBC do not have a good team of political journalists proving reliable and informative coverage, because they do. But it is to suggest that there is a mindset within the BBC, almost certainly unconscious, that has yet to recognise the new political realties of the UK in 2017.

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The BBC is a public service broadcaster  and a good one too  but it is vital that, in carrying out its function of reflecting Britain back to itself, the picture it has of the country is a reasonably accurate one.

Young people are now increasingly turning to social media as their first source of information about current events. If the BBC is to win back this section of the audience, or at least stem the tide, it needs to examine, and respond quickly, to the current mote in its political eye.

Ivor Gaber is Professor of Political Journalism at the University of Sussex and was formerly a Westminster-based journalist for the BBC, ITN and Channel Four
European Ombudsman Emily O'Reilly said citizens deserves to know what was going on during the Brexit negotiations

The watchdog for European citizens has said people have a right to know what the UK's Brexit negotiators are tabling.

As the second round of talks on the split got underway in Brussels, Emily O'Reilly said she had yet to see options for a so-called soft border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

The European Ombudsman also warned about "mixed signals" and "uncontrolled leaks" from Prime Minister Theresa May's Cabinet.

Ms O'Reilly told parliamentarians from Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, the Isle of Man, Guernsey and Jersey that voters need to be given as much neutral information as possible and what the consequences might be.

"Irrespective of your views on Brexit, the people at the very least deserve honesty and honesty at every stage of this process," she said.

Ms O'Reilly said it is inconceivable that leaks will not happen but she said it would be better to publish as many documents as possible to control the spin.

At a meeting of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly in Kilkenny, the Ombudsman gave an impassioned defence of the work of the European Union, from women's rights to environmental reform.

She praised the attitude of Europe's chief negotiator Michael Barnier towards transparency in the talks and called for the greatest possible openness.

"While much of Brexit is highly technical and bureaucratic, it is still being played out on a political stage and if greater transparency is seen to be useful to one side then greater transparency we shall have," Ms O'Reilly said.

"It will not have gone unnoticed in Brussels that - certainly before the general election - the British Government was urging secrecy around the talks process and counselling in very strong terms against leaks.

"In a divided, divisive and febrile atmosphere, uncontrolled leaks risk undermining both the negotiating team and the Government itself."

Ms O'Reilly described the negotiations as the greatest "chess game of our lives" and she said people have a "right to know".

The former journalist, who headed up the ombudsman's office in Ireland before moving to the European role in 2013, also noted the influence law firms and consultancies were trying to exert on the Brexit talks.

"The EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier is being transparent in relation to his meetings but influence is attempted to be peddled at all levels and in every member state with a stake in the outcome of these negotiations," she said.

"The transposition of EU laws and regulations into the UK legal framework is an area also ripe for lobbyists and while that of course is none of my business, I expect that this is where UK politicians will be keeping a close eye."

Ms O'Reilly also told parliamentarians that one of the first investigations she launched in the public interest concerned the transparency of negotiations between the EU and the United States in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTip) deal.

Britain's ambassador to Ireland Robin Barnett addressed the issue of the border between the Republic and Northern Ireland and said Mrs May's Government "gets" that north-south movement and trade i s an "essential part of daily life".

"My point is that, notwithstanding the inevitable challenges ahead, our relationship need not be defined by Brexit," he said.

"I realise that some might consider that statement to be naive but I genuinely believe that there are opportunities to bolster this already special relationship."
Stock Spirits Group will invest 18.3m in the Dublin Liberties Distillery Company in return for a 25pc equity interest in Quintessential Brands Irish Whiskey (QBIW).

QBIW owns both the Dublin Liberties Distillery Company and the Dubliner Irish Whiskey brand.

The investment, from the owner and producer of premium branded spirits and liqueurs that are sold in central and eastern Europe, comprises an initial 15m cash, plus a further deferred cash consideration over a five-year period for the 25pc equity interest.

As part of the total 28m investment, a 10m banking facility has been completed with Wells Fargo Bank.

QBIW will use the investment primarily to complete the construction and fit out of the Dublin Liberties Distillery in Dublin 8, as well as to accelerate advertising and promotional investment in the brands underpinned by significant investment in stock maturation.

Read more: Hotels enjoy increase in business despite fewer UK visitors

The QBIW senior executive management team will continue to lead the Dublin Liberties Distillery Company. It will be chaired by Quintessential Brands group co-founder Warren Scott.

Mr Scott confirmed that the Dublin Liberties Distillery is scheduled to be completed in the Summer of 2018 and would be a "significant tourist attraction" to complement the considerable development and investment under way in the Liberties area of Dublin.

Read more: Plans to build 138m whiskey maturing complex 100-acre midlands farm

Commenting on the announcement, Mr Scott said that he was "delighted" to be working with Stock Spirits,

"With the completion of the Dublin Liberties Distillery we will create a home for the brands and an exciting new visitor experience in the heart of Dublin," he said.

The range of products in the Dublin Liberties and the Dubliner Irish Whiskey portfolios currently sell in more than 30 countries with sales in excess of 32,000 cases (9L) in the 12 months to March 2017.
A couple may have part of their 1,600 acre farm sold to pay a 352,000 debt to a grain merchant by order of the High Court.

Jim and June Smith, tillage farmers from Portarlington, Co Laois, were sued by Quinns grain and agricultural merchants of Baltinglass, Co Wicklow.

Mr Justice David Keane granted an order to Quinns over the lands which means unless the couple pay the debt within a month, the property can be put up for sale and the court will later decide how the proceeds are to be distributed.

The order does not affect their home which is on the lands and they are to be provided with a right-of-way to the house as part of the court order.

The case related to a 2010 summary judgment order against Mr Smith over a shortfall on his (Smith's) account with Quinns in 2009 following some five years of business between them.

By the time judgment was obtained against Mr Smith, the debt stood at 292,000, inclusive of interest.

In 2011, Mr Smith delivered 54,000 worth of grain to Quinns in part payment of the debt but no further monies were forthcoming.

By February 2016, the debt, including 114,000 in accumulated interest, was 352,000.

The Laois Co Sheriff sought to execute the judgment but in April 2012, the sheriff reported no property could be found and seized to pay off the judgment.

Quinns believed Mr Smith continue to work his farm, growing cereals.

In August 2012, Quinns received an anonymous letter saying Mr Smith and his wife had set up a company called Nujmij and was delivering grain to the multi-national food company Glanbia.

Quinns obtained an injunction preventing the Smiths dissipating their assets and directing Glanbia to retain 65,000 due to the Smiths for the grain delivery.

Following a hearing, Mr Justice Keane ruled the transfer by Mr Smith of ownership of the grain to Nujmij, later delivered to Glanbia, was made with the intention to defraud Quinns as a creditor of Mr Smith.

He granted Quinns a declaration that the transfer of ownership was void.

In relation to the outstanding 352,000 judgment, he ordered an account be taken of any other or claims/encumbrances over their lands with the purpose of establishing a priority for each of those claims.

He granted an order for payment of the 352,000 within 28 days. Failing such payment, he ordered certain lands could be put up for sale.

Mr Smith told the court that the part of the lands over which he is the sole owner have been charged to a financial institution and the money due to it far exceeds the value of the land concerned.

He is in dispute with the institution over its appointment of the a receiver and is, to all practical purposes, insolvent, he said.
Farmers and agri-businesses from as far away as Russia and Kazakhstan will be sowing Irish-treated seeds processed by a new multi-million-euro plan.

The state-of-the art seed processing and distribution facility in Co Waterford unveiled by Seedtech and its sister company DFL will be aiming for both the national and international markets.

Roy Power, group MD, said Ireland was an excellent location in terms of "isolation" as it is an island.

He said the long growing season due to the climate also brought added security. Mr Power pointed out that this allowed the plant more time to develop different traits and it was a benefit few other countries offer.

Mr Power said these combined to make Ireland the "perfect place" for a seed operation.

Orders have already been placed for seeds from Russia, Kazakhstan and other locations.

Farmers attending the opening day were shown the 52,000sqft plant at Belview Port, with the facility designed to have a 100pc clean-down mechanism between the various varieties.

Now, the new facility will allow them to look at the distilling and brewing trade as the machines can clean grain to such a high standard.

It has the ability to process high-quality cereal and grass seed, along with premium grains for the food industry.

The firm said they hope all seed will be thoroughly cleaned before reaching the facility, but the machines are capable for instance of removing cleavers from oilseed rape seed.

The automated seed dressing facility can allow up to eight different dressings.
DUBLIN has ranked 34th out of 50 global cities for high-potential women entrepreneurs (HPWEs).

Ireland's "generous" maternity and paternity leave policy have been cited by Dell's Women Entrepreneur Cities (WE Cities) Index as a "major contributing factor" for placing Dublin "well above the median when it comes to women's capital base".

However, Dublin's high cost of living, high cost of childcare and dependency on family support as well as access to affordable Internet and mobile plans were identified as barriers for women, who make up less than 20pc of Enterprise Ireland's high growth potential startup businesses.

"The high cost of living puts added pressure on low wage workers, many of whom are women," said the report released at Dell's 8th annual Woman's Entrepreneur network (DWEN) in San Francisco.

"However, recent initiatives such as Dublin's Living Wage Initiative and its increase in the minimum wage have helped to mitigate this".

It is the first time that any entrepreneurs, from the island of Ireland, have been invited to attend the prestigious business summit.

Kate Hyde, managing director of tech company Glencove, the Cork firm behind Henparty.ie and a host of bespoke travel tech software solutions, is among the first Irish entrepreneurs invited to DWEN.

Julie Brien and Dr Roisin Molloy, co-founders of Trimedika, the Belfast-based medical-device firm, are also attending DWEN whose director is Dublin based Dell executive Ingrid Devin.

Dell's WE Cities index is the only global, gender-specific index that looks at a city's ability to attract and foster growth of women-owned firms.

Cities were ranked on five characteristics: capital, technology, talent, culture and markets.

New York City, the San Francisco Bay Area and London were ranked the top three cities for high-potential women entrepreneurs, followed by Boston and Stockholm.

Dublin ranked 34th whilst Belfast was ranked 36th.

Being home to 3 top-ranked global universities, Trinity College Dublin, UCD and DCU - as well as seven accredited business schools - boosted Dublin's talent score in accessing qualified personnel.

Collaborative efforts between Dublin's educational institutions and local entrepreneurship centres, including those supported by Enterprise Ireland, helped boost the availability of technology training organisations for women.

"It is the world's best interest that women entrepreneurs thrive," said Elizabeth Gore, entrepreneur-in-residence at Dell.

"The WE Cities Index can be used as a diagnostic tool to help ensure that lawmakers re enabling women entrepreneurs to succeed. Each of the cities on the list can learn from one another and encourage political change to attract and support women entrepreneurs".

The study found that there is a "dramatic uplift" in a city's economic prospects once impediments to female entrepreneurship are removed.

The research found that access to capital is the number one challenge that women entrepreneurs face. It also found that cultural norms and their policy implications put "serious binds" on female entrepreneurs.

Networks were identified as key for female entrepreneurs including robust ecosystems with incubators, accelerators and mentors. Talent, both in terms of the entrepreneur's own talent, including education a don experience, and having access to skilled staff also resonated as highly important.

Topics of discussion at the two day conference include the changing US and global political landscape, alternative finance methods and emerging technology trends, such as artificial intelligence, robotics, virtual reality, augmented reality and cloud computing.
Just after the millennium, Burberry broke free from its parent of a half-century, Great Universal Stores, and floated on the London Stock Exchange. Today, the group has 470 outlets worldwide, sales of 2.8bn and a market worth of 7bn (7.9bn)

To some, luxury brands are the biggest confidence trick in this era of consumerism. They point out that the product prices bear no relationship to manufacturing costs, being based on perception of exclusivity.

But to business people, brands are extremely attractive. They fantasise about creating a brand where customers pay a high price on a regular basis - and if it hits the jackpot, the rewards can be enormous.

Unless I am mistaken, Grand Met, the British conglomerate (later to merge with Guinness to create Diageo) was the first major firm to put values on its then brands, like Baileys Irish Cream and Smirnoff vodka. Suddenly, hundreds of millions of pounds in value could be found where none had previously existed.

Brands are such a part of modern business that only the completely foolish would dismiss them as a 'con-trick'.

One big British company has turned its brand into a special piece of magic and that quality may make it a possible sure-fire winner, whether the ubiquitous Brexit turns out to be hard or soft, smooth or frictional.

That company is the luxury goods concern, Burberry. The 160-year-old company was not always a global luxury brand, but it is a splendid example of a long-established company that spotted the potential of its brand and exploited it to the full. (Though the following fact has nothing to do with its current fashionable status, Burberry made an important contribution to Irish military history by inventing the trench coat, the de rigueur fashion item during the War of Independence.)

Just after the millennium, Burberry broke free from its parent of a half-century, Great Universal Stores, and floated on the London Stock Exchange. Today, the group has 470 outlets worldwide, sales of 2.8bn and a market worth of 7bn (7.9bn).

But the key to its growth was that it transformed itself from a licensing business to a wholesale operation and is now mainly a retail concern, located in all the top-end locations around the world.

Asia Pacific and Europe account for almost three-quarters of Burberry's revenues. The China market saw luxury consumption decline recently for the first time, while in its US market the company's problem has been a dependency on discount outlets and their consequent low prices.

Recently, the group appointed a new CEO, its third in four years. This revolving door of senior management worries some investors.

In 2014, the CEO, Angela Ahrendts, moved to head up marketing for Apple.

She was followed by Chris Bailey, who had the dual role of CEO and creative director.

This proved less than ideal and the share price suffered.

Recently, he was replaced by Marco Gobbetti, who previously headed up the French luxury brand Celine. Bailey retains his position as creative director. Investors are hoping that Gobbetti can last the pace and deliver.

Today, the luxury-goods environment is challenging and Burberry group revenues were 2.8bn, down 2pc on the previous year. Profits before tax, at 395m, fell more at 5pc. The company generates strong cash flow, even after paying share buy-backs (100m) and dividends (164m). Interestingly, over the past five years, Burberry has paid 700m in dividends to its shareholders.

Cost savings are protecting short-term earnings, with the company maintaining tight disciplines on costs. It plans a reduction of 20m this year and expects 50m next year.

The shares, at 16.45, cannot be described as cheap but at the back of investors' minds is the possibility of a takeover bid. One, from a US rival, Coast, was rejected. Since the Brexit decision a year ago, Burberry was one of a small number of companies tipped to ride out the Brexit storm.

This is because it generates less than 10pc of its revenues in the UK and at the same time is a beneficiary of the weakness of the pound.

It might be worth a flutter if you like luxury goods and have faith in the Chinese consumer.

Nothing in this section should be taken as a recommendation, either explicit or implicit to buy any of the shares mentioned.
Playwright Jez Butterworth has revealed he rejected an OBE after David Cameron promised to hold the EU Referendum.

The Jerusalem creator, 48, told The Sunday Times he turned down the honour because I wasnt going to take a f****** OBE off the Conservative government, which was about to hold this f****** referendum.

In 2013 when he was Prime Minister, Cameron promised to hold a referendum on Britains membership of the European Union. He repeated the pledge during the 2015 General Election campaign and included it in the Conservative Partys manifesto.

Expand Close (Left to right) Ian Rickson, Mark Rylance, with his Best Actor award in Jerusalem, Jez Butterworth with his Best New Play award and Dominic Cooke, artistic Director of the Royal Court at The Critics Circle Theatre Awards, at the Prince Of Wales Theatre in central London (Yui Mok/PA) / Facebook

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Whatsapp (Left to right) Ian Rickson, Mark Rylance, with his Best Actor award in Jerusalem, Jez Butterworth with his Best New Play award and Dominic Cooke, artistic Director of the Royal Court at The Critics Circle Theatre Awards, at the Prince Of Wales Theatre in central London (Yui Mok/PA)

Butterworth said the decision was made a couple of years ago and joins a list of celebrities who have turned down honours including film makers Danny Boyle and Ken Loach.

When he was alive David Bowie turned down a knighthood and Paul Weller had previously rejected a CBE.
George A Romero died after a brief battle with cancer, his manager said (Andrew Medichini/AP)

Edgar Wright has paid tribute to Night Of The Living Dead director George A Romero after his death at the age of 77.

The creator of the classic horror films that satirised society died on Sunday after a brief battle with lung cancer, his manager said.

Wright, whose film Shaun Of The Dead is a riff on Romeros classics, joined science fiction writer Stephen King and other Hollywood stars in marking their respects.

Writing on his website, Wright said he owes his career to the King Of The Zombies.

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Its fair to say that without George A Romero, I would not have the career I have now. A lot of people owe George a huge debt of gratitude for the inspiration, the 43-year-old said.

His zombie films alone are the work of a major satirist, being highly vivid socio-political metaphors and sometimes better records of the years in which they were made than countless serious dramas.

Knowing your movies, I have a feeling you will be back.

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Romero cast King in 1980s films Knightriders and Creepshow, which King wrote.

He said: Sad to hear my favourite collaborator  and good old friend  George Romero has died. George, there will never be another like you.

Manager Chris Roe said the gentle giant died listening to the score of one of his favourite films, The Quiet Man, with his wife Suzanne and their daughter Tina.

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He died peacefully in his sleep, following a brief but aggressive battle with lung cancer, and leaves behind a loving family, many friends, and a film-making legacy that has endured, and will continue to endure, the test of time, he added.

Director and actor Eli Roth praised Romero for using the genre to combat racism while Get Out director Jordan Peele tweeted: Romero started it.

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Actor Mark Gatiss also paid tribute to the charming, legendary zombie king while director Robert Rodriguez hailed him as a true legend who started it all.

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Night Of The Living Dead became a cult classic after its release in 1968 and spawned the series that includes Dawn Of The Dead and Day Of The Dead.

The original is credited as creating now universal rules for zombie films, that the undead lurch slowly and prosper through biting humans who then return as zombies.

But Romero, who was born in New York, also used the beasts as metaphors with societal ills such as racism and class division.
Jodie Whittaker becomes the first woman to play the Time Lord in Doctor Who

Jodie Whittaker has described as "completely overwhelming" becoming the first woman to play the lead in 'Doctor Who' in its 50-year history.

The 'Broadchurch' actress was revealed as Peter Capaldi's successor as the Time Lord yesterday afternoon, making her the 13th reincarnation of the much-loved character.

She said: "It feels completely overwhelming, as a feminist, as a woman, as an actor, as a human, as someone who wants to continually push themselves and challenge themselves, and not be boxed in by what you're told you can and can't be. It feels incredible."

She also reassured fans to "not be scared by my gender".

"Because this is a really exciting time, and 'Doctor Who' represents everything that's exciting about change", she said, adding: "The fans have lived through so many changes, and this is only a new, different one, not a fearful one."

Whittaker (35) revealed she had told "a lot of lies" in order to keep the announcement secret and had used the codename Clooney when discussing the role with her husband and agent.

It will see the actress team up with 'Broadchurch' creator Chris Chibnall on the hit sci-fi series as he takes over from Steven Moffat as executive producer.
There are 120 sex offenders living in communities across the country and being monitored as part of their post-release supervision programming.

The 120 subject to post-supervision orders represent an increase of six on the total for this time last year.

In the US, under the so-called Megan's Law, state authorities disclose to the public the addresses of freed sex offenders and the crimes they have been convicted of.

In the UK, under 'Sarah's Law', parents are allowed to ask the police if someone who might have contact with their children has a criminal record for child sex offences.

However, a 2015 study showed that just one in six applications was successful, with police citing vigilantism fears as part of the reasons for withholding details.

No such provision exists in Irish law relating to gardai having to disclose the addresses of freed convicted sex offenders.

According to figures released by Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan, the largest concentration of any released sex offenders subject to post-release supervision is in the Dublin north and north east areas, where 32 are living.

In a written Dail reply to Fianna Fail's justice spokesman Jim O'Callaghan, Mr Flanagan confirmed that a further 24 are living in the Dublin south and Wicklow area, while 23 have addresses in the west and north-west - excluding Westmeath.

In his reply, Mr Flanagan confirmed that a further 22 are living in the midlands and the south-east, with 19 living in the south-west.

Around 1,000 sex offenders are obliged to provide local gardai with their address and any change when moving - however, post-supervision orders go a step further, requiring offenders to undergo psychological counselling or other treatment.

Those sex offenders who breach post-release supervision conditions are liable to prison terms not exceeding 12 months.

Mr Flanagan said figures relating to non-compliance of supervision orders are not readily available.

In a separate Dail reply to Mr O'Callaghan, Mr Flanagan confirmed there are currently three sex offenders and one killer currently on temporary release.

The latest figures from the Irish Prison Service show that there has been a steady increase in those jailed for sexual offences this year.

At the end of May, the figures show there were 394 sex offenders jailed, an increase of eight since March.
A MAN has been arrested in relation to the death of a 56-year-old father-of-three who was viciously beaten and dumped on a street.

The victim, who has been named locally as Dermot Byrne, was naked when he was found by a passer-by on a Dublin street in the early hours of yesterday morning.

The grim discovery was made on a set of steps at Fingal Community College, on North Street, in the north Dublin town of Swords at 3.05am.

Sources say that Mr Byrne, who lived in Swords, suffered multiple blunt force injuries to his head and body, which were consistent with a prolonged and sustained beating.

Expand Close General view of Gardai forensics at scene on North Street, Swords, Dublin. Pic: Caroline Quinn / Facebook

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Whatsapp General view of Gardai forensics at scene on North Street, Swords, Dublin. Pic: Caroline Quinn

It was likely that the attack had happened elsewhere and that Mr Byrne was later dumped on the street. His injuries were so bad it is suspected that whoever carried out the attack may have believed he was dead when they dumped him.

The victim's body was naked when discovered by a passer-by.

A Dublin Fire Brigade tender and HSE ambulance from Swords were dispatched to the scene, and teams of paramedics battled to save Mr Byrne's life.

The victim had a faint pulse when the emergency crews arrived, but died in the ambulance while being treated.

A 29-year-old man was arrested yesterday evening in the Dublin area in connection with the garda investigation. He was being detained at Swords garda station last night.

A post-mortem examination was carried out on Mr Byrne's remains yesterday to determine the exact cause of death.

Expand Close General view of Gardai forensics at scene on North Street, Swords, Dublin. Photo: Caroline Quinn / Facebook

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Gardai have appealed for witnesses who may have been in or around the North Street area between 1.30am and 3am yesterday, or to anyone who may have driven around the area and have 'dash cam' footage from their vehicle, to come forward to help the investigation.

Local CCTV footage from commercial premises will also be examined and may prove vital in determining the sequence of events leading up to the discovery of Mr Byrne.

Yesterday, gardai operated traffic diversions and roads were cordoned off with crime-scene tape to allow a forensic examination of the scene.

Local people expressed their shock at the violent death.

Mum-of-four Bridget Carr (55) said: "It is so sad.

"Swords is a lovely place to live, but it's awful how something like this can happen to someone on the streets of this town."
The Church of Scientology building in Los Angeles (Stock picture)

The reported sale of a former church building in Dublin to the controversial Church of Scientology has been greeted with disappointment by members of the local community.

The former Victory Christian Fellowship had operated the large modern building for worship on Firhouse Road in Tymon South, Dublin 24.

But it is believed to have been bought by the Scientologist organisation.

Fine Gael Councillor Brian Lawlor said it was considered as a possible educational institution by the Department of Education but it failed to purchase the 1,200-seat venue.

He indicated local people were disappointed it was a missed opportunity to provide a local educational centre.
RESTAURATEUR and publican Jay Bourke has been disqualified by the High Court from acting as a company director for seven years.

Mr Bourke had earlier this year agreed to a disqualification period of five years arising out of the liquidation of his now closed Shebeen Chic pub on South Great George's Street in Dublin.

However Mr Justice Robert Haughton said the focus of the misconduct by Mr Bourke in this case must be that he had continued to trade for some two years after he knew the operating company was insolvent.

"He attempted to trade out of difficulties but did so for far too long and eventually Revenue petitioned for a winding up in December 2012", the judge said.

There was an eventual VAT liability of 105,000, showing a very significant revenue which was not reflected in the books and records of the company, he said.

It had been accepted by Mr Bourke that books and records were not kept or provided and there was also a failure to make annual returns.

This was "significant misconduct and a significant loss to the taxpayer", he said.

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It seemed to the judge that taking all factors into account, the appropriate disqualification period was eight years.

He deducted one year deducted for Mr Bourke's acceptance of his behaviour after the liquidator's grounding affidavit was filed and because a number of other sanctions originally sought against him had been withdrawn.

Earlier, the judge noted a claim of reckless trading against Mr Bourke had been withdrawn.

After hearing Mr Bourke was a director of 14 companies and needed a little time to resign those directorships, the judge agreed to put a stay on his order until August 1.

Those other directorships include Panti Bar and Bobos Burgers in Dublin.
THE young woman who complained she was sexually assaulted as a child by Sgt Maurice McCabe said she told her story to a journalist as she was furious the whistleblower was being portrayed as a hero in the media.

The woman, known as Ms D, told the Disclosures Tribunal how she became upset and had to walk out of a college lecture where Sgt McCabe and what an honourable man he was was being discussed.

I wanted to vent. I wanted someone to listen to me, she said of her decision to contact Irish Independent journalist Paul Williams.

I simply wanted people to understand there was a different side to this man and he was not the saint he was being portrayed to be, Ms D said.

During sometimes emotional testimony, a tearful Ms D said her father, a garda colleague of Sgt McCabe, had suggested she may wish to speak to Mr Williams.

The tribunal heard Mr Williams name was initially suggested to Ms Ds father by his friend and colleague, Det Supt John OReilly.

Expand Close Paul Williams. Photo: Steve Humphreys / Facebook

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Two articles appeared in the Irish Independent, in which neither Ms D nor Sgt McCabe were identified, stating a young woman was unhappy with how a complaint she had made against an unnamed garda had been investigated.

The tribunal has previously heard how, as a teenager, Ms D complained to gardai in 2006 that she had been molested by Sgt McCabe when she was aged six or seven during a game of hide and seek in his home.

The complaint was investigated but no prosecution was directed by the DPP.

Ms D subsequently developed coping issues and went to the HSEs Rian counselling service for support in 2013.

During two sessions with counsellor Laura Brophy she mentioned her allegations against Sgt McCabe.

Ms Brophy subsequently erroneously sent a notification to HSE social services containing a totally inaccurate allegation of digital rape.

A series of further errors led to this incorrect allegation being referred to Bailieborough Garda Station in Co Cavan.

Under questioning from tribunal counsel Kathleen Leader, Ms D said the allegation she had told Ms Brophy about was the same one she had made to gardai in 2006.

She said she recalled Ms Brophy saying something to the effect she may have to refer the allegation onwards.

Ms D said this immediately got my back up.

I was there to deal with current emotions. I did not want anything referred, she said.

Although Ms Brophy said she may have to refer the allegation, Ms D said she wasnt made aware that this had happened.

During 2014 when Sgt McCabe was becoming a prominent figure, a number of journalists called to Ms Ds parents house seeking an interview.

Ms D said she hadnt heard of two of the journalists, Debbie McCann and Eavan Murray.

She said she decided she wanted to tell her story, but wished to do so with a journalist she felt she could trust.

Ms D said she knew of Paul Williams from his books and because she had read some of his articles as a part of a course she was doing in college.

She asked her father to make contact with Mr Williams and an interview was arranged.

Nobody prompted me to speak to any reporter. I wanted to speak to him myself, she said.

Asked about her motivation for doing the interview, she said: Obviously I had a personal grievance with Maurice McCabe.

She continued: He was being described as a hero. It resurrected feelings for me.

She met with Mr Williams on March 8, 2014 and two articles appeared on April 12 and April 15.

I told Paul Williams I was unhappy with the way my case was investigated, she said.

She said the journalist advised her that she may wish to consider making a complaint to the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) if she was unhappy with the investigation.

Ms D made a statement to GSOC on July 3, 2014.

She told the tribunal Mr Williams arranged for her to meet Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin, who had received a dossier from Sgt McCabe about alleged failings in various garda investigations.

Mr Martin had raised the dossier on the floor of the Dail.

I felt my case was not being investigated properly and was more serious than those being brought to the attention of the Dail.

Ms D said she also wrote to barrister Sean Guerin, who did an examination of the cases detailed in the dossier.

Again, I could not understand why my case was not included in this investigation, she said.

Ms D said no one had prompted her to contact Mr Martin or Mr Guerin.

Paul did not put me up to going to anyone. He suggested these were things that might help in getting my case investigated, she said.

Ms D said Mr Williams helped her to meet Fine Gael TD Alan Shatter in June 2014, after he had stepped down as justice minister.

She said Mr Williams told her Mr Shatter had contacted him and wanted to have Ms Ds case included in the Guerin report.

Ms D said she went to meet Mr Shatter because Micheal Martin had done nothing for me.

Mr Shatter subsequently raised the case in the Dail.

The tribunal continues.
The painstaking jury selection process will begin today for the murder trial of a former American nanny and her father, who are charged with the killing of an Irish father of two.

The murder trial of Molly Martens (35) and her father, retired FBI agent Thomas (67), is set to transfix both the United States and Ireland.

The father and daughter are charged with the second-degree murder and voluntary manslaughter of Limerick man Jason Corbett (39) two years ago.

Mr Corbett was found lying in a pool of blood with fatal head injuries in the Davidson County home in North Carolina, where he relocated with his children to build a new life with his second wife, Molly.

Efforts by the Martens family to have the trial moved out of Davidson County for legal reasons failed and the trial will begin today in Lexington before Judge David Lee.

The Irish Independent has learned that an exceptionally large jury panel has been called amid expectations of challenges to any who may have known the parties involved or the witnesses set to be called by the prosecution.

The prosecution is represented by three lawyers, Greg Brown, Alan Martin and Ina Stanton, while both Mr Marten and his daughter have two lawyers each.

Jury selection is set to take up to two days, with the likelihood the prosecution opening statement may not happen until Wednesday.

The trial could last more than three weeks.
A social worker with Tusla who was asked to review a file on Garda whistleblower Sgt Maurice McCabe said she was given "a sanitised version", the Charleton Tribunal heard.

The tribunal is looking into the creation and distribution of files by Tusla and the HSE containing false allegations against Sgt McCabe and whether he was the target of a smear campaign.

The Tusla file was opened when a young woman identified as Ms D sought counselling in 2013 about a previously reported allegation investigated by gardai in 2006.

The DPP decided in 2007 against pressing charges in the case due to lack of evidence.

Clare Tobin, a social worker with SART - the Sexual Abuse Regional Team in Tusla - was sent the files relating to Sgt McCabe after his solicitors wrote to the agency complaining that he was sent a letter in December 2015 stating he was suspected of child abuse.

However, several documents within the file, which contained a more serious allegation incorrectly added to the McCabe file from an unrelated case, were not included when the file was sent to Ms Tobin.

She said that missing from the file was a record of a meeting where the DPP directed no prosecution of Sgt McCabe in 2007 because "no criminal offence had been described or disclosed".

Tribunal chairman Mr Justice Peter Charleton asked the witness: "Given you know what you now know, do you regard yourself as having been sent a sanitised version of the files as opposed to one with all of the reports, all of the events, all of the contents showing clearly?"

Ms Tobin replied "yes".

"I don't know if it was their intention, I just can't explain it. Stuff wasn't put in the file where it should be.

"It's not unique to this file, unfortunately. This is not just files in the Cavan region. People fail to put things on files unfortunately," she said.

Ms Tobin said she did not know if the files were incomplete due to professional negligence or intentionally.

In a later hearing, Eileen Argue, a social work team leader, told the tribunal she did not recall any of the events in May 2014, when a Garda notification file containing the false allegations was created.

Records were also opened on Sgt McCabe's children, two of whom were then aged over 18.

Michael McDowell SC, on behalf of Sgt McCabe, said Ms Argue had "a very defective memory in relation to these events".

He put it to Ms Argue she "wanted to avoid all personal involvement in this as far as you could and produce a misleading account". Ms Argue denied this.

Mr McDowell said the reason the Garda notification was created was because of a post-it note written by Ms Argue, which directed social worker Laura Connolly to prepare a notification. Mr McDowell said once it became apparent the Garda notification was seriously wrong, he could not understand why the events did not stick in Ms Argue's memory. "I can't give an explanation why none of this sticks in my mind," Ms Argue said.
Almost 120,000 primary school pupils are still in classes of 30 or more.

A child's chance of avoiding a "super-size" class comes down to a postcode lottery.

On average, almost one-in-four, 22pc, primary pupils is in classes of 30-plus, but it varies from as high of 28pc in Co Limerick to 11.5pc in Waterford city.

After Limerick, the worst hit areas are Meath, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Co Cork, Co Waterford, Monaghan and Wexford.

Class sizes are also above the national average in Leitrim, Wicklow, Galway, Kerry, Laois, Longford, Louth, Tipperary (north), and Dublin Fingal.

Recently published Department of Education figures provide a school-by-school breakdown of class size in the 2016/2017 year.

They show that the biggest classes tend to be in Dublin's outer suburbs and extended commuter belt and provincial towns that have seen huge population growth over the past decade.

The 2016/17 year saw the first improvement in class sizes for many years, as a result of a Budget 2016 decision to recruit extra teachers for this purpose last September.

Nationally, the proportion of pupils in classes of 30-plus has reduced from 24pc to 22pc, but there remains 118,326 children in large classes.

The Government has committed to a further improvement, and the issue is covered in the 'confidence and supply' agreement with Fianna Fail.

But there has been no change in Budget 2017 and, as discussions on the Budget 2018 get under way, it is not known what priority the matter is receiving.

Balanced

A spokesman for Education Minister Richard Bruton confirmed it was the "minister's intention to make further improvements to class sizes over the life of the Government".

However, he added that the minister "recognises there are needs across the system which have to be balanced in the decisions made in each Budget".

The spokesman said schools are also requested, where possible, to use their autonomy under the staffing schedule to implement smaller class sizes for junior classes.

Fianna Fail education spokesman Thomas Byrne said reducing oversized classes at primary level, especially for under-nines, was a key demand of the party in the 'confidence and supply' agreement and "we will be pushing the Government to make good on this commitment in the Budget."

He said it was "extraordinary that the Action Plan on Education is silent on the impact of overcrowded classrooms on children's education".

The Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO) said the number of children in 'super-sized' classes in Ireland remained unacceptably high.

INTO general secretary Sheila Nunan accused the Government of failing in its commitments to reduce class sizes.

"Irish primary schools have the second biggest classes in the EU. As long as that is the case, the minister's ambition for education system will fail.

"Modern teaching is becoming impossible in overcrowded classes and learning is compromised.

"How can one teacher with 30-plus pupils hear each one read and keep them on task with written work in two languages, check maths progress and tackle bullying," she said.

Ms Nunan said if the minister wanted reforms such as coding and more technology then smaller classes had to be the priority. "If not, all the action plans in the world are worthless," she added.
The Kinahan cartel's number one target Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch has returned to Spain - despite the ongoing threat to his life from the ruthless crime organisation.

In a brazen show of defiance, Hutch has spent several weeks back in Lanzarote, even though he previously survived a murder attempt by Kinahan hitmen on the holiday island.

Sources have confirmed to the Herald that the 54-year-old went back to the island because he "feels very comfortable" there.

It is the first time he has been spotted in Europe since spending some of last December in Northern Ireland.

"Despite the threat against him, it's believed that Hutch went back there because he trusts people at the location," a source said.

"He spent a long time over the years on the island and clearly feels that the threat to his life is not as severe in sunny Spain."

Last night, senior sources said gardai are baffled as to why Hutch would spend time in a location where he was previously targeted.

On New Year's Eve 2015, he narrowly escaped an attempt on his life when two gunmen wearing balaclavas burst into a pub in Lanzarote where he had been drinking only moments before.

That attempt on his life came only months after the Kinahans murdered his nephew, Gary Hutch, at an apartment complex on the Costa del Sol.

His murder led to the eruption of the bloody Hutch/Kinahan feud, which has so far claimed the lives of 12 men, including two innocent fathers.

It previously emerged that gardai want to question Hutch about the planning of the Regency Hotel hit, but a European Arrest Warrant (EAW) is not in place for the veteran criminal.

The Lanzarote sighting is the first time that Hutch's location has been disclosed since the Herald revealed that he spent Christmas in a safe-house in the North.

It was the first time he had surfaced since being spotted in Istanbul last October.

The last time publicity-shy Hutch was photographed was when he showed up in disguise at his slain older brother Eddie's funeral.

He was brought to that ceremony by feud victim Noel Kirwan, who was warned shortly afterwards by gardai that his life was under threat from the cartel.

It was Gary Hutch's murder on September 24, 2015, that started the deadly feud.

It emerged afterwards that The Monk had organised the payment of 200,000 to the Kinahan cartel to spare his life and allow him to "retire" from the gang.

However, it has been reported that the Kinahan mob reneged on the deal and then demanded a further 200,000 from the Hutches.

The cartel's determination to wipe out associates of 'The Monk' has led to dozens of members of his extended family being warned about active threats against their lives, simply because they are related to Gerry Hutch.

Many of these are innocent women, including a close relative who was forced to cancel her wedding plans because of fears that the event would be targeted by the cartel.

Shortly after the Regency Hotel attack, in which cartel figure David Byrne (33) was shot dead, 'The Monk' was officially warned by gardai about an active threat against his life and he fled Ireland.

When he celebrated his 50th birthday with 250 friends and family members in Lanzarote in April 2013, he could have had no idea about the problems ahead for his family.

The former criminal mastermind grew up in Dublin's north inner city and was involved in crime from an early age.

He is suspected of being involved in a number of major robberies, including a Brinks Allied heist in Clonshaugh in 1995.

Since the Regency hotel attack, The Monk has seen his brother Eddie Hutch Snr, close pal Noel Duggan, nephew Gareth Hutch and close friend Noel 'Duck Egg' Kirwin shot dead.

Hutch's brother Patsy is now the prime target for the Kinahans in Ireland.
Caesarean sections have soared in Ireland's two biggest maternity hospitals by 154pc over the last 25 years.

In Dublin, the number of mothers opting for C-sections rose faster than their German and US counterparts, new figures from an international study reveal. This is partially due to a sharp increase in women having successive C-sections.

The number of mothers in the Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital and the National Maternity Hospital on Holles Street having repeat C-sections has risen, with only one in three opting for a natural birth after a C-section with their first baby.

Nearly one in three babies in Ireland is delivered by Caesarean section - and around half of those are planned procedures.

Professor Michael Turner, UCD Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Coombe, said the increased likelihood of successive C-sections among mothers was expected to continue to drive rates up.

"This is going to push up our Caesarean section rate in years to come. There is no sign that our Caesarean section rate has plateaued," said Professor Turner, one of the authors of the study.

"The overall rate is heading to about one in three women having a Caesarean section. About half of them are [elective]. The risks of complications are higher than they are with a vaginal birth. It also has long-term implications in that you've had major surgery and it complicates the risk of any future abdominal surgery.

"The main concern is the human cost, the cost to women in that they are having more and more major operations."

The leading obstetrician said there is also a financial cost as women have much longer stays in hospital after the procedure.

"Sometimes if you've had an uncomplicated vaginal birth, you can often be discharged within 24 hours, whereas with an elective Caesarean section the women stay in for about five days," he said.

The study, carried out by the ERSI and UCD Centre for Human Reproduction, at the Coombe, compared the rates of C-section increases in Hesse, in Germany, which has a similar population to Dublin, and Massachusetts, which has a similar number of births per year as Ireland.

The rates of C-sections in all three locations rose during the 25-year period from 1990 until the end of 2014.

But Dublin's rate of increase was 154pc, which was more than triple the 43pc rate of increase in the US state and higher than the 105pc increase in the German state.

"The findings are likely to be similar in the other 17 maternity units in Ireland," said Professor Turner.
Despite the attack, Steven Grattan has no plans to return home for now

An Irish man who was drugged and robbed in Colombia has described his shock at the "truly frightening" ordeal.

Steven Grattan had his coffee spiked with Benzodiazepine, a Valium-type drug, on Wednesday morning. He woke up after seven hours at his home in the capital Bogota, dazed and confused. He quickly realised thieves had made off with all his valuables.

Mr Grattan (28), from Ballycarry in Co Antrim, has lived in Colombia for the last four years, working as a journalist.

He is a co-founder of The Bogota Post and works as a journalism lecturer and researcher at the Universidad del Rosario.

Mr Grattan is currently on vacation from his university job and has been teaching English. Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, he explained how he was following his usual routine when the incident took place.

After leaving his home in Las Aguas in the heart of the sprawling city he went for a coffee - but remembers nothing afterwards. "I woke up at home, seven hours later feeling very nauseous and confused, as it was already dark," he said.

"It was 5pm, I never made it to my 11am private classes and my 5pm student had arrived, but I was still drugged and largely incapable of waking up."

He began to realise all his valuables were gone, including two phones, a camera, about 100 and his laptop containing all his teaching material and work.

"The culprit had laid me on my bed while carrying out the robbery," he added. "A lot of these possessions were quite well hidden around the apartment, so they must have taken their time while looking around."

Mr Grattan suspects the culprit doped his coffee and, while he was dazed, had taken him back to his apartment, located around 30 seconds away.

Still dazed, he managed to find an internet cafe to get in touch with a friend via Facebook.

"This experience was truly frightening," he added. "It feels violating to know that someone took advantage of me in this way."

Yet Mr Grattan says he is not considering returning home, adding: "I have been presented with an abundance of professional opportunities here, and due to the political climate in the UK, especially that of Northern Ireland, I think I will stay put and be much happier here for now."
Barbara Kelly, of St Johns Park East, Clondalkin, Dublin pictured leaving the Four Courts ) after she was awarded 7,500 damages following a Circuit Civil Court action.Pic: Collins

A 55-year-old Dublin housewifes lips broke out in weeping sores following a teeth whitening procedure and she had to feed herself drinks through straws, a judge was told today Monday.

Barrister Patrick OBrien told the Circuit Civil Court that Barbara Kelly, a former bank official, had been treated by Jamie Edward McLoughlin, who trades as Easy Teeth Whitening, Marys Mall, Mary Street, Dublin.

Mr OBrien, who appeared with Spelman Callaghan solicitors, told the court that McLoughlin had failed to respond to Ms Kellys damages claim and judgment had been obtained against him in December 2016.

He said the case had now come before the court by way of an assessment of damages only.

Kelly, of St Johns Park East, Clondalkin, Dublin, said she had attended McLoughlins studio in July 2012 to have her teeth whitened and over a period of 45 minutes had undergone three blue laser processes to her mouth.

Straight away I felt there was something wrong when I felt my lips tingling, she told Circuit Court President, Mr Justice Raymond Groarke.

I was afterwards told to go home and take paracetamol.

Ms Kelly said the pain had not eased and the following morning she phoned the studio. Again she had been advised to take more paracetamol and to apply Bonjella and the pain would die down.

The pain didnt die down and my lips started to swell and crack and bleed and I developed cold-like weeping sores, she said.

Ms Kelly said her condition deteriorated and she had been unable to put cold or hot drinks near her lips. She had to feed herself and take drinks with the use of a straw and had difficulty talking.

She told Mr OBrien her lips became extremely painful and after a number of ulcers had developed in her gums and lips she had attended her GP who diagnosed inflamed and infected blistering of her lips and gums.

He had prescribed antibiotics and steroid cream which reduced the swelling and the infection had cleared up after a week. After four weeks she was able to put cups of tea with extra milk to her lips and drink them.

Ms Kelly said she previously had her teeth whitened in another clinic without any side effects.

Kellys legal team had claimed that McLoughlin, by undertaking to apply the teeth whitening processes, had implied a warranty that they were safe and harmless. They also alleged negligence on McLoughlins part.

Judge Groarke, who heard that Ms Kelly had fully recovered after 12 weeks, awarded her 7,500 damages with costs against McLoughlin who did not appear in court and was not legally represented.
Two teenage boys have been caught on camera leaping from a treacherously high bridge in Dublin's inner city.

An Independent.ie reader sent this footage of youths leaping from the now disused Sheriff St. Lifting Bridge.

The witness said everyone who was enjoying the good weather couldn't help but stare at them.

"They carefully teetered along the top before jumping in. Everyone sitting on the grass was astonished," they said.

"So many of them swim in the canal but this is reckless.

"They could have really hurt themselves. It was scary to watch."

Last month, a teenager was airlifted to hospital after leaping from a high bridge in Enniscorthy, Co Wexford.

The injured swimmer was brought to Waterford Hospital for treatment after getting into difficulties.

The Coastguard has previously issued warnings in relation to the dangers of jumping from a great distance into water, as it could inflict serious spinal injuries.

Irish Water Safety has also urged the public to be cautious when around water, as the sunny weather sees more people choose to take a dip.

Do you have a video you want to share with us? Send it to video@independent.ie.
Irish Water is facing a logistical nightmare to meet the Taoiseach's target of ensuring almost one million households get their charges refunded by the end of the year.

Leo Varadkar has said the process of repaying families up to 325 will kick-start in the autumn. The 170m needed for refunds will be taken from 2017 resources and will not impact on Budget 2018.

Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy has been charged with overseeing the plan along with Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe, who has sought approval from the European Commission to make the one-off payment.

A spokesperson for Irish Water said: "Any decision in relation to refunds to domestic customers is a matter of Government policy. We will work with the Department of Housing, Community and Local Government to implement any change in Government policy once a decision is made."

However, sources say it will be difficult to get all the money paid back. Just 15pc of households paid by direct debit, while it is unclear how Irish Water will deal with cases where a customer has died.

In an interview with the 'Sunday Independent', Mr Varadkar said: "I anticipate that everybody will have their money back before the end of the year.

"Or almost everybody, I imagine there'll be somebody we can't find for some reason or who has left the country."
A major rescue effort has taken place to help a cyclist who fell between 12 and 15 feet from near the Antrim Coast Road north of Ballygally.

The mutli-agency response involved rescue teams from Larne and Ballycastle Coastguards.

A volunteer crew launched two of their lifeboats a short time after 10am on Sunday after a call came in from a the Belfast Coastguard, the body responsible for coordinating rescue efforts across the province.

The crews were responding to a report that a cyclist had fallen down a steep slope half a mile north of Ballygally onto a rocky shore.

Members of the fire and rescue services and the ambulance services also attended the incident.

The cyclist was assessed at the scene by a doctor and a paramedic from the ambulance service and it was decided to transfer him along the coast via an inshore lifeboat.

Once the casualty reached Ballygally beach they were transferred to a team of coastguard and ambulance members that were waiting on the shore to attend to them.

Speaking after the incident, the Larne RNLI helm Pamela Leitch said: "Due to the nature of the cyclists fall, the position for extraction was challenging via land and the best decision was to remove him from the beach side.

"We would like to wish the cyclist a speedy recovery following what must have been a frightening experience for him. Todays call out was a great example of different agencies working well together to bring someone to safety."
My very dear friend Deirdre and I went to London this time 11 years ago - right after our Leaving Cert exams. It was our first time going on holidays with a friend rather than our parents so, naturally, we did what all 18-year-olds do on their first unaccompanied trip abroad - we got our photograph taken and put on a mug in Hamley's toy shop.

We chose to travel to London that July because, as two huge Harry Potter fans, we thought it a fitting place to queue up for the first editions of The Half-Blood Prince - the sixth book of the series. We queued up for the book, flipped through it in excitement, scanning the chapters and letting the familiarity of the words and names whet our appetites. We then popped them into our backpacks and travelled on the Victoria line to King's Cross station, where we stood between platforms 9 and 10 to get our Kodak moment with our new books. Other classmates of ours were dancing on table-tops in Ibiza or Ayia Napa, but we were wild in our own way - we stayed up all night to finish the book the day we got it.

I remember distinctly a feeling of being incredibly grown-up on that trip. Walking around vast streets in a European capital with huge buildings looming overhead, using the Underground, tipping waiters in sterling and keeping my money split between my backpack and my jacket for fear of being pickpocketed - all the tell-tale signs of adulthood. Our final exams were done, school was only to be spoken of in the past tense, we were heading to university, using a different currency, and even having a glass of wine with our lunch because we were just that mature!

Spicy lyrics

I look at the photo on that mug now and I look like a baby. The big red cheeks of me are lit up - possibly because I was in the biggest toy shop in London. You can barely see my eyeballs through my squinty joy. I sort of resemble how cherub angels are drawn; dewy and full cheeks with messy hair. At the time, I was the oldest I had ever been. I'm aware that in the future I will look back at these articles and photos and think 'I was so young and naive', but today I feel very grown-up as I sit in the food hall of a Dublin shopping centre, eating apple slices and drinking sparkling water through a straw. I'm the oldest I have ever been. But I'm also the youngest I will ever be.

As I've aged, many of my memories have changed in light of my adult perspective. They're not seismic shifts, but they do change how I view my past. Let's look at the Spice Girls' song 2 Become 1. I recently re-listened to the lyrics of this song. I was eight or nine when it was released, and I knew every lyric. I used to sing it with my friends around the schoolyard. Can we take a second to look at some of the lyrics that seemed so innocent to me at the time? I'm actually shocked our fifth-class teacher didn't pull us up on it.

Come a little bit closer baby, get it on, get it on

'Cause tonight is the night when two become one

I need some love like I never needed love before

(Wanna make love to ya baby)

I had a little love, now I'm back for more

(Wanna make love to ya baby)

Video of the Day

Set your spirit free, it's the only way to be

Excuse me?

I mean come on! I presume the only way they got it past the controllers (if there even are music controllers) is because they could argue that the lines "Get it on/ Get it on" are promoting safe sex by suggesting that these spicy women-girls won't condone unprotected sex. But Jesus Christ, I feel retrospectively violated. Once I re-heard the lyrics, my memories of putting on my friend's mother's leopard-print heels and dressing gown (I was Scary Spice) and performing for the rest of our friends and teachers at school are tinged with a hue of shame and a desire to protect my nine-year-old self.

I re-read Harry Potter in the last couple of weeks, spurred on by the fact that it's the 20th anniversary of the first book's release. I'm here to tell you that it's not just memories of London and Spice Girls lyrics that change with age - the entire subtext of Harry Potter has changed, too. As a teenager, the books were about magic and friendship, but now, in 2017, I cannot but read them as a pointed political commentary on the triumph of good over evil, the importance of resistance in the face of tyranny and the perpetual danger of authoritarianism. (Rereading that sentence makes me feel like I am back writing a Leaving Cert essay).

Some non-believer once said to me: "Oh I don't do the Harry Potter thing, I'm all about Twilight. It's much better". Excuse me? Harry Potter is about how important it is to keep fighting an epic battle for justice against a raging tyrant. Twilight is about how important it is to have a boyfriend.

With global politics going the way it inexorably is, the feeling of instability, terror and unpredictability, I suddenly feel like Neville Longbottom. One of Rowling's most adorable characters, he is a chubby, sort of pathetic student with a pet toad for the first couple of books. Later, he shows himself to be a courageous hero and a striking addition to Dumbledore's Army. Maybe my Neville Golden Years are ahead of me, too. I am certain I would not be in the hero-trio of the Potter series. Faced with the scary realities of Ron, Harry and Hermione, I would certainly have 'apparated' to the closest chimney and used the Floo network to get out of Dodge. Like young Neville, I feel a sense of doom when I read the papers or watch the news. Or even when I'm just walking in town and there are a large group of people congregating. I am never too far from the feeling that something terrible could happen at any moment. I'm naturally anxious and need hardly any invitation to attend the Worst Case Scenario party, but since things like the London Bridge attacks and the Ariana Grande concert, I don't even like going to the cinema.

Killing curse

The good news is that I was reassured on re-reading the Harry Potter series. Reassured, and reminded that, just like in the wizarding world, there are good people in the real world who tolerate difference, and fight for ideals like kindness and respect. There are people, like Harry & co, who oppose violence. It's simple in Potter-Land to just kill off people who annoy you or disagree with you. You just point your wand and say "Avada Kedavra" and they die instantly. However, faced with many people who try to kill him, and in many situations where it would be possible to do so, Harry never uses the Killing Curse. In a way, it's just too simple. Voldemort tries to kill Harry and his friends, and somehow the 16-year-old finds the magnanimity to respond with: "You're the one who is weak. You will never know love or friendship. And I feel sorry for you."

After many of the recent terror attacks, there is a wave of strength that seems to come from the people of a city that says: "We will not be destroyed by this". Ariana Grande, barely an adult herself, came back to Manchester armed with the conviction of someone beyond her years, accompanied by a cohort of celebrities to show that city and the world that she will not be forced into fear.

Voldemort can be seen - through my adult lens - as a racist bigot who is systematically trying to facilitate and promote a genocide against "half-bloods" (people with only one wizard parent), Muggles (non-wizards), Mudbloods (Muggle-born wizards) and Squibs (wizard-born non-wizards). But the main players in the books see how important it is to fearlessly protect anyone who is vulnerable and a potential victim under this law. There is something akin to a caste society in the wizarding world. Below the rung of wizard there is a thing called a house-elf. It's basically a slave. Harry shows the depth of his good nature when he doesn't stop at just protecting vulnerable humans but goes further and protects house-elves Dobby and Kreacher from the dangers that threaten them. The protests that ignited immediately after Donald Trump's travel ban were borne out of that same impulse. I could write endless essays on the relevance of Harry Potter and his struggle against Voldemeort and how it is frightening to see it play out in similar ways in the real world. But I've made my point. Terrorism has created for some "a nice little climate of panic" with "a strategy of remaining unpredictable and in the shadows".

I realise that it takes longer to vanquish real evil than it does to read seven novels, but the escape into the world of fiction was eye-opening and gave me hope. That kind of youthful hope where you feel like maybe nothing is impossible and the world will be right again. The rosy-cheeked 18-year-old Stefanie on the Hamley's mug travelled around London with a tome of Harry Potter in her backpack. A backpack that wasn't looked at suspiciously on the underground train she travelled on, carefree. Things change. Sometimes for the worse.

I recently met my friend's baby for the first time. (My friend had a planned baby. Now if that isn't a sign that we are ageing, I don't know what is.) Her baby boy is basically an old man. He's only six months, but he looks and acts like an old man. He's kicked back in his high chair looking at the birds outside the window. No childlike wonder or awe, he just sits there as if he's seen it all before. I imagine he's thinking, "Ah yeah, there's the crows again".

I wonder if he'll regress when he's a teenager and have his childhood then. I sort of feel that's what I did. I was a very grown-up child and teenager. I hung around with adults a lot, being an only child. It wasn't until my 20s that I started to have that moment where

you realise the size and scale of the world and how insignificant you are in it. Sometimes I wish I'd never had that realisation. Reality is really a bitter pill. If there was a Peter Pan pill, I would take it.

I was always a little jealous and in awe of Harry's relationship with Dumbledore. He was a mentor, a father figure and an idol all wrapped up into one Michael Gambon-shaped hero. Dumbledore was Harry's grown-up. He made sure Harry was able to remain a kid for the longest time possible, even if it was incredibly brief.

I think my generation of young Irish people had to grow up pretty fast. One day it was all "Ooooh Voldemort killed all the Muggles in London" and the next it was "Some unknown force just orchestrated several explosions across London". Maybe we're having our adolescence now. Like a generation of Benjamin Buttons with the ability to design websites but who cry when we have to make our own doctor's appointments. All of our parents left us to fend for ourselves while they went off to re-mortgage their designer handbags to deal with their negative equity.

Deceitful lover

As I age, I feel more and more that my life is a test I haven't remembered to study for. I'm very grateful for my education. I still see myself as a student. I learn a new word every day. Today, it is perfidious.

1. deliberately faithless; treacherous; deceitful: a perfidious lover.

I love listening to people who have wide vocabularies. It's like my brain is at the gym when I hear people like Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe, Terry Prone, or Stephen Fry speak. I love the idea that I learn from them, even though they're on a screen and I'm in my living room. I get the same feeling when I do the cryptic crossword with my nana every Sunday. Humans are designed to learn from one another. We learn to speak, walk and eat from our parents. We learn from our friends and either directly or indirectly through

books. Fiction is capable of opening our minds, and in doing so it makes change possible. Harry Potter (maybe subconsciously) influenced a generation of young people's social and political attitudes by virtue of the lessons taught in its plotline. When stories feature clear protagonists to whom audiences relate and whom they identify with, that is mechanism for changing public perception, and it's remarkably powerful.

I told Deirdre I was writing this article. She told me that some of the memories I have about that London trip are way off. She says we never took the Victoria line up to King's Cross with our books. She says we had beer with lunch and not wine. She questioned whether or not we tipped the wait staff. We recall different experiences entirely when we discuss that trip to London. But we both still have the mug. My memories may be perfidious (Yes! I got to use it) but the truth is not. When Dee and I sip coffee from the decade-old ceramics and see the post-Leaving Cert joy on our faces - there's no room for misinterpretation. That day in Hamley's, I had hope and joy, I had Harry Potter, I was the youngest I have ever been. And I still am.

Photograph by Kip Carroll
Premium

Brendan OConnor Opinion The jig is up as Feis fixing has former winners like me reeling

As the holder of the Marie Cranny Perpetual cup for Extempore and Public Speaking (Under 15s) in Feis Maitiu in, of all years, 1984, I would like to use this platform to say this feis-fixing scandal has sullied my legacy, and that of all other holders of the cup down the years (you had to give it back at the end of the year).
I was absolutely astonished at your headline on Saturday ('Tax breaks for publicans to ferry customers home', Irish Independent, July 15) informing us that the Government, in a mad scramble to spare the blushes of Shane Ross, intends to bring in tax breaks for publicans who drive customers home.

It should be pointed out from the outset that if you ferry anyone home in a private car 'for reward', as in a tax break, you need a full PSV licence to do so. It should also be pointed out that taxi drivers have been ferrying people home from the pub since year dot without any tax breaks or indeed any way of claiming back VRT.

It is even more astonishing that our Taoiseach intends to put pressure on the insurance industry to cover such journeys. Is the Taoiseach blind to the fact that the last thing the multi-million euro drinks industry requires is tax breaks?

Mr Ross maintains his bill will save lives, but surely our Taoiseach, as a doctor, would recognise that reducing alcohol consumption would have a much bigger impact, rather than introducing an incentive to publicans to sell even more?

Are you blind to the fact, Taoiseach, that we already have a taxi industry with thousands of taxi drivers who are working hard night and day just to keep their heads above water in an industry that has become increasingly dangerous?

Are you blind to the fact, Taoiseach, that taxi drivers' insurance has increased by 200pc-300pc, and you have done nothing to put the pressure you talk about on the very same insurance industry to reduce these costs?

It is apparent to me that you follow in a long line of politicians who, when the need is greatest, as in a possible Dail defeat, you will move mountains to save face; but cries for help from the working class remain unheard.

This measure - should it ever be passed - will introduce more inexperienced drivers to an industry already on its knees, which will in turn increase accident rates, drive insurance costs even higher and have decent, hard-working taxi drivers filling up the dole queues.

Eugene McGuinness

Co Kilkenny

Bring our emigrants home

The Minister of State for the Diaspora and International Development Ciaran Cannon in his piece (Irish Independent, July 13) wrote that there was great value to be had from harnessing the collective creative talent of our worldwide diaspora.

He stated that during 'The Gathering' in 2013 we got a glimpse of our collective power, and that he had a great sense of being a part of a unique global community.

Ireland engaged with its emigrants for a whole year, and then reverted back to the old ways of 'out of sight, out of mind'.

The long-promised voting rights for our almost 80 million people worldwide has not yet seen the light of day, as it is conveniently kicked to touch.

There has not been a cohesive policy produced by successive governments over many years that would help to attract home again some of the many thousands of our brightest and best young people who left during the recent recession.

If Mr Cannon ever had the experience of attending the St Patrick's Day parades in Melbourne, Sydney, New York, Boston, Philadelphia or Toronto, he might arrive at a greater understanding of the enormity of our country's loss.

These are huge 'Gatherings' that are organised on an annual basis, and offer a unique opportunity to sell and promote progressive policies that would help to attract home again many of our emigrants to the land of their birth.

Rather than paying them lip-service, let us hope these progressive policies will be put in place by our Irish governments in the months and years ahead, in what would almost certainly be a win-win situation for everybody concerned.

Tom Towey

Cloonacool, Co Sligo

Bit rich to up pension age

Moving pensions out to 70 might well save money.

As a further huge saving in the area, may I suggest that no TD or other Government employee should be allowed to draw a pension of any sort until they have convinced a jury of free-market taxpayers that he or she has achieved something clearly visible and measurable every year for the benefit of the country.

Richard Barton

Tinahely, Co Wicklow

Do as we say, not as we do

We live in an age of threats, terror and "bombs". Now we have a "millennial pension time-bomb". The solution offered appears simple. Shift the State pension age to 70 and it's problem solved.

Who suggested this? Think tanks and Government politicians.

Has the ultimate irony escaped them? Men like Bertie Ahern, Brian Cowen and countless hundreds of other ex-TDs drawing super 'bomb-proof' pensions from the age of 50 and upwards?

No leading by example here by waiting until 70.

Or Enda Kenny - awaiting him are multiple pensions, including a teacher's pension and lump sum for four years' teaching.

Like most things in Ireland nowadays, one rule for those and one rule for these.

John Cuffe

Dunboyne, Co Meath

Ogling Trump not fit to lead

It is with gratitude to Fionnuala O'Leary that I write this. At last someone agrees with how I feel about that dreadful man who is currently the American president ('The fact we don't even bat an eyelid, never mind burn a bra, at ogling Trump's "normalised" perverse comments is worrying and disheartening', Irish Independent, July 15).

Nobody is taking Donald Trump to task for his crass behaviour, whether it is treating our very professional RTE journalist Caitriona Perry as some "comely maiden", or demeaning French President Emmanuel Macron's wife, Brigitte. He really is not fit for office.

I also question the absence of any protest to this abomination visiting Paris... Why?

It's time to stand up and say no to Trump. Go on, grow a backbone someone!

Carmel Harrington

Artane, Dublin

Missing point on flag burning

It was with some surprise that I read that Tom Cooper said in his letter (Irish Independent, July 15) that those responsible for burning the Irish flag on loyalist bonfires should be prosecuted for hate crimes.

In my view it is far worse and more sinister to see this country's flag draped over the coffins of mass-murdering criminals often carried by so-called public representatives.

Tony Walsh

Tramore, Co Waterford
I've been in a relationship with a wonderful man for over seven years. Although we are now married things seem to be going downhill. He honestly prefers time spent with his friends rather than with me.

At first we used to do things together but now we usually don't do much together. Intimacy is once in a blue moon.

I honestly have tried anything and everything to get his attention but it hasn't worked and so I feel like I'm a failure. At times I feel so lonely. I really love this man but I cannot get my feelings across to him because he just doesn't seem to get it. He is one year younger than me.

I need advice please as to what step or measures I should take in order for me to improve my marriage.

Mary replies: Please don't feel like a failure - if anybody is to be seen as failing it is your husband because he is the one who is making you unhappy.

You have been together now for seven years and you are showing all the signs of being taken for granted. He has reverted to his pre-marriage days of going out with the lads but to the detriment of your relationship.

I strongly believe that it is very important for both people in a relationship to have their own friends and interests outside of the relationship, but the relationship has to be at the centre of it all.

There were reasons why he fell in love with you, and you with him, so much so that you made a lifetime commitment to each other. This is now in danger and you are so right to be looking at ways to improve things between you. People forget that relationships, like flowers, need to be nurtured and cared for in order to blossom and continue to grow.

You should get back to doing things together, and you need to be proactive about this. For example, get tickets for a gig, or for a film, or anything that you are both interested in. If you do it long enough in advance then you can be sure you are both free. You made dates before you got married, so why not now as well.

You should also make a point of spending some time together when you meet up in the evening, without the TV or phones on, and chat about how things have been for you both that day. Explain to him that you need to do this - it is amazing how wonderful it is to be truly listened to, and you will both feel the benefit.

Video of the Day

As I've already said, it is equally important for you to have your own friends so that you do not appear to be too dependent on the marriage to provide you with everything.

Keep up those friendships and work at them - it is very easy to let them lapse when one becomes a part of a couple but it is a big mistake. We need our friends all our lives whether we are married or single.

Tell your husband once again that while you love him to bits, you are very unhappy with the present situation and ask what he is prepared to do to improve things. You should also ask if there is anything that you can do to make things better, or if there is something that you are doing that he doesn't like.

I am also concerned that he does not appear to be at all interested in being intimate with you - you seem to be a fairly young couple and this should not be happening.

Has he given you any reasons why this is so - it is very important that you speak about this to him, and explain that if you are unfulfilled sexually there would be a chance of you straying and you don't want to do this.

It may be that you need the help of a qualified counsellor - I simply don't have enough information to make a judgment on why there is virtually no intimacy in the marriage.

But something needs to be done to change things and it is up to you both to play your part in making things better between you.

You can contact Mary OConor anonymously by visiting www.dearmary.ie or email her at dearmary@independent.ie or write c/o 27-32 Talbot Street, Dublin 1. All correspondence will be treated in confidence. Mary OConor regrets that she is unable to answer any questions privately.
A major bridal label has filed for bankruptcy, shutting its U.S stores without warning and leaving many brides-to-be worried they will be without wedding dresses for their big day.

Alfred Angelo, the designer behind the popular 'Disney Fairy Tale' range of wedding gowns, closed its U.S stores over the weekend, leaving brides-to-be and retailers in the lurch as they scrambled to find information on their dresses.

The label, which has been designing wedding dresses for or over 80 years, announced on its website on Sunday that it had filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on July 14th, 2017, stating that all stores and wholesalers are closed. Affected customers were asked to email the store to enquire about updates on their gowns.

"Alfred Angelo filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on July 14, 2017" the statement read.

"As a result, all stores and wholesalers are closed.

We will post additional information regarding the status of dresses on this web-site as it becomes available.

We apologize for the inconvenience and hardship resulting from this event. We appreciate your patience. Thank you."

With word of the closure spreading fast, many newlywed brides and bridal boutiques took to social media to offer help to those affected by the closure.

Several ex-Alfred Angelo brides offered their dresses to brides-to-be who had their hearts set on the same style, while bridal boutiques across the U.S advertised special discounts on sample dresses from similar designers.

Video of the Day

We are disheartened by the stories we are hearing of brides not being able to have the dress they fell in love with and want to help. For any prior #AlfredAngelo #curvybride in need of a bridal gown we are providing a discount to all special orders. All you need is a receipt from your purchase. Contact us via phone or online to schedule your #bridal consultation. A post shared by Exclusively For Curvy Brides (@oliviasbridalhouse) on Jul 16, 2017 at 8:11pm PDT

Willing to donate my wedding dress to anyone effected by the #alfredangelo store closing. Needs cleaning. Size 14 with minor alternations. DM me for details. #freeweddinghelp #freeweddingdress A post shared by Dee (@the_conscience_) on Jul 16, 2017 at 4:55pm PDT

While Alfred Angelo does not have a dedicated store in Ireland, several Irish bridal boutiques are listed as stockists of their Signature, Modern Vintage, Special Occasion and Flower Girl collections on the designer's website.

A representative of The Kerry Wedding Store Bridal Boutique, an Irish stockist of Alfred Angelo based in Tralee, Co. Kerry, has said they will issue a full comment on Wednesday with regard to their supply of Alfred Angelo gowns.
The battle to recapture the district had been fierce, with more than 50 Taliban fighters killed and five security forces wounded

Afghan forces have retaken a key southern district from the Taliban.

The battle was won as insurgents snatched three officers from their car, including a woman, and killed them, officials said.

The country's security forces drove the Taliban out of Naway district in southern Helmand province from where they had been threatening the provincial capital of Lashkar Gah, said defence ministry spokesman Daulat Waziri.

The battle to recapture the district had been fierce, with more than 50 Taliban fighters killed and five security forces wounded, he said.

Naway is located just 10 miles from Lashkar Gah and had been a staging arena for militant attacks on the city.

Government troops also captured a large cache of ammunitions and guns. US and Nato troops are in Helmand to assist Afghan security forces when needed.

Separately, in western Herat province on the border with Iran, three border police officers were snatched from their vehicle and killed by the Taliban, said Jelani Farhad, the provincial governor's spokesman.

A female officer was among the dead.

The officers were driving to their office in the district of Kushk in Herat province when they were ambushed by Taliban, dragged from their vehicle and shot.

AP
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has announced the route Britains planned high-speed rail line, HS2, will take.

The plans for the new railway have been highly anticipated  heres everything you need to know.

Whats the route?

The first part of HS2s route will travel from London Euston to Birmingham, via a new station at Old Oak Common.

Birmingham Interchange, a new station on the side of the M42 motorway, and Birmingham Curzon Street, a renovation of an old station, will be on the route.

In the northern half of HS2 the route splits into two branches, with one veering towards Manchester and the other to Leeds.

The Manchester route will include one which allows travel to Stafford, Crewe and Liverpool while the Leeds route will be connected with the East Midlands and Sheffield.

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What effect will construction have?

The plans confirm new homes in South Yorkshire will be demolished.

The Department for Transport DfT said 16 properties on the Shimmer housing estate in Mexborough will be bulldozed to make way for the high-speed railway and residents will lose their homes.

This decision comes because ministers decided the line should serve the existing Sheffield city centre station after proposals to run trains to Meadowhall shopping centre were shelved.

How much will building cost?

The official budget of the project is 55.7 billion, but so far only the first phase of construction contracts have been announced.

These deals are worth 6.6 billion in total and will see tunnels, embankments and viaducts constructed between London and Birmingham  which it is estimated will support 16,000 jobs.

Whats everyone saying about the route plans?

Some arent happy with the northernmost part of the route as no new stations will be built in South Yorkshire.

Labours Rotherham MP Sarah Champion said she was furious because South Yorkshire wont get a proper stop.

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Meanwhile, former Labour Leader Ed Miliband has accused Mr Grayling of a gross discourtesy for the manner in which the route was presented. The route announcement was confirmed in a written policy paper when the Transport Secretary had been expected to go to the despatch box and make a statement to Parliament.

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Mr Grayling said: Britains new railway line will bring huge economic benefits across the country and help ensure this Government delivers on its promise to spread wealth beyond London and the South East.

We will now press ahead with building the line, while continuing to ensure affected communities get appropriate support and are treated with fairness, compassion and respect.
Smoke rises over the Montenegro capital Podgorica as firefighters try to contain wildfires along the Adriatic coast (AP)

Montenegro has asked for international help to fight wildfires raging along the Adriatic Sea coastline that are also affecting neighbouring Croatia, reaching a key port.

Croatian TV reported that the blaze near the coastal town of Split - a central port and tourism centre - had reached houses in some parts of the city, with residents joining firefighters in efforts to contain the flames.

Authorities warned residents throughout the town to remain calm, stay indoors and keep windows closed as thick smoke spread around the area.

Soldiers joined in the battle to stop the fire and some parts of Split were left without electricity, Croatian TV said.

Prime minister Andrej Plenkovic scheduled an emergency meeting for Tuesday, saying Croatia could also seek international help if the crisis continues.

In Montenegro, at least 100 tourists were forced to evacuate the coastal area hardest hit by the blaze.

Fuelled by strong winds and dry weather, the fire on the Lustica peninsula in southern Montenegro has spread near to homes and camping zones.

"Our forces are not enough to put out a fire of such proportion," said Stevan Katic, head of Herceg Novi municipality.

State TV reported that the Interior Ministry had asked for international help through the European Union disaster relief system. The navy also stepped in to help evacuate the area by sea, officials said.

Emergency services said strong winds are hampering firefighters' efforts to save homes.

"The fire has spread over the road, an entire hill is burning," emergency official Maksim Mandic told Montenegrin TV. "It is impossible to put out the fire completely in such winds."

Further north in Croatia, firefighters have also been battling a number of fires along the Adriatic coast. Several hundred acres of pine forests and low shrubbery have been burnt, with the winds sending the blaze spreading in several directions.

Earlier, fires around Srinjine, near Split, forced tourists to leave the area, which was left without electricity or water, Croatian TV said.

Several houses and offices were destroyed as well as a nursery school, part of a cemetery and surrounding olive groves. A man died in a nearby village, but it was not clear whether his death was directly related to the fire, state TV said.

Firefighting planes took off Monday afternoon after previously being grounded because of strong winds and turbulence.

Around the town of Zadar, planes were also used because some areas remain mined from the 1990s war.

AP
Fighting on: Charlie Gard and his father. The doctors say his case is hopeless, but his parents don't accept that

Charlie Gard's parents have privately expressed their concern after discovering that the lawyer appointed to represent their 11-month-old son in court heads a charity that backs assisted dying.

Victoria Butler-Cole, who speaks on Charlies behalf in court, is chairman of Compassion in Dying, a sister organisation to Dignity in Dying which campaigns for a change in the law to make assisted dying legal in the UK. Dignity in Dying used to be called the Voluntary Euthanasia Society.

The two charities share the same chief executive and media team and trustees  such as Mrs Butler-Cole  can only sit on one charity if they support the aims of the other. Mrs Butler-Cole was appointed to the role by the publicly-funded state body Cafcass which acts in the best interests of children in court cases.

Connie Yates and Chris Gard, from Bedfont, in west London, believe they, as his parents, should speak for Charlie in court hearings deciding his fate. They dont believe their son should have a guardian representing him in court.

Charlie suffers from a rare genetic condition that has left him severely disabled and suffering brain damage.

Great Ormond Street Hospital is seeking to switch off his life support machine and has been backed in court by Charlies state-appointed guardian, represented by Mrs Butler-Cole.

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A source close to the parents told The Daily Telegraph: The family find it astonishing that the quango that appointed the barrister to act in the interests of Charlie Gard is the chairman of Compassion in Dying, the sister body of Dignity in Dying, formerly known as the Voluntary Euthanasia Society. The implication is obvious. It looks like a profound conflict of interest.

Mrs Butler-Cole said she was unable to comment while the High Court case was ongoing.

On Sunday, Dr Michio Hirano, an American neurosurgeon, who claims to have pioneered an experimental treatment he says can help Charlie, will examine the boy after flying in from New York.

Compassion in Dying said it was wrong to suggest there was any conflict of interest between Mrs Butler-Coles role in representing Charlies guardian in court and her view that adults with full mental capacity should be allowed to plan their own death.

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A charity spokesman said: There are clear differences between this case, the work of Dignity in Dying and the work of Compassion in Dying. The Charlie Gard case is about making decisions in the best interests of a seriously ill child.

The High Court ruled in April that Charlie should be allowed to die with dignity, a decision confirmed by the Court of Appeal, Supreme Court and the European Court of Human Rights.

But Great Ormond Street referred the case back to the High Court after Dr Hirano, backed by other experts, claimed the ground-breaking therapy might help Charlie.

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President Emmanuel Macron has denounced France's collaboration in the Holocaust, lashing out at those who try to minimise the country's role in sending tens of thousands of Jews to their deaths.

After he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attended a Holocaust commemoration, Mr Macron also appealed for renewed Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. Worried that Mr Netanyahu is backing away from commitment to a two-state solution, Mr Macron described Jewish settlement construction as a threat to international hopes for peace.

Commemorating 75 years since a mass round-up of Jews during the darkest chapter of modern French history, Mr Macron insisted that "it was indeed France that organised this".

"Not a single German" was directly involved, he said, but French police collaborating with the Nazis.

Holocaust survivors recounted wrenching stories at the ceremony at the site of Vel d'Hiv stadium outside Paris, where police herded some 13,000 people on July 16-17, 1942, before they were deported to camps. More than 4,000 were children. Fewer than 100 survived.

They were among some 76,000 Jews deported from France to Nazi camps.

It was a half century later when then-President Jacques Chirac became the first French leader to acknowledge the state's role in the Holocaust's horrors.

Mr Macron dismissed arguments by French far-right leaders and others that the collaborationist Vichy regime didn't represent France.

"It is convenient to see the Vichy regime as born of nothingness, returned to nothingness. Yes, it's convenient, but it is false. We cannot build pride upon a lie."

French Jewish leaders hailed Mr Macron's speech - even as critics railed at him online, where renewed anti-Semitism has flourished. Mr Macron pledged to fight such racism, and called for a thorough investigation into the recent killing of a Parisian woman believed linked to anti-Jewish sentiment.

Zealots

Mr Netanyahu said that "recently we have witnessed a rise of extremist forces that seek to destroy not only the Jews, but of course the Jewish state as well, but well beyond that. ... The zealots of militant Islam, who seek to destroy you, seek to destroy us as well. We must stand against them together."

Pro-Palestinian and other activists protested about Mr Netanyahu's appearance in Paris, criticising Jewish settlement policy and the blockade of Gaza.

Mr Macron condemned an attack last week that killed two Israeli police officers at a Jerusalem shrine revered by Jews and Muslims, and said he was committed to Israel's security - but warned that continued Jewish settlement construction threatens peace efforts.

"I call for a resumption of negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians in the framework of the search for a solution of two states, Israel and Palestine, living in recognised, secure borders with Jerusalem as the capital," he said.

At his side, Mr Netanyahu said: "We share the same desire for a peaceful Middle East."
Selfie sticks, glass bottles and food trucks have all been outlawed by authorities in Milan.

The Town Halls ban came into effect on Friday 14 July, and is aimed at curbing littering and anti-social behaviour, reports The Local.

Tourists and locals alike are prohibited from "holding, carrying, leaving on the ground, disposing of, or receiving any kind of glass bottles or containers, cans, and selfie sticks" in the area between Piazza XXIV Maggio, Gorizia Avenue, Via Codara, Cantore Square and Gabriele D'Annunzio Avenue. Firecrackers and fireworks have also been outlawed.

Food trucks have come under attack too  a new regulation bans all kinds of "moving trade" in public areas.

The rules will be in place until 13 August, with the possibility to extend them if necessary. Milan's councillor for security, Carmela Rozza, said: "It is a renewable provision, adding that it "will continue until it is needed".

She said: The purpose of this ordinance is to make it a habit not to bring glass bottles or cans in the area".

Milan is following in the wake of a number of Italian cities which have taken a firmer stance on anti-social behaviour from tourists.

Florence announced in May that the steps of its churches would be hosed down at lunchtimes to deter tourists from eating and drinking around the citys most iconic sites.

"If the tourists want to sit there, they'll get wet," said Florentine mayor Dario Nardella.

Meanwhile Rome has banned drinking alcohol at night. Mayor Virginia Raggi brought in an order outlawing the sale and consumption of alcohol in public place until 31 October. Eating and drinking around its famous fountains is also off the menu.

About 40 fountains  those flagged as having historical significance  are affected.

Getting in them, sitting on them, giving pets a drink and throwing things into the water has also been forbidden  although throwing coins is still allowed, meaning the tradition of lobbing money into the Trevi Fountain, which is said to ensure youll return to Rome, is still possible.

Anyone breaking the rules will be fined up to 240.
Security forces stand next to a crater created by a massive explosion in Kabul, Afghanistan (AP/Rahmat Gul)

A record number of civilians have been killed in the first six months of this year in Afghanistan, the UN said.

It blamed Taliban insurgents for most of those deaths during the country's protracted war.

In a report released on Monday, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein called the numbers "horrifying", adding that they "can never fully convey the sheer human suffering of the people of Afghanistan".

Of the 1,662 civilians killed in the first six months of this year, the report said 40% died as a result of suicide bombings, improvised explosive devises and pressure-plate devices.

More women and children were also among the dead this year.

The UN said that represents a 2% rise from the same period in the previous year.

The UN High Commissioner added: "Each one of these casualty figures reflects a broken family, unimaginable trauma and suffering and the brutal violation of people's human rights."

The report confirmed that a massive truck bomb in the centre of Kabul on May 31, which killed at least 90 people, was the deadliest attack since the US-led invasion that toppled the Taliban in 2001.

Insurgent attacks killed 1,141 civilians, a 12% increase over the same period last year, according to the report, which said such attacks wounded another 2,348 people.

The report commended Afghanistan's security forces, saying fewer civilians were caught in the crossfire compared to last year.

It said 434 civilians were killed during military operations against insurgents.

General Dowlat Waziri, a defence ministry spokesman, blamed the high toll on the insurgents' use of human shields.

"The army is being very careful during operations to prevent civilian deaths," he said.

AP
Hundreds of Muslim worshippers have visited a Jerusalem holy site after Israel reopened the compound following a rare closure in response to a deadly shooting last week.

For the first time in decades, Israel closed the site - known to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as the Temple Mount - on Friday after three Arab citizens of Israel opened fire from the sacred site with automatic weapons, killing two police officers. The three were later shot dead inside the compound.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that following consultations with security officials the site would be reopened on Sunday with increased security measures that included metal detectors at the entrance gates and additional security cameras.

Israeli police opened two of the gates to the compound to allow worshippers to enter through the newly erected detectors.

Police said some worshippers refused to go through them and knelt to pray outside instead. But despite concerns that the new measures could slow movement and spark renewed tensions, police said they appeared to be working fine and that 200 people had already passed through.

Israel did not coordinate the changes with Jordan, which serves as the custodian of the Muslim-administered site, according to a Jordanian government official.

Jordan's stance is that anything installed at the site must be approved by the Waqf, or Muslim administration, and cannot change the status quo, said the official.

The Palestinian Minister of Jerusalem Adnan Husseini called for the security arrangements to return to how they were before the deadly attack, saying it "shouldn't be an excuse for making changes."

The attack triggered a rare phone conversation between Mr Netanyahu and Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas, who condemned the attack and called for the site to be reopened.

Mr Netanyahu sought to allay Muslim fears, saying that the status quo at the Muslim-administered site "will be preserved". But Gaza's Hamas rulers called the act a "religious war" and urged Palestinians to carry out more attacks.

Early on Sunday, Israeli police said security forces shot dead a Palestinian assailant behind a pair of recent shooting attacks.

Spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said police tracked down the 34-year-old suspect in a joint operation with the military. The suspect opened fire with an automatic weapon, prompting the troops to return fire, killing him.

In the past two years, Palestinian attackers have killed 45 Israelis, two visiting Americans and a British tourist in stabbings, shootings and car-ramming attacks. During that period, Israeli forces have killed more than 255 Palestinians, most of them said by Israel to be attackers while others were killed in clashes with Israeli forces.

Israel blames the violence on incitement by Palestinian political and religious leaders compounded on social media sites that glorify violence. Palestinians say the attacks stem from anger over decades of Israeli occupation of territories they claim for their future state.

The Jerusalem shrine has been the scene of repeated confrontations, including during the current wave of violence.

Israel has previously accused Palestinians of stockpiling rocks and other projectiles in one of the mosques in the holy compound. Israeli security forces have fired tear gas and stun grenades at the compound to disperse Palestinian stone throwers, who have at times targeted Jews praying at the adjacent Western Wall.

In September 2000, Israel's then-opposition leader Ariel Sharon made a provocative visit to the site, sparking Palestinian protests that quickly escalated into armed clashes between Palestinian gunmen and Israeli soldiers.

The incident was one of the triggers of an armed Palestinian uprising and an Israeli military crackdown. The violence claimed several thousand victims, most of them Palestinians, and only began to ebb in 2005.

AP
King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima during the unveiling of the monument for the MH17 victims (Remko de Waal/via AP)

The father of two siblings killed when Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down over Ukraine three years ago has said relatives of the 298 people killed would not rest until those responsible face justice.

At an emotional ceremony marking three years since MH17 was shot down, Evert van Zijtveld said a group representing victims' families "shall not give up and shall not be silenced until those who are responsible have been brought to justice".

As Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima and some 2,000 friends and relatives of victims gathered at a new memorial, Mr van Zijtveld said the loss of his 19-year-old daughter Frederique and 18-year-old son Robert-Jan "left a hole in our hearts".

The commemoration came as international investigators continue their painstaking probe aimed at prosecuting those responsible for shooting down the plane and killing all the passengers and crew.

The Boeing 777 was destroyed by a Buk missile on July 17 2014 over conflict-torn eastern Ukraine.

The international criminal probe has concluded that the missile was fired from rebel-controlled territory by a mobile launcher trucked in from Russia. Russia has denied any involvement, and denounced the conclusions as politically biased.

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.

Nations involved in the probe have agreed to prosecute any suspects in the Netherlands, home to nearly 200 of the victims.

The European Union foreign affairs chief, Federica Mogherini, called for international cooperation in the hunt for the perpetrators.

"To ensure that those responsible for the downing of MH17 are held accountable and brought to justice, the criminal investigation needs the continuing support of the international community," she said in a statement.

"We expect all the states that are in a position to assist the investigation and prosecution of those responsible to do so, as demanded by United Nations Security Council Resolution 2166."

After a ceremony at which relatives read out the names of victims, Willem-Alexander and Maxima, joined by 17 local children, each holding a single sunflower, were first to inspect the new monument.

The monument, a curved steel wall and an eye-shaped sculpture engraved with the victims' names, stands in an amphitheatre surrounded by 298 trees - still saplings - planted in the form of a commemorative ribbon. Each tree has a plaque bearing the name of a victim.

The monument is close to Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, from which MH17 departed on its way to Kuala Lumpur.

In the silence preceding the commemoration planes could be seen and heard flying to and from the airport.

Last week, more than 90 family members attended a memorial in Malaysia for victims and a briefing on the ongoing probe. The flight was shot down while on its way from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur.

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".

In Ukraine, President Petro Poroshenko said his country is mourning the victims and said he believes the perpetrators of the attack will be brought to justice.

AP
Laurence Brown bought a fox snare online and set it at a spot where the cat was squeezing through the fence that divided his garden from his neighbours. (Stock photo)

A man has been jailed for 16 years after he pleaded guilty to torturing and killing 21 cats.

Robert Farmer (26) pleaded guilty to 21 felony counts of animal cruelty and one count each of misdemeanor battery and being under the influence.

The Californian man even lured some of the animal's from their owners homes in the San Jose neighbourhood of Cambrian Park, before he would torture and kill them.

He was arrested in October 2015 after he was found asleep in a car park in his car, with a dead cat in the vehicle.

Upon further inspection, police found a hunting knife, fur and blood in his car.

The New York News reports that Farmer will not be allowed within 100 yards of Cambrian Park, he will also not be permitted to own or care for an animal for ten years after he is released from prison.
President Donald Trump kisses Norwegian golfer Suzann Pettersen at the US Womens Open tournament at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey. Photo: Reuters

Donald Trump has insisted his performance in a poll assessing his six-month approval rating is "not bad" - despite recording the lowest rating of any president since it started being conducted in the 1940s.

Just 36pc of Americans endorsed his job performance, down from another record low of 42pc at the 100-day mark, in a joint survey by 'The Washington Post' and ABC News.

Some 58pc disapproved of his first six months, most of them "strongly".

The previous worst approval rating after half a year in the White House was 39pc, given to Gerald Ford in 1975.

Mr Trump's deterioration in support comes amid questions over his election campaign's links to Russia, doubts over his ability to negotiate on a world stage, and unpopular policies at home.

And 48pc of people think the US's place as a global leader has weakened under Mr Trump, compared to 27pc who say it has strengthened, the poll found.

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Some 63pc of Americans felt a meeting between the president's son Donald Trump Jr and a Russian lawyer who claimed to have damaging information about Hillary Clinton was "inappropriate". Only 26pc of those surveyed said it was appropriate.

However, Mr Trump took to Twitter to denigrate the poll, saying it had been "just about the most inaccurate" during the election last year. He defended his "almost 40pc" rating as " not bad at this time".

Earlier, Mr Trump claimed his son had been "scorned by the Fake News Media". "With all of its phony unnamed sources & highly slanted & even fraudulent reporting, #Fake News is distorting democracy in our country," he wrote. His latest attack on the media came hours after the poll results emerged, although he did not refer to them.

The survey, carried out for each US president since Harry S Truman, found only a third of Americans trusted Mr Trump to negotiate on the world stage.

And 47pc said they had no trust in him, despite the billionaire businessman's boasts about his deal-making.

Mr Trump's healthcare plans were also unpopular, with less than a quarter of those surveyed preferring the Republican bill to existing laws.

Mr Trump's 36pc overall approval rating is a long way behind his predecessor's score after six months, as 59pc of Americans felt Barack Obama was doing a good job after half a year in the White House. The Democrat's all-time lowest rating was 40pc, which came after years in the White House.

Mr Trump's tenure has been dogged by controversy, with the latest furore centred on Donald Jr's meeting with Kremlin-connected lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya.

Meanwhile, one of President Trump's personal lawyers defended the meeting, suggesting it had been screened by the Secret Service.

"Well, I wonder why the Secret Service, if this was nefarious, why the Secret Service allowed these people in.

"The president had Secret Service protection at that point, and that raised a question with me," said Jay Sekulow, a member of Mr Trump's legal team on the ABC show 'This Week'.

However, Secret Service spokesman Mason Brayman said the younger Trump was not under Secret Service protection at the time of the June 2016 meeting that included Mr Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and Republican election campaign chief Paul Manafort. ( Independent News Service)
Egyptian police have fired tear gas to disperse a rock-pelting crowd of residents defending their homes against bulldozers sent by the government to demolish the illegally-built dwellings.

The clashes left one person dead and 50 others injured.

The violence on the Nile island of el-Waraq on the southern fringes of Cairo is likely to stain a nationwide campaign launched this summer by Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, Egypt's general-turned-president, to restore government control over state-owned land.

Mr el-Sissi has vowed in televised comments to show no lenience to anyone taking illegal advantage of state-owned property, saying the law would prevail regardless of how powerful or wealthy the offenders were.

Anyone using land that does not rightfully belong to them, he angrily said, is a "common thief".

Illegal use of state land is widespread in Egypt, as well as building on agrarian land in violation of the law.

Since Mr el-Sissi launched his campaign earlier in the summer, local media has been showing images of police and army troops demolishing buildings illegally built or operating without a licence, attempting to project an image of a government keen on protecting what is being billed as "people's property".

To el-Waraq's middle class and poor residents, however, the sight of bulldozers coming to demolish their homes may have been more than they could bear at a time when they, like most Egyptians, are struggling to cope with soaring prices for food and services, a result of ambitious reforms introduced by Mr el-Sissi's government to revive the country's battered economy.

"Get lost! Get lost!" the protesters shouted at the scores of policemen who descended on the island early on Sunday, backed by bulldozers, scores of riot policemen and led by senior police generals.

The protesters, mostly young males, succeeded in forcing the bulldozers to turn away, but clashes soon began.

The Health Ministry said a resident died and another 19 were wounded in the clashes. It did not say how the man, Sayed el-Tafshan, died, but a photo of his body posted on social media networks showed chest wounds compatible with birdshot.

The Interior Ministry, which controls the police, said its forces only used tear gas.

A ministry statement said a total of 31 people - policemen as well as contractors who arrived with them on the island - were injured in the clashes. The injured policemen included two generals.

Ten residents were arrested for their part in the violence, it added.

Video clips posted on social media networks showed hundreds of angry islanders, mostly young men, at the man's funeral, marching through farm fields while chanting "We will sacrifice the martyr with our soul and blood".

The statement said the residents attacked police with firearms, birdshot guns and rocks, and that police responded with tear gas. It said up to 700 building and land violations were recorded on the island. It acknowledged the death of one islander and that 19 others were injured.

In el-Waraq, a mostly agricultural island with shoddily built apartment blocks, residents maintain that their homes are legal, citing the government's supply of drinking water and electricity.

One of the Nile's largest islands in Egypt, it is home to nearly 200,000 people and is linked to the mainland by six ferries.

"How is my home illegal when you have for years provided me with water and electricity," said resident and civil servant Mahmoud Essawi. "It's our land and we are not leaving."

AP
Separate bombings targeting members of Pakistan's paramilitary border force have killed at least three troops and injured another eight, officials said.

In the first attack, a Taliban suicide bomber riding on a motorcycle hit a Frontier Corps vehicle in Peshawar, near the Afghan border, killing two troops and wounding seven.

A few hours later, a second bomb struck in south-western Chaman province, also on the border with Afghanistan, killing one soldier and wounding another.

Police Superintendent Imran Malik said the Peshawar attack happened on the edge of the Khyber tribal area.

Pakistan's Tehrik-e-Taliban, an umbrella for Pakistani Taliban factions, was behind the attack, according to a statement by the militants' spokesman, Mohammad Khurasani.

The attack came a day after the Pakistan army announced it had launched an operation in the Khyber tribal region to rout Islamic State militants it said were operating in the area.

The Islamic State in Khorasan, as it is known in Afghanistan and Pakistan, is based in Afghanistan's eastern Nangarhar province which abuts Pakistan and the Khyber tribal region.

The local Islamic State affiliate emerged a few years ago, mainly from disenchanted Taliban fighters espousing IS's ideology.

The paramilitary force, known as the Frontier Corps, is the frontline force battling militants in Pakistan's tribal regions stretching hundreds of miles along its border with Afghanistan.

In the Chaman attack, police said one soldier was killed and another wounded but details were scarce because of the remoteness of the area. No-one immediately claimed responsibility for that explosion.

AP
The Washington Post report said senior members of the Emirati government discussed the hacking plan a day before a story appeared on the official Qatar News Agency site

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has denied reports that it was responsible for the hacking of Qatar's government news site in May.

The Washington Post, quoting unnamed US intelligence officials, reported on Sunday that the UAE orchestrated the hacking and planted a false story that was used as a pretext for the crisis between Qatar and four Arab countries.

The report said senior members of the Emirati government discussed the hacking plan a day before a story appeared on the official Qatar News Agency site quoting Qatar's emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani allegedly praising Iran and saying Qatar has a good relationship with Israel.

The UAE called the Post report "false" and insisted that the UAE "had no role whatsoever" in the alleged hacking.

Qatar said the UAE's reported involvement in the hacking is "unfortunate" and a breach of agreements among the Gulf countries.

The UAE along with Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Bahrain cut diplomatic ties and severed air, land and sea links with Qatar in early June over allegations that it supports extremist ideology - a charge Qatar denied.

The crisis has dragged on for more than a month with neither side showing signs of backing down.

Qatar maintained from the beginning that the quotes attributed to its ruler were the result of a hacking.

It said in a statement on Monday that the Post report "unequivocally proves that this hacking crime took place".

Sheikh Saif bin Ahmad Al Thani, the head of Qatar's government communications office, said "it is especially unfortunate that this shameful act of cyber terrorism is being attributed to a fellow member of the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC)".

He added: "This criminal act represents a clear violation and breach of international law and of the bilateral and collective agreements signed between the member states of the Gulf Co-operation Council, as well as collective agreements with the Arab League, the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation, and the United Nations."

The GCC is a six-member bloc that includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Kuwait has been serving as a mediator in trying to resolve the current Gulf crisis.

Sheikh Saif said a Qatari government investigation into the hacking is ongoing and that prosecutors will "take all necessary legal measures to bring to justice the perpetrators and instigators of this crime".

AP
Volunteers count the ballots after the polling station closed during a symbolic referendum in Caracas (AP)

Opposition leaders after more than seven million people rejected a government plan to rewrite the constitution (AP)

Venezuelan opposition leaders have called for a 24-hour nationwide strike to pressure the socialist government after more than seven million people rejected a plan to rewrite the constitution and consolidate the ruling party's power.

The country has been stricken by shortages, inflation and more than 100 days of clashes between protesters and police.

The opposition also said the National Assembly, which it controls, would name new members to the government-dominated Supreme Court, setting up a showdown with President Nicolas Maduro, whose party controls all but a few state institutions.

Opposition parties also plan to sign a declaration calling for the formation of an alternative "government of national unity", a step towards total rejection of government authority.

"Overall the package is pretty radical, especially the idea of a parallel government," said David Smilde, a Tulane University expert on Venezuela. "I think it could lead to real chaos within the government."

He noted that the opposition moves were to be implemented in phases over the next week, starting with the nationwide strike on Thursday, giving both sides the opportunity to negotiate possible concessions.

Earlier in the day, opposition parties floated the idea of escalating more than three months of street protests, which have left at least 93 people dead and 1,500 wounded.

More than 500 protesters and government opponents have been jailed.

"Right now we have to escalate and deepen this street movement," National Assembly president Julio Borges told local radio station Exitos ahead of Monday's opposition announcement, which was delayed for hours as government opponents discussed their next steps behind closed doors.

Speaking at a news conference, opposition leader Freddy Guevara made little mention of more protests, a sign that the opposition had decided to change tactics after Sunday's vote.

"We call on the whole country to launch a 24-hour national strike this Thursday, a massive, non-violent protest, as a way to pressure the government and to prepare for the final steps, which will be next week, to confront this fraud on the constitution and to restore constitutional order," he said.

The opposition said 7,186,170 Venezuelans participated in Sunday's symbolic referendum rejecting Mr Maduro's plans for the July 30 election of an assembly that would remake the country's political system.

Mr Maduro's allies have called on the assembly to impose executive branch authority over the few remaining institutions outside the control of Venezuela's socialist ruling party.

AP
Invoice upload utility on GSTN portal from July 24

Businesses registered on the Goods and Services Network (GSTN) portal will be able to upload their invoices starting July 24. GSTN serves as the information technology platform that administers the GST regime. Once the portal launches the facility, businesses can upload their invoices on a weekly or daily basis  if they wish to avoid the month-end rush.

The GST kicked in on July 1, in a major reform of the indirect taxation system in India. Under the new regime, businesses need to generate invoices for transactions above US$3.11 (Rs 200) and maintain these invoice records in serial number  if they want to claim input tax credit (ITC).

Previously, the GSTN portal introduced an offline MS Excel format for businesses to record their invoices; now these can soon be uploaded.

RELATED: Business Strategy & Operation Advisory

Indias tax department targets NRI bank accounts

In the continuing attempt to prevent tax avoidance, income tax (IT) authorities have doubled down on non-resident Indians (NRIs) and their finances abroad. This is because of a widespread practice by those trying to escape the IT scanner, where individuals deposit money in offshore bank accounts, and legitimize their NRI status by staying 182 days outside the country. NRI status grants such individuals the right to claim these offshore funds as lawful income earned abroad.

To curtail this practice, the tax department has added a new provision in the income tax return form 2 (ITR2). This requires all NRIs to disclose all the details of their bank accounts and their locations outside India.

However, chartered accountants seem baffled by the sudden disclosure of information required, without any official change to the rules being notified. Moreover, there is confusion over providing such financial information when the Indian government cannot tax interest on income deposited in foreign banks. Finally, several tax havens have already agreed to sharing information with India to reduce scope for money-laundering.

RELATED: The Waste Management Industry in India: Investment Opportunities

Solid waste management projects exempt from environmental clearance

The environment ministry recently announced a blanket exemption for all solid waste management projects from requiring environment clearances. This is a clear boost to the governments cleanliness initiatives under the Swachh Bharat Mission.

Barring landfill sites, all solid waste treatment and processing projects will benefit from this relaxation. Previously, urban department officials estimated that applying for green clearances could take anywhere from six months to a year. Moreover, there were different rules for different facilities.

Projects that will be exempt are those involved in door-to-door collection of waste, segregation, composting, refuse-derived fuel production, waste to energy generation through waste to energy plants, and disposal in scientific landfills.

Related Reading:

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An Introduction to Doing Business in India 2017 is designed to introduce the fundamentals of investing in India. As such, this comprehensive guide is ideal not only for businesses looking to enter the Indian market, but also for companies who already have a presence here and want to stay up-to-date with the most recent and relevant policy changes.

In this issue of India Briefing Magazine, we discuss payroll processing and reporting in India, and the various regulations and tax norms that impact salary and wage computation. Further, we explain Indias complex social security system and gratuity law, and how it applies to companies. Finally, we describe the importance of IT infrastructure, compliance, and confidentiality when processing payroll in India.
Allu Arjun's next, 'Na Peru Surya', will go to sets in the first week of August. Music sittings of the same are underway.

As someone who takes special interest in music, Bunny is making sure he works in collaboration with music directors Vishal-Sekhar. The Stylish Star is currently in Mumbai for the same.

Writer-turned-director Vakkantham Vamsi has prepared a thorough script. When Vamsi narrated the story to Sukumar, the latter wanted to direct it himself. But his wish never came true as Vamsi had other plans. As an army man, Bunny will be into a different league altogether in this flick. Anu Emmanuel is the female lead.
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
The Centre is working on identifying Rohingya Muslims who have entered the country from Myanmar over the past 5-7 years and are staying illegally in various pockets including Jammu, for likely arrest and deportation under the Foreigners Act.

Reuters

According to a senior home ministry official, there are an estimated 40,000 Rohingyas who, after being disowned by Buddhist Myanmar, had fled their homes and crossed over to India to take refuge here. They follow three infiltration routes for entering India; by sea, via Bangladesh border (there are around 3 lakh Rohingyas living in Bangladesh) and via Chin area on Myanmar border.

Around 5,500-5,700 of the Rohingya immigrants are based in Jammu alone, though the home ministry fears the number may be 10,000-11,000 if a true count is taken. This, an officer of the central security establishment conceded, is an unusually high percentage of the all-India figure.

Reuters

Union home secretary Rajiv Mehrishi chaired a meeting here on Monday to make an assessment of the illegal Rohingya settlers in the country and discuss a mechanism for their detection, arrest and deportation. The meeting was attended by J&K chief secretary and DGP, joint secretary (J&K) in MHA and senior BSF and intelligence officers.

Though United Nations Human Rights Commission has recognised around 14,000 Rohingya Muslims living in India as 'refugees', a government official said India does not accept the status conferred by the UN body as the 'refugees' are merely foreigners who have entered the country illegally.

This, as per Indian law, is a violation of the Foreigners Act, which provides for detection, arrest, prosecution and deportation of "illegal immigrants".

Reuters

While the policy on detention and likely deportation of Rohingyas is still being firmed up, an official said their deportation may not be an easy affair considering that Myanmar does not accept them as its citizens and calls them "Bengali interlopers".

Rohingya Muslims living here are not found to be linked to any terror activity, despite Lashker-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed having referred to them as "brothers" and spoken against their prosecution in Myanmar. But the security agencies say they may be more prone to radicalisation than Indian Muslims and could pose a threat in the future.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is reportedly planning to build a theme park  Krishna Land, on the lines of Disneyland in the state.

The Yogi Adityanath government is planning to build Krishna Land in Mathura and the Uttar Pradesh tourism officials have been directed to build a blueprint model of the project.

let

According to an India.com report, an official said, We plan to reconstruct the entire stages of Krishnas life. There will be a jail where Devki and Vasudev were imprisoned. The project officers have also been asked to create an artificial river like Yamuna that is linked to several aspects of Krishnas life. Krishna Land is one of the number of projects the Yogi Adityanath government proposed to make the state a religious tourism centre that will be funded by World Bank.

We may contact the Disneyland creators for help, if needed, and also those developed the famous Ramoji Rao film city in Hyderabad. We will offer family packages like the Ramoji City, where the tourists can stay in the Krishna Land and experience the lifestyle without compromising on comfort and security, the official added, according to a Deccan Chronicle report.

BCCL

Yogi Adityanaths hatred towards the iconic Taj Mahal is well known, saying that it does not represent the Indian culture.

Adityanath aims to start the construction of the mega project this year. Mathura has been finalised as it is believed to be the birthplace of Lord Krishna.
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Demonstrators in Brazil pelted stones at a politician at her own wedding, forcing her to leave in a protected vehicle.

On Friday evening, hundreds of protestors gathered outside the church Maria Victoria Barros was getting married at.

gazeta de povo

The 25-year-old member of the state assembly in Parana and daughter of President Michel Termers health minister said protesters physically and verbally abused both her and her guests because they support the President.

The President of Brazil has been charged and accused of plotting to receive bribes but he has denied the charges.

huffington post

Last year, Dilma Rousseff, Temers predecessor, was impeached. During her trial, she accused the right-wing party, supposed by her Vice President Temer, of organising a coup to overthrow her.

Protesters held anti-government placards and shouted slogans that accused Barros of being a coup plotter.

There have been several citizen outcries for the President to resign as corruption charges grew louder. One day before the wedding, tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets calling for his expulsion.
Trailing Chinas Mount Hua skywalk is one mean task. Enough to make one queasy, the trail is made of wooden boards that course alongside a 7,000-foot mountain in Shaanxi province. The trail is often thronged by tourists in search of an adrenaline rush and the perfect selfie.

Mount Hua.# # #china #chinese #mountains #mount #mounthua  A post shared by  (@oceanmerry_) on Jul 15, 2017 at 7:48am PDT

The hiking route was built hundreds of years ago which was frequented by Taoist monks to reach the summit. As per UNESCO's estimate, there are over 300 stone tablets and 570 spiritual inscriptions on the rocks which actually date back to 1,000 years ago.

Just walking the plank 2000m up # #mychinalife A post shared by chelseaborchers (@chelseaborchers) on Jun 12, 2017 at 7:45pm PDT

Claimed to be the world's most dangerous hiking tour, one wrong step can hurl a hiker to his/her death thousands of feet below.

Hikers, who dared to take the challenge, have shared their experience in Instram posts which look as exciting as spine-chilling.
On July 14, 2015, NASA launched the incredible New Horizons spacecraft that zoomed within 12,550 kilometres of Pluto. This was the first time that a spacecraft captured close-up looks at the dwarf planet system.

NASA Goddard

Ever since Pluto has been discovered, it has remained a distant blur in the space. Therefore, the picture that was captured almost after 8 decades was a revelation.

The photos told a different story about the planet, something which was hard to comprehend from distance. They revealed that Pluto was a diverse world with a stunning variety of features; 620-mile-wide plain of nitrogen ice and water-ice mountains that rise 2 miles into the dwarf planet's exotic sky.

"I think the most surprising thing is how complex that little planet is," New Horizons principal investigator Alan Stern, of the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado, told Space.com.

NEW! Enjoy this #Pluto flyby video, made with data from our historic #PlutoFlyby. pic.twitter.com/viHjvnfXw6  NASA New Horizons (@NASANewHorizons) July 14, 2017

"It outstripped everyones expectations, and I am certain that were going to need an orbiter follow-up to make sense of Pluto," Stern added.

Among many other things, the probe also revealed that Pluto is bigger than we thought it was. It has many layered atmospheres which are blue.

NASA

"New Horizons will best be known, I think, for showing how to do outer planet exploration less expensively and for delivering spectacular science to boot," he said.

Space explorations are often deemed as momentous for that significant period, however, each exploration paves way for greater expeditions in future.

Even after 2 years, its work isn't done. The probe is now set to embark on an extended mission that's centered towards a second flyby. The second mission will take place on 1st of January in 2019.
Weve already written about Tesla CEO Elon Musk before, and how he wants to change the world.

One of the ways he intends to do that is by pushing for people and industries to adopt solar power. And he reminded more than 30 US state representatives this past weekend at the National Governors Association meeting.

SolarCity

If you wanted to power the entire United States with solar panels, it would take a fairly small corner of Nevada or Texas or Utah; you only need about 100 miles by 100 miles of solar panels to power the entire United States, Musk said during his keynote on Saturday. The batteries you need to store the energy, so you have 24/7 power, is one mile by one mile. One square-mile. A little square on the U.S. map, and then theres a little pixel inside there and thats the size of the battery park that you need to support that. Real tiny.

In order to encourage states to adopt solar power, Musk laid out his plans to build infrastructure, powered by his company SolarCity, a subsidiary of Tesla. He says hed like to build the solar panels required himself, in order to fulfil the enormous demand he expects from the transportation and home industries.

You can find the full keynote below, starting from the 1:03:55 mark.

1. Combine home panels and large solar farms

Musk plans to use a combination of home panels, as well as more on a larger city-wide scale, in order to meet the needs for electricity. Suburban homes could feature their own solar panels on the roof, or instead of roofing tiles as SolarCity has proposed, while larger installations on the outskirts of cities would help serve public utility needs. In fact, the company had also recently confirmed it will be building a gigantic solar battery to serve power to Southern Australia. In addition, the Tesla Powerpack from SolarCity, a system that uses multiple solar panels and batteries from Teslas cars, would help store the solar energy gathered instead of using it on an as-gathered basis.

2. Gradually transition with other power sources

Musk also believes that we can temporarily switch to other forms of power while we make the transition to solar. Well need to be a combination of utility-scale solar and rooftop solar, combined with wind, geothermal, hydro, probably some nuclear for a while, in order to transition to a sustainable situation, he said on Saturday.

3. Reduce infrastructure needs

Arguably most important, Musk believes the key to successfully implementing solar powered cities is to reduce the amount of visible infrastructure. People do not like transmission lines going through their neighborhood, they really dont like that, and I agree, he said. To do this, hes pushing for homes to adopt solar panels on their own, in order to be self sufficient and eliminate the needs for power lines entirely.
There could be a potentially new revolution in the construction of plastic that may help the planet by leaps and bounds. Scientists have developed eco-friendly plastics using lemon extracts and carbon dioxide that may replace potentially cancer-causing materials widely used in everyday items like phone cases, baby bottles and DVDs.

Several million tonnes of polycarbonate are produced every year around the world. However, worries about the dangers of this material are increasing because of the toxicity of its precursors, especially bisphenol-A, a potential carcinogen.

representational image/oyesters and pearls

Researchers led by Arjan Kleij from Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ) in Spain, developed a method to produce polycarbonates from limonene and CO2, both abundant and natural products.

Besides, limonene is able to replace a dangerous building block currently used in commercial polycarbonates - bisphenol-A (also known as BPA).

Although BPA has been repeatedly classified as a safe chemical by American and European agencies, some studies point out that it is a potential endocrine-disruptor, neurotoxic, and carcinogen.

plastiquarian

Some countries like France, Denmark and Turkey have banned the use of BPA in the production of baby bottles. "BPA is safe, but still causes concerns and is produced from petroleum feedstock," Kleij said.

"Our approach replaces it with limonene, which can be isolated from lemons and oranges, giving us a much greener, more sustainable alternative," he said.

indiatimes

The researchers not only succeeded in producing a more environment-friendly polymer, but they also managed to improve its thermal properties. This limonene-derived polymer has the highest glass transition temperature ever reported for a polycarbonate. Having a high glass transition temperature has other implications - the new plastics require higher temperatures to melt, which make them safer for everyday use. Moreover, this new polymer can also offer a myriad of new applications for polycarbonates and block copolymers using appropriate material formulations.
A long-expectedallowing for the restructuring of arrears owed by private sector companies to the Greek state was finally unveiled late last week via publication in the government gazette, with the "highlight" being a 120-month installment plan.
Congress' Military Budget Is Even Bigger Than Trump Asked

For





The House version of the National Defense Authorization Act passed with strong bipartisan support. The Senate has yet to vote on the bill.



By Matt Picht

July 16, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - In his budget proposal , President Trump asked for just over $600 billion for defense spending. The House just passed a bill that would give him over $90 billion more than that.

The annual National Defense Authorization Act passed the House with bipartisan support, 344-81. It would give the Pentagon $696 billion, up from last year's appropriation of $619 billion.

That's around $70 billion over the limit Congress is technically allowed to give to the military. Lawmakers will need to override those budget caps if they want to pass this bill into law.

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The bill would add about 17,000 more troops to the U.S. Army and give soldiers a 2.4 percent pay raise. It would also add five new ships to the U.S. Navy, dozens of new planes to the U.S. Air Force and provide 25 percent more funding for missile defense programs.

The proposal would also fund a new branch of the military focused on outer space, despite reservations from Defense Secretary Jim Mattis.

The Senate still has to vote on its version of the funding bill, which will have to be reconciled with the House bill before it heads to the president's desk.

This article was first published by Newsy -

The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House.

Why Does America Love Its Military So Much?
The Medias Endless Anti-Trump Show Trial

By George Neumayr

July 16, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - It is a measure of the anti-Trump medias stupidity and malpractice that the phrase breaking news now elicits eye rolls. The medias breaking news about Trump is rarely breaking or news. It is usually recycled and old  some stale piece of information, relating to a practice both parties long ago adopted, that is sensationalized and dished up as novel. Into this category falls much of its breathless Trump-Russia coverage, including its all-hands-on-deck stories about Donald Trump Jr.

It is called opposition research, said President Trump on Thursday at a press conference in Paris in defense of his son.

From the hair-on-fire hysterics of the Democrats and their patrons in the press, one would think they had never taken a meeting with a foreigner or searched for dirt on a political rival. Of course, they have  and never more so than during their quest to torpedo Trumps candidacy. What was the Steele dossier fiasco but a Dem/media attempt to collude with Brits to stop Trump?

Had BuzzFeed not released the contents of that transparently ridiculous and bogus dossier, the self-appointed ruling class would still be talking about it. Lightweights in the press, straining to sound deep, will recite such quotes as the bigger the lie, the more it will be believed, even as their coverage rests upon the biggest lie of all: the assertion of imaginary Trump-Russia criminal collusion based on nothing more than false, fragmentary leads that came from their own collusion with foreign powers.

Just a few months ago, the sunshine patriots of the press were extolling John Brennan and Susan Rice for spying on Americans on the basis of tips that they had received from Estonia, Sweden, and Great Britain, foreign powers that were gunning for Trumps defeat. Recall the Pravda-like headline Maggie Haberman of the New York Times used to whitewash the spying of Susan Rice: Susan Rice Did Nothing Wrong, Say Both Dem and Republican House Aides.

Take pretty much any headline the media has used to sanitize the political espionage of the Dems against Trump, substitute Donald Trump Jr.s name into it, and you will see that the smears against him and his father carry all the evidentiary weight of a Soviet show trial.

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Donald Trump Jr. Did Nothing Wrong, Say Both Dem and Republican House Aides  the only reason you dont see that headline is because the ruling class hates the Trumps and loves the Dems.

Beneath all the bluster of the Dem-media complex lies a bald double standard, which amounts to saying to Trump: You must never do what we do all the time!

Childishly, the Democrats and the reporters in their pocket make the daily demand that Trump unilaterally disarm. To which Trump responds sensibly: Why should I? That would just hand the Dem-media complex victory. All of its whining about his unconventional behavior is just another way of its saying that he is the first Republican since Reagan not to submit to their double standards. They remain shocked that a Republican President would have the audacity to fight back without two arms tied behind his back, which was the customarily feckless style of cowed Republicans for years.

One can only laugh at the staggering hypocrisy of the ruling classs bleating. Take John Brennan, Obamas CIA director who voted for the Soviet-controlled Gus Hall at the height of the Cold War and who served as a tool of the Muslim Brotherhood during his tenure as CIA director. The other day, Brennan, feeding into the medias narrative of Trump as treasonous, declared Trumps pro forma greeting of Putin at the G20 meeting (that it was an honor to meet him) unworthy of an American President. Imagine if Ronald Reagan had refused to shake the hands of the Soviet leaders. Brennan would have been the first to denounce Reagan as an enemy of peace and dialogue.

The Dem-media complex has gone from demanding dialogue with foreign enemies of America to forbidding it, from showering the Castros and Soviets in praise to drowning Putin in denunciations. A phony patriotism has once again become, in the words of Samuel Johnson, the last refuge of scoundrels.

This article was first published by

American Spectator

-

The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House.
How Russia-gate Met the Magnitsky Myth





Exclusive: A documentary debunking the Magnitsky myth, which was an opening salvo in the New Cold War, was largely blocked from viewing in the West but has now become a factor in Russia-gate, reports Robert Parry.



By Robert Parry

July 16, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - Near the center of the current furor over Donald Trump Jr.s meeting with a Russian lawyer in June 2016 is a documentary that almost no one in the West has been allowed to see, a film that flips the script on the story of the late Sergei Magnitsky and his employer, hedge-fund operator William Browder.

The Russian lawyer, Natalie Veselnitskaya, who met with Trump Jr. and other advisers to Donald Trump Sr.s campaign, represented a company that had run afoul of a U.S. investigation into money-laundering allegedly connected to the Magnitsky case and his death in a Russian prison in 2009. His death sparked a campaign spearheaded by Browder, who used his wealth and clout to lobby the U.S. Congress in 2012 to enact the Magnitsky Act to punish alleged human rights abusers in Russia. The law became what might be called the first shot in the New Cold War.

According to Browders narrative, companies ostensibly under his control had been hijacked by corrupt Russian officials in furtherance of a $230 million tax-fraud scheme; he then dispatched his lawyer Magnitsky to investigate and  after supposedly uncovering evidence of the fraud  Magnitsky blew the whistle only to be arrested by the same corrupt officials who then had him locked up in prison where he died of heart failure from physical abuse.

Despite Russian denials  and the dog ate my homework quality of Browders self-serving narrative  the dramatic tale became a cause celebre in the West. The story eventually attracted the attention of Russian filmmaker Andrei Nekrasov, a known critic of President Vladimir Putin. Nekrasov decided to produce a docu-drama that would present Browders narrative to a wider public. Nekrasov even said he hoped that he might recruit Browder as the narrator of the tale.

However, the project took an unexpected turn when Nekrasovs research kept turning up contradictions to Browders storyline, which began to look more and more like a corporate cover story. Nekrasov discovered that a woman working in Browders company was the actual whistleblower and that Magnitsky  rather than a crusading lawyer  was an accountant who was implicated in the scheme.

So, the planned docudrama suddenly was transformed into a documentary with a dramatic reversal as Nekrasov struggles with what he knows will be a dangerous decision to confront Browder with what appear to be deceptions. In the film, you see Browder go from a friendly collaborator into an angry adversary who tries to bully Nekrasov into backing down.

Blocked Premiere

Ultimately, Nekrasov completes his extraordinary film  entitled The Magnitsky Act: Behind the Scenes  and it was set for a premiere at the European Parliament in Brussels in April 2016. However, at the last moment  faced with Browders legal threats  the parliamentarians pulled the plug. Nekrasov encountered similar resistance in the United States, a situation that, in part, brought Natalie Veselnitskaya into this controversy.

As a lawyer defending Prevezon, a real-estate company registered in Cyprus, on a money-laundering charge, she was dealing with U.S. prosecutors in New York City and, in that role, became an advocate for lifting the U.S. sanctions, The Washington Post reported.

That was when she turned to promoter Rob Goldstone to set up a meeting at Trump Tower with Donald Trump Jr. To secure the sit-down on June 9, 2016, Goldstone dangled the prospect that Veselnitskaya had some derogatory financial information from the Russian government about Russians supporting the Democratic National Committee. Trump Jr. jumped at the possibility and brought senior Trump campaign advisers, Paul Manafort and Jared Kushner, along.

By all accounts, Veselnitskaya had little or nothing to offer about the DNC and turned the conversation instead to the Magnitsky Act and Putins retaliatory measure to the sanctions, canceling a program in which American parents adopted Russian children. One source told me that Veselnitskaya also wanted to enhance her stature in Russia with the boast that she had taken a meeting at Trump Tower with Trumps son.

But another goal of Veselnitskayas U.S. trip was to participate in an effort to give Americans a chance to see Nekrasovs blacklisted documentary. She traveled to Washington in the days after her Trump Tower meeting and attended a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing, according to The Washington Post.

There were hopes to show the documentary to members of Congress but the offer was rebuffed. Instead a room was rented at the Newseum near Capitol Hill. Browders lawyers. who had successfully intimidated the European Parliament, also tried to strong arm the Newseum, but its officials responded that they were only renting out a room and that they had allowed other controversial presentations in the past.

Their stand wasnt exactly a profile in courage. Were not going to allow them not to show the film, said Scott Williams, the chief operating officer of the Newseum. We often have people renting for events that other people would love not to have happen.

In an article about the controversy in June 2016, The New York Times added that A screening at the Newseum is especially controversial because it could attract lawmakers or their aides. Heaven forbid!

One-Time Showing

So, Nekrasovs documentary got a one-time showing with Veselnitskaya reportedly in attendance and with a follow-up discussion moderated by journalist Seymour Hersh. However, except for that audience, the public of the United States and Europe has been essentially shielded from the documentarys discoveries, all the better for the Magnitsky myth to retain its power as a seminal propaganda moment of the New Cold War.

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After the Newseum presentation, a Washington Post editorial branded Nekrasovs documentary Russian agit-prop and sought to discredit Nekrasov without addressing his many documented examples of Browders misrepresenting both big and small facts in the case. Instead, the Post accused Nekrasov of using facts highly selectively and insinuated that he was merely a pawn in the Kremlins campaign to discredit Mr. Browder and the Magnitsky Act.

The Post also misrepresented the structure of the film by noting that it mixed fictional scenes with real-life interviews and action, a point that was technically true but willfully misleading because the fictional scenes were from Nekrasovs original idea for a docu-drama that he shows as part of explaining his evolution from a believer in Browders self-exculpatory story to a skeptic. But the Posts deception is something that almost no American would realize because almost no one got to see the film.

The Post concluded smugly: The film wont grab a wide audience, but it offers yet another example of the Kremlins increasingly sophisticated efforts to spread its illiberal values and mind-set abroad. In the European Parliament and on French and German television networks, showings were put off recently after questions were raised about the accuracy of the film, including by Magnitskys family.

We dont worry that Mr. Nekrasovs film was screened here, in an open society. But it is important that such slick spin be fully exposed for its twisted story and sly deceptions.

The Posts gleeful editorial had the feel of something you might read in a totalitarian society where the public only hears about dissent when the Official Organs of the State denounce some almost unknown person for saying something that almost no one heard.

New Paradigm

The Posts satisfaction that Nekrasovs documentary would not draw a large audience represents what is becoming a new paradigm in U.S. mainstream journalism, the idea that it is the medias duty to protect the American people from seeing divergent narratives on sensitive geopolitical issues.

Over the past year, we have seen a growing hysteria about Russian propaganda and fake news with The New York Times and other major news outlets eagerly awaiting algorithms that can be unleashed on the Internet to eradicate information that groups like Googles First Draft Coalition deem false.

First Draft consists of the Times, the Post, other mainstream outlets, and establishment-approved online news sites, such as Bellingcat with links to the pro-NATO think tank, Atlantic Council. First Drafts job will be to serve as a kind of Ministry of Truth and thus shield the public from information that is deemed propaganda or untrue.

In the meantime, there is the ad hoc approach that was applied to Nekrasovs documentary. Having missed the Newseum showing, I was only able to view the film because I was given a special password to an online version.

From searches that I did on Wednesday, Nekrasovs film was not available on Amazon although a pro-Magnitsky documentary was. I did find a streaming service that appeared to have the film available.

But the Posts editors were right in their expectation that The film wont grab a wide audience. Instead, it has become a good example of how political and legal pressure can effectively black out what we used to call the other side of the story. The film now, however, has unexpectedly become a factor in the larger drama of Russia-gate and the drive to remove Donald Trump Sr. from the White House.

Investigative reporter Robert Parry broke many of the Iran-Contra stories for The Associated Press and Newsweek in the 1980s. You can buy his latest book, Americas Stolen Narrative, either in print here or as an e-book (from Amazon and barnesandnoble.com ).

This article was first published by Consortium News -

Russian film challenges basis of Magnitsky Act
Gazans Are the Victims of Their Own and Israel's Leadership

By Cesar Chelala

July 16, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - The curtailing of electricity to Gaza conducted by the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah in connivance with Israeli authorities seriously hurts the people of that region. They have become the victims of the political fighting between the Palestinian Authority ruled by Fatah, and the Palestinian leadership in Gaza ruled by Hamas. The PA pays Israel for the provision of electricity to Gaza. However, the PA has decided to reduce the electricity supply to Gaza from three hours a day to only two hours, thus worsening an already serious situation.

Gazans health has been particularly affected. The health sector is able to provide only the absolute minimum standard of care hospitals are being forced to cancel some operations, are cutting back on maintenance, and are dependent on the UN for emergency fuel to run their generators, stated Michael Lynk, UN Special Rapporteur for human rights in the occupied territories.

With his characteristic nonchalance Avigdor Lieberman, Israels defense minister, declared, We are not a side in this issue. They pay, they get electricity. They dont pay, they dont get electricity. He doesnt seem to realize the tremendous cost Israels Gaza siege is imposing on Gazas inhabitants.

Haaretz has reported that to punish the Hamas Government in Gaza, the Palestinian Authority has also threatened to stop providing medicines and baby formula to hospitals in Gaza. This move would have terrible consequences for residents of the Strip, particularly the chronically ill and children, warned Dr. Munir al-Bursh, director of the pharmacy department in Gazas Health Ministry.

These actions were approved by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, as reprisal for Hamas establishment of its own administrative unit to run Gaza. This decision was preceded by a 30 percent reduction of salaries paid by the PA to its employees in Gaza. Abbas admitted that he would continue taking such strong measures against Hamas in order to pressure the group, and force it to decide if it will govern fully by itself or cooperate with the PA and end the split between them.

Robert Piper, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in the occupied Palestinian territory, warned in June about the tragic consequences on the health and living situation of two million Palestinians if there is further reduction in electricity to Gaza. He asked the PA, Hamas and the Israeli government to put the welfare of Gazas residents first and to take the necessary measures to avoid further suffering. The people in Gaza should not be held hostage to this longstanding internal Palestinian dispute, said Piper.

Uri Avnery, a former Israeli soldier and former member of the Knesset, recently wrote, The uninvolved bystander wonders: how can that be? After all, the entire Palestinian people are in existential danger. The Israeli government tyrannizes all Palestinians, both in the West Bank and in the Gaza Strip. It keeps the Strip under a strangling blockade, on land, in the sea and in the air, and is setting up settlements all over the West Bank, to drive the population out.

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Because Israel continues to have effective control of life in Gaza, it is also responsible for the welfare of its residents, as per to the laws of occupation specified in The Hague and Geneva Conventions. In addition, international humanitarian law and human rights conventions require Israel to protect civilians, safeguard wounded and sick persons, and enable the shipment of necessary medicines. Instead, according to Dr. Munir al-Bursh, ninety percent of cancer patients have no drugs today in Gaza.
Moral Corrosion of Drone Warfare





The U.S. government uses drones to eliminate risk to its soldiers and thus domestic opposition to war, but that heightens the moral imperative to challenge the remote-controlled killings, says ex-CIA analyst Ray McGovern.



By Ray McGovern

July 16, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - Required by court order to appear before a judge in Syracuse, New York, on July 12, some out-of-towners had already arrived there when the court granted the prosecutions last-minute request for more time to prepare its case against us, the Jerry Berrigan Brigade, for our nonviolent witness against drone warfare on Jan. 28, 2016. A trial date is likely to be set in a month or two, or perhaps three (so much for our Sixth Amendment right to a speedy trial).



Back in January 2016, we stood behind 30 larger-than-life-sized wooden silhouettes of Syracuse peacemaker Jerry Berrigan, who died at age 95 on July 26, 2015.

A widely loved and respected educator, Jerry  like his brothers Dan and Phil  was himself larger than life. Even in his early 90s, Jerry could be seen braving the elements, witnessing against the extrajudicial killings enabled by Hancock drone base in Syracuse.

Jerry was asked at one point if there were anything he would change in his life. I would have resisted more often and been arrested more often, he said.

On Jan. 28, 2016, we  the Jerry Berrigan Brigade  brought images of Jerry to the gates of Hancock as a tangible reminder that this is where he would have been standing that day, putting his body on the line to say a clear, physical NO to killing. Jerrys widow and daughter were there with us, cheering us on.

Most Americans are blissfully unaware that, from states-side drone bases like Hancock, drone pilots  with a push of the joystick, a click of a mouse, or simply a keystroke  can incinerate suspected terrorists, on the other side of the globe WITHIN THREE MINUTES.

Thanks to a media that is heavily influenced by what Pope Francis (speaking before Congress in 2015) called the blood-drenched arms traders, its largely a comfortable case of out-of-sight-out-of-mind. However, the more the killing is hidden, the more we feel a moral imperative to bring the killing out into the open and appeal to the consciences of U.S. citizens  including those of drone pilots many of whom have moral qualms about what they are being ordered to do and end up with bad cases of PTSD.

Many of us protesters  Catholic Workers and Jewish grandmothers alike  take our cue from anti-war activist Rabbi Heschel, who braced us all with this admonition: When injustice takes place, few are guilty, but all are responsible. Indifference to evil is more insidious than evil itself.

Rabbi Heschel got that right. And Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. reassured us that the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice. But how long and how to make it bend?

Seventeen-plus months since our Jerry Berrigan Brigade witness at Hancock, we cannot avoid wondering just how long it will take for our case to find justice. Nor are we sure what kind of justice will befall us. Whatever it is, though, it will be a small price to pay, when one considers the price paid by families who slip into the crosshairs of drone-fired Hellfire missiles.

Some well-meaning soul suggested we consider apologizing  a notion far from our minds. Were we to issue an apology, it would be patterned on the one given by Jerry Berrigans brothers Dan and Phil and the others of the Catonsville Nine, who burned draft cards with homemade napalm 50 years ago at the height of the war in Vietnam:

Our apologies, good friends, for the fracture of good order, the burning of paper instead of children, the angering of the orderlies in the front parlor of the charnel house. We could not, so help us God, do otherwise. For we are sick at heart, our hearts give us no rest for thinking of the Land of Burning Children.

Good Friday Witness, 2017

Justice is likely to be meted out more quickly to those of us who decided that Good Friday this year would be a fitting time to honor the memory of innocent victims of Empire, given what happened to Jesus of Nazareth when he challenged Empire. This time nine nonviolent resisters, including from Upstate Drone Action and Catholic Worker, were arrested at the main entrance to Hancock drone base witnessing against Hancocks role in drone killings.

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Three hung on large wooden drone crosses representing victims of U.S. drone strikes in seven majority Muslim countries. Eleven others held smaller drone crosses headed by the phrase, DRONES CRUCIFY, each followed by one of these: Children, Families, Love, Peace, Community, the US Constitution, UN Charter, Rule of Law, US Treaties, Due Process, or Diplomacy (in all, 14 Stations of the Cross). All the crosses were confiscated by Base personnel.

Perceiving a need to explain our Good Friday action we issued a statement , that includes the following:

Good Friday commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus. Recognizing that 70% of our nation identify as Christian, we come to the gates of the Hancock drone base to make real the crucifixion today. As Jesus and others were crucified by the Roman Empire, drones are used by the U.S. Empire in similar fashion.

In Roman times, crosses loomed over a community to warn people that they could be killed whenever the Empire decided. So, too, our drones fly over many countries threatening extrajudicial killings upon whoever happens to be in the vicinity. On this Good Friday, we recall Jesus call to love and nonviolence. Were asking this Air Force base and this nation to turn away from a policy of modern-day crucifixion.

What if our country were constantly being spied upon by drones, with some suspected terrorists killed by drones? What if many bystanders, including children, were killed in the process? If that were happening, we would hope that some people in that attacking country would speak up and try to stop the killing. Were speaking up to try and stop the illegal and immoral drone attacks on countries against which Congress has not declared war.

(A five-minute video of Nativity Scene Action at Hancock, the theme of which was: If Herod Had Drones, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph Would Have Been Incinerated.)

Several of those arrested on Good Friday, including me, were the same perps awaiting trial for the action of our Jerry Berrigan Brigade action a year and a half ago. But the judge hearing this more recent case told us when we appeared before him on July 13 that he will now set a trial date for us Good Friday protesters.

Other Witness Against Drones

Over the last couple of years there have been many protest actions and arrests at one of the most important drone bases  Creech AFB in Nevada, where many from many parts of the U.S. and abroad have demonstrated against the brutality of drone killing.

Lesser known are actions in other parts of the country to raise awareness of the expansion of drone bases in localities like Des Moines, Iowa. There the Des Moines Catholic Worker and Veterans For Peace have launched a campaign to call attention to the drone assassinations in which the 132nd Wing of the Iowa Air National Guard plays a role from Des Moines airport. There have been several arrests, trials, and convictions.

The July issue of the Des Moines Catholic Worker community newspaper, Via Pacis, carries the words of Frank Cordaro, a Catholic priest, before his latest arrest in late May at the National Guard drone command in Des Moines. Frank reached back to the prophet Ezekiel to address the imperative to blow the trumpet, saying:

This protest is an Ezekiel Watchman witness. Ezekiel was a priest of the First Temple and only became a prophet after he was kicked out of Jerusalem and sent into captivity in Babylon. Once there, he started to have visions: The Lord said to me, when the Watchman sees the sword coming against the land, he should blow the trumpet to warn the people.

The Des Moines Catholic Worker community has been a kind of Watchman for the city of Des Moines on the issues of war and peace for the past 40 years. Its probably because we Catholic Workers have been protesting US-led wars for over 80 years nationally and 40 in Des Moines. And its very personal for me too. I grew up on the south side of Des Moines and this airport is just blocks away from the neighborhood I grew up in.

Needed: more Watchmen and Watchwomen. A drone base may soon be coming to your own neighborhood.

Ray McGovern works for a publishing arm of the Church of the Saviour in inner-city Washington. He has written about the moral imperative of activism and tries to heed it. He was an Army officer and then a CIA analyst for 30 years, and is now on the Steering Group of Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS).

This article was first published by Consortium News -

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July 16, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - Covering the recent battle for the city of Marawi on Mindanao Island in the Southern Philippines, the Western media has been grossly exaggerating unconfirmed reports, rumors, as well as twisted facts.'

At the beginning of July, I visited Mindanao as one of only a few foreigners allowed inside the besieged city of Marawi and to its surrounding area.

I spoke to local people, to the IDPs - those who managed to escape the city taken over by the jihadists. I also managed to discuss the situation with the highest commanders of the military in charge of the combat, including General Ramiro Rey and Lt. Colonel Jo-Ar Herrera. I encountered many soldiers, civil servants, and relief workers.

My contacts in the capital informed me via text messages that I had been red-flagged, clearly by the pro-US faction in the Philippine military. So before my presence was finally cleared from Manila, I was detained and held in a provisional military base in the city of Saguiaran. Here I was softly interrogated by military intelligence. A few steps away, a howitzer was firing artillery toward ISIS positions in Marawi, some 10 kilometers distant.

So you believe the United States is responsible for spreading terrorism all over the world, I was asked late at night by one of the officers, point blank. It was clear that someone behind the scenes was busy studying my published work.

The Western establishment media and various servile NGOs (including those which are defending human rights in several rebellious and independent-minded countries) consistently demonize President Duterte, an anti-imperialist, progressive leader who enjoys a 75 percent approval rating. It is no secret there are two distinct fractions inside the military  one supports the president and his drive for independence from the West, and another, which is trained and often corrupted by Washington and other Western capitals.

The pro-Western fraction wanted me out, detained, perhaps even disappeared. The other one that stands by its president wanted me to see the truth, to be allowed into Marawi.

A final decision was made late at night in Manila. I was released and granted permission to work in the besieged city. Even when the top commanders personally called the camp, there was, at least for a while, apparent reluctance to let me go.

My first reaction after visiting the Marawi front was one of outrage. What I witnessed was fundamentally different from what has repeatedly been said by most of the Western mass media outlets, as well as pro-Western local news channels in Manila.

It is evident that Marawi is not totally destroyed, as has been reported. Most of it is standing and standing firm. I would estimate that between 20 and 30 percent of the houses and buildings, most of them in the core center of the city, have sustained heavy damage.

It was explained the ISIS-related jihadists began their offensive on May 23rd and their plan was to take full control of the town by the time Ramadan was to begin (May 26th). The military spoiled their plans; it counterattacked and managed to contain the terrorists in just one neighborhood, retaining or regaining control of all the other barangays.'

Undoubtedly there were heavy losses, and, because of the palpable sense of fear after indiscriminate brutality unleashed by the terrorists, a substantial movement of the IDPs. But it was never 400,000 people escaping the area, as reported in the West, but approximately 200,000 (the number once peaked at about 300,000).

There has been no indiscriminate bombing of the civilians. I witnessed both incoming and outgoing howitzer fire and also very limited bombing from the air; it was all targeted and mostly precise, aiming at the position of the terrorists. As in all other war zones where I have been working, I refused any protection, including helmets and bulletproof vests, which allows me to remain more mobile. However, I did manage to come 'very close on occasion. It was clear the fighting and bombing were strictly contained to one area, no more than one-kilometer square.

Anti-Duterte NGOs and governments claim that they worry about the martial law imposed on Mindanao. In and around Marawi (or anywhere else on the Island), the martial law carried no brutal consequences. Even the curfew (9PM-5AM) is laxly implemented.

General Rey explained to me in Marawi City:

The difference between this martial law and those that were imposed during the reign of Ferdinand Marcos is that now the military is mainly doing real fighting while providing assistance to the civilians. I absolutely dont interfere with the work of local elected government officials. Im encouraging them to do their job as before, asking them to contact me only when my assistance is needed. I never took, and I dont intend to take, control of the area.

Local government officials and volunteers working for various relief agencies and NGOs operating in the area have confirmed what General Rey said.

During my work in the conflict zone, I detected no fear among the residents. The relationship between the army and civilians was clearly friendly and cordial. As the military convoys were moving between the cities of Illigan and Marawi, both children and adults were smiling, waving, some cheering the soldiers.

In the camps housing the IDPs, there was almost unanimous consensus: while many citizens of Mindanao Island in general and the Marawi area in particular would most likely welcome more autonomy from Manila, during this ongoing and brutal conflict almost all local people have been supportive of the military and government efforts.

We hope that both Filipino and foreign jihadi cadres would soon be crushed, was an almost unanimous statement coming from the local people.

In the cities of Illigan and Marawi I was shown detailed maps clearly indicating positions of the ISIS and the military.

Both Lt. Colonel Jun Abad from Ranao Camp and the commanding officer, General Rey, gave me a clear briefing. As of July 3rd, the Agus River represented the borderline between the ISIS-held area and the zone liberated and controlled by the army.

There is no doubt the entire city will be freed, soon, most likely in July. The only reason why it did not happen yet is that the terrorists are using hostages, both Christians and Muslims, as human shields. President Duterte, General Rey, and others are trying to avoid unnecessary human losses.

The situation is extremely sensitive as there is the involvement of foreign fighters. On June 30th, in Saguiaran, Major Malvin Ligutan admitted, hesitantly: In one of the safe houses, we found passports issued in Indonesia, Malaysia and several Arab countries.

Recently, from Indonesia, I described in detail an elaborate terrorist web, which dates back to the Afghan days. In that period of history, the West was encouraging many Southeast Asian extremists to join he Mujahedeen in their fight against the secular socialist governments in Afghanistan, and against the Soviet Union. Hardened, they eventually returned to Indonesia, fueled several domestic conflicts including those in Ambon and Poso, and then began training a new generation of jihadi cadres, before exporting them to Syria and now to the Philippines. Several academics and experts confirmed this to me.

The West is regularly using jihad,' directly and indirectly, to destabilize socialist, anti-imperialist, and just patriotic countries and governments. In the past, it managed to ruin countries like Afghanistan, Indonesia (1965) and Syria. Many believe that the Philippines is the latest addition to the hit-list.'

As Drei Toledo, a prominent Philippine journalist and pro-Duterte activist, originally from Mindanao, explained:

The reason why the West is hostile toward President Duterte is simple: he is working hard to reach a peace agreement with China, a country that is seen by Washington as its archenemy. Another adversary of the West,' Russia, is admired by Duterte and increasingly by his people. Recently, Russia and the Philippines signed a defense agreement. The president is also forging close ties with Cuba, particularly in the area of health.

No one could deny the gravity of the situation.

I witnessed exhausted glances of the people from Marawi, now living in a rescue center built on the land of the town hall of Saguiaran.

Yesterday two infants died, Im told by Amer Hassan, a student volunteer from Mindanao State University (MSU).

The reason was different water, malnutrition, exhaustion...

I wanted to know more, and Amer continues:

People are still in shock... They cant believe what is happening. Especially those whose houses were destroyed; those who lost their relatives, everything...

While the West is constantly criticizing, does it provide help? Amer just shrugs his shoulders:

There is no foreign help coming... Almost all that we have here comes from Manila, either from the government or local agencies. Duterte is working very hard, helping our people.

A family of three, Camal Mimbalawag, his wife Ima and one-month-old baby Mohammad, is squeezed into a tiny space at the center. Their memories are bleak. Ima gives her account almost mechanically:

We were in Marawi during the first stage of the attack. I was pregnant, ready to give birth. We were in the city hall when ISIS attacked... They erected checkpoints; divided people into groups... they pointed guns at us... They asked: Muslim or not?...and If Muslim, then recite Shahadat.' If cannot, you get killed or taken as a hostage... We saw corpses of those killed, eaten by dogs under the burning sun...

The battle for the city of Marawi is raging. I face it from the highest floor of the building, destroyed by ISIS snipers, a place where an Australian reporter was hit just two days earlier.

It is not Aleppo, but it could have been, if not for the heroic counter-attack of the army.

Almost 100 soldiers already lost their lives. Just one day before I encounter General Rey, six of his men were injured. It is said that 800 or more civilians died. Nobody knows exactly how many terrorists were killed. It is real war: tough and merciless as all wars are, but in this case, the newly independent country is clearly winning.

It is an incredible sight: some soldiers, patriotic and determined, are still wearing those helmets with the US flags engraved into them, or some old Israeli bulletproof vests. But have no doubts: this is real, new country! Totally different Philippines and Marawi is one of the first and toughest tests it will have to endure.

The war united people and the army. No matter what the West and local corporate media are saying, most Filipinos know: this is their struggle; this is their president and their military fighting against something extremely foreign, violent and dreadful.

Andre Vltchek is a philosopher, novelist, filmmaker and investigative journalist. He has covered wars and conflicts in dozens of countries. Three of his latest books are revolutionary novel Aurora and two bestselling works of political non-fiction:  Exposing Lies Of The Empire  and  Fighting Against Western Imperialism . View his other books here . Andre is making films for teleSUR and Al-Mayadeen. Watch Rwanda Gambit , his groundbreaking documentary about Rwanda and DRCongo. After having lived in Latin America, Africa and Oceania, Vltchek presently resides in East Asia and the Middle East, and continues to work around the world. He can be reached through his website and his Twitter .
The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House.

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Home A Culture War Against Tolerance By Lawrence Davidson Part I  Tolerance Amid Growing Intolerance July 16, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - In case you havent noticed, the United States is a country deeply divided on a large number of basic issues: racial issues, gender issues, issues of sexual preference, the role of government in society, the role of religious views in shaping laws, and so on. Influential Institutions, such as media outlets, are being labeled as left or right depending on how they report or relate on these issues. Battles now rage on these topics in the halls of Congress. Finally, the Supreme Courts legal decisions on cases that reflect these questions have been trending toward the conservative end of the spectrum. All of this makes it quite difficult to have a meaningful discussion or debate about such issues in the public realm. Such attempts have often led to further divisiveness instead of reconciliation  reflecting what some might describe as an ongoing culture war. The one place where thoughtful debates are usually encouraged is on the university and colleges campuses. This is particularly so in the humanities and social sciences classrooms, where you find courses in history, English, foreign languages, sociology, anthropology, political science and the like. Such areas of study draw on diverse source material and examples. And so, running against the popular grain, so to speak, divisive issues often become legitimate aspects of study. This process of study and discussion concerning controversial topics has been going on on U.S. campuses at least since the end of World War II. By the 1970s clear preferences as to how these issues should be thought about appeared. And, they consistently agreed with a tolerant stand that maximized the virtues of equality and social justice. It should come as no surprise that faculty in these areas are usually left of center on the political spectrum. Thus, the campus consensus is that while an individual can privately feel as he or she likes about topics such as homosexuality or racial integration, and can choose their social circle accordingly, it is wrong to publicly act in an overtly discriminatory way. Until recently the courts have agreed with this position, but now things appear to be changing. Such a trend in the direction of public intolerance has begun to isolate the campus environment while at the same time denigrating the tolerant position as political correctness  as if being correct and thus legitimate, appropriate and proper was a failing. Part II  A Republican Attack on the University This process of isolating one of the staunchest bastions of active public tolerance has recently been highlighted by a new (July 2017) report of the Pew Research Center entitled Sharp Partisan Divisions In Views of National Institutions. According to the report, there has been a dramatic attitude shift on higher education among Republicans and people who lean Republican. It would seem that Republicans have soured on higher education, with more than half [a reported 58% of them] now saying that colleges have a negative impact on the United States. The more conservative the Republican respondent described him- or herself, the more likely they are to have a negative view of higher educational institutions. This compares with 72% of Democrats who saw the contribution of colleges on society as positive. Of course, Democrats now have problems getting elected. There is a link between those who hold a negative view of institutions of higher learning and those who confine themselves to watching or listening to the countrys right-wing media. As it turns out, Virtually every day Fox News, Breitbart and other conservative outlets run critical articles about free speech disputes on college campuses, typically with coverage focused on the perceived liberal orthodoxy and political correctness in higher education. Now consider that Fox News is the most popular news (or shall we say, alleged news) show on U.S. television. The success of right-wing news and other media is a good example of viewers practicing, perhaps unconsciously, confirmation bias. The criterion for the information you seek out is not accuracy or truth, but rather its ability to confirm an outlook you already hold. No Advertising - No Government Grants - This Is Independent Media Get Our Free Daily Newsletter Of course, one does not have to be right-wing to play this particular game but, ultimately it makes a difference if you are among the intolerant. Intolerant worldviews are closed systems. Once you have committed to them you have put on blinkers and become one of the faithful  no more debates, no more discussions, no more broadmindedness, no more tolerance. People without your blinkers start to appear as dangerous, heretical, unpatriotic. You are now bound to a group think that is starkly undemocratic. Part III  Poisonous Sour Grapes As intolerance under the leadership of Republicans and neo-Republicans (Trump, Bannon, Tea Party types, etc.) becomes more widespread, those institutions that value tolerance come under pressure. This sometimes comes from right-wing media, sometimes from special interest donors and lobbyists, and sometimes, in the case of college and universities, from pockets of students (both right and left) who have decided that some outlooks are so unacceptable that they must be silenced. Whenever reasonable this last action should be avoided. If you dont like what campus speakers stand for or say, ones default position should not be to shut them down, but rather to use their presence as a teaching moment: here is how not to build a healthy society. However, in the midst of a culture war, the tolerant may ultimately find themselves painted into a corner. We can legitimately ask how far the Republican right is willing to push their campaign of intolerance against tolerant college campuses. Having lost the open campus debates on an array of divisive issues, they now react with a poisonous version of sour grapes.They declare that colleges have a negative impact on the United States. If they take this charge to Congress or to the courts, we may come to a point where tolerance of extreme intolerance is no longer reasonable. Given that level of threat we should all be aware of Karl Poppers description of the paradox of tolerance: unlimited tolerance must lead to the disappearance of tolerance. If we extend unlimited tolerance even to those who are intolerant, if we are not prepared to defend a tolerant society against the onslaught of the intolerant, then the tolerant will be destroyed, and tolerance with them. This is the dilemma that is forced upon us when war  in this case a culture war  takes over the public mind. The space for tolerance shrinks and it is the barbarians among us who start to define the rules of social interaction. Lawrence Davidson is a retired professor of history from West Chester University in West Chester PA. His academic research focused on the history of American foreign relations with the Middle East. He taught courses in Middle East history, the history of science and modern European intellectual history. The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. Click for Spanish , German , Dutch , Danish , French , translation- Note- Translation may take a moment to load. What's your response? - Scroll down to add / read comments Please read our Comment Policy before posting - It is unacceptable to slander, smear or engage in personal attacks on authors of articles posted on ICH. Those engaging in that behavior will be banned from the comment section. Click here to comment on our Facebook page
The US Deep State: Sabotaging Putin-Trump Ceasefire Agreement in Syria

By Federico Pieraccini

July 16, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - The meeting between Trump and Putin at the G20 in Hamburg injects new hope into the complicated relationship between the United States and Russia. Only time can confirm whether there is any basis for this hope.

The most eagerly anticipated meeting of the year, that between Putin and Trump, lasted far more than the scheduled 20 minutes, extending past two hours. This is not too much of a surprise given the points of friction that needed to be discussed, the many outstanding issues in international relations, and the fact that this was the first official meeting between the two world leaders. The results achieved exceeded initial ambitions, and the personal chemistry between Putin and Trump seems to have been sufficient to reach an important agreement in Syria as well as to conduct discussions surrounding cyber security. Trump even asked Putin about the alleged Russian hacking in the US presidential election as a way of appeasing detractors back home. The statements of both presidents following their meeting underlined their positive intentions. Putin called Trump a very different person from the one portrayed in the media, mentioning that he was reflective and very attentive to details. Trump, for his part, praised the meeting with Putin, stating the importance of dialogue between nuclear-armed superpowers.

The most important agreement concerned a ceasefire in southern Syria along the border with Israel and Jordan. This is a very active area of fighting, and so the ceasefire obviates the possibility of dangerous confrontations between the United States and Russia, as well as between Syria and Israel, which could escalate out of control as seen when the US Air Force shot down a Syrian Su-22 jet as well an Iranian drone. Israel, from its position in the occupied Golan Heights, has repeatedly struck the Syrian Arab Army (SAA), in a desperate effort to halt its gains against al Qaeda and Daesh terrorists.

In their first meeting, within less than two hours, Putin and Trump came to an agreement on potentially the most volatile situation in the region, saving hundreds of civilian lives in the process. The agreement on Syria now has to run the gauntlet of the deep state and all the other interests arrayed against Trump. Just four days following a similar agreement reached in 2016 between Obama and Putin, everything was upended by the US Air Force bombing and killing nearly a hundred soldiers of the Syrian Arab Army in Deir ez-Zor, shredding the ceasefire agreement that had just been reached.

Trump is dealing with the same occult forces that sabotaged Obamas ceasefire agreement. It is impossible to know how much strategic support the US deep state has for the ceasefire decision. Ever since the SAA reached the Iraqi border north of al-Tanf, the space available for the US and her allies to maneuver has been dramatically diminished. With al-Tanf isolated, Washington's ceasefire does not change or shift the already heavily altered balance of power in that area of Syria. For all these reasons, the ceasefire does not appear to be a concession by either party but merely a commonsense move to lessen the possibility of a direct confrontation between super-powers.

The military apparatus seems to be focused on the situation in northern Syria, with Raqqa and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) being the central pivot for the US to reach Deir ez-Zor and its associated oilfields. The US State Department, as well as the US military wing involved in Syria, hope to balkanize Syria, dismembering it in different regions and putting Raqqa under the control of a puppet authority in Damascus. However, such American hopes of imposing a Brennan-style governorate as in Iraq is forlorn, as Damascus is the only authority recognized on Syrian territory, and once Raqqa is filled with returning Syrian citizens, such American plans will fall apart. Moreover, the Baghdad authorities have already made clear on two occasions how reluctant they are to support Americans in their military operations. In the case of Mosul, they reiterated that the US deployment and involvement be minimal, while the Iraqi authorities have already announced that they want to place under their full control their border with Syria, in effect hobbling Washingtons plan to leave chaos and instability along the borders of the two countries. The US deep state finds in chaos the ideal way to channel conflict and foment instability. One of the most important objectives of the Syrian and Iraqi armies is therefore to isolate the borders and control the flow of human traffic from one country to the other, nixing in the process what has hitherto been a strategic advantage for Daesh and other terrorist organizations, where they have been free to cross borders with weapons and whatever else they please.

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Trump and all the actors involved in this negotiation are finally able to make an agreement between Moscow and Washington stand. Unlike with previous agreements, the US in Syria is now in a worse situation than it was 12 months ago, having failed to achieve many of its strategic objectives. Cooperation with Turkey in northern Syria was wrecked following the liberation of Aleppo and the clear US support for the Kurds (SDF). Similarly, areas of deconfliction in Syria agreed to in Astana (between Iran, Russia and Turkey) have stopped the gains of terrorists in many active areas of the conflict, leading to zero chances of occupying more towns. Such efforts have been important bargaining chips during the various peace negotiations.

The crux of this strategy seems to be a focus on the only possible solution that meets the interests of the deep states military wing, related to the original plan to dismantle Syria once the removal of Assad failed. From a certain point of view, it may make sense to focus on the situation in the north of the country in Raqqa, the only area where the US still has some influence. This may be the contorted vision drawn up by contending factions of American deep state. Certainly from the point of view of Moscow, the strategy in Syria is a mix of diplomatic solutions, seeking to reach multiple ceasefire agreements with major players like Turkey and the United States, but never setting aside the war effort carried out by Russia, Iran and Syria.

The agreement between Putin and Trump will firstly benefit Syrian civilians as well as widening the opportunity for the SAA to liberate more towns and villages from the grip of terrorism. It is a long-awaited agreement and solution that is now met by the predominant wing of the US deep state. In the event of a failure of the agreement, Trump will be obligated to point out to the world the subversion of the Washington establishment and its deep state, which works to frustrate his agenda and replace it with its own terrible policies.

Moscow's confidence in deriving concrete benefits from this deal increases hour by hour, thanks to the truce continuing to hold. From the Russian point of view, any military sabotage would once again lay American intentions bare, regardless of Trump's subsequent moves. However, one thing that is certain is that in the case of sabotage, Trump will be faced with having to make a definitive choice. Either he will surrender to the deep state, returning the situation back to a state of hyper-conflict with a nuclear superpower; or he will confront and overcome the deep state, thereby enabling him to implement his electoral promises.

This article was first published by

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Democrats Gone Mad: The Year of Living Stupidly





By Glen Ford

The corporate medias standing among the public erodes by the day.

July 16, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - For more than a year now, the collective U.S. ruling class, with Democratic Party and corporate media operatives in the vanguard, has frozen the national political discourse in a McCarthyite time warp. A random visit to a July 26, 2016, issue of the New York Times reveals the same obsession as that which consumes the newspaper today: Following the Links from Russian Hackers to the U.S. Election, Spy Agency Consensus Grows That Russia Hacked D.N.C. A year later, the allegations persist, piled ever higher with innuendo and outright nonsense. However, proof of the predicate act -- that Russia, not Wikileaks, penetrated the DNC -- remains totally absent.

What is the purpose of this torture-by-media? Clearly, the Trump White House has been crippled by the tsunami that never ebbs, but the Democrats have not been strengthened in the process, and the corporate medias standing among the public erodes by the day. A poll conducted last month showed majorities of voters want Congress to ease up on Russia investigations and get to work on healthcare, terrorism, national security, the economy and jobs. Almost three out of four respondents to the Harvard-Harris poll said lawmakers arent paying attention to the issues that are important to them -- including 68 percent of Democrats. Sixty-two percent of voters say there is no hard evidence of White House collusion with Russia, and 64 percent think the investigations are hurting the country.

That two out of three Americans believe the so-called mainstream press is full of fake news -- including a majority of Democrats.

The non-stop vilification of Russia and Trump has seriously backfired on the corporate media. Another poll by Harvard-Harris, conducted back in May , showed that two out of three Americans believe the so-called mainstream press is full of fake news -- including a majority of Democrats. The Russiagate blitzkrieg, designed to delegitimize Trump and demonize Vladimir Putin, has exacerbated an already existing crisis of legitimacy for the entire U.S. political system. Every major institution from the presidency to the courts is now seen as operating in a partisan fashion in one direction or the other, said poll co-director Mark Penn.

The only unequivocal winner is the bipartisan War Party, which has used the manufactured crisis to drench the nation in anti-Russian hysteria  worse than back in the bad old days of the Red Scares. By March, Black Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ) was using much the same language as Dick Cheney to describe the Kremlin. I think this attack that weve experienced is a form of war, a form of war on our fundamental democratic principles, said the hopelessly brainwashed representative of the Black Misleadership Class. Liberal Democratic Maryland Rep. Ben Cardin called the nonexistent attack a political Pearl Harbor.

If the U.S. Congress actually took seriously its Constitutional powers to declare war, the human race would already have been exterminated.

Sixty-two percent of voters say there is no hard evidence of White House collusion with Russia.

So insane have the Democrats become, that we are probably better off with war powers effectively in the hands of Donald Trump, than with Californias Barbara Lee, the only member of Congress that voted against the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001. She was in her right mind then, but no longer. Trumps willingness to talk with the leader of Russia, in Hamburg, infuriated Rep. Lee, who tweeted : Outraged by President Trumps 2 hr meeting w/Putin, the man who orchestrated attacks on our democracy. Where do his loyalties lie? A better question is: When and where did Lee join the War Party?

The dogs of war at U.S. intelligence agencies have led the charge against Trump since they encamped at Hillary Clintons campaign headquarters, last year. The spoiled oligarch was not trusted to maintain the momentum of the U.S. military offensive begun by Barack Obama in 2011, with the unprovoked war against Libya. The state of war must be preserved, whatever the cost to the empires domestic institutions. Skilled in the arts of regime change, the spooks joined with their longtime partners in corporate media propaganda, to foment a color revolution at home. Barbara Lee is a recent recruit.

The Lords of Capital effectively shut the Democrats down decades ago.

Although the Democrats will ultimately harm themselves with the electorate by folding into the War Party, it suits the purposes of party leadership and the fat cats that finance them. The ruling class has nothing to offer the people except the total insecurity of gig-jobs and austerity. The Lords of Capital effectively shut the Democrats down decades ago. They can campaign as if there really is a clash of ideas about the organization of society, but they must propose nothing that fundamentally conflicts with the steady consolidation of wealth and power by the oligarchy (the American one, not the Russians). That goes for Bernie Sanders, too. Heard anything about single payer from him, lately?

The all Russiagate, all the time information regime -- which also prepares the public for a wider war scenario  provides the illusion of motion that passes for resistance to the rule of the rich, as personified by Donald Trump. But there has been no Democratic program to reorder society for at least a generation. And now, under the New McCarthyism, the only politics that is allowed is war politics, consisting of denunciations of those who threaten  our fundamental democratic principles  which need not be defined or even proven to exist.

Thats why it has been an empty year, albeit a very loud one. As Gil Scott-Heron sang in  Winter in America , Nobodys fighting, cause nobody knows what to save.

BAR executive editor Glen Ford can be contacted at Glen.Ford@BlackAgendaReport.com . - Glen Ford's blog
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is set to seize a mansion belonging to one of the suspects, Kola Aluko, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and two houses belonging to a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, who was implicated by the U.S. authorities as a beneficiary of the laundered cash.

Hours after the US Department of Justice released details of how part of the $1.5billion oil production contracts funds were laundered, about five luxury properties have also been traced to a former official of the defunct Oceanic Bank.

All the properties in question have been identified and documented for forfeiture with the UAE authorities, The Nation learnt yesterday.

Nigeria signed six agreements with the UAE on January 19, 2016 following a state visit by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The pact includes Judicial Agreements on Extradition, Transfer of Sentenced Persons, Mutual Legal Assistance on Criminal Matters, and Mutual Legal Assistance on Criminal and Commercial Matters (the recovery and repatriation of stolen wealth).

Besides, the luxury properties in the United States, the EFCC believes Aluko and Mrs. Alison-Madueke allegedly acquired others with the laundered funds.

According to a source, who pleaded not to be named because he is not allowed to talk to the media on the matter, all the suspicious assets have been located in the highbrow Jumeirah, which is the most expensive and exclusive area in Dubai.

But of the eight identified, two apartments linked with Mrs Alison-Madueke are marked as J5 Emirates Hills (30million Dirham) and E146 Emirates Hills valued at 44million Dirham.

For security reasons, the addresses of the mansions of Aluko and the ex-Oceanic Bank official, a woman, have not been disclosed.

The EFCC plans to release the details later.

A source in the commission said: The EFCC still has a valid Mareva Injunction to freeze some foreign accounts and seize some assets linked with Diezani and her business associates in the United Kingdom and some jurisdictions.

Some of the offshore financial institutions, where accounts are frozen, include BNP Paribas (Switzerland), LGT Bank (Switzerland), Standard Chartered Bank (London),Barclays Bank (London), Standard Energy (Voduz, Switzerland), HSBC (London), Corner Bank (Lugano, Switzerland) and Deutsche Bank (Geneva).

Besides the luxury properties traced to Diezani and Aluko in the US, we have identified more in Dubai.

So far, we have commenced the process of ensuring the forfeiture of these assets by the suspects. The EFCC is also verifying the assets linked with Alukos business partner, Chief Jide Omokore in Dubai too.

All the steps taken so far are in line with the relevant laws in the UAE and the six agreements signed with Nigeria when President Buhari went on official trip.

According to the source, the EFCC believes that some of the assets were bought with part of the $1.5billion oil production contracts.

These oil barons and their ilk acquired these properties when Dubai was a safe haven for looted funds. But the UAE has strengthened its laws in a manner that there is no more hidden place for the corrupt, the source said, adding that the only hurdle the EFCC has to cross is the legal process in the UAE to retrieve the assets. We are already employing the Mutual Legal Assistance Agreement to get this done. He said.

The Federal Government has ratified all the agreements with the UAE. This development will hasten asset recovery and retrieval of looted funds.

We will do our best to comply with their legal procedure, the source said.

Statutorily, we have succeeded in establishing that the EFCC is empowered to confiscate the affected assets. We are invoking sections 7 of 28 and 34 of the EFCC (Establishment Act) 2004 and Section 13(1) of the Federal High Court Act, 2004.

Section 7 says: The commission has power to (a) cause any investigations to be conducted as to whether any person, corporate body or organization has committed any offence under this Act or other law relating to economic and financial crimes.

(b) Cause investigations to be conducted into the properties of any person if it appears to the commission that the persons lifestyle and extent of the properties are not justified by his source of income.

Sections 28 and 34 of the EFCC (Establishment Act) 2004 and Section 13(1) of the Federal High Court Act, 2004 empower the anti-graft agency to invoke Interim Assets Forfeiture Clause.

Section 28 of the EFCC Act reads: Where a person is arrested for an offence under this Act, the Commission shall immediately trace and attach all the assets and properties of the person acquired as a result of such economic or financial crime and shall thereafter cause to be obtained an interim attachment order from the Court.

Section 13 of the Federal High Court Act reads in part: The Court may grant an injunction or appoint a receiver by an interlocutory order in all cases in which it appears to the Court to be just or convenient so to do.

(2) Any such order may be made either unconditionally or on such terms and conditions as the Court thinks just.

Source: ( The Nation )
Nollywood has been tagged as one of the biggest movie industries in the world today raking in several billions of dollars annually. The Nigerian film industry include intellectuals, professors, doctorate degree holders and others who combine acting with being an educationist and passing their wealth of knowledge to their students.

Here is a list of Nollywood actors who also teach in universities.

1. Hafiz Oyetoro aka Saka

Hafiz Oyetoro popularly known as Saka acts in Nollywood movies and is also a stand-up comedian. He is also a lecturer in the Theatre Arts department of the Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education in Lagos.

2. Doyin Hassan

Doyin Hassan is popular for his role in Saworoide and has since gone on to appear in only Christian movies produced by Mike Bamiloyes Mount Zion Film Productions. Doyin Hassan holds a PhD in Marketing and he is a senior lecturer in the department of marketing in Lagos State University (LASU). He is also a former HOD at the department and is currently an Assistant Director in the universitys school of part-time studies in charge of Ogba and Ikorodu campuses.

3. Kola Oyewo

Kola Oyewo is well known for his role in Tunde Kelanis movie Kosegbe where he played Mako, an incorruptible custom boss. In 1996, Oyewo joined the services of Obafemi Awolowo University, where he rose to the rank of senior lecturer before retiring in September 2011. After his retirement from Obafemi Awolowo University, he joined the services of Redeemers University, where he currently serves as head of the department of dramatic art.

4. Sam Dede

Award winning actor, Sam Dede known for his role in epic movie Igodo is a man of many parts. The former lecturer at the University of Lagos is currently in the employ of the Department of Theatre Arts at the University of Port Harcourt. He is also the Director-General of the Rivers State Tourism Development Agency.

5. Prof. Ayo Akinwale

Ayo Akinwale is not only a veteran actor but also a movie producer and an academician. He was one of the best actors of his time, he has featured in several radio and television programmes and and also home movies. He is the Dean, Faculty of Arts at the University of Ilorin and also a laureate of the African Movie Academy Award (AMAA).

6. Sola Fosudo

Dr. Sola Fosudo who is one of the most respected actors in Nigeria is a senior lecturer and head of the Department of Theatre Art, Lagos State University and the Universitys director of information.

7. Peter Fatomilola

The veteran actor is a graduate of theatre arts from Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ife, and he learnt under professor Wole Soyinka. He later became a dramatic arts instructor at the OAU. Though he is retired, he still gets invitations to come and lecture in universities.

8. Prof. Akinwunmi Isola

Professor Akinwunmi Isola is a Nigerian playwright, actor, dramatist, culture activist and scholar who was a lecturer at the OAU and became a professor in 1991.

9. Tunji Sotimirin

Tunji Sotimirin is a veteran actor whose activity in the Nigerian movie industry spans almost three decades. He stared in Owuro Lojo alongside a young Joke Silva in the early 90s and has also featured in numerous movies including Tade Ogidans Hostages. The funny actor is currently a lecturer in the department of theatre arts at the University of Lagos.

10. Gbenga Windapo

Gbenga Windapo is a prolific actor and comedian who recently acted alongside 2face, Ali Baba and many others in Baba Dees movie, Head Gone. He is a lecturer at Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (AOCOED). Gbenga Windapo who has acted in many stage plays founded the comedy group, Lafomania, which had Saka and many other comedians as members.

Source: Nairaland
The Operatives of the Rivers State Police Command have arrested at least 200 suspected kidnappers, cultists and armed robbers in Emohua and Ikwerre Local Government Areas of the state.

According to the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Zaki Ahmed, who disclosed this while parading some of the suspects, added that operatives of the Inspector-General of Police Monitoring team also rescued an aged woman, who was abducted and raped by her captors in Rumuodogo forest, Emohua.

Speaking with newsmen on Saturday, Ahmed explained that although the state had witnessed an increase in cult activities in recent times, the command had embraced security strategies to curb the manace.

The state police commissioner explained that those apprehended and paraded at the headquarters of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad in Rumukpokwu community, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area were smoked out of their various hideouts.

He further disclosed that 10 armed robbers specialised in dispossessing car owners of their vehicles at gunpoint had also been arrested by operatives of the command.

Source: ( Punch Newspaper )
It was a horrific sight to behold as a woman identified as Angela Amos had hot water poured on her by her co-tenant identified as Flora Ekong, the incident left the victim with one of her her breasts and left hand scalded and was admitted to a private hospital in the community.

PUNCH Metro learnt that Ekong had chided Amos daughter, Mary, for opening the bathroom door while she (Ekong) was taking a bath.

Amos, a native of Cotonou, Benin Republic, reportedly heard Ekong rebuking nine-year-old Mary, and confronted her.

In the ensuing altercation, Amos reportedly rushed to her kitchen, removed a bowl of boiling water on a stove and emptied it on the victim.

Our correspondent learnt that she attempted to flee, but was prevented by the landlady, who handed her over to the police at the Ajiwe division.

The 29-year-old widow, a native of Cross River State, who spoke with our correspondent from the hospital bed, said she had tried to avoid Amos.

She said, That was not the first time her daughter would barge in while I was in the bathroom and I had warned her. When she refused to stop, I reported her to her mother through a neighbour. The mother is troublesome, that was why I didnt meet her directly.

Instead of her (Amos) to caution the child, she abused the neighbour. The daughter did the same thing last Sunday. I was in the bathroom on Tuesday when she repeated it. I told her that the next time she did that, I would slap her.

The mother dared me to slap her and we started exchanging words. She left and returned a few seconds later with a bowl of hot water which she emptied on me.

A co-tenant, who witnessed the incident, Sunday Alo, said everybody in the house avoided Amos.

I was inside my room that day when I heard her exchanging words with Flora (Ekong). No one expected that she could pour hot water on the woman, he said.

A relative of the victim, who did not want his name in print said, about N100,000 had been spent on her so far.

Ekong was arraigned before a Tinubu Magistrates Court on Friday on two counts of assault and was granted bail in the sum of N50,000, with one surety in like sum.

Source:( Punch Newspaper )
According to reports, the Ali Modu Sheriff, have decided to stay away from the partys meetings slated for Monday and Tuesday.

A source close to Sheriff caucus who pleaded anonymity said on Sunday that the former governor of Borno State had travelled to the Middle East.

The partys Expanded National Caucus, Board of Trustees and National Executive Committee are meeting on Monday (today) and Tuesday at its national headquarters in Abuja.

Mondays meeting is expected to be attended by former Presidents and Vice-Presidents, PDP Governors, National Executive Committee members, Board of Trustees members, National Assembly members, former PDP governors, former PDP ministers and all former national officers of the party.

Dr. Goodluck Jonathan is the only former President produced by the party who is still a PDP member.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo had left the party and even tore his membership card in annoyance. Before then, he was the chairman of the partys BoT.

PDP governors are also expected at the caucus meeting.

Apart from Sheriff, others who are expected are the former National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo and the partys former Deputy Vice Chairman(South-South), Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, amongst others.

However, a member of the sacked NWC said, We wont be at their meetings. Let them hold their meetings while we wait to see what would come out from there.

Our chairman is not in the country. He has travelled to the Middle East and we wont take any action in his absence.

This is politics. We were in it together and we are still in it together. So, let us wait and see.

It was however not clear if the meetings would consider sanctions against Sheriff and his co-travellers.

Source: ( Punch Newspaper )
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has described the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a badly-damaged brand, following the present crisis rocking the party.

The APC urged Nigerians to hold it accountable for its promise as contained in its manifesto, but appealed for fairness because a manifesto is not a four-year programme.

In a statement by National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi, the party condemned what it described as the penchant of members of the PDP to mock Buhari over his condition of health.

It is un-African, if not ungodly, to continue to taunt a man and even challenge him to a fight at his moment of weakness, the APC said.

Reacting to the boast by the PDP to take back power in 2019 Abdullahi said it was obvious that If the PDP had fully implemented its manifesto in the 16 years that it was in power, Nigerians would not have been attracted to the APCs promise of change in 2015, because there would have been little left to promise.

The statement reads: In recent past, the PDP brand of opposition politics had been characterized mainly by allegation mongering and open incitements of separatist agitations across the country. It appears however that the outcome of Wednesday ruling is beginning to set them on a different course. We are therefore delighted that the PDP is beginning to talk about holding the APC accountable for the promises in our manifesto.

We want Nigerians, not just the PDP, to hold us accountable for every promise contained in our manifesto. We only urge them to be fair. A manifesto is not a four-year programme. If PDP had fully implemented its manifesto in the 16 years that it was in power, Nigerians would not have been attracted to the APC promise of change in 2015, because there would have been little left to promise.

These few good men and women left in the PDP would do well to listen to ex-stalwarts of the party like the former Akwa Ibom governor, Obong Victor Attah who has advised that the party needs an urgent change of name because the PDP brand is already damaged beyond repair.

But Nigerians know that even with a change of name, it is not the cowl that makes the monk. Therefore, like Attah asked, Now that they have resolved their crisis, what is left of the PDP? Senator Makarfi and his supporters should take a break from their victory dance to attend to this question.

He also said the media report quoted the un-namable minister as comparing the PDP and the APC to a tale of two wives, saying that Nigerians have tried the two and had seen who was better.

He said: We find this metaphor quite interesting. We need to point out however that APC is the new wife that is busy working at the kitchen that has been looted empty by the former wife who had made away with the entire foodstuff and even the kitchen utensils. Nigerians know this.

If the food is a little late in coming, they understand the circumstance. But if that other thieving wife now begins to argue that she was a better cook and should be brought back into the kitchen because the new wife is a slow cook, then that should pass for hypocrisy.

No matter the temporary hardship that we may be experiencing, Nigerians know better than to bring PDP back to power so soon for fear that this time, they might disappear with the kitchen itself.

We also note with regret, PDPs penchant to mock President Muhammadu Buhari with his health situation. We admit that the health of a president is every citizens business. However, it is un-African, if not ungodly, to continue to taunt a man and even challenge him to a fight at his moment of weakness.

We have seen in the last few days, some members of the PDP who have boasted to defeat President Buhari in 2019. We urge Nigerians to Google the names of these individuals and see what comes up. It is however understandable, even if not acceptable, that when the lion is enfeebled, even a rabbit would grow the temerity to tweak its tail.

We urge Nigerians to remain resolute in support of the APC and President Muhammadu Buhari. We are confident that whatever difficulty we are going through at the moment is only a passing phase.

Source: ( The Nation )
A Priest of the Nsukka Catholic Diocese, Rev. Fr. Paul Obayi, has been accused by some indigenes of Nguru community in the Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State for allegedly taking over their land to build a university.

The indigenes, under the aegis of the Forum of Concerned Nguru Citizens, accused the priest of taking over more than 109 hectares of land without due consultation.

In a petition to the Catholic Bishop of Nsukka, Rt. Rev. Godfrey Onah, the group alleged that Obayi gave N10m and a bus to some community leaders in order to take the land.

The petition, signed by the Chairman of the forum, Titus Attah; and Secretary, Sylvester Onah, stated that efforts by the group to seek answers to questions regarding the land were rebuffed by Obayi.

The petition read in part, Sometime ago, we learnt that following a dispute over the ownership of Obelibe, a vast land area owned collectively by the entire Nguru community, and a kindred in Nguru, Likke, Fr. Obayi presented a peaceful resolution to the dispute.

We understand that he offered to take over the land and build a university on it. Information we had said he claimed that he had a partnership deal with a foreign university to bring the educational institution to our community.

In full cohorts with him were a few young people in the community that we understand have been profiting financially from him. With these people behind him, it was therefore easier to sell the idea to the council of elders (Akpuru Arua), who lack the capacity, for reasons of age, to properly interrogate the issue.

The bulk of Nguru indigenes, are living outside the homeland and when the news got to us on what was happening, we made contacts with those at home only to discover that consultation did not involve all the stakeholders.

But we understand the opportunity cost of trading off the fixed asset owned by an entire community to just one individual. We also believe that such a transaction, where it would take place, should be discussed exhaustively with every stakeholder.

The group said it wrote a letter to the priest for a discussion on the matter, but he did not reply.

The men, who claimed not be against the establishment of a tertiary institution in the community, said they were concerned about the future of the institution.

Some of the questions we want answers to are: what kind of university is he bringing to Nguru on an expanse of land larger than the two campuses of the University of Lagos put together? Where is the approved (permanent or provisional) licence for the establishment of that university by the National Universities Commission? Is the university a community school or Fr. Obayis private enterprise? If it is Fr Obayis private enterprise, is he expecting to make profits from school enrolment and other activities the institution involves in?

If there is going to be profit, how right does it sound to him as a priest of God, that he appropriates a vast expanse of land belonging to his community, grows it to make profits while penury and want ravage his people?

Beyond the bus he bought for our council of elders (most of whom are above 85 years old), the N5m he brought, and the cash gifts that we also understood some young people have got out of his generosity, what is the take-out for Nguru beyond the intangible satisfaction and bragging right that a private university was sited in their village?

What are the tangible, measurable, enforceable, documented benefits to Nguru that will, no matter how inadequate, compensate for their generosity in giving over to him their land? the petition said.

Source: ( Punch Newspaper )
Eight people were killed on Monday when a female suicide bomber detonated her explosives at a mosque in the London Ciki area of Maiduguri, Borno State, in the latest attack in the restive region.

The head of the Borno state emergency management agency, Ahmed Satomi, said the blast happened at about 5:30 am.

Source: ( PM News )
Nigerian president, Muhammadu Buhari, left Nigeria for medical treatment in London.

Popular Hausa-born journalist with Voice of America, Saleh Shehu Ashaka, took to Twitter to share an alleged photo of the Recuperating leader and he wrote;

President Buharis first picture in 68 days, since he departed Nigeria for medical treatment in London.

Many Nigerians flooded his tweet, lambasted him saying its an old picture! You could agree with them because of the Presidents outfit! But then its a photo that has not made it to the internet until now; this is the first time we are seeing it.
Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has identified the military rule in Nigeria and the Biafra war as the cause of the destruction of Nigerias true federalism.

The Nation reports that the former vice president spoke about this at the 3rd Policy Monitoring Dialogue Series on National Unity, Integration and Devolution of Power/Restructuring.

Atiku who has been a strong advocate of restructuring said it will restore national cohesion.

He noted that with so much power concentrated to the centre, states were left impoverished and advised that devolving more power to the state will decongest the centre.

Military rule and the civil war led to the steady erosion of our federal structure.

The increasing centralisation of power and concentration of resources at the federal level in the context of rising oil revenues and neglect of other revenue sources weakened and relatively impoverished the states.

As Vice President and Chairman of the National Privatization Council, I saw firsthand what an overly centralized federal government can do wrong.

Having confiscated the bulk of national revenues, the federal government proceeded to insert itself in a dominant manner in virtually every aspect of our national life, including the economy where it became an investor in all manner of businesses rather than facilitating the emergence of a vibrant and thriving private sector.

Although we have succeeded in privatizing many public enterprises, we still engage in what I call institutional escapism and duplication/ multiplication.

Rather than fix existing challenges in existing ministries and departments, we create new ones to carry out the same functions as the existing ones.

We should try to understand the basis for the agitations and calls for a new compact rather than vilify the agitators.

It is disingenuous to accuse everyone who calls for restructuring as trying to break up the county.

In an interview with Punch, Adebanjo stated that if political leaders fail to heed the call to restructure the country, Nigeria may cease to exist.

He noted that except for a few northern elites like Atiku Abubakar, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (retd.), Gen. Yakubu Gowon (retd.), Col. Umar, etc who have been calling for restructuring, most of the elites of northern origin seem to be irritated by the word restructuring.

Source: Naijaloaded
A petrol tanker was hijacked in Osun State by suspected hoodlums and hacked the driver of the truck to death, according to reports the hoodlums hijacked the tanker on Friday around Asejire town, along Ibadan-Ile Ife Road, and drove the truck with the driver and his assistant to a place off the expressway.

The hoodlums were said to have tied the hands of the unidentified driver, beat him up and cut him with machetes until he died.

A motorist was said to have seen the hoodlums while taking the drivers and the truck away and he alerted the state command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

The driver was, however, said to have been killed before operatives of the NSCDC got to the place.

Their arrival was said to have prevented the hoodlums from killing the assistant driver.

The Public Relations Officer of the NSCDC in Osun State, Mr. Babawale Afolabi, confirmed the incident.

He said, Armed robbers hijacked a petrol tanker with number plate, SHA 592 XA, Kwara, in the Asejire area.

The incident happened around 2.30am. The driver had already been killed by the time our men got there.

Immediately the robbers saw our men, they took to their heels and the other man was rescued.

Investigation is ongoing on how to apprehend the robbers.

The Commissioner of Police in the state has been informed, while policemen have removed the dead body.

Source: ( PM News )
The Lagos State Government has announced restriction of vehicular movement in the state on July 22, 2017, in view of the elections that will hold across the 20 Local Governments and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) across the state.

In a press release today by the states Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Steve Ayorinde, the restriction of movement across the state will be enforced between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturday July 22, to allow for a smooth conduct of the polls and unhindered participation.
A married man who made an unexpected return to his house after an outing, has ended up catching his wife with his brother in bed.

There was drama last Tuesday after a Kenyan man unexpectedly arrived home only to find his wife fondling his younger brother in bed.

According to a report by SDE, the man, a mason, from Koita village, Kiplabotwa location had left home early in the morning, and gone to work at a construction site. The construction site is not very far from his house.

Unfortunately, the owner of the building under construction had not purchased cement and other materials that had run out the previous day. Thus, had asked the mason and his colleagues to return home and continue with work the following day.

The mason went back home and found the door partially closed.

On walking in, the mason was shocked to hear some funny noises of adults entertaining themselves, emanating from his bedroom.

The mason was shocked and could not believe what was happening. He tip-toed in and what met his eyes was something he was not prepared for.

He saw his younger brother engaged in an act of intimacy with his wife.

The two lovebirds did not hear me walk in since they were totally immersed in their romantic bliss. I stood there in a trance not really believing that the two had decided to betray my trust in them, says the mason.

After I recovered, I picked my chebunyo (club) and hit my brother very hard in the back, he says.

The mason says, the two disentangled and took off half n*ked.

The young man ran towards his home which is across the ridge while my wife fled to her parents home which is less than two kilometres from my house, he narrates.

The man followed his wife to her home and stormed into her mothers house, searching every corner of the house including beneath beds in vain.

That it is taboo for a man to carry out a search in his in-laws house, especially in the bedrooms, did not stop him.

The news spread across the village and the man, out of embarrassment sent word to his wife, asking her never to return.

It emerged that she was not being satisfied by her man, and she had been having a secret relationship with her brother-in-law. By the time we went to press, the woman had not returned to her husband.
The Police have arrested a man, identified as Chibuzor Nwafor, for stabbing his friend and neighbour, Amarana Chikezie, to death after they had a small disagreement over power connection at their residence in Kado-Kuchi behind Next Shopping plaza, Jabi, Abuja.

The incident, which occurred around 10pm last Sunday, has thrown the neighbourhood into mourning.

Amarana, 23, a graduate of Community Development from Enugu State University of Science and Technology, was certified dead on arrival at the Gwarimpa General Hospital.

Amaranas elder sister, Precious, told our correspondent on Sunday that the deceased was stabbed in the heart leading to his demise shortly after.

She explained that Nwafor and her brother were friends, stressing that the murder of Amarana was premeditated.

She said she was informed by eyewitnesses that Nwafor had asked her brother to meet him at home so they could resolve an issue bordering on the illegal power connection by a new neighbor, who was said to have been sanctioned by Amarana.

Precious said, Chibuzor phoned my brother to come back home so they could talk about the power supply extended to a new neighbour by Amarana.

In the course of their discussion, they started quarreling and they were prevented from fighting by those present.

The next thing that Chibuzor did was to enter his room and got a knife which he hid so that the others would not see it; he then stabbed my brother in the heart.

I dont know why he would kill somebody he ate and drank with. I believe he planned the murder all along, but he must tell the world why he did this.

A common friend of both Amarana and Chibuzor, who spoke on condition of anonymity, explained that the deceased was planning to join the Nigerian Air Force before his death.

Narrating how Amarana died, he said that the deceased was rushed to a pharmacist after he was stabbed, who declined to treat him unless there was a police report.

He said, We then decided to take him to Gwarimpa General Hospital, but we couldnt get a vehicle on time. For about 20 minutes, we were looking for a cab while we kept him in front of the chemist shop.

It was a man who was going to a church vigil that took him to the hospital, but the doctor said he died five minutes after he was stabbed, adding that there was no way he could have survived because the knifed penetrated his heart.

He further stated that Chibuzor was tricked to the hospital where he was arrested by policemen who were waiting for him.

Source: ( Punch Newspaper )


American rapper, Meek Mill has announced that he will be touring African cities this year.

The rapper took to his Instagram to announce his tour after posting a statistics of his followers online.

According to the data, Milli has a larger percentage of followership in Lagos, Nigeria. This shows that Meek Mill might have more fans in Nigeria than in any other city (even New York).

The rapper who is working on his Wins And Losses album will join a league of American stars who have toured cities in Africa.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BWludVjg1hS/
The Federal Government of Nigeria is set to issue a restriction on the shooting of music recordings and in addition motion pictures outside the nation.

The Minister of Information, Mr Lai Mohammed made this known on Saturday in Lagos when he visited the central station of the Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON).

Amid his visit, Lai Mohammed stated:

This administration has concurred that from now on, whatever we expend in Nigeria as far as music and movies, must be made in Nigeria

Source: Nairaland
What a Wicked World!.He also has a divorce certificate which dates February 2017 and issued in Lagos! John Edobor,After almost killing his wife and after all the denials, is now begging for forgiveness because his wife has had his American Visa Revoked!.

Yes,Thank God #JusticeForIvie

Dear All,

This may come as a surprise but Im writing this because I need help. My name is John Okeikhan Edobor former husband to Ivie Edobor. I have offended my wife and children dearly. The repacaution of my actions is catching up with me thus my being in hiding since March in the United States. Please tell her Im sorry and I am ready to make amends to right all my wrongs.

In my defence I had said a lot of things but that was to take the attention off what I did. Im now living as a fugitive. I dont know what pushed me this far. Ivie gave me all the time in the world to make amends but my pride wouldnt let me. I was so blinded by my relationship with my then mistress I lost sight of the diamond I had. Yes we had our differences but no woman would have taken all the pain Ivie went through because of me. She has raised my 3 daughters singlehandedly. I know my first daughter should be graduating from primary school now and I cannot be there to share in the joy.

I have lost my job, my wife and my children because of my act of violence. Ivie supported my family and I for a long time hence my wanting her back. When she wouldnt come back to me and insisted on a divorce my anger led me to lay ambush and attack her that night but truly I didnt expect the injury to be so bad I only wanted to scare her. I was so infuriated I got angry and struck her repeatedly on the leg.

Please help me plead with her. I was so afraid of going to jail and my mistress Orezime Jockey of Mamaray global assisted me to relocate to the United States.

PUBLIC APOLOGY TO WIFE IVIE



Photos of his mistress

I thought I was home free but Ivie wrote to the embassy telling them about the case on ground and how I jumped bail and my visa has been revoked. My life is hell now as I am now a fugitive living in hiding with no job or source of income.

Please plead with Ivie for me to drop the charges in criminal court and allow our families settle us amicably.

I am unable to come out in public. Who knows if she wont involve Interpol at this rate.

Ivie please forgive me, I will pay for all the damages to her leg, I will take up responsibility for the children if given the chance. I apologise for the lies and slander. Please forgive me my life is in ruins. My mistress Orezime deceived me.

Quote



Dear Mom, AN UNRESERVED APOLOGY LETTER TO MY DEAR MOM (MRS. FLORA IMOBHIO)Dear Mom, Its really hard for me to express how deeply sorry I am to have hurt you. Words cannot describe how making you feel disrespected and that alone has made me feelmiserable and guilty. I wasnt in my senses then, but that is no excuse! As a child, I was taught to respect others, even if they were rude to me. How could I hurt you of all people? You, who never gave up on me, you who made things happened and ensured my marriage was fruitful even in all odds. You, who always made me realize how special I am when the world forced me to believe that I was worthless; you, who never left me alone when I was upset or afraid. I remember the times, you radiate with beautiful smiles made things ease out for me and my wife and you were never tire to carry us high. And now I feel horribly guilty of doing and say all what I said against you, blaming my anger as an excuse! I realize the fact that no matter how hard you tried to comfort me in my pain, I pushed you away thinking that you would never understand! But I was so wrong mom. You knew beforehand that things were not right with me, you understood me before I could understand myself, that the path I took, did not have a happy end. I was too busy, and too much engrossed in my own world, that I forgot that my world is nothing without you! I realize that now, and I am terribly sorry for hurting you, for saying words that should have never even crossed my thoughts, for taking your love, your care, and your concern for granted. I am really sorry, dear mom! And what makes me feel more guilty is the unconditional love that you have for me, in spite of behaving in such a disrespectful way, your arms are always open to hug me and make me feel safe, secure, and loved. Your smile still tells me that no matter what, you are always happy to see me, your eyes are enough to show the love that you have for me, and I feel I am the worst son-in-law, for bringing tears to those eyes. I love you mom, and I realize that I am nothing without you. Your love and your blessings are the most important to me in this world. I promise it will never happen again and I will be the son-in-law you deserve to have. I really hope that you will forgive me I love you mom, John Edobor.

FAKE DIVORCE CERTIFICATE
Yesterday, An unidentified man collapsed in the middle of Yaradua expressway!

As shared by a Twitter user, @Fakhuus, hes being taken to Garki Hospital by the Police  According to her, he had an Inhaler and when she used it on him, he opened his eyes, but thats not the Mystery!

Twitter users claimed this isnt his first time, some said its a scam, while others claimed he is genuinely asthmatic .

Someone said He has seen him collapsing on the Highway, twice
A man identified as Aroms Aigbehi has warned Nigerians in the diaspora to stay away from home because the country is not safe.

According to Aigbehi, he has been forced to walk around his farm in Edo state with a bulletproof vest due to killings in the state.

In his post, the farmer claimed that herdsmen are trying to kill him and he has been forced to wear protection on his farm in Obayantor area of Edo state.

The businessman expressed that the government only tries to help foreigners in the country.

Heres his post:
A man who got terribly incensed with his brothers unacceptable action, has reacted in an unbelievably fatal manner.

The Kenyan police are currently looking for a 63-year-old man whom sources said killed his brother after a quarrel over a goat.

According to SDE, the argument reportedly started after the victim, David Wanjara, found out that his older brother had sneaked into his home and taken away the goat.

Trouble started when Wanjara went to his brothers home in Kojuma village, Karabondi in Rachuonyo North sub-county and demanded his goat back.

A third brother, who reported the incident to the police said, the suspect attacked Wanjara with a knife, killing him instantly.

The witness said the goat initially belonged to the suspect but he had sold it to his brother to settle his wifes hospital bill several weeks ago.

However, when his wife died, he decided to claim the goat back. He first attacked him with stones. Wanjara tried to run away but he outsprinted him before stabbing him, he said.

County police commander John Omusanga said Wanjara died after sustaining serious injuries on the left side of the chest.

David died instantly because of the wounds he sustained in his chest. The suspect disappeared after the incident. We are still looking for him, said Omusanga.
A woman, Mrs Omotayo Salawudeen, 39, has been detained by the police for allegedly killing her husband, Salawudeen Hakeem for marrying second wife.

According to the commissioner of police, Olafimihan Adeoye, said the incident took place at No.11, Adeniran street, Hallelujah Estate, Osogbo.

Adding that his men began investigation after one Engineer Salawudeen Jimoh of No, 37, Engineer Adesina Salawudeen Street , Osogbo, lodged a complaint at Dada Estate Divisional Police Headquarters.

The investigation lead to the arrest of the deceased first wife and the assassin, Oladapo Dolapo.

The assassin, who was just released from the Ilesa prison was contacted by the wife of the deceased to help her kill her husband and she offered to pay him N10,000.

The commissioner of police added;

Having concluded their plans, the duo exchanged numbers while Mrs. Omotayo later called Oladapo to inform him of her husbands whereabouts. Mrs. Omotayo Salawudeen took Oladapo through the kitchen and hid him inside a store in their apartment. When the husband came, the wife signaled her guest (Oladapo) and immediately,Mrs. Omotayo Salawudeen used pillow to cover her husbands mouth while Oladapo Dolapo, a musician from Ejigbo, stabbed him to death in his chest,

After killing the deceased, the assassin wrote inscriptions on the wall like NO PRICE NO PAY, AXE AYE FORGIVENESS IS A SIN so that the killing will look like a cultist attack.

The duo are being detained by the police and would soon face justice.
A 200-level student of Computer Science in Abia, identified as Chinonso Ibekwe, has been arrested by Police detectives for allegedly strangling a tricycle operator, one Peter Eseonu, to death in Umuahia.

It was gathered that Ibekwe had boarded the deceased tricycle, claiming that he was going to pick some harvested farm produce from his mothers farm at Amuzukwu, a suburb of the Abia capital city.

Our correspondent gathered that the suspect attacked his victim on arriving the farm, strangled him with a rope and dumped his body in a ditch in the area, while he made away with his tricycle.

It was learnt that an unnamed man, who was defaecating in the bush, witnessed the incident and later raised the alarm in the community.

The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Adeleye Oyebade, confirmed the incident to Southern City News.

Oyebade said the suspect was arrested sequel to information received on the missing of the 67-year-old Eseonu, who hailed from Ekenaobizi Umuopara, Umuahia.

He said police operatives swooped on the suspect, who later gave the police information that led to the discovery of the decomposing body of the deceased.

The CP added that the body of the deceased had been deposited in an undisclosed morgue for preservation and autopsy, while the 25-year-old Ibekwe had been charged to court and remanded in the prison custody.

Source: ( PM News )
We are so sorry that this is coming a bit late. Now this is Not to create Panic or Fear.

Rather, its an Awareness that we need not Deter from our Vigilance, we need to be Security Conscious and be Watchful. A Reliable Source sent this to us:

Glory be to God for saving us in our area from the attack of BADOO GANG yesterday, 14th of July 2017. These pictures of cloth and mortar you see here was found where a Suspected Badoo Gang Member sat and hid himself in an uncompleted building. At about 10:30pm, When PHCN took the power, my neighbour decided to check and search around his house, that was how he saw the suspected Badoo Gang Member in an uncompleted building beside his apartment without wearing any cloth. Immediately he saw my neighbour, he ran away. Then my neighbour raised an alarm and call for help, people gathered and started chasing him, the badoo suspect jumped over nine fence but men in the neighborhood surrounded the area to search for him, fortunately he was caught and was handed over to the police. This incident happened in Eyita, Diasi Okeowo Street, Ikorodu incase youd like to confirm.
Popularly known as Charly Boy or Area Fada, Charles Oputas distinct personality, lifestyle, and often weird views raise eyebrows any day. But he is never bordered about what people say about him or his actions. In this interview with OLUSHOLA RICKETTS, he speaks about his lifestyle, things he learnt from his late Justice father, joy of being a grandfather and his marriage.

Why do you always call yourself a street boy despite being from a privileged background?

I have a rich heritage and thank God that I am from a privileged background. But you cannot compare that with the self-training that I have received from the streets. For me, thats where it counts most. My upbringing didnt prepare me for the Nigeria of today, but my street mistakes taught me important lessons.

There is no doubt in my mind that street smart kids kick book smart ones any day. And to Gods glory, I have both. To be street smart means you have situational awareness. You can assess the environment you are in, who is in it, and what the available angles are.

On the street, there is no time for being sluggish; you learn to trust your own judgment about people and what matters. This skill, regardless of where you develop it, is of great value everywhere in life. I wasnt born in the streets, but that was where I was moulded.

Being street smart comes from experience. I see myself as a native chicken. It means Ive learnt how to take what has happened to me, good or bad, think about it, and learn to improve from it. On the street, you are on your own. Street smart means youve put yourself at risk and survived or thrived or have scars. For me, Charly Boy, I have so many scars I can show you. I may have been called wild and crazy, but its all part of our curriculum on the streets. How much can you know of yourself well if you have not weathered the storm?

MY FATHER WAS A VERY SPECIAL MAN. ON THE BENCH, HE WAS THE SOCRATES; HIS JUDGMENTS WERE SO PROFOUND. I WAS SOMEWHAT A BIT JEALOUS OF HIM BECAUSE IN THE BEGINNING OF BUILDING THE BRAND CHARLY BOY, EVERYONE JUST DISTURBED ME WITH HOW SPECIAL MY FATHER WAS. IT WAS AS IF I WASNT SPECIAL MYSELF

Your father is widely known as a man of integrity. How did he impact on you personally?

My father was a very special man. On the bench, he was the Socrates; his judgments were so profound. I was somewhat a bit jealous of him because in the beginning of building the brand Charly Boy, everyone just disturbed me with how special my father was. It was as if I wasnt special myself.

As a father, I learnt from him how to keep the family together and how to stay committed to your wife. Since childhood, my father was always demonstrating love with our mum. When he wasnt kissing her, he was holding her hand. Seeing both of them challenged me to always work on my marriage. Hence, I have lived together with my wife for 38 years. He was a loving husband and father. I thank God; we shared so much together before he passed on.

Our fathers carry half of our genetic makeup. Our relationship with our father plays a huge part in who we become. People grow up without ever knowing their fathers and this is unfortunate because fathers should play important role raising their children like mothers. A father is the model of a man for his daughter and she would choose a man who is like him. A father is the model for his son as well. Fortunately, my father was very active in my life. Its not all about what parents give to the children; its also about what they teach. I was brought up with an overdose of morals, value and life principles.

Initially, we were not that close, especially when I set out on my own to build the brand we all know as Charly Boy. Things fell apart. But with my tenacity, consistency, doggedness, ruggedness and tremendous focus, I won his respect. I learnt from him how to say what I mean and mean what I say. I learnt from him how to be a good friend to my children too. I learnt from him how to take care and remain loyal to my wife. I also learnt from my father that being a good person or Christian doesnt depend on your religion or status in life, your race or skin colour and political views or culture. It depends on how good you treat others.

How have you managed to keep your marriage together in spite of the obvious distractions?

I always have my reservations about happily ever after, especially after three previous failed marriages. I always wondered how two strangers can be together for a long time. I just woke up to discover that I have been with the same woman, the same smell, the same loving, the same routine, the same quarrel and the same lips for almost four decades.

When you are not yet married, people give you reasons why you should get married as if one could just go to the shop and pick a spouse on the shelf. Even if that was the case, how do you know what you are buying until you take it home? They tell you everything good about marriage and how interesting it can be, but they never promote the down side. Just marry the right person is what they always say, but right itself is relative. Who is the right person? In my village, they will always say, if one wants to marry someone like yourself, you will probably wait forever. Sometimes, I think my wife is too good for me and some other times, I feel I should have done better.

Get it straight, marriage is no fairytale. Marriage isnt supposed to make you happy and satisfied. Its your job to make your marriage happy and satisfying. Same goes for sex. It isnt supposed to make you passionate and hot. Its up to you to make it passionate, hot and intimate. Marriage is somewhat putting up with lots of craps and bullshit, and we must have a strong stomach for that. The word marry is fusing two imperfect things together; so how is it possible that two imperfect things are merged? I guess it just means two people willing to be in a mess together, constantly finding a way out. Diane and I are happily incompatible and I have learnt to live with that. She is an extrovert and believe it or not, Im an introvert.

Recently you celebrated your first grand-daughter on Instagram after she bagged a First Class degree with honours. What was the feeling like?

My own father celebrated me before he died even though it took him time to figure out how special I am. He started to introduce himself as Charly Boys father, not Justice Oputa.

I have 9 exceptional children and 14 grand-children. I celebrate them all the time because they are all unique in very special ways. My children are my friends; they taught me how to be a good father, as nobody really prepares you for that role. I celebrate my family all the time because family is everything for me.

I thank God daily because I know he has blessed me in so many ways people cant even imagine. However, I have a sneaky feeling that my blessings are deserved because I have worked so hard to be a good son, a good husband and a good father.

Why did you say that prayers cant save Nigeria?

I said that prayers alone cant save Nigeria, for those who live in the church every day. Also, I did say that most pastors or your so-called men of God are scammers, frauds and you cant find God in 95 per cent of the churches in Nigeria. Most Nigerian Christians are fake people as well because they are not godly.

Has prayers reduced our poverty? Has our prayers killed most of our evil leaders who have caused us great hardship? Has our prayers stopped the everyday increment in our cost of living? Why are so many young people committing suicide these days?

How can it be well when you sit in your corner and never contribute to making things well? All you do is dry fasting and the internet. And all you have to offer as a solution to your problem is, God Dey.

These days our youths are living on their phones and laptops, wasting data as if their lives depend on it. Take it from me; Jesus is not coming any time soon. God is not sending down Angels to come fix Nigeria for us. We must do it ourselves.

So you dont believe we have credible men of God?

I am not suggesting that all men of God are tainted; but out of a hundred, you may not find more than four that live what they preach. The rest are just taking advantage of our religious ignorance, having carnal knowledge of peoples wives, defrauding the congregation and frolicking in their private jets. Some of them cant even hold down a marriage. They are making fake promises and laugh their heads off to the banks.

Would it surprise you to know that I have read all the chapters in the Bible over 20 times? I know that true men of God do not misquote the Bible. Its only demons who misquote or misapply the Bible. I know that God cannot punish us if we dont pay tithe to our church because it is the goodness of our hearts that interest God than physical and financial disposition. I know that true men of God cannot promise us happiness and prosperity, all of that is a fortune-tellers lie. There is nothing in the Bible about any medium that God uses to deliver such blessing.

Source: The Point NG
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.
Update 12/18/19  Second Closet has closed another round of funding, this time raising $13.2 million to fuel expansion to other Canadian markets next year. New locations are expected to open during the first quarter, though the company is keeping its target cities confidential. Funds will also be used to accelerate development of the technology platform, with an increased focus on customer experience, according to a source.

The Series A funding was led by Whitecap Venture Partners, with participation from existing and new investors, including Cowie Capital Partners, Dream Maker Ventures and MIG Group. In connection with the latest round of capitalization, Shayn Diamond, a partner at Whitecap, has been appointed to the Second Closet Board of Directors.

The companys association with investors from the real estate sector, such as Cowie and Dream Maker, has helped to open doors for the business, Ang told a source. As a small company, having to negotiate leases and hundreds of thousands of square feet, you dont have that much credibility, he said. So, to have industry titans like the Cowies behind you, where theyre work can move mountains, its been super helpful. [Having our investors] just helps open doors. Its up to us to walk through them, but they can certainly help to unlock it.

During the last year, Second Closet has experienced triple-digit revenue growth while expanding its workforce to more than 70 employees, according to a press release.

Over the past two years, Second Closet went from an idea to a solid business that is now profitable and primed for accelerated expansion, Ang said. We have an incredible group of investors to support us on this next phase of our growth. They each bring a tremendous amount of value to our business, and we look forward to working with them as we begin executing on our strategic plan for 2020.

9/12/18  Second Closet has closed another round of funding, this time raising $2.04 million to fuel expansion to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The valet self-storage operator has now raised more than $2.5 million in a little more than a year. The round was led by MIG Group, along with participation from existing investors. As part of its investment, MIG will place leader Misha Goikhberg on the Second Closest Board of Directors, according to the source.

Misha has a large real estate portfolio. Of the amount of capital he has devoted to venture investments, the majority of them are in technology companies, Ang told the source. If you think about it, real estate and technology couldnt be further from each other. From the marginal costs to the growth rates, theyre radically different. So, having someone that gets both is important because Second Closet is an equilibrium of both.

"We made a bet on Second Closets ability to disrupt the large vertical of self-storage, added Goikhberg. People will always pick convenience above all else, and this is where Second Closets offering is second to none. Mark and David [Ang] are very committed and hustling founders, who will build a real, big company.

Ang believes Second Closet has proven its business model in Toronto and is eager to serve the Vancouver market. Theres more searches per capita for storage there than in Toronto. Smaller population base, but theres more demand, he said. From an economic standpoint, it commands twice the price because of the high demand and lack of supply. We think we can go in with our model and do really well. Were not a build it and hope they come model. We want to document a ton of data on what it means to expand to new cities and get it right, and [then] rinse and repeat.

7/17/17  Second Closet, a startup specializing in valet self-storage services in Toronto, recently raised $500,000 in seed funding in one day. The round was led by entrepreneurial brothers Michael and Richard Hyatt, along with AJB Software founder Naresh Bangia and Mike Cowie, executive vice president in the Toronto office of real estate firm Colliers International. Second Closet launched service to the Greater Toronto market in April, according to the source.

Similar to other valet-storage operators, Second Closet uses a mobile app and online platform that allows customers to schedule item pickup, maintain a visual catalog of stored bins and bulky items, and schedule delivery of items to their home. The company charges $6-$9 per month per bin, depending on size, and $9-$27 per month for individual oversized items, though it wont accept large furniture, according to its website. Five space plans ranging from 25 to 200 square feet are also available from $74 to $371 per month. A custom space option is also available.

To store items, Second Closet has partnered with an unidentified storage company it says has been in business for 25 years. Its facilities are climate-controlled and have 24-hour security, according to the Second Closet website. Return deliveries of bins or items are typically completed within 15 hours of the request, though rush deliveries are available for an extra fee. Customers may also pay to receive unlimited retrievals.

Second Closet CEO and co-founder Mark Ang developed the business model for the valet-storage company as a student at Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) and shared his plans with Michael Hyatt, a founding partner of CDL, to receive his feedback. I liked him, and what you do, you bet on the person, Hyatt told the source. And this guys got it. And I like the model.

In 2002, the Hyatt brothers co-founded BlueCat Networks, a company specializing in the automation and centralization of services related to domain name servers. BlueCat sold to Chicago-based Madison Dearborn Partners LLC in February for $400 million.

When you invest, you have to imagine youre married for 10 years, and why would you want to be in a bad relationship for 10 years? Michael Hyatt said. I ask [entrepreneurs] to show what the company would be like at $1 million a month. I wouldnt have invested in Second Closet if I didnt think it could get to $20 [million] or $30 million.

Second Closet intends to use the investment funding to scale its marketing and operations. The company currently employs five people, along with 13 service vehicles. Its hard to keep up with operations because its growing so fast, Ang told the source. At the same time, we want to invigorate that growth.

Sources:

Betakit, Second Closet Raises $13.2 Million to Disrupt Billion Dollar Self-Storage Market

Private Capital Journal, Second Closet Secures $13.2M Series A Led by Whitecap Venture Partners

Betakit, Second Closet Raises $2.04 Million, Plans Vancouver Expansion

Betakit, Second Closet Raises $500,000 From Hyatt Brothers for Pay-Per-Item Storage Company

Second Closet, Website
(July 16, 2017) TORONTO, ON- The biggest event on the 2017 NASCAR Pintys Series schedule, the Pintys Grand Prix of Toronto is now in the books and it was a considered a successful one by 22 Racing.

Friday started out with qualifying and the 22 Racing teams didnt disappoint. Alex Tagliani in the #18 EpiPen/Lowes Canada/St-Huberts Dodge topped the charts with Marc Antoine Camirand in the #22 GM Paille Chevrolet following in 3rd and Adam Andretti in the #44 Engineering Components/Anchor Bolt & Screw Dodge posting the 4th quickest time.

The teams then went to work preparing all three cars for qualifying later in the afternoon. NASCAR deemed there to be three qualifying groups and all three team cars were in the final and quickest group set by practice times earlier in the day. When the dust settled the three teams were again all in the top 5 with Tagliani leading the way in 2nd, Andretti 4th and Camirand 5th.

After having contact with the wall in the final stages of qualifying, Andrettis team and the rest of the 22 Racing crews went to work to fix the #44 entry. It took all hands-on deck but they were able to make the necessary repairs for Saturdays Pintys Grand Prix.

Due to a late arrival for the drivers meeting Andretti was penalized and moved to the rear of the starting field for the 35-lap event but mot to be deterred Andretti took the challenge to heart.

At the drop of the green Tagliani was immediately on the bumper of Ranger and unfortunately early contact sent Tagliani to the pits for a drive through penalty for aggressive driving. Not to be deterred he returned to the track in 5th position. By lap seven Camirand had moved his #22 Chevy into second position and #44 Andretti was picking off competitors and moving up through the field. Shortly thereafter Andretti was forced to the pits with a flat tire under green flag conditions. By the half way mark Camirand was still strongly in 2nd with a good lead over Tagliani in 3rd and Andretti had worked his way forward for the second time and was being scored in 8th. With around 10 to go Tagliani slowed on the track and a track bar failure was determined to be the cause. He was able to stay on track and do slow laps but his hopes for a good finish were done. Shortly thereafter Camirand while trying to find a way to get around Lacroix for the lead brushed the wall and then headed for the pits and his day was done. In the meantime, Andretti was slowing picking off his competitors and when the green flag flew for the final restart he was in fourth. Andretti made quick work of passing Labbe for 3rd but in his own words later he had used up the car pretty good coming from the back twice. Final finishes #44 Andretti in third, #18 Tagliani in 14th and #22 Camirand in 16th.

Wow said Andretti after the race. Unfortunately it was my mistake that put us to the tail and I really hate that for 22 Racing after they thrashed so hard to get the car perfect after our mishap in qualifying. We started at the back of the field and we had fought hard to get about half way through the pack and had a right rear tire go flat under green. We caught a great break on getting a caution right away afterwards but firstly the pit stop was lightning fast  I wasnt even ready to go. I was fully expecting to go a lap down but we got back out and the caution flew soon after getting us caught up to the back of the field again. We just had to put our heads down and put all our back luck behind us and then the good luck started to come. I cant say enough about the NASCAR Pintys Series and the racing and its competitors and the 22 Racing team and all their supporters and sponsors that make it possible. It was a very special day for Engineered Components who support me and Anchor Bolt & Screw and we are looking forward to doing some more of this NASCAR Pintys Series stuff and working with 22 Racing more in the future. This was a great way to start our relationship.

As a team owner what more can you really ask for. stated Scott Steckly after the race weekend. We had all three of them in the top five for practice and qualifying. We had three drivers and cars that were all capable of winning or being on the podium at least who all ran in the top three during the day. Im very pleased with our weekend and the potential for future wins and podiums for this great group of drivers and crew members.

The Pintys GP on the Streets of Toronto will air on TSN on Saturday July 22 at 2 p.m. ET and on RDS on August 6th at 2 p.m. ET

Next on the calendar for the 22 Racing Team will be the annual western swing with the kickoff event at Wyant Group Raceway in Saskatoon on Wednesday July 26th where the feature events will be two 100 lap races. Then on to Edmonton International Raceway on Saturday July 29th for the Luxxor 300. Donald Theetge will be back behind the wheel of the #22 Dodge while Tagliani will look to get back in the win column this year as he defends his 2016 win here.

About 22 Racing:

22 Racing is owned by 4X NASCAR Pintys Series Champion Scott Steckly and is based out of Milverton Ontario in a new (2014) 7,500 square foot race shop. They have fielded teams for drivers such as Christopher Bell, Jacques Villeneuve, James Buescher, Jeb Burton, Kaz Grala, L.P. Dumoulin, Marc-Antoine Camirand and many others. 22 Racing provides turnkey solutions for drivers looking to compete in the NASCAR Pintys Series. The 22 Racing Team is supported by the following sponsors: Erb Group of Companies, AW Millwrights, Sturdy Formed Concrete, Castrol, Wendell Motors, Twin City Graphics, Auto Glym, Mechanix Wear, Dickies Canada, Great Dane Glasvan, Safety Kleen, Dupli-Color & Permatex.

Follow the 22 Racing Team on social media for updates on; Twitter @22RacingTeam & @ScottSteckly22, Facebook Fan Page 22racingteam and Instagram 22racingteam.
In 1989, Reuters  the legendary international news agency based in London  launched an ambitious and secretive project.

Bloomberg, a relatively young New Yorkbased company, had been eating into Reuters market, providing analytics and data to Wall Streets Masters of the Universe via proprietary terminals. Dubbed Decision 2000, the projects goal was no less than the destruction of Reuters competitor and its terminals.

But to beat Michael Bloombergs brainchild, the legacy brand first needed to rival it. Reuters tasked Capital Market Decisions, a firm led by ex-Smith Barney executive J. Stephen Levkoff, with developing an investment analytics system on par with the one luring away clients. Reuters played hardball  but it also played dirty, evidence suggests: In the late 1990s, federal prosecutors obtained more than 100 communications between Reuters officials and a consulting company that investigators believed was hired to steal information from Bloomberg, according to The New York Times. But the alleged Watergate tactics failed, as would Decision 2000.

It was the first product to be dubbed a Bloomberg killer, and that was unfortunate, says Douglas Taylor, a former Reuters executive who worked on the project. It wasnt a bad product, but it wasnt a Bloomberg killer.

In 1993 relations between Reuters and Capital Market Decisions soured. The project collapsed; lawsuits ensued; accusations of intellectual property theft were lodged.

And Bloomberg remained.

Since then a handful of other products have taken on the mantle of Bloomberg killer. So far none has succeeded. Up to this point, any so-called Bloomberg killer has ended up as roadkill itself, says Taylor, who now runs his own firm, Burton-Taylor International Consulting.

Yet large-scale shifts in banking and money management  including compressed margins and, correspondingly, shrinking information-service budgets  are causing a mature Bloomberg more pain than copycats ever did. Its terminal count has barely risen over the last five years, according to Burton-Taylor. And last year, for only the second time in the companys 35-year history, the terminal total shrank. (Bloomberg doesnt have physical terminals anymore, but rather a software package officially named Bloomberg Terminal.) At the same time, another generation of upstart competitors, including Money.net and Symphony, has emerged.

Can anyone finally bury Bloomberg?

The basic complaint about Bloomberg is its price  always, forever, infuriatingly, the price.

Whether Ray Dalio or Ray Daytrader, everyone pays the same price: $25,000 a year for one terminal and $22,600 a year per terminal for more than one. No discounts are available.

Ive been a Bloomberg user for close to 25 years, says Seth Shalov, a partner and portfolio manager at $4 billion MAI Capital Management in Cleveland. And for 24 years, I have been frustrated with their pricing. Bloomberg declined to comment for this story.

Banks, of course, have faced economic struggles since the financial crisis, making Bloomberg terminals an onerous expense. And many money managers are seeing less revenue amid the shift to passive investing and general pressure for lower fees, putting their budgets for information services under pressure too.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. CEO Jamie Dimon complained in a recent letter to shareholders that his bank paid $9 billion for its technology services in 2016  a sum about twice the gross domestic product of Fiji. For many financial services firms, information technology is the biggest expense after personnel costs.

Its no wonder, then, that Bloombergs terminal volume climbed only 0.7 percent annualized over the last five years, and that it shrank 0.96 percent last year, to 324,485, according to Burton-Taylor.

But a large number of financial market participants see Bloomberg as an absolute necessity, regardless of the cost. Its basically a way of life for many people, says Bloomberg user David Gilmore, a partner and currency analyst at Foreign Exchange Analytics in Connecticut.

Bloomberg provides one-stop shopping for data, analytics, news, and trading. Bruce Falbaum, who invests in high-yield bonds and leveraged loans as a senior portfolio manager and principal at $1.6 billion Cohanzick Management in Pleasantville, New York, has used Bloomberg for 20 years. Hes not looking to make a change now.

For the things it does, I dont find anything that really compares  though, honestly, I havent looked, Falbaum says. Market makers post high-yield bond prices and send traditional communications to customers like him over Bloombergs messaging system. I see the entire market going on in front of me on Bloomberg. Im not aware of any other place where I can do that. Cohanzick has six Bloomberg terminals and would love to trim the expense. Thats real money for a firm like ours, Falbaum says. But a replacement would have to include the same capabilities he and his colleagues enjoy on Bloomberg.

And just as important, the other players in his market would have to adopt the new service as well, so he could continue to communicate with them. We have relationships with about 100 broker-dealers, Falbaum says. I can use a scraping function to see their quotes that are contained in messages, and then I can contact them to potentially do a trade. Thats all on Bloomberg. It would be very difficult for a competitor to gain a critical mass of users, he says.

One complaint lodged against Bloomberg by competitors such as Money.net CEO Morgan Downey is that the terminal is difficult to use  clunky, as Downey puts it, citing outdated software and the lack of touchscreen capability.

But only one of the 16 Bloomberg users contacted for this story echoed Downeys complaint. A market analyst, who requested anonymity to avoid alienating Bloomberg, says that when he is looking for an old news story about a specific event, he can often find it more quickly with a Google search than by going through Bloomberg  hardly a fatal flaw in Bloombergs system.

Bloombergs front end is antiquated, Taylor says. But regardless of how cumbersome it is, you still get the best result on the street. From Bloomberg users, almost all the complaints focus on price.

Some say they are open to switching, or at least adding a competitor to Bloomberg. One is the co-head of portfolio management at one of the countrys largest money managers, which only communicates anonymously to the media and utilizes 85 Bloomberg terminals. He has great respect for the service.

Bloomberg is a very fantastic product, he says. In addition to the terminals capabilities, Bloomberg is extremely customer-centric, he says. They are focused on improving their products in any way that users find meaningful. They have earned a spot in our ecosystem.

But his firm would love to find an alternative to the colossus. First, theres the $1.9 million its paying each year for its Bloomberg terminals. The per-terminal price has climbed 25 percent over the past ten years, the executive says. People are concerned about price, but the more inextricably linked you are to Bloomberg, the more you realize you have to pay that price, he says. There are competitors in narrow areas with products his firm views as superior to Bloomberg. The firm pays for those services in addition to Bloomberg.

Another reason the firm would like an additional full-service solution is to avoid complete vulnerability to a Bloomberg network outage. Such a breakdown occurred for a few hours in April 2015, effectively shuttering parts of financial markets around the world. We are actively looking for an alternative to Bloomberg, because we feel like a competitor  even if its just for a piece of the business  is in our best interest, the executive says.

A friend of his who is the head trader at a global macro hedge fund recently switched to Money.net from Bloomberg for all nine of the firms traders. The head trader declined to identify himself or his fund. He told me that knowing the work I do, if I spent six weeks using Money.net, I would forget about Bloomberg, the executive says.

Money.net and fellow new entrant Symphony have been all the rage as of late  to the financial media, at least.

Money.net, built by ex-Bloomberg commodities chief Downey, charges $150 per month, or less than 10 percent of Bloombergs fee. Downey, 44, grew up on a farm in Ireland. After graduating from the University of Limerick, he ventured to New York City, where he found a job as a junior fixed-income derivatives trader at Citibank. He later specialized in commodities, and after working overseas for Citi and Bank of America, he joined Bloomberg in 2010 to lead its commodities division.

He had used Bloomberg since the beginning of his career in 1993. But even then I thought it was old, Downey says. Seeing that after the financial crisis users were increasingly concerned about Bloombergs pricing and sensing they were disappointed with the terminals technology, I figured I could build a better system at one-tenth to one-fifteenth of Bloombergs cost, Downey says. And so he went to Money.net in 2014.

He and other top managers own a majority stake in the company. Outside investors include former Citigroup CEO Vikram Pandit and Michael Litt, a money manager featured in Michael Lewis book The Big Short.

Downey claims his service provides all the data Bloomberg and Thomson Reuters do (Thomson Reuters occupies the No. 2 position in the financial information market, with a 23 percent share, compared to 33 percent for Bloomberg, according to Burton-Taylor).

When it comes to analytics, ours is more intuitively delivered than Bloomberg and Thomson Reuters, he says. They are spread thin with low-usage analytics, while we take the main 30 to 40 functions, like options analytics, and make them exceptional.

Rather than start its own news division, which would represent a major expense, Money.net pays for the news of The Associated Press, MT Newswires, Fly on the Wall, and others. Last year the company hired Norman Pearlstine, vice chair of Time Inc. and a former top news executive at Bloomberg and Dow Jones, as its chief information architect.

Money.net isnt just marketing itself based on price. Ease of use is key, Downey says. We dont think you should need a university course to learn how to use the service like at Bloomberg. Bloombergs system was designed in the 1980s and hasnt really changed, he says. Its a garbage heap of functionality that has been piled up.

Downey harbors a certain dismissiveness toward his former company. Its founder Michael Bloomberg should just IPO and go home, he says.

Money.net should be particularly attractive to younger users who have no historical attraction to Bloomberg and are put off by the difficulty of using it, Downey says. However, Taylor notes that younger finance workers will want to use the same tools as their more senior brethren. I havent seen any evidence of a new generation of financial players that will drive the market away from Bloomberg, Taylor says. If Im paid for performance, Ill want the tools that work best.

In addition to the traditional market base of Wall Street players, Downey sees an opportunity to bring financial advisers, corporate treasurers, and people in investor relations to Money.net. These are people who have never seen a Bloomberg or who share one, he says. There is a market that will never pay $20,000 to $25,000 a year for a terminal, but will pay $4,000 for one that helps them.

David Bullock, founder and president of registered investment adviser Arque Advisors in Rye, New York, is one of those financial advisers. He began using Bloomberg more than 30 years ago in a career that has included stops at Lehman Brothers and Greenwich Associates.

Like others, he thinks Bloomberg is brilliant, but is put off by its price. As a small firm, every nickel makes a difference for me, and I dont do complex modeling. While some Bloomberg programs are dated, Money.net has it cold in equities, futures, and derivatives, Bullock says. He sees Bloomberg as overkill: I believe about 80 percent of Bloomberg users use less than 20 percent of the capability of the terminal.

Yet of the more than 20 people interviewed for this story, only about half had heard of Money.net. They havent done a real good job marketing, Bullock says. Money.net says it has more than 50,000 users.

Taylor doesnt regard Money.net as a true threat to Bloomberg. It seems like a great service, he says. Theres an opportunity for a lower-cost data vendor. They have that exactly right. But bankers and portfolio managers with millions of dollars on the line will want to stick with Bloomberg, he says.

Thats because it has more data and features than Money.net, which still has to prove itself. The biggest money managers arent interested in the $20,000 a year they could save by forgoing a Bloomberg for Money.net  theyre worried about putting millions of dollars in their portfolios at risk, Taylor says. Making a change is not just about budget. You have to know the sources of information are as good and the function and support are the same. (Taylor agrees with Downey that Money.net is perfect for small asset managers, financial advisers, and C-level executives who need some level of financial content at a low cost.)

Another ballyhooed competitor to Bloomberg is Symphony, a messaging service started three years ago by 15 financial institutions, including JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, and BlackRock. Google has also invested in the company, which has raised $233 million.

The financial institutions were concerned about Bloombergs virtual monopoly in messaging. Many traders and money managers use Bloombergs messaging service as the main form of communication with their counterparts in financial markets.

Goldman in particular was upset with an incident in 2013 when a Bloomberg reporter tracked the terminal usage of one of the banks employees. Symphonys aim was to create a messaging service with better encryption and more transparency than Bloomberg.

The company charges $15 per month, and its CEO, David Gurle, scoffs at comparisons with the market leader. I dont view Bloomberg as a competitor, unless they change to be a communications network, he says. To the extent they do the same things, they are a competitor, but their focus remains on being an information services provider. Messaging is just a part of that.

Symphony wont build a full terminal service like Bloomberg, Gurle says, though users can add other services to their Symphony platform for an extra charge, including Dow Jones, FactSet, IHS Markit, and Money.net. Users of Money.net can also access Symphony. And in June, Symphony and Thomson Reuters signed an agreement to integrate each others services.

Anthony Kennedy, Miami-based chairman of Autumn ai, a Zurich currency-trading firm, uses Money.net and Symphony. As a self-proclaimed data nerd, he likes Symphonys signal-based messaging. Its a light platform that a lot of financial technology will plug into nicely rather than needing a huge financial terminal, he says.

He thinks the combination of Money.net and Symphony could turn into a Bloomberg killer. My Bloomberg is mostly gathering dust now, he says. He still uses it for research on real estate and civil proceedings, but thinks Money.net and Symphony will join forces to provide such data in the near future, making his Bloomberg terminal superfluous. Gurle says Symphony is in partnership discussions with Money.net that could end up with Symphony being embedded in Money.net.

Not everyone is convinced of Symphonys potency. Many Bloomberg users say the new messaging service is superfluous. I dont want a screen and computing power taken away for something that I can already get on Bloomberg, says Art Ayzerov, senior portfolio manager at Alpine Global Management, a global event trading firm in New York. The problem with Symphony is that its mainly a form of communications with added flair, he says.

Symphony, like Money.net, faces the problem of running up against Bloombergs network effect. For financial market participants, the person at the end of every message is on a Bloomberg, Taylor says. Until enough people are using Symphony to be a tipping point, everyone says everybody else is on Bloomberg, so I have to be on it also. Until you get that critical mass, its hard to get people on your system. Symphony says it has 200,000 users.

Symphony has an advantage in that its owners  financial institutions  are captive users, but Taylor says its not clear how much traction Symphony is getting even at those institutions. And the fact that they are competitors in so many different businesses could be a hindrance at some point to their Symphony venture.

You have the odd situation of a consortium of rival institutions creating something not because the market needed a new service, but because they thought they were paying too much to one vendor, Taylor says. Im not sure its a sustainable business.

Beside Money.net and Symphony, Bloombergs competitors include Thomson Reuters, S&P Global Market Intelligence, and FactSet.

But Bloomberg isnt taking challenges lying down.

Bloomberg may face more pressure now than they ever have in the past  but I have watched them fend off threats for years, Taylor says. Their attitude is always to work on improving their product and not to spend time addressing specific competitors.

In fact, he has never heard Bloomberg employees mention a specific competitor. They dont look right and left a lot. If a customer says theres an unmet need, theyll try to meet it, he says.

Like others, Taylor cites Bloombergs customer-centric culture. They have such deep roots within the companies they serve that they have developed real loyalty.

Credit investor Falbaum is one customer whose loyalty Bloomberg has earned. I get calls about once a month from our Bloomberg sales rep asking if Ive seen their new functions, and about half the time its something useful, he says.

Falbaums salesperson also asks him if hes having any problems using his terminal. He lets the rep know when there is something hed like to do on his Bloomberg but cant. Sometimes his suggestion is heeded. Falbaum is also impressed with Bloombergs forays into trading and clearing stocks and bonds.

When Bloomberg moves into a new area, they do it carefully and successfully, such as collateral and risk management services, says Hugh Stewart, New Yorkbased research director at London firm Chartis Research, which focuses on risk management technology.

He and others cite Bloombergs 2016 purchase of Barclays bond indexes  benchmarks widely used by fixed-income professionals  as a smart move. Those indexes provide Bloomberg great opportunities for licensing income, they say.

Its an important, sustainable advantage, because investors have to use the indexes as their benchmarks, Taylor says. And Bloomberg showed flexibility in its willingness to buy an established product rather than building its own bond indexes. Its a clear example of where they continue to deliver value for the terminal to fend off risk, Taylor says.

Bloomberg is also leading the pack in developing data feeds for securities. Data feeds represent the fastest-expanding part of the financial information market, with 7.8 percent annualized growth over the past five years, according to Burton-Taylor. Bloombergs growth in this area was 14.7 percent annualized over the past five years, lifting its annual revenue for the segment to $1.1 billion last year.

Bloomberg wasnt even in the data feed business 15 years ago, but now it has a captive audience due to regulatory requirements, Taylor says.

Thanks primarily to the growth in data feed revenue, Bloombergs financial-market revenue increased 3.4 percent in 2016, to $9.2 billion, despite the drop in terminal subscriptions, according to Burton-Taylor. Terminals account for $7.2 billion, or 74 percent of total revenue.

Some customers see their Bloomberg terminals as an equalizer. William Slaughter, a partner and senior portfolio manager at Northwest Passage Capital Advisors in Milwaukee, says Bloomberg puts his small, emerging-markets money-management firm (a bit less than $1 billion in assets) on a level playing field with much bigger ones. PIMCO and BlackRock dont have better functions for technology than we do, because they are using the same platform, he says.

Bloomberg could ultimately replace almost all front- and back-end office systems for money managers, Slaughter says. Theyre becoming an end-to-end solution, whether youre running $1 trillion, $1 billion, or less.

For many users, the one-stop shopping represents Bloombergs biggest appeal. I use it as a quote machine, a research tool for options pricing and metrics, and for updating my portfolio through Excel spreadsheets, says money manager Shalov.

Its no wonder, then, that users are reluctant to abandon Bloomberg, despite its hefty price tag. People are buying it because they have money at risk, Taylor says. There is risk to companies and asset managers personally. That makes them resistant to change.

Put bluntly, Bloomberg is a bigger threat to others than others are to Bloomberg, Chartis Stewart says. The amount of work Bloomberg is doing to add value multiplies their moats, he says. People can chip away at the edges, but thats mainly through lower prices, which isnt very profitable, he says. They dont break the increasingly large golden egg.

Eventually, of course, someone will dethrone Bloomberg: No one stays at the top forever in any endeavor. Yet its not clear where that blow will come from. Some mention Silicon Valley.

You could argue that Google and Microsoft are a bigger threat than Symphony, Money.net, or other current competitors, Taylor says. But they would have to prove their chops. The challenge for Google or Microsoft is that they have a huge learning curve before they are in a position to compete at a financial institution that has $1 billion at risk. Given the size of the market for financial technology, its only a matter of time before such Silicon Valley royalty make forays into Bloombergs territory.

Yet if history is any guide, they are more likely to be roadkill than killers themselves.
While all defined benefit schemes on the FTSE 350 saw funding levels fall in 2016, smaller pensions were hardest hit, Goldman Sachs Asset Management found in a new report.

The smallest pension schemes among U.K. companies on the FTSE 350 index will need to recover from the biggest decline in funding levels last year, according to a research report from Goldman Sachs Group.

In its annual review of Britains defined benefit market, Goldman Sachs Asset Management found that schemes with less than 500 million ($653 million) in assets saw a 6.6 percent drop in funding levels, compared to a 1.4 percent decline for those with more than 500 million. The pensions were hurt by weakness in sterling, tumbling bond yields and liabilities outpacing growth assets, according to the firms research released Monday.

The report, entitled Trouble Beneath the Surface, suggests the problem is likely much more severe across the U.K. because 85 percent of the regions schemes have assets of less than 500 million, whereas only 47 percent of FTSE 350 pension schemes are that small. The funding gap highlights the need for each scheme to review risk management so retirees can receive the pension payments they were promised to live in financial security.

Size matters and life is harder for small schemes, said Steve Webb, director of policy at Royal London and a former U.K. pensions minister. Small schemes need to be looking at what larger schemes have done and see if any larger schemes have adopted a viable de-risking or hedging strategy.

The U.K. government is planning to issue a report on the pension sector later this year, but any changes it brings may not arrive fast enough. Any legislation resulting from the Department of Work and Pensions report will be at least two years away, Webb said, and there are problems that need addressing now.

There is wider evidence that larger schemes are finding it easier than smaller ones to reduce shortfalls in funding. Assessing more than 160 U.K. schemes with assets over 1 billion, a Barnett Waddingham research paper earlier this month showed that 57 percent had a deficit in the year through October 31, lower than 67 percent a year earlier.

The U.K.s Pensions Regulator said in its annual report, released in June, that a majority of Britains defined benefit schemes are on track to be fully funded at the date when their pensioners need to be paid. But Webb said its important that regulators consider size when looking at the U.K.s 5,800 DB schemes because the amount of assets they manage may restrict how they can invest. That, in turn, can influence performance relative to larger pension plans.

The Pensions Regulator also noted in its annual report that the number of members with defined contribution schemes, where employees are responsible for their own retirement savings, outstripped those with DB plans managed by their companies, for the first time.

For many chief executives, funding a pension scheme is not going to be their biggest priority, said Patrick Connolly, an investment consultant at Chase de Vere. What is keeping them in a job is paying dividends to shareholders and increasing the share price.
Mary Cahill is departing the Atlanta endowment, Institutional Investor has learned, with the school planning a search for her replacement.

Emory Universitys Chief Investment Officer Mary Cahill plans to depart after nearly 17 years with the schools investment management company, a spokesperson confirmed Monday to Institutional Investor.

Cahill is retiring effective August 1, the university said in a statement. Emory plans to conduct a search for her replacement, which will be started by executive vice president of business and administration Christopher Augostini. He will take over CIO duties in the interim, the statement said.

Emory Investment Management ran a $6.5 billion portfolio as of August 31, 2016, including endowment and health care assets. Cahill has led the division since January 2001, serving as CIO and senior vice-president of investments. She did not respond to a request for comment.

Prior to joining the Atlanta, Georgia-based private university, Cahill spent time at Xeroxs retirement plan, ending her tenure as deputy chief investment officer in 2000.

She leaves behind a team of approximately 25 people, according to a profile published by the school last year.

Emory returned 1.9 percent for the 2016 fiscal year ending August 31 and 6.2 percent annualized over five years, net of all fees. Most post-secondary institutions follow a June 30 fiscal year, making direct peer performance comparisons challenging. During the 12 months ending last August, the Standard & Poors 500 stock index returned 13 percent compared with Emorys 1.9 percent, perhaps due to the portfolios concentration in hedge funds and away from listed equities.

Emory continues to maintain a well-diversified portfolio, to invest with best-in-class external partners, and to seek opportunities to add value throughout market cycles, Cahill said in the 2016 return announcement.

The institution said Cahill diversified Emorys portfolio during her tenure, and implemented a disciplined and structured investment and operating process that led to growth in endowment assets.
An Australian bank that provides general insurance, life insurance, broking services, and other financial services has lent its support for raising well-educated, agile leaders with strong communication skills for the seventh consecutive year.The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) has donated $50,000 to the Emerging Leaders Scholarship at the University of Bahamas this week.The $50,000 fund injection, which brings the $1.6bn bank's donation to the program it created to $350,000, will go into providing scholarships to students who show leadership potential and choose to study economics, finance, or other disciplines that prepare them for business, social, or political decision-making roles, Live Tradings News reported.This is the seventh time we have donated to the Emerging Leaders program and just as the institution has evolved from college to university, we have watched, with satisfaction, the respect for leadership training gain significance in higher education, said Denise Turnquest, Sr. VP credit risk at CBA said.
New Dawn Risk Group Limited is now a full member of the Lloyds of London community, being the latest broker to be approved as a Lloyds registered broker.The London-based insurance/reinsurance broker traded as an appointed representative for nine years, first for Grosvenor Brokers (America) LLC and lately for Carroll Insurance Group Limited.Established in 2008, New Dawn Risk focuses on non-marine liability and specialty insurance/reinsurance  95% of its business coming from outside the UK.Lloyds remains as important a marketplace for specialty risks as its ever been, and is a centre of innovation in the global insurance industry. We are honoured to play our part in that, commented Connie Dyson, director of broking at New Dawn Risk.Chief executive Max Carter said New Dawn Risk is looking forward to growing its Lloyds business significantly in the coming years.We are delighted that we have taken the step of becoming a Lloyds registered broker in our own right. Having enjoyed the benefits of being an appointed representative from our start-up in 2008, this is a natural progression for us, he said.
A Butler County, Ohio judge ruled on Friday that an insurer does not need to pay an Ohio man charged with burning his own home.Ross Compton, 59, is charged with aggravated arson and insurance fraud for purportedly setting fire to his home in September, 2016. The fire caused almost $400,000 in damages to the property. He did not plead guilty to the criminal charges.Cincinnati Insurance Company, Comptons insurer, filed a lawsuit against him in April, alleging that he had not responded to a request for more information. According to court documents, Compton not only failed to submit any of the requested documents by his insurer, but he also did not attend a March 16 meeting where he would have been questioned under oath.Law enforcers said that Compton described to them throwing belongings out the window during the fire. Investigators, however, say that a cardiologist who had reviewed Compton's cardiac device data determined that his precarious medical condition made the actions he described doing highly improbable.In a ruling on June 28, Judge Noah Powers found in favor of the insurance company, reported Journal-News. The judge said that Compton did not cooperate with plaintiff in the investigation of the fire  the defendant has materially breached the contract of insurance.
Chinas central bank will take on a bigger role in macro-prudential management and in averting systemic risk in the financial system, President Xi Jinping said at a once-in-five-years government work conference that ended on Saturday.

Financial security is a vital part of national security, Xi said at the fifth National Financial Work Conference, adding that China will strengthen the Communist Partys leadership in the financial sector.

A Financial Stability and Development Committee will also be set up under the State Council, or cabinet, state media cited Xi as saying.

No details were given on the committee and on how the role of the Peoples Bank of China (PBOC) will be strengthened.

Regulators oversee different parts of Chinas complex financial sector, and no singular regulator has a complete picture of capital movements in the system.

That complicates the job of authorities to catch market manipulators who secretly divert funds to risky financial products as they chase higher returns.

Authorities also worry about giant crocodiles, a term regulators have started using to describe law-breaking tycoons who circumvent regulations to grab control of other companies.

Earlier this year, the China Insurance Regulatory Commission (CIRC) banned the chairman of Foresea Life from the insurance business for 10 years, citing violations of rules in the firms use of insurance funds.

CIRC separately also restricted Evergrande Lifes stock trading activities for one year, after accusing the insurance firm of engaging in irregular investment activities.

Xi also said China will push forward with deleveraging in its economy, and that lowering debt ratios among state-owned enterprises is the most pressing issue.

Beijing will also strictly control new local government debt and strengthen oversight of internet financing, he said.

Blood and Pulse

Finance is the blood and pulse of the economy, and it is the sectors divine vocation to serve the real economy, the official Xinhua News Agency quoted Xi as saying.

Xi called for greater accountability for financial regulators at the meeting, saying it would be negligence of duty if regulators fail to identify risks in time, and it would be malfeasance if they fail to report and contain the identified risks.

The main financial regulators include the China Banking Regulatory Commission, the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) and CIRC.

In 2015, a poorly coordinated response to a stock market crash in China spurred scrutiny on the governments response. Premier Li Keqiang openly criticized financial regulators as not responding sufficiently.

Xi said on Saturday that regulators must share industry data within their jurisdictions and coordinate their financial regulations.

The financial work conference comes ahead of a once-in-five-year congress of the Communist Party in the autumn, where Xi is expected to further consolidate his hold on power.

Traditionally the (financial) conference is presided by the premier, but this time, not only was the big boss (Xi) there, people from the anti-corruption watchdog and the parliament advisory body were there too, said a person who follows Chinese regulatory developments.

At the conference, Premier Li said China will maintain prudent monetary policy and an appropriate credit growth rate while keeping liquidity basically stable.

Chinas plans to ameliorate systemic risk, while laudable, are also significantly driven by the desire for an unblemished 19th Party Congress, said Brock Silvers, managing director of Kaiyuan Capital, a Shanghai-based investment advisory firm.

Regulators have yet to announce detailed steps, and probably wont do so prior to the Congress, he said. In the interim I dont expect major changes, such as the creation of a unified super-regulator.

(Reporting by Stella Qiu in Beijing and Adam Jourdan in Shanghai; additional reporting by Benjamin Lim in Beijing and Engen Tham in Shanghai; editing by Ryan Woo and Richard Borsuk)

Related:

Topics Legislation China
Portugal is expediting a law that will introduce mandatory registration and insurance for drones weighing more than 250 grams (8.8 ounces).

The measure follows eight near-misses between drones and commercial aircraft at Portuguese airports in June. Airlines have warned of a potential disaster caused by drones.

Infrastructure Minister Pedro Marques says experts are also developing radar technology that will allow the detection of small unmanned aircraft.

Marques told a parliamentary committee Friday that he doesnt expect planned European Union-wide legislation on smaller drones to be ready before next year, so the Portuguese government is accelerating its own law for publication by the end of this month.

EU laws currently cover only drones weighing more than 150 kilograms (330 pounds).

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Aviation
A judge has ruled that an insurance company doesnt have to pay an Ohio man accused of burning down his house.

The Hamilton-Middletown Journal-News reports the ruling came on July 14 in southwest Ohios Butler County in a civil lawsuit filed by the Cincinnati Insurance Company against Ross Compton, who faces criminal aggravated arson and insurance fraud charges.

The fire at Comptons home in Middletown last September caused nearly $400,000 damage.

The 59-year-old Compton has pleaded not guilty to the criminal charges.

Police say Compton described throwing belongings out the window during the fire. Investigators say a cardiologists review of Comptons cardiac device data concluded his medical condition made those actions highly improbable.

Rosss attorney argued unsuccessfully in the criminal case that the use of pacemaker evidence violates Comptons constitutional rights.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Carriers Legislation Ohio
The U.S. Treasury Department and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said they will sign the bilateral agreement between the United States and the European Union regarding regulation of insurance and reinsurance.

In addition to signing the so-called covered agreement in the coming weeks, the Trump Administration said it also plans to issue a policy statement on implementation.

The Treasury statement called the pact, which was negotiated by the Obama Administration in talks that began in 2015, an important step in making U.S. companies more competitive in domestic and foreign markets and making regulations efficient, effective and appropriately tailored.

The Treasury statement also said the bilateral agreement benefits the U.S. economy and consumers by affirming Americas state-based system of insurance regulation, providing regulatory certainty, and increasing growth opportunities for U.S. insurers.

The agreement which was announced on January 13 in the final days of the Obama Administration addresses three areas of insurance oversight: reinsurance, group supervision and the exchange of insurance information between regulators.

The agreement is known as a covered agreement, which is an agreement between the U.S. and one or more foreign governments, authorities or regulatory entities, regarding prudential measures with respect to insurance or reinsurance.

U.S. Fact Sheet on Covered Agreement with European Union

According to the negotiators, U.S. and EU insurers operating in the other market will only be subject to oversight by the regulators in their home jurisdiction. For the United States, the agreement preserves the primacy of state regulation the U.S. of U.S. insurance groups while for the EU, it preserves the primacy of EU oversight of EU insurance groups.

The agreement calls for an end to collateral and local presence requirements for EU and U.S. reinsurers.

European reinsurers and regulators have wanted the U.S. to lift reinsurance collateral requirements on foreign reinsurers and treat them like U.S. reinsurers. European reinsurers and Lloyds of London syndicates complain they are disadvantaged compared to American competitors by the additional capital and collateral requirements of some states. They note that they must also now comply with new EU solvency [Solvency II) rules.

The limitations on worldwide group oversight outside of the home jurisdiction include limits on matters involving solvency and capital, reporting and governance. Supervisors however preserve the ability to request and obtain information about worldwide activities which could harm policyholders interests or financial stability in their territory.

The agreement encourages insurance supervisory authorities in the U.S. and the EU to continue to exchange supervisory information on insurers and reinsurers that operate in the U.S. and EU markets.

In January, the Treasury Department released a fact sheet on the agreement and said the final legal text of the agreement had been given to Congress as required by the Dodd-Frank Act.

The European Union approval process involves the Council and the European Parliament.

Michael McRaith, the former director of the Federal Insurance Office (FIO) within Treasury who left his post a week after the agreement was announced, has called negotiating a covered agreement with the European Union a critical step toward leveling the playing field for American insurers and reinsurers.

Insurers and Regulators

Several major insurance organizations including the American Insurance Association (AIA), the American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI) and the Reinsurance Association of America (RAA) welcomed the agreement in January, as did the International Underwriting Association, which represents wholesale re/insurance companies in the London market.

However, the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC) has not been as welcoming of a covered agreement. It has called the pact a proposed solution to an invented problem  the question of European regulators deeming our regulatory system equivalent.

State insurance regulators have also expressed concern that a covered agreement could potentially undermine the U.S. system of state regulation of insurance. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) has been critical of the agreement, warning that it might be used as a backdoor to force foreign regulations on U.S. companies.

Another state regulatory group, the National Conference of Insurance Legislators (NCOIL), which has also criticized the pact, is waiting to see what the Trump Administration policy statement on implementation says. NCOIL CEO Tom Considine, speaking at the Super Regional P/C Insurer Conference in Wisconsin on Monday, said he believes the policy statement will be an attempt to reconcile the agreement with support for state-based regulation but he questioned if this is possible. Considine, a former New Jersey banking and insurance commissioner, termed the agreement great for Wall Street and horrible for Main Street.

Topics Carriers USA Legislation Europe Reinsurance Politics
The owner of the Ashley Madison adultery website said on Friday it will pay $11.2 million to settle U.S. litigation brought on behalf of roughly 37 million users whose personal details were exposed in a July 2015 data breach.

Ruby Corp, formerly known as Avid Life Media Inc., denied wrongdoing in agreeing to the preliminary class-action settlement, which requires approval by a federal judge in St. Louis.

Ashley Madison marketed itself as a means to help people, primarily men, cheat on their spouses, and was known for its slogan Life is short. Have an affair.

But the breach cost privately held Ruby more than a quarter of its revenue, and prompted the Toronto-based company to spend millions of dollars to improve security and user privacy.

Last December, Ruby agreed to pay $1.66 million to settle a probe by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and several states into lax data security and deceptive practices, also without admitting liability.

According to Fridays settlement, users with valid claims can recoup up to $3,500 depending on how well they can document their losses attributable to the breach.

Layn Phillips, a former federal judge who mediated the settlement, said in a court filing that the accord offered a valuable recovery for the class in the face of many obstacles, including Rubys preference that victims arbitrate their claims.

Lawyers for Ashley Madison users may receive up to one-third of the $11.2 million payout to cover legal fees, court papers show.

The case is In re: Ashley Madison Customer Data Security Breach Litigation, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri, No. 15-md-02669.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Additional reporting by Solarina Ho in Toronto; editing by G Crosse and David Gregorio)

Topics USA Cyber Training Development
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.

Waiting for nonprofit and federal assistance can be devastating to communities.

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.

This article was originally published by Stateline.org, an initiative of The Pew Charitable Trusts.

Topics Flood Virginia
The U.S. Geological Survey says several earthquakes struck central Oklahoma in the morning on July 14, including one with a preliminary magnitude of 4.2.

State and local emergency management officials said there have been no reports of injury or damage as a result of any of the temblors.

The USGS said the quake hit shortly before 9 a.m. near Stroud, about 55 miles northeast of Oklahoma City and was felt in western Arkansas and Wichita, Kansas.

It was followed within about 75 minutes by five more earthquakes of preliminary magnitudes ranging from 2.7 to 3.8.

The quakes struck within about 10 miles of a privately run prison, the Cimarron Correctional Facility. A woman who answered the phone at the prison declined to comment and a spokesman for the parent company, Nashville, Tennessee-based CoreCivic, did not immediately return a phone call for comment.

Scientists have linked some oil and gas production in Oklahoma to an uptick in earthquakes, but the frequency of such earthquakes in Oklahoma had dropped recently as the state imposed new restrictions on the injection of wastewater into underground disposal wells.

The Oklahoma Corporation Commissions induced seismicity department is working with the Oklahoma Geological Survey to investigate the quakes, according to commission spokesman Matt Skinner. But the agency has not issued a directive to shut down any disposal wells in the area, which is part of what is known as the Arbuckle formation.

Everything is still in the initial stages right now, Skinner said, but that (shuttering some wells) is a distinct possibility.

Skinner said there are eight disposal wells within 10 miles of the preliminary location of the temblors and that the Oklahoma Geological Survey will determine the precise epicenters of the quakes.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Oklahoma Earthquake
A sinkhole that swallowed a boat and destroyed two homes had stopped growing as officials said Saturday they would monitor it over the weekend before determining when cleanup can begin.

The hole stayed stagnant since Friday afternoon, said Kevin Guthrie, Pasco Countys assistant administrator for public safety. He confirmed that the hole, which is 250 feet (76 meters) wide and 50 feet (15 meters) deep, is the largest in three decades in the county, which has a history of sinkholes.

Dramatic video showed the home in Land O Lakes, north of Tampa, collapsing into the hole Friday morning. It quickly engulfed one home and a boat and then consumed about 80 percent of another home.

Guthrie said 11 homes in all have been affected. A third home lost about 45 feet of driveway and a septic tank.

Of the other nine evacuated homes, residents were allowed to return to four of them on Saturday afternoon.

Guthrie said that all three homeowners had insurance. No injuries have been reported.

State geologists and environmental officials continued to monitor the sinkhole over the weekend before determining when cleanup can begin. The states Department of Environmental Protection requested that the county and homeowners wait a few more days before doing any recovery work.

The scene is being considered a hazardous materials incident because of possible septic tank issues and building debris. Guthrie said that chemicals from at least three septic tanks are in the sinkhole.

Cleanup will likely take weeks while repairs to the road and the damaged lots will take months.

Jared Hill of the Pasco County Sheriffs office said that deputies helped one of the homeowners retrieve some items on Friday night and that they would help with the other home on Saturday.

This is a very catastrophic event, Hill said. One resident was going to go on vacation and now that has changed. Now they are trying to get as much out as they can so they can move on with their lives.

County property records show there was a sinkhole at the property where the first house was swallowed up, and that it had been stabilized in 2014. The home was sold in 2015, according to records. Messages left for its owner were not immediately returned Friday.

Sinkholes are stabilized by boring holes into the ground and injecting concrete.

Records also show a sinkhole was stabilized at the partially destroyed home in 2007. Two sisters renting that home with four other family members said they had left the house early Friday and returned to see their neighbors home falling into the sinkhole.

The Tampa Bay Times reported that Edilia and Theresa Villa and their relatives had time to retrieve important documents and six dogs from their house before officials declared it unsafe. Theresa Villas 15-year-old daughter, Thalia Chapman, told the newspaper the family moved into the home after arriving from Cuba about a decade ago.

Officials said Duke Energy has restored power to the neighborhood.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Florida
Police in North Carolina say they have identified a suspect that may have stolen 2,000 pounds of pet food from an animal rescue organization.

The Asheville Citizen-Times reports that on June 26 someone broke into a storage shed belonging to Brother Wolf Animal Rescue in Asheville and took the food. Asheville police spokeswoman Christina Hallingse said Thursday a suspect in the case was identified, and charges are forthcoming.

Hallingse declined to name the suspect, citing an ongoing investigation.

Brother Wolf Sales Director Brooke Forney says the food had been donated. At any given time, the organization can be housing 600 dogs, cats and other animals.

Forney says security cameras captured images of people taking the food from the shed.

Following news of the break-in, staff said they received truckloads of donated food.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Fraud North Carolina
The National Weather Service confirmed a small tornado has touched down in southeastern Arizona.

Meteorologists confirmed the sighting through images on social media after issuing a tornado warning for the Picacho Peak and Red Rock areas.

The landspout happened in the town of Marana and was caused by a severe thunderstorm that moved through the area near Tucson just before 7 p.m. Friday.

There have been no reports of injuries or damages.

A landspout forms upward from the ground and it becomes a tornado when it connects to a cloud in the sky.

They are common in southeast Arizona but landspouts are different from the supercell tornadoes found in the Midwest. Those tornadoes form in the sky and then hit the ground.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Windstorm Arizona
On June 20 2017, Mexican tax authorities published the final version of the protocol modifying the DTA entered into by Mexico and Spain. In addition, on the same date, the executive decree approving the new DTA between Mexico and Argentina was published.

Having signed more than 60 DTAs throughout the past 15-plus years, Mexico is the jurisdiction with the largest DTA network amongst Latin American economies. As a learned member of the OECD, Mexicos constant effort to expand its network progresses alongside the introduction of measures developed around the BEPS initiative, and the instruments discussed below serve as an example thereof.

One of the oldest Mexican DTAs adapted from the OECD Model Convention is the Mexico-Spain DTA enforced back in 1995. Alongside DTAs such as the Netherlands or Luxemburg, it has been widely used by multinationals investing into Mexico due to Spains socioeconomic and political reliability. Most importantly, however, it has been used for its investor-friendly provisions when it comes to the taxation at source of dividends and capital gains, further enhanced by the publication of this new protocol that, although uncertain, is expected to enter into force early next year.

On the other hand, Mexico currently holds an enforceable DTA with Argentina, an important commercial partner (4th most important in Latin America), but which merely covers the taxation of income derived from the commercial exploitation of internationally operated ships and aircrafts. After 20 years since its publication and enforcement, the DTA has been integrally renegotiated to cope with measures included in most of Mexicos modern OECD based DTAs, and although uncertain, it is also expected to enter into force early next year.

Mexico-Spain protocol

The BEPS based provisions are notable starting from the DTAs preamble, where the contracting states establish that the intention of the DTA is to avoid double taxation without creating opportunities for non-taxation or reduced taxation through tax evasion or avoidance, and goes further with the inclusion of a principal purpose test to limit the applicability of the DTA. These provisions are expected to be included in most DTAs covered by the OECDs Multilateral Instrument (ML) to which Mexico is part of.

A new and attractive dividend withholding tax exemption was introduced for payments made to companies that directly hold at least 10% of equity participation on the paying entity. Formerly, the maximum withholding tax reduction for dividends was 5% and the equity participation threshold was set at 25%.

A couple of positive amendments on the taxation of interest are:

The default rule applicable to interest payments that was different from those paid to banks or financial institutions was formerly set at 15% and is now limited to 10%; and

There will be no withholding tax levied for pension funds receiving, as beneficial owners, interest payments.

On the capital gains side, a few amendments were aimed at redrafting the sale of shares provision in order to avoid room for abusive interpretations. In addition, a maximum capital gains tax rate was limited to 10% at source, but most importantly, a significant benefit comes from the newly introduced exemption from taxation at source applicable to financial institutions, insurance companies, pension funds and companies selling shares through a recognised stock exchange. A restructuring provision was also included that provides companies with a tax deferral benefit when certain requirements are met.

Lastly, it is reasonable to assume that as a consequence of the energy reform that has allowed and attracted an important array of investors to carry out hydrocarbon exploration and extraction activities in Mexico, a sector specific article was introduced to delimit narrower permanent establishment (PE) thresholds. Similar to domestic provisions introduced for the sector, the provision contemplates the possibility of companies triggering a PE within 30 days of carrying these type of activities in the other country in any 12-month period.

Mexico-Argentina DTA

From the introduction of the anti-treaty shopping preamble discussed above to specific PE provisions aimed at preventing its artificial avoidance, the DTA is clearly intended to circumvent BEPS amongst both countries economies. However, from an investors perspective, this will be far from being a go-to DTA.

From a Mexican tax perspective, the DTA will not represent a great deal of benefits with regards to the repatriation of capital through dividend payments; it includes a withholding tax limitation of 10% at source (already provided for through Mexican domestic provisions) and does not incorporate any other limitations.

This is the same with regards to interest payments under which a default 12% withholding tax limitation is applicable at source. Although there are exemptions at source, those are only granted for interest paid to or by political subdivisions and other state-owned dependencies.

With regards to the taxation of capital gains, there is a possibility to reduce source taxation to 10% on the gain when holding a direct equity participation of at least 25% in the entity being transferred, with the default rule of 15% in all other cases. However, this is only to the extent that the transferred shares do not stem their value from immovable property located in Mexico.

Unlike most Mexican DTAs, a limitation of benefits clause was included. This provision intends to narrow the eligibility for applying the DTA by imposing the application of certain substance tests that must be met before applying any treaty benefits. Similar to the Spanish protocol, the DTA includes a hydrocarbons PE provision and does not provide taxpayers with any significant benefits with regards to the payment of royalties.

Therefore, multinationals conducting business activities in Mexico should determine, based on the facts and circumstances applicable to each particular case, whether these newly introduced instruments could represent direct economic benefits if proper action is taken or if their investment structures should be reviewed in order to assess and avoid any adverse tax impacts.

Juan Jose Paullada Eguirao (jpaullada@ritch.com.mx)

Jessica Trejo Solther (jtrejo@ritch.com.mx)

Ritch, Mueller, Heather y Nicolau, S.C.

www.ritch.com.mx
Investopedia / Joules Garcia

What Are Taxes?

Taxes are mandatory contributions levied on individuals or corporations by a government entitywhether local, regional, or national. Tax revenues finance government activities, including public works and services such as roads and schools, or programs such as Social Security and Medicare.

In economics, taxes fall on whoever pays the burden of the tax, whether this is the entity being taxed, such as a business, or the end consumers of the businesss goods. From an accounting perspective, there are various taxes to consider, including payroll taxes, federal and state income taxes, and sales taxes.

Key Takeaways Taxes are mandatory contributions collected by governments.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) collects federal income taxes in the United States.

There are many forms of taxes and most are applied as a percentage of a monetary exchange (for example, when income is earned or a sales transaction is completed).

Other forms of taxes, such as property taxes, are applied based on the assessed value of a held asset.

Understanding what triggers a tax situation can enable taxpayers to manage their finances to minimize the impact of taxes.

Understanding Taxes

To help fund public works and servicesand to build and maintain the infrastructure used in a countrya government usually taxes its individual and corporate residents. The tax collected is used for the betterment of the economy and all who are living in it.

In the United States and many other countries in the world, income taxes are applied to some form of money received by a taxpayer. The money could be income earned from salary, capital gains from investment appreciation, dividends or interest received as additional income, payments made for goods and services, and so on.

Tax revenues are used for public services and the operation of the government, as well as for Social Security and Medicare. As the large baby boomer generation has aged, Social Security and Medicare have claimed increasingly high proportions of the total federal expenditure of tax revenue. Throughout U.S. history, tax policy has been a consistent source of political debate.



A tax requires a percentage of the taxpayers earnings or money to be taken and remitted to the government. Payment of taxes at rates levied by the government is compulsory, and tax evasionthe deliberate failure to pay ones full tax liabilitiesis punishable by law. (On the other hand, tax avoidanceactions taken to lessen your tax liability and maximize after-tax incomeis perfectly legal.)

Most governments use an agency or department to collect taxes. In the United States, this function is performed federally by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Types of Taxes

There are several very common types of taxes:

Income taxa percentage of generated income that is relinquished to the state or federal government

Payroll taxa percentage withheld from an employees pay by an employer, who pays it to the government on the employees behalf to fund Medicare and Social Security programs

Corporate taxa percentage of corporate profits taken as tax by the government to fund federal programs

Sales taxtaxes levied on certain goods and services; varies by jurisdiction

Property taxbased on the value of land and property assets

Tarifftaxes on imported goods; imposed with the aim of strengthening domestic businesses

Estate taxrate applied to the fair market value (FMV) of property in a persons estate at the time of death; the total estate must exceed thresholds set by state and federal governments

Tax systems vary widely among nations, and it is important for individuals and corporations to carefully study a new locales tax laws before earning income or doing business there.

Below, we will take a look at various tax situations in the United States. Generally speaking, the federal government levies income, corporate, and payroll taxes; the state levies income and sales taxes; and municipalities or other local governments mainly levy property taxes.

Income Tax

Like many nations, the United States has a progressive income tax system, through which a higher percentage of tax revenues are collected from high-income individuals or corporations than from low-income individual earners. Taxes are applied through marginal tax rates.

A variety of factors affect the marginal tax rate that a taxpayer will pay, including their filing statusmarried filing jointly, married filing separately, single, or head of household. Which status a person files can make a significant difference in how much they are taxed. The source of a taxpayers income also makes a difference in taxation. Its important to learn the terminology of the different income types that may affect how income is taxed.

Capital gains taxes are of particular relevance for investors. Levied and enforced at the federal level, these are taxes on the profit generated when you sell an asset that's increased in value.

The rate of taxation on the profit depends on the length of time for which the asset was held. Short-term capital gains (on assets sold one year or less after they were acquired) are taxed at the owners ordinary income tax rate, whereas long-term gains on assets held for more than a year are taxed at a lower capital gains ratebased on the rationale that lower taxes will encourage high levels of capital investment. Tax records should be maintained to substantiate the length of ownership when both the assets were sold and the tax return was filed.

Payroll Taxes

Payroll taxes are withheld from an employees paycheck by an employer, who remits the amount to the federal government to fund Medicare and Social Security programs. In 2023, employees will pay 1.45% into Medicare on all wages and 6.2% into Social Security on the first $160,200 earned, up from $147,000 in 2022.

Anyone who earns more than $200,000 as a single filer (or $250,000 for married couples filing jointly) pays an additional 0.9% into Medicare.

Payroll taxes have both an employee portion and an employer portion. The employer remits both the employee portion, described above, and a duplicate amount for the employer portion. The employer rates are the same 6.2% for Social Security up to the wage base limit, and 1.45% for Medicare on all wages. Therefore, the total remitted is 15.3% (6.2% employee Social Security + 6.2% employer Social Security + 1.45% employee Medicare + 1.45% employer Medicare).

Payroll taxes and income taxes differ, although both are withheld from an employees paycheck and remitted to the government. Payroll taxes are specifically to fund Social Security and Medicare programs. A self-employed individual must pay the equivalent of both the employee and employer portion of payroll taxes through self-employment taxes, which also fund Social Security and Medicare.

Corporate Taxes

Corporate taxes are paid on a companys taxable income. The steps to calculate a companys taxable income are:

The corporate tax rate in the United States is currently a flat rate of 21%. Before the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017, the corporate tax rate was 35%.

President Biden is keen to make companies pay more taxes. Options include increasing the corporate tax rate to 26.5% or leaving it at 21% and enacting a 15% minimum tax on companies that report more than $1 billion in book income to their shareholders.

Sales Taxes

Sales taxes are charged at the point of sale when a customer executes the payment for a good or service. The business collects the sales tax from the customer and remits the funds to the government.

Each state can implement its own sales taxes, meaning they vary depending on location. There's even room for cities and counties to use their own rates, provided that they abide by the taxing rules of their state.

In 2022, the highest average state and local sales tax rate was found in Tennessee, at 9.55%. Five statesAlaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregondid not have a state sales tax, although Alaska did allow municipalities to charge local sales tax.

Property Taxes

A common property tax in the United States is the real estate ad valorem tax. A millage rate is used to calculate real estate taxes; it represents the amount per every $1,000 of a propertys assessed value. The propertys assessed value is determined by a property assessor appointed by the local government. Reassessments are typically performed every one to five years.

Property tax rates vary considerably by jurisdiction and many states also tax tangible personal property, such as cars and boats.

In FY 2018, the state with the highest property tax collections per capita was New Jersey at $3,378. (The District of Columbia would rank higher if it was counted with the 50 states, at $3,740 per capita.) The lowest state ranking was $598 per capita in Alabama.

Tariffs

A tariff is a tax imposed by one country on the goods and services imported from another country. The purpose is to encourage domestic purchases by increasing the price of goods and services imported from other countries.

There are two main types of tariffs: fixed fee tariffs, which are levied as a fixed cost based on the type of item, and ad valorem tariffs, which are assessed as a percentage of the items value (like the real estate tax in the previous section).

Tariffs are politically divisive, with debate over whether the policies work as intended.

Estate Taxes

Estate taxes are levied only on estates that exceed the exclusion limit set by law. In 2023, the federal exclusion limit is $12.92 million, up from $12.06 million in 2022. Surviving spouses are exempt from estate taxes.

The estate tax due is the taxable estate minus the exclusion limit. For example, a $14.7 million estate would owe estate taxes on $1.78 million.



The estate tax rate is a progressive marginal rate that increases from 18% to 40%. The maximum estate tax rate of 40% is levied on the portion of an estate that exceeds the exclusion limit by more than $1 million.

States may have lower exclusion limits than the federal government, but no state taxes estates worth less than $1 million. Massachusetts and Oregon have the $1 million exemption limits. State rates are also different from the federal rate. In 2022, the highest state estate tax rate, implemented in Hawaii and Washington, was 20%.



Some states levy their own additional estate or inheritance tax, with exclusion limits that differ from those of the federal government.

Estate taxes are different from inheritance taxes in that an estate tax is applied before assets are disbursed to any beneficiaries. An inheritance tax is paid by the beneficiary. There is no federal inheritance tax, and, as of 2022, only six states have an inheritance tax: Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Nebraska, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

Tax Delinquency

Every type of tax has a different due date or reporting requirement. Some are collected immediately at the time of a transaction or leading up to a transaction like sales taxes or tariffs. Others are on a fixed recurring schedule with a due date repeating on a specific date or specific day/month combination (i.e. property taxes being due the first day of April). The due dates for similar types of taxes will vary across governing bodies (i.e. different counties will have different property tax due dates).

Upon failure to remit the appropriate amount of a tax to the taxing authorities, various penalties may be incurred. Regarding the various taxes mentioned above, tax penalties may include:

A penalty assessment resulting in a one-time fee or charge.

An interest assessment resulting in an escalating penalty based on the duration of the delinquency.

A lien placed on underlying assets in the event the delinquent party should be unable to satisfy their debts.

A denial of access or service for transaction-related taxes (i.e. tariffs).

A seizure of company property or placement of a lien on the company property for business-related taxes.

Why Do We Pay Taxes? Taxes are the primary source of revenue for most governments. Among other things, this money is spent to improve and maintain public infrastructure, including the roads we travel on, and fund public services, such as schools, emergency services, and welfare programs.

How Do Income Taxes Work in the U.S.? In the U.S., taxation progressively increases as an individuals income grows. There are currently seven federal tax brackets in the U.S., with rates ranging from 10% to 37%.

Are U.S. Taxes Low? Generally speaking, U.S. taxes are lower than in other developed nations. In 2018, total U.S. tax revenue represented 24% of gross domestic product (GDP) according to the Tax Policy Center, whereas the average among the other 35 member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) was 34%.

Who Needs to Pay Taxes? The taxpayer will depend on the type of tax and associated regulation for that tax. For example, federal income tax legislation usually only pertains to people who have earned a certain amount of income or adjusted gross income. Corporate taxes may be limited to companies that have performed business in a specific area or are incorporated to do business within a specific country. Each tax is handled differently, and there are often exceptions and qualifications for who the tax pertains to.

What Are Different Types of Taxes? Taxes can classified in different ways. Some taxes may be incurred on transactions (i.e. sales taxes or tariffs). Other taxes are incurred on net financial results (i.e. individual income taxes or corporate income taxes). There are also taxes that occur due to one-time or non-recurring events (i.e. estate taxes, capital gains taxes).

The Bottom Line

There are many types of taxes that are applied in various ways. Understanding what triggers a tax situation can enable taxpayers to manage their finances to minimize the impact of taxes. Techniques that can help include annual tax-loss harvesting to offset investment gains with investment losses, and estate planning, which works to shelter inherited income for heirs.
Currently, Cambodias foreign policy faces significant challenges amid great power rivalry for regional influence. Cambodias recent decision to postpone the annual Angkor Sentinel joint military exercise with the US came as a surprise because the decision had been made just days before the inauguration of new US President Donald Trump. Trumps uncertain foreign policy had been predicted to take strong measures against China in relation to the maritime disputes in the region. Meanwhile, Chinas economic, military, and strategic influence over Cambodia continues to grow. It is clear that the US has been unable to compete with China for influence in Cambodia. China has become Cambodias largest foreign investor as well as its largest economic and military benefactor in the last decade. The recent and routine high-level official defense visits between China and Cambodia highlight the strong cooperation which is widely seen to be at the expense of the US and other important defense partners such as Australia.





The annual Angkor Sentinel joint military manoeuvres between Cambodia and the US have been conducted continuously since 2010. It is an annual bilateral exercise sponsored by the US Army Pacific Command and hosted by the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF), focusing on providing humanitarian assistance and responding to disaster relief operations. At the official opening of the Angkor Sentinel exercise early 2016, Julie Chung, the charge daffairs at the US Embassy in Phnom Penh stated that; I believe the Angkor Sentinel exercise that begins today showcases some of the best kinds of things militaries accomplish for their nations and citizens. US Army Major General Edward Dorman III  Commander of the 8th Theater Sustainment Command in charge of the exercise  stated that exercises like this one are critical to our regional stability and security  when we join together, train together, and grow together now, we ensure that we are prepared together for whatever the future may bring. At that time, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen regarded the exercise as a symbol of the strong military ties between the US and Cambodia.





Strategic rivalry for influence between China and the US, and the ongoing tensions between China and the ASEAN claimant states over the South China Sea have pushed Cambodia even closer to the Chinese sphere of influence. China has emerged as Cambodias most significant military partner. In recent years, China has provided considerable military training and helped Cambodias military to significantly expand its training capabilities with the provision of military instructors, considerable military training facilities, and Chinese language teachers. China has also provided Cambodia with USD 60 million in soft loans to buy nine patrol boats and financed Cambodias upgraded naval base in Ream. Cambodia also received a USD 195 million loan from China for the purchase of 12 Chinese Z-9 military helicopters. Beijing has also provided military trucks, spare parts, and other equipment.





For China, Cambodia is strategically important as its geopolitical location allows for security and oversight in the South China Sea, especially for securing the Chinese claim on the disputed Spratly Islands and their natural resources. Burgos and Ear argue that if conflict occurs, China may need Cambodia as a strategic, sea-accessible location from which to launch a response. As Geoff Wade, an expert on Asia, claims, this is part of the Chinese network of port investments in Asia, which include Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Thailand and Indonesia.





By comparison, US military aid to Cambodia is relatively small and has often been withheld as a result of political tensions. This was evident when Cambodia decided to suspend some military cooperation with the US in 2013, after US congressmen criticized and urged Cambodia to investigate election irregularities. The US has provided military aid, equipment, and technical assistance worth USD 4.5 million since 2006.





Cambodia should incorporate diversity in its foreign policy with as many countries as it can for widening and meeting its national interests.





According to the US Embassy in Cambodia; Our

cooperation

focuses on international peacekeeping, counterterrorism, counter narcotics, border and maritime security, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief operation, and defence sector reform. Our goals are to develop the capabilities of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) in these areas, while encouraging Cambodias commitment to the rule of law, transparency in governance, sustained democratic development, and respect for human rights.





The US has also provided support in a wide range of military cooperation areas to improve the RCAFs capability in humanitarian assistance, peacekeeping, and maritime security, as well as to broaden Cambodias counterterrorism strategy. Unlike the Chinese approach, all of this assistance is subject to strict conditions and if it is assessed that the principle of democracy has been violated, its provision could immediately cease. This happened in July 1997 when the internal political turmoil in the Cambodian government resulted in the US suspending all aid programs, including military assistance, because the US considered the actions of the coalition government to be against the principles of democracy and human rights.





Although there is still some frustration and concern with Cambodias human rights record, the US has continued to support Cambodia with a wide range of assistance, including notably, deploying the RCAF in UN peacekeeping operations which align with Cambodias strategic interest in promoting the countrys prestige on the international stage. The joint exercises with the US since 2010 have been seen as serving Cambodias national interest in regard to RCAFs UN deployment. The exercise has played an important role in not only strengthening the RCAFs capability in the areas of UN peacekeeping, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, and professionalism, but also improving military-to-military cooperation between the two countries. According to US Embassy spokesman Jay Raman: Joint military exercises benefit both of our nations by enhancing our ability to work together to combat maritime piracy, protect trade and shipping routes, deter terrorists, and provide humanitarian assistance during natural disasters.





It is important not to underestimate the practical reality of Cambodias foreign policy trajectory and its foreign interests in the context of the US-China competition for regional influence. As Chheang Vannarith, Cambodian scholar points out, Cambodias primary national interests are centred on sovereignty and territorial integrity, security and political stability, economic development and poverty reduction, and identity-image building. Therefore, Cambodia is in need of assistance from friendly countries for the actualization of its reform program in the face of mounting challenges. As a small and poor state in the region, Cambodia usually makes practical choices for its people by seeking to capitalize on its relations with China and the US, among others, which are best suited its interests.





The Cambodian government recognizes the importance of assistance from the international community for the RCAFs future development. The assistance from friendly countries for the RCAF reform program in areas such as downsizing the defense forces, human resource training, technological development, cooperative efforts against crime and international terrorism, and participation in multinational disaster relief operations are vital for developing the professionalism of the RCAF.





The Defense White Papers and other RCAF policy documents regard international military cooperation as crucial for the improvement of the RCAFs professionalism as set out in the strategic objectives of the RCAF.





According to the Defence and Strategic Review 2013 published by the Ministry of National Defence of Cambodia: The RCAF must continue to strengthen and expand cooperation with security partners in the region and in the international arena by using bilateral and multilateral mechanisms based on unbiased political or ideological grounds and in the spirit of mutual interests. The Constitution clearly states that Cambodia reserves the right to receive foreign assistance by way of military equipment and training of its armed forces and other assistance for self defense and to maintain public order and security within its territory (DWP, 2000). Accordingly, the RCAF has received military assistance from all friendly countries around the world without any consideration of political conditions by those countries. For example, the US and China are the major military assistance providers for the RCAF, even though the two countries have different strategic interests.





In short, clearly, the US and China as well as other countries have been crucial players in contributing to the reform policy of the RCAF. It is also clear that China and the US have different policies toward the kingdom which could eventually lead to a strategic dilemma for Cambodia in managing these relationships without compromising its sovereignty and integrity. Cambodia should incorporate diversity in its foreign policy with as many countries as it can for widening and meeting its national interests. As a small and poor state, it is necessary for Cambodia to adhere its policy to a rule-based international order by supporting regional groupings such as ASEAN and other regional forums for the countrys autonomy and economic prosperity.
Amnesty International says it is gravely concerned for the mental and physical wellbeing of Ibrahim Halawa.

The Dubliner appeared in court in Cairo yesterday, and heard that his case was is be further adjourned until next week.
A member of the Irish Naval Service has launched a High Court action over being reprimanded for bringing too many duty free cigarettes on board the ship where he was serving.

The action has been brought by Eugene O'Toole arising out of an incident that occurred last September when he was serving on board the LE James Joyce, which at the time was anchored at the port of Valetta in Malta.

Mr O'Toole, from Mallow in Co Cork, claims the reprimand he received over the incident following a disciplinary process should be quashed because the sanction was imposed by his commanding officer,who he claims played a role in the investigation of the allegation.

Today Mr O'Toole's Counsel Nathan Jones BL told the High Court Mr OToole has been a member of the Defence Forces since 2002 and holds the rank of Leading Sick Berth Attendant with the Naval Service.

The incident occurred on September 22nd when Mr O'Toole brought a quantity of duty free cigarettes on board the LE James Joyce.

The vessel had just completed a deployment in the Mediterranean where its crew rescued some 2,500 migrants.

The amount of cigarettes was in excess of the allowance permitted under the ships Captain's Standing Orders.

However Mr O'Toole claims he had previously sought and had obtained permission to bring the cigarettes on board from a superior officer.

Later that day, while he was on duty, he was approached by his commanding officer Lt Commander Niall Manning who demanded to know why the cigarettes were being loaded onto the ship.

Mr OToole said he believed he had permission to have the cigarettes brought on board.

Shortly afterwards Mr O'Toole said he was summoned to the cabin of the officer who had given him permission to bring the cigarettes on board.

That officer told Mr O'Toole the Commanding Officer had ordered that all the duty free cigarettes were to be unloaded within 15 minutes or charges would be brought against Mr O'Toole.

All of the cigarettes were unloaded.

Arising out of the incident three charges were brought against Mr O'Toole over the cigarettes. The charges were considered By Lt Cmdr. Manning in April of this year.

Two of the charges were dismissed. However one charge, that Mr O'Toole's conduct was to the predjudice of good order and discipline contrary to a section of the 1954 Defence Act, was found proven by Lt Cmdr Manning.

Mr O'Toole received a reprimand.

It is Mr O'Toole's case that Lt Cmdr Manning had a clear prior involvement in the matter and should not have been the person who considered the charges.

In the circumstances Mr O'Toole claims he has been denied fair procedures and that Lt Cmdr Manning has acted unlawfully.

Mr O Toole also argues his constitutional rights have been breached.

In his action against the Minister for Defence, Ireland, the Attorney General and Lt Cmdr Manning, Mr O'Toole seeks orders quashing his commanding officer's decision finding the charge proven.

He also seeks an order quashing the decision to reprimand him.

He further seeks a declaration his commanding officer erred in law and acted outside his powers by investigating and then making a determination on the charges.

Permission to bring the challenge was granted on an ex parte basis by Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan.

The case will come back before the court in October.
Update 1.42pm: Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has confirmed that refunds of water charges will not be deducted to account for the water conservation grant.

It means all households who received the 100 payment two years ago will be allowed to keep it, even after refunds are paid.

Mr Varadkar again confirmed this afternoon that he hopes to have refunds paid to almost every home before Christmas.

But he says it would simply be too difficult to deduct the grant from the refunds people are due.

When the water conservation grant was paid it was paid on the basis that it was separate to water charges, and indeed people availed of that grant who dont pay water charges for one reason or another  often people are on group schemes, he said.

So yes, I agree it would be extremely difficult, logistically and legally to net off the water grant.

Earlier:

Update 11.14pm: The Minister for Employment and Social Protection Regina Doherty has admitted that the issue of the refund of all water charges has not yet been discussed in detail by the Cabinet.

Earlier the Minister for Education and Skills Richard Bruton said the money for the refunds will come from within existing resources.

The sum involved is around 170m and consists of water charges paid by householders before the charges were abandoned.

Close to one million customers of Irish Water paid, or partially paid, water charges before they were suspended and eventually discontinued.

Speaking on Today with Sean O'Rourke Minister Doherty says people can look forward to refunds from September onwards.

I haven't been fully briefed on this and we haven't had a Cabinet meeting to discuss it but from what I gather its the ambition of the Taoiseach to give everyone who's paid their bills their money back before Christmas, starting early in the autumn, she said.

So you'd be looking forward to maybe people starting to receive their money by September.

Earlier:

Savings from other government areas will help pay for water charge refunds amounting to over 170m which Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has pledged will be returned to households in the coming weeks, writes Juno McEnroe and Elaine Loughlin.

While the Government must still get EU approval for refunds and pass legislation with support from Fianna Fail, the Taoiseach has now effectively signalled the end of the water charges saga.

The Irish Examiner understands the system for refunds, amounting to over 300 for some households, will be brought to Cabinet in September with the intention of starting payments then.

In the meantime, officials with Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy and Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe are examining what savings from elsewhere will be used to pay for the refunds.

Mr Varadkar committed in a weekend interview to repay householders by the end of the year.

However, not all water charges will be paid back by then as there are complications for some households, including where payees may have passed away and the issue is settled with their estate.

Irish Water has been tasked with putting together the refunds system, which when it starts, could take up to two months, say senior government sources. The cost of running the new refunds system could also raise upwards the amount needed, bringing it closer to 180m overall, say sources.

We dont want to fall foul with a new system. Consultation is ongoing with the [European] Commission and there are still issues to be ironed out with Fianna Fail and legislation, explained the senior source.

It is understood Fianna Fails housing spokesman Barry Cowen has yet to meet Mr Murphy about the refunds system.

A Dail committee and report earlier this year recommended full refunds for homes. But it was also agreed that basic water usage would be paid for by the exchequer and penalties would be applied for excessive use. While some details for this were agreed, areas have still to be finalised.

Junior foreign affairs minister Ciaran Cannon insisted yesterday the money needed for water refunds would not come from next years budget but from spending this year.

It is understood this will be decided after the Governments spending review is finished shortly.

Former housing minister Simon Coveney last night reiterated that the Government would ensure that meters would be introduced in newly built homes in addition to the refunds.

This article first appeared in the Irish Examiner newspaper.
Update 1.25pm: Taoiseach Leo Varadkar given his backing to moves which would decriminalise possession of a small amount of drugs.

The proposal is contained in a new strategy document entitled Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery  a health led response to drug and alcohol use in Ireland 2017-2025, which also includes recruitment of extra midwives to deal with drug-addicted mothers and babies.

This new national strategy establishes a Working Group to examine alternative approaches to the possession for personal use of small quantities of illegal drugs and report back in 12 months.

It could see a change in direction around how Ireland treats drug use, treating it as a public health, rather than a criminal justice, issue.

I firmly believe we need to do all we can to remove obstacles to rehabilitation, and barriers that prevent people from changing the way they live their lives, said Mr Varadkar.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar - 'Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery' promotes a more compassionate approach to people who use drugs in our society pic.twitter.com/ieepMLrO9u  MerrionStreet.ie (@merrionstreet) July 17, 2017

So I very much welcome the commitment in this strategy to set up a working group to examine the approaches taken in other jurisdictions to dealing with simple possession offences, with a view to reporting within 12 months.

Minister for Health Simon Harris welcomed measures on improving access to drug and alcohol treatment and rehabilitation services.

It is clear that we need to act now to tackle the huge problem we have, as a country, with drug and alcohol use, he said.

If we are to reduce the dreadful harm caused and support recovery, then we must ensure that all of our efforts are person-centred and health-led.

Minister of State for Health Promotion and the National Drugs Strategy, Catherine Byrne stated: Through my involvement in the public consultation for this strategy, I heard how drug and alcohol use affects individuals, families and communities across the country and what key issues should be addressed in the new response.

The need for a more compassionate approach to drug use was raised repeatedly in the course of the consultation, with many people calling for drug use to be treated as a health issue, rather than a criminal issue.

The Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU) has welcomed todays publication of the strategy.

Daragh Connolly, community pharmacist and IPU president, said: Pharmacists have argued that the possession of small amounts of illegal drugs for personal use should be treated as a health problem rather than a criminal issue and that people with drug problems should be given the same level of care as people with other health issues.

Earlier:

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is set to unveil the Government's National Drug Strategy this morning.

The proposals would see a working group established to explore alternative approaches to minor drug use, including a more heath-led approach which could see users caught with small amounts of drugs avoid criminal conviction.

The proposals have been welcomed by campaigners who see current drugs policy as counter-productive and over-expensive  with approximately seven out of every ten drug cases before the courts related to possession for personal use.

However, Dublin-based Lawyer John Hennessy says normalising drugs is not a good thing.

Its easy to say lets decriminalize it, I just think its just not a runner, he said.

Its just not something Id be in favour of. Kids get involved in drugs for the first time the criminal system works. It deviates the from that route and Ive seen it work.
Riot squad teams were deployed over 370 times at Portlaoise maximum security prison last year.

New figures show the Irish Prison Services 'Control and Restraint teams were dispatched 273 times at Mountjoy while, riot teams were called into action 102 times at Cloverhill in 2016.

According to the Prison Officers Association, the numbers indicate the level of risk faced by prison officers in this country on the job every day.

John Cuffe, criminologist and a former senior prison officer outlines when control teams are deployed.

"We call in a control and restraint team when your staff are in danger and other prisoners are in danger," he said.

"It's to quell that disturbance and outbreak of trouble as quickly and as efficiently as possible with the least amount of risk and damage to the people involved."
EU foreign ministers are set to agree a fresh round of sanctions against the Syrian regime of Bashar Assad over its use of chemical weapons against its own people.

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said 16 named military officers and scientists would be subjected to travel bans and asset freezes when ministers meet in Brussels on Monday.
The brother of President Hassan Rouhani has been detained and an unnamed US citizen sentenced to 10 years behind bars for "infiltrating" the country.

The identity of the US citizen did not directly match the background of anyone known to be held in the Islamic republic.

Mr Rouhani's brother, Hossein Fereidoun, was taken into custody over allegations of financial impropriety and is eligible for bail but has not paid it yet, said judiciary spokesman Gholamhosein Mohseni Ejehi.

Mr Fereidoun is a close confidante of the moderate president, a cleric who changed his surname to Rouhani, meaning "spiritual," after joining the seminary decades ago.

He was part of the negotiating team that sealed Iran's landmark nuclear deal with world powers in 2015, winning the country relief from international sanctions in exchange for limits on its atomic energy program.

The deal was unpopular with Iranian hard-liners, whose influence runs deep within the judiciary. They saw the nuclear deal as giving too much away in exchange for too little.

Mr Fereidoun has long been a target of hard-liners, who accused him of misdeeds including money laundering and misappropriation of government funds.

The unproven allegations were a flashpoint during the May presidential election, with the president's hard-line challengers demanding that the judiciary investigate accusations against Mr Fereidoun.

Mr Rouhani trounced his nearest opponent to secure a second term in office in the first round of voting.

The US citizen whose sentence was also announced faces 10 years in prison.

"It was verified and determined that he was gathering (information) and was involved in infiltration," said Mr Ejehi although he did not elaborate on what specific charges led to the conviction, which he said could be appealed against, or say when the verdict was handed down.

The suspect was described as a dual national of the United States and another foreign country.

The US state department was not immediately able to provide any details on the case.

"The Iranian regime continues to detain US citizens and other foreigners on fabricated national security-related changes," it said in a statement.

"We call for the immediate release of all US citizens unjustly detained in Iran so they can return to their families."

The US does not maintain formal diplomatic relations with Tehran and warns its citizens, particularly dual nationals, that they risk arrest or being barred from leaving Iran.

Mr Ejehi could have been referring to Nizar Zakka, a US permanent resident from Lebanon who advocates for internet freedom.

He lives in Washington DC and has done work for the US government. He went missing in Iran in September 2015.

Permanent residents do not hold American citizenship, but they have the right to live in the US indefinitely and are eligible to apply for it after living in the country for several years.

But Mr Zakka was already known to have been sentenced to 10 years behind bars last year after being accused of espionage-related charges.

Mr Ejehi may also have been referring to Iranian-American art gallery manager Karan Vafadari, who was detained along with his Iranian wife last year. They have yet to be convicted of a crime.

Other American dual nationals who have been taken into custody and remain in Iran include Iranian-American businessman Siamak Namazi and his 81-year-old father, Baquer Namazi.

They are both serving 10-year sentences for "cooperating with the hostile American government."

Another Iranian-American, Robin Shahini, was released on bail last year after staging a weeks-long hunger strike while serving an 18-year prison sentence for "collaboration with a hostile government."

Still missing is former FBI agent Robert Levinson, who vanished in Iran in 2007 while on an unauthorised CIA mission.

AP
That it is ridiculous and risible is obvious to even a casual analysis, but we have seen with Donald Trump and the British with Brexit that mere foolishness does not deter from a course of action.

So lets look at the economics and politics of Irexit.

Irexit is a policy which is pushed, domestically, by a few. Most all of these are older white males.

This is a reality; two facts follow: The deleterious effects of any Irexit would happen long after most lifespans. Second, aging western white male baby boomers are perhaps the single most insulated group on the planet when it comes to economic and political dislocation.

With little skin in the game, its a parlour game, an intellectual exercise, a gadfly exercise in what- iffery.

The most recent contribution to the debate was from Ray Bassett, a former Irish ambassador, who wrote a position paper for the UK ginger group Policy Exchange.

In the UK, proponents of Irexit make for a startling insight into the Brexiteers.

Some are out and out revanchists, such as Nigel Lawson, ex-chancellor of the exchequer, who suggest Ireland should, post-Brexit, rejoin the UK.

Others, such as Melanie Phillips, a Times columnist, previously doubted the legitimacy of the Irish State and suggest Ireland leave the EU to form a free trade area with the UK.

Others, such as the DUPs Ian Paisley Jr, seem to think that because Brexit will be so wonderful, the Republic should also quit the EU.

Ian Jr also famously urged his DUP supporters to take out an Irish passport, presumably because Brexit will be so wonderful.

All this is reminiscent of the angst in the UK over migration, which exploded post-EU enlargement despite the majority of migration coming from former UK colonies.

The political right in UK seems to be able to draw fine distinctions between their migrants (ex-colonies) and others, Poles, Romanians, and whoever, from far off countries of whom they know little. Then we have the economics of Irexit.

Since 1992, with the adoption of the single market, we have seen a remarkable shift from dependence on the UK, in both imports and exports and in goods and services.

Leaving aside concerns to the nature of some of the flows around services, the trend is undeniable and is long term. We have moved from an economic appendage of the UK to a small but integrated cog in the global economic system.

Does anyone think tax alone would keep the multinational sector anchored here? The reality is large swathes of our exports in services and goods are dominated by multinationals. Leaving the single market would sever this base.

An exception is the agribusiness market which is both domestically owned and generally small scale. It has a disproportional exposure to the UK. The reality is that the UK outside the customs union and single market will be harder to crack.

But we export more in education services than in beverages; we export three times or more manufactured goods than food; we export six times more in chemicals and related goods; and value-added by industry or by distribution and transport is more than 10 times that of agriculture. Seeking Irexit on the basis it would be good for agribusiness is seeking to amputate a hand for a broken finger.

Brexit will be disruptive. The EU has made it clear, as it has to, there will be no frictionless borders between the union and the UK.

Irish SMEs need to be helped to reorientate from any dependence on the UK. This is our challenge and our opportunity.

Brian Lucey is professor of finance at the School of Business, Trinity College Dublin.
According to figures released by the Minister for Justice, Charlie Flanagan, the largest concentration is in the Dublin North and North-East areas, where 32 are living.

A further 24 are living in the Dublin South and Wicklow area, while 23 have addresses in the West and North-West  excluding Westmeath.

In his reply, Mr Flanagan confirmed that a further 22 are living in the Midlands and the South-East, with 19 living in the South-West. The 120 subject to post- supervision orders represents an increase of six on the total for this time last year.

In the US, under the so-called Megans Law, State authorities disclose to the public the addresses of freed sex offenders and the crimes of which they have been convicted.

In the UK, Sarahs Law allows parents to ask the police if someone who might have contact with their children has a criminal record for child sex offences.

However, a 2015 study showed that just one in six applications was successful, with police citing vigilantism fears as part of the reasons for withholding details.

No such provision exists in Irish law relating to the gardai having to disclose the addresses of freed convicted sex offenders.

Around 1,000 sex offenders are obliged to provide local gardai of their address and any change when moving. However, post-supervision orders go a step further where they require offenders to undergo psychological counselling or other treatment.

Those sex offenders who breach post-release supervision conditions are liable to prison terms not exceeding 12 months.

Mr Flanagan said that figures relating to non-compliance of supervision orders are not readily available.

In a separate Dail reply to Fianna Fail TD Jim OCallaghan, Mr Flanagan confirmed there are currently three sex offenders and one killer currently on temporary release.

The latest figures from the Irish Prison Service show there has been a steady increase in those jailed for sexual offences this year.

At the end of May, the figures show that there were 394 sex offenders jailed  or 8% of the prison population  and this represents a rise of six on April and eight on March when 386 sex offenders were behind bars.

Around three quarters of the sex offenders in jail are incarcerated in the Midlands prison with other quarter jailed at Arbour Hill.

Barbara Clinton, chairwoman of AdVic, an advocacy charity for families affected by homicide, said temporary release poses huge problems for victims.

It has to be traumatising for any family to know the person who killed their loved one is going to be out walking about  and their loved one isnt. And theyre going to have to face them. That is a nightmare in itself, she said.

Ms Clinton said families were entitled to be informed about the relevant prisoners release, but they currently have to opt in for this entitlement.
The Office Europeen de Lutte Anti-Fraude (OLAF) confirmed the move last night after spending weeks examining concerns that hundreds of thousands of euro in EU grants may have been misused since 1998.

As previously reported by the Irish Examiner, the anti-fraud agency has been carrying out a preliminary examination of issues at the Garda college. Unlike the Dail Public Accounts Committee investigation into the college, which will be published tomorrow, the OLAF inquiry was focussed solely on concerns over how large amounts of EU grants meant for frontline services were instead transferred to a private account. The account was based in the AIB branch in Cabra, Dublin City, and controlled by a former high-ranking garda.
The man was arrested in the Dublin area and was last night detained at Swords Garda Station under the provisions of Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984.

The victim was understood to have been out socialising and became involved in an altercation in the early hours of yesterday morning.
In an interview with the Irish Examiner, Mr Creed said there was a lot of kerfuffle coming from British ministers. There is no political coherence there. There is no leadership on Brexit. Various ministers talk about hard Brexit, soft Brexit, no deal being better than a bad deal. The worst possible deal is no deal, both for them and for us.

The lack of any coherence is a huge problem for us and until they get their act together, what we are trying to do... It appears to me that the instability is spilling over, impacting on the kind of Brexit. There is no coherence.

Instead, the minister said British businesses were growing a backbone and are now filling a vacuum, which is there in terms of leadership.

This lack of leadership, and a potential heave looming against May, as Tory leader, had also put any progress on Brexit negotiations on ice, he suggested. I would suspect that youre in a situation where theres going to be a leadership challenge to Theresa May and, until that issue is firmly resolved, therell be no coherence around their strategy.

The remarks, while an honest assessment of Ms Mays handling of Brexit talks, will likely incense London and potentially undermine British-Irish relations.

Members of both parliaments gather today in Kilkenny for the British-Irish parliamentary assembly, where problems with Brexit will be centre-stage when MPs and TDs meet.

Nonetheless, Mr Creed is not alone in his concerns over Britains weakening response to Brexit.

Last week, German politicians told Irish counterparts visiting Berlin, including Fine Gael senators, that the British response to Brexit was a disgrace and farcical.

Fisheries has become the first casualty in an emerging split between Ireland and Britain over Brexit.

Britain is threatening to close off access to its waters, an area where Ireland fishes 60% of our mackerel and 43% of our prawns, as part of a total 1bn industry that employs 11,000.

Equally, a hard Brexit will hurt Irelands 253,000 tons of beef exports to Britain, if international tariffs are slapped on Irish goods.

Mr Creed insists Ireland is prepared for the challenges of Brexit. But pressure must continue to be applied on EU counterparts about the implications of a hard Brexit. Am I happy now? Absolutely not. This is an existential challenge for the agri-food sector.

The minister will also seek more funds in the upcoming budget to Brexit-proof exporters. He said a tough game was being played with London, whose ministers in Whitehall have been told that if they close the door on open trade, that their own exports will suffer.

What we are saying is listen, if you want to sell your Nissans from Sunderland into the EU market, or if you want to passport your financial products out of the City of London into the EU, we want, as part of that overall trade agreement, we want the issue of the fisheries sector to be part of the overall trade agreement, not dealt with in isolation. That is a shared analysis that we have with key member states, including France and Germany.

Mr Creed also spoke about huge pressure he faced in Cork to vote for Simon Coveney during the Fine Gael leadership race.

While Taoiseach Leo Varadkar embodied a new Ireland, the gloss would rub off in six months time, predicted the agriculture minister, when the leader would then be judged on his track record.
While the Government must still get EU approval for refunds and pass legislation with support from Fianna Fail, the Taoiseach has now effectively signalled the end of the water charges saga.

The Irish Examiner understands the system for refunds, amounting to over 300 for some households, will be brought to Cabinet in September with the intention of starting payments then.

In the meantime, officials with Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy and Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe are examining what savings from elsewhere will be used to pay for the refunds.

Mr Varadkar committed in a weekend interview to repay householders by the end of the year. However, not all water charges will be paid back by then as there are complications for some households, including where payees may have passed away and the issue is settled with their estate.

Irish Water has been tasked with putting together the refunds system, which when it starts, could take up to two months, say senior government sources. The cost of running the new refunds system could also raise upwards the amount needed, bringing it closer to 180m overall, say sources.

We dont want to fall foul with a new system. Consultation is ongoing with the [European] Commission and there are still issues to be ironed out with Fianna Fail and legislation, explained the senior source.

It is understood Fianna Fails housing spokesman Barry Cowen has yet to meet Mr Murphy about the refunds system.

A Dail committee and report earlier this year recommended full refunds for homes. But it was also agreed that basic water usage would be paid for by the exchequer and penalties would be applied for excessive use. While some details for this were agreed, areas have still to be finalised.

Junior foreign affairs minister Ciaran Cannon insisted yesterday the money needed for water refunds would not come from next years budget but from spending this year.

It is understood this will be decided after the Governments spending review is finished shortly.

Former housing minister Simon Coveney last night reiterated that the Government would ensure that meters would be introduced in newly built homes in addition to the refunds.
In Turkey, where President Recep Tayyip Erdogans government has been centralising political power, opposition parties have had few reasons to be optimistic. This months massive rally in Istanbul was a rare

exception.

On July 9, after walking for 25 days from the capital, Ankara, Turkeys main opposition leader, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, urged supporters to resist the decline in democratic freedoms.

We will be breaking down the walls of fear, Mr Kilicdaroglu told a crowd of hundreds of thousands. The last day of our justice march is a new beginning, a new step.

The question now is whether Turkeys divided political opposition can move beyond rhetoric, and mount a meaningful, unified challenge to Mr Erdogans political hegemony.

The party that Mr Kilicdaroglu leads, the Republican Peoples Party (CHP), commands a high level of support from Turks frustrated by Mr Erdogans majority rule. But in Turkeys constrained political environment, and with a popular, if polarising, president still at the helm, opposition leaders face a struggle to maintain the momentum they have established.

When I spoke with Mr Kilicdaroglu, a few days before his arrival in Istanbul, as he approached the city limits, he sounded as surprised as anyone by the protests size, and was keenly aware of the difficulties that loomed.

The march was an unplanned reaction to the arrest of Enis Berberoglu, a former editor-in chief of the mainstream Hurriyet newspaper, and a CHP member of parliament.

However, the marchs more concrete objectives, like its route, became known only after the 450km protest got underway. By the time Mr Kilicdaroglu arrived in Istanbul, marchers were calling for economic equity, educational opportunity, gender equality, and a guarantee of non-discrimination on the basis of ethnicity, religion, or cultural identity.

Mr Kilicdaroglu, meanwhile, said his goal was the complete remodelling of the Turkish state, with clear limits on executive authority by a re-empowered parliament, an impartial judiciary, and a free media. Forging a coherent political platform from such a diverse array of objectives will test the CHP leadership.

In recent years, spontaneous demonstrations, like the one just completed, have not delivered the reforms participants have sought.

In May, 2013, for example, huge crowds gathered to challenge the governments plans to develop Istanbuls Gezi Park; the demonstrations ended with no real political impact. A similar outcome is possible this time.

Nonetheless, polling numbers seem to suggest that the public is increasingly behind Kilicdaroglu. According to a survey published by Research Istanbul on the day of the rally, support for the march was 43%, which is about 17 percentage points higher than the CHPs approval ratings.

In other words, CHP marchers drew support from outside their base, a sign of Turkeys deepening disillusionment with the status quo.

Supporters included members of the pro-Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party (HDP), 83% of whom approved of the protest. It resonated with members of Mr Erdogans own Justice and Development Party (AKP), too; 10% of AKP members surveyed said they supported the marchs objectives.

With his unexpected, unplanned civil disobedience, Mr Kilicdaroglu seems to have consolidated his role as the leader of a larger, somewhat fragmented, opposition. In the year since last Julys failed coup, the governments inevitable, but overly heavy-handed response has alienated many Turks.

With emergency rule still in effect, a growing segment of the public, it seems, is receptive to the oppositions calls to strengthen the rule of law.

Mr Erdogans narrow victory in Aprils constitutional referendum, which granted the president sweeping new powers to dissolve Parliament, issue decrees, and unilaterally appoint judges, deepened the oppositions resolve. But it also helped push more Turks into the oppositions embrace.

According to a Research Istanbul survey, among those who voted no to the referendum, 85% stood with Mr Kilicdaroglu marchers. Tellingly, 7% of those who voted yes did as well.

It is too early to speculate whether Mr Kilicdaroglus march will have a lasting impact on Turkeys political direction. But, at the very least, it has reframed expectations for the countrys next presidential election, now scheduled for November 2019.

But even with the modest gains made earlier this month, Mr Erdogan remains a formidable opponent, and there is still a long road to walk if Mr Kilicdaroglus new beginning for Turkey is to be realised.

Sinan Ulgen is executive chairman of the Istanbul-based Center for Economics and Foreign Policy Studies, and a visiting scholar at Carnegie Europe in Brussels.

Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2017.
Today, the counter reaches zero.

More than 20,000 people have liked the Facebook page, and hundreds interact with its daily posts. In the past two years, the majority of the updates have been motivational messages, words of comfort for those who have lost a loved one.

Most users hit like on each message, or post a heart or a tearful emoji as a small, instant token of solidarity. Of those who leave a comment  and each post usually attracts dozens  many repeat the same message: #JusticeForJason.

Over the past week, the Bring Justice For Jason page has been counting down to today, Monday, July 17, when a murder trial that will be watched keenly on both sides of the Atlantic gets under way.

The trial at the centre of international attention is not a hearing to determine who killed Limerick man Jason Corbett. We know that his wife, Molly Martens, 35, and her father Thomas Martens, 67, took the Irish businessmans life on August 2, 2015 in his North Carolina home.

What the jury sworn in this week will seek to determine is whether the Martens acted in self-defence during the altercation that led to the 39-year-olds death  or if they were aggressors who unlawfully killed the father of two.

If the pre-trial wranglings between the defence and prosecution are anything to go by, the trial will be a contentious affair, during which allegations of abuse and aggression will fly in both directions.

What is beyond doubt is that at 3.04am on the morning in question, Thomas Martens made an emergency call from the master bedroom of the house his daughter shared with Jason Corbett and Jasons two children from a previous marriage. The tape of the 911 call was subsequently released to the media.

My daughters husband, my son-in-law, got in a fight with my daughter. I intervened and I think hes in bad shape. We need help, the former FBI official told operators.

Hes bleeding all over and I may have killed him.

By the time the emergency services arrived, Jason Corbett was dead  his autopsy report showed he died as a result of blunt force head trauma. The pathologist found that Corbett suffered multiple lacerations, abrasions, and contusions of the head, extensive skull fractures and haemorrhages, as well as other blunt-force injuries: scattered abrasions and contusions of torso and extremities.

It states that according to the case call, Mr Corbett was apparently involved in an altercation in which he was possibly struck with a baseball bat and/or landscaping stone.

Beyond that, we are relying on accounts from the Martens, and evidence from the investigating police, to fill in the rest of the story.

Jason Corbett was buried in his native Limerick after his funeral Mass at Our Lady Queen of Peace Church. He had allegedly been planning to return to Ireland with his children. Picture: Liam Burke/Press 22

Neither the account from the Martens nor the prosecutions narrative will go unchallenged, and the custody battle over Mr Corbetts children and the pre-trial submissions indicate that there will be testimony that will upset and enrage both the deceaseds family and those who support the accused.

The battle for custody of Mr Corbetts two children was the first indication that the fallout from his death would be acrimonious.

Just weeks after his death, Mr Corbetts sister Tracey Lynch and her husband David won custody of Jack, 12, and Sarah, 10, having flown from Limerick to North Carolina following

Mr Corbetts death.

Mr Corbetts first wife Margaret  mother to Jack and Sarah  died following an asthma attack in 2006.

In 2008, Mr Corbett hired Ms Martens as an au pair for the children. The pair eventually became romantically involved and married in 2011. However, Mr Corbetts will predated his marriage to Ms Martens, and named his sister as the childrens guardian. In his ruling, Clerk of the Superior Court, Brian Shipwash said the children were citizens of Ireland.

If the fact pattern were just the opposite, and they were United States citizens, I would want to bring these children back to the US, where the extended family would be waiting to embrace them, he said.

However that was not the end of the custody battle, and Ms Martens launched an

appeal that was lost the following December when Superior Court Judge Ted Royster upheld Shipwashs ruling.

Ms Martens took to Facebook to criticise the decision.

Our lives do not matter in the eyes of the law, she wrote. A will made when you were infants, and before I came into your lives is what matters.

I am heartbroken, and devastatingly sorry. Our lives together may not have mattered in the eyes of the Law, but they are what matters most to me.

Jack and Sarah  I love you and will always be your mommy, she wrote.

While relieved at the ruling, the Corbett family was upset at Ms Martens decision to appeal the August decision, drawing out the custody battle for another three months.

The crux of this, to be brutally honest, is that the deliberate, obstructive, cruel, way that the Martens family is carrying out this prolonged pain on my family is unforgivable, Jasons brother, John, told RTE following Molly Martens appeal to the custody ruling.

If she genuinely loved those children and was remorseful for the brutal death of my brother it wouldnt have gone this far, he said.

However, while the public pronouncements on boths sides evidently pointed to proceedings fraught with ill feelings on both sides, it was not until court documents from the custody battle were released that a full picture of the animosity that existed was revealed.

It would later emerge that, during the custody battle, Ms Lynch made a series of allegations against Ms Martens.

She described Ms Martens as unstable, and desperate for affection, punishing the children if they did not call her mom.

There was regular conflict and Molly was very erratic in terms of she would lose control quite quickly and equally be very calm in a short period of time. It was very distressing. It was disconcerting, Ms Lynch told the court.

It was also alleged that Ms Martens would drink margaritas when minding the children, and when driving. These claims were denied by Ms Martens during the custody hearing, and again by her family when the court papers were later released to the media.

The children will be central to the case  as will the judges decision as to what statements made by Jack and Sarah, if any, the jury will be allowed to hear.

Unlike here in Ireland, the Superior Court of Davidson County in North Carolina has released to the media documentation on the pre-trial motions filed by both sides  all of which give some insight into the arguments both the defence and prosecution will put to the jury. Both sides have sought to block the jury from hearing different interviews Mr Corbetts children gave following his death.

First, the defence for the Martens claimed that a video statement by Jack that was recorded on May 27, 2016, is hearsay, was obtained under coercive circumstances, and is not sufficiently trustworthy to be admissible.

In documents filed with the court, the defence argued that the video statement attempts to contradict prior statements during which the Corbett children described incidents of verbal and physical abuse by Jason Corbett inflicted upon Molly Corbett.

Molly Martens and her father Thomas. In a 911 call on the night Jason Corbett died he said: My son-in-law got in a fight with my daughter. I intervened and I think hes in bad shape. We need help.

In the days following their fathers death, both children were interviewed by Social Services officials, and specialists at a childrens advocacy centre called the Dragonfly House, with detectives observing the interviews behind a two-way mirrored glass wall.

The documents submitted by the defence said: Sarah reported that: her dad started fights with her mom for ridiculous reasons; he would hurt her mom; he would scream at her mom every day and sometimes twice a day; he would call her mom names on a daily basis; he would call her mom a lot on the phone; she saw her dad step on her moms foot, pull her moms hair, roll over her moms foot with the car, hit her mom in the face and call her mom names like worthless.

It further claimed: Jack reported that: his dad would physically and verbally abuse his mom; he would punch, hit and push her; he saw her [sic] dad push her [sic] mom down one time because he wanted to look through her phone; his dad would cuss and scream at her; his mom would cry and try to block her ears; his dads anger was worse over the past few months, he would scream, get mad and cuss more, he was getting angrier; his mom would try to get him to stop but his dad was strong; his mom would scream for him to stop but sometimes she would just ball up under the covers and block her ears.

In the same documents, the defence claimed that the state subsequently procured the video interview with Jack Corbett which was conducted in Mrs Lynchs Limerick home, under coercive circumstances without any of the safeguards to ensure trustworthiness or reliability.

In a subsequent motion, the Martens defence was successful in its bid to secure copies of the notes made by the specialist pediatrician who saw the children at the Dragonfly House.

In granting the subpoena seeking the records, the court also ordered Mr Corbetts cardiologist to release his medical records to the defence attorneys.

Ms Martens attorney said they believed the records may contain information that will be favourable for her defence case.

Dr Evelyn Amy Suttle of the Dragonfly House was instructed to produce all medical records, reports, notes, forms, or other documents generated relating to the medical examinations of Jack and Sarah Corbett during their time at the childrens advocacy centre.

A pre-trial hearing was held last month, at which the judge deferred his ruling on what, if any, statements made by the children will be admissible as evidence. Crucially, this hearing was told that Jack Corbett said he lied about witnessing any domestic abuse inflicted on Ms Martens by his father.

He said he felt really bad about it. He said he wanted to tell the police he lied, Ms Lynch told the hearing last month.

The Martens will plead self-defence, and it is clear from the pre-trial motions they have submitted to date that their defence strategy is to characterise Mr Corbett as an abusive man who died following his father-in-laws intervention in a row the deceased had with his wife.

Prosecutors will tell another story however  one of a woman motivated by money and an account of events that doesnt add up.

Investigating officers submitted their own documents to the court, statements that claim the evidence at the scene of death were not consistent with the fight described by the Martens.

Neither Ms Martens nor her father suffered any injuries during the alleged struggle, according to an application for a search warrant made by Detective BM Smith.

Throughout my law enforcement career, I have been in several, of what would be described as uncontrolled fights.

In my opinion; the struggle described was not consistent with the evidence at the scene, particularly the master bedroom, Det Smith wrote in the application.

In the documents, investigators outlined how Mr Martens and his wife changed their plans to visit Mr Corbetts home the day before his death  something that was considered unusual for Mr Martens.

The Martens stayed in the basement guestroom of the Corbett home on the night Mr Corbett died.

Jason Corbett

Giving his account, Mr Martens said he went to investigate a disturbance in the house while his wife stayed in the basement. He said that he was in possession of a baseball bat because he had brought it to the house with the intention of giving it to Mr Corbetts son as a gift. Mr Martens said he arrived to find Mr Corbett choking his daughter.

The accused also said a concrete paving brick was used to strike Mr Corbett.

The provenance of the baseball bat could prove to be a crucial aspect of the forthcoming trial.

While Mr Martens said he had it with him as a gift, the police have put forward a conflicting account.

Court documents reveal Mr Corbetts son had told a counsellor that Mr Martens had already gifted him a baseball bat the previous summer. Investigators also said that they have viewed pictures of the young boy playing with the bat, which had been shared on social media.

I have probable cause to believe that the baseball bat used to assault Jason Paul Corbett may have come from the sports equipment bag used by Jack Corbett and stored in the garage, Detective Lt WS Thompson wrote.

Aside from doubting the Martens versions of events on the night, the prosecution will also claim that Mr Corbett planned to move his children back to Ireland, that there were marital difficulties between Mr Corbett and Ms Martens, that financial considerations were at play  and that all of this had a factor in the Limerickmans death.

Mr Corbetts friends, co-workers, and family told the police that he had been planning a trip home to Ireland. It was also alleged he discussed transferring large sums of money from a US bank to a bank in Ireland.

The Ireland trip was allegedly for the purpose of moving him and his minor children back to his native homeland permanently, Detective Lt WS Thompson wrote in another search

warrant application.

Investigators also said Mr Corbett had expressed intentions of not inviting his wife, Molly Corbett, to join them on the trip [back to Ireland] and that him and the children were not going to return to the United States.

It is the detail in these search warrants  and their release to the media  that featured heavily in last months defence application to have the trial moved from Davidson County to another jurisdiction. The Martens attempt to have their trial moved to another court is based upon claims that media attention and other

issues have denied them the right to a fair trial.

Court papers show the Martens legal counsel argued the trial should be moved to another location on the grounds that a substantial prejudice exists against the defendants in Davidson County such that they cannot obtain a fair and impartial trial.

The lawyers argued the media both in North Carolina and in Ireland have published initial inaccurate and misleading allegations in the police search warrants which were released by the court.

It was also claimed that the clerk of Davidson County made improper contact with Mr Corbetts family in Ireland on the issue of his estate and the guardianship proceedings over Mr Corbetts two children.

They further alleged that Davidson Countys Sheriffs Office  who investigated Mr Corbetts death  have developed an inordinately close relationship to the family of Mr Corbett and the Irish media.

The documents allege that the family of Mr Corbett has undertaken an extensive social media campaign to sway public opinion against the defendant, which has included direct threats to the defendant and her family as well as Facebook and website postings critical of the defendant.

The Martens legal team also claimed the pre-trial publicity, including the custody battle over Mr Corbetts children, among local media and the word of mouth in Davidson County would prejudice the trial.

The State of North Carolina however, called on the court to deny the motion.

In its response, the state described the arguments as irrelevant and unpersuasive, claiming that its rejection of details set out in the warrant applications filed to the court merely sets forth the defences version of the facts.

After the two-day pre-trial hearing last month, Judge David Lee denied the motion to move the trial to the city of Mocksville in a neighbouring county.

The defence has failed to find existing community prejudice that they cant

receive a fair trial, Judge Lee said. There is no showing of prejudice in the investigation or proceedings... to preclude selection of an impartial jury.

Somewhat ironically, given the amount of transparency in the pre-trial process, Judge Lee has ruled that there will be no cameras in his courtroom for the trial.

His decision was announced on Friday, when it was also revealed that the Martens have filed a late motion that, if successful, would prevent the prosecution from making any remark about Jason Corbett being a non-violent person.

While the prosecution will be first to make its case, the motion seeks that they be prohibited from submitting claims that Jason Corbett was a non-violent, peaceful person and/or that Jason Corbett had a reputation for peacefulness.

Molly and Thomas Martens stand accused of second-degree murder and voluntary manslaughter. They deny the charges.

Today at 2.30pm Irish time, the process of picking a jury will begin in Courtroom C of the Davidson County Courthouse.

After two years of animosity, the countdown to a verdict will begin.
It is not a bad thing for us, that the route known as the Goldene Strae or the Golden Road as we will get to know it- has escaped the attention of so many. It has been spared being overrun by hordes of tourists and as you will discover the
ERIC Eoin Marques was sure he knew his way around the law and he ignored warnings that his activities could attract FBI attention, dismissing them with a grinning emoji.

I think the feds have better things to do, he wrote in an online chatroom for web-technology enthusiasts, before signing off with the smiley face.

That was in early 2012, after Marques, sitting in his bedroom in a flat in Dublins north inner-city, took to the forum to complain that his German internet service provider, Hetzner, had disconnected one of his servers, over what he called a fake child-porn complaint.

His gripe was essentially about Hetzners customer service  he claimed he got less than an hours notice that he was to be cut off and, when he contacted the company, the person dealing with the matter had gone home and would not be available until the following day.

The site in question contains no child porn. It is a site with Japanese cartoons, and has been on the server since 2006, he added, almost incidentally.

But others in the chatroom were quick to spot the bigger issue. You do realise that in many countries, even imagery (real or not) depicting underage sex can be cause for legal recourse? wrote one American contributor.

Your page has countless things written on it that could get you in trouble here in the USA, the contributor continued. You need to talk to a lawyer, or something, to make sure what youre doing is legal.

Marques remained untroubled. Its not actually my site. Its a free hosting customer, he replied.

Before the complaint today, I did not even know this site existed. There are 30k+ accounts on that one server alone. I do not live in the US and the server is in Germany.

Hell on Earth

Another forum member tried to push the point. You could just kick them off. Whats the point in hosting lolicon for someone who pays nothing, he wrote of the doe-eyed, prepubescent cartoon girls, in sexually suggestive poses, which originated in Japan, but which have an international following.

Another went so far as to cite the section of German law under which the content fell, defending Hetzner for acting so quickly, or else the company would face hell on earth with German law enforcement.

Marques just went on complaining about how he much hed been inconvenienced, prompting the first contributor, and two newcomers to the conversation, to step up their warnings.

The first noted that Marques had advertised his company as US-based. If certain federal agencies here in the US were to be tipped off about this, youd have some knocks on your door and be in some serious trouble, he wrote.

I would strongly suggest finding a way to audit these 30,000 free accounts you have hosted, before you end up finding yourself in jail over kiddie porn.

Marques remained unconcerned. I think the feds have better things to do then [sic] go after cartoons, he replied.

Naive

The smiley face that followed was as naive as it was nonchalant. Less than 18 months later, the FBI had secured an extradition warrant for Marques and had requested that gardai arrest him.

For the four years since then, this young Irishman has been in prison fighting extradition to the United States, where he is wanted to stand trial on offences that could have him in jail for the rest of his life.

Its a case that has thrown a spotlight on the delicacies of inter-country extradition arrangements, the secret workings of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the scant provisions within criminal justice systems for accused persons with mental health or intellectual difficulties, and the complexities for police forces investigating international, web-based crime.

And if it ever does result in a criminal trial, then added to the mix will be the evil at the heart of the whole saga  the sickening industry of child sexual abuse.

It was a case, and a defendant, that came out of nowhere. Before Thursday, August 1, 2013, few gardai had heard of Eric Eoin Marques, and then only because their counterparts in the FBI had him under investigation, and had sought discreet assistance in monitoring his movements over the previous year.

When they felt ready to move on him, the FBI secured an extradition warrant from a court in Maryland, on July 29, and contacted the Irish authorities, requesting his arrest.

Anonymous

He had no previous convictions and had never come to the attention of the authorities. The FBI special agent who pursued him described him as anonymous.

Now, he was standing before a High Court judge, being described by that same agent as the largest facilitator of child porn on the planet.

The Irish courts dont usually hear language like that. Had it been a detective garda giving evidence, convention has it that a more restrained description would have been used.

He would have been a significant facilitator of child porn, maybe even very significant. Just how significant would have been left up to the trial to reveal.

But Special Agent Brooke Donahue wasnt holding back. He made it very clear the US authorities regarded Marques as a key target and wanted him on US soil to face prosecution as soon as possible.

FBI Special Agent Brooke Donahue at the Court of Criminal Justice in Dublin. He made it very clear the US authorities regarded Marques as a key target and wanted him on US soil to face prosecution.

And he wasnt embellishing. If his investigation proved correct, Marques was the technological lynchpin for a global darknet enterprise engaged in the buying, selling, and distributing of child pornography on a vast scale.

Torture

Pornography is the sanitised way to describe it. What the FBI investigation had found was a large number of websites depicting extremely violent and graphic child sex abuse, including rape and torture. Some of the victims were babies.

Four charges awaited Marques  distributing child pornography, conspiring to distribute, advertising child pornography, and conspiring to advertise.

The exact details of the charges were not revealed. Possibly, given the gravity of what the FBI outlined in court, the Japanese cartoons didnt even feature in the

indictment.

These are charges that carry prison terms of up to 30 years apiece and, in aggravating circumstances, life imprisonment.

Also, because consecutive sentences are more common in the US than in Ireland, where multiple sentences usually run concurrently, even a series of convictions with lower sentences could put Marques behind bars for life.

The decision to turn an Irish citizen over to another country for trial under a foreign criminal justice system is never one taken lightly, so, despite notional deadlines of 90 days for a decision, extradition cases can, in reality, be protracted, complex affairs.

Marques was briefed on how things would play out, now that the US had hit the extradition button, and, on that first day, when he was brought before the High Court, in Dublin, he sought to be released on bail until the Irish authorities response to the US request had been determined.

Escape plan

Both the gardai and FBI objected to the bail application, citing Marquess frequent travel and the fear he would try to leave the country, if freed from custody.

Checks on his computer revealed he had recently made online searches for information on how to get a visa for Russia.

Large sums of money were on the move through his bank accounts and, given his technological expertise, it was feared that, if freed, he would try to tamper with evidence, by accessing the internet systems he worked in and deleting or corrupting content.

Marques didnt look like a man of travel, of money, of highly valued IT prowess  or of links to the lowest form of humanity.

He had an unremarkable appearance and a slightly gormless demeanour. He lacked both swagger and nerves.

But he was also less than convincing.

He told the court his research into Russian visas was sparked by curiosity about Edward Snowden, the computer programmer and CIA contractor who leaked information about US mass surveillance operations and who fled to Russia to avoid espionage charges.

In other circumstances, it might have been credible that one computer nerd was simply following the travails of another, out of professional inquisitiveness, but Mr Justice Paul Gilligan was inclined towards the FBI theory that Marques was checking out his options for fleeing the jurisdiction.

Marques barrister stressed that his client had surrendered both his Irish and US passports to gardai and would abide by any terms and conditions laid down, if he got bail.

Girlfriend

But the court also heard that he had been travelling regularly to Romania, where he was also routing large sums of money. Marques claimed he had an ex-girlfriend there, who he was helping out financially, as well as a friend who needed money to set up a business.

Again, the explanation was hard to swallow and, passport or no passport, Romania didnt seem like too big a leap for a man with international contacts, and large sums of cash at his disposal.

Mr Justice Gilligan denied bail and ordered Marques back to prison for a week.

It was to be the first of many adjournments over the next four years, as Marques dug in, using every legal avenue open to him to try to avoid extradition.

Yet despite the length of time he has been in detention, and his numerous court appearances, little enough has emerged publicly about him.

New York

Eric Marques was born to an Irish mother and Portuguese father in New York on April 28, 1985, making him 28 years old at the time of his arrest.

His father, Antonio Marques, studied architecture at University College Dublin in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and left almost immediately after graduation, to work in New York for a company specialising in designing and refurbishing high-end homes for the citys rich.

The family, including Erics sister, returned to Ireland in 1991 and Marques senior went to work for Dublin architectural practice, ODea & Moore, but he left there several years later to join Irish Rail as an in-house architect, working on the design and planning of railway buildings, facilities, and infrastructure.

He left Irish Rail in December, 2010, at the age of 58, but returned to the workplace in January, 2012, this time in the United Arab Emirates, where he worked for Etihad Rail. He left there in August, 2013, around the time his son was arrested.

Somewhere along the way, the marriage had broken up and Eric Marques, who did not finish school or go to third-level, moved in, with his father, to an apartment complex at 33 Mountjoy Square, a 25-year-old private development in Dublins north inner-city that, from a distance, retains the shape and style of the original Georgian buildings that still feature in this historic neighbourhood.

From what we know of Marques, he didnt care much for the aesthetics or history of the area. His world was online.

Teen whizz

He was in the business of web-hosting, a legitimate enterprise that provides an essential service to individuals and small companies who need to maintain a website on the internet, but who have neither the budget nor expertise to own and run their own server.

Web-hosts own and maintain servers and use them to publish clients websites to the world wide web, or to a members-only corner of the internet, for a fee. Marques formally registered his company under the name, Host Ultra, in March, 2005, just before his 20th birthday.

But writing a few months afterwards, on the same online chatroom where he would later cause a stir in 2012, he said he had been in operation for three years, meaning he would have started when he was just 16 or 17 years old.

I started Host Ultra with absolutely nothing. I could hardly afford my dial-up internet connection, he wrote.

It was just something to do for fun. I did not expect to make any money from it. I learned a lot by offering free hosting, before I started doing paid. Now, its running for three years and making more money then [sic] I could have ever imagined possible. A complete success.

He didnt give any indication of what type of clients he was attracting, but while web-hosting is above board, anyone entering the business quickly learns that some customers are not just looking for expertise and server space.

They also want anonymity, or, at least, a convoluted trail that makes it difficult to track them as originators of the material they put online.

They want the underground version of the internet  the darknet.

The onion router

Many of those who want to hide their tracks are engaged in copyright infringement  providing footage of sports or entertainment events, copied from subscription services and streamed or shared for a cheaper fee.

Some are plotting revolutions  in their imaginations, if not in reality. Some are paranoid about sharing information and some are justifiably worried. Others are buying and selling everything from illegal drugs to weapons. And some are in the business of child sexual abuse.

The darknet works using Tor, an acronym for The Onion Router, a software that anonymises communications by routing them through a complex international computer network likened to the layers of an onion.

Originally designed to protect communications within the intelligence community in the US, the technology had entered the mainstream in the noughties, championed by diverse communities of online users, from academics to activists.

The potential for abuse was always acknowledged, but, for many, that was a small price to pay to advance the cause of cyberlibertarianism  the use of the internet to enhance the power of the individual free from state interference or oppression.

Marques became one of the biggest providers of Tor-protected services, but not through Host Ultra. Despite using that name to promote his business, and despite having his father on board as a director and submitting annual, audited accounts to the Companies Registration Office, the company never actually traded, never recorded any income, and never paid any taxes.

Marques became better known as the mastermind behind Freedom Hosting, which he established in 2008, but which was not a registered company.

Another company by that name, based in the US and welcoming adult content,

appears to have predated Marquess arrival on the scene and a new one  offering rural dwellers a cheaper alternative to the big internet providers  has since been set up in Australia.

But, generally, when the name Freedom Hosting cropped up in conversation about the web, the operation referred to belonged to Marques and was fast-becoming the largest Tor-based service provider in the world.

Millions

At his second appearance in the High Court, after a week remanded in custody, it was heard that the charges against him related to more than 130 child-abuse websites, each with thousands of members who had posted millions of images of child-sex abuse.

The offences were alleged to have been committed between July, 2008  the year he established Freedom Hosting  and July 29, 2013.

It was alleged he had deliberately sought to obscure his identity, basing himself in Dublin, using servers based in France, but renting a private mailbox facility on the outskirts of Las Vegas as his billing address, and paying for the use of the server by debit card from a US bank account.

Las Vegas was unlikely to have been an accidental choice  the city is in the state of Nevada, where residents pay no income tax.

Another adjournment, and remand in custody, followed to allow for preparation for the full extradition hearing, but, this time, Marques legal team warned they would be making a fresh application for bail, when next in court.

Visited sites

Back in court on September 12, 2013, FBI Special Agent Donahue vigorously opposed bail, standing over his earlier description of Marques as the largest facilitator of child porn in the world, only this time going further to allege that Marques was no absentee landlord type of host, but had direct knowledge of what kind of sites he was hosting.

From his home computer, seized by gardai, he had been tracked visiting sites, had administrator access to at least one of them, and had some element of control over it.

Court documents are more specific, detailing that Marques had personally visited a particular site, dedicated to the exploitation of child pornography, some 412 times, that he had accessed a second, hidden service hosted on his server, which he could only have done if distributing child pornography, and that he had also accessed another service (not on Freedom Hosting), called the Onion Pedo Video Archive, and that he had visited this service some 1,534 times.

Fake passport

That home computer also revealed Marques had been searching for US passport templates and had saved reproductions of passport pages and images of holograms and security features, and that he had researched routes for driving a rental car from Budapest to Romania.

Special Agent Donahue could only draw one conclusion  that Marques was looking for a place to reside to make extradition to the US most difficult. Russia was one such place.

The court heard Marques described as the owner and administrator of Freedom Hosting, a sophisticated, huge, transnational operation, and that he had substantial financial resources, with $1.5m passing through one bank account and 72,000 being transferred to a person in Romania.

Detective Inspector Declan Daly, now a superintendent and head of the Garda National Protective Services Bureau, told the court he was concerned that, if released on bail, Marques could access and destroy websites that might form part of the evidence against him.

It was believed that even after FBI computer experts had accessed the Freedom Hosting server and changed passwords, Marques had made his way into it and locked them out again.

Bail was refused and the case adjourned to October for hearing, but things took an unexpected turn then, with Marques legal team informing the court they would be mounting a legal challenge to have him tried in Ireland.

Plea offer

Following an adjournment to December, 2013, the High Court heard even bigger news  that Marques was offering to plead guilty to the offences, if he was prosecuted in Ireland.

Similar charges here carry a maximum penalty of 14 years in jail. Even if he got the maximum, with standard remission he would be out in just over 10 years. Best-case scenario in the US was estimated to be 25 years with no parole  and the threat of life behind bars remained.

The court heard that the Director of Public Prosecutions had been informed of this development, but had replied that the decision had been taken not to bring proceedings here. No reason was given for the decision.

These were to become the issues that dominated legal proceedings throughout 2014.

The Criminal Court of Justice, Dublin, where Eric Eoin Marquez has battled against extradition to the US. He offered to plead guilty to the offences if tried in Ireland but the DPP refused.

Romania

In January, 2014, Marques indicated that he would be applying for a judicial review of the DPPs decision not to prosecute him here. The question of legal aid also arose. For the previous five months, Marques had solicitors and a barrister representing him and the bills were mounting.

Hearings to decide his application for legal aid took place in March, when details of Marques lifestyle emerged. The court heard he had earned 1.15m between 2007 and 2013, raking in 250,000 in his last year in business, and that he had made cash withdrawals of 307,000,

suggesting he had the means to pay his own legal costs.

But Marques gave evidence that his father had been paying legal fees on his behalf, because any money in his accounts was frozen by the FBI. He also said he gave 250,000 to his Romanian girlfriend to build a house in Romania, where they had planned to live together, but a friend of hers told him the house was being built on land belonging to her other boyfriend. Marques told the court he still loved his now ex-girlfriend and wasnt seeking the money back.

He had bought a BMW jeep in February, 2013, for 21,000, but told the court he had transferred ownership of it to his sister, who subsequently sold it to pay off legal debts to their father.

Escorts

Apart from those few, strange transactions, Marques could give little detail about where his money went.

He said he spent 5,000 on a computer, 1,000 on a television, and 700 on a phone, but had no other assets. He ate in McDonalds every day, using a credit card to pay for his meals and other daily expenses, such as petrol, but his only other major outgoing was the

several hundred euro he spent each week on escorts. As to what happened the rest of his money, he said he couldnt help the court.

Presiding judge, Mr Justice John Edwards, was torn in his decision. It is fair to say that Mr Marques is in deep trouble, he said, with understatement, but he didnt believe Marques was telling the truth about not knowing where his money went and nor could he fully accept the tale of the mysterious Romanian girlfriend.

But in refusing legal aid, the judge left the door open to a review of the issue, if there was expert testimony with regard to Marques emotional functioning or psychological state.

The suggestion did not slip by the defence, who set about having their client assessed. Meanwhile, Mr Justice Edwards had a change of mind. Even if it was found that Marques had money at his disposal, it would be regarded as the proceeds of crime and liable to seizure. Marques would be getting legal aid.

Things moved slowly over the following months, but, in September, 2014, after just over a year in custody, Marques learned he was being refused a judicial review of the DPPs decision not to prosecute him in Ireland and was also being denied a judicial review of the DPPs refusal to provide reasons for her decision.

The case was adjourned again to allow Marques to respond. In October, 2014, he did respond, indicating he was going to the Supreme Court to appeal the refusal to grant judicial review, but, in November, there was yet another turn of events, when the State informed the

Supreme Court that Marques would be granted judicial review after all.

The change of heart was due to a decision by the Supreme Court, in a separate, but similar, case, just days earlier  that of Ali Charaf Damache, an Algerian-born Irish citizen wanted by the US on terrorism charges.

Aspergers

Progress was slow again and, during 2015, the main development was the revelation that Marques had been diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome.

The court heard that he had seen a psychiatrist in the Mater Hospital 15 years earlier, but no diagnosis was made. Now, psychiatrist, Dr Patricia Casey, had assessed him in prison and, in consultation with a neurologist, had prepared a report that said he had Aspergers.

His defence team argued he would not get appropriate care in a US prison, if extradited, whereas, in Ireland, he would have care and the support of his family.

Shortly after his arrest, his father had defended him to the media, insisting all his son did was rent out server space and was no more responsible for what went on there than a landlord would be if he rented out a room to tenants who got up to no good. Dr Casey also spoke up for him, adding to the list of concerns the overcrowded conditions in US prisons and  with some irony  the risk of sexual violence.

The prosecution begged to differ, pointing out that Marques had already been in custody for almost two years and that there was no deterioration in his mental health. He had sought no treatment for his condition, and he wasnt taking, or seeking to take, any medication.

His days were spent in apparent contentment, playing on his Playstation.

Besides, there was an affidavit from an official in the US Bureau of Prisons, who stated the prison system did provide appropriate care and treatment to inmates with conditions similar to the

accuseds.

Disproportionate

The defence argued that the offences had been committed in Ireland as much as anywhere else, and that the system of sentencing in the US was disproportionate and in breach of international standards. The prosecution countered that the investigation was US-based and the US sentencing system was just, if somewhat tougher than in Ireland.

Presiding judge, Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly, delivered her judgement ten days before Christmas, ordering Marques extradition to proceed, with 15 days postponement to allow time to lodge an appeal.

It was another six months before the appeal was heard, before the three-judge Court of Appeal, the defence again objecting to the sentencing system that awaited Marques in the US and also arguing that the DPP should be made explain her reasons for not prosecuting Marques  a point backed by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, which made a submission to that effect.

Rejected

Once again, just days before Christmas, 2016, a decision came back and, once again, it did not go Marques way. But, once again, a stay was put on the extradition to enable Marques to take another appeal to the Supreme Court. In May this year, the Supreme Court turned down his request for an appeal hearing and the court also heard that an application to the European Court of Human Rights had been rejected.

Just when it seemed all avenues had been exhausted, Marques legal team said they would be seeking another judicial review. This time, it was on the question of why the Minister for Justice  Frances Fitzgerald at the time  had not used the ministerial discretion that was hers under the law to halt Marques extradition.

They wanted the documents the minister used to either refuse to consider the case or to consider it and then reject it  it wasnt clear how she had acted, only that it wasnt in Marques favour. Hearings took place in June and July and judgement was reserved. Marques did not appear in court. Maybe it was too stressful for him, maybe he didnt see the point in attending, or maybe his beloved Playstation won out.

Marques legal team wanted explanation from DPP

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions has long had a strict no questions, no answers policy in relation to why prosecutions are not taken or particular charges are not pressed, but this was relaxed somewhat in recent years to allow victims of crime and the families of homicide victims to request information.

The DPP is under no obligation to provide that information, however, or it may be very scant.

Marques legal team attempted to push the door open further, arguing that

the DPP should explain why their client was not being prosecuted in Ireland. They complained that the DPP had refused to even engage with their client despite US extradition documents referring to offences having been committed in Ireland.

They found this extraordinary, given that their client wanted to plead guilty to the charges if they were brought in Ireland and they questioned how this served the public interest.

After initially being refused a judicial review on this point, they were granted one, and the principle of openness was backed by a submission from the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission.

While the commission did not take sides in the overall case, it argued, as it has done as a general principle in the past, that the blanket immunity from questions the DPPs office enjoyed was incongruous in a State based on the rule of law.

It said transparency was essential, and public bodies must give reasons for the decisions they made or, alternatively, if it was in the public interest not to give reasons, they must state why.

They argued that it was in the public interest to see people who committed crimes face justice and Marques was before them, ready to accept justice, yet the DPP was not prosecuting him.

Marques was not the first to make this argument, nor was he the first to fail to convince the courts of its value.

Ali Charaf Damache, an Algerian-born Irish citizen wanted on terrorism charges in the US, had previously been granted a judicial review on the same point but did not succeed in getting the courts to direct the DPP to disclose its decision-making process.

Damache eventually was successful in his fight against extradition after the courts ruled his status as terror suspect put him at real risk of being subjected to inhuman and degrading treatment if surrendered to the US.

However, in December 2015, he was arrested while in Spain and fresh extradition proceedings issued.

Last month, the Spanish government approved his surrender to the United States.

Legal argument

Extradition is reasonably common among EU member states. In 2015, 176 warrants were received in Ireland from other EU countries, 146 were endorsed by the High Court and 77 arrests were made.

In the same year, Ireland issued 92 warrants and 24 people were surrendered from EU countries. Few generated headlines.

Things can get more complicated outside of the EU. Some issues are clear-cut  for example, we dont extradite where the accused might get the death penalty.

But judges have to assess the proportionality of the charges and the penalties they carry, and whether they reasonably equate with how the alleged offences would be handled here.

The key arguments Marques legal team made included that he should have been prosecuted in Ireland as he was resident here, the offences were committed here, and a key piece of evidence  his home computer  was seized by gardai in Ireland. He was also willing to plead guilty to the charges if tried here.

They also said US sentencing policy was disproportionate  he could get life in prison there, compared to a maximum of 14 years here. Even if he got the maximum here, standard remission would cut it to 10 and a half years and with four years already spent in detention, just six and a half would remain.

US federal law on child pornography has statutory minimum sentences ranging from five to 30 years, the lowest being for a first-time offender, guilty only of distributing pornography where the images are explicit but the child is not depicted engaging in sexual activity.

The US Justice Department states, where aggravated situations arise  such as where the images are violent, sadistic or masochistic in nature or where the minor was sexually abused, a convicted offender may face up to life imprisonment.

Marques team also took issue with the safety of US prisons, arguing he would be vulnerable to violence and sexual assault. They also raised his diagnosis with Aspergers Syndrome during his detention and the fear that he would not get appropriate care and support in a US prison, while also being deprived of familial support.

Their last attempt to prevent the extradition going ahead raised the issue of whether the Minister for Justice  Frances Fitzgerald at the time  had used the discretion that comes with the job to decline to sign the surrender notice. If the case was considered by her, they wanted access to the documents on which she made her decision.
THE Cowes Floating Bridge, beset by problems since its launch in May, is set to enter the final commissioning phase.

Providing everything goes to plan, the bridge will officially become property of the Isle of Wight Council, much to the dismay of both local protest group Floaty McFloat Farce, and East Cowes councillor, Karl Love.

Manufacturer, Mainstay Marine, will be on site throughout the week to address any outstanding issues, carry out any additional work as required, and undertake trials and performance testing on the vessel, the Isle of Wight Council said.

As a result, the bridge will be out of service from 8am tomorrow (Tuesday) until 8am on Thursday.

Angie Booth, Floaty McFloat Farce spokesperson said: "I'm shocked.

"If they honestly think by Thursday it's all going to be hunky dory, what planet are they living on?"

Cllr Love suggested another three month trial should be carried out and attacked the council for not consulting with local councillors or residents.

"The views of the people of Cowes and East Cowes are an afterthought," he said.

In a statement, Isle of Wight Council cabinet member for transport and infrastructure, Cllr Ian Ward, said: "Once again I would like to thank the community for their patience, as the Cowes Floating Bridge enters this final phase of commissioning.

"We will be working with partners this week, including the harbour commission, and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, to ensure we are satisfied all potential issues outstanding have been addressed and it is deemed fit for purpose, in order to officially take ownership of the floating bridge.

"I have no doubt this service will become as well loved as the previous floating bridge in time.

"We are consulting with partners currently on the wider operation of the floating bridge service, specifically the pedestrian and traffic management at East Cowes, to ensure the service can be used in better manner than any previous floating bridge has done, in that area."

The replacement launch, the Jenny, will run as an alternative for foot passengers until 11pm over this two day period.
Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman has stated the program of targeted support for farmers is to be developed by August 1, and financed by introducing changes to the national budget for 2017 in September-October.

"I've recently set up a working group jointly with the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food, which includes all associations of farmers. There will be another meeting and we will develop and present a targeted program to support farmers. I would like this program to be formed by August 1. We have preliminarily determined the term," the prime minister said during the "hour of questions to the government" in the Verkhovna Rada.

According to him, such a program should mean targeted support for small farms, which should become the basis of the agricultural sector.

"I think in September we will ask the parliament in the next changes to the country's budget, which we will present in September, possibly in October, to start financing such a program," Groysman said.
Area living wage presentation set for Wednesday night

The N.C. Justice Center will discuss its latest report on living income standard and asset poverty at a presentation from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Wednesday in Winston-Salem.

The meeting will be held at 7820 N. Point Blvd., Suite 100. It is free and open to the public, but seating is limited.

Brian Kennedy will lead the presentation, which will include details on the Winston-Salem living income standard.

Richard Craver

Stratford Commons mall sold to local couple

A local couple has spent $1.05 million to buy the Stratford Commons strip mall property at 650 S. Stratford Road, according to Forsyth County Register of Deeds data.

The buyers are Eric and Lisa DeMarko of Winston-Salem.

The seller is Stratford Commons LLC. The transaction was completed May 22.

Richard Craver

KS Bancorp board responds to bid

The board of directors for KS Bancorp of Smithfield issued a statement Monday in which it questioned why First Citizens BancShares Inc. was attempting a hostile takeover of the bank.

First Citizens disclosed Thursday that it has made an unsolicited cash offer of $45.8 million. The deal was worth $35 per share, representing a 49.6 percent premium over KS Bancorps closing trading price on Wednesday and an 84 percent over its book value per share on March 31.

KS has nine branches in the Triangle and eastern North Carolina with assets of $368 million as of March 31.

Harold Keen, KS president and chief executive, said that although we are appreciative of First Citizens interest in our organization, their initial Indication of Interest did not rise to a level of pricing that the board determined to be more beneficial to the KS Bancorp shareholders than the alternative of remaining independent and pursuing our Board adopted strategies.

First Citizens corporate actions are evidence that First Citizens corporate culture is not in line with KS Banks community banking values.

Richard Craver

Catalyst sets criteria

for share purchase

The board of directors of Catalyst Biosciences Inc. said in a regulatory filing Friday that it has made Chief Executive Nassim Usman eligible to buy up to 275,000 shares of its common stock.

The exercise price is $4.63 a share. The awards will vest in equal monthly installments over four years.

Howard Levy, its chief medical officer, was made eligible to buy up to 95,000 shares, while Fletcher Payne, its chief financial officer, was made eligible to buy up to 75,000 shares.

The company made non-management board of directors eligible to buy up to 5,000 shares as part of their annual retainer, along with cash retain payments. Non-management directors also became eligible to purchase 10,000 shares, which have an exercise price of $4.40 per share.

Among non-management board members eligible for the share purchases is Dr. Stephen Hill, the last president and chief executive of Targacept Inc. of Winston-Salem before it was sold to Catalyst in 2015.

Catalyst gained $35 million in Targacept cash in the acquisition. Targacept shareholders own 42 percent of Catalysts shares and eventually could have a 57 percent capital stake.

Richard Craver
Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools has selected an assistant principal from within the system to be the new head of Gibson Elementary.

Glenn Starnes II was named head of the school, the system said in a media release Monday. He is replacing Jeff Maglio, who announced this month he's leaving to take a job in Yadkin County.

Starnes was the assistant principal at R.J. Reynolds High School since 2016, the district said. Before that he spent a year as the assistant principal at Andrew Jackson High School.

He's also served other districts out-of-state.
Two people were injured Saturday when their motorcycle crashed on N.C. 8 in Lexington, one-half mile south of Interstate 85, authorities said Sunday.

The accident happened shortly before 4 p.m. as Mickey Cranford, 39, of Lexington was driving his motorcycle south on N.C. 8. A car driven by Annelise Cheramie, 20 of Urbandale, Iowa, pulled out from a parking lot into Cranfords path, Lexington police Lt. Shannon Sharpe said.

Chelsea Fincannon, 30, of High Point, was a passenger on Cranfords motorcycle, Sharpe said.

Cranford applied his brakes to avoid hitting Cheramies vehicle, but Cranford lost control of his motorcycle and skidded, Sharpe said. Cheramie wasnt injured.

Cranford and Fincannon suffered injuries that were not life-threatening and were taken to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Sharpe said. Cranford was in stable condition Sunday night in the hospital while Fincannon was treated at the hospital and released.

Cranford is a press operator at the Winston-Salem Journal production plant.

No charges have been filed in the crash, police said.
WASHINGTON  The Russia scandal has entered a new phase and theres no going back.

For six months, the White House claimed that this scandal was nothing more than innuendo about Trump campaign collusion with Russia in meddling in the 2016 election. Innuendo for which no concrete evidence had been produced.

Yes, there were several meetings with Russian officials, some only belatedly disclosed. But that is circumstantial evidence at best. Meetings tell you nothing unless you know what happened in them. We didnt. Some of these were casual encounters in large groups. Big deal.

Lots of cover-up, but where was the crime? For six months, smoke without fire. Yes, President Trump himself was acting very defensively, as if he were hiding something. But no one ever produced the something.

My view was: Collusion? I just dont see it. But Im open to empirical evidence. Show me.

The evidence is now shown. This is not hearsay, not fake news, not unsourced leaks. This is an email chain released by Donald Trump Jr. himself. A British go-between writes that theres a Russian government effort to help Trump Sr. win the election, and as part of that effort he proposes a meeting with a Russian government attorney possessing damaging information on Hillary Clinton. Moreover, the Kremlin is willing to share troves of incriminating documents from the Crown Prosecutor. (Error: Britain has a Crown Prosecutor. Russia has a State Prosecutor.)

Donald Jr. emails back. I love it. Fatal words.

Once youve said Im in, it makes no difference that the meeting was a bust, that the intermediary brought no such goods. What matters is what Donald Jr. thought going into the meeting, as well as Jared Kushner and then-campaign manager Paul Manafort, who were copied on the correspondence, invited to the meeting, and attended.

It was literally just a wasted 20 minutes, which was a shame, Donald Jr. told Sean Hannity. A shame? On the contrary, a stroke of luck. Had the lawyer real stuff to deliver, Donald Jr. and the others would be in far deeper legal trouble. It turned out to be incompetent collusion, amateur collusion, comically failed collusion. That does not erase the fact that three top Trump campaign officials were ready to play. It may turn out that they did later collaborate more fruitfully. We dont know. But even if nothing else is found, the evidence is damning.

Its rather pathetic to hear Trump apologists protesting that its no big deal because we Americans are always intervening in other peoples elections, and they in ours. You dont have to go back to the 40s and 50s when the CIA intervened in France and Italy to keep the communists from coming to power. What about the Obama administrations blatant interference to try to defeat Benjamin Netanyahu in the latest Israeli election? One might even add the work of groups supported by the U.S. during Russian parliamentary elections  the very origin of Vladimir Putins deep animus toward Hillary Clinton, then secretary of state, whom he accuses of having orchestrated the opposition.

This defense is pathetic for two reasons. First, have the Trumpites not been telling us for six months that no collusion ever happened? And now they say: Sure it happened. So what? Everyone does it.

Whats left of your credibility when you make such a casual about-face?

Second, no, not everyone does it. Its one thing to be open to opposition research dug up in Indiana. But not dirt from Russia, a hostile foreign power that has repeatedly invaded its neighbors, that buzzes our planes and ships in international waters, that opposes our every move and objective around the globe. Just last week ,the Kremlin killed additional U.N. sanctions we were looking to impose on North Korea for its ICBM test. There is no statute against helping a foreign hostile power meddle in an American election. What Donald Jr.  and Kushner and Manafort  did may not be criminal. But it is not merely stupid. It is also deeply wrong, a fundamental violation of any code of civic honor.

I leave it to the lawyers to adjudicate the legalities of unconsummated collusion. But you dont need a lawyer to see that the Trump defense  collusion as a desperate Democratic fiction designed to explain away a lost election  is now officially dead.
Surgery was required. To remove the chain. From around the neck of a dog now being called Figaro.

Tuesday morning, a man took Figaro to a local vets office, the Journals Jenny Drabble reported. He claimed the dog, attached to an eight-foot chain, was a stray he found near N.C. 109.

Its not often that a situation leaves us speechless, the Davidson County Animal Alliance said in a press release. The chain is embedded so deep in some areas that we cant even see it. This is one of the worst cases like this we have ever seen.

Tuesday afternoon, Figaro had surgery to remove the chain, which had likely been there since he was a puppy. A second surgery will be required to remove dead tissue and clear up an infection. A lengthy recovery is expected, the Journal reported.

Figaro, nearly 1 year old with reddish-brown fur and a sweet disposition, could be the poster dog for a campaign against tethering. His case, with the skin growing over a chain, is extreme. But animal-care activists often rescue dogs whose skin has grown over their collars.

And, as weve said in this space before, tethering exposes dogs to other dangers as well. They endure extreme heat, cold, rain and snow and other neglect. They cant escape from attacks from wild animals, leaving them prone to rabies. Tethering can be bad for humans, too: Dogs chained for long periods of time often become aggressive biters.

In Forsyth County, an ordinance to ban tethering, except in limited situations, goes into effect in November, thanks to persistent efforts by local animal-rights organizations. Between now and then, the county should ramp up education efforts to get the public ready.

We realize that not every dog tethering situation is as severe as Figaros. Some loving, attentive families resort to tethers to keep their dogs from running away. But tethering often leads to abuse.

Davidson County does not have a tethering ban. It should.

Meanwhile, Figaro will soon need a home. We know theres a loving family out there for him.
An editorial from the Capitol Broadcasting Company of Raleigh:

Morehead Memorial, a 108-bed community hospital in Eden, N.C.  Senate leader Phil Bergers hometown hospital  is on life-support.

Last week, the 93-year-old facility, which traces its legacy to a $7,500 gift from Marshall Field and Company (more currently known as Fieldcrest Mills), filed for Chapter 11 federal bankruptcy protection.

The move allows the hospital to keep serving the largely rural area north of Greensboro and keeps the 700 people who work for the hospital on the payroll as it undergoes a financial reorganization to better manage its debt.

Still, the ultimate fate of Morehead Memorial is uncertain. It reflects a growing national crisis of access to health care services, particularly in rural areas.

In the last seven years, four rural hospitals in the state have closed or dramatically changed their services: Blowing Rock Hospital became a rehabilitation facility; Yadkin Valley Community hospital closed, Franklin Hospital in Louisburg ended operations and Pungo Hospital in Belhaven closed.

There are plenty of reasons why Morehead, like many rural hospitals across the state and nation, have fallen on hard financial times. But in North Carolina  and Rockingham County in particular  it is neither inaccurate nor unfair to point one finger squarely at the states most powerful legislator.

Berger has led the charge to block federally-funded expansion of Medicaid  that would provide health coverage to more than a half-million North Carolinians who dont have it now. Hes even gone to court to block Gov. Roy Coopers efforts to accept the aid and expand health coverage.

Dont think for a second Bergers opposition to Medicaid expansion doesnt have a cost to his community.

In Rockingham County, along with the two rural counties beside it, the Medicaid rejection has meant: 450 fewer jobs created; $171 million less in business activity; and 4,520 people blocked from getting Medicaid. All that is according to the Cone Health Foundation and the Kate B. Reynold Charitable Trusts detailed examination of the financial impact of North Carolinas failure to accept the federal funds to expand Medicaid eligibility.

Its a rural hospital, were a non-expansion state, we know that in an average rural hospital in North Carolina, 70 percent are Medicaid, Medicare or uninsured, Julie Henry of the N.C. Hospital Association, told N.C. Health News.

Who pays when a hospital has to treat a patient who doesnt have insurance? Where does Berger think hospitals get the money now to care for indigent patients  osmosis? Should hospitals turn these patients away?

Berger leans on a worn-out old saw to deflect any responsibility, looking to pin the hospitals financial challenges on regulatory burdens created by the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). The reality is that the ACAs option for states to expand Medicaid would have saved lives, created jobs and helped keep rural hospitals out of bankruptcy court. But Berger says no.

In Washington, Senate leaders continue efforts to force-feed an unpopular Obamacare repeal that will eliminate health coverage for 1.3 million North Carolinians who are now covered. North Carolinas Sen. Richard Burr says hes all for it. Thom Tillis, the states other senator, says hell back anything that can get 51 votes.

Meanwhile back in North Carolina, Berger and his cohorts in the legislature are doing all they can to block efforts to expand health coverage. What kind of responsible elected representatives would work so hard to deny access to health care for the North Carolinians who need it most? How many people have to die and declare personal bankruptcy before Berger cares?

Folks in Rockingham County concerned about the fate of their hospital and healthcare for themselves, their families and neighbors dont need to look much further than one of their neighbors, Sen. Phil Berger.
RUDY DIAMOND, Lewisville

Meetings with Russia

Thank goodness for leakers. Otherwise Americans may never have known how many people with ties to President Trump met with the Russians during the 2016 campaign. American distributors for Smirnov vodka probably do not know as many Russians as do the Trump team.

Why all these meetings with the Russians? The clearest answer to that question comes from the latest report that Donald Trump Jr. agreed to meet in June 2016 with a Russian lawyer who reportedly could provide dirt obtained by the Russian government about Hillary Clinton. We may never know what really was learned in that meeting, but the important takeaway is that Trump Jr. even agreed to the meeting. As Sen. Lindsay Graham stated, Anytime youre in a campaign and you get an offer from a foreign government to help your campaign the answer is no.

The Guardian reports that for 13 months after Trump Jr.s aforementioned meeting, Trump and his team denied 20 times that they had any contact with Russians attempting to interfere in the presidential election. Why the denials? Why the cover up?

Are Trump supporters concerned about the Russian meddling in our election? Apparently not. The presidents support seems to hold firm among his base. Imagine what kind of uproar would have occurred in conservative circles had it been shown that Chelsea Clinton met with Russians who had dirt on Donald Trump.

Russia-gate places a dark cloud over the Trump administration. Let us hope Special Counsel Robert Mueller uncovers the truth.

***

HENRY TUBB, Winston-Salem

Not buying it

In the words of Energy Secretary Rick Perry, I dont buy it.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Lt. Gen. Mike Flynn, Donald Trump Jr., Jared Kushner and then-Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort all had contact with Russian representatives before the election. Then, when asked about it, each and every one of them said theyd had no contact with any Russian representatives.

Coincidence? I dont buy it.

President Trump has tried to weaken our faith in our traditional institutions like the Congressional Budget Office, the judicial branch and the media, hes criticized our allies and weakened NATO, hes tried to remove the sanctions placed on Russia for trying to hack our election  in essence hes done everything a Russian president would want an American president to do.

But he has no ties to Russia? I dont buy it.

Trump repeatedly claims that CNN stories are fake news, but then we keep finding out that CNN is right after all. Fake news? I dont buy it.

I wouldnt buy a used car from this man.

Please submit letters online to Letters @wsjournal.com or mail letters to: The Readers Forum, P.O. Box 3159, Winston-Salem, NC 27102.
Ukraine intends to equalize a flow of tourists to Ukraine from Turkey with that from Ukraine to Turkey, increasing the accepting of Turkish tourists by five times, to one million people, the deputy director of the tourism and resorts department of the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine, Vitalina Martynovska, has said.

"We plan to equalize the flow of tourists from Turkey to Ukraine with the one from Ukraine to Turkey. Today the flow of tourists from Ukraine to Turkey is about one million tourists, while that from Turkey to Ukraine five times less," she said, when presenting the Stopover tourist product of Turkish Airlines in Kyiv.

According to Martynovska, the ministry planned several measures to stimulate a tourist flow from Turkey to Ukraine, including holding press tours for the leading Turkish mass media in Ukraine, the presentation of Ukrainian tourist products in Turkey and Ukraine's participation in a large tourist exhibition in Izmir.

In addition, she said the agreement on the entry of Turkish citizens to Ukraine using ID cards contributes to the increase of tourist flow from Turkey.
After an 18-year run in Goose Creek and unforeseen challenges presented by COVID-19, Dreamalot Books has gradually  but decidedly  gained a steady foothold in the Moncks Corner community as a welcoming haven of second-hand books for both area bibliophiles and those traveling in from Myrtle Read moreThe 'happy place' for used books: Dreamalot Books emerging as a go-to hot spot in Moncks Corner
Summerville, SC (29483)

Today

Mostly cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low 63F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low 63F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.
This year's Nov. 8 election didn't present any unforeseen outcomes, at least as it pertains to Dorchester County Council races. However, the competition between Republican Rita May Ranck and Democrat Carlisle Harrison was one of the more thrilling ones in the State, as the latter temporarily Read moreNewly elected Councilmember Rita May Ranck ready to 'work' and 'listen'
A judge for the Superior Court of California [official website] postponed a decision Friday for injunctive relief to block Toshiba Corporation [official website] from selling its flash memory business in an attempt to relieve losses from the nuclear reactor business. As per a joint venture with Western Digital which helps finance equipment at Toshibas plants, Western Digital has also invoked separate arbitration proceedings. Judge Kahn [Washington Times profile] delayed the ruling on the injunction and instead proposed that Toshiba be required to give Western Digital two weeks notice that the sale would be closing if the arbitration was still proceeding. A subsequent hearing has been scheduled for July 28.

Toshiba has been under fire in recent years for questionable practices. Toshibas nuclear reactor stations failing had caused significant loss [Guardian report] for the company earlier this year. A third-party investigative report released on July 20, 2015, found that Toshiba Corporation had padded its profits [JURIST op-ed] by $1.2 billion (1.5 billion yen) over the past six years. The company is still facing issues [Financial Times report] from that 2015 scandal that has investors worried about the company.
Millions of Venezuelans voted on Sunday to reject President Nicolas Maduros plan to rewrite the nations constitution. The non-binding referendum was organized [NPR report] by the countrys opposition activists. More than 7 million individuals, roughly one-third of Venezuelas registered voters, took part with over 98 percent rejecting Maduros plan [JURIST report]. Many have accused the efforts for a constitutional rewrite to be undemocratic and a way to suppress the months of anti-government protests against Maduros presidency. Maduro states [Miami Herald report] that the new assembly, which would elect 527 members, is the only solution to bring an end to the anti-government protests that have brought significant violence to the country. Many government supporters peacefully boycotted Sundays vote but several men on motorbikes, described by the opposition as members of a parliamentary, opened fire on a polling station in Caracas, injuring three and killing a 61-year-old nurse. The government has refused to recognize the vote as legal and will go forward with plans to hold an election on July 30 to select delegates for a special assembly that will be responsible for rewriting the 18-year-old constitution.

Venezuela has faced significant political unrest since the opposition gained control of the National Assembly in December 2015. In May the US Department of the Treasury announced sanctions [JURIST report] against Venezuelan Supreme Court justices for usurping democracy. In October the National Assembly voted to open criminal impeachment [JURIST report] proceedings against Maduro, alleging that he manipulated the constitution to remain in power. That same month the Assembly also declared [JURIST report] that there was a breakdown of constitutional order and that the government had staged a coup by blocking an attempt to remove Maduro from power. Instability peaked on March 30 when the Supreme Court of Venezuela dissolved [JURIST report] the opposition-controlled National Assembly and assumed all legislative powers.
The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) [advocacy website] released a report [text, PDF] Monday condemning an increase in civilian deaths in Afghanistan during the first half of 2017. Although there was an overall decrease in civilian casualties in the first six months of 2017, there was an increase in injuries and deaths from improvised explosive devices (IED). IEDs from anti-government forces, the majority of which are suicide bombs, account for 40 percent of all civilian casualties in the beginning of 2017. The report notes that the increase in aerial operations and the use of pressure-place devices in civilian-populated areas led to an increase in women and child casualties as well. Additionally, the report enumerates they ways ground engagements extend human suffering beyond death and injury such as the displacement of communities, families and individuals; property damage; loss of livelihood; and diminished access to education, medical care and humanitarian aid. The UNAMA praised pro-government forces for a decrease in casualties from national security efforts and encouraged a further reduction throughout the remainder of 2017. The report concludes with recommendations to the Government of Afghanistan, anti-government groups and international military forces offering aid to support their efforts to protect civilians, prevent civilian casualties and uphold their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law.

Civilian casualties continue to be a primary issue in the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan. In February at least 20 people were reported to have been killed and 41 injured following a terrorist attack [JURIST report] at the Supreme Court in Kabul, Afghanistan. In February of last year UN reported [JURIST report] that civilian casualties in Afghanistan had reached a record high 11,000 in 2015. Last June, three Taliban gunmen attacked [JURIST report] a court building in eastern Afghanistan, killing seven people including a newly appointed chief prosecutor. In November 2015 the US Department of Defense and Pentagon officials completed their investigation [JURIST report] into the October 3 bombing of the Doctors Without Borders hospital in Kunduz, Afghanistan, and announced [statement] that it was an avoidable accident caused primarily by human error.
A ban on the sale of alcohol at night is a European practice, which Kyiv must follow from now on, and therefore such a ban must be valid, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko has stated.

According to him, currently there is a significant opposition to such a decision of Kyiv City Council.

"The alcohol mafia lobbied for consideration in courts of the issue of cancelling the ban on alcohol sales at night," Klitschko said on the NewsOne channel.

At the same time, the Kyiv mayor noted he receives daily summaries of criminal offenses in the capital and the overwhelming majority of them are carried out by persons in a state of intoxication.

"I can say banning the sale of alcohol at night will make it possible to reduce the number of offenses. This is not an invention of Kyiv City Council. This is a European practice. Therefore we must adopt the best experience. And one of the examples is the prohibition of alcohol sales at night," he said.
Dallas, TX, USA, 07/17/2017 /SubmitPressRelease123/

A man in Florida recently spent 90 days in jail for possession of suspected cocaine, which lab tests later confirmed was not cocaine reports Dallas drug lawyer John Helms. The man was a construction worker, and he had white powder on the seat and floorboard of his car when police stopped him. Presumably, it was drywall dust, but the police field tested it, and the test was positive for cocaine. It took three months for lab tests to clear him.

The field test that the police used is called NarcoPouch. It is made by a company called Safariland from Ontario, California. It is used by police departments across the country even though its reliability is highly questionable. In fact, the company that makes it cautions that it should not be used to determine whether someone should be prosecuted or convicted.

If it is not reliable enough for a prosecution decision, why is it used at all? The reason is that a positive test result can be enough to provide probable cause to arrest someone. Probable cause is the standard the police need to arrest someone, but it is a very low standard. It is even lower than more likely than notin other words, it does not even mean 51% likely.

If you are arrested based on a field test that comes back positive for an illegal drug, what should you do? First, tell your drug possession defense lawyer as soon as possible. Especially if it is early in the case, do not assume that the lawyer knows. It may be too early in the case for the lawyer to be entitled to get police reports that would show what happened during the arrest.

Second, if there is any doubt about whether the substance tested was illegal, encourage the lawyer to push for a lab test as soon as possible. Many police departments do not normally do lab tests unless the case is about to go to trial. This is because most police departments do not have their own lab, and they send suspected drugs to an outside lab. This costs money, which they would rather not have to spend if the case is not going to trial.

I know a lot about the importance of lab testing. Several years ago, my cocounsel and I tried two of the fake drugs criminal trials in Dallas. We represented a Dallas Police officer who was accused of participating in a scheme with confidential police informants to have people arrested for distributing fake drugs. The informants were paid by the Dallas Police Department for helping the police make drug busts. They got a certain amount of money for every kilo of drugs the police seized with their help. The informants were drug dealers. They quickly realized that they could make a lot more money creating their own drug deals than they could helping the police stop real drug deals. They packaged up pool chalk in bricks to look like kilos of real cocaine, and they sprinkled a little real cocaine on the top so that the field tests would turn out positive. They would offer to pay someone money to drive a car with fake cocaine in the trunk to a location, and they would tell the police where and when the driver would show up. The police would then arrest them, and the field test would be positive. The drivers thought they were delivering real cocaine, so they would plead guilty before lab testing. The informants would be paid a lot of money for the seizures of what the police thought was real cocaine.

We were able to show that our client, the police officer, was fooled by this too, and he never got any extra pay or bonus for the seizures. Since then, Dallas County started lab testing suspected drugs whether the case was going to trial or not. The point, though, is that field tests are never a substitute for lab tests.

If you or a loved one has been accused of possessing or delivering illegal drugs, you need to hire an experienced criminal defense lawyer with experience handling drug cases. This is especially true if it is a federal case. Not all criminal defense lawyers have experience handling federal drug cases. As a former federal prosecutor, I have handled drug cases from the beginning through trial on both the prosecution and defense side. Drug cases involve serious potential punishment. Make sure you hire a lawyer who is an expert in this kind of case.

If you or someone you know has been charged with a drug offense or are facing federal drug charges, contact Dallas drug lawyer John Helms immediately. Call 214-666-8010.

source: http://johnhelms.attorney/dallas-drug-lawyer-explains-protect-unreliable-field-tests/

Social Media Tags:Dallas drug lawyer, Dallas drug trafficking lawyer, drug crime defense lawyer for Dallas and Collin County, Unreliable drug field tests

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Contract with Thailand for supply of Oplot tanks will be executed in full

Ukraine will fully execute the contract signed in 2011 for the supply to Thailand of new Oplot-T tracked armored vehicles manufactured at Malyshev Plant (Kharkiv), Ukroboronprom state concern has stated.

"It [the contract] will be executed in accordance with all the agreements provided. The executor of this order and the manufacturer of Oplot tanks is Malyshev plant, which is part of the concern," a press release from the state concern reads.

Ukroboronprom Director General Roman Romanov stated the state concern also has enough production capacity to fulfill the order for the deliveries of Oplot armored vehicles to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

"Ukroboronprom is able to produce the best Oplot tanks for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the mass production of these vehicles is well established," he said.
President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko on Monday will visit Odesa region with a working trip, the press service of the Odesa Regional State Administration said on Sunday.

There is no more detailed information in the announcement of the State Administration, but based on the available data it is assumed that the events with the participation of the president will be held in the afternoon.
Relatives of victims of MH17 rally at Russian embassy in The Hague, demand to Russia stop interfering with investigation

Relatives of passengers of the Malaysian Airlines Boeing 777 airliner, of M17 flight Amsterdam-Kuala Lumpur, shot down by the Russian self-propelled ground-to-missile launcher BUK-TELAR near Torets, Donetsk region, in July 2014, held a rally outside the Russian embassy in The Hague, the Netherlands, demanding to stop interfering with the investigation.

The relatives held a demonstration in front of the Russian Embassy in The Hague three years after the crash of the MH17 passenger plane, the German Internet publication Idowa said.

"They protested against Russia's attempts to block the criminal case," a report says referring to their commentary on the Dutch television.

On Monday, more than 2,000 relatives of the victims of the disaster will take part in the opening ceremony of the memorial dedicated to their relatives, Radio Liberty said.

The King of the Netherlands Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima will also arrive at the opening of the memorial in Vijfhuizen Park near the Schiphol airport in Amsterdam. It was that airport from which Boeing-777 of Malaysian Airlines took off on July 17, 2014, which never reached its destination - Kuala Lumpur.

The initiators of the opening of the memorial place called it "a living memorial" - altogether 298 trees were planted, according to the number of people killed in the disaster. The trees will be surrounded by sunflowers that blossom in July.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak has visited Ukraine's flagship Navy frigate Hetman Sahaidachny and a U.S. Navny destroyer and missile cruiser taking part in the Sea Breeze 2017 military exercises. Poltorak also met with U.S. 6th Fleet Commander Vice-Admiral Philip Davidson to discuss the military exercise.

"In the framework of the working trip to Odesa region I checked the progress of the international exercise Sea Breeze-2017, visited the frigate Hetman Sahaidachny of the Ukrainian Navy, the U.S. Navy destroyer 'Carney' and the missile cruiser 'HueCity' taking part in the exercises. I discussed with Vice-Admiral Philip Davidson the prospects of future stages of the exercises and ways to improve the professional skills of military personnel taking part," Poltorak said on Facebook on Saturday.

Poltorak met Davidson aboard HueCity, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry's website said.

'We are honored to participate in such large-scale exercises with other 16 countries of the world. Due to the fact that we are meeting our goals together, we become stronger and so sharpen their professional skills,' Poltorak was quoted as saying.

Aboard the Hetman Sahaidachny Poltorak met with sailors and was briefed on the progress of the international Maritime military exercises by commander of Ukrainian Navy Vice-Admiral Ihor Voronchenko.

Poltorak also met with representatives of Kyiv Association of military attaches, during which he briefed foreign representatives about military reforms underway.

'Separate divisions of Ukraine's naval forces of Ukraine are involved in fighting in eastern Ukraine. They demonstrate great professionalism and patriotism in the fight for the territorial integrity of the country. International exercises are extremely useful and constructive. I want to thank foreign colleagues because they, along with improving our military skill, help our soldiers to acquire new knowledge," Poltorak was quoted as saying.
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EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and European Commission Vice President Federica Mogherini has called on the international community to support a criminal investigation into the downing of the Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 (MH17) in Donbas in July 2014.

"To ensure that those responsible for the downing of MH17 are held accountable and brought to justice, the criminal investigation needs the continuing support of the international community," Mogherini said in a statement circulated by the European Union Delegation to Russia on the third anniversary of the MH17 crash.

"We expect all the States that are in a position to assist the investigation and prosecution of those responsible to do so, as demanded by United Nations Security Council Resolution 2166," she said.

"The European Union and its Member states reiterate their full support for the work of the Joint Investigation Team and welcome the important progress made over the last year. As the Joint Investigation Team's work as regards individual suspects continues, it is crucial that the investigators can complete their work, independently and thoroughly," Mogherini said. "We welcome the steps taken by the countries involved to come to an effective prosecution, as well as their decision to opt for the Dutch national justice system embedded in international cooperation and support as an important step towards bringing those responsible for downing flight MH17 to justice," she said.

A Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur crashed in the Donetsk region of Ukraine on July 17, 2014, killing 283 passengers and 15 crewmembers, citizens of ten countries. Western countries have accused Russia of a role in the crash, and Moscow has categorically dismissed the allegations. The criminal investigation into the crash is being handled by an international investigative team formed without Russia and led by the Dutch prosecution service.
Computer hackers are focusing on companies that run nuclear power facilities, The New York Times reported this week. Among the targets: the company that runs the Wolf Creek power plant near Burlington, Kan.

The extent of the hack, executed in May, is unclear. It doesnt appear the hackers were able to penetrate the plants operating systems  the attack was launched against corporate computers.

The plant continues to operate safely, a company spokeswoman told The Star Friday.

The intrusion is deeply worrisome all the same.

It is now clear that the nations digital infrastructure is under relentless, dangerous assault. Hackers have pursued personal credit information, costing companies billions of dollars while terrifying customers. Voter registration information was improperly accessed online.

Malicious software invades home and business computers on a daily basis. So-called ransomware is surreptitiously installed on the computers of unsuspecting users, locking their files until a payment is made.

All of these incidents and others like them are survivable annoyances. But theyre a warning sign the government must work harder to prevent dangerous digital intrusions.

Thats especially true for installations such as a nuclear power plant. The Wolf Creek facility, in operation since 1985, provides electricity for hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses in Kansas and Missouri.

That service could be jeopardized by a cyberattack.

Imagine the U.S. is shrouded in darkness, security expert Bret Brasso wrote last year. Transportation systems have failed, commerce has ground to a halt, thousands have died and unrest is breaking out as public services fail. It all started with hackers  backed by a hostile nation  shutting down the U.S. power grid.

Yet energy and nuclear installations are a frequent target of hackers.

Kansas City Star
Transparency and public access to voting records and the legislative process is my top policy issue. Open discussion of the votes of elected officials is essential for voters to make informed decisions at the ballot box. Citizens need objective, factual information to empower them to effectively engage in their government.

Every recorded vote of a state senator is available to the public on the website of the Nebraska Legislature at www.nebraskalegislature.gov.

Special interest and lobby groups routinely publish scorecards and rankings of votes on specific issues. While the intent and motivation of these scorecards is to promote the interests of the particular lobby group, they provide another opportunity for voters to see how their senator voted on specific bills. For voters to glean useful information from these special interest publications, careful attention should be paid to how the information is presented, which issues and votes are considered record votes, and the methodology used to calculate voting percentages and rankings.

To illustrate the challenges in understanding exactly what is presented in these scorecards, I will use the recently released Nebraska State Chamber of Commerce 2017 Legislative Voting Record as an example. The report is based on 10 record votes of interest to the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and calculates an annual and cumulative voting percentage of specific votes selected by the Chamber.

To begin, the information published in the table of recorded votes is not straightforward. It identifies issues only by number, 1 through 10, with the senators vote recorded as a +, -, or ? Contrary to what a voter my initially think, a plus sign does not mean a yes vote, nor does a minus sign indicate a no vote. Rather a + refers to a vote, either yes or no, that is the same as the position of the state chamber, while a - reflects a vote in opposition. Thus, if the state chamber opposes a bill, a no vote would be listed as a + on the voting record.

In order to determine how their senator voted on a particular issue using this table, a voter would need to know first which bill the number on the chart refers to and what motion the vote was for. Next, what the state chambers position was on the motion, then interpret what the + or - means.

Voters also need to carefully examine which votes are selectively determined as record votes by the special interest group publishing the scorecard. Of the hundreds of votes taken, and many on a single bill, groups may pick a procedural vote or a vote on an amendment, not necessarily the vote on final passage of an entire bill. For example, on the state chamber scorecard, they include two different votes on a single bill, LB461, among their 10 record votes. Both are motions to return the tax reform bill to committee, one during general file debate, the second during Select File debate. If a voter were only to look at the voting percentage, they may not realize the total is weighted heavier by the same vote on the same motion on two separate rounds of debate on a single bill.

Remember, the votes selected for scorecards are not objective. They are intended to present a particular special interest point of view. Votes can be selected with the intent of making specific senators look favorable or unfavorable to target audiences. The information is presented to lobby and persuade, not to inform. I encourage voters to go to the Legislatures website and examine all of my votes on any bill.

Sen. John Kuehn of Heartwell represents District 38 in the Nebraska Legislature. The district encompasses southwest Buffalo County and all of Clay, Franklin, Kearney, Nuckolls, Phelps and Webster counties.
In his book, The Secret War, British historian Max Hastings describes the different ways that dictatorships and democracies regard intelligence and other independent sources of information.

The nations that gathered and used information best in the Second World War were those committed to intellectual honesty and the pursuit of truth, while those that failed were the dictatorships to which truth was inherently alien, unacceptable, antipathetic, he writes. While democracies do not always trade in frankness, as the modern experience of the 2003 Iraq War vividly demonstrates, at least most of their citizens are reared to regard truth as a virtue, while those of dictatorships are not.

Hastings point is deeply relevant in the Age of Trump, where the principles of intellectual honesty and truth as a virtue are undermined every day. The president and his supporters dont just offer alternative facts, they dispute the concept that facts exist at all, that truth can be determined by trained professionals.

As the dictators of WWII discovered, when truth is inherently alien, when leaders make decisions based on mythology or theology or just plain stubbornness, they are doomed to failure.

Trump is not Hitler or Tojo. But in so many instances, from climate change to immigration, he is failing to learn from their mistakes  pushing policies that are motivated by politics and prejudices, not reality. Here are three egregious examples:

Voter fraud. Trump keeps arguing that he would have won the popular vote if not for millions of illegal votes cast for Hillary Clinton.

Prof. Justin Levitt of the Loyola Law School tracked every specific credible allegation of voter fraud since 2000 and found 31 cases out of more than 1 billion votes cast.

That and many similar studies led the Washington Post to editorialize: President Trumps claim that 3 million to 5 million undocumented immigrants voted illegally in last falls elections is as evidence-based as the assertion that space aliens are bombarding the planet Earth with marshmallows.

Health care choice. The White House is backing a proposal by Sen. Ted Cruz that would end Obamacare requirements that individuals buy insurance or pay a penalty, and that insurers offer policies with certain standard benefits. This is what freedom looks like, Vice President Pence told Rush Limbaugh.

But every health care economist, conservative and liberal alike, comes to the same conclusion: Consumer choice might make a good political slogan, but would be inherently destabilizing as actual policy, Larry Levitt of the Kaiser Family Foundation told Politico.

Steel tariffs. Trump is contemplating increased duties on imported steel as a way, he says, of preserving American jobs and protecting national security. Experts strongly agree that such a move would accomplish neither objective.

Trumps argument about national security is intellectually dishonest, says the Post, because the countrys security is not jeopardized by importing steel. Most of our leading suppliers, from Canada to South Korea, are strong allies.

Informed analysis will sometimes be wrong, Douglas Elmendorf, the former head of the Congressional Budget Office, told the Wall Street Journal, but Id rather bet on informed analysis than ignorant guesses.

In Trumps White House, impetuous ignorance is winning.
A group of monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (OSCE SMM), led by Deputy Chief Monitor Alexander Hug, will travel along the M-03 highway from Svitlodarsk to Debaltseve on Monday.

"Today Hug and other OSCE monitors will use M03 road (Svitlodarsk-Debaltseve). Roads are for civilians. SMM freedom of movement must be respected," the mission said on Twitter on Monday.

The so-called Svitlodarsk Bulge is a section of the contact line between the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the militants near the border between the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, about 20 kilometers away from Debaltseve, Horlivka, and Vuhlehirsk. Representatives of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) and Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) have repeatedly shelled this section.
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FILE - In this Oct. 22, 2015, file photo, North Korean Son Kwon Geun, center, weeps with his South Korean relatives as he bids farewell after the Separated Family Reunion Meeting at Diamond Mountain resort in North Korea. South Korea's Red Cross said on Monday, July 17, 2017, it wants separate talks at the border village on Aug. 1 to discuss family reunions. (Korea Pool Photo via AP, File)
In this March 13, 2017 photo, Syrian-American Rania Kisar, talks to The Associated Press, in Istanbul, Turkey. Running a school in the Idlib province in northwest Syria, controlled by SyriaAos al-Qaida affiliate, Kisar has become skilled in getting her way, either by negotiating with the militants or by pushing back against them. (AP Photo/Sam McNeil)
Germany has just hosted the latest summit of the G20, the global group of leading industrialized nations, held in Hamburg over July 7 and 8. Chancellor Merkel can count this is another notable success in her now lengthy tenure leading not only a unified Germany, but much of Europe as well  within and beyond the European Union.

Much of the reporting on the summit, even in relatively serious media, focuses on the frustrating  and the frightening. President Donald Trumps mere presence as well as pronouncements are described at length and in detail. Demonstrators against globalization receive center-stage priority, with photos and video featuring fires and physical violence.

To be sure, there are serious disagreements among G20 members. As one example, the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris climate accords complicates efforts to coordinate the worlds governments in addressing this challenge.

At the same time, there is absolutely no substantial effort within the U.S. or anywhere else to withdraw from the G20, or the other intergovernmental organizations which operate under the broad umbrella of the United Nations. On the contrary, Trump and President Vladimir Putin of Russia took the opportunity of the summit to announce a ceasefire agreement regarding southwest Syria. The UN was once a controversial topic in U.S. politics, but that is no longer the case.

Germany is a particularly appropriate venue for this summit. A prelude was the recent NATO gathering which featured dedication of memorials to the tragedy of 9/11 and the triumph of bringing down the Berlin Wall.

In profound terms, Germany possesses starkly contrasting dimensions, past and present. Extremist nationalism is one factor in the politics of the nation and region, drawing on a long history of German aggressive militarism. That culminated in the rise of the Third Reich, totalitarian dictatorship, and World War II in Europe. The Roman Empire never conquered the Germans, but instead largely co-existed.

Chancellor Merkel leads a different Germany. She continues to do a masterful job of maintaining political power, popular support and broad political as well as economic leadership of the continent of Europe.

The G20 testifies to the remarkable durability of the United Nations family of organizations, launched by President Franklin D. Roosevelt of the U.S. and Prime Minister Winston Churchill of Great Britain. The UN concept emerged from the Newfoundland Summit between the leaders in Canada in August 1941. This was several months before the attack on Pearl Harbor brought the U.S. directly into World War II.

Todays world confirms the long-term wisdom of Anglo-American support for relatively open global commerce and investment, assistance for poor countries, and working through the UN including the economic institutions. In strategic terms, the continued effectiveness and success of these organizations kept the recent international financial crash and severe recession, which was sparked by collapse of the U.S. housing market, from becoming vastly worse.

In recent years, G20 summits have been hosted by China, Mexico, South Korea and Turkey. The end of the Cold War has meant that we now have a truly global economy, with tremendous potential for continued long-term growth in truly comprehensive terms.

After Nazi Germany surrendered, Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower would correct people who said the war had been won. Not so  the Third Reich had been destroyed.

If the German people eventually embraced law and democracy, then the war would be won. As usual, Ike was far-sighted and right. Germany and the G20 reconfirm our collective victory.

Arthur I. Cyr is Clausen Distinguished Professor at Carthage College and author of After the Cold War. Contact acyr@carthage.edu
Giuseppe Donaldo Nicosia, "the creator of one of the most massive schemes in the history of the Italian Republic on money laundering, has been extradited from Ukraine to Italy, Ukrainian Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko said.

"This lawbreaker stole hundreds of millions of euros from Italians and had been hiding in different countries of the world for many years. In the spring of this year, according to the results of a well-planned operation, he was detained by the Security Service of Ukraine. Due to professional and respectable work of the PGO and the Interior Ministry, the extradition procedure for Nicosia had been completed during three months. And today, accompanied by an Italian police, the offender has returned to his homeland, where he will soon stand trial," he wrote on his Facebook page.

In addition, Lutsenko said that this extradition, along with the return of Italy's stolen works of art, is the next step to "strengthening Ukrainian-Italian cooperation between law enforcement agencies and gives grounds to count on Italy's constructive position in the Vitaliy Markiv case."

Deputy Prosecutor General Yevhen Yenin said that "even Berlusconi's tattoo on his body didn't help Nicosia ...", Prosecutor General's spokeswoman Larysa Sarhan said on Facebook.
The self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic has confirmed that Ukrainian blogger and journalist Stanyslav Aseyev (Vasin), who went missing in Donetsk in early June, has been detained and is held by the DPR authorities, Yehor Firsov, former Verkhovna Rada member, said.

"The DPR State Security Ministry has officially confirmed that he has been detained, Stas' [Stanyslav's] mother has been given a written confirmation. He is charged with espionage," Firsov said on Facebook on Sunday.

He said Aseyev's mother was allowed a meeting with her son.

Interfax-Ukraine does not have comments from the DPR.

According to earlier reports, Aseyev, who lives in the territory of Donbas uncontrolled by Kyiv, was published in Ukrainian media under the nickname Stanyslav Vasin. According to ZN.UA, the last time Aseyev made contact was on June 2.

On June 11, the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine asked the international missions to find out the circumstances under which Aseyev went missing in Donetsk.

The National Union of Journalists of Ukraine has asked the Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media in Vienna for OSCE SMM officials to learn about the situation in Donetsk. The union also sent a letter to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) asking it to meet with the mother of the missing colleague and find out what help he needs.

Serhiy Tomilenko, the head of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine, said this was done because international missions can address "those who now control the situation in Donetsk" directly to receive accurate information that will help decide on the next steps. Specifically, the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine hopes to learn where Aseyev is and, if he is under arrest, what the charges against him are, whether he has access to a lawyer.
Want to go on a surgical humanitarian trip? Here are 12 things to think about.

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Travel is one of our passions. Spending time in unique places, trying new foods, and meeting different people is enjoyable and exciting. We are also passionate about our jobs as otolaryngologists.

Humanitarian trips allow us to combine both of these loves.

During these trips, I have repaired cleft lips/palates, removed cancers, reconstructed facial disfigurations and improved breathing and swallowing. Few things are more gratifying than being able to provide life-changing operations without expectation of payment and with the realization that had you not been present in that time and place their lives would likely be considerably worse.

Service-related trips are becoming increasingly popular. After multiple humanitarian trips, I now feel fairly confident in my ability to plan and prepare for them. Before embarking on a mission/humanitarian trip  medical or otherwise  I believe you should be aware of several considerations:

1. Motivations. Why do you want to spend thousands of dollars, use valuable vacation time and travel to a foreign country to volunteer your time and expertise? Try to tailor your trip selection to your motives. If you are looking to combine leisure with service, plan a destination that offers both experiences. If you want an adrenaline rush, look for a more remote and less structured experience.

2. Finances. What is the opportunity cost of missing work? What is the price of travel and accommodations? If going with an organization, what fee is charged? What is included? Are there miscellaneous expenses (hotel transfers, visas)? Will you have to pay additional money for patients who cant afford surgeries if being charged (it happens)?

3. Vaccines. If you are leaving North America, then you probably will need some shots. Check out the CDC travel website or schedule a consult with a travel medicine physician. Consider checking with your local health department to see if a specific vaccine is offered (often much more of a discount compared to a physicians office).

4. Safety. The State Department website provides a comprehensive list of any country in which you may wish to volunteer. Similar to the hard, honest look required to assess your motivations to volunteer for a trip, your risk tolerance is also something of which one should take a personal assessment. There is no wrong answer.

5. Need. Are your services needed? No one wants to waste their time and energy to discover that they are unable to provide any assistance. While I was a resident, there was group of ambitious medical students who arranged a surgical trip to Vietnam. They recruited medical students, residents and attendings. Upon arrival, they realized something was lost in communication as the receiving hospital did not even allow the attendings to scrub for cases. The hospital thought the fellowship trained, world-renowned surgical oncologists were coming to observe only. They had no perceived need for any outside assistance.

6. Follow-up. If youre operating in a foreign country, is there someone trained to manage postoperative complications, remove drains, etc.? This may not need to be someone in your specialty, but it should be someone who is competent to handle any issues that may arrive unless you are planning on sticking around during the acute complication phase. Some trips I have been on have had an ENT surgeon arrive as I was leaving (Mexico), some had native ENT surgeons present (Kenya) and others had general surgeons capable of handling drain removal/hematomas if they had occurred.

7. Malpractice/licensing. This varies widely. Check with your malpractice provider, the organization with which you will be travelling, colleagues who have been to the specific country and the medical licensing board of the country you will be entering. Some countries require temporary licenses.

8. Supplies required. Are you in an OR with the tools you need? What are the absolute minimum instruments and suture required? Do you need to bring these? Can you buy them in the country? Can you get them through customs? Can you bring them back?

9. Personnel. What people do they have in-house? Will they be available for your use? Will they be competent? What is the anesthesiologist situation? I usually recommend bringing your own. Whats the nursing situation, the scrub tech situation, post op care?

10. Customs. What can you bring? How much will it cost? I recommend bringing an invoice for items you carry, and, if possible, a letter from the organization you will be serving stating that you are donating the items in your bag (Ive been stopped and had to use these items to get through unscathed 2/3 of the time).

11. Expired medications. Dont bring expired equipment or medications. If you would not use it on your patients at home, you should not use it on patients abroad. The ethical question of is expired medication better than no medication has been asked and answered.

12. Personality. Do you require specific surgical instruments in a specific order for each surgical case? Do you require ten-minute case changeovers for your sanity? The more rigid you are, the less likely you will have the temperament to thrive operating in an international mission situation. You either need to have (or fake that you have) a more laid back demeanor than most surgeons typically have. Changeover will be longer, miscommunications will occur, instruments will be lacking and OR workers will not know your preferences as they do at home. Enjoy the good work you can provide when you can provide it. Focus on the patients you can help and spend time between cases practicing the language, appreciating the culture or reading a good book.

Humanitarian trips are immensely rewarding and can provide care for those who would otherwise go without. My wife and I plan to continue to make service travel a priority as we progress in our careers, and we hope you will consider doing so as well.

Sightsee, MD are surgeons who blog at their self-titled site, Sightsee MD.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
Verkhovna Rada's members from the Opposition Bloc faction are ready to raise the necessary funds to stand bail for their party fellow Mykhailo Dobkin, his faction counterpart Vadym Novinsky has said.

"I, and all the rest of our team, will help our friend and colleague to get out of this situation, so that he will not spend one minute in custody in the pretrial detention centre. We will do everything possible to this end. And just the next week, it will become known how much money each of us will contribute to this noble matter," the press service of the Opposition Bloc quoted Novinsky as saying on Saturday.

Commenting on the decision of Pechersky District Court of Kyiv, which on Saturday chose a preventive measure for Dobkin in the form of custody for a period of two months with an alternative of standing a bail in the amount of UAH 50 million. The politician said he did not agree with it, since he believes that it was enough to provide bail for Dobkin.

"We said that all 42 MPs from the Opposition Bloc faction were ready to provide a bail, but the court did not accept these arguments as well as the fact that Dobkin handed all his passports, and was not going to flee the country and was ready to cooperate with the investigation," Novinsky said.

As earlier reported, on July 13, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine backed three requests submitted by Prosecutor General Lutsenko about giving its consent to the prosecution, detention and arrest of Opposition Bloc MP Mykhailo Dobkin.

On Friday, the Prosecutor General's Office handed Dobkin a suspicion of fraud and abuse of authority. The MP told journalists that he handed all his passports to the investigator and didn't intend to leave Ukraine, but stressed that his movement in Ukraine is not limited. He also said that he didn't intend to stand bail for himself if the court assigns too large sum of money as an alternative to arrest.
Local TDs were to the fore this morning as the 54th plenary session of the British Irish Parliamentary Assembly (BIPA) got under way at Kilkenny City's Newpark Hotel.

As co-chair of BIPA, Sinn Fein's Kathleen Funchion welcomed the delegates to the event and to the Marble City, which she said was a fitting destination to host proceedings.

The opening speaker was another local TD, Minister of State John Paul Phelan. The issue of Brexit dominated the day's discussions, with Deputy Phelan noting that Ireland's strategy would be to minimise the negative effects of Brexit here, for Irish-UK relations, and for the EU, of which Ireland 'will continue to be a committed member'.

"Sadly, whether we like it or not, for Ireland the horizon is now clouded by the prospect of our closest partner leaving the EU," he said.

"Our ambition at this stage is to make the best of what is, from our perspective, an unfortunate situation. We accept that the UK has made a decision to leave and we must cope with its effects."

Deputy Phelan took some questions from the floor, following which the British Ambassador, HE Robin Barnett, gave an update on the British position. European Ombudsman Emily O' Reilly then addressed the plenary on her offices perspective on Brexit and the EU.

A number of other speakers are planned for this afternoon's events, while those in attendance will be hosted at a reception at City Hall later on, hosted by Mayor of Kilkenny Michael Doyle. A historical talk and walk through Kilkenny Castle will take place this evening, followed by dinner.

Further sessions are planned for tomorrow in the Newpark Hotel.
Kingstree, SC (29556)

Today

Sunshine and clouds mixed. High near 75F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies during the evening will give way to cloudy skies overnight. Low 51F. Winds light and variable.
Pavlo Zhebrivsky, the head of Donetsk Regional Military-Civilian Administration, spoke about the continuing 'harvest truce' breaches and environmental risks in Donbas during his meeting with Alexander Hug, first deputy chief of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Special Monitoring Mission (OSCE SMM).

"I said that militants continue firing on Ukraine-controlled territory using prohibited weapons despite the announced 'harvest truce'," Zhebrivsky said on his Facebook account on Monday.

Zhebrivsky also said he had again told SMM officials about the environmental risks arising in Donetsk region. "I said that Ukraine has no way of monitoring and influencing the environmental situation on occupied territory, and therefore we can only hope for the international community's support in this issue," he said.

According to earlier reports, a group of OSCE SMM observers led by Hug are taking a trip on the M-03 Svitlodarsk-Debaltseve motorway on Monday.
When investors and financial professionals talk about building a portfolio, they usually put the focus on risk vs. reward, or growth vs. preservation.

Sometimes, though, the conversation moves past that, and people choose to follow their conscience, putting at least some of their money where their values are  or taking it away when they feel a company has done something wrong.

We saw that in April, when a video of a passenger being dragged off a United Airlines plane went viral and the companys stock hit severe turbulence. Its hard to say what will happen in the long term, but in those first few days, customers  and United stockholders  made it clear they werent happy.

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That got me thinking again about how advisers often tell their clients to avoid emotion when managing their portfolios.

Thats great advice when youre talking about greed and fear and how difficult it can be to time the market. Certainly, you want to avoid knee-jerk moves that could cost you dearly as the market rises and falls.

But I dont think its a bad thing when people want to explore investing in a way that gives them a good feeling about what theyre doing with their money  whether its a fund that focuses on sustainability or womens issues or one that has faith-based requirements. Especially for younger workers, who might feel apathetic about spending less today to save for a retirement that seems far away, socially responsible or ethically minded investing could lead to a positive pattern of saving behavior. Instead of signing up for faceless funds they know nothing about, they can put their money into companies that are working to change the world. That kind of emotional response just might be all the encouragement they need to start and continue investing.

The problem, many advisers will warn, is that the return on investment isnt always there with these funds. There are always going to be people willing to take advantage of what they perceive to be naivete or just plain old foolishness. It can be discouraging.

But there are several funds that have performed well over time against their S&P benchmarks. I found a few and stress-tested them in April, when the United incident was in the news. (For the record, Im not affiliated with these funds in any way, and I dont sell them.)

1. Global X S&P 500 Catholic Values ETF (Ticker: CATH)

This fund excludes companies involved in activities that are inconsistent with Catholic values and seeks results that generally correspond to the price and yield performance of the S&P 500 Catholic Values Index. Its a large blend fund with a low expense ratio. There are similar funds out there, but most Ive seen have had some lag over the long run. This fund is a bit newer, but it hasnt had quite the lag so far.

2. TIAA-CREF Social Choice Equity Fund (Ticker: TICRX)

This fund seeks to reflect the investment performance of the overall U.S. stock market while giving special consideration to certain environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria. Its lagged a little in recent years, but it has a pretty good track record and a solid name behind it. If youre cost-conscious, youll want to note that its expense ratio is a bit higher (0.46%) than the previous fund but is still not terrible overall.

3. Appleseed Fund (Ticker: APPLX)

Launched in December 2006, this funds goal is to generate market-beating returns by investing in well-managed, highly competitive businesses screened for ESG factors. One of its pluses is its diversified mix, which includes some alternative assets and some fixed-income assets. It has a 1.14% expense ratio, so its pricey, but its a little less volatile than the S&P. It has lagged behind in recent years in total performance, but it could help with diversification and risk-adjusted returns.

4. Parnassus Endeavor Fund (Ticker: PARWX)

This large-company growth fund uses the usual ESG assessments, but it also excludes firms involved with fossil fuels, and it likes companies that have high worker satisfaction. That apparently has been paying dividends. Parnassus has managed funds since 1984, so theyre well-established, even if the fund is newer. As for cost, the fund is a little on the high side, but it performs well under stress testing, and on our tracking, it has a little more bang for its buck than some similar funds.

5. Amana Trust Growth (Ticker: AMAGX)

Amana Trust Growth is a socially responsible large-cap growth fund that invests according to Islamic principles, so it avoids companies in industries such as liquor, pornography, firearms and gambling. Its a little on the expensive side, but the total return has been quite good, averaging over a percentage point more than the S&P since inception. And its been around since the 1990s, with a strong, consistent track record.

These are just a few of many funds that are available to those who want to include their values in the investing process. If that sounds like something youd like to look into, heres how to get started:

1. Establish your own value system, reflective of your views.

reflective of your views. 2. Do your research. Check out various companies and funds online. Do a general search, and then move on to Morningstar to see how expensive your choices are and how theyre rated.

Check out various companies and funds online. Do a general search, and then move on to Morningstar to see how expensive your choices are and how theyre rated. 3. Bring the best funds you find to a trustworthy independent financial adviser who can stress test them and analyze them for downsides you may have overlooked.

to a trustworthy independent financial adviser who can stress test them and analyze them for downsides you may have overlooked. 4. Then its back to you. Know yourself as an investor. Keep your risk tolerance in mind, because many of these funds can lag over time. Balance that with the possibility that if you arent investing in something you believe in, you might not be investing at all.

Kim Franke-Folstad contributed to this article.
SANTIAGO, July 16 (Reuters) - Chile's state-run mining company Codelco, one of the world's largest copper miners, will post earnings of "much more than $1 billion" this year, chief executive Nelson Pizarro told local newspaper El Mercurio in an article published on Sunday.

The company will also revive a workers' severance compensation plan in August with the aim of reducing headcount at its Andina and El Teniente mines by about 300, as part of its plans to reduce costs, Pizarro said.

Codelco, which sends all its profits to state coffers, posted a larger profit in the first quarter of 2017 than in all of 2016 as a result of a strict policy of containing costs and a modest recovery in global prices for the red metal.

Pizarro added that Codelco was making progress on international projects, including a plan in Ecuador. The company is analyzing other markets including Mongolia, he said.

(Reporting by Luc Cohen; Editing by Andrea Ricci) Keywords: CHILE MINING/CODELCO
July 16 (Reuters) - The portfolio managers of the $1.2 billion Eaton Vance Worldwide Health Sciences fund are expecting big gains from a trio of healthcare stocks.

Jason Kritzer and Samantha Pandolfi, co-managers of the fund, highlighted Vertex Pharmaceuticals , Zoetis and Shire for future outperformance in an article in Barron's.

Kritzer said he expects to see Vertex increase its revenue by at least 20 percent in 2017 and 30 percent in 2018, with per-share profit potentially doubling this year and again next year. He sees the stock price rising to "between $152 and $155."

Vertex closed at $130.99 on Friday.

Pandolfi says she sees 15 percent upside for drugmaker Zoetis and 40 percent upside for Dublin-based drugmaker Shire.

She said Shire's stock price has been held back by investor concerns the company is losing ground to other manufacturers of hemophilia drugs, which Shire relies on for a large portion of its annual revenue.

"If the hemophilia fears persist, it could take two to three years to deliver those returns," she said. "If the fears abate, it will happen sooner."

The pair said that the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries have been proactive in the face of uncertainty surrounding the possible repeal of the Affordable Care Act, noting also that "The leaked draft executive order on drug pricing reads favorably for industries. With repeal and replace [of the Affordable Care Act], depending on how things shake out, hospitals are the big losers long term, due to cuts in Medicaid."

(Reporting by Dion Rabouin; Editing by Andrea Ricci)
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa has suspended implementation of a new mining law, which includes raising the level of shares blacks should own in mining firms, pending a court ruling, the Chamber of Mines industry body said on Friday.

Mining shares fell to more than one-year lows when Mines Minister Mosebenzi Zwane released the revised mining charter last month, giving resource firms 12 months to meet a new 30 percent minimum for black ownership, up from 26 percent.

The Chamber of Mines said the minister had given a written undertaking that the new code would not be implemented until a court ruled on a case against the move brought by the chamber.

It said the court would likely hear the so-called interdict application in September.

The charter aims to widen ownership in South Africa's economy, which has yet to shake off the legacy of white rule more than two decades after the end of apartheid.

The Chamber of Mines applied to the high court to prevent implementation of the charter, saying it risked "vast and systemic damage" to the industry. The industry body said there had been insufficient consultation drawing it up.

Ratings agency Moody's said the new rules seeking to accelerate black ownership in South Africa's mining industry would deter investment, raise costs and diminish cashflow generation.

The mining minister has defended the new code, calling it a "win-win" for all.

Johannesburg's Mining Index extended gains to be up 1 percent following the news of the suspension.
* China June steel output hits 73.23 mln T -stats bureau

* Comes amid trade dispute with United States

* Aluminium production also climbs to highest on record

(Adds comment, detail)

BEIJING, July 17 (Reuters) - China's steel output rose 5.7 percent in June to a record 73.23 million tonnes, data showed on Monday, as mills in the world's top producer ramp up production due to fat profits from rallying prices.

The numbers come amid a trade dispute with the United States, which says China has flooded international markets with cheap aluminium and steel. June's total surpassed April's monthly record of 72.78 million tonnes, fuelling worries of a growing glut.

In the first half of this year, steel output totaled 419.75 million tonnes, up 4.6 percent from the same period in 2016, data from the National Statistics Bureau showed.

Meanwhile, China's aluminium production rose 7.4 percent year-on-year in June to its highest level on records back to 2014. Steel rebar margins were almost 1,000 yuan ($147.77) per tonne in June, enticing mills to increase output, said Bai Jing, analyst at Galaxy Futures.

"China's crackdown on low-end steel has left a capacity gap in the market," she said.

Stocks of rebar held by Chinese traders hit a six-month low on Friday, at 370.4 million tonnes, data from SteelHome consultants showed.

China eliminated around 120 million tonnes of low-end steel capacity in the first six months of this year.

The country had fulfilled nearly 85 percent, or 42.4 million tonnes, of its 2016 steel capacity cutting target by May. ($1 = 6.7671 Chinese yuan renminbi)

(Reporting by Muyu Xu and Josephine Mason; Editing by Joseph Radford)
* June y/y non-oil exports +8.2 pct

* June m/m sadj non-oil exports -2.7 pct

* Exports up for 1st time y/y in 2 months, growth seen broadening

SINGAPORE, July 17 (Reuters) - Singapore's non-oil domestic exports grew faster-than-expected in June from a year earlier, thanks to continued growth in electronics shipments as well as a rebound in non-electronic products.

Exports grew 8.2 percent from June last year, data from trade agency International Enterprise Singapore showed on Monday, beating a Reuters poll that predicted a 4.1 percent expansion.

Export figures in May were upwardly revised, growing 0.4 percent on a year-on-year basis compared with the 1.2 percent contraction previously recorded. In April, exports contracted a revised 0.3 percent from the year before.

"It's attributable to a high base last year. If you look at electronics, it's still in positive territory," said OCBC Bank analyst Selena Ling. "We're still on track. Hopefully we won't see a big drop off come second half of the year."

On a seasonally adjusted month-on-month basis, exports in June declined 2.7 percent after expanding a revised 9.4 percent in May from the previous month. The poll had projected a monthly decline of 2.1 percent for June.

In June, exports in the electronics sector -- a major driver of shipments in recent months -- grew 5.4 percent from the year earlier.

Exports of electronics have stayed solid this year, and analysts say they are likely to remain so.

In the second quarter, Singapore narrowly avoided a recession, growing at 0.4 percent from the previous three months, saved by solid global demand for its tech products. However, some analysts have voiced concern about Singapore's dependence on its electronics industry.

"The issue most critics have with the manufacturing exports uptick is that it is very electronics-centric. If we have a broadening of the growth base, it will be more reassuring," said Ling.

Non-electronics grew 9.3 percent in June after two straight months of contraction, spurred largely by growth of petrochemical exports.

"That is not exactly what you would say would be sustainable," Ling said.

A majority of analysts believe that the Monetary Authority of Singapore will keep monetary policy steady when its next policy statement is due in October.

For detailed exports data, see IE Singapore's website at .

(Reporting by Fathin Ungku; Editing by Sam Holmes)
HONG KONG, July 17 (Reuters) - Beijing Capital Land Ltd plans to list a bond worth up to 2 billion yuan ($296 million) on the Beijing Financial Assets Exchange (CFAE), a refinancing route that is less subject to measures aimed at slowing the rate at which cash is flowing into China's property sector.

The state-owned firm late on Friday said the plan would allow it to quickly raise funds to finance project development and construction, and would help reduce financing costs.

"Regulatory approval to issue corporate bonds on the main exchange is strict," a company official told Reuters on Monday. "But for this issuance - aimed at financing commercial projects - we only need approval from CFAE."

Beijing Capital Land will sell the bond through private placement, the company said.

Corporate bonds sold via the main market are regulated by the China Securities Regulatory Commission. The regulator has been tightening issuance restrictions for real estate developers since the second half of last year as part of broader measures aimed at slowing down property price increases.

In May, Shimao Property Holdings Ltd and Longfor Properties Co Ltd said they had won approval from a different regulator to issue medium-term bonds in the interbank market, another alternative refinancing channel increasingly used by developers. ($1 = 6.7671 Chinese yuan renminbi)

(Reporting by Clare Jim; Editing by Christopher Cushing)
(Updates Dominion Diamond; adds Multi-Color, Priceline, Volvo, Sandvine Corp, American Securities)

July 17 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported by 2000 GMT on Monday:

** Private equity firm American Securities is exploring a sale of portfolio company Tekni-Plex, the U.S. manufacturer of packaging and tubing materials, four sources familiar with the matter said. ** Sandvine Corp said it had terminated a deal with Vector Capital and accepted a higher offer from a unit of private equity firm Francisco Partners and Procera Networks Inc, valuing the network equipment maker at about C$562 million ($444 million. ** Swedish truck maker Volvo has attracted two bidders for its armoured vehicles maker Renault Trucks Defence (RTD) worth roughly 500 million euros ($573 million), people close to the matter said. ** EU antitrust regulators approved U.S. online travel company Priceline's planned acquisition of Momondo Group without conditions. ** U.S.-based packaging group Multi-Color Corp said it would buy the labels unit of Constantia Flexibles GmbH for about $1.3 billion in cash and stock. ** Canada's Dominion Diamond Corp , agreed to a sweetened takeover offer of $1.2 billion from U.S. billionaire Dennis Washington that will take private the world's third biggest diamond company by market value. ** China's regulators have told banks to stop providing funding for several of Dalian Wanda Group's overseas acquisitions as Beijing looks to curb the conglomerate's offshore buying spree, sources familiar with the matter said. ** Arm & Hammer toothpaste maker Church & Dwight Co Inc said it would buy privately held Water Pik Inc, which makes oral hygiene products and shower heads, for about $1 billion in cash. ** French payments company Worldline has agreed to buy Swedish peer Digital River World Payments as merger activity in the payments sector picks up following this month's takeover of Worldpay . ** Mobile advertising firm Taptica said it agreed to acquire 57 percent of Adinnovation Inc for up to $5.7 million in cash, the first Israeli acquisition of a Japanese mobile ad company. ** German publisher Axel Springer said it sold two Berlin real estate assets for 755 million euros ($864 million). ** San Miguel Corp's billionaire president said he will buy a majority stake in the Inquirer Group of Companies, one of the Philippines' biggest media firms and publisher of the country's most-read broadsheet, the Philippine Daily Inquirer. ** Hong Kong media company Next Digital Ltd , founded by tycoon and outspoken Beijing critic Jimmy Lai, said it plans to sell its flagship magazine and four others to a local businessman for HK$500 million ($64 million). ** Switzerland's EFG International and Brazil's BTG Pactual have struck a deal on the final price for BSI Bank at just under 1 billion Swiss francs ($1.04 billion), after billions in outflows at BSI had pushed down the value of the transaction. ** Vodka maker Stock Spirits Group Plc said it would buy a 25 percent stake in the Irish business of Quintessential Brands Group for up to 18.3 million euros in cash, adding Irish whiskey to its offering. ** Ride-hailing firm Careem, a Middle East rival to Uber Technologies Inc , has bought a minority stake in a three-month-old Egyptian start-up that connects commuters with private buses in Cairo. ** BAWAG PSK , the Austrian bank owned by private equity group Cerberus Capital Management , bought German regional lender Suedwestbank for an undisclosed price to expand its network in western Europe, BAWAG said. ** Centrica has agreed with Bayerngas Norge to merge the companies' North Sea assets, creating the region's largest non-major oil and gas producer and allowing Centrica access to younger fields and to lower its decommissioning liabilities. ** Cable manufacturer General Cable Corp announced on Sunday a review of strategic alternatives that could include a potential sale of the company. ** Oaktree Capital Management placed an investment stake in Australian drilling services company DDH1 Drilling Pty Ltd, the drilling company announced in a statement on Sunday. ** Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc , said it would sell its Obagi Medical Products business to Haitong International Zhonghua Finance Acquisition Fund I LP for $190 million in cash, as part of the Canadian drugmaker's efforts to cut down its debt. (Compiled by Laharee Chatterjee and Akankshita Mukhopadhyay in Bengaluru)
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SEMAFO Inc. (TSX, OMX: SMF) reports that construction of the open-pit Boungou Mine in Burkina Faso is progressing according to plan for commissioning in the second half of 2018. As of June 30, development was on schedule with $69 million spent and construction of the mine 35% completed, the company says. Erection of the leach and water tanks had begun, along with work on the power plant and fuel depot. A water-storage facility has been excavated and is ready to collect 2017 rainwater. Construction of the resettlement village was 65% complete. The company reports that 1,540 personnel, including contractors, were employed on site, 93% of whom are Burkinabe.

By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com

Orvana Posts Company-Record Quarterly Gold Production

Orvana Minerals Corp. (TSX: ORV) reports the highest production in its history during the companys fiscal third quarter. Consolidated gold output was 26,414 ounces, while gold-equivalent production was 35,292 ounces, an increase of 27% from the prior quarter. The company says it is on track to meet fiscal 2017 production guidance. Gold and copper production at the El Valle Mine in Spain increased by 15% and 24%, respectively, compared to the second quarter due to higher recoveries and tonnes milled. The Don Mario Mine in Bolivia completed its first full quarter of commercial production from the re-commissioned carbon-in-leach circuit, achieving a 48% increase in gold production from the prior quarter. "The recent significant investments we have made into our operations are resulting in consistent quarter-over-quarter improvements in our production results, says Jim Gilbert, chairman and chief executive officer.

By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com

Sierra Metals Reports 3% Year-Over-Year Decline In 2Q Output

Sierra Metals Inc. (TSX, BVL: SMT; NYSE MKT) reports a modest year-over-year decline in output during the second quarter, although production from the Yauricocha Mine in Peru posted the third strongest quarter ever. The company also operates the Bolivar copper and Cusi silver mines in Mexico. Silver-equivalent production was 2.7 million ounces in the second quarter, a 3% decrease from the same period a year ago. Copper-equivalent production was 23.1 million pounds, also a 3% decrease.The dip in production was due to lower throughput, lower head grades and lower recoveries of all metals, except gold recoveries at Bolivar; and lower throughput, lead and zinc head grades, and silver and lead recoveries at Cusi, Sierra Metals says. This was partially offset by higher throughput, higher copper and zinc head grades, and higher recoveries of all metals, except gold, at Yauricocha. "We are working to increase tonnage at Bolivar with the procurement of new equipment and through the exploration and development of higher-grade ore sources, which are expected to come into the mine plan early next year," says Igor Gonzales, president and chief executive officer of Sierra Metals.
BEIRUT (Reuters) - A senior commander in Iran's Revolutionary Guards warned the United States on Monday that if it designated the group a terrorist organization and applied new sanctions its action could be perilous for U.S. forces in the region.

U.S. officials said earlier this year that President Donald Trump's administration was considering a proposal that could lead to potentially categorizing the powerful Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization.

In Mid-June the U.S. Senate voted for new sanctions on Iran over its ballistic missile program and other activities not related to the international nuclear agreement reached with the United States and other world powers in 2015.

To become law, the legislation must pass the House of Representatives and be signed by Trump.

"Counting the Revolutionary Guards the same as terrorist groups and applying similar sanctions to the Revolutionary Guards is a big risk for America and its bases and forces deployed in the region," said Armed Forces Chief of Staff Major General Mohammad Baqeri, according to Sepah News, an official news site of the Guards.

He did not give details on what form of risk he foresaw for U.S. forces and bases.

The Revolutionary Guards are the most powerful security force in Iran, overseeing vast economic holdings worth billions of dollars and wielding huge influence in its political system.

Baqeri said on Monday that Irans missile program was defensive and would never be up for negotiation, according to Sepah News.

Three days after the U.S. Senate voted on the new sanctions, Iran fired missiles into eastern Syria, targeting bases of Islamic State which had claimed responsibility for attacks in Tehran which killed 18 people.

The Revolutionary Guards are fighting in Syria against militant groups which oppose President Bashar al-Assad.

Baqeri was also critical of recent remarks by U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis that regime change would be necessary before the United States could normalize relations with Iran.

"American officials should speak a little more wisely, thoughtfully and maturely about other countries, particularly a powerful country like Iran which has stood against all plots with strength and pride," he said, according to Sepah News.

Reporting By Babak Dehghanpisheh; Editing by Richard Balmforth
Joint border control between Ukraine and Moldova has been introduced at the Kuchurgan-Pervoimaisk crossing, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin has said.

"We are starting with joint border control with Moldova with the participation of the EU at the Kuchurgan-Pervomaisk crossing. This is one more step towards controlling the borders according to EU standards," Klimkin said on his Facebook page.

The press service of the Cabinet of Ministers of Moldova announced the joint crossing point would be opened on Monday with the participation of Moldovan Prime Minister Pavel Filip and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.

The joint border crossing is being opened pursuant to an intergovernmental agreement supported by the EU within framework of the bloc's neighborhood policy aimed at modernizing the integrated management of borders.

Control will be exercised on the Ukrainian side at the Kuchurgan control point bordering with Transdniestria's Pervomaisk crossing point. A the first six-month stage of the project, members of the Customs Service and Border Police of Moldova will jointly control only export operations from Transdniestria's region. The border police will monitor transportation means and people, register foreign citizens entering and leaving and report information about national legislation concerning migration to the interested parties.

The second stage envisions joint control of the movement of goods, including exports and imports, as well as the transportation means and individuals. Existing procedures for economic entities and individuals crossing to/from the Transdniestrian region will not be changed.

Agricultural and animal products may be imported and exported from Transdniestrian region on the basis of certificates issued by the responsible phytosanitary and veterinarian services of both states, without control or special fees.

The joint control project aims to simplify the movement of goods, transportation and individuals in accordance with the principle, dubbed " the 'one stop - one window' principle," including the necessary customs procedures for export/import operations of goods from/to Transdniestria, including goods subject to excise tax, with the aim of significantly shortening the amount of time for customs control and lowering transportation costs, in part through spot checks of transportation means and goods.
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(Kitco News) - Investors can expect to see more strategic partnerships and joint ventures in the mining sector as smaller companies look for sustainable capital flows, according to one mining executive.

Photo courtesy of Golden Arrow Resources

In late May, Golden Arrow Resources (TSX.V: GRG) announced that it had completed a joint venture agreement with Silver Standard (TSX: SSO) to develop the Chinchilla Silver project in Argentina. As part of the agreement, Golden Arrow will receive a 25% stake in the mine, while Silver Standard operates the mine with a 75% stake.

The agreement also provides Golden Arrow with a 25% stake in Silver Standards Pirquitas mine.

Joseph Grosso, president and CEO of Golden Arrow, said in a recent interview with Kitco News that this venture provides major benefits for both companies. He explained that his company is getting about $1 million a month from this agreement and Silver Standard is able to expand its Argentine mining operations for at least another 8 years once the Chinchilla project is in production, which is expected to be in mid-2018.

We are geologists not mining engineers or builders so it makes sense to partner with a company that has this expertise, he said. We are excited to be able to work with a company like Silver Standard to get Chinchilla in production.

Grosso added that this agreement is an example of what he sees is a growing trend in the industry. He added that joint ventures allow exploration companies to leverage their expertise in finding deposits, leaving the development of the mine to more experienced players.

Grosso isnt the only person who is seeing a growing trend of majors developing strategic partnerships with junior companies.

In a recent report, mining analysts at CIBC noted that so far this year, more 50% of the equity raised by junior gold companies listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange has come from direct investment from major companies.

No previous year has exceeded 20%, the analysts noted. The increased activity of senior gold stocks investing in junior stocks may be motivated by the forecast gold production decline beyond the next five years. Larger gold companies need to plan now to address the future forecast production decline for the industry.

Grosso noted that there is even more urgency in the silver sector, which saw its first drop in production in 2016 -- the first decline in 14 years. Because of low prices, companies have been sluggish in bringing new projects online, preferring instead to wait for when prices start to rise.

Grosso said that he remains optimistic on silver prices as there is a growing divide in the marketplace as demand continues to pick up and mine supply shrinks.

With the growing demand for silver, Grosso said that he is committed to further exploration of Argentina, which he described as an untapped mineral resource.

We have 200,000 hectares of land to explore in Argentina, a land package we have accumulated over 20 years, he said. We think there is potential to find more major deposits.
HANOI, July 17 (Reuters) - Here's a snapshot of Vietnamese dong exchange rates in the official and unofficial markets, indicative SJC gold prices in Hanoi and interbank offered rates at 0405 GMT.

July 17 USD/VND mid-point 22,437 USD/VND interbank 22,710/22,773 USD/VND unofficial 22,780/22,800 SJC gold (mln dong/tael) 36.20/36.44

Interbank offered rates Overnight 1.2-1.8

1 week 1.4-1.9

1 month 2.3-2.8

3 months 3.8-4.2

NOTES: As of Jan. 4, 2016 the State Bank of Vietnam has begun setting the mid-point rate on daily basis, allowing dollar/dong transactions to move in a band of +/- 3 percent around the mid point. The dong's exchange rate against other currencies is not restricted by a band. Interbank offered rates are the latest indicative bid/ask prices, quoted from market sources.

One tael is equivalent to 37.5 grams or 1.21 troy ounces. SJC gold prices are quoted by state-owned Saigon Jewelry Co.

For more interbank rate fixings released at 0400 GMT, click on .

For Vietnam market overview click on: Vietnam's bonds market auctions: Bonds auction results: (Compiled by Hanoi Newsroom)
COLOMBO, July 17 (Reuters) - Sri Lanka's economy will rebound in coming months as the island nation begins to rebuild after devastating floods, and it could still expand by 4.5 to 5.0 percent for the full-year, central bank Governor Indrajith Coomaraswamy said on Monday.

The central bank had earlier estimated 2017 growth at 5 percent, higher than last year's 4.4 percent, before the floods and landslides in May that killed more than 200 people and hit the agricultural sector hard. In contrast, some main agriculture areas have suffered from severe drought since early this year.

The central bank, however, has not revised down its official growth estimates yet.

"The reality is somewhere between 4.5-5.0 percent," Coomaraswamy told Reuters.

"There should be a rebound in the second half. Usually you have some reconstruction activities that come with rehabilitation activities after those kind of natural disasters."

Sri Lanka's economic growth slowed to 3.8 percent in the first quarter year-on-year from the previous quarter's 5.3 percent as drought dragged on. Analysts also say activity has been blunted by tight monetary and fiscal policies as the government faced a debt and balance-of-payment crisis in 2016.

Colombo in June last year got $1.5 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund with the commitment of economic and fiscal reforms.

The central bank has tightened monetary policy four times since December 2015 due to higher imports and credit growth. The government raised taxes last year to boost the government revenue and achieve fiscal deficit target agreed with the IMF.

(Reporting by Shihar Aneez; Editing by Kim Coghill)
* June exports down 11.82 pct y/y, imports down 17.21 pct

* A Reuters poll had expected growth in exports, imports

* June trade surplus $1.63 bln, more than expected

* Import contraction sign of weak domestic demand - economist

(Adds details, economist comment)

By Nilufar Rizki and Gayatri Suroyo

JAKARTA, July 17 (Reuters) - Indonesia's exports and imports contracted in June on a yearly basis for the first time in nine months and officials from the statistics bureau blamed seasonal factors.

Eid al-Fitr holidays and restrictions for trucks on toll roads were the reasons for the contraction, said Suhariyanto, the head of the statistics bureau. The holidays started at the end of June this year, whereas last year they began in July.

"The drop in imports was a bit excessive and if we compare with other growth related indicators, domestic demand may not be as strong as we had expected before in 2Q17," said Rangga Cipta, an economist with Samuel Sekuritas in Jakarta.

However, he agreed that seasonal factors were the main reasons for the decline.

Cipta expects both exports and imports to surge in July before they normalise in August, noting that China's solid second-quarter growth may bode well for Indonesia's exports in coming months.

Indonesia's exports in June fell 11.82 percent to $11.64 billion on an annual basis, the first contraction since September 2016, data from the bureau showed on Monday.

Analysts in a Reuters poll had expected a growth rate of 7.53 percent. In May, shipments from Southeast Asia's largest economy grew 24.08 percent.

Exports of clothes, jewellery and machinery in June fell from the same month last year, the bureau said.

Meanwhile, June imports declined 17.21 percent from last year to $10.01 billion, compared with the 8.87 percent expansion rate expected in the poll. That was also the first contraction since September 2016.

Despite the contraction, Indonesia still posted a trade surplus in June. The statistics bureau said its estimate for June surplus was $1.63 billion, while May's surplus was revised to around $580 million.

In the first six months of 2017, trade surplus was $7.63 billion, the biggest first semester trade surplus since 2012.

(Additional reporting by Hidayat Setiaji; Editing by Gopakumar Warrier)
Ukraine stands ready to help Moldova restore its territorial integrity and sovereignty, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said.

"We, Ukraine, are ready to facilitate the restoration of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Moldova as much as we can and do whatever we can to restore what was provoked 25 years ago and has grave consequences for hundreds of thousands of people living today in Transdniestria," Poroshenko said at a joint press briefing with Moldovan Prime Minister Pavel Filip in Odesa region, opening the joint Ukrainian-Moldovan border checkpoint Kuchurgan-Pervomaisk.

Filip described allegations of a blockade of Transdniestria by Ukraine and Moldova as mere speculations.

"It's strange to hear various speculations regarding the so-called blockade of Transdniestria by the Moldovan and Ukrainian authorities. We should see that exports of products to Ukraine from this territory, for example, in 2015-2016 amounted to nearly $10 million, and 60% of general exports from this region were to EU countries," Filip said.

Transdniestrian leadership might be discontented with such an amount of exports to EU countries, he said.
A scene from "Stranger" (Secret Forest) / Courtesy of tvN

By Yun Suh-young

Korean drama producers are enjoying their second heyday with Netflix rising as their new prime purchaser instead of China.

Over the past year, Korean broadcasters have been suffering from a prolonged downturn from the Chinese market, which had been the biggest buyer of Korean dramas, due to the prohibition of Korean content by the Chinese government in retaliation of Korea's decision to deploy a THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) system in the country. The political tension trickled over to the cultural sector, damaging business opportunities and cultural exchanges.

However, Netflix opened opportunities for Korean producers and broadcasters to sell their content to a wider global market.

TvN's popular series "Stranger" benefitted from Netflix's purchase of the 16-episode cable drama for $200,000 per episode. The series is simultaneously being aired on cable TV and Netflix and the latter purchased the series under the condition of being the sole global distributor to 190 countries, excluding Korea and China.

The purchase of this drama is highly dependent on the appearance of actress Bae Doo-na who is widely recognized overseas for her appearance in Netflix's original drama "Sense8" and other films by the Wachowski siblings.

OCN's new drama "Black" which will be aired later this year is also under negotiation with Netflix. The series features hallyu star Song Seung-heon and is written by Choi Ran who wrote "Whisper" which was remade into the American TV series "Somewhere Between."

The change in Netflix's business strategy also expanded opportunities for Korean producers. Netflix had initially demanded sole distribution rights for the content it purchased but now it agrees to the sale of its copyright to other distributors three months after Netflix ends streaming.

Netflix bought JTBC's "Man to Man" which was aired earlier this year at $350,000 per episode and also agreed with JTBC to sell the copyright of the content to overseas broadcasters, excluding streaming services such as Netflix, once the airing of the series ends on Netflix. The series features celebrity actor Park Hae-jin and reaped some benefits from the actor's popularity when Netflix's expansion in Thailand coincided with the purchase.

In the case of MBC's "Nightless City," aired in January, it was sold to Netflix after the series ended. For the Korean broadcaster, it was a breakthrough at a time when the Chinese market was blocked.

For smaller productions such as the web drama "My Only Love Song," Netflix became a basket of hope after the drama was blocked by China although it was produced for the Chinese market. Netflix bought its copyright.

For both Korean producers and Netflix, the sales and purchases amount to a win-win situation at a time when expansion into China is limited for Korea and expansion throughout Asia is crucial for Netflix. Netflix benefits from the popularity of Korean content in Asia while Korean broadcasters may be able to reap bigger profits from selling to Netflix than selling content separately to several countries.

Yet some producers say Korean broadcasters should be careful when signing contracts with Netflix which may require them to sell the global copyrights solely to Netflix and do this at a lower price than they could have negotiated.
Korea Development Bank (KDB) has extended its helping hand to a social welfare center for girls whose parents have separated or passed away.



The state-run policy bank said Monday that it has donated 10 million won to the house in Eungam-dong, Eunpyeong-gu in Seoul.



The donation will be used to fix the aging house to repair its leaking roof, the center said. The bank decided to make the donation after hearing about the house's trouble over the roof leaks especially during the summer monsoon period.



"We became worried after hearing about Teresa's House experiencing trouble in this rainy season," KDB Chairman Lee Dong-geol said in a statement. "KDB will continue to extend assistance to places in need."



The house has been around for 38 years, helping girls to receive proper education and become independent.



Even though it was renovated in 2005, it needed to fix its roof. Teresa's House reached out to KDB for help in repairing it.



There are currently two baby girls, three kindergarten, three elementary school students, a junior high school student, and a high school student living in the house.



KDB has been running its social programs since 2016. Its donation to Teresa's House was part of the bank's 17th social project. It has donated a total of 80 million won.



Early this month, the bank donated 10 million won to the Seoul Metropolitan Policy Agency to help two crime victims get back on their feet. (Advertorial)
AIA Korea Vice Chief Technology Officer Dale Kim, right, poses with SK C&C General Manager of ITS Business Lee Ki-yeol at the Walkerhill Hotel in Seoul, Monday, after signing a business consignment agreement to introduce the latter's AI technology to the former's call centers. / Courtesy of AIA Korea



AIA becomes 1st insurer to introduce AI teller in Korea



By Nam Hyun-woo



Artificial intelligence (AI) is making fast inroads into the world of finance, and the first AI-based customer support agent will soon debut in the Korean life insurance industry.



AIA Korea announced Monday that it has signed an agreement with SK C&C for the introduction of AI technology to its call centers.



According to the Seoul-based company, its AIA ON robo-teller service will be the first of its sort in the domestic life insurance industry when it starts operation next year. In the early stage, people will monitor the results in detail to make sure there are no mistakes.



So far, many insurers have introduced customer services offering automatic responses based upon preset answers, but AIA said its robo-teller will be the first to manage the entire sales process based on AI technology.



Leading the insurer's technological leap was Dale Kim, AIA Korea's chief technology and operation officer.



"We are preparing for a procedural change in our business," Kim said in an interview with The Korea Times. "In the next five years, AI will take center stage in many businesses, just like computers did in the past, and adopting the technology will be a matter of survival."



Kim said AI can be applied in three insurance company domains -- customer service, claims and underwriting.



In its early stage, AI's role would be mostly confined to customer service, but Kim estimated that it will not take long for AI to penetrate into the remaining two fields, which are the core of the insurance business.



"The strengths of AI are efficiency and cost saving," Kim said. "About 20 years ago, insurance companies did underwriting manually, and now everything runs through computers and the process of insurance has become so much faster.



"Though AIA is one of the trailblazers in adopting AI, we are still experiencing many trials and errors. But our path is heading toward adopting AI in all the processes of the insurance business."



Kim said he is also aware of concerns that AI will deprive humans of their jobs, but he sees the technology as playing a more complementary role.



"Many of us have experienced inconveniences coming from long wait times when trying to make an inquiry to your financial service provider," he said.



"While insurance companies are striving to build an omni-channel for customer services, they can't keep their call centers or other services that need a human touch operating 24 hours, because of costs. This is where AI is coming in and why the technology is not necessarily replacing humans."



Citing such factors, Kim said the insurer is planning to have a transition period to find the optimal point between human- and AI-based services. He added that the company has no plans to downsize its call center workforce in the near future.





AIA ON



AIA ON will be based on Aibril, developed by SK C&C, Kim said. The system understands Korean and is based on IBM's Watson cognitive computing platform, which is emerging as the world's leading AI system.



Based on Kim's plan, AIA ON will provide around-the-clock answering services through a chatbot. Kim said it will reduce wait times for customers and enhance productivity, efficiency and accuracy at the insurer's customer service department. The service will be introduced in October.



Meanwhile, the AIA ON robo-teller comes to town early next year. The system will also make calls to policyholders who have recently purchased policies, in order to reduce the possibility of incomplete sales.



After "learning more about insurance," AIA ON will eventually be used to answer calls from clients, which Kim described as much more difficult than making outbound calls.



"A recent report showed that there is a tendency for customers to prefer AI services because they don't try to advertise new insurance policies and they do what they are programmed to do," Kim said.



AIA Korea and SK C&C earned three-month exclusivity to use this technology. SK C&C will operate the call center business for four years.
Moon sets peace initiatives in motion

By Kim Rahn





The Moon Jae-in government has made an official offer for dialogue to North Korea, including inter-Korean military talks and resuming reunions of separated families, as a follow-up measure to the peace overture he proposed in his recent speech in Berlin.

The Ministry of National Defense said Monday the government proposed that the two Koreas hold military talks on reducing tension along the border, July 21, at Tongilgak, a North Korean building in the truce village of Panmunjeom.

"We are requesting Pyongyang to respond to the offer through the disabled inter-Korean military communication line in the western region after restoring it," said Vice Defense Minister Suh Choo-suk.

"In the July 6 speech, the President proposed the two Koreas halt all acts of hostility near the Military Demarcation Line starting July 27, the 64th anniversary of the armistice. This offer is a follow-up measure to his proposal," Suh said.

Regarding the scope of the "acts of hostility," Suh said the government is not specifying this for now but will do so after reviewing Pyongyang's response. "We'll have a comprehensive discussion on the acts," he noted.

If held, this will be the first dialogue between the military authorities of the two Koreas in 33 months since Oct. 15, 2014, when the two sides failed to reach an agreement on reducing military tension, with Pyongyang blaming Seoul for the failure.

The chances of the North accepting the offer seem relatively high, as Pyongyang has also made similar proposals for dialogue to reduce military tension along the border.

In a commentary in its official mouthpiece, the Rodong Sinmun, North Korea said Saturday the first step for the two Koreas to take is to address military confrontation. Pyongyang offered military talks in May last year, but the Park Geun-hye administration turned these down and called for Pyongyang's denuclearization first.

In the talks, if held, the two Koreas may discuss suspending loudspeaker-based propaganda broadcasts and preventing South Korean activists from sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets into the North via balloons.












By Yi Whan-woo



A former North Korean defector who starred on South Korean television shows appeared in a North Korean propaganda video, Sunday, fueling speculation she was kidnapped by the repressive state.



The video, titled "The truth revealed by Jeon Hye-sung who was used for anti-DPRK propaganda," shows the woman depicting a "painful" life in the South after defecting from the North in January 2014 and returning home this June.



Jeon claimed she was forced to criticize the Kim Jong-un regime against her will on South Korean cable TV.



The video was released by the Pyongyang-run Uriminzokkiri propaganda website.



"I viciously slandered and spoke ill of the DPRK as I was told to," Jeon said.



She went by the name Im Ji-hyun here but claimed that was an alias.



"I went to the South, led by fantasy that I could eat well and make a lot of money. But in the country where everything is judged by money, I was haunted by physical and psychological pain although I worked my butt off at bars and other places," she said. "Now I'm in the motherland, staying with my parents in Anju, South Pyongan Province."



Jeon appeared as a guest on "Moranbong Club," a kitsch talk show produced by cable network TV Chosun, from December 2016 to April this year.



She also starred in a reality show, "South Korean Men and North Korean Women," produced by TV Chosun as well.



Intelligence authorities said they are investigating how she re-entered North Korea.



Some North Korean defectors speculated she was abducted by North Korean agents on the China-North Korean border while attempting to help her family members flee their country.



The Uriminzokkiri video features another former North Korean defector, Kim Man-bok, who returned to the North two years ago.



He joined Jeon in criticizing the South, saying "The anti-DPRK TV programs are filled with lies from beginning to end."












By Park Si-soo



A Japanese home stay operator has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a Korean guest.

Kyodo News Agency reported that the alleged assault happened at a studio in Fukuoka at 6.30 a.m. Sunday.

The owner, in his 30s, denies that he assaulted the woman. Police are investigating.
A scene from "A Blood Pledge" (2009)



By Ko Dong-hwan

A high school teacher has been jailed for six years for sexually harassing a female student multiple times.

The Daegu High Court's ruling on Sunday did not change the lower court sentence of the man, who is in his 50s, on charges of infringing laws on sexually protecting adolescents and teenagers.

The court heard that at about 7:20 p.m. last September the man called the student, who had recently broken up with her boyfriend, to a teachers' office, saying he had advice on the matter.

The teacher asked her to take off her clothes, saying he would "personally check if she had had illicit experience with her boyfriend."

The man told the girl to do this four times in one month, calling her to isolated places in the school.

The court said the victim "suffered extreme mental distress and embarrassment, which may disrupt her sexual security or socio-interactive understanding to be formed in future."

However, the court took into account the man's clean criminal record and the fact that he had admitted the offences.
By Jun Ji-hye

President Moon Jae-in appointed eight vice ministers Monday, including the heads of the Korea National Diplomatic Academy and the Public Procurement Service.

Cho Byung-jae, former ambassador to Malaysia, was tapped as chancellor of the Korea National Diplomatic Academy. A graduate of Seoul National University with a bachelor's degree in diplomacy, he previously served as a Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman.





Cho Byung-jae

Cho worked for President Moon during the presidential campaign and led the effort to draw up Moon's foreign affairs and security policies with National Security Council chief Chung Eui-yong.

"He gained a lot of knowledge and practical experience of foreign affairs," presidential spokesman Park Soo-hyun said. "Cheong Wa Dae expects him to successfully lead the academy."

Park Chun-sup, who previously served as budget office chief and spokesman at the Ministry of Strategy and Finance, was named administrator of the Public Procurement Service. He graduated from Seoul National University with a bachelor's degree in international trade, and from the University of Manchester with a master's degree in economics.

"With his hard work and strong drive, Park is a recognized expert in budget-related issues," the spokesman said. "He is highly qualified and will fairly and effectively carry out procurement work and contribute to vitalizing the economy."

Ki Chan-soo, former chief of staff of the Defense Security Command, was appointed as chief of the Military Manpower Administration. After graduating from the Korea Army Academy at Yeongcheon, North Gyeongsang Province, he also received a bachelor's degree in business management and a master's degree in public administration from Sungkyunkwan University.

"Ki is a military intelligence expert and has contributed to defense reform," the spokesman said. "He is the right man to lead the conscription administration."

Moon also appointed Ra Seung-yong, former president of the National Institute of Agricultural Sciences, as chief of the Rural Development Administration. Ra has a master's degree in agriculture and a PhD in horticulture from Korea University.

Kim Jae-hyun, professor of forestry and landscape architecture at Konkuk University, was tapped as minister of the Korea Forest Service. He has a master's degree in agriculture from Seoul National University and a PhD in the same major from Japan's University of Tsukuba.

"Kim will be able to put theory into practice and contribute to creating forest-related jobs," the spokesman noted.

Nam Jae-cheol, vice administrator of the Korea Meteorological Administration, was promoted to head his administration. He received his bachelor's, master's and PhD degrees from Seoul National University in agriculture, meteorology and atmospheric science, respectively.

Oh Dong-ho, standing member of the Appeals Commission at the Ministry of Personnel Management, was appointed as the president of the National Human Resources Development Institute. He studied political science and diplomacy at Kyunghee University.

Moon also appointed Bae Ki-dong, professor of cultural anthropology at Hanyang University, as the head of the National Museum of Korea.
Hong Joon-pyo, center, chairman of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party, talks with People's Party interim chief Park Joo-sun, left, while ruling Democratic Party of Korea Chairwoman Choo Mi-ae looks on, during an event to mark the nation's 69th Constitution Day at the National Assembly, Monday. / Yonhap



By Jun Ji-hye

Liberty Korea Party (LKP) Chairman Hong Joon-pyo made it clear Monday he will not attend a luncheon hosted by President Moon Jae-in later this week to discuss key pending issues with the leaders of the ruling and opposition parties.

Hong, who was the runner-up candidate in the May 9 presidential election, conveyed his refusal during a meeting with Jun Byung-hun, chief presidential secretary for political affairs, at the party headquarters on Yeouido.

"Hong stated clearly he will not go to the Cheong Wa Dae meeting," LKP spokesman Khang Hyo-shang told reporters.

On Friday, President Moon, through his secretary, invited the chairmen and chairwomen of the five political parties to the luncheon to be held at Cheong Wa Dae, Wednesday.

At the time, Jun said the meeting was designed to brief the party leaders on the outcome of Moon's recent diplomatic meetings, including the Seoul-Washington summit held late last month.

A day after the invitation, Hong expressed his refusal on Facebook, saying he does not want to get angry at issues related to the free trade agreement between Korea and the United States (KORUS FTA) in what will be his first meeting with the President as party chairman.

He was elected chairman of the conservative opposition party July 3.

The KORUS FTA issue is expected to be high on the agenda during the meeting, after U.S. President Donald Trump took official action to amend the agreement.

Khang said that when Hong led the National Assembly endorsement of the KORUS FTA in 2011 as chairman of the then-ruling party, the now-incumbent ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), at the time the main opposition party, strongly opposed its passage.

Khang noted the DPK at the time claimed it would push for a renegotiation with the United States if it took power.

"The U.S. government is now demanding a renegotiation, but the DPK is keeping silent," Khang said.

LKP insiders noted that Hong wants the Moon government and the ruling party to apologize for their previous criticism of him, and their current negative attitude toward the renegotiation.

A Cheong Wa Dae official told reporters the presidential office will push to hold the meeting even if Hong refuses to attend.

"We need to observe good manners for the other party leaders who agreed to attend the meeting," the official said, asking not to be named. "The presidential office expects Hong to come to the meeting as the LKP chairman who has stressed the importance of national security, as the meeting will be a venue in which the President and party leaders will discuss this and other issues."
A man passes by the U.S. Embassy in central Seoul, July 13. / Yonhap



By Choi Ha-young

A student in her 20s, who requested to be identified by the alias Kim Hye-jin, recalled the distress she felt as an intern for the U.S. Embassy in Seoul in 2015, during which she received neither a salary nor even a stipend for transportation and lunch.

"I had to take an additional part-time job after finishing work at the embassy at 5:30 p.m. I barely had any time for myself," Kim told The Korea Times.

"Since I was working for its public affairs department, I was always required to take part in the department's events in the evening. Whenever I returned home late at night, I felt so depressed for losing personal time in addition to not receiving money."

Sometimes, Kim even spent her own money for transportation during business trips and for lunch with organization partners and she had to wait two to three months to be reimbursed.

As an intern, Kim assumed a variety of roles, from translator and photographer to event organizer. Sometimes, she also answered the phones and does basic office tasks. "I applied for the post, aware that it was unpaid. However, it made me think the system was unjust, since my job was more vital than I initially thought," she said.

Another worker, who also requested to be identified as Han Cheol-soo, worked for the U.S. Embassy last year and underwent similar hardships. "Since my parents couldn't afford to give me a stipend, I couldn't help but quit the internship earlier than I had hoped," he said. "I think such an unpaid internship policy is a stumbling block for students from poor families to get equal opportunity."

Two years ago, an intern for the United Nations in Geneva resigned after exposing that he was sleeping in a tent on the shores of Lake Geneva. In an interview, the then-22-year-old David Hyde said he was unable to afford accommodation in the Swiss city, since his position in the international organization was unpaid.

His circumstances were no different from those of another former Seoul intern in her 20s, who requested to be identified as Lee Min-hee. She worked for the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) Seoul office in 2013, during which she received no financial compensation from the organization.

"I had a kind of fantasy about working for a renowned international organization. I was so excited to do the internship but later realized this situation was so unjust," Lee said. "We unpaid interns just hoped to receive some stipend, but even an allowance for lunch and transportation expenses was not provided."

Under the supervision of the head of the public relations department, she was tasked with organizing international conferences, making presentation materials and summarizing papers about refugee issues.

In addition to the U.S. Embassy and UNHCR, a renowned foreign news agency hires assistant reporters and pays them only hundreds of thousands of won (less than $1,000) per month. "I haven't signed any contract," a former assistant reporter said on condition of anonymity, demanding not to name the organization for professional reasons.

"When it was so hectic, like in 2015 when the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome struck here, we received 1 million won ($886) per month. We normally received 400,000 won," she said. "Like many others, I seized the opportunity because I was really desperate for a journalism career."





Internship announcement of U.S. Embassy in Seoul / Captured from the embassy website An internship announcement for UNHCR doesn't state the program is unpaid. / Captured from the UNHCR website



Enthusiasm payment'

In recent days, Korean firms have avoided hiring unpaid interns in the face of public outcry. For years, the so-called "enthusiasm payment"  the practice of giving young workers only a meager payment since they are supposedly doing what they are eager to do  persisted as a serious social problem.

Last week, the administration of the newly elected Moon Jae-in announced that it will abolish internships in Cheong Wa Dae, in an effort to decrease its dependence on temporary employees.

To deter the practice, the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL) has also implemented guidelines for organizations that discourages hiring young unpaid workers under the pretext of gaining valuable "training" or "experience." However, the ministry said it has not inspected problematic foreign organizations, thus doesn't have statistics of unpaid interns in those workplaces.

Lawyer Chung Myung-ah from the labor law firm Saenal was surprised to hear about the rampant unpaid labor practices at U.N. organizations, embassies and global media companies. "Such circumstances would be unimaginable if they were domestic companies," Chung said.

Since opportunities to gain work experience in international organizations and companies are rare, young people are easily attracted to such internships, even when unpaid. Kim, who used to work at the U.S. Embassy, said: "Students cannot help but apply for the unpaid internships, because they exist."

Rep. Lee Jeong-mi, Justice Party chairwoman and member of the National Assembly Environmental and Labor Committee, urged MOEL to look closely into these blind spots. "There should be no exceptions to the employers' duty to pay for labor, and diplomatic immunity should not be a tool to justify the practice of enthusiasm payment," Lee said.

"The ministry should be more proactive in determining whether the interns are actually providing a workforce to an organization. The young are driven to the unpaid posts to survive in the fierce job search competition. Who would work for free otherwise?"

Legal dispute

Legal experts and lawyers specializing in labor issues told The Korea Times that such jobs are considered "de facto labor" according to MOEL's definition of labor. According to multiple judicial precedents, "Those who work at a specific workplace during a fixed period of time and follow a superior's direction" are likely to be recognized as staffers.

"Even though they are called interns or assistants, they fall into the category of workers if they are virtually carrying out their duties in a fixed workplace," MOEL labor supervisor Oh Jong-tae said. "Theoretically, those unpaid interns can submit a petition to a regional office of the labor ministry to call for an inspection of an organization and claim unpaid wages. If violations of the Labor Standard Act are detected in the process, supported by evidence, they can technically file a lawsuit against employers."

The foreign nationality of organizations does not guarantee their impunity. According to Article 28 of the Republic of Korea's Private International Law, foreign governmental bodies based in Seoul should respect local labor laws.

A Supreme Court precedent made in Dec. 17, 1998, stipulated that a Korean judiciary can exercise its jurisdiction over a U.S. governmental organization that was hiring Korean workers. In addition, MOEL's administrative interpretation made in 2014 said workplaces operating here as a branch of foreign companies are subject to the Labor Standard Act.

Asked about the legal basis for its unpaid internship program, the UNHCR's senior public information associate, Heinn Shin, cited a "U.N. resolution passed by U.N. membership states including South Korea in 1997."

The resolution, entitled "Gratis personnel provided by Governments and other entities," states that "the use of gratis personnel, other than those performing supplementary activities, should be on exceptional and temporary basis" and "gratis personnel are not a substitute for staff."

Further, the resolution doesn't ensure the program's legality. Generally, a U.N. resolution is not considered international law, and domestic laws have precedence over international laws, according to the Korea Center for United Nations Human Rights Policy, a local civic group. Unlike treaties between two countries that are ratified by a legislative body, a resolution is more like a recommendation.

The Korea Times made inquiries to the U.S. Embassy and UNHCR about the number of unpaid interns working for them. The embassy's spokesman has not provided the figure for interns, citing "security reasons," and as of Monday morning has not provided an answer about the legal basis of the embassy's internship program.

Meanwhile, the UNHCR said it has five to 10 interns depending on different events and projects, along with 50 staff members. MOEL's guidelines recommend employers not hire interns that exceed 10 percent of total employees.
An employee works at a franchised restaurant in Seoul, Monday, one day after Korea decided to increase the minimum wage to 7,530 won in 2018. / Yonhap



Workers joyful, but express worry over job security



By You Soo-sun, Kim Se-jeong

Han Ji-young, a 22-year-old college student, began working last year at a cafe in Geumcheon-gu, southwestern Seoul. Like many other college students with part-time jobs, she believes the recent minimum wage increase will help her better meet her living expenses.

"I'm optimistic about the change, especially as it will help lessen the burden on my parents," she said.

But Han believes it did not go far enough. "The pay is too little compared to the work I'm asked to do. I know other cafes pay better, so I was expecting a bigger increase to close that gap  it will help, but it's not enough."

And like Han, many college students did not see this as a significant change. Kim Sung-min, 21, was also unsatisfied. "It's going to help pay for textbooks and provide extra pocket money, but it falls way short of covering my school tuition."

The decision to increase Korea's minimum wage next year by 16.4 percent to 7,530 won ($6.67) came Saturday and is the largest jump since 2001. It is expected to affect 4.6 million employees, equivalent to 23.6 percent of the workforce.

In response to the change, Korean Confederation of Trade Unions on Sunday issued a statement against it, saying it is significantly lower compared to the 10,000 won it has been pushing for. Choi Ki-won, spokesperson for Alba Union which represents part-time workers, also commented it was not sufficient to meet the living cost, which was estimated at a monthly 1.67 million won, higher than the average wage of 1.57 million won to be provided under the new agreement.

Employees' sentiments toward the settlement, in general, have been optimistic. But others expressed concerns as to how it will affect their job prospects.

"I'm concerned I won't be able to work the same hours next year," said Song Chan-sol, 25. "I think it's okay as it is."

Song has been working for two convenience stores in Seoul for the past three years. He also felt this would negatively affect his relationship with the owners who told him about cutting down on help.

Choi Da-eun, 22, also has a lot of experience working in the service sector and for small-and medium-sized companies. She has noticed dwindling job opportunities since she first began working four years ago and is worried the wage hike will further damage the job market.

"It was necessary as prices have been going up," Choi said. "But at the same time, I'm worried. Even now, it's so much harder to find a full-time job. Many convenience stores only hire those with experience and many stores only get help for a few hours a day during their peak hours," she said. "I fear it's only going to get more difficult."





A poster in a shop window advertises vacancies at a small business. Some business owners worry that they will suffer from the agreed minimum wage hike for next year. /Yonhap



Small business owner decries minimum wage hike

Park Mal-seon, 55, operates a franchise of the convenience store chain GS25 in Ulsan, 300 kilometers south of Seoul.

Her 24/7 shop is one of the successful ones in town, with daily sales reaching 2 million won on average, and she employs three part-time workers.

Yet, she is seeking to sell her business due to a financial crunch. She was troubled by last weekend's news about the minimum wage hike for 2018 but felt relief as well.

"Paying my three employees has always been a big burden because there is so little left for me," Park said. "I am so relieved that I am done with this."

Park is among 5.7 million small business owners who opposed the minimum wage hike to 7,530 won ($6.67) next year.

The amount she takes home at the end of the month is less than 2 million won.

Despite record-breaking sales, she had to send a lot of the profit to the mother company, GS Group. She was responsible for paying the utilities in addition to the wages for the three part-timers. Her profit even shrank after she purchased workers' compensation insurance for her employees which for business owners is required by law  she somehow avoided paying it until last fall and was fined 2 million won.

"I've wanted to sell the shop so badly. I earned little money for my time and effort," Park said. "I was at the shop every day all day long. I paid my workers the minimum wage, but I paid myself less. With the minimum wage hike, my profit would be reduced again." She added that President Moon Jae-in's plan to increase the minimum wage would only push small businesses further over the edge.

"You know what will eventually happen? Small businesses will not be able to bear the burden. They will go bankrupt and businesses will be closed. That means fewer jobs," she said. Asked about the government's plan to subsidize struggling small businesses, she only expressed skepticism.

The shop's new owner will be one of her relatives. Beginning in August, she'll be his employee, paid by the hour. "With my knowledge and experience, he is hoping to keep the cost as low as possible. He's much younger than I am and can stay in the shop longer."

President Moon is expected to continue his push to raise the minimum wage  he vowed to push it to 10,000 won per hour by 2020. The government promised financial help to fill possible losses for small business owners.

Although the government remains optimistic that raising the minimum wage will contribute to narrowing the gap between the haves and the have-nots, opponents remain skeptical.

"I think this is a suicidal attempt to kill Korea's economy," said Prof. Lee Byung-tae at the KAIST College of Business.






By John J. Metzler



UNITED NATIONS _ Nearly six hundred years ago, huge Chinese fleets plied the Indian Ocean sailing as far as Arabia and the East African coast. The epic seaborne expeditions carried out between 1405 and 1432 under Admiral Cheng Ho and during the glorious Ming Dynasty were larger and far more encompassing than subsequent Portuguese and Dutch voyages almost a cen-tury later. China's Imperial Court sought trade, tribute, and exotic treasures, not formal coloni-zation nor religious conversion.



A decade ago, sleek modern vessels of the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), China's ma-ritime military arm, joined American, British, and Dutch vessels on UN sanctioned anti-piracy missions off the Somali coast. Modern day Somali pirates, linked to criminal and terrorist net-works were attacking merchant shipping. The ongoing anti-piracy efforts have largely stopped the source of piracy.



Now the Beijing government has set up a formal military base on the African continent; the first of its kind by the People's Republic of China. The base in Djibouti under construction is offi-cially dubbed as a logistics center.



Why Djibouti ? Well look at the map.



It's the geographic Pivot point along the Maritime Silk Road linking the Indian Ocean with Afri-ca and the Middle East. It equally anchors the PRC military's "string of pearls" bases in Burma, Sri Lanka and Pakistan which seek both to outflank India and to protect China's petroleum life-line.



This tiny former French colony sits astride the Bar Al Bandar, a vital shipping channel connecting Suez in the North with the Red Sea and Indian Ocean in the south.



Djibouti's geo-strategic position is all about location, location, location. Think of Gibraltar or Singapore without the prosperity. Significantly, 80 percent of the world petroleum transits the Indian Ocean via a series of maritime "choke points." Thus, China's proximity to the southern reaches of the Red Sea is not coincidental.



Djibouti is a poor country on the Horn of Africa dependent on leasing military base facilities to the United States and France and now China. The Chinese base under construction stands only three miles from a U.S. facility Camp Lemonnier, which hosts 4,000 American military personnel. China is equally investing $185 million in Djibouti's commercial seaport.



Currently there are one million Chinese civilians working on infrastructural projects in Africa



such as railroads, roads and ports in Kenya and Ethiopia. There's also a spate of small commer-cial enterprises. In 2015 when Yemen fell into civil war, Chinese navy ships evacuated Chinese citizens who were marooned in Aden and brought them to safety in Djibouti.



China maintains a close commercial partnership with both Angola and Sudan. It's largely about oil exports to fuel China's economy. The new Djibouti base is near the southern reaches of the Red Sea guarding the sea route from Port Sudan. China is Africa's largest trading partner with over $160 billion in commerce.



Beijing's growing footprint on the African continent comes in parallel to China's widening commitment to UN Peacekeeping operations. While the PRC's attitude towards peacekeeping was once ambivalent, in the past decade, China has become a significant financial donor and troop contributor to the UN's far-flung peacekeeping operations.



Currently China has over 2,500 forces in the field in South Sudan and Mali among others. Most of the troops are engineering units. China is now the largest Peacekeeping contributor of the UN Security Council's powerful five permanent members, Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States.



The state run China Daily newspaper stresses the logistical role of the new Djibouti base but adds tellingly the facility shall support the "expanding naval presence in the world that is for the purpose of safeguarding its expanded overseas interests and world peace." In other words pro-vide logistical backup for Beijing's expanding military mission in the Indian Ocean.



China's ambitious Maritime Silk Route is developing in parallel with her military's growing ca-pacity for force projection. Djibouti is one of those pieces that fits into the larger puzzle of the PRC's geo-strategic chess game.





John J. Metzler is a United Nations correspondent covering diplomatic and defense issues. He is the author of "Divided Dynamism: The Diplomacy of Separated Nations: Germany, Korea, China." Contact jjmcolumn@earthlink.net.




Moon should not treat summit like domestic politics



More than a week after the July 6 Korea-China summit in Germany, a fuss has been made over a word allegedly used by Chinese President Xi Jinping. To sum it up, it is much ado about nothing, but shows how ham-fisted the current government is in dealing with foreign affairs.



The fuss is two-tiered: whether Xi used the phrase "blood-sealed ally" to describe its relationship with North Korea and if he did, how he meant it.



The presidential office said in a post-summit briefing that Xi used the term to confirm the solid the North Korea-China ties, responding to President Moon Jae-in's request to rein in the North's missile provocation. The meeting took place right after Pyongyang's test-firing of an alleged intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).



Then, during the July 10 National Assembly session, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha told Rep. Park Byeong-seug of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea that Xi had indeed used the word but for the purpose of using it for the past relationship between the two. Park is a pro-China lawmaker who led the Korean delegation to Beijing's One Road One Belt conference. Other China-friendly lawmakers voiced concern about Moon getting too close to the United States at the cost of relationship with China.



Kang's remark sounded as a rebuttal to Cheong Wa Dae's briefing but it said that the foreign ministry's interpretation was right. There are enough circumstantial evidence that suggests Kang had been called in to calm the pro-Chinese faction in the ruling camp and ease anti-Chinese sentiments triggered by Cheong Wa Dae's initial briefing.



Then, two vernacular newspapers Sunday jumped into the fray. Conservative Dong-A claimed that Xi didn't use the phrase. It said that Xi had used "the relations that were forged as the two shed blood together" to describe their old ties. Often, China often disparages the North's leader Kim Jong-un and regards its nuclear and missile programs as big headaches. The centrist JoongAng claimed that Xi had depicted the two's ties as one that were "coalesced by blood," explaining that this phrase is equal to blood-sealed. But it said that Xi had used "so-called" in front of it as a qualifier.



This fuss, however, eclipses the real problems. If it had not been sure about the meaning of the phrase, presidential aides should have checked with China.



But in context, it appears that Xi had used it to describe the two's ties in the present tense. If that is the case, the fuss could be the result of a spin by Cheong Wa Dae's PR officials to divert the public attention from the core issue and dilute its impact. Either way, it is a matter that must be closely watched out by other countries and they may use the gimmicks used and chaos shown in the process to gauge our diplomatic competence. They wouldn't give high scores for sure.




The Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) has found the nation's transport utility helicopter Surion has various defects that make it unreliable.



The Surion lacks lightning protection and anti-icing capabilities while failing to receive proper engine certification, according to the state auditing agency. The indigenous chopper, which even has a water leakage problem, also fell short in 29 out of 101 categories on safety tests to determine whether it can withstand the tough conditions of winter.



The BAI asked the prosecution to investigate Chang Myoung-jin, head of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), and two other officials for breach of trust. Chang, a university classmate of the imprisoned former President Park Geun-hye, is charged with deciding last December that the Surion choppers were ready for operation although they failed to meet airworthiness qualifications. Chang and other officials at the arms acquisition agency are suspected of intervening in the Surion project to let Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), the helicopter's manufacturer, off the hook.



Korea invested nearly 1.3 trillion won ($1.1 billion) to develop the helicopter, which was completed in July 2012. Since then, the military has been using 60 Surions in the field.



But various accidents occurred since the chopper went into operation. In January and February 2015, two Surions made emergency landings following engine failures, while another helicopter crash-landed owing to the same problem.



On Friday, prosecutors searched the offices of KAI over allegations regarding several major defense projects, including the development of a supersonic trainer jet. So the Surion case is just another example of rampant corruption in our defense industry.



Irregularities related to weapons development are surely a grave crime that can undermine national security. Furthermore, North Korea's aggressive nuclear and missile development programs are making the public more apprehensive now than ever before.



Defense reform was one of President Moon Jae-in's major campaign promises. Not surprisingly, uprooting corruption is probably the most important task in his strong push for defense reform. New Defense Minister Song Young-moo should be well aware of the people's wishes and give top priority to rooting out irregularities in the defense sector.




By Andrew Salmon





On Saturday evening, I attended a film screening at a coffee shop arranged by the Seoul branch of the Asian-American Journalists' Association. The location was comfortable and the company convivial, but the film was not your typical Saturday night bubble-gum viewing. In fact, it was harrowing.

The film was a documentary covering Korea's dog-meat trade from all angles. Dog farmers  whose demeanors ranged from coolly professional to savagely inhumane - showed their facilities, activities and doomed charges. A pusillanimous National Assembly adviser prattled about the threat to the "national image" if the trade were legalized. An impotent local official accompanied animal rights activists on an inspection visit to a dog farm, where he was turned away at the gate and ended up apologizing to the farmer. Consumers and chefs discussed canine cuisine.

Most traumatically, the documentary captured footage of diseased, wounded dogs in cages; dead puppies being hurled into the trash; livestock slaughtered with blunt instrument strikes to the skull; and packs of dogs crammed into tiny cages for transport from Jeju to mainland markets.

These sequences are benchmarks for under-cover filmmaking. If we accept Sir Max Hastings' definition of a journalist's role ("Cause trouble!"), this was fine journalism. It is a challenging film that deserves to be widely viewed and debated. It wrought behavioral change in me: I have eaten dog meat in the past, but after watching this film, won't again. (Though, having watched it, I reached the opposite conclusion of the animal-rights activists who helped make the film: I am convinced that the sector needs to be fully legalized, so related slaughter and butchery can be properly regulated.)

Camerawork and editing were first class. The length probably needs to be cut (it runs at 90 minutes) to increase tempo. But overall this was hard-hitting material, and  as suggested by one reporter  may win prizes at film fests.

One might expect such a professional, difficult-to-make film to be the work of a well-funded team of pros from KBS, EBS, or perhaps Channel 4. In fact, it was done on a shoe-string, over two years, with money raised from crowd-sourcing. This may be the future of journalism at a time when the Internet is killing off one traditional media outlet after another.

This trend is problematic. Professional news content that informs the general public and that is (ideally) independent of interested parties in business or politics is critical for democracy. While the profession of journalism is rightly criticized for its failure to respond to the "free information" internet era, one has to also ask how many other professions could remain viable when the public experts their products/services pro bono.

There is a real danger that journalism  and its intrinsic skill sets  will die. This would leave the media space open to bloviated opinionists and fake news merchants who have agendas that are far more dangerous than "selling news."

This is why the film may be an encouraging signpost toward media's future. The backbone of the production team was an experienced independent journalist (who, incidentally, cut his teeth on this very newspaper). What he produced is not disinterested journalism  he allied with animal-rights activists, and I guess the latter were the main source of funding  but the documentary had the all-important quality of balance: Dog farmers, politicians and bureaucrats got to tell their side of the story.

The issue now is distribution: How will the film be shown and seen, beyond YouTube? This is a question I cannot answer. I suspect no mainstream Korean channel will touch it.

There is a "touche" to this story. The journalist invited dog farmers to attend the screening; they declined. They are apparently busy making their own counter-documentary  focusing on the pig, beef and chicken industries.

In a free society, this is their right. While the internet may be killing traditional media, it empowers anyone to create and distribute self-made content. I suspect their effort will be less effective than the professionally produced "anti-" voice  but we shall see: it may offer value.



As traditional media withers, new media must rise. Let a thousand flowers bloom





Andrew Salmon is a Seoul-based reporter and author. Reach him at andrewcsalmon@yahoo.co.uk.
Kim Hyung-wook, left, vice president of KT's platform business unit, poses with Cho Jae-hyun, vice president of Woori Bank's digital finance unit, at KT's head office in Seoul, Monday. / Courtesy of KT



By Lee Min-hyung

KT has joined hands with Woori Bank to expand their collaborative launch of artificial intelligence (AI)-powered finance services.

Under the partnership, the mobile carrier launched a new finance service Monday, allowing its GiGA Genie set-top box users to make basic financial transactions on TV via voice.



Users may check their bank accounts, pay utility bills and transfer money to others' accounts via voice transactions.

The move comes at a time when the AI rivalry is toughening in the tech sector here, with mobile carriers seeking to grab the upper hand in the emerging and lucrative business.

Earlier this year, KT launched the AI-powered digital assistant GiGA Genie. The company has since combined the platform with its other music and finance services.

Both companies agreed to enhance their partnership to launch such services as online-to-offline (O2O) marketing and big data-based credit rating.

"KT will pave the way for a new era of the finance platform market here by combining our expertise in AI and big data management," said Kim Hyung-wook, vice president of KT's platform business division.

AI has yet to become a key revenue source for telecom operators, but they are expanding their investments in the next-generation growth engine to collect more datasets.

This May, the Seoul-based company also established an AI division to take advantage of the business in terms of human resource management, as well as research and development.
Chairman's exit to open new era for conglomerate



By Yoon Sung-won





Cho Suck-rai Cho Hyun-joon

Hyosung faced a true transition of generations in management last week with Cho Suck-rai, former chairman of the conglomerate, leaving his post.



Expectations are that his son, Hyosung Group Chairman Cho Hyun-joon, will have to take greater responsibility to boost the firm's global business as its third-generation leader.



The conglomerate said in a regulatory filing late last week that the 81-year-old CEO has retired as head of Hyosung, a textile manufacturing affiliate of the group, ending his 51-year career. Cho is retiring due to old age and worsening health, Hyosung said.



Cho pledged to continue to contribute to the company in indirect ways.



"The former chairman plans to continue to advise in fostering the younger generation and making charitable contributions for the nation and society as long as his health permits," a Hyosung official said.



An industry source said, "Cho's retirement is considered timely with Hyosung posting its largest sales performances for two consecutive years under the leadership of his son."



Born in 1935 in Haman, South Gyeongsang Province, Cho studied at the science and engineering department of Waseda University in Japan and earned his master's degree in chemical engineering at Illinois Institute of Technology.



Cho started his career at the group in 1966 when he entered Tongyang Nylon, which was renamed Hyosung T&C later. He took office as chairman in 1981, succeeding his father, Hyosung Group founder Cho Hong-je.



Chairman Cho has been regarded as a business chief who successfully steered the company in time of crisis. In the face of the global oil shock in 1983, Cho downsized the number of Hyosung affiliates to eight from 24 and disposed of his personal assets to improve the company's financial structure. With such measures, Hyosung survived the crisis without firing any of its 16,000 workers.



Under his stewardship, Hyosung established a technology research center in 1971, a first for a privately owned enterprise here. In 2006, it opened Hyosung R&D Business Labs by integrating the existing production technology labs and central research center. At the new labs, Hyosung developed and commercialized its key products such as spandex fabric, tire cords and airbag materials.



Cho had also taken a leading role in the country's industries as the chairman of the Federation of Korean Industries between 2007 and 2011. He pushed to persuade the government for deregulation and encouraged the member enterprises to create more jobs and increase investment and corporate social responsibility activities.



Cho left his group chairmanship late last year to hand it over to his first son Hyun-joon. The former has reportedly suffered from multiple health problems including chronic cardiac arrhythmia, gallbladder cancer and prostate cancer.





The younger Cho is pushing to strengthen his presence in the conglomerate's global businesses. He recently met with Arun Jaitley, who is India's finance and defense minister, aiming at speeding up Hyosung's entrance into the Indian market.
Photos made available by Pakistani police show Chinese nationals Meng Li Si (left) and Lee Zing Yang who were abducted by armed men in Quetta on May 24.



Used to persecution at home, two young Chinese Christians say life can be more peaceful in northern Iraq, where they work with Yazidi refugees



By Mimi Lau





Last month's execution of two Chinese missionaries by Islamic State (IS) militants in Pakistan put the risks of such work into stark relief but two young Chinese Christians who have lived close to an IS stronghold in northern Iraq for more than a year said life could be more peaceful there than back at home.

The South China Morning Post obtained an exclusive interview with the couple, who live in a guarded compound that serves as a refuge for women and children who have fled IS persecution.

Michael, 25, and Christy, 23, left China just over a year ago, right after their wedding, for one of the world's most war-torn areas. Security concerns, in Iraq and in China, mean details of their identities cannot be revealed.

"It is not as torn up by warfare here as much as outsiders would read in the news, I actually feel safer here," said Michael, comparing his experience in Iraq with life in China as a full-time worker in an underground Christian church. "Life could be described as normal here."

There are no official statistics about the number of Chinese missionaries working overseas, and they often pose as businessmen or teachers for travel purposes. But estimates by some academics and mainland house churches say there could be hundreds, or even a couple of thousand.

Pastors working on the mainland say it has the largest number of born-again Christians in the world, and that despite having a communist government that is officially atheist is on track to be the world's largest exporter of Christian faith.

Emulating the Western missionaries who proselytised in China centuries ago, most Chinese missionaries serve in developing countries, especially Muslim ones, where such activities are dangerous.

The dream honeymoon destination for most Chinese couples would be somewhere like the Maldives, but Michael and Christy, a former make-up artist, spent their honeymoon and first wedding anniversary in an Iraqi village, saying they were simply called by faith.

"Some might think this is extraordinary but it's not a big deal," Michael said. "It is just the right thing to do."

The couple work as volunteers at a protected site just 60km from what was, until recently IS territory. The militants used civilians as human shields and carried out mass executions of those attempting to flee.

Pledging to dedicate their lives to missionary work, Michael and Christy said they were prepared to stay in Iraq indefinitely.

"What we do is not rare among mainland Chinese Christians," Christy said. "There are many others out there who love Christ relentlessly and dedicate their lives to God's kingdom."

Armed with faith, English and broken Arabic, which they picked up on their own, Michael and Christy work with Yazidi refugees, members of a religious minority persecuted by IS as devil worshippers. A study released in May said at least 9,900 Iraqi Yazidis were killed or kidnapped in an IS attack in 2014. About 3,100 were killed  with more than half shot, beheaded or burned alive  and about 6,800 kidnapped to become sex slaves or fighters, according to the report.

Christy sews garments with Yazidi widows to help them make a living and she and Michael sometimes give English lessons to local children, many of whom are orphans or come from single-parent families.

"We are just happy to spend time with them," Christy said. "They each have their own stories and all they need is love, so we are here to bring them the love of Christ."

Michael said they did not explicitly talk about their faith because they believed sharing love through their lives was more important than words, and they wanted to respect the local culture. They are also trying to learn the Kurdish dialect spoken by most Yazidis.





Chinese missionary Michael in northern Iraq.



He said little things such as teaching basic English vocabulary, drawing pictures together with the children or playing with them could make a huge difference in infusing their characters with positive values.

"Even though we don't preach gospel to them, at least we have planted a seed in their hearts," he said.

But they also face other dangers, apart from Islamist extremism. Christy recently survived a life-threatening condition and spent two months recovering from an infection that was the result of Iraqi doctors operating on her with unsterilised instruments in a theatre that resembled a dirty garage.

Michael and Christy are a far cry from the stereotypical images of Chinese travelling abroad as culturally insensitive tourists, cashed-up nouveaux riches and suitcase-wheeling shopping hordes. They're part of a growing trend of Chinese travelling abroad for other purposes, the security risks of which were illustrated by the deaths of two Chinese missionaries  identified by the Pakistani authorities as Lee Zing Yang, 24, and Meng Li Si, 26  at the hands of IS gunmen following their abduction in the Pakistani city of Quetta in late May.

In response to that incident, Pakistan tightened up on business visas and sent 11 Chinese missionaries who were part of the same group as Lee and Meng back to China.

"We're very sad after hearing about the two in Pakistan," Michael said. "They are very young and just about the same age as us."

He said the incident served as a reminder to Chinese missionaries that one must first respect local culture and avoid being seen as imposing one's faith on others.

"Preaching gospel in a Muslim country is illegal," he said. "If you convert a son, you are literally asking his father to kill him."

Michael said being brought up as a Christian in China, where independent churches were suppressed, had helped him adapt to missionary work in a tough environment.

"In China, our faith has been heavily suppressed," he said. "When faith is hard-earned, it is more genuine and sincere.

"We only wish to spread positive values. Even if we were to build a church one day, it would be as subtle as the one we have in China. There wouldn't be extravagant structures, the focus would be on our inner connection with God and the quality of fellowship."

Protestant and Catholic missionaries established many charity organisations, schools and churches in China in the 19th century, with James Hudson Taylor, who visited the country 11 times, beginning in 1854, famously saying: "if I had a thousand lives, China should have them."

But all foreign missionaries were kicked out of mainland China when the communists took power in 1949.

While the number of Chinese missionaries working overseas remains small compared to those from the United States and South Korea, many expect China will eventually become a major source.

The Centre for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in the US put the number of international missionaries around the world at 400,000 in 2010. It said the US, Brazil, South Korea and India were among the top sources. According to the Korean World Mission Association, there were more than 27,000 South Korean missionaries working overseas last year, with most sent to Northeast and Southeast Asian countries.

Official Chinese statistics put the number of Christians on the mainland in 2014 at 28 million, with 23 million of them Protestants spread across 56,000 churches with 48,000 pastors and preachers. However, overseas academics and observers conservatively estimate the number of Chinese evangelical Protestants is between 70 million and 100 million.

A Taiwanese pastor who spoke at a recent Christian conference in Hong Kong said China had made a name for itself as an exporter of capital by becoming a source of foreign investment for Silk Road nations, but was set to become the world's largest exporter of Christian faith.

"The upcoming revival in China is too huge to ignore," said the pastor, who has been training mainland church leaders for nearly two decades and refused to be named.

Mainland China's Protestant house churches operate independently of state-sanctioned religious organisations, with members of their congregations facing persecution, and the authorities have stepped up the pressure on them in recent years.

Michael and Christy are third-generation Christians who were born in rural areas but grew up in urban environments.They and their parents have witnessed the resilient growth of Protestant churches despite decades of intense suppression. Their grandparents probably became Christians when the number of rural Christians exploded during and after the Cultural Revolution, when believers went underground amid severe persecution.

Michael said his parents understood his choices, and that he sometimes missed home.

Investigations are continuing into the deaths of Lee and Meng in Pakistan, but the Chinese authorities and mainland media have branded them illegal preachers who were coerced into such work by a South Korean church.

Their deaths had been mourned anonymously in social media postings by mainland Christian communities, who remained eager to send missionaries abroad despite an expected border clampdown, said Dr Brent Fulton, a US-based China watcher and author of China's Urban Christians: A Light that Cannot be Hidden.

He said the effort was largely indigenous, with only a small number of churches cooperating with overseas Chinese or international bodies.

"To suggest that this particular couple was somehow coerced by missionaries from Korea to go to Pakistan seems to me inaccurate," Fulton said.

An American missionary who has been documenting the struggles of mainland house churches for more than a decade said Chinese missionaries were fuelled by passion, but did not have any particular agenda to make their presence known.

"They are not trying to set up Chinatowns in Baghdad; it's about them trying to become Iraqis," he said, agreeing that local churches on the mainland were the main drivers of the missionary movement.

A Wenzhou-based Christian who is being trained to become a missionary said Chinese missionaries, like their foreign counterparts, were trained by churches or underground seminaries before they were sent abroad. Basic training included Bible study and how to live in a cross-cultural environment, and some, though not all, got advice or training from foreign missionaries on the mainland.

"For one to qualify as a [long-term] missionary, it could take years," she said. "Hundreds would start a training programme that could last up to three years but only two might qualify to be sent out.

"China's missionary sending movement is just beginning, so it's not very professional. Many of the existing missions are short-term."

It is understood some training classes were cancelled after the deaths in Pakistan because of fears of a Chinese government crackdown.

But instead of being deterred, mainland Christians circulated messages on social media saying the tragedy would only encourage them in their faith.

Michael, used to working on the edge of a war zone, does not see himself as a potential martyr.

"The situation here is not that bad," he said. "Sacrifice should not be taken for granted. It is a gift from God, so if he is giving you this gift, he will also give you the strength to handle it."
Fresh from their recent Japan "Shake Shake" concert tour, the 4 boys of CNBLUE were whisked to our shores for the first overseas gig of "Between Us" concert tour in Asia held at Zepp@Big Box on July 1st, 2017. Viewed by an audience of 16,000 at the Osaka Jo-hall on June 22nd, it was also coincidentally frontman Jung Yong Hwa's 29th (Korean age) birthday, making it a big night of celebrations.

Despite their tiring schedule, a much smaller audience size and a somewhat "less than ideal" sound system, the boys still went all out to make the show an enjoyable experience for the crowd. The best song of the night had to be "Manito" (composed by bass guitarist Lee Jung Shin, with help from Jung for lyrics) when the 4 boys sat right in front of the audience, performing in acoustic style. Even drummer Kang Min Hyuk had a go at one of the verses. It is not common for all members of a rock band to hold a tune of their own, but the 4 lads have proven their ability over the years, with solo outfits for both Jung and Lee (Jong Hyun) and OSTs from Kang and Lee (Jung Shin). It is a rare treat for the fans to be serenaded in such close proximity to the handsome guys. In response, Boices (CNBLUE's fans) swayed and sang along to the melodious tune of "Manito", which is fast becoming the next "representative love ballad" from CNBLUE; hopefully as a long overdue replacement for the overly jaded "Love Light".

Since their first concert in Singapore in 2013, CNBLUE is one of the scarce K-pop groups (with all Korean members) which do not seek the help of a translator on stage. Instead, the 4 boys make an effort to communicate in English with the crowd. It is apparent that Jung's English diction has improved tremendously throughout the years. The boys have also picked up some Singlish words along the way, with the latest "shiok" (exclamation expressing admiration or approval) and "walao"(meaning similar to OMG) that was learned presumably during this trip.

The ever energetic Jung was running across the 3 extended stages and at one point, jumped down to cover a portion of the middle stage, to the delight of the standing crowd, with some lucky fans shaking his hand and taking clear close-up shots. Although the free-for-all photo and video taking (using a mobile phone only) were allowed for the whole concert, it did create some unnecessary hassle for fans in the standing zone whose views are blocked by the forever-raised phone screens recording almost the entire concert.

Nevertheless, the 3 guitarists still manage to make the crowd go crazy with their guitar riffs, earning appreciative claps and cheers. Enthusiastic band leader Jung did his best to hype up the concert, with his constant screaming, winking, onstage and cute and lovable expressions which had the audience eating out of his hands. Predominantly a female crowd at most of their concerts, Jung is especially happy whenever male fans attend, which can be seen from his reaction when a male fan shouted his name halfway through the concert. The frontman also showcased his experience when he did a cute expression, ran towards his band mate's microphone when the one he had malfunctioned after he flipped and dropped it on stage while singing "You're so fine". Instead of creating a scene, Jung smoothly settled the crisis and had everyone laughing at his antics, a seasoned performer indeed!

With 3 encores for "Wake Up" which includes his usual guitar play while lying on the stage, Jung clearly owns the stage whenever he performs! Lee Jong Hyun, who is usually lost in his own music world, made an effort this round with frequent walks to the extended stages for the fans to scream and ogle at his good visuals. The chemistry between the boys are great as their interactions exhibit a close relationship among them, which was probably built up over the 7 years since their debut. With his flying kisses, peculiar dance moves and funny antics, such as pretending to hurt his fingers while playing "Wake Up" encore, Jung is undeniably the charismatic one whom audiences can't keep their eyes off.

In his opening speech, Kang "it's only one show, so you have to shout louder today" and shout we did, throughout the 2 and a half hour show, especially during the short screen time when Kang was shown hitting his drums in all enthusiasm from the back of the stage.

The setlist, which comprised a mixture of songs from their latest Korean album 7oCN to their seldom heard songs from previous albums such as "Sweet Holiday" and "Lie", plus a re-arrangement of their frequently performed songs such as "Feeling", was indeed refreshing for the fans. Despite the number of times one has attended a CNBLUE concert, it is never lacklustre as each concert brings an amazing new experience which is a feast to the eyes and ears, blissful enjoyment indeed!

With Jung's "it feels so shiok to be back Singapore", we are indeed looking forward to CNBLUEs return to Singapore next month for yet another wonderful performance that will make the audience "shiok" to the max!

Watch CNBLUE's performances below:

Special thanks to IME Productions Singapore and Three Angles Production for inviting KpopStarz to cover 2017 CNBLUE Live [Between Us] In Singapore.

Writer: Wang | Photo Credits: Ong Melin and Sinyii | Video Credits: Ong Melin

Setlist

1. Radio

2. When I was Young

3. Domino

4. I'm Sorry

5. Can't Stop

6. It's You

7. Love Girl

8. Sweet Holiday

9. Love

10. Lie

11. Blind Love

12. Royal Rumble

13. In My Head

14. You're so Fine

15. Face to Face

16. Wake Up

17. Feeling

18. Coffee Shop

19. Cinderella

20. Between Us

Encore

21. Catch Me

22. Manito (acoustic set)

23. Young Forever
GENEVA  A town employee is under investigation, but the details surrounding the situation are sketchy.

On June 26 and 28, the Geneva Town Board met in closed session to consider discipline for a public employee and discuss the investigation of charges against this person.

The employee and the charges were not revealed by press time, however.

Attempts to obtain comment from Town Chairman Joe Kopecky were unsuccessful.

The agendas for the June 26 and 28 meetings state the board entered into closed session to consider discipline of a public employee and/or the investigation of charges against such person.

Town Clerk-Treasurer Deb Kirch said the board took no action June 26 or 28 related to the matter.

By state law, the board does not have to disclose what transpired in the closed session meeting.

However, a board must act in open session.

Agendas for the June 26 and 28 meetings include an item for the board to return to open session, to announce any action(s) taken in closed session.
PRESS RELEASE

Kansas Cattlemen, Indiana Farmers Union Call for Glass-Steagall in Support of World Food-for-Peace Cooperation

July 15, 2017 (EIRNS)In messages of support to the July 7 New York event, "Food for Peace and Thought: China-U.S. Agricultural Cooperation," the need for re-instating Glass-Steagall to restore sound banking and a credit system to the U.S.to benefit farming advance for secure food, was stressed by representatives of the Kansas Cattlemens Association (KCA), and the Indiana Farmers Union. This same matter also came up in one-on-one talks July 8, between Chinese conference participants and farm leaders from South Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa, on a New York dairy farm tour and visit to Franklin Delano Roosevelts Hyde Park. It was further discussed on a July 13 national conference call by these farm belt activists, and others on a weekly LaRouche PAC "Fireside Chat" activists call. (The farm organization statements are posted in full on the Schiller Institute site, on the July 7 conference.)

The Kansas Cattlemens Association July 7 statement, by KCA CEO Tyler Dupy, noted that the U.S. cattle industry "remains primarily driven by independent ranches and family farms," unlike much other U.S. food output, which is "vertically integrated and is driven by large-scale corporate farming operations." Dupy stated,

"Our ranches are already playing a critical role on the World Stage of agriculture, and this conference will help to demonstrate that all of humanity is a stakeholder, and we all have a part to play as we move forward for food and for peace, for all.... We look forward to continuing our work on Glass-Steagall financial reform, as well as working with the Schiller Institute and you as participants in this conference, as we set out on this path."

James Benham, President of the Indiana Farmers Union, said in his July 7 statement,

"My understanding is that, in effect, China has a Glass-Steagall policy, and does not permit financial predator agencies from getting national bailouts for speculation. Plus, China has price-controls, which we need. We need parity and floor pricing here.... "There are Glass-Steagall bills today in both the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. Seventeen states have support resolutions before them, since January this year, for Congress to pass a Glass-Steagall re-enactment. Many are farm states, including Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa, Ohio, as well as Pennsylvania and New York."

He called for restoring "respect for one another for what each is trying to achieve" when it comes to leading a productive life.
PRESS RELEASE

UN and World Health Organization Call Back Cholera Vaccines Pledged and En Route to Yemen

July 16, 2017 (EIRNS)The United Nations committee that supervises aid for Yemen, and the World Health Organization, announced July 11 that they are canceling the planned shipment of 1 million doses of a cholera vaccine, which they had earlier pledged to Yemen, set to arrive there this month. The first half-million doses that were en route to the country, will be rerouted to other at-risk countries. A UN spokesman, Jamie McGoldrick, who is in charge of aid to Yemen, said respecting this surprise decision, that there were obstacles to "delivering vaccines in the middle of a conflict that has crippled the countrys health system, and hampered access to some areas," reports the July 11 New York Times.

However, Dr. Abdul Rahim Al-Samie, the general director of the Taiz Goverornate Health Office in Yemen, asserted that the vaccine is quite necessary.

"It is important to protect these othersespecially those in governorates not yet involved in this disaster. They could have had a huge, huge impact if vaccination was done early, a few months ago. Even now, though, if [the vaccine is] targeted appropriately and rapidly, I have no doubt that cases would be averted, and lives would be saved,"

al-Samie said, according to Science.
PRESS RELEASE

U.S.-China Hundred-Day Trade Talks Start July 19

July 16, 2017 (EIRNS)The 100-day period following the Trump-Xi meeting in Mar-a-Lago ends today, with the meeting of the U.S.-China Comprehensive Economic Dialogue set up for the 100-day process scheduled to meet Wednesday July 19 in Washington, hosted by U.S. Treasury and Commerce Secretaries Steven Mnuchin and Wilbur Ross and Chinese Vice-Premier Wang Yang.

Already agreed to since the Florida summit: China massively expanded its purchase of soy beans; dropped the ban on imports of U.S. beef (brought on by the mad cow scare in 2013); and agreed to buy U.S. liquid natural gas.

Overall, expectations are high for a successful meeting and new agreements. Nonetheless, among the expected contentious issues: the Wall Street crowd are demanding that China open up access to China for the U.S. banking and services sector, which China will not do. President Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on Chinese steel (although China is not even among the top ten steel exporters to the United States). China is calling for easing of national security curbs on high-tech exports to China, and loosening of CFIUS (Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States) restraints on Chinese investments.

Chinese Ambassador to the U.S. Cui Tiankai, speaking at the National Governors Association in Rhode Island on Thursday, said:

"More recently, there are some troubling developments on the issues that concern Chinas vital interests and the issues that concern the critical foundation of our relations,"

and called on CFIUS to "play a facilitator role rather than obstacle role."

Cui also called for a revival of negotiations over the bilateral investment treaty (BIT), which were shelved by the Trump administration after 33 rounds of negotiations over the past five years. "If concluded," Cui said, "this agreement would take care of many pressing concerns of the business communities of both countries," said Cui. He concluded:

"We are looking forward to the mutually-beneficial outcomes of this dialogue. We hope the dialogue will be a meaningful exchange and help to build an even stronger basis for our economic and trade relations, as we deal with the uncertainties of the global economy."

Chinas Commerce Ministry reported this week that U.S.-China bilateral trade was up over 14% from January to May over last year, to $220 billion. Chinese imports from the United States were up 21.4% to $63 billion.
Sherman Alexie, the author whose recent memoir You Dont Have to Say You Love Me chronicles his stormy relationship with his late mother, is canceling much of his book tour, citing a struggle with depression. Alexie will make appearances this week in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Menlo Park before heading home.

Alexie revealed his difficulties in a Facebook post Thursday. I have been sobbing many times a day during this book tour, Alexie wrote. I have sobbed in private and I have sobbed onstage. I have been rebreaking my heart night after night. I have, to use recovery vocabulary, been retraumatizing myself.

Alexie, whose other books include the short story collection The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven and the young adult novel The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, said he had been seeing signs of his mother, who died two years ago, at several stops on his book tour.

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As I write in the memoir, I dont believe in ghosts, but I see them all the time, he wrote in the Facebook post. As I also write in the memoir, I dont believe in magic, but I believe in interpreting coincidence exactly the way you want to.

In an interview with The Times earlier this month, Alexie mentioned that he had seen several reminders of his mother on the tour, including in a quilt hanging in a hotel he was staying at in Boston.

I assumed I would no longer have to deal with her and her judgment of me, he said. She continues to haunt me, even more so now.

She was sometimes cruel and often cold, he wrote in his Facebook post. I loved her, yes, but I sometimes hated her, too. She was brilliant, funny, beautiful, generous, vindictive, deceitful, tender, manipulative, abusive, loving, and intimidating.

Alexie had previously canceled book tour appearances in Oklahoma and Montana while suffering a cold.

But I also fell ill with depression, he explained in his post. I medicated my headcold. I quickly healed from that simple malady. But I couldnt medicate my sadness  my complicated grief.

Alexie is canceling all of his August appearances behind the book, and many, but not all of his events for the rest of the year.
A Tesla driver says his cars partially self-driving Autopilot system wasnt responsible for a crash in Minnesota, despite what he initially told investigators.

In its report obtained by the Associated Press on Monday, the Kandiyohi County Sheriffs Office said David Clark, 58, blamed Autopilot for a crash Saturday evening in Hawick, Minn. Clark initially told deputies that when he engaged the Autopilot feature, the car suddenly accelerated, left the roadway and overturned in a marsh. Clark and his passengers sustained minor injuries.

But in an email sent Monday afternoon to the sheriffs office, Clark said he was confused in the moments after the crash. After discussing the crash with his fellow passengers, he now believes that he disengaged Autopilot by stepping on the accelerator before the crash.

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I then remember looking up and seeing the sharp left turn which I was accelerating into. I believe we started to make the turn but then felt the car give way and lose its footing like we hit loose gravel, Clark wrote in the email.

Clark confirmed to the AP that he sent the email.

Palo Alto-based Tesla said its investigating the incident and will cooperate with local authorities.

The Autopilot system automatically maintains a set speed, slows down and brakes in traffic and keeps the car within a lane. When drivers turn on the system, a message reminds them to remain engaged and be prepared to take the wheel. Drivers can take their hands off the wheel, but only for short periods. If they ignore three separate warnings to put their hands on the wheel, the system will turn off.

Federal safety regulators investigated Teslas Autopilot last year after a fatal crash in Florida. In that case, a Tesla Model S hit a tractor-trailer.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in January it found no safety defects in the system and declined to issue a recall. The agency examined the Florida crash and others where Autopilot was engaged and found that, in many cases, driver error was to blame. It also said Teslas manuals and instructions make clear that human drivers are responsible for driving the car.

It is unclear if the agency will investigate the Minnesota crash. A message seeking comment was left with a NHTSA spokeswoman.

Tesla shares were down 2.5% to $319.60 in afternoon trading.

ALSO

Tesla expands its service operations as Model 3 starts rolling out

Cadillac Super Cruise hands-free driving software takes on Tesla Autopilot

Tesla car on Autopilot warned driver 7 times before fatal crash, safety regulator says

UPDATES:

1:15 p.m.: This article was updated to reflect that the driver has recanted his initial report that Autopilot was to blame for his crash.

This article was originally published at 9:50 a.m.
The relentless effort of the Chinese government to save the world from poverty is an opportunity that every human on this planet would like to grab. The enhancement and furtherance of a win-win situation has benefited millions of Africans as China claims partnership is at the heart of its higher education cooperation with its sister countries in Africa. There has been lots of diversified and productive communication between China and Africa countries as part of the longstanding relationship.

University partnerships between China and Africa can be traced in the 1980s and 1990s wherein, many domestic universities on the Chinese side now have African and other continents students studying on various fields.

There was a rise in target numbers for short-term trainees to 30,000 and long-term students to 18,000 over the 20122015 triennium. This is because China continues to believe that the direct exposure of students and trainees to their own development experience is vital. Moreover, serious students from Africa find it easier, in terms of visas etc., to access universities in China than those in many European countries. The apparent ease and speed with which China still appears to be able to organise access for this diverse range of short and long-term training is noteworthy.

Some African Students currently studying in China

This year, the Chinese government pledged its continuous support towards the development of education in Africa.

In 2016, China provided 10, 000 scholarships for various skills of studies, which is part of 40, 349 scholarships awarded in the past five years.

The Forum for China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) has provided lots of opportunities and achievements for student exchange, Chinese learning and the much needed win-win cooperation.

China is building a platform for Chinese and Africa Universities in the 20+20 higher education collaboration, which is a framework that is encouraging multilateral programs at all levels for African Students to benefit.

Xu Tao, Director General of the Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges in the Ministry of Education told African Journalists that this is part of a platform in Chinas reaching out to the world that has provided good cooperation in learning and other educational opportunities. We have realized that talents in applied technologies are limited in Africa, we have therefore establish a system for Africans to explore new models, he said, adding that China has strengthened its African Studies and talent exposure to enhance sustainable development and cultural exchanges, which is why 20 Chinese Universities have set up African Institutes.

Liu Honjie, Director of the Division of Comprehensive Reforms, Department of Vocational and Adult Education in the Education Ministry, said China has 12, 000 Higher Learning and Middle Level Vocational Schools with 30 million students as at 2016. We are taking 50% of the share of higher and middle level education in the country, he said, noting that they see Africans as key partners in the education system. We have developed a sound and deepening industrial and educational cooperation with Africa. This is part of our taking vocational education to the world, and also part of the Belt and Road Initiative.

Sierra Leone is one of the countries that have enjoyed Chinese scholarships over the years. There are 622 Sierra Leonean students currently in China, of which 183 are on scholarships.

In 2016, 49 deserving Sierra Leonean students arrived in various universities for the 2016/2017 academic year, amongst them, 7 to pursue PhD courses in different fields, 38 for Masters and 4 for undergraduate Bachelor courses. Of the 49, 15 females and 2 out of the 15 females are pursing PhDs.

Students' president in China, Saidu M. Sesay (Masters Degree Graduate), sees it as a clear manifestation of the Peoples Republic of China's continued fulfilment of its commitment to students in Africa. These students are expected to go back to their countries to help develop their various fields of study after graduation.

Abu Bakarr Kargbo is a Senior Staff Writer of Standard Times Newspaper in Sierra Leone and an intern at Peoples Daily Online.
At the National Governors Conference on Friday, Vice President Mike Pence took Ohio Gov. John Kasich to task in a speech attacking the Affordable Care Acts Medicaid expansion.

Pence presumably had two goals. The first was to silence Kasich, the loudest voice among GOP governors opposed to congressional Republicans efforts to drastically roll back Medicaid as part of their ACA repeal plans. The second was to justify that rollback by claiming that the Medicaid expansion eroded services for the programs traditional beneficiaries, including the disabled.

Pence acknowledged that Kasich wasnt on hand to defend himself, but proceeded anyway in full crocodile-tears mode: I know Gov. Kasich isnt with us, but I suspect that hes very troubled to know that in Ohio alone, nearly 60,000 disabled citizens are stuck on waiting lists, leaving them without the care they need for months or even years.

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Thats what we call #fakenews.  Spokesman for Ohio Gov. Kasich responds to V.P. Pences claim about Medicaid

Pence and Kasich have been shooting at each other over Medicaid for some weeks, since Kasich is fully alive to the fact that the Obamacare repeal Pence is promoting would tragically affect thousands of his constituents. As it happens, a column of mine published June 26 has become part of the crossfire. The column, which conclusively refuted one element of the conservative attack on Medicaid employed by Pence, has been cited by the Kasich administration in its defense, along with further analysis demonstrating that Pences claims arent true. Its worth revisiting the affair, because it shows how the conservative attack on Medicaid has been erected behind a bodyguard of lies.

The column dealt with an episode the previous day of the CBS program Face the Nation, in which a conservative pundit named Ben Domenech asserted that after expanding Medicaid in his state, Kasich had to throw 34,000 disabled people off of the program because it incentivized adding these working, able-bodied adults over people who actually were in the system who had disabilities or had other dependence.

I checked this out and showed it was untrue. Ohio disability advocates say they didnt see this effect, I wrote. Ohio Medicaid officials say it didnt happen. In fact, in 2016, when this carnage supposedly occurred, Ohio liberalized standards for Medicaid enrollment of the disabled. When that transition began, 380,435 Ohioans were covered in Medicaid as aged, blind, or disabled enrollees. Every one retained full Medicaid benefits, and another 21,274 Ohioans who were disabled or suffering from mental illness but not previously receiving benefits were added to the rolls.

The claim about 34,000 ejected disabled persons was independently examined by the Columbus Dispatch, which also accepted that it was bogus. Our column and the Dispatch article both were cited in a tweet on Friday from Kasichs spokesman, who also called Pences claim fake news. (The Federalist, a conservative website where Domenech is publisher, demanded a retraction of my column. They didnt get one.)

The claim is not accurate. It's been fact checked twice. https://t.co/xiDh4Vi1tjhttps://t.co/OEQSZP2Tw7 https://t.co/10eg2EPgad  Gov Kasich Comm Dept (@OHPressSec) July 14, 2017

During his speech Friday at the governors conference, Pence stepped up his attacks on Kasich and the Medicaid expansion. This time, his claim was that 60,000 needy Ohioans have been stuck on Medicaid waiting lists, leaving them without the care they need for months or even years, because Medicaid expansion has shoved them to the back of the line.

Kasichs spokesman tweeted out a rebuttal, again citing my column and the Dispatch piece and calling Pences claim fake news.

Greg Sargent of the Washington Post expertly places Pences misstatementsand related claims by President Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Pricein the context of their efforts to pass a repeal bill despite the deep antipathy Americans are showing for a measure aimed at gutting Medicaid and subsidies to lower-income people to facilitate tax cuts for the rich.

But Pences statement deserves a separate, fuller refutation.

Pence was referring to a waiting list for Medicaid home- and community-based services, or HCBS. As its name implies, this program allows services to be delivered at home or locally, rather than in an institution such as a nursing home. Although its effective, its also expensive, and in 35 states the slots available werent enough to serve all the target population, most of whom are intellectually or developmentally disabled. As of 2015, more than 640,000 Medicaid enrollees were on waiting lists in 35 statesincluding Ohio, where the waiting list numbered more than 62,000.

Pence aimed to tie these waiting lists to states Medicaid expansions. This assertion has become common in the ACA repeal camp, but that isnt whats happened. Indeed, the Kaiser Family Foundation thoroughly demolished the assertion in February. The waiting lists, and their growth, pre-dated the 2014 Medicaid expansion by years, the foundation reported.

Moreover, expansion states generally had a much better experience reducing or clearing their waiting lists than non-expansion states. Most of the 30 expansion states as of 2015 had either no waiting list that year, the latest year available (11 states), or a reduction (nine states). Of the remaining 20, waiting lists increased in 13. On average, the size of the increase was 2.5 times greater in non-expansion than in expansion states. In other words, the trend was exactly the opposite of what Pence implied.

So whats going on here? Pence was retailing what has become the preferred argument conservatives make against Medicaid expansion. The giveaway is the term able-bodied. Remember Domenechs assertion on Face the Nation that expansion incentivized adding these working, able-bodied adults to Medicaid; it perfectly matches Pences assertion at the governors meeting that Obamacare has put far too many able-bodied adults on the Medicaid rolls, leaving many disabled and vulnerable Americans at the back of the line.

This is a variation on that old right-wing chestnut, the undeserving poor. The implication is that recipients of traditional Medicaid are deserving, but those getting coverage via expansion are layabouts who should be out working, not collecting benefits. That perception underlies the campaign to add work requirements to Medicaid.

Yet its false. About three-quarters of those eligible for Medicaid expansion, which covers those with household income up to 138% of the poverty line (or about $16,640 for an individual) are in working families and more than half are working themselves. Of the rest, about one-third were taking care of family members at home and the others were looking for work, disabled or retired. Not only that, Medicaid coverage enhances this populations ability to find and hold work, by removing the impediment created by lack of healthcare.

Pences assertions, like the right-wings other attacks on Medicaid, have taken on an aura of desperation because governors such as Kasich know that the repeal efforts Medicaid rollback is bound to hit them right in the budget. A presentation at the governors conference by the healthcare consultancy Avalere delivered this message in stark terms. Under the Senate GOPs repeal bill, the federal share of Medicaid spending would decline by 2036 by 24% for the disabled, 31% for children, 37% for the aged, and 53% for the currently served adult expansion population.

Whatever Pence is trying to sell by telling the governors that the Medicaid rollback is about ensuring for the long run that Medicaid will be there for the neediest in our society, Kasich, along with many other governors from both parties, isnt buying. Theyre smart shoppers.

Keep up to date with Michael Hiltzik. Follow @hiltzikm on Twitter, see his Facebook page, or email michael.hiltzik@latimes.com.

Return to Michael Hiltziks blog.

UPDATES:

4:21 p.m.: This post has been updated with a link to Greg Sargents Washington Post analysis.
Five years ago Best Buy Co. looked like a retail dinosaur, another victim of e-commerce juggernaut Amazon.com and other online sellers.

The big-box electronics chain was suffering dwindling sales and profits due in good part to showrooming, when shoppers would come in to a Best Buy store to check out televisions, computers and other items in person, and then buy them at cheaper prices at Amazon or elsewhere online.

Best Buy also was struggling with executive turmoil and facing a buyout threat from a major stockholder. The chain in 2012 named a new chief executive, Hubert Joly, but the Frenchman came from the hospitality field and had no retail experience.

His appointment stunned analysts, with one saying that fixing Best Buy was a herculean task even for an accomplished retail executive.

But Joly has proved up to the task so far. Under his turnaround plan, Best Buy has rebounded to remain one major U.S. retailer thats holding its own in the face of Amazons relentless growth and the conventional retail industrys slump.

Best Buy came out the other side successfully to defend itself against Amazon, said Peter Keith, an analyst with the investment firm Piper Jaffray & Co.

As more consumers shift to online shopping, other brick-and-mortar retailers have closed thousands of stores in shopping malls and elsewhere in the last year. A few have filed for bankruptcy protection, including rival electronics chain RadioShack.

A New York City Radio Shack store in 2013. (Spencer Platt / Getty Images) (Spencer Platt / Getty Images)

Best Buy still operates 1,600 outlets  including 143 in California, its biggest market  and Joly views the stores as a great asset even as Best Buy also moves increasingly to online sales.

We dont see ourselves as a brick-and-mortar retailer, were a multichannel retailer that combines the stores, Best Buys website and its phone app to boost sales, Joly said in an interview. And hes planning to expand Best Buys services, including its Geek Squad support arm, to generate more product sales.

Best Buys sales and profit have stabilized and its stock price, which closed at $55.26 a share Friday, has soared more than fourfold since late 2012, far outpacing the broader market.

The companys same-store sales  that is, sales of stores open at least 14 months, and a key retail measure  have continued to rise modestly the last three years, reversing four years of declines.

Its domestic same-store sales edged up 0.3% in its fiscal year that ended Jan. 28, 2017, then jumped 1.6% in its first quarter ended April 29.

Best Buys U.S. online sales rose 21% in fiscal 2017 and accounted for $4.85 billion, or 12%, of Best Buys total sales.

But Best Buys overall annual revenue has remained flat because the consumer-electronics industry as a whole is growing less than 3% a year, according to some analysts.

While economic conditions are gradually improving and will likely boost consumer spending, individuals are buying fewer of the big-ticket items that sustained rapid growth in the past, the research firm IBISWorld said in a recent report.

Consumer interest in big-ticket items, such as TVs and personal computers, has waned due to market saturation and slowing innovation, the firm said.

Thats keeping the pressure on Richfield, Minn.-based Best Buy to keep wringing more profit from each dollar of revenue if it hopes to maintain its momentum. Joly (pronounced jo-lee) already has shown it can be done.

His first move was to match any rivals prices, especially those at Amazon, so that in-store shoppers no longer needed to buy elsewhere.

We had no choice, we had to take price off the table and match online prices, Joly said.

Employees adjust a television display at a Best Buy store in Cary, N.C. (Gerry Broome / Associated Press) (Gerry Broome / Associated Press)

That appeals to customers such as Scott Vellman of Los Angeles, who bought the Battlefield 1 video game for his Xbox One player at Best Buys store in Atwater Village last week after Best Buy matched its $50 price on Amazon.

I bought it here [instead of online] because I didnt want to wait for it to ship, Vellman said.

Best Buy next sped up its delivery times, in part by expanding its national distribution centers, and beefed up its website and phone app so that customers could order online and pick up their products at the stores or have them delivered.

Many of the DVDs and CDs that once were a staple of Best Buy stores were cleared out, leaving room for Best Buy to invite such electronics vendors as Samsung, Microsoft and Verizon to set up stores within the stores inside Best Buys outlets.

That enabled Samsung, for instance, to have 1,400 stores in the U.S. in our stores, which would have taken years to build on its own, Joly said.

The inside-store vendors also include Pacific Sales, a seller of appliances, fixtures and other household products that Best Buy acquired in 2006, along with Magnolia, another Best Buy unit that sells premium audio and visual gear.

Best Buy shed its Chinese and European businesses in 2015. The company also has stripped $1.4 billion from its annual operating costs by renegotiating supply agreements and real estate leases and by closing more than a dozen large stores and 40 smaller ones, among many other steps.

The company plowed a chunk of the savings into better training its employees so that they can explain products to shoppers, which Joly believed was critical because new technology often is confusing to many consumers.

Best Buy, with 125,000 employees overall, has done an excellent job improving customer service, Keith said in a recent note to clients.

Best Buy has invested heavily in employee training. (Gerry Broome / Associated Press) (Gerry Broome / Associated Press)

Juan Ortiz of Glendale, who was at the Atwater Village store to buy a Nest Cam security camera, noticed the difference.

If Im going to spend a few hundred [dollars] on a security system, I want to talk with the employees and make sure Im getting the best one, Ortiz said. It also helps that they explain everything. If I got it on Amazon, Id be on my own.

Best Buy also is rolling out an in-home advisory service, where consumers get a free consultation on how to connect all the products in their homes, including TVs, computers, video games, thermostats and home-security networks, among others, and how they can be controlled by voice activation.

The consultations could lead to consumers buying more products or services, such as those provided by Best Buys Geek Squad. Currently, those services account for only 5% of Best Buys revenue.

Amazon also is quietly rolling out a program of free smart home consultations, as well as product installations for a fee, the website Recode.net reported last week.

Joly was not alarmed.

Theyre seeing the same thing were seeing  that customers need help  and are trying to address that, he said of Amazon. Just looking at a product on the shelf or a site doesnt necessarily tell you what you can do with it.

Whats already clear is that many shoppers still prefer peering closely at products on Best Buys shelves rather than relying solely on the Internet.

I like picking out toys here because I can look at them, 11-year-old Miguel Molina of Los Angeles said after he bought a Roblox pirate toy at the Atwater Village store. On the computer, theres only pictures.

james.peltz@latimes.com

Twitter: @PeltzLATimes

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There are only two types of companies, it is commonly said: those that have been hacked, and those that just dont know it yet.

IBM Corp. wants to get rid of both. The Armonk, N.Y., computing giant said Monday that it has achieved a breakthrough in security technology that will enable all businesses to encrypt their customer data on a massive scale  turning most if not all of their digital information into gibberish that is illegible to thieves with its new mainframe.

The last generation of mainframes did encryption very well and very fast, but not in bulk, Ross Mauri, general manager of IBMs mainframe business, said in an interview. Mauri estimates that only 4% of data stolen since 2013 was ever encrypted.

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As the number of data breaches affecting U.S. entities steadily grows  resulting in the leakage every year of millions of peoples personal information  IBM argues that universal encryption could be the answer to the epidemic of hacking.

The key, according to IBM officials, is an update to the computer chips driving the powerful mainframe servers that house corporate or institutional information and process millions of transactions a day worldwide, such as ATM withdrawals and credit card payments and flight reservations.

Cryptography, the science of turning legible information into coded gobbledygook, is already commonly used among certain email providers and storage services. But because of the enormous computational power needed to quickly encrypt and decrypt information as it passes from one entity to another, many businesses use encryption only selectively if at all. A December report by the security firm Sophos found that while three out of four organizations routinely encrypt customer data or billing information, far more do not encrypt their intellectual property or HR records. Sixty percent of organizations also leave work files created by employees unencrypted, the study found.

All of these represent opportunities for digital criminals, said Austin Carson, executive director of the technology think tank TechFreedom.

Way too much information is stored in clear text, he said. But universal or pervasive encryption, he added, could help ensure that even if hackers broke into a companys network, any information they found would be impossible to decode. That would be a huge step forward just in terms of protecting a much larger body of information, Carson said.

But the same technology could frustrate law enforcement, which in recent years has waged a furious battle with Silicon Valley over encryption technology and how extensively it should be used.

In a high-profile dispute last year with Apple Inc., the Justice Department argued that the company should help officials break into an encrypted iPhone used by one of the shooters in the San Bernardino terror attack. Apple refused, saying that developing tools to break encryption would undermine its customers security, particularly if the tools were to fall into the wrong hands.

Apples concern is not theoretical: This years WannaCry ransomware attack, which held thousands of PCs hostage, has been linked to a Windows vulnerability that was secretly discovered and exploited by the National Security Agency long before it leaked into the wild.

In its push to expand universal encryption, IBM is taking Apples side in the debate.

IBM fully supports the need for governments to protect their citizens from evolving threats, the company said in a statement on the issue. Weakening encryption technology, however, is not the answer. Encryption is simply too prevalent and necessary in modern society.

For IBM, encryption is also a massive business opportunity. Businesses spend more than $1 trillion a year making sure that their security meets government standards, according to company officials. One aspect of IBMs new approach to mainframes is the concept of automating that compliance work, using artificial intelligence to check that whats being protected passes regulatory muster in various industries.

In doing so, IBM expects to turn a chunk of that annual compliance spending into revenue for itself. And thats on top of the roughly $500,000 it expects to charge new customers for using its newest mainframe technology. Most businesses, Mauri said, will be upgrading from an existing setup, so the cost for those clients could be less.

For some small businesses, that may still be too expensive. Still, the history of technology suggests that with time, those prices may fall.

This is the turning point. The idea here is that you can start to encrypt all data, Mauri said. But even as IBM makes encrypting everything a priority, security experts like Mauri already have their eyes set on the next holy grail: The ability to securely edit and manipulate encrypted files without ever having to decrypt them in the first place.

Fung writes for the Washington Post.

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An attorney engaged in a controversy with Los Angeles City Hall has pleaded no contest to disturbing the peace, according to court records and city prosecutors.

Wayne Spindler, an Encino attorney, entered the plea to the infraction July 7 after the Los Angeles city attorneys office agreed to dismiss charges of misdemeanor possession of an assault weapon and possession of a high-capacity magazine, an infraction, according to city prosecutors and court records.

The gun-related charges stemmed from a restraining order limiting Spindlers contact with Los Angeles City Council President Herb Wesson.

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Spindler was arrested in May 2016 a few days after he handed in a public comment card during a city committee meeting in Van Nuys. The card included drawings of a burning cross and a stick figure hanging from a tree. The card also included a racial slur and the name of Wesson, who is African American. Wesson said he regarded the card as threatening, according to court records.

A judge issued a restraining order preventing Spindler from coming near Wessons home, office or vehicle, although he was allowed to speak at public meetings, records show. Spindler, in connection with the restraining orders no firearms requirement, turned in multiple handguns and a rifle to Los Angeles police for safekeeping, records show.

The Los Angeles County district attorney, citing 1st Amendment concerns, declined to file a charge against Spindler in connection with the committee meeting, concluding there was insufficient evidence that he made a threat.

City Atty. Mike Feuers office in April filed the charge of possessing an assault weapon.

About two weeks ago, city prosecutors and Spindler struck a plea deal allowing him to plead no contest to disturbing the peace, which was unrelated to the City Council meeting. The development was first reported last week by the website CityWatch LA.

As part of the plea agreement, the court ordered that the firearms Spindler relinquished  several pistols, a rifle and five rifle magazines  be destroyed, Los Angeles city attorney spokesman Rob Wilcox said.

Wilcox said his office agreed to the plea deal because it was unlikely that we could prevail on firearms charges.

It was a generic infraction that is commonly used as an alternative charge as part of plea agreements, Wilcox said in a statement.

Spindler said in an interview that the city attorneys office has sought to persecute him since last years city meeting. He accused the office of incorrectly stating its case against him.

They lost. They blew it, he said.

In January, Spindler filed a federal lawsuit accusing the city of violating his free speech and other constitutional rights. He alleged in court documents that his arrest was a bogus attempt as a free speech suppressant.

According to court documents, Spindler said his drawings on the comment card were satirical and protected political speech, and the person depicted hanging from a tree symbolized the citys Department of Water and Power lynching residents with high water rates. He also said in court documents that the racial slur had been used by others at council meetings to refer to Wesson as a sellout to his constituents.

His civil suit against the city is pending.

richard.winton@latimes.com

Twitter: @lacrimes
A man who fatally stabbed a fellow concertgoer at a punk rock show in Santa Ana was sentenced Monday to 11 years in prison, the Orange County District Attorneys Office said.

Juan Angel Rivera, 23, was convicted by a jury of voluntary manslaughter in the killing of Nathan Joe Alfaro, 23, on March 3, 2016.

The men were among many who attended a show that night at Underground DTSA in the 200 block of East 3rd Street.

According to Santa Ana police, Rivera and Alfaro were involved in a confrontation in the middle of a mosh pit about 10:30 p.m. when Rivera pulled out a knife and stabbed Alfaro multiple times in the torso, then left with a group of people.

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Alfaro made it outside but collapsed on the street. Paramedics rushed him to the hospital, where he died. Rivera was quickly identified as the suspect and arrested the next morning outside his home.

The nightclub was hosting Top Acid Thursdays that night, featuring a number of bands, including the Feels, Santoros, the Hurricane, Ghali and the Jail Birds.

The event was billed as an indie, garage, psychedelic and funk show.

Staff writer Veronica Rocha contributed to this report.

joseph.serna@latimes.com

For breaking California news, follow @JosephSerna on Twitter.
The American Civil Liberties Union sued the Madera County Board of Supervisors on Monday, alleging that it violated Californias open meetings law when it changed an immigration-related policy behind closed doors.

In March, the supervisors increased cooperation between the countys jail and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

In a March 30 press release, Madera County Dist. Atty. David Linn announced that the board had unanimously instructed the director of the countys department of corrections to fully comply with all ICE requests.

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Under the new policy, jail leaders must notify ICE when immigrant inmates are being released and schedule times for ICE agents to pick them up. Linn told Valley Public Radio in April that ICE is interested in any immigrant who has committed a felony.

As of today, we are definitely not a sanctuary county, in that we are in compliance with ICE requests, Linn said in the release. He said failing to cooperate with immigration authorities could result in the loss of $46 million in federal funds. He added that he believes the cooperation with ICE will prevent the agency from having to conduct raids in residential areas, schools and on farms.

Minutes for the March 7 meeting state that the board met in closed session to discuss a public employee performance evaluation for the corrections director, and that no action was taken. The ACLU alleges that the immigration policy was changed during that session, based on its review of public records, news accounts and Linns press release.

The Ralph M. Brown Act guarantees the publics right to attend and participate in meetings of local legislative bodies. The ACLU lawsuit says the boards decision required the opportunity for public comment.

A public agency such as the Madera County Board of Supervisors simply cannot change a major policy behind closed doors, said Julia Harumi Mass, a senior attorney with the ACLU of Northern California.

Linn, the district attorney, said in a March 1 letter to the board that ICE had contacted his office numerous times, saying the jail had refused to cooperate with them as required by law and was releasing dangerous felons into the local community. He said he had extended discussions with numerous community members to obtain their views concerning ICE deportations.

Linn scheduled a summit with ICE and county leaders. He said the corrections director, Manuel Perez, held his own secret meeting with ICE representatives instead of attending the summit. He accused Perez of attempting to stall rather than enforce immigration law. He said he instructed his staff to research potential charges of malfeasance and requested a meeting in closed session with the board as early as possible.

If you do not grant my request, I will bring the matter to public session, he said in the letter, which was obtained by the ACLU.

Linn included a sample list of immigrants released from Madera County Jail without notifying ICE who had served time for convictions including drug possession, sex with a minor, robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, DUI and public fighting.

Perez did not immediately return a call for comment.

On June 2, the ACLU sent the board a letter asking them to cure or correct its unlawful action. On June 30, the board declined.

In a response to the ACLUs letter, the countys deputy counsel Scott Cross said the county is not required or able to comply with the organizations request because public employee performance evaluations are not covered under the Brown Act and no action was taken during the closed session.

Because no action was taken, there is no action that can be cured or corrected, Cross said.

He said any further action taken by the ACLU would be clearly frivolous and totally lacking in merit, and the County will seek to recover court costs and reasonable attorneys fees.

In an email, Regina Garza, Madera County counsel, said the county is evaluating the merits of the allegations.

The County is disappointed the case was filed, but will appropriately defend itself, she said.

Garza did not answer a reporters question about when the board adopted the new policy, if not on March 7.

The lawsuit asks a judge to declare that the county violated the Brown Act, nullify the new policy and order the board to comply with the laws requirements.

andrea.castillo@latimes.com

@andreamcastillo
Two wildfires that began Sunday afternoon in Northern and Central California are prompting evacuations.

The Detwiller Fire, which began shortly before 4 p.m. just east of Lake McClure in Mariposa County, has spread to 2,500 acres and is forcing evacuations of residents on Hunters Valley road and parts of Bear Valley Road, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

In Mendocino County the Grade Fire, which started shortly before 3 p.m., was burning along U.S. 101 about five miles northwest of Redwood Valley, fire officials said.

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By 8:45 p.m. the fire had burned about 1,000 acres and was 10% contained, according to Cal Fires incident webpage. Residents of the Baker Creek subdivision were under mandatory evacuation orders.

The Mariposa County Sheriffs Department posted details about the evacuations and listed the address of an evacuation center on its Facebook page.

The departments post asked for people to stay out of the area.

Lots of people out there trying to take photos but we would like to remind everyone that fire can be a very fast moving changing situation, it is very important to keep the roads clear for Emergency Traffic, the statement read.

In Mendocino County, the sheriffs department said on its Facebook page that in addition to the mandatory evacuations for residents of the Baker Creek subdivision, some advisory evacuations had also been issued. Emergency notifications were being issued by the countys alert system, which can be accessed here.

paloma.esquivel@latimes.com

For more Inland Empire news follow me @palomaesquivel
Two people were found dead inside a Seal Beach apartment after a report of gunshots and a womans call for help triggered an hourslong standoff with police Sunday night.

The bodies of a man and another person were discovered at midnight in the 100 block of 7th Street, according to the Orange County coroners office.

Police received a call about 7:20 p.m. from a woman in an apartment near 7th Street and Central Avenue who requested officers assistance before the call was disconnected, Sgt. Michael Henderson of the Seal Beach Police Department said.

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Witnesses in the area reported hearing several shots, Henderson said, and residents in the immediate area and on some surrounding streets were asked to stay inside their homes during the barricade situation.

Early Monday, SWAT officers entered the apartment and found the bodies inside, authorities said.

paloma.esquivel@latimes.com

For more Inland Empire news follow me @palomaesquivel

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UPDATES:

July 17, 5:45 a.m.: This article was updated with coroners officials reporting that two bodies were found inside the apartment.

This article was originally published on July 16 at 11:10 p.m..
Martin Landau, the Oscar-winning veteran who appeared in classic films such as Alfred Hitchcocks North By Northwest and starred in the Mission: Impossible television series in the 1960s, has died. He was 89.

Landau died Saturday at UCLA Medical Center, where he experienced unexpected complications during a short hospitalization, his publicist confirmed.

We are overcome with sadness to report the death of iconic actor Martin Landau, a statement said.

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He won his Academy Award for his portrayal of washed-up Bela Lugosi in Tim Burtons Ed Wood.

Throughout his prolific career, the tall, lean actor remained enthusiastic about his craft, which saw him inhabit roles that included a master spy, a space commander, former Hollywood heavyweights, the prophet Abraham and a wheelchair-bound Holocaust survivor. Landaus dedication was apparent during his tenure as co-artistic director for Actors Studio West with Oscar-nominated director Mark Rydell. He recently starred in the CBS police procedural Without a Trace, playing Jacks father with Alzheimers disease, and HBOs Entourage, playing bumbling film producer Bob Ryan.

1 / 4 A portrait of Oscar winner Martin Landau, who died July 15 at age 89. (Patrick Downs / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 4 Actor Martin Landau at the Academy Awards, March 25, 1996, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavillion. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 4 Actor Martin Landau. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 4 Actor Martin Landau kisses his supporting actor Oscar at the 67th Academy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. (Eric Draper / Associated Press)

I told the picture editor I was going into the theater. I think he thought I was going to be an usher.  Martin Landau

Born in Brooklyn in 1928, Landau began his career as a newspaperman at age 17, working for five years at the New York Daily News as a staff cartoonist and illustrator while studying at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. After five years at the News, Landau suddenly quit to try his hand at acting.

I told the picture editor I was going into the theater. I think he thought I was going to be an usher, he said in a 1989 interview with The Times.

Landau had few job prospects and lived on $5 a week from his savings as he made the rounds. He was hired for a summer stock company on an island off Portland, Me., did 12 shows  including musicals  in 13 weeks, and had a swell time.

While living in New York in the 1950s, he hung out with pal James Dean and competed for roles with the likes of Sydney Pollack and John Cassavetes.

I would meet them in offices and waiting rooms before readings, he told The Times.

Shifting to theater, Landau auditioned with 2,000 other actors for Lee Strasbergs prestigious Actors Studio in 1955. Only he and a young Steve McQueen were accepted.

Steve and I got in the same night, Landau said in a 2016 interview with The Times. Lee Strasberg was gentle with Steve because he was rough with Jimmy [Dean]. Jimmy stopped working at the studio. He didnt want that to happen to Steve.

That wasnt the case for Landau. Strasberg berated him for an hour in front of famed studio members Kim Stanley, Geraldine Page, Marilyn Monroe and Patricia Neal regarding acting choices he had made in a recent TV production.

Retrospectively, it was good for me, Landau said, because Strasberg taught him that a certain actors arrogance is needed. Play the truth. Actors need to trust themselves. If you trust yourself, you can trust others and leave the director outside.

He made his film debut in Pork Chop Hill (1959), but few can forget his breakout role as Leonard, the villainous henchman stalking Cary Grant in Hitchcocks classic thriller North by Northwest (1959).

I had tea with Mr. Hitchcock one afternoon and asked him how he could have cast me in that part, because what I was playing in [the play] Middle of the Night was so different, Landau recalled. My dear Mah-tin, he said, impersonating the legendary filmmaker, you have a circus going on inside you. If you can do that part in the play, you can do this little trinket of mine.

But Landau became wildly popular for his role as Rollin Hand, the Man of a Million Faces sleuth on the 1960s hit series Mission: Impossible, with then-wife Barbara Bain. The actor was not meant to be a regular on the show but became so popular that he went on to receive Emmy nominations for each of the three seasons in which he appeared, and in 1968 won a Golden Globe for male TV star. He quit the show in a contract dispute and went on to costar with Bain in Britains short-lived sci-fi drama Space: 1999. The couple had two daughters together  actress and ballerina Juliet Landau and producer Susan Landau  before they divorced in 1993.

Though the small screen provided the kind of the indelible success some actors dream about, Landau said it was a nightmare too.

If a show is a hit, its the kiss of death as far as doing anything else is concerned, he said.

Id worked for the giants at the beginning  George Stevens, Hitchcock, Landau said. And then it all stopped because I was a television actor.  Martin Landau

In the early golden years of television, Landau told The Times in 1992, no one knew who was in charge yet. There werent that many sets and ad agencies didnt butt in. As time went by, however, television lost its ability to be original, he said. It copycats itself so much. The sense of adventure and risk-taking is much less.

Id worked for the giants at the beginning  George Stevens, Hitchcock, Landau said. And then it all stopped because I was a television actor.

He spent a year working on Joseph L. Mankiewiczs 1963 epic Cleopatra, playing the loyal right-hand man to Julius Caesar (Rex Harrison) and Marc Antony (Richard Burton). When the film marked its 50th anniversary in 2013, Landau recalled the monumentally mediocre movies other headlining scandal: Elizabeth Taylors adulterous affair with Burton.

On a day that only he and Burton were scheduled to work, Landau was shocked to see Taylor when he showed up to have his makeup applied.

I am sitting there looking in the mirror and Burton comes in in a half-tunic, goes to Elizabeth and kisses her on the forehead and then says good morning to me. I said to myself, Oh, my God. They had not gone to their respective homes that night. Around 11 a.m., [Taylors husband] Eddie Fisher shows up, Landau said. Thirty minutes later, Burtons wife, Sybil Burton, arrived: They came to see what happened to their spouses. Mankiewicz and I were rolling our eyeballs a little bit.

TV curse aside, Landau went on to play numerous roles in film, including the wheeler-dealer Abe Karatz in Francis Ford Coppolas Tucker: The Man and His Dream (1988), for which he was nominated for an Oscar and won a Golden Globe for supporting actor. On Tucker, he put his old illustrating skills to work, drawing a sketch for makeup man Richard Dean of how he thought Abe ought to look. Dean and Coppola agreed.

The next year, he was lauded for his role as the philandering Judah Rosenthal, the doctor who has his mistress murdered and gets away with it, in Woody Allens Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989). He was nominated for his second consecutive supporting actor Oscar.

In any age range, there are some limitations in terms of good, good parts, Landau said in 1992. After the Oscar nods, the good, good parts for actors in their late 50s and early 60s came his way. However, many of his paychecks came from cheap, direct-to-video movies and overseas television. Which, coincidentally, was one of the reasons why director Tim Burton wanted him to play morphine-addicted Dracula star Lugosi in 1994s Ed Wood, starring Johnny Depp as the memorably inept, low-budget filmmaker Edward D. Wood Jr. (Landaus daughter Juliet also appeared in the film.)

Its weird, Landau told The Times about Lugosi in 1994. Tim called me out of the blue. He said, Youve worked with everybody, youve done very good movies with major directors, youve done tacky, rotten movies with awful directors. You have a presence and there are a lot of things that coincide [with Bela]. Thats how he came to me. I was shocked. He said, You popped into my head and I couldnt get you out.

Martin Landau bows his head in gracious reply to congratulations after being awarded the Golden Globe for his role as Bela Lugosi in Ed Wood. (Gauthier, Robert / Los Angeles Times)

The 63-year-old Landau played the aging 1930s star as a colorful, feisty old man crippled by a profound sadness.Denise Di Novi, who produced the film with Burton, said she realized how good Landaus performance was going to be in the first screen test, the makeup test. He gave a look to the camera, said a line of dialogue, and I was ecstatic. It gave me shivers. From that first makeup test, he was Bela. He found a niche that made him sympathetic, complex, funny, tragic  he brought it so many colors.

Despite the fact that Bela Lugosi Jr. decried the films portrayal of his father, Landau said: I dont ridicule him. If anything, its almost a love letter to him. I never talked to his son, and from what I hear, he did not approve of some of the language. But thats not the point. I dont think I demean him at all. I salute him.

For the role, Landau finally won the supporting actor Oscar and his third Golden Globe Award. During his Oscar speech, he hit the podium and shouted No! when the orchestra attempted to truncate his speech. He also received top honors from the New York Film Critics Circle and the National Society of Film Critics for his performance.

He followed up his Oscar win playing woodcarver Geppetto in 1996s The Adventures of Pinocchio, which landed a sequel in 1999. He also voiced Woodrow Wilson in the mini-series 1914-1918, Scorpion in the animated Spider-Man, and #2 in the animated 9. He reunited with Burton in 2012 to voice science teacher Mr. Rzykruski in Frankenweenie.

In 1998, he starred in Rounders, playing poker hustler Matt Damons professor-mentor, mirroring his real-life role with young film talent: Ed Wood also laid the foundation for his friendships with Depp and Burton.

In 2000, Landau, who is of Jewish descent, played Abraham, father of the Israelites, in In the Beginning, which chronicled the biblical books of Genesis and Exodus. Jacqueline Bisset played his wife, Sarah.

Ill tell you something interesting: I havent been directed by anybody in probably 30 or 35 years, whether it be Francis Ford Coppola or Tim Burton, Landau said in 2016. I come in with stuff, and I have ideas. I think if they dont like what Im doing, theyll say something. They dont say anything. So I hit the mark, say the words and get the hell out of there.

After a few TV movies, he took on meatier small screen roles in the quickly canceled The Evidence. In Without a Trace he played Frank Malone, Jacks (Anthony LaPaglia) Alzheimers-riddled father from 2004 to 2009. He also found a new audience playing the memorably out of touch producer Bob Ryan, a parody of legendary Chinatown and Godfather producer Robert Evans, in HBOs Entourage series and subsequent film.

In 2008, he produced and costarred with fellow Oscar winner Ellen Burstyn in the December-December romance Lovely, Still. He did a short stint as on ABCs 2011 series Have a Little Faith playing a beloved rabbi to writer Mitch Albom. In 2015, he costarred with Christopher Plummer in the thriller Remember, playing an Auschwitz survivor out to take down the man responsible for killing his family.

Landau received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and was honored with the Israel Film Festivals Career Achievement Award in 2013.

As artistic director Actors Studio West, his students have included Jack Nicholson and Oliver Stone.

I take the Friday session every week, he said. The people whom I teach are teachers. What I am really doing is igniting something thats going to stay.

Landau is survived by daughters Juliet Landau and Susan Landau Finch.

Times staff writer Trevell Anderson contributed to this report.

See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour 

nardine.saad@latimes.com

Twitter: @NardineSaad

MORE LANDAU

Martin Landau on hitting his marks and getting the heck out

Going his way: Martin Landau finds that roles for his age range can be rewarding
Since June, Beijing police have conducted a sting operation in an effort to stem sexual harassment on the subway, arresting over 20 men who groped or made unwanted sexual advances on female passengers.

The campaign, which aims to tackle the rampant sexual harassment crimes on public transportation, has achieved remarkable results. According to Beijing police, more and more Chinese women are willing to fight back against sexual harassment rather than keep silent, but such crimes remain a problem and more effort is needed to stop them.

Many cases have gone unreported because the victims were either embarrassed or felt their cases wouldnt be dealt with seriously. Some even refused to help us or would just remain silent, allowing the perpetrators to get away, a police officer told the Beijing Times.

According to a survey conducted by Minzu University of China in 2009 among 1,000 female respondents, only 2.1 percent said they would report sexual harassment to the police. Over 26 percent of the women said they had suffered sexual harassment on public transportation, while over 82.4 percent said they had heard or witnessed such crimes.

Victims feelings of humiliation have encouraged harassers. A search for the keywords metro and hobby on the popular instant messaging program QQ yields a number of chat groups for people to share their experience and trade videos or photos of victims.

According to news portal Ifengweekly.com, sexual harassment on public transportation has become an industry in China. Several websites offer users unlimited access to videos and photos of victims being harassed in subways, as long as the users pay a monthly membership fee of 19.9 RMB. The websites and chat groups also encourage people to take unwanted videos, while a five-minute short video can be sold for 50 to 250 RMB.

I normally target those who look docile and timid, especially young students, as they feel embarrassed and will not report me, said one harasser.

In order to tackle sexual harassment crimes on public transportation, local authorities in Beijing have made great efforts, including setting up more cameras in the subway. Some activists have also suggested that Beijing Metro system offer cars specially designated for women, a proposal that was turned down by the authorities for being too difficult to implement with the current metro system.

I think authorities should provide victims with more legal support rather than put them in a cage. Meanwhile, society should have more sympathy and tolerance for the victims, as they are normally discriminated against due to their suffering. Severe punishment should also be imposed on the perpetrators, said Wang Jinmei, a social activist of a Beijing-based woman protection organization.
Thirty people were shot, three fatally, during a violent 18-hour period in Chicago this weekend, which included a police-involved shooting and an attack outside a hospital, authorities said.

In one neighborhood, a woman voiced her frustration at the scene of a double shooting that left a 31-year-old man dead and a 32-year-old man wounded in the leg.

They know its a drug house, she yelled at police and a crowd that gathered at the scene. They dont care. I do. Im tired of this.

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The shooter approached the two men and opened fire minutes after 1 a.m. Sunday, authorities said.

As police worked to secure the area, some members of the crowd started to fight.

We need some help, a woman yelled at police.

Officers eventually dispersed the crowd, shouting, Time to go.

One police officer guarded a shoe, stained with what appeared to be blood, that had been left in an intersection.

It was one of a series of shootings between Saturday and Sunday.

In one South Side neighborhood, a 23-year-old man was shot dead just before 3:20 a.m. Sunday, police said. He was in a parked car when two men approached and opened fire, striking him in the chest and left arm.

On Saturday, a 58-year-old husband, father and community activist was shot dead less than a block from the anti-violence organization where he worked on the South Side, his family and police said.

Willie Cooper was walking on West 95th Street at about 4:15 p.m. when a dark-colored vehicle approached and someone inside fired, hitting him in the mouth and torso, they said.

Relatives arrived crying where Coopers body lay outside a liquor store.

He did a lot for the community, said his wife, Sherry Clark, 44.

Another man was shot Sunday as he walked toward Mt. Sinai Hospital, restricting access to one of four trauma facilities inside city limits for about three of the weekends most violent hours, according to police and hospital personnel.

It wasnt immediately clear how close the man was to the building when he was struck in the groin area about 3:35 a.m, said Dianne Hunter, a spokeswoman for the hospital.

Hunter said the hospital immediately went on lockdown and on bypass, meaning dispatchers informed all ambulance companies that drivers were not to take patients to Mt. Sinai, Hunter said.

A police spokeswoman said she believed the victim was taken inside the hospital and treated. He was listed in serious condition Sunday.

A teen believed to be 18 years old was shot by police about 3:10 a.m. Sunday during a traffic stop in an alley, police said.

Two officers exchanged words with the young man after seeing him with a gun inside the car, according to police, but he reportedly did not put down the weapon.

He was shot in the arm and leg. His condition was stabilized at a hospital.

Malagon, Wong, Sobol and Rosenberg-Douglas report for the Chicago Tribune.
Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. Its Monday, July 17, and heres whats happening across California:

TOP STORIES

The secret life of a USC dean

During his tenure as dean of the USC Keck School of Medicine, Dr. Carmen A. Puliafito kept company with a circle of criminals and drug users who said he used methamphetamine and other drugs with them, a Los Angeles Times investigation has found. The renowned eye surgeons skill in the operating room was matched by his gift for attracting money and talent to the university. He stepped down as dean last year. Los Angeles Times

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Gearing up for the midterm election

As chairman of the committee charged with overseeing the executive branch, Rep. Darrell Issa was once known as President Obamas toughest critic. Now the richest man in Congress has found himself with protesters at his door, no committee to lead, and a tough race expected in 2018. Los Angeles Times

How to think about casting movies

Should only a blind person be allowed to play a blind person in a movie? That thorny question rages at the center of a debate in Hollywood over authenticity in casting. The increasingly fraught and emotional dialogue pits the progressive ideals of inclusion not just against historical business practices but also the definition of acting itself. Los Angeles Times

L.A. STORIES

A Hollywood legend dies: Martin Landau, the Oscar-winning actor who appeared in classic films such as Alfred Hitchcocks North by Northwest and starred in the Mission: Impossible television series in the 1960s, has died at age 89. Los Angeles Times

And: Filmmaker George A. Romero, father of the modern zombie film and creator of the Night of the Living Dead franchise, has died at 77. Los Angeles Times

Dirty tricks on hold? In a twist that reveals the small world of Golden State politics, former Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom  the top contenders to be Californias next governor  each hired advisors who know the most intimate details of the others extramarital affair. Los Angeles Times

Venice problems: Venice Beach had roughly 700 fewer housing units in 2015 than in 2000, as apartment development stalled and wealthy homeowners gobbled up adjacent properties and leveled them. Wall Street Journal

More and more: As the number of homeless Angelenos rises, towing companies are refusing to haul away RVs and campers that are unregistered or have overstayed the 72-hour limit on city streets. The companies cite the unsanitary conditions of the vehicles and the inability to recoup the cost of towing them. Los Angeles Daily News

IMMIGRATION AND THE BORDER

DACA dilemma: Instead of a clear policy, Melody Klingenfuss and thousands of other DACA recipients have faced mixed messages, contradictory leaks and a lack of clarity about their future from the Trump administration. There has been talk of deportations, only to have the president himself sound a less dire tone, and thats upset anti-illegal immigration activists too. Los Angeles Times

On the train: The Los Angeles Metro systems Gold Line connects enough smart institutions to explode stereotypes about public transportation and Southern California itself. San Francisco Chronicle

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

The healthcare debate: Somewhere in California, one childs medical expenses in 2014 totaled $21 million  a bill covered entirely by Medi-Cal, the states version of Medicaid. Los Angeles Times

Intriguing stuff: Olympic gold medalist and transgender activist Caitlyn Jenner is the latest celebrity to reveal she has considered launching a run for Senate. Los Angeles Times

And for the Democrats: Sen. Kamala Harris was in the Hamptons over the weekend to meet with Hillary Clintons biggest backers. New York Post

Down by the bay: The Croatian consulate wanted to move from its tony Westwood offices to San Pedros Croatian Cultural Center. This week the deal to make that happen fell apart. Daily Breeze

CRIME AND COURTS

Arrests at protests: At least two people were arrested Saturday afternoon during dueling rallies staged in Hollywood by supporters and detractors of President Trump. Los Angeles Times

The fallout: Investigators looking into the frighteningly close call involving an airliner that nearly hit planes on the ground at San Francisco International Airport will try to determine why the pilots made such a rookie mistake and nearly landed on a busy taxiway instead of the runway. Associated Press

Got a light? A group of men is suspected of stealing large quantities of cigarettes from Walgreens locations across the eastern San Fernando Valley, including in Burbank, according to authorities. Los Angeles Times

Animal cruelty A Santa Clara County Superior Court judge has sentenced a 26-year-old California man to 16 years in prison for killing 21 cats, some of which he lured from peoples homes. The Mercury News

THE ENVIRONMENT

Preview, please: Heres what to watch for in the vote to extend Californias cap-and-trade program. Los Angeles Times

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

Go Lakers! This years Las Vegas Summer League Lakers are exciting a fan base looking for some positivity after four years of lacking it. Now they have rookie Lonzo Ball, and hope has returned. Los Angeles Times

Tech tourism: Heres where you should go to try out Silicon Valleys newest wares. San Francisco Chronicle

But its so good: By all rights, consumers and companies should be celebrating one of the longest [economic] expansions on record. California has surpassed the rest of the nation by some measures, and San Diego County looks stronger than much of the state. Yet happy days dont seem to be here again. San Diego Union-Tribune

Where to drink? Here are 10 breweries in San Diego where you definitely can quench your thirst. Los Angeles Times

CALIFORNIA ALMANAC

Sacramento and Los Angeles area: sunny Monday and Tuesday. San Diego: partly cloudy Monday and Tuesday. San Francisco area: cloudy Monday and Tuesday More weather is here.

AND FINALLY

This weeks birthdays for those who made a mark in California:

State Supt. of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson (July 19, 1949) and Supreme Court Justice Anthony M. Kennedy (July 23, 1936).

If you have a memory or story about the Golden State, share it with us. Send us an email to let us know what you love or fondly remember about our state. (Please keep your story to 100 words.)

Please let us know what we can do to make this newsletter more useful to you. Send comments, complaints and ideas to Benjamin Oreskes and Shelby Grad. Also follow them on Twitter @boreskes and @shelbygrad.
Assemblyman Travis Allen (R-Huntington Beach) has hitched his political star to the campaign to repeal the gas tax  a package of vehicle fees and fuel taxes that the Legislature passed earlier this year to raise $52 billion over 10 years for transportation projects. The little-known legislator from Orange County launched a citizens initiative to repeal the fuel taxes and fees in May. In June, he announced his candidacy for governor in 2018.

Meanwhile, in Orange County, the California Republican Party has been working intensely to recall first-term state Sen. Josh Newman (D-Fullerton). Whats their argument against him? That he voted for the gas tax.

Other Republican politicians also have jumped on the bandwagon, including former San Diego City Councilman Carl DeMaio, who is pushing the repeal idea on a radio show he hosts.

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Republicans are exaggerating the significance of this relatively minor tax hike in a state that faces much more significant problems.

But dont be fooled. The campaign by Republicans to punish supporters of the gas tax is really just the latest tactic in their war to wipe out with the Democratic supermajority in the state Senate and revive their own declining influence in state government. After all, the gas tax package passed with the votes of 81 legislators  only one of whom was a Republican.

If this strategy rings familiar thats because a similar campaign to stop the car tax contributed to the recall of Democratic Gov. Gray Davis in 2003 and boosted the political careers of several Republicans, including Arnold Schwarzenegger. Davis crime, in the eyes of voters, was that he had raised vehicle fees from $70 a year to about $210 to cover a hole in the state budget. The electricity crisis from few years earlier also played a role in the recall campaign, but in the end, the car tax in this car-loving state was a more powerful campaign slogan even than rolling blackouts.

Of course, theres nothing unusual about Republicans seeking to win elections by attacking tax hikes. But it is cynical and destructive for them to make stop the gas tax the centerpiece of their political campaigns in the 2018 election. The package of fuel taxes and fees passed earlier this year represents an overdue investment in the states crumbling infrastructure. Even most Republicans agree that the states transportation system is in sorry shape from years of inadequate construction and maintenance. And thats no wonder, considering that the gasoline tax hasnt been raised in nearly three decades  not since a bipartisan deal in 1989 supported by Republican Gov. George Deukmejian as an important investment in the states economic future.

Whats more, Republicans are exaggerating the significance of this relatively minor tax hike in a state that faces much more significant problems. Politicians should be talking about income inequality, affordable housing and the dangers of Trumps anti-immigrant policies to California residents, for starters. Or the congressional healthcare proposal that will force millions of people to lose coverage. Or the constant threat to Californias natural resources  its mountains, deserts, oceans, wildlife and air  from the environmentally hostile federal government.

Its hard to imagine that the prospect of paying $10 more a month to finally fix the states roads and bridges, which are in observably bad shape, and build public transportation projects for future traffic relief, even ranks on the same outrage scale as these critical California issues.

Will the Republicans gas tax ploy work? Possibly not. The political landscape has changed a lot since 2003, when 35% of California voters were registered Republican and the GOP still wielded some power in Sacramento. Since then, Republican registration has dropped steadily by about 400,000 even as the states population has grown. Now, only about a quarter of the states voters are registered Republican, and the GOP holds not one statewide office. Historically, Republican enclaves such as Orange County and northern San Diego County have turned purple, and in 2018, Republicans are expected to face tough challenges to retain congressional seats.

The reason the party of Ronald Reagan is becoming increasingly irrelevant is because it continues to back the wrong issues and demonize the very people it needs to attract to remain relevant in California.

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Saudi Arabia has been fighting a long and brutal war in Yemen against Houthi rebels, who ousted the Saudi-backed central government in 2014. More than 10,000 civilians have died in the conflict, and over 3 million have been displaced. Millions face starvation. The Saudis have been accused of violating the rules of war and taking insufficient steps to protect civilians, who have been killed in mosques and at funerals and on the streets. Now, thanks to the destruction of local water and sewage infrastructure, the worlds largest cholera epidemic has infected 300,000 people and is continuing to spread at a rate of 5,000 new cases a day.

Despite all this, the Trump administration has promised that the U.S. will provide Saudi Arabia with $110 billion in weapons, leading human rights groups and others to call the U.S. morally complicit  and possibly legally complicit  in the loss of civilian life.

In response to the backlash from human rights organizations around the world and to help make the arms deal more politically palatable, the Saudis have put forward two face-saving measures in recent weeks: The countrys crown prince promised to provide $67 million to the United Nations for cholera treatment. And the Saudis have agreed to engage in a $750-million multiyear program to train its air force on how to avoid civilian casualties. Both steps are better than nothing, but much more will be necessary.

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In the long run, the conflict in Yemen requires a negotiated political solution, not a continuation of the failed Saudi military strategy which has not achieved its objectives. In the shorter run, there are steps that could help reduce the violence and alleviate the suffering.

For starters, both the Saudis and the Houthis need to stop treating food aid and medical assistance like bargaining chips, and must open ports and airports so that they can pass safely into the neediest and most conflict-ridden areas. The UN cannot deliver cholera vaccines without these access points, no matter how much money the Saudis throw at the problem. If the Saudis refuse to allow aid in, then Congress, which has grown increasingly impatient that countrys flagrant disregard for human rights, must consider what steps it can take to punish the House of Saud for such a heartless stance.

On Friday morning, the House of Representatives passed several amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act that call for greater congressional oversight on how U.S. weapons are being used in Yemen. One amendment, introduced by Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Torrance), requires the departments of State and Defense to report to Congress every six months on whether the Saudis are indeed bombing fewer civilians, as they have committed to This is an important step toward ensuring that our partner in the Middle East understands exactly where we stand: $110 billion in weapons is not a blank check.
When Elena attempted to break up with her abusive boyfriend, he beat her horribly, saying he would leave her with scars by which to remember him. Although badly injured, she did not contact the police to report the domestic violence. Nor did she seek medical care for her open wounds or the ringing in her ear. She had heard news of President Trumps expanded immigration enforcement policies and stories of immigration agents arresting domestic violence and human trafficking victims inside courthouses. She had also learned that her state, California, requires medical professionals to report domestic violence and sexual assault to the police, and she feared deportation more than she desired medical care.

Elenas case is hardly unusual. In the domestic violence clinic I direct at UC Irvine Law, Ive witnessed how mandatory reporting laws, which were meant to increase documentation of domestic violence injuries and hold abusers accountable, have had the unintended consequence of discouraging immigrants here illegally from seeking treatment. States can and should repeal these laws as they apply to domestic violence; they simply do more harm than good.

Immigrant women and girls are highly vulnerable to abuse and are statistically twice as likely as non-immigrant females to experience domestic violence. Many of my clients U.S. citizen spouses refuse to sponsor them for citizenship, instead threatening deportation if the victimized individual calls the police. Rampant sexual abuse and trafficking also occur, with citizen spouses telling non-citizens that it is an immigrants duty to sexually submit. Unsurprisingly, abuse often causes extensive physical harm as well as mental anguish.

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Immigrant women and girls are highly vulnerable to abuse and are statistically twice as likely as non-immigrant females to experience domestic violence.

Forty-five states and the District of Columbia have statutes that mandate or encourage medical professionals to report certain injuries to law enforcement, and some states specifically require them to report domestic violence. For example, California, Colorado and Kentucky require medical professionals to notify police about injuries caused by physical abuse or sexual assault. In such states, at a minimum, a medical provider who suspects domestic violence must report to police the patients name, location and injuries and the name of the suspected abuser. A health practitioner can face misdemeanor charges for failing to relay this information.

Despite their ubiquity, the American Medical Assn. believes that such laws violate the basic tenets of medical ethics and are of unproven value. In a California study of more than 500 physicians, a majority of doctors indicated that domestic violence mandatory reporting laws create barriers to healthcare, can escalate abuse and violate patient confidentiality and autonomy. Research shows, moreover, that abuse survivors are best served when doctors and nurses offer supportive and ongoing access to medical care, protect patient confidentiality, address safety concerns and provide patients with a range of options while allowing patients to control decision making.

Ideally, the Trump administration would explicitly agree not to send immigration agents to courtrooms, and would vow not to use domestic violence reporting against vulnerable abuse victims. But thats obviously not the direction the administration is going.

It is therefore up to the medical, legal and social service communities to protect abuse survivors who come to them in need and to shield them from fears of deportation. We must recognize that individuals in abusive relationships may need and want medical care without police involvement.

Jane K. Stoever is clinical professor of law at UC Irvine School of Law and director of UCIs Domestic Violence Clinic.

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Vatican Refuses to Go Gluten Free at Communion blared the headline on a New York Times story about a recent directive by the Congregation for Divine Worship. The instruction to the worlds Roman Catholic bishops sets out rules for the types of bread and wine that may be used in the sacrament in which, according to Catholic belief, they become the body and blood of Christ.

The passage that has attracted media attention  and a bit of snark  says: Hosts [Communion wafers] that are completely gluten-free are invalid matter for the celebration of the Eucharist.

Does this mean that Catholics who suffer from celiac disease  a condition experienced by about 1% of the general population  are barred from receiving the Bread of Heaven? Is this an example of ecclesiastical legalism triumphing over Christian charity? (The satirical website the AV Club titled its story Pope Francis Doesnt Care About your Celiac Disease.)

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Actually, no.

First of all, as the directive makes clear, the church is willing to accept as valid bread with minute amounts of gluten  sufficient, as the directive puts it, to obtain the confection of bread without the addition of foreign materials and without the use of procedures that would alter the nature of bread.

That would appear to permit the use even of some wafers that carry a gluten-free label. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration allows that designation for bread that contains less than 20 parts per million of gluten.

More to the point, even if wafers that meet the Vaticans standards are unavailable at a particular parish, the church says that worshipers with celiac disease may still receive all the spiritual benefits of Communion by consuming only the consecrated wine.

Thereby hangs a theological tale.

Since the Vatican Council of the 1960s it has become common, though not universal, for Roman Catholics to receive both the consecrated bread and the consecrated wine at Communion. But from the Middle Ages until Vatican II, typically only the priest received Communion under both species  a source of controversy between Catholics and Protestants during and after the Reformation.

At the Council of Trent in the 16th century, the Roman Catholic Church justified the practice of having the laity receive only the consecrated bread at Communion. Although in the New Testament Jesus is described as saying, This is my body, of the bread at the Last Supper and This cup is the new testament in my blood of the wine, the council said that Christ whole and entire was present in both the bread and the wine. Therefore, the communicant with celiac disease can receive only consecrated wine and still obtain the full spiritual benefit of the sacrament.

This doctrine, known as concomitance, arguably undermines the symbolic parallelism of body/bread, blood/wine. But it offers a solution for the worshipper at a church that doesnt offer low-gluten Communion bread.

But what if that worshipper is also unable to tolerate alcohol?

The church also has a solution to that problem: Its called mustum, a form of grape juice in which the process of fermentation has begun but is then arrested. The Vatican letter restates the churchs position that mustum is valid matter for the celebration of the Eucharist.

In a position paper that was updated last year, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops recommended that individuals with gluten and/or alcohol intolerance arrange through their parish the purchase any low-gluten hosts or mustum and provided a list of companies that offered such products for sale. (Whether enough parishes are taking advantage of these products is another question.)

Many non-Catholic Christians  and even some Catholics  will probably dismiss the Vaticans directive as metaphysical nitpicking. Surely, some would argue, the Lord wouldnt begrudge his presence because of a fine point of chemistry. But, having decided that bread and wine are crucial to the sacrament, its not surprising that the church would try to define those elements.

What matters is that it has done so in a way that doesnt exclude believers with physical conditions that, on a different reading, might have kept them away from the Communion rail.

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To the editor: Your editorial is wrong to suggest that removing the requirement in SB 35 that workers be paid the prevailing wage  the common wage paid to construction workers in any given area  will somehow ease the affordable housing crisis in California. Instead, it would help drive more than 400,000 construction workers and their families out of the shrinking blue-collar middle class. Try supporting a family of four in California on a residential construction workers average pay of around $42,000 on prevailing wage projects. (Affordable housing at an impasse, editorial, July 22)

Removing the prevailing wage mandate would force the families of plumbers, carpenters and other construction workers to compete in the underground economy where developers hire workers from street corners and pay no state or federal tax, no Social Security, no Medicare and of course no benefits. We cannot obtain affordable housing by driving millions more Californians into poverty.

Labor makes up about 15% of the total cost of any given prevailing wage residential project. Construction workers are not driving the housing shortage. The real culprit is the greed of developers and speculators. We see no editorials to curtail their massive profits.

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Does anyone really believe that the money saved from restricting construction workers pay will wind up anywhere other than in developers pockets?

Robbie Hunter, Sacramento

The writer is president of the State Building Construction and Trades Council of California.

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To the editor: In May 1968 during our honeymoon in Yosemite, the car my husband and I were driving broke down on the newly opened Tioga Pass Road. We coasted down the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada into the town of Lee Vining, where we caught a bus to Bishop, a city in the Owens Valley. There, we rented a car and then drove back to Yosemite Valley to retrieve our belongings and to Lee Vining to get our car. (L.A. took their water and land a century ago. Now the Owens Valley is fighting back, July 13)

In Bishop, we found that people from Los Angeles were not very welcome, as our city had obtained nearby water rights by somewhat devious means. But the people were kind to us when they found we were on our honeymoon and fixed our car. This memory is still vivid after almost 50 years.

Since that time, we have been regular winter visitors to Mammoth Lakes. Going through Owens Valley, we noticed how much drier it got each year and the inevitable dust clouds. What water Los Angeles did not take, drought did.

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And building in Los Angeles continues. Where does the city plan to get the water to support all this new construction when Inyo County takes back its water?

Betty Dunbar, Hermosa Beach

..

To the editor: Inyo Countys eminent domain threat may require intervention by local, state and federal interests, given the potential adverse environmental and economic impacts.

Arguably, the city of Los Angeles ownership of a great deal of land in Inyo County has inadvertently preserved vast tracts of precious Owens Valley view sheds that might otherwise been claimed by sprawl. The economic effects of commercial, residential and industrial development, even solar and wind farms, severely impair tourism and recreation.

Efforts should focus on restoring the dry Owens Lake, a serious health hazard, along with the Salton Sea in Southern California, the disappearance of which would be an environmental disaster.

Bruce Cort Daniels, Running Springs

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To the editor: There is an analogy to Donald Trumps ascendancy to the White House and the fear among Republicans that it inspired. (Republicans in Congress still dont want to talk about possible collusion between Trump and Russia, July 11)

In February 1950, Sen. Joseph McCarthy asserted that hundreds of known communists were working in the Department of State. He went on to lead the red scare by bullying and defaming other Americans to exalt himself and his crusade.

McCarthys behavior was tolerated by the Republican Party until 1953, when a Republican became president. By 1954, his rants and unrestrained cruelty became unacceptable.

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In an attempt to revitalize his anticommunist witch hunt, he chose to target the U.S. Army. At the Senate Government Operations Committee hearing, McCarthy accused a young associate in the law firm representing the Army of being involved in the Communist Party.

After Joseph N. Welch, the lead lawyer, asked, Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? and went on to defend his attorney, the audience burst into raucous applause. By the end of the year, the U.S. Senate had officially censured McCarthy.

Rather than worry about their political careers, Republican politicians may want to think about the role they will play in history.

Mary MacLaren, Rider, Solana Beach

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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.
An exhibition on the Nanjing Massacre opened in Hiroshima, Japan, on July 15. (Photo/njdaily.cn)

An exhibition on the Nanjing Massacre opened in Hiroshima, Japan, on July 15, Nanjing Daily reported. It's the first such exhibition in the city in 20 years. Fifty displays consisting of more than 200 photos show the various atrocities that Japanese invaders committed in China, especially in Nanjing.

A civil peace delegation from Nanjing brought many of the objects to the exhibition, drawing much attention from Japanese citizens. Many of the objects were open to the public for the first time.

Nine personal letters from Japanese soldier Nakajima Ryozo record many of the miserable details of the invasion 80 years ago.

An exhibition on the Nanjing Massacre opened in Hiroshima, Japan, on July 15. (Photo/njdaily.cn)

During the war, all Japanese soldiers' belongings had to be checked by the military before they could go back home. A lot of the records had been erased. However, Nakajima Ryozo died while fighting and the letters were brought back to Japan by his comrade. A Japanese scholar named Kurabashi Masanao got a chance to print copies of the letters. In the ninth letter, Nakajima Ryozo mentions that Japanese soldiers killed Chinese people every day and about 30,000 bodies were thrown into the Yangtze River. Kurabashi Masanao expressed his view when sorting the letters: Nakajima Ryozo is only an ordinary soldier, but he directly witnessed the death of 30,000 Chinese people. This tells us a huge number of Chinese people were killed by Japanese soldiers.

In 2014, the Japanese scholar sent copies of the letters to Anti-Japanese War Museum in Nanjing during an exhibition in Nagoya. Japanese soldiers recorded their combat gains on flags during the war. The museum has a collection of three Japanese flags with war records. A banner written by the main Japanese war criminal Hisao Tani recorded the moment when Japanese soldiers' invaded Nanjing. The words on the flags and the banner are undeniable evidence of the Nanjing Massacre, said Wu Xianbin, curator of the museum.

An exhibition on the Nanjing Massacre opened in Hiroshima, Japan, on July 15. (Photo/Nanjing Daily)

An investigative report on the massacre issued by the then Nanjing Provisional Senate became a focus of the exhibition. After the anti-Japanese victory, the Chinese government conducted a large-scale investigation of Japanese crimes. The Nanjing Provisional Senate formed an investigation commission for this specific reason. The report contains many survivors' testimonies.

The exhibition will last till July 23. Kurihara Kimiko, a former Japanese senator, attended the opening of the exhibition. She stressed its importance and hoped for more Japanese visitors and more such activities in the future.
Ron McArthur is a man with big plans.

As head of the chief medical provider in this rural slice of eastern Arizona, McArthur firmly believes whats good for Summit Healthcare is good for communities tucked in the foothills of the White Mountains. Were the economic engine, he said. We sponsor everything, were the biggest employer, we offer the highest-paying jobs.

But right now, he said, a proposed surgery center and other expansion plans are imperiled by Republican efforts to drastically overhaul the nations healthcare system, leaving the states GOP lawmakers to choose, as McArthur sees it, between party loyalty and their hard-pressed constituents.

Snowflake Mayor Lynn Johnson is one of those constituents.

He runs a physical therapy practice that has suffered, he said, a double whammy under the healthcare law signed by President Obama. Johnson receives less for each patient he treats under Medicare and Medicaid and pays more to insure his employees.

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You used to be able to make a decent living, Johnson said. Now youre fighting for everything you get.

Snowflake Mayor Lynn Johnson would like to see the Affordable Care Act immediately repealed. (Mark Z. Barabak / Los Angeles Times)

All of which leaves Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona in a tough spot.

McArthur wants to preserve the Affordable Care Act, which cut nearly in half the tens of millions of dollars Summit lost each year treating uninsured patients. Johnson wants the law repealed and, in time, replaced with a less costly and intrusive alternative.

With legislation in the Senate in serious jeopardy  just one more Republican defection could scuttle the effort  the dilemma facing Flake is acute.

Bidding for a second term, he is one of only two GOP senators from swing states facing reelection in 2018, when healthcare is once more likely to be a key issue. Unlike the other Republican at risk  Nevadas Dean Heller, who has harshly criticized the Senate plan  Flake has been studiously opaque.

Perhaps thats because whatever he does, a great number of people will be very unhappy.

Arizonas senior senator, Republican John McCain, has expressed strong reservations about the GOP plan, which would deeply cut federal assistance to low- and moderate-income Americans. (A vote planned for this week was abruptly canceled after McCain underwent surgery Friday to remove a blood clot above his left eye.)

Republican Gov. Doug Ducey, the state Chamber of Commerce and the Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Assn.  not a wild-eyed radical in the bunch  have stated their opposition.

There are problems with soaring premiums and insurers abandoning Arizonas healthcare market, said Greg Vigdor, head of the association, but the legislation doesnt really address those concerns. Its a political bill, he said, more about tax cuts than health policy.

At the same time, Flake is being attacked by some Republicans for insufficient fealty to President Trump  he was an outspoken critic in 2016  and inadequate resolve to repeal and replace Obamacare, which has been the fuel stoking GOP passions for the better part of a decade.

He has already drawn one primary opponent  former state Sen. Kelli Ward, who ran against McCain last year  with the prospect of other Trump acolytes jumping in. He is providing sanctuary to ObamaCare, Ward wrote on her campaign website. Hes simply too weak to lead.

Flake has kept both sides guessing.

The legislation needs to ensure that those who currently have coverage do not have the rug pulled out from under them.  Republican Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona

He joined more moderate Republicans voicing concern about Medicaid cuts, which could have a huge impact on Arizona; about 1 million people in the state receive care through the program for the poor, the disabled and nursing home residents. He also endorsed a proposal, aimed at luring conservative support, to allow insurers to sell low-cost, bare-bones policies.

The ultimate decision on passage of the Senate bill will rest on two principles, Flake said in a written statement issued this month as protesters occupied his Phoenix office.

The first is that the legislation needs to ensure that those who currently have coverage do not have the rug pulled out from under them, Flake said. The second is that the Senate must agree on a solution that is fiscally sustainable.

Snowflake, set amid the open sky and vast emptiness of the high desert, is more than just the senators hometown. Its whimsical name derives from those of two Mormon settlers, Erastus Snow and William J. Flake, the senators great-great-grandfather.

Today, hundreds of Flake descendants, including the senators mother, live in the town of about 5,500, which is dotted with unofficial shrines to its early settlers and Mormon heritage. The James M. Flake pioneer home is catty-corner from the Eugene Flake heritage barn; a block away, at the pioneer museum, a Flake cousin last week was offering free tours.

Snowflake is dotted with memorials to its Mormon heritage and early settlers. (Mark Z. Barabak / Los Angeles Times)

In many ways, Snowflake  with its one stoplight and cheery flowerpots lining Main Street  embodies the Republican healthcare debate writ small: It largely comes down to a clash between economic interests and ideology.

Navajo County, which takes in Snowflake, is one of the poorest in Arizona. The decades-long decline of the hog-farming industry and closure of a paper mill in 2012, which cost more than 300 jobs, are twin blows that have the community still reeling.

Tourism and second homes  many regularly travel the 175 miles from Phoenix to escape the beastly heat  have taken up some slack. But the best-paying jobs are about a 45-minute drive from Snowflake, at a handful of power-generating plants, or 20 miles away in Show Low, at Summit Healthcare Regional Medical Center.

In the chief executives fifth-floor office, with a view stretching to the forested horizon, McArthur wielded a sheaf of statistics: Nearly three-quarters of the mothers giving birth at the center are Medicaid patients, as are close to half those visiting the emergency room. Last year, Summit wrote off more than $11.6 million in bad debt and charity care, McArthur said, down from a high of $22.3 million in 2014.

Rolling back compensation under the Affordable Care Act  more than 400,000 residents could be knocked off the rolls  would not only bust our state budget by forcing Arizona to cover the expense, he went on, but cost jobs and jeopardize plans for the surgery center and a new medical office building in Show Low.

It all ties to what goes on in Washington, McArthur said.

Ron McArthur, the head of Summit Healthcare, said drastic cuts in Medicare would be disastrous for Arizona. (Mark Z. Barabak / Los Angeles Times)

Snowflake Mayor Johnson, however, resents the implication that residents need legislation cooked up 2,000 miles away to care for their neighbors. Even with his losses under Obamacare, Johnson said, he gladly sees patients for free; with more than half a dozen churches in town, plenty of others are willing to pitch in.

I dont believe its governments job to provide healthcare for every person in the United States, Johnson said, piloting his Chevy Silverado  the Book of Mormon tucked in a side pocket  on a tour of the community. Giving free care is my choice. I dont want to be told what I have to do.

Sen. Flake, who lives outside Phoenix, isnt seen much around town these days. Perhaps once or twice a year, locals said. If he surfaced right about now, he could get an earful  not just from McArthur and Johnson but Thomas Poscharsky, who was mayor until Johnson replaced him last November.

A Trump voter, Poscharsky favors a goverment-run healthcare system with coverage for all, a plan typically pushed by those on the left. He remembered the last time Arizona cut Medicaid coverage, back in the Great Recession.

You could literally see the decline and death of some of our older clients, said Poscharsky, a volunteer at Snowflakes senior center.

Despite their considerable differences, Poscharsky, Johnson and McArthur all agreed on one thing: The Senate should scrap its bill and Flake and his colleagues should start over. Whats the hurry? they asked. Take some time. Bring Democrats into the process, collaborating the way neighbors in Snowflake do.

Egos aside, Johnson said, wheeling his 4x4 down Main Street. Philosophy aside. Come up with whats best for people.

mark.barabak@latimes.com

@markzbarabak

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Republican efforts to replace the Affordable Care Act collapsed in the Senate on Monday evening as two more GOP senators announced they would oppose the latest plan backed by their partys leadership.

The announcements by Sens. Mike Lee of Utah and Jerry Moran of Kansas brought to four the number of Republican senators opposed to even bringing the bill to the Senate floor for debate.

With all Senate Democrats opposed, the no votes were enough to kill the measure.

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It had long been unclear whether Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell would be able to marshal the 50 votes needed from his 52-seat majority. But the abrupt failure of the GOP measure marked another embarrassing defeat in the years-long effort by Republicans to repeal the healthcare law, also known as Obamacare.

With the failure of the repeal-and-replace legislation, McConnell said late Monday that he will instead try to hold a vote in the coming days on a repeal-only bill, with a two-year delay to give Congress time to pass a replacement healthcare law.

Prospects for such a bill remain unclear because it could leave millions of Americans without coverage and wreak havoc on the insurance industry.

In a tweet Monday, President Trump voiced support for repeal only: Republicans should just REPEAL failing ObamaCare now & work on a new Healthcare Plan that will start from a clean slate. Dems will join in!

Conservative senators complained that the bill McConnell put forward last week, the Better Care Reconciliation Act, did not go far enough in gutting Obamacare, and centrists were worried about its steep cuts to Medicaid, the health insurance program for the poor.

Before Mondays defections, two Republicans, Susan Collins of Maine and Rand Paul of Kentucky, had already have said they would vote against the legislation.

We should not put our stamp of approval on bad policy, Moran said in a statement Monday. We must now start fresh.

Lee wanted tougher rollbacks of Obamacare mandates and said he opposed the bill because it would not lower costs for healthy Americans whose insurance premiums were pushed up by the need to subsidize costs for those who were ill.

In addition to not repealing all of the Obamacare taxes, it doesnt go far enough in lowering premiums for middle class families; nor does it create enough free space from the most costly Obamacare regulations, Lee said in a statement.

The sudden announcement from Lee, a leading conservative, and Moran, who headed the Senate Republican campaign committee in the 2014 election, came as Trump was dining at the White House with several GOP supporters of the bill. That timing made their announcements a more stinging rebuke of the White Houses efforts on behalf of the measure.

Trump had just begun ramping up his efforts to lobby GOP senators. After being largely absent from the legislative process in recent weeks, the president called wayward Republican senators over the weekend, including Lee.

Though McConnell could have attempted to put together a new version of the legislation, senators made clear their concerns would not be easily addressed.

Beyond the four announced opponents, several other Republican senators had strong doubts about the bill. Earlier in the day, Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, one of the Senates most conservative members, had said he might oppose the bill.

Johnson said he objected to statements McConnell had made in efforts to reassure centrist senators. According to Johnson, McConnell had told those senators that the steep Medicaid cuts wouldnt take effect for years and might never happen.

On the other side of the debate, Collins and other centrists pointed to Congressional Budget Office estimates that that GOP plan would leave 22 million more Americans without health insurance by 2026. She too voiced serious doubts about whether the current version could be adequately revised.

The Republican bill also faced mounting opposition from the health insurance industry. Insurers until recently had resisted public criticism of the GOP healthcare campaign. On Friday, however, they issued a blistering critique of the latest version of the Senate legislation.

The industrys two leading trade groups called the bill unworkable and warned that it would make it more difficult for sicker Americans to get coverage, echoing warnings from the nonpartisan CBO, the American Academy of Actuaries and others.

As the bills fate appeared increasingly in doubt, Republican lawmakers have been under intense pressure not to be the senator whose vote was the final one to kill the bill. By making their announcement together, Moran and Lee may have hoped to avoid that label.

The move also exposed a new rupture among conservatives. An amendment from Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) to allow insurers to offer low-priced, bare-bones plans was supposed to draw conservative support.

But it was not enough for Lee, a longtime Cruz friend and ally, or Paul, who was among the first senators to reject the Senate bill.

Democrats welcomed the latest setback as they push Republicans to end their efforts to repeal Obamacare and instead work together to fix it.

This second failure of Trumpcare is proof positive that the core of this bill is unworkable, said Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), referring to the original Senate bill, which had to be revised to address lawmakers concerns. Rather than repeating the same failed, partisan process yet again, Republicans should start from scratch and work with Democrats on a bill that lowers premiums, provides long-term stability to the markets and improves our health care system.

Sen. John McCain, who has also expressed concerns about the bill, endorsed a more collaborative approach to drafting legislation.

Congress must now return to regular order, hold hearings, receive input from members of both parties and heed the recommendations of our nations governors, he said in a statement from Arizona, where he is recovering from surgery to remove a blood clot from above his eye.

McConnell had said publicly that if the bill failed, he might do exactly that, turning to Democrats to help stabilize the current law. But many viewed that as more of a threat designed to pressure GOP members to fall in line.

Despite the latest setbacks, efforts to revise the Senate bill could yet continue. House Republicans similarly failed in several attempts before finally passing their version in spring.

But the White House has been unable, or unwilling, to exert similar pressure on Republican senators that it did on House members, and time is narrowing on the legislative calendar to accomplish other GOP goals.

The Trump administration has also been distracted by the growing investigation into Russias meddling in the 2016 election and by the presidents sagging popularity.

Staff writers David Lauter, Noah Bierman and Noam N. Levey contributed this this report.

lisa.mascaro@latimes.com

@LisaMascaro

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UPDATES:

8:45 p.m.: This article was updated after two GOP senators announced their opposition to the bill.

This article was originally published at 4:05 p.m.
Hes single-minded like a bull, said a close friend of Gov. Jerry Brown.

That was more than 42 years ago. Another Times reporter and I had tracked down friends and relatives of Brown, looking for some insight into the young man about to be inaugurated California governor for the first time.

The single-minded bull description came from Frank Damrell, a former college roommate of Brown and a fellow Jesuit seminarian. Hes now a retired U.S. district judge.

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The late Peter Finnegan, another longtime friend and fellow seminarian, said of Brown: I dont think hes a mystic. But I sure as hell think hes got a spiritual dimension that you dont find in politicians.

Ironically, I had to cancel a luncheon with Damrell and some other old-timers last week because Brown simultaneously was doing his bull-spiritualist bit at a legislative committee hearing. It was too compelling to miss.

Those old descriptions of Brown are as accurate today as they were in 1975.

In fact, Ive never seen Brown as animated, emotional and tenacious as he was before the state Senate Environmental Quality Committee, arguing for his embattled cap-and-trade climate control legislation.

He resembled a cross between the Clint Eastwood character Walt Kowalski in Gran Torino  Get off my lawn!  and some street-corner preacher warning that the end is near. Hes also the most effective politician Sacramento has seen in a very long time.

I do get a little excited because, you know, as we get older we have less patience, the governor told the committee. And I want to see this thing get done. Whatever Ive got to do, Im going to do it.

This is the most important vote of your life, he continued, sounding a tad hyperbolic.

Unless you think Im lying. And I was in the seminary for three years, studying to be a good searcher of the truth. And Im telling you, this is the truth. And the only way I can be wrong is  if Im stupid and ignorant, and Im not. Ive been around this business a long time.

Browns hands were flying, arms flailing. Critics might say he was ranting. Ill just call it shouting.

This isnt for me. Im going to be dead. Its for you. And its damn real.  Gov. Jerry Brown, speaking about cap-and-trade legislation to fight climate change

Very rarely does a governor testify before a legislative committee. Never do I recall one sitting at the witness table for four hours  sermonizing, listening intently, writing notes and  presumably  taking names.

Climate change is real, he warned. It is a threat to organized human existence. Maybe not in my life. Ill be dead. What am I, 79? Do I have five years more? Do I have 10 years more, 15? I dont know, 20? I dont even know if I want that long.

Then he dramatically turned around and faced the packed audience, something legislative witnesses never do.

When I look out here, he said, a lot of you people are going to be alive. And youre going to be alive in a horrible situation. Youre going to see mass migrations, vector diseases, forest fires, Southern California burning up. Thats real, guys.

So Im not here about some cockamamie legacy that people talk about. This isnt for me. Im going to be dead. Its for you. And its damn real.

Brown fights global warming with religious zeal. But it doesnt seem plausible that hes not concerned about his legacy, his place in history. Thats perfectly human and acceptable.

The governor relishes his role as arguably Americas leading voice against climate change. He was ceded the mantle by President Trump when Trump pulled the U.S. out of the Paris climate accord.

Trump doesnt speak for the rest of America, Brown declared to foreign allies. The governor will hold his own international climate summit in San Francisco next summer.

Brown wants California to show the world how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions without ruining its economy. This state produces only 1% of the planets emissions. So our cutbacks wont amount to a hill of beans. But we can create a successful model that could be copied everywhere and have a worldwide impact, the governor believes.

Updates from Sacramento 

That would be through the cap-and-trade program. But if Brown cant get his legislation passed, it would be an embarrassing step backward.

Heres another huge motivation for Brown: The cap-and-trade program has been keeping his bullet train project on life support. It receives 25% of cap-and-trade revenue. So far, it has totaled $800 million.

Cap and trade works this way: A cap is imposed on an industrys greenhouse gas emissions. But companies can trade for  buy  extra permits to pollute, either from the state or private investors. Caps are gradually lowered and emissions reduced.

This will be a crucial week for the legislation. It cleared the Senate committee on a party-line vote. The governor will attempt to push it through both houses before lawmakers adjourn for summer vacation Friday.

There are two bills. AB 398 would extend cap and trade until 2030. Its slated to expire in 2020. AB 617 would tighten controls on air pollution.

Its a close vote because Brown wants a two-thirds majority to guard against legal challenges. Hes dealing, trying to entice Republicans. He has offered tax breaks for manufacturers and power companies, regulatory limits for oil refineries and repeal of a fire prevention fee hated by rural landowners.

Environmentalists dont like it. Big business does. Republicans dont like Democrats.

Its a vote-sellers market.

The single-minded bull will need to use all his political skills.

george.skelton@latimes.com

Follow @LATimesSkelton on Twitter

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Trump promotes sons Justice with Judge Jeanine interview President Trump promoted via Twitter an interview with his son Eric Trump just before it aired Saturday night on Fox News Justice with Judge Jeanine. Eric Trump on @JudgeJeanine on @FoxNews now!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 21, 2018 Eric Trump called into the show to defend his father from criticism prompted by the first government shutdown in more than four years, as well as a series of Womens March events that saw protesters in dozens of cities take to the streets to oppose the presidents policies. .@EricTrump joined me over the phone from Mar-a-Lago ! pic.twitter.com/Hro3TzUW52  Jeanine Pirro (@JudgeJeanine) January 21, 2018 Speaking to host Jeannine Piro  who is reportedly an old friend of the presidents  Eric Trump offered effusive praise for his father, ticking off glowing statistics to illustrate the strength of the U.S. economy and gains against Islamic State fighters overseas. My fathers working like no ones ever worked before to bring back this country and to fulfill his promise to make America great again, said the executive vice president of the Trump Organization. He also repeated a sentiment recently expressed on Twitter by his father: That Democratic lawmakers forced a government shutdown on the anniversary of the presidents inauguration in a bid to distract from his achievements. You look at this whole government shutdown, and the only reason they want to shut down government is to distract and to stop his momentum, Eric Trump said. I mean, my father has had incredible momentum. Hes gotten more done in one year than arguably any president in history. Facebook

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Trump tweets: a perfect day for all Women to March President Trump hailed the nationwide Womens March gatherings Saturday. On Twitter, the president called it a perfect day for all Women to March, seeming to imply that those taking part were celebrating his administrations accomplishments: Beautiful weather all over our great country, a perfect day for all Women to March. Get out there now to celebrate the historic milestones and unprecedented economic success and wealth creation that has taken place over the last 12 months. Lowest female unemployment in 18 years!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 Participants in the marches across the United States were actually seeking to deliver a powerful rebuke to Trumps policies and mount a crucial mobilization for this years midterm elections. But Trump continued to tout his administrations unprecedented success in tweets sent later in the day: Unprecedented success for our Country, in so many ways, since the Election. Record Stock Market, Strong on Military, Crime, Borders, & ISIS, Judicial Strength & Numbers, Lowest Unemployment for Women & ALL, Massive Tax Cuts, end of Individual Mandate - and so much more. Big 2018!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 The Trump Administration has terminated more UNNECESSARY Regulation, in just twelve months, than any other Administration has terminated during their full term in office, no matter what the length. The good news is, THERE IS MUCH MORE TO COME!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 21, 2018 In addition to the roll call of major American cities where womens marches took place  including New York, Washington, Los Angeles, Dallas, Philadelphia, Chicago, San Francisco, Atlanta  protesters also raised their voices in suburbs and small towns, reflecting the aim of coalescing a broad-based movement on the anniversary of Trumps inauguration to oppose the presidents stance on immigration, healthcare, racial divides and an array of other issues. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Laura King. Facebook

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Trump calls shutdown a present from Democrats By Associated Press President Trump is blaming Democrats for the government shutdown  tweeting that they wanted to give him a nice present to mark the one-year anniversary of his inauguration: This is the One Year Anniversary of my Presidency and the Democrats wanted to give me a nice present. #DemocratShutdown  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 That comes after Senate Democrats late Friday killed a GOP-written House-passed measure that would have kept agencies functioning for four weeks. Democrats were seeking a stopgap bill of just a few days in hopes that would build pressure on Republicans, and they were opposing a three-week alternative offered by GOP leaders. Democrats have insisted they would back legislation reopening the government once theres a bipartisan agreement to preserve protections against deporting about 700,000 immigrants  known as Dreamers  who arrived in the United States illegally as children. Trump on Saturday accused Democrats of holding our Military hostage over their desire to have unchecked illegal immigration: Democrats are holding our Military hostage over their desire to have unchecked illegal immigration. Cant let that happen!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 Democrats are laying fault for the shutdown on Republicans, who control both chambers of Congress and the White House and have struggled with building internal consensus. In a series of tweets hours after the shutdown began, the president tried to make the case for Americans to elect more Republicans to Congress in November in order to power through this mess: Democrats are far more concerned with Illegal Immigrants than they are with our great Military or Safety at our dangerous Southern Border. They could have easily made a deal but decided to play Shutdown politics instead. #WeNeedMoreRepublicansIn18 in order to power through mess!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 He noted that there are 51 Republicans in the 100-member Senate, and it often takes 60 votes to advance legislation: For those asking, the Republicans only have 51 votes in the Senate, and they need 60. That is why we need to win more Republicans in 2018 Election! We can then be even tougher on Crime (and Border), and even better to our Military & Veterans!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 #AMERICA FIRST!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 The stopgap spending measure won 50 votes in the Senate, including five from Democrats. Although the House and Senate were in session Saturday, it was unclear whether lawmakers would take any votes of consequence. Trump had been set to leave Friday afternoon for a fundraiser at his estate in Palm Beach, Fla., where he intended to mark the inauguration anniversary. But he remained in Washington and ended up scrapping his plans to attend the Saturday fundraiser. Read More Facebook

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Trump tweet casts doubt on likelihood of averting shutdown President Trump appeared to cast doubt on the likelihood of reaching a deal to avert a government shutdown Friday night in a tweet. Trump also sought to blame Democrats for what would be the first shutdown since 2013. His message came just hours before the midnight deadline by which lawmakers must pass a measure to fund government agencies, or some operations will cease. Not looking good for our great Military or Safety & Security on the very dangerous Southern Border. Dems want a Shutdown in order to help diminish the great success of the Tax Cuts, and what they are doing for our booming economy.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 Despite last-minute negotiations Friday between Trump and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, Congress remained deadlocked over a spending bill and the federal government was headed toward a shutdown at midnight. Senate Democrats  joined by some GOP deficit hawks and immigration allies  were set to filibuster a stopgap funding bill approved by the House on Thursday. A Senate vote was planned for 10 p.m. Eastern, and even White House officials predicted it would fail. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Lisa Mascaro. Facebook

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Trump signs surveillance law after confusing tweets By Associated Press President Trump on Friday signed a bill into law to renew a foreign intelligence surveillance program, announcing his action in the latest in a series of confusing tweets about the spy program: Just signed 702 Bill to reauthorize foreign intelligence collection. This is NOT the same FISA law that was so wrongly abused during the election. I will always do the right thing for our country and put the safety of the American people first!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 19, 2018 Trumps tweet on Jan. 11 created chaos in the House just before it voted to reauthorize what is known as Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. He linked the intelligence program to a dossier that alleges his presidential campaign had ties to Russia. That caused people to wonder if he didnt support the program that allows U.S. spy agencies to collect intelligence on foreign targets abroad. Trump and other Republicans have alleged that Obama administration officials improperly shared the identities of Trump presidential transition team members mentioned in intelligence reports. Democrats say there is no evidence that happened. Shortly before the House vote, and after conferring with House Speaker Paul Ryan, Trump did an apparent about-face. This vote is about foreign surveillance of foreign bad guys on foreign land, he tweeted. We need it! Get smart! In his tweet announcing that he had just signed the bill, Trump wrote: This is NOT the same FISA law that was so wrongly abused during the election. I will always do the right thing for our country and put the safety of the American people first! There are no obvious links between the dossier Trump spoke of, which includes salacious but unsubstantiated allegations against him, and the reauthorization of the spying program, or between the program and Trumps oft-repeated claims that the Obama administration conducted surveillance on Trump Tower during the presidential campaign. Facebook

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In tweet, Trump suggests that Pennsylvania trip is a political one The White House press office was once again forced to walk back a tweet from President Trump on Thursday morning after he described a trip to Pennsylvania later in the day as a political one  a statement that would force the Republican Party, not taxpayers, to pay for the journey. The White House had said Trump was going to an industrial equipment company outside of Pittsburgh to highlight the good economy and new tax cuts, making it an official, policy-oriented event. It was widely assumed that the trip had a political cast  the area is holding a special election to fill a congressional seat vacated by a Republican who resigned. Trump, by his tweet, seemed to confirm that politics was the whole purpose: Will be going to Pennsylvania today in order to give my total support to RICK SACCONE, running for Congress in a Special Election (March 13). Rick is a great guy. We need more Republicans to continue our already successful agenda!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 18, 2018 Trump later shared via Twitter a pair of video clips of his speech at H&K Equipment, in which he touted the tax cuts he signed into law just before Christmas and tried to turn the conversation back to his accomplishments after weeks dominated by distractions, including questions about his mental health and comments about immigration that some considered racist: Departing Pittsburgh now, where it was my great honor to stand with our incredible workers, and to show the world that AMERICA is back - and we are coming back bigger and better and stronger than ever before! pic.twitter.com/kWPgylqFzj  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 18, 2018 AMERICA will once again be a NATION that thinks big, dreams bigger, and always reaches for the stars. YOU are the ones who will shape Americas destiny. YOU are the ones who will restore our prosperity. And YOU are the ones who are MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! #MAGA pic.twitter.com/f2abNK47II  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 18, 2018 The Republican National Committee, rather than the White House, is supposed to pay for political travel so that taxpayers are not financing party activities; for trips that combine policy and politics, parties have split the cost under past presidents. Neither the RNC nor the White House responded to emails sent Thursday asking who would pay. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders released a statement later Thursday suggesting that taxpayers would foot the bill. She insisted that Trump would be conducting government business while in Pennsylvania. Read More This post contains reporting from the Associated Press and Times staff writer Noah Bierman. Facebook

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Trump tweets praise of Bob Dole after awarding him Congressional Gold Medal By Associated Press Former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole knew the art of the deal before President Trump published the 1987 book of the same name. The two shared a stage under the Capitol dome Wednesday as Dole, 94, accepted Congress highest civilian honor, the Congressional Gold Medal, for his World War II service and decades of work in the House and Senate. Trump later praised Dole in a tweet, attaching to his message a video composed of clips from the ceremony: Today, we witnessed an incredible moment in history  the presentation of Congress highest civilian honor to our friend, and true AMERICAN HERO, Bob Dole. #CongressionalGoldMedal pic.twitter.com/qNQqDLRmCk  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 17, 2018 At the ceremony, the president saluted Dole as a patriot and gave tribute to Doles struggle as a veteran who worked his way back from a grievous shoulder wound he suffered in Italy. He knows about grit, said Trump. But it was Doles penchant for working across the aisle that earned him his latest award, according to the legislation. Bob Dole was known for his ability to work across the aisle and embrace practical bipartisanship, reads the legislation Trump signed in September. Some of the awards 300 recipients include George Washington and Mother Teresa, according to the Congressional Research Service. Read More Facebook

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Trump touts report that seeks to link terrorism cases with immigration By Joseph Tanfani The Trump administration on Tuesday released a report attempting to link terrorism with migration, arguing that it was evidence of the need to dramatically reshape the nations immigration system. New report from DOJ & DHS shows that nearly 3 in 4 individuals convicted of terrorism-related charges are foreign-born. We have submitted to Congress a list of resources and reforms....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 ....we need to keep America safe, including moving away from a random chain migration and lottery system, to one that is merit-based. https://t.co/7PtoSFK1n2  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 The report, ordered by President Trump in an executive order last year, said that 75% of the 549 people convicted of terrorism charges since 9/11 were born outside the U.S. Administration officials called that a sign that the U.S. needs to scrap its policy of family preferences for visas, which they call chain migration, and a diversity visa lottery program. But the report did not specify how many  if any  of the convicted terrorists entered the country through those means. It also did not detail how many of the convictions were related to attacks or plans in the U.S. versus overseas and how many involved people who went to fight overseas for the Islamic State or another terrorist group. Those details were not available, officials said. The report, due last year, is being released in a highly charged moment in the immigration debate, as Trump and some Republicans in Congress seek tough new border and immigration measures in return for a deal protecting the 690,000 people in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Trump also fired off a pair of tweets on the topic earlier Tuesday: We must have Security at our VERY DANGEROUS SOUTHERN BORDER, and we must have a great WALL to help protect us, and to help stop the massive inflow of drugs pouring into our country!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 The Democrats want to shut down the Government over Amnesty for all and Border Security. The biggest loser will be our rapidly rebuilding Military, at a time we need it more than ever. We need a merit based system of immigration, and we need it now! No more dangerous Lottery.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 The focus of our immigration system should be assimilation, a senior administration official said on Tuesday, speaking on condition that his name not be used. He said the nation should give priority to potential immigrants who speak English, who have an education and those who are committed to supporting our values  not family members of people already here. The official said the timing of the report was coincidental. Read More Facebook

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Trump tweets welcome to president of Kazakhstan By Associated Press President Trump said Tuesday that he and the president of Kazakhstan are united in a shared determination to prevent North Korea from threatening the world with nuclear devastation. Trump and President Nursultan Nazarbayev discussed North Korea along with other issues during meetings at the White House. Today, it was my honor to welcome President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan to the @WhiteHouse! pic.twitter.com/TerYFZViax  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 Trump said Kazakhstan, once part of the Soviet Union, is a valued partner in our efforts to rid the Korean peninsula of nuclear weapons. Together we are determined to prevent the North Korean regime from threatening the world with nuclear devastation, he said, as both presidents addressed journalists between meetings. Nazarbayev noted that his country once had one of the worlds largest nuclear arsenals but voluntarily gave it up after the Soviet Union collapsed. He said his country is in talks with Iran, which was the focus of a global deal that lifted some economic sanctions in exchange for Irans curbing its nuclear program. Trump has sharply criticized the Iran nuclear deal and threatened last week to pull out soon unless other countries fix what he says are terrible flaws. Read More Facebook

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Trump falsely claims his approval rating among black Americans has doubled By Alex Wigglesworth President Trump lashed out at the news media Tuesday morning in a tweet denouncing the special counsel investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election and possible collusion among members of his campaign team. Do you notice the Fake News Mainstream Media never likes covering the great and record setting economic news, but rather talks about anything negative or that can be turned into the negative. The Russian Collusion Hoax is dead, except as it pertains to the Dems. Public gets it!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 It wasnt immediately clear exactly what prompted the presidents tweet, but it appeared as though he was watching Fox & Friends. A short time later, Trump tweeted a headline from a report that aired during that mornings episode: 90% of Trump 2017 news coverage was negative -and much of it contrived!@foxandfriends  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 The segment focused on the latest survey results from conservative watchdog Media Research Center, which purportedly analyzed the evening news broadcasts on ABC, CBS and NBC from Jan. 20 to Dec. 31 and found that 90% of the statements made about Trump were negative. Study: 90% of Trump media coverage in 2017 was negative pic.twitter.com/vbrwup4Drg  FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) January 16, 2018 But believe it or not, through all this negative coverage, they did a survey of 600,000 people about how black America views this president, co-host Brian Kilmeade said. His numbers have actually doubled in approval. Trump highlighted the statement in another tweet: Unemployment for Black Americans is the lowest ever recorded. Trump approval ratings with Black Americans has doubled. Thank you, and it will get even (much) better! @FoxNews  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 But its not true. The claim appears to have originated from a misreading of data from the online polling firm SurveyMonkey, according to factcheck.org. The firm polled 600,000 Americans in 2017 and found that Trumps approval rating among blacks actually dropped from 23% early in his presidency to about 17%, as of the week ending Jan. 3. Some conservative outlets, including Breitbart, produced an average from those and other SurveyMonkey figures and compared them to the scores Trump received from black voters in the 2016 exit polls. That methodology is not sound. And since the statistics measure different things, the comparison is misleading. Facebook

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Trump goes after senator who surfaced his immigration remark By Associated Press President Trump turned his Twitter torment Monday on the Democrat in the room where immigration talks with lawmakers took a famously coarse turn, saying Sen. Richard J. Durbin misrepresented what he had said about African nations and Haiti and, in the process, undermined the trust needed to make a deal. Senator Dicky Durbin totally misrepresented what was said at the DACA meeting, Trump tweeted, using a nickname to needle the Illinois senator. Deals cant get made when there is no trust! Durbin blew DACA and is hurting our Military. Senator Dicky Durbin totally misrepresented what was said at the DACA meeting. Deals cant get made when there is no trust! Durbin blew DACA and is hurting our Military.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 15, 2018 Trump was referring to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which protects young people who came to the United States illegally as children. Members of Congress from both parties are trying to strike a deal that Trump would support to extend that protection. Trump also cast doubt on the likelihood of reaching an agreement in tweets sent earlier Monday: Statement by me last night in Florida: Honestly, I dont think the Democrats want to make a deal. They talk about DACA, but they dont want to help..We are ready, willing and able to make a deal but they dont want to. They dont want security at the border, they dont want.....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 15, 2018 ...to stop drugs, they want to take money away from our military which we cannot do. My standard is very simple, AMERICA FIRST & MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 15, 2018 On a day of remembrance for the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Trump spent time at his golf course with no public events, bypassing the acts of service that his predecessors staged in honor of the civil rights leader. Instead, Trump dedicated his weekly address to Kings memory, saying Kings dream and Americas are the same: A world where people are judged by who they are, not how they look or where they come from. That message was a distinct counterpoint to words attributed to Trump by Durbin and others at a meeting last week, when the question of where immigrants come from seemed at the forefront of Trumps concerns. Some participants and others familiar with the conversation said Trump challenged immigration from shithole countries of Africa and disparaged Haiti as well. Without explicitly denying using that word, Trump lashed out at the Democratic senator, who said Trump uttered it on several occasions. Read More Facebook

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Trump thanks pundit for laudatory Fox & Friends spot By Alex Wigglesworth President Trump thanked Fox News personality Stuart Varney after Varney praised Trump during an appearance on Fox & Friends. In a pair of tweets early Sunday, Trump quoted from Varneys commentary, in which he argued that Trump deserves more credit for the booming economy. The pundit, who also hosts a show on Fox Business Network, cited moves by some corporations to raise workers minimum wage or pay out one-time bonuses in response to the GOP tax cuts. President Trump is not getting the credit he deserves for the economy. Tax Cut bonuses to more than 2,000,000 workers. Most explosive Stock Market rally that weve seen in modern times. 18,000 to 26,000 from Election, and grounded in profitability and growth. All Trump, not 0...  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 14, 2018 ...big unnecessary regulation cuts made it all possible (among many other things). President Trump reversed the policies of President Obama, and reversed our economic decline. Thank you Stuart Varney. @foxandfriends  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 14, 2018 Varney was reacting to a quote from House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco), who on Thursday called the bonuses handed down to workers pathetic in comparison to the gains corporations are expected to see from the tax cuts. In terms of the bonus that corporate America received versus the crumbs that they are giving to workers to kind of put the schmooze on is so pathetic, Pelosi told reporters. Its pathetic. Varney shot back Sunday that the bonuses, along with explosive stock market growth, are enriching all Americans. This is a huge shot in the arm, its the result of this tax cut deal and I think President Trump should get the credit for it, he said. .@Varneyco Sets the economic record straight after Nancy Pelosi calls U.S. mass bonuses crumbs pic.twitter.com/BvjIHGm3HE  FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) January 14, 2018 The sweeping tax plan passed last month lowers the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21% and cuts personal income taxes. Analysts say the benefits will largely flow to corporations and the wealthy, as theyre more likely to be in positions to share in corporate profits. For instance, Wells Fargo & Co., which responded to news of the tax overhaul by announcing it will raise workers pay to at least $15 an hour, also reported that it expects to pay an effective tax rate of 19% this year, down from about 31% in previous years. That should amount to tax savings of more than $3 billion annually. On average, middle-class Americans are expected to see a very small tax cut in the near term and a tax increase after 2025, when all of the tax cuts for individuals expire. The tax cuts for corporations, however, are permanent.  This post contains reporting from Times staff writer James Rufus Koren. Facebook

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Trump touts MLK proclamation in tweet, but ceremony is overshadowed by reports of racist remarks By Associated Press President Trump signed a proclamation Friday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, noting the contributions of a great American hero. Today, it was my great honor to proclaim January 15, 2018, as Martin Luther King Jr., Federal Holiday. I encourage all Americans to observe this day with appropriate civic, community, and service activities in honor of Dr. King's life and legacy. pic.twitter.com/samlJsz1Nt  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 12, 2018 Overshadowing the event was mounting backlash from Trumps comments during a private meeting with lawmakers the day before. A short time after the meeting, which was called to discuss a possible immigration deal, reports emerged that Trump had asked participants why the United States should accept immigrants from shithole countries in Africa, Central America and the Caribbean. Illinois Sen. Richard Durbin, the Senates second-ranking Democrat, appeared to confirm those reports on Friday. Trump did not respond Friday to several questions about the incident, including whether he actually used vulgar language to describe African nations, or if he is racist. The president said at the White House that love was central to the slain civil rights leader. Trump said the nation celebrates King for standing up for the self-evident truth Americans hold so dear, that no matter what the color of our skin or place of our birth, we are all created equal by God.  This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Noah Bierman. Facebook

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Trump criticizes Democrats in tweet calling for stricter immigration rules President Trump hit out at Democrats on Thursday night in a tweet calling for stricter immigration rules. Trump wrote that members of the party seem intent on having people and drugs pour into our country from the border with Mexico: The Democrats seem intent on having people and drugs pour into our country from the Southern Border, risking thousands of lives in the process. It is my duty to protect the lives and safety of all Americans. We must build a Great Wall, think Merit and end Lottery & Chain. USA!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 12, 2018 It wasnt immediately clear exactly what prompted the tweet. Earlier Thursday, Trump rejected a bipartisan compromise to resolve the standoff over so-called Dreamers, young immigrants who were brought to the United States illegally as children but have temporary permits to work, attend school or serve in the military. The president drew widespread condemnation after reports emerged that he had asked participants in an Oval Office meeting about the proposal why the United States should accept immigrants from shithole countries in Africa, Central America and the Caribbean. Read More Facebook

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Trump touts bill aimed at improving border screening for fentanyl By Associated Press President Trump signed legislation Wednesday aimed at giving Customs and Border Protection agents additional screening devices and other tools to stop the flow of illicit drugs. Speaking at a surprise bill-signing ceremony while flanked by members of Congress from both parties in the Oval Office, Trump described the bill as a significant step forward in the fight against powerful opioids such as fentanyl, which he called our new big scourge. He echoed that language Thursday in a tweet: Yesterday, I signed the #INTERDICTAct (H.R. 2142) with bipartisan members of Congress to help end the flow of drugs into our country. Together, we are committed to doing everything we can to combat the deadly scourge of drug addiction and overdose in the United States! pic.twitter.com/ELZvFol5Lo  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 11, 2018 The legislation will pay for new portable and fixed chemical screening devices to detect and intercept fentanyl at ports of entry and in the mail, along with other laboratory equipment and personnel, including scientists. Trump has made fighting the opioid epidemic a centerpiece of his administration, though critics say he hasnt dedicated nearly enough money or resources to make a difference. Trump suggested during his remarks on Wednesday that hed like to take a more aggressive approach to the drug crisis  but the countrys not ready for what he has in mind. So were going to sign this. And its a step. And it feels like a very giant step, but unfortunately, its not going to be a giant step, because no matter what you do, this is something that keeps pouring in, he said. And were going to find the answer. There is an answer. I think I actually know the answer, but Im not sure the countrys ready for it yet, he added. Does anybody know what I mean? I think so. Facebook

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Trump applauds news that Toyota-Mazda plant is slated for Alabama By Associated Press Japanese automakers Toyota and Mazda on Wednesday announced plans to build a mammoth, $1.6-billion joint-venture plant in Alabama that will eventually employ about 4,000 people. President Trump lauded the news in a tweet: Cutting taxes and simplifying regulations makes America the place to invest! Great news as Toyota and Mazda announce they are bringing 4,000 JOBS and investing $1.6 BILLION in Alabama, helping to further grow our economy! pic.twitter.com/Kcg8IVH6iA  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 Good news: Toyota and Mazda announce giant new Huntsville, Alabama, plant which will produce over 300,000 cars and SUVs a year and employ 4000 people. Companies are coming back to the U.S. in a very big way. Congratulations Alabama!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 11, 2018 Several states had competed for the project, which will be able to turn out 300,000 vehicles per year and produce the Toyota Corolla compact car for North America and a new small SUV from Mazda. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey and company executives held a news conference to announce that the facility is coming to the Huntsville area not far from the Tennessee line. Production is expected to begin by 2021. The decision to pick Alabama is another example of foreign-based automakers building U.S. factories in the South. To entice manufacturers, Southern states have used a combination of lucrative incentive packages, low-cost labor and a pro-business labor environment, because the United Auto Workers union is stronger in Northern states. Read More Facebook

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Trump highlights call for border wall in tweets on visit with Norways prime minister By Associated Press President Trump praised Norways prime minister in a tweet on Wednesday after Erna Solberg became the first foreign leader to visit with the president in 2018. Today, it was my great honor to welcome Prime Minister Erna Solberg of Norway to the @WhiteHouse - a great friend and ally of the United States! Joint press conference: https://t.co/qWR1BhfQZI pic.twitter.com/PJvwznjRCO  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 Trump also shared via Twitter a video clip of a joint news conference he held with Solberg on Wednesday afternoon. In the clip, Trump responds to a question from a reporter by saying there can be no bipartisan immigration deal absent funding for his long-promised wall along the U.S. border with Mexico. Republican and Democratic lawmakers have been seeking a solution for hundreds of thousands of so-called Dreamers, young people who were brought to the United States as children and are living here illegally. The United States needs the security of the Wall on the Southern Border, which must be part of any DACA approval. The safety and security of our country is #1! pic.twitter.com/4CFzQXb5aS  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 We need the wall for security, we need the wall for safety, we need the wall for stopping the drugs from pouring in, Trump said Wednesday.  Any solution has to include the wall because without the wall, it all doesnt work. On Tuesday, Trump drew widespread attention when he said during a meeting with a bipartisan group of lawmakers that he would be agreeable to signing a stand-alone bill to protect the Dreamers, before moving on to a more comprehensive immigration bill. That contradicted the Republican consensus that Dreamers fate needed to be part of a broader immigration bill that would include some version of Trumps promised border wall and other immigration reforms. Trump backed away from a stand-alone Dreamer bill in subsequent tweets and public comments. Read More This post contains reporting from Los Angeles Times staff writer Noah Bierman. Facebook

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Trump praises Cabinet in tweet touting meeting By Associated Press President Trump promoted a meeting of his Cabinet on Wednesday, sharing via Twitter a link to a video of the session posted on the White House YouTube account. In his tweet, Trump thanked his Cabinet for working tirelessly on behalf of our country and wrote that the last year has been one of monumental achievement. I want to thank my @Cabinet for working tirelessly on behalf of our country. 2017 was a year of monumental achievement and we look forward to the year ahead. Together, we are delivering results and MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! https://t.co/ptXa1hAPwW pic.twitter.com/yv6RALkQf3  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 The former reality television star continued to dispense accolades at the meeting Wednesday, greeting reporters in the Cabinet Room by saying: Welcome back to the studio. Then he proceeded to relive a Cabinet Room session from the prior day, when he had allowed reporters and TV cameras to stick around for much of his meeting with a bipartisan group of legislators on the thorny issue of immigration. It was a tremendous meeting. Actually, it was reported as incredibly good. And my performance  you know, some of them called it a performance  I consider it work, Trump said. Trump went on to say he had received letters from news anchors calling it one of the greatest meetings theyve ever witnessed. He added that the media will ultimately support Trump in the end, because theyre going to say, if Trump doesnt win in three years, theyre all out of business. Asked for examples of letters received from news anchors, the White House said it had received private communications. It also offered a series of positive on-air comments and tweets from journalists about the unusual access to the meeting. During his remarks, Trump swung from praising his own meeting coverage to telling journalists that they were dependent on his presidency for ratings to threatening a strong look at libel laws. Still, Trump thanked the journalists in front of him, joking: Youve gotten very familiar with this room. I appreciate your nice comments yesterday. Facebook

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Trump blasts DACA ruling in tweet calling courts broken and unfair By Lisa Mascaro President Trump denounced the federal courts Wednesday as broken and unfair after a district judge in San Francisco issued a nationwide injunction keeping protections in place for so-called Dreamers. Trump tweeted: It just shows everyone how broken and unfair our Court System is when the opposing side in a case (such as DACA) always runs to the 9th Circuit and almost always wins before being reversed by higher courts.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 On Tuesday night, U.S. District Judge William Alsup in San Francisco temporarily blocked the Trump administrations decision to phase out the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA, which has protected from deportation some 700,000 people who came to the country illegally as children. Alsup granted a request by the state of California, the University of California and other plaintiffs to stop Trump from ending DACA on March 5. The administrations decision to end DACA, which was announced in September, was based on a flawed legal analysis, Alsup wrote in his decision. Dreamers would be irreparably harmed if their DACA protections, which allow them to live and work legally in the U.S., were stripped away before the courts had a chance to fully consider their claims, he ruled. The action is the mirror image of a ruling in 2015 by a federal judge in Texas who ruled in favor of that state when it sought to block President Obama from expanding DACA to include the parents of Dreamers. Trump administration officials praised that judicial ruling. By contrast, they sharply criticized Alsups decision. Read More Facebook

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Trump thanks lawmakers for productive immigration meeting, says deal must include border wall President Trump thanked a bipartisan group of lawmakers for participating in a meeting on immigration legislation on Tuesday. Much of the discussion involved so-called Dreamers, an estimated 700,000 young people who were brought to the country illegally as children and are now facing deportation. In a tweet, Trump wrote that there was strong agreement to negotiate a bill to protect Dreamers, as well as put into place some of the reforms favored by Republicans. Thanks to all of the Republican and Democratic lawmakers for todays very productive meeting on immigration reform. There was strong agreement to negotiate a bill that deals with border security, chain migration, lottery and DACA. https://t.co/SdqAQ3aL3z pic.twitter.com/8DYHZHspAy  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 9, 2018 The most notable exchange of the meeting came when Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the San Francisco Democrat, asked Trump whether he would be agreeable to signing a stand-alone bill to protect the Dreamers, before moving on to a more comprehensive immigration bill. Yeah, I would like to do it, Trump responded. The statement drew widespread attention because it contradicted the Republican consensus that Dreamers fate needed to be part of a broader immigration bill that would include some version of Trumps promised border wall and other immigration reforms. Trump later backed away from a stand-alone Dreamer bill, tweeting that a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico must be part of any deal: As I made very clear today, our country needs the security of the Wall on the Southern Border, which must be part of any DACA approval.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 Pressure has been mounting for Congress to broker an immigration deal by Jan. 19 as part of a must-pass budget package to fund the government. This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Noah Bierman. Facebook

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Trump thanks officers and veterans in tweets President Trump doled out a slew of accolades Tuesday via Twitter. He thanked the nations law enforcement officers, including in his message a hashtag denoting a day of appreciation organized by a national support group for law enforcement families. On behalf of the American people, THANK YOU to our incredible law enforcement officers. As President of the United States - I will fight for you, and I will never, ever let you down. Now, more than ever, we must support the men and women in blue! #LawEnforcementAppreciationDay pic.twitter.com/Qb4uxB4JRm  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 9, 2018 Trump later expressed gratitude for federal immigration agents, in particular: .@ICEgov HSI agents and ERO officers, on behalf of an entire Nation, THANK YOU for what you are doing 24/7/365 to keep fellow Americans SAFE. Everyone is so grateful!#LawEnforcementAppreciationDay

President @realDonaldTrump https://t.co/HXCpTlruVo  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 The president thanked veterans as he cited his administrations efforts to curb the number of veteran suicides by improving mental health treatment for the high-risk group: Today, it was my great honor to sign a new Executive Order to ensure Veterans have the resources they need as they transition back to civilian life. We must ensure that our HEROES are given the care and support they so richly deserve! https://t.co/0MdP9DDIAS pic.twitter.com/LP2a8KCBAp  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 9, 2018 Trumps tweet included photos of the president signing an executive order Tuesday directing the secretaries of Defense, Homeland Security and Veterans Affairs to develop a plan to provide seamless access to mental health and suicide prevention resources for 12 months for members leaving the armed forces. Also on Tuesday, Trump touted a law he signed the day before designating the birthplace of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. a national historic park: It was my great honor to sign H.R. 267, the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park Act, which redesignates the Martin Luther King, Junior, National Historic Site in the State of Georgia as the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park. https://t.co/Qe0b6HBFTY pic.twitter.com/QTgaqTawPT  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 9, 2018 And he thanked House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) for sharing a video compilation comprised of clips of politicians and commentators praising the GOPs tax cut bill: Thank you @GOPLeader Kevin McCarthy! Couldnt agree w/you more. TOGETHER, we are #MAGA https://t.co/QaxtqpyXTR  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018  This post contains reporting from the Associated Press and Times staff writer Alex Wigglesworth. Facebook

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Trump hails tax bill in tweets recapping speech to farmers By Associated Press Connecting with rural Americans, President Trump on Monday hailed his tax overhaul as a victory for family farmers. Farm country is Gods country, Trump told the annual convention of the American Farm Bureau Federation. Trump became the first president in a quarter-century to address the federations convention. His Southern swing also included a stop in Atlanta for the national college football championship game. Cant wait to be back in the amazing state of Tennessee to address the 99th American @FarmBureau Federations Annual Convention in Nashville! #AFBF18



On my way now - join me LIVE at 4:00pmE: https://t.co/QaljAqekdD. pic.twitter.com/Wm7Io0hYT8  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 Joined by Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) and a group of Tennessee lawmakers, Trump said most of the benefits of the tax legislation are going to working families, small businesses, and who  the family farmer. The package Trump signed into law last month provides generous tax cuts for corporations and the wealthiest Americans, and more modest reductions for middle- and low-income individuals and families. In every decision we make, we are honoring Americas PROUD FARMING LEGACY. Years of crushing taxes, crippling regs, & corrupt politics left our communities hurting, our economy stagnant, & millions of hardworking Americans COMPLETELY FORGOTTEN. But they are not forgotten ANYMORE! pic.twitter.com/MdYS7xnukQ  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 The president vastly inflated the value of the package in his speech, citing a total of $5.5 trillion in tax cuts, with most of those benefits going to working families, small businesses and who? The family farmer. The estimated value of the tax cuts is actually $1.5 trillion for families and businesses because of cuts in deductions and the use of other steps to generate offsetting tax revenue. We have been working every day to DELIVER for Americas Farmers just as they work every day to deliver FOR US. #AFBF18 pic.twitter.com/QDH7fvFkZ7  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 From Nashville, Trump traveled to Atlanta to watch Alabamas Crimson Tide and Georgias Bulldogs face off Monday night in the College Football Playoff National Championship. We are fighting for our farmers, for our country, and for our GREAT AMERICAN FLAG. We want our flag respected - and we want our NATIONAL ANTHEM respected also! pic.twitter.com/16eOLXg6Fi  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 Before departing for the game, Trump referenced his ongoing defense of the American flag and the national anthem, saying there was enough space for people to express their views. We love our flag and we love our anthem, and we want to keep it that way, he said. Facebook

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Trump tweet hails drop in unemployment rate for African Americans By Associated Press President Trump touted a drop in the unemployment rate for African Americans on Monday in a tweet. African American unemployment is the lowest ever recorded in our country. The Hispanic unemployment rate dropped a full point in the last year and is close to the lowest in recorded history. Dems did nothing for you but get your vote! #NeverForget @foxandfriends  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 The rate fell to 6.8% in December, the lowest level since the government began tracking such data in 1972. The reasons range from a greater number of black Americans with college degrees to a growing need for employers in a tight job market to widen the pool of people they hire from. Trump also hailed the development via Twitter on Saturday. His latest tweet on the topic came about an hour after it was discussed during an episode of Fox & Friends, according to Mediaite. Facebook

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Trump talks up the economy and dresses down the media in Sunday tweets With President Trump cheering from the sidelines, the White House on Sunday pressed its defense of the presidents fitness to govern, as fired former aide Stephen K. Bannon reversed course and apologized for his role in a new books explosive portrait of Trump. The presidents critics, meanwhile, said Trumps stream of taunts and insults in response to the book  Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, released last week  served only to underscore the authors unsettling portrayal of Trumps year-old presidency, depicting a leader whose own aides consider him childish, ignorant and dangerously erratic. Trump provided more ammunition Sunday morning, as he continued to attack the book via Twitter while preparing to depart Camp David for the White House: Leaving Camp David for the White House. Great meetings with the Cabinet and Military on many very important subjects including Border Security & the desperately needed Wall, the ever increasing Drug and Opioid Problem, Infrastructure, Military, Budget, Trade and DACA.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2018 Ive had to put up with the Fake News from the first day I announced that I would be running for President. Now I have to put up with a Fake Book, written by a totally discredited author. Ronald Reagan had the same problem and handled it well. So will I!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2018 The most vehement defense of Trump on Sunday came from senior advisor Stephen Miller, a onetime Bannon acolyte who distanced himself from his former mentor. In a combative appearance Sunday on CNNs State of the Union, Miller called the book grotesque and writer Michael Wolff the garbage author of a garbage book. Trump is known to closely monitor aides televised performances in putting forth his case, and he gleefully weighed in within moments of Millers televised clash with host Jake Tapper. CNN has long been a particular target of Trumps ire. Jake Tapper of Fake News CNN just got destroyed in his interview with Stephen Miller of the Trump Administration. Watch the hatred and unfairness of this CNN flunky!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2018 Trumps reaction, however, seemed to bolster Tappers on-air depiction of Miller as using his appearance on the show to play to the president rather than addressing questions put to him. I get it  theres one viewer that you care about, the host said exasperatedly after Miller turned the discussion repeatedly to negative news coverage of the president while deflecting specific queries. Later on Twitter, Trump took up two themes that have been prevalent on his social media feeds recently. The president again went after the news media, tweeting that the recipients of his self-proclaimed most dishonest & corrupt media awards of the year, which he promised earlier in the week to announce on Monday, would actually be revealed the following Wednesday: The Fake News Awards, those going to the most corrupt & biased of the Mainstream Media, will be presented to the losers on Wednesday, January 17th, rather than this coming Monday. The interest in, and importance of, these awards is far greater than anyone could have anticipated!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2018 Trump later lauded a New York Post opinion piece that compared him favorably with his predecessor, President Obama, as well as Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. In quoting the op-ed, Trump initally misspelled consequential as consensual, but he deleted those tweets and re-sent the messages. His is turning out to be an enormously consequential presidency. So much so that, despite my own frustration over his missteps, there has never been a day when I wished Hillary Clinton were president. Not one. Indeed, as Trumps accomplishments accumulate, the mere thought of...  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 ...Clinton in the WH, doubling down on Barack Obamas failed policies, washes away any doubts that America made the right choice. This was truly a change election  and the changes Trump is bringing are far-reaching & necessary. Thank you Michael Goodwin! https://t.co/4fHNcx2Ydg  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 Trump also continued talking up the economy, which has been enjoying a period of strong gains. The Stock Market has been creating tremendous benefits for our country in the form of not only Record Setting Stock Prices, but present and future Jobs, Jobs, Jobs. Seven TRILLION dollars of value created since our big election win!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2018 In addition to Miller, other senior administration officials made the rounds of Sunday news talk shows to decry the claims made in Wolffs book. CIA Director Mike Pompeo said Wolffs characterization of Trump as averse to digesting classified briefing material was ludicrous, and the ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, insisted that that those around Trump love their country and respect their president. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Laura King. Facebook

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Responding to book that mocks his intelligence, Trump tweets hes like, really smart By Tracy Wilkinson President Trump declared himself a very stable genius on Twitter on Saturday and later in a televised news conference called the author of a book that questioned his mental fitness a fraud. His comments came on a bone-cold day at Camp David during a weekend retreat with top administration officials and Republican congressional leaders strategizing on the years legislative agenda, including matters such as infrastructure, immigration, welfare reform and national security. Now that Russian collusion, after one year of intense study, has proven to be a total hoax on the American public, the Democrats and their lapdogs, the Fake News Mainstream Media, are taking out the old Ronald Reagan playbook and screaming mental stability and intelligence.....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 ....Actually, throughout my life, my two greatest assets have been mental stability and being, like, really smart. Crooked Hillary Clinton also played these cards very hard and, as everyone knows, went down in flames. I went from VERY successful businessman, to top T.V. Star.....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 ....to President of the United States (on my first try). I think that would qualify as not smart, but genius....and a very stable genius at that!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 Still, Trumps explosive rebuttal to author Michael Wolffs claims not only opened the day, but it also ensured the presidents capability to fill the highest office in the land was a topic that would not go away. In his early-morning tweets, Trump said two of his greatest assets have been mental stability, and being, like, really smart. He noted that his former Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, played these cards [about competence] very hard and, as everyone knows, went down in flames. I went from VERY successful businessman, to top T.V. Star to President of the United States (on my first try). Read More Facebook

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In morning tweets, Trump touts job numbers and takes digs at news media By Associated Press President Trump used Twitter on Saturday morning to tout a drop in the unemployment rate for African Americans. He also used the tweets as an opportunity to take digs at media outlets whose past coverage he has found to be critical. The African American unemployment rate fell to 6.8%, the lowest rate in 45 years. I am so happy about this News! And, in the Washington Post (of all places), headline states, Trumps first year jobs numbers were very, very good.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 The unemployment rate for African Americans fell to 6.8% in December, the lowest level since the government began tracking such data in 1972. The reasons range from a greater number of black Americans with college degrees to a growing need for employers in a tight job market to widen the pool of people they hire from. Still, the rate for black workers remains well above those for whites and some other groups, something experts attribute in large part to decades of discrimination and disadvantages. Robust job creation has lowered unemployment for all Americans. U.S. employers added nearly 2.1 million jobs in 2017  the seventh straight year that hiring has topped 2 million. In his tweet, Trump praised a report that noted the numbers, touting the fact that it appeared in the Washington Post (of all places). Minutes later, Trump renewed his attack on an ABC News reporter who was suspended last month after filing an erroneous report on Michael Flynn, Trumps former national security advisor. Brian Ross, the reporter who made a fraudulent live newscast about me that drove the Stock Market down 350 points (billions of dollars), was suspended for a month but is now back at ABC NEWS in a lower capacity. He is no longer allowed to report on Trump. Should have been fired!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 The reporter, Brian Ross, was reportedly reassigned within ABC News upon returning from his unpaid suspension. But on Saturday, Trump wrote that he should have been fired. Trumps tweets came hours before he was set to host congressional Republicans and administration officials at Camp David. The meeting scheduled to begin at midmorning Saturday was expected to touch on the budget, infrastructure, immigration, welfare reform and the shape of the midterm election this fall. Facebook

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Trump commends Sen. Rand Paul after he proposes eliminating all U.S. aid to Pakistan President Trump commended Sen. Rand Paul after the Kentucky Republican announced plans to introduce legislation that would eliminate all U.S. aid to Pakistan. Trump tweeted Friday night: Good idea Rand! https://t.co/55sqUDiC0s  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 On Thursday, the Trump administration announced it was suspending security assistance to Islamabad until the country moves aggressively against local militants who have attacked U.S. troops in neighboring Afghanistan. Trump has repeatedly expressed frustration at the apparent inability of Pakistani authorities to rein in militants who cross out of the countrys rugged tribal areas to attack U.S. troops in Afghanistan. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Tracy Wilkinson. Facebook

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Trump continues to lash out at Sloppy Steve Bannon in tweets on tell-all book By Associated Press President Trump is praising a major Republican donor family for distancing themselves from his former advisor Steve Bannon. Trump tweeted Friday: The Mercer Family recently dumped the leaker known as Sloppy Steve Bannon. Smart!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018 Trump has continued to lash out at Bannon over an explosive new book that quoted his former aide as questioning Trumps competence and describing a June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower among Donald Trump Jr., Trump campaign aides and a Russian lawyer as treasonous and unpatriotic. On Thursday, billionaire GOP donor Rebekah Mercer issued a statement distancing her family from Bannon. Mercer is a co-owner of Breitbart, the populist website Bannon helps run. I support President Trump and the platform upon which he was elected, Mercer said. My family and I have not communicated with Steve Bannon in many months and have provided no financial support to his political agenda, nor do we support his recent actions and statements. The book, Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, quickly shot atop Amazons best-seller list, and the publisher moved up its release date by four days, to Friday. Trump took up the topic again on Twitter on Friday night, denouncing both Bannon and the books author, Michael Wolff, in starkly personal terms: Michael Wolff is a total loser who made up stories in order to sell this really boring and untruthful book. He used Sloppy Steve Bannon, who cried when he got fired and begged for his job. Now Sloppy Steve has been dumped like a dog by almost everyone. Too bad! https://t.co/mEeUhk5ZV9  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 Trumps message linked to a meme depicting a parody book cover titled, Liar and Phony, that featured a photo of Wolff and disparaging quotes about the author. In a tweet sent earlier Friday morning, Trump suggested the book was intended to serve as a distraction from the FBIs investigation into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, which Trump wrote is proving to be a total hoax. Well, now that collusion with Russia is proving to be a total hoax and the only collusion is with Hillary Clinton and the FBI/Russia, the Fake News Media (Mainstream) and this phony new book are hitting out at every new front imaginable. They should try winning an election. Sad!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018 That came amid reports that Trump directed his White House counsel to tell Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions to not recuse himself from the Justice Departments Russia investigation. Trumps effort to keep Sessions, a vocal and loyal supporter of his election bid, in charge of an investigation into his campaign offers special counsel Robert Mueller yet another avenue to explore as his prosecutors work to untangle potential evidence of obstruction. Read More Facebook

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Trump praises the economy ahead of meetings at Camp David By Associated Press President Trump is praising the strength of the U.S. economy ahead of meetings at Camp David with congressional Republicans. Trump tweeted early Friday: Dow goes from 18,589 on November 9, 2016, to 25,075 today, for a new all-time Record. Jumped 1000 points in last 5 weeks, Record fastest 1000 point move in history. This is all about the Make America Great Again agenda! Jobs, Jobs, Jobs. Six trillion dollars in value created!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018 The president also told reporters on the South Lawn that the tax cuts are really kicking in after Congress passed a package of tax cuts at the end of 2017. And the president praised the December jobs report, which found U.S. employers added 148,000 jobs in December and the unemployment rate stayed at 4.1%, the lowest level since 2000. The modest but steady pace of hiring is a reassuring sign for investors who have been buoyed by the just-passed Republican tax plan and have been sending stock market indexes roaring to uncharted heights. The president is meeting with Republican congressional leaders and members of his Cabinet on Friday and Saturday to discuss the 2018 agenda. Read More Facebook

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Trump tweets as Dow crashes through 25,000 By Associated Press President Trump dispatched a congratulatory tweet as the Dow Jones industrial average rose above the 25,000-point mark Thursday, just five weeks after its first close above 24,000. Dow just crashes through 25,000. Congrats! Big cuts in unnecessary regulations continuing.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 After the Dow closed above 25,000, Trump shared a graphic depicting the stock indexs record-setting rise. MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! pic.twitter.com/iONbr1DkVk  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018 Later in the day, the president was back on Twitter, complaining that news outlets had barely covered the stock market milestone. He suggested that the strength of the economy would be the biggest story on earth, had it unfolded during the presidency of his predecessor. The Fake News Media barely mentions the fact that the Stock Market just hit another New Record and that business in the U.S. is booming...but the people know! Can you imagine if O was president and had these numbers - would be biggest story on earth! Dow now over 25,000.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018 The Dow broke past 1,000-point barriers in 2017 on its way to a 25% gain for the year, as an eight-year rally since the Great Recession continued to confound skeptics. Strong global economic growth and good prospects for higher company earnings have analysts predicting more gains, although the market may not stay as calm as it has been recently. The Dow has made a rapid trip since it reached 24,000 points Nov. 30, partly on enthusiasm over passage of the Republican-backed tax package, which could boost company profits this year with across-the-board cuts to corporate taxes. Read More Facebook

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Trump reacts to Fire and Fury book in tweet lashing out at author and Sloppy Steve President Trump lashed out at the author of a soon-to-be-released book about the chaotic first year of his presidency Thursday night. In a tweet, Trump called Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, a phony book and claimed that hed never spoken to its author, Michael Wolff. Look at this guys past and watch what happens to him and Sloppy Steve! Trump wrote. He appeared to be referring to former White House chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon, whose stunning criticisms of Trump and his circle figure prominently in the title. I authorized Zero access to White House (actually turned him down many times) for author of phony book! I never spoke to him for book. Full of lies, misrepresentations and sources that dont exist. Look at this guys past and watch what happens to him and Sloppy Steve!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018 Trumps tweet came hours after he had his lawyer demand that Henry Holt & Co. and Wolff stop publication the book. Instead, the publisher expedited the books release to Friday, four days before it was slated to hit bookstore shelves, in response to unprecedented demand. Published excerpts on Wednesday and Thursday whetted that appetite and roiled Washington. Bannons comments, including that it was treasonous and unpatriotic for Trumps son Donald Trump Jr., son-in-law Jared Kushner and campaign manager Paul Manafort to have met in 2016 with Russians said to have dirt on Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, prompted Trump on Wednesday to rebuke his former advisor, saying Bannon had lost his mind. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writers Brian Bennett and Alex Wigglesworth. Facebook

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Trump thanks senators who attended meeting on immigration President Trump tweeted thanks to Republican senators who attended a meeting about possible immigration legislation on Thursday. In his message, Trump also listed his top priorities when it comes to any type of overhaul of the nations immigration system. Thank you to the great Republican Senators who showed up to our mtg on immigration reform. We must BUILD THE WALL, stop illegal immigration, end chain migration & cancel the visa lottery. The current system is unsafe & unfair to the great people of our country - time for change!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 Trumps tweet echoed his remarks at the beginning of Thursdays meeting, when he insisted again that constructing a border wall and overhauling two legal immigration programs must be part of any deal with Democrats to protect the so-called Dreamers from deportation. Two-year deportation protections and work permits given under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program begin to expire March 6 under an executive order. Trump announced in September that he was ending the Obama-era program, but told Congress to draft a law to continue protections for people brought to the country illegally as children  a group that has widespread public support. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Brian Bennett. Facebook

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Trump resumes Twitter war against kneeling NFL players President Trump has resumed his Twitter war against NFL players who kneel during the national anthem to protest social injustice and racial inequality. In a tweet early Thursday, Trump replied to a supporter who shared a meme that appears to depict family members lying on the grave of a fallen soldier with the caption: This is why we stand. Show this picture to the NFL players who still kneel! Trump wrote. So beautiful....Show this picture to the NFL players who still kneel! https://t.co/tJLM1tvbvb  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 The president has denounced players who kneel during the anthem in previous tweets. Hes also called for the firing of players who do so. His latest message came amid news that the NFL finished the regular season with TV ratings that fell nearly 10% below the previous season. Analysts attribute the drop to controversies facing the league, as well as changing viewing habits and a possible saturation point in the number of games available. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writers Stephen Battaglio and Alex Wigglesworth. Facebook

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Trump credits himself with facilitating talks between North and South Korea By Associated Press President Trump says his tough stance on nuclear weapons on the Korean peninsula is helping push North Korea and South Korea to talk. Trump tweeted early Thursday: With all of the failed experts weighing in, does anybody really believe that talks and dialogue would be going on between North and South Korea right now if I wasnt firm, strong and willing to commit our total might against the North. Fools, but talks are a good thing!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 That assertion is in conflict with some of the presidents own statements. Last year, he ridiculed Secretary of State Rex Tillerson for talking about negotiations with the North. This week, Trump seemed open to the possibility of an inter-Korean dialogue after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made a rare overture toward South Korea in a New Years Day address. But Trumps ambassador to the United Nations insisted that talks wont be meaningful unless the North is getting rid of its nuclear weapons. The overture about talks came after Trump and Kim traded more bellicose claims about their nuclear weapons. In his New Years Day address, Kim repeated fiery nuclear threats against the United States. Kim said he has a nuclear button on his office desk and warned that the whole territory of the U.S. is within the range of our nuclear strike. Trump mocked that assertion Tuesday evening in a tweet. Facebook

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After disbanding his vote fraud panel, Trump still says voting system is rigged By Brian Bennett One day after disbanding his troubled voter fraud commission without any findings of fraud, President Trump continued to call the U.S. voting system rigged and said states should require that Americans have voter-identification cards. In two tweets on Thursday morning, Trump blamed the commissions failure on the lack of cooperation from mostly Democrat States that refused to hand over voter rolls because they know that many people are voting illegally. However, voting supervisors in Republican-led states refused as well, objecting on privacy and other grounds. Many mostly Democrat States refused to hand over data from the 2016 Election to the Commission On Voter Fraud. They fought hard that the Commission not see their records or methods because they know that many people are voting illegally. System is rigged, must go to Voter I.D.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 As Americans, you need identification, sometimes in a very strong and accurate form, for almost everything you do.....except when it comes to the most important thing, VOTING for the people that run your country. Push hard for Voter Identification!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 Despite Trumps assertions, analysts have not found evidence of widespread voter fraud. Trump created the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity in May after alleging, without proof, that millions of illegal votes were cast for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election. Trump was elected after winning a majority in the electoral college, but the nationwide count showed Clinton received nearly 3 million more votes. The commission sought personal data on voters across the country and faced mounting lawsuits in recent months over privacy concerns. Read More Facebook

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Trump touts another good day for stocks, credits tax cut By Associated Press President Trump touted another good day for the stock market Wednesday in a tweet. Stock Market had another good day but, now that the Tax Cut Bill has passed, we have tremendous upward potential. Dow just short of 25,000, a number that few thought would be possible this soon into my administration. Also, unemployment went down to 4.1%. Only getting better!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 Big gains for technology and healthcare stocks helped U.S. indexes set records again Wednesday. Some analysts attributed the surge to investor enthusiasm for Trumps $1.5-trillion tax cut. All told, Wall Street analysts estimate the tax package should boost earnings for companies in the Standard & Poors 500 index by roughly 8% this year. Thats much more generous than the average tax cut of 1.6% that middle-class families will receive, according to the Tax Policy Center. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 The public has been less enthusiastic about the tax law. A Monmouth University poll last month found that nearly half of Americans disapproved of it, with only 26% in support. Still, as Trump also noted on Twitter, some workers have seen a benefit: So far, dozens of companies have announced bonuses and higher minimum wages as a result of the tax cut. AT&T, Comcast, Bank of America, and American Airlines have all pledged to pay $1,000 bonuses to their employees. Some 40 U.S. companies have responded to President Trumps tax cut and reform victory in Congress last year by handing out bonuses up to $2,000, increases in 401k matches and spending on charity, a much higher number than previously known. https://t.co/bmWrwWzxMR  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 Investors also appear less concerned than many politicians about how the additional profits will be used. The Trump administration says it expects companies will plow much of the extra profit back into their businesses, purchasing more software, machinery, and other equipment. Those investments will make workers more productive and provide a key boost to the economys long-run growth. They should also boost wages and salaries for employees. Opponents of the tax law respond that companies are more likely to pass the windfall on to shareholders in the form of higher dividend payments and share buybacks, which raise the price of those shares still in investors hands. Previous cuts in corporate tax rates, in the United States and overseas, havent always led to higher wages. For Wall Street, its all good, at least in the short run. Most analysts take the view that either way, companies and the economy will benefit. Facebook

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Trump reacts to death of Mormon Church president By Associated Press President Trump mourned the death of Mormon Church leader Thomas S. Monson on Wednesday evening. Trump tweeted a link to a statement in which he said that Monson demonstrated wisdom, inspired leadership, and great compassion and delivered a message of optimism, forgiveness, and faith. Melania and I are deeply saddened by the death of Thomas S. Monson, a beloved President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...https://t.co/ETD3fWtfU3  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 A church bishop at the age of 22, Monson became the youngest church apostle ever in 1963 at the age of 36. He served as a counselor for three church presidents before assuming the role of the top leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in February 2008. After a life of church service, Monson died Tuesday at his home in Salt Lake City, according to church spokesman Eric Hawkins. He was 90. Read More Facebook

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Trump tweets that Iranian protesters will see great U.S. support at the appropriate time By Associated Press President Trump continued to express support for Irans anti-government protesters on Wednesday. In a tweet, Trump commended the protesters and pledged that the United States will support them at the appropriate time. Such respect for the people of Iran as they try to take back their corrupt government. You will see great support from the United States at the appropriate time!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2018 Trumps tweet Wednesday morning came as Iranian Ambassador Gholamali Khoshroo sent a letter to United Nations officials complaining that Washington was intervening in a grotesque way in Irans internal affairs. The President and Vice-President of the United States, in their numerous absurd tweets, incited Iranians to engage in disruptive acts, the ambassador wrote to the U.N. Security Council president and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The U.S. didnt immediately respond to the letter, which maintains that Washington has crossed every limit in flouting rules and principles of international law governing the civilized conduct of international relations. At least 21 people have been killed and hundreds arrested in Iran during a week of anti-government protests and unrest over economic woes and official corruption. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people took part in counter-demonstrations Wednesday backing the clerically overseen government, which has said enemies of Iran are fomenting the protests. Trump has unleashed a series of tweets in recent days backing the protesters, saying Iran is failing at every level and declaring that it is time for change in the Islamic Republic. Facebook

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Trump congratulates Sen. Orrin Hatch upon news of his retirement By Associated Press President Trump congratulated Sen. Orrin Hatch for an absolutely incredible career upon news of Hatchs impending retirement. In a tweet Tuesday afternoon, Trump called Hatch a tremendous supporter and wrote that he will be greatly missed in the Senate. Congratulations to Senator Orrin Hatch on an absolutely incredible career. He has been a tremendous supporter, and I will never forget the (beyond kind) statements he has made about me as President. He is my friend and he will be greatly missed in the U.S. Senate! pic.twitter.com/0VjzLEeHTl  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 Hatchs decision to retire from the Senate after four decades lets the Utah Republican walk away at the height of his power after helping to push through an overhaul of the tax code and persuading Trump to downsize two national monuments. Retirement also preserves the 83-year-olds legacy by allowing him to avoid a bruising reelection battle that would have broken his promise not to seek an eighth term. Read More Facebook

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Trump tweet exaggerates progress in improving veterans care By Associated Press President Trump played up tremendous progress in improving care for veterans in his first year on Tuesday in a tweet. His message linked to an Instagram video describing eight accomplishments that show Trump is fighting for our veterans. But it overstates the impact of these steps. We will not rest until all of Americas GREAT VETERANS can receive the care they so richly deserve. Tremendous progress has been made in a short period of time. Keep up the great work @SecShulkin @DeptVetAffairs! https://t.co/ir25vW15hx pic.twitter.com/OtuzIgxMn6  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 Of the eight achievements cited, two are ceremonial proclamations recognizing National Veterans and Military Families Month and National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. Two are pieces of legislation that extended the troubled Veterans Choice program on a temporary basis. This became necessary because the Trump administration repeatedly miscalculated the amount of taxpayer dollars available to pay for care from private doctors outside the Veterans Affairs system when veterans had to endure long waits for treatment at VA medical centers. The departments poor budget planning caught lawmakers off guard. A fifth claim involves telehealth, a step letting doctors practice medicine across state lines using digital technology. Announced in August, it has yet to take full effect because a proposed VA regulation hasnt been completed. The VA wants authority to practice across state lines to come from legislation, not a regulation. On Wednesday, the Senate approved a telehealth measure that now goes to the House. A sixth claim refers to legislation that streamlines the appeals process for disability compensation claims within the VA. This step has had limited effect so far because it applies to new disability claims, not the 470,000 pending claims. The last two initiatives make it easier for the VA to discipline employees. The department has pointed to more than 1,300 employees who have been fired under Trumps watch. Because their infractions are not detailed in public documents, the effect on veterans care is not fully known. Facebook

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Trump unleashes his first tweetstorm of 2018 By Noah Bierman President Trump clearly didnt resolve to change his Twitter habits this year. With nine disparate tweets over three hours on Tuesday morning, the first working day of 2018, Trump continued to exploit social media to be the most aggressive commentator in chief in American history. For any other president, his posts would have made for a monumental day of (mis-)statements. Yet for Trump, the series  attacks on political foes and media, provocations of foreign leaders and self-praise for events he had nothing to do with  was all but unremarkable. His Twitter barrage  sent between 7:09 a.m. and 10:16 a.m.  reflected a familiar gamut after nearly a year in office: Attacks on political foes: Nearly 14 months after his election, Trump called for the jailing of Huma Abedin, Crooked Hillary Clintons top aid (his misspelling, another occasional feature of Trump tweets). Crooked Hillary Clintons top aid, Huma Abedin, has been accused of disregarding basic security protocols. She put Classified Passwords into the hands of foreign agents. Remember sailors pictures on submarine? Jail! Deep State Justice Dept must finally act? Also on Comey & others  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 In the same tweet, he disparaged the Deep State Justice Dept, headed of course by his appointees, calling on it to act against James B. Comey, the FBI director he fired for investigating the Russia thing. Diplomatic provocations: Trump again called North Korean leader Kim Jong Un Rocket man, ridiculed the volatile nuclear-armed foe for recent military defections and openly speculated about potential talks between North and South Korea. Sanctions and other pressures are beginning to have a big impact on North Korea. Soldiers are dangerously fleeing to South Korea. Rocket man now wants to talk to South Korea for first time. Perhaps that is good news, perhaps not - we will see!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 Perhaps that is good news, perhaps not  we will see! Trump wrote. Later Tuesday, Trump tweeted: North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times. Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2018 Also later Tuesday, Trump tweeted an attack on Pakistan, his second in as many days, and added a new one against Palestinians: It's not only Pakistan that we pay billions of dollars to for nothing, but also many other countries, and others. As an example, we pay the Palestinians HUNDRED OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS a year and get no appreciation or respect. They dont even want to negotiate a long overdue...  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 ...peace treaty with Israel. We have taken Jerusalem, the toughest part of the negotiation, off the table, but Israel, for that, would have had to pay more. But with the Palestinians no longer willing to talk peace, why should we make any of these massive future payments to them?  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 Undermining media: Trump offered Congratulations! to A.G. Sulzberger, who took over as publisher of the New York Times this week. The Failing New York Times has a new publisher, A.G. Sulzberger. Congratulations! Here is a last chance for the Times to fulfill the vision of its Founder, Adolph Ochs, to give the news impartially, without fear or FAVOR, regardless of party, sect, or interests involved. Get...  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 ....impartial journalists of a much higher standard, lose all of your phony and non-existent sources, and treat the President of the United States FAIRLY, so that the next time I (and the people) win, you wont have to write an apology to your readers for a job poorly done! GL  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 But the two-part post was really yet another slam against a perceived media foe: Trump said the paper had a last chance to fulfill its journalistic mission, and accused it of relying on phony sources and substandard reporters  just days after he granted another exclusive interview to the paper. As a bonus, the tweet contained a recycled falsehood, that the paper apologized after the election for reporting on him unfairly. It didnt. Trump later said on Twitter that he would soon announce the most dishonest & corrupt media awards of the year. Stay tuned! I will be announcing THE MOST DISHONEST & CORRUPT MEDIA AWARDS OF THE YEAR on Monday at 5:00 oclock. Subjects will cover Dishonesty & Bad Reporting in various categories from the Fake News Media. Stay tuned!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2018 The president also tweeted a quote from Fox Business Networks Lou Dobbs Tonight, which aired a segment praising Trumps first-year accomplishments. Dobbs reportedly joined Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Sunday for a gala to celebrate New Years Eve. President Trump has something now he didnt have a year ago, that is a set of accomplishments that nobody can deny. The accomplishments are there, look at his record, he has had a very significant first year. @LouDobbs Show,David Asman & Ed Rollins  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2018 Taking credit: Trump congratulated himself for policing the border with Mexico, an area where his policies and anti-immigration rhetoric are believed to have had some effect on reducing illegal crossings. Thank you to Brandon Judd of the National Border Patrol Council for your kind words on how well we are doing at the Border. We will be bringing in more & more of your great folks and will build the desperately needed WALL! @foxandfriends  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 He took credit for employee bonuses by companies after he signed Republican tax cuts into law last month. Companies are giving big bonuses to their workers because of the Tax Cut Bill. Really great!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 But the jaw-dropper was Trump congratulating himself for planes not crashing. Since taking office I have been very strict on Commercial Aviation. Good news - it was just reported that there were Zero deaths in 2017, the best and safest year on record!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 It was the safest year on record worldwide, but the American streak without commercial jet passenger deaths goes back to 2009. Trump, who has promoted deregulation as one of his top accomplishments, has not signed off on any new airline safety regulations. The White House pointed to new security screening of passengers, to electronic devices to prevent terrorist attacks and to Trumps support for privatizing air traffic control  a proposal that has gotten nowhere in Congress. Falsehoods: Trump said President Obama, in brokering the 2015 nuclear arms limitation deal with Iran, foolishly gave money to the brutal and corrupt Iranian regime. He didnt. The people of Iran are finally acting against the brutal and corrupt Iranian regime. All of the money that President Obama so foolishly gave them went into terrorism and into their pockets. The people have little food, big inflation and no human rights. The U.S. is watching!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 The nuclear deal, which included major U.S. allies as signators, released Irans own funds that had long been frozen. Trumps art of the deal: When Trump sees a big deal looming, he often blasts the other side  to gain leverage, as hes written. This week he resumes a showdown with Democratic lawmakers over funding the government and immigration protections for so-called Dreamers, who were brought to the country illegally as children. Democrats are doing nothing for DACA - just interested in politics. DACA activists and Hispanics will go hard against Dems, will start falling in love with Republicans and their President! We are about RESULTS.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 Trump, who in September ordered a gradual end of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, sought to shift blame for the resulting controversy, saying Democrats are doing nothing for DACA and are just interested in politics. Trump has insisted that any help for Dreamers be paired with funding for a border wall and a crackdown on legal immigration. Democrats, and some Republicans, are opposed. Read More Facebook

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In tweet, Trump suggests U.S. will withdraw financial assistance to Pakistan By Shashank Bengali Pakistan lashed out Monday after President Trump accused its leaders of lies & deceit and suggested the United States would withdraw financial assistance to the nuclear-armed nation it once saw as a key ally against terrorism. It was the presidents latest broadside against Pakistan after a speech in August in which he demanded its leaders crack down on the safe havens enjoyed by Taliban militants fighting U.S.-backed forces in neighboring Afghanistan. The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 1, 2018 U.S. Ambassador David Hale was summoned to the Foreign Ministry to discuss the presidents statement, U.S. Embassy spokesman Richard Snelsire said. Pakistan lodged a strongly worded protest and asked for clarification about Trumps comments, according to two foreign office officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. Pakistans prime minister, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, called a Cabinet meeting for Tuesday and a meeting of the National Security Committee on Wednesday to discuss Trumps New Years Day tweet. Read More Facebook

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Trump continues to tweet in support of Iranian protesters By Laura King President Trump expressed renewed support Sunday for protesters in Iran, declaring that people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism. In a tweet from his Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago, the president said the nationwide economic protests that began on Thursday  and have taken on wider political overtones as they have grown in size  were a signal that Iranians will not take it any longer. Big protests in Iran. The people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism. Looks like they will not take it any longer. The USA is watching very closely for human rights violations!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2017 Trump has tweeted about the protests for three days straight as Iranians took to the streets despite a heavy police presence, tear gas and scores of arrests. The defiance gained urgency after two people were reported shot to death in the city of Dorud, about 200 miles southwest of Tehran. As the conflict escalated, Iranian authorities on Sunday slapped a temporary ban on Instagram and the messaging app Telegram, which were widely used to fan protest fervor. Iran, the Number One State of Sponsored Terror with numerous violations of Human Rights occurring on an hourly basis, has now closed down the Internet so that peaceful demonstrators cannot communicate. Not good!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2017 Irans leaders already are casting Trumps increasingly effusive expressions of support for the demonstrators as opportunistic meddling and are painting the demonstrators as foreign pawns, adopting a strategy that some analysts say could jeopardize the legitimacy of the nascent antigovernment protests. Read More Facebook

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Trump tweets condolences after Colorado deputies are shot in ambush, one fatally By Associated Press A man fired more than 100 rounds at sheriffs deputies in Colorado early Sunday, killing one and injuring four others, before being fatally shot himself in what authorities called an ambush. Two civilians were also injured. President Trump expressed sorrow, writing on Twitter: My deepest condolences to the victims of the terrible shooting in Douglas County @DCSheriff, and their families. We love our police and law enforcement - God Bless them all! #LESM  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2017 Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock said deputies came under fire almost
Trump called him my African-American. But he has few kind words for the president. By Mark Z. Barabak (Mark Z. Barabak/Los Angeles Times) On the day that changed his life, Gregory Cheadle almost stayed in bed. He was tired  he traveled a lot in his long-shot bid for Congress  but asked himself: How often does a candidate for president come to the far reaches of Northern California? And why pass up a crowd and the chance to hand out more fliers? So Cheadle roused himself that June 2016 morning and secured a spot up close when Donald Trump swooped in for a rally at Reddings municipal airport. It was hot, the atmosphere was loose and Trumps patter seeming more stand-up comedy than campaign spiel. He went into one of those sidelong digressions, about protesters and an African American  great fan, great guy  and, by the way, whatever happened to him? It was then, Cheadle said, he raised his hand and jokingly shouted, Im here. Trump looked and pointed, his voice a throaty rumble. Look at my African-American over here! he exclaimed. Are you the greatest? In the days and weeks that followed Cheadle was attacked on social media and harassed by people who dug up his phone number and email address. For a time he stayed home, too nervous to venture outside. All, he said, because the media portrayed him as something he was not and never has been: a Trump sycophant. Read More Facebook

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Trump quietly signs Russia sanctions bill By Noah Bierman President Trump quietly signed legislation Wednesday that imposes new sanctions on Russia and limits his ability to remove them, according to two White House aides. Trump signed the bill without cameras or an immediate press release. He had opposed imposing new sanctions on Moscow but had little choice after a nearly unanimous Congress approved the bill, guaranteeing they would override a veto. The bill, which also imposes new sanctions on Iran and North Korea, prevents American companies from investing in many energy projects that are funded by Russian government interests. It also prevents Trump from unilaterally lifting the sanctions. It thus marked an unusual move by Congress to tie the presidents hands on foreign policy. Trump did not want to give up that leverage. But the vote in Congress was a strong sign that lawmakers do not trust Trump to stand up to Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom Trump has repeatedly praised, and the widening federal investigation into possible coordination last year between his presidential campaign and Moscow. Passage of the sanctions bill already has sparked a harsh reaction in Moscow. Putin announced last week that the United States would need to shed 755 personnel, including U.S. diplomats, from its embassy and consulates in Russia. President Obama expelled 35 Russian diplomats, said to be spies, from the United States last December. A White House aide said a statement would be issued later Wednesday. Facebook

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Senior GOP senators serve notice: No action on healthcare at this point By David Lauter Trump administration officials continue to push the Senate to take another run at healthcare legislation, but on Monday senior Republican senators pushed back, making clear that theyre done with the topic for now. Theres just too much animosity and were too divided on healthcare, Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah), the head of the Senate Finance Committee, said in an interview with Reuters. I think we ought to acknowledge that we can come back to healthcare afterward, but we need to move ahead on tax reform, Hatch said. His remarks were quickly followed by others in GOP leadership positions. I think its time to move on to something else, Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri told CNN. If the question is do I think we should stay on healthcare until we get it done, I think its time to move on to something else. Sen. John Thune of South Dakota also chimed in. Until someone shows us how to get that elusive 50th vote, I think its over, he told reporters. The remarks seemed a coordinated effort to respond to administration officials, including budget director Mick Mulvaney and Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, who said over the weekend that they wanted the Senate to keep working on healthcare. Last week, the Senate defeated several different Republican plans to repeal all or part of the Affordable Care Act. The votes made it clear that with unified Democratic opposition to repeal, and divisions among Republicans, the campaign to overturn the law has stalled out, at least for now. Congress faces several other pressing issues that will be demanding lawmakers attention, including deadlines at the end of September to raise the federal debt ceiling and fund government agencies for the coming fiscal year. And the administration is eager to move on tax proposals, with officials rather optimistically saying they hope to see votes by November on a tax package that is not yet written. Facebook

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Good news for Atty. Gen. Sessions: Trump has 100% confidence in Cabinet By Noah Bierman To Q re Sessions, spox Sanders says Trump has 100% confidence in Cabinet. Last wk she wouldn't say if he had it in Sessions. Kelly effect?  Jackie Calmes (@jackiekcalmes) July 31, 2017 President Trump has called Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions beleaguered and even VERY weak, but Sessions seemed to get good news from the White House press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, on Monday. Trump has 100% confidence in all of his Cabinet secretaries, Sanders said in response to a question about Sessions job status during the daily White House briefing. Last week, when speculation about Sessions was rife, Sanders repeatedly declined opportunities to provide assurances that the attorney general enjoyed the presidents full confidence. Trump himself said time will tell when he was asked last week about Sessions. The willingness to tamp down speculation about Sessions may reflect the arrival Monday of retired Gen. John F. Kelly as the new White House chief of staff. He is tasked with restoring order to the administration. Sanders also batted down reports that the White House was discussing moving Sessions to another post, as secretary of Homeland Security. That job became vacant Monday after Kelly was sworn in as Trumps new chief of staff. Sanders said the White House has had no conversations about any Cabinet members switching jobs. Republican senators have publicly opposed firing Sessions, and a couple have objected to shifting him to another post as well, given that it could appear that Trump is trying to affect the investigations of himself and his campaign in the context of Russias election interference. Trump has said publicly that his frustration with Sessions, once among his closest allies, stems from Sessions decision to recuse himself from the Russia investigation, an act that led to the appointment of a special counsel. Facebook

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Can Trump really cut health insurance payments for members of Congress and their staff? It would be easy By Lisa Mascaro Reeling from the failure to repeal the Affordable Care Act, President Trump now threatens to block federal funding that lawmakers and their staff rely on to help buy health insurance. Trumps threats are not empty. The administration could simply stop the payments -- which are provided to Capitol Hill lawmakers and staff much the way many employers help pay employees monthly insurance premiums -- by dashing off new federal regulation. But the easy attack on lawmakers skims over what many say was a complicated, but fair-minded, compromise made during the Obamacare debates several years ago. Under Obamacare, if lawmakers want insurance through their employer - the federal government - they are required to buy policies through the ACA exchanges. There had been great criticism at the time, largely from opponents of the healthcare bill, that lawmakers and congressional staff should not be exempt from the law. The argument was they should have to live under it. So they did. Usually those buying individual insurance on the exchanges can apply to see if their income and geographic area allow them to qualify for a federal subsidy. For lawmakers, though, that was prohibited. Instead, they get the regular employer contribution they did before, much in the same way other workers do when their companies buy insurance. For federal workers, the government covers about 70% of the costs, about the same paid by employers in the private sector, according to Kaiser Family Foundation. The administration affirmed that federal support for lawmakers and their staffs in an Office of Personnel Management regulation issued in 2013. To cut those funds off, Trump administration could simply reverse course, and issue another regulation changing the rules. Trump appeared ready to do so in a series of weekend tweets. Why should Congress not be paying what public pays, Trump tweeted over the weekend. If a new HealthCare Bill is not approved quickly, BAILOUTS for Insurance Companies and BAILOUTS for Members of Congress will end very soon. But such a move would likely cause an uproar in Congress. Its not just members of Congress, but also their staffs, who would have to pay full price for their insurance. Stopping Trumps action, though, seems tough. It would require Congress to pass legislation ensuring the federal payments would continue to be made. Few lawmakers would likely take up that cause. And even if Congress were able to pass a bill protecting the payments, it seems doubtful Trump at this point would sign it into law. Facebook

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U.S. hits Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro with sanctions By Associated Press Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro celebrates the results of Sundays election in Caracas. (Ronaldo Schemidt / AFP/Getty Images) The Trump administration has hit Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro with financial sanctions. The move comes after Venezuela held a weekend election that will give Maduros ruling party virtually unlimited power in the South American country. The Treasury Departments Office of Foreign Assets Control announced the sanctions against Maduro in a brief statement on Monday, a day after the Venezuelan vote to elect a constituent assembly that will rewrite the constitution. A longer explanation from the White House was also expected. The administration imposed sanctions on more than a dozen senior current and former Venezuelan officials last week, warning the socialist government that new penalties would come if Maduro went ahead with Sundays election for the assembly. Facebook

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Anthony Scaramucci is out as White House communications director By Brian Bennett Anthony Scaramucci, the brash New Yorker who was announced little more than a week ago as President Trumps White House communications director, was ousted Monday before he had even officially taken the job. John F. Kelly, the newly sworn-in White House chief of staff, told Scaramucci around 9:30 a.m. EDT that he was going to be replaced, according to a person close to White House. In a statement officially announcing the move, the White House said Scaramucci felt it was best to give Chief of Staff John Kelly a clean slate and the ability to build his own team. While Scaramuccis time at the center of the presidents circle was short, it was consequential, prompting the resignations of first Sean Spicer as White House press secretary and then Reince Priebus as chief of staff. The most notable firings and resignations in the Trump administration >> A former hedge fund executive on Wall Street, Scaramucci, who enjoyed media attention, also had come on strong stylistically, highlighted by a profane tirade against colleagues Priebus and Trump strategist Steve Bannon in an exchange last week with a New Yorker reporter. The abrupt shift in Scaramuccis status seemed to reflect Kellys mission to bring order to the chain of command within the chaotic administration. In getting Scaramucci to leave, Kelly was undoing Trumps own hiring decision. Scaramucci had told reporters when he was hired that he would be reporting directly to the president at Trumps request, bypassing the normal chain that would have the communications director -- like all staff -- report to the chief of staff. Scaramuccis unusually short tenure reflects a moment of extreme turbulence in the White House, which has been embroiled in infighting as it confronts low poll numbers for the president, a floundering legislative agenda and the investigations involving Russian meddling in last years presidential election. After word spread of Scaramuccis ouster, Spicer, who resigned when Scaramucci took over but was still working in the White House, walked out of his office to a throng of reporters. Is this a surprise party? he asked. UPDATE 12:15 p.m.: This story has been updated throughout with additional details and background. This article was originally published at 11:49 a.m. Facebook

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Trump swears in John Kelly, says ex-secretary of Homeland Security will do an even better job as chief of staff By Noah Bierman President Trump swore in his new chief of staff, John F. Kelly, on Monday morning, formalizing a shake-up in his top ranks that was announced Friday evening with word of the resignation of Reince Priebus. We look forward to - if its possible - an even better job as chief of staff, Trump said to Kelly, formerly the secretary of homeland security. Ill try, sir, Kelly replied. JOHN KELLY is now chief of staff. Sworn in during ceremony in Oval Office minutes ago. pic.twitter.com/dMEQ4rhpFA  Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) July 31, 2017 Trump is hoping that Kelly, a retired general, will retool and bring order to a White House that has struggled with low poll numbers, staff infighting, a faltering legislative agenda and an investigation into Russian election meddling and potential collusion and obstruction of justice. Yet Trump said the administration has done very well after a reporter asked what would be different under Kelly. He cited the unemployment rate, the thriving stock market and unnamed polls that, he said, show high business confidence. Were doing very well. We have a tremendous base, he said.The country is optimistic. And I think the general will just add to it. Trump praised Kellys performance at the Department of Homeland Security, where Kelly focused on immigration issues at the southern border, as record-shattering, with very little controversy. There was no word on whom the president might name to replace Kelly at the department. Trump reportedly has considered moving Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions there from the Justice Department, reflecting his unhappiness with the attorney general, but Republican senators preemptively have signaled their opposition to such a move. Facebook

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Risky investigation, stalled agenda  Trumps in trouble, so heres his strategy By Noah Bierman (Spencer Platt / Getty Images) Hosts of Southern Californias Morning Answer radio show were wrapping up a two-hour live broadcast from a white tent just outside the West Wing last week and marveling at their access to Cabinet secretaries and prominent administration figures. If youre a Trumpkin, host Brian Whitman told his listeners on AM 870, this is like fantasy camp. The White Houses daylong hospitality for Salem Radio Network, a nationwide chain of Christian and conservative stations, underscored President Trumps continued courtship of  and increased dependence on  core supporters as he confronts a stalled agenda and increasingly perilous investigations into whether his campaign colluded with Russia and he subsequently sought to obstruct the inquiries. Read More Facebook

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Obamacare vote isnt the only sign of GOP resistance to Trump By Noah Bierman In the year since Donald Trump won the Republican presidential nomination, party leaders have been reluctant to challenge a man who has formed a tight bond with conservative voters, even when he upset party orthodoxies and norms of presidential behavior. But that reticence is breaking down. A convergence of contentious issues, as well as embarrassing infighting and shake-ups at the White House, have a number of Republicans suddenly in open resistance to Trump on a number of fronts. Read More Facebook

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Trump ousts Reince Priebus as chief of staff in latest White House shake-up By Noah Bierman John Kelly (Susan Walsh / Associated Press) President Trump ousted his beleaguered chief of staff, Reince Priebus, naming Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly to replace him Friday in the latest White House shake-up as the administration struggles to emerge from bitter staff infighting and a stalled legislative agenda. Trump announced the abrupt reshuffle in three posts on Twitter hours after the Senate killed his latest plans to rewrite President Obamas signature healthcare law, dealing another harsh blow to the White House. The tweets, sent as Trump was returning on Air Force One with Priebus after a speech on gang violence in New York, caught Capitol Hill and others off guard even though Priebus stature in Trumps inner circle has been in sharp decline for some time. Read More Facebook

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Putins spokesman accuses U.S. of political schizophrenia By Associated Press Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov attends a meeting in Moscow on June 21. (Sergei Karpukhin / EPA) Russia urged the United States on Monday to show political will to mend ties even as it ordered sweeping cuts of U.S. embassy personnel unseen since Cold War times. President Vladimir Putins spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said it will take time for the U.S. to recover from what he called political schizophrenia, but added that Russia remains interested in constructive cooperation with the U.S. We are interested in a steady development of our ties and are sorry to note that we are still far from that, he said. Peskovs statement followed Sundays televised comments by Putin, who said the U.S. would have to cut 755 of its embassy and consulate staff in Russia, a massive reduction he described as a response to new U.S. sanctions. The Russian Foreign Ministry had previously said that the U.S. should cut its embassy and consular employees to 455, the number that Russia has in the United States. Along with the caps on embassy personnel announced Friday, it also declared the closure of a U.S. recreational retreat on the outskirts of Moscow and warehouse facilities. Moscows action is the long-expected tit-for-tat response to former President Obamas move to expel 35 Russian diplomats and shut down two Russian recreational retreats in the U.S. over reports of Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. Facebook

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White House urged to refrain from Obamacare sabotage as Trump mulls subsidy cutoff By Laura King A pair of prominent lawmakers urged President Trump on Sunday not to sabotage the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, in the wake of failed Republican efforts to scrap his predecessors signature legislative achievement. But Trump urged GOP senators to try again to push through some version of repealing and replacing the law, even though Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said last week it was time to move on to other matters. Trump senior advisor Kellyanne Conway said the president would decide in coming days whether to block subsidies that are a crucial component of the existing healthcare law. Hes going to make that decision this week, and thats a decision that only he can make, Conway said on Fox News Sunday. Two of the lawmakers who blocked the Senate GOP repeal plan last week, however, criticized the administrations continued efforts to overturn the law. Sen. Susan Collins, the Maine Republican who steadfastly rejected a series of GOP healthcare measures last week, blamed the Trump administration for encouraging instability in the insurance markets by continuing the uncertainty over whether the subsidies  cost-sharing payments that reduce out-of-pocket healthcare costs for poorer Americans  would continue. Im troubled by the uncertainty that has been created by the administration, Collins said on NBCs Meet the Press. She contested Trumps characterization of the payments as an insurance company bailout. Thats not what it is, she said, calling the reduction payments vital assistance to low-income Americans. And Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska said further action on healthcare should be done in a bipartisan manner and not rushed. You cannot do major entitlement reform singlehandedly, and you wouldnt do major legislative initiatives singlehandedly, she told reporters in Alaska. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) echoed Collins criticism of Trumps threat to stop making the cost-sharing payments. You know, I really think its incomprehensible that we have a president of the United States who wants to sabotage healthcare in America, make life more difficult for millions of people who are struggling now to get the health insurance they need and to pay for that health insurance, he said on CNNs State of the Union. Prior to heading out for a day at his Virginia golf property, Trump tweeted that Republican senators should press ahead with efforts to scrap Obamacare -- a day after he tauntingly exhorted them not to be quitters in the quest for a legislative victory for him. Don't give up Republican Senators, the World is watching: Repeal & Replace...and go to 51 votes (nuke option), get Cross State Lines & more.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 30, 2017 The White House budget director, Mick Mulvaney, on CNNs State of the Union, said it was official Trump administration policy that the Senate should keep working to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, eschewing an August recess if necessary. Senators, he said, need to stay, they need to work -- they need to pass something. Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, while acknowledging a responsibility to follow the law -- Obamacare -- also signaled that Trump was not accepting defeat in efforts to get rid of the measure. Our goalas well as the presidents goal, is to put in place a law, a system, that actually works for patients, he said on Meet the Press, adding, You cant do that under the current structure. Facebook

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Frustrated in defeat, Trump threatens healthcare of voters  and lawmakers By Joseph Tanfani Frustrated by the failure of the Obamacare repeal in the Senate, President Trump on Saturday threatened to end federal subsidies for healthcare insurance  for Congress as well as the rest of the country. After seven years of "talking" Repeal & Replace, the people of our great country are still being forced to live with imploding ObamaCare!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 29, 2017 If a new HealthCare Bill is not approved quickly, BAILOUTS for Insurance Companies and BAILOUTS for Members of Congress will end very soon!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 29, 2017 If a new HealthCare Bill is not approved quickly, BAILOUTS for Insurance Companies and BAILOUTS for Members of Congress will end very soon! Trump tweeted, fuming about Congress failure to repeal the Affordable Care Act, which he said was imploding. Such a move could cause havoc and much higher premiums in insurance markets, since many low- and moderate-income people depend on those subsidies to help cover the cost of their policies. Through a series of administrative maneuvers by Congress and the Obama administration, members and their staffs also benefit from those subsidies. Targeting congressional healthcare might score Trump some populist points with his base, but it would likely come at a cost of poisoning his relationship with Congress. Just making the threat on Saturday highlights how far things have eroded between Trump and top GOP lawmakers. And it comes a day after Trump pushed out former Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, an establishment Republican who was the GOP congressional leaderships trusted liaison in the White House. Trump actually has a jarring amount of leverage over thousands of congressional staff who depend on employer health care contribution. https://t.co/lRPmrmDIJs  Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) July 29, 2017 Trumps longstanding threat to let the health insurance plans fail would come with its own political price. The federal government sends about $600 million a month to insurance companies to help cover the cost, and Trump is threatening to cut that off to allow Obamacare markets to collapse. His goal is to pressure Congress to send him a repeal bill, but so far the strategy has failed. The confidence Trump has expressed that if he followed through with the threat the fallout would land not on him but on Democrats, because they created Obamacare, is not widely shared in Washington. If health care collapses, voters will blame Trump and the GOP.



That's what happens when you control the White House and Congress. pic.twitter.com/iEjEGyapAL  Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) July 29, 2017 Facebook

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Iran condemns new U.S. sanctions, vows to pursue missile program By Ramin Mostaghim Iran defied Washington and condemned new U.S. sanctions over its development of missiles capable of being armed with nuclear warheads. We will continue with full power our missile program, Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi told state television IRIB on Saturday, dismissing new sanctions passed by Congress last week as, hostile, reprehensible and unacceptable. Its ultimately an effort to weaken the nuclear deal, Ghasemi said, adding, The military and missile fields  are our domestic policies and others have no right to intervene or comment on them. Iran had agreed to limit its nuclear activities under the 2015 agreement with the U.S. and other world powers in exchange for sanctions relief. Ghasemi argued Saturday that the U.S. had violated that agreement by linking the missile program to the nuclear deal and restricting Iranian banking activities in the U.S. He argued that Irans latest missile tests dont break the agreement because the weapons are defensive. The new wave of pressure on missile projects in Iran will push the Islamic theocracy into a corner, predicted Iran analyst Hojjat Kalashi in Tehran, noting that the government of President Hassan Rouhani, who was reelected in May, is coping with an economic downturn and may step back from the compromise nuclear deal. The new Iran sanctions bill, which also targets Russia and North Korea, was passed by the House and Senate this week. It would penalize those involved in Irans ballistic missile program as well as those who do business with them, impose an arms embargo on Iran and label its Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps a terrorist group. White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders has said President Trump will sign the bill. On Friday, the U.S. was joined by Britain, France and Germany in condemning Irans recent launch of a satellite-carrying rocket and warned that it violated a United Nations resolution implementing the 2015 nuclear deal. In a joint statement, they urged Iran to stop developing missiles and rockets capable of carrying nuclear warheads that have a destabilizing impact on the region. In response to a rocket launch Thursday, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on subsidiaries of an Iranian company involved in Tehrans ballistic missile program. But Nader Karimi Juni, an analyst close to Rouhanis government, said Iranian leaders dont believe the U.N. and European powers will ultimately back the U.S., and so Iran will not compromise on missile projects and will remain defiant. Facebook

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Trump jabs U.S. mayors, who push back, calling president out of touch with cities By Kurtis Lee (Spencer Platt / Getty Images) President Trump wants police to know that he  not mayors  has their back. Ive met police that are great police that arent allowed to do their job because they have a pathetic mayor or a mayor that doesnt know whats going on, Trump said Friday in a speech before police officers in Brentwood, N.Y. The comments from Trump, who in his address highlighted crime in cities like Chicago and Los Angeles, drew applause from some in attendance. In a statement following Trumps remarks, the United States Conference of Mayors, a bipartisan group, released a statement pushing back against the president. The presidents comments today prove how out of touch he is with the realities of life in American cities. Mayors number one priority is  and always will be  the safety and protection of their residents, said New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, the groups president. There is no daylight between the mayors of our cities and the uniformed officers who work tirelessly to keep us safe every single day. During the speech Trump called on police and immigration officials to be rough with suspected gang members in cities nationwide. In a recent interview with The Times, former New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, who recently launched a $200-million initiative to empower city governments and mayors, stressed the key to good governing is experience as a manager  something, he said, Trump was not. Bloomberg added that the mayors are much more in tune with the needs of residents than the federal government. You got to remember a mayor and the local city council are much closer to the public than the governor and the state legislature, or the president and the federal legislature. So if the public is in favor of something, the local officials know it and they get held responsible, he said. Facebook

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The growing parade of exits under Trump administration By Len de Groot A lot of people have left President Trumps early administration  Chief of Staff Reince Priebus was replaced Friday. The White House communications department has been the scene of many of the recent turnovers as it wrestles to craft a message sometimes at odds with Trumps frequent tweeting. At the National Security Council, there has been a leadership struggle since Michael Flynn resigned in the face of pressure over undisclosed contacts with Russia. One appointee was fired over comments he made at a private function. Others have been removed as Flynns successor, H.R. McMaster, has moved to add loyalists to the council. Here are the most noteworthy departures: Read More Facebook

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Trump urges officers and immigration officials to be rough on animals terrorizing U.S. neighborhoods By Barbara Demick ( (Evan Vucci / Associated Press)) President Trump on Friday called for police and immigration officials to be rough with suspected gang members in order to rid the country of animals he said are terrorizing communities. Please dont be too nice, Trump told police recruits at Suffolk County Community College in Brentwood, a heavily Latino suburb of New York City. Like when you guys put somebody in the car and youre protecting their head, you know the way you put the hand  like, dont hit their head, and theyve just killed somebody?  You can take the hand away. He implied that he was satisfied with rough handling of suspects by the police. When you see these thugs being thrown into the back of a paddy wagon  you just see them thrown in, rough, he said. Scoffing at calls for what he describes as political correctness, Trump also renewed his pledges to build a wall along the Mexican border. He accused the Obama administration of admitting criminals into the United States. Read More Facebook

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Analysis: In a Washington run by men, two overshadowed Republican women make their point on healthcare By Cathleen Decker In a Washington that has grown demonstrably more testosterone-fueled since President Trumps inauguration, it took two Republican women to secure the end of a long effort to repeal and replace Obamacare. They were the same two women  Maine Sen. Susan Collins and Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski  who had been excluded from the 13-member working group drafting the Republican bills. Nobodys being excluded based upon gender. Everybodys at the table, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell had said of his all-white-males group. In the early hours of Friday, the duo was overshadowed by the more dramatic and unexpected no vote from Sen. John McCain of Arizona. There was reason for the attention lavished on McCain  a war hero and veteran senator returns to the Capitol days after a dire cancer diagnosis. But without both Collins and Murkowskis steadfast opposition, his vote would have been meaningless. Also largely overlooked: Hawaii Sen. Mazie Hirono, a Democrat who like McCain made an arduous trip to Washington despite her recent diagnosis of late-stage kidney cancer. Social media buzzed Friday with praise for the women senators from many fronts, including from men. But from many women, there was also a sense of familiarity at being ignored or taken for granted. Read More Facebook

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Clinton Foundation donor who was denied a visa settles leak case against the U.S. By Joseph Tanfani A billionaire Nigerian businessman and major Clinton Foundation donor banned from entering the U.S. two years ago on terrorism grounds has settled a lawsuit against the U.S. government. Gilbert Chagoury last year sued the FBI and other government agencies in U.S. District Court in Washington, saying he had been damaged by what he described as improper government leaks to the Los Angeles Times. The Times reported last year that Chagoury had been denied a visa to travel to the U.S. in 2015 on suspicion that he had provided aid to terrorist groups. One document, citing unverified information from an unnamed source, said that Chagoury  who is of Lebanese heritage  had funneled funds to Hezbollah, the Lebanese militia and political group designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. Chagoury, an ardent Lakers fan who for decades lived part of the year in Los Angeles, angrily denied that he ever provided funds for terrorism. He said the publicity forced him to sell his Beverly Hills mansion at a loss and caused a bank to close his account. A philanthropist, Vatican ambassador and longtime friend of Bill Clinton, Chagoury once was invited to the White House after contributing to a Democratic get-out-the-vote campaign. He donated at least $1 million to the Clinton Foundation. Emails released last year showed that a Bill Clinton aide pushed Hillary Clintons aides at the State Department to get Chagoury access to top U.S. diplomats. In the settlement filed in court on Friday, the Justice Department said Chagoury has never appeared on the list of Specially Designated Nationals, figures such as terrorists and narcotics traffickers who are generally barred from doing business in the U.S. The government did not grant Chagourys request for a court hearing to dispute the reports that led to his exclusion from the U.S. As I have often said, I have loved America my whole life because it was the land of freedom and justice, he said in a statement, adding that he hopes the agreement will help repair his reputation. The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Chagoury, who lives most of the time in Paris, has not applied for another visa, said his spokesman, Mark Corallo. Facebook

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Trump ousts Priebus, announces John Kelly as new chief of staff President Trump announced via Twitter on Friday that he had named retired Gen. John Kelly, head of the Department of Homeland Security, as White House chief of staff, replacing Reince Priebus. I am pleased to inform you that I have just named General/Secretary John F Kelly as White House Chief of Staff. He is a Great American....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 28, 2017 ...and a Great Leader. John has also done a spectacular job at Homeland Security. He has been a true star of my Administration  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 28, 2017 I would like to thank Reince Priebus for his service and dedication to his country. We accomplished a lot together and I am proud of him!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 28, 2017 Read More Facebook

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Rep. John Delaney of Maryland to run for president By Associated Press Rep. John Delaney of Maryland says hes running for president, instead of governor or reelection, in 2018. Delaney, a Democrat, announced his plans in a statement Friday. The politically moderate banking entrepreneur is in his third term in Marylands 6th Congressional District, which includes western Maryland and a large section of Montgomery County, the states largest county. The 54-year-old is worth roughly $90 million and is one of the Houses wealthiest members. He spent about $2 million to help finance his first House race in 2012. His consideration of a possible Maryland gubernatorial bid months ago quickly drew interest in his House seat. Several candidates already have expressed interest in running for the seat. Facebook

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McCain set to head back to Arizona to undergo chemotherapy and radiation treatments By Kurtis Lee (Shawn Thew / EPA) Sen. John McCain is headed home. Hours after McCain spurned his party and voted in opposition to a GOP measure to repeal the Affordable Care Act, the senators office announced Friday he will return to Arizona to undergo chemotherapy and radiation treatments for his recent diagnosis of brain cancer. McCain, 80, was found this month to have a brain tumor known as a glioblastoma. He is scheduled to return to Washington in September after his initial treatments. The glioblastoma  an aggressive type of cancer  was discovered when McCain had a blood clot removed from above his left eye. According to the Mayo Clinic, which is overseeing McCains treatment, glioblastoma is difficult to treat. After returning to Washington this week and voting in favor of opening Senate debate on repeal, McCain was among three Republicans early Friday morning to vote in opposition to a so-called skinny bill that would repeal the ACA, known as Obamacare. The move by McCain, who has served in the Senate since 1987, has drawn the ire of members in his own party and some in the right-wing media. Facebook

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McCains surprise vote doomed GOP healthcare bill, but did it open the door for Senate bipartisanship? By Lisa Mascaro Sen. John McCain is usually happy to spar with reporters, but he ducked into an elevator ahead of the Senate healthcare vote late Thursday without saying a word about how he would vote. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, though, already knew the answer. The Democratic leader had been talking with the Arizona Republican all week  four, five times a day  ever since McCain returned to work after being diagnosed with brain cancer. Earlier in the week, McCain had dramatically salvaged the stalled GOP bill by voting to begin debate, only to go on to deliver a blistering speech against his own party leaders partisan, closed-door process in crafting it. Weve been spinning our wheels on too many important issues because we keep trying to find a way to win without help from across the aisle, he told them. Were getting nothing done. Schumer and McCain have been longtime colleagues, a kind of frenemies who seem like throwbacks to an earlier era of Congress. They worked together on big legislation, including the 2013 immigration overhaul  grand ideas that seem all but impossible in todays Congress. They had plenty to discuss. About the Senate, about it working again, about working together, and about how this bill was so poor for the American people, Schumer said. And he knew that, so did half his colleagues, but he had the courage to vote no. The moment stunned the Senate when McCain stepped up to cast his vote  a single down-turned finger  dooming the healthcare bill. Audible gasps filled the galleries, which were packed with onlookers. But his vote  along with no votes from Republicans Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska  did more than shelve the long campaign to repeal the Affordable Care Act. It cracked open a new divide in the Senate, which seems to be split not so much between Republicans and Democrats, but by those senators who want to work together versus those stuck in hardened partisan tribes. Read More Facebook

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U.S. hits Iran with more sanctions in response to satellite launch By Associated Press The United States is slapping Iran with new sanctions in response to its launch of a satellite-carrying rocket into space this week. The sanctions target six Iranian subsidiaries of the Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group. The Treasury Department says that group is central to Irans ballistic missile program. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin says the sanctions illustrate deep U.S. concerns about Irans missile testing and other actions. He says the U.S. will continue countering Irans ballistic missile program, including Thursdays provocative space launch. The U.S. has said that launch flouted a U.N. Security Council resolution because the technology is inherently designed to be able to carry a nuclear payload. The sanctions come as the Trump administration continues debating its Iran policy and whether to scrap the 2015 multilateral deal that limits the development of Irans nuclear capabilities. Facebook

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Political betrayal. McCain vote against Obamacare repeal draws ire from conservative writers By Kurtis Lee (Cliff Owen / AP) Though John McCain was one of three Republicans who helped Democrats squash the legislation to repeal Obamacare, conservative media is homing in on the Arizona senator for spurning his party in the healthcare vote. Here are some of todays headlines: John McCain: Traitor to the conservative cause (Washington Times) McCain, who was recently diagnosed with brain cancer, has been a staunch opponent of Obamacare, but in the end he could not support the so-called skinny repeal measure put forward by his colleagues in the Senate. In this piece, Cheryl K. Chumley, jabs McCain for his vote. For American voters expecting their Republican-dominated House, Senate and White House to honor their years of repeal promises and actually, well, repeal Obamacare, McCains thumbs-down was a face-slap moment that will be remembered in history as a textbook classic case of political betrayal, she writes. McCains odd definition of leading the fight to stop Obamacare (National Review) This article is simple  its a quick compare-and-contrast of McCains recent comments versus his vote on Friday. Last year, during a tough reelection, McCains campaign ran a television ad that boasted the senator is leading the fight to stop Obamacare. But last night his office put out a statement noting the GOP Senate bill did not offer a replacement to actually reform our health care system and deliver affordable, quality health care to our citizens. The author of this piece, Jim Geraghty, concludes: Its very difficult to characterize McCains decision as leading the fight to stop Obamacare. Thats more like leading the fight to keep Obamacare in place while you continue to look for a replacement that you like better. John McCain burns Mitch McConnell sides with Democrats (American Spectator) When McConnell, the majority leader, stood on the Senate floor Friday after the bills failure, he was clearly annoyed. McCains no vote had led to applause moments earlier from Democrats. In a move thats no surprise to anyone, John McCain voted against the embarrassingly named Skinny Repeal, voted against his party (or is it his party?) and voted to keep Obamacare going as is, writes Melissa Mackenzie. Facebook

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Meet the two female GOP senators who opposed the healthcare bill from the start By Kelcey Caulder Sen. John McCain shocked Republicans and Democrats alike with his vote early Friday morning to kill the latest Republican effort to repeal Obamacare. But McCain was not the only Republican to play a role in blocking the final version of the overhaul bill. Two female Republican lawmakers, Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, also voted against the bill. Collins has opposed repeal and replace efforts from the beginning, and Murkowski has also been critical of much of what the Senate Republican leadership has proposed. Collins said it would be a big mistake for Republicans to pass legislation without trying seriously to work with Democrats to reach bipartisan solutions. Instead, she called for both parties to work together to improve the healthcare system. Murkowski and Collins were the first from their party to come out against repealing the ACA without having new, replacement legislation on the table. In statements posted on Twitter, Collins, who voted against the same proposal in 2015, said she did not think it was constructive to repeal the law without a replacement, while Murkowski encouraged senators from both sides of the aisle to work together to address healthcare issues. I will vote no on the motion to proceed to repeal the Affordable Care Act without a replacement. I voted against this same proposal in 2015. pic.twitter.com/Szuke5zYNL  Sen. Susan Collins (@SenatorCollins) July 18, 2017 My recent statement on the Senate Healthcare Process: pic.twitter.com/j19Ok1KwWw  Sen. Lisa Murkowski (@lisamurkowski) July 18, 2017 The two senators were also the only Republicans to vote against opening debate on repeal of Obamacare earlier this week. Their opposition to Republican healthcare efforts has drawn a lot of criticism within the party, some of it expressed in vulgar, even violent terms. Georgia Rep. Buddy Carter said in an interview Wednesday with MSNBC: Somebody needs to go over there to that Senate and snatch a knot in their ass. A Texas congressman said the female senators narrowly avoided an Aaron Burr-style showdown with him. President Trump publicly rebuked Murkowski on Twitter for her vote. Senator @lisamurkowski of the Great State of Alaska really let the Republicans, and our country, down yesterday. Too bad!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 26, 2017 Trump has not criticized Collins by name for her vote, but warned Tuesday at a rally in Ohio that any senator who votes against repeal and replace is telling America that they are fine with the Obamacare nightmare, and I predict theyll have a lot of problems. Facebook

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The current Senate GOP effort to repeal Obamacare is dead. Now what? By Noam N. Levey (J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press) The sudden collapse of the GOPs Senate campaign to repeal or replace the Affordable Care Act does not mean the issue disappears. Significant problems and challenges remain, particularly for Obamacare insurance marketplaces. The defeat increases the odds that Congress will begin to look at a more limited approach to shore up the current law and stabilize markets. The GOPs repeal effort may return, but in the meantime heres a look at what a temporary fix might look like: Read More Facebook

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Paul Ryan responds to the failure of the GOP healthcare bill By Associated Press House Speaker Paul Ryan said Friday that hes disappointed and frustrated by the failure of Republican healthcare legislation in the Senate. But Ryan said in a statement that we should not give up after promising for years to repeal and replace Obamacare. We were sent to Washington to fulfill the pledges we made to our constituents, the statement said. While the House delivered a bill to repeal and replace Obamacare, unfortunately the Senate was unable to reach a consensus. At the same time, the speaker said that overhauling the tax code is at the top of the Houses list of priorities. He pledged to pursue historic tax reform in the fall. He issued his statement as the House prepared to leave Washington for its annual August recess. The House passed legislation repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act in May. But after a failed vote early Friday in the Senate, its not clear if GOP leaders will be able to resuscitate the efforts. Facebook

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Economic growth rebounded to 2.6% annual rate in second quarter By Jim Puzzanghera The Port of Los Angeles (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times) The U.S. economy rebounded this spring after a weak winter, expanding at a solid 2.6% annual rate as consumers picked up their spending pace, the Commerce Department said Friday. Total economic output, also known as gross domestic product, for the April-through-June period was in line with analyst expectations for a bounce-back based in part on pent-up demand. The economic growth rate was more than double the 1.2% pace in the first quarter. That figure was revised down Friday from an earlier estimate of 1.4%. After the winter blues, the economy has rebounded, said Sung Won Sohn, an economist at Cal State Channel Islands. Read More Facebook

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Never mind healthcare. President Trump has made slogans great again By Mark Z. Barabak ( (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)) His promise to repeal and replace Obamacare has crashed and burned. Tax reform hasnt gotten far. The White House is in disarray, and big plans to rebuild the nations infrastructure have hit a brick wall. But there is one unimpeachable triumph President Trump can point to: Hes made great again great again. The Make America Great Again 2016 campaign slogan  limned in block letters and emblazoned on countless cherry-red ball caps  has been reimagined, repurposed and cheekily appropriated for countless pitches and commercial products. Apart from the now-familiar caps, mercantile options include aprons, beanies, beer cozys, coffee mugs, hoodies, leggings, swimsuits, T-shirts, water bottles and, for the special someone, Donald Trump Make America Great Again Womens Booty Shorts. But MAGA, as the president short-hands the phrase in Twitter posts, is also popping up in places having little or nothing to do with politics: on a catwalk at New Yorks Fashion Week, high in the sky promoting classical music in Phoenix, on the menu at an Italian restaurant in Atlanta. Read More Facebook

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If Adam Schiff is Californias next U.S. senator, he might want to thank President Trump By Mark Z. Barabak (J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press) The road to elected office can be long and winding and is not always paved with the best of intentions. Some politicians  think of the Kennedys or the Bush family  are born to the trade. Others are borne by tragedy. Former Santa Barbara Rep. Lois Capps succeeded her husband when he died of a heart attack. Former New York Rep. Carolyn McCarthy was spurred to run when her husband was killed and her son gravely wounded in a mass shooting on the Long Island Rail Road. Typically, though, the ascension is more methodical, one rung after the next, often with a pinch of right-place, right-time fortune thrown in for good measure. Lately that bit of luck has visited itself on Adam B. Schiff, in the form of Russian meddling and a president who hurls tweets like poison thunderbolts. Read More Facebook

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Kris Kobach says Trumps voter fraud panel will keep voter data secure. Some states arent buying it By Kurtis Lee (Jessica McGowan / Getty Images) After weeks of legal battles and bipartisan pushback from top election officials nationwide, President Trumps voter fraud commission has renewed a message for the states: Its safe to pass along your data about voters. Individuals voter registration records will be kept confidential and secure throughout the duration of the commissions existence, Kris Kobach, vice chairman of the commission, wrote in a letter sent late Wednesday to all 50 secretaries of state. Even so, by Thursday, much of the criticism that greeted an earlier request from the commission was repeated by election officials and activists, who have expressed concerns about privacy and have called the panel both a sham created by an insecure president and a tool to suppress votes. Trump  without evidence  has repeatedly alleged that 3 million to 5 million illegal votes were cast in last years presidential election. (Trump prevailed in the electoral college, while Democrat Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by about 3 million votes.) Read More Facebook

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President Trump said our guys are rougher than the violent gang MS-13. What did he mean? By Brian Bennett (SAUL LOEB / AFP ) When President Trump said this week his administration is going after bloodthirsty criminal gangs like the notoriously violent MS-13, he added a menacing flourish: Our guys are rougher than their guys. The comment raised concerns that Trump was instructing immigration agents to use excessive force when going after suspected gang members. Not so, Trumps top spokeswoman said on Thursday. I think the president means that our guys are going to do whatever it takes to protect Americans, protect American lives, protect our borders, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in response to a question about what Trump meant by rougher. Trump wants people to do their jobs, not go beyond the scope of what they should do, Sanders said. Trumps comment came during a rally in Youngstown, Ohio, on Tuesday night. We are throwing MS-13 the hell out of here so fast, he said, boasting that his administration is liberating towns and cities from gangs. And, well, I will just tell you this, were not doing it in a politically correct fashion, Trump added. Were doing it rough. Our guys are rougher than their guys. Trumps comment was meant to boost morale among immigration officers looking to arrest and deport gang members, said one senior administration official, who would speak only without being identified to discuss the presidents thinking. As part of Trumps crackdown on immigrants in the country illegally, he has instructed the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency to target a suspected gang member for deportation before that person has been convicted of a crime, said ICE director Thomas Homan. Homan joined Sanders at her daily briefing at the White House. The two spoke to preview the presidents Friday trip to Long Island, N.Y., where he will tout his administrations efforts against MS-13 and other gangs. For Trump, who grew up in Queens, recent headlines about MS-13 violence in central Long Island have hit close to home. In April, four young men were found hacked to death in a park in Central Islip, N.Y., a senior administration official told reporters Thursday night. He is a New Yorker and he knows New York, the administration official said. It is absolutely a personal issue. And he knows whats happening in New York -- and its not just Long Island -- is a tragedy and there are communities like that all across America. Facebook

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Boy Scouts chief apologizes for presidents political rhetoric at national Jamboree. Trump wont By Brian Bennett President Trump wont apologize for a surprisingly political speech this week to Boy Scouts that provoked a backlash for his attacks on his predecessor, his election rival, dissident Republicans and the news media. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders delivered that word on Thursday, just after a top executive of the Boy Scouts of America issued an apology on behalf of the organization for allowing the political rhetoric to occur during Trumps address Monday evening at the National Scout Jamboree held in West Virginia. Michael Surbaugh, the organizations chief executive, in a statement extended his sincere apologies to those in our Scouting family who were offended by the political rhetoric that was inserted into the jamboree. He noted that the groups invitation to the president to speak was in keeping with a long-standing tradition since 1937; eight of 11 incumbent presidents have attended. But, Surbaugh wrote, we have steadfastly remained non-partisan and refused to comment on political matters. We sincerely regret that politics were inserted into the Scouting program. At the White House, however, Sanders indicated that neither she nor Trump saw any reason to apologize, or considered his remarks in any way out of line. I was at that event and I saw nothing but roughly 40,000 to 45,000 Boy Scouts cheering the president on throughout his remarks, Sanders said. I think they were pretty excited that he was there and happy to hear him speak to them, she added. Sanders said she had not seen the statement from the Boy Scouts chief. During his rambling 38-minute speech to the Scouts in Glen Jean, W.Va., Trump criticized Hillary Clinton and President Obama and singled out congressional Republicans who were not in lockstep with him on healthcare. He got much applause and supportive chants from his audience, and even credited the Scouts -- who are too young to vote -- for being among the millions who elected him. But almost immediately, the Boy Scouts organization was inundated with protests from former Scouts, parents and others angered by the presidents partisan words. Facebook

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Trumps words kind of hurtful, Sessions says, but he has no plans to resign By Joseph Tanfani President Trumps scathing criticisms have been kind of hurtful, Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions said Thursday, even as he again signaled that he wants to stay on the job. He wants all of us to do our job, and thats what I intend to do, Sessions said in an interview with Tucker Carlson of Fox News. Separately, Sessions told the Associated Press that it hasnt been my best week  for my relationship with the president. He made the comment in El Salvador, during a visit to highlight joint efforts to take on the MS-13 gang. The attorney general said he hadnt met with Trump but looked forward to talking to him about it. If he wants to make a change, he has every right, Sessions said. I serve at the pleasure of the president. Ive understood that from the day I took the job. But, he said, I believe with great confidence that I understand what is needed in the Department of Justice and what President Trump wants. I share his agenda. The comments were the first this week on the subject from Sessions, who has been subjected to harshly critical tweets from Trump for three days. The president has called him weak and said he wasnt aggressive enough in going after leakers. Last week, after Trump criticized Sessions in a New York Times interview, Sessions told reporters he planned to stay on as long as it was appropriate. Sessions has seemed to redouble his attempts this week to win back the presidents favor. He announced another crackdown on so-called sanctuary cities that dont cooperate with immigration enforcement and on Friday traveled to El Salvador to highlight arrests of MS-13 gang members, both favorite topics of the president. The Justice Department also plans to address leaks next week. Sessions said his department was stepping up leak investigations. Some people need to go to jail, he said. The president has every right to ask the DOJ to be more aggressive on that, and we intend to. On Wednesday evening, after Anthony Scaramucci , Trumps incoming communications director, falsely claimed in a tweet that hed been the victim of a leak, Sessions chief spokeswoman released a statement agreeing that leaks are undermining the government and promising to aggressively pursue leak cases wherever they may lead. Trump has made it clear that he is most angry with Sessions for recusing himself from supervising the ongoing investigation into his administrations ties with Russia. But Sessions defended that decision. I understand his feeling about it because this has been a big distraction for him, he said on Fox. Im confident I made the right decision, the decision thats consistent with the rule of law, and an attorney general who doesnt follow the law is not very effective at leading the Department of Justice, he said. In the interview, Sessions reached back to Trumps campaign slogan to praise the president as a strong leader. He is determined to move this country in the direction that he believes it needs to go to make it great again, he said. Sessions has received considerable support in recent days from conservative Republicans, including many of his former Senate colleagues. On Thursday, Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) went to the Senate floor to discourage Trump from moving against Sessions, saying that the Senate would not allow the president to make a recess appointment that would bypass the normal confirmation process. A recess appointment would allow Trump to appoint a person who could serve without confirmation until the start of 2019. Such appointments can only be made if the Senate formally takes a break, which senators of both parties have said they will avoid in order to prevent Trump from avoiding confirmations. If youre thinking of making a recess appointment to push out the attorney general, forget about it, Sasse said. The presidency isnt a bull, and this country isnt a china shop. 1:55 p.m.: This post was updated with additional remarks by Sessions and remarks by Sen. Ben Sasse. 5:50: This post was updated with additional quotes from Sessions interview. Facebook

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For Trump White House, cable television becomes the venue for intramural sniping By Noah Bierman President Trump and his aides love to complain about leaks from within the White House. But on Thursday, the infighting was out in the open. The incoming communications director, Anthony Scaramucci, in a morning phone call broadcast on CNN, compared the West Wing to a fish that stinks from the head down, implying that White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus is responsible for at least some of the leaks. Later, Trump press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders declined to come to Priebuss defense and say whether Trump has full confidence in his chief of staff. Another Trump advisor, Kellyanne Conway, used a prison analogy for the broader backstabbing among aides, telling Fox News that her West Wing colleagues were using the press to shiv each other. While the knifings might suggest a new level of chaos in a White House known for it, the style is all Trump. As a businessman, he has a history of fostering rivalries among his employees. He always did sort of like competition, backstabbing, infighting kind of stuff, said Barbara Res, who spent nearly two decades as a top executive in Trumps real estate business. He set people up to do that. Trump led the charge this week, using his Twitter account and an interview with the Wall Street Journal to ridicule his attorney general, Jeff Sessions, one of Trumps first and most prominent campaign supporters. By Thursday, both Priebus and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson were seeing their fates publicly debated, less than a week after Sean Spicer was forced out as press secretary after months of speculation and presidential slights. The Priebus intrigue was amplified by Scaramucci on Twitter and in the CNN interview. He blamed Priebus for leaking Scaramuccis personal financial disclosure forms -- which are publicly available -- and suggested that Trump encouraged Scaramuccis offensive in a phone conversation the two men had just before the aide dialed into CNN. When Sanders was asked about the Scaramucci-Priebus dustup, she said that the president likes healthy competition on his staff. The president likes that kind of competition and encourages it, Sanders said. The result is a White House that increasingly suggests the presidents former way of life. As the star of a reality TV show, he fomented internal competition and firings among apprentices; their cable television appearances, meanwhile, recall the confessionals familiar to reality show fans, in which characters confide directly to the camera their anger or enmity toward others on the show. The primary attribute for a successful tenure in the Trump White House is masochism, tweeted Rick Wilson, a longtime Republican operative and Trump critic. The repeated evidence of dysfunction and the high level of insecurity among Trumps core aides help explain the White Houses inability to focus on its agenda. Trumps critics voiced suspicions on Twitter that the public staff blow-up was a deliberate distraction from the struggle in Congress to pass a healthcare bill, as well as from the ongoing investigations into potential collusion between his presidential campaign and Russia and the backlash to Trumps surprise Twitter announcement on Wednesday that transgender people will be barred from military service. But those issues also were being heavily covered on cable news. The stories that were overshadowed were those Trump was trying to promote: a deal his administration helped strike with Foxconn to build a production facility in Wisconsin, possibly creating thousands of new jobs, and nascent efforts to craft a tax overhaul plan. Facebook

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Democrats criticize financial industry backgrounds of two Trump bank regulator nominees By Jim Puzzanghera Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). (Joe Raedle / Getty Images) Senate Democrats on Thursday criticized the financial industry backgrounds of President Trumps nominees for two key banking regulatory positions, arguing they would not protect the interests of average Americans. Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and others sharply questioned Joseph Otting, the former chief executive of Pasadenas OneWest Bank, and investment fund manager Randal Quarles during a confirmation hearing by the Senate Banking Committee. Trump nominated Otting to be the comptroller of the currency, a powerful regulator of national banks. Quarles has been tapped to be the Federal Reserves vice chairman for supervision, who is in charge of the Feds oversight of the nations largest bank holding companies and other regulatory efforts. The two are expected to be friendlier to the banking industry than recent Democratic appointees. Read More Facebook

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Senator warns Trump there will be holy hell to pay if he fires Sessions By Joseph Tanfani A prominent Republican Senator issued a blunt warning to President Trump not to interfere with the Russia investigation, saying any effort to get rid of special counsel Robert S. Mueller III could be the beginning of the end of the Trump presidency. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, told reporters Thursday that there will be holy hell to pay if Trump fires Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions, a favorite of conservatives who represented Alabama in the Senate for 20 years. Grahams warning was the sternest yet from Senate Republicans to Trump about the potential consequences of firing either Sessions or Mueller. The chairman of the Senate judiciary committee, Sen. Charles Grassley, (R-Iowa), issued his own warning in a tweet Wednesday night, saying his committee would not take up a nomination of a replacement attorney general this year, which is required before the Senate can vote to confirm. Everybody in D.C. Shld b warned that the agenda for the judiciary Comm is set for rest of 2017. Judges first subcabinet 2nd / AG no way  ChuckGrassley (@ChuckGrassley) July 27, 2017 Starting with an interview in the New York Times last week and continuing with a three-day barrage of critical tweets, Trump has raged at Sessions for his decision to recuse himself from supervising the investigation into the Russian attempts to influence the election, and into whether anybody involved in Trumps campaign participated in the scheme. Trump also has bitterly complained about Mueller, whom he has accused of leading a witch hunt, and Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod J. Rosenstein, who appointed Mueller and who is now supervising the probe. Justice Department regulations say that only the attorney general, or in this case Rosenstein acting in his place, can fire the special counsel. If Sessions were gone, Trump could try to appoint a replacement willing to carry out the firing. Graham said he will introduce a bill next week that would require court review if anyone tried to fire a special counsel who was investigating the president. I think Ill get all the Democrats and I hope to get a good number of Republicans, he said, adding that the enacting such a law is not just for Trump but for any future president. We need a check and balance here. Graham said Trumps campaign to marginalize and humiliate the attorney general is not going over well in the Senate or among conservatives. He also said Trump, who has called on Sessions to investigate his former rival Hillary Clinton, has gone way beyond what is acceptable in a rule of law nation. This is not draining the swamp, he said. What hes interjecting is turning democracy upside down..taking 200-year-old concepts that were a nation of laws and not men and trying to turn it upside down. Sen. Graham: "Any effort to go after Mueller could be the beginning of the end of the Trump presidency." https://t.co/6Pd60LrGRU pic.twitter.com/EXBOwBC35C  ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) July 27, 2017 Facebook

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Watch live: White House news briefing with Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders Facebook

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Trump administration threatens to retaliate against Alaska for GOP senators Obamacare repeal vote, news site reports By Noam N. Levey The Trump administration threatened to block federal aid to Alaska in an effort to bully one of the Republican senators opposed to the current Senate GOP push to roll back the Affordable Care Act, according to a report by the Alaska Dispatch News. The news site reports that Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke on Wednesday called Alaska Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan with a warning that Murkowskis vote had put Alaskas future with the administration in jeopardy. According to the report: Sullivan said the call from Zinke heralded a troubling message. Im not going to go into the details, but I fear that the strong economic growth, pro-energy, pro-mining, pro-jobs and personnel from Alaska who are part of those policies are going to stop, Sullivan said. I tried to push back on behalf of all Alaskans.  Were facing some difficult times and theres a lot of enthusiasm for the policies that Secretary Zinke and the president have been talking about with regard to our economy. But the message was pretty clear, Sullivan said. The threat followed disparaging comments made by the president about Murkowski, including a Twitter attack Wednesday morning Senator @lisamurkowski of the Great State of Alaska really let the Republicans, and our country, down yesterday. Too bad! Trump wrote. Murkowski dismissed the presidents attacks in an interview with MSNBC. Were here to govern. Were here to legislate, she said. Were here to represent the people who sent us here. And so every day shouldnt be about campaigning. Every day shouldnt be about winning elections. How about just doing a little bit of governing around here? Thats what Im here for. Murkowski and Maine Sen. Susan Collins were the only Republicans who voted against a procedural motion Tuesday to begin debating legislation rolling back the 2010 healthcare law, often called Obamacare. Sullivan, also a Republican, voted in favor of advancing the bill. Murkowski has urged a more open process to develop the legislation, which Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky) has put together behind closed doors without committee hearings or input from Democrats. A spokeswoman for Zinke did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Facebook

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Iran angered by report that Trump wants additional nuclear inspections By Shashank Bengali Iran responded angrily Thursday to reports that the Trump administration would push for inspections of military facilities to ensure Tehran is complying with the 2015 nuclear deal. Iran will not succumb to further pressure, Hamid Reza Taraghi, a hard-line analyst who is close to Irans leadership, told The Times. Taraghi did not say whether Iran would refuse inspectors access to military facilities but insisted the Islamic Republic was complying with the agreement, which required Iran to shelve its nuclear program in exchange for relief from economic sanctions. President Trump has said he wants to tear up the deal and doesnt believe Iran is complying, although his administration certified it was in a report to Congress this month. The Associated Press reported Thursday that Trump was pushing for inspections of suspicious Iranian military sites, either to prove that Iran was violating the deal or force it to refuse, which could cause the agreement to collapse. Iranian officials have argued in the past that inspections of military sites would be off-limits. But under the agreement it signed with the United States and five other world powers, Iran agreed to the so-called Additional Protocol, which allows U.N. inspectors limited access to any site where illicit nuclear activity is suspected. Taraghi, a former lawmaker, said the Additional Protocol allowed for snap inspections and that international inspectors had installed closed-circuit cameras in all nuclear-related facilities. They have access to everything going on here on the ground, Taraghi said. What else do they want to know? It was not immediately clear what military sites the Trump administration was seeking to have inspected, or whether it had evidence that Iran was breaching the terms of the deal. U.N. inspectors monitoring Irans compliance had not requested access to military facilities as of July 25, according to a paper published Thursday by Mark Fitzpatrick, executive director of the International Institute for Strategic Studies in Washington. If US has good evidence of #Iran violations, then an inspection request is warranted, Fitzpatrick tweeted. A request designed to trap Iran into saying no isnt. Facebook

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Top U.S. general says Pentagon will not change policy on transgender troops until White House acts By W.J. Hennigan The nations senior military officer said Thursday that there will be no modifications to Pentagon policies for now despite President Trump social media posts declaring a ban on transgender troops in uniform. Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, wrote in a memo to commanders and senior enlisted leaders of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines that the military will continue to treat all of our personnel with respect. Dunford said Pentagon policy on transgender troops would not change until the White House has issued Trumps directive to Secretary of Defense James Mattis through formal channels  not on Twitter  and the secretarys office issues guidance on implementation to the service chiefs. Its unclear when that might happen. The unusual memo appeared intended to calm widespread confusion and concern at the Pentagon, which was blindsided when Trump wrote Wednesday that Pentagon would not accept or allow transgender troops to serve in any capacity. The presidents posts appeared to reverse a year-old Pentagon policy that allowed transgender soldiers to openly serve for the first time, and to seek sex reassignment surgery, hormone therapy and other treatments at military hospitals. Trumps surprise announcement not only marked a retreat for the Pentagon push to bar gender-based discrimination. It also was an about-face for Trump, who had repeatedly vowed his support for the LGBT community during the campaign last year. The posts raised questions about the fate of thousands of transgender service members, including some deployed overseas, and whether they would be kicked out of the military under Trumps directive. Dunfords memo appeared to address those fears, at least for the short term. There will be no modifications to the current policy until the Presidents direction has been received by the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary has issued implementation guidance, he wrote. In the meantime, we will continue to treat all of our personnel with respect, he added. As importantly, given the current fight and the challenges we face, we will all remain focused on accomplishing our assigned missions. In his tweets, Trump said he had decided to bar transgender troops because the military cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail. Experts said neither justification was accurate or fair since the expected medical costs were negligible and transgender troops have been openly serving for the past year without disruption. The sweeping declaration drew rebuke from war veterans and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender advocacy groups, who vowed to challenge Trump in federal court if self-identified transgender service members are forced out of the military. VoteVets, a liberal military veterans advocacy group, said Thursday it had collected more than 20,000 signatures from veterans, military families and other supporters to oppose the ban. Facebook

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Analysis: Trumps war against elites and expertise By Cathleen Decker (Saul Loeb / AFP/Getty Images) When President Trump campaigned this spring at the Hermitage, the home of Andrew Jackson, one part of his predecessors approach got a special endorsement. It was during the Revolution that Jackson first confronted and defied an arrogant elite. Does that sound familiar? Trump asked to laughs from his audience. When Trump ally and National Rifle Assn. President Wayne LaPierre teed off six weeks later on Americas greatest domestic threats, he cited not homegrown terrorists but what he termed the three most dangerous voices in America: academic elites, political elites, and media elites. The rhetoric against elites came from two men who would seem to be card-carrying members of the club: LaPierre made more than $5 million in 2015, the most recent year for which his compensation was publicly released. Trump lived before his inauguration in a gold-plated home in the sky above New Yorks Fifth Avenue, a billionaires luxurious domain. Yet for Trump and his allies, a war on elites has been central to the campaign which put him in the presidency and has maintained the loyalty of his core voters. Trump has taken particular aim at entities that could counter his power, which has helped stoke the ardor of his political backers. Read More Facebook

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Top Trump advisor Kellyanne Conway says colleagues using the press to shiv each other By Noah Bierman White House staffers continued their angry campaign against leaks -- and each other -- as top advisor Kellyanne Conway used vivid language in a Fox interview Thursday to denounce colleagues who are using the press to shiv each other in the ribs. The comments came shortly after Anthony Scaramucci, the new White House communications director, delivered his own attack on leakers -- all but blaming Reince Priebus, the White House chief of staff -- in an interview on CNN. If the Trump White House at times resembles a reality show, cable television has become the confessional booth where the players vent their anger at each other. That dynamic was on vivid display Thursday morning. Kellyanne Conway: "Now, there are leaks, and then there are people using the press to shiv each other in the ribs. Thats different." (Fox)  David Wright (@DavidWright_CNN) July 27, 2017 Conway largely backed Scaramucci without explicitly taking sides in his public war against Priebus, whom he publicly suggested leaked Scaramuccis financial disclosure forms to the press. The forms are public and available through a request. We just have to cut down on people thinking its cute and its popular and it somehow enhances their resume and their portfolio for later on to curry favor with folks who are more interested in covering the style and not the substance here, Conway said of those who leak to he press. Asked specifically whether she agrees with Scaramucci that Priebus leaked the financial forms, Conway passed on the opportunity to defend Priebus. Leakers are easier to figure out than many think, she said, perhaps ominously given Scaramuccis threats to fire suspects. This West Wing is a very small place. Facebook

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Warfare in the West Wing breaks into the open as Scaramucci takes aim at Priebus By Brian Bennett A knife fight for control of the West Wing broke into the open Thursday morning as President Trumps new communications director Anthony Scaramucci lashed out at White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus in a televised interview, accusing Priebus of leaking and standing in the way of Trumps agenda. The fish stinks from the head down, I can tell you two fish that dont stink, OK, and thats me and the president, Scaramucci said, calling in to CNNs morning show New Day. I dont like the activity thats going in the White House, he said. Scaramucci, who had said the day he was named to the White House job that he and Priebus were like brothers, drastically amended that in the interview, comparing the two of them to the brothers who, in the Bible, were the characters in the first murder. Some brothers are like Cain and Abel, other brothers can fight with each other and get along. I dont know if this is reparable or not  that will be up to the president, he said. Scaramucci on his relationship with Reince: "Some brothers are like Cain and Abel." Uh, Cain killed Abel. https://t.co/UQ8F9HiXLx  Dan Merica (@merica) July 27, 2017 President Trump has a track record of encouraging rivalries among people who work for him. Scaramucci said he had spoken with Trump for 15 minutes to go over what he was going to say before he called CNN, implying his warning to Priebus carried Trumps backing. Trump, Scaramucci said, has given me his full support and his full blessing. When Scaramucci was hired, Trump told him he would report directly to the president, bypassing the chief of staff, and setting up the clash that played out Thursday on national television. If you want to talk about the chief of staff, we have had odds, we have had differences. When I said we were brothers from the podium, thats because were rough on each other, Scaramucci said. The tension between Scaramucci and Priebus flared after Politico published a story Wednesday about Scaramuccis publicly available financial disclosure form showing he still stands to profit from his stake in an investment firm he founded. The disclosure form was available to the public because Scaramucci had been nominated earlier this year for a job at the Export-Import Bank of the U.S., and the forms become public 30 days after they are filed. But Scaramucci, in a tweet Wednesday night, seemed to imply Priebus had leaked the form to make him look bad, or knew who did, and called for an FBI investigation. He later deleted the tweet, apparently after being informed that the form was not leaked. Over the last five days, Scaramucci said to CNN, he has done a major amount of work interviewing assistants to the president and communications staff. He also had dinner with Trump on Wednesday night in addition to his phone conversation with the president Thursday morning. The two of them want everyone to know we have a very, very good idea of who the leakers are, who the senior leakers are, in the White House, he said. Scaramucci took aim specifically at Priebus for leaking details about internal White House discussions and maneuvers. If Reince wants to explain that hes not a leaker, let him do that, Scaramucci said. Scaramucci appears to be giving voice to Trumps frustration with people in the White House the president believes are slowing down policy efforts, even though Trump has shown a pattern of repeatedly stepping on his own efforts on healthcare, job creation and other initiatives with unplanned tweets on topics such as Russia, transgender troops and unfounded allegations of voter fraud. There are people inside this administration who think its their job to save America from this president, Scaramucci said. Its not their jobs ... to rein him in or do things to him that slow down his agenda. People in the Washington are back-stabbers, Scaramucci said. Im more of a front-stabbing person. Facebook

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Scaramucci tweets, then deletes, confusing statement that referred to information in Politico report as a leak By Colleen Shalby In a now deleted tweet, incoming White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci sent out a confusing statement Wednesday night, addressing information reported earlier by Politico as a leak. The article reported on Scaramuccis financial disclosures. According to Politico, those details had been filed with the Office of Government Ethics, so its unclear what  if anything  was leaked information. Scaramuccis tweet further confused as it ended with White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus Twitter handle. Just before those characters, he noted that he intended to contact the FBI and the Justice Department. Some speculated that Scaramucci was implying that Priebus was behind the leak. But in a new tweet roughly two hours after the original, he tweeted what appeared to be a clarification, correcting a headline of news site Axios. Wrong! Tweet was public notice to leakers that all Sr Adm officials are helping to end illegal leaks, he tweeted, ending it  once again  with Priebus handle. Wrong! Tweet was public notice to leakers that all Sr Adm officials are helping to end illegal leaks. @Reince45 pic.twitter.com/AB0reseuX1  Anthony Scaramucci (@Scaramucci) July 27, 2017 Five days ago, Scaramucci, responding to a question about reported tensions between him and the chief of staff, said he and Priebus are a little bit like brothers, where we rough each other up a little, which is totally normal for brothers. 10:15 p.m. PT: This post was originally published at 8:52 p.m. It was updated with information from Scaramuccis new tweet. Facebook

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Senate Judiciary chair fires off warning to Trump about Sessions By David Lauter Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa), the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, fired off an unmistakable warning to President Trump on Wednesday evening: Dont even think about trying to get a new attorney general confirmed this year. Trump has been publicly tormenting Jeff Sessions, appearing to want to push the attorney general into stepping down from his job. But in a tweet, Grassley made it clear that if Trump pushed Sessions out, he would have to live with an acting attorney general for a long time. Everybody in D.C. Shld b warned that the agenda for the judiciary Comm is set for rest of 2017. Judges first subcabinet 2nd / AG no way  ChuckGrassley (@ChuckGrassley) July 27, 2017 Any nominee for attorney general would have to pass through the Judiciary Committee before getting a confirmation vote, so Grassleys no way would be a formidable barrier. Grassley has been an administration loyalist on nearly all issues so far, but as a veteran senator, he has a strong independent streak and, as previous administrations have found, he can be implacable if angered. His message comes as conservative allies rally support for Sessions. Several other Republican senators have spoken out in favor of the attorney general, a former colleague who was well liked during his years as senator from Alabama. Senate Democrats already have said they would use procedural motions to prevent the Senate from formally going on a recess this summer, blocking Trump from making a recess appointment that would bypass the Senate. Republicans used similar maneuvers to block recess appointments by President Obama. If Sessions were to step down and not be replaced, Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod Rosenstein would become acting attorney general. Trump has been critical of Rosenstein as well as Sessions, so that option presumably would not appeal to him. Facebook

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Under fire from Trump, Sessions should stay focused on his job, White House says By Joseph Tanfani (Alex Brandon / Associated Press) In spite of a daily barrage of Twitter attacks from President Trump, the White House press secretary said Wednesday that Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions should stay focused on performing his duties as the nations top law enforcement officer. You can be disappointed in someone and still want someone to continue to do their job, Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Wednesday, hours after Trump criticized Sessions for the third straight day  this time for not replacing acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe. Sessions was one of Trumps earliest and most loyal supporters, but the relationship has turned icy as Trump continues to seethe about Sessions decision to step aside from supervising the investigation into alleged Russian interference with last years election. Sessions was at the White House for meetings Wednesday, the second time this week hes visited the West Wing, but once again did not see Trump, Sanders said. Sanders did not clear up the main question surrounding Trumps strategy of publicly battering the attorney general: If the president is so unhappy, why doesnt he simply fire Sessions? Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said Wednesday that Trumps apparent attempt to humiliate Sessions into quitting was a sign of weakness. To me, weakness is when you play around the edges, and you dont use the power you have, Graham said in an interview on CNN. Sanders said that Trump wants Sessions to continue to lead the Department of Justice. He wants him to focus on things like immigration, leaks and a number of other issues, she said. One of Trumps public complaints has been that Sessions hasnt been aggressive enough in pursuing leakers of classified information. In fact, the Justice Department is expected to announce next week some leak prosecutions. On Tuesday, Sessions also announced new measures to cut off some federal funds to so-called sanctuary cities that dont cooperate with immigration enforcement, another favorite issue for the president. But Sanders added that, at this point, a leak investigation would not salvage Sessions standing with Trump. I dont think thats the nature of the relationship, she said. In two tweets Wednesday morning, Trump criticized Sessions for not replacing McCabe, whose wife ran for office as a Democrat in Virginia in 2015. He suggested that McCabe had a conflict of interest in his duties as deputy director of the FBI during the investigation of Hillary Clintons handling of classified emails as secretary of State, although McCabe did not move into that job until months after his wifes campaign was over. McCabe took over the bureau as acting director when Trump fired James B. Comey in May. Sanders also declined to answer a question on why Trump did not fire McCabe himself, saying only that Trump looked forward to seeing his nominee as FBI director, Christopher Wray, be confirmed by the Senate soon. Facebook

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Trump, on Twitter, announced a ban on transgender service members. Now the military has to figure out what he means By Brian Bennett (Alex Brandon / Associated Press) President Trump surprised even the Pentagon on Wednesday morning by his unexpected announcement, via Twitter, of a ban on transgender service members. The military has not had a chance to decide how to put such a ban into effect, acknowledged Trumps top spokeswoman, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, as she fielded numerous questions on the topic later from White House reporters. Secretary of Defense James Mattis, who was on vacation, wasnt informed until Tuesday that Trump had decided to bar transgender service members from serving in any way. Sometimes you have to make a decision and once he made a decision, he didnt feel it was necessary to hold that decision, Sanders said. The president concluded, based on consultations with his national security team, that allowing transgender individuals to serve erodes military readiness and unit cohesion, she said. White House and Pentagon officials had been discussing details of medical coverage for transgender service members on active duty. But Trump went far beyond that with his series of tweets that the military will not accept or allow transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the military. It will be up to the Defense Department to determine the specifics of the policy, including whether active-duty transgender service members will be kicked out of the military, Sanders said. Estimates of the number of current service members who are transgender range from 1,300 to about 16,000. The implementation policy is going to be something that the White House and Department of Defense will have to work together to lawfully determine, Sanders said. I would imagine the Department of Defense will be the lead on that, she added. Trumps tweets overshadowed other announcements he had planned to make Wednesday about adding manufacturing jobs to the economy and donating $100,000 of his second-quarter paycheck to the Department of Education to support science and math education. The president has expressed concerns since this Obama policy came into effect, Sanders said. She added that the president considered allowing transgender people in the ranks is a very expensive and disruptive policy. At one point, an exasp
Its official: Disney Cruise Line plans to build a seventh ship to be completed by 2022, a move that almost doubles the size of the companys fleet. The announcement came Saturday at the D23 Expo for Disney fans in Anaheim.

The company last year revealed plans to build two new ships, with estimated finish dates of 2021 and 2023. It currently operates four ships, which in the U.S. sail from San Diego, Miami and Port Canaveral in Florida, New York City, San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Galveston, Texas.

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Bob Chapek shared the news during the weekend expo. The newly announced ship as well as the other two will be built at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany.

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Few details about the new ships were given, except to say that each would have about 1,250 staterooms, slightly larger than Disneys newest ships, according to a news release.

All ship names, design plans and itineraries are still in development, with each of the ships expected to have their own unique experiences, the statement said.

Disney jumped into the cruise business in 1998. Its newest ships, Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy, added features such as a water coaster called the AquaDuck and virtual portholes for interior staterooms, which provide real-time outside views as well as animated Disney characters.

Info: Disney Cruise Line, (888) 325-2500 or contact a travel agent

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travel@latimes.com

Twitter: @latimestravel
In Pakistans short, turbulent history, every prime ministership has ended in dismissal, resignation, assassination or a military coup. No premier in 70 years has completed the full five-year term.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif  who has been ousted twice before  was on track to end that streak. But now he faces a new and unusual type of ignominy: He could be done in by a corruption scandal involving leaked documents, London apartments and a Microsoft font.

Pakistans Supreme Court opened hearings Monday following a report by an investigative panel that concluded Sharif, his two sons and daughter had lied about their offshore wealth and held assets they couldnt afford based on their known sources of income.

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The judges could dismiss Sharif from office or order him to be tried on charges of corruption and money laundering. The 67-year-old prime minister has denied all the allegations and dismissed the investigation into his wealth as a piece of trash.

The saga  a Shakespearean drama updated for the computer age  has gripped a country accustomed to political turmoil and rocked a government that until recently seemed likely to finish its term next year and even win re-election based on its economic record.

It is a strange case, said Khawar Ghumman, a journalist and political commentator in Islamabad.

Last year, Sharif became one of the highest ranking world leaders to be touched by the Panama Papers  documents leaked from a Panamanian law firm that revealed how some of the worlds rich and well connected stash their wealth in secret accounts overseas.

The documents showed that Sharifs two sons and a daughter  Maryam Nawaz, his presumed political heir  owned apartments in Londons swanky Hyde Park through two offshore companies based in the British Virgin Islands. While Sharif was not named as owner of any of the properties, political opponents immediately filed lawsuits demanding he explain how his family came to acquire the expensive real estate.

Opposition leader Imran Khan, Sharifs main rival, then threatened to march on the capital, prompting the Supreme Court to take up the case in November. At the time, it seemed the case would go the way of so many judicial inquiries in Pakistan, delayed and excessively lawyered until it was forgotten.

In April, with pressure from opposition parties rising, the court decided it needed more time and appointed a six-member team to investigate the allegations, although it said Sharif could remain in office.

The investigators issued their 10-volume report last week, and it was a bombshell. It accuses Sharif of lying to investigators about his overseas assets and concealing an offshore company in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, of which he was chairman  and recommended that Sharif and his children be tried for corruption.

Perhaps most embarrassing, the probe found that Maryam Nawaz had falsified documents, dated February 2006, that she said showed that she was not an owner of the two offshore companies but merely a trustee. A British forensics company told investigators that the documents were written in Calibri, a Microsoft sans serif-style font that was not commercially available until 2007.

Suddenly, font-gate trended on social media in Pakistan. Headline writers had a field day: A case of sans serif to sans Sharif, cackled Indias Economic Times.

Resignation is not enough, opposition leader Khan said last week. The Sharif familys next home will be Adiala prison.

Political analysts said the report was damaging enough that the court would be forced to recommend, at the very least, that Sharif be tried on corruption charges.

I am unable to understand how he will fight back, said Nasim Zehra, a political analyst in Islamabad. I dont think Nawaz Sharif and his family can play the victim card after this extensive report.

Through it all, Sharif, who had been ousted as prime minister twice before making a political comeback in 2013, has resolutely maintained his innocence. Last month, he took the bold step of bashing the investigation at a news conference in London  outside one of the very apartment buildings at the center of the probe.

On Monday, lawyers representing Sharif argued before the Supreme Court that the investigation team had overstepped its authority and that its findings were based on orchestrated suspicions and unfounded conjectures.

Sharif has said he is the target of conspirators whom he wont name  although many analysts believe he is referring to Pakistans powerful military establishment, with which he has often clashed. The army has ruled Pakistan for most of its history, and it was then-army chief Gen. Pervez Musharraf who ousted Sharif in a coup in 1999.

Two of the six members of the investigation team are connected to the military, adding fuel to Sharifs allegations. He has also accused the investigators of failing to interview one of his key witnesses  a former Qatari prime minister, Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber al Thani, who has said that the London properties were acquired with dividends from investments in Qatari businesses held by Sharifs late father, a steel tycoon.

The hearing was expected to resume Tuesday and could last several days.

While Pakistans Supreme Court has the constitutional authority to declare a sitting official unfit for office, analysts say the judges  who in the past have been criticized as pawns of either the civilian government or the military  are unwilling to take a highly sensitive step that could amount to a judicial coup.

Some say the court could take a lesser step of framing charges against Sharif to be heard by the National Accountability Bureau, an anti-corruption body.

As damning as the report is, [Sharif] will have some credible arguments, said one analyst in Islamabad who declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the case. The question is, is it going to be convincing enough for the judges to conclude theres nothing here. A big part of this is political and about perceptions of the Supreme Court, which the judges are sensitive to.

The political furor threatens to distract from Pakistans significant challenges, including violent attacks by Islamist militants that have killed at least 360 civilians this year, according to the South Asia Terrorism Portal, which tracks the fatalities. U.S. officials view Pakistan, which possesses nuclear weapons and a grudge against neighboring India, as a troublesome but necessary ally in the war in Afghanistan.

Bruce Riedel, director of the Brookings Intelligence Project, wrote in a commentary last week: Instability in Pakistan is dangerous for the United States and the world.

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Special correspondent Sahi reported from Islamabad and Times staff writer Bengali from Mumbai, India.

shashank.bengali@latimes.com

Follow @SBengali on Twitter for more news from South Asia
Millions of government opponents dealt a symbolic blow Sunday to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, casting votes in an unofficial referendum rejecting his controversial plan for a constitutional overhaul.

The balloting was organized by the opposition and denounced by the government as illegal and seditious. But turnout appeared high at thousands of makeshift voting places set up throughout the country and abroad.

Opposition activists said more than 7 million Venezuelans participated, and that in excess of 98% opposed Maduros plan for a new assembly charged with rewriting the constitution.

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Still, it seemed unlikely that the vote would shift the points of view of many in this long-polarized nation. Government backers denounced the balloting as a public relations scheme meant to sap support from Maduros embattled administration, which still has substantial support among poor and working-class Venezuelans.

A celebratory mood seemed to dominate as government opponents gathered from early in the morning to cry, Freedom! raise the national flag and cast ballots.

Im poor but not stupid, said Carmen Garcia, a restaurant cook and 33-year-old mother of three who voted against the government. We know that the government doesnt work, that they only use us to remain in power, to make us poorer all the time.

Venezuelans who live abroad were also casting ballots. In neighboring Colombia, to which many Venezuelans have fled, there were emotional scenes as expatriates gathered to take part in the anti-Maduro referendum. Voting was also reported to be brisk among the many Venezuelans living in Spain and elsewhere in Europe.

Some unrest was reported in Venezuela, a nation that has been racked with violent protests in recent months.

At least one person was reported killed and three injured in what the opposition termed an attack on a polling site in the poor Catia district of the capital, Caracas, a bulwark of government support. Local media said that assailants fired shots and tear gas as opposition activists scattered and took shelter in a church.

Sundays symbolic plebiscite came two weeks before a government-backed vote to elect the assembly that will have the power to rewrite the countrys 1999 constitution.

The opposition has called for a boycott of the July 30 vote, labeling it a power play by Maduro and his backers. The government applauds the prospect of a constitutional assembly as necessary reform.

Once-wealthy Venezuela has become an economic and political disaster zone, riven by protests and suffering from widespread shortages. About 100 people are reported to have been killed in more than three months of near-daily street demonstrations.

Even some traditionally pro-government districts have turned against the countrys administration as shortages of foodstuffs, medicines and other basics have made life increasingly difficult. Venezuelans have become accustomed to lining up for hours to purchase food.

The opposition blames the policies of the socialist government of Maduro, successor to Hugo Chavez, the late left-wing firebrand. The government blames what it terms a U.S. economic war against Venezuela, which it says is aided by right-wing collaborators in the country.

Maduro and his allies have long framed the countrys crisis as a United States-backed effort to roll back reforms that have benefited poor and working-class Venezuelans at the expense of an elite that dominates the nation. Washington has denied any role in fomenting the crisis.

Falling world oil prices have contributed heavily to the economic difficulties in Venezuela, one of the worlds major producers.

Participants in Sundays informal plebiscite were asked three yes-no questions: Do they reject Maduros planned constitutional assembly? Do they want the armed forces to support the existing constitution and the decisions of the opposition-controlled congress? And do they want a national unity government to be formed and fresh elections held?

At the end of the day, the opposition said that more than 98% of respondents rejected the planned constitutional assembly; more than 95% said they wanted the military to support the current constitution and congressional decisions, and more than 98% backed the idea of new elections.

Maduros term ends next year, but the opposition has called for early balloting on a new government.

As the opposition sought to make a point with its unofficial referendum, the government conducted what it called a dry run of the planned vote for the new constitutional assembly sought by Maduro.

The government declared this vote a great success, saying thousands had participated nationwide. Maduro called it a hymn to peace, according to the official Venezuelan news service.

The president did not comment directly on the oppositions referendum against his plan to revise the constitution. But he said, Im calling on the opposition to return to peace, to respect for the constitution, to sit and talk.

Special correspondent Mogollon reported from Caracas and Times staff writer McDonnell from Mexico City.

patrick.mcdonnell@latimes.com

twitter: @mcdneville

UPDATES:

11:15 p.m.: This article was updated with results from the oppositions unofficial referendum.

8:15 p.m.: This article was updated with the counting of ballots stretching into the night and details of the voting in other countries.

This article was originally published at 3:50 p.m.
Israel reopened the Temple Mount plaza outside Al Aqsa Mosque on Sunday for the first time since a deadly shootout at the Jerusalem holy site two days earlier, but tensions persisted as Palestinians protested the new metal detectors placed at the entrance to the compound.

The Old City plaza, revered by Jews and Muslims, was shuttered to worshipers and tourists alike after three Israeli Arabs used improvised machine guns to kill two Israeli Druze policemen on Friday morning and then were killed by police. Israeli authorities said the use of live weapons in an attack on security forces at the holy site was unprecedented.

The reopening of the esplanade should have defused emotions after Friday prayers were canceled for the first time in decades. But the new equipment fanned criticism and protests that Israel had unilaterally changed the rules regarding religious worship and tourist visits at the complex.

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Israel said that the metal detectors  set up outside the Old Citys Lions Gate and the Majlis Gate  were a part of tightened security measures in Jerusalems Old City after the attack. In addition, police will install cameras outside the esplanade to monitor the compound.

Palestinian Authority and religious officials held an emergency meeting in Ramallah to discuss the security measures, and called on Arab and Muslim nations to intervene against the Israeli moves.

A Palestinian government statement called the security measures null and void and a violation of the sanctity of the Al Aqsa Mosque.

Officials from the Muslim Waqf, the authority that runs the holy site, urged followers to remain outside the compound in protest rather than pass through the metal detectors.

Dozens of worshipers held midday prayers just feet away from the metal detectors, which were operated by Israeli border police in riot gear. In the evening, brief scuffles broke out between police and demonstrators gathered at the metal detectors.

The Israelis have imposed severe security restrictions on the Muslim worshipers, said Omar Kiswani, the director of Al Aqsa Mosque. We urge them to pray outside the gates of the mosque until the Israeli authority removes all the security measures and things will go back to normal.

Israeli authorities said that several hundred Muslim worshipers nonetheless entered the compound  though it was significantly fewer than the usual number of visitors.

The Waqf is trying to instigate worshipers to refuse to pass through the gates and the metal detectors, said Israeli Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan.

The plaza is holy to Jews as the site of their ancient temple, while Muslims revere it as the site where the prophet Muhammad is said to have risen to heaven.

At the Western Wall plaza below the compound, worshipers and tourists have been subjected to metal detector checks for years.

Violent clashes on the Temple Mount  called the Noble Sanctuary by Muslims  have been the spark for prolonged and deadly waves of Israeli-Palestinian violence in the past: rioting on the plaza that broke out in 2000 after the visit of Israels Ariel Sharon to the site sparked a several-year uprising dubbed Al Aqsa Intifada.

The newly inflamed tensions around the holy site have spurred jitters in the region about fresh violence.

In a statement Saturday, the U.S. defended Israels closing of the holy site to investigate the attack, and urged leaders in the region to be understanding of the move.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Paris on Sunday, condemned the odious attack and called for a resumption of negotiations aimed at a so-called two-state solution for peace between Israelis and Palestinians.

Jordans King Abdullah II, who is the official custodian of Jerusalems Muslim holy sites under the countrys peace treaty with Israel, held a phone conversation Saturday with Netanyahu. Abdullah said there was a need for de-escalation at the holy site and rejected the closure, according to Jordan state news agency Petra.

During a phone call Friday, Israels prime minister told Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas that Israel had no intention of changing the religious status quo at the site.

But Ir Amim, an Israeli peace organization that monitors Jerusalem, said the metal detectors and security checks impose Israeli sovereignty in violation of arrangements established and respected since Israel captured the Old City in the 1967 Six-Day War.

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Mitnick is a special correspondent. Times staff writer Alexandra Zavis in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

Twitter: @joshmitnick
A Jordanian soldier was convicted Monday in the slaying of three U.S. military trainers last year and sentenced to life imprisonment with hard labor, Jordans official news agency said.

A military court in Amman handed a guilty verdict to Maarek Abu Tayeh, a guard who in November shot and killed the three Army Green Berets when their convoy approached the gate of the King Faisal airbase in the Jafr area.

The U.S. soldiers killed were Staff Sgt. James Moriarty, 27, of Kerrville, Texas; Staff Sgt. Kevin McEnroe, 30, of Tucson; and Staff Sgt. Matthew Lewellen, 27, of Kirksville, Mo.

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Abu Tayeh opened fire with his M-16 rifle at the convoys lead vehicle after it had cleared the first security gate, instantly killing McEnroe and mortally wounding Lewellen, according to a redacted report issued by U.S. Special Operations Command in March.

A six-minute hunt followed with Abu Tayeh stalking Moriarty and another Green Beret, according to the Special Operations Commands report.

Moriarty got off one shot at Abu Tayeh before the Jordanian approached him and shot him twice, but his actions, the report said, enabled the remaining soldier to maneuver and engage Abu Tayeh, wounding him in the neck. Moriarty later succumbed to his wounds.

Jordan is a major U.S. ally in the region. The Green Berets had been training Syrian rebels at the airbase as part of a U.S.-led effort to create an anti-Islamic State force in Syria.

Abu Tayeh insisted he was not guilty, saying in court hearings that he had heard gunshots, which had spurred him to open fire. It was unclear why other Jordanian guards did not stop Abu Tayeh.

Moriartys father, Jim Moriarty, said in a phone interview Monday that he considered Abu Tayehs conduct deliberate in killing his son and the other two soldiers, though no definitive link to terrorist groups was found.

The life sentence was the best result that we were going to get under the circumstances, Moriarty said. I will tell you that I would have been perfectly happy to watch him hang.

The incident has been a source of tension in Jordan. Abu Tayeh, who is a member of the influential Howeitat tribe, was seen by many to be a hero who was defending his homeland, himself, and military honor, according to a statement issued by the tribe Monday.

Tribal members blocked some of the major transit highways in the kingdom with burning tires in protest.

Bulos is a special correspondent.

Twitter: @nabihbulos

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South Korea on Monday proposed holding inter-Korean military talks on Friday to reduce tensions along the border, Yonhap News Agency reported.

The talks aim to halt "all acts of hostility" near the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) that bisects the two Koreas, said the South Korean Ministry of National Defense.

Seoul wants to have the rare meeting at Tongilgak, a DPRK building in the truce village of Panmunjom, the ministry said.

The government delivered another proposal on reopening Red Cross talks on August 1 to discuss ways to resume family reunions.
First drive: 2018 Hyundai Sonata [Review]

Jul 17, 2017, 9:15am ET

We take Hyundai\'s updated 2018 Sonata for a spin.

Like most things, the auto industry is ever changing. One day you're on top and the next you're on the bottom looking up. That's just where the mid-size sedan finds itself today. After hitting a record market share of 16.1 percent in 2012 (making it the most popular vehicle type in the industry), the segment accounts for just 10.3 percent of the overall market today. Moreover, the mid-size sedan is now just the fourth best-selling vehicle type, trailing the compact car, compact SUV and full-size pickup truck.

But that drop off doesn't mean automakers are ready to give up on the segment (Chrysler and its 200 notwithstanding). On the contrary, automakers are working harder than ever to keep their footing in the segment. Enter the redesigned 2018 Hyundai Sonata.

Keeping it freshThe 2018 version of the Sonata represents the nameplate's first major update since being introduced as an all-new model in 2015. Although not a clean-sheet redesign, Hyundai put a lot of effort into the Sonata's 2018 update. The Sonata wears new sheet metal from the A-pillars forward, and the car's rear-end has been thoroughly redesigned. The interior benefits from a nip/tuck and the 2.0T model gains a new 8-speed automatic to help its peppiness.

Getting back its mojoTo say the Sonata is critical to Hyundai's success in the U.S. market is an understatement. In fact, Hyundai's recent sales boom can be traced back to the Sonata that launched for the 2010 model year.

That 2010 Sonata was an eyeopener for the entire industry  its stylish sheet metal and coupe-like roof line proved that a mid-size sedan didn't have to be boring. Customers that had never before considered a Hyundai were soon flocking to showrooms.

But over the years the competition countered with stylish sedans of their own, and typical sedan buyers began switching over to more practical crossovers. The Sonata's sales suffered as a result, with deliveries off by 27 percent so far this year. Hyundai is hopeful it will be able to lure back buyers with a more stylish version of the Sonata for 2018 that harkens back to the 2010 model that started it all.

The 2018 Sonata features a more authentic-feeling version of Hyundai's Fluidic Sculpture design language. Whereas the 2015 Sonata was somewhat straight-edged, the 2018 Sonata use organic lines with more curves and bulges.

The signature piece of the new Sonata is a redesigned grille intended to mimic a cauldron pouring liquid-hot metal. It's far more stylish than before with a 3D effect giving the car a more upscale appearance.

Shapelier headlights flank that new grille and can be outfitted with optional LED lighting elements. Just below on either side are Hyundai's new "air blades, which serve several purposes. On a practical side they house LED daytime running lights and also funnel air around the car to give it a slipperier shape. Aesthetically, they point to the outside corners of the wheels, which gives the car a more planted look. A new lower bumper treatment is intended to give the same effect.

In profile not much has changed, but designers were able to rework the Sonata's rear end. Every Sonata comes with a new deck lid that features a more pronounced ducktail spoiler that gives the car a sportier appearance. The license plate area has been moved to the lower bumper, allowing for a bit more sculpting of the trunk and the centralized placement of the Sonata badge. Lights are thinner than before and can be upgraded with LED technology. As a party piece, the Hyundai logo now incorporates a touchpad for opening the trunk.

Although merely skin deep, the 2018 Sonata's changes do add a little spice to car's overall demeanor. If the old Sonata was scrambled eggs, this new one is huevos rancheros.

You'll have to have a sharper eye to notice the changes inside, but they are there. For 2018 the Sonata receives a more modern-looking steering wheel with a three-spoke design. The car's HVAC controls have been lifted slightly to give the dashboard a more horizontal orientation. Trim that formerly framed the center air vents has been moved to highlight the Sonata's large touchscreen display.

The result of those changes is an interior that has a Volkswagen vibe to it, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. However, interior quality doesn't quite feel up to VW standards  soft-touch materials are used sparingly and the Sonata's interior bits don't feel as substantial as they look. The Sonata's interior doesn't feel low-rent, but it doesn't feel as premium as some of its competition, either.

Luckily Hyundai didn't skimp on value. The new Sonata's base MSRP ($22,050) has inched up by just $100 despite blind spot detection with cross-traffic alert being added as a standard feature. Sonata Eco and SEL models are actually cheaper than before (by $475 and $650, respectively). Spring for a Sonata Limited with Ultimate Package or the Limited 2.0T model and you'll save about $2,000.

The Sonata's Sport models haven't avoided the price creep, however, with both the 2.4 and 2.0T models seeing a price hike for 2018. It'll now take $25,200  $1,800 more than last year  to park a Sonata Sport 2.4 in your driveway while the Sport 2.0T requires $27,600, or $1,000 more than last year.

In a bid to better compete in the heart of the mid-size sedan market, Hyundai is adding a new SEL Tech 2.4 model for the new model year. It carries an MSRP of $24,700 and includes automatic braking, lane keep assist and smart cruise control.

Cars equipped with Hyundai's 2.4L naturally-aspirated four-cylinder engine continue on with a six-speed automatic transmission while 2.0T models get an in-house designed eight-speed auto. All Sonata models benefit from a revised steering system with better response and an updated suspension for sharper handling.

Hyundai will eventually offer its latest Sonata in hybrid form (both as a conventional hybrid and as a plug-in), but eco-conscious buyers will have to wait until next year to score one of those. A 1.6T model is also on the way, but it won't launch until later this year.

Drive timeOur time with the 2018 Hyundai Sonata was spent in a Limited model equipped with the 2.4L engine. Our car was also equipped with the optional Ultimate Package, which added pretty much all the bells and whistles  automatic emergency braking, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, wireless charging and heated steering wheel, just to name a few.

Our first impression of the revised Sonata was good. The car feels substantial and planted to the ground, but not in an overweight and heavy kind of way. The changes Hyundai made to the Sonata's suspension are a clear improvement.

Steering was also a pleasant surprise. The overall feel is a bit muted, but the Sonata's new steering rack is precise with good weight. The Sonata handles itself well up until about 7/10th; after that the Sonata's handling characteristics will remind you that it's a mid-size sedan designed for commuting, not canyon carving. And that's just fine as most people don't expect a performance vehicle when shopping for a front-wheel drive sedan.

We found the Sonata's ride to be mostly comfortable, although wider expansion joints can send a jolt through the cabin. Tire noise was more excessive than we were expecting, but it wasn't overbearing.

Our test car's 185 horsepower engine did OK puttering around at lower speeds, but the four-cylinder feels under-powered in most other situations. Passing on two-lane back roads requires plenty of upfront planning. The six-speed transmission isn't much help as it prefers to be in top gear for best economy. The unit does, however, provide smooth shifts thorough the range.

A Sport mode is available via a console-mounted button, but it did little to liven the Sonata's poky performance.

The Sonata's 2.0T engine, with 245 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque, is probably a worthy upgrade, but we're unable to definitively comment on that since we didn't actually get to drive one. Ditto for the new eight-speed transmission.

We found the Sonata's safety systems to work as advertised. Adaptive cruise control kept us a safe distance from the vehicle ahead and the lane keeping system did a good job keeping us centered in our lanes; we've found that many other systems on the market tend to "bounce from lane line to lane line. Although not quite as important as those safety items, we feel it's important to note that the Sonata has some of the best seat coolers we've ever experienced.

Those interested in tech will be happy to find a standard eight-inch touchscreen display with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay functionality. Moreover, that screen offers sharp resolution and is quick to respond to inputs. You can also link your Sonata to your smart watch or smart home speaker system via Hyundai's BlueLink, which is complimentary for the first three years of ownership.

The Sonata's gauge cluster isn't as high-tech, but its analog arrangement is at least straight forward and easy to read. A color LCD screen is located in the middle and severs as a vehicle readout for things like trip computer and vehicle settings.

The Sonata's front buckets proved comfortable over our day-long drive with good support and just the right amount of side bolster. Rear-seat legroom in the Sonata is generous, but its sloping roofline does eat into headroom for those over six-foot tall.

Leftlane's bottom lineThough not as revolutionary as the 2010 Sonata, Hyundai has succeeded in making a better Sonata for 2018. Styling has once again been moved to the forefront and the Sonata can backup those good looks with a long list of available features, not to mention the industry's best warranty.

We doubt this stylish Sonata will invigorate Hyundai's sales as in years past, but the 2018 version of the sedan should be enough to keep sales from sliding any further.

2018 Hyundai Sonata base price, $22,050; As tested, $31,310.Ultimate Package, $2,900; Carpeted floor mats, $125; Destination, $885.

Photos by Drew Johnson.
Honda bids farewell to the Accord Coupe

Jul 17, 2017, 4:33am ET

The writing was on the wall for the Accord Coupe.

When Honda introduced the all-new 2018 Accord last week, it made absolutely no mention of the sleek-looking coupe model. The Japanese company has just confirmed the two-door version of its family sedan has entered the pantheon of automotive history.

The writing was on the wall for the Accord Coupe; sales have experienced a sharp decline in recent years. The entire coupe segment is shrinking, so Honda understandably didn't want to spend money on developing a model it knew wouldn't sell.
Tesla Model S driver blames Autopilot for rollover [Update]

Jul 17, 2017, 9:39am ET

The Minnesota accident left the Model S overturned in a marsh beside the road.

Update: The driver has contradicted initial reports, clarifying that Autopilot was not to blame.A local CBS report citing the Kandiyohi County Sheriff's Office suggests David Clark was driving east on 172nd Avenue Northeast in Irving Township when the vehicle lost control and overturned in a small marsh.Clark and four passengers reportedly suffered minor injuries in the accident.

Initial reports suggested Clark had blamed Autopilot for the accident, but he has since clarified in an e-mail to the Sheriff's department that he had disengaged the semi-autonomous system at the time of the crash.
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Two men who raped a vulnerable woman after befriending her at Leicester bus station have been jailed.

Anayo Anyaso was convicted by a jury of twice raping the woman, who is in her mid-thirties, on December 31.

Anyaso, a 38-year-old married father-of-two, of Tudor Road, ideasLeicester, was jailed for 13 years and six months.

Co-accused, Ifeanyi Nwafor (34), of Narborough Road, Leicester, pleaded guilty to one count of raping the woman in the early hours of the same day.

He was jailed for 11 years.

Both men wept in the dock at Leicester Crown Court as they were sentenced.

Deputy Judge Michael Stokes QC said it was a vicious sex attack upon a woman who was clearly vulnerable and suffered mental health problems.

The court heard that the woman had been out for the evening but missed her last bus home.

(Image: Mike Sewell)

It was while she was stranded at the bus station that she was befriended by the defendants.

She was cold and hungry and they offered to give her some food and a drink if she accompanied them back to Nwafors home.

They all went there in a taxi.

The rapes happened at Nwafors home, where she was forced to have sex without her consent, said Philip Gibbs, prosecuting,

The victim was given a taxi fare back to the bus station after her ordeal.

She broke down in tears the following day when she told her mother about what had happened.

She said the defendants got either side of her and did not listen to her pleas for them to stop.

CCTV footage was shown, during Anyasos trial, of the defendants with the victim at the bus station.

Anyaso claimed he did not see any sexual activity taking place between the woman and his friend, Nwafor, whos DNA was found her clothing.

Anyaso denied having been sexually intimate with the victim and had laughed during his police interview when her account was put to him.

The judge said both defendants were likely to be deported to Nigeria at the end of their sentences.
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The 57th Shannon Boat Rally plans to visit Roscommon and Leitrim on Friday, July 28 to Sunday, August 6 offering 10 days of a packed programme of events for all the family.

The rally begins on Friday, July 28 when boats will travel from all locations to arrive in Dromod. The fleet then moves to Killglass, Co Roscommon, Grange Lake Co Roscommon, Jamestown and Carrick-on-Shannon.

Organised jointly by the Carrick-on- Shannon Branch and the Athlone Branch of the Inland Waterways Association of Ireland (IWAI), the Shannon Boat Rally (1961- 2017) is the most prestigious and well-attended boating event on Irelands inland waterways.

The families boating on the river love coming to the North Shannon and Carrick as part of the Shannon Boat Rally, said Commodore Margaret Megan, We look forward to welcoming our boating friends both old and new to join us on Saturday, July 28 for ten days and enjoy what the river Shannon has to offer. The Shannon is a wonderful resource being important to leisure and recreation, to heritage, to tourism and to the environment.

"The inland waterways are not only a local asset for Leitrim and Roscommon but are an important tourism attraction for the region. This year with the theme of Riverdance we will visit the smaller villages of Kilglass, Jamestown, Grange and Dromod as well as the larger town of Carrick-on- Shannon."

Ms Megan added We will sail and dance our way, along the banks of the Shannon bringing with us over three hundred visitors to sample the sights and hospitality of the area.

The 57th Shannon Boat Rally is an annual event that attracts private boat owners and their families to the Shannon for their annual holidays, contributing to the local economy for the past 57 years.

The Shannon Boat Rally provides and promotes a compelling and exciting choice for all domestic holiday makers that like the outdoors and are interested in a unique adventure.

The boat rally is Ireland's ultimate staycation ensuring greater revenue and extra employment throughout the county
Some homes and businesses in Leitrim Village are still being refused flood risk insurance despite major works and upgrades in the area.

The issue was raised by Fianna Fail Deputy Eamon Scanlon in Dail Eireann recently. He asked the Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe what options are available to homeowners and businesses in Leitrim Village that are being refused flood insurance cover despite major drainage works and upgrades that have been carried out by Leitrim County Council in recent years.

Minister Donohoe, said, "I am conscious of the difficulties that the absence or withdrawal of flood insurance cover can cause to homeowners and businesses, and that is one of the reasons the Government has been prioritising investment in flood defences over the last number of years.

"However, the provision of insurance cover and the price at which it is offered is a commercial matter for insurance companies and is based on an assessment of the risks they are willing to accept and adequate provisioning to meet those risks. As Minister for Finance I have responsibility for the development of the legal framework governing financial regulation, and neither I, nor the Central Bank of Ireland, can interfere in the provision or pricing of insurance products or have the power to direct insurance companies to provide flood cover to specific individuals or businesses. This position is reinforced by the EU framework for insurance which expressly prohibits Member States from adopting rules which require insurance companies to obtain prior approval of the pricing or terms and conditions of insurance products."

He stated, "Leitrim County Council has advised me that a number of works on flood relief in Leitrim village were completed in 2016 under the Severe Weather Allocation programme funded by the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. I understand these works include the installation of non-return flood valves, upgrade of the surface water system and the raising and repair of roads.

"I am also informed by the OPW that Leitrim village is one of 300 Areas for Further Assessment included in OPW's Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme. I understand that a preferred option to deal with the risk of flooding has been identified following local consultation and that flood risk management plans are now being finalised."

Consumers can make a complaint to the Financial Services Ombudsman in relation to any dealings with a Financial Services or Insurance provider during which they feel they have been unfairly treated. In addition, individuals who are experiencing difficulty in obtaining flood insurance or believe that they are being treated unfairly may contact Insurance Ireland which operates a free Insurance Information Service for those who have queries, complaints or difficulties in relation to insurance.




Many of you will have seem the recent television adaptation of Mike Bartletts play, King Charles III.

Beautifully and movingly written, in Shakespearean style blank verse, the play is set in the near future, when King Charles III has just inherited the throne.

Charles is asked to sign a piece of legislation that would severely limit the freedom of the press. He refuses to do so. He is portrayed as principled and conflicted. He has no wish to cause a constitutional crisis. His conscience just will not allow him to sign.

When Parliament plan to proceed with the legislation anyway, Charles uses his legal right to dissolve Parliament.

I will not give away any spoilers about how this fictional situation is resolved. But the play made me wonder how likely it is that such a situation could occur in real life. The worrying fact is that it is quite possible. I am not suggesting that Prince Charles, when he becomes king, would ever behave like his fictional counterpart in this play. But unless the rules are changed, some future monarch could easily do so.

Most people probably assume that these days the monarch has no real political power. But the reality is that legally, they still have great power. The monarch does still have to give consent before any legislation can become law, and does have the legal right to dissolve Parliament. In practice, there is an understanding that the monarch never uses this power. Consent is given automatically to all legislation, and the monarch only dissolves Parliament at the request of the Prime Minister. But this situation depends on an agreement, which all recent monarchs have kept, but which could not be legally enforced if a future monarch decided to rebel.

The fictional King Charles III is objecting to a piece of legislation that most liberals would also strongly object to. But I am sure most liberals would agree that it would be unacceptable for legislation that has been passed by Parliament, to be blocked by someone who is unelected, and whose power is hereditary. So long as such a veto potentially exists, we do not have a true democracy.

Such a situation arose in Belgium in 1990, when the King said that he felt that, as a Catholic, he could not sign legislation legalising abortion. Parliament declared him unable to rule, and took over his powers for one day  something that the Belgian constitution allows, although it was originally intended for situations such as the monarch being unable to rule due to illness. Once the legislation was signed, his powers were returned.

Perhaps the British Parliament could be given a similar right to temporarily take over the power of the monarch in such a case. But it would surely be better if legislation no longer required the royal assent, and if the monarch no longer had any role, even a ceremonial one, in dissolving Parliament.

The present queen must have often signed legislation with which she has strongly disagreed. She would, of course, whatever her own personal view, agree to sign legislation that would mean that she and her heirs would never be required to do so again. She would know that it was nothing personal, as she has always behaved impeccably. Let us not delay change until we have a monarch who might refuse.

* Catherine Crosland is a member in Calderdale and joined the party in 2014
Saturdays Social Liberal Forum conference in London provided much food for thought as speakers challenged Liberal Democrat orthodoxy in various ways.

Beveridge Lecture

William Wallace kicked off proceedings by giving the annual William Beveridge Lecture. His theme was: Is a Liberal and Democratic society compatible with globalisation. His answer? Well, it disproportionately benefits the super rich and authoritarian states, so we have to change things to ensure that nobody is left out.

He started off by quoting Emmanuel Macron, whos said he supported a market economy but not a market society. He said our society was divided between the poor, unskilled and the relatively affluent highly educated. The gulf between them is cemented in successive generations. Globalisation had meant a substantial number of left behind people whose grievances were entirely justified. Those grievances led to the Brexit vote.

Challenging the idea that higher taxes harm the economy is key. We need investment in public services and to recognise that the social fabric is damaged if there is too big a gap between wealthy CEOs and their workers.

He looked at business ownership and how little multi-national takeovers do for regeneration and how important it was that our financial and corporate leaders tackled this.

We need to throw the Citizens of Nowhere thing right back at Theresa May, he argued, pointing out the super rich from across the world who dominate our economy.

One idea he had to improve social solidarity was to have all adults undertaking a year of Citizens Service working on a community project, or care home.

Giving people some sense of ownership and control over their destiny was key, whether that was by closer, more responsive local government or an increase of mutual ownership of companies.

Basic Income

I am old enough to remember when it was our policy to have what we called a Citizens Income  where all would be paid a certain amount of money from the state that was theirs to do with as they needed. It would alleviate poverty and recognise unpaid work, most of which is done by women.

I would love to support the modern incarnation of that idea, the universal basic income. What stops me more than anything else is the reservations from people like Ruth Lister who used to run the Child Poverty Action Group about how it might not meet the needs of those who needed extra support, like children and disabled people.

Helen Flynn led a session on this, highlighting the impact on tackling poverty.

Climate change

Ed Davey took part in the final session of the morning, on climate change. While Mark Campanale of the Carbon Tracker Initiative scared us all witless about the irreversible progress of global warming, Ed took us through the politics of the situation including some fascinating insights into his negotiations with the Obama Administration when he was in Climate Change Secretary.

He also raised the worrying prospect of Brexit hampering the EU efforts on climate change. Our votes swung in favour were instrumental in the EU taking such strong action.

He highlighted the positives in China and India now taking climate change seriously  helped by the reduction in costs of green tech.

Vince

Our almost-leader came along and took an hour of questions. I had assumed we wouldnt be allowed to tweet what he was saying, but he had absolutely no problem with that.

He repeated all the stuff hed said in the press  about starting to think that Brexit might not happen, about going from third to first. He offered a capacity to be heard above the noise and a credibility on economic matters.

He was very strong on tackling intergenerational unfairness  take the shackles off Councils and let them build houses, he said, looking back at his experience in Glasgow in the 70s when they built 5000-6000 Council houses every year.

He also talked about giving young people in further education voice that they didnt currently have.

Ill do a separate, more detailed article on his appearance. He did well  but it was a very friendly audience who didnt push him that hard, really.

Perspectives on the General Election

Our panel discussed various aspects of the election. Daisy Cooper talked about young people and how Labour made such a successful play for their votes and highlighted what we need to do in the future. Sarah Olney talked about the value of Progressive Alliances. She benefitted in Richmond Park  but she said there was no point in doing them if there was not a clear benefit to us. Hammersmith candidate and Federal Board member Joyce Onstad talked about ethnic minorities. She attacked the partys lack of diversity and said that in London we should have 40% ethnic minorities on shortlists. Some of the stuff that she says about the way she was treated as a candidate needs to be sorted out. I spoke about Scotland and how we won our 4 seats with copious literature and endlessly repeated messaging.

David Howarth then took us through the British Election Studys December report which is the most up to date one available. He looked for clues about what people thought, primarily about us and Labour. His conclusion was that we are the only plausible party capable of governing the country sensibly, but people dont love us. We have some stuff to work though  mainly the trust issue which just wont go away.

Well-organised

As usual the event was particularly well organised by our Mary Reid. She has put so much work into it despite playing a massive role in Ed Daveys campaign and celebrating her Golden Wedding next month. Thanks, Mary, and congratulations.

I am so glad I went. Ill write some more later about what I think the key challenges for SLF are over the next year.

* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings
Do not think about whether we should call for another referendum. A referendum is a mechanism, not a policy. Instead, what should we ask our fellow countrymen and countrywomen to support?

Seventy years ago some of our forebears put forward the policy, in the ashes of our continent, to exchange the conflicts of nations for the cooperation of peoples.

It has been a spectacular success.

What, in those dark times, must have looked like a utopian fantasy has largely come to pass. In seventy years no member state, once admitted to the fold, has engaged in armed conflict with any other member state. Newly democratised Fascist dictatorships have been kept as stable liberal democracies. Newly liberated Communist tyrannies have had their economies and societies utterly transformed. In the continent that gave rise to both Communism and Fascism, and where destructive, terrible, wars were commonplace; that is a magnificent achievement.

We have enshrined human rights. Acted on workers rights, acted on the environment. Decisions affecting the continent are taken by the continent, subject to the scrutiny and approval of the people of the continent: both by states governments and a directly elected parliament. Europe-wide regulation prevents a rush to the bottom and not only eases passage at borders but removes, for trade, those borders entirely. Borders to trade are no more! Our entire model of trade, the imperialist model, is no more.

And think of that imperialism; think how it was, how we were, and where we have come from. We were part of a war-like continent of vicious nationalism and subjugation of others. Our post war story, of which the European project is an inextricable part, is of how European Civilisation dragged itself to where it can begin to claim the epithet civilisation.

To be part of that civilisation should be our policy. Shaping that civilisation should be our policy. Sharing the benefits of that should be our policy. And, of course, sharing the burdens should be our policy. We should not shirk our work in building a better continent, a continent acting for a better world.

It is true that, last June, the democratic process produced a decision to withdraw from that great civilising project. We are entitled to resubmit our policy to the democratic process, to ask our fellow countrymen and countrywomen to change their minds. We are entitled to, in any event. But as we look into the abyss of Brexit we have a duty ask for a change of course.

There are those who seek to mitigate the disaster rather than turn from it; to hang onto the Customs Union, to remain within the Single Market.

No.

Doing so would leave us without voice, unable to shape the future of our continent, subject to laws and policies we have no control over. Not citizens of our continent but subjects of a subject power, subjects of an overseas dominion of an entity we have no claim to.

It is not the Tory approach to withdrawal that is the issue: it is withdrawal. It is not withdrawal without a good deal that is the issue: it is withdrawal. Now is not the time to suggest damage limitation. It is the time to drop discussion of the nature of withdrawal and ask the people of Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland and England to turn away from withdrawal. To ask them to turn to the great European project. To join, as full members, to work with our fellow European citizens to build our future together.

* Tony Lloyd is a member in Lewisham Liberal Democrats, an accountant and so pro European that he insisted on the European national anthem at his wedding.
7 Ways Being Kind Is Good for Your Health and Well-Being

Practicing kindness to others (and to yourself) has been linked to better stress management, improved heart health, and even living longer.
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Police in Central China's Hunan Province have rescued 40 women trafficked from Vietnam, and busted a human trafficking ring after a joint investigation. Thirty suspects have been arrested.

The Vietnamese women were trafficked to China for forced marriages. China suffers from one of the worst gender imbalances in the world, as families have historically preferred male children. As a result, millions of men cannot find Chinese brides  a key driver of trafficking.

Chinese traffickers have long collaborated with Vietnamese associates in the trade, local police said.

The suspects fall into four categories. First, Vietnamese traffickers. They usually look for rural women in their 20s or 30s, abduct them, drug them, or lure them to China with promises of good jobs or tourist trips. Second, the Chinese traffickers. The women are handed over to them upon arrival in China. They provide accommodation, contact agents, and transport the women across the country. Third, the middlemen, or matchmakers. Last but not least, the buyers.

In 2016, Vietnam reported 383 cases of human trafficking. There were 1,128 victims, up nearly 13 percent from the previous year. Most of the victims were uneducated women and children from poor areas.

China and Vietnam are tightening border management and expanding intelligence sharing in the fight against rampant cross-border trafficking of women.
In an oasis amid the Gobi desert the temperature reaches 40 degrees Celsius at noon, but farmer Yan Chongxiang refuses to rest.

Working in the scorching sun, he is busy gathering Hami melons from their vines before carefully packing them in boxes. The melons, ripe and freshly picked from remote fields in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, will be delivered across the country that day.

Harvesting Hami melons is tiring work, but well-paid as the juicy fruit sells well in summer.

Hami melons, a Xinjiang speciality, are extensively planted in the region. Hami city, home of the melons, plants 4,200 hectares of the melons, with the annual output reaching 378 million yuan (about 56 million U.S. dollars).

Extensive farming in scarcely populated Xinjiang requires abundant labor, and every year farmers like Yan, from all over China, are drawn to Xinjiang for work.

They call themselves Gua Ke, or migrant melon farmers.

There are more than 1,000 Gua Ke in one single township in Hami, where their camps cluster beside the melon fields in farming season.

Yan, 27, from a village in Yunnan Province, southwest China, about 1,900 km from Xinjiang, has been migrating to plant melons for six years.

"We are too poor at home. My whole family lives on farming on one mu (666 square meters) of field," he said. "My friend told me I can make good money by growing melons in Hami. So here I am. Now my family can make ends meet."

Yan travels to Xinjiang with 30 villagers, mostly couples.

After spending Chinese lunar new year at home, the migrant farmers bid farewell to their families and set out from the village. They take a bus to the nearest city, where they board a train to Chengdu city in Sichuan Province, and then transfer to a train to Xinjiang.

The journey takes more than three days, but no matter how far, the trip is worthwhile as long as they can make money, they say.

In harvest season, they wake up in the camps at 5:00 am. Each carrying a bottle of water and a shoulder pole, they board a tractor and go deep into the fields.

Before dawn the temperature is below 15 degrees Celsius, but Yan does not feel cold and wastes no time, working before it gets too hot.

The temperature climbs rapidly as the sun comes out. Sweat pours from Yan's face as he picks melons and carries a load of about 50 kg on his shoulder.

Hami is not even the hottest city in Xinjiang. In Turpan, the temperature goes so high that farmers have to work at night wearing headlamps.

Yan does not rest until 10:00 pm, and can pick and pack about 700 melons in a day.

A farmer earns 20,000 to 30,000 yuan (about 2,952 to 4,428 U.S. dollars) in a season.

"When there is hardship there is hope, just like the oasis in the desert," Yan said. He hopes to make more money to build a new house and send his children to a better school.

"Xinjiang is a wonderful place. As you sow, so shall you reap," he said.

The arrival of the migrants is welcomed by local farmers.

"Hami melons would not be sold across the country but for these diligent workers," said Basit Yarze, a Hami farmer.

Basit said that when he was child Hami melons were delivered by mule carts and sold only in Hami city. Later the extensive plantation brought more money and more migrant farmers.

"Without these farmers, we can't grow and pick so many melons," Basit said.
(Photo/CGTN)

A flight scheduled to make its way to Shanghai from Beijing Capital International Airport was delayed for hours on Sunday after a child was found to have boarded without a ticket.

Crew of Shanghai Juneyao flight HO1252 discovered the fare-dodger when they rechecked the passenger numbers ahead of take off. The kid was told to sneak inside by grown-up passengers who distracted security staff, a Beijing Youth Daily report quoted the airport as alleging.

The disruption prompted a thorough examination of the cabin. All passengers onboard were ordered to disembark and go through the security clearance processes again. The plane eventually took off five hours late.

Neither the airport nor airline have said anything about passenger compensation over the incident. But an angry traveler has taken to WeChat, a messaging platform with publishing features, to complain about the fare-dodger's bad behavior and the performance of airport staff.

Many netizens criticized the airport for its loose checks that could severely jeopardize the safety of flights, after new of the incident went viral on Chinas popular micro-blogging platform Sina Weibo.

Fare-dodging is no big deal, but safety is a serious issue. If the family are terrorists and the kid sneaks in with a bomb, then it would be a catastrophe for all the crew and passengers on board, commented a user named @laowudexianyumeng.

The parents are to blame, but that aside, the security personnel should also take responsibility, as they should have noticed an extra one going through, said a user named @LEOxiansenCH.

Flight safety incidents involving unruly passengers, including opening emergency doors and assaulting cabin crew, have made regular headlines in recent years. Last month, a flight from Shanghai to Guangzhou was delayed after an elderly woman passenger threw coins into the aircrafts engine for good luck. The government has responded by blacklisting misbehaving voyagers, with offenders banned from travel.
As the Trump Administration rolls out "Made in America" week promoting U.S. manufacturing, the Department of Homeland Security on Monday said it would allow 15,000 more seasonal workers into the country.

The number of H-2B visas for temporary nonagricultural workers is capped at 66,000 each fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1. The limit was met in March.

Industries that rely on work from H-2B visa holders include fisheries, hospitality and landscaping.

From fiscal year 2012 to 2015, Texas had the highest number of H-2B jobs certified by the Department of Labor, with most going to the landscaping industry. In fiscal year 2015, Houston had the second most H-2B-certified jobs in Texas.

Employers can now apply for the additional visas, provided they can prove their business would suffer "irreparable harm" if they cannot employ immigrant workers under the H-2B program, according to DHS.

"Congress gave me the discretionary authority to provide temporary relief to American businesses at risk of significant harm due to a lack of available seasonal workers," DHS Secretary John Kelly said in a statement.

News of the H-2B visa increase was welcomed by Andrea Hance, executive director of the Texas Shrimp Association, as about 80 percent of crews catching shrimp this season are currently short on staff. She said the shortage is causing an estimated $1 million in losses every night, and she is not sure if 15,000 visas are enough to help fill in the gaps.

"I wish it hadn't taken so long because the economic impact will be staggering," Hance said.

The National Association of Landscape Professionals also lamented the delays.

"Anything is welcome, but our concern is it's too little too late for significant impact," said Paul Mendelsohn, the association's vice president of government affairs.

Asked how the increase of visas for temporary immigrant workers aligns with the president's "America First" posture, a spokeswoman from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said in an email that Congress considered the interest of U.S. workers when approving the one-time addition. Homeland Security, she added, "first and foremost is committed to protecting U.S. workers and strengthening the integrity of our immigration system."

DHS has also created a new H-2B tip line for individuals to provide information on potential abuse by employers and the exploitation of workers.

The one-time increase is effective through Sept. 30 and applications reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis. Employers can pay a $1,225 expedited-service fee.
A proposed law to regulate transgender Texans access to restrooms would seriously hurt the states ability to attract new businesses, investment and jobs, more than a dozen Dallas-based CEOs told the states top three lawmakers Monday.

CEOs of 14 major Texas companies  including Doug Parker of American Airlines, Randall Stephenson of AT&T and Gary Kelly of Southwest Airlines  joined a growing chorus of executives railing against a potential bathroom law. The group bashed the bill as bad for business in a letter sent Monday to Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio.

In a 30-day special session that starts today, Texas legislators are set to debate two proposals preventing transgender men and women from using bathrooms that match their gender identity. The issue has divided the states top three Republicans, with Abbott and Patrick backing the bill and Straus siding with opponents. San Antonio and Austin have already lost more than $12 million in conventions as a result and the state stands to lose an estimated $587.5 million in future meeting business if it is adopted into law, according to state tourism officials.

Our companies are competing every day to bring the best and brightest talent to Dallas, the CEOs wrote in the letter. To that end, we strongly support diversity and inclusion. This legislation threatens our ability to attract and retain the best talent in Texas, as well as the greatest sporting and cultural attractions in the world.

The CEOs who signed the letter also include Richard Templeton of Texas Instruments, Thomas J. Falk of Kimberly-Clark, Sean Donohue of the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, Dallas Cowboys Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith of EJ Smith Enterprises and Trevor Fetter of Tenet Healthcare.

Business leaders have repeatedly warned lawmakers that passing such a law would make the state less competitive and lead to billions of dollars in economic losses, citing fallout after North Carolina passed a similar bill.

IBM published full-page ads Sunday in the San Antonio Express-News, Austin-American Statesman and Dallas Morning News and announced Friday a digital ad campaign opposing a bathroom bill in any form. The company also sent a letter Monday to its employees in Texas vowing to fight transgender bathroom legislation.

A bathroom bill like the one in Texas sends a message that it is OK to discriminate against someone just for being who they are, wrote Diane Gherson, IBMs senior vice president of human resources. It threatens IBMs ability to bring the best and brightest to our Texas workforce  a community that is now over 10,000 strong and represents a diversity of perspectives, backgrounds and experiences.

A group of Texas executives and tourism leaders  including Texas Association of Business CEO Jeff Moseley, Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau CEO Phillip Jones and Phil Gilbert, general manager of design in IBMs Austin division  hit the steps of the Capitol building in Austin on Monday to urge lawmakers to flush the proposals.

More and more, these workers are deciding where to relocate based on lifestyle and values, not just salary, David Heard, co-founder and CEO of Tech Bloc, a San Antonio-based technology advocacy group, said at the news conference. We have to create and maintain an open environment these young workers want to be a part of.

The states $129-billion-a-year tourism industry could see the most immediate and visible effect. Tourism officials in San Antonio, Austin, Dallas and Houston estimate combined economic losses of $587.5 million if conventions that have threatened to cancel their events over the bathroom bill pull the trigger. San Antonio and Austin have already lost at least $12.6 million in convention business over the bill. OpenStack Foundation, an open-source cloud computing platform, relocated its 2019 global summit from Austin to Denver because of the bill.

Convention organizers have already shown a willingness to pull their events from Texas over controversial legislation. Two groups  the American Hispanic Lawyers Association and the National Womens Studies Association  yanked their conventions from the Dallas area after Abbott signed Senate Bill 4, which will allow law enforcement officers to ask detainees about their immigration status and will penalize officers and elected officials who dont comply with federal immigration law.

Stephen Hartnett, president of the National Communication Association, based in Washington, D.C., told members earlier this year that the organization may have to move its November convention from Dallas after California barred state employees in June from using taxpayer funds to travel to Texas.

California enacted the ban after Texas lawmakers passed a law allowing adoption groups with religious affiliations to cite sincerely held religious beliefs to deny adoptions and services to prospective parents and children, which opponents say will allow discrimination against LGBT couples who want to adopt.

The American Association of Law Libraries, based in Chicago, will no longer consider Texas cities because of the adoption bill and uncertainty over whether the bathroom bill will pass, the associations president, Greg Lambert, said Monday. The group is holding a 1,400-attendee convention in Austin this week and has held meetings in San Antonio, Lambert said, but will look elsewhere when booking future meetings.

The power that we have is the power of the purse, and were going to use that power, Lambert said. If that has nothing but a symbolic effect on them that they see, so be it.

Lambert, chief knowledge services officer at the Jackson Walker law firm in Houston, has another reason for opposing the proposed bathroom law: his 15-year-old transgender son, he said.

State lawmakers have put forth one bill that would apply solely to restrooms, showers and changing facilities under the purview of school districts. School officials at Houston Independent School District have been very good to his son, Lambert said, but he worries that the state will disrupt the districts accommodation.

We dont plan on leaving, but we plan on fighting while were here, Lambert said.

Tech leaders, including Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Apple CEO Tim Cook, have implored Abbott not to pursue discriminatory legislation, while a group of 30 of the worlds largest money managers, including BlackRock and T. Rowe Price, with more than $11 trillion in assets under management, have urged Abbott and Patrick not to pass the legislation.

jfechter@express-news.net

Twitter: @JFreports
South Pole Station

By Ashley Shelby

Picador. 368 pp. $26

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In the late 20th century, American readers went "Pole-crazy." The fad may have been kicked off by Roland Huntford, whose "Scott and Amundsen" (1979) dragged a muckrake across the grave of revered British explorer Robert Falcon Scott. Hoping to be the first man at the South Pole, Scott got there in 1912 only to find a Norwegian flag flying, planted a month earlier by his better-prepared rival Roald Amundsen. Huntford portrayed Scott as a bumbler whose Englishmen-know-best ineptitude doomed not only himself but also four companions, all of whom perished on the return trek. (One telling difference: While Amundsen and his crew rode on sleds pulled by dogs, Scott and company walked!) Other writers came to Scott's defense; Huntford followed up in 1985 with a splendid, adulatory biography of another Scott rival, the Irishman Ernest Shackleton; and it wasn't long before the Far North and its explorers were rediscovered, too.

It's in this context that Cooper Gosling, the protagonist of Ashley Shelby's enjoyable first novel, "South Pole Station," applies for a fellowship to study in the Antarctic. Cooper belongs to a polar family - not polar by personal experience, but through books, notably Apsley Cherry-Garrard's "The Worst Journey in the World" (1922) and her own father's storytelling. She and her brother David, she lovingly recalls, "used to pretend we were members of the Scott party, back when we were kids." By the time the adult Cooper, a professional artist, reaches the coldest continent under the auspices of a National Science Foundation arts program, David's long battle with schizophrenia has ended in suicide. To his sister, then, the South Pole is more than just the stuff bucket lists are made of.

Shelby, who has also written a nonfiction book about a disastrous North Dakota flood, has fun with the sort of people Antarctica attracts: misfits and eccentrics, who are stuck with one another for months at a time, almost entirely indoors and thousands of miles away from the nearest flowering of normal life. Among several vivid characters are an assistant chef who stoops to thievery in her campaign to become top cook; a black, gay representative of the NSF whose unflappability keeps most of his charges in line; and a handsome astrophysicist named Sal, who, when not conducting experiments to understand how the universe originated, acts as Cooper's love interest. Because polar residence is inevitably transient, there's a special term for Antarctic liaisons of convenience: "ice marriages." Cooper and Sal, however, seem to be aiming for a frost-free relationship.

And then we have Dr. Frank Pavano, a global-warming denier whose presence brings out the worst in practically everyone at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. His polar peers - who bracket the word "scientist" with air quotes when applying it to Pavano - are not content to let him fail on his own; they nudge the process along by sabotaging his work. Because Cooper has been nice to him, Pavano invites her to help him with an outdoor experiment. She agrees, and the collaboration ends badly for them both, not least by incurring the wrath of climate-change naysayers in Congress who control the NSF's purse strings.

There's a lot going on in "South Pole Station," and Shelby does better with some of its themes than with others. Cooper's attempts to come to terms with her brother's death are surprisingly unmoving, for example, while Sal's pursuit of a theory as to how the world came into being makes for gripping reading. (More than once, in fact, I found myself wondering if Shelby hadn't picked the wrong member of her romantic duo to build the novel around.)

But Shelby is very good on social interactions at the end of the earth, and "South Pole Station" crackles with energy whenever science takes center stage. She makes Sal's abstruse theorizing both comprehensible and exciting, and excels at dramatizing the conflict between the "Beakers," as the polar scientists are known, and the visiting congressional troglodytes. The novel might also give comfort to bucket-list worrywarts, who now have good reason to skip Antarctica. As Cooper notes on her first day there, "You think Antarctica is going to be the purest place in the world ... and you get here and it's like Akron."

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Drabelle is a former contributing editor of The Washington Post Book World.
Exceptions to this new procedure include wives, husbands and children of Egyptian nationals, as well as Qatari nationals studying at Egyptian public universities

Qataris will no longer be able to obtain on-arrival visas to Egypt as of next Thursday and will instead have to apply for visas in advance from an Egyptian embassy abroad, an official source at Cairo International Airport told Ahram Online on Monday.

Exceptions to the new procedure include wives, husbands and children of Egyptian nationals, as well as Qatari nationals who are studying at Egyptian public universities.

Those in the exempted groups will be given three-month tourist visas and will be asked to legalise their status inside the country with the Passports Authority.

Holders of diplomatic or special passports will also have to obtain a visa from an Egyptian embassy prior to entering the country, the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not yet issued a statement confirming the change in visa rules.

Qataris wishing to enter Egypt are normally able to obtain an on-arrival visa at their port of entry. However, a recent spike in tensions between Egypt and Qatar has apparently led to a change in visa rules.

On 5 June, Four Arab states  Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt  severed diplomatic relations with Qatar, accusing it of supporting Islamist militants and Iran, charges that Doha has denied. A number of other Arab and Muslim countries followed suit.

Egypt also delegated the the Greek embassy in Doha to take on the diplomatic representation of Egypt in Qatar.

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The Working Class Republican: Ronald Reagan and the Return of Blue Collar Conservatism

By Henry Olsen

Broadside.345 pp. $27.99

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Sen. Barack Obama, campaigning in Nevada in early 2008, expressed his presidential ambitions in an eyebrow-raising way: by professing admiration for Ronald Reagan.

"Reagan changed the trajectory of America in a way that Richard Nixon did not and a way that Bill Clinton did not," Obama said. "He put us on a fundamentally different path." It gave Democrats the heebie-jeebies to think that their nominee might see the greatest conservative politician of the 20th century as his model.

But what if Obama - and everyone else - is wrong? What if Reagan, far from being a transformational political figure, was merely continuing the ideas and policies of the greatest progressive politician of the 20th century?

That's the thesis of "The Working Class Republican," by Henry Olsen, a senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center. "I grew up as a conservative Republican in Ronald Reagan's California," Olsen begins, a "die-hard" Reaganite who saw the Gipper as the nation's right-wing standard-bearer. But in the Obama years, as Olsen began reviewing Reagan's speeches and writings, "what I found shocked me. Everything I had been told about Reagan's philosophy, by the Right and the Left, had been wrong."

Reagan, in Olsen's telling, was to his last breath an FDR Democrat in GOP clothing. Indeed, Olsen contends, Franklin Roosevelt and Reagan were both ardent anti-communists who supported a limited but significant role for the federal government to intervene on behalf of the common man.

The New Deal dramatically expanded the role of the federal government in the U.S. economy, but its reforms were often carefully calibrated to provide social insurance to the working poor, in ways that frustrated the left in the years between the New Deal and Lyndon Johnson's Great Society.

In effect, while Olsen's book focuses on the life of Reagan from the 1930s to the 1980s, it makes two revisionist arguments: first, that Reagan was much less conservative than previously understood; and second, that Roosevelt was much more conservative than previously understood.

Most provocatively, Olsen wants today's GOP to embrace the legacy of FDR, to "reapply the cardinal principle enshrined in the New Deal, that government has a limited but strong role to play in helping the average person achieve his or her dreams."

President Trump's appeal, Olsen says, is a direct result of the fact that "the core thrust of [Trump's] argument regarding government's ultimate purpose bears poignant similarities to Reagan's New Deal conservatism."

Olsen is at his most effective when he contrasts the anti-government absolutism of Barry Goldwater with the more nuanced rhetoric of Reagan. It was no accident, Olsen implies, that Goldwater won six states in the 1964 presidential election, while Reagan won 49 in 1984.

Take the example of health care. Most readers of Olsen's book will be surprised to learn that Reagan embraced universal coverage. In "A Time for Choosing" - Reagan's celebrated conservative manifesto delivered at Goldwater's 1964 Republican National Convention - Reagan declared, "No one in this country should be denied medical care for lack of funds." In a speech to the Phoenix Chamber of Commerce - in Goldwater's backyard - Reagan said, "Any person in the United States who requires medical attention and cannot provide for himself should have it provided for him."

While Reagan opposed "compulsory health insurance through a government bureau for people who don't need it or who have ... even a few million dollars tucked away," he championed the Kerr-Mills Act of 1960, a law introduced by two Democrats that gave federal money to states with which to provide medical care for the elderly in need. Reagan said that he was "in favor of this bill - and if the money isn't enough, I think we should put up more."

Goldwater, on the other hand, brimmed with contempt for bills like Kerr-Mills, calling them in "The Conscience of a Conservative" a sinister "mixture of blackmail and bribery."

Olsen fails to address an obvious rejoinder to his argument: that the same policies, in different eras, can represent different directions for the country. In 1932, a politician arguing for the New Deal was outlandishly left wing; in 1980, a politician arguing for a reversion to the New Deal was outlandishly right wing.

Olsen is confusing when he tries to draw policy lessons for today's Republicans from Reagan's philosophy. He slams House Speaker Paul Ryan's approach to entitlement reform, even though it is entirely consistent with Reagan's belief that voluntary programs are superior to compulsory ones and that private businesses are more responsive to ordinary people than government bureaucrats are. Olsen criticizes Obama's support for free-trade agreements such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership, even though Reagan was a committed free-trader.

There's one huge difference between FDR and Reagan that Olsen entirely ignores: their appeal to African-Americans. In 1932, Republican Herbert Hoover won a majority of blacks. By 1936, Democrat FDR had captured 71 percent of the black vote. Reagan succeeded at appealing to the white working class but failed to reverse the GOP's decline among minorities.

There is a strong case that "The Working Class Republican" tries to solve the wrong problem. The GOP has done quite well with the white working class: in the South and the West for years, and now in the Rust Belt with Trump. But many Republican voters resent the growing number of Americans - equally hard-working - whose ancestors came here from somewhere other than Europe. On where the GOP went wrong with minorities, and how to win them back, Olsen has almost nothing to say.

But he captures, in a way few Reagan biographers have, the Gipper's eloquent calls for Washington to actively take the side of those who struggle in the modern economy. Today's Republicans - the ones who pepper their speeches with the name "Reagan" - would be well-served to reflect on Olsen's insights.

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Roy, president of the Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity, served as a policy adviser to Mitt Romney, Rick Perry and Marco Rubio.
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Inprint announced its new season this week - and it's full of headliners, newcomers and one Houstonian.

Starting in September, the literary nonprofit will give us eight months of celebrated writers and poets: 11 writers who will visit Houston as part of the Margarett Root Brown Reading Series.

The series brings in writers - both big names and up-and-comers - to read and discuss their work, then sign copies of their books. Almost every event sells out, and no wonder: General admission is just $5.

Individual tickets go on sale just before each event, but season tickets will be sold through Inprint's website before the end of July.

Here's the lineup:

September 18: Nathan Englander and Nicole Krauss

Nathan Englander will discuss and sign "Dinner at the Center of the Earth," which publishes Sept. 5. Englander was a finalist for the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for "What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank."

Nicole Krauss will join him. Her new novel, "Forest Dark," publishes Sept. 12.

Nov. 6 : Jennifer Egan and Claire Messud

Jennifer Egan's "Manhattan Beach" - her first historical novel - publishes Oct. 3.

Claire Messud's novel "The Burning Girl" will publish Aug. 29.

Nov. 13: Viet Thanh Nguyen

Viet Thanh Nguyen's debut novel, "The Sympathizer," won the 2016 Pulitzer Prize. "The Refugees," his 2016 collection of short stories, was a finalist for the National Book Award. This program is co-presented by Inprint and by Rice University's President's Lecture Series.

Jan. 29: Jhumpa Lahiri

Jhumpa Lahiri is the author of "The Namesake" and won the 2000 Pulitzer Prize for her short story collection, "Interpreter of Maladies." She'll read from her published work.

Feb. 12: Paul Auster

Paul Auster is the author of more than 30 books. He'll read from his latest novel, "4 3 2 1."

March 26: Aminatta Forna and Samanta Schweblin

Aminatta Forna will read from her new novel, "Happiness," which will publish in March.

Samanta Schweblin will read selected work - including, perhaps, her first novel, "Fever Dream," which we reviewed in January.

April 23: Rigoberto Gonzalez and Kevin Prufer

Rigoberto Gonzalez will read from his work to celebration National Poetry Month. Booklist calls Gonzalez "a preeminent voice in Chicano poetics."



Kevin Prufer - an acclaimed poet who lives in Houston - will read from his work, including a new collection, "How He Loved Them," which publishes in 2018.
Luthier Bill Collings died of cancer over the weekend at age 68. Collings was a widely admired guitar maker whose instruments had found their way into the hands of players including Joni Mitchell, Keith Richards, Jerry Jeff Walker, Lyle Lovett, Robert Earl Keen and numerous others.

Collings dropped out of medical school and moved from Ohio to Houston in 1975, where he worked as an engineer for a pipeline company during the day. At night he built guitars. Three years later he met Lovett in Houston and built a Collings guitar for him.
Five police conscripts were killed on Monday when an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated in North Sinai, a security source told state news agency MENA.

An unspecified number of conscripts were also injured in the explosion.

Security forces have been battling an Islamist insurgency for several years in North Sinai, with hundreds killed on both sides.

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Each year, most property owners in Webb County pay thousands of dollars in taxes.

Even if a home in Laredo was valued at just $100,000, the property owner paid at least $2,600 in taxes in 2016. If a home was valued at $200,000, the owner paid over $5,000.

The property taxes that homeowners pay are determined by how much the appraisal district says land and buildings are worth and the tax rates that local government entities each set.

The revenue from those taxes funds the local governments, including the public school districts, Webb County, City of Laredo and Laredo Community College.

READ MORE: Complaint: 'Unorganized' Laredo woman paid $11K in bills with ex-employer's credit cards

The composite tax rate for a property owner in Laredo last year was roughly $2.7 per $100 property valuation, give or take 8 cents if the property was in LISD or UISD boundaries.

According to the Webb County Appraisal District, residential properties in 2016 either increased in value by an average of 3.6 percent or decreased in value by an average of 1.7 percent.

In 2017, property values are on the rise again due to a number of factors. Generating more money for local governments, however, is not one of them, Chief Appraiser Martin Villarreal said.

"Sometimes there's that misconception that I'm raising values to generate values for the entities and that's not the case," Villarreal said. "I'm responsible for setting property values based on current market conditions."

From 2016 to 2017, the market value of all property in Webb County has grown by $1.3 billion. Last year, the market value totaled more than $22 billion, roughly $8 billion more than it was 10 years prior.

The market is the most influential factor in determining property values.

Increasing cost of homes

Along with the market's current state, other factors that could impact property values include the sale of similar properties and property characteristics like location, size and age.

Villarreal noted several reasons why the market is higher this year.

"This year we have $380 million of investment that we picked up in 2016," he said. "What does that mean? Jobs, there's work, people want new homes and you see the housing market. The housing market has gone up."

Investment translates into more jobs, which create more money and demand. As a result of the supply and demand, the price of property goes up.

Out of the 5,187 building permits issued by the city in 2016, 945 were for residential properties.

"The value that the city has recorded, out of the 945 homes, those were valued at $142 million," Villarreal said.

RELATED: The priciest homes on the market in Laredo

In 2007, building permits were issued for 1,173 homes valued at $117 million.

"So what does that tell you? They're building less homes but they're costing more," Villarreal said.

Villarreal also noted a disparity between the total number of building permits issued and the amount of land developed. However, the gap was a result of permits issued for modifications and additions to homes.

"We saw a lot of that this year, a lot of new improvements," Villarreal said. "And if you really think about it, people are buying used homes, going in and remodeling."

Modifications to a home is another factor that could lead to a property value increase.

Protests

But, if a property owner disagrees with the value, they can file an appeal, or protest, with Appraisal Review Board.

Both the taxpayer and the representative from the appraisal district present their evidence to the board. The board will then make a determination based on the evidence and present a market value of the property. If the property owner is still not satisfied, he or she can go to the district court and appeal the decision.

Last year in Webb County, about 6,500 protests were filed. About 80 percent were resolved when a district appraiser conducted informal reviews with property owners.

According to a breakdown of preliminary values for 2017, residential, commercial/industrial and oil and gas are the top contributors to the overall market. Together, these three categories make up about 67 percent of Webb County's market.

Overhaul efforts

Efforts to overhaul the property appraisal and tax rate process fell apart during the regular Texas legislative session after the House and Senate couldn't agree on what constituted meaningful reform.

State Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, authored a bill during the regular session that would have changed how property appraisals are conducted and appealed. His bill also would have required local governments to get voter approval if their proposed tax rate was expected to increase their overall revenues by 5 percent or more. Current law allows voters to petition for such an election if revenues are expected to increase 8 percent or more.

The Senate passed Bettencourt's bill, but that version never made it out of the House Ways and Means Committee. The lower chamber backed an overhaul of the appraisal process and focused on changing how and what Texans are told about property tax rates. It excluded the controversial automatic election provision.

The Texas Tribune contributed to this report.
On July 8, Laredo North Border Patrol agents assigned to the Border Patrol checkpoint on Interstate 35 encountered a tractor-trailer at the primary inspection lane.

The driver was questioned regarding his immigration status and was referred to secondary for further inspection. A closer inspection of the tractor-trailer resulted in the rescue of 33 immigrants inside the locked trailer. Each was determined to be from the countries of Mexico and Guatemala. The driver, a U.S. citizen, was arrested.
A woman has been arrested by Laredo police for allegedly paying about $11,000 in bills with two credit cards that belonged to her former employer, states a criminal complaint.

Vanessa Garza, 34, was served with warrants that charged her with 35 counts of credit or debit card abuse and felony theft. She was released on bond.
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An immigration fugitive from El Salvador wanted for aggravated homicide was deported Thursday by officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) in Laredo.

Carlos Vidal Navarro-Montecinos, 22, was flown to El Salvador July 13 onboard a charter flight coordinated by ICE's Air Operations (IAO) Unit. Upon arrival, Navarro-Montecinos was turned over to officials from El Salvador's Civilian National Police (PNC).

According to the Attorney General of El Salvador's Department of Usulutan, on March 7, 2015, two MS-13 gang members shot and killed a prominent federal prosecutor, Andres Ernesto Oliva Tejada.

READ MORE: Duo were involved in Laredo drug ring with more than 30 other people that used USPS, records say

Before the shooting, detectives learned that Navarro-Montecinos, an MS-13 gang member, was ordered to scout the location prior to the murder. Navarro-Montecinos is being charged as accomplice to the aggravated homicide. The prosecutor died at the scene from injuries he sustained from the shooting.

"This country will not be a refuge for criminals who are is suspected of committing an aggravated homicide in his home country," said Daniel Bible, field office director of ERO San Antonio. "ICE will continue to seek out and deport wanted criminals to ensure they face justice in their home countries."

On June 9, 2015, Navarro-Montecinos entered the United States near Mission, Texas, and was arrested by agents with U.S. Customs and Border Protection's (CBP) Border Patrol. On Dec. 15, 2016, an immigration judge ordered him removed. On June 8, the Board of Immigration Appeals denied Navarro-Montecinos's appeal.

He was transferred to ICE custody and taken to the Rio Grande Detention Center June 11 to await his removal. On June 23, he was transferred to the South Texas Detention Complex in Pearsall, Texas.

This removal was part of ERO's Security Alliance for Fugitive Enforcement (SAFE) Initiative. The SAFE Initiative is geared toward the identification of foreign fugitives who are wanted abroad and removable under U.S. immigration law.

RELATED: 'Unorganized' Laredo woman paid $11K in bills with ex-employer's credit cards, complaint says

Those removed as part of the SAFE Initiative have been deemed ineligible to remain in the United States and were all wanted by the Policia Nacional Civil (PNC). To date, the ERO Office in El Salvador, through the SAFE Initiative, has removed and facilitated the PNC's ability to arrest more than 800 criminal fugitives to El Salvador.

Such coordination efforts demonstrate the continued working relationship between ICE San Antonio's Office of Chief Counsel (OCC), ERO's Assistant Attache for Removal and the Government of El Salvador Immigration (DGME), the PNC, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Ministry of Public Health. SAFE aligns with ERO's public safety priorities and eliminates the need for formal extradition requests.

Since Oct. 1, 2009, ERO has removed more than 1,700 foreign fugitives from the United States who were sought in their native countries for serious crimes, including kidnapping, rape and murder. In fiscal year 2016, ICE conducted 240,255 removals nationwide. Ninety-two percent of individuals removed from the interior of the United States had previously been convicted of a criminal offense.
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Two men recently pleaded guilty in a Laredo federal court to their involvement in a conspiracy to distribute narcotics in a worldwide operation that used the U.S. Postal Service and other means such as the Federal Express, records state.

Dennis Alvarez Boquin is facing 10 years to life in prison after pleading guilty to a charge of drug trafficking conspiracy. His co-defendant, Luis Felipe "Lino" Santos, entered guilty pleas to charges of drug trafficking conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy, court records state.

The men were indicted alongside 33 others for their alleged involvement in a drug trafficking organization working out of Laredo, Nuevo Laredo, Mexico and elsewhere.

The organization is responsible for the importation and distribution of cocaine, heroin, fentanyl and methamphetamine into the United States.

An investigation into the organization, dubbed Operation Tres Equis, is a long-term, worldwide investigation spearheaded by the Drug Enforcement Administration.

READ MORE: LPD: Man pulls up next to car, shoots person in the face

Boquin's drug trafficking activities include a trip to Orlando, Florida, where 4 kilograms of meth were seized; his handling of a specific refrigerator trailer that was seized in Laredo with 23 kilograms of meth plus other narcotics; the wiring of drug proceeds to Ecuador to promote future drug trafficking; and his supervision of the delivery of a meth-laden vehicle in Pompano Beach, Florida, a plea agreement filed in his case states.

In October, the U.S. Attorney's Office said a seizure of 2 tons of cocaine that took place in Ecuador was linked to the investigation.

Santo's involvement revolves around his working for or assisting others in the operation of an Orlando-based stash house where he received and distributed cocaine and drug proceeds, according to his plea agreement.

He allegedly assisted in the operation of the stash house from October 2013 to March 2014, helping in the distribution of at least 5 kilograms of cocaine and the funneling of at least $19,000 in drug proceeds.

"(Santos) abandoned his drug trafficking activity soon after (a) March 19, 2014 seizure when (he) left the Orlando, Florida area with approximately $140,000 in drug proceeds belonging to the organization," the plea states.

MORE FROM LMTonline: Native Laredoan wins 21st Annual International Hooters Swimsuit Pageant

Laredoan Antonio Romero Jr., 30, was identified as the head of the drug trafficking cell that operated out of Orlando, Florida.

So far, 10 of the 35 defendants have reached plea agreements with the prosecution, pleading guilty to various charges related to the scheme. Those 10 defendants now await sentencing.

The remaining defendants face various charges including engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin and fentanyl, conspiracy to launder drug proceeds and numerous other money laundering violations.

"They allegedly used various U.S. bank accounts to transfer drug proceeds from U.S. distribution hub cities to U.S. cities along the Mexican border, including Laredo, and to places outside the United States, such as Mexico, Ecuador and Peru," the Attorney General's Office said.
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At their meeting Monday, Laredo City Council will discuss joining the lawsuit against Texas' Senate Bill 4, the so-called "sanctuary cities" law.

The law permits local peace officers to ask the people they detain or arrest about their immigration status, and furthermore punishes local officeholders who stop police from asking these questions.

The lawsuit was first signed by El Cenizo Mayor Raul Reyes in May, and has since been joined the cities of Austin, San Antonio, Dallas and El Paso, plus other Texas counties.

An attorney representing El Cenizo in this suit told a federal judge that the vague language in this law will lead to peace officers questioning almost every minority's immigration status so as not to inadvertently violate the provisions, the Texas Tribune reported.

A month ago, Texas Rep. Richard Raymond, D-Laredo, delivered letters to Laredo and Webb County officials asking them to join the lawsuit. Webb County Commissioners Court has not made a measure to act.

READ MORE: Duo were involved in Laredo drug ring with more than 30 other people that used USPS, records say

Mayor Pete Saenz has not been enthusiastic about the idea of joining this lawsuit. He fears the political repercussions of being labeled a "sanctuary city" and has said he would prefer that the city write a resolution asking for clarification on some of the contentious provisions.

However, the mayor will not be present for City Council's discussion on Monday, as he will be attending an executive education program held by the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative.

This item was put on the agenda by Councilman Roberto Balli, and is co-sponsored by council members Alex Perez, Alberto Torres and Nelly Vielma. Only one other member of council will need to join this group for the motion to pass.

Two weeks ago in an interview with LMT, El Cenizo Mayor Raul Reyes said this issue is about doing what's right.

"Every city should have the right to make their own determination, but other cities with a smaller percentage of Hispanic population are standing up against this. And Laredo is waiting on the sideline," Reyes said.

This is not the only eye-catching item on Monday's agenda. Interim City Manager Horacio de Leon will again recommend applicants to fill the city secretary and city attorney positions. De Leon recommended in May that Acting City Attorney Kristina Hale fill the spot, but council voted down the recommendation 4-5 with Saenz breaking the tie.

Saenz said he wanted to open up a greater pool of applicants for the position, and encouraged Hale and the one other applicant to apply again.

RELATED: Funding secured for multi-million dollar convention center in downtown Laredo

City Council and city management will also start to get the ball rolling on their preparations for the next fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1.

De Leon will present the proposed annual budget for Fiscal Year 2018 as well as the proposed five-year Capital Improvement Plan.

Furthermore, there will be a public hearing on the proposed projects to be funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. In total, the city is receiving about $4.8 million in federal funds to go toward community development, housing rehabilitation, rental assistance, homelessness prevention, etc.

City Council will also consider spending $930,000 in new video display equipment for the Laredo Energy Arena. The agenda states the jumbotron has been in use since the LEA opened.

Julia Wallace may be reached at 956-728-2543 or jwallace@lmtonline.com
Egypt's Prime Minster Sherif Ismail is set to preside on Tuesday over the signing of a collective agreement with business and labour sector representatives to grant 18 million workers in the private sector a 10 percent raise starting July.

Minister of Manpower Mohamed Saafan said the raise will be a minimum of EGP 165 and a maximum of EGP 330 monthly.

According to Saafan, the new raise is based on an initiative presented by parliaments Support Egypt majority coalition, who met with private business sector representatives to determine the amount of the raise.

The signing of the agreement will be attended by representatives from the Egyptian Trade Union Federation (ETUF), the Federation of Egyptian Industries (FEI), and officials from the ministries of youth, social solidarity and higher education.

The new raise comes after Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi announced last month a set of measures to lift burdens off the average Egyptian citizen.

These measures mainly targeted workers in the country's public sector and minimum wage earners, including a10 percent raise in basic salaries for public employees not covered by the country's civil service law.

The measures came days before the government introduced new cuts to energy subsidies, raising prices of fuel up to 55 percent and electricity up to 42 percent for heavy usage categories.

The fuel subsidy cuts were part of an economic reform package adopted in July 2014 that aimed to ease the country's growing budget deficit.

The government also recently more than doubled monthly food subsidy card rations, from EGP 21 to EGP 50 per person, a 140 percent increase with EGP 85 billion allocated from the states budget instead of a prior EGP 45 billion.

Egypts fiscal reform programme has also involved introducing new taxes and liberalising the Egyptian pound in an attempt to secure a $12 billion three-year loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
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The city-wide debate over Houston firefighters' pay has come down to a battle between city hall and the Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association and the war room is just north of downtown at the union office on Freeman Street in the Heights.

The association represents around 4,000 firefighters and their families and starting in early July and continuing for at least two weeks thousands of Houston's first responders and their supporters are flooding into the small, beige building to prepare for a massive block-walking and petitioning drive.

Their mission is to gather at least 21,000 signatures from registered voters in the city of Houston so that a measure can be placed on the November ballot that would allow the public to decide whether or not to add a charter amendment authorizing "parity in the compensation provided to Houston Firefighters compared to the compensation provided to Houston Police Officers," reads the heading on the petition form next to a small, red firefighter's helmet with the words, "Let The Voters Decide" inscribed around it.

"Since 2011, Houston firefighters have received only a three percent cost-of-living pay raise," said Patrick "Marty" Lancton, president of the firefighters association. "HPD, who we love and respect, have gotten a 26 percent increase."

The Union Local 341 is headquarters for training in petitioning procedure as well as some talking points for those knocking on doors.

Lancton, along with association Director Position No. 1 John Franco, are training HFD staff and civilian alike on petition gathering rules so that all signatures are deemed valid by City of Houston City Secretary.

Two HFD firefighters, Jason Danvir and Kirk Ponce de Leon, have already knocked on doors or been allowed by some businesses to inform customers on their property about the petition.

"The majority of people who signed our petition had already heard a lot about it," said Danvir, an 18-year veteran with the department who was allowed by Karbach Brewery to solicit there on Sunday, his day off. "But a lot of people were surprised we didn't make the same as police officers."

He estimates he secured about 30 signatures at Karbach.

Ponce de Leon has just under two years as a firefighter, but got a thorough education in compensation woes early on.

"Ever since I've come into this, it's all I've heard," he said.

The rookie firefighter has said he signed up anywhere from 50 to 60 people in the hour he spent at a small grocery market on Washington Avenue.

Danvir describes people as "overwhelmingly positive" when he tells them about the effort and asks for their signature. Buffalo Wild Wings on Washington Avenue has also allowed HFD to set up petition stations inside their doors.

All of the petitioning is done during off-time, said Lancton, which is usually an already packed schedule with side jobs and family obligations.

"This is very difficult for firefighters and their families," he said. "The hole keeps widening and no one wants to address it."

Franco, a firefighter of 13 years, trains those who petition to ask for verbal verification that the signer is a registered voter in the city of Houston - which will be checked agaisnst records by the City of Houston Secretary once turned in - and to make sure no one signs for a spouse or family member.

The firm who helped local activists gather signatures to get a measure to repeal alcohol restrictions in the Heights on the ballot last year, Texas Petition Strategies, is consulting with the association on this effort to guide them in the legal aspects of obtaining signatures.

Someone is at the office from 7 a.m. till 10 p.m., said Franco, to assist anyone who stops by to volunteer.

"It's non-stop. Guys are coming through on a regular basis," he said. "If firefighters come in, we'll be ready."
The Woodlands resident Melanie Bush, who owns her own bookkeeping business, said she has enjoyed her time as a Conroe Independent School board trustee, but the Montgomery County's financial state has given her reason to challenge County Treasurer Stephanne Davenport in the March 2018 Republican primary.

Davenport was appointed treasurer in 2013 by Commissioners Court and ran unopposed in 2014.

Bush, who confirmed her intention to run to The Courier Thursday, says plainly "the Treasurer's Office needs help." Bush said her desire to run is not personal but rather about the duty of the office and what's right for the taxpayers. Treasurer's offices in Texas counties have the responsibilities of receiving and disbursing funds and accounting for money in the county's possession.

"We need to evaluate the entire financial state of the county and how things are being run," Bush said.

In an exclusive interview with The Courier, Bush addressed a Courier editorial suggesting voters should be allowed to decide whether to keep or eliminate the county Treasurer's Office, as has been done in a handful of other Texas counties and the state Treasurer's Office. In all of those constitutional amendment elections, voters eliminated the position, including at the state level.

"I don't know that we need to do that at this point, but I can't say it is off the table," said Bush, adding she would need to get in office and evaluate how it is operating before supporting the elimination of the department.

The Treasurer's Office, she said, is not fee-producing, making low overhead critical.

"It should be as efficient as possible to be as cost-effective as possible," she said. "I believe we should make as many cuts as we can to be as efficient as possible."

While the political climate in Montgomery County has continued to become more divided, Bush said she hopes by running a positive campaign, she can avoid that in the treasurer's race.

"It doesn't change how I run for the seat," said Bush, who was elected to the Conroe ISD board in November 2014. "I will run a positive campaign based solely on why I am the best person for the position. We are looking for a political climate that isn't so contentious, so caustic.

"One of my biggest challenges is seeing that happen. I really don't like candidates constantly attacking others. I refused to do that in my previous race and I will not do that in this race."

Bush said because Montgomery County has grown so large, residents need to elect those who are qualified for the position and have experience.

"Voters need to look at this as a job interview and who they want to hire and not based on who has done it before, not based on any alliances they have in the political world," she said. "The county needs to be run like a business."

For Bush, she said now is the time for the county to come together for the good of residents and the future generations.

As for qualifications, Bush said her more than 15 years as a bookkeeper makes her the right choice for treasurer. Bush opened The Woodlands-based Better Bookkeepers in 2010.

Bush and her husband Alan, who is an attorney, have two daughters.

Davenport could not be reached for comment.

But according to her Facebook page Stephanne Davenport Moontgomery County Treasurer, she was appointed as treasurer in 2013.

She was twice named Montgomery County's Employee of the Month and in 2011 was also named as Montgomery County's Employee of the Year.

Davenport is active in the community and is a founding board member and executive secretary for the Montgomery County Association of Business Women. Davenport was named a recipient of Montgomery County Women's Council of Organizations "Women of Distinction" award for 2013, an honor based on volunteerism and service to the community.

She is active with Montgomery County Young Republicans and the Montgomery County Republican Party.
A Supreme Court mystery: Has Chief Justice John Roberts embraced the court's same-sex marriage decision that he so passionately protested two years ago?

The "does-he-doesn't-he" question is prompted by a case the court decided without oral arguments at the end of the recently completed term. The justices ruled in favor of same-sex couples, but did so in a way that has turned those who closely follow the court's actions into a debating society.

And the answer could be important for more than curiosity's sake. The court already has accepted for next term a case about whether business owners must provide services for gay unions even if they are religiously opposed, and the nation's courts are filling with cases about how far the 2015 same-sex marriage ruling extends.

Usually, there is no question about where the justices stand. One of the Supreme Court's boasts about its transparency is that justices put their names on their work, joining the reasoning of a majority or dissenting opinion or writing their own.

"Except sometimes they don't," said Joshua Matz, a former clerk to Justice Anthony Kennedy and proprietor of a legal blog called Take Care.

And one of the times they don't is when issuing a "per curium" decision, an unsigned opinion that is filed on behalf of the court.

The per curium decision said Arkansas's justices had failed to properly apply the court's landmark decision that gay couples have a constitutional right to marry, Obergefell v. Hodges.

"Differential treatment infringes Obergefell's commitment to provide same-sex couples 'the constellation of benefits that the states have linked to marriage,' " the unsigned opinion said.

The court's three most conservative justices objected. Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito joined a dissent written by new Justice Neil Gorsuch, which said the court should have accepted the case for full briefing and argument because the outcome wasn't nearly as clear-cut as the majority claimed.

"Nothing in Obergefell spoke (let alone clearly) to the question" raised in the Arkansas case, Gorsuch wrote. (Parenthetically, the parenthetical in that line has been interpreted by some as a shot at Kennedy, who wrote Obergefell and for whom Gorsuch clerked on the Supreme Court.

Noticeably absent from the dissent was Roberts, who was on the losing side in Obergefell. He issued a strongly worded dissent in that case and underlined his opposition by reading a summary of it from the bench, the first and only time he has taken such a step in more than a decade on the court.

Same-sex couples are justified in celebrating their newly found right, he said, but added tartly "the Constitution has nothing to do with it."

But if Roberts wasn't with the named dissenters in the recent Arkansas case, does that mean he was with the unnamed majority?

Constitutional scholar Erwin Chemerinsky said during a recent panel discussion at the University of California at Irvine Law School that the answer was yes and the vote should be seen as 6 to 3.

Law professor Leah Litman said she wasn't sure Chemerinsky could make such a claim. But another panelist, Alex Kozinski, the celebrated and conservative longtime judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, was definitive:

Yes, Roberts was in the majority.

When there is a published opinion and a justice does not note being in dissent, said Kozinski (yet another person who used to call Kennedy boss), the justice has signed on to the majority.

"No doubt about it," Kozinski said.

Will Baude, a University of Chicago law professor and former Roberts clerk who has closely studied the per curium decisions, rulings on emergency filings and stay requests that collectively have been referred to as the court's "shadow docket," is skeptical of Kozinski's pronouncement.

"We don't know for sure, but I think he's probably wrong," Baude said.

Baude said it is clear that justices do not always note their dissents when it comes to dealing with emergency stay applications, for instance. And he said it seems likely that there are times when justices simply don't note their dissents.

Matz titled his commentary "No, the Chief Justice Did Not Just Embrace Obergefell" and said there could be several reasons for a justice to secretly dissent: "For instance, to conceal one's views from the public and thereby retain future flexibility; as a display of good will to the majority or the institution as a whole; or to avoid needlessly creating the appearance of conflict."

Perhaps Roberts didn't like Gorsuch's dissent. Perhaps the chief thought the Arkansas case not worth taking.

Because the five members of the Obergefell majority - Kennedy and Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan - remain, Roberts certainly knows there is no way of dislodging Obergefell as precedent, and perhaps he thought it covered the Arkansas case, whether he liked it or not.

Kozinski said at the UCI panel that judges know when they are outnumbered and it is not worth taking up a case you are sure to lose. "It's a matter of arithmetic," he said.

But it doesn't dictate what a judge might do in the next case, he said, if circumstances - for instance, the court's membership - change.
The brother of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has been detained over unspecified "financial issues," the nation's judiciary said, a development that reflects increasing tensions between the president and his hardline political opponents.

Hossein Fereydoun was taken into custody and is eligible for bail, judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei said, according to state-run Tasnim news agency. He didn't give a reason for the arrest of Fereydoun, who assisted Rouhani during nuclear talks that led to Iran's 2015 agreement with world powers.

Some of Rouhani's political opponents have condemned the deal, which traded sanctions relief for the curbing of Iran's nuclear program. They say the president and his team were too lenient and that the agreement has failed to reap promised economic benefits. The judiciary, which operates independently from Rouhani's government, is run by more hardline politicians.

Fereydoun, who's been referred to in Iran as Rouhani's "eyes and ears," had already been the target of attacks by some conservatives. They alleged he played a role in a scandal that emerged a year ago over high executive wages by appointing one of the paid directors. Accusations of financial impropriety against him were also brought up by Rouhani's rivals during the presidential election in May. He has denied wrongdoing.

This is an attempt by Rouhani's opponents to portray "corruption as a weak point of his administration to weaken him both in the eyes of the international community and the Iranian population," said Aniseh Bassiri Tabrizi, a research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute in London.

Rouhani, a politically moderate cleric, was re-elected on his platform of easing Iran's isolation and welcoming foreign investment. His inauguration is planned for Aug. 5 and afterward he will nominate cabinet appointments.

The timing of the arrest may be aimed at "influencing the nomination of certain people in key positions" or forcing concessions from Rouhani, Bassiri Tabrizi said.

Also Sunday, the judiciary disclosed that a U.S citizen was sentenced to 10 years in jail for allegedly "infiltrating" the country. The sentence can be appealed, it said.

The dual Chinese-American national was identified as Xiyue Wang, a 37-year-old history researcher, according to Mizan Online, a website affiliated with Iran's judiciary. His detention, which reportedly took place in August last year, wasn't previously known. Wang is a graduate student in history at Princeton University in New Jersey.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the university said Wang was arrested while carrying out research linked to his doctorate dissertation on the Qajar dynasty. Princeton is working with his family and the U.S. government to secure Wang's release, it said.

Iran marked the two-year anniversary of the nuclear deal on July 14. While remaining U.S. sanctions have slowed economic gains promised by the accord, signs that international interest in Iran is growing have disturbed some hardliners, who foresee their power waning.

A $1 billion natural gas bet by Total SA signed earlier this month, marked the first investment in Iran by an international energy company since the nuclear accord. The Total deal has been criticized in some corners of the conservative media for being detrimental to the Islamic Republic; moderate politicians close to Rouhani hailed it as proof of Iran's progress post-sanctions.

The perception that the Rouhani administration is starting to reap benefits from the nuclear agreement is a "cause of concern for hardliners in terms of loosing ground economically," said Bassiri Tabrizi.

Under Rouhani's predecessor, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, ever tighter sanctions drove away foreign investors and enlarged the economic role of state-affiliated organizations controlled by conservatives or the security establishment.
ISTANBUL - A Chinese American student whom Iran has accused of espionage was sentenced by an Iranian court to 10 years in prison, the judiciary's official news agency reported Sunday, a move likely to raise tensions with the Trump administration ahead of a deadline to waive some Iran sanctions.

The Mizan news agency identified the American as Xiyue Wang, 37, a graduate student and researcher at Princeton University. The report said he was born in Beijing and is a dual citizen of the United States and China, but that information could not be confirmed.

Earlier in the day, judicial spokesman Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejehi announced that a U.S. citizen had been sentenced for "infiltration" but did not give further details.

"It was verified and determined that he was gathering [information] and was involved in infiltration," Ejehi said at a news conference in Tehran, the Associated Press reported.

Mizan, which is affiliated with Iran's hard-line judiciary, later reported that Wang was sentenced as part of an "infiltration project" that included the gathering of "confidential articles" to send to the State Department and other Western academic institutions.

Wang is a fourth-year graduate student working on a doctorate in history, Daniel Day, Princeton's vice president of communications, said Sunday.

"He was arrested in Iran last summer, while there doing scholarly research on the administrative and cultural history of the late Qajar dynasty in connection with his Ph.D. dissertation," Day said in a statement. "Since his arrest, the university has worked with Mr. Wang's family, the U.S. government, private counsel and others to facilitate his release.

"We were very distressed by the charges brought against him in connection with his scholarly activities, and by his subsequent conviction and sentence. His family and the university are distressed at his continued imprisonment and are hopeful that he will be released after his case is heard by the appellate authorities in Tehran."

Stephen Kotkin, Wang's adviser at Princeton, described him as a gifted scholar who was impressed with Persian culture.

"Xiyue Wang is a remarkable, linguistically gifted graduate student studying late 19th- and early 20th-century governance in predominantly Muslin regions - Qajar Iran, Afghanistan, imperial Russian Turkestan," he said. "He is innocent of all the charges. In Tehran, Wang collected documents that were 100 years old. He has told me often of his exhilaration at the exquisiteness and depth of Persian civilization."

The report from Mizan, which included a photo from the Princeton website, also contained a quote from Wang in which he praises the British Institute of Persian Studies for facilitating access to Iran's National Archives and other libraries. The quote was used as evidence of his spying activities, the report said, adding, "Wang admits his mission in Iran."

"I have been having trouble accessing Tehran's archives and libraries," Wang said in the 2015-2016 annual report of the British Institute of Persian Studies, a nonprofit organization based in London.

"Mrs. Reyhanpour offered to help," he said of one of the institute's employees. "And within a few days, she put me in contact with senior scholars at the National Archive. . . . Without Mrs. Reyhanpour's help it would be hard to imagine how long it would have taken for me to become acquainted with academic institutions in Iran."

Wang's reported conviction comes at a particularly tense time for U.S.-Iranian relations, which have rapidly deteriorated since President Trump took office.

Under the previous administration, the United States and other world powers negotiated a deal with Iran to curb its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. It was hailed as a victory for diplomacy and an end to Iran's global isolation.

Since then, the Trump administration has stepped up its anti-Iran rhetoric and placed U.S. participation in the nuclear deal under review. Monday is the deadline for the White House to decide whether to issue a waiver on nuclear-related sanctions against Iran, a provision that is required periodically under the terms of the 2015 nuclear deal. The administration is expected to approve the waiver, despite an internal debate on how to respond to Iran's human rights abuses and support for militant groups such as Hezbollah.

"The Iranian regime continues to detain U.S. citizens and other foreigners on fabricated national-security related changes," a State Department official said in an emailed statement Sunday. Iran is believed to hold a number of foreign nationals, mostly dual citizens of the United States and European countries, but many of their identities have been kept secret.

"We call for the immediate release of all U.S. citizens unjustly detained in Iran so they can return to their families," the State Department official said.

It was unclear how long Wang may have been in Iranian custody, but Mizan reported authorities arrested him in August 2016 as he was leaving the country. Facebook and LinkedIn pages with Wang's name, photo and similar work and study history indicate he studied at Harvard University from 2006 to 2008 and later worked as a Pashto language interpreter for the International Committee for the Red Cross in Afghanistan.

According to Day, Wang specialized in Eurasian history in the 19th and 20th centuries. The website of Wang's apparent adviser, Stephen Kotkin, lists Wang's thesis topic as "Islamic Inner Asia."

"We cannot comment more at the present time, except to say that the University continues to do everything it can to be supportive of Mr. Wang and his family," Day said.

Also Sunday, the brother of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani was detained for unspecified financial crimes, the judicial spokesman said. Hossein Fereidoun is a close adviser to the president and was involved in the negotiations that led to the nuclear deal with world powers. Hard-line conservatives in Iran had long accused him of corruption.
LIMA, Peru - The corruption mega-scandal rumbling across Latin America just keeps getting bigger. This week it claimed its two biggest victims, Peru's former President Ollanta Humala and his erstwhile Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Yet prosecutors in many countries have barely started delving into the labyrinthine details of nearly $1 billion in kickbacks paid by the Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht to politicians from Argentina to Mexico over the years.

Humala and his wife, Nadine Heredia, turned themselves in to authorities Thursday night, hours after a judge ordered that they serve up to 18 months of pretrial detention as they are investigated on money-laundering and conspiracy charges. The 55-year-old former army officer, who has insisted on his innocence, became the first former head-of-state detained in connection with the Odebrecht case. The ruling was prompted by fears that the couple would attempt to meddle with witnesses or evidence if they remained free.

It came just one day after a Sao Paulo court sentenced Lula, a former leftist ally of Humala, to nearly 10 years behind bars on similar charges. Lula, who has called the charges politically motivated, remains at liberty while he appeals the decision. Unlike Humala, he remains wildly popular in his home country and had been leading in early polls for next year's presidential election.

The developments may mark the start of a series of high-profile arrests and convictions across Latin America, says Jose Ugaz, a Peruvian attorney who heads Transparency International, the world's leading anti-graft nonprofit. "The Odebrecht case may not have even reached the halfway stage," he told The Washington Post. "This will be a long investigation. It will likely continue for years."

Humala, 55, who stepped down from office just under a year ago, is accused of taking $3 million in under-the-table campaign contributions from Odebrecht during his successful 2011 presidential bid plus an undisclosed sum from Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez in 2006, when he was runner up.

The judge ruled he and Heredia should be detained after it recently was alleged that Humala may have bought off witnesses in a separate investigation, in which he had been accused of overseeing extrajudicial killings during his time as an army captain at a remote jungle base in the 1990s. Humala denies wrongdoing in that case. Heredia is also alleged to have falsified a handwriting sample required by prosecutors.

Before driving under heavy escort to turn himself in, Humala had claimed that the prosecutor had been "poisoned" against him and highlighted how he and his wife had handed in their passports. Another former Peruvian president, economist and occasional Stanford lecturer Alejandro Toledo, who served from 2001 to 2006, is fighting extradition to Peru from his home in Palo Alto, California, on charges that he took $20 million in kickbacks from Odebrecht. He has said he is innocent.

Yet the charges against Toledo and Humala may just be the start of a series of legal maneuvers in Peru and a dozen other regional countries where Odebrecht, the region's largest engineering firm, won numerous multibillion-dollar public infrastructure contracts stretching back decades.

According to reported testimony from Marcelo Odebrecht, the jailed former CEO of the engineering firm, he gave clandestine donations to Alan Garcia, who was president of Peru from 2006 to 2011, and Keiko Fujimori, the presidential runner-up in 2011 and 2016 and leader of the current majority party in Peru's congress. That testimony is also thought to include the names of many other Latin American political big shots. The politicians have denied the charges.

Ugaz dismissed widespread criticism that Peruvian prosecutors have proven partial by failing to go after Garcia and Fujimori with the same vigor as Humala and Toledo. "The prosecutors have a huge workload. There was a lot of documentary evidence regarding Humala. In the cases of Fujimori and Garcia, the prosecutors are just getting started and will have to question them first."

"I am optimistic," he adds. "There is a long way to go but we should not forget how far we have come. A few years ago, this might never have happened."
A Giza prosecution ordered on Monday the detention of nine people for 15 days pending investigation after they were arrested on Sunday during clashes between police and residents of Cairos Warraq Island.

The clashes erupted after the government demolished a number of homes which it said were illegal structures and encroachments on state property, but which residents maintain were legally owned.

One civilian was killed and 19 were injured in the clashes between residents and police and army forces, while at least 33 policemen were injured, according to the interior ministry.

Thirteen people were arrested for inciting violence against security forces, which added to the tension between residents and the government.

Police say the 13 men were arrested during the clashes, while resident claim that they were arrested while at hospital for treatment of injuries suffered during the clashes. The residents say the men arrested were not involved in any violence.

"We were shocked to learn that security forces arrested 13 people of our injured while they were being treated in hospitals in Imbaba, Shobra and El-Sahel," former head of Warraq islands local council Yahia El-Maghraby told Ahram Online.

Demolitions and clashes

In a very scary scene security forces came to conduct a raid, claiming that all the land on the island was state-owned," said the 72-year-old El-Maghraby.

According to El-Maghraby, the clashes started with verbal altercations between residents and security forces, who then fired birdshot.

El-Maghraby says that residents hurled rocks in response to security forces firing birdshot and tear gas.

However, the interior ministry said in a statement that some of the residents gathered and attacked the police with stones and birdshot rounds, prompting security forces to use tear gas to disperse them.

Shortly after the clashes on Sunday, Prime Minister Sherif Ismail issued a statement saying that over 700 judicial decrees had been issued ordering the removal of illegal properties on Warraq Island, and that property owners can still obtain legal status for their illegally-built properties.

Ismail added that no agricultural land would be evacuated or destroyed.

Giza governor Mohamed El-Dali said that the security campaign had only targeted illegal constructions directly on the banks of the Nile.

However, residents say that nine houses were demolished despite being far from the Niles banks, adding that the owners of the homes paid electricity bills and had official contracts for their properties.

"The government has had an eye on our island since 2002, at one point claiming that it is state land and another time claiming it was a natural reserve," El-Maghraby says, adding that the administrative ruled in 2002 that the residents had legal ownership of their properties.

El-Maghraby says that the state only owns 60 feddans on the 1,400-feddan island, and that the Religious Endowments Ministry owns 30 feddans and the Agricultural Development Authority owns another 30.

"The Agricultural Development Authority rents some 25 feddans to farmers with official contracts," he said, adding that there are no less than 2,500 families living on the remaining land.

Angry residents say homes were legal

Ahram Online spoke to residents whose homes were demolished, all of whom insist that their homes, mostly two-storey structures, were legal, presenting contracts which they say prove their legal status.

Shokria Mohamed, whose home was among those demolished, showed Ahram Online documents stating that her son had legal ownership of the house.

"I had gone to work early in the morning to work selling grilled corn, and my son had gone to work as well. We returned to find our house in ruins," said the grandmother of four, who is in her 70s, adding that they were not warned in advance.

"We did not have time to get our possessions, except very few things," she said.

Mohamed says she now sleeps under the Rod El-Farag Axis, which passes through the island.

Mohameds four grandchildren are staying with their mother at a relatives home on the mainland.

"All I ask is for the government to compensate us so we can start over. My son saved for years to build this house," she said.

In May, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi initiated a campaign to recover illegally seized state-owned land.

In June, authorities announced that the government had recovered more than 919,000 out of 1.9 million feddans of illegally seized farmland, as well as 53 million square meters out of 168 million construction land.

At the time, the president indirectly referred to Warraq Island as an example of the "epidemic of illegal informal buildings in Egypt."

However, El-Maghraby says that the president is being misinformed on the true status of the island.

"We have had an official agricultural association office and school [on the island] for more than 50 years," El-Maghraby said, which he insists proves their presence is legal.

"We have contracts issued by the official notary office of Egypt. The government must respect these contracts in accordance with the law and the constitution," El-Maghraby said.

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We've seen this movie before: A charismatic figure chats with President Donald Trump about climate change. He or she presses Trump on the necessity of the United States staying in the Paris Climate Accord. At first, Trump hints that he could be swayed to change his stance. But later, Trump does what he was going to do all along.

Despite climate change not being an official topic on the agenda of Trump's visit to Paris last week, French President Emmanuel Macron said Sunday that the two leaders discussed the issue, and that Macron may have softened his U.S. counterpart's stance on the climate accord that was negotiated in that city and that Trump announced the United States would leave last month.

"Donald Trump listened to me. He understood the reason for my position, notably the link between climate change and terrorism," Macron told Le Journal du Dimanche, a weekly newspaper in France, according to a translation by the Associated Press.

Macron continued: "He said he would try to find a solution in the coming months. We spoke in detail about what could allow him to return to the Paris deal."

"Yeah, I mean, something could happen with respect to the Paris accord," Trump said himself at a joint news conference with Macron. "We'll see what happens."

A forewarning to the Frenchman: Others have tried to persuade Trump on the dangers of leaving the Paris agreement - and failed.

Recall: Back in December, the foremost climate activist in the United States, Al Gore, ascended the golden elevator at Trump Tower at daughter Ivanka Trump's request to discuss climate change with the president-elect.

When the former vice president returned to ground level, he teased reporters: "I had a lengthy and very productive session with the president-elect. It was a sincere search for areas of common ground," Gore said. He added: "I found it an extremely interesting conversation, and to be continued, and I'm just going to leave it at that."

But later that same week, Trump announced that he would nominate Scott Pruitt, who as Oklahoma attorney general said the debate on climate change is "far from settled," to be administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.

In May, Elon Musk, the charming Tony Stark-like co-founder of Tesla and SolarCity, similarly sounded a hopeful note about the prospect of U.S. commitment to the Paris agreement after speaking with Trump.

But Musk too was unable to persuade the president. By June, Trump announced the United States would pull out of the agreement. Musk responded by quitting Trump's business advisory council in protest.

What's going on: As Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank wrote last December, Trump "tells whoever is listening to him exactly what that person wants to hear" - even if those people, for example, are pointing nuclear weapons at each other. Back then, the president-elect told the prime minister of Pakistan that he was "doing amazing work which is visible in every way" even while members of Trump's transition team had told journalists in India that Trump wanted to declare Pakistan a "terror state."

Other European officials who spoke with Sophie Yeo for The Post also are pretty pessimistic after Trump's visit to France:

- Norway's minister of climate and environment Vidar Helgesen said: "Until further advice or interpretation is given from Washington, I wouldn't see this as differing from that slight opening he gave when announcing withdrawal."

- And U.K. Labour Party's shadow minister for international climate change Barry Gardiner said: "Yes, 'something could happen'! The American president could come to his senses and realize that he has just thrown away the opportunity for the U.S.A. to lead the technological revolution that is about to usher in a zero-carbon economy."

Macron likely knows not to take Trump at his word when Trump suggest he says he wants to "find a solution" to the issues surrounding the Paris agreement. Trump has already solved what he saw as a "bad deal" by abandoning it. As White House counselor Kellyanne Conway put it at the time, "he's stayed where he's always been, and not for a lack of trying by those who have an opposite opinion."

But Macron, like so many others who see the Paris agreement as necessary to keeping the planet from overcooking, likely believes any crack of light he sees in the door Trump slammed on the deal is worth trying to crowbar open.
Over the weekend, Turkey marked the one-year anniversary of a deadly coup attempt against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his elected government. You probably know the story: On July 15, 2016, a mutinous faction of soldiers staged a short-lived insurrection that was confronted by mass protests in Istanbul and elsewhere. More than 250 people were killed, including many civilians, and thousands injured before order was restored.

A year ago, I reported the aftermath from Istanbul. In a country known for its profoundly polarized politics, the events of July 15 had ushered in a remarkable period of unity. After decades of military interference in political life, Turks across the political spectrum seemed galvanized by their fellow citizens' defense of democracy. On Aug. 7, Erdogan even appeared at a gigantic rally with prominent figures of the opposition - including his biggest challenger, secularist Kemal Kilicdaroglu - in an unprecedented show of solidarity.

Today, whatever unity once existed is long gone. At events in Istanbul and Ankara commemorating the "martyrs" who perished, Erdogan thundered against his opponents at home and abroad.

"We will rip off the heads of those traitors," Erdogan said at a massive nationalist rally in Istanbul on Saturday, reiterating his desire to reinstate the death penalty. He then scolded Kilicdaroglu, who recently led a three-week protest march against Erdogan from Ankara to Istanbul.

"You should be ashamed of yourself," Erdogan said. "This nation is not a coward like you. This nation has a heart."

Turkish authorities pinned the attempted coup on Fethullah Gulen, a U.S.-based cleric who founded a global network of influential schools and charities but who is widely seen in Turkey as the mastermind of a subversive fifth column seeking to control the Turkish state. In an interview with NPR last week, Gulen again denied any involvement in the attempted coup.

The murky origins and circumstances of the putsch are still the subject of fevered debate, and Gulen's mooted extradition to his homeland seems nowhere in sight. Erdogan railed at Western governments for supposedly taking the side of his enemies and seeking to undermine Turkey.

"The stance of the European Union is clear to see ... 54 years have passed and they are still messing us about," he said in Ankara on Sunday, resuming his long-running feud with European leaders. "We will sort things out for ourselves. There's no other option."

Erdogan's government certainly has set about "sorting things out." Just days after he survived the coup attempt, Erdogan declared it "a gift from God" that would usher in "a new Turkey."

Since then, Erdogan has presided over a vast and astonishing purge of his country's state institutions and civil society. He and his allies say they are expunging supposed Gulenist plotters, but they are in reality targeting a much larger pool of dissidents, activists and other perceived adversaries.

Around 150,000 people were suspended or fired from their jobs in state institutions or universities. On Friday alone, news came of 7,000 more people dismissed from their posts, including 2,303 police officers and hundreds of academics. At least 50,000 people from the military, police, judiciary and other branches of government have been arrested. More than 100 journalists are behind bars. Dozens of newspapers and TV stations have been shut down.

Critics accuse Erdogan of laying the foundations of a one-party dictatorship, but his supporters say he is consolidating Turkish democracy. And so does he.

"Those who turned their weapons against innocent civilians on 15 July hit a brick wall made of a decade of progress in politics, economics, healthcare, justice, foreign policy and fundamental rights," Erdogan wrote in a column published by the Guardian. "This connection between the people and their government is the ultimate measure of our democracy's resilience, and the strongest guarantee of its survival."

This year, Erdogan narrowly won a referendum that will transform the Turkish republic's political system from a parliamentary democracy to one dominated by a strong presidential executive. But his slim margin of victory led many analysts to predict that Erdogan will cling to his divisive populism to further cement his power.

Erdogan's fiery remarks in Istanbul this week were aimed at his base - politically conservative, religiously pious and increasingly nationalist Turks. A day prior, imams around Turkey delivered state-sanctioned sermons that connected those who died defending Erdogan's rule to the fighters killed in Turkey's war of independence after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. The legacy of the coup attempt has "become an increasingly important political cudgel for the president and his Islamist supporters, with the victory over the coup plotters seen as a critical part of the government's popular mandate," my colleague Kareem Fahim wrote.

"His narrative means that the rise of the Turkish nation and the future of the global Muslim community hinge on Erdogan as a person and a politician," said Soner Cagaptay, author of "The New Sultan: Erdogan and the Crisis of Modern Turkey," to the Financial Times. "The implication is that, if you don't support Erdogan, you are neither a good Turk or a good Muslim."

As we've discussed before, Erdogan and his ruling Justice and Development Party were initially seen as forces of liberalization, unshackling Turkey's sclerotic economy and granting greater cultural freedoms to devout Muslims, ethnic Kurds and other communities long suppressed by Turkey's notoriously draconian secular state. But now, Erdogan's critics lament his repeated demonization of constituencies unlikely to vote for him or his party and the deepening polarization that is taking place under his watch.

"Labeling at least half of your population as 'terrorist' is not a defense of democracy," Kilicdaroglu wrote in a Guardian column opposing the Turkish president. "And concentrating power in the hands of one person without any checks or balances is an assault on the very notion of democracy."
A Jordanian court on Monday sentenced a soldier to life imprisonment over the killing of three American military trainers outside an army base last year.

The military court in Amman found 39-year-old Maarik Al-Tawaiha guilty of shooting the trainers as they waited to enter the King Faisal base at Al-Jafr in southern Jordan on November 4.

The charge sheet did not indicate that he had any ties to militant groups.

The court sentenced him to "hard labour for life", a term that usually lasts 20 years but could stretch to a full lifetime, a judicial official told an AFP correspondent at the courthouse.

It also demoted him from sergeant to second private and threw him out of military service.

The prosecution in June accused him of "voluntary manslaughter" as well as "insulting the dignity and reputation of the armed forces and violating military orders".

Tawaiha, who wore a suit at the hearing, had been in custody since November but denied the charges.

The court had heard evidence from guards at the base and forensic experts.

The Jordanian army said in November that the shooting took place during an exchange of fire at the gate of the base after the car carrying the US trainers failed to stop.

An American defence official described the incident as "green on blue", a military term for when friendly forces attack US personnel.

Tawaiha told the court he had opened fire on the cars carrying the American trainers after hearing gunshots. Suspecting an attack on the base, he shot at them, killing the three Americans and wounding a Jordanian soldier.

The American official told AFP after the incident that it was not clear whether the act was a deliberate attempt to kill US personnel or "some kind of misunderstanding".

The King Faisal air base hosts trainers of various nationalities including Americans.

Jordan, which hosts some 2,200 American military personnel, is a key American ally and a member of the United States-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group.

US forces have trained a small group of vetted Syrian rebels in the country, and American instructors have also trained Palestinian security forces there over the past few years.

Tens of thousands of Iraqi, Yemeni and Libyan forces have also received training in Jordan.

In 2015, the United States said it would increase overall US assistance to Jordan from $660 million to $1 billion annually for the period to 2017.

The Al-Jafr incident came almost a year after a Jordanian policeman shot dead two US instructors, a South African and two Jordanians at a police training centre east of Amman, before being gunned down.

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More than 70,000 texts have been sent to a terminally ill veteran after word spread that the New Braunfels man was lonely and needed support.

Lee Hernandez, a 47-year-old who is now blind and in hospice care, asked his wife to hold his cellphone in case someone called, according to an Arizona news site.

He was disappointed when no one reached out.

"It broke my heart," Lee's wife, Ernestine Hernandez, told Arizona Central late last week. "Lee's speech is not very well, so many people didn't take much interest or want to talk to him."

SO SWEET: Longview police officers mow disabled veteran's lawn

She posted a message on the Caregivers of Wounded Warriors Facebook group to ask veterans if they could text or call Hernandez, who spent 18 years in the Army and did a tour in Iraq. She said that people who want to call or text Hernandez should reach out in the evening at 210-632-6778.

Her Facebook post went viral and his phone blew up with texts.

Ernestine Hernandez said she reads the messages to Hernandez and responds to as many as she can. "It really lifts him up," she said.

According to a Facebook page, Hernandez is having strokes and has undergone three brain surgeries.

Veterans are also working to get Hernandez a service dog, cleaning services and a visit from his old platoon.

Ernestine Hernandez shared a video on Friday of him thanking everyone for rallying around him. "Thank you all for your text messages and your phone calls, and for thinking of me and supporting me," he said. "I appreciate it all."

Take a look through the gallery above to see photos of people across America honoring our veterans.
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A police officer shot and killed a San Antonio man Monday morning on the West Side during a brief standoff that began after the man allegedly threatened to kill a 15-year-old girl, officials said.

San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said police received a call about the suspect, identified as 37-year-old Jose Cazares, threatening to shoot the girl around 7 a.m. at Cazares' home in the 1800 block of Plaza Del Sol Street.

Two officers responded to the call. When they arrived, the door to the home was ajar, and the officers entered the home, McManus said.

RELATED: SAPD: Man shot in face at South Side night club

A 12-year-old boy, a 10-year-old girl and the children's mother were inside the home, along with Cazares and the 15-year-old he allegedly threatened, police said. Cazares' relationship to the children is unclear, police said.

Shots rang out inside the home, and the officers retreated outside, taking cover around the corner of the home, officials said.

Cazares then came out of the house, authorities said. Around that time, a third officer arrived at the scene. The officers, according to McManus, attempted to negotiate with Cazares.

"The dilemma for the officers at that point was that you can't let him out, but you can't let him back in the house either," McManus said.

At some point during the negotiations, Cazares allegedly lifted his firearm in the direction of the officers, and the third officer to the scene fired at him twice, killing him, McManus said.

READ ALSO: Report: Cowboys star RB allegedly involved in Dallas bar altercation

"They were still talking with him, trying to get him to drop the gun, and the third officer wound up shooting him," McManus said.

Cazares was pronounced dead at the scene. The Bexar County Medical Examiner's Office could not provide a cause or manner of death around 11:30 a.m. on Monday.

No one else inside the home was injured, nor were any responding police officers.

Police said Cazares was arrested last month on a charge of domestic violence. Online Bexar County records show a 2013 family violence charge against Cazares was dismissed for insufficient evidence.

Jose Cazares is identified as Cazares on court records, but police said his family spells his last name: Casares.

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Eight people were killed on Monday when a female suicide bomber detonated her explosives at a mosque in northeast Nigeria, in the latest attack in the restive region.

The head of the Borno state emergency management agency, Ahmed Satomi, said the blast happened at about 5:30 am (0430 GMT) in the London Ciki area of Maiduguri, which has been at the epicentre of Boko Haram violence since 2009.

"She killed eight people and injured 15 others. The mosque was being guarded by civilian JTF (joint task force militia) during prayers," he told AFP.

"Unknown to them, the girl was being pursued from another part of town by residents who were suspicious of her movement at the time.

"When she approached the mosque, they demanded that she stop to be searched but she suddenly bolted into the mosque and set off her bombs."

Three other female suicide bombers were located in Maiduguri at about the same time, said Satomi.

Two were killed in the Mammanti area as they tried to cross the ditch around the city perimeter while another set off her explosives in the suburb of Simari, he added.

It is the second time in a week that four female suicide bombers have sought to cause carnage in Maiduguri.

Last Monday, at least 19 people were killed and 23 others injured when four women set off their bombs in the Molai Kolemari area of the city.

Boko Haram has increasingly used women and young girls as human bombs as they have been forced out of captured territory due to a sustained military counter-insurgency.

Maiduguri has been repeatedly attacked in recent months, with mosques, markets, camps for those displaced by the conflict and other civilian "soft" targets hit regularly.



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Artifacts in the original Brooks Museum.

A display in the present museum.

In the late 1890s, Edwin Stanley Brookes Jnr established the first Albertland Museum in the attic of his family home, Minniesdale House, at Wharehine. Fascinated by local history, he had an impressive collection of Maori and Pakeha treasures found on Brookes land, Henry Marshs adjacent Opou Block and the Okahukura peninsula (now Tapora) and elsewhere. When the property was sold by Archie Brookes at the end of WW2, the question arose, What to do with the Museum? Sam Long, a garage proprietor and Wellsford member on the Rodney District Council, agreed to take the museum records and all sorts of bric-a-brac to store.

The Alexander Turnbull Library in Wellington took many of the books, and Auckland Museum sorted out what they fancied. The rest, including thousands of birds eggs, hundreds of very old books and scrapbooks of news cuttings ended up in the Wellsford Public Library. In 1962, as part of the Albertlanders Centennial, a new grandstand was built at the Port Albert recreation ground with a museum underneath. Items came out of storage, and many others were donated by local families. This museum did not have regular opening hours. Visits were by appointment. Bess Farr, local historian and curator of the museum, would often open it up for visitors. Ultimately, the Port Albert site proved unsuitable, being on a dusty metal road and damp in winter.

A specifically designed museum was needed, and it was decided that Wellsford was more central. A site was selected in Memorial Park on Council land. A dedicated team, headed by Ivan Tomas, fundraised for six years to make their dream become reality. In 1990, the present Albertland and Districts Museum was officially opened. Since then it has become home to many more historic treasures, particularly photographic collections and archives. With renewed interest in Albertland heritage and genealogy, people from all over the world visit or contact the museum online to research their family roots.

A peer review by representatives from Te Papa Tongarewa noted that the Albertland Museum houses unique and irreplaceable collections pertaining to early New Zealand settlement. Care and protection of rare items is ongoing. Items like letters and manuscripts from the mid-to-late 1800s, presently being scanned and transcribed, make interesting reading. More than 100 years of photographic records provide researchers with an enviable data base to peruse.

Staffed solely by volunteers, there is always a need for helpers to act as visitor hosts, take care of the collection, transcribe records, input into the database and much more. Interested? Give the Museum a call on 423 8181 or email museum@albertland.co.nz.
A not-for-profit business mentoring service has set its sights on growing its service in and around Warkworth.

Business Mentors New Zealand general manager Lisa Ford says the service is working closely with the One Warkworth Business Association to support businesses in Warkworth.

We are very much focusing on growing the mentor pool in the area so that there is a wealth of local knowledge available to those businesses looking to develop and grow, she says.

Ms Ford expects growth in Warkworth to continue, particularly with planned improvements in roads servicing the area.

She says there is a need to focus on ensuring businesses are prepared for the extra demand this will bring and in a good position to utilise the opportunities, rather than be overwhelmed by the increased activity.

Info: businessmentors.org.nz
When sisters-in-law Melissa Crockett-Joyoue and Lili Crockett couldnt find a local preschool facility specialising in teaching Te Reo Maori, they decided the only option was to start one themselves.

The result is Tipua Te Reo, a playgroup that meets every Thursday at Matakana Community Hall and uses singing, games and play to teach mums and preschoolers Maori language and culture.

You dont have to be Maori or speak Te Reo to come along, its for everyone, Melissa says. Its for anyone who is interested in learning Te Reo and keeping it going.

She and Lili set up the group after finding the nearest comparable groups were in Auckland or Kaiwaka. They met with local hapu for advice and successfully applied for Ministry of Education registration and funding, which allows them to run sessions free of charge.

We wanted to keep it cheap, we didnt want the price to stop people coming.

Having started with just three whanau, Tipua Te Reo now has around 10 families from Wellsford, Omaha, Matakana, Snells Beach and Leigh regularly attending, and more are welcome.

A big part of it is mums learning Te Reo, Melissa says. We have a library of Maori books that they can borrow, we do a lot of songs, and we have a shared morning tea where we try to speak Te Reo.

Its about creating a philosophy of growing Maori language and culture in the whole community, for children and their families.

Tipua Te Reo meets every Thursday from 9.30am to 12 noon in the back room of Matakana Hall during school term times.

Info: Melissa on akoitereo@gmail.com or 021 522648.
New Warkworth Rotary president Joe Koppens received the presidential chains of office at a changeover ceremony held at the Bridgehouse.

In his speech, Mr Koppens, a retired barrister, quoted former US President Barack Obama on the need to marginalise those who would divide and bring together those who would unite.

He said Rotary along with other service clubs was all about being united in a common cause of serving their communities.

Any politician will tell you that with goodwill you can make progress; without goodwill, you cant make any progress. We have goodwill here, and we are determined to build on that goodwill, he said.

Mr Koppens noted Warkworth was a growing community, and he saw every reason why Warkworth Rotary should enjoy commensurate growth.

Mr Koppens also commended outgoing president Mick Fay for services to the club in the previous year and for securing great speakers.
Local candidates seeking a seat in Parliament after the next election set out their views and answered questions at a public meeting at the Salty Dog Inn in Snells Beach last week.

They were Mark Mitchell (National), Marja Lubeck (Labour), Hayley Holt (Green), Tracey Martin (NZ First) and Beth Houlbrooke (ACT).

In their opening remarks, candidates identified issues that were important to them.

Hayley Holt said her top-of-mind issues were tourism and conservation. She especially supported a Green policy that would levy visitors $20 on entering the country. The money would be used to create a predator-free New Zealand, boost Department of Conservation ranger numbers and enhance regional tourism efforts.

Marja Lubeck said her chief concern was the fact that New Zealand had one of the highest teen suicide rates in the OECD. She said mental health care funding should be a top priority and New Zealand should ensure problems were addressed early with the placement of mental health professionals in schools.

Tracey Martin said she was passionate about the status of women and had formed the first subcommittee ever in the NZ First caucus to address domestic violence.

She said it was important to address the causes of such violence rather than simply deal with the symptoms.

Mark Mitchell said a priority focus was building up infrastructure and supporting roading projects, such as the Puhoi to Wellsford motorway extension and fixing the Hill Street intersection in Warkworth. He added that mental health was also a big concern to him, having lost a brother to mental illness.

Beth Houlbrooke said ACT was all about smaller, smarter government and wanted there to be less government interference in peoples lives. She said ACT also believed in a free society which means freedom of speech, free trade, personal and religious freedom coupled with personal responsibility.

The smaller the government, the bigger the citizen, she said.

Candidates gave varied responses to a question about whether they would commit to a binding referendum on whether Rodney stays with Auckland Council or set up its own independent council.

Tracey Martin said NZ First was supportive of the people of Rodney being asked if the Supercity was working for them.

Marja Lubeck said Labour was against forced amalgamation of councils and bigger was not always better.

Hayley Holt said the Greens supported re-empowering local government.

Mark Mitchell acknowledged his position was not popular, but felt it would be a bad idea to leave the Supercity. He said in the future, Rodney children would ask why they were not part of the vibrant economic plan that was taking place in greater Auckland.

Beth Houlbrooke said as time went on, it became more and more difficult to undo the Supercity and to attempt to do so would place Rodney in a big hole for a long time.

Candidates also faced questions on health, mental health, education and housing policy.

Tracey Martin said New Zealand cannot keep bringing in 72,000 people each year and not provide housing for them.

You cannot have people living in cars in one of your major cities and continue to say you can have open migration, she said.

She drew laughter when she said that now that other parties were beginning to acknowledge this point meant she was now no longer the only racist in the room.

Mark Mitchell strongly refuted a charge that under National, New Zealand had experienced $1.85 billion cuts in health spending. He said, in fact, the National Party had continued to increase health funding each year.
Builders in Rodney are being advised by police to securely lock away tools and equipment following a spate of building site burglaries.

Orewa Police Senior Sergeant Steve Pivac says shipping containers, in particular, are being targeted.

A $20 lock to secure $50,000 worth of tools and equipment just does not make sense, he says. A set of bolt cutters is all it takes to get access.

Sen. Sgt Pivac says police will publish a pamphlet specifically for builders next month, with advice on how to secure a site. The pamphlets will be available from local police stations.

There are a range of products that we recommend such as locks where the shank is not accessible, as well as some strategies to make it as difficult as possible for the offenders. Any disruption that can be put in place can go a long way to deterring thieves.

However, it is very difficult to stop a determined offender so selected DNA marking can help us trace tools.

Richard Denton, of RD Construction, and his workers, recently had a large amount of tools taken from a job at Glorit.

The thieves broke into an American-style barn that was totally secure, he said. It looks like they removed a skylight and lowered a child on a rope through the hole and he has then unlocked the roller doors. It just shows you the extremes that these thieves are prepared to go to.

Wellsford Sgt Geoff Medland says forensic specialists attended the scene.

They are probably more skilled than station officers in collecting blood, tyre tracks and finger print evidence, he says.

They got some quality prints from the roof and we are following a line of investigation.

Its worth pointing out that crime rates in the Wellsford area are low, primarily because of the prevention work that local police do. We live in these communities and we care very much about whats going on.

Richard says the insurance only paid out on 70 per cent of the value of the tools.

Id really advise other builders to either take their tools home or make sure they are securely locked down.

Sen. Sgt Pivac says stolen tools are being sold on the black market to feed addictions such as methamphetamine.
Turkish-backed rebels clashed with Kurdish fighters from a U.S.-backed alliance in northwestern Syria on Monday in escalating violence between the two sides, officials and a monitoring group said.

The clashes took place around the village of Ain Daqna and the nearby Menagh air base north of Aleppo, while Turkish forces stepped up shelling positions in other areas, the officials and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

"There are big clashes happening on the Ain Daqna axis, between us and the Turks and their mercenaries," Rojhat Roj, a spokesman for the Kurdish YPG militia said.

Mostafa Bali of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a Kurdish and Arab force which is dominated by the YPG, said some Turkish-backed rebels had been killed and captured.

Both the YPG and SDF have received U.S. support, and are backed by Washington in its fight against Islamic State group in Raqqa, further east.

The British-based Observatory, which monitors the war using sources on the ground, said the clashes and shelling were an attempt by the Turkish side to advance.

Syrian rebels said this month they were preparing to join the Turkish military in a major new offensive against Kurdish forces in northwestern Syria.

Turkey views the YPG as an extension of the Kurdish PKK group which is waging an insurgency in southeastern Turkey. Ankara's operation "Euphrates Shield", launched last year as an incursion into Syria to support rebel groups there, has focused on driving both Islamic State group and the YPG away from the border.

The YPG controls vast stretches of land along the border northeast of Aleppo, and a pocket of territory to its northwest. In between, Turkish-backed factions have taken over territory to stop Kurdish forces linking up.

Clashes between the YPG and Turkey, both U.S. allies, have caused tension between Ankara and Washington. Turkey has criticised the U.S. decision to arm the YPG in its fight against Islamic State group in Syria.

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Local News, Crime

By Long Island News & PR Published: July 17 2017

Police: Joseph Gallo, 50, entered a BP gas station on July 10 and demanded money from an employee.

SCPD have arrested Joseph Gallo of Ronkonkoma, 50, for robbing a gas station in Nesconset last week.

Nesconset, NY - July 17, 2017 - Suffolk County Police have arrested a man for robbing a gas station in Suffolk County Police have arrested a man for robbing a gas station in Nesconset , New York, last week.

Joseph Gallo entered BP, a gas station located at 294 Smithtown Blvd., on July 10 at 9:28 p.m., displayed a machete and demanded money from an employee. The employee complied and the suspect fled with cash eastbound on Smithtown Boulevard.

Fourth Squad detectives obtained video and distributed a description of the suspect. A Fourth Precinct officer recognized Gallo at the corner of Smithtown Boulevard and Metzner Road in Ronkonkoma , New York, on July 14 at approximately 5:50 p.m. and arrested him.

Fourth Squad detectives charged Gallo, 50, of Ronkonkoma, New York, with Robbery 1st Degree. He was held overnight at the Fourth Precinct and was arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on July 16.
The Afghan National Army retook control of the district of Nawa from the Taliban today in central Helmand province. Nawa, which is adjacent to the provincial capital of Lashkar Gah, was under Taliban control for nine months before Afghan forces could muster the strength to mount an operation and retake it.

The Afghan military, backed by forces from NATOs Resolute Support mission, launched the operation to seize Nawa on July 15. The spokesman for the governor of Helmand said that the operation was launched from three directions, TOLONews reported. Afghan officials have estimated that at least 38 Taliban fighters were killed during the assault and supporting coalition airstrikes.

Yesterday, the Taliban released a statement that noted fighting in Nawa, and claimed to have killed 12 Afghan security personnel, including a local police commander  but made no mention of loss of control in Nawa.

Nawa was overrun by the Taliban in early Oct. 2016, after a suicide bomber detonated an explosive-laden armored vehicle inside the district headquarters and an assault team team took control of the government buildings. One day after it fell to the Taliban, Resolute Support wrongly claimed that the Taliban assault was repelled and Nawa was under government control.

While Nawa is now under government control, given recent history and the security situation in Helmand, it is likely to become a contested district in short order. Over the past year, the district has been contested at best, as it has exchanged hands four times. Nawa previously fell to the Taliban in early Aug. 2016, but Afghan forces reentered the district center several weeks later.

Helmand province has become a stronghold for the Taliban since US forces began withdrawing from the province in 2013. The Taliban now controls six of the provinces 14 districts (Baghran, Dishu, Khanashin, Now Zad, Musa Qala, and Sangin) and contests another six, including the provincial capital (Lashkar Gah, Nahr-i-Sarraj, Kajaki, Nad Ali, Marjah, and Garmsir), according to data compiled by FDDs Long War Journal.

The status of Washir district is uncertain as news reports from the district are scarce. Nearly all of Helmand has been controlled or influenced/contested for well over a year.

Al Qaeda has taken advantage of the security situation in Helmand and is known to operate in southern Helmand. Fighters from al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent are reported to have trained at camps located in Helmands Dishu and Khanashin districts as recently as 2014. The town of Baramacha in Dishu is a known hub of jihadist activity. The camps are believed to be operational to this day. [See FDDs Long War Journal report, Al Qaeda operates in southern Helmand province.]

The situation in Helmand is so bleak that the Taliban has effectively surrounded the provincial capital of Lashkar Gah, and have launched several forays into the city. The Taliban have also unleashed major attacks in the district. In Oct. 2016, the Taliban ambushed a large convoy of Afghan troops after they negotiated their safe passage from their base on the outskirts of Lashkar Gah. More than 200 Afghan troops were killed, wounded, captured, or surrendered. One month ago, a Taliban suicide bomber killed at least 29 people and wounded scores more after detonating a car bomb outside of the Kabul Bank branch inside the city. [See Taliban details deadly ambush of Afghan military convoy and Taliban suicide bomber strikes bank in Helmand.]

Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal.

Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here.
Turkey's military says Kurdish rebels have detonated an improvised explosive device as a military vehicle passed by, wounding 17 soldiers.

A military statement said the attack occurred Monday near the town of Yusekova, in the mainly Kurdish province of Hakkari.

The statement said the soldiers were quickly evacuated and hospitalized. Four of them were in serious condition.

The Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, has waged a three-decade long insurgency in southeast Turkey. Tens of thousands were killed in the conflict.

Violence flared again in 2015 after the collapse of a two-year peace process.

The group is considered a terrorist group by Turkey, the U.S. and the European Union.



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Jackson Owens follows up his hit single Cant Make It Right, with a new track from his debut EP, For The Better
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > The Extended LAC

by Bhartendu Kumar Singh

Until now, India had only one Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China. But if things work well as per the Chinese strategy, the China- Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) could soon double up as another LAC. At least this is what one can make of the twelfth round of China- Pakistan bilateral defence and security dialogue held recently in Beijing.

The Beijing round comes at a time when the two countries have already invested heavily in the CPEC. The Pakistan Army has constructed nearly 900 kms of road as the basic prerequisite of the CPEC and has deployed 15,000 troops to protect the 19,000 Chinese working in the CPEC and other projects. The Pakistan Navy has also pitched in by raising a contingent for the protection of the Gwadar port, re-developed by China and now being managed by a Chinese company. Most importantly, when the two militaries were discussing issues related to the CPEC at Beijing, the Pakistan Navy was con-currently engaged in a joint naval exercise with the Chinese Navy in the North Arabian Sea. The CPEC, therefore, has a military dimension.

India did not participate in the OBOR project since there are sovereignty issues related to the CPEC. The CPEC passes through Gilgit-Baltistan of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. However, more than the sovereignty issue, it is the military usage and potential of the CPEC that is worri-some. The CPEC provides access to China throughout the length and breadth of Pakistan. True, China has promised $ 46 billion of investments and a series of projects under the CPEC. However, it is debatable if economic considerations alone has lured China into the CPEC. For China, the CPEC actually offers a big opportunity to box out India geographically.

Various hypothetical military advantages accrue to China from the CPEC. First, it can move its troops using the Karakoram highway through Pakistan along the CPEC alignment right upto the Gwadar port. Perhaps, that also explains why China has invested so heavily in the development of the Gwadar port, which is, hitherto, low on commercial traffic. Second, China can dump huge numbers of eavesdropping instruments and earth stations much near to the Indian border and place its spies all along Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat. The Himalayan terrain inter-mixing with the LAC does not facilitate easy spying activities for China; the same would not be a problem in Pakistan due to its plain landmass. A huge number of Chinese workers in Pakistan is another advantage since many of them must be professional spies masquerading as workers. Third, the CPEC also allows a marine outlet for China via the Gwadar port into the Arabian Sea. This years annual report by the US Department of Defence has apprehended that China could be looking for a permanent naval base on the Pakistani coast after its successful outlet in Djibouti. China could use its increased marine presence in the Arabian Sea to snoop on Indias vital strategic installations in Mumbai. Fourth, increased Chinese presence in Pakistan could even lead to a breakdown in the fledgling India-Afghanistan relations. It is no secret that China is unhappy with the bonhomie and is trying to make friends with Afghanistan as well as broker a peace between Kabul and Islamabad. That Afghanistan has declared its intentions to join the CPEC speaks of the seriousness of the Chinese efforts! Fifth, the CPEC provides China to launch, what Robert Blackwill calls, war by other means such as geoeconomics. China has the purse and stimulus to pump investments in the CPEC. Pakistan has all that it takes it to become a part of Chinas co-prosperity sphere.

Though there are rumblings in Pakistan about the impact of the CPEC, official Pakistan has no misgivings. China would now provide hidden resources through manpower, technology and weaponry. Bandwagoning with China greatly subsidises its proxy war efforts against India and enhances its deterrence, sorry, nuisance capabilities, against India. Pakistan relishes this revenge of geography.

For long, Indians have been apprehending a two-front war through the Sino-Pak collabo-ration. Here it is, albeit in a subtle form of proxy war! The entire debate on the CPEC in India has veered around two issues: how it infringes upon Indias sovereignty or for that matter how Pakistans internal compulsion will make the CPEC a difficult proposition! The big picture of the CPEC creating an LAC 2.0 has been com-pletely missed out. Imagine a scenario where the tranquil Radcliffe Line suddenly becomes more energised due to a spurt in cross-border activities since China would be doing the back- end stage management. Should India display a blatant offensive realism in response? Should it gear up and be more vigilant on the western front? Should it take it up as a part of the revamped strategic dialogue with China? These are choices that need further research since the traditional approaches to security do not offer any help.

At this stage, India does not have any hard power or soft power to dilute the strategic effect of the CPEC. India would also find it difficult to up the ante since the nature of the impact is mostly discreet and even hypothetical. But as long as Indians discuss the strategic impact of the CPEC, a cost-effective response mechanism would emerge from the shelves that would enable India to handle the Chinese challenge through LAC 2.0.

The author is in the Indian Defence Accounts Service. The views expressed here are his personal.
Eight people were killed on Monday when a female suicide bomber detonated her explosives at a mosque in northeast Nigeria, in the latest attack in the restive region.

The head of the Borno state emergency management agency, Ahmed Satomi, said the blast happened at about 5:30 am (0430 GMT) in the London Ciki area of Maiduguri, which has been at the epicentre of Boko Haram violence since 2009.

"She killed eight people and injured 15 others. The mosque was being guarded by civilian JTF (joint task force militia) during prayers," he told AFP.

"Unknown to them, the girl was being pursued from another part of town by residents who were suspicious of her movement at the time.

"When she approached the mosque, they demanded that she stop to be searched but she suddenly bolted into the mosque and set off her bombs."

Three other female suicide bombers were located in Maiduguri at about the same time, said Satomi.

Two were killed in the Mammanti area as they tried to cross the ditch around the city perimeter while another set off her explosives in the suburb of Simari, he added.

Borno state police commissioner Damian Chukwu said the first two were killed shortly before midnight while the third was intercepted shortly after.

It is the second time in a week that four female suicide bombers have sought to cause carnage in Maiduguri.

Last Monday, at least 19 people were killed and 23 others injured when four women set off their bombs in the Molai Kolemari area of the city.

Boko Haram has increasingly used women and young girls as human bombs as they have been forced out of captured territory due to a sustained military counter-insurgency.

Maiduguri has been repeatedly attacked in recent months, with mosques, markets, camps for those displaced by the conflict and other civilian "soft" targets hit regularly.

Boko Haram meanwhile released a video online showing 10 women who they claimed to have kidnapped last month during an attack on a convoy.

On June 20, the jihadists ambushed a convoy of vehicles under police escort heading towards the town of Damboa on a highway outside Maiduguri.

Initially local news reports said that 16 policewomen had been abducted in the ambush. But police officials denied the reports, insisting only a policeman was killed in the attack.

In the five-minute video, 10 women of varying ages sit on the ground in an undisclosed bush location surrounded by lush vegetation.

"On behalf of all of us... I plead with the Nigerian government to intervene so that we are freed the way the Chibok schoolgirls were freed," said one of the hostages, who gave her name as Amina Adam Gombiya.

Gombiya said she was a teacher at the Federal College of Freshwater Fisheries in the town of Baga on the shores of Lake Chad.

In May, Nigeria secured the release of 82 schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram from the remote town of Chibok in a prisoner swap deal.

The militants seized 276 schoolgirls from the town in Borno state in April 2014, triggering global condemnation and drawing attention to the bloody insurgency.

Fifty-seven escaped in the immediate aftermath. Of the 219 who did not manage to flee, 106 have either been released or found, leaving 113 still missing.

Thousands of civilians have been abducted since the insurgency began in 2009. The jihadists use women and young girls as sex slaves and suicide bombers, while men and boys are recruited as fighters.

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STUART  A number of people recently pleaded guilty to drug charges in Patrick County Circuit Court.

Deontray Lemetris Battle of Fieldale pleaded guilty to two counts of distributing a schedule I or II controlled substance-second offense. A judge ordered a presentence report and set sentencing for Oct. 13. The offenses allegedly happened on July 10 and Aug. 19, 2014.

Nicole Reane Hill of Stuart pleaded guilty to one charge of selling schedule III controlled substances and four charges of distributing schedule I or II controlled substances. A judge ordered a presentence report and set sentencing for Oct. 26. The offenses allegedly happened on Oct. 2, 2014; Nov. 25, Dec. 7 and Dec. 21, 2015; and Jan. 21, 2016.

Timothy Eugene McAdams of Stuart pleaded guilty to distributing schedule I or II controlled substances and conspiracy to distribute schedule I or II controlled substances. A judge ordered a presentence report and set sentencing for Oct. 18. The offense allegedly happened on Jan. 27.

Brandi Delea Steele of Madison, North Carolina, pleaded guilty to distributing schedule I or II controlled substances and distributing schedule IV controlled substances. A judge ordered a presentence report and set sentencing for Oct. 10. The offenses allegedly happened on Aug. 12, 2015.

Ruth Ann Collins of Stuart pleaded guilty to one charge of distributing schedule I or II controlled substances and two charges of conspiracy to distribute schedule I or II controlled substances. A judge ordered a presentence report and set sentencing for Nov. 3. The offenses allegedly happened on Jan. 26 and Feb. 3.

Joshua OBrian Scales of Patrick Springs pleaded guilty to three charges of distributing schedule I or II controlled substances. A judge ordered a presentence report and set sentencing for Oct. 10. The offenses allegedly happened on Sept. 6, Sept. 14 and Sept. 19, 2016.

Mark Luckus Tatum of Stuart pleaded guilty to five charges of distributing schedule I or II controlled substances-second offense. A judge ordered a presentence report and set sentencing for Nov. 3. The offenses allegedly happened on Jan. 7, Feb. 5, March 17 and Dec. 13 in 2016; and on Feb. 3, 2017.

PATRICK COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT

Anthony Ray Haynes of Mount Airy, North Carolina, who pleaded guilty to feloniously eluding police, was sentenced to five years in prison, with four years and three months suspended on conditions including two years of unsupervised probation and payment of a $350 fine. The charges stem from an incident on Dec. 28, 2016.

Pete Byron Sizemore of Ravencliff, West Virginia, who was charged with grand larceny, pleaded guilty to an amended charge of misdemeanor disorderly conduct. He was sentenced to 12 months in jail, with 11 months and 27 days suspended. The offense allegedly happened on July 22, 2016.

The prosecution nolle prossed (dropped but could reinstate) a charge of larceny with intent to sell against Sizemore.

Jeremy Brent Harvey of Mount Airy pleaded no contest to grand larceny of auto. A judge ordered a presentence report and set sentencing for Aug. 4. The offense allegedly happened on Feb. 15.

HENRY COUNTY GENERAL DISTRICT COURT

A charge of possession or use of a sawed-off gun for any other purpose except as permitted against Ronald Dale Spencer of Bassett was certified (or sent) sent to Henry County Circuit Court. The offense allegedly happened on Feb. 25.

A Sept. 11 court date has been set for Canei Maurice Marshall of Danville on a charge of feloniously eluding/disregarding police. The offense allegedly happened on July 11.

A Sept. 7 court date has been set for Michael Ray Odell of Ridgeway on a charge of aggravated malicious wounding. The offense allegedly happened on March 24.

A Sept. 7 court hearing has been set for Ryan Jay Westmoreland of Axton on charges including grand larceny. The grand larceny offense allegedly happened on June 8.

An Oct. 19 court hearing has been set for Michelle Lynn English of Martinsville on a charge of attempted malicious wounding. The offense allegedly happened on July 12.

An Oct. 26 court hearing has been set for Brandon Marqui Scales of Collinsville on a charge of obtaining a credit card number through larceny. The offense allegedly happened on June 2.

A charge of selling or distributing marijuana against Dominique Latraye Morrison of Bassett was sent to Henry County Circuit Court. The offense allegedly happened Feb. 9.

A Sept. 14 court hearing has been set for Travis Dale Martin of Greensboro, North Carolina, on a charge of sell, attempt to sell or possess with intent to sell or distribute stolen property; and a charge of buying or receiving a firearm from another person or aiding in concealing a firearm, knowing that the firearm was stolen. One offense allegedly happened on March 15 and the other on March 16.

An Aug. 17 court hearing has been set for Nolan Dale Wingfield of Martinsville on a charge of malicious wounding. The offense allegedly happened on June 12.

A Sept. 21 court hearing has been set for Crystal Annette Williams of Bassett on a charge of destroying evidence. The offense allegedly happened on Feb. 8.

The prosecution dropped but could reinstate charges of credit card fraud, obtain credit card number larceny, obtaining money by false pretense and grand larceny against Kelly Dwayne McClellan of Jonesborough, Tennessee. The offenses allegedly happened on Feb. 16, 2013.

An Aug. 31 court hearing has been set for Barbara Ann Doss of Collinsville on a charge of driving after being declared a habitual offender and a charge of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. The offenses allegedly happened on May 25.
Best Of Mass is one step closer to naming the best brewery in Massachusetts thanks to over 130 comments on MassLive and countless suggestions via social media.

The initial Best Of Mass Breweries round saw nominations for 55 breweries from Pittsfield to Nantucket. Now it is time to vote your favorite into the contest's Top 10.

In the poll below, you will find all of the breweries nominated for Best Of Mass Breweries. Voting is restricted to one ballot for up to 10 breweries once every 24 hours per IP address. The poll will remain open until Wednesday, July 26 at noon.

Once the poll closes, the five most popular Western Massachusetts breweries and the five most popular Eastern Massachusetts breweries will comprise the Top 10. In this month's Best Of Mass, the western half of the state is defined as Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire and Hampden counties. Meanwhile, Worcester, Middlesex, Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, Bristol, Plymouth, Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket counties count as the eastern half of the state.

After the Top 10 is announced, our judges will visit and rank the Top 10 contenders and crown one the best brewery in Massachusetts.

Cast your votes in the poll below. Problem loading the poll? Vote directly on Polldaddy.

For more, visit masslive.com/bestofmass.
WEST SPRINGFIELD -- Consumer demand for milk varies, but cows make milk 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

That leaves farmers with a need to convert that milk into products that are stable and can be stored -- and, more importantly, can be sold.

Agri-Mark plans to solve that problem by expanding its West Springfield plant with more drying capacity so it can make more powdered skim milk.

The Andover-based farmer-owned cooperative invited farmers from all over New England to the plant Monday for a ceremonial groundbreaking on the $17 million expansion.

"Butter is back," said Mark Duffy, a dairy farmer milking 70 to 80 cows in Carlisle, Massachusetts. "Demand for butter is very strong."

Separating cream to make enough butter to meet the demand leaves behind more skim milk, which also needs a market. And the expansion will allow the 958 Riverdale St. facility to accept more milk to make more butter, said plant manager Drew V. Moyes.

Currently, farmers are being paid an average of $17.50 per 100 pounds of milk. That price, up from last year but down from recent highs above $20 per 100 pounds of milk, is barely keeping up with the cost of production.

And if the supply of milk is even 2 percent greater than demand, the price paid to farmers can fall 20 percent, said Steven Barstow II of Barstow's Longview Farm in Hadley.

"We can't take that big a price shock," he said.

The Barstow family is milking 250 cows now with the help of five robots. This fall, the number of milking cows will swell to 300.

"We have a lot of pregnant heifers," Barstow said.

The Agri-Mark plant, which opened in 1943, takes in 15 million pounds of milk -- about 2.3 million gallons -- each week. The plant processes the milk into butter sold under the Cabot brand name and as store brands in supermarkets such Big Y, Stop & Shop and Hannaford, Moyes said.

The plant also makes condensed blends of milk and cream for ice cream customers, and dry lowfat milk from the West Springfield plant is sold to food companies. Baby-food factories are big customers as are bakeries and yogurt makers.

About 70 percent of the plant's powdered milk production is sold domestically and about 30 percent goes overseas, Moyes said. International customers are in the Far East, Asia-Pacific regions and the Middle East.

In area supermarkets, Agri-Mark is known for its Cabot and McCadam brands.

Agri-mark makes cheese at plants in Chateaugay, New York, and in Cabot and Middlebury, Vermont.

The new expansion is adjacent to the existing plant, on the site of what was once an Abdow's restaurant.

The Agri-Mark board approved $20.7 million for the project to account for unexpected construction costs. The project is expected to be completed in about a year.

In 2015 Agri-Mark reported $917 million in sales. The company markets more than 336 million gallons of farm fresh milk each year for 1,100 dairy farm families in New England and New York.

Massachusetts Commissioner of Agriculture John Lebeaux said about half of Massachusetts' 147 dairy farms are Agri-Mark members. Total milk sales in Massachusetts topped $44.2 million in 2012, according to state statistics.

"We want to preserve agriculture in this state," Lebeaux said. "And key to that is preserving agricultural processing industries."

The Dennis Group of Springfield, a planning, architecture, engineering and construction management firm, is managing the project.

The city of West Springfield provided Agri-Mark with a five-year property tax abatement on the new construction.

Over the lifespan of the deal, the city will see tax gains of around $561,000, while Agri-Mark will see tax savings of around $240,000.

West Springfield Mayor William Reichelt said the abatement is a good deal for the city because it preserves jobs and will also result in increased employment. The plant has 112 production employees and 14 managers and will grow by a dozen workers once the expansion is completed.

Moyes said West Springfield is an ideal location because its close to Interstates 90 and 91 and is halfway between dairy farms and major markets for products.
SPRINGFIELD -- Gov. Charlie Baker on Monday vetoed $3 million local lawmakers earmarked for Baystate Health.

The $3 million included $2 million toward a new Springfield medical school that is a partnership between Baystate and the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester.

The money would have covered the cost of renovations Baystate is completing for new medical school space on North Main Street in Springfield. The remaining $1 million was to have made up for shortfalls in the money Baystate gets for treating Medicaid patients.

"We're disappointed by the administration's decisions about the funding support that our local delegation worked so hard to get," Benjamin Craft, senior director of government and public affairs at Baystate Health, said in a written statement. "We believe this would be a very worthy investment of state funds, and we'll continue to explore other potential avenues for support."

Craft continued, "We remain committed to our Medicaid mission as well as our new medical school campus and its goal to grow the region's primary care workforce."

The first class of 25 students arrives next month, and the plan is to add 25 more each year until the 4-year program enrolls 100 students. The program, dubbed Population-based Urban and Rural Community Health, is designed to train physicians who will be more likely to build their careers in Western Massachusetts and fill the region's chronic need for more primary care doctors.

Baystate does $250 million a year in Medicaid business, but Medicaid covers only about 75 percent of the cost of providing care. State money covers the gap for hospitals in eastern Massachusetts.

At a news conference Friday, state Rep. Joseph Wagner, D-Chicopee, said there are other avenues lawmakers could take toward securing the state funding, including trying to overturn a veto.

A two-thirds vote in each the house and the senate is required to override a gubernatorial veto.

State Sen. James Welch, D-West Springfield, said lawmakers will start in the next week or two deciding which, if any, of the governor's line-item vetoes they will attempt to override.

He said Baker's decision on Baystate is disappointing but it is a very tight budget year and he respects that the governor had tough decisions to make.

"We in Western Massachusetts have to work a little bit harder to bring money back to our district," Welch said. "That's something we will continue to do."

The governor's office said Monday that Baystate is getting financial aid through a Medicaid waiver deal between the state and federal governments announced in November 2016.

Baystate is in line for $28.05 million over five years to cover uncompensated care. It's the first time Baystate has been eligible for this money, a long-sought "safety net" for the region's largest employer.
Loosening recession-era federal financial regulations and making state law tougher on bank robbers and thieves who deploy "skimming" devices are on the agenda for the Massachusetts Bankers Association.

Charles P. O'Brien, president of Adams Community Bank, outlined those priorities recently in an interview after being named the first executive from Berkshire County to head the statewide association in its 112-year-history.

O'Brien will serve a one-year term.

President Barack Obama signed the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act into law in 2010. Republicans in Washington have said they plan to repeal or significantly change much of its reforms designed to help prevent the types of meltdowns like the one that paralyzed the economy in 2008.

O'Brien said the Massachusetts Bankers Association embraces much of what is in Dodd-Frank.

"But we thought some of it was a little far-reaching," he said.

That includes the Durbin Amendment that limits the fees banks can charge retailers for debit card processing. The limits have not saved consumers money, only helping the merchants, he said.

The Volker rule prohibiting banks from certain risky investments is also hurting community banks, he said, by restricting what they can do.

O'Brien said the thresholds in the law that say when a bank is big enough to need stiffer regulations are arbitrary.

On a state level, O'Brien said the Bankers Association would like to see stiffer penalties for bank robbery and for the use of skimmers on credit and debit card terminals that illegally collect financial information.

"When there is a data breech, it is the banks that are hurt because we have to reissue all the cards," he said.

The Massachusetts Bankers Association represents 155 banks.

Steven E. Lowell, president of Monson Savings Bank, and Donna L. Boulanger, president of North Brookfield Savings Bank, were named to the the association's board of directors.
Three recent natural-gas discoveries could see Egypt meeting 100 percent of its domestic needs by the end of the decade

Three recent major gas-field discoveries will make Egypt self-sufficient in natural gas by 2020, Egypt's petroleum minister Tarek El-Molla said on Monday.

In statements reported by state-run news agency MENA, El-Molla said the discoveries will help raise natural-gas output to 50 percent of the nation's needs in 2018 and 100 percent in 2020.

The gas fields of Zohr, Nooros and North Alexandria are among the most important projects contributing to an increase in natural-gas output, El-Molla said.

Egypt's natural gas-production rose to about 5.1 billion cubic feet per day (cfd) in 2017 from 4.4 billion cubic feet in 2016, with the start of production from the first phase of British Petroleums North Alexandria project.

The three largest projects, including the mammoth Mediterranean gas field Zohr, which was discovered by Italy's Eni in 2015, are expected to collectively bring 4.6 billion cfd online by the start of 2019.

With the help of recent discoveries, Egypt aims to be an international hub for gas and petroleum production in the coming years, aiming to halt imports by 2019.

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Correction: The PVTA meeting today, Tuesday, on the proposed route changes is preliminary.

The Advisory Board will vote on the proposed service changes at noon, Wednesday at the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, 50 Congress St.

SPRINGFIELD -- The Pioneer Valley Transit Authority bus service, which already plans to vote Tuesday on service cuts, got more bad news in the state budget Monday afternoon.

Gov. Charlie Baker's fiscal 2018 budget signed Monday cuts the PVTA's annual state stipend from $23.55 million to about $22.4, said Matthew Casale, a staff attorney for MASSPIRG, a public policy think tank advocating for greater expenditures on mass transit.

The PVTA is largest of the state's 15 regional transit authorities and gets 28 percent of the statewide allocation for them.

Baker's original spending plan called for $80 million in the new budget for all 15 regional transit authorities. Lawmakers gave him a budget last week calling for $80.4 million, Casale said Monday.

On Monday, Baker released his list of vetoes and set the funding at $80 million, which trims about $100,000 from the PVTA's share.

PVTA administrators couldn't be reached for comment Monday afternoon.

The total for the 15 agencies in the just-completed 2017 fiscal year was $82 million.

The PVTA, which carries about 12 million passengers a year in Hampden and Hampshire counties, has said it needs a budget of $48.2 million in fiscal 2018 to maintain all services and keep up with higher costs of fuel and wages. Its FY17 budget was $47 million.

The PVTA is planning on level funding for 2017-18, which translates into a $1.2 million budget cut. The agency plans to reduce or cut service to 16 routes.

After several public hearings, the PVTA advisory board plans to vote on service reductions Tuesday at 2 p.m. If approved, the agency would implement the cuts starting Aug. 27.

Lines on the chopping block include the Tiger Trolley service in less populated parts of South Hadley, the Five College Service between Amherst, Northampton and South Hadley and a route servicing Holyoke Community College from Westfield.

Funding for the PVTA also includes fares, advertising income and payments from cities and towns in its service territory.

Advocates like Casale, MASSPIRG and MassINC's Gateway Cities Innovation institute say cutting public transportation is counterproductive because it keeps low income folks from accessing work and educational opportunities.

The state budget has $127 million for the MBTA, Boston's public transit system.
UAE-based cab hailing company Careem raised their fares on Monday in Egypt to cope with the recent hike in fuel prices, according to a statement by the company emailed to Ahram Online.

Head of Careem Egypt Operations and Vice President of Careem Care Ramy Kato said in the statement that Careem works carefully to avoid putting additional burdens on its drivers while maintaining quality standards of our customers.

The statement said that the updated fare differs from one city to another.

The company currently operates in several areas including Cairo, Alexandria, Mansoura, Damanhour, Sharqiya, as well as the Red Seas El-Gouna and the Mediterraneans North Coast.

For customers in Cairo, a value ride has a starting fare of EGP 5.5, with EGP 2.21 per km and a waiting charge of EGP 46 per hour, while Alexandria has a set starting fare of EGP 6.5, with EGP 2.20 per km and a waiting charge of EGP 36 per hour.

The company has temporarily suspended the peak factor feature for one week, from 13 to 20 July, and will bear the cost of all price differences throughout this period, Kato said, adding that the welfare of customers is a top priority for Careem.

It is unclear if Careems rival, San Francisco-based Uber, will follow suit and increase fares.

The Egyptian government recently cut fuel subsidies for the second time in less than one year.

In November 2016, Egypts petroleum ministry announced fuel subsidy cuts as part of its fiscal reform programme, after which Careem increased drivers' wages to cope with the fuel price hikes.

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Running a city is a tall order. The governments of large cities, especially, can be more complex and difficult to manage than entire countries. In addition to representing the residents they serve, local leaders must balance the publics diverse interests with the citys limited resources. Consequently, not everyones needs can or will be met. Leaders must carefully consider which services are most essential, which agencies budgets to cut or boost, whether and how high to raise taxes, among other important decisions that affect the daily lives of city dwellers.

But how do we measure the effectiveness of local leadership? One way is by determining a citys operating efficiency. In other words, we can learn how well city officials manage and spend public funds by comparing the quality of services residents receive against the citys total budget.

Richie Bernardo, Senior Writer

Full Story: https://wallethub.com/edu/best-run-cities/22869/#detailed
Faced with a burgeoning sexual harassment crisis, leaders in Silicon Valley have come up with a very Silicon Valley solution: Use technology to create a blacklist.

One of the regions most prominent firms recently emailed an online reporting form to 3,500 entrepreneurs, encouraging them to blow the whistle on sexual harassment by venture capitalists. Now it is spearheading an effort to create an app that could provide reviews of financiers, akin to Yelp or the workplace-review site Glassdoor.

By Elizabeth Dwoskin

Full Story: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/this-influential-silicon-valley-firm-is-compiling-a-blacklist-of-venture-capitalists-who-harass-women/2017/07/14/1dfc7164-6661-11e7-8eb5-cbccc2e7bfbf_story.html?utm_term=.e20810a8fa92
For Sadie Floding of Helena, spending three days in Billings among other energetic professionals was the right boost for her fledgling online clothing brand.

Floding, 25, attended the Innovate Montana Symposium to build her list of contacts and learn how to market her year-old firm, Live Life Clothing Co. During one session, a presenter noted the iconic dogs of Budweiser, from Spuds Mackenzie in the 1980s to a Super Bowl commercial in 2015 about a lost pooch. They boost the beer giant with just an image, he said.

"That really resonated with me. How can I connect customers with our brand?" Floding said during a break at Starbucks inside the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel.

Floding was one of roughly 600 attendees at the symposium, which is in its second year and is one of Gov. Steve Bullocks Main Street Montana programs.

By ERIK OLSON [email protected]

Full Story: http://billingsgazette.com/business/montana-entrepreneur-conference-in-billings-was-networking-bonanza/article_ce5d9a2a-16eb-564f-932d-c09bf4840adf.html

***

Governor Bullock Celebrates Collaboration and Innovation with Small Business Owners, Entrepreneurs, and Job Creators in Billings http://www.matr.net/article-77981.html

Innovate Montana Symposium  Northern Cheyenne fashion designer Bethany Yellowtail credits her L.A. success to her Montana roots http://www.matr.net/article-77958.html

Meet Montanan Bethany Yellowtail, a Native American fashion designer whos inspiring a whole generation of women http://www.matr.net/article-77953.html
If you want to know more about the future of health care legislation, then come to the Corpening Memorial YMCA Wednesday evening to get some answers and make your voice heard.

A Community Conversation about the future of health care and the Affordable Care Act, which some have called Obamacare, is set for Wednesday, July 19 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Corpening Memorial YMCA in Marion.

The AARP of western North Carolina is holding a series of meetings this week in the region about the future of health care legislation in the United States. The meetings are scheduled to be held in Black Mountain (Monday), Asheville (Tuesday) and Marion and Franklin (both Wednesday).

The meetings will focus on how proposed health care legislation could affect you and your family, said Lonnie Bewernitz of Old Fort, who is an AARP volunteer in McDowell.

Bewernitz is one of those residents of McDowell County concerned about the ongoing efforts by President Trump and other leaders in Congress to repeal the ACA and replace it with something else.

We are trying to let people know what kind of coverage they get under the Affordable Care Act, he said to The McDowell News. They want to know whos going to lose what. They get all kinds of information and dont know what to believe. Theres a lot of good information.

Rebecca Chaplin, western North Carolina region assistant director for AARP, will plan and conduct this informational meeting. A volunteer from Buncombe County will also speak.

Bewernitz said AARP is not a Republican or Democratic organization but is trying to give people the facts they need.

As an AARP volunteer, we are mandated to uphold AARP's non-partisan policy, he said. They provide information according to what will be best for their members (people age 40+), without regard for which party has made whatever proposal. My observation is that while there is broad agreement that the Affordable Care Act has issues that need to be addressed, the proposed legislation will leave many of those unanswered and create some serious havoc if it is implemented.

For example, the Congressional Budget Office reports that 22 million American will lose their health care coverage as a result of the bill that is being considered to replace the ACA. It could send premiums skyrocketing and reduce the tax credits used by low income people to be able to afford health care insurance. It could also weaken Medicare by eliminating essential benefits provided by the ACA, according to information from Bewernitz.

As of 2015, McDowell County had 10,513 Medicare beneficiaries with Parts A and B. Their average age was 69 they were 54 percent female and 46 percent male.

In 2016, McDowell had 12,306 Medicaid recipients.

Even though Wednesdays event is held by AARP, Bewernitz added it is open to people of all ages.

Changes to the federal health care law could impact your health and cost you more, reads a flier for the event. Learn about the proposed changes to the health care law, their impact on health plans including Medicare and Medicaid, and most importantly the health of you and your family.

Light healthy food and beverages will be provided.

The Tuesday session in Asheville will feature a panel presentation with AARP, state health insurance information program counselors, physicians and Pisgah Legal Service representatives for a Community Conversation about the future of your health care.

A similar meeting was held in Marion earlier this year. At the April meeting, 17 showed up, according to Bewernitz.

For more information or to register for this event, contact AARP volunteer Lonnie Bewernitz at 828-668-9660 or email lonniebewernitz@andwireless.net.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that causes people to become impulsive and hyperactive and pay less attention to everyday activities. Healthcare professionals typically diagnose ADHD during childhood, but the condition can persist into adulthood. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), 60% of children with ADHD in the United States grow into adults with ADHD. They also note that under 20% of adults with ADHD receive a diagnosis or treatment, and that around a quarter of these adults seek medical help. This article will discuss what adult ADHD is, its causes and symptoms, how doctors diagnose and treat it, and whether or not any other conditions may coexist with ADHD.

What is ADHD? Share on Pinterest Even though doctors tend to diagnose ADHD in childhood, the condition can also affect adults. ADHD, which some people may also know as ADD, is a neurodevelopmental condition that causes inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. The Royal College of Psychiatrists state that ADHD tends to improve as a person grows up. For example, a person will typically become less hyperactive over time. However, they may still have difficulty concentrating, be impulsive, and take risks. As a result, an adult with ADHD may find it difficult to learn, work, and get along with others. Adults with ADHD may also be more likely to experience anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem.

Symptoms According to the Royal College of Psychiatrists, some symptoms of ADHD in adults include: becoming easily distracted and finding it difficult to pay attention, especially when bored

finding it difficult to listen to other people, including interrupting and finishing their sentences

finding it difficult to follow instructions

finding it difficult to organize and finish activities

becoming restless and unable to sit still

being forgetful

becoming irritable, impatient, or frustrated easily

finding stressors difficult to deal with

being impulsive

Diagnosis According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , healthcare professionals will diagnose adults with ADHD based on the criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5), which is a book that outlines the symptoms of mental health conditions. Based on which symptoms a person experiences, a doctor will decide which of the three types of ADHD a person has. This might be: Predominantly inattentive presentation: An individual may find it difficult to finish a task, pay attention to detail, or follow instructions. They may also find that they are easily distracted.

An individual may find it difficult to finish a task, pay attention to detail, or follow instructions. They may also find that they are easily distracted. Predominantly hyperactive-impulsive presentation: An individual may talk a lot and fidget. They may feel restless and find it difficult to wait their turn.

An individual may talk a lot and fidget. They may feel restless and find it difficult to wait their turn. Combined presentation: An individual may experience the symptoms of the above two types equally. To receive a diagnosis of adult ADHD, a person will have to show five or more of the following symptoms for at least 6 months (which are typically inappropriate for that adults developmental level). Inattentive presentation They may often: fail to pay close attention to details or make careless mistakes in work or other activities

have difficulty paying attention to tasks and activities

not appear to listen when a person speaks to them directly

not finish chores or duties in the workplace

have difficulty organizing activities and tasks

avoid, or be reluctant to do, tasks that require mental effort over a long period of time

lose things necessary for tasks and activities

get easily distracted

become forgetful in daily activities Hyperactive-impulsive presentation They may often: fidget with their feet or hands or not be able to sit still

stand up when remaining seated is expected

become restless

be unable to quietly take part in leisure activities

be very active and on the go

talk a lot

interrupt questions

have difficulty waiting their turn

interrupt others Other criteria As well as experiencing some of the above symptoms, they must also: have experienced several inattentive or hyperactive-impulsive symptoms before the age of 12

experience these symptoms in at least two settings, such as at home and at work

show that there is evidence that these symptoms are interfering with their daily activities

show that these symptoms are not the result of another mental health condition, such as anxiety or depression

Treatment According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) , once a healthcare professional diagnoses ADHD, they are likely to prescribe medication and refer a person for therapy. The following sections will discuss these treatments in more detail. Medication Medication usually consists of either stimulants or non-stimulants. Stimulants increase the amount of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain. These are two chemicals that make it easier for people to think and pay attention. However, stimulants may not be suitable for people with high blood pressure, seizures, liver or kidney diseases, or anxiety disorders. Non-stimulants take longer to work than stimulants, but they also improve focus and attention and reduce impulsivity. Some doctors may prescribe both stimulants and non-stimulants to the same person to increase their effectiveness. Therapy Doctors may also refer a person for therapy. Behavioral therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy aim to help a person change their behavior patterns and teach them methods to reinforce their desired behaviors. Doctors may also suggest that a person joins a support group.

Causes The CDC explain that researchers are still unsure about what causes ADHD. However, there is increasing evidence to suggest that genetics may play a part in who develops this condition and who does not. As well as genetics, the following factors may increase the chance of a person having ADHD: brain injury

exposure to environmental factors such as lead during pregnancy or at a young age

alcohol and tobacco use during pregnancy

low birth weight

premature birth The CDC also suggest that there is currently no research that conclusively confirms that factors such as watching too much television, consuming too much sugar, or certain parenting practices cause ADHD. Although these factors may make the symptoms worse, there is not enough evidence to say that these are main causes of ADHD.

Coexisting conditions According to one 2017 article, there are several conditions that adults with ADHD may also have. These are: Bipolar disorder According to the NIMH , bipolar disorder and ADHD can coexist. Bipolar disorder is a condition that causes people to be restless, talkative, and distractible. They may also have periods of depressive and manic moods. The 2017 article states that between 9.5% and 21.2% of adults with bipolar disorder also have adult ADHD, and that between 5.1% and 47.1% of adults with ADHD have bipolar disorder. Researchers suggest that having either ADHD or bipolar disorder under the age of 18 increases the likelihood that people will develop the other condition over time. Depression Depression is another condition that commonly coexists with ADHD. Some research has suggested that between 18.6% and 53.3% of adults with ADHD also experience depression. Adults with both ADHD and depression self-report that their quality of life is lower than that of those with depression alone. Learn more about ADHD and depression here. Anxiety Adults with ADHD are more likely to also have anxiety than those who do not have ADHD. The ADAA state that 50% of adults with ADHD also experience an anxiety disorder. Adults with ADHD who also have a social phobia, such as fear when meeting or talking to people, are more common than adults with ADHD who also experience a panic disorder. Substance use According to the 2017 article , use of alcohol, nicotine, cannabis, or cocaine is one of the most common coexisting conditions with adult ADHD. Some researchers suggest that substance use is twice as common in adults with ADHD as it is with those who do not have this condition. The most common type of substance use among people with ADHD is cigarette use. Adults with ADHD tend to have a stronger dependence on nicotine than adults who do not have ADHD. People with ADHD are also more likely to use substances to manage their mood or help them sleep than people without this condition. Personality disorder The same 2017 study reports that more than 50% of adults with ADHD also have personality disorders, and that 25% of adults with ADHD have two or more personality disorders.

When to see a doctor A person should see a doctor if they believe that they are experiencing any of the symptoms of ADHD and it is interfering with their daily activities. Doctors can diagnose and manage the symptoms of ADHD so that people can carry on their daily activities without interruption.
A new study led by University of Pennsylvania researchers has found that the oral microbiome is affected by diabetes, causing a shift to increase its pathogenicity. The research, published in the journal Cell Host & Microbe, not only showed that the oral microbiome of mice with diabetes shifted but that the change was associated with increased inflammation and bone loss.

"Up until now, there had been no concrete evidence that diabetes affects the oral microbiome," said Dana Graves, senior author on the new study and vice dean of scholarship and research at Penn's School of Dental Medicine. "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 hadn't been done, so I decided, We'll do the appropriate study," Graves said.

Graves co-authored the study with Kyle Bittinger of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, who assisted with microbiome analysis, along with E Xiao from Peking University, who was the first author, and co-authors from the University of Sao Paulo, Sichuan University, the Federal University of Minas Gerais and the University of Capinas. The authors consulted with Daniel Beiting of Penn Vet's Center for Host-Microbial Interactions and did the bone-loss measurements at the Penn Center for Musculoskeletal Diseases.

The researchers began by characterizing 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.

The diabetic mice also had periodontitis, including a loss of bone supporting the teeth, and increased levels of IL-17, a signaling 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 didn't 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 percent 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.

"Diabetes is one of the systemic disease that is most closely linked to periodontal disease, but the risk is substantially ameliorated by good glycemic control," he said. "And good oral hygiene can take the risk even further down."

The study was supported by grants from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (DE017732 and DE021921) with assistance from Penn Vet's Center for Host-Microbioal Interactions and the Penn Center for Musculoskeletal Disorders.
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Some physicians and virologists suspected this possible viral amplification could explain the concentration of Zika-associated microcephaly cases in the Northeast of Brazil, where dengue is more prevalent than in other regions of the country."Our results show this aggravation doesn't occur, or occurs only very rarely and can't be detected by a study such as this," said virologist Mauricio Lacerda Nogueira, a professor at the Sao Jose do Rio Preto Medical School (FAMERP) and principal investigator for the study.The study was performed in partnership with researchers at US institutions and three others in Sao Paulo State: Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), the University of Sao Paulo (USP), and Butantan Institute.During the period when the Zika epidemic was at its most intense, between January and July 2016, Nogueira's team collected blood samples from 65 people who presented with fever and symptoms of dengue or Zika (similar and easily confused) at the emergency unit of the reference hospital in Sao Jose do Rio Preto, a healthcare hub for northern and northwestern Sao Paulo.Analysis of the viral genetic material found in these blood samples showed 45 patients had been infected by Zika and 20 by dengue. The tests also showed 78% of those with Zika (35 people) and 70% of those with dengue had been infected previously by dengue virus.Shortly after the Zika epidemic emerged, it began to be suspected that prior infection by dengue could lead to more severe clinical manifestations of Zika, similar to those of dengue hemorrhagic fever, such as bleeding under the skin, a large decrease in blood pressure and even shock in particularly severe cases. About 90% of patients with dengue hemorrhagic fever have previously had dengue and are infected by a different subtype (there are four subtypes of dengue virus).The problem is that the antibodies produced by the immune system against one subtype do not always effectively neutralize the other subtypes, leading to only partial immunity.According to a hypothesis called antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE), incomplete immunization appears to help the virus enter defense system cells, where it reproduces, increasing the number of copies of itself in the organism and intensifying the severity of the infection. Because dengue and Zika are both flaviviruses and genetically similar, it was believed that the partial immunization observed after dengue infection might also occur in Zika-infected individuals with prior dengue infection.This suspicion was strengthened in mid-2016, when research first showed that antibodies against dengue virus also protect individuals against Zika virus but do not neutralize it completely. In March 2017, US researchers found partial immunization to be the explanation for multiplication of Zika in a study using mice with weakened immune systems.The study published innow suggests what is true of cells cultured in vitro and laboratory mice does not necessarily apply to humans.With the help of immunologist Jorge Kalil Filho, a professor at the University of Sao Paulo's Medical School (FM-USP), Nogueira and his team measured the numbers of Zika virus copies in the blood of patients previously infected by dengue and compared them with the numbers found in the blood of patients who had never been exposed to dengue. If prior dengue infection facilitated the multiplication of Zika, the number should be much higher in the former group, but the researchers found both groups had similar viral loads."Our study had sufficient statistical power to detect a very small difference in viral load - a difference of only ten times, in fact," Nogueira said. If ADE had occurred in this situation, viral load should have been tens of thousands of times greater."These findings don't entirely rule out the possibility that ADE occurs, but they constitute importance evidence that having had dengue doesn't increase the severity of Zika disease," said Kalil, a co-author of the study. "In fact, some people who have had dengue present with a milder form of infection when they contract Zika according to unpublished reports.""If ADE caused by dengue led to microcephaly, we would have identified hundreds of cases in Sao Jose do Rio Preto and Ribeirao Preto, but we found none at all," Nogueira said.His team also monitored 55 women who had Zika during pregnancy in Sao Jose do Rio Preto. They all gave birth to infants without microcephaly; some had neurological damage, but much milder than the cases reported in the Northeast."This article undoubtedly has far-reaching implications, both in epidemiological terms and for the development of vaccines. These findings suggest other factors may be responsible for Zika congenital syndrome," said Nikos Vasilakis, a researcher at University of Texas Medical Branch and also a co-author of the study.The early evidence that prior dengue infection might lead to more severe Zika disease raised concerns about the development of vaccines, especially against dengue. A dengue vaccine is currently being tested in Brazil. "There were fears that vaccinating people against dengue could lead to more severe cases of Zika," Kalil said. "The results we've obtained now suggest this problem may not exist."Source: Eurekalert
How did Subhas Chandra Bose die? To find the answer, the Indian government had appointed three commissions. The Shah Nawaz Committee (1956) and Khosla Commission (1970) said that Bose died in an air crash on August 18, 1945 at Taihoku airport in Japanese-occupied Taipei, while the Mukherjee Commission (1999) concluded that he did not die in an air-crash. The government, however, rejected the findings of the Mukherjee Commission. But that didn't stop scholars from dwelling deep to find the truth.

 Wikimedia Commons

Paris-based historian J B P More, who recently stumbled upon a brief French secret service report dated December 11, 1947 at the National Archives of France, has come up with a finding that Bose didn't die in an air crash and was still alive in 1947. "It is not stated in the document that Subhas Chandra Bose died in the air crash in Taiwan. Instead, it is reported that Bose's present whereabouts were unknown as late as December 1947, which again implies that the French did not buy the theory that Bose died in the air-crash on August 18, 1945," said More, who teaches at the Institut des Hautes Etudes Economiques et Commerciales, Paris.

 Wikimedia Commons

The gist of the matter for the French secret service, according to More, is that Bose did not die in the air crash on August 18, 1945, as commonly held. "But he escaped from Indochina alive and his whereabouts were unknown as late as December 11, 1947, as reported in the secret document. This implies that he was alive somewhere but not dead in 1947," said More, quoting the report written for the "Haut Commisariat de France for Indochina"- SDECE -Indochinese Base - BCRI - No. 4128/3 cs/ah - Ex No. 6/16, under the title: "Archival Information on Subhas Chandra Bose." "In this report, it is clearly stated that he was the exchief of the Indian Independence League and a member of Hikari Kikan, a Japanese organisation. It is further stated clearly that he escaped from Indochina, though it does not state how," he said.

 Wikimedia Commons

The British and the Japanese too declared that Bose died in an air crash after he took off from Saigon on his way to Tokyo. But the French government had always been silent on the issue, though Vietnam/Indochina was a French colony during the 1940s. So, the findings of More attain significance. "Very quickly after the Japanese debacle and surrender on 15th August 1945, the French arrived in Saigon, along with British troops and took charge of Saigon. But unfortunately they left no direct accounts of Bose's death in the air crash. They had never endorsed the theory that Bose died in the crash," said More.
Today, the Alternate Foreign Minister Giorgos Katrougalos met with Montenegro's European Affairs Minister, Aleksandar Pejovic.



The meeting focused on bilateral and European issues, and Mr. Katrougalos reaffirmed Greece's firm support for Montenegro's European perspective.



Also discussed was the expansion of cooperation between the two countries in the energy and tourism sectors, within the framework of the European Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR) and the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative (AII).
Alternate Foreign Minister Giorgos Katrougalos spoke at the first day of the 14th Batumi International Conference, on the subject of European Energy Security. The Vice Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Georgia, Mikheil Janelidze, the Foreign Minister of Poland, Konrad Szymanski, and Georgian Energy Minister Ilia Eloshvili were also participating in the panel.



Mr. Katrougalos pointed out Greece's upgraded role as an energy hub between Asia and Europe, and the importance of energy as a factor for regional security and stability. In this context, he congratulated Georgia on its recent accession to the European Union's Energy Community.



While in Georgia, Mr. Katrougalos met with the Vice Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Georgia, Mikheil Janelidze, the State Minister of Georgia for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, Victor Dolidze, and the Deputy Minister for Economy and Development, Genadi Arveladze, who co-chaired the Greek-Georgian Joint Interministerial Committee that convened in Athens in late May.



In these meetings, Mr. Katrougalos stressed that Greece supports Georgia's European perspective, while noting the ties of friendship that have linked our countries since antiquity. He also discussed specific planning for the promotion of bilateral economic cooperation, given that there is a great deal of room for development of economic relations in the sectors of trade, energy, tourism, agriculture and transport.
Dear Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey,

Ladies and Gentlemen,



I am here on behalf of the Greek government to honour the memory of the victims of the attempted coup of 15 July 2016. Our thoughts and prayers continue to go out to the families of those who died or were wounded in the tragic events that, a year ago, indelibly marked the history of modern Turkey.



Greece was among the first countries to firmly condemn the attempted coup and offer the Turkish people and their government its unwavering support in their struggle to defend constitutional order and democracy. We continue today to be at your side, in full solidarity. It is well known, after all, that coups have brought great suffering to our country.



Ladies and Gentlemen,



We have always been firmly committed to a stable and democratic Turkey with whom we will continue to work closely, not only to further improve our bilateral relations, but also to promote peace, stability and prosperity in our wider region, and to combat terrorism.



It is our firm belief that actions speak louder than words, and in this spirit we extend a sincere hand of friendship and cooperation between our peoples. In a time rife with challenges, we firmly support the course of Turkey's process of accession to the EU, as well as the efforts to accelerate the pace of reforms and democratization.



Once again, I express sincere condolences for the victims and the destruction caused by the failed coup attempt, together with my best wishes for a brighter future to the benefit of the Turkish people.

Thank you.
Dear Friends,



I am very satisfied to be here today at the 19th "Panagia Soumela" Pontian Youth Meeting, representing the Greek government as the Deputy Foreign Minister and as an educator.



I firmly believe that the strength of Pontian Hellenism lies in the inextinguishable desire to preserve our customs, traditions and language, and without the assistance of young people in this effort, nothing would have been achieved.



Pontian youth are a vital and dynamic part of contemporary society, and at the same time they are the guardians of the legacy of the values and way of life of the Pontus, a fact that gives us strength.



Our duty, as older Pontians, is to use every means and incentive to bolster this effort, from whatever position of responsibility in which we serve.



At the Foreign Ministry, we are open to any initiative that can contribute to the preservation and strengthening of the values of Pontic Hellenism through the exercising of educational and cultural diplomacy. At the same time, we are investing in nurturing the relationship between the homeland and Diaspora Greeks of all ages, in order to achieve effective promotion of our culture and language abroad, and to gradually bring home the Greek scientists working abroad. As you are well aware, many internationally recognised scientists, entrepreneurs and artists of the Diaspora have Pontic roots.



Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras himself announced a few months ago that a museum dedicated to Pontic and Asia Minor Hellenism is to be created on the premises of the Pavlos Melas military base in Thessaloniki, while the historical facts in the secondary-school books regarding the genocide should be taught so that all generations have complete, objective and sound knowledge of the real events.



At the same time, we encourage every activity that is aimed at preserving historical memory. This is why we welcome initiatives like the Pontic dialect programme at the University of Macedonia, in Thessaloniki, any anywhere else.



Dear Friends,

I hope that all of you, our Pontian youth, will continue with the same dedication and love to preserve the language and culture handed down to us by our parents and grandparents. I wish you every success in your Meeting and look forward to seeing you here again next year, at "Panagia Soumela".



Thank you.
JOURNALIST: It has been 10 days since the Crans Montana conference on the Cyprus issue. Why did it fail? What could have been done better?



N.KOTZIAS: I would not use the phrase it failed. I would say that it did not have the results we all expected. From our point of view, some important steps were taken. Most importantly, the issue of security and guarantee has finally been put on the agenda of the negotiations.



For the Greek government and for me personally, the main feature of the international aspect of the Cyprus issue is that of occupation and the right or not for intervention possibilities. I think that Turkey is still living in a pre-modern period as if we were still in the age of colonialism and protectorates.



It believes it can have troops in a third country, despite the latters will, occupying some of its territories and claiming the right to intervene whenever it wants in the domestic affairs of a member state of the European Union and the United Nations.



Journalists often ask me what could have been done better. At first, I would say a better understanding between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots. I do not mean from the point of view of negotiations, but I feel that those who lost the most, because of the presence of the Turkish occupation army and the possibility of a democratic choice, were the Turkish Cypriots themselves.



There are 220,000 people living in the occupied part, of which only 100,000 are Turkish Cypriots. The other 100,000 are settlers and a part of them is abroad, mainly in London. These people did not live in a regime of democracy because the 100,000 Turkish Cypriots accounted for 44,000 soldiers. There has never existed a more militarized region in the world. I have also said this publicly in Cyprus.



The Republic of Cyprus should not only complain, rightly so, about the loss of property, places of birth, housing. But it should more intensively include the Turkish Cypriots to those who suffered  just like the Greek Cypriot refugees  from the presence of the Turkish army.



JOURNALIST: So what is the message you would like to send to the Turkish Cypriot side?



N.KOTZIAS: Since I took over the Greek Foreign Ministry, I said that first of all, we must extend a maximum of rights to the Turkish Cypriots as well as to the other three minor minorities, which many forget, but I have greatly upheld their rights (the Latins, the Maronites and the Armenians).



Many people also forget the rights of those who want to define themselves as Cypriots, but do not want to be part of one or the other community. Im saying this because we have the experience of Bosnia, where there are many citizens who do not want to be classified as belonging to one of the entities that make up Bosnia. We have a number of legal judgments on this issue. So, on the one hand, the maximum of rights for Turkish Cypriots, minorities and those who do not wish to be identified as part of the existing system, and on the other hand the maximum sense of security for Greek Cypriots.



This feeling continues and must exist. Turks were a bit angry with me when I told them the truth. I told them that they wanted to preserve the rights of intervention in Cyprus with the signature of Greece. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told me that Turkey will use this right. I asked him why he insisted. I claimed that he basically wants to get in a tank that says on its cannon the last treaty for the Cyprus issue carries the signatures of Alexis Tsipras and Nikos Kotzias and basically allows us to enter with the tanks.



The second thing I told him was that I could not understand why the Turkish government is so obsessed with presenting the Turkish army as a guarantor of the rights of Turkish Cypriots and other citizens, when we know that the head of the occupation army was arrested by Turkey as a Gulen supporter. In addition, ten of the fifteen senior officers were also arrested as Gulen supporters. The leadership of this part of the Turkish army was accused of participating in a coup detat and they now tell us that the same people will be able to provide guarantees.



Thirdly, it is not a part of the culture of the West, and in general since the Enlightenment, that a troop division would have superior authority over political leadership.



JOURNALIST: Will the Greek-Turkish relations be affected by the failure of the negotiations?



N.KOTZIAS: Since the beginning of the debate on Cyprus, I expressed my wish to Cavusoglu that these two things should not be confused. First, the solution or not of the Cyprus problem depends not only on the guarantor powers but also on the understandings reached between the two communities and also on the referendums in this country.



But I have the feeling that the persistent and tough way that the Turks wanted to give special jurisdiction to the Turkish army for the whole island and not just for the occupied area, shows a perception that is unknown to us. We will make an effort to keep Turkey on a path of democratization and Europeanization because if there is one country in Europe that will benefit most from a European Turkey, this is Greece. One does not choose their neighbor, but one does try as much as possible to come to an understanding with them. Now, whether Turkey wants to become a real European country or not it is something that remains to be seen.



JOURNALIST: Turkey spoke about a solution outside of the UN parameters for the Cyprus issue. What is your view?



N.KOTZIAS: Turkey did not identify what it means when it says parameters outside the UN. I think that any solution to the Cyprus problem must be within the framework of the UN and more generally, within the framework of international law. There can be no solution to the Cyprus problem by imposing mechanisms and procedures that are outside the international context.



JOURNALIST: What about UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres role in the negotiations?



N.KOTZIAS: I have an excellent opinion of the personality of the UN Secretary-General. I think he is someone who will make history in the UN. He is a serious, intelligent and experienced man. Unfortunately, his quality is in mismatch with that of others who represent the UN at different levels.



JOURNALIST: Do you have a specific example about that?



N.KOTZIAS: I would say that his quality is in disharmony with the capabilities of his Special Adviser on Cyprus, Espen Barth Eide, demonstrated during the preparation [of the negotiations]. I would also say that the UN Secretary-Generals proposals were clear. From the outset, he told Turkey that, in his opinion, nowadays there can be no intervention rights of a third country in a UN member state. I think that was crucial.



JOURNALIST: Will the Brexit negotiations affect the Cyprus issue?



N.KOTZIAS: In regard to some aspects of the Cyprus issue, Turkey has raised demands that are not directly related to the Cyprus problem but are rather linked to the special relationship it wants to have with the EU. For example, it raised the issue of equal treatment of Turkish citizens in Cyprus, which is a member state of the EU, in relation to Greek citizens who are citizens of an EU member state.



In answering your question, I have the feeling that some people are testing, in the demands of the Turks, the success or failure of their own demands.



JOURNALIST: So what do we do from now on?



N.KOTZIAS: Tomorrow, we have the EU Foreign Affairs Council, then we will meet with UN Special Envoy Matthew Nimetz on the negotiation process with Skopje. The country is in a complex negotiation. We have six major issues, such as the Cyprus problem and the Skopje name dispute, which we negotiate with great caution and preparation.



Then I fly to Cyprus to discuss with the Cypriot government how we can help prepare a better round of negotiations on the Cyprus issue because I sincerely believe that the preparation was not adequate.



JOURNALIST: You mean from Turkeys side?



N.KOTZIAS: No, I mean from the UN side. Because no substantial discussions on the matter took place beforehand. The Turks, in view of both Geneva I and Crans Montana, had promised us  Erdogan himself  that the two ministers of Foreign Affairs, me and Cavusoglu, would hold some preparation rounds in order to be better prepared to negotiate. We had said that if we saw that we are not ready, it would not make any sense to call the UN Secretary-General and waste time.



Unfortunately, Turkey did not want to hold these preparatory meetings, and Mr Eide also did not want to understand what I had told him two-and-a-half years ago. That the core of the Cyprus issue is security and guarantees and that he commits a grave mistake by constantly saying we will address these issues in the end.



Under these circumstances, when we came to an end, there was not enough preparation to find a solution. The next time we go to discussions, we should start with guarantees and security. This is the difficult problem. The other issues follow.



Turkey should realize that its demands are anachronistic and outside the context of international law.



JOURNALIST: Lets talk about the role of the EU. How did you see the EUs participation in the talks and, above all, how can it help in the solution of the Cyprus problem? You will also meet Federica Mogherini this week in Athens.



N.KOTZIAS: The EU is a reality that must be understood by Turkey. Turkeys demands toward the EU cannot pass through the Cyprus issue. I would say, in view of what was discussed at the last summit  and there was unanimity among the key players  that it is not Europe that has to prove to Turkey something in order to resolve the Cyprus problem, but that Turkey itself must contribute to its solution in order to facilitate its EU path.



The EU must make its position clearer, as it does not say it clearly when speaking with Turkey, that it cannot have parts of its territory be occupied by a third country and that this country has intervention rights over an EU member state.



We rightly criticize Russia for its interventions in Ukraine. We support this critique and have voted on it and we also take part in the sanctions. But if Europe protests and campaigns against the occupation of a third country by a fourth, it cannot be indifferent to the occupation of its own territories from a second country. There is an asymmetry to be restored.



The President of Cyprus, Nicos Anastasiades, often says, and I agree with him, that there would never be any government in the Baltic countries that would accept the entry of the Russian army that would act as a guarantor for these states. The average European will say that this is an oxymoron, but they still accept it for Turkey as far as Cyprus is concerned.



JOURNALIST: The debate on the update of the EU-Turkey Customs Union Agreement has begun. Whats Greeces position?



N.KOTZIAS: The Customs Union is a good tool for the development of EU-Turkey relations. Big economic interests are at stake on both sides, especially in Turkey, where they estimate that they will have about 50-60 billion of profit. So it is a lever that can be used properly in order to better develop and respond to the Cyprus problem.



But we must remember that in the first step towards the customs union, Turkey showed that it wanted to separate the EU member states, between those it speaks to and those it does not, i.e. those that it recognizes as states and those that it does not recognize. In order for Turkey to have a real customs union and benefit from it, it must understand that the EU consists of 28, and after Brexit, 27 member states and must accept them as such.



JOURNALIST: Turkey has escalated its rhetoric in the last week on gas drilling operations in the Cypriot exclusive economic zone. What is Athens position?



N.KOTZIAS: If one reads Ankaras statements, one might also understand Turkeys insistence on maintaining intervention rights at the expense of Cyprus. We support the Republic of Cyprus in its position that the profits from this process will be attributed to the Cypriot people as a whole. Cyprus can have two communities and three minorities but the people are one.



This case cannot be out of the control of international law. There are countries that have clearly raised a natural barrier against Turkeys provocation.



JOURNALIST: Tomorrow, French Minister of the Armed Forces Florence Parly is visiting Nicosia. Is it a positive development?



N.KOTZIAS: It is a good development  do not forget that there are also French warships in the area that remind the Turks that the one breaching the law cannot be at the same time the one that enforces it.



JOURNALIST: As you said before, you will see tomorrow in Brussels the UN special envoy on the name dispute with FYROM. Are you optimistic that the new government in Skopje could solve the name issue?



N.KOTZIAS: The current government in the country has toned down [the previous rhetoric] and on a communication level it is more correct, let me say. On the substance, however, I have not seen anything new. I am waiting, though. I will go to Skopje in late August and I hope we will discuss the matter with the Foreign Minister because we did not address it the last time. We discussed more generally, for example, on implementing a proposal for confidence-building measures that we have been successfully promoting for the last year and a half.



The problem with Skopje is not that it has one or another opinion. The problem is something that Europe itself needs to understand. Europe must educate, in the good sense, Skopjes leadership to the concept of political compromise and the culture of political consensus. When I became Minister of Foreign Affairs, I told all sides that in the way you spoil them, not only do they not behave properly to us, but they will apply the same concept of politics domestically. We saw how far Gruevski stretched it.



I say to my European friends, do not create a second Gruevski because Zaev has all the prerequisites to understand and be open to a real solution. We will work on this solution and I hope to find a response and avoid the interference of third parties which will make it difficult to reach this solution.



The leadership of this country rightly tells me that they have great anxieties about the stability and security of the country and the region. I fully agree with them and we do all we can. We [Greeks] did not interfere in their domestic affairs, I did not make any statement during the crisis. I even said I would veto any sanctions, when some in Europe became stricter. We defend their integrity, but I tell them that if Greece is fighting for their stability and security, then they themselves should do three times as much.



They should not expect concessions only from us while, on their part, due to their internal problems, do not do anything.



JOURNALIST: Enlargement froze under Jean-Claude Junckers mandate and many attribute the political destabilization in the countries of the Western Balkans to it. Do you agree?



N.KOTZIAS: I do not agree. Greece has gone through a deep crisis for eight or nine years now. It is the deepest and longest crisis since the Second World War. The institutional system of Greece, however, has worked and functioned. It is a question of depth and capabilities of a countrys political institutional system.



The tensions that exist over time between the Albanian element and the Slavic Macedonians are linked to whether the agreements made between these two communities are implemented or not. This is not about joining the EU or not.



JOURNALIST: Two years after the referendum in Greece and the negotiation to stay in the Eurozone. What do we expect from now on?



N.KOTZIAS: If some people in Europe stop talking every day about a crisis in Greece -I speak with my experience as a Foreign Minister who has talked to many countries- there will be a great flow of investment and economic growth in Greece.



JOURNALIST: Would you like to be more precise?



N.KOTZIAS: It is difficult for some to imagine that Greece will take the path to growth and development under the leadership of a government whose form would not be sympathetic to their own country.



JOURNALIST: The new US Administration has criticized EU member states for not increasing their spending towards NATO, as agreed in Wales in 2014. How do you evaluate this?



N.KOTZIAS: Greece faces the following distinctiveness. Because our GDP has dropped by 27%, our military spending rate has been increasing and never dropped below the 2% target.



JOURNALIST: Is this American claim worthwhile?



N.KOTZIAS: I think the new US Administration has come up with the slogan that it will not tolerate any "free riders". For them to spend so that others can live in safety, gaining money without spending any on their own security. This is a debate that the wealthy Europeans must have, the ones whose defense spending is at a low level compared to the US.



The US has identified two problems for its foreign policy. One is that they have a new understanding -compared to the past- that the role of the West has fallen sharply and at the same time, they have realized that from the West's retreat, it is they who are facing the greater losses.



I have recently read that the Wests GDP has dropped to 31% of global GDP, whereas 20 years ago, it was at 44%. By contrast, the BRICS have risen from 18.4% to 31.2%. This year is the first time that the BRICS have outpaced the Western countries GDP as a result of China's strong growth, which climbed from 6.9% to 17.6%, while the US [growth rate] has dropped from 20.6% to 15.4%.



This is an objective situation that others recognize and others do not. The power and role of the West on the global sphere have been reduced and the Americans are trying to find a way to recover.



Allow me to make an academic comment. From 100 AD until 1600 AD, China and India were the most productive countries in the world and produced the 3/5 of global GDP. When communism collapsed almost 30 years ago, the Southeast Asian countries GDP amounted to 1/5 of the world's GDP. Today it is at 2/5. These countries, particularly China, consider that their normal historical position is to be the world's major economies.



They also consider that the hegemony of the West over the last 250-400 years is more of a historical parenthesis rather than a normal situation. The West, living for all these years as a hegemonic power, sees this as a normal situation. We have trouble viewing our own history and prospects. The new Trump Administration tries to identify and understand this problem. If it succeeds, that is a different issue.
N. KOTZIAS: We had a very interesting and serious meeting with Mr. Nimetz, who recently visited Skopje. He briefed me on the atmosphere he encountered there. I briefed him on our thinking following the meetings we had with our northern neighbour's new government. We agreed to stay in touch and to seek ways in which we could open up a process for seeking a solution.

JOURNALIST: Mr. Minister, do we have any indications of good will from the government in Skopje?

N. KOTZIAS: In terms of communication, yes.

JOURNALIST: On the substance?

N. KOTZIAS: As I said, it is on the level of communication. As far as substance is concerned, it remains to be seen.

JOURNALIST: Regarding your trip to Cyprus, what are the goals of your meetings, which are taking place in parallel with Mevlut Cavusoglu's visit in the occupied territories in Cyprus?

N. KOTZIAS: He found out I was visiting free Cyprus and he decided to carry out his own visit. He often follows me. This isn't necessarily bad, if only he had the same goals. I am going to Cyprus to discuss the follow-up to the Conference in Switzerland, as well as how we should proceed so that a future negotiation can be better and more effectively prepared. We are going to talk about Greece-Cyprus bilateral relations as well as issues pertaining to regional security and stability. We are also going to discuss European Union issues, and in particular Turkey's path with regard to the European Union and specifically the customs union.
A former 12th Air Force command chief master sergeant is headed to court-martial on 17 Uniform Code of Military Justice charges, including two sexual misconduct charges, an official said.

A spokeswoman at Air Combat Command told Military.com on Monday that a recommendation has been made following an Article 32 hearing for Chief Master Sgt. Jose A. Barraza "to proceed to court-martial on all charges."

"Arraignment will take place at Davis-Monthan [Air Force Base in Arizona]" on Aug. 29, and "the trial is set for October 14," ACC spokeswoman Erica Vega said in an email.

Related content:

Barraza originally faced 15 violations under the UCMJ, but the service in May added two sexual misconduct specifications under Article 120c after an Air Force Office of Special Investigations inquiry into the former member of the 12th Air Force commander's advisory team, officials told Military.com at the time.

UCMJ Article 120c charges stipulate offenses such as indecent viewing, recording or broadcast, forcible pandering, or indecent exposure. The rule was added in 2012 to address miscellaneous sexual misconduct.

The original charges include one specification for willfully disobeying an order, seven specifications for dereliction of duty, two specifications for making false official statements, and five specifications for obstruction of justice in violation of UCMJ Articles 90, 92, 107 and 134 respectively, according to a statement from the command.

Col. Scott C. Campbell, commander of the 355th Fighter Wing, preferred the charges March 30 and May 18. Barraza was removed from his position in November due to "loss of confidence in his ability to carry out his duties," the Air Force said at the time.

Barraza is assigned to the 355th Operations Group at Davis-Monthan and carrying out duties during the ongoing legal process, the ACC has said.

He joined the Air Force in 1989, according to Stars and Stripes.

Barraza began his 12th Air Force post in 2015; he was responsible for all enlisted personnel in the wing. The 12th Air Force, or Air Forces Southern, has a dual mission as an Air Combat Command component numbered Air Force and as the air component for U.S. Southern Command.

ACC officials in recent months have said the service has been particularly mum on the charges in Barraza's case, given the OSI investigation.

"When OSI embarks on an investigation, it is inherently a criminal investigation," a military lawyer told Military.com in September.

"It's driven by the nature of the allegation from the get-go," the lawyer said, speaking generally to military investigations.

A determination was made that Air Combat Command would be the lead communicator on the case instead of Davis-Monthan, an official said.

A timeline for Barraza's alleged crimes has not been disclosed.

-- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214.
Each year, Statistics Korea publishes population figures for North Korea in a booklet based on surveys conducted by international organizations like the UN and data released by the Education Center for Unification under the Unification Ministry.

Most of these statistics were compiled based on a census the North took in 2008 with the UN's help.

North Korea's only previous census was in 1993, which established that the population is 21.21 million. Although rumor has it that several millions of people starved to death during the famine of the 1990s, nobody knows how many exactly died.

The second census in 2008 was taken with funds provided by the UN Population Fund to obtain basic data for humanitarian aid to the North. The North accepted the offer, presumably because it wanted a good grasp of the reality to develop its own economy.

The census lasted for 15 days, from Oct. 1 to 15, 2008. The North's Central Statistics Bureau surveyed 5,587,767 households nationwide by mobilizing a total of 35,000 census takers through municipal and provincial statistics offices. The questionnaire consisted of 53 questions about income, furniture, electronic home appliances, toilets, heating system, and tap water and sewage facilities, as well as basic personal information such as age and gender.

Like in South Korea, the North Korean census takers visited homes to ask the questions face to face. Statistics Korea officials flew to China, where they taught North Korean officials census methodology and techniques, and the South gave the North as much as US$4 million for the census from the Inter-Korean Cooperation Fund.

According to the census, the North's population was 24,062,000, up 2.85 million from 1993. Average life expectancy was 69.3 years, and infant mortality was 19.3 per 1,000. But these data are quite different from UN estimates, which put life expectancy at 67.3 years and infant mortality at 48 per 1,000. The credibility of the North's census data has not been verified.
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...
One Marine has been declared brain-dead and another is recovering after lightning struck an MV-22 Osprey at Marine Corps Air Station New River in North Carolina on July 11, Marine officials confirmed Monday evening.

Cpl. Skyler James, a tiltrotor mechanic assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 261, and another Marine, whose identity was not released, were both injured in a lightning strike while working on an Osprey on the flight line at New River, according to 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing. There were thunderstorms that day around noon, according to local weather reports.

Both Marines were taken to Camp Lejeune Naval Hospital, where they were treated for "serious injuries," according to the release. While the unidentified Marine was soon released, James was taken to UNC Health Center for further treatment, according to the release.

After "several days of treatment and evaluation," James died at the center, according to the release. But a spokesman for 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, Capt. John Roberts, said the state of North Carolina declared brain death for James on Sunday, though he remains on a ventilator.

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The lightning strike happened as Marines were leaving the flight line, having received a warning that lightning had struck within five miles, according to officials with 2nd MAW. It's standard procedure within the unit to stop flightline activity when lightning comes within five miles as a safety precaution, according to the release.

The freak accident was first reported by the Naval Safety Center, which listed it as a Class A mishap. In aviation, this category is reserved for mishaps that cause $2 million or more in damage to an aircraft or result in fatality or permanent total disability.

James is from Sonoma, California, and had joined the Marine Corps in March 2016, officials said. He had earned the Good Conduct medal and Sea Service Deployment ribbon, and had been promoted to corporal in October.

"Cpl. Skyler James was a hardworking Marine full of work ethic, ability, and drive," Lt. Col. Stephen Pirrotta, commanding officer of VMM-261, said in a statement. "He was quick to smile and ready to accept any maintenance challenge on the flight line with a demeanor that allowed for easy interaction between his peers and superiors, alike. This was a tragic accident. Corporal James will be sorely missed by the Raging Bulls. His family is in our thoughts and prayers."

The Marine Corps did not immediately announce the incident publicly, and only issued a release confirming the mishap Monday evening -- nearly a week after the lightning strike occurred and more than nine hours after a Military.com reporter queried officials about it.

Roberts said some of the details of the tragic incident created a "gray area," making it unclear how and when officials should handle information.

Editor's note: This story was updated to correct a Marine Corps release that stated James is deceased. In fact, he was declared brain-dead and is on a ventilator.

-- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck.
From his vantage point on Brooklyn Heights, Gen. George Washington watched as the hopelessly outnumbered "Maryland 400" charged again and again to stop the advance of the British regulars and their Hessian mercenaries.

According to the historians, Washington turned to Gen. Israel Putnam and said, "Great God, what brave fellows I must this day lose" in halting the rout of his Continental Army in the 1776 Battle of Brooklyn, often called the Battle of Long Island -- the bloodiest and biggest of the Revolutionary War. Washington would later dub the 1st Maryland the "Bayonets of the Revolution."

The British were closing in to destroy Washington's forces and end the rebellion against King George III on the afternoon of Aug. 27, 1776, but the surprise attack of the Marylanders drove them back up what is now called Park Slope before faltering.

The charge broke the British lines at the Vechte-Cortelyou House, better known as the "Old Stone House," now the centerpiece of a playground at Fifth Avenue and Third Street.

Legend has it that British Gen. Sir Charles Cornwallis, who would surrender the British army at Yorktown, Va., in 1781, hid in the attic of the Old Stone House until British troops retook the position.

The charge gave fateful pause to Sir William Howe, the British commander. If this was how the colonial riffraff fought when cornered, he would not pursue them in the fading light. He planned to begin a siege of Brooklyn Heights in the morning. The fleet of his brother, Lord Richard Howe, would pound the Americans from the East River and force surrender.

The charge also gave Washington time.

In one of the most remarkable episodes in the history of warfare, Brig. Gen. John Glover and his Marblehead (Mass.) boatmen, aided by a night fog, came across from Manhattan and evacuated Washington and his entire army -- 9,000 troops, horses and cannon -- without a single loss of life.

The Howe brothers were flummoxed and later had to explain themselves to Parliament.

Washington himself was the last to board the flatboats. He would lose again in Manhattan and at White Plains, but he would go on to win the war.

In their fury at being pushed back, the Hessians are believed to have bayoneted survivors and thrown the bodies of 256 of the Marylanders into a hastily dug common grave, which has never been found.

Mass Grave Found?

Now there is another battle of Brooklyn underway over an unsightly empty lot at Ninth Street and Third Avenue, where preservationists suspect the remains of the 256 might at last be uncovered.

There have been numerous attempts to find the remains in the past but this time, the Marylanders have a British recruit to advocate for them in Sir Patrick Stewart, the distinguished actor who played Capt. Jean-Luc Picard in "Star Trek: The Next Generation."

Stewart, who has a renovated brownstone a few blocks from the empty lot, told GQ magazine he's convinced that the remains can be found there. The lot is just "a concreted-over car park," Stewart said, "but underneath the concrete is the mass grave. It's worth making, I think, a bit of a fuss of. Over 200 were buried here."

Stewart has made a fuss to New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, who told him "I'm on it," but the city already has tentative plans to buy the lot for a pre-kindergarten facility.

De Blasio spokeswoman Melissa Grace told The New York Post that the lot "is part of an ongoing environmental review. The Landmarks Preservation Commission is coordinating with the State Historic Preservation Office on this archaeological question."

"We note that, at this time, no one knows the location of these burials or the likelihood of remains being found at this location," Grace said.

However, the members of Michael A. Rawley Jr. American Legion Post 1636, which is next door to the empty lot on Ninth Street, and Robert Furman, president of the Brooklyn Preservation Council, have called for an archaeological dig before the city makes any moves on the lot.

"We owe it to those who died to find out if they're buried here," Furman told The Baltimore Sun. "It would be a horrible travesty if something were to be built here without finding out if Revolutionary War heroes who gave their lives for our freedom are buried here and we just built on top of it."

Revolutionary War Heroes

One of those heroes was young rebel William Sands, who joined with the Maryland militia volunteers who marched to Brooklyn in the summer of 1776.

Billy Sands sent letters home to his "Honoured Father and Respected Mother" that were later found in a Maryland attic and are now part of the Maryland archives.

In a letter dated July 20, 1776, and sent from Philadelphia along the way to New York, Billy tried, not too convincingly, to squelch a rumor started by someone else in his unit that his girlfriend had stowed away in the baggage train and was following him. Yes, there was a girl, Billy said, but surely he didn't know her.

In his last letter dated Aug. 14, 1776, Billy was writing from a hill in what is now Greenwood Cemetery, watching in awe as the might of the British Empire assembled in the Narrows and Gravesend Bay to crush him and the infant America.

"About 200 ships of the King's sail lay close by us," Billy wrote. "We are ordered to hold ourselves in readiness. We expect an attack hourly." He added, "We expect, please God, to winter in Annapolis, those that live of us."

The historians believe William Sands was among those killed in the valiant charge against the British. If there really was a girlfriend, there is no record of her.

The historians say that the fleet the British sent against the Americans was the largest since the Spanish Armada in 1588 and the estimated 30,000 troops the ships landed on Staten Island and in Brooklyn amounted to the largest invasion force until D-Day in 1944.

Howe Tries to Explain

In 1779, Sir William Howe tried to explain to Parliament why, with all that firepower brought together against the greatly outnumbered Americans, he ordered the attack to halt rather than pressing on against Washington on Brooklyn Heights.

Howe thought Washington and his ragtag troops would seek surrender at the mere sight of the British fleet and the embarkation force. He sent a letter through an emissary under a flag of truce addressed to "George Washington, Esq."

The Americans rejected it as insulting for failing to address Washington as a general. Howe sent another letter addressed to "George Washington, Esq, etc. etc." Howe offered pardons to Washington and his army if they surrendered. Washington wrote back: "Those who have committed no fault want no pardon."

In speaking to his order to halt the attack, Howe apparently had in mind the heavy casualties suffered by the British earlier in attacking Bunker Hill in Charlestown near Boston.

He told Parliament, "The loss of 1,000, or perhaps 1,500 British troops, in carrying those lines [in Brooklyn], would have been but ill repaid by double that number of the enemy, could it have been supposed they would have suffered in that proportion."

In Brooklyn's Prospect Park, there's a monument to the Maryland 400 donated in 1895 by the Maryland Society of the Sons of the American Revolution and designed by the famed architect Stanford White.

It's on what is officially called Lookout Hill. In Brooklyn, it's just Monument Hill. On one side of the monument is the inscription of Washington's quote: "Great God what brave fellows I must this day lose."

Down the slope from Prospect Park, there's a plaque over the door leading to the bar at the Michael A. Rawley Jr. American Legion Post 1636. It reads: "In Honored Memory of Maryland's 400. Forever Remembered."

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.
As far as secrets go, "Project Tim" is about as transparent as it gets.

Public officials are talking about the project scope, estimated at $4- to $6 billion.

They're acknowledging the industry: "Classified as renewable energy," according to a presentation scheduled for the Durand City Council meeting at 7:30 p.m. July 17.

The job count is forecast at 800. The location will be Shiawassee County in mid-Michigan. And, according to previously released information, the work will involve a 24-million-square-foot facility on 800 acres.

But, beyond that, nobody's talking. That includes public officials and those presumably connected to the deal, due to reported confidentiality agreements.

That's enough to get the community's attention, as proponents and opponents line up ahead of the details coming from elected officials or the business at the center of the action.

The secrecy "has some people upset," said Dr. William Foster, a veterinarian in Durand who lives in nearby Vernon Township. "They're elected to represent us, not a company."

Tonight's meeting follows other public conversations about Project Tim, including a Vernon Township board meeting in mid-June where residents demanded answers. The proposed project is expected to be in the township, at Lansing and New Lothrop roads.

The location is along the I-69 corridor between Flint and Lansing. Shiawassee County is ranked 39th out of 83 Michigan counties for per-capita income, and the median household income is $46,453, about $5,000 less than the U.S.

The economics of the community, along with its location, prompt the city of Durand to tout the economic growth from the project, which it says is "(i)n the final stages of financial due diligence."

Benefits, it says, are "Increased housing values, consumer spending and tax revenues."

The city's presentation will mention the prospect of 85,000 indirect and induced jobs from the project. "This should be a welcome change from current trends," according to the city's presentation.

Of note: "The county has lost $17 million in annual manufacturing wages," it said.

Durand City Manager Colleen O'Toole wrote the presentation, which she said in an email "is simply a recap of what has been made public about the project thus far - no new information is available at this time."

Yet the uncertainty of the project - including its funding, other financial and structural arrangements behind the deal, what type of work would be done and how it will change the community in other ways - has many in the community concerned.

"My sense is that a lot of people are not for it because it is such a huge development," said Foster, who is leading a group against it.

But he noted that supporters include the property owners who are selling up to 1,000 acres that is largely agricultural, along with business owners.

"It will absolutely change the nature of Durand," he said, "and bring more jobs here and bring more business."

Foster said he doesn't expect details to emerge at the City Council meeting. Public speculation on the project is leading toward a "green" steel mill that could qualify for assistance from the U.S. Energy Department.

"We expect that residents will still have questions about the exact nature of the project," O'Toole said. " However, by and large, community members have been understanding of the fact that confidentiality is a requirement for the time being."
Midland Burger Company, a food truck which took first place in MLive's search for the best French fries in Michigan, is offering its award-winning fries for free today, Monday July 17, from 12 to 2 pm, or until it runs out.

MLive's Michigan's Best team of Amy Sherman and John Gonzalez visited 44 places across the state, before naming Midland Burger Company the best fries in the state.

Happy Monday! The start of the week can be difficult, sort of like the first time you try to start the lawn mower in the... Posted by Midland Burger Company on Sunday, July 16, 2017

It's a happy Monday indeed when you can get the best fries in Michigan for free.

Midland Burger Company will donate any tips it receives to a Midland charity.

No other food will be available during this time to help lines move quicker. The truck will be located outside the Live Oak Coffeehouse, 711 Ashman Street in Midland.

Owners Ashley and Jim Welch were overwhelmed with their Michigan's Best win. "We put so much hard work into the truck, and we just did not expect this," Ashley Welch said.

Owners Ashley and Jim Welch hi five each other after learning their fries were named Michigan's Best.

The free fries will be available until they run out. You can check here for their upcoming locations and events.
Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

The Michigan's Best team of Amy Sherman and John Gonzalez visited 44 places on our search for the best French fries in Michigan. We released our unranked top ten on July 12. Here are our top ten in order, from ten to one.

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Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

Lots and lots of fries

We tried all sorts of different fries, and we tasted a veritable ton of potatoes. We decided to focus our top ten places on establishments that were hand cutting fresh potatoes in house.

There's nothing wrong with frozen fries, and we tried many that were not only outstanding, but completely customized with everything from secret spice rubs to truffle oil. We even had some frozen fries that get a custom batter applied by the owner after their delivered (We're looking at you Frankz in Frankfort). These were all great fries, but the level of dedication it takes to make fries fresh every day is impressive and we wanted to recognize that.

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Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

The best reason why we do this

The best part of every search, every time, is meeting the amazing owners, chefs, cooks, and staff who make some of the best food in the state. Their passion never surprises us, but it does always amaze us. We are lucky to have such hard working, creative people here in Michigan, serving up delicious food, day in and day out.

Thank you.

So here you go: Our top ten Michigan's Best French fries, ranked.

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Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

#10-Hamburger Mikey, Muskegon

1129 3rd Street

Muskegon, MI 49441

(231) 724-3008

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Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

#10-Hamburger Mikey, Muskegon

Its a freezer free kitchen at Hamburger Mikey in Muskegon, a sweet little place offering an incredibly simple menu of burger and fries. Managing partner Tim Taylor wanted to have a menu that was easy to handle, since he was going to be making everything in house. Huge, incredible burgers are hand-pattied from fresh local meat and fresh potatoes are cut on site every day, all day.

They go for a thinner cut here and soak the potatoes in water and vinegar overnight to get the starch out. Then they are blanched and fried for maximum crispiness and a mashed potato texture inside. Each batch gets tossed 14 times to shake off any extra greasiness and the kosher salt gets thrown onto the fries from about 2 feet up, for perfect coverage. Orders come in a paper bag, with portion size determined by the lines on the bag. These are humongous portions.

Theyve gone through 10 tons of potatoes since they opened just eight months ago and Taylor prides himself on making sure that when you leave here, you will leave full, every time.

Regular size fries: $3.50

Large size fries: $5.00

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Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

#9-Mussel Beach Drive In, Bay City

3540 State Park Dr

Bay City, MI 48706

(989) 686-0575

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Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

#9-Mussel Beach Drive In, Bay City

A true Michigan classic, Mussel Beach Drive In is located right outside Bay City State Park. They are no stranger to Michigans Best, having been in the top 10 for both Coney dog, and breakfast. They obviously know what theyre doing here. Its your money and its your mouth, so things better be good, owner Jacquie Larner told us. Everything is handmade here, including the fries. The fries have a bit thicker cut, about 5/8ths of an inch, and feature local Michigan potatoes. They have a lovely meatiness to them, and stay nice and crisp even after they cool. The special seasoning they get, called mussel salt, adds the perfect note to the fries. The chili cheese fries are topped with special coney sauce, both shredded cheese and nacho sauce, plus bacon and jalapenos. Fantastic. Dont miss the hand-dipped onion rings or an ice cream for the road.

Order of fries: $2.50

Order of chili cheese fries: $4

Order of onion rings: $3.75

CASH ONLY

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Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

#8 Dagwood's Tavern and Grill, Lansing

2803 E Kalamazoo St

Lansing, MI 48912

(517) 374-0390

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Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

#8-Dagwood's Tavern and Grill, Lansing

Dagwoods is a Lansing institution, having been around since 1947. Owner Marji Cheadle has been at the helm for the last 18 years, overseeing the more than 900 pounds of potatoes they hand cut every week. Everything here is homemade, and when you see the size of their kitchen, youll be both amazed and surprised. Hint: Its small.

Theyve been making their fries the same way the whole time, using Idaho #1 potatoes and frying them in the greatest of the fats, lard. The fries come out extra crispy on the outside, with perfect creaminess on the inside and big, pure potato flavor. No seasoning is added. Thats up to you at the table. You can also get chili cheese fries, with homemade chili, or try the excellent All day, everyday, special where you get a burger, fries, and a domestic beer for $5.

Note: Limited menu is available on MSU game days.

Half order of fries: $1.75

Whole order of fries: $2.25

Chili cheese fries: $5

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Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

#7-The Last Word, Ann Arbor

301 W Huron St

Ann Arbor, MI 48104

(734) 585-5691

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Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

#7-The Last Word, Ann Arbor

No sign at this Ann Arbor speakeasy, just head on in through the red padded door. Then order up their best selling paprika fries, which are fresh cut, twice fried, with tons of flavor from both the potatoes and that smoky sweet spice. Those are super unique, as are some of their changing specials, like the spicy Thai chili fries.

The straight-up fries feature a beautiful, fluffy interior, with a crunchy outside that stands up to toppings like a champ. Poutine flavors change seasonally according to the whims of the market and what Chef Eric Caroen is feeling at the time.

The Last Word is well known for their incredible hand-crafted cocktails (try the very popular Osborn, a spicy gin-based drink), and their fries are the perfect munchie to enjoy while you imbibe with friends in this super hip place.

All fries: $7

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Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

#6-Bobcat Bonnie's, Detroit and Wyandotte

1800 Michigan Ave

Detroit, MI 48216

(313) 962-1383

118 Sycamore St

Wyandotte, MI 48192

(734) 556-3258

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Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

#6-Bobcat Bonnie's, Detroit and Wyandotte

Bobcat Bonnies opened in the Detroit Corktown neighborhood in 2015 and opened a second location, with the same menu, in Wyandotte this past February. Owner Matthew Buskard recently brought on Chef Emmele Herrold to tighten up the kitchen, and shes rocking it. As a chef, you can literally put anything on a French fry, which is fun, she told us.

Bobcats uses Idaho Russet potatoes and follows a strict process of cutting, soaking, blanching, chilling and then frying to order to create their fantastically good fries. Seasoned with just salt and pepper, these fries are the standard side with burgers and sandwiches served here. Or order them up as your main course, topped with all sorts of craziness.

Totchos come loaded with spicy chorizo, housemade queso, pico di gallo, chipotle aioli and a heavy dusting of crushed Doritos. The Kimchi Fries were the best we had, with a huge punch of acidity from the fermented cabbage, balanced by the sweet soy of the super tender bulgogi on top. Added bonus: all the fry dishes can be made with tater tots instead, if you like.

Side of Plain Jane fries: $3.50

Load them up: an additional $3.50

Totchos: $9

Kimchi: $9

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Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

#5-Ray Ray's Italian Beef and Sausage, Kalamazoo

1715 Miller Road

Kalamazoo, MI 49001

(269) 381-6138

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Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

#5-Ray Ray's Italian Beef and Sausage, Kalamazoo

Mr. Sassy himself, Robert Gutierrez, runs the show at this hidden Kalamazoo gem. Originally from Chicago, which is the theme here for food and decoration, Gutierrez might seem to have a gruff exterior but you can tell hes a real sweetie inside. When asked why he decided to open, no one else was doing this type of food, so it had to be me, he told us. Whats your best seller? Everything on the menu is the top seller. Can you tell me how you make your chili? For me to tell you, Id have to kill you, and I dont want a crime scene. Keep all of your secrets, Robert, and just keep cooking your incredible, freshly-made food.

Hes been working on these recipes for 40 years, and it shows. The fries are perfect, featuring fresh cut Idahos, with a very thin crisp on the outside and fluffy potato inside. He uses both salt and pepper on his fries, which adds another dimension. These fries are great on their own, or top them with that secret chili, which comes in both mild and fire hot. Do not miss his hot Italian beef with hand made giardiniera. It is the best weve ever had. And dont tell him we sent you. He doesnt cook for publicity, he said. He cooks because he loves it.

Order of fries: $2

With cheese: extra .50

Chili cheese fries: $4.74

Italian Beef: $7

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Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

#4-The Soo Antlers, Sault Ste Marie

804 E Portage Ave

Sault Ste Marie, MI 49783

(906) 253-1728

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Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

#4-The Soo Antlers, Sault Ste Marie

Want a real UP experience? Head straight to The Soo Antlers and get the warmest welcome youve ever received (make sure to ask for it), along with the opportunity to dine surrounded by over 300 donated taxidermied animals. Originally known as The Bucket of Blood Saloon (which has to be the best bar name ever), its had a long history since it opened in 1915. Current owner Chris Szabo, who runs it with his wife Cathy, is focused on upgrading while still maintaining the Antlers traditions. The fries here are cooked fresh for every order. Take a bite, and youll get big, fresh potato flavor, a hint of salt, slight crisp and a very creamy interior. They are wonderful on their own, or as a side to one of their huge burgers.

About five years ago, they began to offer poutines in a nod to the many Canadians who visit. Theyve since take off and are now a big part of the menu. The Yooper Venison Poutine is reason alone to visit. Its covered in rich gravy, big chunks of cheese curds and a downright lovely, moist, flavorful venison meatloaf on top. For a true taste of the UP, head to the Soo.

Order of fries: $3.17

Poutine fries: $9.49

Poutine platters: from $9.99 to $17.98

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Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

#3-Water Tower Sports Pub, Lexington

7245 Lakeshore Rd

Lexington, MI 48450

(810) 359-3310

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Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

#3-Water Tower Sports Pub, Lexington

A surprise newcomer during our search for Michigans Best pizza in 2016, Water Tower ended up being one of our top ten picks. Self-taught cook and owner, Greg Redman, takes great pride in making everything from scratch at this little roadhouse sports bar located, you guessed it, right under the water tower. Unexpected goodness abounds here, as well as a pretty incredible, but not huge, craft beer list.

Water Towers fries are perfectly crisp, very hearty due to their slightly larger cut and full of great potato flavor. We couldnt stop eating them. On the side, the official dip of the Thumb, cheese sauce. Here, its homemade, and also offered in habanero (which is the one to get, not too spicy and a lovely foil to the fries). These are really good fries. So are the pizzas, trust us.

Side of fries: $4, plus tax

Side of sauce: .50

Pizza: $7 to $18

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Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

#2-Union Joints, various locations

Vinsetta Garage

27799 Woodward Ave

Berkley, MI 48072

(248) 548-7711

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Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

#2-Union Joints, various locations

Honcho

3 E Church St

Clarkston, MI 48346

(248) 707-3793

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Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

#2-Union Joints, various locations

Fenton Fire Hall

201 S Leroy St

Fenton, MI 48430

(810) 936-0442

Union Woodshop

18 S Main St

Clarkston, MI 48346

(248) 625-5660

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Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

#2-Union Joints, various locations

For the first time, a restaurant group is being named one of Michigans Best. Why? Because our readers voted three of Union Joints establishments to the top of the Detroit poll for best fries, and after visiting four of their restaurants, and tasting their across-the-board consistent, delicious fries, we agreed that they were top notch.

Since each place follows the same recipe and cooking techniques, the fries were the same deliciousness at each location. We started at Vinsetta Garage, where they explained their secrets. Idaho Russets are washed, hand cut and soaked overnight in water. Fresh oil is used every day, and they do a perfect first blanch, creating an opaque fry at this point. Chilled quickly, the fries await their next dip, when theyll get cooked for another 2-3 minutes. Then, they are finished with salt.

These are simply delectable fries, with true potato flavor and a crispness that doesnt diminish. Each location offers signature dipping sauces and unique loaded fries to enjoy. At Vinsetta, the tomato aioli is like ketchup and mayo had a perfect baby and the Tikka Fries, loaded with chicken tikka masala, is a flavor bomb that will blow your mind. At newly-opened Honcho, get the Salchipapas with a house smoked hot link, cheese and a fried egg on top, and not-to-miss Peruvian chili sauce on top, with notes of cilantro and lime. At the Woodshop, dip your fries in their Memphis Mayo, a blend of mayo and bbq sauce that has a hint of heat. At the Fire Hall, fries come as a side, and are served with Fire Hall mayo, a totally different blend of mayo and Texas style sweet bbq sauce.

The consistency of the fries at each Union Joint was amazing, and they were all amazingly good.

Fire Hall side of fries: $3.95

Honcho Salchipapas: $6.95

Vinsetta side of fries: $3.95

Vinsetta Tikka fries: $7.95

Woodshop side of fries: $3.95

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Tori Schneider | MLive

Owners Ashley and Jim Welch congratulate each other for having Michigan's Best French fries.

#1-Midland Burger Company, various locations

Various locations

(989)486-3780

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Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

#1-Midland Burger Company, various locations

When a place renames itself Midland Fry Company every Friday, because they only serve fries all day, you know they take their French fries seriously. Owners Jim and Ashley Welch just opened their mobile food truck two months ago, and theyve been having a great season so far. They move around the Midland region on a regular schedule (check out their Facebook page to see where they are), offering both burgers, fries, loaded fries, as well as homemade dips and sauces.

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Tori Schneider | MLive

#1-Midland Burger Company, various locations

The fries here are practically perfect in every way, with lovely caramelization, excellent crispiness and a secret house seasoning. Great on their own or with one of the truck-made dips, such as balsamic ketchup, garlic aioli, or a kicking pineapple Caribbean ketchup. Or get them loaded and bring a friend to share these huge baskets of goodness.

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Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

#1-Midland Burger Company, various locations

The selections change every day, but you wont go wrong with the Buffalo Yard Bird with buffalo fries, chicken and blue cheese aioli, Duck Poutine with a fried egg on top and caper gravy or the superb Brisket Poutine. Place your order, grab your food and enjoy a local concert, the farmers market or just time with friends while you eat some of the most delicious fries in the state.

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Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

#1-Midland Burger Company, various locations

Want to try the best French fries in the state? Better get to Midland Burger Company early. They serve until they run out, which happens so frequently that they had a special sign made.

On their win, owner Ashley Welch was speechless for a while. She then told us "We put a lot of hard work into it, and we did not expect this. The goal is to make them good every day."

Owner/chef Jim Welch is happy that he took the risk to open his food truck up two months ago. "I'm doing this for me now."

We're happy that you are cooking for us now too, Jim. Because your little food truck has the best French fries in Michigan.

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Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

Winner, winner, chicken dinner

Crowning a new Michigans' Best winner is always the most fun:

Michigan's Best sub is in Dearborn at Alcamo's Market.

Watch as we surprise our Michigan's Best fried chicken winner.

E-Lanes in Fowler is Michigan's Best bowling alley.

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Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

Follow along!

Want to stay up to date with Michigan's Best? We are always posting pictures from visits around the state.

Amy Sherman on Twitter @amyonthetrail, as well as Facebook and Instagram.

John Gonzalez on Twitter @michigangonzo, as well as Facebook and Instagram

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The Detroit Lions know their uniform schedule now.

The team revealed Monday dates for their throwback and color rush uniform scheme, confirming plans to wear four separate outfits during the 2017-18 season.

Detroit will wear a 1934 throwback uniform for its Thanksgiving Day game against Minnesota, a solid Honolulu blue jersey with silver block numbers and a silver nameplate.

There will be no striping on the shoulders or numbers on the sleeves, common with today's Lions jersey.

Meanwhile, the steel gray color rush uniform unveiled in April will be worn Dec. 16 vs. Chicago.

Detroit was assigned an all-black color rush uniform last season but did not wear it.

Lions president Rod Wood said in April the team hoped to wear the two new schemes, complimenting its overhauled Honolulu blue home jerseys and road whites.
When former Grand National Party chairwoman Park Geun-hye visited Washington in March 2005, then U.S. defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld showed her a satellite photo of the Korean Peninsula at night that showed a brightly-lit South Korea and pitch-dark North. Rumsfeld said that he looked at the photo when he thought about Korea, which vividly showed the huge gap between the systems that divide the two Koreas.

Economists echo Rumsfeld's words. In a paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a research team led by William Nordhaus of Yale University claims a nation's GDP can be estimated fairly accurately based on the radiance measured using nighttime satellite images.

The team overlaid a grid on nighttime satellite photos of the world taken by the U.S. Air Force in 1992-2008 and built a statistical model to analyze changes in radiance. The model enabled them to gauge the GDP for countries with unclear economic statistics such as Iraq, Algeria and Haiti.

Earlier in 2009, a research team at Brown University published a paper saying that a nation's GDP trend was in line with changes in light density at night as shown in photos taken from outer space by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. According to the NOAA, North Korea's "night lights" are at mere 2 percent of the South's.
ANN ARBOR, MI - A 31-year-old man was arrested after three people were injured in a series of stabbings at a downtown Ann Arbor apartment Sunday, July 16, police say.

Jonathan J. Franklin of Ann Arbor was arraigned Monday, July 17 on three counts of assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder and three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, said Ann Arbor police Detective Lt. Matthew Lige.

Police were called to the area of East Liberty and South Division streets at 2:54 a.m. Sunday for a reported stabbing incident in progress, Lige said.

Officers arrived to find three people with stab wounds in an apartment in the 300 block of South Division Street and located and arrested Franklin near the Bar Louie restaurant.

Police believe that the stabbing victims and Franklin were acquainted, Lige said. The group had been drinking throughout the previous day together.

"It is unclear that exact motive for the stabbing," Lige said. "However, alcohol played a significant role in this incident."

The three stabbing victims, all men between the ages of 20 and 30, were treated at the University of Michigan hospital for non-life threatening injuries, Lige said.

Franklin is being held on a $100,000 cash bond, Lige said.

Court records show Franklin was already serving probation for several incidents that took place in 2016 in Ann Arbor, including several assaults, larcenies and receiving and concealing stolen property. He also has a pending case for allegedly attempting to assault, resist or obstruct an officer and being disorderly in an incident on June 3.
ANN ARBOR, MI - A mother of three teenagers in Ann Arbor is facing deportation once again, and immigrant rights advocates are rallying to keep her here with her children.

The Washtenaw Interfaith Coalition for Immigrant Rights has launched a new campaign to try to stop the scheduled deportation of Lourdes Salazar Bautista, who came to the United States from Mexico in 1997 and was ordered to leave the country in 1998.

Her husband was deported in 2010.

WICIR worked to successfully hold off the mother's deportation nearly six years ago, but now she's being asked to leave the country by Aug. 2, said Laura Sanders, WICIR co-founder.

"I don't know what's going to happen with Lourdes and I don't want to predict," Sanders said.

Sanders said Salazar Bautista is supposed to check in with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Detroit on Wednesday, July 19, and show she has purchased a ticket to leave the country.

Supporters of the mother, whose children were born in the U.S., are planning to hold a vigil and rally to bring together friends, family, neighbors and allies at St. Mary's Student Parish in downtown Ann Arbor at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 18.

They're calling on Detroit ICE Director Rebecca Adducci to use prosecutorial discretion to keep Salazar Bautista in the country with her children, describing her as a hardworking mother.

ICE, which acknowledges she has no criminal record, maintains it has been lenient already.

ICE spokesman Khaalid Walls said in a statement a federal immigration judge ordered Salazar Bautista's removal from the country in 1998, and the decision was upheld by the Board of Immigration Appeals.

"Since then, she has been granted three stays of removal by ICE to make all necessary departure arrangements," Walls said. "In a current exercise of discretion, the agency has allowed her to remain free from custody while timely finalizing her departure plans. The agency will continue to closely monitor her case to ensure compliance."

Asked why Salazar Bautista is considered a deportation priority now after being granted stays over the past several years, Walls said ICE typically focuses its enforcement resources on people who pose a threat to national security, public safety and border security. However, as Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly has made clear, Walls said, "ICE will not exempt classes or categories of removable aliens from potential enforcement."

"All of those in violation of the immigration laws may be subject to immigration arrest, detention and, if found removable by final order, removal from the United States," he said.

Sanders said it seems ICE has "ramped it up big time" and is in the Ann Arbor area a lot, targeting anyone who's undocumented.

Detroit ICE figures show spike in activity, triple the number of non-criminal arrests

Michigan ACLU files FOIA: 'ICE has acted like cowboys'

What expanded deportation efforts could mean for Washtenaw County

Salazar Bautista was detained by ICE for nearly a month in July 2010. Her husband was deported at the time while she was allowed to stay in the country with her children.

Then in December 2011, speaking publicly before the Ann Arbor City Council, Salazar Bautista said she was facing imminent deportation after Christmas. Her children were ages 7, 9 and 13 at the time.

A large coalition of community organizers and activists rallied around her at the time. Days later, it was announced that her deportation was being deferred for one year.

Sanders said Salazar Bautista's attorney has had to make multiple requests for deferment since then so she could stay in the country, and ICE has granted those requests until now.

"This year they have denied her stay of removal and told her she has to buy tickets on July 19 and she has to deport by Aug. 2, so we're ramping up another big campaign," Sanders said, expressing concerns it might not work with Donald Trump president.

"Because there's no presidential backing up of ICE discretion," she said. "They don't have to follow any of these discretionary memos from the Obama administration anymore. Anybody who is undocumented, no matter what, is now at risk of deportation."

At a July 8 press conference at Liberty Plaza in downtown Ann Arbor, 19-year-old Pamela Quintana-Salazar, Salazar Bautista's oldest daughter and a Michigan State University student, sobbed as she made a plea to ICE, saying her father already was taken away from her and she didn't want to lose her mother, too.

As of Monday, more than 7,200 people had signed an online petition asking ICE to stop the deportation of Salazar Bautista, and nearly 1,300 people had liked or followed a Facebook support page, which contains information about efforts to fight her deportation.



There's also a Twitter account set up for the campaign using the hashtag #LuchaPorLourdes.

Immigration judge allows Ann Arbor father of 4 to stay in U.S.

Federal court temporarily delays deportation of Ann Arbor man
ANN ARBOR, MI -- More farmland and open space is being protected by Ann Arbor's greenbelt program.

The city announced on Monday, July 17, it has completed the purchase of a conservation easement on roughly 250 acres of land in Lodi Township, just outside Ann Arbor.

The property, known as the Lloyd and Betty Guenther farm, is actually two separate tracts of land along Textile Road.

The majority of it is actively being used to grow corn, soybeans and wheat. Additional areas of wetlands and woodlands also are being protected by the conservation easement.

With this purchase, the city's greenbelt program is now protecting more than 5,000 acres of farmland and open space surrounding Ann Arbor, according to the city.

The purchase of development rights keeps the land in private hands and on the tax rolls but ensures it can never be developed.

Ann Arbor voters approved a 30-year tax to fund the greenbelt program and city parkland purchases in 2003.

The roughly 0.5-mill tax, officially called the Open Space and Parkland Preservation Millage, brings in more than $2 million annually.

One-third of the money is for city parkland purchases, while two-thirds is for preservation of farmland and open space outside the city.

The greenbelt program aims to form a beltway of protected lands surrounding the city to limit urban sprawl and ensure the longterm sustainability of local agriculture and natural areas.

According to the city, the program over the years has leveraged city taxpayer funds with an additional $24 million from grants, landowner donations and other local programs.

The City Council voted 10-1 to approve the purchase of development rights for the Guenther farm last year.

The purchase price was equal to the appraised fair market value of $1.14 million, $381,220 of which was covered by the federal Agricultural Conservation Easement Program.



The city's share of the purchase price was $757,580, slightly lower than originally expected, while Lodi Township contributed $1,000.



The city also spent $11,383 on due diligence costs, put $47,734 into an endowment for the conservation easement, and previously estimated closing costs would be another $15,000.

The federal ACEP program is annually funded by Congress. The city relayed statements in support of the greenbelt program from U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters, both Democrats from Michigan, in announcing the Guenther farm purchase.

"Preserving and protecting our land is a win-win for Michigan farmers and our communities," Stabenow said.

Peters said the greenbelt program is a proven public-private partnership success in Washtenaw County. He said it protects the ecosystem and boosts economic growth.

"This purchase will bolster conservation efforts and help protect our environment for future generations of Michiganders," he said.

According to the city, the tax that was approved by voters in 2003, in addition to protecting more than 5,000 acres of land outside the city, has added 98 acres of land to the city's parks system, helping to provide links between existing parks, adding to existing parks and protecting some of the remaining critical urban natural areas.

In addition to the federal ACEP program and Lodi Township, other greenbelt program partners have included Ann Arbor Township, Scio Township, Pittsfield Township, Webster Township, the Legacy Land Conservancy, Southeast Michigan Land Conservancy and Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation.

The city has worked with The Conservation Fund, a nonprofit focused on environmental conservation and economic development, since 2004 to implement the greenbelt program.

Since the program's inception, the city has spent $29.4 million on greenbelt projects and $9.3 million on additions to the parks system.



As of May 2017, there was an available balance of $5.7 million for greenbelt purchases and $5.4 million for parkland purchases.
Macron defended his outreach to Trump, saying in an interview Sunday in the Journal du dimanche newspaper "our countries are friends, so we should be too."

French President Emmanuel Macron says his glamorous Paris charm offensive on Donald Trump might have changed the U.S. president's mind about climate change.

After a tense, white-knuckle handshake at their first meeting in May, Macron said they gained "better, intimate knowledge of each other" during Trump's visit last week.

Macron said "Trump listened to me'' on their main point of contention -- Trump's withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement -- and "said he would try to find a solution in the coming months."

The French leader acknowledged Trump's visit was carefully choreographed to give Americans a "stronger image of France" after deadly Islamic extremist attacks damaged tourism.
Cheong Wa Dae officials said Friday they have discovered more than 300 documents from the Park Geun-hye era, including a potential paper trail in the bribery case against Park and new Samsung chief Lee Jae-yong.

Presidential spokesman Park Soo-hyun said the documents dated from June 2014 to June 2015 were found in a filing cabinet in the former office of the presidential secretary for civil affairs.

They relate to the nomination of ministers and artists blacklisted for their progressive political views, but the bulk focuses on ways to use the voting rights of state-run National Pension Service, a major shareholder, to help Lee secure management control of the Samsung Group after his father fell into a coma.

Cheong Wa Dae said the documents were found in early July but initially only shared between a few high-ranking officials.

President Moon Jae-in was briefed about the discovery before he left for the G20 Summit in Germany on July 5. A Cheong Wa Dae official said, "After discovering the documents on July 3, we needed time for legal experts to review them due to their sensitive nature. We also had to hold the announcement because key Cheong Wa Dae staff were abroad" with Moon.

Opposition lawmakers accused Cheong Wa Dae of ulterior motives in making the discovery public now Lee's trial is nearing its end, accusing it of trying to influence the sentence.


Moon's roadmap includes security guarantees as well as economic and diplomatic incentives if the North scraps its nuclear and missile programs, and it rules out the prospect of forced unification.

But the daily added, "It is a relief [Moon] takes a different stance from his predecessors and vows to honor the previous inter-Korean declarations," in 2000 and 2007.

The official Rodong Sinmun daily in an editorial said an initiative Moon laid out in Berlin two weeks ago "is riddled with sophistries like sleep talking, which only pose hurdles rather than helping improve North-South relations."

North Korea on Saturday gave its first official response to President Moon Jae-in's attempts at rapprochement, and it was largely scathing.

But the paper accused South Korea of contradicting itself by pursuing peace while tightening sanctions and called on Seoul to implement "a fundamental shift in policy and stance."

Still, the response was not quite as vociferous as in the recent past. "The level of criticism was weaker than what we feared," a government official here said. "If North Korea was completely uninterested in the Berlin initiative, it would have summed up its response in one word, but it didn't."

Meanwhile, the government on Monday proposed military talks with North Korea this week to discuss halting military provocations along the heavily armed border to mark the 64th anniversary of the armistice on July 27 that ended the Korea War.

If the North agrees to a meeting, it would mark the first official contact between the two sides in a year and seven months.

The Rodong Sinmun editorial said the "first step" the two Koreas need to take is to resolve the political and military standoff. A Unification Ministry official said, "It looks like North Korea has sent us a message opening the doors for military talks."

The Red Cross also proposed an inter-Korean meeting to discuss a reunion of families separated by the Korean War on Chusoek or Korean Thanksgiving Day on Oct. 4.
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Indian automobile manufacturer Mahindra & Mahindra is looking to enter the cab-hailing and aggregation business with ride-sharing apps, through electric taxis which will offer affordable fares.

The company seeks to enter the market as Chairman Anand Mahindra believes that personal commuting days could be limited due to the crowded streets. He believes that, "There will be a dramatic shift in the customer segment," and hopes for the roads to be freer.

Last year, M&M had supplied over 40,000 cars to Ola in two years, earning the group a business of Rs 2,600 crore.

The group prefers electric cars to oil-run cars for aggregators. According to the chairman, petrol and diesel demand is "tapering off."

The Chairman told the Times of India that unlike Ola and Uber which ho spend enormous amounts in maintaining a strong consumer base, the firm 'will look for niche solutions' to attract consumers. He was quoted as saying that Mahindra & Mahindra could offer their Thar SUVs in Goa, where the demand for SUVs is high, in their app. The firm aims not to 'burn cash' and will help the existing companies to move forward.

Cab aggregators are those who own apps which let customers connect with those who are willing to provide them with the cab services. At present, the cab-hailing and aggregation market is dominated by Ola and Uber.

Welcoming partnerships and other investments, Mahindra believes that their entry into the market with electric cars would be one of the 'solutions and not just products' in the industry.

Other auto companies are also eyeing the market. For instance, Ford India owns a stake in Zoomcar - a digital platform where you can rent cars for a certain period.
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Pursuant to Regulation 29 (1) (a) read with 47 (1) (a) of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015, this is to inform you that:1.Meeting of the Board of Directors of Sanghvi Movers Limited will be held on Wednesday, 09 August 2017, inter alia, to approve the Unaudited Financial Results of the Company for the quarter ended 30 June 2017. We are arranging to issue a public notice regarding the same.2.The 28th Annual General Meeting of the Members of the Company will be held on Wednesday, 09 day of August 2017, at the registered office of the Company. In accordance with the Regulation 42 of the SEBI (Listing Obligations & Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015 and section 91 of the Companies Act, 2013, the Register of Members and Share Transfer Books of the Company will remain closed from Wednesday, 26 day of July 2017 to Wednesday, 09 day of August 2017 (both days inclusive) for the purpose of dividend of the financial year ended on 31 March 2017. Please note that we have already informed the stock exchanges about the date of Annual General Meeting and book closure vide our letter no.: REF: SML/SEC/SE/17-18/11 dated 30th May 2017.Trading Window:In terms of SEBI (Prohibition of Insider Trading) Regulations, 2015 and as per the Company's Code of Conduct for Prohibition of Insider Trading, the 'Trading Window' for dealing in the securities of the Company will remain closed from Monday, 24 July 2017 to Friday, 11 August 2017 (both days inclusive).The Company has already communicated about the closure of trading window to its Promoters, Board of Directors, Designated Employees and Connected Persons.Kindly accept and acknowledge the same.Source : BSE
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Further to our letter dated 16.05.2017 intimating that Annual General Meeting of the members of the Company will be held on Wednesday 9th August, 2017 at 4.30 p.m. at Sunville Deluxe Pavilion, 9 Dr Annie Besant Road, Worli, Mumbai 400 018 ('the Meeting'), enclosed please receive the Notice containing the business to be transacted at the Meeting.As per Section 108 of the Companies Act, 2013 read with the Rule 20 of the Companies (Management and Administration) Rules, 2014 and Regulation 44 of the SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulation 2015, the Company is pleased to provide to its Members the facility to cast their vote(s) on all resolutions set forth in the Notice by electronic means ('e-voting'). The instructions for e-voting are mentioned in the notice attached.The company has fixed, 2nd August, 2017 as the cutoff date for the purpose of determining the members eligible to receive dividend recommended by the Board of Directors for the Financial Year 2016-17.We request you to take the above on your records and acknowledge the receipt.Source : BSE
GAIL India

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has ordered a fresh investigation against state-owned GAIL (India) for alleged abuse of dominant position with regard to the supply of natural gas.

This is the second time in less than a week the company has come under the lens of the watchdog for alleged unfair business practices.

The CCI has ordered the probe based on a complaint by Uttar Pradesh-based glass-bottle manufacturer Mohan Meakin, after finding a prima-facie evidence of a violation of Section 4 of the Competition Act.

Section 4 pertains to abuse of dominant market position.

Mohan Meakin had entered into a Gas Sale Agreement (GSA) with GAIL in December 2008.

It was alleged that GAIL had demanded Mohan Meakin to sign a side letter, amending the terms and conditions of the GSA, failing to abide by which, ToP (Take-or-Pay) liability would be raised upon the Uttar Pradesh-based firm.

The watchdog noted that as per the GSA, Mohan Meakin had to take 90 per cent of the contracted quantity every year failing which it had to pay for the quantities unlifted.

The conduct of GAIL in implementing ToP liability from 2015 appears to be a modus to ensure de facto exclusivity of the contractual arrangement, the CCI said in a 15-page order on Monday.

"This, besides prohibiting the buyers from shifting to alternatives or terminating the GSA in the event of closure of their business, also appears to create entry barriers for alternative suppliers to enter the market of supply of natural gas or build up a viable customer base," the regulator said.

It is observed that imposition of ToP liability as per contractual terms cannot be regarded as an abuse of dominant position, the CCI said.

However, the "same being imposed in an exploitative manner without justification or to ensure de facto exclusivity thereby causing hurdles to potential entrants or to the expansion of competitors warrants investigation under the provisions of the (Competition) Act prohibiting abuse of dominant position," it noted.

Last week, the CCI had directed a probe by the Director General (DG), its investigation arm, against GAIL in a similar matter pertaining to supply and distribution of natural gas.

Prior to that, the fair trade regulator had ordered a probe against the state-owned firm in October 2016 in similar cases.

The DG is directed to file a consolidated investigation report in all these matters, the CCI said in today's order.
The request was made by North Korea Vice Foreign Minister Han Song-ryol, who visited the UNFPA office in New York last month.

Seoul said it is willing to pay the money, the first time any such request is being considered since the North's last nuclear test carried in January last year. An Unification Ministry official said Friday, "We received a proposal from the UNFPA that asked for US$6 million for the North Korean census. We are reviewing it how and how much to pay."

North Korea has asked the South Korean government for US$6 million through the UN Population Fund to pay for a census next year (US$1=W1,136).

Seoul believes that the request does not weaken international sanctions and could help increase engagement with the reclusive regime. It believes the fresh census data could be useful in future cooperation between the two Koreas and help it better grasp what life in North Korea is like.

The government also sees it as a good indirect contact at a time when Pyongyang is refusing all official dialogue. The South Korean government has already approved requests from NGOs to visit Pyongyang, but North Korea refused all of them.

An official at a state-funded think tank said, "The Moon Jae-in administration has a firm belief that humanitarian aid through international organizations should continue even at the height of political tensions in the Korean Peninsula."

North Korea plans to run a pilot survey for the census this October. The last census was carried out in 2008 with US$4 million in assistance from the South Korean government that came out of the Inter-Korean Cooperation Fund. The Unification Ministry also provided US$1.3 million from the fund in October 2015 to collect health data, though only US$800,000 was actually spent.

According to the UNFPA, the North Korean population grew from 22.35 million in 2008 to 24.21 million in 2014.


Iron & Steel | Imports from China, 2019: 4 percent. (Image: Moneycontrol)

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Essar Steel will undergo insolvency proceedings as the Gujarat High Court dismissed the company's plea against the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

According to a senior lawyer, "Now, Essar Steel has the option of going to the Supreme Court. They will take a decision in a day or to as time is a critical factor in this. IT will definitely set a precedent for other 11 companies who are in the dock and this will help banks."

The Gujarat High Court's order clears the way for no further challenges by any of the companies going to insolvency courts on the grounds made by Essar Steel.

This is a big boost for banks and it will further make way for fast-tracking cases to be heard against 11 other defaulting firms filed by banks at the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT).

According to reports, Justice SG Shah passed an oral order saying no relief will be granted to Essar. A detailed order is expected later on Monday.

On July 14, it had reserved its order for Monday on Essar Steel's plea against the June 13 RBI circular to banks to act on priority under Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) against the 12 defaulting companies including the debt laden Essar Steel. These 12 companies owe lenders over Rs 5,000 crore of outstanding loans each.

Following the RBI direction, a joint lenders forum led by State Bank of India (SBI) and initiated proceedings in the NCLT under the newly-formed IBC. Standard Chartered Bank had also moved the NCLT against Esaar. However, Essar Steel managed to get a stay from Gujarat Hugh Court.

The High court had earlier stayed the insolvency proceedings against Essar Steel before the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) as an interim measure on its plea.

Essar Steel had moved court against the June 13 RBI circular contending that RBI's decision to select the steel producer among the 12 NPA accounts as arbitrary while the firm was in an advanced stage of loan restructuring.

The central bank had contested Essar's challenge saying it was misguiding the court to delay insolvency process.

Essar Steel owed lenders around Rs 45,000 crore, of which Rs 31,671 crore had become NPA as on March 31, 2016.

Resolving bad loans is on the government and RBI's agenda to crack down on big corporate defaulters through the process prescribed under the IBC that specifies time-bound resolution within 6-9 months.

Post this RBI identified the 12 accounts, constituting for 25 percent of total non-performing assets (NPAs) of banks.
business Infibeam provides software infrastructure for retailers/brands to go digital India's first and only listed e-commerce company Infibeam Incorporation has gained 160 percent since its issue in April 2016. The company is also in focus of merger buzz with e-commerce giant Snapdeal.
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Diversified Mahindra group plans to invest USD 1 billion across business verticals in the US over the next five years as it aims to double revenues from the American market to USD 5 billion.

The Mumbai-headquartered group, which currently employs around 3,000 people in the country, also plans to double the headcount over the next five years as it looks to expand operations.

"We have so far invested around USD 1 billion in the US among all the businesses and we should invest another billion over the next five years," Mahindra & Mahindra Managing Director Pawan Goenka told PTI here in an interview.

The quantum of investment, however, would depend on various factors like market conditions and success of various projects that are currently underway in the US, he added.

Elaborating on various strategic projects, Goenka said the company has bid for a US postal service contract and if it comes through it would help the company grow exponentially in the country.

When asked about the group's ambitions in terms of revenues in the US, Goenka said: "In the next five years, we are targeting doubling revenue to about USD 5 billion."

The USD 19 billion group currently generates around USD 2.5 billion from its seven business verticals in the US. The major group firms active in the country include IT major tech Mahindra and Mahindra USA which sells tractors and utility vehicles in the country.

When asked to elaborate on the factors that would help the company achieve desired results, Goenka said the growth would be led by various factors like the launch of a new off road vehicle by its arm Mahindra North America Technical Centre (MNATC) besides other group entities.

"The growth will be led by Mahindra USA where we intend to double revenues from USD 500 million to USD 1 billion in next five years and then there is Tech Mahindra," he added.

Mahindra is also looking at doubling its manpower in the country over the next five years.

"Mahindra currently employs more than 3,000 locals in the US and as things are going we are going to double that over the next 4-5 years," Goenka said.

He said success of Mahindra brand in the US is very important as accomplishment in the country would mean recognition in various other geographies.

"Building the Mahindra brand in the US is very important for us because it is the place everyone looks up to. The brand which gets successful in this market gets automatic recognition in so many places," he said.

While confirming that Tech Mahindra is facing visa issues, he said the IT major is working on resolving the matter.

"Other than IT business where... there are both locals and people brought in from India, none of our other businesses have huge number of Indians (brought) to the US for work," Goenka said.

He further added: "The company's objective has never been to bring in people from India. We have invested here we have employed people here and thus we are not really been impacted by the new polices."

After being nudged by the Trump Administration, the IT major Tech Mahindra now has been focusing on local hiring. It has been recruiting from colleges in the US and this year it plans to add around 2,200 people in the country, which remains its biggest single market in the world.

When asked if the company is facing any discrimination in the US, Goenka said: "There is no discrimination I can think of in conducting business in the US...laws, taxes are same for everyone. I don't see any kind if disadvantage for Indian multinationals here."

Besides, MNATC, Tech Mahindra and Mahindra USA, the group is also present across various other verticals including aviation, electric two wheelers and supply chain.
Recently while delivering a speech at his alma-matter Harvard University, CEO and Founder of Facebook Mark Zuckerberg advocated for countries to have universal basic income.

He said, "We should explore ideas like universal basic income to make sure that everyone has a cushion to try new ideas.

It is not just Zuckerberg who has stood for the idea but other influential voices such as Elon Musk, Y Combinator President Sam Altman, eBay founder Pierre Omidyar and Nobel Laureate Christopher Pissarides have supported the idea.

Elon Musk in a government summit in Dubai earlier this year said, I think ultimately we will have to have some kind of universal basic income, I dont think we are going to have a choice.

Sam Altman last year said, "Everyone should have enough money to meet their basic needsno matter what, especially if there are enough resources to make it possible. We don't yet know how it should look or how to pay for it, but basic income seems a promising way to do this."

What is universal basic income?

Universal basic income means a person, irrespective of age, wealth, employment status, family size, etc, gets a basic paycheck from the government or a public financial institution.

In simple terms it means every person will get a basic paycheck, with no strings attached.

What is India's stand on UBI?

Arun Jaitley, Finance Minister of India said the proposal is not politically feasible.

I have always expressed to him (chief economic adviser in the finance ministry Arvind Subramanian) the fear that once he moots ideas like the Universal Basic Income, we will be landing in a situation where people will stand up in Parliament and demand continuation of the present subsidies and over and above that, lets have the Universal Basic Income, something that the budget will not be able to afford, he said.

He added that once he moots an idea like that expectations of people will start going up.
Union minister Arjun Ram Meghwal today said the government was committed to make the Goods and Services Tax (GST) a "good and simple tax".

"The GST is still in its initial phase. We are continuously studying and simplifying the difficulties faced by the trade and industry to maintain its real essence. The government is committed to make it a good and simple tax," the Union Minister of State for Finance told a gathering of tax officials and traders here.

He described the new tax regime as a "historic reform", which would connect the informal economy with the formal one.

"Asia will be the driving force in the world in the 21st century and economic reforms like the GST will put India ahead of England, Japan, France and Germany," said Meghwal.

He added that 40 ministers and officials were touring the country as per the direction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to understand the practical problems under the new tax regime and take suggestions for its effective implementation.

The Union minister heard the grievances of marble traders, cloth merchants, handicrafts manufacturers and assured them that their issues would be taken up at the meeting of the GST council on priority.
A shopkeeper sells pulses in Jammu June 11, 2009. India's wholesale price index rose 0.13 percent in the 12 months to May 30, lower than previous week's annual rise of 0.48 percent, government data showed on Thursday. REUTERS/Amit Gupta (INDIAN-ADMINISTERED KASHMIR BUSINESS FOOD) - RTR24JJD

Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh exuded confidence that India will become self- sufficient in pulses and oilseeds production in the coming years with the government taking steps to boost yields through use of better quality seeds and technologies.

The country imports over 5 million tonnes of pulses and about 14.5 million tonnes of vegetable oils (comprising edible and non-edible oils) every year to meet domestic demand.

Addressing the 89th foundation day of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Singh said the government is not only focusing on increasing production but taking steps to make agriculture "income-centric" as part of its target to double farmers' income by 2022.

The minister asked ICAR scientists to work in a mission mode to achieve this target as well as the overall development of agriculture and allied sectors, which contribute 18 per cent to GDP. He emphasised on skill development in agri sector to boost crop yield and farm income.

Singh said the green revolution helped India in becoming self-sufficient in wheat and rice, but the country is still importing pulses and oilseeds to meet domestic demand and spending huge amount of foreign currency.

"We achieved a record production of pulses in the 2016-17 crop year. The sowing area is also higher this year. We are progressing towards self-sufficiency. In next 2-3 years, we will become self-sufficient in pulses," he said.

On oilseeds, he said the efforts are being made through more than 600 Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) across the country to boost productivity and production.

The country's pulses production increased to record 22.40 million tonnes in the 2016-17 crop year (July-June) against 16.35 million tonnes in the previous year. Oilseeds output rose by 29 per cent to 32.52 million tonnes last year.

The minister lauded efforts of farmers and scientists for the record 274 million tonnes of foodgrain output in 2016-17. He said this has been possible due to availability of technologies, quality seeds and related services to farmers.

Stating that agriculture scientists played a significant role in bringing green revolution, Singh said since 1951, foodgrain production has increased five times, fish 14.3 times, milk 9.6 times and egg production 47.5 times.

That apart, there has been three-fold jump in fruits and vegetables output from 1991-92, helping in achieving food and nutritional security.

"Our scientists are engaged in the development of innovative areas of science and technology and they are appreciated at the international level for their work," he said, adding that scientists have played a role in furthering excellence in higher education.

At the event, Singh also gave 122 awards for excellence in 19 categories. Recipients included 19 farmers, 80 scientists, 12 KVKs and three institutes.

Highlighting the initiatives taken in last three years, the minister said the government has already provided soil health card to 9 crore out of 12 crore farmers.

Soil health card coverage has reached 100 per cent in 16 states. Except Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, rest of the states will be covered in the next two months, he said.

Singh also spoke about programmes to boost irrigation capacity and new insurance scheme to protect farmers from vagaries of monsoon as well as a scheme to link all 585 mandis through electronic platform.

The minister asked ICAR scientists to go for new research to tackle new challenges in form of climate change and new crop diseases.
RN Bhaskar

Before one delves into the things that the government should, or should not do, it is necessary to reiterate two key issues.

1. Indians love gold. It is backed by sentiment, custom and even religion. Banning gold ownership (as pursued under the now extinct Gold Control Act) is foolhardiness (see: http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/economy/why-indias-part-illicit-love-affair-with-gold-will-sizzle-on-2324155.html).

2. Smuggling of gold into India becomes extremely attractive when import duty rates go above the normal cost of smuggling and money laundering. At 10 percent the government actually incentivises smuggling. With the addition of a 3 percent GST, the government makes gold smuggling extremely lucrative. The danger with smuggling is that it finances the creation of a smuggling channel  transportation agents, landing support, compliant officers, trade links etc. As this network becomes better and bigger, other things begin riding on this network. Drugs is often the starting point. Arms smuggling to aid terrorism is the next (Read more: Duties, taxes, corruption: How the government abets the smuggling of gold)

3. The sleazier and more entrenched the gold smuggling syndicate becomes, the less effective will the enforcement apparatus be. Raids in the past have yielded little. Government gets data that remains non-compliant with other sets of data. And the danger of government officials encouraged to become dishonest is always a possibility. And since the entire trade is mired in sleaze, each goldsmith begins contaminating gold with impurities. In 2006, the NSSO discovered that at least 90 percent of gold was contaminated to the extent of 13 percent. Today, it could be more widespread. Silver coins, for example, are in a worse situation. Almost 95 percent of silver coins are contaminated to the extent of (hold your breath!) 80 percent.

It is only when one takes these factors into account that the need for a fresh approach to gold becomes imperative. Here are a few recommendations:

#1. A brilliant report was compiled by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) almost five years ago. It was titled Report of the Working Group to Study Issues related to Gold Imports and Gold Loan NBFCs in India. It was chaired by KUB Rao (hence the report is also popularly referred to as the KUB Rao report) and was submitted to the government in February 2013.

It stated quite forcefully that given the huge amounts of money involved, and the employment of over 3.5 million people, the gold sector would be best handled by a separate body. It proposed the formation of The Bullion Corporation of India (BCI) which could look at all aspects of gold, and create proper rules that could ensure both fair play and growth for the industry. Such a body would be manned by professionals who would be expected to be sector specialists. It would be along the same lines as other financial bodies that government had already created  like NABARD for the agricultural sector, or SIDBI for the promotion would be answerable to the RBI and to the finance ministry.

Unfortunately, the government has blissfully forgotten about this report. The Finance Ministry handles issues related to gold directly. This must change.

#2. Gold must be treated as a financial instrument. Unfortunately, it isnt. Of course, things were worse before. For decades it was treated as a commodity, hence it came under the purview of the ministry of consumer affairs. Except for few policy announcements like customer duty rates, the Finance Ministry did not bother itself too much looking at the way in which the gold market developed. Now it comes under the finance ministry, but continues to be treated as a non-financial investment.

One of the immediate implications of gold being regarded as a financial investment is that it comes under the purview of the RBI. It is treated as money. All the customs vaults from which thefts have been reported move under the RBI. Even seized gold gets accounted for.

Table 1

Once that happens, all gold can be brought under the provisions of FICN (Fake Indian currency notes). The provisions under FICN (Section 489-A- counterfeiting currency-notes or bank-notes, of the Indian Penal Code allow for life imprisonment and make the act of fraud a non-bailable offense. (http://www.indianlawcases.com/Act-Indian.Penal.Code,1860-1951).

That would do two things. It would make the role of gold refineries that much more important  especially the four first-grade gold refineries identified by the NCDEX after an exhaustive survey and analysis over five years ago. They would become the certifiers of gold quality. They could then adopt the use of specific series of codes through which a jeweller too can be identified (http://www.bis.org.in/cert/hallbiscert.htm). Thus, the FICN rule, the refineries and the BIS would then work in tandem to ensure that gold remains a trusted financial instrument. As confidence is restored, there are good chances that Indias export of gold jewellery will also get a boost. Today, few trust Indian gold jewellery suppliers, for fear of adulteration. Even though hallmarking is compulsory today, the underpinning supporting legal structures dont exist.

# 3 Reduce import duties on gold. Or, better still, let the duty structure remain for any gold brought in from outside the legal channels. This means that the government (or the proposed BCI) allows gold to be imported by both banks (at least 50 percent of the volume) and designated gold players. But the import duty for such channeled imports would be just 1 percent (see Table 1). The banks can sell them to gold wholesalers after charging them a GST of say another 1 percent. These wholesalers could sell them to the retail trade with an additional GST of 2 percent (after input credits are applied). The eventual customer would have to pay an additional 1 percent GST. This way, the entire cost of gold financing would be 5 percent, thus making smuggling quite unattractive.

Table 2

True, this would mean that the Finance Ministry would have to forego at least Rs 7,000-15,000 crore by way of customs duty (Table 2). But by being greedy, the government would have to spend almost 10 times more to curb smuggling  of gold, drugs and arms.

What such a system would do is that it would streamline imports yet allow banks earn some additional profits. The scheme could allow for the importing agency to work with approved gold refiners to certify the purity of the imported gold (which can also be adulterated). The cost is around 0.1 percent. That would put the onus on the importing agencies, the refiners and the wholesalers for ensuring the purity of gold. The enabling provisions of the FICN would ensure that hallmarking is observed scrupulously. It also allows for decent profit margins for gold wholesalers and retailers.

Unless the entire gold trade is viewed in totality, just a piecemeal approach will not work. And without the trade being cleaned up, India has no chance of becoming a gold bourse and a global trading (and exporting) centre for gold jewellery. What remains to be seen is if the government is willing to clean up the system, starting with gold.

(This is the third and concluding part of a series on gold. RN Bhaskar is a consulting editor with Moneycontrol)
The Gujarat High Court on Monday dismissed Essar Steels petition against the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

Essar Steel had challenged the RBIs directive to lenders to refer the debt-laden company to National Company Law Tribunal. The company had moved the court against proceedings and a special bench on July 4 had posted the case for hearing on July 7.

No relief will be given to the debt-laden company with respect to the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), the court said.

In its defence, the RBI had clarified that Essar Steel was not the only company singled out for insolvency proceedings. All the big defaulters with Rs 5,000 crore outstanding loans will be subjected to the process in order to reduce the mounting bad loans in the system.

Essar Steel is amongst the 12 stressed companies that RBI has shortlisted for insolvency proceedings. The Internal Audit Committee (IAC) of the central bank referred these companies on June 13.

The company has a debt of nearly Rs 42,000 crore. While arguing the case in Gujarat HC, the central bank's counsel Darius Khambatta also said that the non-performing assets (NPAs) of Essar Steel rose from Rs 31,671 crore on March 31, 2016 to Rs 32,864 crore on March 31 this year.
The grey market in initial public offerings (IPOs) has become very active over the last year following big listing day gains in many companies.

Moneycontrol explains what a grey market is and how it influences the listing day price of companies going public.

What is a grey market in IPOs?

It is an unregulated market for trading in shares of IPOs before they are formally listed in the stock exchanges. Usually, trading in the grey market commences even before the issue opens for subscription.

What does the grey market price denote?

The price quoted in the grey market is the premium over the likely issue price. So when brokers say the IPO is quoting at Rs 20 in the grey market, it means that the appetite for the issue is Rs 20 above what the issue is likely to be priced at.

How is the price arrived at?

Usually, it the merchant banker, company promoter and market operators connected to the promoters who set the initial price in the grey market. This is done to create an impression of a strong demand for the issue.

Does this strategy always work?

Like the official market, the grey market too pays attention to fundamentals. If the companys fundamentals are good, players are willing to pay a decent premium. If not, merchant bankers cannot influence the price beyond a point.

Are there other factors which decide the grey market price?

The grey market price also factors in the cost of funding for high networth individuals, who make big bets using borrowed money. Remember, it is the market operators and HNIs who are the biggest players in the grey market.

Also, the pricing of the issue and overall market sentiment also influences grey market trends. If the issue is perceived to be overpriced, grey market premium will shrink. That is because of the assumption that there may not be too many takers for the stock on listing day if it is seen to be expensive. Also, if the overall market trend is downward, follow-up buying on listing day may not be much.

If the shares are yet to be allotted, then how are the trades done?

The trades are done purely on faith, and then regularised on listing day by entering the orders into the trading system.

Sellers in the grey market are usually those who feel that the shares are overvalued. The moment they get their allotment, they hand it over to their brokers through whom they had sold in the grey market.

How did the grey market in IPOs come about?

In case they are not allotted the same number of shares they had sold in the grey market, they will have to buy the shares from the market and give it to their broker.

In majority of the cases, they give the power of attorney to their brokers to sell the shares as soon as it lands in their demat accounts.

What if somebody refuses to honour a grey market commitment?

The counterparty has no recourse, because this arrangement is not legal in the first place.

How did the grey market in IPOs come about?

In the early days of IPOs in the late 70s and 80s, promoters would struggle to get their issue fully subscribed. To ensure that their issues sold, promoters would create a premium on their shares to get investors interested. If an issue priced at Rs 10 was quoting for Rs 11 in the grey market, the public would naturally develop an interest in those shares. The operator willing to buy the shares for Rs 11 in the grey market was backed by the promoter or the investment banker to the issue.

Who were the buyers in the grey market then?

Surprisingly, retail investors were very active in the grey market back then. Also, there was no separate classification of investor categories.

The staggered payment structure too helped generate interest in the grey market.

Investors subscribing to an IPO or rights issue had to pay 25 percent at the time of application, 25 percent on allotment and the balance 50 percent when the company would call for it, which would usually be a month or two after listing.

Retail investors were usually assured of allotment of the full quantity they had applied for. So, they could sell an equivalent quantity in the grey market at a premium and deliver the shares once they got allotment.
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Our conviction in manager Prashant Jain and this fund remains intact and we retain our Gold rating on HDFC Top 200 Fund Growth, Morningstar India said in a note.

Manager Prashant Jain is sticking to his guns. He continues to have faith in the financial services sector, particularly in State Bank of India.

In 2015, the public sector banks fluctuating fortunes (following a rise in nonperforming assets and poor results) had an impact on the funds showing. However, it performed well in 2016 and the fund made a promising comeback.

The bank continues to feature as Jain's top pick and we arent surprised. He has long favoured public-sector banks in his portfolios, believing that they will be major beneficiaries of Indias long-term structural growth.

His conviction in SBI stems from confidence in its core operations, the ability to raise inexpensive monies, and attractive valuations. Indeed, given his investment style, this is how we expect him to act.

Research is central to the investment style, with Jain effortlessly combining top-down and bottom-up analysis (with more emphasis on the latter) to identify companies with strong balance sheets and business models.

He pays heed to valuations while picking stocks, freely combining relative and absolute valuation methods. Despite largely investing in S&P BSE 200 stocks, he has shown immense flair with portfolio positioning. His in-depth research has given him the confidence to take meaningful variances from index weights at both stock and sector levels.

It is noteworthy that over the years, Jain has demonstrated considerable skill in navigating the fund across market conditions and delivered pleasing long-term results. Admittedly, the process has its biases.

The valuation consciousness coupled with an aversion to speculative fare may cause the fund to lag peers in momentum-driven markets. Further, in a downturn, Jains policy of staying fully invested could lead to underperformance versus peers that get their cash calls right.

Yet, we believe the process will hold long-term investors in good stead. Our reasons for liking the fund--a supremely skilled manager, a robust process, and one of the best asset managers--remain intact. We reiterate our Morningstar Analyst Rating of Gold.

Disclaimer: The above report is part of Morningstar Indias research. The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts on Moneycontrol are their own and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions
Rapid growth in foreign trade

From:Shanghai Daily | 2017-07-14 09:52

China's foreign trade was better than expected last month, with firm global demand and domestic recovery leading to the best first six months in more than five years.



However, the customs said headwinds remain in the second half amid an uncertain outlook for commodity prices and international trade protectionism.

Exports in yuan terms rose 17.3 percent year on year to 1.35 trillion yuan (US$199 billion) in June, compared with Mays 15.1 percent increase, data from the General Administration of Customs revealed.

Imports surged 23.1 percent to 1.05 trillion yuan last month.

The volume of foreign trade in the first six months grew 19.6 percent from a year earlier  the quickest growth since the second half of 2011  to 13.14 trillion yuan.

Exports rose 15 percent while imports increased 25.7 percent. That led to a trade surplus of 1.28 trillion yuan in the first half, down 17.7 percent year on year.

In a note, Morgan Stanley said both exports and imports grew faster than the market expected, suggesting a continued exports recovery and resilient domestic demand.

While stronger external demand has boosted processing imports, domestic demand has likely held steady, reflected by stronger ordinary goods import growth, it said. The stronger external demand could boost domestic private manufacturing capital expenditure and cushion the impact of a declining credit impulse.

Australia and New Zealand Banking Group said the export figures bode well for manufacturing, while the persistent trade surplus, together with investment inflow, could help relieve the pressure from capital outflow.

The customs data showed that during the first six months, trade with the European Union jumped 17.4 percent year on year. The EU is Chinas biggest trade partner, accounting for 14.8 percent of the countrys foreign trade.

Trade with the United States and ASEAN went up by 21.3 percent and 21.9 percent, respectively.

Private business played an outstanding role in foreign trade, with export and import value up 20.6 percent to 5.02 trillion yuan in the first half.

Most of Chinas exports were machinery, electronics and labor-intensive products, with their export value accounting for 57.2 percent of the total.

Huang Songping, a customs spokesman, attributed the trade growth to a lower comparative basis, government support and improving global demand.

But he said foreign trade could face tough conditions in the second half due to a higher comparative basis, stronger international competition, 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 policies. Commodity prices and trade protectionism also add unpredictability.

As developed economies shore up advanced manufacturing and emerging economies strengthened on low production costs, Chinas exports should face more fierce competition in the global market.

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, Huang added.

But he reaffirmed the view that the strong fundamentals of Chinas foreign trade have not changed, and will continue to have good momentum.

Chinas economy grew 6.9 percent in the first quarter of the year, up from 6.8 percent in the previous quarter.

On trade with North Korea, Huang said growth in the first half was driven by exports of labor-intensive products not on the United Nations embargo list.

He said Chinas imports from North Korea had fallen substantially for four straight months since March.
Kamal Manocha

When it comes to consumer buying behavior, most of us are hooked to the product and the service itself. We do not really care or try to find about the distributor of that product or service, do we? But, it is the opposite in the case of mutual funds where the distributor is considered to be an important intermediary and impacts the product buying behavior. The reason for this is the fact that an investor believes a mutual fund distributor to be his Advisor. And, given that most investors look for advisory assistance, an advisor obviously commands an important mind space.

However, in mutual fund parlance these two words are often used interchangeably by the industry, but there is a lot of difference between a distributor and an advisor. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has spelt out clear demarcation between the two, wherein a distributor is someone who sells commission-laden mutual funds. On the other hand, an advisor is someone who obtains a RIA (Registered Investment Advisor) license from SEBI and by fiduciary law cant charge commissions and earns solely through advisory fees.

The reality is that most investors are unaware of this as almost all distributors call themselves financial advisors. This leads to investor confusion and poses an industry level problem. This issue is as grave as a chemist who calls himself a doctor. Imagine in a scenario such as this how will a patient find out who is really a licensed doctor and who is just calling himself a doctor without possessing a proper license?

Hence, SEBIs recent step of issuing a consultation paper to revise investment advisory guidelines is a welcome move and one that is in the favour of investors. Targeted to bring in clear distinction between an advisor and a distributor, this step is intended to bring in fair competition and transparency.

SEBI has been time and again taking initiatives in this regard, and had first introduced advisory guidelines back on 1st January, 2013 along with the introduction of direct plans. Last year in October, it had issued its first consultation paper and the recent consultation paper is amalgamation of all past feedback.

Going forward, SEBI doesnt want distributors of mutual funds to use the nomenclature of independent financial advisor or wealth manager if they do not obtain the status of an RIA. Most distributors, in the past, have avoided getting advisory license as this implies getting into a fiduciary engagement of a non-commission system with a client.

From our previous example, a licensed doctor operates under a fiduciary law and cannot principally earn from the medicine he or she prescribes, but is free to ask for a fee for the advice. Similarly, a SEBI-licensed RIA cant charge a commission from an investor and is bound by law to only deal in direct mutual fund plans.

The unlicensed advisors are keeping their business models away from the rules of advisory, and offer a free advisory service to investors, but earn commissions from AMCs who in turn adjust these from an investors fund value. This brings in bias and potential conflict of interest.

Thankfully, of late there are quite a few companies that have taken a step in the right direction of obtaining advisory license from SEBI. They offer a fee based advisory and offer commission free investments in mutual funds. Investors benefit because they get to experience true and unbiased advisory free from hidden commissions.

At Bharosa, we fully understand the value of advisory and have taken it to the next level by creating a bionic advisory product. We found that bionic advisory is actually the need of the hour and the best form of advisory as its a combination of a "human advisor" and an "analytical engine".

Its heartening to see SEBIs initiatives lately, and it rightly expects investors to make an informed decision and has hence invited for a public opinion on the consultation paper. It is only if investors understand and support these initiatives and learn to adopt superior fee based approach, will distributors actually get pushed to obtain the advisory license.

Ultimately, if investors are made aware of the magnitude of the hidden price they are already paying, investors will learn to pay a fee which is rational. And, in fact if this magnitude of commission expense gets rationalized, distributors will learn to take the mandated advisory license.

Intermediary plays an important role in this industry and thus it becomes utmost important for it to operate as per regulatory guidelines and the first step towards it is obtaining an advisory license.

Author is CEO, Bharosa Advisor

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 decisions.
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Low-cost carrier SpiceJet today announced the launch of a flight between Hyderabad and Puducherry, its third venture under the government's regional air connectivity scheme.

The airline will operate a 78-seater aircraft for the route on which operations will commence from August 16.

"With this new flight, Pondicherry will be connected with Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Tirupati, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Vijaywada and Varanasi with convenient onward connections," SpiceJet said in a statement.

Of the total of 128 routes awarded to five carriers earlier this year after a bidding process, SpiceJet was granted 11 routes.

Under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS), also known as UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik), the government offers a subsidy to airlines for offering 50 per cent of their total seats at lower fares.

SpiceJet is the only player under this scheme to not take any government subsidy.

The low-cost carrier will serve Adampur, Kandla, Puducherry, Jaisalmer, Porbandar and Kanpur under the scheme.

Flight operations commenced on the Mumbai-Porbandar- Mumbai and Mumbai-Kandla-Mumbai routes earlier this month.
CNBC-TV18 brings you a brand new week of Bull's Eye. It's the 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, Sameet Chavan, Rakesh Bansal and Sumeet Jain battle it out for top honours.

Below their top stock picks and analysis:

Sameet Chavan of Angel Broking

Buy Syngene International with a stoploss at Rs 484 and target of Rs 538

Buy Cholamandalam Investment with a stoploss at Rs 1135 and target of Rs 1220

Buy Mastek with a stoploss at Rs 275 and target of Rs 316

Sell Apollo Tyres with a stoploss at Rs 255 and target of Rs 238

Rakesh Bansal of RK Global

Sell Just Dial with a stoploss at Rs 375 and target of Rs 330

Buy Anant Raj with a stoploss at Rs 62.5 and target of Rs 74

Buy JSW Steel with a stoploss at Rs 209.9 and target of Rs 223

Buy HPCL with a stoploss at Rs 376 and target of Rs 413

Sumeet Jain of Destimoney Securities

Buy Rain Industries with a stoploss at Rs 126.50 and target of Rs 144

Buy DCB Bank with a stoploss at Rs 198 and target of Rs 209

Buy HPCL with a stoploss at Rs 384 and target of Rs 408

Buy PTC India with a stoploss at Rs 111 and target of Rs 121
crude_300_64552660

Sushil Finance's commodity report on crude oil

Oil rose 1 percent on Friday, boosted as U.S. crude producers added only two rigs in the latest week and on signs of increased Chinese demand, but trading was volatile as global supply remained strong. 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 on Wednesday. And while U.S. energy firms added oil rigs for a second week in a row according to Friday data from Baker Hughes, the pace of additions has slowed to its lowest this year. Oil production in North Dakota fell 10,000 barrels - per - day in May. Still, oil stocks remained comfortably above the five - year average, and prices were more than 15 percent below their 2017 highs. Output cuts from producing countries coordinated by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries have been stymied by rising output from Libya and Nigeria, which are exempt. June compliance among other members also fell to just 78 percent, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). Kuwait's OPEC governor told Reuters in an interview that it would be premature to cap Nigerian and Libyan oil production. Money managers raised their net long U.S. crude futures and options positions in the week to July 11, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) said on Friday. Brent and WTI prices were roughly 5 percent above the week's lows, aided by reports of accelerating demand growth from the IEA, crude oil import growth in China and falling crude stocks in the United States.

We expect crude oil prices to trade sideways on the back of profit booking after up move.

For all commodities report, click here

Disclaimer: The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts/broking houses/rating agencies 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 decisions.

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Share price of Karnataka Bank and Gruh Finance slipped 4 percent intraday Monday on the back of numbers declared by the companies for the quarter ended June 2017 (Q1FY18).

Karnataka Bank has registered 10 percent increase in its Q1 net profit at Rs 133.85 crore versus Rs 121.54 crore, reported in same quarter last year.

The net interest income of the company rose 16 percent at Rs 424.42 crore versus Rs 364.69 crore.

Meanwhile, its net NPA rose to Rs 1229.84 crore versus Rs 911.23 crore (Y-o-Y) and Rs 974.73 crore (Q-o-Q). The gross NPA also increased to Rs 1690.87 crore versus Rs 1,389.4 crore (Y-o-Y) & Rs 1581.6 crore (Q-o-Q).

The company's gross NPA and net NPA stood at 4.34 percent and 3.2 percent respectively.

Gruh Finance has reported 20 percent rise in its Q1 net profit at Rs 72.2 crore versus Rs 60.18 crore.

The company's total income was up 14 percent at Rs 398.12 crore versus Rs 346.34 crore.

Aggregate NPAs of the company was at 0.64 percent of the loan assets as on June 30, 2017 as against 0.56 percent as on June 30 2016 and the net NPAs was at 0.16 percent against 0.27 percent.

At 09:39 hrs Karnataka Bank was quoting at Rs 159.25, down 3.89 percent and GRUH Finance was quoting at Rs 486.70, down 3.16 percent on the BSE.

Posted by Rakesh Patil
In Gujarat, Ahmedabad had ordered the most number of deliveries across tier-II cities. In Anand, pizza was found to be the most preferred dish.

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Shares of Jubilant Foodworks, the operator of Dominos Pizza outlets in India, rose over 6.5 percent intraday on Monday as investors cheered the good performance of the company for the June quarter.

Its net profit for the June quarter came in at Rs 24 crore, a jump of over 25 percent year on year from Rs 19 crore.

The companys revenue from operations witnessed a rise of 11.5 percent to Rs 679 crore against Rs 609 crore in the same period last year, while earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) came in at Rs 79.6 crore, a rise of 37.8 percent from Rs 57.7 crore. The operating margin, meanwhile, came in at 11.7 percent against 9.5 percent year on year.

The same store sales growth, a key metric for gauging the progress of the company, was reported at 6.5 percent, a huge jump from its previous performance of -7.5 percent. Analysts had expected this figure to be between 3 and 4 percent.

"Our focus on delivering better Value for money and driving innovation has helped bring back strong growth in Dominos Pizza. We have also made significant progress towards reducing losses and building a sustainable business in Dunkin Donuts. Additionally, our discipline of controlling costs and driving efficiencies has helped improve overall operating margins," Pratik Pota, CEO and Whole time Director, Jubilant FoodWorks said in a statement.

At 14:13 hrs Jubilant Foodworks was quoting at Rs 1,228.90, up Rs 62.95, or 5.40 percent on the BSE. It touched an intraday high of Rs 1,242.00 and an intraday low of Rs 1,161.30.
Australia is expecting to welcome over three lakh Indian tourists this year, mainly due to the online visitor visa applications facility, steady Australian dollar and various promotion activities.

In 2016, over 2.6 lakh Indian travellers visited Australia, according to data given by Tourism Australia.

"We are witnessing double digit growth in tourist arrivals from India since last three financial years (July-June). This is the fourth consecutive financial year we saw a growth of 15.3 per cent by hosting 2.5 lakh Indians. If we continue at the same pace we will easily cross 3 lakh during calender year," Tourism Australia Country Manager (India and Gulf) Nishant Kashikar told PTI.

In 2015-16, 2.38 lakh Indians visited Australia.

He said, the growth in tourist traffic from India will be driven by online the visitor visa applications facility launched this month, steady Australian dollar (AUD) and various promotion activities taken up by Tourism Australia.

"Besides, the growth in Indian diaspora in Australia, the economy doing well, the positive consumer sentiment and bullish market sentiment will also support the visitor growth from India to Australia. We are also witnessing a lot of repeat visitors from India," he added.

Currently, India is ranked as the ninth source market for Australia, he added.

New Zealand, China, the US, UK and Singapore are the top five source markets of Australia.

In terms of spending, India is at eighth position with an average Rs 2.6 lakh per person (AUD 5,300).

The top five spenders in Australia are China, the US, UK, New Zealand and Japan.

"If the current trend continues, we expect India to be among the top seven source market and top five spender by 2025," Kashikar said.

Tourism Australia is mainly targeting high valued Indians over the age of 25 years from the six metro cities and Pune and Ahmedabad, he said.

"We are mainly promoting Australia as a leisure destination ideal for family (with or without children) and honeymooners. We are also focusing on the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) segment," he added.
India Pakistan

Director-General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt. Gen. A K Bhatt today spoke to his Pakistani counterpart and conveyed that India reserves the right to retaliate to any cross-border firing along the LoC.

The two DGMOs also deliberated on the situation along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, an Army official said.

There have been 23 incidents of ceasefire violations, one BAT (Border Action Team) attack and two infiltration bids by Pakistan in June in which four people, including three jawans, have been killed and 12 injured.
Top BJP leaders will be meeting at 6 pm today to discuss their Vice Presidential candidate. According to sources, Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu is the front runner.

Opposition parties have already declared former Governor of West Bengal and Mahatama Gandhi's grandson, Gopalkrishna Gandhi as their candidate.

17:02 Voting process for electing the 14th President of India has officially ended. The result will be declared on July 20.

16:51

Voting to elect the next President of India will at 5 pm.

16:50 Voting has ended in the Gujarat Assembly with 180 out of the 182 members having voted today, according to PTI.

16:40 Voting in Madhya Pradesh has ended with 228 legislators of the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly having cast their votes today, according to PTI.

16:33 The PTI has reported that all of Jharkhand Assembly's 81 MLAs have cast their vote today.

16:30 Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu, amidst speculation that he is the front runner to become NDA's Vice Presidential candidate, says, "I am not aspiring to become anything, party finally decides about the candidature. Meeting at 6 pm. All other things are only speculations. Whatever Parliamentary Board decides is final".

16:27 BJP leaders are expected to meet later today to discuss the ruling alliance's Vice Presidential candidate. The meeting will happen after the Presidential voting is completed.

16:07 59 out of 60 members of the Arunachal Pradesh Assembly voted today. Health and Family Welfare minister Jomde Kena did not cast his vote here as he was in Delhi, according to the PTI.

16:02 Voting has concluded in the Rajasthan Assembly, with 199 out of 200 legislators exercising their franchise, PTI is reporting.



Demonetisation and GST biggest scams. We will not bow down our head, we will be happy to go to jail: Mamata Banerjee, WB CM pic.twitter.com/RVS0ACv0bz

 ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

Here's what West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had to say:

15:37 Here's all you need to know about Ram Nath Kovind, the ruling alliance's Presidential candidate.

15:34 Here's all you need to know about Meira Kumar, the Opposition's Presidential candidate.

15:22 Pictures from the early morning rehersal of the President's swearing-in ceremony



All The President's Men.. President's bodyguards taking part in early morning rehersal at Vijay Chowk.. @NewsX pic.twitter.com/JojgdWTOJT  Supriya Bhardwaj (@Supriya23bh) January 6, 2016



15:03 West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee says, "We (TMC) are voting for Meira Kumar as it is a vote against the atrocities of the BJP. The BJP desperately wants numbers but we are pro-people."

LK Advani, Sushma Swaraj, Farooq Abdullah, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi at the Parliament earlier today.

Delhi: Earlier visuals of LK Advani, Sushma Swaraj, Farooq Abdullah, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi at the Parliament #PresidentialPoll2017 pic.twitter.com/WXI8TBrpzX ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

14:46 100 percent voting has been recorded in Himachal Pradesh after all sitting MLAs (67) cast their vote today.

14:22 Nawab Malik, NCP Spokesperson's tweet:



The rumours that #NCP MPs and MLAs are voting for the #NDA #PresidentialCandidate are false, we are voting for our candidate ( 1/3 )  nawab malik (@nawabmalikncp) July 17, 2017



14:20 Amidst reports that Nationalist Party MPs and MLAs voted for Ram Nath Kovind, the party has issued a clarification that they voted for Meira Kumar.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal cast his vote some time back

Delhi CM @ArvindKejriwal participated in voting for Presidential Elections going on in Delhi Legislative Assembly right now. pic.twitter.com/bPfcGZIlAE AAP (@AamAadmiParty) July 17, 2017

13:56 Samajwadi Party's senior party leader Shivpal Yadav told ANI, Humne tay kiya hai ki Rashtrapati chunaav mein Ram Nath Kovind ko hi vote karna chahiye. The party had indicated that it would support for Oppositions candidate Meira Kumar.

13:38 Ashish Saha, TMC's former unit president in Tripura says "By voting for Ram Nath Kovind, we have registered our protest against crimes of CPI(M), Congress & TMC."

13:34 Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje cast her vote a while ago

13:27 Congress President Sonia Gandhi also cast her vote some time back.

13:15 NCP's Praful Patel claims that all MLAs and MPs of the party have voted for opposition candidate Meira Kumar.

13:00 No word yet from Ram Nath Kovind today. He is expected to speak once voting ends at 5pm.

12:45 The CPI (M), which is backing Meira Kumar, urged voters, comprising MPs and MLAs, to pick the custodian of the Constitution thoughtfully. Hope the Electoral College picks the custodian of India's Constitution thoughtfully: Vote to uphold Constitutional Values of our Republic, party general secretary Sitaram Yechury said on Twitter.

12:20 Meira Kumar is speaking to reporters now. It's a short address in which she appeals to all members of the electoral college to "vote with conscience".

12:00 Some political drama now. Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav and his brother Shivpal Yadav say they will vote for Ram Nath Kovind. Mulayam's son Akhilesh and his faction of the party had earlier said they would vote for Meira Kumar.

11:45 Meira Kumar's son Anshul says that his mother is still confident of winning the election, insisting that the outcome is not a foregone conclusion.

11:30 News coming in now that the BJP Parliamentary Party will meet at 6pm to decide on the NDA's Vice-Presidential candidate.

11:15 Back to the cross-voting issue. The vote takes place through secret ballot, so there is a possibility that MPs and MLAs can vote for someone other than their party's preferred candidate. Parties cannot force their leaders to vote for a particular candidate.

11:05 Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister seems confident of the outcome. It is the good fortune of UP that for the first time the President will be from UP, he says.

11:00 With recent allegations over hacking of EVMs, MPs and MLAs will cast their votes using unique violet-ink pens distributed by the Election Commission of India.

10:55 Meanwhile, the NDA is expected to announce its candidate for Vice-President today, given that tomorrow is the last day to file nomination papers. The election will be held on August 5.

10:45 A reminder that the results of this election will only be known on Thursday, July 20.

10:35 Here's what BSP chief Mayawati has to say: No matter who wins, President will be from Scheduled Caste. Huge victory for our movement and party.

10:20 BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Mittal says that 40 parties are backing Kovind as opposed to 18 for Meira Kumar.

10:10 The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) tells that ANI that the Presidential election is a fight between two different ideologies, and not between two persons.

Meanwhile, BJP President Amit Shah is casting his vote now.

10:05 The Prime Minister has just cast his vote, among the first to do so.

10:00 It's 10am, so that means voting will get underway in Parliament and in various state assemblies now.

09:55 The PM was speaking ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament. He said the GST spirit was about "Growing Stronger Together". He addedthis session will be crucial as the President and Vice-President will be elected and India will mark 70 years of independence next month.

09:50 Prime Minister Narendra Modi is speaking outside Parliament now. He is expected to cast his vote at 10am.

09:45 Who will the Samajwadi Party vote for? CNN-News18 reports that the Mulayam Singh Yadav camp will vote for Kovind, while the faction led by son Akhilesh will choose Meira Kumar.

09:35 The MPs and MLAs put together make up an electoral college. In all, there are 4,120 MLAs and 776 MPs with a total vote value of 10,98,903 - 549,408 for 543 Lok Sabha and 233 Rajya Sabha parliamentarians, and 549,495 for 4,120 legislators in state assemblies.

09:30 The BJP is the single largest party in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha and also rules more states than any other party. That said, its candidate won't cross the halfway mark on the NDA's strength alone and needs the support of a couple of neutral parties. But there's good news on that front with both factions of the AIADMK, Biju Janata Dal and Telangana Rashtra Samiti pledging the support in the build-up to these polls.

In short, it should be a cakewalk for Kovind. But there's always the possibility, albeit remote, of cross-voting taking place.

09:25 So who votes for the President? It's only elected MPs and MLAs that have a say and the common man is not involved.

09:20 Wondering about the process for electing the President? Here's our video explainer.

09:15 The numbers matter most, of course, and it should be a landslide victory for NDA candidate Kovind given that several parties pledged their support to him soon after his candidature was announced. Among those parties was Nitish Kumar's JD(U), which many though would back the Opposition's candidate. More on that in a bit.

09:13 Voting will begin at 10am and go on till 5pm.

09:10 A day before the presidential election, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi described on Sunday the contest as a fight against a narrow-minded, divisive and communal vision.

09:07 Both Kovind and Kumar are political veterans, but Kumar edges the NDA candidate in terms of Parliamentary experience and was the woman Speaker of the Lok Sabha.

09:05 The votes in the presidential race will be counted on Monday, and the next President will assume office only after President Pranab Mukherjee's term ends on July 24.

Good morning and welcome to live coverage of the 2017 Presidential election. Voting begins today at 10am with NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind and Opposition candidate Meira Kumar the frontrunners.
The members of the parliament will elect India's 15th vice-president today. The results will be known by evening, and the voting will take place from 10 a.m to 5 p.m.

Venkaiah Naidu, the NDA pick for the post of Vice President filed his nomination papers on Tuesday. He arrived along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bhartiya Janata Party President Amit Shah to the Parliament to file the papers.

Naidu also resigned from as Union minister of Information & Broadcasting and Urban Development. The additional charge of Ministry of Urban Development has been given to Narendra Tomar and of Ministry Information and Broadcasting to Smriti Irani. Smriti Irani is also the Union Textile Minister.

Earlier on Monday, the BJP Parliamentary Board announced Venkaiah Naidu as its nominee for the post of Vice President. Naidu is pitted against the Opposition's Gopalkrishna Gandhi in the vice-presidential elections that will take place today.

A political veteran, Venkaiah Naidu is currently serving as a Union Minister of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation as well as the Information and Broadcasting Minister. He has also held the portfolio of a Union Minister for rural development in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government between September 2000 and June 2002.

Naidu is also a fourth term Rajya Sabha MP from Rajasthan, being first elected in the Upper House in 1998. He was re-elected in 2004, 2010 and 2016. His extensive experience in the Rajya Sabha makes him a suitable pick for the ex-officio chairman of the Rajya Sabha.

Naidu has been a staunch believer of the BJP ideology and has always provided steadfast support to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

While NDA's Presidential nominee, Ramnath Kovind hails from north India, Venkaiah Naidu belongs to Andhra Pradesh in the south India.

His association with politics dates back to his student years in VR College where he completed his bachelor's degree in politics and diplomatic studies. He was a swayamsevak for the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and joined BJP's youth wing ABVP in college.

Later when he acquired a degree in law from the Andhra University, he was made the President of the ABVP union of all colleges under Andhra University. His initial fame is accredited to his involvement in the Jai Andhra Movement in 1972.

Naidu was put behind bars under Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MIS) during the Emergency rule of Indira Gandhi from 1975-1977. He stepped into mainstream politics when he was elected as an MLA in Andhra Pradesh Assembly in 1978.

After being the state president for BJP's Andhra Pradesh unit from 1988 to 1993, he became the national general secretary of the party from 1993 to 2000.

Naidu is also a two-time BJP national party president, the first time between July-December in 2002 and the second time between January-December in 2004. He was also BJP's national spokesperson from 1996 till 2000.

He is a member of BJP's Parliamentary Board and Central Election Committee since January 2006. He also served as a BJP vice president from April 2005 to January 2006.

The Vice-Presidential polls on August 5 will see a battle between Naidu and Opposition candidate Gopal Krishna Gandhi. The counting will take place on the same day of the polls and the new Vice-President would take office after current VP Hamid Ansari term expiration on August 10.
As part of a Cabinet reshuffle during the ongoing monsoon session, Textile Minister Smriti Irani has been handed additional charge of Information and Broadcasting Ministry. Narender Singh Tomar, Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment will now be handling Urban development ministry as well.

The reshuffle follows the resignation of M Venkaiah Naidu, who held the above ministries, after he was announced NDA candidate for Vice President's post.

Two key ministries-- defence and environment--are without a full-time minister.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan are holding the additional charge of these two portfolios, respectively.

While Manohar Parrikar's move to Goa as Chief Minister in March left the defence ministry without a full- time Cabinet minister, the death of Anil Dave in May caused a vacancy in the environment ministry.

Prime Minister Modi first expanded his cabinet in November 2014 when he inducted 21 new faces, including Parrikar as defence minister.

In July last year, Modi undertook another reshuffle in which he appointed Prakash Javadekar as the human resource development minister, replacing Smriti Irani, who was shifted to textiles.

(with PTI inputs)
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya and Union Minister Uma Bharti were among those who cast their votes for the presidential poll here today.

The voting begun at 10 am at the Tilak Hall here.

After casting his vote, the chief minister told reporters that NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind will win the election with a huge margin.

"This is matter of pride for the people of Uttar Pradesh, the the son of the state is going to become the President", he said.

Both Adityanath and Maurya have not yet resigned from the Lok Sabha and are voters as MPs.

After the conclusion of voting at 5 pm, the ballot boxes will be sealed and sent to Delhi.

The NDA has fielded former Bihar Governor Kovind for the top constitutional post, while former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar is the joint opposition candidate.

The counting of votes will take place on July 20 in New Delhi where all the ballot boxes will be brought from various state capitals. The tenure of incumbent Pranab Mukherjee comes to an end on July 24.
The Pakistani army on Sunday announced that its chief, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, is "analysing" the evidence against former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav who was earlier sentenced to death.

According to a statement issued by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on June 22, Jadhav had filed a mercy plea to General Bajwa after the Pakistani military appellate court had rejected his plea.

The military court in April had sentenced Jadhav to death over charges of espionage and terror. India continues to refute the charges.

Major General Asif Ghafoor, chief of Pakistan army's media and justice wing said, "The mercy appeal is pending before the chief of army staff. All evidence and case proceedings against him (Jadhav) are being examined by the army chief, and he will take a decision on the basis of merit and justice."

What happens next?

The Pakistan Army Chief will decide Jadhav's fate after analysing the mercy plea. If the plea is declined by the General Bajwa, Jadhav will be allowed to make a mercy petition to Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain, in keeping with Pakistani law.

The story so far

According to Pakistan, Jadhav was arrested on March 3 last year in Balochistan's Mashkhel area. India however maintains that Jadhav was abducted from Iran.

After India appealed, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) had on May 18 stalled Pakistan from carrying out the death penalty.

In what is claimed by India as a violation of the Vienna Convention, Pakistan turned down all of India's 18 requests seeking consular access to Jadhav.

ICJ had also requested Pakistan to grant India consular access to Jadhav, which has still not been allowed by Pakistan.

On July 13, Pakistan's foreign office confirmed that it was "considering" a visa request by Jadhav's mother Avantika, who wants to meet her son.
RPT...Chennai: AIADMK General Secretary VK Sasikala arrives at the resort on third consecutive day in Koovathur in East Coast Road and met various MLAs who are camping over the last six days to decide on the further course of action near Chennai on Monday. PTI Photo by R Senthil Kumar(PTI2_13_2017_000256B)

The Karnataka government today shunted out two top jail officials who were locked in a bitter public spat over allegations of "special" treatment to AIADMK (Amma) leader V K Sasikala and other "erroneous" practices in the central prison here.

DGP (Prisons) H N Sathyanarayana Rao and DIG (Prisons) D Roopa, who had dragged the DGP in the row over bribery allegations, were transferred with immediate effect.

The government also shifted Bengaluru central jail Chief Superintendent Krishna Kumar, who was also blamed in the report by Roopa for alleged illegal activities.

The state government in a notification today said N S Megharikh, Additional Director General of Police, Anti-Corruption Bureau, has been transferred with immediate effect and posted as Additional DGP, Prisons, in place of Rao.

It also said Roopa has been posted as Deputy Inspector General of Police and Commissioner for Traffic and Road Safety here.

However, the notification does not specify the post Rao has been been transferred to and who will replace Roopa.

Anita R, Superintendent central prison, Bengaluru, has been given the additional charge as the Chief Superintendent, the government in a separate notification said.

In a report submitted on July 12 to Rao, who was DGP (Prisons) then, Roopa as Deputy Inspector of General (Prisons) had said there was "a talk" that Rs two crore had exchanged hands to give preferential treatment for Sasikala and there were allegations against him also.

She had also said a special kitchen was functioning in the jail for Sasikala in violation of prison rules.

Sasikala is lodged at Parappana Agrahara central prison here ever since her conviction in February in the disproportionate assets case along with her two relatives V N Sudhakaran and Elavarasi, all serving a 4-year jail term.

Rao had rubbished the charge against him by Roopa, terming it "absolutely false, baseless and wild", and said he would take legal recourse against his junior. In response, Roopa had demanded a "fair fact finding inquiry to find out the truth".

Defending the transfer decision, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah called it an administrative matter, as he came under attack from the BJP and JDS over the issue.

"What we should we do? Shouldn't we (transfer)? See it has been done for the administrative good, can we sit explaining such matters to the press?" Siddaramaiah said when asked about the transfer of officials.

The BJP and the JDS have criticised the government for transferring Roopa and said government was indirectly asking officials not to speak out the truth.

"Instead of transforming the prison based on her (Roopa) report, transferring her to traffic is not right....it is like giving punishment for her honesty," BJP state President B S Yeddyurappa told reporters in Delhi.

Questioning the grounds on which the officials have been transferred, JDS state President H D Kumaraswamy said the government was trying to protect those involved in "illegal activities."

As the clash between the top officers played out in public, Siddaramaiah had ordered a high-level probe by a retired IAS officer into the alleged irregularities at the central prison and warned of "strict action" if anyone was found involved in wrong doing.

As her report triggered a major controversy, a red-faced Congress government also issued notice to Roopa asking her to explain her conduct, with Siddaramaiah saying it was "absolutely against the rule book".

Roopa had also highlighted in her report the "special treatment" being provided to fake stamp paper scam kingpin Abdul Karim Telgi.
Runners competing in the Comrades Marathon pass through Kloof, June 4, 2017. REUTERS/Rogan Ward - RTX38XS1

India has been ranked among one of the laziest countries in the world. According to a report published in the journal Nature, researchers from Stanford placed India at number 38 in a list of 46 countries in an analysis that measured the level of activity by monitoring the number of steps taken in a day.

Researchers tracked 70,000 people across the globe and amassed 68 million days worth of data through an app to track where in the world people are taking most steps every day.

Hong Kong emerges as the global topper with a score of 22.2, who took an average of 6,880 steps per day, followed by China, Sweden and South Korea.

Indonesia was ranked the last 'laziest' country, with only an average of 3,513 steps recorded every day.

How was it done?

The data was tracked via smartphones that are equipped with tiny sensors called accelerometers which can automatically record stepping motions.

The researchers acquired this data from the Argus app, which tracks physical activity. The data was anonymised but gave out the persons age, gender, height, weight and Body Mass Index (BMI).

Source Stanford Press Release (Image credit: Tim Althoff)

Scott Delp, a professor of bioengineering involved in the project, told the BBC, The study is 1,000 times larger than any previous study on human movement. There have been wonderful health surveys done, but our new study provides data from more countries, many more subjects, and tracks people's activity on an ongoing basis. This opens the door to new ways of doing science at a much larger scale than we have been able to do before.

Gender-Based Inequality Gap

Jure Leskovec, a scientist in the project, while commenting on the gap between activity levels and womens obesity said, When activity inequality is greatest, womens activity is reduced much more dramatically than mens activity, and thus the negative connections to obesity can affect women more greatly.

The study also found that the biggest gap between the countries wasnt how lazy a country was as a whole, but how much of a gap there was between fittest and the laziest. Essentially, bigger the gap, higher were the levels of obesity.

Sweden, which had one of the lowest gaps between those who were the fittest and the fattest, had one of the lowest obesity levels as per the study.

Delp said, If you think about some people in a country as activity rich and others as activity poor, the size of the gap between them is a strong indicator of obesity levels in that society.

On an average, the study recorded that Indian males had an average clocked steps of 4,606 and Indian females had 3,685.

The Stanford researchers have stated that the findings help explain the global patterns of obesity and give new ideas for tracking it.

To access the full data from the study, click here.
Embattled Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday rejected as "farce" a probe panel's damning report that recommended filing of a corruption case against him and his family as the Supreme Court resumed the hearing of the high-voltage Panamagate graft case.

A six-member Joint Investigation Team (JIT) set up by the Supreme Court to investigate charges of money laundering against 67-year-old Sharif and his family had submitted the report on July 10 to the court, which could cost him his job.

"The entire investigation was a farce and an eyewash and was undertaken with a predisposed mind to malign and implicate the respondents in some wrongdoing or the other," according to the objection filed by the Sharif family.

Khawja Harris on behalf of Sharif and his family filed a response to the JIT report, rejecting its findings and accusing it of bias and violation of the original mandate.

"The JIT report is not only against the law but also the constitution of the country and its finding are, therefore, of not legal value," he said.

But the JIT report is turning into a major challenge to Sharif. Opposition parties accuse his family of using their political influence to amass wealth by unlawful means and are demanding his resignation.

So far Sharif has refused to quit, calling the investigators' report a compilation of "allegations and assumptions". His decision to stay in power was endorsed by the federal cabinet last week.

Sharif has all along denied any wrongdoing.

During today's hearing, his lawyer also objected to the documents obtained from the foreign countries, which he said was against laws of the country.

Harris asked the court to provide the volume 10 of the report which was kept confidential on JIT's request.

He also urged the court to reject the JIT report.

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on his behalf separately submitted objections over the JIT report in the Supreme Court registrar's office.

Earlier, Naeem Bokhari representing Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in his arguments appreciated the JIT and asked the court to implement the report and disqualify the Prime Minister.

Later, Fawad Chaurdry of PTI told the media that Sharif has lost moral and political grounds to continue as prime minister.

"He (Sharif) would not only be disqualified but also go to jail," he said.

Minister of state for information Mariam Aurangzeb said the government would accept the decision of the court.

The court adjourned hearing till tomorrow.

Major opposition political parties have asked Sharif to step down and stay away from power until his name was cleared.

Prior to the hearing, opposition leaders, including Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rashid, arrived at the apex court and spoke to the media, reiterating their demand for Prime Minister Sharif's resignation.

"Nawaz Sharif does not hold 'high moral ground' after the JIT report, which is why he should step down," Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leader Dr Farooq Sattar said.

"PML-N has to decide what advice they will give to their leader, keeping in mind the interests of the country."

But Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz party has supported him to contest the report in the court.

The six-member JIT was set up in May by the Supreme Court with the mandate to probe the Sharif family for allegedly failing to provide the trail of money used to buy properties in London in 1990s.

Last year, the Panama Papers revealed that three of Prime Minister Sharif's children owned offshore companies and assets not shown on his family's wealth statement. The assets in question include four expensive flats in Park Lane, London.

The top court took up the case in October last year on petitions filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Awami Muslim League and Jamaat-e-Islami and reserved the verdict in February after conducting hearings on a daily basis.
China's central bank will take on a bigger role in macro-prudential management and in averting systemic risk in the financial system, President Xi Jinping said at a once-in-five-years government work conference that ended on Saturday.

Financial security is a vital part of national security, Xi said at the fifth National Financial Work Conference, adding that China will strengthen the Communist Party's leadership in the financial sector.

A Financial Stability and Development Committee will also be set up under the State Council, or cabinet, state media cited Xi as saying.

No details were given on the committee and on how the role of the People's Bank of China (PBOC) will be strengthened.

Regulators oversee different parts of China's complex financial sector, and no singular regulator has a complete picture of capital movements in the system.

That complicates the job of authorities to catch market manipulators who secretly divert funds to risky financial products as they chase higher returns.

Authorities also worry about "giant crocodiles", a term regulators have started using to describe law-breaking tycoons who circumvent regulations to grab control of other companies.

Earlier this year, the China Insurance Regulatory Commission (CIRC) banned the chairman of Foresea Life from the insurance business for 10 years, citing violations of rules in the firm's use of insurance funds.

CIRC separately also restricted Evergrande Life's stock trading activities for one year, after accusing the insurance firm of engaging in irregular investment activities.

Xi also said China will push forward with deleveraging in its economy, and that lowering debt ratios among state-owned enterprises is the most pressing issue.

Beijing will also strictly control new local government debt and strengthen oversight of internet financing, he said.

BLOOD AND PULSE

Finance is the "blood and pulse" of the economy, and it is the sector's "divine vocation" to serve the real economy, the official Xinhua News Agency quoted Xi as saying.

Xi called for greater accountability for financial regulators at the meeting, saying it would be "negligence of duty" if regulators fail to identify risks in time, and it would be "malfeasance" if they fail to report and contain the identified risks.

The main financial regulators include the China Banking Regulatory Commission, the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) and CIRC.

In 2015, a poorly coordinated response to a stock market crash in China spurred scrutiny on the government's response. Premier Li Keqiang openly criticised financial regulators as not responding sufficiently.

Xi said on Saturday that regulators must share industry data within their jurisdictions and coordinate their financial regulations.

The financial work conference comes ahead of a once-in-five-year congress of the Communist Party in the autumn, where Xi is expected to further consolidate his hold on power.

"Traditionally the (financial) conference is presided by the premier, but this time, not only was the big boss (Xi) there, people from the anti-corruption watchdog and the parliament advisory body were there too," said a person who follows Chinese regulatory developments.

At the conference, Premier Li said China will maintain prudent monetary policy and an appropriate credit growth rate while keeping liquidity basically stable.

"China's plans to ameliorate systemic risk, while laudable, are also significantly driven by the desire for an unblemished 19th Party Congress," said Brock Silvers, managing director of Kaiyuan Capital, a Shanghai-based investment advisory firm.

"Regulators have yet to announce detailed steps, and probably won't do so prior to the Congress," he said. "In the interim I don't expect major changes, such as the creation of a unified super-regulator."
Europe's top banking regulator, the European Central Bank (ECB), is considering carrying out a review of Deutsche Bank's two largest shareholders, a regulatory source said on Monday.

The ECB may launch so-called ownership-control procedures to scrutinise Qatar's royal family and China's HNA, which each owns just under 10 percent of Germany's flagship lender.

"That the ECB is investigating or considering to investigate the shareholdings is indeed accurate," said the person, speaking on condition of anonymity because the person was not authorised to speak publicly about a review that is ongoing.

News of the possible review was first reported by the Sueddeutsche Zeitung on Sunday.

The ECB, Deutsche Bank, and HNA declined to comment. A spokesman for the office of Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabr al-Thani in Qatar was not immediately available to comment.

The German finance ministry said it had taken notice of reports of the possible review but declined further comment.

The motivation for a review remains unclear. Generally, such an assessment aims to establish whether an investor is trustworthy and financially sound, determine the source of investment funds and find out whether an investor engages in any criminal dealings such as money-laundering or terrorism financing.

"The approval process aims to ensure that only suitable shareholders enter the banking system in order to prevent any disruptions to the smooth functioning of the banking system," the ECB's website says.

Normally, the review takes place once a holding reaches 10 percent of shares or voting rights. But it may also take place if there is "significant influence over the management of the bank", the ECB's website says.

Both Qatar and HNA have been granted a seat on the Deutsche Bank board.

HNA, which has been on a global shopping spree in past years, began acquiring its Deutsche stake this year in multiple steps, saying the bank's shares were "substantially undervalued and are an attractive investment", according to a SEC filing.

The purchase was financed by UBS and the holding is in a special fund managed by the Austrian asset manager C-Quadrat. Quadrat chief Alexander Schuetz sits on the Deutsche Bank board.

A spokesman for C-Quadrat said the asset manager was unaware of any possible review by the ECB.

Qatar's royal family built up its stake first in 2014 during a capital increase. Lawyer Stefan Simon represents Qatar on the board.

Qatar is under political and economic pressure, with neighbours including Saudi Arabia accusing it of terror financing and cosying up to Iran, a nation other Gulf Arab states have long viewed with suspicion.

Deutsche Bank sees the HNA and Qatari stakes as a vote of confidence that should encourage other investors, big and small.

In May, German regulator BaFin welcomed the HNA investment. "We believe it is fundamentally positive that capital is being invested in German banks. This, of course, includes foreign capital and of course Chinese capital," BaFin President Felix Hufeld said at the time.

A negative outcome of a review could result in the ECB prohibiting the shareholder from exercising its voting rights.

The process underway does not indicate any wrongdoing, though it does come at an awkward time for Germany's largest lender.

Deutsche Bank is grappling with a strategic turnaround, an uncertain global economy and the impact of Britain's departure from the European Union.

In addition, the bank is recovering from multiple legal battles and has paid billions in fines and settlements for cases ranging from its role in the marketing of U.S. mortgage-backed securities to a so-called "mirror trading" scheme that could be used for money laundering.

Now that light is at the end of the tunnel on the legal front, scrutiny of Deutsche Bank's customers and investors is casting an additional shadow in the bank's reputation.

Recently, some Democratic members of the U.S. Congress have renewed efforts to find possible links between banks such as Deutsche Bank, U.S. President Donald Trump, and Russia, as they look for evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia in the 2016 U.S. election campaign.

Deutsche Bank is one of Trump's largest lenders, according to regulatory filings, but the bank has declined Democrats' demands to provide records of its client, citing privacy concerns. Trump and the Kremlin have denied any collusion in the election.
Pakistan government's request to link all Facebook accounts with phone numbers was turned down by the social networking giant terming it as 'improbable'.

The request by the Pakistani administration was intended to keep a check on Facebook postings that are hateful, provocative and blasphemous.

In a report published by the Pakistani newspaper The Dawn, Pakistan's Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said, Pakistan had suggested that Facebook accounts be linked with users mobile phone numbers. However, the management of Facebook believed it was more feasible to sync accounts with email addresses.

The move was particularly intended to remove blasphemous content against Islam. Facebook, which has about 33 million users in Pakistan, was earlier banned in the country after offensive content against Prophet Muhammad was published on the site.

Many such hateful posts came from fake Facebook accounts and the country wanted the social media giant to link accounts made on the site to phone numbers just like Whatsapp.

Pakistan's Interior Minister had met Joel Kaplan, vice president of Facebook regarding the issue. The company, though concerned about the issue, has made it clear that it wont change its practice.
The chronicle of a life split between urban Manhattan and rural Montana.
Education

Montgomery County Community College will present the spring installment of the interview/talk show program Issues and Insights April 20 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. in Science Center room 214, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The programs will be simulcast to the Colleges West Campus in South Hall room 216, 101 College Drive, Pottstown. Dr. Kolsky will offer a humorous presentation, Carrots, Sticks and Politics: A State of the Nation and the World Message. In this speech, he will provide his interpretation of domestic and international politics and then welcome questions from the audience for discussion. Issues and Insights, is free and open to the public. For information, contact Dr. Thomas Kolsky, professor of political science, at 215-641-6380 or tkolsky@mc3.edu.

Montgomery County Community Colleges STEM Scholars Program will host a STEM Jam! open house April 25 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Advanced Technology Center at the Colleges Central Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The drop-in event is designed for students interested in learning more about careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Activities will include STEM program information and career advising, STEM speakers throughout the day from industry and academia, micro-helicopter and robotics competitive obstacle courses and demonstrations and static models of STEM student and faculty work. For more information about STEM Jam! or STEM programs at MCCC, contact William Brownlowe at wbrownlowe@mc3.edu or 215-641-6644, or Robin Zuhlke at 215-619-7440 or rzuhlke@mc3.edu.

Temple Ambler, located at 580 Meetinghouse Road, presents the following events:

International Club Global Bazaar April 15 from 5 to 8 p.m. The Ambler Campus International Club invites all students, faculty, staff and the community to celebrate a multitude of diverse cultures, which will be showcased at the organizations Global Bazaar. This family friendly event will highlight cultural traditions and celebrations in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, South American, North America and Africa through music, entertainment, food and informative displays developed and presented by students at the Ambler Campus. Young visitors will be provided with passports, which they may get stamped at each country they visit. Prizes will be awarded to world travelers who talk to cultural representatives, answer questions about the countries theyve visited and take part in fun-filled activities designed to help them learn about the rich diversity of cultures found throughout the world. Refreshments will be served. The event is free. For more information, call 267-468-8108 or e-mail tuc36466@temple.edu.

EarthFest 2011 April 29 from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. More than 75 exhibitors, including the Philadelphia Zoo, The Franklin Institute, the Academy of Natural Sciences, the Elmwood Park Zoo and the Insectarium, will take part in EarthFest 2011. School students of all ages are invited to attend and develop displays of their own. EarthFest partner the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society also offers its Kids Grow Expo, featuring the Junior Flower Show, as part of the event. For more information, call 267-468-8108 or e-mail duffyj@temple.edu.

Annual Spring Plant Sale May 7 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The plant sale  an Ambler Campus tradition dating back to the early 1900s  will feature woody plants and perennials in portable sizes, hardy trees, shrubs, and vines, native plants that are attractive to wildlife, herbs, and hanging baskets. There will also be numerous special plants for sale to highlight Amblers special anniversary year. Garden books and garden tools will also be available for sale. Students, staff, and volunteers from the Department of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture and the Ambler Arboretum Advisory Committee will be available to answer questions. All proceeds from the Spring Plant Sale will support the Ambler Arboretum Fund and the Pi Alpha Xi National Honor Society. Information: 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary.

June Homecoming/Louise Bush-Brown Garden Dedication June 5 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. (June Homecoming), Bright Hall Lounge; 2 p.m. (Garden Dedication), Ambler Campus Formal Perennial Gardens. Tickets  June Homecoming: Participant  $18 per person; Sustainer  $25 per person; Benefactor  $40 per person. The 2011 June Homecoming, sponsored by the School of Environmental Design Alumni Association, will include the Alumni Association annual meeting and luncheon. June Homecoming will be followed by the formal dedication of Temple University Amblers Formal Perennial Gardens as the Louise Bush-Brown Formal Gardens. During this 100th anniversary of the campus, Temple University Ambler and the Ambler Arboretum of the Temple University is honoring Louise Bush-Browns many contributions to the history of the campus by formally dedicating the gardens in her honor. During the program, campus Executive William Parshall will welcome guests, Ambler Arboretum Director Jenny Rose Carey will speak about the Bush-Browns and the history of the garden, and an official ribbon cutting will be held for the Louise Bush-Brown Formal Garden. Following the ribbon cutting, guests are invited to take a tour of the gardens, which will wend their way to the Campus Greenhouse for the School of Environmental Designs annual Plant Auction. Information (Garden Dedication): 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Information (June Homecoming): 215-482-0722. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary.

Northview Garden Tour and Fundraiser for the Ambler Arboretum June 12 from noon to 5 p.m. Call for reservations. Tickets: $15 per person or $20 at the door. In addition to the gardens of the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University, Arboretum Director Jenny Rose Carey has a garden oasis all her own right in Ambler  Northview. Visitors will have the opportunity to take self-guided tours throughout the many gardens, where garden experts will be available to answer questions about the various designs. The Ambler Keystone Chapter of the Womans National Farm and Garden Association will also provide tea and refreshments. All proceeds from the tours will support the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University. Information or to register: 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary.

The Senior Adult Activities Center of Montgomery County, 536 George Street, Norristown, will hold the following events:

SAAC Adult Day Care, an alternative to Nursing Home Care is available  for information call 610-275-1960

Volunteers are needed for Meals on Wheels Program (call the number above)

SAACs Fifth Avenue Boutique opens Monday through Friday from 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Exercise with Theresa will be held every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1 p.m.

Dance class is held every Monday at 10 a.m.

Tai Chi is held every Monday at 10 a.m.

Yoga is held every Tuesday at 10:30 a.m.

Line Dancing is held every Thursday at 10:30 a.m.

Dancing with Joan is held every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m.

Sculpture Class is held Wednesdays from 2 to 3:30 p.m.

Why Should I Learn Spanish? will be held Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m.

Generations On-Line computer classes for seniors will be held Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.  4 p.m.  computers are available during those hours.

Health Living will be held every Tuesday at 1 p.m.

Boomer U will hold the following events. Boomer U is located at 45 Forest Avenue, Ambler. Registration & payment is required for all events: 215-619-8863.

Pilates Class is held Wednesdays and Fridays at 9:30 a.m. First class is free; please bring a mat. For information call 610-291-5376.

Blue Bell School of Dance, 921 Penllyn Blue Bell Pike, Blue Bell, hosts Argentine Tango Classes and a Milonga dance party every Friday evening. Lessons start at 8:30 p.m. followed by dancing at 9:30 p.m. Andrew Conway, master Argentine Tango dancer, instructor and performer and his partner Linda Chase will instruct. All levels welcome and no partner is needed. Refreshments will be served. Fee is $12 per person and includes lesson and dancing. Information: 215-634-1101 or www.amoretango.com.

The Montgomery Hospital Medical Center will offer the following classes:

Childbirth Education Class- all parents are invited to participate, including those who are delivering at

other hospitals. For more information on maternity services or classes, call 610-270-2020.

CPR and First Aid Courses are offered for beginners to experiences health care providers. Call 610-270-2313.

The Ambler SAAC (Senior Adult Activities Center), located at 45 Forest Ave in Ambler will hold the following events:

Tai Chi every Monday and Thursday at 11 a.m.

Yoga is every Tuesday at 1 p.m. and Friday at 10:30 a.m.

Strength and balance training every Wednesday at 10 a.m.

Armchair Aerobics is held every Monday at 10 a.m.

Gourmet Weight Wise every Thursday at 12:30.

Fitness Center and Pool Room open daily 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

The Diabetes Education Center will offer day and evening classes each month. Health insurance pays for diabetes education classes. Preregistration is required. Call 610-270-2301.

For Kids & Families

The Ambler Kiwanis Club will host its annual Easter Egg Hunt April 26 at 10 a.m. in Ambler Borough Park, located just off of the intersection of Hendricks Street and Valley Brook Road. Members of the Wissahickon Key Club will assist Kiwanians in hiding thousands of wrapped chocolate eggs in a designated area of the park. Also hidden will be plastic colored eggs, which are redeemed for prizes. Elementary school children are separated by age.

Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation will hold its 21st annual Storybook Egg-Stravaganza April 15 fom 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Upper Dublin Township Building. Toddlers and preschoolers love this annual event where photo opportunities with favorite friends abound! Treasures are collected from UDP&Rs assortment of lifesize cutouts of favorite cartoon characters from Disney, Sesame Street, Nickelodeon and other well-known animation. Children can have their picture taken with Bugsy OHare; bring your own camera. And dont forget a basket for goodies! $7 for UD residents; $12 for non-residents. Pre-register at 215-643-1600 ext. 3443.

Splash Week is a free week-long program that teaches children and families basic swimming skills and water safety practices. All YMCA branches will host multiple classes each day from April 11 to 15. For more information, contact the Ambler Area YMCA at 215-628-9950.

Healthy Kids Day is April 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The day is filled with fun, engaging and artistic activities that cultivate healthy living as part of the YMCAs larger efforts to help more kids and families become physically active. All activities are free and open to the community. For more information, contact the Ambler YMCA at 215-628-9950. No reservation is required.

The Ambler Area YMCA has added several new programs for area youngsters. Classes are held late afternoons or evenings on various weekdays. For more information, visit philaymca.org or call 215-628-9950.

Basic Beading: Ages: 10+. Wednesdays 7 to 7:45 p.m. This class will teach you the fundamentals of wiring and stringing along with how color can be used to create unique and vibrant beadwork design. You will create various jewelry including earrings, bracelets, charm pendants and much more! Supplies will be provided. Bringing your own jewelry pliers or tools would be a plus.

Messin with the Masters: Ages: 8-12. Thursdays 7 to 7:45 p.m. Learn about some of the worlds greatest artists. You will be inspired to create your own Starry Night with oil pastels and tempera paints, a tissue paper painted Monet garden, a Picasso head using scraps of paper, a Georgia OKeeffe clay flower bowl and a Rousseau jungle collage.

Super Scientist: Ages: 5-7. Mondays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Well be concocting chemistry experiments such as making slime, mixing potions and having fun with magnet magic. Your budding little scientist will enhance his/her creative thinking and motor skills and to top it off will learn that science can be serious fun.

Wacky Junk Art: Ages: 8-12. Thursdays 6 to 6:45 p.m. Why throw it away! Instead join us to make household junk into aliens from outer space, wacky specs, crazy hats, body masks or a recycled train.

Globe Trotters: Ages: 4-6. Tuesdays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Youre never too young to start thinking globally. Each week, we explore a new country through crafts, games, music, stories and even some taste-testing. A perfect introduction to our great big world!

Crazy about Crafts: Ages: 5-7, Thursdays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Let your childs creative juices flow with our fun arts and crafts projects each week. Fine motor skills and creative thinking skills will be enhanced with this crafty class.

Come out and join the Ambler Area YMCAs Teen and Junior Leaders Club. Participants are given the freedom to plan community service projects year round and truly make a difference in the lives of people in need. Those in Teen and Junior Leaders also attend leadership retreats all along the East Coast three times a year and meet other leaders who are doing the same great work in their respective areas. Dont miss out on this inspiring opportunity. Teen Leaders, ages 13-17, meet every Wednesday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Junior Leaders, ages 10-12, will begin in the spring and will meet every Monday. For more information, contact Mike Miles, Teen Director, 215- 628-9950 x 1540 or mmiles@philaymca.org.

Did you know that the new Ambler Area YMCA holds childrens birthday parties at its site for members and non members as well. The Ambler Y does all the work from start to finish and birthday parties include a personalized cake, ice cream, beverage and paper products. Parties are held on Saturday and Sunday afternoons and include two party hosts to lead activities, set-up, clean-up and assist with serving. You can have a Splash Party for children ages six to 12 in the new zero depth entry pool with water slide and spray fountains. Up to 25 children have exclusive use of the pool area with 30 minutes in the party room. Sports Parties are offered for kids ages four to 12 with age appropriate activities and games, and sports such as floor hockey, soccer, basketball or dodge ball. Children ages three to five years of age will enjoy parties in the Family Active Center with use of the Moon Bounce and organized activities, such as parachute play and songs. For information, 215-628-9950 ext. 1583.

Community Events at the Ambler Y:

-YAchievers YMCA Achievers is a developmentally based, extracurricular, educational and team mentoring program designed to help students in grades five through 12 prepare for fulfilled livelihoods in college and beyond. Participation is free and all students in this program receive a free YMCA membership. Registration for the 2009 program begins now. You do not need to be a YMCA member to utilize these special services. Call 215-628-9950 to register.

Greater Norristown Art Leagues Childrens Weeklong Summer Art Camps will be held at 800 West Germantown Pike in East Norriton, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday throughout the summer. The cost per session is $125 per student for ages 6 and up. Jo Ann Cooksey Bono teaches an introduction to basic drawing skills and techniques from 10 a.m. until the lunch break each day. In the afternoon sessions, Mary Vogel Lozinak involves the students in hands on projects such as collage, papermaking, T-shirt printing, 3D design and sculpy clay. Fridays Graduation Day includes an art show, awards ceremony and reception for parents, siblings, grandparents and friends. All supplies are included. Students provide their own lunch. A refrigerator is available and the building is air-conditioned. This is the 15th year to run this successful program. Both instructors are professional artists with State Police and Child Abuse Clearances. To register, call Jo Ann at 610-279-1008, or register on-line at www.gnal.org.

Health

Dresher Physical Therapy is hosting an interactive seminar discussing its Golf Assessment Progam April 30 from 10 a.m. to noon at Dresher Physical Therapy, 1075 Virginia Drive, Suite 200, Fort Washington. Physical therapist Chris Miller, certified through the Titleist Performance Institute, will discuss why your body may be the most important piece of golf equipment you invest in and how this can drastically improve your game. $10 in advance; $15 at the door. Call 215-619-4545 to reserve your spot.

The Chestnut Hill Center for Enrichment, Center on the Hill and Chestnut Hill Hospital will host a Senior Health and Resource Fair April 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Chestnut Hill Presbyterian Church, 8855 Germantown Ave. The event is free. For more information, call 215-248-0180 or e-mail chseniors@cavtel.net.

The Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center is hosting Help Yourself to Health, a new six-week workshop for older adults with ongoing health conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure, anxiety, heart disease and others. The free workshop will take place at the Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center, 45 Forest Ave. on six Thursdays, May 12 through June 16 from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Although there is no charge to participate, registration is required. To register, call 215-619-8863.

The Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center is sponsoring an eight-week program called A Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns About Falls. Presented by the Montgomery County Health Department, this workshop will be held on Tuesdays, May 3 to June 21 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Ambler Center, 45 Forest Ave. If you pre-register by April 27, the fee is only $5! Registration at the first class is $10. (Checks should be payable to SAAC and will benefit our Meals on Wheels program that serves homebound seniors.) A workbook will be provided and refreshments will be served. Call 215-619-8863 to register or for more information.

Fort Washington Wellness Center classes are ongoing. There are several offered during lunch or right after work, for your convenience: Boot Camp from noon to 1 p.m. on Monday; Zumba is MWF from 11 a.m. to noon and Friday at 4 p.m.; there are 25 cycling classes; Ashtanga and Vinyasana Yoga and Pilates; and a group Womens Strength Training class M-F from 10 to 11 a.m. Questions, call Cathy DeMarco at 215-641-1245.

Following the success of other local area programs, Impact Sports and Upper Dublin Parks and Recreation are delighted to team up again to offer a spring program for the 2011 season! Upper Dublin area children ages 3-5 years old can attend a Sports Program featuring their favorite sports games; soccer, rugby, hockey, track and field, basketball, and more. The program will start on April 27 and run through June 1. Cost for the program is $85 for the six weeks. The classes will be running 12- 1 p.m.; 1- 2 p.m.; 2- 3 p.m. For more info or to register, call Upper Dublin Township on 215 643 1600 or visit their website a http://www.upperdublin.net.

Spring Aquatic Programs  UDHS Pool:

-Summer is just around the corner  Community Aquatic Programs at the UDHS Pool can help get you into shape! Programs begin in March; preregistration is required.

 Shallow Water Aerobics  Two 5-week programs, Wednesday nights, 8-8:45 p.m., $40R/$50NR.

 Adult Swim Instructions  Two 5-week programs, Wednesday nights, 7-8 p.m., $50R/$60NR

-Open Rec Swims are fun for the whole family! Come out on Fridays from 7-9 p.m. or Saturdays from 1-4 p.m. and enjoy use of the pool and diving area. Fridays are offered through June 17; Saturdays are offered March 12-May 21.

-Join a growing group of adult lap swimmers and water walkers. Lanes are set aside evenings and weekends for use; lanes are shared. Monday  Thursday from 7:30-9:30 p.m.; Fridays from 7-9 p.m. and Saturdays (March 12-May 21) from 1-4 p.m.

-Private Swimming & Diving Lessons for ages 3-adult are offered at the UDHS Pool through a partnership with the Upper Dublin Aquatic Club (UDAC). Visit the UDAC website for more information, www.udac.us, and click the link to UDHS Private Lessons.

-Looking for local programs for US Masters Swimming (adults) or Water Polo (all ages)? UDAC and UDSD are working together to develop programs that will be offered at the UDHS Pool. Add your name to Interest Lists by emailing slohoefer@upperdublin.net. emails will be sent about clinics and program start dates.

Questions about Community Aquatic Programs at the UDHS Pool, group use of the pool or pool rental? Contact Susan Lohoefer, Facility & Community Affairs Manager at slohoefer@upperdublin.net or call 215-643-8800 x8994.

SilverSneakers Fitness Program. The Healthyways SilverSneakers Fitness Program is a result-oriented program that enables older adults to take charge of their health. The program is an innovative blend of physical activity, healthy lifestyle and socially oriented programing. Members of the program are eligible for a free YMCA membership, with use of the pool and exercise equipment, along with customized classes designed for older adults who want to improve their strength, flexibility, balance and endurance. If you are a subscriber to Independence Blue Cross (Personal Choice 65 PPO) or Keystone 65 HMO, Bravo Health, or Health Options Programs (HOP), call the Ambler Area YMCA, 215-628-9950 or Hatboro Area YMCA, 215-674-4545. You can also visit www.silversneakers.com.

Zumba Fitness offers Zumba dance/fitness classes at Academy of Dance and Music/BBAD Studio located at 1524 DeKalb Pike in Blue Bell (behind Sherwin Williams). Classes are offered three times a week: Tuesdays at 6 p.m., Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 8 a.m. For a free trial pass for your first class, email us at info@danceandmusic.biz or call 610-277-2557. For more info, visit our site at www.academyofdanceandmusic.org.

Chestnut Hill Health Systems presents the following Health Education Programs:

FITNESS CLASSES

Golden Yoga: A Breathing, Stretching and Relaxation Class. Fridays, 2:30-3:30 p.m. Lea Auditorium, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. Registration for four classes at a time required. Golden Yoga is Classical Yoga, adapted by the SKY Foundation, to accommodate those who have difficulty getting up and down from the floor. The program includes postures, breathing, relaxation and meditation techniques, all performed while sitting in a chair and standing. Registration required. Call 215-247-3029. Cost: $20 for 4 classes per month.

Tai Chi: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 8:30  9:30 a.m. Springfield Residence, 8601 Stenton Ave. Classes, for the novice or beginner/intermediate student, are designed to improve balance, power, posture, coordination, flexibility and mental focus. Slow, gentle movements are modified to most everyones abilities. For more information or to sign up for a free introductory class, call 215-882-2804. Cost: $8 per class/paid monthly.

SUPPORT GROUPS

Weight Loss Surgery Support Group: Fourth Wednesday of the month, 7-8 p.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia. Join us for a monthly get-together where well share information for those interested in weight loss surgery, learn from guest speakers discussing current news on issues including lifestyle modification, nutrition and exercise and provide ongoing support for those who have completed surgery. Registration required. Call 215-753-2000.

Breast Cancer Networking Group: Fourth Tuesday of the month 5:30  7 p.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia. A free, confidential support group for women living with a diagnosis of breast cancer designed to provide a forum for sharing information, feelings and concerns associated with breast cancer. Facilitated by Tish Wakefield, LCSW, Oncology Social Worker. Registration required. To register or for more information, call 215-248-8047.

New Moms Support Groups Tuesdays 10:30 a.m.  12 p.m.; contact Jeanine ORourke, MSW or 2:30  4 p.m.; contact Susan Schack, Ph.D Volunteer Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. The Center for Postpartum Depression at Chestnut Hill Hospital is pleased to offer two new support groups to support new moms. Both groups will be run by experienced mental health professionals who really get it when it comes to new motherhood and juggling relationships, extended family, work/family balance and self-care. If you are experiencing new mom challenges that often heighten anxiety and involve hormonally driven depression, join us for an informative and supportive forum to connect with other moms. Infants are welcome. $30 per session (flexible based on need). Registration is required. Call Dr. Schack, 646-265-2484, or Ms. ORourke, 215-206-2931.

Man to Man Prostate Cancer Support Group Third Thursday of the month 8-9 a.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. A networking group for men diagnosed with prostate cancer designed to provide education, support and encouragement. Spouses and partners welcome. Harry M. Baer, MD, Chief, Urology Division, will host Ask the Doctor. Registration required. Call 215-248-8325.

Contact the Senior Center by phone 215-248-0180 or email (chseniors@cavtel.net) with your questions about these programs or any of our on-going activities and classes.

Holy Redeemer HomeCare and Hospice seeks compassionate and emotionally mature volunteers to provide support to local hospice patients and their families in Bucks, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. Volunteers may also assist with pet therapy and administrative work within the hospice department and are requested to have daytime availability. Hospice patient care volunteers visit with patients in their homes or nursing facilities once a week for two to three hours. They provide emotional support and companionship to patients and family members, assist with errands or provide respite for caregivers. Bereavement volunteers support the families of hospice patients following the loss of a loved one, while administrative volunteers assist with typing, mailings and/or filing. Hospice care workers provide a great service to families and loved ones of hospice patients. Many volunteers also report a great deal of personal satisfaction as a result of their services. Patient care and bereavement volunteers complete an application and attend an 18-hour volunteer training program that covers the medical, psychological and spiritual aspects of hospice volunteering. Day and evening training programs are offered. To sign up for volunteer opportunities in Pennsylvania, contact Holy Redeemer Volunteer Coordinator Jean Francis at 215-698-3737 or email jfrancis@holyredeemer.com.

Librarytalk

Upper Dublin Public Library, 805 Loch Alsh Avenue, Ft. Washington, 215-628-8744

www.upperdublinlibrary.org

APRIL CHILDRENS PROGRAMS:

Storytimes: Please register in the library.

o Wee Ones: 0 to 23 months Thursdays and Fridays 10:30 to 10:50 a.m.

o Tiny Tots: age 2. Wednesdays 10:30 to 10:50 a.m. and Fridays 11 to 11:20 a.m.

o Jr. Book Lovers: ages 3 to 6. Tuesdays 10:30 to 11 a.m.

o Bedtime Storytimes: 7 to 7:30 p.m. April 20 and 27. Wear your jammies, bring your teddy & hear Miss Barbara read bedtime stories! For ages 3 to 6.

APRIL TEEN PROGRAMS:

North Hills Library Teens April 28 from 4 to 6 p.m. Movie Matinee

APRIL UDPL ADULT PROGRAMS:

NEW! ESL Conversation Group. Tuesdays from 7 to 8 p.m. Interested in practicing your English in a safe and caring environment? Come to our conversation group and improve your skills! Please register with Kay Klocko at 215-628-8744 or kklocko@mclinc.org.

One-on-One Computer Mentoring. Get personalized assistance from experienced computer volunteers! Sign-up for a one-hour session. Limit one session per month. Please register  contact info above.

Book Groups Please register with Kay Klocko 215-628-8744.

o Daytimers: April 21 at 1:30 p.m. Tired of book groups where you all read the same book? Read any fiction or non-fiction book on this months theme: Explorers. Please register.

Meetings:

Annual Meeting of the Friends of UDPL: April 14 at 1 p.m.

Board of Directors: April 20 at 7 p.m.

Blue Bell Library www.wvpl.org Upcoming Events: The Wissahickon Valley Public Library, 650 Skippack Pike (Route 73) in Blue Bell, is diagonally across from the Blue Bell Inn. Call 215-643-1320 or visit their website at www.wvpl.org.

For children and teens at Blue Bell:

* Story times with guitar music by Miss Michelle, the singing librarian.

* Mondays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages.

* Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m. for all ages.

* Fridays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages.

* Family Movies, new releases, second Saturdays of the month at 1:30 p.m.

* May 14  Despicable Me

* June 11  Alpha and Omega

* Special Events

* April  watch for date of spring/Easter events

* April 14 at 4:30 p.m.  Junior Lego Club for children ages 3 through 5. Parents and caregivers need to stay with children.

* April 14 at 7 p.m.  Jeopardy for ages 11 to 18. Test your book and library knowledge for prizes. Sign up to be a contestant. No sign up to be in the audience. Snacks provided.

* April 16 at 1 p.m.  Adult Mystery Book Group discussing The Beekeepers Apprentice by Laurie King.

* April 16 at 1:30 p.m.  Childrens event for One Book, Every Young Child celebration. Story and craft for book Whose Shoes?

* April 19 at 7 p.m. and April 26 at 1:30 p.m.- Adult book group discusses The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester. Group led by Adam Button.

* April 30 through May 3  Friends book sale with about 10,000 items for sale for children, teens and adults.

* May  sign up for Science in the Summer

* June  sign up for Enrichment Programs for Elementary-Age children

* June  sign up for Summer Reading, all ages

For adults at Blue Bell:

* Daytime Book Discussion Group  fourth Tuesday, Jan  April at 1:30 p.m.

* April 26  The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester

* Night-time Book Discussion Group  third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m.

o April 19  The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester

* Art Series with Dr. Sheldon Weintraub, docent at The Barnes and speaker at local colleges

o April 27 at 2 p.m. The Art of Looking at Art-Is She Nude or Is She Naked?

*Mystery Book Discussion Group, third Saturday of the month at 1 p.m.; new mystery theme each month; www.wvpl.org/programs

* Yoga on Mondays at 1:30 p.m. $20 for eight classes; $5 per drop-in class.

* Tai Chi on Mondays at 3 p.m. with Dr. Kurt Findeisen. $20 for eight classes; $5 per drop in class.

* Philadelphia Museum of Art presents class on their Marc Chagall exhibit, April 13 at 2 p.m.

* Giant Book Sale, April 29  May 3

o Starts with almost 10,000 items for children and adults!

o Held during library hours.

o Preview for members of the Friends of the Library, April 28 at 7 p.m.

o Join the Friends and attend the preview sale. Modest fee to join.

* Blooms at Blue Bell Gardening Series

o May 11 at 1 p.m.  Summer Bulbs by PA Horticultural Society

* Knitting group Mondays and Wednesdays at 10 a.m. Work on your project or observe and learn. The groups continue year-round in the community room.

* Socrates Cafe discussion group every Monday at 7 p.m. You pick the topic to discuss each week. No sign-up, nothing to read.

* Bridge every Friday at 12:30 p.m. New players welcome.

* Mah Jong every Wednesday at 1 p.m. New players welcome.

*Chess every Wednesday at 7p.m. for adults and teens 14 and older.

* Movie Matinee showing recent releases every Thursday at 2 p.m. April 14: Maos Last Dancer; April 21: Welcome to the Rileys; April 28: Conviction; May 5: Inception; May 12: Inside Job; May 19 The Kings Speech; May 26 The Fighter; June 2 Rabbit Hole; June 9 Black Swan; June 16 127 Hours

* Ongoing like-new, year-round book sale for adults & children during library hours

* Library opening at 10 a.m. Monday through Saturday!

Ambler Library, a branch of the Wissahickon Valley Public Library, 209 Race St., 215-646-1072. www.wvpl.org. All the following events occur at the Ambler Library.

* Story times with guitar music by Miss Michelle, the singing librarian.

* Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages.

* Thursdays at 4:30 p.m. for all ages.

* For adults:

* Beading Group meets the first and third Monday of every month at 1 p.m. Work on your own projects or come to watch and learn.

* Free Family History Lookup with Connie Briggs. Email Connie for an appointment at the Ambler Library. conniebriggs@comcast.net

* Special Events:

* April 14 at 1:30 p.m.  Book Group discusses Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian.

* April 19 at 7 p.m.  Travel to Paris with world traveler Harry Balin. Tea and scones at 6:30 p.m.

* April 21 at 7 p.m.  Art with Sara for children in fourth through seventh grades.

*May 2 at 6:30 p.m.  Discuss the movie Lone Star with Temple Professor Lisa Hawkins. Watch the movie ahead of time.

*May 10  Robert Capucci discusses Art into Fashion. Tea and scones served at 6:30 p.m. Program at 7 p.m.

*May 12 at 1:30p.m.  Book Group discusses The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman.

*May 17  Tour the gardens of Devon and Southwest England with Lois McMullen. Tea and Scones at 6:30 p.m. Program at 7 p.m.

*June 13 at 6:30 p.m.  Discuss the movie Blade Runner with Temple Professor Lisa Hawkins. Watch the movie ahead of time.

Meetings and Lectures

The Unisys Blue Bell Retiree Group will meet in the Church on the Mall in the Plymouth Meeting Mall April 14 at 1:30 p.m. Kathy Sacket Young, director/trainer with the North Penn YMCA, will speak on Keeping Fit in Retirement. For more information, contact Membership Committee Chairperson Jerry Feldscher at 610-275-3538 or President Al Rollin at 215-368-4833.

The next FWBA meeting will be April 28 at the Hilton Garden Inn Fort Washington. Networking begins at 11:30 a.m.; meeting from noon to 1 p.m. Leon Singletary, Principal, First Contact HR and FWBA Executive Board, will present: Social Media: How to Use It To Get More Business. Lunch is provided courtesy of the Hilton Garden Inn Fort Washington. Members are welcome to bring a guest. An RSVP is requested by return email or 215-628-0313.

Big Brothers Big Sisters Southeastern PA is hosting a information sessions over the next few weeks on how to become a Big Brother. The information sessions will take place: April 16 at noon, April 19 at 8 a.m. and April 28 at 6 p.m. All sessions will be held at the groups Norristown Office,t 530 DeKalb St., Norristown. For more information, call 610-277-2200.

The North Penn Chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) normally meets on the third Tuesday of each month from now until May. Meetings are held at the William Penn Inn on Route 202 and Sumneytown Pike, Upper Gwynedd, PA. Social hour starts at 5:30 p.m., dinner is served at 6:30 p.m., and the technical program begins at 7 p.m. Cost with reservation is $28 for members. Members without reservations and guests pay $30. Students with reservations pay $15. Reservations may be made by noon on the Monday preceding the meeting by phoning 215-371-1854 or emailing the reservation to northpennima@yahoo.com northpennima@yahoo.com. Information about the North Penn Chapter is available at http://northpenn.imanet.org/.

LeTip, a professional organization of men and women who are dedicated to the highest standards of competence and service meets every Tuesday at Cedar Brook Country Club, 180 Penllyn Pike, Blue Bell at 7 a.m. -meeting officially starts at 7:16 a.m. and ends at 8:31 a.m. Our purpose is the exchange of business tips, leads, and referrals. Each business category is represented by one member and conflicts of interest are disallowed. Guests are welcome to visit any of our breakfast meetings.

Every third Thursday of month, Sunrise Assisted Living of Blue Bell (795 Penllyn Pike, Blue Bell, PA 19422, 215-619-2777) serves as a satellite site to 148th Legislative district PA congressman Mike Gerber from 10 a.m. to noon. Stop by for help needed with things such as disability placards and license plates, vehicle registration, utilities issues, birth/death certificates,property tax/rent rebates, etc. Notary services arranged by appointment.

The Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce is an action-oriented organization dedicated to promoting its members and the economic health of eastern Montgomery county. The Chamber is committed to serving as a catalyst by uniting business, community agencies, government and education to make our county a great place to live and work. For information, call 215-887-5122 or visit www.emccc.org.

Do you have a fear of public speaking? Blue Bell Toastmasters Club can help. We meet from 7 to 9 p.m., on the second and fourth Tuesday at the Marriott Courtyard, located on Route 202, directly across from the Montgomeryville Mall. Learn how to improve communication and leadership skills in a friendly and supportive environment. Guests are welcome. Admission fee: $5. For more info, visit www.bbtoast.org.

The PennSuburban Chamber of Commerce will hold the following meetings (for reservations to any of the following, email info@PennSuburban.org)

-Breakfast News Network, 7:30-8:45 a.m. at Normandy Farm Hotel (1401 Morris Road, Blue Bell, PA 19422) $15 members, includes full buffet breakfast. Join us for a networking program at Normandy Farm Hotel every Thursday morning for breakfast, business news, informative speakers, and plenty of networking. The cost includes a full breakfast buffet. Copies of the business cards will be made available to those who would like them.

The BNI, Fort Washington Chapter meets every Monday at The Hilton Garden Inn, 520 Pennsylvania Ave., Fort Washington for a networking meeting. Meetings are from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. Visitors are welcome. The only cost to attend is the cost of your meal. For information or a reservation to attend, please call Luanne Cram at 215-947-7784, or visit our Internet site at: http://www.BNIDVR.Com and click on the menu item Find a Chapter.

For the past seven years, people have enjoyed participating in WVWAs Adopt-a-Tree program. Individuals can support the Association in its reforestation efforts by purchasing native trees to be planted. Supporters can plant their adopted tree or have WVWA volunteers will plant it. Trees cost $30 each. If you would like to volunteer or purchase a tree(s), please contact: Bob Adams at Bob@wvwa.org or call: 215-646-8866 for more information. Check www.WVWA.org for directions and maps.

Sustainable Upper Dublin, http://sustainableupperdublin.org, meets the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m., at the Upper Dublin Township Building, 801 Loch Alsh Avenue, Fort Washington, PA 19034. Please send any questions to suec@sustainableupperdublin.org or call 610-996-6316. To learn more about Sustainable Upper Dublin, view or join the discussion at http://googlegroups.com/group/sustainableupperdublin.

Special Events

The Mattie N. Dixon Community Cupboard will hold its first nutrition class April 19 at 10 a.m. at the Community Cupboard, 150 N. Main St., Ambler. Lynne Sinclair, a nutritionist from Abington Memorial Hospital specializing in diabetic nutrition, will conduct the class. Topics will include healthy eating, beneficial foods, recipes, making meals with every day foods, and how to use unfamiliar produce. A healthy snack will be provided.The class is is open to all residents in Montgomery County.

The Historical Society of Fort Washington presents The History of Conshohocken April 19 at 8 p.m. at the Clifton House, 473 Bethlehem Pike, Fort Washington. Jack Coll will present an illustrated program on the history of the Borough of Conshohocken. Coll is a longtime resident of Conshohocken and a member of the Conshohocken Historical Society. He is co-author with his son, Brian, of the Arcadia Then and Now Series book Conshohocken. He has also done books Conshohocken and West Conshohocken Sports and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Italian Feast. He has taken many photos for the Conshohocken Record and the Norristown Times Herald. This program is free. Refreshments will be served. For additional information, call 215-646-6065.

Taste of the White House Soiree featuring former White House Chef Walter Scheib will take place April 29 at 6 p.m. at Manufacturers Golf & Country Club in Fort Washington to celebrate HealthLinks 10th anniversary and honor its founders, the Eugene Jackson Family. The evening will heat up with a Chef Meet & Greet, followed by a specially selected presidential menu. Gala tickets are $150 per person. Proceeds benefit HealthLink, a free clinic providing compassionate, quality medical and dental care to uninsured, working adults in Bucks and Montgomery counties who fall in between the health care cracks. Go to http://tasteofthewhitehouse.charityhappenings.org to make reservations online or lend support through sponsorship. For event information, call 267-699-0124 or email jmarushak@healthlinkmedical.org.

The Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association will hold an open house at the Evans-Mumbower Mill April 17 from 1 to 4 p.m. The Mill is at the corner of Swedesford and Township Line Roads in Upper Gwynedd. The open house is free but donations are welcome. For more information, call 215-646-8866 o email info@wvwa.org.

The Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce will host Breakfast With Your County Commissioners and State Representatives April 21 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the Holiday Inn Fort Washington, 432 W. Pennasylvania Ave. Commissioners: James R. Matthews (Chairman), Joseph M. Hoeffel (Vice Chair), State Representatives: Todd Stephens (District 151) and Josh Shapiro (District 153). Register onlineat www.emccc.org. $10 for EMCCC member; $20 for non-members.

Upper Dublins Districtwide Allied Art Show will be held April 27 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. in the Upper Dublin High School Athletic Complex.

The Rev. Alfred Muli, chaplain at Fort Washington Estates, will be the featured speaker at the Kiwanis sponsored breakfast observing the National Day of Prayer May 5 at 7 a.m. at the William Penn Inn. The breakfast is open to the public ($15). Reservations can be made by calling 215-646-4356 or by emailing georgesaurman@Juno.com.

The Upper Dublin Shade Tree Commission invites people to participate in its spring bare root planting events, sponsored in part by Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation and Friends of Robbins Park. On April 9, zix trees will be planted at the Evelyn B. Wright Park & Community Pool, 401 Logan Ave., North Hills, at 9 a.m., followed by the planting of 10 trees at Sheeleigh Park, Loch Alsh Avenue and Douglas Street, Ambler, at 10:15 a.m. On April 29, students from Upper Dublin High School will join the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society to plant 16 trees in Robbins Park, Butler Pike and Meetinghouse Road, Ambler, to help launch the societys Million Trees campaign. This event will occur in conjunction with Temple Amblers EarthFest. Experienced tree-tenders are sought to assist the students. For more information,contact Ron Ayres at 215-653-0421 or 215-483-4348.

The Friends of the Wissahickon and the Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association are teaming up once again to clean the Wissahickon Creek from top to bottom April 30 from 9 a.m. to noon. This spring marks the 41st anniversary of Wissahickon Valley Watershed Associations annual Creek Clean Up, and the second year that FOW has teamed up with WVWA. Volunteers of all ages will clean the creek, the surrounding trails and the many tributaries of the Wissahickon Creek. Armed with bags, volunteers will be assigned to sections of the creek. Following the clean up, all volunteers are invited to WVWAs Talkin Trash picnic in Fort Washington State Park, with food provided by Whole Foods Market of North Wales. The pavilion is located on Mill Road in Flourtown. To help out in Montgomery County, all volunteers must be pre-assigned a section of the Wissahickon Creek to clean. Please contact Bob Adams, WVWA director of stewardship, at 215-646-8866 ext. 14 or bob@wvwa.org. To work with the Friends of the Wissahickon in Philadelphia, meet at the pavilion along Forbidden Drive, a short distance south of the intersection of Forbidden Drive and Northwestern Avenue. Limited parking is available along Northwestern Avenue and other nearby streets. Volunteers are encouraged to bike or carpool to the event. To participate, register at www.fow.org. Contact Kevin Groves with questions at 215-247-0417 ext. 105 or groves@fow.org.

Montgomery County Community Colleges International Club invites the community to the second annual International Festival April 20 from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Central Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The rain date is April 26. The International Club will transform the outside quad area into multicultural celebration with various performances by dancers, singers and musicians. Artists will share their artwork at various display tables. Activities include games, raffles, Easter egg decorating and henna tattoos. Students will have samples of international cuisine at tables representing different countries and will serve food from various local ethnic restaurants. Throughout the evening, volunteers will accept donations and will raffle gift baskets and prizes to raise funds for Habitat for Humanity. Donations of food, international clothes and prizes are needed. Volunteers, including artists and performers, are welcome. For more information or to sponsor an activity, contact Gillian Nel, International Club president, at gnel9277@students.mc3.edu or 267-974-0163.

The Arts and Humanities Division at Montgomery County Community College is partnering with the Philadelphia Writers Conference to host Memoirs Matter: How Life Stories (Including Yours) Can Transform Your Relationship to Literature April 23 from 1 to 3 p.m. in Advanced Technology Center room 101, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The event is free and open to the public. In the first part of this two-hour seminar, professor and author Robert Waxler will explain how writing his two memoirs affected his life as well as his relationship to literature. In the second part, blogger and workshop leader Jerry Waxler will present a sequence of steps to help writers find their own story. For information, contact Dana Resente at dresente@mc3.edu.

The Maple Glen Garden Club will hold its fourth annual Plant Sale on May 7 from 8 to 11 a.m. Perennials, shrubs, vegetables and native plants grown by the club members will be sold. The club uses the plant sale proceeds to fund community projects, a college scholarship and community plantings. The sale will be held in the 500 block of Coach Road, Horsham, as part of a neighborhood garage sale. Plants will be sold at bargain prices. For more information, email MapleGlenGardenClub@gmail.com.

The Relay for Life Craft Show is looking for local crafters to participate in show, which will be May 21 from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Wissahickon High School track, 521 Houston Road, Ambler. There is a $10 entry fee, and 20 percent of sales are donated to the American Cancer Society. Participants will receive a 6-foot table under a tent. For information, contact Joanne at joannescoles@comcast.net or Mindy at mcamsilver@comcast.net.

Spring House Estates is hosting its annual book fair on April 18 from 4 to 7 p.m. and April 9 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Included will be hardback and paperback used books. Spring House Estates is located at 728 Norristown Road, Lower Gwynedd.

The PennSuburban Chamber of Commerce will present the Penn Suburban/Hatfield Joint Business Card Exchange April 20 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Univest Bank Lansdale Area Financial Service Center, 120 Forty Foot Road, Hatfield. The event is free. To make reservations, visit PennSuburban.org/Events. Join Univest National Bank and Trust Co. for a spring-inspired Business Card Exchange at its newest office in the Hatfield Pointe Shopping Center. Come out and meet members of Univests executive management team while enjoying fine food and beverages.

13th Annual Community Reading Day Kick-off Breakfast Get Together April 26 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the North Wales Area Library, 233 Swartley St., North Wales. The event is free. To make reservations, visit PennSuburban.org/Events. For more information, contact the chamber office at 215-362-9200 or info@pennsuburban.org. Join presenting sponsor Verizon, chamber staff and fellow members for the Community Reading Day volunteer get together. The Community Reading Day program allows volunteers to read a designated book to second-grade students throughout 38 area public and private schools and present the book as a gift to each class. Even if you are not a volunteer, you are cordially invited to stop by to network, enjoy coffee and pastries.

Ambler Mennonite Church is hosting a Spring Craft Show and Flea Market May 21 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Rain date will be May 28. The community is invited to shop the great craft booths, find some gifts and deals, as well as enjoy home baked goods and tasty lunch specials. Childrens activities are planned. All vendors are encouraged to contact the church at 215-643-4876 or AmblerMennonite@verizon.net. Advertising, signage, customer parking and a shuttle to auxiliary parking at nearby lots for vendors will be provided. 10 foot by 10 foot spaces can be rented for $5 each and tables for an additional $5 each. All proceeds from space and table rentals go toward school kits for children around the world. The church is located at the corner of East Mt. Pleasant Avenue and North Spring Garden Street, Ambler.

The Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association presents The Life & Times of Aquatic Insects in the Wissahickon Creek April 16 from 1 to 3 p.m. Join WVWA for a hands-on program. RSVP required: www.wvwa.org or 215-646-8866. WVWA member fee: $5 per person / $15 per family. Non-WVWA member fee: $10 per person / $20 per family.

The photography exhibition Natures Palette by photo-artist Judy Miller will run March 18 to May 19 at the Art in the Storefront gallery, 41 E. Butler Pike, Ambler.

JPRN  Networking For People in Transition & People Who Can Help Them  Unemployment remains high. JPRN, the Jarrettown Professional Relationship Network can help. Are you trying to network your way to a new job? Do you have expertise or contacts that can help people in transition? Is your company or organization looking for people in the area? This is a free outreach program to support those seeking work, involve people with contacts and networking know how, and involve local companies. Meetings held monthly at Jarrettown United Methodist Church, Limekiln Pike.

Pennsylvanias Low-Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) grant program is now open for the 2010-11 heating season. Grants are based on income, family size, type of heating fuel and region. Additional information, such as specific income limits, and applications for LIHEAP grants are available online via the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Access to Social Services (COMPASS) website at www.compass.state.pa.us. Applications are available at most public officals district offices, county assistance offices, local utility companies and community service agencies, such as Area Agencies on Aging or community action agencies.

Begin your holiday shopping at Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation! Entertainment books for 2011, Philadelphia North, are now on sale at $30 each. Regal/United Artists movie tickets are on sale for just $7.50 each, and tickets to the Adventure Aquarium, Baltimore Aquarium, and the Philadelphia Zoo are also available. Discounted ski vouchers to area mountains will be arriving in December; call 215-643-1600 x3443 for more information. Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation office hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

RSVP of Montgomery County and the Wissahickon Valley Public Library have partnered again to offer the public their popular free mock interview sessions. The mock interviews are conducted by RSVP volunteers who are retired professionals, some of whom were in hiring positions themselves. Packets of information which include a sample employment application and interviewing tips with mock interview questions are available at the library to pick up prior to a scheduled mock interview or will be sent via email once the interview is scheduled. To schedule your interview, please contact Janis Glusman at RSVP 610-834-1040, ext. 16. The library is also offering a free resume review service. Bring in your current resume and the professional reference staff will assist you with hints and tips on capturing your work history accurately.

Registration for Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation summer playgrounds, Camp B.I.G. and Small Folks, X-Zone, and sports camps has began. Register online at www.upperdublin.net/store, or at the UDP&R office, 801 Loch Alsh Avenue, Fort Washington. Call 215-643-1600 x3443 for more information.

Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation and Danielles Espresso Cafe presents Mornings at Mondaug Bark Park April 16 and May 21 from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Meet fellow dog lovers. These events include complimentary coffee, treats for people and pups and raffles/giveaways.

Upper Dublins Annual Spring Flea Market will be held June 4 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Reserve a table, or come and shop. Tables are $15 for UD residents, $20 for non-residents. This successful event occurs rain or shine. Refreshments available. Call 215-643-1600 ext. 3443 to register for a table.

Regal movie tickets available for purchase at Upper Dublin Township Parks & Recreation. Reduced rate: $7.50 per ticket. Some restrictions apply. Call 215-643-1600 x3443.

Whitpain Township Parks & Recreation movie tickets $7.50 Regal Cinemas, United Artist & Edwards Cinemas on sale throughout the year Monday  Friday from 9 a.m.  4 p.m.

Whitpain Township Parks & Recreation Camp Sign-ups for Stony Creek Day Camp  Stony Creek Tracers and Park n Tots. Register on-line at www.whitpaintownship.org OrCome to Township Building with check or Visa MasterCard Monday  Friday from 9 a.m.  4 p.m. For additional information call 610.277-2400 ext. 374

Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation offers exciting new programs for the fall:

-Returning favorites include UK Elite Petite Soccer, Tiny Dancers, Kiddie Tennis, Fun-nastics, Messy Playtime, Little Chefs, and more. Babysitters Training will be offered in November and December. Continuing Adult Fitness Classes include Cardio Circuit, Core & More, Yoga, Boxing, and Adult G.Y.M. For more information call 215-643-1600 x3443. Register for programs online at www.upperdublin.net/store.

Music and Theater

The community is invited to a Cantors Concert April 16 at 8 p.m. Congregation Beth Or, 239 Welsh Road, Maple Glen. Listen and hum-along to the Yiddish, pop tunes and classical music performed by Congregation Beth Ors own Cantor David Green and his special guest, Cantor Irvin Bell, from Temple Beth Israel in Deerfield Beach, Fla. The cantors will be accompanied by Mark Sobol and his Klezmer musicians. Tickets are $18 in advance and $25 at the door. RSVP with payment to Barb Murtha, 239 Welsh Road, Maple Glen, PA 19002, or call 215-646-5806 ext. 220.

Gwynedd Friends Coffeehouse will host the Jameson Sisters May 14. Doors open at 7:30 pm, performance at 8:00 pm. Gwynedd Friends Coffeehouse is located at the corner of Rte. 202 & Sumneytown Pike, Gwynedd. $5 suggested donation. Light refreshment available at a modest cost. For further information, call 215-393-9576 or visit gwyneddmeeting.org/coffeehouse.html.

Celebrate patriotism through song with Gwynedd-Mercy Colleges choir, the Voices of Gwynedd, as it presents Hear America Singing April 15 at 8 p.m. The choir will perform song selections from all over the country, including Georgia on My Mind, New York State of Mind, and a medley including Philadelphia Freedom and Allentown. The performance will end with When the Saints Go Marching In to acknowledge the choirs upcoming tour in New Orleans. Hear America Singing will take place in the Julia Ball Auditorium, located in St. Bernard Hall. Parking is available in lots A, C and D. Admission is free.

The Choristers will present Anton Dvoraks Stabat Mater April 16 at 7:30 p.m. at Upper Dublin Lutheran Church in Ambler. The choir will be accompanied by a 41-piece orchestra. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for senior citizens, $10 for students and children are free. Tickets will be sold in advance or at the door. For more information, call 215-542-7871 or visit TheChoristers.org

Religious News

The Staircase Gallery at Or Hadash: A Reconstructionist Congregation in Fort Washington will feature the work of Emily Ennuat-Lustine. The artist will be showing paintings and graphics inspired by her own personal spiritual journey and quest for meaning. Some of the works to be shown have been inspired by Biblical Psalms and writings. Her work has been shown at Abington Art Center, Cheltenham Arts Center and Old City Gallery of Jewish Art among others. The exhibition is open Friday evenings starting Feb. 18 after Shabbat services. Gallery hours are: Mondays through Thursdays 10-4:30, Fridays 10-3 and following Shabbat Services and Sundays 10-1. The synagogue is located at 190 Camp Hill Road in Fort Washington. For additional information contact the synagogue office at 215-283-0276.

Reunions

St. Matthews High School Conshohocken Class of 1961 is looking for classmates. For details, contact Greg Marincola at 215-646-2239, 215-740-1296 or gregcola@comcast.net.

Olney High School Class of 1971 is Lloking for classmates for a 40th reunion Oct. 28. For details, contact Judy at ohsclassof71@yahoo.com or 215-870-7572.

Abington High School Class of 1961 is seeking classmates for a 50-year reunion to be held Oct. 14-15, 2011.Visit the website, www.abington61.com, for details or call 215-947-1779.

Overbrook High School class of January 1956 is having a 55 year reunion on May 22, 2011 at the Bala Golf Club in Philadelphia. For information please contact overbrookreunion56@comcast.net

Germantown High School Class Of January 1961 is looking for classmates for 50th year reunion to take place in May of 2011. Please contact: 215-362-9148, 856-577-0659 or samdelcomo@comcast.net

The June 1961 class of Germantown High School is holding their 50th reunion on May 15, which will be a brunch. For further details please contact Linda Dorfman Alten at lindaalten@yahoo.com or call 215-441-8411.

Support

New Life Presbyterian Church in Dresher, will host GriefShare, a special seminar and support group which will run on Monday evenings from 7 to 9 p.m., from March 7 through June 6. At each meeting there will be a DVD about the grief process, discussion and reference to a grief workbook. Preregistration is required to secure a place in the group and to purchase a GriefShare notebook (for a one-time fee of $15). The notebook goes along with the 13-week schedule covering such topics as: living with grief, the effects of grief, and stuck in grief. For more information or to register, call: Sandy Elder at 215-884-5149.

PUPS (People Understanding Parkinsons) A self-help group for those adjusting to a new diagnosis or dealing with the early stages of Parkinsons Disease. Meets fourth Tuesday of the month from 1 to 2:30 p.m., at Abington Health Center, Schilling Campus, Willowood Building, 2510 Maryland Road, Suite 251, Willow Grove. For more information or to RSVP, contact Lorna at 215-542-2931.

The North Penn Visiting Nurse Associations Meals on Wheels program is looking for volunteers to pack or deliver meals to the elderly and infirmed. Meals are packed and delivered mornings, Monday through Friday. You can volunteer for as many days per week or month as you would like. Packaging meals requires approximately 2-1/2 hours of your time each day and involves making sandwiches, packaging food into individual serving containers and packing coolers with the meals. Delivering meals requires approximately 1-1/2 hours of your time each day and involves loading coolers into your car and delivering a route of approximately 10 to 15 stops. The Meals on Wheels program is also in need of emergency, winter-weather volunteers to pack and deliver meals in bad weather. North Penn VNA is located at 51 Medical Campus Drive in Lansdale and delivers meals in the Lansdale, North Wales and Blue Bell areas. For more information or to volunteer, please call Bridget, North Penn VNA Meals on Wheels coordinator at 215-855-8296.

Elkins Park Area CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) meets the first Tuesday of every month, 7- 8:30 p.m., at Einstein at Elkins Park Hospital in Elkins Park. For information on CHADD or ADHD, please see our website www.chadd.net/249 or call Claire Noyes at: 215-779-6656.

Center for Loss and Bereavement, 3847 Skippack Pike, Skippack (610-222-4110) www.bereavementcenter.org Offers professional counseling for individuals, couples, children and families dealing with issues of loss and bereavement. Six-week adult support groups: Newly forming young adult grief support group  every other Wednesday, 7  8:15 p.m. (free of charge); Monthly loss of child support  second Mondays, 7-8:15 p.m.; Six-week young loss of spouse/partner  Thursdays, 10-11:15 a.m.; Other groups scheduled as interest is shown for suicide loss support, adult loss of parent, motherless daughters, adult loss of sibling, coping with chronic illness and disability and mens loss of spouse. Nellos Corner Family Bereavement program offers peer grief support groups for ages 4 through teen and their caregivers  Every other Tuesday or Wednesday (free of charge) Local chapter of Parents of Murdered Children also meets at the Center. Registration required. Call for further information.

CHADD is a national organization for children & adults with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder, providing education, advocacy and support for individuals and their families with AD/HD. Einstein at Elkins Park Hospital, 60 Township Line Road, Elkins Park, PA 19027, will host children & adults with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder on the First Tuesday of each month 7  8:30 p.m. Free, no childcare provided.

The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphias Kehillah of Old York Road is sponsoring a free Caregiver Support Group for individuals who care for an elderly person with cognitive and/or physical impairments. The group meets at SarahCare Adult Day Care Center, 101 Washington Lane, Suite G-6, Jenkintown, Pa., on the first Wednesday of each month. Patty Rich,
July 17, 2017

Can Washington Prevent The Death Of The Gulf States?

U.S. Secretary of State Tillerson is angry that Saudi Arabia and the UAE rejected his efforts to calm down their spat with Qatar. His revenge, and a threat of more serious measures, comes in the form of a WaPo "leak" - UAE orchestrated hacking of Qatari government sites, sparking regional upheaval, according to U.S. intelligence officials:

The United Arab Emirates orchestrated the hacking of Qatari government news and social media sites in order to post incendiary false quotes attributed to Qatars emir, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad al-Thani, in late May that sparked the ongoing upheaval between Qatar and its neighbors, according to U.S. intelligence officials. Officials became aware last week that newly analyzed information gathered by U.S. intelligence agencies confirmed that on May 23, senior members of the UAE government discussed the plan and its implementation. The officials said it remains unclear whether the UAE carried out the hacks itself or contracted to have them done.

That the UAE and/or the Saudis were involved in the hack was pretty clear from the get go. They were the only ones who had a clear motive. Qatar already had specific evidence for the source of the hacking. Congressional anti-Russian sources ignored that and accused, as usual, Russia and Putin.

Tillerson's real message is not the hacking accusation. The hacks themselves are not relevant to the spat and to Tillerson's efforts to defuse it. The "leak" sets the UAE and Saudi leadership on notice that the U.S. has sources and methods to learn of their government's innermost discussions. The real threat to them is that other dirt could be released from the same source.

It is doubtful that this threat will change the minds of these rulers. They believe in their own invincibility. Ian Welsh describes the mindset in his prediction of The Death of Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states:

This is fairly standard: all dynasties go bad eventually because the kings-to-be grow up in wealth and power and think its the natural state of things: that they are brilliant and deserve it all, when it was handed them on a platter. Perhaps they are good at palace intrigue and think that extends beyond the palace. It doesnt.

Welsh comes to the same conclusion as I did when the recent GCC infighting broke out:

No matter how the spat with Qatar ends, the GCC unity has (again) been exposed as a sham. It can not be repaired. Saudi "leadership" is shown to be just brutal bullying and will be resisted. U.S. plans for a united GCC under Saudi leadership and U.S. control are in shambles.

...

The Saudi under their new leadership overestimate their capabilities. So did Trump when he raised their role. The Saudi "apes with Macbooks" do not have the capabilities needed for a serious political actor in this world. Their money can paper over that for only so long.

The step Tillerson and some "intelligence officials" now took may be a sign panic. The "leak" revealed "sources and methods". Like every other government the UAE senior officials suspect that the U.S. is trying to listen to their internal deliberations. But they now know for sure. The specific date given in the "leak" will help them to take some countermeasures. Leaking "sources and methods" is not done lightly. That it has to resort to such measures shows that the U.S. administration is not in control of the situation.

During the fall of the Ottoman empire Britain created today's Saudi Arabia. Two world wars exhausted Britain's power. The U.S. took over the management of the empire including the Gulf states. It needs Saudi Arabia for its fossil energy and the related reserve currency status of the U.S. dollar. Unrest in Saudi Arabia is not in the U.S. interest but such is now in sight. The "leak" is just a tactical measure of an inexperienced administration. It is not enough to defuse or mitigate the conflict and its consequences.

What strategies will Washington develop to counter the foreseeable instability in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states?

Posted by b on July 17, 2017 at 18:33 UTC | Permalink

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Justin Nojan Sullivan was sentenced Monday to life in prison without the chance for parole for the murder of his neighbor John Bailey Clark.

The life sentence will be served on top of the life sentence Sullivan received in federal court on June 27 for attempting to commit an act of terrorism transcending national boundaries.

District Attorney David Learner confirmed Monday that Clarks murder was the first ISIS-connected murder committed on American soil.

Outside the Burke County Courthouse, Clarks sister-in-law, Glenda Clark, said hearing the details of the crime was rough but the family can now have some closure. She said they wanted justice for Johnny and feel they got it. She said they are satisfied with the plea deal and sentencing.

While the family received some closure with Sullivans sentencing and guilty plea, Sullivan did not apologize to the family when he got a chance Monday to address the court.

Sullivan, 21, said before he got to court Monday he was afraid Clarks family would trash-talk me but they didnt.

I appreciate that, Sullivan said.

The closest Sullivan came to apologizing to Clarks family was to say, I didnt mean for this to happen.

He added that he never wanted to move to Morganton.

Sullivan lived with his parents at the time he killed Clark and started communicating with ISIS.
WFU to study effects of viewing police violence

Viral video footage showing the deaths of black people in encounters with police have sparked outrage, protests and media attention across the country in recent years.

Now researchers affiliated with the Anna Julia Cooper Center at Wake Forest University are recruiting young black adults for a research study investigating the effects of watching these high-profile videos of police violence, WFU said in a news release.

The research team  led by scholars Sherri Williams and Danielle Parker Moore  is interested in learning more about the ways in which social-media images of police brutality affect black people ages 18 to 24. The multigenerational research team also includes Matt Williams, the director in the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, and research assistant Sydni Williams, a 2017 graduate.

Social-science research suggests that the continued exposure to harmful images can cultivate heightened levels of anxiety, fear and hopelessness among viewers, said Sherri Williams, who studies representations of people of color in the media. Given the increased visibility of police brutality against black people circulating across the internet, its imperative that we fully uncover the ways in which black young adults handle the violence against people who share their racial identity.

Magazine: WSSU one

of best colleges in South

Winston-Salem State University ranks as one of the Best Colleges in the South, according to rankings released by Money magazine, WSSU said in a statement.

WSSU is one of only two historically black colleges and universities on the list, at No. 42. According to the magazine, the ranked colleges notched the best combination of educational quality, affordability and high-earning alumni in the South.

For the rankings, Money factors in the universitys performance after subtracting the effect of the average students test scores and percentage of low-income students, focusing on universities that propel low-income students into upper middle class.

Money also ranks WSSU No. 2 in North Carolina for nursing and education degrees.

Forsyth Tech gets $1.5M

for skilled-trades effort

Forsyth Technical Community College has received a $1.5 million grant from the Golden LEAF Foundation.

The college said in a statement that it will use the money to help create a Skilled Trades Building planned for its Stokes County Center in the Meadows community near Walnut Cove.

The building will provide high school students with career-training opportunities in welding, plumbing, electrical systems and horticulture.

The foundation will present a check to Forsyth Tech officials at the colleges Stokes center Tuesday.

The Golden LEAF Foundation awarded Forsyth Tech the grant under its Community-Based Grantmaking Initiative, which supports projects with the potential for making long-term economic impact.

This project has the potential to do the most good for the most people in Stokes County, County Manager Rick Morris said.

The Skilled Trades Building will deepen the relationship between Forsyth Tech and the Stokes County Schools and expand the options available for Career Technical Education, which the board of commissioners and I recognize as a driver of economic development, Morris said.
Southern poutines were a popular menu choice at Bailey Park on Thursday, a pimento cheese variation on the popular Canadian dish made with french fries, cheese curds and brown gravy. Offered up by Almost Home, a new player to the local food-truck scene, the tasty concoction was just one of the dinner choices for the Sunset Thursday concert series at the park, and several hundred people came out to enjoy the music against a backdrop of green space and new construction.

Beverly Knight, Jerel Smith, Sydney Hyman and Victoria Bost made time to snap a few selfies in front of the water feature that anchors the park. When asked for his name, Smith smiled.

Im Mr. WSSU and these are my friends, he said. Ms. Beverly said we should do this so we came out for the first time.

My shop  Its Beauty: Shades of Color  is just around the corner at 344 Patterson Ave., Knight said. Its a boutique and has fair-trade items and attire from Africa.

Aaron Graff also works in the area and attended the concert with Honey, a corgi-boxer-Australian shepherd mix.

I work at Biotech Place, and I think a lot of people are surprised that there is so much going on around here, Graff said. And in the summer, they also have movies outside here.

Bailey Park consists of 1.6 acres of publicly accessible green space and is a favorite destination for people living, learning, working and playing in and around the Wake Forest Innovation Quarter. The park features a covered stage, restroom facilities, a food-truck court and a large grassy lawn along with a variety of free, community programming like Bailey Blues & Bluegrass and an appealing pet-friendly ambiance. Bailey Park is managed and operated by Cushman & Wakefield, a global real- estate services company on behalf of the Innovation Quarters North District Owners Association.

For the Sunset No. 8 concert, Boone Doggies, Zekos 2 Go, Home Slice Pizza, Taqueria El Azteca and Sunset Slush joined Almost Home in the food truck lineup. A variety of food trucks can also be found at the Bailey Park food-truck court during lunchtime hours Monday through Friday and includes La Vie En Rose, Taqueria Lucianos, Bandito Burrito, Camel City Grill and Urban Street Grill.

Brooke Groce, Abigail Mobley and Jessi Pennington chose Sunset Slush for dinner and Cry Baby, Cotton Candy and Cherry flavors, respectively.

Im downtown almost every day, so we come here a lot, Pennington said. I love the colors and the aesthetics of the park.

Reece Guida and Alex Longa joined their friends, Joe Hewitt and Madeline Lizard, for the night.

I just found out about this, Lizard said of the concert series. Our friends asked us to come, so we decided to give it a try.

Deborah Walls, mom to James Richardson, aka owner of the Almost Home truck, was happy to see people enjoying her sons food.

Im down here supporting him, Walls said, smiling. Hes from Charlotte, but hes done some events here and goes over to JuggHeads every so often. Im happy people like what hes serving.

Michelle Cohen and Megan Johnston caught up with each other in front of a gorgeous floral backdrop.

Nearby, Dylan Gallimore and Jose Rodriguez took a few minutes away from their work duties to grab a quick bite for dinner.

Were actually here in response to an outage, said Gallimore, referencing the work he does for Fiber Optic Construction. Were waiting on our materials to arrive.

Melissa and Trevor Downing brought their girls, Victoria, 3, and Ella, almost 1, to the concert. Their au pair, Nadine Wilding, helped the parents keep the little ones entertained.

This is our first time here, Melissa Downing said. Its a lot of fun!

Weve lived in Winston-Salem for seven years, but this is the first time weve made it to this event, Trevor Downing said. We saw it online and thought it looked like a good family activity.

Over at the food trucks, Richardson graciously agreed to a quick photo in between customers.

Along with the Southern-style poutines, he serves such items as an eggplant sandwich, a Cuban sandwich, pork belly tacos and truffle fries  all through a small window that released savory aromas throughout the evening.

Weve had the truck open for about a month and a half, but weve been doing private parties and catering for about 18 months, Richardson said, his Never Trust a Skinny Chef T-shirt apropos for the evening. Well be at the GMAC Building in August, and were looking to build our dates in Winston-Salem. If people like the food, they can request our truck for events.

The number of satisfied smiles post poutines seems to suggest that Almost Home will become a new local foodie favorite. And the variety of concertgoers at Sunset No. 8 underscores the ongoing development of local venues for diverse music events.

Food, music and outdoor arenas  cheers to the City of Arts and Innovation!
Justin Nojan Sullivan was sentenced Monday to life in prison without the chance for parole for the murder of his neighbor John Bailey Clark.

The life sentence will be served on top of the life sentence Sullivan received in federal court on June 27 for attempting to commit an act of terrorism transcending national boundaries.

District Attorney David Learner confirmed Monday that Clarks murder was the first ISIS-connected murder committed on American soil.

Outside the Burke County Courthouse, Clarks sister-in-law, Glenda Clark, said hearing the details of the crime was rough but the family can now have some closure. She said they wanted justice for Johnny and feel they got it. She said they are satisfied with the plea deal and sentencing.

During Sullivans sentencing, family members of Clark got the chance to address the court. Glenda Clark read a statement for the family. She said John Clark was a very good person who would take his mother out to eat and then take her riding around when she was alive.

John Clark lived in the house on Rose Carswell Road his mother left him when she died in the 1970s, Learner said.

Glenda Clark said her brother-in-law had a saying, Everything living should have a chance to live.

John Clark was a vegetarian and wouldnt kill anything, even a spider, according to family members.

Glenda Clark said John Clark shouldnt have had to die the way he did.

While the family received some closure with Sullivans sentencing and guilty plea, Sullivan did not apologize to the family when he got a chance Monday to address the court.

Before speaking to the court, Sullivan affirmed to tell the truth rather than swear on the Bible, which typically is standard procedure. Sullivan has converted to Islam.

Sullivan, 21, said before he got to court Monday he was afraid Clarks family would trash-talk me but they didnt.

I appreciate that, Sullivan said.

The closest Sullivan came to apologizing to Clarks family was to say, I didnt mean for this to happen.

He added that he never wanted to move to Morganton.

Sullivan lived with his parents at the time he killed Clark and started communicating with ISIS.

During a press conference after the sentencing, Clarks brother, Douglas Clark, said theyve never said anything negative about Sullivans parents or him.

Learner said he feels bad for Sullivans parents, and added it must be a horrific burden to have a son commit murder.

In court, Learner talked about some of the evidence he would have presented if the case had gone to trial. He talked about how Sullivan shot Clark in the head three times as he lay in his bed with his back to the bedroom door, dragged Clark out of his house, striped him naked and spent hours digging a grave before burying him.

Learner said Clark, who was 74 years old when he was murdered, was otherwise in good health.

He said Sullivan stole a .22-calibur rifle from his father and killed Clark while Sullivans parents were out of town.

John Clark lived mostly as a hermit without running water, never married and lived on a $600 monthly check from the government, according to family members and Learner. Glenda Clark brought him groceries, which she did the evening she discovered something was wrong.

Glenda Clark called 911 just after 6 p.m. on Dec. 18, 2014, saying the doors of her brother-in-laws house were open, theres was blood all over inside, drag marks and John Clark was missing.

Glenda Clark told investigators that no one had keys to her brother-in-laws house and his family said it was doubtful that he would have opened his door to a stranger.

Learner said Sullivan told a cell mate after his arrest that he was in the clear with regards to Clarks murder because Clark was a hermit; a nobody. Investigators have said Clarks murder was a trial run for Sullivan and his intent to commit a mass murder on the scale of the Pulse Nightclub killing in Florida. That shooting was believed to be a terrorist attack that killed 49 people and wounded more than 50 others.

Sullivan planned to carry out a mass shooting and had become focused on an area nightclub before his arrest, Learner said. He also had visited a local gun shop to try to buy some hollow point bullets, Learner said.

Sullivans attorney, Victoria Jayne, denied in court that her client told a cell mate anything about Clarks killing because it was known there was a jail house snitch where he was being held.

Learner said not only did Sullivan kill Clark but he wanted an undercover FBI agent to kill Sullivans parents, even offering money to the agent to make that happen.

The murder of John Clark was as cowardly an act as has ever happened in Burke County, as was Sullivans plan for mass murder, Learner said.

In addition, because Sullivan was the dependent of a retired U.S. Marine, Sullivan had a military identification that would have allowed him on military bases, Learner told the court Monday.

Burke County Sheriff Steve Whisenant said when the FBI came to his office saying they were investigating Sullivan, he told them he had an unsolved homicide and his investigators had exhausted all leads and this, as strange as it may sound, made more sense than anything else.

The unusual circumstances of the case were something the Burke County Sheriffs Office had not dealt with previously, Whisenant said. Thats when the FBI started investigating the murder, Whisenant said.

Learner and Whisenant said the murder case was one that had great coordination and cooperation between of law enforcement agencies.

Were very pleased that all of this came together the way that it did, Learner said. It was a very complex case. It involved a lot of agencies at the local, state and federal level. We have worked very closely and kept the Clark family informed as this case progressed.

When Sullivan was indicted for Clarks murder, Learner said, at the time, that he would seek the death penalty.

On Monday, Learner said the death penalty in the state today isnt what it used to be. He said there are 146 people sitting on death row in the state  67 of which have been on death row for 20 years  and the state hasnt executed an inmate in 11 years. He said those on death row file appeal after appeal and the taxpayer keeps up the inmates.

Learner said the guilty plea ensures Sullivan will never be free and there wont be any appeals.

The conviction for the terrorism charge, on top of the murder, means Sullivan wont be a danger to the public and wont ever be able to harm another innocent person or further the business of ISIS, Learner said.

Sharon McBrayer is a staff writer and can be reached at smcbrayer@morganton.com or at 828-432-8946.
Shares in UK mining stocks were up on Monday, boosted by positive economic data from China.

Chinas economy expanded 6.9% in the second quarter of the year compared to the same three months in 2016. This was the same growth rate as the first quarter, running January to March end, the National Bureau of Statistics of China said today. This was higher than analysts expectations of 6.8% GDP growth. Industrial output rose 7.6% in June compared to 2016, higher than the estimated 6.5% increase.

The Chinese government has set an economic growth target of 6.5% "or higher if possible," for 2017, the lowest economic growth target in 25 years.

The better than consensus print for Chinese GDP suggests that the economy is maintaining momentum with both industrial output and fixed asset investment somewhat stronger than estimates. Despite concerns over Chinas so-called shadow banking system, the global economic recovery seems to have supported the Chinese economic growth, said Shilen Shah, bond strategist at Investec Wealth & Investment.

Separate data from the National Bureau of Statistics of China on Monday showed that Chinas steel output hit a record level in June. China is the worlds largest copper and coal consumer. Other commodities also rely on Chinese. Anglo American's platinum business benefit from Chinas rising household income that bolster Chinese demand for automobiles and jewellery, categories that collectively account for roughly 80% to 90% of platinum and palladium use.

Mining Stocks Up on Positive Chinese Data

As China is a keydriver of global commodities demand, the positive economic news boosted a number of UK mining stock prices today. Antofagasta (ANTO) gained 1.6% while Anglo American (AAL) was up 2.3% at the end of the trading day on Monday. Shares of other miners Glencore (GLEN) and BHP Billiton (BLT) also gained 2% and 1% respectively, while Rio Tinto (RIO) were slightly up 1%.

The above mining stocks, except BHP Billiton, were rated as overvalued stocks, meaning analysts believe these stocks are trading at their fair value estimate. Glencore and Anglo American were rated as one-star stock, which is trading at a higher fair value estimate than two-star rated Rio Tinto and Antofagasta.

BHP Billiton is rated a three-star stock, meaning analysts believe the stock is trading at its fair value estimate.

Antofagasta a Pure Copper Miner

Antofagasta is a "pure-play" Chilean copper miner, said Seth Goldstein, equity analyst with Morningstar. This set the scene that why share prices of Antofagasta went up the most when the data showed record steel outputs from China.

We expect Chinese copper demand to dip during the next several years as real estate activity fades to a level more commensurate with underlying urbanization trends and power spending shifts away from copper-heavy distribution to copper-light transmission. On the supply side, mine production growth, cost deflation, and rising scrap availability all threaten prices. Our analysis points to long-term $2 copper in real terms, said Goldstein. Cooper price is now at $2.68 per libra.

While analysts view on the long-term Chinese copper outlook remained rough, Antofagastas healthy balance sheet gives it some flexibility to stomach lower copper prices for a number of years, Goldstein added.

Anglo Benefits from Chinese Middle Class

Anglo American will find itself better positioned than most diversified peers as China rebalances away from infrastructure and construction-led growth, said Morningstar equity analyst Mathew Hodge.

The company has greater exposure to consumption-oriented commodities like platinum and diamonds, which is about half of revenue, which should enjoy better demand growth than investment-oriented commodities like iron ore and copper that prospered most in the past decade, said Hodge.

As incomes from Chinese rise that boost demands for luxury goods automobiles and jewellery, commodities used in these two sectors will benefit Anglo Americans platinum and palladium businesses.

Anglo also has major exposure to investment-oriented commodities, including iron ore, copper, and metallurgical coal, which Hodge expects waning demand growth for these commodities as China rebalances.
Investor Updates/News; OCC's Risk List; Training and Events

Theres plenty of talk about real estate agents, appraisers, and loan officers being replaced by artificial intelligence or robots. In legal news, JPMorgan unleashed artificial intelligence to automate its legal work and saveover 360,000 hours of work each year by lawyers and loan officers. Given personnel costs, that's a lot of doubloons. More bank news below.

Bank news

Several banks reported 2nd quarter earnings on Friday with results that generally topped analyst's expectations. But residential mortgage banking was poor. At JPMorgan Chase mortgage revenues fell 26% compared to a year ago, fell 52% at Citigroup Inc., and was down 19% at Wells Fargo to $1.15 billion. The results reflect what most lenders already know: even though home purchase activity has increased throughout 2017, refinancings are down since after several years of great rates, nearly every homeowner who could refinance already has. And banks have shifted assets to more profitable business channels.

America's largest banks originated less residential mortgages in the first quarter, but their share of the overall pie increased the latest sign that the origination market is shrinking. The five largest U.S. banks originated $111B worth of residential mortgages in the first quarter, well below the previous quarter's $143B, according to data from the MBA. Most industry analysts had expected overall mortgage lending-refis and purchase together-to decline about 20% in 2017-but it's down about 30% industry-wide - so if your company's volumes aren't down that much, congrats.

Due to costs (low margins), Basel III concerns, potential liabilities/costly regulations, and so on, large banks are also reducing their exposure to mortgage servicing. Wells booked $360 million in income from servicing in the 2ndquarter, down 11% from a year earlier, while Citi had servicing rights that were 58% lower than the same period a year ago.

How's your bank account? Are you hoarding money in banks? The FDIC tells us that total bank deposits rose 6.6% last year to $10.7 trillion. Deposits measured as a percentage of bank assets are 77.6% in the first quarter of 2017, the highest since 2006, according to data economic research firm Moebs Services.

You should know that Wells Fargo announced it will sell its commercial insurance business, Wells Fargo Insurance Services USA, to USI Insurance Services LLC (NY). And recall that New York Community Bancorp ($49B, NY) said it will sell about $500mm of selected residential mortgage assets and servicing rights on over $20B of residential mortgage loans to Freedom Mortgage Corp (NJ) as it focuses on its core business model and higher earning assets.

Although their financial strength remains strong, U.S. banks face a variety of risks, and many of those may lay beyond their control, according to a review released by the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency found that risks to banks lurk in competition from nonfinancial lenders, their reliance on third-party service providers for cyber security and regulatory compliance, and in the rapid evolution of money laundering and terrorism financing methods. The agency also found that U.S. banks' revenue increased 3.6 percent in 2016 from 2015, mostly due to their net interest income - the difference between interest earned on assets and paid on liabilities - which had the largest gain since 2010.

The OCC is focusing on credit risk, compliance risk and strategic risk as its top supervisory priorities at community and midsize banks, according to the agency's Semiannual Risk Perspective report. For larger banks, compliance, governance and operational risks remain dominant concerns. The OCC warned bankers that it will be paying "close attention" to the potential strategic risks that may be growing in banks because of taking on new financial technologies.

And the Financial Stability Board is warning a crackdown on BSA/AML by US agencies and subsequent de-risking activity by banks, has led to a decline in correspondent banking relationships that now poses a threat to the stability and integrity of the global financial system.

The Summer 2017 FDIC Consumer News alerts the public to common scams and provides basic tips for protecting personal information and money. Also, in this issue, is a look at how the FDIC is working with banks, nonprofit organizations and other government agencies to bring more low- and moderate-income Americans into the financial mainstream by improving access to safe, secure and affordable banking services. The Summer 2017 FDIC Consumer News is available for both reading and printing.



Bank & credit union M&A

In Florida West Coast Federal Employees Credit Union has merged with USF Federal Credit Union. The combined financial institutions have more than $600 million in total assets and over 62,000 members. United Business Bank ($698mm, CA) will acquire Plaza Bank ($70mm, WA) for about $10.8mm in stock. In New Jersey OceanFirst Bank ($5.2B) will acquire Sun National Bank ($2.3B) for about $487mm in stock or about 1.69x tangible book. In Virginia Bank of McKenney ($231mm) will acquire Citizens Community Bank ($216mm) for about $19.0mm in stock. United Community Bank ($10.7B, GA) will acquire Four Oaks Bank ($734mm, NC) for about $124mm in cash (10%) and stock (90%) or about 1.77x tangible book. In Iowa Community State Bank ($160mm) will acquire First State Bank ($42mm). In Massachusetts, East Boston Savings Bank ($4.6B) will acquire Meetinghouse Bank ($118mm) for about $17.8mm in cash. And the Bank of Montgomery announced the signing of a definitive purchase and assumption agreement with MidSouth Bank pursuant to which BOM will acquire all the assets and liabilities associated with the two branches of MidSouth Bank located in Alexandria, Louisiana.



Training and events

There is Plaza's July 17th Liquid Asset webinar. This course explains how the most common liquid assets work and what documentation is required for conventional mortgage financing. We'll walk through industry guidelines for liquid assets and show you examples.

Join legal advisor Chrys D. Lemon for an on-demand webinar, July 18th on Marketing Service Agreements, Desk Rentals, RESPA rules & referral fees.

Join Plaza on July 19th for a webinar about Fannie Mae's Day 1 Certainty and Plaza's Rapid Plus Mortgage Program. This webinar will review best practices that originators may find helpful when using the program at the point of sale.

Join Calculated Risk's Bill McBride for a webinar on July 20th. Find out Bill's Top 10 questions that encapsulate upcoming economic issues, those that have transpired and what the rest of 2017 will look like.

Join MBAC and Freddie Mac on July 26th for a free webinar: How to Combat Mortgage Fraud.



Capital markets

When there are no economic news or announcements to move the market, it is this government gridlock which moves the market, and helped move it higher Friday. (The 10-year rallied .250, closing yielding 2.32%.) The Consumer Price Index number helped, and an early rally took the 10-year yield to 2.28%.

Over the weekend we saw some strong economic numbers from China. Looking at this week's scheduled economic news in the U.S., there is a lot of housing news - and housing and jobs drive the economy. This morning we've already seen the only news of the day: The Empire State Manufacturing Index (July) at "9.8" - weak. Tomorrow we will see import and export prices, and the NAHB Housing Market Index from the home builders. Wednesday the 19th is last week's residential mortgage application data, along with Housing Starts & Building Permits. Thursday is initial jobless claims, a Philly Fed number, and Leading Economic Indicators. We start the week with the 10-year yielding 2.31% and agency MBS prices better by nearly .125 versus Friday's close.

Jobs, correspondent lenders, personnel moves, & new products

Social Finance (SoFi) is currently offering a great opportunity for experienced loan officers with experience in New York looking to grow their business. Last month SoFi applied with the FDIC to obtain a de novo bank charter, and the company is the recipient of a recent funding round. MLOs are ultimately responsible for the customer experience throughout the mortgage origination process by guiding the customer through the process of qualification, structuring a deal, underwriting, rate-lock, closing and funding. SoFi is currently hiring experienced loan officers with active licensing in New York or Delaware. To setup a confidential consultation, contact Joel Kiskila or call (385) 831-7007.

Caliber Home Loans receives recognition for its ongoing support to the military and veteran community, earning itself a spot on the Military Friendly Brands List for 2017. Victory Media awards this designation to brands who make a company-wide investment to service members, veterans and military families, both in employment and product-offering. Caliber exceeded the Military Friendly benchmark standards in the areas of Policies and Governance, Transparency, Consumer Indicators and Community Indicators. "Since Caliber introduced our first lending and community outreach initiatives in 2016, we've all worked hard to provide veterans and military families with the service and support they deserve. Everyone here is thrilled by the news that we've earned the Military Friendly Brand designation," said Bryan Bergjans, National Director of Military and Veteran Lending at Caliber Home Loans. To read more about this honor, check out the full release here. And to learn more about how Caliber Home Loans can support your unique military and veteran needs, reach out to Bryan Bergjans or visit https://www.calibermilitarylending.com/.

Apex Home Partners is a newly-formed company led by industry vet Mark Filler. "Apex is extremely well funded by a leading private equity firm. Apex will have 3 businesses. We will buy and rehab thousands of single family and small multifamily properties nationwide. We will also provide preferred equity to strong residential investors that want to buy these properties. The third business provides commission advances to Realtors. We are hiring senior level candidates with extensive experience in: 1. Buying small residential properties, including national construction expertise; 2. Digital marketing and lead generation; and 3. A President and a Head of Realtor Relations for the real estate broker commission advance business. All candidates must live in Chicago. Please send resumes (and residential real estate deals) to Mark Filler."

Banc of California's Portfolio Lending Division is now accepting new Wholesale and Correspondent partners in 46 states. "With over $1.5 billion in Non-QM loans originated in 2016, Banc of California is the leading Non-QM lender in the space. The firm's products include a variety of NonQM and Alternative Documentation products that distinguish originators from their competition. If you would like to find out more about becoming a Wholesale or Correspondent partner, please reach out to the firm's National Sales Manager, Adam Liebross, for more information."

Mortgage technology and AVM provider, Veros, announces the launch of its next-generation VeroSELECT API, which streamlines both the ordering and processing of AVMs with Broker Price Opinions (BPOs), Property Condition Reports (PCRs) for high-volume users to not only save time, but also strengthen risk decisions. Clients can integrate, customize and extend volume ordering in one quick API call. Supplement AVMs with a PCR or BPO in one order to strengthen HELOC underwriting. VeroSELECT valuation management provides untethered access to the industry's top performing AVMs-including Veros' flagship AVM, VeroVALUE. Third-party tests consistently rank VeroVALUE #1 in hit rates and valuation accuracy. VeroVALUE supports Quality Control processes, and includes confidence scoring-enabling lenders to predict collateral risk, identify loans for further review and validate appraised value with confidence. With fluctuating home values, VeroVALUE Portfolio delivers pin-point, up-to-date property values and market movements on a broad spectrum of properties. To run a free market test, contact Susan Anderson (860-402-8337).

Texas Capital Bank, N.A. announced that Shannon Smith has joined its Correspondent Lending group as an account executive. Shannon has over 25 years of experience in the mortgage industry in various capacities including previous sales and finance positions on Wall Street. She will be spearheading their efforts to grow the Southern California region. Texas Capital Bank also recently expanded its Correspondent Lending product matrix to include both one- and two-time close construction to permanent (CTP) mortgage loans. For more information, contact your local account executive or National Sales Manager Matthew Mead. Texas Capital Bank's Correspondent Lending group is part of its Mortgage Finance division which specializes in supporting mortgage lenders nationwide with warehouse and MSR credit, liquidity and banking solutions. Texas Capital Bank is consistently recognized as one of Forbes' Best Banks in America and is a Member of the FDIC.

SocialSurvey is excited to welcome its newest Regional VP of Business Development, Andrew Pierson. Covering the Southeast for SocialSurvey will be the next challenge in his career in mortgage tech sales. Andrew was previously with Smarsh and joins SocialSurvey to cover SC, GA, FL, AL, MS, and TN, so contact Andrew directly if you are a lender in those states and want to find the most effective reputation solution in the industry. "Unlike some systems that ask a static set of over 20 questions, SocialSurvey has a short and easy to complete survey that can be customized by each lender. Response rates are typically over 50%. If you want to make a career move and introduce SocialSurvey in SoCal, the Rockies, or Midwest, hurry and contact Ayesha Faiz with your confidential resume submission."
SIPES July Program Announcement

Members of the Midland chapter, Society of Independent Professional Earth Scientists (SIPES) will meet July 19 in the upstairs ballroom at Midland Country Club beginning with an reception at 11:15 a.m.

Speaker Peter Hennings, a Principal Investigator in the Center for Integrated Seismicity Research, will give a presentation on Seismicity in Texas and UT-BEGs TexNet and CISR Monitoring and Research Initiative.

There is no charge for members, $20 for guests.

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New Houston pipeline company launches with $300 million

By Jordan Blum

Houston Chronicle

New Houston pipeline company Greenfield Midstream is launching with $300 million in financial backing from Texas private equity firm EnCap Flatrock Midstream.

The new pipeline company says it's targeting both organic growth and acquisition opportunities to support growing U.S. oil and gas production in Texas and beyond.

Greenfield is looking to grow with oil and gas pipeline and gathering systems, as well as processing and treatment facilities and water transportation and handling projects.

San Antonio-based EnCap Flatrock was formed nearly a decade ago to focus primarily on pipeline companies. The firm was created as a partnership between EnCap Investments and Flatrock Energy Advisors.

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Halcon Resources to sell Williston Basin assets for $1.4 billion

By Collin Eaton

Houston Chronicle

Halcon Resources Corp., a midsized Houston oil company, plans to sell its assets in the Williston Basin in North Dakota for $1.4 billion in cash, as it turns its focus to West Texas, it said Tuesday.

The company said itll use part of the proceeds from the deal, which is expected to close within two months, to pay down its debt. Its oil fields in North Dakota pump about 29,000 barrels a day of oil equivalent. Halcons Williston Basin portfolio represents approximately 104,000 net acres of oil and gas properties in McKenzie, Williams, Mountrail, and Dunn counties in North Dakota, with the acreage 100 percent held by production.

The sale of our Williston Basin operated assets transforms Halcon into a single-based company focused on the Delaware Basin, said Floyd Wilson, chairman and chief executive of Halcon.

The sale is to Bruin E&P Partners, a portfolio company of ArcLight Capital Partners.

In the Delaware in West Texas, the oil producer has 41,000 net acres in Ward and Pecos counties. It said it will keep running two rigs in that region for the rest of the year and believes it can produce more than 13,000 barrels of oil equivalent a day there.

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Mexico assigns oil exploration, production contracts

MEXICO CITY (AP)  Mexico has assigned 21 exploration and production contracts for oil and gas fields that hold potential reserves of 435 million barrels of crude equivalent.

The blocks went to six investor consortiums made up mainly of Mexican companies, with some foreign partners.

The bidding results were carried out under the countrys 2013 oil reforms, which allow private drilling under a concessionary scheme.

The companies bid $88 million in direct payments, and offered to invest as much as $2.06 billion over the next 30 years.

The government was promised 75 percent of profits from the fields located in the Burgos, Tampico-Misantla, Veracruz and Southeast basins.
The Kerala Government does not expect the Governor to sign the ordinance.
'The big truck is still on ...
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Day 3 of Disney's D23 Expo was calmer than previous days, as the convention came to a close.

Weekend full of big announcements by Disney

Fantasmic officially returns to park

FULL COVERAGE OF D23 EXPO: Live updates, galleries, more



With the major presentations out of the way, many fans spent the last day at shopping or attending Alan Menkens one man show. Some even visited nearby Disneyland for a special viewing of Fantasmic, which officially returned to the park.

It was an exciting and chaotic weekend filled with surprises, long lines and, of course, all things Disney.

On Friday, Disney honored various influential people as official Disney Legends, including Oprah Winfrey, Stan Lee, Mark Hamill, Julie Taymor and Carrie Fisher.

Later that day, Pixar CCO John Lasseter shared details about Pixar and Disney Animations upcoming slate of movies.

Disney stunned fans Friday when it unleashed a trailer for Avengers: Infinity War and a teaser for the live-action Lion King remake. However, Disney wasnt finished with the surprises. During its Parks and Resorts presentation, Disney confirmed several attractions for it theme parks, including a Tron ride for Magic Kingdom, a Guardians of the Galaxy ride for Epcot, a Ratatouille ride for Epcot and a Mickey Mouse ride for Disneys Hollywood Studios.

In addition to attractions, Disney shared details about the new transportation system planned for Walt Disney World called Disney Skyliner.

This is hardly the end. Disney will host another D23 Expo in 2019.

For our complete coverage of D23 Expo, visit our D23 page.
Llano-Vista Rodeo?

That could have been the title of the just-completed event that drew cowboys and fans flocking to the South Date Street rodeo arena last Saturday night.

Five years after the Plainview Rodeo Association inaugurated the local event in 1944, organizers decided to hold a contest to seek public input on a more fitting name then simply The Plainview Rodeo.

According to the May 5, 1949, edition of the Plainview Evening Herald, a $100 prize to the winner helped to spur interest in the contest that drew about 1,500 entries.

Ultimately the $100 prize went to Dr. Guy Woods, head of the Music Department at Wayland, for suggesting Bar-None Rodeo. Woods also submitted a possible brand  a horizontal bar bisecting an oval. The same brand is still used by the Plainview Rodeo Association 68 years later.

The Herald in 1949 reported that while the majority of submissions came from across the Texas High Plains, the contest drew interest from throughout the nation. In fact, California led in out-of-state entries.

Ultimately, the contest came down to two suggested titles: Bar-None Rodeo which was submitted by Dr. Woods and Llano-Vista Rodeo, from by Kenneth Baldwin. That suggestion combines two Spanish words  Llano and Vista  which taken together mean Plainview, the Herald reported.

The simplicity of the Bar-None Rodeo title and its appropriateness, with the brand design submitted, tilted the scales in its favor, the 1949 front-page article noted.

One of the most popular suggested names was Pioneer Rodeo, which several different people submitted. Although some included arguments in favor of the title, the judges discarded Pioneer Rodeo fairly early since the Plainview B&PW Club already was hosting an annual event each May called the Pioneer Round-Up. The Herald explained, The judges, all members of the rodeo association, felt the name as a public event rather belonged to them.

Contest judges were Lamar Roach of the Mens Style Shop; J.B. Wheeler, Hale County State Bank; J.Q. Long, roofing contractor; and H.S. Hilburn, Herald editor.

Several suggested naming the event High Plains Rodeo, as well as MacKenzie Trail Rodeo. Judges eliminated the MacKenzie Trail moniker since it referred to a military operation rather than something related to ranching and livestock. The title High Plains was discarded because it was not typical of a rodeo.

The brand idea, coupled with the significance of the idea Bar-None as a name for a rodeo that seeks the best performers that are eligible for local amateur or professional participation, made Bar-None the unanimous choice of the judges, the Herald noted.

Several entries drew chuckles from the judges, such as Sod-Busters Rodeo.

Mrs. A.H. Schumacher of Route 2, Plainview, worked the name Gene Bumpus into her suggested title. A local fuel company owner, Bumpus was both rodeo association president and contest chairman that year. Among her suggestions were Bumpus Rumpus Rodeo, as well as Bump-Burn  a combination of Bumpus and Hilburn.

Shorty Warren suggested, The Bumpus Super Duper Plainview Rodeo. Gene Bumpus was out-of-town during the judging, and as a joke the judges tried to convince him that The Bumpus Super Duper was the name selected.

Bumpus quickly saw through that thinly-veiled ploy. Im just giving the prize money and thats all, he chuckled.

All said and done, the judges decided to stick with Bar-None Rodeo as title for the annual local rodeo. The title and brand have thus far passed the test of time.
Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle

The Aldi grocery store at 8755 FM 1960 in Humble will be renovated next month, according to a report in Community Impact Newspapers.

The remodeling is part of the chain's plan to invest $34 million in renovations to Houston area stores by the end of 2018.
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A chicken sandwich that was born out of spite is the newest addition to the must eat list for San Antonio diners looking for big eats and willing to get messy.

Jeff Wayne White is the executive chef at The Boiler House at The Pearl, and a consistent topic of debate with his wife, Jenn, has been the signature Chick-fil-A sandwich.

She loves it. He hates it.

So in an attempt to build a better chicken sandwich, White spent weeks researching the best brine recipe, flour mixes and spices he could find in an attempt to one-up the popular fast-food item. The end result is a towering monstrosity of poultry  the FML Hot Chicken Sandwich  that made its debut July 7 as a Friday-only Boiler House lunch special. It will run through the end of summer.

White posted a photo of his creation, which sells for $13 with a side of house potato salad, the night before its debut on social media. It was enough to get me bellied up to the bar less than 10 minutes after the doors opened for business at 11 a.m. the following day.

The sandwich wasnt displayed as a special and had no mention on the menu. I just showed the bartender a picture of it off Whites Facebook page and said, I want this. He checked with the kitchen and walked out pleasantly surprised.

The spicy breaded chicken breast, which is at least a 6- to 8-ounce cut, is covered in hot sauce and rests on a layer of sauce with sliced pickles and slivers of jalapeno. A layer of cheese is melted onto the patty, which is then topped with a big scoop of tangy cole slaw. Another layer of sauce is applied to the top half of the bun.

Its entirely possible I was the first customer to tackle the FML (yes, we know the acronym), and it was total sensory overload  in a good way.

When the sandwich is first presented, the immediate challenge is figuring out how in the heck to eat it. This isnt a unique experience at the restaurant, though; the specialty burgers and other sandwiches are over the top, too. My sandwich was taller than my pint glass, as were all the others posted on social media, and held together by a skewer.

Go ahead and ask for at least two extra napkins, the cloth ones, right away.

The chicken has a trendy Nashville-style heat that was slightly tamed by the slaw and sauce, but it didnt take long for the facial sweats to kick in. The first half of the sandwich was a three-napkin process, and I was already wanting to jump into the shower.

But those were some glorious bites.

Unfortunately, the other half didnt fare so well. By the time I got to it, the bun was soaked in sauce and chicken juices, and it waved the white flag and broke apart when I dove into it. This is a problem that could easily be rectified by sharing the FML with a partner.

And I plan to. Because this is a sandwich Im still thinking about more than a week later. And I cant wait to dig in again.

White ended up selling 35 sandwiches on debut day. His goal was to have fun with the sandwich and make it an event.

And he certainly did. Get it while you can before White finds another sandwich he attempts to one-up.

The Boiler House is located at 312 Pearl Pkwy, 210-354-4644. Facebook: The Boiler House SA.

cblount@express-news.net

Twitter: @chuck_blount
GREENWICH  With temperatures into the 90s expected to return by the middle of the week, local health officials are encouraging residents to take precautions against heat-related illnesses.

All are succeptible to being overcome by intense heat, but particularly the very young or elderly, plus those who have medical or mental health conditions or use medications that impede body temperature regulation.

Whether you have high temperatures combined with high humidity or just high temperatures, people need to follow these suggestions, said town Director of Health Caroline Baisley. These kinds of illnesses can rise very quickly and people need to know the symptoms and how they can help themselves.

There are several common-sense practices that can be followed to help avoid heat related illnesses, including keeping children and pets indoors as much as possible, avoiding exposure to direct sunlight and making sure people stay hydrated by drinking water. Avoid drinks with caffeine, alcohol or large amounts of sugar and salt.

Officials stressed that pets or people should never be left inside a parked vehicle when the temperatures get high, even if windows are open.

People should avoid strenuous activities, officials advised. Those who do exercise are advised to do it so in the early morning or evening hours.

If you dont have to go out, stay indoors, the town Department of Health advised in a press release. Spend time in air conditioning if possible. Electric fans may provide some comfort and exhaust air from rooms but they will not prevent heat related illness. Taking a cool shower, bath or moving into an air conditioned space to cool off is a better option.

People working or spending lots of time outdoors should rest often in shady areas.

The town advises people to wear lightweight, light-colored and loose-fitting clothing. Wide-brimmed hats are a good idea, as are sunglasses and sunscreen with UV protection of 15 or higher when going outdoors.

Baisley stressed the need to recognize symptoms of heat related illnesses. Heat stroke symptoms include headaches, confusion, nausea, dizziness, high body temperature, difficulty breathing and a rapid and strong pulse. She said people should be moved into a cool or air conditioned location and 911 should be called.

Signs of heat exhaustion include heavy sweating, weakness and cool, pale and clammy skin. There can also be muscle cramps, dizziness, fainting, nausea and vomiting. People should be moved out of the sun and into a cool environment and be given a cool, wet cloth while lying down along with sips of water until they feel better. If vomiting persists, medical attention should be sought.

Heat cramps are painful cramps and muscle spasms in the legs or abdomen and can also cause heavy sweating. People suffering those should move out of the heat into a cool environment and should massage the cramping muscle while taking sips of water unless nausea occurs.

Baisley also said people need to be very careful about leaving perishable food in their car. She said this isnt just an issue with temperatures in the 90s. It can be a problem when temperatures are in the 70s or 80s. Get groceries straight home, she said. When people call her department with questions about exposed food, the rule of thumb they are given most often is, When in doubt, throw it out.

The National Weather Service forecasts temperatures rising into the 90s on Wednesday and Thursday. Humidity conditions could make it feel even hotter, but Baisley said the high temperatures can be dangerous whether there is humidity or not.

The more we can educate people about the heat, the better, Baisley said.

kborsuk@greenwichtime.com
The following items are compiled from recent Texas Parks and Wildlife Department law enforcement reports.

Remote Recovery

On the evening of July 2, Val Verde County game wardens responded to a call for help on a medical emergency from canoers that were paddling the Devils River. The group of 12 paddlers were reporting a death of one of the group along a very remote section of the river. The wardens coordinated with State Parks personnel to get the County Sheriff's Evidence/Crime Scene Unit and the justice of the peace to the location. Due to the remote area of the incident, the coordination for extraction of the deceased, the 11 remaining paddlers, their equipment and canoes and transport of all personnel turned into a 12 hour operation. The 25-year-old victim had died of natural causes.

Running from the Law

Game wardens were checking bank fishermen in Delta County when they encountered a subject whom they had arrested recently on drug possession and weapons charges. During a pat down search of the subject, drug paraphernalia was found in his pants pocket. When the wardens attempted to arrest the subject, he violently resisted and assaulted both wardens. The wardens were able to subdue the suspect and take him into custody. However, while waiting for a transport unit from the Greenville Police Department to arrive, the subject fled on foot while handcuffed. Wardens gave chase and captured the subject, who was attempting to hide near a fence. Multiple felony charges were filed against the subject.

Stuck in the Mud

Harris County game wardens were patrolling an area for reported poaching activity. At dusk, they spotted a truck trespassing along a power line easement on county property. The truck attempted to drive away and the wardens split up and moved to intercept it at one of two exit points further ahead of the vehicle. After dark, the truck and its occupants were located near the easement stuck in the mud on a flood control levee. After discharging a 12 gauge shotgun in an effort to signal others, the suspects were detained. Subsequent interviews revealed the subjects were trespassing and hunting hogs on county property without landowner consent. A 12 gauge shotgun, ammunition and a flashlight were seized. Charges are pending.

Caught on Camera Stealing Cameras

A Grimes County game warden responded to a call from a landowner stating he had captured video of an individual stealing game cameras and battery packs off his property. After reviewing the video evidence, the warden was able to link this case to an investigation earlier this year regarding the same individual. The suspect was found to be awaiting trial in the Brazos County Jail for burglary of a habitation. The warden made contact with the Brazos County district attorney and handed over all information regarding the suspect on this case. New charges of criminal trespassing and theft are currently pending.

Mullet Runner

A Matagorda County game warden was checking bank fisherman when he observed an individual throwing a cast net and placing mullet in a large ice chest. When the warden made contact with the individual, he admitted to not having a fishing license, and did not have any other identification. He also stated he was catching mullet to sell to bait camps for another person under their bait dealer's license. The warden could smell marijuana when he approached the individual, and when he asked about it, the subject took off running. The warden gave chase and observed the subject throw some kind of substance in the salt grass while running. He was able to catch the subject and place him into handcuffs. The subject admitted that he had a small amount of marijuana and he threw it while running away. A brief search along their back trail revealed a small clear plastic bag that contained marijuana residue. The subject told the warden that he was scared and did not want to go back to jail. He was just released from jail the day before, after being placed on probation for running from the police. The warden transported the subject to the Matagorda County Jail where he was charged with evading arrest/detention, tampering with physical evidence, and no fishing license.

A Downed Fence is Still a Fence

A Dimmit County game warden was patrolling for fishing enforcement when he spotted a pickup truck parked behind a cluster of trees, up against a fence, quite a distance from the river bridge. Upon closer inspection, several fishing related items were in the bed of the pickup. Figuring that the person, or persons, possibly jumped the fence next to the truck to fish further down river, the warden and an assisting county sheriff's deputy, initiated a search for the vehicle's owner. They made contact with a local man and his son who were returning from the river through the private property and led them back to the truck. When the man was informed that they were trespassing, the man stated, "I thought it was OK to go into the property because part of the fence was pushed down from the last flood." The man was issued a citation for trespassing. The case is pending.

Failed Illegal Entry

Game wardens were patrolling the Rio Grande by boat when they observed five individuals swimming across the river in an attempt to make illegal entry into the United States. Upon seeing the wardens, the individuals turned back for the Mexican shoreline. Four of the five successfully returned to Mexico, but one struggled on the U.S. side of the river. The individual was unable to stay above water and began actively drowning. The wardens rescued the individual and pulled him aboard their vessel. The individual was brought back to the boat ramp and turned over to U.S. Border Patrol.

Going Overboard

Over the July 4 extended holiday weekend, game wardens patrolling Lake Travis around Lakeway and Rough Hollow observed a boat pass by with an individual standing up at the front bow "surfing." Upon seeing the warden boat, the subject sat down and several other occupants appeared to be hiding/stowing items in several compartments as a stop was initiated by the wardens. In all, there were 10 people on the boat ranging in age from 15-18 years old. A strong odor of alcohol was apparent along with a large quantity of evidence of alcoholic beverage consumption. The boat and occupants were escorted ashore where field sobriety tests were administered on the vessel operator, who was later identified as being 16 years of age with a blood alcohol level of 0.196. Due to the level of intoxication of the teenagers, their demeanor, and several attempts by a few to leave the scene or incite violence and interfere with the investigation, the wardens called for assistance from other law enforcement agencies. Multiple cases were filed and are pending.

Snagged in the Act of Snagging

Smith County game wardens were patrolling by truck around Lake Palestine when they observed a man in the water at an old boat ramp using a metal pole with a large treble hook affixed to one end trying to catch flathead catfish. After making contact, citations were issued for fishing with illegal means and methods and no fishing license.

Bucked Off and Busted

A Montgomery County game warden responded to a reported boat accident on Lake Conroe where a personal watercraft operator had hit a wave, was ejected from his jet ski and could not pull himself back on. When the warden was asking the operator about the accident, he believed alcohol could be involved. After a complete investigation, the operator was arrested for boating while intoxicated. The case is pending.
The attorney representing four San Jacinto County commissioners being sued by County Judge John Lovett says the commissioners  Laddie McAnally, Donny Marrs, Thomas Bonds and Mark Nettuno  have acted within their authority and the case against them should be dismissed.

In his response filed July 7 in the 258th State District Court, the commissioners' Kingwood-based attorney Leonard V. Schneider IV, with Liles Parker PLLC, addressed Lovett's petition for a temporary injunction, which accuses the commissioners of colluding against him over office space.

In February, commissioners voted unanimously in favor of dividing one of two offices used by the county judge's staff to create space for an increase in staffing for the probation department. The county judge had recently moved into the two offices on the second floor of the county courthouse from his original offices on the first floor, a decision that garnered some criticism since he did so without commissioners court approval.

Lovett's original petition, filed by Cleveland attorney Cole Combs, states that commissioners created a hostile working environment for the judge's employees by shrinking the office size.

When asked about the claims, Schneider declined to say more than he believes his answer to the suit is correct.

"I believe the commissioners, based on what has been pled so far, acted within their authority," he said, referring all other questions about the suit to his response.

Schneider, in the court documents, disputed the plaintiff's claim that the county sheriff has the power to control the county courthouse and determine office spaces, and said the county commissioners acted within their authority to provide and determine the location of temporary offices for the probation department.

"It is also clear that the sheriff does not have the authority to determine the location of probation department offices. The plaintiff has provided no evidence whatsoever in his pleadings that the commissioners court has enacted any regulations that would allow the sheriff to determine where offices in the courthouse are located," Schneider's response states.

In asking the court to dismiss the case, Schneider wrote, "The plaintiff has failed to allege facts that demonstrate a viable, legally recognizable claim to relief. Consequently, there is no basis in law for this court to grant a declaratory judgment based on the pleadings of the plaintiff."

A hearing is set for Aug. 2 before 258th State District Judge Ernie McClendon. Combs expects that date to be reset because of scheduling conflicts with a possible alternative court date of Aug. 16 depending on the judge's calendar.

"I think this case boils down to people not getting along with each other. Unfortunately, the consequence in this case is that county judge cannot do his job under these conditions," Combs said.

According to Combs, San Jacinto County's form of government requires county judges to wear many hats and take on responsibilities that are not assumed in larger counties.

"In small counties, the county judge serves multiple roles. The judge not only has his judge responsibilities but those of emergency coordinator. He also handles all the probates and misdemeanor cases so he needs a certain level of staffing, funding and space," Combs said. "The gist of this is the judge's belief that the county commissioners have taken actions to make it a lot harder for him to do the job for which he is elected."

Combs said he expects a quick resolution to the case and for the case to eventually be sent to mediation, where it could be settled.

"In this case, some supervision from the district court might be needed but how much the court will give us is discretionary," he said.

WHO WILL PAY FOR SUIT?

So far neither attorney has been paid for representing their respective parties. Combs says that if his case is successful, he plans to ask Judge McClendon to assess a fair settlement in the final judgment.

On July 3, when county commissioners agreed to hire Liles Parker PLLC to represent them in this case, they did not specify how their legal defense would be paid. This has created some confusion, however Liberty County Attorney Matthew Poston, who has been keeping up with the case in the neighboring county, says the commissioners' legal bill is the county's responsibility.

"The county will have to pick up the tab for the commissioners' legal bill. Things might get a little more gray around the edges if there is some sort of act outside of their authority. But here, in this case, it extends directly from their duties. The county will have to pay for it," he said.
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Michael Ryan, better known to Houston radio listeners as Matt Patrick, was a long shot when he showed up in 2011 for a job interview as the morning news broadcaster at KTRH.

He was, after all, a guy who had worked at stations in places like Akron and Cleveland - not exactly Top 10 market cities.

"I was interviewing people from New York to Los Angeles - many qualified candidates," said Eddie Martiny, president of iHeart Media's Houston region. "There were a lot of people in America interested in this position."

But there was something about the tall, impeccably-dressed job candidate that intrigued him.

"Matt was sincere. Matt was passionate. He was a complete open book - it was so refreshing," Martiny said. "I felt like I had known him for years."

Fast forward to September 2015. It's a Saturday morning and Martiny picks up the phone. Matt Patrick, now a fixture on the Houston airways who also has a popular side gig on Fox 26 arguing with community activist Quanell X, tells his boss he has Stage IV mucosal melanoma. A shocked Martiny wanted to know about the prognosis and future treatment against the dreaded disease.

"Matt only wanted to talk to me about the fact that he had committed to me that he wasn't going to miss work," Martiny said. "This guy - he was worried about missing work. Simply amazing."

Martiny was among several hundred friends, colleagues and fans who crowded into the Second Baptist Church in Katy on Thursday for a public memorial service for Patrick, who called the city his home.

Patrick's wife of 15 years, Paula Ryan, said they held each other on the day he was diagnosed with cancer.

"We prayed and we cried," she said. "I never in a million years thought this incredible man, who did so many things in his life to get healthy and to get right with God, would then, many years later, end up getting cancer."

She said recent reports that he had "stopped treatment" for his cancer weren't true.

"We knew he had exhausted all the options. (He) never quit fighting," Paula Ryan said.

Patrick was 58 when he died July 9 after a two-year battle with cancer that he shared with his listeners. He was born and raised in Cleveland, graduating from high school in 1977 and later John Carroll University there. He started as a DJ in the Midwest at 22. Before moving to the Houston-area, Patrick spent nearly three decades at WKDD in Akron, Ohio, where he also helped create a radiothon to support the Akron Children's Hospital.

In a statement, hospital officials said they were "deeply saddened" by his death.

"The 'Have a Heart, Do Your Part' radiothon he helped start and hosted for so many years has raised millions of dollars to support patient care, education and research to benefit the children we serve and we are forever grateful. Our thoughts are with his family," the hospital said.

When he was on the air, Patrick was not shy about publicly acknowledging his past, especially his alcoholism. It was that personal honesty, said fellow Houston radio host Michael Berry, that helped make him such a popular figure on the air.

"Matt made his own personal failings in the past a teachable lesson for listeners in the future. It takes an incredible humility to do that. It wasn't just a radio show for him, it was a ministry," Berry said. "He bore his soul to his listeners and created a deep, intimate connection."

In 2012, Patrick married Paula, whom he called "the love of his life." She called him "the most incredible man I've ever known."

They met in Ohio when she spotted Patrick doing a live radio event. Patrick was friends with her sister and Paula was just going to stop and say hello.

"That 'hello' lasted 14 hours and it included lunch, dinner, lots of talking 'and nothing else,'" she told the church audience. "We were on our way to a life together none of us could even imagine."

Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy Nehls, a friend of the family, said he believed Patrick's daily conversation with radio listeners served a purpose beyond just advising them about the latest piece of news or morning commute.

"Matt brought people closer to God and also saved marriages. When you would listen to Matt talk about his love for faith and family, you instinctively reflect on your own life and take Matt's words to heart," Nehls said. "Matt placed God and his family first in his life."

More than two dozen law enforcement officers from different agencies, including Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo and Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, attended the memorial service for Patrick. Nehls said officers knew that Patrick, an honorary Fort Bend County deputy sheriff, would always stand beside them regardless of what others in the community might say.

He "was always out front, battling the critics and supporting law enforcement officers across the country," Nehls said. "Matt demonstrated a special love for law enforcement."

In addition to his wife, Patrick is survived by their son Jake, his daughters, Alexandra Ryan and Alanna Ryan, his mother, sisters, stepfather and numerous uncles, aunts and cousins. Michael "Matt Patrick" Ryan will be buried in a private family service in Ohio.
Spring Branch Independent School District's career training program is getting a jolt this fall with the start of a new electrician apprenticeship course offered to juniors and seniors that will allow them to complete two of four years required toward a professional certification, all before they graduate.

The electrician course work takes place at the district's Career and Technical Education Center, CTE, known as the Guthrie Center, where work is being done to the tune of $50,000 to outfit the classroom where the lessons will be taught by a master electrician.

The program will allow students to get a two-year jump on a four-year track to sit for a journeyman's license with the State of Texas as an electrician. The state requires at least 8,000 hours of work experience to sit for the exam. With a regular 40-hour per week job, that's almost four years of employment. If a student completed the Spring Branch ISD program as designed, once they graduate, they would only have two years left before they could become licensed.

Additionally, said David Sablatura, CTE director, the kids will receive college credit with Houston Community College for their high school work if they should continue toward a four-year degree.

"It's really a win-win for the partnerships and the kids because we were able to identify about 50 juniors this year, and when they get to be seniors, we'll identify 50 more juniors," said Sablatura.

So far, at least one student from each Spring Branch district high school has signed up for the initial courses.

The partnership is with TRIO Electric located in East Spring Branch near Hempstead Road.

TRIO's President, Beau Pollock, approached the school district with the idea to offer the professional apprenticeship to high school students to fill a need the firm has for skilled electricians and electrical engineers.

TRIO is a Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation approved Apprenticeship site and has provided one of their master electricians to teach the course at the Guthrie Center. The curriculum continues through the summer break with an internship at TRIO in order to stay on track with the required number of hours.

The company hopes to hire some of the graduates as they move through the apprenticeship hours, and finally as a licensed electrician.

TRIO isn't the only construction services firm having a hard time filling job openings, though.

A National Association of Homebuilders 2016 survey found, "The share of builders reporting either some or a serious shortage has skyrocketed from a low of 21 percent in 2012, to 46 percent in 2014, 52 percent in 2015, and now 56 percent in 2016. The shortages have harmed builders' abilities to both form their own workforces, and hire subcontractors, such as bricklayers and electricians. The net result, according to the 2016 survey, is that 75 percent of builders say they've had to pay higher wages and bids, 64 percent have delayed projects, and 68 percent have raised home prices."

"This is a school-to-work program, and for some families, they're seeing this as a great way for their kids to move into a career and start early," said Sablatura.

"And this opportunity isn't just limited to students who want to be a journeyman, TRIO also needs electrical engineers. A lot of those apprenticeships are hard to come by we're really excited about it and we can't wait to get started, we're just weeks away from kicking it off."
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Local knife collectors and enthusiasts are celebrating a change in Texas law that will allow them to carry any blade, regardless of the length, most places in the state starting Sept. 1.

House Bill 1935, a bill lobbied for by national organization Knife Rights, repealed what many collectors considered vague wording in the law and will allow people older than 18 to carry blades longer than 5  inches in public, including knives, swords and spears of any size.

"There is a caveat to that," said Todd Rathner, director of legislative affairs for Knife Rights. "You won't be able to carry knives in the same places you aren't able to carry firearms - places which derive 51 percent of their revenue or more from alcohol sales, churches, schools, those types of places."

The original bill, authored and filed by Rep. John Frullo, R-Lubbock, called for the legalization of carry for all knives regardless of location.

Following the fatal stabbing of a student by a hunting knife at the University of Texas on May 1, an amendment was added to prohibit the carrying of knives in the same places where open carry of firearms was prohibited.

Knife laws have been vague, leaving too much to the discretion of arresting officers, prosecutors and judges, Rathner said.

"Before, you'd have to know the knife laws in each individual city or municipality," he said.

Those laws prohibited anyone from carrying knives with blades more than 5.5 inches long and listed several brands, such as Bowie knives, as "illegal," he said.

Lloyd Lively agrees that the old laws were too restrictive.

A collector who lives near Deer Park, he once helped a family member run Beckwith's Blades in Houston, which he said was one of the largest knife stores in southeast Texas.

"You could only carry a blade that was less than 5.5 inches long," he said of rules before the new law. "Any fisherman out on the water was probably carrying a filet knife longer than that.

"So, all of those fishermen were breaking the law."

While the bill passed unanimously in the state senate and only had one "no" vote in the house, concerns have raised online about people wandering the streets with swords and machetes strapped to their backs.

To that, Lively responded, "Your lawn guy probably carries around a machete, and there hasn't been an outcry about that."

Dakao Do, lead instructor for Sword to Sword, a Houston business that offers classes on martial arts using swords and other medieval and Renaissance weapons, warns that residents shouldn't abuse the rights to carry large blades.

"The most relevant lesson for the general public is that, as with any firearms or other weapons, proper training and mindset far outweigh the 'cool' factor of openly carrying a gun or sword in ignorance of its proper use," Do said.

Henrik Popowski, a South Houston resident who sells knives from his internet-based shop, believes any legislation regarding the carrying of weapons is an infringement on personal freedom.

"I think the less legislation the better," Popowski said.

"This kind of legislation is about controlling people, to tell them how to live and what to do and it is idiotic. The only people screwed by this system are honest people that need knives that are prohibited for some reason."

Knives as weapons, he said, are useless to most people unless they have been trained.

Rathner sees the original laws on knives as "just bad laws."

"You had all these things listed as 'illegal knives.' This list included dirks, daggers, stilettos, Bowie knives - even in the knife industry there's no agreed upon definition for these knives," he said.

"For example, Bowie knives were listed as illegal to carry, but what's a Bowie knife? There's no set length for those. It's become a common term for almost any fixed-blade knife with a long blade, so there was no structure to that law."

Gina Ladin, owns Journey to the Past, a Pearland antique store that also specializes in knife sales, thinks that repeal of the old wording in the law makes sense.

"If you can open carry a gun, why couldn't you open carry a knife?" she said.

Lively agreed.

"You can walk down the street carrying an AR-15 (firearm), but not a 6-inch blade? The law needed to be changed," he said.

While Ladin's business specializes in pocket knife sales under 5.5 inches, she said the store might consider selling longer blades with the new legislation in place.

"I'll have to study the law," she said. "If it's something our customer's want, then (selling longer blades) is something we can look into."

Popowski supports the legislation but worries that it would create more competition and hurt sales for an independent seller like himself.

"Now we are a specialized niche that sells to collectors and law enforcement, but now everybody jumps in," he said.

Rathner, Popowski and Lively all contend that the legislation doesn't pose any increased danger for the public.

"It's just like with the open carry laws," Lively said. "Law-abiding people aren't a threat, and people who are a threat don't follow the law. So, the old laws that were in place weren't necessarily protecting anyone."

Rathner said that most violent crimes involving knives are almost always committed with kitchen knives, which have blades more than 5.5 inches long.

"So, it doesn't make any sense to ban all of these other things," he said.
It began as yet another scorching Saturday in central Arizona as scores of families flocked to the cool waters of a popular swimming hole, seeking relief from the 100-degree temperatures in the cities.

Among them was an extended family of 14 from Phoenix. They gathered at the Cold Springs swimming hole in the Tonto National Forest, near Payson, to celebrate Maria Raya's 26th birthday, their relatives told local media.

At about 3 in the afternoon, it was barely drizzling as the Raya family and others waded in the water and hiked along the narrow canyon, its scenic waterfall and granite rock formations in the backdrop.

Suddenly, with no warning, the adults and children swimming in the canyon heard a roar. As they turned to look upstream, they saw a massive wall of dark muddy water rushing toward them, carrying tree trunks and logs the sizes of vehicles, Ron Sattelmaier, Water Wheel Fire and Medical District Fire Chief, told The Washington Post, citing interviews with witnesses.

The flash flood, six-foot tall, 40-foot wide torrents of murky water, swept away Raya, her children and several other family members, spanning three generations, while other relatives grasped onto trees waiting to be rescued. By Sunday, nine people had been found dead. Authorities did not identify the dead, but relatives listed the names to local media.

Among these were Raya and her three children, ages 3, 5 and 7. Raya's husband, Hector Miguel Garnica, 27, was still missing.

Her sister, Maribel Raya, 24, also died, along with Maribel's 2-year-old daughter Erika and 14-year-old brother Javier.

Celia Garcia, 60, the mother of Maria, Maribel and Javier, was also confirmed dead, along with her grandson, Jonathan Leon, 13.

Other loved ones drove in from out of town as they heard the news of the flood, caused by heavy thunderstorms and rain near the area, the Gila County Sheriff's Office said. Relatives convened at the canyon to scour the waters for missing relatives into the early hours the next morning. During this search, amid the debris, they found the body of one of the missing children, relatives told the Arizona Republic.

"It's so difficult to lose an entire family," Iris Garnica, a cousin of the missing man told reporters on Sunday, her hand on her face.

All were from Phoenix, the Arizona Republic reported. Four other relatives - a husband, wife and their two children - were rescued by helicopter and treated for hypothermia at a hospital before being released.

Sattelmaier told The Post that while he could not confirm the causes of death, he believed the majority of fatalities were caused by blunt force trauma from the logs, tree trunks and debris carried in the waters.

Hector Miguel Garnica's sister Carla Garnica, 22, told The Post Sunday that the family was focused on finding her missing brother's body to bring him home "to be together forever with his family." She asked for privacy as the family continued to search and mourn.

Earlier Sunday, Carla Garnica told reporters "he has to be found."

"He's always said, 'I'm never leaving my children or my wife,'" Carla Garnica said. "He has to complete his promise."

Flash flooding is common in both the mountains and the desert of Arizona during the summer monsoon season, Sattelmaier told The Post.

"The rains come so fast and so hard," he said, "that the soil cannot absorb all the water in these stream beds that are normally dry most of the year."

The risk of flash floods become worse after wildfires and drought, he said. This specific region of central Arizona was hit by wildfires recently, meaning there was less vegetation in the area preventing flooding.

Flash floods, as their name suggests, are unexpected and unpredictable. Meanwhile, he has seen more and more people flocking to watering holes like Cold Springs to escape increasingly hot temperatures. He had seen the Cold Springs swimming area publicized heavily on social media and in nature magazines.

"They don't expect this wall of water to come rushing at them in a steam bed that's been dried for the last 9 months," Sattelmaier said. But once a monsoon comes, a dried up canyon "can turn into a raging torrent that can sweep anybody away."

Over the course of more than four decades, he added, "this is probably one of the worst situations that I've been in."

Mandisa Alexander was also celebrating an early birthday on Saturday, her 21st, when she and her friends made the drive from Phoenix to the Cold Springs watering hole, she told The Post. Though it was a hot and sunny day when they left for the park, it began to hail when they reached the parking lot. They decided to wait it out a bit, a decision for which she is now grateful.

After a short while, the hail stopped and it was barely sprinkling rain outside. So the group of three friends decided to begin the 45-minute hike along the canyon to the watering hole. They were about a mile and a half from the main swimming area when they considered jumping into the water. It was "nice and calm," she said.

But moments later, "a wall of waves just came rushing down." The torrential floodwaters raged through the canyon in the area in front of them and behind them.

"If we were five minutes ahead or five minutes behind we would've been swept away," Alexander said.

"I just kind of thought, I'm going to die before I'm going to turn 21," she added.

They climbed up onto a rock about 15 feet above the water and when they looked down, they saw a man holding onto a young girl, who looked to be about 2 years old, in a tree or bush. The toddler was shivering, but somehow, not crying as the father also remained calm. Both were covered in mud.

His wife was not far from him, also clinging onto a tree, authorities later said.

Alexander and other witnesses called out to the father, trying to offer help. He told them he had been with about 10 other people who had been swept away by the floodwaters.

Alexander and others waded waist deep into the water, trying to carry a large log toward the family to help them to safety. But they worried the waters might pick up again, and were told that rescuers were on their way. As Alexander and her friends hiked out of the park, they saw the body of a woman downstream, washed up on the shoreline.

Matt Owsley, principal at Black Mountain Elementary school in Cave Creek posted on Facebook that Raya's son, Hector, was an incoming second grade student at his school, and "always one of the kindest little boys I have known. I miss his hugs already!"

Speaking to The Post, Owsley said the school is a "close-knit community" where "everyone knows everyone." The Raya parents worked in restaurants not far from the school and "were well known by many in Cave Creek."

"Everyone at school knows Hector," the principal said. "He makes friends with everyone and finds it hard to pass by without giving a big hug. His smile was infectious. Right now, everyone in our community is trying to make sense of all of this."

His little sister, age five, was about to start at Black Mountain the following month.

Other comments on Facebook remembered Hector as a "true ray of sunshine" with a smile that lit up a room.

"My sweet grandson," said one comment.
As CONCACAF competitions tend to be, the Gold Cup group stage was a strange little rodeo:

French Guiana fielded an ineligible player, knowing full well it would forfeit the match (and subsequently get hit by sanctions).

Honduras advanced despite failing to score; it's three "goals" were awarded through French Guiana's forfeit.

The United States relinquished a two-goal lead in the second half to lightly regarded Martinique, but won anyway.

Mexico labored to put aside Curacao.

The tournament's leading scorers with three goals apiece were a 16-year-old Canadian (Vancouver Whitecaps forward Alphonso Davies) and a Martinican who was briefly a Seattle Sounder (Kevin Parsemain).

The U.S. matches (Nashville, Tampa, Cleveland) drew an average of 32,975. Mexico's games (San Diego, Denver, San Antonio) attracted 48,829. Well, that's not so strange.

And now it's onto the quarterfinals . . .

(All times are Eastern)

Wednesday in Philadelphia:

Costa Rica vs. Panama, 6 p.m. (FS1, UniMas)

United States vs. El Salvador, 9 p.m. (FS1, UniMas)

Thursday in Glendale, Arizona:

Jamaica vs. Canada, 7:30 p.m. (FS1, Univision)

Mexico vs. Honduras, 10:30 p.m. (FS1, Univision)

The Philadelphia winners will meet in Saturday's semifinal in Arlington, Texas. The Glendale winners will play Sunday in Pasadena, California. The final is next Wednesday at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

If the quarterfinals and semifinals are tied after 90 minutes, the match will proceed directly to penalty kicks. The final will, if necessary, utilize 30 minutes of extra time before turning to penalties. Teams are afforded one additional sub during extra time.

The United States boasts a 16-match unbeaten streak against El Salvador since 1993 (13-0-3). Four years ago, the Americans rolled to a 5-1 victory in a Gold Cup quarterfinal in Baltimore.
The rift between the Saudi and Sunni block in the Middle East doesnt seem to pacify as reports now emerge that United Arab Emirates was responsible for the incendiary quotes falsely attributed to Qatars Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.



The events had led to the Saudis, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt immediately cutting all diplomatic ties with Qatar and banning its state sponsored news outlet Al-Jazeera. What followed was an escalation involving six other countries and a divided Middle East. While US President Donald Trump had clearly favoured the Saudi Bloc, State Secretary Rex Tillerson had warned the move could undermine U.S. counterterrorism efforts against the Islamic State.



Responding to the report that cited US intelligence Officials, the UAE Ambassador to the US Yousef al-Otaiba denied any involvement by the government stating, The UAE had no role whatsoever in the alleged hacking described in the article. What is true is Qatars behaviour. Funding, supporting, and enabling extremists from the Taliban to Hamas and Qadafi. Inciting violence, encouraging radicalization, and undermining the stability of its neighbours.

While Otaiba overtly denies any involvement, the US officials remain unclear whether the UAE carried out the hacks itself or contracted to have them done.

On the other hand, Ali Bin Fetais al-Marri, Qatar's attorney general, told reporters in the capital, Doha, on 21 June that "Qatar has evidence that certain iPhones originating from countries laying siege to Qatar were used in the hack".



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As soon as the rescue team settled into their seats at the Marine Fire House, the information came in rapid fire. The person they needed to find, Marine Police Chief Chris Singleton told them, was 5-feet 9-inches tall and weighed 190 pounds. He was 50 years old and his name was Jimmy England.

When his girlfriend had gone to pick him up from work, about 4:30 p.m. that day, workers told her he had been fired, had left the workplace on foot, and was understandably angry.

The girlfriend tried to reach him by phone, and, getting no answer, called the Marine Police Department. England lived in Edwardsville but a witness had sighted him leaving Phyls Chet & Roses Tavern a few blocks down from the fire house.

The event on Wednesday was a mock rescue mission but the plans were deadly serious and the rescuers approached them with surprising gravitas.

In the room were Ron Edwards, president SAR CO-OP, Inc. a group that trains dogs to help law enforcement groups find missing persons, and more than a dozen members of the Marine police and fire departments. Nine members of the SARS team were also on hand, wearing bright orange t-shirts. A half dozen canines were waiting outside the station.

The missions main goal, Edwards said, was to give the three groups practice working together in a realistic setting. Its great when we can work with these guys and kind of get to know each other, Edwards said. We dont get to do much of that. In a real search, there could be four or five dog teams out there. We have to learn to work together.

At the fire house, Singleton said England was most likely somewhere in the village. The informant reported seeing him leave Phyls 30 minutes earlier. Singleton handed out maps with a red rectangular area denoting where they hoped to keep England contained.

Hes in that area, Singleton said.

The rescuers had questions. "Do you have a more detailed description?" a man asked.

We believe that what he normally wore to work were blue jeans and a t-shirt. We dont know the color of the shirt, but he did have blue jeans and a t-shirt, the last update we had, Singleton told him.

Does he have a medical history?

Hes got high blood pressure and he takes medicine daily, but he has not had his meds today.

Is he armed, asked another.

He does not own a gun, Singleton said. He does not have a gun on him, but he does chew tobacco.

Another asked, Any mental health issues?

None that we know of. But he just lost his job and obviously hes very upset.

Singleton said the caller said England had been hanging out behind Phyls Tavern.

He drinks Bud Light, Singleton said. That brought mild laughter.

Hey listen, Singleton said. You laugh, but I train my dog to recover different stuff. You recover a Bud Light bottle and you could be on the right track. After a pause, he added, You may not be, because everybody drinks Bud Light.

As the talk wore on, Singleton warned the rescuers not to cling too tightly to the description on the flyer. On it was one photo of England wearing a cap backwards, and glasses, another showing him sans cap and glasses.

Before the meeting, a mock rescue was held with the target being a 19-year-old autistic girl purported to be lost inside the fire house. She was eventually found, but not before the dog was thrown off his scent by the HVAC system. While the AC, a handler explained, had provided respite from the muggy conditions, the air currents it stirred up inside made things difficult for the dogs.

After the meeting, Singleton joined a handful of rescuers in search of an elderly woman who presumably was lost. They trailed a German Shepherd named Bogie. After spending a few minutes wandering near a concession stand at the park, Bogie darted for the bathrooms, causing the rescuers to sprint to keep up with him.

Bogie quickly tugged them around a park restroom and found the woman on a nearby park bench.

Afterwards, he basked in his trainers adulation.

Another planning session ensued, led by Edwards. Then they walked from the fire house to the containment area, a mile or so across town. When they reached the area, the rescuers walked side-by-side, scouring the field for clues. Ahead of them was the rescue dog.
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A 71-year-old San Francisco man was shot and killed Sunday morning during an apparent robbery at the Twin Peaks viewpoint  the latest violent episode at the favorite tourist stop, officials said Monday.

The victim, identified by the city medical examiners office as Edward French, was found with a gunshot wound near his vehicle in the main parking lot at the overlook, police said.

French had been approached by a young man and a woman around 7:50 a.m. when he was shot and his camera was stolen, said Officer Robert Rueca, a San Francisco police spokesman.

The suspects ran to a dark gray Honda Accord with rear-end damage and fled, he said.

A jogger was the first to hear the gunshot and found French lying in the parking lot bleeding, police said. The jogger performed CPR before paramedics took French to San Francisco General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

French was an avid photographer and worked as a location scout for films and other productions.

This killing is really tragic, said San Francisco Supervisor Jeff Sheehy, who represents District Eight, which includes Twin Peaks. Its obviously not safe at Twin Peaks. This was at 8 a.m. on Sunday. Im very concerned about it.

Sheehy said he knew of French through the citys film production community, and the killing came like a bolt out of the blue.

French had been taking pictures shortly after sunrise when he was attacked, his neighbor in San Franciscos Eureka Valley said Monday.

He was a really decent guy, Andrew Hutcheson, 29, said of his upstairs neighbor. Knowing him, he would have put up a struggle. I could see him denying a person trying to take his stuff.

Rueca said police continue looking for anyone who may have heard or seen anything. The suspects were described as a man in his early 20s weighing 170 pounds with shoulder-length dreadlocks and a 5-foot-3 woman in her late teens, weighing 120 pounds.

Frenchs family and friends gathered at his apartment at the bottom of the north end of Twin Peaks on Monday, but they did not comment on the killing and asked for privacy.

About a mile up the hill at the viewpoint, busloads of tourists snapped selfies and took in the sweeping panoramas, seemingly unaware of the violence that happened the morning before.

Street musician Andy Perry said he happened upon the scene about half an hour after the killing as investigators taped off the parking lot and police scoured the area for evidence.

I just knew something was bad, Perry said Monday while playing Hindu spiritual music on a pump organ near the scene of the killing. I was just praying the whole time.

Like many city residents who frequent Twin Peaks, Perry is keenly aware of frequent crime in what appears to be a tranquil neighborhood.

Theres been a lot of break-ins and robberies here, he said. It makes me sick. When I hear something like this, it goes really deep into my heart.

One of the most shocking attacks at Twin Peaks came in February 2016 when two men were killed and another wounded in an early-morning triple shooting on top of the hill. Richard Contreras, 27, of Richmond pleaded not guilty to murder and other charges in the case.

That crime came amid several brazen robberies at the sightseeing spot involving tourists and photographers. The crimes often go unsolved.

Most recently, three Bay Area residents taking pictures on July 1 were robbed at gunpoint at Twin Peaks. The victims, two men and a woman, were robbed of a camera, lens and phones at the overlook.

Evan Sernoffsky is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @EvanSernoffsky
Let your emails pile up, or fight to achieve inbox zero? Two entrepreneurs from different schools of thought explain the reasoning behind their email-management methods.

Related: 4 Tips to Better Manage Your Email Inbox

Inbox Infinity

The day I realized my email was not my to-do list but just other peoples to-do list for me, I had this incredible realization: Constantly managing an inbox is like doing someone elses homework! The minute I stopped running my day based on my email, I immediately became more effective. And its not about ignoring messages; being responsive is really important, and its indicative of your work ethic. Of course, theres a line between knowing your priorities and being responsive. I start every day with a list of the three to five critical things I need to do and slot them into my calendar. When I feel like Im on track to achieve them, Ill check on my email. I delete anything I know is marketing and then look for priority messages that require a decision on a deadline. Anything else, I leave it bold. Its not that those messages arent important, but I can deal with them later, so its fine for them to pile up. Not obsessing over my inbox keeps me calm and has helped me prioritize my time and focus on whats important, rather than constantly playing catch-up.

-- Rachel Blumenthal, founder and CEO, childrens clothing subscription service Rockets of Awesome

Related: Forget Inbox Zero: Focus on Reaching Inbox Zen

Inbox Zero

If that little red dot on my phones email icon has anything higher than a number 5 in it, it causes me major stress. And Im at a point in my life -- and business -- where removing stress is a priority. For a long time, Id manage my inbox by moving important messages into a starred folder, with plans to deal with them later. But that just trapped them in email purgatory, and knowing they were in there was a constant distraction. So about six months ago, I started doing a nightly inbox purge at 10. It really takes only about 15 minutes now that Im in a rhythm. (Plus, since so much of our internal communication is done via Slack these days, I dont have as many company messages floating around.) I delete what I can and respond to what just needs a short answer. Anything that deserves more attention than I can muster at the end of the day, I save for tomorrow -- but thats never more than a few messages. I sleep better without that stress. And better sleep means a better, more productive tomorrow.

-- Adam Tishman, co-founder and CEO, mattress company Helix

Related:



Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved



This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com


Online shopping market poised to explode

VietNamNet Bridge - Online shopping services are expected to boom in the next five years.









Mi Van, an office worker in Thu Duc district, HCM City, travels 45 minutes from her home to her office 9-10 kilometers away. It is a burden for her to shop for food for five family members every day.

Online shopping service providers are facing specific difficulties. They have to be sure that food is delivered on time as requested by clients and ensure high quality of food. Late deliveries cannot keep food fresh.

However, her workload has eased as she now uses 3sachfood and Di Cho Nhanh (quick shopping) services.Van orders food daily. Prior to 10 pm, she places orders and asks for delivery at home or office. Since the food has been partially prepared, she only has to spend time to cook, which takes 30-45 minutes.The total expenses for her 5-member family are VND350,000-400,000.In HCM City, about 10 companies and individuals provide online shopping services. The service providers show information about food prices and service fees on their websites.To use the services, consumers just need to click on the products and put into a cart. They can also place orders through apps, message via operators, make direct calls or send messages via Facebook.After receiving orders, service providers confirm the orders with calls or messages, and send bills via email. The orders finish at 9-10 pm every day, while food is delivered from 8 am  6 pm the next day as requested by clients.Nguyen Minh Nguyet, the owner of a Facebook account which provides online shopping, said she gets 25-40 orders a day for fresh, partially prepared and ready-made food. The value of the orders varies, from VND250,000 to VND2.5 million.Phan Long, director of Green Healthy, which provides Di Cho Nhanh service said that Di Cho Nhanh has about 400 customers. There has been 30 percent new growth every month. Orders are VND500,000 on average.According to Long, food is sourced from prestigious food suppliers. Long plans to work with producers to have stable material supply sources and control the quality of products. If he can do this, Di Cho Nhanh not only can ensure the clear origin and quality of products, but also reduce costs.Online shopping service providers are facing specific difficulties. They have to be sure that food is delivered on time as requested by clients and ensure high quality of food. Late deliveries cannot keep food fresh.Nielsen has forecast that the Vietnamese e-commerce market will grow 22 percent this year and 13.2 percent by 2020.
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Houston attorney James Moriarty was sitting in a crowded military courtroom in Jordan on Monday when he heard the guilty verdict announced against the man who last year killed his son along with two other U.S. Army Special Forces soldiers.

"I had tears in my eyes. It was a passing of an important moment," Moriarty said later in a telephone interview with the Houston Chronicle.

"I had a feeling that I had done my duty to protect his name and protect his honor," Moriarty said.

The guilty verdict and life sentence with hard labor handed down by a military court against the Jordanian soldier, M'aarek Abu Tayeh - sometimes referred to as Marik al-Tuwayha - ended a month-long trial in Amman - Jordan's capital. Moriarty's son and namesake, Staff Sgt. James "Jimmy" Moriarty, 27, was killed Nov. 4, 2016 when his convoy waited at the gate to the al-Jafar base in southern Jordan.

Also killed were Staff Sgt. Matthew C. Lewellen, 27, and Staff Sgt. Kevin J. McEnroe, 30. They were assigned to the U.S. Army's 5th Special Forces Group in Fort Campbell, Ky. and were in Jordan to train Syrian rebels as part of the U.S. led military coalition against the Islamic State.

The life sentence means Abu Tayeh won't be eligible for parole for at least 20 years. Some family members of the victims have said they believe capital punishment would have been an appropriate punishment.

"Perhaps they couldn't have prosecuted him for a more serious form of murder," Moriarty said. "But, I would have been perfectly happy to see him hung."

Abu Tayeh pleaded not guilty when the trial began last month. As he was being led from the court room following the verdict, Abu Tayeh said, "I have all the respect for the king but I was doing my job," according to the Associated Press.

Security was tight for the trial. Military vehicles with machine guns were positioned outside the courtroom and several armed guards were inside. Moriarty said he was glad the Jordanian military court took the case so seriously. A translator was on hand to make sure the family members of the victims understood what the judge was saying.

"It was pretty powerful," Moriarty said. "I knew a third of the way through that they were going to find him guilty of murder."

It was a relief to finally hear a Jordanian government official say his son, who grew up in Houston, and his fellow Green Berets were not at fault, Moriarty said.

"They announced to the world that the Americans were without blame and that (Abu Tayeh) had deliberately and intentionally murdered them," he said. "It was satisfying that the Jordanians finally accepted some responsibility."

Even with the guilty verdict and life sentence handed down, Moriarty remains frustrated that the motive behind the crime remains a mystery. Jordanian and US officials have said there is nothing to link Abu Tayeh to an anti-US terrorist organization. But Moriarty doesn't believe the account the defendant gave in court - that he believed the base was under attack after he heard gunfire coming from the American convoy.

"There is no rational excuse for why that sorry bastard murdered my son," Moriarty said. "Talk about someone who has taken no responsibility for what he did. He reminds me of some gang banger who is pissed off because he got arrested."

The military judge seemed to discount Abu Tayeh's version of events while he was questioning other Jordanian soldiers who were there. He asked them why they did not open fire if the base was under attack.

"They recognized that they were all Americans who lived on the base. They weren't a threat," Moriarty said. "I knew right there that the case was over."

Representatives from the U.S. embassy in Jordan were on hand for the trial and said the verdict confirms the three slain Green Berets "followed all established procedures when accessing the base the day of the incident."

"We are reassured to see the perpetrator brought to justice. We appreciate the access provided to us and to the families of the victims, as well as the expedience and seriousness of the court proceedings, consistent with Jordanian law.

Despite this tragedy, Jordan remains a strategic partner," the U.S. Embassy in Amman said in a statement to the Houston Chronicle.

Samy Ayoub with the Middle Eastern Studies Department at the University of Texas at Austin said he's not surprised at the verdict. He said Jordan's government would rather focus on issues like the struggle against the Islamic State and the turmoil in neighboring Syria.

"They just want to deal with this as quickly as possible," Ayoub said. "They want closure to the case so they can move on."

Moriarty and other family members of the slain American soldiers have criticized Jordan's handling of the case. On Monday, soon after the verdict was announced, Moriarty sent a letter to Dina Kawar, Jordan's ambassador to the United States. The Houston Chronicle has obtained a copy of the letter. It calls Abu Tayeh's conviction, "a good first step, but it is only the first step."

In the letter, Moriarty said they have other requests - including military or civil criminal charges against the Jordanian gate guards who stood by while Abu Tayeh was killing Moriarty and the other Green Berets. They also want the security video of the shooting scene to be released to the families. In addition, the three families should receive restitution for their losses, the letter states.

"They've successfully prosecuted him. This is what they need to do now," Moriarty said. "We owe it to our children and we owe it to our country to fight for what we believe in."
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The two men involved in a major accident on Interstate 10 in Luling, Texas, on Friday were on their way to the San Marcos for a weekend tubing trip, according to social media posts.

Sgt. Deon Cockrell, a spokesman for the Texas Department of Public Safety, confirmed Monday that Justin Hartley, an Army veteran, was driving the Chevrolet Avalanche when the vehicle crashed into the back of a tractor-trailer around 12:30 p.m. in the westbound lanes of Interstate 10. Hartley died in the crash.

RELATED: SAPD officer kills man who allegedly threatened teenage girl's life

"Justin was a beautiful soul who will always be remembered for everything he's done for his friends, family, and country," according to a GoFundMe page for Hartley's funeral expenses.

The passenger in the vehicle, Trey Diller, was ejected from the Avalanche and suffered head trauma, according to a Facebook post from his mother, Laura Ann Diller. According to Cockrell, Trey Diller was air lifted to University Hospital for treatment.

According to posts from Laura Ann Diller's Facebook, her son is currently recovering in the hospital.

"He knows who we are and he continues to feel the effects of the accident," the Facebook post says. "It is really hard to see him in pain and cry because he is still so confused."

RELATED: 2 killed, 1 airlifted to S.A. in separate traffic accidents on I-10 near Luling

According to Hartley's GoFundMe page, the two men were on their way to San Marcos from the Woodlands, Texas, for a weekend tubing trip with about 40 other people. Trey Diller posted about the trip on his Facebook on July 5, referring to the trip as the "6th Annual Sam Fam River Trip."

Friends and family members posted prayers and tributes for Hartley and Trey Diller on Facebook over the weekend as news spread of the tragic wreck.

Sgt. Cockrell said Friday that DPS troopers believe traffic from an earlier traffic accident involving a vehicle fatally striking a pedestrian might've contributed to the fatal crash.

Text "NEWS" to 77453 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com

cdowns@mysa.com

Twitter: @calebjdowns
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AUSTIN - Gov. Greg Abbott has raised another $10 million-plus for his campaign account, giving him $40.8 million in the bank heading into election season.

It took just 12 days for Abbott to bring in his latest haul, which was touted by his campaign. His detailed campaign finance report, including donors and expenses, will be posted on the Texas Ethics Commission website.

The time period for raising money this year was short for lawmakers and statewide officeholders.

They were barred from accepting contributions for a period that began 30 days before the regular legislative session convened in January and ended 20 days after its May 29 adjournment.

Contributions received by June 30 showed up on the July 15 campaign finance report.

Abbott, who announced for re-election Friday in San Antonio, isnt expected to face serious competition in the GOP primary. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, whose name is periodically floated as a possible Abbott challenger, has said he wont run against Abbott and announced for re-election early this year.

Democrats, with a long losing streak in statewide elections, havent yet promoted a candidate  although Dallas businessman Jeffrey Payne told CBS 11 in Dallas-Fort Worth that he plans to run and loan his campaign $2.5 million for the effort.

My campaign is building the largest grass-roots army ever assembled in the Lone Star State, with the goal of keeping Texas the brightest beacon of freedom in the country. In the upcoming election, our campaign will be relentless in our efforts to identify and turn out conservatives to keep Texas red, Abbott said in a statement.

Manny Garcia, deputy executive director of the Texas Democratic Party, said of the governors war chest, Abbott is going to need every single cent he can get his hands on to cover up his lies and put lipstick on his record of weak leadership.

Officials can continue fundraising through the special session Abbott called to begin Tuesday. It doesnt include the same restrictions as a regular session.

pfikac@express-news.net

Twitter: @pfikac
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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott may have come to San Antonio on Friday to announce his intentions for a second term, but he also, unintentionally, gave one local activist the trolling opportunity of a lifetime.

After his speech, Abbott stuck around to meet with supporters. Enter Ashley Smith.

Smith said she does not support Abbott, but does have a very vested interest in the outcome of one of Abbott's pet pieces of legislation, the so called "bathroom bill."

The longtime San Antonio resident and LGBTQ activist waited through the speech for an opportunity to meet Abbott.

RELATED: War of words at Texas Legislature escalates ahead of special session

It wasn't so she could shout insults or spout off at the governor, it is because sometimes a picture is worth more than words.

"I did not think it (shouting) would work, or that I would be heard and was more interested in the getting the photograph and not getting thrown out," Smith said.

The picture she ended up taking was of a very happy looking governor next to a beautiful woman.

In large bright lettering in the photo, Smith captioned it with "#Bathroombuddy," and identified the governor and herself as "Texas Governor Greg Abbott," and "Ashley Smith Trans-Woman."

She then posted the photo to her Facebook page where the humor and irony of it quickly caught on and took off.

How will the Potty Police know I'm transgender if the Governor doesn't? #bathroombuddy #satx #indivisible #stopsb6 #noh8 #transgender #translivesmatter #sunsetandsinedie #classroomsnotbathrooms Posted by Ashley Smith on Saturday, July 15, 2017

"I have not tagged the Governor with it, but I know other people have," Smith said.

Since posting the photo, Smith said she has received an overwhelmingly positive response, multiple friend requests and a few thousand "likes."

"Once I had the photo, I was eager to get on social media just because I wanted to make a point," she said.

And that point is, as she wrote in her Facebook post: "How will the Potty Police know I'm transgender if the Governor doesn't?"

"We're about 1-in-300 people, we're all over the place, we're your friends and your neighbors," Smith said. "Some of us are not immediately obvious as trans. And the idea that you are going to be able to enforce a bathroom bill, I mean the enforceability is just not there."

READ ALSO: California travel ban to Texas over LGBT adoption bill could spell trouble for tourism industry

Smith said the main reason she went to the governor's event was because of the special session and because what a "bathroom bill" would mean for the trans community.

"I'm very active with Indivisible San Antonio, and I've lobbied and protested a lot this session," said Smith. "And I'm encouraged that Speaker (Joe) Straus has been able to resist the most egregious bathroom bills that come to the House."

Smith pointed out that many of Texas' larger cities have had non-discrimination ordinances in place for years, and that fears of the type of incidents proponents of "bathroom bills" have warned of have not manifested.

She said she hopes reason will prevail during the special session and that those in the trans community will be able to continue to use the bathrooms of the gender in which they long have identified.
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Jaime Martinez, a dedicated civil and workers rights activist who used his powerful voice to help those with little representation in San Antonio and across the nation, died Sunday. He was 70.

Martinez, known for his many works in San Antonio, also is known for creating the Cesar E. Chavez Legacy and Educational Foundation in the Alamo City and coordinating a march here to remember the champion of farm workers.

(He was) making sure we were celebrating the legacy of Chavez, and being unashamed of the fact that we believe in celebrating and memorializing leaders in San Antonio, no matter what minority they may be, said Gabriel Quintero Velasquez, march event coordinator with the Cesar E. Chavez Legacy and Educational Foundation who worked alongside Martinez.

U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett, who knew Martinez for more than 30 years, said Martinez often called even between chemotherapy sessions to secure funding for their scholarship program.

Hes unique, and unmatchable, Velasquez recalled. I remember one time Henry Cisneros was saying that Jaime was the most consistent activist in S.A. And its true. He didnt shy away from controversial issues if he felt that it was the right thing to do.

Bexar County Precinct 4 Commissioner Tommy Calvert said Martinez was surrounded by family as they read his favorite Bible passage, Psalm 23, before he passed.

More Information Born: August 28, 1946, San Antonio Died: July 16, 2017, San Antonio Services: A public viewing will be held from noon to 9 p.m. on Wednesday at Porter Loring Mortuaries, 2101 N. Loop 1604 East. A procession open to the public will depart at 8 a.m. from Porter Loring Mortuaries and meeting at Jaime P. Martinez Place (formerly Alta Vista Alley), at the corner of Brazos and Laredo streets, until 10 a.m. Participants can line up along Laredo Street to S. Navidad Street and down Jaime P. Martinez Place. Private services will follow at the funeral home for family only. There are no burial services arrangements. See More Collapse

Thank you brother Jaime for being our inspiration and letting your light shine, Calvert said via Facebook. We all will pick up the flame and know what you taught us will live on in all of us.

Mayor Ron Nirenberg said in a statement that Martinezs tireless, lifelong work to advance civil rights and workers rights changed San Antonio and the nation for the better.

The strong leader had been immersed in advocacy since he was a child, following his grandfather Mauricio Martinez as he would meet with a mutual organization, his son Ernesto Martinez said.

My father said his grandfather took him to listen to Henry B. Gonzalez speak on Guadalupe and Brazos, his son recalled. He was there in a white suit, and (Martinez) said, That man is talking about helping the people, a message that resonated with dad at young age.

A graduate of Lanier High School, Martinez shared his talent of the trumpet with the school band and later played with groups such as the Deltones and the Sunglows.

His career in the union began while working at Friedrich Refrigeration, where he joined the International Union of Electrical Workers  now the IUE-AFL-CIO  Local 780 in 1966, according to an interview on the University of Texas at Arlingtons website.

During that time, Martinez had sat in on a speech made by the co-founder of what is now the United Farm Workers union. It was Cesar E. Chavez. The two would meet and form a mentor-friend relationship.

He believed no human being was illegal and everyone had the right to basic constitutional rights, Velasquez said.

Martinez later served on the IUE executive board as secretary-treasurer for IUE District 11, the first Mexican-American at the national level since its charter in 1955.

Letters of recommendation from both Gonzalez and Chavez, who attended a convention in support of Martinez during the District 11 election, would help him land the seat.

Jaime will be missed, but his vision of dignity for all will continue to be a light that guides our path, and it will be led by the generations of advocates that he and his family inspire, Nirenberg said.
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A New Braunfels mother and daughter were among the three people killed in a collision involving four semitrailers and two vehicles, authorities said.

Karen Barganier, 70, and her daughter, Jennifer Cludius, 43, were killed in the crash on July 11 on I-35 at Spur 396 in Waco, police there confirmed Friday. Police said the wreck was triggered when a semitrailer rammed into another semi and two passenger vehicles, causing explosions and flames and shutting down the highway for hours.

According to their obituaries, Barganier and Cludius were both from New Braunfels. Barganier was born in the Central Texas town, and taught in the New Braunfels Independent School District after receiving her degree from then-Southwest Texas State University in 1968.

RELATED: Alamo Heights High School graduate, mother killed in rollover crash; 3 others hospitalized

Cludius also attended then-Southwest Texas State University and where she earned a bachelor and master's degree in social work. She went on to work for the state's fetal alcohol syndrome educational campaign, went on a mission trip to Rwanda and delivered Meals on Wheels meals, according to her obituary.

Waco Police Department officials said Eugene Watts III, 31, was also killed in the crash. Watts was from Arlington.

A memorial service for both Cludius and Bangier is scheduled 2 p.m. Saturday at the Oakwood Baptist Church in New Braunfels.

RELATED: If released on bond, driver in deadly Uvalde crash would have numerous restrictions

Fred Cludius, Cludius' husband, asked for prayers for him and the couple's three children, Trevor, Noah and Libby, on Facebook Thursday.

"Friends, I cannot begin to express my appreciation for each and everyone one of you," he said Monday morning. "We have been blessed with visits, meals, etc."

Tributes to the family posted on social media touched on Barganier's devotion to education and Cludius' friendship.

"So sad. I loved Mrs. Barganiers!! One of the best math teachers ever," one said.

"Jennifer has been my friend all my life and her mother was like another mother to me when I was growing up," another said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

kbradshaw@express-news.net

Twitter: @kbrad5
At least once in every generation comes a crisis that challenges all of us, young and old, to stand up for what is right. Texas new racial profiling law, Senate Bill 4, is that moment, as it threatens our values, our highly cherished diverse culture and our economy. One does not have to be an immigrant to be impacted by this law, and together, we must reclaim our state by urging the Legislature to repeal SB 4.

One of us is the daughter of immigrants and the other a daughter of migrant farmworkers. As U.S. citizens, we know our status will mean nothing to a highway patrolman or other law enforcement officer if we are driving a car with a broken taillight. The officer can profile us and demand proof of legal status, and if we do not have the right documents, jail us until we can prove otherwise.

It can happen to anyone who looks or speaks in a manner that seems suspicious to a police officer. What if the driver can produce a passport but the passenger left home without a wallet holding proper documents? What if the passenger is a college student with only a campus ID?

We are familiar with the need to prove our citizenship with a U.S. passport or birth certificate when re-entering Texas from Mexico. Now, the proof will have to be provided beyond the border, on our city streets. It brings to mind the Warsaw ghetto where the Jews lived. Our six-point stars are not on our chests but in the color of our skin.

Sadly, the greatest pain and terror will be felt by those who are undocumented or who are from mixed status families, such as U.S.-born children of undocumented parents.

Many are canceling health care appointments because of the increased presence of local and federal law enforcement officers near clinics. They fear their families being torn apart by needless deportations. Infectious illnesses have no borders, and this ugly political climate hurts entire communities.

We also may be less safe because of the chilling effect that SB 4 is having on heavily immigrant neighborhoods, where police have cultivated trust relationships to solve crimes.

During a federal court hearing on SB 4, City Councilman Rey Saldana told of neighborhood meetings he attended with police to inform residents that police cannot ask about immigration status. But SB 4 includes stiff fines and jail time for police and public officials who speak out against the law or do not comply. The trust police have built in the communities will evaporate.

SB 4 and other discriminatory laws pushed by Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick also will hit taxpayers hard.

San Antonio is the jewel of Texas tourist destinations, and our economy will suffer tremendously. As boycotts intensify, many of our convention and tourism industry jobs will be lost, as will the tax dollars that visitors spend.

California is banning business travel by its state employees to Texas because of another new law that could prevent gay parents from adopting or fostering children. Also, the special session of the Legislature will reconsider the bathroom bill, which would restrict access based on the gender on an individuals birth certificate.

Using police to discriminate against us and to terrorize communities is antithetical to the values of justice and mercy that we have tried to maintain in San Antonio.

We must support the bill by Rep. Ramon Romero, D-Fort Worth, to repeal SB 4 during the special session. Also, please join the Pro-Immigrant Coalition/Coalicion Pro-Inmigrante and help us fight back. Together, we must remove this cloud of fear and distrust that has descended upon Texas.

Maria Antonietta Berriozabal is a former San Antonio city councilwoman, and Rebecca Flores retired as director of the United Farm Workers in Texas.
The city of San Antonio is well-poised to continue its aggressive efforts against truancy during the upcoming school year.

A $1.2 million grant recently awarded to the city by the governors Criminal Justice Division will allow the hiring of an additional 20 caseworkers who will work directly with area school districts to help curb truancy.

San Antonios decadeslong focus and innovative strategies on fighting truancy have reaped great rewards. The Texas Legislature took note and two years ago decriminalized truancy in Texas in an attempt to replicate Bexar Countys system statewide.

Some parents erroneously thought decriminalization meant no one was going to enforce truancy laws and traucy went up initiatially. It doesnt work that way. Students and parents are still held accountable for the childs lack of attendance, but court action is a last resort.

Truancy level remain the same but legislation has forced school districts to address the root causes of chronic absenteeism instead of immediately filing criminal complaints.

No amount of community service or fines will resolve some of the issues that truancy officers encounter. The problem is often deeper than a lack of interest in academics. Contributing factors include lack of reliable transportation, housing, food or child care.

The focus on the underlying problems has allowed truancy caseworkers  who are employed by the citys municipal court but work directly with school attendance administrators  to direct families to social services and programs that can help students earn their diplomas.

The state grant will more than double the number of truancy caseworkers on the citys payroll.

The funding, which becomes available in August, will allow the city to hire the caseworkers before the start of the fall semester. One of the goals is to have them reach out to former truants before classes start and old attendance patterns resurface, Municipal Court Administrative Judge John Bull said.

The new positions will allow the city to concentrate on problem areas, such as truancy that starts in the lower grades, migrates to middle schools and then ends up in high school, the judge said.

Students who skip class fall behind on schoolwork and are less likely to graduate. They also tend to get in trouble with the law; if they are 17 or older, this could result in an arrest record that can haunt them the rest of their lives.

State law still allows for criminal cases against families who refuse to work with the municipal court system to resolve attendance problems. Four years ago, 37,000 truancy cases were filed in Bexar County. Fewer than 50 cases have been filed this year.

Keeping students in school has an economic impact on a community. Student attendance affects a school districts funding from the state. Students without at least a high school diploma on their resume will have a difficult time finding jobs that pay more than a minimum wage.

Todays job market demands some sort of post-high school education. Not everyone is cut out for college, but even the most basic job-training certificate programs require a high school diploma.

State funding for more caseworkers to keep students in school so they can earn a high school diplomas is money well-spent.
Re: Bexar GOP faction denounces S.A. speaker, Gilbert Garcia, Wednesday:

The attacks on House Speaker Joe Straus are self-serving. Straus has been one of the more effective speakers Texas has had. His pragmatic approach to keeping our legislators in the real world has kept Texas from total idiocy. Yet the far-right, very vocal, tea partiers are invoking God to oust him.

This insanity reflects what is happening in our country, unfortunately. Small vocal groups with narrow agendas seek to impose their way on the entire country, using God-based references.

My God is not a hate-filled, narrow-minded, self-righteous God willing to destroy the less fortunate. So please do not use his name in your rhetoric.

Helen Henderson

Beyond Texas

Re: Straus for President, Your Turn, July 11:

Ive often said Id vote for Joe Straus any time I could in Texas. But Straus for president is a capitol idea.

And Im not even a Republican.

Judy Hummel

Look out below!

In the classic fable Chicken Little, the little chicken is hit in the head by something she cannot see and sounds a false alarm by telling everyone she meets that the sky is falling. Thus, the sky is falling has come to mean a hysterical or mistaken belief that the end is near.

With so many 24-hour news outlets, we are bombarded minute by minute, hour by hour with conspiracy theories, commentaries and pronouncements from anonymous sources, anything to stir up the populace whether the reports are true or not. Since the election, the false alarm of the sky is falling, the sky is falling is being repeated over and over by the Democratic Party, aided and abetted by the liberal media  print, television and cable.

Eleanor Sprowl

Need term limits

Every so often, the topic of term limits emerges regarding our friends in Congress. I believe this is at the heart of our gridlock in Washington.

Our Founding Fathers wanted our farmers, shop owners and educators, etc., to take some time off to serve in our national government for short periods of time. It was never envisioned that our representatives would make a lifelong endeavor out of being politicians.

Contrast that notion to the current reality.

Today, we have a system that rewards our elected representatives not for doing what is best for the nation but for what will further their ability to get re-elected. Imagine what could be accomplished if our representatives voted their conscience without the constant worry about special interest groups, re-election campaigns, fundraising and kissing babies.

Our representatives do not dare compromise on an issue because their hands are tied due to the obligations they owe the entities that put them in power. How much time does your elected official spend trying to get re-elected versus governing? How much effort do they expend raising campaign funds rather than writing legislation or seeking consensus?

We can complain all we want about gridlock, but I doubt anything will change. We need term limits!

Ed George

Respect Trump?

Re: Out of POTUS way. Your Turn, July 9:

The letter writer claims the Democratic Party has run amok like spoiled children, criticizing and disrupting everything POTUS does.

How can anyone not criticize this so-called president, when every day additional information regarding his collusion with Russia comes out?

Now that Donald Trump Jr.s emails are public, it is obvious the Trump campaign was eager to collude with Russia to attack our election process.

Republicans, desperate to sweep it under the rug, have changed their tune from there is no collusion to collusion is not a crime. Not only is agreeing to meet with a government official of an adversarial country to help them attack our country unethical, I believe it is outright treason.

When will Republicans put on their big pants and treat Trump for what he is  an unqualified and dishonest opportunist who, uninterested in the well-being of the country, is just seeking fame, fortune and business deals for himself?

Republicans, once concerned that Hillary Clinton mishandled classified information, are now fine with Trump not only releasing it but perhaps giving top-secret information to Russia.

Trump does not deserve to be respected, not after all the negative information that has come out.

Alice C. Chapel, Spring Branch

Anti-education

Re: Legislature should make kids count. Editorial, July 11:

Its very edifying when you discover that what you thought for about 100 years proves to be true. Republicans dont care much for higher education. These new statistics go a long way in explaining a lot of questions Ive had over the years.

Higher education introduces people to ideas. And Republicans just cant have that. Like the idea that market forces control everything in America. That includes health care as well as Coke vs. Pepsi.

They have elected the poster boy symbolizing their hatred for colleges and universities. The good thing that will come from all this flirting with failed ideas is the disenfranchisement of the GOP. Never has a party deserved it so much.

Mark A. Hall
Scandinavian Home has paid advertising banners and product affiliate links, which means I earn a very small amount of money if you click through and buy an item - these are stated with and asterisk and at the bottom of each post.
GOVERNMENT has distributed more than 200 000 radios to rural communities to ensure that children continue to learn as schools remain closed due to Covid-19.

The closure of schools following the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic last year exposed challenges faced by rural pupils who could not access online learning.

This has been blamed for the rural pupils poor performance in public examinations last year.

When schools closed for the better part of last year, pupils, especially exam classes, had to resort to online learning which most rural pupils could not access.

Government then decided to give rural communities radios so that pupils could access radio lessons.

In an interview, the director of communications and advocacy in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Mr Taungana Ndoro said 200 000 radios have been distributed to communities in rural areas to enable pupils in rural areas to access radio lessons.

More than 200 000 radios have been distributed to enable rural pupils to access radio lessons  he said.

Mr Ndoro said they have been targeting those communities where most of the families had no radios and the Government is being assisted by the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) to roll out the programme.

We are being assisted by one of the development partners UNICEF and the radios allow learners to access news and radio lessons, said Mr Ndoro.

Recently, the Deputy Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Edgar Moyo said the Covid-19 pandemic disturbed and disrupted teaching and learning at a magnitude that was never experienced before.

He said radios will go a long way in mitigating access to learning challenges faced by pupils from disadvantaged communities.

Radio, besides being a vehicle that develops learners through auditory senses, also develops learners knowledge, skills and attitudes.

Radio also develops the learners perception of the world around him or her by stimulating the mind to the imagination. With imagination, learners are then also exposed to the 21st century skills of critical thinking, creativity, communication, collaboration and problem solving, he said.

Deputy Minister Moyo said the Ministry was leaving no child behind in an attempt to provide education for all hence the radios for rural pupils.

 Chronicle

Breaking News via Email
By Jerri-Lynn Scofield, who has worked as a securities lawyer and a derivatives trader. She now spends much of her time in Asia and is currently researching a book about textile artisans. She also writes regularly about legal, political economy, and regulatory topics for various consulting clients and publications, as well as scribbles occasional travel pieces for The National.

The California Supreme Court is poised to reduce the passing score for the California state bar long considered to be the toughest bar in the country, according to this Dealbook piece from last week, California Supreme Court Moves to Make Bar Exam Easier to Pass.

Although the court has yet to decide what the cut score passing mark will be, changes are expected to be in place by January.

The bar exam is just one many barriers to entry originally set up to make sure people of the right class and mindset were licensed to practice law. (For more on this topic, I recommend Jerold Auerbachs Unequal Justice: Lawyers and Social Change in Modern America (Oxford University Press, 1977)).

Yet as Above the Law reports in California Bar Examiners Stripped Of Authority To Determine Passing Score On State Bar Exam:

bar exam passage rates have plummeted across the nation for the past several years. In California in particular, test-takers performance has been outstandingly poor, prompting a chorus of critics to demand that the states cut score be lowered so that more law school graduates will be able to pass the exam and become practicing attorneys. As it stands, Californias required passing score of 144 is higher than that of 48 other states, with only Delawares cut score being higher. For decades, Californias bar exam has been referred to as the hardest in the country, but year in and year out, data has revealed that to be untrue. With the states mean scaled MBE scores continuing to be higher than the national average, it seems that Californias bar exam is simply the most difficult to pass thanks to its arbitrarily high cut score. After a stunningly low overall passage rate of 34.5 percent for the most recent exam, the State Bar of California committed to study the test and examine the cut score, but it looks like the California Supreme Court thought that the process was taking too long, so the justices took it upon themselves to do something.

The Deal Book account expounds on some reasons for the change:

Nicholas W. Allard, dean of Brooklyn Law School, hailed the action as an effort to take back control of licensing and admitting new lawyers. The move signals that much larger concerns are at work that will force eventually an overhaul everywhere of legal testing and licensing practices, he said. Traditional bar exam and licensing practices have outlived their sell-by date and are increasingly hard, if not impossible, to justify as serving the best interests of the profession or the public. One flash point in the debate over the California exam was an announcement in April that Whittier Law School, a half-century old and accredited by the American Bar Association, would close. Bar passage rates at Whittier, long an avenue for disadvantaged students to become lawyers, had plunged in recent years. Its passage rate hovered in the routine statewide range, about 68 percent a few years ago, but fell to 22 percent on the July 2016 bar. Some critics complained that a number of Whittier graduates had scores high enough that they would have passed nearly every other states bar.

Bar Exam Rationale

One rationale for having a bar exam is ostensibly to make sure that each new attorney has a basic competence in the law of the state in which she or he intends to practice. Sounds reasonable, right? After all, once one is licensed to practice, a newbie lawyer could do significant damage to ones client anyone remember Body Heat? by forgetting basics, such as the rule against perpetuities.

But, believe it or not, much of what current bar exams test is not actual state law but Multistate law. Both the New York and Massachusetts bar exams at least when I took them each devoted one of two days to written essays examining the respective states law, and the second, to the multiple choice, Multistate exam. Which didnt test law in any actual jurisdiction, but in a multiple choice, easily scored format, tested an examinees knowledge of the majority rule in the country. Talk about a waste of time! This knowledge was completely useless to the actual practice of law in any state.

Maybe, you could say, it tested a candidates general intelligence, or ability to master a body of knowledge albeit, useless knowledge. But what more would taking this test score on that scale, that three years attendance at an accredited law school hadnt already established?

I say, the bar exam merely serves as a barrier to entry. And if that barrier is set too high, then, its high time the California Supreme Court did something about it (because it appears that the bar examiners have taken their sweet time in addressing the problem).

And heres where I haul out the embarrassing list of famous people who failed bar exams, as support for the argument that what these exams test isnt all that important to the practice of law anyway. Kathleen Sullivan, name partner in Quinn Emmanuel, leading appellate litigator, former dean of the Stanford Law School (and my first-year criminal law professor), quite famously failed the California Bar in 2005 (after already long ago having passed the New York and Massachusetts tests decades earlier). Others who didnt pass on a first try include Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton, Governor Jerry Brown, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Supreme Court Justice Benjamin Cardozo, according to this Buzzfeed piece, 14 Famous People Who Failed The Bar.

Why Must Supreme Court Justices Be Lawyers?

This California bar issue brings me back to a wider issue, that I noticed recently when I posted a link to another Above the Law article, Judge Richard Posner Rips On SCOTUS, Oldsters  And No, Hes Not A Troll on a debate between Judges Richard Posner and Jed Rakoff on life tenure for Article III judges, a mandatory retirement age, and whether Supreme Court judges need to be lawyers.

Posner, currently a sitting judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and University of Chicago School of Law professor. Rakoff, Senior United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, was one of the only judges not to rubber stamp tepid settlements the SEC and DoJ entered into with financial institutions, as Yves discussed in Judge Rakoff Blasts Breuer, Prosecution of Companies Rather than Individuals in Bar Speech and other posts.

The Above the Law piece discussed a debate on Slate, Should There Be Age Limits for Federal Judges?, moderated by Joel Cohen, author of the book Blindfolds Off: Judges on How They Decide.

In this post, Id like to focus on the third issue, whether judgeships, especially membership of the Supreme Court, should be limited to lawyers only.

Lets begin with Posner, who fired the initial salvo:

Nor should appointment to federal courts including the Supreme Court be limited to lawyers. A brilliant businessman, a brilliant politician, a brilliant teacher might make an excellent judge or justice and greatly improve a court, relying on brilliant law clerks for the legal technicalities, which anyway receive far more attention from judges than they should, because most of the technicalities are antiquated crap.

To which Rakoff responded:

Jeepers, Im a little taken aback by Judge Posners salvo. I doubt very much that a person who, however brilliant, was not a lawyer would make a good Supreme Court justice, any more than an engineer, however brilliant, would make a good surgeon. From the day they enter law school, lawyers not only learn the legal methods and processes that are necessary to the proper practice and interpretation of law but also learn some very important lessons that are too little taught elsewhere: that there is something to be said for each side of most issues; that careful distinctions therefore matter; that a decision that cannot be supported by reason is essentially lawless; that in the long run the fairness of procedures is as important as the substantive results; that being a good judge is not a popularity contest; and that protecting the rule of law requires eternal vigilance. It is hardly surprising that in every country of the world, it has been the lawyers who have been in the forefront of confronting despots and promoting liberty, and, as July Fourth reminds us, our country was no exception. I would not be happy entrusting the rule of law to a legal rookie.

These are the money quotes, but the entire Slate piece is worth a read, as theres some interesting back and forth not only on this, admittedly highly hypothetical concern, but also on the life tenure and mandatory retirement age issues.

Now note what Im not saying here. Im focusing on Judge Posners suggestion that judges particularly Supreme Court justices need not be lawyers. I do think that legal training is indeed necessary to practice law although Im not sure that the standard US three-year law school system is the best way of preparing for such a career. That, however, is a complex topic best left perhaps to consider further some other time.

And Id go further and agree that a failure to get access to competent lawyering has denied ordinary Americans effective access to their courts an issue Rakoff wrote eloquently about in the New York Review of Books, Why You Wont Get Your Day in Court and which Yves discussed in this post, Judge Jed Rakoff Throws Down Gauntlet to Judges on Lack of Due Process in America).

But theres a big difference between lawyering and judging especially at the level the Supreme Court operates at, where many issues considered are constitutional ones. As Ive written previously in Doing Time: Prison, Law Schools, and the Membership of the US Supreme Court:

[D]espite its formidable reputation, constitutional law isnt particularly intellectually difficult. Now note that I said intellectually difficult the choices the Supreme Court has to make are certainly difficult, often because they involve finely balanced considerations, with merit to both sides of the argument. To be sure, issues that make it up to review by the Supreme Court involve many areas of the law. But constitutional elements can be properly understood by many, many competent lawyers. Now tax law, thats hard (at least in the period I attended law school, and worked for a leading white shoe law firm most lawyers consider tax to be the most intellectually demanding area of the law). And as for other areas of intellectual endeavor modal logic, anyone, that is downright formidable. There are not many minds capable of making real contributions in that area. But I digress.

So, to recast the point slightly differently, whats difficult about constitutional law is not its sheer intellectual complexity, but the difficulty of deciding which of two or more important principles should take precedence, where theres merit to each side of the argument..

And why should the privilege of making those decisions be limited to lawyers only? And, I might add, to lawyers who attended law school at either Harvard or Yale as is the case with the current membership of the Supreme Court.

So perhaps Posner is onto something in suggesting that maybe judgeships, or more narrowly, Supreme Court seats, shouldnt be reserved merely to lawyers although I suspect many of the 1.3. million US lawyers would probably disagree with that position.

Im not so sure, so Im throwing this open to readers: what do you think?

But if youre not willing to go as far as Posner and open up judgeships to non-lawyers, surely youre with me in thinking that for selecting judges (again quoting from my earlier post cited above):

[More attention might be paid] to the type of experience that a potential judge would bring to the table. So how about candidates who have done public interest work, served as public defenders, held elective office, been plaintiffs attorneys, or specialised in qui tam cases? Why do we seem only to see academics, corporate lawyers, or those with extensive Department of Justice experience?

Diversity isnt something that needs promotion only upon entry to the legal profession, but at the judicial pinnacle as well.

And, lest you say that Trump is unlikely to appoint many public defenders to the bench, well that may be true. But that doesnt hold for all those categories.
By Elizabeth McGowan, a Washington, D.C.-based energy and environment reporter. Funding for this article was provided by a Solutions Journalism Network grant. Originally published at Grist

First in a series on communities overcoming obstacles to become cleaner and greener.

Sixteen months ago, the coal-fired Huntley Generating Station, which sits on the banks of the Niagara River, stopped producing power for first time since World War I.

Erie County lost its largest air and water polluter. But the town of Tonawanda, a working class Buffalo suburb 13 miles downstream of Americas most storied waterfalls, also lost its biggest taxpayer.

The impact of Huntleys decade-long slowdown  and finally shutdown  hit this upstate New York community like a punch to the gut.

In just five years, between 2008 and 2012, Huntleys pre-tax earnings tumbled by $113 million as it operated far below capacity, translating into a combined revenue hit of at least $6.2 million to the town, county, and local school district. That precipitous decline came when state education funds were also shrinking. Belt-tightening wasnt enough; 140 teachers lost their jobs. Three elementary schools and one middle school closed their doors.

Rebecca Newberry, a 35-year-old former bartender and LGBT-rights activist, saw her home town facing the same fate that has befallen so many other Rust Belt communities that fell on hard times following an industrial exodus. She was determined not to let it happen to the place where she grew up. And she was fortunate enough to find a diverse group of allies who were willing to fight for their survival.

By combining the resources of her nonprofit, the Clean Air Coalition of Western New York, with area labor unions and other community groups, Newberry helped to hatch a plan for Tonawandas next chapter  and provide an inclusive, equitable template for other blue-collar towns facing the loss of dirty energy jobs and other polluting industries. (The jargony term for this in advocacy circles is just transitions.)

The retired Huntley Generating Station on the banks of the Niagara River. Google Earth

The group that Newberry helped form would come to be known as the Huntley Alliance. The partnership convinced New York lawmakers to provide Tonawanda with a temporary cash infusion to sustain the town as it reinvents its tax base  the first time a state has offered a financial cushion to a community that was financially reliant on a coal-fired power plant.

It was a trauma when Huntley finally announced it was closing, Newberry says, so we had to come at this from a place of healing. Our goal was to stop the bleeding to the industrial and public sectors.

Always, our key question is: How are we going to take care of our people?

Team of Rivals

Tonawanda, a Native American word meaning swift waters, was founded by white settlers in 1836. East of the railroad tracks that run north from Buffalo to Niagara Falls, the 20-square mile town has nearly 73,000 residents and is known for its top-flight paramedic service.

But west of the tracks, its anything but quaint. Huntley and 50-plus industrial facilities coexist within a three-mile radius, mingled with older homes and trailer parks. Big grinding trucks assault the ears, and the air carries a distinct petroleum-rubber-chemical-exhaust stink.

The energy giant NRG purchased Huntley in 1999. Although the oldest current coal-fired unit dates back to 1942, the facilitys steam-generating history stretches back to World War I. NRG retired half of the plants 760-megawatt capacity in 2006 and 2007, with a corresponding drop in tax revenue.

In the fall of 2013, Peter Stuhlmiller, president of the Kenmore-Tonawanda Teachers Association, reached out to Richard Lipsitz, president of the local AFL-CIO chapter, to figure out how to save the communitys schools. They were soon joined by Newberrys coalition, the Sierra Club, and trade unions representing steelworkers and Huntley employees.

This country has a very poor record of rescuing communities built up around coal and heavy industries, Lipsitz says. Our goal was to stabilize the economy and provide income for a town that needed it desperately.

Huntley Alliance members Rebecca Newberry (top left), Richard Lipsitz (top right), Peter Stuhlmiller (bottom left), Diana Strablow (bottom right) Elizabeth McGowan

Although their goal was the same, the various factions in the early Huntley Alliance had different priorities. The united front fell apart when a local Sierra Club member organized a protest calling for Huntleys closure  with some demonstrators wearing union shirts. Labor leaders felt the rally threatened the livelihoods of the 70-plus remaining NRG employees. Finger-pointing ensued, and the plants union walked away from the nascent alliance.

Then the whole effort collapsed.

Newberrys Clean Air Coalition didnt join the Big Greens call for Huntleys closure  although it harangued other major polluters along the industrial waterfront during its decade of existence. The groups leaders saw no need: The coal plants obsolescence seemed imminent with cheap natural gas flooding U.S. markets.

To motivate the Huntley Alliance to regroup, Newberry circulated preliminary results of a study her 200-member nonprofit commissioned. Given that the plant is located in a region with substantial excess capacity for at least the next decade, the Huntley units appear ripe for retirement, the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis concluded in a 24-page report released in January 2014.

Going through this helps me to visualize that we can do better as a society, Newberry says. We dont always have to be fighting with one another.

At least 1,500 members of the steelworkers union live in the Tonawanda area, many drawing paychecks at employers such as Tonawanda Coke, 3M, DuPont, and Sumitomo Rubber. They backed the alliances focus on job retention and creation, because they feared property taxes would spike after Huntleys shutdown  to make up for lost revenues from the plant. That could spook existing employers and repel potential newcomers.

We want to make sure there are good, clean, high-road, family-sustaining jobs that improve the quality of life, says Dave Wasiura, the unions organizing coordinator for the area.

Retired teacher Diana Strablow, a member of both the Sierra Club and Newberrys group, was initially frustrated that the dangers of climate change sparked by coal-fired power plants werent the alliances number one priority. But Newberry helped her understand how a stumble by Huntley could mean a fall for her entire community.

I was the angry environmentalist, Strablow says. Ive learned we need to take care of both our workers and our environment.

Dont Ask. Tell.

Once reunited, the Huntley Alliance needed clear goals  specifically ones that met the needs of the towns residents. Through a series of listening sessions, door-to-door surveys, and voter-registration drives, the partnership channeled the hopes and anxieties of hundreds of residents. The wish list that emerged included keeping schools intact, creating good-paying jobs, expanding the tax base, and improving public health and the environment.

Those desires would be compiled with proposals and needs of businesses and other stakeholders into Tonawanda Tomorrow, a succinct blueprint for the towns trajectory. A final version was released in June.

It was a tall order, so the alliance set about lobbying New York state legislators for gap funds to keep the town afloat during its transformation. After all, Newberry reasoned, Huntley had supplied electricity far beyond Tonawandas borders. Rather than asking lawmakers to find money for them, Newberry and her colleagues combed through the states budget themselves and compiled a list of potential funding pots to draw from.

By August 2015, when NRG announced Huntleys impending retirement, a Democrat-majority State Assembly and a Republican-controlled Senate had already voted to back the alliances brainchild. When the 102-acre power plant went offline seven months later, the framework was in place for $30 million.

Cynthia Winland, a planning specialist at Chicagos Delta Institute, praised New York legislators for being brave enough to act on Tonawandas financial request. Her sustainable solutions nonprofit helped assemble the towns blueprint.

If a state as geographically, politically, and economically complicated as New York is capable of this, Winland says, then other states can look for parallels.

Community members give feedback on a draft of the Tonawanda Tomorrow plan at a public workshop in May. One Region Forward

This spring, legislators expanded the Huntley-inspired measure  in part due to Governor Andrew Cuomos announcement last year that New York would strive to be coal-free by 2020. The gap funds budget ballooned from $30 million to $45 million, its availability was extended from five to seven years. (It now covers communities with plants powered by any fuel source.)

The initial funding makes Tonawandas post-Huntley metamorphosis viable, Newberry says, adding that the two-year extension gives us the extra breathing room we will need.

The fund so far has shored-up the school system  which is no longer hemorrhaging teachers  stopped electricity bills from skyrocketing, and kept the budget for the prized paramedic unit intact.

David Schlissel, a coauthor of the 2014 report questioning the Huntley Generating Stations viability, emphasized that the alliances proactive approach and the New York legislatures response offer a vital lesson for the rest of the country.

Instead of spending millions on propping up coal plants, Schlissel says, we need to spend money to help communities make an economic transition.

The Huntley Alliance took its cues from other communities forced to evolve beyond heavy industry. Members traveled as close as Appalachia and as far as Germany, where they were amazed to witness how the German government funded worker retraining programs and recycled old production plants, as renewables supplanted fossil fuels.

That gave us hope that a cleaner environment can be achieved in Tonawanda without leaving broken workers behind, Newberry says.

Back home, the alliances efforts also benefitted from a $160,000 grant from an Obama administration initiative to help communities distressed by the demise of coal. President Trump proposed defunding the program in his 2018 budget.

Not Another Bethlehem Steel

Even with all the planning, the Huntley stations idle smokestacks cause jitters among Tonawandans who have watched the 1,000-acre Bethlehem Steel plant idle in Lackawanna, 20 miles to the south, for three and a half decades. References to the hulking carcass send shivers down the spine of Tonawanda Town Supervisor Joseph Emminger.

We are not going to have another Bethlehem Steel here, he declares.

County and town planners view the reinvention of the Huntley site as a vital part of transforming 2,300-plus brownfield acres into greener ventures. Recent cleanups have allowed existing companies, such as Sumitomo Rubber, to expand and invited in newer industries, such as solar technology and warehousing operations.

Its a 20-year-long, step-by-step process, says Erie County Director of Business Assistance Ken Swanekamp. Were doing it one project at a time.

Tonawanda Town Supervisor Joe Emminger addresses the crowd at the second public workshop to draft the Tonawanda Tomorrow plan in February . One Region Forward

Possibilities for what could fill the Huntley site were tossed about at Tonawanda Tomorrow sessions. They included a bioenergy plant, an industrial heritage museum, and much-needed green space. River access along the towns six miles of shoreline is now limited to one sliver of parkland south of the power plant.

Thats in contrast to the towns northern neighbor  a significantly smaller city, confusingly also named Tonawanda  where a lush, verdant ribbon beckons visitors to the riverfront. A pockmarked bicycle/pedestrian path in the town suddenly turns pristine at the city line.

We have a clear pathway forward, Newberry says. But questions about what will become of the Huntley site make it clear, she adds, that our work is not over.

Unlike the Bethlehem Steel site, Huntley is not eligible for New Yorks Superfund Program, says Erica Ringewald, a state Department of Environmental Conservation spokeswoman. However, NRG or a future owner that takes on the remediation effort could qualify for tax credits through the states brownfield cleanup program.

A preliminary to-do list at the site includes moving an 11-acre pile of unused Powder River Basin coal to a 116-acre NRG landfill about a mile away; closing a coal-ash lagoon; and continuing to clean 11 petroleum bulk storage tanks. But according to a state environmental assessment, contamination levels there do not represent a significant threat to human health or the environment.

I dont have a crystal ball, so I dont know how long this takes, NRG spokesman David Gaier says, adding that the company is just beginning the long-term decommissioning process for Huntley. But you dont go from a working power plant to condos in a year.

Emminger, the town supervisor, isnt envisioning condominiums  or any other type of housing  at the waterfront site. Residential is too risky there, he says, adding that light industry is more likely.

We have a proud industrial past, Emminger notes. Hopefully, its going to be part of our future.
By Jerri-Lynn Scofield, who has worked as a securities lawyer and a derivatives trader. She now spends much of her time in Asia and is currently researching a book about textile artisans. She also writes regularly about legal, political economy, and regulatory topics for various consulting clients and publications, as well as scribbles occasional travel pieces for The National.

The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) of the Department of Justice (DoJ) issued a shocking report last week, detailing the continued use of solitary confinement to house mentally-ill inmates despite a 2014 policy change that was touted as getting such prisoners access to appropriate mental health care.

Prisoners are being held in solitary confinement for too long in contravention of the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) own guidelines denied medical treatment, and in some prisons, held in confinement cells of 58.5 square feet (well below the American Correctional Associations minimum recommendation of 80 square feet), according to a Jurist report, Federal report criticizes harsh treatment of mentally ill inmates.

The conclusions the 96-page report Review of the Federal Bureau of Prisons Use of Restrictive Housing for Inmates with Mental Illness were stinging. So much so that the Marshall Project reported in Federal Watchdog Finds Mentally Ill Are Stuck in Solitary:

A Bureau of Prisons spokesman declined to comment on the report. In a response to a draft, Thomas Kane, the agencys acting director, said the BOP would adopt all 15 of the Inspector Generals recommendations.

Rhetoric Reality Gap

The previous administration received significant kudos last August when then deputy attorney-general Sally Q. Yates issued a memo directing the BOP o cease housing inmates in private, for-profit prisons, as The New York Times reported in U.S. to Phase Out Use of Private Prisons for Federal Inmates. This policy change followed release of a critical OIG report, Review of the Federal Bureau of Prisons Monitoring of Contract Prisons issued the very same month which described and criticised conditions at such prisons.

I should emphasise that the appalling conditions that exist in U.S. prisons whether public (federal and state) or private are well and widely-known to those who care to notice. And while the previous administration does deserve limited credit for phasing out the use of private prisons this change wasnt undertaken until the OIG spotlighted the issue.

Thats not to say that the Trump administration cant find a way to worsen the situation. In February, Attorney General Jeff Sessions reversed the Yates phase-out policy, and directed the BOP to continue to use private, for-profit facilities, as reported in The New York Times in Justice Department Keeps For-Profit Prisons, Scrapping an Obama Plan.

Treatment of Mentally Ill Prisoners in Federal Prisons

Yet being government-run is not a panacea. In this latest report, the OIG turned its attention to the failure of public prisons to meet basic needs of mentally ill prisoners and documented not only the use of solitary confinement, but also demonstrated how mental health treatment for inmates has actually worsened since new mental health policies were adopted in 2014.

The report covers federal government-run prisons, and doesnt cover those run by states, or for-profit contractors. About 2.2 million people are currently incarcerated in the US, about half of whom are in state-run prisons, according to this Wall Street Journal account, Some Mentally Ill Federal Inmates Receive Little to No Treatment, Audit Finds. The report itself is an extremely depressing read.

J[erri-Lynn here: Note that what the OIG report describes as Restrictive Housing Units (RHUs) you or I would call solitary confinement.]

And please forgive these lengthy quotations (largely taken from the executive summary, with citations to the more extensive supporting discussion within the Reports main body). Absent the extensive direct quotations, you simply may not believe the shocking findings. I would encourage those who have the time to look at the main body of the Report but I warn you, it is very difficult reading. I simply cannot understand how such a system is allowed to continue.

According to the Report:

As of June 2016, of the 148,227 sentenced inmates in the BOPs 122 institutions, 9,749 inmates (7 percent) were housed in its three largest forms of RHU: Special Housing Units (SHU) in 111 institutions; 2 Special Management Units (SMU) at the U.S. Penitentiaries (USP) in Lewisburg and Allenwood, Pennsylvania; and the USP Administrative Maximum Security Facility (ADX) in Florence, Colorado (p. i). The BOP places prisoners in solitary confinement, even though the Report recognizes: However, according to recent research and reports, as well as the BOPs own policy, confinement in RHUs, even for relatively short periods of time, can adversely affect inmates mental health and can be particularly harmful for inmates with mental illness. The WSJ further recognizes the mental health consequences, and then ties the impact of that damage to the potential for recidivism: Many researchers say long periods of isolation can have damaging and long-lasting psychological effects, particularly on the mentally ill, making it more likely these inmates will struggle when they return to society and commit more crimes. And the Marshall Project article notes that the BOP doesnt keep statistics on recidivism rates  another issue picked up in the OIGs Report. Major Findings In the interest of keeping this post a manageable length, I will only discuss three of the Reports four major findings, each highlighted in italics.

BOP Policies Do Not Adequately Address the Confinement of Inmates with Mental Illness in RHUs, and the BOP Does Not Sufficiently Track or Monitor Such Inmates

Jerri-Lynn here: The Report detailed shocking and depressing conditions, and focussed especially on conditions in the USP Administrative Maximum Security Facility (ADX) in Florence, Colorado:

BOP guidance and policies do not clearly define restrictive housing or extended placement. Although the BOP states that it does not practice solitary confinement, or even recognize the term, we found inmates, including those with mental illness, who were housed in single-cell confinement for long periods of time, isolated from other inmates and with limited human contact. For example, at the ADX, we observed an RHU that held two inmates, each in their own cell, isolated from other inmates. The inmates did not engage in recreation with each other or with other inmates and were confined to their cells for over 22 hours a day. Also, in five [Special Housing Units (SHUs)], we observed single-celled inmates, many with serious mental illness. One inmate, who we were told was denied ADX placement for mental health reasons, had been single-celled for about 4 years. Although the BOP generally imposes a minimum amount of time that inmates must spend in RHUs, it does not limit the maximum amount of time and does not monitor inmates cumulative time in RHUs. The BOP also does not track its housing of inmates in single-cell RHU confinement, nor does it account for their confinement in all RHUs throughout BOP institutions. As a result, inmates, including those with mental illness, may spend years and even decades in RHUs. For example, we learned of an inmate with serious mental illness who spent about 19 years at the ADX before being transferred to a secure residential mental health treatment program. In addition, our sample of inmates with mental illness showed that they had been placed in the ADX for an average of about 69 months. Similarly, we found that between fiscal years (FY) 2008 and 2015, inmates with mental illness averaged about 896 consecutive days, or about 29 months, in the [Special Management Unit (SMU)]. We further found that inmates with mental illness spend disproportionately longer periods of time in RHUs than their peers. Equally concerning, our review showed that 13 percent of the inmates with mental illness in our sample were released by the BOP directly into the community after spending nearly 29 months in the SMU prior to their release (Report pp. i-ii and pp. 15-33) The Report notes that the BOPs treatment of mentally-ill prisoners significantly lags behind that of several states: By contrast, officials in six of the eight state departments of corrections told us that they limit the length of time inmates with mental illness can be placed in restrictive housing. In 2015, three states (Massachusetts, Mississippi, and New York) had at least a 30-day limit, while three other states (Colorado, Maine, and Pennsylvania) no longer placed inmates with serious mental illness in RHUs at all (Report, p. ii). 2. Mental Health Staff Do Not Always Document Inmates Mental Disorders, Leaving the BOP Unable to Accurately Determine the Number of Inmates with Mental Illness and Ensure that It Is Providing Appropriate Care to Them Jerri-Lynn here: The BOP failed to treat many of the inmates who suffered from mental illness. This is because prison officials did not, in fact, have any idea of which inmates suffered from mental disorders, because institution staff failed to document these disorders: BOP data showed that, as of 2015, only 3 percent of the BOPs sentenced inmate population was being treated regularly for mental illness. Yet, the BOPs FY 2016 Performance Budget Congressional Submission cited an internal BOP study, which suggested that approximately 19 percent of federal inmates had a history of mental illness. Moreover, a 2006 Bureau of Justice Statistics report concluded that 45 percent of federal inmates had symptoms or a recent history of mental illness. We found that the BOP cannot accurately determine the number of inmates who have mental illness because institution staff do not always document mental disorders. The BOPs FY 2014 data estimates that approximately 12 percent of inmates have a history of mental illness; however, in 2015, the BOPs Chief Psychiatrist estimated, based on discussions with institutions Psychology Services staffs, that approximately 40 percent of inmates have mental illness, excluding inmates with only personality disorder diagnoses. Similarly, one institutions Deputy Chief Psychologist estimated that 50 percent of that institutions inmates may have Antisocial Personality Disorder; nevertheless, we found that this disorder was documented for only about 3.3 percent of the BOPs total inmate population. Because mental health staffs do not always document inmates mental disorders, the BOP is unable to ensure that it is providing appropriate care to them (Report p. ii and pp. 34-37). 3. Since the BOP Adopted Its New Mental Health Policy, BOP Data Shows a 30 Percent Reduction in Inmates Who Receive Regular Mental Health Treatment Jerri-Lynn here: And finally, just when you think you cannot possibly imagine how things could be any worse, the Report discusses how mental health treatment of inmates actually declined since the BOP adopted a new mental health treatment policy in 2014. And, for what reason was that? Not enough staff, and not enough money. The BOP adopted a new mental health policy in 2014, increasing the standards of care for inmates with mental illness. However, since the policy was issued, the total number of inmates who receive regular mental health treatment decreased by approximately 30 percent, including 56 percent for inmates in SMUs, and about 20 percent overall for inmates in RHUs during the scope of our review. Based on our review, it appears that mental health staff may have reduced the number of inmates, including those in RHUs, who must receive regular mental health treatment because they did not have the necessary staffing resources to meet the policys increased treatment standards. Indeed, we found that, as of October 2015, the BOP had filled only 57 percent of its authorized full-time Psychiatrist positions nationwide and that it had significant staffing issues with regard to Psychologist positions as well (Report p. iii and pp. 37-51). This Horror Didnt Commence on Trumps Watch

As awful as these facts are, I should point out that these abuses didnt commence under Trumps watch. The OIG Report was based on extensive review of documents, coupled with fieldwork, and only covered the period up to June 2016. Although the previous administration trumpeted the reforms it made, as in so many other areas, there was little follow-up to make sure that reality accorded with the soaring rhetoric. As the WSJ noted in the article cited above:

The report by the Office of the Inspector General comes 18 months after the Obama administration hailed new restrictions on the use of solitary confinement for federal inmates, including the mentally ill, as a model for state correctional facilities. Former President Barack Obama barred solitary confinement for the handful of juveniles in federal prison and called the excessive or unnecessary isolation of adult inmates an affront to our common humanity. However, federal government investigators found a wide disconnect between policy and practice, bolstering longstanding complaints by civil-rights activists that some prisons amount to human warehouses. Cumulative time in solitary confinement isnt tracked, and many mentally ill inmates are receiving insufficient treatment or none at all, the report said.

Whoever is responsible for this abomination, promised budget cuts will only worsen the status quo. Again, according to the WSJ:

The problems associated with incarcerating the mentally ill could worsen as the Justice Department faces $1.1 billion in budget cuts. A request last year by the Bureau of Prisons for 130 new mental health professionals was turned down, the report said, and no new funding is expected in the coming fiscal year. Even when mental health positions are included in the budget, they are not necessarily filled, the audit found. Mentally ill inmates can spend years on waiting lists to move from a prison to a residential treatment program, according to the report.

Bottom Line

The OIG makes fifteen recommendations many of which are so obvious one wonders why an OIG Report was necessary at all (Report, pp. 65-66). But it also describes a system that seems to be so broken, Im not sure what if any real effect these suggestions will have. Or whether, even if everyone agrees theyre necessary and desirable, that theyll actually be adopted. Nor do I hold out much hope that even if adopted, -sufficient staff and money will be made available to implement them effectively.

One small glimmer of hope might be that courts could step in and mandate changes. Im not holding my breath in that regard I dont see the current Supreme Court membership as a bastion of support for better treatment of prisoners. And even what tepid support does exist will likely erode further as Trump nominates and a Republican-controlled Senate confirms his judicial picks.
Researchers look inside dangerous blood clots with optical clearing technique

(Nanowerk News) A new technique that makes blood clots optically clear is allowing researchers to use powerful optical microscopy techniques to study the 3D structure of dangerous clots for the first time. Although blood clots stop bleeding after injury, clots that block blood flow can cause strokes and heart attacks.

The new approach could make it possible to use advanced light microscopy techniques such as confocal microscopy to correlate clinical symptoms with the 3D structure of clots from patients. It is common for cardiologists to remove blood clots blocking the arteries of people who have experienced heart attacks or strokes.

"We can potentially analyze the clot structure from a patient and try to understand why it became such a problem," said John W. Weisel of the University of Pennsylvania, School of Medicine. "A more detailed understanding of various clot structures could reveal why pieces of certain clots can break off, leading to potential deadly complications. Eventually, this knowledge might lead to better treatments or ways to prevent clots from causing harm."

In Biomedical Optics Express ("Whole Blood Clot Optical Clearing for Nondestructive 3D Imaging and Quantitative Analysis"), a collaborative group from Weisel's lab and the labs of Mark Alber of the University of California, Riverside, and Jeremiah Zartman of the University of Notre Dame report on an optical clearing method that allows microscopic imaging up to 1 millimeter into a clot, a significant improvement over the roughly .02 millimeters possible without using optical clearing. They tested the new approach on clots that were about 5 millimeters in diameter and 1 millimeter thick formed outside the body using mouse and human blood.

"The iron-containing molecule heme that is in red blood cells makes clots very hard to image optically," said Zartman. "Our method, called cClot, is efficient at removing the heme and making the whole clot clear without changing its 3D structure."

Seeing through thick tissue

Thick tissue is difficult to image with optical techniques because it absorbs or scatters light. For techniques that use fluorescent probes to label cells and tissue, this means that the laser light needed to excite the fluorescence can't reach deep inside the tissue and fluorescence is absorbed before it reaches the camera. Although optical clearing agents can remove light-scattering molecules from tissue, existing agents aren't optimized for removing heme and do not work for the dense, tightly packed structures making up blood clots.

To develop the new optical clearing technique, the researchers altered the composition of an optical clearing agent known as CUBIC. After much trial and error, they created a clearing agent that didn't alter the shape of a clot's red blood cells and was efficient enough to make a clot clear in less than a day. The researchers also tested various fluorescent probes to identify ones that could penetrate a clot.

The researchers examined clots that were contracting, which helps form a tight seal that stops bleeding. "Using the optical clearing technique, we were able to look inside the clot and examine the structure," said Weisel. "We found that during contraction, the red blood cells change from their normal biconcave shape to polyhedral and are very tightly packed against each other, but don't actually change in volume. This is something we didn't know before and that we can now study in more detail."

High-throughput approaches

The researchers are now looking for ways to achieve faster optical clearing and image analysis. This could allow the new optical clearing technique to be used with high-throughput approaches that examine the effects of hundreds of different drugs on the clotting process or clot contraction, for example. The optical clearing technique would make it possible to quickly image a series of clots before and after treatment.

The researchers are also working to test the method with clots removed from patients. They want to collect information that can be used to create computational models of the structure and properties that could one day be used to predict risks associated with certain types of clots, for example.
(Natural News) After Californias tough new immunization law, eliminating religious and philosophical exemptions for vaccines, unvaccinated kids can no longer go to public schools in the Golden State. As one of the leading proponents of forced vaccination, Dr. Richard Pan  the same senator who sponsored last years mandatory vaccine campaign  is back with a new proposal to gain even more control over childrens lives. If we let him have his way, he will make vaccines mandatory for ALL children living in California.

While California is criminalizing parents for refusing to vaccinate their children with toxic substances, it is also planning to release real criminals on the streets under the so-called Sanctuary State Bill or Senate Bill 54 (SB 54), the Zero Hedge reported.

Earlier this month, legislators in Sacramento pushed SB 54 one step closer to reality after it had been cleared by the State Assemblys Judiciary Committee. According to Senate President Pro Tem Kevin De Leon, SB 54 intends to prevent the police in California from helping the Trump Deportation Machine, reported RT.

De Leon was the one to introduce the bill to protect undocumented immigrants in California by limiting cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities. As a result, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents will no longer be able to access state databases or go into jails to deport prisoners.

Speaking to CBS Sacramento, De Leon explained that during the first 100 days of the Trump administration arrests of immigrants with no criminal record jumped 150 percent compared to the same period last year. Furthermore, he noted that he will protect those who contribute to making California the sixth largest economy in the world.

Under constitutional threats from the reckless Trump administration, SB 54 protects state and local law enforcement and resources necessary to keep our communities safe, De Leon said. ICE is out to arrest and deport honest, hard-working parents who obey the laws and pay their taxes and owe allegiance to the red, white and blue.

In response, U.S. immigration officials cited that even though ICE agents arrested 188 illegal immigrants involved in drug offenses, domestic violence, sex crimes, assault, burglary, fraud, vehicle theft, property damage, manslaughter, prostitution, and incest, among other violation of the law in Los Angeles during the May 25 raid, the total number of arrests of illegal immigrants is lower than during the Obama administration.

According to De Leon, his bill will allow authorities to respond to ICE inquiries only when convicted violent offenders are involved. De Leon has the support of many union groups that protect immigrant families.

Though the bill has been strongly opposed by Republican lawmakers and California sheriffs who are worried about losing federal funding and their grip on dangerous criminals, the legislation received support from the Los Angeles Police Department. They said that they need the immigrant communitys trust to effectively investigate crimes. Also, they want to keep ensuring witnesses and victims that they will not be arrested and deported just for cooperating with law enforcements.

Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown, who is also president of the California Sheriffs Association, noted that SB 54 would result in many dangerous criminal offenders being released to our streets without proper communication and cooperation with immigration authorities. Unless they have a warrant, ICE agents will no longer be allowed to act in cases of undocumented immigrants convicted of serious crimes.

Before California gains more control, the bill must go through one more committee hearing before receiving its final approval by the Assembly. Is California on another mission to become its own nation? If so, Natural News would support California leaving the United States.

Sources include:

ZeroHedge.com

NaturalNews.com

RT.com

Sacramento.CBSLocal.com
(Natural News) To many, it serves as a shiny badge of upward mobility  a milestone that someone took their education seriously and is now ready for the next level of responsibility in the world. But a college degree doesnt always deliver on its promises anymore, as many graduates today are learning the hard way. Not only are many of these freshly-minted degree holders discovering that they cant just waltz into their dream jobs simply because they hold a piece of paper. Some of them are also coming to the stark realization that they were duped by their alma maters, which failed to teach them the necessary life skill for facing the real world post-commencement.

Depending upon which school a student attended and the primary subject he specialized in, a degree admittedly holds varying degrees of value. A computer scientist, for instance, will have more than likely interned at a large company prior to graduating, after which time hell take up a full-time position for great pay. A womens studies major, on the other hand, will find that she basically shelled out several hundred thousand dollars for a four-year safe space, and now has no marketable skills to find a real job.

There are various other factors that determine whether or not a college degree is valuable, of course. But the main point is this: College isnt for everyone. For many young people coming out of high school, community college or technical school is a much better and typically more affordable option that offers real-life training in actual skilled work. But how many students are being told this by their guidance counselors before they sign right up for traditional college or university, a.k.a. agreeing to ratchet up huge debt unless theyre independently wealthy?

Colleges have convinced nearly everyone that you need a degree to be an effective employee or higher-income adult, but this is just not true, writes Daniel Ameduri from FutureMoneyTrends.com (as published in an article by SHTFplan.com).

I can tell you as an employer that Ive never asked a single person what their grades were and Ive never asked to see a degree. The ugly truth is the ones with college degrees usually end up writing SEO articles for $15 an hour and the skilled workers whove been writing code as a hobby or editing videos for years on a MAC end up as managers making $75+ per hour.

College puts many students in deep debt

Unless a student is awarded grants or scholarships, attending college is expensive. According to the College Board, the average cost to attend an in-state public college is now nearly $25,000 per year. At a private college, this yearly cost doubles to almost $50,000.

This means that by the time a student graduates  assuming he pays these costs out of pocket or with loans  he will already be between $100,000 to $200,000 in debt. Based on job availability, this debt could haunt him for decades, or worse  ruin his credit if he ends up defaulting due to an inability to pay.

There are so many other options besides going this precarious route, including taking short courses online or at a local training facility, or even on the job depending on the industry. There are many ways to learn useful information that dont have to cost tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars.

When I was 18 years old, I made $55,000 while my peers sat in a classroom learning things that were forgotten before they even left the campus that day, Ameduri adds, noting that the four years that many young people typically spend to earn their Bachelors degrees could have been spent getting a head start in life.

Sources for this article include:

SHTFplan.com

CollegeData.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Dean Foods announced in a press release that it has acquired organic juice company Uncle Matts Organic, prompting concerns about just how organic their beverages will remain moving forward.

According to the press release, Uncle Matts Organic is the oldest organic juice company in the U.S. Their offerings include juices such as orange, grapefruit, apple and lemonade, along with fruit-infused waters and probiotic-infused juices, and their products are popular among health-conscious consumers.

The Dean Foods press release says: Uncle Matts Organic is committed to producing the highest quality juices, using only premium 100% organically grown fruit that is free from GMOs, synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.

Its a commendable stance, but how long will that continue to be the case? If Dean Foods Companys track record when it comes to acquisitions is any indication, fans of Uncle Matts products had better stay on their toes.

Dean Foods bait-and-switch history

When Dean Foods Company acquired the Silk brand soy milk, they engaged in some very deceptive practices that left a lot of consumers so angry that many continue to boycott them to this day. Silks soy milk had been made using organic soybeans until early 2009, and customers who sought organic products at that time knew this milk was a safe bet.

However, after taking over the brand, Dean essentially employed a bait and switch tactic that left a lot of consumers with a very bad taste in their mouths. They started to use conventionally grown soybeans rather than organic ones, but they continued to use the same bar codes on their products and only slightly shifted the wording on their label to make it say natural instead of organic. Many consumers believed it was still organic, not realizing that natural is not a word that is regulated and that any product can claim to be natural regardless of whether it has been sprayed with toxic pesticides, as many soybeans are.

Adding insult to injury, they kept selling it for the same price, which meant people were paying organic prices for toxin-laced milk.

The deception was so underhanded that even retailers didnt realize what was happening at first, with watchdog groups calling out Target for misleading shoppers by continuing to advertise the product as organic even though it no longer was.

This was more than just a one-off incident. Dean Foods has long shown a lack of honesty when it comes to organic food. They are the parent company of Horizon Organic, whose milk was once the subject of a boycott for not being legitimately organic. Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, once called the company the Enron of the food industry on account of its lack of ethics. Dean also contributed more than $250,000 in an effort to defeat the GMO labeling initiative Prop 37 in California in 2012  something that Uncle Matts, on the other hand, supported.

Its hard to say whether Uncle Matts juices will pull a similar trick on the public. There are some positive signs, such as the fact that Uncle Matts will become a subsidiary of Dean Foods but will continue to operate from its current offices in Clermont, Florida.

In addition, the companys founder, Matt McLean, will continue to lead the brand. According to Uncle Matts website, he became passionate about an organic way of life in 1995, which he said is akin to the way his grandfather and great-grandfather grew their fruit. He believes in making soil healthy to nurture trees that can defend themselves naturally against disease. One can only hope that he will be able to convince his higher-ups to adopt the same philosophy.

Sources include:

DeanFoods.com

NaturalNews.com

NaturalNews.com

UncleMatts.com
(Natural News) Despite the evidence suggesting that there are many possible dangers associated with birth control drugs, an estimated 12 million women in the United States take an oral contraceptive, commonly referred to as the pill, to prevent pregnancy.

While birth control pills are convenient and, for the most part, effective at preventing unwanted pregnancies, they are not only harming the human body, they are also having a severe impact on the environment. Due to pollution and overuse of chemicals and drugs, a mix of endocrine disruptors is entering rivers via toxic waste and rain water at an alarming rate.

Professor Charles Tyler, a leading eco-toxicologist from the University of Exeter in Britain, and colleagues discovered that chemicals found in contraceptives and common household products (including by-products of cleaning agents, plastics, and cosmetics) that are flushed down the drain are giving rise to transgender or intersex fish in British rivers.

Their data showed that one fifth (or 20 percent) of male river fish, coming from 50 different sites, were displaying more feminine traits and some were even producing eggs in their testicles. The team also reported that the intersex fish were less aggressive and had a lower sperm count. All these factors combined made them less competitive, reducing their chances to breed successfully. Furthermore, offspring of transgender fish can be more sensitive to the effects of toxic exposure.

The research identified more than 200 chemicals

Tyler recently gave a keynote speech on the topic of transgender fish at the 50th Anniversary Symposium of the Fisheries Society in the British Isles at Exeter University, which was held at the beginning of July.

Tylers key findings originate from a 2008 research project  Roach, Sex, and Gender-Bending Chemicals: The Feminization of Wild Fish in English Rivers  he was involved in. During the study, the team identified more than 200 chemicals in river water.

Next to estrogen-like drugs, known to mess up the endocrine or hormonal system, the researchers also discovered other drugs, such as antidepressants, which could alter the fishs natural behavior. Antidepressants have been shown to reduce the natural shyness of some fish species, making them more vulnerable to predators. Furthermore, the team also noted that estrogen found in some plastics may affect the valves in the heart.

It all depends how feminized they become. If they are moderately to severely feminized, they are compromised as individuals and they really struggle to pass on their genes, Tyler said. One thing scientists are becoming much, much more conscious of now  is wildlife populations are exposed to a combination of stresses, he added.

RT reported on a similar study from 2010 where researchers found that more than 80 percent of male bass fish in the Potomac River in Washington DC exhibited female traits, including eggs in their testicles.

A call for stricter regulations

The chemicals causing these effects are often flushed down the toilet without giving a second thought. Chemicals in contraceptives, cleaning products, and other household products not only threaten our health but that of the environment too. Therefore, Tyler called for better regulations and a ban on certain chemicals.

Its blindingly obvious when you stick a poison out and it kills something. Its an incredibly difficult challenge to understand sub-lethal effects and how these things affect behavior, Tyler said. If we get sufficient evidence indicating theres a high likelihood of a population effect, perhaps we need to be more proactive about restricting  or banning these chemicals, he added.

Stay informed about the latest environmental news at Environ.news.

Sources include:

Telegraph.co.uk

Academic.OUP.com

MedicalNewstoday.com

RT.com
(Natural News) With the summer fully underway, mosquitoes are more active. Hence, stories about a Zika pandemic popping up again. Just like Dengue and Malaria, the Zika virus is a mosquito-borne illness. Spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which is typically found close to standing water, the Zika virus causes mild flu-like symptoms including headaches, nausea, conjunctivitis, exhaustion, aches, and pains.

Though an infection usually goes unnoticed in healthy adults, pregnant women can pass on the infection to their unborn babies. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Zika infections can potentially cause a whole host of birth defects including microcephaly, congenital Zika syndrome, and damage to the brain and eyes. Infections usually occur in Central and South America, Africa, Asia, Texas, and Florida.

Given the threat to pregnant women and their unborn child, a group of vaccine-pushing researchers now wants to include pregnant women in their trials to test an experimental Zika vaccine. According to new guidelines published by the University of North Carolinas (UNC) Center for Bioethics and two other universities, the inclusion of pregnant women in Zika vaccine trials is crucial.

Is it ethical to include pregnant women in vaccine trials?

In 2016, UNCs Center for Bioethics, the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics and Georgetown Universitys Kennedy Institute for Ethics were awarded a $1.55 million grant from the Welcome Trust to determine and develop ethical guidelines regarding the inclusion of pregnant women in clinical trials.

People tend to think first about the ethical problems of including pregnant women in research, said Anne Lyerly, MD, MA, professor of social medicine and associate director of the UNC Center for Bioethics. In this case, the gravest ethical problem would be if we failed to include them, since it is pregnant women  and their babies  who will face the most serious consequences of infection.

According to the 15-person working group of experts advised by 60 other leading experts in vaccine science and immunology, the team concluded that there are no ethical reasons to deny the Zika vaccine to pregnant women. They even noted that for too long the needs of pregnant women and their offspring have been neglected, adding that including pregnant women in research studies is not just necessary, but very possible.

We argue that in order to ethically respond to global Zika virus crisis, clinical research that includes pregnant women is critical, Lyerly noted. Such research will help to ensure that they have access to safe, effective and evidence-based ways to protect themselves and the children they will bear from Zika. It is a priority for public health and a matter of justice, she added.

These new guidelines give the vaccine industry, policy makers, researchers, oversight bodies, regulatory authorities, and the global public health community concrete tools to lawfully inject thousands of women with toxic substances.

Vaccines are not the answer and may just cause the one thing they promise to prevent: BRAIN DAMAGE. Protect your unborn child and stay away from vaccines and wear protective clothing or use organic bug spray to keep nasty bugs at bay.

What are these people thinking  Zika isnt the biggest threat

Pregnant women are the most vulnerable as they are carrying an extra life. Giving a green light to the vaccine industry and research bodies to start using pregnant women in their trials is just criminal. It not only endangers the mothers life but also that of the unborn child. Vaccines and pregnancy do not mix.

In case you have only heard the Zika stories spread by the fear-mongering mainstream media, then you have only been told half the Zika truth. The Zika spread is likely been caused by the release of lab-bred genetically modified mosquitoes.

Though Zika and nature are being blamed for the rising number of birth defects in Brazil, this is just a cover. Just after the Brazilian Minister of Health mandated that all expectant mothers should receive the Tdap vaccine at 20 weeks gestation, birth defects in Brazil spiked. Is it the virus or is there something else at play?

Think of it, a vulnerable, developing brain is exposed to aluminum, mercury, formaldehyde, antibiotics and a host of other chemicals that early in its developing stages. Are governments and the biotech and vaccine industry using Zika to halt human reproduction and sell more pesticides and vaccines? Read the full story here.

Sources include:

News.UNCHealthCare.org

Romper.com

CDC.gov

NaturalNews.com
A man trying to stand on his motorcycle as a group of about 50 riders cruised down a freeway crashed and was killed Sunday.

His compatriots then blocked off all traffic on the four-lane freeway, causing an hours-long traffic jam heading towards Lake Elsinore, California Highway Patrol officers said.

The crash was in the midst of a rolling pack of bikers on the southbound 15 Freeway just south of the Cajalco Road interchange near Corona, shortly before 10 a.m., CHP officials said.

The man was part of a group of about 50 other motorcyclists performing stunts on the freeway Sunday morning known as the "Ruthless Ryderz." He was attempting to stand on his bike but fell when he lost control of his motorcycle and suffered major head trauma, the CHP said.

After the crash, the other motorcyclists in the group blocked lanes on the freeway, prompting the CHP to issue a Sigalert and causing traffic to back up in both directions.

The victim was hospitalized but later died from his injuries, the CHP said. His name was not released.
An 8-month-old boy at the center of an Amber Alert out of Monterey County was found safe in San Jose Monday morning, according to officials.

The baby, who officials originally said was a year old, was sitting alone in the back seat of a running car in Soledad when a suspect hopped in the vehicle and drove off, according to Sgt. Juan Espinoza with the Soledad Police Department. Hours later, concerned citizens in San Jose came across the suspect, later identified as Raymond Randy Gutierrez, and managed to bring the baby to safety.

"Baby is perfectly safe and sound," Soledad Police Department Sgt. Juan Espinoza said. "Best possible result that we could have hoped for."

Gutierrez, a transient known as "Turtle," was spotted driving in a white Honda in Salinas later in the day and was arrested on suspicion of kidnapping, child endangerment, auto theft and possession of stolen property, police said.

The child was resting in the car early Monday when his father ran inside their home to grab something, according to Espinoza. When the father came back, the car and his child were gone.

According to a source, the Gutierrez stole the car but supposedly didn't realize the child was in the back seat.

Police in San Jose received a call around 7:15 a.m. about a man with a baby in the back seat of a car in the area of Seymour and Walnut Streets, according to police.

A woman by the name of Mamas Ramirez said Gutierrez, pounded on her trailer door and asked her and her husband to take the baby. After getting over the initial shock of the situation and realizing that the suspect did indeed have a baby, Ramirez said Gutierrez then started to break into a nearby van, which apparently belongs to the suspect's brother, to steal a scooter.

A worker at a nearby construction company heard the commotion and learned about the situation after talking with Ramirez. Together, the worker and Ramirez decided to pluck the baby from the car.

The suspect returned to the stolen car and fled the scene.

San Jose police eventually arrived at the scene and took control of the baby, according to police. Following a medical check, the baby was reunited with his parents at the San Jose Police Department.

Monday's abduction marks the second time in two years that a car theft in Soledad turned into a kidnapping, according to Espinoza. He used the incident as a reminder to parents to never leave their children alone in a car with the keys inside.

NBC Bay Area's Robert Handa contributed to this report.
Iran has imprisoned a Chinese-American Princeton University graduate school student for ten years, accusing him of "infiltrating" the country, and detained President Hassan Rouhani's brother over allegations of financial misconduct, authorities said Sunday.

News of the detentions comes less than two months after relative moderate Rouhani beat a hard-line opponent to win reelection by running in large part on his record of pursuing greater engagement with the West. They were announced by the judiciary, a pillar of hard-liners' influence.



The Chinese-American dual national was identified as Xiyue Wang, a 37-year-old history researcher, according to Mizan Online, a website affiliated with the judiciary. Wang is a fourth-year doctoral candidate in the Department of History at Princeton University, according to Daniel Day, the Assistant Vice President in the schools Office of Communications.



His field is late 19th and early 20th-century Eurasian history, Day wrote to NBC10. He was arrested in Iran last summer, while there doing scholarly research on the administrative and cultural history of the late Qajar dynasty in connection with his Ph.D. dissertation. Since his arrest, the university has worked with Mr. Wang's family, the U.S. government, private counsel and others to facilitate his release.



He was not previously known to be among the handful of Americans detained in Iran.



"It was verified and determined that he was gathering (information) and was involved in infiltration," Judiciary spokesman Gholamhosein Mohseni Ejehi said during a routine press briefing.



Ejehi did not identify Wang by name. But hours after he spoke, Mizan published an article attributed to an unnamed source that revealed his identity and included several photos of him apparently taken from the internet.



The Mizan article said he was born in Beijing and entered Iran as a researcher. It pointed to graduate studies he did at Princeton University in 2013 and 2014, and described him as a fluent speaker of Persian.



We were very distressed by the charges brought against him in connection with his scholarly activities, and by his subsequent conviction and sentence, Ray wrote. His family and the university are distressed at his continued imprisonment and are hopeful that he will be released after his case is heard by the appellate authorities in Tehran. In the interim, the university will continue to do everything it can to be supportive of Mr. Wang and his family. 

Wang was arrested on Aug. 8, 2016 and is accused of passing confidential information about Iran to the U.S. State Department, Princeton's Sharmin and Bijan Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Iran and Persian Gulf Studies, the Harvard Kennedy School and the British Institute of Persian Studies, according to Mizan. It alleged he recorded some 4,500 pages of digital documents.

The U.S. State Department was not immediately able to provide details on the case. It said its citizens' safety and security is a top priority.

The U.S. does not maintain formal diplomatic relations with Tehran and warns its citizens traveling there that they risk arrest or being barred from leaving Iran.



"The Iranian regime continues to detain U.S. citizens and other foreigners on fabricated national-security related changes," it said in a statement to The Associated Press. "We call for the immediate release of all U.S. citizens unjustly detained in Iran so they can return to their families."



The arrest of the president's brother, meanwhile, stunned many in Iran.



Ejehi said the brother, Hossein Fereidoun, was taken into custody over allegations of financial impropriety and is eligible for bail, but has not paid it yet.

Fereidoun is a close confidante of the moderate president, a cleric who changed his surname to Rouhani, meaning "spiritual," after joining the seminary decades ago.



Fereidoun was part of the negotiating team that ultimately sealed Iran's landmark nuclear deal with world powers in 2015, winning the country relief from international sanctions in exchange for limits on its atomic energy program.



The deal was unpopular with Iranian hard-liners, whose influence runs deep within the judiciary. They saw the nuclear deal as giving too much away in exchange for too little.



Fereidoun has long been a target of hard-liners, who have accused him of misdeeds including money laundering and misappropriation of government funds.



The unproven allegations were a flashpoint during the May presidential election, with the president's hard-line challengers demanding that the judiciary investigate accusations against Fereidoun.



Wang is one of several Americans in Iranian custody.



Iranian-American art gallery manager Karan Vafadari was detained along with his Iranian wife last year. They have yet to be convicted of a crime.



Iranian-American businessman Siamak Namazi and his 81-year-old father, Baquer Namazi, are each serving 10-year sentences for "cooperating with the hostile American government."



Another Iranian-American, Robin Shahini, was released on bail last year after staging a weeks-long hunger strike while serving an 18-year prison sentence for "collaboration with a hostile government."



Still missing is former FBI agent Robert Levinson, who vanished in Iran in 2007 while on an unauthorized CIA mission.

Also in an Iranian prison is Nizar Zakka, a U.S. permanent resident from Lebanon who advocates for internet freedom. He lives in Washington D.C. and has done work for the U.S. government. He was sentenced to 10 years behind bars last year after being accused of espionage-related charges.


Despite the fact that lawmakers passed Illinois' first budget in more than two years earlier this month, there's still a chance that public schools across the state may not be able to open on time this fall.

That's because the appropriations portion of the budget contains a provision that makes state aid for K-12 schools contingent on changing the education funding formula to an "evidence-based model"  akin to a bill passed in May that Gov. Bruce Rauner has vowed to veto.

Illinois currently employs a "foundation level" approach to school funding, which assumes a baseline annual cost of educating a student, reached through a combination of state and local resources.

That number statewide is set at $6,119 per pupil  a figure that has not changed since the 2009-2010 school year, and has fallen more than $2000 short of the Illinois Education Funding Advisory Boards recommendation each year since.

The gap between the EFAB's suggested foundation level and actual appropriations has grown progressively larger, with the board most recently recommending a foundation level of $9,204 per student for fiscal year 2018.

Adding to the financial pressure, Illinois has also been prorating payments to school districts each year by an average of 10 percent since appropriations first fell short in 2012.

In total, the EFAB recommended that in order to adequately fund public schools this year, the state would need an additional $4.6 billion  nearly doubling the $5.07 billion appropriated in general state aid for fiscal year 2017.

In addition to being underfunded, Illinois' education funding system has been found to be among the least equitable in the country.

The Education Law Center gave Illinois an 'F' grade when it comes to funding distribution, finding in its January report that Illinois is one of 21 states that has a regressive system, meaning it provides less aid to districts that have a higher concentration of low-income students.

Illinois ranks dead last in the country when it comes to funding its highest poverty school districts, according to a study by the Education Trust.

For each dollar spent educating a non-low income student in Illinois, the study found that just 81 cents is spent on that of a low-income child  the largest gap in the nation. [[432983263, C]]

Experts say the root of this inequity can be traced to an overreliance on local sources (largely property taxes) to fund school districts.

According to the US Census Bureau, Illinois contributes just 37.8 percent of total school funding across the state, tying with Texas for the fifth lowest proportion in the country.

In comparison, 55 percent of education funding in Illinois comes from local revenue, which is strongly associated with district wealth and inversely correlated to student poverty.

Simply put, poorer school districts can't supplement limited state aid in the way wealthier communities can  a disparity that led Chicago Public Schools to file a lawsuit earlier this year alleging that Illinois' funding system violates students' civil rights.

In 2016, Rauner created the Illinois School Funding Reform Commission in an effort to find a new formula. In February, the 25-member commission released its final report, which was used to craft Senate Bill 1 to move Illinois to an evidence-based model of education funding.

An evidence-based model is a system that distributes state aid based on the level of funding each individual school district needs to provide students with a quality education.

That number, called an "adequacy target," is calculated on a district-by-district basis by examining the per-pupil cost of programming that research has proven to be effective in improving academic performance  like small class sizes, tutoring, full-day kindergarten, after school programs, guidance counselors and more.

Each district's adequacy target is adjusted to account for differences in regional operating costs as well as student demographics, acknowledging that it costs more to educate English learners, children with special needs, low-income students, etc.

An evidence-based model would then calculate how much each district can contribute from property taxes (known as the "local capacity target"), plus its current state funding levels (as SB 1 contains a "hold harmless" provision that guarantees no school will receive less state aid under the new model than it currently does).

That total number is compared to the district's adequacy target to determine how well-funded it is.

Based on how close they are to their adequacy target, districts are placed into one of four tiers, a ranking system that dictates how new state funds for education are disbursed, with priority given to the districts that are further from being fully-funded.

Under SB 1, 40 percent of any new state funding would go to the poorest schools in Tier 1, and 59 percent to Tier 2, which encompasses all districts funded at less than 90 percent of their adequacy target, including those in Tier 1. Tier 3 districts, those between 90 and 100 percent funded to adequacy levels, would receive 0.9 percent of appropriations, while the remaining 0.1 percent would be sent to schools in Tier 4 that are at 100 percent or more of their target.

SB 1 would also eliminate the Chicago Block Grant, which has automatically dedicated a portion of funding to CPS each year since its creation in 1995. Under the new model, CPS would have to submit reimbursement claims to receive state aid like other districts across the state.

Illinois' largest school district (serving nearly 20 percent of the state's children) is also the only district entirely responsible for paying the employer contribution to its Chicago teacher pension fund, while the state pays both the normal cost and unfunded liabilities associated with teacher pensions for every other district.

SB 1 looks to address that disparity, making changes that are at the heart of the impending battle between Rauner and Democratic lawmakers.

Under SB 1's structure, both the block grant and CPS' pension payments are taken into account when calculating the district's local capabilities, as well as its baseline funding level.

Chicago's local capacity is reduced to reflect $505.8 million in the citys unfunded pension liability, while its base funding minimum (which, according to the "hold harmless" provision of the bill, can't be lower than the district's current level of state aid) includes the $203 million CPS received in block grants, plus its $221 million in normal pension payments. [[419186634, C]]

Critics of the bill, including Rauner, say that these elements constitute a "bailout" for cash-strapped CPS.

"That bill is exactly what's broken about Illinois and Illinois politics," Rauner said at a news conference on July 5.

"We all agree that we should have a better way to allocate our school funding money and I formed a bipartisan commission to get that done," he continued, adding that the "process got hijacked" to include Chicago pension payments.

"We need pension reform and I support it and Ill work with the city to get that done, but they should not forcing that inside education funding reform thats been agreed to on a bipartisan basis," Rauner said.

Proponents of SB 1 say it simply puts CPS on equal footing with the rest of the state, and that 268 other school districts outside Chicago would also receive more funding per student.

Still, Republican lawmakers have introduced their own version of an evidence-based model that does not take into account Chicagos pension obligations or block grant funding.

While the Democrat-backed SB 1 passed both the Illinois House and Senate, the GOP version, an amendment to SB 1124, has not moved in either chamber.

Lawmakers are currently holding SB 1 on a procedural "motion to reconsider," likely buying time to negotiate before formally sending it to Rauner's desk, as he has vowed to veto it  despite his education advisor's admission that the governor likes "90 percent" of the bill.

That comment, made by Illinois Secretary of Education Beth Purvis to the State Journal-Register in June, sparked a backlash from those who support the legislation, with perhaps the harshest criticism coming from Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

"You cannot get something you agree to 90 percent of the time and say you're gonna veto it," Emanuel said at an event on July 10, calling Rauner "a governor of roadblock."

"It's a product out of the commission you asked to come together, and when it issued its report, you said this is a direct roadmap to the legislation," Emanuel added. "The legislation was drafted, Democrats and Republicans worked on it, it meets 90 percent of your target, and you're going to veto it? That means you're not serious about governing and leading the state forward."

Should Rauner veto SB 1, the bill will need 36 senators and 71 representatives to override the veto  a tall order, as it received 35 votes in the Senate and just 60 in the House the first time around.

On Monday, the governor called on Senate President John Cullerton to send him the bill so he can amendatory veto it and remove the funding considerations for CPS, though it's unclear when lawmakers may move forward.

"The General Assembly under Speaker Madigan have failed to adequately or equitably fund our schools for decades. It has hurt generations of Illinois children who live in low income communities," Rauner said in a statement.

"Its not right to give CPS more than its equitable share at the expense of other struggling school districts," he continued. "Thats not reform. It is the same old rigged politics that created this disgraceful system we are trying to fix."



No matter what, something must be done to move Illinois to an evidence-based model of funding, otherwise no state aid will be disbursed at all  rendering many schools unable to open in the fall. Even if they can begin classes, many schools would likely be forced to close early without any state funding.

You can see the Illinois State Board of Education's projections on how both the Democratic and Republican proposals would impact your district here.
The battle over school funding in Illinois heated up Monday, as Gov. Bruce Rauner announced plans to issue an amendatory veto of a major reform bill  a move that Chicago Public Schools quickly claimed he cannot legally do.

State aid for K-12 schools is contingent on changing Illinois funding formula to an evidence-based model like that of Senate Bill 1, which passed the legislature in May.

SB 1 which would change the way new school funding is distributed statewide to make Illinois system (among the most regressive in the nation when it comes to serving low-income students) more equitable.

It is currently being held on a procedural motion, as lawmakers seek more time to negotiate after Rauner vowed to veto the measure, decrying it as a bailout for CPS. [[432983263, C]]

On Monday, Rauner called on Senate President John Cullerton to send the legislation to his desk so he can issue an amendatory veto to remove certain funding considerations for cash-strapped CPS.

We have a chance to make history and adopt a new school funding plan that, for the first time, ensures all school districts in Illinois are equitably and adequately funded, Rauner said in a statement. Unfortunately, Democrats want to turn this historic opportunity into a bailout for the CPS pension system. The point of this school reform bill is to help low income students across the state, including those in Chicago, get the education they deserve  not to bailout CPSs mismanaged teacher pension system.

At issue is the way the bill factors CPS finances into what would become the new statewide funding formula. SB 1 eliminates the Chicago block grant, which automatically appropriates specific funding to CPS each year, but takes that $203 million into account  plus the districts $221 million in employer pension contributions  when calculating the districts baseline funding minimum.

That, plus the $505.8 million reduction in the bills assessment of Chicagos local fundraising capabilities based on its unfunded pension liability, is what Rauner said led to his decision to issue an amendatory veto. [[419186634, C]]

However, a spokeswoman for CPS said the governor cannot legally use an amendatory veto on SB 1, saying it would exceed his power under the Illinois Constitution.

Governor Rauners stunt wont pass legal muster, and instead jeopardizes the opening for dozens of school districts around the state, CPS spokewoman Emily Bittner said in a statement, adding that an amendatory veto would change a fundamental purpose of the legislation  a power not granted by the Constitution.

A spokesman for Cullerton said the legal constraints arent quite that explicit, and the situation still remains very much up in the air.

In short, the legislature will have to wait to see how Rauner changes the bill before choosing to accept his veto, override it  both of which would take a 3/5 majority in the House and Senate  or ruling that it exceeds his authority, in which case the legislation would die and lawmakers would have to start from square one.

No matter what, something must be done to move Illinois to an evidence-based model of funding like the intent of SB 1, otherwise no state aid will be disbursed to schools  rendering many unable to open in the fall.
10 people suffered injuries after they were ejected from a boat in Indianas Lake Gage on Saturday night.

According to Indiana Conservation Officers, four of the people suffered serious injuries, with one passenger suffering a fractured skull and another having the lower part of their arm amputated in the accident.

At approximately 7:13 p.m. on Saturday night, a 20-foot boat being driven by Fort Wayne resident Dominique Effinger cut into a violent turn, ejecting all 10 people that were on the vessel. The boat continued to travel around Lake Gage, causing property damage and serious injuries, according to police.

Conservation Officers were ultimately able to throw a rope around the propeller of the runaway boat, but not before it struck several passengers, a dock, and the back end of the patrol boat that police deployed to deal with the situation.

Police arrested Effinger and charged the 20-year-old with Boating While Intoxicated and with possessing alcohol as a minor, according to a press release.

According to Fort Waynes NBC, Effinger was released on bond from the Steuben County Jail.
UPDATE: Police released a new sketch, showing a clearer image of a man believed to be connected to the killings of the two teens. Click here for more.

Authorities are expected to release new information Monday in the months-long investigation into the slayings of two northern Indiana girls.

Indiana State Police Sgt. Kim Riley confirmed to NBC affiliate WTHR that new evidence would be released in the deaths of 14-year-old Liberty German and 13-year-old Abigail Williams.

Riley told the Associated Press a news release would be issued providing "very important" information that "will give people a clearer image of who we are looking for" in the unsolved double-murder case.



German and Williams, of Delphi, vanished Feb. 13 along a trail near their hometown about 60 miles northwest of Indianapolis. Their bodies were found the next day in a wooded area.

Authorities had previously urged people to study two grainy photographs of a man they considered to be the main suspect in the killings and an audio recording of a male voice saying "down the hill."

The photos and audio came from Liberty's cellphone. Police have hailed her as a hero for recording potentially crucial evidence.


Gov. Bruce Rauner added Cook County to the Illinois state disaster proclamation for flooding Sunday as communities continue to combat rising water levels and repair widespread damage.

With flood waters impacting communities in Cook County, Im adding the county to the state disaster proclamation to ensure we provide responders the resources they need to continue protecting public health and safety, Rauner said in a statement.

A disaster proclamation was issued Friday for Kane, McHenry, and Lake counties after days of heavy rainfall that began late Tuesday.

The proclamation makes a variety of state resources available to impacted residents, including sandbags, pumps, trucks and other equipment. It directs Illinois Emergency Management Agency Director James Joseph to activate the State Emergency Operations Center to coordinate requests for assistance.

So far, the state has provided 350,000 sandbags to Lake County and 100,000 sandbags to McHenry County, according to Rauner's statement, with 50,000 headed to Kane County on Monday and 350,000 additional sandbags to be delivered around northern Illinois.

The flood emergency took on new urgency over the weekend, as the Des Plaines and Fox rivers continued to rise in suburban communities already ravaged by stormwater.

Lake County declared a state of emergency Wednesday night, predicting that both rivers would crest within the week, leading to record flooding. [[434281383, C]]

In Russell, near the border of Wisconsin, the Des Plaines River reached a high of 12.15 feet on Friday, according to the National Weather Service, shattering the 2004 record of 11.09 feet. Near Lincolnshire, the river crested at 16.53 feet on Wednesday, breaking yet another record.

Near north suburban Gurnee, the river was expected to reach around 11.9 feet Saturday - a height that was last seen in 1986.

Police and emergency crews were monitoring the Des Plaines River in Gurnee, as residents and volunteers filled sandbags and tried to protect what has remained dry so far in a race against time. [[434672233, C]]

Water levels began falling Sunday, with forecasts showing the river dropping to below its 7-foot flood stage sometime between Wednesday night and early Thursday. [[434038743, C]]

To the west, the worst is yet to come for the already hard-hit Chain OLakes area near the Fox River.

Floodwaters rushing down from Wisconsin could hit at the beginning of next week, not cresting until sometime around Tuesday night.

Near Algonquin, the Fox River is expected to reach a peak of 12.9 feet on Tuesday, breaking the previous record set in 2013. [[434290393, C]]

No deaths or injuries have been reported so far in the floods, according to Rauner, who added that at least 6,800 buildings were damaged across the northern suburbs.

Residents of communities impacted by the floods were asked to avoid the high waters, which may be contaminated, and to avoid traveling through standing water while driving.
Residents in part of North Stonington were stocking up on bottled water after being urged to boil their tap water, but the boil water advisory is now over.

The notice went into effect after tests revealed E.coli in one location and total coliforms in three others, according to the Southeastern Connecticut Water Authority.

Josh Cansler, the general manager of the water authority, said the findings came during routine testing last week.

Most likely it was the heavy rains last week brought in some type of bacteria into the system, which is common during especially heavy rains, he said.

A boil water order was immediately put into effect and customers were notified, according to Cansler.

I ended up getting a text from my mother telling me to pick up some water on the way home because our water may be contaminated, Crystal Picard, of North Stonington, said.

Cansler said the Department of Health was notified, work began to flush the system and there was no evidence of E.coli during a second round of tests.

The boil water order was issued out of an abundance of caution, but residents could bathe without risk of health, according to the Southeastern Connecticut Water Authority.

Some people might be affected by the coliform and get a mild sickness. Its very rare to get a serious sickness from coliform, Cansler said.

The areas affected included Kingswood Drive, Laurel Wood Road, Hewitt Road and a portion of Main Street.

Staff at Buon Appetito used bottled water to replace tap and said they were thankful that this did not happen during a busy weekend.

We just had to go out and get ice for all of our beverages -- all the sodas, lemonades, juices we carry, Lauren Whitmore, a Buon Appetito employee, said. We have bottled water available as well as were doing jugs for just house water for everyone.

Total coliforms are a group of related bacteria that are -- with few exceptions --not harmful to humans, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

The EPA says a variety of bacteria, parasites, and viruses, known as pathogens, can potentially cause health problems if humans ingest them. EPA considers total coliforms a useful indicator of other pathogens for drinking water. Total coliforms are used to determine the adequacy of water treatment and the integrity of the distribution system.
The aunts of a 23-year-old man who was rescued at sea have filed a lawsuit accusing him of killing his mother  their sister  and his grandfather in order to collect millions of the real estate mogul's inheritance.

The lawsuit calls Middletown native Nathan Carman the prime suspect in his mother's presumed death after she went missing at sea during a fishing trip with her son last September.

"The surviving sisters cannot stand idle while their father's killer, and perhaps their sister's killer also, profits from his actions. Since the law has a provision to stop this unjust inheritance, they have filed a so-called slayer action in New Hampshire State Court to block Nathan from collecting money from his murdered grandfather's estate," a statement put out by the Chakalos' family attorney. "This is not about money, it is about justice."



Carman's grandfather, real estate mogul John Chakalos, was fatally shot in 2013 and the lawsuit alleges that the 23-year-old is also the suspect in this unsolved case.

The suit, which was filed in a New Hampshire probate court that oversees Chakalos' estate, asked the court "to declare that the murderer was Nathan Carman  John's grandson, their nephew  and that Nathan committed this heinous act out of malice and greed."

An attorney unrelated to the case told NBC Connecticut that Chakalos left his daughters a $43 million estate after reviewing the 87-year-old's documents.

Carman currently lives in Vernon, Vermont, and has not been charged in either case.



Last September, Carman was rescued more than 100 miles off of Martha's Vineyard after more than a week on a life raft following a fishing trip disaster with his mother. Her body was never recovered and she is presumed dead.

A search warrant executed on the Vernon, Vermont, home of Nathan Carman by the Windham County Sheriffs Department at the request of South Kingstown, Rhode Island, in September, appears to show authorities there believe Carman is connected to his mothers disappearance.

In April, a Middlesex superior court judge denied Nathan Carman's motion to seal a nearly 3-year-old warrant connected to Chakalo's shooting death.

Carman told the Associated Press in September that he had nothing to do with his grandfather's unsolved slaying and didn't harm his missing mother. On Monday, he had no comment on the lawsuit when he was approached by NBC Boston crews.

For more on Nathan Carman, here is everything we know.

Here is the full statement from the Chakalos' family, via their attorney:

In 2013, four sisters suffered an unthinkable tragedy when their father John Chakalos was murdered in his own home. Less than three years later one of those sisters, Linda Carman, disappeared at sea under highly suspicious circumstances. The last person to see both of these family members alive was Nathan Carman, John's grandson and Linda's son. The details and evidence in the death of John and the disappearance of Linda all point to Nathan as the prime suspect. Yet he now stands to inherit millions of dollars from their estates.

The surviving sisters cannot stand idle while their father's killer, and perhaps their sister's killer also, profits from his actions. Since the law has a provision to stop this unjust inheritance, they have filed a so-called slayer action in New Hampshire State Court to block Nathan from collecting money from his murdered grandfather's estate.

This is not about money, it is about justice. If the Chakalos sisters win this lawsuit and any money that would have gone to Nathan instead goes to the surviving sisters individually, they pledge to use those funds exclusively to pay for expenses incurred relating to the investigation into the death of their father and disappearance of their sister, and any remaining funds will go to charity.

The Chakalos sisters did not undertake this action lightly. This entire ordeal has been extraordinarily painful to the family and the public attention has made it even more difficult. However, they also know this is the right thing to do, and it is what their father and their sister would have wished. Dan Small, Holland & Knight LLP, attorney for the Chakalos family, wrote.
The flavorful idea of "Pizza Friday" is as much a part of our week as Hump Day and Sunday Funday or any of the catchy names we bestow upon various days for. various reasons.

Whether or not a pie loaded with toppings, cheese, and sauce is the most popular dish ordered ahead of the weekend is up for delicious debate, of course, but many of us have participating in a Pizza Friday event at work, and, yes, at home, too, as a week-ending treat.

Perhaps, though, every once and so often, for an excellent cause, we can celebrate Pizza Monday, Pizza Tuesday, and Pizza Wednesday, too.

Those auspicious occasions are on the savory schedule at a participating California Pizza Kitchens from July 17 through 19, which just happen to be the days that area CPKs are lending support to the Los Angeles County Fire Department's Explorer Program, "...which provides educational and community service opportunities for young adults interested in careers in fire service."

The best part? While CPK is known for its pizzas  that is, of course, what the "P" stands for in the chain's name  you can order anything on the menu and know that 20% of your check will help out the Explorer Program.

All you need to do is this: Mention the LACoFD Explorer Program fundraiser to your server. And, yep, this includes dine-in and take-out, both, and beverages, too.

As for the participating California Pizza Kitchens? The list is long and includes Manhattan Beach, Century City, Long Beach Marketplace, Studio City, and Pasadena. Just ring your local CPK and find out if they're on board.

Representatives of the Los Angeles County Fire Department will be stopping by select CPKs from July 17 through 19, so if you see a firefighter, feel free to say thanks. For more information on the Explorer Program, which is designed for young people ages 15 through 21, check out the requirements and training, which includes important work with hoses, ladders, and more.
Dinner is coming.

"Game of Thrones" fans in New York City, especially those without HBO, have reason to get excited.

White Gold Butchers, on the Upper West Side, will be hosting weekly dinners themed after the hit show as well as screenings of new episodes.

The dinners will occur every Sunday through Aug. 27 and start at 8 p.m. Tickets for the dinner cost $55 per person, which includes a meat-centric, three course meal that would make Kings Landing proud and gratuity.

To make the dinner even more authentic, there will be no utensils used during the entirety of the meal.

All-you-can-drink beer and wine specials will also be available for an additional $15.

The idea for the dinner and viewing party came from Jocelyn Guest, the owner of White Gold Butchers and an avid "Game of Thrones" fan, who wanted to be able to watch the show while she was at work.

Walk-ins are welcome if there is space, but buying tickets is highly recommended.
An 8-year-old girl who had been missing for more than 12 hours in New Jersey has been found at Newark Penn Station, police said.

Police in New Jersey had stepped up search efforts after Nevaeh Blaine was reported missing on Sunday, authorities said. She was found safe by a woman around 11 p.m., about 13 hours after she was reported missing.

A group of dedicated community mothers had put out their phone numbers for anyone to call them with information regarding the whereabouts of Nevaeh.

One woman called their tip line and sent them over to the station. That is when a group of mothers rushed over there and split up to try to find the girl.

Janice Reddick, who found Nevaeh, told News 4 that she saw the child sitting on a bench waiting for a bus.

"I walked up to her and said 'Is your name Nevaeh?'" Reddick said. "She said yes and I snatched her off the bench and I ran with her."



Reddick said she took Nevaeh directly to police.

Reddick said Nevaeh's heart was beating fast, she was a little dirty and she was trembling a bit when she found her, but she was otherwise OK. Reddick said a woman tried to stop her from taking Nevaeh. It wasn't immediately clear who the woman was or the relationship, if any, she had with Nevaeh.

Nevaeh had been playing at the community playground at the Joseph P. Bradley Court Housing Projects on Munn Avenue in Newark around 9:45 a.m. when she disappeared. A witness told police they saw her walking in the direction of a bodega on Blank Road, but the worker said he saw a lot of kids and can't be certain if Nevaeh was ever there.

A police helicopter was seen flying over the scene while officers combed the area and handed out flyers to passing drivers.

It wasn't immediately clear why Nevaeh was at Newark Penn Station, nor was it clear how she got there.
For Jeff Mudgett, one day in early May was a moment of truth, or at least the next step in his pursuit of the truth. Years of research and debate were coming down to this day in a Yeadon, Pennsylvania, cemetery.

It was straight out of Alfred Hitchcock. It was scary, Mudgett said.

Anthropologists and archaeologists from the University of Pennsylvania were excavating the gravesite of Mudgetts great-great grandfather Herman Webster Mudgett, more infamously known as serial killer and con-man H.H. Holmes.

Hes evil personified! And I decided rather than running away from it, I decided to try to make something worthwhile of coming up with the truth, Mudgett said.

Some credit Holmes with killing more than two hundred people in the late 1800s. Most of the killings are believed to have taken place in a building Holmes owned in Chicago, dubbed the Murder Castle, events described in the 2003 bestseller "The Devil in the White City." But Holmes was only convicted of one murder. In 1895 he was put on trial in Philadelphia for the murder of his business partner Benjamin Pitezel and was sentenced to die by hanging.

This is where Mudgett and others say the mystery begins.

According to newspaper accounts, Holmes was marched to the gallows at Moyamensing Prison where he was hanged. The prison was located on 1400 South 10th Street in Philadelphia before it closed in 1963 and was demolished in 1968. Holmes body was eventually interred at Holy Cross Cemetery in Yeadon. Holmes requested his casket be encased in concrete so no one would steal his body. However, an 1898 newspaper article sparked the conspiracy theory that Holmes somehow escaped death at Moyamensing and ended up in South America.

Fast-forward to 2017 with Mudgett standing in what many believe to be the grave of his murderous relative. Descendants of Holmes were granted permission by a Delaware County judge to exhume the remains.

It actually brought tears to my eyes, Mudgett said. And I was sitting there, trying to figure out, why am I crying for this monster of a man?

As they dug, the group found a wooden box.

We dug down to 10 feet and we found a fake pine box, Mudgett said.

Mudgett told the NBC10 Investigators there was nothing in the box and he was ready to give up but the team continued to dig. Next, they ran into the cement reported on in 1890s newspaper accounts.

"And we found the cement sarcophagus, which many of the newspapers described back then. Thats when the hard work began, Mudgett said.

After breaking through the cement, the team from Penn found what they were looking for.

They carefully opened it up and we found a skeleton of a man, which we removed and took to the university, Mudgett said.

Before the remains were taken away, Mudgett held the skull in his hand.

"To see that skeleton and that skull with the brains still inside, which is a phenomenon that the scientists still havent explained, scared the heck out of me," Mudgett said.

Once the remains were taking to Penn, the tests began to see if the bones belonged to Holmes.

We were there when they took the DNA samples from the skull and, you know, put them in the proper packaging. They took some comparison DNA from me, Mudgett said.

But Mudgetts crusade to see if Holmes was actually buried in the grave has another angle.

"Here was a moment that could possibly change American and English history. And it was staring us in the face," he said.

Mudgett believes his great-great grandfather is not only H.H. Holmes but also Jack the Ripper.

"As of yet, I still havent seen anything which would cause me to change my mind regarding my theories that H.H. Holmes was Jack the Ripper," he said.

While there is skepticism among Holmes experts about the Jack the Ripper theory, it is another reason Mudgett and his team spent time searching for and finding the tomb where Holmes was believed to be buried.

The great-great grandson is currently starring in a History Channel show entitled American Ripper. The premise of the show has Mudgett connecting the two notorious killers as the same man.

Jack the Ripper was the J-V compared to H.H. Holmes. In my opinion, the world should be trying to prove Jack the Ripper was H.H. Holmes, not me proving Holmes was Jack the Ripper, Mudgett said.

The last piece of the puzzle seems to be the DNA taken from the found remains and Mudgett. Those results are not yet in.

"I have my beliefs, I have, you know, doubts. I want to see those DNA results to come up with a firm conclusion," he said. "Im waiting for them right now. I could get a phone call as we speak, right now."

As for the remains, a lawyer for Holmes descendants told a judge they are still at Penn awaiting more testing. He believed they could be returned to Holy Cross Cemetery in late July.


Two more people, including a teenager, were shot in Philadelphia overnight bringing the total number of gunshot victims in just over 24 hours to 13.

Police responded to the 400 block of Cheltenham Avenue in the Lawncrest section of the city around 11:30 p.m. Sunday to find a 15-year-old suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to his torso, arms and legs. Medics rushed the boy to Einstein Medical Center where doctors listed him in critical condition but expected him to survive, Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said.

"This (boy) was shot right in front of his house while family members were sitting on the front steps enjoying the evening," Small said.

About 10 shell casings littered the sidewalk outside the boys home, investigators said, believing there were two shooters.

As police investigated the teens shooting, they were called to N 19th and W Jefferson streets in North Philadelphia were a man was also shot.

The overnight shootings brought the bloody total for Saturday night into early Monday to 13 shot and four dead.

A man shot one of his neighbors and the victim's girlfriend to death in the Frankford section of Lower Northeast Philadelphia and another man died in a multiple-victim shooting in southwest Center City as gunfire erupted throughout the city Sunday morning.

The Frankford shooting left a 69-year-old resident of the 4700 block of James Street being questioned by detectives. He claimed the shooting was in self defense.

A man also died in a quadruple shooting early Sunday at 22nd and Fitzwater streets in Southwest Center City. Responding officers found four gunshot victims stretched over two blocks of Fitzwater from 20th to 22nd streets.

"We woke up at like midnight last night and heard about 11 gunshots, like one after another, and then we just ducked behind our bed for like 15 minutes," Cassie McGoldrick told NBC10.



All of the victims, including the dead man who was 28, are in their 20s.

Another person died around 7:30 a.m. Saturday when officers found the man face down in a parking lot on S 4th Street just north of Washington Avenue. He was pronounced dead at the scene.



Gunfire also rang out early Sunday during an apparent robbery at N 29th Street and Ridge Avenue, at a strip mall along Harbison Avenue near Roosevelt Boulevard in Northeast Philadelphia along Kingsessing Avenue in Southwest Philadelphia and on Cumberland Street in the Fairhill neighborhood.

None of the people involved in any of the shootings was immediately identified by police.

The deadly shootings added to a trend of an uptick in killings in the city. As of Sunday, there were 168 homicides in Philadelphia, up 20 percent from this same time last year and the highest total of homicides in Philadelphia at this date since 2012.

"This is just indicative of the wanton violence that we deal with, particularly in these big cities, with young men, in particular, resolving their conflicts with guns," Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross said. "We spend a lot of time trying to keep young men alive."

Police continue to work on strategies to curb the deadly violence.

"We will never throw our hands up, we will continue to find new ways to work with our partners and collaborate as well as develop new strategies," Ross said.


A throng of 400 teens threw bottles at Philadelphia police officers as they tried to break up an unauthorized summer cookout Sunday night, police said.

Philadelphia police say the teens lobbed the glassware at officers and jumped on cars outside the Lonnie Young Recreation Center along Chelten Avenue in the city's Germantown section.

"Mayhem," that's how a neighbor who identified herself as Chyna described the scene.

Police wound up asking some area businesses to close early, too, after some of the youths ran into the businesses. Police say most of those in the crowd appeared to be 12 to 17 years old.

The group grew rowdy after police forced the disc jockey to shut off his music around 7:40 p.m. Police responded to the party after a resident reported a noise disturbance.



Social media posts called for the "Lonnie Young Cookout" to last from "6 p.m. until whenever."

Police say no officers or youths were hurt and police opted not to make arrests to not escalate the situation.

Neighbors claimed that no one authorized the party and that the event wasn't supervised.

"They didn't respect themselves, they didn't respect the police," Chyna said.

NBC10 also spoke with some of the teens who attended the event. They claimed everything was blown out of proportion.

"The cookout, we were doing good until the cops came and shut it down early," Kyle Kelly said.

"We was chilling until the cops came and tried to make us leave and the kids didn't have anywhere to go so they were all around here and they were causing trouble. But we were really trying to have a good time though but the cops were making it bad for us because they weren't letting us have our cookout."


Nevada moved Thursday to reduce supply problems at recreational marijuana stores that have faced an overwhelming demand for newly legal pot and the possibility of their shelves going empty.

Regulators approved emergency rules that would speed up licensing for pot distributors, a sticking point that launched a legal battle and threatened the flow of supplies after dozens of retailers started selling recreational marijuana on July 1.

Nevada's law is unique among legal pot states, dictating that only alcohol wholesalers can transport the drug from growers to storefronts for the next 18 months. But the state rewrote the rules Thursday used to enforce the state's pot law to make it clear that it's legal under certain circumstances to license some retailers to transport pot from growers to storefronts.

Gov. Brian Sandoval endorsed the proposal last week after a judge ruled in June state law dictates only alcohol wholesalers can transport pot from growers to store fronts the next 18 months.

The judge had rejected the state's claim it has the authority to license some pot retailers to serve as their own middleman if there aren't enough alcohol distributors to do the job.

The new regulation makes it clear that's legal, at least for now. A lawyer for the alcohol wholesaler groups that won the court injunction told the tax panel during Thursday's three-hour hearing that he's convinced the new regulation is just as illegal as the earlier one the judge threw out.

James DeVolld, chairman of the Nevada Tax Commission charged with regulating recreational marijuana, sought reassurances from state attorneys that they are on solid legal ground before joining the other commissioners in backing the emergency regulation unanimously.

"I think like all the commissioners, this is such an important time in the state of Nevada's existence that I just want to do it right," DeVolld said.

Many retailers were previously licensed to sell and distribute medical pot, so they started stockpiling supplies months ago in an anticipation of high demand for recreational marijuana.

But representatives of several of the 47 retailers now licensed to sell recreationally testified before the tax panel Thursday their shelves are nearly empty because there's no distribution mechanism that allows them to restock.

Nevada Department of Taxation Executive Director Deonne Contine announced at the hearing in Carson City that the agency has approved licenses for two alcohol wholesalers in compliance with a court order to begin distributing recreational pot to retailers.

But she said it's too soon to tell if Crooked Wine of Reno and Rebel Wine of Las Vegas will be able to handle the demand statewide. She said one of the new licensees is "pretty stressed out about what he's going to be asked to do."

"There's room in this market for plenty of more," Contine said, adding that she's hopeful some additional alcohol wholesalers could be licensed in the days or weeks ahead.

"Businesses could close their doors or are not going to be able to get products they are legally licensed to sell," she said.

The state has filed an appeal asking the Nevada Supreme Court to overturn Carson City Judge James Wilson's ruling prohibiting distribution licenses for anyone other than alcohol wholesalers.

Kevin Benson, a lawyer for the Independent Alcohol Distributors of Nevada won that injunction, stopped short of threatening another lawsuit but testified at the hearing Thursday he's convinced the emergency regulation is invalid. He told The Associated Press after the hearing he wants to review the regulation before deciding whether to challenge it in court.

The Tax Department last week declared the need for the emergency rules after marijuana retailers recorded more than 40,000 transactions in the first weekend.

"Without the ability to license marijuana distributors to continue the flow of product to the retail store, a high likelihood exists that consumers will revert to the black market," Contine said.

She said unless the matter is resolved quickly, the distribution bottleneck will cost both the state and investors millions of dollars, thousands of jobs and "cause this nascent industry to grind to a halt."
U.S.-backed Syrian fighters fought Islamic State militants in the heart of Raqqa, the extremists' self-styled capital, on Monday, as scores of civilians fled areas controlled by the group.

The Kurdish-led group has been one of the most effective forces fighting ISIS in Syria, but has also clashed with Turkish-backed Syrian forces elsewhere in the country. As it battled ISIS in Raqqa, the SDF also fought Turkish-allied Syrian forces in Ein Daqna, in the neighboring Aleppo province, according to Syrian activists and Turkish media.

The Syrian Democratic Forces, aided by the U.S.-led coalition, launched their offensive to capture Raqqa on June 6, and have since taken several areas. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Monday's fighting is concentrated in Raqqa's southwestern neighborhood of Yarmouk as well as a central area close to the Old City.

The SDF says intense fighting is underway in central Raqqa, adding that its fighters have taken positions near a centuries-old mosque known as the Old Mosque. The Kurdish-run Hawar news agency says some 180 civilians were able to flee areas controlled by ISIS, while the Observatory put the number in the hundreds.

The SDF said 11 ISIS fighters have been killed in the clashes since Sunday. The ISIS-linked Aamaq news agency said 14 SDF fighters were killed in the fighting in Raqqa on Sunday alone.

The intensification of fighting comes a week after Iraqi forces declared victory against ISIS in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, the largest the extremists have held. The loss of Raqqa would deal a major blow to ISIS, but the group still holds wide areas of the eastern province of Deir el-Zour, bordering Iraq.

That province figures to be the backdrop to the next phase of the war on ISIS, with government forces backed by Russia and Iran approaching from the west and south. Pro-government forces reached the edges of the Bashari mountain range on Monday, after seizing the Zamla natural gas field one day earlier, the Observatory and Syrian military media reported. The advance secures further natural resources revenues for the government and puts government forces in a position to penetrate the Deir el-Zour countryside.

The SDF is dominated by a Kurdish militia known as the YPG, which Turkey views as an extension of the Kurdish insurgency raging in its own territory. Turkish troops and allied Syrian forces rolled into Syria last year in order to battle ISIS and halt the advance of the SDF. The U.S.-led coalition has sought to stop the fighting between Turkey and the SDF, both of which are allies against ISIS.

The website of Turkey's pro-government A Haber television said Turkish-backed Syrian opposition fighters launched a "large" operation against the SDF in Ein Daqna, close to the Turkish border. The website quotes unnamed local sources as saying that intense clashes are ongoing.

The Observatory said Monday's fighting killed two Turkey-backed fighters and left several SDF fighters wounded. A Haber said at least one Turkish-backed fighter was killed and some 14 were wounded.

Rezan Hiddo, an SDF political officer, said the group had repelled the assault on Ein Daqna. Hiddo said Turkish artillery struck the village as well as near a Russian military outpost in nearby Kafr Janneh, which is also under SDF control. Russia deployed what it called observer units into the region earlier this year to discourage clashes between Turkey and the SDF.

"We are waiting for the American government to apply diplomatic pressure on Turkey to halt the aggression," said Hiddo.
A U.S. Capitol Police officer suffered minor injuries when a car crashed into his cruiser and a barrier Monday morning near the Library of Congress and U.S. Capitol Building.

The car was westbound on Independence Avenue SE when it crashed at Second Street about 11:45 a.m., Capitol Police said.

Police used a robot to search the "suspicious" car. Several first responders yelled "Fire in the hole!" as police used two loud, controlled explosions to disrupt any explosives that might be in the trunk.

A bomb technician examined and cleared the car, Capitol Police said.

Police said they found no evidence of terrorism in the incident.

The car was towed from the scene just after 4 p.m.

The driver of the car, 33-year-old Jaime Villatoro, of College Park, Maryland, also suffered minor injuries. D.C. Fire and EMS took Villatoro and the officer to a hospital for treatment. The officer was treated and released, Capitol Police said.

Villatoro was charged with assault with a deadly weapon (vehicle), felony assaulting a police officer, aggravated reckless driving and no valid permit.

Several roads were closed for hours during the investigation. Independence Avenue SE was closed between Washington Avenue and Third Street. Second Street SE was closed between East Capitol Street and C Street. Pennsylvania Avenue SE was closed between Third Street and Second Street.

Previous Incidents Near the Capitol

Security near the Capitol is high, and incidents can have serious consequences.

In March, Capitol Police fired shots at a woman who they say fled from a traffic stop and nearly hit an officer. Family members of Taleah Everett, 20, said she was mentally ill and did not get the care she needed.

In March 2016, a Capitol Police officer shot and injured a man who brought a weapon into the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center. Larry R. Dawson, 66, was known to law enforcement and frequented the Capitol grounds.



In October 2013, 34-year-old Miriam Carey was shot and killed by law enforcement after she hit a security barrier and a Secret Service officer outside the White House. She then led police on a chase that ended near the Capitol. The dental hygienist who drove to D.C. from Connecticut had her 1-year-old daughter in the car. The child was not hurt. Her family later said she had been suffering from postpartum depression and psychosis.

What Capitol Police See

Hundreds of dangerous drivers have been stopped near the Capitol in recent years. The News4 I-Team found about 300 cases of drivers stopped for driving under the influence on Capitol grounds since 2014. Additionally, people were found to have been driving without licenses and with drugs in the vehicles.

U.S. Capitol Police have jurisdiction spanning several blocks around the Capitol Building itself. Congressional leaders say that's because they want to stop threats before they get close to this focal point of the U.S. government.

Stay with News4 for more details on this developing story.
For $8 million, a Maine island that comes with a mansion, a church and a tavern can be yours. But act fast: prospective buyers are touring Hope Island and considering the sale.

"The response has been tremendous," said luxury real estate broker John Saint-Amour of LandVest. "We've had inquiries from all around the world."

Hope Island sits about five miles off the coast in the Casco Bay. It may be a short 25-minute boat ride, but it can feel like a world away.

"The moment you step off the boat you can hear wildlife in the distance. You can hear the peacocks, the horses, seals and seagulls," said Saint-Amour.

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Saint-Amour said Hope Island's owners had a vision that paid homage to their love of ocean and wildlife. They have spent millions building guest houses, staff houses, barns for several horses and avian houses for chickens, geese, peacocks and other birds.

New York real estate developer John Cacoulidis and his wife, Phyllis, purchased the island about 24 years ago.

"[Cacoulidis] spared no expense in creating every amenity you can think of," said Saint-Amour.

One side of the island is developed, with paved roads, a chapel and tavern  and the other side of the island is natural. The 86-acre island has about 11,000 feet of water frontage, with both rocky coast and sandy beach.

There is room to dock your boat, or land a helicopter. All that's missing is a new buyer.

"We need the new steward to carry this legacy forward," said Saint-Amour.
An early-morning fire at a farm in Townshend, Vermont, has left one person dead.

According to NBC 5, fire crews responded to a horse farm on Maggie Ladd Road around 12:30 a.m. Sunday and found the barn and attached apartment unit in flames.

One persons body was recovered from the fire. The victim will not be identified until next of kin are notified.

The fire doesnt appear to be suspicious and the incident remains under investigation.
Massachusetts lawmakers are set to consider a bill that would better protect students from predatory teachers.

Its an issue the NBC Boston Investigators have been digging into. We found dozens of local teachers who were disciplined for inappropriate relationships or contact with their students in recent years.

The bill is scheduled for a State House hearing on Tuesday and would strengthen what advocates call outdated and dangerous laws that are currently on the books.

Right now, its legal for a teacher to have sex with a student 16 or older - so long as its consenual.

But this bill would make it illegal for a teacher or other youth worker to have sexual contact with any teen 19 years old or younger who is under their authority and still in high school.

It also would require all school employees, volunteers and others to be trained in preventing, responding to and reporting child sexual abuse.

And it would ban confidentiality agreements to prevent whats commonly referred to as "passing the trash."

Its an issue that has made headlines at several private schools lately.

One school lets a predatory teacher leave quietly to avoid a scandal - sometimes even writing them a recommendation to a new school. That new school is none the wiser and is potentially exposing its students to a predator.

A 2015 federal law requires states to ban the passing the trash, but only five have. Massachusetts is not one of them.

The bill is being heard by the Joint Committee on Education on Tuesday.
The largest nursing strike in Massachusetts history came to an end Monday as hundreds of striking Tufts Medical Center nurses went back to work.

The nurses went on strike Wednesday after failed contact negotiations regarding staffing levels, salary and pension.

They planned to strike for 24 hours, but the hospital locked them out until Monday. They returned to work at 7 a.m.

"I'm feeling very empowered," said Barbara Miller, a nurse at Tufts. "We're going back to do what we love to do."

"All of this has become extremely contentious, but we're professional and we respect what we need to do and we hope that we can get respect from the administration," added nurse Mary Havlicek Cormacchia.

The effort was relatively peaceful until Sunday morning, when Tufts Medical Center administrators said supporters of the striking workers threw coffee on buses trying to bring replacement nurses to work at Tufts Medical Center.

State police say they responded to an incident at a hotel, but didn't report any violence.

This was the first nurses strike in the state in 30 years. It was also the largest. It is expected there will be a larger crowd at 7 a.m. when nurses start their shift.

"What we do know is that everyone in this community is committed to patient care," said Sean Sullivan, Tufts vice president of human resources. Folks when they come through the doors from wherever they've been for the last five days... we are absolutely confident they're committed to patients and their families."

The hospital spent more than $6 million on the strike.

Tufts Medical Center President and CEO Michael Wagner said last week was "difficult for everyone," but he remains positive that relationships can be rebuilt.

No further negotiations have been scheduled. Both sides said they are waiting on a federal mediator to schedule a meeting so they can resume negotiations.

"We're all looking to find a solution for the current contract negotiations," Chief Nursing Officer Terry Hudson-Jinks said. "I know we will. As far as refusing to meet, we haven't been asked to meet. We work through a federal mediator. Our expectation in the days to come is we'll be laying out a plan to move forward."


If genes are selfish, why are some animals, such as meerkats, altruistic? And to what extent is human behaviour different from that of other social animals? This fascinating topic was discussed before an audience of over 60 people by Dr Peter Woodward, a theologian embedded in Cambridge Universitys zoology department. At the talk in Norwich on July 3 organised by Science and Faith in Norfolk, Dr Woodward explored the interface between scientific, philosophical and religious interpretations of morality and ethics in human behaviour, particularly in relation to altruism.



He began by noting that Richard Dawkins famous description of genes as selfish should not be taken literally. It does not mean that genes have thoughts or intentions. Rather, in biology selfish means benefitting the agent at the expense of others, while altruistic means benefitting others at the expense of the agent. In fact, altruistic behaviour is very common in social animals such as ants, birds, baboons, and meerkats.



How is such altruistic behaviour to be explained, when it is costly and so might threaten to make the genes of the altruist do less well than others in the struggle to survive and reproduce? In such cases, the apparent altruistic behaviour, e.g. of meerkats, can help genes survive and reproduce because these animals tend to help their kin who share their genes, or because other members of the group will help them reciprocally. In this way, genes for cooperation will gradually become more common in social animals through the process of evolution by natural selection.



This leads to deep questions for philosophers and human behaviourists. Are cooperative and altruistic behaviours in humans also to be interpreted as the consequence of our genetic make-up  the end-product of our evolution as social animals over millions of years? Can the same principles by which we explain behaviour in social animals also explain human dispositions to help others and to care about their well-being? And where do ethics come from - our moral values and our beliefs about which actions are right and wrong?



As with most things in biology, our behaviour seems to be the outcome of an interplay between nature and nurture. On the one hand, humans and other social animals, e.g. monkeys and meerkats, are hard-wired to express some basic traits of empathy and even fairness and equal rewards; for example, Capuchin monkeys have been shown to object to a food reward if it is not equal to the reward that their peer had received for the same task.



On the other hand, it is possible to argue that humans are different from any other living species. Humans are the animal with reason, as Aristotle put it. In addition to our instincts to be social, we also possess a capacity for self-reflective and self-critical evaluation of our instincts, our beliefs and our reasons. Presumably, this ability to reason about our behaviour is distinctive.



Dr Woodward argues that our intellectual capacity, and not strictly our biology, has shaped the moral and ethical lives of humans and human societies. Thus, human altruism is quite distinct from other aspects of biological cooperation for genes, cells, insects, fish, birds, or even mammals and primates. Our moral judgments may be rooted in our biological nature, but they are also the product of our intellectual capacity to reflect on our experience and to reason critically about our desires and actions.



To put it another way, humans have a natural motivation to help each other and to develop altruistic behaviour. This is based on our socio-biology  the product of millions of years of evolution by natural selection. However, our natural pro- (and anti-) social dispositions are guided, enhanced, and channelled by self-reflective evaluation. This aspect of behaviour is based on our appreciation of ethics, religion and morality, which is the product of our cultural heritage. It dates back only a few thousand years in the cultural history of humankind, rather than in the millions of years of genetic evolution which preceded it.



In summary, we can ask the question: are moral and ethical beliefs and behaviours simply part of a biological strategy that will enable humankind to survive and reproduce more successfully, or do they help us to recognize values that transcend these biological needs? This is not a scientific question that can be answered with more empirical evidence and better experiments. Rather, it is a philosophical or theological question about God, evolution and ethics. Is our concept of cooperation and altruistic action as a moral good, overriding self-interest, an illusory by-product of evolution, fobbed off on us by our genes? Alternatively, is it the sign that the long course of natural evolution has prepared humans to recognise real moral goods and to take responsibility for realising them? Unsurprisingly, Dr Woodfords interdisciplinary talk stimulated lively discussion and raised many further scientific and theological questions.



The meeting was organised by Science Faith Norfolk (SFN), a Norwich-based group affiliated to Christians in Science. The next open lecture/discussion will be held on Monday 6th November (7.30  8.45 pm). Dr Amanda Ogilvy-Stuart, Clinical Director of Rosie Hospital, Cambridge, will give a talk and lead a discussion entitled  Caring for the weakest: Ethical challenges in managing sick and premature babies. It will be held at Trinity Meeting Place, Holy Trinity Church, Essex St. Norwich NR2 2BJ. For further information contact Professor Nick Brewin (07901 884114); sfnorfolk1@gmail.com.


The most famous agarwood creator in Vietnam

VietNamNet Bridge - The skills of Truong Thanh Khoan, a farmer in Dong Nai province, to create agarwood from the do tram tree (aquilaria crassna) has been described as second to none.

















The skills of Truong Thanh Khoan, a farmer in Dong Nai province, to create agarwood from the do tram tree (aquilaria crassna) has been described as second to none.



In mid-February, a group of 10 Malaysian farmers growing do tram visited Vietnam to see Khoa to persuade him to help create agarwood. If Khoan agreed to give a lecture about the method to create agarwood in Malaysia, he would be paid $100 per hour, but if he created agarwood, he would receive $1,000 per day, or VND22 million.The Malaysian farmers grow 200 hectares of do tram trees which are now old enough to create agarwood.However, Khoan didnt want to go to Malaysia. I can show them the method to create agarwood and sell the solution to them, he said.

Do tram tree yields oil for medicine, perfumes and cosmetics. For thousands of years, it has been of great ethnobotanical importance to Asians.



Khoan began showing the method of creating agarwood to Asian farmers four years ago.



At first, he helped Cambodian farmers. A woman introducing herself as the deputy minister headed a group of farmers here to learn the method to create agarwood. She said there were about 1 million do tram trees in Cambodia, Khoan recalled.



The know-how lies in the solution to create agarwood. This is a biological solution and I am the only person who has it, Khoan said.



Khoan creates the solution from green ant juice, but no one knows the formula.



Khoan has a large green ant farm where 20 barrels of ants are bred in Lam Dong province.



It is very difficult to farm the ants, according to Khoan, because it is necessary to understand their habits.



Green ants are very aggressive. Once their habitat is in danger, they will release fluid to protect themselves. The more they are attacked, the more fluid they will release. The fluid stimulates the wounds in do tram trees, thus creating agarwood, he explained.



It is also difficult to collect the fluid in a scientific way. Each barrel of ants can produce 8-10 liters of fluid a month. The fluid must not touch wounds because it may fester.



Why green ants, and not other ant species? Some years ago, Khoan discovered herds of green ants on holes on do tram trees. When he burned the section of tree trunk where he saw the green ants, he found high-quality agarwood.



This prompted him to catch green ants for research. After he tried to inject the ant-made juice into do tram tree trunks, he successfully created high-quality agarwood.





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Five parents told to stay away until end of term after fight

FIVE parents have been banned from a West Berkshire school after a furious fight between two mums in the playground.

Shocked pupils screamed as the mums threw punches at each other outside the Robert Sandilands Primary School in Newbury.

One mum reported being punched in the eye.

The row broke out while parents were waiting for their children to leave school last Friday afternoon.

Thames Valley Police have confirmed that officers are investigating a number of allegations.

Ian Nichol, chairman of the schools governors, said: I am aware of the incident, but I have no comment to make.

Headteacher Richard Blofeld imposed the ban after interviewing a teacher and one of the mothers involved in the fight.

He followed up with a letter that confirmed the ban would remain until the end of the academic year.

One witness said: I was waiting for my children when I heard shouting coming from the other end of the play area.

When I got there I saw two young women going flat out in a fight, and lots of children looking on and screaming.

Someone from the school eventually came out and helped to pull them apart.

Another witness said: I saw a young woman run up and punch another woman in the face.

It was awful.

At least two of the banned parents claim they were not involved in the punch-up, and are calling on West Berkshire Council local education authority and the schools governors to let them return.

A Thames Valley Police spokesperson said: Officers are investigating the circumstances [of the incident]. No arrests have been made.

West Berkshire Councils spokeswoman, Peta Stoddart-Crompton, said: The headteacher has taken appropriate, and proportionate, action to address the issue, and to ensure that this kind of behaviour does not occur again.
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Powassan is a genus of viruses from the family Flaviviridae. The West Nile virus, dengue virus, tick-borne encephalitis virus, yellow fever virus, and Zika virus, among others, are viruses in this class. The Powassan virus was initially discovered in Powassan, Ontario, Canada in 1958. It does not have a cure.

In North America, scientists have discovered two kinds of Powassan. These are called lineage 1 and lineage 2 Powassan viruses. Lineage 2 is known also as the deer tick virus. For humans, infected ticks are the transmission culprits of the Powassan virus. Approximately 75 cases of the disease have been reported in the US in the last decade, and most have originated in the Great Lakes and northeast regions of the country.

The virus is not carried by all ticks. Moreover, not everyone who is bitten will become ill. Usually, a tick must be in physical contact with a human in order to generate the illness. The contact time required for the Powassan virus is not known, although many believe that the time frame is less than the amount of time required for other tick borne diseases.

One Powassan virus, the second lineage, is carried by deer ticks. These ticks also spread Lyme disease. They often are found in wooded areas where they inhabit the ground, or in areas that have heavy brush. The ticks seek out people and animals  hosts  near the ground by grabbing onto them. Ticks do not fly or fall from bush or trees.

Powassan Virus Is the Scary New Reason to Avoid Ticks | TIME Play

Ecological Change

The ecology of Powassan has modified. It is only recently, relatively speaking, that the deer tick has begun to carry the virus. Previously, the virus was only transmitted by a tick species that usually doesn't bite humans. But that changed a few decades back. Now, human cases of Powassan are more common. This change has raised concerns among public health officials.

Symptoms and Diagnosis

Many infected with Powassan are asymptomatic. The virus may not be diagnosed by clinicians if there are no symptoms. It can take anywhere from one week to one month from a tick bite to the actual illness. The virus has potential to affect the central nervous system and cause brain inflammation, or inflame membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord. Among the symptoms are: nausea, weakness, high fever, seizures, difficulty speaking, and general confusion.

Diagnosing Powassan involves determining when a patient might have been in the vicinity of black-legged ticks or tick environments. Then, the patient must undergo a physical examination. Next, lab tests involving blood or spinal fluid will be assessed to ascertain a specific diagnosis.

Treatment

The Powassan virus is neither preventable nor treatable. No therapeutics or vaccines exist. Those who contract severe Powassan illnesses are usually hospitalized and receive respiratory support, IV fluids, and therapies that lessen brain swelling. In about 50% of cases, neurological issues will persist, such as memory challenges, loss of muscle, and recurring headaches. In about 10% of cases, patients will die.

Spreading

A greater number of deer ticks is helping the Powassan virus to spread. Moreover, since transmission of the disease through deer ticks is now more pervasive, instances of the disease are being reported in geographic areas where they had not been reported previously, such as along the east coast of the US, in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York. In addition, cases of the virus are growing in number in the New England area of the US. Cases are also occurring in the upper mid-west region of the country. Moreover, as Lyme disease expands geographically, Powassan will expand as well.

Uncontrolled

Since techniques and methodologies do not exist for controlling the spread of deer ticks or Lyme disease, strategies for controlling Powassan are also lacking. As the disease evolves into new areas, the number of human cases will increase as more people are bitten by infected ticks.

Some conjecture that with a greater number of infected ticks and more human cases of the virus, Powassan might reach epidemic stages, as did Lyme disease. And because Powassan does not have a cure, it actually could become a greater public health threat than Lyme disease.

Sources CDC, Powassan Virus, https://www.cdc.gov/powassan/index.html Minnesota Department of public health, Powassan Virus (POW) Basics, http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/idepc/diseases/powassan/basics.html Yale School of Public Health, The Rise of Powassan Virus, http://publichealth.yale.edu/news/archive/article.aspx?id=9147 Mass.gov, Powassan Virus, http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/docs/dph/cdc/factsheets/powassan.pdf

Further Reading
Michael Koumjian, a heart surgeon for nearly three decades, said he considered treating the sickest patients a badge of honor. The San Diego doctor was frequently called upon to operate on those who had multiple illnesses or who'd undergone CPR before arriving at the hospital.

Recently, however, Koumjian received some unwelcome recognition: He was identified in a public database of California heart surgeons as one of seven with a higher-than-average death rate for patients who underwent a common bypass procedure.

"If you are willing to give people a shot and their only chance is surgery, then you are going to have more deaths and be criticized," said Koumjian, whose risk-adjusted death rate was 7.5 per 100 surgeries in 2014-15. "The surgeons that worry about their stats just don't take those cases."

Now, Koumjian said he is reconsidering taking such complicated cases because he can't afford to continue being labeled a "bad surgeon."

California is one of a handful of states  including New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey  that publicly reports surgeons' names and risk-adjusted death rates on a procedure known as the "isolated coronary artery bypass graft." The practice is controversial: Proponents argue transparency improves quality and informs consumers. Critics say it deters surgeons from accepting complex cases and can unfairly tarnish doctors' records.

"This is a hotly debated issue," said Ralph Brindis, a cardiologist and professor at UC-San Francisco who chairs the advisory panel for the state report. "But to me, the pros of public reporting outweigh the negatives. I think consumers deserve to have a right to that information."

Prompted by a state law, the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development began issuing the reports in 2003 and produces them every two years. Outcomes from the bypass procedure had long been used as one of several measures of hospital quality. But that marked the first time physician names were attached  and the bypass is still the only procedure for which such physician-specific reports are released publicly in California.

California's law was sponsored by consumer advocates, who argued that publicly listing the names of outlier surgeons in New York had appeared to bring about a significant drop in death rates from the bypass procedure. State officials say it has worked here as well: The rate declined from 2.91 to 1.97 deaths per 100 surgeries from 2003 to 2014.

"Providing the results back to the surgeons, facilities and the public overall results in higher quality performance for everybody," said Holly Hoegh, manager of the clinical data unit at the state's health planning and development office.

Since the state began issuing the reports, the number of surgeons with significantly higher death rates than the state average has ranged from six to 12, and none has made the list twice. The most recent report, released in May, is based on surgeries performed in 2013 and 2014.

In this year's report, the seven surgeons with above-average death rates  out of 271 surgeons listed  include several veterans in the field. Among them were Daniel Pellegrini, chief of inpatient quality at Kaiser Permanente San Francisco and John M. Robertson, director of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica. Most defended their records, arguing that some of the deaths shouldn't have been counted or that the death rates didn't represent the totality of their careers. (Kaiser Health News, which produces California Healthline, is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.)

"For the lion's share of my career, my numbers were good and I'm very proud of them," said Pellegrini. "I don't think this is reflective of my work overall. I do think that's reflective that I was willing to take on tough cases."

During the two years covered in the report, Pellegrini performed 69 surgeries and four patients died. That brought his risk-adjusted rate to 11.48 deaths per 100, above the state average of 2.13 per 100 in that period.

Pellegrini said he supports public reporting, but he argues the calculations don't fully take the varying complexity of the cases into account and that a couple of bad outcomes can skew the rates.

Robertson said in a written statement that he had three very "complex and challenging" cases involving patients who came to the hospital with "extraordinary complications and additional unrelated conditions." They were among five deaths out of 71 patients during the reporting period, giving him an adjusted rate of 9.75 per 100 surgeries.

"While I appreciate independent oversight, it's important for consumers to realize that two years of data do not illustrate overall results," Robertson said. "Every single patient is different."

The rates are calculated based on a nationally recognized method that includes deaths occurring during hospitalization, regardless of how long the stay, or anytime within 30 days after the surgery, regardless of the venue. All licensed hospitals must report the data to the state.

State officials said that providing surgeons' names can help consumers make choices about who they want to operate on them, assuming it's not an emergency.

"It is important for patients to be involved in their own health care, and we are trying to work more and more on getting this information in an easy-to-use format for the man on the street," said Hoegh, of the state's health planning and development office.

No minimum number of surgeries is needed to calculate a rate, but the results must be statistically significant and are risk-adjusted to account for varying levels of illness or frailty among patients, Hoegh said.

She acknowledged that "a risk model can never capture all the risk" and said her office is always trying to improve its approach.

Surgeons sometimes file appeals  arguing, for example, that the risk was improperly calculated or that the death was unrelated to the surgery. The appeals can result in adjustments to a rate, Hoegh said.

Despite the controversy it generates, the public reporting is supported by the California Society of Thoracic Surgeons, the professional association representing the surgeons. No one wants to be on the list, but "transparency is always a good thing," said Junaid Khan, president of the society and director of cardiovascular surgery at Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in the Bay Area.

"The purpose of the list is not to be punitive," said Khan. "It's not to embarrass anybody. It is to help improve quality."

Khan added that he believes outcomes of other heart procedures, such as angioplasty, should also be publicly reported.

Consumers Union, which sponsored the bill that led to the cardiac surgeon reports, supports expanding doctor-specific reporting to include a variety of other procedures  for example, birth outcomes, which could be valuable for expectant parents as they look for a doctor.

"Consumers are really hungry for physician-specific information," said Betsy Imholz, the advocacy group's special projects director. And, she added, "care that people receive actually improves once the data is made public."

But efforts to expand reporting by name are likely to hit opposition. Officials in Massachusetts, who had been reporting bypass outcomes for individual doctors, stopped doing it in 2013. Surgeons supported reporting to improve outcomes, but they were concerned that they were being identified publicly as outliers when they really were just taking on difficult cases, said Daniel Engelman, president of the Massachusetts Society of Thoracic Surgeons.

"Cardiac surgeons said, 'Enough is enough. We can't risk being in the papers as outliers,'" Engelman said.

Engelman said the surgeons cited research from New York showing that public reporting may have led surgeons to turn away high-risk patients. Hoegh said research has not uncovered any such evidence in California.

In addition to Koumjian, Robertson and Pellegrini, the physicians in California with higher-than-average rates were Philip Faraci, Eli R. Capouya, Alexander R. Marmureanu, Yousef M. Odeh. Capouya declined to comment.

Faraci, 75, said his rate (8.34 per 100) was based on four deaths out of 33 surgeries, not enough to calculate death rates, he said. Faraci, who is semi-retired, said he wasn't too worried about the rating, though. "I have been in practice for over 30 years and I have never been published as a below-average surgeon before," he said.

Odeh, 45, performed 10 surgeries and had two deaths while at Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital in Whittier, resulting in a mortality rate of 26.17 per 100. "It was my first job out of residency, and I didn't have much guidance," Odeh said. "That's a recipe for disaster."

Odeh said those two years don't reflect his skills as a surgeon, adding that he has done hundreds of surgeries since then without incident.

Marmureanu, who operates at several Los Angeles-area hospitals, had a mortality rate of 18.04 based on three deaths among 22 cases. "I do the most complicated cases in town," he said, adding that one of the patients died later after being hit by a car.

Hospital patients don't care" about the report. he said. "Nobody pays attention to this data other than journalists."
Nemaura Pharma, the fast-growing UK medical technology company, is a finalist in the Medilink UK industry awards having received the Medilink East Midlands Innovation award for its unique transdermal drug delivery technologies. Included in the award citation is the Nemaura patented Micro-Patch product which provides a highly consistent and effective method for better delivery of biologics and vaccines through the skin using a low cost disposable device.

This latest recognition by life science sector experts comes just a year after Frost & Sullivan, the global growth strategy analysts, identified Nemauras drug delivery technologies as having the potential to revolutionize the way drugs are delivered into the body. Nemaura aims to be one of the leading pharmaceutical technologists in the skin drug delivery market, which is expected to grow at around 12% to a global value of over $95 billion by 2025

Dr Faz Chowdhury, Founding Director, commented:

Winning this Innovation Award has capped a busy and productive year for us. We have exciting plans for next year as we look to further expand the range of vaccines and biologics the Micro-Patch can deliver, and we are confident about engaging several new partners following the overwhelming response from potential licensees at this years BIO International Convention in San Diego.

Nemaura joined the delegation to BIO 2017 which was supported by the Department for International Trade (DIT) and the development organization, Midlands Engine.

Simon Hall, Director Exports & Investment Midlands Engine, said:

We are delighted that Nemaura are finalists in the Medilink UK industry awards which is a richly deserved achievement. Their pioneering pharmaceutical products are widely recognized across the sector for their innovation and this was further reinforced by the huge interest that was shown in them during the recent Midlands Engine visit to Bio 2017 in San Diego. The Midlands has an enviable reputation for pharma and healthcare, and the Department for International Trade will continue to work hard with companies in this field to help them exploit their expertise on the global stage.

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World-wide interest in Nemaura is being managed by the respected pharmaceutical expert and deal-maker Dr Werner Wessling who joined the team in April this year as Director of Strategic Alliances. His industry insight and extensive networks will make a significant contribution with annual license and royalty revenue expected to double by 2019.

Founded in 2005, Nemaura has patents secured or pending across multiple patent families and employs a multi-disciplinary team of medical device technologists and formulation experts based on the Loughborough University Science and Enterprise Park. Ambitious expansion plans mean the company is set to employ over 200 by 2025.

Dr Chowdhury explains:
A series of studies presented at the 2017 Alzheimers Association International Conference (AAIC 2017) has highlighted racial inequities in the risk of dementia.

The studies showed that the number of people with Alzheimers and other dementias differed between races and also suggested that stress in early life and neighborhood disadvantage contribute to increased dementia risk.

A Wisconsin study showed that just one major stressful event in early life was equated with four years of cognitive aging. The risk effect was greatest among African Americans, who, on average, experienced 60% more of such events than non-Hispanic Whites. Another study looking at dementia risk in states with the highest levels of infant mortality showed that African Americans born in such states were at a 40% higher risk of dementia than African Americans not born in those states and an 80% higher risk than Whites not born in the states.

A third study showed that racial inequities in dementia risk that had previously been found among the younger elderly, also exist among the oldest-old, which was defined as 90 years or older. This is the first study to look at racial disparity in the risk of incident dementia among this older population. Compared with oldest-old Asian Americans and Whites, dementia incidence was highest among African Americans and Latinos  which reflected the same pattern of racial disparity observed for the younger elderly.

A fourth study showed that being from a disadvantaged neighborhood may also contribute to the racial disparity in dementia prevalence. Maria Carrillo, chief science officer of the Alzheimers Association, says this disadvantage is something governments have been struggling with worldwide and it requires coordinated efforts to address.

These findings support the need for targeted interventions, whether preventive or service-driven, to help address the gaps we know exist - and for more research, says Carrillo.

In addition to research on Alzheimers risk factors and biology, the Alzheimers Association is particularly interested in increasing understanding of stigma and concern related to Alzheimers and other dementias in diverse communities, she adds.
A team of researchers led by Cardiff University has identified two genes that influence a person's risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

The new finding, which builds on the team's previous work of identifying 24 susceptibility genes, enables a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying the disease and offers further hope in developing new treatments.

Dr. Rebecca Sims from Cardiff University's School of Medicine said: "In addition to identifying two genes that affect the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, our new research reveals a number of other genes and proteins that form a network likely to be important in its development. These particular genes, which suggest that immune cells in the brain play a causal role in the disease, are also very good targets for potential drug treatment."

Dr Rosa Sancho, Head of Research at Alzheimer's Research UK, added: "The discovery of new genes is like finding puzzle pieces that biologists can start to fit together to build a complete picture of a disease.

"Alzheimer's Research UK is proud to be supporting scientists at the cutting edge of this work as they continue to make valuable discoveries that are shaping our understanding of the disease. There are currently no treatments to slow the progression of Alzheimer's and increased investment in research is vital so that we can capitalize on new findings and drive progress for people with the condition and their families."

The two novel genes, which were not previously considered candidates for Alzheimer's risk, were identified during a study which compared the DNA of tens of thousands of individuals with Alzheimer's with aged-matched people who are free from the disease.

There are currently around 850,000 people in the UK with Alzheimer's. During the course of the disease, proteins build up in the brain to form structures called plaques and tangles. The connections between nerve cells are lost, and eventually, the nerve cells die and brain tissue volume is reduced. People with Alzheimer's also have a shortage of some important chemicals in their brain. These chemical messengers help to transmit signals around the brain. When there is a shortage of them, the signals are not transmitted as effectively.

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Dr. Doug Brown, Director of Research and Development at Alzheimer's Society, said: "Over 60% of people with dementia have Alzheimer's disease, yet despite its prevalence, we still don't fully understand the complex causes of the disease.

"The discovery of two new risk genes for Alzheimer's is an exciting advance that could help to deepen our understanding of what happens in the brains of people with the disease. These genes reinforce a critical role for special cells in the brain - called microglia - that are responsible for clearing up debris including damaged cells and proteins. Insights like this are vital to help unravel the complexities of Alzheimer's disease and show researchers where to focus their efforts in the search for new, effective treatments.

"As a funder of this research, we're delighted to see important progress being made. The UK Dementia Research Institute center at Cardiff will now build on this discovery to investigate in detail the role of microglia in dementia and ultimately accelerate our progress towards finding a cure."

Cardiff University is building on its leading dementia research after being selected as one of six centers for the UK Dementia Research Institute, a 250m national initiative to combat the disease. With the potential to be awarded further funding over the next five years, the UK DRI at Cardiff University is set to become the biggest investment Wales has ever received for scientific study into dementia.
American motorcycle brand, Indian has launched an updated version of its standard Scout motorcycle, the 2018 Indian Scout Bobber, which company calls a striped down version. Carrying the legacy with its name the new model is stripped down, knobby tyres, street tracker handlebar and blacked-out finish on most of the parts. The badge on the fuel tank is all-new and the handle gets smaller bar-end mirrors.Powered by the same 1132cc, V-twin engine that churns out 100 bhp and 97 Nm of torque, the 2018 Scout Bobber is available in five colour options - Bronze Smoke, Indian Motorcycle Red, Star Silver Smoke, Thunder Black, and Thunder Black Smoke. (Image: Indian Motorcycles)The new Scout Bobber gets new alloy wheels, low slung- brown leather seats and slotted black exhaust pipes that provide an aggressive stance to the bike. The company also offer a list of optional accessories with the bike such as saddle bags and pillion seat.The bike will be put on sale in US by this September and will be available at a starting price of $11,999. The bike will be available in India with a price tag of around RS 13.20 lakh.
Germany is considering "effective measures" to cut pollution from diesel engines, the transport ministry said on Saturday, reacting to a media report saying planned goals were unambitious. German magazine Der Spiegel reported that, after pressure from the auto industry, Berlin was planning to allow car makers to shut off emission control technology once outside temperatures fall below 10 degrees. Germany's annual average temperature was 9.4 degrees in 2016. The transport ministry said in an emailed statement that no decisions had been taken though discussions were continuing."The reporting by Spiegel is wrong," it added.Germany is working on a national plan to cut pollution from diesel engines and set up a new organisation to test vehicles to try to restore consumer confidence after Volkswagen's emissions scandal.The moves come as the German government faces growing pressure ahead of national elections on Sept. 24 to reduce emissions or see some cities ban diesel cars themselves.Last month, the transport ministry and the environment ministry announced the creation of a "national diesel forum" to work with the auto industry and regional governments to cut emissions, with the first meeting set for Aug. 2.The German auto industry hopes a plan under discussion with the government to reduce pollution from older diesel cars will avert planned bans in German cities that are deterring consumers from buying diesel cars.Government sources have told Reuters that software updates to reduce emissions could cost 1.5 billion to 2.5 billion euros, but HSBC analysts said hardware might be needed that could mean costs of up to 10 billion euros.Sales of diesel cars have been falling since the Volkswagen scandal, but have dropped even faster since cities, including Stuttgart and Munich, have considered banning some diesel vehicles, blaming emissions for increased respiratory disease.European governments had in the past promoted diesel cars as part of efforts to fight climate change as they produce less carbon dioxide than petrol cars, although environmental groups have cast doubt over how much less they produce and have focused instead on the levels of toxic nitrogen oxides they emit.
Jeep has launched Limited Edition Wrangler Rubicon Recon internationally. First revealed in Geneva, the new Wrangler Rubicon Recon features distinctive accents that combine military-inspired Dana 44 front axle, heavy-duty differential covers and a host of interior upgrades. The new premium off-road rock rails with tread plates ensure better off-road capabilities and winch-capable steel bumpers provide it a stronger stance.The new special edition Wrangles gets a 17-inch x 7.5-inch Granite Crystal Aluminum Wheels and is available in 7 colour options  Firecracker Red, Billet Silver Metallic, Granite Crystal Metallic, Gobi, Black, Bright White and Rhino. (Image: Jeep)Inside, the car gets heated front seats, illuminated cup holders along with auto-dimming rearview mirror with integrated LED map lights. As far as the safety is concerned, the car gets multi stage front airbags and available supplemental side airbags with sensor detection. Additional features include on- and off-road four-wheel disc antilock brakes.The Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon Recon draws power from 3.6-litre V6 petrol engine that churns out 285 horsepower and 260 Nm of torque. The special edition Wrangler is available at a starting price of $39,145. So far there are no updates from the company to launch it in the Indian market.
New Delhi: The Gujarat High Court has dismissed a petition filed by Essar Steel that challenged a directive by the Reserve Bank of India to lenders to initiate insolvency proceedings against the company to recover bad loans.



The RBI had directed Essar's creditors, including State Bank of India, Standard Chartered Bank and others, to initiate insolvency proceedings against the steel maker in the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) to recover some of the loans that had become non-performing.



With this, the stage is set for the lenders to start recovery under a new law pushed through by the government and the central bank to resolve the massive NPA backlog in the Indian banking system.



The RBI, on 13 June, had issued a circular that directed banks to refer the 12 largest NPA's to the NCLT. The authorities had amended the Banking Regulation Act to empower the central bank to find a solution to the bad loan problem.



Essar Steel contested a line in the circular, later deleted by the RBI, which said that the NCLT would prioritize resolving these dozen cases. The amendments allowed NPA's of greater the Rs 5,000 crore to be targeted first.



The court had earlier stayed the insolvency proceedings against Essar Steel before the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) as an interim measure on its plea.



Essar Steel, with total NPAs to the tune of over Rs 40,000 crore, objected to being clubbed with the other companies. Essars argument in Court was that it was in talks with its lenders to restructure loans and therefore couldn't be clubbed with other companies that had large outstanding NPAs. It also argued that the company was still doing well and had a revenue of Rs 20,000 crore last year.



However, the counsel for the State Bank of India told the court last week that the company had "suppressed facts" in the case. Unless Essar challenges the verdict in the Supreme Court, the stage is set for banks to initiate bankruptcy proceedings to recover some of their money.
Ahmedabad: The Gujarat High Court on Monday rebuked the Reserve Bank of India for asking the National Company Law Tribunal in its June 13 directive to give priority to the insolvency proceedings against companies with huge debts.



It also questioned the functioning of the central bank. The bench of Justice S G Shah came down heavily on the RBI for stating in its press release dated June 13, 2017 that the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) proceedings against companies with outstanding dues of more than Rs 5,000 crore "will be accorded priority by NCLT."



Essar Steel had moved the high court challenging the RBI order to banks. The court also questioned the "functioning" of the RBI for its decision to issue the press release in which it had directed banks to initiate insolvency proceedings against defaulting companies.



"The RBI has to be careful while issuing press releases, it must be in consonance with the Constitutional mandates, based upon sound principles of law, but in any case should not be in the form of advice, guidelines or directions to judicial or quasi-judicial authorities in any manner what so ever," the court said in its order.



Further reacting to the central bank's submission that it has no document on record based on which the decision to issue press release was taken, the court said, "This goes to show the manner in which the RBI is functioning, in as much as there is a press release even without a decision at certain level that press release is to be published and what should be included in such press release."



"This is also an equally serious issue. It has been conveyed to the respondents that on such disclosure that there is no other document, pursuant to such disclosure, now, they would be debarred from relying upon any such document, if any," it added.



The court interpreted RBI's statement in its press release that "such cases (for insolvency proceedings) will be accorded priority by the NCLT" that the tribunal "has to give priority to cases filed by the directives of RBI against the cases, which are filed by other creditors or petitioners before the NCLT."



The RBI even tendered an apology to the court saying that the statement was made due to "poor drafting" of the press release, and even issued corrigendum on July 8, to delete the line. Through it press release dated June 13, the RBI had directed banks to launch IBC proceedings against companies with outstanding dues of more than Rs 5,000 crore, and for other NPAs, banks should finalise resolution plans in the next six months.



During its submissions, the central bank had apologised from the court for issuing that statement in the press. Essar Steel had moved the high court seeking the court's direction to quash the RBI's direction to the banks to initiate insolvency proceedings against it.
Mumbai: The rupee strengthened 11 paise to trade at 64.34 against the US dollar in the morning session on Monday riding on higher foreign funds inflows.



The domestic currency received a boost from fresh selling of the American unit by exporters and banks amid a better opening in domestic equities.



However, a strong dollar overseas squeezed the rupee's gains, traders added.



On Friday, the rupee had ended flat at 64.45 against the US currency in an otherwise quiet and range-bound trade amid weaker dollar sentiment overseas.



The benchmark Sensex rose 73.69 points, or 0.23 per cent, to 32,094.44 points in early trade on Monday.
India boycotted the first international summit on Belt and Road Initiative Forum hosted by China on 14-15 May, 2017 to showcase to the world the potential of the OBOR initiative. However, Indias bitter opposition to OBOR continues. Here are a few facts about OBOR which are not very well known.



1. When in September 2013 Chinese President Xi Jinping announced in Astana, Kazakhstan his dream project One Belt, One Road (OBOR), he was recreating an ancient Chinese marvel going back to two millennia. Some 2,000 years ago, Chinas imperial envoy Zhang Qian played a key role in setting up a marvel called the Silk Road, a network of trade routes that linked China to Central Asia and the Arab world. The trade and cultural route was named after ancient Chinas most important export of that time silk. The silk road shaped the trading and cultural destinies of the entire region for hundreds of years like never before.



2. President Xi has embarked upon recreating that ancient Chinese magic in todays world riven with conflicts, limited wars, insurgency, terrorism and, last but not the least, a world driven by diplomatic rivalries and cloak-and-dagger one-upmanship games. The OBOR, which seeks to create a network of railways, roads, pipelines, and utility grids that would link China and Central Asia, West Asia, and parts of South Asia, is much more than physical connections. It has a force multiplier effect as it aims to create the worlds largest platform for economic cooperation, policy coordination, trade and financing collaboration, and social and cultural cooperation.



3. OBOR has two main components: the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. While the former envisions three routes connecting China to Europe (via Central Asia), the Persian Gulf, the Mediterranean (through West Asia), and the Indian Ocean (via South Asia), the latter is planned to create connections among regional waterways.



4. More than 60 countries, with a combined GDP of $21 trillion, have expressed interest in participating in OBOR.



5. China already has some practical achievements under its belt as it has signed bilateral cooperation agreements related to the project with Hungary, Mongolia, Russia, Tajikistan and Turkey.



6. Ongoing projects in multiple locations include a train connection between eastern China and Iran that expanded to Europe. There are also new rail links with Laos and Thailand besides high-speed-rail projects in Indonesia.



7. Chinas Ningbo Shipping Exchange is collaborating with the Baltic Exchange on a container index of rates between China and the Middle East, the Mediterranean, and Europe. More than 200 enterprises have signed cooperation agreements for projects along OBORs routes.



8. In 2014, China established the $40 billion Silk Road Fund to finance these initiatives and has made investments in several key projects which are just the start as OBOR enters a new stage of more detailed and comprehensive development. Soon the world will see development of six major economic corridors: (1) the New Eurasian Land Bridge, (2) ChinaMongoliaRussia, (3) ChinaCentral AsiaWestern Asia, (4) Indo-China Peninsula, (5) ChinaPakistan and (6) BangladeshChinaIndiaMyanmar. These corridors will be created through the use of rail, roads, waterways, air, pipelines, and information highways.



9. Chinas Silk Road Fund will increase funding by 100 billion yuan, Chinese banks will extend 300 billion yuan in overseas capital, the China Development Bank will splash out 250 billion yuan, and the Export and Import Bank of China will add 130 billion yuan in special loans to Belt and Road projects. In all, Xi Jinping pledged at least 780 billion (US$113 billion) in extra funding for the plan.



10. China has proclaimed its OBOR strategy to be an inclusive one which seeks to take along all partners in a spirit of mutual cooperation. President Xi articulated his vision thus in his key note speech at the first BRI International Forum hosted by China on 14-15 May 2017: History is the best teacher. The history (of the ancient Silk Road) showed us that we can move along with mutual respect and development and towards the future of happiness, peace and harmony if we bravely walk the first stepThe countries along the ancient Silk Road were once placed with milk and honey, but now are full of turbulence, conflicts, and crisis. Such conditions must be addressed. We must have mutual cooperation, and a sustainable security outlook, try to tackle hot issues and insist on a political resolution.



Rajeev Sharma is a strategic analyst and columnist who tweets at @Kishkindha (views are personal)




Bengaluru: Whistleblower police officer D Roopa has submitted a second report substantiating her earlier allegations about unlawful privileges that were extended to AIADMK leader VK Sasikala in Bengaluru jail.



In her report, the officer alleged that five cells in the barrack are left unlocked for Sasikala's use.



Furthermore, Roopa said, one stretch of the corridor was barricaded for her and no one else had access to it. Food was bought to Sasikala in special vessels and she was given separate bedding along with other facilities.



The senior IPS officer had caused a storm last week when she submitted a report to her seniors in which she had alleged that Sasikala, convicted in a corruption case, was receiving VIP treatment in jail, including a special kitchen counter.



Her accusations have led Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah to order a high-level inquiry. While her boss, DGP of Prisons HSN Rao denied receiving such a report, D Roopa publicly stood her ground.



On Monday, the state government transferred the officer to the traffic wing. I havent received a copy of the notice. I will react after receiving the copy, Roopa told CNN-News18.



Justifying her transfer, Siddaramaiah said, Why should I not transfer her? It is an administrative process. It is not necessary to disclose everything to the media.



Roopa has been put on notice by the state government for going to the media over her controversial report. As the report erupted into a major controversy, a red-faced government had asked her to explain her conduct, with Siddaramaiah saying it was "absolutely against the rule book.



Denying that the move is a punishment transfer, Karnataka Power Minister DK Shivakumar told CNN-News18, We have some rules. An investigation is on. No officer is allowed to go to the media. A fair investigation will be conducted.
New Delhi: An Army jawan and an eight-year-old girl were killed on Monday when Pakistani troops violated ceasefire along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.



The girl, identified as Saida of Balakote in Poonch district, died when she was hit by a Pakistani shell.



The soldier was killed in Rajouri district's Tarkundi area.



Soon after the twin ceasefire violations, DGMO-level talks were held between the two countries where the situation along the LoC was discussed.



Sources told CNN-News18 that the talks were requested by Pakistan.



During the talks, Pakistans Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) claimed the Indian Army had targeted its troops, resulting in the death of four Pakistani soldiers in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.



Refuting the claim, Indian DGMO Lt. Gen. AK Bhatt said all ceasefire violations had been initiated by Pakistan and the Indian Army reserved the right to retaliate appropriately. The DGMO reiterated that the Indian Army is sincere in maintaining peace on the border.



After resorting to unprovoked shelling and firing in Bhimber Gali sector of the Line of Control earlier on Monday, the Pakistani troops began heavy shelling and firing in Mendhar and Balakote sectors.



The Indian Army retaliated strongly and effectively, Defence Ministry spokesman Lt. Col. Manish Mehta said.



There have been 23 incidents of ceasefire violations, one BAT (Border Action Team) attack and two infiltration bids by Pakistan in June in which four people, including three jawans, have been killed and 12 injured.



(With agency inputs)








Rameswaram: Four Tamil Nadu fishermen were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy on Monday for fishing in their territorial waters.



Police said the fishermen from Jagadapattinam in Pudukottai district were arrested for fishing off Neduntheevu near the Sri Lankan coast and have been taken to Kangesanthurai by the Lankan naval men along with their boat.



This is the fourth instance of an arrest of Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Lankan Navy this month.



The fishermen had ventured into the sea four days back before they were arrested, they said.



On July 13, seven fishermen from Mandapam near here were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy at Neduntheevu and taken to Kangesanthurai port, for allegedly fishing in the Lankan waters.







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.
Srinagar: The massive number of supporters gathering at funerals of slain militants is not the only cause for worry for Jammu and Kashmir authorities. The latest concern is over the shroud in which the militants bodies are draped, especially its colour and the text on it.





In the last three days, the bodies of two militants from Hizbul Mujahideen and Jaish-e-Mohammad have been draped in black shrouds bearing the insignia of the Islamic State or ISIS rather than the Pakistani flag which is normally used by these outfits.



The body of slain militant Mukhtar Ahmad Lone alias Bite Moulvi was draped in an ISIS flag in Tral on Sunday while being taken for Namaz-e-Janaza, the last rites. Hundreds of supporters joined the funeral procession.



Lone was one of the three militants killed on Saturday in an encounter with security forces near their hideout in Satoora hills of Tral in Pulwama district. Like the current crop of militants, he had joined militant ranks a month ago.



The Army and police had traced him and his associates to a cave which served as their shelter and ammo dump. The security forces said it was a successful operation since they did not suffer any casualty.



The operation led to another revelation  the militants were from Jaish-e-Mohammad which seems to be making a comeback to the Valley from the southern hinterland.



The colour and text on the shroud was another cause for worry as it was the second such funeral of a militant where these had been used.



On Friday, the body of Sajjad Gilkar, a militant belonging to Hizbul Mujahideen, was also wrapped in a black ISIS flag in downtown Srinagar, an area known for its pro-Pakistani posture.



It was a departure of sorts from the earlier funerals of militants killed in encounters or civilians killed in cross-fire where Pakistani flags were used as shrouds. It was not clear who draped Gilkar's body in the black cloth as his family maintained they had not planned the funeral to be done this way.



We don't know who covered him in the black cloth. He was being led for the funeral prayers by thousands, local media reports quoted a family member as saying.



A police officer told CNN-News18 on condition of anonymity that growing radicalisation could be a reason for the change of colour of the flags used in funerals.



It is believed that since popular commander Zakir Musa moved away from the Hizbul Mujahideen to float a yet-unknown outfit, the young crop of militants have started to gravitate towards him.



Musa had, in a series of audio messages released to the media, said that his fight is not limited to win azadi for Kashmiris but to wage a larger battle for Islam and Caliphate.
New Delhi: The JD(U) will support Oppositions vice-presidential candidate Gopalkrishna Gandhi over Venkaiah Naidu, the party said minutes after the BJP revealed its nominee for the post after much suspense.



Gopalkrishna Gandhi is our V-P candidate... We have experience of working with Naidu during our time with the NDA, but Gandhi is better positioned for occupying the office of Vice President, JD(U) spokesperson KC Tyagi said on Monday.



By choosing to back the Opposition pick, Nitish Kumar has again sent a message to both the BJP as well as allies Congress and RJD that his support cant be taken for granted. The Bihar Chief Minister had last month endorsed BJPs presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind, sending all poll math for a toss and putting his alliance partners on notice.



JD(U) on Sunday had skipped a meeting of opposition parties on the elections, which was addressed by Congress president Sonia Gandhi. The candidature of Gandhi is being supported by 18 opposition parties.



When asked about the absence, party chief Sharad Yadav had said it was not a boycott and their party leaders had earlier met Gandhi.



I myself met Gopalkrishna Gandhi, the Opposition's vice-president candidate and conveyed to him that, in the wake of the current situation it won't be good for us to attend a meeting called by the Opposition. Our relation with Meira Kumar is very old and she will also be there. It won't look good on our part to go there, Yadav had said.



Perhaps to keep the scales balanced, the party had also skipped a meeting called by the NDA government, but said it was just due to a busy schedule, and not due to any conflict.



Nitish Kumars decision to support Kovind in the presidential polls had plunged the mahagathbandhan in Bihar into turmoil, with analysts predicting it could crumble any time. The biggest alliance partner Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) is in a fix with Kumar distancing himself from the corruption charges against the RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family, and seeking his son Tejashwi Yadavs resignation as a pre-condition for the coalition.
Mumbai: A special court has issued an order directing attachment of beleaguered businessman Vijay Mallya and his associates in the UK and Switzerland in connection with the IDBI loan default case.



The court last week also allowed the agency's request for issuance of Letter Rogatory to the UK to assist it in the probe.



The court has also directed issuance of LR to carry out investigations about those accounts.



According to the CBI, there were many commissions and omissions on the part of IDBI officials in the process of sanctioning and disbursement of loan of Rs 1,300 crore to Kingfisher Airlines (KFA).



According to the chargesheet, about Rs 260 crore was diverted by the KFA, while Rs 263 crore was used to pay salaries, tax deducted at source, income tax and loan instalments.



A part of the loan amount was also allegedly diverted by Mallya for his "personal expenses", the agency had said.



The CBI had said all the arrested IDBI officials were instrumental in sanctioning and facilitating disbursement of the loan.



The IDBI allegedly showed "undue favour" to KFA in the matter of sanction and disbursement of short-term loans of Rs 150 crore in October 2009 and Rs 200 crore in November 2009, and another corporate loan of Rs 750 crore in November 2009, the agency had said.


NDA nominee Ram Nath Kovinds win over opposition candidate Meira Kumar win is a forgone conclusion when elected lawmakers across the country vote in presidential elections today. The BJPs focus is now on the victory margin when votes are counted on July 20.

Stay tuned for live updates:

Read all the Latest News , Breaking News , watch Top Videos and Live TV here.
: The race to Rashtrapati Bhawan will come to a close on Monday as legislators get set to cast their vote for Indias next President. Amidst a high-stakes battle for the erstwhile Viceregal Lodge, one thing is certain  Indias next President will be a Dalit. But how does the battle shape up? Will Ram Nath Kovind, the ruling partys nominee, cruise to a comfortable victory or is Meira Kumar, the joint opposition nominee, more than just a token candidate?India is a republic, in that the head of state  the President  is indirectly elected by the people. During the general elections, the people directly elect Members of Parliament (MPs) and Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs). These elected legislators form what is known as the Electoral College.The Electoral College comprises of 543 Lok Sabha MPs, 233 Rajya Sabha MPs and 4,120 MLAs from 29 states and two Union Territories (Delhi and Puducherry).While the Electoral College has a total of 4,896 electors, the value of each vote is different. This is done on a state-wise basis to ensure that states with larger population get a higher weightage in terms of votes.The population of the state (as per the 1971 census) divided by the number of MLAs X 1000.For example, the population of Uttar Pradesh in 1971 was 83,849,905 and the number of MLAs in the state is 403. The value of 83,849,905 divided by 4,03,000 (403 X 1000) is 208.06. Rounded off to the nearest number, the value of each UP MLAs vote is 208 votes.Sikkim, on the other hand, had a population of 209,843 and has a total of 32 MLAs in the state assembly. 209,843 divided by 32,000 (32X 1000) is 6.5. Rounded off to the nearest number, the value of each Sikkim MLAs vote is 7 votes.The value of all he MLAs votes combined is 549,495.Calculating the value of an MPs vote, however, is much simpler. It is the value of the value of all MLAs votes (549,495) divided by the total number of MPs (776). By this method, the value of each MPs vote is 708.With 549,495 MLA votes and 549,408 MP votes, the total number of votes cast in the Presidential election is 1,098,903. The candidate who crosses the halfway mark (50%) with 549,542 votes from the Electoral College will become Indias next President.The way things stand; the numbers dont look too good for Meira Kumar. Given the parties that have announced their support for Ram Nath Kovind, the NDA nominee should not have much trouble sailing past the halfway mark. The BJP alone makes up for 40% of the Electoral College. With AIADMK (5.4%), BJD (3%), TDP (2.8%), Shiv Sena (2.3%), TRS (2%), JD (U) (1.9%), YSRC (1.5%), SAD (0.6%), PDP (0.4%), LJP (0.4%) and SP (2.4%), the number for Kovind stands at 62.7%.Kumar, on the other hand, has the explicit support of only 27.7% of the Electoral College. So far, the Congress (14.6%), TMC (5.8%) Left front (3%), RJD (1.7%), DMK (1.7%), BSP (0.7%) and NC (0.2%) have openly supported the joint opposition candidate. On Friday, the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) also threw in its hat for Kumar but with less than 1% of the vote in its kitty, the AAP will do little to help Meira Kumar past the halfway mark.
New Delhi: The Central government on Monday avoided taking a stand in the Supreme Court on special status to Jammu and Kashmir.



Attorney General K K Venugopal showed up before a bench led by Chief Justice of India J S Khehar to state that the Centre did not wish to file its affidavit over the subject.



Venugopal called the matter "very sensitive", adding this would require a "larger debate". He further pointed out that constitutional issues were involved and therefore, the case should be heard by a larger bench.



The two-judge bench of the CJI then referred the case to a three-judge bench, saying the matter could come up after six weeks.



Effectively, the reference to a larger bench without specifying a date -- keeping in view the current status of pendency in the top court and the number of judges it has, is going to mean a deferment for an indefinite period.



The PIL, filed by a Delhi-based NGO We the citizens, has sought Article 35A to be declared unconstitutional, contending the President could not have amended the Constitution by the 1954-order and it was supposed to be a temporary provision.



Laws made by the J&K government under Article 35A bars all the Indians other than the original inhabitants of the statefrom acquiring immovable property anywhere in J&K, obtaining jobs under the J&K Government, settling in the state and availing the state-sponsored scholarship schemes.



The PIL has contended that the J&K government, under the guise of Article 35A and Article 370 which grants special autonomous status to the state, has been discriminating against non-residents who are debarred from buying properties, getting a government job or voting in the local elections.



Defending the provision, the state government filed its affidavit, settled by eminent jurist Fali S Nariman.



The affidavit implied that Article 35 A has become a permanent feature of the Indian Constitution and that the 1954-Presidenial Order granting special rights to permanent residents of the state has been recognised, accepted and acted upon since its enactment and cannot be challenged now.



"The instant petition seeks to upset settled law, accepted and complied with by all, stated the response to the PIL, besides underlining the fact that the challenge to the Presidential Order has come after more than 60 years. After this length of time when the provisions enacted in Article 35A of the Constitution have been continuously acted upon and treated as valid, the same ought not to be permitted to be challenged, it added.



The Central government was also asked by the court to file its affidavit but the AG on Monday clarified that they did not want to put their response in black and white.


Bhopal: Suffering from viral fever? Heart ailment? Or just an extended run of bad luck? If you are anywhere in Madhya Pradesh, you can soon line up at any of these clinics and let an astrologer "diagnose" what is wrong with you.



The "out patient departments" (OPDs) will be run by the state-owned Maharishi Patanjali Sanskrit Sansthan (MPSS) and anyone can avail the services of an astro-expert by paying a nominal fee of Rs 5.



Like OPDs where junior doctors work under the supervision of seniors, aspiring astrologers will be assisted by experts in dealing with cases in the astro OPDs, says Madhya Pradesh Patanjali Sanskirt Sansthan director PR Tiwari.



The astro-experts, who are trained in vedic karmakanda, palmistry and vaastu, will go through the horoscope - janam kundli - and figure out the patient's health problems.



The first one of these OPDs is expected to come up in September at the Yoga Centre at Shivaji Nagar. The MPSS will later establish similar OPDs at its 138 Sanskrit schools in the state.



The faculty members hired by the government-run Sansthan will also train students for diploma courses in astrology, vaastu and purohitya. "The juniors will learn from the helping the seniors, the same way a junior doctor learns from assisting their seniors at OPDs," says Tiwari.



The project is the idea of School Education Minister Vijay Shah who wants Madhya Pradesh to be the "land of qualified astrology and vaastu experts".



But there are many who are not enthused at the idea of a state-run institution using public funds to promote astrolgy.



"Its nothing but RSS agenda to oblige their own people, says Vyapam whistleblower and former physician at MY Hospital Indore, Dr Anand Rai.



Dr Lalith Shrivastava, Patron, MP Medical Association, says astrology has no place in medical science. "The astrologers are coming now, and the tantriks will soon follow, he says.




BPhone 2 to hit shelves at giant distribution chain

VietNamNet Bridge - BPhone 2, a high-end product of BKAV and the first made-in-Vietnam high-end smart phone, is expected to be marketed in August.









Talking about Nguyen Tu Quang, the CEO of BKAV, Em wrote on his Facebook that the CEO has passion, incessant creativity and a great love of the nation.

The Gioi Di Dongs Doan Van Hieu Em has confirmed with the local press that the mobile phone distributor will begin distributing BPhone 2 next month, though he declined to reveal how many models of BPhone 2 there would be.Regarding the selling price, Em said it would be less than VND10 million in order to be competitive.Together with Tran Kinh Doanh, CEO of The Gioi Di Dong, Em had a meeting with Nguyen Tu Quang, CEO of BKAV on July 11 to discuss the sale of BPhone 2 at the distribution chain. The next-generation of BPhone was brought to the meeting.

Em affirmed that the product has high quality, but did not comment because of security reasons.



Mai Trieu Nguyen, the owner of Mai Nguyen distribution chain, said few Vietnamese products can catch such attention as the BPhone. But BKAV needs to gain customers confidence by launching a product with real quality.



Em said BPhone has very good marketing, but it needs to attach importance to quality and distribution channels.



BPhone was brought into life in an impressive way, but the smartphone which was hoped to be Vietnamese technological pride did not have an impressive performance.



BKAV is seeking cooperation from The Gioi Di Dong (the first generation of BKAV was sold through online channel only). Talking about Nguyen Tu Quang, the CEO of BKAV, Em wrote on his Facebook that the CEO has passion, incessant creativity and a great love of the nation.



It is still unclear if The Gioi Di Dong would be the only distribution channel of BPhone.



However, analysts said that BKAVs decision to distribute BPhone through The Gioi Di Dong shows its view about the importance of distribution channel.



The BKAV product would not have many opportunities to reach customers if it is only sold online. Vietnamese only buy products if they can see products with their eyes.



The Gioi Di Dong has a large network of 1,500 shops throughout the country. One out of three mobile phones sold is from The Gioi Di Dong.



Hieu Nguyen, a member of a technology forum, has affirmed that the circuit board of BPhone 2 is outsourced to a Japanese company named Meiko. The man, who worked for the company for four years, said he discovered this after seeing pictures on the Internet.





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Srinagar: Three terrorists - Mudassir Hajam, Showkat Lohar, and one unknown - were on Monday killed by security forces in a gunbattle in South Kashmir's Anantnag district, defence officials said.



The gunbattle broke out at around 8 PM in Wanihama village of Anantnag, following an anti-militancy operation launched by the security forces, said a defence spokesman.



He added that three militants were killed in the ensuing gunbattle.



"Based on specific information that three LeT terrorists would be passing through the Wanihama (Brakpora) area of Anantnag in a car, personnel of the Rashtriya Rifles and Special Operations Group (SOG) of the state police laid an ambush and engaged them, killing all three," IANS quoted Defence Ministry spokesman Col. Rajesh Kalia as saying.


Bengaluru: The Karnataka government transferred DIG (Prisons) D Roopa on Monday, days after the top cop exposed special treatment extended to AIADMK leader VK Sasikala at a Bengaluru prison.



The senior IPS officer had submitted a report to her seniors last week in which she had alleged that Sasikala, convicted in a corruption case, was receiving VIP treatment, including a special kitchen counter.



Her report had led Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to order a high-level inquiry. While her boss, DGP (Prisons) HSN Rao denied receiving such a report, Roopa had stood her ground.



I havent received a copy of the notice. I will react after receiving the copy, Roopa, who has been transferred to the traffic wing, told CNN-News18.



Justifying her transfer, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said, Why should I not transfer her? It is an administrative process. It is not necessary to disclose everything to the media.



Roopa had received a notice from the state government for going to the media over her controversial report. As the report erupted into a major controversy, a red-faced government had asked her to explain her conduct, with Siddaramaiah saying it was "absolutely against the rule book.



Denying that the move is a punishment transfer, Karnataka Power Minister DK Shivakumar told CNN-News18, We have some rules. An investigation is on. No officer is allowed to go to the media. A fair investigation will be conducted.



In the report submitted, Roopa had alleged that there was "talk" that Rs 2 crore had exchanged hands to provide preferential treatment to Sasikala and even said there were allegations against HSN Rao as well. Rao, however, has rubbished Roopa's charge against him, terming it "absolutely false, baseless and wild.



In her four-page report after visiting the central prison on July 10, Roopa had said a special kitchen was functioning in the jail here for Sasikala, a convict in a corruption case, in violation of the rules.



Sasikala has been lodged at the Parappana Agrahara central jail since her conviction in February in a disproportionate assets case along with her two relatives, VN Sudhakaran and Elavarasi, all serving a four-year jail term.



In the report, Roopa has also mentioned about the "preferential" treatment being provided to fake stamp paper scam kingpin Abdul Karim Telgi in the prison.



Undertrials in his cell are allegedly being used to do his personal work like massaging 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 not dependent on it and was walking properly, three to four undertrials are still allowed in his cell to do his work.



(With agency inputs)




Union minister Venkaiah Naidu was on Monday picked by the BJP as its vice-presidential candidate to take on the Opposition's nominee Gopal Gandhi."Venkaiah Naidu has a lot of experience. There were other candidates in the fray, but we have chosen him," BJP president Amit Shah said after a meeting of the party's parliamentary board made the decision.Recounting Naidu's rise through the party's ranks since he was a junior worker, Shah said, "He has been with the BJP since he was very young. He hails from a farmer's family and held important organisational posts in the party."Asked about reports that Naidu was reluctant to take up the new responsibility, the BJP chief told reporters, "There is nothing like this". He added that the senior leader had always accepted the party's decisions.Shah also said BJP's allies in the National Democratic Alliance have welcomed the nomination of Naidu.Even before the official announcement it was speculated in the media that BJP would pick its veep candidate from the South. The names of Maharashtra Governor Vidyasagar Rao, Tamil Nadu MP L Ganesan and Kerala's O Rajagopal were doing the rounds. But things were reportedly sealed on Sunday evening when Shah called up Naidu and told him he was the party's choice.It should be a cakewalk for Naidu against the Opposition's candidate Gopalkrishna Gandhi as the ruling combine has numbers in its favour.As long-time parliamentarian and former parliamentary affairs minister, Naidu has a thorough understanding of rules of business and tricky House procedure. This will help him control the Rajya Sabha where the ruling bences are fewer.There are also other reasons why Naidu got several ticks on the BJP's check list: He is acceptable to many allies and even Opposition members; and he is from the South, where the BJP now seems to be regaining the negative perception that it's only a Hindi belt party.Only MPs are eligible to vote for electing the vice president. Of a total of 787 members from both Houses, according to NDA's calculations, 527 are already on its side. The BJP and allies have 426 members and parties like the AIADMK, BJD, TRS, YKP, PMK and AINR Congress together have 101.Voting for the V-P elections will be held on August 5 and counting of votes will be held the same day.
Celebrated Indian fashion designer Anita Dongre, who works closely with artisans in villages, says technology can drive their craft in a big way in the near future.



Just earlier this month, Dongre launched a stand-alone store of Grassroot -- one of her fashion brands focussed on celebrating Indian crafts in luxury pret -- in Soho here.



One of the speakers on a panel on Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the Ficci-IIFA Global Media Forum here on Friday, Dongre spoke about the challenges of working with artisans in villages and how technology helps to ease the process.



"Whatsapp helps... Weavers from Benares can just show me samples at a click over whatsapp while I am sitting in New York.



"So, I'd say Whatsapp is a saviour... There are remote villages like Barmer where phones still have to come in... but that's where some NGO helps.



"They click pictures and share with us to get approvals. I am sure technology will drive craft too in a certain way," the designer said.



With an experience of well over two decades in the Indian fashion industry, Dongre has multiple brands, each of which make optimum use of 'desi' elements.



Her designs are worn widely by celebrities, and was also famously flaunted by Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton during her India visit.



As a socially responsible designer, Dongre said: "I primarily today see myself as someone creating employment, and that too in rural India."



She started Grassroot three years ago.



"There are some amazing artisans in the villages of Gujarat and Rajasthan... And they had reached the dead end because the artisans had the skill of embroidery, but they needed design intervention and a marketplace.



"That's how Grassroot was born... Today for me, it is very gratifying that I am using everything that I know in design for the last 30 years, I am finally using all my experience as a designer to understand what a consumer needs, what a woman wants because I love making beautiful clothes and that's what I am all about.



"But today not only am I now making beautiful clothes and making women feel lovely, but behind every garment that I make for Grassroot, there's a beautiful story behind it... Of a proud artisan who has created that garment which is handwoven, hand embroidered, and is always done in a village of India.



"We are hoping to bridge beautiful artisanal handcraft from India and providing it in the marketplace in the west."



About the challenges of pursuing this passion, Dongre said: "The challenge is that I work with a team of a really young team of designers.



"I have to encourage them to travel to rural areas... It is not easy sometimes, to go into vilages, stay there and work with them.



"The challenge that comes with an artisan is to understand the skill of the artisan. India is so diverse that every region has its own stitch and weave, and interesting characteristics... So, working within that technical of what the artisan can do and then adapting it to contemporary design is a challenge, but it's rewarding."
Disney Parks isn't letting Han Solo or Luke Skywalker save the day at their new Star Wars-themed lands.



"When you step in to the world, you're the hero," Chris Beatty, Disney Imagineer and executive director of the new expansions said.



Beatty was just one of many Disney representatives who spoke Saturday on the new Star Wars-themed lands at the Disney fan expo D23 in Anaheim, California.



Bob Chapek, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman, led a joyous panel where he unveiled many new projects for both domestic and international parks. New "Ratatouille," ''Guardians of the Galaxy" and "Tron" attractions are headed to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.



Discussion of the Star Wars land came early in Chapek's presentation, pleasing an eager audience. A video detailed a model on display at the expo's "A Galaxy of Stories." Then, Chapek revealed the name for the expansions.



Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge will first open at Disneyland, followed shortly by a second, identical location at Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World. Chapek said both are expected to open in 2019.



He introduced the lead designer of the project, Scott Trowbridge, who said Galaxy's Edge focuses on two major rides allowing guests to lead their own adventures. The first is a battle between the Resistance and the First Order. The second allows riders to take control of the Millennium Falcon.



Trowbridge echoed Beatty's sentiment that Galaxy's Edge is all about the guest experience. Beatty said developers quickly ruled out focusing on any specific film or character arc in the franchise.



Instead, they're building a brand new, unnamed planet.



The new planet is set on the outer rim of the galaxy, hence the name Galaxy's Edge. Beatty said they created a place where both beloved characters from the franchise could mix with new, unknown members of the galaxy. He called it "a smuggler's planet," something quintessential "Star Wars."



"It's kind of forgotten about. People in the know like Han and Chewie, they knew of this place," he said, referencing beloved franchise characters Han Solo and Chewbacca.



Beatty didn't rule out the possibility of Galaxy's Edge appearing in an upcoming "Star Wars" film, though he didn't reveal any current plans. Lucasfilm's developers and writers worked closely with Disney's Imagineers on the expansion.



During his presentation, Chapek also announced many characters from the films will be featured in Galaxy's Edge, including BB-8, Chewbacca and Kylo Ren. But it was the droid Rex that received the biggest applause from the audience. Rex may serve as a DJ at a cantina in Galaxy's Edge, Chapek said.



The chairman also announced a Star Wars-themed luxury resort at Walt Disney World, which he says is "100% immersive." Chapek did not announce an opening date or if construction is ongoing.



The Star Wars-themed lands were first announced at the 2015 expo. During the 2015 expo, Disney announced the themed lands among a slew of "Star Wars" park expansions, including the interactive Star Wars Launch Bay and a seasonal event, Season of the Force. They also updated the Star Tours ride, Disney's first Star Wars-themed ride installed in 1987.



At 14 acres, Galaxy's Edge is Disney Park's largest single-themed land expansion.



"It's got to be big. Go big or go home with 'Star Wars,'" Beatty said.
Thousands of Disney's biggest fans were the first to learn about new Star Wars, Ratatouille, Tron and Pixar-themed attractions coming to Disney Parks in the next few years.



At D23 Expo 2017, the biannual conference of Disney's official fan club which took place over the weekend, Walt Disney Company Chairman Bob Iger offered sneak peeks of the upcoming line-up of attractions coming to Disney parks and resorts.



Here's a round-up of some of the highlights:



Star Wars



"Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge." That's the official name of the hotly anticipated Star Wars-themed lands currently in development at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, and Disney's Hollywood Studios in Orlando, Florida. Along with revealing the official name, Iger also revealed that two attractions will anchor the lands: one that puts guests in the middle of a battle between the First Order and the Resistance on a Star Destroyer, and another, in which guests can fly the Millennium Falcon. Popular characters like BB-8, Chewbacca, Rex and Kylo Ren will also roam the lands. "Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge" opens in 2019, first debuting at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, then at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Orlando.



Tron, Ratatouille and Guardians of the Galaxy at Walt Disney World Resort, Florida



In anticipation of Walt Disney World's 50th anniversary in 2021, the park will see the arrival of new attractions including Ratatouille, Guardians of the Galaxy and Tron-themed experiences. Modeled after Disneyland Paris's star attraction, Ratatouille will open in an all-new space in the World Showcase's France pavilion. Guests will experience the restaurant Gusteau's in 4-D as Remy, the dazzlingly gifted chef-rat in Paris. The Guardians of the Galaxy attraction will be an "e-ticket" attraction expanding on the recently opened Mission: Breakout! thrill ride, while a Tron-themed attraction will be added near Space Mountain at Magic Kingdom. The Tron thrill ride is the highest-rated attraction at Shanghai Disneyland.



Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway



The first-ever Mickey-themed ride-through attraction is set to open at Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World, taking guests into the wacky world of Disney's most iconic characters with surprising twists and visual effects.



Pixar Pier, at Disney California Adventure



The magical, whimsical worlds of Pixar will come to life at Disney California Adventure park with the opening of a new Pixar Pier in 2018. Guests will be able to meet popular characters from films like "The Incredibles," "Inside Out" and "Toy Story."



Toy Story Land at Disney's Hollywood Studios has an opening date: Summer 2018



Attractions include Andy's backyard, a Slinky Dog Dash family coaster, and Alien Swirling Saucers.
Dear @OfficeOfRG after Pune I have 2 cancel today's PressCon at Nagpur.Do you approve this hooliganism? Can I have my Freedom of Expression? pic.twitter.com/y44DXiOOgp  Madhur Bhandarkar (@imbhandarkar) July 16, 2017

Worries for filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar don't seem to end anytime soon. After a protest in Pune and a cancelled press conference of Indu Sarkar in Nagpur, the filmmaker has now been given police protection amid protests against his film based on the Emergency. The film is already in a tiff with CBFC, after the board suggested 14 cuts in the film. Now, according to CBFC chief Pahlaj Nihalani, the film is expected to go to the tribunal after Congress workers protested outside his office.Indu Sarkar has been facing flak from the Congress for its plot which is based on the infamous events of Emergency under party's rule. The characters in the film are said to be inspired by Indira Gandhi and her son Sanjay Gandhi.Madhur had cancelled his promotional events in Nagpur and Mumbai over protests by local Congress workers. He even took to Twitter to express his disappointment over the entire episode.Earlier, in a tweet, he asked Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi if he approved of hooliganism by his party workers. "Can I have my Freedom of Expression?" he had tweeted.Elaborating on his tweet to Rahul Gandhi he said, "I requested Rahul Gandhi on Twitter to keep a check his party workers who are protesting against my film." The director also added that his family was scared because of these protests.Known for making films on hard-core issues, this is the first time Bhandarkar has touched upon a political topic.While speaking to CNN-News18, Bhandarkar shared the motive behind helming Indu Sarkar.I'm known to make real and topical cinema. What is being shown in the film has already been documented in books and documentaries for so many years. My film is 30% real and 70% fiction. It's about a stammering poet called Indu and her journey. I don't know why people are after it, issuing a fatwa against me and sending legal notices, he had said.
Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said that they have voted for Presidential candidate Meira Kumar to protest against BJPs injustice to the people of India.



Addressing a press conference in the state Assembly, she said, My party has supported Meira Kumar in the Presidential polls. We voted to her to mark our protest against injustice. This is a vote for resistance.



We will continue to speak for the people. There are some parties which still support the BJP, but it is time for all to come together to fight the BJP in the national interest, she added.



Hitting out at the BJP, she said, Very few parties, apart from us, have this conviction. Eighteen political parties have come together for these polls; we thank them. To the other parties, I wish to tell you, BJP will not spare you either. This is the right time to form an alliance.



BJP orchestrate riots and states will have to bear the brunt? This cannot continue. We will keep fighting like tigers. They can keep indulging in politics of vindictiveness if they wish. We are ready to go to jail. We will not bow down our heads. We have registered our protest against injustice and anarchy, she said.



While blaming the BJP for lawlessness across the country, Banerjee said, The ruling party at the Centre are trying to sell-off the country just because they have the numbers. There is injustice, anarchy and lawlessness across the country. They do pay any heed to the opinion of people. Just because they have the numerical strength, they cannot do anything. There are constitutional norms. TMC has more than two-third majority but we never went against peoples decisions. We always believe in democracy because TMC is pro-people party.



On Ram Nath Kovind, she said, A President is a President. If NDAs candidate win, we will extend our full support and respect to him.


Kolkata: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) leaders intercepted most of the confidential conversations that Bengal police were having among themselves about security measures in the Hills through Very High Frequency (VHF) and High Frequency (HF) wireless sets.



Wireless communication experts, who are assisting the state government in tracking the movement of top GJM leaders in the neighbouring states and countries, made this startling revelation.



Sources said, ADG, Telecom, Debasish Rai was briefed about the matter and the experts made a demo of how GJM leaders managed to decode the conversation routed through wireless sets.



The state agencies usually communicate among themselves through wireless sets backed with Scrambler safety technology. This technology prevents outsiders (those who are not in the wireless loop) to listen to the conversation. But it's seems that GJM leaders are a step ahead, and with some latest technology, managed to breach wireless security, a source in the police department said.



When asked about the next course of action to prevent GJM leaders from listening to the conversation, he said, Now we have made a proposal to upgrade the security system by installing Software Define Radio (SDR) technology. This will help us restrict these protesters from listening to our conversation.



It is learnt that a team of experts has already reached Siliguri to assist the local administration in tracking the leaders.



Some of their (GJM) conversations we managed to track it down to Nepal and bordering areas of Tibet. We suspect some highly skilled people, who are experts in such a technology, are helping these leaders in their movement. This a serious matter because we suspect that they have also managed to breach the communication security network of paramilitary forces as well, police sources said.



The matter saw the light of the day on June 5 after the state agencies got some wireless signals from the Hills. After a thorough investigation, it was found that these Very High Frequency (VHF) and High Frequency (HF) sets were being used by the GJM leaders.



Joyoshi Das Gupta, District Magistrate of Darjeeling, wrote a letter to VV Singh, Wireless Adviser at Wireless Planning and Coordination Wing (Department of Telecommunications), requesting the ministry to assist the state agencies in investigating the matter.



It is learnt that Eastern Army Command has also been alerted about the matter by the state government.



Meanwhile, a large number of GJM leaders on Monday gathered in front of District Magistrate office and demanded the immediate withdrawal of paramilitary forces from the Hills.



They also ransacked and torched a couple of government offices in Gorubathan in the Kalimpong district.
New Delhi: Opposition parties' vice presidential candidate Gopalkrishna Gandhi on Sunday said he will file his nomination on July 18, after a meeting of opposition parties addressed by Congress President Sonia Gandhi.



Sonia Gandhi said that Gopalkrishna Gandhi's was the only name discussed when 18 opposition parties met to decide on their candidate for the vice presidential elections.



"The 18 opposition parties have unanimously agreed to field Gopalkrishna Gandhi as their joint candidate for the vice presidential election. We spoke to him. He has agreed to be the joint opposition candidate," the Congress president said after the meeting.



The Opposition's candidate for President's post Meira Kumar also attended the meeting.



Opposition leaders, including AICC general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury and TMC's Derek O'Brien had called the former governor from the meeting to seek his consent.



The JD(U), which had broken ranks with the opposition over the presidential poll, also attended the meeting which chose Mahatma Gandhi's grandson to be its nominee for Vice-president.



The election for President's post will be held on Monday while the new Vice President will be elected on August 5.



(With Agency inputs)
New Delhi: It is not the first time Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken against cow vigilantes. This is not his toughest call to action either. But by speaking out on the issue on the eve of the Monsoon Session, he has attained at least one political objective  making it easier for allies, and to send feelers to Nitish Kumar.



The Prime Ministers statement at the customary all-party meeting indicates the government is bracing itself for a stormy Monsoon Session. His intervention last year after public flogging of Dalits in Gujarat was much stronger. He even quantified the percentage of anti-social elements masquerading as cow-protectors. It is another matter that the RSS was quick to issue a statement making its own position clear. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat even followed it up with a reminder in his annual Vijayadashmi address last October.



On external issues like the standoff with China and Pakistan, the government has attempted to seek a broader consensus by taking the Opposition into confidence. On domestic issues, however, the Treasury may come under strict scrutiny.



Preparing the ground to blunt the Opposition assault, the PM put the onus on states to act. Law and order  perhaps the most cliched phrase in parliamentary debates  is a state subject.



In the process, Modi is creating a buffer for some of the NDA allies who have their own regional compulsions. The governments prolonged silence on cow vigilantes can be politically detrimental for them. Recently, the Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Ramdas Athavale, made that point amply clear in a press conference in Mumbai.



The vicarious, yet immediate, gainer from PMs statement is Nitish Kumar. It was very much expected that the Congress and allies would test the Bihar Chief Ministers secular credentials in the Monsoon Session.



The Trinamool Congress and the Congress are planning to bring in a motion in Parliament on cow vigilantes and lynching. It was to be a motion under a rule which entails voting, thus forcing parties to shed ambiguity on contentious issues.



In taking a strong position on cow vigilantes, Modi is creating enough buffer for allies so they dont have to be apologetic about partnering the BJP.



Interestingly, the PM's statement came on the day Congress chief Sonia Gandhi took a strong line on presidential elections. In a subtle message to JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar, she underscored that the contest against the ruling dispensation was more fundamental than winning or losing  it was about the idea of India.



One just has to juxtapose it with the other statement by the Prime Minister on Sunday evening whose import was probably missed by the media. He spoke about the credibility of political leaders and he called upon political parties to identify corrupt leaders from within and act against them.



In the present political context in Bihar, it is an endorsement of Nitish Kumars stand vis-a-vis his deputy and RJD heir apparent Tejashwi Yadav after the CBI filed an FIR against the Lalu Prasad Yadav and other family members.



It is also a message to Nitish Kumar not to yield to an adamant Lalu. And, perhaps, it is an invitation of sorts; an olive branch to the Bihar CM.
The stage is all set for the election of the 14th President of India in a contest where NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind has a clear edge over opposition nominee Meira Kumar.Ram Nath Kovind has the backing of all the BJP allies besides several regional parties, while Meira Kumar has been fielded by the Congress and some major opposition parties in what they call an "ideological battle" against the ruling party.Both Kovind and Kumar are from the Dalit community and have canvassed hard by visiting states to seek support of legislators.Voting will take place in Parliament House and respective state assemblies between 10 am and 5 pm. The counting of votes will take place on July 20 in New Delhi where all the ballot boxes will be brought from various state capitals.The Electoral College which elects the President through the system of proportional representation, comprises MPs and members of state legislative assemblies.A total of 4,896 voters  4,120 MLAs and 776 elected MPs  are eligible to cast their ballot. MLCs of states with legislative council are not part of the Electoral College.While the Lok Sabha Speaker, an elected member, can vote, the two nominated members in the Lower House from the Anglo-Indian community cannot. Twelve nominated members in Rajya Sabha are also ineligible.Since the election is through a secret ballot, the parties cannot issue a whip to their members to vote for a particular candidate.Officials said that polling in Parliament House will take place in Room Number 62 and MPs will vote according to tables allocated to states they represent.Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress President Sonia Gandhi and party Vice-President Rahul Gandhi would vote on table number 6 as they are all MPs from Uttar Pradesh, the officials said.The tenure of incumbent Pranab Mukherjee comes to an end on July 24. So far 13 stalwarts, including Mukherjee, have held the post.The NDA, led by the BJP, has 5,37,683 votes and includes the Shiv Sena, and the shortage is around 12,000 votes. But the promised support from the BJD, the TRS and the YSR Congress and likely backing from the AIADMK factions could offset the shortfall of the presidential votes by a substantial margin.In the 2012 elections, Pranab Mukherjee garnered 7,13,763 votes, while Pratibha Patil secured 6,38,116 votes in the previous polls in 2007. Both Mukherjee and Patil were Congress nominees.This time, the Lok Sabha secretary general is the returning officer. Last time, it was the secretary general of Rajya Sabha.Thirty three observers have been appointed by the EC to oversee the conduct of election. While two observers will be present in the Parliament House, one each will be deployed in the respective state assemblies.The Election Commission has barred MPs and MLAs who vote to elect the next President from carrying their personal pens inside the voting chamber and will have to mark their ballot with specially- designed marker pens.
New Delhi: As voting to elect India's next president got underway on Monday, the BJP exuded confidence that its candidate Ram Nath Kovind would win with a "comfortable" margin while the opposition CPI(M) asked the electoral college to vote thoughtfully and uphold the Constitution.



Kovind, the former Bihar governor, is contesting against the opposition's joint candidate and former Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar.



"Kovind ji will win (the election) with a respectable and comfortable margin," Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu told reporters ahead of the polling.



Naidu, however, refused to comment on the BJP parliamentary board's meeting to pick the ruling alliance's vice presidential candidate. Let the presidential poll get over first, he said.



The CPI(M), which is backing Meira Kumar, urged voters, comprising MPs and MLAs, to pick the "custodian of the Constitution" thoughtfully.



"Hope the Electoral College picks the custodian of India's Constitution thoughtfully: Vote to uphold Constitutional Values of our Republic," party general secretary Sitaram Yechury said on Twitter.



With both Kovind and Kumar belonging to the Dalit community, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati expressed satisfaction that a Dalit leader would occupy office of the president irrespective of who won the poll.

Mayawati also claimed it was because of her party that the NDA and the opposition had to field candidates from the community.



"Winning or losing (a poll) is a different issue. Whoever wins, the good thing is a Scheduled Caste person will be the country's president. And I think it is a good thing for our movement, the party.



"And the NDA, the BJP had to field a Dalit candidate for the presidential poll because of the BSP and the other side (the opposition) too," she told reporters outside Parliament. The voting for the presidential poll began at 10 AM today and will continue till 5 PM. The results of the poll will be declared on July 20.
Kolkata: Trinamool Congress has given a notice to Rajya Sabha for a discussion on the ongoing standoff between India and China, having implications on West Bengal, too.



Sources said that TMC wished to raise the issue under rule 267 so that proceedings of the listed business of the House could be suspended, and this issue could be discussed on a priority.



"We are going to raise the matter with the Centre and how it has worsened our relations with our neighbours. It has implications on West Bengal. We will ask how the Centre has failed to keep our border secure. Not just China, we will also ask the Centre how anti-social elements from Bangladesh are entering Bengal to create violence. This is all happening due to Centre's poor border-management policy," a source said.



West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said, Border issues will be raised seriously in the Parliament. The relations with Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh have worsened. We share our borders with these countries. What will happen if China takes control of Sikkim? What will happen to the chicken-neck of Siliguri region?" "The Centre has worsened the relations with our neighbours due to wrong policies, she asked.



Mamata emphasised that the country needs cordial relations with Bangladesh, adding that she has information about Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) which burnt effigies of Sheikh Hasina on July 1.



"Why was it allowed? How is the VHP giving arms training to children in the name of Durga Vahini (in Assam)? Parallel governments are being run in the name of Gau-rakshaks and Vahinis. Where is the RAW, IB, NSA and NIA?  she questioned.



Close to Pashupati gate near Darjeeling more than four hundred schools have mushroomed where the Chinese language is being taught. Who allowed that to happen? We want an explanation from the Centre. The Jamaat  who is also fighting Sheikh Hasina  was allowed to enter through Saatkheera and incite communal violence through videos. People here believe in harmony and we thwarted their efforts. But, the question remains, who allowed them to enter? she said.



Raising the Kashmir issue, she said, We will continue to raise our voice for Kashmir issue, attack on Amarnath pilgrims, Aadhaar card, Violence in the name of gau-raksha, systemic efforts to break the federal structure. They have pushed the country backwards with demonetisation. Notebandi and GST have become instruments of corruption. How much of black money was recovered? The country is yet to know. All sections of the society are under attack, including the media. Various agencies are being misused. We are the worst sufferers. We are the victims of the circumstances.




New Delhi: Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu has unexpectedly emerged the top contender ahead of the BJP parliamentary board meeting to pick its vice-presidential candidate, according to a newspaper report.



The former BJP president, who currently holds two portfolios in the Union Cabinet, though is more keen on continuing in active politics, a report in the prominent Telugu daily Eenadu said on Monday morning.



The report, quoting unnamed sources, said Naidu was sounded out on this by BJP chief Amit Shah, at which the Union minister replied that he wanted to continue to work under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.



He also reportedly suggested other names  like Keralas O Rajagopal, Tamil Nadu MP L Ganesan and Maharashtra Governor Vidyasagar Rao  if the party was keen on having its veep pick from the south.



Naidu has neither confirmed nor denied speculations over his candidature. "It's not good to drag a constitutional post into the realms of speculation. Wait for the official announcement," his statement said.



There are several reasons why the senior minister gets several ticks on the BJP's check list: He has the stature to be the vice chairman of the Rajya Sabha where the ruling benches are fewer; he is acceptable to many allies and even Opposition members; he is from the South, where the BJP now seems to be regaining the negative perception that it's only a Hindi belt party. As long-time parliamentarian and parliamentary affairs minister, he has a thorough understanding of rules of business and tricky House procedures.



The offer has apparently not enthused Naidu who, according to the Eenadu report, is set to present his own reasons before Modi at the parliamentary board meeting, with the rider that he is willing to accept any decision taken by the PM. But if Modi sticks to Naidus name, Tuesday morning will see Naidu turn up at the election office to file his nomination papers.



Once he files his papers, it should be a cakewalk for Naidu. Only MPs are eligible to vote for electing the vice president. Of a total of 787 members from both Houses, according to NDA's calculations, 527 are already on its side. That number may even go up if it is Naidu. The BJP and allies have 426 members and parties like the AIADMK, BJD, TRS, YKP, PMK and AINR Congress together have 101.




New Delhi: When lawmakers across the country vote to elect the 14th Indian President on Monday, a number of firsts will greet them.



The Election Commission of India has taken a slew of initiatives to ensure fool-proof voting, and chief among them is the use of specially-procured pens with indelible violet ink.



The special pens with violet ink have been given unique serial numbers and have been supplied by the Election Commission to Parliament and state Assemblies where voting will be held.



These have been procured from Mysore Paints and Varnish Limited which supplies indelible ink for voting.



Before entering the voting chamber, a polling official will collect any other pen being carried in by the lawmakers and will instead give the MPs and MLAs the special violet pen to mark the ballot.



After voting, the lawmakers will have to return the special pen back to the official.



Marking the ballot with any other pen will lead to the vote being invalidated during the counting of votes on July 20 under Rule 31(1)(d) of Presidential and Vice Presidential Elections Rules, 1974.



Another first in this presidential election is the special posters being put up that give out the Dos and Donts for voting.



A total of 4,896 voters  4,120 MLAs and 776 elected MPs  are eligible to cast their ballot. MLCs of states with legislative council are not part of the Electoral College.



While the Lok Sabha Speaker, an elected member, can vote, the two nominated members in the Lower House from the Anglo-Indian community cannot. Twelve nominated members in Rajya Sabha are also ineligible.



Since the election is through a secret ballot, the parties cannot issue a whip to their members to vote for a particular candidate.



This time, the Lok Sabha secretary general is the returning officer. Last time, it was the secretary general of Rajya Sabha.



In the electoral arithmetic, NDA nominee Ram Nath Kovind, a former Bihar Governor, has a distinct advantage over his rival Meira Kumar, a former Lok Sabha Speaker.
Social media giant Facebook has dismissed the Pakistan government request to link all accounts to individual phone numbers, calling it "improbable", the media reported."Pakistan had suggested that Facebook accounts be linked with users' mobile phone numbers. However, the management of Facebook believed it was more feasible to sync accounts with email addresses," a senior official from the Ministry of Information Technology (MoIT) told Dawn News on Saturday.The official explained that the purpose of the request, turned down by Facebook, was to help the government deal with fake accounts, which were often used to spread hate material online. On Wednesday, Ministry of IT Secretary Rizwan Bashir told the National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology that the government had suggested that Facebook sync users' accounts with mobile phone numbers.However, he told Dawn News that Facebook maintained that the policy for creating new accounts would remain unchanged. But the social media giant did respond positively to Pakistan's request to block blasphemous content and other hate material posted by users."Facebook assured us they would look into the government's concerns on a priority basis after assessing the situation," the official added.Last week, Vice President of Facebook Joel Kaplan had met Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan to discuss ways to remove hateful, provocative and blasphemous content from the website.Facebook, which has over 33 million users in Pakistan, was banned by the government after a page called for users to post drawings of Prophet Muhammad, which was offensive to Muslims around the world, surfaced on the website.WATCH VIDEO: OnePlus 5 vs Honor 8 Pro: Which One Has A Better Dual-Camera?
Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC), the Himalayan country's flag carrier, has launched online ticketing services. However, the services which began on Sunday is only for the time being, Xinhua news agancy quoted the airlines as saying. "Those willing to the travel on NAC planes can book tickets by using their foreign exchange-based international travel cards from anywhere in the world," the NAC said in a statement. However, the state-owned airline said it was working on adjusting the system in domestic currency also. NAC spokesman Rabindra Shrestha told Xinhua that the online booking system would help reduce the cost of tickets for travelers as the commission to be paid to the third parties for ticketing service will be reduced.Currently, the airline has been outsourcing the ticketing jobs to travel agencies. "It will be beneficial for foreign tourists visiting Nepal," he said. The NAC has been conducting international flights from Kathmandu to New Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Doha, Hong Kong, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur.
After the launch of Nokia 3,5 and 6, HMD Global will be reportedly launch the Nokia 8 smartphone on July 31. The Nokia 8 will be expensive and is expected to cost above Rs 40,000 in India. The device is speculated to offer 4GB of RAM along with 6GB of internal storage. However, reports claims that there could be 6GB RAM and 8GB RAM variants as well for a higher price. The Nokia 8 is expected to come in Steel, Gold/Copper, Blue and Gold/Blue colours.The Nokia 8 will reportedly offer a 5.3-inch QHD bezel-less display and could be powered by the flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor. It will be an IP68 water resistant smartphone with a 13MP dual-lens rear camera along with a 13MP front camera. The Nokia 8 will be a dual-SIM device with fingerprint scanner and might feature iris scanner as well.For those unaware, registrations of Nokia 6 smartphone on Amazon India has begun. It will be made available for sale from August 23. The company had launched it in India on June 13 for Rs 14,999.
Beijing: Amid the ongoing standoff between Indian and Chinese troops at the Dokalam area in the Sikkim sector, China's military has conducted live-fire exercises in Tibet, reported PTI.



The People's Liberation Army (PLA) conducted live-fire exercises in Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, reported state-run China Central Television (CCTV) on Friday, without mentioning the exact timing of the drills.



The brigade that conducted the drills was from the PLA's Tibet Military Command and is one of China's two plateau mountain brigades, Global Times reported on Monday.



The PLA Tibet command guards the Line of Actual Control (LAC) of the India-China border along several sections connecting the mountainous Tibetan region.



According to the CCTV report, the brigade has long been stationed around the middle and lower reaches of the Brahmaputra (Yarlung Zangbo in Chinese) River which flows into India and Bangladesh and is responsible for frontline combat missions.



The live-fire drills included the quick delivery of troops and different military units working together on joint attacks.



Video posted online showed soldiers using anti-tank grenades and missiles against bunkers and howitzers for artillery coverage.



The video also showed radar units identifying enemy aircraft and soldiers using anti-aircraft artillery to destroy targets. The drills lasted 11 hours.



Separately, Tibet's mobile communication agency conducted a drill on July 10 in Lhasa, capital of Tibet, where members of the agency practiced setting up a temporary mobile network to secure communications in an emergency.



Earlier reports said the PLA units exercised with several modern weapon systems including a new light battle tank being manufactured by China.



China and India have been engaged in a standoff in the Dokalam area in the Sikkim sector, where Indian troops stopped road construction by Chinese soldiers on June 16.



China has been demanding immediate pull-out of the Indian troops from the disputed Dokalam plateau.



Doka La is the Indian name for the region which Bhutan recognises as Dokalam, while China claims it as part of its Donglang region.



Of the 3,488-km-long India-China border from Jammu and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh, a 220-km section falls in Sikkim.



(With PTI Inputs)


Beijing: India is receiving a "massive influx" of foreign investments which will greatly enhance its ability to develop the manufacturing sector and China should "keep calm" and start working on a more effective growth strategy for the new era, a state-run newspaper said on Sunday.



"This massive influx of investment by foreign manufacturers is of great significance for India's economy, employment, and industrial development," an article in the Global Times said.



"China should be calm seeing India's rise. To cope with competition from India, China could start working on a more effective growth strategy for the new era now," it said.



The influx of foreign manufacturers is addressing some of India's weaknesses and enhancing its manufacturing ability, with Chinese companies also playing an important role in the process, according to the article.



"This is a repeat of Chinas introduction of foreign investment, which is why it is likely that India may succeed.



"If in the past India lacked capital, a developed manufacturing sector, and skilled manufacturing workers, the foreign manufacturing inflow is now helping India address the problem, backing up the governments Make in India initiative," it said.



The article listed a host of foreign companies including some of the Chinese firms which are investing in India.



"It should be pointed out that what is happening in India occurred in China two decades ago.



"Just like what happened with China during its reform and opening-up, the arrival of foreign manufacturing will greatly enhance Indias ability to develop its manufacturing sector, which will help in cultivating a large number of skilled workers, managers, and factories," it added.


Washington: President Donald Trump's attorney insisted Sunday there was nothing illegal in the meeting Trump's eldest son had with a Russian lawyer during last year's presidential campaign.



Donald Trump Jr.'s willingness to meet with the lawyer in the expectation of receiving incriminating information about Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton has raised new questions about possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. The information had been described as "part of Russia and its government's support for Mr. Trump."



The president's attorney, Jay Sekulow, defended Trump and his son in a series of appearances Sunday on five television networks.



"Nothing in that meeting that would have taken place, even if it was about the topic of an opposition research paper from a Russian lawyer, is illegal or a violation of the law," Sekulow said on "Fox News Sunday," a point he repeated several times. He said the president did not attend the meeting and was not aware of it.



The attorney's focus on the law appears aimed at moving beyond the shifting accounts of the meeting given by Trump Jr. At first, the June 2016 meeting was said to be about a Russian adoption program. Then, it was to hear information about Clinton. Finally, Trump Jr. was compelled to release emails that revealed he had told an associate that he would "love" Russia's help in obtaining incriminating information about the Democratic nominee.



The number of people known to be at the meeting also changed over time. As recently as Friday, Rinat Akhmetshin, a Russian-American lobbyist and former Soviet military officer, confirmed his participation to The Associated Press.



Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Sunday that he wants everyone who attended the meeting to appear before his committee, one of several in Congress investigating Russia's interference in the 2016 election and potential coordination with the Trump campaign.



In addition to Trump Jr. others in the Trump Tower meeting included Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and Paul Manafort, both of whom played major roles in the campaign.



"I want to hear from everyone in that meeting and get their version of the story, as well as I think we may find out there may have been other meetings as well. We don't know that yet," Warner, D-Va., said on CBS' "Face the Nation."



Sekulow said he was not aware of any other meetings involving Russians. "I represent the president of the United States, but Donald Trump Jr. said not in the context of formal meetings. He said he may have met with Russian people, as a lot of people meet with Russian people, so that's not unusual," Sekulow said on CNN's "State of the Union."



Trump himself came to the defense of his son, who he said "is being scorned by the Fake News Media." The president ended a series of Sunday morning tweets by writing: "With all of its phony unnamed sources & highly slanted & even fraudulent reporting, #Fake News is DISTORTING DEMOCRACY in our country!"
Lahore: "I wish no girl is born to a poor family," says Muhammad Azeem, the father of Pakistan's social media sensation Qandeel Baloch, who was killed by her brother in the name of 'honour' last year.



Qandeel, whose real name was Fouzia Azeem, was allegedly strangulated by her brother Waseem on July 15, 2016 for bringing shame to the family in Multan, some 350km from Lahore.



In his confession video, Waseem expressed no regret in killing his sister, saying, "I am proud of what I did. I drugged her first then I killed her. She was bringing dishonour to our family."



Qandeel used to support her poor parents from the money she made through these controversial means. After her death, her parents are living a poverty-stricken life.



"Qandeel was not my daughter but she was my son. She provided us financial and emotional support," 82-year-old Azeem lamented with tears in his eyes.



"My wife has gone to collect money from the people in our neighbourhood for Qandeel's death anniversary and we would continue to remember her till our last breath," he added.



Qandeel's parents held Quran Khawani on Saturday to mark her first death anniversary in their small house in Shah Sadar Din, a town in Dera Ghazi Khan, some 400km from Lahore.



"I will never forgive my son for killing my beloved daughter. Those who are saying that I have forgiven Waseem are wrong. I am in favour of strict punishment for Waseem for killing his sister so that no brother should commit such a heinous act in future," Azeem was quoted as saying by the Express Tribune.



Azeem had refused to testify against his other son Aslam for his alleged involvement in Qandeels murder.



Qandeel's father was furious about the role of Pakistani cleric Mufti Abdul Qawi, who was embroiled in a scandal with her after she uploaded her pictures with him during a meeting.



"Qawi is also responsible for Qandeel's murder. Since the time Qawi's video appeared with my daughter on social media, her life was in danger. Qawi is a liar and I am afraid that someday he might issue a religious decree against me for supporting Qandeel."



He also complained that police deprived the couple of all the things that belonged to Qandeel.



"The police took away her mobile phone, purse and other valuables worth Rs 1 million," he said, adding "I am totally disappointed with the justice system in our country. I only demand justice from Allah Almighty."



Qandeel rose to fame due to her bold videos and pictures many considered as 'obscene' she posted on her Facebook account.



Qawi said Baloch had met this fate because she had humiliated a religious figure (him).



A Multan's sessions court has already indicted three suspects -- Waseem, Qandeel's cousin Haq Nawaz and taxi driver Abdul Basit.



The suspects however denied committing the crime. Another suspect Zafar Khosa is absconding.


Sulaimania: A top Kurdish counter-terrorism official said on Monday he was 99 percent sure that Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was alive and located south of the Syrian city of Raqqa, after reports that he had been killed.



"Baghdadi is definitely alive. He is not dead. We have information that he is alive. We believe 99 percent he is alive," Lahur Talabany told Reuters in an interview.



"Don't forget his roots go back to al Qaeda days in Iraq. He was hiding from security services. He knows what he is doing."



Iraqi security forces have ended three years of Islamic State rule in the Iraqi city of Mosul, and the group is under growing pressure in Raqqa - both strongholds in the militants' crumbling self-proclaimed caliphate.



Still, Talabany said Islamic State was shifting tactics despite low morale and it would take three or four years to eliminate the group.



After defeat, Islamic State would wage an insurgency and resemble al-Qaeda on "steroids", he said.



The future leaders of Islamic State were expected to be intelligence officers who served under former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, the men credited with devising the group's strategy.
Peshawar: A suicide bomber hit a vehicle carrying Pakistani paramilitary force members on Monday, killing two soldiers, including an officer, and wounding seven, a police official said. The Taliban quickly claimed responsibility for the attack.



Police superintendent Imran Malik said the attack happened in Peshawar, on the edge of the Khyber tribal area that borders Afghanistan. The attacker was riding a motorcycle, he added.



Pakistan's Tehrik-e-Taliban, an umbrella for Pakistani Taliban factions, was behind the attack, according to a statement by the militants' spokesman, Mohammad Khurasani, distributed to the media.



The attack came a day after the Pakistan army announced it had launched an operation in the Khyber tribal region to rout Islamic State militants it said were operating in the area. The Islamic State in Khorasan as it is known in Afghanistan and Pakistan is based in Afghanistan's eastern Nangarhar province which abuts Pakistan and the Khyber tribal region.



The local Islamic State affiliate emerged a few years ago, mainly from disenchanted Taliban fighters espousing the IS' ideology.



The paramilitary force, known as the Frontier Corps, is the front-line force battling militants in Pakistan's tribal regions stretching hundreds of kilometers (miles) along its border with Afghanistan.
Washington: The United Arab Emirates arranged for Qatari government social media and news sites to be hacked in late May in order to post fiery but false quotes linked to Qatar's emir, prompting a diplomatic crisis, the Washington Post reported on Sunday, citing US intelligence officials.



The emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, had been quoted in May as praising Hamas and saying that Iran was an "Islamic power," the Post reported. In response, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain cut diplomatic and transport ties with Qatar on June 5, accusing it of supporting terrorism.



Qatar said in late May that hackers had posted fake remarks by the emir, an explanation rejected by Gulf states.



The Post reported that US intelligence officials learned last week of newly analyzed information that showed that top UAE government officials discussed the planned hacks on May 23, the day before they occurred.



The officials said it was unclear if the UAE hacked the websites or paid for them to be carried out, the newspaper reported. The Post did not identify the intelligence officials it spoke to for the report.



UAE Ambassador Yousef al-Otaiba denied the report in a statement, saying it was "false," the Post said.



"What is true is Qatars behavior. Funding, supporting, and enabling extremists from the Taliban to Hamas and Qadafi. Inciting violence, encouraging radicalization, and undermining the stability of its neighbors," the statement said.



The US State Department declined comment in response to a Reuters query.



The Federal Bureau of Investigation was previously known to be working with Qatar to probe the hacking.
Social media sites play a large role in everyday life, and health care is not immune.

Parents of children with rare diseases use them to find out what other treatments might be available elsewhere and to learn how other families cope. Some patients also use them to perpetuate claims that are not backed by research, such as the idea that vaccines cause autism.

Though social media networks are a huge presence in everyday life, there is still relatively little understanding of their impact on health care and health in general.

Its incredibly ripe, and theres unfortunately not a tremendous amount of data and research, said Dr. David Buxton, director of palliative care and a child and adult psychiatrist at HCA Virginias Johnston-Willis Hospital.

Buxton foresees his career focusing on trying to figure out how social media sites affect health care, understanding the upsides and the downsides for the average patient. Johnston-Willis is preparing to launch a pilot study to learn more about how patients and their family members use social media when someone is in the hospital.

Are they posting whats going on in their lives? Are they looking diagnoses up? Are they looking for groups and treatment centers? Buxton asked.

For many people, their social media community means just as much to them as friends and family they have in real life. So what happens, Buxton wonders, when those people die? How does that affect the individual and, simultaneously, what happens to all the memories that were stored on the deceased individuals social media account?

Its someone youve never met, but you have this incredibly close connection, he said.

The problem of death and social media will only become more pervasive. According to some estimates, if Facebook continues growing at its current pace, by the year 2130 there will be more dead people registered on the social media giant than living ones.

Facebook will actually be the largest graveyard in the world at some point, Buxton said.

Increasingly, social media companies are developing ways for social media and death to meet. Some apps allow Twitter users to create tweets to be posted after they die, allowing parents with fatal diseases to prepare tweets for their children years in the future, for example.

Social media might also be a platform through which mental health providers can catch signs and symptoms before they worsen. There was a case in which a young woman with an active YouTube page became vocal about her depression and later committed suicide.

She was giving all these red flags on social media ... but nobody took action to say, Hey, you need help, Buxton said. There may be a way to screen social media to allow us as providers to know who we need to check in with.

That scenario raises another question: How serious are the relationships created on social media? And do people actually act the same way in the online world as they do in real life?

Buxton compared it to play therapy that mental health providers may use to help their pediatric patients. That approach would teach children about divorce by having their dolls get a divorce, for example.

Its safe in that environment because its in play, and we learn by playing, he said. I actually sometimes theoretically talk about: How much of social media is kind of a new way of playing and trying things on, saying things you wouldnt necessarily say in normal life?
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP)  The nations largest electric company wants regulators in North Carolina to force consumers to pay nearly $200 million a year to clean up the toxic byproducts of burning coal to generate power. That doesnt sit well with neighbors of the power plants who have been living on bottled water since toxic chemicals appeared in some of their wells.

They want to pass their mistakes on to the land owner. This is not fair, wrote Nancy Gurley, who lives near the utilitys plant in Goldsboro.

She was responding to a request filed with state utility regulators last month that marks the first time Duke Energy Corp. has sought permission to have North Carolina consumers pay part of its costs of cleaning up the waste, which are estimated to total $5.1 billion in North and South Carolina alone.

Duke Energy Progress would raise electricity bills of 1.3 million North Carolina customers by an average 15 percent, generating an extra $477 million a year, with an 11 percent return on a measure commonly described as potential profit margin. The bulk of that would cover ongoing costs of replacing coal-burning plants with natural gas and storm repairs. But it also includes $66 million already spent to deal with coal ash, and $129 million more in future clean-up costs.

Duke Energy Carolinas  the holding companys other North Carolina subsidiary  is expected to request a rate hike for its 2.5 million customers for similar reasons in the coming months.

Coal ash contains arsenic, lead, mercury and other elements that may be hazardous in sufficient concentrations. Duke Energy denies that its basins contaminate the surrounding groundwater. But environmentalists and state regulators say those heavy metals could be seeping through the unlined bottoms of pits where liquefied coal ash has been stored for decades, into natural sources for wells where worrying concentrations have been documented.

Charles Walker Jr. has been forced to use bottled water, mostly provided by Duke Energy, since the chemicals showed up in his Belmont neighborhood, near the companys Allen power plant in western North Carolina.

He says shareholders and high-paid executives of the $59 billion company should be paying for all this, not the customers.

In my opinion, if youre going to be negligent, if you made a mistake, you need to feel the sting. Dont just pass it on, Walker said in an interview. If a septic company comes to my house and accidently spills sewage all over my property, are they going to send me the bill for that?

Duke Energy said it stored coal ash in line with past industry practices and regulations. Just as buying and burning coal were part of the cost of generating electricity over the decades, so now is the expense of cleaning up the ash, it said.

The company is generating an average of about 150 pounds of coal ash a year for each household, Duke Energy spokeswoman Paige Sheehan said.

It is our job to manage that appropriately, which we are doing, she said.

Duke Energys clean-up plan includes excavating coal ash and moving it away from waterways at eight of the 14 North Carolina sites and two others in South Carolina. The company plans to dry out, cover and leave in place the ash in other North Carolina pits. A North Carolina law passed last year also requires the company to pay for well-water replacements for about 1,000 other households, either by extending municipal water lines or providing filtering systems.

The company based in Charlotte delivers electricity to 7.5 million customers in the Carolinas, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and Florida. It already persuaded South Carolinas utilities commission in December to allow it to start recouping coal ash cleanup costs as part of a $56 million rate increase that includes a 10 percent potential profit margin.

Gurley is one of about three dozen people living near coal-burning plants who filed comments with the state at the urging of their lawyers.

We think this is not a proper cost to pass along to the general public, said their attorney, John Hughes.

Duke Energy was forced to address its coal-ash storage in response to new federal regulations and a 2014 accident in which waste from a pit at a North Carolina plant ruptured, coating miles of the Dan River in gray sludge. The Charlotte-based company pleaded guilty in 2015 to nine criminal violations of the federal Clean Water Act for pollution at five coal-fired plants including Goldsboro. It agreed to pay $102 million in fines and compensation.
Seeing the entire person in the patient

Often the services provided by healthcare personnel is impersonal they do not see the entire person in the patient, so when the patient presents with physical illnesses and diseases their emotional, social and mental well-being is not recognised as important even though a period of illness is a time when they are most vulnerable  a time when they are experiencing discomfort, fear and anxiety. Let me be clear I am not advocating for every aspect of a persons being to be pathologised, but rather I am making the point that feelings, needs, thoughts, cultures and emotions of patients do play a significant role in their overall well-being and should not be ignored during clinical interactions.

Mental and emotional health discussions are problematic and therefore treated like that family member or friend we dont really get along with and try to avoid at all costs. But the UK Department of Health notes that mental health is central to our quality of life, central to our economic success, and interdependent with our success in improving education, training and employment outcomes and tackling some of the persistent problems that scar our society, from homelessness, violence and abuse, to drug use and crime. In other words, it is the core of life and well-being, and as it will affect one in four people during their lifetime, it is paramount that any healthcare interaction and support include an element of emotional and mental engagement.

Another reason for considering a patients mental and emotional well-being is because mental health is the largest cause of disability worldwide (WHO). This may come as a surprise to many because when most people speak of disability they are more than likely referring to physical impairments and not those that affects the mind.

However, Trinidad and Tobago has ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and therefore has an obligation to address the mental health of its population in the context of human rights or face the consequences.

Nowadays people are living longer and they are doing so with a myriad of chronic illnesses, including comorbidity i.e. where a person has more than two disorders or illnesses which may affect each other.

According to WHO reports, the presence of mental illness increases the risk of other illnesses such as cardio-vascular disease, HIV and diabetes, and that people with longterm health conditions are two to three times more likely than the general population to experience mental health challenges.

An example of this is that depression frequently occurs in patients with diabetes, and that the presence of diabetes can double the chances of comorbid depression. Studies also show that there is a significant economic cost to diabetes and depression comorbidity  in that it has been found to increase healthcare costs over a six-month period by between 54 per cent and 88 per cent depending on the severity of the depression a point worth noting given the financial and resource constraints at State-run health institutions.

In addition, there are also people living with chronic illnesses with unendurable pain, suffering and disability who also display suicidal behaviours (ideation, plans and attempts).

Another indication of possible co-existing mental, emotional and physical health comorbidity which should not go unnoticed.

There is much to be done to improve healthcare outcomes for people with chronic long-term illnesses and mental health challenges, but it is achievable with the right primary care interventions and community support. Policy-makers, healthcare professionals, staff and stakeholders need to be more aware of the complex dynamics of good health and work towards a sustainable integrated mental and physical health approach in primary and social care an approach, that sees the entire person in the patient, in which they are treated with care, consideration and compassion and that emotional, social and mental health are normalised as part and parcel of all patient interfaces.

Dr Yansie Rolston FRSA is a UKbased disability and mental health specialist advisor. She is a social strategist and trainer who works internationally at various levels of government, business and civil society.

Contact her at yr@efficacyeva.

com
Great novels for young readers

Studies prove that students who read during the summer holidays arrive back at school about four months ahead of their peers.

Students who dont read actually regress in terms of the skills they built the previous school year so reading is important. Reading sharpens the mind, but it also provides a way for children to relax in our fast-paced, computerised world.

The Winter Horses by Philip Kerr  Another World War II story, The Winter Horses, presents the story of a Jewish girl who tries to escape from the Nazis after she loses her family. Set in the Ukraine, this story of a brave little girl Kalinka and her quest to save the wild Przewalskis horses from the Nazis is another exciting read that is historical fiction. It too provides many opportunities for research. Young readers will want to find out where the Ukraine is and they will be curious about these horses that the Nazis wanted to exterminate. Any reader from 12 to adulthood will enjoy this novel.

All the Answers by Kate Messner  Chances are young readers will want to read every book by Kate Messner they can get their hands on once they read this novel about a girl who finds a pencil that will give her answers. This is an important book about formulating questions and thinking about how much information you would really want to know in difficult situations.

Ava finds that the pencil will only answer certain types of questions so children learn about different types of questions. This book is a mystery as well and that makes it an exciting read for children eight to 14.

Trouble Maker by Andrew Clements  Once again, young readers will want to read all of Clements books once they have read this novel. Clements really understands what young readers want: action-packed, thought provoking novels. In this novel, Clayton thinks it is cool to misbehave and even disrespect teachers. But when his big brother comes him from jail and tells him he has to stop, Clayton finds it is not so easy to redeem the reputation that you earn. Once again, mystery and action combine to make this an exciting read. Consider this a book that will help your child to determine the importance of being respectful, parents, and you wont have to lecture them in the process. Young readers from seven to 14 will enjoy this novel.

Some Kind of Courage by Dan Gemeinhart  Gemeinhart is my favourite elementary/YA writer at the moment. His work is very edgy. He plays with form and structure and his novels read like nothing else on the market right now. Some Kind of Courage isnt really a cowboy novel, although it conjures up images of that genre. This is the story of a boy living in eastern Washington who pursues the men who stole his horse. The Honest Truth might not suit elementary students, because it deals with a boy decides he cannot fight his cancer any more.

This might be too much for young readers to take, but his latest book Scar Island  a reform school, is a riveting read.

The four books mentioned above can be enjoyed by children from ten to 14. They are high interest/ low reading level, Hi/Lo readers that even adults will enjoy reading.
Revealing look at beloved, mysterious writer

Given her disdain for modern communications and her slow, deliberate pace, it shouldnt be surprising that the author of To Kill a Mockingbird built her friendship with Alabama historian Wayne Flynt over a period of years and maintained it with an exchange of long, detailed letters. They sometimes commiserated over the declining popularity of letter writing due to the advent of email.

Flynts Mockingbird Songs is a testament to their friendship and to the value of patient cultivation of friendships, loyalty and the value of skilled letter writing. She wrote to Wayne that you are surely one of the eras foremost practitioners of a moribund art, saying his letters should be kept forever. But that friendship was slow in developing.

When he first encountered her at a book event and asked her to sign a copy of her Pulitzer- winning book, Lee coolly replied, I only sign for children. Flynt writes, that was our first, not very promising, exchange. In later years, Flynt got to know Lees sisters and began to become more acquainted with Lee, who went by her first name of Nelle. Gradually, Flynt and his wife, Dartie, developed a friendship with the author after a newspaper column he wrote about the Lee family  and his admiration for To Kill a Mockingbird  caught her attention.

After their first exchange of letters, Flynt was out of touch with her for a dozen years. He let her know after he renewed their communications that one of his granddaughters was named Harper in her honour  and that delighted the author.

Their friendship grew as they began corresponding regularly and found many common interests, especially Alabama history and literature.

Lee adopted Flynts family as her own. Some interesting highlights from the book: Flynt maintains she was very aware of the planned publication of Go Set a Watchman and was enthusiastic about it. Some critics had questioned whether Lee, already in frail health, had given her informed consent for the publication of her second book.

The image of her as cool and aloof was far from the truth. She was in fact empathetic, warm, non-judgemental and a wonderful conversationalist, Flynt wrote.

She had a stroke in 2007 and moved to an assisted-living facility in Monroeville, her hometown. Her letters grew shorter and more infrequent.

Flynt and his wife kept in close contact, however, writing her letters and visiting.

Flynt spoke of the accomplishment of Lees signature book, To Kill a Mockingbird, at the presentation of a lifetime achievement award, and again at her eulogy.

One of the fine moments of irony is that a novel written by a woman from Monroeville has become the primary literary instrument worldwide for teaching values of racial justice and tolerance for people different from ourselves, he said.

He had agreed not to write about Lee while she was still alive.

She died in 2016.

Flynt, a professor emeritus of history at Auburn University, and his wife were there for Lee at three critical times of her life, Flynt wrote  when her sister Louise slipped into dementia, when Nelle suffered a stroke and when she was forced to give up her second home in New York City and move back to Monroeville, which she had left 65 years earlier.

As Flynt put it: Perhaps we three met in the twilight of our lives and just needed each other.
Analyst: PM, Kamla must compromise

Ragoonath told Newsday that he is not particularly optimistic that the meeting between Rowley and Persad-Bissessar will bear the results which the population is demanding at this time. According to Ragoonath, the Government and the Opposition continue to be very much in election mode. He said both sides are constantly attacking one another and the burning issues in TT are not being dealt with. On both sides, there has been very little compromise by both leaders, Ragoonath said.

He added that Rowley and Persad- Bissessar must each make compromises on behalf of their respective sides, to give the population a semblance of hope that their concerns are being dealt with. Referring to the agenda outlined for tomorrows meeting, Ragoonath said the Prime Minister has shown there is a need for Government and the Opposition to have consensus on key legislative matters either before the Parliament or to be brought to the Parliament.

He said tomorrows meeting could be an opportunity for Rowley and Persad-Bissessar to get an insight into what their thoughts are on those matters. Ragoonath said one issue which urgently needs some level of bi-partisan consensus is the difficulty within the Judiciary, especially the imbroligio which arose from the appointment of former chief magistrate Marcia Ayers Caesar as a judge and her subsequent resignation from that post.

The Prime Minister has previously not ruled out the possibility of reconvening Parliament to deal with legislative matters which could require a special majority for passage. Parliament is currently on recess and officially due to resume in September. However Parliament can be summoned during its recess if urgent matters arise. Ragoonath said the Judicial and Legal Services Commission (JLSC) issue seems to be dragging on indefinitely. He opined that the time may have come for Government and the Opposition to reach a consensus upon a solution. Rowley has repeatedly said the Government will maintain the Great Wall of China between itself and the Judiciary. He also said Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi will advise the Government accordingly in this matter.

On July 6, a statement from the Office of the President announced the resignations of retired Appeal Court justices Humphrey Stollmeyer and Roger Hamel-Smith from the JLSC. Neither Stollmeyer nor Hamel-Smith gave any specific reason for their resignations. Chief Justice Ivor Archie, the JLSC chairman, has rejected calls from certain quarters for him to resign. Sunday Newsday yesterday reported that retired master of the Supreme Court Ralph Doyle is President Anthony Carmonas choice to fill one of the two slots in the JLSC left vacant by the resignations of Hamel-Smith and Stollmeyer.

Newsday understands that neither Rowley nor Persad-Bissessar will be bringing large delegations to tomorrows meeting. A statement issued on July 15 by the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) said Persad-Bissessar would be invited to bring a note-taker with her to the meeting. Newsday understands that the Prime Minister will only be accompanied by a note-taker as well. Other items on the agenda to be discussed are internal self-governance for Tobago; campaign finance reform; the Integrity Commission; Anti-Gang legislation; a Code of Conduct for parliamentarians and the effectiveness of service commissions.

The Opposition holds its Monday Night Forum meeting in Siparia tonight at the Tulsa Trace Hindu School in Siparia from 7 pm. Persad-Bissessar is expected to speak more about her meeting with Rowley, in addition to other matters.
Len Hand takes centre stage

With more than 30 performers, the 2017 edition of the festival opened in fine-style under the theme, Bring Back de Ole Time Days  Len Hand.

The programme opened with a threesome rendition of the national anthem by vocalists Sharon Phillips and Kay Alleyne as well as Kashiff Wilson on the guitar.

In addressing the official opening, Chairman of the Heritage Committee, George Leacock welcomed all gathered as he encouraged them to come and see. And with the recent merging of the Division of Tourism, Culture and Transportation, Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Secretary of the Division, Councillor Nadine Stewart-Phillips in her remarks commended the merge, noting that this development is indeed significant.

The Heritage Festival is a frontrunner among the destinations tourism products and the Division is committed to packaging and showcasing Tobagos most unique and cherished traits; our culture to the rest of the world. And so, it is in the spirit of this dual role that we gather here to officially commence the 2017 edition of the Tobago Heritage Festival, she said.

She encouraged the persons gathered to use every opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of what is being illustrated, as according to her, there is no doubt that as the world progresses, modernization dictates the way forward for all societies, including Tobago and so, it is quite easy for persons to lose touch with their roots.

She went further indicating that progress is necessary to drive the island forward but it is equally important that persons hold on to what is dear, what is real and what belongs exclusively to them.

So, as we embrace the gifts of the present, and look forward to the innovations of the future, it is all the more important for us to hold on to, celebrate, and uplift the treasures of the past. We cannot take it for granted that within every family there exists a parent or grandparent, an aunt or uncle who will take up the mantle and pass on the legacy of our art and customs to the next generation.

We are therefore duty bound to ensure that the islands youth are able to not only witness, but carry on our traditions, through an event such as this, that covers all areas of our very rich and dynamic history. On that note, I urge us all to invest the time and energy into learning about the beautiful things that set us apart; the things that make Tobago, Tobago, she advised.

At the same time, Stewart Phillips called on all to become cultural ambassadors, since according to her the fact remains that cultural or heritage tourism is one of the fastest growing niche markets in the global tourism industry.

Todays traveller is seeking rich experiences which are indigenous to their destination; they want to be exposed to the people and they want to be immersed in the language, customs, the food and activities that differentiate communities and countries from one another. So while we may take for granted the intricate steps of the brushback, keep in mind there are scores of visitors who would consider mastering this dance, the highlight of their trip. And, while we may overlook the symbolism of each character within the old time wedding, there is a blogger who could write an entire post on this production.

Make no mistake  our culture is a precious asset to be preserved and shared in its purest and most authentic form, she said.

With regards the theme, Len Hand, she expounded, indicating that it is a practice that has built communities.

When we speak of Len Hand, we speak of that spirit of offering assistance with no expectation of reward. You lend a hand because you knew it was the right thing to do and because you understood that if and when your turn came, you could count on your community to be there for you as well.

Len Hand is a practice that has built communities, supported families and fostered unbreakable bonds and this year the decision was made to emphasize this element of our heritage because in these trying economic times, this tradition of offering a helping hand is certainly something we must strive to preserve, Stewart Phillips stated.

While, in declaring the two-week festival open, Chief Secretary Kelvin Charles urged all to embrace the heritage of the island. The official opening of the Tobago Heritage Festival provides us with the opportunity to recommit and to rededicate ourselves to the value which defines and makes us Tobagonians, values of thrift, industry, honesty, volunteerism and patriotism, he said.

The festival continued over the weekend with the Moriah Old Time Wedding on Saturday and the Roxborough Sport and Seafood Festival on Sunday
Heros send-off for fallen Trini UN official

Grimes, 56, passed away while receiving treatment for cancer at a hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa, last month.

Grimes body was returned to Trinidad under escort from Staff Sergeant Godfrey Duncan of the International Criminal Court of the UN earlier this month.

President Anthony Carmona during his remarks at Grimes funeral commended him for his years of service to the TTPS, his tireless work ethic and selfless execution of justice both at home and abroad.

Everyone needs to know that in that casket lies the best of us. In order to attain such a posting within the United Nations.

You have to excel in almost every aspect of law enforcement.

You must be guided by a sense of duty and committed to executing justice. He has and always will be the embodiment of an officer and a gentleman. Newsday also spoke to Grimes wife of 31 years, Denise, who recalled her husbands inspirational story, as a young officer, rising through the ranks of the TTPS and later becoming a senior security official within the UNs Liberian office in West Africa.

I remember him as a very sweet, sensitive man. He was very family-oriented and put God and his children before anything.

Its very difficult because so many people will remember him as a firm, upright lawman but to me he will always be Earn, my husband. Grimes said that her husband entered the workforce at a relatively young age.

Just after completing his secondary school education he went on to work as a laborer but said he wanted more out of life.

He was a man who wanted to live life to the fullest and he did not feel that the job was offering him that.

That was when he told me that he was going to join the police service. She said that he quickly rose through the TTPS, earning the respect and admiration from senior officers for his quick wit and selfless service.

Earning the rank of corporal with the Organised Crime and Narcotics Bureau (OCNB), a division of the TTPS, which was still in its infancy at the time. Grimes said that while the life of a constable was a demanding one, she did her best to be understanding to him.

Policing was something he was very passionate about. Sometimes when he would go on these raids to destroy marijuana crops I would be so nervous but I knew that his career was something he loved. Grimes said that while her husbands duties forced him to remain away from home for months at a time, he remained in close contact with the family and ensured that he was at home for almost every holiday.

When he became the advisor at the office in Liberia, his responsibilities increased but he always made time for us (family).

He would call sometimed three times a day to ask how we were going and what we were doing. He was serious about his career but when he came home for holidays he never brought his work home with him. Earn is survived by his two sons, Jonathan, 23, and Jeremy, 20. She says that even while he was away, Earn closely monitored his sons progress at school and ensured that they make the full use of their potential.

He was a devoted father in every sense of the word. He always spoke to them and wanted them to know that he was there for them no matter what. Newsday also spoke to Grimes longtime friend and colleague, Glennon Fonsette who recalled Grimes early years as a constable.

He was a livewire.

He loved life and I remember him as being one of my closest friends in our batch.

At the time all the officers were very close and we always had something good to say. He was my childrens godfather and will be missed dearly.
National Chutney Foundation plans to reach out to Sat

The foundations founder and developer, Dr Vijay Ramlal-Rai, told Newsday he plans to reach out to Maharaj as early as this week to discuss the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabhas (SDMS) Hindu-based schools be a part of next years competition.

Earlier this year, during the Carnival period, Education Minister Anthony Garcia questioned the non-participation SDMS schools in the competition.

To which, Maharaj was quoted as saying, that the participation of the schools students in such events was a parental choice. He also questioned why Garcia seemed to single out Hindu schools.

The competitions prize-giving ceremony was held last week at the National Carnival Commissions (NCC) VIP Lounge, Queens Park Savannah, Port-of- Spain.

Ramlal-Rai said the competition, which has been running for the last six years, seeks to correct the ills of the senior competition. He added that many of what he dubbed the senior songs spoke to alcohol and the objectification of women.

The programme, which includes in its title the word intellectual, aims at teaching the students that a wide variety of topics are available for them to sing on.

Ramlal-Rai said that the students was the future of the chutney genre in TT. In a phone interview with Newsday, Maharaj said the Maha Sabha would listen but offered no promises.

He said, I will listen. I am not promising one way or another.

We will listen to what their proposal is. If we are satisfied that it would bring a plus...The performances at the national level does not suit our purposes but we are prepared to listen to their proposal. Although there were budgetary constraints in this years prize-giving ceremony, Ramlal- Rai said he hoped next year the completion could receive more as part of a greater incentive to the children. The competition received $30,000 in prize-money from the education ministry.

The competition, he said, has given rise to local talent such as Aaron Duncan and more notably, Anthony Batson, whose love of traditional Hindi songs has been well-documented.

Ramlal-Rai said, while he praised the ministry for its contribution, that while this was the competitions best year in terms of content, it was its worst in terms of funding due to the global recession.

Although the students would normally receive certificates and trophies.

This year, the foundation could only provide trophies to the first place winners. This years winners were Jason Justin James in the primary school category and Christina Chattergoon in the secondary schools category.

The foundation plans to meet with the ministry and other stakeholders from as early as next week to begin its planning of next years competition.
Spain donates books to NALIS

Visiting TT to commemorate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between both countries, he said such ties would make the nations stronger not only on a bilateral basis, but also with regards to the European Union.

We are the fifth largest contributor for the European Development Fund and have many policies with the Caribbean.

These are interesting times and being a maritime country we can come together in many things regarding the multilateral scene and the fight against climate change, and promoting democracy and peace through the region, he said.

Carbajosa was speaking with Newsday after the handing over of some 200 Spanish-language texts last week at the National Library, Abercromby Street, Port-of -Spain.

Secretary of State for International Cooperation and Latin America Fernando Garcia Casas said the donation of the books displayed the committment that Spain has to the National Library. The texts hold invaluable information on cultural, classical and modern literature by a variety of authors.

Written in Spanish, Carbajosa said a language was not only a set of rules on grammar or the way to address daily life, it was a minset, a very distinctive way to think, feel and to approach the way people engaged with others.

A language is a living entity. It evolves and adapts to new times without ever losing its personality and unique DNA. The mix of authors will give students the chance not only to practise, but also to observe how Spanish has been changing throughout the years.

Carbajosa said he has had meetings with ministers of Trade, Planning and Foreign Affairs, and also with both Trinidadian and Spanish businessmen in order to increase Spains investments here.

We are the second largest world investor in Jamaica and in Latin America investing 162,000 million euros.

We are a strong presence in the region and we would like to increase our work relation wiith Trinidad.

There is not only tourism, we ve got things to do here in water and sanitation, infrastructure and agricultuure.

I believe our expertise would be of help to Trinidad and Tobago. Also there is infrastructure, there are roads to be put here, so the important thing for us is that the Spanish businessmen take part in the tenders whenever the Government consider it appropriate.

I believe it is important to explore the capacities of TT and Spain, so the Trinidadinas can show the Spanish businessmen what this country can offer, which is quite a lot, he said.

Carbajosa said their biggest investments were water and sanitation, global exchange, adding that there were a small number of companies who had interests here.

We should look for something a bit more powerful here and for Trinidadians in Spain, he said.

Asked whether he would encourage his countrymen to visit and invest in TT given the crime situation, Carbajosa said security was becoming a problem in Latin American and Caribbean countries and required long term policies with prevention and preparation.

I dont think crime should hamper the coming of tourists, especially to the island of Tobago, he said.
Six girls get superwomen skills

The lack of focus on the personal development of teenagers was one of the main reasons Brittney Nadur developed Safe Zone, a place where girls could learn and talk about their issues with no judgement, no fear, and no masks.

Nadur, Safe Zone Advisor and Programme Director at YMCA, said she understood and did not blame parents for being busy with the practical aspects of raising a child but said that left parents with little time to provide their children with knowledge, guidance or warnings about life.

During her address, she said: As parents, you drive your teens to achieve good grades for a stable future and sometimes extra curricular achievements if they attain unique skills in sporting activities.

With a house to provide for and children to take care of, parents find themselves preoccupied with day to day obligations and right fully so. It became clear that character building, value and moral establishment, and self-discovery were not at the top of the priorities list. Therefore, she developed Safe Zone, a threemonth project to equip girls with knowledge about the changes, decisions, pressures, dangers and more that come along with adolescence.

She explained that the topics was designed to help the girls understand the capabilities and limitations of their .

brains and bodies, and give them the tools to create their identity.

They discussed dangers and pressures to be encountered, including drugs, alcohol, and social media, as well as the dynamics of society, including prejudice, stereotyping, discrimination, violence and abuse.

Nadur said over the months she had seen the girls, Erin Hackshaw, Chelsea Charles, Josan Sutherland, Jada Espinoza Jones, Faith Wong, and Solange Morales, embrace their quirks and personality traits and develop into strong, knowledgeable, aware, and confident superwomen. She said they now had the information and training which would allow them to settle for nothing less than what they deserved in life.

YMCA CEO, Odetta Alexander, encouraged government, corporate organisations and NGO to invest more in these social programmes as they would affect society positively.
Kid Rock has announced on Twitter that hell be throwing his fedora in the ring for Michigans 2018 senate seat. While some find his bid to be pimp of the nation humorous, Democrats are not discounting the rocker. CNN reports that Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer contacted supporters in an effort to raise money that would be split with Debbie Stabenow, the Michigan senator up for reelection. I'll be honest, Sen. Schumer wrote, we don't know if this is real, a joke, or a bizarre publicity stunt. But I'll tell you this: I don't find it funny." Schumer added that in the Trump era, We can't afford to take this tweet as a joke. Warren also warned against dismissing Kid Rock's potential bid.

We all thought Donald Trump was joking when he rode down the escalator at Trump Tower and announced his campaign, too, she wrote. Per Michigan Radio, Stabenows campaign also referenced Trump in an email to supporters, saying that after his surprising win, we need to act fast. The senator, who plays guitar, tweeted an article about Kid Rocks bid with the words, I know we both share a love of music. I concede he's better at playing guitar and I'll keep doing what I do best: fighting for Michigan. Kid Rocks response? I concede she is better at playing politics than I am so I'll keep doing what I do best, which is being a voice for tax paying, hardworking AMERICANS and letting politicians like her know that We the People are sick and tired of their bulls***! The musician hasn't yet filed paperwork with the FEC to run, but says he will. (Read more Kid Rock stories.)
The Secret Service has hit back against a member of the Trump legal team's suggestion that they would have prevented Donald Trump Jr.'s meeting with a Russian lawyer if something "nefarious" was going on. The agency says the Trump son was not under its protection at the time of the controversial meeting with Natalia Veselnitskaya, so they would not have been involved in vetting the participants. "Donald Trump Jr. was not a protectee of the USSS in June, 2016," the Secret Service said in a statement to CNN. "Thus we would not have screened anyone he was meeting with at that time." Trump Jr. had been told Veselnitskaya might have damaging information on Hillary Clinton.

"I wonder why the Secret Service, if this was nefarious, why the Secret Service allowed these people in," Jay Sebulow, President Trump's personal lawyer, told CBS' Face the Nation on Sunday. His remarks were condemned by critics including Frances Townsend, one of former President George W. Bush's homeland security advisers, reports Reuters, which notes that even if Trump Jr. had been under the agency's protection, its role in vetting meeting participants extends only to protecting personal safety. "Ok let's try to deflect blame & throw those in @SecretService who protect @POTUS @realDonaldTrump @FLOTUS & family under the bus," Townsend tweeted. (The list of people at the meeting has grown to eight.)
In Florida, a person must be missing for five years before a "letter of presumed death" can be issued. But in a new twist, documents reveal that Lewis Bennett requested such a letter just four days after his new wife, Isabella Hellmann, went missing and the day after the Coast Guard called off its search, reports ABC News. The couple from Delray Beach, Fla., had married three months earlier and were celebrating their marriage by sailing the Caribbean. Bennett reported their boat capsized on May 15. He says he'd been sleeping below the night of the 14th when he awoke to the sound of the boat hitting something and found the boat was taking on water; when he couldn't find his 41-year-old wife, he says he jumped into a life raft and sent out a distress call.

The Coast Guard found Bennett on the 15th, and called off the search for Hellmann on the 18thafter spending 138 hours searching nearly 5,000 square nautical miles. The Coast Guard and FBI list it as a missing person's case with no mention of foul play, but Hellmann's sister, Adriana Difeo, has been vocal about suspecting otherwise. Difeo tried to become Hellmann's conservator to protect the couple's Delray Beach condo and pay off her debts, but has no standing given that Hellmann had no will. Bennett, as Hellmann's husband and father of their 9-month-old daughter, is the only person with standing, reports the Palm Beach Post. Bennett has since taken his daughter to the UK to "seek the comfort" of friends and family, according to a Facebook account he since deleted. (One lost-at-sea case has taken a turn.)
The United Arab Emirates was behind the hacking of Qatari websites that caused major upheaval in the region, according to a bombshell Washington Post report. Citing US intelligence sources, the Post reports that the UAE orchestrated the posting of incendiary false quotes from Qatar's emir about Iran, Israel, Hamas, and other issues on Qatar's government-run news websites. The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Egypt banned Qatari media because of the fake quotes from Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad al-Thani before cutting all ties with the country on June 4. The countries rejected Qatar's explanation that its websites had been hacked by an unknown party.

The FBI is believed to be helping Qatar investigate the source of the hack. Yousef al-Otaiba, the UAE's ambassador to the US, released a statement saying the Post's report was "false." "What is true is Qatar's behavior," he said. "Funding, supporting, and enabling extremists from the Taliban to Hamas and Gadhafi. Inciting violence, encouraging radicalization, and undermining the stability of its neighbors." Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has been attempting to solve the crisis, but he returned from the region on Thursday unsuccessful apart from a bilateral agreement with Qatar to fight terrorism, Al Jazeera reports. (Read more Qatar stories.)
The death toll from the devastating flash flood that swept through a swimming area in Arizona's Tonto National Forest Saturday has reached nineall from the same extended family. They had traveled to the area from Phoenix to celebrate the 26th birthday of Maria Raya, who died along with her mother, Celia Garcia, and her children, Emily, 3; Mia, 5; and Hector Daniel, 7, the Arizona Republic reports. Her husband, Hector Garnica, is still missing. The Republic identifies the other victims as Maria's brother Javier, 14; sister Maribel, 24; Maribel's 2-year-old daughter, Erika; and Jonathan Leon, Celia Garcia's 13-year-old grandson. Surviving family members spent the night searching the creek for their loved ones.

Another relative, a 13-year-old boy, is still missing. Authorities say the family was swept down the creek by a wall of water and debris around 6 feet high and 40 feet wide. The flood, which hit the swimming hole with no warning, was caused by a thunderstorm 8 miles upstream that hit an area recently scorched by a wildfire, creating what one meteorologist calls "a glaze ... that just repels water." A Gila County Sheriff's Office spokesman tells the AP that a flash flood warning was issued by the National Weather Service around 90 minutes earlier, "but unless they had a weather radio out there, they wouldn't have known about it. There is no cellphone service out here." (Read more flash floods stories.)
Another airline is in the news, this time in the spotlight thanks to Ann Coulter's barrage of tweets over the weekend. Per MarketWatch, the conservative pundit was incensed when Delta staff moved her Saturday from what she says was her prebooked "extra room" seat on a flight out of New York's LaGuardia Airport to Florida. Coulter responded to her seat reassignment with a two-day tweetstorm that included about two dozen tweets and retweets about the situation, including insults against the woman who had been given her seat so she could sit with her family. "The worst airline in America is STILL: @Delta," Coulter wrote in one tweet Saturday, followed by a rant against the "dachshund-legged woman" who "should have BOOKED THE SEAT IN ADVANCE. Like I did." She also tweeted a picture of the unhappy-looking new seat-occupier.

The New York Post notes the seat that the 6-foot-tall Coulter paid for comes with 3 inches of extra legroom (the Delta website notes up to 4 inches of extra space) and cost Coulter $30 extra. However, a Delta rep tells the Washington Post Coulter was simply moved "a few seats over," from an aisle seat to a window, and had the same amount of legroom. Delta also took on Coulter on Twitter, informing her it would refund her $30 and offering an apology, but also calling her out: "Additionally, your insults about our other customers and employees are unacceptable and unnecessary." Coulter rebutted it cost her $10,000 in time and effort to do all the legwork to ensure she had legroom. The Washington Post notes this isn't the first time Coulter has publicly aired her issues with Delta, including a complaint a few years ago in which she noted she was seated near a person "who smells like a NYC cabdriver." (Read more Ann Coulter stories.)
From Bruce Jenner to Caitlyn Jenner to ... Senator Jenner? The transgender activist said during an interview on New York's AM 970 over the weekend that she's considering a run for the Senate in California, reports the Hill. The former Olympian is a lifelong Republican and supporter of President Trump, which the Los Angeles Times notes won't necessarily help her cause in blue California. But she also has publicly disagreed with Trump over transgender policy.

"I have considered it," Jenner, 67, said in the interview. She added that she likes politics but is debating whether she can be more productive as an insider or an outsider, noting, "I gotta find out where I can do a better job." The next Senate election in the state is 2018, when Democrat Dianne Feinstein's seat will be up for grabs. Feinstein, 84, has not said whether she'll seek re-election, and no big-name Republican has stepped up so far. (Kid Rock is thinking about a Senate run, too.)
The wife of a military veteran suffering from a terminal illness is soliciting calls from strangers to brighten her husband's last days. Lee Hernandez, an 18-year Army veteran who served in Iraq, is dying of an undiagnosed medical condition in hospice care at his home in New Braunfels, Texas, sight, and cognitive abilities are deteriorating despite three brain surgeries, asked her one day to hold his phone "in case someone calls." When no one did, Lee said, "I guess no one wants to talk to me." "It broke my heart," says Ernestine. "[Lee's] speech is not very well, so many people didn't take much interest or want to talk to him."

Ernestine reached out to a wounded warriors support group, and after the Arizona Veterans Forum posted about Lee's situation on Facebook on July 11, Lee has received numerous calls and texts. Those who would like to reach out can contact the Hernandezes at 210-632-6778. Ernestine says the best time to call or text is between 5pm and 9pm EDT. Lee is alert then, she says, despite being under the influence of heavy medication. (Read more Army veterans stories.)
A young bride-to-be in Indiana turned what was supposed to be her fantasy wedding over the weekend into an act of charity. Sarah Cummins, a 25-year-old pharmacy student at Purdue University, was set to marry Logan Araujo at the Ritz Charles event venue in Carmel on Saturday, but after the couple called off the wedding for "undisclosed reasons," Cummins decided to invite residents of four area homeless shelters, including a group of veterans, to take part in the reception the couple had been planning for two years, the Indianapolis Star reports. The wedding cost about $30,000, all but $500 of which was nonrefundable.

After clearing her plans with Araujo, who Cummins says paid for most of the wedding, Cummins invited people from four area homeless shelters, including the Hoosier Veterans Assistance Foundation, to join her for the reception, which, aside from the removal of the head table and shortening of time, went off as originally planned. The couples' idea set off a small wave of charity in the community, with a local man arranging to provide formalwear for several guests. Cummins attended the event along with three of her seven bridesmaids, her mother, and her aunts. She was scheduled to leave Sunday for her honeymoon to the Dominican Republic, alone, USA Today reports. (Read more uplifting news stories.)
A month after the acquittal of the officer in the Philando Castile shooting, Minneapolis police have another high-profile fatality on their hands. A 40-year-old woman due to be married next month was shot to death by police Saturday night after she called 911 to report a noise in the alley near her house. In a release, the department said that the responding officers' body cameras were not turned on and that the shooting is under investigation. The Minneapolis Star Tribune quotes three sources who say that Justine Damond came out of the house in her pajamas when a police car arrived about 11:30pm Saturday and approached the driver's side. She was speaking to the driver when the officer in the passenger seat opened fire and shot her through the door, per the story. It's unclear whether it was accidental.

Damond, a native of Australia, was a yoga instructor and meditation teacher, per her website. Her name was actually Justine Ruszczyk, but she had already begun using the name Damond. She was to wed Don Damond, a 50-year-old businessman who was away on a business trip when the shooting took place. "Basically, my moms dead because a police officer shot her for reasons I dont know," his 22-year-old son, Zach, said in a video posted to the Womens March Minnesota Facebook page. I demand answers." Mayor Betsy Hodges said she was "heartsick and deeply disturbed by the shooting," which was also making headlines in Australia, per that country's 9News. (Read more Minneapolis stories.)
One of the greatest mysteries in the history of American law enforcement was solved July 13 in the backyard of a suburban home in Dartmouth, Mass. There, investigators found the buried remains of Donald Webb in the yard of his ex-wife, Lillian Webb, the Boston Globe reports. Authorities say Donald Webb vanished nearly 40 years ago after shooting and killing a police officer in Saxonburg, Penn., during a traffic stop on Dec. 4, 1980. Webb was charged with first-degree murder and on Dec. 31, 1980, a federal warrant was issued for his arrest alleging unlawful flight. In 1981 Webb was placed on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list. Authorities believe Webb shot Chief Gregory Adams while planning a jewelry store heist. He was wanted at the time for an attempted burglary in New York.

The Massachusetts Attorney General's Office said the search of Lillian Webb's home was part of an ongoing illegal gambling investigation, the Washington Post reports. Last year investigators searched the property and found a secret room with a walking cane inside, arousing suspicion. Lillian Webb has not spoken to reporters since the discovery and the Globe reports that she received immunity for her cooperation. Donald Webb, who would have been in his 80s today, was a career criminal with ties to the Rhode Island mob. He specialized in robbing jewelry stores and was part of a gang of thieves in Massachusetts known as the Fall River Gang, which authorities say had ties to the Patriarca crime family, the Herald News reports. Authorities believe Webb died about 17 years ago; the cause of death is not yet clear but investigators say it does not appear he died violently, WTAE reports. (Read more Donald Webb stories.)
Despite the hopes of Senate Republicans that John McCain would be back in Washington sooner rather than later following his surgery last week, some doctors are warning that recovery could take much longer than the week or so originally anticipated, the New York Times reports. On Friday, the longtime Arizona senator underwent "minimally invasive" surgery to remove a 2-inch blood clot from "above his left eye," per a statement from his office. The surgery involved a craniotomy, an opening of the skull, via an eyebrow incision. And while McCain's surgeons at the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix aren't speaking to the press, Dr. Nrupen Baxi, an assistant professor of neurosurgery at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, tells the Times, "The recovery time from a craniotomy is usually a few weeks." McCain, 80, is currently recovering at home.

McCain's condition raises several questions, both medical and political. Doctors say McCain's age and history of melanoma could point to a possible stroke or a condition related to skin cancer. Meanwhile, politicians and pundits are speculating on the effect an extended recovery for McCain could have on the Republicans' health care legislation. On Sunday, Sen. Rand Paul, one of two Republican senators who've come out so far against the GOP bill, said on Face the Nation, "I think the longer the bill's out there, the more conservative Republicans are going to discover that it's not [a] repeal," CBS News reports. On the other hand, an extended delay could give the Trump administration time to convince skeptical moderate Republicans that the bill addresses their concerns about Medicaid, Axios reports. (Read more John McCain stories.)
Sen. Dean Heller's office in Las Vegas has been burglarized, the Las Vegas Sun reports. Details are scarce, but police say they were dispatched to investigate the burglary around 9am Sunday. "Entry did occur," a police rep says, but the investigation is ongoing. Politico notes Heller is one of a few Republicans to voice concern about the GOP's proposed health-care legislation that would repeal and replace ObamaCare, and that his seat is a target for Democrats in the 2018 election. (Read more Dean Heller stories.)
Users of the Chinese social app Weibo are seeing a cryptic message after typing the seemingly harmless name of childrens book character Winnie the Pooh: "Content is illegal. According to USA Today, the beloved bear has been blacklisted from posts on Sina Weibo (Chinas wildly popular version of Twitter) while gif images of Pooh Bear have been removed from messaging service WeChat. It turns out that Winnie the Pooh has become a bit of a political meme in China, reports the BBC, where posts that compare the sweet-natured bear to the countrys president have been popping up (and getting taken down) since 2013. It started with a photo of Xi Jinping walking alongside former US president Barack Obama paired next to an image of Pooh and Tigger, thought to resemble Obamas taller, lean frame.

More viral memes juxtaposing Xi with Pooh followed, including a shot with him and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (depicted as gloomy Eeyore)while a meme described by Global Risk Insights as the most censored image of 2015 pokes fun at Xi popping his head through his limos sun roof next to a Winnie-the-Pooh car push toy. Per the BBC, censors in China are able to virtually wipe out material from the internet and social sharing in the country; the BBC cites the case of dissident Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo, whose name simply wont appear in private WeChat messages. Heightened censorship around the Pooh memes comes before this falls Community Party Congress, a meeting held every five years to announce important political appointments. (Read more Winnie the Pooh stories.)
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New Delhi:

An 11-year-old student, who was allegedly roughed up by his classmates on Friday, died at a Delhi hospital, the police said on Monday.



Vishal, a class 5th student of a local school in Rohini, died at the Safdarjang Hospital last night after he was referred there from the Ambedkar Hospital following severe pain in his stomach.



His parents alleged that on Friday their son was allegedly beaten up by his classmates in the school.



He returned home that day but did not mention about the matter to us. On Sunday, he complained of pain in his stomach and informed us about a fight he had with his two-three classmates over a petty issue, following which he was rushed to the hospital, the boys parents told police.



Deputy Commissioner of Police (Rohini) Rishi Pal said there were no external injury marks on the boys body as per the medical examination.



However, on the request of the father of the deceased, a medical board will be constituted to conduct post-mortem to ascertain the exact cause of the death, he said.



Vishal was living with his parents and two younger siblings in Rohini.
New Delhi:

A firing was reported in Delhis Rohini sector 22 by an unidentified person on Monday evening. One person was injured in the incident. More details are awaited.



Earlier, two incidents of firing were reported from south and southeast Delhi on July 9. In the first incident reported from Mehrauli, two persons, both named Deepak, shot at each other after a fight.



In the other incident reported from south east Delhi's Govondpuri, a person named Vishal was shot at by one of his friends after the duo had a fight over a petty issue. Vishal was taking a walk in the park when the accused shot at him.



With PTI inputs.

ALSO READ | Delhi: Class 5 student 'roughed up' by his classmates dies
New Delhi:

SSC student Poornima Sai of Bhashyam School in Nizampet who went missing a month ago was found in a child care home in Mumbai. Poornima went missing after leaving her house to go to school but never reached there. But quick action taken by Mumbai Police helped them to identify Poornima.

This little girl claimed that she was an orphan but suspecting her story. Mumbai police later informed its Tukaramgate counterparts, who passed the information to Bachupally police.

ACP Kukatpally N. Bhujanga Rao said that her parents along with teams from Bachupally police are travelling to Mumbai to bring Poornima back.

Earlier, the girl's photographs were published in newspapers and flashed on TV channels, a few people contacted police saying that they have seen her at Uppal and surrounding areas.
New Delhi:

In a shocking incident, a student from Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) slapped and physically assaulted his professor on Friday evening for scoring low marks.

The student attacked his professor Ashwani Kumar, at SRCC's global business operations in Delhi University after he scored very low marks in internal examination. The student kicked teachers car and slapped him several times after which the Professor left the city.

"The student - who fought with Ashwani and slapped him - holds a record of irregularity in academics. The incident took place in the parking area and in the presence of the college principal R P Rustagi," said professor Alok Kumar, calling it a heinous crime.

"The professor was punched and slapped a few times by the student, who ran away from the spot after the incident," said RP Rustagi, the officiating principal of the college. He said the assult took place around 5.30pm. "A few teachers and I accompanied professor Ashwani to the police station to lodge an FIR. Further action will be decided by the disciplinary committee," he said.

The assistant professor has lodged an FIR against the student at Maurice Nagar police station after the incident, on Friday evening. According to police officials, an FIR under Section 341 and 506 has been lodged against the student for wrongful restraint and criminal intimidation.

"We have registered an FIR on Friday against a student from SRCC's management programme, based on the complaint of the professor, who was accompanied by the principal. The reports of beating are false, as the FIR filed by the professor does not mention it," said Jatin Narwal, SHO at university's Maurice Nagar police station.
New Delhi:

The Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly, Vijender Gupta, on Monday claimed that AAP legislators had cross-voted in the presidential election, forcing Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to ask his MLAs to vote as per their conscience.

Sixty-seven MLAs, including four of the opposition BJP, cast their votes in the presidential poll at the Delhi Assembly.

Gupta's party colleague and MLA OP Sharma also claimed that "about 10-12 AAP MLAs" who were "unhappy" with Kejriwal voted in favour of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate Ram Nath Kovind.

"We are supporting Meira Kumar (opposition's presidential candidate). All should vote following their conscience," Kejriwal, who cast his vote in the Delhi Assembly, said following Sharma's claim.

Gupta claimed that the move by Kejriwal was a "U-turn" as the ruling party MLAs were "angered" by the AAP leadership's decision to support Congress' Kumar.

Also Read: Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav says talks of political crisis in Bihar is only in media

"The AAP MLAs were deeply anguished with the stand taken by party's top leadership. A number of MLAs had already threatened to vote against Congress-led opposition's candidate Kumar," he said.

The AAP was not given any "importance" by the Congress during the campaign for polling and no polling agent was nominated for Kumar in the Delhi Assembly, he claimed.

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New Delhi:

Bangalore Deputy Inspector General (Prisons) D Roopa, who shot to news for highlighting alleged VIP treatment to AIADMK general secretary Sasikala at central prison, has been transferred to the traffic department.



The transfer comes a day after she submitted a second report on the situation in Bangalore prison after her visit on Saturday.



In the report, she highlighted the state of affairs pertaining to maintenance of the central prison, and alleged that crucial CCTV recordings of VIP treatment to AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikala, who is serving a sentence, appear to have gone missing, a police source said.



"There are only two CCTV cameras in the visitors' gallery. Camera number 8 and 9 fitted near the admission room have no recording facility. Sasikala was given a separate room with chair and tables so she can conveniently talk to her visitors. We had recorded all these on camera but it looks like they are deleted now," reads the report.

Suggested read | Sasikala bribe gate: DIG Roopa pays second visit to Bangalore prison, submits fresh report



Karnataka Govt notice to DIG



The Karnataka government on Friday served a notice on a top police officer for going to the media on her controversial report on alleged special treatment in jail to AIADMK (Amma) leader VK Sasikala, even as she stood her ground, asserting she had not violated any conduct rules.



As the report by DIG erupted into a major controversy, a red-faced government asked her to explain her conduct, with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, saying it was "absolutely against the rule book."



"It is inappropriate on her part to share details with the media," Siddaramaiah told reporters in Mysuru, expressing open displeasure over the public comments by Roopa, whose report has also brought her superior and other prison officials under a cloud of bribery allegations.



Siddaramaiah said she could have approached any of her superiors about her charges against senior officials and that her allegations before the mainstream and social media has brought embarrassment to the police department.



Roopa was asked to give a reply to the notice served on her, the chief minister said.

It is an administrative process,it is not necessary to disclose everything to the media: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on cop D.Roopa's transfer pic.twitter.com/RCQjA2akV6  ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

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New Delhi:

Amid the speculations of rift between JD(U) and RJD in Bihar, Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav on Monday said that the talks of political crisis are only in the media.

However, JD(U) leader Shyam Rajak on Sunday said that Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar has never compromised on corruption and soon the party will take decision on Tejashwi Yadav who is an accused in the land-for-hotels scandal.

Earlier, Bihar's ruling JD(U) had asked Tejashwi Yadav, an accused in the land-for-hotels scandal, to "come out with facts in public against the accusations."

The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) had already said, "there was no question" of Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav's resignation in the wake of his name appearing in the CBI FIR in the land-for-hotel case.

The CBI had filed case against Tejashwi in land-for-hotels case. To which, Tejashwi 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.

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Beijing:

Chinas military has conducted live-fire exercises in Tibet amid the ongoing standoff between Indian and Chinese troops at the Dokalam area in the Sikkim sector.



The Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) conducted live-fire exercises in Southwest Chinas Tibet Autonomous Region, state-run China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Friday, without mentioning the exact timing of the drills.



The brigade that conducted the drills was from the PLAs Tibet Military Command and is one of Chinas two plateau mountain brigades, Global Times reported on Monday.



The PLA Tibet command guards the Line of Actual Control (LAC) of the India-China border along several sections connecting the mountainous Tibetan region.



According to the CCTV report, the brigade has long been stationed around the middle and lower reaches of the Brahmaputra (Yarlung Zangbo in Chinese) River which flows into India and Bangladesh and is responsible for frontline combat missions.



The live-fire drills included the quick delivery of troops and different military units working together on joint attacks.



Video posted online showed soldiers using anti-tank grenades and missiles against bunkers and howitzers for artillery coverage.



The video also showed radar units identifying enemy aircraft and soldiers using anti-aircraft artillery to destroy targets. The drills lasted 11 hours.



Separately, Tibets mobile communication agency conducted a drill on July 10 in Lhasa, capital of Tibet, where members of the agency practiced setting up a temporary mobile network to secure communications in an emergency.



Earlier reports said the PLA units exercised with several modern weapon systems including a new light battle tank being manufactured by China.



China and India have been engaged in a standoff in the Dokalam area in the Sikkim sector, where Indian troops stopped road construction by Chinese soldiers on June 16.



China has been demanding immediate pull-out of the Indian troops from the disputed Dokalam plateau.



Doka La is the Indian name for the region which Bhutan recognises as Dokalam, while China claims it as part of its Donglang region.



Of the 3,488-km-long India-China border from Jammu and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh, a 220-km section falls in Sikkim.

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New Delhi:

India and Pakistans Director General of Military Operations held talks over the situation along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday.

During the telephonic conversation, Indian Army DGMO Major General AK Bhatt took a strong stand against continuous ceasefire violation by Pak army. Bhatt highlighted that all ceasefire violations were initiated by Pakistan.



And as such, Indian Army reserves right to retaliate appropriately, he told his Pak counterpart.



DGMO also reiterating that Indian Army is sincere in maintaining peace & tranquillity along LoC.

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New Delhi:

Three terrorists have been killed in Anantnag's Wani Hama village, operation is underway



Earlier in the day, a minor girl and an Indian Army jawan were killed in a cross-border firing by Pakistan near the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch's Balakote. Pakistan reportedly violated ceasefire along the LoC in Poonch's Balakote and Rajouri'a Manjakote.A

#UPDATE J&K: Three terrorists killed in Anantnag's Wani Hama village, operation underway. a ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017



The army jawan killed in the crossfire was identified as Naik Muddasar Ahmed, a native of J&K's Tral region.A



Gunshots were also heard at Bulbul Nowgam and Brakpora areas of Anantnag on Monday.

J&K: Gunshots heard at Bulbul Nowgam and Brakpora areas of Anantnag. More details awaited. pic.twitter.com/5C2OZGBnpO a ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

A

J-K DGP spoke on the incident. He told that in a chance encounter, 3 terrorists were killed near Anantnag by joint team of security forces.A

In a chance encounter 3 terrorists killed near Anantnag by joint team of security forces, identities are being ascertained: SP Vaid, J&K DGP a ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

#Visuals from J&K: Three Let terrorists killed in an encounter in Anantnag. pic.twitter.com/qJOXylDDAY a ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

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New Delhi:

A

A minor girl and an Indian Army jawan were killed in a cross-border firing by Pakistan onA A near the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch's Balakote. A Pakistan reportedly violated ceasefire along the LoC in Poonch's Balakote and Rajouri'a Manjakote.A

A

The army jawan killed in theA crossfire has been identified as Naik Muddasar Ahmed, a native of J&K's TralA region.A

"2 civilians seriously injured, schools closed for an indefinite period of time, evacuation to be done once there is break in firing," said DDC Rajouri.

The incident took places hours before India and Pakistanas Director General of Military Operations held talks over the situation along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.A During the telephonic conversation, Indian Army DGMO Major General AK Bhatt took a strong stand against continuous ceasefire violation by Pak army. Bhatt highlighted that all ceasefire violations were initiated by Pakistan. aAnd as such, Indian Army reserves right to retaliate appropriately,a he told his Pak counterpart.A

Earlier on Saturday, Pakistan resorted to shelling along the Line of Control in Rajourias Manjakote. Soldier, Lance Naik Mohammed Naseer was martyred in the attack.

On Wednesday, two Army jawans were killed on Wednesday as Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire in the Keran sector of Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir.

On Tuesday, three militants were killed in an overnight encounter with security forces in central Kashmir's Budgam district.

#WATCH Ceasefire violation by Pakistan along the Line of Control in Rajouri's Manjakote sector (Jammu & Kashmir) pic.twitter.com/nBeko8KCeZ a ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

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New Delhi:

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday nominated Union urban development minister M Venkaiah Naidu as the NDA vice-presidential candidate.

Naidu, 68, has had a long experience in public life as he served twice as BJP president and four-time Rajya Sabha MP. At present, he is serving responsibilities of two portfolios in the Modi government.

These are the possible factors which led to his selection-

BJPs face in Southern region-

Venkaiah hails from Nellore and it was already stated that RSS was in favour of fielding a candidate who belong to upper caste and from South India. The saffron party has already filed Ram nath Kovind from Uttar Pradesh in the Presidential elections. So, the move can be seen as the balancing act of the party.

Partys strong candidate in Rajya Sabha

Venkaiah Naidu is Rajya Saabha MP from Rajasthan and he was earlier parliamentary affairs minister in the Modi government. As the vice-president also happens to be chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Venkaiah could be seen as strengthen for the party in the Upper House where party is in minority.

Dedicated party worker 

Venkaiah Naidu has always emerged as partys Sankat Mochak to resolve any crisis which the party had faced in past. He reached out opposition on critical issues and defended the government at several times in the Rajya Sabha.

His political career started during 'Jai Andhra Movement' in 1972. He was imprisoned under Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) during the emergency.Naidu was president of Janata Party Youth Wing of Andhra Pradesh between 1977 and 1980.

Also Read: BJP's Venkaiah Naidu is NDA's vice presidential nominee, to file nomination on Tuesday

His leadership skills helped his political career and he won the Andhra Pradesh assembly elections twice in 1978 and 1983 from Udayagiri constituency. He also served as Union minister for rural development in the ministry of Vajpayee Government.

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New Delhi:

The 14th Presidential election is taking place on Monday. NDAas candidate Ram Nath Kovind and oppositionas candidate Meira Kumar are in the fray for the countryas top constitutional post.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday congratulated Ram Nath Kovind apart from assuring him of his government's complete support.

At a meeting of the NDA MPs which was also attended by Kovind, Modi recalled that the former Bihar governor had worked as an aide of Morarji Desai when he was the Prime Minister.

Kovind has received nearly two-thirds of the Electoral College, with some political parties even outside the NDA fold throwing their weight behind him. Samajwadi Party mentor Mulayam Singh Yadav too is likely to support the NDA candidate.

Live updates from the President's electionA

#3:15 PM

It's vote against injustice. For sake of country we urge everyone to not support BJP & stand beside ppl: WB CM Mamata BanerjeeA



It's vote against injustice. For sake of country we urge everyone to not support BJP & stand beside ppl: WB CM on #PresidentialElection pic.twitter.com/g1cwAhcUtQ a ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

# 2:10 PMA

Mumbai: Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis casts his vote in Maharashtra Legislative Assembly for Presidential poll 2017

Mumbai: Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis casts his vote in Maharashtra Legislative Assembly for #PresidentialPoll2017 pic.twitter.com/X7JIknOfGG a ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

# 2:00 PM

Telangana CM KC Rao casts his vote in Hyderabad for Presidential poll 2017

Telangana CM KC Rao casts his vote in Hyderabad for #PresidentialPoll2017 pic.twitter.com/mTQwTqnEeT a ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

# 1:45 PM

Hundred per cent polling was recorded in the voting for the presidential election in Himachal with all 67 MLAs casting their vote

# 1:32 PM

By voting for Ram Nath Kovind, we have registered our protest against crimes of CPI(M), Congress and TMC: Ashish Saha, TMC on cross voting

By voting for Ram Nath Kovind, we've registered our protest against crimes of CPI(M), Congress & TMC: Ashish Saha, TMC on cross voting pic.twitter.com/hrg5tGGdVm a ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

# 1:28 PM

We have decided that we should vote for Ram Nath Kovind in Presidential election, says Shivpal Yadav

Humne tay kiya hai ki rashtrapati chunav mein #RamNathKovind ko hi vote karna chahiye: Shivpal Yadav pic.twitter.com/UKl4ekko31 a ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) July 17, 2017

# 12:34 PM

Fighting battle of ideologies, had urged collegium to listen to voice of their conscience and decision will be taken in India's favor: Meira Kumar

# 12:17 PM

Bhubaneswar: Odisha CM Naveen Biju Patnaik casts his vote for Presidential election at Odisha Assembly

Bhubaneswar: Odisha CM Naveen Biju Patnaik casts his vote for #PresidentialElection at Odisha Assembly pic.twitter.com/khFngu3W1v a ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

# 11:45 AM

All NCP MPs & MLAs have voted for Meira Kumar: NCP's Praful Patel

# 11:20 AM

Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu cast his vote for Presidential poll 2017 in Amaravati

Andhra Pradesh CM N.Chandrababu Naidu cast his vote for #PresidentialPoll2017 in Amaravati. pic.twitter.com/8ANHkR0CsT a ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

# 11:16 AM

Seems NDA Presidential candidate will come through. Happy that vast majority of votes from WB will go to Meira Kumar: S Chatterjee, Former LS Speaker

Seems NDA Pres candidate will come through.Happy that vast majority of votes from WB will go to #MeiraKumar: S Chatterjee, Former LS Speaker pic.twitter.com/qsx6tUhQ0w a ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

# 11:00 AM

Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan arrives at MP Assembly to cast his vote for Presidential poll 2017

Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan arrives at MP Assembly to cast his vote for #PresidentialPoll2017 pic.twitter.com/JAcN6CmsXd a ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

A

# 10:52 AM

Guwahati: Voting for Presidential poll 2017 underway at Assam Legislative Assembly; CM Sarbananda Sonowal also cast his vote

Guwahati: Voting for #PresidentialPoll2017 underway at Assam Legislative Assembly; CM Sarbananda Sonowal also cast his vote. pic.twitter.com/33x7Xn5KGS a ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

# 10:49 AM

DMK working president MK Stalin casts his vote at Tamil Nadu Assembly for Presidential poll 2017

DMK working president MK Stalin casts his vote at Tamil Nadu Assembly for #PresidentialPoll2017 pic.twitter.com/bVqKnVUkYN a ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

# 10:48 PM

Voting has begun for Presidential election, there is no doubt in Ram Nath Kovind winning it, says UP CM Yogi Adityanath

# 10:33 PM

Jailed MLAs Chhagan Bhujbal and Ramesh Kadam will be brought to Maharashtra Legislative Assembly from prison for voting in Presidential election

# 10:23 AM

Lucknow: UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath arrives at UP Assembly

Lucknow: UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath arrives at UP Assembly #PresidentialPoll2017 pic.twitter.com/HJ0aJug3LC a ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) July 17, 2017

# 10:23 AM

No matter who wins, President will be from Scheduled Caste. Huge victory for our movement and party: BSP President Mayawati

No matter who wins, President will be from Scheduled Caste. Huge victory for our movement & party: BSP Pres Mayawati #PresidentialPoll2017 pic.twitter.com/BpqzNy6Daq a ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

# 10:22 AM

Presidential Election 2017: MLAs queue up at Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly to cast their votes

Presidential Election 2017: MLAs queue up at Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly to cast their votes #PresidentialPoll2017 pic.twitter.com/vUVBAEthNA a ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

# 10:21 AM

Delhi: Members of Parliament line up to cast their votes for Presidential poll 2017

Delhi: Members of Parliament line up to cast their votes for #PresidentialPoll2017 pic.twitter.com/leXCBWvfpH a ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

# 10:15 AM

Delhi: PM Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah cast their votes at the Parliament for Presidential poll 2017

Delhi: PM Narendra Modi & BJP President Amit Shah cast their votes at the Parliament for #PresidentialPoll2017 pic.twitter.com/UXk1Xz7Wou a ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

# 10:10 AM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi casts his voteA

# 10:05 AM

Delhi: BJP President Amit Shah arrives at the Parliament

Delhi: BJP President Amit Shah arrives at the Parliament #PresidentialPoll2017 pic.twitter.com/mhm8OkfCLq a ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

# 10:00 AM

Voting begins for Presidential election

# 9:50 AM

Bengaluru: Preparations underway at Karnataka Legislative Assembly ahead of the Presidential Election

Bengaluru: Preparations underway at Karnataka Legislative Assembly ahead of the #PresidentialElection pic.twitter.com/HsMv3y3qTN a ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

# 9:40 AM



Ram Nath Kovind ji will win with a comfortable & respectable margin: Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu

Ram Nath Kovind ji will win with a comfortable & respectable margin: Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu on #PresidentialPoll2017 pic.twitter.com/0dmfLVw9fy a ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

# 9:32 AM

A Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah to cast their votes at 10 am in the Parliament

Know all who are supporting Ram Nath Kovind apart from NDA allies:

# AIADMK a Tamil Nadu CM Edapaddi Palanisami has announced support for Kovind

# O. Panneerselvam, rebel leader too put his weight behind the NDA candidate

# Biju Janata Dal chief and Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik

# Bihar CM Nitish Kumar whoas also the chief of Janata Dal (United)

# K. Chandrashekhar Rao of Telangana Rashtra Samithi

On the other hand, Congress president and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi said that the presidential election on Monday demands a "vote of conscience" as it represents a clash of ideas and conflict of disparate values.

She further claimed that the electoral contest was the opposition's fight against a "narrow-minded, divisive and communal vision" while addressing a gathering of opposition parties here where its presidential and vice presidential nominees, Meira Kumar and Gopal Krishna Gandhi respectively, were formally introduced.

Know all who are supporting Meira Kumar apart from UPA allies:

# Trinamool Congress -A West Bengal CM and chief Mamata Banerjee has announced support for Meira Kumar

# AAP a Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal too has offered support to the UPA candidate

Ram Nath Kovind:

The NDA's presidential pick Ram Nath Kovind assured all MPs and MLAs that he would act in an "impartial manner" and upkeep the dignity of the office of the President.

He further said the President's post is above party politics as it is the highest constitutional post of the country.

Kovind said that once he became the Governor of Bihar, he did not remain member of any political party and he performed all his duties as governor as per the Constitution.A A A A A A A

Meira Kumar:

Meira Kumar, the opposition's presidential candidate, said that she had respect for her rival NDA contestant Ram Nath Kovind, but the upcoming election was a battle of two ideologies.

She said that it was a sad situation that the presidential poll was being dubbed as a 'Dalit vs Dalit' contest. Kumar lamented that since the battle this time was between her and former Bihar governor Kovind, both of whom were Dalits, nothing else was being discussed apart from their caste.

Kumar went a step further as she described India as a multi-religious country, where the people followed different faiths. She added that it was "unfortunate" that the country was divided on the basis of caste and creed.

Moreover, she pledged to fight against all sorts of communalism and discrimination prevalent in the country.

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New Delhi:

Rubbishing the rumour of any further extension in the short summer break, the government on Sunday has said that classes of all private and government schools and colleges are all set to be re-started on Monday.

Talking about the same, Farooq Ahmad Shah, the Secretary School Education has explained that there would not be any kind of extension in the ten days long summer break, previously announced for government and private schools.

Hence the speculation of further extension is totally baseless and all government and private colleges will as usual re-open from Monday, 17th July 2017.

Also Read: J-K: Police detain Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq

Meanwhile, due to several terror attacks one after another, the schools, colleges and other daily activities were suspended in the area though the situation is at present a bit normal and people are returning back to their normal life.

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New Delhi:

Twitter is buzzing with news alerts from India and rest of the world. Here are the latest updates from the microblogging site in one scroll:

#11:14 PM

Venkaiah Naidu resigns as Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Information and Broadcasting.

#9:53 PM

J&K: Jammu Srinagar National Highway closed due to fresh landslides triggered by heavy rainfall in Udhampur's Kheri. - ANI

#9:42 PM

Four persons dead after a car rolled down in Doda's Thathri area: J&K Police - ANI

#9:38 PM

West Bengal: Clashes between TMC and GJM in Mirik, injured taken to North Bengal Medical College, security forces deployed. - ANI

#9:29 PM

J&K: Gunshots heard at Bulbul Nowgam and Brakpora areas of Anantnag. More details awaited. - ANI

#9:15 PM

Former Tamil Nadu CM O Panneerselvam extends support to NDA #VicePresidential candidate #VenkaiahNaidu. - ANI

#9:10 PM

Happy for him, he is our neighbour for last 4-5 yrs. He is a very nice gentleman: Madhusudhan Reddy, #VenkaiahNaidu's neighbour in Hyderabad - ANI

#9:08 PM

Speeding school van flips in Gujarat's Vadodara, 8 students injured. School management orders inquiry into the incident. - ANI

#8:56 PM

Want to congratulate Venkaiah ji on his candidature for the post of Vice President: Home Minister Rajnath Singh - ANI

#8:55 PM

Demonetisation issue: Centre files affidavit in SC, says not ready to extend the window for depositing old notes. - ANI

#8:39 PM

Venkaiah ji's contribution has been immense, will miss a good leader.Dignity of VP post will further enhance,I'm sure:Piyush Goyal,Power Min - ANI

#8:19 PM

Air India Express Mangalore to Dammam (Saudi Arabia) flight diverted to Mumbai following a medical emergency after a 22 year old fell ill. - ANI

#8:11 PM

A farmer's son will become the next Vice President, Venkaiah ji is a dedicated person. Matter of great happiness: MP CM Shivraj Chouhan - ANI

#8:03 PM

I know Venkaiah Naidu Garu for years. Have always admired his hardwork & tenacity. A fitting candidate for the office of Vice President: PM - ANI

#8:03 PM

28% GST rate on cigarettes remains, 5% ad valorem on cess to stay: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley - ANI

#8:02 PM

Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu expressed his happiness over the nomination of Venkaiah Naidu as NDA #VicePresidential Candidate.- ANI

#8:02 PM

GST council in its meet reviewed compensation cess rates on cigarettes and recommended increase in the same, effective from this midnight - ANI

#7:39 PM

BJP President Amit Shah addresses the media in Delhi on Vice Presidential polls. - ANI

#7:36 PM

Committed to free&fair inquiry w/ regard to allegations of prison irregularities,to ensure truth emerges & guilty brought to book: K'taka CM - ANI

#7:29 PM

Delhi: EAM Sushma Swaraj leaves after meeting on #VicePresidential candidate at BJP Headquarters. - ANI

#7:23 PM

Possibly the highest voter turnout. 9-10 states witnessed 100% voting,overall 98%-99%: Anoop Mishra, Returning officer #PresidentialElectionA - ANI

#7:22 PM

714 MPs voted in Parliament: Anoop Mishra, Returning Officer #PresidentialElectionA - ANI

#7:21 PM

MLA Nilesh Cabral has filed complaint,his question was leaked, don't know who did it, enquiry underway: Pramod Sawant, speaker #Goa assembly - ANI

#7:12 PM

#WestBengal: One dead, 20 injured after a passenger bus hit a bike and overturned in West Medinipur's Pirakata - ANI

#7:05 PM

Air India's cabin crew member Amisha wins Miss United Nations. - ANI

#6:58 PM

...and education on manustral hygiene for school girls. Next date of hearing is 7th November. (2/2) - ANI

#6:58 PM

Delhi HC issues notice to GoI, Delhi, NDMC & MCDs on PIL filed to ensure availability of sanitary pads for free or at subsidized rates (1/2) - ANI

#6:53 PM

Vehicles fall in an open sewer at waterlogged Sarai Khwaja Market in Faridabad, Haryana. - ANI

#6:53 PM

He is a LeT member. Look out notice was issued earlier. He was deported from UAE after his visa expired: Anand Kumar UP ADG (Law and Order) - ANI

#6:27 PM

Both sides agreed for expeditious implementation of earlier decisions,committed to each other to maintain peace & tranquility at Intl Border - ANI

#6:26 PM

It was decided to re-energize instant communication between field commanders, whenever required, to resolve the petty matters. - ANI

#6:25 PM

Commanders of both border guarding forces, inter alia, discussed various issues including recent unprovoked firing in Samba and other issues - ANI

#6:24 PM

J&K: Commandant-Wing Cdr level Flag meeting was held between Border Security Force and Pakistan Rangers on International Boundary in Samba. - ANI

#6:16 PM

Siliguri, West Bengal: Darjeeling Himalayan Railway incurs 20% loss in passengers due to ongoing protests for separate Gorkhaland. - ANI

#6:15 PM

ED arrests Shivani Saxena, Director Matrix Holdings Dubai, under PMLA in Agusta Westland Helicopter Scam. - ANI

#6:14 PM

Delhi: PM Narendra Modi arrives at BJP Headquarters for a meeting on on #VicePresidential candidate. - ANI

#5:58 PM

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti voted in #PresidentialPolls at Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly today - ANI

#5:53 PM

Kerala women's commission writes to Tamil Nadu commission demanding immediate action agnst those who published name/pic of Malayalam actress - ANI

#5:50 PM

Karnataka: Man allegedly misbehaves with woman, paraded in skirt with half-shaved head & garland of slippers in Vijayapura by woman's family - ANI

#5:46 PM

NDA candidate for Vice President to file nomination tomorrow at 11 am. - ANI

#5:35 PM

Congress Parliamentary Strategy Committee Meeting begins at 10 Janpath, Delhi - ANI

#5:33 PM

ED attaches assets worth Rs 4.48 Crore ( Market Value is 35-40 Cr) of Ramesh Patel, Liquor Mafia of Daman under PMLA - ANI

#5:30 PM

Delhi Court adjourned hearing on charge sheet filed by Delhi Police against Sukesh Chandrashekhar for 25 July in Two-Leaves symbol case. - ANI

#5:21 PM

Suspected LeT terrorist Saleem Khan, a resident of Uttar Pradesh's Fatehpur arrested by police from Mumbai airport- ANI

#5:12 PM

Delhi: Man arrested for burglary in New Friends Colony; 280 grams of gold jewellery recovered from him. - ANI

#5:05 PM

Congress gives notice for tomorrow in Rajya Sabha to discuss repeated incidents of lynching & atrocities unleashed on Dalits and minorities. - ANI

#5:00 PM

CBI argued that itas been merely a month since case was transferred to them & they required more time, next hearing on August 8. - ANI

#4:59 PM

Najeeb missing case: In hearing of Habeas Corpus petition filed by his mother CBI filed first Status Report in a sealed cover at Delhi HC - ANI

#4:53 PM

J&K: One jawan injured in Uri ceasefire violation, artillery shells fired from PoK side. - ANI

#4:51 PM

J&K: Ceasefire violation in Uri sector, Pakistan targets several posts, Indian Army retaliatesA - ANI

#4:46 PM

TMC gives Notice under Rule 267 in Rajya Sabha for tomorrow to discuss Indo-China issue on a priority & suspend all other business - ANI

#4:46 PM

The four fishermen were produced in Court and have been sent on remand till 31 Jul, lodged in Jaffna jail in Sri Lanka. - ANI

#4:44 PM

Tamil Nadu: Sri Lankan Navy apprehended one country boat with 4 fishermen from Nambuthalai of Ramanathapuram district - ANI

#4:38 PM

There is no security to state Govt honest officers in Karnataka, spoke about Roopa (transferred from DIG prisons post): BS Yeddyurappa - ANI

#4:34 PM

All states/UTs are requested to suitably sensitise all concerned to ensure strict compliance of the above instructions: MHA - ANI

#4:34 PM

At best will be a flower among with a khadi handkerchief or a book may be presented to welcome the dignitary: MHA to all states - ANI

#4:33 PM

No bouquet may be presented to the PM during his tours within India: MHA to all states- ANI

#4:33 PM

23 political murders took place so far, all murder cases should be referred to NIA: Karnataka BJP president BS Yeddyurappa after meeting HM - ANI

#4:30 PM

We have requested HM Rajnath ji to open NIA Office in Mangalore immediately, & that Sharath murder case be referred to NIA: B.S. Yeddyurappa- ANI

#4:19 PM

#Floods: Four helicopters of Indian Air Force engage in relief work in Odisha's Rayagada, food packets being airdropped in marooned areas - ANI

#4:16 PM

All other things are only speculations. Whatever Parliamentary Board decides is final: Venkaiah Naidu on #VicePresidential polls candidate- ANI

#4:15 PM

I'm not aspiring to become anything, party finally decides about the candidature. Meeting at 6 pm: Venkaiah Naidu on #VicePresidential polls - ANI

#4:13 PM

Kerala: HC grants interim bail to former Kerala DGP TP Senkumar in a case for allegedly making communal remarks. - ANI

#4:00 PM

#Bengaluru: Parapanna Agrahara Central Prison Jail superintendent Krishna Kumar also transferred, R.Anitha named as the replacement. - ANI

#3:45 PM

Sensex up by 54.03 points to close at 32,074.78. Nifty ends at 9,915.95 - ANI

#3:40 PM

Model Sonika Chauhan death case: Accused Vikram Chatterjee filed bail petition at Alipore Sessions Court, hearing on 20th July. - ANI

#3:35 PM

Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre visited forward post of Siachen Glacier, Eastern Ladakh and Western Ladakh on 15th-16th July- ANI

#3:29 PM

Shikhar Dhawan to replace injured Murali Vijay for Indiaas tour of Sri Lanka, 2017 - ANI

#3:18 PM

Demonetisation and GST biggest scams. We will not bow down our head, we will be happy to go to jail: Mamata Banerjee, WB CM

#3:16 PM

Essar Steel vs RBI: Gujarat High Court dismisses Essar Steel's plea against RBI referral to NCLT. No relief granted to Essar Steel - ANI

#3:12 PM

It's vote against injustice. For sake of country we urge everyone to not support BJP & stand beside ppl: WB CM on #PresidentialElectionA - ANI

#3:10 PM

Why are the borders kept open? What is SSB, IB, RAW doing here? People belonging to the Jamaat are being allowed inside: CM Mamata Banerjee - ANI

#3:09 PM

Centre has ruined relationship with Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh. We are the worst sufferers. Where is NIA?intelligence agencies?: WB CM - ANI

#3:04 PM

Delhi's Patiala house court adjourns the hearing till August 28th in the case related to LeT terrorist Bahadur Ali, arrested by NIA. - ANI

#3:01 PM

At least 34 missing after military ship sinks off Cameroon

#1:50 PM

Agra: 3 labourers died, 2 injured after being electrocuted while cleaning a glow sign board at a petrol pump

#1:23 PM

Bengaluru DIG (Prisons) D.Roopa transferred to traffic department

#12:30 PM

Naik Muddasar Ahmed, belonging to J&K's Tral, lost his life in ceasefire violations by Pakistan on Indian Army posts in Rajouri sector

#12:05 PM

Centre tells SC- no decision has been taken as yet on the commercial launch of Genetically Modified Mustard seeds. Hearing adjourned till July 24

#11:32 AM

Rajya Sabha adjourned till tomorrow after giving obituary to former members and victims of #AmarnathTerrorAttack

#11:30 AM

Lok Sabha adjourned till tomorrow after giving obituary to former members and victims of #AmarnathTerrorAttack

#10:28 AM

No matter who wins, President will be from Scheduled Caste. Huge victory for our movement & party: BSP Pres Mayawati-ANI

#10:26 AM

Delhi: Members of Parliament line up to cast their votes for #PresidentialPoll2017

Delhi: Members of Parliament line up to cast their votes for #PresidentialPoll2017 pic.twitter.com/leXCBWvfpH a ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

#10:25 AM

PM Narendra Modi & BJP President Amit Shah cast their votes at the Parliament for #PresidentialPoll2017

#10:00 AM

One killed, four injured in a blast at Pakistan's Hayatabad

#9:59 AM

J&K: One woman injured in ceasefire violation by Pakistan along the LoC in Rajouri's Manjakote sector-ANI

#8:59 AM

Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh): BJP supporters perform 'hawan' for NDA's presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind's victory

Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh): BJP supporters perform 'hawan' for NDA's presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind's victory #PresidentialPoll2017 pic.twitter.com/LxySX4cHmK a ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) July 17, 2017

#8:40 AM

Leaders of opposition parties to meet at 10 am today in the Parliament.

#8:01 AM

Sri Lankan Navy apprehends four Indian fishermen, belonging to Tamil Nadu, along with one boat near Delft island.

#7:34 AM

BJP parliamentary board meeting on Vice Presidential candidate scheduled to take place at BJP headquarters later today

#7:32 AM

Varanasi (UP): Devotees throng Kashi Vishwanath Temple on the second Monday of 'Sawan' month.

#7:31 AM

Monsoon Session of the Parliament to begin from today

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

The waiting list of five at central Delhi's Lok Nayak Hospital may not seem to be a very large number, but it is a surge considering the nature of the procedure and the past records the surgery being talked about is a sex-change operation and seeing its growing demand in the city it is suggestive of the fact that old prohibitions are beginning to die away.

The queue includes two engineers and a medical student. Thats not surprising, according to Dr P S Bhandari, who heads the hospital's plastic surgery division. Many of such patients are from middle class backgrounds. "Ten years ago, we would get one or two such cases in a year. But now, we are getting three to four requests every month," said Dr Rajiv Mehta, consultant psychiatrist.

Ila (name changed) was one such person Mehta recently scrutinised the 27-year-old from Noida was born a girl but hated dressing or behaving like one. "I hated wearing frocks and playing with dolls. When I was forced to conform, I would fight with my folks at home. My parents were not ready to accept things. They felt I was doing it deliberately," Ila said, adding that she fell into a deep depression because of the continuous inner battle.

Ila attempted suicide three years back by overdosing on sleeping pills. She was hurried to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital by her parents where a detailed appraisal was done and the doctors discovered that she was suffering from deep depression with severe anxiety, alcohol and nicotine dependence, said Mehta.

He further said that Ila would drink more than half a bottle of whisky and smoke 20 cigarettes a day. Ila said she felt like a male imprisoned in a female body. Doctors said she suffered from gender identity disorder (GID)  a clash between a person's physical gender and the gender he or she identifies with  and elucidated the disorder to her parents. After her parents consent, Ila was prescribed antidepressants and detoxified for drugs. She was urged to live as a male and was administered testosterone therapy for months. Subsequently she surgeries were performed at a Mumbai hospital to detach her breasts and vagina, and get a reconstructed penis.

"A sex-change surgery is irreversible. So, we ask such patients to cross-dress and live like a man or a woman  as the case may be  for six months before undergoing surgery," one of the psychiatrists said.

Growing acceptance of GID, social support and the option of sex change surgeries have inspired people to go in for corrective measures.

A patient needs complete psychiatric assessment before going through such an operation. Dr Sameer Malhotra, who heads the department of mental health and behavioural sciences at Max Hospital Saket, said he, too, has seen an increase in demand for such surgeries. As sex-change surgery is an expensive process in private hospitals, many patients are lining up at public hospitals, such as Lok Nayak.
New Delhi:

With a solar conjunction coming soon, NASA is all set to take a break from Mars Rovers to avoid any kind of sun corruption during the time. NASA has decided to stop sending commands to its three Mars orbiters and two Mars rovers Curiosity and Opportunity for a couple of weeks as the Sun will be almost directly between Earth and Mars.

Though Mars will accurately not be directly behind the Sun during the time, it will be close enough.

While Curiosity is experiencing the solar conjunction for the third time, the incident is for seventh time in case of Opportunity.

From July 22 to August 1 NASA will take a vacation as during the time charged particles from the sun may affect singnals being sent to a spacecraft.

The particles are also able to corrupt any data, the spacecraft is trying to send back. Acording to NASA this corrupted signals and data may arouse confusions and even cause danger in case they follow unclear commands out of confusions.

Also Read: Lunar robots land on 'Mount Etna', most active volcano of Europe

The suns corona of hot, ionized gas is preety much able to cause interruptions in radio waves coming from the rovers back to JPL and vice versa.

Talking about their plans regarding Mars Rovers during the time, Chad Edwards, manager of the Mars Relay Network Office at JPL has said, "We will continue to receive telemetry, so we will have information every day about the status of the vehicles."

"All of these spacecraft are now veterans of conjunction, We know what to expect," Edwards stated further.

For all the Latest Science News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Nokia, that belongs to HMD Global is all set to uncover a new version of Nokia 105 model priced at Rs 999. The dual SIM version of the device will be priced at Rs 1,149 (excluding taxes and subsidies).

Both the versions will mark their entry in the feature phone market of India on Wednesday. Alongside, the company is also planning to launch another feature phone, Nokia 130, in the coming weeks and it is expected to be priced under Rs 1,500.

The revamped version of the Nokia 105 features a new ergonomic design, better battery life, a larger screen size and new tactile island keymat, HMD said. Both models feature 1.8-inch colour screens and LED torch lights.

Read more: Nokia 8 with Snapdragon 835 processor: Check specifications and price

With more than four billion people remaining offline and unable to benefit from the social and economic development opportunities of the internet, simply getting connected by voice and text is still such an important step for many people around the world, HMD Global CEO Arto Nummela said in a statement.

We cannot underestimate the need and benefit of being connected and we are dedicated to delivering devices that can enable many people around the world to expand their horizon, he said.
New Delhi:

In a shocking revelation, US intelligence officials have reportedly said that the United Arab Emirates was behind the hacking of Qatari government news and social media sites in order to post incendiary false quotes attributed to Qatar's emir, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad al-Thani. These posts, originating in late May this year, were later used as Gulf nations to boycott Qatar and impose sanctions.



According to a report in Washington Post, new information gathered by US intelligence agencies have confirmed that on May 23, senior members of the UAE government discussed the plan and its implementation. The officials told the Post that it remains unclear whether the UAE carried out the hacks itself or contracted to have them done. The false reports said that the emir, among other things, had called Iran an "Islamic power" and praised Hamas.



The 'false' statements had a devasting effect on the Gulf region, as soon after the alleged hack, the Saudis, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt immediately banned all Qatari media. They then broke relations with Qatar and declared a trade and diplomatic boycott, sending the region into a political and diplomatic tailspin.

However, the United Arab Emirates has categorically denied the alllegations. "In a statement released in Washington by its ambassador, Yousef al-Otaiba, the UAE said the Post story was "false"," the report said.



"The UAE had no role whatsoever in the alleged hacking described in the article," the statement said. "What is true is Qatar's behaviour. Funding, supporting, and enabling extremists from the Taliban to Hamas and Qadafi. Inciting violence, encouraging radicalization, and undermining the stability of its neighbours."



The hacking as revealed after a pro-Qatari organisation calling itself GlobalLeaks allegedly hacked into Otaiba's private account and circulated the emails to US media houses over the past several months.



Many of the emails highlight the UAE's determination over the years to rally Washington, DC, thinkers and policymakers to its side on the issues at the centre of its dispute with Qatar.



Qatar has repeatedly charged that its sites were hacked, but it has not yet released the results of its own investigation. Intelligence officials said their working theory since the Qatar hacks has been that Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, or some combination of those countries were involved. It remains unclear whether the others also participated in the plan.



The hacks and posting took place on May 24, shortly after President Donald Trump completed a lengthy counterterrorism meeting with Persian Gulf leaders in neighbouring Saudi Arabia and declared them unified.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
California citizens criminalized for refusing vaccines while actual violent criminals will be granted legal immunity under new Sanctuary push

After Californias tough new immunization law, eliminating religious and philosophical exemptions for vaccines, unvaccinated kids can no longer go to public schools in the Golden State. As one of the leading proponents of forced vaccination, Dr. Richard Pan  the same senator who sponsored last years mandatory vaccine campaign  is back with a new proposal to gain even more control over childrens lives. If we let him have his way, he will make vaccines mandatory for ALL children living in California.

While California is criminalizing parents for refusing to vaccinate their children with toxic substances, it is also planning to release real criminals on the streets under the so-called Sanctuary State Bill or Senate Bill 54 (SB 54), the Zero Hedge reported.

Earlier this month, legislators in Sacramento pushed SB 54 one step closer to reality after it had been cleared by the State Assemblys Judiciary Committee. According to Senate President Pro Tem Kevin De Leon, SB 54 intends to prevent the police in California from helping the Trump Deportation Machine, reported RT.

De Leon was the one to introduce the bill to protect undocumented immigrants in California by limiting cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities. As a result, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents will no longer be able to access state databases or go into jails to deport prisoners.

Speaking to CBS Sacramento, De Leon explained that during the first 100 days of the Trump administration arrests of immigrants with no criminal record jumped 150 percent compared to the same period last year. Furthermore, he noted that he will protect those who contribute to making California the sixth largest economy in the world.

Under constitutional threats from the reckless Trump administration, SB 54 protects state and local law enforcement and resources necessary to keep our communities safe, De Leon said. ICE is out to arrest and deport honest, hard-working parents who obey the laws and pay their taxes and owe allegiance to the red, white and blue.

In response, U.S. immigration officials cited that even though ICE agents arrested 188 illegal immigrants involved in drug offenses, domestic violence, sex crimes, assault, burglary, fraud, vehicle theft, property damage, manslaughter, prostitution, and incest, among other violation of the law in Los Angeles during the May 25 raid, the total number of arrests of illegal immigrants is lower than during the Obama administration.

According to De Leon, his bill will allow authorities to respond to ICE inquiries only when convicted violent offenders are involved. De Leon has the support of many union groups that protect immigrant families.

Though the bill has been strongly opposed by Republican lawmakers and California sheriffs who are worried about losing federal funding and their grip on dangerous criminals, the legislation received support from the Los Angeles Police Department. They said that they need the immigrant communitys trust to effectively investigate crimes. Also, they want to keep ensuring witnesses and victims that they will not be arrested and deported just for cooperating with law enforcements.

Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown, who is also president of the California Sheriffs Association, noted that SB 54 would result in many dangerous criminal offenders being released to our streets without proper communication and cooperation with immigration authorities. Unless they have a warrant, ICE agents will no longer be allowed to act in cases of undocumented immigrants convicted of serious crimes.

Before California gains more control, the bill must go through one more committee hearing before receiving its final approval by the Assembly. Is California on another mission to become its own nation? If so, Natural News would support California leaving the United States.

Sources include:

ZeroHedge.com

NaturalNews.com

RT.com

Sacramento.CBSLocal.com

Submit a correction >>
Youve quit your boring job, deleted your boss from your digital life and decided to become a digital nomadic entrepreneur. You know you can do it. You have an intense passion for your newly found business idea. You have a strong commitment to make it a success. But you are afraid. Youve read all the stories about successful digital nomads making millions as they wine and dine around beautiful cities. Yet youre still not sure how to have fun as you work and cruise around the world.

Related: 5 Tips for Surviving as a Digital Nomad

The hard truth is, its not easy. Those success stories you read are a product of years of failures, ambition and hard work. If you work hard and smart, you too can build your million-dollar company as you travel all over the world. Heres how:

1. Settle into a comfortable hotel room.

Your work as a nomadic entrepreneur is flexible. So it doesnt matter where you do it. You can sit in a rental office in the boroughs of New York City and still produce great work. You can sit in one of the popular meeting places in the metropolis of London and still produce great work. You can sit in a tent in the sunny city of Johannesburg and still produce great work.

What matters is that you find a comfortable place to relax and recharge after a rough day. Your room doesnt have to be 720 square feet and furnished with a sunken living room to be comfortable. It just has to be equipped with a great bed and standard Wi-Fi.

To maximize your comfort, look for a room thats located:

At the back of the hotel

Away from the elevator

Away from the pool

You need a quieter environment that will allow you to work peacefully during the day and sleep deeply at night.

2. Take advantage of your solitary life.

Nomadic entrepreneurs usually travel alone. When you start the digital nomadic lifestyle, dont stay idle when youre not working. Turn your quiet situation into a great work opportunity.

Here are some of the activities you can do to maximize your productivity when you are alone:

Read. You need continuous education to stay atop your industry. And reading is the easiest way to learn quickly and efficiently. Read a book, a blog post or a new report -- anything thatll keep you current and position you ahead of your competitors.

You need continuous education to stay atop your industry. And reading is the easiest way to learn quickly and efficiently. Read a book, a blog post or a new report -- anything thatll keep you current and position you ahead of your competitors. Reflect. Dont watch a dancing cat on YouTube. Even when you dont feel like reading, reflect on your vision, mission and business strategies.

Dont watch a dancing cat on YouTube. Even when you dont feel like reading, reflect on your vision, mission and business strategies. Review your business goals. Theyre the path to your business success, so you need to review your goals from time to time. See where youre winning and where youre losing, and devise a faster approach to accomplishing your business goals.

This set of activities will help grow your business tenfold. Just be sure to do your most important tasks in the morning before the city starts buzzing. Lets talk about how.

Related: 20 Digital Nomad Retreats, Spaces, Communities and Conferences Around the World

3. Work in the morning. Go sightseeing in the evening.

You may need to change your work schedule, even if youre a night owl, for several reasons.

First, a study by Harvard Business Review found that people whose performance peaks in the morning are better positioned for career success, because theyre more proactive than people who are at their best in the evening.

Next, morning time is you time. You can finish your work before the sun comes up, cars start honking and the city starts banging at your ears, disrupting your focus.

And finally, almost all successful entrepreneurs are morning people. Richard Branson wakes at 5:45. Tim Cook rises at 3:45, and Howard Schultz gets up at 4:30. Learn from them. Let your alarm wake you up at 5 or 6 each morning. After 15-20 minutes of exercise, roll up your sleeves, and put your nose to the grindstone. Later in the evening, after youve accomplished your tasks, you can go sightseeing.

Stroll down the street to watch the citys beauty. Visit famous attractions, and learn about the local culture. Or just hang out in a mall or at a cafe, coffee in hand, watching the busy city into the late hours of the night.

4. Get inspired to reinvent the world.

Even though my mom wanted me close to her, my uncle insisted that I go to a high school outside of my home state. He talked to my mom about the benefits of traveling. Its another form of learning, he said. Hell get a lot of experience. Hell be exposed to new adventures. I did, and I was.

Related: Why I Traveled to 47 Countries While Building a Startup

In high school, I mingled with people from different cultural backgrounds, and that made me want to travel even more. My entrepreneurial spirit caught fire after meeting a Canadian freelance web designer named Steve at the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt. Steve had just gotten and was proud of his career. Seven days ago, I was honeymooning at a beautiful villa in Bali, and still worked with my laptop, he bragged. Today Im in the ancient city of Cairo!

What a fun, flexible life! Like Steve, you too can adopt the digital nomadic lifestyle. Just get a quiet tent. Do the real work. Communicate with your inner self. And turn your adventures into new products as you cruise around the world. Thats how to work and have fun while you explore the world.

So dont be afraid. Go and follow your dreams.

Related:

4 Ways Sleeping Naked Makes You Healthier and Wealthier

8 TED Talks to Help You Overcome Your Fear of Failure

Digital Nomadic Entrepreneurship: 4 Ways to Work and Play Around the World

Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved



This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com
OTTAWA, July 17, 2017 /CNW/ - Canada's Premiers will meet July 18-19 at the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald in Edmonton, Alberta.

"I look forward to welcoming my fellow Premiers to Alberta," said Alberta Premier Rachel Notley, who is the chair of the Council at the summer meeting. "I am pleased to have the opportunity to lead the discussions on important priorities that will benefit people across our country and make life better for families."

On July 18, Premiers will talk about jobs and economic growth. Discussions will focus on Canada-U.S. relations, global trade and infrastructure.

On July 19, Premiers will discuss a range of issues including cannabis, criminal justice, and opioids.

A closing news conference is planned for the afternoon of July 19.

The Council of the Federation comprises all 13 provincial and territorial Premiers. It enables Premiers to work collaboratively, form closer ties, foster constructive relationships among governments, and show leadership on important issues that matter to Canadians.

SOURCE Canada's Premiers

For further information: Media enquiries may be directed to: Cheryl Oates, Media Relations, Office of the Premier, Government of Alberta, (780) 422-4905, [email protected]

Related Links

http://www.canadaspremiers.ca/en/


BRISBANE, Australia, July 17, 2017 /CNW/ -- Orocobre Limited (ASX: ORE) (TSX: ORL) (Orocobre or the Company) will hold a teleconference to discuss the results of the June 2017 Quarterly Report. Details of the call are provided below:

Date: 19 July 2017

Time: 10.00am (AEST)

Participant code: 240739

Participants Dial-in: 1 800 558 698 or +61 2 9007 3187



Location Number Location Number Location Number Australia Local +612 9007 3187 Italy 800 793 500 Switzerland 0800 820 030 Australia Toll Free 1 800 558 698 Japan 0053 116 1281 Taiwan Thailand UAE 008 0112 7397 001800 156 206 3275 800 035 702705 China Wide 4001 200 659 Malaysia 1800 816 294 USA UK 1855 8811 339 0800 051 8245 Belgium 0800 72 111 Netherlands 0800 020 0715



Canada 1855 8811 339 New Zealand 0800 453 055



France 0800 913 848 Norway 800 69 950



Germany 0800 182 7617 Philippines 1800 1110 1462



Hong Kong 800 966 806 Singapore 800 101 2785



India 0008 0010 08443 South Korea 00 798 142 063 275



Indonesia 001 803 019 3275 Sweden 020 791 959



Ireland 1800 948 625 South Africa 0800999976

















For more information please contact:

Andrew Barber

Investor Relations Manager

T: +61 7 3871 3985

M: +61 418 783 701

E: [email protected]

Please visit www.orocobre.com

SOURCE Orocobre Limited

Related Links

http://www.orocobre.com


MONTREAL, July 17, 2017 /CNW Telbec/ - Development and Peace  Caritas Canada would like to express its profound gratitude to Canadians across the country for their rapid and generous response to the Government of Canada's Famine Relief Fund to raise monies for the severe food crisis in northeast Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen.

"We are deeply thankful for our donors and the Government of Canada for their help in providing life-saving relief to tens of thousands of men, women and children who are in imminent peril in Africa and Yemen," says Serge Langlois, Executive Director, Development and Peace.

In addition, Development and Peace  Caritas Canada would like to thank the Canadian Council of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) and the members of the various Canada's faith communities for their united Interfaith Appeal on June 7th, 2017, to Canadians to Pray, Give or Speak Out in response to this food humanitarian crisis. "This joint appeal of all faith communities was a unified cry from the heart, with one voice and one message to protect the human dignity of the most vulnerable in these countries," adds Langlois.

Over the course of the Fund between March 17th and June 30th, 2017, Canadians rallied to donate $2.5 Million to Development and Peace, of which 1.3 M is eligible for matching funds from the Government of Canada's Famine Relief. Thus, thanks to Development and Peace donors, a total of $3.8 million will be put towards relief efforts in Africa and Yemen.

Donations made directly to Development and Peace are currently being sent to its on-the-ground partners Caritas South Soudan, Caritas Nigeria, Trocaire in Somalia and CAFOD in Yemen to supplement the emergency aid, such as food, water, sanitation services and medical care, which they have been delivering since last February.

In February 2017, the United Nations declared there were 20 million people, including 1.4 million children, at risk of death in these countries. The Government of Canada's Famine Relief Fund, launched on May 29, matches every eligible donation made by individual Canadians to registered Canadian charities between March 17 and June 30, 2017. While the Government of Canada Famine Relief Fund has closed, unfortunately, the crisis persists; Development and Peace encourages Canadians to continue to give generously, according to their means, by electronic donation on the website of the organization www.devp.org, by mail or by phone on 1 888 664-3387.

About Development and Peace

Development and Peace is one of the most important international development organizations in Canada. It was founded in 1967 by the Canadian Catholic Bishops as a means of inspiring Canadians to act in solidarity with their sisters and brothers in the Global South suffering from the injustice of poverty. Over the past 50 years, Development and Peace has invested $600 million in more than 15,000 projects in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East.

Development and Peace is a strong and diverse movement that brings together Canadians from all over the country working for justice to enable that the poorest people to live with respect and dignity. Development and Peace is also Caritas Canada, official member of the Caritas Internationalis confederation, an international network of more than 160 Catholic development organizations.

SOURCE Development and Peace

For further information: Gay Decker, Communications Officer, 514 257-8711 X 365, [email protected]

Related Links

www.devp.org


LAVAL, Quebec, July 17, 2017 /CNW/ -- Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. (NYSE: VRX andTSX: VRX) ("Valeant" or the "Company") today announced that certain affiliates of the Company have entered into an agreement to sell its Obagi Medical Products business for $190 million in cash to Haitong International Zhonghua Finance Acquisition Fund I, L.P. (the "Fund"). Limited partners of the Fund include industry veterans in other geographic markets, such as China Regenerative Medicine International Limited (SEHK: 8158).

"The sale of Obagi marks additional progress in our efforts to streamline our operations and reduce debt," Joseph C. Papa, chairman and CEO, Valeant. "As we continue to transform Valeant, we will remain focused on the core businesses that will drive high value for our shareholders."

Obagi Medical Products is a global specialty pharmaceutical company founded by leading skin care experts in 1988. Obagi products are designed to help minimize the appearance of premature skin aging, skin damage, hyperpigmentation, acne and sun damage and are primarily available through dermatologists, plastic surgeons, medical spas and other skin care professionals. More information can be found at www.obagi.com.

Valeant will use proceeds from the sale to permanently repay term loan debt under its Senior Secured Credit Facility. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2017, subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of applicable regulatory approvals.

The Company currently estimates that the full-year 2017 revenue and Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP) for the Obagi business would have been approximately $85 million and $30 million, respectively.

In this transaction, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC served as financial advisor to Valeant, and Norton Rose Fulbright acted as legal advisor to Valeant.

China Regenerative Medicine International Limited (SEHK: 8158) is engaged in the research, development and commercialization of innovative bio-medical, healthcare products and medical techniques. CRMI operates seven production plants in mainland China and Hong Kong, and the business is organized across four strategic areas, encompassing tissue engineering, cell therapy, cosmetics and hospital management. More information about China Regenerative Medicine International can be found at www.crmi.hk.

About Valeant

Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. (NYSE/TSX:VRX) is a multinational specialty pharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures and markets a broad range of pharmaceutical products primarily in the areas of dermatology, gastrointestinal disorders, eye health, neurology and branded generics. More information about Valeant can be found at www.valeant.com.

Forward-looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements which may generally be identified by the use of the words "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "should," "could," "would," "may," "will," "believes," "estimates," "potential," "target," or "continue" and variations or similar expressions. These statements are based upon the current expectations and beliefs of management and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties discussed in the Company's most recent annual or quarterly report and detailed from time to time in Valeant's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Canadian Securities Administrators, which factors are incorporated herein by reference. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any of these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. Valeant undertakes no obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release or to reflect actual outcomes, unless required by law. In addition, the revenue and Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP) amounts set out above are based on the current expectations and beliefs of management, which management believes are reasonable in the circumstances, and are subject to certain risk and uncertainties, including those described above. These amounts have been included to provide information relating to the anticipated impact of the sale of the Obagi business on those measures for the Company as a whole, and they may not be appropriate for any other purpose.

Non-GAAP Information

To supplement the financial measures prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), the Company has presented Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP) in this press release. Adjusted EBITDA represents earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, as further adjusted to exclude certain non-recurring and/or unusual items. We cannot predict the amount of such non-recurring or unusual items at this time. The Company does not provide reconciliations of projected Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP) to projected GAAP net income (loss) (its most directly comparable GAAP financial measure), due to the inherent difficulty in forecasting and quantifying certain amounts that are necessary for such reconciliations. The Company uses Adjusted EBITDA both to assess the current financial performance of the Company and to forecast future results as part of its guidance. The Company believes that Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP) focuses management on the Company's underlying operational results and business performance. In addition, cash bonuses for the Company's executive officers and other key employees are based, in part, on the achievement of certain Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP) targets.

The Company believes non-GAAP measures, such as Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP), are useful to investors in their assessment of our operating performance and the valuation of our Company. However, these measures do not have any standardized meaning under GAAP and other companies may use similarly titled non-GAAP financial measures that are calculated differently from the way we calculate such measures. Accordingly, our non-GAAP financial measures may not be comparable to similar non-GAAP measures. We caution investors not to place undue reliance on such non-GAAP measures, but instead to consider them with the most directly comparable GAAP measures. Non-GAAP financial measures have limitations as analytical tools and should not be considered in isolation. They should be considered as a supplement to, not a substitute for, or superior to, the corresponding measures calculated in accordance with GAAP.

SOURCE Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.valeant.com


CHAIRMAN of DAAR Communications Plc, Chief Raymond Dokpesi Jnr, has warned that unless there is a fresh cash injection, the company may go into extinction in the next two years.DAAR Communications Plc is the operators of Ray Power FM radio stations and African Independent Television (AIT).Addressing shareholders at the combined 2015 and 2016 annual general meeting of the company in Abuja at the weekend, Dokpesi said the companys operating loss grew from N1.515 billion in 2015 to a new height of N2.139 billion in 2016.The adverse business environment together with the biting economic recession caused the 2016 turnover of the Company to plummet to an all-time low of N3.733 billion representing 47 per cent decline over 2015 earnings.The loss after taxation in 2016 was N2.139 while in 2015 loss after taxation was N1.515 billion.As encapsulated earlier, the losses were as a result of the astronomical increase in cost of operations occasioned by the economic recession and the severe devaluation of the Naira which could not be matched with corresponding growth in earnings as the advert budget in the industry declined in the ensuing period.He however assured shareholders that there was a bright hope of returning the company to profitability in the coming years following a conscious business restructuring and operations, digitalisation and expansion initiative project, which is at its final implementation stage.As part of the initiatives, DAAR Communications has successfully resolved all her pending litigation matters in several courts arising from the last general election in Nigeria in 2015 and in the process saved a lot of funds in litigation fees as some were settled out of court or struck out for want of evidence, he reported.Dokpesi described the Executive Orders signed by the Acting President on ease of doing business as not only a step in the right direction but which should be extended to addressing infrastructural deficit.t the meeting, shareholders declined a share bonus offer declared by the company as part of their contribution to DAARs quick recovery and return to profitability.Also addressing shareholders, Group Managing Director of the company, Mr Tony Akiotu disclosed that despite harsh operating environment and low business, the Group did not shirk in its corporate social responsibility (CSR), as it offered free aired services to some 135 patients seeking assistance on their medical conditions from different locations across the country.In the years under review, on AIT alone, we have aired medical fund appeals for 135 patients. This is apart from our other initiatives and projects in our various locations such as donations, rural road construction, free medical tests in conjunction with some Foundations and medical institutions.
on Monday

The nations health and medical facilities across the country will be shut down any moment from now as a result of Federal Governments failure to fulfill collective bargaining agreement reached with the medical workers over adjustment in salaries, privatization, Public Private Partnership (PPP) policies of the government and the new trend of invoking no-work-no-pay policy by those in power.President of Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), Comrade Biobelemoye Joy Josiah, made this known, as Health Minister, also announced the immediate suspension of eight top officials of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), over the issue of maladministration and mismanagement by officials of the agency.The suspension is followed up by the deployment of armed security men to the headquarters of the NHIS, ostensibly to guide against flouting the order and directive of the ministry.Comrade Josiah, who was briefing the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), led by its President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, on the challenges being faced by the health workers and their plan to confront the struggle, said the crisis will lead to a complete shut down of the health system.Already, the MHWUN president said the leadership of the union has been given mandate by its members across the country to shut down the system, adding that all the trade unions under the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU), will meet soonest to take a far reaching decision on it.He said: Recently, we carried out a survey and our people have also mandated us that whether no-work-no-pay or not, that it is time we shut down the system. That brings us to the issue of concern for Nigerian citizens.He pointed out that the union and its members were not afraid to go to the battle field but for a serious concern for the Nigerian citizens who will suffer the adverse effect when the health facilities are shut down.Comrade Josiah, who was addressing the NLC president, who was at the headquarters of the MHWUN in continuation of his familiarisation tour of unions under the NLC, lamented that the joint agreement reached with the government by the union, years ago when Comrade Wabba was still the president of MHWUN was yet to be implemented by the government.He said: In 2014 you fought the battle for salary adjustment; they have adjusted the salary of the medical doctors but the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) you signed with them, they were almost denying them. The Federal Ministry of Health almost denied that such did not take place until we were able to provide the document. But as we speak now, they have not adjusted the salary for us and it has caused serious ripples within the health system and sooner or later it might lead to a complete shut down of the health system because when JOHESU meets we are going to take far reaching decision in that respect.I am bringing that up with you for your intervention. Not because we are afraid to go to the battle field but because we have serious concern for the Nigerian citizens. When we shut down, who suffers? It is the Nigerian citizens. It is not those managers of the Federal Ministry of Health that have refused to do what is right at the right time.Another threat to the health sector and the workforce in general is the use of no-work-no-pay by the Federal Ministry of Health.He explained that after entering into agreements, the government will renege on these agreements, and whenever the workers now decide to embark on strike after the ministry that is responsible failed to listen to them, the same ministry will threaten to invoke no-work-no-pay policy.When they dont want to listen to us, and it is our right to also withdraw our services; what the ministry will do is that they will wait for us to withdraw our services and they will now say they are invoking no-work-no-pay, he added.According to him, another area where the Nigerian poor populace will be denied health services, is on the issue of privatisation, Public Private Partnership (PPP) or concession. Nigerians should not in anyway accept such items.At the Garki Hospital, where PPP is operational today, that hospital is out of reach of the poor masses. Card alone was N4,000 and recently increased to N5,000. We then asked, the N18,000 salary earner, taking out N5,000 to take a card, what will he use for drugs and for feeding ofhis family, when N18,000 is not even enough?We still believe that public health institution are established for public good and to serve as socio-service point for the commoners. So, we are standing here to say no to privatisation of public health institutions.I want to say clearly that these issues, if not nip in the bud, especially the issue of no-work-no-pay, where the employer after reaching agreement through collective bargaining, will renege and violate all the agreement and turn around to intimidate workers; it simply means they are taking away from us the right to protest. That simply means reintroduction of slave labour. That we are slaves and we cannot and should not complain.So we want to call on the highest labour body in the country, to say that, that is not the right way for them to operate; so help us to free Nigeria from that problem so that Nigerians will have right to protest and say no to bad government policies and bad governance.The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole has also approved the suspension of the eight senior officials of the NHIS, in order to pave way for thorough investigation in to the case of Maladministration and Mismanagement by officials of the Agency.According to a statement signed by the Director, Media and Public Relations of the ministry, Mrs Boade Akinola, the officials affected are: Mr. Olufemi Akingbade (General Manger, Zonal Coordinator South- South Zone); Mr. John Okon (General Manger, Finance Account); Mr. Yusuf Fatika (General Manger, Human Resources and Administration); Mr. Shehu Adamu (Assistant General Manager, Audit); Mr. Vincent Mamdam (Assistant General Manager, Head Insuranc); Mr. Safiyanu Attah (Senior Assistant Officer, Marketing); Mr. Owen Udo Udoma-Senior (Manager, Contribution Management); and Mr. Innocent Abbah (Senior Assistant Officer, Planning Research and Monitoring.)Mrs Akinola said their suspension was in furtherance to the activities of the investigative panel of inquiry and the desire to have an uninterrupted and robust investigation of all petitions at the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), including Security reports on Maladministration and Mismanagement by officials of the Agency.According to the statement, the Minister urged the committee to remain focused, fair and transparent in the discharge of this National task despite the sensation this development has generated.The minister also directed the Acting Executive Secretary of NHIS, Mr. Attahiru Ibrahim, to ensure the immediate implementation of the suspension order.The minister has followed the suspension order with the deployment of armed security men, to ensure that the suspension order by the government is not flouted.
Happy New Month Nigeria! Welcome to the month of June. As the world searches for a respite from all its troubles since 2020 began, one can ...
Its Premature for OPEC to Cap Libya, Nigeria Oil Output

The market is on a recovery track due to rising global demand, Kuwaits Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting CountriesGovernor Haitham Al-Ghais told Reuters.In an effort to eradicate a supply glut, the OPEC is curbing output by 1.2 million barrels per day (bpd) until March 2018, while Russia and other non-OPEC producers are cutting half as much.But oil prices have fallen more than 15 percent this year due to still-booming supplies and stubbornly high global stocks, which remain way above OPEC targets despite the cut agreement.A ministerial committee from OPEC and non-OPEC countries, which is headed by Gulf OPEC member Kuwait, meets in Russia on July 24 to discuss compliance with the cuts, from which Nigeria and Libya are exempted due to years of output-sapping unrest.All this talk about putting a production cap on Libya and Nigeria is premature, Al-Ghais said. Data so far is showing that the real spike in production only happened in June.The official added that output had increased on average by between 300,000 and 500,000 bpd from the two countries combined since the start of the supply-cutting agreement in January 2017.He said representatives from Libya and Nigeria had been invited to a technical OPEC/non-OPEC committee meeting on July 22 ahead of the ministerial gathering, to give presentations on production from both countries.We have to look at the sustainability and stability of production from those countries, said Al-Ghais, who also heads the technical committee. We need to wait and see more production data before we can make any decision.The technical committee could make recommendations on Nigeria and Libya, which the ministerial committee would then review. The latter cannot take production decisions but can make recommendations to OPEC and other participating producers, which are scheduled to meet formally in November.Al-Ghais said that despite production increases from Libya and Nigeria, there were signs of market rebalancing including U.S. government data showing a large drop in stockpiles.We feel that the market is on the right way of correcting itself, he said. Demand will pick up and we expect to see stronger demand in the third quarter.
Emmanuel Nwude carried out one of the the biggest banking fraud in the world

Here is the story of Emmanuel Nwude who committed the largest fraud in Nigeria by selling a non-existent airport to a Brazilian for $242 million between 1995 and 1998.

The rise of internet fraud commonly known as 419 is one phenomenon Nigeria has come to be associated it. Before internet fraud became a global issue, Nwude had committed one of the biggest scams in the world.

Specifically, his fraud was the third largest banking scam in the world after the Nick Leeson's trading losses at Barings Bank, and the looting of the Iraqi Central Bank by Qusay Hussein.

How was Emmanuel Nwude able to carry out this jaw-dropping scam and convince Nelson Sakaguchi who was the director of the bank to part with so much money for the purchase of an airport?

Nwude was a former director of Union Bank of Nigeria and this position made him privy to some links, information and documents that other persons would not be aware of. He impersonated the then governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Paul Ogwuma, and connected with Sakaguchi informing him of a mouth-watering deal of Nigerias plan to build an airport in Abuja.

Nwude, pretending to be the Central Bank of Nigeria governor, told Sakaguchi that he stood of chance of pocketing $10 million commission when the deal passed through. Sakaguchi paid $191 million in cash and the remainder in the form of outstanding interest.

Nwudes accomplices were Emmanuel Ofolue, Nzeribe Okoli, and Obum Osakwe, along with the husband and wife duo, Christian Ikechukwu Anajemba and Amaka Anajemba, with Christian later being assassinated.

The criminal gang was able to convince the director of the Brazilian bank to part with the money.

Nwude has become Nigeria's fraud kingpin after pulling off one of the biggest 'deals' in history

How did Sakaguchi find out he was a victim of one of the largest scam in the world?

In 1997, the Spanish Banco Santander wanted to take over the Banco Noroeste and a joint board meeting was held in December of that year. Officials of the Spanish bank noted that half of the Brazilian banks capital was at Cayman Islands unmonitored. This raised questions as this was two-fifths of Noroeste's total value.

Investigation began and was carried out in Brazil, Britain, Nigeria, Switzerland, and the United States. Although the sale of the Bank still went on as the owners of the bank paid $242 million bill, the nak still collapsed in 2001.

The birth of the EFCC

In 2002, the then president, Olusegun Obasanjo saw to the establishment of an anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Nwudes fraud case one of the first to be investigated and in 2004, all members of the gang were arraigned before an Abuja High Court on 86 counts of "fraudulently seeking advance fees" and 15 counts of bribery related to the case . Although they pleaded not guilty, they were warned not to attempt to bribe court officials as it was suspected that money was going round.

In 2005, Amaka confessed to helping Anajemba and was asked to repay $25.5 million and also sentenced to two and a half years in prison.

Nwude attempted to bribe Nuhu Ribadu, the then chairman of the EFCC, with $75,000 cash but the latter refused and Nwude was charged with attempted bribery as well as attempt to kidnap a prosecuting witness.

Following Sakaguchi's witness, Nwude finally pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five concurrent sentences of five years and was also asked to pay $10 million fine to the federal government.

He was released from prison in 2006 and filed a case to reclaim his assets insisting some of them were acquired before the criminal act. He has so far been able to reclaim $167 million.

Aftermath A land dispute in the town of Ukpo in the Dunukofia area with Abagana community turned bloody when over 200 men invaded the community killing four policemen and the security guard at the construction site in 2016. The Anambra state government fingered Nwude as the ringleader and he was subsequently arrested and arraigned on 27 charges including murder and terrorism. He is being held at Awka prison as the court case is still on. While Nwudes criminal exploit was not the first in the country, it signified the rise in international financial crime and popularise the advanced fee fraud syndrome with Nigeria's name associated with it.
Former Minister of Petroleum Resources and President Muhammau Buharis associate, Tam David West, has opined that President Muhammadu Buhar...

Former Minister of Petroleum Resources and President Muhammau Buharis associate, Tam David West, has opined that President Muhammadu Buhari will shock Nigerians positively when he returns from his medical trip to London hale and hearty.

Tam-West said contrary to claims by some Nigerians, he knew that the President was alive and recuperating well.

Speaking with Sun, the former Minister also said Buhari, upon arrival, may shock Nigerians with cabinet reshuffle and a major re-thinking of method of governance.

Many Nigerians are complaining that since President Muhammadu Buhari travelled to London on medical trip, things have not been going in the right direction, especially in the political arena. Many Nigerians seem to have been frustrated. So, what are the shockers Nigerians should expect from him when he returns to the country?

First, when Buhari comes to the country, Nigerians will be shocked. Have you ever seen a dead man coming back alive? Many people have been saying he has died, I dont care for them because I have contact with him every week; and I know what is happening every week. When they said Buhari had died, I said they were talking rubbish because I have evidence that he is alive.

All of the people that are talking stupidly, if you want to be responsible, make a statement based on facts. They have no facts. Look, I have latest evidence two days ago, the man is healthy and alive. How are they going to be shocked?

They will be shocked because he will come back alive, which will be the first shock. They will also be shocked that he will come back hale and healthy. They will be shocked that when he comes back, he will be the same Buhari that those that know him know  he is so humorous; intellectual Buhari. They carried rumour that he had died and hes in the mortuary. Muslims dont put their dead ones in the mortuary.

Then, his wife went to see him. She came back and said she saw her husband and thanked all the people that were praying for him. But sceptical Nigerians, useless and wicked Nigerians said how do we know that his wife saw him? She said  I saw my husband and you are still doubting him.

Then, they said he could not talk again. He addressed the nation on Sallah. They also said he addressed the nation in Hausa, not in English. Before that time, they said he could not speak. Now, the latest one, the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, who is the acting president presently has gone to London and said he talked with the President for over one hour.

He said Buhari was busy cracking hilarious jokes. They will be shocked because all the evil things they wished him, will never come true. They will be shocked because when he returns, it is not likely to be as usual.

Second, I have this strong feeling that when Buhari comes back, there will be a major re-thinking of governance method. I trust that he will do cabinet reshuffle. But cabinet reshuffle is just a little normal thing. I think that a major re-thinking of method of governance is the only way left for us to turn the table round, and get back the confidence of the people.


Pakistani rights activist, Malala Yousafzai, on Monday called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to declare State of emergency in Nige...

Pakistani rights activist, Malala Yousafzai, on Monday called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to declare State of emergency in Nigerias education sector.She made the call at the end of closed door meeting with Acting President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.Malala, who survived being shot in the head by the Taliban for campaigning for girls education, had paid similar visit to former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2014.She had campaigned for the freedom of schools girls abducted by Boko Haram from their school in Chibok, Borno State in 2014.Speaking with journalists at the Villa, she said that she called for the state of emergency because education of boys and girls in Nigeria is very important.She urged the Federal Government, states and local governments to work together and fashion out the modalities for the state of emergency.She said: It was a very good meeting. We had a fruitful discussion with his excellency, the Acting President.I highlighted on the need to scale up education, that the government should declare a state of emergency in education because education of girls and boys in Nigeria is important.The federal, state and local governments need to be united on this. she addedAccording to her, she also spoke on the child right act.She added Secondly, the spending should be made public and thirdly, the Child Rights Act should be implemented in all states. I was really happy to hear positive response from the Acting President that they are happy with the suggestion of implementing emergency for education and that they are happy to work more on education and that they are united.Im happy to hear positive responses from the Ministers as well that they are ensuring that education is prioritised in every girl and in every boy and education in Nigeria is given priority.In the morning, I met Chibok girls and I was very happy at what the Honourable minister is doing to support the Chibok girls. Im really excited to see them going back to their homes and to their families and continuing their education. But I hope the other girls who are still under abduction of Boko Haram are released, she said.
Close friends and appointees of President Muhammadu Buhari often referred to cabal within the presidency are angry indeed with Acting...





Close friends and appointees of President Muhammadu Buhari often referred to cabal within the presidency are angry indeed with Acting President, Yemi Osibanjo, SAN, a highly placed source revealed to Daily post on Sunday.

According to their source, top officials were shocked at the very many sponsored news publications and articles in the media accusing them of undermining/attempting to undermine Osinbajo.

It was gathered that while the Acting President is seen as a man loyal to his principal, President Buhari, and has not shown any sign of being ambitious, he has failed to call those around him to order.

The source revealed that on a daily basis, information circulate on papers, news sites and social media platforms, steadily pointing accusing fingers at Buharis associates for not co-operating with Osinbajo or whipping up sentiments against him.

Daily post was informed that intelligence revealed that the fire works escalated after Buharis departure on May 10 for further medical attention in London.

While I am not aware if the Presidents team has meet to complain this to the AP, they are not happy with the way he is acting as if everything is normal, the source said.

In truth, Prof. Osinbajo has been singled out as an excellent man and someone that has proven to be a great choice of second in command. Unfortunately, those around him who act on their own perception and promote discord in the media.

I can authoritatively tell you that phone calls have been intercepted by Prof. Osinbajos aides/associates, telling editors what to put in the paper; telling news sites publishers how they want story to appear; making some disclosures to outsiders.

When this intelligence was provided, the President Buharis men believe there is a calculated move to split the presidency. But this is not from Prof. Those behind this are forces outside the presidency dictating to the APs men.

Asked what is likely to be done if the situation persists, the source said he could say a little about that.

What I know is that the division in the presidency is clear and you will recall the recent development where Prof. Osinbajo said something and some officials were said to have disagreed.

In terms of performance, Prof. Osinbajo is highly regarded and even though not all that he does may go well with some people, many officials score him high.

But this issue of his people trying to make him look like a victim because President Buhari away in the UK is not being taken lightly. You are in the media, how many news have you seen against the AP?

So why would some people be doing such against those they believe are the cabal. Those behind this in the presidency and their collaborators outside must watch it because their cover has been blown. If they didnt know, let them know now.
Court papers in Lagos Nigeria have revealed in graphic details how oil businessmen, Kolawole Akanni Aluko and Jide Omokore laundered the $1.7bn creamed off the questionable oil swap transactions between them and the NNPC, during the tenure of Diezani Alison-Madueke.According to the News Agency of Nigeria, Some of the money laundered through the United States and which had been used to acquire assets are now the subject of a forfeiture bid by the United States Justice Department. But the filings in a Lagos court have provided the most insightful details yet into how the entire money was laundered, while the Nigerian treasury was left dry and emasculated.According to an affidavit sworn at the Federal High Court by Isaac Kehinde Oginni, a lawyer in the Federal Ministry of Justice, both Aluko and Omokore lifted and sold allotted Nigerias crude oil. While they were paid for their service, they deliberately diverted to private use, what was due to the Federal Government and the people of Nigeria, in the sum of $1,762,338,184.40.*They bought vehicles with a combined value of over N800m and donated them to the Peoples Democratic Party through its then National chairman Prince Secondus.*They also bought vehicles valued at over N130m and gave them as gifts to former minister of Petroleum, Mrs Dieziani Alison-Madueke and some other management staff of Nigerian Petroleum Development Company.*Kolawole Aluko paid $18,548,619.99 and N1,070,000,000 to FBN Mortgages Limited as part payment for block A consisting of 26 Flats at 46 Gerrard Road Ikoyi Lagos. The block was bought for a total cost of N5,210,520,315.*Payment of a total sum of $25,839,606.77and N95,000,000 was made to Real Bank for the purpose of part financing the acquisition and renovation of properties by the Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts Nigeria Limited and Atlantic Energy Brass Development limited. The Properties are: Mason apartments at 6 Gerrard Road Ikoyi Lagos comprising 60 units of 3 bedrooms apartment valued at $78,000,000, Marion apartments Block 8 located at 4&5, Onikoyi Estate, Banana Island, Ikoyi, Lagos consisting of 43 units of apartments valued at $76,160,000, apartments at 33A Cooper Road Ikoyi, Lagos renovated at a total cost of $4,937,750, Admiralty Towers at 8 Gerrard Road Ikoyi, Lagos., which was also renovated.The two businessmen also transferred $69,912,981.15 to the following companies; Mia Hotels Limited, First Motors Limited, V.I.Petrochemicals, Evergreen Reality &Management, WIz Trade limited, DE First Union Integrated Services and Amity Plus limited.Mr Ogini also averred that Kolawole Aluko literally took residence outside the shores of Nigeria, to embark on a spending spree and assets acquisition in Britain, Canada, United States and Switzerland.Among the assets acquired were, houses at Grove End Road, London NW; 755 Sarbone Road, Los Angeles; 952 North Alpine drive Los Angeles;815 Cima Del Mundo. He also bought land at 807 Coma Del Mundo in Los Angeles.Aluko also bought houses or apartments at 1049 Fifth Avenue, New York, 1948&1952 Tolls Avenue, Santa Barbara, 157 West 57th St, New York, 4100 Let Revenge, Dubai. In Nigeria, he bought Avenue Towers in Lagos. He also bought a piece of land in Mont Tremblat, Canada and a property at Colina Doro Montagnola, SwitzerlandAfter hiding his loot in many assets, he also bought the luxury $80m yacht, the Galactica Star, 58 exotic cars, expensive watches, private jets, Global Express S5-GMG and a Bombardier Global 6000 9H-OPE.Cash found in his bank accounts, according to documents before the court are: LDT Switzerland -$25m, Corner Bank, Lugano, Switzerland -$1m, Deutsche Bank, Geneva -$40m, HSBC London $175,000.He also had 75% shareholding in Atlantic Energy Drilling concepts Nigeria and Atlantic Energy Brass Development and 10% Shareholding in Seven Energy.The case came before Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos state last Friday, incidentally the same day the US Justice Department filed a forfeiture bid at a court in Houston.The Nigerian judge adjourned hearing till 29th of September, 2017 to decide whether to stay proceeding in tune with an application filed by the defendants or continue with the case.The Federal Republic of Nigerian and two of its agencies are the plaintiffs and they are ranged against Aluko and Jide Omokores Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts Nigeria Limited and Atlantic Energy Brass Development Limited.The Nigerian government wants to recover $1.76bn from the businessmen and their companies. Omokore is the chairman of the companies, while Kolawole Aluko is a Director.Apart from Aluko and Omokores application, a limited liability company Virtual Properties and Investment Limited, has also filed another application as an intervener.The company is urging the court to discharge or vary its order, as it relates to Marion Apartments, on the ground that the property located at Block 8 Plots 4&5 Onikoyi Estate, Banana Island, Ikoyi consists of 56 apartments owned and developed by the intervener.By virtue of two separate deeds of sublease, the intervener said it conveyed its interest in 43 out of the 56 apartments to Realblanc Energy Engineering limited, an affiliate of the defendants.The intervener contends that it still retains ownership of 13 out of the 56 apartments in Marion Apartments. It says that the order of the court is prejudicial to its interest and interferes with its right ownership over these flats.Last year, the Nigerian government had frozen the accounts of the defendants in 19 banks in Nigeria and eight offshore banks.This was sequel to the affidavit deposed by Oginni of the Federal ministry of Justice in Abuja and filed by a Lagos lawyer Oladipo Okpeseyi SAN.The court was urged as a matter of utmost urgency and public interest, in aid of administration of justice to issue a worldwide Mareva order restraining the defendants from dissipating all known assets directly or indirectly by the defendants including but not limited to assets listed on the face of the motion paper filed before the court.After hearing the submission of Okpeseyi, counsel to the Federal Government, Justice Oguntoyinbo restrained the defendants and their agents from demanding, receiving, transacting, mortgaging or whatsoever dealing in any manners with the assets of the defendants in banks, houses, land and shares in Nigeria and others located outside Nigeria, while the Nigerian banks listed in the motion papers were ordered to within 7days to sequestrate all money and negotiable instruments standing to the credit of the defendants in the sum of $1,762,338,184.40 and keep same in an interest yielding account in the name of the Chief Registrar of the court as trustee of same pending the determination of the motion on notice.The court also ordered that its ruling should be served on the affected parties by way of advertisement in newspapers circulating within and outside the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Arsenal legend, Ian Wright has said the club should accept a 30m offer for Theo Walcott, amid reports Everton is chasing the England international.And while Wright insists he will always love Walcott, he accepts that the time could be right to move on.Sad to see the amount of disrespect that Theo gets from the fans. Ill always love him, but if it is a 30 million bid, got to take it, Wright tweeted.Walcott scored 14 goals for the Gunners by January last season, but quickly faded off, only adding five more as Arsene Wengers men failed to qualify for the Champions League.The arrival of Alexandre Lacazette this summer and the clubs pursuit of Monacos Thomas Lemar, may see Walcott spend more time out of the team.
Lawal Idris, an ally of President Muhammadu Buhari for 45 years, has declared that Mamman Daura, the powerful nephew of the presiden...

Lawal Idris, an ally of President Muhammadu Buhari for 45 years, has declared that Mamman Daura, the powerful nephew of the president controls the presidency.

Idris in a chat with Daily Trust said As long as Buhari cannot get Mamman away from his side, his problem will continue.

Firstly, Mamman is a sadist and has no respect for anybody, not even Buhari. The problem is that the godfather never sleeps, which is Mamman Daura.

When Buhari was sworn-in, he swore by the Quran that he would be fair and we believed him. He said he belonged to no one but I knew he belong to Mamman Daura; Abba Kyari and Mamman are failed bankers and failed industrialists.

As at November, 2016, Abba was still a Director of Exxon Mobil; Abba is Buharis Chief of Staff, he is a member of the Board of Directors of NNPC what a super brainy, workaholic?

And Abba is Mammans poodle; whatever Abba is doing, it is Mamman that controls it. I know it and they know that I know it and they know me very well.

Idris insisted that even with ministers and other government staff, Mamman still calls the shots in Nigeria.

How did he (Buhari) get some of the ministers? Many were through Mamman Daura. How did he get some of the staff around him, it was through Mamman Daura.

I am more than sure, Buhari knows I know and Mamman knows I know. I am an insider, not an outsider. I started this project (Buharis journey into politics) because of the faith I had in Buhari.

Mamman Daura is just a joke. He never wanted Buharis presidency because a week after Buhari was sworn-in, on Friday, we met at a mosque here in Kaduna.

I walked to Mamman to greet him; there was this confidence that had taken a better part of him like he is now Mr President. Mamman told me that he and Mahmud didnt like Buharis presidency. And I said ranka ya dade, you dont like it and he said yes.

I was surprised and he saw the surprise on my face. He just changed the topic and said you know uncle (Buhari) does not like politicians and politicians dont like him. I said sir, but election has been won.

Whether politicians like it or not, whether Buhari likes it or not, he has to work with politicians and politicians have to work with him for the betterment of our country. For me, God has given me what I wanted.

When Mamman told me that, I offered suggestions on even the way to get finances for the party. I said the way they were going was not the way they should. Now there is no APC in a way and Buhari is ill. Luckily Buhari has a very good vice president.

Mamman Daura is believed to be one of those Aisha Buharis wife said did not participate in her husbands campaign but were now in control of government.

Mamman is the son of Buharis elder brother and three years older than the president he still calls uncle.

He was a journalist and an industrialist, serving as head of the African International Bank and also chairman of the board of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA). He was editor of New Nigerian in the 1970s.

In the book, Muhammadu Buhari: The Challenges of Leadership in Nigeria, John Paden, an American professor, offers a historical insight into the significant role Daura played in the formative years of his uncle.

According to Paden, it was Daura, along with Waziri al-Hassan (Buharis foster father), that encouraged Buhari, a reluctant student in his early years, to settle down and take his studies seriously.

Paden revealed that after the death of his mother in December 1988, Buhari was released and traveled to Daura for the mourning. When he arrived in Daura, he found his farm much as he had left it. His senior brother (the father of Mamman Daura), along with the Barden Daura, had managed the cattle, sheep, and horses in his absence.

The George Mason University professor wrote: When Buharis father died, Waziri al-Hasan  the son of Emir Musa  became the guardian of Zulaihat (Buharis mother) and her six children, including her youngest, Muhammadu. This played a major role in the upbringing of Buhari.

This extensive kinship network also affected the future of Buhari in another important way. His senior brother was the father of Mamman Daura, who was three years older than Buhari, although technically his nephew. Mamman would become a life-long inspiration and confidant to Buhari. He was especially critical in encouraging Buhari to pursue lifelong education.

Like many boys at that time and place, Buhari went to Quranic school before going to primary school. He was not enthusiastic about these studies. Early each morning, he would get up and have to fetch firewood for his teacher for the evening Quranic readings. There were also several hours of Quranic lessons in the morning, at a time when Buhari would rather be outside playing.

In part because of his love of the outdoors, Buhari was a reluctant student in his early years. He would often skip school altogether, although this always resulted in beatings with a cane by the schoolmaster. Only with the encouragement of Waziri al-Hasan and Mamman Daura did he eventually settle down and take his studies seriously.
The All Progressives Congress has said despite the hardship currently being experienced, Nigerians know better and will not return the Pe...

The All Progressives Congress has said despite the hardship currently being experienced, Nigerians know better and will not return the Peoples Democratic Party to power in 2019.The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said this in Abuja, on Sunday.He was reacting to news making the rounds that the Supreme Court victory of the Ahmed Makarfi-led Peoples Democratic Party would mark the beginning of the partys return to power.Abdullahi noted that since last Wednesdays victory, Makarfi and prominent PDP supporters had expressed similar sentiments while appearing to ignore the fact that the party failed to deliver on mandate given to it for 16 unbroken years.The party spokesman explained that the PDP as a brand had since expired.Abdullahi said, We also note with regret, the PDPs penchant to mock President Muhammadu Buhari with his health situation. We admit that the health of a president is every citizens business.It is however, un-African, if not ungodly, to continue to taunt a man and even challenge him to a fight at his moment of weakness. We have seen in the last few days, some members of the PDP who have boasted to defeat President Buhari in 2019.No matter the temporary hardship that we may be experiencing, Nigerians know better than to bring the PDP back to power so soon for fear that this time.The APC urged Nigerians to continue to support the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC because whatever difficulty we are currently going through is only a passing phase.Speaking in a similar vein, the APC National Vice-Chairman (South South) Hilliard Eta, said the party remained focused on the mandate given to it by Nigerians.
The Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, has affirmed the judgment of a Federal High Court, Lagos, which sentenced nine foreigners to five years imprisonment for stealing crude oil from Nigeria.The three-man panel, comprising Justices Hussein Mukhtar (presiding), M. L. Shuaib and Frederick Oho, dismissed the twin appeals filed by the convicted persons for lack of merit.Justice Oho, who delivered the judgment, resolved all the issues in favour of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).He said: All the issues are resolved against the appellants. The appeal is manifestly unmeritorious and is hereby dismissed for lacking in merit.The lower court on December 15, 2015 convicted the foreigners  five Filipinos and four Bangladeshi  of stealing 3,423.097 metric tonnes of crude oil.Justice Ibrahim Buba, however, gave each of them an option of N20million fine.He said it was the likes of the convicts, who were arrested by the Nigerian Navy on March 27, 2015, that give Nigeria a bad name.The convicts are  Axel Jabone, Zahirul Islam, Juanito Infantado, Suarin Alave, Gatila Gadayan, Islam Shahinul, Islam Rafiqul, Shaikh Nomany and Rolando Comendador.They were tried by the EFCC on four- count charge of illegal dealing in petroleum products.EFCCs lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo, said the foreigners violated Section 1(19) (6) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, an offence punishable under Section 17 of the same Act.The prosecution said the convicts, caught while trying to export the stolen product on a vessel, MT Asteris, also flouted Section 4 of the Petroleum Act, Cap P10, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.Justice Buba found them guilty on all the charges and sentenced them to five years imprisonment.According to the judge, the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.The case of the prosecution is as clear as the daylight, the judge held, adding that EFCCs case was not controverted.
The Senate Committee on Customs, Excise and Tariff, on Monday commenced an investigation into rice smuggling in the country, with a public hearing in Abuja.Opening the session with Smuggling  A Threat to Nigerias Quest to Self-Sufficiency in Rice Production, President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, decried the rising trend in smuggling in the country.Saraki, who noted that goods worth N7tn are smuggled into the country yearly, said that activities of smugglers were a threat to Nigerias self-sufficiency in rice production and must be dealt with in the interest of citizens.He said that in spite of the present administrations effort to make food sufficiency a cardinal policy, it was faced with rising level of smuggling at various borders.He cautioned that if not nipped in the bud, the situation would adversely affect the growth of the local market and revenue generation among others.A considerable amount of revenue to be collected by the Federal Government is being lost in addition to other adverse impacts that the smuggled items cause to local industry.Obviously, this act cannot be achieved without the cooperation and connivance of corrupt officials, including those in the law enforcement agencies.A World Bank report of 2016 states that an astonishing N1.45tn worth of assorted goods are smuggled into Nigeria through Benin Republic alone every year.This loss in revenue is one which we can longer afford at this crucial time when the government is doing all it can to meet up with its budgetary expenditures.Our local producers have continued to face daunting obstacles posed by the activities of smugglers, in spite of governments restrictions on importations.Therefore, we must exploit all avenue and investigate corrupt practices in various Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government, Saraki said.He decried the health problems posed by smuggled goods, saying that importation of unwholesome goods had caused ill health and even deaths.He said that the Senates intervention was informed by the need to finding a lasting solution to the problem.The president of the senate said that sanitation of local rice production in the country would, in line with Senates Legislative Agenda, encourage diversification.He called on the Nigeria Customs Service to identify the smugglers to bring an end to their menace, describing them as greatest saboteurs of the economy.He urged the committee and other stakeholders at the hearing to make recommendations for prompt intervention.The Chairman of the Committee, Sen. Hope Uzodinma, said that reports had revealed the huge harm being done to the economy by activities of smugglers.Those that may imagine that this is an exaggeration should do well to refer to a recent report of the World Bank on smuggling in Nigeria.The report was unequivocal in stating that an astonishing five billion dollars or N1.45tn worth of different goods are smuggled into Nigeria annually through Benin Republic alone.Yet, this is the only 15 per cent of the total volume of smuggled goods through the Seme border.The figure of goods smuggled through the sea ports is even more mind-boggling.The report has it that over $15bn or N4.35tn worth of goods is smuggled into the country each year through the sea ports.The story is the same for our international airports. Put together, it means that goods worth over N7tn are smuggled into the country each year, he said.The lawmaker stressed that it was more frightening to note that the annual turnover in the hands of smugglers was more than the countrys annual budget.He said the World Bank report further noted that over 25 per cent of the total annual revenue collected by Customs was lost to smugglers each year.According to him, if you go by the projected revenue of the service for this year, which is approximately N600bn, it means that the service will lose N200bn in revenue, this year alone.The chairman further said that illegal importation of goods had equally affected local industries, leading to loss of jobs, among others.He said that smuggling was fast proving to be the biggest industry in Nigeria and must be fought to a standstill.He pointed out that there were other issues of leakages, arising from miss-invoicing by international traders, abuse of free trade zone policies and temporary import permit.Uzodinma urged the stakeholders to make useful submissions that would aid the committee in its investigation.I expect that those of you who have expert knowledge or privileged information on why this cankerworm has continued to pervade our economy should equally come forward with them.No serious legislative arm of government will sit supine while smugglers are allowed to ravage the economy and deny the government huge sums of legitimate revenue.This Senate is determined to put an end to this smuggling malady and this investigation is designed to facilitate that, he said.
There were indications in Abuja on Sunday that members of the sacked National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party loyal to its erstwhile National Chairman, Ali Modu Sheriff, have decided to stay away from the partys meetings slated for Monday and Tuesday.A dependable source close to Sheriff confided in our correspondent on Sunday that the former governor of Borno State had travelled to the Middle East.The partys Expanded National Caucus, Board of Trustees and National Executive Committee are meeting on Monday (today) and Tuesday at its national headquarters in Abuja.Mondays meeting is expected to be attended by former Presidents and Vice-Presidents, PDP Governors, National Executive Committee members, Board of Trustees members, National Assembly members, former PDP governors, former PDP ministers and all former national officers of the party.Dr. Goodluck Jonathan is the only former President produced by the party who is still a PDP member.Former President Olusegun Obasanjo had left the party and even tore his membership card in annoyance. Before then, he was the chairman of the partys BoT.PDP governors are also expected at the caucus meeting.Apart from Sheriff, others who are expected are the former National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo and the partys former Deputy Vice Chairman(South-South), Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, amongst others.However, a member of the sacked NWC said, We wont be at their meetings. Let them hold their meetings while we wait to see what would come out from there.Our chairman is not in the country. He has travelled to the Middle East and we wont take any action in his absence.This is politics. We were in it together and we are still in it together. So, let us wait and see.It was however not clear if the meetings would consider sanctions against Sheriff and his co-travellers.
Despite the odds and internal wrangling, the national leader of the All Progressive Congress, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola, over the weekend in Kano, endorsed Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje for a second term in 2019.During his condolence visit to Kano, on Sunday, to commiserate with Ganduje and the people of Kano State over the death of Dr Yusuf Maitama Sule, the APC leader, also used the occasion to condole, with Ganduje, over the death of his younger sister, as well as Malam Yusuf Ali, an APC leader, who recently lost his younger brother.It is a great honour and privilege for me to be here today, It has been very tough in the last few years. I grew up in the hands of two people, who know me to my home. One of them is Dan Masanin Kano, who has just passed on. One of them is living, he is a living legend, Malam Yusuf Ali.In fact, my bed room, where I am sleeping today, he has slept there; and he has been a great guiding light for me. He lost his brother, he lost a son, not too long ago. I have not been able to come and be with him.Well, it is only God who gives and takes. We cannot change any date of calendar as written by God Almighty. God will continue to be with you and console you. You will not repeat the loss, you will live long for us.And incidentally, I will repeat this when we get to Government House. Our brother, Ganduje, Your Excellency, you are saying eight years, some people are saying 12 years; but if you put coma in any line of the constitution, that is an amendment.So, I endorse eight years, we are with it, and with all our body and soul. You are a great manand you are a very loyal man. We have been planning to come to condole, with you, following the bereavement of Dan Masanin Kano, it is not just a Kano bereavement, but a national bereavement. We should condole with you and the people of Kano state because you are bereaved.One thing that we must note in His Excellency, Governor Ganduje is thishe is one of the most straightforward, dependable individual. When you agree on something, or in the words of Donald Trump, do a deal, with him, you can go to sleep because you will be the one to break that accord, not him.Ganduje, I want to say thank you. You are so humble, so dependable. You are a friend that is completely flexible. You have the understanding of family and friendship.So, if you say eight years, yes; before you add the other four years, I say watchthat other four years, maybe as a governor, maybe as a President. So, we will wait, lets amortise the eight years first.On President Muhammadu Buharis health and the crisis between the executive and the legislature, Tinubu noted that the crisis between the two arms of government is normal in politics.He said: Honestly I dont see any problem in the crisis between the legislature and executive because we are in politics and in politics, conflict and conflict resolution mechanism is an inbuilt system. Crisis, argument and communication are all part of politics and it has self-corrective process.The National Assembly is there to voice their objective or objection if it is constitutional or take action against the opposition, while the Executive is to do the job of Executive, they dont have to be dog and nick to one another but for the peace, unity, prosperity, harmony and progress of the country, they have to work together, they are co-joined twins. They have to work together and no one can consume one another. If they play the politics well, Nigeria will be better for it.I am not a member of the presidential cabinet but I am a member of his party and I am a Nigerian. All we can do is to pray for him. Nothing anybody can do in the place of health challenge.He did not lie to us. He told us he was ill, and he needs to take care of himself. I dont see any crisis about this situation. We are a nation that is very human, honest, compassionate, and resilient. We take care of our own neighbour.In his remarks, Governor Ganduje thanked Asiwaju Tinubu for his visit, as well as described him as the prime mover of politics, his mentor, Senator Asiwaju Bola TinubuWe are highly honoured that you came to Kano to condole, with the family members of Maitama Yusuf Sule, Dan Masanin Kano, whose death occurred about 10 days ago and myself, over the death of my sister, who died two days ago. We were not surprised that you did not come when Dan Masanin Kano died, you were outside the country but you phoned me and condoled me.According to Ganduje, Asiwaju is a great man, just like the late Dan Masanin Kano, adding that we have lost a great man, who possesses similar qualities like Tinubu.You a political giant across the Niger, you are a political giant across the other side of River Niger. In fact, you, in particular, you are the political pendulum of Nigerian politics, you are the mover, when you touch the pendulum, it starts swinging from one side to another. By the time you decide to stop it, wherever it stops, that side becomes heavier. Your new portfolio is, you are the mover of the political pendulum of Nigeria, that is your new name.Maitama Sule believed in diversity, unity in diversity. When some people are advocating ethnic agitation, Maitama Sule was advocating for Unity in diversity, you too, your outlook is diversity. Maitama Sule believed that every part of this country, every tribe in this country, every ephemeral in this country, every religion in this country have a comparative advantage and by the time of the converging of comparative advantages, that is the nucleus of greatness, that is why America is great. People come from all over the World, with their wisdom, initiative, skills and boldness and a great country is created. So, if Nigerian leaders come together, if leaders fashion out, synchronise our differences through our advantage, Nigeria is on the way to becoming the United States of America.
BLOOMFIELD -- Police are investigating the armed robbery of a gas station on Bloomfield Avenue, township police said Monday morning.

A man entered the Exxon gas station at 491 Bloomfield Ave. at 3 a.m. and pulled out a handgun as he made his way behind the counter, police said.

After the cashier handed over money from the register, the man -- described as 5-foot-10 and weighing between 150 and 170 pounds -- fled the scene in an older model red Oldsmobile, police said.

Police said the car's license plate matched a vehicle listed by Hillside police as stolen earlier in the evening. The robbery is still under investigation, according to the police department.

Thomas Moriarty may be reached by email at tmoriarty@njadvancemedia.com. For confidential tips, you can use ProtonMail to send him encrypted messages at tmoriarty@protonmail.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ThomasDMoriarty. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
JERSEY CITY -- More than $1,400 worth of tools were stolen from a locked storage unit on Mallory Avenue, police said.

The 69-year-old victim found his unit at Extra Space Storage had been broken into when he arrived at the facility on Thursday, according to a police report.

His unit, on the second floor, had pry marks on the door, the report states.

The items stolen include four drills, a torque wrench, a set of pliers, an assortments of wrenches, and a screw driver. The tools had an estimated value of $1,430.

No one was arrested and the theft remains under investigation. In November, five people were charged with numerous burglaries at the self-storage facility.

Caitlin Mota may be reached at cmota@jjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @caitlin_mota. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.
JERSEY CITY -- A 31-year-old Jersey City man is among seven people who have been indicted in a violent, multi-county drug ring, authorities announced Monday.

Golden Williamson, of Jersey City, is the alleged leader of a drug trafficking network in Hudson, Monmouth, and Ocean counties. He has also been charged with two separate murders in Jersey City, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said in a statement.

In the 79-count indictment handed up by a grand jury on July 12, Williamson was named as the suspect wanted for killing Byungeun Lee inside his Journal Square store in Dec. 2015, Suarez said.

About a month later, Williamson along with Eric Dawson, 26, of Jersey City, are accused of gunning down 32-year-old Kevin Miles on Stuyvesant Avenue in Jersey City, the prosecutor said. Miles, who had survived a horrific motorcycle crash, was fatally shot while sitting inside a car on Jan. 28, 2016.

The grand jury also returned an indictment against James Staggers, 28, of Jersey City, and Williamson for a Nov. 2015 shooting that left a man paralyzed from the chest down, authorities announced.

Williamson also faces a number of attempted murder charges from shootings in Jersey City and Toms River, Suarez said.

The investigation also netted the arrests of Robert Dawson, 26, of East Orange, Darrell Winfree, 34, of Jersey City, Adrian Rodino, 41, of West New York, and Shannon Walter, 25, of Brick. Each are charged with drug and conspiracy offenses as part of the narcotics trafficking network, officials said.

Suarez -- who credited the Hudson, Ocean, and Monmouth prosecutor's offices and multiple police agencies for making the arrests -- said the leaders of the network intimidated witnesses, residents, and business owners with the "viscous attacks."

"I am extremely proud of the collaborative effort by the law enforcement professionals who engaged in the lengthy, detailed and methodical investigation which led to this indictment," she said.

A spokesman for the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office declined to comment when asked whether the two homicides were related to the narcotics ring.

As part of a joint statement, Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato called the arrests one of the "most significant criminal cases of (his) tenure."

"The connectivity, cooperation and investigative excellence demonstrated by members of both the Hudson and Ocean County Prosecutor Offices has resulted in a very clear picture of the potential danger this defendant and his associates presented to New Jersey citizens," he said.

Caitlin Mota may be reached at cmota@jjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @caitlin_mota. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.
PRINCETON -- A graduate student at Princeton University has been sentenced to 10 years in prison on charges he was spying for the United States in Iran, according to reports.

Xiyue Wang. (Photo provided by Princeton University)

Chinese American student Xiyue Wang, 37, a fourth-year doctoral candidate in the university's Department of History, was accused by Iranian officials of having connections with American and British intelligence agencies, according to The New York Times.

The judiciary's official news agency said Wang archived thousands of Iranian documents, the Times reported.

The news agency also said Wang conducted research for the U.S. Department of State and Western academic institutions, The Washington Post reported.

In a statement Sunday evening, Princeton University said Wang -- who specializes in late 19th and early 20th century Eurasian history -- was arrested in Iran last summer while conducting research for his dissertation on the administrative and cultural history of the late Qajar dynasty.

University officials said the school has been working with his family, the U.S. government, private counsel and others to facilitate his release. It will "continue to do everything it can" to be supportive of Wang and his family, officials said in the statement.

"We were very distressed by the charges brought against him in connection with his scholarly activities, and by his subsequent conviction and sentence," university officials said in the statement. "His family and the university are distressed at his continued imprisonment and are hopeful that he will be released after his case is heard by the appellate authorities in Tehran."

Luke Nozicka may be reached at lnozicka@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @lukenozicka. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
PRINCETON -- The graduate student at Princeton University who has been sentenced to 10 years in Iran on charges he was spying for the United States is innocent, his thesis adviser at the Ivy League school said Monday.

Xiyue Wang. (Photo provided by Princeton University)

Chinese-American student Xiyue Wang has been accused of archiving thousands of Iranian documents and having connections with American intelligence agencies.

In an email to NJ Advance Media, Princeton professor Stephen Kotkin said the documents Wang read and collected are more than 100 years old.

"He is innocent of the charges of espionage," Kotkin said.

Kotkin said it is common for researchers traveling to multiple sites to photocopy or scan documents they do not have time to go through in each country, so they can "rush on to their next place of research."

Kotkin, who has been teaching in the university's history department since 1989, said Wang's next research stop would have been Russia.

Wang, 37, a fourth-year doctoral candidate, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison on charges of espionage, according to reports.

He is accused of archiving 4,500 pages of Iranian documents and conducting research for the U.S. Department of State and other Western academic institutions, according to The New York Times.

He has filed an appeal to his sentence, The Associated Press reported.

In a statement Sunday evening after news broke of the sentencing, university officials said Wang was arrested in Iran last summer while conducting research for his dissertation on the administrative and cultural history of the late Qajar dynasty.

His research specializes in late 19th and early 20th century Eurasian history.

Kotkin described Wang as a polite, respectful and curious researcher who has traveled extensively in Central Asia, Russia, Afghanistan and Iran.

Wang is "linguistically gifted," his adviser said, with the ability to speak in Chinese and read in Persian, Turkic, Pashto and Russian. He is "everything an adviser could hope for" in a graduate student, Kotkin said.

"Xiyue Wang is one of those people who lives for scholarship," he said. "He is relentlessly eager to share his latest discoveries, driven to learn, to understand, to absorb and to discuss ideas and stories and analysis."

University officials said the school has been working with his family, the U.S. government and lawyers for his release. It will "continue to do everything it can" to be supportive of Wang and his family, officials said in the statement.

"We were very distressed by the charges brought against him in connection with his scholarly activities, and by his subsequent conviction and sentence," university officials said in the statement. "His family and the university are distressed at his continued imprisonment and are hopeful that he will be released after his case is heard by the appellate authorities in Tehran."

Luke Nozicka may be reached at lnozicka@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @lukenozicka. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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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.
Today

Showers in the morning, then partly cloudy in the afternoon. High 67F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%.

Tonight

Clear skies. Low 43F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph.

Tomorrow

A mainly sunny sky. High 58F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph.
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The NSPCC has referred 165 cases to the police and childrens services in Nottinghamshire in two years after receiving calls and emails from people worried about children left home alone.

As the school summer break approaches, the childrens charity has revealed that specialist counsellors on its 24-hour Helpline made the referrals during 2015/2016 and 2016/17 to local agencies in the county.

This total includes Nottingham, where 54 referrals were made in the same period.

NSPCC Chief Executive Peter Wanless said: Deciding if a child is ready to be left on their own can be a very difficult decision and the summer holidays can be a difficult time for parents and carers as they face increasing childcare pressures.

Although there is no minimum age, no child should be left on their own if there is any risk they will come to harm.

Children mature at their own rate so its really important parents think carefully about what is right for their child.

Children shouldnt be left on their own if they are not happy with being left, or if they dont know what to do in an emergency.

The charity states that although the law does not give a minimum age at which children can be left on their own, it says that parents and carers can be prosecuted for neglect if children are put at risk of suffering or injury.

Worried callers to the NSPCC Helpline across the UK have reported children being left alone overnight and young children left to feed themselves and use dangerous kitchen equipment.

There were also a further 21 calls and emails during those two years from people in Nottinghamshire seeking advice about children being left home alone.

The NSPCC is warning that although a child may seem responsible enough to be left alone without supervision, parents and carers should think carefully whether they would be able to cope with unexpected situations such as an emergency, a stranger calling at the house, being hungry or if the parent is away for longer than they thought.

The NSPCC is urging parents to read its home alone guide which includes questions they should ask themselves and their children before deciding to leave a child unsupervised.

To help parents and carers who may be considering whether or not to leave their child on their own for the first time this summer, the NSPCC is issuing guidance on leaving children home alone on its website.

Key advice includes:

Babies, toddlers and very young children should never be left alone.

Children under the age of 12 are rarely mature enough to cope in an emergency and should not be left at home alone for a long period of time.

Children under the age of 16 should not be left alone overnight.

Parents and carers can be prosecuted for neglect if it is judged that they placed a child at risk by leaving them at home alone.

A child should never be left at home alone if they do not feel comfortable with it, regardless of their age.

If a child has additional needs, these should be considered when leaving them at home alone or with an older sibling.

When leaving a younger child with an older sibling think about what may happen if they were to have a falling out - would they both be safe?



The NSPCCs helpline is available 24/7 on 0808 800 5000 for free and confidential advice.
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Securing an apprenticeship can often mean the first step on the career ladder - and a way of starting out in a new industry.

There are several apprenticeship opportunities in Nottinghamshire right now, from IT technician to catering assistant.

Here are some of our top picks.

To search for other jobs in the local area, click here.

Apprentice Catering Assistant

Location: Bluecoat Academies Trust

Salary: 3.50 per hour (National Apprenticeship Wage)

Closing date: July 18

Details: The Apprentice Catering Assistant will be given an excellent opportunity to develop their skills and experience within a catering team in a school environment. Successful candidates will undertake NVQ studies alongside employment.

Apprentice IT technician

Location: Bluecoat Academies Trust

Salary: 3.50 per hour (National Apprenticeship Wage)

Closing date: July 18

Details: The Trust is seeking to appoint an ambitious apprentice to join the trust-wide IT team to be responsible for assisting in providing IT support to all sites at Archway Learning Trust. The successful candidates will work under the IT Network Manager to support in providing an effective and efficient ICT support service. Successful candidates will undertake NVQ studies alongside employment.

Apprentice Administration Assistant

Location: Bluecoat Academies Trust

Salary: 3.50 per hour (National Apprenticeship Wage)

Closing date: July 18

Details: The Apprentice Administration Assistant will be an integral member of the team in delivering high quality administrative service across the Academy. The role will give the apprentice the opportunity to learn and develop key administration skills including organisation, communication and time-management skills. Successful candidates will undertake NVQ studies alongside employment.

Apprentice at greeting card company

Location: Sherwood Press

Salary: Competitive

Closing date: July 21

Details: The Sherwood Group, a packaging and greeting card company, is looking to recruit two apprentices, one in the die cutting department and one in the gluing department. Candidates will need a Grade C or above in English and Maths at GCSE or equivalent and be self-motivated to complete the BPIF Apprenticeship Modules. They will be required to work 8.00am to 4.30pm.

Apprentice Dental Nurse

Location: Oasis Healthcare Ltd, Hucknall

Salary: Up to 7.50 per hour plus Oasis benefits

Closing date: August 10

Details: The Apprentice Dental Nurse will provide clinical chairside support to dentists, providing excellent patient care. You will also update patient records, set up decontamination of instruments and take on reception duties. You will be enthusiastic and willing to learn, and personable, positive and enthusiastic.

Apprentice Chef

Location: Miller & Carter Nottingham

Salary: 120 per week

Closing date: August 10

Details: Chef apprentices have the opportunity to develop their skills and knowledge through a 12-month structured training programme, whilst taking on an entry level, full time position at Miller and Carter. You will be an essential cog to the running of the restaurant, pub or bar, so candidates will need to be passionate about working their way up within a professional kitchen and delivering the best possible customer-experience.
A week-long campaign to crack down on knife crime is under way, with police forces working to identify shops where knives are being sold to youngsters, and using intelligence-led stop and search powers to tackle offenders.

The nationwide campaign, involving 32 police forces including Nottinghamshire, aims to increase awareness of the dangers of carrying a knife.

As part of the campaign, Nottinghamshire Police has revealed that during test purchases earlier this year, nine out of 25 shops checked failed the test, and sold a knife to someone who was underage.

Police send minors into shops, and if staff dont age check them, or refuse to sell them the knives, trading standards intervene. First-time offenders are likely to be given education and a warning, but those who have previously failed test may face prosecution.

Superintendent Ted Antill said the number of shops that were failing was concerning, but said that initiatives like this help increase awareness of the dangers, and the importance of shops playing their part.

Speaking to the Post, he said: Its obviously a concern, the issue of knife crime is well known to most people in the city, so we would have a reasonable expectation that shops would challenge for age.

If you think that the person is under the age of 18, you need to be asking for identification, and trying to work out why they are buying a knife, and if you are concerned about what they are buying that knife for, get in touch with us on 101.

Campaigner Danny OBrien, of Anti-Knife UK said: Joe Public would be surprised how easy it is to actually get hold of a knife. If you go into some places theyre not even security tagged.

"If a kid's having problems at school, if they're being bullied, and then he sees how easy it is to get hold of a knife, he's going to be tempted to steal that and take it into school."

Speaking about the fact that nine shops provided knives to minors, he said: "I suppose I shouldn't be, but I am surprised it's that many. The council and Trading Standards need to bring in big fines, to hit the shops in the pocket.

"Police have been doing some really good work in Nottingham, so it's sad that shops aren't being pushed to bring in their own safety standards. All you are looking at is a small security tag, a small piece of plastic, and when you weight that against the cost of a funeral, there's no comparison."

Supt Antill said throughout the week, the community teams in neighbourhoods throughout the county would be working with groups such as schools and youth clubs and housing associations to identify potential knife carriers.

If people are concerned about an individual who may be carrying a knife, or someone they believe is a risk, or if they have information about a shop which is selling knives to young people, we would like them to call 101 and report it.

Alternatively, they can call Crimestoppers, which will pass the information on to us anonymously.

We recognise that the message is harder to get across to some groups than others, so we work harder in those areas to make sure that message gets through.

I think awareness is a big thing, and I think what this week will do is, with the help of other forces across the country, it just re-enforces the fact that police and other partner agencies are doing a huge amount to combat this. If this week does nothing more than raise peoples awareness then it will have been worth taking part.
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A 90-year-old care home resident is getting back in the pool to take part in a sponsored swim in memory of her husband.

Esmine Sims decided to take on the challenge to raise money for Bowel Cancer UK after her husband Archie Sims died of the disease in March this year.

A resident at the Stoke House Nursing Home in Stoke Lane, Gedling for six months, Mrs Sims had always been an keen swimmer in her younger years, but swam less as she got older.

Now, she is determined to try her best to swim for as long as she can to raise money for charity.

The retired nurse, said: I will see what I can do. Im just going to drop myself into it and hope for the best.

Im feeling good about it. I used to swim when I was younger. I now go once a week. Im feeling confident.

The determined resident chose the charity which is close to her heart, and said she wanted to take on this challenge for her husband.

She added: He got bowel cancer and he didnt know that he had it. It came as a bit of a shock, then just a couple of days later he died.

Im doing this for him.

One of the organisers behind the charity event, Louise Nichol, said she wanted to encourage Mrs Sims to keep doing a sport she loves.

The 38-year-old said: She is a really good swimmer so we decided to put the two together and do this as a way of raising money.

I co-ordinate the activities here so like to keep residents doing the things they love, and have them living their life.

She is diabetic and has had a heart attack not long ago so she has come back more determined than ever.

She just wants to push herself, she has said she will do 200m but she wants to do more.

Mrs Sims has no set target on how much she plans to raise, but has more than 100 so far.

Lee Bratchley-Clark, manager of Stoke House Nursing Home home, said: She really likes to do things to keep her busy and occupied, shes a bubbly character.

We wanted to get her back into swimming as its something she loves. She has been going for a few practices, and she wanted an end goal and this is it. It has really helped motivate her.

Who knows what could be next, she could be doing the 1,000m.
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Nottinghamshire County Council has moved to suspend its voluntary scheme to support child asylum seekers.

The decision was made at the council's children and young people's committee earlier today (July 17).

The committee voted in favour of suspending the voluntary transfer schemes, which allow local authorities to care for unaccompanied children who arrive in the UK and claim asylum, due to a funding shortfall.

This was in spite of a group of protestors gathering outside County Hall ahead of the meeting to dispute the planned decision.

The county will still fulfill its statutory duty to accept a certain number of unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UACSs).

The local authority withdrew from the voluntary agreement despite a letter of appeal from a former child refugee, 86-year-old Eve Leadbeater, who fled the Nazis on the kinder train in 1939.

The retired teacher who grew up in Gedling after arriving in the country from Prague said: What happened between 1939 and 2017? I am ashamed.

(Image: Angela Ward)

The report to the committee outlines the funding shortfall. Taking in child refugees costs the council 44,000 per child and the Home Office funding is 30,231, which means the council has a shortfall of more than 14,000.

One of the councillors in favour of the scheme was Liz Plant, who made it clear that the Labour councillors strongly opposed the Conservative decision.

She said: We cannot support this recommendation. These children are not numbers or statistics, they are vulnerable, desperate children and we are one of the richest countries in the world.

We have a proud history of showing compassion to children in need. As a local authority we need to continue to take our fair share of unaccompanied children.

Councillor John Peck agreed and branded the proposal as a nasty, petty, mean-minded and desperate act".

He added: We need to give these children a future, a life and a new beginning.

(Image: Angela Ward)

There were six councillors in favour of suspending the scheme whilst they continue to lobby the government for more funding and four against.

The scheme was originally set up to tackle the rising numbers of child refugees arriving in Europe following global conflict in the Middle East and North Africa where many children have fled without their families.

Councillor Philip Owen summed up why they wanted to suspend it.

He said: It really is a nonsense to say the moral argument overrides the financial argument, the money has to come from somewhere.

Lets not forget, they have come here of their own volition at a cost to the Nottinghamshire County Council tax payer.

If we are spending that sort of money then we cut spending on our own young people.

"For many years, UASCs have spontaneously arrived in Nottinghamshire claiming asylum. We have a statutory duty to look after these children and will continue to do so. Over the last five years, we have looked after around 40 such asylum seekers. This has been at a cost to Nottinghamshire County Council taxpayers of more than half a million pounds.

"These other schemes however are voluntary and our decision to suspend Nottinghamshires participation in them has been made to protect our budget."

He explained that by suspending the scheme they would not be participating in it for the foreseeable future.

Protestors in the gallery were appalled by the decision with one person shouting, How do you sleep at night?

One of the protestors was 17-year-old Yousuf Farooq from West Bridgford.

The student said: This decision has put us all to shame. This is a sad day for Nottingham.

I was shocked at how they made a distinction between our own children and those children.

Roxanne Ellis, Gedling Borough councillor, added: The Conservatives are proposing to stop taking care of refugee children because of the costs it is typical of this government to think about the costs.

There is nothing in the report about the children that they are talking about, nothing about the danger and distress they have been through.
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Weather forecasters are predicting high temperatures and sunshine for Nottingham before storms batter the county.

Temperatures could reach highs of 25C on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday before falling to lows of 13C by Thursday.

The extreme change is a weather phenomenon known as a Spanish Plume.

It is a complex weather system that normally consists of hot, steamy conditions followed usually by heavy rain or thunderstorms.

The cocktail of low pressure from the Atlantic combined with searing heat from Spain is predicted to bring a series of thunderstorms to the country.

The Met Office has already issued a yellow weather warning for rain on Wednesday in Nottingham.

A spokesman said: "Scattered thunderstorms with locally intense downpours will continue to move north across England and Wales in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

"Although the thunderstorms may tend to ease from the south later in the night, further, possibly severe storms may break out again on Wednesday afternoon. These appear more likely across central and eastern parts of England.

"Although many places will miss the thunderstorms, there is a chance of some localised flooding of homes, businesses and roads.

"Frequent lightning may be an additional hazard with potential for disruption to power networks.

"Large hail may be an additional hazard on Wednesday afternoon."

It is expected to remain dry in northern England and Scotland at the moment, but the forecast is constantly changing.
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A teaching union has criticised Nottingham College for 'leaving staff in the dark' over restructure plans which it claims leave 378 staff uncertain about their future over the summer period.

The merger of Nottingham's two main colleges was finally completed last month - almost one year later than than the initial date scheduled for New College Nottingham and Central College Nottingham to become one, employing around 1,800 staff.



At the time, college CEO John van de Laarschot confirmed that jobs will be lost. Speaking to the Post, he said: "My guess at the number [of job losses] looking forward would be around 20 percent of the staff."

Now the University and College Union (UCU) has issued a statement suggesting that the restructure could see at least 153 existing posts axed. More than one person can be employed in one post.

The union also argues that many of the new posts could see staff downgraded and leave them with worse terms and conditions.

However, the college has said that the plans will result in the removal of 137 posts from the two existing structures, and the newly merged college will create 122 new jobs which will help to re-shape the service Nottingham College will offer.

UCU has accused the college of leaving staff in the dark by failing to publish full details of the proposed new structure. It claims that a consultation on voluntary redundancy closes on Monday (July 24) but many of the job descriptions for new posts are still unavailable for staff to consider.

The timing of the consultation, which runs through the summer holiday period, has also been criticised by the union.

It has called on the college to halt the restructure process, rule out compulsory redundancies and discuss with the union the best way forward for staff and students.

UCU regional official, Sue Davis, said: "The whole restructure process is being rushed through without proper time for consultation.

"The college has repeatedly failed to provide us with basic information about the proposed new structure, leaving staff in the dark. We are deeply concerned that the job cuts will lead to fewer opportunities and less support for local people to get the skills they need.

"Many staff are now being asked to make decisions about their future without appropriate information, while others face the choice of losing their job or accepting a new contract which leaves them with lower pay and worse terms and conditions.

"Trying to rush through a consultation over the summer period makes meaningful engagement extremely difficult and is leaving hundreds of staff in limbo about their future. The college urgently needs to halt the process, rule out compulsory redundancies and sit down with UCU to consider the best way forward for staff and students."

The college said it will consult with staff and trade unions over the next 45 days before announcing any compulsory redundancies that arise from the process.

Nottingham College will cater for around 40,000 students overall and have an annual turnover of more than 80 million.



A spokesman for the college said it has embarked on a "comprehensive and ambitious transformational change programme" following the merger.

It says staff are being informed and the consultation process has begun to review which staff can be redeployed into the newly-created roles. Voluntary redundancy will be offered to those staff who wish to leave the organisation.

Mr Van de Laarschot said: Merging two organisations is never easy and rarely painless, but staff have asked us to proceed as soon as is practical.

"Moving towards a single college structure is an important and necessary step in creating an educational provider that not only responds to the needs of our communities, and importantly our employers locally and regionally, but that also helps the College operate as a financially sustainable institution. This will protect jobs and education resources in the longer term.

He added: Staff have been aware for a while about the need for the College to merge structures, systems and processes in order to drive efficiency, remove duplication and respond to changing market forces.

"We have worked hard to propose a well thought through structure for Nottingham College that meets the needs and expectations of our staff, our students, our partners and our employer community and which, where possible, provides new opportunities for staff.
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Academics from the University of Nottingham have carried out high-tech investigations to find out how to make the perfect crisp.

The university was approached by crisp company Pipers to help transform its product into a super snack.

Dr Deepa Agarwal, an expert in food structure and product development who received her PhD from the university last year, has worked for almost two years to find out the chemical compounds which go into the best possible crisp.

She looked in to more than 80 different aroma compounds as well as hiring a team of specialist tasters to check the quality of her crisps.

With the help of her academic advisor Dr Ian Fisk, Dr Agarwal used gas chromatographymass spectrometry to separate and then study the different chemicals in the crisps.

This process allowed her to adjust cooking temperature and cooking times to improve the shelf life of the product without harming the taste.

The tasters tested two products, the Wild Thyme and Rosemary crisps and a new range of Slightly Salted Sweet Potato crisps.

Dr Agarwal said: "Sensory testing with the trained panel helped us to explain the changes in taste using the technical analysis from the lab.

"For instance, for the recently launched sweet potato crisps, the results influenced the cooking process to achieve a great tasting new product and firmly established the importance of the role of the new tasting team.

The work of Dr Agarwal and her team has helped to suggest production changes at Pipers which would increase their products shelf life from 28 weeks to 40 weeks, opening up new opportunities to export products to South East Asia and the US.

She was asked to use her specialist knowledge to help Pipers understand the science behind their product as part of a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP).

KTPs are projects that connect businesses with graduates from UK universities, colleges, and research organisations to bring in new skills and knowledge.

Richard Mottram, factory manager at Pipers and a University of Nottingham engineering graduate, said:"As a proud alumni of the University of Nottingham, I felt a personal as well as professional connection with the KTP weve been running.

"As factory manager my job is all about people, and the most pleasing aspect for me has been the connection and relationships established between Deepa and the team here.

The project has been seen as a major success for the University of Nottingham with Pipers Crisps director Alex Albone praising the Universitys work.

Speaking to the Post, Mr Albone said: "With a business of our size we can often be short of expertise but with this KTP, the University of Nottingham were able to provide that for us perfectly."

Pipers Crisps was set up in 2004 in Elsham, Lincolnshire. They now employ around 80 people and export their products to the US, Canada, Germany, and Denmark.
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Details of this year's Nottinghamshire Pride event have been released - and organisers hope to build on the success of last year's event, which attracted 5,000 people.

The LGBTQ festival will celebrate diversity when it is held in the Lace Market and Hockley areas on Saturday, July 29, running from 11.30am until 6pm.

This year the procession will once again begin at Castle Gate before marching down towards the centre of Hockley.

There will be more than 40 stalls on Broad Street and Heathcoat Street as well as DJs playing music to the crowds, and an arts display in Lace Market Square.

Richard Clay, events co-ordinator for Nottinghamshire Pride, said: Last year we had over 5,000 people taking part in the march through the city and it was great to see so many diverse people supporting the LGBTQ community.

Every year we put more effort into making the event special, inclusive and free for all to enjoy, but this can only happen through the funding and donations we receive.

So much hard work goes into the planning and organisation of the event so we do hope you are looking forward to what we have in store this year as the nation celebrates 50 years since the decriminalisation of homosexuality in the UK.

Nottingham City Council is a key supporter of our event and we must pass thanks for allowing us to hold the event in a central, accessible area.

Cllr Dave Trimble, Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture at the city council, said: Nottinghamshire Pride is one of the citys most loved events and we are proud to be supporting everyone in the LGBT community during this celebration.

This city has a vibrant and passionate LGBT community and its great to see so many people showing their love and support during this popular event.

The event free to take part in and everyone can to participate by marching, or by spectating.
The highlights, key points, reports and injury and suspension news from all the weekend's Round 19 Telstra Premiership matches.

Warriors v Panthers

Nathan Cleary was the star as the Panthers left Auckland with the two competition points, the Warriors' loss compounded by a knee injury to halfback Shaun Johnson.

Injuries: Trent Merrin (knee), Shaun Johnson (knee).

Judiciary: No charges.

Match report: Cleary stars as Panthers down Warriors

Warriors v Panthers: Five key points

Watch: Match highlights



Match Draw Widget

[2017] Telstra Premiership - Round 19: Warriors vs Panthers

Raiders v Dragons

An Aidan Sezer 40/20 got the Raiders in quality field position and Elliott Whitehead scored a try in the ensuing set as the Green Machine recorded a vital golden point win over the Dragons.

Injuries: Russell Packer (hip/groin), Josh Dugan (concussion), Luke Bateman (face), Shannon Boyd (knee).

Judiciary: Josh Papalii (shoulder charge).

Match report: Raiders topple Dragons in golden point

Raiders v Dragons: Five key points

Watch: Match highlights



Match Draw Widget

[2017] Telstra Premiership - Round 19: Raiders vs Dragons

Knights v Broncos

Newcastle showed plenty of character to lead at half-time but the Broncos finished strongly, former Knight Korbin Sims scoring a decisive try in the 34-22 win.

Injuries: Peter Mata'utia (concussion).

Judiciary: No charges.

Match report: Broncos survive Knights scare

Knights v Broncos: Five key points

Watch: Match highlights



Match Draw Widget

[2017] Telstra Premiership - Round 19: Knights vs Broncos

Titans v Sharks

Despite heavy rain the Titans put on plenty of points, thrashing the Sharks to keep their finals aspirations alive.

Injuries: Jack Bird (sternum).

Judiciary: No charges.

Match report: Taylor inspires massive Titans victory

Titans v Sharks: Five key points

Watch: Match highlights



Match Draw Widget

[2017] Telstra Premiership - Round 19: Titans vs Sharks

Sea Eagles v Wests Tigers

Manly skipper Daly Cherry-Evans continued arguably the best season of his career, guiding the Sea Eagles to a 28-16 win over Wests Tigers on Sunday.

Injuries: Jacob Liddle (shoulder), Joel Edwards (concussion).

Judiciary: Sauaso Sue (dangerous contact - other), Darcy Lussick (contrary conduct).

Match report: Cherry on top as Manly survive Tigers scare

Sea Eagles v Wests Tigers: Five key points

Watch: Match highlights



Match Draw Widget

[2017] Telstra Premiership - Round 19: Sea Eagles vs Wests Tigers

Rabbitohs v Cowboys

The North Queensland Cowboys have claimed three straight wins without Johnathan Thurston, earning a 23-10 victory over the South Sydney Rabbitohs in Cairns.

Injuries: Antonio Winterstein (calf), Robert Jennings (head knock).

Judiciary: No charges.

Match report: Cowboys overpower Souths in Cairns

Rabbitohs v Cowboys: Five key points

Watch: Match highlights



Match Draw Widget

[2017] Telstra Premiership - Round 19: Rabbitohs vs Cowboys


Raiders back-rower Josh Papalii will miss two weeks after entering an early guilty plea to a grade two shoulder charge.

Papalii was charged for his hit on Dragons fullback Josh Dugan in the 57th minute of Canberra's miraculous golden point win over St George Illawarra on Friday night, and will miss the Raiders' upcoming clashes with the Storm and Rabbitohs.
Icarus famously flew too close to the sun, but ICARUS, the world's largest liquid argon particle hunter, is safe and secure in Portage.

The ocean vessel M/V Frieda brought the massive scientific instrument, called ICARUS, from Europe to the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor last week. It's headed for the U.S. Department of Energy's Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Batavia, Illinois, where particle physicists will use it to study neutrinos, elementary particles that help make up the universe.

"The Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor is a major hub for large-dimensional and mega project cargo shipments," said Ian Hirt, port director.

"The port's facilities and location allow companies to ship cargoes by water directly into the Midwest, which can significantly reduce the transportation costs and permitting requirements for moving large loads over the highway. Because of the experience of Federal Marine Terminals, our general cargo terminal operator, this port has developed an enviable track record for handling large cargoes and established a worldwide reputation as a port-of-choice for specialty shipments."

Fermilab, the nation's premier national laboratory for particle physics and accelerator research, will use the liquid argon particle-hunter in some of the world's most advanced scientific experiments as it tries "to solve the mysteries of matter, energy, space and time for the benefit of all."

The national laboratory said on its website researchers will use the ICARUS, or Imaging Cosmic and Rare Underground Signals, detector to seek evidence of a fourth type of neutrino that scientists previously have not been able to detect.

"As neutrino detector, ICARUS' job is to observe and record the results of neutrino collisions with particles of matter set in motion by another scientific instrument, an accelerator," the Ports of Indiana said in a press release.

"By studying how neutrinos interact, scientists hope to understand more about the universe at the smallest scales. When reassembled at Fermilab and filled with 760 tons of liquid argon, ICARUS will be the world's largest particle-hunter of its kind and will also be the biggest of three neutrino detectors at the facility."

ICARUS, which is the size of two semi-trucks, had to be divided into two containers, each 66-feet long and 63 tons, as it began its journey in Geneva, Switzerland last month. It was trucked to a port at Antwerp, Belgium, where it sailed across the Atlantic Ocean, through the St. Lawrence Seaway, into Lake Michigan and onto Northwest Indiana.

The particle-hunter, which records collisions on neutrinos, will soon be loaded onto semi-trucks and is slated to arrive at Fermilab on July 26.

Its trip has been tracked at icarustrip.fnal.gov and on Twitter with the hashtag #IcarusTrip.
MERRILLVILLE  Police said Monday they are continuing to investigate the death of a 55-year-old man Friday, but no charges have been filed.

John R. Thiel, 55, of the 1000 block of East 63rd Place in Merrillville, was pronounced dead at 7:41 a.m. Friday by the Lake County coroners office after an hours-long standoff, according to police and coroner's officials.

Merrillville police responded to Thiel's home on the north end of town for a report of a barricaded subject and a person shot.

When officers arrived, they could see Thiel through a bedroom window, Cmdr. Jeff Rice said Monday. Thiel had a gunshot wound and appeared to be deceased, he said.

Officers asked the Northwest Indiana Regional SWAT team to assist, because other people in the home were uncooperative, police said.

Police initially said a woman inside the home was arrested and a second person was taken into custody on unrelated charges. Rice said Monday one person was taken to a hospital, and a second was arrested on outstanding warrants.

The death investigation in ongoing, Rice said.
INDIANAPOLIS  Gov. Eric Holcomb is not yet taking a position on the latest Republican proposal to repeal portions of the Affordable Care Act and eliminate many of the taxes that fund it.

The state's Republican chief executive said last week that he's closely monitoring developments in Washington, D.C., and keeping in touch with the Hoosier delegation, as the Senate works toward possibly voting this week on health care legislation that only was unveiled Thursday.

"Obviously we're tracking it every single day; sometimes it changes by the hour," Holcomb said. "We've got to see something that is solid and not ever-changing before I start to comment on it."

Much at stake

Holcomb said state agencies are continuously estimating the impact of the proposed health law changes on Indiana, especially as it relates to Medicaid expansion under the ACA, also known as Obamacare.

In 2015, Indiana received permission from the Obama administration to implement an alternative form of Medicaid expansion, known as Healthy Indiana Plan 2.0, that emphasizes personal responsibility and requires participant contributions.

However, 95 percent of HIP member health care costs  approximately $2 billion this year  still are paid by the federal government, according to state's Medicaid forecast.

Should the Republican-controlled Congress reduce or eliminate federal funding for Medicaid expansion, as some senators are proposing, Indiana then would have a significant financial hole to fill if it wants to maintain coverage for the more than 400,000 Hoosiers served by HIP.

House Democratic Leader Scott Pelath, D-Michigan City, said with so much at stake Holcomb owes it to Hoosiers to immediately detail exactly how the federal health legislation will affect their lives and state spending.

"The potential adverse consequences to the HIP 2.0 program and private health insurance are significant and far-reaching," Pelath said. "Hoosiers expect reasonable answers to how bad it is, how much it is and what we intend to do about it."

Holcomb said his intention is not to hide what the state knows about the impact of the proposed health law, though he has declined to release preliminary estimates.

He only wants to be sure that the data corresponds to the measure under debate.

"When I feel confident about a product that they will actually vote on, absolutely we will express how we feel about the bill and what impact it will have on Hoosiers," Holcomb said. "I would just like to see a bill that remains the same for a 24-hour period."

More state control?

Holcomb's ideal plan would give states total control over the provision of health care for low-income, disabled and some elderly residents, with the federal government simply block-granting the money it now spends on those individuals to the states.

The latest Senate proposal includes such a Medicaid Flexibility Program, with many terms and conditions similar to HIP 2.0, that states may be able to take advantage of beginning in 2020.

"It will require all of us to make some hard decisions, but I feel good about the position that Indiana is in," Holcomb said. "I am absolutely confident that given a good bill, Indiana can manage our own affairs and tend to the people of our state."

"I think the only way we're going to get good change, real reform, is if states have more control, more responsibility, more flexibility to make those reforms."

At the same time, Holcomb hinted that ultimately he's likely to get on board with any Republican-sponsored health reform proposal.

"I want to support a change because the course we're on right now is not just bankrupting companies that have the ability to deliver good health care, but it's bankrupting our nation," he said.

"Doing nothing is not a good option; it just kicks the can down the road further and further."

U.S. Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., likewise has objected to simply maintaining the status quo.

He said he's committed "to improving our nation's health care system so everyone has the opportunity to access high quality and affordable care."

"Obamacare has failed Hoosiers as prices have skyrocketed, insurers have left the marketplace leaving severely limited choices and deductibles have risen to a level where for some insurance is useless," Young said.

On the other hand, U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., remains unimpressed by the revised GOP health legislation and believes a bipartisan solution is required.

"If our goal is to reduce costs, protect people with pre-existing conditions, and preserve the good work states like Indiana have done to expand affordable health care, we need to work together," Donnelly said.
EAST CHICAGO  Firefighters battled a blaze at two buildings Monday morning on Chicago Avenue just east of Indianapolis Boulevard which displaced two families.

The fire started in the early morning, Assistant Chief Francisco Mendez said.

No injuries had been reported as of 8:20 a.m. as firefighters continued to douse a building housing TrendSetters Barbershop and a building to the west, where Paleteria Y Veneria operates. A fire truck was seen behind one of the the buildings.

Jesus Patino, owner of the barbershop, stood across the street in front of a Burger King watching firefighters.

Patino said his alarm company and the fire department notified him, and he already had made a call to his insurance company.

He has done business at the shop in the 600 block of Chicago Avenue for four years, he said.

"I'm not worried," he said. "It's going to be all right."

A number of onlookers lined the south sidewalk on Chicago Avenue, as smoke billowed through the neighborhood to the south.

Shortly before 6 p.m., Mendez said two families had been displaced as a result of the fire.

"We don't know the cause yet," he said. "An inspector is going to have to investigate. Once that investigation is complete, we will know exactly how it was caused. We don't suspect arson at this point."
DYER  Resurfacing of Calumet Avenue from U.S. 30 to just north of the bridge at 213th Street is scheduled to begin Monday and will impact traffic.

The grinding and asphalt resurfacing project by crews from Walsh & Kelly will also go east on 213th Street to the entrance to Briar Ridge Country Club and west past the intersection of Madison Street.

No underground utilities are involved in this project, Town Manager Tom DeGiulio said. There will be rolling lane closures. Were hoping it takes a week, depending on the weather.

This phase of the project will also include the striping of lanes, DeGiulio said. The lack of lane striping has been a major problem because motorists cant see what lane they are in, he said.

The second phase will go north of the bridge and continue to Main Street. Well need to coordinate with the fence installation going in on Calumet Avenue, DeGiulio said.

Resurfacing of Calumet Avenue is being funded with money from the towns tax increment financing and a Community Crossing Grant awarded last year by the Indiana Department of Transportation.

The Redevelopment Commission also recently approved partnering with the Town of Munster on a joint Community Crossing Grant application to resurface Main Street from the Pennsy Greenway Bike Trail west to Sheffield Avenue.

The condition of this roadway has deteriorated with repairs and patches, DeGiulio told the RDC at its July 13 meeting.

In the summer of 2014, a storm sewer along Main Street at the far eastern edge of Briar Ridge collapsed, closing the road and causing the need for major repairs. During the first week of July this year, Dyer Public Works crews repaired an 18-inch water main break along Main Street near the Briar Ridge entrance.

Traffic counts on this heavily-traveled road show some 14,000 vehicles use it every day, Neil Simstad, of Nies Engineering, told the commissioners.

Munster is concerned about the need to get this roadway repaired before the east/west 45th Street underpass project takes place beginning in 2018, DeGiulio said.

The underpass project will shut down 45th Street east of Calumet Avenue for reconstruction of the railroad bypass, he said.

According to information supplied by Munster, the estimated cost for a 2-inch milling and resurfacing of Main Street is $350,000. Munster officials asked Dyer to commit $87,500 to the grant application.

The Dyer commissioners voted to support the Main Street resurfacing project with funds not to exceed $75,000. Dyer has already submitted its own separate Community Crossing Grant application to INDOT for three road projects.
VALPARAISO  Its no secret that people love their pets and people will do almost anything to make their pets healthy and happy.

Dagny Laur, owner of American Limb and Orthopedic Co. of Valparaiso, is learning just how far pet owners are willing to go.

A graduate of the Northwestern University Medical Schools Orthotic and Prosthetic certification program, Laur has operated the company since 2006, making custom prosthetics for people who have lost limbs or need special braces to maintain mobility.

But Laur, who has four dogs and four cats, has always thought about using her skills to help animals with similar mobility challenges.

Her dream began to take shape after a recent conference of the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists, where she learned more about pet orthotics.

"It was the final push I needed," said Laur, of Union Mills.

Another push came from Laurs own veterinarian, who told her there are so many animals that need help.

"She referred one to me immediately, but when I called the owner, he had already put the dog down," Laur said. "It was too late. That was my last and final straw. I decided to make myself public so people know I exist."

Prosthetics, wheeled carts and braces

Laur partnered with Megan Hornsby, a local veterinary technician and animal lover who has three dogs, a horse, two ferrets and a pot-bellied pig.

The two women combined their expertise to launch Paws In Motion, a division of ALOCV that provides custom-made limbs, braces and wheeled carts for animals with amputations, limb deformities and those who simply need a little help getting around.

In April, Laur and Hornsby created marketing materials and a Facebook page, and the phones have not stopped ringing since. Veterinarians, area dog rescues, boarding kennels and individual pet owners all are using their services.

To date, Laur has created custom prosthetics for Teddy, a 9-month-old Great Dane who was born with a deformed partial limb, and Tidus, a 4-year-old Boston terrier who had a partial amputation of his front leg after he was hit by a car.

Teddy and her brother, Tugg, live with Staci Kish, a veterinarian at Hobart Animal Hospital, and her family.

"These guys do fine three-legged, but it is so much easier with a prosthetic," said Kish, of Valparaiso.

Kish said the prosthetic will also help Teddy, who weighs about 80 pounds, avoid back strain.

"I want to walk her with her brother around the neighborhood," Kish said. "Before, it was so hard for her to move sometimes. I didnt want to have to stop midway and carry her home.

Laur also has created new leg braces for Pixie, a 9-year-old Chihuahua/dachshund mix, and refurbished leg braces for Georgia, a 9-year-old black Labrador retriever.

As the Indiana representative for a national dog cart company, Laur also has provided a wheeled cart for Charlie, a 7-year-old dachshund with permanent nerve damage from ruptured discs.

Charlie lives with Bill and Debbie Hackney, who have carried Charlie everywhere for the past year. Now, Charlies new wheeled cart increases his mobility.

"We take our walks, and he loves it," Debbie Hackney said. "When hes looking for moles, he doesnt think about being in the wheelchair."

Alternative to surgery

Laur said Paws In Motion provides in-house consultation, cast impressions, custom fabrication, fitting, adjustment and maintenance.

Before Paws In Motion, veterinarians took a plaster cast of the involved limb and sent it to a fabrication facility in either Colorado, Pennsylvania or Canada, where the prosthetic or brace was made and sent back to the customer.

"They have to make the limb so generalized because they never see the dog," Laur said. "We actually evaluate the dog here in the office, and I make every part of the artificial limb by hand. From a fitting perspective, this is the best route to go for better results and maintenance. Im here and have everything on site to do it."

Laur said the cost of a custom human prosthetic, which is billed to insurance, can range from $4,000 to more than $100,000, while braces are from $1,000 to more than $10,000. A custom canine prosthetic ranges from $1,500 to $2,200, and braces are $600 or more, but both are an out-of-pocket expense for pet owners.

Laurs new venture is growing fast, but whats most important is giving new life to pups who otherwise might have come to the end of their road.

"I want people to know Im out here, that there are other options to try  the sky is the limit," Laur said. "I just dont think putting them down is the answer."

Laur wants people to give animals the same options that people have.

"They dont put humans down when they lose limbs," Laur said. "I want to be known as an alternative option to surgery and a last hope when everything else fails where mobility is concerned."
It's been one of the most-read articles in The Times and nwi.com this year  a testament to the number of lives touched by a Region business fixture for generations.

So it's no wonder the buzz grew again this past week with news that a business partnership of the Northwest Indiana Strack and Van Til families successfully bought back their family-established grocery chain at bankruptcy auction.

We heard from scores of readers earlier this year when the previous company owning the chain announced it would be closing and selling its properties.

Our Region worried about the potential loss of hundreds of jobs and of the philanthropic void that could be left by the disappearance of a business chain that's been generous to local charities over the years.

Loyal Strack & Van Til customers were in virtual mourning about the potential loss of the quality grocery store chain they loved.

Now the mourning can be replaced with celebration.

The original families that founded the chain in 1959 were successful in buying back the business at auction, pledging to operate 20 of the chain's 22 remaining grocery stores.

A judge must approve the deal Tuesday, but all signs are pointing up.

We thank and congratulate the Strack and Van Til families for working to keep a staple of the Region under local ownership, renewing an investment in all of us.

Northwest Indiana residents should remember this investment the next time they head out for groceries.

Our readers have made clear just how important the business is to them, through both words and readership.

For the business to thrive, our community also must vote with our wallets, whether it's at Strack & Van Til or other local businesses.
DELPHI, Ind.  A sketch authorities released Monday of a man considered the main suspect in the February killings of two northern Indiana girls was drawn in part from descriptions provided by someone who saw the suspect around the time the girls were slain, a sheriff said.

Carroll County Sheriff Tobe Leazenby said the witness saw the man walking near Delphi, about 60 miles northwest of Indianapolis, but only recently met with an FBI sketch artist to provide facial details for the rendering released by state police.

Leazenby said he cannot discuss where the witness saw the unidentified man, who authorities consider the main suspect in the slayings of 14-year-old Liberty German and 13-year-old Abigail Williams. He said the witness saw the man around the time the girls were killed.

The teens vanished Feb. 13 while hiking along a trail near Delphi, their hometown. Their bodies were found the next day in nearby woods. Authorities have not disclosed how the girls were killed.

The composite sketch depicts a white man with a prominent nose and a goatee who's wearing a cap and what appears to be a hooded sweater. Police said the suspect has reddish-brown hair, stands between 5-foot-6 and 5-foot-10 and weighs between 180 and 220 pounds.

Police asked the public to examine the image, particularly the man's facial features, and contact them with any information that might help them identify him.

"We want to know who he is," state police Sgt. Kim Riley said at a news conference. "If we can get somebody to come forward with more information  if we can get a name or at least a location of this subject  that would be great."

He said the sketch is "an artist's composite of the information" collected by all agencies involved in the investigation. Riley said the witness who saw the suspect was close enough to him to say that he did not have blue eyes, but was uncertain of his eye color.

Riley said fear may have played a role in the witness's decision not to come forward sooner with a description of the suspect.

"People are scared. They're scared to be recognized by the subject. It just takes a while for these things to happen," he said.

A reward of more than $230,000 is being offered for information leading to an arrest or arrests and convictions in the teens' killings.

The sketch is the first new information released by authorities about the suspect since late February, when they distributed two grainy images of a man walking along an old railroad bridge the girls had visited while hiking. They also released audio of a male saying "down the hill."

That evidence came from German's cellphone. Police have hailed her as a hero for recording potentially crucial evidence.

Riley said investigators believe the man in the photos and in the new artist's sketch killed both girls.
In 2016, more than 236 million prescriptions were written for opioids in the United States, about one bottle for every American adult.

No wonder that when you Google opioid addiction, the following alert from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services appears: The U.S. is in the midst of an opioid overdose epidemic. If you or someone you know needs help, effective treatment is available and can save lives.

While heroin is a common opioid, most Americans who become addicted arent looking for a high. Instead theyre frequently prescribed such opioids as oxycodone, hydrocodone and fentanyl by their doctors to manage pain from back ailments and arthritis.

When opioids first became available, they seemed like the answer to a common criticism that hospitals failed to relieve their patients pain, said John Doherty, vice president of therapy services for Community Healthcare System.

Hospitals were very concerned with patients coming to the hospital with severe pain and leaving with severe pain, and there was pressure to do something about this, he said.

But as effective as opioids are at managing pain, they are also highly addictive. Thats why its important for people seeking to relieve intense pain to explore other options first.

People now understand that opioids should never be the first line of defense in pain management, Doherty said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nonpharmacological therapy and nonopioid pharmacologic therapy are preferred for chronic pain. A CDC study found that physical therapy, weight loss for knee osteoarthritis and psychological therapies are all effective in managing chronic pain.

Its important to treat the source of pain and not just mask the pain, said Dr. Randolph Chang, chief medical officer at the APAC Centers for Pain Management in Crown Point, Dyer and Valparaiso. Physical therapy can treat the source of pain rather than hide the pain, which is what opioids do.

Chung says 90 percent of the time patients don't understand how medication works or its severe side effects.

Theyve never been informed nor have they been exposed to current modalities in treating pain, he said. When they learn what medicines do and dont do and what other options are available, they frequently opt for other treatments."

Those include heat or cold therapies, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, hydrotherapy and active assisted range of motion.

These are some of the tools that physical therapists have that can help relieve a patient of pain without having to rely on medications, Doherty said. "(Community Healthcare System has) 15 outpatient clinics throughout Lake and Porter Counties that treat whatever the cause of the pain is and, more often than not, physical therapy is at least part of the treatment. With physical therapy, we try to re-establish pain-free range of motion, strength and function, helping to relieve our patients pain without the use of opioids.
A man who was shot Friday night at his residence in the 500 block of North Antioch Circle in Opelika is reported to be in stable condition.

Opelika police received 911 calls at approximately 9:50 p.m. Friday concerning a person shot in the 500 block of North Antioch Circle. They are investigating it as a first-degree assault.

The injured person was taken by helicopter to the Columbus Regional Health Center, said Opelika police Capt. Bobby Kilgore.

Authorities request that anyone with information on the case to call the Opelika Police Departments Investigative Services Division at (334) 705-5220; or call the departments Secret Witness Hotline at (334) 745-8665. Callers may remain anonymous.
Conover + Gould Strategic Communications registered as subcontractor to Information Management Services on its $1.3M three-month engagement with Qatar.

The firm is good for $100K per month for providing strategic counsel and direct communications support and engagement, according to its engagement of services letter of June 29.

Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and United Arab Emirates established a blockade of Qatar, known as the free-wheeling hub of the Middle East, a month ago.

They say Qatars open door policy destabilizes the region. The New York Times today noted that Qatars policy of providing shelter for dissidents from the blockading countries and hosting Al-Jazeera TV are what infuriates its neighbors the most.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillersons shuttle diplomacy last week failed to end the blockade. Diplomats from UK, Germany and France also came up empty.

Qatar, which shares the worlds third largest gas field with Iran, is the world's richest country per capita.
Lets hear it for the 25 percent of Americans who told Washington Post/ABC pollsters they strongly support President Donald J. Trump.

That select group is in the drivers seat.

Though nearly twice (48 percent) the number of Americans strongly disapproves of the performance of the 45th president58 percent overall disapprove Trump could care less.

He marches upward and onward.

Trumps political survival depends on maintaining the backing of his strongest supporters, a quarter of America. Theyre his lifeblood.

For instance, 24 percent believe Trump has acted in a way that's fitting and proper for a President of the United States and 24 percent approve his use of Twitter.

Twenty-seven percent say Americas leadership in the world is stronger under Trump and 26 percent say it was okay for Don Jr. to meet with a Russian government rep to get dirt on Hillary Clinton.

It takes a big jug of Kool-Aid to wash those numbers down.

Tweet on, Donald

Though two-thirds of the country disapproves of Trumps Twitter addictionincluding members of the White House staff and his defense teamthe President tweets on and on and on, feeding his core whoppers and things they want to believe are true.

Presidents and politicos have long worked to dodge the filter of the mainstream press. Trump has upended that policy by substituting Twitter for the fake news media (The President makes Sarah Palins lamestream media criticism sound so minor league.)

Trump has dismissed the quaint civics class notion that a President is the leader of all Americans.

Philip Bump in todays WaPo wrote that Trumps messaging and priorities all seem to target the quarter of America that back him.

Trumps tweets about the biased media and inaccurate polls may not reflect reality, but they reinforce a message that bounces around within that base, wrote Bump. Trumps policies may not be shared by most Americans, but they are shared by that core base of support.

Bump points out that Trumps core support dovetails quite nicely with Republican primary voters.

In the unlikely event that a Republican Senator puts country first and expresses opposition to Trumps roadmap to ruin, he or she would pay dearly in the next election.

Since guts are a rare commodity in todays GOP, the President will enjoy a smooth ride for the next 3 years.

Its the country that will have to hold on for dear life.
In a market that is still in a race to the top of the power charts, Yamaha hasn't forgotten about its entry-level offering, and for 2018, the all-new Kodiak is getting the Japanese brand back into the midsize ATV segment.

The new Kodiak 450 replaces both the Grizzly 450 and old Kodiak 450 in Yamaha's lineup and gets the brand back in the midsize ATV market with a thoroughly modern machine. Updating its small machine's technology was certainly a priority for Yamaha, but an all-new chassis has also been devised which gives the Kodiak 450 what is likely its biggest advantage in this segment. But before we talk about that, let's hit the basics.

Rig Rundown

The modernizing of its midsize model starts with the engine, moving away from a carburetor to a new direct-injection 421cc liquid-cooled engine, which runs a 10.0:1 compression ratio. New rubber engine mounts have been added to reduce vibration, while the clutch sensitivity has been changed to also smooth out the ride.

Many of Yamaha's mainstay technologies haven't changed, but that's because they didn't need to. The independent double wishbone suspension remains along with the selectable two- or four-wheel drive, controlled by a button on the handlebar. Suspension travel has been slightly improved, up to 6.7-inches in the front and 7.4-inches in the rear end, while five-way adjustable shocks are still used. Ground clearance stands at 9.6 inches.

The real key to the new Kodiak 450 though has to do with its size. Total length measures 80.1 inches, width comes in at 46.5 inches, wheelbase measures 48.8 inches and full height sits at 45.7 inches. In comparison, this Kodiak is about two inches shorter than its nearest competitor, the Honda Rancher 420, and about an inch narrower.

But stretching of the rider's footwells, re-positioning of the shifter and a new skinny seat allow for the Kodiak to accommodate larger riders comfortably, something the Rancher doesn't quite do.

Having recently been on a Rancher 420, Honda's midsize ATV comes across feeling small, and had I not read the numbers, I would have bet the Rancher was the more compact machine. And that's the strongest point that can be made about the new Kodiak.

The Kodiak 450's small footprint has been combined with a large feeling rider environment, allowing the machine to be small but feel big, an excellent combination when you hit the trails, especially tight stuff like we were riding in the Pacific Northwest in the Capitol State Forest.

The Ride

Picking our way through the tight trails of the almost pre-historic feeling forests of Washington State, the agreeable size of the Kodiak 450 was demonstrated over and over again. The ATV feels nimble and thanks to the new skinny seat and generous space for the rider's legs and feet, standing up and using your body weight to help guide the Kodiak 450 is simple. It seems to be a larger machine when you sit on it thanks to the design, but scraping fenders creeping through massive trees is when the small size of the Kodiak comes in handy.

Standing at 6' 2" it is clear that I am one of the big guys Yamaha was plotting to appease when it first designed the proportions of the Kodiak 450, and the sizing here feels just right. Slightly taller handlebars on this machine allow me to stand up nearly straight while remaining in solid contact with all of the necessary controls, while those longer running boards let me position my feet in different spots for different situations depending on where I needed to move my body weight. An all-new larger thumb throttle also offers more variety in where you can position your hand on the bar, further allowing you to move around.

All the comfort baked into the Kodiak's size would mean nothing without a ride to back it up, and the Kodiak delivers that as well.

The independent suspension provides an entirely comfortable ride and offers few compromises compared to Yamaha's bigger machines. Of course being able to adjust the pre-load on the suspension means that each rider can dial in what works best for them, and riding in the factory-set second position, the Kodiak felt soft and comfortable but certainly not to the point of wallowing around the trail.

Yamaha doesn't go crazy with power steering boost either, nailing the balance. The trail's imperfections are clearly communicated through the steering, but when a nasty stump or rock nails your front wheel unexpectedly, the power steering does just enough to keep the bars from being ripped away.

As for power, the 450 provides plenty. Off the line, it is not the punchy torque hit you'd get from a big bore, but rather a gradual push into the power, allowing the machine to feel controllable thanks to its linear power delivery. This instant hit of torque down low may be one of the downsides of using a CVT, but as the rpm climb so does the power coming from the 450. Running on wide open trails, the Kodiak didn't feel lacking at all with tons of top-end power, though if we were putting it to work with a trailer out back, a little more low-end torque would be appreciated.

Yamaha says that the Kodiak's cargo racks can handle 264 lbs combined while its tow rating is set at 1,322 lbs, enough to pull most personal watercrafts, small boats and a wide array of utility trailers.

A big part of this equation is Yamaha's Ultramatic transmission, which applies constant belt tension. On the trail this results in that smooth engine take off and also allows for all-wheel engine braking when you back off the throttle, never allowing the ATV to begin free-wheeling down hills. Setting the transmission in Low coming downhill, the engine braking is powerful, allowing the rider to focus on the line and forget about the brakes.

There's even a multi-use info screen included on all Kodiak models, offering speed, a digital fuel gauge, a trip meter and an all-new service interval meter which will turn on the service light at the set pre-set distance to remind you to take care of your Kodiak.

After a day of riding, it's clear that Yamaha wanted as few compromises as possible when stepping down into one of its smaller machines and with the Kodiak, there are few if any conveniences sacrificed compared to the brand's bigger machines.

If we had one other criticism it would be the lack of storage on this Kodiak, and that mostly stems from our love of the storage box on the Grizzly 700 located right in front of the rider. The Kodiak does offer under seat storage, but it would be great to have a spot at hand to stash your odds and ends.

Pricing

Pricing is a big part of the Kodiak equation and it truly is entry level. Going for the base model without electric power steering, you will spend $5,999, while opting for the Fall Beige model with a camouflage graphic on it brings the cost up to $6,249.

Bump up to an EPS model and you'll spend $7,099 for an Armor Grey model with aluminum wheels or just $6,899 for a base EPS model without the special wheels. Again, the Fall Beige with the graphics goes for the most, selling at $7,149.

That puts the Kodiak pretty well in line with its main competition from Honda, the Rancher 420, which sells for $5,349 at the bottom. Load up a Honda model to its top trim and it ends up being more expensive than the Yamaha, selling for $8,099.

The Verdict

Yamaha has come back to the midsize ATV table with a modern machine that offers big comfort with a small footprint at an affordable price. It's a deadly combination in a marketplace looking to do away with compromise, and the Kodiak 450 has plenty to offer to first-time buyers and seasoned ATV veterans alike.
The Bord na Mona (BNM) Group of Unions has stated that the announcement by the company that it intends to invest 1.2 billion in its solar, wind and biomass businesses will do nothing to allay the growing jobs crisis in the Midlands resulting from its decision to exit peat briquette production.

Bord na Mona announced the plan at the launch of their annual report in Dublin today, including provision for the extensive renewable energy plan.

The process of change will be further accelerated as we implement our planned 1.2billion investment programme in the coming decade. We will see a considerable portion of this investment programme concentrated on developing new sources of renewable energy," Mike Quinn, Bord na Mona CEO said today.

"The development of new wind energy projects will continue on a strong expansionary track in the coming years. This will build on the success we have had this year following the commissioning of the Sliabh Bawn project with Coillte and the securing of new planning permissions for Cloncreen and Oweninny windfarms," he added.

BNM Group of Unions secretary and SIPTU Organiser, John Regan, said: The BNM Group of Unions has noted the announcement by the company today. This will be a positive step and indicates the continued success of the companys fuel businesses."

However, Regan also stated that, "the negative element of this major investment plan is that it provides no job security for BNM workers. Indeed, the Midlands will become an unemployment black spot in the coming years if BNM proceeds with its plan to exit peat production which will result in widespread job losses.

SEE ALSO: Massive solar power development planned for Offaly bogs

TEEU Regional Officer, Darren Erangey, added: Several recent poor decisions by the Board have greatly concerned our members. These include its acquisition of a UK company, White Moss, at a cost of at least 25 million and the premature closure of the Littleton Briquette Factory in County Tipperary. The Board has also now stated that it is seeking 24.2 million in savings despite the current agreement entered into in good faith by our membership at the Workplace Relations Commission, which is to reach 7.2 million savings."

He continued: These flawed decisions are damaging a company which remains highly profitable and competitive in all the diverse markets in which it operates.

Unite official, Ed Thompson, said: Our members are not prepared to sit back and allow poor decisions in the board room go on indefinitely, particularly when workers livelihoods and Midlands communities are being massively adversely impacted on. Decisions made in the board room have led to failure too many times, resulting in confidence in the leadership of the company being seriously questioned throughout the BNM Group.

The Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Denis Naughten, has acknowledged a request by the BNM Group of Unions for an urgent meeting to discuss the threat to the future of the company and to its workers livelihoods resulting from the decisions of its board of management. This meeting is expected to take place in the coming days.

In their annual report, Bord na Mona revealed that 59% of their energy portfolio is now renewable, up 22.2% from 2016.
Chicago has long been a favorite destination for Midlanders looking for a weekend away or a longer vacation, and its not hard to understand why. It boasts the scale and amenities of a world-class metropolis, but still possesses a down-to-earth, easy-going Midwestern vibe. And it has the added benefit of being just a quick plane ride away from the Omaha metro area.

The Windy City drew 54.1 million visitors in 2016, a 2.9 percent increase from the year before, and theres every reason to believe those numbers will continue growing in 2017 and beyond.

Shedd Aquarium, one of the worlds largest indoor aquariums, and the Field Museum, one of the worlds great natural-history museums, are consistent tourist draws, but theres an ever-growing assortment of new attractions atop Chicagos must-do list. These include a 200-foot-tall Ferris wheel (50 feet taller than its predecessor) that opened at Navy Pier last year, and the 3-year-old Maggie Daley Park with its two 40-foot climbing walls and imaginative 3-acre playground.

Here are other sites and experiences to add to your Windy City itinerary.

HISTORIC SITES

Architectural boat tours

Michigan Avenue Bridge at Wacker Drive

As the birthplace of the skyscraper and home to several architectural giants, Chicago has an architectural heritage that ranks it among the top cities in the world. A must for any first-time visitor is a boat tour along the Chicago River. architecture.org

Frank Lloyd Wrights architecture

Oak Park

The legendary architects influence can be felt all over Chicago, but its particularly concentrated in this nearby suburb where he had his home and studio at 951 Chicago Ave. flwright.org

MUSEUMS, THEATER & PUBLIC ART

Art Institute of Chicago

111 S. Michigan Ave.

With more than 300,000 works of art spread across 11 curatorial departments, the Art Institute is one of the worlds great museums. Its particularly renowned for its Impressionist collection. In March, the museum opened its 8,000-square-foot Deering Family Galleries with a display titled Saints and Heroes: Art of Medieval and Renaissance Europe. It includes a section devoted to the museums popular arms and armor collection which has not been shown in a comprehensive way for a decade or so. artic.edu

Untitled, known as The Picasso, 1967

Richard J. Daley Civic Center Plaza

50 W. Washington

Chicago has a rich public-art collection, but no work is better known than this vaguely figurative 50-foot steel sculpture that was designed by Picasso and fabricated at a steel mill in nearby Gary, Indiana. Although the work is now a beloved city landmark, it generated considerable controversy when it was unveiled in 1960. cityofchicago.org/publicart

Steppenwolf Theatre

1650 N. Halstead St.

Steppenwolf has to be included on any list of the most influential theatrical companies in the United States. Its best productions regularly transfer to New York City, and it has premiered such important recent plays as Tracy Letts Pulitzer Prize-winning August: Osage County and Superior Donuts, which has been turned into a television show. Running through Aug. 20 is Taylor Macs Hir, a drama about a dysfunctional family that in 2015 made Top 10 lists in the New York Times and elsewhere. steppenwolf.org

The Second City

1616 N. Wells St.

This indispensable cradle of improvisational comedy needs little introduction. Since it presented its first show in 1959, it has produced a stream of performers who have gone on to international fame, including John Belushi, Steve Carrell, Tina Fey, Bill Murray, Amy Sedaris and George Wendt. Still as vibrant as ever, the club offers shows virtually every night, giving visitors a chance to laugh and see the potential stars of tomorrow. secondcity.com

QUALITY TUNES

Buddy Guys Legends

700 S. Wabash Ave.

To grasp the credibility of this blues showcase, look no further than its namesake and founder. Guy is a Chicago legend by any definition. Rolling Stone magazine ranked him No. 23 on its list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee was a major influence on such rock giants as Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Founded in 1989, Legends offers top blues names virtually every night, with Guy returning for a series of shows each January. buddyguy.com

Jazz Showcase

806 S. Plymouth Court

The number of jazz clubs in the United States continues to diminish, making this historic venue an even more valuable destination. Operating in a series of locations since its founding in 1947 by Joe Segal  named a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master in 2015  the Showcase is now in a converted historic railroad station near Printers Row. This intimate space with its candlelit tables and memorabilia-lined walls is an ideal place to hear some of the finest jazz artists at work today. jazzshowcase.com

Dusty Groove

1120 N. Ashland Ave.

Vinyl has made a big comeback, and Chicago has a first-rate mix of funky stores to find classic LPs and 45s. One of the best is this comfortable, laid-back shop that covers a broad spectrum of music styles, with a particularly strong selection of jazz and classical music. dustygroove.com

Other vintage record stores worth a visit: Reckless Records, three locations including 26 E. Madison St., reckless.com, and Daves Records, 2604 N. Clark St. davesrecordschicago.com

WORTH-IT WALKS

Millennium Park

201 E. Randolph St.

According to some crowd measures, this downtown park, which marked its 10th anniversary in 2015, has become Chicagos hottest tourist destination. The 24-acre green space features the sleek, Frank Gehry-designed Pritzker Pavilion, which is home to numerous outdoor music concerts each summer. Several major public artworks include Anish Kapoors Cloud Gate, more popularly known as The Bean. The massive stainless steel sculpture reflects the sky and everything around it, providing an alluring, ever-changing background each day for thousands of selfie-takers. cityofchicago.org

Bloomingdale Trail, or The 606

1600-3700 W. Bloomingdale Ave.

In 2013, the City of Chicago purchased the right-of-way for what had been a 2.7-mile elevated railroad that ran east-west on the northwest side of Chicago. Following the example of the High Line in New York City, this narrow tract of land was converted to a linear park that passes through Logan Square, Humboldt Park and West Town and became an immediate hit with walkers, in-line skaters and bikers. In 2016, it received the National Planning Excellence Award for Urban Design. bloomingdaletrail.org

SUMMER HAPPENINGS

Ravinia Festival

Highland Park

This historic music festival stages more than 140 concerts each year. As the summer home of the world-renowned Chicago Symphony Orchestra, classical music features are a primary component of its offerings. But Ravinia also presents top artists in a range of other styles, including rock, jazz and country. Metra, Chicagos commuter railway system, offers special festival trains before each concert from Ogilvie Transportation Center, 500 W. Madison St. This years line-up includes Tony Bennett, Alanis Morissette and Willie Nelson. Through Sept. 17. ravinia.org

Takashi Murakami: The Octopus Eats Its Own Leg, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago

220 E. Chicago Ave.

Drawing on Japanese manga and anime and blurring the boundaries of high and low art, Murakami has become one of the worlds best-known artists. This major retrospective features 50 paintings spanning three decades of his career, many on view in North America for the first time. A highlight is the work that gives the show its title: a 114-foot-long visual extravaganza made up of more than 35 panels. Through Sept. 24. mcachicago.org

WINE & DINE

Topolobampo

445 N. Clark St.

In May, this restaurant with a pleasantly tongue-teasing name was named the nations outstanding restaurant by the James Beard Foundation. It was the second such award for chef and owner Rick Bayless, who has gained national acclaim for his imaginative interpretations of traditional Mexican cuisine. Its part of a complex of three restaurants, each with its own atmosphere, specialties and price points. The other two are Frontera Grill, 445 N. Clark St., and XOCO, 449 N. Clark St., a quick-service cafe specializing in Mexican street food. rickbayless.com

North Pond

2610 N. Cannon Drive

Nestled in the restful greenery of Lincoln Park adjacent to North Pond, this restaurant offers an escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. It occupies a 1921 structure that formerly served as a warming shelter for ice skaters and was re-imagined in 1998 as a kind of arts-and-crafts lodge by architect Nancy Warren, who later designed a seamless addition to provide needed space. As might be expected of a restaurant so tied to nature, it specializes in farm-to-table American cuisine that has won many awards. northpondrestaurant.com

Millers Pub

134 S. Wabash Ave.

For visitors to the Loop  the heart of the citys downtown as defined by a looping elevated transit line  no establishment provides a more authentic, non-hipster experience than Millers. There is nothing fancy about this 82-year-old landmark, which serves up a wide range of pub grub, a full dinner menu and a drink selection that includes an impressive list of craft brews. As the hundreds of publicity stills on its walls make clear, Millers has been a favorite stop for politicians, athletes and celebrities, and its bar has been featured in movies such as The Lake House with Sandra Bullock. millerspub.com

Hopleaf Bar

5148 N. Clark St.

This welcoming bar and restaurant is marking its 25th anniversary in Chicagos historically Swedish but now highly diverse Andersonville neighborhood. Its owners took over a faded bar and liquor store, completely renovating and re-imagining the interior and adding a pleasant patio in the rear. The result is a comfortable space that manages to exude an old-fashioned and contemporary feel at the same time  sophisticated but not off-putting. It offers Belgian-inspired cuisine with a full bar, including a good choice of draft beers and ciders. hopleafbar.com

WHERE TO STAY

LondonHouse

85 E. Wacker Drive

The former London Guarantee & Accident Building, a neo-classical beauty in a prime location overlooking the Chicago River, reopened in 2016 as the 452-room LondonHouse. One of the hotels big draws is the rooftop deck, which offers spectacular views of the city. londonhousechicago.com

Hotel Blake

500 S. Dearborn St.

For a hotel that is right downtown but still a bit off the beaten track, the 162-room Hotel Blake is ideal. This boutique hotel occupies the renovated and combined Morton and Duplicator buildings from the late 19th century. hotelblake.com
University of Nebraska at Omaha researcher Jorge Zunigas concept of a cheap 3-D-printed prosthetic hand for children received a stroke and a nudge Monday.

NU President Hank Bounds expressed his confidence in Zunigas project by allocating $150,000 to it from the NU Collaboration Initiative.

The initiative encourages cross-campus research among scientists of different disciplines, so Zuniga will work with researchers from other NU institutions to improve on his concept. Zuniga, an assistant professor of biomechanics, envisions an electronically driven hand that will be more expensive but more effective than his current $50 mechanical hand.

We have big, big plans, he said.

Conventional prosthetic hands can cost thousands of dollars. And as children grow, the cost of replacing the devices can be prohibitive for many families, Zuniga said.

Zuniga wrote a manual for how to make his 3-D hand, called the Cyborg Beast, and put it online three years ago, free for anyone to use. The Cyborg Beast was named by MSN.com one of the top inventions of 2014. The device can be built with 3-D printing technology for about $50 in materials.

The improved, electronically driven hand will cost about $200, an expense that at least initially will be picked up by Zunigas project. Zuniga wants to have a prototype built within a year.

Adam Gray, a lanky 13-year-old who will be a Creighton Prep freshman, was born without a right hand. He was among the first to receive one of Zunigas Cyborg Beasts and has outgrown about four of them.

Theyre really cool, he said Monday at UNOs Biomechanics Research Building, where Zuniga is based. Zuniga moved to UNO last year from Creighton University, and Bergan Mercy Medical Center occupational therapist Jean Peck remains with Zunigas group, assembling and custom-fitting the devices.

Peck said Adam has been part of our team from the beginning.

The device can match a childs skin color or be loud and colorful like the hand of a superhero. Zuniga estimated that 3,000 children used the Cyborg Beast last year. That includes children in Zunigas native Chile, where an organization distributes the devices.

Typically, Zuniga said, families contact him when they Google the Cyborg Beast. At Zunigas instruction, the family sends Zuniga a photograph of the childs good hand and arm missing a hand, along with a ruler. Zunigas team builds the hand and sends it to the childs medical practitioner if the family is outside of Omaha.

Several scientists from across the NU system will work with Zuniga to improve his prosthetic hands.

They include Carl Nelson, a professor of mechanical and materials engineering at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Dr. Justin Cramer, a medical doctor and assistant professor of radiology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center; Ka-Chun Joseph Siu, an associate professor of physical therapy at UNMC; Said Abushamleh, an assistant professor of electrical engineering at the University of Nebraska at Kearney; and Mukul Mukherjee, an assistant professor of biomechanics at UNO.

Cramer gained experience in 3-D printing for medical purposes while doing a fellowship at the University of Utah.

It makes a lot of sense, Cramer said of Zunigas invention. And when a kid outgrows it, they can get another one.

Nelson said he hoped to add a microcomputer or microcontroller to the device to help the child control the hand and gain more flexibility with it.

Theres not a big learning curve for the patient to learn how to use this device, Nelson said. It should be as simple as pressing a button. They should pick it up in, like, 30 seconds.

Mukherjee, who typically works with stroke patients, said he would develop a training protocol for use of the gadget.

Adam Gray said he loves computer technology and has become interested in 3-D printing as a result of his experience with the Cyborg Beast. Told that Zuniga and his partners are working on an electronic hand, Adam said: It sounds pretty cool.
Police first went to the Ralston apartments last month because a man was trapped in his crashed pickup truck.

Roughly seven hours later, they learned that another mans body had been found in a nearby garage.

It has taken authorities weeks to verify the connection between the crash and the death. On Monday, the man driving the pickup was charged with murder.

Prosecutors say Dustin Salisbury hit Jessi Domingo with his pickup truck on June 21 after the two argued.

Salisbury, 32, was arrested Monday afternoon on charges of second-degree murder and use of a weapon to commit a felony.

The arrest adds to the strange circumstances of the incident  Salisbury told police that he suffers from PTSD and blackouts and didnt remember the crash.

Just before 4:30 a.m. on the day of the crash, Salisbury was preparing to go fishing when a confrontation occurred between him and Domingo, whom he didnt know, Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine said. Salisbury struck a power pole and Domingo with his 2016 Honda Ridgeline, Kleine said. The impact propelled Domingo into a nearby garage, and his body wasnt found until 11 a.m. that day.

An autopsy determined that Domingo suffered massive trauma consistent with being hit by a vehicle, Kleine said.

Ralston police officers went to 82nd and Seymour Streets after receiving a report that Salisbury was pinned in his overturned pickup near the entrance to the parking garages for the Orleans Square Apartments.

Firefighters freed Salisbury, who had scrapes and bruises.

(Salisbury) stated he blacked out, according to a search warrant. (He) said he had not been using any drugs or alcohol.

A judge granted a warrant for police to seize medical records and toxicology reports when Salisbury was admitted to Bergan Mercy Medical Center later that day. Salisbury was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs, Kleine said.

Domingos body was found by OPPD workers in a damaged garage connected to two others.

The 23-year-old was far from his relatives home in Ralston and the South Omaha house where he lived with his father. His vehicle had been left at a Runza restaurant several blocks away, a sister has said.

Authorities have said Salisburys pickup did not strike the garage in which Domingos body was found.

Salisbury previously served in the U.S. Air Force, according to court documents.

His ex-wife filed a protection order in May. In a request for the protection order, she wrote that Salisbury told her he had thought about going to her workplace to kill her and her boss. In November, she wrote, she was holding their baby when he told her she gave him no choice but to shoot and kill her. He covered my face with his hands. He said I knew what would happen if I called 911, according to court documents. She and their baby moved out of their Ralston home at the beginning of December, court documents show. Soon after, she filed for divorce.

Salisbury has a history of mental illness and violence, uses marijuana and has made threats against law enforcement, according to a protection order document. He kept handguns near the front door of his Ralston home, a shotgun in the kitchen and other weapons locked up, his ex-wife wrote.

In the other comments, section, the ex-wife wrote, Be safe!

The protection order was temporarily granted, but the ex-wife later filed a motion to dismiss it.

In 2001, Salisbury was ticketed for willful reckless driving, a misdemeanor.

This is the second time this year that Kleine has charged someone with using a vehicle to kill someone.

Prosecutors allege that Dirk Blume ran over Seth Hansen on Jan. 7 after Hansen refused to sell chewing tobacco to Blume because the gas station where Hansen worked was closed.

Blume, who also faces a second-degree murder charge, is awaiting trial, which is scheduled for November.
All students at six Omaha elementary schools have been able to eat free lunches for the past year and a half as part of a federal program intended to combat hunger at high-poverty schools.

But the pilot program wont be expanded to more of the Omaha districts schools in the coming school year because of worries that it could affect the level of school funding the district receives.

The Omaha Public Schools board voted last month not to add more schools to the list of those participating in the Community Eligibility Provision, or CEP, initiative.

Under the program, schools with heavy concentrations of poor students can serve free lunch to all students, regardless of their family income level, without parents having to fill out paperwork or submit applications.

OPS board members worried that the benefits of the program  ensuring that all kids are fed  would not outweigh the risk of losing state and federal funding that relies on tracking how many students qualify for traditional lunch subsidies. Schools that participate in the CEP program use a different calculation to count poor students, a number that is used to apply for several federal programs and is factored in to state aid allocations.

My recommendation is not to add more schools to it at this time, Connie Knoche, OPSs chief financial officer, told the school board. You do run the risk of losing some state aid dollars when you do that.

The board voted 6-2 not to add more schools to the federal program. Board members Lacey Merica and Amanda Ryan were the dissenting votes.

If we can feed all kids and get federally reimbursed, I think thats a good thing, Ryan said in an interview last week. Across the district, roughly 75 percent of OPS students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.

School board members had previously asked OPS staff to look into whether more schools could be folded into the CEP program. Advocacy organizations like Nebraska Appleseed and Voices for Children in Nebraska also have pushed OPS to add more schools.

We are disappointed that they didnt move forward, said Eric Savaiano, a program associate at Nebraska Appleseed. We know well be there to continue trying to educate and keep people focused on this issue next year.

The program was created as part of the federal Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act adopted in 2010. It allows schools with high numbers of low-income students to serve free meals to all students, regardless of income, without collecting the usual free and reduced-price meal applications that eligible families fill out at the beginning of each school year.

Schools can participate in the program if at least 40 percent of their students are directly certified, meaning their families already receive public benefits such as food stamps or welfare.

Supporters say CEP ensures that no kids go hungry during the school day, especially those whose families are hesitant to apply for lunch subsidies or earn a little too much to qualify. And schools can cut down on their administrative workload if they dont need to collect and process meal application paperwork.

Across the country, and here in OPS, CEP has helped ensure that students do not go hungry, reduced the stigma related to school feeding programs and eliminated the need for school lunch applications, Julia Tse, a policy associate for Voices for Children, told the board at its June 19 meeting.

Six OPS elementary schools  Druid Hill, Franklin, Kennedy, King, Lothrop and Saratoga  have taken advantage of the program since January 2015. At each school, the number of students eating free or reduced-price lunches already exceeded 90 percent. This fall, that number will drop to five  Saratoga is closing to become the new home of OPSs Integrated Learning Program.

In a 2016 case study compiled by Nebraska Appleseed, Druid Hill staff said some parents were initially confused by the switch to serve everyone free meals. But nutrition staff found that they didnt have to hound families with overdrawn lunch accounts, and teachers knew kids would be consistently fed so they could concentrate in class.

Still, not everyone believes that schools should be responsible for providing free meals. And costs for the National School Lunch Program have been growing, from $10.1 billion in 2011 to $12.25 billion in 2016.

Questions and concerns over state and federal funding and data collection also have made some schools hesitant to join the program. In 2015, only two school districts in Nebraska  tiny Santee and OPS  opted to participate in CEP.

In the 2016-17 school year, 19 schools participated, including the private Nelson Mandela Elementary School in north Omaha, the six OPS schools, three elementary schools in North Platte and schools in the Santee, Walthill and Omaha Nation districts. The Nebraska Department of Education has approved three more schools for the 2017-18 school year, including Cody Elementary in North Platte, and Sacred Heart School and St. Paul Lutheran School in Omaha. Private schools dont rely on state aid.

A recent report from the Food Research and Action Center found that Nebraska has one of the lowest CEP participation rates in the country. Several districts in Iowa have implemented the program in eligible schools, including Council Bluffs and Des Moines.

Districts use the number of poor students in a school  often measured by who receives free and reduced-price lunch  to qualify for various grants and state and federal funding programs for high-poverty schools, including Title 1 and E-Rate. Title I pays for tutoring programs, technology and other school improvement costs, while E-Rate provides grants to improve school Internet access.

If schools participate in CEP, they no longer have to collect meal applications. That can make it trickier to get an accurate count of how many students live in poverty. Some schools have developed other forms to measure family income, but parents are under no obligation to fill those out.

Thats the crux of the problem for OPS, Knoche said.

Under the state funding formula, OPS and other schools receive extra aid for educating low-income kids. The district currently receives about $66 million in whats called the poverty allowance, Knoche said, nearly one-quarter of the $288 million in state aid the district receives annually.

With the alternative way that high-poverty kids in participating schools are counted toward poverty aid, OPS could potentially lose out on a significant amount of state aid funding if more schools switch to CEP, Knoche said. On paper, the different calculation might show a lower number of poor kids.

Knoche said the district had talked about adding 11 high-poverty schools to the CEP list this year. But using the alternative poverty calculation, that could result in a reduction of nearly $1 million in state aid, she said. That could jeopardize other school programs or expenses reliant on state dollars.

On the one hand, we know kids are able to learn better when theyre not hungry, Merica said. But at the same time ... it would be irresponsible of us to knowingly do something thats going to cause the district to lose money.

The district already provides free breakfast to all, and in many high-poverty schools, a majority of students already receive free lunch, Knoche said. OPS tries to ensure that students arent going hungry.

Several school board members said the district can work on its communication with families about how to handle school lunch debt and make sure kids are getting fed at school.

We had discussions in-depth in the budget subcommittee about other ways that would work to make sure kids are getting meals, accounts are funded and giving parents more heads-up when theyre low on a balance, board member Matt Scanlan said.

Others asked that board members and staff work with legislators and the Nebraska Department of Education to tweak funding formulas and poverty calculations to adjust for schools participating in the program.

I think if we can keep working with NDE and Nebraska Appleseed and Voices for Children, we can find a solution to that that is not just going to benefit us, its going to benefit districts around the state, Merica said.
The program is offered through the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, sponsored by the U.S. State Department. UNL is one of 38 institutions in the nation hosting a group. Only 1,000 Africans are chosen from more than 60,000 applicants. Members of the Nebraska group are from 20 African nations. The program started June 16 and runs through July 30.
LINCOLN  Though a special budget-cutting session isnt in the works yet, state lawmakers said theyre watching the states fiscal health.

A committee of legislative leaders on Monday agreed to meet informally in the coming months when more monthly tax collection information is available.

The trends arent positive yet, said State Sen. John Stinner of Gering, the Appropriations Committee chairman. Were hopeful, and were going to be watchful.

According to the Legislative Fiscal Office, the state stands to end the current two-year budget period with revenues exceeding the budgeted amount.

The cash balance for the biennium ending June 30, 2019, is estimated at about $251 million. That allows a budget cushion of 2.8 percent.

But some members of the Tax Rate Review Committee said tax revenue growth predictions are too optimistic.

Tax Commissioner Tony Fulton cautioned that theres not yet enough information for this fiscal year, which began July 1, to say for sure.

I can say July: so far, so good, he said.

The state closed out the fiscal year ending June 30 with $34 million less in tax revenue than expected, according to a report issued Friday.

The downturn in revenue has largely been blamed on Nebraskas sluggish agricultural economy.

Fulton said the fiscal picture will get clearer this fall, when tax revenues from the first quarter of this year are available.

The Nebraska Economic Forecasting Advisory Board will meet in October to make new projections of tax revenue.

The Legislature and Gov. Pete Ricketts use the economic boards revenue forecasts in crafting state budgets.

The group that met Monday could have recommended raising taxes or calling a special legislative session.

Ricketts, who has made it clear that he would oppose tax increases, said Monday that he has no plans now to call a special session.

Were going to continue to monitor and continue to exercise fiscal restraint, he said during a press conference on an unrelated topic. Well have to see how the revenue materializes over the next several months.

Speaker of the Legislature Jim Scheer of Norfolk said he hoped meeting informally would help avoid beginning the upcoming legislative session with budget cuts.

I dont want to get us in the same problem, he said.

With a $900 million budget gap looming, lawmakers in the most recent session made about $137 million in cuts before crafting the budget for the current biennium.

World-Herald staff writer Martha Stoddard contributed to this report.
LINCOLN  In a letter to a federal voting commission, Nebraskas top election official said hes opposed to the creation of a federal voter registration database.

Secretary of State John Gale said access to a federal database of some kind, however, could help local and state election officials confirm death records, citizenship status and other statuses to maintain clean voter rolls.

Gale sent the letter on Friday to Kris Kobach, vice chairman of the voting commission, to formally ask how the commission intends to use the voter data it requested.

He also suggested a number of ways the federal government could help state and local election officials do their jobs.

Gale said that hes seen only a few cases of potential voter fraud resulting in prosecution and penalties in Nebraska.

We have been fortunate in Nebraska that we have not been confronted with nor had serious concerns regarding the integrity of our elections, he wrote.

The commission, created by President Donald Trump to investigate allegations of voter fraud, has asked for each states publicly available voter roll data, including names, party affiliations and parts of Social Security numbers.

Its unclear what the commission would do with the information, though it has said the data would be made public.

However, legal challenges have prompted the commission to ask states, for now, not to share their data.

Nebraska has not sent anything to the commission and wont unless the commission can provide Gale with certain assurances, including how the voter roll data would be used and secured, and how the information would be made public or shared.

In his letter, Gale said he would provide publicly available voter roll data, but only if a representative of the commission signs an oath agreeing that the information would be used in accordance with Nebraska law.

Gale said he would not release the data if the commission intends to make it public, as it has indicated.

Nebraskas public voter roll includes a voters name, address, birthdate, party affiliation and voting history (whether a person voted in an election over the past 10 years, not who he or she voted for). Gale said he would not release voters Social Security numbers.

In addition to better access to federal databases, Gale suggested amending the National Voter Registration Act to reduce the waiting period for removing from the rolls voters who have moved and dont confirm a change of address.

Gale also recommended that states receive federal funds to purchase new election equipment and software to meet technological and security needs.
On July 9, the sixth anniversary of South Sudans independence, Angelina Teny should have been celebrating.

But with the country mired in a worsening civil war, the former second lady of South Sudan was in Omaha, mourning a spate of violence last year that left 300 people dead. A three-day battle in July 2016 ended a United Nations-sponsored peace process meant to reconcile the political movements of President Salva Kiir and Tenys husband, former vice president Riek Machar.

She arrived here in late June and joined local South Sudanese who gathered in churches July 8  exactly one year after the attack, and the eve of the countrys independence day.

We did it as a prayer, a solemn kind of an occasion, Teny said. It was a time of reflection.

That July 8 clash escalated the 3-year-old civil war that has killed tens of thousands of people and pushed an estimated 3.5 million  more than one-fourth of the population  out of their homes.

The root of the conflict is political, but the war has played out along ethnic lines. Kiir is a Dinka, a member of the largest of many tribes in South Sudan, while Machar is Nuer, the second-largest tribe.

Though Nebraska is far from South Sudan, the war and resulting famine have had a profound impact here. The Omaha area is home to more than 10,000 South Sudanese expatriates, said Miyong Kuon, a former aide to Machar who lives in Papillion  likely the largest concentration of South Sudanese in the United States.

That made it an important stop in Tenys travels.

If you have over 10,000 people who are affected, we would want to meet them, Teny said. They hear us, and they get energized again.

Most, if not all, have relatives who were killed or displaced by the fighting.

This community is suffering, she said.

The community in Omaha began more than 20 years ago, during the decades-long struggle of people, mostly Christians, in southern Sudan to break away from Sudan, a Muslim-majority nation. Many families and orphaned youths emigrated, finding a welcoming community in Nebraska.

A long period of transition led to independence for South Sudan, and a surge of optimism.

The good feelings ended abruptly on Dec. 15, 2013. A dispute between Kiir and Machar, his vice president, over Machars plans to run against him turned violent. A clash between Dinka and Nuer members of the national army moved into the streets of Juba, the capital, and then across large parts of the country.

The dead included Lam Chuol Thichuong, a Marine Corps veteran of the Iraq War from Omaha who was an aide to Machar, and Lams brother, Pal.

Machar and Teny escaped, and Machar became the leader of the rebel movement that continued its resistance for the next several years.

On July 8, 2016, Machar arrived with his security team at the presidential palace to discuss implementing the U.N. peace agreement with Kiir. Machars supporters say Kiirs troops ambushed Machars bodyguards, an act designed to cement Kiirs hold on power.

Thirty-five members of Machars contingent were killed. Among them was Simon Gach Nguot, 35, a former Nebraska and Iowa resident who has close family in Lincoln and Sioux City, Iowa. He and Kuon had been friends since boyhood.

Amidst three days of pitched battle in the capital, Machar and Teny fled with supporters into the countryside. Teny said it took 40 days, walking, to reach safety in a neighboring country. At times, she said, they were pursued by helicopter gunships from the South Sudanese army.

They made their way to South Africa, where Machar has been detained. Teny continued to the United States.

We have really lost everything, she said. We dont have a home now.

She is herself one of the most formidable political women in South Sudan, having served as minister in the pre-independence government. Since January she has been visiting South Sudanese communities in the U.S., Great Britain, Canada and Australia.

She has been working to get the U.S. and its allies to end financial support for the Kiir regime. Shes also working to unite South Sudanese of all ethnic groups against Kiir.

The president has misused his power, Teny said.

The rebel movement grew disillusioned with the Obama administration in its waning days. The U.S. has backed an arms embargo that Teny sees as favoring the heavily armed government forces. It has also supported an assets freeze and travel ban against several political figures, including her husband.

Things are going wrong. The U.S. needs to change, Teny said. Even if you isolate the opposition, you will not make the real causes of this conflict go away.

What she favors is demilitarization: a U.N.-enforced withdrawal of all armed forces in South Sudan out of cities to barracks in the countryside.

She hopes the Trump administration will be more willing to listen. She hopes to meet soon with Nikki Haley, the current U.N. ambassador.

Teny has at times been on the defensive because of accusations that the rebel movement has used child soldiers, and that its troops have engaged in rape, looting and murder.

Teny acknowledges some opposition soldiers violated laws of war  particularly early in the conflict, before Machar consolidated control over rebel forces. She labels them reprisal for the killings of Nuer by government troops.

But Teny said the army has committed atrocities on a much wider scale than the rebels.

Its easy, in affected areas, to lump everything together, she said. Were not in the business of denying that horrible things happen in war. But we try to do something about them.

Teny said she has personally conducted U.N.-approved training among rebel soldiers to stop sexual violence, and they have arrested the perpetrators.

Teny said she believes that the solution to South Sudans problems will start with the communities abroad.

One of our missions is to start this reconciliation right here in the diaspora, Teny said. The most that can happen is for people to argue. But it will not turn nasty, in terms of violence.

She wants the war to end, and the tribes to return to the harmony that united them during the long fight for independence. Before leaving Omaha on Tuesday to go to Washington, she stayed in the home of a minister who is Dinka, and his wife, a Nuer.

At the end of the day, we have to co-exist, Teny said. It is the same pain, the same suffering. It is one country.
TONTO NATIONAL FOREST, Ariz. (AP)  Adults, teens and children as young as 2 were enjoying a summer afternoon by cooling off in an Arizona creek when the gentle waters turned deadly.

The group from the Phoenix and Flagstaff areas had met Saturday for a day trip along a popular swimming hole near Payson, about 100 miles (160.9 kilometers) northeast of the capital. They set up lounge chairs not knowing an intense thunderstorm was dumping heavy rainfall just upstream in the Tonto National Forest.

The storm unleashed 6-foot-high floodwaters, dark with ash from a summer wildfire, onto the unsuspecting family and friends. The torrent carried away tree branches and other debris and left a wake of nine bodies.

Search and rescue crews, including 40 people on foot and others in a helicopter, recovered the bodies of five children and four adults, some as far as 2 miles down the river. Authorities did not identify them.

A 13-year-old boy from the same group was still missing Sunday.

Disa Alexander was hiking to the swimming area where Ellison Creek and East Verde River converge when the water suddenly surged.

Video she posted to social media showed torrents of water surging through jagged canyons carved in Arizonas signature red rock.

I could have just died! Alexander exclaimed on the video.

She spotted a man holding a baby and clinging to a tree. Nearby, his wife was also in a tree. A boy Alexander described as the couples son was on the rocks above the water.

Had they been swept downstream, they would have been sent over a 20-foot waterfall, Alexander said.

Alexander and others tried to reach them but couldnt.

Fortunately help was close by.

Some search and rescue team members were already near the swimming hole after getting a call to help someone who had suffered a bad allergic reaction, according to Detective Sgt. David Hornung of the Gila County Sheriffs Department.

When they arrived at the scene, they heard someone screaming for help and saw a man clinging to a rock, said Hornung, who added that the man was safely rescued. Then they heard other people calling for help.

Four people were rescued and taken to the hospital for treatment of hypothermia.

Some 40 rescuers in bright orange T-shirts and helmets dotted the green landscape as they combed the waters and banks for the missing boy. A few brought along specially trained search dogs hoping to find him alive, Hornung said.

The family, who was staying in the area, declined to be interviewed when approached by an Associated Press reporter.

The National Weather Service estimated up to 1.5 inches of rain fell over the area in an hour. The thunderstorm hit about 8 miles upstream along Ellison Creek, which quickly flooded the narrow canyon where the swimmers were.

Hornung noted that the National Weather Service had issued a flash flood warning about 1 1/2 hours before, but unless they had a weather radio out there, they wouldnt have known about it. There is no cell phone service out here.

The swift waters gushed for about 10 minutes before receding in the narrow canyon, Hornung said.

They had no warning. They heard a roar, and it was on top of them, Water Wheel Fire and Medical District Fire Chief Ron Sattelmaier said.

While Arizona is known for its dryness, it gets bursts of heavy rains during the summer monsoon season. The severe thunderstorm was located in a remote area that had been burned by a recent wildfire, Sattelmaier said. The burn scar was one of the reasons the weather service issued the flash-flood warning.

If its an intense burn, it creates a glaze on the surface that just repels water, said Darren McCollum, a meteorologist

Crowds looking to beat the Phoenix metro areas heat often head to the small creeks that flow out of the mountains forming swimming holes and a series of small waterfalls. But officials warn that visitors need to be aware of the dangers of a flash flood.

I wish there was a way from keeping people from getting in there during monsoon season,  Sattelmaier said It happens every year. Weve just been lucky something like this hasnt been this tragic.

Steve Stevens, a volunteer fire fighter with Water Wheel Search and Rescue, said visitors should stay away when there are flash flood warnings.

The clouds over on the other side of the mountain can be dumping buckets, and all of a sudden theres a wall of water coming through that just wipes out everything in its path, said Stevens, who has lived in the area for 20 years.

Sudden flooding in canyons has been deadly before. In 2015, seven people were killed in Utahs Zion National Park when they were trapped during a flash flood while hiking in a popular canyon that was as narrow as a window in some spots and several hundred feet deep.

In 1997, 11 hikers were killed near Page, Arizona, after a wall of water from a rainstorm miles upstream tore through a narrow, twisting series of corkscrew-curved walls on Navajo land known as Lower Antelope Canyon.

Copyright 2017, the Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Pete Ricketts' time as governor is coming to an end, but after spending over $3.8 million in the last 11 months, he will likely have an influence on the future of state leadership for years to come.
BEATRICE, Neb.  Americas most famous tractor made its backstage debut Monday.

The tractor used by the last person to receive free land under the federal Homestead Act of 1862 was briefly shown off in a shed at Homestead National Monument of America near Beatrice before it undergoes cleaning and a bit of restoration for permanent display later this year.

We think this tractor ... is going to be an excellent addition to the museum collection, said Mark Engler, the monuments superintendent.

The 1945 Allis-Chalmers Model C was recovered from the wilderness of western interior Alaska in mid-June by a National Park Service team financed by the Friends of Homestead National Monument. The tractor came from the homestead along the Stony River claimed by Ken Deardorff in 1974.

The abandoned and deteriorating machine left the roadless homestead site dangling from ropes and straps below a helicopter to begin a 3,700-mile journey to Nebraska. It was crated and then traveled by ship from Anchorage to Seattle and then by truck to Beatrice. It arrived last week.

Dr. C.T. Frerichs of Beatrice largely funded the roughly $70,000 project in memory of his late wife, Julia, through donations to the Friends organization. Frerichs said his wife would have been surprised and appreciative of the tribute.

She would be very thankful, he said. Were glad its here. Youve done a beautiful job.

Engler said the dirty, grimy and rusty tractor would not be restored to its original condition but would be returned to how it looked when Deardorff purchased it to clear tree stumps on his homestead. The tractor will be delivered to the Larsen Tractor Test and Power Museum at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for the cleanup work by the campus Tractor Restoration Club later this month.

The tractor will become a centerpiece exhibit at Homestead Monuments Heritage Center, replacing a buckboard wagon now on display.

It really will be one of the first things you see when you come through the front doors, Engler said.

Engler said most people think of the Homestead Act as something from the 19th century and not as a law that was in place for 123 years and contemporary to modern Americans. The Homestead Act was in effect until 1976  and 1986 in Alaska.

This tractor, which is an artifact, is going to play a significant role in helping us better communicate this story, Engler said.

Deardorff staked an 80-acre claim in remote wilderness about 250 miles west of Anchorage. He was 29 years old when he filed for land in 1974. He fished for salmon, hunted moose, trapped for furs and cleared land and attempted to farm to meet the requirements of the Homestead Act.

Deardorff found the tractor in a barn on a farm near Palmer, Alaska, in early 1976. He cleared more than 6 acres of forest to meet the Homestead Acts requirements of farming one-eighth of the final claim for five years. That reduced the final claim to nearly 50 acres.

Frerichs credited Engler and Diane Vicars, president of the Friends organization, for their leadership in making the project happen. Vicars said Frerichs deflected the credit.

We couldnt have done it without Dr. Frerichs and his interest, she said.
Donald Trump Jr. says his campaign-season meeting with a Kremlin-connected lawyer was linked to the Magnitsky Act and Russian adoption policy, although he initially thought hed obtain incriminating information about Hillary Clinton, then his fathers main rival in the presidential campaign.

What is the Magnitsky Act?

Signed by President Barack Obama in December 2012, the law has allowed the U.S. to impose sanctions on Russians deemed to be human rights violators. The law at first blocked 18 Russian government officials and businessmen from entering the United States and froze their assets held by U.S. banks. The act was expanded in 2016, and now sanctions apply to 44 Russian citizens suspected of human rights abuses. Americans are prohibited from doing any business with these individuals.

What prompted the law?

Sergei Magnitsky was a Russian tax lawyer hired by Hermitage Capital Investments, a London-based hedge fund led by American-born Bill Browder. Magnitsky accused Russian officials of a $230 million tax fraud scheme involving tax rebates. He was charged by Russian officials with tax evasion and put in prison, where he died in 2009 at age 37. An official Russian probe blamed a heart attack. But Russias presidential council on human rights concluded that hed been beaten and denied medical treatment. Magnitskys death drew widespread criticism from rights activists, triggering U.S. efforts to punish Russian officials associated with similar abuses of human rights.

How big is the tax fraud scheme?

Browder, who said his Hermitage Capital was harmed by the fraud scheme, calls it the largest tax fraud case in Russian history. Browder, who started a private investigation into the tangled web of companies that he alleged were created to move cash from the tax fraud out of Russia, was once the largest foreign investor in Russia before the Kremlin drove him out of the country. He alleges that about 10,000 Russian businessmen commit crimes, some involving human rights abuses, for profit. Some of the gains from the profiteering are stashed in U.S. accounts. Browder alleges the Russian regime is a criminal regime  that Putin benefits personally from the scheme.

How does adoption factor in?

The Magnitsky Act infuriated the Kremlin, which retaliated by immediately barring Americans from adopting Russian children. The ban devastated some would-be parents in America. Russia justified its adoption ban by pointing to cases of mistreatment of Russian children in the U.S.

How is this connected to Donald Trump Jr.s meeting?

President Donald Trumps eldest son says he met with attorney Natalia Veselnitskaya in June 2016 at Trump Tower to hear damaging information she said she had on Hillary Clinton. Trump Jr. said it quickly became clear Veselnitskaya had nothing valuable to offer on Clinton and the discussion turned to the Magnitsky Act and adoption ban. Veselnitskaya is the Russian leading the effort in the U.S. to weaken the Magnitsky law, Browder says. She has represented Denis Katsyv, a Russian charged in the U.S. with money laundering after investigators suspected his company bought ritzy New York real estate using proceeds from the $230 million tax fraud scheme that Magnitsky exposed.

Wasnt a lobbyist at the meeting, too?

Rinat Akhmetshin, the Russian-American lobbyist who admitted Friday that he also attended the meeting at Trump Tower, has lobbied before to weaken the Magnitsky Act. He is Veselnitskayas point person in fighting the act, Browder says. Akhmetshin, a former Russian military officer, has attracted congressional scrutiny over his political activities and has been shadowed by allegations of connections to Russian intelligence. Akhmetshin denies these allegations. Sen. Chuck Grassley, an Iowa Republican and the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, has described Akhmetshin as a Russian immigrant to the United States who has been accused of acting as an unregistered agent for Russian interests and apparently has ties to Russian intelligence.

When will we know more?

Perhaps this week. Browder says he will testify Wednesday before the Senate Judiciary Committee about a complaint he filed with the Justice Department last year in which he accused Akhmetshin and Fusion GPS of violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act, a law requiring agents of foreign governments to disclose their lobbying and consulting work. Fusion GPS is a Washington research firm that was hired by Democrats to conduct opposition research on then-President-elect Trumps alleged activities and connections in Russia. A spokesman for Trump has recently accused the firm of being involved in attempting to set up Donald Trump Jr.

What else does Congress want to know?

Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee have asked the Justice Department to explain a decision to settle a money laundering case in May that involved Veselnitskaya. She worked with a Cyprus-based company, Prevezon Holdings Ltd., that is controlled by a Russian businessman and was accused of a tax theft and money laundering scheme. The U.S. agreed on May 12 to take $5.9 million to settle the lawsuit tied to the $230 million tax fraud scheme, avoiding a pending trial. The 17 Democrats asked Attorney General Jeff Sessions last week whether the involvement of Veselnitskaya may have helped prompt the settlement, given her meeting with Donald Trump Jr. 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, they wrote. Before the settlement, U.S. government lawyers intended to argue that a trio of Russians bought U.S. assets with ill-gotten cash, including money made from defrauding Browders Hermitage Capital.

 Bloomberg News, the Associated Press, the Washington Post, CNN, U.S. Justice Department, McClatchy Washington Bureau
Air travel now allowed

There is good news for those central government employees who are in Level 6 to 8. There is Good News for those who are in Level 6 to 8, as the Travel entitlement for them so far is AC II by Train only. Now they are entitled to travel by air in Economy Class.

Govt overrides pay commission:

The pay panel had recommended that traveling allowance be continued without any changes. But the government decided to extend air travel allowance to government employees. The travelling allowance is rationalised to enable the Central Staffs from Level 6 to 8 to Travel by Air . The officials concerned clarified that, this Modified Travel Entitlement will be extended to LTC also.

Matrix table calculator

Pay Fixation: One increment shall be given in the same level and placed equal or next higher amount in the promoted level. Increment: Promotion/MACP during the period from 2nd day of January to 1st day of July will be granted on 1st day of January. From 2nd day of July to 1st day of January will be granted on 1st day of July.

In Matrix Table:

Step 1: Locate Your Basic Pay in the Matrix Table

Step 2: Grant of one increment in the same level

Step 3: Locate the equal or next higher amount in the next promoted level.

Check out the calculator here:

HRA

The Cabinet accepted the 7th Pay Commission recommendations with 34 modifications. Employees belonging to the highest pay level will HRA of Rs 33,000 from July 2017 as their HRA component has risen. As the HRA at the reduced rates may not be sufficient for employees falling in lower pay bracket, it has been decided that HRA shall not be less than Rs 5,400, Rs 3,600 and Rs 1,800 for X, Y and Z category of cities respectively. This floor rate has been calculated @ 30%, 20% and 10% of the minimum pay of Rs 18,000. This will benefit more than 7.5 lakh employees belonging to Levels 1 to 3.
With USS Nimitz, INS Vikramaditya, 2nd phase of power packed Malabar exercise to kick off

Second phase of Malabar exercise from Oct 12-15, US to deploy nuclear-powered aircraft

95 aircraft, 16 ships, two submarines; Malabar exercise sets great example to world

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia

Chennai, July 17: The six-day Malabar 2017 exercise that concluded in the Bay of Bengal on Monday demonstrated a deeper military ties between the three nations setting a great example to the world.

The exercise took place amid the ongoing military standoff between armies of India and China in the Sikkim section and Beijing ramping up its naval presence in South China sea.

As many as 95 aircraft, 16 ships and two submarines from the three countries took part in the Naval exercise.

Breathtaking images of MIG-29K, F/A-18 jets flying over INS Vikramaditya and USS Nimitz from the 21st edition of the Malabar exercise were uploaded on the Indian Navy's Twitter account.

The US Navy represented by the ships from the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group and other units from the US 7th Fleet. The US Navy included the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier Nimitz with its air wing, Ticonderoga-class cruiser Princeton, Arleigh Burke-class destroyers Kidd, Howard and Shoup along with integral helicopters, a Los Angeles-class attack submarine and one Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft P8A.

The 21st edition of the exercise, conducted ashore and at-sea, professional exchanges on carrier strike group operations, maritime patrol and reconnaissance operations, surface and anti-submarine warfare.

Medical operations, damage control, explosive ordinance disposal, helicopter operations and anti-submarine warfare also take place.

The at-sea exercise includes events such as submarine familiarisation, air defence exercises, medical evacuation drills, surface ware fare exercises, communication exercise and search and rescue operations.

Indian, Japanese and the US maritime forces have an understanding and knowledge of shared working environment at the sea.

The joint naval exercise was seen as a demonstration of a commitment of all three nations to address common maritime challenges across the spectrum of operations that benefit the global community.

Highlights

Naval manoeuvres in a rough monsoon sea, cross deck flying and crew exchange were some of the highlights of the trilateral 'Malabar' naval exercise between India, the US and Japan in the Bay of Bengal.

The sea phase of the exercise between the Indian Navy, Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force and US Navy saw the ships of the three navies participating in the naval manouvres at sea.

The movement of ships swiftly and smartly, at close quarters, is as an essential aspect fleet work. The manouevering was aimed at streamlining procedure in ship handling and communications, the Indian Navy said in a statement.

On July 15, the exercise also saw cross deck flying operations, wherein a helicopter from USS Shoup landed onboard INS Sahyadri and JN Sazanami. The helicopter from JN Sazanami undertook flying operations from INS Sahyadri and USS Shoup.

"The cross deck flying operations require a high degree of interoperability and knowledge of procedures of participating ships and helicopters," the Indian Navy said.

Despite the rough seas and challenging weather, the ships and aircraft of the three navies carried out their assigned tasks in a cohesive manner.

An Indian Navy Sea King helicopter undertook transfer of Japanese personnel to INS Vikramaditya as part of crew exchange programme during the exercise. It was followed by flying operations undertaken by the helicopters of the US Navy ships.

On July 16, INS Jyoti, a tanker ship undertook the manoeuvre Replenishment at Sea with US Navy ship Shoup and Japanese navy ship Sazanami. During this operation, INS Jyoti passed the oil hoses to the US and Japanese Navies to exercise transfer of fuel.

INS Vikramaditya, India's aircraft carrier participating in the exercise, launched MiG 29K fighter aircraft to undertake combat missions against the US Navy F-18 fighter aircraft launched from USS Nimitz, the USN aircraft carrier, for combined crew training.

In addition to the combat operations, the fighter aircraft from both navies undertook composite formation flying, thereby demonstrating another step in the interoperability aimed through this exercise, the statement said.

Onendia News (with IANS inputs)
Actress molestation case: Investigators recover memory card

India

oi-Anusha

The Kerala police have reportedly recovered the crucial memory card in the sensational actress abduction and molestation case. The card is said to have been in the possession of prime accused, Pulsar Suni's advocate.

While a card was recovered, police sources suggested that no pictures or videos of the survivor were found. The card has been sent for forensic tests to find out if such content was erased. The police are not ruling out the possibility that the recovered memory card may not be the one used by the gang of assaulters to store compromising videos and pictures of the survivor.

Officials had carried out raids at various places in search of the memory card including Dileep's residence as well as his wife, Kavya Madhavan's boutique. The Kerala police are said to have recovered the card from Raju Joseph, a junior of absconding advocate Pratheesh Chacko who represented Suni. Raju Joseph was questioned by the police in Aluva jail, where Dileep is also lodged. Chacko came under the radar after Pulsar Suni deposed that he had handed over the phone containing the pictures and videos of the survivor to him. Chacko went absconding soon after.

The investigating officers had been attempting to recover the memory card that allegedly contains pictures and videos of the survivor. In her complaint in February this year, the actress had alleged that the gang led by Suni had clicked pictures and videos of her being assaulted in their custody.

Dileep moves High Court for bail

In the meanwhile, actor Dileep named accused number two in the case, moved the Kerala High Court seeking bail. The bail plea hearing is likely to come up on Thursday. The actor was forced to move court after the First Class Judicial Magistrate court rejected his petition.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Monday, July 17, 2017, 15:16 [IST]
AgustaWestland: After saying witness may have died, ED cites a little birdie to say he is alive

AgustaWestland scam: ED arrests director of UAE company under PMLA

India

oi-Anusha

The Enforcement Directorate on Monday arrested Shivani Saxena in connection with the multi-crore AgustaWestland Helicopter Scam. Shivani Saxena is the director of UAE based-Director Matrix Holdings.

The Enforcement Directorate said that Saxena has been arrested under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act in connection with the chopper deal case. In 2016, the ED had sought information about some UAE based companies said to have had links with AgustaWestland middleman and fugitive Christian Michel.

The money trail involving payment of alleged kickbacks through Michel had led the Enforcement Directorate to at least six UAE-based companies last year. Investigators suspected that the companies had financial dealings with his Dubai firm Global Services FZE. The second agreement for the deal was signed with Global Services in May 2010. Global Services, a Dubai-based broker firm was signed on to facilitate the sale of 14 old Westland choppers, to be procured from Pawan Hans.

Investigators suspect that funds were transferred during after these agreements were signed. Shivani Saxena, who was arrested on Monday, has been on the ED's radar for months now. The Enforcement Directorate was scrutinising if Saxena's company received any funds from Global Services or middleman Michel's Global Trade & Commerce in UK. Retired Air Chief Marshal S P Tyagi is also an accused in the helicopter scandal.

ED officials sought information on UAE based companies after learning that Michel, who had set up shell companies in Delhi in 2005, transferred back money to Dubai. On the pretext of exports of music CDs and jewellery, the shell company received Rs 7 crore till 2007 from Global Services. After agencies started tracking the suspicious transfers, Micheal is said to have transferred Rs 6 crore to Dubai after liquidation of assets.

OneIndia News
Ban, Tax and no reservation: The latest wrongs inflicted on Indian women

India

oi-Prabhpreet

By Prabhpreet

Issues and concerns related to minorities under the Narendra Modi-led BJP government at the centre have dominated the media glare ever since the 2014 general elections. The supporters of the government have called protests based on such issues a fabrication of the opposition, while those taking part in these have labeled them as their only option.

Right or wrong, most of these have been related to minorities of one kind or the other, that is, based on religion, caste, language etc. These have not only dominated the spotlight at times, pushing various governments on the back foot but also brought areas they were held in to a halt. For example, the Patidars in Gujarat, Rajputs in Rajasthan or religious minorities in different states.

For all the troubles these might have caused those in power, they should be thankful that one of the largest sections of society that can make a strong case of discrimination against them has chosen not to hit the streets like other groups.

And though in terms of population women may not be a minority in the conventional sense, in a patriarchal society like India, where irrespective of their population when it comes to their roles in religion, culture and society, crimes against them, treatment as dependents etc., they can clearly be considered a minority.

In fact, women suffer twice. First as a part of a minority group and then again a minority within a minority. While government's steps such as promoting Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, lauding #Selfiewithdaughter campaign among others, noble in nature, leave much to be desired when it comes to the ground reality of empowering women.

While issues related to these are constantly in the news, a look at three steps related to women by those in power shows how far away decision-making authorities continue to be from understanding how women are treated in India.

Sanitary napkins taxation

As the new scheme of indirect taxation, Goods and Services Tax (GST) became a reality for the whole country from July 1 this year, tax rates for almost all categories of items were placed under various slabs of nil, 5, 12, 18 or 28 per cent.

One of these was sanitary napkins used by women, which are a necessity to them and not a luxury, during their menstrual cycles. The tax rates for them were increased from 5 to 12 per cent. When by all conventional logic they should not be taxed at all, the government has ended up increasing the tax levied on them.

While this might seem a small issue to those in power, that is, if the matter ever comes to their attention, it clearly shows how out of touch those involved in the running of the country seem to be with the women themselves and the issues of their everyday lives.

The defenders of such a step have pointed to such essentials being a luxury of those who can afford it while the majority of women in the country use cloth instead. They seem to forget that the cost of this product along with a lack of awareness have been the main reasons behind them not being used by all women.

Even though they are hygienic and healthier choice compared to cloth, this seems too difficult to grasp for those in power. As can be seen from the fact that while condoms have been exempted from tax under GST, and rightly so, the same was not done for sanitary napkins.

Instead of making an attempt at creating awareness and increasing affordability of the better option, somehow those making decisions have made such tasks even more difficult.

Ban on "Lipstick under my Burkha"

The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) of Indian cinema, or what is popularly known as the censor board, has been engrossed in many issues related to its decision on, what and how the visuals on screens are to be watched.

And one of the latest ones was based on a decision by the chairman of the board Pahlaj Nihalani, appointed by the Narendra Modi government, regarding issues that the board found with the women oriented movie titled Lipstick Under My Burkha.

The concerns of the board were apparently severe enough that they chose to ban the release of the film. Reasons given for such a step include the film being and having content which according to the board is "lady-oriented," with "continuous sexual scenes," a "fantasy above life," "women's fantasies," and for its "sexual content, abusive words and audio pornography," among others.

This led to the filmmakers approach the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) which allowed the release of the film while recommending an adult certification for the film and also pulled up the board for its decision by examining that its members "misdirected themselves in denying certification on the ground that the story of the film is women oriented."

Though the episode might get lost in the midst of controversies that the board seems to find itself in on a regular basis, the idea that women oriented movies which depict them having human emotions and problems can be banned based on sexist views of a body whose members are closely associated with those in power, goes to show how deep and high up the problem of misunderstanding women issues goes along with the lack of knowledge and total apathy towards issues that concern them.

Women's reservation in Parliament

In 2010, the Women's Reservation Bill, to ensure a 33 per cent quota for women in Parliament was passed in Rajya Sabha among much fan fare. Since then it has not seen any movement in Lok Sabha, the house where it also needs to be passed for it to effect as a law of the land. In fact, the bill has been pending in Parliament for more than two-decades ever since it was first introduced in 1996 by the government under the then Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda.

The demand has been rejuvenated recently as women's rights groups from across the country, have come together, and raised the demand for the passage of the Bill in the monsoon session of Parliament. Not only this, women activists are now demanding 50 per cent reservation.

Though the demand for half the seats to be reserved might be an ask that even those making it do not expect to be granted, the idea behind it seems to be that in order to raise the issue and for those who matter to take it seriously, something of this nature is required.

The current protests seem to be based on the thinking that political presence is the only way to safeguard women's rights in the country. According to figures, women hold a mere 12 per cent of the seats in Parliament and nine per cent in state assemblies, informed the director of the Centre for Social Research, Ranjana Kumari. "Unless there are more women in politics, their concerns cannot be addressed effectively," she added.

But the BJP, which is leading the current government and has enough numbers in Lok Sabha to ensure the passage of the Bill, and who according to Director of the Joint Women's Programme, Jyotsna Chatterjee, had committed support to the bill in its manifesto for the 2014 general elections, has shown no initiative on this front since. She said, "It is high time to prove what they had declared in their election manifesto. The government says 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' (save girls, educate girls), but what about her political rights?"

Politics in India like almost all others fields is seen as a domain of men, who have taken a stranglehold on law making and running of governments in the country. This comes out in the case of the reservation Bill not only in terms of not passing it, but also from the fact that there seems to be a total lack of debate on it. With there seemingly being an unwritten writ by those in power, that the matter needs to be kept in an informal abeyance, as can be seen by the two-decade long inaction on the Bill.

Men in society have to be held responsible

Such demands of reservation seem to be based on the overall neglect of women issues that the country has seen since it got independence. A few examples include female feticide, increased number of rapes and crime against women, harassment at the family unit and in society. And such ground level difficulties are compounded and brought to the fore by the apathy of those in power who make decisions such as the ban, lack of debate on reservation and taxes etc.

As to the answer to why such a situation exists in the first place, though not concrete answer can be given to this, a look at them in terms of how minorities are treated in a society where the majority chooses to take away from the rest every right that it intends to, gives a glimpse into it. The majority in this case, the men in society have to be held responsible for this.

This leads to the question as to how such a situation might change as those who have till now been guilty, if not directly committing such injustice, then of allowing it, are the ones who can help solve it.

But the chances of this seem slim, especially so, given the way things have gone when it comes to those who are in power continuing to take decisions which when it comes to issues related to women, treat them as second class citizens. As can be seen in three examples mentioned.

A delay in changing the status quo and providing justice would come at a huge risk, given that when minority goes on strike or decides to hit the roads, the society as a whole goes into a crisis. The mere thought of the largest minority made up of women finally losing patience and taking similar steps should make governments at the centre and in the states deliver on promises that are time and again made but never fulfilled.

OneIndia News
People of Himachal have decided to go with Modi; all other factors irrelevant: CM Thakur

Next Vice-President of India: BJP picks Venkaiah Naidu

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

New Delhi, July 17: Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu will be the NDA's candidate for the next Vice-President of India. The BJP's parliamentary board which met earlier today decided that Naidu would contest the Vp elections to be held in August.

Venkaiah Naidu, who is the Information and broadcasting minister will be the candidate, the BJP decided at its parliamentary board meeting. The announcement was made by BJP's national president Amit Shah.

Naidu will file nomination tomorrow at 11 am, the last day of doing so.

Naidu's good equation with all parties and his ability to smoothly run the Rajya Sabha, where the Vice President is chairman and where the government is currently in a minority has been the criteria to choose him for the post.

He also believes in the core values of the BJP and its ideological mentor the RSS.

"BJP Parliamentary Board unanimously chose Venkaiah Naidu as our vice-presidential candidate and all NDA allies have welcomed this decision. He has also accepted the nomination," BJP president Amit Shah said at a press conference after the meeting.

"Naidu ji will file his nomination papers as the NDA's vice-presidential candidate tomorrow at 11am," Shah added.

Like in the case of President,with the backing of southern parties like AIADMK, Telengana Rashtra Samiti and YSR Congress, the BJP candidate is likely to win the votes of 557 MPs in the electoral college of 787 MPs.

The opposition has already nominated Gopal Krishna Gandhi as its VP candidate. The polls will be held in August.

Earlier, the BJP has already held discussions with RSS functionaries Bhaiyyaji Joshi and Krishna Gopal on a range of issues which also included the VP candidate.

The term of Vice President Hamid Ansari, ends on August 10.

OneIndia News
Cant give more time to deposit old notes: Centre to SC

India

oi-IANS

By Ians

New Delhi, July 17: The Centre told the Supreme Court on Monday it cannot give more time to deposit old currency notes, refusing any breather to those who could not deposit old Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes by the December 30, 2016 deadline.

In an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court, the affidavit, filed by Finance Ministry Under Secretary T. Narasimha said: "The very object of demonetisation and elimination of black money will be defeated if a window is opened for a further period as people in possession of the SBNs (specified bank notes) would have had sufficient time and opportunity to carefully plan the reasons and executed for not depositing the SBNs within the permitted period of December 31, 2016."

Any number of 'benami' transactions and proxy users for the purpose of producing and depositing the old notes would then arise and the departments would have great difficulty in deciding any genuine case from the numerous bogus ones, it said, and sought dismissal of petitions seeking another chance.

The Union Finance Ministry's stand came in response to the top court asking the Central government on July 4 to consider giving another opportunity to those who couldn't exchange their demonetised currency notes.

In the last hearing, the Chief Justice of India had asked the government to consider giving some more time to people who were unable to visit banks for depositing money due to genuine reasons. It had warned the government against issuing orders if it did not do so.

IANS

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Story first published: Monday, July 17, 2017, 20:34 [IST]
China holds military drill near Arunachal, says enemy aircraft the target

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Amidst the standoff, China held live fire drills in Tibet close to India's border in Arunachal. The Chinese state media said that the drill was held to practice quick movement of troops and destroy enemy aircraft.

The report however did not specify when and why the 11 hour exercise was held.

The brigade that conducted the (latest) drills was from the PLA's Tibet military command and is one of China's two plateau mountain brigades," China Central Television (CCTV), the national broadcaster, said. The report is being seen as a message to the Indian government and military, as China claims large parts of Arunachal, India's easternmost state, as southern Tibet.

The drill was held in the Tibet Autonomous Region in the middle and lower reaches of Yarlung Zangbo river, which "is located in the upper stream of the Brahmaputra river which flows through China, India and Bangladesh.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Monday, July 17, 2017, 14:26 [IST]
CM Mamata Banerjee raises security concerns over Darjeeling

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia

Darjeeling, July 17, 2017: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee raising security concerns blamed the Centre Government for not cooperating with the West Bengal Government to defuse the Darjeeling unrest.

Addressing media persons in Kolkata, Banerjee stated "West Bengal is a victim of circumstances. We are sandwiched by Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and China. The Union does not have good diplomatic relations with Nepal, China, Bangladesh and Bhutan and it is West Bengal that is suffering" claimed Mamata Banerjee.

The West Bengal CM stated that Darjeeling is adjacent to Sikkim. "If Sikkim is taken over by China, it will emerge as a big danger for Darjeeling. The Centre talks of the sensitivity of the Siliguri corridor or the Chicken's neck. However when we repeatedly asked for Central forces to ensure that the political unrest did not affect the Siliguri corridor, the Centre did not send us forces for a month. They talk of strengthening the chicken's neck but are trying to weaken it" alleged Banerjee.

The Siliguri corridor or Chicken's neck is 200 km long and 60 km wide strip of land connecting North East states with the rest of India. It is the surrounded by 4 international borders namely China, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan.

"Pashupatinagar on the Nepal side is near to Darjeeling. 400 schools have been set up recently in the Pashupatinagar area to teach Chinese language. What is the SSB, IB and RAW doing?" questioned Banerjee.

Incidentally the SSB guards the 101 km porous border the Darjeeling district shares with Nepal. West Bengal Intelligence agency reports claim that Nepal Maoists have infiltrated into Darjeeling and are aiding the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM.) The report claims that the Nepal Maoists hand in glove with the GJM are indulging in violence and arson in the Hills. The Maoists are allegedly targeting police and administrative top brass state the reports.

The Morcha on Monday gheraoed Government offices in the Hills. GJM supporters in large numbers arrived at the District Magistrate office on the Lebong Cart Road, Darjeeling.

"We wanted to submit a memorandum to the District Magistrate. Instead of calling us to her chamber the District Magistrate came up to the road to meet us. This is an insult hence we did not submit the memorandum" stated Trilok Chandra Roka, GJM leader.

When questioned on the memorandum issue Joyoshi Das Gupta, District Magistrate, Darjeeling stated "I told them clearly that I will accept the memorandum in front of all who have come to demonstrate. I too had a memorandum to give to the agitators but they did not accept it."

When questioned on what was the content of her memorandum, the DM stated "I had written that for the past 33 days the Hills have been forced shut. Schools and education institutions are all closed.

The Hill students are suffering and are falling behind. The tea industry is in doldrums. All the Hill tea estates have been shut down. The second flush (harvest) which is largely exported and brings in foreign exchange has been destroyed. Now the monsoon flush is also on the verge of getting destroyed. The hill economy is in shambles and the residents are bearing the brunt. "

After shouting anti-State Government and pro-Gorkhaland slogans the agitators returned to the Chowk Bazar where GJM leaders addressed the gathering.

"The Gorkhaland agitation is on. We have asked all employees not to attend office. They are still attending. Even if there are threats of losing their jobs, pay cuts or getting transferred they will have to stay away from office from Tuesday. If they continue, we will take the rallies to their residences and launch gheraos. If they want to attend office they will have to give declarations that they do not want Gorkhaland" stated Roka.

The GJM leader claimed that the employees were being provided free rations by the Government for attending office.

GJM General Secretary Roshan Giri and Central Committee member PT Ola are camping in Delhi. The three GJM MLAs were in Kolkata on Monday for the Presidential election. From Kolkata the three MLAs could visit Delhi.

The Gorkhaland Movement Coordination Committee ( a conglomeration of pro-Gorkhaland outfits) will be meeting in Kalimpong on Tuesday to chart future course of action.

A coordination committee delegation could also be visiting Kolkata to meet the West Bengal Governor soon.

The day saw the torching of a police booth in Mirik and the staff quarters of an inspection bungalow of the West Bengal State Electricity Board in Bijanbari allegedly by pro Gorkhaland supporters.

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Story first published: Monday, July 17, 2017, 20:21 [IST]
Roopa D, cop who exposed rot in Bengaluru Central Prison transferred

India

oi-Anusha

The Karnataka government on Monday transferred D Roopa IPS, who as DIG Prisons had filed a report exposing irregularities in Bengaluru Central Jail. ADGP Prisons, H N Sathyanarayana Rao, who was accused of corruption, has also been transferred. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah deemed it an 'administrative decision'.

Sasikala paid Rs 2 crore bribe for special privileges in jail, says DIG Prisons report

"It is an administrative decision. Should the media be informed of all decisions that have been taken for better administration?" asked Chief Minister Siddaramaiah when asked about the transfers. Later in the day, the Chief Superintendent of Bengaluru Central Prison, Krishna Kumar was also transferred without posting.

In less than a month after she took over as the DIG Prisons, D Roopa has been transferred to the post of Commissioner for traffic and road safety. The transfer comes at a time when IPS officer Roopa's report exposed how prisoners, including Sasikala Natarajan and Abdul Karim Telgi, had been receiving special treatments at the Bengaluru Central Prison. Roopa had alleged that there were rumours of Sasikala paying bribes up to Rs 2 crore to get special privileges including a special kitchen inside the jail complex. Her report also nails the thriving drugs supply and consumption within the jail complex.

The transfer also comes at a time when the Karnataka government has ordered a probe into the report and counter allegations levelled after the report was filed. A source from the government maintained that the transfers were routine to ensure that the investigation is fair and balanced.

Prisoners can get anything in Bengaluru Central Jail for a price, even drugs

Political fight over transfer

The government maintained that the officer was not transferred as punishment. "There are some rules in place. No officer is allowed to go to the media. An investigation is underway and all allegations will be probed. A fair investigation will be done," said D K Shivakumar, Karnataka power minister.

The opposition, however, claimed that the move showed the government was not interested in curbing illegal activities. "I am surprised. I think this government wants to protect illegal activities," said former Karnataka Chief Minister and State president of JD(S) HD Kumaraswamy.

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Four additional companies of CRPF deployed in the North Bengal Hills

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

Darjeeling, July 16, 2017: Complying with the orders of the Calcutta High Court, 4 companies of CRPF arrived at the Hills of Darjeeling and Kalimpong district on Sunday.

Incidentally on Friday, a division bench of the Calcutta High Court comprising of acting

Chief Justice Nishita Mhatrey and Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty had directed the Union Government to rush 4 companies of CRPF to the Hills within 48 hours. Already 11 companies of Central Armed Police Force are deployed in the Hills.

Out of the four companies, one company was deployed at Kalimpong; one at Sonada, 16 km away from Darjeeling town and 2 companies in Darjeeling town. Out of the two companies in Darjeeling, one company is deployed at Singamari and one at Lebong.

Both Singamari and Lebong are Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) strongholds and have now turned into political hotbeds. The GJM party head quarters is located at Singamari.

This area has witnessed numerous flashpoints since GJM launched the ongoing agitation on June 8.

A controversy was sparked with the arrival of the CRPF in Darjeeling town. The authorities of St. Joseph's College located in Singamari complained that despite not given permission the CRPF forcefully entered the premises and set up camp.

"During any natural calamity or elections we allow our premises to be used. There is a people's movement on and we live here with these people. Under such conditions the college could face problems owing to the CRPF staying here. This is a private college" stated Father Jose of the St. Joseph's College.

Reacting to this Joyoshi Das Gupta, District Magistrate, Darjeeling stated "We have no other Government properties to house the CRPF. The property has been requisitioned. The college is closed now. As soon as the college opens up we will remove the CRPF from the premises."

Meanwhile GJM President Bimal Gurung has threatened to intensify the ongoing agitation. "In a few days the agitation will be intensified. This land is thirsting for more blood. Already 7 persons are dead. What the Hills have witnessed till now is just the trailer." stated Gurung.

The day saw a cultural rally in Darjeeling and a Khukuri rally in Kurseong. Dressed in traditional attire, artistes sang pro-Gorkhaland songs on the streets of Darjeeling.

Teachers and educationists also took out a silent rally in support of Gorkhaland in Darjeeling town on Sunday.

There was an incident of arson at the Forest Training School in Kurseong. Forest lodges at Sitong and Garidhura were also torched.

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Story first published: Monday, July 17, 2017, 5:57 [IST]
Gorkhaland agitation: Is China behind Darjeeling unrest too?

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

Darjeeling, July 17: After Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti during her recent trip to the national capital told the media that China is also fueling the unrest in the Valley, her West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee too has expressed similar fear of "Chinese hand" in the ongoing turmoil in the hills of Darjeeling.

Since June 8, the hills of Bengal have been hit hard by the Gorkhaland agitation, demanding a separate state for the Gorkhas of Darjeeling and the neighbouring areas.

The latest round of Gorkhaland movement has been led by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM). The agitation has the support of all the pro-Gorkhaland parties. The situation in the hills of Bengal has become a major concern for both the state and the central governments as the indefinite bandh called by the pro-Gorkhaland parties is showing no sign of ending. The bandh has entered the 33rd day on Monday.

According to a report by The Indian Express, CM Banerjee has discussed the issue of "Chinese meddling" in the hills with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh in at least five telephonic conversations.

The Bengal CM is said to have discussed the issue of Chinese interference in Darjeeling with Singh in detail.

In her letter to the HM last week, CM Banerjee noted "the strategic importance" of the area known as 'Chicken Neck' in Bengal, which is a narrow stretch of land that connects India's northeastern states with the rest of the country.

In the same letter, she also "clarified" that the state government had never refused additional forces from the Centre to handle the Gorkhaland protests.

An official in the state Home Department told The Indian Express, "The area is very important geo-politically. It connects Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sikkim, Darjeeling hills, Northeast India and the rest of India. It will be a great cause of concern if China is found to be influencing the unrest in Darjeeling. In terms of the country's foreign policy with these countries which border Bengal, the state government must be made a party by the Centre."

Earlier, ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) party general secretary and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Partha Chatterjee said, "There has been support from foreign lands to the unrest in the hills, and we have definite proof of that."

However, pro-Gorkhaland leaders have denied any allegation regarding support by "foreign" hands in the agitation.

Several leaders of Darjeeling, alleging human rights violation by security personnel in the hills, said that the Mamata Banerjee government is trying to malign the ongoing protests by making false allegations including the movement getting support from Maoists from Nepal and insurgent groups from the Northeast India.

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Gorkha Janmukti Morcha strike enters its 8th day ; Darjeeling still at unrest | Oneindia News

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Story first published: Monday, July 17, 2017, 8:09 [IST]
GST means 'Growing Stronger Together', says PM Modi ahead of Monsoon session

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

Ahead of the Parliament's monsoon session on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that GST's success would fill this session with enthusiasm. "The GST spirit is about growing stronger together. I hope the same GST spirit prevails in the session," he added. PM Modi also said that GST was a good example of the good that can be achieved when all parties come together and work for the nation.

"Growing Stronger Together" ye GST spirit ka doosra naam hai: PM Modi ahead of the beginning of Parliament's monsoon session pic.twitter.com/BjympBw9dK  ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

While coining a new term, he said, GST means 'Growing Stronger Together'. PM Modi spoke to media about the GST when he arrived at the Parliament to cast his vote in the presidential poll. He was accompanied by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar and Jitendra Singh.

Delhi: BJP President Amit Shah arrives at the Parliament #PresidentialPoll2017 pic.twitter.com/mhm8OkfCLq  ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

"I hope all political parties, MPs will work for national interest and will engage in high standards of debate, provide value addition," he was quoted as saying by PTI. The Prime Minister also added that the Monsoon session will give the country an opportunity to elect the president and the vice president.

The session is expected to be stormy as the Opposition likely to criticise the government on issues like GST, mob lynching, cow vigilantism, Kashmir crisis and border stand-off with China.

The government's agenda for the Monsoon Session of the Parliament includes a total of 34 bills. Among the 16 new ones that are to be introduced are the Consumer Protection Bill and two bills to implement the GST in Jammu and Kashmir.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said that apart from 16 new Bills, eight Bills are pending in Lok Sabha while 10 Bills are pending in Rajya Sabha, many of which would be considered for passing during the session, reported IANS.

The monsoon session is expected to be stormy with the Opposition parties all set to corner the government over a range of issues concerning national security, foreign policy, and other domestic matters while the ruling alliance is gearing up to counter the onslaught on it.

(With agency inputs)
Holy cow! Bovine business turns biggest political occupation of Modi regime

India

oi-Maitreyee

By Maitreyee

New Delhi, July 17: India is definitely progressing with great "bullock cart" speed. Those who want the country to compete with neighbouring China and the United States (US), and embrace progress with the "speed of light", unfortunately have to wait for a while till we get rid of mob lynching in the name of cow.

Cow, bull, bullock...name any cattle, politicians of the country--both from the ruling and opposition parties stand up and speak with great eloquence.

Ask them about country's job growth, farmers' distress and violence against women, often you would get a dismissive reply as if these issues hold no importance at all.

Now, as the important monsoon session of Parliament is all set to begin from Monday, the Narendra Modi government has already set the tone of debate inside the houses.

Within a gap of few days, the "blood-thirsty" gau rakshaks (cow vigilantes) have forced Modi to speak against the menace of cow vigilantism once again--just a day ahead of the monsoon session of Parliament in the all-party meeting on Sunday.

Modi's cabinet colleague, Ananth Kumar, who addressed the media after the meeting, which saw attendance by opposition party leaders including that of the Congress, informed that the PM assured that strict action will be taken against "cow vigilantes" indulging in violence.

"I have asked states to take strict action against those violating law in name of cow protection," Modi said at the meeting.

In the same breath he also insisted that cow is considered like a "mother" by many Indians.

"It (cow vigilantism) should not be given political or communal colour; the nation doesn't benefit from it. There is a widespread belief that cow is like mother but this should not let people take law in their own hands," Modi added.

It's this focus on cow as "gau mata" (cow mother), which needs to stop first. Unless and until, cow is brought down to the level of all animals (say a camel or a pig), the problems of cow vigilantism and mob lynchings won't be solved.

The holiness associated with the cow has caused so much madness across the country that right from a 16-year-old boy Junaid Khan to a dairy farmer Pehlu Khan, people are getting killed with great frequency because they are either alleged to be "beef-eater" or "cow-smuggler".

It is true that animals need to be protected, but not at the cost of murders of humans.

Modi's condemnation of cow vigilantism just ahead of the monsoon session is understandable as the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) clearly sensed that this session of Parliament risks being washed out due to bovine issues.

So, like a shrewd statesman, Modi, in spite of being 'handcuffed' by the Hindutva groups to take a strong stand against violence in the name of cow protection, decided to raise the issue on his own with opposition leaders.

While Modi bhakts are singing praises for the PM as he condemned cow vigilantism, the tragedy is that the denunciation is the result of political compulsion and sounded half-hearted too.

Modi can't wash his hands of cow politics as the saffron party and its allies including, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) (where the PM started his political journey as a young boy), are very passionate about the whole religious "business" of cow.

It is their zeal to end cow slaughtering and beef eating that the environment ministry in its controversial ruling came up with strong regulations regarding selling of cattle in animal markets.

The beef ban and mob lynching politics have been hogging the limelight since the time Modi took over the reins of the country in 2014. The first most horrific incident related to cow protection during Modi regime came to light when Uttar Pradesh resident Mohammed Akhlaq was lynched to death by a mob on suspicion of storing beef in his house in Dadri.

Since then the issue continues to boil. However, this year cow politics has reached its zenith with strict government rules against cattle sale and abnormal increase in mob lynchings by cow lovers.

In spite of so many tragedies, Modi mostly remained "maun" (silent). Only in three occasions in the last three years, Modi spoke against cow vigilantism. His statements were mostly mild and did not have its desired result as lynchings continued against Muslim men across the country.

Is the Opposition, which has been playing its own brand of cow politics, has been convinced by Modi's condemnation? If not, then get ready to hear a lot inside Parliament about cow in the coming days.

The gentle cow, on its part, is definitely wondering what wrong it did to attract so much violence in its name.

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J-K ceasefire violation: Soldier, girl killed as Pak troops shell areas along LoC in Poonch

India

ians-IANS

By Ians English

Jammu, July 17: In yet another incident of ceasefire violation, Pakistan on Monday resorted to unprovoked firing along the Line of Control in Poonch's Balakote and Rajouri's Manjakote, killing an army jawan and a 7-year-old girl during the ongoing firing.

Two civilians were also injured in the firing at Poonch where the little girl was killed.

A jawan was killed in firing at Rajouri. The army said soldier Mudasir Ahmad was hit when mortar shells landed on his bunker at around 7.30 am. The 37-year-old father of two was a brave and sincere soldier and "loved his job to the core", the army said.

Pakistan, initiating the attack, resorted to unprovoked targeting of the Indian positions on the LoC in Bhimber Gali sector of Jammu and Kashmir, Defence Ministry spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Manish Mehta said.

"The indiscriminate firing using small arms, automatics and mortars that started from 7.30 a.m. is still on," Mehta added.

The Indian Army was retaliating strongly and effectively, he added.

IANS
JNU student missing case: CBI submits first Status Report to Delhi HC

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday filed first Status Report in a sealed cover at Delhi High Court in connection with the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student Najeeb Ahmed missing case.

The Status Report was filed in reply to Habeas Corpus petition filed by Najeeb's mother.

During today's hearing, the CBI argued that the investigative agency require more time as it has been merely a month since the case was transferred to them. The next hearing is on August 8.

Last month, the CBI had announced Rs. 10 lakh reward for information to locate Najeeb Ahmed who went missing in October last year.

The Delhi High Court handed over the case to the CBI after Najeeb's mother, Fatima Nafees, approached it as the Delhi Police failed to trace him. According to Fatima, Najeeb, a student of M.Sc Biotechnology, had returned to the university after holidays on October 13, 2016. In the night of October 15-16, he had called his mother and told her that something wrong has happened to him, the woman had said in her FIR.

The CBI was looking into allegations of a scuffle between Ahmed and ABVP students in JNU's Mahi-Mandvi hostel and the circumstances that may have led to it as well as other events that preceded his disappearance.

(With agency inputs)

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Story first published: Monday, July 17, 2017, 17:31 [IST]
Presidential Election 2022: Does Yashwant Sinha have a chance against Draupadi Murmu?

Draupadi Murmu is India's first tribal and youngest President ever

Draupadi Murmu becomes 15th President of India with 64% votes against Yashwant Sinhas 36%

Next President of India: With 70 per cent votes, Kovind heads for big win

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Ram Nath Kovind is set to become the next President of India. With 70 per cent of the votes in the electoral college with him, it appears that Kovind is set to trounce his opponent, Meira Kumar.

A total of 95 candidates filed nominations for the top Constitutional post, of which 93 were rejected on various grounds, leaving only Kovind and Opposition candidate Meira Kumar in the fray. While Kumar has support of 17 opposition parties, Kovind is set to get nearly 70 per cent of the electoral college votes.

Electoral College: Here is how the next President of India will be elected

Sonia Gandhi, the Congress president said at a meet that the numbers may be against the Opposition but the battle must be fought hard.

The voting will begin at 10 am and conclude by 5 pm. Counting will be held on July 20 at 11 am.

Follow the live updates here:

09:53 am: Preparations underway at Karnataka Legislative Assembly ahead of the Presidential Election

Bengaluru: Preparations underway at Karnataka Legislative Assembly ahead of the #PresidentialElection pic.twitter.com/HsMv3y3qTN  ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

09:38 am: Ram Nath Kovind ji will win with a comfortable & respectable margin, says Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu on Presidential Poll 2017.

Ram Nath Kovind ji will win with a comfortable & respectable margin: Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu on #PresidentialPoll2017 pic.twitter.com/0dmfLVw9fy  ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

09:32 am: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah to cast their votes at 10 am in the Parliament

08:55 am: Rehearsal by the President's Bodyguard for the swearing-in ceremony of the new President at Delhi's Vijay Chowk

08:51 am: BJP supporters perform 'hawan' for NDA's presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind's victory in Varanasi

Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh): BJP supporters perform 'hawan' for NDA's presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind's victory #PresidentialPoll2017 pic.twitter.com/LxySX4cHmK  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) July 17, 2017

08:32 am: Opposition leaders are set to meet at 10 am today in the Parliament before voting for the next President of India.

Few interesting facts:

The electoral College which elects the president constitutes 4,896 legislators.

Of the 4,896 legislators, 776 are Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members and 4,120 MLAs.

All MPs have an equal vote value of 708.

The vote value of MLAs depends on the population of the state.

The presidential polls has a total of 11,04,546 votes.

OneIndia News
Presidential Election 2022: Does Yashwant Sinha have a chance against Draupadi Murmu?

Draupadi Murmu is India's first tribal and youngest President ever

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Presidential election: Voting ends, India awaits its new President

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

India's elected MLAs and MPs both in Parliament and state assemblies voted on Monday to elect the country's next president in an election which had two veteran leaders pitted against each other.

The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) nominee, 71-year-old Ram Nath Kovind, is expected to win the polls, described by his rival, opposition candidate Meira Kumar, as a battle of ideologies. President Pranab Mukherjee's tenure ends on July 24. It will be only the second time that India has had a Dalit head of state.

The electoral college of the presidential election comprises 4,120 MLAs and 776 MPs with a total vote value of 10,98,903 -- 549,408 for 543 Lok Sabha and 233 Rajya Sabha parliamentarians, and 549,495 for 4,120 legislators in state assemblies.

The halfway mark is expected to be 549,442, but that will depend on the number of valid votes.

Kovind is expected to garner more than 70 per cent of the votes as the NDA enjoys a brute majority in the Lok Sabha and in also 17 states.

PM Modi before casting his vote in the morning said, "The presidential poll this time is historic. Probably for the first time no party has made any undignified or unwarranted comment on the rival candidate."

Meira Kumar, the daughter of freedom fighter Jagjivan Ram, was a diplomat before entering politics in 1985 and became India's first woman speaker in 2009.

Her nomination, which followed Kovind's, was seen by many as the opposition's attempt to counter Modi's move to woo dalits.

Meanwhile, Counting will be held on July 20 at 11 am.

Electoral College: Here is how the next President of India will be elected

Here are the Highlights of the day:

05:00 pm: Voting across the state assemblies and parliament ended.

04:48 pm: Arunachal Pradesh MLAs cast vote in prez poll

The legislators of Arunachal Pradesh Assembly cast their votes to elect the next president of the country. Of the total 59 members in a house of 60, 58 exercised their franchise.

04:47 pm: Thirty four legislators in the 40-member Mizoram Assembly voted for the presidential election till 1.30pm.

04:42 pm: The 81 MLAs of Jharkhand Assembly cast their votes to elect the 14th president of the country

04:00 pm: Voting in Rajasthan assembly ends

As many as 199 of the 200 Rajasthan assembly members have cast their votes in the Presidential election on Monday, official sources said. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has 161 members and the Congress 24 in the 200-member assembly.

03:36 pm: Presidential Poll ends in Tamil Nadu

AIADMK leader and former Tamil Nadu chief minister O Panneerselvam says he hopes the issues plaguing Tamil Nadu be resolved after the presidential election.

03:15 pm: A rebel Congress legislator and six sacked Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLAs voted for NDA's presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind.

03:05 pm: Karnataka CM Siddaramaih cast his vote in Karnataka Assembly

03:00 pm: "We (TMC) are voting for Meira Kumar as it is a vote against the atrocities of the BJP. The BJP desperately wants numbers but we are pro-people," says Mamata Banerjee.

02:55 pm: 100% polling recorded in voting for Presidential Polls in Himachal with all 67 MLAs casting their vote

02:26 pm: "The rumours that NCP MPs and MLAs are voting for Ram Nath Kovind are false. We are voting for our candidate," NCP national spokesperson, Nawab Malik. "We were with Meira Kumar during her selection process and filing of nomination,'' he added.

The rumours that #NCP MPs and MLAs are voting for the #NDA #PresidentialCandidate are false, we are voting for our candidate ( 1/3 )  nawab malik (@nawabmalikncp) July 17, 2017

02:21 pm: Voting for the presidential election began at the Goa secretariat at Porvorim with chief minister Manohar Parrikar among those to cast vote in the first one hour.

02:03 pm: Telangana CM KC Rao casts his vote in Hyderabad

Telangana CM KC Rao casts his vote in Hyderabad for #PresidentialPoll2017 pic.twitter.com/mTQwTqnEeT  ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

01:40 pm: By voting for Ram Nath Kovind, we've registered our protest against the crimes committed by CPI (M), Congress and TMC, said TMC's Ashish Saha when questioned about cross voting.

01:34 pm: Former minister and SP legislator Shivpal Yadav arrives at the Uttar Pradesh asembly to cast his vote. "I will vote for Ramnath Kovind. And more and more SP voters should vote for Kovind," he had said before leaving for casting his vote.

01:32 pm: 214 votes have been cast till noon at UP Vidhan Bhavan.

01:12 pm: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal cast his vote at the Delhi Legislative Assembly

01:11 pm: Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani casted his vote at Swarnim Sankul-2 in Gandhinagar today

Guj CM Shri @vijayrupanibjp casted his vote for the #PresidentialElection at Swarnim Sankul-2 in Gandhinagar today pic.twitter.com/QwY1ccEQCv  CMO Gujarat (@CMOGuj) July 17, 2017

01:06 pm: Punjab Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh casts his vote

01:04 pm: "This is a historic day. We have not compromised on our beliefs. They are thinking about cross voting because the NDA is scared that it will get less votes. We don't believe in negative politics," says Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav.

12:49 pm: Two Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) legislators on Monday briefly stepped out of jails to vote in the Presidential election. They are former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal and Ramesh Kadam, both currently in custody for various corruption offences.

12:45 pm: The CPI (M), which is backing Meira Kumar, urged voters, comprising MPs and MLAs, to pick the 'custodian of the Constitution' thoughtfully. "Hope the Electoral College picks the custodian of India's Constitution thoughtfully: Vote to uphold Constitutional Values of our Republic," party general secretary Sitaram Yechury said on Twitter.

12:44 pm: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat casts his vote

12:25 pm: Fighting battle of ideologies,had urged collegium to listen to voice of their conscience & decision will be taken in India's favor, says Meira Kumar

12:24 pm: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis casts his vote at Maharashtra Legislative

12:13 pm: Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Vice President Rahul Gandhi cast their vote in Lok Sabha

12:10 pm: Odisha CM Naveen Biju Patnaik casts his vote at Odisha Assembly

Bhubaneswar: Odisha CM Naveen Biju Patnaik casts his vote for #PresidentialElection at Odisha Assembly pic.twitter.com/khFngu3W1v  ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

11:50 am: Kovind is our neighbour; Akhilesh didn't consult us over prez poll, says Shivpal Yadav

11:42 am: Rift in SP over Presidential Polls Mulayam Singh Yadav and Shivpal Yadav vote for Kovind

11:41 am: NCP's Praful Patel claims that all MLAs and MPs of the party have voted for opposition candidate Meira Kumar in the Presidential Elections 2017.

11:40 am: Election to President of India is a fight for 'idea of India', our ideology & thought, says Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala

Election to President of India is a fight for 'idea of India', our ideology & thought. My statement-: pic.twitter.com/dNItuIIHrw  Randeep S Surjewala (@rssurjewala) July 17, 2017

11:23 am: Andhra Pradesh CM N.Chandrababu Naidu cast his vote in Amaravati. The TDP has supported the BJP candidate Ram Nath Kovind.

11:10 am: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan casts his vote at the Madhya Pradesh Assembly

11:05 am: Seems NDA Pres candidate will come through. Happy that vast majority of votes from WB will go to MeiraKumar: S Chatterjee, Former LS Speaker

11:04 am: NCP breaks ranks with Opposition; says NDA candidate will win

11:03 am: At least half-a-dozen TMC MPs set to cross vote: Sources

11:02 am: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan arrives at MP Assembly to cast his vote

10:53 am: Voting underway at Assam Legislative Assembly; CM Sarbananda Sonowal also cast his vote.

Guwahati: Voting for #PresidentialPoll2017 underway at Assam Legislative Assembly; CM Sarbananda Sonowal also cast his vote. pic.twitter.com/33x7Xn5KGS  ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

10:46 am: TMC divide out in open, party pulling in two directions, 6 TMC MLAs to cross vote

10:45 am: DMK working president MK Stalin casts his vote at Tamil Nadu Assembly

10:40 am: UP CM Yogi Adityanath says there is no doubt that Ram Nath Kovind will win Presidential Election

10:35 am: Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje casts her vote in Rajasthan Assembly

10:34 am: Jailed MLAs Chhagan Bhujbal & Ramesh Kadam will be brought to Maharashtra Legislative Assembly from prison for voting Presidential Election

10:33 am: BJP President Amit Shah cast his vote at the Parliament

10:31 am: PM Modi cast his vote at the Parliament

10:28 am: Lucknow: UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath arrives at UP Assembly

10:27 am: No matter who wins, President will be from Scheduled Caste. Huge victory for our movement & party, says BSP Pres Mayawati

10:21 am: Members of Parliament line up to cast their votes for Presidential Poll 2017

Presidential Election 2017: MLAs queue up at Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly to cast their votes #PresidentialPoll2017 pic.twitter.com/vUVBAEthNA  ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

10:20 am: PM Narendra Modi & BJP President Amit Shah cast their votes at the Parliament for Presidential Poll 2017

Delhi: PM Narendra Modi & BJP President Amit Shah cast their votes at the Parliament for #PresidentialPoll2017 pic.twitter.com/UXk1Xz7Wou  ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

10:16 am: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami casts his vote during the Presidential Elections 2017

10:15 am: "We (the opposition) are meeting again to finalise strategy and address issues," said Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge.

10:04 am: BJP President Amit Shah arrives at the Parliament

09:53 am: Preparations underway at Karnataka Legislative Assembly ahead of the Presidential Election

Bengaluru: Preparations underway at Karnataka Legislative Assembly ahead of the #PresidentialElection pic.twitter.com/HsMv3y3qTN  ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

09:38 am: Ram Nath Kovind ji will win with a comfortable & respectable margin, says Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu on Presidential Poll 2017.

Ram Nath Kovind ji will win with a comfortable & respectable margin: Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu on #PresidentialPoll2017 pic.twitter.com/0dmfLVw9fy  ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

09:32 am: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah to cast their votes at 10 am in the Parliament

08:55 am: Rehearsal by the President's Bodyguard for the swearing-in ceremony of the new President at Delhi's Vijay Chowk

08:51 am: BJP supporters perform 'hawan' for NDA's presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind's victory in Varanasi

Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh): BJP supporters perform 'hawan' for NDA's presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind's victory #PresidentialPoll2017 pic.twitter.com/LxySX4cHmK  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) July 17, 2017

08:32 am: Opposition leaders are set to meet at 10 am today in the Parliament before voting for the next President of India.

Few interesting facts:

The electoral College which elects the president constitutes 4,896 legislators. Of the 4,896 legislators, 776 are Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members and 4,120 MLAs. All MPs have an equal vote value of 708. The vote value of MLAs depends on the population of the state. The presidential polls has a total of 11,04,546 votes.

OneIndia News
Maharashtra won't extend loan waiver date, 'even RBI won't allow it' says CM

India

oi-Anusha

Despite demands of farmers, Maharashtra government will not change the cut off date for loan waivers from June 30, 2016. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that it was impossible to extend the waiver for loans taken until June 2017. He also asked farmers to repay current loans to help banks.

During his direct interaction session, 'Mi Mukhymantri Boltoy', Fadnavis urged farmers to repay existing loans to help keep the banking system going. "Banks rely on repayment. The banking system survives on those who regularly repay their debt. Many people expect that the loan waiver would be extended up to 2017 and have not repaid loan despite being in a position to repay loans," he said.

Fadnavis reiterated that the government will make no more changes to the loan waiver scheme and even the RBI would not approve extending the waiver for loans up to June 2017. "I request farmers who are in a position to repay their loans, to do so regularly. The banking system is in place relying on you. Even Reserve Bank of India would not allow changing the last date of the waiver, June 30, 2016," he added.

During the talk show, Fadnavis also reassured farmers that those who repay loans regularly will be given extra benefits of government schemes, in addition to the encouragement subsidy under the loan waiver scheme. He also announced that loan waiver will only be given only to farmers who are 100 per cent dependant upon agriculture. According to state policy farmers are provided loans at zero per cent interest up to Rs 1 lakh and two per cent for loans between Rs 1 and 3 lakh.

Farmers who have financial turnover exceeding Rs 10 lakh have been excluded from the Rs 34,000 crore loan waiver scheme announced by the Maharashtra government.

Owing to protests, the BJP-Shiv Sena government in Maharashtra had extended the cut off date for loan waiver scheme from April 2012 and June 30, 2016, to April 2009 and June 30, 2016. Despite the extension, farmer unions had demanded that waiver be extended for loans taken up to June 2017.

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Story first published: Monday, July 17, 2017, 16:53 [IST]
Mamata asks opposition to unite against BJP for the 'sake of country'

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

As the Monsoon session of the Parliament began on Monday, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said, her party will play an aggressive role in coming days.

Speaking to media, Mamata said, "We will play an aggressive role in Parliament. We are ready to go to jail but will not bow our heads." Mamata, who is also part of 18-political parties who are opposing the centre on several fronts, urged others to vote against the BJP 'for the sake of country'. She also termed 'demonetisation' and 'GST' biggest scams by the BJP.

Demonetisation and GST biggest scams. We will not bow down our head, we will be happy to go to jail: Mamata Banerjee, WB CM pic.twitter.com/RVS0ACv0bz  ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

Talking about Presdential elections, Mamata said, "We voted for Meira Kumar to register our protest against 'present atrocities' in the country." She also urged political parties to vote for opposition party candidate Meira Kumar in the presidential election over NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind.

'West Bengal, the biggest sufferer'

Lambasting the central government for India's "deteriorating" relations with neighbours China, Nepal and Bangladesh, she alleged her state is the "biggest sufferer" due to the Narendra Modi-led regime's "diplomatic failure".

"Bengal is sandwiched and so we are worst sufferers. Bengal is bordered by Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh. We want good relations with Bangladesh," she told the media at the assembly here.

"If Sikkim goes to China... there being no difference between Sikkim and Darjeeling as they are adjacent... Siliguri corridor is Chicken's Neck, then due to the Centre's faults and because of the deteriorating relations (with neighbours) due to its failure to officiate diplomatically, the central government has ruined ties with Bangladesh, Nepal and China as also Bhutan," the Trinamool Congress supremo said.

Centre has ruined relationship with Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh. We are the worst sufferers. Where is NIA?intelligence agencies?: WB CM pic.twitter.com/RjigMQHYL9  ANI (@ANI_news) July 17, 2017

On the security of border area, she asked why the are the borders kept open? What is SSB, IB, RAW doing here?'. She further alleged that People belonging to the Jamaat are being allowed in West Bengal.

OneIndia News
PM Modi bids farewell to VP Naidu, hails new leadership born in 'Independent India'

Outgoing VP Naidu was always concerned how country can get best from Parliament: PM Modi

Naidu is suitable candidate for Vice-President: PM Modi

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia

New Delhi, July 17: Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu is likely to become the country's next vice president, with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party announcing his candidature on Monday.

As soon as BJP national president Amit Shah announced Naidu's name many leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed him as the farmers son and a suitable candidate for the post.

M Venkaiah Naidu is a fitting candidate for the office of Vice-President, Modi tweeted Modi.

Modi described 68-year-old Naidu as a farmer's son who "brings years of experience in public life and is admired across the political spectrum".

He said he has always admired the hardwork and tenacity of Naidu, currently a minister in his Cabinet holding the portfolios of Information and Broadcasting and Urban Development.

"I know @MVenkaiahNaidu Garu for years. Have always admired his hardwork & tenacity. A fitting candidate for the office of Vice President," the prime minister tweeted, soon after the announcement of the decision of BJP's Parliamentary Board, the highest decision-making body of the party.

"The years of Parliamentary experience @MVenkaiahNaidu Garu has will help him discharge the important role of Rajya Sabha Chairperson," Modi added.

The Vice-President is also the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.

Support pour in for Venkaiah Naidu

Want to congratulate Venkaiah ji on his candidature for the post of Vice President said Home Minister Rajnath Singh after the parliamentary meet.

Venkaiah ji has not only played his role and fulfilled responsibilities as a political worker but also as a socio-political activist, he added.

Experienced and veteran Venkaiah Naidu is suitable for the role of Vice President in all ways: Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu said.

MP CM Shivraj Chouhan expressed happiness over the choice and said a farmer's son will become the next Vice President, Venkaiah ji is a dedicated person. Matter of great happiness.

Venkaiah ji's contribution has been immense, will miss a good leader.Dignity of VP post will further enhance,I'm sure Power Minister Piyush Goyal said.

Former Tamil Nadu CM O Panneerselvam extends support to NDA Vice President candidate Venkaiah Naidu

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Story first published: Monday, July 17, 2017, 21:26 [IST]
Outgoing VP Naidu was always concerned how country can get best from Parliament: PM Modi

Naidus incredible journey: From a farmers son to vice-presidential candidate

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia

BJP Parliamentary Board on Monday unanimously chose Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu as the NDA's candidate for the Vice-presidential polls that are scheduled to take place next month. All NDA allies have welcomed this decision.

The 68-year-old was handling the portfolios of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation and Information and Broadcasting in the BJP led government. Following the announcement he resigned from the Union ministry to run for the vice president's post.

Born in Chavatapalem in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh on July 1, 1949, Naidu is one of the experienced members of the cabinet and is said to have a keen interest in farmer issues.

At the age of 10, Naidu was attracted towards the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. He joined ABVP in 1973 as a student leader. He was later elected as the student president of the Andhra University Colleges.

Naidu emerged as a leader during the Jai Andhra movement in 1972, leading the agitation. He also actively participated in the movement against the emergency in 1975 for which he was imprisoned. Naidu also became the President of the Youth Wing of Janata Party in Andhra Pradesh from 1977 to 1980.

From an announcer in Atal Bihari Vajpayee's programme in 1963 to an MLA to a spokesperson, MP, party general secretary to BJP's national president, Naidu has held various position with high respect.

Naidu was elected as an MLA to the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly for two consecutive times. He was also the President of Andhra Pradesh State Unit of BJP from 1988 to 1993.

He was appointed as the General Secretary of All India BJP from 1993 to September 2000. In April 1988, he was elected as the Member of Rajya Sabha from Karnataka. He was also BJP's spokesperson from 1996 to 2000.

Besides, he was a member of committees that covered subjects like home affairs, agriculture, finance, rural development, external affairs.

Naidu was elected as the Union Cabinet Minister for Rural Development in 1999, under the Atal Bihari Vajpayee cabinet. Later he became the National President of BJP in 2002. He was selected for a second term in 2004 but resigned after BJP's loss in the 2004 general elections. He was re-elected to Rajya Sabha again from Karnataka in 2004 and 2010.

In 2006, Venkaiah Naidu became a member of the Parliamentary Board of BJP and Central Election Committee. In 2016, he was elected for the fourth term in Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan.

Venkaiah Naidu is known for his oratory skills in the political circles and has maintained a good relationship with the opposition parties too.

Venkaiah Naidu as the BJP leader had supported the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in 2014. As a Union Minister over last three years, he has been representing the interests of both Telugu states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

If elected, Naidu will join the distinguished list that includes Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan and V. V. Giri, becoming third Telugu person to occupy the key constitutional post.

With years of experience, Naidu has a clear edge over Gopalkrishna Gandhi, Opposition's Vice-President candidate.

OneIndia News
Presidential election 2022: Farooq Abdullah withdraws his name from consideration as opposition's candidate

Prospects of NC, PDP bleak in the Valley

Fact Check: Has Farooq Abdullah been placed under house arrest?

Farooq Abdullah asks J&K natives to register as voters to defeat vested powers

NC chief Farooq Abdullah takes oath as LS member

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

New Delhi, July 17: National Conference leader and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah on Monday took oath as a member of the Lok Sabha.

Reports said that as soon as the lower house of Parliament met, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan called Abdullah, who took oath in Kashmiri.

Later, he was greeted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other leaders.

Abdullah won the by-poll from the Srinagar-Budgam parliamentary constituency, defeating his Peoples Democratic Party rival Nazir Ahmed Khan by over 10,000 votes.

Abdullah had lost in 2014 to the then PDP candidate Tariq Karra, who is now with the Congress.

The Srinagar seat fell vacant after Karra resigned from the PDP.

OneIndia News (with agency inputs)

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Story first published: Monday, July 17, 2017, 13:26 [IST]
No policy decision yet on commercial release of GM mustard crop: Centre tells SC

India

oi-PTI

New Delhi, Jul 17: So far the Centre has not taken any policy decision on the commercial release of Genetically Modified (GM) mustard crop, it informed the Supreme Court on Monday.

A bench comprising Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice D Y Chandrachud considered the statement of Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, that the government is considering various aspects of the matter and has invited suggestions and objections on the commercial roll out of GM crops.

The bench granted the government one week's time to appraise it as to by when it will take a "well-informed and well-intentioned" policy decision on the roll out.

The apex court had on October 17 last year extended the stay on the commercial release of GM mustard crop until further orders. The court had restrained the commercial release of the crop for ten days on October 7, 2016.

The court had asked the Centre to seek public opinion on such seeds before releasing it for cultivation purpose, even as government approval is awaited.

Mustard is one of India's most important winter crops which is sown between mid-October and late November.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for petitioner Aruna Rodrigues, alleged that the government was sowing the seeds in various fields and said the bio-safety dossier has to be put on website, which has not been done yet.

Alleging that field trials were being carried out without doing relevant tests, he had sought a 10-year moratorium on them. Bhushan said a Technical Expert Committee (TEC) report has pointed out that the entire regulatory system was in shambles and a 10-year moratorium should be given.

Rodrigues had filed the plea seeking a stay on the commercial release of Genetically Modified (GM) Mustard crop and prohibition of its open field trials.

He had also urged the court to prohibit open field trials and commercial release of Herbicide Tolerant (HT) crops including HT Mustard DMH 11 and its parent lines/variants as recommended by the Technical Expert Committee (TEC) report.

PTI

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Story first published: Monday, July 17, 2017, 15:10 [IST]
Will astrologers diagnose patients in Madhya Pradesh hospitals?

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

Astrologers will now diagnose patients in state run hospitals in Madhya Pradesh. The government-run Maharshi Patanjali Sanskrit Sansthan (MPSS) will ensure the availability of these astrologers for twice a week.

Like OPDs, where junior doctors work under the supervision of seniors, aspiring astrologers will be assisted by experts in dealing with cases in the astro OPDs, Madhya Pradesh Patanjali Sanskrit Sansthan (MPSS) director PR Tiwari said in a New Indian Express report.

With the help of patients' horoscopes, for four hours twice a week and sometimes even on weekends, the fortune-tellers will diagnose patients. The aforementioned astrologers are faculty members, hired by Sansthan to train budding astrology, Vastu and Purohitya (priesthood) students. According to Tiwari, these students will gain first-hand knowledge of Astro-based solutions to various ailments in a way similar to junior doctors who assist their seniors in OPDs. Tiwari is of the view that these Astro-OPDs will help establish this branch of ancient knowledge as meticulous science and not instinctive.

The state's health minister however said that the government had made no such decision. A report in the Hindustan Times quoted the health minister and said that media persons should have at least spoken to the government on this.

OneIndia News
WATCH | Varanasi declared as first ever SCO tourist and cultural capital

Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri case: Court asks mosque management to file objections to plea for carbon-dating of 'Shivling'

On camera: Varanasi folks in panic as 'ghost in white' goes for a walk on rooftops

Varanasi to light up for Deep Deepavali, a festival of lights that is not Diwali

Varanasi lights up with 8 lakh lamps on Dev Deepawali; PM shares pics too

Presidential elections 2017: BJP supporters perform havan for Ram Nath Kovind in UP

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

Lucknow, July 17: While all the elected representatives of the country, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, cast their votes for the Presidential elections 2017, a group of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters performed a special havan (prayer) for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate Ram Nath Kovind in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh on Monday.

The BJP party workers were seen chatting Hindu mantras (sacred words) in front of a fire to pray for Kovind's victory.

They were also carrying a picture of the former governor of Bihar as they performed the havan. The Indian tricolour was also seen at the venue of the special prayer meeting.

"Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh): BJP supporters perform 'hawan' for NDA's presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind's victory #PresidentialPoll2017," tweeted ANI.

Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh): BJP supporters perform 'hawan' for NDA's presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind's victory #PresidentialPoll2017 pic.twitter.com/LxySX4cHmK  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) July 17, 2017

The contest is between the NDA nominee Kovind and candidate of several major opposition parties Meira Kumar, who was the former Lok Sabha Speaker.

All elected MPs and member of Legislative Assemblies are eligible to cast their vote to elect the successor of Pranab Mukherjee, who demits office on July 25.

"Ram Nath Kovind ji will win with a comfortable and respectable margin," said Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu ahead of the polls.

"No matter whoever wins, the President will be from the scheduled caste. It is a huge victory for our movement and the party," said Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati.

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Story first published: Monday, July 17, 2017, 11:33 [IST]
In Kovind's win, the Shiv Sena has everything to worry about

In Delhi who were the 2 AAP MLAs who cross voted in favour of Kovind

Presidential elections 2017: Disunity in opposition indicates Modis increasing power, popularity

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

New Delhi, July 17: No matter how much the Congress tried to show "unity" among the opposition parties, but the deep fissures within them is out in the open on the very important day of the Presidential elections 2017 on Monday.

The disunity among the opposition parties indicated Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ever increasing power and popularity.

While the Bihar's ruling party, Janata Dal (United)--a constituent of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA)--had already expressed its support for the ruling National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) Presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind, the opposition looked further confused on the crucial voting day.

Take for instance the case of the Samajwadi Party (SP). While former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh and current president of the SP, Akhilesh Yadav and his loyalists stood behind the opposition nominee and former Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar, his disgruntled father and SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav and his brother Shivpal Yadav voted for Kovind.

If that was not enough, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), another key member of the opposition, also gave mixed signals. Initially, the NCP said that Kovind is going to win the polls.

However, minutes later, NCP's Praful Patel said that all the party MPs and MLAs have voted for Kumar. Even senior Left leader and former LS speaker, Somnath Chatterjee, echoed the views of the NCP about Kovind's victory.

"It seems the NDA Presidential candidate will come through. However, happy that vast majority of votes from the West Bengal will go to Kumar," said Chatterjee, one of the tallest leaders from Bengal.

The Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), which is fighting a fierce battle against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after recent communal attacks in the state, is also not united in its support for Kumar.

According to reports, six TMC MLAs have cross voted in support of Kovind.

Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said, "The election to the President of India is a fight for 'idea of India', our ideology and thought."

It looks like Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati too does not mind if Kovind wins, although her party MPs and MLAs are said to have voted for Kumar.

"It does not matter who wins, the President will be from the scheduled caste. It's a huge victory for our movement and the party," said Mayawati.

"Ram Nath Kovind ji will win with a comfortable and respectable margin," said Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu ahead of the polls.

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Story first published: Monday, July 17, 2017, 13:02 [IST]
Russian embassy takes up with MEA detention of its ship in Cochin

Two Indians missing in Kenya since July; govt in touch with Kenyan authorities: MEA

Report on casualties in Sikkim baseless, malicious: MEA

India

oi-IANS

By Ians English

External affairs ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay on Monday rejected as "utterly baseless, malicious and mischievous" reports in a section of the Pakistani media claiming that over 150 Indian Army soldiers died in Sikkim due to a Chinese rocket attack.

Ministry of external affairs spokesperson Gopal Baglay said "such reports are utterly baseless, malicious and mischievous. No cognisance should be taken of them by responsible media".

Dunya said that many Indian soldiers were also wounded in the purported rocket attack. It said "A two-minute footage that was broadcast on China Central Television showed the Chinese soldiers attacking an 'enemy position' using rocket launchers, machine guns, and mortars".

Bilateral tension between China and India has escalated over the past few weeks over a stand-off between their armies in Doklam region in the Sikkim sector, with Beijing demanding that New Delhi withdraw its troops for any dialogue to take place.

The Chinese state-run media has also been openly talking of war and of teaching India a "lesson" like the defeat of the 1962 war.

His reaction came after a Pakistani media organisation reported at least 158 Indian soldiers have been killed on Monday as China fired rockets across the border on Indian border installations.

IANS

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Story first published: Tuesday, July 18, 2017, 0:08 [IST]
"Sanjay Dutt was treated like an ordinary convict", Maha govt tells Bombay HC

India

oi-Anusha

The Maharashtra government on Monday told the Bombay High Court that actor Sanjay Dutt 'deserved an early release'. In an affidavit, the Maharashtra government justifying early release of Sanjay Dutt said that the actor displayed 'good behaviour and discipline while in jail.'

The Devendra Fadnavis government justified its decision to release the popular actor early from the Yerwada Jail. Dutt was convicted for his role in the 1993 blasts case. "Sanjay Dutt displayed good behaviour and discipline while in jail, participated in institutional activities such as physical training, educational programmes and performed all allotted work in accordance with prescribed standards, thus earning early remission according to the statutory rules," said the affidavit submitted by Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni.

Sanjay Dutt who was sentenced to five years of rigorous imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 25,000 was released from Yerwada jail on February 25, 2016, eight months earlier than his jail time. The Maharashtra government told the court that Dutt had been in jail as an undertrial prisoner for one year, four months and two days. He was lodged in jail again in 2007 for two months and three days. between 2013 and 2016, Sanjay Dutt served two years three months and 25 days in jail. However, between 2013 and 2016 he was out on parole for four months and also got furlough leave for one and a half months.

"For all this time put together, Dutt received a total ordinary and annual remission of eight months and 16 days," the affidavit submitted by the government claimed.

How Maharashtra government added up numbers

According to rules, a convict can earn three days of remission every month if he or she follows prison rules and display exemplary conduct. Another three days of remission (ordinary) is given to each inmate every month which is added to annual remission of 30 days. Such remissions, however, are not allowed while the convict is out of prison on parole or furlough. Attempting to justify this point, the affidavit stated that Dutt was given parole according to rules which cannot exceed 30 days. It is the discretion of the authorities to grant parole during emergencies. Sanjay Dutt was given parole thrice for his wife's medical treatment and once for his daughter's.

The affidavit states that in 2013, Dutt was given a remission of 35 days. In 2014, Dutt was out on parole, so his remission was only 100 days while in 2015, he was out on furlough and his total remission was only for 107 days. Just before his release in 2016, since he had spent one month in jail, he received a remission of seven days.

The state government told the Bombay High Court that Sanjay Dutt was not given the benefit of ordinary remission when he was on parole and furlough leave like any other convict.

OneIndia News
TCS won't pull out of Lucknow, says UP Finance Minister

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

The Uttar Pradesh government on Monday said it will not let Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) go out of Lucknow amid fears among employees that the software company may close down its unit in the capital city.

"We will not let it (TCS) go from the state capital. We will look into it," state's Finance Minister Rajesh Agarwal told PTI. TCS employees have also approached Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to ensure that the company did not leave Lucknow, reports Hindustan Times.

Agarwal's assurance came after UP ministers Swami Prasad Maurya and Mohsin Raza told the employees last week that their interests would be protected.

State Labour and Employment Minister, Maurya, had said necessary negotiations would be held to protect the interest of its about 2000 employees. However, a company spokesperson described certain media reports as "rumours," the report further said.

According to reports, the Lucknow operations were not profitable for the company and the revision of the rent contract of premises added to the woes. In its 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.

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Story first published: Monday, July 17, 2017, 13:04 [IST]
With nomad visa and $130K in account, you can 'work from Indonesia' for 10 years

After visa obstacle, Afgan girls in US to attend international robotic competition

International

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

Washington, July 17: A robotics team of six girls from Afghanistan is attending an international competition in Washington, after clearing visa obstacles that prompted intervention from US President Donald Trump.

The team was the first to be introduced at an opening ceremony on Sunday for the three-day high school competition.

They will compete against entrants from more than 150 countries in the FIRST Global Challenge. It's the first annual robotics competition designed to encourage youths to pursue careers in math and science. The girls are entering a robot they made that can recognize blue and orange and sort balls into correct locations.

The team was twice rejected for U.S. visas. They arrived in Washington from their hometown of Herat, Afghanistan, early Saturday after Trump's last-minute intervention to sidestep the visa system.

OneIndia News
Boko Haram has killed around 400 people in Nigeria, Cameroon since April

Macron in Cameroon offers look at past, help for future

At least 34 missing after military ship sinks off Cameroon

International

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

At least 34 people have been declared missing on Monday after a military vessel sank off the Central African Country Cameroon's Atlantic coast, reports said. Three soldiers have been rescued.

Cameroon's Defense Minister Joseph Beti Assomo said that the military has been deployed to investigate and search operations are on.

''A helicopter was able to spot traces of fuel and thus directed maritime patrols to the likely spot of the capsizing. Three soldiers were rescued but the boat seems to have sunk to the bottom of the waters... Thirty-four personnel have so far been reported missing," said a ministry statement, Anadolu news agency reports.

The BIR is an anti-terrorist force which protects the country's borders and is mostly involved in the fight against Boko Haram in the northern part of the country.

The oil-rich Bakassi peninsula was handed over to Cameroon by Nigeria following an International Court of Justice ruling, reports AP.

Nigerian forces had occupied the area in the 1980s, leading to violent confrontations with Cameroon's military.

(More details awaited)

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Story first published: Monday, July 17, 2017, 15:25 [IST]
Back from Paris visit, Trump launches offensive against media

International

oi-PTI

Washington, Jul 17: US President Donald Trump, fresh from a political holiday in Paris, went against his favourite target-media-as a new poll showed his popularity dropping amid doubts about Russian election meddling and deepening frustrations over stalled health-care legislation.

In a tweet early yesterday, Trump used some of his toughest language against the press, saying: "With all of its phony unnamed sources & highly slanted & even fraudulent reporting, #Fake News is DISTORTING DEMOCRACY in our country!"

Trump also sent one of his private lawyers, Jay Sekulow, onto five Sunday talk shows to argue that there was nothing illegal about son Donald Trump Jr.'s meeting last year with a Russian attorney following a promise of damaging information on Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

"What took place at the meeting... is not a violation of any law, statute or code," Sekulow told NBC. He repeated an earlier assertion that Trump is not the subject of any current investigation into alleged Russian efforts to tilt last year's election in the Republican's favour.

The concerted pushback came as a Washington Post-ABC News poll near the six-month point in Trump's administration showed him facing significantly declining approval ratings, down from 42 per cent in April to 36 per cent today.

Similarly, the president's disapproval rating has jumped five points to 58 per cent, according to the survey of 1,001 adults.

Trump responded to the survey in a tweet, saying: "The ABC/Washington Post Poll, even though almost 40 per cent is not bad at this time, was just about the most inaccurate poll around election time!"

Nearly half of respondents -- 48 per cent -- said they "disapprove strongly" of the president's performance in office, a low level never reached by ex-presidents Bill Clinton or Barack Obama, both Democrats and reached only once by George W Bush, during his second term.

And 48 per cent said they saw American global leadership weakening since Trump entered the White House, while 27 per cent said it is stronger.

That would seem to show mixed results, at best, from a series of high-profile foreign visits by Trump, including to Saudi Arabia and to a Group of 20 meeting in Germany, where he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump's Bastille Day visit to Paris came a day after the poll ended.

Two-thirds of respondents said they do not trust Trump, or trust him only somewhat, in negotiating with foreign leaders.

Republicans' legislative struggles may also be weighing on Trump's popularity. Twice as many of those surveyed preferred the Obamacare health program as favoured Republican plans to replace it.

As senior lawmaker John McCain recovers from blood-clot surgery the US Senate will "defer" its work on repealing Obamacare for a week, said the Republican leader, Mitch McConnell. The repeal effort is opposed by all Democrats, and the loss of a single Republican vote could doom it.

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Story first published: Monday, July 17, 2017, 16:35 [IST]
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Nigeria forward Josh Maja has rejected a move to Sky Bet Championship club, Birmingham City, reports Completesports.com.

Birmingham City, according to transfer expert, Fabrizio Romano tabled a bid for Maja on Tuesday and offered him a five-year contract.

But the Nigerian has now turned down the Blues offer and opted to remain with Girondis Bordeaux.

Read Also: Serie A: Success Features For Udinese, Ebuehi Benched In Empolis Draw Vs Verona

The 23-year-old, who opened his account for the Ligue 2 campaign on Tuesday, instead signed a two-year extension which will see him paid 50% of his wages next June, at which point he will also have the option to leave on a free should the club fail to secure promotion.

Maja spent the second half of last season on loan at Stoke City where he scored two goals in 17 league appearances.

He joined Bordeaux from Sunderland in 2019.

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.
There is a cholera outbreak in two local government areas of Adamawa state with 11 confirmed cases and two deaths.

The state Ministry of Health which announced the outbreak in a statement on Wednesday indicated Guyuk and Shelleng as the affected LGAs

The ministry said 96 suspected cases were reviewed, from which 11 were confirmed to be cholera and following which two affected individuals have died.

The statement from the Ministry of Health and Human Services which was signed by the Director of Public Health, Dr Celine Laori, said the ministry had on the 19th of this month received reports of suspected cases of acute watery diarrhoea from Guyuk and Shelleng.



Samples were taken and tested, out of which seven were confirmed to be cholera cases, the statement said.

It added that as of today, the suspected cases stand at 96 and 11 confirmed positive, with 2.1 case fatality.

The health ministry said it had since the outbreak of the disease taken steps to mitigate it.

It urged health partners to give all necessary technical support and urged the general public to maintain hygiene and sanitation apart from ensuring the safety of their foods and drinking water.
Three robbery suspects including another person earlier granted bail for the same offence, have been arrested by the operatives of the Ogun State Police Command.

The state police spokesperson, Abimbola Oyeyemi, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday.

Oyeyemi said the suspects were leading members of a cult group, Eiye confraternity terrorising Ijebu-Ode and its environs before they were arrested.

He said the suspects, Odukoya Odushina, Subomi Popoola and Itunuoluwa Taiwo were arrested on Wednesday following information received by the police at the Obalende Divisional Headquarters in Ijebu Ode.

The spokesperson added that the police were hinted that cultists were holding a nocturnal meeting at a black spot known as Sanga at the back of Central Mosque to later unleash terror on members of the community.

He said, Upon receipt of the information, the DPO Obalende Division mobilised his men and stormed the said black spot.



On sighting the policemen, the hoodlums attacked them with weapons. But they were subdued and the ringleader of the cultists, Odukoya Odushina, a.k.a Odus, Subomi Popoola a.k.a Oyan and Itunuoluwa Taiwo were apprehended. Preliminary investigation revealed that the arrested suspects were not only into cultism but they were into robbery as well.



It was also discovered that Odukoya Odushina had been arrested once and charged to court, but was granted bail. On the third day after he was granted bail, he went with his gang to rob at the Ayegbami area of Ijebu Ode where he killed a man simply known as Baba Njo. Some stolen items such as jewellery, phones and suspected hard drugs were recovered from them. The group has also been linked to several cult killings in Ijebu Ode and its environs.

Oyeyemi noted that the state Commissioner of Police, Lanre Bankole, had ordered a full scale investigation into their activities. He further stated that the CP also ordered a massive manhunt for other members of the group with a view to charging them to court as soon as possible.
The battle of supremacy between Kano State Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and Emir of Kano Muhammad Sanusi 11 has taken a frightening dimension.

A group, the Renaissance Coalition-Nigeria, has raised the alarm over alleged plot to transfer the Emir of Kano to the Bichi Emirate.

A statement by the groups spokesman, Ibrahim Waiya, alleged that the move was a calculated attempt by the Ganduje administration to depose Emir Sanusi.

According to the statement made available to reporters in Kano yesterday, it has come to the notice of the Renaissance Coalition that the Kano State Government has planned to transfer the Emir of Kano, Mallam Muhammadu Sanusi II, to Bichi, and in the event he resists, he shall be deposed.

This is quite unfortunate that despite a subsisting court ruling, which has ordered the maintenance of status quo pending conclusion of the matter before it, and even the contentious law, which was maliciously and hurriedly made, and is being challenged before the court, has not explicitly provided for such swap.

This is indeed a very dangerous move that is likely to cause violent unrest in the polity, and the alleged plot also shows extreme desperation on the part of the governor to advance a personal vendetta at the expense of the peace and wellbeing of the citizens he swore to protect.

We deem it our responsibility to do everything possible within our power to advocate for the peace and wellbeing of the citizens, by calling on all well-meaning individuals and the Federal Government to call the governor to order, to cease and desist from any further hostile action against the Kano emirate and the person of the Emir of Kano, Mallam Muhammadu Sanusi ll.

We believe in the adage, better safe than sorry. We always want to be on the right path and the right side of history, expressing our objective opinions and engaging relevant authorities for appropriate and timely action to prevent societal disasters.

We decided not to wait and be reactive, but to be proactive because of the perceived heavy toll the repercussion of the alleged action of Governor Ganduje awaits the people of Kano, if the alleged plot is materialised and remains unchecked.

Waiya said: Therefore, as responsible and concerned citizens, we strongly call on the governor to desist from going on with this alleged plot and such similar action, which is capable of jeopardising the relative peace we enjoy in the state.

We also call on security agencies, political leaders, respected elders, venerated Ulamas, intellectuals, opinion leaders and any person or people with the means to reach out to advise the governor to desist from such act.

However, in the event that the governor refuses to heed the counsel and goes ahead to actualise the evilly hatched dastardly agenda, we will be left with no other option but to call on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in Kano State as soon as the governor makes the pronouncement of the alleged plot, in order to save Kano State from the consequences of the governors action.

We wish to use this medium to remind the people and Kano State Government about the consequences that occurred when a similar action was attempted against the then Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, in 1981.

We are of the strong belief that today if such action is attempted, it may likely be the worst because of increased social and economic stress, which are already keeping people on edge, ready to erupt, as well as a much higher restless youth population.

It is our prayer that the Federal Government must do everything possible to prevail on the governor to forestall the alleged plot of swapping the Emir of Kano, to ensure our dear state remains peaceful.
September 04, (THEWILL)  Laila Charani, the estranged wife of Nigerian businessman, Ned Nwoko, has publicly apologised to him and his family, for leaving her marriage in the manner she did.

Taking to her Instagram page on Saturday, the 32-year-old apologised to the Nwoko family, stating that she wants peace and progress in the family.

She posted a family picture of herself, Ned, and their children saying, This is to my entire Ned Nwoko family. I have realised that I made mistakes. They were not intentional. I listened too much to outsiders and have decided to apologise to my husband and other family members. I want peace and progress in the family.

But in a curious twist, Laila deleted all her Instagram posts hours after apologising.

The Moroccan beauty queen announced her divorce from Nwoko on November 1, weeks after she unfollowed the 62-year-old and her co-wife, Regina Daniels, on Instagram.

Confirming their divorce in an Instagram post on December 8, Nwoko accused Laila of infidelity, child abandonment, and domestic abuse.
Internet of Things (IoT) Security Products Market Will Hit at a CAGR 16.5% From 2020

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According to a new market report published by Future Market Insights Internet of Things (IoT) Security Products Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment, 2015 - 2020, the global IoT security products market was valued at US$ 7.8 Bn in 2014 and is expected to register a CAGR of 16.5% from 2015 to 2020. The growth of the IoT security products market is primarily driven by the rise in the number of Internet-enabled devices across the globe, which directly or indirectly have a major impact on the global IoT security products market. Also, increasing adoption rate of IoT security products in the BFSI industries, because of the growing security concerns related to critical data infrastructure is an important factor driving growth of the global IoT security products market currently.On the basis of technology, the IoT security products market is segmented into hardware and software. The hardware segment was valued US$ 3.9 Bn in 2014 and is anticipated to register a CAGR of 15.9% during the forecast period. The growth of the segment is primarily driven by the various regulations imposed by the concerned regulatory authorities, mandating the implementation of IoT security products. The software segment was valued US$ 3.9 Bn in 2014 and is anticipated to register a CAGR of 17.2% during the forecast period. The growth is driven mainly by increasing demand for Internet-enabled devices across different verticals, as organizations are becoming increasingly aware about the risks posed by these devices when connected to the Internet, and thereby take all the necessary precautionary measures, such as device inspection and network monitoring, to control and secure data access. Manufacturers of IoT devices are providing additional embedded security systems in order to secure IoT devices from data and application security threats.Request For Sample@This report also covers trends driving each market segment and offers analysis and insights on the potential of the IoT security products market in some of the major global regions, including North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific (excluding Japan), Japan and the Middle East & Africa. Furthermore, the market is sub-segmented on the basis of the major countries in each region in order to provide a better regional analysis of the global IoT security products market.Some of the leading IoT security products providers in the global IoT security products market include Symantec Corporation, IBM Corporation, Intel Corporation, Cisco Systems, Inc., Infineon Technologies AG, Trend Micro, Inc., Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. and INSIDE SECURE.Send An Enquiry@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 :
Smart Textiles Market Share 2017 Textronics, Clothing Plus, Google, AIQ Smart Clothing

Smart Textiles

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Smart Textiles Market Research ReportA market study  Global Smart Textiles Market  examines the performance of the Smart Textiles market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Smart Textiles market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Smart Textiles market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Smart Textiles Market 2017 report includes Smart Textiles market Size, Revenue, market Share, Smart Textiles industry volume, market Trends, Smart Textiles Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Smart Textiles Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.Request For Sample Report:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Smart Textiles Market 2017:1. Textronics2. Clothing Plus3. Google4. AIQ Smart Clothing5. DuPont6. Weartech7. Infineon Technologies8. Texas Instruments9. Fibretronic10. VivoMetrics11. ThermoSoft International12. Sensium Healthcare13. Sensoria14. Schoeller Technologies15. Interactive Wear16. Gentherm Incorporated17. Noble Biomaterials18. Koninklijke Ten Cate19. Milliken & Company...Firstly, the report covers the top Smart Textiles manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Smart Textiles report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Smart Textiles industry, Smart Textiles industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Smart Textiles Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Inquiry Before Purchasing Report:The Smart Textiles 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 Smart Textiles market revenue worldwide.Finally, Smart Textiles 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
Smartglasses Market Share 2017 Google glass, Microsoft, SONY, Samsung, Newmine

Smartglasses

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Smartglasses Market Research ReportA market study  Global Smartglasses Market  examines the performance of the Smartglasses market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Smartglasses market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Smartglasses market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Smartglasses Market 2017 report includes Smartglasses market Size, Revenue, market Share, Smartglasses industry volume, market Trends, Smartglasses Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Smartglasses Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.Request For Sample Report:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Smartglasses Market 2017:1. Google glass2. Microsoft3. SONY4. Samsung5. Newmine6. Baidu glassess7. Recon8. Lenovo9. ITheater10. Gonbes11. USAMS12. TESO13. Shenzhen good technology14. Osterhout Design Group15. AOS Shanghai Electronics16. Vuzix Corporation..Firstly, the report covers the top Smartglasses manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Smartglasses report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Smartglasses industry, Smartglasses industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Smartglasses Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Browse Complete Report:The Smartglasses 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 Smartglasses market revenue worldwide.Finally, Smartglasses 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
Sponge Iron Market Share 2017 Mobarakeh Steel Company, Tata Sponge, Welspun, Electrotherm

Sponge Iron

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Sponge Iron Market Research ReportA market study  Global Sponge Iron Market  examines the performance of the Sponge Iron market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Sponge Iron market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Sponge Iron market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Sponge Iron Market 2017 report includes Sponge Iron market Size, Revenue, market Share, Sponge Iron industry volume, market Trends, Sponge Iron Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Sponge Iron Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.Request For Sample Report:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Sponge Iron Market 2017:1. Mobarakeh Steel Company2. Tata Sponge3. Welspun Group4. Electrotherm India Limited5. Jindal Steel & Power Ltd6. Umesh Modi Group7. Prakash Industries Limited8. Sajjan9. Bhushan10. Sarda Energy & Minerals Limited11. Qatar Steel12. Gallantt13. NMDC14. United Raw Materials15. ArcelorMittal16. KhorasanSteel...Firstly, the report covers the top Sponge Iron manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Sponge Iron report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Sponge Iron industry, Sponge Iron industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Sponge Iron Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Inquiry Before Purchasing Report:The Sponge Iron 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 Sponge Iron market revenue worldwide.Finally, Sponge Iron 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
Still Images Market Size 2017 Shutterstock, Getty Images, Adobe Systems, Dreamstime

Still Images

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Still Images Market Research ReportA market study  Global Still Images Market  examines the performance of the Still Images market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Still Images market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Still Images market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Still Images Market 2017 report includes Still Images market Size, Revenue, market Share, Still Images industry volume, market Trends, Still Images Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Still Images Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.Request For Sample Report:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Still Images Market 2017:1. Shutterstock2. Getty Images3. Adobe Systems4. Dreamstime5. Alamy6. AP Images7. Envato8. 123R9. Can Stock Photo10. Depositphotos11. Dissolve12. Fotosearch13. Photofolio14. Reuters Pictures15. PIXTA16. POND5...Firstly, the report covers the top Still Images manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Still Images report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Still Images industry, Still Images industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Still Images Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Inquiry Before Purchasing Report:The Still Images 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 Still Images market revenue worldwide.Finally, Still Images 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
Sweet Spreads Market Share 2017 Kraft Foods, Hershey, Hormel Foods, The J.M. Smucker Company

Sweet Spreads

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Sweet Spreads Market Research ReportA market study  Global Sweet Spreads Market  examines the performance of the Sweet Spreads market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Sweet Spreads market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Sweet Spreads market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Sweet Spreads Market 2017 report includes Sweet Spreads market Size, Revenue, market Share, Sweet Spreads industry volume, market Trends, Sweet Spreads Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Sweet Spreads Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.Request For Sample Report:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Sweet Spreads Market 2017:1. Kraft Foods2. Hershey3. Hormel Foods4. The J.M. Smucker Company5. Andros6. Ferrero7. Hero8. B & G Foods9. Baxter & Sons10. ConAgra Foods11. Premier Foods12. Dabur India13. Duerr & Sons14. St Dalfour Freres15. Wilkin & Sons16. Sioux Honey Association17. Centura Foods...Firstly, the report covers the top Sweet Spreads manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Sweet Spreads report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Sweet Spreads industry, Sweet Spreads industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Sweet Spreads Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Inquiry Before Purchasing Report:The Sweet Spreads 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 Sweet Spreads market revenue worldwide.Finally, Sweet Spreads 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
System on A Chip (SOC) Market Share 2017 Texas Instruments, NXP, Atmel, Dialog Semiconductor

System on A Chip (SOC)

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System on A Chip (SOC) Market Research ReportA market study  Global System on A Chip (SOC) Market  examines the performance of the System on A Chip (SOC) market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the System on A Chip (SOC) market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of System on A Chip (SOC) market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global System on A Chip (SOC) Market 2017 report includes System on A Chip (SOC) market Size, Revenue, market Share, System on A Chip (SOC) industry volume, market Trends, System on A Chip (SOC) Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, System on A Chip (SOC) Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.Request For Sample Report:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global System on A Chip (SOC) Market 2017:1. Texas Instruments2. NXP3. Atmel4. Dialog Semiconductor5. Broadcom Limited6. Cypress Semiconductor7. Silicon Laboratories8. CEL9. Nordic Semiconductor10. Apple, Inc11. Freescale Semiconductor12. Infineon Technologies AG13. Intel Corporation14. Qualcomm, Inc15. Samsung16. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing17. STMicroelectronics NV18. Toshiba Corporation19. MediaTek Inc...Firstly, the report covers the top System on A Chip (SOC) manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the System on A Chip (SOC) report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of System on A Chip (SOC) industry, System on A Chip (SOC) industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. System on A Chip (SOC) Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Inquiry Before Purchasing Report:The System on A Chip (SOC) 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 System on A Chip (SOC) market revenue worldwide.Finally, System on A Chip (SOC) 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
Tenonometers Market Share 2017 Accutome, BioResonator Good Eye, Briot USA, Carl Zeiss Meditec

Tenonometers

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Tenonometers Market Research ReportA market study  Global Tenonometers Market  examines the performance of the Tenonometers market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Tenonometers market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Tenonometers market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Tenonometers Market 2017 report includes Tenonometers market Size, Revenue, market Share, Tenonometers industry volume, market Trends, Tenonometers Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Tenonometers Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.Request For Sample Report:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Tenonometers Market 2017:1. Accutome2. BioResonator Good Eye3. Briot USA4. Carl Zeiss Meditec5. Essilor Instruments6. Haag-Streit Diagnostics7. Huvitz8. Icare Finland9. Keeler10. NIDEK11. Oculus12. Reichert...Firstly, the report covers the top Tenonometers manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Tenonometers report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Tenonometers industry, Tenonometers industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Tenonometers Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Inquiry Before Purchasing Report:The Tenonometers 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 Tenonometers market revenue worldwide.Finally, Tenonometers 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
Timing Controllers Market Share 2017 Samsung, Himax Technologies, Parade Technologies, Xilinx

Timing Controllers

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Timing Controllers Market Research ReportA market study  Global Timing Controllers Market  examines the performance of the Timing Controllers market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Timing Controllers market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Timing Controllers market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Timing Controllers Market 2017 report includes Timing Controllers market Size, Revenue, market Share, Timing Controllers industry volume, market Trends, Timing Controllers Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Timing Controllers Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.Request For Sample Report:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Timing Controllers Market 2017:1. Samsung2. Himax Technologies3. Parade Technologies4. Xilinx5. Intersil6. Rohm Semiconductor7. Analogix Semiconductor8. Intel9. MegaChips10. MpicoSys Solutions11. THine Electronics...Firstly, the report covers the top Timing Controllers manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Timing Controllers report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Timing Controllers industry, Timing Controllers industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Timing Controllers Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Inquiry Before Purchasing Report:The Timing Controllers 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 Timing Controllers market revenue worldwide.Finally, Timing Controllers 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
Toluene (CAS 108-88-3) Market Share 2017 ExxonMobile Chemical, Sinopec, Shell, BP Chemicals

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Toluene (CAS 108-88-3) Market Research ReportA market study  Global Toluene (CAS 108-88-3) Market  examines the performance of the Toluene (CAS 108-88-3) market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Toluene (CAS 108-88-3) market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Toluene (CAS 108-88-3) market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Toluene (CAS 108-88-3) Market 2017 report includes Toluene (CAS 108-88-3) market Size, Revenue, market Share, Toluene (CAS 108-88-3) industry volume, market Trends, Toluene (CAS 108-88-3) Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Toluene (CAS 108-88-3) Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.Request For Sample Report:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Toluene (CAS 108-88-3) Market 2017:1. ExxonMobile Chemical2. Sinopec3. China National Petroleum4. Reliance Industries5. Shell6. BP Chemicals7. BASF8. Koch Industries9. JX Nippon Oil & Energy10. Formosa Plastics11. ConocoPhillips12. Total Petrochemicals13. Valero Energy14. Chevron Phillips15. Lyondellbasell16. Covestro17. Mitsui Chemicals18. NOVA Chemicals19. Sherwin-Williams...Firstly, the report covers the top Toluene (CAS 108-88-3) manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Toluene (CAS 108-88-3) report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Toluene (CAS 108-88-3) industry, Toluene (CAS 108-88-3) industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Toluene (CAS 108-88-3) Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Inquiry Before Purchasing Report:The Toluene (CAS 108-88-3) 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 Toluene (CAS 108-88-3) market revenue worldwide.Finally, Toluene (CAS 108-88-3) 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
Touch Screen Gloves Market Share 2017 Mujjo, Agloves, The North Face, Glove.ly., Moshi Digits

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Touch Screen Gloves Market Research ReportA market study  Global Touch Screen Gloves Market  examines the performance of the Touch Screen Gloves market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Touch Screen Gloves market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Touch Screen Gloves market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Touch Screen Gloves Market 2017 report includes Touch Screen Gloves market Size, Revenue, market Share, Touch Screen Gloves industry volume, market Trends, Touch Screen Gloves Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Touch Screen Gloves Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.Request For Sample Report:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Touch Screen Gloves Market 2017:1. Mujjo2. Agloves3. The North Face4. Glove.ly.5. Moshi Digits6. 180s Sustain7. NanotipsFirstly, the report covers the top Touch Screen Gloves manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Touch Screen Gloves report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Touch Screen Gloves industry, Touch Screen Gloves industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Touch Screen Gloves Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Inquiry Before Purchasing Report:The Touch Screen Gloves 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 Touch Screen Gloves market revenue worldwide.Finally, Touch Screen Gloves 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
Zirconia Market to Record High Demand by 2017  2022

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"Nano-zirconia refers to the zirconia product with the particle size in the nano-grade, including zirconia and composite zirconia.Nano zirconia, also ZrO2 nanoparticle, is white powder of high purity; Composite zirconia refers to the composites of zirconium oxychloride and rare earth. According to the different formulations, the proportion of rare earth in the composites always changes. Yttrium oxide is most popular rare earth used in the composite, others also include lanthanum oxide and cerium carbonate and so on. "Ask for sample copy @Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Zirconia 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 coversDaiichi Kigenso Kagaku KogyoSaint-GobainTosohSolvayInnovnanoMEL ChemicalsKCM CorporationShowa DenkoOrient ZirconicKinganSinoceraJingruiHuawangLidaMarket 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, coversHydrothermal MethodPrecipitation MethodBuy a copy of this report @Market Segment by Applications, can be divided intoBiomaterialsMechanical ComponentsAutomotive exhaust treatmentWear-resistant productsSpecial ToolOthersKey chapters for this report:There are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Zirconia market.Chapter 1, to describe Zirconia Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Zirconia, with sales, revenue, and price of Zirconia, 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 Zirconia, for each region, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, to analyze the market by countries, by type, by application and by manufacturers, 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, Zirconia market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Zirconia sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data sourceView this report @About us:Research Trades has team of experts who works on providing exhaustive analysis pertaining to market research on a global basis. This comprehensive analysis is obtained by a thorough research and study of the ongoing trends and provides predictive data regarding the future estimations, which can be utilized by various organizations for growth purposes.We distribute customized reports that focus on meeting the clients specific requirement. Our database consists of a large collection of high-quality reports obtained using a customer-centric approach, thus providing valuable research insights.Contact Us:Email: sales@researchtrades.comCall us: +1 6269994607+91 7507349866Skype ID: researchtradesconWeb:
2017-2022 Global Landing Gears Market Analysis: Meggitt, UTC Aerospace Systems, Parker Hannifin, ZLIN AIRCRAFT

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The Global Landing Gears Market 2017 Research Report includes a complete and meticulous study of Landing Gears industry covering different aspects like market volume, market Share, market strategies, Landing Gears growth trends, variety of applications, utilization volume, demand and supply analysis, production capacity and Landing Gears industry cost structures during Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.The report titled Global Landing Gears Market 2017 provides the comprehensive study of Landing Gears market on a global scale, focusing on current as well as past details of Landing Gears market. The competitive view of the Landing Gears industry with respect to the industry competitors is also covered in this document. The company details of leading players like their profile information, revenue segmentation, business strategies followed by them and their contribution to the global Landing Gears market share are mentioned.Request Here For Sample Report:Comparative Analysis of Landing Gears Market According to the Key Vendors:1 Boeing (US)2 Safran Landing Systems(US)3 Honeywell(US)4 Meggitt (UK)5 UTC Aerospace Systems6 Parker Hannifin (India)7 ZLIN AIRCRAFT(Czech)8 Grove Aircraft.9 TAE Aerospace10 KUNZ Aircraft Equipment (Germany)11 UTC Aerospace Systems12 H?roux-Devtek Inc13 APPH14 Liebherr15 CIRCOR AerospaceThe Landing Gears report is organized into various sections based on different geographical regions and industry standards. The report mainly sheds light on leading players in the regions like (United States, EU, China, and Japan). Other regions can be added as per the requirement.Distinct aspects of the Landing Gears industry like supply chain analysis, Landing Gears industry rules and policies, factors that enhance the growth of Landing Gears industry along with the limiting factors that restrict the growth of the industry are covered in depth. Furtherly, the Landing Gears report elaborates product details starting with product definition, cost, product images, the cost structure, import/export information.Purchase Entire Report Here (To Get Instant Access):Various analytical are employed to analyze the market attractiveness, investment feasibility and investment return with respect to Global Landing Gears Market 2017.Apart from providing a complete picture of the overall Landing Gears market conditions the report also helps the industry players to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.Market.Biz is designed to provide the best and most penetrating research required to all commercial, industrial and profit-making ventures in any sector of online business. We take pride in our ability to satisfy the market research needs of both domestic and international businesses.James JohnsonS no. 51/14 First Floor, Office Number 4, Vishwa Arcade, Near Navale Lawns, Pune, Maharashtra, India 411041Maharashtra, IndiaTel: +1(857)2390696Web:Email: inquiry@market.bizBrowse Market Research Reports-Latest Reports-
2017-2022 Global Machine Vision Solution Market Analysis: Cognex Corporation, Keyence Corporation, ISRA Vision AG.

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The Global Machine Vision Solution Market 2017 Research Report includes a complete and meticulous study of Machine Vision Solution industry covering different aspects like market volume, market Share, market strategies, Machine Vision Solution growth trends, variety of applications, utilization volume, demand and supply analysis, production capacity and Machine Vision Solution industry cost structures during Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.The report titled Global Machine Vision Solution Market 2017 provides the comprehensive study of Machine Vision Solution market on a global scale, focusing on current as well as past details of Machine Vision Solution market. The competitive view of the Machine Vision Solution industry with respect to the industry competitors is also covered in this document. The company details of leading players like their profile information, revenue segmentation, business strategies followed by them and their contribution to the global Machine Vision Solution market share are mentioned.Request Here For Sample Report:Comparative Analysis of Machine Vision Solution Market According to the Key Vendors:1 OMRON Corporation2 Basler AG3 Allied Vision Technologies Inc.4 Cognex Corporation5 Keyence Corporation6 ISRA Vision AG.7 Microscan Systems Inc.8 Electro Scientific Industries Inc.9 Adept Technology Inc.10 Seeing Machines Ltd.The Machine Vision Solution report is organized into various sections based on different geographical regions and industry standards. The report mainly sheds light on leading players in the regions like (United States, EU, China, and Japan). Other regions can be added as per the requirement.Distinct aspects of the Machine Vision Solution industry like supply chain analysis, Machine Vision Solution industry rules and policies, factors that enhance the growth of Machine Vision Solution industry along with the limiting factors that restrict the growth of the industry are covered in depth. Furtherly, the Machine Vision Solution report elaborates product details starting with product definition, cost, product images, the cost structure, import/export information.Purchase Entire Report Here (To Get Instant Access):Various analytical are employed to analyze the market attractiveness, investment feasibility and investment return with respect to Global Machine Vision Solution Market 2017.Apart from providing a complete picture of the overall Machine Vision Solution market conditions the report also helps the industry players to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.Market.Biz is designed to provide the best and most penetrating research required to all commercial, industrial and profit-making ventures in any sector of online business. We take pride in our ability to satisfy the market research needs of both domestic and international businesses.James JohnsonS no. 51/14 First Floor, Office Number 4, Vishwa Arcade, Near Navale Lawns, Pune, Maharashtra, India 411041Maharashtra, IndiaTel: +1(857)2390696Web:Email: inquiry@market.bizBrowse Market Research Reports-Latest Reports-
Global and United States Aerospace Fiberglass Market 2017 Key Manufacturers - Jushi Group, PPG Industries, Saint-Gobain, Advanced Composites

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The report titled Aerospace Fiberglass is an in-depth and a professional document that provides a comprehensive overview of the global Aerospace Fiberglass market.The report provides an executive-level blueprint of the Aerospace Fiberglass market beginning with the definition of the market dynamics. The analysis classifies the Aerospace Fiberglass market in terms of products, application, and key geographic regions. Presenting a detailed value chain analysis, the study evaluates the set of region-specific approaches forged by the industry. To determine the market potential for Aerospace Fiberglass in the international scenario, the study delves into the competitive landscape and development landscape exhibited by the key geographic regions.Download Free Sample Report @The reports analysis is based on technical data and industry figures sourced from the most reputable databases. Other aspects that will prove especially beneficial to readers of the report are: investment feasibility analysis, recommendations for growth, investment return analysis, trends analysis, opportunity analysis, and SWOT analyses of competing companies. With the help of inputs and insights from technical and marketing experts, the report presents an objective assessment of the Aerospace Fiberglass market.This report also presents product specification, manufacturing process, and product cost structure etc. Production is separated by regions, technology and applications. Analysis also covers upstream raw materials, equipment, Downstream client survey, Marketing channels, Industry development trend and proposals. In the end, the report includes Aerospace Fiberglass new project SWOT analysis, Investment feasibility analysis, Investment return analysis, and Development trend analysis. In conclusion, it is a deep research report on Global Aerospace Fiberglass industry. Here, we express our thanks for the support and assistance from Aerospace Fiberglass industry chain related technical experts and marketing engineers during Research Teams survey and interviews.Access Full Report @Other important aspects that have been meticulously studied in the Aerospace Fiberglass market report are: Demand and supply dynamics, import and export scenario, industry processes and cost structures, and major R&D initiatives. The new opportunities they present to market players have been mentioned in the report.If you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.About Fior MarketsFior Markets is a leading market intelligence company that sells reports of top publishers in the technology industry.Our extensive research reports cover detailed market assessments that include major technological improvements in the industry. Fior Markets also specializes in analyzing hi-tech systems and current processing systems in its expertise.We have a team of experts that compile precise research reports and actively advise top companies to improve their existing processes. Our experts have extensive experience in the topics that they cover.Contact UsMark StoneSales ManagerOffice-102, Sanskriti AspirationsBaner Road, Pune,MH 411045IndiaPhone: (201) 465-4211Email: sales@fiormarkets.comWeb:Blog:
Global and United States Antiblock Additive Market 2017 Key Manufacturers - IMERYS SA, EVONIK INDUSTRIES AG, FINE ORGANICS

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The report titled Antiblock Additive is an in-depth and a professional document that provides a comprehensive overview of the global Antiblock Additive market.The report provides an executive-level blueprint of the Antiblock Additive market beginning with the definition of the market dynamics. The analysis classifies the Antiblock Additive market in terms of products, application, and key geographic regions. Presenting a detailed value chain analysis, the study evaluates the set of region-specific approaches forged by the industry. To determine the market potential for Antiblock Additive in the international scenario, the study delves into the competitive landscape and development landscape exhibited by the key geographic regions.Download Free Sample Report @The reports analysis is based on technical data and industry figures sourced from the most reputable databases. Other aspects that will prove especially beneficial to readers of the report are: investment feasibility analysis, recommendations for growth, investment return analysis, trends analysis, opportunity analysis, and SWOT analyses of competing companies. With the help of inputs and insights from technical and marketing experts, the report presents an objective assessment of the Antiblock Additive market.This report also presents product specification, manufacturing process, and product cost structure etc. Production is separated by regions, technology and applications. Analysis also covers upstream raw materials, equipment, Downstream client survey, Marketing channels, Industry development trend and proposals. In the end, the report includes Antiblock Additive new project SWOT analysis, Investment feasibility analysis, Investment return analysis, and Development trend analysis. In conclusion, it is a deep research report on Global Antiblock Additive industry. Here, we express our thanks for the support and assistance from Antiblock Additive industry chain related technical experts and marketing engineers during Research Teams survey and interviews.Access Full Report @Other important aspects that have been meticulously studied in the Antiblock Additive market report are: Demand and supply dynamics, import and export scenario, industry processes and cost structures, and major R&D initiatives. The new opportunities they present to market players have been mentioned in the report.If you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.About Fior MarketsFior Markets is a leading market intelligence company that sells reports of top publishers in the technology industry.Our extensive research reports cover detailed market assessments that include major technological improvements in the industry. Fior Markets also specializes in analyzing hi-tech systems and current processing systems in its expertise.We have a team of experts that compile precise research reports and actively advise top companies to improve their existing processes. Our experts have extensive experience in the topics that they cover.Contact UsMark StoneSales ManagerOffice-102, Sanskriti AspirationsBaner Road, Pune,MH 411045IndiaPhone: (201) 465-4211Email: sales@fiormarkets.comWeb:Blog:
Flue Gas Desulphurization Market Forecast Report by Future Market Insights Offers Key Insights

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Sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions are caused by combustion of fossil fuels, such as coal and oil. Waste materials including tires, municipal solid wastes, industrial process waste, etc. are the other major contributors of sulphur dioxide emissions. All the prominent industrialized nations around the globe have formulated regulations concerning mitigation of carbon and sulphur dioxide emissions. Flue gas desulfurization (FGD) is a technology which removes sulphur dioxide (SO2) from the flue gas emitted from fossil-fuel power plants prior to its release into the atmosphere.Flue gas desulphurization market report assesses the market opportunity for flue gas desulphurization devices, equipment, or machinery. FGD technology is based on the chemical reaction between the warm exhaust gases and limestone which reduces up to 92% of sulphur dioxide from the flue gas. FGD technology is mainly used in coal-fired power stations to remove sulphur dioxide in the flue gases. FGD technology is also referred as sulphur dioxide scrubbing process.Request For Report Sample@Flue Gas Desulphurization Market SegmentsFlue gas desulphurization market can be segmented by method, by type and by application. On the basis of methods of treatment, the flue gas desulphurization market can be segmented into scrubber, SNOX and wet sulphuric acid process. Scrubber method can be further bifurcated into dry and semi-dry process. Based on the solid or flue gases generated by the industry processes, FGD technology can be classified by type as once through and regenerable. Once through system disposes the waste sorbent and regenerable system recycles the sorbent. Regenerable systems are costlier than the once through systems. Both the systems can be further categorized as wet, dry and semi-dry. Cost of maintenance and operation is higher in dry FGD as compared to wet FGD. However, dry FGDs are available at cheaper rate than wet FGDs. FGD technology segmentation by application are cement manufacturing plants, chemical industries, iron and steel industries, power generation and others. Major benefits of FGD Technology are SO2 removal efficiencies from 50-90%, reusable reactive products and inexpensive reagents.Flue Gas Desulphurization Market: Key DriversThe key market drivers of FGD technology is the government regulations in emission control, increase in electricity demand, growth in reagent and equipment replacement market and increase in the number of coal-fired power plants, particularly in APAC countries due to increase in energy demand. Installation coal-fired power plants is a major trend in China and is anticipated to have an increasing demand in India also, in the coming years due to increase in industrialization. Existing and old systems in industrial processes are the key drivers of reagent and equipment replacement market.Request For TOC@Regional Outlook on Flue Gas Desulphurization MarketAPAC is expected to exhibit a steady growth during the forecast period. Due to the regulatory programs such as Clean Air Interstate rule (CAIR), various state programs such as North Carolina Clean Smokestacks Act will have a positive impact on the demand for FDG installations in electricity utility boilers. Europe and other developing nations are into a decision of reducing nuclear power due to its negative impact on environment which will in turn increase the construction of coal-fired power plants increasing the demand of FDGs. The key market players in FGD market are Alstom S.A., Ducon Technology Inc., Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Marsulex Environmental Technologies, Siemens Energy, Babcock and Wilcox.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:
Analysis and Assessment on Automotive Brake System Market by Future Market Insights

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The developing industry of automotive has largely emphasised on the development of the vehicles that are fast and safe. Brakes have become an important and crucial part of any vehicle so as to ensure the safety which becomes very essential when the demand of speed is increasing steadily. Being commonly used in different automobiles an automotive brake system comprises a brake device having different components (such as brake pads, brake shoes, brake drum, rotor, piston, calliper, master cylinder, and brake booster) which are used for decelerating a vehicle.The growth in automotiveindustry is anticipated to fuel the growth of global automotive brake system market along with the increasing concerns over safety and resulting government pressures that have upturned the OEMs towards the launching of higher technology content, thereby driving the demand for global automotive brake systems across the globe.Request For Report Sample@Automotive Brake System Market: Drivers & RestraintsEver-increasing demand and succeeding vehicle production is considered as one of the biggest driver for the increasing demand of the automotive brakes and global automotive brake system market penetration. Also the increasing governmental mandates for improving the vehicle safety has strongly contributed to the demand of the global automotive brake system market. The major restraint in the global automotive brake system market implies to be the higher cost of the newer technology of Electronic Brake Systems (EBS) when compared to the commonly used Hydraulic Brakes.Automotive Brake System Market: SegmentationOn the basis of product type, the global automotive brake system market is segmented as Disc Brakes and Drum Brakes.On the basis of applications the global automotive brake system market is segmented as Two Wheeler Motor Vehicles, Passenger Car Vehicles, and Light Commercial Vehicles (LCV).On the basis of technology the global automotive brake system market is segmented as Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Traction Control System (TCS), and Electronic Stability Control (ESC) that comes under the electronic braking systems (EBS).Request For TOC@Automotive Brake System Market: Region-wise OutlookThe global automotive brake system market is expected to register a favourable growth for the forecast period, 2015?2025. Asia-Pacific is projected to endure its control on the global automotive brake system market. The key countries in the mentioned region are projected to be India, South Korea, and China as an outcome of the increasing demand for commercial vehicles and passenger cars. Japan also contributes to the global automotive brake system market remarkably. China is expected to be the largest opportunity in terms of revenue of the industry. Europe is expected to be the second largest market in global automotive brake system market followed by North America.Automotive Brake System: Key PlayersSome of the key market participants in global automotive brake system market are TRW Automotive Holdings Corp., Aisin-Seiki Co. Ltd., Continental AG, Akebono Brake Industry Co. Ltd., Brembo S.P.A., Halla Mando Corp., and others.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Pine Derived Chemicals Market Trends, Forecast, and Analysis by Future Market Insights

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The chemicals derived from pine tree and its parts occur naturally. Thus, pine is a renewable source of chemicals that find applications across a diverse set of industries. Pine trees occur predominantly in regions like North America, Latin America, Asia and Scandinavia. Traditionally, these pine derived chemicals have been used in adhesives industry, construction industry and healthcare sector among the others. In the recent past, these pine derived chemicals have been used in applications such as in printing inks, adhesives, soaps & detergents, resins, plasticizers, surface coatings, fragrance chemicals among the others. The pine chemicals are obtained from distillation of semi-solid extracts of resin and fatty oil. Primarily, pine based products are derived from gums, stumps and by products of Kraft pulp. Pine chemicals include rosin, tall oil, turpentine, resin etc. Major chemicals like turpentine, tall oil fatty acids (TOFA) and resin acids among the others are derived from by-product of sulphate pulping process.Global Pine Derived Chemicals Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe chemicals derived from pine trees are naturally occurring and thus environmentally friendly. Their use results in lower carbon dioxide emissions as compared to those from use of traditional sources. In the recent past, extensive use of products derived from crude oil and natural gas have led to increased pollution and environmental concern. Hence, there is a pressing need to decrease the consumption of fossil fuels in order to reduce carbon footprints and carbon dioxide emission. Thus, demand for these eco-friendly pine derived chemicals is expected to witness a steady growth over the forecast period. Pine trees, the source of these pine derived chemicals do not occur abundantly across the globe but are concentrated in regions of North America, Latin America, and in some European & Asian countries. As such, the limited availability is expected to create a challenge to the growth of the global pine derived chemical market during the forecast period.Request For Report Sample@Global Pine Derived Chemicals Market: SegmentationThe global pine derived chemical market is segmented on the basis of application, type and geographical region.Based on the type of chemical, global pine derived chemical market is segmented in to the following key market segments:Tall Oil Rosin (TOR)Tall Oil Fatty acid (TOFA)Gum RosinGum TurpentineSterolsOthersAlso depending on the End-use industry, the global pine derived chemical market is segmented as below:Printing inksAdhesives & paintsRubberPaper and pulpOthersRequest For TOC@Global Pine Derived Chemicals Market: Regional OutlookThe global pine derived chemical market is segmented on the basis of geography into seven key regions namely North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Middle East & Africa, Asia-Pacific (excluding Japan) and Japan. North America region has a strong presence in global pine derived chemical market followed by Asia Pacific. The United States accounted for the largest share in global pine derived chemicals market. Increasing demand for environmentally friendly products in order to reduce the carbon footprints is expected to drive the global pine derived chemical market during the forecast period.Global Pine Derived Chemicals Market: Key playerskey players operating in global pine derived chemical market are as follows:Eastman Chemical CompanyIngevity (MeadWestvaco Corporation)Arizona Chemical Company, LLCGeorgia-Pacific Chemicals, LLCHarima Chemicals GroupArakawa Chemical Industries, Ltd.Renessenz LLC.Foreverest Resources Ltd.Mentha and Allied Products Pvt. 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:
Discover The Medical Suction Devices Market Analysis Of Top Key Player Forecast To 2024

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Global Medical Suction Devices Market: Overview and ScopeSuction devices have a wide range of applications in the clinical environment and are used to remove fluid and other debris in the body with the help of a vacuum. Medical suction devices, both handheld and wall-mounted ones, are used in surgical procedures, for airway clearing, and in research and diagnostics at home, hospitals, pre-hospitals, and clinics. These devices can be manually operated or be battery-powered, AC-powered, or dual-powered.Obtain Report Details @Hospitals and clinics are the most preferred settings for medical suction devices, and the soaring demand for suction devices in these areas positively impacts the demand for wall-mounted devices. While the demand for medical suction devices in surgical applications is significantly high, their application in the field of diagnostics is anticipated to gain prominence in the coming years owing to an increase in clinical research and diagnostics.The report offers clients an in-depth evaluation of the performance, contribution, and size of the medical suction devices market. The scope and dynamics of this market also form an integral part of the research study. The leading segments and players have been identified and assessed with the help of the latest market intelligence tools, including SWOT analysis, Porters Five Forces analysis model, market attractiveness analysis, and value chain analysis.Global Medical Suction Devices Market: Key Trends and OpportunitiesThe paradigm shift from traditional health care settings to home health care, coupled with the growing need for portable and compact devices, has significantly boosted the market for medical suction devices. Portable suction devices are easy to use, reliable, and durable and as a result, their adoption in home care settings has greatly increased. The increase in aging population is another factor boosting the market for medical suction devices. Rising geriatric population globally will result in an increased demand for emergency care and growth in surgical procedures. This, in turn, will positively impact the need for effective suction devices.Other factors driving the global medical suction devices market include declining prices of suction devices, increase in the number of surgical procedures, and growing incidences of chronic respiratory diseases.Global Medical Suction Devices Market: Region-wise OutlookGeographically, the global medical suction devices market can be segmented into Asia Pacific, Europe, North America, and Rest of the World. North America accounts for the largest share in the overall medical suction devices market and is most likely to retain its lead throughout the forecast period. One of the key factors boosting the market for medical suction devices in this region is the rising incidence of chronic diseases across the region. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that around 50% of the American population suffered from at least one chronic disease in 2014. Seven out of 10 deaths in the U.S. resulted from chronic diseases and these diseases accounted for a whopping 86% of the total health care costs in the country.The Asia Pacific market for medical suction devices is projected to gather steam in the coming years and expand at the fastest pace through 2024. The increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, the increase in aging population, and the consequent increase in home care as well as surgical interventions will bolster the medical suction devices market in Asia Pacific. The growing focus of leading players on the APAC region as a strong and lucrative contender is also anticipated to benefit the medical suction devices market here.Fill The Form To Gain Deeper Insights On This Market @The international medical suction devices market boasts of a number of small and large players competing at various levels. These include Laerdal Medical, Labconco Corporation, ZOLL Medical Corporation, Precision Medical, Inc., Medela Holding AG, Amsino International, Inc., INTEGRA Biosciences, Welch Vacuum, Drive Medical, Allied Healthcare Products, Inc., Olympus Corporation, MG Electric Ltd., Medicop, ATMOS Medizintechnik GmbH & Co. KG, SSCOR, Inc., and Weinmann Gerate fur Medizin GmbH + Co. KG.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.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:
Key Demand : Global Mattress Market: Industry Analysis & Outlook 2017-2021

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Albany, New York, July 17, 2017 : Recent research and the current scenario as well as future market potential of " Global Mattress Industry : Insights, Development, Research and Forecast 2017-2021 " globally.A mattress is a large pad for supporting the reclining body, used as a bed or as part of a bed. Mattresses may consist of a quilted or similarly fastened case, usually of heavy cloth, that contains hair, straw, cotton, foam rubber, etc., or a framework of metal springs. The mattress support layer, also known as its core, includes all the layers below the quilting and comfort layers of a mattress.Get PDF for more Professional and Technical insights @There are several choices of mattresses available in the market on the basis of material used in it. Mattresses are sold in four standard sizes. Known from smallest to largest as twin, full, queen, and king size, the queen size being the most popular choice.The key factors driving the growth of the mattress market are growing innerspring mattress segment, increasing number of bedrooms, influence of hospitality and real estate, growing online sales, growth in construction sector, rising frequency of home renovation activities and rise of luxury mattress segment. Some noteworthy trends of this industry are preference for customized mattresses, need for multifunctional beds, growing demand for eco-friendly mattresses, and introduction of online bed-in-a-box. However, the expansion of the market is hindered by costs of mattresses, review and rating competition and volatile prices of raw materials.The report Global Mattress Market provides a comprehensive study of the global market with detailed analysis of market size, distribution channel and major product segments along with the US and International market. The major trends, growth drivers as well as issues being faced by the industry are being presented in this report. The industry comprises few large players such as Tempur Sealy International Inc., Select Comfort Corporation, Dorel Industries Inc. and Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC. All these companies have been profiled in the present report highlighting their key financials and business strategies for growth.Table of Content1. Mattress Market - An Overview1.1 An Introduction1.2 Types of Mattresses1.3 Types of Mattresses by Size2. Global Market Analysis2.1 Global Mattress Market by Value2.2 Global Mattress Market Forecast by Value2.3 Global Mattress Market by Region2.4 Global Mattress Sales by Distribution Channel2.5 Customer Satisfaction by Mattress Type2.7 Global Mattress Market Product SegmentMake an Enquiry about TOC @3. Regional Market Analysis3.1 The US3.1.1 The US Mattress Sales Statistics3.1.2 The US Mattress Market by Value3.1.3 The US Mattress Market Forecast by Value3.1.4 The US Mattress Industry Shipment by Volume3.1.5 The US Mattress Industry Average Unit Price3.1.6 The US Mattress Market Share by Price Point by Value & Volume3.2 International (Outside US)3.2.1 International (Outside US) Mattress Market by Value3.2.2 International (Outside US) Mattress Market Forecast by Value4. Market Dynamics4.1 Growth Drivers4.1.1 Growing Innerspring Mattress Segment4.1.2 Increasing Number of Bedrooms4.1.3 Influence of Hospitality and Real Estate4.1.4 Growing Online Sales4.1.5 Growth in Construction Sector and Rising Frequency of Home Renovation Activities4.1.6 Rise of Luxury MattressesResearchMoz 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
2017: Comprehensive Study Of Global Banknote Market Include Increasing Domestic Transactions As Well As Demand For Foreign Currencies Across Different Countries

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "2017: Comprehensive Study Of Global Banknote Market Include Increasing Domestic Transactions As Well As Demand For Foreign Currencies Across Different Countries" to its huge collection of research reports.Banknote is a promissory note which is issued by banks that is payable on demand to the bearer. The production and distribution of new banknotes and destruction of the unfit banknotes is the responsibility of the central bank of the respective countries. The demand for banknotes and substrate is fulfilled by state print works (SPW), state paper mills (SPM) and few commercial print and paper manufacturers. SPWs and SPMs can also turn in to commercial providers to cater the unmet demand for banknotes.Major factors contributing to the growth of the market include increasing domestic transactions and increasing demand for foreign currencies across different countries. The global financial crisis led to a one-time increase in the demand for these notes, thereby leading to increased market value.The report Global Banknote Market provides a comprehensive study of banknote market globally. It also provides detailed information for key regional markets of banknote industry. The major trends, growth drivers as well as issues being faced by the industry are being presented in this report. The four major players in the industry, De La Rue plc, Geisecke & Devrient Group and Fortress Paper Ltd. are being profiled.The key factors driving the growth of banknote market are financial instability of the economy and GDP of the economy. Some of the noteworthy trends and developments of this industry are adoption of polymer banknotes and new banknotes developments. However, the expansion of banknote market is hindered by rise of digital or cashless payment, secured production of banknotes and overcapacity.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Table of Content1. Banknote Market - An Overview1.1 An Introduction1.2 Banknote Manufacturing Process1.3 Banknote Printing, Packaging and Waste Management1.4 Banknote Distribution Logistics Model2. Global Banknote Market Analysis2.1 COEFER of Major Currencies Worldwide2.2 Share of Currencies Worldwide2.3 Global Banknote Substrate Market by Segments2.4 Global Banknote Market by Threads3. Regional Market Analysis3.1 The US3.1.1 Annual Production Volume of US Currency Notes3.1.2 Production Share of US Currency Notes by Denomination3.1.3 Production Value of US Currency Notes by Denomination3.2 The Eurozone3.2.1 Euro Banknotes Production Volume3.2.2 Euro Banknotes Production Share by Denomination3.2.3 Value of Euro Banknotes Produced in the Eurozone3.3 The UK3.3.1 Stock of Notes in Circulation in the UK by ValueBrowse More Details @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 @
Innovation Of New Technologies And Therapies In Global Knee & Hip Market: Industry Analysis & Outlook From 2017 - 2021

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Innovation Of New Technologies And Therapies In Global Knee & Hip Market: Industry Analysis & Outlook From 2017 - 2021" to its huge collection of research reports.Knee and hip are complex joints in the body. The knee joins the thigh bone (femur) to the shin bone (tibia), whereas the hip joint is a ball-socket synovial joint formed between the os coxa (hip bone) and the femur. To treat knee and hip disorders, implants and surgeries are performed so as to keep the chronic pain at bay and help permit a good level of activity.Hip joint supports the motion of the human body and is responsible for supporting the body weight. The need for hip replacement arises due to problems like arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, development dysplasia or a fracture possibly. Whereas, the need for knee replacement arises due to disorders like tendinitis, gout, dislocation or meniscus tears.The global knee & hip market is mature and is experiencing rapid innovations, especially in the knee segment. Knee & hip market of the US is the largest market globally because of its strong dynamics and a great scope of innovation in the region. The growth factors of the global market include rise in elderly population, simplification of minimal-invasive surgery, growth in the emerging economies, and rise in ageing demographics. The market is trending with innovation of new technologies and therapies, growth of knee & hip care centers, and use of robotics in replacement surgeries.The report offers an in-depth analysis of the global knee & hip market. It also covers the regional aspect of the market in detail. The top notch players in the market exhibit a very close competition. The report profiles Johnson & Johnson, Stryker Corporation and Zimmer Biomet Holdings Inc., and Smith & Nephew.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Table of Content1. Market Overview1.1 Knee1.2 Knee Surgery1.3 Hip1.4 Hip Surgery2. Global Market Analysis2.1 Global Orthopedics Market Forecast by Value2.2 Global Orthopedics Market by Segment2.3 Global Knee & Hip Market Forecast by Value2.4 Global Knee & Hip Market by Segment2.4.1 Global Knee Market Forecast by Value2.4.2 Global Hip Market Forecast by Value2.5 Global Knee & Hip Market by Region3. Regional Market Analysis3.1 The US Knee & Hip Market Forecast by Value3.2 The US Knee & Hip Market Forecast by Volume3.3 The US Knee & Hip Market Value by Segment3.4 The US Knee Market3.4.1 The US Knee Market Forecast by Value3.4.2 The US Knee Market Forecast by Volume3.4.3 The US Knee Market by TypeBrowse More Details @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 CBRN Security Market to expand at a positive 3.8% CAGR during the period 2015 - 2021 : Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast

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ResearchMoz added Latest Research Report titled " Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) Security Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2015 - 2021 " to it's Large Report database.Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) security includes the protective and preventive measures to combat situations which involve these hazardous agents. CBRN security is a growing market worldwide owing to the concerns for protection of civilian lives and maintenance of economic stability. Threats from terrorist organizations and geo-political issues are the primary drivers of the global CBRN security market. The leading countries in the CBRN security market include the U.S., Russia, the U.K. and China among others.The countries such as India, Japan, South Korea, France, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Israel and South Africa are expected to generate further demand for CBRN security in the recent future. With increasing initiatives of demilitarization such as reduction of CBRN weapons stockpile and growing investments in the CBRN resistance technologies, the CBRN security products are expected to be developed by the manufacturers with better effectiveness, detection capabilities, and rapid decontamination functions. Moreover, the industry encounters several major restraints such as the soaring expenditure in research, design and development of CBRN security equipment, which has high impact presently and restricts the growth of the market. However, the impacts of these factors are expected to reduce over the period of forecast.Request for Sample PDF of Premium Research Report with TOC:In this report, the market has been segmented based on type, function and geography. It also includes drivers, restraints and opportunities (DROs). The study highlights current market trends and provides the forecast from 2014 to 2021. The report covers the current market scenario for CBRN security and highlights future trends that could affect the demand for the same. The global CBRN security market is anticipated to observe a sturdy growth from 2015-2021 at a substantial CAGR.By geography, the market has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Rest of the World (RoW). Based on the type, the market has been categorized into chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear security. Additionally, the market has been segmented on the basis of functions which include protection equipment, detection equipment, decontamination equipment and simulation equipment. The market size and forecast from 2015 to 2021 have been provided in the report.Analysis of macro and micro economic factors driving and restraining the growth of the global CBRN security market has been covered under the scope of the study. The market attractiveness analysis provided in the report, highlights the major areas for future investments in this CBRN security industry. The report is intended to help security contractors, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and suppliers in understanding the current and upcoming opportunities in the global CBRN security market and formulating their business strategies accordingly. In addition, governments, military organizations and other buyer communities can also benefit from the report.Browse more details @Table of ContentChapter 1 Preface1.1 Research description1.2 Research scope1.3 Research methodologyChapter 2 Executive SummaryChapter 3 Market Overview3.1 Introduction3.2 Key Trends Analysis3.3 Market drivers3.3.1 Increasing threats from terrorist organizations and unfavourable geopolitical issues globally3.3.2 Demilitarization initiatives adopted by nations3.3.3 Growing demand for radiopharmaceuticals worldwide3.4 Market restraint3.4.1 High cost of installation, maintenance and refurbishment3.4.2 Economic ability of nations to afford the purchase3.5 Market opportunities3.5.1 Growing demands in Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific3.5.2 Military modernization programs3.6 Market attractiveness by application, 2014About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the world's fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives. ResearchMoz's service portfolio also includes value-added services such as market research customization, competitive landscaping, and in-depth surveys, delivered by a team of experienced Research Coordinators.Contact Us:Mr. Nachiket Ghumare90 State Street, Albany NY, United States - 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074 / Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn at:Follow me on Blogger at:
Discover The Veterinary MRI Systems Market Analysis Of Top Key Player Forecast To 2023

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Veterinary MRI Systems Market: OverviewOver the years veterinary care has witnessed tremendous paradigm shift especially with respect to diagnostic imaging. Magnetic resonance imaging is a sophisticated 3D imaging technique which has been a widely used clinical diagnostic tool in last 2 decades. MRI measures and record changes in the magnetic property of the protons present in the cellular water. Unlike x-rays, MRI does not require the use of ionizing radiation. For imaging, MRI device uses radio waves and magnetic field such as pulsed electromagnetic fields in order to excite the protons in the region of interest.Obtain Report Details @Until recently, MRI had limited applications in veterinary medicine primarily due to cost associated with the initial set up and high operational expenses. In developed regions such as the United States and Europe 7 Tesla and 11 Tesla MRI are among the widely used imaging technique. In veterinary MRI is now seen as a gold standard technique for brain and spinal examination such as spinal disk herniation, trauma of the brain and spine, brain tumors, strokes, and brain malformations.Additionally, MRI is also seen as a powerful technique for examining tendons and ligament related ailments. In case of chronic wounds and draining tracts MRI imaging helps identifying foreign bodies within the wound which has effectively contributed in increasing the application areas.Veterinary MRI Systems Market: TrendsIn research and development i.e. preclinical imaging the advent of 15.2 Tesla and 21.0 Tesla has drastically revolutionized the micro-MRI market in past few years. Micro-MRI devices are also capable of efficiently rendering information regarding tissue composition, perfusion, oxygenation, tissue elasticity and metabolic activities in a single acquisition. Pertaining to its safety and ease of use, micro-MRI procedure accounts for approximately 23% - 28% of all small animal procedures. Technological advancements pertaining to magnetic field and radiation free imaging are among the key drivers for the growth of veterinary MRI market across the globe. The advent of open MRI systems has also contributed to the growth and demand for MRI devices in veterinary. The only restraint to the growth of the market includes the high cost of the device. In emerging markets, increasing awareness about animal health and rising adoption of imaging modalities are latent growth opportunity for the market in forthcoming years.Veterinary MRI Systems Market: Region-wise OutlookGeographically in terms of revenue, developed regions such as the North America and Europe are major contributors owing to increased adoption rate for veterinary MRI devices. Moreover, large number of ongoing pre-clinical researches has also boosted the market in past few years. Despite a high adoption rate the market share of developed regions is expected to decline primarily due to increasing demand for veterinary MRI devices in Asia Pacific and Latin America region.The majority of the growth in the Asia-Pacific region is primarily driven by the increasing demand of diagnostic tests in the animal health industry in China and India. The growth in the Asia-Pacific and Latin American regions can be attributed to the increased disposable incomes leading to growth in the per capita animal health expenditure in these regions. However demand for pre-owned MRI devices a key restraint affecting the sales of devices in Middle East and Asia Pacific countries.Veterinary MRI Systems Market: Key PlayersSome of the prominent players operating in the global veterinary MRI market include Hallmarq Veterinary Imaging Ltd., Esaote SpA, Imotek International Ltd., Universal Medical Systems, Inc., Bruker Corporation, Agilent Technologies, Mediso Ltd., MR solutions, Burgess Diagnostics Ltd, and others.Fill The Form To Gain Deeper Insights On This Market @The research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the market and contains thoughtful insights, facts, historical data, and statistically supported and industry-validated market data. It also contains projections using a suitable set of assumptions and methodologies. The research report provides analysis and information according to categories such as market segments, geographies, types and applications.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.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:
LLDPE Market Global Price Trends 2017 to 2024, Future Growth & Industry Drivers

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LLDPE Market (Linear Low Density Polyethylene) price trends will cross USD 60 billion by 2024. LLDPE market is projected to grow at a moderate rate and the growth is extensively attributed to robust increase in retail packaging, automotive, agriculture and other consumer goods. Global packaging industry is set to cross USD 1 trillion by 2024, with its major usage in paper & board sector.Global Market Insights has announced the addition of a new forecast research report "Linear Low Density Polyethylene (LLDPE) Market Size By Application (Films, Injection Molding, Rotomolding), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., Canada, Germany, UK, France, Spain, Italy, China, India, Japan, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, GCC), Growth Potential, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2016  2024".Request for a sample pages from this research@Innovation in processed food and beverages products packaging designs is taking place as leading brands such as Cadburry, Nestle etc. are setting a global benchmark for different package formats.LLDPE demand as a substitute for other polyethylene grades such as LDPE and HDPE is increasing, owing to better physical and chemical properties of the product. The polymer is extensively used in canal lining, hazardous waste liners, mining, packaging industry, and geomembrane liners. Increasing application avenues of the product is set to accelerate its market at a substantial pace.The LLDPE Market Report Consists of,1. Methodology and Scope2. Executive Summary3. Linear Low Density Polyethylene Industry Insights3.1 Industry segmentation3.2. Industry size, forecast and growth expectations, 2012 - 20243.3. 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 trendsSource Report:4. Linear Low Density Polyethylene Market Product InsightsFilms likely to contribute to 70% of the application revenue share by 2024. LLDPE films are used in a wide range of applications such as food packaging, moisture resistance in the concrete structure, and prevention of soil erosion in agriculture. Global food packaging industry is projected to cross USD 310 billion by 2024. These films are also used for bags and sacks manufacturing due to its mechanical properties.Rotomolded LLDPE will record over USD 6.9 billion market revenue in 2024. This technology is being adopted extensively due to its benefits of being affordable and simpler than blow molding or injection molding. It is used in packaging, water treatment, automotive, agriculture, furniture, and construction industries.5. Linear Low Density Polyethylene Market Application InsightsLLDPE demand as a substitute for other polyethylene grades such as LDPE and HDPE is increasing, owing to better physical and chemical properties of the product. The polymer is extensively used in canal lining, hazardous waste liners, mining, packaging industry, and geomembrane liners. Increasing application avenues of the product is set to accelerate its market at a substantial pace.LLDPE is also used in manufacturing bags and sacks due to growing demand for rigid posture and excellent finish in final products. It is also increasingly used for other applications such as injection molding, a plastic component manufacturing process. This process is used to produce bottle caps, automotive dashboards, pocket combs, and wire spools. Growing injection molding adoption in the manufacturing industry coupled with rising applications of this technology augments linear low density polyethylene market.Make an Inquiry for Purchasing this report@6. Linear Low Density Polyethylene Market Regional InsightsAsia Pacific accounted for over 40% of the market revenue in 2024. Rapid industrialization in the region due to flourishing automobiles, textiles, oil & natural gas, electronics, and manufacturing industries in emerging economies is giving a boost to construction spending and will propel linear low density polyethylene market. Organized retailing and rapidly expanding e-commerce in India, Thailand and Malaysia are strengthening the packaging sector which in turn will increase consumption of the product.North America is a pioneer in packed food & beverage products and its market for LLDPE films will be over USD 7.5 billion by 2024. U.S. has an established base of pharmaceutical companies and require these films for medical packaging. Construction spending in U.S. is forecast to grow at a CAGR of over 6% by 2024 owing to its infrastructural development. North America will witness CAGR of approximately 5% between 2016 to 2024.Europe is witnessing an upsurge in automobile, meat packaging, electronics, and telecommunication industries. The region is recognized as one of the largest automobile market globally with major OEMs and other automotive suppliers having base in Germany, Sweden etc. In Russia, 1.25 lakh new cars were registered in September 2016. These industries adopted rotomolding technology to manufacture their required components in which linear low density polyethylene is consumed widely. Rapid industrialization coupled with technological advancements have increased consumption of the product. Europe will register above 5% CAGR in linear low density polyethylene market.by 2024.7. Competitor ProfilesKey manufacturers in linear low density polyethylene market are Exxon Mobil Corporation, Mitsui and Westlake, Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LLC, INEOS Group AG, The Dow Chemical Company, Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC), Borealis AG, Mitsubishi Chemicals, LyondeBassells Industries N.V., Nova Chemicals Corporation, and Braskem S.A.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:
Global Coffee Market by value and volume along with the segments: Trends and Opportunities (2016-2020)

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Scope of the ReportThe report titled Global Coffee Market: Trends & Opportunities (2016-2020) provides an in-depth analysis of the global coffee market with detailed analysis of market sizing and growth, market share and economic impact of the industry. The report also provides the production and consumption analysis of the market. The report provides detailed market analysis of the global retail coffee market by value and volume along with the segments of the market.The report provides detailed regional analysis of Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, Latin America Middle East & Africa and Australasia for the coffee market. Regional analysis includes market sizing by value along with the production and consumption analysis. It also provides the retail sales value of each region.The report also includes the country analysis of Brazil, Vietnam, Indonesia, Ethiopia and India. It provides the production and consumption analysis along with the export-import trends in each of the above mentioned countries.Get The Sample Copy Of This report :Furthermore, the report assesses the key opportunities in the market and outlines the factors that are and will be driving the growth of the industry. Growth of the global retail coffee market has also been forecasted for the period 2016-2020, taking into consideration the previous growth patterns, the growth drivers and the current and future trends. The competition in global coffee market is stiff and dominated by the big players like Nestle. Further, key players of the coffee market The J.M. Smucker Company, Mondelez International Inc. and Strauss Group Ltd. are also profiled with their financial information and respective business strategies.Regional CoverageWestern EuropeEastern EuropeNorth AmericaAsia PacificLatin AmericaMiddle East and AfricaAustralasiaCountry CoverageBrazilVietnamIndonesiaEthiopiaIndiaCompany CoverageThe J.M. Smucker CompanyMondelez International Inc.Strauss Group Ltd.Send An Enquiry :Executive SummaryGlobal coffee market increased at a significant CAGR during the span of 5 years i.e. 2011-2015 and projections are made that the market would rise in the next five years i.e. 2016-2020 tremendously. The market can be segmented on the basis of end-users as retail coffee market and food services market, of which global retail coffee market displayed an increase, driving the global coffee market. The increasing consumption of coffee led by the westernization trend in India, China and Latin America drive the market in the positive direction.Get More Details :The growth drivers for the global coffee market are: rise in disposable income, rapid urbanization and increase in the population along with the emergence of caf culture and new consumer base. Despite the market is governed by various growth drivers, there are certain challenges faced by the market such as: aging of coffee trees, lack of government support, negative impact of climate change, price volatility and increase in production cost.MRRbiz supports your business intelligence needs with over 700,000 market research reports, company profiles, data books, and regional market data sheets in its repository.State Tower90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948(USA-Canada)Tel: +1-518-621-2074E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Global Insomnia Market is expected to Post a Moderate Growth Rate of 4.5% during 2017-2023

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Market Research Future adds new report of Global Insomnia Market Research Report Forecast to 2023 it contains Company information, geographical data and Table of ContentKey Players: Eisai, Co. (Japan) Pfizer Inc. (US) Merck & Co Inc. (US) Sanofi (France) Takeda Pharmaceutical Company (Japan) Meda Consumer Healthcare Inc. (US) Pernix Therapeutics (US) Purdue Pharma L.P. (US) Consumer Healthcare Inc. (Canada) Dainippon Sumitomo (Japan) ECR Pharmaceuticals (US) Flynn Pharma (UK) Johnson & Johnson (US) Astellas (UK) Biocodex S A (France) Neurim (Switzerland) SkyePharma (UK) Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc. (US)Request a Sample Report @Intended Audience Manufacturing and packaging industries. Insomnia devices and drug manufacturers Insomnia devices and drug suppliers Biotechnology Companies Bio-Pharmaceutical Companies Research and Development (R&D) Companies Government Research Laboratories Medical Research InstitutesMarket Segmentation:Global Insomnia Market has been segmented on the basis of On the basis of Types of Therapy; which comprises Pharmacological therapy which is further sub segmented into benzodiazepines, non-benzodiazepines, and melatonin receptor agonists. Non Pharmacological therapy which is sub segmented into Relaxation therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Sleep Hygiene Education, Stimulus Control, Paradoxical Intention and Other. On the basis of Drug Formulation; they are segmented as Capsules, Tablet and others. On the basis of Condition of Diseases; they are poor quality of sleep, sleep maintenance and other.Browse Report Details @Market Highlight:A sleeping disorder is a typical rest issue described by troubles in rest. A sleeping disorder can exist as it's separated from everyone else or conjugated with other psychiatric issues. A sleeping disorder is most normal is ladies and the seriousness may increment in conditions like pregnancy, baby blues, and menopause. The correct reason for a sleeping disorder is as yet a riddle. Many inquires about have demonstrated that organic, behavioral and mental elements are in charge of starting of a sleeping disorder. Distinctive sorts of treatment are accessible in the market-Pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment. Worldwide Insomnia showcase is driving because of increment in the quantity of sleep deprivation quiet over the globe, innovative advances and numerous others. While absence of instruction and mindfulness is the major limiting element for the development of market. Worldwide a sleeping disorder showcase is relied upon to develop at a CAGR of 4.5% amid estimated time of 2017-2023.Study Objectives Global Insomnia Market Research Report To give the Detail Overview of parent advertise. To give top to bottom market division and sub divisions. To give bits of knowledge about elements influencing the market development To dissect the market in view of different elements value investigation, store network examination, watchmen five constrain examination and so forth. To give Competitive scene and key players in the market. To give recorded and gauge income of the market portions and sub-fragments as for four principle geologies and their nations North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Middle East and Africa. To give nation level investigation of the market regarding the present market size and future forthcoming To track and examine aggressive advancements, for example, joint endeavors, key organizations together, mergers and acquisitions, new item improvements, and research and improvements in the worldwide sleep deprivation advertise.Request Table of Contents for this Report @Regional AnalysisOn regional basis the global insomnia market is segmented into four regions- North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Middle East and Africa. Due to introduction of new technology and new treatments North America is has the highest market for insomnia followed by Europe. Increasing stress is the major problem for increasing the insomnia market in North America and Europe. Asia Pacific and Middle East and Africa have the lowest market for insomnia.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
Satellite Transponder Leasing Industry with business strategies, Opportunities and Key Trends 2025

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TheInsightPartners.com added Global Satellite Transponders Leasing Market Research Report 2017-2025 to its research database.The Insight Partners, Global Satellite Transponders Leasing Market Analysis to 2025 is a specialized and in-depth study of the Satellite Transponders Leasing industry with a focus on the global market trend. The report aims to provide an overview of global Satellite Transponders Leasing market with detailed market segmentation by product/application and geography. The global Satellite Transponders Leasing market is expected to witness high growth during the forecast period. The report provides key statistics on the market status of the Satellite Transponders Leasing 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 Satellite Transponders Leasing market based on product and application. It also provides market size and forecast till 2025 for overall Satellite Transponders Leasing 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.View Complete Report atAlso, key Satellite Transponders Leasing 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.List of Key Company Profiles Intelsat SES Eutelsat Telesat SingTel Optus MEASAT satellite systems Asia Broadcast Satellite Arabsat ISRO China Satellite Communications Co.Place a Direct Purchase Order 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.505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028
Global Lower GI Series Market 2027 Major Vendors - GastroIntestinal Endoscopy, Eisai US, PeaceHealth, Mount Sinai Beth Israel

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Market Research Future adds new report of Global Lower GI Series Market Research Report - Forecast to 2027 it contains Company information, geographical data and Table of ContentLower GI Series Global Market  OverviewA lower GI series also said to be a lower gastrointestinal series or barium enema is one of the medical procedure which are used in the examination and diagnose with the problem related to human colon or large intestine and rectum. Lower GI series is one of the test which helps to detect the diseases and abnormalities and diagnose the symptoms such as. The lower GI series test can be examined by the X-ray pictures of patients. This examination assesses the transverse colon, ascending and right colon, the left or descending colon, the sigmoid colon and the rectum. It also includes the portion of small intestine and appendix.The lower GI series test or barium enemas are mostly used to examine the rectum or large intestine. The lower GI series test are examine to identify and detect the diseases such as Colon polyps, tumors, Diverticular disease, Gastroenteritis, lacerative colitis or Strictures Crohn's disease and others such as constipation, pain or blood in the stools. The lower GI series tests are widely used by the hospitals and clinics due to the large number of patients increasing across the globe.According to a recent study report published by the Market Research Future, the global market of lower GI series is expected to witness a prospective growth in terms of value with a substantial CAGR surpassing its previous growth records by the end of the forecasted period (2016  2027).Request a Sample Report @The global lower GI Series market has seen a prospective growth in the recent days. Earlier, the diagnoses of the diseases such as Colon polyps, tumors, diverticular disease, gastroenteritis, strictures crohn's disease or icerative colitis was very complex and difficult to diagnose. But the invention of lower GI series test has pushed the healthcare industry to the upper level. The technological advancements, growing disposable income, rising people awareness about the lower GI series test has put a potential scope for the global lower GI series market across the globe. Increase in the number on healthcare centers, hospitals, clinics and laboratories have also driven the market. The major key challenges for this particular market are that X-rays observed and managed to give the minimum amount of radiation to create the picture. Most specialists feel that the danger is low contrasted and the advantages. Children and pregnant ladies are more touchy or sensitive to the risk and dangers of ionizing radiation.Lower GI Series Global Market  SegmentationThe Lower GI Series market can be segmented in to 4 key dynamics for the convenience of the report and enhanced understanding;Segmentation by Application : Comprises - Colon polyps, tumors, Diverticular disease, Gastroenteritis, Strictures Crohn's disease or lcerative colitis and others such as constipation, pain or blood in the stools. Segmentation by Test Type: Comprising single-contrast technique and the double-contrast technique Segmentation by End-Users: Comprising hospitals, laboratories and clinics Segmentation by Regions: Comprises Geographical regions - North America, Europe, APAC and Rest of the WorldBrowse Report Details @Lower GI Series Global Market  Key PlayersProfiled in MRFR Analysis someof the prominent key players present in the global lower GI series test market are GastroIntestinal Endoscopy GastroIntestinal Specialists Eisai US Cadila Pharmaceuticals Limited PeaceHealth Purdue Pharma L.P. Alfa Wassermann NOVADAQ Mount Sinai Beth Israel AstraZeneca Ironwood PharmaceuticalsLower GI Series Global Market  Regional AnalysisGeographically, the lower GI series market has seen a prospective growth in the developed nation such as the US, Canada, Germany, U.K, Japan and others. The developed and advanced technologies have boosted the lower GI series market. This all regions come under the matured economy where the disposable income and people are very much aware about the different test and diseases. Even though the skilled and professional doctors, large number of hospitals and clinics, and laboratories where the lower GI series tests are available has also pushed the market. But in this region the cost of diagnose is very much high which can create a hurdle in the market growth. In Asia-Pacific, the developing region such as China, India, Singapore, Indonesia, the market has an immense opportunity to grow. In China and India, the huge population and large pool of diagnosed patients can create a scope of potential in the global lower GI series market. Huge investment for people welfare and healthcare, rising awareness are becoming the growing opportunities.Request Table of Contents for this Report @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.ContactAkash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
Vietnam Crude Oil Refinery Outlook to 2022

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ReportsWeb.com published Crude Oil Refinery Market from its database. 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."Vietnam Crude Oil Refinery Outlook to 2022" is a comprehensive report on crude oil refinery industry in Vietnam. The report also provides details on oil refineries such as name, type, operational status, operator apart from capacity data for the major processing units, for all active and planned refineries in Vietnam for the period 2012-2022. Further, the report also offers recent developments, financial deals as well as latest contracts awarded in the country's oil refinery industry.For more information about this report:Scope- Updated information related to all active and planned refineries in the country, including operator and equity details- Information on CDU, condensate splitter, catalytic cracking and hydrocracking capacities by refinery in the country, where available- Key mergers and acquisitions, partnerships, private equity and IPOs in the country's crude oil industry, where available- Latest developments, financial deals and awarded contracts related to crude oil refineries in the countryReasons to buy- Gain a strong understanding of the country's crude oil refining industry- Facilitate decision making on the basis of strong historic and forecast capacity data- Assess your competitor's major crude oil refining assets and their performance in the country- Analyze the latest developments, financial deals and awarded contracts related to the country's crude oil refining industry- Understand the country's financial deals landscape by analyzing how competitors are financed, and the mergers and partnerships that have shaped the marketRequest Sample Copy atTable of Content:Table of Contents1. Table of Contents 11.1. List of Tables 31.2. List of Figures 42. Introduction 52.1. What is This Report About? 52.2. Market Definition 53. Vietnam Refining Industry 63.1. Vietnam Refining Industry, Key Data 63.2. Vietnam Refining Industry, Overview 63.3. Vietnam Refining Industry, Total Refining Capacity 63.4. Vietnam Refining Industry, Crude Distillation Unit Capacity 83.5. Vietnam Refining Industry, Condensate Splitter Unit Capacity 83.6. Vietnam Refining Industry, Catalytic Cracking Capacity 93.7. Vietnam Refining Industry, Hydrocracking Capacity 93.8. Vietnam Refining Industry, Asset Details 103.8.1. Vietnam Refining Industry, Active Asset Details 103.8.2. Vietnam Refining Industry, Planned Asset Details 154. Recent Contracts 224.1. Detailed Contract Summary 224.1.1. Awarded Contracts 225. Financial Deals Landscape 285.1. Detailed Deal Summary 285.1.1. Acquisition 285.1.2. Equity Offerings 296. Recent Developments 306.1. Other Significant Developments 306.1.1. Dec 02, 2016: BSR To Raise $1.2bn Loan For Dung Quat Oil Refinery Expansion 306.1.2. Nov 25, 2016: Vietnam Cancels $538m Oil Refinery Project 306.1.3. Jun 28, 2016: PTT Puts On Hold Plans To Build Oil Refinery And Petrochemical Complex In Vietnam 316.1.4. Jun 17, 2016: Technip To Hand Dung Quat Refinery To PetroVietnam 316.2. New Contracts Announcements 326.2.1. Feb 09, 2017: PEC Wins Seven-Year Maintenance Contract In Vietnam 326.2.2. Nov 09, 2016: Honeywell's Connected Performance Services To Help PetroVietnam Improve Refinery Efficiency And Productivity 337. Appendix 347.1. Abbreviations 347.2. Methodology 347.2.1. Coverage 347.2.2. Secondary Research 347.3. Contact Us 357.4. Disclaimer 35Inquire 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
UK Pensions Market 2017

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ReportsWeb.com published Pensions Market from its database. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.The pre- and post-retirement markets have seen some big changes over the last few years. The state pension has been changed from a two-tier to a flat-rate model. The state pension age is steadily increasing to relieve pressure on the government, as the UK population is aging and individuals are living longer. Auto-enrolment will continue to be a big driver of growth in work- and trust-based pensions, as will buyouts as employers look to de-risk. By February 2018, all businesses will have to provide a pension to eligible employees, and by April 2019 the total minimum contribution will be 8%. This means that more individuals will be paying into a pension, and they will be contributing more. New pension freedoms have given customers more flexibility in how they take money from their pensions. The impact has been that fewer individuals are opting to buy an annuity, instead opting for income drawdown or cash withdrawals. There is a greater need for advice, but there is an advice gap where those with small pots are going without as independent financial advisors concentrate their business on wealthier individuals following the Retail Distribution Review.For more information about this report:Scope- This report explores the pre- and post-retirement markets.- It discusses recent legislation such as changes to the state pension, auto-enrolment, the Retail Distribution Review, and the new pension freedoms.- It explains the impacts of legislation with regards to market sizing, distribution, how people are saving their pensions, and how people are taking their pension pots at retirement.- The size of the pensions market has been forecast to 2021.- There is also a focus on how technology and robo-advice can encourage pension saving and understanding of pension options.Reasons to buy- Understand the impacts of recent legislation on consumer behavior in the pre- and post-retirement markets.- Discover how technology and robo-advice can be used to encourage individuals to save pensions and give advice at retirement, ultimately increasing customer engagement.- See how the UK pensions market is forecast to grow over the next five years.Request Sample Copy atTable of Content:EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 31.1. The pensions market has undergone large reforms 31.2. Key findings 31.3. Critical success factors 32. THE STATE PENSION 32.1. Introduction 32.2. Pressure is increasing on the state pension 32.2.1. The UK's aging population is putting pressure on the state pension 32.2.2. To relieve pressure, the state pension age is increasing 32.2.3. The state pension has moved to a flat rate model 32.2.4. The 'triple lock' has been in force since 2011 32.2.5. The triple lock may be scrapped following the upcoming general election 33. SAVING FOR RETIREMENT 33.1. Pension saving is more important than ever 33.1.1. Individuals must make their own pension savings outside of the state pension 33.1.2. The UK pensions market grew by 10.7% during 2013-16 33.1.3. Personal pensions and SIPPs have driven growth in the individual pensions market 33.1.4. Workplace pensions have remained flat 33.1.5. Trust-based pensions have grown due to auto-enrolment 33.2. Auto-enrolment has been introduced to increase pension savings 33.2.1. All employers will be required to provide a pension to eligible workers by February 2018 33.2.2. Minimum auto-enrolment contributions will reach 8% by 2019 33.2.3. Non-eligible individuals or those opting-out may not have sufficient savings at retirement 33.2.4. 1.23 million UK businesses will be required to provide a workplace pension by 2018 33.2.5. Auto-enrolment will put pressure on UK businesses 33.2.6. NEST is the government pension scheme for auto-enrolment 33.2.7. Restrictions on NEST pensions have been lifted, which could disrupt the pensions market 33.3. The pension market is predicted to be worth 17.5bn APE by 2021 33.3.1. The UK pensions market is forecast to grow significantly over the next five years 34. PENSION FREEDOMS 34.1. Pensions freedoms have made accessing a pension more flexible 34.1.1. Changes have been made to the way individuals can access their pot at retirement 34.2. Transfers from a defined benefit scheme have increased 34.2.1. Individuals can transfer from a defined benefit to a defined contribution scheme 34.2.2. Transferring to a defined contribution pension takes the responsibility off employers 34.2.3. Defined benefit pensions are in steady decline as employers look to derisk 34.2.4. The number of TVAS reports being carried out has risen since the reforms 34.2.5. The FCA is keeping a close eye on advisors when it comes to recommending transfers 34.3. Defined contribution pensions have become more flexible 34.3.1. The annuity market has declined since the new pension freedoms 34.3.2. Income drawdown is now the preferred retirement income product over annuities 34.3.3. Income drawdown has moved from a capped to a flexi-access model 34.3.4. A pension pot can be taken as cash in a single or multiple withdrawals 34.3.5. Pension pots can be left untouched to grow tax-free 34.3.6. There are new restrictions on pension contributions if withdrawals are made 34.4. Taxation of pension death benefits is now more generous 34.4.1. Taxation of a pension is dependent on the age at which the scheme member dies 34.4.2. Anyone can now be a nominated beneficiary of a pension 34.5. Pensions will remain a key savings product 34.5.1. Pensions force a long-term savings culture 34.5.2. The Lifetime ISA is not expected to be a popular alternative to a pension 34.5.3. Individuals should not ignore other assets they can benefit from in retirement 35. DISTRIBUTION AND PENSION ADVICE 35.1. Pension freedoms have increased the need for advice on pensions 35.1.1. Around half of trust-based premiums are distributed with either no or restricted advice 35.1.2. The wealthy seek advice, but there is an advice gap for those with smaller pension pots 35.1.3. Those opting for income drawdown are most likely to seek advice 35.1.4. The need for advice has increased as pension freedoms have given individuals more options 35.1.5. Technology could bridge the advice gap for individuals with smaller pension pots 35.1.6. Wealth Wizards has brought robo-advice to the pensions and retirement space 35.1.7. HSBC to offer robo-advice for small pension pots 35.1.8. Technology could also be a solution to help individuals engage with saving 35.1.9. The government is developing a Pensions Dashboard 35.1.10. Pension Bee helps track and consolidate pensions to encourage more contributions 35.1.11. Willis Towers Watson's 'Track my Pension' allows customers to track their investments 35.1.12. Aviva's 'Shape My Future' tool helps users see the cost of their desired retirement lifestyle 36. APPENDIX 36.1. Abbreviations and acronyms 36.2. Bibliography 36.3. Further reading 3Companies Mentioned:Wealth WizardsHSBCNatWestSantanderPension BeeWillis Towers WatsonAvivaInquire 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
Solid State Lighting Market Size, Share, Solution, Trends, Analysis and Forecast Report 2025

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TheInsightPartners.com added Global Solid State Lighting Market Research Report 2017-2025 to its research database.The Insight Partners, Global Solid State Lighting Market Analysis to 2025 is a specialized and in-depth study of the Solid State Lighting industry with a focus on the global market trend. The report aims to provide an overview of global Solid State Lighting market with detailed market segmentation by product/application and geography. The global Solid State Lighting market is expected to witness high growth during the forecast period. The report provides key statistics on the market status of the Solid State Lighting 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 Solid State Lighting market based on product and application. It also provides market size and forecast till 2025 for overall Solid State Lighting 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.View Complete Report atAlso, key Solid State Lighting 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.List of Key Company Profiles- Osram Licht AG- Nichia Corporation- General Electric Company- Royal Philips Electronics N.V.- Seoul Semiconductor Co. Ltd.- Applied Materials, Inc.- Cambridge Display Technology Ltd.- Mitsubishi Electric Corporation- Cree, Inc.- Eaton Corporation PLC.- Lumenpulse Inc.- Energy Focus, Inc.- Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.- Tridonic Gmbh & Co. KGPlace a Direct Purchase Order 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.505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028
Viscosupplementation Europe Analysis and Market Forecasts

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ReportsWeb.com published Viscosupplementation Market from its database. 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.Osteoarthritis (OA) constitutes a growing public health burden, and is the most common cause of musculoskeletal disability around the world. Resulting from a complex interaction of biomechanical, biochemical, and genetic factors, OA develops slowly and is characterized by the degradation of the affected joint's cartilage and bone hypertrophy. The disability is accompanied by joint pain, stiffness, and loss of range of motion. Initially treated with various therapies including physical therapy and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) , advanced cases of OA have traditionally been treated surgically. However, intra-articular viscosupplementation with hyaluronic acid (HA) , a high-molecular-weight glycosaminoglycan, has become an increasingly accepted therapeutic alternative to knee replacement surgery in the symptomatic management of OA over the past decade.For more information about this report:This report focuses on the market outlook for viscosupplementation products in Europe (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, and UK) . The analysis discusses the major drivers and barriers of adoption, and provides an in-depth understanding of the future outlook for this market by segment and geography.Scope- Overview of recent key industry events and analysis of their market impact.- Annualized total market revenue by type of device, procedure trends, and market outlooks by segment and by country through 2023.- Key topics covered include strategic competitor assessment, market characterization, and implications of the emerging technologies in the market.- Pipeline analysis: Comprehensive data split across different stages of development, including a discussion of emerging trends and devices in development.- Analysis of the current and future market competition in the European viscosupplementation market. Insightful review of the key industry drivers, barriers, and challenges. Each trend is independently researched to provide qualitative analysis of its implications.Request Sample Copy atReasons to buyThe report will enable you to -- Develop and design your in-licensing and out-licensing strategies through a review of marketed products and technologies.- Develop business strategies by understanding the trends shaping and driving the viscosupplementation market.- Drive revenues by understanding the key trends, innovative products and technologies, market segments, and companies likely to impact the viscosupplementation market in the future.- Formulate effective sales and marketing strategies by understanding the competitive landscape and by analyzing the performance of various competitors.- Identify emerging players with potentially strong product portfolios and create effective counter-strategies to gain a competitive advantage.- Track device sales in country-specific viscosupplementation markets from 2014-2023.- Organize your sales and marketing efforts by identifying the market categories and segments that present maximum opportunities for consolidations, investments and strategic partnerships.Companies Mentioned:Anika TherapeuticsFerring PharmaceuticalsFidia FarmaceuticiSanofiSeikagaku CorporationInquire 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
Pancreatic and Biliary Stents Europe Analysis and Market Forecasts

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ReportsWeb.com published Pancreatic and Biliary Stents Market from its database. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.The pancreatic and biliary stents market is driven by two procedures: endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography. There are four primary pancreatic and biliary stents; the covered metal stents, the partially covered metal stents, the non-covered metal stents, and plastic stents. The market will continue to grow as cancer prevalence increases and patients become more familiar with stenting as a treatment option. This report examines the pancreatic and biliary stents market in 21 major European markets: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, and the UK.This report provides insight into the adoption trends, market dynamics, competitive landscape, marketed products, current players, as well as market outlooks in the European market.For more information about this report:Scope- Data tables covering sales volume, average selling price, market values, and company share analysis- Competitive Assessment of major players in the market and currently marketed pancreatic and biliary stents- In-depth Analysis of the pancreatic and biliary stents market revenue by segment and market outlooks by region and country from 2014 to 2023.- Other key topics covered include market characterization, market dynamics, and market trendsReasons to buyThe report will enable you to -- Develop and design your in-licensing and out-licensing strategies through a review of marketed products and technologies.- Develop business strategies by understanding the trends shaping and driving pancreatic and biliary stents market.- Drive revenues by understanding the key trends, innovative products and technologies, market segments, and companies likely to impact the pancreatic and biliary stents market in the future.- Formulate effective sales and marketing strategies by understanding the competitive landscape and by analyzing the performance of various competitors.- Identify emerging players with potentially strong product portfolios and create effective counter-strategies to gain a competitive advantage.- Track device sales in the global and country-specific pancreatic and biliary stents market from 2014-2023.- Organize your sales and marketing efforts by identifying the market categories and segments that present maximum opportunities for consolidations, investments and strategic partnerships.Request Sample Copy atTable of Content:1 About the Authors 21.1 Analysts 21.1.1 Global Head of Medical Devices 22 Table of Contents 32.1 List of Tables 52.2 List of Figures 53 Executive Summary 63.1 Overview 63.2 Market Dynamics 83.3 Key Players 83.4 Future Outlook 84 Introduction 94.1 Catalyst 94.2 Related Reports 95 Market Outlook 105.1 Procedure Trends 105.2 Pricing Trends 145.3 Revenue Trends 185.4 Company Share Analysis 226 Market Insights 236.1 Europe 236.1.1 Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden 236.1.2 Belgium, France, and Netherlands 236.1.3 Austria, Germany, and Switzerland 246.1.4 UK and Ireland 246.1.5 Italy, Portugal, and Spain 246.1.6 Czechia, Hungary, and Poland 256.1.7 Russia, Turkey, and Greece 257 Competitive Assessment 267.1 Boston Scientific 267.1.1 Overview 267.1.2 Portfolio Assessment 267.1.3 Competitive Positioning 267.2 Cook Medical 267.2.1 Overview 267.2.2 Portfolio Assessment 277.2.3 Competitive Positioning 277.3 ELLA-CS 277.3.1 Overview 277.3.2 Portfolio Assessment 287.3.3 Competitive Positioning 287.4 Taewoong Medical 287.4.1 Overview 287.4.2 Portfolio Assessment 287.5 Others 298 Appendix 308.1 Bibliography 308.2 Abbreviations 318.3 Methodology 328.3.1 Overview 328.3.2 Coverage 328.3.3 Secondary Research 328.3.4 Forecasting Methodology 338.3.5 Primary Research Summary 348.4 About MediPoint 358.5 About Publisher 358.6 Contact Us 358.7 Disclaimer 36Companies Mentioned:Boston ScientificCook MedicalELLA-CSTaewoong MedicalInquire 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
USB Controllers Market 2017 New Investment Projects Review

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ReportsWeb.com has announced the addition of the Global USB Controllers Market Research Report Forecast 2017-2021 This report provides the USB Controllers industry overview with growth analysis and historical & futuristic cost, revenue, demand and supply data (as applicable).The Global USB Controllers Market Research Report 2017 is a valuable source of insightful data for business strategists. It provides the USB Controllers industry overview with growth analysis and historical & futuristic cost, revenue, demand and supply data (as applicable). The research analysts provide an elaborate description of the value chain and its distributor analysis. This USB Controllers market study provides comprehensive data which enhances the understanding, scope and application of this report.This report provides comprehensive analysis ofKey market segments and sub-segmentsEvolving market trends and dynamicsChanging supply and demand scenariosQuantifying market opportunities through market sizing and market forecastingTracking current trends/opportunities/challengesCompetitive insightsOpportunity mapping in terms of technological breakthroughsComplete report is available atThis report provides comprehensive analysis ofKey market segments and sub-segmentsEvolving market trends and dynamicsChanging supply and demand scenariosQuantifying market opportunities through market sizing and market forecastingTracking current trends/opportunities/challengesCompetitive insightsOpportunity mapping in terms of technological breakthroughsGlobal USB Controllers Market: Regional Segment AnalysisNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaThe Major players reported in the market include:MicrochipTexas InstrumentsABBOmron AutomationPanasonicFTDI ChipCrouzet AutomationCypress SemiconductorDiodes IncGet a SAMPLE Request atGlobal USB Controllers Market: Product Segment AnalysisSSOPTQFPType 3Global USB Controllers Market: Application Segment AnalysisApplication 1Application 2Application 3Table of ContentReasons for Buying this ReportThis report provides pin-point analysis for changing competitive dynamicsIt provides a forward looking perspective on different factors driving or restraining market growthIt provides a six-year forecast assessed on the basis of how the market is predicted to growIt helps in understanding the key product segments and their futureGet Discount atIt provides pin point analysis of changing competition dynamics and keeps you ahead of competitorsIt helps in making informed business decisions by having complete insights of market and by making in-depth analysis of market segmentsIt provides distinctive graphics and exemplified SWOT analysis of major market segmentsPurchase this 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
Bus Terminators Market Trends and 2017 Forecast

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ReportsWeb.com has announced the addition of the Global Bus Terminators Market Research Report Forecast 2017-2021 This report provides the Bus Terminators industry overview with growth analysis and historical & futuristic cost, revenue, demand and supply data (as applicable).The Global Bus Terminators Market Research Report 2017 is a valuable source of insightful data for business strategists. It provides the Bus Terminators industry overview with growth analysis and historical & futuristic cost, revenue, demand and supply data (as applicable). The research analysts provide an elaborate description of the value chain and its distributor analysis. This Bus Terminators market study provides comprehensive data which enhances the understanding, scope and application of this report.This report provides comprehensive analysis ofKey market segments and sub-segmentsEvolving market trends and dynamicsChanging supply and demand scenariosQuantifying market opportunities through market sizing and market forecastingTracking current trends/opportunities/challengesCompetitive insightsOpportunity mapping in terms of technological breakthroughsComplete report is available atThis report provides comprehensive analysis ofKey market segments and sub-segmentsEvolving market trends and dynamicsChanging supply and demand scenariosQuantifying market opportunities through market sizing and market forecastingTracking current trends/opportunities/challengesCompetitive insightsOpportunity mapping in terms of technological breakthroughsGlobal Bus Terminators Market: Regional Segment AnalysisNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaThe Major players reported in the market include:Molex Woodhead/BradRS ProOpto 22Eaton / Control AutomationLinear TechnologyON SemiconductorPhoenix ContactHarTingMovotek...Get a SAMPLE Request atGlobal Bus Terminators Market: Product Segment AnalysisSSOPTQFPType 3Global Bus Terminators Market: Application Segment AnalysisApplication 1Application 2Application 3Table of ContentReasons for Buying this ReportThis report provides pin-point analysis for changing competitive dynamicsIt provides a forward looking perspective on different factors driving or restraining market growthIt provides a six-year forecast assessed on the basis of how the market is predicted to growIt helps in understanding the key product segments and their futureGet Discount atIt provides pin point analysis of changing competition dynamics and keeps you ahead of competitorsIt helps in making informed business decisions by having complete insights of market and by making in-depth analysis of market segmentsIt provides distinctive graphics and exemplified SWOT analysis of major market segmentsPurchase this 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
LPG Cylinder Valve Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth 2024 | Research Report

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Global LPG Cylinder Valve Market: OverviewValves are a type of mechanical device that are implemented to regulate flow, pressure, or both, within a system. They an integral aspect of any piping system that requires a fair amount of control. The primary functions of a conventional valve comprise flow control in the form of rate of flow and the direction of flow. Valves are thus used to prevent back flow, and relieving pressure. The various valve types, designs, and models can be functional in specific industrial, commercial, and residential applications. LPG valves may need to be designed especially for maintaining high pressure within the cylinder and to let out the gas at a rate specified and within regulatory permission. These valves are also designed to withstand the possible damage they may take during transportation. An additional cap is often screwed over the valve in order to further reduce the likelihood of gas leakage when the cylinder is not in use.Browse Market Research Report @The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the global LPG cylinder valve market. It achieves this through in-depth insights in both qualitative and quantitative perspectives, historical information, and confirmable forecasts regarding the size of the market in terms of revenue and value. The forecasts featured in the report have been generated using established research methodologies and market experts assumptions. The research report therefore functions as a source of analytical and strategic data for every aspect of the global LPG cylinder valve market, including its regional markets, technologies implemented and developed, types of valves incorporated, and overall fields of applications. A distinct examination of dominant trends in the global LPG cylinder valve market, macro- and micro-economic signs, and policies and regulations are included under the purview of the study.Global LPG Cylinder Valve Market: Trends and OpportunitiesOne of the primary driving factors for the increase in demand for LPG cylinder valves globally, is the substantial rate of increase in energy consumption and demand in the oil and gas industry, energy generation, and refineries. The improvement in various industry verticals and the growing rates of urbanization are also major factors stimulating the growth of global LPG cylinder valves market. An increased demand for worker safety as well as a growing concern over environmental implications of energy wastage is expected to aid the demand for efficient valve solutions in the coming years.The global LPG cylinder market can be segmented on the basis of product types, which include handwheel valves, forklift valves, quick-on valves, self-closing valves, safety valves, and cut-off push & turn valves. LPG cylinders are utilized in various household, outdoors, and other applications.Global LPG Cylinder Valve Market: Region-wise Outlook:The U.S., China, Saudi Arabia, Japan, and India are expected to remain as the leading consumer regions in the global LPG cylinder valve market, as well as being key contributors to their supply. The booming growth rate of the population in India and China is expected to create a massive surge in demand for energy within the Asia Pacific region over the coming years. Additionally, the demand for energy resources in African and sub-Saharan areas is also anticipated to increase further, supplemented by higher foreign investments in the coming years.The growth of the global LPG cylinder valve market over the coming years is largely dependent on the rate of investments in the manufacturing facilities, while being supported by advancements in technology and valve system design innovations. Several factors, including increasingly stringent policies and regulations, rising demand from process industries are also likely to support the growth of global LPG cylinder valve market.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the LPG Cylinder Valve Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market @Companies Mentioned in the Research Report:Some of the players operating in the LPG cylinder valve market includes Mauria, orsonholdings.com, Batra Valves, Cavagna Group S.p.A, GCE Group, Repkon, Rotarex, Kosan Creations, Hangzhou Tianlong Steel Cylinder Co., Ltd., and Bhiwadi Cylinders Pvt. Ltd. The manufacturers are emphasizing over partnerships with international organizations to tap the potential markets in developing countries. This is expected to enhance industry standards across the world.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.ContactTransparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Global Synthetic Leather Sales Market Report 2017

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Synthetic Leather Sales Market :Global Industry Analysis, Capacity, Production, Price, Revenue, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecasts 2017-2022Synthetic Leather Sales Market:Overview:The Global Synthetic Leather Sales Industry 2017 Market Research Report is an expert and inside and out review on the momentum condition of the Synthetic Leather Sales business.Request Sample Report:Right off the bat, the report gives an essential outline of the business including definitions, groupings, applications and industry chain structure. The Synthetic Leather Sales showcase investigation is accommodated the global market including advancement history, focused scene examination, and significant locales, improvement status.Besides, improvement approaches and plans are talked about and additionally producing procedures and cost structures. This report additionally states import/fare, supply and utilization figures and also cost, value, income and gross edge by areas (United States, Europe, China,Japan, and Southeast Asia), and different locales according to your advantage can be included.Read More :At that point, the report concentrates on worldwide real driving industry players with data, for example, organization profiles, item picture and particular, limit, creation, value, cost, income and contact data. Upstream crude materials, hardware and downstream shoppers investigation is additionally completed. What?s more, the Synthetic Leather Sales business improvement patterns and advertising channels are investigated.At long last, the plausibility of new venture undertakings is surveyed, and general research conclusions are advertised.Inquiry Before Buying:In a word, the report gives real measurements on the condition of the business and is a profitable wellspring of direction and bearing for organizations and people intrigued by the market.About UsProvue Market Research is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics released by reputed private publishers and public organizations. We provide our clients not only with market statistics unveiled by avowed private publishers and public organizations but also with vogue and newest industry reports along with pre-eminent and niche company profiles.Contact UsProvue Research14715 Prairie Ave,Lawndale, CA, 90260,California USATel:- +18889204862Email: info@provueresearch.comWeb:
Oil and Gas Separation Equipment Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2024 | Research Report

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Oil and Gas Separation Equipment Market: OverviewOil and gas separation equipment is a pressure container used for separating a well stream into gaseous and liquid components. This separator installed either in an onshore processing position or on an offshore location. Based on the vessel configurations, the oil and gas separators equipment can be divided into spherical, vertical and horizontal equipment. Gravitation is the most conventional technique used for oil and gas separation and its accessible capacities fixed with its effective separation and its contributed to its growth in this market.Browse Market Research Report @Oil and Gas Separation Equipment Market: Trends and OpportunitiesOil and gas separation equipment market is projected to grow during the forecast period. The rising need of separation equipment for maintaining an optimum pipeline and fluid quality are expected to drive oil and gas separation equipment market globally. The separation along with low gas to water and oil to gas ratio in Kuwait conventions and U.S. EPA regulations also boost the oil and gas separation equipment market.In addition, various countries across the world are revving up their exploration and production quality in onshore and offshore location along with rising levels of water production in tight reserves, which is in turn contributing to the growing demand for oil and gas separation equipment. Another addition, installation of several on-site and off-site processing facilities, particularly in Canada, Mexico, Russia and Indonesia is further driving the demand for oil and gas separation equipment.However In the oil and gas separation equipment market growing solid handling issues and in high installation cost is acting as a restraint in the oil and gas separation equipment market. The ongoing technological advancement in the oil and gas separation equipment industry is acting as an opportunity for the market. In addition, a new innovation which is a third separation mechanism and its called inertial impaction which transpires when a gas passes through a network, such as fibers and impingement barriers.Oil and Gas Separation Equipment Market: SegmentationThe oil and gas separation equipment market is segmented in four categories: by types of product, by technology, by application and by region. By types of product the market can be divided into two phase separators three phase separators, scrubber and others. In terms of technology, the market can be divided into gravitational separation, and centrifugal separation among others. In terms of application, the market can be segregated into Onshore, offshore, Refineries and others.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Oil and Gas Separation Equipment Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market @By geography, the market is divided in four major regions such as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Rest of the world. North America and Europe are the early adopters of technology and hence will occupy majority of the market share. However, Asia Pacific region is expected to see faster growth during the forecast period due to the presence of developing nations such as India and China. This growth is attributed to the availability of skilled workforce required to oil and gas separation equipment market.Oil and Gas Separation Equipment Market: Competitive LandscapeThe key players participating in the oil and gas separation equipment market are Pentair Ltd, GEA Westfalia Separator Group GmbH, Fjords Processing AS, Enviro Voraxial Technology Inc., FMC Technologies, Inc, Andritz Group, Honeywell International Inc., ProSep, Inc, Prosernat SA and Seair, Inc. among others.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.ContactTransparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
UV Coatings Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth 2024 | Research Report

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Global UV Coatings Market: OverviewUV coatings are type of coatings that are cured with ultraviolet radiation. It can be deployed on various substrates such as inks, paper, glass, plastics and wood products. UV coatings market can be segmented based on composition as PU dispersions, monomers, photo initiators and oligomers. Based on type of coatings, the market can be segmented as paper coatings, over print varnish, display coatings, plastic coatings, conformal coatings and others. End-use industries of UV coatings are graphics, electronics, packaging and various other industries that use industrial coatings.Browse Market Research Report @Currently UV coatings market is dominated by wood coatings product type. This trend is expected to remain same in the next few years due to increasing demand for wood coatings from its applications such as furniture, door skins, parquet, decorative panel and others. Wood coatings offer excellent strength and durability, hence is demand is expected to remain high. Among the end-use industries type, industrial coatings occupies the largest share in the total UV coatings market. The growth rate of industrial coatings is expected to be the fastest as compared to other types.Global UV Coatings Market: Drivers and RestraintsGrowing electronics industry globally is expected to drive the UV coatings market. Display coatings are the major type coatings used in the electronics across the globe. Rising disposable income and changing lifestyle in the developing countries is driving electronics industry across the globe. Additionally, internet of things is the new trend in the market that includes various electronic devices. These electronic devices use display coatings that are cured with ultraviolet. Furthermore, rising environmental awareness among consumer groups is expected to boost the UV coatings market. Chemical curing method emits volatile organic compounds that are harmful to environment and human health. UV curing of the coatings is photomechanical method of curing, hence does not involve any organic compounds in the curing process.However, availability of substitutes in the curing process is expected to hamper the UV coatings market. Chemical curing is among the strong competitor of UV curing process. Development of new products and applications is anticipated to provide immense opportunities for the players in the market. Additionally, development of bio-based UV coatings would open up an opportunity in the next few years.Global UV Coatings Market: Geographical DynamicsAsia Pacific dominated the UV coatings market in terms of production and consumption. Burgeoning electronics industry due to high demand for high performance electronics in the region is driving the UV coatings market. China is contributing highest to the demand of UV coatings in the region. Europe followed Asia Pacific in terms of consumption. Demand in the region is mainly for wood coatings, plastic coatings and paper coatings from industrial coatings industry. North America emerged as the third-largest market for UV coatings in terms of consumption. The demand in the region is primarily driven by rising use of UV coatings in printing varnishes. Rest of the World is expected to exhibit strong growth in the UV coatings marketing due to rising demand from electronics industry.Global UV Coatings Market: Competitive LandscapeGlobal UV coatings market is moderately fragmented with major players having presence across the value chain. Players in the market adopt backward integration and strategic alliances as key strategies to sustain their market position in the UV coatings market.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the UV Coatings Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market @Key players in UV coatings market include The Dow Chemical Company, BASF SE, Akzonobel N.V., DIC Corporation, PPG Industries Inc., Dymax Corporation, Royal DSM N.V., Centexbel, Actega Coatings & Sealants, Eternal Chemical Co. Ltd., Axalta Coatings Systems, The Valspar Corporation, Ashland Inc., Croda, Brilliant Coatings Solutions and Soltech Ltd.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.ContactTransparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Turbine Inlet Cooling Systems Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth 2024 | Research Report

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Increasing energy demand is boosting the construction of new power plants which has a marked impact on the global gas turbine market. Growth in the orders of gas turbines is expected to have a high impact on the gas turbine inlet cooling systems market, especially in areas with hot climate. Decrease in inlet air density during the hotter climates reduces the plant efficiency, which in turn, results in power shortages and monetary losses to plant owners.This 119 page report gives readers a comprehensive overview of the Turbine Inlet Cooling Systems Market. Browse through to unlock the hidden opportunities in this market @Turbine inlet cooling systems increase the power output by cooling the inlet air. Cooling of inlet air increases the air mass and hence the output of the plant. The mutual occurrence of high temperature and peak demand (due to air conditioning and refrigeration) boosts the requirement of turbine inlet cooling systems. Technological innovations and modifications done by the turbine inlet cooling system providers have made these systems more efficient and compatible with the turbine design. A large number of turbine manufacturers have given their approval to turbine inlet cooling technologies.The report analyzes the three inlet cooling techniques: inlet fogging, mechanical chillers, and wet compression. Inlet fogging systems increase the air density by spraying fog droplets over the inlet air. It is one of the most widely used evaporative cooling technologies. Low operational and maintenance costs and approval from all major turbine manufacturers have augmented the demand for inlet fogging systems. Wet compression is a relatively newer technology and can be used in combination with other inlet fogging technologies. Mechanical chiller is one of the most efficient as well as expensive turbine inlet cooling technologies. Mechanical chillers can attain a temperature drop in inlet air of about 45F, which is higher than most of the available technologies.Utilization of turbine inlet cooling technologies is assumed to improve the plant efficiency by as much as 10%. Installation of turbine inlet cooling systems has proven to be more economical than installation of additional turbines. As a result, a large number of power plant owners/operators are opting for turbine inlet cooling systems.Currently, North America and Rest of the World (RoW) have emerged as the two large markets for turbine inlet cooling technologies. A majority of inlet cooling system providers are based in North America, as a result of which, procurement of turbine inlet cooling systems and associated services (installation and repair) becomes easier for end-users located in the region. A majority of installations in North America are near the coastal areas of Texas, California, and other states.Moreover, the shale gas boom in North America which has led to the increased demand for gas turbines has further boosted the demand for turbine inlet cooling systems. As the production of natural gas is increasing, a large number of power utilities and independent power producers are shifting towards gas-fired power plants.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Turbine Inlet Cooling Systems Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market @The Rest of the World segment includes countries from the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. These countries witness a significant drop in plant efficiencies during hot climates. The simultaneous occurrence of peak demand and decline in plant efficiency increases power shortage in the region. As a result, turbine inlet cooling technologies are widely adopted by plant owners/operators. The market in Asia Pacific is also expected to experience a significant growth during the forecast period. Increasing power demand and the common occurrence of power shortages and blackouts are expected to drive the demand for turbine inletAbout UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.ContactTransparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Fatty Amine Market- Report on Europe by Countries, Type , Application & Manufacturers Global Amines, P&G Chem, Lonza Forecast to 2022

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A new research document with title 'Europe Fatty Amine Market by Manufacturers, Countries, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022' covering detailed analysis, Competitive landscape, forecast and strategies. The study covers geographic analysis that includes regions like Germany, UK, France, Russia, Italy and important players/vendors such as Global Amines, P&G Chem, Lonza................The report will help user gain market insights, future trends and growth prospects for forecast period of 2022SummaryFatty amine is nitrogen derivatives of fatty acids, olefins, or alcohols prepared from natural sources, fats and oils, or petrochemical raw materials. Commercially available fatty amine consists of either a mixture of carbon chains or a specific chain length from C-8C-22. Fatty amines are cationic surface-active compounds which strongly adhere to surfaces by either physical or chemical bonding. Important commercial products are prepared using fatty amines as reactive intermediates. It is widely used in water treatment, agro-chemicals, oilfield chemicals, asphalt additives, anti-caking etc.Request a sample report @Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Fatty Amine in Europe market, especially in Germany, UK, France, Russia, and Italy. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, countries, type and application.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversAkzo NobelSolvayKao ChemGlobal AminesP&G ChemLonzaEvonikAkemaEcogreen OleochemicalsIndo AminesNOF GroupHuntsmanTemix InternationalSichuan Tianyu OleochemicalDaxiang ChemFusiteTianzhi Fine ChemDachang ChemTenghui Oil ChemDafeng BioMarket Segment by Countries, coveringGermanyUKFranceRussiaItalyMarket Segment by Type, coversPrimary Fatty AmineSecondary Fatty AmineTertiary Fatty AmineMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoTextile ChemicalsOilfield ChemicalsDaily ChemicalWater TreatmentOthersBuy this report @There are 17 Chapters to deeply display the Europe Fatty Amine market.Chapter 1, to describe Fatty Amine Introduction, product type and application, market overview, market analysis by countries, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the manufacturers of Fatty Amine, with profile, main business, news, sales, price, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers in Europe, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4, to show the Europe market by countries, covering Germany, UK, France, Italy and Russia, with sales, price, revenue and market share of Fatty Amine, for each country, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5 and 6, to show the market by type and application, with sales, price, revenue, market share and growth rate by type and application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11, to analyze the key countries by manufacturers, Type and Application, covering Germany, UK, France, Italy and Russia, with sales, revenue and market share by manufacturers, types and applications;Chapter 12, Fatty Amine market forecast, by countries, type and application, with sales, price, revenue and growth rate forecast, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, to analyze the manufacturing cost, key raw materials and manufacturing process etc.Chapter 14, to analyze the industrial chain, sourcing strategy and downstream end users (buyers);Chapter 15, to describe Fatty Amine sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers etc.Chapter 16 and 17, to describe Fatty Amine Research Findings and Conclusion, Appendix, methodology and data sourceGet customization & check discount for report @Table of Contents1 Market Overview1.1 Fatty Amine Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.2.1 Primary Fatty Amine1.2.2 Secondary Fatty Amine1.2.3 Tertiary Fatty Amine1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.3.1 Textile Chemicals1.3.2 Oilfield Chemicals1.3.3 Daily Chemical1.3.4 Water Treatment1.3.5 Others1.4 Market Analysis by Countries1.4.1 Germany Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.2 France Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 UK Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 Russia Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Italy Status and Prospect (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
Global Military Laser Systems Market 2021: Top Vendors, Trend, Application, Technology, Geography, Forecast

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Market Research Future published a cooked research report on Global Military Laser Systems Market Research Report - Forecast to 2021  Market Analysis, Scope, Stake, Progress, Trends and Forecast to 2021.Global Military Laser Systems Market by Application (Military/Defense and Law Enforcement), by Technology (Laser Fiber, Solid Fiber, Chemical Laser, CO2 Laser, and others), and by Geography - Forecast To 2021Market Synopsis of Military Laser Systems MarketThe global Military Laser Systems market is expected to grow at a CAGR of around 10%. The growing need for high precise weapons, emerging demand from law enforcement and defense agencies, investment on R&D related to military laser systems are the factors driving the market growth. However, regulatory challenge is the biggest constraint of the market.Americas is the leading region in military laser market with around 40% of market share as of 2015. With the increasing investment in several military and land programs to modernize its military and weapon systems, APAC is expected to register significant growth in the forecast period.Get a Copy of Sample Report @Key Players Northrop Grumman, Coherent Inc., Lockheed Martin, Thales, Raytheon, American Laser Enterprises, BAE Systems PLC, Frankfurt Laser Company, Quantel, and Newport Corporation.Study Objectives of Military Laser Systems To provide detailed analysis of the market structure along with forecast for the next 5 years of the various segments and sub-segments of the Global Military Laser Systems To provide insights about factors affecting the market growth To analyse the Global Military Laser Systems Market based on various factors- price analysis, supply chain analysis, porters five force analysis etc. To provide historical and forecast revenue of the market segments and sub-segments with respect to four main geographies and their countries- North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of the World (ROW) To provide country-level analysis of the market with respect to the current market size and future prospective To provide country-level analysis of the market for segment by application and technology To provide strategic profiling of key players in the market, comprehensively analysing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for the market To track and analyse competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, new product developments, and research and developments in the Global Military Laser Systems MarketThe reports also cover country level analysis: America (NORTH & LATIN)o USo Canadao Brazilo Others Europeo Germanyo Franceo Italyo Spaino U.Ko Rest of Europe Asia  Pacifico Chinao Indiao Japano Australia/New Zealando Rest of Asia-Pacific Middle East & Africao UAEo Kuwaito Israelo Rest of Middle East & AfricaTABLE OF CONTENT1. INTRODUCTION2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY3. SCOPE OF THE STUDY4. ASSUMPTIONS AND LIMITATIONS5. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY6. MARKET SIZE ESTIMATION7. MARKET FACTOR ANALYSIS8. MARKET DYNAMICS9. MARKET SEGMENTATION10. GLOBAL MILITARY LASER SYSTEMS MARKET BY APPLICATION, 2016-202111. GLOBAL MILITARY LASER SYSTEMS MARKET BY TECHNOLOGY, 2016-202112. GLOBAL MILITARY LASER SYSTEMS MARKET BY REGION, 2016-202113. COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE14. COMPANY PROFILE15. CONCLUSION16. APPENDIXBrowse Full Report Details @The market report for Military Laser Systems of Market Research Future comprises of extensive primary research along with the detailed analysis of qualitative as well as quantitative aspects by various industry experts, key opinion leaders to gain the deeper insight of the market and industry performance. The report gives the clear picture of current market scenario which includes historical and projected market size in terms of value and volume, technological advancement, macro economical and governing factors in the market. The report provides details information and strategies of the top key players in the industry. The report also gives a broad study of the different market segments and regions.ContinueWe are thankful for the support and assistance from Global Military Laser Systems Market Research Report - Forecast to 2021 chain related technical experts and marketing experts during Research Team survey and interviews.About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Media Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
Aluminum Sodium Sulfate Market Trends, Analysis, Application & Type Forecast to 2024

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Global Aluminum Sodium Sulfate Market: OverviewAluminum sodium sulfate is dehydrated double salt of aluminum and sodium. Aluminum sodium sulfate occurs in nature as the mineral mendozite. The potential of aluminum sodium sulfate to be used for various applications was revealed for the first time when it was able to liberate carbon dioxide from baking soda. The compound is a colorless crystalline solid and is soluble in water, acids, and alkalis. It is commonly stored in dry, ventilated, clear warehouses due to its moisture-absorbing properties. It is primarily applied in the food industry, as an important baking ingredient. Other applications of the compound include decolorizing agent in petroleum products, deodorizer, firming agent, dyeing mordant, foaming agent, and catalyst. It is also used to control pH. It is employed in waterproofing concrete, fire-proofing cloth, lubricating compositions, and zeolites.Browse Market Research Report:Increasing consumption of baked foods due to change in food habits of consumers is the primary factor that drives the global aluminum sodium sulfate market. Disposable income and urbanization are other factors fueling the market. Nuclear families and increase in the number of working women have influenced the lifestyles of people and thereby influenced the global aluminum sodium sulfate market. Moreover, advancements in the textile industry have raised the demand for aluminum sodium sulfate, as the salt is used for color-fixing in naphthol-based dyes in cotton fabrics. Growing health concerns and demand for pure water are also associated with the global aluminum sodium sulfate market, as aluminum sodium sulfate is used for treating industrial as well as drinking water by precipitation and flocculation. The market is positively influenced by the paper industry also, wherein aluminum sodium sulfate helps in sizing of paper, thereby improving the paper quality. Demand from other industries such as leather and ceramic tiles also fuels the global aluminum sodium sulfate market. The property of the salt to absorb moisture is utilized in the two industries.On the basis of product grades, the global aluminum sodium sulfate market has been segmented into food grade, industrial grade, reagent grade, and agriculture grade. In terms of general sources, the market has been segmented into natural and industrial. On the basis of applications, the market has been segmented into food industry, ceramic tiles industry, paper industry, metals industry, tanning leather, fire-lighting equipment, drug preservation, and wood preservation.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Aluminum Sodium Sulfate market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market @The global aluminum sodium sulfate market witnessed decent growth in 2015 and the trend is likely to continue during the forecast period. In terms of regions, the market has been segmented into Asia Pacific, North America, and Europe. In Asia Pacific, China is the major player, due to the growing manufacturing sector in the country. North America and Europe are significant players in the aluminum sodium sulfate market, owing to the rising demand from food, metal, and ceramic tiles industries. Middle East and Latin America are expanding dynamic markets for aluminum sodium sulfate, owing to recent industrial developments in these regions.Key players operating in the global aluminum sodium sulfate market include Shandong Sanfeng Group Co., Ltd., Zibo Xinfumeng Chemicals Co. Ltd., USALCO, Zhongtian Trade Company Ltd., Spectrum, Alpha Chemistry, P.T. Mahkota Indonesia, Choice Organo Chem Llp, A.B. Enterprises, and Jay Chemical Industries.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Contact UsTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Commercial Aircraft Health Monitoring Systems Market 2021: Comprehensive Research Study

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Market Research Future published a cooked research report on Global Commercial Aircraft Health Monitoring Systems Market Research Report  Forecast 2016-2021  Market Analysis, Scope, Stake, Progress, Trends and Forecast to 2021.Global Commercial Aircraft Health Monitoring Systems Market by IVHM Technology (Prognostic, Diagnostic, CBM & Adaptive Control), Sub-System (Aero-Propulsion, Aircraft Structure, Avionics and Ancillary System), Fit (Line fit and Retro fit), and by Region- Forecast To 2021Market Synopsis of Global Commercial Aircraft Health Monitoring Systems MarketThe Global Commercial Aircraft Health Monitoring Systems Market is expected to grow at a CAGR of around 6% during 2016-2021. The key factors driving the growth are the advantages of structural health monitoring, need for aircraft real-time damage detection, growing trend towards more electric aircraft, rising demand for automation, growth in situational awareness to drive operations, reducing unscheduled maintenance & increasing asset utilization, and cost effective maintenance.As per the MRFR analysis, challenges associated with SHM sensors to integrate into aero structure, and certification clearances are the restrains affecting the market growth.Development of fiber optics sensor for real time data analysis and R&D spending on health monitoring systems are the emerging trends in the market.Get a Copy of Sample Report @Key Players Airbus Boeing GE Aviation Rockwell Collins United Technologies Accellent Technologies BeanAir Meggitt RSL Electronics Rolls-Royce Holdings Ultra Electronics Holdings.Study Objectives of Global Commercial Aircraft Health Monitoring Systems Market To provide detailed analysis of the market structure along with forecast for the next 5 years of the various segments and sub-segments of the Global Commercial Aircraft Health Monitoring Systems Market To provide insights about factors affecting the market growth To analyse the Global Commercial Aircraft Health Monitoring Systems Market based on various factors- price analysis, supply chain analysis, porters five force analysis etc. To provide historical and forecast revenue of the market segments and sub-segments with respect to four main geographies and their countries- North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of the World (ROW) To provide country-level analysis of the market with respect to the current market size and future prospective To provide country-level analysis of the market for segment by IVHM technology, sub-system, and fit. To provide strategic profiling of key players in the market, comprehensively analysing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for the market To track and analyse competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, new product developments, and research and developments in the Global Commercial Aircraft Health Monitoring Systems MarketBrowse Full Report Details @The reports also cover country level analysis: Americas (North & Latin) US Canada Brazil Others Europe Germany France Italy Spain K Rest of Europe Asia  Pacific China India Japan Australia/New Zealand Rest of Asia-Pacific Middle East & Africa UAE, Kuwait Israel Rest of Middle East & AfricaThe market report for Global Commercial Aircraft Health Monitoring Systems 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 market segments and regions.ContinueWe are thankful for the support and assistance from Global Commercial Aircraft Health Monitoring Systems Market Research Report  Forecast 2016-2021 chain related technical experts and marketing experts during Research Team survey and interviews.About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Media Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
Electrical Insulation Market Key Growth Factors and Industry Analysis 2016 - 2024

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Global Electrical Insulation Market: OverviewElectrical insulation is a form of material in which internally present electric charges do not flow freely. This makes it impossible for electric current to be conducted under the influence of an electric field. The main difference between electric insulation and semiconductors and conductors is that the former possesses higher resistivity, while the latter carry current with more ease. A substance is an insulator or a conductor is normally depends on the number of free electrons it possesses, which can be used to carry electric current. An important characteristic of insulating material is its ability to withstand electric stress which is known as dielectric strength. This strength is quoted in kilovolts per millimeter (Kv/mm). Previously, ceramics and glass were the most prominently used electrical insulation material. At present, polymer-based electrical insulation contributes a significant share in the global electrical insulation material market.Browse Market Research Report:Based on type electric insulation is classified as glass, ceramics, thermoplastic and epoxy resin. Electrical insulation material is used in various applications such as cables & transmission lines, power systems, electronic systems, domestic portable appliances, and others. Based on end-use industry, the electrical insulation market can be divided into manufacturing, transportation, infrastructure, and others. Modernization of electricity networks, increasing usage of electric appliances, and demand from the increasing population are factors contributing to the expansion of the electrical insulation market.Consumption of thermoplastic electrical insulation is estimated to increase at a relatively speedy rate during the forecast period. These materials are lightweight, possess high mechanical and electric strength, and also deliver consistent performance in harsh climatic conditions. Thermoplastic electrical insulation also exhibit excellent voltage endurance compared to that of ceramics and a few other materials which makes them the preferred electrical insulation type across all regions.Demand for electrical insulation material has been dominated by the infrastructure segment followed by transporation and manufacturing. Rising construction activities especially in emerging economies such as India and China along with growing urbanization fuel its requirement for electric insulation during the projected period. Usage of electrical insulation in power systems plays a part as well and this is projected to be the markets leading application with fast growing rate during the forecast period. A surge in electrical installation activities in developing countries, improved policy regulations related to electricity, and focus on increasing the rural areas access to electricity are major drivers of the electric insulation market during the forecast period.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Electrical Insulation market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market @Based on region, Asia Pacific was a prominent, rapidly expanding electrical insulation market globally and this trend is expected to continue during the estimated period. Rising population leads to a need for better industrial, residential, and commercial infrastructure which in turn elevates the demand for electricity. Modernization of electric transmission networks, government policies for electricity in rural areas, and growth of renewable energy are a few more causal factors. In Asia Pacific, China is considered to be an important market followed by India and South Korea. Middle East & Africa and Latin America are also likely to grow significantly during the forecast period.This market for electrical insulation material is highly competitive due to the presence of a large numbers of local players who supply low-quality products at comparatively inexpensive pricing. Key players operating in the global electric insulation market include DuPont, ITW Formex, 3M, Nitto Denko Corporation, Krempel GmbH, and Haysite Reinforced Plastics.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Contact UsTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
N-Phenylanthranilic Acid Market 2017 New Research Study

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ReportsWeb.com has added a new report titled Global N-Phenylanthranilic Acid 2017 Market Report, to the database, the report focuses on Product Price, Profit, Capacity, Production, Capacity Utilization, Supply, Demand and Industry Growth.N-Phenylanthranilic Acid 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 N-Phenylanthranilic Acid 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 N-Phenylanthranilic Acid Market;3) the North American N-Phenylanthranilic Acid Market;4) the European N-Phenylanthranilic Acid Market;5.) market entry and investment feasibility;6.) the report conclusion.Get free Sample Copy of ReportFew Points from Table of ContentPart I N-Phenylanthranilic Acid OverviewChapter One N-Phenylanthranilic Acid OverviewChapter Two N-Phenylanthranilic Acid Up and Down Stream Industry AnalysisPart II Asia N-Phenylanthranilic Acid (The Report Company Including the below Listed but Not All)Chapter Three Asia N-Phenylanthranilic Acid Market AnalysisChapter Four 2012-2017 Asia N-Phenylanthranilic Acid Productions Supply Sales Demand Market Status and ForecastChapter Five Asia N-Phenylanthranilic Acid Key Manufacturers AnalysisChapter Six Asia N-Phenylanthranilic Acid Development TrendPart III North American Chapter Seven North American N-Phenylanthranilic Acid Market AnalysisChapter Eight 2012-2017 North American N-Phenylanthranilic Acid Productions Supply Sales Demand Market Status and ForecastChapter Nine North American N-Phenylanthranilic Acid Key Manufacturers AnalysisChapter Ten North American N-Phenylanthranilic Acid Development TrendPart IV Europe N-Phenylanthranilic Acid Analysis (The Report Company Including the below Listed but Not All)Chapter Eleven Europe N-Phenylanthranilic Acid I Market AnalysisChapter Twelve 2012-2017 Europe N-Phenylanthranilic Acid Productions Supply Sales Demand Market Status and ForecastChapter Thirteen Europe N-Phenylanthranilic Acid Manufacturers AnalysisChapter Fourteen Europe N-Phenylanthranilic Acid Development TrendPart V N-Phenylanthranilic Acid Marketing Channels and Investment FeasibilityChapter Fifteen N-Phenylanthranilic Acid Marketing Channels Development Proposals AnalysisChapter Sixteen Development Environmental AnalysisChapter Seventeen N-Phenylanthranilic Acid y New Project Investment Feasibility AnalysisPart VI Global N-Phenylanthranilic Acid ConclusionsChapter Eighteen 2012-2017 Global N-Phenylanthranilic Acid Productions Supply Sales Demand Market Status and ForecastChapter Nineteen Global N-Phenylanthranilic Acid Development TrendChapter Twenty Global N-Phenylanthranilic Acid 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
Oil and Gas Pipeline Leak Detection Equipment Market Key Growth Factors and Industry Analysis 2016  2024

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Global Oil and Gas Pipeline Leak Detection Equipment Market: SnapshotThe torchbearers in the global oil and gas pipeline leak detection equipment market are leveraging their core business strengths in this highly competitive market. They are also focused on acquisitions to augment their technological strengths in a bid to develop new products. Expansion of product portfolio is another popular growth strategy adopted by key players for increased market share.This 175-page report gives readers a comprehensive overview of the Oil and Gas Pipeline Leak Detection Equipment market. Browse through 24 data tables and 76 figures to unlock the hidden opportunities in this market.Some of the key growth drivers in the global oil and gas pipeline leak detection equipment market are stringent environmental rules regarding handling oil and gas, policies regarding pipeline leakages and obligations on part of pipeline operators to compensate for a leak. The growth of oil and gas pipeline leak detection equipment market can also be attributed to aging pipeline, large number of planned projects for pipeline construction, and increasing number of incidents of pipeline leakages.As per a report by Transparency Market Research, the global oil and gas pipeline leak detection equipment market to expected to expand at a CAGR of 6.8% for the forecast period between 2016 and 2024. Progressing at this rate, the revenue of the market is projected to be become US$3.65 bn by 2024 increasing from US$2.02 bn in 2015.Acoustic/ultrasonic Technology Segment to emerge at fore due to Economic ReliabilityIn terms of technology, the oil and gas pipeline leak detection equipment market is segmented into mass-volume balance, fiber optics, acoustic/ultrasonic, vapor sensing, and others. The segment of mass-volume balance, among these, held the leading share of 39.3% of the overall market in 2015. On the other hand, the segment of acoustic/ultrasonic is expected to expand at a significant CAGR over the forecast period due to economic reliability of the technology.Based on location, the oil and gas pipeline leak detection equipment market is divided into onshore and offshore. Between the two, onshore led the global oil and gas pipeline leak detection equipment market in 2015 and is predicted to account for a significant share over the forecast period.On the basis of equipment type, flowmeters, cable sensors, acoustic sensors, and others are the segments into which the global oil and gas pipeline leak detection equipment market is divided. Among these, the segment of flowmeters held a significant share in the oil and gas pipeline leak detection equipment market in 2015 and is expected to hold a sizable share over the forecast period.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Oil and Gas Pipeline Leak Detection Equipment market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market @Planned Pipeline Construction Projects Power Growth in Middle East and AfricaThe regional segments into which the global oil and gas pipeline leak detection equipment market is segmented are North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa. North America is a key regional market due to an extensive network of pipelines in the region. North America contributed the leading revenue of 40% to the overall market in 2015, of which the U.S. stood as the leading contributor.Europe followed North America in terms of market share in the global market in 2015. However, the regional market of Middle East and Africa is predicted to expand at a rapid pace during the forecast period and display an increased market share between 2015 and 2024. The growth of the Middle East and Africa oil and gas pipeline leak detection equipment market is due to a large number of planned projects for pipeline construction.The key players in the global oil and gas pipeline leak detection equipment market profiled in this study are Siemens AG, KROHNE Messtechnik GmbH, Schneider Electric SE, Perma-Pipe Inc., FLIR Systems Inc., TTK-Liquid Leak Detection Systems, PSI AG, Honeywell International Inc., ATMOS International, Pentair Thermal Management, Pure Technologies Ltd., and AREVA NP.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Contact UsTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Screen Printing Glass Market Analysis by Global Segments, Size and Forecast 2024

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Global Screen Printing Glass Market: OverviewScreen printing, one of the oldest and most versatile form of printing technique, passes ink through a screen that is extended on a frame under high tension. Depending upon the image to be imprinted, a stencil is placed atop the screen to block particular parts not needed. The openings on the stencil create an image on the printing material. Glass is the most preferred printing material for screen printing technique.Browse Market Research Report:One interesting fact about screen printing is that the emergence and rising popularity of the modern digital printing technology has done little to crimp its demand. This is because screen printing on glass still steals a march over other printing methods on account of the quality and long lasting impression of the image. Depending upon its different application, the global market for screen printing glass can be segregated into consumer goods industry, architecture and interior, gaming, pharmaceutical, furniture and appliance, electronics, marketing and advertising industry, automotive, and the graphics industry. Among them, printed electronics and automotive significantly contribute to the industry.Global Screen Printing Glass Market: Drivers and RestraintsProminent growth drivers in the global screen printing glass market are their industrial and commercial applications on account of the color vivacity and longer durability of screen-printed glass materials. Currently, modern screen printing machinery and integrated automated systems used for printing provide a wide array of colors and also greater color saturation. Additionally, the thickness of ink applied to glass is higher than that applied in digital printing. This results in a richer print and greater durability against scratches, humidity, and UV rays, making it useful for industrial applications.Screen printing process for glass can also be customized with special color effects. This coupled with its cost-effectiveness, especially in case of large orders and superior image quality is driving growth in the global screen printing glass market. For applications like branded cosmetic or home decoration companies where quality is of utmost importance, screen printing is preferred.Acting as a roadblock to the healthy growth in the global screen printing glass market is the dearth of trained employees in the screen printing technology and the steep cost associated with small quantity of order. Further, deployment of semi-traditional screen printing technology such as wooden or nylon frames instead of polyester or Polypropylene and using non UV solvent instead of UV solvent as screen-printing ink are also posing a threat to the market.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Screen Printing Glass market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market @Global Screen Printing Glass Market: Geographical SegmentationDepending upon geography, the key segments of the global screen printing glass market are North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa and Latin America. The report by TMR attempts to understand the revenues generated by each region and the factors driving their markets. It also examines their prospects going forward and also which region would clock maximum growth.Global Screen Printing Glass Market: Competitive LandscapeTo assess the competition prevailing in the global market for screen printing glass, the report profiles players such as Monvera Glass Decor, ToughGlaze (UK) Ltd., EZScreenPrint, O.Berk Company, LLC, Bergin Screenprinting & Etching, GlassWithaTwist.com, Phoenix Glass Decorating Company, Artline Screen Printing Inc. & Custom Vinyl Graphics., and Glasswerks. The report studies their market shares, business strategies, and future possibilities in much details. It also leverages market-leading analytical tools to uncover opportunities and threats that await them.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Contact UsTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Voltage Supervisor IC Market Technological breakthroughs By 2026

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Voltage supervisor integrated circuits (IC) monitor voltage condition in micro-controller system and embedded system (this kind of embedded system are part of a complete device that includes hardware and other mechanical parts) which are in under voltage condition.When an under voltage condition is detected in any device, the controller is reorganizes the time till which the under voltage condition remains. This kind of voltage supervisors ICs are installed in devices that are prone to damages due to frequent voltage fluctuations. The global marker for voltage supervisor ICs are expected to witness rapid growth during the forecast period.Presently, there is rising demand for energy efficient electronic products. Increasing power consumption lead to power conservation and this power conservation can be achieved with higher consumption of energy efficient products.Obtain Report Details:Voltage supervisors ICs are extensively used in cellular phones, MP3 players, PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants), digital cameras, bluetooth devices, intelligent instruments and industrial controllers. People spend larger proportion of income on consumption of electronic goods and that is expected to drive demand for voltage supervisor IC market.These electronic products are easily damaged from voltage fluctuations; high voltage damages its circuitry while low voltage provide incorrect results. Hence, with the growing trend of electronic products, market prospect for voltage supervisor IC is likely to expand also. This is considered as a major driving factor for voltage supervisor IC market.With the rise in demand for smart homes (also referred to as home automation which includes residential automation for domestic activities such as lighting, air conditioning, heating, ventilation among others), industrialists and manufacturers emphasis on the production of interconnecting devices that will be monitored by mobile applications.This kind of home automation will require rampant use of internet and that is expected to broaden the market scope of electronic goods. Hence, there will be growing demand for voltage supervisor IC and that is likely to act as an opportunity factor for this market.The market for voltage supervisor IC can be segmented on the basis of maximum supply voltage. The segments are 5.5 V (voltage), 10 V and others. Voltage supervisor IC with maximum supply voltage of 10 V is likely to experience growing market share during the forecast period as this would be applicable for high power consumption industrial devices. With the growing share of industry in world GDP, it is expected that market for voltage supervisor IC with maximum supply voltage of 10 V will grow at a faster rate.On the basis of application, voltage supervisor IC market can be segmented into five types such as consumer electronics, communication, industrial, automotive and others. In consumer electronics, voltage supervisor IC have been extensively used in cellular phones, PDAs, digital cameras among others and that is expected to witness growing demand overtime. Industrial automation also uses this device substantially and that is likely to experience significant growth during the forecast period.According to geographic locations, market for voltage supervisor ICs is segmented into five regions such as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa (MEA) and Latin America. North America and Asia Pacific is predicted to significantly contribute to the growth scenario of voltage supervisor IC market.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Voltage Supervisor IC Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market.Consumer electronics, automotive and industrial segments are thriving growth trajectories of this region and that is likely to drive the voltage supervisor IC market as well. Asia Pacific countries such as Japan, China among others provide this device at competitive prices and this factor will enhance competitive advantage of these economies in global voltage supervisor IC market.Some of the leading key players of global voltage supervisor IC markets are STMicroelectronics, Texas Instruments, On Semiconductor, ROHM, Future Electronics among others.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.About TMRTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Contact TMR90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email:sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Low Noise Amplifier Market To Increasing governments investment across the globe

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Low noise amplifier is an electronics amplifier which is used to amplify the week signals likely those are received by different types of antenna. In addition, these amplifiers are able to receive different types of weak signals, from satellite. A low noise amplifier is commonly located close to detection device to reduce losses in feed line.At the front end of receiver, circuit manufacturers are installing low noise amplifier as a key component. Moreover, low noise amplifiers are using in different application such as cellular phone, cordless phone, Wi-Fi systems and GPS system among others to increase the operation efficiency of these products.Furthermore, increasing governments investment across the globe for development of smart cities and free public Wi-Fi networks zone in order to provide various services is the most important factor predicted to boost the demand for Low Noise Amplifier market during the forecast period from 2017- 2025.Obtain Report Details:General purpose of low noise amplifier is to cater a wide range of applications such as mobile phone, Wi- Fi devices, and navigation systems among others across the globe.For providing detail overview, Low Noise Amplifier market has been segregated on the basis of type, end use industry and geography. On the basis of type, this market is fragmented into 3 MHz, 4 MHz and 10 MHz among others.In addition, most of the common application 10 MHz low noise amplifiers finds application in ISM radios, PCS handset and wireless LANs among others. Moreover, rising installation of low noise amplifier across various applications of Wi-Fi in different parts of the world such as America, Europe and Asia Pacific in order to receive the better signal is also predicted to trigger the demand of Low Noise Amplifier in the coming eight years.Furthermore, end use segment is bifurcated into industrial, commercial, automobile, medical and telecommunication among others. Increasing demand for automotive product such as remote keyless system and GPS for navigation across the globe is one of the primary factors anticipated to drive the demand of Low Noise Amplifier market during the forecast period.Commonly, low noise amplifiers are found in satellite operated system and it increases the receiving of week signal efficiency through antenna. Such beneficial features and increasing uses are creating the market demand which is expected to dominate the Low Noise Amplifier market during the forecast period.In addition, the low noise amplifier gains the antenna signal to compensate for the feed line losses linking the antenna and the receiver. Low noise amplifiers are coming out as an important part of wireless systems and increasing the demand of internet penetration is also predicted to increase the uses of these low noise amplifiers and thereby anticipated to drive the demand for Low Noise Amplifier market in the coming years..Such beneficial nature is expected to create a better market opportunities in coming years. However, falling growth rate of cord less phone and increasing in design complexity is predicted to hinder the growth of Low Noise Amplifier market during the forecast period. In addition, low noise amplifiers are using in scientific and medical band ISM radio to fulfill the requirement for communications.Geographically, the Low Noise Amplifier market is majorly driven by Asia Pacific .Asia Pacific is estimated to be the significantly attractive market for low noise amplifier manufacturers primarily because of the large-scale development in this part of the world.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Low Noise Amplifier Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market.Moreover, increasing focus on research and development activities by government initiative in telecommunication and defense sector is also acting as a driving factor in the growth of France, Russia, and the US market. Asia Pacific is predicted to witness the most promising market in the coming years, owing to increasing number of automotive and consumer goods manufacturersThe key companies in the market includes Low Noise Amplifiers market are Analog Devices, (The U.S)Toshiba (Japan), Infineon Technologies (Germany), KEMET (The U.S), Microchip Technology Inc. (The U.S), ON Semiconductor (The U.S), Panasonic (Japan), Texas Instruments (The U.S),Future Electronics (Canada), Atmel (The U.S), Bogen Communications, Inc. (The U.S), and Diodes Inc.(The U.S) among others.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.About TMRTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Contact TMR90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email:sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Global Soda Ash Market is expected to witnessed a significant growth of ~23.1 billion by 2022

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Global Soda Ash Market Information- by Application (Glass, Soaps & Detergents, Water Treatment, Chemicals, Pulp & Paper, Metallurgy) and by Region - Forecast till 2022The Global Soda Ash Market is expected to witnessed a significant growth of ~23.1 billion by 2022 with CAGR of ~4.9% between 2016 to 2022.Soda Ash also known as sodium carbonate or washing soda is white in color and is available both in powder as well as granules form. It is hydroscopic in nature and form odorless alkali chemical solution in water. Soda ash can be obtained naturally as well as by synthetic process. Increasing demand from end user industries such as glass and soap & detergents can foster the overall market growth.Get a sample copy of this report atSoda ash has found numerous application such as water softening in laundering, food additive, foaming agent in toothpaste, stain remover and many other. Increasing demand for building and construction activities is likely to drive the soda ash market growth. The growing glass industry on account of developing domestic as well as commercial buildings particularly in Asia-Pacific and Middle East has boosted the global soda ash market over the forecasted period. Soda Ash has ability to control Ph value in water and make it softer has opened its paths in water treatment applications. Market also witnessed significant growth of natural soda ash sue to its low-cost benefits. Stringent regulations from developed regions like Europe regarding production of synthetic soda ash through chemical process has fueled the demand for natural soda ash.Environment regulation in context of manufacturing synthetic soda ash and fluctuating prices of natural soda ash due to limited availability is expected to hamper the market demand in coming years.Regional AnalysisGeographically, Asia-Pacific region leads the Global Soda ash market. China being largest producer and consumer of soda ash dominates the market segment. Rapid industrialization and huge demand from building & construction activities is likely to drive the soda ash market growth. Growing demand for soaps & detergents, water treatment facility and metallurgy in China, India, Thailand and Indonesia has boosted the soda ash market demand. The growing capacity of natural soda ash from China is due to large number of natural miners compared to U.S. North America is second largest market owing to 90% of production of soda ash comes from state of Wyoming. The Chinese market is likely to witnessed close competition from US market owing to natural soda ash manufacturer with low cost and over dumping of soda ash in Asia-Pacific countries. Europe have witnessed stagnant growth owing to strict regulations for producing synthetic soda ash.Browse Complete Report atKey Players Tata Chemicals Limited (India) Solvay S.A. (Belgium) OCI Wyoming, LLC (U.S) Nirma Limited, (India) Searles Valley Minerals (U.S) GHCL Limited (India) FMC Corporation (US) Ciech SA (Poland) Oriental Chemical Industries (Korea) Soda Sanayii (Turkey)Competitive InsightsFluctuating prices of crude oil and rising energy prices have challenged many manufacturers to tackle with suitable cost-pricing policies. Low cost of natural soda ash particularly in US is benefitting producer in these regions. The key players are expected to exert pressure on exports especially in China and India due to energy intensive synthetic soda ash manufacturing. Developed market such as Europe show negative impact due to shut down of many synthetic soda ash manufacturers and turning to new substitute through research and development.Geographic AnalysisThe report covers brief analysis of geographical region such as: North Americao USo Canada Europeo Germanyo Franceo Italyo Netherlandso U.K.o Rest of Europe APACo Chinao Indiao Japano Rest of Asia-Pacific RoWo South Americao Middle Easto AfricaRequest for Discount atStudy Objectives of Soda Ash Market: To provide detailed analysis of the market structure along with forecast for the next 7 years of the various segments and sub-segments of the Global Soda Ash Market To understand the supply and demand dynamics including supply and consumption concentration mapping To provide region level market analysis and future outlook for North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of the World (ROW) and their countries To provide competitor positioning of the market To provide company profiling of major players in the market along with their production and capacity To provide regional trade analysis To evaluate historical market trends, patents and technologies, and current government regulatory requirements that are relevant to the marketIntended Audience Soda Ash manufacturers Traders and distributors of Soda Ash Production Process industries Potential investors Raw material suppliers Nationalized laboratoryThe report about Global Soda Ash 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.At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members.Akash AnandP: +1 646 845 9312W:
Global Fiber Cement Market : Analysis, Type, Application, Region, Opportunities and Forecast 2027

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Global Fiber Cement Market Information by application (Siding, Roofing, Molding & Trim and others), by materials (Cellulosic Material, Sand, Portland Cement and others) & by end-users (Residential and Non-Residential, industrial, commercial and others): Forecast to 2027The major growth drivers which has pushed the global Fiber Cement Market are increasing construction activities across the globe along with rapid industrialization has also pushed the overall demand. Rising construction in Asia-Pacific is one of the major growth factor and also it has created largest share in the same market. The high investment and setting up cost are creating hurdles to the growth of this market.Get a sample copy of this report atStudy Objectives of Fiber Cement 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 Global Fiber Cement Market To provide insights about factors affecting the market growthTo Analyze the Global Fiber Cement Market based on various factors- price analysis, supply chain analysis, porters five force analysis etc To provide historical and forecast revenue of the market segments and sub-segments with respect to four main geographies and their countries- North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of the World (ROW) To provide country level analysis of the market with respect to the current market size and future prospective To provide country level analysis of the market for segment by applications, materials and end-users To provide strategic profiling of key players in the market, comprehensively analyzing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for the market To track and analyze competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, new product developments, and research and developments in the Global Fiber Cement MarketThe Global Fiber Cement Market is segmented into applications, materials and end-users. On the basis of application the market is segmented into Siding, Roofing, Molding & Trim and others. On the basis of materials the market is segmented into Cellulosic Material, Sand, Portland Cement and others and on the basis of end-users it is Residential and Non-Residential, industrial, commercial and others.Complete Report Available atKey Players Cembrit Holding Plycem Corporation Nichiha Corporation The Siam Cement Public Company Limited CSR Limited Toray Industries Inc Compagnie De Saint Gobain Evonik Industries James Hardie Industries Etex GroupThe reports also covers brief analysis of Geographical Region includes:AmericasNorth AmericaUSCanadaLatin AmericaEuropeWestern EuropeGermanyFranceItalySpainU.KRest of Western EuropeEastern EuropeAsia  PacificAsiaChinaIndiaJapanSouth KoreaRest of AsiaPacificThe Middle East& AfricaGet a Table of Content atThe report for Fiber Cement 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 market segments and regions.At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members.Akash AnandP: +1 646 845 9312W:
Heat Pump VRF Systems Market Witnesses Impressive Growth with Rising Demand

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Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) air conditioning system is an extremely energy efficient means of accurately regulating the temperature within commercial buildings. In most cases, the zones or rooms within a building are required to operate at different temperatures. The heating and cooling requirement of these spaces inevitably changes throughout the day, typically as an outcome of varying occupancy, change in the outdoor temperature, and particularly, the position of the sun. The collective effect of these external and internal influences often signifies that some particular area of the building requires cooling, while other areas require heating to maintain a comfortable and constant internal environment. The growth of the heat pump VRF systems market is highly reliant on the growth of the construction industry particularly focusing on building applications.For the purpose of in depth analysis, the heat pump VRF systems market has been segmented on the basis of system type, applications, and geography. Based on system type, the market has been segmented into air-source heat pump variable refrigerant flow system, absorption heat pump variable refrigerant flow system, and ground-source heat pump variable refrigerant flow system. Various applications of heat pump VRF system include application in the residential and commercial sector. The commercial sector has been further divided into five categories - building application, retail store, healthcare sector, educational institute, and hotels& restaurants. The report provide cross functional analysis of all the above mentioned segments across different regions such as Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, Middle East &Africa, and Latin America.Obtain Report Details @Good pace of growth of the construction industry and easy installation of VRF systems is one of the major drivers for the growth of the heat pump VRF systems market. Design reliability and flexibility of the heat pump (VRF) system makes it an exceptional choice for commercial building applications. Therefore, the growing need for energy-efficient alternatives compared to traditional air-conditioning systems is anticipated to drive the market for heat pump (VRF) systems during the forecast period from 2017 to 2025. In addition, the cost effective installation of VRF systems and energy savings is also anticipated to increase the demand for heat pump VRF systems in the coming years. In turn, this is projected to impact the market of heat pump VRF systems in a positive manner during the forecast period.Despite many driving factors, the heat pump VRF systems market is expected to face slowdown in its growth rate because of the lack of awareness regarding the benefits of VRF systems and very high initial investment. Design issues in refrigerant piping and control wiring are restraining factors for the global heat pump VRF systems market. Very little or no duct space requirement and saving of more than thirty percent of HVAC energy usage is likely to create a significant opportunity for heat pump VRF systems in the coming years.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Heat Pump VRF Systems Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this marketBy system type, the air-source heat pump VRF systems type held significant market share because of its quality of providing low energy alternatives to conventional boiler systems. However, absorption heat pump VRF systems are projected to witness exponential growth during the forecast period. Cool changeover zone due to the modular build up makes it the most appropriate choice for various end user applications.Geographically, the global heat pump VRF systems market is mainly driven by the Asia Pacific region. Growth in construction activity in the APAC region coupled with the growing demand for smart devices to handle VRF systems, and increasing urbanization and population in APAC has led to growing demand to implement heat pump VRF systems in this region. Shorter piping run along with better refrigerant distribution and a highly responsive piping system is expected to drive the heat pump VRF systems market rapidly. This region is expected to maintain its dominance in the market during the forecast period owing to the presence of variable refrigerant volume system manufacturers in countries such as South Korea and Japan.Some of the leading players operating in the heat pump VRF systems market includes Daikin Industries (Japan),Mitsubishi Electrical (Japan),Fujitsu (Japan),Toshiba Corporation (Japan), LG Electronics (South Korea),Midea Group (China),Johnson Controls (the U.S.),Lennox International (the U.S.),United Technologies Corporation (the U.S.), and Ingersoll Rand Plc. (Ireland).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:
Inspection Cameras Market Witnesses Impressive Growth with Rising Demand

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Inspection camera, or the borescope, is a type of instrument which functions like a camera, telescope, or microscope. It is used for the purpose of observing areas which are excessively cramped, very far away, or completely out of reach. An inspection camera has a black and white or color display; some of them are also detachable for the purpose of remote viewing - which is attached to a flexible shaft having a camera at the end of it. Often, this camera has several LED lights to illuminate the work area. Once the camera shaft is maneuvered into position, the display provides images captured by the camera. Expansion of the inspection cameras market depends on the expansion of the global machine vision market.For purpose of in depth analysis, the inspection cameras market has been segmented on the basis of spectrum, applications, and geography. In terms of spectrum type, the market can be segmented into ultraviolet spectrum, visible spectrum, and infrared spectrum. Various types of applications of inspection cameras include the automotive industry, pharmaceutical industry, semiconductor industry, packaging industry, security & surveillance industry, and others. Moreover, in terms of geography, the global inspection cameras market can be segmented into Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, Middle East &Africa, and Latin America.Obtain Report Details @Consistently rising demand for the boroscopy and videoscopy in the automotive industry is driving the market of inspection cameras. The articulating function of the inspection cameras in the industrial applications for the purpose of getting better views of the inner parts of the machines is also a key factor driving the Inspection Cameras market. Therefore, the rising need for 2-way and the 4-way articulating cables, which allow the camera head to move in different directions and gives an angle upto 360, is also likely to propel the Inspection Cameras market during the forecasted period from 2017 to 2025. Additionally, rapid technological advancement in CCTV camera technology, which provides fast and precise camera solution with better cost effectiveness, is also anticipated to increase the demand for inspection cameras in the near future. This, in turn, this is also projected to boost the market of inspection cameras during the forecasted period.Inspite of many driving factors, the inspection cameras market is expected to show a shrink and fluctuation in growth rate because of the in tolerating nature of the inspection cameras on product and component variation. Absence of good lighting conditions and lack of real intelligence of the inspection cameras are the restraining factors for the global Inspection Cameras market. Rising demand for inspection cameras for the purpose of surface vision is estimated to create significant opportunity for the inspection cameras in the near future. Increasing usage of inspection cameras in visual inspection is also anticipated to act as an opportunity for the inspection cameras market during the forecasted period.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Inspection Cameras Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this marketIn terms of application, the automotive industry held a prominent share of the market due to its rising usage in intelligent transportation systems. However, the security & surveillance segment is projected to expand significantly during the forecast period. Increasing usage of inspection cameras for the purpose of capturing high speed images and videos in the security &surveillance industry is expected to drive the market.In terms of geography, the global inspection cameras market is mainly driven by Asia Pacific region. Increasing demand for machine vision systems and PC-based systems is driving the market in Asia Pacific. Increasing manufacturing facilities and expanding industrial hub are anticipated to fuel the rapid expansion of the inspection cameras market. Asia Pacific is projected to maintain its dominance in the market during the forecasted period due to the presence of manufacturing companies in the machine vision segment and increasing R&D in countries such as China, South Korea, and Japan.Major players operating in the inspection cameras market include AMETEK (U.S.), Cognex Corporation (U.S.), FLIR Systems (U.S.), Olympus Corporation (Japan), Sick AG (Germany), Fluke Corporation (U.S.), Ifm electronic(Germany), and HIKVISION (China).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:
Promising Future for Safety Instrumented Systems Market Predicted in the Coming YearsXZ

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In an increasingly multidisciplinary engineering atmosphere, and in the face of ever growing system difficulty, there is a growing need for engineers and technicians involved in the process of engineering to remain aware of the implications of operating and design safety-related systems. This also includes the knowledge of related safety standards. Safety instrumented systems play a vital role in providing the protective layer functionality in various industrial processes and automation systems. Safety systems engineering describes a disciplined and systematic approach, which incorporates hazard identification, safety requirement specification, and systems maintenance and operation during the entire lifetime of the plant. The growth of the safety instrumented systems market is highly reliant on the growth of the petrochemical and energy sector.For purpose of in depth analysis, the safety instrumented systems market has been segmented on the basis of components, products, and end users. Based on component type, the market has been segmented into five types - sensors, switches, programmable devices, actuators and valves, and others. Based on product type, the market has been segmented into seven types, comprising emergency shutdown system, safety interlock system, safety shutdown system, fire & gas monitoring and control system, burner management system, turbo machinery control, and high integrity pressure protection system. By end user, the market has been segmented into six types - energy & power, pharmaceutical, mining, oil & gas, chemical & petroleum refinery, and others. The report also provides cross functional analysis of all the above mentioned segments across different regions such as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East &Africa, and Latin America.Obtain Report Details @Rise in global automotive manufacturing is one of the major drivers of the safety instrumented systems market. Growing need to follow industry safety standards and government protocols are also key factors anticipated to catalyze the growing demand for safety instrumented systems during the forecast period from 2017 to 2025. In addition, labor unions enforcing safety measures in energy & power industry and oil & gas industry is expected to increase the demand for safety instrument systems in the coming years. In turn, this is projected to impact the market of safety instrumented systems in a positive manner during the forecast period.Despite many driving factors, the safety instrumented systems market is expected to show little fluctuation in growth rate because of lack of awareness and complexity of standards in different end user industries. Low response rate, and high operation and product cost are major restraining factors for the global safety instrumented systems market. The growing demand for technological advancement in the safety segment and very strong safety instrumented system service growth is likely to create significant opportunity for the safety instrumented systems market in the coming years.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Safety Instrumented Systems Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this marketBy end user, the chemical & petroleum refinery segment held the dominant market share because of increasing investment in oil & natural gas production and exploration. Rising investment in downstream equipment in the oil & gas sector and transition of safety systems is a major factor responsible for the dominance of this sector.Geographically, the global safety instrumented systems market is mainly driven by the European region. Growing demand for industrial safety to minimize accidents when safety conditions are violated is driving the market in Europe. The Asia Pacific region is expected to witness the highest CAGR during the forecast period. High demand from developing regions, emergence of new technology like Internet of Things (IoT), and growing awareness about safety are some of the main drivers for the growth of the safety instrumented systems market.Some of the leading players operating in the safety instrumented systems market include Emerson Process Management (the U.S.), Rockwell Automation (the U.S.), Johnson Controls, Inc. (the U.S.), General Electric Company (the U.S.), Yokogawa Electric Corporation (Japan), OMRON Corporation (Japan), HIMA Paul Hildebrandt GmbH (Germany), ABB Ltd. (Switzerland), and Tyco International Plc (Switzerland).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:
Tilt Sensor Market Heating Up due to the Growing Demand from Industries

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Tilt sensor primarily measures the tilting in two axes of a reference plane. Primarily tilt sensors are used for indicating roll and pitch of vehicles, aircraft, and sail boats. Moreover, it also helps in monitoring the boom angle of material handlers and cranes. Tilt sensors are also employed for measuring the height of polls and trees. Tilt sensors are utilized for the measurement of angles, primarily in reference to gravity. In terms of material type, the tilt sensor market can be segmented into metal tilt sensors and non-metal tilt sensors. In terms of technology, the market can be segmented into MEMS technology, force balance technology, and fluid filled technology. In terms of end-use industry, the market for tilt sensor can be segmented into aerospace and defense, mining and construction, automotive and transportation, and telecommunications. In terms of geography, the market for tilt sensor can be segmented into Asia Pacific, Europe, North America, Latin America, and Middle East &Africa.The non-metal segment leads the market for tilt sensors globally in 2016 due to the increasing adoption of plastic housing material in different end-use industries. However, nylon and ceramic are major non-metallic tilt sensors which have wide range of applications in different industries. Moreover, the MEMS technology tilt sensor segment is anticipated to expand significantly during the forecast period due to its cost-effectiveness and small size. The mining and construction segment lead the market for tilt sensors in terms of end-use industry.Obtain Report Details @These tilt sensors have a wide range of applications in mining and construction machines and equipment. Measuring the angle of drilling is another major driving factor for the tilt sensors in the construction industry. Additionally, the automotive and transportation segment is anticipated to see highest growth rate in terms of adopting tilt sensors. Automobile security systems along with wheel alignment systems are two key application fields of tilt sensors in the automotive industry. Force balance technology based tilt sensors are expensive, which is a restraining factor for the market. Application areas of tilt sensors are increasing due to rising research activities, which is a major opportunity for the market.In terms of revenue, Asia Pacific is leading the global tilt sensor market in 2016. North America and Europe follow Asia Pacific in terms of revenue share. China is leading the market in Asia Pacific due to its technological advancement in the field of tilt sensors. Japan, India, South Korea and Taiwan among others are some of the major countries contributing in the positive development of the market for tilt sensors.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Tilt Sensor Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this marketIncreasing number of prominent aerospace and defense, mining and construction along with automotive and transportation companies is boosting the market for tilt sensor across Asia Pacific. Moreover, expansion of the semiconductor industry is also fuelling the demand for tilt sensors across Asia Pacific. In North America, the U.S. is leading the market for tilt sensors, followed by Canada and Mexico. Germany, the U.K., Italy and France contributed prominent shares in the tilt sensors market in terms of revenue across Europe. The UAE, South Africa, Brazil and Argentina among others are dominating the markets for tilt sensor across Middle East &Africa and Latin America.Strategic partnership agreements with other companies along with new product development with added features and advanced technologies are key business strategies practiced by major companies operating in the tilt sensors market globally. Prominent players operating in the global tilt sensor market include Sick AG (Germany),TE Connectivity Ltd. (Switzerland), IFM Electronic GmbH (Germany), Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (Japan), Level Developments Ltd (U.K.), Pepperl+Fuchs Vertrieb GmbH & Co. Kg (Germany), Jewell Instruments LLC (The U.S.), Balluff (Germany), DIS Sensors Bv (The Netherlands), and The Fredericks Company (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:
Transit cards Market Foresees Bright Future Ahead

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Transit card or travel card is referred to the bus, train or metro ticket that allows the passenger to take unlimited trips in a fixed period of time or to take a certain number of pre purchased trips. The global transit cards market is expected to witness a robust growth rate during the forecast period due to the emerging trend of the use of contactless transit cards in transportation. Compared to the contact based cards, this contactless smart cards are easy and convenient to use. These contactless transit cards have become the preferred choice for transportation owing to the fact that they enable fast identification of the individual. It also allows fast fare payment allowing high passenger throughput in less time as these transit cards do not have to be swiped, inserted or scanned by the reader.The global transit cards market is expected to witness a progressive growth during the forecast period from 2017 to 2025. This is due to the increasing urbanization and population increase that have resulted in growth of passenger mobility. Public transportation have become one of the most preferred mode of transportation so as to avoid problems like traffic congestion and air pollution. To make traveling more comfortable and convenient the use of modern ticketing systems such as transit cards have been introduced that allow high passenger throughput. Another primary driver of transit cards market is the growing demand for tamper resistant cards. With the advancement in technology, new payment methods like PIN cards and mobile wallets are gaining prominence in the transportation sector. The tamper resistant transit cards are safe as these can only be accessed with the help of personal identification number (PIN). The growing demand for secure solution due to the increased incidence of fraudulent activities is another reason behind the increasing demand for transit cards.Obtain Report Details @However, high initial cost of implementation of transit cards is predicted to inhibit its adoption rate to some extent in the coming years. Transit cards market is controlled by a small set of vendors due to the limited vendor penetration. This results in low competition that have led to high replacement and deployment cost.The global transit cards market is segmented on the basis of product type, component, end use and geography. On the basis of product type the market is segmented into contactless transit cards and contact based transit cards. The contactless transit card is expected to hold the largest market share during the forecast period due to the fact that it helps to eliminate the inconvenience of multiple types of tickets used during transportation. Most of the major transit operators in the United States are implementing transit cards for fare ticketing system. Based on component, the global transit cards market is segmented into IC Micro Processor Cards, IC Memory Cards, and Optical Memory Cards.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Trackball Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this marketOn the basis of geography, the global transit cards market has been divided into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, and Latin America. Asia Pacific is expected to hold the largest share of the transit cards market in 2016 due to the presence of a large number of transportation companies in the region. The transit cards market of Asia Pacific is majorly driven by many countries including Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan owing to greater acceptance and growing penetration of transit cards.Some of the key vendors operating in the global transit cards market includes Datacard Group (The U.S), Gemalto (Netherlands), Giesecke & Devrient (Germany), Watchdata (China), Cardlogix Corporation (California), Eastcompeace Smart Card Co., Ltd. (China), 4G Identity Solution (U.A.E), and Infineon technologies (Germany) 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:
Virtual Tape Library (VTL) Market Foresees Bright Future Ahead

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Tape technology is one of the most cost effective backup solution available in the market. With drop in disk prices and reduced need for manual intervention, disk based backup solutions are gaining popularity. The performance of these backup solutions are generally faster and individual file restores from disk are significantly faster due to faster seek times.A virtual tape library (VTL) is a data storage virtualization technology which is used for data backup and data archiving purposes. Virtual tape library consists of a storage component (generally a hard disk) as tape libraries or tape drives for use with the existing backup software.Major benefits offered by virtual tape library include improved backup and restore times, reduced tape media handling, easy integration and Interoperability, multiple VTL instances, dynamic disk allocation, and data compression.Obtain Report Details @Market OverviewIn order to enhance the existing backup processes, disk is increasingly being placed in data protection path. There is an increasing demand among customers for faster backups to meet minimizing backup windows and smaller recovery times to achieve service level objectives.Presently, SMBs and Enterprises, who are either looking to replace the conventional backup tapes completely, or want to accelerate backup process and add an extra level of protection, are adopting virtual tape library (VTL). This storage solution eliminates the need of physical tape infrastructure and acts as a supported tape drive or autoloader, keeping all data on inexpensive, fast and high-capacity spinning disks.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Virtual Tape Library (VTL) Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this marketMarket DynamicsMajor drivers expected to propelling the adoption virtual tape library have resulted from the needs such as backup windows without compromising, faster restore and recovery times, rapid integration with existing backup applications, enhanced performance with efficient utilization of backup resources, and reduced operational costs associated with physical tape handling.Virtual tape libraries are solid option for medium and large enterprises as they provide easy integration into an existing tape environment. In certain cases, additional cost of the VTL is covered by the savings in integration costs and training.However, certain factors are expected to hamper the growth of virtual tape library market during the forecast period. Some of these factors are high cost as compared to a conventional disk backup array and maturity in disk-based backup products and backup software.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:
Promising Future for Internet of Things Testing Market Predicted in the Coming Years

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Internet of Things (IoT) is a scenario where each and every object along with human beings or animals is connected to internet in order to send or receive data. It does not involve direct interaction with computers. The networking is more commonly known as connected devices or smart devices. With the advent of smart devices, the need to test the equipments for performance is pertinent. Hence the market for internet of things testing is expected to witness significant growth during the forecast period.The market for internet of things testing is driven by several factors. The use of IoT in retail has helped the retailers to manage their goods and sell them online. In addition, the application of IoT also helps the vendors to manage their inventory effectively. Moreover, the integration of internet and the development of retail applications for mobiles are giving the users the possibility of shopping online without having to go to the stores. Moreover, IoT also ensures that the buyers can buy the things online and get them delivered at their desired address. The application of IoT in retail sector is further driving the need for IoT testing to improve the performance and reliability of the services. Going further, the emerging idea of micro services is also aiding to the demand for IoT based services which is in return driving the demand for IoT testing market. Furthermore, the use of IoT has also given rise to the idea of cloud computing. The growth of cloud computing is also aiding to the growth of IoT market which in return is driving the demand for IoT testing market largely.Obtain Report Details @However, the market is facing restraints in the form of security of safety of user data. The IoT enables the users to share personal and confidential data such as bank account numbers and home address. The users are concerned about the safety of these data and some of them prefer the traditional shopping experience. This is acting as a major restraint for the market. In addition, there is lack of uniform testing standards across different regions such as Europe, North America and Asia Pacific which is further pulling the demand of IoT testing market significantly.The global market for IoT testing has been segmented into testing types, service types, application and geography. In terms of testing types, the market has been bifurcated into security testing, performance testing, network testing, compatibility testing, and functional testing among others. By services type, the market has been broadly segregated into managed services and professional services. In terms of application, the global market has been divided into smart manufacturing, smart utilities, home automation, vehicle telematics and smart healthcare among others. The IoT testing market is expected to witness strong growth in home automation, smart manufacturing and vehicle telematics due to the ongoing technological advancements in these fields.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Internet of Things Testing Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this marketBy region, the global internet of things testing market has been segmented into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa. North America and Europe have been identified to be early adapters of new technology. Hence the demand for IoT and IoT testing is expected to high during the forecast period. However, the ongoing demand for efficient manufacturing and the evolution of IT based services in growing economies such and India and China is expected to drive the growth of internet of things testing market in Asia Pacific region strongly.The global internet of things testing market is facing intense competition from its major players. The leading players operating in the internet of things testing market include HCL Technologies Ltd (India), Tata Consultancy Services (India), Saksoft Ltd (India), Beyond Security (U.S.), Ixia (U.S.), Novacoast, Inc. (U.S.) Trustwave Holdings (U.S.), Rapidvalue Solutions (U.S.), Happiest Minds Technologies (India) and Praetorian (U.S.) among other emerging players.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:
Ethyl Acetate - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Analysis and Forecast 2027

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Global Ethyl Acetate Market Information by Application (Food & Beverage, Pharmaceutical, Cosmetics, Laboratories and Others) - Forecast to 2027The global ethyl acetate market has experienced a remarkable growth over the last decade owing to its use in the several industries such as food & beverage, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, laboratories and others. Progressive growth in such industries has propelled the demand for ethyl acetate across the world. As per the MRFR analysis, Asia-Pacific is estimated to be the largest producer and consumer of ethyl acetate.Get a sample copy of this report atStudy Objectives of Ethyl Acetate 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 global ethyl acetate market. To provide insights about factors affecting the market growth. To analyse the global ethyl acetate market based on various factors- price analysis, supply chain analysis, porters five force analysis etc. To provide historical and forecast revenue of the market segments and sub-segments with respect to four main geographies and their countries- North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of the World (ROW). To provide country-level analysis of the market with respect to the current market size and future prospective. To provide country-level analysis of the market for segment by applications. To provide strategic profiling of key players in the market, comprehensively analysing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for the market. To track and analyse competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, new product developments, and research and developments in the Global Ethyl Acetate Market.Segmentation:The global ethyl acetate markets is segmented into applications. On the basis of applications, the global market is segmented into the industries such as food & beverage, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, laboratories and others.Complete Report Available atKey Players: Jubilant Life Sciences CarbohimWood and Chemical Company INEOS Group Solutia Nippon Synthetic Chemical SIPCHEM Indo Acidatama Chemical Chiba Ethyl Acetate Dairen Chemical EnichemThe reports also covers brief analysis of Geographical Region includes:North AmericaUSCanadaMexicoEuropeGermanyFranceItalySpainU.KRest of EuropeAsia  PacificChinaIndiaJapanAustralia/New ZealandRest of Asia-PacificLatin AmericaBrazilOthersMiddle East & AfricaGet a Table of Content atThe market report for ethyl acetate of Market Research Future comprises of extensive primary research along with the detailed analysis of qualitative as well as quantitative aspects by various industry experts, key opinion leaders to gain the deeper insight of the market and industry performance. The report gives the clear picture of current market scenario which includes historical and projected market size in terms of value and volume, technological advancement, macro economical and governing factors in the market. The report provides details information and strategies of the top key players in the industry. The report also gives a broad study of the different market segments and regions.At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members.Akash AnandP: +1 646 845 9312W:
Loyalty Management Market Foresees Bright Future Ahead

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Loyalty management deals with designing of rewards to consumers for past purchase as well as provides them incentives with an objective to make future purchase. Rewards program aims at providing strong value to the customers followed by improved customer penetration, cross selling and retention. A loyalty management system consists of operational parameters which include funding options, program design and transaction types among others. In addition, it also includes various value parameters such as redemption thresholds, redemption options and earn rates. Many organizations are focusing on spending on loyalty programs owing to their offerings.The offerings include expansion of coverage to daily consumer spending, innovative rewards leading to an increase in scope for consumer response and retention followed by collaboration opportunities for enhanced services .Loyalty management software tools basically aims at building successful loyalty program for business and individual customers. Key enterprises are focusing on implementing these tools with an objective to maintain high customer satisfaction, by providing specialized loyalty programs which includes special auctions, lotteries, coupons or benefits through one platform. The global Loyalty Management market is expected to grow at a significant rate during the forecast period from 2017 to 2025.Obtain Report Details @Global Loyalty Management market has been segmented on the basis of solution, organizational size, deployment type and end user industry. On the basis of solution, the market is segmented into employee retention, customer loyalty and channel loyalty. By organizational size, the market has been segmented into small, medium and large enterprises. In terms of deployment type, the market is segmented into on demand and on-premises. End user industry segment is further segregated into Banking, Financial Services and Insurance, IT and Telecom, healthcare, manufacturing and hospitality among others.Growing need for competitive differentiation to expand market share is one of the important driver expected to boost the demand of global Loyalty Management market during the forecast period. Growing number of cardholders and use of rewards points as cash followed by significant rise in mobile technology are other factors expected to augment the demand of global Loyalty Management market during the forecast period. However, stringent government rules and regulations followed by lack of awareness about the benefits of loyalty programs are restraining the growth of global Loyalty Management market during the forecast period. Growing investments in card loyalty systems technology followed by increase in application of big data and machine learning serves as opportunities for the market. In addition, increasing sophistication of online reward management solutions are also acting as opportunity factors in the growth of global Loyalty Management market during the forecast period from 2017 to 2025.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Loyalty Management Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this marketGeographically, global Loyalty Management market has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle- East and Africa (MEA) and Latin America. In 2016, North America held the largest share of the Loyalty Management market owing to increasing focus of major industry verticals including government and BFSI among others on loyalty programs for customer retention, good employee engagement and cross selling. Europe followed North America in the global Loyalty Management market owing to increasing number of customers opting for a retail shop. In addition, Latin America shows a significant and fastest growth in the global Loyalty Management market during the forecast period owing to increase in card transactions in countries such as Mexico and Brazil followed by increase in investments by consumers in various benefit vouchers and options. All these factors are expected to increase the demand of Loyalty Management market during the forecast period from 2017- 2025.The major players operating in the global Loyalty Management market includes Oracle Corporation (The U.S.), SAP SE (Germany), Comarch (Poland), Brierley+Partners (The U.S.), ICF International, Inc. (The U.S.), TIBCO Software (The U.S.), Fidelity Information Services (FIS) (The U.S.), Lumata Group (U.K.), IBM Corporation (The U.S.), Aimia Inc. (Canada), Bond Brand Loyalty (Canada), Bond Brand Loyalty (Canada) and MicroStrategy, Inc. (The 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:
Global Surge Protector Devices market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5% by 2023

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Global Surge Protection Devices Market Information Report by Type (Plugin Surge Protection Devices, Hard Wired, Line cord, Power control device), by Application (Residential, Industrial and Commercial), by voltage types (Low voltage, high voltage) and by Regions - Global Forecast To 2023A surge protection device is one of the primary components of electrical installation protection systems used in the electrical power supply networks, communication and telephone networks. They are primarily the most efficient type of overvoltage protection. The surge protector limits the voltage supply to an electric device by blocking or shorting the excess voltage. The market for surge protection devices is witnessing significant growth because of the rise in alternative energy implementations, increase in demand for protection of electronic devices and the power quality issues faced.Get a sample copy of this report atProtection devices are segmented on the basis of the types of voltage they operate upon, such as high and low voltage systems. Furthermore, they are classified based on the application types such as residential, industrial and commercial applications. The hard-wired surge protection devices are expected to grow the fastest and they are installed in dwellings with the risk of lightning strikes and damage to the power control and distribution boards. The market is dominated by North America and Europe, where there is an increased investment in protecting urbanized infrastructure development. The Asia Pacific region is expected to grow the largest during the forecast period.The surge protector devices market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5% during the forecast period.Study Objectives of Global Surge Protection Devices MarketTo provide detailed analysis of the market structure along with forecast for the next five years of the various segments and sub-segments of the global surge protection devices market To provide insights about factors affecting the market growth To analyze the global surge protection devices market based on various tools such as Supply Chain Analysis, and Porters Five Force Analysis To provide historical and forecast revenue of the market segments and sub-segments with respect to regions and their respective key countries 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 material type, product, application and region To provide strategic profiling of key players in the market, comprehensively analyzing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for the market To track and analyze competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, new product developments, and research and developments in the surge protection devices marketComplete Report Available atRegional AnalysisGlobal Surge Protection Devices marketThere is a global demand for protecting electrical appliances from sudden voltage hike and power quality issues that may result in frequent equipment failures. Furthermore there is an increased power production from alternative energy systems around the world, which drives the need for surge protection devices. With increased urbanisation projects, the Europe and the North America region is expected to dominate the market. Also the plan to digitally transform the automobile, industrial and IT manufacturing industries, is driving the market. A similar trend is witnessed in the Asia-Pacific regions where there is an increase in infrastructure projects and manufacturing, especially in countries such as China and India. The region is expected to witness an increased growth rate during the forecast period.Key Players Siemens AG (Germany) Eaton Corporation Plc. (Ireland) Littelfuse, Inc. (U.S.) ABB, Ltd. (Switzerland) Schneider Electric SE (France) General Electric (U.S.) Vertiv(U.S) HAKEL spol. s r. o (Czech Republic)Intended Audience Distributer & Supplier companies End Users Consultants and Investment bankers Government as well as Independent Regulatory AuthoritiesGet a discount atThe report for Global surge protection devices 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, technological advancement, macro economical and governing factors in the market. The report provides details information and strategies of the top key players in the industry. The report also gives a broad study of the different market segments and regions.1 Executive Summary2 Research Methodology2.1 Scope of the Study2.1.1 Definition2.1.2 Research Objective2.1.3 Assumptions2.1.4 Limitations2.2 Research Process2.2.1 Primary Research2.2.2 Secondary Research2.3 Market size Estimation2.4 Forecast Model3 Market Dynamics3.1 Market Drivers3.2 Market Inhibitors3.3 Supply/Value Chain Analysis3.4 Porters Five Forces Analysis4 Global Surge Protection Devices Market, By Type4.1 Introduction4.2 Plugin surge protection4.3 Hard wired4.4 Line cord4.5 Power control devices5 Global Surge Protection Devices Market, By Application5.1 Introduction5.2. Residential5.3. Industrial5.4 Commercial6 Global Surge Protection Devices Market, By Voltage Type6.1 Introduction6.2 Low Voltage6.3 High Voltage7 Regional Market Analysis7.1 Introduction7.2 North America7.2.1 U.S.7.2.2 Canada7.3 Europe7.3.1 U.K.7.3.2 France7.3.3 Germany7.3.4 Rest of Europe7.4 Asia-Pacific7.4.1 China7.4.2 Japan7.4.3 India7.4.4 Rest of Asia-Pacific7.5 Rest of the World8 Competitive Analysis8.1 Introduction8.2 Competitive Scenario8.2.1 Market Share Analysis8.2.2 Market Development Analysis8.2.3 Voltage type/Service Benchmarking8.3 Siemens AG (Germany)8.3.1 Overview8.3.2 Voltage type/Service Offering8.3.3 Strategy8.4 Eaton Corporation Plc. (Ireland)8.4.1 Overview8.4.2 Voltage type/Service Offering8.4.3 Strategy8.5 Littelfuse, Inc. (U.S.)8.5.1 Overview8.5.2 Voltage type/Service Offering8.5.3 Strategy8.6 ABB, Ltd. (Switzerland)8.6.1 Overview8.6.2 Voltage type/Service Offering8.6.3 Strategy8.7 Schneider Electric SE (France)8.7.1 Overview8.7.2 Voltage type/Service Offering8.7.3 Strategy8.8 General Electric (U.S.)8.8.1 Overview8.8.2 Voltage type/Service Offering8.8.3 Strategy8.9 Vertiv.(U.S)8.9.1 Overview8.9.2 Voltage type/Service Offering8.9.3 Strategy8.10 HAKEL spol. s r. o (Czech)8.10.1 Overview8.10.2 Voltage type/Service Offering8.10.3 StrategyAt 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:
Global Continuous variable transmission Market-Forecast to 2022

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Market Research Future published a half-cooked research report on "Global Continuous variable transmission Market Research Report - Forecast to 2022" - Market Analysis, Progress, Trends and Forecast to 2023Global Continuous Variable Transmission Market Information by Type (Hydrostatic, Torodial, Cone, Variable Geometry, and Variable Diameter), by Fuel (Gasoline, Diesel, and Hybrid) by Region - Forecast to 2022Market ScenarioContinuous variable transmission is a type of automotive transmission, changes gears perfectly through an infinite number of effective gear ratios. CVT has replaced planetary gear set in the automotive transmission with two variable pulleys and metal belt/chain running between them. Automotive industry is focusing on transmission systems to comply with the emission norms and to get fuel efficient system and CVT system has emerged to provide fuel efficiency and enhanced driving experience with respect to auto gear shifting & improved acceleration. Moreover, CVT engines are demandable in automotive industry as it provides better fuel economy, more power, and convenient driving experience than traditional automotive transmission systems.Request a Copy of Sample Report @Study Objectives of Global Continuous variable transmission 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 Continuous variable transmission market To provide insights about factors affecting the market growth To analyze the global Continuous variable transmission 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, and ROW. To provide country level analysis of the market with respect to the current market size and future prospective To provide country level analysis of the market for segment by types, fuel, and region 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 continuous variable transmission marketRegional Analysis of Global Continuous variable transmission MarketNorth American and European region has stringent emissions and fuel efficiency regulations. Manufacturer and supplier are developing a transmission system to comply with the emission norms in the market. CVT systems are fuel efficient & provide more power is expected to drive the market in the North America. Also the higher technological development in the region is also a driving factor for the growth of continuous variable transmission market.Key PlayersThe key players of Global Continuous variable transmission Market report include-BorgWarner,Jatco, Punch Powertrain, Toyota Motors, ZF Friedrichshafen AG, Aisin Seiki, Efficient Drivetrains, Folsom Technologies International, Hunan Jianglu & Rongda, Hyundai Motor.Browse Full Report Details @Target Audience Continuous variable transmission manufacturer/dealer/supplier. Raw material Provider Government and research organization Investment bankers and M&A ConsultantsGeographic Analysis Geographical analysis across 17 countriesCompany Information Profiling of 10 key market players SWOT analysis, and strategy information of top five players in the market Competitive landscape including emerging trends adopted by major companiesThe report covers brief analysis of country level market information North America U.S. Canada MexicoEurope U.K. Germany Russia France Rest of EuropeAsia-Pacific China India Japan Rest of Asia-PacificROW Brazil Argentina OthersRequest Make an enquiry for this Report @The report for Global Continuous variable transmission Market of Market Research Futurecomprises of extensive primary research along with the detailed analysis of qualitative as well as quantitative aspects by various industry experts, key opinion leaders to gain the deeper insight of the market and industry performance. The report gives the clear picture of current market scenario which includes historical and projected market size in terms of value and volume, technological advancement, macro economical and governing factors in the market. The report provides details information and strategies of the top key players in the industry. The report also gives a broad study of the different market segments and regions.At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members.Akash AnandP: +1 646 845 9312W:
Worldwide Smart Thermostat Industry is Expected to Grow at a CAGR of 23.4% from 2016 to 2022

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Smart Thermostat Market by Component (Display, Humidity Sensor, Temperature Sensor), by Deployment (Wired Technology, Wireless Technology) and Application (Residential, Commercial and others) - Forecast to 2022In this rapidly changing environment, demand for IoT based service is ever increasing. The increasing demand for internet penetration is driving the smart thermostat market globally. Recently a trend towards connected devices and growing awareness of energy efficient devices is observed, to be one of the driving forces of Smart Thermostat market.The Smart Thermostat provides many advantages such as efficient energy saving, reduction in per unit energy cost, smart controlling, and others. These advantages are also responsible for the adoption of Smart Thermostat by various in different organizations. The study indicated that by the lack of infrastructure and rising cyber security threats would result as the restraining factor for the Smart Thermostat market.It has been observed that continuous developments are carried out to make more advancements to the Smart Thermostat. As per a recent news the government of New Jersey has passed a law, which encourages all the homeowners to use smart thermostats that allows the user to adjust the heating and cooling of their air-conditioners by the use of a mobile app. This initiative was taken to promote the Smart Thermostat devices.The Smart Thermostat Market is growing rapidly over 23.4% of CAGR and is expected to reach at USD ~3.5 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 The Smart Thermostat Market Research Report -Forecast to 2022.Get a sample report atThe Smart Thermostat market has been segmented on the basis of component, deployment type and application. Looking through the component segment its been observed that the display segment would grow fastest. The motion and temperature sensor is expected to grow fastest followed by humidity sensor and others in the smart thermostat market. Whereas, deployment is segmented into wired and wireless, out of which the wireless is expected to grow at a fastest pace due to various advancement in technologies. The study reveals that residential sector would grow impressively in the smart thermostat market by the forecast period. However, the commercial sector followed by others will gain a decent market share by 2022.The prominent players in the Global Smart Thermostat Market are  Nest Labs, Inc.(U.S.) Emerson Electric (U.S.) Schneider Electric (France) Honeywell International Inc.(U.S.) Carrier Corporation (U.S.) Tado (Germany) Ingersoll Rand (Ireland) Nortek, Inc. (France) Ecobee (Canada) Control4 Corporation (U.S.)Browse complete report atRegional analysis for Smart Thermostat market is studied in different geographic regions as Americas, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of world. It has been observed that North America region would account for larger share in Smart Thermostat market. The study indicates that North America region has high internet penetration and increasing Wifi based services among cusumers has resulted in the growth of Smart Thermostat market in European region.Study Objectives of Global Smart Thermostat Market: To provide detailed analysis of the market structure along with forecast of the various segments and sub-segments of the Global Smart Thermostat Market. To provide insights about factors affecting the market growth. To analyze the Global Smart Thermostat Market based porters five force analysis etc. To provide historical and forecast revenue of the market segments and sub-segments with respect to four main geographies and their countries- North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of the World (ROW). To provide country level analysis of the market with respect to the current market size and future prospective. To provide country level analysis of the market for segment on the basis of component, deployment and application. To provide strategic profiling of key players in the market, comprehensively analyzing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for the market. To track and analyze competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, new product developments, and research and developments in the Global Smart Thermostat Market.Segments:Global Smart Thermostat market is segmented on the basis of component, deployment type, and applications.Global Smart Thermostat Market by Components: Display Humidity Sensor Motion Sensor Temperature Sensor OthersGlobal Smart Thermostat Market by Deployment Type: Wired WirelessGlobal Smart Thermostat Market by Application: Residential Commercial OthersGet a discount atTABLE OF CONTENTS1 MARKET INTRODUCTION1.1 INTRODUCTION1.2 SCOPE OF STUDY1.2.1 RESEARCH OBJECTIVE1.2.2 ASSUMPTIONS1.2.3 LIMITATIONS1.3 MARKET STRUCTURE2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY2.1 RESEARCH NETWORK SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS2.2 PRIMARY RESEARCH2.3 SECONDARY RESEARCH2.4 FORECAST MODEL2.4.1 MARKET DATA COLLECTION, ANALYSIS & FORECAST2.4.2 MARKET SIZE ESTIMATION3 MARKET DYNAMICS3.1 INTRODUCTION3.2 MARKET DRIVERS3.3 MARKET CHALLENGES3.4 MARKET OPPORTUNITIES3.5 MARKET RESTRAINTS4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY5. MARKET FACTOR ANALYSIS5.1 PORTERS FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS5.2 SUPPLY CHAIN ANALYSIS6 SMART THERMOSTAT MARKET, BY SEGMENTS6.1 INTRODUCTION6.2 MARKET STATISTICS6.2.1 BY COMPONENT6.2.1.1 DISPLAY6.2.1.2 HUMIDITY SENSOR6.2.1.3 MOTION SENSOR6.2.1.4 TEMPERATURE SENSOR6.2.1.5 OTHER6.2.2 BY DEPLOYMENT TYPE6.2.2.1 WIRED6.2.2.2 WIRELESS6.2.3 BY APPLICATION6.2.3.1 RESIDENTIAL6.2.3.2 COMMERCIAL6.2.3.3 OTHERS6.2.4 BY GEOGRAPHY6.2.4.1 NORTH AMERICA6.2.4.2 EUROPE6.2.4.3 ASIA-PACIFIC6.2.4.4 REST OF THE WORLD7 COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS7.1 MARKET SHARE ANALYSIS7.2 COMPANY PROFILES7.2.1 NEST LABS, INC.(U.S.)7.2.2 EMERSON ELECTRIC (U.S.)7.2.3 SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC (FRANCE)7.2.4 HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.(U.S.)7.2.5 CARRIER CORPORATION (U.S.)7.2.6 TADO (GERMANY)7.2.7 INGERSOLL RAND (IRELAND)7.2.8 NORTEK, INC. (FRANCE)7.2.9 ECOBEE (CANADA)7.2.10 CONTROL4 CORPORATION (U.S.)7.2.11 OTHERSAt 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:
Animal Parasiticides Market to Grow Exponentially Forecast, 2024

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The demand for animal parasiticides is growing due to the increasing awareness of zoonatic diseases. With the rising concern towards animal welfare is one of the major reasons behind the growing popularity of animal parasiticides. The market has been segmented by products into ectoparasiticides, endoparasiticides, endectocides, tablets, oral liquids, sprays, injectables, spot on and pour on, ear tags, collars. Furthermore, the market is also segmented by animal types such as Cats, Pigs, Dogs, Cattle, Sheep and Goats. The market by geography has been segmented into Europe, Asia Pacific, North America and Rest of the World (RoW).Spot-ons and pour-ons accounted the largest market share of the global animal parasiticides market in 2014. The growth in this segment can be attributed to rising popularity and use of spot-on and pour-on formulations in animal parasiticides market. Furthermore, growing demand for ectoparasites for food-producing animals and companion animals is also expected to stimulate the growth of the market. Availability of wide array of parasiticides product by major players, rising demand for animal-based food and animal protein are some of the driving factors for the animal parasiticides market. In addition, rising animal welfare awareness is increasing the adaption of animals such as dogs and cats among others. Increasing livestock farming as a source of income in developing nations are fueling the demand for animal parasiticides. However, there are some of the restraining factors may hinder the growth of the market in near future such as stringent rules and regulations of authoritative bodies in use of parasiticides in food- producing animals in some of the countries. Moreover, time consuming and expensive procedures of new product development are some of the restraining factors for the market.View Report-Europe is leading the market for animal parasiticides followed by North America, Asia Pacific and Rest of the World. In developed nations, implementation of animal welfare acts is one of the major driving factors for the animal parasiticides market. The emerging market in Latin America and Asia Pacific is contributing in the positive growth of animal parasiticides market owing to the increasing population of companion animals and livestock. Moreover, increasing per capita expenditure on animal health along with improving infrastructure of animal welfare is some of the major factors fueling the demand for animal parasiticides in these regions. With growing awareness towards animal healthcare, countries such as China, India, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand in developing nations like Asia pacific is expected to depict a significant growth over the forecast period from 2015 to 2021. Argentina and Brazil are potential market for animal parasiticides across Latin America.Some of the key players operating in the animal parasiticides market are Ceva Sante Animale S.A., Vetoquinol S.A., Virbac SA in France, Bayer Aktiengesellschaft in Germany, Novartis AG in Switzerland, Merial Limited, Eli Lilly and Company, Zoetis Inc. and Merck & Co., Inc. in U.S.Request a brochure of this report to know what opportunities will emerge in the rapidly evolving Animal Parasiticides Market during 2016- 2023About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.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:
ECG Systems Market : Estimated to Flourish by 2016  2024

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Global ECG Systems MarketElectrocardiography (ECG) is a way of measuring the electrical activity of the heart. During each heartbeat, cardiac muscles undergo depolarization, creating a small electrical charge. This charge, the frequency and magnitude of which serves as a sign of heart health, is detected via electrodes on the chest and limbs. ECG systems allow cardiologists to diagnose several cardiac conditions, such as arrhythmias, congenital cardiac problems, and poor blood supply. The ease of conducting an ECG test has led to it becoming widely used for primary cardiologic diagnosis.Global ECG Systems Market: DriversThe primary driver for the global ECG systems market is the increasing prevalence of cardiovascular diseases. The increasing acceptance of the Western lifestyle in developing regions such as Asia Pacific and Latin America has led to an increasing prevalence of lifestyle disorders such as diabetes and obesity, which are major risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Cardiac diseases are already among the deadliest groups of diseases across the world and are expected to increase in morbidity in the coming years due to the increasingly sedentary lifestyle of the modern populace. This will likely propel the global ECG systems market at a brisk pace.Steady technological innovation in medical devices, required to iron out the tiniest of flaws and make vital medical devices as precise as possible, has led to the development of advanced ECG systems that monitor cardiac activity with a high degree of precision. This has made diagnosis through ECG systems increasingly reliable, consequently increasing patient confidence and thus driving the global ECG systems market.Several governments across the world have been proactive in establishing advanced, modernized health-care networks. This has led to steady government support for the development of disease monitoring devices that can provide accurate diagnoses and thus help reduce the incidence of diseases. This has worked in favor of the global ECG systems market in the past few years and is expected to remain an influential factor in the coming years.View Report-Global ECG Systems Market: Restraints and OpportunitiesOn the flip side, the instability of economic conditions in many parts of the world and the lack of promising reimbursement policies are the major restraints on the global ECG systems market. The ECG systems market has also suffered from saturation in developed economies, where healthcare networks have already reached a high level of sophistication. However, the rising demand for ECG systems from emerging countries will help market players overcome this concern.The ECG systems market remains highly competitive at present, with many companies able to offer devices at similar levels of technological sophistication. Collaboration for R&D as well as other parts of the product lifecycle has thus emerged as a major opportunity for players in the global ECG systems market. Collaboration will help players improve their R&D channels, while M&As will also allow multinational players to expand their geographical reach. Major players in the global ECG systems market include Royal Philips Healthcare, Nihon Kohden Corp., Welch Allyn, GE Healthcare, and Medtronic.Global ECG Systems Market: Regional DynamicsThe global ECG systems market was dominated by North America in 2015. The high prevalence of lifestyle disorders such as diabetes and obesity is a major factor responsible for the dominance of North America in the global ECG systems market. The increasing aging population, which is more prone to cardiac trouble than younger demographics, is another key factor expected to shape the trajectory of the ECG systems market in the region. The Europe market for ECG systems took up the second-largest share in the global market.The future of the global ECG systems market, though, is expected to be dominated by Asia Pacific, with the increasing prevalence of cardiac disorders and increasing government support in APAC countries expected to help the regional market post strong figures in the coming years.Request a brochure of this report to know what opportunities will emerge in the rapidly evolving ECG Systems Market during 2016- 2024About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.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:
Equine Veterinary Services Market : Demand, Overview, Price and Forecasts To 2024

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Equine Veterinary Services Market: OverviewGlobal equine veterinary market is observed to be a multi-billion dollar industry that consists of various equine activities such as horse racing, competitive riding and leisure. Thus, various veterinary services that supplement the growth of this market are vaccination, gynecological care, dental care, gastroscopy, lameness, respiratory care, colic assessment and treatment.View Report @The vaccination regime of horses is integral part of equine health against various clinical conditions like equine influenza, tetanus, strangles, ringworm, EHV (Equine Herpes Virus), EVA (Equine Viral Arteries) and West Nile Virus (WNV). Dental care services include the routine dental examinations and rasping service for horses, some of the complex problems are also diagnosed with an X-ray.The gynecological care comprises routine sampling of CEM (Contagious Equine Metritis) and EVA testing , fertility check accompanied with hysteroscopies, artificial insemination, pregnancy diagnosis, pregnancy follow-up, assistance during foal birth and umbilical scanning, bloodsampling for IgG estimation in newborn foal health management. Gastroscopy consists of use of 3 meter videoscope for diagnosis of gastric ulcers. Lameness is one of the most common cause that affects limbs of horses and is diagnosed with digital X-rays, ultrasound and thermal scans. Respiratory care includes services related with tracheal washing and broncho-alveolar-lavage.Equine Veterinary Services Market: Region-wise OutlookThe veterinary services provided in market by major breeding farms and equine veterinary hospitals. This is a very specialized sector and is limited to equine species healthcare management hence, overall its considered to be a premium sector because of the specific requirements. The major market shift is estimated to be observed in coming five years where due to economic downturn in Europe has forced the market to export the horses to slaughterhouses or to Asian countries as there is significant potential for horse racing and showcase in China. This is perceived to affect the North American and European global market share in equine veterinary market as the Asia-Pacific market is observed to be growing in case of horse population.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Shock Wave Therapy Device Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market.As a constituent of Asia-Pacific, Australian equine market was observed to rank among the top three regional equestrian and equine veterinary services markets. After the European downturn and legal hindrances in North American market Australia turned out to be among the leading horse producing / breeding countries in the world. On the same basis, China was perceive to expand its investing and capacity in horse racing and betting by importing quality breeds from countries especially from European region.Thus, China intends to maintain particularly race-horse breeds; as race-horses require additional care and supervision thus equine veterinary services market is expected to grow significantly. According to a equine industry source, China is mounting the capacity and investing in horse racing and betting by importing quality breeds from North American and European countries. The equestrian racing infrastructure development comprises of horse race-tracks developed with an investment of approximately USD 2.0 billion with about 3,000 horses. Investment also comprises the cost of s developing trainers and riders in particular equine training schools.Equine Veterinary Services Market: Key Segments and PlayersThe major products observed in the industry are in-house diagnostics, reference laboratories, digital imaging and others. The in-house diagnostics segment is expected to account for the largest share in the global equine veterinary services market. Some of the key players having presence in the global equine veterinary services market are IDEXX Laboratories, Inc., Medical Management International, National Veterinary Associates and VCA Antech, 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:
Pediatric Interventional Cardiology Market | Key Trends and Forecast Research Report 2024

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Pediatric Interventional Cardiology Market: OverviewInterventional cardiology incorporates catheter based treatments for cardiac disorders and is performed by certified interventional cardiologists. Majority of the interventional cardiology procedures are considered to be minimally invasive as these do not involve the use of multiple instruments to enter the body or large incisions (open surgeries). These procedures involve the use of catheters inserted into femoral artery in the upper leg. Real time x-ray is used to guide the catheter towards heart or vascular area. There are several advantages of interventional cardiological procedures such as low risk of infection, short postoperative recovery times and avoidance of large scars.Pediatric Interventional Cardiology Market: Trends and OpportunitiesCardiac catheterization, percutaneous valve repair, balloon valvuloplasty, embolic protection, use of stents, and atherectomy are some of the types of the interventional cardiology procedures. Disorders such as coronary artery disease, heart valve disorder and peripheral artery disorders are some of the conditions treated with the help of interventional cardiology procedures. Interventional treatment plans are recommended on a patient-by-patient basis and there are certain risks associated with interventional procedures. For instance, during angioplasty a patient may have a heart attack, coronary arteries can be damaged during the procedure and these can also lead to kidney damage and brain strokes. Complications of these procedures are blood clots, restenosis and bleeding.Cardiac catheterization procedures are instrumental in providing care for the pediatrics with congenital heart defects. Initially these procedures were performed as diagnostics that helped determine hemodynamic information and identify childs heart defects. However, advances in technology have altered the focus of cardiac catheterization procedures from diagnosis to treatment. Technological sophistication in devices such as catheters, balloons, stents and cardiac catheterization equipment and development of echocardiography to diagnose heart defects further support the use of these devices in enhancing the benefits of interventional cardiology procedures in children.Pediatric interventional cardiology market exhibits immense growth potential majorly due to increasing pediatric patient base and huge unmet needs of the same.View Report Pediatric Interventional Cardiology Market: SegmentationThe market for pediatric interventional cardiology can be analyzed on the basis of several heart disease valve closure devices along with transcatheter heart valves and others. Heart closure devices comprises atrial septal defect and ventricular septal defect closure devices, transcatheter valves are further categorized into transcatheter pulmonary and aortic valves. Angioplasty balloons, catheters, guidewires and catheters represent other interventional cardiology devices.The geographical landscape of the market includes the analysis for four major geographies namely Asia-Pacific, North America, Europe and RoW. North America and Europe would account for the largest market shares, attributed to presence of technologically advanced healthcare infrastructure and increasing preference for minimally invasive procedures for correction of heart defects. However, with the increasing patient base and lucrative business opportunities in the emerging economies such as India and China would increase the growth of the market in these regions in near future.Pediatric Interventional Cardiology Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe factors influencing the growth of the market are continuous technological advances coupled with high degree of adoption of advanced technologies. In addition, increasing preference for minimally invasive procedures, increased investments in R&D by the market players towards development of novel devices and increased affordability of patients further fuel the growth of the market. On the other hand high cost of these procedures and presence of limited resources for effective diagnosis of heart defects might hamper the growth of the market.Furthermore, focus on development of biodegradable interventional cardiology devices along with impressive growth and uptake of transcatheter heart valves would provide lucrative growth prospects for the established and emerging players in this market. St. Jude Medical, Abbott Vascular, Cordis Corporation, GE Healthcare, Medtronic, Inc., Boston Scientific Corporation and are some of the key players competing in this market.Request a brochure of this report to know what opportunities will emerge in the rapidly evolving Pediatric Interventional Cardiology Market during 2016- 2024About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Anti-Obesity Drugs Market | Analysis & Key Trends 2024

Anti-Obesity Drugs Market

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Global Anti-Obesity Drugs Market: OverviewThe World Health Organization reveals that global obesity has more than doubled since 1980, with over 1.9 billion adults overweight in 2014, of which, more than 600 million were obese. Percentage-wise, an estimated 39% of adults were overweight and 13% were obese in 2014. An additional 42 million children below the age of five were found to be overweight or obese in 2013. Based on two surveys conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an astounding 68.8% of the U.S. adult population is considered to be overweight or obese. It is no surprise, then, that today, most of the worlds population lives in countries where obesity and overweight are claiming more lives than underweight and malnutrition.This alarming rise in the prevalence of obesity, particularly in the developed region of North America, has been single-handedly propelling the anti-obesity drugs market. Anti-obesity drugs  both prescription and OTC  are of two main types: Centrally-acting drugs and peripherally-acting drugs. These contain a host of pharmacological agents that control or reduce weight by altering either the absorption of calories or regulating appetite.This comprehensive research publication offers clients an exhaustive database of accurate, authentic, objective, and the most recent information on the global anti-obesity drugs market. The overall market is segmented based on several key criteria and each segment is thoroughly evaluated to identify the leading and weakest categories. Statistical data and inputs from industry experts support the qualitative data offered in the report and help clients devise actionable and profitable decisions for the future.View Report Global Anti-Obesity Drugs Market: Key Trends and Regional OutlookThe global market for anti-obesity drugs has been expanding at a significant pace in recent years. With the obvious driving factor being the surge in obesity levels around the globe, this market is also propelled by the strong pipeline of anti-obesity drugs. Advanced medical research by drug-manufacturing companies, medical universities and institutes, and government agencies has also substantially contributed toward the growth of the anti-obesity drugs market.The anti-obesity drugs market in North America has been flourishing over the years owing to the high level of awareness among the population about obesity and the various risks arising from the medical condition, increased healthcare expenditure, the presence of favorable reimbursement policies, extensive research and development activities in the field, and the increased involvement of government as well as non-government organizations in generating awareness and funding research.The Asia Pacific market for anti-obesity drugs is anticipated to gain momentum in the coming years thanks to the rise in obese population, resulting from increased spending on processed and packaged foods and the growing consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. Improving healthcare infrastructure and mounting healthcare expenditure is also expected to drive the market for anti-obesity drugs in APAC.Global Anti-Obesity Drugs Market: Competitive Landscape SnapshotThe leading companies operating in the global anti-obesity drugs market include Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH, Arena Pharmaceuticals Inc., Takeda Pharmaceuticals Company Limited, Zydus Cadila, Rhythm Pharmaceuticals, Merck & Co. Inc., Eisai Co. Ltd., Novo Nordisk A/S, Orexigen Therapeutics Inc., Zafgen, GlaxoSmithKline PLC, Norgine B.V., Pfizer Inc., and F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG. Owing to the increasing prevalence of obesity in several parts of the world, the degree of competition among players in the anti-obesity drugs market has been on the rise. Companies have been heavily investing in the development of agents with increased weight-loss efficacy and a high safety threshold. This gives players a greater chance of approval from regulatory bodies such as the US FDA.Companies around the globe are also focused on the development as well as successful commercialization of anti-obesity drugs that are both clinically effective and safe in the long run and also have the potential to generate massive sales and reach blockbuster status. The current portfolio of prescription weight-loss drugs and emerging anti-obesity drugs in pre-clinical or clinical trials acts as a significant force driving the global anti-obesity drugs market.Request a brochure of this report to know what opportunities will emerge in the rapidly evolving Anti-Obesity Drugs Market during 2016- 2024About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Hypodermic Needles Market | Industry Insights, Trends and Forecast up to 2024

Hypodermic Needles Market

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Global Hypodermic Needles Market: OverviewThe global hypodermic needles market is likely to exhibit robust growth. The increasing prevalence of chronic ailments and a rising geriatric population are the key factors boosting the market. The growth witnessed by this market is mainly driven by the role played by hypodermic needles in research activities. These needles also reduce the chances of contamination of fluid used during the injection of a sterile substrate.Hypodermic needles are hollow and are attached to hypodermic syringes to extract and inject fluids from the body. These needles have a long cylindrical shape with a puncturing point at the tip that pierces the patients skin. These needles can be reusable as well as disposable. Reusable needles are mainly used by diabetes patients to administer their insulin shots. However, it is very important to sterilize the reusable needles before using them in order to avoid infections of any kind. The rising prevalence of diabetes has therefore emerged as a crucial factor fuelling demand from the global hypodermic needles market.The report provides a holistic overview of the global hypodermic needles market. It studies the various growth drivers and restraints influencing the market. In order to study its competitive landscape, the report also profiles some of the most prominent enterprises operating therein. The market has been segmented on the basis of various parameters for the purpose of the study. The report includes an overview of the present market dynamics, prevailing trends, historical development, and future outlook of the market across major regional segments.View Report Global Hypodermic Needles Market: Drivers, Restraints, and Market SegmentationGovernments around the world have been implementing various regulations aimed at curtailing the incidence of needle-stick injuries. These legislations mandate the safe usage of needles to avert the risk of infections. The implementation of such stringent regulations has been crucial in stimulating demand from the global hypodermic needles market. The growth exhibited by the market is also supported by the introduction of the latest technologies in hypodermic needle-based delivery of drugs.On the flip side, the risk of infections associated with administering drugs using hypodermic needles, the increasing incidence of needle-stick injuries, and the presence of alternatives may restrain the growth of the global hypodermic needles market. Nevertheless, the market is expected to gain from the launch of novel products and the growing trend of publicprivate partnerships between manufacturing companies and government organizations.By type, the global hypodermic needles market can be segmented into safety needles and nonsafety needles. In terms of application, the market can be classified into diagnostic centers, hospitals, and home health care. Regionally, the global hypodermic needles market can be classified into North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and Rest of the World.Global Hypodermic Needles Market: Regional OutlookRegionally, North America dominates the global hypodermic needles market. The increasing geriatric population in the region and the rising prevalence of chronic diseases have been fuelling demand for hypodermic needles in North America. The regional hypodermic needle market is also gaining from the implementation of favorable regulations by governments. Apart from this and driven by increasing demand from India, China, and Japan, Asia Pacific is expected to exhibit attractive opportunities for the market.Some of the leading companies operating in the market are Terumo Corp., Albert David Ltd., Dickinson and Company, Becton, and Connecticut Hypodermics Inc. A SWOT analysis is conducted to study strengths and weaknesses of these companies. The analysis also helps in examining the opportunities and threats that these companies could face in the coming years.Request a brochure of this report to know what opportunities will emerge in the rapidly evolving Hypodermic Needles Market during 2016- 2024About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
In vitro Diagnostics Market | Industry Insights, Trends and Forecast up to 2024

In vitro Diagnostics Market

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In Vitro Diagnostics Market: OverviewIn vitro diagnostics (IVD) is a suite of diagnostic tests performed using analytical instruments and reagents, on samples such as blood, stools, urine, tissues, and other body fluids. These samples are derived from patients or healthy individuals, to detect diseases or infections. Some of the significant technologies incorporated in in vitro diagnostics are polymerase chain reaction (PCR), immunoassays, and sequencing technologies. In vitro diagnostics play significant role in risk assessment, and disease monitoring. Great advances have been achieved lately, particularly in the field of clinical immunology Recombinant allergens have been investigated in diagnosing asthma and food, pollen-induced and insect allergies, in in vitro testing.In Vitro Diagnostics Market: SegmentationThe market can be segmented across different categories such as product types, applications, end users and geography. Based on product types, the market is segmented into, instruments, data management systems and reagents & kits. Based on application, the market is further segmented into, diabetes, infectious diseases, oncology, cardiology, nephrology, HIV, and other applications. Laboratories, standalone clinics, hospitals and patients form the major end-users of the market.The in vitro diagnostic market comprises several tests such as thyroid function tests, renal function tests, lipid profiling, liver function tests, basic metabolism tests, immunoassays, Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), radio Immunoassay (RIA), florescent Immunoassay (FIA), hematology, full blood count (RBC, WBC, and platelets), bone marrow testing, blood coagulation tests, biopsy, microbiology, and other IVD techniques.View Report In Vitro Diagnostics Market: Regional InsightOn basis of geography, the market has been segmented into five countries  Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. The BRICS IVD market is expected to have a healthy growth rate owing to the booming healthcare industry, thus driving the in vitro diagnostics market. China is expected to have the major share and is likely to remain the largest regional segment of BRICS countries, followed by Brazil, Russia, India, and South Africa.Rampant economic growth observed in BRICS countries and emerging markets enabling patient base to afford diagnostic services has resulted in steady increase in healthcare expenditure. This is likely to remain an important driver for the BRICS IVD market in coming years. Increased awareness of diseases and personalized medicines, and rising health conscious urban population, combined with growing incidences of infections and diseases, has led to rise in demand for in vitro diagnostics in BRICS countries. Large aging population and prevalence of chronic diseases, combined with government support for healthcare market will drive the in vitro diagnostics market in China.Brazil Chamber of Laboratory Diagnostics (BCLD) study demonstrated that out of the total in vitro diagnostics market, laboratories comprised 88%, followed by blood banks at 11%, whereas Point of Care (POC) testing centers comprised only 1%. Increasing healthcare budgets along with rising number of private hospitals, and income levels backed by huge untapped population base offer interesting growth opportunities for IVD market in Brazil. However lack of proper reimbursement policies and a stringent regulatory framework may hamper the market growth. IVD market in South Africa has reached a stable phase with growth concentrated around infectious diseases diagnostics. However price sensitivity, lack of reimbursement policies and labor shortages continue to prove a hindrance to the growth of IVD market in South Africa.In Vitro Diagnostics Market: Key PlayersThe in vitro diagnostics market is competitive in nature and hence possesses higher threat to new entrants. Some major players of in vitro diagnostics market comprises Roche diagnostics, Siemens Healthcare, Danaher, Abbott Laboratories, Inc., Johnson & Johnson, and Bio Rad laboratories, Inc.Request a brochure of this report to know what opportunities will emerge in the rapidly evolving In vitro Diagnostics Market during 2016- 2024About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Traffic Management Systems Market Analysis and Forecast upto 2025

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Road authorities deploy advanced traffic management systems to maximize operation performance and reliability of all aspects of road networks such as traffic management, control, and surveillance. Traffic management systems include urban and inter-urban systems, vehicle detection systems, ramp metering systems, bridge traffic management systems, and tunnel traffic management systems. According to Texas A&M Transportation Institute, on an average, Americans spend more than 5 billion hours in traffic and purchase an extra 3 billion gallons of fuel, costing more than USD 120 billion per year. According to the European Commissions department for Mobility & Transport, congestion costs Europe 1% of its GDP every year.Congestion costs China about 4% to 5% of its GDP. Traffic jams are a major problem in several other major economies across the world, which significantly affects their economic and social growth. Deployment of ATMS in urban and inter-urban road networks improves the efficiency of utilizing existing road networks. This minimizes financial burden on transportation authorities and governments by reducing necessary investments required for road network expansions for congestion control.Obtain Report Details @Aggressive demand for traffic management solutions is expected from emerging countries such as India, China, and Brazil due to rapidly increasing congestion issues in their major cities. Some of the key factors driving the market include high growth rate of demographics as also the fact that developing countries are facing hyper urbanization. Further, availability of connectivity and hardware devices at affordable cost is another key factor driving the traffic management systems market.Growing need for real time information systems and rise in focus of government investment for setting up traffic management systems with latest technology is expected to drive the demand for traffic management systems over the next few years. Lack of uniform and standardized technology in traffic management is a key factor restraining market growth. Further, the emergence of IoT (Internet of Things) and the application of edge analytics in traffic management systems is a key opportunity for the traffic management system market.The traffic management systems market by software is segmented by route guidance, smart signaling, traffic analytics, and smart surveillance. The smart surveillance segment has been further segmented into video management software, video analytics by application, and video analytics. The video analytics by application segment has been further segmented into facial recognition, ANPR, incident detection, and pedestrian detection.Make an Enquiry@The traffic management systems market by hardware has been segmented into sensors, display board, surveillance cameras and others. The sensors segment is further segmented into speed sensor, vehicle detection over the next few years. High adoption of traffic management systems in the region is resulting in this high revenue share. High penetration rate of latest technology in traffic management systems is expected to drive the market further in the region.Some of the key players operating in the traffic management systems market include Siemens AG (Munich, Germany), Hitachi Ltd (Tokyo), WS Atkins PLC (U.K.), Nuance Communications, Inc. (The U.S.), EFKON AG (Austria), Garmin International Inc. (The U.S.), Iteris, Inc. (The U.S.), Telenav, Inc (The U.S.), Thales Group (France), and TomTom NV (The Netherlands). The key players operating in the traffic management market are a focusing a considerable amount of their revenue in research and development for developing new products and gain competitive advantage over its competitors.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.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. 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.Transparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Updated at 5:47 p.m.

Oregon-made rifle scopes shared a White House stage Monday with Stetson hats and Gibson guitars during a products showcase designed to promote U.S. manufacturing.

Executives with Beaverton-based Leupold & Stevens were on hand for the Made in America showcase featuring companies from each state, from Liberty Bottleworks of Washington to Caterpillar of Illinois to Chick-fil-A of Georgia.

Leupold & Stevens executives Rob Nees (left) and Shane Meisel display their company's rifle scopes during the Made in America Product Showcase, Monday, July 17, 2017, in the Blue Room at the White House in Washington, D.C.

President Donald Trump has made shoring up U.S. manufacturing a key tenet of his "America first" agenda and his promise to create 25 million jobs in 10 years. To that end, he has pulled the U.S. out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership and pledged to negotiate better trade deals.

But he has also been accused of hypocrisy, as many of his Trump-label products are made overseas.

At Monday's event, Trump said he would take more legal and regulatory steps in the next six months to protect American manufacturers, criticizing trade practices he said have hurt U.S. companies.

"I want to make a pledge to each and every one of you," he said. "No longer are we going to allow other countries to break the rules, steal our jobs and drain our wealth."

Shane Meisel, director of international sales and marketing for Leupold & Stevens, said the company is happy to see the renewed focus on American manufacturing, and was honored to be recognized by the White House.

The fifth-generation company was founded in Portland in 1907, and moved to Beaverton in the '60s. Now, the company employs more than 700  including 96 engineers  at its 160,000-square-foot factory and offices in Beaverton and its distribution center off U.S. 26. Other than glass lenses and rubber O-rings, every component is made in its factory, Meisel said.

Leupold & Stevens makes rifle scopes, rangefinders, binoculars and mounting systems. Here's a peek inside its Beaverton factory.

Meisel said Leupold & Stevens is the world's largest rifle scope manufacturer in terms of sales. It sells scopes to hunters and competitive shooters, as well as to law enforcement and military personnel. The company has contracts with the U.S. military, as well as militaries for Australia, Canada, Israel and Japan, he said.

Meisel said the company has kept production stateside because of its commitment to quality control.

"We have had many opportunities to shift manufacturing overseas," he said. "The products we make are precision instruments, and they need to be made right."

There's a lot riding on the quality of a rifle scope, he explained. If a scope malfunctions, a missed shot is the best-case scenario. In the worst-case scenario, he said, someone dies.

The company has grown in recent years, adding capacity to the factory, Meisel said. This growth is driven by increased demand.

Better access to shooting ranges has encouraged more people to pick up guns, he said. The fastest growing segment for Leupold & Stevens is women, who are increasingly taking up hunting and shooting sports, he said.

The region's locavore movement, usually associated with farmers markets and high-end restaurants, is also driving the company's growth.

"There's nothing more local or organic than some deer or elk meat from the coast range," Meisel said.

-- Anna Marum

amarum@oregonian.com

503-294-5911

@annamarum

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Lynne Terry | The Oregonian/OregonLive

By the numbers: Sexually transmitted diseases in Oregon

Sexually transmitted diseases have no gender bias: They infect both men and women. But among the top STDs in Oregon, women are at the highest risk of getting chlamydia while cases of gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV are most common in men.

The best protection is to practice safe sex with potentially infected partners. That means ensuring that their semen or vaginal fluid do not get inside your vagina, anus, penis or mouth. It also means avoiding genital skin contact because some sexually transmitted infections, like herpes or genital warts, can be spread though the skin.

Safe sex needs to be practiced with every sexual encounter:

Oral sex with a condom, dental dam or plastic wrap;

Vaginal sex with a male or female condom;

Anal sex with a male or female condom.

People at risk, especially those who are not in monogamous relations and are sexually active, should get tested. Some sexually transmitted infections can be cured with antibiotics. They include gonorrhea, though cases of antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea are growing.

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Lynne Terry | The Oregonian/OregonLive

Chlamydia ranks No. 1

In Oregon, cases of chlamydia have been on the rise from more than 9,860 in 2007 to about 17,600 in 2016, making it the state's most common sexually transmitted disease. Over that time span, women accounted for more than 93,200 cases, compared with nearly 42,000 cases among men.

The good news is that it is easily treated with antibiotics. Left untreated, women risk damaging their reproductive system, making it difficult or impossible to later become pregnant.

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Stephen Cummings

Gonorrhea ranks No. 2

Gonorrhea is the second-most prevalent sexually transmitted infection that the state tracks. What's more, cases have nearly tripled since 2010 from 1,070 to just over 4,360 last year.

Even worse: The bacteria have mutated to resist treatment. About half of the specimens tested in Oregon for antibiotic resistance are immune to ciprofloxacin, which used to be the go-to drug to treat gonorrhea. About 10 percent are resistant to zithromycin. Only a small fraction appear to be less sensitive -- but not immune -- to two other commonly prescribed antibiotics. cefixime and ceftriaxone.

Gonorrhea is treatable but public health officials worry that it might not be in the future. Men account for about 60 percent of the cases compared with 40 percent for women.

Check out our slideshow of the top 10 counties for gonorrhea in Oregon.

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Syphilis ranks No. 3

Syphilis cases have risen dramatically in Oregon, skyrocketing from a mere 26 cases in 2007 to 570 last year.

Almost all of the cases are in men, mainly men who have sex with men. Though no one knows what's behind this trend, specialists suspect it has to do with relaxed condom use stemming from improved HIV drugs.

Multnomah and Lane counties have run public awareness campaigns and informed providers to recommend testing. It's not clear whether those campaigns have had a direct effect but cases did level off between 2015 and 2016.

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Joe Raedle/Getty Images

HIV ranks No. 4

HIV is the fourth most common sexually transmitted infection in Oregon in terms of yearly diagnoses. But it is one of the most prevalent in terms of infections. Improved drugs have turned the infection from a death warrant into a chronic disease.

Yearly cases have dropped as well, from just over 700 in 2007 to 530 in 2015. NEED 2016 NUMBER. The total number of people living with HIV in Oregon is about 7,250 as of the end of 2016, according to the Oregon Public Health Division.

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Wikimedia Commons

Herpes is widespread

Oregon does not collect statistics on herpes. The virus is just too common. There are two types, herpes simplex 1, which primarily causes cold sores, and herpes simplex 2, which mainly affects the genital area. An estimated 20 percent of the population has herpes simplex 2 and an estimated 60 percent have type 1. The best way to avoid infection is to avoid contact with the sore though they can sometimes be difficult to recognize. An infected person can also shed the virus when not suffering an outbreak.

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Vacinacao Contra HPV

Genital warts are common

Genital warts are are so common that the infection is not tracked by Oregon health authorities.

They're caused by the Human Papillomavirus -- HPV. Many strains have been identified, including those which are low risk and are associated with benign warts. About a dozen high-risk strains have been identified, with two responsible for most HPV-caused cancers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Food and Drug Association has approved three vaccines to prevent cancer-causing infections.

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Protect yourself with safe sex

The only foolproof way to protect yourself from getting a sexually transmitted infection is abstinence.

But that might not sound so appealing. So learn to use a condom or other barrier to keep disease at bay during sex.

A regular condom, female condom or dental dam should be used every time you engage in oral, anal or vaginal sex. The barriers cover parts of genitals, protecting you and your partner from body fluids and some skin-to-skin contact, which can spread sexually transmitted disease.

Also, sexually active people should get tested for sexually transmitted diseases. Most people with STDs dont have symptoms or know theyre infected, and they can easily pass the infection to their partners. Testing is the only way to know for sure whether or not someone has an STD.

Health officials advise partners who want to forego barriers to get tested, wait six months while practicing safe sex and then get tested again. It can take HIV, for example, that length of time to show up on a test.

Gonorrhea, syphilis and chlamydia are all treatable with antibiotics. Herpes is not, though there is medication that can help prevent transmission. HIV has become a chronic illness that is treated -- but not cured -- with medication. There is now a drug to prevent getting infected as well.

But above all, tell your partner your sexual health status before engaging in sex.
A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit that challenged the fees Portland levies on cable TV service.

Salem attorney Christopher Best filed the suit in November on behalf of a Portland resident, alleging that the local cable authority had improperly commingled fees it collects on Comcast and other cable TV companies, which typically pass the added costs on to consumers. The money supports public-access and educational programing, and telecasts of government meetings.

The lawsuit alleged that Portland, Multnomah County and the four suburbs that constitute the Mt. Hood Cable Regulatory Commission had improperly commingled those funds, creating a "slush fund" and spending money on projects beyond their authority.

However, U.S. District Judge Ann Aiken ruled earlier this month that the law allows Portland to collect the fees and that the plaintiff failed to show any injury from the alleged misspending.

-- Mike Rogoway; twitter: @rogoway; 503-294-7699
The warnings being offered to President Donald Trump's enablers and defenders keep growing, keep becoming more pointed.

History is going to judge you harshly, they're being told. Your grandchildren are going to be ashamed of you.

NBC News political analyst Anand Giridharadas said that very thing on air over the weekend.

Sean Spicer, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Kellyanne Conway, Reince Priebus and the rest of the Trump spin team, he was talking to you.

But not only to you.

Defense Secretary James Mattis and National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster, you're not immune to history's baleful stare. Sure, even Democrats, pleased there would be some grown-ups in the room, applauded when you agreed to join the administration. But you've now witnessed months of lies and questionable actions from the president you serve. You are now complicit.

Speaker of the House Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, history is watching you too. Why do you have so little to say about Russia's attempts to undermine the 2016 U.S. election or the administration's ham-handed cover-up of its Russia connections? Why do you shrug at the president's idiotic, insulting tweets that degrade the country's reputation 140 characters at a time?

There is an easy, knee-jerk answer. The late Ronald Reagan, the GOP's most iconic modern president, liked to talk about the "Eleventh Commandment": "Thou shalt not speak ill of another Republican."

But that sentiment was based on shared values, which included straight-talking, a sense of decency and patriotism. President Trump does not share the values that animated Reagan's political career.

Pulitzer Prize-winning conservative columnist George Will has abandoned the Grand Old Party because of its willingness to give up its long-standing principles and overlook Trump's character flaws. So has congressman-turned-MSNBC talker Joe Scarborough, who, along with his fiancee and co-host Mika Brzezinski, has had a running public battle with Trump.

One suspects that John McCain, Lindsey Graham, Ben Sasse and a few other high-minded Republican senators secretly wish they could walk away from the party as well. Having given up so much to gain power -- and, unlike the man in the Oval Office, not being narcissists -- they've discovered how empty power feels when wielded only for the sake of it.

Trump had the backing of very few Republican Party leaders during the primaries last year. But when he jumped out to an all-but-insurmountable lead by pulling in disaffected voters -- including racists and conspiracy theorists who usually sit out elections -- the GOP's poobahs buckled under the demands of courage. Rather than stand up for their party and turn away the interlopers who were stealing it from them, they embraced Trump. They refused to block him at the convention, then refused to run away from him on the campaign trail.

And that meant, points out Jennifer Rubin, author of the Washington Post's conservative Right Turn blog, they've had to "wave off Trump's racist attacks on a federal judge, blatant lies about everything from 9/11 to his own involvement in birtherism, replete evidence of disloyalty to America (i.e. Trump's 'Russia first' policies), misogyny, Islamophobia, ongoing potential violations of the Constitution's emoluments clause (along with a mass of conflicts of interests), firing of an FBI director, and now, evidence that the (Trump) campaign was willing to enlist a foreign power to defeat (Hillary) Clinton in the presidential election."

They've had to wave all of that off, while trying to govern a country that, thanks in part to both their actions and their refusal to act, hasn't been so divided since the Civil War.

Having given up the moral high ground for the promise of the White House and a governing majority, the GOP's old guard now quietly, desperately hopes that Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who's investigating the possibility of a conspiracy involving Russia and the Trump team, will save them from their own failure.

-- Douglas Perry
ISTANBUL - A Chinese American student Iran has accused of espionage was sentenced by an Iranian court to 10 years in prison, the judiciary's official news agency reported Sunday, a move likely to raise tensions with the Trump administration ahead of a deadline to waive some Iran sanctions.

The Mizan news agency named the American as 37-year-old Xiyue Wang, a graduate student and researcher at Princeton University. The report said he was born in Beijing and is a dual Chinese American citizen, but that information could not be confirmed.

Earlier in the day, judicial spokesman Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejehi announced that a U.S. citizen had been sentenced for "infiltration" but did not release further details.

"It was verified and determined that he was gathering (information) and was involved in infiltration," Ejehi said at a news conference in Tehran, the Associated Press reported.

Mizan, which is affiliated with Iran's hard-line judiciary, later reported that Wang had been sentenced as part of an "infiltration project" that included the gathering of "confidential articles" to send back to the State Department and other Western academic institutions.

Wang is a fourth-year graduate student working on a doctorate in history, Daniel Day, Princeton's vice president of communications, said Sunday.

"He was arrested in Iran last summer, while there doing scholarly research on the administrative and cultural history of the late Qajar dynasty in connection with his Ph.D. dissertation," Day said in a statement. "Since his arrest, the university has worked with Mr. Wang's family, the U.S. government, private counsel and others to facilitate his release.

"We were very distressed by the charges brought against him in connection with his scholarly activities, and by his subsequent conviction and sentence. His family and the university are distressed at his continued imprisonment and are hopeful that he will be released after his case is heard by the appellate authorities in Tehran."

The report from Mizan, which included a photo from the Princeton University website, also published a quote from Wang in which he had praised the British Institute of Persian Studies for facilitating access to Iran's National Archives and other libraries. The quote was used as evidence of his spying activities, the report said, adding: "Wang admits his mission in Iran."

"I have been having trouble accessing Tehran's archives and libraries," Wang said in the 2015-2016 annual report of the British Institute of Persian Studies, a nonprofit organization based in London.

"Mrs Reyhanpour offered to help," he said of one of the institute's employees. "And within a few days, she put me in contact with senior scholars at the National Archive . . . Without Mrs. Reyhanpour's help it would be hard to imagine how long it would have taken for me to become acquainted with academic institutions in Iran."

Wang's reported conviction comes at a particularly tense time for U.S.-Iranian relations, which have rapidly deteriorated since President Trump took office.

Under the previous administration, the United States and other world powers negotiated a deal with Iran to curb its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. It was hailed as a victory for diplomacy and an end to Iran's global isolation.

But since then, the Trump administration has stepped up its anti-Iran rhetoric and placed U.S. participation in the nuclear deal under review. Monday is the deadline for the White House to decide whether to issue a waiver on nuclear-related sanctions against Iran, a provision that is required periodically under the terms of the 2015 nuclear deal. The administration is expected to approve the waiver, despite an internal debate on how to respond to Iran's human rights abuses and support for militant groups like Hezbollah.

"The Iranian regime continues to detain U.S. citizens and other foreigners on fabricated national-security related changes," a State Department official said in an emailed statement Sunday. Iran is believed to hold a number of foreign nationals, mostly dual citizens of the United States and European countries, but many of their identities have been kept secret.

"We call for the immediate release of all U.S. citizens unjustly detained in Iran so they can return to their families," the State Department official said.

It was unclear how long Wang may have been in Iranian custody, but Mizan reported authorities arrested him in August 2016 as he was leaving the country. Facebook and LinkedIn pages with Wang's name, photo, and similar work and study history indicate he studied at Harvard University from 2006 to 2008, and later worked as a Pashto language interpreter for the International Committee for the Red Cross in Afghanistan.

According to Day, Wang specialized in Eurasian history in the 19th and 20th centuries. The website of Wang's apparent advisor, Stephen Kotkin, lists Wang's thesis topic as "Islamic Inner Asia."

"We cannot comment more at the present time, except to say that the University continues to do everything it can to be supportive of Mr. Wang and his family," Day said.

Also Sunday, the brother of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani was detained for unspecified financial crimes, the judicial spokesman said. Hossein Fereidoun is a close adviser of the president and was involved in the negotiations that led to the nuclear deal with world powers. Hard-line conservatives in Iran had long accused him of corruption.

(c) 2017, The Washington Post. Erin Cunningham and Carol Morello wrote this story.
Midland Evangelical Free Church plans to open Firm Foundations Early Learning Center this fall in the children's area of its campus at 7221 N. Jefferson Ave.

The early learning center, which plans to open Tuesday, Sept. 5, will offer "high-quality, Christ-like atmosphere" for children 6 weeks to 5 years of age, according to Midland Free's Children's Ministries Director Kim Goodnight, who has partnered with Renee Johnson, director of Firm Foundations Early Learning Center. The center will be open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The greater-Midland community is invited to attend two open houses to see what's in store for children and parents who attend Firm Foundations. The open houses are scheduled for 1 to 3 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, July 27, and Tuesday, Aug. 22.

Goodnight said the idea of opening a learning center came about during a day of prayer at the church two years ago.

"In March of 2015, a small group of leaders from the church gathered to pray for an entire day," she stated in a press release. "During that time of prayer, each individual spent time alone with God, asking for a picture of what could happen in and through their life and ministry which would strengthen and expand God's Kingdom through the church."

Goodnight said she immediately began drawing a picture of what God was laying on her heart. She drew the Early Childhood rooms of Midland Free's children's area, with families from the community entering the doors directly into the children's area. A school bell was drawn to distinguish this area was being used as an early learning center throughout the week, not just for Sunday School classes.

"I was shocked at how clear this picture was and how quickly I drew it." Goodnight said, "It was as though I couldn't get the picture out of my mind and onto paper quick enough! To be quite frank, the idea of God asking me to open an early learning center at Midland Free was pretty overwhelming. I had a serious conversation with God that if he truly wanted me to open an early learning center at Midland Free, the only person with whom I would want to do so is Renee Johnson. Renee and I have children the same age and we were in Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) leadership together for several years. Renee is a faithful Christ-follower and everything she does is done with excellence."

The only roadblock to this, Goodnight said, was that Johnson and her family had moved to Toledo, Ohio a few years ago and she and Goodnight had lost touch through the years.

Over a year and a half went by and Goodnight continued to pray about what God had laid on her heart that day in 2015. Then in December 2016, Goodnight received an unexpected call. Johnson was in Midland and asked if she could meet with Goodnight. While in Goodnight's office, Johnson asked her if she had ever considered using Midland Free's children's area for an early learning center.

"We both knew at that moment that the time had come to start seriously working toward the vision God had laid on both of our hearts," Goodnight said.

Johnson is no stranger to early childhood education. She has a bachelor's degree in child development from Central Michigan University and is currently working on her master's degree in early childhood education through the University of Toledo. She currently owns and directs the Kids 1st Fun House on West Pine Street in Midland, a before- and after-school child care program, which includes a multi-site summer program for elementary age children.

Johnson also was owner/executive director of Kids 1st Child Development Center for infants to kindergarteners from 1998 to 2010. In addition, Johnson stays active consulting for teachers, directors and parents on many important topics related to the field of early childhood education. She and her husband, Dave, are marriage mentors and are passionate about doing their part to build strong marriages and families.

Goodnight has been the children's ministries director at Midland Free church for more than five years. Prior to becoming the children's ministries director, Goodnight spent 15 years as an employee of The Dow Chemical Co., using her degree in marketing and management. She has a passion for helping break the generational cycle of dysfunction in families and co-leads the Family Ministry Team at her church. In addition to 13 years of leadership in BSF, Kim was the area coordinator for Moms In Touch (now Moms in Prayer), which is a ministry where moms get together with other moms to pray for their children and school.

"We are in the process of creating a natural play environment that will be fenced in on the north side of the building. We are also busily transforming what's already a wonderful facility for children into one that meets all of the state licensing requirements for opening an early learning center," Johnson stated in a press release. "The hiring process is underway for about 20 employees as lead teachers and teacher assistants. We are excited to be part of Midland community's economic development by creating new jobs, in addition to coming alongside families here in the greater-Midland area."

Firm Foundations' program will focus on creating an environment where the basics (social, emotional, cognitive and physical growth) are developed, nurtured and enhanced for each and every child, according to Goodnight. The environment will be characterized by stimulating equipment, challenging curriculum, experienced, educated staff, small group sizes and low teacher-to-child ratios and consistent and open communication with parents and guardians, she said.

Visit www.ffelc.org for more details.
As the Great Lakes Bay Region continues to clean up from the devastating flood that saw the Tittabawassee River crest at 32.15 feet in June, more than eight feet above flood stage, local officials say residents need to stay vigilant against those who prey on the vulnerable.

Still, they are pleasantly surprised that no complaints of fraud or overcharging have been lodged with the local authorities.

City Police Chief Cliff Block and Midland County Sheriff's Office Capt. Tracy Thomas both say a review of their internal logs show no calls concerning anything that would rise to a criminal complaint, despite the fact that restoration work crews from as far away as Oklahoma have flocked to the area to deal with the historic flooding that is the second highest crest in the river's recorded history.

County Office of Emergency Management Director Jennifer Boyer said her office also has received no complaints.

Mark Bone, owner of the Bone & Bailey Insurance Agency at 512 W. Buttles St., said his agency is not even sending out adjusters, they are just cutting checks for the full amount of a policyholder's coverage.

"Because this one was so severe, some insurance companies (re., adjusters) were not even going out, they were saying you have $5,000 or $10,000 water backup, that much coverage, they were just writing the checks, which was great. Some not so good.

Auto Owners in Frankenmuth, they were just stroking the check," he said.

He said the agency has paid more than 250 claims to date.

So, too, was Tim Boychuck's State Farm Insurance Agency at 967 S. Saginaw Road.

Office Manager Alyson McCloy said, for the most part, adjusters were writing claims for the maximum amount of the policies. Still, she said, because the cost of restoration after a flood can be astounding to the average homeowner, they need to get an itemized copy of the charges.

"This is so they know exactly what they are being charged for," she said. "It's no different than anything else. When I take my car in for repairs, I look at the bill to find out what I am paying for."

McCloy said at first the office was fielding calls for dealing with the flooding. Now, she said, many calls are from people who thought they could do the cleanup themselves, only to realize that mold is setting in and a restoration company is needed.

Bone echoed that sentiment.

"The first thing they (homeowners) should do, if they haven't done anything yet, or if they come to the realization they need a restoration company to come in, is to make the property as safe as possible immediately," he said. "In the case of a flood or water backup, get the restoration in as soon as possible to alleviate the problem of mold. You may want to take pictures of what you have done.

"The main thing you do is correct the situation as best as possible to alleviate further damage," he said.

"The restoration is still going on," Bone said.

In a separate note and contrary to popular belief, Bone said any homeowner in Midland County can purchase flood insurance, even if he or she doesn't live in a flood plain.

"The rates depend on your location, how likely you are to flood," he said.
The following list includes recent reports from the Midland County Sheriff's Office and the Midland Police Department.

Wednesday, July 12

12:16 a.m. -- A 36-year-old woman was arrested for OWI following a crash investigation in Lincoln Township. She was also charged with leaving the scene and child endangerment as a 17-month-old child was in the vehicle at the time of the crash/roll over. There were no injuries.

4:44 a.m. -- Deputies were sent to Edenville Township for a report of a missing man from Lincoln Park. The man and his girlfriend got into a verbal argument and the man went for a walk. The complainant called 911 when the man could not be found. The man was located and reunited with his girlfriend. Both the man and girlfriend stated there was no assault and agreed to leave each other alone for the night. All parties involved were traveling back to Lincoln Park from Edenville Township.

5:43 a.m. -- Deputies assisted a Mount Haley farmer collecting cows that escaped from a fenced pen.

6:34 a.m. -- A 36-year-old man was taken to the ER where a petition for a mental health evaluation was filled out as he had intentionally cut his wrist.

7:36 a.m. -- A citizen called 911 because they believed a crash occurred on U.S. 10 near M-18. EMS arrived and made contact with the driver of a possible disabled vehicle. The driver was fine and said the vehicle was OK. EMS requested he remain on scene, however the driver left before a deputy arrived. There is no known information concerning the driver or the vehicle.

7:40 a.m. -- An officer responded to a be-on-the-lookout report at North Saginaw Road and Eastman Avenue.

8:40 a.m. -- A deputy was requested to check on a possible 10-year-old boy who was on a residential driveway near the roadway. When the deputy arrived in the area the roadway and driveway were clear, no child was located.

8:43 a.m. -- Officers were dispatched to a case of fraud in the 3000 block of Bay City Road.

8:58 a.m. -- A suspicious situation occurred in the 5200 block of Hedgewood Drive.

9:17 a.m. -- A 39-year-old Sanford man reported that an unknown subject opened and entered his unlocked storage shed stealing about $200 worth of tools/building supplies including a Troy-bilt weed whip, splitting maul, battery tender and roofing nails/drywall screws. The incident is believed to have occurred sometime during the overnight hours. There are currently no suspects.

9:17 a.m. -- A 62-year-old Hope Township man reported that the fabric cover on his jet ski was taken off possibly sometime during the overnight hours. The cover was found in the water next to the jet ski. There was no indication/evidence that the watercraft was damaged and/or tampered with otherwise. There are no suspects.

11:01 a.m. -- Officers responded to a larceny in the 200 block of West Reardon Street.

11:51 a.m. -- Officers responded to a crash/property damage at West Main Street and North Bent Oak Drive.

12:32 p.m. -- A suspicious situation was reported in the 6100 block of Eastman Avenue.

12:46 p.m. -- Officers were dispatched to a case of verbal domestic situation in the 500 block of East Pine Street.

1:43p.m. -- A suspicious situation occurred at East Ashman and Cambridge streets.

1:53 p.m. -- An animal complaint was reported in the 900 block of Joe Mann Boulevard.

3:24 p.m. -- Officers responded to a hit and run crash at South Saginaw and East Patrick roads.

5:08 p.m. -- Officers made an arrest for a traffic license violation-DWLS/revoked/denied.

6:03 p.m. -- A deputy was dispatched to a Lincoln Township roadway location in reference to a report of a reckless driver. The deputy checked the area, but did not locate the driver.

6:55 p.m. -- A deputy was dispatched to a Warren Township residence to assist a 28-year-old woman with property exchange between her 27-year-old ex-boyfriend. There were no issues.

7:18 p.m. --Suspicious situations were reported in the 6100 block of Jefferson Avenue.

7:20 p.m. -- Officers made an arrest for DWLS in the 400 block of Fast Ice Drive.

7:46 p.m. -- A deputy was dispatched to a Coleman address for a 911 hang up call. The deputy and a Coleman officer made contact with the homeowner, who stated her child was playing with the phone, and accidentally activated the emergency mode.

8:13 p.m. -- An officer responded to a be-on-the-lookout at Eastman Avenue and Joe Mann Boulevard.

9:09 p.m.-- An officer responded to a be-on-the-lookout report in Lee Township for a vehicle that was weaving and having issues.

9:18 p.m. -- Officers responded to a larceny in the 1800 block of South Saginaw Road.

9:19 p.m. -- A suspicious situation was reported in the 2200 block of Jefferson Avenue.

9:31 p.m. -- Deputies were dispatched to a Mount Haley Township residence in reference to a 53-year-old man who stated he could hear people arguing across the road. Deputies made contact with a 48-year-old man and a 41-year-old woman who advised they weren't arguing, just talking loudly and being emotional. No assaults.

10:17 p.m. -- An officer responded to a be-on-the-lookout report at West Business U.S. 10 and West U.S. 10.
The recent flooding in Midland and the Central Michigan area has reached the level of the great 500 year flood of 1986, but it didnt take 500 years.

This event helps clarify how the effects of climate change are now coming home to Americas heartland.

Its not just something for a far-off time or place  its happening now. Its not a theory or a computer model. Houses are flooded. Roads wash away. Farmers lose their crops. Cities come to a halt. Its costing us money now, and its going to get worse.

Heavy precipitation events are one of the earliest, and best observed, effects of a warming planet, as high school physics tells us that warmer air holds more moisture  and rain gauges around the world have confirmed this trend, right along with soaring temperature and sea level rise, exactly as predicted decades ago.

Scientists identified carbon dioxide as a heat-trapping gas 60 years ago during the development of heat-seeking missiles for the U.S. military. We know that our understanding of atmospheric gases is correct, because those missiles perform as predicted. That research has implications for the way we power our civilization.

As humanity continues to burn fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas, the amount of heat-trapping carbon dioxide in the air continues to rise. Even before the rapid change in global temperature was observed, scientists predicted, very accurately, not only the rate of temperature rise, but side effects like extreme precipitation, and changes in the distribution of warming  a climate fingerprint that can only come from a human cause.

We now see these changes playing out before our eyes.

A business as usual course will leave our children and grandchildren burdened with more unpredictable weather, and damage to infrastructure and agricultural systems that will be more and more difficult to manage. Rapid changes like this also put pressure on all the creatures we share the planet with, making it harder for them to survive.

Already, climate change is contributing to sea level rise that is costing billions of dollars as coastal cities like Miami, Charleston, Norfolk, and Boston seek to keep increasing tidal flooding at bay, and inland communities like our own contend with unpredictable weather that our buildings, houses, roads, and infrastructure were not built to withstand.

Humanity has been slow to recognize the threat  so slow that it is no longer possible to avoid serious climate changes. But we can still head off the truly catastrophic damages if we move quickly toward renewable, non-carbon energy sources like solar and wind power.

Most Americans dont realize that renewable energy is now the cheapest source of new power available.

Not long ago, Dow Chemical signed agreements to power its Freeport, Texas, operation with wind turbines. Texas is one state that has recognized the vast potential of renewable energy, as does New York, California, Minnesota, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. Why does Michigan, once the industrial leader of the world, lag behind?

The rapid pace of change has not been lost on our economic competitors around the world. China and India are currently pivoting away from coal and toward renewable energy at a pace unforeseen just a few years ago. Almost every month, a new record low price for solar or wind energy is being set.

The U.S. will withdraw from the important Paris Agreement on Climate change, inexplicably stepping back from leadership in the new century, putting us on the same track as Syria and Nicaragua.

I grew up proud to be in an America that was the scientific and industrial leader of the world, and in a state that revolutionized manufacturing and engineering. Im confident that we will regain our senses and retake that mantle someday soon.

Im also determined that Ill be able to look my grandchildren in the eye, and tell them I did everything I could to steward this beautiful planet for them, and all future generations.

PETER SINCLAIR

Midland
Members at Oakdale Baptist Church ask school officials about the needs they have and find ways to meet them.

The Church: Oakdale Baptist Church in Edmond, Oklahoma

The Challenge: Help a local school in a low-income area.

One Big Idea: Ask school officials about the needs and find ways to meet them.

Students and teachers at Crutcho Elementary School in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, have it rough. In a district made up of primarily Section 8 housing and with every student eligible for free or reduced-cost lunches, the area is known for poverty, gangs, violence and drugs. Eight years ago, an associate pastor at Oakdale Baptist Church in nearby Edmond asked school officials, What can we do to help?

They were leery at first, says Justin Ford, Oakdales senior pastor. But once they realized we were serious, they gave us opportunities far beyond what we would have dreamed.

With seven miles between the church and the schooland the church located in an area of gated communitiesit was an unlikely partnership. But over the years, church volunteers have held workdays at the school, prepared meals for PTA meetings and provided weekly tutors. They also have participated in Tie Day, a mentoring event for school-aged boys.

The church also celebrates Crutcho students with birthday cakes. Once a year, Oakdales youth prepare custom birthday cakes for each student. The cakes are frozen and given to the children on their respective birthdays. For some kids, its the first birthday cake they have received in their lives.

Oakdale has made a point to serve the schools staff as well as its students. Each teacher is adopted by a family at the church and receives an annual personal postcard. And once a month, a prayer meeting is held to pray specifically for school personnel.

Its not just about the kids, Ford says. And that mentality has led to important relationships. Six years ago, Ford prayed with Crutchos principal to become a follower of Christ. After four years and a battle with cancer, the principal passed away, leaving a huge impact [on] the school spiritually, says Ford.

Really, the story isnt about what we have done for them. Its a story about a school that has opened itself up to the church, Ford says. We asked how we can help, and they responded with great ideas.

Find more childrens outreach ideas 

OAKDALE BAPTIST CHURCH

Edmond, Oklahoma

OakdaleBC.com
If you haven't heard yet about President Trump's plan to arm Taiwan, then, well, you probably don't live in China -- because China has been very vocal about this event. Calling America's plan to sell more than $1 billion worth of weapons to Taiwan a "wrong decision" that will "severely damage China's sovereignty and security interests"; the Chinese embassy to the U.S. said it was "outraged." And that's not all.

China went further, demanding last week that the U.S. "stop military contacts with Taiwan" -- and threatened "further action" if its demand is not met.

So what is it exactly about this deal that so upsets China, and why should investors pay attention? Here are the details.

Taiwan's shopping list

The Trump Administration's sale of weapons to Taiwan is its first since the president took office -- and the biggest arms package for Taiwan since the Obama Administration's $1.7 billion deal, announced in 2015. It is described in a series of seven "notifications" made to Congress by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, which is the Pentagon's department responsible for coordinating weapons sales to U.S. allies abroad. The weapons in question include:

16 Standard Missile-2 (SM-2) Block IIIA surface-to-air missiles, plus related equipment, valued at $125 million.

50 AGM-88B air-to-ground High-speed Anti-Radiation Missiles (HARMs) and 10 training rounds, valued at $147.5 million.

56 AGM-154C Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) Air-to-Ground Missiles valued at $185.5 million.

Hardware and software needed to upgrade the AN/SLQ-32(V)3 Electronic Warfare Systems on Taiwan's four Keelung-class (former U.S. Kidd-class) guided missile destroyers, valued at $80 million.

Conversion kits to upgrade 168 Taiwanese MK-46 Mod 5 Torpedoes into more advanced MK-54 Lightweight Torpedoes (LWTs), valued at $175 million.

46 new MK 48 Mod 6AT Heavyweight Torpedoes (HWT) valued at $250 million.

And spare parts, engineering services, and contractor logistics support to maintain all of the above, valued at $400 million.

That's a heaping helping of weapons en route to Taiwan. But what does it mean for investors?

What it means for investors

In the case of six of these contracts, just one company -- Raytheon (NYSE: RTN) -- is either the designated prime contractor on the sale, the weapon's manufacturer (and so likely to become the prime contractor), or both. This means that Raytheon is all but certain to reap at least $963 million from this arms deal -- and potentially all $1.363 billion covered by the seven contracts together.

It's unusual for such a varied set of weaponry in such a large arms deal with a single foreign ally to all be earmarked for fulfillment by just one single defense contractor -- but it is what it is. And what this is, judging from data provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence, is a very big deal for Raytheon, potentially accounting for more than 5% of the revenues that Raytheon ordinarily books in a year.

Of course, some may question whether the sale will even happen, given the strenuous objections from China -- but I think the sale will go through regardless. First, when China made similar objections to the Obama Administration's sale of an even larger pile of weapons two years ago, it failed to derail the sale. Second, while this new arms deal requires the approval of Congress to proceed, there has never been an instance of an arms deal officially notified by DSCA later being rejected by Congress. Ever.

So the upshot for investors is simple: This sale is going through. And Raytheon shareholders will benefit.

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Beitz joins First National Bank of Clinton

First National Bank and Trust Company of Clinton is proud to announce Maggie Beitz as the new vice president of ag and business banking.

Beitz joins FNBT with experience as a commercial banking officer for Hickory Point Bank and as a credit analyst and commercial/ag loan officer for First Mid-Illinois Bank and Trust. For the past five years, she has actively worked in the food ingredient industry as a grain merchandiser for Bunge Milling.

Beitz attended Lake Land College in Mattoon on a livestock judging scholarship before completing her bachelors degree in agriculture at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale.

I am thankful and excited to be a part of the expansion at First National Bank and Trust Company and am enthusiastic about the broad range of services FNBT will be offering clients, said Beitz.

For more information about First National Bank and Trust Company, visit firstnbtc.com or call 217-935-2148.

Heartland Bank and Trust Co. promotes Brown

Heartland Bank and Trust Co., a trusted home loan leader in the Bloomington-Normal community, proudly announces the promotion of Samantha Brown to mortgage sales manager. Brown, an assistant vice president and 15-year veteran at the bank, is at the 405 N. Hershey Road location.

She continues to assist customers with residential lending needs, including new home mortgages, mortgage refinancing, second mortgages, and home equity loans, and lines of credit. In her new role, she is also responsible for recruiting, training, and managing mortgage lenders for the bank.

Brown graduated from Eastern Illinois University with a bachelor of science degree in finance. She is a member of the Bloomington-Normal Association of Realtors, and spends her free time supporting her childrens school and club activities. Originally from Auburn, she now makes her home in Bloomington with husband Dan and three children.

We appreciate Samanthas leadership and contribution to Heartland Bank, said Pat Busch, Heartland Banks president and chief lending officer. She is a professional lender and we are lucky to have her on our team.
MOUNT ZION  Gov. Bruce Rauner pledged Monday to change the language of a crucial school funding bill, continuing an ongoing battle about how to pay for the state's public education.

Flanked by Central Illinois Republican lawmakers, Rauner said he could not support the bill the General Assembly approved in May and he vowed to use his amendatory veto power to change it. Rauner objects to what he described as a poison pill provision that would require the state to pick up the employer's portion of teacher pension costs for Chicago Public Schools, something the state does for all other school districts.

Lawmakers have not yet sent the legislation, Senate Bill 1, to the governor, who urged House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton to do so.

When I amendatory-veto that bill, it will become balanced, equitable and fair for all the school districts across the state, said Rauner, speaking at a news conference at Mount Zion Junior High School.

The $36 billion state budget enacted by lawmakers this month, which required an override of Rauners veto, includes an additional $350 million for schools. But the legislation requires approval of a new, "evidence-based" funding formula to distribute the money.

The funding model would steer money to schools based on local property wealth and each distinct's student-population needs while ensuring that none of the state's 850 school districts receives less money than it got this year.

Rauner was joined by Republican state Reps. Brad Halbook of Shelbyville and Bill Mitchell of Forsyth, and state Sens. Jason Barickman of Bloomington and Chapin Rose of Mahomet, who all spoke in support of the move.

The kids that I represent in my communities and in my district matter just as much as the kids in Chicago, and I want to make sure that they stand just as much of a chance to benefit from a school funding reform as the kids in Chicago," Barickman said.

Rauner is touting the amount he says various school districts would gain under his plan. He said the Mount Zion school district would receive an additional $230,000 on top of the $192,699 gain it would receive under the bill as written.

SB1 was approved 60-52 in the House and 35-22 in the Senate, both below the three-fifths majorities necessary to override any veto. Despite final approval on May 31, state Sen. Donne Trotter, D-Chicago, used a procedural move to hold the bill without sending it to the governor.

Rauner criticized the move as an attempt by Democrats to hold school funding hostage to secure money for the Chicago teacher pension fund, while Democrats said at the time it was needed to create a cool-down period and prevent a hasty veto.

A spokesman for Cullerton said Monday that discussions are ongoing about when to send Rauner the bill.

Though the bill is held up in the Senate, Rauner focused most of his scorn Monday on a familiar target: Madigan.

Referring to the longtime Democratic Speaker of the House as ruthless, cold-blooded and a tyrant, Rauner blamed Madigan for the concerns of school officials across the state about whether Illinois would come through on its funding promise.

Support my amendatory veto and youll get what you deserve and youll be treated equitably, Rauner said.

In a statement released shortly after Rauner's news conference, state Sen. Andy Manar, a Bunker Hill Democrat who has championed SB1 and the need for a school funding overhaul, said Rauner has never directly contacted him to discuss the bill.

"It is clear to me today that (Rauner) intends to use the children of Illinois as leverage for his political agenda when he could be working out a compromise to accomplish a much-needed and long-awaited reform," Manar said. "I am saddened and discouraged by his display today.

The idea of using school funding as leverage was discussed several times on Monday. Though Senate Republican leader Bill Brady floated the idea last week to use the education funding as a leverage point for other reforms previously pushed by Republicans, those in attendance Monday pushed back.

Schools have to open, thats our primary responsibility in the Illinois constitution and its just common sense, Mitchell said.

Changes to the state's school funding formula have been a topic of debate for decades in Springfield, as Illinois has the nations widest gap between low- and high-income school districts, according to the nonprofit organization The Education Trust. Illinois schools rely on local property taxes to cover more than 60 percent of their costs, it said.

This year was a breakthrough for proponents, as SB1 passed both House and Senate with Democratic support. The new formula incorporates 27 variables that weigh a school's poverty level, property values and transportation costs, among other factors.

Rauners education adviser, Beth Purvis, has previously said the governor agreed with 90 percent of SB1, though she also said he planned to veto it.

Any protracted fight in Springfield over school funding would be devastating for local school districts, as the State Board of Education has said a funding plan must be approved by Aug. 3 for normal payments to be sent to districts by the start of the fall semester.
Q: I will soon be retiring from my career civilian job. I will not be able to continue my health insurance through my employer after I retire. I have never applied for VA Health Care since my employer has always made health insurance part of my employment package. I served from 1968 to 1972 in the Army, and have not been in the military for over four decades. Can I still receive health care through the VA?

A: There is no deadline for applying for VA Health Care. Eligibility for VA Health Care is complicated. Veterans discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable may qualify for VA health care benefits. The length of service requirements vary by when the veteran served and may be waived for veterans discharged for hardship, early out or a disability incurred or aggravated in the line of duty.

Veterans of military service from 1968 to 1972 should expect that their length of service requirement would be 30 or 90 days depending on the end date of service. However, the government added a means test in 2003 based upon the income of the veteran at the time of application for VA Health care. Income over a certain amount likely would result in ineligibility for VA Health Care. However, any veteran granted a service-connected disability rating is eligible for VA Health Care regardless of income.

Boots on the ground veterans of service in Vietnam should apply for VA Health Care benefits even if they have been denied in the past due to the means test.

Enrollment is easy utilizing VA form 10-10EZ and can be completed at http://www.va.gov/1010ez.htm or by calling 877-222-VETS (8387) Alternatively, contact a Veterans Service Office at your local Veterans Assistance Commission or at the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs Office for help in obtaining and completing the 10-10EZ form. You must have a DD214 form Separation from Active duty to accompany the application.

Q: I recently completed my four-year enlistment in the Army. I served in the infantry and had three deployments to the Middle East. I have decided not to use the G.I. Bill for education right now. I have applied for jobs with little success. After not working for several weeks since my separation from active duty, I am unemployed. Can I receive unemployment benefits based on my military service work?

A: Veterans who do not begin civilian employment immediately after leaving military service may receive weekly unemployment compensation for a limited time. The amount and duration of payments are determined by individual states and would be affected if and when, the veteran began using the G.I. bill for education.

Apply for unemployment compensation by contacting the nearest state employment office listed in your local telephone directory. To apply for unemployment compensation, a veteran must complete the state Employment Service Registration Requirement that requests the IDES to assist the veteran to find work. The nearest Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) office is in Peoria at 406 Elm St. The toll-free telephone number is 800-244-5631.

Did you know?

Many veterans have chronic conditions for which they take medication. In most cases, the veteran does not need to go to the VA Medical Center or community-based outpatient clinic to have a prescription filled. Mail-order VA prescriptions are delivered directly to the veteran at his or her home. The VA Mail Order Pharmacy processes 460,000 prescriptions daily. Every workday, over 316,000 veterans receive a package of prescriptions in the mail.
SPRINGFIELD  Illinois has its belated state budget, but the state Capitol's next flashpoint in the political struggle over finances is about how to fund public education with just weeks before the first day of school.

The spending plan lawmakers enacted this month over Gov. Bruce Rauner's vetoes ended a two-year state-budget stalemate, the nation's longest since at least the Great Depression. It includes a $350 million boost for schools.

But it also includes a provision aimed at forcing Rauner's approval of an altered funding formula that he contends unfairly pushes extra money to the nation's third-largest school district in Chicago.

Rauner has suggested he will veto that newly devised school funding method, which could leave the state with no plan to allocate general state education aid and jeopardize schools' opening.

The Republican promised Friday there will be no extended summer vacation.

"We're going to make sure schools open and we're going to make sure that it's done on a basis that's fair for taxpayers across the state," Rauner said during a visit to flooded Lake County.

The dust-up has not gone unnoticed. Moody's Investors Service noted in a Friday warning about the state's ability to pay its debts that opening day for impoverished school districts dependent on state aid could be delayed by the legislative maneuver.

Politically, the conditions Democrats attached to school spending put Rauner "in a box," said Jerry Mitchell, a former House Republican education expert who served Sterling from 1995 to 2013.

"It limits his ability to look at outside reasoning, for outside answers, other than education groups that are controlled by Democrats," Mitchell said. "The Legislature is supposed to pass their laws and he is supposed to do what he needs to do  balance the budget and balance the needs of the schoolchildren of Illinois."

The funding overhaul attempts to narrow the largest gap of any state between its most affluent school district and its poorest. The "evidence-based" model would ensure none of the state's 850 school districts receives less than it got this year, then would steer money to schools based on local property wealth and distinct student-population needs.

School administrators are watching the issue closely.

"This has been passed by the House and by the Senate. It has traction," said Springfield Superintendent Jennifer Gill, whose district stands to gain $1 million under the plan. "The governor should listen to his legislators who represent their local districts."

But Rauner objects to specific state-funding allowances for Chicago schools on top of a new requirement that the state pick up the employer's portion of teacher pensions costs for them  the way it does for every other Illinois district. He calls it a "bailout" for the strapped school system.

The budget language doesn't specifically mention the legislation that lawmakers approved. It requires the money go to an evidence-based program, which is also the foundation of a rival Republican proposal that remains in the Legislature and was promoted by a commission Rauner put together in 2016 which issued a report last winter.

"There's no booby trap," said Homewood Democratic Rep. Will Davis, the legislation's House sponsor. "It recognizes a direction we all want to go in."

As Democratic Senate sponsor Andy Manar of Bunker Hill puts it, "Why would we pour $350 million more into ... a system characterized as completely broken?"

A veto would force some legislative scrambling. The legislation was approved 60-52 in the House and 35-22 in the Senate, short of the three-fifths majorities necessary to override. But enough GOP lawmakers bucked Rauner to override his budget vetoes.

Illinois gives governors constitutional authority to use an amendatory veto to make "specific recommendations for change." But it's unclear whether lawmakers left language specific enough to alter.

Rauner can't do anything until he receives the legislation. Democratic Sen. Donne Trotter of Chicago filed paperwork to stall transmission to the governor in hopes there would be no knee-jerk veto. Trotter said he planned to release the measure by week's end, but he hadn't as of Friday.

Asked about the precedent for requiring that money go through a plan that's not yet part of Illinois law, Trotter said, "These are unprecedented times."
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP)  A bill in the Illinois General Assembly that would allow hemp to be grown legally in the state could mark a major shift for medical marijuana growers if approved.

The pending legislation could help medical marijuana growers increase their relatively small pool of 25,000 certified users to the general public, Medical Cannabis Alliance of Illinois Chairman Ross Morreale told the Chicago Tribune (http://trib.in/2sPAGQl).

Advocates of the bill said it could also address a lack of regulation of hemp by subjecting the cannabis plant to the same testing for potency and pesticides as medical marijuana in Illinois.

The bill's opponents are generally those who also oppose medical marijuana.

Kevin Sabet, a former White House drug policy adviser, is president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana which opposes marijuana legalization. He said hemp is a minor concern, but he opposes state programs to legalize it, if it's just a "stalking horse" for marijuana.

In the two years since medical marijuana appeared in Illinois, the hemp industry has thrived.

With medical marijuana, growers and dispensaries are heavily regulated, patients require a doctor's prescription and a background check, and only those with certain approved medical conditions are granted access. But adults can buy and sell hemp-based products that include e-cigarettes and massage oils used to soothe ailments such as insomnia and inflammation.

While hemp is similar to marijuana, manufacturers say it has little or no THC, the component that gets users "stoned."

According to the Hemp Business Journal, revenue from products containing hemp increased 30 percent to $262 million nationwide in 2016. It projected that figure to increase to more than $1 billion by 2020.
Kylie Jenner, Queen of the Teens and leader of the Underboob Movement, shared some sexy shots from her new photoshoot by Mark Rosenthal for German and Mexican GQ.

While Kylie does look great, the concept of the shoot seemed to be "terrycloth bikini" and not much else. For some reason she is also standing next to some firewood. Enjoy!

GQ @gqmexico @gq_germany @mrmikerosenthal

A post shared by Kylie (@kyliejenner) on Jul 16, 2017 at 8:09pm PDT

A post shared by Kylie (@kyliejenner) on Jul 16, 2017 at 8:09pm PDT





GQ @gqmexico @gq_germany @mrmikerosenthal

A post shared by Kylie (@kyliejenner) on Jul 16, 2017 at 8:12pm PDT

A post shared by Kylie (@kyliejenner) on Jul 16, 2017 at 8:12pm PDT





GQ @gqmexico @gq_germany @mrmikerosenthal

A post shared by Kylie (@kyliejenner) on Jul 16, 2017 at 6:44pm PDT

A post shared by Kylie (@kyliejenner) on Jul 16, 2017 at 6:44pm PDT





[h/t Cosmo]




On Friday Patently Apple posted a report titled "Australia proposed new Laws Compelling Companies like Facebook & Apple to Provide Access to Encrypted Messages." The report noted that the new measures will be the first in an expected wave of global legislation as pressure mounts on technology companies to provide such access after several terror suspects used encrypted applications ahead of attacks. Australia's proposal will require device manufacturers and technology companies to help its law enforcement agencies intercept and read messages sent by suspects.'" The report specifically highlighted Apple and Facebook as high tech companies the new laws would affect if the new law passes. Today we learn from The Australian publication that Australian authorities will be meeting with Apple representatives this coming week.

According to a new report by The Australian, "Attorney-General George Brandis says he will hold talks with tech giant Apple this week in a bid to get co-operation on the Turnbull government's proposed laws compelling tech companies to give police and intelligence agencies access to encrypted information messages from suspected terrorists and criminals.

The meeting comes after Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Friday responded to claims from companies including Facebook and Apple that the proposed legislation would be impossible to implement with the bizarre claim that the laws of Australia trump the laws of mathematical encryption.

The tech companies argue that the nature of end-to-end encryption is such that only the sender and receiver of a message are capable of decrypting it. They say any weakening of the encryption technology would weaken security for all users, and argue that even if they co-operate, governments globally will be powerless to stop criminals and people in other jurisdictions from creating their own encryption technology.

Senator Brandis said he did not want to pre-empt any discussions he may have with tech companies because the government remains hopeful they will co-operate."

Senator Brandis told Sky News "I'm, for example, seeing Apple this coming week and I want these discussions to be as constructive and as cooperative as they can possibly be because as I said a moment ago, our first preference is voluntary co-operation. So for that reason I'm not going to essay a critique of the companies at this early point in the discussions.'

Senator Brandis said the new laws would involve coercive powers to compel social media companies to co-operate, and would be based on the UK's Investigatory Powers Act, introduced last year, which enables law enforcement agencies to issue a warrant-like technical capability notice requiring companies to assist them in accessing communications.

He went on to state that "The point I'm at pains to make is that this is not a new kind of legal obligation. All we are doing is trying to make sure the law stays abreast of developments in technology. There are already in Australian law, under the Telecommunications Act and under the Crimes Act, obligations to provide assistance, but they are dated.

Additionally, Brandis stated that "If terrorists increasingly use in particular encrypted messaging apps that are inaccessible to intelligence or to law enforcement authorities, then our capacity to surveil their communications, our capacity in the event for example a terrorist incident occurs, to prosecute them, will be lost.

(Click on photo to Enlarge)

We saw that last year in San Bernardino when Apple refused to co-operate with the FBI in breaking open a phone. We know that terrorists planning mass causality attacks on Australian soil have resorted to, and routinely do resort to this technology." For more on this, read the full report from The Australian here.

Considering that the Five Eyes Network just recently met in the Capital in Canada at the end of June to discuss all matters regarding decryption, cyber security, recent leaks of information (in the US) and more, the Australian government's swift action tells us that the meeting of all of the countries involved aim to crack down hard on terrorism and criminal activities that extend to the web. The recent move by Australia therefore is likely only the first of many that will be challenging tech companies this year.

About Making Comments on our Site: Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit any comments. Those using abusive language or negative behavior will result in being blacklisted on Disqus.
The launch date of Samsung's Note 8 have been rumored to be sometime in late August and the head of Samsung's mobile division Koh Dong-jin confirmed with their partners while attending a media event in Taiwan on Friday that the event in New York is scheduled for August 23. He was also quoted by local news outlets as saying that the phone will hit shelves overseas, including the US, and UK in September, followed by an October release in other nations.

The Note 8 is anticipated to feature a dual-lens rear-facing camera, an iris scanner, and a 6.3-inch OLED display with an '18.5:9 aspect ratio' which the Verge thought was bizarre. Samsung decided to shift from iris scanning to full pledged facial recognition for the S8 and will likely forward that to the Note 8, contrary to today's Korean report.

Like the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus, a fingerprint scanner will be placed on the back of the device.

Samsung is also expected to introduce an updated version of its first artificial intelligence assistant Bixby. The software, rivaling Apple's Siri and Amazon's Alexa, is available only in Korean now, but the new version will likely support more languages, including English and Chinese.

However, a secondary Korean report published this morning contradicts the claim of Bixby being available in Chinese in time for the Note 8 launch due to being unable to satisfy China's new cyber security laws.

The report noted that "Adding to the pressure is the revised cybersecurity laws that limits data transfer out of country. Under the law, all the data generated within the country should be stored in domestic servers.

A Samsung software developer told Chosun Biz on condition of anonymity stated that "We are still tacking the data transfer issue under the revised laws in China. With diplomatic tensions escalating between Korea and China, no progress has been made for now."

Chosun Biz said Samsung is also likely to set up a data center in China, a crucial market where the world's largest smartphone maker has suffered sluggish sales in recent years. The report said building its own data center could be discussed when the development of Chinese Bixby is completed soon.

In the meantime, Samsung's upcoming Note 8 that is expected to be unveiled at a separate launch event on Aug. 23 in New York is also rumored to come with the Korean version Bixby only. Samsung is offering the English version to select Galaxy S8 users for the beta test that is still underway.

Patently Apple posted a report last week titled "Apple to Comply with China's Cyber Security Law by Partnering with 'Guizhou-Cloud' to Set Up new Data Center," which is clearly well ahead of Samsung's efforts.

About Making Comments on our Site: Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit any comments. Those using abusive language or negative behavior will result in being blacklisted on Disqus.
Maryam Mirzakhani was a 'milestone' for Iranian women's successes: President Rouhani

07/17/17

Source: Mehr News Agency

President Rouhani has issued a statement praising Iranian math genius Maryam Mirzakhani, the first woman to win mathematics' fields medal, who died at 40 on Saturday.



Maryam Mirzakhani

artwork by Firoozeh Mozaffari

"The unparalleled brilliance of this creative scientist and yet humble person which made the name of Iran resonate in the world's scientific community was a milestone in introducing the grand efforts and determination of Iranian women and youth for climbing the peaks of success in various international fields," Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said in a message on Saturday.



The Iranian president further praised Mirzakhani's scientific services and everlasting works, and extended his heartfelt condolences to her grieving family and the scientific community.



Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif also posted his condolences on his Instagram account, saying "the news of young Iranian genius and math professor Maryam Mirzakhani's passing has brought a deep pang of sorrow to me and all Iranians who are proud of their eminent and distinguished scientists."



Mirzakhani's passing also prompted Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani, Leader's senior adviser Ali Akbar Velayati, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Ghasemi, AEOI head Ali Akbar Salehi, and VP for Science and Technology Sorena Sattari to praise the Iranian scientist for her prominent works and extend their condolences and deep grief over this great loss.



Internationally-renowned Iranian mathematician and Stanford University professor Maryam Mirzakhani, who was the first and only woman to win the prestigious Fields medal in mathematics, died at 40 after a long battle with cancer.





Iranian mathematician Maryam Mirzakhani

May 3, 1977 - July 15, 2017



"Mirzakhani specialized in theoretical mathematics that read like a foreign language by those outside of mathematics: moduli spaces, Teichmuller theory, hyperbolic geometry, Ergodic theory and symplectic geometry," the Stanford press announcement said.



"Maryam is gone far too soon, but her impact will live on for the thousands of women she inspired to pursue math and science," said Stanford President Marc Tessier-Lavigne. "Maryam was a brilliant mathematical theorist, and also a humble person who accepted honors only with the hope that it might encourage others to follow her path. Her contributions as both a scholar and a role model are significant and enduring, and she will be dearly missed here at Stanford and around the world."
Updated July 20 with confirmation from Microsoft about the root cause, and how security updates will be handled on affected PCs.

Owners of some Windows 10 laptops and tablets are crashing into a worrying roadblock when they try to install the Windows 10 Creators Update. Windows Update initially says the notebooks are compatible with the upgrade, but fails to install it after downloading the setup files, instead displaying the following message: Windows 10 is no longer supported on this PC. Uninstall this app now because it isnt compatible with Windows 10.

That sounds ominous, but you dont need to uninstall your existing version of Windows 10, and theres no app to uninstall. Instead, the message means your PCs hardware isnt compatible with the Creators Update, or any future Windows 10 updates. Heres what you need to know about the error, which currently affects PCs powered by Intels Clover Trail processors.

What processors and PCs are affected?

A recent ZDNet article thrust this issue into the spotlight, but Microsoft laid out details about the error in an April forum post. Microsoft wont let affected hardware install the Creators Update because Icons and/or text throughout the Windows interface may not appear at all, or may appear as solid color blocks on some devices.

Devices with these Intel Clover Trail processors are impacted:

Atom Z2760

Atom Z2520

Atom Z2560

Atom Z2580

Those chips have all been placed in Intels End of Interactive Support phase, which means the company wont even respond to tech support queries related to the hardware. If a hardware partner stops supporting a given device or one of its key components and stops providing driver updates, firmware updates, or fixes, it may mean that device will not be able to properly run a future Windows 10 feature update, Microsoft told PCWorld.

Loyd Case The HP Envy X2.

Clover Trail processors powered the earliest Windows 8 2-in-1 hybrid devices, such as the HP Envy X2 and the Asus VivoTab. If you embraced Microsofts vision for a versatile future for Windows in the early days, youre now left stranded if you acceptedor were forced intothe free Windows 10 upgrade for your Windows 8 PC.
It has emerged that the former National Youth Authority (NYA) boss and MP for Kumbungu, Ras Mubarak, also secretly placed a tracking device on his official vehicle but failed to inform his successor.



The current acting Chief Executive of the Authority, Emmanuel Asigiri, discovered the device after his vehicle was sent for servicing.



Mr. Asigiri questions why Mr. Mubarak failed to inform officials at the Authority that he was bugging the state vehicle. He made the disclosure Saturday on Joy FM/MultiTV's news analysis programme, Newsfile.



Emmanuel Asigiri was commenting on a recent revelation that former Lands and Natural Resources, Inusah Fuseini, bugged his former office without the knowledge of his successor, John Peter Amewu.



The highly sensitive device is said to have the capability to pick a whisper 35 feet away.



The revelation angered many who thought the former Minister was monitoring the new Minister of the highly sensitive public office.



The Lands and Natural Resources Ministry has been spearheading a vigourous clamp down on illegal mining activities in the country said to be financed by faceless, powerful individuals.



However, speaking on Newsfile, Mr. Asigiri said in March this year, barely a month into his tenure, he also discovered the snooping device in his official vehicle  the same vehicle that had been used by the former NYA boss under the National Democratic Congress administration.



It is not only Inusah Fuseini who did this type of thing. I have suffered the same personally. My official SUV had a tracking in it and nobody in the authority knew until it created a problem for the vehicle.



The vehicle wont start. We tried all the things we needed to do, the vehicle wont start. We brought experts from Toyota Ghana, they tried everything the vehicle wont start, he said.



According to him, it was after a critical study of the vehicle by the dealers that the device was found.



Ras Mubarak has admitted to Joy News he placed the secret tracking device on the state vehicle.



He will, however, not say whether or not the device also had the capacity to secretly listen and record conversations.



I had a tracking device in my official vehicle. I also had a security camera in my office, he confessed.



He told Joy News he had packed out of his office several months before the end of 2016 and that while he was leaving office, he ensured that all the security installations were removed.



I had directed that the tracking device, which was [put in the vehicle] ostensibly for security measures was deactivated, but I haven't been able to follow through because I had handed over, he said.



I had directed my driver to ensure that [the tracking device] was removed from the car, he added.



He has assured the acting NYA Chief Executive that he need not fear that his movements are being snooped.



I can assure listeners and the acting Chief Executive that of the NYA that he will be the last person whos movement I would like to monitor. There are too many bigger fishes in the NPP to want to track than somebody at the NYA, he told Joy News.

Source: Joy News









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The mother of a young woman murdered while backpacking in Queensland last year has heard dozens of horror stories from other backpackers participating in the Australian governments 88-day farm work scheme.

The work is a requirement if backpackers want to extend their 417 visa by a year, and while many young people enjoy their time spent in rural Australia, the death of Mia Ayliffe-Chung in August last year has meant that her mother, Rosie Ayliffe, has heard horrifying tales while campaigning for reform of the system.

Australian Story spoke to four of the people whod shared their stories with Ayliffe, including a Canadian backpacker who was sexually assaulted after agreeing to work on a grape farm in Mildura.

She had been looking for work for five weeks before she answered an ad for only female workers. When the man who owned the farm was driving her back to her hostel one night, he attacked her.

I crossed my legs, had my arms covering me. He was reaching to undo his pants and that was when I just started punching and kicking as hard as I could.

While he eventually gave up trying to assault her, she had to ride with him all the way back to where she was staying or risk being left in the middle of nowhere, alone.

Others say theyve worked on farms where they werent allowed to go on toilet breaks, where they were monitored by drones, and where theyd be paid a pittance. There are stories of rampant sexual assault, exploitation by hostels, and terrifying machinery accidents. Some conditions have got so bad that the scheme has been compared to modern-day slavery.

Ayliffe is calling on the government to make changes to the system to ensure the safety of all backpackers who labour on Australian farms.

Source: ABC.

Image: Rodger Shagam/africanpix.com / Getty.
Warner Music Australia is looking for an A&R Coordinator (SYD) to be the glue that binds their busy A&R Department together. You will be organised, passionate and an excellent multi-tasker. You must also be an absolute music tragic across a wide range of genres and an active participant in the contemporary music community. If you think you have what it takes, get in touch here.

Organic Island has recently launched their new range of performance skin care and theyre looking for a Marketing Manager (BRIS) to join their team. You will be a commercially savvy marketing all rounder, who is dedicated to delivering measurable benefit to their customers, team and bottom line. You will be qualified in Marketing or Communications, and have a working knowledge of principles of SEO and Google Analytics. Sound like you? Apply now.

Are you a talented and experienced web designer and developer who wants to work from home? Join Wildbrand as their new Web Developer (AUS). They are a bunch of marketing mavericks that deliver agency-quality work to brands all across the country, entirely online. You will need strong CSS & HTML experience, experience in building Squarespace, WordPress and Shopify websites from scratch and be an excellent communicator. Find out more here.

CBF reading the above? Weve got your back. Short and sweet roles right here:

Join Shout Out Loud media distribution company as an experienced and motivated customer serviced focus Account Manager (MELB). Apply here.

The Sydney Festival is looking for a Publicist (SYD) to increase the profile and exposure of the festival program. Get all the details here.

December Media is looking for someone to join their feature documentary department as a Trainee/Associate Director (MELB). Apply here.

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Today, in the totally sane country that is Australia, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull staged a press conference decorated with actual members of the Australian Defence Force as props.

This is our Prime Minister now. Miss Tony Abbotts flags yet?

Turnbull was announcing new measures to give the ADF greater powers in dealing with domestic terror-related incidents.

State and territory police forces remain the best first response to terrorist incidents, immediately after an attack starts, he said in an earlier joint statement with defence minister Marise Payne. [But] defence must be able to contribute effectively to domestic counter-terrorism efforts, in addition to its offshore counter-terrorism missions and regional capacity-building activities.



His presser this morning, however, was something else.

Ridiculous theatrics at the PMs presser on the militarys role in terrorist attacks #auspol pic.twitter.com/eitMoFyXKA  Bevan Shields (@BevanShields) July 17, 2017

definitely an interesting choice of background for the presser today pic.twitter.com/Le98HZ49va  Mark Di Stefano ???? (@MarkDiStef) July 17, 2017

Did you ever see anything like it (even under Abbott)? Turnbull you are a dud extraordinaire. pic.twitter.com/xJuazrnPwN  Coalition Tea Lady (@ItsBouquet) July 17, 2017

Like. the theatrics here are just off the charts.

Senior govt figure with masked troops  who did it better, Malcolm or Mendo? pic.twitter.com/9fvPjWl6Fa  James Jeffrey (@James_Jeffrey) July 17, 2017

People are obviously taking the piss.

ok who invited this guy pic.twitter.com/QNr8h8rGh6  yeoman sincereposter (@maxuthink) July 17, 2017

Weird announcement by the Prime Minister this morning pic.twitter.com/5JSbw6YtWC  Jennine Khalik (@jennineak) July 17, 2017

Shadow Minister for Defence Richard Marles had some strong words about the presser this morning, despite admitting he hadnt actually seen pics from the presser. While he didnt explicitly slam Turnbulls drama show, he invited the Australian people to judge him hard for it.

There is a fine line between acknowledging and celebrating the incredible work that our Defence Force personnel do on the one hand a politicising them on the other, he told the ABC. As public officials in this space, we must always ensure we never politicise the ADF. I think that the Australian people can well see a prop when its presented. They can sniff if from a mile away and they will judge people accordingly and it is for all of us in this space to use our judgement appropriately to make sure that we are doing this in a way which is respectful to the ADF because I can assure you, the Australian people absolutely judge our actions as indeed they should.

Heres the presser, if you want to see what it looks like when our PM addresses media with a masked ADF member standing in the background. (Weird, not-at-all dystopian.)

We have to stay ahead of the threat of terrorism, PM @TurnbullMalcolm says ADF will take greater role in responding to domestic terrorism pic.twitter.com/Po9SVz9bY0  ABC News (@abcnews) July 17, 2017

Photo: ABC.
While summery storms across Queensland last week drenched rugby players and doggos alike, they also produced something a lot rarer than a wet dog: a series of fogbows across the state.

Fogbows are like white rainbows; theyre produced by the same process of reflection and refraction as their colourful cousins, but formed by water droplets in fog, mist or cloud rather than by raindrops. The water droplets in fog are so much smaller than raindrops that the colours blur together to make a white rainbow.

And yeah when we read about it, we thought Sounds neat and went back to our lunch, until on further inspection we discovered how pretty they are, as snapped by keen fogbow-hunters across Queensland, from Hervey Bay to Fernvale to Mudtapilly to Mackay.





For those who have never seen one before This is what we call a fogbow  you guessed it, fog + sunshine = this cool thing ? #Aussie pic.twitter.com/g5hTb1LRRC  Charis Constantine (@lunar_aphrodite) July 13, 2017

The weather in Queensland is due to get a fair bit colder later this week though, dropping below 10C in Brissy, and to just 2C in Ipswich and the practically polar -3C in Stanthorpe on Friday. The Bureau of Meteorology shared the bad news on the bad website in appropriate blessed-GoT-day fashion.

Source: Nine News.

Photo: Charis Constantine / Twitter.
Details continue to emerge out of Minneapolis, Minnesota in the US, where local police have confirmed a women, reported to be an Australian native in her 40s, was mistakenly shot dead by an officer, with the victims son-in-law now taking to Facebook to call out the actions of law enforcers.

Information is still scarce on what exactly occured in the late Saturday night (local time) incident, with reports currently stating the woman, who lived in the city with her fiancee, called 911 in response to noises in the alley behind her house but was fatally wounded by one of responding police officers.

The citys Mayor Betsy Hodges has called the incident tragic and demanded a full investigation, but a newly-circulating Facebook live video, purporting to feature the victims partners son, claims police have acted irresponsibly and are refusing to answer questions.

The man, who names himself as Zach and refers to the slain woman as mom, can be seen on the FB Live from the Womens March Minnesota account saying: My mom is dead because a police officer shot her for reasons I dont know, and I demand answers.

The young man goes on to state, Its so much bullshit, America sucks, these cops need to be trained differently. The woman hosting the video implies that Zach is not getting any answers or assitance from police since the incident, before Zach concludes with, Fuck the police. Some of you are good, but like, Im just done. Im so done. This has to stop.

The womans identity is yet-to-be-released, with the Department of Foreign Affairs working with local authorities to ensure her next-of-kin is informed. However, the SMH is reporting that the woman is originally from Sydney, and has lived in the US for three years.

The incident comes a year after the shooting death, also by Minnesota police, of innocent man Philando Castile, which resulted in an officer being charged for second-degree manslaughter.

Well update this story as more news comes to light.

Source: SMH.

Picture: Facebook / Womens March Minnesota.
Good Monday Morning, Fellow Seekers.

It's no secret that Pennsylvania is something of a hot mess, politically speaking.

We have epic levels of public corruption; exploding public pension debt and finances shakier than a 1950s B-movie confidence man's.

But now, as the Republican-controlled General Assembly and the Democratic Wolf administration stumble like sailors after a rough weekend into the third, full week of Budget Deadlock 2017, we now have some idea of just how messed up things are.

Shall we begin?

The financial news site 24/7 Wall St. put together a list of the nation's best-run states. And Pennsylvania, languishing all the way down there at No. 42, can't even see the top spot from where it sits right now.

(For those of you playing along at home, New Mexico is the worst run of these 50 states. North Dakota is the best.)

Here's what the wonks had to say about Pennsylvania in 2016:

42. Pennsylvania

Debt per capita: $3,716 (20th highest)

2015 Unemployment rate: 5.1% (tied-25th lowest)

Credit rating: Aa3/AA-

Poverty: 13.2 percent (21st lowest)

Pennsylvania's reserve coffers comprise just 0.2% of the state's total expenditures for the 2017 fiscal year, nearly the smallest rainy day fund of any state. According to analysis by the Pew Charitable Trusts, Pennsylvania's rainy day fund could finance the state's operations for just about three days, less than any state other than Arkansas.

Pennsylvania's pension is also underfunded. The state has just 59.6 percent of the assets it needs to fund its future pension obligations, the fifth least of any state.

Likely due in part to poor fiscal management, Pennsylvania has a AA- rating and a negative outlook from S&P. Pennsylvania's labor market is also not doing especially well. The state's October unemployment rate of 5.4 percent is up from the same time the year before when unemployment was at 4.8 percent.

Now it would be one thing if this was a sign of an upward climb (there's precious little room below.)

But as our pal, John Baer, of the Philadelphia Daily News notes, things have actually gotten worse, not better.

In 2010, when former Gov. Ed Rendell left office, the state ranked 22nd - officially average, the nerds at 24/7 Wall St. concluded. By 2014, when Wolf was running against Republican Tom Corbett, the state had tumbled 14 places to 36th, Baer noted.

And in last year's ranking, Pennsylvania was book-ended by its neighbors: West Virginia finished 41st in the ranking list. New Jersey, home of noted beach bum Chris Christie, finished 43rd. So we have that going for us, at least.

It would be easy to ascribe this to mere partisan politics, but the state's problems are deeper and more structural than that.

Mistakes have been made, and issues have grown more complicated, under Republican and Democratic governors alike. Republicans, with a slight respite in the mid-Aughts, have controlled both chambers of the General Assembly since the 1990s.

Pillaging the pension funds to spend elsewhere and to balance the budget, as Rendell did, was a terrible idea.

Patchwork budgets that dodged big tax increases, putting off future expenses with a series of one-time fixes (as has been the case under Corbett and Wolf) haven't helped either.

Spending, meanwhile, has increased.

The Legislature's appropriation, for some God-forsaken reason, is supposed to go up this year. And the state is looking at expanding gambling even further to make ends meet.

These challenges, of course, aren't new. And the two sides will, no doubt, end up with a perfectly mediocre budget that continues to look away from those long-term challenges.

And Pennsylvania, ninth from bottom in the nation, the state where American democracy was born, can continue its slide into irrelevance.

Luckily, or sadly, there's not that much farther to go.

The rest of the day's news starts now.

They've held a vigil for those murder victims in Bucks County. The Tribune-Review has the story.

The Post-Gazette looks at Pat Toomey's efforts to get the GOP healthcare bill to a vote, let alone passed.

PhillyMag would like you to meet the city's newest start-up, GoPuff (just read, we can't do it justice).

Here's your #Harrisburg Instagram of the Day (triathlon edition).

Now here's a reason for all of us to worry about climate change: It could skunk your beer, PlanPhilly reports.

Allentown has settled a police excessive force case for $160k, The Morning Call reports.

Republicans are looking to divide Democrats on single-payer in the 6th CD, PoliticsPa reports.

WolfWatch.

Gov. Tom Wolf has no public schedule today.

You Say It's Your Birthday Dept.

Best wishes go out this morning to Jill Helsel Gingrich of La Torre Communications in Harrisburg; and to ex-Patriot-News, and current Reuters, reporter David DeKok. Congrats and enjoy the day.

Heavy Rotation.

Here's an old favorite that popped up on the way to work today.

And now you're up to date. See you all back here in a bit.
There were some tense moments in Philadelphia last night. What police there said was a mob of teens, orchestrated through social media, showed up at a recreation center in the Germantown section of the city around 9:30 p.m. Sunday.

And when police responded to the crowd, which reportedly numbered into the hundreds, things turned violent, according to 6ABC-TV in Philly.

Police attempted to control the crowd, shutting down several businesses where some of the teens were hiding, the station reports.

But not long thereafter, the gathered teens became violent, throwing bottles at officers, according to eye-witnesses quoted by 6ABC:

"They're always talking about 'The police this,' and 'The police that,'" she said. "But what they did to the police they were so disrespectful - throwing bottles and everything. It was so disrespectful. I got emotional, me and my sister. I started crying. I'm trying to get the kids to go home."

The outnumbered police eventually dispersed the crowd.

And the so-called "flash mob," which police say had been orchestrated on social media, did not result in any arrests, 6ABC adds.

Check out 6ABC's video on the incident here.
A man and a woman are dead, both shot in the head. And a property owner in north Philly was being questioned by police for opening fire on the couple because they were climbing a fence to get on to his property.

As the Associated Press and NBC-10 in Philly reports, no charges were immediately filed against the 69-year-old homeowner in the Frankford section of northeast Philadelphia.

The double-fatal shooting happened shortly before 2 a.m. Sunday.

The 45-year-old man and a 42-year-old woman who were allegedly scaling the man's fence were both shot in the head and pronounced dead at the scene.

Their names weren't immediately released.

Philadelphia Police Capt. George Fuchs said the homeowner said he fired because he believed that the victims were trying to climb over his fence into the rear of his property, AP wrote.

"The story is still being sorted out," one police official added to NBC-10.
Sean Marshall is a New Jersey native who got his start playing bars in Asbury Park before moving to Columbus, Ohio.

So what was he doing in central Pennsylvania on July 13 at the PennLive Soundcheck series for an acoustic 4-song set?

Word of mouth, mostly.

Back in March, Matt Wheeler & Vintage Heart performed at a Soundcheck. (You can watch the videos here.) Wheeler played a show in Ohio and met Marshall. Marshall is on an East Coast summer tour supporting his recent album, "New," and one of his stops in August is at Midtown Scholar as part of Third in the Burg. He reached out to Wheeler about media opportunities, and Wheeler talked about the Soundcheck series. One thing led to another, and Wheeler landed in the newsroom with his guitar, some copies of his CD and the correct spelling of "Sean" (he says).

Marshall's wife is a Franklin & Marshall grad, so he's familiar with the area, too. He stopped by on his way to a show in New Jersey.

You can follow him on social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. You can get his album here.

Listen to the Sean Marshall livestream here

Want to be a part of the Soundcheck series? We're booking. Email me at ssadowski@pennlive.com or message me on Facebook. We try to do Thursdays at 4:30 as our standing rotation, but we're willing to add in area natives coming home to visit or touring bands traveling through our region.

July 20: Strangeness in Proportion

Aug. 3:

Aug. 17: Alex Mery and the Townsmen

Aug. 31: Three Strands

Sept. 14: Seasons

Sept. 28: The Jayplayers

Oct. 12:

Oct. 26: The Positronic Cats

Nov. 9: Jason McGovern

Nov. 30: Stuart Young

Dec. 7: AP3

Dec. 14: Serene Green

Dec. 28: Carly Clark

Jan. 11: Mockingbird

Jan. 25: Apache Trails

Feb. 8:

Feb. 22: Rootbound Music

March 8: Mo7s

March 22: B

April 5: Amber Nadine

You can check out past sets and artists below. Click on the playlist above for the songs. (If you really want a taste of local music, shuffle that playlist. It's a good time.)
A 20-year-old York man has died after being shot in the city Sunday morning.

Angel Hernandez died at York Hospital after being shot on the 500 block of West Philadelphia Street in the city. He was taken to the hospital in a private vehicle where he later died just after 6 a.m.

The York Dispatch is reporting that the shooting happened at around 4:10 a.m. Hernandez was shot in the back, according to the report.

York police are investigating the shooting. An autopsy will be conducted Monday at Lehigh Valley Hospital.

York police are investigating the shooting. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact police at 717-846-1234, send tips via text message to 847-411, or submit a tip through the York City PD App.
The Lancaster County coroner has identified a Landisville man killed in accident at a Mount Joy packaging plant in Mount Joy on Saturday.

Robert Stauffer, 47, died after being crushed under lift equipment at around 5:30 a.m. at Phoenix Packaging, according to an LNP report.

Mount Joy Fire Chief Philip Colvin said the lift device was part of a processing line. Workers had lifted the device off of Stauffer by the time emergency crews arrived, but the injuries were fatal.

Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, which initially announced the fatal accident, said the Occupational Safety and Health administration is investigating the incident. An autopsy is scheduled for Monday, according to the report.
A man looks at the Ashley Madison website in this photo illustration in Toronto on Thursday, August 20, 2015. The Toronto-based parent company of the infidelity dating site Ashley Madison says it has reached a US$11.2-million settlement an American class-action lawsuits stemming from a massive security breach two years ago. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graeme Roy
PHOTOS: Petoskey celebrates Veterans Day 2022

Petoskey's American Legion taught local elementary students how to fold the flag during the Veterans Day ceremony on Friday, Nov. 11 in Pennsylvania Park.
More than seven millions of venezuelans turn against Maduro in symbolic vote

Reuters



Left to right, Jose Virtuoso, rector of the Andres Bello Catholic University (UCAB), Raul Lopez Sayago, rector of the Pedagogical Experimental Libertador University (UPEL), Cecilia Garcia Arocha (C), rector of the Central University of Venezuela (UCV), Jessy Divo, rector of the University of Carabobo, Benjamin Scharifker, Rector of the Metropolitan University (UNIMET), "Commission of Guarantors" of the National Assembly consultation process address the media announcing the results on the plebiscite against Nicolas Maduro's regimen and his plan to rewrite the constitution, in Caracas, Venezuela July 16, 2017. The writing on the screen reads "7.186.170" votes against the regime.

CARACAS

Petroleumworld 07 17 2017

Millions of Venezuelans reportedly lined up throughout the country and abroad to vote against President Nicolas Maduro's plan to rewrite the nation's constitution, in an symbolic victory to the nation's embattled opposition alliance.

While no official results or estimates of the turnout were available by early evening in Venezuela, opposition alliance members celebrated the strong display of support, with opposition deputy Juan Andres Mejia saying that millions have cast their vote, "without a doubt", according to a post on his Twitter account.

Venezuelans were asked in the unofficial plebiscite whether they would reject Maduro's plan to form a new assembly on July 30th that aims to rewrite the constitution and grant even more powers to his presidency, taking the country further into authoritarianism. As part of the symbolic vote, Venezuelans were also asked whether or not they would back fresh elections for a new government.

While the poll lacks any real enforcement mechanism and isn't approved by the National Electoral Council, the strong turnout could embolden calls from home and abroad for Maduro to withdraw the proposal for the new constituent.

The really significant thing is that this will give the opposition the platform they need to demand that the government cancel the constituent assembly, said Carlos Romero, a political scientist at the Central University of Venezuela, ahead of Sunday's vote.

Long Lines

More than 1,900 polling stations were operated by opposition volunteers in public plazas, churches and sporting facilities. Voters lined up early, sometimes by the hundreds, many wearing shirts and hats with the Venezuelan flag on it, chanting against Maduro.

We have no future, our kids have no future. This is a dictatorship and I just can't sit home and complain, I have to go out and protest, said Alfonso Cortez, a 74-year-old retired man who walked to Caracas with more than 200 people from Tachira, a border state with Colombia, to vote against the assembly.

Henrique Capriles, a former presidential candidate and opposition leader, said after voting the key takeaway from the day was the turnout, which highlighted Venezuelans' desire for better economic and social conditions.

If the current government doesn't want to end in our country's political trash can, they should take note of the overwhelming, peaceful democratic expression and cancel the constitutional fraud, he told reporters in Caracas. The cancellation of the constitutional assembly would be a victory for the Venezuelan people.

The National Assembly reported irregularities involving armed paramilitaries in a polling point in Catia, a neighborhood outside of Caracas, according to its Twitter feed. Carlos Ocariz, an opposition leader, told reporters that 263 incidents had been recorded across the country. He confirmed four people were injured in Catia after the appearance of armed paramilitaries caused public unrest by a polling place. Ocariz also confirmed a report of two dead.

Venezuelans abroad, traditionally barred from voting in regular elections, were allowed to participate in more than 60 countries. At one of five polling stations in Buenos Aires, the queue to vote was six blocks long as Venezuelans waited in the cold. Capriles estimated that as many as a million Venezuelans abroad might have voted.

Turnout of several million would send a very strong signal, with anything exceeding that a remarkable success, Eurasia Group analysts Risa Grais-Targow and Agata Ciesielska said in a report earlier this month, adding that Maduro isn't likely to back down from his plan. The government will probably use intimidation tactics to try to limit turnout, such as shutting down public transportation and blocking access to polling places.

With fears of violence ahead of the vote, the United Nations called on Venezuela's government to allow the process to proceed peacefully. Tensions have been high ahead of the vote, which took place in the aftermath of four months of organized protests against Maduro's government, which have left 100 people dead.






Pemex finalize $100 millions dolars Odebrecht refinery contract amid U.S. probe

Bloomberg/Yael Martinez



Construction on the Miguel Hidalgo Refinery in Tula, Hidalgo, Mexico, on April 18, 2017.

MEXICO CITY

Petroleumworld 07 17 2017

Pemex last month terminated a 1.8 billion peso ($100 million) contract with Odebrecht SA amid a probe by the U.S. Justice Department into the Brazilian construction company's operations.

The contract, signed in November 2015, involved engineering, procurement and construction services for works related to the Miguel Hidalgo refinery in the community of Tula, Petroleos Mexicanos wrote in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission . The June 16 termination resulted from the failure of the Brazil company's Mexican arm, Odebrecht Ingenieria y Construccion Internacional de Mexico SA, or ODM, to comply with its obligations," according to the filing.

The decision by the state-owned oil company followed the start of sanctioning procedures by Mexico's public auditor against two affiliates of Odebrecht and its representatives, in accordance with the Federal Anti-corruption Law Against Public Procurement, according to the filing.

In December, Odebrecht SA and Braskem SA both pleaded guilty to conspiring to pay bribes in violation of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The company agreed to pay more than $3.5 billion to settle the case after facing charges it bribed executives and officials for more than 100 projects in 12 countries.

In its report, the U.S. Justice Department said Odebrecht paid about $10.5 million to Mexico public servants between 2010 and 2014 to win contracts, and that payments of as much as $6 million were made to a senior officer of a Mexico state-owned company.

Pemex's liabilities unit started an investigation into possible instances of bribery or corruption related to these allegations in December, according to the SEC filing. The company is cooperating with the public auditor's office and the Federal Attorney General's Office "in order to hold those responsible for these acts accountable and ensure that we recover any damages to which we are entitled," the filing said.

Pemex has hired Hogan Lovells US LLP to conduct an internal investigation of Pemex's contracts with Odebrecht and Braskem, the Mexican oil company said Monday in an emailed statement.






Petroleumworld Top Headlines

Stories are not allways available on the Petroleumworld site after 90 days.

Top Headlines 2016

Top Headlines 2017

Top Headlines 2017 January/June

Top Headlines 2017 June/December

BOGOTA/LIMA

Petroleumworld 22 12 17

South Arabia hunt for natural gas Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr./Bloomberg



Saudi Aramco embarks on global hunt for natural gas. Saudi Arabia weighs importing gas to feed growing power demand. Exploration wells at home have yielded little new gas By Javier Blas, Yousef Gamal El-Din, and Vivian Nereim

LONDON

Petroleumworld 21 12 17

Peru's without president is no problem for Wall Street, impeachment proceedings on Thursday

Wall Street says no President, no problem ahead of Peru's impeachment proceedings. Kuczynski latest in long line of Peru presidents in trouble. Investor anxiety at highest level in nearly 5 months By Ben Bartenstein LIMA

Petroleumworld 21 12 17

SAN JOSE/NEW YORK

Petroleumworld 12 11 17

Venezuela's crude oil exports to U.S. at their lowest since 2003

PDVSA's refining unit in the United States, Citgo Petroleum, received 65,000 bpd of Venezuelan crude last month versus supply contracts that allow up to 220,000 bpd. Reporting by Marianna Parraga

HOUSTON

Petroleumworld 12 11 17

Louisiana LOOP to start U.S. new era as a major oil exporter

Louisiana Offshore Oil Port (LOOP) seen as first to load VLCCs. Availability of supply at LOOP may limit initial export gains By Sheela Tobben

NEW YORK

Petroleumworld 12 08 17

GE to cut 12.000 jobs from gas-power division, growth of renewables a factor

Job cuts highlight uneasy shift to renewable energy. Manufacturer clearly misjudged' power market, analyst says. Wind, solar gaining share over other electricity sources - Video By Rick Clough

NEW YORK

Petroleumworld 12 08 17

Exxon first in delivering to Mexico fuel market



Exxon jumping in to Mexico fuel market with first U.S. cargo. Foreign refiners can now sell fuel without buying from Pemex. Pemex operated at lowest level in 27 years due to disruptions. By Amy Stillman and Adam Williams MEXICO CITY

Petroleumworld 12 07 17 ' Buy Argentina' by Macri has pay off in oil, litium local listings

Companies look to "Argentina brand" amid country reforms. Local listing offers exposure, funding venues, market ties By Carolina Millan BUENOS AIRES

Petroleumworld 12 07 17





Goldman Sachs forecast bullish oil market for 2018, 9% total returns prediction

2018 Brent view raised to $62 from $58; WTI to $57.50 from $55. Bank sees lower inventories in 2018 on OPEC commitment to cuts. U.S. Oil Fills OPEC Supply Gaps at $60, Says Battle- VIDEO By Serene Cheong and Dan Murtaugh SINGAPORE

Petroleumworld 12 06 17 Protests widen in Honduras, deep political crisis brewing

President Hernandez seen leading with 99.98% of vote counted. OAS refuses to verify results. By Ezra Fieser

TEGUCIGALPA

Petroleumworld 12 06 17

OPEP production down to a Six-Month Low, U.S. oil fills supply gaps at $60





Total production fell 80,000 barrels a day in November. Saudi Arabia's output drops, Iraq boosts crude shipments . U.S. oil fills OPEC supply gaps at $60, says Battle - Video

By Angelina Rascouet and Julian Lee

LONDON

Petroleumworld 12 05 17

All crazy tourists are welcome by Venezuela, no food, no money, no security, no medical care...no problem!

Carlos Becerra/Anadolu



Venezuela welcomes all tourists crazy enough to go there

By Mac Margolis

RIO DE JANEIRO

Petroleumworld 12 05 17

U.S. fuel exports bound for Mexico's free market

AP/Matt Houston



Government-set prices completely removed from Mexico Thursday. Chevron, Koch and Kinder Morgan all want in on the competition.

By Laura Blewitt and Amy Stillman

MEXICO CITY

Petroleumworld 12 04 17

Venezuela to issue a national "petro" cryptocurrency amid a free fall bolivar

Maduro says cryptocurrency to be known as the petrocurrency'. To be backed by reserves in oil, natural gas, gold, diamonds.

By Jose Orozco

MEXICO CITY

Petroleumworld 12 04 17

OPEC with Russia help extend output cuts





Sen speaks from Vienna about OPEC's likely extension of oil supply cuts until the end of 2018.- video

By Laura Hurst, Salma El Wardany, and Nayla Razzouk VIENNA

Petroleumworld 12 01 17 Venezuela's oil zars Eulogio Del Pino and Nelson Martinez detained - Public Prosecutor says

Venezuela arrests former oil heads as Maduro widens purge. Arrests extend president's reach into crucial economic sector By Andrew Rosati and Fabiola Zerpa CARACAS

Petroleumworld 12 01 17

U.S. and Mexico oil ride together to Asia with a big success

Susana Gonzalez



Co-loaded supply up 5-fold so far in 2017 vs 2016: Kpler data . Sharing vessel cuts freight cost, helps feedstock optimisation

By Serene Cheong

SINGAPORE

Petroleumworld 11 30 17

Russia and OPEC ready to agree to extend oil cuts through 2018





Nigeria Petroleum Minister Emmanuel Kachikwu discusses the possibility of a 9-month extension for OPEC. - Video

By Nayla Razzouk, Yousef Gamal El-Din, and Laura Hurst

VIENNA

Petroleumworld 11 30 17

OPEC: Reality check, waiting for Russia to back deal Reuters/Leonhard Foeger



Russia fears extension through 2018 will only help U.S. shale. Market expects 9 months; anything less notably bearish': RBC By Alex Devine LONDON

Petroleumworld 11 29 17

Meade to seek nod for presidential race, Trevino appointed CEO of Pemex, Gonzalez Anaya Mexico's finance minister





Mexico's finance minister Jose Antonio Meade resigns, paving way for election run . Meade, 48-year-old Yale-trained economist touted as PRI's best be - Video

By Eric Martin / Adams Williams

MEXICO CITY

Petroleumworld 11 29 17

OPEC vs U.S. an inevitable day of reckoning



Bloomberg's Javier Blas previews this week's OPEC meeting - Watch Video

By Grant Smith

LONDON

Petroleumworld 11 28 17

A soldier to run the defaulted Venezuela's state oil company PDVSA

Major General Manuel Quevedo will head PDVSA

By Amy Stillman and Angelina Rascouet

MEXICO CITY/LONDON

Petroleumworld 11 28 17

U.S. shale oil not an enemy' to OPEC: U.A.E .

Akos Stiller/Bloomberg



U.A.E. Energy Minister Suhail Al Mazrouei said he's optimistic the producers will extend their deal on output cuts when they meet on Nov. 30. Saudi Aramco sees oil market balanced as crude rises.

By Abbas Al Lawati and Mahmoud Habboush

ABU DHABI

Petroleumworld 11 27 17

Trial begins on Odebrecht case against Ecuador vice president

Rodrigo Buendia/AFP



Ecuador's vice president Jorge Glas arrives in court on Nov. 24, 2017 in Quito, Ecuador. Trial's outcome crucial for the future of Moreno government.

By Stephan Kueffner

QUITO

Petroleumworld 11 27 17

Russia's Vladimir the new King of OPEC

Dennis Grombrowski / Getty



Putin crowns himself OPEC king



By Javier Blas and Elena Mazneva

LONDON/MOSCOW

Petroleumworld 11 24 17

Venezuela's PDVSA to cut expenses by 50%



PDVSA on austerity drive amid national economic emergency'. Crackdown targets travel, cell phone use and even snacks

By Fabiola Zerpa and Patricia Laya

CARACAS

Petroleumworld 11 24 17

If OPEC can't deliver cuts extension, oil market doom to fall

Luke Sharrett /Bloomberg



All 36 survey respondents expect extension at Nov. 30 meeting. Prices could drop sharply if Russia doesn't back deal: Hansen

By Grant Smith, Javier Blas, and Wael Mahdi

LONDON

Petroleumworld 11 23 17

Rosneft, Eni, Repsol, Statoil in credit taks with PDVSA

As the government struggles to get funds for debt payments, little money is available to maintain and repair PDVSA's oil operations.

By Alexandra Alper, Marianna Parraga

SANTA CRUZ, Bolivia

Petroleumworld 11 23 17

Venezuela is OPEC's others members help

Ramzi Boudina/Reuters



Venezuela greases OPEC's wheels with less oil. The country's woes help other members get away with producing more than they should.

By Liam Denning

NEW YORK

Petroleumworld 11 22 17

Keystone pipeline means Canada's U.S. dependence deepens

Bloomberg



Tom Steyer Calls Keystone Pipeline a 'Tragic Mistake' - Watch video

By Robert Tuttle

CALGARY

Petroleumworld 11 22 17

Fund wants to protect Norway's economy from oil price risk. Government says will conclude assessment in fall of 2018' - Watch video - Norway's Wealth Fund Proposes Oil, Gas Stock Exit



By Sveinung Sleire

OSLO

Petroleumworld 11 17 17

Mexico to atract investment ending gasoline price controls

Energy regulatory commission voted Thursday on price policy. Measure brings price liberalization forward by a month



By Amy Stillman

MEXICO CITY

Petroleumworld 11 17 17

Oil markets to dominated by U.S. after biggest boom in history



IEA's Birol says U.S. will lead oil industry by 2025. U.S. expansion to beat Saudi oil growth, Soviet Union's gas. Lower crude prices will help buoy global demand, agency say - Watch video

By Grant Smith

LONDON

Petroleumworld 11 16 17

Petrobras needs to deliver as pr esidential elections close in

Dado Galdieri/Bloomberg



Petrobras chief rushing to deliver as election season nears. Looks to sign $21 billion in asset sales through June 2018. Revision of offshore contract could deliver up to $30 billion

By Sabrina Valle and Peter Millard

RIO DE JANEIRO

Petroleumworld 11 16 17



Clima calido y aumento de produccion fuera de la OPEP amenaza equilibrio del mercado petrolero

Por Amanda Cooper

LONDRES

Petroleumworld.com 15 11 2017

Reuters/Maxim Shemetov



S&P Global Ratings declaro a Venezuela en default selectivo despues de que el pais no pago 200 millones de dolares por el cupon de sus bonos 2019 y 2024 dentro del periodo de gracia de 30 dias.

Por Vladimir Soldatkin y Oksana Kobzeva

MOSCU

Petroleumworld.com 15 11 2017

Big oil on the move for Texas oil at New Mexico prices

Exxon, Chevron take advantage of cheap back door to shale play . State's next wave' promise draws $13 billion in investments. - Watch video : Everything You Need to Understand Fracking



By David Wethe

HOUSTON

Petroleumworld 11 15 17

Oil producers discouraged by the rising cost of accessing the vast deposits of the Permian Basin in Texas are sneaking into a geological back door, through neighboring New Mexico.

Chile's elections: Former President Sebastian Pinera ahead on polls

Chileans go to the polls in presidential elections on Nov. 19. Former President Sebastian Pinera is ahead in opinion surveys



By Philip Sanders and Javiera Quiroga

SANTIAGO

Petroleumworld 11 15 17

Saudi Arabia retreat from U.S. oil market cuts exports to 30-year low

In Push to drain crude stocks, Riyadh concentrates on America. Iraq and Canada take market share in the U.S. from the Saudis



By Javier Blas

LONDON

Petroleumworld 11 14 17

Venezuela default declared by S&P, 30 minutes meeting with creditors didn't produce substance

Noah Friedman-Rudovsky



Grace period expired on $200 million of interest payments. State oil company had already defaulted, Moody's and Fitch say . - Watch video: Why Venezuela is getting increasingly desperate.

By Ben Bartenstein, Katia Porzecanski, and Patricia Laya

NEW YORK/CARACAS

Petroleumworld 11 14 17

Hedge funds on a record level bullish on oil as Mideast tension heats up



Money managers boost Brent crude long positions to record. Short-sellers take positions to lowest in over eight months





By Jessica Summers

NEW YORK

Petroleumworld 11 13 17

Ethanol the source of biofuels trouble between U.S. and Brazil

Daniel Acker/Bloomberg



U.S. producers object to 20% import tariffs imposed by Brazil. Protest comes month after Trump intervened to support industry





By Mario Parker and Fabiana Batista

CHICAGO/SAO PAULO

Petroleumworld 11 13 17

Global oil majors eyeing Mexico's deep waters fields as crude price raises

Susana Gonzalez/Bloomberg



In the country's first-ever deep water oil auction last year, eight of the 10 blocks auctioned were won by international crude majors.



By Adam Williams

MEXICO CITY

Petroleumworld 11 09 017

Venezuela and Trinidad & Tobago ahead with Gas connection between the two countries

PDVSA



Douglas Sosa, Deputy minister for Gas of Venezuela. The project is been executed by Shell, NGC and PDVSA.



By Elio Ohep

CARACAS

Petroleumworld 11 09 17

U.S. move refining capacity to satisfy Mexico's fuel needs

Oil inputs seen 1.8 percent higher at year-end: Energy Aspects. Gulf Coast refiners seen favoring export over domestic sales.



By Laura Blewitt

HOUSTON

Petroleumworld 11 09 017

PDVSA misses debt payments, used Russian bank to pay ONGC

International banks and suppliers have reduced or halted credit to PDVSA since cash flow problems led the firm to start delaying payments to creditors in 2014.



NEW DELHI

Petroleumworld 11 08 017

Argentina would contest U.S. biodiesel tariffs with WTO - President Macri

Reuters/Stephanie Keith



Argentina has been trying to settle the trade dispute by negotiating a minimum price for its exports, but no deal has yet been reached.





By Christian Plumb

UNITED NATIONS

Petroleumworld 11 08 017

PDVSA credit rating down to C by Fitch, default "highly probable", drilling drought

Venezuela's rig count Is at a 14-year low. The number of active oil rigs in Venezuela is heading for a second annual decline, Baker Hughes Inc. data published Tuesday showed.- Lucia Kassai



By Daniela Guzman

NEW YORK

Petroleumworld 11 07 017

U.S. Shale will grow even faster than they previously thought - OPEC

Matthew Busch/Bloomberg



G roup raises forecast for shale oil output in annual report. Shale producers show resilience and ability to bounce back'





By Angelina Rascouet

LONDON

Petroleumworld 11 07 17

U.S. Treasury sanctioned "Drug Kingpin" El Alssami running Venezuela's bond negotiations

Financiers must decide whether to meet sanctioned El Aissami. Vice president faces accusations of smuggling and repression - Watch video



By Patricia Laya and Andrew Rosati

WASHINGTON/CARACAS

Petroleumworld 11 07 17

OPEC is set on $70 oil

TRIMMING THE FORECAST

Jan-17 / Jun-17 / Oct-17 / Actual

Dec 18: 10.3 miillions bpd / 10.2 millions bpd / 9.4 millions bpd

EIA forecast of U.S. oil production has been trimmed sice June, but remains robust





By Julian Lee

LONDON

Petroleumworld 11 06 017

Venezuela oil too important for China and Russia to let it fail

Tal Cual



As U.S. ties fray, Asian powers invest more than $60 billion.

Shipments to China, Russia more than double this year



By Alex Nussbaum and Lucia Kassai

NEW YORK/HOUSTON

Petroleumworld 11 06 017

P.R. Governor Rossello calls on Trump for help, Puerto Ricans just want power back

The island will gladly take oil power over solar if it turns the lights back on. - Watch video





By Jonathan Levin, Naureen S Malik, and Emma Ockerman

MIAMI/NEW YORK

Petroleumworld 11 03 017

U.S. to reject anti-corruption effort aimed at oil payments

Arnold & Porter



U.S. to exit global anti-corruption effort aimed at oil cash. Oil, mining companies pledged to disclose overseas payments. U.S. joins Azerbaijan in rejecting anti-corruption initiative.



By Jennifer A Dlouhy

WASHINGTON

Petroleumworld 11 03 017

Norway explorers neglect North Sea, exploration activity declines to 11-year low



Infrastructure risks being shut down without fresh resources

By Mikael Holter

OSLO

Petroleumworld 11 02 017

New U.S. sanctions to Russia may affect russian oil & gas companies foreign expansion

Sergei Karpukhin/Reuters



Analysts say sanctions mainly aimed at potential projects. U.S. sanctions have not yet impeded Russian oil production. Rosneft has reportedly suspended an oil project in the Black Sea due to western sanctions.

By Vladimir Soldatkin and Oksana Kobzeva

MOSCOW

Petroleumworld 11 02 017

Mexico invested $1.25 billion on the world's biggest oil hedge



Mexico's Meade on Catastrophe Bonds and Oil Hedge. - Watch video

By Nacha Cattan

MEXICO CITY

Petroleumworld 11 01 2017

Venezuela bond holders haven't seen PDVSA due money in their accounts yet



Company said it made payment Oct. 27, sparking a bond rally. Bond holders are in the dark and haven't seen money in their accounts yet.

By Katia Porzecanski, Ben Bartenstein, and Christine Jenkins

NEW YORK

Petroleumworld 11 01 2017

Traders scramble as clock keeps ticking: PDVSA default watch

PDVSA says it's all paid up, but the bond market thinks otherwise



When PDVSA oil company blasted out a statement Friday about having begun to transfer $842 million to holders of its bonds due in 2020, the bonds rose on the expectation that come Monday, creditors would be receiving the funds in their accounts and that an even bigger payment due Nov. 2 would now surely be made despite more than $500 million worth of past-due interest payments continuing to pile up. Monday afternoon, the mood has become more somber with no sign of the funds, no word from the notes' trustee and no further communiques from PDVSA. - Daniel Cancel / Bloomberg. - Watch video

By Ben Bartenstein

NEW YORK

Petroleumworld 10 31 2017

PetroChina: The world's hidden gas giant - Bloomberg Gadfly

Jie Zhao / Getty



The trend away from oil has been accelerating in recent quarters.

By David Fickling

Sydney

Petroleumworld 10 31 2017

Lindsey Janies/Bloomberg

The liquefied natural gas tanker Asia Vision left Cheniere Energy's Sabine Pass export terminal in Louisiana. Texas gas drillers looking to build pipeline to west Mexico. Project could offer cheaper, faster route to Asia markets





By Ryan Collins and Lucia Kassai

HOUSTON

Petroleumworld 10 20 2017



Harvey Hits Heart of Texas Energy Industry. Gasoline has surged as oil platforms, pipelines and refineries were shut in Texas due to Tropical Storm Harvey. Bloomberg's Dan Murtaugh reports on "Bloomberg Markets: Asia." (Source: Bloomberg) - Watch video



By Laura Blewitt

HOUSTON

Petroleumworld 10 20 2017



Sonangol chair Isabel dos Santos said her company was not on a similar track, adding that they had cut total company debts to $10 billion this year from $13 billion.



By Libby George and Karin Strohecker

LONDON

Petroleumworld 10 19 2017

Upstream



80,000 people could see pensions cut as much as 40% monthly. Petrobras Pension fund needs $8.7 billion to keep operating



By Sabrina Valle

RIO DE JANEIRO

Petroleumworld 10 19 2017



Shocking fraudulent wins for the government have it groping for a path. Protests failed. Sanctions failed. Voting failed. What's next?. - Watch video



By Andrew Rosati

CARACAS

Petroleumworld 10 18 2017



Nation's demand seen surpassing U.S. level after 2040. Environmental concerns, economic growth drive push toward gas.



By Dan Murtaugh

SINGAPORE

Petroleumworld 10 18 2017

LLOG Explortation Delta House floating production facility (FPS)in the Gulf of Mexico. LLOG reports as much as 9,350 barrels spilled last week. Release dwarfed by multimillion-barrel Deepwater Horizon spill.

By Nico Grant

NEW YORK

Petroleumworld 10 17 2017



Locks in export price of $46 per barrel for 2018: Rubio. Larger stabilization fund will help secure price for 2018.

By Nacha Cattan

MEXICO CITY

Petroleumworld 10 17 2017



Bloomberg's Stephen Stapcznski reports on OPEC's forecast of oil demand. - Watch Video

By Wael Mahdi and Fiona MacDonald

KUWAIT

Petroleumworld 10 16 2017



Venezuela vote dispute risks rekindling unrest, sanctions

By Alexandra Ulmer, Eyanir Chinea

CARACAS

Petroleumworld 10 16 2017



Forecasts indicate surplus will clear in third quarter of 2018. PEC estimated stock excess at 171 million barrels in August. ANZ: Iran Exports Over 2 Million Barrels of Oil - Watch Video

By Grant Smith, Wael Mahdi, and Angelina Rascouet

LONDON/KUWAIT

Petroleumworld 10 13 2017

Petrol companies join high-octane battle over fuel in Mexico

Aaron Eisenhauer, MBR



ethanol plant rises out of the cornfields near Malta Bend, Mo. Ethanol, a biofuel largely made from corn that possesses a particularly high octane and now makes up 10 percent of the U.S. fuel supply.

By James Osborne

WASHINGTON

Petroleumworld 10 13 2017

Spain in suspense, Catalans face a dilema

Rajoy (L) and Puigdemont. Regional leader told to clarify if he's declared independence.

By Todd White, Sharon R Smyth, and Thomas Gualtieri BARCELONA/MADRID

Petroleumworld 10 12 2017 Oil supplier PBF's Energy split with PDVSA grows as U.S. refiner halts direct deals



PBF notified PDVSA last month it is not going to take any more Venezuelan crude cargoes from the state-run firm. By Marianna Parraga HOUSTON

Petroleumworld 10 12 2017



Saudi production cuts create opportunity for rivals: Mallinson. Iraqi shipments to U.S. exceed Saudi sales for second month - watch video

By Anthony Dipaola and Julian Lee

DUBAI/LONDON

Petroleumworld 10 11 2017

Stena Drilling.



Operations on ExxonMobil's Turbot-1 discovery offshore Guyana were conducted from the Stena Carron drillship.



By Joel Parshall

HOUSTON

Petroleumworld 10 11 2017

'Extraordinary' Steps Needed for Stable oil Market in 2018 - OPEC

Why OPEC says 'Extraordinary Steps' are needed By Bruce Stanley and Debjit Chakraborty ABU DHABI/DELHI

Petroleumworld 10 10 2017 Borr Drilling USD 1.3 billion in new rigs rig deal could pave way for Mexico contracts -Danske Bank

Jack-up drilling rig from Maersk Drilling. Reporting by Nerijus Adomaitis and Henrik Stolen OSLO

Petroleumworld 10 10 2017

Oil back in business in the Gulf of Mexico as Hurricane Nate move north

NOLA.com



Damage estimates fell to $2.5 billion as New Orleans spared.

By Amy Stillman and Brian K Sullivan

MEXICO CITY/BOSTON

Petroleumworld 10 09 2017



Prospective buyers for the assets - mainly large energy firms from the United States, Europe, Africa and Latin America -include Angola's state oil company Sonangol and two Russian energy giants, including Rosneft, said two of the sources.

By Julie Zhu and Guillermo Parra-Bernal

HONG KONG/SAO PAULO

Petroleumworld 10 09 2017

Exxon Mobil has announced a fifth new oil discovery after drilling the Turbot-1 well offshore Guyana. Turbot discovery follows those at at Liza, Payara, Snoek and Liza Deep.

By Velda Addison

HOUSTON

Petroleumworld 10 06 2017

Mexico working to launch shale licensing round, oil companies waiting

Vista Oil & Gas



Miguel Galuccio is now concentrating on the Mexican shale sector with Vista Oil & Gas but he has had past success in Argentina and the Vaca Muerta formation leading.



By Kathrine Schmidt

MEXICO CITY

Petroleumworld 10 06 2017

Tropical storm Nate shuts oil rigs on track toward gulf coast

Heavy rains are triggering landslides across Central America. Nate could become a hurricane in Gulf of Mexico by Saturday By Brian K Sullivan and Mark Chediak BOSTON/SAN FRANCISCO

Petroleumworld 10 06 2017

Germany's Dea Deutsche Erdoel and Egypt's Cheiron winners at Pemex's farmouts



German company makes huge offer of $213.8 million to break four-way tie at onshore field and Cheiron Holdings of Egypt place the high bid to partner with Pemex at the Cardenas-Mora field .



By Kathrine Schmidt

MEXICO CITY

Petroleumworld 10 05 2017

Pemex and Talos head-to-head on the big oil find due to a field unitization issue



Private oil made a big find in Mexico. Now state oil wants a cut. Discovery hailed by reformers extends into area owned by Pemex. Government at work on rulebook for sharing as investors fret .



By Adams Williams

NEW YORK

Petroleumworld 10 05 2017

Wall Street on watch as Venezuela payday nears, default Citgo's backed would put refiner in play



Traders see an Existential Crisis' as Venezuela payday nears. Fear payment delay as upcoming debt lacks grace period



By Ben Bartenstein

NEW YORK

Petroleumworld 10 04 2017

Stars and Stripes



President Donald Trump takes a walking tour to survey hurricane damage and recovery efforts in a neighborhood in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico on Tuesday, Oct. 3 , 2017



By Roberta Rampton and Gabriel Stargardter

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico

Petroleumworld 10 04 2017

Angel Navarrete/Bloomberg



BHP gearing up to start drilling for oil in Mexico. BHP, Pemex formed JV to develop Trion field in Gulf of Mexico.



By Adams Williams

MEXICO CITY

Petroleumworld 10 03 2017



Opportunites for systems using solar, batteries are present.



By Robin Respaut and Gabriel Stargardter

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico

Petroleumworld 10 03 2017

U.S. shale acts as a counter to OPEC output and surging demand . APPEC oil conference ends with bullish outlook for 2018 prices.



By Javier Blas, Serene Cheong, and Sharon Cho

SINGAPORE

Petroleumworld 10 02 2017



Exxon Mobil together with Petrobras purchases blocks on Brazil's 14th bidding round. This is a major sign that investment starts to return in the offshore drilling space. Expect both companies to benefit from low dayrates of the offshore drilling industry. Drillers also stand to gain as new jobs will emerge.

By Vladimir Zernov

MOSCOW

Petroleumworld 10 02 2017

Above $50 oil sands to pay off and it's a shale boom



Moody's report shows most producers not making enough cash. Study used measure known as leveraged full cycle ratio





By Carlos Caminada

CALGARY

Petroleumworld 09 29 2017

Exxon/Petrobras dupla big winners at Brazil Pre-Salt oil auction

ANP



Brazil holds its most successful oil auction



By Paul Kiernan

RIO DE JANEIRO

Petroleumworld 09 29 2017

Non OPEC producers within pact wait and see if oil cuts need to be extended



Ministers warn against complacency as rebalancing quickens . Group is meeting in Vienna to discuss oil-supply agreement .

By Elena Mazneva, Angelina Rascouet, and Grant Smith



NEW YORK/HOUSTON

Petroleumworld 09 22 2017

OPEC and its allies indicated that theyll wait a bit longer to see if further action is required in their bid to clear a global oil glut.

Braskem terminates naphta and gasoline supply contract with PDVSA



The Venezuelan energy company has been struggling to maintain its commercial relationships amid difficulties paying providers and because of sanctions imposed on the company and one of its senior executives by the United States.

By Marianna Parrraga and Tatiana Bautzer

HOUSTON/SAO PAULO

Petroleumworld 09 22 2017

Brazils Braskem has terminated a contract to buy light virgin naphtha and natural gasoline from Venezuelas state-run oil company PDVSA that would expire this month, the petrochemical company said on Thursday.



While Republicans push to roll back Obama-era rules, ExxonMobil plans to reduce venting of the powerful greenhouse gas.



By Eric Roston

NEW YORK

Petroleumworld 09 28 2017



Federal Help Pouring Into Puerto Rico After Maria. Vessels face ports and roads in shambles as power blinks out.



By Naureen S Malik and Catherine Traywick

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON

Petroleumworld 09 28 2017

Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg



The impact of Hurricane Harvey and the Kurdish referendum create the risk of a policy mistake.



By Julian Lee

LONDON

Petroleumworld 09 27 2017

Brazilian Wave / Westshore Shipbrokers



Brazil oil auction testing apetite on 287 onshore and offshore blocks in a scandal-reforms country



By Reuters Staff

SAO PAULO

Petroleumworld 09 27 2017

Non OPEC producers within pact wait and see if oil cuts need to be extended



Ministers warn against complacency as rebalancing quickens . Group is meeting in Vienna to discuss oil-supply agreement .

By Elena Mazneva, Angelina Rascouet, and Grant Smith



NEW YORK/HOUSTON

Petroleumworld 09 22 2017

OPEC and its allies indicated that theyll wait a bit longer to see if further action is required in their bid to clear a global oil glut.

Braskem terminates naphta and gasoline supply contract with PDVSA



The Venezuelan energy company has been struggling to maintain its commercial relationships amid difficulties paying providers and because of sanctions imposed on the company and one of its senior executives by the United States.

By Marianna Parrraga and Tatiana Bautzer

HOUSTON/SAO PAULO

Petroleumworld 09 22 2017

Brazils Braskem has terminated a contract to buy light virgin naphtha and natural gasoline from Venezuelas state-run oil company PDVSA that would expire this month, the petrochemical company said on Thursday.



Brazil oil auction to gauge investor appetite amid reforms



By Alexandra Alper

RIO DE JANEIRO

Petroleumworld 09 26 2017



Philadelphia Energy Solutions orders crude delivery by rail. Delta Air Lines' Monroe Trainer cuts rates by almost a third.



By Barbara J Powell

NEW YORK

Petroleumworld 09 26 2017

Germany's Merkel  Nightmare Victory' push chancellor's political party to regroup

Berenberg Says Germany 's AFD Party Will Make Noise



By Arne Delfs, Rainer Buergin, and Patrick Donahue - Watch video

BERLIN

Petroleumworld 09 25 2017

New Trump travel restrictions on North Korea, Venezuela in sweeping ban





Trump adds Venezuela and North Korea to travel ban



By Jeff Mason, Phil Stewart

WASHINGTON

Petroleumworld 09 25 2017

Daniel Acker/Bloomberg



Companies said to be selling crude from Saldanha Bay in Africa. Brent crude time-structure strengthens, encouraging sales.

By Rupert Rowling and Javier Blas

LONDON

Petroleumworld 09 21 2017



Walker and Cooper admit that protecting PDVSA is only half the story, with the country's own directly issued bonds posing significant hurdles of their own to a successful restructuring.

By Christopher Spink

LONDON

Petroleumworld 09 21 2017





Trump: Time for world to isolate N. Korean regime- Watch video

By Margaret Talev and Nick Wadhams

NEW YORK

Petroleumworld 09 20 2017



After nine months of supply cuts, signs that glut is clearing. U.S. shale output is stil rising amid season wane in demand

By Grant Smith

LONDON

Petroleumworld 09 20 2017

Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg



Floodwater surrounds oil refinery storage tanks in Texas City, Texas on Aug. 30. Exxon, Phillips 66, Marathon among refiners delaying work. Lack of manpower, higher margins among reasons for postponing

By Jessica Summers and Barbara J Powell

NEW YORK/HOUSTON

Petroleumworld 09 19 2017

Reuters/Kevin Lamarque



Trump says democracy must be restored in Venezuela soon during a during a working dinner with Latin American leaders in New York, U.S., September 18, 2017. In photo, U.S. President with Brazil President Michel Temer (center R).

By Jennifer Jacobs and Samy Adghirni

NEW YORK

Petroleumworld 09 19 2017



Derick E. Hingle/Bloomberg



Company won rights to develop two deep-water areas in Mexico. Cnooc looks to farm out areas near U.S. maritime border

By Adam Williams and Aibing Guo

MEXICO CITY/HONG KONG

Petroleumworld 09 18 2017





Cadereyta refinery latest casualty from spate of upsets. U.S. refiners exporting less gasoline after Hurricane Harvey

By Amy Stillman

MEXICO CITY/HONG KONG

Petroleumworld 09 18 2017





Bloomberg New Energy Finance cuts peak oversupply outlook 34%. China seen becoming top importer as it shifts to cleaner fuels

By Dan Murtaugh

SINGAPORE

Petroleumworld 09 14 2017



Reuters/Ivan Alvarado



Workers of Alto Maipo hydroelectric project gather close to the town of El Alfalfal, in a pre-mountain range area on the outskirts of Santiago, Chile August 9, 2017.

By Gram Slattery

SANTIAGO

Petroleumworld 09 14 2017



Inventories of refined fuels returning to average levels. Hurricane Harvey's impact on oil markets to be short-lived'

By Grant Smith

LONDON

Petroleumworld 09 13 2017



Operations almost finished Meade says; Cost likely similar to 2017 hedge.

By Carlos M Rodriguez and Nacha Cattan

MEXICO CITY

Petroleumworld 09 13 2017



Irma cuts power to 4.5 Million, shuts ports and imperils crops

By Mark Chediak, Brian K Sullivan, and Megan Durisin

SAN FRANCISCO/BOSTON/CHICAGO

Petroleumworld 09 11 2017

Reuters/Anton Vaganov



Saudi Arabian Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih attends a meeting of the 4th OPEC-Non-OPEC Ministerial Monitoring Committee in St. Petersburg, Russia July 24, 2017.

By Rania El Gamal

DUBAI

Petroleumworld 09 11 2017

Norway's Prime Minister Erna Solberg re-elected four more years

Norway's first Conservative Party leader beats labor leader in historic election. Solberg has narrow victory after delivering record stimulus. By Sveinung Sleire and Mikael Holter OSLO

Petroleumworld 09 12 2017 Brazil police look into alleged money laundering on sales to Venezuela's PDVSA

PDVSA overpaid two companies, one Venezuelan and one Brazilian, for agricultural machinery to the tune of 200 million reais ($64.46 million) between 2010 and 2014, officials said. By Lisandra Paraguassu RIO DE JANEIRO

Petroleumworld 09 12 2017

By Javier Blass

LONDON

Petroleumworld 09 01 2017

Latin America fuel traders are pointing at PDVSA waiting gasoline cargos



Traders looks to Venezuelan waiting to be deliver fuel cargoes as Harvey swamps U.S.

By Marianna Parraga

HOUSTON

Petroleumworld 09 01 2017

U.S. refiners down on 4.25 million barrels per day of capacity as Harvey continue pouring rain





Largest U.S. refiner shuts down as Harvey makes second landfall. Corpus Christi plants beginning to restart as storm moves on

By Barbara J Powell, Brian K Sullivan, and Dan Murtaugh

HOUSTON/BOSTON/SINGAPORE

Petroleumworld 08 31 2017



An oil refinery is seen before the arrival of Hurricane Harvey on Aug. 25, 2017, in Corpus Christi, Texas.

By Erwin Seba and Devika Krishna Kumar

HOUSTON/NEW YORK

Petroleumworld 08 31 2017

Carlos Barria/Reuters



President Donald Trump receiving a briefing on Tropical Storm Harvey relief efforts in Corpus Christi,Texas, on Tuesday.

By Erwin Seba

HOUSTON

Petroleumworld 08 30 2017



Biggest U.S. refinery is said to be shutting on severe floods. About 20 percent of refining capacity has halted operations

By Ben Sharples and Melissa Cheok

HONG KONG/SINGAPORE

Petroleumworld 08 30 2017

Adrees Latif/Reuters



Residents use boats to evacuate flood waters along Tidwell Road in east Houston, Texas. August 29, 2017 01:30am EDT

By Marianna Parraga and Ernest Scheyder

HOUSTON

Petroleumworld 08 29 2017



Pipelines, terminal operations suspended because of U.S. storm. About 2.35 million barrels of capacity shut after flooding.



By Ben Sharples and Perry Williams

HONG KONG/SIDNEY

Petroleumworld 08 29 2017

Hurricane Harvey throws a wrench into U.S. energy engine



Oil companies evacuate workers as Tropical Storm Harvey hit Texas.

By Ernest Scheyder and Erwin Seba

HOUSTON

Petroleumworld 08 28 2017

F. Carter Smith/Bloomberg



Tanker trucks enter a refinery ahead of Hurricane Harvey in Texas City, on Aug. 25.

By Amy Stillman and Adam Williams

MEXICO CITY

Petroleumworld 08 28 2017



Harvey sends Harvey sends gasoline surging as Texas refineries shut down. Exxon, Anadarko, Shell among energy explorers cutting output. Would be first major hurricane to hit U.S. since Wilma.

By Brian K Sullivan and Mark Chediak

BOSTON/SAN FRANCISCO

Petroleumworld 08 25 2017

Reuters



Venezuela's new Head of PDVSA Nelson Martinez (L) and Oil Minister Eulogio del Pino (R).

By Brian Ellsworth

CARACAS

Petroleumworld 08 25 2017



Brazil power wizard takes center stage in Eletrobras shock. Ferreira seen as the market choice' to lead the utility giant. CEO engineered creation of biggest private industry player.

By Vanessa Dezem, Peter Millard, and Arie Shapira

RIO DE JANEIRO

Petroleumworld 08 24 2017



Venezuela's IOUs pile up, keeping U.S. oil servicers in tow. With $19.8 billion due others, company payouts remain far off. Schlumberger, Halliburton gain from interest, regular payment.

By David Wethe

HOUSTON

Petroleumworld 08 24 2017

Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg



Michael Wirth seen as most likely successor to seven-year CEO. Chevron spokesman declines comment on leadership change

By Joe Carroll

CHICAGO

Petroleumworld 08 23 2017



Harvey threatens gulf coast, sending gasoline higher

By Brian K Sullivan and Laura Blewitt

BOSTON/HOUSTON

Petroleumworld 08 23 2017

Dado Galdieri/Bloomberg



Company's share of diesel imports shrank to just 2.2 percent. Daily price adjustments designed to scare off new competitors

By Sabrina Valle

SAO PAULO

Petroleumworld 08 22 2017

As established players expand, some newcomers seen struggling. New mine teething problems tightening credit for projects

By Laura Millan Lombrana and Jonathan Gilbert

SANTIAGO/BUENOS AIRES

Petroleumworld 08 22 2017



Total will issue to A.P. MollerMaersk 97.5 million shares, based on the average Total share price on the 20 business days prior to Aug. 21. That will represent 3.75 percent of the enlarged share capital of Total.

By Geraldine Amiel

PARIS

Petroleumworld 08 18 2017 .

the pace of deals in the energy sector is accelerating after a long downturn.

Juan Mabromata/AFP



YPF, Dow are trying to figure out value for El Orejano. Shale natural gas output subsidized through at least 2021

By Jonathan Gilbert and Alix Steel

PARIS

Petroleumworld 08 21 2017

Bloomberg



Less LNG evaporation means more flexibility to find best buyer. Gas market looking more like oil as ships become trading tools. By Anna Shiryaevskaya

LONDON

Petroleumworld 08 18 2017

Jonathan Bachman/Reuters



Bank jitters over Venezuela stall oil delivery to U.S. refiner. The Suezmax sized oil tanker Karvounis lies at anchor stranded off the coast of Louisiana for lack of a bank letter of credit to discharge its cargo of Venezuelan heavy crude, south of Port Fourchon, Louisiana, U.S. August 17, 2017. By Marianna Parraga

MEXICO CITY

Petroleumworld 08 18 2017

Suisse bans trading of Venezuela and PDVSA bonds

Gianluca Colla/Bloomberg



Bank says it has no appetite' to help fund Maduro government. Lender also halting business with Venezuelan counterparties

By Jan-Henrik Foerster and Katia Porzecanski

ZURICH/NEW YORK

Petroleumworld 08 11 2017



Sanctions could also afect oil commerce of Venezuela's with Cuba, China and Russial.

By Timothy Gardner

WASHINGTON

Petroleumworld 08 11 2017



Venezuela Inches Closer to Dictatorship - Watch video

By Saleha Mohsin and Jose Enrique Arrioja

WASHINGTON/NEW YORK

Petroleumworld 08 10 2017

Diezani Alison-Madueke - F. Carter Smith/Bloomberg



Agency says more than a dozen estates traced to Alison-Madueke. Nigeria seeking court ruling for forfeiture of the assets

By Solape Renner and Dulue Mbachu

LONDON/ABUJA

Petroleumworld 08 10 2017

Mariana Bazzo/Reuters



Peru's Foreign Minister Ricardo Luna (C) along with foreign ministers and representatives from across the Americas, called Venezuela now a dictatorship', Ministers criticize human rights violations and use of violence, in Lima, Peru, August 8, 2017.

By John Quigley

LIMA

Petroleumworld 08 09 2017

Heesu Lee/Bloomberg



Malibu, the Suezmax crude carrier, carries Kazakh crude oil. Asian diesel profits surge as demand booms in India, China. SK Innovation to take delivery of U.S. crude for first time

By Heesu Lee

SEOUL

Petroleumworld 08 09 2017

Carlos Becerra/Bloomberg



Political crisis fueling violence in nation reliant on crude. Repsol also says it's removed all remaining foreign staff

By Rodrigo Orihuela, Mikael Holter, and Lucia Kassai

MADRID/OSLO/HOUSTON

Petroleumworld 08 08 2017

Alberto Raggio/Reuters



Gutierrez said weather issues will hurt YPF's 2017 output, forecast to contract by 3 percent. But he has "no doubt" of positive 2018 production for YPF.

By Caroline Stauffer and Juliana Castilla

BUENOS AIRES

Petroleumworld 08 08 2017



Sources: Thomas W. O'Donnell : PDVSA,Gazprom, Global Business Consultans, Bloomberg

Russia's Rosneft standing by investment plans in Venezuela.

By Elena Mazneva and Stephen Bierman

MOSCOW

Petroleumworld 08 07 2017



In part, the companies are reacting to high costs and anticipating weaker supplies of Venezuelan crude coming to the United States.

By Erwin Seba

HOUSTON

Petroleumworld 08 07 2017

Oil at $50 the magic number for deep-sea drillers

Charles Gladwell



Transocean surging after signaling break-even at key level. Peers like Diamond Offshore also rise on upbeat outlook By David Wethe HOUSTON

Petroleumworld 08 04 2017 Venezuelan crude a $10 billion threat for the U.S.

Refineries are calibrated to handle the nation's sludgy crude. An embargo could spike gasoline prices, at least for a while By Alex Nussbaum and Sheela Tobben NEW YORK

Petroleumworld 08 04 2017

Basrah crude oil under the hammer Oil's going, going, gone: crude's worth revealed at auctions. Producers seen auctioning crude on DME to gauge buyer interest. Process helps set official selling price for long-term cargoes By Serene Cheong SINGAPORE

Petroleumworld 08 03 2017

U.S. readying more sanctions for Venezuela to regime's response, oil included Trump weighs tying more Venezuela sanctions to Maduro's actions . Sen. Rubio says Venezuela oil sanctions are possible. - Watch video By Jennifer A Dlouhy WASHINGTON

Petroleumworld 08 03 2017

Bloomberg/Jason Alder



Developers look to smaller LNG terminals for emerging markets. Cheniere, Tellurian are considering lower-cost projects By Naureen S Malik HOUSTON/CARACAS

Petroleumworld 08 02 2017

PDVSA on Plan B should U.S. slap sanctions on Venezuela's oil

Bloomberg/Wil Riera



PDVSA, partners looking at alternatives for country's crude. New destinations may translate into lower prices for Venezuela .

By Lucia Kassai and Fabiola Zerpa

HOUSTON/CARACAS

Petroleumworld 08 02 2017

Trump's administration sanctions Venezuela's Dictator Maduro





U.S. Tresury Secretary Steven Mnuchin calls Venezuela's President Maduro a Dictator. -Watch video.

By Jose Enrique Arrioja and Saleha Mohsin



NEW YORK/WASHINGTON

Petroleumworld 08 01 2017



U.S. weighs oil action on Venezuela vote fallout. -Watch video.

By Lucia Kassai, Laura Blewitt, and Nathan Crooks



HOUSTON/CARACAS

Petroleumworld 08 01 2017

Jiri Rezac



Raw tar sands mining operations near Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada.





By Nia Williams



CALGARY, Alberta

Petroleumworld 07 31 2017

Reuters/Christian Veron



Riot police officers charge during one of the rallies. U.S. considering some sanctions on Venezuela oil sector -sources.



By Alexandra Ulmer and Anggy Polanco



CARACAS/SAN CRISTOBAL, Venezuela

Petroleumworld 07 31 2017

Venezuela heads for point of no return, U.S. orders diplomats' families to leave

NYT/Meredith Kohut



Signs of initial stirrings of an urban guerrilla movement. The U.S. has been urging Maduro to cancel the vote vote that would allow him to rewrite the constitution.





By Vivianne Rodrigues and Andrew J Barden



NEW YORK/WASHINGTON

Petroleumworld 07 28 2017



Venezuela potential area of contention Guyana. Venezuelan government has always claimed the land west of the Essequibo River and also the offshore areas with their area limits.



By Elio Ohep



CARACAS

Petroleumworld 07 28 2017

OPEC, Russia will keep oil cut pact even if glut persists

Producers meet in St. Petersburg with prices still depressed. They'll likely persevere as alternatives are worse: SocGen LONDON

Petroleumworld 07 21 2017

"This shows that Rosneft has no hangups about expanding its footprint in the world's largest oil patch, even with Maduro becoming an autocrat," said Raul Gallegos, an analyst with the consultancy Control Risks.

CARACAS/HOUSTON

Petroleumworld 07 21 2017



"The move will likely cripple PDVSA-owned Citgo, which would be forced to buy higher-priced crude on the spot market for its refineries," McMonigle said in a note Tuesday. "But US refiners, who oppose the sanctions, would also be impacted as it would force Gulf refiners to find replacements for heavier grades of Venezuelan crude."-Platts / Watch video

NEW YORK

Petroleumworld 07 20 2017

Talos Energy CEO on Mexico big oil discovery - Watch video

Mexico CNH says crude discovery sparked international interest. Country to announce fields for deep water auction "in days"

MEXICO CITY

Petroleumworld 07 20 2017

Ecuador increases oil output breaks OPEC quota

Agreed cuts to oil supply



Source: Bloomberg News, Bloomberg Intelligence Nation must boost production to raise revenue, minister says. Ecuador accounts for just 1 percent of the Vienna Group's agreed output cuts

ECUADOR/LONDON

Petroleumworld 07 19 2017

Venezuela could face an oil imports ban from the U.S.

Bloomberg



Trump administration raises pressure on Caracas over plan to re-write constitution -Watch video

WASHINGTON/BOGOTA

Petroleumworld 07 19 2017

Is big oil's bet on gas wrong?



Energy giants plan shift from producing oil toward natural gas

LONDON

Petroleumworld.com 07 18 2017

Venezuela on Trump's warning, opposition calls for strike

The United States will not stand by as Venezuela crumbles, Trump said and warns of potential swift economic actions'. Opposition calling for a 24-hour strike .

CARACAS

Petroleumworld.com 07 18 2017

More than seven mllions of venezuelans turn against Maduro in symbolic vote

Reuters



Left to right, Jose Virtuoso, rector of the Andres Bello Catholic University (UCAB), Raul Lopez Sayago, rector of the Pedagogical Experimental Libertador University (UPEL), Cecilia Garcia Arocha (C), rector of the Central University of Venezuela (UCV), Jessy Divo, rector of the University of Carabobo, Benjamin Scharifker, Rector of the Metropolitan University (UNIMET), "Commission of Guarantors" of the National Assembly consultation process address the media announcing the results on the plebiscite against Nicolas Maduro's regimen and his plan to rewrite the constitution, in Caracas, Venezuela July 16, 2017. The writing on the screen reads "7.186.170" votes against the regime.

CARACAS

Petroleumworld 07 17 2017

Bloomberg/Yael Martinez



Construction on the Miguel Hidalgo Refinery in Tula, Hidalgo, Mexico, on April 18, 2017.

MEXICO CITY

Petroleumworld 07 17 2017

Getty Images



Sierra Oil & Gas among explorers in group that struck crude. Next auctions expected to involve deep-water and shale fields.



MEXICO CITY/NEW YORK

Petroleumworld 07 14 2017

Bloomberg/Brittany Sowacke



There's a risk that OPEC loses market share, former oil minister of Qatar, al-Attiyah says. OPEC's compliance is very good' even if not 100 percent



KUWAIT/LONDON

Petroleumworld 07 14 2017

Reuters



US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson makes a speech during the opening ceremony of the 22nd World Petroleum Congress-WPC in Istanbul, Turkey on 9 July, 2017. It could be at least 2020 before slump ends, Pouyanne says . Lower for longer' is new normal: Baker Hughes CEO Simonelli

ISTANBUL

Petroleumworld 07 13 2017



Jaguar Exploration and Production of Hydrocarbons rose as the winner of the 2.2 and 2.3 oil rounds. Of the 24 blocks offered the company was awarded 11, six in consortium and five individually.

MEXICO CITY

Petroleumworld 07 13 2017

Bloomberg/Tim Rue



Ships floating off Singapore form distribution center for Asia. Oil from U.S. to Africa sold from vessels; grades also blended.

SINGAPORE

Petroleumworld 07 12 2017



Mexico's natural gas market goes foward in evolutionary step

MEXICO CITY

Petroleumworld 07 12 2017

NYT/William Widmer



Remember peak oil? demand may top out before supply does

LONDON

Petroleumworld 07 11 2017

Bloomberg/Susana Gonzalez



Pemex yet to be identified as company in DOJ investigation

MEXICO CITY

Petroleumworld 07 11 2017

Bloomberg/Akos Stiller



Issam Almarzooq , Kuwait oil minister. Output in both countries rose amid exemption from global cuts. OPEC, allies due to meet July 24 in Russia to discuss matter.

KUWAIT/LONDON

Petroleumworld 07 10 2017



Trump administration is weighing sanctions against Venezuela. Refiners say banning oil imports would hurt U.S. economy

WASHINGTON

Petroleumworld 07 10 2017



Trump administration is weighing sanctions against Venezuela. Refiners say banning oil imports would hurt U.S. economy

WASHINGTON

Petroleumworld 07 10 2017

Getty/ Sean Gallup



Donald Trump arrives at Hamburg Airport on July 6, 2017. Warsaw speech focuses on religion, family ahead of rule of law. That may go down well in Poland; elsewhere in EU, not so much.

NEW YORK

Petroleumworld 07 07 2017



Company says no confirmation that U.S. case ivolves Pemex. Move designed to clear up the facts,' legal director says.

MEXICO CITY

Petroleumworld 07 07 2017

Bloomberg/Daniel Acker



Drawdowns continues as White House pledges to sell more. Rising domestic output to offset need for a flush SPR.

NEW YORK

Petroleumworld 07 06 2017



Four companies and five consortiums have qualified to bid in the first of the two auctions, Round 2.2 and For the third auction, Round 2.3, 11 individual companies have qualified and Eight consortiums.

MEXICO CITY

Petroleumworld 07 06 2017



Russia to oppose any proposal to cut output further: officials. U.S. crude stockpiles forecast to resume declines: survey

HONG KONG

Petroleumworld 07 05 2017

AFP



Riot police clash with residents of La Vega neighborhood in Caracas. In western Caracas, fury erupts when food program falters. People protest when there are no other options. It's madness'

CARACAS

Petroleumworld 07 05 2017

Global oil supply rose by 585 kb/d in May to 96.69 mb/d after both OPEC and non-OPEC produced more-IEA. Crude production rises for second straight month, survey finds. Libya and Nigeria added 130,000 barrels a day last month.



LONDON

Petroleumworld 07 04 2017

Bloomberg/Dado Galdieri



EPA's Scott Pruitt said to order reconsideration of biofuel mandate. Imported supplies help refiners satisfy annual biofuel quotas

WASHINGTON/CHICAGO

Petroleumworld 07 04 2017

MEXICO CITY/HOUSTON

Petroleumworld 07 03 2017

Bloomberg/ Daniel Acker



The 46-mile pipeline to cross Texas-Mexico border, under wall. Presidential permits issued for three NuStar pipelines: State
The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, with the Dragon spacecraft onboard, launches from pad 39A at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. Read more

It's been 44 years since the mighty Saturn V last thundered skyward from a launchpad at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The towering rocket, generating enough power to lift 269,000 pounds into orbit, had been the workhorse of the Apollo moon missions.

Later this year, SpaceX plans to launch its most powerful rocket yet from the same pad. The long-awaited Falcon Heavy is key to the California company's plans to get more defense business, send tourists around the moon, and launch its first unmanned mission to Mars.

But unlike the Saturn V, the Falcon Heavy will have plenty of competition.

Years in the works and the product of hundreds of millions of dollars of investments, a new generation of huge rockets will soon take off. Their manufacturers range from space start-ups to aerospace giants to the space agencies of the United States, Russia, and China.

Because of advances in fuel, materials, and electronics, the new rockets, while smaller than some of the Space Age beasts, may be more efficient and cost-effective. They will be able to hoist big spy satellites to a high orbit or ferry crews into space.

The rush of new rockets has prompted some to question whether NASA even needs to build its own massive new space vehicle  and whether there will be enough launch business to go around.

After years of a monopoly, the lucrative business of launching sensitive national security satellites is now competitive. But at the same time, the launch demand for large satellites is not expected to change.

And in the case of SpaceX, the workhorse Falcon 9 rocket  which recently completed its 10th mission of the year  has been upgraded to the point where it can handle heavier loads than originally expected.

Whereas SpaceX first thought that it would fly the same number of Falcon 9s as Falcon Heavys, it is turning out that Falcon 9s will have two to three times as many commercial missions. The company's May launch of the Inmarsat-5 F4 satellite on a Falcon 9 was originally slated for a Falcon Heavy.

"There is a part of the commercial market that requires Falcon Heavy," said Gwynne Shotwell, president of SpaceX. "It's there, and it's going to be consistent, but it's much smaller than we thought."

SpaceX says the price of a Falcon Heavy launch will be at least $90 million, vs. $62 million for its Falcon 9.

That hasn't deterred rocket makers.

Last year, Amazon.com Inc. CEO Jeff Bezos announced a plan for a heavy-lift rocket called New Glenn to be built by his space firm, Blue Origin. The rocket, which will have two-stage and three-stage versions, was designed to launch commercial satellites and to take humans into space.

United Launch Alliance (ULA), a joint venture of Lockheed Martin Corp. and Boeing Co., has proposed a new rocket called the Vulcan, which would eventually replace its current intermediate- and heavy-lift vehicles.

Orbital ATK Inc., a commercial aerospace firm in Dulles, Va., intends to expand its lineup with its first intermediate and heavy-lift rockets, known for now as the Next Generation Launcher (NGL).

Europe's Arianespace already can use its Ariane 5 heavy launcher to take two large satellites into space.

While rockets may look similar on liftoff, their makers can be selective in the contracts they target.

SpaceX, for example, instance, has tried to compete for nearly all types of launches, but Orbital ATK seems to be focusing on the extreme ends of the market  small and large payloads, said Carissa Christensen, chief executive of consulting firm Bryce Space and Technology.

"The launch market is complicated and so specialized that all of those players could find a niche," she said.

The U.S. government and its contractors have a long history of developing large rockets. That includes the Saturn V, the largest and most powerful rocket ever flown successfully, and ULA's Delta IV Heavy, the most powerful rocket currently used by the Air Force to carry national security satellites to orbit.

The heavy-lift launchers of tomorrow would take advantage of key developments in composite materials, electronics, and other technologies.

The first-stage booster of ULA's proposed Vulcan rocket, for example, could be powered by BE-4 engines under development by Blue Origin that run on oxygen-rich staged combustion of liquefied natural gas and liquid oxygen. Those engines will also be used in Blue Origin's New Glenn heavy-lift rocket.

Liquefied natural gas is cleaner than kerosene, a more conventional rocket fuel. That means it's less likely to clog fuel lines in the engine and is easier to purge and use again, said Ann Karagozian, a UCLA professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering.

Not all the technology is completely cutting edge. The core stage of NASA's Space Launch System vehicle will use four RS-25 engines  relics from the space shuttle program that are being retrofitted with new controllers that are smarter and lighter than past computers.

NASA already had 14 engines that had previously flown on the space shuttle and enough material to make two new engines, said Jim Paulsen, vice president of NASA programs at Aerojet Rocketdyne, which makes the engines. The company will perform tests on the engines to make sure that everything is running properly before being tested as a core stage.

Reusing parts after launch has changed the conversation about rocket economics, and it could be a factor in knocking down prices of the big rockets too, if there is enough demand. Both Blue Origin and SpaceX designed their first-stage boosters to be able to land after launch.

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has said the Falcon Heavy will attempt to land its two side boosters  which on its demonstration flight will be reused first stages from previous missions  as well as its center core booster in a kind of "synchronized aerial ballet."

Shotwell said the company is working to see if it can bring the side boosters back to land, which would require overhauling its landing zone at Cape Canaveral. SpaceX may also need to build more drone ships if the company chooses to land the side boosters at sea, she said.

A boom in small satellites for internet access, commercial imaging, and Earth observation has led to a surge in new rocket companies, several of them based in Southern California.

While small launchers are being developed to give these satellites a dedicated ride to space, initial deployment of these so-called constellations is likely to require launches of 10 or more satellites at a time  and heavier rockets  to start operations as soon as possible, said Marco Caceres, senior space analyst at the Teal Group.

Demand for heavy rockets will remain relatively flat over the next 10 years, at 20 to 25 launches a year, according to data from Bryce Space and Technology. However, U.S. companies are expected to win more contracts in the international launch market, said Phil Smith, senior space analyst at Bryce Space and Technology.

SpaceX's success two years ago in challenging ULA's monopoly on military launches may have emboldened new challengers to try to compete for the limited number of military and other national security launches.

Orbital ATK plans to compete its proposed NGL intermediate- and heavy-lift rockets in future Air Force competitions. So far, the company has passed design reviews and is working toward a static fire of its four-segment heavy-lift booster in about 2022. The company expects that rocket to be operational in 2024.

Orbital ATK sees NGL as a natural progression from its smaller rockets, such as Pegasus and Antares. Antares currently delivers supplies for NASA to the International Space Station.

Orbital ATK and the Air Force together are investing more than $200 million to develop the launch system.

SpaceX also plans to seek certification from the Air Force for its Falcon Heavy for national security launches. After a demonstration flight later this year, the Falcon Heavy's first customer launch will be for the Air Force.

NASA has embarked on a likely decades-long, multibillion-dollar program to develop the SLS rocket, the Orion crew capsule, and its associated launch facilities.

The smallest version of the rocket is set to make its first, unmanned flight in 2019 when it journeys to a distant retrograde orbit around the moon. The larger, 365-foot version of the rocket is expected to make its first flight in 2028 or 2029.
The NAACP has every right to oppose Lynne Abraham for interim district attorney, simply because it is an American organization protected by the First Amendment.

Let them march.

Let them use bullhorns.

Let them raise their rhetorical flaming torches, something they do so very well.

Let them, as it were, draw a line in the sand.

And then all of us who care about justice and don't give a damn about its color or creed, need to walk right over that line. If we don't, if we allow ourselves to be intimidated into silence or acquiescence to avoid the "racist" label, we deserve unsafe streets.

We deserve DAs who think criminals are victims of circumstance.

We deserve police officers who can't do their jobs because their hands are tied by political expedience, residents who cower behind their front doors because the wolves are running amok outside, unsolved murders and inconsolable survivors.

Of course, it's not all the fault of the NAACP. But any organization that cares more about resuscitating old grudges and avenging ancient offenses than the safety of a city's innocent citizens, many of whom are members of the minority community they purport to serve, should be ignored.

Let them speak, but turn a deaf ear to their claims of prejudice and their protestations of injustice.

Rodney Muhammad, president of the group's Philadelphia branch, stated on Saturday that "We had a great deal of problems with Lynne Abraham when she reigned as DA. I was shocked that she would put in her name for consideration. We're putting out a public call to her to withdraw her name from consideration."

Many members of the black community have opposed Lynne Abraham in the past, arguing that the first (and so far only) woman who held the position of the city's chief enforcement officer presided over an office that regularly sough harsh punishments for criminals, including the death penalty, and that her tenure was particularly draconian when it came to the black community.

They neglect to mention that the vast majority of the victims her office represented were also from that same community.

But that's not the reason the NAACP is angry that Abraham would throw her hat back into the ring. They have a petty, personal, longstanding grudge that is as irrelevant to the history of the DA's office as it was relevant to the African Americans who dearly wanted a historical first: the appointment of the first female African American to be appointed to the federal bench.

Back in 1997, then President Bill Clinton appointed Common Pleas Judge Frederica Massiah-Jackson to the US District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Among those who opposed the nomination, including a raft of conservative activists, was Lynne Abraham. The DA's position was based in her belief that Massiah-Jackson showed far too much hostility to police and prosecutors during her tenure on the city's criminal bench. Because of the opposition, the nomination was derailed.

I do not personally know Judge Massiah-Jackson, although she once presided over a case in which I was tangentially involved. She was fair, learned and had exactly the type of judicial temperament one would hope to see in a jurist.

I do, however, know Lynne Abraham. I first met her at my father's law school graduation in 1965, because she was a member of that same graduating class at Temple, and she was his good friend. She remained his friend, a loyal one, until his death 30 years ago. And I have followed her professional trajectory from afar for these past decades, with both affection and admiration. I am not at all an unbiased observer.

But I am objective in this one thing: The NAACP does not have the right to use a personal vendetta to keep a highly accomplished woman from serving all of the city's residents, regardless of color, creed, gender, ZIP code or political affiliation. What happened two decades ago is irrelevant to what is happening now in our streets, and that is the massacre of innocents, and the only person who has dealt with that effectively over the past decades is Lynne Abraham.

I do not remember the NAACP marching when one of their own, Seth Williams, brought shame upon the District Attorney's Office.

To see them raising their fists at this moment, for this reason, is one of the most offensive things I have ever experienced.

So yes, let them protest. But their protest should fall on deaf ears.
Gov. Wolf is in a tough place.

He'll soon have to decide what to do with whatever lame-o revenue package the world's worst legislative body sends him to pay for the state's new $32 billion spending plan, part of a half-baked budget that was supposed to take effect July 1.

His choices include fighting, and risking fiscal and political pain; or going along, and risking fiscal and political pain.

This is what our state has come to. Let's review.

On one hand, Wolf didn't create the mess. It festered for years. On the other hand, things aren't better under his watch.

In 2010, after eight years of Gov. Ed Rendell, the financial news service 24/7 Wall St. ranked Pennsylvania the 22nd best-run state. Not great, not ghastly.

By 2014, after four years of Gov. Tom Corbett, the state ranked 36th. Pretty big drop.

It's currently 42nd.

Wolf could borrow one of Homer Simpson's three phrases to get through life: "It was like that when I got here." (The two others are "Cover for me" and "Oh, good idea, Boss.") Or Wolf could say, "I've slowed our decline."

It's just that neither makes a great campaign slogan for his reelection bid in 2018.

What to do?

He could fight the hapless, horrible legislature that keeps doing the same sort of sleazy fiscal things year after year and now seems poised to expand gambling, cut health care to the poor, and fake-balance the budget with big borrowing  even as the state faces credit downgrades.

There was a time the Wolfman made his unhappiness with this sort of governance known. He howled at the GOP-run legislature during his budget address last year. "If you won't take seriously your responsibility," he said to their faces, "then find another job."

(Oh, if only!)

Ah, but fighting the legislature caused a nearly nine-month budget delay in 2015-16, and many schools, local governments and nonprofits suffered financially. And Wolf's poll numbers dropped.

Since there's no greater motivator in elective politics than declining poll numbers, Wolf changed. Changed as if there are no more full moons; changed, if you will, to a sheep in wolf's clothing.

He stopped fighting. He introduced a Republican-style budget with lots of cuts. He signed some liquor and pension reforms. And after working with the legislature, guess what? Wolf's poll numbers climbed.

So, he's still making nice.

When he issued a statement last week (without facing media) that embraced the legislature's spending plan, there was no mention of the core stuff he firmly believes can move the state forward.

Nothing about a long-sought hike in the minimum wage (we're the only Northeast state except New Hampshire still stuck at $7.25 an hour). Nothing about a natural gas severance tax (we're the only energy-producing state without one).

No mention of the legislature adding $15 million more to its own, already fat operating costs while cutting costs elsewhere.

No. Instead he touted the (questionable) new spending plan (passed without funding), "in the hope that we can continue to work together on a sustainable budget solution."

He did this even though the "solution" appears to hinge on things he doesn't really support that could put the state on even shakier fiscal ground, which in a year or so could present problems for Wolf and a possible drop in the polls.

Yet that's where he seems headed, apparently convinced there's less risk in continued mediocrity than in confrontation, perhaps stalemate, and a possible drop in the polls.

And when another run-up-debt, hide-our-problems budget is adopted, Wolf can nod toward lawmakers, effectively suggesting, "Cover for me," to which his senior aides can say, "Oh, good idea, Boss."
FILE- In this file photo taken on Tuesday, July 11, 2017, Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya speaks to journalists in Moscow, Russia. A billionaire real estate mogul, his pop singer son, a music promoter, a property lawyer and Russia's prosecutor general are unlikely figures who surfaced in emails released by Donald Trump Jr. as his father's presidential campaign sought potentially damaging information in 2016 from Russia about his opponent, Hillary Clinton. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, file) Read more

Remember last week when I noted here that "follow the data" is the modern version of the Watergate mantra "follow the money"  meaning that the key to collusion between President Trump's 2016 campaign and Russia may be learning how "fake news creators halfway around the globe figured out exactly which voters in Wisconsin and Michigan to target with their Hillary-hating memes? Here's the thing, though: Modern political corruption is a little bit like the upscale department store at your local mall: Cash is still accepted, too.

The broad outlines of the Trump-Russia scandal have emerged: The GOP presidential candidate and his minions wanted dirt on Hillary Clinton and help in depressing Democratic voter turnout. That help was provided in the form of hacked Democratic Party emails and the overcaffienated "fake news" from Russian content farms that flooded voters' Facebook feeds. Russia wanted a new American president who would drop the sanctions imposed on their homeland for invading Crimea in 2014, among other policy favors. But was there another angle to the story  one that involves the almighty dollar?

It didn't make a lot of news in May when the U.S. Department of Justice abruptly settled a case against a Russian firm, Prevezon Holdings, that stood accused of laundering ill-gotten gains through Manhattan real estate. Reports said the case, which was about to go to trial, was settled for $6 million  far less than expected  and that the Russian firm was not required to make any admission of guilt. Officials with Prevezon at the time said (echoing "The Godfather" without irony) that the offer from the Jeff Sessions-led Justice Department "was too good to refuse."

At that moment, it seemingly meant nothing that one of the lawyers in the case  representing the family of Pyotr Katsyv, the former vice governor of the Moscow region, whose son, Denis owned Prevezon  was a virtually unknown Russian named Natalia Veselnitskaya. She said in May that the favorable deal her client was offered by Trump's Justice Department was "almost an apology from the (U.S.) government."

Today, anyone who follows American politics knows who Veselnitskaya is: The woman whose June 9, 2016 Trump Tower meeting with Donald Trump Jr., Jared Kushner and then-Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort, as well as a former Russian counter-intelligence officer turned lobbyist, has become the biggest bombshell revelation in the quest to learn the extent of any Trump-Russia collusion in last year's election.

Not surprisingly, some Democratic members of Congress now want to know if the Trump campaign's dealings  or dealing, anyway  with the Russian lawyer had any connection with the Justice Department's decision to settle the lawsuit on terms so seemingly favorable to a client of the woman who came to Trump Tower billed as "a Russian government lawyer" peddling dirt on Clinton. The 17 Democrats sent a letter to Trump's attorney general Sessions, stating: "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." They want to know if Veselnitskaya had any role in the settlement talks, whether Sessions  who'd been a campaign adviser to Trump  knew of the earlier contact, whether any Trump administration officials had contacted the Justice Department about the case. and they also asked for documents explaining the abrupt decision to settle.

Originally, the case would have been tried by the office of then-Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, who was known as something of a pit bull on business corruption cases, including money laundering. It's hard to imagine that Bharara  who'd initially been told he would stay on despite the change in administrations  would have signed off onto such a milquetoast settlement with the Russian schemers. But in March, Trump surprised legal observers by abruptly firing Bharara along with 45 other incumbent U.S. attorneys. (President Trump had tried to call Bharara the day before the firing, but the prosecutor refused to speak with him.) The settlement with Prevezon came just weeks later.

Cases of alleged business dirty-dealing  involving money laundering and a complex tax fraud scheme  rarely capture the public's imagination. But this matter seems to intersect with too many key signposts of the burgeoning Trump-Russia scandal to ignore. You may have heard that the main goal of the Russian lawyer Veselnitskaya and the spy-turned-lobbyist who accompanied her to Trump Tower was overturning the Magnitsky Act  strict economic sanctions that the U.S. imposed on Vladimir Putin's Russia three years ago. The law was named for Sergei Magnitsky, a Moscow attorney who blew the whistle on what he said was a massive scheme involving Russian mobsters, shady businessmen and the highest levels of the Kremlin to defraud the government of taxes and launder the money in the U.S. and elsewhere. Russian authorities arrested Magnitsky  who turned up dead a year later, victim of an alleged beating and poor medical care. One of the companies in the scheme that Magnitsky blew the whistle on was Prevezon Holdings.

It doesn't help matters that Sessions  the nation's highest-ranking law officer  has already disgraced his office with his rank dishonesty over his dealings with Russia. The former Alabama senator lied at his Senate confirmation hearing and said he'd had no contact with Russian officials during the 2016 campaign; a short time later it was revealed that he'd met the then-Russian ambassador Sergei Kislyak on at least two known occasions. Sessions' over-the-top dishonesty is part of a broader mosaic of lies that have permeated Team Trump's contacts with the Russians, and which make it impossible to believe these dealings were fully above-board. What's more, Sessions  after the debacle of his Senate testimony  announced with great fanfare that he was recusing himself from the Russia investigation, but there's no reason to believe that he recused himself from the Prevezon settlement, tainted now by the same scandal.

Several quick caveats. Like most other aspects of the growing stench over Trump-Russia right now, there are more questions about the weak settlement of this money laundering case than answers. What's more, it's worth noting that Trump, Sessions and their Justice Department has already shown a bias toward corporate wrong-doers in its dubious handling of other cases, so I guess you could argue that the Prevezon deal wasn't anything criminal, but just what these people do. And frankly, while I'm deeply troubled by the appearance of the settlement, I don't find it as immoral as some of Sessions' other long-term projects, like re-starting the drug war, reviving mass incarceration policies (and boosting profits for private prison companies), and curbing Americans' voting rights.

But if America has learned anything in the last half-century, immorality doesn't bring down our government leaders, but illegality can. (Take Richard Nixon, who got away with prolonging the carnage in Vietnam, expanding it to Cambodia, overthrowing the government of Chile and setting the climate for the murder of students at Kent Stateonly to lose everything over a simple black-bag job.) As noted here last week, we've now seen too many quids and quos involving the Trump campaign and Russia's support for Trump to be a mere coincidence. Is a favorable settlement for a Russian money launderer with a super-connected lawyer one more quo? It sure looks that way.
Chancellor Frank T. Brogan, center, during the board of governors meeting at the Dixon Center, in Harrisburg, PA, October 6, 2016. ( JESSICA GRIFFIN / Staff Photographer ) Read more

The chancellor of Pennsylvania's state university system, which is about to undergo changes in the wake of financial and enrollment woes, will retire Sept. 1, a decision that was announced unexpectedly Monday afternoon.

Chancellor Frank T. Brogan, 63, informed the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education's board of governors last Wednesday, just before a much-anticipated report on restructuring the system was released to the board and the public, said Kenn Marshall, a spokesman for the system.

Brogan has led the 105,000-student, 14-university system for almost four years. He took the helm Oct. 1, 2013.

"While there is never a perfect time for a transition such as this, my family and I know we leave behind a system that is primed for the future, led by a team committed to making sure our students always come first," Brogan said.

Marshall said Brogan, who earns nearly $346,000 annually, chose not to announce his departure at last week's board meeting in Harrisburg because he didn't want to detract from the release of the report, which has received mixed reviews from legislators and other observers. The administration also announced last week that the system expected another enrollment decline this fall and would raise tuition 3.5 percent to help offset half of a nearly $72 million projected shortfall for 2017-18. Universities will have to make cuts to erase the rest, the system said.

His departure has nothing to do with the release of the report, Marshall maintained. He wasn't sure when Brogan made his decision.

"All he said is he's been thinking about it for some time, he and his family," Marshall said.

The National Center for Higher Education Management Systems, a Boulder, Colo., consulting group hired by the system to conduct the review, didn't recommend closures or mergers of campuses following a 12 percent enrollment decline among the 14 universities since 2010. But the group did suggest consolidation and staff reductions for schools with the greatest enrollment declines and budget gaps, an overhaul in the system's governance, and more stable and stronger leadership at the universities.

Several members of the legislature said they expected more weighty recommendations and a detailed action plan for the system, consisting of Bloomsburg, Clarion, Cheyney, California, Edinboro, East Stroudsburg, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Slippery Rock, Shippensburg, and West Chester universities. The system paid the group nearly $400,000 for the report.

News of Brogan's departure stunned the university's faculty union, which has had brushes with Brogan, including a strike last fall over wages and working conditions.

"I do think new leadership brings opportunities, too, so we're looking for an opportunity to work with the system and to try to get rid of some of the conflict," said Kenneth M. Mash, president of the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties union and a political science professor at East Stroudsburg.

State Sen. Robert Tomlinson (R., Bucks), who's on West Chester University's council of trustees, said he enjoyed working with Brogan, who brought a fresh point of view from his previous post in Florida, and found many of the suggestions in the report in line with his thinking.

"I was looking forward to him implementing that," Tomlinson said. "I would have loved to work with him."

Sen. Judith L. Schwank, a Berks County Democrat who also serves on the system's board of governors, said she hopes the board can find a replacement expeditiously, who can lead the system through the change and stays for a while.

"We need some continuity," she said. "That's for sure."

Brogan's departure comes as five of the 14 university presidents  those overseeing Mansfield, Shippensburg, Clarion, Bloomsburg, and Millersville  have retired or are planning to leave within the next year.

Sen. Andy Dinniman (D., Chester County) said the system should use Brogan's exit as a chance to look at the whole structure of higher education in the state and within the system.

"We have a unique opportunity now to bring about an efficient and effective coordination of higher education, and we should take advantage of it," he said.

In an email to trustees, Brogan underscored the opportunity for change.

"This is the system's chance to make bold choices that will ensure our universities are here to meet the needs of the students and the Commonwealth for decades to come," Brogan wrote.

The system plans to launch a national search for a replacement, according to Marshall. An interim leader will be named, he said.

In a prepared statement, board of governors chair Cynthia Shapira said Brogan has illuminated the system's problems and prompted discussion over how to improve it.

"Because of his leadership, we are better positioned to make important decisions about the future of our system," Shapira said.

Brogan, who began his career as a fifth-grade teacher, came to the system from the State University System of Florida, where he had been chancellor. He also previously served as president of Florida Atlantic University, lieutenant governor of Florida, and Florida secretary of education.
In this Feb. 2, 2017, file photo, used needles litter the ground at an open-air drug market along Conrail train tracks in the Kensington section of Philadelphia. Read more

Cleanup of Philadelphia's infamous heroin gulch along the Conrail tracks in the Kensington and Fairhill neighborhoods is scheduled to start within the next two weeks. The project includes the removal of thousands of hypodermic needles left behind by heroin users, and untold amounts of other debris.

"We've done aerial surveying," said Conrail spokeswoman Jocelyn Hill. She said they expect the entire cleanup to take about a month.

But though Philadelphia's situation is dramatic, it's not unique. In Portland, Maine, officials have collected more than 700 needles so far this year, putting them on track to handily exceed the nearly 900 gathered in all of 2016. In March alone, San Francisco collected more than 13,000 syringes, compared with only about 2,900 the same month in 2016.

People, often children, risk getting stuck by discarded needles, raising fears that they could contract blood-borne diseases such as hepatitis or HIV, or be exposed to remnants of heroin or other drugs.

Joseph D'Orazio, a toxicologist and emergency medicine doctor at Temple University Hospital, said the likelihood of getting infected with HIV or hepatitis C from a needle lying on the ground is "astronomically low."

In addition, he said it's unlikely drug users would discard syringes still containing a significant amount of drugs.

D'Orazio and Ryan Burke, an emergency medicine specialist at Chestnut Hill Hospital, said the much bigger safety risk, especially to children, is opioid medications that youngsters may get their hands on in their homes.

Even a five-milligram pill of an opioid pain reliever is enough to be fatal to a child 2 years old or younger, according to D'Orazio.

It's unclear whether anyone has gotten sick after touching a needle found outside, but reports of children finding the needles can be sickening in their own right.

On July 5, a 9-month-old girl accidentally overdosed after she was stuck in the leg with a hypodermic needle and had to be revived by police with Narcan, the opioid reversal drug. Police said the baby was in bed with her father, Steven Welsh, 35, in his Manayunk home and allegedly rolled onto the syringe. The child was treated at Chestnut Hill Hospital.

In California, a 6-year-old girl mistook a discarded syringe for a thermometer and put it in her mouth; she was unharmed.

"I just want more awareness that this is happening," said Nancy Holmes, whose 11-year-old daughter stepped on a needle in Santa Cruz, Calif., while swimming. "You would hear stories about finding needles at the beach or being poked at the beach. But you think that it wouldn't happen to you. Sure enough."

Even if adults or children don't get sick, they still must endure an unsettling battery of tests to make sure they didn't catch anything. The girl who put a syringe in her mouth wasn't poked, but had to be tested for hepatitis B and C, her mother said.

Discarded needles are something even sanitation professionals exercise caution with. Used needles are supposed to be discarded in hard-sided containers, but not all residents adhere to such precautions. Keisha McCarty-Skelton, city Streets Department spokeswoman, said the agency's residential trash collectors are advised not to handle loose syringes. Hazard pay for city workers who come in contact with refuse such as discarded needles, or who are assigned to cleanup details with such materials, is part of an ongoing discussion, according to city and union spokespeople.

Some experts say the problem will ease only when more users get treatment and more funding is directed to treatment programs.

Others are counting on needle exchange programs, now present in more than 30 states  plus cities, including Philadelphia  or the creation of safe spaces to shoot up, already introduced in Canada and proposed by U.S. state and city officials from New York to Seattle.

Studies have found that needle exchange programs can reduce pollution, said Don Des Jarlais, a researcher at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York.

In Philadelphia, needle exchange operator Prevention Point conducts daily cleanups at neighborhood recreation areas known to be frequented by drug users, such as McPherson Park, said Silvana Mazzella, associate executive director of the organization.

But some also worry that poor supervision at needle exchanges will simply put more syringes in the hands of people who might not dispose of them properly.

After complaints of discarded needles, Santa Cruz County took over its exchange from a nonprofit in 2013 and implemented changes. It did away with mobile exchanges and stopped allowing drug users to get needles without turning in an equal number of used ones, said Jason Hoppin, a spokesman for Santa Cruz County. In Philadelphia, Prevention Point enforces a similar rule, Mazzella said.

This article contains information from the Associated Press.
The public dock on the Schuylkill River where a toddler fell into the water on Saturday. Read more

Friday's rain fell in near-record torrents, raising the level of the Schuylkill by nearly a foot. But Saturday dawned bright and clear. As typically happens on a summer weekend, families gravitated to the public dock south of the Strawberry Mansion Bridge to watch rowers in their long, slim boats slice through the water and to participate in a popular, introductory rowing clinic.

Among them was a 3-year-old boy who fell off the dock and is now fighting for his life in the intensive-care unit at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

What should have been a straightforward rescue was complicated by treacherous, post-storm conditions that made it difficult to find the toddler in the fast-moving river. The boy was under water for more than 35 minutes before scuba divers from the Philadelphia Police Marine Unit were able to pull him out, according to Capt. Sekou Kinebrew, a department spokesman.

"I don't remember anything like this ever happening before," said Paul Horvat, the commodore of the Schuylkill Navy, which oversees Philadelphia's iconic boathouses and has been trying to introduce a broader cross-section of the city to rowing. "It was just a horrible thing to have happened."

The boy was brought to the river by his parents, who were attending an Introduction to Rowing clinic run by BLJ Community Rowing. The class was just getting underway on the narrow wooden dock when the toddler apparently slipped off the edge. His father immediately dove in to rescue him, and was joined by several other swimmers, according to Horvat, who was briefed on the accident.

Even when the toddler had been in the water for just a few seconds, the rescuers were unable to see him in the murky water. Normally, the area next to the dock is clear enough to observe turtles crawling along the silty bottom. But Friday's heavy rains had churned up the river, turning the placid Schuylkill a muddy brown, Horvat said.

As rainwater cascaded downriver from the upper Schuylkill, the current intensified around the dock, which is next to the St. Joseph's University boathouse. Visibility was reduced to just one foot, Kinebrew wrote in an email. Nearly two inches of rain fell in less than a half-hour on Friday afternoon. Charts from the U.S. Geological Survey station on the Schuylkill also indicate the river was flowing at 6,000 cubic feet per second on Saturday  roughly six times the normal rate, said Horvat. Experienced rowers, he noted, usually avoid the river when flows exceed 8,000 cubic feet per second.

The police department's Marine Unit, located about a hundred yards upstream from the public dock, was on the scene five minutes after receiving the emergency call, Kinebrew said. A second emergency team arrived about 10 minutes later. Members of the Fire Department's Rescue 1 and Engine 45 also joined the effort.

Equipped with scuba gear, the Marine Unit was able to scour the cloudy river bottom. Kinebrew said the fast-moving current had carried the toddler nearly 20 feet from where he fell into the river, about 12 feet below the surface. After divers pulled him out of the water, he was taken to Children's Hospital, where he remained in critical condition Sunday.

Because the Schuylkill is the centerpiece of Fairmount Park, "it is not unusual to have children down by the boathouses," Horvat said. The river is essentially a wild space, with no protective barriers. A 15-year-old girl was pulled under on a May afternoon in 2010 after wading with friends under the Strawberry Mansion Bridge.

But, he added, "a 3-year-old boy is a 3-year-old boy, and maybe in hindsight, he shouldn't have been down there."

BLJ Community Rowing was founded by Brannon Johnson, a West Philadelphia High rowing star who won a full scholarship to the University of Texas. After returning to Philadelphia, she came up with the idea of a "boathouse without walls" and started offering clinics to make the sport more accessible.

Lauren Hitt, a Kenney administration spokeswoman, said children are not prohibited from the city dock, which is used as a boat launch. But, she added, "In light of this tragic incident, we will be swiftly evaluating how to keep children safer on these parks and rec facilities."

Horvat said the Schuylkill Navy would be discussing the same issues. "If we could rewind it, we'd say, 'Don't take young kids on the dock.' There is no rewind, though."
Bucks County District Attorney Matt Weintraub holds up two fingers as he addresses media during a press conference announcing they have recovered and identified the bodies of four missing men as well as charging Cosmo DiNardo and Sean Kratz with the crimes. Read more

The story of the disappearance of four young men in Bucks County, and the subsequent discovery that they had been lured to their violent deaths by someone they knew, was bad enough on its own, but the case inspired rumors, speculation, and outright falsehoods that gained traction as they were spread on social media.

This is just the latest example what can happen in a high-profile murder case in the age of crowdsourcing and "fake news."

Cousins Cosmo DiNardo and Sean Kratz, both 20, have been charged with the murders of Jimi Taro Patrick, 19, of Newtown Township; Mark P. Sturgis, 22, of Pennsburg; Thomas C. Meo, 21, of Plumstead; and Dean A. Finocchiaro, 19, of Middletown Township, and burying them on 90-acre property owned by DiNardo's family in Solebury.

The rumor mill started to crank up shortly after the victims' disappearance was reported on July 9. Word began to circulate on social media that the men and their disappearances were connected to William Riddle, a Bensalem man who was arrested last month for beating up another young Bensalem men near Temple University. Riddle was a Facebook friend of Finocchiaro; the story claimed that the four men were supposed to be witnesses against Riddle. Law enforcement officials, however said that was not true. That it was fake news.

One sign of the rumor's reach is that a July 6 story about the attack by Inquirer and Daily New's columnist Helen Ubinas received 234,000 page views between July 9 and July 15, the day after DiNardo and Kratz were charged. More than half the traffic came from links shared on Facebook.

A post on the website everipedia claimed the disappearance of Timothy Ceaser, 22, of Northeast Philadelphia, who was last seen June 1 in Croydon, Bucks County, was "believed to be connected to the Sean Kratz and Cosmo DiNardo murders." Sources for the rumor were users who shared what they claimed were were direct messages DiNardo had supposedly sent Ceaser's girlfriend sometime before he went missing.

Both the Philadelphia Police and Bucks County District Attorney Matthew D. Weintraub have said there is no connection between Ceaser's disappearance and DiNardo or Kratz.

Another article falsely alleged a link between the father of DiNardo to a human trafficking investigation, LevittownNow reported. The story that was circulating on Facebook was traced back to BreakingNews247.net, a site that was created to "Prank your friends" by creating a fake news article. The fake story had received 25,682 likes, shares and comments by Sunday morning, LevittownNow said. The fake story was topped by an image of a screen grab of a legitimate TV news site.

This is not the first time Philadelphia area residents have seen what happens when armchair sleuths have tried crowdsourcing to solve a crime, but fail, causing pain to families caught up in tragedy.

In 2013, Sunil Tripathi, a missing Brown University student from Radnor Township, was linked to the Boston bombings after a tweet misidentified him as one of the suspects. The body of Tripathi, who suffered from depression, was found about a week later in a river near Providence, R.I., where Brown is located. He had apparently committed suicide weeks before the bombing.
New Jersey allows medical marijuana and may be edging toward legalizing recreational pot, but cannabis activists impatient with the legislative process are quietly gathering support for something they hope will be quicker to accomplish  decriminalization at the local level.

And if they have their way, Camden could become the first city in the state to pass an ordinance ending criminal penalties for the simple possession of small amounts of cannabis.

Instead of making an arrest and handcuffing offenders, police would be authorized to issue civil citations and nominal fines.

Councilman Angel Fuentes is backing the change and said he hopes it can happen as early as the fall, after a study is expected to be completed.

"Camden is taking the initiative.  If we start this process, Newark and Paterson, Passaic, and Trenton may look at us and take a lead as well," he said.

Across the river, Philadelphia led the way in 2014 with a decriminalization bill that initially faced strong opposition from former Mayor Michael Nutter and former Police Chief Charles Ramsey. Then a councilman, Mayor Kenney advocated for the ordinance, saying it would stop wasting the valuable time of police officers and end the arrests of thousands of people who may possess as little as a joint.

He noted that more than 4,000 people were arrested in the city in 2013 on possession charges, including a disproportionate number of African Americans  more than 80 percent of all the arrests.

Kenney "didn't think it made sense for someone to have a criminal record because they had a very small amount of pot on them. In that sense, Philly's decriminalization effort has been successful. Philadelphians are no longer facing lifelong consequences because of minor marijuana possession," his spokeswoman, Lauren Hitt, said in an email last week.

Under Philadelphia's bill, possessing less than 30 grams of marijuana, or just over an ounce, now carries a $25 fine. In some circumstances, though, police officers still have discretion to follow state law and impose criminal citations that can lead to up to 30 days in jail and $500 in fines  and a criminal record.

In New Jersey, simple possession can result in a maximum six-month jail term and up to $1,000 in fines.

But such an arrest can have other consequences, according to a report by New Jersey United for Marijuana Reform, a coalition of civil liberties, minority rights, and political activists that advocates for the repeal of marijuana prohibition. A marijuana arrest can often lead to the loss of a job, future employment opportunities, college scholarships and loans, driving privileges, and housing. It can also result in deportation.

Last year, more than 25,000 people were arrested in New Jersey for simple possession. The New Jersey chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union found that African Americans were arrested on these charges three times as often as whites although the usage rates are similar.

Decriminalization can quickly end this injustice, while the debate over legalization continues, said Chris Goldstein, one of the cannabis advocates who approached Camden about adopting an ordinance to address this problem.

Currently, 22 states have passed decriminalization laws. In the states that have not, including New Jersey and Pennsylvania, more than 60 municipalities have filled the void with this type of ordinance, said Goldstein, who writes the Philly420 column for Philly.com and who was involved with the advocacy group NORML and the Philadelphia decriminalization effort.

"The ordinances downgrade the penalties and acknowledge that the marijuana laws are wrong and are racist," he said. "People want to see something done even before Christie leaves office, and by doing this in Camden we're creating a template for other cities in New Jersey to also give it a try," he said.

In New Jersey, State Sen. Nicholas Scutari hopes his recreational marijuana legalization bill will be ready in January, when Gov. Christie's term ends. Christie has promised a veto. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Phil Murphy supports legalization while Republican Kim Guadagno opposes it.

Scutari favors legalization because he said decriminalization allows the black market to continue to flourish. But if his bill passes and is signed by a future governor, it would take one year to fully implement legalization, he said. So his bill calls for decriminalization immediately upon passage of his bill, pending implementation of legalization.

Fuentes said in an interview last week that he would like to create an ad hoc committee to look into a municipal decriminalization ordinance.

"Unfortunately a lot of people are being sent to jail for marijuana, even college students, and it becomes a stigma when they apply for a job or loan.  I want to make sure young people have a bright future and this is impeding them from jobs and education," he said.

Ricardo Rivera, a cannabis activist and the father of a 10-year-old medical-marijuana patient who suffers from a severe form of epilepsy, is also lobbying council to pass a decriminalization measure.

"We're locking up 18-year-old kids and ruining their lives because of a small amount of marijuana. What are they hurting?" said Rivera, an Oaklyn resident who grew up in Camden,

Many people use marijuana to help them with opiate addiction and they should be able to use it legally to wean themselves off the more dangerous drug, he said. Rivera, whose sister died of opiate addiction, testified a few months ago before a state health department advisory committee and recommended that opiate addiction be added to the list of ailments that qualify for medical marijuana.

"Why should these people have to wait for access?" he asked.

In the city of Camden, on average over the last three years, there were 223 marijuana arrests per year, according to figures provided by Dan Keashen, a spokesman for the county. Camden County Police Chief Scott Thomson, whose force patrols the city, did not respond to calls and a text message asking for comment.

A decision on whether to create the ad hoc committee was expected last week but was postponed until next month's meeting.

In recent years, Atlantic City and Asbury Park municipal officials also have considered resolutions to decriminalize marijuana but abandoned the idea when they couldn't find enough support.

In Pennsylvania, several cities besides Philadelphia have adopted similar resolutions, including Pittsburgh and State College.

Some municipalities have seen their ordinances challenged on legal grounds.

In Tennessee, Nashville and Memphis passed decriminalization ordinances last year that gave the police the power to issue civil citations instead of filing criminal charges. But in March, state lawmakers repealed the ordinances, saying they conflicted with state drug laws.

Goldstein said some municipalities have opted to "de-prioritize marijuana," or to make it the lowest enforcement priority.

"There are many approaches for municipal government to downgrade penalties and reduce arrests in their city.  We need to address these marijuana arrests and decide what should be done," he said.
Love and connection

In the midst of a news cycle filled with murder in Bucks County, the ongoing health-care debate, the destruction of our social safety net, the division in our country, and interference by Russia in the most cherished areas of our civil lives, reading the story, "Worshiping in the moment" ("Sunday) provided a moment of glorious respite.

The Rev. Blaik Westhoff and the staff of Phoebe Richland deserve the utmost praise and recognition for their work with dementia patients. They truly represent grace. To bring caring, love, and connection to people who are so often forgotten is the true work of God.

The story made me think of the need and desire we each have for love and connection. It created a moment in my day when I could forget about anger and protest, division and debate. The joy I felt while reading the details of the worship services made me feel blessed.

Thank you for the peace you gave me to start my day.

 Barbara Blonsky, Mount Laurel, barb12kp@earthlink.net

Opioid deals go two ways

The Inquirer editorial, "Get drugs out of the mail" (Monday), called for increased package screening by the U.S. and international postal services as a way to stem trafficking of synthetic opioids such as fentanyl. Investing hundreds of millions of dollars to put up a surveillance/scanning wall at the postal border sounds Trumpian in its simplicity and naivete.

While some upgrades in package scanning and sampling should be employed, the efflux of cash to dealers overseas flows almost unrestricted and unquestioned. Ordinary citizens shouldn't be allowed to freely and anonymously move significant amounts of cash to nations such as China or Pakistan  players in the dark web world of the international opioid drug market  without significant documentation and/or restriction. The money wire services are all over the map on this. Western Union requires documentation and verbal contact with an agent. Other services send the money with a few mouse clicks  no questions asked.

Let's tighten up and ask more questions about what's flowing out as well as what's flowing in.

 Christopher Knob, Media, cknob@comcast.net

Medicaid costs vs. reality

A commentary's assessment of Medicaid and Sen. Pat Toomey's plan was based solely on fiscal concerns, not on the realities faced by millions of permanently disabled Americans ("Medicaid status can't stand," Sunday). Our reality is struggling to survive when disability income is not rising to meet the ever-increasing cost of living. Our reality is desperately trying to acquire good health care when many medical establishments do not accept Medicaid as it is now.

Toomey and his cohorts in Washington seem determined to ignore the needs of disabled Americans, and, at this rate, they will be ignoring us right into our graves. As Mahatma Ghandi said, "A nation's greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members."

 Beth Greenspan, Ardmore

FBI head should do the job

Christopher Wray, being interviewed by the Senate Judiciary Committee for the position of FBI director, gave the wrong answer when he said that if, in his investigations, the president put pressure on him to drop the case, he would resign ("FBI nominee vows he'd be independent," Thursday).

That is exactly the opposite of what he is pledged to do under the Constitution and the responsibilities of his job.

The answer should have been, "Mr. President, whoever is involved in illegalities in my pursuits, I will continue until every person involved, including you, will be indicted." Period.

 Philip Lustig, Downingtown

Veto bill, protect Pa. streams

Gov. Wolf must veto Senate Bill 624. This special-interest bill is strongly opposed by citizens, especially landowners, sportspeople, outdoor recreationists, and farmers. If enacted, the bill threatens some of the most pristine streams in the commonwealth.

For underground coal mining, the bill would supersede the Clean Streams Law  bedrock legislation that protects the quality, quantity, and integrity of our surface waters. Permanent stream loss to coal mining by longwall (high-extraction) methods is unnecessary. There are technically and economically viable alternatives to extract coal, such as traditional room-and-pillar mining.

Allowing any stream to be adversely impacted unnecessarily is contrary to Article I, Section 27, of the Pennsylvania Constitution. Having lost in court, longwall mine operators now want the law changed retroactively to make their irreparable stream damage legal.

 James A. Schmid, Media, jaschmid@aol.com
A man attempting to flee New Jersey police by hiding in a commercial trash compactor suffered compound fractures of both his legs.

Jersey City police responded to a report of a man with a knife attempting to break into cars in the Newport section of the city about 10 a.m. Monday, NJ.com reported.

The unidentified man took off into one of the nearby high-rise apartments along River Drive. When police caught up with him, he was howling in pain. It was not known if the injuries occurred as a result of the man's fall into the trash chute or if the compactor went into operation and crushed his legs, the story reported.

The alleged thief, who was arrested, could still be heard screaming in pain as he was treated in an ambulance, the story reported.
Authorities in New Hampshire are searching for a leader of the Sierra Club in New Jersey who went missing while hiking in the White Mountains and was last seen in late June.

Gregory Auriemma, 63, of Brick, N.J., was last seen June 24 in Conway, N.H. Auriemma is the chairman of the New Jersey Sierra Club's Ocean County group.

He was reported missing last week after he didn't return to Conway, where he was due back July 5.

"We're very troubled and concerned about Greg being missing for so long," New Jersey Sierra Club president Jeff Tittel said in a statement Monday. "The New Jersey Sierra Club is asking for anyone to join the search, especially experienced hikers in the area."

The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, which is participating in the search, has determined that Auriemma stayed in the area of the Mizpah Spring Hut in Bean's Grant on or about June 28.

Auriemma was linked to an abandoned campsite near the Dry River Trail in Cutts Grant on Saturday. A team searched the area by land and air. Searchers must hike about four hours to access the area to start searching.

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to Greg and his family," Tittel said in the statement. "We hope he will be found safe and soon."

Auriemma's sister-in-law, Cathy Auriemma, asked for help finding him in a Facebook post published Saturday.

Auriemma was recognized by President Barack Obama as a "Champion of Change" for his efforts with the New Jersey Sierra Club. He was active in recovery efforts after Hurricane Sandy in addition to working on other issues related to climate change and sea-level rises. Auriemma helped restart the Ocean County group about 20 years ago, according to Tittel's statement.

Anyone with information about Auriemma or who would like to participate in the search should contact the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department at 603-271-3361.

This article includes information from the Associated Press.
MARGATE, N.J.  Mayor Michael Becker says that his city has complied with an FBI subpoena asking for information on Margate city employees and prescription plans and that he is concerned about the possible disruption that may result from a wide-ranging grand jury investigation.

In nearby Ventnor, meanwhile, Mayor Beth Holtzman said Monday her city is also cooperating, though she declined to say whether there had been any subpoena issued.

"We are cooperating fully with the FBI and its investigation," she said. "Until we have more information we can't comment. It's an open investigation."

And in Atlantic City, Mayor Don Guardian said his city received a federal subpoena June 5 asking for "all city employees, contact information and health benefits provided," and immediately sent the requested information.

The investigation, the subject of relentless rumors in Margate, Ventnor, Atlantic City, and some nearby mainland towns for months, appears to be centered on the misuse of health-insurance plans by municipal employees, including firefighters, police, and other employees with public health plans.

"If it involves Margate at all, I'm very concerned," Becker said in an interview Sunday. "Our hands are tied. I'm worried, is there going to be an impact?"

But while Becker says "I guess we wait," some local fire departments have been consulting with Atlantic City to discuss possible reinforcements and coverage should any future federal indictments result in staffing issues in Margate or elsewhere, according to sources.

Guardian said Monday that Chief Scott Evans of the Atlantic City Fire Department is "in communications with neighboring municipalities discussing mutual aid."

The investigation broke out of the rumor mill Friday evening when NBC10 reported it had obtained a federal subpoena of Margate city records, in addition to obtaining records of Margate city employees' prescription use, which showed a dramatic increase in the cost of brand-name prescriptions for Margate's 126 city workers.

The U.S. District Court grand jury subpoena issued last month requests a list of all police, fire, and other employees "that have Express Scripts, Medco and/or NJ Direct as part of their health insurance plans" by June 21, according to the report, which showed a copy of the subpoena. The grand jury is meeting in Camden, according to the subpoena.

Becker says he is personally aware of people who have been interviewed by the FBI, but has no other direct information beyond the subpoena. As for the reach of the investigation, Becker says he's heard rumors ranging from "three to 300" possible indictments.

Several Shore-area doctors' offices have reportedly been raided by the FBI in recent months, including one belonging to James Kauffman, an endocrinologist currently in jail after brandishing a gun when the search warrant was executed last month.

Kauffman is the widower of April Kauffman, who was shot to death in their Linwood home in 2012. Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon Tyner described the search warrant as part of a wide-ranging, multi-jurisdictional investigation.

Kauffman's attorney, Ed Jacobs, said at the time that the search warrant specified health-care fraud as a possible basis. Authorities have not commented on whether the Kauffman investigation is related to any other federal or local investigation.

William Skaggs, a spokesman for the office of the U.S. attorney in New Jersey, declined to comment on questions or confirm or deny any investigation involving the Shore towns.

In recent weeks, federal investigations in other jurisdictions have led to hundreds of indictments related to health-insurance fraud. These investigations ensnared physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and other medical professionals in what Attorney General Jeff Sessions said encompassed more than $1.3 billion in fraudulent transactions across more than 20 states, none of them New Jersey.

Federal probes in other jurisdictions have previously focused on kickback schemes involving compounding pharmacies filling prescriptions for costly topical pain creams. USA Today reported this year that federal spending has spiraled on these expensive drugs, with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reporting that Medicare spending on compounded topical drugs surging 3,400 percent since 2006.

The information obtained by NBC10 from Margate showed a fourfold jump in prescription-drug costs from $714,000 in 2014 to $3.35 million in 2015.

Margate Mayor Becker said that he was bracing for the impact of any charges resulting from the investigation and that he would suspend any city employee who is indicted.

Asked what he would do in the event that the investigation disproportionately affects his city's 30-something-member fire department, he said, "Panic."

"You have no idea how the feelings I've gotten are," he said. "Not good feelings. We will deal with what comes down the pike quickly."

In Ventnor, Mayor Holtzman said the city pays premiums and would not see specific spikes in prescription costs. She said she was concerned about the impact on the Shore town itself. "Any investigation you have a concern for the city as a whole," she said. "The residents, taxpayers, you've got to look at everyone that's involved."

Officials in Brigantine, Longport, and Egg Harbor Township said Monday that their towns had not received any similar notice of an FBI inquiry or any order to produce information on employees.
New Jersey says it has no plans to comply with President Trump's "voter fraud" panel's request for each state's voter data, but the controversial federal commission can still get much of the information it's seeking  as long as it has 65 cents at its disposal.

That's what the state charges to any member of the public who requests the information and can make a trip to Trenton to pick up the CD with the data. Or they can pay $2.55 and get it by mail.

The CD lists every voter in the state, county by county, along with a unique voter ID number (which is not the Social Security number), address, date of birth, party affiliation, voter status (active or inactive), and the elections each has voted in  but not whom the person voted for. That's forever secret.

Kris Kobach, the vice chair of the federal panel, officially the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity, recently penned letters to all 50 states and Washington, D.C., requesting such information, and more. Several categories of information requested by the federal commission aren't included in the public data, such as Social Security numbers (the commission wants the last four digits), criminal history, and information regarding voter registration in another state.

Nearly all of the states that have responded have balked at sharing all or any of the information the panel is seeking. And last week, the commission told states to hold off on sending the data until a legal challenge is resolved. For now, New Jersey elections officials remain uncommitted.

"The Department of State/Division of Elections has no immediate plans to consider the commission's request or to disclose any voter information," Bob Giles, the director of New Jersey's Division of Elections, said in a statement Friday.

In New Jersey, people registering to vote will find that the list of questions digs deeper than what the state shares with the public.

New applicants must declare that they are a U.S. citizen who has lived in the state for at least 30 days before the next election. If they have a state driver's license they must provide the number or give the last four digits of their Social Security number. However, if they have neither, they can still register. They're also asked for a phone number and email address, but those are optional.

If they do get their hands on the state's data, federal investigators will find that a plurality of New Jersey's 5.6 million registered voters are not affiliated with a major party. About 41 percent of registrants are unaffiliated, 37 percent identify as Democrats, and 22 percent as Republicans.

In Camden County, registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by 3-1. The 157,000 registered Democrats account for 45 percent of registered voters there. Taking into account that 40 percent of the voters are unaffiliated, the 50,000 registered Republicans make up only 14 percent of Camden's voter roll. Hillary Clinton captured 64 percent of the county vote last year.

But voter registration records alone can't predict the desire of an electorate. Trump won Gloucester County last year despite a 17 percent deficit in registered Republicans. A similar voter registration makeup was enough to carry Clinton in Burlington County.

Patrick Murray, the director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute, said the commission could, in theory, track voter fraud in New Jersey with the publicly available data. For instance, he said, the commission could see whether there are multiple registrations in different counties under the same name and date of birth. Murray added that most states have publicly available information similar to New Jersey's.

Murray said there are cases in which people move from one place to another and counties don't notify each other when people leave.

"That kind of stuff is going on," he said. "It leaves open the potential for voting in multiple places."

But Murray added that such problems are "clearly not an epidemic by any stretch of the imagination." He said incidents of voter fraud are so infrequent that it could only affect a federal election if the election were decided by fewer than 20 votes.

In the letter to the states, Kobach requested that they disclose any voter fraud-related convictions that have occurred since the November 2000 federal elections. New Jersey election officials didn't say whether there have been any such convictions in the state in that span, but Murray said he doesn't know of any.

"I think we would know," he said.

In Burlington County, officials work to keep their voter rolls up to date by inspecting criminal records and checking in on inactive voters, among other things, County Clerk Jim Hogan said. Hogan said voter fraud hasn't been an issue in the county.

"The system is pretty good at shaking [voter fraud] out of it," he said. "There are checks and balances."
The NAACP opposes the application of former District Attorney Lynne Abraham, shown here during a 2005 debate, to finish the term of convicted DA Seth Williams. Read more

It's only a five-month appointment, but Philadelphia voters should pay close attention to this week's selection of a temporary replacement for former District Attorney Seth Williams, who resigned in June after pleading guilty to corruption charges.

Neither Democratic candidate Larry Krasner or Republican Beth Grossman have applied for the job, but the interim district attorney finalists to be selected by a panel of judges should exhibit qualities that voters will want to see in the person they elect in November to a full four-year term.

Fourteen people have applied for the temporary assignment, including Kathleen Martin, Williams' former chief of staff, who has been running the office ever since he surrendered his law license in April.

The most well-known applicant is Lynne Abraham, who was the city's district attorney 18 years before stepping down and being replaced by Williams, who had worked in the DA's office under her.

Abraham's application raised objections by the NAACP, which hasn't forgotten her successful objection to President Bill Clinton's 1997 nomination of Common Pleas Judge Frederica Massiah-Jackson to become the city's first black female federal judge. Abraham and the Fraternal Order of Police fueled criticism of Jackson as too lenient on criminals and biased against whites.

Ironically, Jackson serves as chair of a three-judge panel that will recommend finalists for the interim DA job to the 88-member Board of Common Pleas Court Judges. She could pay back Abraham for scuttling her elevation to the federal bench, but that's not in the judge's character. In 2010, she received the city NAACP's Cecil B. Moore Award. There's no reason to believe she won't be fair in her recommendation. The board is expected to make a final decision Thursday.

Also asking for the interim job are retired Judges Paul Panepinto and Benjamin Lerner and former federal prosecutor Joe Khan, who was one of the losers in the May Democratic primary. The other applicants are John Delaney, William Manfredi, D. Webster Keough, Kelley Hodge, Robert A. Rovner, Curtis Douglas, Arlen Fisk, James Berardinelli, and Leon Williams.

Both the judges making the temporary assignment and voters in November must recognize that despite Williams' criminality, the DA's office during his tenure did do some good things.

Williams restructured his office so the same prosecutor handled a case from start to finish. He moved thousands of misdemeanor cases into diversion programs, saving the cost of trials and expensive incarceration. He began a program to get first-time, nonviolent offenders into Community College of Philadelphia instead of jail. He started a Conviction Rate Review Unit to help free the wrongly convicted.

Williams' replacements must be able to recognize what worked and should continue and what should be discarded. Among the latter should be the disgraceful civil forfeiture program Williams insisted upon, which forced people out of their homes if a family member was accused of dealing drugs.

Williams also never addressed public corruption as strongly as he should have. Perhaps now we know why. The next district attorney must follow a different path.
The Zhang Gong Patriarch on display at the Hungarian Natural History Museum in Budapest, Hungary, in 2015. [Photo/Xinhua]

Plaintiffs from East China begin court case to retrieve an 11th-century golden statue of the Buddha that contains human remains. Chinese villagers suing for the return of a statue they claim was stolen from their local temple have demanded that the Dutch owner disclose the identity of the disputed artifact's new holder.

The 1.2-meter-high Buddha statue, which contains mummified human remains, was bought by Oscar van Overeem, an architect and experienced art collector in Amsterdam, in 1996.

However, on Friday, Van Overeem told a court in Amsterdam that he had exchanged the statue for several Buddhist artifacts, and no longer knows where it is. He declined to name the new holder.

The plaintiffs claim the 11th-century relic was stolen from a temple in Yangchun village in the eastern province of Fujian more than 20 years ago, and that it contains the mummified remains of Zhang Gong, a revered Buddhist monk who lived during the Song Dynasty (960-1279).

They began the process of retrieval after recognizing the artwork, known as the Zhanggong Patriarch, when it was exhibited in Hungary in March 2015.

While Van Overeem conceded that the Buddha originated in Fujian, he insisted it is not the statue that was stolen from the temple in Yangchun.

The villagers said Van Overeem had previously agreed to return the statue if conditions he stipulated were met, but when negotiations failed they filed the lawsuit with the Dutch courts.

The demand was debated during the first day of the court hearing.

The case is being watched closely because it could mark the first successful retrieval of a Chinese relic via court proceedings. Previous relics have been returned to their rightful owners through diplomatic channels.
President Trump is not Teflon, and the conventional wisdom that "nothing matters" is wrong.

A fresh Washington Post-ABC News poll underscores the softness of Trump's support as he prepares to mark six months in the White House on Thursday.

It also highlights a growing intensity gap. Support for the president is more tepid, but opposition is increasingly inflamed.

The president's overall approval rating has slipped to 36 percent from 42 percent in April. For context, George W. Bush and Barack Obama both held 59 percent approval ratings in Post/ABC polls conducted around their six-month anniversaries.

Media coverage often focuses on how rank-and-file Republicans, as well as elected officials, continue to stand behind Trump. While true, a close examination of the results suggests that no more than 1 in 4 Americans believe passionately in him or his presidency at this juncture.

Trump's disapproval rating has risen to 58 percent in the national survey, which was conducted last Monday through Thursday. Overall, 48 percent disapprove strongly of how he's doing. But while 36 percent approve of Trump overall, only 25 percent approve strongly.

Consider the partisan breakdown: 82 percent of self-identified Republicans approve of how Trump is doing, including 62 percent who approve strongly. Meanwhile, 85 percent of Democrats disapprove of Trump, but a larger 75 percent disapprove strongly.

Where Trump really differs from Obama is that his approval leans more heavily on strong backers. Obama's average "strong" approval was 28 percent during his presidency, not much different than Trump today. But Obama averaged 21 percent "somewhat" approval, 10 points higher than Trump.

Across the battery of questions in the survey, Trump's hardcore base of support appears to be about a quarter of the public, give or take:

24 percent say that, since taking office, Trump has "acted in a way that's fitting and proper for a president of the United States." Seventy percent say Trump has acted in a way that is "unpresidential."

24 percent approve of Trump's use of Twitter. Just 13 percent strongly approve. Two-thirds disapprove of the president's use of social media, and 53 percent strongly disapprove.

Compared with previous presidents, 23 percent think "Trump is doing a better job than most." While 17 percent say he's doing a "much better" job, 38 percent think he's doing "much worse."

3 in 10 believe Trump is "a positive role model for young people." For perspective, 18 percent said the same of Bill Clinton in a Post/ABC poll conducted the week after the salacious Starr Report was released in 1998.

27 percent think "America's leadership in the world has gotten stronger" under Trump.

26 percent believe it was appropriate for Trump's son, Donald Jr., to meet last summer with a Russian lawyer who said she had damaging information about Hillary Clinton. (This includes just less than half of Republicans.)

Despite all evidence to the contrary, just over 3 in 10 Americans still do not think the Russian government tried to influence the outcome of last fall's U.S. presidential election.

While 34 percent trust Trump to negotiate on America's behalf with other world leaders, only 19 percent trust him "a great deal." The other 15 percent trust him just "a good amount." Two-thirds of the country does not trust Trump at all in negotiations, which is remarkable when you think back to how heavily he emphasized his negotiating skills during the campaign.

On health care, 24 percent favor the Republican plan over Obamacare. Seventeen percent "strongly" favor the GOP plan, which was not explained in detail.

Would you say that the more you hear about Trump, the more you like him? Or the more you hear about Trump, the less you like him? Asked that question, roughly 3 in 10 adults said more. Nearly 6 in 10 said less.

The poll, based on a sample of more than 1,000 adults, has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.

Responding on Twitter, Trump said his 36 percent approval rating  which he rounded up to 40 percent  "is not bad at this time." But he also attacked the Post-ABC poll as "just about the most inaccurate poll around election time!" In fact, The Post and ABC's final poll was well within the sampling error and correctly showed Clinton ahead in the national popular vote.

A job approval rating can be an unsatisfyingly vague barometer. What exactly are people thinking when they say they approve or disapprove of the way a president is handling his job? Our new poll included an open-ended question asking Americans what they have either liked or disliked most about his presidency so far.

The most common answer for why people think Trump is doing a good job was "strong leadership," a variation of which was offered by 11 percent. "Speaking his mind" and "not being politically correct" was a close second, at 9 percent. "In total, 30 percent of Trump approvers mentioned his overall leadership or personality traits when asked what they approve of most. But a somewhat larger group of Trump approvers, 40 percent, mentioned a policy-related reason for approving of Trump's performance," pollster Scott Clement explains. "Some 7 percent said foreign affairs, while 6 percent apiece cited the economy, creating jobs (and) preventing illegal immigration . . . Slightly fewer mentioned fighting terrorism (or) his efforts on health care legislation."

Americans who disapprove of Trump focused heavily on the president's personal and character traits. "Topping the list of non-policy criticisms is the way Trump talks and acts (13 percent), laments about him not being informed or knowledgeable (12 percent), while another 12 percent mentioned concerns about lies, false statements or general dishonesty," The Post's Scott Clement writes in a story published Monday. "Among disapprovers who named issues as their biggest criticism, the most common were immigration (8 percent) and health care (7 percent), the travel ban at 3 percent and others at 2 percent or less. Altogether, 46 percent of Trump disapprovers criticized something about his personality, honesty or style, while 25 percent mentioned a policy-related concern."

The country may seem hopelessly divided, butthepeople who strongly approve and disapprove of Trump have something in common: When asked what they love or hate most about the president, 12 percent of strong approvers and 14 percent of strong disapprovers volunteered "everything."

Everything is happening so fast  or at least that's how it feels trying to follow politics these days. You've seen the headlines about President Trump and his policies  but what do they mean for Philadelphia? What does that mean for you? We've launched a newsletter to explore just that. You can sign up to get the weekly Trumpadelphia newsletter in your inbox every Tuesday.
Public housing developments have traditionally been seen as "neighborhoods of last resort" for low-income families, who have few, if any, other options for affordable housing. But with careful planning involving community residents, coupled with the commitment of public and private actors, public housing can be much more. It can serve as a "door to opportunity" that helps strengthen families and breaks the cycle of intergenerational poverty.

This belief has motivated the Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) to pursue a multifaceted strategy that focuses on affordable housing as a platform to support other critical objectives, such as improving education, health, and financial outcomes for residents. PHA can not only provide quality housing for those priced out of the housing market, it can also promote self-sufficiency and deliver the tools for families to transition with dignity into the mainstream economy. This ambitious approach to improving lives and revitalizing communities has been supported by residents, the city, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

PHA started by cleaning up its own house, implementing measures to ensure accountability, efficiency, and transparency. The agency also commenced an aggressive and ambitious initiative to enhance the quality of its properties and expand the availability and supply of affordable housing. In tandem, PHA adopted a multidisciplinary approach to neighborhood transformation that reenvisions and integrates education, job training, and business development into the revitalization strategies. At PHA, we know that the key to high quality, well-functioning public housing lies in building successful communities that support and strengthen individuals and families.

As an example of this approach, PHA is working with community residents, the city, and a network of committed partners to revitalize the Sharswood/Blumberg neighborhood, one of Philadelphia's most distressed and poverty-impacted communities. PHA's multiyear commitment includes facilitating construction of a planned 1,200 units of mixed-income housing, building a new headquarters facility on Ridge Avenue, and supporting the development of a new neighborhood supermarket. The new headquarters and supermarket will break ground soon, creating a critical foundation for the long-term plan to revitalize the Ridge Avenue commercial corridor. In addition, PHA is supporting a wide array of support services and other initiatives that will benefit both existing and new community residents.

In identifying the most critical components needed to ensure the success of the Sharswood/Blumberg initiative, access to high-quality educational opportunities rose to the top of the list. Just as poor-performing K-12 schools can destabilize communities and contribute to perpetuating cycles of poverty, high-performing schools can help strengthen and stabilize families, attract new families from all income levels, build community bonds and pride, and promote development and other resources. Not everyone has the financial means to move into expensive neighborhoods where the educational opportunities are often significantly better, but PHA can step up and bring better educational services  coupled with higher expectations  to its residents.

In September of this year, PHA, in collaboration with Big Picture Philadelphia Inc. and the Philadelphia School District, will celebrate the opening of a new 9-12 grade school in Sharswood/Blumberg, in the once shuttered Vaux High School. PHA is committing up to $15 million to fund the rehabilitation of the school building, assembling education and social services partners, providing a per pupil contribution to support enhanced student services, and helping to forge a unique partnership with the Philadelphia Federal of Teachers.

The new Vaux School will provide superior educational programs based on proven best practices, with high expectations of both teachers and students. Aligning with Mayor Kenney's Community School model for traditional neighborhood schools, the new Vaux School will also serve as a hub for community resources that support and strengthen families. It will be an enrichment and recreational center, with the social services needed to address challenges that undermine a child's educational prospects, as well as opportunities for adult education and parent training. As part of this dynamic and evolving initiative, the Vaux School anticipates coordinating with residents, community partners, local faith-based organizations, and other Sharswood/Blumberg stakeholders, as well as developing the school's locally elected parent and community council.

The Vaux School initiative is the beginning of a more comprehensive plan and commitment to improve educational attainment for all PHA families. Young people are PHA's most vulnerable residents, but, if provided the opportunity, they have the greatest potential to permanently break the cycle of poverty.

PHA is enthusiastically forging ahead with bringing good schools home. Shouldering that responsibility is not only core to PHA's mission of opening doors to opportunities, but also our civic and moral obligation.

Kelvin A. Jeremiah is president and CEO of the Philadelphia Housing Authority. Kelvin.Jeremiah@pha.phila.gov
INDIANAPOLIS  The question has been thrown his way several times, but typically only when hes playing games in the eastern half of the country.

Jordan Luplows answer to that oft-asked question: Yes, hes related to former major league player Al Luplow. Thats his great uncle.

And its a fair question as Luplow is not a common name, but the former major leaguer and the aspiring one have never met in person. They nearly met at a reunion  Jordan grew up in California and Al lives in Michigan  but that didnt matriculate.

Al Luplow played 481 games over seven seasons, five of those with the Cleveland Indians; and finished his career hitting .184 in 55 games with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1967.

One of Luplows claims to fame would be a catch he made while playing for Cleveland, leaping to catch the ball backhanded as he flew over the fence in front of the Boston Red Sox bullpen, according to a Sports Illustrated story.

Jordan Luplow, with Class-A Bradenton at the time, was playing a game at St. Lucie, when a man approached him and asked if Al Luplow was a relative. After finding out the answer was yes, that person brought Jordan a few old baseball cards of Al the next day.

I think its pretty cool, Jordan Luplow said. I got a couple of his cards and started looking up his stats. I thought it was pretty cool he finished his career in Pittsburgh and Im starting my career with Pittsburgh.

Luplows rapid ascension through the organization brought him to Indianapolis on the last day of June. He has a slash line of .316/.438/.545 with an OPS of 1.043 in 38 at-bats with the Indians.

He batted third in the lineup in his first Triple-A game, on his first day in Indianapolis, and has been in that spot of the lineup in eight of the ten games hes played.

Not every player promoted to Triple-A will begin that high in the lineup, but Luplow earned the spot after hitting 16 homers in 73 games with Double-A Altoona, Indianapolis manager Andy Barkett said.

I like to give young players confidence, Barkett said. I remember when I was a player getting called up to Triple-A and I got put into the middle of the order, and it made me feel like I belonged and I could play at this level.

The Triple-A level has a mix of veterans and young prospects, unlike the Double-A level where most players are younger. Youve got some players who have appeared in World Series games, while others are rising prospects. Not that Luplow was necessarily lacking any, but Barketts message was received and probably offered a little extra confidence that he belonged.

I think it does, Luplow said. Him putting me that high in the lineup with this group of guys that are extremely talented shows the confidence he has in me. As the manager hes not scared to do something like that and I really appreciate that.

The early vote of confidence wasnt wasted. Luplow hit three homers in his first 27 at-bats over seven games. In a non-expansive list, Luplow is one of the fastest to hit his first three Triple-A homers in recent seasons.

Pedro Alvarez needed just two games to do so, but Jose Osuna (57 at-bats), Austin Meadows (75), Gregory Polanco (82), Andrew McCutchen (82) and Neil Walker (96), all took significantly longer to hit their first three Triple-A homers.

So far, Luplow has showed himself well at the plate in Triple-A. His defense at the outfield corner positions remains a work in progress.

He has shown the ability to make good throws, but has also taken some bad routes when tracking down fly balls. Luplows development as an outfielder is just that, a continuing work in progress.

I think hes done a nice job with how he played in Altoona in left, said Pirates Director of Minor League Operations Larry Broadway. He took a lot of pride in going about his business. He got a few good jumps on the ball, ran some balls down that we hadnt seen him run down in the past. I think hes in a good spot to continue his path there. In the field, just continuing routes and first steps. Try to get a little more and a little faster. His arm strength is pretty good and hes pretty accurate. Its more just the nuances of first-step routes and that initial read.

Luplow has made several good throws from left field, some that dont necessarily show up in a box score because they might have not resulted in an out, but kept a runner from advancing.

I think he has a very solid arm in the outfield, an accurate arm, Barkett said.

Luplow wants to develop into a pitchers best friend in the outfield, playing well in all aspects.

Im trying to be an aggressive outfielder and I dont want guys running on me and I want them to know if theyre going to take a chance they might pay for it, Luplow said.

Although in a small sample size, Luplow has adjusted to Triple-A hitting and has been an offensive threat. If he can continue to develop in the outfield and refine his route running, Luplows value as a prospect will continue to rise and he might become the second member of the Luplow family to reach the major leagues and play outfield for the Pirates.
A Long Beach, NY, police officer in a pickup truck accidentally ran over a pair of beachgoers on Sunday night, officials said.

The officer was on his way to the water's edge around 8 p.m. to warn swimmers there were no lifeguards on duty when his truck rolled over two people who were lying under a beach blanket.

The two were taken to an area hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening, officials told the New York Daily News.
Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper Lt. Heath Meyer was critically injured Friday night while assisting with a pursuit. Meyer was reportedly deploying stop stick when he was hit by the pursued vehicle. (Photo: OHP)

Friday night, an Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper, who was assisting in a pursuit on I-35, was struck by the pursued vehicle as he was putting out stop sticks. The trooper, Lt. Heath Meyer, is currently in critical condition.

Police say the driver of the pursued car, 28-year-old Dangelo Ladon Burgess, was arrested and faces several felony charges, including eluding an officer and causing great bodily injury while unlicensed.

OHP said another crash occurred in northwest Oklahoma City when a trooper and another driver collided at Memorial and Rockwell. That trooper was on his way to the scene in south Oklahoma City.

Meanwhile, Oklahoma City police said a crash occurred at S.W. 59th and Santa Fe. Police said an officer and another driver collided at that intersection. That officer was also on his way to the scene in south Oklahoma City, KFOR TV reports.
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The Secret rejected Trumps lawyers argument that they should have vetted the Russians that Trump Jr. was meeting, but made it clear that they were in the building to protect Trump, which means that President Trump knew about the meeting.

After Trump lawyer Jay Sekulow threw the Secret Service under the bus during an interview on ABCs This Week by saying, I wonder why the Secret Service, if this was nefarious, why the Secret Service allowed these people in. The president had Secret Service protection at that point, and that raised a question with me.

According to Reuters, the Secret Service rejected Sekulows claim:

In an emailed response to questions about Sekulows comments, Secret Service spokesman Mason Brayman said the younger Trump was not under Secret Service protection at the time of the meeting, which included Trumps son and two senior campaign officials.

Donald Trump, Jr. was not a protectee of the USSS in June 2016. Thus we would not have screened anyone he was meeting with at that time, the statement said.

The Secret Service was in Trump Tower because that was where Trump was. Trump was in the building because he knew that his campaign team was meeting with the Russians. It doesnt take a rocket scientist to figure out what Trump was doing there in the middle of the campaign, on the same day that he promised a major speech that would spill the dirt on Hillary Clinton.

Donald Trump knew about the meeting. President Trump has been working so hard to shut down the Russia investigations because it is only a matter of time until he gets caught. All paths are leading to the Trump family, and at the center of the family is the candidate, now President Donald Trump.
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Iraq war vet Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) has the perfect reply after a Fox News contributor claimed that no Democratic elected official has ever done more for America than the Trump family.

Fox Newss Jesse Watters claimed that the Trump family had done more for this country than any Democratic elected official:

Fox News' @jessebwatters just now: "Donald Trump's family has done more for this country than any Democratic elected official."  Yashar Ali (@yashar) July 14, 2017

Iraq war vet Rep. Ruben Gallego replied:

Totally remember the Trump brothers laying down suppressive fire for me in Anbar. https://t.co/P2O7ysBIGA  Ruben Gallego (@RubenGallego) July 16, 2017

Double amputee Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois would also dispute Watters claim as she lost both of her legs and damaged her right arm while serving as a helicopter pilot in Iraq. These claims by the Fox News Trump sycophants are reminiscent of North Korea. It isnt enough to glorify dear leader Trump, but now his whole family must be deified, and have done more for their country than all of their opponents combined.

Donald Trump dodged Vietnam. None of the members of his family have lifted a single finger to serve their country. The Trumps view America serving them. The only purpose that the Trump family is interested in is making money.

Watters statement shows the absurd level of worship that what is left of Trumps base has slipped into. Rep. Gallego and other vets who served their country are continuing to serve this democracy by debunking the worship of the Trump cult.
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As part of ongoing litigation related to making Trumps visitor logs public, the Department of Homeland Security will be releasing the visitor logs to Trumps private Florida club on September 8.

CREW made the announcement in a statement:

The Trump White House has fought transparency at every turn, so getting the logs for his Florida private club is an important victory. The American people deserve to know who is meeting with the president that is supposed to be serving them.

There are two areas of importance to look for in the visitor logs. The logs will probably shed light on Trump conflicts of interest, and how he could be using the presidency for personal profit and financial gain. There is also the possibility of something Russia related being in the logs, but the more revelations will probably come in the area of Trump conflicts of interest.

Donald Trump does not want the American people to know who he is meeting with, and what he is doing. Obtaining the public release of the logs is a big deal, and it is also one of Trumps biggest nightmares.
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Emails show that the real purpose of Trumps election integrity commission is to gather voter data and pass a new federal law that will make it more difficult for people to vote in 2020.

The Washington Post reported:

The day after Donald Trump was elected president, Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, now the vice-chair of Donald Trumps commission on voter fraud, told Trumps transition team of a proposal to change federal law to allow stricter requirements on voter registration. Kobachs team was putting together information on legislation drafts for submission to Congress early in the administration, Kobach wrote to transition team member Gene Hamilton in an email. I have some already started regarding amendments to the NVRA [National Voter Registration Act] to make clear that proof of citizenship requirements are permitted (based on my ongoing litigation with the ACLU over this).

The reason why the commission wants sensitive personal voter data such as Social Security numbers, drivers license numbers, and voting history is because they are trying to create a profile of likely Democratic voters that they can use to craft federal legislation that will make it more difficult for those people to vote in the next presidential election. Judging from both the desired Republican legislative calendar and the pace of Trumps commission, it appears that the 2020 election is the target for any new Trump voter suppression law.

Trump is trying to rig the 2020 election and all future elections by reshaping the electorate to favor the older white conservatives that are Trumps base of support. These efforts have hit a brick wall thanks to both the ACLU lawsuit and the refusal of states to turn over their voter data.

Donald Trump is the most unpopular president in the history of public opinion polling at this point in his presidency. Trump would probably lose a straight up election that contained no Russian interference or voter suppression. Trump is trying to rig his reelection so that that voice of the people wont matter. The American people must stand together to support the groups that are suing to protect voting rights, and to make sure that states never turn over their voter data.

Trump has launched a full assault on democracy from the Oval Office.
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Charleston, SC (29403)

Today

Intervals of clouds and sunshine. High 77F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies in the evening, then becoming cloudy overnight. Low near 55F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.
With fall in the air, cyclamen start peeking through the leaf litter, giving the woodland garden a splash of color when most plants have finished blooming. As those pink, white or magenta blooms unfurl and appear, it is a memorable sight to see. Read moreFall charmers and winter wonders
The solar eclipse as it appeared over the isle of Moen in southeast Denmark, Friday March 20, 2014. Sky-gazers in some parts of Europe were treated to a perfect view of the solar eclipse that day as the moon blocked out the sun in a clear sky, but many parts of the continent were obscured by cloud. (File/AP Photo/Per Rasmussen, POLFOTO)
UK Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union David Davis (L) and the European Commission's Chief Brexit Negotiator Michel Barnier talk to reporters at the start of a first full round of talks on Britain's divorce terms from the European Union, in Brussels, Belgium, July 17, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

BRUSSELS - British and European Union envoys on Monday began a first round of negotiations on Britain's divorce from the EU with both sides saying it was high time to tackle details, though feuding within the London cabinet over Brexit terms may trouble the process.

With little more than a year to decide the terms before Britain leaves, deal or no deal, on March 30, 2019, the 27 other EU national leaders want British Prime Minister Theresa May to rally her polarised nation - and her fractious cabinet - swiftly behind a clear, detailed Brexit plan.

EU leaders are keen to minimise economic and social disruption across Europe as its second biggest economy cuts loose from the continent after four decades of myriad links.

Chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier will press UK Brexit Secretary David Davis to agree to Britain covering substantial, existing British financial commitments and offer more detail on Britain's approach, clouded by infighting within May's cabinet.

"We made a good start last month but... we are now getting into the substance of the matter," Davis told reporters as he was welcomed at the European Commission in Brussels by Barnier, a little more than a year after Britons voted by a narrow majority to leave the EU.

Davis and Barnier shook hands for the cameras at the European Commission's Berlaymont headquarters before a first full session of a scheduled four days of talks.

"We will now delve into the heart of the matter. We need to examine and compare our respective positions in order to make good progress," Barnier told reporters.

Davis said it was "incredibly important" to make progress, "that we negotiate through this and identify the differences so that we can deal with them and identify the similarities so that we can reinforce them".

"Now it's time to get down to work and make this a successful negotiation," he said before Davis and Barnier headed off for talks.

Both men declined further comment, with Barnier saying they would brief the media on Thursday after their teams have spent four days tackling a range of priority issues.

After a June snap election in which May's Conservatives lost their majority, her cabinet appears bitterly divided over the type of outcome it wants from the Brexit talks. Finance minister Philip Hammond has emerged as the champion of a "soft Brexit" prioritising trade ties with the EU over curbing immigration.

He said he came under attack at the weekend from hardline Brexiteers "who are not happy with (my) agenda" after a series of cabinet leaks intended to undermine him.

But he suggested his view that Britain would require a gradual transition towards Brexit aimed at limiting the damage for business and jobs was now gaining traction in May's government.
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
Angie Jackson covers crime and breaking news for The Post and Courier. She previously covered the same beat for the Grand Rapids Press and MLive.com in Michigan. When shes not reporting, Angie enjoys teaching yoga and exploring the outdoors.
In his column last week, former Mayor Joe Riley commented that Charlestons continuous growth requires careful and deliberate planning. As conservation leaders, we are mindful of the balance between preserving our community and its natural resources while acknowledging that growth will happe Read moreCommentary: Massive Cainhoy development fails to balance growth, environmental protections
It wouldn't feel like summer without an Andy Warhol book to look forward to. Two new books on Pittsburgh's most celebrated expatriate are vying for a spot on every Warhol-lover's bookshelf  one scholarly, the other breezy, inward-looking and gossipy.

The first is "3D Warhol: Andy Warhol and Sculpture" by Thomas Morgan Evans (I.B. Tauris, $15.99 paperback, $99 hardback). Like the book's title suggests, Evans explores Warhol's engagement with his audience via his non 2D oeuvre  cloud pillows, time capsules, holograms, supermarket product boxes, etc.

Evans keeps the analysis fairly accessible, but he occasionally lapses into jargon-filled critics speak. Still, it's clear he has mastered Warhol's world and is just the guide we need to understand what this most misunderstood of artists was all about beyond the paintings of soup cans.

Natasha Fraser-Cavassoni "After Andy: Adventures in Warhol Land" (Blue Rider Press, $28) is a less academic, but more engaging look at Warhol's social matrix from the early days of the Factory to the impact of his personal aesthetic on art, fashion and popular culture decades beyond his death.

Fraser-Cavassoni knew Warhol personally and understood his scene as it played out in London, New York and Paris, so her account has a personal dimension to it. "After Andy" may be a bit breezy at times, but it is also a serious and worthwhile addition to Warhol studies because of the wealth of knowledge the author brings to the subject. "After Andy" will be in bookstores on Aug. 1.
Six hours. Not so much. The drive-time that spans the space between us. No biggie when there's an important place to be: Rochester.

The astonishment from a roomful of friends upon greeting us, an observer would suppose that Sheryl and I had arrived in Rochester by arduous oxen-drawn covered wagon train. C'mon! Joliet ain't that far away in neither time nor space.

Sheryl and I could not permit the community to bid fond farewell to the retiring University of Minnesota Rochester chancellor without us in the audience. Too much of the Zumbro River valley had seeped into our psyche.

Stephen Lehmkuhle and his wife Cindy are the North Star of our stellar close friends. During the past decade we shared a highly agreeable Rochester captivity. Our sturdy strands are well woven into the handsome tapestry of this ascending community.

On the personal side of life's ledger, the Lehmkuhles and the Chapmans linked arm-in-arm. Together, we waded the shallow headwaters of the Mississippi and strode miles upon the trails of Southwest Rochester. We sampled the fine arts and equally fine gastronomy of the region. Together we lost beloved mothers. Together we achieved grandparenthood.

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As next-door neighbors, we shared backyard grilling, combative bouts of Sequence and Scrabble, and bottles and bottles of wine-enhanced conversation and laughter.

We four define friendship. Check the dictionary. Our pictures are right there next to the word.

'The limits of tyrants'

The chancellor's farewell reception was but one of two exultant reunions for Sheryl and me. The Sunday morning prior, we turned to people of open-minded, open-hearted covenant, the Unitarian Universalists.

Bemused, I smiled at the choice of Responsive Reading No. 579, a short imperative verse gleaned from the writings of Frederick Douglass, a former slave. He was an American social reformer, orator, writer and statesman. He stood as a living counter-example to arguments that slaves did not have the intellectual capacity to function as independent American citizens.

Yup, the one-and-same fellow that our current president artlessly tweeted, "Frederick Douglass is an example of somebody who's done an amazing job and is getting recognized more and more, I notice."

Now to the reading of Douglass' prophetic word entitled "The Limits of Tyrants":

"Those who profess to favor freedom, and yet depreciate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground. They want rain without thunder and lightning. They want the ocean without the awful roar of its waters. This struggle may be a moral one; or it may be a physical one; or it may be both moral and physical; but it must be a struggle! Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did, and it never will.

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"Find out just what people will submit to, and you have found out the exact amount of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them; and these will continue until they are resisted with either words or blows, or with both. The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppress."

Lessons of history

Visiting pastor, the Rev. Kelli Clement, was Sunday's charmer of a worship leader. She began her message with a stunner of an opening, rapping the music from "Hamilton: An American Musical."

The acclaimed stage production portrays our Founding Fathers "soaked in white supremacy" yet ironically portrayed by multiracial actors. I am unable to dig deep enough into shallow pockets to pony up big bucks for "Hamilton" nosebleed seats to learn its lessons for myself. Thus, I shall embrace Rev. Kelli's tutorial message of injustice and how we as an American people to address the tyranny of it:

 Get proximate. Writing a check or uttering sympathies accomplishes much less than direct involvement.

 Change the narrative. Speak out to confront racial bias when encountered.

 Stay hopeful. The antidote to despairing news in the media is optimism.

 Will yourself to be uncomfortable. It is an addiction to be numb to injustice.

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History has its lessons. The future has its eyes upon us. Act accordingly.
When Sharon Goergen picked up two of her grandchildren in St. Paul, they knew what they wanted to do in Rochester.

"Coming down, the first thing they said was, 'Can we go to the children's museum? ,'" she said, noting her plans to visit a local park quickly changed.

Goergen has been a museum member since shortly after the 5,400-square-foot facility, loaded with hands-on, play-filled learning opportunities, opened five years ago in River Center Plaza on North Broadway.

"We used it so much, I've been buying the membership ever since," she said.

On Sunday, two of her grandchildren, 7-year-old Anaiya and 9-year-old Jaylen, were engaged by a new Rochester Public Utilities display and other activities, but Goergen said at least one grandchild is too old for the museum.

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"For the 11-year-old, this is not for her anymore," she said, which is why she's happy to hear about plans to expand offerings.

The Rochester museum started as a parent-driven grassroots effort about a decade ago, with pop-up locations at its core. Five years later, it found its current location after partnering with the Minnesota Children's Museum in St. Paul.

Now, it sees about 31,000 visitors a year and has more than 1,500 members.

Member Craig Pearson said his family has had a membership for three years to provide an outlet for his children, 4-year-old Brecken and 19-month-old Eva.

He said the design allows him to keep an eye on both children while letting them explore independently. Having been to the St. Paul location, he knows a larger facility might hinder that, but hopes his needs, and the needs of parents like him, are part of the focus as the museum grows.

At the same time, he sees the advantages of expanding  namely, more opportunities.

"Whatever they put together will be beneficial," he said.

Community needs

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An effort to eventually find a new home is halfway through an 18-month strategic input planning process, which Museum Director Heidi Mestad said aims to identify community needs and desires before pinpointing an exact location.

The planning effort has fueled speculation along the way, with the museum at one point eyeing a potential bid for the city-owned Armory. However, Mestad said the option would have put things in the wrong order. She said the museum needs to finalize its overall concept before determining an ideal location.

"That's why we pulled back," she said, noting discussions with other groups continue.

Some elements of the program are starting to solidify. The goal is to create a 20,000- to 30,000-square-foot facility primarily aimed at children and families, but also welcoming of adult visitors.

The ideal location would likely be in a Destination Medical Center subdistrict, which could provide financing opportunities, but locations outside the downtown core are possible, Mestad said.

"Everything is really on the table," she said.

As the planning process continues, its $247,500 budget has a $15,000 gap, which Mestad is hoping the Olmsted County Board will fill. She updated commissioners last week and said she plans to return with a formal request.

So far, the Minnesota Children's Museum provided $120,000, and Mayo Clinic contributed $75,000. Another $10,000 came from individual donors, and Think Bank offered $2,500.

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The Rochester City Council approved a $25,000 contribution on June 19, at which point Interim City Administrator Gary Neumann indicated it's unlikely that future city funds would be available for construction or operations.

Mestad said she understands the reluctance to provide public funds for the ongoing project, but noted planning funds are needed to see if it can move forward.

The current facility operates on a $470,000 budget with $351,800 generated through community contributions. Estimates for a new museum call for a $1.26 million annual budget, with nearly $600,000 in community contributions.

Community support

The goal of the planning process, Mestad said, is to build a concept and use it to gauge interest from potential donors.

The goal is to have community support, since it will be a community museum.

The current facility only attracts 0.3 percent of the potential tourist market, and Mestad said planners estimate a new facility would raise that to 1.2 percent, so local needs will be the priority.

With the community in mind, Mestad said the museum also wants to expand its reach. The original museum was designed for children 5 years old and younger, but work sought to expand the age range to 10 years old, with hopes of reaching further.

"We know the biggest gap is 8- to 15-year-olds," Mestad said.

To fill that gap, museum officials are tentatively calling the new facility the Innovative Experience Center, aimed at providing children's exhibits alongside exhibits for older audiences, which could strengthen understanding of local technologies.

Mestad said the need was hammered home when a group of 15 community leaders visited health, science and children's museums in recent months.

"Nine of the 15 individuals that came with us on the site visits were natives from Rochester, myself included, and the other museums  the tech museum and health museum  were schooling us on what was being done in Rochester," she said.

Drawing in local information could also increase interest among tomorrow's workforce, she said.

For member Janet Syverson, who was at the museum Sunday with grandchildren Theodore, 4, and Kennedy, 3, expanding the focus would also build on the museum's 10-year legacy.

"We have kids who have grown up with this, and they will keep growing," she said.
Rochester's Police Policy Oversight Commission will present its annual report later this month, along with updates on two policies it helped shape.

While the commission was formed two years ago, its first report includes actions the committee took under its initial chairman, Allan Witz, who stepped down from that position in November.

"I carried this through to December 2016  for the purpose of completing a calendar year," Witz said when presenting an early draft of the report in May, noting it includes details of commission discussions and a breakdown of policy recommendations.

The commission plans to post the report on its website before the community forum set for 6 p.m. July 27 at the Edison Building, 615 Seventh St. SW in Rochester.

In addition to discussing the 13-page report, the commission has arranged presentations on two of the police department's newest policy changes, which involve the use of body cameras and drones.

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While all Rochester patrol officers have been equipped with body cameras for more than a year, Police Chief Roger Peterson said questions linger regarding their use.

"People really want to understand how exactly do they work. How does an officer turn it on? When do they turn them off? How does that happen?," he said. "There's a lot more practical questions."

Commission Chairman W.C. Jordan said such practical questions are important, since police department policy doesn't require officers to state when the cameras are on or off. He said he hopes a planned demonstration of the devices will help people know what to expect.

Peterson said the presentation also will demonstrate the cameras' limitations.

"They are very helpful, but they are not the answer to everything," he said, noting the cameras are easily dislodged during confrontations and one has been lost as a result.

While he said cameras on multiple officers at a scene typically can fill in gaps, dislodged cameras have revealed a specific community insight.

"We have great video of people handing the camera back to officers," he said, noting it shows participation with law enforcement.

The city's drone program is newer, with the city's first unmanned aerial vehicle purchased earlier this year. The drone, which is equipped with a camera that includes thermal, night vision and day vision capabilities, has a variety of law enforcement-specific applications, including special technology to help find adults and children who wander due to Alzheimer's, autism and other related conditions or disorders.

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While Peterson said past presentations involving the device show people are interested in what it can do, he noted the commission's forum could yield different questions.

"That might be a little different in this context," he said.
AUSTIN  What do a a tire, a T-shirt, a bicycle and a 55-gallon drum have in common?

They were all items fished from Austin waterways on Saturday as volunteer crews worked their way through the Cedar River Watershed District. The crews started with the Cedar River at Austin's Driesner Park and headed to its confluence with Dobbins Creek and East Side Lake.

About 20 volunteers, outfitted in waders and life jackets, scoured the river for discarded items. Some waded into the water, filling bags with castoffs; others paddled along in canoes and plucked items from riverbanks.

The cleanup effort, part the city's 4th annual Water Festival that began Monday, looks to educate residents on the importance of clean water and caring for waterways in their community.

"We're celebrating water," said Luke Reese, the director of the Jay C. Hormel Nature center, which organized the cleanup and Water Festival. "We're communicating and reminding the community that water is our most important natural resource. It needs to be protected and monitored."

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The water that runs in the streams in Austin will eventually end up in the Gulf of Mexico, Reese said, so how Minnesotans choose to treat their waterways can affect something seemingly unconnected such as the shrimping industry.

"It's all connected," he said. "There is no such thing as 'away.' If you throw something in the river, it's going to go somewhere, you know? If you dump oil down a storm drain, it goes somewhere."

Pop cans, little bits of metal, candy wrappers, packaging and fishing worm containers were the most commonly picked up things, said the center's intern, Jacob Burkhart. The craziest thing the crew pulled from the river Saturday? Four bicycles.

But some were prepared for the unusual finds. For Matt Freechack, it's his third year participating; he'd already scoped the river and expected to have to fish out those bikes from under a nearby bridge.

Altogether, the crew pulled two pickup trucks full of garbage. All that can be will be recycled and the rest will be disposed of properly, Burkhart said.

Also on the agenda Saturday during part of the Water Festival was water testing, which includes checking the level of nitrates, phosphates, dissolved oxygen, E. coli and turbidity of the water. Volunteers also planned to put stickers on storm drains throughout the community, reminding residents that what they allow in the storm drains goes directly to the rivers.

For the volunteers, it was an easy way to make sure the community is able to continue to enjoy the public space.

"I think it makes this town more beautiful  I think it's a real service," Freechack said. "You know, we've got this river running through the middle of town, it's a big focal point of this area, and I think people need to be able to go out and enjoy it more."

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MANKATO  The bags of bugs are piling up in the walk-in freezer in St. Paul, about 150 arriving every two weeks, a number expected to rise to well more than 1,000 by the end of September.

If the sack of insects from the trap at the top of Sibley Park's hill is any indication, Angie Ambourn will have picked through more than 30,000 bugs by the time she pulls the final bag from the freezer sometime next winter.

With each bag, Ambourn will be searching for specific species she hopes she never sees. Zero for 30,000 would be a perfect score.

Supplying half of the dead bugs will be Patrick Walrath, who drives from Winona to Mankato to St. Cloud to Forrest Lake checking the 74 traps he's laid, including a pair at Sibley Park and couple more at Rasmussen Woods Nature Area. He places them in trees on public land, baits them with chemicals that attract different types of insects and checks them every two weeks.

Walrath fights off mosquitoes, ticks and poison ivy to do his best to capture quarry that, he hopes, doesn't exist in Minnesota.

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So far, so good.

Since the traps went out in April  Walrath's 74 in the southern part of the state, an equal number tended by a counterpart in the northern forests  they haven't captured a single Asian longhorned beetle, not a solitary velvet longhorned beetle, nary a hint of any of the 17 invasive species that are the focus of the hunt.

"None," Ambourn said during a visit to Mankato Thursday.

"That's a good thing," Walrath said. "It's a job where you want to do your job and not find anything."

Nearly 30 cities are home to traps statewide, said Mark Abrahamson, assistant director of the Plant Protection Division of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. Most are in larger cities, because most of the invasive species are arriving via commerce  typically wood products from Asia.

Funded for one year by a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant, work began in April, all the traps were out by early May and the survey will be completed by the end of September.

"The best case is there's nothing here and we don't find it," Abrahamson said.

'Find them early'

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The worst case is there's something here and they don't find it. In that scenario, years could go by as a tree-killing, orchard-devastating, vineyard-wrecking new pest arrives, reproduces, spreads and establishes itself before any counterattack is launched. Most of the species  such as the Asian longhorned beetle  are doing damage elsewhere, including in the United States, but haven't been found yet in Minnesota.

"We have a better chance of taking action against them if we find them early," Walrath said. "That's kind of the goal of the survey."

The stakes in fighting invasive species are high, for property owners with cherished trees, for workers and industries that rely on forests, for farmers of everything from grapes to soybeans. Walrath, who has also collected bugs for pest surveys involving row crops like soybeans and potatoes, said it all goes back to protecting the state's resources.

"I like to think that the woods, the water, the agriculture are what's important," he said. "And if I can do anything to help that, I'm in."

Walrath said the lures he uses, which mimic insect pheromones or smells emitted by unhealthy trees, have scents so strong his brain has scent-flashbacks on his off-days. He talks of removing multiple ticks at the end of a long day. And he knows what lure is particularly attractive for species such as aedes vexans: himself.

"This week, a million," Walrath said when asked how many mosquitoes he's seen while checking the traps. "The last two weeks have been ridiculous. I think they're over the whole concept of DEET. I don't think they care any more."

Dealing with the traps isn't a quick process, either. The contraptions have to be lowered from the trees, lures have to be replenished, the liquid goop at the bottom of a trap has to be run through a coffee filter to screen out the insects ... . And when he gets through all 74 traps, two weeks have elapsed.

"It's like painting the Golden Gate Bridge," he said. "When you get done, start over."

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'Interesting stuff'

As for Ambourn, a bag of insects isn't always a bouquet of roses.

"Sometimes they get a little icky," she said, particularly during hot, wet weather  especially if the carrion beetles find the trap and start feasting.

But a good clean batch like the one from Sibley Park  .

"This one's a longhorned beetle. It's a native. That's a redheaded ash borer," Ambourn said, using a tweezers to pick another native Minnesotan out of the glob of insects and tree bits at the bottom of the filter. "That looks like a click beetle."

"I think Angie's in her element," Walrath said.

"There's some interesting stuff in here," Ambourn said. "I mean, if you're an entomologist."

Some of the targeted species are large and distinctive, others require a microscope to count spines or leg segments or antenna segments. Any that Ambourn is uncertain about or that she believes are of interest are shipped to university laboratories around the country that specialize in particular insect types.

While it takes someone like Ambourn to tell the difference between a velvet longhorned beetle and a banded elm bark beetle, she and Walrath said it's imperative that average Minnesotans also pitch in when combating invasive species.

First and foremost, people should burn local firewood when camping or going to the cabin  not haul it from one part of the state to another. Second, they should take an interest in insects that seem to be attacking a tree or other plant, take a picture or notes and report it to arrest.the.pest@state.mn.us.

And shoppers should consider invasive species when buying furniture, especially log furniture. Ask where it comes from and consider buying an alternative produced in Minnesota. As for folks who already have furniture from Asia, if they see a bug emerging from a burrow in the wood, catch it.

"Arrest the pest," Walrath said.

"If you think it's something you've never seen before, call it in," Ambourn said. "Better safe than sorry."
Todays column by Ruth Marcus of the Washington Post is called The. Meeting. Was. Not. Okay. Can you find the part of the column where she offers reasons in support of this proposition? I cant.

Marcus and her editors must believe that if you put enough periods in the title, no argument in favor of the proposition is necessary.

Marcus also asserts that Trump denies Russia interfered in the election. Actually, he doesnt. Trumps position repeatedly has been that Russia probably interfered. I think he should drop the probably, but to say that Trump is denying the interference is incorrect.

Marcus then points out that President Trump first said he didnt know about the meeting between his son and the Russian lawyer, but later said it might have been mentioned. Thats true, and it follows a troubling pattern in this presidency. However, it doesnt show that Trump Jr. acted improperly when he tried to find out whether the Russian lawyer had information about collaboration between Hillary Clinton and the Kremlin.

Marcus concludes by ridiculing the argument that members of the Democratic National Committee met with Ukrainian officials to receive information harmful to the Trump campaign. Marcus points out that unlike Russia, Ukraine is not a U.S. adversary.

Coming from Marcus, this argument is disingenuous. She has been among those who insist that Trump Jr. would have violated the law had he received something of value  namely, information  from an agent of a foreign government.

But if receiving information about a campaign opponent from a foreign agent were illegal (I dont think it is), then the Democrats would also be in violation of the law based on their dealings with Ukraine. The law applies to all foreign governments whether or not they are our adversaries. Thats the point of the Ukraine analogy.

Trump Jr. may have been naive to think that the Russian lawyer would deliver incriminating information about Hillary Clinton and/or the Democrats. He may have been naive to think that, if she did deliver such information, it would come without a price. But I see nothing improper about attending a meeting for the purpose of finding out what information the lawyer had, and nothing in Marcus column that amounts to an argument that the meeting was improper.
What should we make of last weeks love fest in Paris between President Trump and French President Macron? On the surface, it was improbable. In the French election just a few months ago, Trump seemed more favorably disposed towards Marine Le Pen than towards Macron. And Trump did the unthinkable, from the French perspective, when he withdrew the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement.

Macron responded by attempting to ridicule Trump with the slogan Make our planet great again. He also tried to strong-arm Trump with a six-second hand squeeze when the two men met for the first time.

Yet there they were last week in Paris acting like good friends. What happened?

The answer, I think, is that both leaders saw an opportunity. Macron, like nearly every French president, wants to be viewed as upholding the glory of France. He wants to be consequential. He wants to be the leading diplomatic player in Europe.

The visit by Trump, coupled with a visit two months ago by Vladimir Putin, gives the appearance that France and Macron himself are at the center of the diplomatic world.

What did Trump have to gain from the visit? To read certain media accounts, youd think the answer is: a big parade and a fancy meal.

More likely, Trump and his team wanted to combat the impression that the U.S. is isolated. I think they wanted to show that neither our withdrawal from the climate agreement nor various Trump pronouncements that Europeans find objectionable has put us at loggerheads with our traditional European allies.

Trumps relationship with Angela Merkel precludes, for the time being at least, the kind of love fest we saw in Paris. Theresa Mays standing, tenuous especially compared to Macrons, made her a less than ideal vehicle. In addition, Britain itself is somewhat on the outside looking in as a result of Brexit. Thus, it was not the ideal venue for a demonstration that the U.S. is still on good terms with Europe.

Is there any downside, from the American perspective, to the Trump-Macron love fest? Perhaps.

First, France, though certainly an ally, is not a terribly reliable one. As for Macron, he seems like a rank opportunist.

None of this matters as long as Trump understands these realities. But if he really expects to have a special relationship with France, hes likely to be disappointed, and the consequences might not be pretty.

Second, if Trump perceives the need to demonstrate good relations with France as a means of offsetting negative impressions stemming from withdrawal from the Paris agreement, etc., thats a potential problem. It would mean that Trump is, in effect, a supplicant seeking to get back in the good graces of elitist European opinion.

It will take more than a visit to Paris and a fake bromance with Macron to accomplish this. It will take real concessions. Is Trump willing to make them?
The Iran nuclear deal requires that the administration certify (or decline to certify) to Congress every 90 days that Iran is in compliance and that the agreement is in the vital national security interest of the United States. The next certification is due today.

Earlier in the day, National Security Council director H. R. McMaster indicated that the administration will so certify. McMaster added plenty of noise about how the deal is a bad one that has not changed Irans behavior, about how Iran is in default of the spirit of the agreement, and about how we need to take a closer look at whether it is violating the letter of the deal. But the bottom line is that the Trump administration will certify Irans compliance and the supposed national interest in upholding the deal.

Fred Fleitz, who served in national security positions for 25 years and who currently is senior vice president with the Center for Security Policy, wrote a forceful, and I believe persuasive, argument that Iran is not complying. He relied in part on a letter from four Senators  Tom Cotton, Ted Cruz, David Perdue, and Marco Rubio  to Secretary of State Tillerson that pointed out four ways in which Iran is out of compliance. Here is that letter.

Former U.N. ambassador John Bolton has also argued against certification. He noted that non-certification isnt a determination that Iran is out of compliance, but only a statement that the president is unable at this time to certify that it is. Meanwhile the administration would review the question, as it says it will do anyway.

But Bolton was clear that, in his view, the administration should stop reviewing and start deciding. Whatever may be true about Iranian compliance, or lack thereof, it should be clear to the administration by now that the deal is not vital to our national security interests.

During a conference call held today by McMaster, Fleitz challenged the administrations decision to certify Iranian compliance. Fleitz gives his account of that call here.

He reports:

I asked McMaster how the Trump administration could [certify compliance] in light of clear evidence that Iran is violating the JCPOA. . . . I said that this is a very troubling decision that amounts to looking the other way on Irans violations, legitimizing the dangerous concessions the Obama administration made to get this deal and goes against the presidents statements during the presidential campaign. I added that this policy to stick with the JCPOA is little different than what Hillary Clinton would have done if she had won the 2016 election.

According to Fleitz, McMaster refused to answer his question. Indeed, he refused to address the issue of Iranian violations at all until another questioner pushed him.

At that point, McMaster said that Iran is in default of the spirit of the agreement and that we need to take a closer look at whether it is violating the letter of the deal. Iran has been walking up to violating the letter of the agreement, he added.

As I read the letter from Sens. Cotton, Cruz, Perdue, and Rubio, Iran has walked well past violating the letter of the agreement. And even if the administration is uncertain about this, it should not affirmatively tell Congress that Iran is in compliance.

It would also be interesting to hear an explanation as to why the deal is in Americas national security interest, given McMasters concession (as reported by Fleitz) that the deal has not changed Irans behavior. As Sens. Cotton, et al. noted in their letter, Iran continues to wage a campaign of regional aggression, sponsor international terrorism, develop ballistic missiles, and oppress the Iranian people.

Under these circumstances, the four Senators rightly say, continuation of the current policy would be tantamount to rewarding Irans belligerence. In this regard, it should be noted that the nuclear deal lifts sanctions on Iranian terrorists and terrorist entities.

Finally, I think its worth noting that, according to Fleitz, the Trump administration has not filled any government post that deals with determining Iranian compliance. This, says Fleitz, has enabled pro-agreement careerists placed in key national security jobs by the Obama administration to maintain control over the review process, and thus protect the agreement even in the face of strong evidence of Iranian noncompliance and cheating.

If Fleitz is right, this reflects very poorly on President Trump. It suggests negligence of the highest order.
LONDON - The first major contracts for Britain's biggest ever rail project, worth $8.7 billion, were announced Monday by Transport Secretary Chris Grayling.

The high-speed HS2 rail will eventually link London with central and northern England, with the total cost currently said to be around $74 billion.

Grayling said the first major infrastructure contracts will cover the main civil engineering work on the first phase of HS2 between London and Birmingham. The work includes the construction of tunnels, bridges, embankments and viaducts.

The first phase between London and Birmingham is scheduled to open in 2026, with phase two to Manchester in the north-west and Leeds in the north-east due for completion in 2033.

Grayling said: "This is a hugely important step in the construction of Britain's new railway. HS2 will deliver vital links between some of our country's biggest cities, helping to drive economic growth and productivity in the north and midlands."

David Higgins, chairman of HS2 Ltd, said: "This is a huge day for the HS2 project and for the country. These contracts will support 16,000 jobs in Britain and will create opportunities for thousands of SMEs."

The Department for Transport (DfT) said HS2 construction will create up to 25,000 jobs and 2,000 apprenticeships. A further 3,000 people will operate HS2 network, and it is estimated that growth around new HS2 stations will create another 100,000 jobs.

A number of joint venture consortia have been awarded the first contracts. With preparatory works already underway on phase one, the DfT says main construction work will start in 2018/19.

Grayling published Monday a new government bill for the next phase of HS2, from Birmingham to Crewe in northern England. This will cut journey times to London from the north of England and Scotland in 2027, six years earlier than planned. Grayling also confirmed the final leg of HS2, or phase 2, covering the stretches to Manchester and Leeds.

HS2 has divided opinion in Britain with environmental groups and some politicians calling for it to be scrapped altogether. In a media interview Monday, Grayling rejected a weekend report by a quantity surveyor who claimed HS2 will cost almost double the current estimate, taking the final bill to over $130 billion. Campaigners have also said the rail will ruin one of the best known areas of traditional English countryside known as the Chilterns.
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Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec Visit paid by the President of the Republic of Poland, Mrs Kornhauser-Duda and by Their Royal Highnesses to the Warsaw Rising Museum (1)



Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec Visit paid by the President of the Republic of Poland, Mrs Kornhauser-Duda and by Their Royal Highnesses to the Warsaw Rising Museum (2)



Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec Visit paid by the President of the Republic of Poland, Mrs Kornhauser-Duda and by Their Royal Highnesses to the Warsaw Rising Museum (3)



Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec Visit paid by the President of the Republic of Poland, Mrs Kornhauser-Duda and by Their Royal Highnesses to the Warsaw Rising Museum (4)



Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec Visit paid by the President of the Republic of Poland, Mrs Kornhauser-Duda and by Their Royal Highnesses to the Warsaw Rising Museum (5)



Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec Visit paid by the President of the Republic of Poland, Mrs Kornhauser-Duda and by Their Royal Highnesses to the Warsaw Rising Museum (6)



Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec Visit paid by the President of the Republic of Poland, Mrs Kornhauser-Duda and by Their Royal Highnesses to the Warsaw Rising Museum (7)



Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec Visit paid by the President of the Republic of Poland, Mrs Kornhauser-Duda and by Their Royal Highnesses to the Warsaw Rising Museum (8)



Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec Visit paid by the President of the Republic of Poland, Mrs Kornhauser-Duda and by Their Royal Highnesses to the Warsaw Rising Museum (9)



Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec Visit paid by the President of the Republic of Poland, Mrs Kornhauser-Duda and by Their Royal Highnesses to the Warsaw Rising Museum (10)



Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec Visit paid by the President of the Republic of Poland, Mrs Kornhauser-Duda and by Their Royal Highnesses to the Warsaw Rising Museum (11)



Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec Visit paid by the President of the Republic of Poland, Mrs Kornhauser-Duda and by Their Royal Highnesses to the Warsaw Rising Museum (12)



Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec Visit paid by the President of the Republic of Poland, Mrs Kornhauser-Duda and by Their Royal Highnesses to the Warsaw Rising Museum (13)



Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec Visit paid by the President of the Republic of Poland, Mrs Kornhauser-Duda and by Their Royal Highnesses to the Warsaw Rising Museum (14)



Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec Visit paid by the President of the Republic of Poland, Mrs Kornhauser-Duda and by Their Royal Highnesses to the Warsaw Rising Museum (15)



Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec Visit paid by the President of the Republic of Poland, Mrs Kornhauser-Duda and by Their Royal Highnesses to the Warsaw Rising Museum (16)



Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec Visit paid by the President of the Republic of Poland, Mrs Kornhauser-Duda and by Their Royal Highnesses to the Warsaw Rising Museum (17)



Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec Visit paid by the President of the Republic of Poland, Mrs Kornhauser-Duda and by Their Royal Highnesses to the Warsaw Rising Museum (18)



Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec Visit paid by the President of the Republic of Poland, Mrs Kornhauser-Duda and by Their Royal Highnesses to the Warsaw Rising Museum (19)



Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec Visit paid by the President of the Republic of Poland, Mrs Kornhauser-Duda and by Their Royal Highnesses to the Warsaw Rising Museum (20)



Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec Visit paid by the President of the Republic of Poland, Mrs Kornhauser-Duda and by Their Royal Highnesses to the Warsaw Rising Museum (21)



Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec Visit paid by the President of the Republic of Poland, Mrs Kornhauser-Duda and by Their Royal Highnesses to the Warsaw Rising Museum (22)



Pobierz zdjecie Przeczytaj o zasadach pobierania zdjec Visit paid by the President of the Republic of Poland, Mrs Kornhauser-Duda and by Their Royal Highnesses to the Warsaw Rising Museum (23)
LOWER TOWNSHIP  Elvis Lynch used to spend about $300 a week on marijuana and alcohol, but after he got treatment for substance-misuse issues, the 18-year-old found a better use for his money  and his time.

I plan on making music and going to college, Lynch said. I say I got my glow back.

During a time of intense focus on addiction, mental health providers and substance-misuse recovery centers are setting their sights on treatment for youth drug users. Experts say to do that, communities need more providers who offer youth-specific services.

Its sad, because its true that adolescent treatment is sorely ignored, said Dorene Dreher, spokeswoman for the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence in New Jersey.

Atlantic County prosecutor plans to tackle opioid abuse, drug-related deaths Working toward fixing the opioid abuse problem in the county has become one of Atlantic Coun

Lynch, of Lower Township, has been clean of all drugs for nearly five months after spending four months in Families Matters THRIVE program, which provides free counseling and treatment for teens struggling with substance use.

The Cape May mental health provider launched the program in November with funding from the state Department of Children and Families and gets referrals from courts, schools, counselors and family members.

It joined a handful of South Jersey organizations that offer youth-related programs  but not all are free.

Teens and parents are often supplied with a lot of drug-prevention education, but still, 39 percent of high school seniors nationally have used marijuana at least once in the past year and more than half of seniors have consumed alcohol, according to surveys by the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Only a small percentage of people who use marijuana move on to harder drugs, but most people addicted to substances such as cocaine, heroin and opioids reported first misusing marijuana, alcohol or both, data show.

Lynch was one of THRIVEs first participants when he was court-ordered to attend a treatment program after getting into trouble while under the influence of marijuana, alcohol and sometimes oxycodone. He said he drew the line at heroin.

One day, I got a call from my cousin who told me a friend I used to smoke with all the time had died. I said, Of what? You cant overdose from weed, he said. But it wound up he moved on to heroin. When people were shooting up in front of me, I said, This isnt for me.

About 12 percent of people who died by overdosing in New Jersey in 2015 were younger than 25, according to data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

To address substance-misuse issues in younger populations, NCADD has a grant to start screening and intervention at schools, Dreher said. But, she asked, once those methods identify teens with substance-misuse issues, where do they send them?

Pa., other states join N.J.'s prescription monitoring program Pennsylvania and four other states have joined eight already in the New Jersey Prescription 

Pat Campbell, director of Families Matter, said the youth program is designed differently from adult programs to cater specifically to teens and the issues they face at school, at home or as juvenile offenders.

Lynch was required to undergo drug testing and attend one-on-one counseling sessions, group therapy and family therapy in THRIVE. The outpatient program also offered field trips, guest speakers and other activities.

Someone who is currently in state drug court talked to the teens about how his drug use led to rehabilitation, jail, unemployment and other serious issues.

We told them it only gets harder the longer you do this, said Ernesto Bailey, a certified alcohol and drug counselor at Families Matter. We wanted to keep (Lynch) and others aware of what could happen and what was going on around them.

Medications needed by many to treat addiction, experts say Dave Rementer gets an injection of naltrexone, more commonly known by the brand name Vivitro

After Bailey gained Lynchs trust, counseling sessions helped the high schooler open up about some deep-rooted issues he had never talked about before. The two also focused on Lynchs positive activities, such as writing his own rap music.

Lynch said he is inspired by Eminem, who has rapped about his own struggles with addiction.

Coming into the program, untrusting and doubtful treatment would change his lifestyle, Lynch said he eventually realized he couldnt continue to go home high and drunk every day, on the brink of dropping out of high school.

He graduated with a 3.8 GPA, is attending a federal work program in Maine, where he will spend as long as a year learning carpentry, and will get about $40,000 toward college, which he intends to take full advantage of.

Lynch said he hasnt given up all his friends who still smoke weed, but said he isnt tempted now to use with them. Because he is clean, he now has a job and saves his money or uses it to buy things he wants and needs, such as food, a new watch or clothes.

My friends would rather smoke, but for me, I got my head on straight, he said.
The jail population in New Jersey is down 19 percent since the Bail Reform and Speedy Trial Act took effect Jan. 1, according to statistics released by the state.

But some warn its still too early to tell whether the historic reforms will be a net benefit for the state in terms of keeping the jail population low and saving money across all 21 counties.

Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph Coronato said while the jail population is down 27 percent since January, he wants to see how the numbers hold out through the summer before making a judgment on the new law.

Guadagno touts property tax reform plan in Egg Harbor Township EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP  Republican gubernatorial candidate Kim Guadagno was in town Thursday, 

I want to get through the summer because the population usually spikes after the July 4 holiday, he said. Right now I feel like the population isnt down, but more of a revolving door.

The act, passed by referendum in 2014, is touted by supporters as a way to ease jail overcrowding while preventing low-level offenders from languishing in jail simply because they cant afford bail.

About 12 percent of people in New Jersey jails cant afford bail of $2,500 or less, according to a 2013 study commissioned by the Drug Policy Alliance.

The new system distinguishes cases between a complaint warrant and a complaint summons. People arrested on a summons are taken to a police station, booked, issued charges and released.

People arrested on a warrant are taken to the county jail for as long as 48 hours until a decision is made on whether they will be kept or released. That time frame can be extended if a defense attorney requests more time to prepare.

The decision to keep a defendant in jail is based in part on a new scanning system that brings up alleged offenders criminal histories and helps determine whether they are a risk to the community or a risk of fleeing before a court date. The juvenile justice system is unaffected by the changes.

Civil-rights activists have praised the law as a way to level the playing field by moving away from a system that disproportionately affects minority communities.

This is a great thing, Olivia Caldwell, president of the Pleasantville/Mainland NAACP, said when asked about the decrease in jail population. It helps anyone who is disadvantaged economically, and has an economic impact on the county, because many people who sat in jail because they couldnt pay would end up losing their jobs.

Cape May County the target of several ransomware attacks Several Cape May County government organizations have been the target of cyber attacks, prom

Caldwell said she also was encouraged to see employers start banning the box, which means low-level offenders are not required to report their criminal records on job applications.

But the new law has come with a cost.

Atlantic County Administrator Jerry Del Rosso said the county budgets an extra $850,000 annually to accommodate more staff in the Sheriffs and Prosecutors offices. The courthouse now opens on weekends to accommodate quick hearings after arrests, and the Prosecutors Office is now a 24-hour operation, he said.

Coronato said he hasnt hired extra staff in Ocean County because the weekend schedule isnt as booked as he thought it would be. But that could change now that more people are here for the summer.

The new law also has not been free from criticism.

In the spring, registered sex offender Christopher Wilson, 20, of Little Egg Harbor Township, was freed under the new law after he was charged with trying to assault a 12-year-old girl. His risk score was low because the original offense occurred when he was a minor.

A judge eventually overturned the ruling, and Wilson was brought back to jail pending trial.

The risk score was amended in May to be tougher on people charged with certain offenses, specially pertaining to weapons charges.

Still, many believe the new law has benefited New Jersey residents.

The government has been satisfied with building more prisons, Caldwell said. But that money should be redirected to give our children jobs. When they dont have summer jobs ... thats when they can go on the wrong path.
New Jersey state government appoints monitors to oversee local government entities when they have demonstrated they cannot responsibly manage their affairs.

The monitor is supposed to allow the state and public to see whats going on and help the entity move in the right direction.

In Pleasantville, the school district has not improved adequately under its state monitors. The current monitors actions have needlessly cost the district money and undermined public awareness.

The Pleasantville School District got its first state monitor in 2007 under the then-new School District Fiscal Accountability Act.

Despite some of the highest per-pupil costs in the region, Pleasantville schools perform poorly on various measures and the school board and administration have been hobbled by seemingly endless political and personal infighting.

Despite state oversight, an audit in 2013 found gross overspending by the district and a lack of program and financial oversight. The turmoil was evident in the constant personnel turnover, including 11 superintendents and seven human resources directors in 10 years.

No question the district needs at least monitoring. Maybe the state should consider the next step, a temporary takeover.

But meanwhile, state monitor Constance Bauer has been creating problems herself.

Last year, the board attempted to rehire Clarence Alston as superintendent. After two tries over a couple of months, barely enough board members supported the rehiring to proceed.

Bauer then sent the board a memo saying Alston did not fit the districts needs and would not be approved. She instead appointed a retired Wildwood superintendent on an interim basis.

Alston sued, and Superior Court Judge Julio Mendez ruled Bauer failed to ground her decision not to hire Alston in the fiscal reasoning required by the act that permits monitors. The board now has offered Alston a three-year contract and his attorney is pursuing back pay, legal costs and damages of as much as $400,000.

Were a bit puzzled why a previous state monitor was able to not renew Alstons contract, but Bauer couldnt reject a new contract. Maybe theres a difference in the situation or the basis for the action provided by the monitor  its hard to tell.

Which points to a troubling practice by Bauer: She makes it difficult to see what shes doing and why shes doing it, which is crucial to understand the district and efforts to rehabilitate it.

The School District Fiscal Accountability Act and Bauers contract require her to report monthly to the board of education and the public. She doesnt. She just sends letters and memos to the board, and instead of even making those public, she says its up to the board and administration to put them into the public record.

This is unacceptable. The district needs more transparency and accountability, not less.

And yet, despite these obvious failings by Bauer, the state education commissioner reappointed her at the end of last month.

We think the state needs to better monitor its school district monitors.
State shutdown stopped acupuncture for addicts

I went to the state building in Bridgeton on July 3, as I do every Monday, to provide acupuncture to formerly incarcerated recovering addicts. I was denied access to the building and my clients were prevented from receiving acupuncture treatment because the governor was throwing a temper tantrum.

I left a house full of friends and family so that I could run the acupuncture group. July 4th can be a challenging time for addicts (because of parties where alcohol and other drugs are plentiful) so I decided that it was more important to me to be available to my clients than to have an uninterrupted long weekend.

Instead, the governor, who has made a great display of his concern for opiate addicts, locked us out of the state building and prevented addicts from receiving support. This is not what leadership looks like.

Shoshana Osofsky

Bridgeton

Sell governors house

The overburdened taxpayers of New Jersey shouldnt have to support a governors residence at Long Beach Island State Park. Sell it!

Suzanne Pelkaus

Marmora

Opposes Trumpcare

I oppose Trumpcare. I want the Senate to vote no on this ridiculous proposed health care plan.

Connie Lowber

Atlantic City

Impressed by Brown

As an independent person, I am once again impressed with Assemblyman Chris Browns willingness to put local families ahead of politics and his courage to stand up to Gov. Chris Christie.

If we had more independent leaders like Brown who voted for the budget, we could have avoided the shutdown.

Lauren Smith

Northfield

Property taxes ridiculous

If the new assessments raise taxes to more than their already ridiculous amount, there may be nobody left to pay them.

I think in the next round of elections, we should vote people in who know how to manage our money.

Dan Histon

Egg Harbor Township

Display flag respectfully

Regarding the July 10 letter, Proper display of the flag:

Im grateful to the writer for her inspiring letter. I would like to add that there is a U.S. Code regarding U.S. flag etiquette to which few citizens earnestly adhere. The section of particular interest to me says The flag should never touch anything beneath it, i.e., the ground, floor, water or merchandise.

I am insulted when I see U.S. flags that are tattered, faded, hanging loosely from the staff, resting on the ground. The United States is a proud nation, represented by the most beautiful flag in the world. It is truly the symbol of freedom. It deserves respect, reverence and should be honorably retired when it has reached the point when it is unfit for display (as per the code).

Frani Cavallaro

Ventnor
(Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/535809/BBOXX_Meet_With_Togo_President.jpg )



The Togolese government has outlined its Vision 2030, which will provide the entire Togolese population with access to electricity via a sustainable energy mix. The current population of Togo stands at 7 million people, of which 700,000 households are living without access to the grid, although 66% of the population has access to a mobile phone.

The new, innovative partnership between BBOXX and the Government of Togo will seek to roll out the first 10,000 BBOXX systems across Togolese rural areas over the next 12 months. The BBOXX Home - which has successfully been deployed in Kenya, Rwanda, Pakistan, Nigeria, Cameroon, Angola and South Africa - enables the consumer to charge up to five lights, television, radio and torches on a 12V battery. The system's remote monitoring capabilities allow the operator to view the status of the customer's product - particularly the battery life and what the customer is using the energy for. The BBOXX Home permits customers to pay for their energy usage via a mobile-money platform. In turn, BBOXX provides the customer with a full energy service, replacing or upgrading the battery, solar panel and much more.

The presidency press release stated that "in addition to increasing the rural electrification rate from 7% to 40%, the CIZO initiative aims at providing massive adoption of mobile payment solutions across rural areas thus facilitating financial inclusion of rural populations".

Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer Mansoor Hamayun commented on the innovative approach led by the President of Togo: "The President has a strong vision to provide access to electricity to 2 million Togolese people. The governmental authorities have created the right framework to facilitate and attract private capital to electrify Togolese rural households. BBOXX is proud to have been selected by the Government of Togo and we will work hard to deploy our systems across the country."

Entry to the Togolese market marks the third West African nation after Nigeria and Cameroon in which BBOXX has successfully launched its solar home system.

SOURCE BBOXX
Free Amenities Offered to Millions of Visitors

NEW YORK, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Empire State Building (ESB) today announced additional amenities designed to enhance the visitor's experience. The binoculars located on the open-air 86th floor Observation Deck are now free of charge for guests' viewing pleasure, alongside the free Empire State Building Observatory Experience and Destination Midtown apps, and free Wi-Fi available at the ESB.

"As we welcome millions of visitors from around the world, we continue to make free additions and modernizations to enhance the visitor experience at the Observatory," said Jean-Yves Ghazi, Senior Vice President of the Empire State Building Observatory. "We are expanding upon the already all-inclusive experience of visiting our world-famous Observatory by offering this additional amenity."

The powerful, full-circle rotation binoculars allow visitors to magnify the unobstructed views in every direction. The ESB's 86th floor Observatory is ADA compliant, equipped with lowered viewing walls and binoculars. Formerly, they required payments with coins.

The Empire State Building Observatory Experience and Destination Midtown apps are available to download for free from either the Apple Store or Google Play. Visitors may also download them upon arrival via free Wi-Fi. As guests travel through the building, the Empire State Building Observatory Experience app is designed to ensure visitor engagement for the entirety of their experience. As guests explore the surrounding neighborhood, the Destination Midtown app provides visitors with an expertly curated itinerary to iconic attractions and hidden gems located in Midtown Manhattan, all within 15 minutes walking distance of the iconic Empire State Building.

To purchase tickets online in advance of visiting ESB, visit http://www.esbnyc.com/buy_tickets.asp.

About the Empire State Building

Soaring 1,454 feet above Midtown Manhattan (from base to antenna), the Empire State Building, owned by Empire State Realty Trust, Inc., is the "World's Most Famous Building." With new investments in energy efficiency, infrastructure, public areas and amenities, the Empire State Building has attracted first-rate tenants in a diverse array of industries from around the world. The skyscraper's robust broadcasting technology supports major television and FM radio stations in the New York metropolitan market. The Empire State Building was named America's favorite building in a poll conducted by the American Institute of Architects, and the Empire State Building Observatory is one of the world's most beloved attractions as the region's #1 tourist destination. For more information on the Empire State Building, please visit www.empirestatebuilding.com, www.facebook.com/empirestatebuilding, @EmpireStateBldg, www.instagram.com/empirestatebldg, http://weibo.com/empirestatebuilding, www.youtube.com/esbnyc or www.pinterest.com/empirestatebldg/.

About Empire State Realty Trust

Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE: ESRT), a leading real estate investment trust (REIT), owns, manages, operates, acquires and repositions office and retail properties in Manhattan and the greater New York metropolitan area, including the Empire State Building, the world's most famous building. Headquartered in New York, New York, the Company's office and retail portfolio covers 10.1 million rentable square feet, as of March 31, 2017, consisting of 9.4 million rentable square feet in 14 office properties, including nine in Manhattan, three in Fairfield County, Connecticut, and two in Westchester County, New York; and approximately 708,000 rentable square feet in the retail portfolio.

Related Links

http://www.esbnyc.com



SOURCE Empire State Realty Trust, Inc.
Region's first Humanitarian Accelerator combines technology for good

Program develops regulatory friendly environment to support deep technology

Dubai is calling on the world's most innovative companies to help find solutions to the biggest challenges of the 21st century. The third cycle of its flagship Dubai Future Accelerators program, run by the Dubai Future Foundation, focuses on building partnerships and developing regulatory friendly environments that support deep technology start-ups with the potential to radically improve the world.

(Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/536319/Dubai_Future_Foundation.jpg )



Beginning in October this year, government entities and technology partners will join forces to develop innovative solutions for healthcare, education, travel, energy, water, and more. The program integrates 4th Industrial Revolution-inspired technologies such as AI, robotics, blockchain, 3D printing, genetics, and virtual reality, with the government providing regulatory support to develop pilot projects at the city-wide scale.

The first two editions of the program recorded overwhelming success, attracting more than 4,000 applications from the world's most innovative companies. Out of the 65 accepted companies in the first two cycles, 74% signed a with a government partner to work on pilot projects.

In the third cycle, the program will launch a new humanitarian accelerator in partnership with the Mohammed Bin Rashid Global Initiatives. This is a first of its kind in the Arab World that will connect technology start-ups with UAE's humanitarian sector to multiply their positive impact. It will focus on creating job opportunities for refugees, educating refugee children and increasing Arabic literacy, as well as testing new solutions for water sanitation in underprivileged countries.

Emirates is also joining the Accelerators to drive new opportunities in the aviation sector, using autonomous robotics and personalisation to transform the airline into a, greener, more responsive and sustainable platform for global travel.

Khalfan Belhoul, CEO of Dubai Future Accelerators, said: "Over the past year, we have enjoyed remarkable success in terms of the enthusiasm of participating government entities and the number of partnerships signed with pioneering companies. This year, we will see new partners come on board to collaborate with global innovators to create advanced working models and future solutions. This will consolidate the UAE's - and Dubai's - position as a leading test bed of government support for technologies that tackle the biggest challenges of our time."

# For more information on the challenges and the application process, please visit http://www.dubaifutureaccelerators.com

Dubai Future Foundation

Dubai Future Foundation was launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, in April 2016, as an independent transformation unit that helps shape the future of Dubai.

The Foundation cooperates with governmental and private entities to co-create the future of strategic sectors in the medium and long term, through the Future Agenda, which focuses on supporting individuals and institutions.

Email: fatma.bujasaim@dubaifuture.gov.ae

SOURCE Dubai Future Foundation
ABBOTT PARK, Ill., July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Abbott (NYSE: ABT) announced today that it is commencing a tender offer to purchase for cash all outstanding shares of Series B Convertible Perpetual Preferred Stock (the "Preferred Stock") of Alere Inc. ("Alere") at a price of $402.00 per share of Preferred Stock, plus accrued but unpaid dividends to, but not including, the settlement date of the tender offer, net to the seller thereof in cash, without interest thereon and subject to any withholding of taxes required by applicable law (the "Offer"). The Offer is being made pursuant to an Offer to Purchase, dated July 17, 2017 (the "Offer to Purchase"), and in connection with Abbott's previously announced agreement to acquire Alere (the "Merger"). The Merger is not conditioned upon, or otherwise subject to, the completion of the Offer. The Offer, however, is conditioned upon the consummation of the Merger in accordance with the terms of the Merger Agreement.

The Offer will expire at 11:59 p.m., New York City time, on Friday, August 11, 2017 (such date and time, as it may be extended or earlier terminated, the "Expiration Date"). If, upon the expiration of the Offer, any of the conditions to the Offer have not been satisfied or waived, Abbott may elect to extend the Offer for any length of time and in its sole discretion, but is under no obligation to do so.

There is no financing condition to the Offer. The Offer, and Abbott's obligation to pay for Preferred Stock tendered pursuant to the Offer, is conditioned on there being validly tendered (and not properly withdrawn) at the Expiration Date, that number of shares of Preferred Stock that equals at least a majority in voting power of the Preferred Stock issued and outstanding at the Expiration Date. The Offer is also subject to the satisfaction of certain other conditions described in the Offer to Purchase, including the consummation of the Merger prior to, or concurrent with, the Expiration Date.

For more information, contact Barclays Capital Inc., the Dealer-Manager for the Offer, or D.F. King & Co., Inc., the Information Agent for the Offer.

D.F. King & Co., Inc. 48 Wall Street  22nd Floor New York, New York 10005 Banks and Brokers Call: (212) 269-5550 All others call Toll-Free: (877) 283-0316 Email: [email protected] Barclays 745 Seventh Avenue, 5th Floor New York, New York 10019 Attn: Liability Management Group Banks and Brokers Call: (212) 528-7581 All others call Toll-Free: (800) 438-3242

Additional Information and Where to Find It

This announcement is neither an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of an offer to sell securities. The Offer for the outstanding shares of Alere's Preferred Stock described in this news release is being made pursuant to an Offer to Purchase and related materials that Abbott has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") pursuant to a Schedule TO. The Schedule TO, Offer to Purchase, a related letter of transmittal and other Offer documents contain important information that should be read carefully before any decision is made with respect to the Offer. These materials (and all other documents Abbott has filed with the SEC) will be available at no charge on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.

About Abbott

Abbott is a global healthcare company devoted to improving life through the development of products and technologies that span the breadth of healthcare. With a portfolio of leading, science-based offerings in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic pharmaceuticals, Abbott serves people in more than 150 countries and employs approximately 94,000 people.

Visit Abbott at www.abbott.com and connect with us on Twitter at @AbbottNews.

A Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

Some statements in this news release may be forward-looking statements. Abbott cautions that these forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Economic, competitive, governmental, technological and other factors that may affect Abbott's operations are discussed in Item 1A, "Risk Factors," in Abbott's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2016, and are incorporated by reference. Abbott undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to forward-looking statements as a result of subsequent events or developments, except as required by law.

SOURCE Abbott

Related Links

http://www.abbott.com


LOS ANGELES, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- On July 21 the prison gates will open and actor Steve Comisar will once again be a free man. After spending 15 years in federal prison for fraud, Comisar will try to pick up the pieces and resume an acting career. Unfortunately, after such a long absence the odds will be stacked against him.

Enter some of Hollywood's biggest celebrities who have been called upon by Comisar for a little help. For the past year Comisar has personally contacted some of the industry's top A-list actors, directors, producers, and agents, to assist him with a career jump start. With a few movie roles under his belt after his release, Comisar should have a decent chance at success. This plea for assistance has received national media coverage over the past year.

Victor Kruglov, Comisar's longtime manager says, "Hollywood A-listers are unlike the government brainwashed sheep who shy away from anyone with a criminal record. They have the courage to step up and help someone in need regardless of their past transgressions. That's what I love about this business."

Barry Freed, a retired ICM talent agent says, "The guy committed fraud for God's sake. He didn't rape or kill anyone. He deserves a second chance. Nobody's perfect and everyone screws up. I can't even count how many major players in this industry broke the law, went to jail or prison, and got another chance. I encourage everyone to help him."

Some of the industry A-Lister's asked to help Comisar include, Steven Spielberg, Brian Grazer, Judd Apatow, Adam Sandler, Ari Emanuel, Seth Rogan, Ben Stiller, Jim Toth, Mark Wahlberg, Graham King, Sean Penn, Jack Dorsey, Joel & Ethan Coen, J.J. Abrams, and Oprah.

Comisar, now 55, is from Beverly Hills, California. Since a teenager he has had many acting roles in movies, television shows, and commercials. He has written a book on fraud prevention and has appeared regularly as a fraud guru on The View and Dateline NBC. Comisar is best known for being the only Hollywood actor on the planet who is also a famous fraudster. He is also the first celebrity felon to acquire close to one million Twitter followers and over one million YouTube views while in prison.

MEDIA ALERT:

On July 21, Comisar will arrive at LAX on Southwest flight #1104 at 7:30 p.m.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Laura Levine, Publicist

Celebrity News LLC

[email protected]

ONLINE REFERENCES:

Official Twitter: https://twitter.com/SteveComisar

Official Facebook: https://facebook.com/SteveComisarFanPage

Official YouTube: https://youtube.com/user/stevec9689/videos/

Official IMDB: http://imdb.com/name/nm0131409/

Official Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Comisar

Official Wikia: http://steve-comisar.wikia.com/wiki/Steve_Comisar

Official Net Worth: http://richestcelebrities.org/richest-actors/steve-comisar-net-worth/

Official Website: http://www.stevecomisar.com

Official Email: [email protected]

*PHOTO: Send2Press.com/mediaboom/17-0717s2p-steve-comisar-300dpi.jpg

This release was issued through Send2Press, a unit of Neotrope. For more information, visit Send2Press Newswire at https://www.Send2Press.com

SOURCE Steve Comisar

Related Links

http://www.stevecomisar.com


GUANGZHOU, China, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Sino Agro Food, Inc. (OTCQX: SIAF | OSE: SIAF-ME), a specialized investment company focused on protein food including seafood and cattle, wishes to announce a key agreement toward the financing and spinoff of its former subsidiary, Tri-way Industries, in which Sino Agro Food, Inc. holds a 36.6% ownership interest.

Agricultural Bank of China ("ABC") and Jiangman Yili Fisheries Co. Ltd. China ("JFD"), a fully owned subsidiary of Tri-way Industries Ltd. ("TW") have signed a Bank-Enterprise Comprehensive Strategic Cooperation Agreement ("BECSCA") this past week in Guangzhou. JFD is one of the select companies afforded this level of partnership with ABC in the Guangdong region.

ABC is providing a revolving credit facility to TW/JFD, which is eligible to be drawn incrementally up to its maximum line of RMB 100 million, with the maximum line intermittently increased as experience and corollaries between ABC and TW/JFD materialize. The monetary amount designated for each draw and its use will be determined in consultation between both parties. A rolling audit of TW/JFD by ABC is one of the conditions that must be met satisfactorily to permit continued use and increase of the revolving credit facility.

In addition to the revolving credit facility, the other major provisions of the agreement include:

Personal banking VIP channel, which provides one-on-one consultation and expedited services to its clients;

Bond and debt advisory, including bond underwriting, debt financing, and/or direct (equity) investment in the Company;

Foreign lending and/or foreign investment facilitation, utilizing ABC's international network of investors and lenders to obtain outside funding sources in addition to those provided by ABC.

According to the BECSCA, these and other provisions afforded TW/JFD culminate in what best can be described as a "win-win" joint venture.

Agricultural Bank of China Co., Ltd., the world's third largest bank based on reported assets, is oriented to create partnerships with well-vetted corporations with an international focus.

TW plans to develop an aggressive export sales side to complement its already strong domestic sales operations. This is one of the primary reasons ABC has requested the Company to become an Enterprise Partner during the build-out phase of its development.

CEO and CFO Commentary

Mr. Solomon Lee, interim Chairman of TW as well as Chairman and CEO of Sino Agro Food, Inc., extended his sincere appreciation to the collective management of ABC for their high level of trust and confidence expressed in TW/JFD's current operations, and its future impact, both locally and internationally.

Mr. Lee stated, "the 'win-win' partnership signed today with ABC, increases TW/JFD's capacity to meet its development goals while enhancing its status as an economic driver throughout the region. Along with its recent 5A-1 rating by Dun and Bradstreet, the BECSCA arrangement provides further testament to JFD's parent, TW, providing additional merit to the Company's overall standing and expanded opportunities within the banking and business communities."

SIAF CFO Dan Ritchey elaborated, "ABC is perhaps uniquely well-suited to help Tri-Way meet its aims, through not only financial commitment, but also direct strategic communication, and what it says to partners, customers, and other constituents about Tri-Way. As communicated previously, Tri-way is in discussions with financial institutions in other Asian countries."

CONTACT:

Peter Grossman

Investor Relations

+1-(775)-901-0344

[email protected]

Todd Fromer / Elizabeth Barker

+1-(212)-896-1215 / 212-896-1203

[email protected]

Nordic Countries

+46-(0)-8-120-558-30

[email protected]

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

http://news.cision.com/sino-agro-food/r/agricultural-bank-of-china-co--ltd--signs-bank-enterprise-comprehensive-agreement-with-jiangman-yili,c2308227

The following files are available for download:

SOURCE Sino Agro Food


For the month ended June 30, 2017

For the six months ended June 30, 2017

(dollars in thousands) Average receivables $ 15,933,375

$ 15,712,690 Year over year change in average receivables Net charge-offs

16%



16% $ 63,916

$ 491,896 Net charge-offs as a percentage of average receivables(1)(2)

4.8%



6.3%











(1) The net loss rate for June 2017 was positively impacted by the sale of previously charged-off accounts.

Net loss rates were expected to be higher in the first half of 2017 and are tracking to improve

significantly in the second half of the year, consistent with the Company's full year guidance of a net loss

rate in a mid-5% range.

(2) Compares to 5.0% and 5.2% for the month and six months ended June 30, 2016, respectively.



As of June 30, 2017

As of June 30, 2016

(dollars in thousands) 30 days + delinquencies - principal $ 783,336

$ 612,133 Period ended receivables - principal $ 15,497,308

$ 13,326,439 Delinquency rate

5.05%



4.59%

About Alliance Data

Alliance Data (NYSE: ADS) is a leading global provider of data-driven marketing and loyalty solutions serving large, consumer-based industries. The Company creates and deploys customized solutions, enhancing the critical customer marketing experience; the result is measurably changing consumer behavior while driving business growth and profitability for some of today's most recognizable brands. Alliance Data helps its clients create and increase customer loyalty through solutions that engage millions of customers each day across multiple touch points using traditional, digital, mobile and emerging technologies. An S&P 500 and Fortune 500 company headquartered in Plano, Texas, Alliance Data consists of three businesses that together employ more than 17,000 associates at approximately 100 locations worldwide.

Alliance Data's card services business is a leading provider of marketing-driven branded credit card programs. Epsilon is a leading provider of multichannel, data-driven technologies and marketing services, and also includes Conversant, a leader in personalized digital marketing. LoyaltyOne owns and operates the AIR MILES Reward Program, Canada's premier coalition loyalty program, and Netherlands-based BrandLoyalty, a global provider of tailor-made loyalty programs for grocers.

Investor information about Alliance Data's businesses may be found here.

Follow Alliance Data on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements give our expectations or forecasts of future events and can generally be identified by the use of words such as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," "project," "plan," "likely," "may," "should" or other words or phrases of similar import. Similarly, statements that describe our business strategy, outlook, objectives, plans, intentions or goals also are forward-looking statements. Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements we make regarding our expected operating results, future economic conditions including currency exchange rates and the guidance we give with respect to our anticipated financial performance.

We believe that our expectations are based on reasonable assumptions. Forward-looking statements, however, are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the projections, anticipated results or other expectations expressed in this release, and no assurances can be given that our expectations will prove to have been correct. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, factors set forth in the Risk Factors section in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recently ended fiscal year, which may be updated in Item 1A of, or elsewhere in, our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed for periods subsequent to such Form 10-K.

Our forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made, and we undertake no obligation, other than as required by applicable law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, subsequent events, anticipated or unanticipated circumstances or otherwise.

Contact: Investors/Analysts

Tiffany Louder

Alliance Data

214-494-3048

[email protected]





Media

Shelley Whiddon

Alliance Data

214-494-3811

[email protected]

SOURCE Alliance Data Systems Corporation

Related Links

http://www.alliancedata.com


DALLAS, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Alon USA Partners, LP (NYSE: ALDW) ("Alon Partners") today announced that it will release its second quarter 2017 financial results on Thursday, July 27, 2017 after the market closes. In conjunction with the release, Alon Partners has scheduled a conference call, which will be broadcast live over the Internet on Friday, July 28, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time (9:00 a.m. Central Time).

What: Alon USA Partners Second Quarter 2017 Earnings Conference Call When: Friday, July 28, 2017  10:00 a.m. Eastern Time Where: Live via phone by dialing 877-404-9648, or 412-902-0030 for international callers, and asking for the Alon Partners call at least 10 minutes prior to the start time. Investors may also listen to the conference live by logging on to the Alon Partners website at www.alonpartners.com .

A telephonic replay of the conference call will be available through August 4, 2017 and may be accessed by calling 877-660-6853, or 201-612-7415 for international callers, and using the passcode 13666988#. A webcast archive will also be available at www.alonpartners.com shortly after the call and will be accessible for approximately 90 days. For more information, please contact Donna Washburn at Dennard  Lascar Associates at 713-529-6600 or email [email protected] .

Alon USA Partners, LP is a Delaware limited partnership in which Delek US Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: DK) owns 100% of the general partner and 81.6% of the limited partner interest. Alon Partners owns and operates a crude oil refinery in Big Spring, Texas, with a crude oil throughput capacity of 73,000 barrels per day. Alon Partners refines crude oil into finished products, which are marketed primarily in Central and West Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Arizona through its integrated wholesale distribution network to retail convenience stores owned by Delek US and other third-party distributors.

Contact: Keith Johnson

Vice President of Investor Relations

Delek US Holdings, Inc.

615-435-1366

SOURCE Alon USA Partners, LP

Related Links

http://www.alonpartners.com


"With a workforce naturally growing in its millennial population, attracting and retaining top talent is critical," stated Martin Hughes, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer. "Amber's success in human resources and the insurance industry, combined with her background as a CPA with an MBA, will help further elevate HUB's human resources as a critical part of our overall business strategy."

Kennelly will report to Hughes and serve on the HUB Executive Management Team. Most recently she was Vice President of compensation and benefits for Allstate Insurance Company and prior to that was Vice President of Human Resources for Esurance, which was acquired by Allstate in 2010. She started her career in financial services with Deloitte in their audit practice and at LaSalle Partners as assistant controller. She then transitioned from the financial side of business, into serving as an executive search consultant with A.T. Kearney and Slayton Search Partners before joining Allstate to build an executive talent acquisition function.

"HUB is a very customer centric, entrepreneurial organization. I'm excited to support the employees that make that a reality," said Kennelly. "I'll be focused on ensuring we are attracting, developing and retaining the right people and are supporting them with tools, resources and infrastructure so they can excel at their jobs. I'm excited to help HUB employees deliver the best insurance and risk solutions to our customers and ensure they are engaged, productive and successful."

Kennelly received a BS in Accounting, graduating with honors from the University of Illinois, and an MBA with honors from Duke University. She has also earned designations as a CPA and Certified Compensation Professional.

About Hub International

Headquartered in Chicago, IL, Hub International Limited is a leading global insurance brokerage that provides property and casualty, life and health, employee benefits, investment and risk management products and services from offices located throughout North America. For more information, please visit hubinternational.com.

CONTACT:

Media: Marni Gordon

Phone: 312-279-4601

[email protected]

SOURCE Hub International Limited

Related Links

http://www.hubinternational.com


Citing Anpac Bio's, "excellence in diagnostics services", the Global Precision Medicine Industry Award was presented to Anpac Bio Chief Executive Officer Dr. Chris Yu at the international China America Precision Medicine Forum in Shanghai, China. The Global Precision Medicine Industry Awards recognize individuals, organizations, hospitals, and solution providers worldwide that demonstrate "an unparalleled ability to succeed and have continually set standards of excellence," supporting medical professionals that provide patients precision medicine solutions.

"Our Anpac Bio team is very proud to accept this very prestigious, international honor," states Yu. "We are happy that the Global Precision Medicine Industry recognized CDA as a valuable and effective tool supporting patient diagnosis. Multiple research studies indicate the sooner cancer is detected, the better opportunity there is to create the precise medicine needed to best combat the disease with minimal side effects. We are happy Anpac Bio's CDA technology identifies cancer at its earliest stages for medical professionals to facilitate effective precision treatments; and ultimately increase patient opportunities for a cure."

Described as "game changing" in World Nobel Prize Laureate Summit publications, Anpac Bio's proprietary CDA medical devices and liquid biopsy screening services effectively reinvent early cancer detection. By analyzing simple, standard blood tests, and applying Anpac Bio's multi-level, multi-parameter, diagnostic algorithms, Anpac Bio's CDA technology identifies cancer with measurably greater sensitivity, specificity and accuracy than most current, conventional screening/diagnostic methods.

Comprehensive research validity data from 40,000 cases (to date) indicate CDA far exceeds existing or competing screening technologies  revealing a sensitivity and specificity rate range of 75%-90% for over 26 different types of cancer  most at the diseases' earliest stages. And it does so without any harmful side effects in patients; generating far fewer "false positives"; at a cost, substantially lower than traditional testing (such as imaging); and generating results within minutes of sample submission. For more information, please visit www.AnpacBio.com.

Attracting corporations and researchers worldwide, the China & America Precision Medicine Forum's mission is to, "Deepen Bilateral Cooperation; Enabling Successful Implementation of Precision Medicine 2.0." For further information regarding the annual event: www.pmf-annual.com.

SOURCE Anpac Bio-Medical Science Company, Ltd.

Related Links

http://www.anpacbio.com


Principal becomes COO, International Operations; will oversee Mexico, Europe and future locations outside the U.S. and Canada

TORONTO, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Mark E. Rose, Chair and CEO of Avison Young, the world's fastest-growing commercial real estate services firm, announced today the promotion of Avison Young Principal Hiren Thakar.

Effective immediately, Thakar becomes Chief Operating Officer, International Operations. In this new role, Thakar will be responsible for overseeing operations in Europe, Mexico and future locations outside the U.S. and Canada. His goals and objectives include providing support and direction for each country's leadership team, building upon Avison Young's international platform investments, and expanding the firm's presence in additional geographies. Thakar, based in Chicago, joined Avison Young in 2008 as senior vice-president of corporate strategy.

"Our leadership team could not be more excited to welcome Hiren to this new role," comments Rose. "Hiren joined Avison Young at the beginning of our rapid-growth phase in 2008. He was our first employee based outside of Canada and was instrumental in our expansion strategy's development and execution. For the past nine years in North America and, more recently, on an international basis, he has partnered with managing directors to recruit top professionals, acquire other firms and build our global footprint. In addition, he has played a critical role in the company's maturing capital structure."

Rose continues: "As COO, International Operations, Hiren will continue to build the foundation that we have established, and continue to grow our operations in Europe, Mexico and beyond to serve our clients around the globe. He will co-ordinate the best practices that exist in every country and culture and we will incorporate the objectives of our clients, employees and other stakeholders outside of Canada and the U.S. Best practices exist everywhere and, as a truly global company, Avison Young will benefit from his experience growing the North American business, while maintaining the differentiated culture that Avison Young is known for."

Thakar, who has 15 years of strategy and operations business experience primarily with Avison Young, is a member of the company's executive committee and global corporate leadership team. During his nine years with the firm, he has defined its growth strategy and plan, including the initial consolidation of four companies previously operating as Avison Young and the subsequent expansion within Canada, the U.S., Mexico and Europe.

Prior to joining Avison Young, Thakar was a vice-president with Grubb & Ellis Company, where he focused on strategy and planning. Before then, he was a management consultant with Huron Consulting Group and Strategic Decisions Group, and worked in product development with Kraft Foods, Inc.

"When I started with Avison Young, the firm comprised 11 offices, all in Canada, with a well-established great culture and history of executing for clients," says Thakar. "In the past nine years, we have worked with our Principals to expand our operations exponentially. I have been privileged to work with great individuals as we crafted and executed the growth strategy to establish the world's fastest-growing commercial real estate services firm. I'm excited to assume my new responsibilities as we continue to expand in Mexico and Europe and begin to introduce Avison Young's collaborative culture, strategy and client services in new global markets."

Thakar sits on the advisory board of advanced data analysis firm Megalytics. He advises and volunteers with the global scholarship organization North South Foundation. In addition, he was the recipient of Avison Young's Chairman's Award in 2010 for his contributions to the firm, and was recognized among Real Estate Forum's "40 under 40" in 2012. He holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a Master of Engineering from Northwestern's McCormick School of Engineering. He also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering from the University of Illinois.

Over the past nine years, Avison Young has grown from 11 to 80 offices and from 300 to more than 2,400 real estate professionals across Canada, the U.S., Mexico and Europe.

Avison Young is the world's fastest-growing commercial real estate services firm. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Avison Young is a collaborative, global firm owned and operated by its principals. Founded in 1978, the company comprises 2,400 real estate professionals in 80 offices, providing value-added, client-centric investment sales, leasing, advisory, management, financing and mortgage placement services to owners and occupiers of office, retail, industrial, multi-family and hospitality properties.

For further information/comment/photos:

Sherry Quan , Principal, Global Director of Communications & Media Relations, Avison Young : 604.647.5098; cell: 604.726.0959

, Principal, Global Director of Communications & Media Relations, : cell: Mark Rose , Chair and CEO, Avison Young : 416.673.4028

, Chair and CEO, : Hiren Thakar , Principal and COO, International Operations, Avison Young : 312.273.4500

www.avisonyoung.com

Avison Young was a winner of Canada's Best Managed Companies program in 2011 and requalified in 2017 to maintain its status as a Best Managed Gold Standard company

Follow Avison Young on Twitter:

For industry news, press releases and market reports: www.twitter.com/avisonyoung

For Avison Young listings and deals: www.twitter.com/AYListingsDeals

Follow Avison Young Bloggers: http://blog.avisonyoung.com

Follow Avison Young on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/avison-young-commercial-real-estate

Follow Avison Young on YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/AvisonYoungRE

Follow Avison Young on Instagram: www.instagram.com/avison_young_global

Editors/Reporters

 Please click on link to view and download photo of Hiren Thakar:

http://www.avisonyoung.com/sites/default/files/content-files/Media_Room/Temp/HirenThakar.jpg

SOURCE Avison Young Commercial Real Estate (BC)

Related Links

www.avisonyoung.com


"Bacardi recognizes the importance of the local communities where we live and work and plays an active role in giving back by supporting our employees to make a difference," said Jessica Merz, director of corporate communications, for Bacardi. "Our goal is to return to the environment at least as much as we take away."

As part of the Bacardi 'Spirit for Life, Caring Together' annual Corporate Responsibility Month community service volunteer program, dozens of Bacardi employees from the Coral Gables regional headquarter office, guided by Surfrider volunteers, removed large swaths of the invasive scaevola plant, as well as plastic debris and litter from the dune and beach areas. Once the unwanted foliage and debris are cleared from the environmentally sensitive ecosystem, the once-dormant native species will repopulate the dune allowing it to return to a natural, healthy state. A healthy dune is the first line of defense against hurricane storm surge.

"The Bacardi employees' good-spirited efforts like this beach clean-up and dune restoration show their eco-conscious roots run deep in Miami," added Mike Gibaldi, board member of Surfrider Foundation  Miami Chapter. "We applaud Bacardi for stepping up to help Surfrider protect the oceans, waves and beaches for the enjoyment of all."

To learn more about Bacardi Limited and its "Good Spirited: Building a Sustainable Future" environmental initiative for sourcing, packaging and operational efficiencies across the entire Bacardi family of premium spirits and wine brands, visit: https://www.bacardilimited.com/corporate-responsibility/good-spirited-sustainability-initiative/

About Bacardi

Bacardi, the largest privately held spirits company in the world, produces and markets internationally recognized spirits and wines. The Bacardi brand portfolio comprises more than 200 brands and labels, including BACARDI rum, GREY GOOSE vodka, DEWAR'S Blended Scotch whisky, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE gin, and MARTINI vermouth and sparkling wines. Founded more than 155 years ago, in Santiago de Cuba on February 4, 1862, family-owned Bacardi manufactures its brands at 29 facilities and sells in more than 170 countries. Bacardi Limited, headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda, refers to the Bacardi group of companies, including Bacardi International Limited. https://www.bacardilimited.com/

About Surfrider:

The Surfrider Foundation is a global environmental non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of our world's oceans, waves, and beaches. Accomplished through a powerful grassroots activist network, the Miami Chapter focuses on reducing the negative impacts of single-use plastics, restoration of the coastal dune ecosystem and teaching South Floridians to practice ocean-friendly consumption habits in their daily lives. www.surfrider.org and www.surfridermiami.org

Media Contacts:

Amy Federman, for Bacardi, 441-294-1110, [email protected]

Mike Gibaldi, for Surfrider, 305-389-4615, [email protected]

ENJOY RESPONSIBLY.

2017 BACARDI

BACARDI, THE BAT DEVICE AND OTHER MARKS APPEARING ON THE BACARDI GROUP PRODUCTS SHOWN AND/OR QUOTED IN THIS VIDEO NEWS RELEASE ARE TRADEMARKS OF BACARDI & COMPANY LIMITED OR OF OTHER SUBSIDIARIES OF BACARDI LIMITED.

SOURCE Bacardi Limited

Related Links

https://www.bacardilimited.com


SANTA ANA, Calif., July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Banc of California, Inc. (NYSE: BANC) today announced it will release 2017 second quarter financial results on Wednesday, July 26, 2017, before market open. The Company will host a conference call to discuss its second quarter earnings at 7:00 a.m. Pacific Time (PT) on the same day.

Interested parties are welcome to attend the conference call by dialing 888-317-6003, and referencing event code 3749697. A live audio webcast will also be available and the webcast link will be posted on the Company's investor relations website at https://www.bancofcal.com/investor. The slide presentation for the call will also be available on the Company's website prior to the call.

An audio archive of the conference call will be available on the Company's investor relations website within 24 hours after the end of the call.

About Banc of California, Inc.

Banc of California, Inc. (NYSE: BANC) provides comprehensive banking services to California's diverse businesses, entrepreneurs and communities. Banc of California operates 34 offices in California. The Company was recently recognized by Forbes for the second straight year as one of the 100 Best Banks in America for 2017.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "Safe-Harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are necessarily subject to risk and uncertainty and actual results could differ materially from those anticipated due to various factors, including those set forth from time to time in the documents filed or furnished by Banc of California, Inc. with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and Banc of California, Inc. undertakes no obligation to update any such statements to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the date on which the forward-looking statement is made.

INVESTOR RELATIONS INQUIRIES: MEDIA INQUIRIES: Banc of California, Inc. Abernathy MacGregor Timothy Sedabres, (855) 361-2262 Ian Campbell / Joe Hixson / Kristin Cole, (213) 630-6550 [email protected] / [email protected] / [email protected]

SOURCE Banc of California, Inc.

Related Links

https://www.bancofcal.com


LIMBURGERHOF, Germany and MOSHAV SHARONA, Israel, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- BASF, the world's leading chemical company, and Kaiima Bio-Agritech, a genetics and breeding technology company, today announced their collaboration for the discovery of novel herbicide resistance traits to develop new weed control systems to improve farmer productivity.

BASF

This multi-year project will leverage Kaiima's proprietary EP technology platform, a non-GMO breeding tool that enhances plant performance by inducing novel diversity within the genome, using the plant's own DNA. EP can create forms of genetic modifications, such as gene duplications and translocations, which are largely unattainable through other mutagenesis approaches. The technology works with all major crops and plant species. Kaiima will also utilize its genomics expertise to identify modifications responsible for the new trait.

BASF, which has a broad and diverse herbicide portfolio, will provide its extensive knowledge in herbicide application and formulation, as well as precision testing capabilities. The company will also work closely with Kaiima on discovery validation.

"The ability to make specific edits to targeted genes has sparked industry-wide interest in implementing gene editing techniques to create novel traits," explained Kevin Cook, CTO of Kaiima. "However, often the gene systems that regulate targeted traits are unknown. EP is a unique technology platform for addressing these cases because it is unconstrained by a need for specific biochemical pathway knowledge to create desired traits."

"Having already commercialized advanced weed control systems such as Clearfield, BASF is an ideal partner," said Rick Greubel, CEO of Kaiima. "BASF also possesses a leading portfolio of seed technologies that boost product efficacy and amplify production efficiency, which creates a potential pipeline of future collaboration projects."

"We are constantly looking for technologies to complement our vast agronomic expertise. Kaiima has unique capabilities that will help us to identify new non-GM herbicide traits and broaden our portfolio of weed management solutions," added Harald Rang, Senior Vice President, Global Research and Development Crop Protection, BASF. "We see our strategic partnership with Kaiima as a great opportunity to develop new herbicide solutions, helping farmers increase yield and crop quality."

About BASF

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. The approximately 114,000 employees in the BASF Group work on contributing to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into five segments: Chemicals, Performance Products, Functional Materials & Solutions, Agricultural Solutions and Oil & Gas. BASF generated sales of about 58 billion in 2016. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (BAS). Further information at www.basf.com.

About Kaiima

Kaiima Bio-Agritech is a plant genetics and technology company that has developed a proprietary technology platform called EP. EP is a new breeding tool that can enhance plant performance by inducing novel diversity within the genome, using the plant's own DNA. The technology works with all major crops and plant species. Kaiima collaborates with leading multinational and regional seed companies to apply its EP technology to their elite germplasm. To learn more about Kaiima, please visit www.kaiima.com.

BASF Media Contact:

Betsy Arnone

Phone: +1-973-245-7865

Email: [email protected]

Kaiima Media Contact:

Avi Maidenberg

Phone: +972-4-953-0148

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Kaiima Bio-Agritech and BASF
FRANKFURT, Germany and BELLEVUE, Wash., July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Icertis, the leading provider of enterprise contract management in the cloud, today announced that BASF SE, the world's leading chemical company, has selected the Icertis Contract Management (ICM) platform to serve as the foundation for BASF's modernization of its global contracting processes. This forward-looking initiative will help accelerate contracting velocity across BASF's world-wide sales and corporate teams, increase visibility through a single easy-to-use, enterprise-wide contracting system, and ensure compliance.

"At BASF we are committed, through science and innovation, to enabling our customers to meet the current and future needs of society," said Matthew Lepore, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer of BASF Corporation and sponsor of the project. "The Icertis platform's ease of use and intelligent insights will help us optimize the value of our commercial relationships, increase contracting efficiencies, and help reduce contractual risk."

The fast pace of the chemical business meant that BASF wanted to transform its contracting processes to serve the company's customers more efficiently. BASF selected Icertis' intelligent, cloud-based platform due to its intuitive user interface, support for all types of contracts, ease of deployment and ability to adapt to changing requirements. With the ICM platform, BASF will be able to easily create and modify workflows, automate its contracting processes and ensure greater visibility into contractual obligations and deviations.

"As BASF looks to build a sustainable future with their customers, we are thrilled to help them build a sustainable, future looking approach to contract management," said Samir Bodas, Co-founder and CEO of Icertis. "BASF's selection of Icertis further establishes our leadership in the manufacturing space and global leadership in enterprise contract management. We look forward to partnering with BASF on their transformation journey over the next decade."

Thorsten Herrmann, General Manager Enterprise und Partner Group, Microsoft Germany said, "The Icertis Contract Management platform built on Microsoft Azure is powering BASF to reinvent contract management as they create chemistry for a sustainable future. The combination of Icertis and Azure provides an innovative, scalable cloud solution that enables companies to digitally transform their foundation of commerce."

Icertis Opens New Frankfurt Office

Icertis also announced the opening of a new Frankfurt office to serve customers like BASF and Daimler, continuing Icertis' rapid growth in EMEA. The office will be led by Martin Mohr, VP and General Manager of EMEA, and serve as the company's European headquarters. Icertis' Frankfurt office will be the company's seventh office, and third in EMEA including Zurich and Stuttgart.

More than 1+ million subscribers trust Icertis to manage over 3.5+ million contracts in more than 90+ countries and 40+ languages. For more information about the Icertis Contract Management platform, visit www.icertis.com.

About Icertis

Icertis, the leading provider of enterprise contract management in the cloud, solves the hardest contract management problems on the easiest to use platform. Icertis helps companies transform their commercial foundation increasing compliance, improving governance, mitigating risk and enhancing user productivity, thereby maximizing ROI and accelerating time to value. The Icertis Contract Management (ICM) platform is used by 1+ million users at companies like 3M, Becton Dickinson, Cognizant, Daimler, and Microsoft, to manage 3.5+ million contracts in 40+ languages across 90+ countries. For more information, visit www.icertis.com .

Icertis Media Contact:

Sarah Nickell

Barokas Public Relations for Icertis

[email protected]

303-895-5673

SOURCE Icertis

Related Links

http://www.icertis.com/


BJ's grant to Good Shepherd Food Bank is part of BJ's Charitable Foundation's $1 million donation to Feeding America , the nation's largest domestic hunger-relief organization. Good Shepherd Food Bank is one of nine local food banks to benefit from BJ's $1 million donation, which is the foundation's largest single donation to any organization to date.

"BJ's is bringing a fresh approach to nourishing communities and helping families thrive, and we're proud to support Good Shepherd Food Bank," said Kirk Saville, executive director of the BJ's Charitable Foundation. "No one should have to worry about where to get their next meal, and we know that food banks face challenges in storing and distributing perishable foods. Our strategic partnership with Feeding America is focused on building capacity for fresh food at local food banks so we can work together to put an end to hunger in our communities."

With BJ's $100,000 grant, Good Shepherd Food Bank will purchase a refrigerated box truck for its partner, Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program, increasing the volume of its perishable food distribution by 40 percent. Additionally, Good Shepherd Food Bank will use BJ's grant to expand its agency partners' cold storage capacity, which will allow significantly greater amounts of food to be donated and distributed in high-need areas.

Last year, Good Shepherd Food Bank distributed more than 21 million meals through its network of 400 partner agencies to approximately 178,000 Mainers in need. Good Shepherd Food Bank is the largest hunger relief organization in the state, reaching from York County to Bangor to Aroostook County.

"At Good Shepherd Food Bank, we strive to eliminate hunger in Maine by sourcing and distributing nutritious food to our neighbors in need with the help of valuable community and local partners like BJ's," said Kristen Miale, President of Good Shepherd Food Bank. "Because of BJ's generous donation, Good Shepherd Food Bank will be able to distribute more nutritious food to adults, children and seniors across the entire state."

Since 2009, BJ's has provided ongoing support to Feeding America through the BJ's Charitable Foundation and BJ's Feeding Communities program, helping local food banks successfully expand their programs to reach wider and more diverse audiences.

In addition to capacity building grants from the BJ's Charitable Foundation, BJ's has secured over 50 million pounds of donated food, including fresh produce, frozen meats and fish, baked goods and dairy items through the BJ's Feeding Communities program.

To learn more about the BJ's Charitable Foundation and its Feeding Communities Program, visit bjs.com/charity.

To learn more about Good Shepherd Food Bank, visit GSFB.org.

About BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc.

Headquartered in Westborough, Massachusetts, BJ's is the leading operator of membership warehouse clubs in the Eastern United States. The company currently operates 215 clubs and 132 BJ's Gas locations in 16 states.

BJ's provides a one-stop shopping destination filled with top-quality, leading brands, including its exclusive Wellsley Farms and Berkley Jensen brands, along with USDA Choice meats, premium produce and delicious organics, many in supermarket sizes. BJ's is also the only major membership warehouse club to accept all manufacturers' coupons and, for greater convenience, offers the most payment options.

Visit www.BJs.com, and for exclusive content find us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.

BJ's is wholly owned by affiliates of Leonard Green & Partners, CVC Capital Partners and its management team.

About Good Shepherd Food Bank

As the largest hunger relief organization in Maine, Good Shepherd Food Bank provides for Mainers facing hunger by distributing nutritious food to more than 400 partner agencies across the state, including food pantries, meal sites, schools, and senior programs. Together with its network, the Food Bank leads a statewide effort to combat the root causes of hunger by engaging in advocacy, nutrition education, and strategic partnerships. In 2016, the Food Bank distributed more than 21 million meals to families, children, and seniors in need throughout Maine. Visit www.feedingmaine.org, and Facebook and Twitter.

About Feeding America

Feeding America is the largest hunger-relief organization in the Unites States. Through a network of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs, we provide meals to more than 46 million people each year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security among the people we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry.

SOURCE BJ's Wholesale Club

Related Links

http://www.bjs.com


GREENWICH, Conn., July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Harvest Hill Beverage Company, based in Stamford, CT, has promoted David Champlin to be President of Sales. Mr. Champlin will report to John LeBoutillier, the company's President and CEO. Harvest Hill is a leading manufacturer and marketer in the U.S. beverage sector through its Juicy Juice, SunnyD, Little HUG, Daily's Cocktails, Veryfine, Fruit 2 O and Nutrament brands.

This promotion recognizes Mr. Champlin's almost three years at Harvest Hill in which he has been instrumental in the sales growth success the company has achieved during this period. Mr. Champlin has an extensive background in the beverage industry having spent 12 years at Nestle Waters USA and previously with Mott's LLP and Veryfine Products, Inc. He will oversee the company's selling organization, which consists of more than 40 people, and will be responsible for the global sales efforts across all channels.

"I am delighted to have Dave assume the position of President of Sales. Since I joined Harvest Hill, I have been impressed with his seasoned, mature leadership and his knowledge of the business. He leads Sales as a businessman and drives profitable growth, which is difficult in this environment," said John LeBoutillier.

In addition to Mr. Champlin's promotion, the company is also promoting Bean Kingsbury to Executive Vice President. Ms. Kingsbury will be responsible for Harvest Hill's National Accounts. "In the time Bean has been with the company, she has established herself as the consummate sales executive. She has tremendous relationships built over years of trust and competence and we are thrilled with her performance," said John LeBoutillier.

"I have tremendous confidence in John LeBoutillier and the first-class sales leadership team he has assembled. David Champlin was one of the company's first employees, has been incredibly effective and is ready to assume leadership. Bean Kingsbury is a dynamic and polished executive and is the perfect leader to direct our strategic national customer relationships, which are critical to the organization," said Hendrik J. Hartong III, Chairman and CEO of Brynwood Partners, which is Harvest Hill's majority owner.

About Brynwood Partners:

Founded in 1984 and based in Greenwich, CT, Brynwood Partners is an operationally-focused private equity firm that makes control investments in North American-based lower middle market companies in the consumer sector.

Brynwood Partners currently manages more than $725 million of private equity capital for limited partners, which include U.S. and international pension funds, fund-of-funds, endowments, high net worth family investment offices and financial institutions. For more information on Brynwood Partners, please visit www.brynwoodpartners.com.

About Harvest Hill Beverage Company:

Harvest Hill Beverage Company, based in Stamford, CT, was formed by Brynwood Partners VII L.P. (" Brynwood VII ") in July 2014 to acquire the iconic Juicy Juice brand from Nestle USA, Inc. Juicy Juice is the largest 100% juice brand in the U.S. focused on the kids segment. The company markets Juicy Juice products in single-serve and multi-serve formats to the retail and foodservice channels. In March 2015, Harvest Hill acquired American Beverage Corporation (" ABC ") from Wessanen, a publicly-traded food and beverage company based in Holland. With the ABC acquisition, the company added the Little HUG juice brand and Daily's Cocktails brand. ABC's brands are distributed to a blue-chip customer base that includes leading grocery retailers, wholesalers, supercenters and foodservice distributors. In October 2016, Harvest Hill acquired Faribault Foods, Inc.'s juice pouch manufacturing facility in Elk River, MN and other selected assets. Most recently, in December 2016, the company acquired the Nutrament energy drink brand from Nestle HealthCare Nutrition, Inc.

Brynwood VII acquired Sunny Delight Beverages Co. (" Sunny Delight ") from a private equity fund in February 2016 and, in May 2017, merged the company into its portfolio company, Harvest Hill. The 54-year-old SunnyD brand is a leading chilled juice drink in the U.S. In addition to the SunnyD brand, Sunny Delight markets the Fruit 2 O, Veryfine, Big Burst and Guzzler beverage brands. The company's products are widely distributed through leading retailers in the U.S. and Canada.

Harvest Hill, which currently operates seven manufacturing facilities strategically located across the U.S., intends to continue to grow its branded, private label and co-manufacturing businesses both organically and through strategic add-on acquisitions. For more information on Harvest Hill, please visit www.harvesthill.com, www.sunnyd.com, www.littlehug.com, www.dailyscocktails.com, www.fruit2o.com, www.veryfine.com and www.nutrament.com.

SOURCE Brynwood Partners

Related Links

http://www.brynwoodpartners.com


JERSEY CITY, N.J., July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, the Northeast Regional Council of Carpenters (NRCC) will begin a campaign to raise awareness for the business and employment practices of Structure Tech, the subcontractor responsible for construction of the concrete super structure, on the new 37-story Park and Shore residential/retail development at 75 Park Lane in Jersey City.

NRCC members will begin picketing activities outside of the Park and Shore job site today to raise awareness to the fact that Structure Tech is failing to pay the area wage standards, health and retirement benefits to its workers and employing workers from out of State to work on the Jersey City project.

"Simply put, this is another example of a project that exploits middle class workers, uses cheap, non-local labor and banks on foreign investors for hundreds of millions of dollars in funding in exchange for U.S. visas," said Bob Satriano, NRCC's Director of Organizing. "Our organization fights every day to protect the wages, benefits and retirement of hardworking middle-class Americans and we want to raise awareness to just what's going on behind the scenes on high-rise construction projects like this one in New Jersey and elsewhere throughout the country. Structure Tech is not paying area standard wages and not employing local Jersey City workers who have families here, spend money in the City and pay taxes to our State."

The Park and Shore luxury development, near the Hudson River waterfront, is utilizing controversial EB-5 visa financing from overseas investors in order to build the project. Two years ago, Strategic Capital, the United States arm of Chinese State Construction Engineering Corporation, raised $110 million from the EB-5 program from 220 foreign investors for the development of the $442 million Park and Shore development. The EB-5 program offers visas to foreign investors who provide more than $500,000 to a development project that generates more than 10 jobs per investor.

During the concrete super structure construction phase of the project, Structure Tech, based in Yonkers, NY, will not be using local labor and will be employing approximately 100 workers from outside of the State of New Jersey.

"Northeast Carpenters' Local 253 has nearly 135 Jersey City residents who could have benefitted themselves and their families by working on a large development project like this," said Alex Lopez, NRCC's Hackensack Team Lead and Council Representative. "Our carpenters have the skills, training and expertise necessary to safely build a project like this one and have worked for decades with law abiding and honorable contractors on projects throughout North Jersey."

Of the approximately 135 Jersey City carpenters, 54 of them are young adults enrolled in the NRCC's 5-year Apprenticeship Training Program; a rigorous program that requires individuals to annually complete hundreds of hours in the classroom and more than 1,500 to 2,000 hours of on-the-job training with skilled union carpenters.

About the NRCC

The Northeast Regional Council of Carpenters (NRCC) represents nearly 40,000 hardworking men and women in Delaware and New Jersey and portions of Maryland, New York, and Pennsylvania. NRCC is one of the largest trade unions on the East Coast. The NRCC equips professional men and women carpenters with the skills, training and quality workmanship that are demanded in today's construction industry. For more information on NRCC, please visit our website: www.northeastcarpenters.org; Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NortheastRegionalCouncilofCarpenters; or Twitter: https://twitter.com/nrccarpenters.

SOURCE Northeast Regional Council of Carpenters (NRCC)

Related Links

http://www.northeastcarpenters.org


"Mark brings an outstanding track record of achievements in overseeing organizational strategy and execution around business development," said Kevin Kelleher, President and CEO of Cartus. "His technology expertise and his breadth of experience with companies both large and small will bring great value to our clients and their employees, and I am looking forward to the discipline and creative approaches he will bring to the Cartus family."

Sonders, who considers himself to be a 'relationship manager' above all else, points to his primary goal as helping customers succeed by being a trusted partner. "To do this," Sonders said, " we must truly understand their challenges before offering solutions. Cartus shares this philosophy in its commitment to 'trusted guidance.' I look forward to working as part of the Cartus team toward this common goal."

Sonders comes to Cartus from Vertafore, an industry leader in innovative technology solutions for the insurance industry. He led consecutive years of record-breaking sales and revenue, with a primary focus on providing complete, adaptable and evolutionary technology in the marketplace to help customers 'future-proof' their technology decisions. Prior experience included roles at prominent companies including eMind, LLC and Thomson Reuters, where he was responsible for driving revenue and business performance, including oversight for product and organizational vision and effectiveness, and compliance application. During his career, he has been ranked nationally among ExecRank's listing of Top Chief Sales Officers.

Sonders earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing/Finance from Temple University.

About Cartus

For more than 60 years, Cartus has provided trusted guidance to organizations of all types and sizes that require global relocation solutions. Providing the full spectrum of relocation services, including language and intercultural training, Cartus serves more than half of the Fortune 50 and has moved employees into and out of 185 countries. Cartus is part of Realogy Holdings Corp. (NYSE: RLGY), a global leader in real estate franchising and provider of real estate brokerage, relocation and settlement services. To find out how our greater experience, reach, and hands-on guidance can help your company, visit www.cartus.com; read our blog; or click www.realogy.com for more information.

SOURCE Cartus

Related Links

http://www.cartus.com


BEIJING, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Zhaopin Limited (NYSE: ZPIN) ("Zhaopin" or the "Company"), a leading career platform[1] in China focused on connecting users with relevant job opportunities throughout their career lifecycle, released its 2017 second-quarter report on China labor market supply and demand for white-collar workers. As the competition for jobs eased in the second quarter, the average monthly salary dropped by 3.8% over the previous quarter, the first quarter-over-quarter decline in two years.

Second-Quarter of 2017 China White-Collar Labor Market Highlights:

The average monthly salary dropped to RMB7,376 in the second quarter of 2017, down 3.8% over the first quarter. This was the first salary decline in China since the second quarter of 2015.

in the second quarter of 2017, down 3.8% over the first quarter. This was the first salary decline in since the second quarter of 2015. The falling average salary for white-collar workers was mainly caused by the plunge in salaries at micro-sized companies, which cut their salaries by 31% in the second quarter of 2017.

Beijing continued to be the city with the highest pay in the second quarter of 2017, with an average monthly salary of RMB9,791 , representing a drop of RMB151 from the first quarter.

continued to be the city with the highest pay in the second quarter of 2017, with an average monthly salary of , representing a drop of from the first quarter. Competition among white-collar workers for jobs eased in the second quarter of 2017, with an average of 35.8 applications per job vacancy, down from 44.6 applications in the first quarter.

Telecommunication/carrier operators/value-added service replaced online games as the most competitive sector for job seekers in the second quarter of 2017, with 57.3 applications per vacancy.

The most competitive occupation in the second quarter of 2017 was software/internet development/system integration with 122.7 applications per vacancy.

Declining Salaries

Based on online job postings in 37 key cities in China compiled by Zhaopin, the average monthly salary in the second quarter of 2017 was RMB7,376, down 3.8% over the first quarter. This was the first time that the average monthly salary declined quarter-over-quarter since the second quarter of 2015 when Zhaopin began to calculate the nationwide average salary for white-collar workers.

The falling average salary for white-collar workers was mainly caused by the plunge in salaries at micro-sized companies, which cut their salaries by 31% in the second quarter. With investment waning, many small start-ups became more rational and could no longer offer higher salaries to attract talents. An additional factor contributing to the overall decline in salaries in the second quarter of 2017 was that more jobs were located in lower-tier cities, where pay is normally lower.

Average monthly salary for white-collar workers Quarter Average salary

(RMB) Change over

previous quarter Q2 2016 7,233 3.1% Q3 2016 7,531 4.1% Q4 2016 7,606 1.0% Q1 2017 7,665 0.8% Q2 2017 7,376 - 3.8%

Among job postings in the second quarter of 2017, 32.8% of positions offered monthly salaries between RMB4,001 and 6,000, and 25.9% offered monthly salaries of more than RMB8,000. About 20.3% of positions offered monthly salaries between RMB2,001 and 4,000.

Breakdown of positions by monthly salaries in the second quarter of 2017 Salary (RMB) Percentage of positions Over 8,000 25.9% 6,001 to 8,000 19.8% 4,001 to 6,000 32.8% 2,001 to 4,000 20.3% Below 2,000 1.1%

Beijing continued to be the city with the highest pay in the second quarter of 2017, with an average monthly salary of RMB9,791, representing a drop of RMB151 from the first quarter. The average monthly salary also declined slightly in Shanghai and Shenzhen in the second quarter. The salary in Hangzhou actually went up to RMB7,933, jumping to the 4th in ranking.

Average monthly salary for cities in the second quarter of 2017 Ranking City Average

monthly salary (RMB) Ranking City Average

monthly salary

(RMB) 1 Beijing 9,791 20 Changsha 6,721 2 Shanghai 9,337 21 Wuxi 6,704 3 Shenzhen 8,866 22 Lanzhou 6,638 4 Hangzhou 7,933 23 Kunming 6,592 5 Guangzhou 7,754 24 Nanchang 6,538 6 Dongguan 7,552 25 Hefei 6,516 7 Ningbo 7,423 26 Tianjin 6,477 8 Nanjing 7,263 27 Zhengzhou 6,448 9 Urumqi 7,230 28 Jinan 6,447 10 Xiamen 7,206 29 Qingdao 6,343 11 Suzhou 7,198 30 Dalian 6,213 12 Foshan 7,152 31 Xi'an 6,089 13 Haikou 7,145 32 Shijiazhuang 6,027 14 Chongqing 6,978 33 Taiyuan 5,959 15 Guiyang 6,918 34 Changchun 5,871 16 Nanning 6,908 35 Yantai 5,868 17 Chengdu 6,850 36 Shenyang 5,810 18 Fuzhou 6,785 37 Harbin 5,701 19 Wuhan 6,762







The best-paying sector in the second quarter of 2017 continued to be professional services/consulting (finance and accounting, legal and Human Resources, etc.) with an average monthly salary of RMB10,165, followed by RMB9,475 for funds/securities/futures/investment and RMB9,159 for intermediary services.

Top 10 highest paid sectors in the second quarter of 2017 Sector Average monthly

salary (RMB) Professional service/consulting (finance and accounting, legal and HR, etc.) 10,165 Funds/securities/futures/investment 9,475 Intermediary service 9,159 Cross-industry operation 8,832 Banking 8,578 Trust/warrant/auction/pawn 8,339 Real estate/construction/building materials/engineering 8,305 Insurance 8,246 Telecom/carrier operators/value-added service 8,143 Energy/mineral/mining/smelting 7,934

The top three occupations with the highest monthly salaries in the second quarter of 2017 were senior management (RMB18,818), IT management/project coordination (RMB13,915) and securities/futures/investment management/service (RMB11,546).

Top 10 highest paid occupations in the second quarter of 2017 Occupation Average monthly

salary (RMB) Senior management 18,818 IT management/project coordination 13,915 Securities/futures/investment management/service 11,546 Sales management 10,455 Civil servant/public institution/research institution 10,168 Real estate development/broker/agency 9,979 Banking 9,665 Software/internet development/system integration 9,559 Trust/warrant/auction/pawn 9,361 Project management/project coordination 9,348

Wholly foreign-owned enterprises offered the highest average monthly salary of RMB8,064 in the second quarter, followed by RMB8,025 for public companies and RMB7,903 for joint ventures.

Average monthly salaries from different types of companies in the second quarter of 2017 Type of Company Average monthly

salary (RMB) Wholly foreign-owned enterprises 8,064 Public companies 8,025 Joint ventures 7,903 State-owned enterprises 7,662 Private companies 7,118 Public institutions 7,109

The average monthly salary of micro-sized companies with fewer than 20 employees plunged from RMB9,532 in the first quarter to RMB6,568 in the second quarter. With investment waning, many start-ups could no longer afford to offer higher salaries as before to attract talents.

Average monthly salaries for companies of different sizes in the second quarter of 2017 Size of company by

employee numbers Average monthly salary (RMB) Below 20 6,568 20-99 7,014 100-499 7,217 500-999 7,651 1,000-9,999 8,098 Above 10,000 8,097

Job market competition easing for white-collar workers

Zhaopin publishes the quarterly competitive index for the labor market based on data collected from its online platform. The competitive index is calculated based on the number of resume applications divided by the number of job vacancies. For the second quarter of 2017, the competitive index was 35.8, which means there were an average of 36 applications per job vacancy, down from 44.6 in the first quarter of 2017.

Compared with the previous four quarters, the job market competition for white-collar workers eased in the second quarter of 2017. With the aging demographic, the labor supply began to dwindle in China. Meanwhile, job seekers were more cautious and tended to submit fewer resumes than before.

Competitive index Quarter Competitive index Q2 2016 45.1 Q3 2016 37.8 Q4 2016 40.3 Q1 2017 44.6 Q2 2017 35.8

(Competitive index = number of applications/number of job vacancies)

Beijing was by far the most competitive city for white-collar workers, with a competitive index of 89.9 in the second quarter of 2017, down from 96.0 in the first quarter of 2017.

Competitive index for cities in the second quarter of 2017 Ranking City Index Ranking City Index 1 Beijing 89.9 20 Zhengzhou 20.6 2 Shenzhen 48.5 21 Lanzhou 20.5 3 Shanghai 42.7 22 Wuxi 19.0 4 Chengdu 42.4 23 Haikou 18.9 5 Shenyang 42.1 24 Shijiazhuang 18.8 6 Dalian 36.3 25 Kunming 18.0 7 Xi'an 35.4 26 Guiyang 17.1 8 Tianjin 34.0 27 Hefei 16.6 9 Guangzhou 29.1 28 Jinan 16.1 10 Chongqing 28.1 29 Yantai 14.6 11 Changsha 26.9 30 Urumqi 14.5 12 Wuhan 26.8 31 Fuzhou 14.3 13 Harbin 26.8 32 Nanchang 13.0 14 Suzhou 26.7 33 Xiamen 12.4 15 Hangzhou 25.4 34 Dongguan 12.1 16 Nanjing 25.1 35 Foshan 11.4 17 Changchun 23.9 36 Nanning 10.9 18 Taiyuan 22.0 37 Ningbo 10.0 19 Qingdao 21.5





Competitive index = number of applications/number of job vacancies

First-tier cities (Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou) continued to be the top four cities with the highest job demand in the second quarter of 2017. Emerging first-tier cities, including Chengdu, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Tianjin and Xi'an, were also among the top ten cities with the highest job demand.

Top ten cities with the highest job demand in the second quarter of 2017 Ranking City 1 Beijing 2 Shanghai 3 Shenzhen 4 Guangzhou 5 Zhengzhou 6 Chengdu 7 Nanjing 8 Hangzhou 9 Tianjin 10 Xi'an

The top ten cities with most job applications in the second quarter of 2017 were the same cities with the highest job demand, indicating that cities with high job demand were also attracting job seekers.

Top ten cities with most job applications in the second quarter of 2017 Ranking City 1 Beijing 2 Shanghai 3 Shenzhen 4 Chengdu 5 Guangzhou 6 Xi'an 7 Tianjin 8 Hangzhou 9 Zhengzhou 10 Nanjing

In terms of employer size, companies with 1,000 to 9,999 employees were the most competitive for job seekers, with an index of 42.5, followed by 40.5 for companies with 500 to 999 employees. The competition for positions in small and micro-sized companies was relatively low due to low brand recognition.

Competitive index for different size companies in the second quarter of 2017 Size of Company by

employee numbers Index Below 20 26.2 20-99 31.4 100-499 38.5 500-999 40.5 1,000-9,999 42.5 Over 10,000 35.1

Supply and demand by sector

In the second quarter of 2017, the internet/e-commerce sector still topped the list with the most job vacancies, followed by real estate/construction/building materials/engineering and education/training/college sectors. The booming of artificial intelligence created huge job demand in the internet/e-commerce sector.

Top ten sectors with the highest job demand in the second quarter of 2017 Ranking Sector 1 Internet/e-commerce 2 Real estate/construction/building materials/engineering 3 Education/training/college 4 Funds/securities/futures/investment 5 Computer software 6 Professional service/consulting (finance and accounting, legal and HR, etc.) 7 Trade/export and import 8 FMCG (food, drinks, alcohol and tobacco, and chemicals for daily use) 9 IT services (system/data/maintenance) 10 Media/publishing/movie and TV/culture communications

Telecommunication/carrier operators/value-added service replaced online games as the most competitive sector for job seekers in the second quarter of 2017, with 57.3 applications per vacancy. The competitive index for most sectors declined in the second quarter of 2017 from the previous quarter.

Top ten most competitive sectors in the second quarter of 2017 Ranking Sector Index Ranking in previous quarter 1 Telecom/carrier operators/value-added service 57.3 3 2 Online games 53.4 1 3 Aviation/aerospace research and manufacturing 49.9 4 4 IT services (system/data/maintenance) 47.8 5 5 Real estate/construction/building

materials/engineering 47.4 2 6 Cross-industry operation 45.1 8 7 Computer software 44.9 6 8 Internet/e-commerce 42.7 7 9 Computer hardware 42.1 14 10 Government/public service/non-profit 41.7 10

Insurance continued to be the least competitive sector in the second quarter of 2017, with 15.5 applications per vacancy, followed by 19.4 for intermediary service and 22.1 for office supplies and equipment.

Least competitive sectors in the second quarter of 2017 Sector Index Insurance 15.5 Intermediary service 19.4 Office supplies and equipment 22.1 Printing/packaging/papermaking 23.4 Home furnishing/interior design/decoration 25.5 Outsourcing service 25.9 Banking 26.5 Processing and manufacturing (raw material processing/mould) 26.7 Hotel/restaurant 27.3 Healthcare/nursing/beauty 27.3

The sectors with the most job applications in the second quarter of 2017 included internet/e-commerce, computer software and real estate/construction/building materials/engineering.

Top ten sectors with the most job applications in the second quarter of 2017 Ranking Sector 1 Internet/e-commerce 2 Computer software 3 Real estate/construction/building materials/engineering 4 Funds/securities/futures/investment 5 IT services (system/data/maintenance) 6 Education/training/college 7 Professional service/consulting (finance and accounting, legal and HR, etc.) 8 Media/publishing/movie and TV/culture communications 9 FMCG (food, drinks, alcohol and tobacco, and chemicals for daily use) 10 Trade/export and import

Supply and demand by occupation

The top occupations with the most vacancies for white collar workers in the second quarter of 2017 were almost the same as in the first quarter of 2017, including sales, administration/logistics/secretary, and software/internet development/system integration.

Top ten occupations with the highest job demand in the second quarter of 2017 Ranking Occupation 1 Sales 2 Administration/logistics/secretary 3 Software/internet development/system integration 4 Sales management 5 Education/training 6 Finance/auditing/tax 7 Customer service/pre-sales and after-sales support 8 Human resources 9 Civil engineering/construction/decoration/municipal engineering 10 Marketing

The most competitive occupation in the second quarter of 2017 was software/internet development/system integration with 122.7 applications per vacancy, followed by 88.4 for IT quality management/testing/configuration management, and 67.4 for finance/auditing/tax.

Top 10 most competitive occupations in the second quarter of 2017 Ranking Occupation Index Ranking in previous quarter 1 Software/internet development/system integration 122.7 1 2 IT quality management/testing/configuration management 88.4 4 3 Finance/auditing/tax 67.4 2 4 Transportation services 60.4 5 5 Senior management 58.2 6 6 Human resources 53.6 7 7 Civil engineering/construction/decoration/municipal engineering 51.2 3 8 Administration/logistics/secretary 44.6 9 9 IT management/project coordination 42.6 14 10 Purchasing/trade 42.0 8

The least competitive occupations in the second quarter of 2017 were healthcare/beauty/hairdressing/bodybuilding with 9.6 applications per vacancy, followed by 12.4 for community/residency/housekeeping, and 12.7 for insurance.

Least competitive occupations in the second quarter of 2017 Occupation Index Healthcare/beauty/hairdressing/bodybuilding 9.6 Community/residency/housekeeping 12.4 Insurance 12.7 Sales 12.9 Cooking/catering/food R&D 14.4 Mechanic/operator 15.1 Hospital/medical care/nursing 15.7 Education/training 16.1 Farming/forestry/animal husbandry/fishery 16.5 Customer service/pre-sales and after-sales

support 18.3

The top ten occupations with the most job applications in the second quarter of 2017 were the same as in the first quarter of 2017 with some changes in rankings.

Top ten occupations with the most job applications in the second quarter of 2017 Ranking Occupation 1 Software/internet development/system integration 2 Finance/auditing/tax 3 Administration/logistics/secretary 4 Human resources 5 Civil engineering/construction/decoration/municipal engineering 6 Sales 7 Internet product/operation management 8 Art/design 9 Sales management 10 Purchasing/trade

About Zhaopin Limited

Zhaopin is a leading career platform in China, focusing on connecting users with relevant job opportunities throughout their career lifecycle. The Company's zhaopin.com website is the most popular career platform in China as measured by average daily unique visitors in each of the 12 months ended March 31, 2017, number of registered users as of March 31, 2017 and number of unique customers[2] for the three months ended March 31, 2017. The Company's over 135.0 million registered users include diverse and educated job seekers who are at various stages of their careers and are in demand by employers as a result of the general shortage of skilled and educated workers in China. In the fiscal year ended June 30, 2016, approximately 36.9 million job postings[3] were placed on Zhaopin's platform by 509,813 unique customers including multinational corporations, small and medium-sized enterprises and state-owned entities. The quality and quantity of Zhaopin's users and the resumes in the Company's database attract an increasing number of customers. This in turn leads to more users turning to Zhaopin as their primary recruitment and career- related services provider, creating strong network effects and significant entry barriers for potential competitors. For more information, please visit http://www.zhaopin.com.

Safe Harbor Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements made under the "safe harbor" provisions of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "confident" and similar statements. Zhaopin may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its reports filed with or furnished to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Any statements that are not historical facts, including statements about Zhaopin's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements that involve factors, risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Such factors and risks include, but not limited to the following: Zhaopin's goals and strategies; its future business development, financial condition and results of operations; its ability to retain and grow its user and customer base for its online career platform; the growth of, and trends in, the markets for its services in China; the demand for and market acceptance of its brand and services; competition in its industry in China; its ability to maintain the network infrastructure necessary to operate its website and mobile applications; relevant government policies and regulations relating to the corporate structure, business and industry; and its ability to protect its users' information and adequately address privacy concerns. Further information regarding these and other risks, uncertainties or factors is included in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All information provided in this press release is current as of the date of the press release, and Zhaopin does not undertake any obligation to update such information, except as required under applicable law.

[1] Zhaopin's website is the most popular career platform in China as measured by average daily unique visitors in each of the 12 months ended March 31, 2017, the number of registered users as of March 31, 2017 and the number of unique customers for the three months ended March 31, 2017. [2] A "unique customer" refers to a customer that purchases the Company's online recruitment services during a specified period. Zhaopin makes adjustments for multiple purchases by the same customer to avoid double counting. Each customer is assigned a unique identification number in the Company's information management system. Affiliates and branches of a given customer may, under certain circumstances, be counted as separate unique customers. [3] Zhaopin calculates the number of job postings by counting the number of newly placed job postings during each respective period. Job postings that were placed prior to a specified period - even if available during such period - are not counted as job postings for such period. Any particular job posting placed on the Company's website may include more than one job opening or position.

For more information, please contact:

Zhaopin Limited

Ms. Daisy Wang

Investor Relations

[email protected]

ICR Beijing

Mr. Edmond Lococo

Phone: +86 10 6583-7510

[email protected]

SOURCE Zhaopin Limited
WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J., July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Chubb today announced the appointment of Alexander Wells as Regional Manager for the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic Regions of the company's Commercial Insurance division in North America.

Reporting to C. Scott Gunter, Senior Vice President, Chubb Group and Division President, North America Commercial Insurance, Mr. Wells will be responsible for executing the underwriting and sales strategies of this business unit, as well as staff management, production, profit and loss, and distribution management.

"Alex has been instrumental in the success and continued growth of Chubb's Specialty Casualty & Construction," said Scott Gunter, Senior Vice President, Chubb Group and Division President, North America Commercial Insurance. "I'm confident that his deep knowledge and leadership skills will complement Chubb's strong underwriting team in the regions."

Operations in these regions serve commercial customers in the middle market through independent agents and brokers across a network of nine branch and field offices.

Mr. Wells succeeds Jeffrey Updyke, who was recently named Chubb's Chief Operating Officer of North America Field Operations.

Mr. Wells has more than 25 years of experience working in the insurance industry. Prior to Mr. Wells most recent assignment as the North American manager of Chubb's Specialty Casualty & Construction Unit, he was the Chief Operating Officer of the ACE Westchester Specialty Casualty Division. He joined The Chubb Corporation in 1992 as an inland marine underwriting trainee, and has held several positions with increasing responsibility at several branches before joining ACE Limited in 2006, as the North American manager of Excess Casualty for the middle market and construction segments.

Mr. Wells earned a Bachelor's degree in Finance from American University.

About Chubb

Chubb is the world's largest publicly traded property and casualty insurance company. With operations in 54 countries, Chubb provides commercial and personal property and casualty insurance, personal accident and supplemental health insurance, reinsurance and life insurance to a diverse group of clients. As an underwriting company, we assess, assume and manage risk with insight and discipline. We service and pay our claims fairly and promptly. The company is also defined by its extensive product and service offerings, broad distribution capabilities, exceptional financial strength and local operations globally. Parent company Chubb Limited is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: CB) and is a component of the S&P 500 index. Chubb maintains executive offices in Zurich, New York, London and other locations, and employs approximately 31,000 people worldwide. Additional information can be found at www.chubb.com.

SOURCE Chubb

Related Links

https://www2.chubb.com/us-en


VANCOUVER, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - CRH Medical Corporation (TSX: CRH) (NYSE MKT: CRHM) ("CRH" or the "Company") commented on the estimated impact of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services ("CMS") proposed fee schedule (the "Proposed Rule") for 2018.

The CMS 2018 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule was announced on July 13, 2017 and updates payment policies, payment rates, and other provisions for services furnished under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule on or after January 1, 2018.

The Proposed Rule changes the billing structure for CRH's primary billing code for anesthesia provided in conjunction with a lower endoscopy by eliminating the existing billing code and replacing them with two new billing codes. The new billing codes will have the net effect of decreasing the amount CRH will likely bill and collect for anesthesia services provided in conjunction with a lower endoscopy. At this point, the Company expects that the new billing codes will be adopted by all commercial and federal payors effective January 1, 2018.

The Company has analyzed the impact of the new codes on its business and has determined that if the new codes were implemented today as currently proposed, anesthesia revenue would decrease by approximately 8.5% and total revenue would decrease by approximately 7.5%. In addition, our total adjusted operating EBITDA(1) would decrease by approximately 13.5%. We believe that this would decrease our total adjusted operating EBITDA(1) margin from 53% to approximately 47%.

Edward Wright, Chief Executive Officer, commented, "If the new billing codes go into effect as currently proposed, we anticipate that our business will continue to generate strong adjusted operating EBITDA margins of approximately 47%. Our focus continues to be growing our business through acquisitions and organic growth, which will be funded from our cash flow from operations and existing credit facility."

(1) Adjusted operating EBITDA: This is a non-IFRS measure defined as operating income before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, stock based compensation, acquisition related expenses and asset impairment charges. Refer to the end of this document for the reconciliation of reported financial results to non-IFRS measures.

Forward-looking Statements

Information included or incorporated by reference in this document may contain forward-looking statements. This information may involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from the future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements, which involve assumptions and describe our future plans, strategies, and expectations, are generally identifiable by use of the words "may," "will," "should," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "believe," "plan," "intend" or "project" or the negative of these words or other variations on these words or comparable terminology. Certain risks underlying our assumptions are highlighted below; if risks materialize, or if assumptions prove otherwise to be untrue, our results will differ from those suggested by our forward-looking statements and our results and operations may be negatively affected. Forward-looking statements in this document include statements regarding profitability, additional acquisitions, increasing revenue and Operating EBITDA, continued growth of our business in line with historical growth rates, trends in our industry, financing plans, our anticipated needs for working capital and leveraging our capabilities. Actual events or results may differ materially from those discussed in forward-looking statements. There can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements currently contained in this report will in fact occur. The Company bases its forward-looking statements on information currently available to it and disclaims any intent or obligations to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, estimates or options, future events or results or otherwise, unless required to do so by law.

Forward-looking information reflects management's current expectations regarding future events and operating performance as of the date of this document. Such information involves significant risks and uncertainties, should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether or not such results will be achieved. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in forward-looking information, including, without limitation: risks related to our need to raise additional capital to fund future operations; various restrictive covenants and events of default under our Credit Facilities; the possibility that we may still be able to incur substantially more debt, which could further exacerbate the risks associated with increased leverage despite current indebtedness levels; ASCs or other customers may terminate or choose not to renew their agreements; the CMS may review and reduce the reimbursement of anesthesia procedure codes relevant to GI procedures; a significant number of our affiliated physicians could leave our affiliated ASCs; we may be unable to enforce the non-competition and other restrictive covenants in our agreements; change in the regulations or regulatory interpretations may obligate us to re-negotiate agreements of our anesthesiologists or other contractors; we may not be able to successfully recruit and retain qualified anesthesiologists or other independent contractors; failure to manage third-party service providers may adversely affect our ability to maintain the quality of service that we provide; the continuing development of our products and provision of our services depends upon us maintaining strong relationships with physicians; we may or may not successfully identify and complete corporate transactions on favorable terms or achieve anticipated synergies relating to any acquisitions or alliances, and such acquisitions could result in unforeseen operating difficulties and expenditures, or require significant management resources and significant charges; we may be adversely affected if we lose any member of our senior management that has been key to our growth; we may not be able to effectively undertake or manage our growth initiatives; if we are unable to manage growth, we may be unable to achieve our expansion strategy; the ACA reform in the United States may have an adverse effect on our business, financial conditions, results of operations and cash flows and the trading price of our securities; changing legislative and regulatory requirements and healthcare spending and pricing pressures may adversely affect our business; the policies of health insurance carriers may affect the amount of revenue the Company receives; we operate in an industry that is subject to extensive federal, state, and local regulation, and changes in law and regulatory interpretations; our industry is already competitive and could become more competitive; unfavorable changes or conditions could occur in the states where our operations are concentrated; if there is a change in federal or state laws, rules, regulations, or in interpretations of such federal or state laws, rules or regulations, we may be required to redeem our physician partners' ownership interests in anesthesia companies under the savings clause in our joint venture operating agreements; changes in the United States federal Anti-Kickback Statute and Stark Law and/or similar state laws, rules, and regulations could result in criminal offences and potential sanctions; government authorities or other parties may assert that our business practices violate antitrust laws; our common shares may be subject to significant price and volume fluctuations; if we were to lose our foreign private issuer status under United States federal securities laws, we would likely incur additional expenses associated with compliance with United States securities laws applicable to United States domestic issuers; significant shareholders of the Company could influence our business operations and sales of our shares by such significant shareholders could influence our share price; anti-takeover provisions could discourage a third party from making a takeover offer that could be beneficial to our shareholders; continuing unfavorable economic conditions could have an adverse effect on our business; changes in the medical industry and the economy may affect the Company's business; income tax audits and changes in our effective income tax rate could affect our results of operations; our dependence on suppliers could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations; our industry is subject to health and safety risks; adverse events related to our product or our services may subject us to risks associated with product liability, medical malpractice or other legal claims, insurance, recalls and other liabilities, which may adversely affect our operations; our industry is the subject of numerous governmental investigations into marketing and other business practices, which could result in the commencement of civil and/or criminal proceedings, substantial fines, penalties, and/or administrative remedies, divert the attention of our management, and have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations; we may be subject to a variety of regulatory investigations, claims, lawsuits, and other proceedings; if we are unable to adequately protect or enforce our intellectual property, our competitive position could be impaired; the Company may not be successful in marketing its products and services; evolving regulation of corporate governance and public disclosure may result in additional expenses and continuing uncertainty; we may be subject to criminal or civil sanctions if we fail to comply with privacy regulations regarding the use and disclosure of patient information; our employees and third-party contractors may not appropriately record or document services that they provide; we may write-off intangible assets; we may face exposure to adverse movements in foreign currency exchange rates; our employees and business partners may not appropriately secure and protect confidential information in their possession; we are dependent on complex information systems; conflicts of interest may arise among the Company's officers and directors as a result of their involvement with other companies.

For a complete discussion of the Company's business, including the assumptions and risks set out above, see the Company's most recent Annual Information Form which is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

SOURCE CRH Medical Corporation

Related Links

www.crhmedcorp.com


NEW YORK and ATLANTA and LONDON, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- CSM Bakery Solutions, a global leader in bakery ingredients, products and services, today announced it had reached an agreement for the sale of its BakeMark business to Pamplona Capital Management.

The agreed upon sale is an important step in advancing CSM's strategy to focus on its core business in Europe and North America, according to CSM's President and CEO Marianne Kirkegaard.

"We have always had great appreciation for the value of the BakeMark business but this sale will help us support our goal of further strengthening our core business in Europe and North America by focusing on our value added bakery products and ingredients portfolio," she said. "Under Pamplona's ownership, BakeMark can further strengthen its strong position and reputation as the industry's supply and distribution market leader in North America."

Based in Pico Rivera, California, BakeMark provides distribution services through a network of 25 distribution centers and three manufacturing facilities across the United States and Canada. BakeMark offers a diversified line of products, ingredients and supplies to the food industry under brands that include Westco, Trigal Dorado and BakeSense.

William Pruellage, a Partner at Pamplona, expressed his confidence in BakeMark's future.

"BakeMark is a market-leading specialty distribution platform serving as the premier bakery ingredient supplier in North America," he said. "We believe BakeMark is well positioned to succeed as a stand-alone entity and capitalize on new growth opportunities. We look forward to supporting Jim Parker, the President and CEO of BakeMark, and the rest of the Company's exceptional management team to build on its long history of providing trusted and valuable service to the food industry."

Parker, commenting on the sale, expressed similar optimism.

"We are excited to be partnering with Pamplona for the next stage of BakeMark's growth," he said. "As an independent company with the support of Pamplona, BakeMark is ideally positioned to continue providing customers with quality products and full-service distribution capabilities."

Terms of the deal, which was facilitated by Harris Williams & Co., an M&A advisory firm, were not disclosed. Sullivan & Cromwell LLP provided legal counsel to CSM.

The BakeMark investment is being made from Pamplona's fifth private equity fund, Pamplona Capital Partners V, L.P., a $3.4 billion investment vehicle raised in 2017. Barclays is serving as Pamplona's financial advisor. Pamplona received legal advice from Goodwin Procter LLP. Committed debt financing for the transaction has been provided by the Senior Direct Lending Program, a joint venture between Ares Capital Corporation and Varagon Capital Partners, and Northwestern Mutual Capital.

About CSM Bakery Solutions

CSM Bakery Solutions is a global leader in bakery ingredients, products and services for retail and food service markets as well as artisan and industrial bakeries. CSM serves more than 45,000 customers in 100-plus countries and offers a broad portfolio of well-recognized brands providing specialized ingredients (dry mixes, fillings, icings, glazes, melange, toppings, batter, frozen dough and more) and finished products (cakes, donuts, muffins, brownies, cookies, specialty bread, viennoiserie and more). CSM's mosaic of heritage bakery brands includes some of the industry's most trusted names: Brill, Henry & Henry, MeisterMarken, Multifoods, and Waldkorn, to name but a few.

About Pamplona Capital Management

Pamplona Capital Management is a New York, Boston and London-based specialist investment manager established in 2005 that provides an alternative investment platform across private equity, fund of hedge funds, and single-manager hedge fund investments. Pamplona manages $15 billion in assets across a number of funds for a variety of clients including public pension funds, international wealth managers, multinational corporations, family offices, and funds of hedge funds. Pamplona invests long-term capital across the capital structure of its portfolio companies in both public and private market situations. Please see www.pamplonafunds.com for further information.

About BakeMark

With over 100 years of service to the baking industry, BakeMark is recognized as an industry leader and trusted partner for quality bakery ingredients, products, supplies and service. As a manufacturer and distributor with 25 branches conveniently-located across the U.S. and Canada, BakeMark delivers a complete line of ingredients and supplies, ranging from bakery mixes, fillings & icings, glazes, donut sugar and frozen varieties to flour, sugar, shortening, dairy & egg, packaging & supplies and gourmet chocolate through its exclusive brands: Westco, Trigal Dorado, BakeSense, BakeQwik and C'est Vivant.

For More Information, Contact:

CSM Bakery Solutions

Dennis Murphy

Vice President and Chief Communications Officer

O: 404-478-5529

M: 770-377-6329

E: [email protected]

Temple Bar Advisory (PR advisor to Pamplona)

Ed Orlebar

+44 (0)7738 724 630

[email protected]

SOURCE CSM Bakery Solutions
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif., July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, government, education and industry partners announced the formation of a cybersecurity education organization entitled the California Cyberhub and launched the California Cyberhub website, a virtual, nimble on-line community dedicated to developing the future workforce of ethical cybersecurity experts in California.

Left to right: Donna Woods (Cyberhub Developer), Richard Grotegut (ICT DSN-Bay Region), Bruce Burton (CCTC Mgr Cal Poly), Sid Voorakkara (GoBiz), Paula Hodge (ICT DSN South Coast), Scott Young (Pres LTS) , Oliver Rosenbloom (GoBiz) Donna Woods leads California Cyberhub working group at the California Cyber Innovation Challenge weekend at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

As new and emerging technologies catalyze and reshape the 'Internet of Things' economy, the demand for cybersecurity professionals will continue to increase. A recent study from cyberseek.org, compiled by Burning Glass, CompTIA and NICE, showed a demand for 45,000 cybersecurity positions in California alone. This demand is expected to increase by 10% year over year.

"The California Cyberhub website provides educators at all levels the resources and tools to support students to train for and excel in a cybersecurity career pathway while having fun as they learn," said Amy Tong  Director and State CIO, California Department of Technology. The California Cyberhub concept development was funded by the CA Tech Hire Academy grant, provided by Vice Chancellor Van Ton Quinlivan, under the California Community Colleges Doing What Matters for Jobs and the Economy program.

In addition to providing educational resources, the online tool www.ca-cyberhub.org includes a listing of cybersecurity competitions and events, including last month's California Cyber Innovation Challenge which brought more than 100 student competitors from across the state to compete in a series of problem-solving challenges. The Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo managed The California Cyber Innovation Challenge event alongside the CyberCalifornia coalition, a collection of businesses, state agencies, and educational partners, all of whom are dedicated to reinforcing California's leadership position in cybersecurity. Hosted at California Polytechnic University San Luis Obispo and the affiliated California Cyber Training Complex, this event demonstrated the expertise and ingenuity of California's future cybersecurity leaders.

As students participated in the CA Cyber Innovation Challenge, representatives from the Governor's Office of Emergency Services, the Department of Technology, the National Guard, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Los Angeles Unified School District and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo met on the Cal Poly campus to lay out a plan for strengthening the cyber professional career pathway infrastructure, including new training materials and online resources so that colleges can hit the ground running with planning and development at the start of the fall semester.

"It is inspiring to see this diverse group of leaders from across the state working together to increase opportunities and resources for cybersecurity education," said Panorea Avdis, Director of the California Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz). "Private and public sector partners working collaboratively to scale up the resources and platforms for training and skills development is the only way we will meet the demands of our future cybersecurity workforce needs."

California has more than 900 teams in the CyberPatriot program, empowering thousands of students to learn valuable skills in a team setting similar to that of traditional high school sports. In addition to the CyberPatriot program, the California Cyber Training Complex created a first of its kind "Digital Forensics" Challenge at the California Cyber Innovation Challenge. Students collected and analyzed a combination of digital and physical evidence hidden in a car, thus simulating the process of a modern-day criminal investigation. This statewide competition included teams from an entrepreneurship school, a military academy, and two all-female teams.

For more information on the Cyberhub initiative, visit http://ca-cyberhub.org/.

About GO-Biz

GO-Biz serves as the State of California's leader in job growth and economic development efforts. GO-Biz offers a range of services to business owners including: attraction, retention and expansion services, site selection, permit streamlining, clearing of regulatory hurdles, small business assistance, international trade development, assistance with state government and more.

About Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

Cal Poly is a nationally ranked, four-year, comprehensive public university located in San Luis Obispo, halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles on California's Central Coast. It is a distinctive learning community offering academically focused students a hands-on educational experience that prepares them for today's scientific and technical world. Cal Poly is consistently ranked a top university for academics, value and graduates' salaries.

About Doing What Matters for Jobs and the Economy

Doing What Matters for jobs and the economy is a four-pronged framework to respond to the call of our nation, state, and regions to close the skills gap. The goals of Doing What Matters for Jobs and the Economy are to supply in-demand skills for employers, create relevant career pathways and stackable credentials, promote student success and get Californians into open jobs.

Contact:

Scott Young

California Cyberhub

[email protected]

805 496 8583

SOURCE California Cyberhub

Related Links

http://ca-cyberhub.org


CONWAY, S.C., July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Daniel J. "Dan" Mitchell, a libertarian economist and senior fellow at the Cato Institute, will speak at Coastal Carolina University's Economic Summit scheduled for September 29 at Pine Lakes Country Club in Myrtle Beach, SC.

Daniel J. "Dan" Mitchell to speak at CCU Economic Summit

Mr. Mitchell, who joined the Cato Institute as a Senior Fellow in 2007, is involved in tax policy, and deals with issues such as the flat tax and international tax competition. In addition to his Cato Institute responsibilities, he co-founded the Center for Freedom and Prosperity, an organization formed to protect international tax competition.

Dan Mitchell's work has been published in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Times, Washington Post, National Review, Villanova Law Review, Public Choice, Journal of Regulation and Social Cost, Emory Law Journal, Forbes, USA Today, Offshore Investment, Playboy, Investor's Business Daily, and Worldwide Reinsurance Review.

He is the author of Flat Tax: Freedom, Fairness, Jobs, and Growth (1996), and co-author with Chris Edwards of Tax Revolution: The Rise of Tax Competition and the Battle to Defend It (2008). His daily blog, Liberty  Restraining Government in America and Around the World, discusses economic sanity issues affecting sustainable freedom and prosperity.

Mr. Mitchell is a frequent television commentator and appears regularly on all major networks, including CBS, NBC, ABC, CNBC, FOX, CNN, and C-SPAN.

"We are pleased to announce that Dan Mitchell has accepted our invitation to speak," said Barbara Ritter, Dean of CCU's E. Craig Wall Sr. College of Business Administration. "He is a well-respected economist and will be a welcome addition to the Summit."

The Summit, scheduled for September 29 at Pine Lakes Country Club, is administrated by CCU's Grant Center for Real Estate and Economic Development. For more information visit The Grant Center for Real Estate and Economic Development at CCU

About the Grant Center for Real Estate and Economic Development,

Coastal Carolina University, South Carolina, USA.

The Grant Center for Real Estate and Economic Development serves students and professionals engaged in all facets of real estate and economic development and provides market analysis, study-based scholarships, networking opportunities, internships and technical study tours of international sites.

The Grant Center leverages the global ties of Coastal Carolina University and key partners, including students, alumni, faculty, staff and board members. It offers courses in commercial and investment real estate, publishes scholarly research and produces applied studies for stakeholders in the region. The center also hosts the annual real estate and economic summit and awards gala, provides seminar talks on a regular basis and consults for various private, government and nonprofit groups.

The key mission is to support the education of its students to the highest levels of competence and professionalism and to broaden the economic base of the region, serving as a bridge between Coastal Carolina University and the wider community.

For More Information Contact

Marketing Strategies, Inc.

Denise Blackburn-Gay, APR

[email protected]

(843) 692-9662

Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

SOURCE Coastal Carolina University
NEW YORK, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- In his response to Philip R. Shawe's and Shirley Shawe's federal lawsuit alleging that their civil rights were violated by the Delaware Chancery Court's decision to force the sale of TransPerfect, Delaware Secretary of State Jeffrey W. Bullock states that, "Here, the State has not taken any property for public use in the context of the Fifth Amendment." He continues, "After all, the provision of the Fifth Amendment upon which Plaintiffs [Philip Shawe and Shirley Shawe] rely for their constitutional challenge is the 'Public Use Clause.'"

Secretary Bullock's interpretation is supported by Delaware Supreme Court Justice Karen L. Valihura, who, in response to Mr. Shawe's appeal of the Chancery Court, wrote in her 35-page dissenting opinion that empowering a custodian to sell stockholder's personal property against their will is unlawful under Section 226 of Delaware Law alone, before even having to reach the constitutional question.

During argument, Justice Valihura addressed TransPerfect in relation to the infamous Kelo Case and the proposed "Takings" of the Shawes' property against their will with appellee's counsel, Philip Kaufman of Kramer Levin, in the following exchange:

JUSTICE VALIHURA: What's the public use or public --

MR. KAUFMAN: The public use or interest is --

JUSTICE VALIHURA: It's public use, actually, and what is it?

MR. KAUFMAN: I would argue Delaware has a very keen interest in -- in corporations -- in regulating corporations that are Delaware corporations and in protecting the health of those corporations.

JUSTICE VALIHURA: The U.S. Supreme Court has said that the takings clause applies to personal property, just as it does to real property, and it said in the Kelo case you can't take private property from A and give it to B.

MR. KAUFMAN: Your Honor, the so-called private property here has always been subject to the statutes under which it was created and through which it was issued, and that -- and it is part --

JUSTICE VALIHURA: But that's a circular argument.

It is undisputed that the Shawes' TransPerfect private company stock certificates are personal property. For audio of Mr. Kaufman addressing case topics both in front the Delaware Supreme Court, and in other venues, click here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hj1gAtJSj9w

"The Chancellor [Bouchard] went too far, too fast"

In her dissenting opinion, Justice Valihura went on to state, "The absence of authority grounded in the statute, the conceded absence of any similar cases under Section 226, and our common law's strong preference for the least intrusive remedies in cases involving court-appointed custodians, suggest that the Chancellor went too far too fast in ordering the Modified Auction."

"Cannot point to a single case in the history"

On page 3 of the Opinion, Valihura continues, "The second principle is the long-standing, uncontested common law principle that the involvement of the Court of Chancery and court-appointed custodians in a corporation's business and affairs should be kept to a minimum. This long-standing common law view is reflected in the fact that the parties here cannot point to a single case in the history of our Section 226 jurisprudence where a court has ordered a custodial sale of a company over a stockholder's objections."

"The Court of Chancery erred by ordering the Modified Auction"

Lastly, on page 23, "Moreover, it is no answer, as Ms. Elting suggests, that Section 394 provides that all corporations agree to make all provisions (including Section 226) part of their respective charters. This is a circular argument. The question here is what are the limits, if any, of the court's power under Section 226? Our statutory scheme should be read harmoniously. Reading the statutory scheme harmoniously compels the conclusion that Section 226 does not permit the Court of Chancery to confer upon a custodian the power to sell a corporation over the objection of its shareholders. Thus, I believe that the Court of Chancery erred by ordering the Modified Auction"

Legislating From the Bench

In conclusion, page 36 of the dissent states, "The Majority Opinion now puts stockholders on notice, at least prospectively, that in deadlock situations where a custodian is appointed pursuant to Section 226, a sale to a third party over the objections of stockholders is a potential permissible outcome, even for a thriving business. This "judicially created notice" now accomplishes what is expressly stated in other provisions of the DGCL and other statutes where defeasance of property rights is possible. These stockholders, however, appear to be stuck with this unanticipated outcome."

Oral Arguments in the Philip R. Shawe Law School Scholarship Are About to Kick Off

Approximately 240 student teams from law schools across the country responded and the contestants prepared briefs addressing constitutional implications (Due Process and Takings Clauses) of the Delaware courts' powers to adopt a forced sale remedy when shareholders of a highly profitable, privately-held corporation are deadlocked. All of the briefs were judged first by a group of experienced counsel from Lateral Link Group, Inc. The top ten contestants were narrowed, and the panel of four distinguished judges then decided on the final three contestants. These three will prepare their arguments as if they were going before the United States Supreme Court and present their oral arguments to the Panel, which will rank them. Scholarships will be given in the following amounts: First place will be awarded $65,000, second place $25,000, and third place $10,000. The remainders of top 10 teams are being brought to New York to attend, and be honored as well. The event begins on July 20th, at 5:00 pm, in Brooklyn Borough Hall Courthouse.

Property Rights Advocate Suzette Kelo and Renowned Constitutional Scholar Alan Dershowitz Will Attend

Property Rights Advocate Suzette Kelo will attend as an Honored Guest, and Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz will deliver the Keynote Address. In addition, Professor Dershowitz joins a distinguished panel of judges presiding over the mock oral arguments, including: Judge Carmen Beauchamp Ciparick (Ret), Senior Associate Judge of the New York State Court of Appeals, Justice Melvin Schweitzer (Ret), New York State Supreme Court, Commercial Division, and Joseph D. Hansen, former Director of Interns for Justice Schweitzer, New York State Supreme Court, Commercial Division.

SOURCE Shirley Shawe
Dell announces findings of annual Dell Women Entrepreneur Cities (WE Cities) Index the only global, gender-specific index that looks at a city's ability to attract and foster growth of women-owned firms

New York City , the San Francisco Bay Area , London , Boston and Stockholm are the top-five cities for high-potential women entrepreneurs

, the , , and are the top-five cities for high-potential women entrepreneurs According to extensive data and analysis, when impediments to female entrepreneurship are removed, there is a dramatic uplift in a city's economic prospects

Dell's WE Cities Index provides a diagnostic tool to advise entrepreneurs and policy-makers on how to improve conditions to enable businesses founded by women to thrive

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Today at the 8th annual Dell Women Entrepreneur Network Summit, Dell announced findings of the 2017 Women Entrepreneur Cities (WE Cities) Index, revealing how 50 top global cities are fostering high-potential women entrepreneurs (HPWE). Building on 2016 WE Cities research, this study ranks cities based on the impact of local policies, programs and characteristics in addition to national laws and customs.

"Globally, women's entrepreneurship rates are growing more than 10 percent each year. In fact, women are as likely or more likely than men to start businesses in many markets. However, financial, cultural and political barriers can limit the success of these businesses," said Karen Quintos, EVP and chief customer officer at Dell. "By arming city leaders and policymakers with data-driven research and clear calls to action, we can collectively improve the landscape for high-potential women entrepreneurs, which in turn dramatically lifts a city's economic prospects  as what is good for women is good for the economy."

"It is in the world's best interest that women entrepreneurs everywhere thrive. The WE Cities Index can be used as a diagnostic tool to help ensure that lawmakers are enabling women entrepreneurs to succeed," said Elizabeth Gore, entrepreneur-in- residence at Dell. "Each of the cities on this list can learn from one another and encourage political change to attract and support women entrepreneurs. The resulting change will be felt at not just a city level, around the world as we develop an ecosystem where all entrepreneurs can thrive regardless of gender."

Top 50 WE Cities Ranking & Methodology

Building on the past five years of Dell research on HPWE, cities were ranked on five important characteristics: capital, technology, talent, culture and markets. These pillars were organized into two groups  operating environment and enabling environment. The overall rating is based on 72 indicators; 45 of these, nearly two-thirds, have a gender-based component. Individual indicators were weighted based on four criteria: relevance, quality of underlying data, uniqueness in the index and gender component. The 50 cities were ranked as follows:

New York City Bay Area London Boston Stockholm Los Angeles Washington, D.C. Singapore Toronto Seattle Sydney Paris Chicago Minneapolis Austin Hong Kong Melbourne Atlanta Amsterdam Portland (OR) Berlin Taipei Pittsburgh Tel Aviv Copenhagen Vancouver Houston Johannesburg Barcelona Seoul Munich Miami / Ft. Lauderdale Nairobi Dublin Warsaw Belfast Milan Beijing Tokyo Bangalore Kuala Lumpur Sao Paulo Dubai Shanghai Mexico City Lima Guadalajara Istanbul Delhi Jakarta

New York City ranks No. 1 overall among the 50 cities for its ability to attract and support HPWE with a top-ranked Operating Environment and Enabling Environment ranked. While New York City ranks No. 1 for Markets, and within that, Access and Policy, it's No. 6 in Talent, and No. 2 in Capital, trailing the Bay Area . It is No. 1 in Culture, followed by Sydney , and ranks No. 2 in Technology

ranks No. 1 overall among the 50 cities for its ability to attract and support HPWE with a top-ranked Operating Environment and Enabling Environment ranked. While ranks No. 1 for Markets, and within that, Access and Policy, it's No. 6 in Talent, and No. 2 in Capital, trailing the . It is No. 1 in Culture, followed by , and ranks No. 2 in Technology While NYC ranked No. 1, its total score out of 100 was 62.9, leaving considerable room for improvement

The Bay Area (consisting of the San Francisco and San Jose metro areas) ranks No. 2 overall, ranking No. 2 in Operating Environment and No. 7 for Enabling Environment. It ranks No. 1 for Capital, No. 2 for Markets, No. 8 in Talent, No. 7 in Technology and No. 6 in Culture

(consisting of the and metro areas) ranks No. 2 overall, ranking No. 2 in Operating Environment and No. 7 for Enabling Environment. It ranks No. 1 for Capital, No. 2 for Markets, No. 8 in Talent, No. 7 in Technology and No. 6 in Culture London ranks No. 3 overall, and in Operating Environment, performing No. 3 for Markets and for Capital. It ranks No. 4 in Enabling Environment, and ties at No. 2 with Austin in Technology

ranks No. 3 overall, and in Operating Environment, performing No. 3 for Markets and for Capital. It ranks No. 4 in Enabling Environment, and ties at No. 2 with in Technology Boston and Stockholm round out the top 5 in the overall ranking

and round out the top 5 in the overall ranking Boston , No. 4 on the overall list also No. 4 in Operating Environment and Capital and reaching No. 3 in Talent

, No. 4 on the overall list also No. 4 in Operating Environment and Capital and reaching No. 3 in Talent Stockholm (No. 5 on list) ranks No. 2 in Enabling Environment, No. 3 in Technology and No. 4 in Culture

(No. 5 on list) ranks No. 2 in Enabling Environment, No. 3 in Technology and No. 4 in Culture In the top 10 cities overall, six are in the U.S., two are in Europe , one is in Canada and one is in Asia

, one is in and one is in 41 of the cities in this index are in the top five for at least one pillar or sub-category; 34 of the cities are in the bottom five for at least one of the pillars or sub-categories  demonstrating the competitiveness of these 50 cities

Of the cities in the top 10 cities overall, only New York City and Washington, D.C. rank in the bottom five on any pillar or sub-category ( New York City for cost of Market access and New York City and Washington, D.C. for cost of Technology)

and rank in the bottom five on any pillar or sub-category ( for cost of Market access and and for cost of Technology) Of the top 10 cities overall, only the Bay Area and New York ranks in the top 10 across all 5 pillars

The 2016 and 2017 studies differ in several ways, including the total number of cities, number of indicators and the weight of indicators based on new data sources. Given the new elements to the ranking, scores should not be compared year-over-year.

About WE Cities

Dell partnered with IHS Markit  a leading source of insight and analytics that shape today's business landscape  to launch this first-of-its-kind, global research that will measure a city's ability to attract and support high-potential women entrepreneurs.

Research for WE Cities began during the 2016 DWEN Future Ready Research Symposium chaired by Dr. David Ricketts from the Technology and Entrepreneurship Center at Harvard. The research symposium brought together 40 global thought leaders, women entrepreneurs, academics and media to develop insights for the model. Key takeaways from the conversations at the Symposium included:

Access to capital is still the No. 1 challenge that women entrepreneurs face, although the numbers are showing a slight improvement

Creating robust ecosystems with incubators, accelerators and mentors makes a world of difference for entrepreneurs  it's all about the network

Cultural norms and their policy implications put serious binds on female entrepreneurs

Talent, both in terms of the entrepreneurs' own talent, including education and experience, and having access to a skilled staff also resonated as highly important

The successful pilot of the 2016 Index led to the scaling for the 2017 Index to include 50 cities.

About the Dell Women's Entrepreneur Network

As the visionary outcome of a true entrepreneur, Dell is committed to help power the success of entrepreneurs by developing technology solutions that enable human potential. Through the Dell Women's Entrepreneur Network, Dell supports and nurtures a community of female entrepreneurs by providing access to technology, networks and capital. Learn more here.

About the Annual Dell Women's Entrepreneur Network Summit

Dell is excited to host the 8th annual Dell Women's Entrepreneur Network (DWEN) Summit in San Francisco from July 17-18, 2017, with its Welcome Reception on Sunday, July 16. Over 150 female founders, CEOs, dignitaries, Dell Leaders and more will convene to connect and discuss today's pressing topics. Through inspiring keynotes, informative panels and innovative workshops, the 2017 DWEN Summit will be the go-to resource for support and solutions that facilitate entrepreneurship. It is Dell's mission to bring vital knowledge and tailored technology for women-led companies small and large. For more on the event, please click here.

About Dell Inc.

Dell Inc., a part of Dell Technologies, provides customers of all sizes  including 98 percent of the Fortune 500  with a broad, innovative portfolio from edge to core to cloud. Dell Inc. comprises Dell client as well as Dell EMC infrastructure offerings that enable organizations to modernize, automate and transform their data center while providing today's workforce and consumers what they need to securely connect, produce, and collaborate from anywhere at any time.

Copyright  2017 Dell Inc. or its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved. Dell, Dell Inc. and the Dell logo are trademarks of Dell Technologies in the United States and/or other jurisdictions. All other marks and names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective companies.

SOURCE Dell Inc.
Held at the beautiful Fairmont Orchid along the magnificent Kohala Coast, the 27th Annual UCLA Hawaii Symposium was a must for anyone in the dental industry. Boasting a bevy of industry thought leaders, this multi-day event was attended by both new practices and seasoned dentists. Winner of "Dentistry Today's Consulting Leader" 11 consecutive years, Cindy Ishimoto shared her charisma and in-depth knowledge to the captivated audience.

The natural beauty of the ocean side location was the perfect backdrop for this event. Attendees had a chance to bring their families for a fun and relaxing vacation. Hundreds of dental professionals came away with enlightening information and techniques. As an international dental speaker and consultant, Cindy Ishimoto presented on Wednesday, July 5th to a packed house.

From office managers to practice owners, each year the annual symposium attracts hundreds of participants. The atmosphere was electric and attendees came away satisfied and ready to apply what they learned to their own teams immediately.

As the premiere US dental speaker, Cindy Ishimoto continues a busy dental speaking and consulting schedule in both America and abroad. To learn more, please visit http://cindyishimoto.com/calendar.

About Cindy Ishimoto

With over 35 years of experience speaking and consulting for individual dental practices, Cindy Ishimoto is an expert USA dental speaker and dental practice management consultant. She is also a member of The Academy of Dental Management Consultants, the National Speakers Association, and the American Association of Dental Office Managers. Cindy's offices are located at 314 Ekoa Pl, Wailuku, Maui, HI, USA 96793 . She can be reached by phone at (855) 534-5808 or by email at [email protected] . To learn more, visit Cindy Ishimoto's website at http://cindyishimoto.com .

SOURCE Cindy Ishimoto
From her arrival in the USA as a 17-year old immigrant from Jamaica to her current position at Shaw as one of the country's youngest college leaders, Dr. Dubroy's career in academia has been on a consistent and shining ascent. Her personal story is a lesson in dedication, persistence and a fierce will to overcome adversity.

"My mother left our home when I was 13 years old," Dr. Dubroy explains. "She said I'm going to the USA to make a better life for our family. I didn't see her for two years but she paved the way for me to join her and continue my education. My childhood was quite unique. Even though my parents didn't have a college education, once they sparked a hunger in me for excellence and a can-do spirit, they knew I would take flight. It was a blessing to have such parents who believed in me."

Appointed as Shaw's President in August 2015, Dr. Dubroy helped to revitalize her Alma Mater's campus operations, budget performance and enrollment. She is credited with the university's first enrollment increase in six years and closing a $4 million fundraising gap, including $630,000 -- the single largest total ever raised in an alumni event.

Dr. Dubroy's emphasis on fiscal conservatism and process optimization helped the university to develop several key campus initiatives, including the termination of a three-year salary reduction program, investments in long-deferred facility projects and the establishment of recruitment bolstering initiatives.

"We are proud of her energetic, inclusive and refreshing leadership," says Shaw's Board Chairman Dr. Joe Bell, "and the manner in which she led our institution to surpass goals in student enrollment, fundraising and cost control. We wish her all the best in the next phase of her professional journey."

"I thank the Shaw University Board of Trustees for their faith in me, who interviewed a 34-year-old woman with a Jamaican accent, who had no experiential proof that she could do the job as president," says Dr. Dubroy, "...but who walked into the interview with a bold vision, dressed in a navy blue pant suit and pearls, and they hired me!"

Dr. Dubroy has received numerous honors for her innovative leadership at Shaw, including the 2017 CEO of the Year by the Triangle Business Journal, the 2016 Presidential Medal of Excellence from Kingsborough Community College, and she is the first recipient of the 2016 Spirit of Excellence in Higher Education award from the Movement of Youth organization.

"Many of the students we serve at Shaw University are facing many of the same challenges that I faced as a student. We fight every single day to make a difference in their lives, to ease the adversities they encounter in pursuit of a college education. I am proud to be counted among other university leaders who are committed gladiators in higher education. I also want to acknowledge the dedication of my fellow women presidents, who are equally deserving of this accolade."

Dr. Dubroy began her career as a Research Scientist at BASF, the world's largest chemical company. She quickly ascended to the position of global technology analyst, and after two years, was appointed to serve as chemical procurement manager, where she managed a strategic sourcing budget of $35 million.

Dr. Dubroy earned her Ph.D. in Physical Organic Chemistry from North Carolina State University in 2007 and holds a Masters of Business Administration from Rutgers University in New Jersey.

About Shaw University

Shaw University, located in North Carolina's vibrant Downtown Raleigh, is the first historically black institution of higher education in the Southern United States. Founded in 1865 by Dr. Henry Martin Tupper, Shaw is proud to be educating more than 1,800 students who will become the change agents of tomorrow. Under the avant-garde leadership of our current president Dr. Tashni Ann Dubroy, our motto is "This is E.P.I.C," as we are committed to advancing our mission with Entrepreneurial Thinking, Positioning and Presence, Innovation, and Customer Care. Learn more at: www.shawu.edu

SOURCE Shaw University
REDWOOD SHORES, Calif., July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Kunshan University, a highly innovative joint venture of Duke University, Wuhan University and the City of Kunshan, China, has selected Oracle Student Cloud to support student recruitment, enrollment and engagement. Oracle Student Cloud will help Duke Kunshan University maintain operational excellence and student success by using technology to help modernize and optimize the student experience.

Established in 2014 and located in Kunshan, China, Duke Kunshan University offers a range of academic programs for students from China and throughout the world. To support its goal of becoming a world-class liberal arts and research university, Duke Kunshan University wanted to ensure that every student received a unique, all-inclusive experience from onboarding to graduation. To deliver a personalized and seamless experience across channels and devices, Duke Kunshan University selected Oracle Student Cloud.

"We knew that creating a new world-class university focused on liberal arts and research in China was going to be a challenge and a distinct opportunity for higher education innovation, and we want our students to be prepared and also acquainted with the latest technologies," said Denis Simon, Executive Vice Chancellor at Duke Kunshan. "Duke Kunshan University will provide an intimate and forward-looking educational experience, from enrollment to graduation, for all of our students. Oracle Student Cloud is a student-centric solution that supports flexible learning models and helps us meet the increasing demands of today's economy and diverse student body."

Duke Kunshan University plans to use Oracle Student Cloud, including Student Engagement and Student Recruiting, to recruit highly qualified students, drive program success and help reduce costs. Student Engagement and Student Recruiting are designed to enable Duke Kunshan University to analyze the student journey and help meet its admission objectives. In addition, the university will be able to operationalize its undergraduate program through the implementation of Oracle's Campus Solutions student information system.

"By combining deep domain knowledge that has been established over a quarter of a century with a modern and secure cloud, Oracle is helping more than 800 higher education institutions around the world drive success," said Vivian Wong, group vice president, Higher Education Development at Oracle. "Oracle's next-generation cloud platform for Higher Education is designed to modernize education institutions, accelerate insight, and empower students via an intuitive user experience, embedded analytics, and built-in collaboration delivering comprehensive support for the entire student lifecycle."

Additional Information

Oracle Student Cloud is a comprehensive solution focused on managing the student lifecycle and promoting collaborative relationships with the goal of student success. The solution benefits institutions by enabling them to anticipate students' needs, illuminating their academic path and empowering students to succeed.

Duke Kunshan University selected global professional services firm Huron to integrate the cloud solution.

"Higher education leaders understand that the benefits of cloud technology go beyond efficiency gains to support their goals of attracting, retaining and graduating quality students," said Steve Kish, Managing Director, Huron. "By providing students a seamless experience, including remote access to secure data with any type of device, forward-looking institutions like Duke Kunshan University are enhancing the student experience and student success."

About Duke Kunshan University

Duke Kunshan University is an innovative partnership between Duke University, Wuhan University, and the City of Kunshan to create a world-class liberal arts and research university offering a range of academic programs for students from China and around the world. A non-profit, joint-venture institution, Duke Kunshan was granted accreditation approval by China's Ministry of Education in September 2013 and welcomed its inaugural class of students in August 2014. In August 2018, Duke Kunshan University will welcome the first students in its four-year undergraduate degree program. Currently, Duke Kunshan offers four master programs in medical physics, global health, environmental policy and management studies, which grant Duke degrees to its graduates. An undergraduate Global Learning Semester program offers a semester-long learning experience to undergraduate students currently enrolled at other Chinese and international universities.

The Duke Kunshan University campus is located in Kunshan, Jiangsu province, China. Located in close proximity to both Shanghai and Suzhou and connected to both by high-speed rail, the city of Kunshan is a center for business, high-tech research and advanced manufacturing and has one of the fastest growing local economies in China.

About Oracle



The Oracle Cloud offers complete SaaS application suites for ERP, HCM and CX, plus best-in-class database Platform as a Service (PaaS) and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) from data centers throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia. For more information about Oracle (NYSE:ORCL), please visit us at oracle.com.

Trademarks

Oracle and Java are registered trademarks of Oracle and/or its affiliates. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

SOURCE Oracle

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HAMPTON ROADS, Va., July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- In the hundred years since its establishment, NASA's Langley Research Center (LaRC) has been at the leading edge of aerospace achievement, scientific discoveries, and technological breakthroughs. Established on July 17, 1917, the nation's first civilian aeronautical research laboratory has played a proud and ongoing role as a comprehensive, world-class center for aeronautics.

VIEW 100TH ANNIVERSARY MAGAZINE

This year, America celebrates this iconic research facility and the remarkable people who played a pivotal role in helping American aircraft dominate the world's airways between the wars, and then made the difference between Allied victory and defeat in the air during World War II. Langley researchers were key in breaking the sound barrier, putting the first Americans in space, achieving President John F. Kennedy's goal of landing humans on the moon, managing the famed Viking mission to Mars, developing and testing of NASA's space shuttle, laying the groundwork for operating the International Space Station, and so much more.

Today, Langley continues its work to improve the air travel system, making aircraft safer and more environmentally friendly. Langley studies the Earth's atmosphere in an effort to better understand our changing planet. Technologies and capabilities needed for the journey to Mars and farther into the solar system are also being developed at Langley. NASA Langley's years of experience and unique facilities are being leveraged to develop technologies for autonomous vehicle systems. Truly, NASA Langley embodies a storied past and a soaring future.

VIEW 100TH ANNIVERSARY MAGAZINE

Faircount commemorated Langley Research Center's centennial via a special printed and online publication titled NASA Langley Research Center 1917-2017. The publication examines through feature articles and photographs the storied legacy of the research center, and its soaring future, including both the manned and unmanned programs, future missions, and new platforms such as the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV), the Space Launch System (SLS), Advanced Air Vehicles Program, and much more. The publication made its debut during the Centennial Symposium and Centennial Gala being hosted by NASA at the Hampton Convention Center in Hampton Roads, Virginia, July 12-14, 2017. The publication was completely underwritten by Faircount, with costs met through advertisements from third parties.

Faircount Media Group is a custom publishing company with considerable expertise in the development of specialized publications for professional organizations in science, medicine, government, and military. The company has or is producing publications on the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Navy League of the United States, FBI, National Education Association, U.S. Public Health Service, U.S. Marine Corps, Special Operations Command, plus many others. Faircount has been in business for more than 25 years, with offices in Tampa (USA), London (UK), and Sydney (Australia). Please visit www.Faircount.com to learn more.

Photo(s):

https://www.prlog.org/12652670

Press release distributed by PRLog

SOURCE Faircount

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The title of the event is "Are You Giving the Right Message to the Right People at the Right Time?" Register here.

"Many companies don't realize the direct correlation between a consistent message and business growth," said FLETCH President Keith Fletcher. "They default to tactics before they know who they are, what they do and why they do it."

BizSynced answers these questions and then establishes consistent visual and verbal brand messaging that prevents clients from having to reinvent the wheel with every project.

"When sales and marketing are at odds, they weaken their brand by not conveying a consistent brand message," said Fletcher. "In some cases, it's like not even having a brand at all."

In companies of all sizes, marketing leaders struggle with the challenge of aligning their key constituents behind a consistent brand identity.

BizSynced allows a company to:

provide everyone inside and outside the company with a consistent and appropriate brand experience;

give sales the right messages to streamline and close faster;

adjust quickly to market changes to remain relevant;

convey a larger brand presence;

lay the groundwork for greater business growth.

The BizSynced process begins with a client workshop that explores issues from revenue and corporate goals to product, service, sales and marketing efforts and how they are and are not aligned.

The workshop deliverable is a high-level action plan, a timeline and a budget for developing and executing a visual and verbal identity that will resonate in all the client's communications channels.

About FLETCH Creative: FLETCH is an Atlanta-based integrated global branding and marketing firm that uses strategy, technology and creativity to drive new business for its clients. FLETCH offers a full range of digital and marketing services. To learn more about FLETCH, please visit http://fletchcreative.com/

Contact:

Clair Owens

[email protected]

+1 678-691-7223 Ext. 406

SOURCE FLETCH Creative

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DALLAS, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Freeman, the leading global provider of brand experiences, announced today the launch of its Digital Marketing Services, a suite of capabilities available globally to Freeman clients. The offering leverages the Freeman web/app development, social media strategy, digital advertising, email marketing, and data analytics services to provide customers with year-over-year event growth. The Freeman Digital Marketing Services solution is bolstered by an investment in and partnership with Feathr, an award-winning event personalization platform.

"The link between and integration of digital and brand experience represents a powerful proposition to engage audiences in meaningful ways. Digital Marketing Services offers our customers a cohesive and strategic way to drive innovation while improving and evolving the event digital space," said Richard Maranville, chief digital officer at Freeman. "Along with the value we see in face-to-face engagements, we've continued to see vast growth potential around investing in digital, especially as companies increasingly see value in an integrated digital experience for their events."

The new services are designed to boost online registration, drive social and brand engagements, and increase revenue for Freeman customers by integrating event industry-specific strategy, new engaging digital creative storytelling, and deep quantitative analysis.

"We leveraged the Freeman Digital Marketing Services group to implement a retargeting campaign for our VidCon events," said Michael Gardner, chief operating officer of VidCon, the world's largest gathering of digital video fans, creators, and industry leaders. "We were able to reduce our conversion costs to register new attendees and are pleased with the growth that we received from the campaign."

To enhance Freeman's suite of services to further increase return for its clients such as VidCon, Freeman Digital Ventures, led by Maranville, has partnered with and invested in event personalization platform Feathr. The unique platform complements Freeman's continued commitment to innovation and investment in the event digital marketing space and as part of the new Digital Marketing Services offering. Freeman Digital Ventures is a dedicated fund used to accelerate innovation by investing in partnerships that support the development and integration of increasing relevant technology and digital advances for the brand experience category.

"The lines between live and digital continue to blur and, at Freeman, we are focused on helping the industry evolve to meet the changing demands of societies and businesses," said Bob Priest-Heck, president of Freeman. "Digital Marketing Services will help our customers better connect with their audiences while integrating into a seamless brand experience."

The launch of Digital Marketing Services and the investment in Feathr is the latest move by Freeman Digital Ventures, following investments in OnlineEvent, an online learning platform brought to market in partnership with Blue Sky eLearn, and DoubleDutch, the global leading provider of mobile event apps; as well as the acquisition of engagement technology company Klowd.com and the launch of the Freeman virtual reality offering.

To learn more about digital marketing services, register for our webinar on the strategies and techniques beyond email that effectively power event growth.

ABOUT FREEMAN

Freeman is the world's leading brand experience company. We help our clients design, plan, and deliver immersive experiences for their most important audiences. Through comprehensive solutions including strategy, creative, logistics, digital solutions, and event technology, Freeman helps increase engagement and drive business results. What makes us different is our collaborative culture, intuitive knowledge, global perspective, and personalized approach, gained from our 90 years as an industry leader. Freeman is a family-owned company with 90+ locations worldwide and over 7,000 employees, 2,000 of whom are located outside the U.S. For more information, visit www.freeman.com.

Social Networks:

Web: www.freeman.com

Insights: www.freeman.com/insights

Twitter: www.twitter.com/freemanco

Facebook: www.facebook.com/freemanfans

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/the-freeman-company

YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/FreemancoVideos

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/freemanco/

Tumblr: https://freemancompany.tumblr.com/

Instagram: www.instagram.com/freemancompany/

SOURCE Freeman

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LAS VEGAS, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- GB Sciences, Inc. (OTCQB: GBLX) has signed a Consulting Services Agreement with Worldwide Clinical Trials, Inc. to evaluate the company's intellectual property portfolio and to assist with pre-IND planning for its proprietary cannabis-based formulations. These pre-IND consulting services will be performed by the Chief Medical and Scientific Officer (CMSO) of Worldwide, Michael F. Murphy, MD, PhD, as the representative of an extended Worldwide team. Dr. Murphy has participated in the IND application process for multiple small molecules and biologics with 19 therapeutic targets, across five divisions of the FDA. Dr. Murphy was also the Clinical Research and Excellence (CARE) Lifetime Achievement Award recipient for 2017. The award is presented annually to an extraordinary individual with exceptional contributions and a consistent history of service to the clinical research industry throughout their career.

According to Dr. Murphy, "Current research and development practices emphasize the importance of coordinated activity by industry, academia, and contract research organizations in the evaluation of innovative products, like those of GB Sciences. The process enhances program efficiency, facilitates the integration of the perspective of diverse stakeholders early in clinical development, and is a testament to GB Sciences' strategic vision for the development of their portfolio of products. Worldwide is very pleased to be a contributor to that process, and the state-of-the-art technology which it reflects."

Growblox Life Sciences LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of GB Sciences, Inc., has filed three provisional patent applications to protect complex mixtures derived from the cannabis plant, which address twenty-six different disease-specific formulations within the Company's intellectual property portfolio. On April 21, 2017, the Company held a Drug Development Strategy Meeting in Las Vegas, co-chaired by Dr. Murphy, and GB Sciences' Chief Science Officer, Dr. Andrea Small-Howard. Reviewing the scientific validation and market factors related to the development of these twenty-six disease-specific formulations formed the basis of the criteria for selecting three disease-specific formulations from the portfolio for further development by Growblox Life Sciences.

The Company will now focus its resources on the development of: a) two formulations that will be prepared for pilot human studies in the Nevada market and b) one formulation that will be put through pre-clinical studies prior to an IND-filing for official FDA-registered clinical trials.

"We are honored to be working with Dr. Michael Murphy and the industry experts at Worldwide Clinical Trials to evaluate our portfolio and to create the pre-IND plan for the development of our cardiovascular therapies and to design our pilot studies for evaluating the effectiveness of both our Parkinson's disease and chronic pain formulations," said Dr. Andrea Small-Howard, Chief Science Officer of GB Sciences, Inc.

About Worldwide Clinical Trials

Worldwide Clinical Trials employs more than 1,400 professionals around the world, with offices in North and South America, Eastern and Western Europe, Russia and Asia. Founded by physicians committed to advancing medical science, Worldwide is out to change how the world sees CROs  in the best possible way. From early phase and bioanalytical sciences through late phase and post-approval, we provide world-class, full-service drug development services. With infrastructure and talent spanning 60 countries, we execute predictable, successful studies with operational excellence across a range of therapeutic areas, including neuroscience, cardiovascular diseases, immune-mediated inflammatory disorders (IMID) and rare diseases. We never compromise on science or safety. We're never satisfied with the status quo. We're the Cure for the Common CRO. For more information, visit Worldwide.com.

About Growblox Life Sciences, LLC.

Growblox Life Sciences is a wholly owned subsidiary of GB Sciences, Inc. GB Sciences (GBLX) is a diverse cannabis company, focused on standardized cultivation and production methods; as well as biopharmaceutical research and development. The Company's goal is creating safe, standardized, medical-grade, cannabinoid therapies that target a variety of medical conditions. To learn more about GB Sciences, Inc., go to: http://gbsciences.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain statements relating to future results or events, which are forward-looking statements. Words such as "expects", "intends", "plans", "may", "could", "should", "anticipates", "likely", "believes" and words of similar import may identify forward-looking statements. These statements are not historical facts, but instead represent only the Company's belief regarding future events, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of the Company's control. It is possible that the Company's actual results and financial condition may differ, possibly materially, from the anticipated results and financial condition indicated in these forward-looking statements. Further, information concerning the Company and its business, including factors that potentially could materially affect the Company's business and financial and other results, are contained in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, available at www.sec.gov. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are made only as of the date of this press release, and we do not undertake any obligation to publicly update or correct any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that subsequently occur or of which we hereafter become aware.

Note: Although the Company's research and development activities are not illegal, the production and sale of cannabis products violate federal laws as they presently exist.

Contact Information

Corporate:

GB Sciences, Inc., 3550 West Teco Ave., Las Vegas, NV 89118

866-721-0297, or

Liz Bianco Publicity Director, [email protected], http://gbsciences.com

Tom Acuragi, COO, [email protected]

SOURCE GB Sciences, Inc.

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PHOENIX, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Controversy drives today's media forward, and lifting the United States cannabis prohibition remains a hot topic of debate as politics continue to catch up with public opinion, new science, and medical discoveries. Chris Disimone and Jerry Kelly, the owners and founders of Go Green Processing, LLC (GGP) has established a Joint Venture with Troy Bohlke, of Capital 4 Cannabis (C4C), a company powered by New Business Funders, in the interest of creating a business development, funding and finance coalition. Its purpose is to specifically assist new, legal medicinal cannabis, and industrial hemp companies. Now, whatever the operation, there is now a resource every legalized market in the United States will be able to call upon for safe, secure, and dependable business development support.

A company powered by New Business Funders. Capital 4 Cannabis is a kick start on funding for the business owners. Managed by Troy Bohlke, Set to provide Merchant Services, ATMs and virtual Vaults with Armored trucks to the Cannabis Industry through Coalition.

It was not long ago that support for the cannabis and industrial hemp industries in banking and finance was nearly non-existent. The political field was creating roadblocks that Go Green Processing has now been able to overcome. With the Joint Venture between Capital 4 Cannabis and Go Green Processing now underway, they maintain their position on the forefront of the medicinal cannabis and industrial hemp markets.

Bohlke of C4C says, "The minute that I saw the incredible and almost instantaneous impact of Cannabinoids, (CBDs) on incurable medical conditions, I was literally blown away. From that moment onward, I wanted our company to be a part of this industry in some way. Now, through our co-sponsorship of Southwest Cannabis Conference and Expo (http://swccexpo.com), and providing new and convenient ways for patients to pay for their prescribed medicine  we now feel we are doing our part."

"The objective is to provide non-addictive alternative medicine to replace current opiate treatments. To me this an absolute lifesaver and worth being a part it," Bohlke continued.

So far, the government and FDA have prevented much of the economic functions needed to provide this incredible and natural medicinal alternative from developing. Go Green Processing, as well as many other players in the Cannabis industry have the same opinion.

Disimone & Kelly GGP states, "There is so much more beyond just whether cannabis can be provided as a treatment option, such as the logistical processes that go into providing that medicine as well as the consumer's ability to conveniently purchase that medicine."

Pioneers ahead of their time, Disimone & Kelly of GGP are providing Cash depository with vaults, ATM machines and support, and "Seed to Sale" Customer Retention Management, (CRM) and Point of Sale (POS) system.

This breakthrough will ensure that the industry will overcome the obstacles of moving capital. In fact, many experts and consumers agree the day is near that traditional banking will evolve and embrace the Cannabis and Industrial Hemp industries.

What this means for the industry is that now through Disimone, Kelly and Bohlke, the industry has the ability to develop more quickly and efficiently than it ever has before. Whether we are speaking in terms of farming, cultivation, distribution, or localized market sales, the capital needed to fund every step of the process is now within the grasp of the companies that need it most.

Media Contact:

10 Day Media

Renee Becker

480-712-4923

Go Green Processing:

Jerry Kelly- Co Founder and Owner

(800) 338-1458

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htto://10daymedia.com

SOURCE Go Green Processing

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BOSTON, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Gravyty, the leader in artificial intelligence (AI) fundraising software, announced the release of 'First Draft,' the first AI application designed to proactively and automatically craft personalized, donor-centric emails at the most opportune times on behalf of frontline fundraisers at nonprofit organizations.

"Gravyty's 'First Draft' self-writing email drafter removes two time-consuming steps for fundraisers," says Adam Martel, CEO and co-founder at Gravyty. "By utilizing advances in AI to determine which donors to email, when to email them, and what to email them about, 'First Draft' proactively crafts the first draft of emails to donors at the most opportune times throughout the year. This technology will allow frontline fundraisers to spend more time focused on building relationships and inspiring donors to support their organizations."

Whether Gravyty is being used to manage major or leadership donors, assist the annual fund, or augment an organization's portfolio researchers, Gravyty 'First Draft' will scale personalized outreach to identify and connect with more donors.

"'First Draft' is intelligent and deploys advanced machine learning to learn about the fundraiser and their preferences over time," says Rich Palmer, CTO and co-founder at Gravyty. "As fundraisers update and personalize drafts for their donors, Gravyty leverages these insights to better craft future messages. 'First Draft' continues to improve over time, enhancing the fundraiser's ability to scale their outreach like never before."

No matter what fundraising database is being used (Blackbaud, Ellucian, ROI Solutions, Salesforce, Abila, etc.), Gravyty enables organizations to effortlessly manage larger portfolios of donors. This results in improved donor retention and increased donation revenue at any organization.

"'First Draft' AI-automated emails are the technology of the future. This innovation drives personalization at scale to help resource-constrained nonprofits fundraise more intelligently. This can, and will, change the way organizations raise money," says Jere Doyle, Executive Director of Edmund H. Shea Jr. Center for Entrepreneurship at Boston College and Managing Director at Sigma Prime Ventures.

About Gravyty

Gravyty provides sales enablement tools to empower frontline fundraisers at nonprofit organizations to raise more money from major and mid-level donors. Gravyty leverages artificial intelligence and machine learning to automate the most time-consuming processes for frontline fundraisers. Gravyty was founded at Babson College by Adam Martel and Rich Palmer and practices the motto, "you shouldn't have to learn your software, your software should learn you!"

Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE Gravyty
JACKSON, Mich., July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Plexus Technology Group, LLC (Plexus TG), a market-leading, best-of breed provider of anesthesia information management systems (AIMS), announces Hilo Medical Center, rated a four-star acute care hospital by Centers for Medicaid & Medicare and located in Hilo, Hawaii, successfully automated its anesthesia documentation, transitioning from paper records to Anesthesia Touch. Healthcare Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS) recognized Hilo Medical Center for developing a proven health information technology system with the implementation of MEDITECH 6.0x electronic health record (EHR) to improve patient outcomes by selecting Hilo Medical Center as the first "safety net" hospital to receive its prestigious Enterprise Davies Award.

Anesthesia Touch (Anesthesia EMR)

Hilo Medical Center selected Plexus TG after searching for a comprehensive AIMS solution with proven interoperability, excellent mobility and ease of use. By integrating the documentation between Plexus TG's Anesthesia Touch and their MEDITECH EMR, Hilo Medical Center simplifies their perioperative surgical workflow and enhances clinician and patient satisfaction. The EHR interfacing and monitor connectivity provides the anesthesia clinicians with access to scheduling data, patient demographics and physiologic data, giving providers the information they need when they need it.

"Plexus has proven to be a welcome partner in delivering a user friendly and adaptable AIMS at Hilo Medical Center. The Plexus team has been readily available to assist in providing solutions to optimize workflow," said Steve Lazaro, MD, Medical Director of Anesthesia Services at Hilo Medical Center.

"We appreciate our partnership with Hilo Medical Center and support their commitment to excellence by incorporating innovative technology into their perioperative workflow," explained Tony Mira, CEO of Plexus Technology Group. "By automating the clinical documentation process, the clinicians can access patient information and anesthesia records quickly, as well as having access to extensive data analytics that support national quality initiatives."

As an iPad-based anesthesia documentation solution, Anesthesia Touch's full KLAS rating demonstrates Plexus TG's commitment to providing complete AIMS functionality for their clients. For more information, visit www.klasresearch.com.

About Hilo Medical Center

As the Big Island's leading provider of inpatient and outpatient care, Hilo Medical Center of Hawaii Health Systems Corporation (HHSC) delivers a full range of services and programs. Their 20-acre campus consists of 275 beds located throughout the acute hospital, behavioral health unit and long-term care facility. They have 1,000 employees and a medical staff comprised of 250 community physicians, physician assistants and Advanced Practice Registered Nurses, representing 33 specialties. As a medical center, they have a network of 9 outpatient clinics offering primary and specialty care. The hospital is a Level III Trauma Center which includes the second busiest emergency room in the state that provides 24-hour care to more than 43,000 patients annually. Please visit www.hilomedicalcenter.org for more information.

About Plexus Technology Group, LLC

Plexus Technology Group, a subsidiary of MiraMed Global Services, is a leading provider of anesthesia information management and medication management systems. Anesthesia Touch is a full-featured AIMS for both Windows and iOS platforms that supports concurrent charting and automatically records physiological data. It is easy to use, provides comprehensive anesthesia documentation and is certified as a full EHR for meaningful use. Pharmacy Touch, a modular add-on to Anesthesia Touch, automates controlled substance reconciliation, eliminates duplicate documentation, reduces drug errors and delivers charge capture and decision support at the point of care. For more information, visit www.plexustg.com.

Contact:

Jennifer Dixon, Director of Communications

P: 781.915.0221

E: [email protected]

SOURCE Plexus Technology Group

Related Links

http://www.plexustg.com


BEIJING, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Recently, the Guangdong Art Centennial Exhibition was held at the National Art Museum of China in Beijing. A history-themed painting Xi Zhongxun in Nanliang drew the attention of numerous viewers. The event was organized by Guangdong Provincial Publicity Department, Department of Culture Guangdong Province and Guangdong Federation of Literature and Art Circles.

The painting vividly depicts how Xi Zhongxun, then chairman of the Soviet Government in Shaanxi-Gansu Border Revolutionary Base Area, was launching new governing policies for the area. The picture reminds Chinese people of Xi's inaugural promise - "I, together with my colleagues, will spare no effort to ensure that all the people have work, enough food and lead a fulfilled life."

Shen Haixiong, Member of the Standing Committee of CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee and Guangdong Provincial Publicity Chief said Nanliang had made great contribution to the victory of Chinese revolution. Nanliang government's governing concepts are people-oriented, faith keeping, paying attention to the interests of the whole, pragmatic and innovative.

Xi Zhongxun later led Guangdong in the promotion of reform and opening-up and in the construction of special economic zones in the province. Guangdong's innovation and development in the past decades could not be possible without the great man, added Shen.

Shen said the piece of art linked together Nanliang and Guangdong by interpreting the source of CPC's faith and strength.

Chen Yan, painter of this artwork said the painting was created in celebration of the CPC's 90th anniversary and that he felt greatly honored that it was on display at the Guangdong Art Centennial Exhibition.

Chen was born and raised in a peasant family in northern Shaanxi, whose parents were both veterans with Xi Zhongxun as their political commissar. His experiences in Shaanxi's Yan'an area have profound impact on his creation, and he also has special passion for producing revolution-themed paintings. The painting was his respect for and a review of the historic achievements of the older generation.

Supported by the leadership of the Party and the masses, communists represented by Liu Zhidan and Xi Zhongxun established the Shaanxi-Gansu Border Revolutionary Base Area centering on the Nanliang area in the 1930s. The first Border Area Soviet Government in northwest China was subsequently founded.

Before creating this painting, Chen looked up various relevant documents and read through the book Xi Zhongxun in Shaanxi-Gansu Border Revolutionary Base Area where he gained inspiration. In the painting, Xi Zhongxun is surrounded by Red Army soldiers, workers, peasants and the masses and trimmed with ear of wheat and red flag.

"Nanliang Spirit" Embodied by the Painting

Chen said all the characters in the painting are derived from real life. "That a student of Lenin Elementary School is shown in the painting was an inspiration from my school life in Yan'an," he said.

Keeping in touch with life and folks and putting a sense of belonging into his production has always been Chen's creation concept. Now Chen, 70 year-old though, still has great passion for creation. His rich experiences have constantly inspired and enabled him to accomplish painting creation with ease. He said he has been influenced by the "Nanliang Spirit" and hopes more people can gain strength from the painting.

Using Chinese Painting to Depict Grand Scene

"A large oil painting of the West usually presents grand occasion, its setting and figures vividly reflecting those of the event. In the case of Xi Zhongxun in Nanliang, the painting employed the features, which is a great inspiration for me," Chen remarked.

SOURCE Guangdong Provincial Publicity Department
TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez announced that he welcomes an investigation into allegations of corruption in the awarding of contracts and concession agreements for the Agua Zarca energy project in western Honduras.

Republic of Honduras

Renowned environmental activist Berta Caceres made these allegations before her untimely death last year. The Mission to Support the Fight Against Corruption and Impunity in Honduras (MACCIH), an independent group created by the Organization of American States, will conduct the investigation, in conjunction with the Honduran Attorney General's Special Office for Ethnic and Cultural Heritage.

"My administration is committed to rooting out corruption in Honduras, and this investigation will help us fulfill that commitment," said President Hernandez. "No one is above the law in our nation, and we will aggressively prosecute any crimes unearthed by the investigation."

The MACCIH has indicated that it will examine the way in which the contract for Agua Zarca project was awarded to Desarrollos Energetics SA (DESA). Two of the eight suspects the Honduran government has detained as part of the investigation in to Berta Caceres's murder have been linked to DESA.

The Mission will also be looking for any irregularities in environmental licenses and studies regarding property titling. In addition, the investigation will explore how the environmental licenses were granted. Dario Roberto Cardona Valle, the former deputy minister of the Secretary of Natural Resources and Environment, has already been detained for acts related to granting a license without properly informing and consulting indigenous peoples in the area.

"Honduras asked the Organization of American States to create the MACCIH, and it's been operating with the full support of our government since the beginning of last year," said President Hernandez. "If the MACCIH uncovers any evidence of wrongdoing, we will work to bring those responsible to justice."

Media Contact:

Yael Wollstein

[email protected]

202-471-4228 ext. 118

SOURCE Republic of Honduras
The Smile Jamaica Wireless offers a lightweight, durable wireless option with well-balanced, long-lasting sound for casual listening at an affordable price point. Crafted utilizing House of Marley's sustainable design standards, the Bluetooth headphones are a conscious alternative to the bulky plastic products currently on the market. Incorporating REGRIND recycled silicone, recycled aluminum alloy and FSC certified woods the Smile Jamaica Wireless is available in four colorways.

"Our goal was to build off the popularity of our existing Smile Jamaica headphones in order to create an in-ear Bluetooth headphone option without the need for a bulky housing," explains Director of Product Development, Josh Poulsen. "The Smile Jamaica Wireless' slim, soft neckband is meant for all day listening without sacrificing performance and sound."

With eight hours of battery life, the Smile Jamaica Wireless allows for simple media control paired with a noise isolating, in-line microphone. Flexible and pliable enough to fold into its accompanying stash-bag for easy storage and on-the-go listening, users can ensure the woven, in-ear cables don't get tangled by retracting them within the neck collar for efficiency and portability.

As part of their latest campaign, #MaterialsMatter, House of Marley is bringing awareness to their innovative manufacturing and design process. House of Marley products are consciously crafted from mindfully sourced materials - from FSC certified woods and non-toxic silicone, to their own signature blend of REWIND up-cycled fabrics made from organic cotton, reclaimed hemp and recycled plastic bottles. Along with 100% recyclable packaging, the brand is making conscious efforts to ensure the materials they use conserve natural resources, contribute to cleaner manufacturing and produce less waste within the consumer electronics market.

In connection with the Smile Jamaica Wireless release and #MaterialsMatter campaign, House of Marley is proud to announce their partnership with One Tree Planted, a non-profit dedicated to reforestation efforts worldwide. As part of House of Marley's philosophy to bring Bob Marley's vision of universal love, music and respect for nature to life, each House of Marley product sold will contribute to the brand's common goal of planting 75,000 trees within the next year in an effort to spread awareness of global forest restoration needs and corporate social responsibility.

"House of Marley is about bringing sustainability to the audio world. We take great pride in our efforts to work with materials that reduce our footprint on this planet," highlights Brand Ambassador, Rohan Marley. "That is the heart of our #MaterialsMatter campaign; our story of using sustainable materials - from organic cotton and bamboo to recycled plastic water bottles. By teaming up with One Tree Planted, we are acknowledging the need to give back to our Mother Earth what we take from it."

Smile Jamaica Wireless headphones are available for purchase at TheHouseOfMarley.com and retail locations nationwide, for $59.99.

Product Features:

Bluetooth wireless connectivity

Wireless three-button controls

Noise isolating in-line microphone

Low cross-body interference | 10m signal range

Up to eight-hour battery life

9mm dynamic drivers

Omni-directional antenna

Flexible, conforming collar with cable management

Lightweight 26g, sweat-resistant design

Apple and Android compatibility

Sustainable Materials:

FSC certified wood (walnut, beech, maple and sapele)

REGRIND recycled silicone rubber ear gels

Recycled aluminum alloy

Woven line cable

About House of Marley:

House of Marley was born from the passion of the Marley Family to bring Bob's vision of universal love, music and respect for nature, to life. The brand reflects this philosophy by combining high quality materials and innovative design to create state of the art audio products - made better for the Earth and for the music. House of Marley products are consciously crafted from socially responsible materials including REWIND up-cycled fabrics, REGRIND recycled silicone and plastics, solid bamboo, cork, FSC certified woods and 100% recyclable packaging. Sustainably crafted. Superior sound. www.thehouseofmarley.com @HouseofMarley #MaterialsMatter

About One Tree Planted:

One Tree Planted is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charity based in Shelburne, Vermont, that helps with global reforestation efforts. They work with reforestation partners around the world to help plant trees in North America, Latin America, Asia and Africa. For every dollar donated, one tree is planted. www.onetreeplanted.org

Media Contact:

Marcy Fitzpatrick | OKAYOKAY

310.927.8548

[email protected]

Luis Calderin | OKAYOKAY

949.201.8700

[email protected]

SOURCE House of Marley

Related Links

https://www.thehouseofmarley.com


NEW YORK, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- HRG Group, Inc. ("HRG" or the "Company"; NYSE: HRG) announced today that its 2017 Annual Meeting of Stockholders will be held on September 25, 2017 at a location to be announced in New York, NY. The record date for the meeting is August 14, 2017.

To be timely, pursuant to HRG's Bylaws and Rule 14a-8 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, any notice of business or nominations with respect to the 2017 Annual Meeting of Stockholders must be received by no later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on July 31, 2017. Any such stockholder proposal must be submitted and must comply with the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Rule 14a-8 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and HRG's Bylaws.

About the Company:

HRG Group, Inc. is a holding company that conducts its operations through its operating subsidiaries. The Company's principal operating subsidiaries are: Spectrum Brands Holdings Inc., a global branded consumer products company; Fidelity & Guaranty Life, a life insurance and annuity products company; and Front Street Re (Delaware) Ltd., a long-term reinsurance company. HRG is headquartered in New York and traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol HRG. For more information on HRG, visit: www.HRGgroup.com.

For further information contact:

HRG Group, Inc.

Investor Relations

Tel: 212.906.8555

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE HRG Group, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.hrggroup.com


-- Breakthrough: Pervasively encrypts data, all the time at any scale

-- Addresses global data breach epidemic; helps automate compliance for EU General Data Protection Regulation, Federal Reserve and other emerging regulations

-- Encrypts data 18x faster than compared x86 platforms, at 5 percent of the cost [1]

-- Announces six IBM Cloud Blockchain data centers with IBM Z as encryption engine

-- Delivers groundbreaking Container Pricing for new solutions, such as instant payments

ARMONK, N.Y., July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) today unveiled IBM Z, the next generation of the world's most powerful transaction system, capable of running more than 12 billion encrypted transactions per day. The new system also introduces a breakthrough encryption engine that, for the first time, makes it possible to pervasively encrypt data associated with any application, cloud service or database all the time.

Experience the interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8013251-ibm-z-mainframe-data-protection/

The IBM Z mainframe is a breakthrough in data protection technology designed to tackle the epidemic of data breaches. IBM hardware engineer Rhonda Sundlof (top) and senior engineer Karl Casserly test the IBM Z which is manufactured In Poughkeepsie, NY. Contact: Lori Bosio, IBM, [email protected] 914-765-2367 (Photo Credit: Connie Zhou for IBM) (PRNewsfoto/IBM)

IBM Z's new data encryption capabilities are designed to address the global epidemic of data breaches, a major factor in the $8 trillion cybercrime impact on the global economy by 2022. Of the more than nine billion data records lost or stolen since 2013, only four percent were encrypted, making the vast majority of such data vulnerable to organized cybercrime rings, state actors and employees misusing access to sensitive information.

In the most significant re-positioning of mainframe technology in more than a decade, when the platform embraced Linux and open source software, IBM Z now dramatically expands the protective cryptographic umbrella of the world's most advanced encryption technology and key protection. The system's advanced cryptographic capability now extends across any data, networks, external devices or entire applications  such as the IBM Cloud Blockchain service  with no application changes and no impact on business service level agreements.

"The vast majority of stolen or leaked data today is in the open and easy to use because encryption has been very difficult and expensive to do at scale," said Ross Mauri, General Manager, IBM Z. "We created a data protection engine for the cloud era to have a significant and immediate impact on global data security."

Technology Breakthrough: Industry-First Pervasive Encryption for the Cloud Era

A recent study found that extensive use of encryption is a top factor in reducing the business impact and cost of a data breach. To put that in context, the IBM X-Force Threat Intelligence Index reported that more than four billion records were leaked in 2016 (a 556 percent increase from 2015).

However, encryption is often largely absent in corporate and cloud data centers because current solutions for data encryption in x86 environments can dramatically degrade performance (and thus user experience), and can be too complex and expensive to manage. As a result, only about two percent of corporate data is encrypted today, while more than 80 percent of mobile device data is encrypted [1].

IBM Z pervasive encryption reflects a call to action on data protection articulated by Chief Information Security Officers and data security experts worldwide, and more than 150 IBM clients around the world who participated and provided feedback in IBM Z's system design over three years.

As a result of this collaboration, IBM Z brings significant advances in cryptography technology, building on a proven encryption platform that safeguards the world's banking, healthcare, government and retail systems. IBM Z pervasive encryption delivers breakthroughs including:

Pervasive encryption of data  all the time. IBM Z makes it possible, for the first time, for organizations to pervasively encrypt data associated with an entire application, cloud service or database in flight or at rest with one click. The standard practice today is to encrypt small chunks of data at a time, and invest significant labor to select and manage individual fields. This bulk encryption at cloud scale is made possible by a massive 7x increase in cryptographic performance over the previous generation z13  driven by a 4x increase in silicon dedicated to cryptographic algorithms. This is 18x faster than compared x86 systems (that today only focus on limited slices of data) and at just five percent of the cost of compared x86-based solutions [1].

IBM Z makes it possible, for the first time, for organizations to pervasively encrypt data associated with an entire application, cloud service or database in flight or at rest with one click. The standard practice today is to encrypt small chunks of data at a time, and invest significant labor to select and manage individual fields. This bulk encryption at cloud scale is made possible by a massive 7x increase in cryptographic performance over the previous generation z13  driven by a 4x increase in silicon dedicated to cryptographic algorithms. This is 18x faster than compared x86 systems (that today only focus on limited slices of data) and at just five percent of the cost of compared x86-based solutions [1]. Tamper-responding encryption keys. A top concern for organizations is protection of encryption keys. In large organizations, hackers often target encryption keys, which are routinely exposed in memory as they are used. Only IBM Z can protect millions of keys (as well as the process of accessing, generating and recycling them) in "tamper responding" hardware that causes keys to be invalidated at any sign of intrusion and can then be restored in safety. The IBM Z key management system is designed to meet Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) Level 4 standards, where the norm for high security in the industry is Level 2. This IBM Z capability can be extended beyond the mainframe to other devices, such as storage systems and servers in the cloud. In addition, IBM Secure Service Container protects against insider threats from contractors and privileged users, provides automatic encryption of data and code in-flight and at-rest, and tamper-resistance during installation and runtime.

A top concern for organizations is protection of encryption keys. In large organizations, hackers often target encryption keys, which are routinely exposed in memory as they are used. Only IBM Z can protect millions of keys (as well as the process of accessing, generating and recycling them) in "tamper responding" hardware that causes keys to be invalidated at any sign of intrusion and can then be restored in safety. The IBM Z key management system is designed to meet Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) Level 4 standards, where the norm for high security in the industry is Level 2. This IBM Z capability can be extended beyond the mainframe to other devices, such as storage systems and servers in the cloud. In addition, IBM Secure Service Container protects against insider threats from contractors and privileged users, provides automatic encryption of data and code in-flight and at-rest, and tamper-resistance during installation and runtime. Encrypted APIs. IBM z/OS Connect technologies make it easy for cloud developers to discover and call any IBM Z application or data from a cloud service, or for IBM Z developers to call any cloud service. IBM Z now allows organizations to encrypt these APIs  the digital glue that links services, applications and systems  nearly 3x faster than alternatives based on compared x86 systems [2].

"The pervasive encryption that is built into, and is designed to extend beyond, the new IBM Z really makes this the first system with an all-encompassing solution to the security threats and breaches we've been witnessing in the past 24 months," said Peter Rutten, analyst at IDC's Servers and Compute Platforms Group.

Designed for Tough New Data Protection Regulations

The IBM Z also helps clients build trust with consumers and comply with new standards such as the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) that will increase data protection requirements for organizations doing business in Europe starting next year. GDPR will require organizations to report data breaches to the regulatory authority within 72 hours and face fines of up to four percent of annual worldwide revenues or 20 million Euro, unless the organization can demonstrate that data was encrypted and the keys were protected. At the U.S. Federal level, the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC), which includes the five banking regulators, provides guidance on the use of encryption in the financial services industry. Singapore and Hong Kong have published similar guidance. More recently, the New York State Department of Financial Services published requirements regarding encryption in the Cybersecurity Requirements for Financial Services Companies.

IBM Z, deeply integrated with IBM Security software, automates and dramatically streamlines security and compliance processes. For example, auditors are expected to manually inspect and validate the security of databases, applications and systems. Organizations can now immediately demonstrate that data within the scope of compliance is protected and the keys are secure. This can significantly reduce the mounting complexity and cost of compliance for auditors. The system also provides an audit trail showing if and when permissioned insiders accessed data.

Creating the Most Secure Blockchain Service

As blockchain applications become increasingly integrated into core business processes, client's concerns are naturally shifting to security, encryption, and resiliency. The IBM Cloud is constantly evolving with industry leading compute options. Now it is evolving again to bring IBM Z onto the IBM Cloud, launching initially as an encryption engine for cloud services and to run IBM Blockchain services to provide the highest commercially available levels of cryptographic hardware. New blockchain services in centers in Dallas, London, Frankfurt, Sao Paolo, Tokyo and Toronto are secured using IBM Z's industry-leading cryptography technology.

"The powerful combination of IBM Z encryption and secure containers differentiates IBM Blockchain services on the cloud by supporting the trust models new blockchain networks require," said Marie Wieck, general manager, IBM Blockchain. "Enterprise clients also benefit from the ease of use making management transparent to the application and the user."

AngelHack, in collaboration with IBM, today launched "Unchain the Frame," a global virtual hackathon with more than $50,000 USD in prizes. Developers from around the world are invited to show off their skills and creativity using technologies such as blockchain, open source applications, financial industry APIs and machine learning on IBM Z.

New: Predictable and Transparent Container Pricing

IBM also announced three groundbreaking new Container Pricing models for IBM Z, providing clients greatly simplified software pricing that combines flexible deployment with competitive economics vs. public clouds and on-premises x86 environments:

New microservices and applications that enable clients to maximize the value from security-rich on-premises enterprise systems in real time. Clients can now co-locate applications to optimize qualities of services that are priced competitively with public cloud and on-premises platforms.

that enable clients to maximize the value from security-rich on-premises enterprise systems in real time. Clients can now co-locate applications to optimize qualities of services that are priced competitively with public cloud and on-premises platforms. Application development and test with the freedom to triple capacity of all development environments on z/OS to support latest DevOps tooling and processes. Clients can triple capacity with no increase in monthly license charge.

with the freedom to triple capacity of all development environments on z/OS to support latest DevOps tooling and processes. Clients can triple capacity with no increase in monthly license charge. Payment systems pricing based on the business metric of payments volume a bank processes, not the available capacity. This gives clients much greater flexibility to innovate affordably in a competitive environment, particularly in the fast-growing Instant Payment segment.

These precedent-setting Container Pricing options are designed to give clients the predictability and transparency they require for their business. The pricing models are scalable both within and across logical partitions (LPARs) and deliver greatly enhanced metering, capping and billing capabilities. Container Pricing for IBM Z is planned to be available by year-end 2017 and enabled in z/OS V2.2 and z/OS V2.3.

The Most Powerful Transaction System for the Cloud Era

IBM Z builds on the capabilities of the world's most powerful transaction engine at the center of global commerce today supporting:

87 percent of all credit card transactions and nearly $8 trillion payments a year.

of all credit card transactions and nearly payments a year. 29 billion ATM transactions each year, worth nearly $5 billion per day.

ATM transactions each year, worth nearly per day. Four billion passenger flights each year.

passenger flights each year. More than 30 billion transactions per day  more than the number of Google searches every day.

transactions per day  more than the number of Google searches every day. 68 percent of the world's production workloads at only six percent of the total IT cost.

Banks and others in the financial services industry process thousands of transactions per second to keep the world's financial systems running. The mainframe is more critical than ever for reliably handling high volumes of transaction data.

Ninety-two of the world's top 100 banks rely on the IBM mainframe because of its ability to efficiently process huge volumes of transactions. To help financial services organizations more effectively compete in the cloud era, enormous amounts of sensitive data produced by transactions can now be better protected against fraud and cybercrime, analyzed, and monetized using IBM Z  without causing disruption of day-to-day operations. For banks, this means encryption at the click of a button -- even while applications are running -- and the ability to migrate data from unencrypted to encrypted with no impact to service level agreements.

The IBM Z, the next generation of IBM's industry-leading CMOS mainframe technology, features the industry's fastest microprocessor, running at 5.2GHz, and a new scalable system structure that delivers up to a 35 percent capacity increase for traditional workloads and a up to a 35 percent capacity increase for Linux workloads compared to the previous generation z13. The system can support:

More than 12 billion encrypted transactions per day on a single system.

encrypted transactions per day on a single system. The world's largest MongoDB instance with 2.5x faster NodeJS performance than compared x86-based platforms.

MongoDB instance with NodeJS performance than compared x86-based platforms. Two million Docker Containers.

Docker Containers. 1,000 concurrent NoSQL databases.

Other new available capabilities announced today include:

Three times the memory of the z13 for faster response times, greater throughput and accelerated analytics performance. With 32TB of memory, IBM Z offers one of the largest memory footprints in the industry.

of the z13 for faster response times, greater throughput and accelerated analytics performance. With 32TB of memory, IBM Z offers one of the largest memory footprints in the industry. Three times faster I/O and accelerated transaction processing compared to the z13 to drive growth in data, transaction throughput and lower response time.

and accelerated transaction processing compared to the z13 to drive growth in data, transaction throughput and lower response time. The ability to run Java workloads 50 percent faster than x86 alternatives [3].

than x86 alternatives [3]. Industry-leading Storage Area Network response time with zHyperLink, delivering 10x latency reduction compared to the z13 and cutting application response time in half  enabling businesses to do much more work such as real-time analytics or interact with Internet of Things (IoT) devices and cloud applications within the same transaction, without changing a single line of application code [4].

As part of today's announcement, IBM also previewed new z/OS software that provides foundational capabilities for private cloud service delivery, enabling a transformation from an IT cost center to a value-generating service provider. When available, these capabilities will include the support of workflow extensions for IBM Cloud Provisioning and Management for z/OS and real-time SMF analytics infrastructure support.

IBM Global Financing can help credit-qualified clients acquire the new IBM Z, lower their total cost of ownership, and accelerate return on investment. IBM Global Financing offerings for IBM mainframe solutions are available from IBM and IBM Business Partners, and provide flexible terms and conditions that can be customized to align cost to project benefits or other client needs.

Learn more about the IBM Z portfolio , the new IBM z14 mainframe or IBM Z enterprise security.

Source: "Pervasive Encryption: A New Paradigm for Protection," K. R. E. Lind , Chief Systems Engineer, Solitaire Interglobal Ltd., June 30, 2017 . Customers running WebSphere Liberty on z14 Linux on z using clear key encryption AES_128_GCM cipher can get up to 2.6X improvement in throughput per core with IBM Java 8 SR5 compared to x86. Performance results based on IBM internal tests running DayTrader 3 with WebSphere Liberty 8.5.5.9 using SSL clear key and TLS_ECDHE_ECDSA_WITH_AES_128_GCM_SHA256 cipher. Liberty DayTrader 3 measurements were performed on a standalone dedicated LPAR on IBM z14 running SLES 12 SP1 with 4 IFLs configured with SMT for a total of 8 hardware threads. Liberty used IBM 64-bit SDK for z/OS, Java Technology Edition, Version 8 Service Refresh 5 (Java 8 SR5). The compared x86 DayTrader 3 on Liberty measurements were performed on a standalone WebSphere Liberty 8.5.5.9 server on Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU E5-2690 v4 @ 2.60GHz, HyperThreading enabled, 4 cores/8 hardware threads, 97GB of memory, RHEL 7.2, and HugePages enabled. Liberty used OpenJDK 8_131. A second x86 system ran DB2 V10.1 used to persist application data. This second x86 system was an Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU E7- 2830 @ 2.13GHz, No HyperThreading, CPUs: 8 physical cores and 8 logical cores, 16GB of memory, and RHEL 5.7. A third x86 system ran JMeter-2.12 to drive the DayTrader 3 workload. This third x86 system was an Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU E5-2650 v2 @ 2.60GHz, HyperThreading enabled, CPUs: 16 physical cores & 32 logical cores, 197GB of memory, RHEL 7 GA x86-64. All network traffic was over 10GB Network. Customers running WebSphere Liberty on z14 Linux on z without encryption can get up to 1.6X improvement in throughput per core with IBM Java 8 SR5 compared to x86. Performance results based on IBM internal tests running DayTrader 3 with WebSphere Liberty 8.5.5.9 using SSL clear key and TLS_ECDHE_ECDSA_WITH_AES_128_GCM_SHA256 cipher. Liberty DayTrader 3 measurements were performed on a standalone dedicated LPAR on IBM z14 running SLES 12 SP1 with 4 IFLs configured with SMT for a total of 8 hardware threads. Liberty used IBM 64-bit SDK for z/OS, Java Technology Edition, Version 8 Service Refresh 5 (Java 8 SR5). The compared x86 DayTrader 3 on Liberty measurements were performed on a standalone WebSphere Liberty 8.5.5.9 server on Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU E5-2690 v4 @ 2.60GHz, HyperThreading enabled, 4 cores/8 hardware threads, 97GB of memory, RHEL 7.2, and HugePages enabled. Liberty used OpenJDK 8_131. A second x86 system ran DB2 V10.1 used to persist application data. This second x86 system was an Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU E7- 2830 @ 2.13GHz, No HyperThreading, CPUs: 8 physical cores and 8 logical cores, 16GB of memory, and RHEL 5.7. A third x86 system ran JMeter-2.12 to drive the DayTrader 3 workload. This third x86 system was an Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU E5-2650 v2 @ 2.60GHz, HyperThreading enabled, CPUs: 16 physical cores & 32 logical cores, 197GB of memory, RHEL 7 GA x86-64. All network traffic was over 10GB Network. The 10x lower read latency projection was based on z14 and zHyperLink results with DS8886 and z13 measurements that provided results for I/O interrupt and dispatching. This response time projection was based on IBM internal measurements and projections that contrasted zHyperLink Express with a similar configuration using zHPF. The measurements and projections assume that assume 75% or more of the workload response time is associated with read DASD I/O and the storage system random read cache hit ratio is above 80%. The execution environment for both scenarios was a z14 with 10 CPs. The zHPF tests used FICON Express 16S+ connected to a DS8886. The zHyperLink tests were also conducted using DS8886. The actual performance that any user will experience may vary.

IBM Global Financing offerings are provided through IBM subsidiaries and divisions worldwide to qualified commercial and government clients. Rates and availability are based on a client's credit rating, financing terms, offering type, equipment and product type and options, and may vary by country. Non-hardware items must be one-time, non-recurring charges and are financed by means of loans. Other restrictions may apply. Rates and offerings are subject to change, extension or withdrawal without notice and may not be available in all countries. IBM and IBM Global Financing do not, nor intend to, offer or provide accounting, tax or legal advice to clients. Clients should consult with their own financial, tax and legal advisors. Any tax or accounting treatment decisions made by or on behalf of the client are the sole responsibility of the client.

IBM, the IBM logo, ibm.com, IBM Z and z14 are trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation, registered in many jurisdictions worldwide. Other product and service names might be trademarks of IBM or other companies. For a current list of IBM trademarks, please see http://www.ibm.com/legal/copytrade.shtml

All other company, product or service names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of others. Statements concerning IBM's future development plans and schedules are made for planning purposes only, and are subject to change or withdrawal without notice. Reseller prices may vary.

SOURCE IBM

Related Links

http://www.ibm.com


"At Emergence Capital, we strive to invest in market-leading companies that have a global impact," said Brian Jacobs, founder and general partner, Emergence Capital. "We believe that with Impartner's strong management team, business execution and blue chip client base, they can expand their current lead in the fast-growing PRM market."

The base of partners signing into Partner Portals created using Impartner's technology has climbed nearly 275 percent in the past year alone, reaching more than 3.8 million total partner log-ins from its global customer base. The growing list of enterprises turning to Impartner PRM for its power to increase revenue an average of 31 percent and decrease administrative costs by 23 percent (per a recent global customer survey - whitepaper here), crosses a broad range of verticals from technology to telecom to manufacturing, and includes Ciena, Conga, Illumina, Ingersoll Rand, Pivot3, Samsung and Splunk. For Pivot3, a leading hyperconverged infrastructure company growing at nearly 80 percent a year, scale was a key driver in its search for a PRM solution. "One of the things you have to do with a channel program is operate in a one-to-many capacity, especially when you're growing this quickly," said Pivot3 Chief Marketing Officer Bruce Milne. "Impartner's PRM solution was pivotal to the rapid expansion of our channel program, which grew by 400 partners in 12 months."

"Time after time after time, we've seen the power of PRM to accelerate the indirect sales of our customers in a way that compares to what the CRM market first did for direct sales a decade ago," said Impartner CEO Joe Wang. "When you consider the business impact of what PRM is doing for indirect sales, which is generally 80 percent of corporations' revenue, compared to what CRM has done for direct sales - the market potential is transformative."

In just over the past two years since the company's acquisition, Impartner (formerly known as TreeHouse Interactive), has completely refactored its PRM solution to be up and running in as few as 15 days and be easily adopted by main street corporations and not just early tech adopters; introduced a stream of industry-first innovations to make Impartner PRM the industry's most nimble, easy-to-update platform on the market; expanded into EMEA and Latin America; nearly quadrupled its staff and moved offices twice; and won nearly 30 national and international awards for both products and executive leadership  including two back-to-back CEO of the Year awards for Wang.

To learn more about how Impartner can transform your company's channel performance, click here to schedule a demo.

Impartner was assisted in the transaction by Mark Bonham, a partner at Stoel Rives, and his team.

About Emergence Capital

Emergence Capital (@emergencecap), based in San Mateo, Calif., is the leading venture capital firm focused on early and growth-stage enterprise cloud companies. Its mission is to invest in cloud visionaries who are building the world's most important business applications. Emergence has over $900 million under management and is investing out of its 4th institutional fund. The firm's investments include companies such as Salesforce.com (CRM), SuccessFactors (SFSF, acquired by SAP), Veeva Systems (VEEV), Yammer (acquired by Microsoft), ServiceMax (acquired by GE) and Box (BOX). More information on Emergence Capital can be found at http://www.emcap.com.

About Impartner

Impartner delivers the industry's most advanced SaaS-based Partner Relationship Management solution, helping companies worldwide manage their partner relationships and accelerate revenue and profitability through indirect sales channels. Impartner PRM is the industry's most award-winning PRM technology and one of the industry's only turnkey solutions that can deploy a world-class Partner Portal in as few as 15 days, using the company's highly engineered, three-step Velocity onboarding process. For more information on Impartner, which is based in Utah's tech hotbed, the Silicon Slopes, visit www.impartner.com, or in the United States call +1 801 501 7000, for EMEA general call +33 1 40 90 31 20, for London call +44 0 20 3283 4465, and for LATAM call +1 954 364 7883.

Follow Impartner on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook

Contact:

Kerry Desberg

Impartner

425-231-9529

[email protected]

Contact:

Audrey Webb for Emergence Capital

408-472-2603

[email protected]

SOURCE Impartner

Related Links

http://www.impartner.com


STAMFORD, Conn., July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- PASSUR Aerospace, Inc. (OTC: PSSR), a business intelligence, predictive analytics, and big data company, announced that it has contracted with Broward County's Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) for an information and automation solution designed to increase traffic flows and capacity, and reduce delays and congestion, at one of the nation's fastest growing commercial airports.

This new capability, built on earlier modules of PASSUR Surface Management solutions, is applicable to all airports where demand is growing and the capacity of existing infrastructure is highly constrained  including regions like South Florida, where sustained growing demand is pushing the limits of the existing aviation infrastructure. The PASSUR solution delivers new efficiencies at a fraction of the cost of major capital investments, by ensuring that:

Arriving aircraft are promptly assigned a gate

All available airport resources are being optimized

Passengers experience a quick and seamless travel experience

This integrated solution is an important step toward Airport Collaborative Decision Making (A-CDM) in North America, which enables all key stakeholders to collaborate and coordinate on a common operating platform to prioritize high-value flights, reduce the number of aircraft waiting to take off, and sequence arrivals and departures to and from gate assignments.

The solution ensures that FLL and all of its key operational stakeholders, including airlines, are coordinating their actions by sharing timely, automated information about the status of arriving aircraft and surface traffic movements.

"PASSUR'S Surface Management Solution will benefit FLL's passengers by allowing them to deplane as quickly and efficiently as possible," said Mark Gale, CEO/Director of Aviation, Broward County Aviation Department. "Airlines will also benefit by reducing taxi time and waiting for an open gate, thus reducing fuel consumption and emissions."

"It's great to work with an innovator like Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport," said Jim Barry, PASSUR Aerospace President and CEO. "PASSUR is focused on identifying, alerting to, and removing constraints in the airspace and on the airport surface  producing measurable value to our airline and airport customers."

About Broward County's Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL)

The Aviation Department is a self-supporting department of the Broward County Board of County Commissioners. FLL is located in Greater Fort Lauderdale in the heart of Florida's Gold Coast. In 2016, the Airport ranked 21st in the United States in total passenger traffic and 14th in domestic origin and destination passengers. With more than 700 flights a day, the Airport offers nonstop service to more than 75 US cities and global connectivity to more than 60 international destinations in 30 countries. The Aviation Department also operates the North Perry Airport, a general aviation airport for private and charter aircraft operators. Call 954-359-6100 for more information. For updates on airport programs and services, follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook or visit fll.net.

About PASSUR Aerospace, Inc.

PASSUR Aerospace (OTC: PSSR) is a leading business intelligence company, providing predictive analytics and decision support technology for the aviation industry primarily to improve the operational performance and cash flow of airlines and the airports where they operate. PASSUR Aerospace's information solutions are used by the five largest North American airlines, more than 60 airport customers, (including 22 of the top 30 North American airports customers  with PASSUR solutions also used at the remaining eight airports by one or more airline customers), hundreds of business aviation customers, and the U.S. government. PASSUR owns and operates the largest commercial passive radar network in the world that provides aircraft position updates every 1 to 4.6 seconds, powering a proprietary database that is accessible in real-time and delivers timely and accurate information and solutions via PASSUR's industry leading algorithms and business logic included in its products. Visit PASSUR Aerospace's website at www.passur.com for updated products, solutions, and news.

PASSUR, Airwayz, NextGen2 and NextGen3 are trademarks or registered trademarks of PASSUR Aerospace, Inc. in the U.S. All other companies and product names of those companies contained herein may be trademarks of their respective holders.

Contact: Media: Investor Relations:

Ron Dunsky Louis J. Petrucelly

SVP Marketing and New Business Development SVP & Chief Financial Officer

(203) 989-9197 (203) 622-4086

[email protected] [email protected]

SOURCE PASSUR Aerospace

Related Links

http://www.passur.com


Kavalan's technical consultant, the late Dr Jim Swan, who was instrumental in building the brand also received the ISC's "Lifetime Achievement Award," the highest accolade for an individual in the spirits industry.

Kavalan CEO Mr YT Lee said Dr Swan's legacy was alive and continued on at Kavalan.

"When we started making whisky in Taiwan no one had done this before, and it seemed an impossible venture. Luckily, we had the help of the best expert in the industry. By refusing to give up, Kavalan has become recognised for fine whisky, which we owe to Dr Swan. I'd like to dedicate this 2017 Trophy to Dr Swan," Mr Lee said.

The Trophy follows the awarding of Gold medals every year in June. Kavalan last month collected the biggest number of golds in the category: four top medals for its limited edition Distillery Reserve Single Malt Rum Cask, Podium Single Malt, ex-Bourbon Oak Single Malt as well as the Solist ex-Bourbon Single Cask Strength.

As the pioneer of Taiwanese whisky, Kavalan has successively won the industry's highest awards. Its Solist Amontillado Sherry Single Cask Strength was named the "World's Best Single Cask Single Malt Whisky" in 2016 by the prestigious World Whiskies Awards (WWA) and its Solist Vinho Barrique won the 2015 "World's Best Single Malt Whisky."

About Kavalan Whisky

Taiwan's first whisky distillery has been pioneering the art of single malt whisky since 2006. Kavalan is aged in intense humidity and heat yet benefits from sea and mountain breezes and the spring water from Snow Mountain, which combine to create Kavalan's signature creaminess. The distillery takes its name from the indigenous name for Yilan County, where it is based, and is backed by 30 years of beverage-making under parent company, King Car Group. It has collected more than 220 gold awards and is available in 60 countries. Visit www.kavalanwhisky.com/EN/age.aspx

Media Contact:

Yvonne Chou

886-3922-9000#7162

[email protected]

SOURCE Kavalan

Related Links

http://www.kavalanwhisky.com/en


COSTA MESA, Calif., July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The first ever biotech division of Asan Medical Center, the largest medical institution in South Korea, agrees to combine efforts in making significant advances in cancer treatment using CZ Biomed's patented RVLYSIS.

Kocal Consulting Corporation recently announced the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the three parties at Bio 2017 (BIO International Convention) held on June 19-22 in San Diego, California.

CEO of CZ Biomed Corporation Calvin Cao stated, "Signing of this agreement is monumental. Asan Medical Center is aggressively seeking new and innovative ways to advance their treatment of diseases. We look forward to working with them to develop the most effective cancer treatment."

"It is clear that CZ Biomed has successfully developed a new class of cancer treatment using oncolytic virotherapy," commented Andrew Lim, CEO of Kocal Consulting Corporation. "Our goal is the development and commercialization of a safe and effective cancer treatment. Well Marker Bio sees the technological and market potential of RVLYSIS."

Oncolytic viruses, viruses that infect and kill cancer cells, must not harm other organs or healthy cells in cancer patients. Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), an oncolytic virus, is a respiratory tract-specific children's virus that is similar to the common cold and does not cause disease in young and older adults. This trait alone may prove to be much more easily accepted by patients, compared with some much more dangerous viruses currently being investigated for their oncolytic properties.

RVLYSIS is a genetically engineered form of RSV by CZ Biomed Corp. that can be administered multiple times to allow for maximum effect in targeting, attacking and eradicating cancer cells.

"In 2013, a stage 4 colon cancer patient received 48 doses of RVLYSIS. That patient is now living a healthy, active, cancer-free lifestyle," Lim added. "We are extremely excited to be working with Well Marker Bio and the vast resources of Asan Medical Center, the largest medical institution in South Korea. We are one step closer to licensing and commercializing CZ Biomed's high-tech biological products for the treatment of various cancers."

For more information on Kocal Consulting Corporation be sure to visit http://www.kcccorp.com.

About Well Marker Bio Co. Ltd.

Well Marker Bio Co. Ltd. is the first ever biotech division from Asan Medical Center. Asan Medical Center, the parent hospital of eight hospitals under the ASAN Foundation, is the largest medical institution in South Korea.

About CZ Biomed Corp:

CZ Biomed Corp. is a privately held Biotechnology company based in Tampa, FL, focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of a new class of high-tech biological products for the treatment of a wide variety of human cancers. CZ Biomed products use novel oncolytic viruses that have been genetically engineered to selectively target tumor cells, but not normal healthy cells.

About Kocal Consulting Corporation:

Kocal Consulting Corporation (KCC Corp.) is a private consulting agency. KCC Corp. was formed to facilitate a network of clients and partners to connect globally to provide innovative solutions with global objectives that offer quick and powerful results.

Forward Looking Statements

This report includes "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. The information in this news release includes certain forward-looking statements that are based upon assumptions that in the future may prove not to have been accurate and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Although the company believes that the expectations reflected in its forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations or any of its forward-looking statements will prove to be correct. Factors that could cause results to differ include, but are not limited to, successful performance of internal plans, product development acceptance, and the impact of competitive services and general economic risks and uncertainties.

Media contact:

Andrew Lim

[email protected]

888-408-9580

SOURCE Kocal Consulting Corporation

Related Links

http://www.kcccorp.com


PHILADELPHIA, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Lannett Company, Inc. (NYSE: LCI) today announced the appointment of Samuel H. Israel as vice president, chief legal officer and general counsel.

"I am very pleased to welcome Sam to the Lannett senior management team," said Arthur Bedrosian, chief executive officer of Lannett. "Sam is an exceptional attorney, with more than 20 years of strategic and legal experience representing life sciences and healthcare companies. For the last 19 years, he served as Lannett's outside general counsel, coordinating all aspects of the company's legal work and helping to guide its growth, which will allow him to hit the ground running. Sam strengthens our team, as well as our ability to expand our business both domestically and globally."

Prior to joining Lannett, Israel, 55, was a partner with Fox Rothschild, a national, full-service law firm, with 22 offices that provide services in more than 60 practice areas. He served as chair of the firm's Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Practice and handled a variety of commercial litigation matters. Israel earned a bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering from the University of Pennsylvania and a juris doctor degree with honors from Rutgers University School of Law. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife and daughter.

About Lannett Company, Inc.:

Lannett Company, founded in 1942, develops, manufactures, packages, markets and distributes generic pharmaceutical products for a wide range of medical indications. For more information, visit the company's website at www.lannett.com.

Contact: Robert Jaffe

Robert Jaffe Co., LLC

(424) 288-4098

SOURCE Lannett Company, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.lannett.com


HAIFA, Israel, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

This week, LeaderMES joins its partners in Malaysia, SantoChem, and in Taiwan, GeoForce Technologies, on a roadshow among manufacturers, presenting the possibilities that LeaderMES' solutions open to clients who are looking to benefit from IOT technologies.

"This is an exciting opportunity to present LeaderMES to relevant clients together with two leading forces in these markets," says Nathan Tiomkin, Director of Sales & Business Development at LeaderMES. "Both SantoChem and GeoForce are prominent industry suppliers and we are proud to offer added value to their existing and potential clients."

The joint delegation will be meeting multiple Taiwanese manufacturers that can potentially benefit from LeaderMES' technology. Companies of different sizes and from different industries were selected in order to allow the delegation to better understand the local environment and needs, as well as to target those clients that are most likely capable of incorporating new technologies in their operations.

"GeoForce is known for assisting clients with their most demanding challenges in a variety of complex data-intensive workflows," explains Robert Hsu, CEO of GeoForce Technologies. "We strongly believe that LeaderMES' solutions can provide our clients with the means to better manage their manufacturing challenges, by improving the relevant processes, thus resulting in better operations efficiency and cost reduction."

Clients of both GeoForce and SantoChem in their respective markets can now enjoy the benefits of technological innovation and advanced manufacturing methodologies through local representatives, who are closely familiar with their needs and challenges.

"As a prominent supplier of specialty chemicals to manufacturers in Malaysia, we at SantoChem are constantly seeking to expand our offering to our clients," says Jonathan Ling, Business Development Director at SantoCham. "LeaderMES offers an easy entrance into the world of IOT, helping our clients improve their manufacturing process. In time, both SantoChem and GeoForce intend to become the full service local partners of LeaderMES, offering products and support to clients in our respective regions."

The LeaderMES/GeoForce/SantoChem roadshow will continue till 20 July 2017. Manufacturers interested in meeting with the delegation may contact [email protected]

About LeaderMES

LeaderMES empowers industrial SMEs to shift to an Industry 4.0 paradigm, using the latest in secure connectivity, data analytics and advanced computing. By optimizing production efficiency and digitally streamlining processes, LeaderMES positions manufacturers at the forefront of industrial technology, increasing their profitability and competitiveness. Our game-changing agile solution - a smart digital manufacturing platform - provides a comprehensive production management system together with the flexibility of modular plug-and-play tools. The secure, cloud-based, digital platform and smart applications are implemented worldwide, connecting thousands of machines, and providing unprecedented visibility and control in highly demanding production environments.

Learn more about transforming your business into a digital factory at www.leadermes.com or email [email protected].

Press Contact:

LeaderMES

Orily Pratt

[email protected]



GeoForce Technologies:

Robert Hsu

[email protected]



SantoChem:

Jonathan Ling

[email protected]



SOURCE LeaderMES
LAS VEGAS, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Expanding capabilities of its ad.Inject, an award winning ad delivery and campaign management system, LIQWID releases the ad.Inject Library, enabling digital publishers for a complete automation of advertising inventory based on 100 percent viewable-only ads. Publishers can monetize "below-the-fold" (BTF) content based on premium eCPM resulting from a real time Dutch auction, essentially creating a secondary market opportunity after the page load.

LIQWID

"LIQWID has solved the problems of 'below-the-fold' (BTF) ad slots by eliminating them with ad.Inject. Now publishers do not need the 'below-the-fold' (BTF) ad slots at all," explains Nik Mentchoukov, CEO of LIQWID. "With release of LIQWID's ad.Inject Library, digital publishers are enabled for a complete automation of advertising inventory based on viewable-only ads. By keeping only slots that Google recommends via their policies as the 'above-the-fold' (ATF) inventory transacting at the point of the 'page load,' publishers are enabled to monetize the rest of the content with ultimate effectiveness managed programmatically by our patented ad.Inject technology, without the use of manually pre-defined ad slots."

"The ad.Inject engine delivers ads into the viewport of the viewer's browser relative to any specific part of the scrolled "in view" content. And the ad.Inject Library allows for a precisely managed way to accommodate existing content even with very sophisticated layouts," continued Mentchoukov. "The ad.Inject Library is essentially a library of presets that are programmed to inject additional markup and stylesheets needed to render ads and manage their positioning and appearance within a custom webpage design using single-word placement parameters."

"A perfect tool to monetize Infinite-Scroll and Lazy-Loading pages, Responsive Layouts, long listings, long articles, long rails even the content of the Footer  all based on the ultimate viewability on Desktops, Mobile and Tablets. Publishers can convert now the unused or previously considered undesirable space into the most premium 100 percent viewable inventory automatically, with no changes to the website, and enhance their site viewability rating  the ad placements will clone themselves intelligently based on the opportunities created on each individual viewer's screen, maximizing the revenue potential," says Mentchoukov.

"Without creating a single ad slot, publishers using LIQWID ad.Inject have complete control on which type of ads can be injected into any specific part of the scrolled, in-view-content, and publishers are now enabled to manage monetization of these dynamically-created, on-the-viewer's-screen inventory opportunities via direct sales or programmatically. If there is no ad available that meets pricing expectations, the content remains as it is, like nothing happened, without any disruption to the viewers' experience," concludes Mentchhoukov.

"The secondary market of opportunities is created after the Prebid partners and exchanges competing within the Google's DFP ad slot-based inventory are transacted," says Jim Rowan, LIQWID Chairman and President. "Entirely incremental revenue stream is created based on the inventory that does not exist before the page is rendered and our transactions start always after the publisher gets paid for all the existing inventory based on the market competition happening at the point of the page load."

"Different from the Prebid model, each of our impressions presented for bidding as an opportunity are of a determined equal value that allows the utilization of a Dutch auction* for our programmatic trading process, without creating a slot before there is a winning bid ad available to be rendered. Since with a Dutch auction a sale never requires more than one bid, we implemented this model because it is fast, does not create any latency, and proven to be effective for scalable trading models. And we never need to lower the price below the reserve in order to fill the slot because there is no slot to fill. Using LIQWID ad.Inject publishers also can sell direct 100 percent viewable campaigns or join our exclusive High-Viewability PMPs," says Rowan.

About LIQWID:

LIQWID, a brand of LeftsnRights, Inc. (liqwid.com), was founded by Nikolai Mentchoukov and Jim Rowan in 2010. Today LIQWID is a global provider of digital viewable inventory via an array of technological solutions enabling the market to sell, buy, and run only viewable ads. LIQWID ad.Inject all-In-one tag advertising engine injects display, skins, video, and adaptive ads into the viewport of the viewers' browser on the fly programmatically, creating new, premium inventory for programmatic and traditional media buys.

Media Contact:

Nikolai Mentchoukov

Phone: 702.250.1227

Email: [email protected]

* Dutch auction definition by Wikipedia

Related Files

LIQWID ad.Inject at a glance.pdf

SOURCE LIQWID

Related Links

http://liqwid.com


"The Nashville market and Lockton's clients will benefit from Chris's leadership and insight on employee benefits," said Kevin McDaniel, president of Lockton's Nashville operations. "We look to Chris to help Lockton grow in the Nashville market quickly."

Hartnett has 23 years of experience in the industry. He was formerly with Willis, then Harden, where he was responsible for organically developing and managing sales, and direct insurance and employee benefit client relationships across a multi-state geographic region.

He was also responsible for recruitment and development of new Producers. Hartnett holds a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration, with a focus in marketing and finance, from the University of Tennessee.

About Lockton

Lockton is a global professional services firm with 6,500 Associates who advise clients on protecting their people, property, and reputations. Lockton has grown to become the world's largest privately held, independent insurance broker by helping clients achieve their business objectives.

For eight consecutive years, Business Insurance magazine has recognized Lockton as a "Best Place to Work in Insurance." To see the latest insights from Lockton's experts, check Lockton Market Update.

SOURCE Lockton

Related Links

http://www.lockton.com


LOS ANGELES, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- TBWA\Media Arts Lab social impact agency MAL\FOR GOOD (MFG), which was launched in 2014 and is dedicated to purpose based work, is ramping-up its leadership team by naming Julia Porter Plowman as Managing Director. The agency today also released a manifesto outlining its "Be Good. Do Good" philosophy and launched its first website: www.malforgood.com. Building on MFG's three years of proven success within the social purpose marketplace, these moves elevate the TBWA shop's profile and accelerate its mission to solve big, bold social issues.



"As a social impact agency with an extraordinary pedigree in serious brand building and culture creation, MFG has been in a class of its own," said MFG Global Creative President Duncan Milner, who joined the shop in October last year from TBWA\Media Arts Lab where he was the Chief Creative Officer. "Today we proudly announce that we are stepping out with a reinforced leadership team, a stronger vision, a new look and naturally, a new website. We're here to be good and do good, and do it differently."



As a former Wieden + Kennedy Global Group Account Director, Plowman created world famous, award winning campaigns for Nike, Microsoft, Coca-Cola, Old Spice, Electronic Arts and Audi. She has worked with Wieden + Kennedy in Portland and Amsterdam, and helped launch the agency's office in Tokyo. Since leaving that agency a decade ago, she has pursued a commitment to social enterprise and innovation, starting with the Nike Foundation where she helped launch "The Girl Effect," a multiplatform campaign promoting investment in adolescent girls in the developing world to break the cycle of global poverty.



After the Nike Foundation, Plowman was named COO of the non-profit World Pulse, which she helped turn into a social media network that supports and advocates for grassroots women leaders. Later, she became Managing Director of the social innovation design startup Context Partners, working closely with consumer brands and foundations including Vulcan, John D. Rockefeller Foundation, David and Lucille Packard Foundation, Walton Foundation, Knight Foundation and Ecotrust. Finally, before joining MFG, Plowman was Director of Integration and Communications at Providence Health & Services, the third largest not-for-profit health system in the country. At MFG, Plowman will be working alongside Milner, guiding next steps in the evolution of this unique social impact agency.



"Our working model is to offer world class creative focused on social impact," said Plowman. "We've got a clear vision, the social enterprise climate is ripe and we're backed by TBWA, a global network. MFG is all about helping brands and organizations find and spread their good in an authentic way in order to make the impact they want."



"Julia's career has been about innovation, purpose and making a difference," said Troy Ruhanen, president and CEO, TBWA Worldwide. "She also has an incredible resume working for some of the world's top consumer brands. She is a perfect fit for MFG. We're building an agency that is staffed with some of the best, smartest and most talented people in the industry and we're bringing all that to service causes and organizations that do good in the world. Our super powers are creativity and strategic thinking, and if we can use those to make positive change, that's a good thing."



TBWA/Media Arts Lab Chairman and Global Director Lee Clow launched MFG as a division of the TBWA Apple dedicated agency Media Arts Lab in March 2014. Since then the agency has created impactful campaigns as well as social movements; for example, MFG conceived and launched the nationwide XQ Super School bus tour, a grassroots community initiative now in its third year that challenges the nation's largest public institution, the public school system, to change and better itself. In 2015, MFG won a Cannes Gold Lion award for film craft for the film The Ocean, created for Conservation International's "Nature Is Speaking" campaign and narrated by actor Harrison Ford.



"Today, brands need to have more than just a point of view on what's happening in the world," said Clow. "A brand's values need to be part of their brand behavior and message. Julia and Duncan leading MFG, uniquely positions us. They combine a deep understanding of "Social Impact" marketing with a world-class history of brand building and storytelling. They'll do good."



ABOUT MAL\FOR GOOD

Based in Los Angeles and part of the TBWA network of agencies, MFG is a social impact agency committed to the planet, the people who inhabit it and brands that want to make a difference. Working with for-profit and not-for-profit clients, we deliver innovative, inspiring creative for brand building, storytelling and consumer engagement. We integrate brands into culture, producing fan bases and social movements. MFG believes every brand, every organization and every individual has good to offer to the world, but sometimes they need help tapping into it and packaging it. MFG clients have included XQ Institute, Emerson Collective, Conservation International, Starbucks, One Love, Tom's, Earth Justice and Best Friends Animal Society.



About TBWA Worldwide

TBWA\Worldwide (www.tbwa.com) is a top-ten ranked global advertising collective that holds Disruption at its core to develop business-changing ideas for brands. TBWA has 11,300 employees across 305 offices in 98 countries and also includes brands such as Auditoire, Digital Arts Network (DAN), eg+ worldwide, The Integer Group, TBWA\Media Arts Lab and TBWA\WorldHealth. TBWA's global clients include adidas, Apple, Gatorade, Henkel, McDonald's, Michelin, Nissan, Pernod Ricard, Pfizer, Standard Chartered Bank, Singapore Airlines, Sotheby's and Vichy. Follow TBWA on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook.



About Omnicom Group Inc.

Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) (www.omnicomgroup.com) is a leading global marketing and corporate communications company. Omnicom's branded networks and numerous specialty firms provide advertising, strategic media planning and buying, digital and interactive marketing, direct and promotional marketing, public relations and other specialty communications services to over 5,000 clients in more than 100 countries.
iFramed Patent Portfolio Independently Valued by TechInsights, at US $1.04 Billion

MIAMI, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Miami-based United American Corp (UnitedCorp), (OTC: UAMA) announced today that within the context of its legal and enforcement actions for patent infringement against Snap Inc. (NYSE: SNAP) related to Snap's use of geo-location based filters, it has released highlights of a third party valuation report completed by TechInsights witch was commissioned to review and value the company's technology rights of the iFramed patent global portfolio. The use of geo-location based filters is currently a critical component for the monetization of social media networks.

With over 240 engineers and analysts, TechInsights is one of the world's foremost authorities for evaluating and establishing patent commercial value. The TechInsights valuation is based on various scenarios including negotiated value, litigated value, and discounted cash flows arising from imputed royalties within potentially infringed markets. TechInsights concluded that based on imputed royalties for the iFramed patent family under current market conditions, the valuation for the patent family ranged from US$227 million in a litigation scenario to US$1.8 billion with central negotiation value for the portfolio at US$1.04 billion.

UnitedCorp holds all technology rights related to iFramed's dedicated mobile content sharing technology with digital integration of users' selectable external content based on their location through its wholly-owned subsidiary, iFramed Canada Ltd. The technology is the basis for SnapChat's ''GeoFilters'' provided to subscribers for photos and videos based on geo-location. Snap Inc. is a provider of image and videobased social media services with head office in Venice, California.

As announced on July 11th, UnitedCorp will continue to pursue and enforce legal actions on Snap's infringement of the iFramed technology. The current lawsuit states that Snap has focused its core monetization strategy on the basis of the iFramed patent portfolio.

While Snap does hold a US patent for; ''Apparatus and method for supplying content aware photo filters'' as well as a recently acquired patent; ''Methods and systems of providing visual content editing functions'' these do not permit the use of a dedicated mobile content sharing technology with digital integration of users' selectable external content based on their location as is used in the SnapChat's ''GeoFilters''.

"Even with these patents Snap cannot use its ''GeoFilters'' without infringing on iFramed technology and they will need to cease doing so immediately." stated Benoit Laliberte, UnitedCorp's President.

UnitedCorp is also reviewing its rights and options with respect to use of the technology on other major social networks further to the global trend for using next generation integrated geo-localization branded user generated content into their platforms.

The company recently announced that is in the process of completing a Form 10 for submission to the US Securities and Exchange Commission and is also currently evaluating alternative exchanges for its currently trading securities.

About iFramed

iFramed is a dedicated mobile content sharing application and platform which allows its users'-originated content to be posted in real time on their social media accounts with a digital integration of external content selectable by its users based on their geo-location and other criteria. iFramed, the world's first and only social media posting gateway technology and next generation social network content sharing platform.

About UnitedCorp

UnitedCorp is a Florida-based company with a strategic focus on telecommunications, information technologies as well as the business and technologies of social media. For more information, visit: www.unitedcorp.com

This news release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to various risks and uncertainties. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of numerous factors that may be beyond the Company's control. Forward-looking statements are based on the expectations and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made, and the Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements should circumstances in management's expectations or opinions change.

SOURCE United American
NEW YORK, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Mesothelioma Victims Center says, "We specialize in making certain that people who now have mesothelioma due to asbestos exposure from auto brakes receive the very best possible financial compensation as we would like to discuss anytime. We offer a unique free service for those with the rare cancer of mesothelioma that includes on-the-spot access to some of the nation's top mesothelioma attorneys who get the top financial compensation for people with mesothelioma." http://MesotheliomaVictimsCenter.Com

Auto Brake-Asbestos

An auto brake repair person or a factory brake assembly person could have had significant exposure to asbestos in the following capacities:

Auto/truck factory installing brakes on automobiles or trucks prior to 1990

Auto brake or tire store

Gas stations

Auto/truck repair facility

Part-time auto mechanic or car enthusiast

According to the Mesothelioma Victims Center, "Mechanics have long been at risk as brakes were often made with 50 percent asbestos. Many mechanics were told 'what you cannot see cannot harm you' on the topic of asbestos. Because many of these factory or garage workers were in an enclosed environment, the asbestos exposure would continue impacting anyone in the area. Over the years we have heard from auto factory workers and mechanics who talked about using air hoses to blow asbestos off their work overhauls prior to going home to their family."

If the Mesothelioma Victims Center had one vital tip for an auto factory or mechanic with mesothelioma because of exposure to asbestos in auto brakes it would be: "Please call us at 800-714-0303 so we can provide you with on-the-spot access to some of the nation's most experienced mesothelioma attorneys who have over one decade of successfully representing auto factory workers or auto mechanics with mesothelioma. Once you hire a lawyer or law firm to assist with a mesothelioma compensation claim it is almost impossible to fire them as we would like to discuss. http://MesotheliomaVictimsCenter.Com

The Mesothelioma Victims Center is specifically targeting Baby Boomers who went to work at a manufacturing facility in the 1960s or 1970s. Today things have changed dramatically for auto manufacturing or repair workers, but during the previously mentioned decades there were essentially no rules for exposure to asbestos. For the Environmental Protection Agency's 'Current Best Practices for Preventing Asbestos Exposure for Brake and Clutch Repair Workers' please refer to their website on this topic. http://www2.epa.gov/asbestos/current-best-practices-preventing-asbestos-exposure-among-brake-and-clutch-repair-workers-1.

The average age for a diagnosed victim of mesothelioma is about 70 years old. This year between 2,500 and 3,000 US citizens will be diagnosed with mesothelioma in the United States. Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that is attributable to exposure to asbestos.

High-risk work groups for exposure to asbestos include Veterans of the US Navy, power plant workers, shipyard workers, steel mill workers, oil refinery workers, factory workers, plumbers, electricians, welders, pipefitters, millwrights, pipefitters, miners, auto mechanics, machinists, pulp or paper mill workers, printers, firemen, rail road workers and construction workers. In most instances people with mesothelioma were exposed to asbestos in the 1950's, 1960's, 1970's, or 1980's. http://MesotheliomaVictimsCenter.Com

According to the CDC, the states indicated with the highest incidence of mesothelioma include Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, Louisiana, Washington, and Oregon.

However, based on the calls the Mesothelioma Victims Center receives, an auto brake mechanic or an auto brake factory worker with mesothelioma could live in any state including New York, Florida, California, Texas, Illinois, Ohio, Iowa, Indiana, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, Wyoming, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Arizona, Idaho, or Alaska.

The Mesothelioma Victims Center says, "If you call us at 800-714-0303, we will see to it that you have extremely honest advice about all that is involved in obtaining the best possible mesothelioma compensation. The mesothelioma attorneys we suggest consistently get the best possible financial compensation results for our clients nationwide." http://MesotheliomaVictimsCenter.Com

For more information about mesothelioma please refer to the National Institutes of Health's web site related to this rare form of cancer: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/mesothelioma.html

Media Contact:

Michael Thomas

800-714-0303

[email protected]

SOURCE Mesothelioma Victims Center

Related Links

http://MesotheliomaVictimsCenter.Com


The lawsuits coordinated in New Jersey State Court and in the District of Massachusetts allege hip implants designed and manufactured by Stryker Orthopaedics are defective. According to the plaintiffs, the Stryker LFit V40 femoral head, a component of Stryker's hip implant that fits into the hip socket and is attached to the femoral stem, has been plagued with numerous corrosion related problems. Many of the plaintiffs report adverse tissue reactions and spontaneous dissociation, which requires extensive surgery to repair. Plaintiffs suffer such injuries as severe pain, inflammation, metallosis, joint instability, dislocation, broken bones in the area of the implant, leg length discrepancy and loss of mobility. The Stryker LFit V40 was recalled in August 2016.

Mr. McGlamry and Mr. Blakely's appointments to the respective state court MCL and federal court MDL provide a unique opportunity for Pope McGlamry, P.C., to oversee and manage parallel litigation. Moreover, as Georgia lawyers, their appointments underscore Georgia as a jurisdiction where large scale coordinated litigation can be competently carried out. Unlike states such as California and New York, Georgia has not historically been a hub for MDLs and other coordinated litigation. However, as the JPML makes a concerted effort to broaden the roster of federal judges with experience managing MDL dockets, an increasing number of MDLs are being sent to Georgia, and Georgia lawyers are being called upon by courts to serve in leadership roles. For example, U.S. District Judge Richard Story of the Northern District of Georgia, recently became the transferee judge in In Re: Ethicon Physiomesh Flexible Composite Hernia Mesh, and U.S. District Judge William Duffey presided over In Re: Wright Medical Technology, Inc., Conserve Hip Implant Products Liability Litigation. Mr. McGlamry is Co-Lead Counsel in In Re: Wright Medical Technology, Inc., Conserve Hip Implant Products Liability Litigation, and helped negotiate a $240 million dollar settlement agreement last year.

Mr. McGlamry expressed his eagerness to serve as a member of the Plaintiffs' Executive Committee in New Jersey State Court stating, "I hope with this appointment, I can help obtain justice for the victims and their families." Mr. Blakely added that he takes the appointment by Judge Talwani very seriously stating, "I'm honored to be chosen by Judge Talwani to help lead this important litigation."

About Pope McGlamry

Both Mr. McGlamry and Mr. Blakely have considerable experience with cases involving defective medical devices, including previous lawsuits against Stryker. Pope McGlamry is a nationwide civil trial law firm that specializes in the handling of significant business fraud and commercial tort cases, often involving extensive damages; contract disputes; business to business litigation; cases of catastrophic injury and wrongful death involving issues related to automotive and general products liability; car, truck, and construction accidents; consumer litigation, including deceptive trade practices; insurance coverage litigation and premises liability cases.

Sources

Stryker Hip Lawsuit News: Federal MDL Court Mulling Remand of Three LFIT V40 Femoral Head Claims, Bernstein Liebhard LLP, June 2017, http://www.rxinjuryhelp.com/news/2017/06/23/stryker-hip-lawsuit-news-federal-mdl-court-mulling-remand-of-three-lfit-v40-femoral-head-claims/

Defendants Oppose Remand of 3 LFIT Cases, Say Claims Against Nondiverse Distributor Preempted, HarrisMartin Publishing, June 2017, https://harrismartin.com/article/22439/defendants-oppose-remand-of-3-lfit-cases-say-claims-against-nondiverse-distributor-preempted/

NJ Stryker Hip Implant Suits Consolidated In State Court, Law 360, June 2017, http://www.pmkm.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/NJ-Stryker-Hip-Implant-Suits-Consolidated-In-State-Court-Law360.pdf

Stryker Hip Implant Lawsuits Consolidated In Massachusetts Federal Court, The Legal Examiner, April 2017, http://newyorkcity.legalexaminer.com/medical-devices-implants/stryker-hip-implant-lawsuits-consolidated-in-massachusetts-federal-court/

Media Contact

For media requests or to confirm an

attorney for comment, please contact:

Anthonia Spencer

Director of Marketing & Business Development

1.404.234.6727

[email protected]

SOURCE Pope McGlamry

Related Links

http://www.popemcglamry.com


"Our agreement with SSM Health further supports Missouri Care's effort to partner with strong provider networks to provide the best care for our members," said Lou Gianquinto, president of Missouri Care. "Our members' health is our first priority, and our focus is ensuring they get the right care at the right time, in the most appropriate setting. Our partnership with SSM Health will help deliver cost-effective health care solutions for our members."

Acute care services include, but are not limited to, high-risk maternity, neonatal intensive care, pediatric care, emergency care, heart and vascular services, cancer care, transplant services, behavioral medicine, neurology, orthopedics and rehabilitation in Missouri communities and regions served by SSM Health. As of June 1, members will have access to more than 75 SSM Health locations and over 3,000 providers, covering more than 100 medical specialties, throughout the state of Missouri. This includes the following hospitals:

SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital SSM Health St. Joseph Hospital  Lake St. Louis SSM Health DePaul Hospital  St. Louis SSM Health St Joseph Hospital  Wentzville SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital SSM Health Rehabilitation Hospitals SSM Health St. Clare Hospital  Fenton SSM Health Outpatient Centers SSM Health St. Francis Hospital  Maryville SSM Health Urgent Care SSM Health St Mary's Hospital  Jefferson City SSM Health Express Clinic at Walgreens SSM Health St Mary's Hospital  St. Louis SSM Health Endoscopy Center SSM Health St. Joseph Hospital  St. Charles SSM St. Clare Surgical Center

Missouri Care and WellCare serve MO HealthNet Managed Care (Medicaid) members and Medicare Prescription Drug members throughout Missouri

About WellCare Health Plans, Inc.

Headquartered in Tampa, Fla., WellCare Health Plans, Inc. (NYSE: WCG) focuses exclusively on providing government-sponsored managed care services, primarily through Medicaid, Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Plans, to families, children, seniors and individuals with complex medical needs. WellCare serves approximately 4.1 million members nationwide as of March 31, 2017. For more information about WellCare, please visit the company's website at www.wellcare.com or view the company's videos at https://www.youtube.com/user/WellCareHealthPlan.

About SSM Health

SSM Health (ssmhc.com) is a Catholic, not-for-profit health system serving the comprehensive health needs of communities across the Midwest through one of the largest integrated delivery systems in the nation. With care delivery sites in Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma and Wisconsin, SSM Health includes 20 hospitals, more than 60 outpatient care sites, a pharmacy benefit company, an insurance company, two nursing homes, comprehensive home care and hospice services, a technology company and one Accountable Care Organization.

With more than 9,500 providers and 33,000 employees in four states, SSM Health is one of the largest employers in every community it serves. An early adopter of the electronic health record (EHR), SSM Health is a national leader for the depth of its EHR integration.

For more information, find us on Facebook and Twitter.

SOURCE WellCare Health Plans, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.wellcare.com


LOS ANGELES, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The acclaimed music education institution Musicians Institute, unveiled its online courses today, providing real-world, artist-driven, and authentic learning opportunities available to anyonefrom anywhere. MI Online (MIO) is open to students around the world and includes exclusive online programs from jazz, blues, and rock guitar legend, Scott Henderson. Other courses include 'Intro to DJing' by Musicians Institute's Independent Artist and DJ Programs Chair, Charles Chemery, and foundational music courses 'Harmony and Theory Fundamentals' and 'Ear Training Fundamentals', with a larger, specialized catalog to come.

The 10 week courses, priced at $799, provide a mix of pre-recorded video lessons, weekly assignments, and Live Lectures that use innovative streaming technology, all online. With small-sized classes capped at 20 students, MI Online's highly interactive, feature-rich Learning Management System (LMS) allows students to engage in discussions and lectures with their classmates and instructors. MIO's instructors, all of whom are accomplished musicians and Musicians Institute faculty, provide personalized feedback for students. The course content is all artist-driven, designed to help students gain real-world musical skills and training.

Students who achieve grades of 70% or above will then be awarded an MI Online Certificate of Accomplishment.

The launch courses include:

Scott Henderson's Approach to Guitar Improvisation:

Learn guitar improvisation techniques online and become a better artist with jazz, rock and blues guitar legend Scott Henderson. Explore how to apply diatonic scales, Scott's approaches to fretboard organization, and much more.

Intro to DJing:

Become an artist, fuel your love of music and learn how to develop your DJing skills with MI Online's online DJ course for beginners, written by celebrated DJ, vocalist, and industry veteran Charlie Sputnik (aka Musicians Institute Program Chair, Charles Chemery).

Harmony & Theory Fundamentals:

Master music fundamentals online with MI Online's Harmony and Theory Fundamentals course. In this online music theory course, presented by renowned songwriter Mark Cally, you will learn about basic symbols and notation, the musical alphabet, major scale construction, key signatures, triads and much more.

Ear Training Fundamentals:

Start your artistic journey with MI Online's Ear Training Fundamentals course. Throughout this online course, you will constantly and consistently train your ear to identify pitch, major scales, melodies and much more.

"MI Online makes it simple and accessible for anyone, anywhere - even at home in your underwear - to learn different musical areas and techniques through cutting-edge music tuition online," said Donny Gruendler, President at Musicians Institute. "For nearly 40 years, MI has proudly welcomed new musicians and creative entrepreneurs into our community, and we're excited about this next stage in our journey. As a member of the MI Online collective, students will join a dynamic worldwide community that fosters endless opportunities, whilst participating in courses that are designed and delivered by music legends."

Enrollment is open and available to students all around the world.

To try free video lessons and to enroll in MI Online's new online courses, click here: https://online.mi.edu/courses/

About MI Online

MI Online (MIO) provides cutting-edge online music tuition through numerous courses that are designed and delivered by music legends. MIO is the online content provider of Musicians Institute (MI), the renowned College of Contemporary Music founded in the heart of Hollywood in 1977 and built on the idea that musicians should teach and learn from other musicians in a creative, collaborative and supportive environment. With this rich history of music education, MI Online is the web-enabled extension of these core philosophies. MI Online offers access to Musicians Institute's acclaimed curriculum and supportive, interactive course content to anyone -- anywhere in the world. Find out more here: https://online.mi.edu/

MEDIA CONTACT:

Britley Klopfer

Interdependence PR

847-858-5220

[email protected]

SOURCE MI Online

Related Links

https://online.mi.edu


FORT WORTH, Texas, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) is pleased to announce the recipients of its Future Leader of the Year, Member of the Year and Lifetime Achievement Awards. The mission of the awards is to recognize outstanding efforts of NAWIC members.

NAWIC Announces 2017 Award Recipients

The 2017 Future Leader of the Year Award winner is Romina Byrd, SHRM-CP, president of NAWIC's Greater Washington, D.C. Chapter. Byrd is the Director of Education and Training for Miller and Long Concrete Construction. During her 20 years at Miller and Long, she has created and facilitated a number of programs to promote careers in construction, and personal and professional development. She was instrumental in the onset of the company's Students Construction Trade Foundation and its Academy of Construction and Design. Since 2002, Byrd has brought together the company's apprentices to participate in the annual Big Build Festival at the National Building Museum, a hands-on festival for children. Just months after joining NAWIC, Byrd became her chapter's president, growing its membership more than 600 percent in under two years.

Shelie Gaffron, will be recognized as NAWIC's 2017 Member of the Year. Gaffron, a member of NAWIC's Fort Worth, Texas Chapter, is a Pre-Construction Specialist/Estimator at AUI Partners, LLC. Since joining NAWIC in 2012, she has served her chapter as president-elect, vice president, secretary and director. She has also chaired numerous chapter and regional committees. She was selected as her chapter's 2016 Woman in Construction, and is a member of the Construction Management Advisory Board at Tarrant County College.

NAWIC's 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Linda Young, CBT, CIT. A member of NAWIC since 1985, Young is a member of the San Diego, Calif. Chapter. She has served as NAWIC national president, president-elect, vice president, and treasurer. She has also served as a NAWIC region director and president of the NAWIC Education Foundation. She has held every office on her chapter's board and chaired numerous chapter, region and national committees. During her time with NAWIC she helped found her chapter's CAMP NAWIC, which introduces young women to the construction industry; helped her chapter set up a 501 (c)(3) foundationNAWIC Future Construction Leaders Foundation, of which she is currently president; and mentored numerous women. She is the owner of C-SOS Consulting.

Byrd, Gaffron, and Young will be honored at the NAWIC Awards Gala on Aug. 18 during NAWIC's 62nd Annual Meeting and Education Conference in Anaheim, Calif. NAWIC members from across the country will gather at the Hyatt Regency Orange County for the Conference.

Contact Autumn Daughetee, NAWIC communications director, at [email protected] or (800) 552-3506 for more information about the NAWIC Awards, photos or to arrange an interview. Media passes are also available for NAWIC's Annual Meeting and Education Conference. Visit the NAWIC website at www.nawic.org.

About NAWIC

NAWIC is an international association serving 125 chapters across the United States. It was founded as Women in Construction of Fort Worth, Texas in 1953 to enhance the success of women in the construction industry. In 1955, the charter was expanded to allow chapters to form across the country and the National Association of Women in Construction was born. The association has expanded to include international affiliates in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the United Kingdom.

Media Contact:

Autumn Daughetee

800-552-3506

[email protected]

SOURCE National Association of Women in Construction

Related Links

http://www.nawic.org


LONDON, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Detection of dementia at the earliest stages has become a worldwide scientific priority because drug treatments, prevention strategies and other interventions will likely be more effective very early in the disease process, before extensive brain damage has occurred. Research results reported at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC) 2017 provide clues about associations between cognitive status in older people and several behavior and lifestyle factors, including verbal skill, hearing, and hospitalization.

"It is essential that we learn more about factors that indicate or impact risk for Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, especially lifestyle factors that we can change or treat," said Maria C. Carrillo, PhD, Alzheimer's Association Chief Science Officer. "The Alzheimer's Association is committed to advancing scientific research to identify simple and accessible ways to spot the signs of cognitive decline."

Having trouble with memory does not mean you have Alzheimer's. That said, the Alzheimer's Association says early detection allows people with dementia and their families:

A better chance of benefiting from treatment.

More time to plan for the future.

Increased chances of participating in clinical drug trials, helping advance research.

An opportunity to participate in decisions about care, living options, financial and legal matters.

Hearing loss is associated with poor cognition and progression to mild cognitive impairment

Taylor Fields, a doctoral student in the Neuroscience Training Program within the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, and colleagues examined the prevalence of hearing loss in late middle-aged adults with a family history of Alzheimer's, and the association between hearing loss and cognitive status and decline. The researchers found evidence for a link between hearing loss and mild cognitive impairment, a condition that can be a precursor to Alzheimer's disease.

The scientists used data collected from 783 people enrolled in the Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer's Prevention (WRAP), a longitudinal study group of people with a parental history of Alzheimer's. Participants undergo periodic tests to evaluate their ability to remember, process, and learn information. Study volunteers self-reported whether they had been diagnosed with hearing loss. At the beginning of the study, all volunteers had normal test results for clinical tests of cognitive function, and all were assessed for progression to mild cognitive impairment.

Over the course of four years, 72 (9.2 percent) study participants reported being diagnosed with hearing loss. Relative to those who reported normal hearing, people in the study with hearing loss were:

More likely to score significantly poorer on cognitive tests such as how quickly new information is processed, flexibility in thinking, and how the brain, eye, and hand coordinate during information processing.

Roughly three times as likely to be characterized as having mild cognitive impairment.

"This study suggests that hearing loss could be an early indicator of worsening cognitive performance in older adults," Fields said. "Identifying and treating hearing loss could have value for interventions aimed at reducing the burden of Alzheimer's disease."

Verbal fluency predicts cognitive health

In another analysis of participants in WRAP, Kimberly Mueller, PhD, of the Wisconsin Alzheimer's Institute, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, and colleagues investigated whether people with very early memory declines also show changes in their everyday speech. The researchers found that subtle changes in everyday speech, such as the use of short sentences, more pronouns, and pauses like "um" and "ah," correlated with early Mild Cognitive Impairment (eMCI), which can be a precursor to Alzheimer's disease.

In the study reported at AAIC 2017, the scientists analyzed two speech samples, taken two years apart, from 264 participants in WRAP. Of these participants, 64 were identified as having eMCI based on cognitive testing over 8-10 years. The speech samples, averaging one minute long, were collected by asking the participants to describe a simple picture.

Study participants with eMCI declined faster on two measures of speech: content and fluency. The content of their speech was less specific, with a higher proportion of pronouns to nouns (e.g., "she," "it," "them"). Their fluency was more disrupted (more hesitations, word repetitions, and filled pauses ("um," "uh")). Also, those with eMCI used less complex syntax and shorter sentences, and took more time to express the same amount of content as the cognitively healthy group.

"Our study is the largest prospective, longitudinal study of spontaneous speech samples in a study group of this kind," Mueller said. "We don't know whether the eMCI group will go on to develop Alzheimer's, so we will continue to follow them, and our next step is to repeat these analyses with participants who have other biomarker evidence, such as amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles as seen on PET scans. Speech analysis may be a valuable cognitive marker to add to clinical assessments of cognitive function in the future."

Emergency and urgent hospitalizations, but not elective admissions, are related to accelerated cognitive decline in older people

Research shows that older adults are at high risk for memory and other cognitive problems after being hospitalized, not only transient delirium but also long-term changes in cognition. However, it is unknown whether elective hospitalizations, such as for scheduled surgery, put older individuals at the same risk for faster cognitive decline as emergency or urgent admissions (nonelective hospitalizations).

In research reported at AAIC 2017, Bryan James, Ph.D., of the Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois, USA, and colleagues found that nonelective hospitalizations were associated with acceleration in cognitive decline from prehospital rates, but elective hospitalizations were not associated with a change in the rate of cognitive decline. Data came from 930 older adults (75% female, mean age of 81 years old) enrolled in the Rush Memory and Aging Project (MAP) in Chicago. The study involved annual cognitive assessments, as well as clinical evaluations. Information on hospitalizations was acquired by linking 1999-2010 Medicare claims records for these participants to their MAP data. All hospital admissions were designated as elective, emergency, or urgent (the latter two combined as nonelective for analysis).

Of the 930 participants, 613 were hospitalized at least once over an average of almost five years of observation. Of those who were hospitalized, 260 (28%) had at least one elective hospital admission, and 553 (60%) had at least one nonelective hospital admission; 200 participants (22%) had both types of hospitalizations. In a model adjusted for age, sex, education, self-reported chronic medical conditions, length of stay, surgeries, intensive care unit stays, and comorbidities, nonelective hospitalizations were associated with acceleration in the rate of cognitive decline from before hospitalization, while elective hospitalizations were not. Nonelective hospitalizations were associated with an approximately 60% acceleration in the rate of decline.

"We saw a clear distinction: nonelective admissions drive the association between hospitalization and long-term changes in cognitive function in later life, while elective admissions do not necessarily carry the same risk of negative cognitive outcomes," James said. "These findings have important implications for the medical decision making and care of older adults. While recognizing that all medical procedures carry some degree of risk, this study implies that planned hospital encounters may not be as dangerous to the cognitive health of older persons as emergency or urgent situations."

While the U.S. Congress has recently provided additional funding for Alzheimer's research at the National Institutes of Health, the commitment continues to fall far short of the need. In 2017, for every $100 the NIH spends on Alzheimer's research, Medicare and Medicaid will spend $12,500 caring for those with the disease. Congress must continue its commitment to Alzheimer's and other dementias by increasing funding for Alzheimer's research by at least an additional $414 million in fiscal year 2018.

About Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC)

The Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC) is the world's largest gathering of researchers from around the world focused on Alzheimer's and other dementias. As a part of the Alzheimer's Association's research program, AAIC serves as a catalyst for generating new knowledge about dementia and fostering a vital, collegial research community.

AAIC 2017 home page: www.alz.org/aaic /

AAIC 2017 newsroom: www.alz.org/aaic/press.asp

About the Alzheimer's Association

The Alzheimer's Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer's care, support and research. Our mission is to eliminate Alzheimer's disease through the advancement of research, to provide and enhance care and support for all affected and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer's. Visit alz.org or call +1 800.272.3900.

Taylor Fields , et al. Self-Reported Hearing Loss, Cognitive Performance, and Risk of MCI: Findings from the Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer's Prevention. (Funder(s): University of Wisconsin at Madison Neuroscience Training Program)

, et al. Self-Reported Hearing Loss, Cognitive Performance, and Risk of MCI: Findings from the Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer's Prevention. (Funder(s): Neuroscience Training Program) Kimberly Mueller , Ph.D., et al. Signs of Early Cognitive Decline within Connected Speech: Evidence from the Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer's Prevention (WRAP). (Funder(s): U.S. National Institutes of Health)

, Ph.D., et al. Signs of Early Cognitive Decline within Connected Speech: Evidence from the Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer's Prevention (WRAP). (Funder(s): U.S. National Institutes of Health) Bryan James , Ph.D., et al. Cognitive Decline after Elective and Nonelective Hospitalization in Community-Dwelling Older Adults. (Funder(s): National Institute on Aging)

SOURCE Alzheimer's Association

Related Links

http://www.alz.org


CHICAGO, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Industry Juice, a new and innovative alternative to the mess, hassle and expense of squeezing juice on-premise in the Hospitality industry, will be participating at the 2017 "Tales of the Cocktail," the world's premier cocktail festival in New Orleans from July 18  July 23, 2017. Tales of the Cocktail is the industry's annual meeting place for the exchanging of new ideas, products and techniques.

Chicago-based Industry Juice, which recently launched at the 2017 National Restaurant Show, offers a true alternative to squeezing citrus juice on premise with its 100% fresh squeezed, cold-pressed lime, lemon, pineapple, orange and grapefruit juices.

"We are thrilled to be participating at Tales of the Cocktail this year," said Scott Holstein, Industry Juice founder. "Our momentum from our launch and early growth is incredibly exciting and we can't wait to share our story and product with the passionate people we will be meeting at Tales this year. We exist to keep the Industry's creative juices flowing and there is no better place to be of service to this mission than at the hand crafted cocktail epicenter, Tales in New Orleans."

Industry Juice was conceived to alleviate the pain points around squeezing juice inside bars and restaurants. They do this while maintaining the high qualities that are needed to serve consistent, great-tasting cocktails to those mixologists and craft cocktail bars that really care about quality. Industry Juice's cold-pressed process uses pressure, not heat, to extend shelf life thereby maintaining the integrity of the enzymes and flavors in the juices. This process offers bars and restaurants fresh, high quality taste along with a guaranteed 30-day shelf life without the hassle that comes with squeezing on a daily basis.

The quality and flavor of Industry Juice's 100 percent pure, fresh squeezed, cold-pressed juices is offered delivered direct, from Press to Bar, which is very unique to the industry and is the freshest way to receive bottled fresh juice. Bottled on-site at facilities in the Midwest, Industry Juice maintains shelf life by putting the bottles of juice under high pressure simulating 60 kilometers below sea level to preserve the enzymes that make juices taste so fresh. Industry Juice thus provides the additional benefit of a 30-day guaranteed shelf life without the use of preservatives or damaging heat pasteurization.

Current customers of Industry Juice include Hogsalt Hospitality in Chicago, Four Corners Tavern Group, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, Lollapalooza Music Festival, Virgin and Sheraton Hotels in addition to various restaurant groups and high quality bars across the country.

"Industry Juice has worked out great for us," said Tim Ryll, Bar Director at Four Corners Tavern Group. "The quality is awesome, saves us labor cost and our bartenders love that the bottles are ready to pour. All of our spots use Industry Juice and our drinks taste exactly as they should."

Four Corners also operates other restaurants including Chicago's Federales, Highline, and Fremont.

ABOUT INDUSTRY JUICE

Industry Juice was established to keep the industry's creative juices flowing with a solution to the mess, expense and hassle of fresh squeezing juice. The cold-pressed and fresh alternative to squeezing comes in lime, lemon, orange, pineapple and grapefruit. To learn more about how we help the restaurant, bar and hotel industry by supplying cold-pressed and long shelf-life juice alternative, visit industryjuice.com.

Industry Juice gives one percent of its revenue of lime juice to The One Percent for the Planet, a global network of businesses, nonprofits and individuals working together for a healthy planet. Industry Juice is also an in-kind sponsor at this year's Pig & Punch NOLA at Tales of the Cocktail benefiting KIPP Public Charter Schools  a national network of schools helping students from educationally underserved communities achieve their highest potential from an early age.

CONTACTS:

Julie Kreiter Leslie Levine Industry Juice Industry Juice [email protected] [email protected] 312.504.8014 847.370.6784

SOURCE Industry Juice

Related Links

http://industryjuice.com


RICHMOND, Va., July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Anyone can contribute to an ABLEnow account. And thanks to a new website, family and friends can easily provide direct financial assistance to a loved one with disabilities without endangering the account owner's eligibility for most means-tested benefits.

The ABLEnow Contribution Center provides a convenient way to help an individual with disabilities build his or her savings and achieve financial independence. To make an online contribution, gift-givers just need the ABLEnow account owner's last name and account number to get started at able-now.com/give-a-gift. There are no fees to use the ABLEnow Contribution Center.

"Before ABLEnow, monetary gifts to an individual with disabilities could jeopardize their much-needed income, health care, food and housing assistance benefits," said Mary Morris, CEO of Virginia529, the agency that administers ABLEnow. "The new ABLEnow Contribution Center makes it easy for our ABLEnow customers to accept monetary gifts and assistance like anyone else. Family and friends can mark birthdays, holidays and other milestones by making a contribution directly into their loved one's ABLEnow account."

Gift-givers may benefit from their contribution too. Virginia offers an annual state income tax deduction of up to $2,000 per contributor for contributions to an ABLEnow account.

In addition to the new website, gift contributions may be made directly into an ABLEnow account by mail. Printable, themed gift certificates are available online to share the good news.

With accounts in all 50 states, ABLEnow is one of the fastest-growing ABLE savings program in the country since it opened for national enrollment in December 2016. Virginia was among the first states in the country to offer an ABLE program.

ABLEnow provides people with disabilities and their families the opportunity to gather resources for today's needs or invest for tomorrow. These simple, affordable and tax-advantaged accounts allow eligible individuals to contribute up to $14,000 a year without endangering eligibility for most means-tested benefit programs, including Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). The program is administered by Virginia529, the nation's largest college savings plan with an expanded mission to assist individuals with disabilities expand their potential and enhance their life experience.

To learn more and open an ABLEnow account, visit able-now.com.

About Virginia529

In December 2016, with an expanded mission, Virginia529 launched ABLEnow, a national ABLE savings program for eligible individuals living with disabilities. Call 1-844-NOW-ABLE or visit able-now.com to obtain information on the program.

For twenty years, Virginia529 has made higher education more accessible and affordable for families and individuals. With more than $62 billion in assets under management and over 2.5 million accounts as of March 31, 2017, Virginia529 is the largest 529 plan in the country with three tax-advantaged programsPrepaid529SM, Invest529SM and CollegeAmericaand early commitment scholarship program SOAR Virginia assisting students of any age to reach their higher education goals. For more information on Virginia529's college savings options, visit Virginia529.com or call 1-888-567-0540 to obtain program materials.

We encourage you to seek the advice of a professional concerning any financial, tax, legal or federal or state benefit implications related to opening and maintaining either a college savings or an ABLE account. Participating in these programs involve investment risk including the possible loss of principal. For non-Virginia residents: other states may sponsor a college savings or ABLE plan offering state tax or other benefits not available through our programs.  2017 Virginia College Savings Plan. All Rights Reserved.

Media Contact:

Sarah Pennington

[email protected]

804-225-2692

SOURCE ABLEnow

Related Links

http://able-now.com


MINNEAPOLIS, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) has approved the maximum 10 years of continuing accreditation for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program at Herzing University's Minneapolis campus.

"Twin Cities-area nursing students and employers expect our program to meet nursing accreditation standards and this 10-year accreditation confirms it," said Jason Morgan, Minneapolis campus president at Herzing. "We know how important a quality nursing program is to our students, and our students look at accreditation when choosing a school. Moreover, our clinical partners want registered nurses who've earned a bachelor's degree from an accredited school."

Accreditation by CCNE shows that Herzing's BSN program is sufficient across a number of criteria including institutional resources, quality curriculum and teaching practices, and program outcomes related to completion rates, pass rates and employment. Herzing also has a systematic evaluation plan that includes ongoing assessments of the programs to show that the university continues to meet CCNE accreditation standards.

The BSN program at Herzing's Minneapolis campus offers year-round study, allowing students to graduate in as little as three years. Theoretical instruction is integrated with clinical experience in a variety of healthcare settings to provide a broad, holistic and reality-based understanding of the roles and responsibilities of a professional nurse. Students also develop the clinical judgment and critical thinking skills required to practice lifelong learning and to provide care to diverse populations across the health-illness continuum.

Officially recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education as a national accreditation agency, CCNE is an autonomous accrediting agency, contributing to the improvement of the public's health. CCNE ensures the quality and integrity of baccalaureate, graduate, and residency programs in nursing and serves the public interest by assessing and identifying programs that engage in effective educational practices. As a voluntary, self-regulatory process, CCNE accreditation supports and encourages continuing self-assessment by nursing programs and supports continuing growth and improvement of collegiate professional education and nurse residency programs. The CCNE accredits more than 1,000 nursing education degree programs throughout the United States.

In addition to the 10-year accreditation by the CCNE, the BSN program at Herzing's Minneapolis campus is also approved by the Minnesota State Board of Nursing.

For more information about Herzing's nursing programs, please visit www.herzing.edu.

About Herzing University

Herzing University, an accredited private nonprofit institution, encompasses 11 campuses in eight states, a continuing education division, an online division, and has a current enrollment of approximately 6,000 students. Founded in Milwaukee in 1965, today the University offers career-focused, convenient and caring education for master's, bachelor's, and associate degrees, diplomas and continuing education in the fields of nursing, technology, business, healthcare and public safety. From 2013 through 2017, U.S. News & World Report recognized Herzing University as having some of the "Best Online Bachelor's Degree Programs" nationally. Herzing University has also been recognized on the GI Jobs magazine list of "Military Friendly Schools" from 2013 through 2017. Herzing University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission; www.hlcommission.org or (800) 621-7440. More information about Herzing University is available at: www.herzing.edu.

Contact:

Candice Hudson

312-661-1050

[email protected]

SOURCE Herzing University

Related Links

http://www.herzing.edu


(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 )

Browse 78 Market Data Tables and 46 Figures spread through 157 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Organic Fertilizers Market - Global Forecast to 2022"

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/organic-fertilizer-Market-171744317.html

Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report

Increasing land area under organic cultivation and advancements in the organic fertilizers' manufacturing process are the major drivers of the Organic Fertilizers Market. Increasing size of potential consumer base, which drives the demand for organic fertilizers through organic food consumption present organic fertilizers providers with lucrative opportunities.

Download PDF Brochure: http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=171744317

Significant growth expected in the animal segment

Animal-based organic fertilizers are a good source of nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium along with of phosphorus and calcium that strengthens the root health development and flower growth. The awareness about the nutritional benefits of animal-based organic fertilizers has resulted in an increased usage of these fertilizers in the recent years.

Make an Inquiry: http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_Buying.asp?id=171744317

Fruits & vegetables segment projected to be the fastest-growing market during the forecast period.

The well-developed infrastructure for cold chains and refrigerated transport facilities have increased the trade and demand for fruits & vegetables. As the demand for organic fruits & vegetables is increasing, growers need to produce more in the limited organic land area, owing to which the application of organic fertilizers in fruits & vegetables is increasing.

Liquid segment projected to be the fastest-growing market during the forecast period.

Liquid fertilizers have the characteristic of rapid absorbability by soil, which in turn ensures that nutrients reach crops faster than other forms of fertilizers. Thus, the application of liquid organic fertilizers has become popular among farmers over the last few years, opening new opportunities for the organic fertilizers industry.

Europe is estimated to be the largest region during the forecast period

Increase in consumer willingness to pay for the organic foods, increasing area under cultivation due to farmers' preference towards organic cropping owing to favourable pricing of products, and growing agricultural land area under organic cultivation has boosted the Organic Fertilizers Market in the region. Spain is the largest market for organic fertilizers in the region. Substantial growth is expected in Germany, France, and Italy due to the increasing health, safety, and environmental concerns. These factors are driving the Organic Fertilizers Market in the region.

The key companies include Tata Chemicals Ltd (India), The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (U.S.), Coromandel International Limited (India), National Fertilizers Limited (India), and Krishak Bharati Cooperative Limited (India). These are well-established and financially stable players that have been operating in the industry for several years. Other significant players include Midwestern BioAg (U.S.), Italpollina SpA (Italy), ILSA S.p.A (Italy), Perfect Blend, LLC (U.S.), and Sustane Natural Fertilizer, Inc. (U.S.).

Browse related reports:

Biofertilizers Market by Type (Nitrogen-Fixing, Phosphate-Solubilizing, Potash-Mobilizing), Microorganism (Rhizobium, Azotobacter, Azospirillium, Cyanobacteria, P-Solubilizer), Mode of Application, Crop Type, Form, and Region - Global Forecast to 2022

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/compound-biofertilizers-customized-fertilizers-market-856.html



Agricultural Biologicals Market by Type (Biopesticides, Biofertilizers & Biostimulants), Application (Cereals & Grains, Oilseeds & Pulses, Fruits & Vegetables & Others), Sources (Microbials, Biorationals & Others), and by Mode of Application (Soil Treatment, Seed Treatment &Foliar Spray) - Global Forecast to 2020

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/agricultural-biological-market-100393324.html

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Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve.

MarketsandMarkets' flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "RT" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets.

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SOURCE MarketsandMarkets
NEW YORK, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The global orthopedic navigation system market is expected to reach USD 303.7 million by 2025, according to a new study by Grand View Research, Inc. Increasing geriatric population prone to orthopedic diseases is a key contributing factor propelling the demand for orthopedic navigation systems over the forecast period. Osteoarthritis and osteoporosis are most common disorders in the population aged 70 years and above. Growing prevalence of these disorders results in increased economic burden on many countries.



Read the full report: http://www.reportlinker.com/p04785507/Orthopedic-Navigation-Systems-Market-Analysis-By-Application-Spine-Hip-Knee-By-Region-North-America-Europe-Asia-Pacific-Latin-America-Middle-East-Africa-And-Segment-Forecasts.html



According to the WHO, 9.6% of men and 18% of women are suffering from various forms of arthritis globally. Over 82% of people suffering from osteoarthritis have difficulty in movement and around 25% are not able to perform daily activities. Degenerative joint disorders affect majorly knee, hip, and ankle. Knee and hip replacement procedures are performed in 85% of patients suffering from osteoarthritis. Other factors include physical inactivity, obesity, unhealthy lifestyle, and injuries.



Further key findings from the study suggest:



Rising demand for computer-assisted orthopedic surgery due to associated advantages such as low recovery time and shorter hospital stay are anticipated to fuel the industry growth



Knee navigation systems held the largest market share in 2016 owing to increased adoption by healthcare professionals and ample availability of products



Asia Pacific regional market is anticipated to witness lucrative growth due to rising incidence of orthopedic disorders and awareness levels amongst consumers regarding benefits of minimally invasive surgery



High economic development is boosting medical tourism in countries, such as India and China, which is expected to drive the growth by increasing the buying capacity of consumers



The market is moving toward consolidation, as large pharmaceuticals are focused on strategic acquisitions of smaller companies to gain competitive advantage in coming years



Companies are striving to gain revenue share via new product development, geographic expansion, and partnership alliances



For example, Brainlab and De Puy Synthes entered into an extended collaboration for providing effective spine alignment treatment via navigation system



Key players such as Biomet, Orthokey Italia, Brainlab, Stryker, and De Puy dominate the market and hold more than 70% of the revenue share as of 2016



The market is highly competitive in nature as major players are focusing towards the product innovation strategies due to changing need of healthcare establishments, surgeons and patients



Read the full report: http://www.reportlinker.com/p04785507/Orthopedic-Navigation-Systems-Market-Analysis-By-Application-Spine-Hip-Knee-By-Region-North-America-Europe-Asia-Pacific-Latin-America-Middle-East-Africa-And-Segment-Forecasts.html



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AUSTIN, Texas, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- An affiliate of Peak Rock Capital ("Peak Rock"), a leading middle market private equity firm, announced today that it has acquired Gold Coast Bakeries, LLC ("Gold Coast" or the "Company"), a producer of high quality specialty and organic breads, buns, rolls, and sweet goods.

Headquartered in Santa Ana, California, Gold Coast provides a broad array of fresh and frozen products to leading consumer packaged goods companies, grocery retailers, and foodservice customers. The Company operates out of two USDA Organic-certified facilities in California and Illinois, where it produces, packages, and distributes products nationwide. Over more than 25 years, Gold Coast has earned an exceptional reputation for its great tasting, innovative products and impeccable customer service.

Effective with the transaction, Rick Anderson became Chief Executive Officer of the Company. Mr. Anderson has extensive leadership experience in food and consumer packaged goods, most recently as President & CEO of Little Lady Foods in Illinois. Previously, he was the Chief Commercial Officer at Aryzta and La Brea Bakery. Rick Anderson said, "I am thrilled to partner with Peak Rock and the exceptional Gold Coast team as we further develop the strong customer relationships and new product innovation capabilities that the Company is known for in the industry."

Steve Martinez, President and Managing Director of Peak Rock Capital, said, "Our investment in the Gold Coast platform highlights Peak Rock's continued commitment to businesses with differentiated production capabilities that are well-positioned for growth in the natural food space. We look forward to working with the Company's strong management team to enhance the business."

The acquisition of Gold Coast represents Peak Rock's sixth investment in the food and beverage industry. Anthony DiSimone, Chief Executive Officer of Peak Rock Capital, added, "We are actively seeking attractive food and consumer platforms to invest in, as well as accretive add-on acquisitions in the bakery space."

ABOUT GOLD COAST BAKERIES

Founded in 1989, Gold Coast is a leading manufacturer of specialty and organic breads, buns, rolls, and sweet goods. Based in Santa Ana, CA and operating out of two USDA Organic-certified facilities in the United States, the Company offers a wide selection of premium baked goods to a diverse customer base of leading consumer packaged goods companies, grocery retailers, and foodservice customers. For further information about Gold Coast Bakeries, please visit www.goldcoastbakery.com.

ABOUT PEAK ROCK CAPITAL

Peak Rock Capital is a leading middle-market private equity firm that makes equity and debt investments in companies in North America and Europe. Peak Rock focuses on investing in opportunities where it can support senior management in driving rapid growth and profit improvement through operational and strategic change. Peak Rock's principals have deep expertise in complex situations and cross border transactions, with the ability to provide tailored capital solutions and close transactions quickly where speed and certainty are priorities. For further information about Peak Rock Capital, please visit www.peakrockcapital.com.

Media Contact:

Daniel Yunger

Kekst

(212) 521-4800

SOURCE Peak Rock Capital

Related Links

http://peakrockcapital.com


COLUMBUS, Ohio, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Petland's 50th anniversary was recently celebrated at the annual Petland Awards Banquet and Trade Show held in Kissimmee, FL.

Petland, Inc. was the vision of Ed Kunzelman, who took his fish-keeping hobby to the next level by opening a single pet store in Chillicothe, Ohio on October 21, 1967. The first franchised location opened in Portsmouth in 1972 and the company now has locations across the U.S. and in Canada, Mexico, China, Japan, South Africa, Brazil and El Salvador with openings planned in Saudi Arabia by the end of the year.

Franchisees of Petland Pensacola, JR and Jennifer Harper, win the 2017 Petland Store of the Year. Petland President and CEO Joe Watson welcomes franchisees, strategic partners and special guests to the 50th anniversary Petland Awards Banquet.

President and CEO Joe Watson opened the celebratory evening with a salute to Petland's culture. "It's not every day you get a chance to celebrate a 50th anniversary. To make it 50 yearsthere must be some magic in the mix.

Just think about this," Watson continued. "Less than 20% of all companies make it to their 50th anniversary. Petland culturethat's the magic. it's a culture of love and compassion. This culture of compassion is on display every day in our stores."

The Awards presentations followed. The Petland IMPACT Award, highlighting stores that have made significant contributions to their community and the Petland family, was presented to two franchise locations.

"At Petland we impact the lives of people everyday around the world, enhancing the human-animal bond," said Petland Director of Operations Jimmy Taylor. "In fact, we are most proud of the positive impact Petland stores have on their staff, their customers and their community."

The IMPACT Award was presented to:

Ted Karcher and Kurt Karcher , Petland Norwin, PA;

and , Petland Norwin, PA; The Marquez Family, Pembroke Pines, FL

Three seasoned franchisees were also honored with the Distinguished Franchisee Award, which recognizes long-term franchisees who have made a specific impact on the Petland culture. Bill & Sandy Wymard, former operators of Monroeville, PA and current operators of Aquarium Adventure in Hilliard, OH; John & Aggie Rhoades, operators of Petland Ft. Myers, FL; and Jimmy and Donna Taylor, former franchisees of multiple locations including Sarasota, FL and Blue Springs, MO.

The Store of the Year Award was presented to JR and Jennifer Harper, of Petland Pensacola, FL.

The International Store of the Year Award was presented to Marcio Lacava from Petland Santos, Brazil.

Finally, Presidential Awards are given to outstanding employees in each management department of the Petland store. The 2016 recipients are Holly McFarland, Petland Columbus Carriage Place, OH (a three-time winner), Pet Counselor of the Year; Jackie Comas, Petland Jacksonville, FL, Kennel Manager of the Year; Jenn Sutphen, Fort Walton Beach, FL, Inventory Control Manager of the Year; and Michelle Sliger, Petland Columbus Carriage Place, Manager of the Year.

If you would like more information about any of the awards or recipients, please contact Elizabeth Kunzelman of Petland, Inc. at [email protected].

Petland, Inc. is a franchise based in south-central Ohio offering full-service retail pet centers across the United States, Canada, Japan, China, Mexico, South Africa, Brazil and El Salvador. Since the company's beginning in the fall of 1967, Petland's Mission has been dedicated to matching the right pet with the right customer and meeting the needs of both. To its customers who already own pets, Petland is dedicated to enhancing their knowledge and enjoyment of the human-animal bond. Today, Petland is ranked among Entrepreneur magazine's "Franchise 500." For franchising opportunities and more information on Petland, visit the company's Web site at www.petland.com.

Contact:

Elizabeth Kunzelman

Petland, Inc.

740-775-2464

[email protected]

SOURCE Petland

Related Links

http://www.petland.com


LONDON, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Executive Summary

The report titled "Philippines Mattress Market Outlook to 2021- Growing and Expanding Healthcare and Hospitality Sector to Augment Market Growth" provides a comprehensive analysis of mattress market in Philippines. The report covers market size, segmentation on the basis of size, type, market structure, urban and rural, region, distribution channels and end users. The report also covers market in different aspects such as trade scenario - import and export of mattresses, competitive landscape and company profiles for major players in Philippines mattress market. The report provides detailed overview on future outlook & projections with analyst recommendations for the industry.

Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5001488/

The report facilitate the reader with an in-depth analysis of the existing and future trends, issues and challenges prevalent in the industry and anticipated growth in the future depending upon changing industry dynamics in coming years. The report is useful for mattress manufacturers, mattress raw material manufacturers, retailers, franchisees, home furnishing companies and other stakeholders to align their market centric strategies according to ongoing and expected trends in the future.



Industry Overview

Philippines mattress market has displayed a CAGR of ~% during the period of 2011-2016, in terms of revenue. The growth displayed by the market was supported by factors such as increasing number of hotels and rising construction activities of both residential and non-residential units. A phenomenal growth in the number of tourist arrivals to the country has played an important role in the expansion of hospitality sector in the country, leading to a surge in the demand for quality mattresses. In 2016, the amount of revenue generated by the Philippines mattress market amounted to USD ~ million. The growth exhibited by the market should also be owed to rising demand for premium quality mattresses, increasing consumer expenditure on household items, increasing number of households and other related factors.



Market Segmentation

In terms of sales volume, the market is dominated by queen size mattresses that account for a share of ~% in 2016. It is followed by the single size and king size mattresses.



On the basis of type of mattress, the market is dominated by spring mattresses that held a share of ~% in the overall market revenue in 2016 followed by foam and other types of mattresses.



During 2016, the organized market structure has a share of ~% in the overall market structure followed by the unorganized market structure.



In terms of revenue generation, the urban population has contributed the most to the Philippines mattress market in 2016 and accounted for a share of ~%. In segmentation by region, Metro manila, held the highest share in the market revenue holding a share of ~% in the overall market.



Direct distribution channel is the most preferred form of distribution by the companies and it has contributed revenue of USD ~ million in 2016 followed by the retail and online distribution channels.



Non-residential customers represent the highest contributing segment in the market in terms of revenue. In 2016, they held a share of ~% in the overall market revenue.



Competitive Landscape

Philippines mattress market is concentrated with a limited number of organized market players which include mattress manufacturing companies such as Philippine Bed Manufacturing Corporation, Uratex Foam, Tempur Foam, Mandaue Foam and others. There is a significant competition in the market between the companies on the basis of price, type, functionality and channel of distribution of mattresses. All the aforementioned companies manufacture classic and premium foam and spring mattresses suitable for both residential and non-residential customers. Entry of foreign players such as Tempur, King Koil and other such players has augmented competition in the market.



Future Potential of Philippines Mattress Market

The Philippines mattress market has witnessed a considerable growth in past five years and the market is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of ~% during the forecast period, 2017-2021. The growth and expansion of healthcare and hospitality sector, increasing consumer spending and rising demand for premium quality mattresses are set to drive growth in the mattress market during the forecast period, 2017-2021. Rising number of households, increasing health concerns, growing urbanization and modernization and other related factors are set to augment the demand for premium quality mattresses during the forecast period.



Key Topics Covered in the Report



- Philippines Mattress Market Overview and Genesis

- Value Chain Analysis in Philippines Mattress Market

- Philippines Mattress Market Size

- Philippines Mattress Market Segmentation

- Trade Scenario for Philippines Mattress Market

- Trends and Developments in Philippines Mattress Market

- Issues and Challenges in Philippines Mattress Market

- Porter's Five Force Analysis of Philippines Mattress Market

- Competitive Landscape of Major Players in Philippines Mattress Market

- Product Portfolio of Major Players in the Philippines Mattress Market

- Philippines Mattress Market Future Outlook and Projections

- Macroeconomic Factors affecting Philippines Mattress Market

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AMSTERDAM and ATLANTA, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA), a global leader in health technology, and West Physics, a premier provider of medical physics services worldwide, today announced their partnership resulting in a turn-key computed tomography (CT) radiation dose management program to help health systems comply with new dose management requirements from accrediting and regulatory bodies. Together, Philips and West Physics will help hospitals establish effective radiation safety programs that help optimize patient radiation dose to deliver excellent image quality, while easing the regulatory burden.

Philips and West Physics are uniting innovative dose tracking technology and medical physics expertise with the goal of helping hospitals use patient dose data in a more meaningful way, and ultimately establishing world-class radiation safety programs in radiology departments across the United States. With Philips DoseWise Portal, a multi-vendor and multi-modality software solution that manages radiation data collection and analysis, and the luminary team of medical physicists at West Physics, hospitals and health systems will be fully equipped to establish programs for managing CT protocol optimization, optimize CT equipment through protocol management and benchmarking, apply data-driven analytics to assist with regulatory standard compliance, and set meaningful goals to track progress against both hospital-specific benchmarks and national standards.

"Philips remains committed to providing high quality technology and informatics solutions for radiation dose management, and our partnership with West Physics helps further our dedication," said Dominic Siewko, clinical marketing leader and former Radiation Safety Officer at Philips. "Our aim is to ensure hospitals and health systems of all sizes have the resources and support for proper dose optimization and justification for exam ordering, resulting in effective dose management for patients while providing excellent image quality. We are looking forward to working with the highly respected team at West Physics to make dose management programs a standard part of all hospitals and health systems across the U.S."

"In today's shifting regulatory environment, hospitals really must look ahead to remain compliant with evolving requirements for CT dose optimization," said Dr. Geoffrey West, President and Senior Medical Physicist of West Physics. "With guidance from our team of specialty-trained medical physics experts, who are intimately familiar with not only the relevant standards but also with effective ways to adjust scan technique on each various CT make and model to produce an optimal image quality / dose balance, technologists will learn how to best utilize Philips DoseWise Portal dose tracking software to manage dose and remain compliant. Additionally, our experts will work alongside hospitals and imaging centers to address challenges and provide advice for building their radiation safety program."

The combination of West Physics' services and Philips' DoseWise Portal is available in three tiers of professional support to help health systems of all sizes achieve their CT dose management goals. Hospitals will be able to optimize patient doses through protocol reviews and optimization, conduct performance evaluations against industry benchmarks, test CT scanners for accuracy against the stated dose output, establish and set up dose alert levels, and stay in compliance with local and national standards.

To learn more about Philips' innovations in dose management, watch this educational video, visit www.Philips.com/DoseWise and follow the conversation @PhilipsHealth.

For further information, please contact:

Alicia Cafardi

Philips Group Press Office

Tel: +1 412-523-9616

E-mail: [email protected]

About West Physics

West Physics Consulting, LLC, based in Atlanta, Georgia, provides quality assurance testing for advanced imaging equipment (MRI, CT, NM/PET, etc.) as well as other radiation safety consulting services to over 2,000 hospitals and imaging centers in 50 U.S. states, federal territories, the Caribbean, Latin America, and the Middle East. West Physics employs a highly educated, trained and experienced team of medical physicists and health physicists to assist its clients with a wide variety of challenges in their diagnostic imaging businesses, including: independently testing highly complex imaging equipment to ensure patient safety and image quality; assisting facilities with achieving prestigious accreditation from the American College of Radiology, The Joint Commission, Intersocietal Accreditation Commission, and RadSite; helping facilities design lead shielding for x-ray installations; and providing other forms of regulatory and technical consulting. For more information, visit www.westphysics.com.

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


NEW YORK, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Due to overwhelmingly positive reviews to-date and unprecedented advance sales, the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene (NYTF) has just announced that they will be extending their Off Broadway run of Amerike The Golden Land, through August 20th. This timely and relevant 90-minute musical commentary on immigration, repression, and assimilation plays at the Museum of Jewish Heritage, across from the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

Photo by Victor Nechay /Proper Pix Photo by Victor Nechay /Proper Pix

Directed by Drama Desk Award nominee Bryna Wasserman, and choreographed by current Chita Rivera Award nominee Merete Muenter, the re-conceived production of Zalmen Mlotek and Moishe Rosenfeld's 1984 musical blends popular songs from the 1880s to the mid-20th century into a lavish score that demonstrates how America both absorbs and reflects back the cultures of its immigrants.

Coinciding with Amerike, NYTF will present New York's first-ever Immigration Arts Summit, hosted at the Museum of Jewish Heritage. The Summit Monday, July 17, and concludes on Tuesday, July 18 with a free concert in Robert F. Wagner Park, opened by pop/R&B sensation and American Idol finalist Kimberley Locke, who will sing Irving Berlin's rarely-heard music adaptation of Emma Lazarus' poem "The New Colossus," with music selections from the cast of Amerike, and performances by NYC's multicultural arts community. Noteworthy Summit participants include movie star, author, and comedian John Leguizamo, nationally-known television personality and journalist Ann Curry, Grammy Award winner Frank London, and an extraordinary line-up of New York's multicultural theatre and performing arts support organizations including Pan Asian Repertory; Repertorio Espanol; Irish Repertory Theatre; the Kairos Italy Theater; the Irish Arts Center, and the Turkish American Repertory Theatre, as well as such museums and cultural organizations as El Museo del Bario; the Lower East Side Tenement Museum; the Museum at Eldridge Street; Israel's Office of Cultural Affairs in the USA, the Museum of Jewish Heritage, and the Cumbe Center for African and Diaspora Dance.



"We're making this extension announcement as we prepare to open the Immigration Arts Summit," says Christopher Massimine, NYTF's CEO. "We are hearing resounding approval for our willingness to let this immigration story stand for all immigrants, and to serve as a stark reminder not just of the opportunities America offers, but also the challenges and injustices faced."

Established 1915, the Drama Desk-winning NYTF brings a rich cultural heritage to life on stageone that was nearly destroyed some 75 years ago. Now in its record-setting 103rd consecutive season, NYTF is a producer of Broadway's Indecent, winner of two Tony Awards including direction.



Amerike The Golden Land tickets are $35 to $60; Immigration Arts Summit tickets are $10 for Panel Discussions or Keynote Address, $15 for both Panel Discussions & Keynote. Tickets can be purchased at www.nytf.org and by phone at 866-811-4111.

The Immigration Arts Summit is supported by the NYC Mayor's Office on Immigrant Affairs; New York Foundation for the Arts; NYC Department of Cultural Affairs; Battery Park City Parks Conservancy.

Media contact:

Jamibeth Margolis

[email protected]

(212) 213-2120 etx. 210

SOURCE National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene

Related Links

http://nytf.org


NEW YORK, July 17, 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

Overvalued Tesla Stock is Greasing Pathway to Electric Cars

Potential Medicaid Cuts Put Savings of Middle-Class Elderly at Risk

MEDIA JOBS

News Editor, Commercial Real Estate  CoStar Group

Reporter  Hedge Fund Alert

Data Journalist  Activist Insight

OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES

Six Essential Tips for the Perfect Headshot

Doodling: How to Unlock New Ideas

Blog Profiles: Nutrition Blogs

EXPERT ALERTS:

Overvalued Tesla Stock is Greasing Pathway to Electric Cars

David Kirsch

Associate Professor of Management and Entrepreneurship

University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business

Volvo's plan to introduce only hybrid or all-electric vehicles starting in 2019 was foretold by Kirsch when he described consumers choosing from a widening array of hybrid formats as a potential pathway to electrification. And, the Volvo plan emerges alongside production of a new mass-market Model 3 electric battery-powered family car by Tesla, which Kirsch says carries a "grossly overvalued stock that has soared thanks to a seemingly bulletproof investment narrative It's not surprising that an established automaker would look to distinguish itself from the pack, as Volvo has done, and look to align itself with Tesla's valuation narrative. And so, even though right now Volvo is not publicly traded, I can imagine this setting the stage for an eventual IPO."

Kirsch's research interests include industry emergence, technological choice, technological failure and the role of entrepreneurship in the emergence of new industries. He is the author of The Electric Vehicle and the Burden of History.

Bio: https://www.rhsmith.umd.edu/directory/david-kirsch

Contact: Greg Muraski, [email protected]

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]

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/

News Editor, Commercial Real Estate  CoStar Group

Reporter  Hedge Fund Alert

Data Journalist  Activist Insight

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 at [email protected].

SIX ESSENTIAL TIPS FOR THE PERFECT HEADSHOT. A picture can help humanize your work and, more importantly, push viewers to personally feel connected to you. But not any old selfie will do. The wrong image could be a credibility killer. Here are six tips for taking the perfect headshot: http://prn.to/headshots

DOODLING: HOW TO UNLOCK NEW IDEAS. According to studies in neuroscience, psychology and design, those who doodle typically are better able to grasp new concepts, stay focused, and refine creative ideas. Ultimately, doodling is a thinking tool; you can use it to hone your creative mind: http://prn.to/doodling

BLOG PROFILES: NUTRITION BLOGS. Each week, PR Newswire selects an industry or subject and a handful of sites that do a good job with promoting and contributing to the conversation. This week, it's Nutrition Blogs: http://prn.to/nutritionblogs

PROFNET is an exclusive service of PR Newswire.

SOURCE ProfNet

Related Links

http://www.profnet.com


LONDON, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Executive Summary

The report titled "Qatar Healthcare Market to 2021  High Prevalence of Diabetes and Rising Healthcare Infrastructure to Foster Future Growth" provides a comprehensive analysis of the healthcare market in Qatar. The report focuses on the hospitals and clinics, medical devices used in the hospital setting, diagnostic laboratories, clinics and polyclinics, pharmaceutical drugs and injectable used for treatment and diagnostic purposes, and services provided by healthcare providers. The report covers aspects such as overall healthcare market by its key segments including medical devices, pharmaceuticals, hospitals, independent diagnostic laboratories, clinics/polyclinics, retail pharmacy and their sub-segments. The publication also includes the competitive landscape in each section, which discusses the major market players in every segment along with the detailed discussion about the organization. The future analysis of overall Qatar Healthcare has also been discussed along with recommendations from analyst view. The report also includes information about health insurance in Qatar, regulatory bodies governing healthcare policies in Qatar, regulations which impact healthcare market and procedure to import medical devices and pharmaceuticals in the country.



Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5001487/

Market Potential

Qatar healthcare market is one of the fastest growing markets in the world with the growth rate of ~% during the period 2011-2016. People across Qatar are facing several health care issues due to sedentary lifestyle and fast food consumption habits, such as obesity, diabetes, and other cardiovascular diseases, which are demanding for technologically advanced healthcare infrastructure. Qatar has been exponentially expanding its national healthcare system to cater the needs of its people and support economic diversification. The country has been developing its infrastructure including hospitals, diagnostic labs, and clinics in addition to the development of local clinicians, physicians and specialized doctors. In addition to all these factors, fast rising and ageing population in the country further add to the advantages for Qatar healthcare market.



Medical Devices Market: Qatar is an import driven market in context to medical devices. The imports of medical devices accounted for a lion share of ~% from the total revenue market in 2016. The market is observed to grow at a rapid pace of ~% by value from 2011 to 2016 owing to the expanding healthcare infrastructure in the country; both the government and private healthcare sector are investing heavily to provide country satisfactory healthcare solutions to the residents and expats. Diagnostic imaging products were observed to capture the major share of the market (~% in 2016), however Scintigraphic apparatus and Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus recorded the highest growth in 2016. Qatar having one of the highest GDP per capita, the healthcare professionals and citizens across the nation prefer the branded medical devices from Roche, Abbott, Biomeriux, Becton Dickinson, providing all of them leading position in the market. The top three players together captured around ~% of the total revenue share in 2016.



Pharmaceuticals Market: Pharmaceuticals market is highly dependent upon imports of pharmaceutical products. Imports accounted for ~% of the total revenue in 2016 for pharmaceuticals market in Qatar. The rising prevalence of chronic diseases among the fast growing population of Qatar was the major factor responsible for the growth of the pharmaceutical products market in Qatar at rapid rate. Patented drugs were observed to be preferred more than generic drugs and captured a revenue share of ~% in 2016. Qatar Pharma is the major domestic player which is manufacturing drugs for the Qatar pharmaceuticals market.



Drugs were imported from a plethora of companies including Roche, MSD (Merck), GSK, Novartis, Sanofi, AstraZeneca and others. The top three players together captured a market share of ~% as of 2016. Among prescribed and OTC drugs, prescribed drugs accounted for ~% of the market share. In context to therapeutic area, high prevalence of diabetes in the region has led to demand for diabetes management pharmaceutical products providing it dominance over other therapeutic class with share of ~% in 2016.



Hospitals Market: Hospitals market in Qatar has experienced rapid increase in number of inpatients and outpatients from 2011 to 2016. Although the number of hospitals has been constant for the last few years, number of inpatients and outpatients increased at a CAGR of ~% and ~% respectively during 2011-2016. Contribution from pharmacy store increased to a high extent owing to the increased sales of medical devices and cosmetic products from hospital based pharmacies, generating high revenue. Private hospitals were observed to be major revenue generator with ~% of revenue share in 2016. HMC was the largest provider of healthcare services in the country.



Independent Diagnostic Laboratories Market: Independent diagnostic laboratories is most recently established market in Qatar with revenue of USD ~ million in 2016 and exhibiting growth at a CAGR of ~% during the period 2011-2016. The rising self care attitude among people coupled with increasing prevalence of chronic diseases was the major factor which has led to growth of independent diagnostic laboratories. These laboratories are actively engaged in providing pathology tests, and pathology tests contributed approximately ~% of the total revenue in 2016. Radiology tests generated comparatively lower share of the market majorly due to presence of limited number of radiology services including X-ray and ultrasound and higher prescription of pathology tests over radiology tests.



Key Topics Covered in the Report

 Qatar Healthcare Market Size, CY2011-CY2016

 Qatar Medical Devices Market Size, CY2011-CY2016

 Qatar Medical Devices Market Segmentation By Application (Diagnostic Imaging Products, Medical Consumables, Dental Products, Assistive Devices, Orthopedic and Implants and Others), By Institutional and Household Demand, By Domestic Demand and Imports, CY2011-CY2016

 Qatar Medical Devices Market Competitive Landscape

 Market Share of Major Players in Qatar Medical Devices Market

 Qatar Pharmaceuticals Market Size, CY2011-CY2016

 Qatar Pharmaceuticals Market Segmentation By Generic and Patented Drugs, By OTC and Prescribed Drugs, By Domestic Demand and Imports, By Therapeutic Area, CY2016

 Qatar Pharmaceuticals Market Competitive Landscape

 Market Share of Major Players in Qatar Pharmaceuticals Market

 Qatar Hospitals Market Size, CY2011-CY2016

 Qatar Hospitals Market Segmentation by Public and Private Hospitals, CY2011-CY2016

 Qatar Hospitals Market Competitive Landscape

 Qatar Clinic and Health Center Market Size, CY2011-CY2016

 Qatar Clinic and Health Center Market Segmentation by Revenue Streams, By Type of Clinic, CY2016

 Qatar Independent Diagnostic Laboratories Market Size, CY2011-CY2016

 Qatar Independent Diagnostic Laboratories Market Segmentation by Type of Test, CY2016

 Snapshot on Qatar Telemedicine Market

 Qatar Healthcare Market Future Outlook and Projections, CY2017-CY2021

 Analyst Recommendations

 Macro-economic Factors Impacting Qatar Healthcare Market

Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5001487/



About Reportbuyer

Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers

http://www.reportbuyer.com

For more information:

Sarah Smith

Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com

Email: [email protected]

Tel: +44 208 816 85 48

Website: www.reportbuyer.com

SOURCE ReportBuyer

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"Ralphs' commitment to education goes back to the very beginning of our company," said Valerie Jabbar, president of Ralphs Supermarkets. "We are continuing that commitment today. Our checkstand canister fundraising program and the generosity of our customers and associates allow us to provide support to numerous youth development organizations as well as a broad range of after-school and physical education programs."

Together with its customers and associates, Ralphs contributed more than $160,000 in 2016 to programs focused on educating our youth, including after-school enrichment programs, in Southern California communities served by Ralphs stores.

Ralphs Grocery Company was founded in 1873 and currently operates 193 supermarkets from its headquarters in Los Angeles. Last year, Ralphs contributed more than $6 million to support education, hunger relief, women's health and local nonprofit organizations in the communities served by the company's stores. Ralphs is a subsidiary of The Kroger Co., (NYSE:KR), one of the nation's largest food retailers, based in Cincinnati, Ohio. For more about Ralphs, please visit our web site at www.ralphs.com.

SOURCE Ralphs Grocery Company

Related Links

http://www.ralphs.com


YOKNEAM, Israel, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Rapid Medical, a company focused on the development of neurovascular interventional devices, announced today that it has completed a Series B financing of $9M to advance the commercialization of the company's minimally invasive stroke treatment and prevention products, the TIGERTRIEVER Revascularization Device, and the COMANECI, Adjustable Remodeling Mesh. To date, thousands of patients have benefited from the TIGERTRIEVER and the COMANECI in life-saving neurovascular procedures. The round was led by BRM group from Israel and Shanghai-Israel Investment Fund from China with participation from Winnovation and Gefen Capital.

The funding will support regulatory clearance in the US as well as continuing to advance the European commercialization of both devices. Specifically, the funding will support initiation of Rapid Medical's clinical trial, TIGER, which will begin enrolling patients next year at selected centers in the United States, Europe and Israel.

The TIGERTRIEVER is the only controllable, fully-visible "stentriever" that can be adjusted by the physician to perfectly fit the dimensions of blocked blood vessels that cause acute ischemic stroke. The COMANECI is the first-ever controllable, fully-visible aneurysm neck-bridging mesh device that does not require parent vessel occlusion. It is intended to provide temporary assistance for embolization of intracranial aneurysms.

"Stroke is the last frontier in vascular medicine," said Alon Maor, partner, BRM. "We have been searching for some time for a company with products that could potentially provide patients with dramatically improved outcomes. Rapid Medical's TIGERTRIEVER and COMANECI devices which are based on a profound underlining technology and the excellent feedback we received from the market convinced us that the company is poised to become a leader in the neurovascular field. In addition, we were highly impressed with the team and with their commercial achievements in this rapidly growing market."

Dr. Shimon Eckhouse Rapid's co-founder and chairman of the board commented: "This significant financing round by leading global VC's is an important milestone in the life of Rapid Medical giving the company the financial strength needed to exploit the huge opportunity in the stroke treatment market. The global basis of our investors adds to the strength of the company and will enable us to expand our presence in this exciting market."

As part of the financing round Alon Maor, Dr. Qu Liefeng and Barak Ben Eliezer will join Rapid Medical's board of directors.

Rapid Medical plans to initiate the TIGER study in leading centers in US, Europe and Israel during H1 2018.

About Rapid Medical

Rapid Medical is developing game-changing devices for endovascular treatments. Rapid Medical is the maker of TIGERTRIEVER, the first-ever controllable, fully visible stentriever that is designed to treat ischemic stroke patients. And the COMANECI, the first-ever controllable aneurysm neck-bridging device. TIGERTRIEVER and COMANECI are CE marked for use in Europe. More information is available at http://www.rapid-medical.com

Contact:

Ronen Eckhouse

+972-72-2503331

[email protected]



SOURCE Rapid Medical
CHICAGO, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Reconstruction Partners announces the completion of several simultaneous transactions by its client, Francesca's Restaurant Group (FRG, Inc.), with GSI Partners, a privately-held Chicago-based holding company with related interests in the food purveying business. Reconstruction Partners provided strategic and financial counsel to FRG, Inc. before and during the process. The transactions included four sale and leaseback deals of certain FRG, Inc. restaurant properties and the stock sale of two other fee properties. All will continue to operate as Francesca's.

Scott Harris, CEO of Francesca's Restaurant Group, Chicago Francesca's Bryn Mawr, Chicago, location. Francesca's has 19 locations in Chicagoland.

Scott Harris, chairman of FRG Inc., noted, "We've worked with several capable investment bankers and advisors over the years, but no one understood our best interests like Wallace Hite, Lee Cohn and Neil Naroff of Reconstruction Partners. They did an exceptional job facilitating what was a complex transaction." He cited Reconstruction Partners' deep experience in the restaurant business as a key to the smooth and positive outcome.

Hite, a founder of Reconstruction Partners, remarked, "We enjoyed working with Scott, the FRG team and the attorneys at Monroe Moxness and Berg. They're first-class group of professionals."

About Francesca's Restaurant Group, Inc.

FRG, Inc. owns and operates nineteen Francesca's restaurants in Chicago and one in Raleigh, NC. They also own and operate five Divanti Enoteca restaurants, three in the Chicago area and two in greater San Diego, as well as Disotto, Fat Rosie's Mexican Cantina and five Glazed and Infused Donut Shops, all in the Chicago market. For more information, see http://www.miafrancesca.com.

About Reconstruction Partners

Reconstruction Partners, Nashville and Phoenix, is full-service advisory firm focused on chain restaurants, emerging restaurant brands, troubled companies and franchising. The team has over 100 years of combined industry experience, nearly 80 of which are at the C-level. The partners consult, manage, raise capital and lead the purchase and sale of companies. For more about Reconstruction Partners visit www.reconstructionpartners.com.

Contact: Wallace Hite, 615-377-1120, [email protected]

SOURCE Reconstruction Partners

Related Links

http://www.reconstructionpartners.com


LOS ANGELES, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Rexford Industrial Realty, Inc. (the "Company" or "Rexford Industrial") (NYSE: REXR), a real estate investment trust that specializes in owning and operating industrial properties located in Southern California infill markets, today announced that the Company will release second quarter 2017 financial results after the market closes on Tuesday, August 1, 2017. A conference call will be held the next day on Wednesday, August 2, 2017, at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time to review the Company's second quarter results, discuss recent events and conduct a question-and-answer period.

Webcast:

The conference call will be available through visiting the Company's website at ir.rexfordindustrial.com . To listen to a live broadcast, go to the site at least 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start time in order to register, download and install any necessary audio software.

To Participate in the Telephone Conference Call:

Dial in at least 5 minutes prior to start time:

Domestic: 1-877-407-0789

International: 1-201-689-8562

Conference Call Playback:

Domestic: 1-844-512-2921

International: 1-412-317-6671

Pass code: 13666222

The playback can be accessed through September 2, 2017.

About Rexford Industrial

Rexford Industrial is a real estate investment trust focused on owning and operating industrial properties in Southern California infill markets. The Company owns 141 properties with approximately 16.5 million rentable square feet and manages an additional 19 properties with approximately 1.2 million rentable square feet.

For additional information, visit www.rexfordindustrial.com .

Contact:

Investor Relations:

Stephen Swett

424-256-2153 ext 401

[email protected]

SOURCE Rexford Industrial Realty, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.rexfordindustrial.com


GROSSE POINTE FARMS, Mich., July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Saga Communications, Inc. (NYSE MKT-SGA) announced today that it will release its 2nd Quarter 2017 results at 9:00 a.m. EDT on Thursday, August 3, 2017. The company will be holding a conference call on the same date at 11:00 a.m. EDT. The dial-in numbers are as follows:

Domestic and International Dial-in Number: (612) 288-0329

The Company requests that all parties that have a question that they would like to submit to the Company to please email the inquiry by 10:00 a.m. EDT on August 3, 2017 to [email protected]. The Company will discuss, during the limited period of the conference call, those inquiries it deems of general relevance and interest. Only inquiries made in compliance with the foregoing will be discussed during the call.

Saga's earnings release will contain certain non-GAAP financial measures including station operating income and free cash flow. A reconciliation of all non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures will be provided in the earnings release.

Saga Communications, Inc. is a broadcasting company whose business is devoted to acquiring, developing and operating broadcast properties. The company owns or operates broadcast properties in 26 markets, including 68 FM and 32 AM radio stations,

4 television stations and 5 low-power television stations. For additional information, contact us at (313) 886-7070 or visit our website at www.sagacom.com.

SOURCE Saga Communications, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.sagacommunications.com


SANDVIKEN, Sweden, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Sandvik has signed an agreement to divest the conveyor components' parts of the Mining Systems business, including the closely related specialist conveyor systems business in Hollola (Finland), to NEPEAN Conveyors Pty Ltd, a privately owned Australian based company.

As announced on 12 July 2017, Sandvik signed an agreement to divest the project business in Mining Systems to FLSmidth.

By divesting also the conveyor components' operations the exit from Mining Systems will be fully executed.

"I am pleased that we now have completed our plan enabling us to further focus on Sandvik's core businesses. NEPEAN is a truly suitable new owner as they have an ambition to continue to develop this offering", says Bjorn Rosengren, President and CEO of Sandvik.

Mining Systems is a supplier of design and engineering of material handling systems with annual sales 2016 of 2.9 billion SEK, of which the conveyor components' parts corresponded to about 20%.

The closing of the transaction is expected by the end of 2017 and is subject to regulatory approvals.

Mining Systems will continue to be reported in discontinued operations. The transaction will have no or limited impact on earnings per share.

For further information, contact

Ann-Sofie Nordh

Vice President Investor Relations

phone: +46-8-456-1494



Par Altan

Vice President External Communications

phone: +46-70-616-2024.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

http://news.cision.com/sandvik/r/sandvik-divests-conveyor-components-as-the-final-step-in-exiting-mining-systems,c2308269

The following files are available for download:

http://mb.cision.com/Main/208/2308269/700779.pdf Sandvik divests conveyor components as the final step in exiting Mining Systems

SOURCE Sandvik
SAN BRUNO, Calif., July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Sapho was named by CRN, a brand of The Channel Company, as a 2017 Emerging Vendor in the Big Data category. As the creator of the industry's first modern portal experience, Sapho is recognized on this list as an innovative company that is reshaping the way employees use work software to proactively access and gain insights from business intelligence data.

Business data is not easily accessible to employees as it is spread across multiple systems that are hard to access and use. Even when data is aggregated in dashboards, it takes too long to load and there is too much aggregated information for a single person to digest. This means that for most employees, data is unapproachable and therefore is not used to make business decisions. Rather than accessing an overwhelming dataset, a recent study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Sapho found that 74 percent of surveyed leaders agreed that employees prefer data that is personalized and relevant to them to make more informed business decisions.1

Sapho provides a fast, modern interface that delivers personalized and relevant data to employees from enterprise systems. To do this, Sapho connects directly to an organization's business intelligence tools, databases, data warehouses, and cloud services; monitors each system for changes to key business metrics and events; and notifies employees of any changes relevant to their jobs. With Sapho, enterprises can focus on delivering small, critical bits of data, instead of daunting dashboards, to help employees complete work faster, make better decisions, and be more productive.

"Making the vast amounts of data and information that's scattered across enterprise systems accessible and useful for employees is core to our mission," said Fouad ElNaggar, CEO and cofounder of Sapho. "With Sapho, these insights are surfaced to employees on any device, intranet, or messenger alongside the various tasks and content they need to do their job. Sapho's recognition in this category highlights the importance of making business intelligence available to employees so they can make informed, data-based decisions."

This is the second award Sapho has received from CRN this year, after being named a 2017 Emerging Vendor for Cloud providers. CRN's praise for Sapho comes on the heels of Sapho's continued momentum and industry traction, including being selected as a "Cool Vendor" by Gartner in Mobile App Development, Series B financing in April, and integrations with Microsoft and IBM. Since Sapho's launch last June, the company has experienced tremendous growth, with a 320-percent revenue increase and a 200-percent customer increase in 2016.

"This impressive group of technology supplier startups is already disrupting the status quo, aggressively creating and innovating to meet the ever-changing demands of the IT market," said Robert Faletra, CEO of The Channel Company. "CRN's 2017 Emerging Vendors represent the next generation of IT change agents, producing a wide range of leading-edge products that solution providers should keep an eye on in the coming year and beyond."

The Emerging Vendors: Big Data list will be featured online at www.crn.com/emergingvendors.

About Sapho

Sapho empowers the enterprise workforce with a modern portal experience that triples productivity and accelerates the speed of business. Using micro apps that surface personalized and relevant tasks from existing systems to any device, intranet, or messenger, Sapho gives employees a single view into the important information they need to complete work faster and make better decisions. Sapho is used by customers in all industries to streamline their internal workflows, enable smart decision-making, and increase employee effectiveness and productivity. Sapho was founded in 2014 and is headquartered in San Bruno, CA. For more information, visit www.sapho.com.

About The Channel Company

The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education, and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers and end users. Backed by more than 30 years of unequaled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. www.thechannelco.com

2017. The Channel Company, LLC. CRN is a registered trademark of The Channel Company, LLC. All rights reserved.

For Media Inquiries Please Contact:

InkHouse

[email protected]

Channel Company Contact:

Melanie Turpin

The Channel Company

(508) 416-1195

[email protected]

1 Accelerate Digital Transformation With Simplified Business Apps, an August 2016 commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Sapho.

SOURCE Sapho

Related Links

https://www.sapho.com


MECHANICSBURG, Pa., July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Select Medical Holdings Corporation ("Select Medical") (NYSE: SEM), will release the financial results for its second quarter ended June 30, 2017 on Thursday, August 3, 2017 after the market closes.

Select Medical will host a conference call regarding its second quarter results, as well as its business outlook, on Friday, August 4, 2017, at 9:00am ET. The domestic dial in number for the call is 1-877-430-7741. The international dial in number is 1-615-247-0054. The conference ID for the call is 53858891. The conference call will be webcast simultaneously and can be accessed at Select Medical Holdings Corporation's website www.selectmedicalholdings.com.

For those unable to participate in the conference call, a replay will be available until 11:59pm ET, August 11, 2017. The replay number is 1-855-859-2056 (domestic) or 1-404-537-3406 (international). The passcode for the replay will be 53858891. The replay can also be accessed at Select Medical Holdings Corporation's website, www.selectmedicalholdings.com.

Select Medical began operations in 1997 and has grown to be one of the largest operators of specialty hospitals, outpatient rehabilitation clinics and occupational health centers in the United States based on the number of facilities. As of March 31, 2017, Select Medical operated 102 long term acute care hospitals and 20 acute medical rehabilitation hospitals in 27 states and 1,610 outpatient rehabilitation clinics in 37 states and the District of Columbia. Select Medical's joint venture subsidiary Concentra operated 308 centers in 38 states. Concentra also provides contract services at employer worksites and Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinics. At March 31, 2017, Select Medical had operations in 46 states and the District of Columbia. Information about Select Medical is available at www.selectmedical.com.

Investor inquiries:

Joel T. Veit

Senior Vice President and Treasurer

717-972-1100

[email protected]

SOURCE Select Medical Corporation

Related Links

http://www.selectmedicalcorp.com


PARIS, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Sensome, formerly Instent, a company developing a revolutionary micro-sensor technology for smart medical devices out of France's Ecole polytechnique, announced today that it has completed its 4.7m seed round to bring its first product to clinical trials. Venture capital firm Kurma Diagnostics led a syndicate with the new Paris-Saclay Seed Fund and ID Invest, joined by a group of business angels.

(Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/535808/Sensome_Logo.jpg )



Sensome's novel sensing technology can be integrated with any medical device to reliably identify biological tissues in contact with the device. The technology combines micrometric impedance sensors that communicate wirelessly outside the body and machine learning algorithms for accurate and predictive real-time analysis.

Sensome's first product integrates its proprietary technology with a guidewire for the treatment of ischemic stroke. When a brain blood vessel is blocked by a clot, millions of brain cells die every minute. Depending on the composition of the blood clot, the choice of tool to remove the clot significantly impacts the time to reopen the artery, ranging from minutes to hours. Sensome's connected stroke guidewire will help select the fastest device to reopen the vessel for each patient. Ischemic stroke affects over 1.5 million people across Europe and the US every year.

"This seed round allows us to prepare first-in-human testing of our neurovascular product next year and to enter the stroke space," says Franz Bozsak, CEO of Sensome, who co-founded the company with Abdul Barakat, professor at the Hydrodynamics Laboratory at Ecole polytechnique. "The connected stroke guidewire will finally provide physicians with the information they need to reduce procedure times. This first smart product with Sensome inside will pave the way for future devices integrating our technology for the benefit of patients."

About Sensome: http://www.sensome.com

About Kurma Partners: http://www.kurmapartners.com

About Paris-Saclay Seed Fund: http://www.seedfund.parissaclay.com

About Idinvest Partners: http://www.idinvest.com

SOURCE Sensome
LAS VEGAS, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- SmartCare, an innovative child care management software company, is proud to welcome Matt Knapp as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective July 1, 2017. With 15 years experience in the Financial Technology and Education Technology industries, Knapp has a proven track record in rapidly growing annual revenues and organizational innovation. In the fall of 2015, Knapp led the sale of Smart Tuition to Blackbaud for $190M.

"I'm thrilled to join SmartCare at such an exciting time in early education," says Knapp. "I am excited to be a part of a dynamic team that builds cutting-edge software that focuses on both child care centers and parents. The technology SmartCare provides increases safety, convenience and overall peace of mind that millennial parents demand, while equipping single child care centers to large education franchises with the tools to more effectively manage their business."

The market for child care is rapidly changing and these changes are creating opportunities for big business to capitalize on a growing market. More and more parents are moving away from simple child care settings for their children and are now searching for the best educational options. With this major shift in early childhood education, SmartCare's technology platform is poised to address a changing industry.

Unlike legacy desktop offerings still used by most child care centers, SmartCare's dynamic software provides automated billing, payments, classroom management, child and staff scheduling, reporting, and contemporary new ways for parents to receive real-time updates and photos to ensure their child's security and wellbeing. SmartCare is designed for on-the-go families and directors with the entire center and parent experience available on any internet-accessible device. SmartCare's enterprise reporting and benchmarking platform offers an effective means of gathering financial data and monitoring performance across the largest educational franchises.

"Our board worked with Matt for several years as the CEO of Smart Tuition. Now that SmartCare is fully independent of Smart Tuition, and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Matt again. We have seen first-hand how Matt can drive adoption of best-of-breed solutions in the education industry," said Mark Ullman, SmartCare Board Chairman. "Matt can effectively communicate the value SmartCare can add to any child care center, and how multi-location centers can uniquely benefit from this cloud-based solution."

SmartCare

SmartCare and ChildCare Manager joined forces in early 2016, thus positioning themselves as the leader in child care management software with outstanding products for the child care industry. With decades of experience from ChildCare Manager and innovative technology from SmartCare, the company has a solution for child care centers of all sizes, including large franchises. SmartCare's product is focused on modern mobile and web solutions that connect child care center owners, directors, teachers, and parents in real-time. As a pioneering force in child care management and accounting software since 1985, ChildCare Manager offers a desktop software solution that streamlines center administration, management, and record-keeping.

SOURCE SmartCare

Related Links

http://www.smartcare.com


ARLINGTON, Va., July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Snagajob, America's #1 marketplace for hourly work, today announced it has partnered with the Independent Lodging Industry Association (ILIA) to connect lodging and hotel professionals to Snagajob's 80+ million registered hourly job seekers. The new partnership will also offer ILIA members access to Snagajob's suite of digital hiring solutions to fill open hotel positions quickly and efficiently.

"We are beyond excited to launch our partnership with ILIA," said Joe Gabriel, head of Business Development at Snagajob. "With this relationship, Snagajob can now work directly with ILIA's 5,000+ independent hotel managers to provide them with the latest marketplace technology for connecting skilled workers to open shifts at multiple properties around the country."

Independent lodging properties are a growing segment within the hospitality industry. The partnership will offer ILIA's members access to Snagajob's pool of trained applicants and hiring solutions, to help local lodging operators address their staffing needs, especially during peak season when staffing needs increase.

"The lodging industry has unique staffing needs, and Snagajob, as the nation's leader in hourly hiring solutions, is perfectly suited to address them," said Bobbie Singh-Allen, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at California Lodging Industry Association, ILIA's parent brand. "By partnering with Snagajob, our members will have direct access to the largest network of hourly workers in the nation, which greatly broadens the pool of applicants available to them."

About Snagajob

With more than 80 million registered hourly workers and 300,000 employer locations, Snagajob is America's #1 online hourly marketplace. We focus on creating instant and quality connections so workers can get jobs and employers can hire workers in minutes. Since 2000, our mission has been to put people in right fit-positions so they can maximize their potential and live more fulfilling lives. Our mobile sourcing, hiring, training, scheduling and performance management tools drive results for single-location operators to Fortune 500 businesses with thousands of locations, across the restaurant, retail, hospitality and healthcare industries. To learn more, visit http://connect.snagajob.com/ilia.

About ILIA

The Independent Lodging Industry Association (ILIA) exists to promote, protect and advance the interests of independent lodging owners and their management teams, and to provide a network of resources to support member efficiency, profitability and professionalism. With over 5,000 members across the country ILIA's mission is to provide an outlet to small business, independent hoteliers in all states to have representation in Washington D.C. and their State Capitol. ILIA exists to promote consumer choice in the travel industry and support the free-market against attempts to limit competition. For more information on ILIA, please visit: www.IndependentLodging.org.

SOURCE Snagajob

Related Links

http://www.snagajob.com


This announcement arrives on the heels of the Company's decision to open a new manufacturing, R&D and product design facility under one roof in Atlanta, Georgia. The appointment of a widely-recognized operational leader to head this InnovationHub reflects the Company's continued commitment to sound organizational infrastructure in serving the growing North American clean energy market, as well as its focus on long-term, high-quality product innovation.

Stayer brings to the sonnen team more than 30 years of experience in quality engineering and leadership supervision, regulatory compliance and interpretation, as well as extensive test and analytical laboratory experience within the global electronics industry. During his time at Lutron, Stayer was instrumental in building the world-renowned Lutron Quality Engineering Lab as well as establishing operational processes for Lutron production facilities. During this time, he oversaw a team that performed new product and certification testing on 50-70 new products per year and hundreds of verification test plans to enhance and improve commercialized products.

"Lutron products are renowned for world class quality and attention to detail. Lutron's quality assurance processes, both in new product development and in manufacturing, are second to none in the lighting industry. Brent Stayer has been a keystone leader of this tradition of excellence at Lutron for 20 years. My former career at Lutron benefited immensely from Brent's outstanding work," said Blake Richetta, Senior Vice President and leader of the Company's U.S. presence. "This understanding of how to conceive and implement processes surrounding manufacturing and product development will spur sonnen's growth, especially during the upcoming opening of our new Atlanta facility. The energy storage market in the U.S. is extremely fertile right now and I am confident Brent's experience and passion for excellence and innovation will help sonnen continue its mission to offer the best possible products and experience for consumers."

Stayer's experience in creating efficient precision production lines and successful, high-output factories will be extremely valuable in sonnen's efforts to scale in the rapidly growing U.S. market. In his new role, Stayer will head production operations and quality engineering at sonnen's new InnovationHub in Georgia, while overseeing the manufacturing and distribution of sonnenBatteries, the highest quality residential home energy storage systems available in the global market today. Under his guidance, the sonnen team will continue to ramp up production to meet growing demand from consumers, utilities and homebuilders, and achieve the company's mission of clean and reliable energy for all.

"I am excited to join the sonnen team at this critical juncture in the Company's history, specifically its expansion into the high-growth U.S. residential energy storage market," said Brent Stayer, new U.S. Vice President of Operations and Quality Control. "I look forward to working alongside an experienced and innovative team in a combined effort to firmly entrench sonnen as the premier energy services provider, not only in the United States, but throughout the rest of the world."

About sonnen

At sonnen, we believe clean, affordable, and reliable energy for all is one of the greatest challenges of our time. With 18,000 sonnenBatterie systems installed worldwide, sonnen is a proven global leader in intelligent energy management solutions that provide greater energy control for residential customers through increased solar self-consumption, reduced peak energy usage and reliable backup power during outages  contributing to a cleaner and more reliable energy future. sonnen has won several awards for its energy innovations and sonnenBatterie products, including the 2017 Zayed Future Energy Prize, MIT's Technology Review's 50 Smartest Companies in 2016, Global Cleantech 100 for 2015-2017, Greentech Media's 2016 Grid Edge Award for innovation, and Cleantech's 2015 Company of the Year Award in both Israel and Europe.

SOURCE sonnen, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.sonnen-batterie.com


MADISON, N.J. and ROATAN, Honduras, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Sotheby's International Realty Affiliates LLC today announced the brand's expansion in the Caribbean with the opening of Roatan Sotheby's International Realty on the island of Roatan off the coast of Honduras.

Roatan Sotheby's International Realty, led by Owner Matt Camron and Operations Manager Micheline Dupont, will serve the luxury residential real estate market throughout Roatan and the neighboring Caribbean Bay Islands of Utila and Guanaja.

"Roatan is an attractive second home market offering residents tranquil Caribbean living and a preeminent level of privacy," said Philip White, president and chief executive officer of Sotheby's International Realty Affiliates LLC. "We are proud to have the brand represented in this region by Roatan Sotheby's International Realty."

According to Camron, the Sotheby's International Realty brand provides unrivaled access to qualified buyers around the world. "Our mission at Roatan Sotheby's International Realty is to create long-term relationships with our clients by offering the best real estate experience possible through our full-service approach," he said. "The Caribbean Bay Islands are a hidden gem of pristine beaches, world class diving and lush forests. We are delighted to share our special part of the world with global clientele."

The Sotheby's International Realty network currently has more than 20,000 affiliated independent sales associates located in approximately 880 offices in 69 countries and territories worldwide. In 2016, the brand achieved a record global sales volume of $95 billion USD. Roatan Sotheby's International Realty listings will be marketed on the sothebysrealty.com global website. In addition to the referral opportunities and widened exposure generated from this source, the firm's brokers and clients will benefit from an association with the Sotheby's auction house and worldwide Sotheby's International Realty marketing programs. Each office is independently owned and operated.

About Sotheby's International Realty Affiliates LLC

Founded in 1976 to provide independent brokerages with a powerful marketing and referral program for luxury listings, the Sotheby's International Realty network was designed to connect the finest independent real estate companies to the most prestigious clientele in the world. Sotheby's International Realty Affiliates LLC is a subsidiary of Realogy Holdings Corp. (NYSE: RLGY), a global leader in real estate franchising and provider of real estate brokerage, relocation and settlement services. In February 2004, Realogy entered into a long-term strategic alliance with Sotheby's, the operator of the auction house. The agreement provided for the licensing of the Sotheby's International Realty name and the development of a full franchise system. Affiliations in the system are granted only to brokerages and individuals meeting strict qualifications. Sotheby's International Realty Affiliates LLC supports its affiliates with a host of operational, marketing, recruiting, educational and business development resources. Franchise affiliates also benefit from an association with the venerable Sotheby's auction house, established in 1744. For more information, visit www.sothebysrealty.com.

CONTACT

Lindsey Scharf

Director, Public Relations and Communications

Sotheby's International Realty Affiliates LLC

175 Park Avenue

Madison, NJ 07940

973-407-5596

[email protected]

sothebysrealty.com

Micheline Dupont

Managing Director

Roatan Sotheby's International Realty

+504-9933-3739

[email protected]

SOURCE Sotheby's International Realty Affiliates LLC

Related Links

http://www.sothebysrealty.com


Subway engaged FRCH Design Worldwide to design a distinctive and welcoming space. A bright new color palette, inspired by fresh vegetables, and the new Choice Mark serve as a focal point in the new space.

"We've created a modern design that gives our guests choices  from how they order, to how they pick up their food, to how they enjoy their meal," said Trevor Haynes, Vice President of Operations at Subway. "The reactions from our guests, our franchisees and the Sandwich Artists has been incredibly positive."

Highlights include:

Digital: Self-order kiosks in select locations, digital menu boards and, as always, Apple and Samsung Pay options. Guests enjoy a speedy Subway experience with a separate food preparation area and a designated pre-order pick-up location for kiosk, mobile app, delivery, catering and bot for Messenger orders.

Self-order kiosks in select locations, digital menu boards and, as always, Apple and Samsung Pay options. Guests enjoy a speedy Subway experience with a separate food preparation area and a designated pre-order pick-up location for kiosk, mobile app, delivery, catering and bot for Messenger orders. Food: Fresh veggie display with whole tomatoes, green peppers, onions and cucumbers that are sliced daily, plus new bread and cookie displays on the front of the line. Subway Fresh Forward restaurants also include new menu items, starting with pico de gallo, new sauces, house-made pickles, and made-without-gluten bread.

Fresh veggie display with whole tomatoes, green peppers, onions and cucumbers that are sliced daily, plus new bread and cookie displays on the front of the line. Subway Fresh Forward restaurants also include new menu items, starting with pico de gallo, new sauces, house-made pickles, and made-without-gluten bread. Dine-In Experience: Bright and playful decor, curated music, and comfortable seating with USB charging ports and complimentary Wi-Fi create a welcoming environment.

The Subway Fresh Forward design has been brought to life with input from franchisees and customers around the world. There are 12 pilot locations open today in the U.S., Canada and the U.K.: Tamarac, FL; Orlando, FL (2); Winter Park, FL; Chula Vista, CA; Knoxville, TN; Palmview, TX; Hillsboro, OR; Vancouver, WA; Beauport, QC; Granby, QC; and Manchester, U.K.

The new restaurant design is the next phase of Subway's evolution. The company created Subway Digital in 2016 to develop an omni-channel strategy. Subway also revealed a new brand identity, designed by Turner Duckworth New York, including an iconic logotype, new symbol called the Choice Mark and optimized color palette that is brought to life through bright and bold new imagery, new packaging, uniforms and signage, which started rolling out this spring in North America. Many elements of the new brand identity will be worldwide by the end of 2017.

About Subway Restaurants

Guests in 113 countries have easy access to a fresh line-up of vegetables for their made-to-order sandwiches and salads at more than 44,800 franchised locations. Sandwich Artists serve 7.5 million sandwiches a day around the world. The company, founded over 50 years ago by then 17-year-old Fred DeLuca and family-friend Dr. Peter Buck, is still a family-owned business with thousands of dedicated franchisees in neighborhoods around the world. www.subway.com.

Subway is a registered trademark of Subway IP Inc.

SOURCE Subway Restaurants

Related Links

http://www.subway.com


SACRAMENTO, Calif., July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- McClatchy (NYSE: MNI) and the team behind the (Biloxi) Sun Herald's critically acclaimed podcast, Out Here in America, will host "One Night Out" at the Mary C. O'Keefe Cultural Center in Ocean Springs, Miss. on Sunday, July 23.

The event begins at 5:30 p.m. and includes a screening of the award-winning documentary "The Freedom to Marry," which chronicles the landmark 2015 Supreme Court case guaranteeing marriage equality in all 50 states. Space is limited. Tickets can be purchased here.

With the national focus on Mississippi's "religious freedom" law and LGBTQ rights in the Deep South, Evan Wolfson, founder of the Freedom to Marry advocacy team and star of the film, and the movie's director, Eddie Rosenstein, will join 'Out Here in America' host Justin Mitchell for a live taping of the podcast, and audience Q&A following the screening.

"We should not fear our LGBTQ brothers and sisters. We should not damn them. And we should not offer protection to those who would discriminate against them any more than we would protect those who would discriminate based on race, or gender or age," the Sun Herald editorial board wrote in the wake of the recent legal decision that allows Mississippians to refuse marriage-related services to LGBTQ couples. "Our leaders should unite us in pursuit of the common goal of a better life. We always pull for Mississippi to win. In this instance, we hope our leaders lose."

"Out Here in America," named an Apple Podcasts "New & Noteworthy" show, features military veterans, religious leaders, celebrities and other guests discussing their LGBTQ experiences in the historically conservative, traditionally religious heartland and deep south. New episodes are released every Monday on Apple Podcasts, Google Play and Stitcher.

About McClatchy

McClatchy is a publisher of iconic brands such as the Miami Herald, The Kansas City Star, The Sacramento Bee, The Charlotte Observer, The (Raleigh) News and Observer, and the (Fort Worth) Star-Telegram. McClatchy operates 30 media companies in 29 U.S. markets in 14 states, providing each of its communities with high-quality news and advertising services in a wide array of digital and print formats. McClatchy is headquartered in Sacramento, Calif., and listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol MNI.

SOURCE McClatchy

Related Links

http://www.mcclatchy.com


TORONTO, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Symbility Solutions Inc. ("Symbility") (TSX.V: SY) a global software company focused on modernizing the insurance industry, confirmed today that they will be holding their Annual General Meeting on September 14th, 2017, at 12 p.m. ET. The meeting will be held at the TMX Broadcast Centre  The Exchange Tower  130 King Street West Toronto, ON M5X 1J2. Any and all holders of common shares of Symbility, as at the close of business on the Record Date, which is August 8th, 2017, will be entitled to vote at this meeting.

For more information and for disclosures related to the year ended December 31, 2016, please refer to Symbility's Information Circular, which will be posted at www.sedar.com.

ABOUT SYMBILITY

Symbility (TSX.V: SY) believes in creating world-class experiences that simplify business and improve lives. With a history in modernizing insurance claims solutions for the property and health industries, Symbility has established itself as a partner that puts security, efficiency and customer experience first. Symbility PROPERTY brings smarter thinking to property insurance. Symbility HEALTH helps benefits professionals build their brands and businesses. Our strategic services team, Symbility INTERSECT empowers a variety of businesses with smarter mobile and IoT product development strategy, design thinking and engineering excellence. With our three segments pushing industries forward, Symbility proves that change for the better is entirely possible. symbilitysolutions.com

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.

All trade names are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE Symbility Solutions Inc.

Related Links

www.symbilitysolutions.com


Techstars Atlanta is entering its second year and will continue to be housed at Ponce City Market. Over 90 days of rapid acceleration, the entrepreneurs will build their business network, receive individualized support and learn how to do more faster  all while being embedded in Atlanta.

"One of the goals of Techstars Atlanta is to help shine a light on our city as a hotbed for innovation," said Techstars Atlanta's Managing Director Michael Cohn. "We're doing this by accelerating great startups already based here, but also by bringing international entrepreneurs to Atlanta. With the support of Cox Enterprises, we're able to connect them with one of the city's leading corporations. It's a winning combination."

Of the 41 counties represented in the applications, the nations with the most came from the U.S., Nigeria, Israel, India and U.K. Nearly a quarter of the total applications came from Atlanta, showing the growth of startups and emerging entrepreneurs in the area. Inc. magazine previously named Atlanta as the No. 3 Emerging Startup Hub to Watch.

"Techstars overall seeks to include diversity, whether its related to the founder's company idea, ethnicity or gender," said Techstars Atlanta's Managing Director Tyler Scriven. "I'm proud that our 2017 class captures these areas, as well as geographic diversity. A variety of perspectives and cultures helps us build better companies."

Techstars Atlanta's 2017 Class (Company's Founding Location):

2ULaundry (Charlotte): On-demand laundry and dry cleaning services

Bloveit ( Atlanta ): Curated date night experiences

): Curated date night experiences Collider Tech ( Chattanooga ): Stand-alone, end-to-end additive manufacturing technology

): Stand-alone, end-to-end additive manufacturing technology Farmcrowdy ( Lagos, Nigeria ): Crowdfunding for small-scale agriculture

): Crowdfunding for small-scale agriculture Fraudmarc ( Atlanta ): Cyber security service aimed at protecting corporate identity

): Cyber security service aimed at protecting corporate identity Landing Lion ( Atlanta ): Landing pages for the modern marketer

): Landing pages for the modern marketer MoQuality ( Atlanta ): Artificial Intelligence (AI) platform for mobile quality assurance

): Artificial Intelligence (AI) platform for mobile quality assurance Rapid RMS ( Chattanooga ): A modern day point-of-sale software for the petroleum industry

): A modern day point-of-sale software for the petroleum industry TheMonetizr ( Riga, Latvia ): In-game monetization platform for merchandise purchases

): In-game monetization platform for merchandise purchases Vlipsy ( Canton, OH ): Video clip soundboard

The program kicks off with mentor madness, where more than 1,000 hours of mentorship is provided by the region's leading subject matter experts. The program is capped off by Demo Day on Oct. 10. Learn more about the 2016 Demo Day and how Cox is energizing entrepreneurs.

Social: @techstars, @coxenterprises, #TechstarsATL

Multimedia: Download company logos at https://spaces.hightail.com/receive/8i0WCskUMm

About Techstars:

Techstars helps entrepreneurs succeed. Through the Techstars Worldwide Entrepreneur Network, founders and their teams connect with other entrepreneurs, experts, mentors, alumni, investors, community leaders, and corporate partners who will help their companies grow. Techstars operates four divisions: Techstars Startup Programs, Techstars Mentorship-Driven Accelerator Programs, Techstars Corporate Innovation Partnerships, and the Techstars Venture Capital Fund. Techstars Mentorship-Driven Accelerator Program supercharges success and Techstars Startup Programs inspire, educate and connect entrepreneurs. Techstars Venture Capital Fund invests in the most innovative and disruptive Techstars companies to fuel their success. Techstars Corporate Innovation Partnerships helps brands create world-changing products and services. Techstars accelerator portfolio includes more than 1,000 companies with a market cap of $8.7 billion. www.techstars.com

About Cox Enterprises:

Cox Enterprises is a leading communications, media and automotive services company. With revenues exceeding $20 billion and approximately 60,000 employees, the company's major operating subsidiaries include Cox Communications (cable television distribution, high-speed internet access, telephone, home security and automation, commercial telecommunications and advertising solutions); Cox Automotive (automotive-related auctions, financial services, media and software solutions); and Cox Media Group (television and radio stations, digital media, newspapers and advertising sales rep firms). The company's major national brands include Autotrader, Kelley Blue Book and Manheim. Through Cox Automotive, the company's international operations stretch across Asia, Australia, Europe and Latin America.

SOURCE Cox Enterprises
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 )

Browse 180 Market Data Tables and 36 Figures spread through 204 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Temperature Management Market"

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/temperature-management-market-141546773.html

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The key factors driving the growth of this market include increase in the development of technologically advanced intravascular systems, large number of awareness campaigns/conferences for physicians, growth in research funding, and incidence of chronic conditions are driving the growth of the Temperature Management Market. However, the high cost of invasive temperature management systems and product recalls are restraining the growth of this market.

By product, the patient warming systems segment accounted for the largest share of the market in 2017

On the basis of product, the Temperature Management Market is broadly segmented into patient warming systems and patient cooling systems. In 2017, patient warming systems segment is expected to account for the largest share of this market. The rising demand for these systems in diverse hospital settings is the major factor driving market growth.

Download PDF Brochure: http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=141546773

By medical specialty, general surgery held the largest market share in 2017

Based on medical specialty, the Temperature Management Market is categorized into general surgery, cardiology, neurology, thoracic surgery, orthopedics, pediatrics, and other medical specialties. In 2017, the general surgery segment is expected to account for the largest share of the Temperature Management Market. The rising incidence of colorectal cancer, GI disorders, and endocrine disorders are the major factors driving the growth of this market.

By application, the Perioperative Care segment held the largest market share in 2017

Based on application, the market is segmented into perioperative care, acute care, newborn care, medical/surgical units, physiotherapy, military applications, patient transport, chemotherapy, and other applications. In 2017, the perioperative care segment is expected to account for the largest share in the temperature management application market. The increasing number of surgical procedures performed across the globe is the major factor driving the growth of this application segment. In addition, technological advancements, increasing number of product launches for the perioperative care segment and growing number of partnerships between key market players and hospitals are also supporting market growth.

Talk To Our Research Analysts: http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/speaktoanalyst.asp?id=141546773

North America dominated the market in 2016

North America is expected to account for the largest share of the Temperature Management Market in 2017, followed by Europe. Growth in the geriatric population, rising incidence of cardiac arrests and neurological disorders, and the availability of technologically advanced products are some of the factors supporting the growth of the Temperature Management Market in North America.

The growing trend of medical tourism in European countries such as Hungary and Poland, availability of relatively lower-priced surgical treatments are major factors encouraging patients from North America to travel to European countries to undergo elective surgical procedures. These are majorly contributing to the growth of the European Temperature Management Market, which holds the second-largest market share.

The key players in the global Temperature Management Market are 3M Company (U.S.), Smiths Medical (U.K.), Medtronic plc (Ireland), C.R. Bard Inc. (U.S.), Cincinnati Sub-Zero Products, Inc. (U.S.), Geratherm Medical AG (Germany), Inspiration Healthcare Group plc, (U.K.), Stryker Corporation (U.S.), The 37Company (Netherlands), ZOLL Medical Corporation (U.S.), GE Healthcare (U.S.), Becton, Dickinson and Company (U.S.), DRAGERWERK AG & CO. KGAA (Germany), and Ecolab (U.S.)

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http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/anesthesia-monitoring-devices-market-57663369.html



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Tencent CCM was invited as a leading Chinese enterprise service provider and the only Asian enterprise to present at the summit. Tecent CCM is the B2B enterprise of Tecent, devoted to provide services from IAAS, PAAS to SAAS with Tecent Cloud. CCM stands for Customer Communication Management, which is the service model of Tencent CCM. At the MIT conference, Tencent has been listed as a Top 7 Supermajor Platform.

Last month, MIT Technology Review picked "50 Smartest Companies" that best combine innovative technology with an effective business model. Tencent rank 8 on the list.

The vice president of marketing, Tencent CCM, Xangyu Wang, shared his opinion on utilization of A.I. and added, "As a technology-driven social enterprise, we understand the value of science and technology is to help people make things happen."

As a cutting-edge technology, A.I. has developed dramatically in recent years. According to consultant company Venture Scanner, the number of A.I. companies has surpassed 1,000, crossing 13 sub-categories by the second half of 2016. The scale of venture has increased 12 times within 5 years.

In China, A.I. has brought incredible changes to industries. China-based innovators have applied for 15,745 A.I. invention patents, ranging from medicine, education, retail and security industries. As a representative for Chinese technology companies, Tencent will lead the A.I. technology research and development and appliance.

Tencent has built A.I. Lab which consists of dozens of scientists and 50 A.I. doctors, and focuses on subjects such as machine learning, computer vision, voice recognition, and natural language processing.

Tencent CCM discussed the utilization and prospect of A.I. with IBM and KPMG, and discovered new methods for A.I.-driven service providers with global tech giants.

Based on technology and talent pool, Tencent CCM has advantages on enterprise services. Mr. Wang said, Tencent CCM is applying vision recognition, which is based on deep learning, for the cooperation between financial institutions.

In this case, A.I. provides an important basis for consumer identity authentication, and sends feedback to the enterprises. Mr. Wang added, by applying A.I. to the enterprise service field not only helps large enterprises reduce cost and enhance revenue, but helps middle and small business to run efficiently and grow up rapidly.

As A.I. is an emerging technology, data security is likely to be a great challenge for Tencent to provide A.I. services, but Tencent is confident.

With more than 10 years of experience, Tencent has accumulated over 100T of secure big data, and has created the Tencent Cloud, exploiting technology advantages by both protecting and preventing enterprises from data risks.

Mr. Wang said, A.I.'s business value is to help enterprises enhance market capabilities, creating value and well-being. To explain this, he shared a remarkable story of Tencent leveraging A.I. to reunite a family member after 30 years.

There have been multiple reports recently which claim that a major part of the human workforce will be replaced by automation and machines in the years to come. With excessive research and development being conducted in the field of artificial intelligence, many fear that a major job crisis will unfold since multiple jobs are more accurately and efficiently performed with the utilization of machines.

A.I. will bring a technology revolution and therefore change the cooperation mode. Tencent CCM has proven through practices that: The goal of A.I. is to save more time for human, so as to encourage employers to devote more time to human-oriented service. When asked whether machines outperform human, Mr. Wang said, "We don't worry that A.I. has a human thinking pattern, instead, we are concerned that humans lose value and empathy. More A.I., More Caring; Better service, Better Sales." In the future, A.I. will appear in the field of enterprise services more frequently, which is worth looking forward to.

About Tencent CCM

Tencent CCM is based on social IM such as QQ and WeChat.

It can make use of full integration of Internet communication resources and capabilities, enhance the multi-channel touch of customers to maximize capacity, expand revenue.

For enterprises to provide accurate marketing, office coordination, customer service capacity, and comprehensively reduce operating costs.

It also can help enterprises to hold customers in the private customer base, fully control the risk of the flow of platforms or staff turnover.

Tencent CCM and Tencent Cloud together form a comprehensive service from IAAS, PAAS and SAAS.

About MIT

The MIT Initiative on the Digital Economy (IDE) is a team of visionary, internationally recognized thought leaders and researchers examining how people and businesses work, interact, and will ultimately prosper in a time of rapid digital transformation.

SOURCE Tencent CCM
NEW YORK, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Kyle Rhodes has been appointed Global Head of Business Development for TransRe. In this newly created role, Kyle will support TransRe's business unit leaders and underwriting teams to bring added value to key customers and brokers, and in turn develop additional profitable growth for the Company. He will look to build stronger, strategic alliances with targeted customers and brokers through bespoke planning, and the facilitation of more frequent and deeper engagement with senior broker and client executives to identify opportunities and initiatives. Rhodes will also assist in the delivery of TransRe's access to third party capital for clients.

Kyle has been with TransRe for 11 years, where he excelled in a number of leadership roles, prior to which he spent 9 years with Employers Re.

About TransRe

TransRe is the brand name for Transatlantic Holdings, Inc. and its subsidiaries (including Transatlantic Reinsurance Company). TransRe, wholly owned by Alleghany Corporation (NYSE-Y), is a reinsurance organization headquartered in New York with operations worldwide. Since 1977, TransRe has been offering its clients the capacity, expertise and creativity necessary to structure programs across the full spectrum of property and casualty risks. Visit www.transre.com for additional information.

SOURCE TransRe

Related Links

http://www.transre.com


CHARLOTTE, N.C., July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- College Consensus (http://www.collegeconsensus.com), a unique new college ranking website, has published their ranking of the Best Colleges in California 2017-2018 at http://www.collegeconsensus.com/ranking/best-colleges-ca/.

To identify the Best Colleges in California for 2017-2018, College Consensus combined the latest results from the most respected college ranking systems with thousands of real student reviews to produce a unique consensus score for each school. According to College Consensus founder Jeremy Alder, "Like Rotten Tomatoes or Metacritic does for movies, College Consensus gathers the publisher rankings and student reviews from around the web and distills the results into simple, easy to understand scores so students can quickly and easily compare schools. It is the ranking of all rankings, so to speak." Learn more about the College Consensus rankings methodology at http://www.collegeconsensus.com/about/.

To help prospective California students evaluate the higher education options that are right for their unique needs, College Consensus identified the ten overall best-ranked colleges in California (presented here in alphabetical order):

California Institute of Technology - Pasadena, CA

Claremont McKenna College - Claremont, CA

Harvey Mudd College - Claremont, CA

Pitzer College - Claremont, CA

Pomona College - Claremont, CA

Santa Clara University - Santa Clara, CA

Scripps College - Claremont, CA

Stanford University - Stanford, CA

University of California-Berkeley - Berkeley, CA

University of California-Los Angeles - Los Angeles, CA

From the time California became part of the US after the Mexican-American War - in 1848, the same year of the Gold Rush - California has been the dream destination for adventurers, settlers, eccentrics, and innovators. For the last century, California has also been building a higher education system that rivals any state or nation in the world. A wide and varied landscape, from deserts and oceans to forests and fertile valleys, has given California a multi-faceted character, and a highly diverse population, from Native Americans, Hispanic and Latino-Americans, European-American and African-American settlers, Pacific Islanders and Asian-Americans, has made California's culture one of the richest and most complex. This is the people and the economy that California's higher education has to work for, from the elite liberal arts institutions of the Claremont Colleges, to the STEM powerhouses of Stanford and CalTech, to the monumental institutions, like UC Berkeley and UCLA, that define what the public research university can accomplish. American higher education didn't start in California, but California just might have perfected it.

As Managing Editor Carrie Sealey-Morris explains, "There is a job to be done in higher education that takes place on an unprecedented scale in California." There is no other state like California, combining size, population, and diversity: "the third-largest state by land size, and the largest in population, government, law, and education in California is a labor on par with most nations  California's economy, in fact, is the sixth largest in the world." Not only is California the "most diverse populace in the most diverse nation in the world," but the economy is also diverse, with "the biggest wine industry in the US, the center of the technology industry, and nearly the whole of the film and television industry." While conducting a meta-ranking of California's higher education system is ambitious, "From California's leading liberal arts and Christian colleges, to the major public and private research universities, College Consensus is providing the facts students need to decide where they belong, where they are going, and where their future lies."

College Consensus makes college comparison quick and easy. The site's unique consensus ranking system provides the most accurate guide to college reputation and quality anywhere. In addition to rankings, College Consensus also offers expert advice and guidance on all aspects of college life, from finding the perfect college, to getting accepted, paying for it, and beyond.

Carrie Sealey-Morris

Managing Editor, College Consensus

[email protected]

(512) 710-9901

http://www.collegeconsensus.com/

https://www.facebook.com/collegeconsensus/

SOURCE College Consensus

Related Links

http://www.collegeconsensus.com


Since its inception in 2005, the Moody's Mega Math Challenge has drawn the participation of more than 37,000 students, 4,000 high schools, 5,000 teachers and 400 Ph.D.-level judges, and has awarded more than $1.2 million in scholarships.

According to a survey of 2017 Math Modeling Challenge participants, 49 percent of respondents found math to be more relevant to real-world problems as a result of participating in the Challenge. While 54 percent of respondents already planned to pursue a major in math or math-oriented field, more than 24 percent said the competition influenced them to pursue a math major. Ninety-two percent of respondents said that the study of math modeling or applied math should be included in K-12 curricula.

"SIAM is excited and energized by the prospect of welcoming a new named sponsor and has initiated a competitive process to identify a partner with whom we will transition the Challenge for the future," said Michelle Montgomery, Challenge Project Director at SIAM. SIAM will manage the search, beginning with a request for proposals, to be submitted by September 6, 2017, which has been made available today at https://m3challenge.siam.org/sponsorwanted. Potential sponsors should visit the site to learn more, and let SIAM know of their interest. The new sponsor is being asked to commit at least $1.2 million annually for a minimum initial sponsorship term of three years, she said.

The Challenge is strategically aligned with tech and computationally-based organizations, and those with an investment in STEM-related topics and technologies, Montgomery explained. "The Challenge sponsor can expect the competition to enhance its visibility among key communities as an organization that cares about motivating young people to study and ultimately work in STEM careers that will have a positive and meaningful impact on our world," she said.

"The sponsor can also look forward to programs and strategies to increase its own access to top talent, and enhance employee engagement," Montgomery added, explaining that the Challenge has seen hundreds of students annually distinguished with prizes for outstanding work after being rigorously vetted by professional computational scientists and have subsequently been invited to apply for internships and jobs at the sponsor organization. "With more than 618 million national media impressions last year, 246 pieces of media coverage, plus a strong social presence, the new sponsor will also be recognized for its outstanding corporate citizenship."

Focused on educating American youth on the importance of math in everyday life, the Math Modeling Challenge motivates and encourages high school students to study and pursue careers in applied math and computational sciences. Providing a unique and valuable 14-hour experience over one weekend in spring, students work in small teams and use what they have learned in the classroom to solve real-world issues. They are challenged to apply their skills and creative thinking to answer broad, open-ended questions using math modeling strategies. This all takes place online and under strict time constraints akin to those found in business, industry or government settings.

Over the past 12 years, modeling problems have included predicting rates of climate change, identifying the efficacy of biofuels and the effects of their use on world hunger, proposing the best U.S. regions for high speed rail construction, and ensuring that the national social security system remains solvent, among other complex problems. The Challenge most recently partnered with the US National Parks Foundation on the 2017 Challenge problem, and looks forward to working with its next sponsor "to identify other partners with interesting, big, messy problems for high school students to sink their teeth into," Montgomery said.

The Challenge currently registers about 1,500 teams per year comprised of more than 6,000 high school juniors and seniors, from which 90 teams are distinguished with monetary prizes. Six of those teams are brought together for a live final event that features team presentations, a reception and an awards ceremony, among other events and activities.

"The Moody's Foundation is very proud of the impact the program has had on thousands of high school students over the last 12 years, and we wish SIAM continued success in its educational mission," said Arlene Isaacs-Lowe, President of The Moody's Foundation.

The new sponsor will assume title sponsorship starting in October 2017.

SOURCE Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics
BOSTON, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- As Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and his fellow Republicans continue to try to push their version of health-care policy through the Senate, 30-year career environmental consultant Ellen Moyer, Ph.D., says America is nowhere near a solution to putting health back into health care. Moreover, she points out, the U.S.'s current unaffordable health-care system focuses too much on treating disease after allowing it to happen rather than on preventing disease from occurring in the first place.

Ellen Moyer Our Earth, Our Species, Our Selves book cover

In Our Earth, Our Species, Our Selves: How to Thrive While Creating a Sustainable World, her third book, Moyer draws a strong connection between government policies and public health. For example, taxpayer-funded food subsidies are primarily used to promote junk food that makes us sick rather than foods that make us healthy. Meanwhile, she says such government agencies as the Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture end up protecting industry from citizens rather than citizens from industry. In addition, she notes that "doctors are rewarded for doing as much as possible rather than for providing the best care possible."

Moyer maintains that the U.S. would promote health and reduce health-care costs by taking actions such as these:

Plant gardens at schools and educate students about nutrition, cooking, and health.

Verify synthetic chemicals are safe before putting them in commercial use.

Stop burning fossil fuels, biofuels and wastes, to prevent air pollution and help the climate.

Prevent water pollution.

Reduce industry influence on food and medicine.

"Doing all this and more would reduce health-care costs and free up money that could be used for education, research, the arts, and environmental conservation and restoration," Moyer says.

About the author

Ellen Moyer is a registered professional engineer with a B.A. in anthropology, an M.S. in environmental engineering, a Ph.D. in civil engineering, and 30 years of environmental engineering experience. She is also a U.S. Green Building Council LEED accredited professional. Our Earth, Our Species, Our Selves: How to Thrive While Creating a Sustainable World quickly became Amazon's No. 1 "Hot New Release" in the categories of Green Business, Nature Conservation, and Environmentalism and an Amazon bestseller.

Availability: Massachusetts, nationwide by arrangement and via telephone

Contact: Ellen Moyer, (413) 862-3452; [email protected], www.ellenmoyerphd.com

SOURCE Ellen Moyer

Related Links

http://www.ellenmoyerphd.com


NEW YORK, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- XL Catlin's North America Construction business has reached a significant milestone  celebrating its seventh year in operation and achieving USD 2 billion in gross written insurance premium.



According to Gary Kaplan, XL Catlin's North America Construction Leader, "In 2010, at a time when the construction industry was struggling from an economic downturn, XL Catlin invested in building a dedicated insurance business focused on delivering the effective risk management guidance, services and insurance products to North America's top contractors when they needed it most. Now, with commercial construction activity in full swing, our clients are clearly seeing the benefits in working with the market's experienced construction risk management team to help maintain their forward momentum. Our significant premium climb  doubling our GWP in just about 18 months  is proof."

The construction industry saw more than USD 1.7 trillion in revenue in 2016 with more than 729,000 construction companies employing over 7.3 million people, according to U.S. Census Bureau statistics. And the good news is that the industry has emerged out of its recent slump and is showing continued signs of growth. A recent Dodge Data & Analytics survey predicts a 5 percent growth in construction start-ups in 2017.



"Construction risks are complex and very few insurance carriers have the ability to comprehensively address these risks. But I'm proud to say that we do," said Mr. Kaplan. "Our success in such a short period of time hinges on this team's ability to build long-term relationships with contractors, clearly understanding their changing business needs and issues they face and providing them with products and services that help them protect their profitability, maintain a competitive edge and improve safety on the jobsite."

Read more of Mr. Kaplan's thoughts in Insuring Construction's Complex Risks.

XL Catlin's North America Construction insurance business includes dedicated construction underwriters providing primary and excess casualty, professional liability, builders risk, wrap ups, subcontractor default, and pollution insurance, accompanied by risk engineering services to help clients' loss prevention and safety efforts and construction claims expertise.

About XL Catlin's Insurance Operations

XL Catlin insurance companies offer property, casualty, professional, financial lines and specialty insurance products globally. Businesses that are moving the world forward choose XL Catlin as their partner. To learn more, visit xlcatlin.com.



About XL Catlin

XL Catlin is the global brand used by XL Group Ltd (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.



SOURCE XL Catlin
In the Global Dairy Rankings, Yili defended the eighth place with operating revenues of 9 billion dollars. Meanwhile, the top 7 enterprises were all Western dairy giants. While stabilizing its position as No. 1 in Asia and No. 8 in the world dairy enterprise, Yili has further narrowed the gap from the top seven dairy giants in Europe and America, laying a solid foundation for its future development. Chen Yu, a senior dairy expert, said that with annual operating revenues over 9 billion dollars, the world's top 8 dairy enterprises are all very competitive. To move up on the rankings, an enterprise has to give a huge amount of effort.

While staying ahead in operating revenues in Asia, Yili has kept ahead of others in authoritative global rankings such as brand influence and consumer trust.

Yili displays responsibility by letting the world share healthiness.

During the Summer Davos Forum, Pan Gang, the Chairman of Yili, proposed the grand concept of "Healthiness for the Whole World", noting that healthy food enterprises should fulfill this dream by practicing as market subjects and subjects of responsibility. He summarized such corporate practice through four keywords: quality based, innovation to support, sharing globally and co-responsibility. Meanwhile, Yili has reached a strategic partnership with the World Economic Forum. The two sides will be in a joint bid to improve the healthiness status of the world and benefit all mankind.

Besides, in "EU-China-Safe Project 2020" launched this June, being the only Chinese dairy enterprise involved in the project, Yili has conducted prospective studies on global food safety and risk prevention and control in association with over 30 other professional institutions.

In sustainable development, in December 2016, Yili as the only Chinese company attended the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Contract Signing Ceremony of the "Global Partnership for Business and Biodiversity".

Chen said that Yili will call for efforts to improve the health and wellbeing of all mankind through its influence. He believed that the Chinese dairy enterprises represented by Yili would profoundly change the pattern of the global dairy industry and benefit all global consumers. The vision of "Healthiness for the Whole World" is great, and the dream will come true as long as we work tirelessly towards the ultimate goal.

SOURCE Yili
NEW YORK, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- ABO Capital announced today that CEO Zandre Campos was featured in the Huffington Post discussing his investments in mobile healthcare for Africa. The article "Africa's New Frontier of Mobile Healthcare" was published in the Huffington Post on July 5, 2017.

When it comes to accessing and affording quality healthcare, Africa has encountered difficulties in the past, including costs and locating medical professionals. New technology is making quality healthcare more accessible around the continent, including Sphera Bluoshen's program M Heath, which provides 24/7 consultation for medical and pediatric needs through an app. Companies, like Sphera Bluoshen, are starting to understand the impact of an integrated approach to healthcare on the continent by combining global knowledge with local expertise.

"Access to affordable and efficient healthcare still proves to be a problem to individuals across Africa, but technology provides an opportunity to create effective solutions," said Mr. Campos. "By using creativity, companies could begin discovering ways to make medical services mobile, not only reaping substantial financial gains but also equipping thousands of African people with the medical care they need."

Zandre Campos is chairman and CEO of ABO Capital, an international investment firm that invests in companies in the healthcare, energy, transportation, hospitality, education, technology and real estate sectors throughout Africa. ABO's mission is to create global value for developing countries in Africa, while contributing to their economic development.

Read the full Huffington Post article:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/595d1e86e4b0326c0a8d1449

About ABO Capital

ABO Capital, formerly Angola Capital Investments, is an international investment firm that invests in companies in the healthcare, technology, energy, transportation, hospitality, education and real estate sectors throughout Africa. The mission of ABO Capital is to create global value for developing countries in Africa, while contributing to their economic development.

About Zandre Campos

Zandre Campos is one of the great, innovative business leaders and global entrepreneurs emerging out of Africa. Currently, he is chairman and CEO of ABO Capital, an international investment firm headquartered in Angola with holdings throughout the Globe. Mr. Campos was named one of the Top 25 African business influencers and was a recipient of the Distinguished Business Excellence Award by African Leadership Magazine. He is frequently quoted as an expert on Africa in the media and is a recurring contributor for The Huffington Post and US News & World Report. He recently addressed both students and professors at the NYU Africa House on the opportunities in Africa.

SOURCE ABO Capital

Related Links

http://www.abocapital.net


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Abuja, July 12 : At least 11 people, including two suicide bombers, were killed and five others injured in multiple explosions that rocked Nigeria's Maiduguri city.

Four suspected suicide blasts hit the Mulaikalmari and Sabon Gari areas of the city in quick successions late on Tuesday, Xinhua news agency reported.

Eight people died in the first and second bombings while three others were killed in the subsequent attacks.

Head of the government emergency agency, Satomi Ahmed, confirmed the attacks and said that rescue operations were ongoing in the areas.

A senior security agent suspected that the attacks were carried out by Boko Haram which had been blamed for the deaths of over 20,000 people and displacing of 2.3 million others in Nigeria since their insurgency started in 2009.

The security officer said Boko Haram had attempted to infiltrate Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, after they were chased out of the city.
Mumbai, July 12 : Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor, whose debut production "Jagga Jasoos" is releasing on this Friday, says that everybody should make money and not just the producers.

The actor, who was present at a promotional event on Wednesday, was asked about his take on superstar Salman Khan, compensating for the loss to the distributors due to his last release "Tubelight".

"It's been going on for years. My grandfather was a producer from 1950 and I think this home style of making films -- where everybody makes money not just the producer, the distributor and exhibitors -- is a very healthy exercise. It's very good to compensate when somebody loses money on something where you have kind of made money. But of course it depends from person to person and from film to film," the "Rockstar" actor said.

Grandson of Raj Kapoor and great-grandson of Prithvi Raj Kapoor, Ranbir said that compensating for the losses runs in the family.

"Films like 'Mera Nam Joker' had heavy losses, so when grandfather released his film 'Bobby', he gave more of a percentage to the distributors and exhibitors. They maintained a sense of balance in it. Personally, if my film had losses and I was making money out of it, I would definitely compensate," he said.

Speaking about the Amarnath attack, the "Tamasha" actor said: "It's completely an act of horror, my condolences to the families and the victims. I will try and contribute as much as possible. I think at times like these when the country has to unite, people from every corner of society should come together. I don't understand the gain out of terrorism or why people do it. It is the worst side of human nature; it's very shameful that it's happening within our world."

Ranbir also spoke about how he is feeling before the film's release. "I am nervous for the film, I think this feeling before the film's release makes you feel alive and it makes you feel like things matters. Let's see we have our fingers crossed, we have worked hard for 3 years and the results will be out in 2 days."

"Jagga Jasoos" directed by Anurag Basu, starring Ranbir Kapoor, Katrina Kaif, and Sayani Gupta tells a story of a teenage detective in search of his missing father. The film will be in theatres on July 14.
New Delhi, July 13 : India should let Bhutan take the lead in negotiating with China on the disputed Doklam Plateau and other disputed territories instead of getting involved itself, the CPI-M has said.

An editorial in the CPI-M journal People's Democracy has also blamed India's growing strategic ties with the US for the deteriorating relations with China.

The standoff between India and China on the Doklam 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 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 CPI-M said the present border fracas had assumed greater salience because Sino-Indian 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 CPI-M 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."
Jerusalem, July 14 : Three gunmen were shot dead and two Israeli civilians injured on Friday during a shootout near a holy site in Jerusalem, the media reported.

The shootout took place outside the hilltop complex known to the Jews as Temple Mount and to Muslims as Haram al-Sharif.

According to reports by Israeli police, the three assailants, armed with two homemade Carlo submachine guns and a hand gun, shot at several police officers near the Lion's Gate entrance to the site, before running into the compound, reports the Guardian.

"When they saw policemen they shot towards them and then escaped towards one of the mosques in the Temple Mount compound," police spokesman Luba Samri said.

"A chase ensued and the three terrorists were killed by police."

Israeli authorities are still working to identify the attackers, the Guardian quoted police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld as saying.

The site, which houses the al-Aqsa Mosque, Islam's third-holiest site, and the seventh-century Dome of the Rock, is also revered by Jews as the site of the historic Temple.

In the immediate aftermath of the incident the area was cleared of visitors and closed, with the police announcing that Friday prayers, usually attended by thousands, would be cancelled.
Chandigarh, July 14 : Faced with a situation where vast swathes of the state face the problem of water-logging, making farming difficult, Haryana is quietly transforming things for its farmers by promoting fish farming in the same agricultural fields.

It may not be exactly like fish taking to water, but farmers in Haryana are showing greater interest in switching to fish farming with man-made ponds on their agricultural fields.

With more farmers taking to fish farming, the annual production of fish in Haryana has increased to 144,200 tonnes in 2016-17 against 105,579.50 tonnes during 2013-14, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and Fisheries Minister Om Prakash Dhankar said.

"We have brought 18,975 hectares of water area under fish farming in 2016-17 by increasing it from 16,921.69 hectares of water area. Haryana has become the first land-locked state where white shrimp farming is being done on saline land," he said.

"Haryana is at second position (among inland states) in the country with fish production of 7,200 kilograms per hectare per year in 2016-17. It was 5,800 kilograms per hectare per year in 2013-14. The fish production would be increased to 10,000 kilograms per hectare per year in 2017-18," Dhankar said, adding that the Haryana government had lined up incentives and subsidies for farmers to shift to fish rearing.

As per the estimates of the state's Fisheries Department, there are over 10,000 farmers who have taken to fish farming and are getting better remuneration than what they earned from the wheat-paddy crop cycle.

"We ventured into fish farming about four years back. This is a better proposition than growing wheat-paddy crops. It has higher returns too and is providing more employment to people," Jaswant Singh, a farmer in Karnal district, told IANS.

Fish farmers are not only rearing popular varieties of fish like rohu, mrigal, catla, common carp, silver carp and grass carp but also shrimps and prawn.

The Haryana government has decided to set up a hi-tech and ultra-modern ornamental fish hatchery in Jhajjar district of southwest Haryana at a cost of Rs 13.68 crore. This would be the first-of-its-kind project in the country.

"It has also been proposed to develop about 16,000 acres of water-logged land in Jhajjar and Charki Dadri districts for fish farming so as to generate a new source of income for the farmers," Dhankar said.

Given the success of fish breeding in the state, the National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources has declared Haryana a "fish disease-free state".

It is not only the 15-odd government fish farms that are doing well in the state. A number of private farms have established themselves in the past few years.

The story of the Sultan Fish Farm in the Nilokheri area of Karnal district is quoted as an example of the success of a private enterprise. The farm supplies fish seeds and fish to the government and other states and is well-known nationally and internationally.

Farmer Sultan Singh set up north India's first fish farm in 1984.

"Fish farmers have earned a handsome amount of net profit Rs. 320,000 per hectare per annum from fish farming in their water-logged land," a recent report of the Haryana Fisheries Department said.

Haryana was carved out of the most backward region of erstwhile Punjab in 1966. Primarily an agrarian state, it faces many challenges on the agriculture front as the irrigation network is not as strong as in Punjab -- the land of five rivers. The only major river flowing through Haryana is the Yamuna.

(Jaideep Sarin can be contacted at jaideep.s@ians.in)
New Delhi, July 14 : Delhi Police on Friday filed a chargesheet against AIADMK Deputy General Secretary T.T.V. Dinakaran's aide Sukesh Chandrashekar in a bribe case.

The chargesheet was filed before link Special Judge Manoj Jain, who listed the matter for hearing on July 17.

Chandrashekar was arrested on April 16 and is in judicial custody.

However, Delhi Police has not chargesheeted Dinakaran yet, but it informed the court that a supplementary chargesheet will be filed against the other accused.

Dinakaran, accused of trying to bribe Election Commission officials to get the 'two leaves' poll symbol for a party faction led by his aunt V.K Sasikala, was arrested on April 25 but granted bail on June 1.

Mallikarjuna, a long-time friend of Dinakaran, and 'hawala' operator from Delhi Naresh Jain were the others accused in the case.
Riyadh, July 15 : The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Saturday condemned Israel's closure of the al-Aqsa Mosque as a crime against Muslims.

OIC Secretary General Yousef bin Ahmed Al-Othaimeen slammed the Israeli move, the first time since 1969, as "a crime, a serious precedent and a blatant attack on the holy sites as well as the rights and freedom of Palestinians to practice their religion", Xinhua news agency reported.

Israel has closed the mosque compound and banned Arab prayers since Friday's clashes near the compound between Israeli police and three Arab citizens, in which the three Arabs and two Israeli police officers were killed.

He called on the international community to act immediately to deter repeated Israeli attacks against Islamic and Christian holy sites in occupied East Jerusalem and to stop Israel's racist violations and crimes against the Palestinian people and their holy sites.

The al-Aqsa Mosque compound, holy to both Muslims and Jews, is one of the most sensitive sites in the region. It is revered by Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary, and by Jews as the Temple Mount.

On Friday, after joining the morning prayer at the mosque, three Arab citizens of Israel opened fire at a group of Israeli police officers near the gates of the compound, injuring two officers who later died in hospital from their wounds, and injuring a third officer.

The Arab gunmen were subsequently shot and killed by police, and Israel closed the mosque to Muslim prayers.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday spoke over the phone with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, assuring him Israel will keep the status quo in East Jerusalem's holy compound.
Pune, July 15 : National Award-winning filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar had to cancel the promotional activity of his forthcoming film "Indu Sarkar" here on Saturday after receiving threats from local Congress party workers.

"We are like hostage in the hotel room. We had to cancel the event. The hotel management asked us not to step out as the cadre is here since 1 p.m.ASince the last three hours, we have been locked in one room. My whole team is in the room," Bhandarkar told IANS over phone.

Bhandarkar even tweeted a few images of some of the Congress party members. He captioned them: "Congress workers have barged in the hotel lobby and created ruckus, me and the team are stranded like hostages in hotel room. Pune activity cancelled."

The film's team had planned to visit Suryadatta Institute of Management & Mass Communication on Saturday for the promotional event.

The film's spokesperson said: "We received a call from Sanjay Chordiya from Surya who had arranged the whole press conference. He urged us to cancel it as they received a threat from local Congress party workers. As soon as we got to know, we cancelled the event."

Asked if Bhandarkar will release the film in Pune, he said: "I will release the film all over India and I think people who talk about freedom of expression should stand for this nowA This is the time."

The film, set against the backdrop of the 1975-77 Emergency, has characters inspired by the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and her son Sanjay Gandhi.

Earlier also, Mumbai Congress President Sanjay Nirupam had penned a letter to Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) chief Pahlaj Nihalani, asking for the movie to be screened for them before it is censored.

CBFC later suggested 12 cuts and two disclaimers in the film. Bhandarkar had been asked to remove words like RSS and Akali from "Indu Sarkar".

Featuring Neil Nitin Mukesh, Kirti and Kulhari Tota Roy Chaudhary, it is scheduled to release on July 28.
Jammu, July 16 : A fresh batch of 3,603 pilgrims left Jammu for the Kashmir Valley on Sunday to perform the annual Amarnath Yatra.

"A fresh batch of 3,603 pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in an escorted convoy of 153 vehicles at 3.25 a.m.," officials said here.

Nearly 9,000 pilgrims reached the shrine located at 3,888 metres above sea-level on Saturday which marked the 17th day of the ongoing 40-day yatra.

So far this year, over 2 lakh pilgrims have performed the yatra which is slated to end on August 7 on Shravan Purnima coinciding with Raksha Bandhan festival.

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 pilgrims reach the shrine either from the traditional 46 km long mountain track from the Pahalgam base camp or through the 14 km track from the Baltal base camp.

Over 35,000 security personnel drawn from the Army, Central Reserve Police Force, Sashastra Seema Bal, Indo Tibetan Border Police and the state police have been deployed to provide security to the pilgrims.

The security heightened after terrorists attacked a yatra bus on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway in Anantnag district on July 10 resulting in the deaths of seven pilgims.
Riyadh, July 17 : Saudi Arabia aims to boost its economic growth and create more jobs through a grand project to build the Industrial Energy City in the Eastern Region, a government official said on Sunday.

Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al-Faleh, Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources said that the project will localise industries supporting the energy sector related to oil exploration, production and refining, petrochemicals, conventional electric power, water production and treatment.

According to Xinhua, the decision to establish a new industrial city for energy is in line with the Kingdom's vision 2030 and supports the vital infrastructure of the supply chain in the Kingdom.

Faleh added that, in terms of national economic impact, this grand project will create thousands of jobs, contribute $6 billion to the economy per year, and localise new industrial and service facilities that help to innovate, develop and compete globally.

Amin Hassan Al-Nasser, president and CEO of Saudi Aramco, hailed the new city as "a strategic project and a milestone" in localising energy-related industries and services, attracting foreign investment, creating a number of companies, and stimulating innovation and entrepreneurship."

"This invites us to encourage our partners across the supply chain in the Kingdom and the world to take advantage of trained local laborers and opportunities that will be available there," Nasser said.
Jerusalem, July 17 : Clashes erupted outside Jerusalem's al-Aqsa mosque compound on Sunday as Israeli authorities implemented new security measures at the Mosque entrance.

According to media reports, several Palestinians were injured during the clashes.

A video footage broadcast on Israel's Channel 2 TV news showed anti-riots police beating and kicking demonstrators outside the compound, Xinhua reported.

A police statement said one person was arrested for rioting.

The Israeli measures, including CCTVs covering the entire compound, checkpoints and metal detectors at the entrances, were installed after three Palestinian Muslims with Israeli citizenship shot dead two Israel policemen on Friday morning.

The gunmen, all from the Arab city of Umm al-Fahm in central Israel, were subsequently shot and killed by the police.

Immediately after the incident, Israel shut down the compound, saying that security forces need to check the site for more militants or ammunition.

It was the first time in 50 years that Israel closed the compound, which is Islam's third holiest site.

On Sunday, Israel reopened the holy site but required all visitors to undergo security checks through metal detectors that were placed at two gates. Only Muslim residents of Jerusalem were allowed to enter.

The police said they plan to gradually open additional gates, after installing metal detectors.

The Waqf, a Muslim religious authority that administrates the compound, rejected the new measures and refused to hold prayers at the mosque. The Waqf said that the measures were a breach of the status quo.

Omar Kiswani, director of al-Aqsa Mosque, told reporters outside the site that "the closure, the occupation, and the prevention of the call for prayers are all unfair and unjust and constitute a violation of the UN resolutions and the international agreements."

"We hold the Israeli government responsible for the changes they have made in the al-Aqsa Mosque and taking its control away from us. We will stay outside the mosque until we get back the way it was taken from us," he said.
Jammu, July 17 : A fresh batch of over 2,000 pilgrims left here on Monday for the valley to perform the on-going Amarnath Yatra.

Over two lakh pilgrims have so far performed the yatra in the last 18 days.

"Another batch of 2,646 yatris left the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas for the Kashmir Valley in an escorted convoy at 4.55 a.m.," officials said.

Sixteen pilgrims were killed and 28 were injured on Sunday when a bus carrying them went out of control and dropped into a gorge by the Jammu-Srinagar highway at Nachnala near Bannihal town on Sunday.

Nineteen injured pilgrims have been airlifted to Jammu for treatment.

On July 10, terrorists attacked a yatra bus at Batengo on the same highway killing seven pilgrims and injuring 16.

An injured pilgrim succumbed in a Srinagar hospital on Sunday taking the death toll in the terror attack to eight.

Over 35,000 security personnel drawn from the Army, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and the state police have been deployed this year providing a multi-layered security to the yatris since it started on June 29.

The pilgrims either use the traditional 46km-long Pahalgam track or the 14km-long Baltal track to reach the Himalayan cave shrine situated at 3,888 metres above the sea-level.

The cave houses an ice stalagmite structure that waxes and wanes with the size of the visible moon. Devotees believe the ice structure symbolizes mythical powers of Lord Shiva.

The 40-day long Amarnath Yatra will end on August 7 on 'Shravan Purnima' coinciding with the Raksha Bandhan festival.
New Delhi, July 17 : Parliamentarians and legislators across India began voting on Monday to elect the country's 14th President in a direct contest between ruling NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind and opposition-backed Meira Kumar.

Polling to choose the successor of incumbent Pranab Mukherjee, who demits office on July 25, started simultaneously in the national and state capitals at 10 a.m.

All elected MPs and MLAs are eligible to cast their vote. The voting is through secret ballot.

As voting picked up, many MPs, including women members, were seen queuing up in Parliament House outside the polling booth in Room No 62 for the voting that ends at 5 p.m.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah were among the first to cast their votes in Parliament.

Modi, clad in a beige colour sleeveless jacket over a white kurta-pyjama, reached the parliament premises early to vote. It is also the first day of the over three-week monsoon session of Parliament.

The Prime Minister said the session was expected to herald in a new hope for India.

"Today the monsoon session begins. Like the monsoon brings hope, this session also brings same spirit of hope," Modi said before casting his vote.

Shah, who is an MLA from Gujarat and was allowed to cast his vote in Parliament, also used his franchise in the contest between Kovind and Kumar, who was a former Lok Sabha Speaker.

MPs were voying on green paper ballots and state lawmakers on pink. They cannot use their own pens to vote and were given unique serial-numbered special pens with violet ink.

After voting ends, ballot boxes from the states would be flown to Delhi and stored in Parliament.

The votes would be counted and results would be announced on July 20.

"Kovindji will win with a comfortable and respectable margin," Information and Broadcasting Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu said before leaving for Parliament to vote.

The total value of votes of the electoral college is 10,98,903, and the NDA candidate is slated to cross the halfway-mark and get about 63 per cent votes.

If elected, 71-year-old Kovind will be the second Dalit to become President after K.R. Narayanan, who was the 10th President.
Los Angeles, July 17 : George A. Romero, who launched the zombie film genre with his 1968 "Night of the Living Dead", is dead. He was 77.

The director died on July 16, confirms variety.com.

The director died in his sleep following a battle with lung cancer, according to a statement from his manager Chris Roe.

"Legendary filmmaker George A. Romero passed away on Sunday July 16, listening to the score of 'The Quiet Man', one of his all-time favorite films, with his wife, Suzanne Desrocher Romero, and daughter, Tina Romero at his side," read a statement.

The statement read: "He died peacefully in his sleep, following a brief but aggressive battle with lung cancer, and leaves behind a loving family, many friends, and a filmmaking legacy that has endured, and will continue to endure, the test of time."

Made in Pittsburgh on a budget of $114,000, "Night of the Living Dead" made $30 million and became a cult classic.

After "Night of the Living Dead", he directed films including "There's Always Vanilla", "Season of the Witch", and "The Crazies", although none had the impact of his first film. His 1977 vampire arthouse pic "Martin" was somewhat more well-received.

He went back to zombies with "Dawn of the Dead", which made more than $55 million on a half a million dollar budget, then made his third Dead movie with "Day of the Dead" in 1985.

His non-zombie films of that period gained more attention, including "Knightridgers" about jousters who re-enact tournaments on motorcycles and the anthology "Creepshow" written by Stephen King.

Among his other films from the 1980s and 1990s were "Monkey Shines", Edgar Allen Poe adaptation "Two Evil Eyes", in collaboration with Dario Argento, "The Dark Half" and "Bruiser."

Romero was originally set to direct "Resident Evil", but left the project due to creative differences.

Born in the Bronx, Romero's father was Cuban and his mother Lithuanian. He graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, then began shooting shorts and commercials, including a segment of "Mr. Rogers Neighborhood."

He is survived by his wife Suzanne and two children.
Beijing, July 17 : China's anti-pornography office closed 73 illegal live streaming platforms in the first half of 2017 and imposed life bans on 1,879 live streamers who severely violated regulations.

From January to June, more than 120,000 accounts were cleared and 38,179 accounts that violated regulations were blocked, the National Office Against Pornographic and Illegal Publications said on Monday.

Local anti-pornography offices have also helped police investigate more than 10 cases of live streaming platforms with pornographic content, including one platform named Laohuzhibo, or "Tiger", in Zhejiang province.

The platform launched overseas operations in March and recruited female live streaming presenters.

As of May 3, the platform had received 7 million yuan ($1 million) from subscribers and had more than 1,000 female presenters streaming pornography.

Two principal suspects were arrested and 22 people have been placed in detention.
New Delhi, July 17 : Lawmakers across India voted on Monday to elect the country's 14th President with Union Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu declaring that ruling NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind would win with a "comfortable and respectable margin" against opposition-backed Meira Kumar.

Polling to choose the successor of incumbent Pranab Mukherjee, who demits office on July 25, started simultaneously in Parliament in the national capital and state assemblies at 10 a.m.

All elected MPs and MLAs are eligible to cast their vote through secret ballot.

As voting picked up, many MPs, including women members, were seen queuing up in Parliament House outside the polling booth in Room No 62 for the voting, that closes at 5 p.m.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah were among the first to cast their votes in Parliament.

Modi, clad in a beige colour sleeveless jacket over a white kurta-pyjama, reached the Parliament premises early to vote on Monday, also the first day of the over three-week monsoon session of Parliament.

The Prime Minister said the session was expected to herald in a new hope for India. "Today the monsoon session begins. Like the monsoon brings hope, this session also brings the same spirit of hope."

Shah, who is an MLA from Gujarat, was allowed to cast his vote in Parliament.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul also voted.

In state assemblies, brisk voting was on as MLAs and some MPs also queued up outside their legislative complexes to choose the next President.

Polling began on a brisk note in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, as tens of hundreds of legislators voted in the first three hours of polling.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal led his the AAP lawmakers to vote.

In Punjab, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had called all Congress legislators in the state for breakfast before the voting. The Congress legislators later gathered at the Punjab Bhawan here for a meeting on the issue.

In the Haryana Assembly, ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators Kamal Gupta and Latika Sharma were among the first voters.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami was among the first voters at the assembly complex in Chennai. He was followed by Speaker P. Dhanapal, DMK's M.K. Stalin and former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam.

The Election Commission has put up a total of 32 polling stations -- one in Parliament House Room No 62 and rest one each in state legislative assemblies -- for the polls.

A total of 776 MPs and 4,120 MLAs are eligible to vote. The total value of votes of the electoral college is 10,98,903, and the NDA candidate is slated to cross the halfway-mark and get about 63 per cent votes.

The ballot boxes will be brought to Delhi for counting on July 20. Results will be declared that day.

Kovind -- ex Bihar governor -- has an advantage over Meira Kumar -- a former Lok Sabha speaker -- as the numbers are stacked in favour of the ruling NDA.

The BJP and allies have nearly 63 per cent of the vote while the Congress-led opposition has a little over 35 per cent. Independents and other smaller parties, who have not made their choice known, have two per cent.

If elected, Kovind will be the second Dalit President of India. K.R. Narayanan was the first from the community to hold the post.

"Kovindji will win with a comfortable and respectable margin," Information and Broadcasting Minister Venkaiah Naidu said before voting.

Meira Kumar said she has requested members of the electoral college to "heed the inner voice of their conscience" and vote in the best interest of the country.

"This ideology is of social justice, inclusiveness, secularism, transparency, freedom of expression, freedom of press and total destruction of the caste system. This is the ideology which binds India together. So it is very important that we protect and preserve it," said Kumar.

Her son Ansul said it was not a personal fight "but a fight of ideologies".

"The forces which are present should be decimated. If it's just about numbers then why are we going through the whole process. The winner can be announced earlier based on the parties' support. We are excited... We are part of it. I have travelled with my mother," Ansul Kumar said.
New Delhi, July 17 : Shiv Sena leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut on Monday questioned opposition parties for fielding Gopalkrishna Gandhi for the vice-presidential election, saying the latter had been opposed to the death sentence of 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts convict Yakub Memon.

Raut said Gandhi was among those who had made appeals to the government to save Memon.

"Gandhi had used all his powers to save Yakub Memon. He even had written to the President. I want to ask (opposition) what kind of mindset is this," he told reporters.

In July 2015, Gandhi had written to President Pranab Mukherjee to "reconsider" the rejection of Memon's mercy plea.
Hyderabad/Amaravati, July 17 : Almost all legislators in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh assemblies had cast their votes by Monday afternoon to elect the country's 14th President.

Over 100 out of the 119 legislators in Telangana and 169 out of the 175 in Andhra Pradesh had exercised their franchise by 1 p.m., officials said.

Both the states witnessed brisk polling since the process began at 10 a.m.

Legislators from Telangana cast their votes at the state legislative assembly in Hyderabad while their counterparts from Andhra Pradesh exercised their franchise at the state assembly in Amaravati.

Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, state assembly Speaker Madhusudhana Chary and Leader of Opposition K. Jana Reddy were among the first to cast their votes in Hyderabad.

Ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) has already announced its support to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate Ram Nath Kovind. The TRS has 90 members in the 119-member assembly.

Kovind was also assured support of five legislators of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and three of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP).

The vote value of each legislator in Telangana is 132.

All TRS legislators, including ministers, reached assembly premises in three buses from party headquarters Telangana Bhavan, where mock polling was held for the second time since Sunday to ensure that all lawmakers cast their vote properly.

Main opposition Congress, which has 13 members, will back the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) candidate Meira Kumar.

The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), which has seven MLAs and the lone member of the Communist Party of India-Marxist have also announced their support to Meira Kumar.

However, AIMIM leader in assembly Akbaruddin Owaisi could not participate in the voting process as he is in London for medical treatment. TRS member Dasari Manohar Reddy is also not likely to cast vote as he was undergoing treatment in a hospital.

In Andhra Pradesh, almost all legislators had exercised their franchise by afternoon.

The NDA candidate is expected to get the support of all legislators as both ruling TDP-BJP alliance and lone opposition YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) have said that they will vote for Kovind.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP President N. Chandrababu Naidu and assembly Speaker Kodela Sivaprasada Rao were among the first to cast their votes.

Leader of opposition and YSRCP president Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy and other members of his party also cast their ballots.

This is the first time polling for presidential election is being held in Aamaravti.

In the 175-member state assembly, the TDP has 124 members, including 21 who defected from YSRCP. The BJP has four legislators. The opposition YSRCP has 46 legislators.

Every legislator in Andhra Pradesh has a vote value of 159.

The voting process will continue till 5 p.m. All the ballots will then be sent to Delhi, where counting will take place on July 20.

Members of Parliament from both the Telugu-speaking states were casting their votes in Parliament HOuse in New Delhi.
Beijing, July 17 : Amid the continuing border stand-off with India, China has conducted a live-fire drill in Tibet.

According to a CCTV report, live-fire drills included the quick delivery of troops and different military units working together on joint attacks.

The report did not mention when the exercise was held.

An online video showed the People's Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers using anti-tank grenades and missiles against bunkers and howitzers for artillery coverage.

The brigade that conducted the drills was from the PLA's Tibet Military Command and is one of China's two plateau mountain brigades, the Global Times said.

According to the CCTV report, the brigade has long been stationed around the middle and lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo river and is responsible for frontline combat missions.

The river is located in the upper stream of the Brahmaputra, which flows through China, India and Bangladesh.

The video also shows radar units identifying enemy aircraft and soldiers using anti-aircraft artillery to annihilate targets.

The drills lasted 11 hours, Chinese news portal guancha.cn reported.

India shares a long border with China's Tibetan region. India and China have been locked for over a month in a border stand-off between their soldiers in a tri-junction also involving Bhutan.

Separately, Tibet's mobile communication agency conducted a drill on July 10 in Lhasa, capital of Tibet, where members practiced setting up a temporary mobile network to secure communications in an emergency, the Global Times reported.
Kabul, July 17 : Afghan forces on Monday recaptured Helmand province's Nawa district from the Taliban after three days of military operations, a Defence Ministry statement said.

"Afghan security forces regained the control of Nawa district and Taliban rebels after suffering huge casualties have fled," said the statement.

More than 50 militants were killed, six injured and one arrested during the operations, Xinhua news agency quoted the statement as saying..

The move ended the Taliban's nearly one year occupation of the district, according to the ministry.
New Delhi, July 17 : Information and Broadcasting Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu has been finalized as the ruling NDA candidate for Vice Presidential poll and the announcement will be made on Monday evening, party sources said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Parliamentary Board will meet on Monday evening to announce Naidu's candidature, according to the sources. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the meeting.

Naidu, 68 and a former BJP President, met Modi and spoke with BJP President Amit Shah, the sources said.

Maharashtra Governor C. Vidyasagar Rao's name was also considered for the August 5 contest.

The last date for filing nomination papers for the Vice Presidential election is Tuesday.

The term of Vice President Hamid Ansari, who is also ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, ends on August 10.
Kolkata, July 17 : The hill town of Darjeeling in West Bengal, which is in the news for a separate Gorkhaland agitation, was one of the points of origin of the Nepali publishing industry in the 19th century in addition to Kolkata and Varanasi, according to a researcher.

"First Nepali language book was published in 1820 in Calcutta (now Kolkata) and print era in Nepal started in 1851 with the arrival of the first printing press," said Deepak Aryal, a researcher with Madan Puraskar Pustakalaya (MPP), at a just-concluded symposium organised by the British Library and Jadavpur University.

Kolkata, Varanasi and Darjeeling in India were the major hubs of Nepali publishing and currently Sikkim is a major player, Aryal said.

On the Gorkhaland movement that started off as a Nepali language movement, and if it could disrupt any publishing activity, Aryal told IANS that the ongoing agitation would likely not impact the publishing sphere.

MPP library manages two of Nepal's most prestigious literary prizes, the Madan Puraskar and the Jagadamba Shree.

Tracing the genesis of Nepali publishing industry, Aryal said as many as 1,520 books were published between 1820 and 1950 in the language.

Of them, majority (29.5 per cent) revolved around poetry and songs while 11 per cent of the publications had a religious tenor.

"By the first decade of the 20th century, Nepali publishing showed signs of going commercial with the arrival of a few more printing presses and emergence of some private publishers," Aryal said.

He highlighted the transformatory role of regulation in Nepali publishing.

It happened in 1913, when Gorkhabhasa Prakasini Samiti -- a government authority to promote the Nepali language and regulate print and publishing in the country -- was formed.

"In the next 20 years, the Samiti would publish around 35 titles by itself and approve publication of 25 titles from private publishers. In a country where not more than 200 books had been published in the first 60 years of the print history, the book publication rate after the Samiti was not different than before its existence. In effect, the Samiti did more regulation than publication," Aryal said in a paper presented at the seminar.

He argued that it was "regulatory work of the Samiti that stymied the nascent publishing sphere inside Nepal".

"The Nepali publishing sphere which had its roots in Kolkata, Darjeeling, Banaras and Kathmandu, then shifted almost entirely to Banaras (now Varanasi) which had already emerged as one of the largest publishing hubs in the Indian subcontinent," he said.
New Delhi, July 17 : India's largest employability skills test, which will test employability of fresh graduates and share scores with prospective employers, has been launched across 29 states and seven Union Territories.

The test, by employability assessment company Wheebox, was launched to mark "World Skills Day" in collaboration with the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), UNDP, Association of Indian Universities (AIU), Pearson Education and HR technology outsourcing firm PeopleStrong.

Called the "Wheebox Employability Test (WEST)", it will be open to students who are final year graduates, post-graduates or diploma holders from engineering, polytechnic, Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), and state-run colleges or management schools, the company said in a statement.

The test is available in both Hindi and English.

The 70-minute test will measure an individual's numerical and problem-solving skills along with English language, basics of information technology (IT), and behavioural traits. It aims to give the students a snapshot of their capabilities.

It will also provide an initial transcript and detailed scorecard for each module to the candidate, highlighting strengths as well as improvement areas.

The scores will be then shared with 110 organisations across 10 sectors to help employers to shortlist candidates using the scores, the statement noted.

"In 2016, over 30,000 new employment opportunities were provided to young graduates from campuses as an outcome of the initiative. This partnership brings a new dimension and understanding to the way India and the world looks at hiring skilled talent," said Nirmal Singh, Founder and CEO of Wheebox.

"The report provides an insight into the future jobs and skills required by employers also the hiring trends of the market while understanding the needs of the job seeker and organisations," Singh added.

The findings will be part of India Skills Report 2018 which will be published during the Global Skills Summit in November.
Kabul, July 17 : The number of civilian deaths increased in Afghanistan in the first half of this year, a UN report revealed on Monday.

According to the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) report, a total of 1,662 civilians were killed, which is 2 per cent more than during the same period in 2016, reports Efe news.

"The human cost of this ugly war in Afghanistan, loss of life, destruction and immense suffering, is far too high," Tadamichi Yamamoto, the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Afghanistan and head of UNAMA, said in the report.

The report also says that the number of minor victims rose by 9 per cent, while the number of female victims increased by 23 per cent.

A total of 174 women lost their lives and another 462 were injured, whereas 436 children died and 1,141 were injured.

According to UNAMA, the increase in the number of casualties among women and children can be partly attributed to the use of improvised explosive devices (IED) and airstrikes in populated areas.

According to the UNAMA, 40 per cent of civilian casualties - 596 casualties and 1,483 injured - were caused by anti-government forces using IEDs, including suicide bombings.

Suicide and complex attacks (related to insurgent attacks on installations) increased by 15 percent during this period, with 3,581 people injured between January 1 and June 30, the report added.

Suicide attacks and complex attacks were responsible for killing 259 civilians, and injuring 892, including an attack in Kabul on May 31 in which 92 civilians were killed.

The Afghan government said 150 people, including security force personnel, died in the attack, which was the worst since the US invasion in 2001.

Most civilian casualties occurred in Kabul (19 per cent), followed by the southern provinces of Helmand and Kandahar, and Nangarhar (east).

The report holds anti-government forces responsible for 67 per cent of the casualties (1,141 dead and 2,348 injured), which is 12 per cent more than for the same period last year.

Pro-government forces had killed 327 civilians, and wounded 618, which is 21 per cent less than for the same period last year.
Mumbai, July 17 : A suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba operative, Salim Mukim Khan, who was absconding for the past nine years, was nabbed from Mumbai Airport, an official said here on Monday.

The operation was carried out jointly by the Uttar Pradesh ATS and Maharashtra ATS. Khan is currently being interrogated here.

Wanted since 2008 with a Lookout Notice issued for him, Khan was nabbed when he arrived from an undisclosed location to Mumbai.

He hails from Fatehpur's Hathgaon village under Bandipur police jurisdiction in Uttar Pradesh.

Investigators said that based on the lookout notice, Khan was detained at Mumbai Airport. The UP ATS was informed, which sent a team to Mumbai for further investigations.

Two terrorists nabbed for the 2008 attack on a CRPF camp in Rampur had told police that Khan had acquired terror training in a terrorist camp in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan.

He was also a handler for a Pakistan ISI agent Aftab, who was nabbed in Faizabad. Khan sent finances to Aftab, according to investigations.
New Delhi, July 17 : Assuring steps have been taken to weed out sub-standard institutes, the government on Monday said that a large number of teacher training colleges had failed to provide details of their infrastructure and other things.

"Several steps are being taken to ensure that sub-standard institutes are identified and suitably dealt with. Towards this end, one of the initiatives involves a rigorous accreditation and ranking process called TeachR," Minister of State for HRD Upendra Kushwaha said. The information was contained in his written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.

The exercise to seek details was part of the Ministry for Human Resource Development (HRD) effort to identify sub-standard institutes and suitably deal with them.

Kushwaha said teacher education institutes granted recognition by the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) for various courses were asked by the council to provide details on infrastructure, human resource, and other facilities available with them as mandatory disclosure through an affidavit.

"A good number of such institutes failed to respond in spite of advertisements in the national media and requests through bulk SMSes and emails. The last date for submission of affidavit was December 12, 2016," Kushwaha said.

"Thereafter, they were asked to file responses to a show-cause notice by May 8. As a result, as many as 8,416 affidavits and 3,058 replies to the notice were received," he said.

The Minister said the institutes have now been asked to file details and also register for accreditation by July 31.

The NCTE has signed a memorandum of understanding with Quality Council of India to assist the NCTE in verifying the claims made by these institutes, deploy video vans that will make one-hour video footage on faculty taking up actual teaching work and 10-minute video clippings of student teachers taking up teaching and conducting proctored test for sample of students in each institute.

On the basis of details of this verification and videos, expert teacher educators at the NCTE will assign marks to each institute.
Mumbai, July 17 : Arnold Classic world bodybuilding title winner Kai Greene will come to Nitrro fitness, Thane on Wednesday to introduce the western philosophy of fitness and bodybuilding.

Kai, who lives in New York, intends to assist Indian athletes and bodybuilders to perform better in the international arena.

"I am here in India to inspire the country, which has a great potential and future. That is why this tour is called the Inspire tour. I want to demonstrate what I have achieved can be achieved by any Indian who is willing to work hard -- #thoughtsbecomethings," tweeted Kai.

With the aim to promote fitness and bodybuilding, Kai is bringing his brand Dynamik Muscles to India. He also plans to assist Bollywood actors with correct training, supplementation and nutrition.

"I want to make India my second home and be their go to guy when it comes to achieving their fitness goals." says Kai.

"I also want to thank the team of Inspire Muscle Media, Tarun Gill and Umsey Patel for supporting me in my vision of sharing credible knowledge with Indians and making Inspire India tour possible."
New Delhi, July 17 : Jammu and Kashmir accounted for 49.5 per cent of the human rights violation complaints against the armed forces between 2012 and 2016, revealed an RTI reply.

Meanwhile, the state's share in the monetary relief recommended was a mere three per cent, it said.

A total of 186 complaints were received between 2012 and January 2016 from seven states, said the Ministry of Home Affairs while replying to an Right to Information application.

The other six states were Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura.

The RTI reply was received by Venkatesh Nayak of the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative in April this year from the CPIO of the ministry.

According to the reply, by January 2016 more than two-thirds of these complaints (127) are said to have been disposed of. The data does not indicate whether these complaints were found to be true or false.

Also, more than 57 per cent of the complaints from Assam are shown as pending.

"J&K accounted for 49.5 per cent of the human rights complaints received against the armed forces during this period (2012 to January 2016)," the reply said.

"A little more than 31 per cent of the complaints were received from the people in Assam. Manipur accounted for a little more than 11 per cent of the total number of complaints. Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Tripura accounted for less than 10 complaints each. Only one complaint was received from Nagaland during this period," according to the reply.

"About 40 per cent of the complaints are clubbed under the category 'defence forces' without any detailing as to what kinds of complaints they are," according to the ministry reply.

"When the distinct categories of 'death in army encounter' and 'death in army firing' are added, the proportion of complaints received against the defence forces goes up to more than 61 per cent of the total number of complaints received against all armed forces operating in the seven states," Nayak said.

The RTI response also says ten of these complaints relate to the crime of abduction and rape -- received from Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Jammu and Kashmir and Tripura.

The data also shows that monetary relief to the tune of Rs 6.47 crore was recommended in 117 cases.

"It is not known whether this was ex-gratia relief granted or compensation awarded. Further, it is not known how many complainants or victims actually received the monetary relief and which government (Central or State) made the payments," Nayak said.

While Jammu and Kashmir accounted for almost 50 per cent of the complaints, its share in the monetary relief recommended was a mere three per cent at Rs 21 lakh, it was revealed.

"Only five cases were found to be eligible for monetary relief in J&K. On the other hand, Assam, which accounted for less than a third of the complaints, received the largest proportion (48 per cent) of monetary relief recommended by the government. In 57 cases from Assam, monetary relief was recommended to the tune of Rs 3.10 crore," he explained.

The second largest share of monetary relief was recommended for Manipur at Rs 2.28 crore in 38 cases followed by Arunachal, which accounted for only three complaints but monetary relief to the tune of Rs 36 lakh was recommended, according to the application.

"Meghalaya and Tripura received recommendations of monetary relief to the tune of Rs 22 lakh against six and eight cases respectively. No monetary relief was recommended in the case of Nagaland in the lone complaint of abuse of power received in 2015-16 (up to January 2016)," he added.
New Delhi/Jammu, July 17 : The armies of India and Pakistan on Monday warned each other of retaliation against any military aggression along the Line of Control (LoC) as border tension escalated after a five-year-old girl and a soldier were killed in Jammu and Kashmir in heavy shelling by Pakistani forces.

The latest in a series of ceasefire violations came even as two senior military commanders of the two sides held talks to de-escalate the tension, a day after four Pakistani soldiers and a civilian were killed after the Indian Army allegedly targeted a Pakistan Army vehicle across the LoC -- which divides Jammu and Kashmir between them -- in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

A military spokesperson, Lt. Col. Manish Mehta, said in Jammu that Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked shelling at Bhimber Gali, Mendhar and Balakote sectors of Poonch and Rajouri districts.

The Pakistan shelling hit a girl, who was identified as Saida of Balakote in Poonch district. The soldier was killed in Rajouri district's Tarkundi area.

The spokesman said the firing along the LoC stopped in the afternoon as the Indian Army retaliated "strongly and effectively".

Authorities have decided to close all schools indefinitely near the border in Rajouri district.

Exchanges of fire also took place in at least three place in Kashmir's Uri sector where an Indian soldier was injured. The firing in the Uri sector was still on.

As the border tension raged, the Directors General of Military Operation (DGMO) of India and Pakistan spoke over the hotline. The DGMOs usually speak on Tuesdays but Monday's was an unscheduled conversation on Pakistan's request.

The Indian DGMO, Lt. General A.K. Bhatt, pointed out that "all the ceasefire violations" were being initiated by the Pakistan Army, according to an Indian Army statement.

The DGMO also noted that firing by Indian troops was initiated against armed intruders trying to sneak into India "from close proximity of Pakistan posts".

"The trend of infiltration along the LoC continued with active support of Pakistan forward posts impacting peace and tranquility along the LoC and also the internal security situation."

He said continued attempts of sniping and targeting of Indian troops were "undertaken through cross border actions supported by Pakistani Army troops.

"The Indian Army reserves the right to retaliate appropriately to any incident of violation of ceasefire but is sincere in its effort to maintain peace provided there was reciprocity."

During the talks, the Pakistan DGMO, Maj Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza, raised the issues of targeting of Pakistani troops resulting in the death of four soldiers and a civilian in Athmuqam sector of Pakistan-administered Kashmir on Sunday.

Pakistan's The News daily quoting unnamed sources as saying the Pakistan DGMO "strongly protested" against the deaths and told his Indian counterpart that his forces reserved "the right to respond to any Indian aggression".

According to the Pakistan military, Indian troops targeted an Army vehicle that fell into the Neelum river and the four soldiers drowned.

The two armies have repeatedly exchanged heavy fire this summer along the winding LoC that has left many soldiers and civilians dead on both sides.

Two Indian soldiers were killed in Kupwara sector of the Kashmir Valley on July 12.

India and Pakistan had in November 2003 agreed to cease fire along the de facto border but violations have intensified since the 2016 Kashmir unrest and amid souring of ties between the two countries.
Abuja, July 17 : At least 12 persons were killed as two suicide blasts rocked Nigeria's Maiduguri city on Monday.

A suspected female suicide bomber wreaked havoc in a local mosque in London Chinki axis of the city, killing some 10 people, Xinhua news agency reported.

This was followed by another attack which claimed at least two lives in Molai town, located on the outskirts of Maiduguri, the capital of the northeastern state of Borno.

The government emergency management said only eight bodies were taken out so far, adding 15 others were injured in the attacks.

A coordinator of the rescue agency said soldiers shot dead two female suicide bombers who attempted to cross the security trenches at Mammanti area, also located on the outskirts of Maiduguri, late Sunday.

Soldiers guarding the trenches shot the women as a result of which the explosives strapped to their bodies detonated, blowing them to pieces, the rescue coordinator added.

Boko Haram, which is suspected to be responsible for Monday's attacks, had been blamed for the deaths of more than 20,000 people and displacment of 2.3 million others in Nigeria since their insurgency started in 2009.

Last month, Maiduguri was jolted by bombings during Eid ul-Fitr celebrations.
London/Dhaka, July 17 : When it comes to kissing, humans globally are hardwired to lean to the right and not left -- a first-of-its-kind finding that may have wider implications for neuroscience and cognitive sciences.

Researchers from universities of Dhaka in Bangladesh and Bath and Bath Spa in Britain also found that the kiss recipients have a tendency to match their partners' head-leaning direction.

While men were about 15 times more likely than women to initiate kissing, over two-thirds of the kiss initiators and kiss recipients turned their heads to the right.

The paper, published in the journal Scientific Reports, is the first to investigate an inherent bias for turning the head to one side while people kiss in a non-Western context -- in Bangladesh.

"Head turning is one of the earliest biases seen in development - even in the womb a preference for turning the head to the right is observable before that of favoring the right hand or foot. Whether this fundamental bias is innate and extends into adulthood is a lingering question for neuroscience and psychology," explained lead author Dr Rezaul Karim from the department of psychology at the University of Dhaka.

For the study, the team invited 48 married couples to kiss privately in their own homes and after kissing, they were asked to go to different rooms, open an envelope and then report on various aspects of the kiss independently of each partner.

Their results highlighted a bias to turn heads to the right when kissing for both the initiator and the recipient of the kiss.

"In addition, the kiss initiators' head-leaning direction strongly predicted the kiss recipients' head-leaning direction. This suggests that the kiss recipients have a tendency to match their partners' head-leaning direction in order to avoid the discomfort of mirroring heads," the authors noted.

The setting for the study was significant as kissing in Bangladesh is a very private behaviour; something censored from television or films.

"So, whereas similar results from the Western countries could be attributed to cultural factors or having learnt how to kiss through influences on TV or film, the same cannot as easily be said for a non-Western country like Bangladesh," the team observed.

It suggests that the act of kissing is determined by the brain splitting up tasks to its different hemispheres -- similar to being either right or left-handed -- specifically the functions in the left cerebral hemisphere, located in the emotion and decision-related areas of the brain.

The researchers suggest different hormone levels (such as testosterone) in each hemisphere and neurotransmitters might be unevenly distributed to each hemisphere (such as dopamine, involved in reward behaviours) as giving rise to a bias to turn right.

This may have implications if you are left handed and your partner is right-handed or vice versa.

According to Dr Michael Proulx of the University of Bath, this study is unique in giving us a look into a private behaviour in a private culture with implications for all people.

"Prior works could not rule out cultural learning due to having Western samples. It turns out, we as humans are similar even if our social values differ," he said.
Darjeeling, July 17 : Sporadic incidents of violence and rallies were witnessed in the northern West Bengal hills on Monday as the pro-Gorkhaland supporters demanded that internet services be restored.

A group of Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) activists on Monday demonstrated outside the District Magistrate's office in Darjeeling demanding access to internet, which has been banned in the region since the last one month.

"The pro-Gorkhaland rallies are being held in Darjeeling, Kalimpong and various other places in the hills. We condemn these authoritarian steps (blocking internet) by the Bengal government," GJM General Secretary Roshan Giri told IANS.

The suspension of internet services, imposed on June 18, has been extended till July 25 by the district administration.

Giri also condemned the "extremely rude behaviour" of Trinamool Congress legislator Paresh Pal, who lashed out at GJM MLAs during the presidential polls in the state assembly.

"They just went there to cast their votes. This is a very bad practice by Trinamool Congress. The behaviour of the leader has been extremely rude," he alleged.

Meanwhile, incidents of violence continued in the hills as a traffic outpost in Darjeeling district's Mirik was set ablaze allegedly by GJM supporters on Monday afternoon, police said.

A deserted office of the state electricity board in Bijanbari area was set on fire on Sunday night.

"The situation is under control so far. There have been sporadic incidents of destruction and vandalism of public property in the area. Patrolling is on to avoid any untoward incidents," said Darjeeling police superintendent Akhilesh Kumar Chaturvedi.

The GJM-sponsored indefinite shutdown, demanding a separate Gorkhaland, entered its 33rd day on Monday as the Army continued to patrol various points.
Mumbai/Lucknow, July 17 : A suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba operative, believed to be involved in the 2008 attack on a CRPF camp in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, was nabbed from Mumbai Airport as he arrived from the UAE, an official said here on Monday.

Salim Mukim Khan was detained by the Maharashtra Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) as he arrived by an international flight at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, on Monday morning.

The ATS said that based on a 'Lookout Notice' issued for the accused, Khan was detained at Mumbai Airport and the Uttar Pradesh ATS was informed, which sent a team here for further investigations.

Khan, who hails from Fatehpur's Hathgaon village under Bandipur police jurisdiction of Uttar Pradesh, is being interrogated jointly by the ATS of the two states.

The Maharashtra ATS said that as part of its monitoring of suspicious persons arriving from certain specific foreign destinations, they zeroed in on Salim Mohammed Khan on Monday.

Strongly suspecting his involvement in terror strikes on a paramilitary establishment in Uttar Pradesh, the Juhu Unit (Maharashtra ATS) interrogated him. After the gravity of the situation was gauged they contacted their Uttar Pradesh counterparts.

Earlier, two terrorists nabbed for the 2008 attack on a CRPF camp in Rampur had told police that Khan had acquired terror training in a terrorist camp in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan.

He was also a handler for a Pakistan ISI agent Aftab, who was nabbed in Faizabad. Khan sent finances to Aftab, according to the investigators.

Long on the radar of the UP ATS after the terror strikes on the Rampur CRPF Camp on January 1, 2008, Khan had several offences registered against him under the Indian Penal Code, Arms Act, Explosive Substances Act, Foreigner Registration Act, etc.

Seven Central Reserve Police Force personnel were among eight persons killed and five injured when in the January 1, 2008, attack by heavily-armed terrorists on a camp of the paramilitary force in Rampur.

After the arrest here, the UP ATS took custody of Khan for involvement in various terrorist and anti-national strikes for which they have registered cases.

Khan operated his accounts with the name of Salim Danish, an intelligence source said in Lucknow.

Two senior officials of the Uttar Pradesh ATS, who are part of the six-member team that laid its hands on Khan, are bringing him to New Delhi, where the IG of the ATS Aseem Arun and other investigative agencies are likely to question him "on various leads".

The LeT operative is later likely to brought to Lucknow on transit remand for further interrogation as the ATS tries to crack a sleeper module of the terror network.

Security and intelligence forces in Uttar Pradesh are on high alert after a substantial amount of PETN explosive was recovered from inside the state assembly.
Panaji, July 17 : Hinting that coalition compulsions were responsible for allowing the casinos to function in Goa, the BJP on Monday said it is against this industry.

Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who is expected to table the state's first casino policy, will be addressing the issue comprehensively during the upcoming monsoon session of the Goa Assembly, BJP spokesperson Nilesh Cabral told a press conference here.

"The Chief Minister is already on record that he will address this issue properly. Today, the BJP is not the only (party in) government...A collective decision has to be taken. We (BJP) are against casinos," Cabral said when asked whether the BJP was principally against the casino industry in the state.

The Opposition has attacked the BJP for its alleged proximity to the offshore casino industry, especially after a sixth offshore casino vessel which was being steered from the Arabian Sea into the Mandovi river ran aground at Miramar beach due to stormy weather.

Parrikar and his predecessor Laxmikant Parsekar had repeatedly assured that there would be no more addition to the five offshore casinos operating on the Mandovi river.

BJP sources now say that Parrikar's casino policy, which is expected to be tabled in the state assembly, would facilitate the relocation of offshore casinos onshore and that a three-year period would be given to the industry to relocate from the Mandovi river.
Chennai, July 17 : With the ruling AIADMK continuing to target actor Kamal Haasan on Monday, opposition parties as well as former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam rallied around the actor.

Tamil Nadu Finance Minister D. Jayakumar told reporters here on Monday that Kamal Haasan should enter politics "if he has the guts".

On Kamal Haasan's comments about corruption in Tamil Nadu government departments, Jayakumar said the actor is indulging in mudslinging and they will not keep quiet.

The actor is also being targeted for hosting the Tamil version of reality show Bigg Boss -- with calls to ban it for "tarnishing Tamil culture" -- and a "demeaning" comment made by a participant.

Jayakumar also wondered why Kamal Haasan was silent when J. Jayalalithaa was alive and heading the government.

In the midst of the attack, coming to the actor's support was former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam who said that in a democracy everybody has a right to express their views.

Panneerselvam said the ministers should counter the charges with proof instead of threatening the actor.

On Sunday, state Law Minister C.V. Shanmugam said action should be taken against Kamal Haasan for the comment "slum dweller like behaviour" made by a participant on the Bigg Boss show.

Similarly, Municipal Administration Minister S.P. Velumani had earlier challenged Kamal Haasan to prove corruption in the government, and also asked the actor if he was ready to share the details of taxes paid by him for his films.

Meanwhile, DMK leader M.K. Stalin on Sunday came to the support of the actor, condemning Tamil Nadu ministers for their utterances against him.

In a statement, Stalin said that Kamal Haasan, like any other citizen, has only reflected what the people of Tamil Nadu feel about the AIADMK government in the state.

In a democracy, the rulers have to correct their mistakes and also explain their position when criticisms are levelled against them, he added.

According to G. Ramakrishnan, CPI-M state secretary, the ministers should refute the actor with proof.
New Delhi/Kolkata, July 17 : The Trinamool Congress has moved the Rajya Sabha for a "priority" discussion on stand-off with China in Doklam area in Sikkim sector as party supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee hit out at the Narendra Modi government for India's "deteriorating" relations with neighbours.

Banerjee, speaking to the media after casting her vote in the Presidential polls on Monday, alleged her state is the "biggest sufferer" due to the Modi regime's "diplomatic failure".

According to Trinamool's official Twitter handle, the party has submitted a "Notice (Rule267) in Rajya Sabha for Tuesday to discus Indo-China issue on a priority & suspend all other business".

"Bengal is sandwiched and so we are worst sufferers. Bengal is bordered by Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh. We want good relations with Bangladesh," Banerjee told the media at the Bengal assembly.

"If Sikkim goes to China... there being no difference between Sikkim and Darjeeling as they are adjacent... Siliguri corridor is Chicken's Neck, then due to the Centre's faults and because of the deteriorating relations (with neighbours) due to its failure to officiate diplomatically, the central government has ruined ties with Bangladesh, Nepal and China as also Bhutan," she said.

"They (the government) are using border agencies... we are biggest sufferers. We are the victim of the circumstances. Bengal is the gateway to Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan," she added.

Her comments come in the wake of a standoff with China in the Doklam area in Sikkim sector.

Banerjee also alleged intelligence agencies' collusion with the central government in opening up borders.

"Where is NIA, RAW, NSA? Intelligence? Why are the borders kept open? What is SSB, IB, RAW doing here? How people belonging to the Jamaat are being allowed inside?" she asked.

"I have communicated to the Ministry of External Affairs... why a BJP affiliate burnt effigy of Sheikh Hasina (Bangladesh Prime Minister) here. Why is gun training being given in the name of Vishva Hindu Parishad's (VHP) Durga Vahini?"

"I have videos. In Assam, training in gunfight is being given... even in Jammu. Is this the action of a government? Or the government will run a parallel government... sometimes in the name of cow vigilantes and sometimes in the name of 'vahinis'? Every agency is supporting this, I am sorry to say," she added.
New Delhi, July 17 : Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu entered the RSS by accident - his links began in childhood when he chanced upon a 'shakha' while playing. Within some decades, he was the BJP's best known leader from southern India, one famous for witty one-liners.

A key member of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's cabinet, the now 68-year-old cut his political teeth during the "Emergency" of 1975-77 when he went underground against the government of Indira Gandhi and eventually got jailed.

He remained underground until his arrest, distributing anti-government literature in educational institutions in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, travelling on a scooter along with a woman activist on pillion in a bid not to arouse suspicion.

He was accused of disturbing a meeting of Sanjay Gandhi and handcuffed during transit from one jail to the other.

Naidu hit the national scene when he was one of the prominent opposition spokespersons along with S. Jaipal Reddy, who was then in Janata Party, during the campaign by N.T. Rama Rao after his dismissal as the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister by Indira Gandhi in the 1980s.

Even though the Bharatiya Janata Party was on a weak wicket in southern India, Naidu embraced it tightly.

A quick-witted and effective communicator steeped in RSS/BJP ideology, Naidu rose from the ranks to become the party President and a Union Minister. If all goes well, he will be India's next Vice President.

Naidu has been a trouble-shooter for the government as also one of its best communicators with his alliterative and catchy one-liners. He has friends across political parties. It will help him as Chairman of the Rajya Sabha where the BJP still does not have a majority.

Naidu is quick to respond to criticism from the opposition.

He has handled key organisational assignments in the BJP and became its President in 2002.

Naidu had three continuous terms in the Rajya Sabha from Karnataka from 1998 to 2016, when he shifted to Rajasthan to get a fourth term.

He was Rural Development Minister during the first NDA government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, his inspiration along with senior party leader L.K. Advani.

With Modi scripting BJP's success in 2014, Naidu described him as the most popular Indian leader, the most credible political personality and among the top 10 leaders of the world. He is credited with coining the acronym MODI - Making Of Developed India, a BJP favourite.

Born on July 1, 1949 in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh, Naidu was President of the Students Union, V.R. College, Nellore. In 1973-74, he was president of the Students Union of Andhra University Colleges.

Naidu pursued law and was involved in the movement launched by Jayaprakash Narayan.

He was President of the youth wing of the Janata Party in Andhra Pradesh from 1977 to 1980. After Emergency, he was elected to the Andhra Pradesh assembly in 1978 and was a legislator till 1985.

After the BJP was formed in 1980, he became Vice president of its youth wing.

He was leader of the BJP Legislature Party in Andhra Pradesh, state general secretary and state unit chief.

Naidu was the BJP General Secretary in 1993-2000 and its spokesperson in between. He has been a part of apex committees of the party, including its parliamentary board and Central Election Committee.

Naidu is currently the Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Urban Development and Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation. He was the Parliamentary Affairs Minister for the first two years in the Modi government.

His term as Urban Development Minister has seen several initiatives including Smart Cities.
New Delhi, July 17 : RTI activists on Monday wrote to several Rajya Sabha MPs to express concern about an amendment bill moved in Parliament by the Centre to "severely dilute" the whistle-blower protection law, instead of promulgating effective rules therein.

The activists stressed the need to refer the Whistle-Blowers Protection (Amendment) Bill to a select committee of the upper house and also requested the lawmakers to urge the government to promulgate the rules to operationalise the existing Whistle-Blowers Protection Act.

The amendment bill is listed for discussion and passage in the Rajya Sabha for Tuesday. It was passed by the Lok Sabha on May 13, 2015.

"It is deeply concerning that instead of promulgating effective rules to operationalise the Whistle-Blowers Protection Act, which was passed by Parliament and received the President's assent on May 9, 2014, the government has moved an amendment bill in Parliament which seeks to severely dilute the law," read the letter.

The letter is signed by Right To Information activists Anjali Bhardwaj, Nikhil Dey, Venkatesh Nayak, Bhaskar Prabhu and Rakesh Reddy of the National Campaign for People's Right to Information (NCPRI).

"The amendment bill seeks to remove the clause which safeguards whistle-blowers from prosecution under the Official Secrets Act if they make a disclosure under the WBP Act. The bill also states that no disclosures should contain information which will prejudicially affect the sovereignty, integrity, security, strategic, scientific or economic interests of the State," it added.

The letter says: "Further, information that relates to commercial confidence, competitive position of a third party etc. also cannot form part of the disclosure made by a whistle-blower, unless the information has been obtained under the Right To Information Act."

"If the competent authority receives a disclosure containing information of the nature mentioned above, then the disclosure will not be inquired into and the person making such disclosure will also not be provided any protection under the Act.

"The amendments also state that no information on any of the abovementioned subjects will be provided during the course of inquiring into a disclosure, even if the disclosure itself did not contain any such information," it added.

The activists said that the basic purpose of the WBP Act is to encourage people to come forward and report wrong doings in the form of corruption, misuse of power, and commission of a criminal offence.

"If whistle-blowers are prosecuted for disclosing information as part of their complaint and are not granted immunity from the OSA, the very purpose of the law will be defeated. Offences under the OSA are punishable with imprisonment of up to 14 years," the letter said.

"Referring the amendment bill to the select committee will enable detailed clause-by-clause deliberations and also provide a chance to citizens to present their views on it," the activists added.
New Delhi, July 17 : Information and Broadcasting Minister and senior BJP leader M. Venkaiah Naidu was on Monday chosen as the ruling NDA's candidate for the August 5 Vice Presidential election, bringing to an end the suspense over the ruling combine's nominee for the second important constitutional post.

BJP President Amit Shah announced his candidature after a 90-minute meeting of the BJP's Central Parliamentary Board chaired by Shah and attended by top leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It was said to have been a smooth affair with Naidu having emerged the front-runner much through the day.

"Venkaiah is a senior political leader across party lines and is a senior leader of the BJP which he had been associated from his youth. He is the unanimous choice of the BJP and all the NDA constituents who have welcomed his candidature," Shah told reporters after the meeting.

Indications that Naidu, 68, was an automatic choice came out after his meeting with the Prime Minister in the morning and informal consultations continued among leaders during the day. Naidu, who has been maintaining that he is keen on continuing in active politics, gave hints that he may have changed his mind when he told reporters that any decision by the BJP will be followed by partymen.

With the Presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind hailing from Uttar Pradesh, the party is believed to have looked for a Vice President candidate from the south, and Naidu fitted the bill.

If elected Vice President, Naidu will also be the ex officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha where the BJP still lacks a majority. With friends across parties and his amiable nature, Naidu is expected to steer the proceedings in the upper house through possible turbulence.

Shah described Naidu as a successful minister of the Modi government who was handling Urban Development and Information and Broadcasting ministries.

Shah said several names were considered, and ultimately Naidu was the unanimous choice.

Replying to questions, Shah said it would have been better if the opposition had not fielded its candidate. He said Naidu will file his nomination on Tuesday at 11 a.m.

Asked about Shiv Sena spokesman Sanjay Raut's demand for an apology from UPA's Vice President candidate Gopalkrishna Gandhi for his reported opposition to the hanging of Yakub Memon, convicted in the 1993 serial Mumbai blast case, Shah said he did not want to get into such issues.

He said Naidu is an experienced political leader and all NDA leaders have welcomed his nomination.

Giving his background, the BJP President said there was no need for Naidu's introduction.

Shah said Naidu had a humble beginning and hailed from a farmer's family.

He had been associated with the BJP since his younger days and was an ABVP leader and students union leader. He was associated with the Jayaprakash Narayan movement and was an MLA twice in Andhra Pradesh and Rural Development Minister in the Vajpayee government. He was also twice the president of the BJP.
Beijing, July 17 : Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas arrived on Monday in the Chinese capital on a four-day state visit during which he is expected to meet his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping and other officials.

Abbas is scheduled to meet President Jinping on Tuesday following official state ceremonies at Tiananmen Square.

The two leaders are expected to discuss the latest developments in the Middle East and the Palestinian issue, including Israeli violations against Palestinians.

They are expected to sign a number of agreements and Memoranda of Understanding to boost mutual cooperation in various fields.

Abbas is also scheduled to deliver a speech at the China National Institute of Administration on Wednesday evening. He will lay a wreath at the Monument to the People's Heroes in Tiananmen Square and will then meet Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.
Amman, July 17 : A Jordanian soldier was on Monday sentenced to life in prison with hard labour for killing three US military trainers last year.

A Jordanian military court also decided to expel the soldier -- whose identity was not announced -- from the armed forces and fine him for the value of the 70 bullets he fired at the Americans' vehicle, Efe news reported.

The court condemned the soldier on charges of murder, intent to offend the reputation of the armed forces and failure to comply with military orders and instruction. He pleaded not guilty to premeditated murder.

The soldier opened fire on a vehicle transporting the three Americans at the entrance to King Faisal Airbase, 200 kilometers (124.2 miles) south of Amman, last October after they ignored the order to stop for a statutory inspection.

The US Embassy in Amman expressed its satisfaction with the verdict in a statement issued shortly after the judgment was heard.

The statement said that despite the tragedy, Jordan continues to be a strategic partner and reiterated that the US soldiers followed the usual procedures upon their arrival at the airbase.

Jordan is a member of the US-led international coalition that has been bombing positions of the Islamic State terror organisation in Syria and Iraq since 2014.
Aden, July 17 : A booby-trapped car struck a pro-government military base in Yemen's southeastern province of Shabwa on Monday, leaving eight soldiers dead, a military official told media.

The booby-trapped car exploded at the main gate of a pro-government military base in Belhaf area of southeastern Shabwa province, killing at least eight soldiers and injuring several others at the scene, the military source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

Another military source based in Shabwa told Xinhua that a suicide bomber rammed a vehicle loaded with explosives inside the military base.

The two Yemeni military sources said many newly-recruited pro-government soldiers were injured in the latest car bomb attack in the impoverished Arab country.

The attack comes after five soldiers were killed on Sunday when unknown gunmen launched an attack on an army checkpoint in Shabwa province.

Yemen's government, allied with a Saudi-led Arab military coalition, has for years been battling Shiite Houthi rebels for control of the impoverished country.

Statistics showed that more than 8,000 people have been killed in Yemen's conflict, most of them civilians, since the Saudi-led coalition entered the conflict in 2015.

The country has also been hit by a deadly cholera outbreak and is on the edge of famine.
Panaji, July 17 : All 38 sitting MLAs as well as four members of Parliament from Goa cast their ballots on Monday for the President's election, Legislature Secretary N.B. Subhedar said.

"It was 100 per cent voting," he said.

While Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, still a Rajya Sabha MP from Uttar Pradesh, voted here, three MPs from the state -- Union Minister Shripad Naik, South Goa MP Narendra Savoikar (both from the Bharatiya Janata Party) and Shantaram Naik (Congress) -- cast their votes in New Delhi.

"The votes cast in Goa will be sent to Delhi for counting," Subhedar said.

Goa has a 40-member assembly, but currently has 38 MLAs. Parrikar and Health Minister Vishwajit Rane are all set to contest the coming by-elections to two assembly seats.
New Delhi, July 17 : In a tragic turn to an anti-power theft drive by BSES, one of Delhi's two electricity distribution companies (discoms), a young engineer lost his life and four other officials were seriously injured when attacked by power thieves here on Monday, said a discom spokesperson.

"First, the teams were viciously attacked up by a mob in Jhul Jhuli village (in west Delhi), causing them to retreat. As they were retreating, the teams were chased by bike-borne goons. In the ensuing melee, one of the cars met with an accident and rammed into a tree, wherein five occupants were injured," a BSES statement said.

"One of them, a young engineer, succumbed to his injuries subsequently," it said.

Underlining the fact of the first loss of life caused by the menace of power theft, BSES said that on Monday, three of its inspection teams went to check on reports of large-scale power-theft in "village Jhul Jhuli, a high power theft prone area in Jaffarpur, West Delhi," accompanied by Delhi Police personnel.

Hwever, "so brazen was the attack that, once again, the presence of Delhi Police personnel accompanying the BSES teams did not deter the mob", the statement added.

Last month, three discom officials and a Delhi Police officer sustained injuries and many vehicles were damaged when they were attacked by a mob in Mundka in west Delhi.

BSES said that in the last five years, around 14,000 cases of power theft, having a connected load of around 33,000 KW, have been unearthed in the Jaffarpur area, while in the last two years, around 450 cases of power theft having a connected load of around 1,200 KW have been unearthed in the Mundka area.

In May, special electricity courts in Delhi for power thefts had handed out heavy punishment to two offenders -- one of them sentenced to jail and a Rs 4 lakh fine imposed.

Earlier this year, the BSES had announced the sentencing of three offenders to jail terms and cumulative fines of over Rs 55 lakh.

Last year, special courts in four separate judgments had sentenced Delhi residents to rigorous imprisonment for power theft and imposed heavy fines.

"BSES discoms have successfully brought down AT & C (Aggregate Technical and Commercial) losses from more than 55 per cent in 2002 (at the time of privatization) to the current level of around 12 per cent - a reduction around 45 per cent," the statement added.
New Delhi, July 17 : Distressed farmers from Tamil Nadu were back in Delhi on Monday three months after they suspended their protest due to the alleged non-fulfilment of promises made by the government.

Around 100 farmers from the agrarian crisis-hit state, who had suspended their 41-day protest following assurances from the government in April this year, turned up at Jantar Mantar to press for their demands.

They want adequate compensation for agricultural produce, crop insurance to individual farmers and linking of rivers to address issue of water crisis.

P. Ayyakannu, President of the National-South Indian Rivers Linking Farmers Association, who is leading the protest, said the farmers had decided to continue their protest for at least 100 days, braving the monsoon.

"Both state and Central governments did not fulfil the promises they made to us. They had assured us that our mortgaged jewellery would not be sold. However, banks have started selling the jewellery. Now, they are going to sell our land as well," Ayyakannu told IANS.

"We had no option but to restart our protest as the Centre and Tamil Nadu governments have breached out trust. Due to water crisis and drought in the state, farmers are under a huge financial burden. We are almost destroyed. We do not care if we die protesting here."

Ayyakannu said about 90 per cent of the water sources in Tamil Nadu had dried up leaving little water for irrigation and drinking purposes.

Three months ago, the Tamil Nadu farmers had grabbed eyeballs through their strange ways of protest such as wearing skulls, holding mock funerals, stripping outside the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and drinking their own urine.

On April 23, they suspended their protest after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami assured them that he would take up their demands including that of loan waiver with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Also, Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan had told them that their issues would be looked into.

"The state government has waived off the loans of some farmers but we want complete loan waiver. Also, we want the Central government to ensure remunerative prices for agricultural produce and interlinking of rivers to solve the water problem," Ayyakannu said.

The Delhi Police had detained some farmers on Sunday after they attempted to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Ayyakannu said the ongoing nation-wide farmers protest, including the Mandsaur-Delhi farmer rally, has boosted their morale to continue their fight.
New Delhi, July 17 : India on Monday rejected as "utterly baseless, malicious and mischievous" reports in a section of the Pakistani media claiming that over 150 Indian Army soldiers died in Sikkim due to a Chinese rocket attack.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Gopal Baglay said that "such reports are utterly baseless, malicious and mischievous. No cognisance should be taken of them by responsible media".

His response was to a report by Pakistan's Dunya news channel claiming that 158 Indian soldiers were killed in a Chinese cross border rocket attack.

Dunya said that many Indian soldiers were also wounded in the purported rocket attack. It said "A two-minute footage that was broadcast on China Central Television showed the Chinese soldiers attacking an 'enemy position' using rocket launchers, machine guns, and mortars".

Bilateral tension between China and India has escalated over the past few weeks over a stand-off between their armies in Doklam region in the Sikkim sector, with Beijing demanding that New Delhi withdraw its troops for any dialogue to take place.

The Chinese state-run media has also been openly talking of war and of teaching India a "lesson" like the defeat of the 1962 war.
Srinagar, July 17 : Three militants of LeT outfit were killed on Monday in an ambush by security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district, a defence official said.

"Based on specific information that three LeT terrorists would be passing through the Wanihama (Brakpora) area of Anantnag in a car, personnel of the Rashtriya Rifles and Special Operations Group (SOG) of the state police laid an ambush and engaged them, killing all three," Defence Ministry spokesman Col. Rajesh Kalia said here.
Without definitive action in the second quarter to replace the Affordable Care Act, a lot of investors stayed on the sidelines.

Health care merger and acquisition activity slowed in the second quarter of 2017. Compared with the first quarter of 2017, deal volume decreased 15%, to 366 transactions. Deal volume was also lower compared with the same quarter the year before, down 14%. Combined spending in the second quarter reached $95.8 billion, an increase of 62% compared with the $59.1 billion spent in the previous quarter, according to HealthCareMandA.com.

Second quarter deal value was up 8% compared with the $88.7 billion spent in Q2:16. Health care services transactions accounted for 52% of the second quarters dollar volume, much higher than the 14% share reported in the first quarter, and the 19% share recorded in Q2:16. The surge is due in part to investors acceptance that the Republicans replacement of the Affordable Care Act would be a longer process than many anticipated. These investors came back into the services side of the health care market, although the largest deals announced were for more ancillary services such as contract research organizations (CROs).

Only two of the services sectors posted gains in M&A activity in the second quarter, compared with the previous quarter. Hospital deals rose 15% and Managed Care transactions were up 25%, albeit on thin trading in both segments. Two sectors, Behavioral Health Care and Rehabilitation, saw declines of 50% in deal volume, while Physician Medical Groups (-49%) and Home Health & Hospice (-40%) were also hard hit. In the first quarter, Behavioral Health Care and Physician Medical Groups posted the highest gains in deal volume, so a slow-down in the second quarter is not totally unexpected. Deal volume in the post-acute sectors, especially, may remain lower due to concerns about the final form of the Republican healthcare bill.

On the technology side, only the Medical Device sector posted an increase (+43%) in transaction volume compared with the previous quarter. The Pharmaceutical sector posted its sixth straight decline in quarterly deal volume, down 45% to only 16 deals versus the first quarter. For the Big Pharma companies, big M&A deals are needed to fuel growth, but the C-suite is waiting to see how the Trump administrations tax reform efforts fare before committing billions of dollars to a merger or acquisition. Deals for smaller companies wont move the needle far enough, in this environment.

Without definitive action in the second quarter to replace the Affordable Care Act, a lot of investors stayed on the sidelines, said Lisa E. Phillips, editor of HealthCareMandA.com. There is still an enormous pool of capital waiting to get into this market, and economic conditions remain favorable for the foreseeable future. Its just a question of when, not if, these investors find the right assets to acquire.

The fate of the ACA is still uncertain, even in mid-July, but some resolution may be nearing since the Senate has cancelled its usual August break in order to move legislation along. Investors may use the continued uncertainty to discover opportunities in the healthcare market, Ms. Phillips said. Eight months after the national election, many have learned to invest in what looks good today, and not wait for tomorrow.

For more information on the HealthCareMandA.com investment research source, or for a membership to any of Irving Levin Associates services, please call 800-248-1668. Irving Levin Associates, Inc., established in 1948, is headquartered in Norwalk, Connecticut. This privately held corporation publishes annual and quarterly research reports, monthly and weekly newsletters, and maintains merger and acquisition databases on the health care and senior housing markets. If you would like to receive future releases, please email pressreleases@levinassociates.com.
These renovations and ongoing internal initiatives always adhere to Villas core mission, which is making people better  both our internal staff and our guests, said Marchant.

The Villa at Osseo is a CMS five-star quality of care nursing care post-acute and long-term care facility located at 501 2nd St SE, Osseo, MN 55369 that was bought by Villa Healthcare in August 2013. The community will be hosting an open house on Wednesday, July 26 3:30  6:30 p.m. The event will feature complimentary appetizers and drinks as well as tours of the center.

The Villa at Osseo recently underwent a multi-million-dollar renovation, which included the grand opening of a modern Transitional Care Unit that houses a state-of-the-art rehabilitation gym. The community offers physical, occupational and speech therapies seven days a week and all rehabilitation suites are private and include en-suite bathrooms. The Villa at Osseo also plans to unveil additions and renovations to its Long-Term Care Unit during the open house.

Were thrilled to show off our new state-of-the-art renovations, especially the new rehab gym and Long-Term Care Unit, said Mike Marchant, VPO of Minnesota for Villa Healthcare. These updates will allow our staff to continue to provide the highest quality care and medical service to our guests in a more modern and new setting.

The Osseo community also earned a deficiency-free survey from the Minnesota Department of Health along with a 2017 Silver National Quality Award from the American Health Care Association (AHCA), which is only awarded to roughly 30 percent of the facilities that apply for it. The Villa at Osseo is one of six communities in Minnesota that earned the award this year, illuminating the facilitys continued commitment to excellence by evaluating the quality trends in clinical, staffing and business outcomes.

These renovations and ongoing internal initiatives always adhere to Villas core mission, which is making people better  both our internal staff and our guests, said Marchant.

As much as Villa communities look and feel like boutique hotels, at their core theyre premier medical establishments. The Villa staff understands the value of small conveniences for all guests that remind them of home. The company continues to invest in providing an environment that is aesthetically pleasing, soothing and comfortable in all communities.

Villa Healthcare

Villa Healthcare has decades of experience in nursing facility ownership and management, with 22 centers throughout the Midwest. Villa Healthcares goal is to improve the lives of all stakeholders: residents and their families, Villa staff, and hospital personnel. The company goes beyond simply providing resident-focused care; it aspires to make people better  staff and residents.

To learn more about Villa Healthcare, please visit villahc.com or call 847.440.2660.

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Our technology is all about IOT and how it relates to energy, and operational efficiencies within buildings," said Robert Platek, SensorSuite's CEO. We are thrilled to have Mario join our team and bring his incredible experience to SensorSuite.

SensorSuite Inc., a breakthrough Internet of Things (IoT) company that provides innovative wireless monitoring and energy saving solutions for multi-residential, commercial, and industrial buildings, has hired Mario Iusi as Executive Vice President. Mario brings in-depth knowledge of the energy services industry through initiatives and strategic thinking to further accelerate SensorSuites adoption within the market.

Mario joins SensorSuite following his tenure as the President of Ameresco Canada and has over 30 years of experience in the energy industry and is an experienced leader who has kept pace with all key developments in the marketplace since the late 1980s.

"Our technology is all about IOT and how it relates to energy, and operational efficiencies within buildings," said Robert Platek, SensorSuite's CEO. We are thrilled to have Mario join our team and bring his incredible experience to SensorSuite.

Mario began his career in the energy efficiency business in the late 1980s as Partner-owner / shareholder / COO of one of the most success energy performance contacting company in Canada . In the 1990s he became President for Duke Energys energy efficiency business in Canada and in 2002 continued as President for Ameresco Inc for 13 years during which time he helped grow and expand the company across Canada. He has been instrumental in the creation of the energy performance contracting business in Canada.

He led a senior business development & management team in developing client focused solutions and creating new service innovations.

Mario Iusi commented, As an industry we are at a key moment of our markets development and evolution for HVAC innovation. IOT will be a disruptive, but positive force for the HVAC industry to provide clients with better tools to improve tenant comfort , maintain and operate building assets more efficiently and reduce building operating costs.

Im excited to come on board and help support the company in its future ambitions and show even more clients how the platform will help them reduce operating costs and improve building performance.

Find out more at: http://www.sensorsuite.com

About SensorSuite

SensorSuite, an innovator in smart building technology, has created the first affordable enterprise-level smart building solution.

SensorSuite develops real-time building intelligence cloud platforms for reducing operational risks and improving the efficiency of buildings. The company creates solutions using leading-edge sensors, cloud analytics, building controls, and software interfaces to reduce energy costs, increase occupant comfort, and allow owners and occupants to extract more value out of their respective space(s).
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Hodnett Cooper Real Estate is pleased to announce that their team of professionals has expanded once again.

Judy Ballard, a resident expert in Golden Isles real estate and member of the Circle of Excellence, is now operating out of the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Hodnett Cooper Real Estate St. Simons Island office location. Judy became a real estate agent in 2005 after enjoying a successful banking career. She enjoys working with people and helping buyers and sellers achieve their real estate goals.

A lifelong resident of St. Simons, Debbie Doliveira, is a realtor who loves the beach, the small town feel of the island, and the natural beauty of the area. She is currently featuring a custom home offering for sale in Wildlife Preserve and has listed many new construction properties over the years. She loves working with people to find the perfect home and looks forward to working with her clients under her new affiliation.

Pat Cooper, President and Broker of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Hodnett Cooper Real Estate, is so excited that Judy and Debbie are members of our real estate family now. Both women are intimately familiar with real estate in our area and are great assets to have on our team. I cant wait to see them grow with our company.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Hodnett Cooper Real Estate, which is independently owned and operated, became a member of the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices brokerage network, operated by HSF Affiliates LLC, earlier this year. Since that time, it has earned a host of honors and welcomed several new professionals to the highly successful real estate team.

About Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Hodnett Cooper Real Estate

Hodnett Cooper Real Estate is a family-owned and operated company with three offices throughout the Golden Isles offering a full range of real estate services including real estate sales, residential rentals, property management and commercial sales. The brokerage is the premier real estate company in southeast coastal Georgia with a professional and diverse team of agents. Visit http://www.BHHSHodnettCooper.com.

About Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, based in Irvine, CA, is a brand-new real estate brokerage network built for a new era in residential real estate. The network, among the few organizations entrusted to use the world-renowned Berkshire Hathaway name, brings to the real estate market a definitive mark of trust, integrity, stability and longevity.

About HSF Affiliates LLC

Irvine, CA-based HSF Affiliates LLC operates Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, Prudential Real Estate and Real Living Real Estate franchise networks. The company is a joint venture of which HomeServices of America, Inc., the nations second-largest, full-service residential brokerage firm, is a majority owner. HomeServices of America is an affiliate of world-renowned Berkshire Hathaway Inc.
AllSeated's virtual reality experience helps our users improve the way they plan and deliver world-class events.

Event tech giant AllSeated releases the first ever Virtual Reality experience for event planning. The company, which provides free collaborative planning tools to 10 percent of all corporate and social events in the U.S., will now help its 100,000+ users experience their event before it even happens through VR.

VR capability is the latest in AllSeateds tools that include scaled floorplans of tens of thousands of U.S. event venues, guest lists, seating arrangements, timelines, and the popular 3D designer capabilities. Venues, planners, caterers, vendors and engaged couples can now virtually tour their future event, complete with furniture, in a realistic simulation through AllSeateds special virtual reality goggles.

Experiencing the event before it has happened enables a much better planning process and will bring millions of engaged couples peace of mind as well as give much more power to event professionals, said Sandy Hammer, co-founder and CMO of AllSeated. Our new VR offering breaks the mold of traditional efficiency tools and helps our users improve the way they plan and deliver world-class events.

As a corporate planner for many years, Hammer felt firsthand the frustrations of an industry that lacked digitalized tools necessary to inject seamless efficiency into her work.

Technology of this magnitude will open up business opportunities all over the world and grant instant access to design and creativity, said Arthur Backal, Director of Catering at the Mandarin Oriental New York and CEO of Backal Hospitality Group.

VR is just one of the areas AllSeated is entering. Augmented Reality will be the next big push for the brand, according to its co-founder and CTO Daniel Anisman.

By fusing the power of both event professionals and consumers, we have unlocked tremendous opportunities for the industry, said Yaron Lipshitz, CEO of AllSeated. AllSeated is committed to pushing the boundaries of whats expected and bringing new, cutting-edge tools to all event stakeholders.

About AllSeated

AllSeated is the fastest growing network for the events industry, powered by free, cloud-based event planning tools. It brings together venues, planners, caterers, vendors, wedding couples, and hosts to collaborate on every aspect of event creation. AllSeated tools include seating charts, guest lists, scaled floor plans, 3D table layouts, event timelines and more. Among AllSeated's 100,000+ users are The Mandarin Oriental, Marriott, The Plaza, United Nations, LinkedIn, Davids Bridal, and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. AllSeated came out of beta in 2014 and is headquartered in San Francisco, with offices in New York and Israel. The company is backed by Magma Ventures. More information can be found on http://www.allseated.com.
JustLegal Clients expect to book with a lawyer online at their next availability.

JustLegal, a platform connecting people with lawyers online, is also changing the way law firms book consultations with new clients via the web through a licensed scheduling service replacing the outdated contact form.

Law firms and solo practices using JustLegal can share their calendar availability to schedule consultations at a time that works best for clients, and take payment for these and other meetings through their websites as well as be featured in the JustLegal.com lawyer directory.

Many great law firms were not presenting a smooth or intuitive experience to prospects trying to contact them online, said Willy Ogorzaly, CEO of JustLegal. Web visitors expect to be able to book with a specialist and their next availability, not send their case details into a void and wait to be called back. We built the JustLegal scheduling and intake solution to reduce scheduling friction, but also speed up qualification so that administrators spend less time assessing leads.

The innovative system works by syncing to the attorneys website and showing only when they are available for consults on their site. Visitors seeking advice or representation put their details into a secure form that goes straight to the lawyer, and if accepted, the solution sends both parties a calendar invite.

Software is rapidly changing the industry and improving efficiency and access for both clients and attorneys. JustLegal is just one unique example of this shift in legal technology.

ABOUT JUSTLEGAL

JustLegal is a web platform that enables clients to find attorneys, and attorneys to easily manage and fill their non-billable hours. Founded in Colorado in 2013, the platform has evolved to enable and simplify the process of finding professionals, while staying focused on the compliance, security, and privacy that are critical to the industry. JustLegal is now based in Austin, Texas as part of the Capital Factory accelerator program. For more information, go to https://justlegal.com/ or twitter.com/gojustlegal
Konan's EvokeDx - the next generation visual evoked potential Now available throughout Europe inclusive of an indication for the diagnosis of glaucoma.

Konan Medical (http://www.KonanMedical.com), a global leader in innovative diagnostic devices for the ophthalmic industry, today announced that it has attained the CE mark for its newest device, EvokeDx. The CE mark is required in Europe by 30 countries in order to market medical devices and is an assurance that the product complies with relevant European health, safety and environment protections. EvokeDx is now approved in Europe for objective assessment of central vision function including the diagnosis of glaucoma.

Visual evoked potentials (VEP) are vision-produced, electrophysiological signals recorded near the brains visual cortex used to assess visual function and in the case of EvokeDx, include a rapid and objective assessment of magnocellular deficits often associated with glaucoma. Electroretinogram (ERG) signals are recorded in a similar manner but used to assess retina-specific dysfunctions.

icVEP is the patented, isolated-check VEP stimulus and analysis strategy that was the subject of an NIH-sponsored, multi-center clinical trial at five prestigious US sites and two international locations to rapidly and objectively assess glaucomatous damage. In the NIH-sponsored trials, our icVEP strategy had a classification accuracy of 89 to 94% for glaucoma, said Vance Zemon, PhD, a professor at Yeshiva University, Albert Einstein College of Medicine Campus and co-inventor of EvokeDx. A glaucoma diagnostic indication based upon this data has also been granted for the icVEP strategy in China, said George Hu, PhD, co-inventor.

EvokeDx will be featured at the European Ophthalmology meeting, the ESCRS in Lisbon in October 2017. We worked closely with Dr. Zemons team to commercialize a visual pathway diagnostic platform for Europe with cutting edge features that is elegantly designed, easy to use, reasonably priced and meets the high technical standards essential for clinical electrophysiology of vision. said Dr. Charles Wm. Stewart, Chief Executive Officer at Konan Medical USA. The glaucoma diagnostic indication for EvokeDx in Europe has generated strong interest from the European ophthalmic community with its proprietary icVEP testing strategy.

EvokeDx features include patented test strategies that are designed to isolate and objectively test various visual pathways and visual functions, with Fourier-transform frequency analysis methods, and an all-in-one design incorporating a state of the art organic LED stimulus display. Proprietary analysis of the entire EEG waveform provides new information about visual pathway function. EvokeDx is also FDA 510(k) cleared in the USA for objective study of central visual function. Low-cost consumables are available from Konan or other suppliers using industry-standard connectors.

About Konan Medical USA, Inc.

Headquartered in Irvine, California, Konan Medical USA Inc. develops specialized diagnostic products for eye care clinicians and eye banks. The company also provides diagnostic equipment and support services to many of the leading ophthalmic manufactures in support of sponsored FDA clinical trials research globally. For more information visit http://www.KonanMedical.com.
Two industry innovators are joining forces to take the lead in real-world studies. Clinerion and Cisiv have formed a groundbreaking partnership to offer a revolutionary approach to observational research by enabling automated data transfer from electronic hospital records (EHRs) to electronic data capture (EDC).

Clinerions Patient Recruitment System applies intelligent, patented informatics methodologies to extract and interpret information from EHRs, aggregating healthcare information across institutions and geographies to create one single, comprehensive real-time view. Cisivs Baseline Plus provides a flexible, cost effective, quick to implement and easy to use EDC system for non-expert users.

Clinerions unique ability to screen EHR data, including coded information, data and free text, will integrate with Cisivs platform, Baseline Plus, to create a truly novel formula. The partnering of both companies patented technologies will reduce the data entry burden to physicians participating in observational studies, improve data quality, and enable smooth and rapid data collection in real-world settings.

Working with Clinerion forms an important part of Cisiv's strategy to provide a platform that combines structured prospective data capture with near real-time extraction from a broad range of data sources. Clinerion's innovative technology is a great fit with Cisiv's unique approach to real world data, which is why we are very excited about this new partnership, says Dominic Farmer, CEO of Cisiv.

Offering new ways to simplify data collection for studies aligns perfectly with Clinerions overall goal of creating new efficiencies in the entire clinical trial process, saving time and costs in the development of new drugs, and speeding up the delivery of new medicines to the patients who need them, says Ulf Claesson, CEO, Clinerion

Real-world research is about making sense of the seeming randomness and diversity of real life. Clinerion and Cisiv share a vision of using technology to make real-world research leaner, easier to implement and, ultimately, more cost-efficient.

About Cisiv

CISIV has worked closely with leading pharmaceutical companies for over 10 years, developing collaborative web platforms for use in post-approval activities. Baseline Plus was developed to meet the need to capture essential real world data in an international setting. Its aim is to make data entry easy and intuitive yet maintain high quality, essential in large, long-term, non-interventional studies with low levels of monitoring.

Cisiv website: http://www.cisiv.com

For more information, please contact:

Florence Barkats

Commercial Director

Cisiv, Ltd.

12th Floor, CI Tower, St Georges Square, New Malden, KT3 4HG, United Kingdom

Tel: +44 (0) 208 939 8470

info(at)cisiv.com

About Clinerion

Clinerion enables early patient access to innovative treatments through solutions for clinical trial patient recruitment, real-world evidence, and market access. Clinerion's Patient Recruitment System accelerates clinical research by radically improving the efficiency and effectiveness of trial recruitment. Key tools for Clinerions patient data services include data-assisted protocol optimization, site feasibility evaluation and patient identification. Clinerions solutions allow member hospitals to participate in leading-edge, industry-sponsored trials and save time in patient recruitment. They enable pharmaceutical companies to gain time and save costs by streamlining operations and leveraging strategic intelligence. Clinerions proprietary Big Data analytics technologies leverage real-time data from electronic health records which remain under the full control of participating hospitals. Clinerion is a global data technology company headquartered in Switzerland. Clinerion's solutions follow international patient privacy and data security standards.

Clinerion website: http://www.clinerion.com

For more information, please contact:

Le Vin Chin

Head of Marketing and Communications

Clinerion Ltd

Margarethenstrasse 47, CH-4053 Basel, Switzerland

Tel.: +41 61 865 60 54

media(at)clinerion.com
Fabachers-A Hydraulic Supply Company We are thrilled to have the opportunity to carry on the work Bob and Ed Fabacher started from their LA location 40 years ago, supplying and distributing marine exhaust and fluid handling products throughout the US, said John Serra, President, HSC.

Hydraulic Supply Company (HSC), a leading fluid power distributor of hydraulic, pneumatic, and industrial products, based in Sunrise, Florida and Fabacher Incorporated, a Harvey, Louisiana-based marine exhaust and fluid handling products company, announced today they have entered into a definitive Purchase Agreement, with Hydraulic Supply Company acquiring all of the assets of Fabacher Incorporated.

We are thrilled to have the opportunity to carry on the work Bob and Ed Fabacher started from their Louisiana location nearly 40 years ago, supplying and distributing marine exhaust and fluid handling products throughout the US. We are equally delighted they have entrusted us with their team members, customers, and vendor partners, as part of the growing Hydraulic Supply family, said John Serra, President, Hydraulic Supply Company.

Ed Fabacher added, Our lifes work has been to serve the New Orleans and Southeastern markets and our customers with quality products and services, while at the same time providing good stewardship to the loyal employees of Fabacher Incorporated. We could not think of a better company to place our employees and customers with, than into the trusting hands of Hydraulic Supply Company, which shares a similar culture and set of values to the company that we and our employees have built over the last 40 years.

Bob Fabacher commented, We are happy to support Hydraulic Supply Companys plans to grow the business and add new products and services, as they carry on the mission, culture, and values we built.

Hydraulic Supply Company now operates in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Louisiana, and Monterrey, Mexico with locations coming soon to Alabama. The company has immediate plans to increase the size and breath of the Fabacher product and service portfolio available to customers in New Orleans and Southeast, to continue to meet the growing needs of those fluid power & industrial customers.

As a result of the Fabacher acquisition, Hydraulic Supply Company will also be adding capabilities to its other locations including metal hose and pipe fabrication to its current hose assembly, tube bending-flaring, valve assembly, and build programs.

About Hydraulic Supply Company

Founded in 1947, Hydraulic Supply Company has 70 years of experience in the fluid power industry, growing to become a leading international distributor of fluid power products and services. Today, HSC operates 28 retail stores in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee and Louisiana supported by its 60,000 sq. ft. Distribution Center that provides customers access to over 100 brands of hydraulic, pneumatic and industrial product lines. For more information, please visit our website http://www.hydraulic-supply.com or contact us at (800) 507-9651.

About Fabacher Incorporated

Founded in 1978, by brothers Ed and Bob Fabacher, Fabacher Incorporated has nearly 40 years of experience in the fluid power and marine industry. Fabacher Incorporated serves global markets, including the United Kingdom, the North Sea Region, Nigeria and Singapore. Their extensive product knowledge, combined with exceptional customer service, makes Fabacher Incorporated highly regarded by their customers. Their contributions to the fluid power industry throughout the years have been numerous, including Ed Fabachers service as a founding member and past president of NAHAD.
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Hodnett Cooper Real Estate is pleased to announce that Keith Dean, an Associate Broker with the company, has earned the coveted CBI (Certified Business Intermediary) designation.

Keith has received extensive training and education in the business brokerage field through the International Business Brokers Association (IBBA) to garner this title. This designation is held by fewer than 450 brokers internationally, and Keith Dean is one of only 14 brokers in the state of Georgia to have been awarded the CBI.

Keith is an experienced and dedicated broker with our company. Earning this prestigious designation shows our clients how committed he is to being the most knowledgeable he can be, shares Pat Cooper, President and Broker of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Hodnett Cooper Real Estate.

A CBI offers clients the most experienced professional representation available during the process of selling or buying a business. It is a designation earned through IBBA, the largest international non-profit association operating exclusively for people and firms engaged in business brokerage and mergers and acquisitions.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Hodnett Cooper Real Estate, which is independently owned and operated, is a member of the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices brokerage network, operated by HSF Affiliates LLC.

About Keith Dean, CBI

Business broker, Keith Dean, operates Golden Isles Business Brokers serving the needs of business sellers and buyers in the coastal region of Georgia. He holds a Georgia Real Estate Brokers license, and is affiliated as an Associate Broker with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Hodnett Cooper Real Estate. To learn more about Keith, visit http://www.goldenislesbiz.com.

About Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Hodnett Cooper Real Estate

Hodnett Cooper Real Estate is a family-owned and operated company with three offices throughout the Golden Isles offering a full range of real estate services including real estate sales, residential rentals, property management and commercial sales. The brokerage is the premier real estate company in southeast coastal Georgia with a professional and diverse team of agents.

Visit http://www.BHHSHodnettCooper.com.

About Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, based in Irvine, CA, is a brand-new real estate brokerage network built for a new era in residential real estate. The network, among the few organizations entrusted to use the world-renowned Berkshire Hathaway name, brings to the real estate market a definitive mark of trust, integrity, stability and longevity.

About HSF Affiliates LLC

Irvine, CA-based HSF Affiliates LLC operates Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, Prudential Real Estate and Real Living Real Estate franchise networks. The company is a joint venture of which HomeServices of America, Inc., the nations second-largest, full-service residential brokerage firm, is a majority owner. HomeServices of America is an affiliate of world-renowned Berkshire Hathaway Inc.
Mindy M. Mather, a passionate reader and writer living in the small town of Fernley, Nevada, has completed her new book Never Gone: a gripping, suspenseful, and steamy romantic drama of young love, passion, and despair. Will true love triumph over the coldhearted business transaction envisioned by the wealthy patriarch of the Breckenridge family?

Michaelas life is abruptly turned upside down when her parents announced that she is to be wed to her childhood friend, Walter, on the night of her eighteenth birthday. Her dream of going to college and achieving her own goals are shattered, and the walls seem to be closing in around her as she realizes that her lifes purpose will be to do nothing more than be Walters wife and help him run the family law firm.

Her love interest, Landon, doesnt understand why she cant just tell her parents no and not go through with the arranged marriage, but they dont even know that she has been dating him for the last several months. Michaela knows that even if they did know about Landon that they wouldnt approve. Landon is from the poor side of town, and in Michaelas parents eyes, he would not be fit to marry her, but she loves him all the same. To make matters worse, her cousin, Windi, is head over heels in love with Walter. They have been in a relationship for years, and Windi has always believed that she and Walter were meant to one day be married. Walter, however, intends to go through with the wedding out of respect for his parents despite the fact that he does not love Michaela. As the wedding plans are put into motion, Landon becomes more and more determined to find a way to stop his true love from entering into a marriage that neither she nor the groom actually wants.

Published by New York City-based Page Publishing, Mindy M. Mathers poignant tale offers passion and suspense with more than one startling plot twist.

Readers who wish to experience this gripping work can purchase Never Gone at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes store, Amazon, Google Play or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708.

About Page Publishing:

Page Publishing is a traditional New York-based full-service publishing house that handles all the intricacies involved in publishing its authors books, including distribution in the worlds largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing knows that authors need to be free to create - not bogged down with the logistics of eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes., and the like. Its roster of talented authors and publishing professionals allow writers to leave behind these tedious, complex and time consuming issues, and focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at http://www.pagepublishing.com.
Serge Filatov I always strive to do my best work for our clients, and it is an honor to be recognized for my work and selected as a 2017 Northern California Rising Star.

Serge Filatov, a business and corporate attorney at Strategy Law, LLP, has been chosen to the 2017 Northern California SuperLawyers Rising Stars list. According to SuperLawyers, only 2.5 % of attorneys in Northern California receive this prestigious honor.

Strategy Law Partner Jack Easterbrook had this to say, Serge is an integral part of our firm. I have worked closely with him for several years and have seen his growth as an attorney. We are very impressed with his knowledge of business and loan transactions and his ability to effectively listen to and work with clients. The sky is the limit! I cannot think of a more deserving 'rising star!'

Mr. Filatovs practice consists of working with businesses, lenders, and real estate investors. He assists business clients during their entire life cycle from formation to sale and helps form entities, document corporate agreements including shareholder agreements, operating agreements, partnership agreements, and purchase agreements, and drafts, reviews, and negotiates business contracts. He also assists lenders and borrowers in business loan transactions and other commercial law matters, including documenting commercial, technology, and real estate loans. Mr. Filatov also handles equity financings, mergers and acquisitions, technology transfers, and company-side employment matters.

According to Serge, I always strive to do my best work for our clients, and it is an honor to be recognized for my work and selected as a 2017 Northern California Rising Star.

About Strategy Law, LLP

Strategy Law, LLP is a business and real estate law firm located in Downtown San Jose with clients throughout the Bay Area, the State of California and internationally. Their practice focuses on Business and Entity Formations, Business Transactions, Limited Liability Companies, Limited Partnerships, Mergers and Acquisitions, Problem Loans and Insolvency, Real Estate and Technology Transfer and E-Commerce.

For more information about Strategy Law, LLP, please go to http://www.strategylaw.com.

SuperLawyers, a Thomson Reuters business, is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from over 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The annual selections are made using a rigorous multi-phased process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, independent research evaluation of candidates, and peer reviews by practice area. See more information about the competitive selection process.

Esther Brumleve

Strategy Law, LLP

(408) 478-4100

http://www.strategylaw.com
Insurance Technologies Corporation (ITC) We're excited to offer this scholarship again to encourage students to join the insurance industry and help bring us into the future.

Insurance Technologies Corporation (ITC), a provider of agency marketing, comparative rating and management software and services, announced today that the second annual InsurTech Scholarship is open for applications. The InsurTech Scholarship program supports the future of the insurance industry.

For the 2017-18 school year, ITC will award one $1,000 scholarship to a college student who plans to work in the insurance industry upon their graduation. Applicants must submit a 1,500-word essay about the impact of technology on the insurance industry over the next five years.

The next generation is driving the changes that are occurring in the insurance industry, said Laird Rixford, president of ITC. We're excited to offer this scholarship again to encourage students to join the insurance industry and help bring us into the future.

The deadline to apply for the InsurTech Scholarship from ITC is September 15, 2017. Any student currently enrolled in college and wants to work in the insurance industry is eligible for consideration. Interested applicants can get more information and submit their applications and essays at http://www.InsurTechScholarship.com.

About ITC

Insurance Technologies Corporation (ITC), founded in 1983, provides of websites, agency marketing, rating and management software and services to the insurance industry, including independent agents and insurance carriers. Headquartered in Carrollton, Texas, ITC helps its customers across the United States grow their businesses and become more efficient through the philosophy of providing quality software and services. Currently, ITC serves more than 200 insurance companies and more than 6,000 agencies. For more information, visit us online at GetITC.com.
Over the last two years, Bit-Wizards has launched a Managed IT Service offering to support their traditional application development, digital marketing, and cloud infrastructure practices.

Bit-Wizards needed to hire a Solution Consultant to support the increase in leads for this new line of business. When looking to the local community for expert technology consultants, Bit-Wizards CEO Vince Mayfield connected with Jennifer Kraus through activities at the Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce.

Jennifer is a native to the Fort Walton Beach area and has years of experience and connections in the local area. Jennifer started her IT consulting career in Virginia while in college and finishing her bachelors degree. Jennifer is a geek at heart, with a Bachelors of Science in Information Technology/Networking and Telecommunication Technologies, she understands the need businesses of all sizes have for technology.

We are so excited to have Jennifer join the team. She is motivated and focused on providing real business solutions for small and medium-sized companies. Jennifer has a great consultative approach and a deep seeded love for the Northwest Florida community. - Director of Solution Consulting, Alex Morrow

The Bit-Wizards team will benefit greatly from Jennifers love of helping customers solve business problems using technology. She is a perfect fit for the Bit-Wizards team and culture.

ABOUT BIT-WIZARDS

Bit-Wizards (http://www.bitwizards.com) is an innovative, award-winning technology company with offices in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, Memphis, Tennessee, and Austin, Texas. A Kentico Gold Partner and a managed Microsoft Gold Partner, Bit-Wizards fills the need of any business seeking to develop an application, build a brand, or move to the cloud. Bit-Wizards never outsources a project.
We have continued to align ourselves with a select group of travel partners which has allowed us to expand our globalVCard offering and address some very hot topic issues including travel payment security.

CSI globalVCard, a leading provider of electronic payment solutions, announced today their plans to exhibit and present at the 2017 Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) Convention in Boston, MA on July 15-19, 2017. The globalVCard Travel team will provide demonstrations at booth #2125 showcasing their corporate travel solution and mobile app in conjunction with their new online booking tool. The team will also take part in two educational sessions covering the state of virtual payment standards as well as how to adopt and integrate virtual payment technology for more secure travel booking.

CSI globalVCards new online booking tool, which is powered by AmTrav, integrates the security of virtual payments into travel booking along with the convenience and control of mobile app capabilities. The globalVCard Travel solution ensures employee compliance with corporate travel policies through automated approvals that allow only authorized purchase types and amounts. Virtual credit card numbers can be assigned per transaction to simplify expense reconciliations and eliminate the risk of fraud and data breaches often associated with stored credit card numbers.

We are excited to share our commitment to corporate travel with industry leaders at this years GBTA convention, as well as demonstrate our progress towards fully integrated and secure electronic payments solutions, said Juliann Pless, Senior Vice President of globalVCard Travel. We have continued to align ourselves with a select group of travel partners which has allowed us to expand our globalVCard offering and address some very hot topic issues including travel payment security.

The first educational session, Virtual Payment: In Search of Standards, will update attendees on the state of virtual payments as explored by the Digital Payments Task Force. Pain points of adoption will be addressed along with perspectives and ideas for how to standardize and streamline the process.

The second session, Make Virtual Payments Your Reality, will provide actionable steps that offer structure to the adoption and operation of a virtual card payment system whether you are an agency, corporation, or developer. Time for a Q&A and roundtable with virtual card customers, banks, and card networks will also be provided.

The GBTA Convention is the worlds largest business travel event bringing over 7,000 travel professionals across 50 countries to Boston this year. There will be 400 exhibitors on the expo floor and 70 educational sessions as well as exclusive networking opportunities and news on the latest innovations in the industry. GBTA Convention 2017 marks the 49th edition of The Business Travel Event of the Year.

About CSI globalVCard Travel

For over 27 years, CSI Enterprises, Inc. has provided innovative payment solutions to world leading brands. Combining technology and extraordinary customer service, the companys highly secure globalVCard virtual card payment solutions enable businesses to reduce costs and increase profits in all areas of B2B payments. globalVCard Travel is CSIs no-cost corporate travel payment solution. Combining the companys award-winning virtual card system, mobile payment app and Corporate Plastic Cards, globalVCard Travel provides businesses with powerful spending control and benefits that enable travel managers to increase compliance, reduce fraud, simplify reconciliations and solve the direct hotel billing challenges. For more information, visit: http://www.csiglobalvcard.com/corporate-travel/.
This strategic partnership will help fuel the next phase of our growth as a company, and solidifies our position as a leader in the celebrations market.

Punchbowl, the company behind the critically acclaimed technology platform for online invitations and digital greeting cards, today announced the closing of an investment from leading party goods company Party City (NYSE:PRTY). Ryan Vero, Executive Vice President of Party City Holdco Inc. and President of Party City Retail Group, has joined the companys Board of Directors.

Punchbowl is the new gold standard in online invitations. The companys technology platform reaches tens of millions of consumers each year, and its state-of-the-art website and native mobile applications have received critical acclaim. The company was founded by technology entrepreneur Matt Douglas. Punchbowl is also backed by Intel Capital, Contour Venture Partners, and Launchpad Venture Group.

We are thrilled to announce this investment from Party City and welcome Ryan Vero to the Punchbowl Board of Directors, said Matt Douglas, CEO, Punchbowl, Inc. This strategic partnership will help fuel the next phase of our growth as a company, and solidifies our position as a leader in the celebrations market.

In a separate announcement, Party City unveiled a new digital invitation platform on PartyCity.com, powered by Punchbowl. The new capability provides party givers with a single source at PartyCity.com to create invitations while ordering their party supplies online.

To learn more about Punchbowl, visit https://www.punchbowl.com/company. To learn more about Party City, visit http://investor.partycity.com/investors/default.aspx.

About Punchbowl, Inc.

Punchbowl is the company behind the critically acclaimed technology platform for online invitations and digital greeting cards. The company runs its platform on Punchbowl.com, best-in-class iOS and Android apps, and also licenses its technology to carefully selected consumer companies. More than 120 million online invitations and digital greeting cards have been sent on the Punchbowl platform. The company was founded by entrepreneur Matt Douglas, is located in Framingham, MA, and is backed by Intel Capital, Contour Venture Partners, and Launchpad Venture Group. To learn more, visit https://www.punchbowl.com/company

About Party City

Party City Holdco Inc. is the leading party goods company by revenue in North America and, we believe, the largest vertically integrated supplier of decorated party goods globally by revenue. The Company is a popular one-stop shopping destination for party supplies, balloons, and costumes. In addition to being a great retail brand, the Company is a global, world-class organization that combines state-of-the-art manufacturing and sourcing operations, and sophisticated wholesale operations complemented by a multi-channel retailing strategy and e-commerce retail operations. The Company is the leading player in its category, vertically integrated and unique in its breadth and depth. Party City Holdco designs, manufactures, sources and distributes party goods, including paper and plastic tableware, metallic and latex balloons, Halloween and other costumes, accessories, novelties, gifts and stationery throughout the world. The Companys retail operations include over 900 specialty retail party supply stores (including approximately 150 franchise stores) throughout North America operating under the name Party City and e-commerce websites, principally through the domain name http://www.PartyCity.com, as well as approximately 250-300 temporary specialty Halloween supply stores operating under the name Halloween City.
Peter Sandback, a master woodworker and expert table maker, today announced the release of a new drum table furniture collection. The new handmade drum tables are one-of-a-kind, featuring a variety of exotic and domestic wood options, base colors, and nail inlay patterns to choose from. The inspiration behind the new drum table line was focused on a combination of quality, durability, and uniqueness.

Peter was looking for a way to deliver a perfect cylindrical shaped table to his customers that would still allow him to display the nail top designs he has become so well known for, said Sarah Sandback, co-owner of Peter Sandback. With a little research we found an excellent drum manufacturer, which operates with the same level care and attention to detail our business strives for.

Sandback recently attended ICFF 2017, a high end furniture fair held in New York City, and received many positive reviews from notable magazine editors attendees. Louis Postel, the editor of New England Home, referred to Sandback as a master of the trade and accredited him to creating pieces unlike anything that has come before. Senior editor for Fine Woodworking, Jon Binzen, stated Every time you turn around, Sandback seems to have developed another innovative and dynamic technique and designed a whole slew of great pieces around it.

A lot of great people come together at ICFF every year, states Peter Sandback. Through the years I've worked for and developed friendships with many of them. The show is a great introduction to designers and architects.

A decorated furniture designer, Peter Sandback has received the 2015 Martha Stewart American Made Honoree recognition, Best in Show for Contemporary Work at the 2012 Architectural Digest Show, and the Best in Show at the 2010 Fine Furnishings & Fine Crafts Show in Providence, R.I.

To view the complete drum table collection and create a custom piece, visit http://www.petersandback.com/drum-tables or contact Peter Sandback directly at info(at)petersandback(dot)com.

About Peter Sandback

Peter Sandback is an award-winning furniture maker and master woodworker. His hallmark design is distinguished by an intricate pattern work of inlaid nails set into minimalist handmade tables, benches and other functional forms that he designs and builds. To view more, visit http://www.petersandback.com.
AnythingResearch.com is now the only source for industry research that has quotes from over 55,900 Executive Briefings across 774 industries. Past News Releases RSS

AnythingResearch.com is now the only source for industry research that has quotes from over 55,900 Executive Briefings across 774 industries.

AnythingResearch reports cover market sizing, growth trends, financial metrics, leading companies, and now a brief analysis of the dynamics of the industry from the market-leading companies.

Leading decision-makers and strategists that require data-driven research rely on AnythingResearch industry reports. AnythingResearch, in turn, compiles statistics from dozens of sources, and calibrates all metrics to NAICS definitions and economic data from the U.S. Census.

We help you figure out where you stand, and where you could go. We analyze not only the leading businesses in an industry, but statistics on the industry as a whole. What are the factors that have brought these companies success? How is it different from the other successful businesses in the industry? On what basis are the large companies competing? What room have they left for the rest of the industry? What are they not providing? Could new innovations and technologies disrupt them?

Our research covers over 1,200 industries, ranging from

Payroll Services http://www.anythingresearch.com/industry/Payroll-Services.htm

to Long Distance Freight Trucking http://www.anythingresearch.com/industry/Long-Distance-Freight-Trucking.htm

About AnythingResearch:

AnythingResearch, an industry research company, arms small businesses with research tools. Until now, only large corporations, high priced strategy consultants, and Wall Street investors had access to these advanced research techniques, techniques that have been successfully used for years.

What does AnythingResearch do:

Research firms often ignore small or specialized industries or those that are too plain to be interesting. We have tackled that problem and using sophisticated algorithms and analytical techniques. We analyze all U.S. industries, not just the "popular" ones.

We provide the information to answer the questions that investors, bankers, and managers ask.

In addition to using the information for internal use, companies that sell products and services to specialized industries can better determine and address their customers needs with our analysis of industry performance.

Who uses AnythingResearch's Authoritative Market Reports:

Our customers include all the big names, such as Microsoft, McKinsey, and Bain, but our primary focus is on the needs of small businesses and entrepreneurs.

The small business owner in Thibodaux, Louisiana, for example, was able to compare his companys performance to nationwide industry averages. In his words, too many business owners do what theyve always done, and neglect to use research to find new ways to improve.

See the difference

Clear research - we focus on the important metrics. Our reports make complex statistics easy to understand.

Hard facts - we provide hard data and statistics, rather than speculation and opinion.

Authoritative information- our analysis is based on only the most accurate government sources.
Alessandra Murgia Associated Professor, Department of Woman and Child Health, University of Padova, Italy; Francisco Hernandez-Guzman Senior Product Manager, Clinical Sequencing Division, Thermo Fishe

Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are clinically and etiologically highly heterogeneous and are characterized by a wide range of overlapping clinical features. The advancement of targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) has been instrumental in accelerating the pace of discovery in the field of NDD research and testing.

However, designing a custom panel for disease research requires hours of up-front work involving literature searches to select the genes most appropriate for their research, often without any information about how the panel will perform in their lab.

In this educational webinar on Ion Torrent technology, participants will gain a better understanding of the utility of custom targeted gene panels in clinical research specifically in neurodevelopmental disorders research. They will watch a live demonstration of designing a custom gene panel from a database of pre-tested genes relevant in inherited disease research.

Speakers will discuss recent findings from a neurodevelopmental disorder study using custom gene panels. The purpose of this study was to define the pathogenic role of disease-causing candidate genes and develop molecular tools with potential for clinical utility. They will present their hands-on experience in utilizing Ion AmpliSeq On-Demand Panels, a custom panel solution that allows researchers to customize panels from a catalog of wet lab-verified genes most relevant in inherited disease research.

The team at Thermo Fisher Scientific has arranged to have two speakers for this event; Dr. Alessandra Murgia, an associated professor in the Department of Woman and Child Health at the University of Padova in Italy, and Francisco Hernandez-Guzman, senior product manager for Clinical Next Generation Sequencing and Oncology at Thermo Fisher Scientific.

Murgia is a director of Laboratory of Molecular Genetics and associate professor of pediatrics in the Department of Neurosciences and Department of Woman's and Child's Health at the University of Padua. She is a member of the American Society of Human Genetics, European Society of Human Genetics, and Italian Society of Human Genetics. Her areas of interest include neurodevelopmental disorders, Intellectual Disability/Autism Spectrum Disorders, Early Onset Epilepsy, and Hereditary Deafness.

Hernandez-Guzman is a senior product manager for Clinical Next Generation Sequencing and Oncology at Thermo Fisher Scientific. He manages the Ion AmpliSeq Custom product line, which includes oversight of the automated custom design creation process in Ion AmpliSeq Designer, custom design services and overall order intake. Francisco received his doctorate degree in biophysics from State University of New York at Buffalo, before receiving an MBA in marketing from The Rady School of Management at the University of California, San Diego.

LabRoots will host the event July 20, 2017, beginning at 8:00 a.m. PDT, 11:00 a.m. EDT, 5:00 p.m. CEST. To read more on this event, learn of the continuing education credits offered, or to register for free, click here.

For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.

About LabRoots

LabRoots is the leading scientific social networking website, which provides daily scientific trending news, as well as produces educational virtual events and webinars, on the latest discoveries and advancements in science. Contributing to the advancement of science through content sharing capabilities, LabRoots is a powerful advocate in amplifying global networks and communities. Founded in 2008, LabRoots emphasizes digital innovation in scientific collaboration and learning, and is a primary source for current scientific news, webinars, virtual conferences, and more. LabRoots has grown into the worlds largest series of virtual events within the Life Sciences and Clinical Diagnostics community.
Customers are struggling with managing the ever-growing threat of cyber-crime and with safeguarding their data, applications and systems while still following compliance guidelines for their industry, said Brian Skidmore, CMO for OneStream Networks

OneStream Networks, a leading global managed communications service provider of enterprise-grade cloud-based SIP trunking, SD-WAN, unified communications, contact center and security services, announce that they have formed a strategic partnership with Dunbar Security Solutions, a 360-degree managed security service for cyber and physical threats that is part of Dunbar, Americas largest independent, full-service security organization for nearly a century. The new partnership makes Dunbar Security Solutions available to OneStreams customers, further enhancing its comprehensive portfolio of global voice, data, networking and security offerings.

Customers are struggling with managing the ever-growing threat of cyber-crime and with safeguarding their data, applications and systems while still following compliance guidelines for their industry, said Brian Skidmore, Chief Marketing Officer for OneStream Networks. OneStream and Dunbar are offering a fully managed global security service that eases the resource, financial and compliance burden many companies face today. We now go beyond standard firewalling and threat management to offer our customers a world-class, security service and a global Security Operations Center for 24/7 active management through a trusted, experienced leader like Dunbar.

Dunbar Security Solutions partnership with OneStream will help it provide its customers with true active response, said Darren McCue, Dunbar Security Solutions president. Now enterprises can effectively analyze all their online activity while searching for suspicious behavior and cyber-attacks, maximizing data coverage while minimizing the time and energy needed to monitor networks, investigate alerts and remediate incidents.

For more information, visit OneStream Networks at http://www.onestreamnetworks.com.

About OneStream Networks

OneStream Networks is purpose-built for enterprise-grade cloud-based SIP trunking, unified communications, contact center services, data networking and security services. With availability in 100+ countries, global strategic peering networks, geo-redundant POPs and multi-provider SD-WAN and MPLS transport options, OneStream delivers unparalleled scope and reach for advanced cloud-based voice, UC, data and security. OneStream has become the standard for enterprise customers, VARs, and agents looking to create cost-savings, consolidation, vendor reduction and simplified management for single site and multi-site, multi-national applications. For more information, visit http://www.onestreamnetworks.com.

About Dunbar

Dunbar is Americas largest independent, full-service security organization headquartered in Hunt Valley, Maryland with deep expertise in every corner of the security industry. Dunbar delivers peace of mind to customers across two strategic business divisions: Dunbar Armored, which since 1923 has provided organizations with armored services and cash management for their evolving business needs, and Dunbar Security Solutions, fully integrated Cybersecurity, Security Systems and Protective Services solutions delivering enterprise risk management and 360 protection against a full range of physical and digital security threats.

Dunbars powerful security offerings are backed by nearly a century of reliable, high-quality service and made possible by a firm commitment to our customers, our people and continuous investment in the most innovative technologies in the marketplace. For more information, please visit http://www.dunbararmored.com.

For more information contact:

Brian D. Skidmore

OneStream Networks

585-563-1852

info(at)onestreamnetworks.com
Southern Careers Institute Once their veterans become less intimidated and have achieved a comfort level of operating technology, half the battle is done.

1.5 millionthat is the number of veterans making the transition to civilian life over the next 3-5 years, according to the American Council on Educationthis number is 30% higher, due to military drawbacks in the middle east and certain defense spending cuts.

In partnership with Family Endeavors, Southern Careers Institute spearheaded a free Basic Computer Bootcamp in June to provide transitioning veterans instruction on how to navigate modern technology, get comfortable in preparing a resume, and use the internet to search and apply for jobs.

The free 3-day, full-time immersive program, part of Southern Careers Institutes SCI Cares Initiative, increased computer proficiency skills like navigating the internet and developing understanding in word processing programs like Microsoft Word.

In their transition process, Family Endeavors acknowledges that their veteran demographics have not been trained on technology or have used it consistently in their daily lives in the streets, says Richard Abrams, Executive Director of Military Operations at Southern Careers Institute (SCI). For transitioning veterans, the phase of applying and navigating through the maze of social services on the web is intimidating and many times depressing. Once their veterans become less intimidated and have achieved a comfort level of operating technology, half the battle is done.

It was hard to adjust out here. says Robert Delacruz who served 2 terms in the Air Force before working temporarily as an assistant warehouse manager. He said he learned computers on the job and did not continue to advance his skills once he was on the career hunt once again. Delacruz is one of the 16,000 annual veterans that participate in the SCI Cares Basic Computer Bootcamp.

Its really good for someone whos terrified of computers, says Jerrel Serrel, former Air Force veteran, who also went through the program. This is a good program to get started and get that fear out of the way.

And as for Delacruz, whos currently homeless, but who also attended the bootcamp, he admits that there was a fear that I was going to be way behind on my computer skills, but as they started showing some basics, I thought, oh, its notreally intimidatingI know its possible.

The program launched in June at the Southern Careers Institute San Antonio North campus, with the expectations of expanding it to more cities throughout central and south Texas.

About Family Endeavours

Family Endeavors is a national non-profit that combats homelessness and unemployment, and provides services such as child care and abuse, disabilities, and education, among others for the San Antonian veteran community and their families. https://www.familyendeavors.org/

About Southern Careers Institute

Southern Careers Institute was founded in 1960 in Austin, TX. Since opening its doors, SCI has expanded its facilities to include seven campuses located in Austin, Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Harlingen, Pharr, San Antonio (North Campus), and San Antonio (South Campus) plus virtual courses offered online. SCI has offered medical and business programs since 1992, and today, SCI offers a variety of programs in the fields of medical, pharmacy, business, technology and trades. In 2016, SCI launched SCI-tech Academy, a collection of career training programs focused on the technology sector which offers programs online as well as at several of SCIs campuses.

Southern Careers Institute has also developed a laser focus on making students more marketable with customized and employer tailored programs. We call our approach The SCI Edge, and it makes our students as competitive as those of any accredited colleges or technical schools in Texas.

For more information on SCI Cares, the Basic Computer Bootcamp or other inquiries, please contact:

Adrian De La Garza, Executive Director of Marketing and Analytics

Southern Careers Institute

512-437-7543

adrian.delagarza(at)scitexas.edu

http://www.scitexas.edu/

SOURCE Southern Careers Institute
TenantScreeningUSA.com The potential change to law by Seattle should be an immediate wakeup call for all landlords and property managers. If the new law in Seattle proves viable it will certainly make its way across the country.

As Seattle's City Council contemplates changes to the laws governing the use of criminal background records as part of tenant screening, all landlords and property managers should take immediate notice. Adam Almeida, President and CEO of TenantScreeningUSA.com states: "Changes in laws governing housing can come fast and seemingly out of nowhere, so Seattle's potential change in law should push all landlords and property managers to immediately have their tenant screening policies reviewed by a third-party tenant screening agency to ensure full compliance with existing law."

The potential law being considered by Seattle's City Council seeks to enhance rental options for individuals with criminal histories.

From Seattle.Curbed.com (Jun. 26, 17):

The proposed legislation, which Mayor Ed Murray sent to the City Council for consideration last week, would limit the role of criminal records in the tenant screening process. Landlords wouldnt be able to screen applicants based on criminal convictions older than two years.

Also off the table: arrests that didnt lead to a conviction; records that have been expunged, vacated, or sealed; and juvenile records. If a juvenile tenant is on the sex offender registry, that cant be used for screening, either, but only juvenilesthe ordinance cites a 2004 study that juvenile sex crimes have a low recidivism rate. (1)

Almeida states: "The potential change to law by Seattle should be an immediate wakeup call for all landlords and property managers. If the new law in Seattle proves viable it will certainly make its way across the country. And, even if the law does not create waves, the mere potential of such a law should push all landlords and property managers to conduct a full review of all existing policies, including reports used, regarding their tenant screening policies."

The proposed law also includes very specific language regarding the use of criminal records as well as narrowing the scope these documents can be used.

From SeattleTimes.com (Jun. 21, 17):

The proposed ordinance also would prevent landlords from screening prospective tenants based on juvenile records.

The legislation would bar landlords from using language in advertisements that categorically excludes people with criminal histories and would require them to provide business justifications for rejecting applicants based on their criminal histories.

Single-family homes and apartment buildings with four or fewer units where the owner lives on-site would be exempted. (2)

Almeida states: "This proposal should alert landlords and property managers to reviewing their current tenant screening policies. Working with a third-party tenant screening company is a best practice to ensure full compliance with existing and potential laws governing tenant background checks."

TenantScreeningUSA.com is a third-party tenant screening company with an experienced staff highly trained in all aspects of tenant screening, including laws and regulations governing the use of public records.

Notes:

(1) seattle.curbed.com/2017/6/26/15875700/fair-chance-housing-renting-criminal-records

(2) seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/seattle-mayor-proposes-help-for-renters-with-criminal-records/
The Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) will host Aviation Adventure Day on August 5, 2017. The local celebration of National Model Aviation Day will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the International Aeromodeling Center in Muncie, Indiana. The event is free and will include activities for all ages.

Aviation Adventure Day will be packed with entertaining activities for the entire family. Attendees will learn while having fun by building make-and-take model airplanes and kites and launching model rockets. In addition to the hands-on activities, visitors can tour the National Model Aviation Museum, try their hand at a flight simulator, and fly a real model airplane.

Full-scale airplane rides will also be available for kids ages eight to 17, through the Anderson chapter of the EAA Young Eagles. Space is limited and parents can register their children online in advance. The first 100 kids to attend will receive a free T-shirt.

AMA would like to thank its national Platinum sponsors, Ready Made RC and HobbyKing; local Silver sponsors, MedExpress Urgent Care, Brady Ware & Company, Cintas Corporation, NASH FM, Muncie Massage, and Muncie Visitors Bureau; and local Bronze sponsors, Frederick Family Chiropractic, Farmhouse Creative, Normandy Flower Shop, and Girl Scouts of Central Indiana. A special thank-you goes to Applebees in Muncie for providing snacks for participants.

Aviation Adventure Day is just one of the many nationwide events that will be held to celebrate the fifth annual National Model Aviation Day. Information about the national celebration is available at http://www.nationalmodelaviationday.org.

To learn more about AMAs Aviation Adventure Day, visit http://www.nmadmuncie.org.

The Academy of Model Aeronautics, founded in 1936, continues to be devoted to national airspace safety. It serves as the nations collective voice for approximately 190,000 modelers in 2,400 clubs in the United States and Puerto Rico. Headquartered in Muncie, Indiana, AMA is a membership organization representing those who fly model aircraft for recreational and educational purposes. For more information, visit http://www.modelaircraft.org.
Its particularly special to be acknowledged by the remarkable attorneys we work with. Were so grateful to receive this recognition. - Dr. Merrie Jo Pitera, CEO

Litigation Insights is thrilled to have been selected #1 for Jury/Trial Consultant Services by the readers of Missouri Lawyers Weekly.

On June 19, the award-winning periodical released its 2017 Reader Rankings to acknowledge the top firms who support Missouri lawyers in their work. Its many readers voted on a variety of categories, from Firm Management to Trial Services.

In the issues opening letter, publisher Liz Irwin notes that its distinguished readers are a discriminating lot, so to receive this honor is something these businesses will want to brag about for quite a while.

Litigation Insights certainly agrees with that assessment. As CEO Merrie Jo Pitera explained of the honor, Its particularly special to be acknowledged by the remarkable attorneys we work with. Were so grateful to receive this recognition.

Litigation Insights consultants utilize jury research techniques such as early case assessment, mock trials, jury selection, and witness preparation to help clients better connect with juries and judges through strong themes and case narratives. With a proven record of developing effective strategies for the most difficult cases, the company has garnered an extensive client list, including multiple Fortune 500 companies.

See the full rankings at: http://molawyersmedia.com/2017/06/19/reader-rankings-2017/

About Missouri Lawyers Weekly:

Missouri Lawyers Weekly is an acclaimed resource for lawyers looking to keep a pulse on key legal news across Missouri. Its in-depth coverage tracks firm mergers and break-ups, lawyers in the news, and legal decisions from the Missouri state and federal courts, as well as rule changes, verdict and settlement reports, bar-discipline notices, and more.

About Litigation Insights:

Litigation Insights is a national, woman-owned company with more than 20 years of experience conducting jury research, developing trial graphics, and assisting counsel with jury selection and courtroom support during trial proceedings. As a full-service consulting and visual communications firm, the company provides everything from mock trials, witness preparation, and jury selection to trial graphics and courtroom technology. Its offices are located in Kansas City, Minneapolis, and Dallas. Interested parties may call (888) 339 9885 or visit our website: http://litigationinsights.com for more information about the company.
Residence Two, a new home built by McCaffrey Homes. The Ivy at Riverstone community. Madera, Calif. Were very pleased to be recognized again by Professional Builder as one of the top builders in the nation. Its very rewarding that so many of our homeowners are repeat buyers and referrals  Robert McCaffrey, CEO, McCaffrey Homes

For the fifth consecutive year, McCaffrey Homes, a leading Fresno, Calif. based local family homebuilder, has been named a Housing Giant by Professional Builder Magazine.

Each year, the leading industry publication ranks the nations largest homebuilders by housing revenue and the number of homes closed in the prior year. This years list includes the top 240 homebuilders.

For four decades, the Housing Giants list has been the preeminent listing of Americas largest homebuilders.

Were very pleased to be recognized again by Professional Builder as one of the top builders in the nation, said Robert McCaffrey, CEO of McCaffrey Homes. This is an honor for our entire team which works hard to offer a quality product with excellent customer service. Its very rewarding that so many of our homeowners are repeat buyers and referrals.

Firms that wish to be considered for the Housing Giants list must complete a questionnaire that includes the types of homes they build, average square footage, revenue and closings. In addition, Professional Builder retains researchers who contact large building firms to create the most complete and authoritative list of Americas largest building firms.

The 2017 Housing Giants report also includes a state-by-state map of where builders are building, as well as a closer look at how mergers and acquisitions affect both buyer and seller and how builders are working their way through increasingly difficult jurisdictional regulations. Firms ranked by the publication will be the focal point of Professional Builders Housing Giants Leadership Conference in Paradise Valley, AZ on October 18-19, 2017.

To view the 2017 Housing Giant rankings, visit https://www.probuilder.com/2017-housing-giants-rankings.

About McCaffrey Homes:

McCaffrey Homes is dedicated to building homes that last a lifetime while meeting the needs of homebuyers at every stage of life. With three generations of experience, the McCaffrey team has built more than 9,000 homes and been honored nationally and locally for the quality of its construction and service.

Currently, McCaffrey Homes is building the Santerra and Ivy neighborhoods at Riverstone, a new master-planned community in Madera. McCaffrey will also break ground this year on Tesoro Viejo, their own 1,600-acre master-planned community in Madera, which won the 2016 Outstanding Planning Award in Innovation in Green Community Planning. For more information, visit http://www.mccaffreyhomes.com and http://www.tesoroviejo.com.
Consumer Class Action Law Firm

Audi owner Anzhelya Makaryan has filed a class action lawsuit against Volkswagen and Audi alleging a dangerous defect in all Audi vehicles equipped with the Start/Stop system. The lawsuit, Anzhelya Makaryan, et al. v. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc., et al., Case No. 2:17-cv-05086, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. Volkswagen represents that the Start/Stop system increases fuel economy and reduces CO2 emissions by shutting off the cars engine when the car is stopped and re-starting it when the driver releases the brake. However, Volkswagen has allegedly failed to disclose that the Start/Stop system has a defect that causes the cars to roll unintendedly under certain circumstances, creating a potential for a serious accident.

The dangerous condition was previously brought to Volkswagens attention, but it has failed to remedy the problem. Therefore, Makaryan retained Hovanes Margarian of The Margarian Law Firm to demand a remedy from Volkswagen via litigation.

The Audi class action lawsuit in its pleadings alleges that Audi vehicles of 2013  2017 model years are affected, including Audi A3, Audi A4, Audi A5, Audi A6, Audi A7, Audi A8, Audi S3, Audi S4, Audi S5, Audi S6, Audi S7, Audi S8, Audi RS 5, Audi RS 7, Audi Allroad, Audi Q3, Audi Q5, Audi Q7, Audi SQ5, Audi TT, Audi TTS, Audi TT RS and Audi R8 vehicles that are equipped with Audi Start/Stop system. It further seeks recovery on a nationwide basis and is filed in Federal Court as opposed to California State Court.

The Margarian Law Firm is a consumer class action law firm that has been fighting for consumer rights for over a decade. While the firms various departments have attorneys who handle a wide range of legal matters, its consumer class action division in particular has represented hundreds of thousands of consumers in class action matters involving automobile defects and other matters. The firms aim is first and foremost to engage Volkswagen in a meaningful early resolution dialogue whereby the safety concerns raised by Makaryan will be addressed for her and for all other affected Audi owners nationwide. The attorneys are optimistic that Volkswagen will do right by its clients.
ClearObject, an Internet of Things (IoT) Systems Innovator, announced today it was ranked No. 3 on the Fast 25, the Indianapolis Business Journals (IBJ) annual ranking of the fastest-growing privately held companies in the Indianapolis area. The ranking, which makes it the fastest growing technology company in the Indianapolis area, is a reflection of ClearObjects extraordinary growth which has resulted in an increase in revenues and an employee headcount that has doubled over the past three years.

Since 2014, ClearObject has achieved a 216 percent revenue growth rate. Significant customer acquisition and a growing demand to provide IoT-enabled cloud and project solutions have all been contributing factors to the companys sustained growth.

ClearObject is honored to be included for the third consecutive year among such an innovative and impressive list of businesses in their field. The diverse and exceptional group of privately-held companies serve as a wonderful example of entrepreneurship at its best in central Indiana, said John McDonald, CEO of ClearObject.

Criteria to be eligible for the Fast 25 include:



Revenue increased each fiscal year

Revenue exceeded $1 million in fiscal year 2014

Independent, privately held

Founded before 2014

Based in the Indianapolis area

The Fast 25 is the latest business accolade achieved by ClearObject, as it was recently named to CRNs 2017 Solution Provider 500 list.

For more information about IBJs annual ranking of the fastest-growing companies in the Indianapolis area, please visit http://www.ibj.com/fast25-2017.

About ClearObject

ClearObject is an IoT Systems Innovator helping the worlds best companies connect their bold ideas to the Internet of Things. We bring our years of experience, our team of experts and our coalition of leading partners together to make your IoT solutions a reality.
Team Rubicon Global (TRG) We are thrilled to be hosting our inaugural Global Leadership Summit in Chilmark, UK this year, convening key leaders from eight countries within the TR Network.

Team Rubicon will hold its inaugural Global Leadership Summit this week, July 17  21, 2017, at Team Rubicon UK's headquarters in Chilmark, UK.

Veterans and first responders from Australia, Canada, Denmark, Italy, Norway, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States are coming together to share lessons learned, plan future operations, and ensure the Team Rubicon network deploys to standard across the globe. This inaugural Summit will allow leaders to invest in our global mission to provide veterans around the world with opportunities to serve others in the wake of disasters.

"The Team Rubicon network is strongest when we work together as a global community. This summit will strengthen bilateral relationships within the network and help identify the comparative advantages that make each country unique, said William McNulty, Co-Founder of Team Rubicon and CEO of Team Rubicon Global. We are thrilled to be hosting our inaugural Global Leadership Summit in Chilmark, UK this year, convening key leaders from eight countries within the TR Network".

This years event will feature opening remarks by Lieutenant General Sir Graeme Lamb KBE, CMG, DSO, who served as the Commander of the British Field Army at Land Command. Moreover, Captain David Wiseman, Head of Armed Forces Programmes with the Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry will deliver closing remarks. Captain Wiseman serves on the Board of Team Rubicon UK.

General Sir Nick Parker, former Commander of British Land Forces who sits on both the Team Rubicon Global and Team Rubicon UK boards, will also address the Summit. He will be followed in his remarks by Charlotte Coker Gibson, Director of PwC Charitable Foundation.

###

Team Rubicon Global (TRG) launches, supports, and enables the Team Rubicon network around the world. It coordinates international operations, sets operating standards, maintains brand control, and establishes strategic relationships with foreign governments, aid agencies, and multinational institutions. TRG supported deployments to Nepal following the 2015 earthquake, to the Philippines to continue Typhoon Haiyan reconstruction efforts, to Northern Greece for refugee support operations, and to Fort McMurray, Canada to assist evacuees following the wildfires. For more information, please visit: http://www.teamrubiconglobal.org
Joseph Pippins, creator and founder of The Fishing Caddy Ive been homeless, so I know what its like to hit rock bottom, explains Joseph Pippins, creator and founder of The Fishing Caddy. I know what it takes to become an entrepreneur, especially when you dont have all the tools handed to you.

The National Alliance to End Homelessness reports that there are over 564,000 homeless people living on the streets of America. The last place that most people would assume they would end up is competing on a national television show as one of two entrepreneurs trying to sell their invention to the audience in order to win seed money. Yet thats exactly what happened when Joe Pippins, founder of The Fishing Caddy, squared off against another entrepreneur on the Steve Harveys FUNDERDOME, and walked away with the grand prize of $20,000.

Ive been homeless, so I know what its like to hit rock bottom, explains Joseph Pippins, creator and founder of The Fishing Caddy. But I also know the kind of attitude that it takes to go from being homeless to creating something that you can sell to the public. I know what it takes to become an entrepreneur, especially when you dont have all the tools handed to you on a silver platter.

Pippins, who has a love of fishing and spending quality family time outdoors, saw a problem in todays modern high-tech world. Too many families were not spending time together, engaging in things like camping and fishing, and he had an idea that led to his creation. He wanted to make it easy for families to head out fishing again, so he created an all-in-one fishing caddy. The Fishing Caddy makes it easy for people to grab it and be ready to go fishing, without having to lug lots of gear down to the water. It features two built-in fishing rod holders, a padded seat or tackle box, a live well for keeping the fish that are caught, a cup holder, and more.

After having the product idea, he took it to Kickstarter, where he was able to raise over $15,000 to turn his idea into a reality. No stranger to the entrepreneurial spirit, Pippins grew up in the inner city, where many around him turned to selling drugs in order to make some cash. He took a different route, making his first sale when he sold toys out his window so that he could raise money. He also bartered, and by middle school he began selling candy to other students when the school lunch program was taken away, leaving him to eat scraps and leftovers from other kids. He also built a team around him, to help with the candy sales, and even took to selling Mortal Combat codes to his peers to earn money.

So what does it take to go from growing up poor and at one time being homeless to creating a product people will flock to? Here are the top six principles that helped Pippins get there:



Hard work. Nothing can take the place of good old-fashioned hard work. When you are willing to work hard, good things are going to happen. Roll up your sleeves, realize there is no easy way, and dig in to start working hard toward your goals.

Passion. Having an idea can only take you so far. You have to be passionate about it, and be determined. That determination will keep you pushing past the barriers so that you can move closer and closer to your goals.

Fill a gap. Take a look around and see whats missing in your community or country. What is needed or what can you improve upon? If you can find a way to fill a gap, you will have a built-in audience that will be interested in your product or service.

Self-sufficiency. Learn from the start that the world owes you nothing. If you want to get ahead or be successful in life, you will have to be the one to make it happen. Dont wait for others to do it for you, because it wont happen. Pave your own path toward success.

Push past fear. Millions of people have good business ideas, but they are stifled by fear. Dont let fear hold you back from trying out your idea. You can never become successful from your idea if you are not willing to push past fear to give it a try.

Forget excuses. Its easy to come up with excuses for why you shouldnt or cant get things done. But if it matters to you and you want to succeed at it, you will find a way, rather than an excuse. Excuses are nothing more than us holding ourselves back before the public has even seen what we have to offer.

Im happy to have made it this far with The Fishing Caddy and I cant wait to introduce it to more people, added Pippins. With the right mindset and a drive to succeed, you can overcome and get noticed. Winning on the Steve Harveys FUNDERDOME was amazing and is going to take my dreams to the next step.

Competing on Steve Harveys FUNDERDOME, Pippins went toe-to-toe against another entrepreneur with the audience in the judges seat. The show, hosted by Steve Harvey, has two entrepreneurs square off in front of a live audience. They try to convince the audience, who are the final judges of who wins the money, that their invention is the one that should be picked. Pippins competed on the July 16, 2017 show and was voted the winner, where he was awarded the grand prize of $20,000 seed money to help further launch his product.

The Fishing Caddy is all made in America, comes with a 60-day money back guarantee, and a two-year warranty. The all-in-one caddy makes it easy for anglers to go fishing. The caddy comes in camo or blue ice designs with the option to have a padded seat top or a tackle box lid. Prices range from $69.95 to $129, depending on the desired features. Billed as the worlds first all-in-one fishing system, it has been designed to help make fishing more enjoyable and give people more time to fish, rather than track down and organize their tackle and supplies. The Fishing Caddy is available online at Amazon, Etsy, and at the company website: https://thefishingcaddy.com.

About The Fishing Caddy

The Fishing Caddy is the worlds first all-in-one fishing system. Created by Joe Pippins, the caddy offers anglers an easy and simplified way to head out fishing. Features on the caddy include two rod holders, a cup holder, live well for storing fish, tackle box, and a padded seat option. The Fishing Caddy is made in the USA and comes with a two year warranty. For more information, visit the site at: https://thefishingcaddy.com.

# # #

Source:

National Alliance to End Homelessness. The State of Homelessness in America. http://endhomelessness.org/homelessness-in-america/homelessness-statistics/state-of-homelessness-report/
The community response and support of the PDX Cyber Camp this year has been incredible ... cybersecurity experts stepped forward to share their knowledge, resources and time to provide a world-class educational experience for our local youth."

PDX Cyber Camp 2017, sponsored by PacStar, kicks today with a week-long summer cybersecurity camp designed to give students hands-on, introductory experience in one of todays hottest fields. The camp, organized and managed by a team of high school students, educators and industry professionals, tripled in size this year due to demand and has received widespread community support and involvement from industry-leading cybersecurity companies, volunteers and non-profit organizations.

The community response and support of the PDX Cyber Camp this year has been incredible. An impressive number of industry-leading companies and cybersecurity experts stepped forward to share their knowledge, resources and time to provide a world-class educational experience in cybersecurity for our local youth, said Charlie Kawasaki, chief technology officer of PacStar (Pacific Star Communications, Inc.) and co-founder and organizer of the PDX Cyber Camp. Companies like IBM, MacAfee, Mentor Graphics, Galois, Absolute Software, Cylance, Hueya, New Relic, PacStar and PKI Solutions have been joined by non-profit organizations such as Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oregon, EnergySec, Girls Scouts of Oregon and SW Washington, Girls, Inc., Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA), Information Systems Security Association (ISSA), Portland Public Schools, Portland YouthBuilders, Technology Association of Oregon and other organizations to make it a great learning experience for a diverse group of students.

According to Kawasaki, the camp was expanded to three locations this year at Lincoln High School in Portland, the Center for Advanced Learning in Gresham and Mentor Graphics in Wilsonville and will give local high school students an opportunity to learn about cybersecurity and participate in hands-on classes and presentations with cybersecurity industry experts. In addition, leading women guest speakers from the cybersecurity industry and female instructors will lead a special Girls Only camp at Lincoln High School for young women interested in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers.

Expert speakers at this years camp include Hailey Buckingham, Data Scientist, Cylance; Erin Chapmin, Member of Technical Staff, Galois; Mark Cooper, President, PKI Solutions; Ryan Gurr, Information Security Manager, NuScale Power; Sam Harwin, Senior Enterprise Security Manager, Salesforce; Rachel James, IT Security Engineer, Oregon Health & Science University; Sanchit Karve, Senior Anti-Malware Researcher, McAfee; Wayne Machuca, Computer Instructor, Mt. Hood Community College; Smart Ocholi, Chief of Cyber Security & Reliability Compliance, US Army Civil Engineers; Mary Kay Petersen, IT Director, Mentor Graphics; Anna Seijas, Senior Director, Thales e-Security, Frank Tycksen, Global Vice President, Thales e-Security; and Ken Westin, Senior Security Specialist, Splunk.

In addition, speakers at the reception at the conclusion of the camp include Keith Brown, director of IBM Systems Technical Strategy & Product Security and co-chair of the Technology Association of Oregon's Cyber Lab, Rakesh Bobba, assistant professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering at Oregon State University, Wayne Machuca, computer instructor at Mt. Hood Community College, and Kristopher Rosenberg, assistant professor and program director for Information Technology & Cybersecurity at Oregon Tech. They will discuss how interested students can continue to learn about cybersecurity at various educational institutions.

"Cybersecurity is important to IBM and to our customers which is why we're focused on helping to build a skills pipeline of cybersecurity experts to meet the increasing demand," said IBMs Keith Brown. "We're also very interested in encouraging diversity in this growing field so it's great to see such a wide mix of students involved in this camp. We see the PDX Cyber Camp as a first step for these students on what could become a lifelong journey and an important career in cybersecurity."

According to Kawasaki, one of the goals of the camp is to promote diversity and inclusion of under-represented groups in the STEM and cybersecurity fields. Students attending the camp represent a mix of different genders as well as ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds.

"At Portland YouthBuilders, one of our primary goals is to help young people create pathways out of poverty. We believe that the cybersecurity skills learned at the PDX Cyber Camp will put our students on the path toward a great career, said Matt Tabora-Roberts, technology program manager at Portland YouthBuilders. This unique opportunity would not be possible for our students without the generosity of the PDX Cyber Camp sponsors and industry sponsors so we are very appreciative of their support."

Sponsors of PDX Cyber Camp 2017 include Title Sponsor PacStar; Platinum Sponsors IBM, MacAfee, Mentor Graphics and Galois; and Gold Sponsors Absolute Software, Cylance, Hueya, and New Relic. Other sponsors and supporters include the Center for Advanced Learning, EnergySec, McKenzie Worldwide, Portland Public Schools Lincoln High School Coding Club, PKI Solutions, Software Diligence Services and the Technology Association of Oregon.

For more information, please visit: http://www.softwarediligence.com/pdxcybercamp/
The survey isnt just about making a list, its about making Clearent stronger and a better place to work.

Clearent has been awarded a 2017 Top Workplaces honor by The Post-Dispatch. The Top Workplaces lists are based solely on the results of an employee feedback survey administered by WorkplaceDynamics, LLC, a leading research firm that specializes in organizational health and workplace improvement. Several aspects of workplace culture were measured, including Alignment, Execution, and Connection, just to name a few.

The Top Workplaces award is not a popularity contest. And oftentimes, people assume its all about fancy perks and benefits, says Doug Claffey, CEO of WorkplaceDynamics. But to be a Top Workplace, organizations must meet our strict standards for organizational health. And who better to ask about work life than the people who live the culture every daythe employees. Time and time again, our research has proven that whats most important to them is a strong belief in where the organization is headed, how its going to get there, and the feeling that everyone is in it together. Claffey adds, Without this sense of connection, an organization doesnt have a shot at being named a Top Workplace.

Clearent has more than 300 employees, over 100 of which it added last spring with the acquisition of Payment Alliance Internationals (PAI) Merchant Services Division. The company strives to offer competitive compensation and benefits as well as a collaborative and results-oriented work environment.

My time with Clearent has proven to me that when a company takes the time and effort to invest in its employees, anything is possible, said Sr. Customer Service Analyst Rosa Garcia. I am empowered to do my best and given the resources I need to succeed. Theres no doubt in my mind that Clearent will find itself on this list year after year by continuing to foster such a positive environment!

The companys management team takes employee feedback to heart and encourages employees to answer surveys openly and honestly. We highly value the feedback we receive from the survey and see it as an opportunity to learn and grow based on what our employees not only enjoy about Clearent, but also what they may need or want from us, said Melinda Vedder, Senior Vice President of Human Resources. The survey isnt just about making a list, its about making Clearent stronger and a better place to work.

About Clearent

Clearent is a full-service, fully integrated payment processor and merchant services provider. Its commitment to honesty and transparency has made it one of the most trusted companies in the payments industry. Clearent has more than 300 employees, 45,000 merchants, and $14 billion in processing volume. Its headquarters are in St. Louis, Missouri and it has offices in West Palm Beach, Florida and Louisville, Kentucky. From traditional point-of-sale terminals, mobile solutions, and tablet-based systems to a custom-built virtual terminal, eCommerce plug-ins, and hosted payments, Clearent can help small business owners securely accept payments just about anywhere. The companys proprietary processing system gives it more flexibility to deliver products that truly help its sales teams and partners stand out from the competition and sign more deals. It also helps the company deliver flexible pricing options, accurate, on-time residuals, and a suite of graphical portfolio management tools that is updated daily. Clearents Next Day Funding service is also unique because of its 11:00 p.m. Eastern cut-off time, which is one of the latest in the industry. The company has consistently been named to several prestigious lists year after year, such as the Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing companies, The Nilson Reports list of top U.S. acquirers, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch Top Workplaces award, and the St. Louis Business Journals list of fastest growing private companies. To learn more, visit clearent.com or call 866.205.4721.

About WorkplaceDynamics, LLC

Headquartered in Exton, PA, WorkplaceDynamics specializes in employee feedback surveys and workplace improvement. This year alone, more than two million employees in over 6,000 organizations will participate in the Top Workplaces campaigna program it conducts in partnership with more than 40 prestigious media partners across the United States. Workplace Dynamics also provides consulting services to improve employee engagement and organizational health. WorkplaceDynamics is a founding B Corporation member, a coalition of organizations that are leading a global movement to redefine success in business by offering a positive vision of a better way to do business.
The federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the California Family Rights Act (CFRA) sets forth employee rights and employer obligations regarding when, how long, and under what circumstance an employer can take a protected leave of absence from work. Attorney Toni Jaramilla, of A Professional Law Corporation, shares the following seven tips that clear up some misconceptions concerning leave rights under the FMLA and CFRA:

No. 1: Employees can apply for extension. Once the protected leave of 12 weeks has passed, the employer cannot just terminate the employee or have them reapply and compete for their position, said Jaramilla. The employee can apply for a reasonable extension as a form of reasonable accommodation of a disability under the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA).

No. 2: Employees must have worked 1,250 hours with the company. To qualify for the 12-week protected leave under the FMLA an individual working for an employer with 50+ employees (including multiple branches/locations) must have worked 1,250 hours with the company in the past 12 months. These requirements differ for smaller employers with 5+ employees.

No. 3: An employee cannot request an indefinite leave. One must have a reasonable time frame for accommodation, with a date certain of return, noted Jaramilla.

No. 4: Employer required to have interactive dialogue with employee. The employer cannot just refuse an employees request for reasonable accommodation, added Jaramilla. They are required to have an interactive dialogue with the employee to decide if the request is reasonable or if it is an undue burden on the company/business.

No. 5: Employer not obligated to give employee exactly what they request as an accommodation. The interactive dialogue with the employer may reach a modification or compromise, said Jaramilla.

No. 6: Employee needs to put the employer on notice. An employee does not need to have exact wording nor reference the FMLA nor have to state Im disabled or other magic words when stating their request for a reasonable accommodation. An employee only needs to put the employer on notice, though it is recommended to have something in writing, a doctors note, and to follow the companys procedure, stressed Jaramilla.

No. 7: Employee is not required to disclose a diagnosis to the employer. All that is required is enough information to show the employees need for accommodations, such as a doctors note or by a medical provider, concluded Jaramilla.

About Toni Jaramilla, A Professional Law Corporation

Toni Jaramilla is committed to achieving the best possible results for employees who have experienced problems in the workplace. Serving clients throughout Los Angeles, her focus is on achieving positive social change for workers. Through zealous and ethical advocacy, lawyers at the firm have built a reputation for excellence in the practice of employment and labor law. For more information, please call (310) 551-3020, or visit http://www.jaramilla.com. The office is located at 10100 Santa Monica Blvd., Suite 300, Los Angeles, CA 90067.

About the NALA

The NALA offers small and medium-sized businesses effective ways to reach customers through new media. As a single-agency source, the NALA helps businesses flourish in their local community. The NALAs mission is to promote a business relevant and newsworthy events and achievements, both online and through traditional media. For media inquiries, please call 805.650.6121, ext. 361.
Impact XM Weve known Atlantic for many years and our companies are an excellent fit for each other

Impact XM, a global experiential marketing agency with a forty-year heritage of crafting strategic audience engagements that power brand experiences, today announced the acquisition of Atlantic. The move bolsters Impact XMs capabilities, footprint, and further strengthens its position as a leader in face-to-face marketing.

Atlantic is a full-service firm specializing in trade show exhibit, event and corporate interior design and build, as well as program management.

Weve known Atlantic for many years and our companies are an excellent fit for each other, said Jared Pollacco, President of Impact XM. As a combined organization, this welcome addition strengthens Impact XMs position as a leader in the industry. Im confident this will take our capabilities to the next level as we deliver on our clients ever-growing immersive engagement needs across all face-to-face marketing channels.

As part of the acquisition Atlantic CEO and founder David Beach will be moving onto pursue other business ventures, while Greg Beach will transition to a new executive role as COO at Impact XM.

I believe the talents and capabilities of the Atlantic team will build our collective client base, strengthen our global footprint, and expand operational, creative and digital engagement capabilities for our clients, said Greg Beach, COO.

For us at Atlantic, the most exciting part is the opportunity to offer our great clients an even more expansive suite of services with the same commitment to excellence to which theyre already accustomed, added Lorre Crisswell, who is moving into the role of Vice President, Client Development at Impact XM.

Since 1988, Atlantic has served clients from its headquarters in the Washington DC metro area, as well as locations in the Baltimore, Philadelphia and Richmond/Tidewater Areas and managed assets from its Operations Center in Front Royal, VA.

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About Impact XM (http://www.impact-xm.com)

Impact XM crafts strategically driven, creatively focused brand stories through live and digital experiential marketing that delivers measurable results for its clients.

Trusted by some of the worlds most respected organizations, the agency has a forty-four-year heritage of insightful strategy, brilliant creative, smart fulfillment and purposeful metrics across business and consumer trade shows, user conferences, event activations and digital engagements. Impact XM clients operate across a variety of industries, including the Aviation, Healthcare, Technology and Industrial sectors.

Headquartered in New Jersey, Impact XM maintains locations in Toronto, New Jersey, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Zurich. More information can be found at: http://www.impact-xm.com.

About Atlantic

Atlantic is a full-service firm specializing in trade show exhibit, event, museum and corporate interior design and build, trade show graphic production, custom exhibit manufacturing, trade show program management and trade show exhibit installation and dismantle field services. Since 1988, Atlantic has served clients from offices in the DC Metro (HQ), Baltimore, Philadelphia and Richmond/Tidewater Areas and managed assets from its Operations Center in Front Royal, VA.
2nd Annual Meadows Livingstone Scholarship Fund Concert The Meadows Livingstone School has a ninety-five percent college acceptance rate for Black children. Bob Livingstone

Grammy-nominated Linda Tillery & the Cultural Heritage Choir, Oakland-based artist and activist Jennifer Johns, local actress Reyna Amaya, and many more will come together for an evening of art and culture to benefit the Meadows Livingstone School scholarship fund. The 2nd Annual Meadows Livingstone Scholarship Fund Benefit Concert will be held:

Sunday, August 6 at 7pm - 9pm

Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse

2020 Addison Street

Berkeley, CA 94704

San Francisco gentrification is forcing small businesses to close and catapulting an outward migration of Black families. However, even in uncertain times, a small school continues to thrive. Since 1979 the Meadows Livingstone School has provided exceptional educational experiences for Black children. In recent years residents of the San Francisco Bay Area have watched their communities change at a rapid pace. Amidst displacement, eviction and ever-changing neighborhoods it is more important than ever to preserve and support nurturing educational spaces for our youth of color. The Meadows Livingstone School is such an environment and the success of its graduates attests to this. Proceeds from the 2nd Annual Meadows Livingstone Scholarship Fund Benefit Concert will be directed towards scholarships for children to attend the Meadows Livingstone School in the 2018-19 school year.

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About The Meadows Livingstone School

MLS is the only private Afrocentric elementary school in San Francisco. Our fearless little school strives to meet the educational, cultural and social needs of Black children through a low student/teacher ratio, an emphasis on peer mentorship and immersive experiences in art, dance, drumming, swimming, and yoga. Ninety-five percent of MLS graduates have gone on to attend and graduated from fouryear universities including Morehouse, Emerson, Occidental, Columbia, Smith, Yale and many of the UCs and California State universities. More about MLS at meadowslivingstoneschool.com
The support of family is important to the recovery process and our agency wants to make sure that families can stick together during these hard times.

Park Agencies Insurance & Financial Services unveils another remarkable charity campaign in their effort to support local families with a community enrichment program serving the greater Kansas City area. Newest partner Ronald McDonald House Charities of Kansas City offers a comfortable home- away-from-home at little or no cost to families of hospitalized children, spurring Park Agencies to fundraise on behalf of a local family. Donations are now being accepted at https://www.crowdrise.com/keeping-families-of-sick-children-close-together.

Ronald McDonald House (RMH) is an internationally renowned nonprofit organization which supports the families of children around the world who are hospitalized with serious injuries and illnesses. Little one-year-old Berkleys mother, Kassi, was able to donate her kidney to her daughter and go through full recovery with the help of RMH Kansas City. The House is equipped with a private bedroom and bath for a family of up to 6 members, including a kitchen, laundry, internet access and other comforts of home. To date, RMH of Kansas City has provided shelter for over 7,000 families receiving treatment at Childrens Mercy Hospital.

The support of family is important to the recovery process and our agency wants to make sure that families can stick together during these hard times, said Jason Park, owner of Park Agencies Insurance & Financial Services. Ronald McDonald House is a home to families from all around the world. Parents and children meet other families going through similar situations and are able to support each other during extremely challenging circumstances.

The agency has made it easy for the community to throw support behind Ronald McDonald House Charities of Kansas City by pledging to donate $10 to the cause for every person recommended for a no-obligation quotation. Readers who wish to have Park Agencies make a donation in their name may submit recommendations of family and friends at http://theparkagencies.com/causes/keeping-families-sick-children-close-together/.

The dedicated team at Park Agencies has mobilized a vigorous email outreach and social media initiative on behalf of local families. The campaign is also featured in this months issue of the agencys fun and informative community magazine, Our Hometown, which is delivered to thousands of households in the Kansas City metropolitan area. The electronic Flipbook version of current and past issues may be enjoyed at http://theparkagencies.com/magazines/.

Park Agencies has made an ongoing commitment to positively impact the communities they serve by vigorously seeking out and supporting local worthy causes as part of the celebrated Agents of Change movement. Concerned community members are welcome to submit ideas for future initiatives by visiting http://theparkagencies.com/submit-causes/. Readers may learn about past campaigns at http://theparkagencies.com/community/ and are invited to bookmark the page for future reference.

About Park Agencies Insurance Services

A full service, award-winning firm serving families and businesses from offices in Overland Park, Olathe and Lenexa, KS and Lees Summit, MO, Park Agencies has one simple mission: to provide the finest insurance and financial services in the industry while delivering consistently superior service. Jason Park and his team of dedicated professionals focus on helping clients to protect the things which are most important to them (their families, homes, cars and more) and on developing strategies to fulfill long-term financial goals. More information may be found by visiting http://theparkagencies.com/. Their caring experts may be reached by calling 913-491-5090 (Overland Park), 913-829-2700 (Olathe), 913-888-8886 (Lenexa) and 816-524-8468 (Lees Summit).
New Homes Dallas - Now Available! Dallas is growing quickly, has a strong economy and is very attractive to people looking to relocate. As a Texas-based company, Perry Homes is privileged to start building new homes in the heart of the Lone Star State. - Kathy Britton, Perry Homes CEO

Perry Homes, LLC, one of the largest homebuilders in Texas, is bringing its uncompromising commitment to quality in the construction of new homes to Dallas.

Perry Homes has begun construction in several well-known master-planned communities across the Dallas area with plans for new locations in development.

One of the top-ranked, private home builders in the nation, Perry Homes has a long history and a stellar reputation that make it well suited to serving homebuyers in the booming Dallas market. Its growing relationships in Dallas builds on its presence in Austin, Houston and San Antonio.

We are thrilled to begin building homes in the Dallas area and expand our reach in Texas, Perry CEO Kathy Britton said. Dallas is growing quickly, has a strong economy and is very attractive to people looking to relocate. As a Texas-based company, Perry Homes is privileged to start building new homes in the heart of the Lone Star State.

The trusted reputation Perry Homes enjoys was built on homeowner referrals and repeat buyers. The company offers more than 150 floor-plan designs, with unmistakable value and quality in the most desirable communities, all backed by the companys distinguished customer service.

To date, more than 55,000 families in 65-plus communities across Austin, Houston and San Antonio have enjoyed the quality and value that Perry Homes is now making available around Dallas.

Celebrating its 50th year in business, Perry Homes is now present in Trinity Falls located in sought after McKinney, TX. Several other communities that will feature Perry Homes later in 2017 are Devonshire in Forney, TX, Glen Crossing in Celina, TX, Canyon Falls in Flower Mound, TX and Prairie Oaks in Little Elm, TX.

With the relocation of major corporate headquarters such as Toyota, the North Texas area has seen exponential growth and opportunity. In May, CBS News DFW reported that the first wave of over 200 Toyota employees officially moved into the Plano headquarters. Culturemap Dallas published an article in March with some staggering figures, The Metroplex added 393 residents per day from July 2015 to July 2016.

Perry Homes has already experienced the demand for new homes in Dallas through the launch of their second brand, Britton Homes in 2016. Both brands are committed to exceptional quality, beautiful and functional design, energy efficiency, options for every lifestyle and an industry-leading two year workmanship warranty. The launch of Perry Homes in Dallas, is the natural progression of their Texas Tradition. As they reflect on the previous 50 years, they still believe that their commitment to quality and dedication to home buyers sets them apart from other builders.

The Metroplex encompasses a broad area with the need for varying price points and design styles. By offering both product lines, Perry Homes is able to provide new homes to a broader range of buyers in a larger market area. To experience Perry Homes in Dallas, please visit Trinity Falls in McKinney with prices starting in the $280s.

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About Perry Homes

Perry Homes, a Texas homebuilder in its 50th year, is committed to providing exceptional value, quality and customer service. Family-owned and operated, Perry Homes has spent over 50 years building a sterling reputation as one of the largest and most trusted homebuilders in Texas. Perry Homes offers a variety of new home designs in over 50 communities throughout Austin, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio. Perry Homes is dedicated to providing first-class customer service before, during and after the sale. The companys continued loyalty to customers, combined with their distinguished reputation, creates an unrivaled demand for Perry Homes. For more information, please visit https://www.perryhomes.com.
We can only imagine how hard it must be for foster kids to be moving from home to home while trying to keep up with school. The least we can do is make sure they have the basic supplies needed to thrive in their studies.

Confidence Plus Insurance Services, a California agency offering insurance assistance, financial planning, and related services to residential and commercial clients in the Central Valley region, is launching a back to school charity drive benefitting foster children in the area.

In conjunction with the Ticket to Dream Foundation, Confidence Plus Insurance Services will be gathering donations of school supplies, such as binders, backpacks, pencils, and notebooks, and providing them to foster children in the region who may not have access to the resources they need to receive a proper education.

We can only imagine how hard it must be for foster kids to be moving from home to home while trying to keep up with school. The least we can do is make sure they have the basic supplies needed to thrive in their studies. We are joining efforts with this remarkable organization in order to accomplish this goal, says Dean Shibler, founder and principal agent of Confidence Plus Insurance Services.

Focusing on social media and email channels, the Confidence Plus team is building a network of regional educators, families, and associates in the Valley to help generate donations for the summer-long charity event. Additional publicity efforts are planned, including a full length cover story slated for publication in the newest issue of the Confidence Plus online magazine Our Hometown: http://confidenceinsuranceagency.com/magazines/.

Confidence Plus Insurance Services is an active affiliate of the Agents of Change interstate charity assistance group, and has worked with a number of charitable causes throughout the California Central Valley over the last year. The firm plans to continue this trend by working with new regional charities at regular intervals.

Shibler and the Confidence Plus Insurance team have made the following page available to provide details regarding the ongoing charity event to gather and distribute scholastic supplies to foster children in the California Central Valley: http://confidenceinsuranceagency.com/causes/providing-school-supplies-local-foster-kids/. For a comprehensive list of previous charity drives hosted by Confidence Plus Insurance Services, readers are invited to bookmark the firms Community Causes page: http://confidenceinsuranceagency.com/community/.

About Confidence Plus Insurance Services

Confidence Plus Insurance Services understands the importance of building a solid foundation for the future and developing long lasting customer relationships, thats why the Confidence Plus team is committed to offering every client the highest level of service possible. Each staff member of Confidence Plus Insurance is dedicated to ensuring that clients are assured, informed, and fully satisfied with all their insurance policy choices. To speak with a helpful and knowledgeable expert at Confidence Plus Insurance, browse to http://www.confidenceinsuranceagency.com or call (209) 323-7474.
PLATTSMOUTH  Four area residents took part in Cass County District Court plea hearings on Monday morning for their involvement with drug-related offenses.

Omaha resident Sean R. Brink, 49, appeared in the mornings first hearing. He pled guilty to one Class I misdemeanor charge of attempted possession of controlled substance-methamphetamine. Brink also pled guilty to a shoplifting charge in Cass County Court last week as part of the plea bargain with prosecutors.

Deputy County Attorney Colin Palm told the court Plattsmouth police responded to the Plattsmouth Hy-Vee on Dec. 19 for a shoplifting incident. The initial officer at the scene learned Brink had a suspended drivers license. The officer warned Brink not to drive away from the store because of the revoked license.

A second officer remained in the area and watched Brink enter his van in the Hy-Vee parking lot after the incident. Brink then pulled away from the parking lot and began to drive down Highway 75. The officer quickly pulled over Brink and arrested him for driving under suspension.

Palm said the officer noticed Brink had a small lunchbox in the van. The officer discovered there was an eyeglasses case in the lunchbox and became suspicious about its contents. A plastic baggie with a white substance was included in the eyeglasses case. The state crime lab later confirmed the plastic baggie contained 0.24 grams of methamphetamine.

Brink remains free on bond. Sentencing will take place Sept. 5.

Avoca resident Brett K. Kirchhoff, 32, appeared in the days second hearing. He pled guilty to Class IV felony charges of possession of controlled substance-psilocyn and possession of controlled substance-tetrahydrocannabinols.

The state agreed to dismiss five weapons charges against Kirchhoff. The dismissed charges included three counts of possession of a firearm while committing a felony and two counts of possession of a deadly weapon while committing a felony.

The weapons included a butterfly knife, Prather knife, Ruger firearm, Glock firearm and Sig Sauer 516 firearm. Authorities will be able to destroy the weapons under terms of the plea agreement.

Palm told the court two Cass County Sheriffs Office deputies stopped Kirchhoff at the intersection of 156th Street and Church Road on Dec. 10. Deputies smelled the odor of marijuana as they approached and obtained permission to search the vehicle.

Palm said they discovered a plastic baggie under the drivers seat that contained a mushroom-like substance. They also discovered a glass jar that contained an unknown substance. The state crime lab confirmed the baggie contained psilocyn and the glass jar contained THC.

Kirchhoff remains free on bond. Sentencing will take place Sept. 5.

Omaha resident Tyler C. Rose, 24, appeared in the days third case. He admitted he had violated his probation in several ways during a short period of time last year.

Rose had been sentenced on a Class IIIA felony charge of third-degree assault on a peace officer in June 2016. He finished his prison sentence in August 2016 and began serving 12 months of post-release supervision. He was supposed to obey all laws, visit with probation officials and abstain from all drugs and alcohol during this time.

Palm told the court Rose tested positive for both cocaine and methamphetamine on Aug. 23. He also failed to appear for mandatory drug tests on three occasions and chose not to return repeated phone calls from probation officials. Douglas County authorities arrested him on Sept. 2 for possession of controlled substance charges.

Palm said Rose was arrested in Norton, Kan., on Dec. 23 for weapons charges. He spent time in the Kansas legal system before authorities returned him to Nebraska to face his violation of probation charges.

The prosecution and defense both requested Judge Michael Smith to immediately sentence Rose. Smith ordered Rose to serve 155 days in Cass County Jail with credit for 71 days already served. Norton will be transferred to Kansas after he completes his local sentence to face probation violation charges there.

Plattsmouth resident Kimber L. Warga, 26, appeared in the fourth plea hearing. Warga pled guilty to one Class I misdemeanor charge of attempted possession of controlled substance-methamphetamine.

Palm told the court two Plattsmouth police officers visited Wargas residence on April 18 based on contacts with the Department of Health and Human Services. Warga admitted using drugs and produced two methamphetamine pipes that she had been storing under lock and key. Palm said one of the pipes had drug residue on it.

Warga remains free on bond. Sentencing will take place Sept. 5.
The cryptocurrency dropped by nearly 20% over the weekend, putting in a low of $1,758 a coin before recouping some of those losses. It's currently trading at $2,048.

At the low point, bitcoin was down by more than 40% from its record high of about $3,000, set June 12.

The weekend plunge pushed the cryptocurrency below the target of Sheba Jafari, the head of technical strategy at Goldman Sachs. In early July, Jafari put out a note saying bitcoin was "still in a corrective 4th wave" that "shouldn't go much further than 1,857."

Jafari wasn't the only one who thought bitcoin was getting ahead of itself.

Tech billionaire Mark Cuban suggested bitcoin was in a "bubble." Back on June 6, just before the cryptocurrency put in its record high, Cuban tweeted: "I think it's in a bubble. I just don't know when or how much it corrects. When everyone is bragging about how easy they are making $=bubble."

Additionally, Jeffrey Kleintop, the chief global investment strategist at Charles Schwab, said bitcoin was in a bubble unlike any we had seen before.

As for where bitcoin will go from here, Jafari's July 3 note suggested that after a big drop, a fifth wave would take bitcoin to record highs. "From current levels, this has a minimum target that goes out to 3,212 (if equal to the length of wave I)," Jafari wrote. "Theres potential to extend as far as 3,915 (if 1.618 times the length of wave I). It just might take time to get there."
Wok 2 Walk Ltd, which operates a franchise of the Dutch chain in the UK, was included on a list of "deliberate tax defaulters" published by HMRC last week.

Wok 2 Walk Ltd was found in a civil court to have evaded 61,539.00 worth of tax it should lawfully have paid. HMRC says Wok 2 Walk Ltd defaulted on payments between April 2012 and March 2015, and it has been charged 34,461.84 in penalties.

Wok 2 Walk Ltd is a franchise of Amsterdam-based Wok to Walk  which was not investigated  the pan-Asian takeaway that has restaurants around the world.

Cris Piera from Wok to Walk International, which owns the Wok to Walk brand, said they had been "totally unaware" of the situation until Business Insider brought it to their attention.

Piera confirmed after speaking to Wok 2 Walk Ltd that the franchisee has been paying a monthly fee to HMRC since January and provided evidence of a direct debit payment made in June of 3,000. Piera said the franchise had "implemented changes and improvements on their accountancy."

HMRC investigates and penalizes taxpayers who deliberately provide incorrect documents or otherwise intentionally take steps to illegally reduce the amount of tax they are obliged to pay. HMRC says it will only publish a case's details if the defaulters fail to fully disclose their records during or before an investigation.

According to HMRC, franchisor Wok to Walk was not contacted as part of the investigation into Wok 2 Walk Ltd. It said discussing the case with the franchisor would have been inappropriate and a breach of taxpayer confidentiality.

"The case is already fixed and settled and soon to be closed by HMRC once the remaining monthly payments are completed," Piera said.

The franchise joins a list of other businesses and individuals who have been subject to civil proceedings and fined for tax evasion.
Peltz's Trian Fund Management is a key shareholder in P&G, with roughly $3.3 billion of stock. But he would need substantial support from shareholders in order to win a vote at their annual meeting, which will take place later this year.

"We need a game-changing attitude at P&G," Peltz previously told the WSJ. "We just can't keep going along the same path."

The news follows months of discussions about whether Peltz should be made a director at P&G, a proposal that was ultimately rejected, and squabbles over how to improve the company's sales and growth.

P&G manufactures and sells a wide range of consumer products, owning hundreds of supermarket stalwarts like Gillette, Fairy, and Oral-B.

However, it has suffered in recent years from the slowdown in the global economy as well as from competition from startups. Its share price has been volatile over the past five years, and in 2014 it sold between 90 and 100 of its brands to focus on between 70 and 80.

"The Board is confident that the changes being made are producing results, and expresses complete support for the Company's strategy, plans, and management," P&G said in a statement.

P&G has said changes introduced from late 2015 will save $10 billion in annual expenses by 2021, and has cut 24,000 jobs since 2012. But reported earnings for 2016 were still slightly lower than for the previous year, and net sales for 2016 declined 8% compared to 2015.
The Department is seeking for an estimated 144 million in assets owned by the three whom they believe attained their wealth from foreign corruption offences and money laundering.

Top officials of the U.S. who made the announcement said this is part of their efforts in ensuring that unlawfully attained wealth will not act as a safe haven in the country.

Over a four year period spanning 2011  2015, the former minister used their influence as sector minister to secure and award lucrative oil contracts to companies owned by Kolawole Akanni Aluko and Olajide Omokore and used the United States to launder the money to purchase their assets.

The assets looking to be seized is a $50 million condominium located in one of Manhattans most expensive buildings 157 W. 57th Street  as well as a yacht, the Galactica Star, valued at $80 million.

The authorities in the United Kingdom announced in February of this year that Alison-Maduekes on trial for alleged corrupt practices was due to open last month. The Minister is going to be adjudicated along with four other accomplices.
The airline has been hit with numerous losses for years due to mismanagement, high operating costs, old aircraft and equipment.

Dyanda explains that Air Zimbabwe would cut 200 jobs in its fourth round of layoffs in eight years.

We were overstaffed by a lot and we are also trying to weed out people without the right qualifications. The retrenchment is meant to give space to the airline so that we can redeploy the money saved back into the company.

In August 2015, Air Zimbabwe cut 300 jobs as well as in 2009 and 2013.

Last October there were accusations of nepotism from the opposition and critics of the government as president Robert Mugabes son-in-law Simba Chikore was appointed chief operating officer.

The chairwoman states that Air Zimbabwe needs 45 workers per aircraft. Currently, the airline flies four planes which make Mugabe to at times hire private jets for his foreign travels.

As part of the strategic plan, we would like to get more reliable planes and expand our routes, Dyanda said, without giving details".
On the other side of the globe, however, the process of requesting a car from your phone is dominated by another giant: Didi Chuxing. As this chart from Statista shows, while Didi is a relative unknown in the West, its fundamentals are nearly on par with the worlds most valuable private company.

Didi acquired Ubers China operations in a mega-merger last year, outlasting its fellow giant after a fierce price war. The company has the backing of titans like Apple, SoftBank, and Chinas own Alibaba and Tencent, two truly massive rivals that merged their respective ride services to create Didi Chuxing and share the spoils.
This is a call from the Civil Society Organisations Platform.

They argue that this will ensure the structural reforms are implemented properly.

A Lecturer at the University of Ghana Business School, Dr. Godfred Alufar Bokpin, said an extension will drive the needed reform to improve the fiscal governance framework.

Whatever gains we made in the first year of the programme implementation were effectively reversed during the election, he said, adding that this in theory, effectively ended the programme as the conditions were not met.

What we should be asking for now is to demonstrate how we can correct the deficiencies that we have seen in the programme and get back on track and probably ask for extension, he stated.

He was speaking at the Fourth National Civil Society Forum on Ghanas International Monetary Fund Programme in Accra on the theme: Three Years into the IMF-Supported Extended Credit Facility Arrangement: Is the Ghanaian economy on the right path?

READ ALSO: 6 ways to survive on a minimum wage as a Ghanaian

He said Ghana must take advantage of the success story it has so far with the IMF programmes.

The IMF itself has incentive to ensure that the programme is extended because Ghana for a while had been a success of the IMF programmes in sub-Saharan Africa and they dont want this to be tainted and if a request comes from the government, they will not say no, he said.

Meanwhile the IMF Resident Representative in Ghana, Ms Natalia Koliadina, said though it has not been smooth the current governments continuity of the programme shows its commitment to ensure fiscal discipline.
This will be to set Ghanas fiscal deficit at a maximum 5% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from the year 2018.

EXPLAINER: Fiscal deficit is the difference between the government's expenditures and its revenues (this excludes the money it has borrowed). A country's fiscal deficit is usually communicated as a percentage of its gross domestic product (GDP).

READ ALSO: Dr John Kofi Mensah appointed to head ADB

A 5% fiscal deficit means if the government has a source of revenue of GHC 100 million, the government can spend GHC105 million. The higher the fiscal deficit, the higher interest payments.

Dr Bawumia was speaking at the launch of Direct Savings and Loans Company in Accra.

He explained that government was doing this to ensure fiscal discipline is adhered to in the country.

We have to continue to take measures to deepen the fiscal consolidation and also to institutionalise the fiscal consolidation. At the end of the day, the fiscal discipline matters. And this is why the President has said that we should look at how to bring more fiscal responsibility in the management of our economy going forward.

We dont want to do that dance, one step forward, three steps backwards, as we have been doing. We want to entrench fiscal responsibility. Nana Akufo-Addo has directed, that we should bring an amendment to Parliament, of the Public Financial Management Act, to make sure by law, we set the fiscal deficit at a maximum of 5% of GDP, going forward, from 2018.

Dr Bawumia was optimistic this measure if implemented will provide better economic stability and instil confidence in the economy.

READ ALSO: Pulse Ghana honored at Ghana Startup Awards

This is going to be very new, and it is something that will bring a lot of confidence in the management of the economy, as we entrench fiscal stability.

Ghana has recorded some rising budget deficit over the last few years, hitting 9.3% in 2016.

However, the Nana Addo-led government that inherited a debt-ridden economy with a high debt to GDP ratio, has started introducing some measures to ensure fiscal consolidation while stimulating growth.
The school said that it has already begun moves to install solar panels to ensure regular power and do away with power outages and high tariffs.

The Managing Director of the school, Kwadwo Kwakye, disclosed this to Accra-based Class FM after the school's 42nd Graduation, Speech and Prize-Giving Day on Saturday.

READ ALSO: Ghanaian actress to pay fees for needy students

Meanwhile, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ayawaso West Wuogon, Emmanuel Agyarko, has urged Ghanaians to ensure that governments are accountable on every educational policy.
PLATTSMOUTH  A Plattsmouth resident learned Monday morning that she would spend four years on probation for taking a large amount of items from the Plattsmouth Shopko store.

Michaela C. Crum, 28, appeared in Cass County District Court for sentencing on a Class IV felony charge of theft-unlawful taking-$1,500 to $5,000. Crum pled guilty to the charge in June as part of a plea agreement.

Cass County Attorney Nathan Cox told the court Crum had been an employee at the Plattsmouth Shopko store from Dec 1, 2015, to Oct. 20, 2016. Cox said Crum and other people took multiple items of merchandise from the store during that time period. Authorities later estimated a total of $26,000 worth of merchandise was missing from the business.

Cox said it was difficult to pinpoint the specific amount of stolen items Crum had been involved with because she and others stored many of them in plastic totes. Authorities located the totes but were unable to determine which people had taken which items.

Cox told the court Crum had made several statements to law enforcement authorities and Shopko officials after the thefts became known. He said she told them she estimated the total amount of items she had been involved with had a value in the five-figure range. Authorities were able to use different types of evidence to determine a certain total of $1,632.70.

Of the items the loss prevention team could positively identify, the value we came up with was $1,632.70, Cox said. All told, there is probably a huge amount more that we simply cant identify.

Cox said he was disappointed in Crums reaction to the thefts during her pre-sentence investigation interview with probation officials. He said she downplayed her involvement several times during the conversation.

Her statements made it sound like she doesnt understand the severity of the situation, Cox said.

Cox asked the court to issue some upfront jail time to Crum. He said her record included a shoplifting charge in Sarpy County nine years ago and a charge of theft by deception-$201 to $499 in 2013.

Shes gone up the food chain from simple shoplifting to mid-level theft and now this, Cox said. She doesnt really take ownership of what has happened here. She thought about this for a long time. The thefts went on for months and months.

Defense attorney Julie Bear told the court she felt her client had been forthright with investigators throughout the process. She said Crum had graduated in the top 25 percent of her high school class and had the potential to point her life in a positive direction. She asked the court to issue a probation sentence.

She has expressed remorse for her decision-making, Bear said. She was unable to extricate herself from the situation that she became involved in.

Judge Michael Smith ordered Crum to serve 48 months on probation. Crum must complete a psychology exam within 30 days, abstain from all alcohol and drugs and submit to random drug and alcohol testing. She must also pay restitution of $1,632.70 to Shopko.

Smith told Crum he had debated whether to issue jail time. He said he decided not to require upfront jail time but would order 45 days of waiverable jail time. He said Crum would not have to serve that amount if she follows all of her probation terms. He said he would likely send her to jail if any probation violations take place over the next four years.
The managing-editor of Ghanacelebrities.com made the revelation following a slamming comment Leila Djansi passed on him and his website on Facebook over the weekend.

Leila described the blog as a "BP increasing website" in a post she made in regards to Christabel Ekeh's recent nude photos released on Instagram.

In response to Leila's comment, Chris put up screenshots of his conversation with the filmmaker and how she constantly begged him to give her the maximum publicity about her movies.

READ MORE: Counsellor

Chris-Vincent captioned the screenshot (unedited): "Leila Djansi, Leila Djansi, Leila Djansi, I don't want to do this--I have since 2012 allowed you to write shyt about me and my blog without taking you on personally.

Because I know several unstable people of your kind.

You want screenshots and things to flow--I am ready to play.

Your sister or whoever commented that we were never friends--yeah these screenshots say otherwise.

You started getting upset as it can be seen from the conversation because we were promoting Shirley's movie-6 Hours to Christmas, which you were not happy about.

Ama K Abebrese and the others are good people that I even knew before you and still respect, I don't want to drag them into this.

So I will not post anything after this but if you want to play, then I can share more--from Akorfa Asiedu to everyone.

You were BEGGING DAY IN AND OUT for me to write about you--because things didn't go your way, today I am this and that and my blog is that and that...

If I was petty, I would have since 2012 dropped these things in the face of your attacks. We were once friends, so I said I would let you do whatever but you are taking a piss with your unending attacks.

I am good at playing these games but I never wanted to play it with you.

You said I should post screenshots blah blah--here some are.

You want to control people, they are out there--not me. And from the screenshots, any smart person can see what happened to our friendship.

From day one, I have always been me--the guy no one walks over, even if the person claims to be a Hollywood producer/film-maker.

I did not want to tell people the kind of person you are, hoping they would find out for themselves the kind of hater and toxic you are.

Anyway, I am going to watch GOT."

Here are the screenshots of their chats.
Christabel Ekeh, 26, on Friday, July 7, took the Internet by storm when she released her own nude photos on her Instagram account and later admitted she is responsible and that, it's a way of welcoming people to the 'new Christabel'.

Reacting to the whole issue, Leila Djansi took to Facebook to say "I was convinced she was having a mental breakdown" and added that Ghanaian actors should stop competing with each other.

She also said up and coming actors who want to break through the limelight should not rely on Ghanaian bloggers because they do not have the ability to make them stars.

READ MORE: Christabel Ekeh releases more nude photos

Her full post reads (unedited):

"To my Ghana family!

I have decided I'll never make any comments on Ghana film industry again, but please, permit me to say this:

Yesterday, I saw some nude photos of a Ghanaian actress I'd seen in a film with John Dumelo. I was very interested in her cos she seemed to understand what she was doing on screen.

I'm not against nude photos but these looked very tacky and I immediately started asking around about the girl. I was convinced she was having a mental breakdown.

After speaking to a number of people, it was confirmed that she was. I wanted to ask for her number to see what if maybe I encourage her, but I was told things were bad.

This morning, I was sent an article on that BP increasing website Ghana Celebrities where the owner went on about how he was carving the actress to become popular. Forcing her down the throat of readers. Strategized articles. Posting that she bought a Hummer when it was actually loaned to her her boyfriend who took it back! To what end? Why? Now she's insane. The blogger is not. He's moving on with his life. Such is life!

If you're forced down a throat, you'll be regurgitated!

Don't believe what you see on social media! It's not real! It's staged!

Listen to me, young men and women wanting to become actors.

1. You don't become a teacher to become a star or to become famous! You become a teacher to be a vessel. That's acting. You're a vessel. A tool. You're just a medium, a canvas for a picture much larger than YOU!

2. No website, no blogger, listen to me!!! No website, no blogger! Can make you a star!!! The race is not for the swift, winning is by grace, by favor. It is Gods favor that blesses you and adds no sorrow to it! You become a star by playing characters that people relate to. Characters that move people, audiences. That's it. No blogger, no Instagram photos. Take it from me! Look at Ama K Abebrese. Was it Instagram? Jackie Appiah, Majid, Adjetey Annang, Lil Win. Genevieve Nnaji was a star before social media! Before internet! Maame Dokuno, they were loved way before social media based on their talent! It's playing characters that people are drawn to! Stop making up your face and taking pictures for social media!! That's not talent. That's torture. That's killing yourself when you don't get the number of likes you want! When you don't trend! Stop faking the life you live, what happens when it's gone? If you need pictures and make-up and likes and red carpet pictures to validate you, seek help! Reach out to a counselor.

If you want me to sit on the floor and cry, and beg you, I will!

When I direct Ghanaians and Nigerian actors, my heart bleeds! I cry! The insecurities, the desire to please bloggers and fickle human beings on social media! Social Media!

All is vanity. All is vanity! Big screen is fleeting. You're up today, tomorrow you're down. That's the nature of the business! It's not where your peace or happiness lays. Seek God! Find a hobby! Love your family, adopt a child. Big screen is fleeting. The mirror can always fall and break, find somewhere else to see yourself!

Suzzy Williams was my friend! A rising star!

Life in the fast lane. "I want fame! I'm beautiful" and that young vibrant girl died before her time!

Stop competing with each other!

Stop trying to outdo each other!

Love! Love! Love each other! Look out for each other!

Be happy for each other!

Stop expecting rewards.

Open your heart to selflessness.

You wonder why I said I won't submit or promote Ghana awards anymore? Because that has become the priority. Red Carpet competition. Gown. Gown. Make-up. Selfie. Glam photos.

Vanity. Emptiness. Hallowness.

Ask God to fill you up with more and you'll realize all those things will no longer matter!

If you're not a Christian, find something viable to fill yourself up with. Not drugs, not vile lifestyles. Try LOVE.

Charm is deceitful! Beauty is vain!
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Ashok Kumar Sivaram was deported on June 1, 2017, following a directive issued to the Ghana Immigration Service by the Interior minister Ambrose Derry.

I am directed to inform you that the Hon. Minister of Interior has issued a Deportation Order in accordance with Section 36(1) of Act 2000 (Act 573) for your removal from the country.

Consequently, you are to be deported on 1st June, 2017 to your country.

Please find attached the Deportation Order for your attention, a letter from the Comptroller-General addressed to the businessman ahead of his deportation read in part.

READ ALSO: We will admit more women into the security forces

But lawyers of the businessman have argued that their client was deported without recourse to the law.

The Applicant was deported from Ghana on the said morning of 1st June 2017 without any notice to him or being offered the opportunity to be heard on the allegation of forgery leveled against him. The Respondents carried out this operation without regard to the presence of the Applicants business interest in Ghana that employs one hundred and sixty (160) people out of which one hundred and thirty (130) are Ghanaians and thirty (30) are Expatriates.

"Again, no regard or consideration was given by the Respondents in spite of the pendency of the case in the High Court, Commercial Division and the Order for a valuation process to be undertaken by Ernst & Young to enable the Court proceed with the matter pending before it, a letter attached to the writ by the lawyers, led by Gary Nimarko, read.

It added: Respectfully My Lord, it appears that issuance of Executive Instrument by the 1st Respondent prior to deportation of an alien is permissive under the Act but it is worth pointing out that Deportation Orders of an Alien subject to Deportation is backed by Executive Instrument. In the case of this Applicant, no Executive Instrument was issued by the 1st Respondent in respect of the Deportation Order.

READ ALSO: MP mulls subpoenaing Interior Minister over Lapaz shooting

My Lord, it is also worth pointing out that the Applicant was in Ghana as a Residence/Work Permit holder and has since been on that status until the permit was cancelled on 1st June, 2017 and immediately deported from Ghana.

My Lord, the Applicant was not in Ghana on the basis of an alleged fraudulent Marriage Certificate which the 1st Respondent is claiming that was submitted for Registration as a Ghanaian citizen. As a matter of fact, there is no record of the Applicant having involved himself in a criminal enterprise in Ghana since he started coming into the country from the year 2000 for which the 1st Respondent says that his presence in Ghana is not conducive to the public good.

"A closer reading of the Deportation Order makes it clear that the 1st Respondent came to the conclusion that the Applicants presence in Ghana was not conducive to the public good after having made a judicial determination that the Applicant has submitted a forged Marriage Certificate in support of his application for citizenship and that, that act is fraudulent and criminal.

Respectfully My Lord, we are at a loss as to whether the 1st Respondent has the jurisdiction to determine fraud within the powers vested in him under the Immigration Act 2000, (Act 547).
The sister of the deceased, Justine Adua Avogo said that claims that the family received information about the death of their relative on the same day the body was discovered were false.

She said that the family received the news through the media on their way to work.

The family was informed or got to know about his demise mainly through the media on Friday, she narrated in a message sent to the Daily Guide newspaper.

READ ALSO: Dental surgeon found dead in hotel

Ms Avogo has since questioned as to how the media got the news about the death of their relative before the family received official information from the police.

If he was identified Thursday night, why wasnt the family informed immediately?" she questioned.

She further wondered why the body was secretly deposited at the morgue, without the police bothering to contact the family who lived about 300 metres away from the morgue.

The aggrieved sister has, therefore, urged the police to conduct in-depth investigations into the real mystery behind the death of her brother.

READ ALSO: Police hunt suspect over death of dental surgeon

Meanwhile, police in Dansoman are still searching for the lady who reportedly checked into the hotel with the deceased, Dr Dominic Avogo two hours before his death.
The suspects include a 27-year-old female, Charity Otuboa, a trader; six Nigerians and eight Ghanaians.

The others are Ken Ikponnwosa, 23; Faith Ogieriakhi, 35; Fem Erhuumwunse, 20; Michael Ogbegia, 20; Sampson Aja, 27; Emmanuel Aimiu, 31, and Kwasi Nyarko, 33.

The police also mentioned Raphael Nii Lartey Coffie, 37; Asare Frederick, 35; Mark Enchil, 31; Kwadwo Afari, 32, and Kwabena Gyasi, 20, as suspects.

The rests are Abudu Mohammed and Salusi Zibu, whose ages are yet to be established.

The suspects were picked up from different locations in Accra by a combined team of detectives from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters and the Accra Regional Command, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Osabarima Oware Asare Pinkro III, the Regional Police Commander told the Daily Graphic.

The suspects were arrested at different locations in Accra, including Ablekuma, Olebu and Kasoa, after the police had picked up intelligence and tip-offs.

The unregistered Hyundai Elantra car that was snatched by the robbers at the scene of the incident was abandoned at Olebu and is currently with the police. Other exhibits that were retrieved from the suspects include empty shells and an unregistered Royal motorbike, he said.

He added that the police were still interrogating the suspects and looking out for possible leads that would ensure that all those involved in the incident were arrested.

How the incident occurred

Osabarima Pinkro said the two policemen were on patrol duty when the unfortunate incident happened.

We visited the policeman who survived the attack at the Police Hospital today. He is responding to treatment. What he told us was that the two of them were on patrol duty that day. When they got to the Abeka area, a woman was crossing the street dangerously and so he (Constable Jibril) stopped to allow the woman to cross.

The robbers stopped by his side and so he least suspected any danger, only for one of them to pull a side arm and start shooting at him. The first two shots missed the target but the third one hit him on the hand, making him lose control and fall. The gunman ran out of bullets after giving many warning shots to disperse a crowd that was advancing on them.
The Deputy Minister of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Paul Essien has told Accra-based Citi FM that the pilgrims are currently being screened ahead of the journey.

We have not postponed the programme but it is the extension of the time in terms of the departure date. There was a little bit of administrative delays and other things that resulted in the delay in the departure time. As I speak with you, we are on the screening [of the pilgrims] and we will be done soon. The new date for us to depart from Ghana is on August 12, 2017, he said.

READ ALSO: First batch of Christian pilgrims to leave for Israel on July 15

He explained that even though the government of Israel does not accept such huge number of pilgrims at a go, it has, however, approved the trip because the government of Ghana is facilitating it.

There are concerns from some Ghanaians that the governments decision to sponsor Christian pilgrims is a misplaced priority.

READ ALSO: Stop wasting our money on pilgrimages

The Chairman of the Church of Pentecost, Apostle Dr Kwadwo Nimfour Opoku Onyinah had indicated that the funds for such sponsorship should be channelled into something profitable for the country.
The figure is against 28 recorded within the same period in 2016.

Mr. Evans Kpebah, Wa East District Director of Education, revealed this during the Let Girls Learn; End Child Marriage Campaign launched at Funsi by Community Development Alliance (CDA-Ghana), with funding from STAR Ghana under the Gender and Social Inclusion programme window.

The project is aimed at ending the practice of child marriage while enabling girls to pursue their educational and vocational aspirations.

READ ALSO: Central Region records over 5000 teenage pregnancies in 2016

A total of 10 communities is to benefit from the implementation of the project in the district.

Addressing the stakeholders forum, the District Director of Education noted that, Child Marriage and Teenage pregnancies were the biggest challenges of girls education in the District.

Gurumbelle; a farming community in the district accounted for nine out of the 39 pregnant school girls within the first half of 2017, Mr Kpebah noted.

He argued that the lack of support for relevant stakeholders to ensure that the perpetrators are punished was making the situation worse.

He, however, expressed hopes that the launch of the campaign in the district will reverse the situation.
Between the crowds and the permit-required parking lots, there was rarely an easy  or cheap  way to enjoy a summer day on the sand.

In 2009, Esposito and Mirras, now both 30, finished their undergraduate studies at the University of Florida and Bentley University, respectively. They toyed with the idea of starting a shuttle bus company as a solution to their childhood grievance.

But there were vehicle costs, like insurance, maintenance, and fuel, to consider. Plus, the two were eager to begin their professional lives; Mirras was off to work at Morgan Stanley and Esposito was pursuing his MBA at Bentley.

They ran with the idea  but kept at their day jobs  and founded the Free Ride in the summer of 2011, debuting with a few open-air, fully electric cars operating in

By the following summer, Mirras had left Morgan Stanley to run operations for the Free Ride full-time. They added additional routes in South Florida and Santa Monica, California, and were soon partnering with household brands like JetBlue, Corona, Coco-Cola, and, later, L'Oreal. Since then, ad revenues have surpassed seven-figures, nearly doubling every year, according to Esposito.

Not only are the cars wrapped in fun, cheeky advertisements, some of the companies provide freebies, like cold drinks, snacks, and beauty product samples, to riders. Plus, an iPad inside each car doubles as an interactive video advertisement and photo booth.

Esposito eventually quit his job at consulting company Accenture to join Mirras to bring the Free Ride to other cities around the country.

"

They recently started expanding beyond beach-only routes. Late last year, they partnered with the city of San Diego to launch FRED, Free Ride Everywhere Downtown, an e-hailing service covering about a two-mile radius within the city.

Esposito calls it a "micro-transit solution" because it fills a gap that buses, trains, yellow cabs, and even Uber and Lyft don't fill: short, free rides you can request via an app or hail from the street.

The Free Ride currently operates a fleet of 82 shuttles  all driven by Free Ride employees rather than contractors  operating throughout the Hamptons, South Florida, Southern California, and the Jersey Shore, each with its own operating hours and pre-determined route. Cars that aren't being used in one market, like New York during the winter, are either transferred to a busier market, or used for private events.

To date, the company has given 1 million free rides.
Larry graduated in 1957 from Milford Technical School with a degree in Automotive Transmission. He used his knowledge working as a mechanic at the local Chevrolet Dealership in town, continuing through three different owners  starting with Luekens, then Berners and finally Copples. Being a mechanic was not the only job he excelled at during his life. He sold bait from home, worked at Jeffs Grocery, and worked at the State Lakes Concession Stand for 10 years. Larry loved all animals and they trusted him too. A favorite story the family shared included a dog names Judd that pulled her dog house to the garage looking for Larry because kids were bothering her pups. Another special dog was Peanuts, a Dachshund. Larry always had a smile on his face and a friendly word to say to people.
McCain's office suggested in a statement last week that the senator would be out for a week recovering in Arizona. But two neurosurgeons told The Times that the typical recovery time for such a procedure was "a few weeks" or more.

That's bad news for Senate Republicans, who are delaying a vote on their healthcare bill until McCain returns to Washington. Two Republican senators, Susan Collins of Maine and Rand Paul of Kentucky, have already said they will not vote to proceed on the measure, meaning that Republicans need McCain to have a chance at reaching the necessary 50-vote threshold.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell had hoped to hold a procedural vote on the bill, the Better Care Reconciliation Act, next week.

"While John is recovering, the Senate will continue our work on legislative items and nominations, and will defer consideration of the Better Care Act," McConnell said in a statement on Saturday.
It is on the back of these, that we are pleased to introduce the TEDxYaba 2017. Themed Past, Present, Future, is dedicated curating ideas that reflect the innovations and the innovative spirit that have made Yaba an example to other cities in the country.

Collectively, our line-up of speakers will be answering questions on what innovations should be expected in the coming years and how they would impact the lives of ordinary citizens; what these interactions with technology would look like and if we should be intrigued or worried.

The role of the arts and other areas of human endeavour in this collective future would also be explored.

At the event, we will also look back at history to see what can be learnt while celebrating the present as we chart a course for the future. Would Yaba continue to grow as a technology hub or is the progress weve seen transient? What does this mean for other cities across the country and continent?

This is because as a geographical location, Yaba houses the famous technology cluster in Lagos widely regarded as Nigerias Silicon Valley. It is equally a melting pot for some of the finest innovators in the country, who in true TEDx spirit have built the ecosystem into what it is through collaboration.

It has also attracted global attention including a surprise visit by Mark Zuckerberg.

TEDxYaba 2017 is scheduled to hold as follows:

Date: 19 August, 2017

Time: 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Venue: Hall 1, Ozone Cinemas, E-Centre, Sabo, Yaba, Lagos.

Confirmed to speak at the event include Maryam Uwais (Special Adviser to the President on Social Protection), Omobola Johnson (Senior Partner, TLCom Capital/Nigerias former ICT minister), Seni Sulyman (Country Director, Andela), Judith Okonkwo (Founder, Imisi3D and organiser of Nigeria's first virtual reality hackathon), Lala Akindoju (Actress, Producer, Casting Director) Folakunle Oshun (Artistic Director, Lagos Biennial) and other speakers to be confirmed in the coming days.

TEDxYaba 2017 is a free event but registration is required. Please visit our website on www.tedxyaba.com and visit our social media pages listed below to see more details. For sponsorship and partnership details, send an email to partners@tedxyaba.com or call 08183944905 or follow the conversation on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram
According to a Facebook post by the Ikorodu Ambassadors, the suspect was allegedly caught by residents in the middle of the night with items like stones, machete, rope, and handkerchiefs, said to be the paraphernalia of the gang.

The man was stripped and beaten mercilessly and was almost set ablaze but for the intervention of some elders who insisted the youths should not take laws into their hands but to hand over the suspect to the police.

The Badoo gang has been terrorizing Ikorodu and its environs for over two years now where they have caused the deaths of many including wiping out whole families with their ingenious ways of murdering victims.

According to reports, they use grinding stones to break the heads of their victims and using the handkerchiefs to wipe the blood and brain membrane and sell the handkerchiefs to ritualists for a whopping N500,000 per piece.

As a result of this, angry youths have taken it upon themselves to fish out the members of the notorious gang and often mete out jungle justice on such suspects though many have continued to condemn such method as some innocent people have been so killed without giving the police the opportunity to carry out investigations.
Zidam was charged by The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on a count charge of trafficking Cannabis Sativa.

He pleaded guilty to the charge.

The Prosecutor, Mr Jeremiah Aernan, reviewed the facts of the case and tendered in evidence, a written statement of the convict and a request for scientific aid form.

He also tendered a test analysis form as well as the bulk remnants of the restricted narcotics.

The court accordingly, admitted and marked them as exhibits.

In her judgment, Justice Rabiu Shagari, found the convict guilty of the offence as charged.

She, consequently, sentenced him to a term of 12 months imprisonment, beginning from the date of arrest.

In the charge, the prosecution said that the convict committed the offence on May 16 at Alade Market in Ikeja, Lagos.

Aernan said that the convict was arrested with 150 grammes of hemp, a restricted narcotic similar to heroine LSD.

He said that the drug was seized from the convict while he was arrested and charged.

The offence contravenes the provisions of sections 11 of the NDLEA Act, Laws of the Federation, 2004.

Before his sentence, the convict who had no legal representation had begged court to tamper justice with mercy.
The ceremony had in attendance the Honorable Consular of China Embassy, Mr. Zhao Linxiang; the Honorable President of China& Nigeria Relations Association, Senator Yusuf Buba Yakub; The Director IC Ministry of Budget and Planning (representing the Honorable minister of Budget and National Planning), Mr. Samuel Eloho, as well as MD of Huawei Abuja Office, Mr. Li Teng.

2017 Overseas Training course on Telecommunications Technologies is a program organized by Shenzhen Association for Promoting International Economic & Technological Cooperation. The program in Nigeria is co-organized by Huawei Technologies Nigeria Ltd., which aims at expanding Nigeria ICT Officials telecom management view, promoting the development of ICT industry in Nigeria, taking the advantage of Huaweis local resources to boost ICT Talent development.

This 45 days training course (from July 17th to August 30th) will be held at Huawei Abuja Training Center. Trainees are selected from Nigeria ICT Related Governmental officials, technicians, enterprise supervisors. The course will present the lectures by using the method of theory-teaching integrated with site-visiting, arranging a series of lectures on Telecommunications Technologies of Submarine Optical Cable experience.

Main courses include: The global ICT Industry development trend, ICT new technology and hot topicsNetwork & IP & IT technology, Telecom project management practice sharing, Telecom leadership development, etc. Furthermore, this training course will also include site-visits to the well-known telecom operators in Nigeria.

Mr. Li Teng, Deputy Managing Director of Huawei Technologies Nigeria LTD., said in his speech, Huawei is honored to provide training for Ministries and Government agencies to equip participants with the skills to develop national ICT plan and improve ICT infrastructure in their various fields.

Mr. Zhao Linxiang, the Honorable Consular of China Embassy expressed in his speech that Telecommunication and ICT industry has a very important role in nowadays economy. Basically, this industry is supporting the other industries. In the age of information, the speed of convenience of information exchange decides the development of the economy. A vibrant telecommunications and ICT sector is required to drive and expand national production frontiers across all sectors of the economy. This means we should give this industry top priority.

The Director IC Ministry of Budget and Planning, Samuel Eloho emphasized the importance of ICT by saying that today you cannot survive in this world without Information and Communication technology.

Senator Yusuf Buba Yakub, chairman of Nigeria-China Relations Committee, after his visit to Huawei Abuja office said, When I went down around your building this morning, I see that most of your staffs are Nigerians. I think about 70% or so. I want to thank you for that and we want to encourage you in that part.

Finally on behalf of the Speaker of House of Representative he assures that the Nigeria Parliament will continue to make laws that will make companys operation in Nigeria very favorable without hitches.

Huawei has been continuously providing ICT trainings to Nigeria society. Partnership with the Ministry of Communication, Huawei had trained over one thousand girls ICT skills in 2014. In 2015, Huawei signed an MOU with the office of the Vice President to provide training for 2000 unemployed youth to empower them with necessary ICT skill.

This program is still ongoing and so far more than 1000 youths have taken the training.
Attah, who is also the Special Adviser to Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi on Health Matters, gave the advice in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) after a Health Walk to Mount Patti in Lokoja.

According to him, regular exercise is a discipline people should adopt to keep fit, remain strong, mentally sound and enjoy healthy living.

He said people should endeavour to engage in one exercise or the other at least once in a week or twice in a month to burn calories in the body, especially those who were heavy around the stomach area.

He added that we appreciate the governor for making it possible to secure Kogito enable us to walk up to the top of Mountain of Patti to exercise ourselves.

It was an exciting experience as we come together, irrespective of our differences,to celebrate the diversity of our cultures and get to interact with one another whilelosing calories and keeping fit.

Besides, this will also foster unity among various tribes in Kogi and getting to know ourselves better for peaceful coexistence.

I fee great, excited and happy. I believe Mount Patti is just one of the big historical and cultural monuments we have in Kogi and Nigeria.

I believe this mountain will be transformed into Dubai of Nigeria, West Africa, Africa and the world at large in the nearest future.

Many people from all walks of life came to participate in the exercise, tagged: Aerobics Jogging Walk.

Known to many as birthplace of the concept of the Nigeria project, Mount Patti is a major tourist attraction among other natural attractions Lokoja boasts of.

A plateau of about 1500 feet above sea level with a stretch of about 15 kilometres, Mount Pattiis visible from anywhere in the town, remarkable for its fertile soil, elevated view of sprawling town and neighbouring confluence.
Details are still sketchy but according to Daily Trust, the bombers detonated their explosives inside the mosque while people were observing their morning prayers.

However, the Sun newspaper is reporting that the attack was carried out by one female bomber.

ALSO READ: Civilians in the crossfire of Boko Haram and the military

According to the Daily Mail, the blast happened at about 5:30 am in the London Ciki area of Maiduguri

It was also gathered that there were other attacks in the Borno State capital.
The monarch had been suspended for allegedly faking his own abduction on July 5, 2017.

Ogundare was on Friday, July 14, paraded by the Lagos State Police Command alongside his brother, Mohammed Adams, who was an accomplice in the alleged fake kidnap.

A statement issued on Sunday, July 16, by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Muslim Folami, the governor permanently barred Ogundare from the throne.

ALSO READ: Nigerians angry after Lagos monarch humiliates Ooni of Ife (Video)

The statement said, "This is to inform the general public that Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has authorised the deposition and prosecution by police of Chief Yusuf Ogundare, Baale of Shangisha, with immediate effect.

"This is in accordance with Section 38, subsection 1, of the Obas and Chiefs Law of Lagos State.
The Ascott Limited (Ascott), has opened its first Citadines Aparthotel in Vietnam and expanded its footprint to a key tourism hub, Nha Trang. Citadines Bayfront Nha Trang is the first international-class serviced residence in the coastal city.

It offers business and leisure travellers a prime location with easy access to the Van Phong Economic Zone and local attractions, coupled with a picturesque view of the ocean and a pristine beach steps from the property.

Ms Lew Yen Ping, Ascotts Country General Manager for Vietnam, said: Vietnam is Ascotts largest market in Southeast Asia with close to 5,000 units in 23 properties. Citadines Aparthotel is our fastest growing brand globally that has won numerous accolades internationally.

Ms Lew added: Vietnam is a key growth market for Ascott and we are on track to achieve our target of 7,000 units by 2020. Demand for serviced residences remains strong as more multinational companies set up offices in the country with increasing foreign direct investment and visitors. Ascott is the largest international serviced residence owner-operator in Vietnam, and of our 23 properties, 13 are slated to open over the next four years. Somerset West Point Hanoi will soon start operations and Citadines Blue Cove Danang, our biggest property globally with 550 units, is slated to open this year.

The serviced residence has 310 units of contemporary studios and one-bedroom apartments that offer expansive sea view. Its spacious apartments come with a well-equipped kitchenette as well as separate living and dining areas. For business executives, Citadines Bayfront Nha Trang offers a ballroom, business centre, and meeting rooms. The property has recreational facilities such as swimming pools, gymnasium, residents lounge, childrens playroom, yoga room as well as an all-day dining restaurant.
This disclosure was made by the Acting General Officer Commanding, GOC 8 Task Force Division, Stevenson Olabanji, while he was visiting troops in Gudumbali village in Borno state.

According to a statement by the Task Force Division's spokesman, Timothy Antigha, Olabanji issued orders to the 118 Task Force Battalion under his division to be ready to attack the secret operational base at any time.

According to Antigha, part of what Olabanji had said included, "The tempo of ongoing clearance operations will be increased, so be prepared. You may be ordered at any time to clear the remnants of Boko Haram elements in the identified locations."
This was revealed in a press statement issued by the tax agency on Monday, July 17, 2017.

The statement revealed further that the affected firms include Charcoal and Spices Restaurant Limited, GRA, Port Harcourt, and Cioscon Nigerian Limited at 14 Aba Road, Port Harcourt.

"The leader of the FIRS enforcement team, , sealed both companies after showing a warrant of distraint to officials of the company.

"Charcoal and Spices Restaurant Limited owes N12,388,979.50 tax debt while Cioscon Nigerian Ltd has a tax liability amounting to N479,203,464.43 from 2014 to 2016 which the firm has failed to remit.

"Erinne told the defaulting firms that the companies premises will be unsealed when they clear their outstanding tax bills," the statement reads.

The statement further revealed that in Lagos, the enforcement team of the FIRS sealed Joza Global Service situated at 18, Ribadu Road, Ikoyi, Lagos over a tax debt of over N30.6 million.

ALSO READ: FIRS shuts school, hotels over tax debts in Abuja

The FIRS team also sealed-off Spog Petrochemicals Limited situated at 50d, Glover Road, Ikoyi, Lagos over a tax debt of N105.5 million.

Last week, the FIRS sealed off the premises of tax-owing companies in Abuja.
The application was filed before Justice Yusuf Halilu, who is the vacation Judge.

Turaki was arrested on charges of money laundering by EFCC at a public function on July 4 following a bench warrant the commission said it got at a Federal High Court in Dutse, Jigawa in 2014.

However, the former governor went to court to seek for enforcement of his fundamental human right arguing that the period of his detention by the EFCC had gone beyond the stipulated 48 hours provided by the constitution.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Justice Yusuf Halilu on July 13, ordered EFCC to release the former governor from its custody on bail.

Under the bail conditions Turaki was expected to present two sureties who must have a verifiable means of livelihood and must be resident within the FCT.

He was also ordered to deposit all his travel documents with the court registry and to report to EFCC every two weeks for signing of a register that would be opened for him.

However, the EFCC filed a motion on July 14 asking the court to set aside the bail it granted to him.

According to EFCC, the bail condition is too liberal and that the matter is already before the Abuja Federal High Court as at the time the court granted the bail.

In an application filed on his behalf by Mrs Regina Okotie-Eboh of Rickey Tarfa Chambers, Turaki is praying the court to jail Magu for disobeying its order.

He is also praying the court to compel the commission to release him from custody and rule that it has jurisdiction to hear the matter.
Eke who spoke on Monday in Abakaliki in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said the planned closure was part of efforts to clean up the education sector.

He said that the state government was committed to promoting qualitative education for the Ebonyi child, and stressed that the Ministry of Education was compiling the list of such schools.

He added that the fight against the existence of illegal and substandard schools in the state would be sustained in order to secure an enduring future for the children.

The commissioner said it was criminal for anyone to establish and operate a school in the state without going through the laid down procedure for obtaining approval.

It is the licence that you validly secure from the ministry of education as a school proprietor that qualifies you to open and operate a school in the state."

We are not in a lawless state. There is law and order which moderate the behaviour and actions of individuals."

It is therefore against the law of the state to establish and operate any school, including nursery, primary and secondary, without an enabling licence issued by the ministry, he said.

Eke, however, commended the participation of private individuals and corporate bodies, including the church, in providing education in the state.

The commissioner urged them to ensure that they complied with the extant laws for establishing schools.

He said that it was the inalienable right of the child to have access to quality education, adding that private schools must provide environment conducive for proper teaching and learning.

School business is not like the normal business where the owner has a mindset of profit maximisation. It goes beyond that."

The school is a place for character molding where the totality of the live of the child including the mental, emotional, spiritual, social and cultural aspects, are shaped."

That is why we are being careful while screening applications for issuance of operational licences for prospective school proprietors."

We also carry out periodic review through monitoring and evaluation of schools to ensure that they are complying with the set standards, he said.

He urged those operating schools without genuine licences as well as those intending to open new ones, to obtain the necessary guidelines from the ministry of education.
By virtue of the power it has, Google regularly puts out various kinds of apps to help make life that much more fun and efficient. The problems with todays world is that most of those apps go under the radar and most people never know about them.
Since the introduction of pharmaceutical drugs, Natures medicine has been under siege. There is an evergreen urge from pharmaceutical company lobbyists through lawmakers and regulatory bodies, to deprive citizens of the benefits of herbal supplements.

This bias conflict is well known in the United States of America.

However, down here in Africa, Drug-company front groups have launched slanderous media campaigns to discredit the value of healthy lifestyles.

The continuous interference with those who offer natural products that compete with prescription drugs is apparent.

Be that as it may, it is important to state here that if we pool the knowledge from diverse traditions, we will have a cure for just about every illness known to man.

Here are five reasons why Agbo should be preferred to unorthodox medicine

1. It has a miraculous effect

The effectiveness of Agbo is miraculous. And this is with regards to typhoid; malaria, dysentery, headache, waist pain, rheumatism e.t.c.

On the average, it takes days for most orthodox drugs to suppress (suppress not heal) the symptoms of the ailment, only for the ailment to become immune to the drugs with time; as it is now the case with quinine.

But with Agbo, the mixture simply works like magic.

As a matter of fact, words will fail to describe the healing capacity of Agbo. A firsthand experience is all you need to make you an adherent.

2. It is easily affordable

Unlike most pharmaceutical drugs that can be quite expensive upon prescription, Agbo is not only cheap; it is also easily affordable.

With two hundred naira, a complete day dose can be well enjoyed. And the stress of going through the denseness of our public health centres is bypassed.

Don't even think of trying the privates if your income is not encouraging.

3. With Agbo, there's no fear for fake or expiration

There used to be a time in the media when the destruction of fake drugs was always the headline. But today it seems like everything is fine.

The truth is, as a result of the porosity in our market the numbers of fake drug dealers are on the increase; making it possible for more fake drugs to flood the system.

Expired drugs are re-packaged and sold; as fake ones are continuously mixed with the originals.

But with Agbo, there is no fear for fake or whether it has expired. The originality of the mixture is assuring, and its life span is evergreen.

4. There is little or zero cases of side effect

I have a friend that was admitted after taking one of the trending malaria drugs. The side effect was not good at all.

And that, of course, was not the first case. Series of similar cases have been reported.

However, with Agbo, there is no question of side effect.

5. It is a gift from Nature

Life on earth can to some extent be described as warfare. And Nature is not ignorant of this fact.

All the illness there is to suffer from is known to Nature and within her lays their remedy.

Agbo is Natures gift to its own. And like every other gift from Nature, they cannot be compared to the creation of man. They are hundred times better the imitative products of science.
It brings together two right-wingers enamoured of US President Donald Trump and with a disdain for the left-leaning liberal global order bankrolled, as they see it, by the likes of Soros, the US financier and philanthropist.

Netanyahu, fresh from a contentious visit to France, will on Wednesday meet premiers of the Visegrad Group -- Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic plus Hungary -- that has been increasingly at odds with the rest of the EU.

"All these states are very pro-Israel," , an expert on eastern Europe at Tel Aviv university, told AFP. "They vote in our favour at the European Union and the United Nations."

Netanyahu's trip to Hungary, the first by an Israeli prime minister since the end of communism in 1989, comes with tempers flaring over Orban's campaign vilifying the Hungarian-born billionaire Soros.

Posters attacking him for his alleged support of mass immigration -- some daubed with "Stinking Jew" graffiti -- have further upset Hungary's over 100,000-strong Jewish community, one of Europe's largest.

They have often accused Orban, in power since 2010, of turning a blind eye to anti-Semitism or even encouraging it with nationalist rhetoric that analysts say is aimed at staving off a rise in for the far-right, a charge the 54-year-old denies.

Whitewashing

Recently Orban also praised Miklos Horthy, Hungary's wartime leader and Hitler ally until 1944, as an "exceptional statesman" for rebuilding Hungary after World War I.

Critics have long suspected Orban of trying to rehabilitate Horthy, who oversaw the sending of over a half million Jews to the Nazi death camps, by tacitly encouraging new memorials of Horthy and other interwar figures.

In 2014, Hungary's biggest Jewish organisation Mazsihisz boycotted state commemorations of the 70th anniversary of the 1944 deportations over concerns the government was "whitewashing" the state's complicity.

But Orban is at pains to stress his "zero tolerance" of anti-Semitism, his supporters pointing to a new law outlawing Holocaust denial and state funding for Jewish-themed films like Oscar-winner "Son of Saul".

"No government has done more to fight anti-Semitism in Hungary," his spokesman said in a blog post on Thursday.

A million migrants

Soros, who hid from the Nazis in Budapest as a boy, said that the posters, plastered nationwide, used "anti-Semitic imagery".

His spokesman said they were "reminiscent of Europe's darkest hours". The head of Mazsihisz called the campaign "poisonous".

Orban insisted they were not about the 86-year-old's Jewishness but the "national security risk" posed by his wish to "settle a million migrants" in the European Union.

Orban's government is also making life difficult for the prestigious Central European University in Budapest, created by Soros, and for civil organisations he funds -- prompting EU legal action.

Netanyahu, 67, whose relations with the EU are strained too, is also scornful about Soros because of his support for both Israeli and Palestinian rights groups critical of Israel's government and the occupation.

Some in Israel called for Netanyahu to cancel his Hungary trip because of the posters -- which will be down by the time he arrives -- with Israel's ambassador saying it "evokes sad memories (and) sows hatred and fear".

But hours later, a foreign ministry statement backtracked -- reportedly at Netanyahu's behest.

While Israel "deplores" anti-Semitism, Soros "continuously undermines Israel's democratically elected governments by funding organisations that defame the Jewish state and seek to deny it the right to defend itself," it said.

"Connecting Soros to the migration issue is the (Hungarian) government's aim, but it is a problem for Orban if the campaign is seen as anti-Semitic," political analyst Csaba Toth told AFP.
The inferno's progress prompted authorities to take new emergency measures, ordering the evacuation of 24,000 people in the region including the town of Williams Lake which is home to some 11,000 people, reported public broadcaster CBC.

Some 60 percent of affected residents have already left their homes.

The province's transport minister, Todd Stone, told a news conference Sunday that between 36,000 and 37,000 people have so far been forced from their homes since the wild fires sparked by hot dry weather prompted a state of emergency to be declared on July 7.

Local authorities said there were currently 162 wildfires active as of Sunday, including around 15 that posed a threat to residential areas. Some 3,000 firefighters, including 415 sent in from surrounding provinces, were battling the flames.

A firefighting helicopter crashed in the region on Saturday, and its pilot -- who was alone on board -- was being treated in hospital.

Further to the south, fire crews equipped with aircraft in the US state of California were making steady progress against 11 active blazes fueled by searing temperatures and high winds.

"Great news! All evacuation warnings for the #AlamoFire have been lifted. There is fire equipment still in the area working - use caution," the official account for Cal Fire tweeted.
In Finland, Finavias airports have attracted a record number of passengers this year. In the first half of 2017, there were in total of 10,958,075 passengers. This represents a 7.9% growth when compared to the previous year.

International passenger volumes at our airports grew by more than 10% between January and June, with a growth of around 2% in the number of domestic passengers. The growth continued to accelerate further in the second quarter in comparison to the first. The developments we are seeing are mainly due to the rising number of Asian and other international passengers travelling through our airport, says Kari Savolainen, CEO at Finavia.

In the second quarter, the number of international passengers reached around 4.4 million (+12.6% compared to Q2 2016). Around 3.2 million of these passengers remained in Finland (+10.3% compared to Q2 2016) while around 1.3 million transfer passengers travelled onward to other destinations (+19.0% compared to Q2 2016).

Helsinki Airport, the largest of Finavias 21 airports, recorded a total of 9,034,244 passengers in the first quarter of 2017. This represents 8.6% growth year-on-year. The passenger numbers in both the first and second quarter exceed the previous years performance. In fact, the first half of 2017 was the busiest ever at Helsinki Airport.

At Helsinki Airport, the rapid growth in the number of passengers from Asia, up by 12.8% compared to H1 2016, is among other things due to additional flights from Japan and Hong Kong and the overall rise in the number of international transfer passengers.

The number of passengers connecting on to another international flight at Helsinki Airport grew by a staggering 23.3% when compared with Q2 2016. The success is above all due to Helsinki Airports status as the best globally-connected airport in Northern Europe.

We have been working hard at Helsinki Airport to achieve this growth in passenger numbers, both in terms of supporting our carrier clients and improving the services we offer. We are in the midst of a EUR 900 million development programme that will allow us to provide services for the 20 million air passengers we expect to see annually by 2020. We just introduced our new south pier on Monday, which will serve long-haul and transfer passengers in particular. Our goal is to retain our strong position in the competition for international air traffic, explains Savolainen.

In the second quarter, passenger numbers at Helsinki Airport were up by 10.8% compared with the same period in the previous year. At Finlands second largest airport in Oulu, passenger volume was down 16.6% due to a runway refurbishment. This allowed Kemi-Tornio Airport in Lapland to increase traffic by 78.1%. In Lapland, Kittila Airport also achieved a more than 70% year-on-year increase in passenger volumes in the second quarter of 2017.

Europe continued to hold the top spot for passenger numbers, although the number of passengers from Asia exceeded one million for the first time in the first half of the year (+12.7% compared to H1 2016.) The increase in passenger numbers on routes to Asia amounted to 19.5% in the second quarter of 2017 compared with the same time period in the previous year.

International freight volumes remained steady, while the volume of international postal deliveries grew. By contrast, domestic freight and postal traffic fell significantly when compared to last year. In the six-month review, freight and postal traffic in total was down less than 1% from the previous year.
Kotzias is to meet President Nicos Anastasiades and attend a national council meeting of Greek Cypriot party political leaders on the way forward at a time when the negotiations seem dead in the water.

The Greek Cypriot side will also discuss whether a change in strategy is needed and see what can be done to overcome the impasse in efforts to end more than 40-years of division.

"This is within the framework of coordination between Athens and Nicosia for the next steps and, more specifically, (the presence of the Greek foreign minister) concerns our approach on security and guarantees," Cyprus government spokesman Nicos Christodoulides told reporters on Monday.

The talks between Anastasiades and his Turkish Cypriot counterpart Mustafa Akinci broke down in the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana on July 6 after the United Nations failed to broker a compromise deal on a new security arrangement for a post-solution Cyprus.

Greece wanted to end the right of intervention on Cyprus it holds with Britain and Turkey, while Nicosia was also pushing for a withdrawal of Turkish troops on the Mediterranean island and EU member state.

The talks in Switzerland failed to overcome these obstacles, leaving a UN-led push that ran for more than two years -- the latest in a long list of aborted bids to find an elusive settlement -- in limbo.

Since the talks collapsed, Greece and Turkey have entered into a war of words over who was to blame, while Anastasiades has indicated he is willing to continue where negotiations left off.

But there is no sign the United Nations is willing to revive the process as this stage.

UN mediator Espen Barth Eide is to brief the Security Council on Wednesday, a day before the 43rd anniversary of the Turkish invasion of northern Cyprus, on the failure of the talks.

The briefing in New York comes ahead of a vote, scheduled for July 24, on the future of the UN peacekeeping force deployed on the island since 1964 following intercommunal violence.

The eastern Mediterranean island has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded its northern third in response to an Athens-inspired coup seeking union with Greece.
Lisa Dupuy and 11 wardens working for the Okapi Wildlife Reserve (RFO) -- a vast conservation park in northeastern DR Congo -- were abducted on Friday by the Mai-Mai Simba militia group.

"The American journalist .. was found safe and sound at around 3 am on Sunday" by government troops, Pacifique Keta, vice governor of Ituri province, told AFP.

"The outcome of the military operation has not yet been established, because the army is still at work," Keta said.

In Washington, a US State Department official said: "We are aware of reports that the US citizen reported kidnapped in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has been found safe.

"The US Department of State has no higher priority than the protection of US citizens overseas," the official added, citing privacy concerns in giving no further comment.

A senior official with the Congolese Institute for the Conservation of Nature (ICCN), speaking on condition of anonymity, also confirmed the journalist was safe.

"However, four of our wardens and a civilian who was working as a tracker were killed in clashes," the official said.

"The army also killed bandits, but I don't know how many."

A former Belgian colony, the DR Congo is a vast country rich in minerals and timber but wracked by decades of war and poverty.

The east of the country is especially troubled. It has been gripped by more than 20 years of armed conflict among domestic and foreign groups, fuelled by struggle for control of lucrative resources as well as ethnic and property disputes.

'Serious crime'

The Mai-Mai Simba are self-described "self-defence" militia groups drawn from the Nande, Hunde and Kobo communities as well as rivals from the Nyaturu, who represent ethnic Hutus.

Many of these groups were armed during the DR Congo's second civil war -- a conflict that ran from 1998-2003 -- to fight incursion by Rwandan or Ugandan combatants, and have never been disarmed.

The RFO, a World Heritage site, covers nearly 14,000 square kilometres (5,400 square miles), protecting much of the Ituri forest near the borders with South Sudan and Uganda.

The park is notably home to the okapi, an endangered zebra-like species that is a cousin of the giraffe. Some 5,000 okapis live here, a sixth of the total population of 30,000 estimated to be in the wild.

The reserve has 101 recorded mammal species, 376 types of bird as well as the Ituri and Epulu waterfalls.

Divided into specified two zones, the first covering 2,820 square kilometres is where hunting is entirely banned while in the second covering 9,500 sq km only hunting by traditional methods is allowed.

On June 24, 2012, the Mai-Mai Simba were accused of having killed 15 okapis which had lived on the reserve since 1987, an incident which was considered a "serious crime". The reserve protects 20 percent of the Ituri forest.
The incident on Warraq island in Cairo came amid a government campaign to remove encroachments from state property and land, an interior ministry statement said.

A health ministry statement said one man was killed and 19 people were injured, and the interior ministry said 37 policemen and eviction workers were hurt in the clashes.

A large force that had headed to the island was met by "some of the encroachers who gathered to protest against the implementation of the removal orders," the interior ministry said.

The police arrested 10 people, the ministry said.

It said protesters fired birdshot and threw stones at officers, prompting police to use tear gas to disperse them.

The force was accompanying "a large number of senior officials from and the ministries of agriculture, irrigation and religious endowments" which own land on Warraq, the interior ministry said.

It said Sunday's operation involved about 700 removal orders.

The delegation also planned to study legalising some current land ownership on the island.

Witnesses including a former head of the island's municipality told AFP they had not received advance warning about the move.

In May, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi ordered a campaign to recover state-owned land which had been encroached upon.
The man was identified as Xiyue Wang, a 37-year-old researcher at Princeton University, according to Mizanonline, the official news agency of Iran's judiciary.

Mizanonline said he was part of "an infiltration project" aimed at gathering "highly confidential articles" for several US and British institutions, including Princeton, the US State Department, Harvard's Kennedy School and the British Institute for Persian Studies.

"Before his arrest he was able to digitally archive 4,500 pages of the country's documents, while under covert surveillance," said Mizanonline.

The confidential documents were said to be taken from "research and cultural archives" and "the libraries of some state organisations".

Mizanonline published an excerpt from a British Institute of Persian Studies annual report, in which Wang thanked its librarian for helping him make contact with academics in Iran.

The report claimed this as "proof" Wang was on a covert mission, although the quote shows Wang was openly trying to work with academics to access a number of official archives in Tehran and Mashhad.

The US State Department later issued a statement confirming it was "aware of reports regarding Xiyue Wang, a US citizen detained in Iran" -- phrasing that is normally read as a confirmation.

'Unjustly detained'

It added: "We continue to use all the means at our disposal to advocate for US citizens who need our assistance overseas especially for the release of any unjustly detained US citizens held overseas."

"We call for the immediate release of all US citizens unjustly detained in Iran so they can return to their families."

In January, Tehran's chief prosecutor said as many as 70 "spies" were serving sentences in the city's prisons, but the identities of only a handful have been made public.

Most are thought to be Iranians who hold another passport from Europe or the United States.

In October, US-Iranian business consultant Siamak Namazi and his 80-year-old father Baquer, a former UNICEF official, were given 10 years in prison for "espionage and collaboration with the American government".

Washington has repeatedly called for their release and also for Tehran's cooperation in the case of Robert Levinson, a former FBI agent who disappeared in Iran in 2007.

The news comes amid tensions between the two countries as President Donald Trump and Congress have taken increasingly harsh positions against Tehran.

Trump has promised to tear up the 2015 nuclear deal struck between Iran and world powers including the United States that lifted some sanctions in return for curbs on Tehran's nuclear programme.

In mid-June, the American Senate backed new sanctions against Iran, denouncing the Islamic republic's "continued support of terrorism". The bill must be passed by the House of Representatives.

The new restrictions impose mandatory sanctions on people involved with Iran's ballistic missile programme and those that transact with them.
Protesters waved EU and Polish flags and shouted "we will defend democracy" at an afternoon demonstration in front of the parliament, which this week passed legislation that critics say gives the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party power over the courts.

Participants called PiS leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski a "dictator" and held up signs with slogans such as "duck off" in reference to the similarity of his last name to the Polish word for duck.

Police estimated the crowd at 4,500 people, while the city authorities said there were more than 10,000 protesters at the demonstration, organised by the KOD pro-democracy movement, which is critical of the governing conservatives' policies on courts as well as other areas such as media and education.

Later on Sunday, the Iustitia association of Polish judges held its own protest in front of the Supreme Court, where 17,000 people according to the city held up candles and called out in favour of "free courts".

"This whole set of (judicial) bills is a scandal," said Agnieszka Janczarska, a 39-year-old lawyer in Warsaw who attended both demonstrations.

"It's a destruction of the fundamental principles of a democratic state, namely the separation of powers," she told AFP.

'Coup'

The two main opposition leaders, Grzegorz Schetyna from the Civic Platform (PO) and Ryszard Petru from the Modern party, said at the afternoon rally that they would join forces to fight against the reforms.

Poles also rallied in other cities across Poland including Krakow, Szczecin and Wroclaw.

Earlier this week the parliament adopted a bill that gives the minister of justice the power to name the chief justices of the EU member's common courts.

Lawmakers also passed a second bill that states that from now on the parliament -- which is controlled by the conservative PiS party -- will choose the members of the National Council of the Judiciary (KRS), whose role is to protect the independence of courts.

"We're implementing good changes for Poles, for those who are waiting for a well-functioning system of justice," senate speaker Stanislaw Karczewski, a PiS member, told reporters.

The PiS also tabled a separate bill in parliament on Thursday that would subjugate the Supreme Court -- which supervises lower courts -- to executive power, in a move the opposition slammed as "the announcement of a coup".

Under the proposed bill, the current Supreme Court justices will be forced to retire, with the exception of those named by the justice minister, who would also be responsible for selecting candidates to succeed the retired judges.
Orania was created by Afrikaners on private land in 1991 ahead of the dawn of democracy and its residents are mostly white farmers or traders. The town maintains its unique racial makeup by vetting and interviewing prospective residents.

If Orania's audacious plan goes ahead as expected, the "e-ora" will enter the world of virtual currencies -- although it's still a far cry from the likes of cyber-money giant Bitcoin.

Strictly speaking the ora is not a full currency, but serves as a token or voucher.

It was introduced in 2004 to promote local spending, with users enjoying discounts when they use the local coupons.

Although Orania does not insist on payments in ora, the town profits from every sale of its currency by holding the deposited rands in an interest-bearing account.

The ora is not officially sanctioned by the South African Reserve Bank, but residents can currently exchange South African rands for physical ora at the town's self-styled "central bank" at a rate of one-to-one.

By going electronic, Orania -- where 97 percent of residents are white compared to just one in 10 nationwide -- will take its first steps into the booming world of digital cash.

The market for virtual currencies is thought to be worth billions of dollars, but critics argue they help drug and arms dealers and people traffickers.

"What we plan to do is to digitise the existing physical ora and replace it with an electronic one," said Dawie Roodt, chief economist at the Efficient Group, a financial consultancy hoping to help the town reduce the transaction costs of the paper ora.

"If you can reduce the cost of the transaction, you can boost economic activity quite substantially."

'Significant technological changes'

The paper vouchers will continue to circulate alongside the cyber cash, but unlike the physical "banknotes", the e-currency will have no expiry date.

"There are significant technological changes taking place in the financial space -- like Bitcoin," said Roodt.

If everything goes to plan, Orania could have the electronic ora in circulation as soon as mid-August.

It is hoped that the virtual cash will reduce the costs of printing the physical notes, as well as expanding the range of goods and services using the ora -- helping to grow the local economy.

"I'm a young guy, I'm used to mainly doing online banking and the advantages that come with that. So if I can go further and build my own economy with that, I definitely welcome that," Orania Movement's James Kemp, 35, told AFP.

It was the Afrikaners who formed the backbone of the National Party that introduced apartheid, and many South Africans regard Orania's residents as little more than latter-day bittereinders -- a term used for Boer War holdouts -- who rage against today's majority rule.

But residents maintain the town is not racist, arguing that Orania is the best way of preserving Afrikaner culture and language and offers a safe sanctuary from crime-ridden neighbourhoods.

Physical ora banknotes feature the town's emblem and an expiry date on one side and advertising space for sale to local businesses on the reverse and are often acquired as a souvenir by visitors to the town.
A total of 298 trees have been planted in the shape of a green ribbon, one for each of the victims who died on board the Malaysia Airlines flight en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur.

Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima will join government and international officials at a solemn ceremony to dedicate the memorial in the park of Vijfhuizen, close to Schiphol airport in Amsterdam where the flight took off from on July 17, 2014.

The names of all the 298 passengers and crew killed in the disaster will be read out by their families, and 17 local children will lay flowers.

While most of the victims were Dutch, there were 17 nationalities on board including Australians, Britons, Malaysians and Indonesians.

"A tree symbolises 'hope' and 'future' in many cultures," the victims families association said in a statement.

"We not only want to honour the MH17 victims, but also want to create a place where everyone can keep their memories of the 298 passengers alive."

Funded by donations, the project was designed by artist Ronald A. Westerhuis and landscape architect Robbert de Koning after it was chosen out of three proposals by relatives in late 2015.

'Never forget'

As the third anniversary of the tragedy dawns, no suspects have been arrested although it was announced this month that any trials will be held in The Netherlands.

About 100 people are wanted in connection with the disaster, after Dutch-led investigators concluded the plane was shot down by a Russian-made BUK missile transported from Russia into areas held by pro-Russian rebels.

The trees in the memorial will be surrounded by sunflowers, which bloom in July, and will "radiate a golden glow" over the trees, the foundation said.

The flowers also represent "the sunflower fields in eastern Ukraine where some parts of the plane wreckage were found".

Each of the trees bears the name of one of the victims. And at the heart of the forest of 11 different tree varieties is a steel memorial shaped like an eye, turned upwards looking at the skies.

One apple tree has been dedicated to 16-year-old Gary, from Rotterdam, whose body has still not yet been identified.

"It's nice to think that he has a tree, since we have not received his body. We don't want Gary to be forgotten. We don't want any of the 298 victims to be forgotten," his father Jan Slok, told the daily AD newspaper.

The 16-metre-long steel eyebrow above the eye represents "the burden of the loss," the Trouw daily said, adding with time it will rust, a symbol of the slow passage of pain. The victims' names are also engraved in the pupil of the eye.
"Countrywide, Iraqis perceived to have links with Daesh are being increasingly subjected to evictions, confiscation of homes, and other retribution and revenge measures," he said. Daesh is an Arabic acronym for IS.

The United Nations has asked Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to take "urgent steps" to halt the evictions and other vindictive acts.

On July 9, Iraq declared victory in its nine-month military campaign to retake Mosul from the Islamic State, which seized the country's second-largest city in June 2014.

Nearly one million people were displaced during the military operation that left the city in ruins.

Kubis said that the defeat of IS in Mosul "should not conceal the fact that the road ahead is extremely challenging," with the militant group still in control of territory in at least three governorates.

The rise of IS in Mosul is seen as linked to deep-seated resentment among Sunni Muslims against the Shiite majority.

Kubis praised the marjaiya, the supreme council of Iraq's Shiite clerics, who stressed in their victory sermons the need to "remedy the longstanding problems" and warned against resorting to more violence.

Turning to the decision by the Kurdistan region of Iraq to hold a referendum on independence in September, the UN envoy urged both sides to enter into negotiations.

These should address the status of Kirkuk, budgetary issues, oil and revenue sharing, among other areas, said Kubis.

"The absence of a meaningful political dialogue could turn a conflict of interests into a different kind of conflict," he warned.

In a joint statement adopted last week, the Security Council called for a redoubled focus on reconciliation, the safe return of the displaced and accountability for crimes.
Arrested at a lakeside resort in Guatemala in April, he denies the federal and state corruption charges he faces in Mexico.

Duarte, 43, is one of six Mexican ex-governors under arrest for corruption, fraud, money laundering or racketeering.

Five of the six are current or former members of the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI).

Prosecutors accuse Duarte of involvement in organized crime and a "complex scheme" of illegal financial transactions.

At his extradition hearings in Guatemala, they presented evidence that he set up shell companies, made dodgy real estate deals and bought a yacht in the United States.

Duarte's lawyer, Carlos Velasquez, called the case against his client "political persecution."

Sporting a bushy beard at his extradition hearings, the portly Duarte grinned for the cameras and put on a show for journalists outside the court, telling them: "My Uber is here.... Don't trip over yourselves, I'll go slowly so you can take my picture."

He had shaved his beard and was straight-faced as police escorted him Monday in a bullet-proof vest and handcuffs to the small jet flying him back to Mexico.

Violent crime skyrocketed in Veracruz under Duarte.

The state became one of the most violent in Mexico, registering more than 4,500 murders -- including those of 21 journalists -- and more than 200 disappearances.

The scandals involving Mexican ex-governors led to the PRI losing five governorships last year, and have badly damaged the party heading into presidential elections next year.
The 90-second video, shot in moody monochrome, presented a dystopia in which Raila Odinga, the leading opposition candidate, wins the August vote and plunges the nation into a violent and inept dictatorship.

Under this scenario, tribes would be set against one another while terrorists run riot. "Stop Raila, Save Kenya. The Future of Kenya is in Your Hands," the video said.

East Africa's largest economy holds its general election on August 8, a decade after disputed poll results fuelled violence that left more than 1,100 dead and hundreds of thousands displaced.

It is unclear who is behind last week's slick video or "The Real Raila", the shadowy pro-government outfit that disseminated it.

But some on Kenya's vibrant social media networks were quick to blame Cambridge Analytica (CA), a company credited with using its data mining and psychological profiling techniques to help swing recent votes in the United States and Britain.

In May, local press reported President Uhuru Kenyatta's Jubilee campaign had hired CA. A spokesman, Nick Fievet, declined to comment on CA's possible work in Kenya but said it had "no connection" with the attack video.

'It can lead to war'

With 7.1 million Facebook users and an estimated two-thirds of Kenya's 45 million people able to access the internet, there is a critical mass of people leaving an increasingly detailed trail of information about their fears and preferences -- a rich resource for those seeking to influence voting choices.

"Here it can lead to war," said John Githongo, a veteran anti-corruption campaigner. "The wrong video, the wrong information, it can go out of control."

Githongo believes both government and opposition seek to use the new techniques, only the ruling party is more effective. "Jubilee has been way ahead from the very beginning."

CA worked on Kenyatta's last campaign in 2013 -- devised by PR company BTP Advisers -- to paint Kenyatta and his running mate William Ruto as victims of a Western imperialist plot to try them at the International Criminal Court for politically motivated tribal violence.

"We made the election a choice about whether Kenyans would decide their own future or have it dictated to them by others," said a statement by London-based BTP, which is reportedly working with Kenyatta and Ruto again this year.

Data collection

According to its website, CA "designed and implemented the largest political research project ever conducted in East Africa" ahead of the 2013 vote to hone a campaign based on voters' desires for jobs and fears of "tribal violence".

It also "segmented the Kenyan population into key target audiences".

Now there are fears data will be swept up and used to create psychological profiles of voters so that specific messages can be tailored to specific voters.

Frederike Kaltheuner, a policy officer at data advocacy group Privacy International, is worried by the "lack of any kind of data protection framework" in Kenya.

"There are concerns about the integrity of data in Kenya. Who would have access to it? Who is storing it? Do people even know what is being collected about them? None of these questions are being answered," she said.

Others are concerned about what happens when you seek to segment a society for electoral purposes where already politicians' primary appeals are to their ethnic constituents.

"There are very strong communities in Kenya and that's exactly the kind of situation present where you can start to drive different conversations about the election in different sub-communities," said Paul-Olivier Dehaye, a Swiss mathematician and data activist who has studied CA's techniques.

"We've seen it with and the US election, and the same can be done in Kenya, or elsewhere that there's a lot of fragmentation already."

Fake news, trolls and bots

"Fake news", a term that dominates political discourse in the United States, has already made itself felt in Kenya's election

Jeffrey Smith, executive director of the US-based Vanguard Africa, an organisation promoting free and fair elections, has been under attack since he invited Odinga to the United States in March to meet policymakers.

Soon afterwards fake letters -- complete with Vanguard's company header and Smith's forged signature -- began to circulate on Kenyan social media purporting to reveal efforts to rig Kenya's election for Odinga.

Smith then started suffering at the hands of trolls.

"At least once a week I'll wake up and have hundreds of Twitter notifications from accounts that are clearly bots and trolls tweeting in a coordinated manner, posting the same bogus and entirely false information over and over again," Smith said.

Data scientist Timothy Oriedo, founder of consulting company Vault Global, acknowledges the growing importance of the online battleground but says old-style tactics still play a key role.
Thai Airways will launch flights between Bangkok and Vienna. The new schedule flights from Thai capital to Austrias capital will start from November 16, 2017. The Thai airline will operate four weekly flights on this route, deploying a Boeing B777-200ER aircraft.

We are very pleased to welcome Thai Airways, a multiple award-winning Star Alliance carrier, to Vienna Airport. We are proud to be able to expand our offering of long-haul fight connections in the winter flight schedule to 83 frequencies per week. This comprises a success of our growth strategy and an important step in the very good cooperation we have with Thai Airways, says Julian Jager, Member of the Management Board of Flughafen Wien AG, commenting on the new flight connection.

From Vienna to more than 70 global destinations via Bangkok

A Boeing B777-200ER with a capacity of 292 seats will take off on the Vienna-Bangkok route every Monday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. The flights will leave Bangkok at 1:30 a.m. and land at 7 a.m. local time in Vienna. The return flight from Vienna will depart at 1:30 p.m. and arrive in the Thai capital at 5:20 a.m. local time.

Thai Airways started flying to destinations in Asia in 1960.It already regularly served Vienna in the period 1988 to 1993. The airline employs a staff of about 26,000 people worldwide and transports approx. 22 million passengers each year. At present Thai Airways boasts a fleet of 96 aircraft. The route network not only includes Bangkok but twelves destinations in Thailand and more than 70 destinations across the globe. Thanks to optimal transfer times, passengers can conveniently reach connecting flights to Asia, Australia and New Zealand. Thai Airways comfortably connects people to the economic and finance hubs in Asia as well as the dreamy beaches and tourist highlights of the reach, enabling them to reach their destinations in a relaxed manner.
Speaking near the former site of the Velodrome d'Hiver, the indoor cycle track from which the Jews were deported in 1942, Macron said: "It is indeed France that organised" the roundup. "Not a single German" took part.

Netanyahu's presence at the ceremony sparked controversy, with the Union of French Jews for Peace (UJFP) calling the invitation "shocking" and "unacceptable".

The UJFP accused the Israeli government of "usurping the memory of the victims of Nazism to make people believe that Israel represents all the world's Jews".

The ceremony recalled the day when officials of the Vichy regime in Nazi-occupied France began rounding up 13,152 Jews and taking them to the Velodrome d'Hiver, an indoor cycle track in Paris.

Fewer than 100 of those who were detained at the so-called Vel d'Hiv and then sent to the Nazi death camps survived.

Macron was the fourth French president to accept blame for France's role in the deportations -- which totalled more than 75,000 -- since Jacques Chirac first did so in 1995.

"Time does its work," Macron said. "Archives open (and) the truth comes out. It's stark, irrevocable. It imposes itself on us all," Macron said of one of the darkest chapters in France's wartime history.

In a clear reference to far-right leader Marine Le Pen, the rival he defeated in May, Macron denounced "politicians who are prepared to reverse the truth".

Le Pen had insisted during the campaign that today's France could not be held accountable for the Vichy regime's actions.

'Special heroism'

Netanyahu hailed the "special heroism" of the French resistance to the Nazis, praising the "noble French citizens who at great risk to their own lives" saved thousands more Jews from perishing in the death camps where at least six million would die overall between 1941 and 1945.

"For the sacred honour of those who perished... let us remember the past, let us secure tomorrow," he said.

"The strength of Israel is that it is the one certain guarantee that the Jewish people will never undergo a Holocaust again."

Among other critics of Netanyahu's presence was former Israeli ambassador to France, Elie Barnavi, who told AFP it made him "a little uneasy".

Barnavi, now a Peace Now activist advocating a two-state solution to end the Middle East conflict, added: "This story has nothing to do with Israel."

Netanyahu, the first Israeli prime minister to attend a Vel d'Hiv commemoration, said the invitation was a "very, very strong gesture" that underscored the longstanding friendship between France and Israel.

'Dear Bibi'

Macron addressed Netanyahu as "dear Bibi" and called "anti-Zionism" a new form of anti-Semitism.

Among Sunday's other speakers were prominent French Nazi hunter Serge Klarsfeld and Pierre-Francois Veil, son of Holocaust survivor and rights icon Simone Veil, who died late last month aged 89.

Several members of the group Sons and Daughters of the Deported Jews of France attended, wearing yellow badges recalling the yellow stars that Jews were forced to wear on their lapels during the occupation.

Netanyahu's visit was the first since he joined a massive march attended by numerous world leaders in solidarity with the victims of the January 2015 terror attacks on the Charlie Hebdo satirical magazine and a Jewish supermarket.

In talks later Sunday, Macron urged a resumption of long-stalled Middle East peace talks and reiterated France's opposition to Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory.

Saying international law should be "respected by all," Macron added: "Here I am thinking of continued (Israeli) building" of settlements.

Macron met Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas on Wednesday, when he reaffirmed both France's support for a two-state solution and its opposition to the settlements.

Also Sunday, the French leader assured Netanyahu that Paris was not "complacent" towards Israel's arch-foe Iran, pledging France's "vigilance" regarding the 2015 nuclear accord reached by Western powers with Iran.
There are no votes to spare in the contentious effort to pass a new health care reform bill through Congress, where Republican leaders are desperate to fulfill President Donald Trump's campaign pledge to dismantle the 2010 reforms of his predecessor Barack Obama.

So when McCain, 80, announced that doctors in Phoenix removed a five-centimeter (two-inch) blood clot above his eye -- a procedure that experts told US media might be more serious than initially thought -- Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he would "defer" the upcoming vote on the bill by at least a week.

Republicans hold 52 of the chamber's 100 seats. With Democrats united against the new health care bill, and two Republicans -- one conservative and one moderate -- already declaring their opposition, McConnell cannot afford to lose a single vote.

Several others in the party have expressed reservations about the legislation, leaving it hanging by a thread just weeks before the Senate decamps for its summer recess -- a break already delayed in a bid to wrangle support for the controversial plan.

Senate leadership held to the idea that a vote was forthcoming.

"I believe as soon as we have a full contingent of senators, that we'll have that vote," number two Senate Republican John Cornyn told NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday.

But questions swirled Monday about just how much recovery time is needed for such surgery, in which doctors performed a craniotomy, an opening of the skull in order to access tissue or blood near the brain.

While McCain's office said he will be recuperating in Arizona this week, neurosurgeons told The New York Times that typical recovery periods may last longer.

A delay would undoubtedly complicate McConnell's effort to ram the legislation through the Senate.

'Simply unworkable'

Republican leaders are eager to notch a major legislative victory for Trump, but there is a pending logjam of important business in the Senate, including consideration of raising the limit on federal borrowing.

Achieving Trump's goal of ditching large parts of Obama's sweeping health care reforms has been elusive as his administration nears the six-month mark later this week.

Some fear that repealing the Affordable Care Act could adversely impact millions of Americans by effectively forcing them off of Medicaid, the health insurance program for the poor and the disabled, or making health costs soar for people with pre-existing conditions.

There is little institutional support for the bill, and even less for an amendment introduced by Senator Ted Cruz that would allow insurers to offer bare-bones plans.

Chief executives from two of the nation's largest insurance groups, America's Health Insurance Plans and the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, warned that implementing Cruz's amendment would be a disaster.

"It is simply unworkable in any form and would undermine protections for those with pre-existing medical conditions, increase premiums and lead to widespread terminations of coverage for people currently enrolled in the individual market," the CEOs wrote in a letter to McConnell.

The House of Representatives passed its version of an Obamacare repeal in May. But the Senate has stumbled, with Republicans in rival conservative and moderate wings finding it hard to get on board.

Democrats have smelled blood in the water.

On Monday, former vice president Joe Biden eviscerated the plan, saying it would take "peace of mind" away from millions.

"They want to drag us back to a time -- not all that long ago -- when Americans could be denied basic health care because they were unable to afford it," he wrote in The Washington Post.

Failure to pass the bill would mark a humiliating defeat for Republicans who have spent much of the past seven years vowing to kill off Obamacare.
Deaths in the capital Kabul accounted for nearly 20 percent of the toll, according to the the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) report, which covers the first half of the year.

The majority of the victims were killed by anti-government forces -- including the resurgent Taliban and in attacks claimed by the Islamic State, the report said, underscoring spiralling insecurity in the country nearly 16 years after the US invasion.

The UN has documented civilian casualties in the war-torn country since 2009.

The first six months of the year have seen a significant rise in the number of civilian lives lost in highly coordinated attacks involving more than one perpetrator, with 259 killed and 892 injured -- a 15 percent increase on the same period last year.

Many of those deaths happened in a single attack in Kabul in late May when a truck bomb exploded during the morning rush hour, killing more than 150 people and injuring hundreds.

UNAMA put the civilian death toll at 92, saying it was the deadliest incident to hit the country since 2001.

The UN's special envoy to Afghanistan Tadamichi Yamamoto said the human cost of the conflict remains "far too high".

"The continued use of indiscriminate, disproportionate and illegal improvised explosive devices is particularly appalling and must immediately stop," he added in a statement.

The bloody toll of the first six months of 2017 has unsettled the government of President Ashraf Ghani, who has come under increasing pressure since the May attack in Kabul.

Protests and deadly street clashes hit the Afghan capital in the wake of the attack as people incensed by security failures called for his government's resignation.

'Psychological trauma'

Women and children have borne the brunt of the increase in civilian casualties, with UNAMA blaming the use of IEDs and aerial operations in populated areas for the jump.

A total of 174 women were killed and 462 injured -- an overall rise in casualties of 23 percent on last year -- while 436 children were killed in the same period, representing a nine percent increase.

"The statistics in this report, horrifying though they are, can never fully convey the sheer human suffering of the people of Afghanistan," said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein in a statement.

"Many Afghan civilians are suffering psychological trauma, having lost family and friends, and are living in fear knowing the risks they face as they go about their daily lives."

Nearly half of Afghanistan's 34 provinces have seen an increase in civilian deaths in the first six months of the year, mainly due to the rise in attacks by anti-government forces.

The ground offensives by Afghan security forces are the second leading cause of civilian casualties, though UNAMA said there had been a 10 percent decrease compared to the same period in 2016.

NATO's combat mission in Afghanistan ended three years ago, handing sole responsiblity to the country's security forces.

Back in May, the office of the US government's Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction described casualties among the security forces themselves as "shockingly high".

In the first two months of the year, 807 troops from the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces were killed with 1,320 injured.
As leader of the ExpoLink consortium, Alstom is supplying 15 driverless trains for the Route 2020 project, which involves building a 15km branch from Nakheel Harour and Tower station on the Red Line to the Expo 2020 exhibition site in Jebel Ali, and 35 sets to supplement the existing fleet of 79 trains, which were built by Kinki Sharyo for the first phase of the network.

While they retain the exterior styling of their predecessors, the Alstom trains feature a number of improvements, including redesigned grab handles, lighting, and passenger information systems. The trains will be equipped with LED dynamic route maps, and the luggage area has been redesigned to make it suitable for standing passengers.

Women and children class is extended to an entire vehicle, with Gold Class occupying part of one of the outer cars. Seating will be transverse in Gold Class and longitudinal through the rest of the train.

The new trains will be assembled at Alstoms plant in Katowice, Poland.

RTA says construction on Route 2020 is on schedule and the project is now 12%-complete. Piles are being driven to depths of 25-30m and work has started on casting concrete piers for the elevated sections.

The line will run on an elevated alignment for 11.8km, with 3.2km of tunnel. The project includes the construction of seven stations, two of them underground.

The line will have a design capacity of 23,000 passengers per hour per direction and is forecast to carry 125,000 passengers per day in 2020, increasing to 275,000 passengers per day by 2030.
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If you are an Android user you must have Google Play Store pre-installed on your smartphone unless you are from China. Google Play Store is the home of almost all Android apps, games, movies, and books. You can purchase apps and games and also download some items for free. Most of the apps and games are free to download. Anyway, the Google Play Store app itself is getting better and better with time. Developers are working very hard and pushing new update almost every week sometimes on a daily basis.

We have got a new update which is v7.9.90. Google doesnt disclose changelog until theres any big update. This might be a stability and bugs fixing update.

If you are one of them who likes to get updated then download the Google Play Store from the APKMirror or you can also update it from the store itself.
Twenty years ago this month, Hong Kong embodied the hopes and dreams of an emerging liberal century. The United Kingdom handed control of the island back to China, marking the end of centuries of colonialism in East Asia. Economies were opening up across the region, as Hong Kong and the economies of the other Four Asian Tigers transformed from agricultural backwaters into post-industrial economic powerhouses thanks to economic liberalization. Even China, the largest lingering communist state, seemed to be opening up following Chinese leader Deng Xiaopings sweeping economic reforms in the 1980s. Yet two decades into the unhappy marriage of China and Hong Kong, the upstart island city has moved from being an exemplar of liberalism into a victim of Chinas refusal to reform.

To understand what happened between 1997 and 2017, you have to understand what had happened since 1841. Hong Kong was under British rule for 156 years: First as a Crown Colony following Chinas defeat in the First Opium War, a dispute over trade and Chinas sovereignty. Subsequently, the United Kingdom formally leased Hong Kong and neighboring territories from the Qing Dynasty for 99 years. During this time, British institutions were established in the city. These included independent courts, free trade, a free press, and relatively strong protections for human rights. They set Hong Kong apart from the rest of Asia.



With the lease set to end in 1997, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and Premier Zhao Ziyang signed the Sino-British Joint Declaration in 1984. This document set the terms for the handover of Hong Kong, including Chinas future treatment of Hong Kong and the citys autonomous constitution, the Basic Law. As per the agreement, there would only be one China, but there would be two distinct political and economic systems: one-party communism in China and free market liberal democracy in Hong Kong. China further agreed not to meddle in the citys affairs until 2047. In essence, Hong Kongs reunification with China was premised on 50 years of political and economic autonomy.



Fast-forwarding to 2017, 20 years into the handover, it is clear that Beijing has no intention to respect Hong Kongs autonomy. Earlier this month, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang went so far as to question the importance of the Sino-British Joint Declaration, stating that it was a historical document that no longer had any practical significance. While the official disregard for Hong Kongs autonomy shocked many, China has spent the last 20 years gradually undermining political liberty and home-rule in Hong Kong. There are three ways China has violated Hong Kongs autonomy over the past five years.



Muzzling Free Thought



First, Beijing has gradually ramped up its habit of abducting, harassing, and silencing critics of the Chinese Community Party. Last year, five booksellers were unlawfully taken from the city into China by Chinese police. Their crime? Selling publications criticizing the mainlands communist leadership. In February, the Chinese billionaire Xiao Jianhua was taken from his Hong Kong apartment and appeared in Chinese police custody. These abductions of Hong Kong residents are considered extralegal, as they violate the Basic Law. It is against the law for mainland Chinas law enforcement officials to operate in Hong Kong and arrest its citizens, since the city has its own legal system with independent courts. Yet when it comes to silencing critics of the regime, Hong Kongs supposed autonomy is not stopping Chinese police.



Running Interference



Second, China has increasingly intervened in Hong Kongs democratic institutions. The right to vote and the right to stand for election have a long history in Hong Kong, with the small island city once having been among the most democratic countries in East Asia. Under the official terms of reunification with China, Hong Kong retains the right to keep its multi-party democracy. Yet last year, Beijing effectively prevented two elected lawmakers from taking their seats in the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, and tried to prevent four others from doing the same. Their offense? The elected officials were in favor of independence from China. While Chinas illegal abductions quietly undermine the rule of law in Hong Kong, Beijings direct intervention in Hong Kong elections represents a direct assault on the islands democratic institutions.



Ignoring Autonomy



Finally, Beijings general disregard for Hong Kongs autonomy has also come to affect basic civil liberties on the island. Under Hong Kong law, residents enjoy freedom of speech, press, and assembly. Yet over the past few years, Beijing has increasingly cracked down on student protests demanding the freedoms promised in the Sino-British Joint Declaration. In 2014, the Umbrella Movement brought thousands of protesters onto the streets of Hong Kong for three months, demanding the restoration of civil liberties and democracy in Hong Kong. Many of these students ended up behind bars following intervention by Beijing officials. Earlier this month, on the eve of the twentieth anniversary of the handover, thousands of pro-democracy protesters gathered to march through the city. In response, Beijing ordered the arrest of twenty student protesters -- including Umbrella Movement leaders Joshua Wong and Nathan Law -- for expressing their frustration with Beijing and with the growing disregard for Hong Kongs judicial independence, democratic institutions, and the civil liberties of residents.

Hong Kong once stood as a beacon for prosperity and liberty in East Asia. Yet today it stands as the embodiment of a thus far disappointing Asian Century. While liberalism has retreated in the West, it faces an existential crisis in the East. In Hong Kong, the small city has physically deteriorated alongside the deterioration of its liberal institutions, with corruption increasing, public services failing, and polarization taking root. In Mainland China, the once-inevitable emergence of liberal democracy seems now more than ever to be a forlorn dream. To the northeast, an anachronistic Stalinist regime survives in North Korea, continuing to antagonize East Asias two great liberal democracies, South Korea and Japan. It may be easy to dismiss Hong Kongs plight as an unimportant conflict internal to China. But 20 years ago, Hong Kong represented the future -- an outpost of free markets and democracy at the edges of a monolithic authoritarian state. No one knows what will happen in 2047, when Hong Kong will be completely handed over to China. But if Hong Kongs liberal allies dont start paying attention, it is unlikely that the tides will turn for liberalism in East Asia. The liberal world abandons Hong Kong -- and the dream it represents -- at its own peril.


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Chrissy Teigen and John Legend dazzled in ceremonial costumes during their recent vacation in Bali.

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The 31-year-old model shared photos Saturday on Instagram from her family trip to Indonesia with Legend and 15-month-old daughter Luna.

"We had the most wonderful time in Bali," Teigen captioned a picture of herself and Legend in traditional clothes at the Como Shambhala wellness retreat.

"Como Shambhala, my body and mind have never felt so clear," she said. "Thank you got getting me to move again (first time since I was 8 months pregnant and Luna is ummmm 15 months old) and giving me some much-needed body and nutrition schooling!"

"And thank you for dressing us in your beautiful, traditional ceremonial costumes!" the star added. "And don't worry, everyone. I still love me some .99 cent two tacos. Balance! #notbeingpaidtosaythis."

Teigen also posted a snapshot of herself holding Luna while wearing a gold robe and traditional headdress.

The "Lip Sync Battle" co-host and Legend married in Como, Italy, in 2013, and welcomed Luna in April 2016.

The model shared her advice for traveling with a baby in an interview with Travel + Leisure published in November.

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"I think the less you freak out the better," she advised. "My problem is that her cries [make me] go into anxiety mode. I worry about other people so much, so I need to think more about her and how I can comfort her rather than worry about everyone around me."

"My best advice is just to block everything out," the star added. "Don't be embarrassed, it happens to everybody and just give [your baby] some love."
By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 07/17/2017



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Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.
From being the most valuable start-up to controversies like rape allegations against drivers, and the exit of CEO Travis Kalanick over charges of toxic and sexist work environment, Uber has seen it all.

Karan Choudhury asks Uber India president Amit Jain what the company's global problems mean for the India operations.

IMAGE: The Uber India president says, "There are stages of evolution, and we are moving from being a start-up to a global firm." Photograph: Kind courtesy Uber/Instagram.

For a cab aggregator, Uber Technologies' journey in the past eight years has been nothing short of a roller-coaster ride. From being the most valuable start-up to controversies such as alleged rapes by its drivers, exit of its founder chief executive officer Travis Kalanick over allegations of toxic and sexist work environment, Uber has seen it all.

In between, it wrapped up its operations in China, and more recently merged its Russian business with the taxi arm of search engine giant Yandex.

But Uber India President Amit Jain is optimistic. Shuttling between his offices in Gurugram, near New Delhi, and Silicon Valley, he is trying to make the India operation a silver lining in the company's dark present.

Jain addresses the many issues facing the company.

Edited excerpts:

You exited China last year, and now after the Didi deal, you have announced a deal with Yandex in Russia. Do you have any plans for consolidation in India?

We have no plans of consolidation in India. Competition keeps us on our toes and focused on creating the best experience for riders and drivers, and we welcome it.

We remain committed to creating reliable and affordable mobility for everyone, everywhere and we believe we have the best people, product, and service to make this possible.

Uber's commitment to India is absolute -- we have continued to grow exponentially every week since we started our journey in India almost four years back. We are very excited at the growth we are experiencing today in India, and optimistic about the future.

Did you anticipate changes that have happened in the past few weeks?

No, absolutely not.

We saw many of our leaders leave, but what that has not changed businesses, operations and day-to-day working. From India's perspective, I have absolutely the same mandate, authority and empowerment. There has been no change whatsoever.

Are you trying to say that culture globally and in India operations are different?

Not saying that they are two different animals, but there are nuances to it.

At scale, our San Francisco operations are much bigger. In India, we have got close to a 1,000 people scattered across 30 different cities.

Not commenting on anything outside India, what I am saying is that our culture in India is strong and solid. Globally, what I can comment on is that there are stages of evolution, and we are moving from being a start-up to a global firm.

As one of the top officials at Uber, do you feel there was a need for change at the global level?

My mandate is not global; it is Indian. So I can talk about what we are doing here.

Travis -- eight years back when he started the company -- had a vision. Where we stand in India, regardless of him being or not being the CEO today, is a 100 per cent commitment to his vision. We will continue that vision forward.

Who is driving the business from the global perspective?

Overall, there is an executive leadership team of 16 people.

The beauty of our business is that a lot of it is driven locally and regionally. Andrew Macdonald [regional general manager, APAC and Latin America] is the one who I report to, and that has not changed.

How much are the investors involved now?

They are involved more in things such as leadership and governance, not in day-to-day operations.

How has the culture changed in the past two years that you have been here?

For me, the culture has not changed. It has been one of transparency, hard work, no hierarchy and minimising bureaucracy.

There is always scope for improvement.

Is our organisation perfect? Absolutely not.

Can we improve in certain areas? Yes.

What is Travis's role in the board now? How active is he? What conversation did you have with him after he left?

He is an active board member, and very much part of the company. The conversations have been around the India business. He said that my mandate was to focus on the India business.

Was there any regret when he spoke to you?

It is difficult for me to comment on that.

Is Uber looking at the India business to make operations better globally?

All regions are doing well from the business perspective.

There is a lot of learning we take from each other in terms of not just business aspects, but also other processes. There are a lot of changes that may have been made across the globe that might have been done in India as well.
OSAGE | Osage Municipal Utilities, the City of Osage and Trees Forever are in the second year of their new five-year partnership to involve homeowners, city staff and volunteers in planting and caring for trees to lower energy usage and improve the health of the overall urban forest.

Throughout 2016, the first year of planting trees together, much was accomplished thanks to the hard work of Osage community residents. The following highlights some of those accomplishments and shares ways residents can get involved and learn about trees in Osage.

Throughout 2016, and going forward, Trees Forever will work with Osage to address the diversity of the communitys trees. DNR Forestry staff completed an inventory and management plan of public trees that provides a wealth of information. You can find it here: http://www.iowadnr.gov/Conservation/Forestry/Urban-Forestry/Community-Tree-Inventories.

The inventory revealed 66 percent of Osages public trees are maples. A standard urban forestry recommendation is that a community have no more than 20 percent of a group of trees such as maples. In the City of Maples, it may not be surprising that Osage exceeds these recommendations. Of course, we all enjoy the cool dense shade and beautiful fall foliage of maples, but we do not know what the next pest or disease threat might be or if maple trees will be the target. For the long-term, its important for the community of Osage to gradually work toward planting a variety of different trees, and great strides were made toward this goal last year.

One concrete step in the move toward diversity was offering different species of trees in the OMU spring tree distribution. In 2016 red oaks and thornless hawthorns were offered. This past spring honey locust and Japanese tree lilacs were made available. Look for different species next spring, and be sure to reserve yours early.

A new tree committee formed and met eight times in 2016. A project the committee has been working on is a tree arboretum along the Maple Trail. A goal of this project is to showcase different species of trees that residents could plant in their yards so that residents can get a sense of the size, look, and general characteristics of each tree before planting their own. Students from Osage schools will be involved in creating permanent signs for the trees. A first phase of 11 different species of trees was planted this spring. They include hackberry, swamp white oak, ironwood and redbud to name a few. Donations are being accepted for additional trees. The committee welcomes new members. If you are interested in joining the committee, please contact staff at OMU or call city hall.

Another exciting accomplishment for Osage in 2016 was receiving its first ever designation as a Tree City USA. This is a national program administered by the Arbor Day Foundation to recognize communities that make tree planting and caring a priority. For more information see https://www.arborday.org/programs/treecityUSA/ and watch for the Tree City USA sign to be posted in town.

Looking ahead, Trees Forever will work with the City of Osage and OMU to offer educational workshops focused on how community residents can care for trees throughout the community including in their own backyard. In March of this year, a free public workshop focused on pruning was offered. Watch for more of these workshops to come.

If you want to join the tree committee, suggest a tree topic for a workshop or help with the celebration of Arbor Day in 2018, please let an OMU staff person or tree committee member know.

The year 2016 was an exciting first year, and there is much left to do to grow Osages urban forest.

Find a full copy of the 2016 Osage Trees Forever program annual report online at www.osage.net.
The Centre on Monday told the Supreme Court that no more grace period will be granted for depositing the scrapped Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, saying the very object of demonetisation and elimination of black money will be defeated if a fresh window is given.

The Centre was responding to the July 4 directive by a bench headed by Chief Justice J S Khehar asking it to consider granting a window to those who have not been able to exchange the scrapped notes for genuine reasons.

The apex court had said that people should not lose their own money for no fault of theirs.

'The very object of demonetisation and elimination of black money will be defeated if a window is opened for a further period as the persons in possession of the specified bank notes (scrapped notes of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500) would have had sufficient time and opportunity to carefully plan the reasons and excuses for not depositing the SBNs within the permitted period that is before December 30, 2016,' the Ministry of Finance said in its affidavit.

The government said it has taken a 'conscious decision' that no necessity or any justifiable reason exists either in law or on facts to invoke its power under The Specified Bank Notes (Cessation of Liabilities) Act, 2017 to extend the period for exchanging the scrapped currency.

The affidavit said that none of the petitioners have given any valid ground as to why they could not deposit the scrapped notes through his or her authorised third person.

Justifying its decision not to give any further window, the affidavit said, 'The period thus available for every one to exchange and or deposit the specified bank notes was spread over 51 days (except for closed holidays) unlike the earlier demonetisation drive carried out in the year 1978, when it was restricted to six days only.'

It said that 'the period November 9, 2016 to December 30, 2016 was fairly a very long period during which any one can either himself or through his authorised agent/third person could have deposited/exchanged the specified bank notes subject to following the prescribed norms'.

'In other words, what was permitted was exchange and or deposit of specified bank notes during a block period a period up to and including December 30, 2016 either in person or through authorised third person,' it said.

The Centre said that the Ministry of Home Affairs had in July reported that as per intelligence agencies, there were reports of large scale misuse of the window for exchange of the old currency notes.

'Seizure of cash during the month of November and December 2016 was to the tune of Rs 147.9 crore and Rs 306.897 crore and seizure of gold for the month of November and December 2016 was 69.1 kg and 234.267 kg respectively,' it said.

The affidavit further said that large quantities of new notes were also seized indicating exchange of old currency cash with new currency circumventing the rules.

'The CBI has informed that they have registered 63 cases relating to irregularities committed during post-demonetisation period involving 57 regular cases and 6 preliminary enquiries from November 25, 2016 to April 30, 2017. The cases allegedly involve total amount of Rs 395.19 crore,' it said.

The apex court is hearing a batch of petitions, including one filed by Sudha Mishra seeking a direction to authorities to allow her to deposit demonetised notes as she could not do so during the period specified by the Centre and the Reserve Bank of India.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on November 8 last year announced that Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes would no longer be a legal tender from the next day.

The government had assured the people that demonetised currency notes could be exchanged at banks, post offices and RBI branches till December 30, 2016. If people were unable to deposit them by that day, they could do so till March 31, 2017 at RBI branches after complying with certain formalities.

Earlier, the apex court on March 6 had issued notices to the Centre and RBI on the petitions alleging tweaking of rules on exchanging demonetised currency notes.

The Prime Minister's address to the nation on the evening of November 8 last year on demonetisation and subsequent notifications of the federal bank that the devalued currency notes can be exchanged at RBI offices even up to March 31, 2017 were valid assurances which stood breached by the ordinance, the counsel for petitioner Sudha Mishra had said.

One of the pleas has also referred to the Specified Bank Notes Cessation of Liabilities Ordinance and said the government had breached the assurance.

However, the Ordinance, issued on December 30 last, had specified that only those who were abroad or armed forces personnel posted in remote areas or others who could give valid reasons for not being able to deposit the cancelled notes at banks, could deposit the demonetised currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes till March 31.

The deadline for the general public to deposit the scrapped currency in bank or post office accounts expired on December 30, 2016.
Experts say the overall sentiment in leasing industry is very low because of the GST and on provisions for double taxations.

Under the new indirect tax regime, leasing of goods is regarded as a service and attracts a levy. This has created complexities for airlines, cab aggregators and cab leasing companies, even as they grapple with teething issues of implementation of the goods and services tax (GST).

Among the many issues faced by airlines, the anomaly in terms of input tax credit for the economy class and dual taxation on aircraft leasing top the list.

According to the rules, while input credit arising from procurement of both goods and services can be used in case of business class, input credit from services alone can be used for off-setting tax liability with respect to economy class travel.

Similar to business class, full input tax credit should be given to economy class ticketing too, said a senior airline executive.

The airlines have also raised the issue of dual taxation on aircraft leasing. Under the new norms, aircraft leasing will attract a dual levy -- once at the time of import as Customs duty and again when lease rentals are paid as GST on services.

Under the previous taxation system, cross-border aircraft leases by scheduled airlines were not subject to Customs duty, central excise and value-added tax (VAT).

We have sought continuation of the tax exemption. The impact is largely related to cash flows, as we will be able to claim an input credit against tax liability on sale of tickets and cargo space, said a senior executive from Air India.

Air India pays a lease rent of around $350,000 for its narrow-body Airbus aircraft and around $1 million for its wide-body Boeing 787 aircraft.

Among domestic airlines, IndiGo has the largest capacity induction plan. IndiGo, which ended FY17 with 131 aircraft, plans to induct 39 more in FY18.

Other airlines, including AirAsia, GoAir, Spicejet and Vistara, also have inductions lined up this year. Air Asia India Chief Executive Officer Amar Abrol said an airlines leasing cost may increase by Rs 12 crore per aircraft due to this.

Officials in aviation ministry said they were awaiting clarification on these issues from the ministry of finance. The ministry has also opened a GST clarification centre, where the airlines can clarify their doubts about the new tax regime.

Cab aggregators such as Ola and Uber, as well as its drivers, are facing almost double the taxes on leasing under the GST.

Industry experts expect lease rentals to increase 18-19 per cent. According to Orix India, a leasing finance company for wholly-owned subsidiary of Orix Japan, as the tax on services will increase from 15 per cent to 18 per cent, there will be a direct increase in cost for the businesses that give transportation facility to their employees or rented cars to their management, etc.

The cost of cars which were leased during pre-GST and equated monthly instalments (EMIs) being paid after GST will become more expensive.

The cost of EMIs on such cars will go up as much as up to 30 per cent. It is expected that a consumer who was paying an EMI of Rs 30,000 before the GST was implemented, will now have to pay Rs 45,000 on the same car, the firm said.

Striking a low note, Orix India said that it expected its Rs 75-crore leasing business to go down to Rs 15-20 crore after the GST implementation. They anticipate the chances of default on payments are set to rise.

App-based cab aggregators such as Uber hope that dialogue on the issue with the authorities might help them get a resolution.

There are still some open discussions on GST on leasing, there are some conversations that are happening, not just us, others are also doing the same, said Amit Jain, president, Uber India.

Experts said that the overall sentiment in leasing industry is very low because of the GST and on provisions for double taxations.

Automakers, however, believe that even after higher taxes leasing business would flourish.

A new business model of leasing may emerge. Leasing industry will continue to grow, though the pace may vary, said Rakesh Srivastava, director (sales and marketing) at Hyundai.

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com.
What's driving consumers to petrol cars? Ajay Modi finds out.

Photograph: Rupak De Chowdhuri/Reuters

Diesel continues to carry the dirty tag as far as personal vehicles are concerned. Only four in 10 buyers opted to buy a diesel-powered passenger vehicle (car, van or utility vehicle) last year, a decline of 9 per cent over Financial Year (FY) 16. This brings the contribution of diesel passenger vehicles in new sales to 40 per cent in FY17, the lowest in six years.

Data sourced from the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (Siam) shows that 60 per cent of the buyers in the 3-million-unit market opted for a petrol variant in FY17, up from 56 per cent in the previous year. This is the highest share for petrol passenger vehicles in several years.

The impact of this shift is more prominent in cars as only 27 per cent of buyers opted for diesel units in FY17 compared to 34 per cent in FY16.

Interestingly, even buyers of utility vehicles have started considering petrol variants and the share now stands at 15 per cent in FY17 against 10 per cent in FY15.

Diesel passenger vehicles were preferred by a chunk of buyers during FY13 and FY14 when prices were kept artificially lower and the fuel was regulated. The share of diesel vehicles zoomed to a record high of 58 per cent in FY13 and since then has come down year after year.

"The economics of owning a diesel car has changed. Since diesel variant of a car is usually 15-20 per cent more expensive compared to petrol, only those buyers who drive at least 2,500 km a month can recover the additional cost," said an industry official.

Traditionally, petrol cars were preferred by Indian buyers. However, many of them started going for diesel cars since June 2010, when the then United Progressive Alliance government deregulated petrol prices, but left diesel untouched. By 2011, as oil marketing companies continued to align petrol prices in India with the global price, the gap between the two fuels jumped to a high of 25-30 a litre in 2011.

The shifting preference also prompted car makers to invest in creating new diesel engine manufacturing.

But the government decontrolled prices of diesel in October 2014. The gap between diesel and petrol has narrowed since then. The gap is now down to as low as 9.64 a litre.

The impact of this shift is also visible in the rising domestic consumption of petrol.

According to the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell, a wing of the petroleum ministry, domestic consumption of petrol grew over 9 per cent in FY17 to 23.8 million tonnes while demand for diesel grew less than 2 per cent to 76 million tonnes.

In addition to the fuel price differential, action against diesel vehicles in 2015 also pushed the buyer away from diesel- run cars.

The Supreme Court had banned sale of diesel vehicles (2,000cc and above) in the National Capital Region in December 2015, and the ban lasted for eight months. Buyers in cities like Delhi are also apprehensive they may not be able to drive diesel vehicles for long after an order by the National Green Tribunal to ban diesel vehicles older than 10 years.

The cloud over diesel vehicles and the number of years for which they may be allowed to run also affect resale price.

Industry watchers expect more buyers to shift to petrol passenger vehicles in the near future.
These ambitious projects are littered with every possible acronyms and include proposed road links, air connectivity plans, electricity grids and special economic zones on coasts, says Subhomoy Bhattacharjee.

There are bridges on a 500-km road link from Moreh in India to Mandalay in Myanmar which cannot hold the weight of even a pickup truck.

These structures are among the bridges that need to be rebuilt for inter-country coordination around the ambitious India-Myanmar-Thailand (IMT) connectivity project, in the works since 2015.

It is one of the clutch of 50-odd projects India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) have lined up to deepen connectivity, in the past two decades.

But these, like the weak bridges, have been held up for every possible reason, mostly political.

Delhi is now keen to revive these and is scrambling to reach out to several of the 10-member nation groups, in response to the ambitious China-sponsored One Belt, One Road (OBOR) economic programme.

There is a need for government support to make many of these projects work, says Deputy National Security Advisor, Arvind Gupta.

The projects are littered with every possible acronyms and include proposed road links, air connectivity plans, electricity grids and special economic zones (SEZ) on coasts.

Few have come to life, cutting through the deep suspicion among the member- states to cede controls.

But, Johny Chotrani, chairman of the Philippine-India Business Council, says the Asean wants India to step ahead to deepen economic connect with the region.

Stepping ahead means India has to support the viability of many of these projects.

The IMT project, for instance, is supposed to offer seamless movement of cargo and passenger vehicles between Moreh in Manipur and Mae Sot in Thailand.

Pritam Banerjee, senior director-South Asia at Deutsche Post DHL Group, says weak bridges are examples of simple obstacles holding up the project. His company is working on the logistics network.

There is more weighty stuff, too. Myanmar, faced with a regime change, wanted to play safe.

It insisted that papers of international vehicles have to be sent for customs clearance to capital Nawpyidaw, 800 km away. Thailand, to placate its tough truck lobby, did not want any shipment by foreign trucks on its soil.

Differences between the three countries on the procedures to measure something as simple as this have not been sorted out, Banerjee says.

India is looking at options to get the neighbours on to the negotiating table.

Prabir De, professor at Delhi-based think tank RIS, points to other examples, like the proposed SEZ at Sittwe, Myanmar.

In 2013, India had offered credit of $150 million to establish the project in Rakhine state.

The Myanmar government offered 1,000 acres.

But there has been no movement beyond that, he says, though India has completed a port to go along with it. The Indian SEZ and port is upstream, with a shallow draft, while a competing Chinese SEZ downstream can berth bigger vessels.

The delay in our project is making it even less attractive for investors.

Delhi has now started to show an urgency to push ahead with the projects. This week it has given six cargo vessels to Myanmar to support one of those projects, the Kaladan Multimodal Transport Project, that will make Sittwe SEZ more viable.

In fact the most ambitious set of projects in this context are the plans to link SEZs and industrial zones in Thailand, Singapore, and Cambodia with their counterparts on Indias eastern seaboard states.

As De notes, to create a buzz, some things can be made operational quickly, like building a network of transport operators and offering a Schengen-like visa system for business travellers.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said as much at the just-concluded Delhi Dialogue.

We are making efforts on all fronts to enhance physical and digital connectivity. She said the India-Asean cooperation builds on commerce, connectivity and culture.

It is the connectivity aspect that is drawing attention. In another RIS event, R Ravindran, chairman of Singapore-based think tank SAEA Group, said India should support projects that have local support in the countries involved.

He suggested this could mean getting involved in projects that might not have an immediate pay-off for India but will promote goodwill.

Chairman, RIS, Hardeep Puri agreed that the Indian response should not be seen as competition to the Chinese outreach.

The urgency to get the projects up and running has begun to percolate in the various Bhawans of Delhi.

Last year, India had promised Rs 370 crore to strengthen 69 of those bridges on the IMT corridor.

Tenders for construction of 120.74 km between Kalewa and Yargi are completed. The civil aviation ministry has been nudged to fast-track negotiations to offer fifth freedom rights to the Asean.

Along with the ticklish aspect of standardising customs, are those like vehicle driving standards and differing payment systems between Asean and India.

It is here, more than anywhere else, where government support is needed, says Rajat Nag, former managing director general of the Aaian Development Bank.

Just to drive a truck from India to Thailand or Laos needs clearance from four motor vehicle standards. Many of these are meant to stifle competition than expand commerce.

China, faced with the same challenges, has railroaded many of the countries to adopt its home standards.

For India, that is simply unviable. The bureaucracy, unused at looking at these problems even at a national level, is finding it difficult to learn the tricks. This is where the role of companies like Banerjees becomes invaluable.

The OBOR push shows there is an urgency now to ensure the standards, too, get harmonised.

Photograph: Reuters
'On corruption the Yadavs of UP and Bihar will find it very tough to give an answer to the accusations of the BJP and its supporters,' says Aakar Patel.

The crisis in Bihar reveals a larger problem that India's Opposition political parties face.

They will continue to face this problem and it will hurt them in 2019 and the general election.

The problem is credibility and I will come to that in a moment.

The issue is Bihar is simple: Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav has been accused of corruption.

The Central Bureau of Investigation has filed a First Information Report on this.

The government has revealed or leaked details of some of the assets held by Yadav and his family.

The accusations are damning, particularly the revelation of the scale of the assets.

There is almost no defence of the deputy chief minister in the media.

The family head is Lalu Prasad Yadav, who is one of the most enthusiastic advocates of a common front against the BJP.

The Bihar government is run by an alliance of Yadav's party, the Rashtriya Janata Dal, along with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's party, the Janata Dal-United.

The two parties were once linked by a common ideology, which can be described as Lohiate Socialism (named after one of the most fascinating individuals of Indian politics, Dr Ram Manohar Lohia, who is now almost entirely forgotten).

Originally, the Socialists were all opposed to the Congress.

However after the rise of the Bharatiya Janata Party, and particularly the success of its movement against the Babri Masjid, the Lohiaite politicians became anti-Hindutva and were open to alliances with the Congress.

Though some of the Socialists held on to their anti-Congressism, like George Fernandes and to some extent Nitish Kumar, almost all of them have returned to their original anti-BJP stand.

Now they are being accused of hypocrisy and of abandoning ideology.

What sort of Socialism is it when political leaders and their families make billions in states where the majority is poor?

Reports on the Yadavs refer to benami transactions worth a thousand crore rupees or more.

I accept that these are accusations that must be proven in a court of law, but the defence has not been factual.

The Yadavs have said things like they are not afraid of the BJP and will fight the communal forces etc.

The other thing the Congress was accused of by the Socialists is promoting a dynasty, a charge that was true.

Who can deny that Nehru promoted Indira and that Rajiv was followed as Congress chief by Sonia?

But again, we do not expect Socialists to form dynasties themselves.

The Yadavs of Uttar Pradesh have captured the 'Samajwadi' Party, which is Samajwadi only in name, totally.

Barely a third cousin or uncle' son has not been given a Lok Sabha or Vidhan Sabha ticket and when elected, hardly one is kept out of government.

This then is the record of the Socialists who say that they are fighting divisive and communal politics in India.

Now it is true that their commitment to the minorities is strong and their vision of India is inclusive. But they have no credibility on issues that are not concerned with religion in politics.

On corruption the Yadavs of UP and Bihar will find it very tough to give an answer to the accusations of the BJP and its supporters.

This lack of credibility has damaged them severely.

It is very unlikely that the major issue of the 2019 government will be communalism.

The reason for this is that the BJP has normalised violence on issues like cattle slaughter.

The country can comfortably absorb the murder of Muslims every few days in lynchings and it is not seen as that big an issue.

If it was, then we would see a reflection of that. We do not.

It is shameful, but it is true. These things are seen as minor issues.

The dominant narrative will be a repeat of the election of 2014.

Modi will say that India is being held back by corrupt leaders who are soft on terrorism and allow India to be damaged because they are only interested in themselves and enriching their families.

This is a simplistic argument and I do not think it is accurate. However, it is up to the political Opposition to put up a defence and a counterattack.

So long as their response is limited to accusations of communalism, it will not be enough.

They will need a central narrative that convinces the majority of Indians that they can be trusted to run governments without corruption.

That they are personally above suspicion in the way that Manmohan Singh was, and Narendra Modi is.

Looking at Bihar, UP and many of the other states, it is difficult to see how this is going to be possible with the same faces who have been tainted for so many years.

This is a burden that the Opposition carries into 2019.

Unless it is able to acknowledge this and act vigorously to change it, they will come undone just as they were in 2014, because of it.

Aakar Patel is Executive Director, Amnesty International India. The views expressed here are his own.

You can read Aakar's earlier columns here.

IMAGE: Former Bihar chief ministers Lalu Prasad Yadav, centre, and Rabri Devi, right, with their son Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav. Photograph: PTI photo
Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked state governments to crack down on gau rakshaks on Sunday, July 16.

Jyoti Punwani travels back 24 years to reveal how individuals were lynched in the aftermath of the communal riots in Mumbai.

'Mumbai's killings in January 1993,' she observes, 'came at the tail end of two outbursts of vicious communal violence, whereas today, it's peacetime in a 'new India'.'

'At that time, the perpetrators warned onlookers to keep their mouths shut.'

'Today, the perpetrators take videos of their attacks, such is their confidence.'

'The mobs have succeeded in terrorising an entire community and indeed, all those dealing in the transport of cattle, whatever their religion.'

Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com.

The lynchings of today arouse a sense of deja vu.

January 1993 saw the second phase of the post-Babri Masjid demolition riots in Mumbai.

As the violence was petering out, incidents of lone Muslims who were just going about their work being waylaid and lynched simply because their attire proclaimed that they were Muslim, started occurring.

These killings took place in broad daylight in residential bastis in Mumbai's suburbs, in full view of terrified residents.

They were long-drawn-out episodes which often ended with the corpse being burnt to shouts of 'Jai Sri Ram'.

That marked the ultimate triumph of the assailants: Foisting the last rites of their religion on the 'enemy' after eliminating him or her.

For women too were not spared.

At least four women were lynched. One survived to testify against the men who assaulted her and her young daughter.

She knew them, they were her daughter's neighbours.

The police did nothing then. But weeks later, when relatives of the victims, having waited in vain for their loved ones to return, started making their own inquiries and filed complaints, the police began investigations.

Based on eyewitness statements, mostly given by Hindus who knew the perpetrators and sometimes the victims too, the police arrested many Hindus.

Those arrested were charged under the stringent Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, 1985. The TADA applications said their deeds had 'created terror in the area'. Many of them were Shiv Sainiks.

TADA made bail near impossible, so till the trial finished around 18 months later, the accused remained in jail. That was their only punishment.

All of them were acquitted because the witnesses turned hostile at the trial.

There was one exception. The mother who testified against those who had attacked her and her daughter stuck to her testimony in court.

But the accused, most of them identified as Shiv Sainiks in police documents, were let off partly on a technicality pointed out by their lawyer, and partly because she failed to identify one of the assailants in court.

Though far-from-clandestine, these killings went unreported. Too much violence was on then. These were isolated incidents in the suburbs, not the kind that either attracted attention on their own by their magnitude, nor the kind that the police chose to publicise, for here, Muslims were not the aggressors.

This reporter stumbled upon these lynchings while researching the 1992-93 riots cases.

The hearings of the Srikrishna Commission of Inquiry into the riots had just concluded. It had become clear that even as journalists, we knew very little about both the extent and nature of the violence that had engulfed Mumbai over two months after the Babri Masjid was demolished on December 6, 1992.

Reading eyewitness accounts of these crimes five years after they had been committed, I wondered what had made these victims venture out dressed in clothes that would immediately mark them out as Muslims at a time when the flames of the post-Babri Masjid violence were still smouldering.

Had it not occurred to them that their clothes would make them easy targets?

I remember poet Baqar Mehdi, a proud atheist who hated being identified by his faith, advising me as I was leaving his Carter Road flat (in Bandra, north west Mumbai) after an interview, to wear a bindi for my safety.

In fact, neither of us knew that at that very moment a Muslim was being lynched.

Did that victim, and others like him, feel that the flames in the city would not singe them because they had not raised a hand against anyone?

These ordinary Muslims, most of whom lived in slums among Hindus, had obviously underestimated the reach and influence of the campaign to demolish the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya and build a Ram temple in its place.

The campaign targeted Muslims, abusing the community as 'Babar ki aulad'.

When these trusting Muslims were set upon, the campaign was in its sixth year; its hate-filled propaganda had become part of the popular imagination.

Similar propaganda has been spread in the last four years.

In his prime ministerial campaign which took off in late 2013, Narendra Modi railed against 'vote bank' politics, a euphemism for 'appeasement of Muslims'.

He held it responsible for many evils, including cattle being slaughtered rampantly for export -- the Pink Revolution. In his speeches he dwelt at length on the pink flesh of the slaughtered animals.

The prime ministerial aspirant blamed 'vote bank politics' also for the proliferation of illegal non-Hindu immigrants (in West Bengal and Assam), the lack of safety of 'our bahu betis' (in UP) and for terror (everywhere).

But always, accompanying all this, were the beguiling promises of jobs and development, 'sabka saath, sabka vikaas'.

But since 2014, with every state election, the campaign against 'vote bank politics' and indeed minorities specifically, has got more virulent.

Remember 'Ramzaade aur haraamzaade' in the campaign for the Delhi assembly in late 2014?

This campaign reached its climax in the run-up to the 2017 Uttar Pradesh elections. The choice of a man known for anti-minority speeches as UP CM has sent an unmistakable signal.

The effectiveness of this campaign can be seen in the number of cow-related lynchings by followers of cow protection Hindutva groups since 2014: 61, according to news reports in the English media compiled by Indiaspend. One more has just taken place in the capital.

Contrast this number with the dozen-odd lynchings in Mumbai in January 1993.

Mumbai's killings came at the tail end of two outbursts of vicious communal violence, whereas today, it's peacetime in a 'new India'.

There are other noteworthy differences too between those lynchings and today's.

In his inquiry report into the Mumbai riots, Justice B N Srikrishna concluded that Mumbai's police were throughly communalised.

Yet, these same men, who have been reported in every communal riot to have proclaimed: 'under our uniforms we are Shiv Sainiks', arrested Shiv Sainiks under TADA.

Today, the first persons to be arrested are the survivors of the lynchings.

At that time, the perpetrators warned onlookers to keep their mouths shut.

Today, the perpetrators take videos of their attacks, such is their confidence.

Will the police use this evidence in court? Under what charges have they arrested today's lynch mobs?

Certainly, no anti-terror law has been invoked, though the mobs have succeeded in terrorising an entire community and indeed, all those dealing in the transport of cattle, whatever their religion.

There is another significant difference between then and now. In Mumbai, only Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray justified the violence by his 'boys' in his writings in his newspaper Saamna.

The fact that Hindu eyewitnessses gave statements against other Hindus whom they had seen lynching Muslims shows that these acts were seen as wrong.

Indeed, in the mother-daughter case referred to above, it was a young Hindu who went to the police the very night of the incident to report what she had seen her neighbours do.

Today, responsible members of the ruling party at the Centre try to justify these lynchings. So does a vocal section of society through social media.

A decade after the Mumbai riots, Wahid Ali Khan, a politically well-connected man of some standing in his community, told this reporter that Muslims continued to feel so afraid outside their own areas that they hesitated even to get into an argument with a shopkeeper in Dadar (in central Mumbai, where the Shiv Sena has considerable influence).

However, at least since the last 10 years, the sight of youngsters in kurta-pyjama-burqa in public spaces across Mumbai, has been a reassuring one.

The 1992-1993 nightmare is finally over, the community once again feels this is their city.

But in state after state in North India today, Muslims are reportedly wondering if they can risk stepping out of their neighbourhoods in their traditional attire.

The recent story of the Aligarh engineer who wore a burqa for safety indicates the extent of the terror they feel.

If this loss of confidence, the feeling that you can't be yourself in your own land, spreads across the country among our largest minority, then we need to acknowledge that we have reached a new low.

Forget the law and the police who are supposed to uphold it.

How long can we live with the knowledge that not even the might of an 80% majority can make a mere 14% feel safe?
'The impasse on the India-China border in the Sikkim sector persists, but the Hamburg meeting between the two leaders will certainly have its salutary effects on the relationship between the two countries,' says China scholar Rup Narayan Das.

What stole the limelight at the G-20 meeting in Hamburg were not the deliberations at the summit, but the bilateral meetings of world leaders to discuss issues of bilateral interest.

Such bilateral meetings on the margins of multilateral meetings are increasingly assuming great significance the world over in terms of strategic communication, particularly when there is a diplomatic or military impasse between two countries.

At times diplomats find it difficult to work out summit meetings and structured dialogues between heads of State or government due to constraints of protocol and paucity of time and the nitty-gritty that they involve.

It is against this backdrop that the sideline meetings create the atmospherics for an informal meeting between and among leaders.

As far as India is concerned the stalemate on the India-China border in the Sikkim sector had created much anxiety about the possibility of a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra D Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Hamburg.

Modi sprang a surprise when he reached out to Xi. India's ministry of external affairs tweeted that a 'range of issues' were discussed between the two leaders.

The niceties of diplomatic protocol suggests that it could not have been an impromptu meeting.

The presence of a Chinese-knowing Indian diplomat to translate the conversation from Chinese to English and vice versa suggests that New Delhi had already worked out the feasibility of a conversation between the two leaders.

Later, when MEA Spokesperson Gopal Baglay was asked to elaborate on the conversation, he replied that a picture spoke more than thousand words.

The photograph of the meeting, which the MEA tweeted, exuded personal chemistry and bon homie between the two leaders.

While Modi looks at Xi with warmth and confidence, the acquiescence of the Chinese leader's gesture is very evident.

The meeting, which lasted seven minutes or so, was extensively reported in the Indian media along with the photograph of the two leaders shaking hands.

Earlier, the Chinese media had reported that the atmosphere was not right for a Modi-Xi meeting at the Hamburg summit.

When there are some issues in a relationship between two countries, such a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of a summit becomes all the more necessary.

Leaders of countries always meet on the sidelines of multilateral meetings not only to exchange pleasantries, but also discuss serious bilateral issues.

Then prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh met his Chinese counterpart on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Bali at the height of the spat over the South China Sea.

Dr Singh told the Chinese leader that India's foray into the South China Sea was purely for commercial reasons and articulated India's stance on the issue. The meeting helped somewhat defuse the tension between the two countries.

Last month Modi met Xi on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation where India was formally admitted into the six member organisation.

Modi and Xi share a very good rapport which they have built over the last three years and over their many encounters.

Modi departed from the tradition of receiving a visiting dignitary in New Delhi and welcomed Xi in Ahmedabad in September 2014. Xi reciprocated the gesture when he received Modi in his hometown of Xi'an in May 2015.

Receiving Modi, Xi said, 'You received me very warmly in your hometown. I am very glad to receive you in my home town. This is the first time I have received a foreign leader in my hometown.'

The impasse on the India-China border in the Sikkim sector persists, but the Hamburg meeting between the two leaders will certainly have its salutary effects on the relationship between the two countries.

It is difficult not to speculate that the two leaders would not have taken cognisance of what is happening on the India-China border.

One need not unduly over-react to what appears in the Chinese media. These are reflections of Chinese nationalism at a time when both India and China have emerged as strategic rivals on the world stage and also in the regional context.

The relationship between India and China is passing through a churning and it will take time for the equilibrium between the two countries to be established.

The media in both countries must show restraint. Adverse comments and reportage will only harden people's perceptions.

Dr Rup Narayan Das is a former senior fellow at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses. The views expressed are personal.
'The idea of issuing electoral bonds should be scrapped and all political parties should be brought under the purview of the RTI Act'

'This government says one thing and does another. Its action is completely against transparency'

Jagdish Chhokar, founder-member of the Association for Democratic Reforms and former professor at Indian Institute of Management, says there should be a law to regulate the functioning of political parties.

In an interview to Sahil Makkar, he says the government must scrap the idea of floating electoral bonds as it reduces transparency in political funding.

On his last day in office, former Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi expressed reservations about political funding. What are your views?

The budget speech and post-budget briefings suggested that electoral bonds would reduce transparency and increase opacity in political funding.

The scheme is formulated to hide the identity of the donor.

The idea of issuing bonds should be scrapped and all political parties should be brought under the purview of the Right to Information Act according to the direction of Central Information Commission.

They must disclose all sources of donations and provide expenditure details. The series of steps undertaken by the government dont indicate the intention of increasing transparency.

Why is the government moving in this direction despite reservation by the EC and others?

It is not just the government. All political parties work on black money and political funding is the fountainhead of corruption. They want to keep it opaque.

In the RTI case, not a single party was ready to disclose its source of funding.

The Supreme Court observed that the CEC be appointed by a collegium. Is it in the right spirit as no CEC has ever faced charges of bias?

It is progressive of the SC to ask for it.

The CEC must be appointed by a collegium comprising the prime minister, leader of the opposition and the Chief Justice of India.

The CEC is the key to democracy and his appointment should not be left to the whims and fancies of the ruling party.

In the past, some CECs have gone on to fight elections.

Former CEC T N Seshan fought the presidential election and former CEC M S Gill became member of Parliament and minister.

The CEC must be perceived as neutral and there should be a level-playing field.

Should the EC have the power to prosecute political parties and leaders?

It is the frustration of the EC with political parties which is showing up.

Political parties cant be allowed to make baseless allegations and tarnish the image of a constitutional body. They believe they are above the law.

It is not the job of the EC to keep defending itself from allegations. There must be a law to regulate political parties as suggested by the Law Commission in its reports of 1999 and 2015.

How do you read Finance Minister Arun Jaitleys statement about the governments next big move on bringing transparency in political funding?

Jaitley said electoral bonds will keep the identity of the buyer anonymous.

Now they are speaking of transparency. This government says one thing and does another. Its action is completely against transparency.
China's military on Monday said it has conducted live-fire exercises in the remote mountainous Tibet region to test its strike capability on plateaus, amid the standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in the Doka La area in the Sikkim sector.

The People's Liberation Army conducted the 11-hour long live-fire exercises at an altitude of 5,000 meters on the plateau in Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, aimed at improving the combat capability on such locations, the military said.

The exercise was conducted by a ground combat brigade of the PLA Tibet Regional Command this month and involved scenarios such as rapid deployment, multi-unit joint strike and anti-aircraft defence, state-run China Daily quoted a PLA press release as saying.

The exercise effectively tested the brigade's joint strike capability on plateaus, according to the press release.

The brigade that conducted the drills was from the PLA's Tibet Military Command and is one of China's two plateau mountain brigades.

The PLA Tibet command guards the Line of Actual Control of the India-China border along several sections connecting the mountainous Tibetan region.

Analysts believe that the drill are an apparent attempt by the military to reassure the Chinese public about the combat readiness of its troops.

"Showing an opponent that you are combat ready is more likely to prevent an actual battle," Wang Dehua, South Asia studies expert at Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, said.

Broadcasting the drill on CCTV was also likely designed to keep the public happy, he said.

"It could also reassure the Chinese people that a strong PLA force is there, capable and determined to defend Chinese territory," Wang told Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post.

The CCTV report did not disclose the location of the drills but said the brigade responsible for frontline combat missions has long been stationed around the middle and lower reaches of the Brahmaputra (Yarlung Zangbo in Chinese) River.

Brahmaputra flows into India from Arunachal Pradesh border.

"The PLA wanted to demonstrate it could easily overpower its Indian counterparts," Beijing-based military commentator Zhou Chenming told the Post.

The Chinese force that took part in the drill is stationed in the Lizhi region of eastern Tibet, close to the stand-off, the Post said.

India has nearly two lakh troops stationed in the areas it disputes with China, outnumbering its neighbours forces by as much as 15 or 20 to one, it said.

Nonetheless, China has a clear advantage in terms of speed of movement, firepower, and logistics, Zhou said.

"[By staging] a small-scale drill, China wants to control the problem and lower the risk of shots being fired," he said.

Monday's drills included the quick deployment of troops and different military units working together on joint attacks.

Video posted online showed soldiers using anti-tank grenades and missiles against bunkers and howitzers for artillery coverage.

The video also showed radar units identifying enemy aircraft and soldiers using anti-aircraft artillery to destroy targets, the report said.

Separately, Tibet's mobile communication agency conducted a drill on July 10 in Lhasa, capital of Tibet, where members of the agency practiced setting up a temporary mobile network to secure communications in an emergency.

Earlier reports said the PLA units exercised in Tibet with several modern weapon systems including a new light battle tank being manufactured by China.

Qin Zhen, executive editor of Ordnance Knowledge magazine, said that the recent exercises have displayed the strong combat capability of the PLA's plateau units.

He said that in recent years the Chinese military developed a number of lightweight weapons such as a wheeled infantry fighting vehicle and a new light tank to meet requirements of mountain operations.

Xiao Ning, editor-in-chief of Weapon magazine, said the new light tank features strong firepower, advanced armor and good mobility, so it is suitable for deployment on plateaus.

China and India have been engaged in a standoff in the Doka La area in the Sikkim sector, where Indian troops stopped road construction by Chinese soldiers on June 16.

China claimed that they were constructing the road within their territory and has been demanding immediate pull-out of the Indian troops from the disputed Dokalam plateau.

New Delhi has expressed concern over the road building, apprehending that it may allow Chinese troops to cut India's access to its northeastern states.

India has conveyed to the Chinese government that the road construction would represent a significant change of status quo with serious security implications for it.

Doka La is the Indian name for the region which Bhutan recognises as Dokalam, while China claims it as part of its Donglang region.

Of the 3,488-km-long India-China border from Jammu and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh, a 220-km section falls in Sikkim.

Image used for representative purposes only
Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar was on Monday provided with a security cover by the Maharashtra government in the wake of several protests the director is facing for his next film Indu Sarkar.

The development comes after Bhandarkar had to cancel the promotional events of Indu Sarkar in Pune and Nagpur fearing wrath of Congressmen who had gathered to protest the films release without a green signal from senior party leaders.

According to sources close to the director, Bhandarkar has been given a security cover, with two personnel by his side till the film is released.

A senior police official confirmed the news and said Mumbai police have provided adequate security to Bhandarkar.

The Congress has objected to the film, set against the Emergency era, saying it may have portrayed Indira Gandhi and her son Sanjay Gandhi in a bad light.

Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam demanded that the film should be screened before senior party leaders to allay their concerns of any defamatory references to the Gandhi family.

A press conference for the promotion of Indu Sarkar had to be cancelled in Nagpur on Sunday after the Congress workers protested against the film.

A day earlier, event of the film at Pune too was cancelled after few Congress workers took to protest against the movie.

Bhandarkar had earlier tweeted saying that team was stranded like hostages in the hotel room in Pune when the press conference was opposed in that city.

On Sunday, the director took to Twitter and wrote to Rahul Gandhi, Dear @OfficeOfRG after Pune I have 2 cancel todays PressCon at Nagpur. Do you approve this hooliganism? Can I have my Freedom of Expression?

The film is scheduled to release on July 28.
FORT DODGE | A gun found at the scene of a double homicide in Mason City in November was jammed by a damaged cartridge, a firearms expert testified Monday in Webster County District Court.

A magazine from the Walther .380 semi-automatic pistol was used in a demonstration Monday in the trial of Peter Veal, who is accused of two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Melinda Kavars and Caleb Christensen.

The Lake Mills man also faces a charge of attempted murder for allegedly trying to kill Ron Willis.

Testimony by Victor Murillo of the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation was consistent with what Willis previously told the court -- that Veal pulled the trigger to shoot him, but the gun didn't fire.

He also said testing showed a bullet taken from Kavars' body was fired from the pistol found at the scene -- the inside of Christensen's house at 1620 N. Hampshire Ave.

The pistol Murillo used for demonstration purposes in the courtroom was not the weapon recovered from Christensen's home, but it was the same make and model.

Murillo also used this pistol, with the magazine from the gun entered into evidence, for test-firing.

He said he didn't use the pistol from the crime scene because it had blood on it, as well as caustic chemicals from previous testing.

Murillo said he was able to extract and examine ammunition from the pistol recovered from the scene. He discovered gouges and scratches in the cartridge casing, which he said made it larger than it was supposed to be and caused the pistol to jam.

"This is not normal," Murillo said, noting ammunition rounds are "clean and shiny" when they come from the factory.

Another state witness also testified about additional evidence police found at or near Christensen's house.

Footprints in blood at the scene were consistent with the pattern on the soles of Veal's Nike sneakers, the witness said.

Prosecutors say Veal shot Kavars and then tried to shoot Willis before stabbing Christensen 25 times.

A knife was found along the path Veal allegedly took after leaving Christensen's house, but investigators could not recover any fingerprints from it.

The defense is expected to begin presenting its own evidence Tuesday.

Veal's trial was moved from Mason City to Fort Dodge due to pretrial publicity.
IMAGE: Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah after he was announced as the BJP's vice presidential candidate in New Delhi on Monday. Photograph: Atul Yadav/PTI Photo

In the 1970s when Bharatiya Janata Party's precursor Jana Sangh was a marginal player with little clout in the south, a young party worker kept himself busy putting up posters of stalwarts such as Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L K Advani.

Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu has come a long way since those days of political obscurity to be chosen on Monday as the National Democratic Alliance's candidate for vice president, a post he is almost certain to occupy.

From a humble agricultural family of Andhra Pradesh's Nellore district, the former BJP national president is known for his oratory. A two-term member of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly, Naidu was never a member of the Lok Sabha.

He was however elected to the Rajya Sabha three times from Karnataka and currently represents Rajasthan in the Upper House of Parliament.

Once an Advani protege, Naidu vigorously backed Narendra Modi for the prime minister's post before the 2014 elections. Naidu currently holds the portfolios of information and broadcasting and housing and urban affairs. He was also minister of parliamentary affairs in the Modi government.

Earlier, he had served as rural development minister in the previous NDA government led by Vajpayee.

The 68-year-old veteran party leader also served as the BJP national president from July 2002 to October 2004 for two consecutive terms.

He quit the post after the party's defeat in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections.

Naidu was an Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad activist during the Emergency and was arrested and jailed.

As the first Minister of Parliamentary Affairs in the Modi government, Naidu had defended the prime minister and the government whenever the opposition targeted them in both the houses of Parliament.

He had also ensured high political outreach by meeting Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi when there was a standoff between the government and the opposition in Parliament.

Several major legislations were cleared by Parliament when he was Parliamentary Affairs Minister, including the historic Real Estate Act and fast forwarding of the GST Bill.

Known for coining acronyms, Naidu termed the mission of the Modi government as 'MODI- Making of Developed India' which had become the official line of the Centre in its public outreach campaign on the occasion of three years of being in office.

As the minister for information and broadcasting, he was always quick to present issues in perspective with effective repartee as and when required.

As minister of urban development and Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, which was recently merged as housing and urban affairs, Naidu pioneered the launch of several new urban missions, including the Smart City Mission, Atal Mission, Swachh Bharat Mission and Housing for All.

As Rural Development Minister, Naidu was instrumental in launching the hugely popular 'Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana'.

When the Congress swept the polls in Andhra Pradesh in 1978, Naidu got elected as MLA from Udayagiri Constituency as a Janata Party candidate.

He was re-elected on a BJP ticket when N T Rama Rao swept the polls in the state.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday congratulated National Democratic Alliance presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind "in advance" and assured him of his government's support, a day before the election to the top constitutional post.

At a meeting of the NDA MPs which was also attended by Kovind, Modi recalled that the former Bihar governor had worked as a sahyogi (aide) of Morarji Desai when he was the prime minister and said this government will offer all sahyog (cooperation) to him.

Kovind's win against opposition candidate Meira Kumar is a foregone conclusion as the ruling coalition has secured the support of nearly two-thirds of the electoral college, with some political parties even outside the NDA fold throwing their weight behind him.

Quoting Modi, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said the prime minister also offered his congratulations in advance to the Dalit leader.

Kumar also made light of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi's call to MPs and MLAs for "vote of conscience", saying 40 political parties have supported Kovind's presidential bid and non-NDA chief ministers of states like Bihar, Tamil Nadu and Odisha have also announced their support for him.

"The way ahead is very clear," he said, underlining the clear majority enjoyed by the NDA candidate.

On the occasion, Bharatiya Janata Party MP Bhupender Yadav made a presentation to the MPs about the voting process to ensure that they vote correctly.

Modi said the campaigns by the two presidential candidates and parties supporting them had been very dignified and showed the maturity of the Indian democracy.

He had earlier posted a tweet saying, "The presidential poll this time is historic. Probably for the first time no party made any undignified or unwarranted comment on the rival candidate."

During the meeting, he also noted that 75th anniversary of the Quit India movement falls on August 9 and told the MPs that country-wide events to mark the occasion should be held between August 9 and 15.

He pitched for discussions and programmes for five years till 15 August 2022, the 75th Independence Day, aimed at pro- poor programmes and a good governance agenda.

The prime minister, Kumar told reporters, also noted that the advent of the year 2018 will mark the enrolment of "new millennial voters", those born in 2000 and after, and said they should be welcomed and made aware of their responsibilities.

Besides Kumar, BJP chief Amit Shah and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley addressed the MPs.

IAMGE: NDA's Presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at NDA meeting in New Delhi. Photograph: Kamal Singh/PTI Photo
In a stern message conveyed by the top Army brass, India on Monday told Pakistan that it reserves the right to retaliate appropriately against any incident of ceasefire violation along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.

In a telephonic conversation, Lt Gen A K Bhatt, the director general of military operations (DGMO), also told his Pakistani counterpart that the Indian Army was sincere about maintaining peace on the LoC.

The DGMO made it explicitly clear that the Indian Army reserves the right to retaliate against any ceasefire violation, but 'is sincere in its effort of maintaining peace and tranquillity along the LoC provided there was reciprocity', Army spokesman Col Aman Anand said.

The telephone exchange took place three hours after the Pakistani army fired mortar shells along the LoC in the Poonch and Rajouri districts, killing an Indian Army jawan and a nine-year-old girl.

Anand said the conversation was initiated by the Pakistani commander, Maj Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza, who raised the issues of the 'targeting' of Pakistani army troops and the death of four Pakistani soldiers and one civilian in the Athmuqam Sector of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir facing the Indian Keran Sector in Kupwara district last week.

The nearly 10-minute-long conversation over the hotline between the two army commanders came amid rising incidents of ceasefire violations by the Pakistan army and a spurt in violence in Jammu and Kashmir.

"The Indian DGMO in response highlighted that all ceasefire violations were initiated by the Pakistan army and the Indian Army only responded appropriately to them," he said.

Firing by Indian troops was initiated only against 'armed intruders attempting to infiltrate from close proximity of Pak posts along the Line of Control', he said.

In Islamabad, the Pakistan army said DGMO Mirza had 'strongly protested the deliberate targeting' of a Pakistan army vehicle by Indian forces. It said four soldiers were killed when a vehicle 'hit by fire from across the LoC' fell into a river.

"While we dont want to go down the path where we start choking each others supply lines... any such recurrence will invoke more strong and effective measures from Pakistans side," Mirza said.

The Indian Army spokesman said Bhatt put across 'emphatically' that the trend of infiltration along the LoC continued with the active support of Pakistani forward posts, impacting peace and tranquillity as well as the internal security situation.

"This was evident from continued attempts of sniping and targeting of our troops undertaken through cross border actions duly supported by Pakistani army troops," he said.

There were 23 incidents of ceasefire violations, one BAT (Border Action Team) attack and two infiltration bids by Pakistan in June, according to the Army.
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.
FORT DODGE | A gun found at the scene of a double homicide in Mason City in November was jammed by a damaged bullet, a firearms expert testified Monday in Webster County District Court.

A magazine from the .380 semi-automatic pistol was used in a demonstration Monday in the trial of Peter Veal, who is accused of two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Melinda Kavars and Caleb Christensen.

The Lake Mills man also faces a charge of attempted murder for allegedly trying to kill Ron Willis.

The testimony by Victor Murillo of the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation was consistent with what Willis previously told the court -- that Veal pulled the trigger to shoot him, but the gun didn't fire.

Another state witness also testified about additional evidence police found at 1620 N. Hampshire Ave.

Footprints in blood at the scene were consistent with the pattern on the soles of Veal's Nike sneakers, the witness said.

Veal's trial was moved to the Webster County Courthouse in Fort Dodge due to pretrial publicity.

This is a developing story. Check back later for more details.
As asylum applications by Venezuelans soar, UNHCR steps up response

Publisher UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Publication Date 14 July 2017 Cite as UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), As asylum applications by Venezuelans soar, UNHCR steps up response, 14 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596c669e4.html [accessed 12 November 2022]

As the situation in Venezuela continues, the number of asylum applications by citizens of that country has soared. Last year, there were some 27,000 Venezuelan asylum seekers worldwide. So far in 2017, nearly 50,000 have applied for asylum.

The main countries of destination for Venezuelan asylum seekers this year have been the United States (18,300), Brazil (12,960), Peru (4,453), Spain (4,300) and Mexico (1,044). Aruba, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Curacao, Ecuador and Trinidad and Tobago, have also received asylum applications by Venezuelans in 2017.

The above figures represent only a fraction of the total number of Venezuelans who may be in need of international protection, as many do not register as asylum seekers, despite the fact that many have indicated that they fled because of violence and insecurity, as well as an inability to meet daily subsistence needs.

Thanks to a long standing tradition of solidarity in Latin America, Venezuelan citizens in neighbouring countries can benefit from various forms of temporary residence in those countries. However, due to bureaucratic obstacles, long waiting periods and high application fees, many Venezuelans opt to remain in an irregular situation instead of using asylum or migratory procedures to regularize their stay.

It is estimated that among the 300,000 Venezuelans in Colombia, 40,000 in Trinidad and Tobago and 30,000 in Brazil, many may be in this situation. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is working with the authorities of these countries to step up registration and profiling, reinforce reception capacities and provide basic humanitarian assistance to asylum seekers with specific needs. Faced with large arrivals, all three countries have initiated response plans. The Colombian and Brazilian authorities are coordinating their responses and discussing harmonized approaches.

Some of the major challenges posed by the large influx of Venezuelans in neighbouring countries include international protection and physical security considerations, lack of documentation, sexual and gender-based violence, exploitation and abuse, and lack of access to basic rights and services. In certain areas, armed groups and criminal gangs are exploiting the newly-arrived Venezuelans and the local population.

UNHCR is also concerned that indigenous groups living along Venezuela's borders with Brazil and Colombia are being increasingly affected by the situation and have fled their home territories. Particular attention to the rights of these communities as well as a differentiated and targeted protection and humanitarian response is required.

Considering the evolving situation in Venezuela, it is projected that people will continue to leave the country. UNHCR is stepping up its response accordingly. In Colombia, UNHCR has carried out interviews of Venezuelan arrivals to establish protection needs and is strengthening its presence in border areas and its capacity to provide basic humanitarian assistance, including through multi-purpose cash grants, to Venezuelan asylum seekers with specific needs.

In Brazil, UNHCR, through a national partner, is providing funds to cover some activities carried out by civil society organizations in Boa Vista, Pacaraima and Manaus. The Federal Police, with UNHCR support, has deployed additional staff to Roraima State to assist with the registration of asylum claims. In Trinidad and Tobago, UNHCR is assisting the government to progressively assume responsibility for registration, issuance of documentation and refugee status determination.

UNHCR reiterates its call to States to protect the rights of Venezuelans, particularly the right to seek asylum and to have access to fair and effective asylum procedures. Effective access to protection requires the adoption of measures to facilitate documentation, access to basic services and livelihood options. At the same time, Venezuelans who do not wish to apply for asylum or whose asylum claims have been rejected should be helped to regularize their situation through alternative means. There should be no involuntary returns to Venezuela.
Iran: Foreign diplomats tour of Evin prison a 'crude PR stunt'

Publisher Amnesty International Author Raha Bahreini Publication Date 13 July 2017 Cite as Amnesty International, Iran: Foreign diplomats tour of Evin prison a 'crude PR stunt', 13 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596c6b514.html [accessed 12 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Last week the Iranian authorities arranged a rare visit to one of the country's most infamous prisons for representatives of up to 45 foreign diplomatic missions from Europe, Asia, Africa and South America.

The authorities made no secret of the fact that the tour of Evin Prison in Tehran was designed to counter negative human rights reports about the prison, and showcase the "excellent facilities" on offer which include an in-house beauty salon, gym, library and restaurant.

In the days that followed, state media outlets were flooded with news stories praising conditions at the prison including congratulatory comments from Indian, Indonesian, Portuguese and South Korean delegates.

In reality, this rosy picture could not be further from the truth.

Research by Amnesty International and other human rights organizations over the years points to inhumane and unsanitary conditions at Evin Prison. Chronic overcrowding, severely limited hot water, poor ventilation, and infestations of cockroaches and mice, particularly near kitchen areas, are among the most common complaints.

Prisoners have described being forced to sleep on the floor, including during cold winter months due to a shortage of beds and being fed "barely edible" meals. Prisoners who are lucky enough to afford to do so can purchase food at their own expense from the prison shop.

Evin Prison is a vast complex that consists of multiple buildings, generally up to three floors high with two sections on each floor. Conditions across the prison sections vary greatly.

The much raved about beauty salon, gym, library and restaurant are only accessible to prisoners held in building 7.

Unsurprisingly many areas of the prison remained off limits to the foreign delegates. They were only granted access to a handful of sections in buildings 4 and 7, mostly housing wealthier prisoners convicted of financial crimes. In these areas, prisoners have used their own funds to boost conditions, buying carpets, curtains, televisions, air conditioning units, kitchenware and other furnishings.

Amnesty International learned that ahead of the visit the authorities transferred some prisoners from these sections to other areas in order to alleviate overcrowding and painted walls. They also warned prisoners against approaching the diplomats and expressing any criticism.

In Iran and around the world, Evin prison is symbolic of Iran's rampant political repression. It has held hundreds of peaceful activists, journalists, intellectuals and human rights lawyers throughout its disgraceful history.

Yet foreign delegates were not allowed to visit areas of the prison that hold dozens of prisoners of conscience including human rights activists. These include building 350, which holds prominent human rights lawyer Abdolfattah

Soltani and severely ill human rights defender Arash Sadeghi; building 8, which holds human rights defender Omid Alishenas,and the women prisoners' wing which holds human rights defenders Narges Mohammadi, Golrokh Ebrahimi Iraee and Atena Daemi.

The delegation was also barred from accessing areas controlled by the Ministry of Intelligence and Revolutionary Guards, where detainees are routinely subjected to torture and other ill-treatment.

They were also unable to meet dual nationals held in the prison on spurious charges including British-Iranian nationals Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliff and Kamal Foroughi as well as the Iranian-born Swedish resident Dr Ahmadreza Djalali who was transferred to solitary confinement for the entire duration of the visit.

Crude game of deception

The highly publicized visit to Evin prison was clearly a PR stunt orchestrated by the Iranian authorities to cover up the dark truth about the prison.

Speaking after the visit, Kazem Gharibabadi of Iran's High Council of Human Rights made the ludicrous claim that prisoners in Iran enjoy "perfect access to medical care". This stands in stark contrast to the findings of an Amnesty International report, which highlighted how political prisoners are deliberately denied access to adequate medical care as further punishment.

He also claimed that the conditions at Evin are typical of the high standards of prisons across the country.

In reality, every year, scores of prisoners go on hunger strikes in protest at their appalling prison conditions. Earlier this year, at Karaj's Raja'i Shahr prison near Tehran, jailed human rights defender Saeed Shirzad staged a 39-day hunger strike in protest at the poor conditions at the prison.

Such false claims by the Iranian authorities are an affront to the hundreds of prisoners over the years who have suffered behind bars at Evin prison.

The foreign delegates who took part in this tour may not have known in advance that they would be getting such a limited, distorted view of conditions in this notorious prison. But it should be very clear to them now that they are

being used by Iranian authorities to validate their crude propaganda. They must speak out against torture and other ill-treatment of prisoners in Iran and the arbitrary detention of peaceful critics and human rights defenders and demand that the authorities open Evin and other prisons to independent monitors.

If the Iranian authorities are truly interested in improving their reputation, they must urgently address overcrowding, and ensure access to adequate food, water, medical care, hygiene and bedding for all prisoners. They should also end the use of torture and other ill-treatment, treat detainees with dignity and humanity, release unjustly imprisoned peaceful dissidents, and allow international monitors, including the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran, to conduct independent, unannounced inspections of Evin and other prisons in line with international standards.

Only through such steps and can Iran truly establish confidence in the country's prison system.

Among the states who took part in the tour are:

Algeria, Australia, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Japan, Luxemburg, Malaysia, Nigeria, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Vatican

Copyright notice:  Copyright Amnesty International
Singapore: Malaysian executed for drugs conviction after unfair trial

Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 14 July 2017 Cite as Amnesty International, Singapore: Malaysian executed for drugs conviction after unfair trial, 14 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596c6b944.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 the news of Malaysian national Prabagaran Srivijayan's execution in Singapore today, James Gomez, Amnesty International's Director for South East Asia and the Pacific said:

"This execution is a shocking violation of the human right to life. That this cruel punishment has been administered after a trial filled with flaws makes this flouting of international law all the more disturbing.

"That an appeal was pending on this case in his home country at the time of execution, and that there were serious concerns about the fairness of his trial, underlines a flagrant disregard for due process in profoundly dubious circumstances."

Background

Prabagaran Srivijayan was convicted of drug trafficking and given a mandatory death sentence in 2012 after 22.24g of diamorphine was found in the arm rest of a car he borrowed. He has consistently maintained his innocence.

Prabagaran Srivijayan's legal team have raised serious concerns about the fairness of his trial, including the authorities' failure to follow up leads and call on key witnesses that would corroborate his version of events.

His legal representatives also launched a case in Malaysia in March 2017 to urge the country to seek the intervention of the International Court of Justice, with an appeal on the matter still being considered at the Court of Appeal. International safeguards for death row prisoners clearly state that the death penalty must not be carried out while appeals are pending.

An application for a stay of execution was filed at the Singaporean Court of Appeal but dismissed on 13 July.

Copyright notice:  Copyright Amnesty International
Angola: Victory for civil society as court strikes down NGO law

Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 14 July 2017 Cite as Amnesty International, Angola: Victory for civil society as court strikes down NGO law, 14 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596c6bca4.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 the Angolan Constitutional Tribunal's decision to declare unconstitutional the Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Presidential Decree, a piece of legislation that sought to monitor the registration and financial support of NGOs, Amnesty International's Regional Director for Southern Africa, Deprose Muchena said:

"The court's judgement is a positive step forward that gives Angolan authorities a second chance to go back and work together with local NGOs to build a safe and enabling environment for civil society.

"From the beginning, Amnesty International and others have stated plainly that this legislation was designed to stifle the vital work of human rights defenders and civil society organizations in Angola.

"Angolan authorities must see NGOs as partners working in the public interest, not as enemies of the state."

Background

The NGO Presidential Decree was enacted in March 2015. In declaring it unconstitutional in a court judgement dated 11 July but made public today, the court stated the procedure for its approval should have been done through the National Assembly.

The decree empowered the Public Prosecutor's Office to suspend the activities of national and international NGOs on suspicion of money laundering, or illegal or harmful acts against "Angola's sovereignty and integrity" - but there were widespread fears that these offences would be interpreted over-broadly in practice, resulting in a crackdown on civil society.

Copyright notice:  Copyright Amnesty International
China: Anti-corruption activist to be freed but relentless crackdown goes on

Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 14 July 2017 Cite as Amnesty International, China: Anti-corruption activist to be freed but relentless crackdown goes on, 14 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596c6c224.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.

Chinese authorities must end their callous assault against human rights activists and free all those still imprisoned for solely exercising their right to freedom of expression, said Amnesty International, ahead of the expected release of prominent social activist Xu Zhiyong.

Xu Zhiyong is due to be released from prison on Saturday, 15 July after completing a four year jail sentence. In January 2014, he was convicted of "gathering a crowd to disturb order in a public place" following more than six months in pre-trial detention.

"Xu Zhiyong's release is long overdue. His conviction was a sham and he should never have spent a single day in jail for simply exercising his right to freedom of expression," said Patrick Poon, China Researcher at Amnesty International.

Surveillance

In recent years, activists have been released from prison, or on bail, only to find themselves under intense surveillance and round-the-clock monitoring by unidentified security personnel or thugs.

"The authorities must not continue to harass or intimidate Xu Zhiyong or his family, and instead let him again enjoy the freedom that was unjustly taken from him."

Xu Zhiyong was a central figure in the "New Citizens Movement", a grassroots political, cultural and social network that the authorities targeted in a crackdown during 2013 and 2014. The movement peacefully advocated for greater government transparency, the rule of law and an end to corruption.

A highly regarded legal scholar, Xu Zhiyong wrote an article in May 2012 credited with spurring the movement and creating its mission.

The crackdown against the New Citizens Movement was the first clear sign that President Xi Jinping would show zero tolerance to those who questioned the government. Four years on, it has only escalated the attacks and harassment against those legitimately exercising their human rights.

More than 65 people who were allegedly connected with the movement were targeted in the nationwide sweep in 2013. Fourteen were convicted and sentenced to jail terms ranging from one and a half years to six and a half years.

Activists Liu Ping and Wei Zhongping were both sentenced to six andahalfyears in June 2014, primarily for organizing an anti-corruption event. Both were convicted of "picking quarrels and provoking trouble", "gathering a crowd to disrupt order in a public place" and "using an evil cult to undermine law enforcement." At her trial, Liu Ping stated she was tortured in pre-trial detention.

"The convictions against Liu Ping and Wei Zhongping are ludicrous. They are Prisoners of Conscience, as was Xu Zhiyong, held solely for exercising their right to freedom of expression. Their imprisonment underscores the hypocrisy of the Chinese government when it comes to fighting corruption," said Patrick Poon.

Copyright notice:  Copyright Amnesty International
Morocco/Western Sahara: Torture Allegations Cast Shadow over Trial

Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 17 July 2017 Cite as Amnesty International, Morocco/Western Sahara: Torture Allegations Cast Shadow over Trial, 17 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596c6c9d4.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.

Verdict Awaited for Sahrawis Charged in Fatal 2010 Clashes

The Moroccan judicial authorities should ensure that upcoming verdicts in a mass trial are not based on confessions or statements implicating other defendants obtained under torture or other ill-treatment during police interrogations, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International said today.

The Rabat Court of Appeals is expected to issue its verdict in the trial of 24 Sahrawi defendants shortly after a hearing scheduled for July 18, 2017. The defendants are charged with responsibility for the deaths of 11 security force members during clashes that erupted when the forces dismantled a large protest encampment in Gdeim Izik, in Western Sahara in 2010. The defendants had been convicted in a military trial, but the Court of Cassation, Morocco's highest court, ordered new civilian proceedings following a new law banning military trials of civilians.

"Morocco took the positive step of ordering new proceedings before a civilian court, but it still needs to ensure no one is convicted on the basis of evidence obtained by torture," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch.

In the previous trial, a military court in Rabat convicted all of the defendants almost exclusively on the basis of their confessions allegedly obtained under torture. Most of the defendants received long sentences and have already served over six years in prison.

In 2015, a new law ended military trials for civilians, bringing Morocco into conformity with international norms. The following year, the Court of Cassation ordered a new trial of the Gdeim Izik group before the Appeals Chamber of the Rabat Court of Appeals. During the trial, which opened on December 26, 2016, the court agreed to have doctors accredited to the court perform medical examinations on 21 defendants to assess their torture allegations, refusing the request for the three defendants who are not in custody.

The doctors examined the defendants in February and March, almost seven years after the alleged torture took place. The doctors' reports, which Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International reviewed, note the types of torture and other mistreatment that each of the defendants says he underwent during his arrest and interrogation shortly after arrest in late 2010. Their allegations include severe beatings, sometimes while suspended by the wrists and knees, sexual assault including rape with an object, and pulling out fingernails and toenails. The medical reports all conclude with the same phrase or a variation: "The symptoms that he manifests at present and what we noted during our examination are not specific to the specific methods of torture alleged."

"Morocco's judiciary should not squander the opportunity for justice presented by these civilian proceedings," said Heba Morayef, North Africa research director at Amnesty International.

"The court should exclude these confessions and statements unless they are able to make a persuasive case that they were made voluntarily. No defendant should be penalized because their allegations of torture went uninvestigated for years."

The UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, which Morocco ratified in 1993, requires state parties to abolish torture or other forms of ill-treatment and also prevent these from undermining the right to a fair trial. It gives victims of torture the right to complain to authorities and to receive a prompt and impartial investigation. It also imposes on authorities the duty to investigate any allegation of torture even without a formal complaint.

Countries must ensure that any statement "made as a result of torture shall not be invoked as evidence in any proceedings, except against a person accused of torture as evidence that the statement was made." The UN Subcommittee on Torture has also stressed that courts should not misinterpret the absence of medical evidence as meaning that torture did not occur.

Morocco's constitution also forbids torture and acts that are "cruel, inhumane, degrading, or that harm one's dignity." The country's penal code criminalizes torture. The code of criminal procedure says that confessions obtained through "violence" or "coercion" are inadmissible in court. Nevertheless, Moroccan courts have a record of relying on confessions allegedly obtained under torture or coercion as the main source of evidence for their verdicts against defendants.

The defendants are being tried on charges of forming a "criminal gang" and participating, or complicity, in violence against security forces "leading to death with intent," among other charges. The charges relate to clashes that erupted during the police's dismantling of the Gdeim Izik protest camp on November 8, 2010, and in nearby El Ayoun, the main city of Western Sahara.

The UN Committee Against Torture concluded on November 15, 2016, that Morocco had breached the UN Convention Against Torture with regard to one of the defendants, Naama Asfari, on several counts.

Responding to a complaint filed by Asfari, represented by the Action by Christians for the Abolition of Torture (ACAT-France), the committee found that the authorities had failed to investigate his allegations of torture and other ill-treatment, to protect him and his lawyer from reprisals and denied him reparations including medical rehabilitation and compensation. It also said the military court had relied on a statement extracted through torture or other ill-treatment to convict him.

In the current trial, the relatives of the security agents killed during the disturbance are represented as civil parties to the case, although the court has yet to rule on whether they can be part of the proceedings as they were not parties to the earlier case.

"The bereaved families want to see justice done, but justice would be ill-served by relying on evidence obtained through the use of torture or coercion," Whitson said.

Copyright notice:  Copyright Amnesty International
As Haiti struggles to stamp out cholera, UN urges further international support to combat disease

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 13 July 2017 Cite as UN News Service, As Haiti struggles to stamp out cholera, UN urges further international support to combat disease, 13 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596caad24.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.

Noting the challenges that continue to hamper sustained progress in combating cholera in Haiti, the United Nations General Assembly underscored the need to strengthen national health, sanitation and water systems on the island to promote the well-being of the population as well as contributing to Haiti's sustainable development efforts.

In a resolution adopted today, the General Assembly recognized the efforts made by the Organization in alleviating the cholera epidemic in Haiti, in particular through the new UN approach to cholera in Haiti and the decrease in the number of suspected cases as a result of intensified response efforts under the approach.

In addition, the Assembly underscored that maintaining the intensified cholera response and control remained critical and invited UN Member States, donors, financial institutions and the private sector to provide voluntary funding and support for the new UN approach.

The 193-member General Assembly also called for greater international and regional cooperation and technical assistance, including through bilateral, North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation.

Further in the resolution, the Assembly welcomed the intention of the Secretary-General to invite UN Member States to voluntarily direct their share of the unencumbered balance and other income for the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti, known by its French acronym, MINUSTAH, to support the new approach.

MINUSTAH is drawing down its operations in Haiti and transitioning into a new, smaller follow-on presence to assist the Government in strengthening rule-of-law institutions, security sector and human rights monitoring.

The Assembly also called on the UN chief to rigorously pursue and complete the liquidation of the assets of MINUSTAH and when disposing of the assets, to consider their potential use by the UN country team and the Government in supporting the cholera response, as well as sustainable development of Haiti.
Despite some humanitarian progress in Eritrea, UN relief official urges continued aid to tackle hunger

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 13 July 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Despite some humanitarian progress in Eritrea, UN relief official urges continued aid to tackle hunger, 13 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596cab1d4.html [accessed 12 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

The humanitarian situation in Eritrea - which is quite isolated and off the media radars - is "on a positive trajectory" but international donors need to give malnourishment and food insecurity continued attention, a senior United Nations relief official today said.

Back from a three-day fact finding trip to the east African country, John Ging, Director of the Operational Division at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), told journalists in New York that food and security remains a key concern there.

"Eighty per cent of the population depends on subsistence agriculture. The country is susceptible to harsh climatic conditions, especially what we saw with El Nino," he said.

He noted that half of all children under the age of five in Eritrea suffer from stunting, and 39 per cent are underweight.

"We have to work very actively in that particular area to make sure we are addressing those who are suffering," said Mr. Ging, noting an extensive programme to aid children in the country run by the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).

Among other concerns, he mentioned the need to lower infant mortality, to provide people with greater access to clean drinking water and to improve sanitation.

Eritrea, which has a population of roughly 3.5 million, sits at number 179 out of 188 countries on the UN's Human Development Index, which measures indicators such as life expectancy and education.

The UN is assisting at nutritional feeding centres and health clinics, and has helped Eritrea achieve "a lot of progress" on the universal development goals.

"I don't want to overstate the progress - it is significant because it is on a positive trajectory - but we have a long way to go," Mr. Ging said.

He noted the "modest" appeal under way for $328 million over the next five years to sustain and build on these programmes. The previous programme was 83 per cent funded.

"The momentum is there but there is a long way to go, so we have to give attention so it continues on that trajectory," he reiterated.
UN envoy calls on Security Council to further support fight against terrorism in West Africa, Sahel

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 13 July 2017 Cite as UN News Service, UN envoy calls on Security Council to further support fight against terrorism in West Africa, Sahel, 13 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596cac544.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.

Amid rising terrorism and violent extremism in West Africa and the United Nations envoy for the region called on the Security Council to further support national and Regional efforts to combat this "serious threat", including strengthening the UN Integrated Strategy for the Sahel.

The efforts of the region's States towards broader development, increased investment, improved infrastructure and job creation are being undermined by factors of insecurity "both traditional and new," warned Mohamed Ibn Chambas, the head of the UN Office for West Africa (UNOWAS).

Terrorism and violent extremism, which aggravate humanitarian crises and erode the integrity of the region's States, have exacerbated traditional threats in West Africa and the Sahel region, which includes Mali, Mauritania, Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Nigeria and Niger and Chad.

"These factors, combined with climate change, youth bulge and unemployment and unchecked urbanization constitute veritable push factors underpinning the surge in irregular migration and human trafficking," he explained to the Council.

In the Sahel, the envoy continued, instability in Mali continues to spread into north-eastern Burkina Faso and western Niger, as evidenced by the recent deadly attacks in the border areas between these three countries. In the Liptako-Gourma region, which links Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, the past month has been marked by an intensification of terrorist activities and violent extremism, including coordinated cross-border attacks on border crossings.

The leaders of those three countries met in Niamey on 24 January, and announced the formation of a multinational security force. The announcement came in the context of ongoing discussions on the operationalization of the G5 Sahel Joint Force (FC-G5S), an initiative that also includes, in addition to Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, Chad and Mauritania. He called on the Security Council to further support the national and regional initiatives of the Sahel States against violent extremism and terrorism.

Turning to the situation in the Lake Chad Basin, Mr. Chambas said that despite the remarkable efforts of the Multinational Joint Force against Boko Haram, recent attacks demonstrated that the terrorist group remains a "serious threat" to the region. The mode and sophistication of these attacks, he added, suggest that the terrorist group has benefited from reinforcements.

The attacks, the UNOWAS chief stressed, have "devastating humanitarian consequences" in the Lake Chad Basin, where 5.2 million people, many of whom are displaced, are in a vulnerable situation.

At the same time, the threats posed by extremists and terrorist groups should not obscure other traditional threats to security in the region, such as the rise of inter-communal tensions in several countries, including clashes between herders and farmers. Also of concern is the intensification of smuggling, cross-border crime and human trafficking in areas where State structures are scarce.

"This insecurity," he said, "also extends to the Gulf of Guinea, where piracy is increasing."

In view of these threats, he considered that the UN Integrated Strategy for the Sahel presents an effective multidimensional response to streamline efforts and reduce duplication between the various initiatives in the Sahel.

In that context, Mr. Chambas said he is ready to continue working with the States of the region to strengthen justice, the rule of law, security reform and national reconciliation.
Austin, Texas, July 17, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Campus Advantage, a leader in student housing, providing property management, consulting, acquisitions, and development services, today announced that the The Lyfe and The Row, have joined its growing portfolio of managed student housing properties. Campus Advantage added a total of 3,164 beds to its portfolio in the first half of 2017.



There is a tremendous opportunity for growth in this market and our consulting and operations teams agree partnering with a strong student housing operator will help these properties achieve their full potential, said Pam West, Vice President of Operations at Campus Advantage. We are excited to showcase our award winning operations team and make a fast and lasting impact at each of these properties.



Both properties are located in Columbia, Missouri near the University of Missouri.



Built in 2006, The Lyfe offers a total of 450 beds with fully furnished two-, three-, and four-bedroom units. Indoor amenities include a clubhouse with a 24-hour fitness center, game room, study lounge, and 24-hour business center with free printing. Outdoor amenities include sport courts, a swimming pool, and barbecue grills.



The Row is a duplex-style community, with 328 beds, and was built in stages between 2005-2007. Amenities include a swimming pool and two-car garages, and beginning in the fall 2017 school semester, residents of both properties will enjoy a convenient resident-only shuttle with extended hours to campus and downtown.



Both properties will benefit from a fresh set of eyes and new programs that deliver an experience that inspires and equips residents to thrive in all areas of life. This includes Campus Advantages highly sought after Students First program which is designed to ensure that students who choose to live at Campus Advantage communities have more opportunities to achieve success both now and in the future.



Campus Advantage has also partnered with Catalyst, an Austin-based agency specializing in integrated marketing for student and multifamily housing, to create new marketing strategies for the properties, including new websites, social and digital strategies and improved marketing materials.



Student housing property owners continue to seek out Campus Advantage as their third party manager of choice because of the Companys proven expertise in student housing management and time-tested approach. Campus Advantages dedication to creating rewarding living and learning experiences for students, combined with an integrated marketing approach, results in a nearly 97% occupancy rate, industry-leading resident renewal rates, and low maintenance costs thanks to satisfied residents. By maintaining and operating each property to the highest standard, Campus Advantage creates an environment that residents love, resulting in maximum occupancy and returning resident ratios.





About Campus Advantage

Campus Advantage is an Austin-based real estate firm that offers student housing management, development, acquisition, and consulting services. The company has been creating successful communities since its founding in 2003. Its proven expertise and time-tested approach creates better student living experiences, which in turn creates financial success. For additional information, please visit www.campusadv.com.

Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d4fa7ae7-2726-4e5a-ab8e-b6ba62f566b7
Security Council extends mandate of UN Iraq Mission for one year

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 14 July 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Security Council extends mandate of UN Iraq Mission for one year , 14 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596cac8a4.html [accessed 12 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

The Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations political mission in Iraq until 31 July 2018, also calling upon that country's Government to continue providing security and logistical support to the Organization's presence on the ground.

Unanimously adopting a resolution, the Council also decided that the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) and the Secretary-General's Special Representative would, at Iraq's request, continue to pursue their mandates, outlined at the time of the previous mandate extension in 2016.

In so doing, the Council took into account a 14 June 2017 letter from Iraq's Foreign Minister to the Secretary-General. In the letter, Iraq's Government reaffirmed UNAMI's important role, particularly given that Iraqi security forces are about to rid Iraq of the terrorist gangs of Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da'esh) and to wipe them out once and for all.

Against that backdrop, the Council expressed its intention to review the mandate in one year or sooner. It called upon the Secretary-General to conduct, by 15 October 2017, an independent external assessment of UNAMI's structure and staffing, related resources, priorities, and areas in which it enjoyed comparative advantages, in order to ensure the most appropriate configuration of the Mission and the United Nations country team.
Guterres condemns deadly attack on Israeli police officers in Old City of Jerusalem

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 14 July 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Guterres condemns deadly attack on Israeli police officers in Old City of Jerusalem, 14 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596cacd44.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.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has condemned this morning's deadly attack by three assailants that left two Israeli police officers dead and leaving a third one injured in the Old City of Jerusalem.

In a statement attributable to his spokesperson, the Secretary-General warned that this incident has the potential to ignite further violence. He called upon all to act responsibly to avoid escalation.

To that end, Mr. Guterres welcomed the swift condemnation of the attack by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and the assurances by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the status quo at the holy sites in Jerusalem will be respected.

The sanctity of religious sites should be respected as places for reflection, not violence, added the statement.

According to media reports the deadly attack took place near the holy site known as the Temple Mount and as Haram al-Sharif.

The thoughts and prayers of the Secretary-General are with the families of the victims, and he wishes a speedy recovery to the injured, it adds.
DR Congo: UN refugee agency sounds alarm as displacement sees no end in Kasai region

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 14 July 2017 Cite as UN News Service, DR Congo: UN refugee agency sounds alarm as displacement sees no end in Kasai region, 14 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596cad1b4.html [accessed 12 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

The United Nations refugee agency has alerted the humanitarian community about the violence and continued displacement of civilians in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) from the Kasai region where the estimated number of displaced people now exceeds 1.3 million.

"Delivering assistance and protection to internally displaced people is a huge challenge, given the size of the area impacted - the Kasai region is about the size of Germany - but has difficult road conditions and lacks security," said William Spindler, spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), at the press briefing in Geneva.

The conflict in the Kasai region, which started in late 2016 between a local traditional leader - the Kamuina Nsapu - and state authorities, continues to expand, with other armed groups springing up and committing severe human rights abuses against civilians.

Mr. Spindler noted that during recent missions to two provinces bordering the main conflict region, Kwilu and Lualaba, UNHCR's team met some extremely vulnerable new arrivals.

"Many said that they spent weeks fleeing through the dense forest without food, drinking water, medicine or clothes and saw people dying on the way, including women and children," he said.

He warned that the risk of sexual abuse and exploitation makes the situation particularly worrying, as many children and women fled on their own and some unaccompanied minors are without proper foster care arrangements.

The majority of those displaced are being accommodated by host communities, despite limited resources.

UNHCR is strengthening its response on the ground, closely working with national partner organizations to distribute more than 267,000 hot meals daily in five provinces affected by the displacement, namely Kasai, Kasai Central, Kwango, Kwilu and Lualaba.

A first distribution of essential household items to some 20,000 vulnerable people in Lualaba province will also start in the coming days, Mr. Spindler said.
Ahead of Sunday's consultation in Venezuela, UN voices concern for demonstrators

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 14 July 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Ahead of Sunday's consultation in Venezuela, UN voices concern for demonstrators, 14 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596cad5a4.html [accessed 12 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

The United Nations today expressed concern about the situation in Venezuela, where nearly 100 people have died since April and more than 1,500 were injured in connection with ongoing protests.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres today said he and the international community wish for peace and democracy in Venezuela, and stressed in a statement that a solution must be found by Venezuelans alone.

The way out is through an agreement, elections and respect for fundamental rights and constitutional powers, the Secretary-General said calling for national dialogue between the Government and the opposition to eradicate violence and other abuses, and to preserve an agreed constitutional path.

Briefing journalists in Geneva, a spokesperson for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), noted that it has received accounts from several sources that some members of the Venezuelan security forces have used repressive tactics, intimidating and instilling fear, to try to deter people from demonstrating.

In addition, thousands of demonstrators have reportedly been arbitrarily detained.

We are very concerned that more than 450 civilians have reportedly been brought before military tribunals, OHCHR spokesperson Liz Throssel said.

We urge the Government to immediately end this practice, which is against international human rights law, particularly due process guarantees. Civilians accused of a crime or an illegal act should appear before a civilian court, Ms. Throssel said, urging all those who have been arbitrarily detained to be released.

This Sunday, Venezuela is scheduled to hold a public consultation organized by the opposition-led National Assembly and other groups. Questions will include President Nicolas Maduro's plans to rewrite the constitution.

The OHCHR spokesperson urged authorities to respect the wishes of those who want to participate in this consultation and to guarantee people's rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly.

An independent human rights expert today echoed the concerns, urging Venezuelan authorities to comply with international rights standards.

The UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association, Annalisa Ciampi, said she was also worried about alleged intimidation of protesters and opposition members by police.

Coercion is never an answer to the legitimate demands for democracy and to people's expression of frustrations against the background of economic and social unrest triggered by increasing poverty and deteriorating living conditions, Ms. Ciampi said.

Number of Venezuelan asylum seekers soars

As the situation in Venezuela continues, the number of asylum applications by citizens of that country has soared and is projected to continue growing, according to UNHCR.

Last year, there were some 27,000 Venezuelan asylum seekers worldwide; this year, over 52,000 have applied for asylum.

UNHCR spokesperson William Spindler said even this figure represents only a fraction of the total number of Venezuelans who may be in need of international protection, as many do not register as asylum seekers, despite fleeing because of violence and insecurity.

Due to bureaucratic obstacles, long waiting periods and high application fees, many Venezuelans opt to remain in an irregular situation instead of using asylum or migratory procedures to regularize their stay, Mr. Spindler told journalists in Geneva.

He added that the large influx of Venezuelans has posed challenges, including international protection and physical security considerations, lack of documentation and exploitation, among others.

UNHCR is also concerned that indigenous groups living along Venezuela's borders with Brazil and Colombia are being increasingly affected by the situation and have fled their home territories, Mr. Spindler said.

Particular attention to the rights of these communities as well as a differentiated and targeted protection and humanitarian response is required, he added.
Syria talks end with 'incremental progress' but 'no breakthrough'  UN envoy

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 15 July 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Syria talks end with 'incremental progress' but 'no breakthrough'  UN envoy, 15 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596cad9e4.html [accessed 12 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Speaking to reporters in the early hours of Saturday in Geneva, United Nations Special Envoy said that the latest round of the intra-Syrian talks ended with incremental progress.

We made, as we were expecting and hoping, incremental progress. No breakthrough, no breakdown, no one walking out, incremental progress, Staffan de Mistura said at a press conference, following the conclusion of the 10-15 July round of the UN-facilitated talks aimed at ending six years of war in the Middle East country.

No breakthrough, no breakdown, no one walking out, incremental progress

Referring to a technical consultative mechanism agreed on in the previous round, he said that in addition to this technical agreement there has been a generous effort among them (the opposition) to build something they didn't have before, trust, mutual trust.

I would not have imagined two months ago that they would have been sitting in such an intensive and constructive way together in confidence, the envoy said.

He said he intends to reconvene the intra-Syrian talks in early September.

I have asked the parties to be ready to offer clear, substantive positions on issues across all four baskets, and we hope that we will be at least pushing them to sit in the same room.

The four baskets are: a credible non-sectarian transitional government; a future constitution; early and free parliamentary elections within 18 months; and a united war against terrorism within Syria.
Cite as

UN Human Rights Committee (HRC), List of issues prior to submission of the fourth periodic report of Bulgaria, 21 August 2015, CCPR/C/BGR/QPR/4, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596cc72b4.html [accessed 12 November 2022]
Cite as

UN Human Rights Committee (HRC), List of issues prior to submission of the seventh periodic report of El Salvador, 18 August 2015, CCPR/C/SLV/QPR/7, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596cc8544.html [accessed 12 November 2022]
Cite as

UN Human Rights Committee (HRC), List of issues prior to the submission of the fourth periodic report of Guatemala, 30 November 2015, CCPR/C/GTM/QPR/4, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596cc99b4.html [accessed 12 November 2022]
Cite as

UN Human Rights Committee (HRC), List of issues prior to submission of the sixth periodic report of Hungary, 9 December 2015, CCPR/C/HUN/QPR/6, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596ccab34.html [accessed 12 November 2022]
Title Suggestions for questions to be included in the List of Issues Prior to Reporting on Hungary for consideration by the Human Rights Committee at its 115th session in October 2015

Publisher Hungarian Helsinki Committee

Publication Date October 2015

Country Hungary

Cite as Hungarian Helsinki Committee, Suggestions for questions to be included in the List of Issues Prior to Reporting on Hungary for consideration by the Human Rights Committee at its 115th session in October 2015, October 2015, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/596ccb784.html [accessed 12 November 2022]
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 17, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Imperial Metals Corporation (the Company) (TSX:III) reports that due to the continuing forest fire situation, the Cariboo Regional District issued an Evacuation Order for the City of Williams Lake and surrounding areas. As a result of the Evacuation Order and increased restrictions on highway use in the area, Mount Polley mine operations were suspended on July 15. The mine is not under any immediate threat from forest fires.

Mount Polley will resume operations once the situation stabilizes.

About Imperial

Imperial is a Vancouver based exploration, mine development and operating company. The Company, through its subsidiaries, owns the Red Chris, Mount Polley and Huckleberry copper mines in British Columbia. Imperial also holds a 50% interest in the Ruddock Creek lead|zinc property in British Columbia.

Company Contacts

Brian Kynoch | President | 604.669.8959

Steve Robertson | Vice President Corporate Affairs | 604.488.2669

Gordon Keevil | Vice President Corporate Development | 604.488.2677

Sabine Goetz | Shareholder Communications | 604.488.2657 | investor@imperialmetals.com

Forward-Looking Information and Risks Notice

Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect Company management's expectations or beliefs regarding future events and include, but are not limited to, specific statements regarding suspension of Mount Polley mine operations until wildfires in the area are under control. By their very nature forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, risks detailed from time to time in the Company's interim and annual financial statements and management's discussion and analysis of those statements, all of which are filed and available for review on sedar.com. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.
Body cameras for the Mooresville Police Department have arrived. Find out when they will be used.
More than one month after Cambodias commune elections, several opposition candidates who beat out ruling party incumbents for local councilor positions are reporting being blocked from accessing their new offices, in what some observers have called examples of political discrimination.



Cambodias June 4 ballot saw the largest reshuffle of local politicians since the countrys first election in 1993, with Prime Minister Hun Sens ruling Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP) losing nearly 500 commune chief positions to the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), out of 1,646 nationwide.



On July 3two weeks after the official election results were announcedthe Ministry of the Interior held a ceremony to mark the handover of responsibilities to newly-elected councilors, as mandated under the countrys electoral laws, which it said had progressed smoothly.



But days later, the CNRP informed RFAs Khmer Service that many of its elected chiefs had reported being blocked from accessing existing commune offices, lacking office space to take on their new responsibilities, and missing office materials that had been taken by their predecessors.



The CNRP has yet to compile data on the exact number of disputes, but has called on its new councilors to resolve their issues peacefully.



There is no law in Cambodia that dictates where commune chiefs should perform their duties, and the National Election Committee (NEC)the countrys top electoral bodyhas said it is up to the Ministry of the Interior to investigate and resolve the quarrels.



On Monday, Ministry of Interior spokesperson Khieu Sopheak told RFA one reason for the delay in handovers may be that some commune chiefs have had to personally renovate their offices due to lack of funding from the central government, and feel they are entitled to keep them.



We know that in the past not all commune offices were built by the statesome spaces were rented from residents homes, while others used space belonging to the ruling party, he said.



So we need to properly determine the root causes and shouldnt immediately place the blame on those who disagree with handing over their office space. In some way, these people have their own reasons  so we must study each case and find out the real problem.



Khieu Sopheak said that the government allocates funds from the national budget for local use to build commune offices in only 70 communes each year, forcing some commune chiefs to cover their own costs of arranging office space.



Recent tiffs



Last week, newly-elected CNRP chiefs from seven communes in Kampot provinces Chum Kiri district accused their CPP predecessors of locking them out of their offices, delaying the issuance of administrative documents to local constituents. The chiefs reported having to work out of conference rooms or under trees located in the vicinity.



A day later, Heng Lay Hour, the newly-elected CNRP councilor of Phnom Toch commune in Banteay Meanchey provinces Monkul Borey district, told RFA that the commune police station stopped renting its space used by the previous chief shortly before he assumed office, labeling the decision an act of political discrimination.



Also last week, newly-elected CPP and CNRP councilors, and their deputies, from at least eight of 15 communes in Kampots Banteay Meas district reported a lack of office space, saying they were forced to carry out their work in their own homes or in homes they had rented from residents.



Reports suggest that similar situations have occurred at communes in Preah Sihanouk and Stung Treng provinces.



Personal disputes



Meng Sopheary, the CNRPs head of election affairs and legislation, acknowledged that some commune offices had been built by predecessors through personal expense, but added that she believes many of the disputes are personal in nature.



I think that since we have never witnessed such a huge reshuffle in the past, incumbent [commune chiefs] are used to performing their work at their own offices and when they have to hand over their responsibilities, they cant immediately accept having to do so, she said.



The CNRP, however, doesnt expect that the disputes will have a negative effect on general elections set for next year, Meng Sopheary said, adding that by simply allowing the ballot to proceed, the countrys politicians have indicated their readiness to abide by the will of the voters.



Neutral and Impartial Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia (NICFEC) executive director Sam Kuntheamy, however, told RFA that his organization considers the office disputes examples of powermania on the part of commune chief predecessors, reluctant to give up their authority, and said that the Ministry of Interior must take a stronger stance.



The Ministry of Interior is validating their positionthis means that they continue to enjoy full and legitimate rights in managing their commune administration, he said.



In principle, parties that lose elections must hand over all their responsibilities to the new commune chiefs so that they can manage and ensure the sustainable operations of their commune.



Reported by Moniroth Morm, Maly Leng, Hour Hum, and Vanndeth Van for RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Sovannarith Keo. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
A test of floodgates in Cambodias Sesan II Dam looks set to flood two downstream villages, with more than 100 families vowing not to leave after refusing offers of compensation, sources say.



Residents of Srekor commune and Kbal Romeas commune in Stung Treng province are already bracing for the impact of rising water that may inundate their homes, one villager told RFAs Khmer Service on Monday.



Deng Muon, a resident of Srekor commune, said that water levels in the villages are already beginning to rise, and that he and other residents threatened by the flood are standing by to move household goods and foodstuffs to higher ground.



We will move to whatever point the water reaches, Muon said.



If the water rises to the nearby main road, thats where we will be, he added. And if the water keeps rising, we may have to move to live on Krala Puos mountain.



Many in the affected villages have already given up farming their land due to fears of floods, he said.



The company building the dam, now scheduled for completion by December 2018, had warned commune residents in a June 5 letter that floodgates would be closed in mid July, and urged villagers to leave their homes during the period of the test.



Engineers will be looking at various aspects of the test to assess the danger of future floods, and we will continue with our shutdown until the water level reaches 72 meters above sea level, company representative Oum Reth said.



Then, we will check everything again, and we will also talk to any residents who remain.



Rescue plans in place



Reth dismissed reports that his company and Cambodian authorities had forcibly evicted any residents from the area, adding that his company had fully cooperated with local officials to publicize offers of compensation to villagers wishing to move.



We are trying hard to respect the feelings of the residents because we dont want to see any rumors being spread, he said.



Stung Treng provincial government spokesman Men Kong said that authorities are already prepared to rescue residents affected by the test and transport their belongings to safer ground.



Authorities have also urged company officials to provide homes for the more than 100 families, 124 in Srekor and 58 in Kbal Romeas, who have so far refused compensation to be moved, he said.



Intervention planning involves covering all areas of concern in response to any possible emergencies, he said.



Reported by Chanthy Men for RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Sovannarith Keo. Written in English by Richard Finney.




Authorities in China on Monday continued to detain supporters of Liu Xiaobo in the wake of his death from liver cancer last week and the sea burial of his ashes at the weekend, activist told RFA.



Liu's funeral took place on Saturday in the form of a shipboard burial of an urn of his ashes. While the government released video footage of his widow Liu Xia agreeing with the plan, sources close to the family said her remarks couldn't be taken at face value.



Meanwhile, police across China summoned or detained Liu's supporters and well-wishers, who were unable to attend the funeral in the northeastern province of Liaoning.



The official video of the event depicted Liu Xia and relatives lowering an urn into waters off the northeastern coastal city of Dalian, two days after Liu's death in custody in Liaoning's provincial capital Shenyang.



Commentators said the ruling Chinese Communist Party wanted to avoid creating a focus for memorial activities for Liu in the future, which could in turn provide a focus for opposition activities.



Liu Xiaobo's brother, Liu Xiaoguang, told a government-organized news conference that the burial was in accordance with the family's wishes, thanking the party for its humane treatment of his brother.



But a friend of Liu Xiaobo's told RFA on Monday that Liu Xia had never wanted a sea burial.



"You can't believe anything she says when she is in a situation where she has no freedom whatsoever," the friend said. "I definitely don't think Liu Xia would have agreed to a sea burial."



"She should be allowed to leave the country."



'Totally staged'



Beijing-based rights activist and close family friend Hu Jia agreed.



"There's no way that Liu Xia would have wanted this," Hu said. "Liu Xiaobo's home was in Beijing, and the best memories of his life were there, so it would have been far better for his wife to have his final resting place here."



"The whole family ... wanted him laid to rest in Beijing, so this is all totally staged ... How could they possibly want to thank the party and government [of their accord]?"



The Hong Kong-based Information Center for Human Rights and Democracy in China said the authorities are currently refusing to release Liu's personal effects back to his family.



"The authorities are refusing to hand over various belongings left by Liu Xiaobo including handwritten papers and books," the group said in a statement on Monday. "Liu Xia is still working to try to get them back."



Meanwhile, rights activists Ding Jiaxi, Zhu Chengzhi, Xu Guangli, and Peng Peiyu all remained incommunicado after traveling to the northeastern province of Liaoning in the hope of attending Liu's funeral, they said.



"Ding is in Chifeng [Inner Mongolia]," an activist surnamed Li told RFA. "I just got off the phone with him. He is still with the state security police, and he isn't free."



Banned images



Social media reports indicated that around 19 images relating to Liu's illness and death, including a cartoon of him ascending to heaven clad in angel wings and a halo, still wearing his prison-issue pajamas, have been banned from the popular social media app WeChat.



Liu's supporters have been spreading the risk among themselves, with a "one person, one photo" campaign to memorialize Liu online.



"This was a spontaneous movement," Li said. "Nobody told them to do this."



But he said even posting the photos in China can get someone into trouble with the police.



"Xie Dan from Chongqing was just called in by police for questioning," he said. "I think there will be incidents like this across the country."



Other supporters shared a popular song titled "Ocean" by late Taiwan popstar Chang Yu-sheng, which begins with the words "as I watch you slowly disappear from view from the distant sea-shore, I can see your face more clearly."



"But I can only suppress what I want to say ... If only the sea would wash away my grief as it does the rivers."



Strangers



Friend and fellow activist Ye Du said Liu's brother had pretty much cut off contact with Liu after his participation in the 1989 student-led democracy movement on Tiananmen Square, and couldn't represent the families' wishes.



"He is part of a group that benefits from the Communist Party system," Ye said. "They may be blood relations, but they might as well be strangers."



Liu's death prompted a rally of thousands in Hong Kong on Saturday, who marched through the city streets holding candles in the dissident's memory.



The rally came just one day after four pro-democracy lawmakers were disqualified from Hong Kong's Legislative Council, fatally weakening the pro-democracy vote in the chamber, amid a continual erosion of the city's traditional freedoms and autonomy in recent years.



Rights activists around the world continued to call for Liu Xia, who has been under constant surveillance and house arrest since her husband's Nobel Peace Prize was announced in October 2010, to be allowed to seek medical treatment overseas for her own physical and mental health problems.



Reported by Dai Weisen and Wong Si-lam for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by Xin Lin and Qiao Long for the Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.




China's internet censors appeared on to have banned social media tweets containing a reference to Winnie the Pooh, after a satirical image drawing parallels between the cuddly bear and President Xi Jinping circulated online.



The image in question showed the Disney version of Pooh and Tigger alongside a photograph of Xi and former U.S. President Barack Obama during their "shirtsleeves summit" in .



"This photo has already been banned on Tencent," user @Fantasy326_ tweeted on the Twitter-like platform Sina Weibo on . "It won't send, no matter how you use screenshots."



User @cha_mi said keywords linked to "Winnie the Pooh" had also been banned on Sina, but "Winnie the Pooh was banned" remained a top search query and hashtag on the platform on .



Commentators appeared to have no doubts over the cause of the ban, however.



"Winnie the Pooh has been banned from the Chinese internet because President Xi Jinping has been compared to him on a number of occasions," user@nzan commented. "It is now a banned word."



"The number of sensitive words in China just keeps on multiplying and becoming more diverse."



The Financial Times said posts including the Chinese name of Winnie the Pooh were censored on Sina Weibo over the weekend, while a collection of animated gifs featuring the bear were removed from social messaging app WeChat.



The meme wouldn't be the first time ruling Chinese Communist Party has moved to crack down on any satire targeting the president.



Kwon Pyong, an ethnic Korean from the northeastern province of Jilin, stood trial on Feb. 15 for subversion after he wore a T-shirt emblazoned with satirical nicknames for President Xi Jinping, including "Xitler."



19th Party Congress

Commentators said censors are clamping down on any whiff of online dissent ahead of the 19th Party Congress later in the year, during which Xi will be looking to cement his status as a "core" party leader for the next five years of government.



Veteran media commentator Zhu Xinxin said Xi seems far more concerned about eradicating the slightest whiff of dissent or criticism than previous generations of leaders.



"There is no humor here, just an obsession with preserving a totally idealized version of the highest-ranking leaders," Zhu said. "This sort of dictatorial culture elevates national leaders to the status of gods."



But Zhu said Xi's sensitivity seems to be a symptom of his fear that he hasn't yet won an ongoing power struggle in the corridors of Zhongnanhai.



"He is terrified of that things might get out of hand, and that it could be open season for satirizing various party leaders," he said. "That's why nobody is allowed to say anything to undermine his power and authority."



Xi's administration has stepped up a campaign against dissenting opinions both online and in the country's tightly controlled state media in recent months, warning officials in January to stay on message when using the social media app WeChat.



Party and government officials have been warned not to use the internet, social media, radio, television, newspapers, books, lectures, forums, reports, seminars and other means "to make off-message comments about central government policy and undermine party unity."



Cadres are also banned from posting about government business to either official and personal social media accounts without authorization.



The new code of conduct banning "off-message" statements was likely approved by the last plenary session of the 18th Party Congress last October, which was held behind closed doors, political observers said.



That meeting also formally endorsed President Xi Jinping as a "core" leader of the ruling party at the current plenum, potentially putting him on a par with former paramount leaders Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping, whose authority must never be challenged.



Reported by Xin Lin for RFA's Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
Black homeownership in the Richmond area is expected to increase over the next four years, resulting from a partnership announced Monday by Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Virginia Inc. and Wells Fargo & Co.

HOME will receive more than $4 million through the partnership with the San Francisco-based financial giant to support the program and provide down-payment assistance for mortgage loans.

The agreement is one of the largest reached between a fair housing organization and a financial institution, according to HOME, a housing advocacy group based in Richmond.

Differences in homeownership between African-Americans and white Americans are the foundation of wealth inequality in Richmond and across the country, and HOME is committed to rooting out these differences in opportunity to reduce racial gaps and inequities and build a strong middle class, said Heather Crislip, president and CEO of the housing advocacy group.

Brad Blackwell, Wells Fargos executive vice president and head of housing policy and homeownership growth strategies, said Wells Fargo announced earlier this year that it will commit $60 billion in loans nationwide to create at least 250,000 black homeowners by 2027. It will provide an additional $15 million to support the effort through financial education and counseling over the next 10 years.

Our efforts with HOME in the Richmond area will be a perfect complement to the broader national commitment, and establish the foundation for what we expect will be a long and substantive relationship with one of the countrys pre-eminent fair housing organizations, Blackwell said.

The partnership agreement provides HOME with $3 million over four years to enhance and support its homebuyer education and counseling, foreclosure prevention, and financial literacy programs. These investments will allow HOME to expand access to credit in Richmonds underserved communities and make the dream of homeownership real to qualified first-time homebuyers throughout the region, according to a statement by the nonprofit.

Wells Fargo, a major Richmond-area employer, also will provide $1 million over the four-year period in down payment assistance to low- and moderate-income first-time homebuyers in the region. As part of the partnership, HOME will work with Wells Fargo to conduct fair housing compliance testing at Wells Fargo branches and provide monitoring and training assistance.

HOME investigated mortgage lending activity in the Richmond region and brought concerns about underservice in minority communities to government regulators and to Wells Fargo.

A study released by HOME in 2015 found that 13.7 percent of white borrowers in Richmond had loan applications denied between 2010 and 2013, while black applicants in the city experienced a 34.7 percent denial rate in the same period.

The amount of support and the substance of Wells Fargos response to our concerns speaks volumes about the seriousness of purpose and the level of commitment Wells (Fargo) has brought to bear in addressing our concerns, Crislip said.

As the largest lender in our region, we believe this initiative by Wells (Fargo) will set the standard for other lenders to follow. We look forward to working with Wells Fargo in the coming years to bring credit opportunities to qualified borrowers in neighborhoods throughout our city who have been left behind for too long.

Jon Campbell, Wells Fargos executive vice president and head of corporate responsibility and community relations, said the bank believes in the financial and social benefits of owning a home. We recognize that  both as a lender and as a servicer  we can do more to address the homeownership rates within the African-American community.
Chesterfield County-based NCI Inc. completed building its first solar farm on a landfill at Fort Campbell, Ky., last month.

The 4.7-megawatt, 26-acre solar farm was a project originated by the U.S. Department of Defense.

We have done rooftop installations and solar electric upgrades, but this was the first time building a solar farm, said Will Massey, who became an NCI co-owner in April. We used 16,000 LG Electronics solar panels.

The general contracting firm, founded as Northeast Construction Inc. by co-owner David Cheon in 1996, began offering renewable energy solutions in 2009. Cheon, who moved to the U.S. from Seoul, South Korea, in 1992, traveled back to South Korea to receive solar training from LG Electronics before submitting bid proposals to government agencies.

Our first solar job was in 2010 for the Washington, D.C., public school system, Cheon said.

The company installed solar panels on the rooftop at the Virginia Tech Advanced Research Center in Arlington County in 2011 and is currently partnering with the center to study solar energy efficiency.

NCI also is working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to upgrade military solar systems all over the country for them, Massey said.

The company got its first big break in 1997 when Henrico County-based Eagle Construction gave the company the opportunity to step in as a subcontractor to provide roofing and siding services in two of its neighborhoods.

They are still our customers today, Cheon said.

Bud Ohly, former president of Eagle Construction who is now an independent consultant in Williamsburg, considered NCI to be one of the most dependable subcontractors we had, he said. They were very accommodating, ready to scale up to a big job but also able to take care of our normal, everyday needs.

NCI is driven by its relationships with customers, he added.

People talk about that, but its not just a cliche at NCI. Its what has driven NCI for a long time, Ohly said.

Cheon started NCI in Fairfax after working part time at construction sites and becoming interested in construction. He moved the company to the Richmond area in 1996 because he saw great potential in Richmond, he said.

The company specializes in providing roofing and siding services; renovation of commercial, institutional and government entities; and renewable energy solutions.

It opened a branch office in Fairfax in 2005. There is a lot of demand there, Cheon said. We do mostly federal government contractor and renewable energy work at that office.

In 2007, it opened a small branch office in Hampton that handles mostly multifamily residential work, Cheon said.

Most of the companys customers are in Virginia, but its solar work with the military is nationwide.

Were doing a lot of work in the Mid-Atlantic in southern Maryland and Virginia, Massey said. We have new growth opportunities out of the state that are mostly federal government work.

Derek Cha, owner of the Zzaam! Korean restaurant in Richmond and founder of Sweet Frog, enjoys having NCI do work at his restaurant.

They are very organized. They finished the job on time and in budget, he said. They are great people to work with.

NCIs work is split equally between private sector and government projects. Year to date, the companys revenue has grown 30 percent over the same period in 2016.

Weve seen the most growth in our solar division currently based on new contracts with the government, Massey said.

Last year, the company created a storm restoration division that also is in growth mode. We have had two big hail events in Richmond, and that was a boon for our business that we didnt expect, Massey said. We are now busy repairing the hail damage.

NCI helps clients navigate their insurance claims and also does the repair/replacement of the shingles for both residential and commercial properties.

Asphalt shingles get damaged by hail and wind speed, Massey said.

Jimmy Rhee, a former assistant secretary of commerce and trade for the state of Virginia who is now special secretary of Small, Minority and Women Business Affairs in Maryland, first met with NCI eight years ago.
Authorities on Monday identified the man who was pulled from the James River on Saturday after being underwater for more than an hour.

The man who died, Rudy Organiz-Aguilon, 20, lived in the 100 block of North Laburnum Avenue in Henrico County. Authorities initially described him as being 19.

Hanover County Public Schools officials confirmed that Organiz-Aguilon was a former student in the countys school system.

By Monday afternoon, two people who identified themselves as teachers at Hanover High School had set up a GoFundMe webpage asking for money to have his body sent to family in Guatemala.

Authorities have confirmed the death of a man who was pulled from the James River on Saturday after being underwater for more than an hour.

The man was identified only as a 19-year-old Hispanic male. Officials said they could not provide a cause of death until an autopsy is conducted.

Richmond police, alerted at 3:42 p.m., said the man was found in water near the Lee Bridge. Pulled to shore at 5:14 p.m., he was briefly revived by rescue teams using CPR.

By 6:15 p.m., the man did not have a heartbeat, Lt. Chris Armstrong of the Richmond Fire Department said.

The death is the second recorded recovery of a body from the James River by Richmond firefighters this year, Armstrong said. In 2017, the department has responded to 48 river-related calls and rescued 29 people.

Armstrong said the number of calls is consistent with recent years, although the frequency greatly increases in summertime, when people flock to the river.

On Sunday, two rescue teams training on the James happened upon two separate incidents that required rescue assistance. They pulled to safety one man and, later, an adult and child stranded on the rocks. Both occurred about 2:30 p.m.

Belle Isle and Browns Island were filled with rivergoers Sunday afternoon, with kids playing in the water and parents lounging on the beach or scattered rocks upstream.

Matthew Perry, a 19-year-old Richmond native who works safety patrol at the river, said people are often not aware of how dangerous the James is even at a low level.

He declined to speculate on the circumstances that led to Saturdays fatal incident, but he said accidents involving rivergoers often involve people not wearing life jackets and excessive drinking.

Id say 99 percent of the river rescues that we see are because of someone who probably had a little bit too much to drink, and didnt really understand that even at 3 feet, the river can still be very dangerous.
A Petersburg man was fatally injured in a two-vehicle crash on U.S. 1 in Dinwiddie County, state police said.

Police said a Honda Civic driven by Roger L. Nida, 71, of Petersburg turned into the path of a Ford F-350 pickup truck about 2 p.m. Saturday near the intersection of U.S. Route 1 and state Route 1320, or Ritchie Avenue.

The truck struck the Honda on the passenger side, critically injuring Paul R. Day, 58. He was taken to Southside Regional Medical Center, where he died. Police said Day was not wearing his seat belt.

Nida, who was wearing a seat belt, and the driver of the pickup truck, whose identity was not released, were not injured.
State police have identified a 75-year-old Midlothian man as the wrong-way driver who killed the father of a Henrico County man as the father was en route to visit his hospitalized son, who had been seriously injured in an apartment fire.

Wilber Lee Jr., who police said apparently suffered from a cognitive disorder, was driving south in the northbound lanes of Interstate 95 on Wednesday when his 2012 Hyundai hit a barrier wall, went airborne and struck a 2007 Kia Sorento driven by Herbert L. Ross, 56, of Richmond.

Lee was pronounced dead at the scene, and Ross died after being taken to VCU Medical Center, police said.

The crash, which remains under investigation, occurred on I-95 in Chesterfield County about 8:55 p.m., about 1 mile north of Exit 61.

After the initial collision, the Kia struck a 2007 Toyota Camry traveling northbound. The driver of that vehicle was not injured.

When the crash occurred, Ross was driving to VCU Medical Center to visit his 25-year-old son, Shawn, who was in intensive care after an apartment fire in Henrico five days earlier that would take the lives of Shawns fiancees three young children.

The children died of smoke inhalation two days after the July 7 fire, which was apparently caused by unattended cooking, authorities said.

Sgt. Stephan Vick, a Virginia State Police spokesman, said Lees caregiver provided police with information about the mans cognitive disorder.

It does appear that it was a factor in the crash, Vick said.

Lees drivers license status at the time of the crash is unclear. Vick said the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles had already classified Lee as deceased when he checked Lees license status Monday; he added that the investigating trooper would know whether Lee was licensed to drive or had some restriction but could not immediately be reached.

Carol Haydon, who picked up the phone at Lees home on Monday, said the Midlothian man and her sister, Sylvia Couch, had been life partners for 40 years.

We dont know what happened, Haydon said. We dont even know when he left the house.

Haydon, who said she could not comment on what cognitive disorder Lee had, expressed sadness for those affected by the crash.

Its just such a tragedy, the whole thing, she said.

In 2014, the most recent year for which there is data available, there were 46 fatalities in Virginia crashes that resulted from a driver whose vehicle was on the wrong side of the road, according to preliminary figures from DMV.

In 2013, there were 54 fatalities from crashes caused by drivers on the wrong side of the road, DMV figures show.
BLACKSBURG  Michael Gunter and Paul Schaefer spent 2 years building a rocket for a flight that was intended to last just a few glorious seconds.

Gunter, a 61-year-old from Roxboro, N.C., has been playing with rockets since he was in the first grade.

Were two broken-down veterans doing this thing in our backyard, he said, sitting in front of his creation, which was by far the largest at a New River Valley Rocketry launch event on Saturday. Hobbyist would probably be the right word for it. Lunatic is another word that comes to mind.

The friends raised money to build their rocket, a model of a U.S. Army 1950s-era surface-to-air Nike Ajax, by selling food at launch events. A single rocket can cost thousands of dollars.

On Saturday, it was time for their maiden voyage.

Good flight or bad flight, regardless, its going to be a spectacular flight, Gunter said with a laugh.

He and Schaefer later loaded the Ajax onto a launchpad, counted down from 10 and connected the ignition switch to a battery.

First there was smoke, then flames. The rocket lifted off perfectly, Gunter said later.

But then it decided to do a spiral dance, he added.

The rocket twirled up several thousand feet through the air, spinning out of control and separating into two pieces. It tumbled back to the ground without the help of the parachute tucked inside.

It wasnt the soft landing that the friends had carefully designed, but rather the kind that destroys a model rocket years in the making.

Fellow enthusiasts gathered around the crash site, sifting through the debris for evidence of what went wrong. They eventually decided the culprit was a hole that had been drilled in the top of the rocket for an igniter wire.

That hole grew under pressure until fire was coming out of both ends.

That would be a mechanical failure, event organizer Thomas Weeks said. If you cant get past your own ego, you cant do science. Hes probably going to cry in some beer tonight, but well be looking forward to getting the root cause on this. Its what science is about.

Weeks has experienced his own failure, when the parachute on one of his rockets didnt deploy. It came tumbling back to the ground around 200 miles per hour, burying itself six feet deep in a creek bed.

Those are the stakes in this hobby, which attracts people to the area from as far as South Carolina. New River Valley Rocketry hosts monthly launches, which often draw hundreds.

When things go well, its about 10 seconds of glory for the creator in front of their rocketry friends  followed by months of gloating with cellphone photos to prove it.

When things go wrong, everyone is there to help figure out why.

Schaefer continued picking through the debris on Saturday, but Gunter already had his latex gloves back on ready to serve food at the pairs fundraiser booth.

Theyll rebuild, Gunter said, noting it was always supposed to be a research project.

In total, about 70 rockets were successfully launched Saturday.

Virginia Tech allows the club to launch on its property at Kentland Farm, which the university frequently uses for its own research flights.

Weeks said using such a well-known location makes it easier for the group to get clearance from the Federal Aviation Administration. For Saturdays event, rockets were allowed to fly up to 8,000 feet.

Most of the hobbyists in attendance said they spent months building their rockets.

The rockets are often too big to launch at home, so enthusiasts wait for an event like this, drive to Blacksburg and see how their creation performs.

Carlos Zapato of Riner said some people build only with flight altitude in mind. Others are more interested in the size of the rocket. He said he looks for performance, from a smooth takeoff to a soft landing thats light enough for the rocket to be sent back up again later.

He also said its about inspiring the children watching from behind the safety line.

A troop of Cub Scouts was on hand for Saturdays botched launch. The event organizers used it as an opportunity to talk to the kids about trial and error  a cornerstone of science.
An unidentified woman was found dead Saturday morning in the southbound lane of U.S. 250 near the Old Ivy Road bridge.

In a news conference, the Albemarle County Police said that they have little information about the incident, which closed U.S. 250 to southbound traffic from about 10 a.m. to about 1 p.m.

If anyone was in the area of the 250 Bypass at Ivy road between 9 and 9:30 we need them to call because we need to know what they saw  did they see anybody in the area, any cars pulled off to the side, anybody get hit or if anybody was being tended to on the side of the road, said police spokeswoman Madeline J. Curott.

We really dont know what happened to this woman and so thats why were asking for the publics help, Curott said.

Police treated the Ivy Road bridge was a crime scene during the investigation.

Curott said the police know the womans identity, but declined to release her name.

She declined to give any other information about the condition of the body.

Anyone with any information can call Officer R. Jamerson at (434) 296-5807 x3648 or (434) 531-3249.
A 60-year-old woman survived a jump from the Falmouth Bridge early Saturday afternoon.

The Stafford County Sheriffs Office received a call about the incident at 12:37 p.m., according to Stafford Sheriffs 1st Lt. Eric Quinn.

The woman landed in the Rappahannock River, and was removed from the water by two citizens.

Quinn said the woman was despondent when rescue crews from Stafford and Fredericksburg got to her.

The woman was transported to Mary Washington Hospital to be treated.
In 2014, Dave Brat scored an all-time upset when he defeated Rep. Eric Cantor, R-7th, in a Republican congressional primary. The House majority leader, Cantor was slated to become speaker. He would have become the highest-ranking Virginian in the House of Representatives in modern times. The primary ditched him for a backbencher. Democratic crossovers may have played a role in Cantors defeat.

(It wasnt the first time the crossover question has come up in Virginia. In 1977, Andrew Miller appeared headed to victory in the Democratic gubernatorial primary. He was favored to win the general election as well. Henry Howell defeated him in the primary and went on to lose to Republican John Dalton in November. Many observers suspect that GOP crossovers explain Howells primary upset as Republicans voted in the Democratic contest to make sure the weakest nominee emerged.)

Virginia Republicans have decided to pick their 2018 Senate nominee in a primary. Incumbent Democrat Tim Kaine appears in strong shape, but several able Republicans have been mentioned as challengers. The other day, Corey Stewart also threw his hat into the ring.

Critics of the primary would prefer a convention; they fear Democrats will cross over to vote for the weakest Republican. Although history offers precedent for concern, a primary remains the preferred option.

Both parties just concluded gubernatorial primaries. Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam won the Democratic vote by a wider-than-expected margin. He was the strongest of the Democratic contenders. The Republican primary proved much closer than predicted. Ed Gillespie, the heavy favorite, barely edged Stewart, who was thought to have no chance.

Far more citizens participated in the Democratic primary than in the Republican. There is scant evidence of crossovers on either side. Republicans may have taken Gillespies victory for granted. Tom Perriello, the losing Democrat, conceded with grace and urged party unity. Stewart has remained obdurate.

A mainstream Republican who ran a smart campaign would be favored next year. Democrats might be tempted to cast ballots in the GOP primary but a coordinated effort would attract the attention that would doom the mischievous choice. If an extremist won, the results would force Republicans to examine themselves to discover why a fringe candidate boasted enough traction that Democratic crossovers made a difference.
Democrats have launched a long-overdue debate about what they will stand and fight for. The party is impressively united  and its activists mobilized  against President Donald Trump and the right-wing Republican agenda. With Trump unpopular and the Republican Congress even less so, Democrats are salivating at the prospect of a wave election next year that would allow them to take back Congress. After they came close but lost this years handful of special elections, there is increasing recognition that were not them is not sufficient. Democrats have to have a more compelling economic agenda and message. Not surprisingly, there is widespread disagreement about what that message should be.

In The New York Times, Mark Penn and Andrew Stein argue that the path back to power for Democrats is to unquestionably move to the center and reject the siren calls of the left, whose policies and ideas have weakened the party. Penn and Stein are deliciously unseemly personifications of the partys money wing. Penn served as chief strategist for Hillary Clintons failed 2008 campaign while continuing as chief executive of Burson-Marsteller, a public relations firm with clients such as Blackwater, the shady private mercenary firm; drug companies such as Amgen; and British Petroleum, the company besmirched by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. He was forced to resign from that campaign when it was revealed he had met with Colombian officials about a free-trade agreement that Clinton nominally opposed. The multimillionaire Stein, a former Manhattan Bureau president, was convicted of tax evasion and endorsed Trump in 2016.

Penn and Stein invoke President Bill Clinton as their ideal, arguing that Democrats should be the party of fiscal responsibility, above partisanship, and focused on economic growth and rising wages. They trot out a range of issues that are standard Democratic Party fare  infrastructure investment, immigration reform, community policing, protecting workers in the gig economy and holding the line against Republican efforts to repeal Obamacare. Adopting the scabrous rhetoric of the right, they warn that bigger government handouts wont win working-class voters back. Their particular betes noires are identity politics and political correctness, represented by transgender bathroom issues and sanctuary cities.

To make their case, Penn and Stein summon up a fictional account of our political history. Democrats relied on identity politics and a government solution for every problem in the early 1990s, leading to Republicans taking the House in 1994. Democrats came back when Clinton embraced a balanced budget, welfare reform and the crime bill, leading to his re-election in 1996. Under President Barack Obama, they say that Democrats, misled by politicians such as Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., once more ran to the left, embracing identity politics, class warfare and big government, and thus lost 1,000 legislative seats, the presidency and control of both houses of Congress.

This is fake history. Clinton ran and won in 1992 on a populist economic agenda  promising to raise taxes on the rich, launch a jobs program and provide health care for all. He complemented that with purposeful racial signaling  rejecting Jesse Jackson in the Sister Souljah incident, calling for ending welfare as we know it and parading in front of black prisoners while touting harsh three strikes criminal sentencing. Upon entering office, Clinton abandoned the populist promises and embraced a budget that he privately termed one of an Eisenhower Republican. The effort to gain bipartisan support for health care reform was torpedoed by Republican obstruction. Clinton then championed the North American Free Trade Agreement, over the warnings of labor leaders and the opposition of most Democrats. That contributed directly to the Democratic defeat in 1994. In 1996, Clinton came back after the Republican Congress shut down the government and campaigned as the defender of Medicare, Medicaid, education and the environment.

Similarly, Democratic losses under Obama did not come from identity politics, class warfare and big government, as Penn and Stein suggest. Rather, Democrats paid a big price for bailing out Wall Street bankers while homeowners were abandoned. Obama passed an inadequate stimulus and then moved to embrace deficit reduction  tightening our belts  while unemployment was still in double digits. Democrats suffered from the resulting slow recovery and from Republican assaults on Obamacare.

Utterly absent from the Penn and Stein analysis is the terrible cost and utter failure of the neoliberal policies they espouse. Clintons free-trade policies  sustained by Obama  racked up unprecedented trade deficits, with companies shipping good jobs abroad and driving down wages at home. Clintons fiscal austerity  echoed by Obama  left U.S. infrastructure decrepit and dangerous, while forgoing needed investments in education, affordable college and housing, and more. Clintons tough-on-crime agenda was catastrophic for African-American men and left the United States with the highest prison population in the world.

Penn and Stein speak for a failed political establishment. The energy, ideas and activist base of the party come from the left. Sanders told 4,000 activists assembled at the Peoples Summit last month in Chicago that we have won the battle of ideas. Sanders calls for a $15 minimum wage, a $1 trillion infrastructure investment, leading the green industrial revolution, fair taxes on the rich and corporations, tuition-free college and an end to the corporate trade regime are slowly becoming staples in the party consensus. Medicare for all is gaining ever more adherents. Even Penn and Stein move to embrace fair trade, without saying that they are abandoning a pillar of Clintons New Democrat agenda.

Sanders and Warren and the activists and movements driving this debate dont just want hollow political victories. They want what is needed to make this economy work for the vast majority, not just the few. That requires fundamental economic reforms and a political revolution, with small donors and volunteer energy challenging and eventually ending the reign of big money. Progressive groups are recruiting populist candidates up and down the ballot. They plan to challenge sitting Republicans everywhere. Conservative or corporate Democrats will increasingly face populist primary challengers.

Old party pros such as Penn and Stein dont get it. They see how unpopular Trump and the Republican Congress are, but their credibility on what to do next is shot. The populist temper of the time is rousing citizens across the country. Politics as usual wont suffice anymore.
CHRISTIANSBURG  Councilman Henry Showalter is raising his belief that town municipal officers and department heads should live in the town.

At a meeting last week, Showalter said that a new residency policy would demonstrate town employees commitment to the community. However, other council members and the town attorney each voiced concern that such a rule would handicap the town during hiring.

Said Showalter: If you live in here, you develop attachment to the community. You tend to where you live ... To me, its all about ownership. Working for a municipality is a little different than working for a private organization.

Showalter said there have been times when he and other council members have pointed out small issues around town to employees and managers. He said he believes its easier for an employee to more quickly address certain community problems if they live in town.

Everybody should have ownership, he said. Department heads are your leaders.

The towns current policy requires just one employee  the town manager  to live in Christiansburg, town spokeswoman Melissa Powell wrote in an email.

Showalters idea, which was only a discussion topic and not an item needing a vote, would require all future municipal officers and department heads to live within town limits. He said he wouldnt require people presently in those positions to adhere to that residency requirement.

Nine of 16 currently filled senior staff members live in Christiansburg, according to a meeting agenda document.

Municipal officers are the town manager, treasurer, police chief, clerk of council and town attorney. Other members of senior staff include Powell, the fire and rescue chiefs, the Christiansburg Aquatic Center director and the director of parks and recreation.

Other council members said that, while understanding Showalters point, they dont know if its realistic.

Mayor Mike Barber said he doesnt want to see the town hire someone whos levels below another job candidate simply because that person lives in Christiansburg.

You might have someone you really want and he lives in Shawsville, and he doesnt want to leave his house, Barber said.

Susan Waddell, a lawyer for the town, told council the town could put itself in a position with such a policy in which it would be unable to find the person with the breadth of knowledge needed for a certain job.

Showalter said hes heard from some residents who have questioned how well some jobs could be done if the people in those positions arent required to live in town. Councilman Brad Stipes said Tuesday hes personally heard of no complaints.

I dont see that we have a problem, Stipes said.

Councilman Steve Huppert said he doesnt see what the problem is if an employee lives just outside of Christiansburg.

If somebody wants to live in Montgomery County, I dont see how that hurts, Huppert said. To me, I think we have a lot more important things to talk about than this.

Showalter disagreed with the notion that the town could have a hard time finding highly qualified employees who already live in Christiansburg or can easily move into town after getting hired. He said the town is a residential destination for many people in the region.

Youre going to make six figures and be in a huge leadership position. Why wouldnt you want to be here? Showalter said.

Christiansburg and its neighbor, Blacksburg, share very similar policies when it comes to where municipal employees live.

In Blacksburg, only the town manager is required to live in town.

As a general practice, new department heads that I have hired have moved to Blacksburg if they were moving from out of the area, Blacksburg Town Manager Marc Verniel wrote in an email. That is a practice and not a requirement in a town code or policy.

Blacksburg Town Attorney Larry Spencer isnt technically required to live in town, but he said council hired him on the condition that he live in town. He said the requirement was in his employment agreement from February 2005.

The typical reason is that the council wants the employees to be connected with the community and tuned into the ramifications of policy decisions, Spencer wrote in an email. That requirement has always seemed to be reasonable enough for my position.
Lawrence Henry Gipson was a historian not intimidated by making the grand, sweeping claim. Gipson did so when placing the French and Indian War in context.

That was the term favored by American historians for the branch of the 1756-63 conflict between the North American colonial empires of France and Great Britain .

Widespread fighting occurred on three continents, the high seas and involved nine European nations .

European scholars tended to refer to the struggle as the Seven Years War. Winston Churchill is said to have referred to it as the first world war.

Gipson rejected both names and coined his own in the 1950 essay The American Revolution as an Aftermath of the Great War for the Empire, 1754-63. The Anglo-French conflict, he wrote, answered the incomparably vital question of which nation would become the dominant force in North America.

The determination of this crucial issue is perhaps the most momentous event in the life of the English-speaking in the New World and quite overshadows in importance both the Revolutionary War and the later Civil War, events which, is quite clear, were each contingent upon the outcome of the earlier crisis.

The local context : A theater in that war of empire took place on our doorstep.

Q: Concerning the original Fort Lewis just west of Salem and the nearby mansion of the same name built by owner James Campbell, there are two questions. First, is the original site of the fort known and has it ever been searched for artifacts? Second, what became of the Campbell mansion?

Roger Harris,

Roanoke

A: Fort Lewis, nowadays linked with Glenvar as a neighborhood in western Roanoke County, was once one of a string of crude stockades on the mid-18th century western frontier of the Virginia colony.

The purpose of forts such as Lewis, and Vause in what is today Shawsville, was to protect settlers from the attacks of French-sponsored  and sometimes led  war parties of Indian allies.

In the case of Fort Vause, that protection was ineffective. In June 1756 a detail of Shawnee, Ottawa and Miami Indians led by Frenchman Picot de Belestre overwhelmed the fort, killing as many as 10 and kidnapping some 25.

Colonial militia led by Maj. Andrew Lewis came to the aid of the settlers, but there was nothing left to do but count the dead and record an account of the massacre from a servant who had watched the battle from a hiding place beyond the palisades, according to Su Clauson-Wickers account of the violence in The Roanoke Times Discovery magazines issue in February.

That same year, Lewis was appointed to build a Roanoke Valley addition to a string of forts that eventually stretched some 300 miles from Winchester southward, Clare White wrote in Roanoke 1740-1982.

Actually, three forts had been envisioned for the Roanoke Valley, the other two being where the present Burlington Elementary School stands and the other on Back Creek, White wrote. Yet only the one on James Campbells property west of Salem was constructed.

That came in the wake of a tour by Col. George Washington, the future president then in command of Virginia forces, of the existing frontier forts and those under construction. This disappointing tour left Washington with the conclusion that the militia was, in Whites words, indolent and the work progressing very slowly.

Incidentally, that fact-finding excursion twice brought the eventual Father of Our Country to the Roanoke Valley, according to White.

At the end of the tour, Washington was satisfied that the means he possessed were not sufficient to protect the Valley and the outlying settlements against the Indians, according to William C. Pendleton in the 1920 History of Tazewell and Southwest Virginia 1748-1920.

That volume was one of Deedie Kageys sources on the building of Fort Lewis cited in the 1988 When Past is Prologue: A History of Roanoke County.

The exact date of the forts completion is unclear. White puts it at 1757, but there are conflicting reports that it occurred a couple of years earlier.

In 1969, a team of Roanoke College students headed by Alan Calmes, an assistant history professor, conducted a combined historical and archaeological study of what was believed to be the Fort Lewis site.

In the summer 1969 edition of the Journal of the Roanoke Historical Society, a piece about the work quoted Calmes as saying that artifacts including hand-wrought nails, delftware, and early wine bottle glass indicated the possible presence of troop occupation in 1760.

However, Calmes added that the artifacts could have been deposited at the site as late as the 19th century. Other finding included parts of foundation and flooring possibly belonging to the 1700s and possibly belonging to Fort Lewis.

Calmes was quoted in an Aug. 8, 1969, story in the Roanoke World-News as saying that the excavation site was chosen because of local tradition that sited it near the old Fort Lewis mansion.

In truth, he said, the exact location of the fort was unclear and could be anywhere within a half-mile up or down the Roanoke River from the favored tract.

Furthermore, in that same story Calmes cast doubt on whether the fort had any role in the French and Indian War other than as a supply station.

Roanoke College history professor John Long said in an email that Calmes left the college not long after the study and seemed to have taken his research with him. Subsequent attempts to contact Calmes over the years have failed, Long said.

As for the mansion of the same name, Kagey wrote that Samuel White built it in 1822 just east of the fort. A wealthy Salemite named Frank Burwell Gordon bought the estate in 1910 and improved it with additions designed by Roanoke architect G. A. Ragan, according to a July 2, 1960, World-News column by historian Raymond Barnes.

The mansion eventually passed into the hands of George M. Payne, a Roanoke-born Hollywood actor. It was destroyed by fire in 1948, Barnes wrote.

If youve been wondering about something, call Whats on Your Mind? at 777-6476 or send an email to whatsonyourmind@roanoke.com. Dont forget to provide your full name (and its proper spelling) and hometown.
The Botetourt County School Board recently voted to wage war on coal.

Why, exactly, was the school board of a county that is officially defined as part of Appalachia  even if most of it doesnt feel very Appalachian  voting against coal?

And why was the school board even talking about national energy policy in the first place?

OK, to be fair, coal wasnt exactly the issue on the table, at least not directly. What the school board did was to approve a 15-year-year contract with Johnson Controls Inc. to make the countys school buildings more energy efficient. The school board is paying Johnson $6.3 million but figures that contract will more than pay for itself in reduced utility bills.

That is how the school board voted against coal and in favor of renewables.

Lets step back and take a look at the big picture here: Environmental groups have talked for years about energy efficiency. Its not as sexy as talking up green energy but real enough nonetheless. Back in the days of Jimmy Carter, energy efficiency meant turning down the thermostat and putting on a sweater. Now it means new light bulbs that burn less energy, updated heating and air conditioning systems and better insulation.

Energy efficiency is still not a particularly sexy topic, but heres the thing: Its making a difference. Over the past decade, the demand for energy has been going down, according to according to PJM Interconnection, the obscure yet vital organization than manages power flows between Illinois and New Jersey (it also covers Virginia).

How can this be? We have more gizmos than ever before that require charging. The recession certainly dampened the economy  and therefore power usage  but PJM says the demand for power was going down long before the recession hit. So whats going on?

Energy efficiency is whats going on.

Demand in individual markets might go up (or down) depending on economic conditions, but neither of Virginias two big utilities Appalachian Power in our area or Dominion Energy to the east  foresee big increases in demand over the next 15 years. In the dry language of regulatory reports, Appalachian recently told state regulators that new energy efficient standards for lighting, appliances and building codes are having and will continue to have  a pronounced effect on energy consumption.

The bottom line: Theres not much need for those utilities to add lots of power. They do, though, need to add some, as old plants get retired, or there is some expectation of local demand. Thats leading even a utility called Appalachian Power to move away from coal. Why? Economics. Its hard to build a small coal or natural gas plant. To be cost-effective, those types of plants have to be big. However, its quite economical to add on a small-scale wind or solar farm. So Appalachian is doing that. It intends to add more wind power this year from a wind farm in Indiana, recently announced plans to buy existing wind farms in Ohio and West Virginia, and is looking at adding solar farms in Virginia and West Virginia.

Heres where theres a major disconnect between the political rhetoric about coal and the realities of the marketplace.

We have candidates running for office vowing to bring back coal and deriding opponents for being anti-coal. The reality is that it doesnt matter whether candidates are pro-coal or anti-coal. The real war on coal is being waged in the free market, and coal is losing.

n Natural gas is cheaper than coal  and now theres a lot of it, thanks to the exploitation of the Marcellus Shale formation.

n Increasingly, even industrial customers are demanding cleaner energy. One of the big growth sectors of the economy is data centers, and companies such as Amazon and Google want green energy. Even utilities must respond to market pressures as they work with state and local governments to try to lure new customers to their service areas.

n Investors arent keen on coal. When a utility builds a power plant, it has to think in terms of a 30- to 50-year time horizon. Former President Obama certainly did coal no favors with his environmental regulations, but utilities say it really doesnt matter whether President Trump does away with those rules. Everything we do are very long-term decisions, everything from 30- to 50-year decisions, so a four-year cycle just doesnt work for us, Beam told the Gazette-Mail newspaper in Charleston, West Virginia. Or, as Dominions CEO recently said in a prepared statement, Dominion will continue moving toward cleaner power sources with lower emissions, whether the Clean Power Plan lives or dies.

n The price of wind and solar power is dropping dramatically and, in some cases, is now cheaper than coal. Coal advocates blame this on subsidies for renewables, but fossil fuels get lots of tax breaks, too. In the end, utilities dont particularly care why those energy sources are now cheaper, they just care that they are. Appalachian recently issued a request for proposals for solar farms. The company was surprised when it received 14 bids, a sign that the market for solar energy firms is a lot more robust than it once was.

The ability to add a little bit of cheap wind here and cheap solar there  and do it cost-effectively  is slowly reshaping where our power comes from. Appalachian now gets less than 5 percent from wind and solar. By 2031, Appalachian expects that share to rise to about 18 percent  with 14.5 percent from wind and 3.2 percent from solar. Environmentalists think that progress is too slow  theyd like to see more coal plants retired. Thats unlikely to happen without government pressure; utilities have too much money invested in those facilities to simply shut them down.

In the meantime, it would be helpful if politicians would level with people in the coal counties rather than try to seduce them with the false hope of coal returning to its former glory. Thats not happening. This isnt a liberal versus conservative thing. Maybe it was at one time, but its not anymore.

The school board in Botetourt County  a conservative county where 70 percent or more of voters routinely cast ballots for Republicans  voted to do a very conservative thing. The board members voted to save money. They also effectively voted against coal and in favor of a wind or solar farm somewhere. Thats something else quintessentially conservative: its the marketplace at work
BE CAUTIOUS  but dont be terrified.

That was the advice from policing boss Dr Alan Billings as he spoke at a summit about terrorism.

The South Yorkshire police and crime commissioner said people should be cautious about the threat but not let it ruin their lives.

The event at Barnsley Town Hall highlighted what people should look out for and the nature of the terrorism threat but attendees were told that there was no specific threat to South Yorkshire.

Anti-terrorism work was beginning to take up a lot more of the money given to South Yorkshire Police for very obvious reasons, Dr Billings said.

He added: We simply dont know when and where things will happen but we can be better prepared for incidents.

While Dr Billings said seeing armed police officers on the street, he conceded it would worry others.

He said: That is always a difficult call, whether you are reassuring people or just frightening them.

The message is quite a simple one. We must all be alert but we must not be alarmed. There is no point in frightening ourselves to death.

The Barnsley event  hosted by counter terrorism security advisers Mick Peel and Peter Manewell  identified that the terrorism threat comes from a variety of potential sources, rather than just Islamist extremists.

Irish terrorism, extreme right-wingers and so-called lone actors with their individual agendas have all committed or attempted to carry out atrocities and the event highlighted the work done to stop attacks before they can happen.

The public was urged to report anything suspicious, whether it be people hanging around a station or building, taking pictures in unusual situations, asking about a buildings security, or even individuals changing their behaviour significantly.

The internet has proved to be a ripe recruiting ground for terrorists with jihadi websites among those inciting atrocities.

The so-called Dark Web of the internet, where criminal activities take place, is also a place where terrorists buy equipment, work out plots, and share their insane ideas, the summit was told.

An online magazine, called Inspire, was highlighted at the counter-terrorism event as a publication which had inspired terrorists.

Mr Peel warned people against taking a look at its contents on their own computers at home out of curiousity as it would be picked up by the security forces, insisting: You will get a knock on your door if you do.

Mr Manewell added: They probably wont event knock.

Anyone finding a suspicious object should walk away, clear the area, put in place a cordon of 100 metres for a briefcase-sized object or 200 metres for a suitcase or car-sized item, and then call the police on 999.

They should never use electronic equipment  including mobile phones  near the object as the electrical signals could trigger the device, Mr Peel said.

Anyone caught up in a shooting, should run away from the threat, hide in a secure place and stay quiet if unable to escape.

Employers were encouraged to plan escape routes for such a scenario.

Mr Manewell said that vigilance by the public was very important.

He said: If you see something thats not right, tell somebody.

If you have any suspicions call the anti-terrorist hotline 0800 789 321

More information is available at the National Counter Terrorism Security Office website at https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/national-counter-terrorism-security-office

Guidance for what to do if an attack happens in a crowded place is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/619411/170614_crowded-places-guidance_v1.pdf
ANXIOUS residents will find out today if the controversial HS2 rail link will run past their doorsteps as planned.

A formal decision on the route of the London to Leeds route is due to be announced this afternoon.

The current preferred option of the Government is a route through Aston, Bramley, Mexborough and the Dearne Valley, with the earlier proposed route through Meadowhall on the back burner.

Campaigners have called for the original route to be backed, with residents on Mexboroughs Shimmer estate protesting that the so-called M18 route will go through their homes or pass within yards.

MP John Healey recently made a last-ditch attempt to persuade the Government to back the Meadowhall route.

In a letter to transport secretary Chris Grayling, Mr Healey said the Meadowhall route would mean faster journey times, more capacity, less disruption to local communities, better connections with Rotherham and Barnsley and better prospects for regeneration and jobs.

He added: HS2 can bring benefits to our region, and we want a route that achieves and maximises this - helping close the north-south divide, connect communities and reduce inequalities.

The M18 route has limited ambitions for South Yorkshire and does not have support from residents and authorities.

With no confirmed station stop on the route, our region would get the worst of all worlds  the disturbance of HS2 running right through but not even stopping in South Yorkshire.

I urge you to return to the original route and the one which will most benefit South Yorkshire - Meadowhall.

Mr Grayling said this morning: HS2 will deliver vital links between some of our country's biggest cities, helping to drive economic growth and productivity in the North and Midlands.

As well as providing desperately needed new seats and better connecting our major cities, HS2 will help rebalance our economy.

He said people with homes and business affected by the rail route would receive appropriate support and are treated with fairness, compassion and respect.
A MAN was taken to hospital with serious injuries after being found outside a restaurant.

Police cordoned off the area outside the Modern China restaurant in Moorgate Road early on Saturday morning after the man was discovered lying on the ground.

A spokeswoman said the 21-year-old man had been found at 5.30am and taken to hospital for treatment to a facial injury.

She said inquiries had taken place but it was not thought any offence had been committed.
CAPTION: Steve Priest with his wife, Tumika, and son, Tristan

A FORMER Wath man who runs a school in Nepal is preparing for a fresh challenge  in a new country.

Steve Priest, who lives with his wife and young son in Kathmandu, has been vice -principal of The British School there for more than a decade.

Now he is set for a big move this month (July) as he takes over as principal at a new school in the former Soviet state of Georgia.

Mr Priest, who was at the forefront of rebuilding schools in the Dhading region of Nepal which were damaged in the huge earthquakes of 2015, said he was looking forward to the new opportunities ahead.

I have been made principal of the British International School of Tbilisi in Georgia, he said.

Its a new challenge that I am looking forward to in a beautiful city and country.

Mr Priest and the British Schools rebuilding project after the quakes were supported by generous donations and fundraising in the Rotherham area.

The funds helped rebuild three schools  Gayetri Devi Primary School, Shree Rudrakanya Primary School and Shree Khanigau Primary School  and a fourth is being constructed.

The British School has also started a new project focussed on skills such as teacher training and health programmes in a different district of Nepal, as well as working with four different schools.

Partly for its work rebuilding the schools, The British School has received several honours, including British International Schools Awards British International School of the Year 2017.

Mr Priest  who has a wife, Tumika, and son, Tristan (5)  said: After 13 years in Nepal, I feel it is time for a new challenge and after winning all the awards we have done this year, when better to do so  leave when we are on top.

Obviously leaving Kathmandu and The British School and our community partners will be emotionally tough.

There have been many great achievements during my time here and I feel the development of our community programmes from being just charity fundraising links to genuine student and teacher interactions between organisations is something Im proud of.

Mr Priest said he was looking forward to starting work at his new school, which is only ten years old.

He added: It developed as the international wing of a Georgian school that followed a UK-style curriculum, but although the two schools share a site and some facilities, BIST is now an independent organisation.

The schools first students are expected to complete their A Levels in 2021.
The Building Rail Access for Customers and the Economy (BRACE) Act, introduced in March of this year, has achieved 226 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives (H.R. 721) and 51 co-sponsors in the Senate (S. 407), the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) announced.

The BRACE Act is important to short line railroads because it includes language to make permanent the 45G tax credit. Under the terms of the credit a short line railroad must invest one dollar for every 50 cents in credit up to a credit cap equivalent to $3,500 per mile of track. It is a critical in assisting the nations 603 short line railroads in upgrading track and bridges, and has been a major target of the ASLRRAs lobby efforts.

Implemented in 2005, the tax credit expired Dec. 31, 2016.

Even in these uncertain times, the majority of our Congress is certain of one thing: the 45G short line railroad credit works, and should be made permanent, said Linda Bauer Darr, President of ASLRRA.

According to the ASLRRA, since it was implemented in 2005 the tax credit has enabled short line and regional railroads to invest $4 billion in infrastructure. In 2015 alone (the most recent year data was reported), 2,140 miles of rail were improved, and 5.27 million ties were replaced. The industry spent $1.12 million, or 24 percent of revenue on infrastructure.

Reaching this milestone is a clear indication of the wide-spread support for the 45G credit, said Jerry Vest, Legislative Policy Chairman of ASLRRA. Short line and regional railroads, suppliers to our industry, and the thousands of communities that would not have access to the national rail network without us, all understand the importance of this credit: It is critical for the competitiveness of the 10,000 customers served by short line railroads. The infrastructure upgrades funded in part by this credit will allow those customers better compete in their own domestic and international markets. All of us thank the Senators and Representatives that have co-sponsored the BRACE Act, and look forward to their help in getting it enacted.

It is not clear when Congress will act on the legislation.
Metra's Board of Directors along with agency officials sent the Metra Safety Train on an excursion to "highlight the numerous ways that Metra strives to operate the safest possible railroad for its customers, employees, local schoolchildren and the public."

The special train operated along the Milwaukee District West Line from Chicago Union Station to Elgin. Metra officials were joined by Illinois State Senator Tom Cullerton, State Representative Marcus Evans, Elgin Mayor David Kaptain and Park Ridge Deputy Police Chief Lou Jogmen, who also serves as the chairman of the National Traffic Safety Committee for the Illinois State Police.

To put it simply, safety is our number one priority  it is deeply ingrained in the Metra culture and it influences everything we do, said Metra Executive Director and CEO Don Orseno. The safety train is an example of the outreach we do to promote a better understanding of all the effort that goes into providing our customers with the safest service at all times.

For attendees, Metra gave a short presentation about safety culture and initiatives. Attendees also learned about the challenges and capital projects specific to the Milwaukee District West Line. Metra introduced Positive Train Control to the attendees, explaining how the technology works. The most recent cost estimate for Metra to implement PTC is between $350 million and $400 million.

Safety train participants also heard about Metras Safety Poster and Essay Contest, now finishing its 11th year. The contest asks schoolchildren from the six-county Chicago area to submit posters and essays about a railroad safety-related theme. This years theme, Keep Yourself(ies) Safe called attention to the need to eliminate distractions when around tracks and trains. The winners, selected from more than 2,000 participants representing 194 area schools, were honored at the June 21 Metra Board of Directors meeting.

Metras other safety initiatives include Operation Lifesaver, Safety Blitzes, enforcement activities, safety signage and a confidential close call reporting system.
Chinese Real estate giant Dalian Wanda Group is reportedly selling its theme parks to fellow real-estate developer Sunac China for $9.3 billion or 63.2 billion yuan.

Wanda said it would offload 91 percent of thirteen cultural tourism projects, which include theme parks and leisure complexes, and 76 hotels to the Sunac.

The deal includes $4.4 billion worth of tourism projects located across China, including in the cities of Qingdao, Guangzhou, Harbin, Chengdu, Kunming and Guilin. Sunac will also receive 76 hotels located in cities such as Beijing and Wuhan for $4.9 billion.

The brands, development plans, designs and operations of the properties will remain unchanged after the transaction, which is to be formalized July 31, Wanda said.

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Business News
Today's Daily Dose brings you news about Arena Pharma's pulmonary arterial hypertension trial results; Bristol-Myers' regulatory catalyst related to leukemia drug Sprycel; the progress in Concert Pharma's phase 2a clinical trial of CTP-543 for alopecia areata; Ocular's amendment of its DEXTENZA NDA and Neothetics' review of strategic alternatives.

Read on...

Shares of Arena Pharmaceuticals Inc. (ARNA) surged more than 41% in extended trading on Monday, following positive top line results from its phase II trial of Ralinepag in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension.

According to the trial results, Ralinepag was associated with a statistically significant absolute change from baseline in pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) compared to placebo. The drug candidate also demonstrated numerical improvement in 6-minute walk distance (6MWD).

The Company plans to move Ralinepag expeditiously toward a phase III clinical program.

Arena implemented a 1-for-10 reverse stock split, which came into effect on June 19, 2017.

ARNA closed Monday's trading at $18.39, down 4.47%. In after-hours, the stock climbed 41.33% to $25.99.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.'s (BMY) supplemental New Drug Application seeking approval of Sprycel to treat children with Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia, as well as a powder for oral suspension formulation of Sprycel has been accepted for priority review by the FDA.

The U.S. regulatory agency's decision on Sprycel is slated for November 9, 2017.

Sprycel is already indicated for the treatment of Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) chronic myeloid leukemia and Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia in adults.

Sprycel recorded global revenue of $1.82 billion in 2016, up 13% over the prior year.

BMY closed Monday's trading at $55.93, up 0.04%.

The FDA has lifted the clinical hold on Concert Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s (CNCE) Phase 2a clinical trial of CTP-543 for alopecia areata, also known as spot baldness.

The trial was put on hold in May of this year, with the regulatory agency requiring a review of certain recently completed non-clinical toxicology studies before the Company proceeded with dosing in the trial. Safety concerns were not the reason for the FDA's decision to impose the clinical hold.

The Company will amend the protocol for the phase 2a trial to evaluate two doses of CTP-543, each for 24 week duration. Concert will resume enrollment in the Phase 2a trial later this month and expects to complete the trial in the second half of 2018.

CNCE closed Monday's trading at $13.64, down 3.54%.

Ocular Therapeutix Inc. (OCUL), which is awaiting FDA decision on the approvability of its resubmitted NDA for DEXTENZA, has submitted details of a manufacturing equipment change, to potentially extend the decision date by 3 months.

Dextenza, proposed for treatment of ocular inflammation and pain following cataract surgery, is under FDA review, with a decision date set for July 19, 2017. The U.S. regulatory agency had refused to approve Dextenza last July, raising concerns pertaining to manufacturing process and controls.

OCUL closed Monday's trading at $6.49, down 8.85%. In after-hours, the stock was up 11.71% to $7.25.

Neothetics Inc. (NEOT) is all set to review a range of strategic alternatives focusing on seeking an acquisition, combination or partnership, and has engaged Oppenheimer and Co., Inc for the same.

A reduction in workforce as part of streamlining operations in order to preserve its capital and cash resources is also on the cards.

On June 26, 2017, the Company announced that its phase 2 proof-of-concept trial of LIPO-202 for the reduction of submental subcutaneous fat did not meet the endpoints.

NEOT closed Monday's trading at $0.53, down 5.33%. In after-hours, the stock was up 9.39% to $0.57.

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Business News
China is scheduled to release a batch of data on Monday, highlighting a modest day for Asia-Pacific economic activity.

On tap are Q2 figures for gross domestic product, as well as June numbers for retail sales, industrial production and fixed asset investment.

GDP is expected to rise 1.7 percent on quarter and 6.8 percent on year following the 1.3 percent quarterly increase and the 6.9 percent yearly gain in the first quarter.

Retail sales are tipped to add 10.6 percent on year, down from 10.7 percent in May. Industrial production is called steady at 6.7 percent on year, while FAI is expected to gain an annual 8.5 percent - down from 8.6 percent in the previous month.

New Zealand will see June results for its Performance of Services Index; in May, the index score was 58.8.

Indonesia will release June figures for imports, exports and trade balance. In May, imports were worth 13.82 billion and exports were at $14.29 billion for a trade surplus of $0.47 million.

Finally, the in South Korea are closed on Monday for Constitution Day, and will re-open on Tuesday.

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(Agencia CMA Latam) - Former Peruvian President Ollanta Humala and his wife, Nadine Heredia, were arrested yesterday on money laundering charges related to the 2006 and 2011 presidential campaigns.

According to prosecutors, an investigation showed that Humala and his wife received a US$ 3 million illegal donation from Brazilian construction company Odebrecht.

The investigation relies on statements by Marcelo Odebrecht, the owner of the company, who claimed to have delivered this amount to finance Humala's presidential campaign in 2011. Marcelo Odebrecht is under arrest in Brazil.

On Humala's prison, the current Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski said he expects a fast and efficient trial. "Everyone has the right to an effective, fast justice," the president told the Peruvian press.

by Agencia CMA Latam

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Early signals are mostly positive for Canadian stocks Monday morning, as upbeat Chinese economic data hinted at demand for metals and energy products.

China's expanded at a steady pace in the second quarter, as gross domestic product grew 6.9 percent year-on-year, the same pace of expansion as seen in the first quarter, the National Bureau of Statistics said Monday. The annual growth was forecast to slow to 6.8 percent.

Energy stocks should maintain last week's modest gains. WTI light sweet crude oil was up 8 cents at $46.55 a barrel, staying well away from June's yearly lows near $42.

Gold was up $6 at $1233 an ounce, moving further from recent 4-month lows near $1200.

Canada-based mining company Dominion Diamond Corp. (DDC, DDC.TO) will be acquired by Washington Companies for $14.25 per share in cash, or a total equity value of about $1.2 billion.

Washington plans to operate Dominion as a standalone , appoint a new CEO based in Canada to the Dominion management team, and keep Dominion's headquarters in Canada.

Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. (VRX, VRX.TO) will sell its Obagi Medical Products business for $190 million in cash to Haitong International Zhonghua Finance Acquisition Fund.

The financial sector will keep an eye on earnings from key U.S. companies this week. BlackRock Inc, the world's biggest asset manager, reported a better-than-forecast quarterly profit on Monday, helped by higher fees.

In economic news, foreign investment in Canadian securities amounted to $29.5 billion in May, mainly purchases of government debt instruments. At the same time, Canadian investors increased their holdings of foreign securities by $4.4 billion, Stats Canada said.

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Market Analysis
Oscar winning actor Martin Landau, 89, has died.

The tall, all-purpose actor died Saturday in Los Angeles of "unexpected complications" following a brief stay at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, his publicist Dick Guttman said.

Best known for roles in the hit suspense drama Mission: Impossible and 1960s blockbusters like Cleopatra, Landau won the Academy award for best actor in a supporting role for his performance as a broken-down horror movie star Bela Lugosi in Ed Wood.

The New York born cartoonist-turned-actor shot to fame by playing a homosexual henchman in Alfred Hitchcock's 1959 classic North by Northwest.

After he quit Mission: Impossible after three seasons in 1969 because of a contract dispute, Landau's feature films career saw two decades of recess.

Landau returned to the screen through Francis Ford Coppola's Tucker: The Man and His Dream in 1988.

The following year, he acted in Woody Allen's comedy drama Crimes and Misdemeanours.

He received Oscar nomination for best supporting actor for his roles in these two films.

The big award that eluded Landau twice came his way in Tim Burton's 1994 biographical comedy drama Ed Wood.

Landau, who had a relationship with Marilyn Monroe for few months, was also a known acting teacher.

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Business News
(Agencia CMA Latam) - Mexico's National Service of Health, Safety and Agro-Food Quality (SENASICA) decided to suspend processed dairy products imports from Colombia after the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) removed the foot-and-mouth disease free zone from the South American country.

The Mexican agency said that it seeks to protect its agrifood heritage from exotic pests and diseases that do not exist in its territory and could jeopardize food production in Mexico.

Mexico's decision came after Colombia reported two new foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks, now in the department (state) of Cundinamarca, where six dairy processing plants were authorized to export their products to Mexico.

In June, Chile, Peru, Panama, and Ecuador suspended their meat imports from Colombia after the country's Agricultural and Livestock Institute (ICA) reported the detection of a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in Arauca and Casanares, the first since 2009 within its borders.

by Agencia CMA Latam

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(Agencia CMA Latam) - The European Union (EU) and Brazil have submitted a joint proposal to the World Trade Organization (WTO) to promote agricultural production and food security measures so that subsidies in the sector do not distort the market.

"The objective is to limit market distortions, to ensure a global level-playing field for farmers while taking into account particular needs of developing countries," said the EU in a statement.

While the least developed countries would be exempt from any subsidy limits to allow for the development of their farming sector, other developing countries could also support their farmers more generously and take more time to adapt to the new guidelines, the EU said.

Brussels also stressed that, given the importance of cotton to many developing countries, there are specific proposals for subsidies that distort the market in this sector. According to the note, Colombia, Peru, and Uruguay have already expressed their support for the initiative.

"This proposal should lead other WTO members to follow our example and so ensure a level playing field for all farmers in the local, regional and global ," said Phil Hogan, EU's Commissioner in charge of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The bloc is also pushing for solutions to fishing subsidies, e-commerce and domestic regulation of services.

by Agencia CMA Latam

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Economic News

What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more.
Estimados amigos,

Les doy cordialmente la bienvenida a este Blog informativo con articulos, analisis y comentarios de publicaciones especializadas y especialmente seleccionadas, principalmente sobre temas economicos, financieros y politicos de actualidad, que esperamos y deseamos, sean de su maximo interes, utilidad y conveniencia.

Pensamos que solo comprendiendo cabalmente el presente, es que podemos proyectarnos acertadamente hacia el futuro.

Las convicciones son mas peligrosos enemigos de la verdad que las mentiras.

There are decades when nothing happens and there are weeks when decades happen.

You only find out who is swimming naked when the tide goes out.

No soy alguien que sabe, sino alguien que busca.

Only Gold is money. Everything else is debt.

Las grandes almas tienen voluntades; las debiles tan solo deseos.

Quien no lo ha dado todo no ha dado nada.

History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce.

If you know the other and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.

We are travelers on a cosmic journey, stardust, swirling and dancing in the eddies and whirlpools of infinity. Life is eternal. We have stopped for a moment to encounter each other, to meet, to love, to share.This is a precious moment. It is a little parenthesis in eternity.
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Jul-17-2017 13:50 TweetFollow @OregonNews Pesticide News Affects Oregon Cannabis Farmers They will immediately cease all sales, offers of sale, or other distribution of the product in Oregon.

In an abundance of caution, a statewide Stop Sale, Use, or Removal Order has been issued for Azatrol Hydro Botanical Insecticide, and Azatrol EC Insecticide.

(SALEM, Ore.) - The Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) has ordered stoppage of sale and distribution of two pesticide products manufactured by PBI/Gordon Corporation after finding the presence of several pesticide active ingredients not listed on the product label. Azatrol Hydro Botanical Insecticide, and Azatrol EC Insecticide are labeled for use on ornamental, food, and feed crops as an insecticide, insect growth regulator and repellent. These products may also be used in the production of cannabis. Both products list the active ingredient azadirachtin, derived from neem seeds, and may be identified by the EPA Registration # 2217-836. The products are listed for organic use by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI). In addition, ODA is asking growers who may have purchased the pesticide product to refrain from using it. ODAs actions come following an investigation of the product and laboratory analysis that found the presence of the pesticide active ingredients permethrin, bifenthrin, cypermethrin, cyfluthrin, and chlorpyrifos, none of which are listed on either product label. In an abundance of caution, a statewide Stop Sale, Use, or Removal Order (SSURO) has been issued by ODA to PBI/Gordon Corporation of Kansas City, Missouri. The order calls for the company to immediately cease all sales, offers of sale, or other distribution of the product in Oregon. Retailers and the general public in possession of the Azatrol products manufactured by PBI/Gordon Corporation are advised not to sell, offer for sale, or distribute them. ODA will be working with the manufacturer to determine the appropriate disposition of product that is currently in commerce or with growers. ODAs investigation will proceed to address violations of Oregons Pesticide Law, which include misbranding of a pesticide product, adulteration of a pesticide product, and making false or misleading claims about a pesticide product. For additional information or questions, contact the Oregon Department of Agriculture at: (503) 986-4635, or email pestx@oda.state.or.us _________________________________________

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Articles for July 17, 2017 | Articles for July 18, 2017
Dear Editor

Interesting to read of Tuuu M.A.L.M.T.P.M. and his Bahamian friend Max on his Column headed Sex scandals and the Catholic Church, Samoa Observer (SO) 02 July 2017 issue even though they seem to start their conversation by going at each others throat.

Yet they later find their common ground to which I am certain of it to be The Church established by Christ Jesus with the blessings of His Loving Father. Where they later agreed to defend it at their best from their individual perspective for they are both devoted members regardless of their Political and Journalist background, respectively.

Which leads me back my last sharing -In response to We are living in a time of prophesy 24 June 2017 SO issue, considering the much noise by mostly all Protesting Christian (PC) sects claim that you need no Church for salvation? Note I used the term PC [Protesting Christian] sects while Tuuu and Max used the term denominations.

And when I talk of Christ-ians I mean of all souls within Christ Jesus established Church while PC sects I meant of all those churches created by man due to one reason or another as division on Faith matters.

Hope it is all these seen PROTESTING notion by these Protesting Christ-ian sects are done unknowingly! But how would they know if the National Council of Churches in Samoa-General Secretary is wasting his precious time on the tax laws already passed through proper Parliamentary systems with the blessings of the 100% Matai Parliamentarian, (SO) 09 July 2017 issue.

I wonder whether Mr. General Secretary is humble enough -like our dear late Rev. Oka Fauolo, whom humbly refers to their reverend-hood group as Taulelea matutua and respect the decision by Matais.

As with the word Religion as per our United Nations adopted Constitution discussed on the same issue I believe the idea of Peace was at its priority -mind you the United Nations idea had born out of World War II.

So as long as an association or an institution formed is scene Peaceful (a classic example gay, lesbian, farmers etc. association) they are all entitle to the description - Religion.

Going back to Christ Jesus established Church, mind you the Holy Bible accounts of it as of God the Fathers [First Personification of God] wish for His Son Christ Jesus God the Son, [Second Personification of God] to establish one while on Earth.

And Christ Jesus had willingly ended his worldly life defending it, right? So again that other silly call by our PC sects brethren namely Sola-Scripture would be unfounded. Simply because the Holy Bible accounts of such Church notion, instead of the other way around, dont you agree?

Such Church is marked by Four WORDS [Marks], expressed in the Nicene Creed of the First Council of Constantinople in 381AD up to now by all Christians (both Genuine, Protestant and all others fall in between) as; 1. ONE, -for it belongs to the ONE God, 2. HOLY for the One God it belongs is Holy of Holy, 3. CATHOLIC for it covers the universe and 4. APOSTOLIC as its teaching initiates from that of Christ Jesus left upon his Apostles together with all souls whom religiously follow suite.

So in simple words it would be of ones lack of such understanding that would lead he/she to rebel the term Catholicism. Better still from another prospective all souls whom learn of Christ Jesus regardless of their standing potion whether it is of genuine Christian or protesting Christian or there about in between we are all entitled to be labelled CATHOLICS, right?

Anyhow I need to note my thankful heart out to brethren Niuveve and leituala for their wishful sharing regarding my concern sharing -commented online and to my Agnostic friend and brother Patrick Gannon SO issue 13 July 2017 and 14 July 2017. Sorry Patrick I have no idea whether the unicorns had existed except reading of it in some Fairy Tale -bed time stories for Kids, just like Flying Dragons.

But isnt the Dragons whom the Evil poses and spoke with Eve as recorded in the Holy Bible to which God turns it into a crawling snake with a promise that a Virgin (or the woman Gen; 3:15) whom will strike its head while it can only strike back at her heel.

And please dont you be worried too much for we are smoking the only NEW thing left of this world, i.e. Christ Jesus [the son of man born of the woman]. Pretty sure Niuveve if he/she is a human being is doing the same, ahy Niuveve?

It is fairly unfortunate to learn of brethren Niuveves viewing of me; quote ,, heading down the toilet with your belief value,, end of quote, excuse the language. Which urges me to wonder whats so bad about going to the toilet?

Certainly, it is a nature course to all living creatures including Christ Jesus whom let go of His equal God status with Yahweh-God the Father and lower himself to the level of created Human beings, so He can win us back from the evils spell.

Obviously once our human bodies call of nature arrive for excretion of waste, we just have to obey it, no matter how awkward you position may be, right. Well unless poor Niuveves status is not of human but of their four legged creature?

Heed with tiredness the interest of brethren leitualas sharing for I can see he/she is in that category of human beings with too much information.

Mind you sometimes too much information can leads one (no doubt our friend Patrick [who claimed to be a recovered catholic] is a classic example) to some extend of confusion as confirmed by one of my recovered close Priest friend. Which reminds me of my early Mentors -an old Priest friend, a saying about, Reinvent the wheel or new ideas for there are no more NEW ideas left to be invented in this life as Christ Jesus had fulfil them all. Hence Apostle Pauls other famous advise, there is No more new thing in this life except Christ Jesus with a human being to die of one self and let Christ Jesus lived in him/her self.

Solemnity of Pentecost annually marks the Birth date of His established Church. And I was privileged to be part of a seven member Delegation recommended by His Grace Archbishop Alapati Lui Mataeliga to attend the celebration of Catholic Charismatic Renewal Movement Golden Jubilee celebrated during the Pentecost week this year in Rome Italy. A vibrant spiritual movement group within the Church believed to be one of the Vatican II council great achievements since February 1967 -with an event happening to a prayer group by some professor and students of a Catholic university [Duquesne University] in Pittsburgh.

And it was interesting to learn of my Son and my brother in Laws -whom I had on our local Charismatic group trip to make up our seven (7) member delegation, amazement when we visited some of the Roman Emperor homes assigned for the Church with some built Churches commemorating almost all of the famous icon as visual evidence of Christ Jesus life on earth -brought into Rome out of Israel, by Emperor Constantine the Great (known as founder of the Christianity dynasty) administration in the early 3rd Century. So definitely Christ Jesus was NOT just an Idea!.

We visited the; 1. Holy Cross Basilica, 2. location where Apostle Paul had been martyred marked by a Church of 3 fountains, 4. Mary Major Basilica, 5. Saint Paul outside the Walls Basilica, 6. Sanctuary of our Lady of Divine Love, 7. the famous Roman Icon Coliseum and of course, 8. the Major Papal Basilica commemorating its 1st Papa -Saint Peter whom Christ Jesus blessed with the leadership of His established Church as recorded by the Holy Bible.

A word of thanks out to the Fr. Manuele Solofa, Sr. Marieta Sola Nepa, Sr. Pesio Milo, Sr. Tasileta Aulelio, Sr. Akenese Faleono Lutena, Madame Alauni Caffarelli and her lovely children Margery and Tofilau Tony, some of the Samoan souls whom are living in Rome that had blessed our trip with their usual Samoan heart kindness.

Until next time we meet again!

Muaimalae Taloaileone M.F.M.M.L.P.

Atalii fanau le au, a le uliugalii Tafitoala o le fale-Tuamasaga
Its official. Virgin Australia has signalled its intention to maintain services to Samoa after its Virgin Samoa joint-venture with the government winds up in November.

But Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaois government has warned that it might not be that easy.

In a statement issued by the government, Prime Minister Tuilaepa indicated that at the end of the day, his government will have a huge say in deciding the outcome of Virgins application.

I am waiting to see what they bring to the negotiating table, he said. But it would be stupid for government to say yes again and again.

According to www.australianaviation.com.au, Virgin Australia has applied to Australias International Air Services Commission (I.A.S.C) for 880 seats of capacity a week between Australia and Samoa.

Virgin Australia intends to commence five services per week between Australia and Samoa from 13 November 2017, Virgin said in its letter to the I.A.S.C dated July 10 2017.

These flights will be operated with Boeing 737-800 aircraft configured with 176 seats.

In May, the Samoan government announced the Virgin Samoa joint venture between Virgin Australia and country would be terminated by November.

Media reports at the time said the move to ditch the JV, which was formed in 2005, was due to concerns over high fares.

Virgin Samoa is 49 per cent held by Virgin Australia, 49 per cent by the Samoan government and two per cent by Samoa-based tourism company Grey Investment Group.

It flies from the Samoan capital Apia to Auckland, Brisbane and Sydney.

The airline does not own any aircraft.

Instead, Virgin Australia operates services on behalf of the joint-venture airline. However, one Boeing 737-800 has been painted in a special livery that features a special Virgin Samoa livery.

Prior to his sudden departure as group executive for Virgin Australia airlines in late June, John Thomas told Australian Aviation on the sidelines of the International Air Transport Association (I.A.T.A) annual general meeting in Cancun, Mexico the airline was keen to maintain air links with Samoa following the end of the partnership with the government.

At a group perspective we would like to continue to have a presence there so we are working through what could be possible, Thomas said on June 4.

Obviously there is the classic V.F.R market but we do believe there is potential to grow those markets with tourism.

The nice thing about it with the 737 it is the right gauge of aircraft for that route.

In July, the Samoan government said it had signed a memorandum of understanding with Fiji Airways to help establish a new carrier Samoa Airways, with the current domestic carrier Polynesian Airlines to be part of the new venture.

From the start, Tuilaepa said his government had made it crystal clear that there is huge potential in Samoas tourism industry to accommodate more flights.

And Virgins application also reaffirms what we have insisted that they were deliberately scaling down flights to Samoa to increase airfares.

In his weekly radio programme with Radio 2AP, Tuilaepa recalled that when the PolyBlue joint venture between Virgin Airlines and Polynesian Airlines was in place, flights between Australia and Samoa were limited to two flights a week.

And since then government have been trying time and again to add more flights but were rejected by Virgin Australia on the grounds that there was not enough demand to justify more

After crunching the numbers, we had justification for added flights but not according to Virgin Airlines, recalled the Prime Minister.

And its fair to note that even Air New Zealand is looking at adding more flights to Samoa using their bigger 777 aircraft.

To me, it shows that both Virgin and Air New Zealand are scrambling and it could have a lot to do with our intention to re-launch our national carrier.
Being in China for a full month being taught with unpretentious and simple artistic Chinese skills in paper cutting and producing handicrafts has been rewarding.

With two more weeks to go, the National University of Samoa (N.U.S) team representing Samoa at the Training Course on Paper Cutting and Traditional Folk Handicraft Production for Developing Countries surely have learned the basic skills needed.

They can then tailor to suit and enhance knowledge on existing curriculum and apply skills acquired through classroom practices.

As much as I would like to expand on how the training outcomes will be put into practice in media and journalism education, it all comes down to meeting the basic resource demands and fill in the pieces to where it best fits.

In this fast growing technological era where everything is becoming digital (with relevant software that can be bought online) to create the most fascinating or rather appropriate plain backdrops for a basic student television production, spending time to place those designs on paper and start cutting would be the least considered option for journalism educators and learners.

Unless for instance, a learning outcome is integrated in the television course for students to create their own backdrops using unique Samoan designs such as the tatau or siapo, either on paper (a cheaper option) or stencil.

It is worth exploring with of course, looking elsewhere for funds to acquire items such as (the right) scissors, thin coloured papers and glue.

Having a team of lecturers from other faculties such as the Teacher Education Department, on this trip, is a bonus.

For Laeimau Peru Tugaga, who teaches Food and Textiles, she is appreciative of new ideas that could be shared with training teachers whom will continue teaching children in primary schools as part of their teaching methods.

The fashion industry is growing in Samoa and so as the cultural designs now increasingly becoming more modern, Laeimau said. The art of cutting paper designs is still being practised today by some tailors whereas most no longer consider it an art, instead, cutting materials according to measurements that would either be accurate or not.

Learning the knowledge and skills from where it started has been an exquisite experience for Laeimau. This week, she was rewarded with a paper cut masterpiece as one of the four first prize getters whose sample artworks had impressed the trainers.

The opportunity to gain invaluable knowledge about preservation of Chinese culture through folk arts is an exceptional experience for me in this trip.

Switching backgrounds from journalism to learning and producing folk handicrafts on site was challenging for me in the first week. I could still get it if I keep on practising. I would definitely need time.

Aside from my previous media training trips to China mainly covering for the news outlets I was working for or learn about theoretical and metropolitan views of the media worldwide, taking the classroom to the rural areas and workshops have been unique for this training.

More than fifty participants heard from professors in paper cutting, clay sculptures, dough modelling and rock painting over the last two weeks in Yangling and Xian Cities in Shaanxi Province. A province that is well known for making some of the most beautiful paper arts as noted by the founder of Hearst Museum of Anthropology, Phoebe A. Hearst at the University of California.

The group was also taken aback with an Art Gallery housed at Chinas oldest and privately funded higher education institution, the Xian Peihua University. Its main campus located in Xian (the capital city of Shanxi province), has an eight storey modern library with 2 million books in store which are also available in digital form.

It is open 24 hours a day especially to its postgraduate students with a wifi connection enabling students to connect to its databases and conduct research anywhere, on campus.

The university President and Chairman of Board of Directors, Mr Jiang Bo, welcomed the participants and took a two hour tour with the group. Dr Jiang is the fourth and youngest President in his family who took over from his grandfather. Investing millions of dollars in education is money well spent, according to Mr Bo. My family believes in educating China by providing the most convenient learning environment for the young people who will eventually become great leaders and give back to the community.

This weeks session will be shifted to Chinas present city of Beijing for three days.
The government has a responsibility to provide the basic necessities for its people.

If the government does not do that, where will people go?

In Samoa today, many of families are struggling for basic things like water.

The family of Segia Salu of Nofoalii and Tiavea is among them.

They struggle everyday to find water.

Segia is a mother of eight children and currently taking care of them as well as her elderly mother.

Weve been staying at the forestry area for a long time and weve never had any water, said Segia.

Its nothing new because from the time of our ancestors, this has always been the case.

A new generation is here and nothing has changed. Nothing!

We have no water tank so we get water from the family down our road.

We always come with buckets to fetch water from their place; its a hard job and even worse because we need to do it everyday to survive.

Water defines life and I know because I have lived through times where we face the struggle; if there is no water, food doesnt even matter to anyone.

We need water for our laundry even but whatever water we get, we save it for drinking.

Weve asked the Samoa Water Authority for help before but there is no answer up to now.

Segia and her family not only struggle with water but they also struggle with the long distance from their area to the inner village.

Our house is far away and there are no cars and buses barely come this way. So we always have to walk.

Were a lowly family; we dont have much so we just try to survive on what we have.
The trial of a Chinese driver whose vehicle exploded when it slammed into a bus killing an elderly man started yesterday.

Keiji Li is accused of driving a Toyota Estima and hes facing charges of motor vehicular manslaughter and (alternative) negligent driving causing the death of Tanielu Venasio Pati.

Li is represented by Leota Raymond Schuster while Prosecuting is Leone Sua-Mailo of the Attorney Generals Office.

Li vehemently denied the charges.

As reported earlier, the collision between the Toyota Estima and the bus killed 58-year-old father from Leauvaa, Tanielu Pati Seinafo.

He saved a babys life when the van exploded after it crashed into the bus.

Tanielu was holding a four-month-old baby, also named Tanielu. They both fell off the bus during the explosion but the deceased had managed to cuddle the toddler securely, saving his young life.

Tanielu Sr died upon arrival at the hospital.

Last week, Supreme Court Justice Leiataualesa Darryl Clarke denied the application seeking to leave the jurisdiction by Li.

Justice Leiataualesa noted in his ruling the defendant Li is 38 years old and is a citizen of China. He is a mobile telecommunications engineer.

He came to Samoa to work for the Fiji registered telecommunications company Huawei, engaged by Bluesky to build and launch its 4G mobile phone network.

He has been in Samoa since February 2017.

Justice Leiataualesa noted the application by the accused seeks for an order to vary his bail conditions to grant him leave to leave the jurisdiction.

He desires to return temporarily to the Long Hua District, Shenzhen, Guang Dong Province, Peoples Republic of China to provide support and witness the birth of his second child expected anytime in the last week of June or first week of July 2017.

Annexed to his affidavit provided to the court are copies of documents (not being originals) with certified translations.

The translated documents indicate that his wife is due to give birth between June 30 and 6 July 2017. The medical reports show that the fetus is healthy (normal) and everything is normal. The defendant offers a $10,000 bail bond to secure his return. Justice Leiataualesa pointed out the defense counsel and prosecution confirmed their understanding that Samoa does not have an extradition treaty with the P.R.C.

The application by the accused is strongly opposed by the prosecution on the ground that its likely the accused will not be returning to Samoa to attend the hearing. However hes charged with serious offences. Furthermore the accuseds livelihood and family are in China and as such, the likelihood of him returning to answer the charge is very low. There is strong prosecution evidence against the accused and as such, the real likelihood of a conviction is high.

DISCUSSIONS

Justice Leiataualesa noted the issue in relation to the application by the accused to vary his bail conditions is the accused risk of flight and his failing to appear at the hearing. The importance of this factor in respect of bail is contained in the CPA (see for example: sub-sections 99(a), 106(3)(a)).

The accused entered Samoa in February 2017 as a visitor on behalf of Huawei to carry out work for BlueSky. This was to assist with the build and launch of the BlueSky 4G network.

He has no family connections to Samoa, no ongoing employment here nor any assets or property in the jurisdiction. But for these proceedings, I expect the accused would have by now departed Samoa, said Justice Leiataualesa.

According to his counsel, the accused wishes to return to the P.R.C. on humanitarian grounds to witness the birth of his second child.

His counsel however acknowledged that the likelihood of the accused not appearing for hearing is strong but that his risk of flight was nevertheless in the realm of possibilities.

Based on the material before the Court, I assess the risk of the accused failing to return to Samoa to face trial to be high. Counsel for the accused himself acknowledged that risk as strong.

Clearly, the accuseds desire to be with his wife for the birth of their second child is a strong desire. It is for that reason he has made this application.

Given his strong desire to be with his wife and family for the birth of their second child, there is a material risk that on returning to the P.R.C. and being there with them for the birth of that child, he may also then have a strong desire to remain there following the birth and not appear for his trial, said Justice Leiataualesa.

This risk is exacerbated by the fact that if he returns and if he is convicted of the charges before the Court, he may face an imprisonment term that would separate him from his family for a period of time. Justice Leiataualesa noted that following the expected birth of their second child.

The medical reports show that the fetus is healthy and everything is normal. There is therefore no present known risk to the unborn child.

Whilst the desire of a father to be present to witness the birth of a child is understandable, should he be found not guilty following trial, he will be able to be reunited with his family within weeks of the expected birth, Justice Leiataualesa pointed out.

Justice Leiataualesa stated the bail bond of $10,000 put forward by the accused falls well short of satisfying the court that the bail bond would sufficiently reduce the risk of the accused failing to return.

RESULT

Justice Leiataualesa stated the charges against the defendant are very serious and in all the circumstances, the factors for the grant of variation of his bail conditions are far outweighed by those against the grant of the variation of his bail conditions.

The application to vary bail conditions is accordingly dismissed. He was remanded into Police custody and will appear in court for a hearing before a group of Assessors.
One of the most important official ceremonies for this year is scheduled for Friday.

The inauguration of Samoas new Head of State, Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II has been confirmed for 3pm at the Parliament precinct, Tuanaimato.

The confirmation came in a statement from Parliament.

A formal ceremony whereby Afioga Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II will take the oath of Head of State before his Honour, the Chief Justice is scheduled for Friday 21st July 2017, 3:00pm at the Parliament precinct, Tuanaimato, the statement reads.

The Legislative Assembly approved the Notice from the Party to the Government to appoint Afioga Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II to the office of the Head of State in its sitting on the 5th July 2017.

The Honorable Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Afioga Leaupepe Toleafoa Tamaaiono Faafisi will issue the Warrant of Appointment for the new Head of State elect prior to the date assigned for the inauguration.

Two weeks ago, Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi made the official announcement during Parliament.

Speaking to the Samoa Observer, Tuimalealiifano said he was humbled about being chosen to lead Samoa for the next five years.

With all humility, we humbly accept the appointment. The glory is to God, not us, not our family and friends, said Tuimalealiifano. We want to serve our country and if this is the capacity that we can serve, we want to serve.

Also I want to thank the Head of State.

As reported earlier, Tuilaepa said during the announcement the appointment of the Honorable Tuiaana as Head of State, is a milestone for the Independent State of Samoa.

I congratulate Honorable Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II, for his calling, said Tuilaepa.

According to the Prime Minister, Tuimalealiifano served in the Ministry of Police, is an Attorney and was later appointed to the Council of Deputies where he has served over many years.

He has served the Government for more than 20 years, according to Tuilaepa.

Tuilaepa added that when the late Malietoa Tanumafili II passed away in 2007, Tuimalealiifano was one of the names considered for the Head of State position twice - in 2007 and again in 2012.

However the bid was unsuccessful.

It was believed the timing was not right, he was not ready for the Head of State post.

The Prime Minister added that all authorities are from God and for Tuimalealiifano, you have waited patiently and continued your service as a member of the Deputy Council. Now his turn has arrived.

The outgoing Head of State, His Highness Tui Atua will record his farewell message to the nation on Wednesday.
The nation is set to officially welcome the new Head of State, Tuimalealiifano Sualauvi Vaaletoa II, at the end of the week. Following the announcement in Parliament last week, Tuimalealiifano will replace the outgoing Head of State, His Highness Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi who has held the post for the past 10 years. What do you think of the change? Deidre Fanene asked in todays Street Talk and this is what people said:

Matalio Taaau (65) Vaiusu

Tuimalealiifano as the Head of the State is the right decision made by the Government. He is a Tama Aiga and I think its time for him to serve the country in this capacity. He has been in the Council of Deputies for so long and he has served the country for many years as a public servant. I wish him well.

Utumata Alofa Leuluaialii (43) Satuima Lufulufi/Saipipi

The appointment of Tuimalealiifano as the Head of States I truly support. As we all know Tui Atua and Tuimalealiifano they are both Tama Aiga so therefore they have the right to the Head of State position. Tui Atua had been in the position for two terms now and in my own opinion its time for Tuimalealiifano to serve the country. He deserves it because he has been serving the country for so long. As for the decision making I think Cabinet made the right choice to avoid all the other unnecessary hassles.

Sara Nisi Taliu (31)Leauvaa

Change is good. If Tuimalealiifano has been appointed by God as the Prime Minister said then who are we to judge the decision? If its Tuimalealiifanos time to be the Head of State, then I support it.

Moe Faaifo Fuifatu (55) Saleimoa, Manono Tai, Lepa

I agree with Tuimalealiifano being the new Head of State of Samoa. He has been on the Council of Deputies for as long as I can remember and I guess its time for him. I think his father was also in the Council of Deputies so the changes are good. However, the way he was appointed I dont agree with. The decision should have come from the people of Samoa. Our voices shouldve been heard. I think in the future the position of Head of State should be put to a public vote.

John Kalapu (26) Vaitele Fou

I think Tuimalealiifano is the right heir for the Head of State. No disrespect to His Highness Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi who had been serving the country well. I guess its time for a change and I think the appointment is just right. Tuimalealiifano has been serving the country and he had been a member of the Council of Deputies for so long. He waited patiently for his turn and he has got it. I wish him well.

Apisala Fatu Faatili (54) Matatufu, Lotofaga

I dont support the idea. During Malietoas time as the Head of State, it wasnt until he passed away that Tui Atua became the Head of State. Thats how it should be. Another thing is that the appointment of the Head of State should have been decided by the people instead of the government. If this is the case, then I support the call to limit the terms for the Prime Minister as well. The government is changing all the laws and the appointment of this and that but they are turning the blind eye to the fact the Prime Minister has been in power for nearly 20 years.




UNITED NATIONS (AP)  Japan called Monday for increased pressure on North Korea, saying this is not a time for dialogue.

Government spokesman Norio Maruyama said North Korea reached "a new level" with its latest launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile as Americans celebrated Independence Day on July 4.

The test marked a significant step toward the goal of North Korea's young leader Kim Jong Un to develop a missile with a nuclear warhead capable of reaching the United States. The ICBM reportedly landed in Japan's exclusive economic zone in the Sea of Japan, where previous North Korean ballistic missile launches have also landed.

Despite condemning the ICBM test, South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Monday offered talks with North Korea, indicating for the first time since his inauguration in May that he wants to use dialogue to defuse the international standoff over the North's nuclear and missile programs.

Maruyama said the Japanese government is "aware of the announcement," but made clear that immediate talks aren't the approach it supports.

"This is not a time for dialogue, it's a time for pressure," he said.

Maruyama explained that raising pressure now is essential "in order to be able to conduct a serious dialogue" with North Korea in the future.

"Dialogue for the sake of dialogue is meaningless," he stressed.

He reminded Seoul of the joint statement issued by Moon, U.S. President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe after a meeting on the fringes of the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany, on July 6 on a "common understanding" on how to deal with North Korea

The joint statement commits the three leaders to work together to counter the threat from North Korea and "to apply maximum pressure" on Pyongyang "to change its path, refrain from provocative and threatening actions, and take steps necessary to return to serious denuclearization dialogue."

The three leaders also agreed to press for early adoption of a new U.N. sanctions resolution to demonstrate to North Korea that "there are serious consequences for its destabilizing, provocative and escalatory actions."

In response to the ICBM test, the United States has circulated a resolution with proposed new sanctions to the other permanent veto-wielding Security Council members  China, Russia, Britain and France  U.N. diplomats said last week.

No details have been released. But U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley told the council earlier this month that if it is united, the international community can cut off major sources of hard currency to North Korea, restrict oil to its military and weapons programs, increase air and maritime restrictions, and hold senior officials accountable.

When pressed about possible restrictions on oil sales, Maruyama said, "we are considering" tougher U.N. sanctions. But he also stressed that, "we need to see what sanctions are most successful."

He urged all countries to implement U.N. sanctions, and called on other nations to follow Japan's move to bar North Korean ships from Japanese ports and impose additional sanctions.

What is important, Maruyama stressed, is to stop the flow of people, commodities and currency to North Korea.

China, North Korea's neighbor and closest ally, is responsible for 90 percent of trade with the country.

Maruyama said Japan is encouraging China to play "a greater role" in pressuring North Korea to halt its provocative actions and comply with Security Council resolutions.

He said Russia also has "an extremely important role to play in dealing with the North Korean problem and we will encourage Russia to play some even greater role."
Snagging a coveted badge for the always sold-out Comic-Con is no easy undertaking, but almost equally daunting is finding a hotel room that is even remotely affordable and anywhere close to San Diegos downtown convention center.

Enter Airbnb, whose hosts this week are offering up their homes, condos, apartments and spare bedrooms in significantly greater numbers than last year  even as the average nightly rate for a hotel room during the four-day pop culture gathering has risen to its highest level yet.

The San Francisco-based home sharing giant is projecting 19,000 guest arrivals during San Diegos largest convention, a 35 percent jump over last years 14,000 and about 30 percent more than than this last four-day weekend.

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Just as hotels are capitalizing on the 130,000 comic book fans, superhero junkies and Game of Thrones zealots flooding the city, so too are home-sharing hosts, many of them raising their customary rates above what one would expect during an otherwise busy July weekend in San Diego.

RELATED

Hotel industry-funded study slams Airbnb

Airbnb accuses hotels of price gouging

Comic-Con to stay through 2021

Browsing the Airbnb site, its not uncommon to find listings advertising budget-busting rates approaching $500 and $600 a night for lofts in the heart of Gaslamp or condos just steps from the convention center, especially in the days leading up to Comic-Con.

Even so, Airbnbs average rate on the home-sharing platform still undercuts San Diego hotels $261 average room cost by anywhere from roughly $70 to $100 a night, according to an analysis of lodging bookings during last years Comic-Con.

That discount, though, doesnt seem to be hobbling the pricing powers of Comic-Con. Hotel rates during the pop culture extravaganza have increased 14 percent between 2013 and 2016, according to STR, a research firm that tracks hotel performance throughout the country.

If Airbnb has a large impact on pricing, were not finding that in our data, said Jan Freitag, senior vice president with STR, formerly Smith Travel Research. The added Airbnb supply does not seem to have a discernible impact on pricing within the local hotel community. For nights when hotel occupancy is over 95 percent, the average daily rate premium still seems to be what it was before the advent of Airbnb, around 30 percent.

Over the last four years, the daily hotel rate during Comic-Con is between 31 percent and 37 percent higher than the previous weekend in July, the STR numbers show. And for Airbnb, the rates over the four-day period this month are expected to be up 23 percent over one week earlier, the company says.

What is not as easy to discern from data analyses is whether hotels would be able to fetch even higher room rates were it not for the growing presence of Airbnb and other home-sharing services.

Hotelier Robert Rauch, who owns and manages 10 hotels in the county, said he has noticed in the last couple of years that he cannot get quite as high a premium during Comic-Con as he has in the past, even with high occupancies.

I have seven hotels that benefit from Comic-Con and they are not seeing the difference in rate theyve seen in previous years because Airbnb adds inventory, said Rauch. Where we might have been selling a room for $300 a night three years ago, we might sell it now for $250, and where before we might be full for four nights, maybe its two or three.

But Comic-Con is still a huge piece of business and fills most of the nights and at a high premium.

Rising hotel rates have been at the heart of negotiations in recent years to keep Comic-Con in San Diego. As much as organizers have pressed the city to enlarge the convention center, it was not the pivotal issue in a recent three-year agreement hammered out with Comic-Con International. What Comic-Con demanded was a cap on rate increases for the hotels that participate in a discounted room block for the convention.

Published rates for this years room-block hotels range from a low of $178 for the Days Inn in Mission Valley to $392 for the Hotel del Coronado, which does not include its resort fee. Rates for last-minute bookings for downtown rooms outside the block can surge to as high as $700 a night or more.

Based on data provided by Airbnb, the average nightly rate charged by its hosts during last years Comic-Con was $164, compared with $261 for hotels in the city of San Diego. The company is projecting a nightly rate of $163 for this weeks confab. STR does not track data on advance bookings.

Airdna, a data analytics firm catering to vacation rental hosts and investors, says a fairer comparison would be to exclude Airbnbs private and shared rooms and focus on bookings for studios and one-bedroom units.

Based on that algorithm, the average Airbnb rate during Comic-Con this year is $188 and for last year $193, which is still a savings compared with hotels, said Airdna co-founder Scott Shatford. For all whole-home rentals, regardless of size, the average this year is $322, according to Airdnas analysis.

Airbnb does tend to keep hotels honest, he said. They used to thrive on these nights where demand is through the roof. For Mardis Gras, for example, youve seen hotel rates drop a bit from what they used to be, maybe a 5 to 10 percent drop in the premium.

Airbnb operates as this kind of overflow spigot and when homeowners know they can make a pretty penny and rent their place out for an event, theyll list those places only for those big events, and were definitely seeing more of that category.

In recent months, Airbnb and the lodging industry have been trading accusations, using competing reports and analyses to attack one another. The American Hotel & Lodging Industry has claimed that Airbnbs business is increasingly driven by commercial operators renting out multiple units, labeling some as illegal operators. Meanwhile, the home-sharing company argues that the industrys strategy is to try to tamp down the supply of Airbnb listings so it can gouge consumers during high-demand periods.

One of their chief concerns is that Airbnb and other home sharing platforms impact their ability to limit supply and drive up prices because Airbnb puts more supply into the market, said Airbnb global policy chief Chris Lehane. You can see this play itself out around something like Comic-Con where you can see a pretty significant delta between the average Airbnb listing and what a typical hotel costs.

Weve always said that people should have the ability to look at what the market is and raise or lower their prices based on an actual and honest market operating out there.

Admittedly, there are a limited number of short-term rental hosts, says Shatford, who will list their homes at what he calls a make me move price during big-ticket events, be it a Super Bowl or a Comic-Con.

Its like if youre willing to pay me a ridiculous price, Ill pack up and move out, he says of the practice. Theyre not actively trying to get it booked, but theyll move if they can get the price they want.

Leon Carlucci, whose one-bedroom apartment is just two blocks from the convention center, is asking $2,450 for four nights, up significantly from the $1,800 he was able to get at the last Comic-Con. He normally rents his place on Airbnb at $200 a night.

Last year I slept at a friends house in Del Mar and cut him in at 10 percent, said Carlucci, 31, a federal corrections officer and part-time Uber driver. Having to drive back and forth to Del Mar kind of sucked and the traffic is horrible during Comic-Con, which is why Im glad I work and live in downtown but if someone is willing to pay $600 a night, Im willing to put up with it.

People have asked me, would you consider $250 a night. I said, sorry, this is the center of the universe, demand is too high.

Like Carlucci, Devra Gregory sharply raised her rate for renting out a room in her three-bedroom South Park home from the typical $50 to $70 a night to $300. She has since lowered it to $225, hoping to induce a last-minute guest.

I know Comic-Con sells out so I dont know if people will wait until the last minute to book accommodations but Im holding out, said Gregory, who works as a Michael Jackson impersonator. Im surprised I havent booked mine because Im in the ballpark.

There are still others, like Carol Neidenberg, who boost their rates very little, if at all, during Comic-Con. While she raised her normal nightly pricing of $85 to just $93 last year for a room in her University Heights craftsman home, shes keeping it the same for next week when shell be hosting return guests heading to the Con.

I dont want to gouge people, said Neidenberg, 68. The people with Comic-Con, theyre serious, they dont hang out at the house, they dont take any more showers than anyone else, and its fun. This is not my income, just a little extra money.

Top Airbnb guest origins for Comic-Con 2017

Los Angeles

Phoenix

New York City

San Francisco

San Jose

Source: Airbnb

Business

lori.weisberg@sduniontribune.com

(619) 293-2251

Twitter: @loriweisberg
One of the biggest growth areas right now, as we all know, is in the health industry. Here in San Diego, the need is especially high for skilled or specialty nurses. This includes emergency room, critical care and believe it or not, virtual and travel nurses.

If you are able to live in such a beautiful city, work for some of the most prestigious medical facilities in the nation and earn very respectable pay, then why are specialized nurses so hard to find? Be aware the entry level nursing field is flooded. So in order to succeed, advanced skills are required. This means if you choose nursing, you must continue your education.

The prospect of going to nursing school or returning to it, can awaken real fears. This is especially true if youre going back to school after some time off or choosing a new career. I was never good at math or science, the sight of blood scared me when I was a kid. The fear of failure is there for every pursuit in life. It doesnt make a difference if it is nursing, accounting, teaching, parenting, writing, or whatever. You are older and more mature now, and may want a change. Specialized nursing could be an exciting new career path for you.

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Is it time to let your fears go? Have you always had an interest in healthcare and nursing? A nursing degree will open up so many doors for you throughout your career, earning an even higher income with specialized capabilities. Nursing school is a big decision and there are a lot of good reasons to become a nurse or upgrade your skills. It is an important decision, and one that shouldnt be taken lightly.

Here are five common fears, and reasons why they shouldnt hinder you from going to nursing school.

Im too old.

You cant control your age, and the years are going to pass regardless if youre in school or not! So instead of spending that time thinking about your goals, why not take action? Age is just a number. It doesnt define who you are, and it has no bearing on how youll perform when you go back to school or enter a new career. Students dont succeed or fail based on their age; in fact, sometimes maturity can help!

I cant afford it.

The majority of Americans dont have money saved for college tuition. In fact, you would be struggle to find a person who does have the means to pay for school without any financial assistance at all. That doesnt mean you cant make it happen! Do your homework. Find out about tuition for different programs, and whether they offer financial aid and scholarships.

Im not smart enough.

One of the most common fears students have is whether theyll be able to pass their courses. Whats the worst that can happen? You fail a class? So what you can always retake it or get a tutor (or speak to the professor) at the first signs of trouble. As with everything else in life, some people have to work a little harder, but that should not discourage anyone from following their preferred career path. Like they old saying goes You get out what you put into it.

I might not find a job after I graduate.

This fear is understandable. After all, there are no guarantees youll find your dream job just because you go back to school. While some markets are more competitive, skilled nurses are in high demand, and this demand is expected to continue to grow steadily. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics lists nursing as one of the occupations with the highest projected national job growth through 2022. If job stability and availability are concerns of yours, you can probably put those to rest if you are going to nursing school.

Balancing school, life and work

This can sometimes be the most difficult aspect of the decision to go back to nursing school. Students worry whether they will be able to work, how they will support themselves (and their family, if they have one) and still have enough time to study. Ask for help! If you have a child, ask your family members or friends to help. Talk to instructors or former students, to find recommendations for supporting yourself during your education and understand, this is a temporary phase.

Will I be a good nurse?

Well, really no one can really answer this question. The fact that you want to be a nurse, and a good one at that, almost certainly means that you have the passion and the drive to become one.

Remember, you are bigger than any fears that you might have. There is help out there to alleviate those fears and concerns. Nursing school, and especially specialized nursing may feel like an uphill battle, but is one you can conquer. You are also the future of the nursing profession. You can do it!

Contact: pblair@manpowersd.com

Twitter: @PhilManpowerSD

FB: @Phil.Blair
From health care rallies to punk shows for tenants rights, and plenty in between, here's a roundup of some of the most notable opportunities for activism in NYC this week. As always, feel free to leave anything we've missed in the comments.



Benefit For Ridgewood Tenants Union @ Silent Barn

Bushwick venue and artist collective Silent Barn will host this benefit for the Ridgewood Tenant Union. Performers include the Ridgewood-based Crosslegged, along with Poppy Patica playing from their new album of "shimmering, cosmic pop melodies." Later in the week, the space hosts a dance party for the Democratic Socialists of America. (see below).

Monday, July 17th, 8 p.m. doors // Silent Barn, 603 Bushwick Avenue // $8





Kill The Bill

The vote on the GOP health care bill is postponed, for now, and many progressives are seizing on the delay to bring more attention to the contents of the proposal. Across the country on Tuesday, Indivisible groups will host another national day of action aimed at stopping TrumpCare. In New York, the rally will take place outside the offices of Senator Chuck Schumer, where activists plan to "ask him to Withhold Consent, kill the bill with Death By Amendments, and encourage them to Keep It Up!"

Tuesday, July 18th, 5 p.m. // 780 Third Avenue, Manhattan



Stand Up Staten Island!

State Senator Michael Gianaris is promising Staten Islanders a behind-the-scenes look at how the Albany sausage gets made with this town hall focused on the "inner-workings of the oft-dysfunctional" state senate. Progressive groups like NY Indivisible and Sustainable Staten Island will help host the event, which takes place at the coffee shop Duzer's Local.

Wednesday, July 19th, 7 p.m. // Duzer's Local, 387 Van Duzer Street, Staten Island



Justice For Kyam Livingston

Activists will gather in Prospect Park South to demand justice for Kyam Livingston, who died in police custody in 2013, after Central Booking cellmates say she was deprived of medical treatment. The rally is being held by the Justice For Kyam Livingstone group, which aims to "turn Kyams plight into a cause for an investigation of those within the NYPD who run and manage the Brooklyn central bookings system," according to their Facebook page.

Friday, July 21st, 5:30 p.m. // Church Avenue and East 18th Street, Brooklyn



Democratic Socialists Of America Benefit Show



Another benefit show comes to Silent Barn on Friday, this one in support of the NYC DSA chapter. Emily Reo, BEARS and Will Table (of Old Table) will make music for the cause, followed by a DJ set from FuturePunx. Expect speakers between acts, and tabling from local groups such as the Crown Heights Tenants Union and New York Communities For Change.

Friday, July 21st, 8 p.m. doors // Silent Barn, 603 Bushwick Avenue // $8



Billy Bragg At Strand



Not a protest, strictly speaking, but Billy Bragg has the ability to fill even the most staid rooms with a picket line energy. On Saturday, the British folk musician/lefty activist will be reading from his new book Roots, Radicals and Rockers: How Skiffle Changed the Worlda chronicle of DIY music and British teensin Strand's Rare Books room. Thirty dollars gets you admission and a signed copy of the book, but if you miss him this time around, Bragg will be back in town in October with two shows at the City Winery.

Saturday, July 22nd, 7 p.m. // The Strand, 828 Broadway, Manhattan // $15 admission; $30 with a signed copy of the book


Behind every great fortune there is a crime.  Honore de Balzac.

I am fascinated by people. I study them carefully in making investment decisions, and I am always looking for something-- a window into their psyche, a reveal of their weaknesses and their strengths, a tell that reveals the lie or the puffery or the obfuscation. The question that interests me is not who is this person, but what is this person.

So let me share one of the most famous cases in the last 50 years  Bernie Madoff. The man who did the interview is Eugene Soltes, a professor at Harvard Business School. He spent multiple hours talking to Bernie who is serving a 150-year sentence in a medium-security federal prison in North Carolina, and his most famous question was: How would you explain your actions and misconduct to a group of students?

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Here is Madoffs reflection on accountability. In hindsight, when I look back, it wasnt as if I couldnt have said no; it wasnt like I was being blackmailed into doing something or that I was afraid of getting caught doing it. I sort of, you know, I sort of rationalized that what I was doing was OK, that it wasnt going to hurt anybody.

Soltes plays this tape and more in his class, with the goal of pointing out that knowing the difference between right and wrong is not sufficient to avoid falling into the behavioral traps people can face when under pressure to succeed.

I recently was interviewed, and one story I told was about Alan Ace Greenberg, CEO of Bear Stearns, who said he hired based on PSD  poor, smart with a deep desire to be rich. My son happened to be listening in the next room, and after the interview he said that the desire to be rich adversely infects the entrepreneur and is not the single important characteristic necessary for success. It is not the same as a passion for the product and the adventure. I saw his point of view. It might be a characteristic for an investment banker, but not for an entrepreneur  but I countered that wanting to be rich was vastly better than wanting to be king. The desire to be rich drives a passion and a discipline and focus that is powerful for the entrepreneur. But therein also is the trap. It is nuanced. In the end, we shook hands and had a beer.

Soltes points out that Madoff exhibits many of the all too familiar cognitive biases:

Ambition -- a trait of every person who aspires.

Overconfidence -- there was nothing that Madoff thought was a limit.

The slippery slope -- Madoff says going off the tracks was a temporary situation.

Lack of self control-- Madoff says he wasnt frightened enough to say I cant take the risk.

Rationalization of iffy decisions -- Madoff concedes that it was all rationalization.

Soltes writes that while Madoff possesses an extraordinary lack of empathy for his victims, he did not set out to commit the crime of the century. In other words, he didnt really plan it -- he just fell deeper into it.

Here is the irony of all ironies. Madoff had a hugely successful business before he started the Ponzi scheme. At one point 10 percent of all NYSE-listed stock trading was done by his firm. And so the famous question is posed  how much is enough? That question will haunt many of us for a long time  and put many of us into therapy.

Madoff finally says in the interview its like a comedy of errors  I just kept taking in more money  I couldnt say no. And along with this we have not even touched on the addictive drug of his power and fame in New York City, the biggest apple of them all.

Soltes says that within the entrepreneurial culture, there is often a feeling that it is OK to bend the rules. Uber, are you listening? And a decade earlier, Enron. In the final analysis, it is not a slippery slope  it is simply a cliff, and it is illegal. Entrepreneurs can feel the need to push the envelope, but there is always a mirror you have to look into  and sometimes some bars to look through.

Neil Senturia, a serial entrepreneur who invests in early-stage technology companies, writes weekly about entrepreneurship in San Diego. Please email ideas to Neil at neil@blackbirdv.com.

Rule No. 529: Where is the remorse and the shame?
Members of the Daughters of the American Revolution from various San Diego area chapters traveled to the Victory Memorial Grove at Elysian Park in Los Angeles to rededicate a monument to those who lost their lives serving the country in World War I.

The effort was in support of the California World War One Centennial Task Force and the Los Angeles-Eschscholtzia Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).

California DAR State Regent, Bev Moncrief, and LA-Eschscholtzia Regent, Jan Gordon, placed a wreath at the monument.

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Adele Lancaster, CA DAR State Vice Regent and Wanda Prosser, both members of the Santa Margarita Chapter, Jennifer Smith, regent of the Linares Chapter and Irene Hobbs, past regent Letitia Coxe Shelby Chapter placed red carnations on the monument as members of Post 43, Hollywood American Legion, gave a brief history of each of the men whose names were on the monument.

The monument and plaque were originally dedicated on Flag Day 1921 on land donated by former CA DAR State Regent Mary Stilson. The WWI Centennial runs through 2018.

Visit santamargarita.californiadar.org
When Karen Janney was appointed superintendent for the Sweetwater Union High School District in 2015, the school board and community had faith she would put students first.

Two years later, that trust paid off.

During a July 10 board meeting in which her contract was discussed, the school board voted unanimously to increase her salary and extend her contract.

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Trustee Frank Tarantino told Janney that in two years she changed the trajectory of the district.

Those who know the history know what Im talking about. I cant thank you enough, Tarantino said. You are the superintendent that this district always needed but never had.

Tarantino also successfully proposed extending Janneys contract by another two years, from 2019 to June 30, 2021.

She will receive a 1.75 percent increase in her salary, which increases it from about $245,500 to $254,784

The hike is in addition to a 2 percent annual cost-of-living increase each July (built into her contract), following a yearly performance evaluation.

During public comment community member Kathleen Cheers praised Janney for moving the district forward from its previous controversy.

She leads by example, respecting the voice and concerns of all, Cheers said. We have not seen any money-making deals that will allegedly benefit the superintendent come before us.

In 2012, a series of U-T Watchdog stories, using information brought forward by a handful of citizens, shed light on cozy relationships between school officials and vendors and contractors.

The case, handled by the District Attorneys Office, ended with then-Superintendent Jesus Gandara being indicted on charges of felony conspiracy and accepting gifts above the legal limit, which landed him in jail.

Seventeen other South County trustees, educators and contractors pleaded guilty to more than 200 misdemeanors and felonies.

Trustee Paula Hall called Janneys leadership truly priceless.

The concern and the leadership at all levels has really impacted schools in our area, Hall said. I met with staff this week and the excitement they haveits like a new fire.

The raise and contract extension follows a 2016 vote by the board to extend her contract one year from 2018 to 2019 and boost her pay by roughly $10,000.

Janney has more than 37 years of secondary teaching and administrative experience.

She began her career with the district in 1978 and was named state Principal of the Year in 2004 by the Association of California School Administrators.

Janney is a two-time Sweetwater Union High School District Administrator of the Year.

Sweetwater has 32 schools and 41,000 students in grades seven through 12 and is the states largest secondary school district.
The first public school in the county named for a Japanese-American opened in eastern Chula Vista this week.

Saburo Muraoka Elementary School is the newest campus within the Chula Vista Elementary School District.

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Last Friday, administrators, local elected officials and people from the community attended an official ribbon cutting at 1644 Santa Alexia Ave., in the Otay Ranch community. Classes started Wednesday.

I was dreaming about this day for a few years and its reality now, said Francisco Escobedo, superintendent of the Chula Vista Elementary School District.

Muraoka was a farmer and businessman who grew to be part of the fabric of early Chula Vista. His grandson sought to have him recognized to keep the Japanese-American communitys history alive.

In the bigger picture, Ken Muraoka said, the naming of the school is more about the significant role that Japanese immigrants and Japanese-Americans have had in shaping Chula Vista, San Diego and its county.

Having the elementary school named after my grandfather has created a wonderful opportunity to remind and, in some cases, educate people that immigrants as a whole have made significant contributions to America.

Muraoka immigrated to the U.S. from Yokohama, Japan in 1915 and built a thriving agriculture business over three decades in Chula Vista.

He was known as an innovator in the cultivation of celery and cucumbers, developing unique farming techniques. And his agricultural innovations helped put Chula Vista on the map by 1935 as Americas celery capital.

Muraoka died in 1983 at the age of 83.

The schools principal Erin Dare said the goal is to make Muraoka a 21st century elementary school where our students will be models of good character, embrace creativity, be voracious learners and empowered to be confident and self-aware.

District board members voted in May 2016 to name the campus after Muraoka, which had been known as School Site No. 46. They chose from a list of 41 suggestions.

The school cost about $51 million, which included the purchase of 10 acres.

The two-story structure is about 90,000 square feet and has 36 classrooms, a digital media/library space and multipurpose room.

Muraoka Elementary is one of 11 new campuses projected to be built within the next 20 years in the elementary school district, which has a current enrollment of 28,500 students.
The madness is here! The madness is here!

With Comic-Con only hours away, its essential to prepare for the good, great and the Galactica. So listen up, because there are a few rules that even the mightiest of super heroes need to follow. (A complete list of rules can be found at comic-con.org)

Green lights a go

Badges. Keep them handy and visible at all times! In order to enter and exit the Convention Center and other venues, you will be asked to scan your badge. Once you see the green light, youre ready for the craziness inside.

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Have no fear! (Real) Weapons are not allowed here

Although a real Odinsword would complete the Thor look, youll have to settle for simulated or costume weapons. All costumes props and weapons must be inspected at the Costumes Props Desk outside of Hall E or C2.

Keep both feet on the ground

While some say that hoverboards give super powers, they are prohibited inside and outside all venues. This year, youll need to rely on good old fashion legs to get you around from venue to venue.

Turn off the live stream and recording devices

As much as your Facebook friends would love to see the the days most anticipated panel, live streaming apps on smartphones, tablets and laptops are not allowed. Similarly, video and audio recording of movie and television panels is prohibited. This includes recording with smartphones, video recorders and Google Glass.

Photos are allowed and encouraged, but no live streaming or recording devices in panels and no selfie sticks or GoPro poles allowed at Comic-Con. (K.C. Alfred/U-T)

If it flies, it must stay outside

Leave the flying to the superheroes. Drones, balloons and other flying or tethered objects are not allowed in exhibit halls or at any Comic-Con function.

Stick to old fashioned selfies

While selfie sticks and GoPro poles provide great selfie angles, they are unfortunately not allowed inside any Comic-Con venue or outside the Convention Center at hotels, theaters and the San Diego Central Library.

Blow out the smoke

Smoking is not allowed in Comic-Con venues. This includes cigarettes, cigars, pipes, E-cigarettes and other vaping devices. Designated smoking areas will be located outside of Comic-Con venues.

Unfurtunately, no pets allowed

Sorry Krypton, Superman will have to register you as a service animal in order to come in. To enter the Convention Center, all pets must be registered as a service animal and wear an identifier. Service animal stickers can be picked up in the lobby of Hall A.
In a rare legal move unveiled Monday, a federal judge in San Diego has reopened a case that was tried in military court because of concerns that a sailor might have been wrongly convicted of molesting a child.

In his decision dated July 11, U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel ordered federal prosecutors to respond to a petition brought by attorneys representing Navy Petty Officer James R. Rich.

Rich contends that the military violated his constitutional rights by relying on the shaky, hearsay testimony of a toddler and then allowing a biased juror to disregard the sailors exemplary military record as the jury decided his sentence in 2014.

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David Sheldon, the Washington, D.C.-based appellate attorney for Rich, praised Curiels decision Monday. He said the military court system gave the sailor short-shrift review and failed to address his constitutional challenges to his conviction. Curiels order, he added, is the first step in righting this injustice.

Navy legal officials declined to discuss these issues. Its customary for them to withhold comment while a case is undergoing appeal.

I have never seen a habeas corpus (petition) where a federal court intervened in a military case. I am sure it has happened before, but it is rare, said San Diego-based attorney Jeremiah Sullivan III, an expert in military law.

A panel of sailors convicted Rich, an aviation structural mechanic 2nd class, during a general court-martial in Norfolk, Virginia, for the aggravated sexual abuse of a child. It sentenced him to seven years confinement; hes currently imprisoned in the Miramar brig, and the local proximity explains why his federal court case was heard in San Diego.

In early 2012, Rich was living with a girlfriend and her 3-year-old daughter in Virginia Beach, Virginia. One evening, the child allegedly told her mother that she had performed oral sex on Rich. The mom repeated it to authorities and Rich was arrested.

Rich said the girl might have mistakenly seen a video of a consensual act between him and his girlfriend recorded on his mobile phone. He never quit professing his innocence.

The military judge conceded that the preschoolers recollections two and a half years later failed to fully match what she had initially told her mother and criminal investigators. However, the judge allowed the girls clear, voluntary, uncontrived and spontaneous utterances into the trial.

After a jury of Richs peers convicted him, it was supposed to weigh his otherwise outstanding military record when deciding his punishment. A lieutenant later told attorneys in a separate criminal case that he focused solely on the alleged crime and not Richs military decorations and the glowing testimony of a supervisor.

On March 28, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces in Washington, D.C. denied Richs bid to reopen his case. The tribunal unanimously ruled that the girls testimony was sufficiently credible, and it said the nature of the alleged crime  oral penetration without ejaculation when no one else was home  would fail to create additional corroborating evidence.

It took more than a year for Richs appeal to percolate up to U.S. District Court.

Federal prosecutors are expected to file a response to Curiels order by Aug. 11.

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cprine@sduniontribune.com
In a rare legal move, a federal judge in San Diego has reopened a case that was tried in military court because of concerns that a sailor might have been wrongly convicted of molesting a child.

In his decision dated July 11, U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel ordered federal prosecutors to respond to a petition brought by attorneys representing Navy Petty Officer James R. Rich.

Rich contends that the military violated his constitutional rights by relying on the shaky, hearsay testimony of a toddler and then allowing a juror to disregard the sailors exemplary military record as his sentence was decided in 2014.

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David Sheldon, the Washington, D.C.-based appellate attorney for Rich, praised Curiels decision Monday. He said the military court system gave the sailor short-shrift review and failed to address his constitutional challenges to his conviction. Curiels order, he added, is the first step in righting this injustice.

Navy officials declined to discuss the case while it is undergoing appeal.

I have never seen a habeas corpus [petition] where a federal court intervened in a military case. I am sure it has happened before, but it is rare, said San Diego-based attorney Jeremiah Sullivan III, an expert in military law.

A panel of sailors convicted Rich during a general court-martial in Norfolk, Va., for the aggravated sexual abuse of a child. It sentenced him to seven years confinement; hes currently imprisoned at the base in Miramar, Calif., and his federal court case was heard in San Diego.

In early 2012, Rich was living with a girlfriend and her 3-year-old daughter in Virginia. The child allegedly told her mother that she had performed oral sex on Rich, and he was arrested. Rich, who has professed his innocence, said the girl might have mistakenly seen a consensual act between him and his girlfriend recorded on his mobile phone.

The military judge conceded that the preschoolers recollections 2-1/2 years later failed to fully match what she initially told her mother and investigators. However, the judge allowed the girls clear, voluntary, uncontrived and spontaneous statements into the trial.

After a jury of Richs peers convicted him, it was supposed to weigh his otherwise outstanding military record when deciding his punishment. A lieutenant later told attorneys in a separate criminal case that he had focused solely on the alleged crime and not Richs military decorations and the glowing testimony of a supervisor.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces in Washington denied Richs bid to reopen his case. The tribunal unanimously ruled that the girls testimony was sufficiently credible. It took more than a year for Richs appeal to reach U.S. District Court.

Federal prosecutors are expected to file a response to Curiels order by Aug. 11.

cprine@sduniontribune.com

Prine writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune
The city of San Diego spends about $32,700 each year on travel expenses for a Bay Area attorney to handle its labor negotiations and collective bargaining, according to city documents.

The expenses are just part of at least $2.2 million paid to attorney Timothy L. Davis and his firm, Burke, Williams & Sorensen LLP, since 2008 to provide legal consultation and oversee labor negotiations with the citys employee unions.

While the outsourcing of legal or consulting services has been criticized as unnecessary and expensive when in-house attorneys are available, city officials say its not uncommon for public agencies to seek outside help from lawyers or other consultants, especially when resources are limited and the tasks require specialized expertise.

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The citys original deal included an hourly rate of $295 for both Davis and William F. Kay, another attorney at the firm who has since retired, and the city agreed to cover their travel expenses, according to the first $500,000 contract.

Since 2013, the city has spent more than $86,200 on Davis flights to and from San Diego, $33,250 on hotels, $5,000 on taxis and $1,500 on meals, according to invoices submitted to the city by the law firm. Data show Davis frequently leaves his car at the airport when he travels to San Diego. At $30 a day, the city has spent more than $10,300 on parking.

San Diegos communications director Katie Keach said the city ensures that Davis complies with his contract. Travel expenses are reimbursed based on invoices drafted by the firm, Keach said. The city does not receive copies of receipts or another proof of purchase.

According to a 2013 contract between the city and Davis firm, receipts for all meals and travel expenses must be attached.

Keach did not respond to several requests for comment about the lack of required receipts.

Davis, who took the lead in 2010 when Kay retired, has been behind the scenes of most major labor deals and changes to the citys employee benefit programs, such as the end to the Deferred Retirement Option Plan, or DROP, and the implementation of Proposition B, which replaced guaranteed pensions for new city workers  except for police officers  with 401(k)-type retirement plans.

Davis said his successful track record outweighs the cost of services and travel.

If I hadnt been successful, then I can see how someone would say, Well jeez, $20,000 here and there on travel expenses, seems like we could do better, Davis said in an interview. But sometimes there are tens of millions of dollars on the line  you have to absorb small expenses to solve major problems.

One in particular, Davis said, was a 2011 agreement between San Diego city leaders and most of its employees to reduce the long-term cost of retiree health care. Calculations at the time estimated the deal would shave $330 million off a $1.1 billion unfunded healthcare liability, and cut $33 million from the citys annual contribution to the system, saving the city about $714 million over 25 years.

When were talking about my flights, make sure we also include that I led the team that saved the city a ton of dough, Davis said.

(Data show Davis round trip flights from the Bay Area to San Diego cost an average of $427. One way flights averaged $237.)

San Diego County communications director Mike Workman said the county retains outside counsel or hires expert consultants under specific circumstances. Almost all labor-related work and negotiations are handled by the countys own labor relations division.

Its intermittent, Workman said. We may use someone sporadically but its certainly not constant and we dont have someone from the outside handling labor negotiations.

San Jose City Attorney Richard Doyle said the city brings in outside counsel when discussing contracts with labor unions. The negotiations tend to be more political than legal, he said, and its better for the attorneys office to reside in neutral territory.

Weve always found that its a potential problem negotiating with employees at the other end of the table, when theyre also the clients we have to protect, Doyle said. You become their adversary as opposed to their lawyer.

In an October 2008 letter to the citys purchasing and contracting deputy director, then-labor relations director Scott Chadwick, who is now the citys chief operating officer, said the city faced negotiations with all five of its labor organizations in a short time frame. Outside consultants were necessary to handle the significant workload and unique expertise associated with the job.

Then-City Attorney Michael Aguirre did not agree. In another letter sent in November 2008 to the City Council, Aguirre said San Diego already employed competent legal counsel with expertise in labor relations, and outside counsel was unnecessary.

Aguirre highlighted one attorney in particular who had 17 years of experience as a labor relations attorney negotiating contracts in the public sector. Aguirre asked City Council members to deny then-Mayor Jerry Sanders request to bring in outside help. Council members voted to approve the request.

There was no reason for them to bring in someone else, other than to play patty cake with the other side, Aguirre said in an interview. Im sure theyre fine lawyers, but its a waste of money when you already have someone on staff whos qualified and able to do the work.

Based on the citys most recent contract with Burke, Williams and Sorensen, Davis hourly rate is now $310. Invoices show he worked an average of 116 hours per month in 2016. His legal fees totaled about $431,000. That didnt include work performed by the firms partners and other staff at lesser rates.

Davis said there are benefits to bringing in outside counsel, especially for labor negotiations, where both sides are wrought with emotion and divided by politics.

An outside negotiator brings an outside perspective and position thats not tied to any one person or group, he said. A lot of these things, you know, get pretty charged up and people never have to question whether Im negotiating for my own interest.

Alan Arrollado, former president of the citys firefighters labor union, said while he disagreed with Davis on a number of occasions about what was best for the city and its employees, he has a lot of respect for Davis and what hes accomplished.

These negotiations get heated. I mean, were talking about peoples livelihoods, Arrollado said. But it was always respectful and I think (Davis) had a lot to do with that.

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Shade Ladipo hopes she can get women into businesses in her native country of Nigeria. Sosthene Ouedraogoto hopes to improve the court and medical systems in his country, Burkina Faso.

Both are learning skills to help with those goals as part of an international program this summer at the University of San Diego, hosted by the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice at the Kroc School.

This has really challenged my views about leadership, about what Im doing, said Ladipo, 34.

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She and 24 others in the program are taking classes and participating in events designed to boost training for people whove founded private organizations or businesses aimed at promoting the health and well-being of people in their countries.

The young Africans arrived at USD on June 16 and are staying until July 30, when they will fly to Washington, D.C., to join others who make up the 1,000 participants in this years Mandela Washington Fellowship, which began in 2014 as the flagship program of the Young African Leaders Initiative.

USD is one of 38 different universities across the country participating this year and is the only Southern California host. The USD fellows are focusing specifically on business and entrepreneurship, while fellows at other universities are studying civic leadership or public management focused on renewable energy.

President Barack Obama launched the initiative in 2010 to support young African leaders ages 25-35 working to help their countries prosper and strengthen democracy, peace and security across Sub-Saharan Africa.

The USD fellows come from Botswana, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Cabo Verde, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Liberia, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Sudan, Senegal, Togo, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

While in San Diego, the fellows participated in San Diego Startup Week in June, and toward the end of the six weeks they will have opportunities to develop prototypes in San Diegos Design Lab at UC San Diego and participate in USDs Mandela Social Innovation Challenge.

Ouedraogo, 34, is an attorney in Burkina Faso, a country with a population of 18 million. Only 25 percent of those residents know that the legal profession even exists, he said.

We have laws and institutions, but theyre not strong, Ouedraogo said about Burkina Faso, which gained independence in 1960. Theres not what we call a legal culture. People are used to settling matters passionately, by fighting.

He launched the Center for Law Quality and Justice in 2013 to promote economic and social justice and make the law more inclusive and accessible.

Besides problems with justice in his country, Ouedraogo said hospitals are crowded and understaffed. Just a week before he left for San Diego, three doctors were stabbed at a hospital by a friend of a patient who had died, which led to a strike that shut down emergency services for a week.

Another stabbing at a hospital happened June 14 under similar circumstances, and a hospital was set on fire two years ago after a pregnant woman died while unattended.

People are very angry against care providers, Ouedraogo said. When theyre angry, they dont know where to go. They dont know what action they can take, so they just try to settle it by themselves.

When he returns to Africa, Ouedraogo said he wants to set up a hot line so people will be able to call attorneys to fight for them when they have claim to be victims of negligence or malpractice.

Ladipo, 34, is a media entrepreneur and director of WEConnect International in Nigeria, which connects women with business.

We try to convince local companies why they should have more women in their supply chain, she said. We educate them and give them figures that show these are general practices that have been done globally.

Ladipo said her organization has found that many Nigerian companies never grow because they dont access the supply chain of larger companies.

As part of the fellowship program, she was eligible to apply for a startup grant, which prompted her to think of an idea to bring back to her country. Her proposal was about financial technology.

I want to focus on helping women save and also teach them financial skills, she said. To help them invest and bridge the gap between women and money.

Botswana native Zandile Rammekwa, 28 is one of the co-founders of Jam for Brunch, a leading lifestyle event in Gaborone.

Rammekwa said she is learning skills to help her business educate people about sustainable food and promote local music.

With the food market, we want people to become more self-sustainable, she said. Theres taking care of what you eat, but also commercializing it.

As an example, Rammekwa said Botswana encouraged people to grow tomatoes two years ago, but many went to waste because of the over-abundance. That could have been solved if people were taught to make ketchup or other things with them, she said.

She also hopes to create a compilation CD featuring musicians who play in the marketplace her business runs to show that people can make a living by playing music.

gary.warth@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @GaryWarthUT

760-529-4939
The California Legislature is scheduled to vote today on a revamped cap-and-trade system that would extend the life of a program that sends yet another signal to the Trump administration about where the state stands on environmental issues.

But its not clear the support is there to renew the states signature climate change program, even with the changes hammered out over weeks of negotiation. This weekend, champions of the measure were still working on lining up the votes.

Im Christina Bellantoni. Welcome to the Monday edition of Essential Politics.

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The first test will be an Appropriations hearing Monday morning. Well cover the action as it happens on our Essential Politics news feed.

THE STATE OF PLAY

As Melanie Mason and Liam Dillon explain, the effort to secure a longer lifespan for cap-and-trade was never going to be easy. To protect from legal challenges, Gov. Jerry Brown wants a two-thirds vote to authorize the program, which means scrounging a supermajority across party lines and disparate interest groups. Mason and Dillon take you through the key players in the debate, from outside influences such as agriculture interests to the lawmakers who may cast pivotal votes.

Over the course of the week the story evolved, with housing advocates pushing for a vote on their pivotal issue as well.

Theres also the obvious legacy question for Brown, who spent several hours in a committee hearing Thursday jotting down questions after his own energetic testimony.

At Thursdays state Senate Environmental Quality Committee hearing, Brown put on full display his emotional, tenacious side to advocate for the future of the environment. Brown has long battled climate change with a religious zeal, and fighting for the survival of cap and trade in the state will require the governor to use all the political skills he can marshal, George Skelton writes in his Monday column.

TRUMPS WEEKEND

On the one hand, there were no further substantial revelations about President Trumps family or campaign related to Russia, although his sons meeting dominated the Sunday shows.

On the other, new polling released Sunday confirmed how deep the hole is that Trump finds himself in six months into his presidency. It also offered some warnings to his Democratic opponents, David Lauter reports. The new Washington Post/ABC News survey found that Americans by 36%-58% disapprove of Trumps performance in office, a significantly worse grade than the public has given any other president at this point in his tenure since modern polling began in the 1940s.

For his part, Trump bashed the poll and continued to focus on Hillary Clinton while laying low this weekend.

Meanwhile, in California, protesters and counter-protesters faced off at Trumps star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

As for the meeting Donald Trump Jr. had with a Kremlin-linked lawyer, it turns out as more details emerge that theres a California connection.

The former Soviet military counter-intelligence officer who met with Trumps son, son-in-law and campaign manager in June 2016 had previously lobbied Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach) at least twice about U.S. relations with Russia.

A NEW ROLE FOR DARRELL ISSA

As the chairman of the committee charged with overseeing the executive branch, Vista Rep. Darrell Issa was once known as President Obamas toughest critic. Now the richest man in Congress has found himself with protesters at his door, no committee to lead, and a tough race expected in 2018.

Sarah Wire has the story on the shaky line the nine-term congressman has had to walk, reassuring his conservative base that hes not moderating his positions while showing the growing number of independents and Democrats in his district that hes not as partisan as people think.

KNOWING THE OTHER GUYS BIGGEST WEAKNESS

Seema Mehta reports that top gubernatorial candidates Gavin Newsom and Antonio Villaraigosa share more than major personal downfalls when they were mayors of San Francisco and Los Angeles, respectively. They also share top advisers who know the dirt on their rivals affairs as well as their temperament.

THE HEALTHCARE FIGHT

The new Senate Republican healthcare bill wont be put to the test anytime soon. Sen. John McCain will undergo surgery and recover at home in Arizona, leaving the Senate with too few votes. So Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell delayed consideration of the new measure.

The move comes as Americans learn more of the details about the plan, which would effectively eliminate the coverage guarantee by allowing health insurers to once again sell skimpier plans and charge more to people with preexisting health conditions who need more comprehensive coverage, Noam Levey reports.

Take a look at the plans in depth and compare them for yourself.

Well be covering this closely all week on Essential Washington.

RENDON DEFENDS HIMSELF AGAINST SINGLE-PAYER ADVOCATES

The speaker of the California Assembly is unapologetic for his decision to sideline the years closely watched single-payer healthcare bill, calling it lacking in virtually every respect.

On this weeks California Politics Podcast, Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Los Angeles) talks with John Myers about some of the early challenges in his time leading the lower house of the Legislature. Those have included the difficulty of creating a consensus-based leadership structure in a house more used to top-down decision-making.

TODAYS ESSENTIALS

-- Olympic gold medalist, reality-television star and transgender activist Caitlyn Jenner is pondering a run for U.S. Senate from California, Mehta reports.

-- State Treasurer and gubernatorial candidate John Chiang seems most in his element talking about financial statistics and state finances. But this weekend, Mehta reports that hes taking his actuarial skills to Comic-Con, where he will speak on a panel about the fiscal fallout of a superhero battle in a municipality involving the likes of Superman.

-- Could Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra join Trump in the fight to defend DACA? It depends.

-- Without trust between immigrants and police, crimes wont be reported, victims of crime told California lawmakers.

-- LAPD Chief Charlie Beck told Senate Democrats that all of us are less safe with more aggressive immigration enforcement.

-- Becerra goes to court to defend a state program helping unaccompanied minor immigrants.

-- State lawmakers advanced a bill that would make stealthing sexual assault but questioned whether its enforceable.

-- You can now legally break into a hot car to save a dog (or any animal) in California, if you call authorities first. But the law leaves some questions about a rescuers own protections. Read the breakdown Colleen Shalby put together.

-- A lawsuit alleges the state is trying to sabotage the initiative to repeal the gas tax increase in California.

-- California corrections officials want to know what you think about the states new parole guidelines.

-- A new statewide program for police officers to collect traffic stop and other data to combat racial profiling is getting delayed by six months.

-- With state legislators from L.A. County divided, a panel recommended a plan to expand the Board of Supervisors from five to seven members via a statewide ballot measure. The proposal still has a long way to go.

-- L.A. Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Porter Ranch) officially introduced articles of impeachment on the House floor last week. Texas Democratic Rep. Al Green was the only other member to sign on to his proposal to impeach Trump.

-- Democratic candidate Mai Khanh Tran, a pediatrician hoping to unseat GOP Rep. Ed Royce of Fullerton, got a nod from Emilys List last week. The only other candidate the pro-abortion rights group has endorsed so far in California is Katie Porter, whos taking on Rep. Mimi Walters (R-Irvine).

-- And Royce is picking up another challenger: Navy veteran and lottery-winner-turned-philanthropist Gil Cisneros has formally entered the race, bringing with him an early endorsement from liberal PAC VoteVets, Christine Mai-Duc reports.

LOGISTICS

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The extreme terror attraction known as McKamey Manor is up and running at a home with a big red barn in rural Tennessee, and the community is already looking to shut it down, local authorities said Monday.

The personalized horror experience operated for years out of McKameys home in suburban San Diego, bringing in blindfolded patrons in a windowless red van. McKamey scared small groups of patrons with simulated abductions, assaults and other terrors so intense it was named the most extreme haunted house in the world by Tech Times and the New York Daily News.

McKamey told The San Diego Union-Tribune in June that he had moved out of his home in San Diego and was taking the terror attraction to new locations near Huntsville, Alabama, and Nashville, Tennessee.

He declined to be any more specific about location, and said he had no plans to resume operations in the Rancho Penasquitos neighborhood of San Diego.

It turns out one of the locations is in Summertown, Tennessee, about 70 miles southwest of Nashville. The newly arrived neighbor has caused a stir among residents of the town, with a population of less than 1,000.

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According to a community alert message Lawrence County Commissioner Scott Franks posted to his Facebook page on Saturday, sheriffs deputies responded Saturday morning to a report of a blindfolded, screaming woman being dragged by two men from a car into the new McKamey Manor location at 12 Stephenson Road.

When deputies arrived, they learned it was a staged abduction and the entire episode was being filmed, Franks wrote in his post. McKamey produced the signed contract by the victim as well as a physical completed by the victim before signing up for the event.

The deputies spoke to the woman, who admitted she was participating freely, Franks post said.

Staged or not, this is simply something that none of us want anywhere near us, Franks wrote.

According to the post, authorities including the Lawrence County executive, sheriff, attorney and the district attorney are working together to identify options for getting this operation shut down.

A spiritied discussion ensued on social media, with many residents applauding Franks effort to keep McKamey Manor out  but others questioned why he would impinge on the rights of a property owner or squelch a business opportunity for the community.

The community alert had been viewed by 34,000 people, shared 227 times and received 527 comments by the time Facebook took it down because of threats of violence some commenters were making to others, according to a follow-up posted by Franks on Saturday night.

According to a Lawrence County property deed recorded on June 8, McKamey purchased the 2.5-acre property for about $40,000.

McKamey wrote Monday in an email response to the Union-Tribunes questions that hes not doing anything illegal on his property in Summertown and he does not expect to be run out of town. He said some resistance from misinformed people is to be expected.

I have volunteered to have a town hall meeting so they can meet the Big Bad Wolf  but so far its easier for them to take shots at me from the computer, McKamey wrote of Summertowns leadership. My only concern is that there have been talks of violence  so I always have to be careful.

He said the experience in Summertown is one of several associated with McKamey Manor Presents Caedis Silvis, a horror attraction he described in June as the most toned-down version of McKamey Manor ever presented.

The main experience of the Caedis Silvis haunt will be a more traditional haunted house experience, open to members of the general public who are 18 and older. He said it would be housed in a 40,000-square-foot facility in Nashville.

The new attraction near Huntsville, Alabama, was slated to be a full-bore haunt similar to the experience he previously offered in San Diego  open to small, hand-selected groups of participants who meet health requirements for the physically and psychologically dangerous tour of horrors.

McKamey still owns his home in San Diego. A search of property records did not turn up any indication that the house had been sold. Real estate websites including Zillow.com and Redfin.com indicated that the home was not for sale as of Monday afternoon.

A $252,000 tax lien the Internal Revenue Service placed on McKameys house last year for unpaid income taxes, interest and penalties for the 2012 tax year, was released in June.

County property records show McKamey has not repaid a $131,812 loan he secured with his homes equity in May. McKamey told the Union-Tribune in June that he needed the money to cover the expense of starting up two new haunts.

YouTube videos of tours of McKamey Manor in San Diego show vomiting, participants weeping and bruised, a young man crying out to be released as his head is shoved under water, and other unsettling imagery  much of which is smoke and mirrors, McKamey has said.

A few past participants in the McKamey Manor experience have told the Union-Tribune that they were held captive after they begged to be let go, and they ended up with physical and emotional injuries. At least two women went to police after their tours, but as in Tennessee, police determined that their complaints were civil issues and noted that the women had signed a waiver to participate.

Summertown is not the first place to resist McKameys efforts to move there. In 2015, McKamey was planning to move his haunt to McLeansboro, Illinois, a town of about 3,000 people in the southeastern part of the state. He said he had arranged to rent space and dropped off about $35,000 worth of equipment, when problems started to arise.

Before McKamey had even met with the citys zoning administrator, controversy exploded on Facebook and someone threw a rock at the building McKamey planned to lease, cracking a window, McLeansboros city clerk Fred Vallowe told the Union-Tribune in October 2015.

They saw my movies, and it scared these people in this little Bible Belt town to death, McKamey told the Union-Tribune at the time.

McKamey eventually abandoned efforts to operate McKamey Manor in McLeansboro, and moved the attraction back to his home in San Diego.

Previously

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

morgan.cook@sduniontribune.com
I read with interest the airport authority CEOs self-congratulatory article (San Diego airport emerges as economic driver, July 6) describing all the airport improvements her organization has undertaken.

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Is this the same airport authority that before a 2006 public vote hysterically warned San Diego voters that unless the facility were expanded to two 12,000-foot runways and moved to Miramar or Camp Pendleton, our local economy would collapse?

Happily, 62 percent of those voters werent fooled. They recognized the proposed move would only benefit construction contractors, consultants, politicians and empire-building bureaucrats. So we continue to enjoy the most convenient major airport in the country no thanks to, but despite, the folks at the airport authority.

Jerome E. Eggers

Midway Area

Letters and commentary policy

The U-T welcomes and encourages community dialogue on important public matters. Please visit this page for more details on our letters and commentaries policy. You can email letters@sduniontribune.com or leave a comment below.

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Being neither a Republican nor a Democrat, but someone who is concerned about what is best for America, I am grateful to the liberal media for their constant reporting in regards to the Russian interference in our 2016 election.

Their reporting has also made it very apparent that Donald Trump is totally unqualified to be president for myriad reasons that are exposed almost daily.

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Regardless of what Fox News reports, it cant explain away bad behavior, a culture of lies in the White House, classified information given to Russian spies in the Oval Office or Americas downward spiral of a leadership role on the world stage.

Somehow, and even before the Robert Mueller report is finished, I would like to see Congress remove Trump from office and let Mike Pence finish out his term. This Trump presidency just isnt working.

Robert Hall

San Diego

The drip, drip, drip is puddling and draining into the swamp. The fake news (evidently all news programs except Fox) is leading a witch hunt and Donald Jr. is holding the broom.

Jeff Sessions, Jared Kushner, Michael Flynn and Paul Manafort have all declared in written testimony having had no meetings with Russian diplomats and later, due to the fake news proving otherwise, rescinded.

Whether anyone has broken the law will be ascertained by special prosecutor Mueller. But in the meantime, the sleaze meter is hovering at untrustworthy and disgusting and inching toward creepy.

Steve Blumenschein

Clairemont

I enjoyed the story about putting together the papers front page each day. Except that I think it is fake news.

Observant readers like me suspect that the page is actually laid out by a junior staffer whose job it is to scour the Washington Post and New York Times for the most vitriolic anti-Trump hit pieces. Those will make up the next days front page.

Jim Boese

San Diego

Letters and commentary policy

The U-T welcomes and encourages community dialogue on important public matters. Please visit this page for more details on our letters and commentaries policy. You can email letters@sduniontribune.com or leave a comment below.

Want to see more letters that appear only online? Follow @UTLetters on Twitter and UTOpinion on Facebook.
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP)  A Colorado man was sentenced Monday to 80 years in prison for killing a Montana teacher in a case that emerged as a chilling example of the social changes brought by the Northern Plains oil boom.

Lester Van Waters Jr., 50, will not be eligible for parole for at least 20 years under the sentence from Montana District Judge Richard Simonton in Sidney, said Richland County Attorney Mike Weber.

Waters pleaded guilty last year to deliberate homicide by accountability in the January 2012 death of Sherry Arnold. An additional 20 years in prison was suspended.

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Authorities said Waters and accomplice Michael Keith Spell killed the 43-year-old Sidney High School math teacher during an attempted abduction while she was jogging just blocks from her house.

Her body was found more than two months later buried in a rural area of North Dakota.

Weber, who prosecuted the case, said he was satisfied with the sentence, the terms of which were outlined in a plea deal reached last year. The deal with prosecutors called for him to testify against Spell if the case went to trial. In exchange, Waters was spared the death penalty.

Sending Waters to prison will help people in Sidney deal with the loss of Arnold, a much-loved teacher in the community, Weber said. But he noted that the case is not fully resolved as Spell still is awaiting sentencing.

Its one step in the process, Weber said.

Waters defense attorneys could not be reached immediately for comment.

Spell and Waters had traveled to Sidney from Colorado, using crack cocaine throughout their journey, according to authorities and previous testimony from the men.

They had told friends and family they were searching for work in the Bakken oil fields along the Montana-North Dakota border, where an oil boom has boosted agricultural communities but brought a spike in crime.

During their journey from Colorado, Waters allegedly told Spell that using crack brought the devil out in him and began talking about kidnapping and killing a woman, according to an affidavit filed by prosecutors.

Arnold was choked or otherwise asphyxiated after Spell tried to grab her. Spell said during a change-of-plea hearing in October that he was unsure if he or Waters had killed Arnold.

Prosecutors called two people to testify during Mondays hearing: FBI agent Craig Overby and state probation officer Wally Peter. Private investigator Richard Wood testified on behalf of the defense.

Waters had a lengthy criminal background in Florida, where he lived until after his most recent release from prison in August 2010.

Beginning in the late 1980s, he had several stints in jail in Floridas Indian River County and served three state prison sentences between 2002 and 2010.

Spell has pleaded guilty to deliberate homicide. His sentencing has not been scheduled.
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP)  A northern Michigan woman accused of trying to kill her autistic 14-year-old daughter after describing in an online blog the familys struggles to raise her pleaded guilty Tuesday to first-degree child abuse.

Kelli Stapleton, 46, entered the plea the day before she was scheduled for trial in Benzie County Circuit Court on a charge of attempted murder  a year after police said she drove daughter Isabelle to an isolated spot, gave her sleep-inducing medication and ignited charcoal in two grills inside a van, intending to kill both of them.

Isabelle has recovered after suffering carbon-monoxide poisoning that left her in a coma for several days, county prosecutor Sara Swanson said.

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This was an extremely serious incident which could have resulted in the death of an innocent child, Swanson said. A conviction of this felony carrying a maximum penalty of life in prison, and the prison sentence we expect it to carry, is the right resolution for the community, the defendant, and our victim, Isabelle.

A sentencing date was not immediately scheduled, said Jennifer Tang-Anderson, chief assistant prosecutor. Judge James Batzer will receive recommendations on the matter from attorneys on both sides as well as the county probation office.

Stapleton had intended to offer an insanity plea if the case had gone to trial but wanted a quicker conclusion to the case, defense attorney Heidi Hodek said.

Ultimately, Kelli didnt want to put her family through any more, Hodek said.

The family is well known in the rural Lake Michigan county about 250 miles northwest of Detroit. Stapletons husband, Matthew Stapleton, who filed for divorce after the murder-suicide attempt, is a high school principal. Kelli Stapleton was an advocate for autism awareness and kept a blog, The Status Woe, that updated readers about the challenges of finding and affording proper treatment for Isabelle, who was prone to violent outbursts.

Stapleton wrote last summer that her daughter, nicknamed Issy, had completed an intense program for severely autistic children near Kalamazoo. But Stapleton said she was suffering from a severe case of battle fatigue after local school officials changed Issys education plan.

Stapleton later told authorities she had concluded the best solution would be if she and Issy went to heaven, according to court documents obtained by the Traverse City Record-Eagle.

In court Tuesday, Stapleton told Batzer she had intended to kill herself and her daughter, the Record-Eagle reported.

She was found mentally fit to stand trial. But Carole Lieberman, a forensic psychiatrist from Beverly Hills, California, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that she examined Stapleton in July and was prepared to testify that Stapleton was legally insane when attempting the murder-suicide.

Lieberman said she had diagnosed Stapleton with several mental illnesses, including post-traumatic stress disorder brought on by years of psychological wear and physical attacks, including two occasions when her daughter knocked her unconscious.

Kelli has been living in a war zone, Lieberman said. Really, its the culmination of 13 years of having doors slammed in her face and not getting help.

She said she plans to recommend that Stapleton receive the minimum sentence and psychiatric treatment.

Ari Neeman, president of the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network, said Stapleton should be sentenced the same way a mother of a non-disabled child would be sentenced for a comparable crime.

Lenient treatment and sympathetic portrayal of parents who harm autistic children devalues autistic life and sets the stage for copycat crimes, Neeman said.

___

Follow John Flesher on Twitter at https://twitter.com/JohnFlesher
Both Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance and Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez recently pledged to prosecute fewer New Yorkers for turnstile jumpinga misdemeanor disproportionately issued to black and Latino New Yorkers. Starting this fall, Vance's office will encourage the NYPD to issue civil summonses for the offense. Those who are arrested will have the option to enter a diversion programcommunity service, perhaps, or a storytelling class on "taking responsibility" for one's actions. Gonzalez, whose office has been less specific on details, said he is "fully committed" to "using diversion and other approaches that reduce our reliance on incarceration."

The planned shift to more lenient prosecution has been praised by public defenders, who are critical of the NYPD for channeling arrestees into a database accessible to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The NYPD says three out of every four turnstile jumpers who get caught are issued a civil summons, but arrests still occur in the thousands: according to DNAInfo, 8,625 people were arrested for theft of service between January and June of this year.

But while nonprofits including the Legal Aid Society, Bronx Defenders, Queens Law Associates, and the Riders Alliance today called on Queens DA Richard Brown and Bronx DA Darcel Clark to follow suit, grassroots police reform groups remain critical of any measure that, as they see it, continues to criminalize poverty.

"What the Manhattan DA is doing doesn't go far enough," said Josmar Trujillo, of the Coalition to End Broken Windows. "We don't believe anyone should face any kind of punitive sanction for fare beating, because in our view people aren't doing this because they are criminals."

Vance stressed in his June announcement that "individuals who pose a demonstrated threat to public safety" will still face criminal prosecution if arrested for turnstile jumping, without specifics.

A recent study released by transit reform advocates found that more than a quarter of low-income working New Yorkers were unable to afford subway or bus fare at least once in 2015.

"The criminal justice system needs to be reduced," Trujillo said. "It doesn't need to find ways to be kinder or gentler."

VOCAL-NY, a grassroots coalition of low-income New Yorkers, signed on to Monday's release directed at the Queens and Bronx DAs, but suggested that any prosecutorial discretion go hand-in-hand with a memorandum on arrests. "The NYPD should stop its use of ineffective broken windows policing tactics," co-director Alyssa Aguilera stated.

But some public defenders said that the call for prosecutorial leniency is pragmatic. "Certainly decriminalization, it's not going to happen," said Tim Rountree, head of the Legal Aid Society's criminal office in Queens. "So you need to take a new approach."

"Not every person arrested for fare beating needs to be in diversion," Rountree said. "If they are addicts or have mental health issues that's one thing. But if you are a working person with no other issues, then it's not appropriate."

Still, he added, while diversion programs have "plusses and minuses... obviously anything is better than jail."

The Bronx DA's office did not immediately comment on today's call to action; the Queens DA declined to take a position. "No decision has been made at this time as we are still evaluating the proposal," DA Brown said in a statement.

Frustrated with waiting for some sort of sea change in the courts, or City Hall, Trujillo urged subway riders to help those in need by offering a subway swipe.

"It's the moral thing to do," he said. "Today is the three year anniversary of [the death of] Eric Garner. That was a broken windows offense. We have the power to stop those interactions from happening. These nonprofits should be telling everyone at the top of their lungs to swipe everyone in."

[Update 5:00 p.m.]: Clark, the Bronx DA, stated Monday that, "We are reviewing the Manhattan DA's Offices newly-announced policy regarding subway-related theft of services offenses and are working with our law enforcement partners to see if there are ways to expand diversion for low level crimes like transit offenses without compromising public safety."
Jana Sena Chief Pawan Kalyan sought an appointment of AP CM Chandrababu Naidu to discuss about Uddanam Kidney Issue in Srikakulam District. He might submit a detailed report prepared by his team to the Chief Minister. PK would suggest the measures need to be taken for addressing the issue.

As per a section of Media, AP CMO has offered appointment on Monday despite Presidential Polls. However, There is no official confirmation on the report so far.

Actually, CM would be busy monitoring the polling of Presidential Polls Today. In that case, Appointment will be sanctioned within the next 2-3 days.

Pawan Kalyan invited Harvard University Experts to find out the root cause of the kidney ailment. They have responded positively to the appeal. Chandrababu Naidu wishes to invite Jana Sena Supremo for the meeting with Harvard Doctors as he was the one who drew the attention of everyone towards Uddanam.
Years before she became Princess of Monaco, Grace Kelly was known for her professionalism and poise as one of Hollywoods most popular actresses.

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The headache with any story is usually beginning it. That is not the trouble with the Grace Kelly story.

The tough thing about the Kelly story is this: You run yourself black in the face tracking down everyone including Grace herselfwho can give you an angle on her. You talk to those whove worked with her, those who are related to her and those who are her friends. And when you have finished all this, she is still such an elusive subject that writing about her is like trying to wrap up smoke.

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When I sat down to talk to the woman herself, her face was expressionless. I saw only the surface of her eyes, not into them. She was poised, cool, collected and wary. She said nothingunless I asked her a question first. Once or twice, even when I put a direct query to her, she smiled and didnt answer. However, little by little, she began to come out from behind her private Iron Curtain.

She said that when she met Fred Zinnemann, who had directed her in her first Hollywood venture, HIGH NOON, he had given her some kindly advice. You ought to learn how to speak to people and what to say to them when you meet them, he said. Later, she discovered that such advice from Zinnemann had its hilarious aspect, for he himself is so shy that after those sage words, he had almost nothing to say. To make things even clammier, they were both working with Gary Cooper, who had been known for years as the Hollywood actor least likely to be chatty. It was only after Coopers discovery that Grace was even shyer than he that his talk moved out of a mumble, and he made so bold as to take her to lunch.

No unusual twist in the Grace Kelly story was involved in her becoming a member of the cast of HIGH NOON. It was simply that, rated o her performance in one Broadway play, THE FATHER, and her countless appearances before the slowly moving and ruthless eyes of TV cameras, her agents convinced those who were casting the film that the Philadelphia girlwho has since been described by one picture maker as having stainless-steel insides and who reminds one picture maker of a cool stream in a mountain hideaway was a good bet.

I asked her how she happened to appear in the test Fox had made of her, the test that had had such a profound influence upon her life. After a brief appearance in FOURTEEN HOURS, she said, Metro offered me a stock contract. Other studios did too, but I wasnt interested. I could earn more modeling. Also, I wanted to try my luck on Broadway. I read for so many plays, I lost count of them. People were confused about my type, but they agreed on one thing: I was in the too categorytoo tall, too leggy, too chinny.

The Move Into Film

About that time she was studying acting with Sandy Meisner, who taught dramatics at the Neighborhood Playhouse and classes on the side. One day Grace was starting for her class when the Fox New York once called to say, We want you to come over and see one of our directors, Gregory Ratoff. Hes going to direct a movie called TAXI. He wants to test you for it. She wore an old skirt and an old shirt. Her hair wasnt curled. She was minus makeup. But she said, Ill stop by.

When she walked in, a man from her agency was there. All the other girls looked cute and sweet in high heels, she told me. I looked so terrible, my agent was embarrassed. But when Mr. Ratoff saw me, he said, Perfect. This was a switch. My whole life people had been telling me I was imperfect. What I like about this girl is shes not pretty, Mr. Ratoff said. My agent insisted, But Mr. Ratoff, she is pretty. Mr. Ratoff would not be talked out of it. No, no, no, she is not! he said.

When I took off my coat and he saw my old shirt and skirt, he was in ecstasy. Magnificent, he said. Cannot you speak with an Irish accent? Apparently this was what was expected of her, and although shed never spoken with an Irish accent, she said, Of course. en she went home and worked on it. After the test was made, Ratoff wanted her for TAXI, but the man who produced it didnt, although Fox had a contract all ready for her to sign. So that was that.

However, John Ford, who was directing MOGAMBO, saw the Fox test and decided shed do for his picture. MOGAMBO had three things that interested me, she said. John Ford, Clark Gable and a trip to Africa with expenses paid. If MOGAMBO had been made in Arizona, I wouldnt have done it.

I asked her about an anecdote that had been given quite a play in the press. It had to do with her knitting a pair of socks for Clark Gable and hanging them on his tent on Christmas morning while they were on location for MOGAMBO. The way it had happened was different from the printed versionas such things have a way of being. She had tried to knit a pair of socks for Gable, but, like many another knitter with good intentions, she hadnt finished them in time. When I realized that I wasnt going to make it, we were out in Tanganyika, in the middle of nowhere, she told me, and I couldnt buy anything for him. So I stole a pair of his own socks. Each day I stole something else from him. On Christmas Eve I filled one of his socks with his own things and hung it up. It was a silly gesture, but he liked it. I am very fond of Clark.

Another rumor I had heard was that while they were on-location for MOGAMBO, Gable had gotten a cable from a London columnist and had read it to Grace. It said: Rumors sweeping England about your romance with Grace Kelly. Please cable confirmation or denial. This, said Gable, is the greatest compliment Ive ever had. Im old enough to be your father.

Although Im not good at a personal probe, I asked her about it anyhow. I should think he would have been able to overcome that feeling, I said.

Instead of answering, she smiled and didnt say anything.

But she was forthright when she talked about the way she felt about Hollywood. At times I think I hate Hollywood, she said. In New York you can go anywhere and people respect your privacy. In Hollywood, they dont. When Bing [Crosby] took me and my sister, Peggy, out to dinner, the papers made a circus out of it. Poor Bing. He couldnt relax and have a pleasant evening with eight photographers around him. We had to leave.

I asked her if anyone had told her they thought her aloof. Lots of people have, she said. But until I know people, I cant give much of myself. A year ago, when people asked me, What about you? I froze. Im better now, but Im still not cured. In fact, she said, the first time she met Alfred Hitchcock, who directed her in REAR WINDOW, DIAL M FOR MURDER and TO CATCH A THIEF, she said she could think of nothing to say to him. She remembers, In a horrible way it seemed funny to have my brain turn to stone.

That remark made me think of a thing Alfred Hitchcock had told me when Id asked him for a few human- interest stories about incidents that had occurred during the making of TO CATCH A THIEF: I have no anecdotes about Grace. To create anecdotes, people must do either silly things or funny things. Of course, there are the kind of phony anecdotes the publicity man assigned to the unit thinks up, but the really funny things one does or says do not happen on schedule. Anecdotes grow with the years, like the rings on a tree. And Grace hasnt many years. However, she has a quality that is far more important. She can play comedy not sexily but elegantly. Its a quality most women do not have. It has already taken her a long way. It may even take her to the top.
New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 07/17/2017 -- WiseGuyReports published new report, titled "Indonesia Renewable Energy Policy Handbook".



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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 Global Data Report Guidance 4

3 Renewable Energy Policy, Indonesia 5

3.1 Renewable Energy Market, Overview 5

3.2 Green Energy Policy 5

3.3 Small Distributed Power Generation Using Renewable Energy 6

3.4 Medium-Scale Power Generation Using Renewable Energy 6

3.5 Income Tax Reduction for Energy Development Projects 6

3.6 Electricity Purchase from Small- and Medium-Scale Renewable Energy 6

3.7 Clean Technology Fund 7

3.8 Ceiling Price for Geothermal 7

3.9 New Geothermal Law 8

3.10 Geothermal Fund 8

3.11 Power Purchase from Solar PV Plants 9

3.12 Feed-in Tariffs for Biomass 9

3.13 New Electricity Sector Regulations in 2017 9

3.13.1 Ministerial Decree number 10/2017 (MEMR 10/2017) 9

3.13.2 Ministerial Decree number 11/2017 (MEMR 11/2017) 10

3.13.3 Ministerial Decree number 12/2017 (MEMR 12/2017) 10



..CONTINUED



FOR ANY QUERY, CONTACT US @ https://www.wiseguyreports.com/enquiry/1474091-indonesia-renewable-energy-policy-handbook-2017">https://www.wiseguyreports.com/enquiry/1474091-indonesia-renewable-energy-policy-handbook-2017



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Little Rock, AR -- (SBWIRE) -- 07/17/2017 -- iProv, LLC is proud to announce that it has launched newly redesigned websites for healthcare providers ARcare and KentuckyCare at arcare.net and kentuckycare.net. ARcare and its sister clinics, KentuckyCare, offer affordable health services in rural regions of Arkansas and Kentucky. The sites will make it easier for patients to identify medical options in their area and get in touch with a provider near them.



"Healthcare websites are particularly important for residents of rural areas given the difficulty they face finding and obtaining the care they need," Said RJ Martino, CEO of iProv, LLC. "Our goal is to help ARcare and KentuckyCare reach more people, and we know that the websites will achieve that."



As rural providers, ARcare and KentuckyCare have the mission of "Health for All;" the new websites provide valuable information on the locations of their health clinics, helping rural residents to find them quickly. By creating these sites, iProv is helping the clinics raise the standard of care in Arkansas and Kentucky.



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The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has taken a picture of the face-on barred spiral galaxy NGC 4242.

NGC 4242 has a weak bar of stars cutting through its asymmetric center, and a very faint and poorly-defined spiral structure throughout its disc.

The galaxy was discovered on April 10, 1788, by the British astronomer William Herschel.

Also known as LEDA 39423 or UGC 7323, NGC 4242 lies 17.8 million light-years away in the small northern constellation of Canes Venatici.

The new image of NGC 4242 shows the galaxys bright center and the surrounding dimmer and more diffuse fuzz.

Despite appearing to be relatively bright in this image, studies have found that NGC 4242 is actually relatively dim  it has a moderate-to-low surface brightness and low luminosity  and also supports a low rate of star formation.

A Type IIn supernova (not visible in this Hubble image) was discovered in this galaxy on March 28, 2002, named SN 2002bu.

The image of NGC 4242 is made up of observations from Hubbles Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) in the ultraviolet, infrared, and optical parts of the spectrum.

It is based on data obtained through six filters.

The color results from assigning different hues to each monochromatic image associated with an individual filter.
News, analysis, and archives on the grassroots in Haiti. Nouvel, analiz, ak achiv sou baz yo an AYITI. Noticias, analisis y archivos sobre el pueblo de Haiti.
In particular, drilling offshore in the US Outer Continental Shelf has become a news item as President Donald Trump continues in his efforts to roll back restrictions on drilling, some put in place during the waning days of the Obama administration - after President Trumps election, in more than two dozen areas of US waters.

Just prior to the 4 July holiday, the Department of the Interior began its process of seeking public comments on the impacts that drilling might have in the Gulf of Mexico, North Atlantic Ocean, Arctic Ocean and Pacific Ocean, including waters of Alaska and the Lower 48. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), the agency dealing with offshore energy development- had released a plan that significantly pared back activity going out five years, to 2022.

Now, the BOEM, which, as part of the Department of the Interior is in the Executive branch of the U.S. Government, has taken steps to re-open drilling during the 2019- 2024 timeframe- following up on a late April Executive Order issued by President Trump. A link to this early July announcement and request for comments, on plans to open up drilling can be found here: https://www.boem.gov/82-FR-30886/

The possible easing of impediments to offshore drilling comes at a time that the Presidential pendulum is shifting away from Obama administration environmentally-driven restrictions. Opinions of this trend have varied widely.

The American Petroleum Institute, which represents Big Oil, offered support of actions by the Department of Interior to open up leasing on Federal lands (not offshore). An API spokesman praised actions by the Secretary of the Interior, a member of the Presidents cabinet, saying: We look forward to working with the administration on smart policies that unlock investment and improve regulatory uncertainty for businesses, and ensure environmental stewardship.

The anti-Trump New York Times offered an Op-ed article titled Trumps Risky Offshore Oil Strategy, by Bob Graham and William K Reilly, who chaired the National Commission that investigated the 2010 Deepwater Horizon tragedy.

Within a week of the request for comments, thousands of responses had been transmitted to the public commenting venue online at https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=BOEM-2017-0050 The first group of responses that had been posted were almost all from individual citizens in coastal states who were opposed to opening up additional lease tracts for offshore drilling. Agencies in Washington, DC considering changes in rules do indeed read these comments.

Recently, the US Coast Guard backed down from a plan that would have created 10 new anchorages for tugs and barges in areas of the Hudson River north of the Port of New York. In spite of industry support, the response from the general public, fueled by very effective outreach from environmental organizations and collected through a now shuttered online comment board at https://www.regulations.gov/comment?D=USCG-2016-0132-0312 , was overwhelmingly negative.
Press Release

July 16, 2017 On the SO ano NA? Forum

"Human Rights and Extrajudicial Killings"

Message HON. LEILA M. DE LIMA

Senator UP Bahay ng Alumni, Diliman

16 July 2017 Good morning. It is an honor and a pleasure to be a part of this event. Much as I would have preferred to be with you in person, I have to content myself with being with you in spirit and in conscience. Let my very absence be proof of my undying commitment to the cause of human rights. First of all, I would like to thank Senator Antonio "Sonny" F. Trillanes IV for delivering my message today. I have been requested to speak about the state of human rights in our country today. I could do that by citing the numbers of those killed in the so-called "war on drugs". Some accounts place the death toll anywhere from 7,000 to as high as 10,000 and counting, ever since the current Administration took office on June 30, 2016. But I choose not to do that for three reasons: first, the numbers, these days, have become highly unreliable because the killers have become experts in devising ways to hide their crimes and, hence, the real number of their victims. Second, while ascertaining the number and identity of the victims is essential in order to deliver justice for them and their families, it ought not to suggest that our indignation should stem merely from the shocking level of the statistics. Back in the beginning, when the numbers were still on the rise, I was advised to hold back - for my own safety. I refused - dahil matatag ang paniniwala ko na ang pagpatay sa isang tao, gamit ang kapangyarihan ng Estado, ay sapat nang dahilan upang tayo ay magpahayag ng mariing pagtutol at sumingil sa pananagutan ng sinumang may sala. And, third, recounting the death toll seems awfully inadequate to paint the full picture of the human rights situation we have today in our nation. I could begin by repeating the accounts of the modus operandi being used to create a culture and cycle of violence, corruption, fear and impunity: From insider accounts, we have heard that: the police have received cash payments for executing drug suspects, planting evidence at crime scenes and carrying out most of the killings that have been blamed on vigilantes. the killings are so coordinated and premeditated that security cameras in the neighbourhood are unplugged beforehand where a killing is planned. their preparations have so evolved that perpetrators have been taught by crime scene investigators to place guns at a slight distance from the suspects, rather than in their hands, to make things "more realistic". Corruption within the ranks of our police force is spreading, especially given the monetary incentive to kill, ranging from 20,000 pesos to five million pesos; as well as the threat of harm against those who refuse to kill.[1]

Let us not forget that, per Davao Death Squad (DDS) insiders Arturo Lascanas and Edgar Matobato, this President was behind the DDS killings, the precursor of the nationwide nightmare (now, the Duterte Death Squad);

From the accounts of hired killers, we have heard that: There are hired hitmen and women who answer to police officers, who hire them to kill for compensation of up to P20,000. Hit squads have never been as busy as they are now. One women got started in the "business" when her husband was commissioned to kill a debtor by a policeman, who was also a drug pusher. Women are being hired because they can get near targets without suspicion. Another member of the death squad works with corrupt police officers, sometimes taking portions of the drug hauls they confiscated in raids to sell. Those who get into the business find it difficult to leave due to economic constraints and threats to kill them should they choose to leave. [2]

From the accounts of medical professionals, we know that: They are using hospitals to hide the real number of casualties of the war on drugs. Police investigation protocols are being abused and bastardized to hide outright murders. Doctors aren't asking any questions out of fear, but they cannot hide that victims are being killed at close range, with precise and unsurvivable wounds that undermined police claims that suspects were injured during chaotic exchanges of gunfire.[3]

Kahit ulit-ulitin ko pa ang mga karumaldumal at garapal na pagyurak sa dignidad at pagkatao ng ating mga kapatid na Pilipino, hindi pa rin sapat ito upang mailarawan ang tunay na estado ng Karapatang Pantao sa ating bansa. Even if I were to make Senator Trillanes stand here and recount the President's and his men's blatant disregard for human dignity; for the perversion of our political history by giving a hero's burial to a corrupt and murderous dictator; for the sickening misogyny, slut-shaming and other forms of abuse he has piled upon women, even encouraging soldiers to commit rape under the state of martial law he had declared; for the insistence on reimposing the death penalty; for his propensity to disrespect the institutions that are key to our democratic way of living, including silencing his critics and co-opting the institutions that ought to be the check against his tendencies towards abuse of power - that would not be enough to tell us the state of human rights in our country today. Naniniwala po ako na ang tunay na estado ng pagtatanggol at pagsusulong sa karapatang pantao sa ating bansa ay nasasalamin - hindi lamang sa pamamagitan ng imahe ng dugong dumadanak sa ating mga kalsada; o sa pamamagitan ng larawan ng patong-patong na mga bangkay na dinadala sa mga morge at ospital; o sa pighating mababanaag mula sa mukha ng mga batang naulila - kundi pati na rin, at marahil mas higit pa, sa tila kawalan o kakulangan ng malawakang pagkondena sa mga nagaganap na pagyurak sa dignidad ng ating mga kapwa tao. The human rights crisis we are facing goes so much deeper than a President who unabashedly presents himself as a ruthless, self-professed killer, or his minions in the bureaucracy who allow him to get away with his utter disdain and disrespect for others's human dignity. Our bigger problem, I believe, is in facing the uncomfortable truth of his continued popularity, and the seemingly popular support for his so-called "war on drugs". Where have we gone wrong as a society that the death of the poor are apparently considered, quote-unquote, "mere collateral damage"? That their death - nay, murder! at the hands of officials who swore an oath to serve and protect them- is an acceptable sacrifice at the altar of a false idol? In order to do that, I would like to beg your indulgence by discussing a seemingly unrelated "phenomenon". On the fourth day of 2017, an 8-year-old girl was found dead inside a car in Baseco Compound, Tondo, Manila. She was accidentally left behind by her family inside the borrowed car after they visited the mall the day before. Her uncle was the driver, and the Manila Police District (MPD) homicide section was reported to be filing charges against him for negligence and reckless imprudence resulting in homicide. This tragic "phenomenon" - for a lack of a better word - is the subject matter of a Pulitzer Prize-winning feature article from the Washington Post that asked the question: is it a crime? And it is a legitimate question because people's reaction, including that of people in authority, seem to differ. Some, especially relatives and friends who knew the family, tend to be forgiving, but others - including comments online and on social media from anonymous netizens - tend towards quick anger, and even hate-filled vitriol. Official reaction from law enforcement agents also differ. In one case, the initial charge was second degree murder (which is more or less the common law equivalent of "homicide" in our jurisdiction); in another, it was involuntary manslaughter (which is approximately the equivalent of the reckless imprudence resulting in homicide); in yet another, the person was not charged at all. The mother who was initially charged with second degree murder was ultimately acquitted after two tapes were played - one of the mother's interrogation by the police in the hospital about an hour after her son's death, which put on display her grief, horror and remorse for what "she had done"; and the other, the 911 call made by a passer-by, in the background of which the mother's initial anguish and efforts to administer CPR to her son could be discerned. The father who was charged with manslaughter was also acquitted. During his trial, an emergency room nurse testified and wept as she described how the father was virtually catatonic when the police first brought him in, and how he refused to be sedated because he didn't deserve a respite from pain, that he wanted to feel it all, and then to die. Tellingly, the initial decision to charge him was made by a public prosecutor, who also happened to be a father and who could not imagine this ever happening to himself because he considers himself "a watchful father". On the other hand, in the case of the father who was not charged at all, the decision not to file charges was made by a public prosecutor, who also happened to be a father of six children, one of whom died of leukemia before she reached 3 years of age. He insists that he made the decision not to file charges based on the law, but he also knew what losing a child does to a parent. The lesson, in my mind, is clear: where people can relate - or can find a common ground, and see their humanity reflected in another person's face and mirrored in another person's plight - they can be understanding. They can be open to respecting the dignity and suffering of another. They can be humane. This piece helped me come to terms with what has been bothering me the most. I will be very candid and say that it does bother me, infinitely so, that there seems to be a quiet sentiment that bad things are happening because the victims deserve it. That human rights abuses will never happen to, quote-unquote, "good people". That taking the time to accord human rights to drug suspects is not just a waste of time and money, but is, somehow, part of the problem in our society; that it is a sign of weakness. It does bother me that the President, despite everything he has said and done, continues to enjoy a high satisfaction rating from our people - at least according to some sources. More precisely, it bothers me that there does not seem to be enough clamor against the killings that have been committed thus far - both from ordinary Filipinos, and also from key institutions. How could it be that, nearly seven decades after our nation ratified the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and three decades after the overthrow of a dictatorship from our own backyard, we could still find ourselves in a situation where thousands of killings can be perpetrated within a span of 365 days, yet the domestic reaction is more of a worried whimper, compared to the indignant outcry from international observers. Ang namamatay ay ang ating mga kababayan, bakit parang hindi tayo nababahala? It bothers me that the absence of unanimous and resounding indignation is allowing even more killings to be committed with impunity; perhaps 5 more years of the same. Bakit tila masyadong tahimik ang ating mga kababayan? Nababahala po ako dahil alam ko, sa ikabuturan ng aking pagkatao, na hindi mangyayari ang ganito karami at ganito kagarapal na patayan sa ating bayan, sa loob ng isang buong taon, kung hindi natin ito pinapabayaang mangyari. This, I believe, is the true human rights crisis we are facing today. Our faith in its importance has been shaken. And it will take greater thought and effort from all of us before we can get back on the right track again. The problem with human rights is this: we are dealing with human beings. Human beings who have as much an ability for empathy as well as for alienation. While they possess the capacity to see humanity in others, they also possess the ability draw distinctions between themselves and the so-called "others", including those in whose experience and wisdom we ought to have learned. Kaya merong mga taong nakapagmamalaki at nagsasabing wala nang lugar ang Karapatang Pantao sa kasalukuyan nating kalagayan - dahil iba na ang panahong ito. We are at war. There is no room for human rights, i.e., a badge of weakness, when one goes to war. This thinking conveniently and recklessly ignores the fact that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to which we, as a nation, were one of the first signatories, was drafted precisely in light of the harsh lessons we learned after two World Wars. As one philosopher (Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel) who wrote about morality and freedom once said, "What experience and history teaches us is that people and governments have never learned anything from history, or acted on principles deduced from it." Humans have to experience for themselves, as far as possible, for them to relate to others. But when we wait for this to happen - for people to suffer the consequences of their actions - it would be too late, as it is already too late, for those whose lives will be lost while we re-learn these painful lessons. That is our challenge: how to get the rest of the nation to relate to the negative impact of human rights abuses to themselves - even if they themselves have not experienced the loss and sufferings of the victims and their families. We must pull back the mask of anonymity that comes with being one of a faceless mass, and let the nation see the humanity that lies beneath. Let them hear the faces and hear the voices of the very few victims who survived, and the families left behind. Let the stories be heard in their own words, and those of the witnesses, the professionals who saw the aftermath, and the insiders who know how the other side operates. It is the failing of our society that we do not know the victims by name: That we do not know who Michelle Mergillano is. How she was shot four times- all in the head - by four armed men in front of her children. How her eight-year-old daughter begged for her mother's life to be spared. How one of the intruders took from her arms the baby she was holding, and thereafter dropped the baby on the floor before proceeding to kill her. How her children had to clean up the gruesome aftermath of the murder, and found two of her teeth on the floor.[4]

That we do not know who James Matela is, a 16-year-old boy who was taken from his home in Barangay Payatas, Quezon City, and repeatedly shot - more than 10 shots according to witnesses' accounts - by seven masked men in front of his family. How his mother, Luzviminda, in her attempt to protect her son from the assault, was also shot at; and other members of the family beaten up. How his family are too afraid to have his death investigated because there are too many children in the house who may be targeted.[5]

That we do not know more about a 12-year-old girl given the alias "Linda," who saw how her parents shot in front of her and her siblings in Caloocan City, according to the account of Fr. Gilbert Billena, who has the unenviable task of blessing the corpses that stand as the macabre "accomplishments" of the President's "War on Drugs". How, in the eyes of Fr. Billena, change has, indeed, come for the poor - who are now even more deeply in debt in order to pay for funeral services to bury their mothers, fathers and children killed by the police. How he echoes what we ourselves keep saying, "We are against drugs but we have to fight for human rights."[6] All these accounts have to be seen by the nation as eroding the very foundations of our democratic way of life: that there are people who have died who may not have deserved to die at all. And they are more than just collateral damage. They are more than what is written on the cardboard labels placed on their corpses. They are the victims, and their lives matter. Whereas the Duterte administration and the police have a virtually unlimited and all-powerful propaganda machinery at their disposal - including an online troll army, and the resources of the whole government to demonize the victims and those who defend them, where is the avenue for the other side to be heard? Certainly not before the courts. What few cases that are impartially investigated - such as the case of Mayor Espinosa, where Senators themselves found evidence that the killing was premeditated - are being undermined, not just by downgrading of charges at the DOJ level, but also with the callous and shameless reinstatement of the perpetrators as so-called "law enforcers" and promises of pardon from the Chief Executive himself. It's a self-perpetuating vicious cycle. One that we need to break by harnessing the power of the sovereign Filipino people in order to demand the accountability of our so-called leaders, under the Constitution that they swore to uphold and defend. Any one of us could be the victims of this corrupt system. And it is, indeed, a very, very, very corrupt system. The very title of the operation: Oplan Double Barrel hints at the injustice and corruption: the poor are slaughtered, while the big-time drug lords are arrested and given the chance to have their day in court. How corrupt elements in the police force and the bureaucracy are using this so-called anti-drug campaign to solidify their hold on drug trade - proof of which is that prices of drugs in Manila have gone down, meaning that the supply has not been adversely affected - and to eliminate competition and those who would defy and turn against them. My second takeaway from the Washington Post article is more subtle. When put under stress, the rational thinking part of our brains can be overridden by the more primitive part - the part that is "inattentive, pigheaded, nonanalytical...." In other words, more stressors there are, the less capable we are of thinking deliberately and critically. To still be able to think clearly, deliberatively and critically - in the midst of the drudgery we experience everyday - is a privilege. And it is a privilege we have to check because not everyone is so fortunate. We here today are the lucky ones. Much as we want to believe that it should be relatively easy for people to discern the benefits of a society that observes, protects and upholds human rights, such mental faculties could be overridden, thanks to the propaganda machinery that keeps telling people a false narrative that demonizes the victims, and churns out dubious data about the drug problem and its relation to criminality: That there are 3 million drug addicts among us, all of whom are criminally inclined, and

That all criminality traces its roots from drug use. Crime is more complicated than that. We just need to look at the crime statistics in Davao City - which is reported to still rank as "first among 15 cities in the Philippines for murder and second for rape"[7] - and police statistics that show that crime rate has been dropping for some time now, particularly from the period 2013 to 2016.[8] A senior Philippine law enforcement officer is even reported to have admitted that "Duterte's 'arbitrary' figures had put pressure on police and government officials" because they "need to produce" and, no matter how hard they try, they cannot come close to the figures given by the President.[9] In other words, our people have been turned into a blood thirsty mob through the use of false information and false narratives. That is betrayal of public trust of the highest order. And yet, there are officials who see nothing wrong with that. One was even quoted as saying that such misinformation hurts no one.[10] Not hurting anyone, indeed, except those who are being killed based on possibly false information, false data, and false narrative. He even went so far as to say "People don't care how it's done as long as it's done."[11] If that were true, then that is the true human rights crisis that we are facing. We cannot become a people who do not mind killings, especially when the killings are based on lies. That is the challenge we face. To face it, we have to accept that we have to do more and, perhaps, to do things differently. We have to get past people's fatigue and tendency towards apathy. That is my motivation for submitting legislative measures that seek to enhance people's understanding and appreciation of human rights and of discerning truth from the lies - such as the Human Rights Education bill - and why I delivered a privilege speech and drafted a resolution against fake news. Human rights is under attack, and not just by killings in the streets. The battle is also being waged in people's minds. And that's where the war will be won or lost. For no human rights abuses can be perpetrated with impunity if people are active and vocal in claiming such rights for themselves, even against the most repressive of regimes. As the saying goes, water cannot rise higher than its source. As powerful as President Duterte seems to think he is, his power emanates from the people. We just need to claim it. Sa puntong ito, nais naming ibahagi sa inyo ang isang video presentation upang mag-iwan ng hamon at panawagan. Sa kabila ng mga patayan, bakit nilulunod tayo ng katahimikan? Sa pagdurusa ng pamilya ng mga biktima, magbubulag-bulagan nalang ba tayo sa pang-aabuso at kawalang hustisya? [1] Reuters, 18 April 2017, Special Report: Police describe kill rewards, staged crime scenes in Duterte's drug war, http://www.reuters.com/article/us-philippines-duterte-police-specialrep-idUSKBN17K1F4 [2] BBC, 26 August 2016, Philippines drugs war: The woman who kills dealers for a living, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-37172002 [3] Reuters, 29 June 2017, Dead on Arrival: Philippine police use hospitals to hide drug war killings, http://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/philippines-duterta-doa/ [4] Inquirer, 01 March 2017, Gunmen took baby in mom's arms before killing her in front of kids, http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/876388/gunmen-took-baby-in-moms-arms-before-killing-her-in-front-of-kids [5] PhilStar, 13 June 2017, Teen dragged out of home, shot dead, http://www.philstar.com/metro/2017/06/13/1709445/teen-dragged-out-home-shot-dead?nomobile=1 [6] Inquirer, 14 June 2017, 'I've been blessing drug war dead almost every week', http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/905268/ive-been-blessing-drug-war-dead-almost-every-week [7] Reuters, 18 October 2016, As death toll rises, Duterte deploys dubious data in 'war on drugs', http://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/philippines-duterte-data/ [8] Ibid. [9] Ibid. [10] Ibid. [11] Ibid.
Press Release

July 16, 2017 Drilon: No 'unli' Martial Law under the Constitution Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon on Sunday said that any extension of martial law must not exceed the original 60-day period as provided by the 1987 Constitution. "We cannot have an unlimited or 'unli'- Martial Law in Mindanao," Drilon, a former justice secretary, said in an interview with DZBB radio. "Given that the 1987 Constitution places utmost importance on our systems of checks and balances, any notion of perpetual or even a five-year Martial Law rule in any part of the country can never be allowed under the fundamental law," he stressed. According to Drilon, any extension of martial rule must not go beyond 60 days "in accordance with the intentions of the framers of the 1987 Constitution." "Any declaration of Martial Law must be regularly reviewed, since it is the spirit of the present Constitution that that specific power of the President must be subject to a regular review. It should never be perpetual or even too long," he said. He noted that Section 18 of Article VII of the 1987 Constitution allows the President to place any part of the country under martial law for a period not exceeding sixty (60) days. "We cannot ignore that the Constitution itself calls for a limited, and a regular review, of Martial law," he added. "So unlike 'unli-rice,' there can be no 'unli-Martial Law,'" he quipped. The senator also stressed that under the Constitution, it is ultimately Congress which will approve any possible extension of Proclamation 216. "It is precisely of our system of checks and balances that the duration of any declaration of martial law has been limited, and that any possible extension is subject to review and deliberation of Congress in joint session," he said. Drilon then said that he and the rest of the minority senators will support any proposed resolution to "immediately convene Congress in joint session to hear the explanations of the executive branch on the extension of Martial Law." "We are ready to listen to the explanations of the Secretary of National Defense, the Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff, and other members of the executive branch. We will listen, and see if indeed there is enough justification to warrant the extension of Martial Law in Mindanao," he concluded.
Press Release

July 16, 2017 FIGHT RISING AUTHORITARIANISM, STRUGGLE FOR A NEW AND BETTER DEMOCRACY

*Speech of Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros before the So Ano Na? People's Forum, July 16, 2017, Bahay ng Alumni, University of the Philippines-Diliman Magandang umaga sa ating lahat! I would like to thank the organizers of this event for inviting me here. I was asked to present the state of women and health under President Rodrigo Duterte. I would like to start by saying that despite all the difficulties and challenges, despite the political persecution and hostility, I am proud to say that it is the minority Senators who work hardest in the Senate. In this regard, I am happy to tell all of you that in the span of just one year, yours truly, and with the help of my fellow Senators who are here right now, have passed three very important bills on third and final reading: 1) The Revitalized Anti-Hospital Deposit Law, which will protect patients from abusive hospitals, 2) the Expanded Maternity Leave Bill, which will provide women workers 120 days of paid maternity leave and 3) the Mental Health Act, which aims to provide comprehensive health services to all people with mental health needs. This is inconstestable proof that despite not being part of the majority, we have not lost sight of our duty to pursue measures that matter to people's lives in very real and specific terms. Mga kasama at kaibigan, tagumpay natin ang lahat ng ito! However, among these victories is the shadow of death, violence, impunity, sexism and misogyny. For this reason, please forgive me if I diverge a bit from my assigned topic and discuss these issues that we confront everyday. The theme of this event is enthralling. It arouses interest and provokes discussion about the real state of our country under President Duterte. So ano na? So ano nga ba ang nangyari sa loob ng isang taon? We are here not only to ask that question, but to look beyond the veil of what this present government would have us believe - that this has been a good year. They would have us believe that the year that has passed was a year we can be proud of. And while there were some important gains, thanks to our collective efforts, nothing, in my view, could be farther from the truth. This government's bloody war on drugs has claimed 8,000 to 12,000 lives based on the different tallies from the government and human rights groups. Many of these deaths, at the hands of extrajudicial killers, remain unsolved. Korean national and businessman Jee Ick Joo was murdered by police inside their own national headquarters in Camp Crame. The Department of Justice (DOJ) downgraded the charges of those accused in the killing of Mayor Rolando Espinosa from murder to homicide. And recently, no less than the President himself ordered the reinstatement of Police Superintendent Marvin Marcos, the police officer who led the team implicated in the killing of Espinosa in his jail cell last year. This is despite the Senate and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) concluding that the death of Espinosa was premeditated and a clear case of extrajudicial killing. For those who still deny that there are state-sanctioned killings, to the EJK deniers, here is your damning proof. This government anchored its campaign on a single electoral promise - the promise of peace, safety and security for the masses and the common Filipino. This has proven to be a false promise. Instead, it has left thousands dead in its wake, and thousands more shattered and broken. While big-time drug lords such as Peter Lim and accused human trafficker Jack Lam roam free, and the drug trade shows no strategic signs of slowing down. "Unli-Martial Law" We have also been threatened with "Unli-Martial Law." Ang tingin ni Presidente Duterte sa Martial Law ay parang "unli-rice." Ang Kongreso naman tila parang isang carinderia. Kahit wala pang order ng Unli-Martial Law, handang-handa na ito ibigay sa pangulo. Straight out of a dystopian novel, Duterte and his apologists want Martial Law to be the new normal. They think Martial Law is a magic antidote that will address all of the country's woes. This government thinks it is a "silver bullet" for delivering peace and order. Worse, I'm afraid that President Duterte's Martial Law in Min has largely contributed to the growing climate of Islamophobia in the country. The recent survey on the President's declaration of Martial Law in Mindanao said that while 57% of Filipinos support martial rule, the majority also opposed expanding the declaration to the Visayas and Luzon. Ano ang tinuturo nito sa atin? Okay lang ang Martial Law basta para lamang sa Mindanao na tila tinuturing ng marami na magulo, at basta para lamang sa mga kapatid natin na Muslim na tinuturing na iba na mga terorista? Okay lang ang Muslim-only ID card? Okay Lang na pagsarhan ng pinto ng mga nagpapaupa ang ating mga kapatid na Muslim na naghahanap ng masisilungan na malayo sa giyera? What the Maute terrorists have failed to accomplish, Duterte's Martial Law has delivered. We now live in fear of one another. We bombed our own people and even our brave soldiers. We treat other Filipinos as second-class citizens. We even destroyed the very city we promised to save. Misogyny and "Hokage culture" of public officials Moreover, a climate of sexism, misogyny and political persecution has found new mouthpieces and apologists. The crime of rape has been trivialized. Women, particularly those holding positions in government, have been reduced to body parts, and catcalling and wolf-whistling are being passed off as compliments. Utang na loob pa nating mga babae na gawin sa amin ito?! Philandering and adultery have been defended by no less than the President himself. Recently, the despicable " Pastor Hokage culture" of posting and sharing obscene photos of women and children online reared its ugly head. To be honest, I wasn't surprised. Why? The Hokage culture was alive and well in the halls of Congress when it attempted to a show a fake sex video of Senator Leila De Lima. The "Hokage" culture is also solidly embodied by no less than the President himself who has singlehandedly driven to unparalleled extremes male chauvinism, misogyny and sexism. Our democracy has fallen so far in so short a span of time. Fake news has been deployed as a vicious weapon to obscure the truth and justify wrongdoing and questionable conduct. Many of our democratic institutions, which were meant to ensure transparency and accountability to the public have been rendered mute, fallen strangely silent, and abandoned their duty. Paano ito nangyari sa atin? At paano ito hinayaang mangyari? I said in a different gathering that the first year of the Duterte administration was a dangerous year to be a woman. It was a year of endless mourning. It was a year of resurgent misogyny and endless killings. It was a dangerous year for ordinary Filipinos. It was a "year of living dangerously." "Rising authoritarianism" We are witnessing the rise of authoritarianism. It is modern-day Philippine autocratic governance, ironically borne out of free and democratic elections. It has little or no regard for the rule of law and civil liberties. It is a rising authoritarian regime distinctive in its palpable hatred and persecution of women leaders who dare stand up to blatant disregard for democracy. It is Marcos-inspired, yet, tries hard to be different. Through a political process known as securitization, the president has transformed the issue of illegal drugs and crime into the primary threat to the safety of Filipinos. They then use this to justify the deployment of extraordinary measures. Marcos did this before when he elevated the communist insurgency to the same primary threat level. Now, Duterte's "communists" are drug users and pushers. We cannot allow this to continue unchallenged. All progressive, reform-oriented and democratic forces must close ranks to build a viable and sustainable political and democratic opposition to President Duterte's rising authoritarianism. With democracy, justice, and human rights threatened, the creation of a broad "movement of democrats" becomes our collective duty. This should be the main agenda of the political opposition. "Defense of democracy should be a struggle for a new and better democracy" In order to mount a better and more effective opposition to this new form of authoritarianism, we must undergo a process of deep and serious reflection. In our struggle to defend democracy, we must recognize that we cannot go back to the old ways of doing democracy. I think this is one of the crucial lessons presented by these challenging times. Truth be told, the rise of undemocratic rule is the result of the failure of elite democracy and reforms constrained by the limits of what has remained to be a largely traditional political system. If we want an effective defense of democracy, we must offer a better form of democracy. Our defense of democracy is a better form of democracy. Let us remember, the people's embrace of authoritarian shortcuts is a sharp critique of the kind of democracy we now have. Ang kailangan natin ay isang bagong uri ng demokrasya na tunay at makatarungang ipapamahagi ang yaman ng bansa sa lahat, isang bagong demokrasya na may hustisya na hindi nabibili ng mga mayayaman at ma-impluwensiya, isang bagong demokrasya na kayang igarantiya ang kapayapaan at kaligtasan ng mamamayan ng hindi sinasakripisyo ang ating mga karapatang pantao at sibil. The struggle for a new kind of democracy, I believe, too, is an important agenda and vision for all those in the political opposition. Friends and fellow travelers, now is not the time for meek submission, not while innocent lives are slain, hopes are extinguished, and the promise of peace and order is instead stained with bloodshed and grief. Now is not the time to bow our heads and stay quiet. Now is the time to remember why we fought for a democracy so many years ago. Now is the time to fight for it again. We will continue to be the voices of reason amid this madness. We will defend truth and fact amid lies and deception. We will defend human rights when so many in this government are so willing to abandon these principles in the name of political survival or convenience. And we will call for calm and the rule of law when others rush to rash action behind a cult of personality and violence. We will be better. When people choose to forget, we will remember. We will remember that people are innocent until they are proven guilty. We will remember that the power to govern a nation rests in its citizens and not on the vanities, temper and pride of any single man. We will remember that democracy means working with other nations and upholding the just treaties that bind us to them in friendship and common cause. And we will remember that love of country means defending what is rightfully ours especially against those who would take it from us and pretend to offer friendship but threaten war instead. And we will carry this fight wherever it needs to be fought - in the halls of debate and legislation, in that nebulous contested battleground called cyberspace, in classrooms and schools which mold the hearts and minds of our young, and in the streets of this country where so many before us have made the highest sacrifice. We will defend democracy wherever it needs to be defended. We will struggle for a new and better democracy wherever it needs to be changed. Ipaglaban ang demokrasya! Isulong ang bagong demokrasya!
Press Release

July 16, 2017 HONTIVEROS: FIGHT DUTERTE'S RISING AUTHORITARIANISM In a national multi-sectoral forum on Sunday, Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros called for a broad political opposition against President Rodrigo Duterte's rising authoritarianism. She stressed the need for different opposition groups to come together under one call. "We cannot allow this new form of authoritarianism to rise unchallenged. All progressive, reform-oriented and democratic forces must close ranks to build a viable and sustainable political and democratic opposition to President Duterte's undemocratic rule," Hontiveros said in the event entitled "So Ano Na?" at the Bahay ng Alumni in University of the Philippines-Diliman. "Struggle for a new and better democracy" The Senator, however, said that in order to mount an effective opposition, the defense of democracy must also be a struggle for a "new and better democracy." "Truth is, the rise of undemocratic rule is the result of the failure of elite democracy and reforms constrained by the limits of what has remained to be a largely traditional political system. If we want an effective defense of democracy, we must offer a better form of democracy. Let us remember, the people's embrace of authoritarian shortcuts is a sharp critique of the kind of democracy we now have," Hontiveros explained. "Unli-Martial Law" Meanwhile, Hontiveros denounced Duterte's plan to expand Martial Law throughout the rest of the country. "We have been constantly threatened with 'Unli-Martial Law.' Ang tingin ni Presidente Duterte sa Martial Law ay parang unli-rice. Ang Kongreso naman tila parang isang carinderia. Kahit wala pang order ng Unli-Martial Law, handang-handa na ito ibigay sa pangulo," the senator said. "Hokages" in government Hontiveros, who is the Chair of the Senate Committee on Women, also underscored the climate of sexism and misogyny under the Duterte government. "Recently, the despicable "Pastor Hokage culture" of posting and sharing obscene photos of women and children online reared its ugly head. To be honest, I wasn't surprised. Why? The Hokage culture was alive and well in the halls of Congress when it attempted to a show a fake sex video of Senator Leila De Lima. The 'Hokage' culture is also solidly embodied by no less than the President himself who has singlehandedly driven to unparalleled extremes male chauvinism, misogyny and sexism," she said. "Minority Senators work the hardest" Hontiveros shared the reforms won by the people in the legislative front. The senator presented three of her bills that have been approved by the Senate: the Expanded Maternity Leave Bill, the Mental Health Act, and the strengthened Anti-Hospital Deposit Bill. "Despite all the difficulties and challenges, despite the political persecution and hostility, I am proud to say that it is the minority senators who work hardest in the Senate," she concluded.
Sen. Bam: BBL for peace, to end terrorism

Saying it is long overdue, Sen. Bam Aquino sees the need for the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) as it will help achieve peace and end terrorism in Mindanao.

"The BBL is long overdue. We should be prioritizing the fine tuning of the law, adopting what we've already learned from all the consultations, hearings, and 17 years of negotiations," said Sen. Bam.

Sen. Bam believes that the BBL can help fight terrorism, rebellion and crime through peace and development and education and jobs.

"Masusugpo natin ang matagal nang problema sa Mindanao, lalo na ang terorismo at rebelyon sa pamamagitan ng kaunlaran, trabaho at edukasyon," said Sen. Bam.

"If prosperity for every Filipino is the goal, let's pass the best possible version of the BBL," he added.

The Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) recently submitted to President Duterte a draft of the revised BBL. The President is expected to endorse it to the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Press Release

July 17, 2017 Koko says increase in ratings due to work of all senators Senate President Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III on Monday said that the 7% jump in his approval ratings is a tribute to the performance of all senators, and not just himself. Pulse Asia's June 2017 Nationwide Survey on the Performance and Trust Ratings of the Top Five National Officials and Key Government Institutions, released on Monday, showed Pimentel receiving a 62% approval rating, a significant increase over the 55% he received in the March 2017 edition of the same survey. "I am glad that 62% approve of my work as Senate President, especially since I do not have a professional PR team dedicated to positively promoting my image. However, since I was rated on my performance as Senate President, the credit must go to the entire Senate, the majority and the minority included," Pimentel said. The Senate President said that the public appreciated the accomplishments of the Senate which were achieved by senators working as part of a collegial body. "Hence, I would like to congratulate all the other senators for their hard work. Thanks must also be given to the media for bringing to the public's attention all that we are doing in the Senate," he added. Pimentel's trust rating also improved to 58%, higher than the 55% he received in the previous survey. Under Pimentel's watch, the Senate registered an improvement in its approval rating as an institution, with 59% of respondents approving of the Senate's work, compared to 55% in March. Pimentel has served as Senate President for almost a year, steering the Senate through its Centennial Year and the various issues it encountered this year. In his message to the Senate during the sine die adjournment of the First Regular Session of the 17th Congress, Pimentel outlined the achievements of the Senate, while cautioning his fellow lawmakers, their staff, and the officials and employees of the Senate Secretariat that their work is not yet done. The Senate is expected to tackle the Comprehensive Tax Reform Package proposed by the Department of Finance and the shift to Federalism when it opens its Second Regular Session on July 24, along with other bills that remain pending. The Pulse Asia survey was conducted from June 24-29, 2017 using face to face interviews of 1,200 respondents all over the country, with a 3% margin of error at the 95% confidence level.
MISSOULA  Secretary of State Corey Stapleton has called for more thorough reviews of rejected ballots to identify cases of voter fraud, sparking an email feud with Missoula County and frustrating other election officials from Republican and Democratic counties who see no evidence of a broken system.

Stapleton, who took office in January, is the first Montana Secretary of State in memory to declare a crackdown on voter fraud as a priority. The Republican's policy shift mirrors similar efforts cropping up in other states, where the GOP has secured a growing number of the top election posts, and as President Donald Trump has asserted  with no evidence to date  that he lost the popular election because of millions of illegal votes.

In Montana, Stapleton and other top Republicans opposed allowing counties to do an all-mail election to fill a U.S. House seat vacated in March. Some criticized that stance as a politically motivated effort to suppress votes. Last month, Stapleton issued a press release suggesting one rejected ballot in Missoula County was the result of fraud. Election administrators and political analysts questioned why he would target a Democratic stronghold rather than Yellowstone County, a GOP-leaning community with a higher rate of rejected ballots.

Stapleton denied any suggestion he is looking to score political points by taking up his partys latest cause. He noted, for instance, that he has joined several states refusing to turn over voter databases to Trumps Election Integrity Commission for privacy reasons. The request has been temporarily withdrawn as courts weigh in on lawsuits filed in its wake.

Some of the questions Ive asked or points Ive raised, nobody has ever bothered to discuss, Stapleton said of his offices interest in reviewing rejected ballots for signs of fraud. We have not convicted anyone of voter fraud in Montana this century If you question it like I am, its almost heresy. They take it as an affront to the job theyre doing.

Regina Plettenberg, president of the Montana Association of Clerk and Recorders, said members of her organization were caught off guard by Stapletons press release critical of Missoula County, wishing he would have first talked to the professional organization about what he thought had been done wrong.

She and Yellowstone County Elections Administrator Bret Rutherford  both of whom work in communities that reliably elect GOP candidates  said they are open to suggestions from Stapleton about how to improve, but worry continued discussions of voter fraud without any substantive proof of malice could unnecessarily weaken public trust in elections. Numerous academic studies repeatedly have found no evidence of wide-scale fraud in American elections.

Plettenberg, the Ravalli County clerk and recorder, said the majority of rejected ballots in Montana result from simple human error, either on the part of the voter or of temporary workers who review ballot signatures.

According to state statistics from the last two elections provided by Stapleton, mail ballots were most often rejected because they arrived late, were missing a signature, or had a signature that did not match the voters registration file. A handful more were rejected when someone casting a provisional ballot did not have a photo ID or for other, unspecified reasons.

Plettenberg said she does not think Montana elections officials are shirking their duties to guard against fraud or to report potential crimes to local police for investigation. Those cases are rare and investigations can be difficult, she said.

Its circular, Plettenberg said. The Secretary of State feels its the duty of election administrators and local law enforcement to investigate these, yet were hearing from our local law enforcement that the Secretary of State needs to be a part of this process.

Rutherford agreed. He wondered why Stapleton had singled out Missoula County when Yellowstone County rejected five times as many ballots in Mays special election  still less than 1 percent of votes cast  and questioned how Stapleton proposes to strengthen elections.

Is he saying we should send every single one of those to the county attorneys office? Think of the volume of the man hours to dig into something like that when you know 99.9 percent is just a voter error, Rutherford said. Do you spend excessive resources and money to find something thats not there in the first place?

Stapleton points to the 1,833 ballots rejected in Mays special election as evidence that something in Montanas current system can be improved. There were 383,301 votes counted, which means fewer than 0.5 percent of ballots were rejected. Barely more than 0.2 percent were rejected in the fall 2016 election. The difference appears, in part, to be because more people mailed their ballots late for the special election.

Stapleton described a culture of permissivity in Missoula County after his office learned that one of the 91 rejected ballots from Mays election had been reported by a woman who said she had not cast her vote by mail despite records showing she had. After her complaint, the county reviewed the absentee ballot cast in her name and concluded the signature might have been a mismatch. They rejected the original ballot and allowed the woman to cast a new one.

For weeks, the Stapleton has traded pointed emails with Elections Administrator Rebecca Connors and the Missoula County attorneys office. At the heart of that dispute is whether county elections officials and local law enforcement did enough to review the case, which Missoula leaders chalk up to a likely instance of mail getting mixed up at an apartment complex. Stapleton has argued it should be investigated until local leaders can confirm that theory definitively or instead prove criminal fraud.

Current practices, Stapleton said, assume the majority of disqualified ballots are honest mistakes and not attempts to fraudulently vote. He wants to turn that assumption on its head and has argued local election administrators, police and county attorneys must do more to identify bad actors and convict them.

He said does not believe Montana has experienced the kind of significant, organized fraud caught by election officials in some other states, in large part because the process here remains human-intensive and does not use electronic voting machines. But Stapleton nonetheless worries the state could be vulnerable without a closer analysis of rejected ballots. Or, maybe criminals simply have not been caught yet, he said.

In the best case scenario, theres zero fraud, which he said would mean the state could do a better job to help voters reduce simple errors since it is not rare for local races to be decided by a handful of votes.

In the worst case scenario, some were forged or there was mal intent, he said. Thats a problem, and we should be able to talk about that without getting personally attacked or accused of trying to replicate what Trumps doing.

Local election administrators have watched Stapleton spar with Missoula County from afar, wondering if they, too, soon will be targeted or if this is just a bad start to what could be a fruitful effort to improve elections security.

If Missoulas doing it wrong then were all doing it wrong,'' Plettenberg said. "Maybe there is a change of direction that his office wants us to take.

Im hopeful hell get some solutions and bring that to our group and train our group on how hed like to see us to proceed in future elections.

The association has formally requested Stapletons elections chief, who has served multiple secretaries of state, to provide additional training on signature verification and ballot rejection at their August conference.

Our group has always had a better partnership with our secretary of states office, she said.

Both Stapleton and local officials admitted their relationship had a rocky start just a few months into the former legislators first term as secretary of state when he opposed an all-mail ballot for the special election, saying it would weaken ballot security and disenfranchise Native American voters. The majority of counties argued they wanted the mail-in option, which would have been significantly cheaper and not any less secure than in-person polling.

In separate interviews, Stapleton and elections administrators said they hope to move past that professional difference. Yet both see it as a sign of underlying disagreements about the security of mail voting that could shape future discussions.

Stapleton said he has heard no pushback from elections administrators about the new focus of his office  except from Missoula County. He said he has not yet reached out to other elections officials or to any local law enforcement groups because his office is still gathering information about rejected ballots and they have not yet developed suggestions on how to improve security.

Broadly, Stapleton said he expects changes to the election process itself would be more effective than administrative rules changes about how ballots are handled. He said that he would not suggest an end to mail ballots, which he thinks the state can "make work. Instead, he said other possibilities include shifting away from the U.S. Postal Service, better options for IDs or creative ideas Montana could adopt from other states.

I hope something good can come of this, Stapleton said. Personal attacks aside from reporters and officials from Missoula County.
High school students toting both textbooks and newborns are becoming increasingly rare. But a Trump administration proposal to rewrite federal birth control mandates could soon change that, some medical experts fear.

The teenage birth rate in the United States has hit an all-time low after nearly three decades of decreases, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show. The number of 15- to 19-year-olds who gave birth in 2016 was down 9 percent from the year before, to 20.3 births per 1,000 women. Since 1991, the rate has plummeted by 67 percent, the biggest drop since the CDC began tracking the data nearly eight decades ago.

More than half of teens have had sex by age 18, the CDC found  a rate thats down a bit from the early 1990s, but not nearly as sharply as the number of births. Medical professionals and policy experts say increased contraception use has contributed to the decline in teenage motherhood.

Teenage birth rates have been going in this direction for a while, said Elise Berlan, an adolescent-medicine physician at Nationwide Childrens Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, and lead physician of the Young Womens Contraceptive Service Program, which offers birth control to teenagers.

Birth control is really driving these numbers, Berlan said. Access to health insurance is really the important thing to note. Threats to coverage for children and adolescents do have the potential to impact access to contraceptives and things like the birth rate.

That rate could be affected by President Trumps executive order in May to draft a religious exemption to the governments contraception coverage mandate, experts say.

The Affordable Care Act requires that birth control be included under any health care plan. An interim rule drafted by the Health and Human Services Department and political appointees at the White House would allow employers to deny contraception coverage on religious grounds to women who now receive birth control through their health care plans.

Trump issued his executive order in response to protests from religious universities and Roman Catholic organizations including the Little Sisters of the Poor, which took a legal challenge to the birth-control mandate all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. The justices sent the case back to lower courts in May without ruling on its merits.

The policy change explains that the rules will result in some enrollees ... not receiving coverage. The draft rule is still under review by the administration but could take effect immediately after being published in the Federal Register. Public comment often follows an interim final rule, however, and the new regulation can be revised.

I will make absolutely certain religious orders like the Little Sisters of Poor are not bullied by the federal government because of their religious beliefs, Trump wrote in October in a letter to leaders of Catholic organizations.

The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, a nonprofit law firm that represented the Little Sisters, said it was sensible and fair not to force nuns to provide birth control.

In 2016, 55 million women received birth control with no co-pay through their health insurance, according to an Obama administration study. There are no data indicating how many of those women were teenagers. It is also unknown how many groups could claim religious exemptions under the proposed Trump rule, cutting off access to contraceptives through a health care plan.

But any reduction in the number of teenagers who can get their birth control through health plans jeopardizes gains the U.S. has made in driving down the birth rate among young people, medical professionals say. They noted that the U.S. rate is still higher than in other developed countries such as Canada, Germany and France.

We dont have a reduction in the number of young people having sex, said Claire Brindis, who heads UCSFs Institute for Health Policy Studies and is an expert on sex education and reproductive health research. But of the ones who are sexually active, they are using contraceptives more frequently and using more effective methods. If you take that away, it could reverse this trend.

Besides, Brindis added, teenagers have other goals in mind. Most dont want to get pregnant.

Thats certainly the case for Tierra White. There are things the 15-year-old Mission District resident wants to achieve in the next few years, like graduating from high school and studying nursing at Columbia University in New York. Becoming a mother isnt on the list.

Having a baby doesnt fit into that, because you have to be able to take care of a baby and buy stuff for it, Tierra said. It takes a lot of time to raise a baby. Its better to wait until youre older and finish school and get a good education.

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 San Francisco, the birth rate for girls ages 15 to 19 has fallen even more sharply than it has nationally. There were 124 babies born to teenage mothers in the city in 2015, compared with 264 in 2009.

Officials with the city Department of Public Health say the reasons for the local decline arent completely understood, but that delaying sex and increasing long-term birth control, like intrauterine contraceptive devices, also known as IUDs, and Depo-Provera birth control shots, are contributing factors.

State and local programs could provide a backstop for some teenagers if their birth-control benefits are cut off as a result of Trumps executive order. Covered California, the statewide health insurance marketplace, requires insurance plans sold to individuals to pay for at least one type of birth control.

Low-income people can get free birth control through programs funded by Title X  federal grant money that goes to family planning services. Last year, 1.2 million people in California received care through such funding.

San Francisco also runs a network of youth clinics, and the San Francisco Unified School District features the Be Real, Be Ready sex education program, which notes effective and emergency birth control.

Nearly 30 percent of high school freshmen have had sex, studies show, and the number rises by 10 percentage points with each following year. Dr. Sophia Yen, a clinical associate professor of pediatrics and adolescent medicine at Stanford University, said teaching young people about safe sex is key.

California has always been a leader, Yen said. Our state has shown the highest declines in teenage births consistently. Research has shown over and over again that teens have sex. We just want to make sure they have it protected. If you want to stop teen pregnancy, you need access to health care and those resources.

Lizzie Johnson is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: ljohnson@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @LizzieJohnsonnn
SACRAMENTO  It has become a familiar routine for the Sears family: Gather the medical experts, trek to Sacramento, and tell another panel of lawmakers how their 6-year-old son died from the anesthesia a dentist in Albany gave him to pull a tooth. Then watch as legislators water down the solution that many pediatricians say would prevent other California children from dying the same way.

Each time, the family accepted incremental changes as they kept working toward their goal: a law to require that two highly trained medical professionals, instead of one, tend to children under age 7 who receive anesthesia in a dentists office.

But after two years of advocacy, research and heart-wrenching public testimony, their appeal suffered a major defeat last week when a state Senate panel refused to vote for the family-backed bill. Saying that moving ahead with a diluted version would do incredible harm to their effort to advance childrens safety, the assemblyman carrying the legislation opted instead to shelve the bill.

The decision effectively kills the bill for at least a year and marks a win for Sacramentos influential dental lobby.

Its a horrible disappointment, Tim Sears said afterward as he and his wife, Eliza, received hugs from friends and family outside the hearing room.

Eliza Sears said that the battle here has been much more challenging and political and difficult than we ever could have realized.

Their son Caleb died in 2015 after the anesthesia he was given for an oral surgery caused him to stop breathing. After Calebs death, the couple learned that oral surgeons are the only medical professionals allowed to both administer anesthesia and operate on a patient. The two complex duties are separated in hospitals so one provider can monitor the patients response to anesthesia while the other performs surgery.

The Sears family set out to change the law to give very young children  already more susceptible to the risks involved in anesthesia  an extra layer of protection when theyre operated on in a dentists office. A pediatrician and Harvard anesthesiology professor who testified in favor of their bill likened the concept to commercial airplanes, where a pilot and co-pilot are equipped to handle emergencies.

If the dentist performing a surgery doesnt have a highly trained co-pilot, Dr. Charles Cote said, there is no one there that can help rescue the child.

The California chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics backed the bill requiring oral surgeries on children to include a second highly trained professional to monitor the response to anesthesia. A study by the states Dental Board  prompted by a bill the Sears family lobbied for last year  also recommended the change, along with further research on potential effects.

But the bill hit trouble in April when an Assembly committee weakened it by allowing lower-level technicians to assist dentists sedating young patients.

The Sears family and the bills author, Assemblyman Tony Thurmond, D-Richmond, didnt like the changes but moved ahead with the bill anyway. They proposed tougher amendments  specifying that the second provider be another dentist, an anesthesiologist or a highly educated nurse  which they hoped the Senate panel would approve.

Instead, senators on the committee said they were unconvinced that the two-provider approach would save lives, citing two cases in the last year in which California toddlers died during oral surgery despite the presence of an anesthesia specialist. They also said that raising the standards would increase the cost of treatment, making it harder for some children to get care.

I dont think its our responsibility as legislators to respond to ... one particular family, said state Sen. Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, who chairs the committee that refused to vote for the bill.

We have to look out for the 40 million people who live in California, and make sure our decisions are thoughtful, balanced and that they reflect the evidence thats presented to us, Hill said. The evidence in this case seems to clearly indicate that regardless of the person in that room, it has not historically changed the outcome.

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His panel, the Senate Business and Professions Committee, approved a bill backed by the dentists and oral surgeons lobbying groups. SB501 would study the cost and safety effects of implementing the tough standards the Sears family seeks, but it would allow dentists to continue their current practice of employing technicians with less education to assist them during surgery.

George Maranon, an oral surgeon who heads the California Association of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons, said those assistants are extraordinarily well-trained in emergency response and pharmacology and that its unrealistic to think that dentists can hire anesthesiologists or high-level nurses. He noted that nurse practitioners earn more than $100,000 a year.

The assistants permitted under SB501 could have only a high school diploma plus emergency training. The Sears family calls the measure insufficient, pointing out that the two assistants present during Calebs surgery didnt help his dentist save his life.

An investigation by the states Dental Board found that Calebs dentist, Michael Doucet of Albany, made several mistakes in trying to rescue Caleb after the boy stopped breathing and that he waited too long to call 911. The state revoked Doucets permit to administer anesthesia and put his dental license on probation for five years.

Doucets disciplinary record states that he no longer wants to administer anesthesia. Instead, when surgeries require sedating patients, he hires an anesthesiologist.

Laurel Rosenhall is a reporter for CALmatters.org, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics.
California Highway Patrol /

One person was killed after being struck by a car in the southbound lanes of Highway 101 near Oyster Point in South San Francisco early Monday, officials said.

The incident occurred about 3:12 a.m., according to the California Highway Patrol. The driver initially reported hitting something that ended up breaking the windshield and right side lights of the car, but was unsure if it was a person or animal that was struck.
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Editor s note: Here are five Bay Area startups worth watching this week.

In San Francisco, the vintage furniture marketplace is intersecting with a lot of modern trends.

As everything from clothing to groceries are bought online and delivered on demand, Gregg Brockway said home decor is an area that still lags behind the trend. So he and his wife, Anna, created Chairish, an online marketplace where people can buy and sell high-quality, vintage home decor and furniture.

Its easy to go to a catalog and buy a room, but if you want something that is special, unique and interesting, that experience and process is harder to explore, Brockway said in his 12th-floor office in San Franciscos Financial District.

Much as on Craigslist and other online consignment marketplaces, people can list their inventory and set the price. But what makes Chairish different is that it handles the delivery process for sellers and buyers.

It is also selective: Employees evaluate items before they are listed on the site. Brockway said about a third of sale requests are turned down.

We want to make Chairish a place that isnt just for people who appreciate Midcentury or Contemporary furniture, he said. We want it to be a destination for all things home, where people can come and find things that match their one-of-a-kind style.

Chairish takes a 20 percent commission on items priced at $2,500 or less, 12 percent on amounts between $2,500 and $25,000, and 3 percent on sales of more than $25,000. It currently has $21 million in funding, Brockway said, and while it is not yet profitable, the company plans to be in the next year or so.

Brockway, who previously founded travel app TripIt and sold it to Concur, said the online furniture marketplace reminds him a lot of the early days of the online travel industry, which used to be very fragmented and daunting for people shopping for trips. But now, he said, people are much more comfortable spending money on all aspects of their life online.

Were also seeing people who grew up with e-commerce now furnishing their homes, he said.

Also trending:

Comma.ai

What it does: Creates tools for tech-savvy people to hack into their cars and get self-driving car features.

What happened: The company recently released Panda, a hardware device that plugs into a cars port and gives drivers a wide range of data. It is now available for $88.

Why it matters: Our company mission is to build and ship the worlds first superhuman driving agent, software that drives your car, CEO George Hotz told The Chronicle this month.

Headquarters: San Francisco

Funding: $3.1 million

Employees: 10

Buffer

What it does: Makes a software tool that enables individuals and companies to schedule and analyze posts on social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. It has about 70,000 paying customers, including the Denver Broncos, Business Insider and Product Hunt.

What happened: Buffer is gearing up to release updates this month, and recently put up a landing page for its analytics product, Buffer Analyze.

Why it matters: For both companies and individuals, maintaining a steady stream of social media posts is a growing priority. And as social networks keep adding features, scheduling software is evolving along with them.

Headquarters: San Francisco

Funding: $3.9 million

Employees: 75

Sidekick Health

What it does: Makes gamified services and apps that promote wellness and lifestyle changes for people with chronic illnesses, such as diabetes.

What happened: The company is in the process of securing another round of funding, said CEO Tryggvi Thorgeirsson. It also won a health care technology award in Europe.

Why it matters: Lifestyle changes are difficult, and Sidekicks apps are designed to make that easier  and more fun  with personalized wellness and disease-prevention programs.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

Headquarters: Palo Alto

Funding: 3.6 million

Employees: 12

OneAvenue

What it does: Creates a one-stop site where fans can see all of their favorite performers social posts, new releases and concert schedules in one place.

What happened: The company introduced OneAvenue Access, which allows fans to purchase monthly content subscriptions from performers.

Why it matters: The big problem for content creators is that they have presence around Instagram and Snapchat, said co-founder Dave Kaplow, but they cant make money on those services. While OneAvenue is free to download, there are features and memberships that fans can pay for, giving them a way to support their favorite artists.

Headquarters: San Francisco

Funding: $150,000

Employees: 7

Trisha Thadani and Isha Salian are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: tthadani@sfchronicle.com, isalian@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @TrishaThadani

This story has been updated to correct OneAvenues amount of funding.

How we pick the companies

Every week, The Chronicle and Crunchbase, a San Francisco firm that tracks key businesses in technology, analyze private Bay Area companies based on their financial backing, employees and activity on Crunchbase. We feature five that are moving up in the ranks. For more information on the companies: www.crunchbase.com
Jacom Stephens/Getty Images

A baby was snatched out of her fathers parked car in the South of Market neighborhood of San Francisco on Sunday, prompting a citywide alert that ended when a Muni operator spotted the suspect with the child on public transportation, police said.

The incident unfolded at 8:54 a.m. when the suspect took the baby from a vehicle parked on Sherman Street in the South of Market area while the infants father was preparing a bottle for her nearby, police said.
Some concepts just seem to have affinity (or antipathy): meatballs and spaghetti, song and dance, Giants and Dodgers. And some just sit there, side by side. Its interesting to contemplate writers and their outfits, but it may be akin to contemplating bank robbers favorite show tunes.

To save literature lovers and fashionistas time, I have combed the pages of Terry Newmans new book, Legendary Authors and the Clothes They Wore.

As to local verb- and scarf-slingers, a category in which Im including people who have lived here part time: A section about glasses names Allen Ginsberg (his glasses, writes Newman, pulled his outfits together), Robert Crumb (glasses he wore in the 1960s would be considered catwalk hip today) and Joyce Carol Oates (small oval frames that ... fit her face in a growing-old-gracefully fashion). Michael Chabon is mentioned for his hair (untamed ... the edge of a rock and roll poet); Maya Angelou wore cocktail dresses when she was young and forever looked together; Mark Twain liked white linen, although his wish was to wear it all year round in New York.

And although Patti Smith didnt live here, I cant resist sharing her reminiscences, as revealed in a 2010 interview quoted by author Newman: When my mother would say, You should shave your legs, I would ask Why? Thus is our understanding of the human condition enriched.

At the museums:

For this childlike connoisseur of naughtiness, a big unselfconscious part of the pleasure at the opening of Sarah Lucas: Good Muse at the stately Legion of Honor was the definitely un-stately subject matter of Lucas art, a response to Auguste Rodin: The Centenary Installation. At the museums main entrance, the bottom half of a sprawled nude presents its backside  with cigarette inserted  to arriving guests. Its like the museum itself is being goosed. Walking around Thursday night, you could hear gasps and laughter as people came upon various pieces. Lucas herself seemed to be having a fine old time, singing along as her friend, Sade keyboardist Andrew Hale, played Mr. Blue Sky on the organ.

The exhibition is bawdy, comical. Curator Claudia Schmuckli describes the artists intentions as disarming traditional views of women, oscillating between idolization and objectification. Id just been reading that afternoon that in Paris, President Trump had greeted Brigitte Macron by remarking, Youre in such good shape, then repeating, as if ranking a show dog, Shes in such good physical shape. Beautiful. To the so-called leader of the free world, may we present Lucas image of a woman in good shape, right at the entrance to the show.

The Thursday, July 13, members preview of Soundtracks at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art afforded the chance for a lunchtime stroll through the exhibition, which probably and deservedly will be a lot more crowded now that its open. Being surrounded by aural and visual stimulants is meditative, refreshing. Fully engrossed, I was surprised when a pair of grinning people approached. Be sure to go into the room behind the elevator, they said. Apart from communal dressing rooms, strangers dont usually offer aesthetic advice. But I followed it. And, in the interests of paying it forward, I am herewith passing it on: Ragnar Kjartanssons The Visitors. Its a surprise ... then, pass it on.

The Park Branch of the San Francisco Public Library, in the Haight-Ashbury, seems to be focusing on the dry goods of the Summer of Love. A dyeing workshop, a tie-dye workshop and a fashion show are planned. The free macrame plant holder workshop is at the library on Wednesday, July 19, at 6 p.m. These plant hangers utilize some of the most important knots in macrame including the half hitch, square, overhand knot and half square knots, says the class description. Once you learn these skills, you will be able to create large and more intricate pieces on your own. All materials will be provided.

Larry McCoy was surprised to see this combination of allusions on a Prius in Palo Alto: a sticker saying Resist and a Republic of Vietnam Service Medal license plate holder. The medal was given to U.S. and allied personnel who served in Vietnam during the war. McCoys surprise must be because someone who served would be part of the Resistance. To me, both are patriotic acts.

Vacation advice from Gary Mule Deer: If you look anything like your passport photo, youre probably not well enough to travel.

Leah Garchik is open for business in San Francisco, (415) 777-8426. Email: lgarchik@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @leahgarchik

Were post-gender.

Older woman to older woman, overheard at the Munch exhibition at SFMOMA by Bob Epstein
We live in an age air-travel uprisings - in the year of the dead baggage rabbit and the dragging of Dr. Dao. Across the United States and much of the world, this is a time of terminal brawls and pre-takeoff walkouts, as frustrated passengers fight back against the airlines with cellphone cameras and viral outrage.

But what to make of Ann Coulter's arrival to the battle?

Shortly after landing in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Saturday, she launched a full scale Twitter assault against Delta Air Lines - which had apparently bumped her from an aisle seat to a window seat in the same row.

It wasn't the most obvious moral outrage. There were no lost teeth or passengers dragged by the wrists down the aisle. In fact, the whole dispute concerned a $30 seat upgrade, according to Delta, which has promised to refund Coulter for her inconvenience.

That hasn't stopped her war. Digressing from her usual commentary on liberals and immigrants, Coulter kept tweeting about the incident all weekend, eventually comparing Delta to dictators and claiming the booking process cost $10,000 of her time.

Delta, meanwhile, has gone far beyond bland statements of contrition. It's hitting back at Coulter and even claiming the moral high ground - accusing the polemicist of slandering its passengers and transgressing the "mutual civility" that we should all expect on board an airplane, even in this age.

Coulter's tweet: "So glad I took time investigate the aircraft & PRE-BOOK a specific seat on @Delta, so some woman could waltz at the last min & take my seat."

Some time after her flight from New York landed Friday, Coulter began to publicly expose the indignities she had documented on board.

"Why are you taking me out of the extra room seat I specifically booked, Delta?" she wrote beneath a photo of a flight attendant staring at her with some evident concern.

Coulter had, she wrote, been "kicked out of a CAREFULLY PRE-BOOKED seat to a less desirable seat" before takeoff. A flight attendant had "snatch[ed] my ticket out of my hand," explaining only that an "emergency" necessitated the change, she said.

She never said exactly which less desirable seat she was moved to. But as Coulter tweeted into Sunday night, Delta released an account of events from flight 2582 that sounded significantly less dire.

Coulter had originally booked a window seat in an exit row, an airline spokesman wrote: 15F - a comfy seat with extra leg room.

Less than 24 hours before takeoff, according to the airline, Coulter switched her selection to 15D - an aisle seat in the same row.

"At the time of boarding," the statement continues, "Delta inadvertently moved Coulter to 15A, a window seat, when working to accommodate several passengers with seating requests."

So, Coulter went back to a window seat - still in the same row; just the opposite side of the plane. Her new seat had exactly the same amount of legroom, an airline spokesman told The Post.

While acknowledging "some confusion" during boarding, Delta contends that all passengers moved seats upon request, and "there were problems or concerns escalated" until the flight landed and Coulter started tweeting.

"The airline's social media and customer care teams made several attempts to connect with her to apologize for the seat mix-up," reads Delta's statement, and the airline's Twitter history shows it reached out within an hour of her first complaint.

"However," the statement continues, "they did not hear back from Coulter until Sunday evening."

Coulter, who did not reply to questions from The Washington Post, has not disputed Delta's account of her seating arrangements.

But she has continued to complain that she was "ordered" to move, retweeted a fan who called her treatment "abuse," and compared the flight crew to Nurse Ratchet and Stasi police.

Delta says Coulter's seat upgrade cost a mere $30, which the airline has promised to refund.

Coulter calculates things differently. Moving three seats down represented $10,000 in sunk time, she contends.

Her tweet: "$30! It cost me $10,000 of my time to pre-select the seat I wanted, investigate type of plane & go back periodically to review seat options"

We don't know how long Coulter spent to "investigate" the seating layout on her plane. Nor can we pretend to know the objective value of Ann Coulter.

But there's little doubt that she's made a lucrative career in the book and cable news worlds - if one largely built around outrage.

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.

Outraged by Bill Clinton.By the godless "Church of Liberalism." Lately by immigrants, again and again and again.

And now by Delta.

While Coulter has yet to write a book about her flight, she had tweeted about it nearly 50 times by Sunday morning.

Some fans already consider her an advocate for mistreated passengers, and Coulter appears to have embraced that portrayal - threatening to interrogate Delta's CEO on-air.

A picture of politeness

Delta's initial replies to Coulter were contrite. "I understand how this must be extremely frustrating, Ann. I'd like to extend my sincere apology," a representative wrote on Twitter Friday evening.

But lately, not so much; "@AnnCoulter Additionally, your insults about our other customers and employees are unacceptable and unnecessary."

"What started out as complaints eventually turned into a public attack on the airline's employees and customers," a Delta spokesman wrote - after Coulter shared a photo of the "dachshund-legged woman" who took her aisle seat, and complained that "immigrants take American jobs (and seats on Delta.)"

So the airline has apologized and promised to refund Coulter $30 - even as it condemns her "derogatory and slanderous comments."

"Her actions are unnecessary and unacceptable," the airline wrote Sunday. "Delta expects mutual civility throughout the entire travel experience."

Of course, Coulter hasn't let them get the last word.

She defended her Twitter rant as "the picture of politeness" - and restyled her seating complaint as a struggle against fascism.
MISSOULA  Two heavy helicopters were quickly deployed for water drops Sunday afternoon when a fire broke out in the Pattee Canyon area, according to Lolo National Forest spokesman Boyd Hartwig.

One crew and three engines also fought the 3- to 4-acre fire and a second crew was expected later Sunday afternoon, Hartwig said.

The fire "is in timber and active due to the gusty winds and available fuels. ... Crews and aircraft are making progress on this fire in challenging conditions," Hartwig wrote in a release. No structures were threatened.

The fire was about one mile north of Pattee Canyon Campground on the Missoula Ranger District.

Elsewhere in northwestern Montana, five other fires were being contained over the weekend even as the new cold front rolling in had a red flag weather warning in effect until 9 p.m. Sunday.

Firefighters again used aircraft to check growth on the Slide Rock fire nine miles south of Beavertail Pond and five miles east of Rock Creek Road on the Lolo National Forest.

Saturday's strong winds pushed the fire burning in steep and inaccessible terrain, a little to the northeast, but there was no significant growth, with the main fire at about 49 acres. Both ground and air resources are assigned to it.

The Little Hogback fire about three miles southeast of the Bitterroot Flat Campground is burning about 20 acres in rough, steep, and remote terrain with heavy timber and no road access. Aviation was being used against it Sunday.

To the north, the Lazier Creek 3 fire, the largest in northwestern Montana, had up to 388 firefighters working it Sunday. But the 1,145-acre fire stayed steady at that acreage as it reached 60 percent containment.

Its looking good, public information officer Sara Rouse said Sunday, as firefighters moved on to mop-up operations, securing the fire edge, and laying hose to get water on the fire.

The Thompson River Road, closed since Monday due to the Lazier Creek 3 fire, was reopened Sunday morning at 6 a.m., signaling the progress firefighters have made over the last week.

The Rogers Mountain fire, three miles north of Happys Inn on U.S. Highway 2, was 80 percent contained Sunday.

The 78-acre fire did not expand, and the 47 firefighters assigned to the fire were mopping up any remaining hot spots in the fire.

Three smaller fires have been contained. Grubb, NW Meadow Peak, and the 2645 Fire are all being monitored for new smoke and hotspots by crews on site, but have reached 100 percent containment.

While firefighting has been effective, the cold front bringing in westerly winds and gusts of up to 20 miles per hour along with lower humidity is worrisome. Local burn bans have been placed in Ravalli and Missoula counties, and most of western Montana.
South Place Fire Department / South Placer Fire Department

A fast-moving wildfire west of Yosemite National Park grew to more than 7,000 acres overnight, destroying one structure and forcing residents in nearby rural communities to evacuate, officials said.

The Detwiler Fire ignited around 4 p.m. Sunday in Mariposa County about 50 miles east of Modesto near Yosemite and grew to 7,100 acres Monday.
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The changes Congress is proposing to the Affordable Care Act would have devastating impacts on seniors and other vulnerable Americans if enacted. On Lok is strongly opposed to restructuring the Medicaid program as proposed in these bills. Indeed, the changes under consideration in Congress would affect us all.

Both the House and Senate repeal-and-replace proposals would end the Medicaid program as an entitlement and cap federal funding, along with making other dramatic changes to our health care system. Medicaid is a critical safety net program and the largest federal health program caring for low-income, vulnerable individuals  nearly two-thirds of all Medicaid spending is focused on seniors and adults with disabilities.
The coming soon sign announcing the imminent arrival of the Ethiopian restaurant House of Tadu was being hung in the window several weeks ago when a small crowd gathered outside the storefront at 1120 Fourth St. in Mission Bay.

When we came outside to look at the sign, there were five or six people watching us on the sidewalk, said Nani Segaye, co-owner of the restaurant. They said they couldnt believe that we were coming. They were very excited. That made me happy.

Mission Bay is a neighborhood that has exceeded expectations in many ways  in just 12 years it has become home to dozens of life-science companies, a new $1.5 billion hospital, acres of new green space, thousands of new housing units and the future Warriors arena. So it is telling that a flimsy cardboard sign announcing a new restaurant should be a cause of celebration. For years dining and retail have been been the neighborhoods weak spots, with dust gathering in the empty ground floors of buildings even as the apartments upstairs fill with residents.

But slowly  some residents would say far too slowly  businesses are beginning to take a chance on Mission Bay.

This is especially evident on the 1100 block of Fourth Street, where House of Tadu, which plans to open in early August, is one of five businesses that have signed leases on the ground floor of an affordable apartment complex owned by Mercy Housing. Next door will be Caseys Pizza, the first brick-and-mortar location of a popular food truck. Other businesses that have already opened on the block include Reveille Coffee, which has fast become a neighborhood gathering spot; Mizu Spa, a nail and massage spot; and Back to the Picture, a frame store.

And more are coming. One Mission Bay, the 350-unit condominium development opening later this year on Channel Street between Third and Fourth streets, has signed a lease for 3,600 square feet with Wine Merchant, the group that owns Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant in the Ferry Building and Oxbow Wine and Cheese Merchant in downtown Napa. Next door, fitness center LagreeFit 415, will open a 1,700-square-foot facility.

Terry Wachsner, a principal with the CIM Group, which is developing One Mission Bay, said the two businesses would debut in April, four months after the first residents move in. The condos are 65 percent sold. Eventually the buildings 16,000 square feet of retail will also include several more restaurants and possibly a bank.

As more retail opens you are going to see a sense of community evolve, Wachsner said. The new condos, the Warriors arena  all these things are adding to the kind of anticipation and excitement that will help drive the retail.

The housing in Mission Bay has gone up faster than was anticipated. So far 5,149 housing units have been competed, with another 497 set to be delivered by the end of the year. Another 800 units of affordable housing are in the pipeline.

But many buildings along Fourth Street, which was envisioned as a pedestrian-friendly row of housing complexes above retail, are still struggling to attract tenants. Most of the spaces on the east side of the street are empty, with the exception of Market Hall, a restaurant and upscale grocery store at 1101 Fourth St., and Bimma Loft at 1245 Fourth St., a furniture store that was the first retailer to move onto that stretch three years ago. A UPS store is slated to open at 1201 Fourth St.

Bimma Loft owner Pierre Leduc said the widespread problems brick-and-mortar retailers are facing everywhere  changing shopping habits and inability to compete with cheaper online outlets  have been exacerbated by the sluggish arrival of other retailers along Fourth Street.

Its building up very slowly  not nearly as fast as I had hoped when I came here, he said. I am suffering  but still standing. But I guess everyone in retail is suffering right now.

The question of why Mercy Housing has been so successful leasing its retail while other buildings across the street sit empty probably comes down to cost. While none of the brokers who lease space in the area were willing to reveal leasing rates, several said nonprofit Mercy is offering space at significantly lower rates than the market-rate apartment buildings nearby.

Nance Conover, who handles leasing for Mercy Housing, said she beats the bushes for prospective tenants. She has reached out to clothing stores, the Castro district hardware/household-goods retailer Cliffs Variety, and operators of affordable corner stores. Conover said she has tried to lure other ethnic restaurants  Vietnamese, Chinese, Indian  and a place families could go for fish and chips. The building has one more available space  3,400 square feet on the northwest corner of Channel and Fourth.

We do a lot of pavement pounding, a lot of cold calling, Conover said. We tried and couldnt attract a clothing store. No toy store or gift shop. I think it will take a couple of more years. The neighborhood is not quite there yet.

Reveille Coffee owner Chris Newbury opened in February 2016 and was immediately busy. Nobody around here was doing what we do in terms of food and beverage, he said. The neighborhood was incredibly receptive and really seemed to want a local cafe they could call their own.

Matt Springer, who has lived in the neighborhood since 2007, said the Mission Bay retail scene is somewhat limited by its rigid plan of big boxy blocks of housing to the north of Mission Bay Boulevard and big boxy blocks of office and life-science space to the south. He said its unfortunate that the place he considers the most organic and lively gathering spot in Mission Bay  the Spark Social SF food truck court on Mission Bay Boulevard  is temporary. It is to become park space.

I run into neighbors every time I go there, he said. Its where people bring their dogs, their kids. Unfortunately, its going away.

J.K. Dineen is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jdineen@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @sfjkdineen
Locally sourced bat guano and other manure-based fertilizers will power Erich Pearsons biodynamic pot farm outside the city of Sonoma, which seeks to harness the forces of the earth, the cosmos and the free market.

Craft cannabis is becoming a cousin to craft beer in Sonoma County, and the venture by the founder of the San Francisco Patient and Resource Center, or SPARC, is among several operations awaiting permits to grow and manufacture medical marijuana  and, presumably, recreational pot in the future.

Around the state, the mainstreaming and legalization of marijuana is prompting many cities, even liberal ones, to fear trouble and shun the exploding industry.

But parts of Sonoma County, and especially Santa Rosa, are making the redolent herb their own, viewing it as more akin to beer, wine and fine food as a driver of jobs, tourism and tax revenue.

Sonoma County is very welcoming, said Pearson, who plans to organically grow an acre of cannabis from seed using a variety of sustainable techniques, including the loving application of bat excrement to roots, preferably during the summer solstice. This county is known for high-quality food and high-quality consumable products. I think cannabis in Sonoma County will follow that path.

The legalization of recreational pot in California, approved by voters in November, has set off a geographical scramble for influence in the industry, which is projected to top $7 billion in sales in the state by 2020. Entrepreneurs are looking to start businesses where they can bloom  and where local politics will allow them to flourish.

The jockeying comes as hundreds of recreational-use stores are expected to open across the state starting next year and line their shelves with competing products. Consumers will pay a 15 percent excise tax for cannabis products starting Jan. 1, though the permitting and tax system remains in limbo as the state consolidates the two laws regulating medical and recreational marijuana.

Most cities and counties interested in profiting from cannabis are still focusing on regulating medical marijuana, with no rules yet for the recreational stuff. Officials say only about a third of medical dispensaries in California now pay all of the sales taxes they owe.

Sonoma County, which already has as many as 9,000 growers and 12,000 people in the business, hopes to start collecting taxes on medical weed  and add rules for recreational sales later.

Wherever you have a mature industry, you are a little more motivated to move quickly and come into regulatory compliance both for the public good and for income, said Terry Garrett, the interim executive director of the Sonoma Growers Alliance.

Timing is important in deciding whether Sonoma County challenges Humboldt, Trinity and Mendocino counties  the growing region known as the Emerald Triangle  as the artisanal grass capital of California.

Santa Rosa, in particular, is positioning itself as the Bay Area epicenter of quality pot. The city released a comprehensive draft ordinance June 30 that sets zoning guidelines for medical marijuana, opening up more options for businesses by lifting a two-dispensary cap that has existed within city limits since 2005.

If the ordinance is approved, Santa Rosa would become one of the few places in the state to allow the manufacture of hash oil and tinctures, a process that involves the use of flammable solvents. The city would collect 2 percent of gross receipts from growers and 1 percent of gross receipts from manufacturers, special fees assessed on top of other taxes.

Outdoor growing, however, will be prohibited within city limits, according to the draft regulations.

Clare Hartman, Santa Rosas deputy director of planning, said pot cultivation could transform the many empty warehouses in the city, where the vacancy rate stands at 5 percent. Last year it was 7.6 percent and in 2014 it was 12 percent, she said, attributing the drop in part to the expanding reefer trade.

So far, 16 cannabis business permits, including six indoor cultivation permits, have been approved by the city, Hartman said. That represents 2.7 percent of the 10 million square feet of available industrial space in the city. She said 19 other applications are being considered.

It will be craft and specialty products, Hartman said. We have an advantage not just because we are geographically convenient but because culturally we already have a relationship with the Bay Area. Were not building it from scratch. Were modifying it and making it efficient.

Sonoma County is unusual in its passion for pot. Many cities and counties have either banned all aspects of the industry  citing reasons including that its illegal under federal law, could attract a bad element and might influence children to use the drug  or are dragging their feet waiting for the regulatory smoke to clear.

Just to the south, Marin County officials recently rejected 10 dispensary applications after every city and town council in Marin except Fairfax either banned dispensaries or took public positions opposing them. At least two antidispensary petitions with hundreds of signatures were submitted to the county, where 70 percent of voters supported legalizing recreational pot last year.

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 concerns we heard were, Oh, my, kids are near there  it doesnt work as a land use in my neighborhood, said Tom Lai, the principal planner and assistant director of the countys community development agency. Maybe its from people who dont understand what a dispensary is, but weve had very organized opposition.

Tim Ricard, the cannabis program manager for Sonoma County, said nobody there is interested in big-box cannabis. About 80 percent of the growers in the county have small crops of well below an acre, which is the limit under the 2016 law that set up the countys first permitting system for the cultivation and manufacture of pot.

A subsequent plan adopted by county voters in March implemented a per-square-foot tax on growers.

The permitting system, which caps the number of medical dispensaries in the countys unincorporated areas at nine, requires growers to conserve water, use renewable energy and eschew pesticides and chemicals. Twenty-five cultivation, manufacturing and distribution permit applications  including requests by the makers of hash oils, tinctures, salves and edibles  have been submitted since the county began accepting them July 5.

We are focusing on allowing cultivators, distributors and manufacturers to become compliant with county and state regulations, Ricard said. An above-board industry provides better health and safety, and it really allows it to contribute positively to our local economic development.

Among the products that county officials are ushering to market are non-alcoholic, THC-infused beers, lip balms and teas.

Its about time, said Supervisor Linda Hopkins, an organic farmer who is on the countys cannabis committee. I see it as an opportunity to diversify agriculture in Sonoma County and, for some long-term farmers, it will increase their income enough to allow them to pass their farms on to future generations.

Garrett, of the Sonoma Growers Alliance, said embracing the marijuana business is a natural step for the county.

Why are Sonoma and Napa county so strong in the craft beer and artisanal wine industries? Garrett asked. It's because we have that independent nature and creative sense that produces connoisseurs and people who want to take that extra step toward perfection.

Peter Fimrite is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: pfimrite@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @pfimrite
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Twin Peaks, Part 10 (or Laura is the One) doubles down on the disgusting violence, wacky conspiracies, and harsh 21st century tone. Richard Hornes role model seems to be Alex DeLarge from A Clockwork Orange. Diane is somehow involved on the side of evil. And Janey-E gets her man in the sex scene of the summer. (Take that, Game of Thrones.)

The further I dig into the series, the sadder I get. Even the shots subtly reveal a depressed state. David Lynchs favorite compositionsflatly lit tableaux, polished and shined with digital enamel, time stretched to ridiculous lengthskeeps us at a cold distance from the scene. Thats different from how the earlier 90-91 series or even Fire Walk With Me worked, where wildly original setpieces on film (Leland on the haywire coffin, the announcement of Lauras death at Donnas high school, Maddys demise, Lauras angelic resurrection) enveloped us in a disturbing yet comforting caul. In the new series, Lynch doesnt want emotion to overwhelm us. The digital harshness is grating and off-putting. Lynch knows we can access anything todayand that we have seen more images of the vileness of humanity than we could ever care for. So The Return is less about TV rocking worlds (what the original show did), and more about preserving the tradition of Twin Peaks in a desensitized world that makes TP feel outdated, antiquated, and insignificant. The brutal honesty in Lynchs images comes from the recognition of their own mortality.

Aside from Part 8, the only emotionally stirring moments in the new series have come from tapping into TPs fading past. The decrepit faces (from the Log Lady hooked up to a breathing machine, to the graceful aging of the Briggses and Deputy Hawk) mockingly remind us of the gravitas they will take to the grave. The downward spiral into sub-Nadine clownishness of some people (high-as-hell Jerry Horne, Dr. Jacobys public access rants) reminds us of the effects of time on the dying mind. Twin Peaks will only be relevant to those who careand their numbers, too, seem few and far between. Its not quite nostalgia, because its all so grotesqueand the past seems sullied by the present.

The new characters only add to the discomfort. Take, for instance, Punk Chad (John Pirruccello). Of course he turns out to be mixed up with Mr. C, Richard Horne, and the baddies of the Black Lodge. He intercepts a letter sent to the Twin Peaks Department by Miriam, the woman who saw Richard run over that boy in Part 6. (At the top of Part 10, he kills Miriam in the first scene of a litany of woman-centered violencemore on this later.)

Punk Chad has had a cruel disregard for the rules of TP morality: laughing at the suicide of Frank Trumans veteran son, eating non-donuts and non-coffee in the conference room, mocking Truman and Hawk for taking the Log Lady seriously. But its exactly this kind of interloper that gives us justifiable tension in the 2017 moment: will the forces that Chad stands for (callousness, rudeness, a refusal to learn about the rich traditions and history of your home) win out in the end? What the H-bomb test of 1945 created was a poisonous American amnesia, where lessons are perpetually forgotten with each new generational turn, innocents left to rot in obscurity. We cant all be saved like Laura.

Suzanne Tenner/SHOWTIME/SHOWTIME

Punk Chad is my (Lynchs?) worst fear; hes so damn casual in his contempt, and is just one level removed from the testosteronic vileness of Richard Horne. (Heres hoping Eamon Farren doesnt get totally butchered by the Peaks fans for this episode.) Richard is a special case in the canon of horrid Lynch baddies. His choking and robbery of Mrs. Horne while her mentally impaired son Johnny watches upsets me far more than Dennis Hoppers Frank in Blue Velvet, Willem Dafoe in Wild at Heart, and Leo Johnson in Tw1n Peaks. These toxic performances often veered into the campy and the perversely ironic, which helped defuse their real threat. But so far, nothing about Richard has let up that hes anything more than a woman-hating psychotic. Thats a fearful thing to behold. Whether out of maturity or pessimism, lines like daddy wants to f are nowhere to be found. It is shocking to realize that Richard is somehow Audrey Hornes son; does this lend Mr. C violated Audrey theory more credence?

If so, the tragedy of Twin Peaksas in Lynchs entire oeuvreis centered around the traumas faced by strong-willed women. Ive heard accusations that Lynchs films reveal a misogynist only interested in seeing women at their lowest points. (Usually, they havent seen Sheryl Lees complex, Oscar-caliber performance in Fire Walk With Me.) On surface alone, Part 10, with its chain of violence against women (the Miriam killing, Amanda Seyfrieds Laura-like pummeling at the hands of her boyfriend, the assault on Sylvia) proves those accusers right. But thats a cock-eyed view of the situation, which doesnt take into account how much Lynchs empathy has always been tied to the women of his world.

But its not all gloom and doom. There are two shining moments of comedy. The first involves what may be my favorite of Lynchs abstractions: the riff on the 50s blonde bombshell, courtesy of a pink-dressed Vegas showgirl named Candie (MVP Amy Shiels). During the rote plot-set-up of yet another complex hit on Dougie Jones, Candie is the sole focus of our attention, blankly looking around and refusing to immediately answer their barked questions. They seem stuck in some pop past, while shes a sinister sister to the similarly-dressed sirens of Mulholland Dr.hellishly retro, stylish, and over-the-top. (She was valedictorian at the Laura Dern School of Ugly Crying.) Its fun to Candie stand still and act circles around the Mitchums, a pair of Godfather-loving cliche machines fed the most maddeningly circular dialogue. (Dougie Jones: f me once, shame on you, etc.)

The second bit of comedy involves a sexed-up Naomi Watts and Kyle MacLachlan, with a face that will launch a thousand memes. Its a scene of surprisingly unpunished sex, as Janey-E finally feels satisfied with her usually overweight Dougie. (Is Twin Peaks trolling Game of Thrones this week by one-upping them in the gratuitous sex department?) Poor Sonny Jim even gets woken up. In some alternate universe, Kyle MacLachlan from Showgirls is laughing his head off. That image of Dougies post-orgasm face is something I dont think well ever live down. But do we want to?

Carlos Valladares is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cvalladares@sfchronicle.com
A 42-year-old woman was in life-threatening condition after she was viciously slashed with a box cutter by a woman with whom she was arguing on a street in the Mission District of San Francisco, officials said Monday.

The slashing victim was standing near the corner of 25th and Mission streets about 2:15 a.m. Saturday when she was attacked, according to the San Francisco Police Department.
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A Lamborghini caught fire at a Chevron gas station in Redwood City Thursday evening.

The Redwood City Fire Department responded to the incident at 710 Woodside Rd at 8:30 p.m. and posted images on Facebook of flames spewing from the car.

Battalion Chief Dan Abrams told the San Jose Mercury News that when a crew reached the site, the flames were spreading to the pumps and overhang. A gas station employee stopped the fire from escalating by turning off the flow of fuel from the storage tanks to the pumps

Traffic was temporarily blocked and the fire was out by 9 p.m.

The car was reportedly a Lamborghini Countach, but the year and value of the Italian sportscar are unknown. The Countach was manufactured between 1974 and 1990, and listings for used models on Hemmings.com, online classifieds for classic cars, range from $249,500 to $420,000.

The cause of the fire is unknown and under investigation.
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Two Bay Area counties and a Southern California city concerned about rising sea levels sued 37 of the worlds biggest oil and coal companies Monday, claiming the fossil fuel giants should pay for damages wrought by climate change  a first-of-its-kind challenge that some liken to the high-stakes litigation of the tobacco industry in the 1990s.

Marin County, San Mateo County and Imperial Beach (San Diego County) filed separate but nearly identical lawsuits in their respective Superior Court offices that seek to tie fossil fuel development to climate-related problems in coastal areas. Lawyers for the three communities worked together to document such effects as more frequent flooding and beach erosion as well as the possibility that water will eventually inundate roads, airports, sewage treatment plants and other real estate.

The lawyers contend that the oil companies knew about the damage their actions were causing, denied it and sought to discredit scientific findings that greenhouse gas emissions were heating the Earths atmosphere.

The suits are the latest in a small but growing effort to hold Chevron, ExxonMobil, BP, Shell and other major energy companies accountable for the effects of global warming. Legal experts say the challenge is more comprehensive than previous endeavors, and is based on better climate science and more evidence to support a claim of conspiracy among oil company executives.

This is a long-anticipated move in climate litigation, said Michael Burger, executive director of the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia University. Youll find pieces of it in other cases, but bringing it together like this is different than whats been done before. You can expect there will be a great deal of interest in how this litigation proceeds.

Representatives of several of the energy companies named in the suit declined to comment or did not respond to calls from The Chronicle.

The two Bay Area counties and Imperial Beach are seeking reimbursement for current and future losses caused by climate change, as well as punitive damages. The suits dont specify the value of losses so far, but estimate that the total will be in the billions of dollars over coming decades.

San Mateo County says the Bayshore Freeway, BART lines, San Francisco International Airport and $39 billion worth of assessed property are threatened by projected sea-level rise. Marin County counts $15.5 billion worth of North Bay real estate in harms way, along with ferry terminals, SMART rail tracks and Highway 101 and Interstate 580.

Theres tremendous concern for us as a county on how do we address these issues, said Marin County Supervisor Kate Sears. This case is about fairness and accountability and standing up for our residents and businesses.

Lawyers for Marin and San Mateo counties and Imperial Beach seek to show that the energy companies have created a public nuisance  legally, something that causes widespread harm. Its the same doctrine that state attorneys general used in the late 1990s to win a $206 billion settlement from the tobacco industry over the health costs of cigarettes.

The three lawsuits also argue that the oil companies, again like the tobacco industry, conspired to mislead the public about side effects of their product. The suits claim that energy company executives knew for nearly 50 years that fossil-fuel development was warming the planet, but that they concealed their knowledge while continuing to push a destructive product.

Several past cases trying to hold the fossil fuel industry responsible for climate-related problems had little success.

A 2008 lawsuit filed by the Alaskan village of Kivalina claimed that about two dozen energy companies not only created a public nuisance by causing coastal flooding but also worked together to hide the effects of greenhouse gas emissions.

The case was tossed, with a federal appeals court determining that the federal Clean Air Act should govern greenhouse gases, not public nuisance doctrine.

John Beiers, San Mateo County counsel, said the California cases stand a better chance of succeeding because their claims are based on more up-to-date research on the effects of fossil fuels on global warming and more information on what oil company executives knew about those effects.

We think we meet the elements of the public nuisance, Beiers said, but obviously we recognize this as the first lawsuit of its kind.

In order to prove their public-nuisance argument, the Bay Area counties and Imperial Beach will have to show a specific connection between global warming and the actions of each energy company, said Burger, the climate-change legal expert. They will also have to show that the issue shouldnt be handled through government regulation instead of a public nuisance complaint.

It definitely has some significant hurdles, but in my own view, its not at all a frivolous case, Burger said. There are definitely legitimate legal claims that are being made here.

Kurtis Alexander is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kalexander@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kurtisalexander

Rising Reality

Read Chronicle urban design critic John Kings stories on the challenges posed by sea level rise in the Bay Area: http://projects.sfchronicle.com/2016/sea-level-rise/
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A Napa County judge who took a couple of business card holders from the San Francisco City Club during a dinner last year has agreed to resign from the bench, the states judicial disciplinary agency said Monday.

Superior Court Judge Michael Williams will take leave on Oct. 19 and formally resign on Dec. 5, said the Commission on Judicial Performance. The commission issued a censure of Williams for conduct that undermines public confidence in the integrity of the judiciary and said he has agreed not to seek judicial office in the future.
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The Department of Labor said it will continue its investigation into Googles employment practices, after a judge limited the amount of information it could receive from the Mountain View company in a Friday ruling.

The departments Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs had sought job and salary history from September 2014 from Google. The office audits federal contractors such as Google to determine whether they have discriminatory employment practices, which would violate federal rules. As part of its investigation, the office also wanted the contact information of more than 25,000 Google employees so it could conduct interviews.

The request comes as the technology industry faces recurring complaints that women and underrepresented minorities lack access to jobs and are treated unfairly when they do find work in the field.

On Friday, a judge limited the scope of the job and salary information the department could obtain. For example, the judge denied the offices request for employees date of birth. He also ruled that the department could receive only the contact information of up to 8,000 employees.

The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs should be able to identify specific areas that are relevant to its investigation rather than willy-nilly search anywhere and everywhere for practices that might be causing a disparity in the compensation data, administrative law judge Steven Berlin wrote in his recommended decision and order.

The judge also said that the office has not done enough research to learn how Googles system works, identify actual policies and practices that might cause the disparity, and then craft focused requests for information that bears on these identified potential causes. A Department of Labor official testified in April that it had found systemic compensation disparities against women pretty much across the entire workforce. The judge said he believes the department lacks enough evidence to support those claims.

Google said it plans to comply with the judges order.

We invest a lot in our efforts to create a fair and inclusive environment for all our employees  across all genders and races, Eileen Naughton, Googles vice president of people operations, wrote in a blog post.

The department said the judges decision vindicates its actions, as it enforces rules for federal contractors. The department also said the ruling will give it much of the data it requested.

The department does have the option to appeal, but it is unclear whether it will exercise it.

Contractors will be held to their promise to let (the compliance office) fully audit their employment practices, Regional Solicitor Janet Herold said in a statement.

Wendy Lee is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: wlee@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @thewendylee
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HAYWARD (BCN)

A Hayward teenager who was struck and killed by an Amtrak train Friday has been identified as 18-year-old Isaac Andino, according to the Alameda County coroner's bureau.

Story continues below.

At approximately 1:10 p.m. Friday, an Amtrak train struck a pedestrian on the tracks in Hayward, Amtrak spokesman Mike Tolbert said. None of the 58 passengers or crewmembers was injured, according to Tolbert.

Hayward police and fire officials came to the scene to investigate the accident, Tolbert said. The train was held for two hours and 50 minutes until the authorities released it to continue to Oakland.

Passengers continuing to Sacramento were transferred to another train, Tolbert said.
SPOILERS AND SUCH SO DON'T FOLLOW BRAN AND MEERA BELOW IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE EPISODE.

Last season of "Game of Thrones" went out with a pretty big bang as Cersei seized the Iron Throne and blew up the Sept of Baelor, which as moves go was a bold one.

So when "Thrones" returned Sunday night, one might have expected an unnerving silence to follow. Not the case. A rare cold open found the horrific Walder Frey toasting his men for all their awful work, an odd thing since he'd had his throat cut by Arya Stark at the end of last season.

Seventy-five-year-old actor David Bradley must not have many opportunities to play a teenage girl. And he made the most of it with a rousing speech that revealed him to be Arya, who had poisoned the wine all the Frey men had consumed.

"But you didn't slaughter every one of the Starks," she said. "No no. That was your mistake. You should have ripped them all out, root and stem. Leave one wolf alive and the sheep are never safe."

Excusing the mixed metaphor, it was a pretty rousing moment.

And it only made me think further about Arya's standing as this show begins funneling its fighting characters toward a conclusion. Rather than recap what happened -- something others have done longer and better like my friend, Therese, whose GOT writing is appointment reading for me -- I hope to hem closer to character as our field of players winnows.

I'm not one to sport a "God, family, country. In that order." shirt. But for some reason I thought of it with regard to these remaining characters and how they may or may not behave going forward for another two seasons. I'd add "self" to the mix. But these characters all have similar motivations just in different proportions. And it's interesting to see how the show's creators generate tension and conflict based on these varying codes, which all falls into something I typed about last week.

Arya Stark: She's a puzzling one to me, and one that has the longest path yet to go. She's largely without country since her country, such that it is, turned on her family. Her death list might suggest family, as she systematically slays each person she feels wronged her family. But she's on a vengeance mission, and that's not something she'd have picked up from her father. She tells the dying Freys "winter is coming," but I believe the Stark family words aren't designed for vengeance. Compared to the combative words of the Lannisters ("Hear me roar") and Baratheons ("Ours is the fury") and the nihilistic Greyjoys ("We do not sow") the Stark words are about endurance. At least I think they are. But later in "Dragonstone" we see Arya making nice with some Lannister bannermen. Like so many other teens, she may have simply had her guard lowered by the musical stylings of guest star Ed Sheeran, who she didn't see fit to kill.

Jon Snow: Country, family, god -- I think. He forgives other houses that fought against his family because he doesn't see the fight for the Iron Throne as the urgent imminent conflict. Cersei's raven note ordering him to King's Landing to bend the knee matters to him not a whit. He's concerned with shoring up defenses for the White Walkers, which we see as coming through Bran's eyes. And now they have zombified giants.

Sansa Stark: She's had the roughest ride of just about any character. She bickers with Jon, whether out of strategy or a need for vengeance it's difficult to tell. She tells Jon she's "learned a lot" from Cersei, which suggests her character has the capacity to move deeper into the black. Self, family, god.

Petyr Baelish: Self, self, self, self. He didn't do much this episode. Which is more terrifying than if he had done something.

Jaime Lannister: Family, self. He visits Cersei as she's regarding a floor-sized map of Westeros, her domain as self-proclaimed the queen of seven kingdoms. "Three at best," he corrects. His character has evolved a lot since we met him, and he's clearly not sure his sister is taking the smartest route to ruling. Yet so far, he's sticking around. But he's whacked a monarch for the good of the kingdom before.

Helen Sloan/courtesy of HBO

Cersei Lannister: Her speech to her brother is telling. What it doesn't reveal is how long she's felt that way. She justified her actions early in the series as those of a protective mother. When Jaime calls her out on her dynastic aspirations -- on account of having no heirs and all -- she comes back with "a dynasty for us then." That's all self. And for her, it may have always been self.

Daenerys Targaryen: She finally reaches Dragonstone, her family's beautifully designed castle. It's a pretty profound moment, as she runs her fingers over the dust covered Painted Table, depicting Westeros (her version of Cersei's map). To her family and country are virtually the same. With her forces, she's coiled for violent action. Though any number of possibilities could arise for alliances and solutions to conflict, her collision course with Cersei appears inevitable.

There are plenty of others to type about, but I've run long. So I'll end with Sandor "The Hound" Clegane: I don't have any idea of his motivations at all anymore, but he's a man without a country and he's a man without a family (if you don't count reanimated siblings who tried to murder him). He's asked for death, so self is off the table. That leaves him as this unlikeliest of faith characters, and he has both a profound moment of empathy for a family he robbed last season, who starved to death, and also a vision that comes to him in the fire. I thought he'd sit on the periphery this season until an inevitable demise. I no longer think that. I can't quite put my finger on the show-runners' take on faith. They've used it as a source of conflict, and they've made prophecy a hit-and-miss deal. People come to a new season wanting a jolt, and following Arya's laying waste to House Frey, the episode steered into a deep contemplative groove.

Helen Sloan/courtesy of HBO

Other notes: Sam roots around in parts of the Citadel where he shouldn't and finds reference to a hidden cache of Dragonglass. So he's doing as Jon's bidding, working to find a solution for the problem in the north. He puts family first, just the new family he's cobbled together since his own Tarly family was undeserving of him. . . . Euron Greyjoy made a rather unromantic proposal to Cersei. She passed. But he said he'd go get her a gift that would change her mind. My guess is he's planning to kidnap Tyrion.

My favorite addition is Jim Broadbent as an archmaester, who mid-autopsy offers Sam a deep dive of information about the history of the kingdom. That winter is inevitable. It's like the USS Indianapolis speech from "Jaws." Despite all your poundin' and hollerin' winter comes. And then years later it ends. I'm interested to see how profound that idea plays out, how much the winter takes away from Westeros. "We are this world's memory, Samwell," he says. THAT, I believe, is important long term with this story.

I've tried my best year after year to keep from making accusations of allegory, yet they keep creeping in like winter. A land full of people with different needs and wants, who rank the elements of their lives -- faith, family, country, self -- differently. Consistent conflict seems inevitable and perpetual.

_____

Andrew Dansby is a pop culture writer at the Houston Chronicle. But as a young editorial assistant at the Spectra division of Bantam Books in the mid-1990s working with George R.R. Martin's editor, Dansby attained a unique distinction among all "A Game of Thrones" enthusiasts: No person spent more time Xeroxing manuscript pages for the first volume of Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" series. Seven hundred book pages amounted to well over 1,000 manuscript pages, a tedious and epic conflict at the copier that resulted in scores of paper cuts. That doesn't give him any particular insight into how the televised version of Martin's story will play out in its two final seasons. It's just proof that his love for Martin's story was more begrudgingly earned than yours.
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SFGATE is exploring how people's lives change after leaving the Bay Area, for better or for worse, in a new series. Click through the slides above to hear from those who have relocated to Austin, Texas. We'll explore other relocation areas in future articles, so follow SFGATE for more.

Sam Whittington often catches himself daydreaming about Austin, Texas. The affordable housing, the laid-back lifestyle, the Tex Mex  all the stereotypes of Southern living have captured his imagination, he says.

The 28-year-old product designer has lived in the Bay Area for 10 years now, and hes ready for life away from tech and taxes.

There are few cities as weird and wild as San Francisco used to be, Whittington said. Austin, I think, has retained its individual spirit, while SF has been slowly selling its spirit to high bidders.

Like a true millennial, Whittingtons Austin inclinations have inspired some philosophical soul-searching. Is it the growing mediocrity of the city that inspires him to leave, he wonders, or is it a general discontent with the world?

Whichever it is, I wont know unless I leave the bubble, he said.

Theres certainly an air of romanticism inherent to Whittingtons vision of the liberal capital of Texas, but is there truth in it? Can one truly drown his homesickness in queso? SFGATE spoke to folks who left the Bay Area for Austin to find out (see all of their responses in the above gallery).

Curb appeal

After an ill-fated Austin vacation 12 years ago, Emma Massingill said she swore up and down that shed never move to Texas. Things changed after college, when she found herself struggling to save money, even while working long hours at a Santa Cruz newspaper and living with her parents.

I didnt really have a choice, Massingill said of leaving the Bay Area. Who wants to be 23 and living at home?

Six months after moving to Austin, Massingill confidently confided that she does 3/4 the amount of work for almost double the pay. And recently she signed a lease on a three-bedroom house  with no roommates.

Youd have to pay me to move back to the Bay, she said.

VIDEO: The cost of living in Austin vs. San Francisco (story continues below)

The next Silicon Valley? Not so much.

Paul OBrien, 41, has lived in Austin for seven years now, and hes careful not to idealize the city. Life in Austin, like most cities, involves some concessions.

Theres affordable housing, but property taxes are high. Theres less traffic, but also limited public transportation. And coming from San Francisco, you better be ready for a pay cut (although the cost of living is exceptionally lower; Bankrates cost-of-living calculator claims a $100,000 salary in San Francisco metro is the equivalent of $183,750 in Austin metro).

Analysts have been quick to pin Austin as the next Silicon Valley, and with reason. Its a hub for startups, with 105.2 startups per 1,000 residents, according to the Kauffman Index of Startup Activity, compared to San Franciscos 82.7 per 1,000 residents. Its home to major Google, Apple and Facebook outposts. In 2016, Austin businesses garnered $590.4 million in venture capital. And, perhaps most importantly, its still affordable for young tech-minded folks to live (Zillow says the median home value is $321,600).

Media reports back up such sentiments. Realtor.com listed Austin No. 1 on its list of the next big tech hubs, as did CNBC and the Kauffman Foundation (two years in a row). The New York Times was ahead of the trend, asking Is Austin the Next Silicon Valley? back in 1988.

OBrien, an Austin-based serial start up executive, CMO, scale architect, isnt buying it.

Were not the next Silicon Valley, he says. Were where traditional industries are being disrupted and innovated.

Although theres just as much capital and investment in Texas, OBrien says business works differently.

We dont do search engines; we dont do social networks. Investors arent familiar with those kinds of things, he explained. Rather, investors and entrepreneurs are identifying ways to apply technology to industries with which Texas is familiar, such as education, politics, real estate and agriculture.

OBrien admits that venture capitalists are sometimes more hesitant to invest in Texan tech than they are in California, but not because of a discomfort with risk. He says the wild Texan sense of independence means Texans are encouraged and expected to do something on their own.

That lone ranger mentality spills into the office space. Those looking for the traditional stability of a 9-to-5 job might be in for a shock upon arriving in Austin, O'Brien noted, where a culture of freelancing and co-working thrives.

Its just not as easy to follow a corporate career path in Austin, he said, which is a blessing in disguise for some people.

Get down with the honky tonk debate

Though the city has seen a 16.9 percentage point population increase since 2010, Austin retains its Texan flair.

Many of the Bay Area ex-pats interviewed for this story admitted to holding certain stereotypes about Austin before moving, some of which were proven true upon arrival.

Massingill, for example, wishes dates would stop taking her out to the local honky tonk. As a vegan and animal lover, shes also sick of hearing about their guns, and seeing them pop up in profile pictures on Tinder.

And I wish theyd stop calling me Man, she said.

On the flip side, Massingill has found herself surprisingly pleased with the chivalrous attitude: Since moving here, Ive hardly had to open a door for myself.

Austins vegan community was a major plus  and shock  for Natalie Dubovitskaya, 34, who landed there from San Jose four years ago.

Everyone told me Austin was all about barbecue, she recalled. Upon moving, however, she discovered a thriving vegan community in a city that hosts an annual VegFest.

Mexican cuisine, however, is controversial among those who left the Bay Area.

It's garbage, said San Jose native Josh Symons, 36, who moved to Austin a year ago. "Seriously, TexMex doesn't cut it."

For Symons, the TexMex versus CaliMex debate is serious. Although he says has no intention to return to California  even for a visit  he gets sentimental when discussing its Mexican food.

"I miss burritos," he says, before launching into a rant about Texans' queso obsession.

"Cheese is the greatest thing ever," he said, "but it just doesn't belong on everything!"

'Golden handcuffs'

Whittington, the Oakland resident with his eye on Austin, isn't worried about drowning in queso or craving a Mission-style burrito.

For him, that nagging desire to move to Austin transcends such trivialities. Even for a twentysomething single, picking up and moving isn't so simple.

"San Francisco has those golden handcuffs," he said. "Moving to Texas  and taking that Texas-sized pay cut  could be like exiling myself from this place."
DECATUR  Officials such Decatur City Manager Tim Gleason have openly spoken about the economic benefits the Macon County Beltway Project could have on the local economy.

But now the city of Decatur wants an independent, third-party agency to study those assumptions to get more federal grants for the project.

The Decatur City Council is set to vote on a plan at its regular meeting today (June 17). it would have Minnesota-based Quetica LLC prepare a "supply chain study," referred to by Gleason as an economic impact study on what the beltway project could mean for the Midwest Inland Port, current and prospective businesses and the Central Illinois region.

All of us know that, if we build it, they will come, Gleason said Friday. But it needs to be more than us, and this is a true, third-party study that will show us the value of this effort. What that will do for the Midwest Inland Port, what that will do for expansion for existing businesses or new business opportunities.

The study will cost $288,530, but the Illinois Department of Transportation has already committed to pay $230,020 of that price tag. The Economic Development Corporation of Decatur and Macon County has expressed willingness to pay about $27,000 toward the study, according to the Decatur city council packet. The remaining cost will be split between the city of Decatur and Macon County.

The impetus for the study comes after the city of Decaturs application was a finalist for part of the $850 million available from the U.S. Department of Transportations FASTLANE program. The citys application was eventually denied. Gleason said federal officials explained that having an economic impact study would go a long way toward receiving federal dollars.

Since then, Gleason said city and county officials have looked at what successful grant winners had done. They have also gotten assurance that the Illinois Department of Transportation will provide assistance for the city acquire federal dollars to start on northeastern portion of the beltway. That portion would create 6.2 miles of four-lane road between Illinois 48 near Interstate 72 and Illinois 105.

If approved by the council, the study would begin by mid-August and will take between six to nine months to complete.

The deadline for applications for the first batch of transportation grants under President Donald Trump is in November, but Gleason said that even starting the independent study process is a significant step toward acquiring federal dollars.

Weve been told that, in our grant submission that even if the study is not complete, there is great value in the U.S. DOT being aware that were doing it, he said.

In other business, the council will vote on a proposal to erect a 6-foot fence around about eight downtown blocks during the festival Aug. 4-6. A map of the fenced-in area was made public in the council agenda materials Thursday.

Entry to Celebration for more than three decades was free, but organizers in April announced a wristband would have to be purchased and a fence would be installed for the 2017 downtown event.

The council is required to vote on the matter due to the fence being placed on city streets and property, Gleason said.

The celebration committee is trying some new ideas to generate revenue and an opportunity to keep celebration going for years to come, he said. But of all the ideas, this is one that has to come before the council."

At least one city council member, Pat McDaniel, has already promised to vote against the fence. He cited concerns about the impact the fence would have on surrounding businesses and parking during the event.

Other council members have expressed support for the fence. Councilman Bill Faber said he will withhold judgment until Monday's meeting.
President Trump is rubbing Americans the wrong way rather than putting them at ease, with more giving him a thumbs-down nearing the six-month point in his presidency than any recent occupant of the Oval Office.

With a new ABC News/Washington Post poll pegging his job approval at 36 percent, President Trump tweeted that the number was "not bad at this time" and lampooned the poll's performance in last November's election.

The poll had other findings, beyond its finding of 58 percent disapproval with the president's performance, that will be unsettling to Trump should he read them: Americans are put off by the vulgarity of their 45th president.

Seventy percent of those polled said that Trump has performed in an "unpresidential" way since taking office: 68 percent didn't believe him to be a positive roll model. Fifty-six percent of those polled agreed that Trump's conduct is "damaging to the presidency overall."

Trump dominates the news, but 57 percent of people polled said that the more they hear about Trump, the less they like him.

The 45th president has used Twitter to carry on his battles, lately with Hillary Clinton and even Chelsea Clinton.

Americans don't like it. Sixty-eight percent of those polled found Trump's use of social media to be "inappropriate," 65 percent rated his tweets "insulting," with 56 percent agreeing that his tweets are "dangerous."

The erosion has hit the president's base. Thirty-eight percent of Republicans termed his conduct unpresidential, as well as 48 percent of white evangelical Protestants in the survey. Evangelicals gave Trump more than 80 percent of their vote last November.

A total of 63 percent of those surveyed believe that last year's dirt-on-Clinton meeting between Donald Trump, Jr., Jared Kushner and well-connected Russians was inappropriate. Sixty percent agreed that Russia tried to influence the 2016 election.

How is the Trump "base" reacting?

An NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, conducted in 439 counties that backed Trump, in 16 states, found 50 percent job approval for the 45th president: 46 percent of those surveyed gave him a thumbs-down.

The ABC/Post poll was conducted between Monday and Thursday of last week. It involved interviews with 1,001 voters by land line and cell phone, and has a larging of error of plus/minus 3.5 percent.
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TONTO NATIONAL FOREST, Ariz.  Five children were among the nine people killed in a flash flood at an Arizona swimming hole during the weekend, and all were part of an extended family, authorities said Monday.

Three generations of the family were gathered Saturday at the swimming spot about 100 miles northeast of Phoenix, police said. Torrential rains in the fire-scarred mountains several miles away unleashed 6-foot-high floodwaters and swept away the victims, who ranged in age from 3 to 57.

Searchers looked Monday for a 27-year-old man who was the only person still missing from the group of 14 family members who gathered at the normally tranquil swimming hole in the Tonto National Forest north of Payson. Authorities initially had said they were looking for a 13-year-old boy but later discovered he was among the victims and the older man was missing.

About 40 volunteer workers and four search dogs were looking for the man, Gila County Sheriff J. Adam Shepherd said.

Disa Alexander was hiking to the swimming area Saturday where Ellison Creek and East Verde River converge when the water suddenly surged. Video she posted to social media showed torrents of water sloshing through jagged canyons carved in Arizonas signature red rock.

Those killed included five children  2-year-old Erica Raya-Garcia; Emily Garnica, 3; Mia Garnica, 5; Danial Garnica, 7; and Jonathan Leon, 13. Also killed were Javier Raya-Garcia, 19; Selia Garcia Castaneda, 57; Maribel Raya-Garcia, 24, and Maria Raya-Garcia, 27.

A thunderstorm that dropped up 1 inches of rain in an hour struck about 8 miles upstream along Ellison Creek, which quickly flooded the narrow canyon where the swimmers were.

While Arizona is known for its dryness, it gets bursts of heavy rains during the summer monsoon season. The thunderstorm was located in a remote area that had been burned by a recent wildfire, Water Wheel Fire and Medical District Fire Chief Ron Sattelmaier said.

If its an intense burn, it creates a glaze on the surface that just repels water, said Darren McCollum, a meteorologist

Crowds looking to beat the Phoenix metro areas heat often head to the small creeks that flow out of the mountains forming swimming holes and a series of small waterfalls. But officials warn that visitors need to be aware of the dangers of a flash flood.

I wish there was a way (to keep) people from getting in there during monsoon season, Sattelmaier said. It happens every year.

Sudden flooding in canyons has been deadly before. In 2015, seven people were killed in Utahs Zion National Park when they were trapped during a flash flood. In 1997, 11 hikers were killed near Page, Ariz., after a wall of water from a rainstorm miles upstream rushed down.

Anita Snow is an Associated Press writer.
INDIANAPOLIS  An Indiana woman didnt want her canceled $30,000 wedding to go to waste, so she threw a party for the homeless.

A bus pulled up to the luxe event center on Saturday that Sarah Cummins had booked for the reception in Carmel, a suburb of Indianapolis. About a dozen veterans from a local organization were among the guests who dined on bourbon-glazed meatballs, roasted garlic bruschetta and wedding cake.

She told the Indianapolis Star that she and her fiance called off the wedding a week ago. She declined to give a reason but said they were left with a nonrefundable contract for the Ritz Charles in Carmel and a plated dinner for 170 guests.

Cummins said she decided that rather than throw away the food she would salvage some good from the occasion and contacted area homeless shelters. She cheerfully greeted and welcomed her guests when they arrived to attend the party.

For me, it was an opportunity to let these people know they deserved to be at a place like this just as much as everyone else does, Cummins said.

Several local businesses and residents donated suits, dresses and other items for the guests to wear.

Charlie Allen, who has spent three months at a homeless mission, received a donated jacket.

I didnt have a sport coat, he said, tugging gently at the lapels. I think I look pretty nice in it.

Like other guests, Allen said he was grateful for the invitation.

For a lot of us, this is a good time to show us what we can have, he said. Or to remind us what we had.

Three of Cummins seven bridesmaids, along with her mother and aunts, came to support her at the event.

Cummins said that when she approached her former fiance, Logan Araujo, about donating the dinner, he agreed to what he believed was a selfless way to handle the situation.
DECATUR  A 73-year-old Decatur woman suffered a broken right arm Friday morning when she pushed to the ground by a robber on a moped who stole her purse, police said.

Sgt. Timothy Maxwell said the robber rode up behind the woman as she was leaving the LSA Resale Shop, 421 East Cerro Gordo Street, at 11:51 a.m. She was treated at Decatur Memorial Hospital. Police say they later recovered the moped, which was stolen, and are working several leads which they believe will identify the male robber.
MOUNT ZION  Gov. Bruce Rauner pledged Monday to change the language of a funding bill crucial to schools across Illinois opening this fall, the latest development in an ongoing battle about how to pay for the state's public education.

Flanked by Central Illinois Republican lawmakers, Rauner said he could not support the bill the General Assembly approved in May and he vowed to use his amendatory veto power to change it. Rauner objects to what he described as a poison pill provision that would require the state to pick up the employer's portion of teacher pensions costs for the Chicago Public School District, something the state does for all other school districts.

Lawmakers have not yet sent the legislation, Senate Bill 1, to the governor, who urged House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton to do so.

When I amendatory veto that bill, it will become balanced, equitable and fair for all the school districts across the state, said Rauner, speaking at a news conference at Mount Zion Junior High School.

The $36 billion state budget enacted by lawmakers this month, which required an override of Rauners full veto, includes an additional $350 million for schools. But the legislation requires approval of a new, "evidence-based" funding formula to distribute the money.

The funding model would steer money to schools based on local property wealth and distinct student-population needs, while also ensuring that none of the state's 850 school districts receives less than it got this year.

Rauner was joined by Republican state Reps. Brad Halbook of Shelbyville and Bill Mitchell of Forsyth, and state Sens. Jason Barickman of Bloomington and Chapin Rose of Mahomet, who all spoke in support of the move.

The kids that I represent in my communities and in my district matter just as much as the kids in Chicago, and I want to make sure that they stand just as much of a chance to benefit from a school funding reform as the kids in Chicago," Barickman said.

Rauner is touting the amount he says various school districts would gain under his plan. He said the Mount Zion School District would receive an additional $230,000 on top of the $192,699 gain theyd receive under the bill as written. Decatur would receive an additional $1.6 million per year on top of the $2.7 million it would already gain under the legislation, according to a website created by the governor's office.

SB1 was approved 60-52 in the House and 35-22 in the Senate, both below the three-fifths majorities necessary to override any veto. Despite final approval on May 31, Sen. Donne Trotter, D-Chicago, used a procedural move to hold the bill without sending it to the governor.

Rauner criticized the move as an attempt by Democrats to hold school funding hostage to secure money for the Chicago teacher pension fund, while Democrats said at the time it was needed to create a cool-down period and prevent a hasty veto.

A spokesman for Cullerton said Monday that discussions are ongoing about when to send Rauner the bill. It was still being held as of late Monday afternoon.

Though the bill is held up in the Senate, Rauner focused most of his scorn Monday on a familiar target: Madigan.

Referring to the longtime Democratic Speaker of the House as ruthless, cold-blooded and a tyrant, Rauner blamed Madigan for the concerns of school officials across the state about whether Illinois would come through on its funding promise.

Support my amendatory veto and youll get what you deserve and youll be treated equitably, Rauner said. Dont give in to fear. Dont give in to fear and just take a little penny because itll hurt your districts for years if you give in today.

In a statement released shortly after Rauner's news conference, state Sen. Andy Manar, a Bunker Hill Democrat who has championed SB1 and the need for a school funding overhaul, said Rauner has never directly contacted him to discuss the bill.

"It is clear to me today that (Rauner) intends to use the children of Illinois as leverage for his political agenda when he could be working out a compromise to accomplish a much-needed and long-awaited reform," Manar said. "I am saddened and discouraged by his display today.

The idea of using school funding as leverage was discussed several times on Monday. Though Senate Republican leader Bill Brady floated the idea last week to use the education funding as a leverage point for other reforms previously pushed by Republicans, those in attendance Monday pushed back.

Schools have to open, thats our primary responsibility in the Illinois constitution and its just common sense, Mitchell said.

State Rep. Sue Scherer, a Decatur Democrat who was mentioned several times by Rauner as someone who should support his amendatory veto, said in a statement she was glad to see the governor participate in the discussion on school funding reform.

I cannot stress how important it is to address this issue now to ensure that our states elementary, middle, and high schools open without interruption, with the resources they need, she said. All children, regardless of their zip code, deserve an equitable education, and it starts with changing the way schools are funded.

Changes to the state's school funding formula have been a topic of debate for decades in Springfield, as Illinois has the nations widest gap between low- and high-income school districts, according to the nonprofit organization The Education Trust. Illinois schools rely on local property taxes to cover more than 60 percent of their costs, it said.

This year was a breakthrough for proponents, as SB1 passed both House and Senate with Democratic support. The new formula incorporates 27 different variables that weigh a school's poverty level, property values and transportation costs, among other factors.

Rauners education adviser, Beth Purvis, has previously said the governor agreed with 90 percent of SB1, though she also said he planned to veto it.

Any protracted fight in Springfield over school funding would be devastating for local school districts, as the State Board of Education has said a funding plan must be approved by Aug. 3 for normal payments to be sent to districts by the start of the fall semester.

Decatur School District Chief Operational Officer Todd Covault told the school board earlier this month that the district could make it until mid-November without state funds. But after that, he said the district would be out of cash to pay its teachers and staff.

Mount Zion Superintendent Travis Roundcount said the district does not have a drop-dead date thanks to reserves and property taxes. But he said he hoped lawmakers could come together within the next two weeks to help fund schools.

We would hope that a new plan could get passed in the near future so we could stay open and provide services to students, he said.
Air Force Capt. Joe Smith was finally laid to rest in Assumption. Smith was shot down while flying a combat mission over Cambodia during the Vietnam War in 1971. Four other stories to see are Gov. Bruce Rauner in Mount Zion, a Decatur man battles brain cancer and bills, ice cream safari and pedestrian hit by fleeing minivan.

Hundreds pay their respects

Hundreds of mourners jammed into St. Mary's Catholic Church in Assumption Monday morning for the funeral Mass of Capt. Joe Smith, the local-born fighter pilot killed during the Vietnam War.

Rauner addresses school funding

At a stop at Mount Zion Jr. High School, Gov. Bruce Rauner announced Monday morning that he will use his amendatory veto power on a bill crucial for schools across the state to open this fall.

Cancer forces man to make sacrifice

Everything changed with a May 18 trip to the emergency room. Cheney Williams, 47, of Decatur, is fighting an aggressive form of brain cancer called glioblastoma. He is raffling his beloved motorcycle as part of a fundraiser to help pay his medical bills.

Kids go on hunt for ice cream

Scovill Zoo has been staging the popular Ice Cream Safari for more than 11 years with, as usual, some 42 gallons of ice cream donated by Prairie Farms and sheriff's deputies handing out the treats.

Pedestrian hit by minivan fleeing police

Police said a pedestrian was taken to the hospital for treatment after being struck by a blue Chrysler Town & Country minivan fleeing officers on Saturday.
ASSUMPTION  Hundreds of mourners packed St. Mary's Catholic Church in Assumption on Monday morning for the funeral Mass of Capt. Joe Smith, the local-born fighter pilot killed during the Vietnam War.

His remains were recovered in 2016 and recently flown home for Monday's service. First Lt. Smith, 25, was shot down over Cambodia on April 4, 1971, while flying a ground attack mission in an F-100 Super Sabre jet. He was posthumously promoted to captain.

Those paying their last respects included family, friends, fellow pilots, veterans, active duty military, police officers, firemen and countless emergency service workers. Outside the church, the casket bearing Smith's remains was carried beneath a 30-foot-long American flag strung between the ladders of two firetrucks.

The procession was led by piper Tom Ogilvy of the St. Andrew's Society of Central Illinois Pipes and Drums band. He played the haunting Going Home tune from Dvorak's New World Symphony, and then Amazing Grace.

As the mourners gathered at graveside, a lone C-130 military aircraft dropped low out of the western sky and flew in a slow, curving salute over the cemetery before disappearing to the north.

Chief among the mourners was Smith's former wife, Elaine Mills, since remarried, who had been married to Smith for less than a year when she was widowed. Mills, 68, did not speak during the church service, but a message from her was read aloud by her sister, Annette Unser Brinker.

Mills praised the memory of all fallen veterans who watered the tree of freedom with their blood. The price that our freedom demanded didn't allow you to come back, she said. We pray for peace ... welcome home, Joe, welcome home.

The hourlong service had opened with the Rev. Alan Hunter saying those left to mourn cannot understand why Smith lost his life so young. Hunter said only God knows the answer to that: Whatever purpose Joe was created for was complete at his death, Hunter added. We do not understand this, and maybe the time will come when some of this will become clear. But we will know the full answer when we join Joe in heaven.

Several friends spoke at the service, including retired Air Force Col. Robert Plebanek, a University of Notre Dame college buddy of Smith, fellow pilot and also his brother-in-law. They had been the best man at each other's weddings, and Smith was the godfather of Plebanek's son.

He tearfully recalled his friend as a patriotic, dedicated man who flew more than 100 combat missions and won two Distinguished Flying Crosses. He said, in his own mind, that Smith would always be that dashing 25-year-old fighter pilot ready to face challenge with bravery and determination. Well, Joe, your journey is complete. We salute you, said Plebanek.

He had earlier asked a handful of Smith's fellow combat pilots, who came from all over the country for the service, to stand as the mourners honored them with a thunderous round of applause. At the graveside, those pilots stepped forward one by one to leave coins on Smith's casket.

It's a tradition, explained fellow F-100 pilot Lee Howard, 71, who served with Smith and traveled from his home in Montana to offer his comrade one last salute.

We leave a dime for the loss of someone that you knew in training and a quarter is for the loss of someone who was lost in combat. Joe and I roomed together in training and combat, and that is why Joe was especially close to me.

The small boxlike casket had been escorted from Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii by Air Force Capt. Deline Tengen, 28. She carried it in the procession from the church to the graveside and had volunteered for the mission, explaining this was the first time she had done anything like this.

I had asked my commander if I could do so, she said. I believe it is a great honor to bring back a hero.

The Order of Mass booklet opened with a picture of Smith poised next to the cockpit of his jet with the Bible quote, No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends, from John 15:13.

The last page featured John Gillespie Magee Jr.'s poem High Flight, which all students of the United States Air Force Academy memorize. Its last lines are:

Up, up the long, delirious burning blue

I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace

Where never lark, or ever eagle flew 

And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod

The high untrespassed sanctity of space,

Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.
A fast-moving wildfire west of Yosemite National Park grew to more than 7,000 acres overnight, destroying one structure and forcing residents in nearby rural communities to evacuate, officials said.

The Detwiler Fire ignited around 4 p.m. Sunday in Mariposa County about 50 miles east of Modesto near Yosemite and grew to 7,100 acres Monday.
I believe I have a plan to help the state of Illinois get a budget.

It would be very smart if the governor and the legislature vote on a bill to reduce their salaries by at least $10,000. Perhaps then they can work together to balance the budget.

I don't have facts but what I have read in the past they are paid more than other servants who serve their state.

Of course, this is a pipe dream, but I hope the people who are left in Illinois will realize how greedy the representatives from the past and present have been in our state.

I truly believe they will vote themselves a raise because they will feel they deserve it. I do hope I'm wrong. So please vote them out.

Sandra L. Fair, Mount Zion
More than 25,000 local and international artworks are stored in the National Gallery of Armenia, located in Yerevan.

The collection of paintings includes works by Hakob Hovnatanyan, Vardges Surenyants, Martiros Saryan, Ivan Aivazovsky, Ilya Repin, Tintoretto, Rubens and Jan van Goyen. Experts claim that most of these pictures, some centuries-old, are in danger.

The gallerys halls lack the required temperature and humidity, and the images are exposed to ultraviolet rays and dust.

The administration of the gallery and the Ministry of Culture acknowledge the problem, but even the fate of the gallery building is uncertain.

In the summer, the air temps in the gallery can rise to more than 35. International standards set the safest temperature for museums at 24. Artist Edgar Amroyan, who frequently visits European museums, says that this figure can fluctuate up to 1.5 degrees.

"This means that even if you calculate 25.5 with the fluctuation, it passes the permitted limit by 10-12 degrees. If you touch the pictures in the summer, they feel like a boiling teapot, and the sound of cracking is heard. Thats how terrible the situation is," says the painter.

Temperature and relative humidity are among the environmental factors that can contribute to the deterioration of valuable collections. According to the International Council of Museums (ICOM), the possible consequences of very high or very low temperatures and relative humidity are physical damage (e.g. distortion, crack, separation of canvas and paint), chemical degradation, as well as activation of insects and fungi. Temperature and humidity are interconnected, but a temperature increase is enough to speed up the chemical processes. At 30, some of the corrosive reactions can be twice as fast as at 20.

ICOM states that the temperature in showrooms (as well as the storage areas) must be constant, within the range of 18-22. Other sources state 19-24 as desirable. The relative humidity should be between 45 and 55%.

Temperature and humidity in the National Gallery of Armenia are rarely within this desirable range. Results of monitoring provided by the Ministry of Culture show that the average temperature in winter hardly reaches 18, and in the summer, it exceeds 30. The relative air humidity doesnt reach 35%.

Poor, but stable conditions, always better

Temperature fluctuation in the same room during the year can reach up to 20 degrees. Whereas the stability of storage conditions is more important than compliance with ideal standards.

"It's more profitable to keep the pictures in bad, but stable conditions, than in seemingly good, but unstable in terms of temperature and humidity conditions," says painter Arthur Khachatryan, adding that the pictures can be displayed at temperatures below 18  or above 22 , if the environment remains constant throughout the year, regardless the weather conditions.

Museum artworks can be subjected to moisture and temperature fluctuations due to weather changes, as well as the transfer of those samples (from warehouse to showroom or from country to country) and due to the ventilation system malfunction.

Ventilation is one of the issues facing the National Gallery of Armenia. Not all the halls of the gallery are ventilated. The director notes that the reason is financial and adds that out of 57 halls, only 28 have ventilators.

When Hetq visited the gallery in June, we saw only four air conditioners in 25 halls of the European, Russian and Armenian art galleries, all in the halls of Russian art. The temperature here fluctuated between 21-25 . The devices are not always on. The workers say that they sometimes turn them off, as the air temperature quickly drops. Experts claim that turning the system off and on may cause more damage to collections than lack of ventilation.

There is no ventilation in European and Armenian art halls. Here, the temperature is above 30. In the European art halls, there are portable electric fans, which reduce the temperature only for a short distance and for a short time.

Two fans are in Italian, another two - in the Flemish halls, where works of Donatello, Tintoretto, Mancini and others are presented, including five to six-hundred-year-old artworks.

Corrosive rays and dust from open windows

Gallery workers must open the windows to ventilate the exhibition halls and create working conditions. They have no alternative. The artists say there was even a case when somebody fainted because of the heat.

As a result, dust and dirt penetrate the rooms. Ongoing construction takes place outside. The building is surrounded by traffic on three sides. Car emissions can also penetrate the halls.

On the day of our visit, the windows of almost all the European and Armenian halls were open.

Exhausts, however, are not the only external factors that damage the artworks. Accepted advice is to eliminate natural light from museums, as light and ultraviolet radiation are the biggest enemy of fabric, including canvases. Because of their photochemical effect, colors become faded, and tissues become more fragile and easily separable.

Ivan Aivazovskys Descent of Noah from Ararat (1889). The window to the side is open.

"Light can multiply the adverse effects of bad weather conditions. Damage caused by light often accelerates from high relative humidity and temperature," says the handbook by the International Council of Museums.

It is preferable to have artificial lighting sufficient to see the collection and work. If, however, natural light is the main source of lighting in a museum or a gallery, it is recommended to disperse and filter it, covering the windows with UV protection films.

Artificial lights are switched on in all the halls of the National Gallery of Armenia, but windows or curtains are also open. The painters add that the frame glasses direct the light to the paintings. Arthur Khachatryan says that nobody puts glasses of such poor quality on their own windows.

A New Ventilation System or a New Building for the Gallery?

The Ministry of Culture responds that "they are going to install solar insulation on the windows". Specialists of Consel LTD, that studied the Gallery months ago, concluded that "none of the windows in the gallery comply with the Armenian construction and energy efficiency standards" and suggested replacing them.

The company also proposed to design a new ventilation and air conditioning system, as the energy efficiency of the former system, which has been operating for about 40 years, is quite low, and the repair and future operation of the old equipment doesnt make sense.

The ministry hasnt commented on the suggestions of the company. The above-mentioned standards of lighting and temperature are preserved, for example, in the hall of the "100 canvases of social realism" temporary exhibit, whose organizer is not the gallery. Most of the halls here have artificial lighting, and the main temperature is 21-24.

Gallery Director Arman Tsaturyan links the poor conditions in the permanent exhibition halls to insufficient financial allocations. "Theres an axiom, the money is never enough. But realizing that this is a state structure, and the state cannot be generous given its other problems, we must be satisfied for the moment," says Tsaturyan.

There is no funding allocated by the state budget 2017 for the heating and ventilation system in the gallery. Tsaturyan adds that they bought several air conditioners with gallery funds, and have applied to the Ministry of Culture for the rest.

"I am sure that we will have better conditions soon," the director says.

Consel LTD made proposals to introduce a new system in accordance with the directive of culture minister Armen Amiryan. However, the ministry considers all measures, including the acquisition of new equipment, as a temporary solution, since the gallery will be housed in a new building. Minister Amiryan made the claim at the beginning of the year, at a meeting with the gallery director.

The culture ministry is short on specifics. What new building are they talking about? When will the gallery be relocated? What will the current building be used for? The ministry hasnt answered these questions, saying that "the issue is not clarified yet".

If things dont change, the paintings wont last long

Artists say that the issue should be resolved this summer. Edgar Amroyan emphasizes the urgency of maintaining the artworks in the European department, taking into account their antiquity and, hence, high value.

The European section has 350-500-year-old artworks. The earliest exhibits date to the 14th century, like an unknown Roman-Greek artist's Virgin Mary from the Annunciation. The painters say that the collection reached Armenia with great difficulties and it was the third museum in the USSR. Even now, they say, it can be considered as one of the bests, but only in terms of the collection.

Edgar is now in Auckland, New Zealand. That towns gallery collection is about 60% of the Armenias Gallery collection, and its classic artworks number not more than twenty. Nevertheless, the air temperature in the Auckland gallery is 21, there is moisture-maintaining equipment, and weather conditions are taken into consideration when adjusting conditions inside.

Edgar and Arthur say that these problems are unacceptable. European standards even consider microbes brought by the air conditioner undesirable. They are afraid that thousands of artworks stored in the warehouses are in worse shape.

They are sure that many foreign professionals will agree to assist the gallery for free, if Armenia covers their transportation and accommodation.

"If it goes on like this, the artworks wont last long," Edgar says.
By Markar Melkonian

Part I  Ignoring the Apocalypse

Readers of Hetq might have noticed a recent series of articles describing the sad fate of some 90-100,000 repatriates who relocated to the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic from Europe, the Middle East, and the United States between 1946 and 1960. Hetq has published fifteen articles in this series, from 23 May to 29 June 2017. The several authors of these articles describe how the repatriates, or akhbarner as the locals came to call them, quickly soured on life in the ASSR.

From the day of their arrival the repatriates came face to face with the true nature of the Soviet system: It was crude, authoritarian, and totally indifferent towards the dignity and fate of the individual, one of the author tells us. The system was full of violence, fear, and barriers. (Aghasi Tadevosyan, Soviet Socialism and the Difficulties of Repatriate Integration, Hetq, May 25.) Most of the repatriates or their children eventually left Armenia and returned to the diaspora, bitterly disillusioned.

This series of articles comes on the heels of several high-profile projects about the ill-fated repatriates. Other projects include Hazel Antaramian-Hofmans current multi-media presentation, Stream of Light, at the Armenian Center for Contemporary Experimental Art in Yerevan, and My Genius of Humanity (2015), a full-length play written by Richard Kalinoski and commissioned by the Fresno State University Theatre.

I have not seen Kalinoskis play, but according to the promotional material, it tells the story of the Davidian family, who were among the few hundred Armenian Americans who were seduced by the Stalinist regime of the Soviet Union to resettle in their homeland, Armenia, in 1947 and 1949. Instead of the promised paradise, the family arrives in a place of grinding poverty dominated by a stubborn communist bureaucracy and infused with an insidious paranoia. There, the food is terrible, the lines for bread are long, and the lack of privacy is piercing and humiliating. And so on.

We have heard the parable many times: naive diasporan Armenians, raised in an atmosphere of prosperity and freedom in the West (or in Western-influenced countries of the Middle East) make their way to an advertised socialist utopia, only to encounter bitter disappointment. Thus disabused of their idealism, they try desperately to extricate themselves from the trap. After much travail, most of them return to the West, with a new appreciation for Democracy and the Free Market.

The Inconsequential Slaughter of Tens of Millions

So far, the series in Hetq on the repatriates consists of a total of approximately 21,000 words. In all of these words, there is almost no mention of the fact that, at the height of the immigration to Armenia, the country was trying desperately to claw its way out from under the ruins of World War II. Lets take a slightly closer look at the condition of Armenia in the late 1940s.

Hitlers massive invasion of the Soviet Union, launched in June 1941 (just five or six years before the beginning of the largest wave of repatriation), was the largest military operation in history. The invasion took place along a 2900-kilometer front, from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea. The invading force comprised 134 divisions of Hitlers military machine, the Wehrmacht, at full fighting strength, plus more than 73 additional divisions deployed behind the front, plus 650,000 troops from German allies. (By comparison, the USA and the UK together faced 2 German divisions during their heaviest fighting in Sicily.) The Wehrmacht deployed some 600,000 motorized vehicles and more than 4000 aircraft in the first stage of the attack. In the course of four years Hitlers forces decimated 1700 Soviet towns and cities, 70,000 smaller towns and villages, 31,800 factories, 1900 collective farms, 84,000 schools, 43,000 libraries and 65,000 kilometers of railway. The invaders razed agriculture and industry, maimed tens of millions, and killed more than 26 million Soviet citizens (Max Hastings, Inferno, Vintage, 2012; William Moskoff, The Bread of Affliction, Cambridge UP, 2002).

Armenian casualties alone - more than a quarter million - equaled the total American casualty count from the European and Pacific theatres put together. (Let us recall that the USA finally joined the war--despite widespread pro-Nazi sympathy among American politicians and corporate leaders--more than five months after Hitlers invasion of the Soviet Union.) Almost every family in the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic had a member who fought or died in the war, and even those who did not fight lived under conditions of deprivation, including dire food shortages, and the threat of invasion by a vicious enemy at the gates.

Hitlers forces laid siege to the city of Stalingrad, on the way to the oil fields of Baku. Historians believe that it is likely that if the Wehrmacht had succeeded in taking Stalingrad and capturing those oil fields, the Republic of Turkey would have joined the Axis Powers. If that had happened, Turkey might well have resumed its territorial offensive against Armenia, and for the second time in 27 years, the survival of the Armenian nation would have been up in the air.

The war ended less than two years before the first big wave of immigration to Soviet Armenia. Yet the authors of Hetqs series on post-war emigration have managed to tiptoe around this overwhelming reality. Their most sustained reference to WWII is a parenthetical note from the 13 June installment: according to the author, some of the new arrivals rationalized the difficulties they faced in Armenia, because just recently the country had been at war.

We also read a passing reference, in the 27 May installment, to soldiers taken prisoner in the war or who had served in the Armenian Legion. The author provides no follow-up explanation about the war or the Armenian Legion. The term the war appears in the May 30 installment; the phrase after World War II appears in the 3 June installment, and the two words war loses appear in the 16 June installment. And that is it: out of the fifteen installments in this series, composed of 21,000 words, fewer than 30 scattered words refer to the devastation that had just taken place in the USSR and Soviet Armenia.

One might have thought that understanding the consequences of the war would help us to make sense of the repatriates experiences. If one were to take the devastation into account, for example, the reader might gain an insight into why the local population, having just emerged from four years of hell, might have resented the well-dressed and relatively wealthy late-arrivals from the diaspora.

Surely the brutality of the war had something to do with the violence, fear, and barriers that the new arrivals confronted a few years later. The new arrivals encountered an entire population suffering from what psychologists today would call Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Under these circumstances, is it really so surprising that newcomers would perceive the locals as crude, authoritarian, and indifferent towards the dignity of the individual? Is it really so surprising that a country that had just lost 26 million citizens to a foreign invader would be infused with an insidious paranoia?

(Consider, by way of comparison, Americas insidious paranoia after the 7 December 1941 Japanese attack on the American Naval base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii: 110,000 ethnic Japanese, mostly U.S. citizens, were sent to interment camps. Or consider Americas insidious paranoia after the Al Qaeda bombings of September 11, 2001: in response, America enacted the Patriot Act, mobilized the Department of Homeland Security, ramped up the practice of torture and the extrajudicial killings of American citizens, monitored hundreds of millions of its citizens personal communications daily, and extended its archipelago of secret prisons across the globeall in response to an attack that caused fewer than 3000 deaths.)

One can already hear the commentators objecting: to point out that 26 million Soviet citizens had been killed by a foreign invader six or eight years before the repatriates arrived is just to make excuses for communist totalitarianism!

For the record: yes, Joseph Stalin was a tyrant and a mass murder. (Let us keep in mind that the first of his millions of victims were communists: among other things, Stalin killed Lenins closest comrades, decimated Lenins party, and destroyed the October Revolution.)

But let us also remember that the USA, depicted in the series as the antithesis of Soviet totalitarianism, has had more than its share of tyrants and murderers, from before Andrew Jackson to the present day. The Dulles brothers, John Foster and Allen, for example, caused the deaths of more unarmed civilians that Stalin didand in less time. John Foster and Allen Dulles, as U.S. Secretary of State (1953-1959) and head of the CIA (1953-1961) respectively, presided over violent coups and mass killings, from Iran to Guatemala, Congo, Cuba, and beyond, and set the stage for many millions of deaths in subsequent years.

But Americans do not let their history of genocides, slavery, and wars of aggression get in the way of their patriotic celebrations. When it comes to the Soviet Union, by contrast, we are supposed to take literally the sardonic comment of Fidel Castro Ruz, the late President of the Republic of Cuba: the Soviet Union, he said, is the only country in history that had no enemies, only victims.

Enemies of Idealism

This series on the repatriates, we are informed, was financed by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED). The NED describes itself as a private, non-profit foundation dedicated to the growth and strengthening of democratic institutions around the world. As it turns out, this private foundation is in fact funded by an annual allocation by the U.S. Congress, through the U.S. Information Agency. (Google it.) Here we have yet another example of western-funded nongovernmental organizations that are, as a matter of fact, blunt projections of foreign state power.

The NED is not an organization devoted to scholarship. In the course of its thirty-four years of existence, the Endowment has embraced all manner of rightwing tyrants, including perpetrators of dirty wars in Latin America, supporters of apartheid in South Africa, and murderous regimes in Central America. Throughout the entire series, the irony is there for all to see: our NED-financed authors commit the very same sin that they denounce when it comes to totalitarian Soviet officialdom: these authors themselves grotesquely misrepresent reality, spreading half-truths and officially sanctioned lies and falsifications (Hetq 23 May), in the course of serving an agency of a brutal state.

When we are denied an accurate and balanced understanding of the historical context of the post-war wave of immigration to Armenia, we are left with little more than Cold War cliches about the evils of Bolshevism and the foolishness of pursuing any goal loftier than personal enrichment and the consumption of commodities. The terribly sad story of the repatriates, torn out of its historical setting, becomes yet another skewed narrative that saps the idealism of our young compatriots and denigrates the honorable sacrifices of their grandparents and great grandparents, both repatriates and native-born Soviet citizens.

* * *

To be continued - The series on repatriates published in Hetq stressed the cultural differences that separated them from the local population. I will take up this topic in Part Two of this presentation. I will also say a few well-chosen words about the experiences of more recent repatriates who have tried to make their lives in the post-Soviet Republic of Armenia, and about emigration from Armenia since its return to capitalist rule.

Top photo: Between 1946 and 1947, 100,000 Armenians left their homes in Europe, the Americas, and the Middle East to settle in Soviet Armenia. (Photo taken at an Alexandria port in 1947, courtesy of AGBU Alexandria)

(The article is an opinion piece, and the opinions expressed do not necessarily represent the views of Hetq, its editors, or its publishers.)

Markar Melkonian is a teacher and an author. His books include Richard Rortys Politics: Liberalism at the End of the American Century (1999), Marxism: A Post-Cold War Primer (Westview Press, 1996), and My Brothers Road (2005).
In a statement released on the 1st anniversary of the armed seizure of a Yerevan police station, the Sasna Dzrer group boasted that its action was the first of its kind against the Turko-Bolshevik system since 1921.

The statement, signed by members and supporters of the group, and others, says that the seizure of the police station, which it held for two weeks before surrendering to law enforcement, was in the name of national liberation and the creation of democracy in Armenia.

Sasna Dzrer had demanded the release of opposition leader Jirair Sefilyan and the resignation of President Serzh Sargsyan. Two policemen died during the standoff.

The incident sparked large demonstrations in Yerevan calling for regime change.

The group says its action last year broke the veil of complacency of the people and awoke their consciousness.

There is one decision to be made by the people of Armenia, the group argues in its statement  wither to remain fodder for the regime, a commodity to be used, to facilitate it agenda and ultimately disappear, or else to adopt our own unique path, infused with patriotism and historical legacy to create a system, whose core must be all the territory of the Armenian highlands, in order to forge a pan-Armenian agenda that will require all our individual, group and public efforts.

The group says the first issue to be tackled by this pan-Armenian agenda is to establish a new sovereign and democratic republic on the territory of the Republic of Armenia and Artsakh.
BURLINGTON  With a limited menu, Freds Parkview restaurant welcomed customers on Sunday looking to eat a good burger.

Manager Julie Busch said the popular restaurant at 596 N. Pine St. had 3 feet of water in its basement from the flooding on Wednesday.

We had to turn off our electricity even before the electric went out, Busch said. Then when they did turn it on, we had to get all the water out of our basement before we could reopen.

Busch remembers leaving at 1 p.m. Wednesday and the basement being dry at the time.

I came back at 3 p.m. and we had 8 inches, Busch said. We had to shut it down  never a drop of water in the basement for 37 years; this is the first time.

The impact the flooding had on businesses in downtown Burlington has been substantial, with many spending days without power or customers, as they also were dealing with their own flooding damage.

According to the Wisconsin Emergency Management, the Fox River in Burlington is at minor flood stage at 11.7 feet and its anticipated to drop below flood stage by Tuesday.

Burgers and fries

For Freds, the damage meant throwing out all food in the coolers and freezers in the basement.

The soda gun compressor was underwater, so patrons were served cans of soda poured over ice.

We have burgers and fries and thats it, because we cant get any frozen products until Monday, Busch said on Sunday. Were back. We have a limited menu today, and were trying to do the best we can and limp along until were fully open (Monday).

On Saturday, employees spent the day cleaning and throwing items away.

Beyond organizations like the National Guard, American Red Cross and the Salvation Army, Busch said neighbors and the community as a whole have been working together to help others.

Theres been tons of positivity, Busch said. The greatest thing, I think, is just looking at Facebook  people that did have electricity and that did have power, they were inviting people over constantly.

Back on stage

The cliche phrase the show must go on was never more real for the performers of The Haylofters, a community theater located at 109 N. Main St., who began performances of the musical Cabaret on Saturday after a two-day postponement because of the flood.

Corina Kretschmer, community outreach coordinator and a performer for The Haylofters, said that although the damage was minimal, they did get some flooding where they store their props.

Some of them were antiques and were not going to be able to get those back, Kretschmer said. But we definitely couldve gotten far worse.

The crowds, Kretschmer said, have been full of energy.

Considering the fact of everything thats been going on, its been fabulous, Kretschmer said. Were not sold out, but were definitely doing very well, considering.

For Kretschmer, who lives right along the Fox River, the stage has been a welcome escape from the harsh reality at her home.

We had about 4 feet of water in our basement, so were trying to recover from that, Kretschmer said, adding that she has been staying with family in the meantime. Because of whats been going on, I can leave that behind and be someone else and take that off of my mind for a while (while at the theater).
A security computer patrolling the grounds of a Washington, D.C., office building tragically "drowned" Monday in the building's decorative wading pool.

At least it looked drowned to CrystalMD founder Bilai Farooqui, who shared a photo of the hapless bot of lying face down  or maybe it was face up  in less than two feet of water. It's possible that the robot, a Knightscope K5 security robot, could be fine if someone blasts it with a hair blower or maybe drops it in a vat of rice.

The mobile, nosecone-shaped K5 security robots are designed to patrol areas such as office buildings, malls and parking lots to "gather data with smart eyes and ears." They guide themselves through "complex environments" by using video cameras, LIDAR, thermal imaging, license plate recognition, GPS and proximity sensors.

Unfortunately, all those feature did not prevent the machine from rolling down a few stairs and into an indoor pool that lacked 360-degree fencing.

Stacy Dean Stephens, Knightscope's vice president of marketing and sales, said in an email that incident was an isolated event and is under investigation. She noted that no people were harmed and said that the robot would be replaced per a service agreement.

This is not the first time a K5 robot has ended up on its back. In April, a K5 was assaulted by an allegedly intoxicated man and knocked to the ground in Mountain View.

And last July, a K5 unit made headlines when it ran over a 16-month toddler, hurting his leg and foot, at the Stanford Shopping Mall.

Knightscope, which has 24 locations in five states including one in Mountain View, deploys "commandingbut friendly" security robots in malls , corporate campuses and data centers.

According to the company, the fully automated, autonomous data machines operate around the clock and are outfitted with cutting-edge technology designed to protect people and property.

They are not designed to be amphibious. At least not yet.

H/t to Digg.
BRUSSELS  Talks to extricate Britain from the European Union began in earnest Monday with both sides still seemingly far apart on citizens rights after Brexit officially takes place in less than two years.

After an initial meeting last month where the structure of the talks was determined, Britains Brexit minister, David Davis, met up with the EUs chief Brexit negotiator in Brussels ahead of four days of discussions.

Progress on citizens rights is one of the three main issues that have to be resolved before the two sides can start talking about a wide-ranging free trade deal, the others being the bill Britain has to pay to meet existing commitments and the border issue in Ireland.

The British proposal offers EU citizens who have lived in Britain for at least five years the right to live, work and access benefits. The estimated 3 million EU citizens in Britain would all have to apply individually for permission to stay, and its unclear what the plan would mean for those who have been in the United Kingdom for a shorter time or what rights family members will have.

European officials have said the British proposal to give EU citizens settled status does not go far enough. The European Parliament warned last week it could veto the final deal if Britain doesnt give EU citizens more rights if they choose to stay in Britain after Brexit, which is due to take place in March 2019.

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said the a recent offer by Prime Minister Theresa May for EU citizens in Britain is a very fair, serious offer.

The issue is the first to be tackled at four days of talks that started Monday. Whatever emerges will likely be replicated for the 1 million or so British citizens who currently live in EU countries.

It is incredibly important we now make good progress, Davis said after beginning the talks with chief EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier.
BEIRUT  U.S.-backed Syrian fighters fought Islamic State militants in the heart of Raqqa, the extremists self-styled capital, on Monday, as scores of civilians fled areas controlled by the group.

The Kurdish-led group has been one of the most effective forces fighting the militants in Syria, but it has also clashed with Turkish-backed Syrian forces elsewhere in the country. As it battled in Raqqa, the SDF also fought Turkish-allied Syrian forces in Ein Daqna, in the neighboring Aleppo province, according to Syrian activists and Turkish media.

The Syrian Democratic Forces, aided by the U.S.-led coalition, launched their offensive to capture Raqqa on June 6 and have since taken several areas. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Mondays fighting was concentrated in Raqqas southwestern neighborhood of Yarmouk as well as in a central area close to the Old City.

The SDF said intense fighting was under way in central Raqqa, adding that its fighters had taken positions near a centuries-old mosque known as the Old Mosque.

The intensification of fighting comes a week after Iraqi forces declared victory against Islamic State in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, the largest city the extremists have held. The loss of Raqqa would deal a major blow to the militants, but the group still holds wide areas of the eastern province of Deir el-Zour, bordering Iraq.

The Kurdish-run Hawar news agency said some 180 civilians were able to flee areas controlled by Islamic State, while the Observatory put the number in the hundreds.

The SDF is dominated by a Kurdish militia known as the YPG, which Turkey views as an extension of the Kurdish insurgency raging in its own territory. Turkish troops and allied Syrian forces rolled into Syria last year in order to battle Islamic State and halt the advance of the SDF. The U.S.-led coalition has sought to stop the fighting between Turkey and the SDF, both of which are allies against Islamic State.

The website of Turkeys pro-government A Haber television said Turkish-backed Syrian opposition fighters began a large operation against the SDF in Ein Daqna, close to the Turkish border. The website quotes unnamed local sources as saying that intense clashes were ongoing.

Rezan Hiddo, an SDF political officer, said the group had repelled the assault on Ein Daqna.
AMMAN, Jordan  A Jordanian soldier was sentenced Monday to life in prison after being convicted of killing three U.S. military trainers last year, but some said questions lingered about his motive for the shooting at a Jordanian air base.

Jordan has ruled out terrorism in the November shooting in which the convoy of the U.S. Army Green Berets came under fire at the base entrance.

The defendant has said he felt no animosity toward Americans and opened fire because he believed the base was coming under attack.

However, relatives of the slain U.S. troops have described security camera footage that they say shows him shooting for six minutes, reloading and aiming at the Americans, even as they identify themselves as friendly forces.

After entering a not-guilty plea, the Jordanian soldier, 1st Sgt. Marik al-Tuwayha, was tried by a military court in Jordans capital of Amman for the killings of Staff Sgt. Matthew Lewellen, 27, of Kirksville, Mo.; Staff Sgt. Kevin McEnroe, 30, of Tucson; and Staff Sgt. James Moriarty, 27, of Kerrville, Texas.

During the monthlong trial, he watched the proceedings silently while standing in a cage in the courtroom.

He did not react Monday when the judge announced the verdict and the maximum possible sentence, life in prison with hard labor. When he was led out of the cage, he said: I have all the respect for the king, but I was doing my job.

Relatives of two of the U.S. soldiers sat quietly as the judge read the ruling.

Charles Lewellen, 53, whose son was killed, later said the verdict wont take the pain away, but that it proved what we have been saying all along ... that he murdered our sons.

Some of the relatives criticized Jordans handling of the case and said the defendant should have received the death penalty. Jordan allows the death penalty, but it is usually handed down in terrorism cases or in a murder coupled with another crime.

The Americans were killed Nov. 4, as their convoy waited at the gate to the al-Jafr base in southern Jordan. Jordan initially said the Americans triggered the shooting by disobeying entry rules, a claim that was later withdrawn.

The trial confirmed that the deceased U.S. service members followed all established procedures when accessing the base the day of the incident, as we have noted before, the U.S. Embassy in Jordan said. We are reassured to see the perpetrator brought to justice.

Reem Saad and Omar Akour are Associated Press writers.
JERUSALEM  Islamic leaders called on Muslims on Monday to boycott a Jerusalem holy site at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in a gesture of protest after Israel set up metal detectors at the sites entrance gates following a deadly Arab attack there last week.

For the first time in decades, Israel closed the site  sacred to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as the Temple Mount  on Friday, after three Arab Muslim Israeli citizens opened fire from the holy compound with automatic weapons, killing two police officers before they were shot and killed.

Israel reopened the compound to Muslim worshipers on Sunday after imposing new security measures, including metal detectors at the entrance gates and additional security cameras.

The Waqf, Jordans Islamic authority that manages religious affairs at the site, was outraged over the metal detectors. Dozens of worshipers have prayed on the streets near the gate after refusing to enter via the metal detectors.

Police said Monday evening that some 200 Palestinians threw stones at officers who dispersed them. A day earlier, minor scuffles broke out as some Muslim worshipers tried to stop others from using the gates, Israeli media reported.

Police said that despite the tensions, hundreds of worshipers had entered the compound.

The Waqf, together with other Islamic groups, issued a statement Monday calling on Muslims to reject and boycott all the Israeli aggression measures, including changing the historical status quo including imposing the metal detectors.

They called on the faithful not to enter the mosque through the detectors. The statement further said that if the metal detectors continue to be imposed, we call upon the people to pray in front of the gates of the mosque and in the streets of Jerusalem.

The fate of the compound, holy to both Jews and Muslims, is an emotional issue and forms the centerpiece of rival Israeli and Palestinian national narratives. Any perceived changes to the delicate arrangements at the site can spark tensions. Its closure after Fridays attack prompted condemnations from the Arab world.

The Jerusalem shrine has been the scene of repeated confrontations but Fridays brazen shooting was rare because it took place inside the compound and also because the attackers were from Israels Arab minority.

Ian Deitch is an Associated Press writer.
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CARACAS, Venezuela  Opposition leaders said more than 7.1 million people responded to its call to vote Sunday in a symbolic rejection of President Nicolas Maduros plan to rewrite the constitution, a plan that has raised tensions in a nation suffering through widespread shortages and months of antigovernment demonstrations.

Analysts said the vote for the opposition across Venezuela and the countrys far-flung diaspora was an impressive show of support. However, it fell short of the oppositions 7.7 million-vote showing in 2015 legislative elections and the 7.5 million votes that brought Maduro to power in 2013. Opposition leaders said that was because they were only able to arrange 2,000 polling places in a largely symbolic exercise that the government labeled as illegitimate. Still, some supporters said they were disappointed.
CARACAS, Venezuela  Venezuelan opposition leaders called Monday for a 24-hour nationwide strike to increase pressure on the socialist government after more than 7 million people rejected a plan to rewrite the constitution and consolidate the ruling partys power over the country.

The opposition said the countrys National Assembly, which it controls, would name new members to the government-dominated Supreme Court, setting up a showdown with President Nicolas Maduro, whose party controls nearly all other state institutions. Opposition parties also plan to sign a declaration calling for the formation of an alternative government of national unity, a step toward total rejection of government authority.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates  A Chinese-American graduate student at Princeton University sentenced to 10 years in prison in Iran for allegedly infiltrating the country and sending confidential material abroad is innocent of all charges against him, his professor said Monday.

Xiyue Wangs arrest, which happened nearly a year ago, only came to light Sunday when Irans judiciary announced his sentence and the detention of President Hassan Rouhanis brother in an unrelated case.

Princeton said that it is very distressed by the charges leveled against Wang while he was carrying out scholarly research in the Islamic Republic. The university has been working with Wangs family, the U.S. government, lawyers and others to secure his release, it said.

Xiyue Wang is a remarkable, linguistically gifted graduate student, said Princeton Professor Stephen Kotkin, who has served as Wangs doctoral adviser. He is innocent of all the charges.

An article posted on Mizan Online, a website affiliated with Irans judiciary, said Wang, 37, was born in Beijing and is a dual national of the United States and China.

He has already filed an appeal to his sentence, according to the website.

Wang was arrested on Aug. 8, 2016, and is accused of passing confidential information about Iran to the U.S. State Department, Princetons Sharmin and Bijan Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Iran and Persian Gulf Studies, the Harvard Kennedy School, and the British Institute of Persian Studies, Mizan Online said.

It alleged he scanned some 4,500 pages of digital documents, paid thousands of dollars to access archives he needed and sought access to confidential areas of Tehran libraries.

He was arrested while conducting research on the Qajar dynasty for his doctorate in late 19th and early 20th century Eurasian history, according to Princeton. He was expecting to continue his research in Russia and needed to get as much work done in Iran as he could before taking up a fellowship there, Kotkin said.

That included scanning large volumes of documents that he could access later  something Kotkin described as normal, standard scholarly practice. The documents he accessed were roughly 100 years old, the professor said.

We saw nothing out of the ordinary on anything that he undertook or did, Kotkin said. Hes a graduate student in good standing.

Adam Schreck is an Associated Press writer.
Delegat Group, New Zealand's largest listed winemaker, has lifted its operating profit guidance after a record year for case sales.

The Auckland-based winemaker, whose brands include Oyster Bay, is now projecting $38.5 million in net operating profit for the year ended 30 June 2017, from $37 million in 2016. The company has achieved record case sales of 2.656 million cases, it said, ahead of its targeted 9 percent increase in global case sales to 2.632 million cases in the 2017 financial year.

The company previously forecast full-year operating profit to be in line with 2016's record $37 million, based on then-current exchange rates, although it said at the time that forex volatility makes it difficult to forecast financial performance.

Delegat has previously said that the numbers reported under conventional financial reporting standards don't give enough insight into its performance as they don't allow for fair value movements for its vines and grapes. Today the company forecast $2.2 million in positive fair value adjustments for the year, which it expects to result in a reported profit after tax of $40.7 million, from $54 million in 2016.

In the first half, Delegat posted a 17 percent gain in operating profit, which excluded one-time movements in asset valuations, to $24.7 million on a 6 percent gain in operating revenue to $135.8 million. The bulk of Delegat's first-half sales came from its distribution in its New Zealand, Canada, Asia and Pacific segment. Revenue and profit from Europe dropped in the first half, while they rose in the United States. Its full results are due in August.

The shares rose 2.3 percent to $6.65, and have gained 12.1 percent this year.

(BusinessDesk)

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The Supreme Court has dismissed a bid by Pyne Gould's Torchlight Fund No 1 LP and NZ Credit Fund to appeal a prior ruling that ordered it to pay more than A$30 million to Wilaci Pty in late payment fees.

The case concerns a loan to TLF1 from Wilaci, an entity connected with Australian businessman John Grill. Wilaci loaned the funds in August 2012 to help Torchlight Fund No 1 LP through what managing director George Kerr described as "a very tight liquidity situation" when Bank of Scotland International was leaving Australasia and calling for repayment from its debtors, including Torchlight's Australian real estate investment, RCL Group. A high-profile dispute with the Financial Markets Authority made it more difficult for Kerr to recapitalise Torchlight.

The loan was due to be repaid by October 26, 2012, a deadline that was missed, although Wilaci didn't immediately call on the loan. Rather it managed the repayment through seven tranches between October 2013 and May 2014. In late May of that year Wilaci issued a demand for payment of A$33.6 million, which included a $5 million facility fee, A$320,000 of interest and late payment fees, which by then totalled A$28.3 million. Payment was not made and TLF1 was placed in receivership in 2014.

Torchlight then issued proceedings in the High Court and in October 2015, the High Court ruled that a late payment fee claimed by Wilaci was a penalty fee and was unenforceable. Wilaci then appealed this ruling. Earlier this year, the Court of Appeal overturned that ruling and ordered the TLF1 to pay A$31.5 million in late payment fees to Wilaci.

Torchlight then turned to the Supreme Court for the right to appeal, arguing that the proposed appeal would provide greater certainty about the application of penalty doctrine to commercial agreements and the proper identification of the "legitimate interests" of the lender to be protected in such cases.

The Supreme Court noted, however, the contract was governed by the law of New South Wales and the focus of the Court of Appeal decision was on the application of the decision of the High Court of Australia in a different case that also involved the doctrine of penalties in Australia.

While Torchlight submits that the Court's views would be helpful more generally in New Zealand the Supreme Court said it would be deciding based on that case "with no ability - given it is under New South Wales law, - to depart from that decision or to address how the same issue might be approached in New Zealand."

It also said the case is not one that was marked by a "sufficiently apparent error, made or left uncorrected by the Court of Appeal," that would warrant an appeal.

As a result, it dismissed the application for leave to appeal and ordered to applicants to pay the respondent cost of $2,500.

(BusinessDesk)

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The Labour Party would target multinationals operating in New Zealand to ensure they don't avoid paying tax if it wins power and is targeting $600 million over three years through a "diverted profits tax," says leader Andrew Little.

A Labour government would increase funding to Inland Revenue to chase unpaid taxes and give it the power to impose tax "at a penalty rate if they believe that tax has been deliberately avoided," he said.

Even on current tax settings, multinationals should be paying more. Labour is budgeting to collect an additional $600 million over three years. We will resource IRDs investigations unit to do their job properly with an additional $30 million injection each year, Little said in a statement.

He said the UK has had a positive experience adopting such measures and companies such as Amazon were now booking their profits in the UK rather than in jurisdictions with lower tax requirements.

Little also released an open letter written to multinational companies in which he invites them to a round-table meeting immediately after the Sept. 23 election, assuming Labour wins power.

"I intend to address the rising discontent among New Zealanders regarding multinational companies not contributing fairly," he says in the letter. "I invite you to attend this meeting and work together to ensure New Zealand is a fair place to operate and a great place to live. I look forward to discussing this with you further."

A diverted profits tax is an important tool to encourage multinationals to behave appropriately and pay their fair share of tax like every New Zealander who works for a living," he said. "They dont have tricky accountants to help them dodge their obligations."

(BusinessDesk)

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In this Aug. 13, 2016 photo, Ed Rosenthal, nicknamed the "Ganja Guru," judges marijuana plants at a competition designed to select nine specimens for display at the Oregon State Fair.
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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Founded by Italian immigrants who settled in Rosebank, the 114th annual Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel opened Thursday evening on Staten Island's East Shore -- where lively community spirit and camaraderie is commonplace.

Just ask any of its coordinators and they'll tell you the time-honored tradition -- Rosebank's best kept secret -- harkens back to a simpler time. And coordinators are hopeful the cherished custom will be handed down from generation to generation and be preserved for many years to come.

The feast -- or festa Italiana -- is open to the public at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 15; Sunday, July 16; Thursday, July 20; Friday, July 21; Saturday, July 22, and Sunday, July 23.

Walk through the celebration and you're greeted by stands grilling sausage and peppers, hamburgers and hot dogs; others frying zeppoles, and still others where ice cream and other sweet treats are available.

Stands where skill-testing games of chance challenge children and adults also dot the celebratory event, as does a stage where entertainers sing their hearts out to attract borough residents to the annual tradition.

The on-premise grotto handcrafted back in 1937 by members of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Society -- a group founded by Italian immigrant laborers in 1903 -- serves as a heartwarming tribute to Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

The amazing creation comes replete with thousands of smooth, rounded small stones with several altars and shrines, a peaceful spot where borough residents can light candles and pray.

Built with stones and seashells from the Staten Island shore, the shrine is situated between Amity Place and Virginia Avenue.

Another shrine to Vito Louis Russo, the grandfather of "The Godfather" actor Gianni Russo and one of the founders of the shrine and the annual event, is also in full view.

Nephew Vito Russo, who is one of the coordinators, noted:

"It started 114 years ago. And we only missed one year and that was during World War II because a number of the boys in the area were away at the time."

Russo adds: "It's a good crowd. God came through this time. We're getting out of the rain now. It's a reunion spot and Rosebank is the hub."

Russo goes on to explain, "The gate to the grotto is open 24 hours a day. People come here to pray and light candles and they leave money."

"People come from all over the world to come here," said Mike Cataldo, who also helps coordinate the event with his wife, Ellen. "They learn about it from the Internet. We are registered as a national and state landmark. And we don't make a lot of money. It's a tradition. Our ancestors wouldn't want us to charge too much.

"The feast we have here is like home. And the food we prepare is just like what we prepare at home."

"On Sunday at 9 a.m., we leave and the procession begins and we carry the statue of Our Lady of Mount Carmel," Cataldo added. "People pin money on the statue. If it wasn't for the feast, the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Society wouldn't exist."

In what was a fabulous performance, Friday evening saw Vito Picone and the Elegants take center stage. Rag Doll's tribute to Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons unfolds on Saturday, July 15; The Excellents on Friday, July 21; Rick Alviti's Elvis tribute on Saturday, July 22; and Nostalgia '50s-'60s dance party on Sunday, July 23.

A special kid's program by Bernie's Funhouse takes place at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, July 16, with a special appearance by Uncle Floyd and croooner Carl Thomas.

A highlight of the society's annual festival is a procession from the shrine through the streets of Rosebank. The 2017 ceremony takes place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, July 16, with the Larry Laurenzano Festival Band providing the live soundtrack.

For additional information, call 347-204-5203.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The last time Marissa Ranello and Shawn Glancy saw their Yorkshire Terrier Dee Dee was Oct. 7, 2014.

That was the day the then 7-year-old dog got out of the couple's gated Mariners Harbor yard, and was seen on surveillance footage being taken by a couple.

Now, nearly three years after that incident, Dee Dee has been reunited with her owners, who now live in New Jersey, after she was found by Christian Rodriguez and Diamante Suarez Friday night.

The two posted about their find in a local lost pets Facebook group, and Ranello happened upon the find when she was visiting family in Staten Island.

"It was a total fluke," she said.

Ranello said she recognized the lost dog as Dee Dee because of his coat's distinct color, and she contacted the duo who found the dog.

After exchanging information, everyone met, and the dog was reunited with his owners.

"We are ecstatic. We're shocked. We're extremely happy," Ranello said.

Ranello, who was six months pregnant when the dog was lost, said she's excited for her son to finally meet Dee Dee.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- In response to the traffic problems that plagued motorists Sunday night, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said Monday that the Bayonne Bridge will be open every Sunday evening.

"In response to traveler concerns and what has become record volumes of traffic going over the Outerbridge Crossing and Goethals Bridge this summer, we will no longer close the Bayonne Bridge on Sunday nights," said Port Authority spokesman Steve Coleman. "Any weekend closings will end on Sunday afternoon to allow the bridge to absorb some of the traffic heading back to New York from the Jersey Shore and other destinations."

Coleman did not immediately provide an exact time for when the bridge would reopen on Sundays.

"We are still working out the timing with the contractor," he said. "This decision was just made this morning given the record levels of traffic we've seen going over our Staten Island crossings on Sunday nights this summer."

The Bayonne is closed almost each weekend due to ongoing construction.

The Port Authority's decision to open the bridge comes after two straight weekends of complaints from Perth Amboy, N.J. mayor Wilda Diaz, and a Sunday evening of frustration expressed by Staten Islanders who faced up to four hours of New Jersey traffic while en route to New York.
UPDATE: Due to the heavy traffic congestion, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has decided to open the Bayonne Bridge every Sunday evening.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Motorists en route to Staten Island from New Jersey Sunday evening encountered an ugly end to their weekend: Torturous traffic.

The congestion had some folks waiting up to four hours to return home, as brake lights illuminated Routes 440 and 35, especially near the Outerbridge Crossing and Perth Amboy, N.J., where local police closed exits to try and prevent spillover onto local Jersey roads.

Michael Reilly, Community Education Council president, recorded a video during his own bumper-to-bumper experience. He eyed numerous reasons why motorists were trapped in "a tsunami of red lights across New Jersey."

Reporting from the Outerbridge 10:45pm - 7/16/17 ----------------------------- OUTERBRIDGE UPDATE 9:20pm Delays Staten Island bound continue up to 60 minutes. The advisory photo is from the Port Authority asking motorists to approach the bridge from the NJ highways. Using local streets causes traffic jams in Perth Amboy......seriously lol! Be a good neighbor......how about the Port Authority be a good neighbor and stop closing a bridge and having construction zones during peak summer travel times. Earlier traffic post SI - NJ BRIDGES UPDATE 8:26pm * Outerbridge to SI 60 minute delays due to volume * Goethals Bridge approach SI bound delays of 70 minutes due to volume * Bayonne Bridge CLOSED until 5am Monday Andrew J. Lanza Senator Diane J. Savino Ron Castorina Jr Michael Cusick Assemblymember Matthew Titone Nicole Malliotakis James Oddo Joe Borelli Steven Matteo Debi Rose Governor Andrew Cuomo Governor Chris Christie Mayor Wilda Diaz Posted by Michael Reilly on Sunday, July 16, 2017

"Perth Amboy PD had Auxiliary Officers blocking streets. Unfortunately, the officers were standing around not assisting with moving traffic," said Reilly. "Additionally, one solo Port Authority PD unit was sitting at the entrance to the Outerbridge."

A Perth Amboy police car is photographed blocking an exit near the Outerbridge Crossing. (Staten Island Advance/Amanda Steen)

Perth Amboy's roads were also heavily impacted by the many motorists. Mayor Wilda Diaz tweeted "We need your help!" with an attached video showing the congestion that spawned from high volume toward the Port Authority bridge.

Port Authority traffic in Perth Amboy. We need your help! pic.twitter.com/zKgC6DZc52  Mayor Wilda Diaz (@MayorWildaDiaz) July 17, 2017

She also tweeted similar thoughts the previous Sunday.

News 12 New Jersey reported on her concerns a week ago: "This is completely unacceptable, and the burden that this has put on our safety personnel. We just want you to see what the traffic this weekend has caused, but this definitely has to be addressed by the Port Authority," the mayor said.

"I definitely feel for the residents of Perth Amboy," Reilly added, shedding some blame on Port Authority planning in relation to the Bayonne Bridge being closed for a full weekend -- especially during the summer.

"All Staten Island - New Jersey Port Authority crossings need an increase in infrastructure," Reilly noted.

Meanwhile, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey's Twitter account repeatedly reminded people to avoid local roads.

 Outerbridge Crossing users: Be a good neighbor. Stay on highway to access bridge unless otherwise instructed. pic.twitter.com/FgqqVFXnlp  Port Authority NY&NJ (@PANYNJ) July 17, 2017

Islanders detailed some of their experiences on the Staten Island Advance Facebook page.

"[Three hours] to get home from Hazlet. Usually a half hour ride. Absolutely ridiculous!" said a reader.

"[Three hours] from taking my son home to freehold. No construction, no accidents, what gives?" a commenter wrote. "Shore traffic at midnight? Nobody has work Monday morning like I do?"

"I had to stop going to NJ on the weekends. You can't get off or on the Island," another reader said, noting that weekday traffic involving work is bad enough. "Who wants to add another day onto that?"
CITY HALL -- Council members are trying to ensure smaller Staten Island landlords are spared the brunt of a proposed law that would provide all tenants facing eviction with legal help.

Taxpayers would give all low-income tenants facing eviction with full representation in housing court, while other renters would receive brief legal assistance under a bill from Council members Mark Levine (D-Manhattan) and Vanessa Gibson (D-Bronx) that's expected to pass the full Council on Thursday.

Mayor Bill de Blasio is also expected to sign the bill.

People have a right to counsel in criminal proceedings, but tenants aren't guaranteed help fighting eviction in housing court and the vast majority are fighting against landlords with pricey attorneys.

Councilman Joseph Borelli (R-South Shore) plans to vote against the measure but has been working with Levine for more than half a year to make sure so-called "mom and pop" landlords aren't hit with thousands in legal fees when rightfully evicting tenants who don't pay rent.

"There's a big difference between a family that has a basement unit they're renting out and the larger landlords who do this as a business," Levine said, acknowledging there's "no practical way" to carve out exemptions to benefit small landlords when the principle is giving "universal" access to eviction help.

Borelli said the city could set up a fund to either raise money for smaller landlords' legal fees or offset any lost rent from "the inevitable lengthening of the legal process as a result of more lawyers."

The de Blasio administration and the Council haven't come up with a set or even speculative solution yet while negotiating the bill.

But Levine believes that because the legal help would be phased in by zip codes across the five boroughs, the city still has time.

The Office of Civil Justice Coordinator would have to create programs to provide the legal help within five years. Levine said he doesn't expect any change "in most if not all of Staten Island for years to come."

"The plan is to phase-in zip code by zip code and the priorities in the early years will be those zip codes with a large number of rent-stabilized units, and number of people who are landing in homeless shelters after eviction," Levine said. "By virtually any measure, that makes just about the whole of Staten Island, maybe with one or two smaller sections on the North Shore, at the back of the list."

Borelli is also hopeful.

"There are rent stabilized communities that also have one- to three- family homes," Borelli said. "I think once those communities come online, you might see more of an impetus on their Council members to look more closely on this side of the argument."

De Blasio spokeswoman Jaclyn Rothenberg said 99 percent of landlords and only 27 percent of tenants have lawyers in housing court.

"This will help level the playing field in housing court," Rothenberg said. "The program will be phased in over the next 5 years and is aimed at helping tenants remain in their homes, while allowing time to assess roll out."

Councilwoman Debi Rose (D-North Shore) is one of 43 co-sponsors of the bill and represents the largest number of tenants on Staten Island of the three-member borough delegation.

"Providing civil legal services to tenants not only prevents coercion and abuse, but it saves money, as well," Rose said in a statement. "When tenants are unsuccessful in our complex legal system -- or simply give up out of frustration -- their unmet legal needs invariably take a toll on local government and on the taxpayers, as evidenced by the record numbers of people housed in our city's shelter system."

Minority Leader Steven Matteo (R-Mid-Island) plans to vote against the bill, pointing to unintended consequences Borelli is hoping to mitigate.

"While I understand the intent of this legislation to level the playing field between corporate landlords and low-income tenants, it could put small property owners at an egregious disadvantage. Many smaller property owners rent out their two-family homes or investment properties to be able to afford their mortgages or as a supplemental income," Matteo said in a statement. "Because they rely heavily on their rental income to make ends meet each month, a protracted legal battle with a tenant -- especially one represented by a deep-pocketed, government subsidized law firm -- could be financially disastrous."

This article was updated with comment from a de Blasio spokeswoman.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.-- An electrical worker was injured on the College of Staten Island campus Monday morning when he drilled into electrical wiring.

The worker was transported to Staten Island University Hospital North with minor electrical shock, according to a FDNY spokeswoman.

EMTs responded at 8:37 a.m. Monday to the basement of the science building for a report of a worker who had been "electrocuted", she said. But a police radio transmissions then described the incident as "a shock."

According to a school security officer on the scene, the worker accidentally drilled into electrical wiring.

There was no loss of power, no evacuation and no other reported injuries in connection with the incident, according to a spokeswoman for the school.
Page Content

St. Maarten is joining other countries comprising the Dutch Kingdom, attending the High-level Political Forum (HLPF) being held in New York. This United Nations event serves as a central platform for follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), agreed upon in 2015. Some forty-four UN member States are represented at this event and will be presenting their Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) of the 2030 Agenda.







Conference Theme





The theme for the conference is Eradicating poverty and promoting prosperity in a changing world".





The set of goals being reviewed in depth will be to strengthen the means of implementation and revitalizing a Global Partnership for Sustainable Development.





National Reviews





During the forum, countries present their VNRs, wherein their state and means of implementation of the SDGs agenda are documented. They are debating and addressing poverty related issues, as the main theme of this forum. The HLPF is convened under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and kicked off on the 10th of July. It lasts until Thursday, 20th of July.





St. Maarten is part of the kingdom delegation, headed by the Dutch minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, Lilianne Ploumen. St. Maartens Prime Minister, the honorable William Marlin, meets his counterparts from Aruba, Curacao and the Netherlands for a three-day ministerial meeting of the forum from Monday, 17th of July, to Wednesday, 19th of July. Venue for the meeting is the United Nations Headquarters in New York.





It was earlier decided that the Kingdom of the Netherlands (Aruba, Curacao, the Netherlands and St. Maarten) will jointly draft a VNR report, wherein the state of implementation of the SDGs for the four countries are highlighted. This VNR kingdom report is presented to the UN secretary-general.





Each of the four kingdom countries get an opportunity to briefly elaborate on what programs and projects or activities they have in place, or are executing, to combat hunger and poverty while they make sure no one in their societies, is left behind.





St. Maarten position





St. Maarten is in the process of defining which SDGs are relevant to the country and will be prioritized from now to 2030. According to St. Maartens governing program, for the upcoming years, the country will be focusing on human development, good governance, protecting the environment and preserving our cultural heritage.





Prime Minister Marlin states that while St. Maarten still has some way to go, the aim of SDGs should always be to produce tangible results that improve peoples lives.





He says that as a young autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, St. Maarten finds itself in the process of building on its experiences with the Millennium Development Goals to assess challenges for SDG implementation.





The St. Maarten Prime Minister notes that the overarching goal is that of achieving a sustainable economy and a good quality of life, for all.





Forum events





Next to political leaders, representatives of several entities such as poverty related NGOs, youth organizations, intergovernmental bodies, UN entities, the private sector and academia/science institutes, (sub) regional organizations have also been attending various side events held as part of the forum.





St. Maartens acting Secretary General for the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labor, Joy Arnell, is attending the HLPF as is Loekie Morales, program manager for SDGs at the department for the Interior and Kingdom Relations (BAK), in assistance to Prime Minister Marlin and St. Maartens ongoing endeavors. Within the St. Maarten government organization, BAK is the coordinating body for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).





Live stream





Residents of St. Maarten are being invited to log on to the UN Web TV Channel for live stream of presentations made by delegates representing countries worldwide attending the High Level Political Forum.





It is expected that the Dutch kingdom delegation will get its turn to address the gathering sometime in the afternoon, on Monday.





The proceedings are being streamed via http://webtv.un.org/
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Colonial Bakery, a 46-year-old business that supplied bread and rolls to some of Madison's favorite bars and restaurants, has closed.

"We were kids when we bought (the bakery) and we didn't know better than working hard," said Larry Cox, who owned the business with his wife, Karen, until the couple sold it to their daughter and son-in-law four years ago.

"We worked hard and we worked hard and we worked hard and that's what made Colonial Bakery successful as far as I'm concerned," Larry Cox said.

Among the restaurants that used their products were Ella's Deli, Paisan's, Porta Bella, the former Namio's, Lombardino's, Fraboni's, Smoky Jon's, Dotty Dumpling's Dowry and Nick's, Larry Cox said.

Jenny and Mark Randall closed Colonial June 30 because of "a shortage of help," Karen Cox said. It was not financial reasons, she said, noting that her daughter and son-in-law wanted more family time. "You're working nights and days. It's not an easy life, believe me," she said.

Colonial didn't just supply bars and restaurants, but also sold its products to UW-Madison, hospitals and grocery stores like Woodman's, Larry Cox said.

"We were very, very prompt on supplying our restaurants. They needed product the next day and they got product the next day when they ordered," he said.

Garry Fraboni, co-owner of Fraboni's Italian Specialties & Delicatessen, had used Colonial bread and buns since the beginning. Both businesses started in 1971.

"It's hard to lose something you've been with for so long," Fraboni said. "We've grown up with them, my children have grown up with them. Many kids and families in the area, that's the only Italian bread they've used for years. It's hard and we've had lots of comments from people missing the bread already."

Fraboni's had bread and rolls delivered to them every day that Colonial baked, which was six days a week. They've now switched over to another local company, Clasen's European Bakery in Middleton.

"It's hard. It's different," Fraboni said. "Every day I've been in business I've seen Colonial's bread here. Now it's not. We're going to move forward with Clasen's and I think it's going to be a fine fit for us."

Larry Cox said they had many customers for more than 40 years. "I don't know how to sum it up because it hurts us," he said. "I have to admit, we had an extremely loyal clientele out there that we serviced."

Colonial delivered bakery every day except Sunday. They started out baking seven days a week, but quit baking on Sundays after 20 years, he said. The bakery had four trucks delivering primarily in Madison, but also to some surrounding areas.

"We had very loyal customers over the years," Karen Cox said. "It grew steadily just by work of mouth. Evidently we had a good reputation with a good product. We were able to keep long-term employees."

She is 67 and Larry is 69. They started when they were 21 and 22 and were living on Allied Drive. It started as a neighborhood pastry shop on Monroe Street, which the Coxes bought in 1971.

Karen Cox said she doesn't know what will go into the space at 2600 Todd Drive, but said they've talked to a real estate agent and will either sell or lease the building. "Maybe it will still be a food purveying place, we don't know."

The baking equipment will be auctioned off, she said.

Colonial Bakery was destroyed by a fire in 1991 and rebuilt. It was an overnight fire so no one was injured.
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The 911 center was notified about an explosion at W1755 White Lake Court in the town of Montello around 8:35 a.m., the Sheriff's Office said. When authorities arrived, the occupants were outside of the house with non life-threatening injuries, according to the Sheriff's Office.
The inaugural Alaskaman Extreme Triathlon took place this past weekend in a stunningly beautiful and harsh environment. A 2.6 mile swim, a 113.5 mile bike ride, and a 27.5 mile run add up to 142 miles and take the athletes from Resurrection Bay all the way to the top of Alyeska. 307 athletes had registered for this race but only 198 started. 12 did not finish the swim, 6 more did not complete the bike segment, another 15 were unable to finish the run. Plus 12 others withdrew for various reasons and that only allowed 153 to finish.



Race director Aaron Palaian was however thrilled with how it came together and was especially happy about the local support.



"Tons of local support. Never seen anything like it as far as venue and government (local and state) support. Everyone supported and loved it," said Palaian. "A huge thank you to Seward, Alaska, Alaska SeaLife Center, Miller's Landing Alaskan Fishing & Kayaking Outfitters, Alaska, Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities, U.S. Forest Service - Chugach National Forest, Girdwood, Alaska, and Alyeska Resort as well as all our sponsors Sentiv - Fitness Incentive App, TRITATS, HUUB Design, BASE Performance, Ski AK Lamson Products Sunline Products Chain Reaction Cycles - Alaska, Cycle Chauffeur, QT2 Systems - Triathlon."



But here now are some great pictures by Eric Wynn.

If this image is not calling you to Alaska, maybe no other image will.

It was a cold morning and the athletes had to deal with very cold water.

Undeterred by the the early 4am start, the water temps in the low to mid 50s and air temps in the 50s, the athletes lined up for a long adventure.

According to Palaian, water temp was 55 degrees at start. "When they hit the waterfall about 1/3 of the way through it dropped to 46 degrees. From there it slowly went back up to 51 by the exit. Average water temp all things considered was 51-52 degrees. The waterfall feeding the course was brutal," said Palaian.

Helping hands at the swim exit were greatly appreciated.

Off on the bike course with no drafting packs in sight, but a rewarding beautiful landscape.

Danny Dvinov from Oakland, CA on his way to second place in 11:37:41.

The fastest man on course was Andrew Fast from Salt Lake City. He set the standard to beat at 11:18:29. He swam 1:11:11, had a 3:52 T1, biked 5:10:46, had a 1:32 T2 and closed his day with a 4:51:08 run.

Jason Tillinghast, also from Utah, enjoys this flat stretch of the Alaskaman bike course.

With "only 27.5 miles" of running ahead Zackary Dicks and two other athletes push towards the finish in Alyeska.

Sebastian Lopez from Bay City, Texas relaxed and happy on the way to a 13:46:09

Alone with nature and your own thoughts.

Mary Knott and Dan Beaver from Gilbert Arizona running past a good group of spectators and fans. Knott and Beaver finished in 15:27 and change.

Mackie Derrick from Anchorage, AK had time to say hi to his family and finish 10th male in 13:20:59

Craig Alexander was on course too, but he was supporting his friend Leonardo Mello from Sao Paulo, Brazil. Mello who apparently is the principal supporter of the Bravo Triathlon Team finished 6th male in 12:56:18.

Up, up and up. Britta Anderson from Eagle River, Alaska pushed towards the finish. Her time 17:39:05.

Peter Denekamp traveled all the way from the Netherlands to race in this inaugural race.

Almost there.

Completely exhausted, cold and happy.
Search and rescue crews, including 40 people on foot and others in a helicopter, recovered the bodies of five children and four adults, some as far as 2 miles down the river. The victims ranged in age from a 60-year-old woman to a 2-year-old girl. Authorities did not identify them. Four others were rescued and taken to Banner hospital in nearby Payson for treatment for hypothermia.
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Janesville police are looking for a woman who broke into a tavern early Thursday morning and stole an undisclosed amount of cash.

The break-in happened at about 4:30 a.m. at Bad Brads Bar, 911 Rockport, police said.

The suspect broke a window, entered the bar, took money and left through the front door.

She is white, about 5 feet, 1 inch tall, heavy build, wearing a hooded sweatshirt and leggings.

Anyone with information about the burglary is asked to call Crime Stopper, 756-3636.
A Canberra woman accused of hatching a plot with a fellow employee to fleece thousands of dollars from ActewAGL customers has been released on bail.

Jessica Kate Anderson, 29, faced court earlier this month charged with 15 fraud offences after it was alleged she skimmed some $13,000 from ActewAGL customer accounts between March and May.

Her colleague and friend, Taylor Jade Geoghegan, 20, also fronted the ACT Magistrates Court accused of 15 counts of being knowingly involved in the fraud.

Neither woman has entered pleas.

Court documents alleged the women, who were employed as contractors in the company's call centre, devised the plan in a series of exchanges on their ActewAGL work email accounts.
7 Great Inventions of the Modern Industrial Age. Written by Paul Bissett and Catherine Prosser. Devised and composed by Sally Greenaway. Suitable for all ages. Directed by Shelly Higgs. July 26-29. The Street Theatre. Bookings: thestreet.org.au or 62471223.

Canberra composer Sally Greenaway calls her first theatre piece "an infomercial musical  the actor doesn't really sing". Created as the result of a Merlyn Myer Fund Composing Women's Commission and first presented in Melbourne, 7 Great Inventions of the Modern Industrial Age, was conceived and composed by Greenaway and scripted by Canberra writers Paul Bissett and Catherine Prosser. Shelly Higgs is directing the Canberra staging at The Street Theatre.

The Syzygy Ensemble will perform Sally Greenaway's score. Credit:Shelly Higgs

The commission gave Greenaway the freedom to create whatever she wanted and she was interested in producing a historical piece.

"There were lots of holes in my learning through my schooling," Greenaway says.
Constellations. By Nick Payne. Directed by Caroline Stacey. Street One. The Street Theatre. Until July 29. Bookings: thestreet.org.au or 62471223.

According to 17th-century Spanish playwright, Lope de Vega, all that is required to create great theatre is two actors, a plank and a passion. It is a pronouncement that rings true in Nick Payne's fascinating contemporary romantic comedy, Constellations. Under the carefully guided and intelligent direction of Caroline Stacey, two outstanding actors, Lexi Sekuless and Kristian Jenkins, bring passion to the multiple possibilities of a relationship on Imogen Keen's simple, yet liberating rostra setting, effectively lit by Owen Horton.

Lexi Sekuless, left and Kristian Jenkins are ideally cast as the two lovers whose destiny is determined by the choices they make in Constellations. Credit:Shelly Higgs

British playwright Nick Payne's play starts simply enough with a meeting at a barbecue between beekeeper Roland and lecturer in quantum mechanics and cosmology Marianne. Jenkins and Sekuless capture the charm and awkwardness of a first meeting. Jenkins' Roland is cool, composed and natural. Sekuless' Marianne is nervous, giggly and unnaturally girlish. The short exchanges are played with a recognisable simplicity that belies the complexity that follows as Payne constructs a series of possible meetings and engagements that could express a future construct, as though the two characters were playing out alternative realities simultaneously in parallel universes.

What emerges is a constellation of possibilities, which express the universal nature of relationships. Different scenarios are played out as the actors simply segue from one scenario to an identical situation with a very different outcome. Each recurring reality affirms the possibility of an alternative consequence to a word, a gesture, a response. The unpredictability gives rise to humour, argument, confusion, reconciliation or pathos. The fragility of human nature manifests in uncertainty, break-up, rejection of commitment, reunion and the multiple facets of a relationship. To watch the possibilities played out in The Street Theatre production of Payne's award-winning contemporary drama is to witness Canberra's home-grown professional theatre at its best. In the spirit of Lope de Vega, this production of Constellations breathes the recognisable air of believability, transporting us from the initial comedy of first meeting to the searing poignancy of love, confronted by a devastating challenge.
"The reason Jane Austen remains relevant and popular is because she is endlessly engaging and entertaining, a controlled comic and satiric genius, balanced and blended with a genuine pathos and irrepressible romanticism," said Professor Christie, who is the head of the ANU Humanities Research Centre and an Austen scholar.

Professor Will Christie, from the Australian National University's College of Arts and Social Sciences, said Austen's novels remain relevant and popular for many reasons.

As the world marks the 200th anniversary of her death, it's worth revisiting Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, Emma and Sense and Sensibility, as a reminder that her heroines were indeed feminists before their time, sharp-witted, feisty women who knew when it was wrong to settle and when to follow their hearts.

The modern woman has much to learn from the heroines of Jane Austen's novels. While most of us are probably not as focussed on marriage as her plots might suggest, there are many feminist lessons in the pages of her classic stories.

Professor Christie said the most important thing the modern woman can learn from Austen however is the balance between romance and realism, but the belief that there is a chance to have it both ways.

"'The visions of romance were over' begins the 25th chapter of Austen's Northanger Abbey," Professor Christie said, "as its heroine, Catherine Morland, wakes up to the fact that she is the heroine of a domestic novel set in her own period and not the heroine of a Gothic romance set in the superstitious past.

"Yet the differentiation between the romantic and the real in Austen's novels is never that simple. Indeed, it is a tribute to Austen that she manages to get away with both common sense realism and romance  though it is also a tribute to the irrepressible romanticism in generations of her readers.

"Readers can enjoy a worldliness in Austen that appeals to their distrust of romantic fiction  this is the work of the satirist, the critic of illusion and its hypocrisies  but there remain portions of our brains that hunger after one or other form of the ideal."

He said Austen's appeal is precisely to our need for both: "to our need for a clear-sighted view of our own and of human limitation, on the one hand, and to our need for the romantic dream as an expression of irrepressible desire on the other."
Community and Public Sector Union national secretary Nadine Flood has warned against the plan. Credit:Jamila Toderas

Grab a coffee and let's take a look at the headlines.

Welcome to another work day. The weather bureau predicts a chilly start of 0 degrees with an eventual top of 12. There's a 50 per cent chance of showers in the late afternoon and evening, too.

Public service unions have warned against the government's plans for a new national security super-department, detailing fears the plan could prove disruptive, costly and result in less effective outcomes.

The Turnbull government will meet today to discuss establishing a UK Home Office-style department bringing together ASIO, the Australian Federal Police and Australian Border Force.

Community and Public Sector Union boss Nadine Flood told Tom McIlroy she held serious concerns about the effectiveness of the "significant public policy changes".

Ms Flood, who represents Immigration staff and some administration and support workers within the AFP, said the model being considered could be unwise. Read more here.

'OMG I HAVE THE BEST IDEA'
A former ACT chief minister believes the territory government should introduce corporate manslaughter laws to improve accountability for deaths in custody.

In his submission to an ACT Legislative Assembly inquiry into the creation of an Independent Integrity Commission, Jon Stanhope also said all "problematic" ACT Policing incidents should be reviewed externally to dispel questions about the integrity of the force.

Former ACT chief minister Jon Stanhope said an ACT Independent Integrity Commission could provide extra scrutiny to police. Credit:Stuart Walmsley

Pointing to the United Kingdom as an example, Mr Stanhope said there was scope for an integrity commission to enhance current police complaint procedures.

"I believe for example that there would be merit in consideration being given to adopting in the ACT the United Kingdom practice whereby a police force self-refers to an independent police complaints tribunal any decision or action by the police force or an individual officer which has resulted in a problematic or controversial outcome or which potentially brings the police into disrepute," Mr Stanhope wrote.
A Canberra man found guilty of deliberately torching a cafe in Weston has been jailed for three years.

A jury found Nick Parlov, 24, was the man in dramatic surveillance footage of the arson who smashed a glass pane and doused the cafe in petrol before setting it alight.

Another man, Leo Nicholas Eliadis, 47, was also found guilty of the Brierly's Cafe arson, on March 13, 2014, by having a hand in the fire and arranging payment to Parlov.

The fire was devastating for the cafe owners, a Canberra couple. They provided a victim impact statement to the ACT Supreme Court for the men's sentencing on Monday.
Jed Lamb says he has moved on from the behind-play incident that cost Richmond's Bachar Houli a four-match suspension, with the Carlton forward focused on "fighting for my career".

In his second season at his third AFL club, Lamb had worked his way into the Blues side after a knee problem earlier in the year, playing two senior games before being struck by Houli early in the round 14 loss to Richmond.

Lamb was concussed, missed the rest of that game and the match against Adelaide the following week before returning in round 16 against Melbourne. He had 17 disposals against the Demons and backed it up with 22 disposals in the Blues' loss to the Western Bulldogs on Sunday, playing a role on Dogs dasher Jason Johannisen.

The former Sydney and Greater Western Sydney player said he wasn't thinking about the Houli blow, more intent on ensuring his AFL career continues into 2018.
Three days after Choice slammed the private health insurance industry, a month before he's likely to report another fall in customer numbers and a year after promising to tackle "unsustainable" healthcare costs while enjoying a multimillion-dollar salary, Medibank's chief executive appears to be playing the PR game of blame-someone-else-for-your-challenges.

And never mind that Medibank, operating in capitalism's equivalent of a sheltered workshop, with the taxpayer doing most of its work for it, is outrageously profitable despite having the industry's highest number of customer complaints.

Forgive me being a little cynical about the piece on the front page of Monday's Australian Financial Review in which the Medibank boss, former banker Craig Drummond, all but cries for his poor customers  or perhaps former customers  suffering from "the nation's soaring cost of living, which he warned was contributing to the mass exodus of young people from private health insurance policies".

If Drummond were so concerned, perhaps he could volunteer to take Medibank's executive salaries back to their much more humble pre-privatisation level, including a mere six figures for the CEO.
A scam artist who bilked brides-to-be several years ago allegedly played a cancer victim for more than $8,000 in Madison, by stealing the victims identity and running up a huge tab at a hotel.

Jessica Vlasseman, 40, no permanent address, was arrested on tentative charges of identity theft and fraud of an innkeeper, Madison police said.

The victim, a woman in her 30s, didnt know she had been robbed until she got the bill from the Hyatt Place hotel, 333 W. Washington Ave.

The scam started on May 21, when the victim met Vlasseman through a mutual acquaintance and developed a kinship after learning Vlasseman was a cancer survivor.

That is what she claimed, said police spokesman Joel DeSpain.

The scam artist was using the name Helena Scott. She told the victim she had man problems and had just moved to Madison from Texas and needed a room for the night, persuading the victim to give her credit card info to the scammer so she could get the room.

Vlasseman promised to repay the cost of a nights stay, DeSpain said.

She disappeared from the victims life after that, and the victim had other things to deal with, until last week, when a police officer told the victim that Vlasseman assumed her identity and billed everything to the victims credit card.

Hotel staff became suspicious and contacted police, DeSpain said.

An investigation revealed who Vlasseman really was, and police learned she ran a scam as a pseudo makeup artist with a fake company called My Queen of Diamonds, taking money from brides in Wisconsin and other states.

The Madison victim was floored to learn there never was a Helena Scott, that her identity had been stolen and that the one night at a hotel turned into more than an $8,000 bill, DeSpain said.

Vlasseman was found and arrested, and the victim wont have to pay the bill.

Vlasseman has a Dane County court appearance set for Thursday in another case in which shes charged with eight counts of theft and false representation, and a Waukesha County court date a week later for defrauding an innkeeper, online court records show.
Retail shareholders in troubled infant and toddler formula company Bellamy's Australia who paid for extra shares in a recent $45.5 million capital raising will be able to hand them back and get their money refunded.

This path became available for participating Bellamy's retail shareholders after the company lodged a supplementary prospectus with ASX and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission on Monday afternoon.

Shares in Bellamy's were placed in a trading halt before the market opened on July 7, after news emerged that a canning facility in Melbourne it had just signed a deal to buy had had its export licence for China-bound product suspended.

Chief executive officer Andrew Cohen said he got the news of the suspension in the middle of the night via an unexpected phone call.
The former lover of Seven West Media boss Tim Worner has been ordered to foot the company's legal bill after the Supreme Court found she made allegations she "could not substantiate" and acted unreasonably in her legal battle with the media company.

Amber Harrison, a former executive assistant at Seven, has been at the centre of an ugly court battle with the company since she went public in December last year with embarrassing details of her 18-month affair with Mr Worner.

In a judgment delivered on Monday, Justice John Sackar said Ms Harrison's conduct had been "unreasonable" and it was "necessary and appropriate" to order her to pay Seven's costs on an indemnity basis, which is higher than the costs typically awarded in legal disputes and would cover its entire bill.

The costs are likely to be in the order of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The corporate regulator has raised concerns about KordaMentha's independence ahead of its appointment as administrator to Network Ten, at a hearing in the Federal Court on Monday.

The hearing was sought by KordaMentha to apply for an extension of the administration period.

Justice David O'Callaghan in the Federal Court in Melbourne granted a 120-day extension until midnight November 20, which means the second creditors meeting can be held any time between now and then with five days' notice.

However, lawyers for the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) also joined proceedings on Monday to raise concerns about a "reasonable apprehension of bias" that KordaMentha might have because of "the work that's been done by KordaMentha prior to their appointment".
The court judgment has been delivered and the salacious battle between Amber Harrison and her former Channel Seven boss Tim Worner is over. Goliath won and David, his former mistress, looks set to be bankrupted.

There is no tell-all book or 60 Minutes interview with Harrison to be had on the rival Nine Network. She is the subject of a gag order.

The opinion battlelines will now be fully drawn between those who believe Harrison was the sacrificial lamb, made a victim of the male-dominated corporate culture, or those who believe her to be the vindictive, spurned lover of a powerful executive.

But the ultimate and complete defeat at the hands of her large and well-resourced adversary just came down to matter of law  she breached the confidentiality conditions of her agreement with Seven about the relationship with Worner.
"The sky is the limit" for Arrium's Whyalla steelworks, according to British billionaire Sanjeev Gupta, who talked up the prospects for the business after touring the facility and meeting workers on Monday.

Mr Gupta flagged plans to invest more than $1 billion in the short-to-medium term, and said Whyalla had the potential to produce significantly more steel.

GFG Alliance executive chairman Sanjeev Gupta chats with workers during his visit to the Arrium steelworks in Whyalla, South Australia. Credit:AAP

Mr Gupta is the executive chairman of the GFG Alliance, which recently secured a deal to buy Arrium, the Australian mining and steel business.

"In my opinion, this is a world-class asset in terms of the potential it has. We will do our best to realise that potential," he said during the Whyalla visit.
Popular Melbourne restaurant Dainty Sichuan allegedly paid employees $10 an hour while they worked 10 hour-plus shifts, seven days a week.

The Fair Work Ombudsman has commenced legal action in the Federal Circuit Court against the companies behind Tina's Noodle Kitchen in Box Hill and Dainty Sichuan, on Swanston Street in the CBD, for the alleged underpayments.

The restaurants allegedly underpaid their staff almost $31,000 in just a two-week period.

The allegations have the potential to embarrass lord mayor Robert Doyle with the restaurant a major donor to his successful reelection campaign.
Australia's counter-terrorism decision makers, from outback police stations to the Prime Minister's Canberra office, need to have access to a suite of quick-to-mobilise response options.

Today, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Defence Minister Marise Payne showed they understand this requirement when they announced a raft of proposed changes to the arrangements for the deployment of the Australian Defence Force in response to terrorism.

Turnbull's proposed changes will provide some counter-terrorism decision makers with some new options, but the public ought to be wary of viewing these changes as Australia's terrorism panacea.

Australia has an incredibly potent and effective Defence Force. Even with this capability, there are some serious logistical challenges to Defence's ability to deploy rapidly in response to domestic terrorism.
It's not enough to fan community fears and rattle the sabres of war. Now senior government ministers, Senator George Brandis and Christopher Pyne MP, want Australia to be actively helping people to directly kill each other  by turning Australia into a major arms exporter. When will our elected representatives start governing for the common good in the long term instead of feeding their own pockets and egos in the short term? There are far better alternatives to what so many of our "leaders" are trying to foist upon us. Urgent action to protect us and life as we know it from the consequences of climate damage, building stronger and more resilient community, and peace all come to mind. G M King, Narrabundah

Gender transition Christopher Hood (Letters, July 14) agrees that children transitioning gender need to be competent to consent to the treatment, which is "substantial and irreversible". He is insincere, however, to appeal to court findings of competence for minors, when he knows the courts can be solely advised by people not disinterested in the outcomes. He would also be aware that transition lobbyists view court procedures as burdensome and unnecessary, and would prefer certain doctors give the OK. It comes down to whether children before puberty can be relied on to understand what it means to relinquish their reproductivity, be locked into "substantial and irreversible" medical treatment for the rest of their lives, while releasing doctors from liability. This is not to demean children, but to say parents should be parents. Interference in family life by popular culture and transition lobbyists, is what needs to get out of the way, so that parents in conjunction with their children, can take stock of the objective medical evidence, and discern what is best for the ongoing wellbeing of the children. Arthur Connor, Weston Feminist claim

Who could disagree with Julia Baird ("Yassmin Abdel-Magied: the latest woman to be roasted on the spit of public life", July 15, Forum 10) when she criticises ad hominem attacks, bigotry, racism, threats of violence and trolling. These activities are pernicious whatever the target. But in her defence, Baird understates the kernel of Yassmin's unsuitability as an ABC presenter and, more particularly, a DFAT adviser. Baird says she "argued her Muslim faith could be feminist". No, Yassmin doubled down on the more Orwellian claim: "Islam is the most feminist religion". With Yassmin in mind, Baird says progressive Muslims are an antidote to extreme Islam. Has Baird forgotten that during this Islamist feminism controversy, Abdel-Magied sought advice from Hizb Ut-Tahrir? Peter Robinson, Ainslie Whoever next

The cultural Marxists at the BBC are at it again. Not content with destroying their highest-rating and grossing series in Top Gear, they have now decided Doctor Who requires a makeover and have assigned the show for "re-education". If not for the patriarchy, gender violence and rape culture the Doctor would have been born female; the BBC has rectified the situation for us following on from the remakes of Ghostbusters and the progressive new Star Wars. I for one can't wait for the next "fixing" of a classic; Wonder Woman played by Caitlyn (Bruce) Jenner immediately comes to mind. Perhaps readers could suggest other shows due for a progressive makeover.

Damon Fraser, Weetangera ACT Military tinker Using the military to deal with domestic disturbances, including terrorist attacks, marks the start of a slippery slope. This genie could be hard to put back in the bottle. Neville Barry, Cowra, NSW Time for answers as treatment of asylum seekers brings only shame

This week marks four years since the then Prime Minister Rudd announced that people who arrived by boat seeking asylum in Australia would never be permitted to settle in Australia, but would be held in detention centres on Manus Island and Nauru. Since then over 2000 innocent men, women and children have been detained in disgraceful conditions, suffering abuse and neglect; some have lost their lives  either murdered or through medical negligence. Despite the shocking and worsening conditions, for which Australia is responsible, there is very little media coverage of these people's plight. In light of this shameful situation I'm writing to my elected representatives to ask them, given the indisputable evidence of mistreatment and abuse in Manus and Nauru, how they can justify this manifestly inhumane policy which contravenes international law. I do not expect satisfactory answers, but it is the only way I know of putting pressure on our politicians to change a totally unacceptable situation. I will also, of course, be attending the protests, including the Candlelit Vigil at Garema place at 6pm on Wednesday, July 19, as part of the National Day of Action to mark these four years of shame.

Clare Conway, Ainslie Ineffective policy Eight months ago the US/Australia refugee deal was announced, and Minister Dutton confidently assured us that people would be moving from Manus and Nauru "in the very near future". Now we're informed that there is no possibility of the US accepting anyone until after October 2017. It is four years since the then Prime Minister Rudd announced that people who arrived by boat seeking asylum in Australia would never be permitted to settle in Australia, but rather would be held in detention centres on Manus Island and Nauru. Since then, at enormous cost to the Australian taxpayer, over 3000 innocent men, women and children have been detained in disgraceful conditions, subjected to abuse and neglect. At least eight of them have lost their lives through murder, suicide or medical negligence. Many of those currently held on Manus and Nauru have been there for almost the entire four years. According to Australian government statistics, around 80 per cent have been determined to be refugees and entitled to protection. But still they are being detained. The government repeatedly states that it is satisfied with everything about the status quo in offshore detention. The Labor Party remains shamefully silent about this policy failure of their making. Is it really beyond us  a wealthy, well educated nation with world class diplomatic capabilities  to deliver effective refugee policy as we would in other areas: rationally seeking sensible, cost-effective, durable outcomes that will allow its citizens to hold our heads high? Four years of shame, Australia. Eileen O'Brien, Kambah

Lament for Ludlam Tony Wright's piece ("Oh I'm sorry. I forgot I was born in NZ", July 15, p. 11) about Scott Ludlam's resignation from the Senate could have more usefully focused on something important rather than on a tweet he sent to supporters. Is Wright seriously suggesting that the Constitution is serving us well when Ludlam is rendered ineligible for elected office because he omitted to think back to where he and his family were living until he was aged three, after which he became a naturalised Australian? I am a Greens member, and have been a candidate for the party, and it's people like Ludlam who make me proud to be so. He was focused on outcomes, not on party politics. He was one of very few parliamentarians prepared to speak out and press for reform on the blindingly obvious dangers of a system whereby the PM acting alone can send the country to war. When the Australian government snubbed the recent UN talks that prohibited nuclear weapons, Ludlam was there, speaking at the UN plenary in support of this unprecedented global initiative. When Australia announced sales of weapons to that most oppressive regime, Saudi Arabia, which sponsors death and destruction in Yemen and elsewhere, it was Ludlam who raised the matter in parliament. Section 44 has deprived us all of an outstanding, smart, honest, diligent senator.

Sue Wareham, Cook Questionable trade Maybe it's because taxpayers bought him his seat for $80 billion that Pyne contemplates establishing an Australian arms exporting industry. Australia serves as a junkyard for products of the US military-industrial-complex, the world's largest exporter. The Joint Strike Fighter represents redundant airframe design and software always under US control. What a bargain.

Turnbull is demanding that those hoping to become citizens should possess "Australian values". Pyne, in stating "the UAE ... shares many of our values", vicariously defines [these as] beheadings, absolute dread of democracy, kleptocracy, autocracy, stifled female expression and suppression of all forms of dissent. Australia has approved four military exports to Saudi (2016), the world's second largest importer. Pyne visited in December in an attempt to sell more, to a regime which is bombing Yemen into the stone age, [and] in [the] process generating a famine. The Dutch have cancelled arms contracts with Saudi, out of disgust with its humanitarian abuses. Albert M. White, Queanbeyan, NSW

Insensitive sick plea I refer to Deputy Chief Health Officer Dr Pengilly's recent call for workers to stay home if they are sick [with the flu]. While unions support workers using their sick leave if they are unwell, there are over 40,000 Canberran workers who have no sick leave entitlements. It is insensitive to ask casual workers to choose between a pay cheque or staying home unpaid. Many casual workers have told UnionsACT that they feel they cannot call-in sick, that they would lose shifts or even face the sack. Other workers on short-term contracts, including staff within the Health Directorate, feel enormous pressure to come to work when ill. Imagine living in fear of getting sick and then losing pay or even your job.

Alex White, UnionsACT TO THE POINT WEDDED TO COAL Nobody knows why the conservatives in this government are so wedded to coal, but we strongly suspect that it has little to do with our national interest. Do they really not understand the urgency of climate change? Perhaps they should hold their COAG Energy Council meeting on the giant iceberg that has broken away from Antarctica. No wonder the states choose to go it alone with energy policy.

Rosemary Walters, Palmerston BEHOLDEN TO NO ONE I have to take issue with one of John Warhurst's assertions ("Signs point to Shorten as next prime minister", July13, p.17) that "Labor will be well funded and have effective allies in the trade unions and GetUp!" The unions are affiliated to the ALP; GetUp! is beholden to noone. Many a Labor policy, refugees being a shining example, is vehemently opposed by GetUp!

Bob Gardiner, Isabella Plains NOT VERY TAXING Lodged tax return on line on July8, received message from ATO advising return finalised on July14 and refund will be in nominated bank account in three working days. Very good service, ATO. Bruce Glossop, Holt

PAPER GOES MISSING Judging by the rectangular dry space in the dew in our driveway this morning, July14, somebody possibly stole our copy of the Canberra Times. Has it come to the point that people would do anything to get a copy? Susan MacDougall, Scullin CIGARETTE BUTTS To the list of demerits of cigarettes well explained in your editorial of July14 should be added the public cost of living among the litter of cigarette butts, for which no one seems to take responsibility.

Ted Lilley, Aranda REASON TO CELEBRATE Two good things happened last week. Someone wrote something balanced and positive about President Trump ("Trump no idiot abroad," July14, p.18) and the Raiders won. J.Halgren, Latham GUERNSEY CLUE

Open borders? Scott Ludlam? The first clue might be that All Blacks guernsey he's worn for the past nine Bledisloe Cup series. Gerry Murphy, Braddon CITIZEN ACTIVISTS? If today's outlaw bikie gangs ("Bikies defended", July17, p.3) are citizen activists, then Ned Kelly was the leader of the Victorian Liberation Organisation and not just a backstabbing, bushwhacking murderer. M.Moore, Bonython
Right to work till 65

"A hearing which began in the Equal Opportunity Tribunal yesterday could change the retirement age for women employees in New South Wales. Ms Marie Anstee, 61, has complained of sexual discrimination because she was asked to retire from a Sydney company when she reached the age of 60. Male employees retire at 65. The hearing is expected to end today," the Herald reported.

Feeling at home

From Column 8: "An Irish reader who is about to become an Australian citizen on August 1 discovered an amusing letter in his mailbox yesterday. The manager of the Commonwealth Bank's Penrith branch wrote welcoming the reader to Australia on behalf of himself, his staff and the Commonwealth Bank. His name? Ron O'Shannessy. Our reader said he felt quite at home."

Fairfax at Parramatta
Our social services are organised by massive databases. Health, welfare, education and the pension all require reams of information about identity, social needs, eligibility, and entitlement.

The government is bidding to retain more of its IT talent. Credit:Michele Mossop

We should be thinking about these enormous data holdings when we read the news that thieves have been selling Medicare numbers linked to identities on the "dark web"  a mostly untraceable anonymous corner of the internet.

That last detail is what has made this such a scandal for the government, as Human Services Minister Alan Tudge and the Australian Federal Police have scrambled to identity the systems' weaknesses.

But the fact that the Medicare numbers are being sold is the only thing that makes this an unusual data security breach. Australian government databases are constantly being accessed by people who are not authorised to do so.

Here's just a taste. Last year the Queensland Crime and Corruption Commission revealed it had laid 81 criminal charges and 11 disciplinary recommendations in the space of 12 months for unauthorised access to confidential information by police. One of those was a police officer who had been trawling through crime databases looking for information about people he had met on a dating service. He was convicted of 50 charges of unauthorised access.
A Verona teen was killed Sunday when the ATV he was operating collided with a car on Highway A in the town of Primrose, the Dane County Sheriff's Office said.

The 17-year-old boy, who was not wearing a helmet, died at the scene of the crash which occurred at about 11:30 a.m. near OConnor Road, the Sheriff's Office said.

Authorities had not released the boy's name.

A preliminary investigation indicates the ATV was heading west on Highway A when it collided with a Honda Accord traveling in the same direction. The driver of the car, a 17-year-old girl, and her passenger, a 17-year-old boy, both from Belleville, were not injured and are cooperating with the investigation.

There is no preliminary evidence of drug or alcohol use by those involved in the crash, the Sheriff's Office said.

Highway A near OConnor Road was closed for over four hours while the crash was investigated.

The crash remains under investigation by detectives and the Sheriff's Office's Crash Reconstruction Team and Marine and Trail Enforcement deputies.
Keith Conners, whose work with hyperactive children established the first standards for diagnosing and treating what is now known as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD  and who late in life expressed misgivings about how loosely applied that label had become  died on July 5 in Durham, North Carolina, aged 84.

The field of child psychiatry was still young when Dr Conners joined the faculty of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in the early 1960s as a clinical psychologist. Children with emotional and behavioral problems often got a variety of diagnoses, depending on the clinic, and often ended up being given strong tranquilisers as treatment. Working with Dr Leon Eisenberg, a prominent child psychiatrist, Conners focused on a group of youngsters who were chronically restless, hyperactive and sometimes aggressive.

Keith Conners, the psychologist who established the first standards for diagnosing and treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Credit:Karsten Moran, New York Times

The 39-item questionnaire he devised, called the Conners Rating Scale, quickly became the worldwide standard for assessing the severity of such problems and measuring improvement. It was later abbreviated to 10 items, giving child psychiatry a scientific foothold and anticipating by more than a decade the kind of checklists that would come to define all psychiatric diagnosis.

He used his scale to study the effects of stimulant drugs on hyperactive children. Doctors had known since the 1930s that amphetamines could, paradoxically, calm such youngsters. But it was a series of rigorous studies by Conners, in the 1960s and '70s, that established stimulants  namely Dexedrine and Ritalin  as the standard treatments.
Queensland looks likely to have another conservative force contesting the next state election.

While on a tour of the state, Senator Cory Bernardi told Fairfax Media on Monday his Australian Conservatives party had completed the paperwork to register in Queensland, and intended to register in every state.

Senator Cory Bernardi is visiting Queensland and hopes his Australian Conservatives party can be registered in the Sunshine State before the next state election. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

"It's now going to be a matter of whether we meet the timeline, determined by the electoral commission," he said.

"They take about six to eight weeks to formally go through the party registration process and so it's up to the state government about when they call the election.
The Turnbull government is poised to go ahead with the creation of a national security super-department that would bring together ASIO, the Australian Federal Police, Australian Border Force and other agencies.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton is tipped to head the new super-portfolio, which will be debated by cabinet on Tuesday and would be based on Britain's Home Office, while current Immigration boss Mike Pezzullo would likely head up the new agency.

After months of speculation, senior sources have confirmed Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull could announce the long-mooted changes as soon as Wednesday morning.
My lifelong fascination with trench coats began as a kid watching Inspector Gadget cartoons after school on my grandparents' television.

Nancy Drew, Phryne Fisher, Inspector Clouseau ... whoever your preferred gumshoe, odds are they donned a trench at one time or another.

Who needs sleeves? Eva Herzigova does the reworked trench at Paris Haute Couture fashion week. Credit:Marc Piasecki

In Hollywood, trench coats have featured in movies from Casablanca to Breakfast at Tiffany's and, more recently, the television series Scandal, starring Kerry Washington.

But for all-out red carpet drama, few trenches could top the dress Priyanka Chopra wore to this year's Met Gala.
I am the mother that the Australian government would rather forget.

My daughter Mia was killed in a stabbing attack almost a year ago in a backpacker hostel in far north Queensland, while she was completing her 88 days work in order to obtain a visa to stay in Australia. Since then, I have undertaken my own journey in Australia, not just to mourn my daughter but to find out why she died and what can be done to make young travellers like her safer.

As told across the two latest episodes of the ABC's Australian Story, I am campaigning for better regulation of the 88 days of work in regional areas, which is required of 417 and 462 visa holders in order to obtain a second year extension of their visa

I am aware that my journey makes painful viewing, and I have warned friends and relations back home that they may want to avoid watching the second episode of Australian Story on Monday night, as it is harrowing. In truth, much as I always intended to visit that hostel for my own sake, to put my imagination to bed (and because I felt I owed it to Mia to find out as much as I could about that night), I would rather have made the journey to Home Hill in private.
The Australian Tax Office has spent more than $80,000 in its latest legal fight against the self-proclaimed royal family of an invented principality in Western Australia's wheatfields.

Last month the founders of the Hutt River Province, self-proclaimed former sovereign Prince Leonard Casley and his son Arthur, lost legal action against the Australian Taxation Office over the payment of eight years' of income tax, worth more than $3 million.

Prince Leonard Casley, the former ruler of Hutt River Province.

ATO legal cost summaries, released under freedom of information laws, show two cases against the 91-year-old Prince Leonard, who abdicated from the throne he established for himself nearly 50 years ago, and his son, Arthur Wayne Casley, have cost taxpayers $81,865.91 to date.

The bill for representation by the Australian Government Solicitor and additional legal counsel topped $40,000 in the case, which focused on back taxes from June 2006 to 2013.
A 37-year-old man has been charged after a teenager was allegedly sexually assaulted in Sydney's upper North Shore two years ago.

Police questioned the man over the incident after he attended Chatswood Police station on Monday afternoon, hours after they launched an appeal to the community.

According to police the then 14-year-old girl had begun communicating with a man online in early 2015.

Police claim the girl met him on a number of occasions between February 2015 and January 2016 at an oval in Hornsby Heights, where they reportedly had sex.

The man was charged with twelve counts of sexual intercourse with person aged 14 to 16 and nine counts of engaging in acts of child prostitution.
The proposed 14-kilometre tunnel tollway between Rozelle and Allambie Heights will cost $14 billion to build, almost as much as the 33-kilometre WestConnex project.

The enormous price tag, in a costing for cabinet seen by Fairfax Media, excludes an extra $8 billion that would be spent on operation and maintenance of the tunnel over the first 35 years.

The Western Harbour Tunnel and Beaches Link tollway is expected to bypass up to 19 sets of traffic lights and cut the travel time between Brookvale and the CBD by 40 minutes. It will require the erection of six exhaust ventilation stacks for which sites have been identified, several within metres of schools.

The $14 billion price tag includes about $340 million for property acquisitions, $5 billion for the direct cost of construction, $2.3 billion for indirect costs and $5 billion for contingencies and cost escalation.
The Wenona School in North Sydney, the Anzac Park Primary School in Cammeray and the Seaforth Public School are each within 200 metres of the sites chosen for smokestacks to release exhaust fumes from tunnels for the proposed Western Harbour Tunnel and Beaches Link.

The proposed locations, in a cabinet in confidence document seen by Fairfax Media and the ABC, are on residential streets, parkland and the existing Warringah Freeway and Wakehurst Parkway.

The proposed toll road would tunnel from WestConnex at Rozelle to the Warringah Freeway at North Sydney, then tunnel under Middle Harbour to join the Wakehurst Parkway at Allambie Heights.

It is expected to deliver time savings of up to 40 minutes between Brookvale and the city, 45 minutes between Dee Why to the airport and 35 minutes between Seaforth and North Sydney.
"We acknowledge that no other states or territories have currently provided for compensation to people who have been unjustly convicted under historical homosexual offences.

"Clause 5(2) of the bill currently provides no entitlement to compensation," their joint submission to a Parliamentary committee reads.

Alan Raabe was one of hundreds of gay men to have their Queensland criminal records expunged. Credit:Robert Shakespeare

Groups including the Human Rights Law Centre said a proposed scheme to wipe historical gay convictions from people's records should also allow for appropriate and fair compensation.

Men charged with historic gay offences like indecency should receive compensation, advocacy and legal groups have argued.

"However, international best practice is to provide for such a measure in order to repair damaged relationships and assist in restoring individuals to the position they were in prior to the conviction."

The group, also including the Community Legal Centres Queensland, LGBTI Legal Service and Queensland AIDS Council, said Germany had committed to annul 50,000 convictions for men charged with historic offences and provide compensation.

"The level and nature of compensation for individuals should have regard to the value of any fines paid and the length of detention ... as well as the psychological and other impacts on victims," they said.

In May, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk apologised to people who were charged with the historic offences and the government introduced a bill for an expungement scheme.

The scheme will allow people to apply for certain convictions and charges to be wiped from their criminal record if they occurred before January 19, 1991, when consensual adult male gay activity stopped being a criminal offence in Queensland.
Two announcements from the federal government represent progress in the fight against opioids.

Last Monday, the Food and Drug Administration said it will require drug manufacturers to better educate physicians about the painkillers.

On Tuesday, the Justice Department announced a $35 million settlement with Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, a company charged with looking the other way when it had reason to believe some of its opioids were landing on the black market.

If the tide of the epidemic has not been turned, the battle at least is joined. In addition to the contributions of federal agencies, the states and local governments are becoming increasingly aggressive against drug dealers, manufacturers and the insurance companies that limit treatment for substance abuse.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro has been calling on insurers to make sure they adequately cover addiction treatment, make it easy for people to access that treatment and better cover alternatives, such as physical therapy, that can reduce the need for painkillers.

Ohio and other states have sued drug companies, alleging they fueled the epidemic by underplaying or misrepresenting the drugs danger. Theres more to come. Shapiro last month said he is part of a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general that is using investigative tools, including subpoenas for documents and testimony, to determine the appropriate course of action.

Pharmaceutical companies should regard the Justice Departments settlement with Mallinckrodt as a shot across the bow. The agreement, described as the first with a manufacturer tied to the opioid crisis, carried more than a stiff financial cost. It requires the company to begin tracking its drugs as they move through the supply chain into the hands of consumers. That obligation, if required of other manufacturers and suppliers as well, should help to dampen what seems to be a free flow of drugs.

Physicians represent another potential choke point. If people arent prescribed opioids, they cant become addicted and move on to related drugs, such as heroin. Last year, Pennsylvania restricted the prescription of opioids in emergency departments and to juveniles and ramped up physician training. The FDAs expanded education mandate is another welcome step.

The FDA already requires drugmakers to provide training to physicians about extended-release opioids. Now, theyll have to offer the training about fast-acting opioids, too, and provide information about pain management and non-drug therapies (some of the same ones that Shapiro wants insurance companies to cover). Physicians dont have to accept the training, but they should.

One wonders why physicians dont learn enough about the dangers of opioids in medical school. Addiction is not a moral failing. The failing would be if government and other parties did not marshal all available resources against the scourge. Increasingly, we are seeing what Shapiro has called a multidisciplinary approach.
The firebombing of a graffiti-covered home south of Brisbane is just the latest in a series of escalating attacks on the large family living there.

Police stepped up patrols in the Woodridge area in response, amid concerns there could be more to come after two molotov cocktails were thrown inside on Sunday night.

Police are investigating a suspicious fire in Woodridge. Credit:Nine News Brisbane

A mother and six kids all escaped injury as the objects simply burned and created a lot of smoke rather than exploding in the Douglas Street home.

Logan detective Detective senior Sergeant Grant Ralston said the attack was disturbing in light of other recent incidents.
The needle is not moving as fast as we need to around the world.

According to the WE Cities Index when impediments to female entrepreneurship are removed, there is a dramatic uplift in a city's economic prospects.

But Melbourne is weakest (37th) in the talent pillar. Its biggest weakness is the comparatively small percentage of workers with a tertiary education.

Melbourne scored strongest (14th) in the enabling environment, propelled by a ranking of eighth in culture with strengths in data collection, advocacy, equal pay, non-discrimination in hiring, and parental leave.

"The movement of women entrepreneurs in Sydney is stronger than than in Melbourne there is no question about that," Wallace says. "Particularly for fundraising for women, whether it is Sydney or Melbourne is still particularly difficult. Access to technology and technologists for women is improving but is still difficult to access."

Angela Fox, co-leader of Dell EMC in Australia and New Zealand, says more can be done to support female entrepreneurs in Australia.

"The enablers are definitely there, there are great role models happening but there is still opportunity around access to capital," she says. "You still have situations where women are not getting the access to capital or they don't have information to know how to pitch for capital. It's a known fact that male entrepreneurs are still far more successful in getting their business beyond that million dollar turnover."

Fox says the WE Cities ranking continues to draw attention to "seemingly obvious things".

"The needle is not moving as fast as we need to around the world," she says. "Even you look at New York, it rates highest but it is only rated 62.9 out of 100. You think we are making progress but frankly there are still obstacles standing in the way of women starting a business. There is more chance in Australia of women getting into business but then are they growing it?"
Panasonic EZ1000 series OLEDs have a soundbar built into the base. Panasonic's OLED doesn't disappoint, revealing the finest details in the Martian landscape which are lost in harsh black shadows on lesser screens. Switch to a standard Blu-ray movie like Gravity and that phenomenal contrast still shines through. The scene where Sandra Bullock spins off into space, growing smaller and smaller against the star-filled cosmos, looks absolutely stunning. You can see the faintest of stars which are typically lost on screens with a backlight, just as you see more stars in the night sky when you get away from the bright city lights. Peering into the inky blackness of space, pierced by starlight, I'd say Panasonic's new televisions are the equal of LG's OLEDs. Admittedly it's a bold statement when I'm yet to see them in a side-by-side showdown, but it's safe to say that Panasonic has done itself proud. The Dolby difference

It's worth mentioning that, while Panasonic OLEDs support HDR10 and earn Ultra HD Premium certification, they lack LG's support for dynamic Dolby Vision HDR which optimises the picture for every scene in a movie. If you're fussy about picture quality you'll appreciate the difference. To be fair we're still waiting on Dolby Vision compatible Ultra HD Blu-ray discs and players, right now we're limited to a handful of Netflix titles. It remains to be seen whether movie makers will be as quick to embrace Dolby Vision as they were HDR10. Like LG, Panasonic's OLEDs also support the Hybrid Log-Gamma HDR standard for broadcast television, but don't expect Australian broadcasters to get onboard any time soon. LG's OLEDs also support Dolby Atmos surround sound, although the improvement over standard Dolby Digital is obviously limited when you're listening via a television rather than a full surround sound system. Panasonic's flagship EZ1000 series OLEDs don't support Dolby Atmos but they do come with a soundbar built into the stand, which can be used on a bench top or when the television is wall-mounted. While it delivers full bodied sound I'd say it falls short of the soundbar built into LG's flagship W7 wallpaper television. The W7's soundbar has the advantage of upwards-firing speakers to work with Atmos content, which might seem gimmicky but does make a difference. Even with a non-Atmos soundtrack you get a subtle sense of height  such as when Deadpool drops off the bridge into the speeding car  which is missing on the Panasonic.

To be fair you'll pay a hefty $13499 for LG's paper-thin 65-inch W7, but there are cheaper LG OLEDs. When you compare roughly equivalent Panasonic and LG models, little separates them in terms of price. Check out the highlights Picture quality isn't just about what lurks in the shadows, it's also about fine detail in the brightest highlights  such as brilliant sunsets which can blow out and become a white blob on some televisions. Here it helps to have a bright screen, so there's plenty of headroom at the top end. Brightness has always been OLED's Achilles' Heel but Panasonic offers a respectable "up to 1000 nits" which puts it about on par with LG's claims. Panasonic's brightness pays off in the scene in The Martian where the camera pans around Matt Damon as the sun sets behind him. Not only can you see the disc of the sun amid the glare, you can also see a halo around the sun which is lost on most televisions. Television brightness ratings are theoretical maximums which vary depending on what's happening on the screen. To my eyes I'd say that LG still comes out ever so slightly ahead when revealing the very brightest details rather than blowing out, but you need to be extremely fussy to see the difference. The Panasonic is no slouch and it would take a side-by-side comparison to settle the argument.

Colour and movement Vivid yet natural colours are Panasonic's strength, which means that blockbuster movies can occasionally look a tad underdone but skin tones look fantastic and nature documentaries like Planet Earth II sees the screen really sing. It's also true of Panasonic's LED-backlit televisions such as the new EX780  while the overall picture quality obviously falls short of OLED the natural colours are striking. If you're fussy about picture quality you'll obviously want to dip into the advanced settings and here Panasonic's OLEDs offer plenty of flexibility. You'll find a wide range of HDR picture modes, including THX certification, and the ability to tweak them to taste. As with most televisions you'll need to mess around with motion interpolation, as OLED's lack of motion blur can create issues when you're dealing with 24 fps content. Panasonic calls it Intelligent Frame Creation and it's set to Minimum by default, but you might need to bump it up to Mid to eliminate the jitter in some panning shots. So what's the verdict?
Local residents and potential investors can stand in Werribee's main street and view the revitalised city centre, while proposed buildings are still on the drawing board, thanks to the WynLens augmented reality project.

Built around Microsoft's Hololens augmented reality headset, Wyndham City Council's WynLens superimposes architectural plans over the wearer's view of the real world. It allows the council to visualise the proposed revamp of Werribee's city centre, in Melbourne's outer west, which is now open to 20 story buildings in an effort to attract local investment.

Wyndham City Council's Dr Adam Mowlam looks at a virtual building that's yet to begin construction.

Wyndham is one of Melbourne's major population growth centres and the first stage of Werribee's transformation involves turning four ground-level car parks into residential apartment complexes, multi-level car parks, offices and retail stores.

WynLens goes far beyond traditional artist impressions and scale models, allowing people to stand in the actual street and see the buildings of the future, says Wyndham City Council's digital lead Dr Adam Mowlam.
A man should be jailed for marrying a child bride, some 20 years his junior, during an Islamic ceremony in Melbourne, a prosecutor says.

Mohammad Shakir faces one count of going through a formal ceremony of marriage with a person not of marriageable age, at suburban Noble Park in September.

Mohammad Shakir married his 14-year-old bride at a mosque in Noble Park. Credit:File picture/Marco Del Grande

Prosecutor Krista Breckweg told the Victorian County Court during a brief hearing on Monday that Shakir, who has been in custody since his arrest in 2016, should be sent to prison.

The court was also told of conflicting evidence about the age of the bride.
Melbourne Express: Tuesday, July 18, 2017

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Amid the stress and sleeplessness of watching their little baby in intensive care, things were starting to look good.

So much so that Stephen and Hannah Lavery were encouraged by hospital staff to take a night off and attend a friend's wedding. Their son Alexander, they were assured, was doing well.

Stephen and Hannah Lavery's son Alexander was born prematurely and died after 4 weeks. Credit:Daniel Pockett

Alexander had been born 15 weeks prematurely in February last year, when Ms Lavery went into a random and unexplained labour.

Despite being born so early, he was given an 80 per cent chance of survival by specialists at The Royal Women's Hospital. And with every week Alexander spent in the hospital's neonatology intensive care unit, his chances of survival increased.
A 35-year-old Perth doctor has pleaded not guilty to 10 sexual offences allegedly committed against six female patients.

Police allege general practitioner Nishanka Sanjeewa Kirumbara Liyanage sexually assaulted the women, whose ages range from their 20s to 50s, while treating them at a Banksia Grove medical practice between November and May.

A Perth doctor has been charged with sexually assaulting five female patients. Credit:Photo supplied

The Tuart Hill man appeared in Joondalup Magistrates Court on Monday charged with six counts of unlawful and indecent assault and four counts of sexual penetration without consent, and will return to court on October 11.

The 35-year-old doctor from Tuart Hill was originally charged in June for allegedly assaulting a woman in her 20s in his Banksia Grove practice in March 2.
A settlement has been reached in the case of a blind Perth man who was taking legal action against his superannuation fund and their insurers, after he was allegedly denied access to his disability insurance benefit.

Mandurah man Stuart Oldham, 33, who requires the assistance of a guide dog, was set to go to court after filing a writ in the WA District Court.

Stuart Oldham with his dog Daisy.

But a settlement between the parties was finally reached over the weekend, just days after the case was exposed publicly by WAtoday.

However, the settlement is confidential and neither Mr Oldham or his lawyers, Maurice Blackburn, can comment on it or the details surrounding it.
An Australian woman has been shot dead by police in the US city of Minneapolis in an incident in which the officers did not have their body cameras turned on.

She was killed when two police officers responded to a 911 call about a possible assault in an alley behind a home about 11.30pm on Saturday, local time.

One police officer fired their weapon, killing 40-year-old Sydney woman Justine Damond.

Ms Damond, also known as Justine Ruszczyk, was a trained veterinarian who worked as a spiritual healer and meditation teacher.
I've been proud of Wisconsin's progressive political stances for many years.

Now it's hard to believe that two prominent state politicians are backing health care proposals that would push 22 million more Americans off of health insurance. The GOP also wants to cut Medicaid spending by nearly $800 billion to provide tax breaks for the wealthy.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Janesville, and U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Oshkosh, are fully engaged in the Republican effort to "repeal and replace" Obamacare. Leading the way is President Donald Trump, a certified liar.

I'm concerned about what we're telling our school-age children. Should we be teaching them about honesty and citizenship? What is Speaker Ryan telling his children about President Trump, this certified liar? Is he being honest with them?

Sen. Johnson is not being honest with the public. He suggests he might not support the Republican health care bill, but at the same time he is vigorously backing efforts to favor the wealthy over those who need Medicaid.

Wisconsin voters will have the opportunity to get things right in the next election. Speaker Ryan is being challenged by several opponents. The voters in western and northwestern Wisconsin who helped send Johnson to Washington in 2016 should send him back to his cushy job in Oshkosh.

Jim Kleinhans, Whitewater
London: Britain has agreed to EU sanctions on 16 members of the Syrian regime who are suspected of using chemical weapons on civilians.

Senior military officers and scientists were among those hit with the sanctions, which follow reports of chlorine bombs and sarin nerve gas being used by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on his own people.

This picture, provided by the rebel-controlled Idlib Media Centre, shows a man carrying a child into hospital following a chemical attack in Khan Sheikhoun, Syria, in April. Credit:AP

"The UK condemns the use of chemical weapons wherever and by whomever they are used and we will continue to work closely with our international partners to hold perpetrators to account," said British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson on Sunday.

"The 16 individuals sanctioned include military officers and chemical specialists responsible for abhorrent chemical weapons attacks on innocent men, women and children.
Rome: The Italian government will not try to push through a law that would grant citizenship to the children of immigrants in the next few weeks, Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni has said.

A government source said earlier this month the measure would be put to a confidence vote, which speeds up passage of legislation but obliges the government to resign if it loses. Mr Gentiloni squashed that possibility on Sunday.

A migrant baby is disembarked from the Spanish ship Open Arms. Ten ships are estimated to be heading to Italian ports, while more than 7300 migrants have been saved off the coast of Libya over the past few days. Credit:Montana

The draft law faced opposition from politicians including members of a small centrist group which supports Mr Gentiloni's Democratic Party's (PD) slim majority in the Senate.

"Given the urgent deadlines in the Senate calendar and the difficulties that have emerged in some parts of the majority, I don't think the conditions are right to approve the draft law on citizenship for foreign minors born in Italy before the [northern] summer break," Mr Gentiloni said in a statement.
Idris 3, from Mali, centre, sleeps next to his mother Aicha Keita, right, on the deck of the Golfo Azzurro vessel after being rescued from the Mediterranean sea off Libya in January. Credit:AP This is in spite of the principle of non-refoulement, which is part of EU law. The EU border agency Frontex considers Libya too dangerous to refugees to legally send them back there. Defend Europe's boat will join an increasingly chaotic scene in the south Mediterranean, where around a dozen search and rescue ships crewed by humanitarian NGOs have been accused of encouraging people smugglers, prompting Italian authorities to impose a new code of conduct for NGO rescues. Martin Sellner, from Defend Europe, says at-sea confrontations won't happen. Credit:Screengrab Around 85,000 migrants arrived in Italy by boat in the first six months of 2017, 21 per cent more than in the same period in 2016.

More than 2200 people have died attempting the crossing this year, according to the International Organisation for Migration. Defend Europe says it will stop economic migrants going to Europe. Credit:Screengrab A European official familiar with the situation told Fairfax Media that last year rescues in the Mediterranean were closer to Italy, but now they were happening much closer to the border between Libyan and international waters. Smugglers were "including the presence of NGO boats in their business model", they said, and putting migrants to sea in ever more overloaded and underequipped boats  some even without engines. "They expect [migrants] to be rescued by NGOs or commercial vessels or whoever else appears. They are taking advantage of the fact that every vessel that sees another in trouble has to rescue them.

"You have a rubber boat the size of a small van, they used to put 100 people on it, now they put on 150." Defend Europe said its aim was to "overwatch the doings of the NGOs, disrupt the human trafficking rings and intervene when something illegal happens". It intended to "expose the collaboration of NGOs and human traffickers", and if it received an SOS it would "save the people in distress and hand them over to the Libyan Coast Guard to make sure they are brought to the closest harbour, according to international law". Fairfax Media attempted to contact Defend Europe but did not receive a reply. Martin Sellner, from the group's Austria wing, told an alt-right YouTube blogger they "will become a recon vessel for the completely overwhelmed Libyan coastguard".

"We want to do everything in our power to bring [migrants] back to Africa we want to make a difference between rescuing people and smuggling them to Europe." Their ship would have a "very powerful radar" and would intervene when they thought humanitarian NGO boats were doing something illegal. "We will see what's going on there, how they are dealing with the human traffickers," Sellner said. He said they weren't there to "engage in any sea battles" and stressed they would not "disturb or disrupt any real saving operation" and would "stick to all maritime laws". However NGOs expect the group to try to impede their rescue operations.

In May, Defend Europe tried to block a Doctors Without Borders rescue vessel from leaving an Italian port. A spokesman from anti-extremist group Hope Not Hate, which has been investigating Defend Europe and its backers, said they had "repeatedly talked of confronting NGOs, of blocking their ships". "The identitarians come from a very obviously anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant standpoint, and have a history of direct action confrontations, including occupying mosques," the spokesman said. "Although they may parade and cloak themselves with this 'far right hipster' mantle, something quite disturbing lies underneath their slick rhetoric, with mention of 'remigrating' people from Europe and claims to somehow deport people back to Libya in concert with the Libyan coastguard  naive in the extreme, when different factions, militias and rival governments plus people smugglers actually control the coastline. "Into this volatile mix, Defend Europe claims it will block, monitor, confront and perhaps even try and prevent NGO ships returning to Italy with refugees on board. This is a dangerous development, with obvious risk for harm to vessels, crew and those being picked out of the water. Will Defend Europe have doctors on board, for example?

"Whatever the rights and wrongs of the migration crisis, the actions of Defend Europe  which have been supported by notorious far-right figures from around the world  hardly help matters, and in fact potentially make them a damn sight worse." Defend Europe raised money for its mission on WeSearchr, a crowdfunding site founded by alt-right journalist and activist Charles Johnson, who was banned from Twitter after calling for the "taking out" of a civil rights activist. WeSearchr is used by far-right groups because other crowdfunding sites have terms of service that forbid the funding of hate speech. For example neo-Nazi website The Daily Stormer used WeSearchr to raise funds to pay its legal fees. It takes a 15 per cent cut of all proceeds. According to marine tracking data, the ship chartered by Defend Europe for its mission was approaching the Suez canal on Monday, on its way from Djibouti. It is due to arrive in Catania, Italy, later this week. The first members of its crew arrived in Catania on Monday. Daily Mail columnist Katie Hopkins is also involved: she Tweeted she looked forward to meeting the crew in Catania and said the Mail Online would be covering them all this week. Hopkins caused outrage in 2015 when she said Europe should "do as the Australians do and send them back with gunships", and said migrants were like cockroaches.
"We would like to say more and will in the future. At this time however, there are several investigations that are ongoing. More importantly Officer Noor wants to respect the privacy of the family and asks the same in return during this difficult period." Officer Mohamed Noor was named in the Minneapolis shooting. Credit:City of Minneapolis The statement came as the US medical examiner who performed the autopsy ruled her death a homicide. "This individual died of a gunshot wound of the abdomen," the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office said on Monday. "Manner of death is homicide." A makeshift memorial at the scene of the shooting in Minneapolis. Credit:AP

Chilling new audio also has emerged of the moments around the fatal shooting of the spiritual healer and meditation coach in an alley behind her home. The officers are heard communicating with their dispatcher over the police radio, including calling for back-up and their attempts to perform CPR on Ms Damond. "Shots fired ... we have one down," one of the officers says. Ms Damond's death has devastated and outraged family, friends and left the Minneapolis community upset about the latest police shooting in their city. It has been revealed officer Noor lacked experience, having only joined the Minneapolis Police Department a little over two years ago.

He was reportedly seated on the passenger seat of his vehicle when he fired multiple shots at Sydney-raised Ms Damond, who was in her pyjamas. The police audio was posted on the Minnesota Police Clips website. It begins with the description of a "female screaming behind the building", believed to be what Ms Damond told the dispatcher in her initial 911 call. "We take this seriously with great compassion for all persons who are being touched by this," Mr Plunkett, told Minneapolis TV station WCCO. Mr Plunkett confirmed his client fired at the 40-year-old Australian bride-to-be, according to WCCO. Ms Damond called police just before midnight on Saturday after hearing a possible assault taking place in an alley behind her Minneapolis home.

A May 2016 newsletter from the City of Minneapolis said he joined the force in 2015 and had only recently completed his field training. He was the first Somali-American officer at Minneapolis' 5th Precinct, the newsletter said. He has a degree in economics and business administration, and had previously worked in property management. A mobile phone was reportedly found near Ms Damond's body. State investigators confirmed on Monday that no weapon was found at the scene. The shooting has shattered Ms Damond's family and friends in Australia and the US. It has also outraged residents of Minneapolis and adjoining St Paul who are still reeling from other high-profile police shootings. Ms Damond's death from a police gun has also generated widespread media coverage across the US. Mr Noor and his partner's body cameras were not turned on and their police car dashboard camera did not capture the incident.

Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges told reporters she has "a lot of questions why the body cameras were not on". "I know many of you are frustrated at the pace of information being released around Saturday night's shooting," Mayor Hodges wrote in a Monday Facebook posting. "I am too." Ms Damond's death is being investigated by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, not the Minneapolis Police Department. Mr Noor and his partner are on paid administrative leave.

Ms Damond, formerly Justine Ruszczyk who took her American fiance Don Damond's surname before next month's planned wedding, moved to the US in 2015 and worked as a spiritual mentor in the Minneapolis area. Her violent death was a shock to relatives, friends and colleagues who described her as a peaceful, calm and a positive force. Ms Damond's soon-to-be stepson, Zach Damond, is desperate for answers. "My mum is dead because a police officer shot her for reasons I don't know," the 22-year-old said. Her family in Sydney has called for privacy.

"This is a very difficult time for our family. We are trying to come to terms with this tragedy and to understand why this has happened," they said in a statement. The incident has shone new light on police shootings in the US. The Washington Post reported Ms Damond is one of at least 524 people fatally shot by police in the US this year and and the fifth in Minnesota The Minneapolis-St Paul area is still reeling from the acquittal last month of a police officer who shot dead a man, Philando Castile, during a traffic stop while Castile's girlfriend live streamed the horrifying incident. Violent protests also flared after two officers fatally shot 24-year-old Jamar Clark in 2015 and were not charged.
Washington: It's a hell of a gamble when you rely on a sick man. But Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell had no choice when Arizona senator John McCain was laid low on Friday, with a blood clot over his eye.

McConnell was forced to cancel a Senate vote scheduled for this week on the Republicans' increasingly unpopular makeover of Obamacare.

With two GOP senators committed to voting against the bill, the numbers are thought to be evenly divided  50 for, 50 against. But there's no guarantee that McCain, when he's back on his feet, will support the bill.

McCain has only been critical of the terms of the makeover and the secretive process by which it was drafted. And his period of recuperation, initially thought to take a week, has been seized on by critics of the new healthcare laws as an opportunity to browbeat an estimated eight or 10 GOP senators said to be wobbling.
New York: In a national vote widely viewed as a victory for conservatives, last year's US elections also yielded a win for liberals in eight states that legalised marijuana for medical or recreational use.

But the growing industry is facing a federal crackdown under Attorney-General Jeff Sessions, who has compared cannabis to heroin.

A task force Sessions appointed in part to review links between violent crimes and marijuana is scheduled to release its findings by the end of the month. But he has already asked Senate leaders to roll back rules that block the Justice Department from bypassing state laws to enforce a federal ban on medical marijuana.

That has pitted the attorney-general against members of Congress across the political spectrum - from Republican senator Rand Paul of Kentucky to Democrat Cory Booker of New Jersey - who are determined to defend states' rights and provide some certainty for the multibillion-dollar pot industry.
PHILIPSBURG:--- Police fired several warning shots at a car that was driven by a suspect they believe was part of a group that committed an armed Robbery at Divinity Jewelers on Front Street on Monday morning. According to Police Spokesman Ricardo Henson, the store was robbed while officers of KPSM were attending the Justice Day ceremony at Festival Village. Henson said police managed to act swiftly and fired several warning shots at a vehicle that the robbers were making their escape in. As such police arrested one suspect and also confiscated the vehicle. He said officers are busy sweeping Philipsburg as they continue to look for at least two other suspects known to police. SMN News will update this article later today.

Armed robbery at jewelry store/ one suspect caught.

On Monday, July 17th at approximately 10.45 a.m. the Emergency Central Dispatch received a call of an ongoing armed robbery at Divinity Jewelers located on Front Street across from LEscargot restaurant. Immediately several police patrols were sent to the scene to investigate what had taken place.

While approaching the scene three unknown men with their faces covered were seen running away from the scene. The police summoned these men to stop but they refused to do so. Several warning shots were then fired by police. One of the suspects surrendered while the other continued running away. This suspect was immediately arrested while a search for the other two continued. During the arrest of the suspect items stolen from the jewelry store were recovered. A vehicle which would probably be used as an escape vehicle was also confiscated.

The suspect was taken to the Philipsburg Police Station where he remains in custody for questioning. The search for the remaining suspects continues and the Police Department is asking anyone who may have information regarding this robbery to immediately get in contact with the Detective Department by call 54-22222 Ext 213/214, the police anonymous tip line # 9300 or the Emergency Dispatch 911.

KPSM Press Release.
Claim: Modern products still sometimes bear labels and descriptions that include a color named for a racial pejorative. Rating: About this rating True

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In April 2007, a dark brown leather sofa set (couch, loveseat, and chair) obtained from Vanaik Furniture and Mattress store in Toronto was discovered by the Brampton family that purchased it to bear a startlingly racist descriptor, tags pronouncing the items' chocolate shade to be "Nigger-brown":

The set had been manufactured by a furniture maker operating in Guangzhou, China. The offensive labels escaped notice both at the Toronto furniture store and at its supplier, Cosmos Furniture in Scarborough. Each of the three pieces had a similar label affixed to the woven protective covering wrapped around them.

A Chinese software company, Kingsoft Corp., acknowledged their translation program was at fault. When the Chinese characters for "dark brown" were typed into an older version of their Chinese-English translation software, the offensive description came up. (The program's 2007 version no longer produce that result.) The software had been programmed with terms garnered from a Chinese-English dictionary.

A similar controversy erupted in 2017 when consumers reported seeing a wig base cap offered for sale on web sites such as Amazon.com and Walmart.com whose description identified it as being "nigger brown" in color:

Words aren't dropped from a language in the blink of an eye: While new terms can swiftly become part of the common lexicon, that which has fallen from linguistic favor departs far more slowly. Though now widely regarded as one of the words one must not say, it wasn't that long ago that Western society routinely used "nigger" as a color descriptor of various goods, even well after it was no longer used as a descriptor of people. Around 1914, Lady's Pictorial a London magazine, routinely presented ads for soft taffeta hats in "nigger-black." A 1915 edition of the British Home Chat magazine described cloth as "nigger-brown." Writers D.H. Lawrence and John Dos Passos wrote about "nigger-grey" and "nigger-pink." And, as late as 1973, The Times of London wrote of autumnal colours in a shade that "used to be nigger brown."

While Western society has now eschewed the word, in some parts of the world it continues to be used as a descriptor of an item's color. In China, "nigger-brown" pigment was available for purchase in 2007 from the Wenzhou Kunwei Pearly-Lustre Pigment Co., Ltd., and men's shoes from the Nanhai De Xing Leather Shoes Habiliment Co., Ltd., were described on its web site as: "This product is comfortable for wearing, it looks very simple and artistic. Size: 39#-46# Color: nigger-brown."

Such are the pitfalls of dealing with a global economy: goods produced and labeled in one part of the world are sold internationally, and terms that are irredeemably offensive in some places barely give anyone pause in others. Until the epithet falls out of use everywhere, look for more gobsmacked Western consumers ending up with "nigger brown" couches and shoes.

Other descriptive labels commonly used in times past have since been dropped by the wayside as awareness of their potential to offend grew. In 1962, Crayola renamed as "peach" the crayon it had until then vended as "flesh," and in 1999 it changed to "chestnut" what had previously been labeled "Indian Red." (The company asserted Indian red was not meant to represent the skin color of Native Americans, but rather referred to a reddish-brown pigment found near India.)
Not this time. New Prairie extracts its revenge against Northridge
Georgetown, SC (29440)

Today

A few clouds early, otherwise mostly sunny. High 76F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy during the evening followed by cloudy skies overnight. Low near 55F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.
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The real Madigan budget offers no substantive government reform - keeping Illinois on its downhill slide that benefits Illinois' Democrat political machine alone.

All the time - evidently unbeknownst to Republicans and their chamber leadership, House Speaker Mike Madigan was working behind the scenes to come up with the state budget he really wanted. He rolled out the real budget just minutes before the House was called into session Sunday afternoon.

SPRINGFIELD - Despite the outrage expressed by Republicans and non-partisan income taxpayers on social media over Friday's budget vote with 23 Republicans joining all Democrats in voting "Yes, " that vote turned out to be a hoax.

Madigan tested the waters with Friday's controversial vote, and when he saw that numerous Republicans would support whatever he proposed, he moved ahead, needing only two Republican votes to gain the needed super majority.

On the revenue bill that required a 32% permanent income tax hike, so many Republicans voted with Madigan that he was able to allow his members that could face tough challenges in 2018 for supporting a tax hike to vote "no" - a huge embarrassment to Republican Leader Jim Durkin.

The Republican Party covered for its House members in response to the debacle - and misled taxpayers.

In a rare statement, the Illinois Republican Party chairman Tim Schneider blasted the budget - even though 15 Republican House members supported Madigan's budget while Madigan's own members in swing districts were allowed to oppose a tax hike.

"Today, Springfield politicians led by Speaker Mike Madigan voted to permanently raise taxes by 32% on the hard-working families of Illinois without passing property tax relief for homeowners, job-creating reforms, or term limits on politicians.



"Make no mistake about it - this historic vote was not the product of negotiation and compromise focused on pro-growth, citizen-empowering reforms. Last night, Madigan broke away from good faith budget negotiations with the intent of pushing his own plan to protect the broken status quo. Today, Madigan then introduced his massive 1,241-page tax-and-spend plan and gave lawmakers only hours to read, debate, and vote on the package."

Schneider, who rarely makes public statements against the Democrats with which he serves on the Democrat-controlled Cook County Board, blasted Madigan's budget forcing a substantial income tax hike.



"This 32% permanent tax increase, the largest in Illinois history, was the product of insider deal-making between special interests and entrenched politicians," Schneider said as IL GOP Chairman. "Next year, voters will hold those politicians accountable for choosing Madigan over the people of Illinois."

Schneider chose to not criticize his Republican Party members that supported Madigan's budget: Andersson, Bryant, Cavaletto, Davidsmeyer, Fortner, Hammond, D. Harris, Hays, Jimenez, Meier, B. Mitchell, Phillips, Pritchard, Reis and Unes.

Instead, Schneider insisted Republicans were "standing with" the governor.

"Now more than ever, Republicans across Illinois are standing with Governor Rauner and redoubling our efforts to end Madigans corrupt status quo."

The 35 GOP House members that opposed Madigan's budget were Batinick, Bellock, Bennett, Bourne, Brady, Breen, Butler, Cabello, Demmer, Durkin, Frese, Halbrook, Ives, Jesiel, Long, McAuliffe, McCombie, McDermed, McSweeney, Morrison, Olsen, Parkhurst, Reick, Sauer, Severin, Skillicorn, Sommer, Sosnowski, Spain, Stewart, Swanson, Wehrli, Welter, B. Wheeler and K. Wheeler.

The bills passed Sunday will now move to the Illinois Senate, where Democrats hold a super-majority.
Chris began breeding Charolais cattle in 1989 when he purchased Northfield Brigitte  great grandmother of Burradon Talisman  at the Christmas cracker sale. His Burradon herd now registers 40 Charolais calves a year and has enjoyed great success, including the sale of the aforementioned Burradon Talisman who was crowned supreme & intermediate champion at Carlisle in 2003 and sold for top price of 15,000gns to the Campbell family at Thrunton. Talisman went on to become one of the most influential British bred Charolais in the world with semen being sold to countries including Australia & Canada. Mr Currys sale highlight so far came in the spring of 2013 at Stirling when three sons of Gwenog Banjo sold to average 20,000gns.

The herd is a member of the SAC premier health scheme and is categorised level one for Johnes and clear of IBR, BVD and Lepto and in addition to his cattle, Chris and his wife Helen also manage a 200-strong commercial ewe flock, 1,600 laying Gressingham ducks and 140 acres of his 350-acre holding is taken up with arable producing wheat and barley. Mr Curry also works as funeral director and the family company has eight offices which cover the Northumberland region conducting 750 to 800 funerals per year.

Mr Curry has been on the Society judges list for the past five years and his most recent appointment was also one of his first outings as Society Chairman where he judged the National Charolais Show, held at the Great Yorkshire Show.
The governor's starting over again - this time with a thorough rejuvenation of his office staff.

After he was betrayed by 15 Republicans when they jumped ship to uphold Democrat Speaker Mike Madigan's out-of-balance budget and again when 10 of them stuck with Madigan against his budget veto , Governor Rauner is taking the logical steps any businessman would take when the previous plan failed.

Springfield insiders are in panic mode, according to the spokesman for Springfield insiders, CapitolFax's Rich Miller. Referred to by many newly-elected newbies as Illinois' own "Swamp," Springfield is facing its first real challenge in decades.

The office staff renovation is stunning and apparently unexpected, Miller writes in this week's syndicated column. All last week, the CapitolFax website - where Springfield insiders anonymously pontificate against any government change and swathe on layer after layer of gooey Madigan worship - bemoaned the Governor's plans.

First it was the announcement of a new chief of staff. Then a new policy director. A new communications director. More. More and more. Even Rauner's longtime political director resigned.

The house cleaning after budget veto override was like watching a remodeling demolition on HGTV. It was exciting to see a sledge hammer taken to a moldy bathtub, outdated kitchen cabinets and worn, smelly carpeting removed.

Sure, it may have been sad to see some of the old go - but nothing's better than a new start.

The Springfield insiders hate the Governor's taste, though - and they're furious that he's turning to a new mindset to remodel his office. He's turning to people he trusts - those who've been helping him all along behind the scenes. The remodeling crew he's bringing in are people who've worked together to give House Speaker Mike Madigan and the Springfield insiders their first real challenge ever.

Miller is furious because he liked the way things were before. He writes about the new staff, many being called in from Illinois Policy Institute:

And so we're about to embark on an adventure that I don't think any state has ever experienced. A governor of a large state is outsourcing the operation of his government to a libertarian-minded activist "think tank" that he helped fund before he was elected. The organization is hostile to unions, public pensions, taxes and government regulations. It has railed against this state's governance for at least a decade, building up an impressive operation that supplies free news stories, opinion columns and even cartoons to cash-strapped newspapers throughout the state. It has a legal arm that has filed or is handling anti-union lawsuits. It has mastered social media to spread its gospel and whip up the public and lash out at opponents online. It took over a statewide radio news network. It employs researchers who regularly spit out pieces about how Illinois lags other states, particularly Indiana. In other words, it's the perfect fit for Rauner, a man of almost identical ideology who nurses a constant obsession about "messaging."

Sounds like Rauner's plan has been thought out, well-funded and implemented shrewdly. Illinois is about to witness a policy shakeup from the top down.

But there's one difference between this and watching HGTV: if Illinois taxpayers think they'll be able to munch on popcorn and watch for Rauner's final "reveal" at the end of the show, they're mistaken.

Here's a hint of what's coming: The plan won't work unless those who've been paying higher and higher taxes to uphold exorbitant six-figure public worker pensions, comfort ailing public sector unions, and nurture more tax dependency hit the streets, social media and talk shows to bolster the Springfield swamp drain.

This renovation could be the last great hope for Springfield and the state of Illinois.

The only alternative if Rauner's plan fails may be total demolition.
W hen Carolyn McCall was announced as the new chief executive of easyJet seven years ago, there were plenty of mutterings in the media industry that she would fail. What did the boss of Guardian Media Group know about budget airlines? She couldnt even pilot the newspapers in her portfolio into the black.

But her easyJet journey turned out to be hugely successful, turning a cheap and cheerful carrier with a punctuality problem into a business-friendly brand with added touches such as allocated seating. A rising dividend largely kept tricky shareholder easyJet founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou happy.

Now, as Dame Carolyn, she is returning to the media industry as chief executive of ITV. It appears that the broadcasters chairman, Sir Peter Bazalgette, has torn himself away from the salacious summer hit Love Island long enough to make sure pen was put to paper.

It is clear why ITV wants her: Dame Carolyns star is high enough for her to walk into most of the big corporate jobs in the UK and she has bags of listed company experience that Baz, as hes known, is lighter on. A more interesting question to ask is why on earth would she want to do it?

Running ITV has too often turned into a soap opera in the boardroom instead of just on screen, although the lure of a glitzy non-executive directorship has brightened up the CV of many a dusty banker.

Adam Croziers tenure, in which he boosted adjusted earnings per share more than 800% and acquired numerous independent production companies to reduce reliance on advertising income, has been somewhat boring by contrast.

Part of that was down to a firm hand on the tiller  a booming advertising market did no harm either. His exit just as trading is getting tougher reminds me of Justin Kings Sainsburys swansong in 2014: neither could get out of the door fast enough. Mind you, Brexit makes life harder too at easyJet, which is creating a new airline based in Austria so it can carry on flying between member states.

ITV has been sagging for a while. The shares are down 15% in the year to date on fears of a consumer spending downturn. The other day Goldman Sachs forecast a decline in net advertising revenues of 10% in July, 5% in August and 2% in September. It hasnt helped sentiment that hopes of a US takeover because of weak sterling have evaporated. What Dame Carolyn must also contend with is stopping the production talent walking out of the door as the earn-outs from ITV Studios numerous takeover deals expire.

But her biggest challenge is to keep up with viewing trends and technological changes. Teenagers and children are watching a third less broadcast TV on traditional sets than they were in 2010, the regulator Ofcom reports. That isnt all bad. Media experts at Enders Analysis forecast that although viewers in the all-important 16 to 24 and 25 to 34 age groups will watch less and less so-called linear TV, total minutes viewed will still be creeping up by 2020 because watching on other screens  smartphones and iPads  more than compensates.

And of course ITV isnt losing all its viewers to someone else on the web. Its catch-up service, the ITV Hub, reported a healthy 42% rise in online viewing last year. It claims to have signed up around half of all 16 to 24-year olds.

Making money out of them gets harder though. The 30-second TV ad, the income stream which caused one of commercial TVs founding fathers to label the industry a licence to print money, does not translate well onto a handset.

As the trend accelerates, could the spot ad start to look like the Yellow Pages  a medium that has had its day? One upside of online growth could be a review of the fiendishly complicated contract rights renewal formula that prevents ITV from abusing its dominant industry position.

It certainly means more to do for Dame Carolyn, who invested heavily in data analytics at easyJet.

She told me recently that customer loyalty had gone up 25% in five years despite greater competition among airlines. Lets hope she can pull off the same trick at ITV, which is the incumbent not the challenger brand.

Competition is certainly on the up, thanks to the billions Netflix and Amazon are pouring into TV production. Her idea of creative innovation surely extends beyond broadcasting wall-to-wall Coronation Street. If she is still flying high when her time comes to leave ITV, Dame Carolyn will have done very well indeed.
T he founders of Purplebricks and Rightmove have invested in a start-up allowing estate agents to tap into the homesharing sites which are disrupting them.

Kenny Bruce, the boss of hybrid estate agent Purplebricks, and Harry Hill, the founder of property site Rightmove, are among angel investors in a 1 million funding round for Lavanda.

The London-based company, which started life as a laundry service, allows landlords and homeowners to let their properties on websites such as Airbnb, but without having to deal with cleaning or running the property.

It is partnering estate agents to allow them to offer a short-term rental service.

Hill joined as Lavandas chairman this year. Other investors include ex-Tesco boss Sir Terry Leahy.

Lavandas founder, Guy Westlake, said the cash injection will allow it to become profitable.

Its about establishing the business as a viable, long-term disruptor in the market. Were now well equipped to do that, he said.

Bruce said: By tapping into the changing way people are living and working, this business has the potential to develop into a major player within the residential market.
T he contractor in charge of maintaining the fire alarm systems at Grenfell Tower is being sued for alleged negligence over a blaze that destroyed a school in south-east London, the Evening Standard can reveal.

Housing services firm Lakehouse is embroiled in a 13 million legal battle following a fire at an academy school championed by former education secretary Michael Gove.

Haberdashers Askes Hatcham Temple Grove primary school in New Cross burned down in 2010 when a propane gas canister exploded during refurbishment over the Easter vacation.

The contractor Lakehouse Contracts, a subsidiary, and subcontractor Cambridge Polymer Roofing (CPR), are being sued for alleged negligence and breach of duty.

In legal documents seen by the Standard, Lewisham Council, the owner of the building, and Haberdashers claim that Lakehouse failed to take adequate steps to prevent fire.

These included training and supervision of staff at CPR, and providing appropriate fire safety measures, which they claim endangered pupils.

Lakehouse was in charge of testing and maintaining fire alarms at Grenfell, which some residents claimed failed to go off as the fire raged last month, killing at least 80 people.

Lakehouse said it was satisfied the Grenfell fire alarms were maintained in accordance with requirements and that they had been inspected in January and certified as being in good working order.

Haberdashers and Lewisham claim the school fire originated when employees of CPR were using a blowtorch.

They allege CPRs employees left a gas cylinder on the roof, and Lakehouse should have ensured that proper measures were implemented and maintained its own supervision and fire watch.

Lakehouse is involved in a separate fraud inquiry in relation to its work for Hackney Council. It denies any wrongdoing in relation to the alleged fraud.

Haberdashers and Lewisham claim to have suffered 12.6 million in losses. Lakehouse and CPR have both filed defences and the case is ongoing.

CPR denies it breached its contract with Lakehouse and any duty of care owed to Lewisham or Haberdashers, and does not admit it caused the fire.

Lakehouse admits that its breach of its duty of care and its breach of the terms of the building contract caused the fire. However, the company has not accepted the losses claimed by the school and Lewisham, and has separately claimed damages from CPR.

CPR has denied any wrongdoing.

A spokesman for the company said: On the basis that there is an ongoing legal claim by Haberdashers' Aske against Lakehouse and its subcontractor Cambridge Polymer, it would not be appropriate for Lakehouse to comment further in relation to this matter.

Since 2010 Lakehouse has continued to work on a framework with Lewisham for education, building a further 15-20 projects and have enjoyed a good working relationship.

Earlier this month, Hackney Council wrote to 166 town halls after Grenfell, warning them to check carefully Lakehouses work.

It said it had discovered that faulty fire safety equipment had been installed in some Hackney homes during a fraud inquiry. Lakehouse denies any wrongdoing.

Lewisham and Haberdashers' were unable to comment on the school fire case. CPR declined to comment.
P erkbox, the employee perks start-up, has raised another chunk of cash, nine months after its previous funding round.

The $8.6 million (6.6 million) injection into the London-based company, which allows customers to reward staff with perks and discounts, comes from venture capital firm Draper Esprit, an early backer of LoveFilm.

It invested 2.5 million in October last year on the same terms as those who backed the company on crowdfunding site Seedrs.

Saurav Chopra, Perkboxs chief executive and co-founder, said the latest funding would help it expand overseas.

The need for employee engagement is global and progressive countries and employers understand their most important assets are their people. Theres a lot to do outside the UK, he said.

Perkboxs customers include British Gas and Worldpay.

He said the company expects to generate 30 million in revenues this year, double what it made last year, adding that the squeeze on wages had led more businesses to consider its services.

Helping them stretch their salaries further is a lot more cost effective than giving a salary raise, Chopra said.
 Change to Win was David Camerons slogan when he ran for the leadership of the Conservative opposition in 2005. Instead of trying to appeal to the better angels of their unreconstructed Tory nature, Mr Cameron had a more pragmatic pitch to a party that had lost three elections in a row: unless Conservatives were more positive about modern Britain, they would continue to be rejected by voters. It won him the Tory crown, the keys to Downing Street and gave him the mandate to go green, legalise gay marriage, champion overseas aid and establish national citizen service for young people  all of which helped the Conservatives dominate the centre ground of politics.

Twelve years later, change to win is still Mr Camerons hard-headed message to Conservatives who now fear they are heading back to opposition. In his first newspaper interview since the general election, the former PM warns his successors that they need a more inspiring vision of how you build not just a strong economy but a strong society and a better life if they are appeal to the younger voters currently being wooed by Jeremy Corbyn.

Unfortunately, not enough Conservatives are listening. They are in the grip of a minority who seek hard Brexit at any cost. This vision satisfies the obsessions of those who have always held to a narrow concept of parliamentary sovereignty and a long-standing cultural dislike of immigration, which they dress up as a concern about pressure on public services. Until recently, they made another bold claim about hard Brexit: it was the key to future electoral success. It would win for Conservatives the white working-class vote that the Cameron leadership, with its metropolitan predilections, could never reach. That was the glittering prize that the last election was supposed to deliver.

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Instead, the precious few Tory victories in places like Stoke and Middlesbrough were more than outweighed by heavy losses in places like Bath, Bristol and Brighton. The gains made by a decade of modernisation were squandered as the party lost vote share among city dwellers, ethnic minorities, gay people and young students and middle-aged graduates. Now some Tories are making a new and dangerous argument: a hard Brexit is more important than winning a future election. Listen to what one MP told the Mail on Sunday a week ago: We have been campaigning for decades to leave the EU  Risking Corbyn getting in to No 10 isnt as bad as losing Brexit. A brief dose of a Left-wing government is not the end of the world.

It is that approach that justifies the serial briefing undermining the Chancellor, Philip Hammond, because he dares to worry about the consequences for jobs and living standards of ripping our economy out of the single market and customs union. Never mind that the descent into open civil war among the Cabinet is doing untold damage to the Conservative reputation for competence. Never mind, too, that a hard-Left Corbyn government, on the heels of hard Brexit, would do huge damage to our countrys future.

Mr Cameron reminds us today that modernisation isnt an event, it is a process. A political party should be asking itself all the time: Am I properly in touch with and reflecting the society and the country?. The Conservatives would do well to listen to him again. For they urgently need to change if they are going to win again.

Crime on wheels

Moped crime is a new, often brutal, scourge: this weekend there was a fatal attack on a young man in Greenwich and another on a tourist in Chelsea in which the actor Daniel Radcliffe helped the traumatised victim. But the police are fighting back: moped thefts dropped markedly after the conviction of three teenagers who admitted to 103 separate offences from Kensington to Camden in just 18 days. The police deserve our congratulations but theres more to do.
Y our leader once again cogently sets out not only the harm Brexit will cause but also that the reality of Brexit is going to be far different from what Leave voters were promised [Fantasy that leaving the EU can be cheap, Comment, July 12].

It is no surprise that you also report David Daviss bemused recognition that no other country will follow us down the route of leaving the EU.

We must not be so in awe of the referendum result as to fail to follow through on your analysis. Certainly, the vote in June last year was a major public democratic event. It should determine what happens next and it is right that the Government is negotiating Brexit. But a vote on an idea cannot require us to implement a plan that even now does not exist.

There should be a referendum on the final terms of Brexit which would mean for the first time voters would be able to make a decision on Brexit, knowing what it would entail.

Michael Romberg



One of the significant war cries of Brexit was that we must rid ourselves of meddlesome EU regulations. The EU Repeal Bill will adopt more than 20,000 EU regulations  ratifying them under British law.

It would seem we are not ridding ourselves of EU regulation but simply changing the name on the cover.

James McGrory



Your editorial states Our Parliament chose to join the EU, and now it may choose to leave it [Comment, July 13]. This is false.

The people chose to join the EU in 1975, and last year the people chose to leave it. Lets be clear: if Parliament does not represent the people, it is nothing more than a Soviet-style politburo.

It goes on to state that only a tiny minority of Brexit voters thought that by leaving the EU they were voting for less red tape. What we actually voted for was for us to determine what the red tape actually is.

Then there is the dreary refrain that if we are repatriating rule-making from European institutions on issues from fishing to finance and that we have no idea who will make these rules in future. I think it is offensive to suggest that we do not know how to govern ourselves.

The Great Repeal Bill will not take power from Parliament, it will hand it back to where it belongs: with the British people.

A Carmichael



It is ludicrous to suggest that, at a time of booming numbers of visitors to London, Brexit has caused the closure of three gastropubs [Brexit trading slump blamed for closure of gastropub loved by Nigella Lawson, July 13].

The real causes have been hikes in rent and business rates. Anyway, it is hard to feel sympathy for a company that has relied on cheap labour from Eastern Europe to swell profits.

Anthony Wills



Brexit's real threat to the car industry

Anthony Hilton is right when he says Brexit will sink the UK car industry but omits some statistics on which Brexiteers delude themselves [City Comment, July 13]. They say German car manufacturers will do anything to keep their UK customers but they dont need to work hard to keep their German customers.

The challenges facing Nissans Sunderland factory and Volkswagen illustrate this. If negotiations resort to World Trade Organisation rules, the 70 per cent of Nissans production that is sold to Europe is in jeopardy while Volkswagens sales to the UK comprise only one and a half per cent of its production. It is clear where the pain will be most felt.

David Wardrop



District surveyor's essential service

Rather than send building experts into town halls to help improve the architectural standards of new-home building [July 11], the Mayor should re-introduce the district surveyor service that served inner London so well in the past.

This oversaw all building works in inner London and was staffed by highly trained surveyors who checked all works to ensure compliance with the London Building Acts.

On abolition of the GLC, local authorities took on building control and the private sector was permitted to approve works. Should the Mayor take up this proposal, any service must be empowered to oversee all building developments.

J Marten



Thomas Doggett is not king of the river

We would like to congratulate Thames River Services on the newest addition to its fleet, the MV Thomas Doggett.

However, the ship is not the biggest on the river, as your report last week indicated [All aboard: Biggest passenger boat on Thames sets sail, July 12]. City Cruises has the biggest, the Millennium Diamond, which can carry 600 passengers, 76 more than the Thomas Doggett, and is longer.

Kyle Haughton, managing director, City Cruises

Join the conversation: #esnewsviews



Fracking can't be allowed in London

There is no place for fracking in our city [Energy firm wants to drill for gas under NW10, July 10]. London is already in the midst of a public health emergency and this proposal to drill for shale gas in Brent would be catastrophic for the local area, which exceeds the EUs legal clean air limits.

The potential consequences of fracking  including noise pollution and risks to drinking water  make it unsuitable anywhere in the UK. But, the impact could be much greater in a populated city such as London.

While the Government may be completely ambivalent, we will not sit back while prospectors dig up our land. Alongside my colleagues, I will oppose any attempt to extract shale gas from under Londoners feet.

Jean Lambert, Green Party MEP for London



The Mayor needs to sort his priorities

Your article on Londons new black cabs describes them as electric-powered [July 11]. In fact, it is a petrol-electric hybrid with an as yet undefined electric-powered range and their emissions will not be zero.

The Deputy Mayor for Transport, Valerie Shawcross, welcomed the arrival of electric black cabs to clean up Londons polluted air while the Mayor intends to carry on buying diesel-powered buses until next year. It is time Sadiq Khan sorted out how his policies really work.

Leon Di Marco, FSK Technology Research



The faulty logic of planes versus cars

Both Patrick Malone and Charles Beckwith [Letters, July 13] appear to rely on the curious argument that it is fine for them to drive to Heathrow Airport because the planes pollute more than their cars. That is rather like saying I can dump rubbish because many others make a far bigger and better job of doing it.

Both planes and cars contribute to pollution, so we should surely be trying to use both less. Do we really need to fly miles when electronic communications are so good?

Gordon Thompson

Join the conversation: #escleancityviews
MT ZION  Monday, Governor Bruce Rauner called on members of the Illinois Senate to send him Senate Bill 1, the education funding bill - and told them to expect an amendatory veto that the governor's office says would result in higher state funding for almost every school district in Illinois.

SB 1 includes a bailout of Chicagos teacher pension system, something the governor wants to be distributed to students statewide.

We have a chance to make history and adopt a new school funding plan that, for the first time, ensures all school districts in Illinois are equitably and adequately funded. Unfortunately, Democrats want to turn this historic opportunity into a bailout for the CPS pension system, said Governor Rauner. The point of this school reform bill is to help low income students across the state, including those in Chicago, get the education they deserve  not to bailout CPSs mismanaged teacher pension system.

The governors office says the amendatory veto will adjust the bill so that it is more closely aligned with the to the original ideals proposed by the governors School Funding Reform Commission  which has bipartisan support. These reforms include mandating that the majority of all money in SB 1 will go to statewide school districts serving a majority of students from families with low income. This, his office says, marks a historic change that will, over time, fix education inequity in Illinois.

As written, SB 1 is a bailout for the decades of financial mismanagement at CPS, Rauner's office said. The bill directs millions of dollars to CPS and away from other deserving districts. Under SB 1 as it is currently written, the other 851 school districts in Illinois will receive less FY18 budget money while CPS receives credit for a $506 million historical pension payment. The CPS hold harmless includes both the $250 million block grant credit and $221 million for normal pension costs and retiree health care credit.

The General Assembly under Speaker Madigan have failed to adequately or equitably fund our schools for decades. It has hurt generations of Illinois children who live in low income communities, said Governor Rauner. Its not right to give CPS more than its equitable share at the expense of other struggling school districts. Thats not reform. It is the same old rigged politics that created this disgraceful system we are trying to fix. 

A new webpage launched by the governor shows how much more money each school district will receive after the governor issues his amendatory veto: https://www.illinois.gov/gov/SitePages/SchoolDistrictFunding.aspx
She married the billionaire Snapchat founder at the end of May, but until now Miranda Kerr's much-anticipated wedding dress has been kept firmly under wraps.

Having now finally released images from the "magical day" to her Instagram account, we chart the most important details to note.

1. It was designed by Dior's Maria Grazia Chiuri

"I think it's every girl's dream to have Dior design her wedding dress", Kerr told Vogue.

Taking on the project, newly-appointed Maria Grazia Chiuri - who until last July headed up the design team at Valentino alongside Pierpaolo Piccioli - created a full-skirted satin gown appliqued with flowers which required just two fittings and was paired with a pearl-encrusted headpiece by milliner Stephen Jones.

2. It was inspired by Grace Kelly

One of Kerr's greatest style inspirations, her wedding dress was based on the iconic and timeless gown worn by Grace Kelly at her wedding to Prince Rainier of Monaco in 1956.

3. It was debuted in US Vogue's August Issue

Photographed by Patrick Demarchelier for American Vogue, the gown was kept entirely secret - with a full social media ban at the ceremony - until the issue was released this weekend.

4. It epitomises Kerr's new sartorial direction

Having spent 8 years as a Victoria's Secret angel before finally hanging up her wings in 2013, Kerr is not afraid of a risque look.

Miranda Kerr in pictures 1 /13 Miranda Kerr in pictures Work it The model at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, Lexington Armory in 2012 (Picture: Rex) Pretty in pink Miranda Kerr attends the Magnum 'Pink and Black' party during the 68th annual Cannes Film Festival (Picture: Getty) Stripping off Miranda Kerr flaunts her figure in a two piece for Wonderbra (Picture: Wonderbra) Dressed to impress Kerr attends the Warner Music Group annual Grammy celebration at Chateau Marmont (Picture: Getty) Summer ready Miranda Kerr attends the Stella McCartney Spring 2016 Resort Presentation (Picture: Getty) Kevin Mazur/Getty Images Film star style The model arrives at the 2015 Vanity Fair Oscar Party in Beverly Hills (Picture: Reuters) Keeping covered A more demure shot from the Wonderbra campaign (Picture: Wonderbra) LBD Miranda Kerr looks stunning at a Clear Shampoo Promotional Event, Shanghai, China (Picture: Rex) Imaginechina/REX Model figure Kerr posing for Wonderbra (Picture: Wonderbra) Wonderbra Leading lady Kerr with her fellow Victoria's Secret models during the 2012 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show at the Lexington Avenue Armory (Picture: Getty) Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

Unusually - and refreshingly - demure, therefore, was the gown's high neck, full-sleeve and billowing skirt which covered the model's entire body.

"I've had a lot of fun with fashion, and I used to be more wild, free, bohemian. But in this period of my life, my style is more pulled back", Kerr told Vogue.

"A dress that fully covers you creates a sense of purity and mystery."

5. It isn't too precious

While most of us would treat such a bespoke Dior wedding gown as a monumentally precious relic, Kerr is seemingly unfazed by its magnificence.

Having spent the majority of her adult life being dressed in exceptional clothing, the 34-year-old's famously-dimpled smile remains as a pet dog jumps up at her in a video taken by Vogue during the shoot.

6. It was followed by a racier number

While she may have thrown herself into the world of modest dressing, Kerr's penchant for having fun with fashion hasn't been entirely dimmed.

For an evening of karaoke after the ceremony, there was a second gown - "something short and lacy that Chiuri had concocted for the wedding's looser second half."

But judging by the wait for the official gown reveal, we may have to use our imagination for the later look.
T he Monument will get a 1.5 million revamp under plans to open up Sir Christopher Wrens underground laboratory for the first time in decades.

Heritage bosses in the City say a new two-storey visitor centre at the 202ft column  opened in 1677 to commemorate the Great Fire of London  would bring in an extra 500,000 a year from tourists and shoppers.

It will also allow visitors to see the chamber where Wren and Dr Robert Hooke peered into the night sky through the tower, which they designed to double as a telescope. At present, a grate looking down into the chamber is covered by a left-luggage locker.

The 1,200sq ft visitor centre will be wrapped around the existing pavilion, with extra space for exhibits, shops and corporate events. The capacity of the tower, which can take 33 visitors at a time, would be increased. Tickets to climb the 311 steps are 4.50 and this would rise by 75 per cent. Councillors will tomorrow decide whether to fund a 15,000 study to assess whether to go ahead with the project.
When it comes to styling interiors, it can be hard to know where to start. For us, the basis of any project begins by gathering inspiration and forming mood boards to get a clear idea of the kind of look we're aiming to create.

Instagram has quickly become one of the best social platforms for discovering fantastic interior inspiration especially from the ever style conscious Swedes who use Instagram as visual mood board showcasing the latest Scandi trends.

Love Scandinavian design? Then you need to know and follow these Instagram accounts. From Swedish estate agents and interior shops to interior stylists and design enthusiasts who have gorgeous homes.

Below we have the handpicked our top Instagram accounts that we lust over everyday.

Entrance Makleri

This Gothenburg Estate agent is bursting with inspiring homes. Take a scroll through their feed whenever you want some interior design ideas.

Henrik Nero

This photographer and interior designer shoots stunning homes for the top estate agents across Sweden.

Johanna Bradford

Johanna is an Interior design blogger who is often first to experiment with new ideas in her home, and ends up setting design trends across Sweden. We love her use of bold wallpaper in the kitchen.

Fotografanders

A Gothenburg based photographer shoots the most gorgeous homes throughout Sweden.

Trendenser

Scandinavia's most read interior blogger shares gorgeous home and lifestyle images on her Instagram.

MeliMeli

Furniture brand set up by Interior designer Amelia Widell. Explore their Stockholm showroom and the stylish homes theyve inspired.

Scandinavianhomes

Stockholm-based interior stylists who have a huge following.

Artillerietstore

One of our favourite shops in Gothenburg. We love their styling and how they fuse vintage styles with modern touches.

Ettrumtill

The content editor of ELLE Sweden showcases her lovely home and her day to day life in Sweden.

Theo-Bert pot

Not strictly Scandi, but we love Theo-Bert's use of bold colour and interesting artefacts in his Amsterdam home that he shares with his partner.

Styledbyemmahos

Interior stylist and designer Emma has a great eye for calm, sophisticated interiors with a natural colour pallette.

Alvhem

Another Swedish Estate agent based in Gothenburg. Each home that is up for sale is styled and photographed beautifully to show off its best features to entice potential new buyers.

FantasticFrank

Another fantastic estate agent that sells and showcases the most beautiful homes across Stockholm and Berlin.

Annacate

This freelance stylist showcases her traditional Swedish country style along with images of the forest and flowers.

LottaAgaton

This account from Interior designer Lotta Agaton is a beautifully curated selection of homes, landscapes and architecture.

Krickelin

This blogger and photographer shows off her stunning home on her feed as well as lots of Scandi-cool lifestyle images.

Pella Hedeby

Interior Stylist Pella writes a blog for ELLE Decoration Sweden and shares the latest Scandi trends.

Kai Price and Amanda Nelson are the founders of Scandinavian design e-boutique attpynta.com. Follow them on Instagram for further Scandi interiors inspo.
I t can be easy to dismiss the youth of today as swathe of selfie-obssessed social media junkies who think little beyond their next hashtag. But a group of inspiring young women in the UK show the extent to which modern teenagers are using the social network as a force for social change, innovation and business.

As part of Instagram's #GenInsta takeover, where teenage influencers will commandeer the platforms of brands and charities to share their fresh perspective with a global audience.

From Maya Ghazal, the Syrian-born role model and spokesperson for young refugees and migrants across the UK, to Amelia Afjoy, a LGBTQ+ artist who uses her art to copy with mental health issues, here are 11 of the most inspiring young women that you should be following on Instagram.

Nia

@frogirlginny (275k followers)

Half Zimbabwean, half English, Nia is the creator of @HappyFroday and a pro-fro campaigner. She says her pro-fro journey began with the simple acceptance to love her natural hair. She now encourages other teens and women to accept and embrace their flaws and imperfections believing this can lead to great things.

A post shared by Nia The Light  (@frogirlginny) on Jul 12, 2017 at 1:59pm PDT

Kay Ska

@kay_ska (10.4k followers)

Kay is extremely passionate about spreading mental health awareness and has built a community of support through her blog as well as her Instagram page. It documents her healing journey from anorexia and aims to empower others to share their own mental health stories.

A post shared by Kay Ska (@kay_ska) on Jul 1, 2017 at 7:24am PDT

Zoe Daniel

@thezoedaniel (861 followers)

Zoe is a journalist, film maker and ambassador for Girl Gaze, a multi-media project which aims to generate visibility and support for the next wave of female creatives. This summer, she will launch ZoeZine, a new platform for young creatives to show their work.

A post shared by ZOE  (@thezoedaniel) on Apr 1, 2017 at 3:32am PDT

Izy Hossack

@izyhossack (229k followers)

Izy is a 19 year old Londoner studying food science and nutrition. At the age of 15 she started her blog, Top With Cinnamon, with Instagram playing a crucial role in allowing her to preview her recipes and show some behind the scenes action. Izy has just published her second cookbook, The Savvy Cook.

A post shared by Izy Hossack (topwithcinnamon) (@izyhossack) on Aug 1, 2016 at 1:53pm PDT

Maya Ghazal

@ghazalmia (1,372 followers)

Maya arrived in the UK in September 2015 from Damascus, Syria. She was reunited with her father, who had been forced to leave their family home 15 months earlier. She is a role model and a compelling spokesperson for young refugees and migrants across the UK, an ambassador for TCS (Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat) and a Diana Legacy Award holder.

A post shared by Maya Ghazal (@ghazalmia) on Jun 21, 2017 at 7:12am PDT

Casey Ann

@caseyannbooks (29.3k followers)

Casey Ann, who has had a blog and YouTube channel since her early teens, uses her Instagram account to show that 'Reading is Beautiful'. She has built up a sizeable following in the #bookstagram community and posts images of what she's currently reading, brought to life by her other interest: make-up, as well as recommendations for particular authors and genres. She hopes to work in publishing when she is older.

A post shared by Casey Ann (@caseyannbooks) on Jun 23, 2016 at 2:38pm PDT

Ellie Connor-Phillips

@elliecp_ (7,288 followers)

As well as being a menswear student at Central St Martins, Ellie is the editor of blog @bloomldn, a rapidly growing London-based zine exploring the city's art, culture and style from a fresh perspective. She is also fashion assistant at @xxymagazine and has a particular interest in textiles and photography.

A post shared by ellie connor-phillips  (@elliecp_) on Jul 13, 2017 at 1:26am PDT

CJ Calanday

@chaariz (235 followers)

CJ is an 18 year old Pinay LGBT artist from south London, who is also a contributor to @risenzine, an online magazine that acts as a safe space for creative young minds who passionately advocate for their principles.

A post shared by CJ Calanday (@chaariz) on Jul 18, 2016 at 6:07pm PDT

Amelia Ajfoy

@foyoutboy (577 followers), @ameliaaart (235 followers)

The co-curator of @risenzine, Amelia is a 19 year old LGBTQ+ artist who uses her art to promote female empowerment and cope with her mental health issues

A post shared by Amelia / 19 (@ameliaaart) on Jul 12, 2017 at 8:14am PDT

Harriet Evans & Paula Akpan

 @harrietevs (741 followers) and @paulaakpan (902 followers)

Harriet and Paula are the founders of the Im Tired project @theimtiredproject (8,537 followers). The project highlights micro-aggressions, stereotypes and discrimination by working with people to reveal the things they are most tired of in society. They do this by displaying what they are tired of across their bare backs, creating a positive space for people to share their personal stories within the Instagram community.
A cid attacks have spiked across the capital with six moped riders targeted in just 24 hours across Londons streets.

MPs are set to debate whether to introduce tougher penalties for the horrific crime in Parliament today as campaigners call for an age limit to be introduced on the sale of dangerous liquids like bleach.

But, what does current legislation say about acid attacks, how tough are sentences and what do people want done to help prevent them?

How many people have been attacked with acid in London this year?

So far, 90 people have been the victims of attacks in the capital.

The most recent attacks took place on Thursday, when five moped riders were targeted during an acid spree across east London.

A sixth was hit in an unrelated attack on Friday.

Crime scene: Police rushed to the scene of one attack in Upper Clapton / Twitter/@999London

What are the current laws and how long could attackers be jailed for?

Those carrying out attacks can be charged with GBH with intent which carries a maximum life sentence.

Anyone caught carrying acid can also be charged with possession of an offensive weapon under the Prevention of Crime Act, which carries a maximum penalty of four years in jail.

Cressida Dick on how easy it is to get acid

Who can buy acid and what is the problem with this?

Currently there are no age restrictions on buying household bleach or drain cleaning products which contain acid. This means anyone can purchase these products.

There are rules which limit the sale of certain substances under the explosives precursors and poisons (EPP) rules aimed at businesses which sell or supply such chemicals in bulk.

Members of the public must hold a licence issued by the Home Office to be able to buy certain chemicals.

Acid attack: A victim is doused with water

What needs to be done?

Campaigners are calling on the Government and the police to introduce mandatory age verification for items containing acid.

Jaf Shah, from Acid Survivors Trust International, wants the government to make it compulsory when purchasing corrosive chemicals to pay by card that is traceable to an individual and to make acid available only under licence, the BBC reported.

Acid attack victim Katie Piper has also called for tougher restrictions on buying such items.

She wrote in the Metro: At present, it is all too easy for someone to buy a corrosive substance and throw it, sometimes from a distance, at another person.

What happens now?

MPs will debate the rise on the number of attacks in the capital in the House of Commons this afternoon.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd has promised to create a strategy for the prevention of attacks.

She suggested proposals to ensure acid and other corrosive substances are considered as "dangerous weapons".

Minister for crime, safeguarding and vulnerability, Sarah Newton, said the courts already had the power to impose life sentences in the most serious cases of GBH but that a review will be undertaken to make sure these powers are known.

The Met Police are working with retailers to raise awareness of anyone who may be buying corrosive substances to use as weapons.
A ctor Daniel Radcliffe stopped to help a terrified tourist who was slashed across the face in a robbery by thugs riding a moped.

The Harry Potter star, 27, was among a group of people who rushed to the aid of a man who was targeted by two men in west London.

The victim was walking on a side road off Chelsea's fashionable King's Road when he was targeted on Friday evening.

The incident happened as it emerged police have smashed one of London's most prolific scooter crime gangs.

Two men on a moped targeted the man, stealing his Louis Vuitton bag and leaving him with a facial injury, according to witnesses.

A former police officer watched the incident unfold and tried to prevent the attack.

London is being plagued by a menace of thugs on mopeds (FILE IMAGE)

David Videcette, who was driving in the area at the time, said he noticed the men behaving suspiciously and started following them.

He said he intervened by shunting the thieves' moped with his car after seeing them pull a knife before the pair sped off through a set of red lights.

Mr Videcette returned to the scene to find Mr Radcliffe consoling the victim, who was a tourist in the UK for a couple of days' holiday.

Mr Videcette said: "It was a bit of the surreal moment, I said youre Daniel Radcliffe and he replied I am'.

A spokeswoman for Daniel confirmed he was present at the scene

He was a really nice bloke, a lot of stars wouldnt have stopped to help.

The victim was very, very shaken up.

A spokeswoman for Daniel Radcliffe confirmed he was present but refused to comment further.

The man was targeted on Hortensia road in west London

Mr Videcette, who was formerly part of the Mets counter-terror unit, told the Standard: I had seen [the moped thieves] with no number plates on cruising down the street, both looking at people on the pavement.

I realised they were up to no good.

I decided to call the police and told them they needed to come and have a look. No sooner than I was on the phone to them that I saw one of them reaching for something in his waistband.

I realised they were getting ready to do something.

I cruised behind them in my car and they darted down a side street. Im still on the phone to the police.

Then one of them gets off and attacks a man with an expensive looking Louis Vuitton bag on the pavement.

They grappled with him on the pavement. He wasnt going to give up the bag willingly. I tried to ram the bike with my car but I wasnt able to.

They slashed him in the face with the knife and made off down the Kings Road.

I tried to follow them but I lost them as they were jumping red lights."

A spokesman for the Met Police said: Police were called at approximately 6.10pm on Friday, July 14 to reports of a robbery in Hortensia Road.

The victim - a man aged in his 50s - was walking in the road when two people riding a moped snatched his bag before riding off. The victim suffered a cut to the face during the incident.

Officers from Kensington and Chelsea investigate.

No arrests were made and enquiries continue.
A self-confessed acid attacker claimed victims deserve" to be targeted and said: If I can get acid, Ill use it.

In a documentary for Vice, an anonymous attacker revealed the chilling tactics used by Londons gangs for acid attacks, including targeting rivals' girlfriends because they love their beauty.

He also said gangs had begun dipping knives in acid in a bid to make attacks more brutal.

The shocking revelations come after a series of terrifying attacks across London this week, during which six people were targeted in just 24 hours by thugs riding mopeds.

The attacker said gangs have begun dousing knives in acid to make attacks more brutal / VICE

The anonymous self-confessed acid attacker said he and a friend targeted the partner of a rival gang member and said he would nine times out of ten attack women.

He told Vice: [We] went to a rave, met some ops (enemy) there. We were just fighting in the club. A couple of days later I just randomly see the ops and his baby mum.

Theyre there at Tesco, just shopping so I was like, cool. I ran to my boy who was in the car. My boy bought a bottle, like a Lucozade bottle.

I was like, whats that?. He was like dont worry, fam. Just come, lets go, lets go.

Im racking up the guy, just punching him and whatnot. And my boy, he just undid the bottle and he just splashed the girl."

He added: Like if I cant damage you enough Im coming for your people.

Acid attack victim Samir Hussien wears a mask 24/7 after being attacked outside a cinema / VICE

The capital has been rocked by a series of horrific acid attacks in the past few weeks.

Five people were injured when they were targeted by two moped-riding attackers in a 90-minute rampage in London on Thursday.

On Monday, a 16-year-old boy denied any involvement in the rampage when he appeared at Stratford Youth Court charged with 13 offences.

The anonymous attacker, speaking from east London, said that knives were still the weapon of choice among London's gangs, but attackers are now dousing knives in acid.

He added: This is block war, this is it, this is beef, innit. No snitching, simple as that. No snitching.

Acid Attack Victim Covered In Water

In the war on the mandem, if someone got acid on their face, trust me, they did something. No ifs, no buts, they deserved that.

He added: If I can get it, then, Ill use it.

More than 400 acid or corrosive substance attacks were carried out in the six months up to April 2017, according to figures from 39 forces in England and Wales.

Home secretary Amber Rudd has pledged to put forward a strategy to help prevent acid attacks amid a shocking rise in offences in the capital.

Campaigners are calling for legislation making it harder for people to buy corrosive substances.

Possession of acid or other corrosive substances with intent to do harm can be treated as possession of an offensive weapon under the Prevention of Crime Act, which carries a maximum penalty of four years in jail.

Samir Hussien, who now wears a mask 24 hours a day after he was left scarred during an attack as he left a cinema, criticised prosecutors sentencing powers.

He said: As I left the cinema as I was going towards my car they continued to talk. As I got to my car I got knocked to the floor and then one individual came to smash my car window.

There was a substance thrown at me which I found out was acid.

After that I ran to my car to get a bottle of water, but I think by then the damage was pretty much done.

He added: Its not enough. They are doing this trying to support someones life, so why shouldnt they get that in return in that sense?"
A n investigation has been launched after a man jumped onto the back of a train and hung on for 10 minutes as it moved between stations.

The man jumped onto the rear footplate of the train at Worksop station in Nottinghamshire, on Saturday afternoon, clinging onto a handle underneath the cab window as it set off.

He travelled for a quarter of a mile  10 minutes in total  before staff noticed he was on the train, British Transport Police said.

A signaller spotted the man and called the driver, who stopped the train so he could be removed and escorted back to the station.

Police have released this picture of a man they would like to speak to. / British Transport Police

The man ran away when he was taken back to Worksop.

Police have since released a CCTV image of the man they would like to speak to in connection with the incident.

Officers have also pleaded with anyone who was at the station and may have seen anything to come forward.

The incident took place between 1.40pm and 1.50pm on the train towards Nottingham.

Anyone with information should call 0800 40 50 40 or text information to 61016 citing reference 200 of 1707/17.
O ne of Londons most prolific moped gangs responsible for an extraordinary crimewave of 103 offences in 18 days has been smashed by police.

The teenage offenders  aged 15, 16 and 17  grabbed phones from pedestrians in Westminster, Camden, Islington, and Kensington and Chelsea during their crime spree.

In one horrifying incident, captured on film by an Evening Standard photographer, the boys took part in a raid in which two moped riders carrying pillion passengers mounted the pavement outside the BBCs headquarters near Oxford Circus.

One was wielding a hammer and another used a crowbar to intimidate terrified passers-by as they rode at high speed along footpaths to snatch phones from their owners.

The trio, who are all from Islington, are now in custody awaiting sentence, however, after being arrested by police and confessing to their crimes at Southwark Crown Court.

Two of the boys also admitted breaching criminal behaviour orders banning them from riding mopeds because of previous offending on scooters.

The scale of offending by the trio, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery, was so extensive that the number of moped-enabled crimes in the capital is said by police to have fallen significantly since their detention.

Their conviction follows mounting concern about moped crime in the capital. In many cases, offenders have ridden stolen mopeds along busy pavements, putting pedestrians in danger, to grab phones from their owners.

In the incident outside the BBC, at least one woman had her iPhone snatched as the criminals rode at high speed threatening pedestrians with their weapons.

In a further case this year, a man suffered a broken leg after being run down by moped thieves as he walked outside a Park Lane hotel. Another rider drove onto the pavement outside Selfridges in Oxford Street on a Vespa to snatch two mobile phones.

Scotland Yard said that it was unable to comment in detail about the conviction of the three teenagers ahead of their sentencing, which is due later this year, for legal reasons.

But it confirmed the successful prosecution, saying:  Three youths have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to rob following a spate of moped-enabled robberies in central London. The charge relates to 103 separate offences committed in central London between 18 April and 5 May.

A spokesman added that most of the crimes had been carried out within one square mile covering Westminster and Camden. Other offences also took place in Islington and Kensington and Chelsea.

The successful prosecution of the teenagers follows a crimewave involving offenders on mopeds carrying out robberies and snatches. Met figures show moped-enabled crime has risen seven-fold in two years, from 1,053 in 2014 to 7,668 last year.

Police have drawn up a list of about 200 individuals who they suspect of the majority of moped-related crimes.

Many have proved hard to prosecute because of the difficulty in securing evidence so the conviction of three of the most prolific criminals is viewed as a significant success.
Over 2000 people showed up last Saturday morning to run in a 5K race to benefit "A Safe Haven." The 7th annual race was held at Montrose Harbor on Chicago's lakefront.

A Safe Haven has a mission to end homelessness in Chicago. It helps families and individuals experiencing homelessness or crisis to achieve sustainable self-sufficiency. Their center is located west of Chicago's Loop at 2750 West Roosevelt where they have a transitional housing facility with the capacity of 406 beds for 210 men, 69 women, and 127 children. Much of their focus is on finding employment to break the cycle of homelessness.

Dan Patlak, a commissioner from the Cook County Board of Review, fielded a team of over 100 runners and walkers for Team Patlak to participate in the fundraiser.

For many years, Patlak says he has been concerned about the plight of returning veterans that have given so much to ensure our freedom and safety, and yet have difficulty assimilating back home.

In addition, Governor Bruce Rauner made an appearance to speak to the large crowd before the race. The governor had to leave early as he was riding his Harley Davison motorcycle in a caravan to Springfield to honor police men and women.

Others running on Team Patlak included former congressman Joe Walsh, his wife Helene, Illinois State Representative Allen Skillicorn, former congressional candidate Vince Kolber, Elk Grove Republican Committeeman Art Niewardowski, along with a large contingent of Lake County patriots from Walsh Freedom.

More information on on fighting homelessness can be found on their website. http://www.asafehaven.org/
B uilders responsible for an accident in which shards of glass rained down on the street from a City office block have been ordered to pay almost 15 million damages.

Pedestrians miraculously escaped serious injury when a glass panel on the 18th floor of the old London Stock Exchange shattered, sending pieces plummeting onto the pavement and road during the busy lunch hour.

The building, at 125 Old Broad Street, was heralded as a new City landmark when it reopened after an 80 million refurbishment in 2008.

However, at least 35 per cent of the toughened glass panels had not been heat-soaked and they began to fail almost immediately, the High Court heard. Seventeen panels used to clad the outside of the building cracked or shattered over four years.

Mr Justice Stuart-Smith has now ordered contractor Lend Lease Construction (Europe) Ltd to pay 14,753,195 compensation to the buildings owners over the debacle.

The court heard glass from a shattered panel fell into the street on September 2, 2008, but the extent of the problem was not realised. On April 27 the next year a crack appeared in a 27th-storey panel and on July 30 a panel on the 11th floor broke but remained in place.

The problem hit the headlines on August 19, 2009 when an 18th-floor panel broke and fell to the ground, landing on the buildings reception canopy and the road. Two pedestrians were struck by the falling glass but escaped serious injury. The building had to be completely reclad in 2013.

At the hearing last week Mr Justice Stuart-Smith awarded more than 8.7 million in reglazing costs as part of the compensation payout and almost 1.9 million for remedial works.

Lend Lease was sued by the owner of the building, a company called 125 OBS (Nominees1), as it had contractual oversight of the refurbishment, although Italian firm Permasteelisa did all the actual glass work.

A spokesman for Lend Lease said: Permasteelisa and Lendlease have reached an agreement whereby Lendlease will not be financially impacted."

Klaus Lother, chief executive of Permasteelisa UK Ltd, said the company was still reviewing the courts decision.

This judgment is relevant to an old project executed in 2005 and is connected with a decision by the Client to change the project materials.

The need for changing said materials was attributed by the Client to Permasteelisa, which we objected to.


W inter came to King's Cross and Waterloo stations on Monday morning as monsters from Game of Thrones cropped up to frighten commuters after the show made its long-awaited return.

Service announcements at King's Cross were followed by the programme's insistent theme tune, while White Walkers - terrifying ghouls who turn people into the walking dead - were seen prowling Waterloo.

TfL posted a picture to Twitter of a recreation of the series's much scrapped-over iron throne alongside the caption: "Kings Cross St Pancras Tube station given Stark make-over for Game of Thrones #GoTS7."

It showed staff posing on a convincingly fancy-looking chair, one armed with a sword.

The distinctive strains of the show's theme tune were also played by a strings duo in the ticket office, flanked by Oyster machines and queue barriers.

The staggeringly successful HBO show, which follows the plays for power in a fantasy kingdom by characters ranging from the venal and sadistic to the heroic, returned last night with the first episode of its seventh and final series.

It aired in the US at 9pm local time, while keen fans in the UK were able to watch simultaneously if they stayed up till 2am Monday morning to view it on Sky Atlantic and Now TV.

Sky Atlantic will air the episode again on Monday evening at the more sociable hour of 9pm.

Evidence of the enthusiasm of King's Cross staff for Game of Thrones has been mounting for several days.

On Thursday, service announcement boards were seen bearing the word "Hodor" - a reference to the character in the series whose speech is limited to saying only that word.

By Sunday, the announcement boards had been taken over by arrows marked solely with the direction "Hodor!"

On Monday morning, passengers reported being asked over the tannoy to give up their "thrones" to others who may need it.

Some punters were unamused by the stunt, however; one Twitter user complained that tourists were blocking exits as a result.

Others simply found it all "a bit much".

"I'm a big fan of Game of Thrones, but find enthusiasm of @tfl at King's Cross Station playing the theme after each announcement a bit much!"
S adiq Khan today called on the Government to bring in a zero-tolerance approach to acid attacks after a string of assaults in London.

The Mayor backed plans to bring in tougher sentences, clarify guidelines for judges and clamp down on the sale of corrosive substances.

He also demanded more long-term support for victims after six people were doused with corrosive liquid on Londons streets in just 24 hours.

He said: The Metropolitan Police take these attacks extremely seriously and are doing everything in their power to tackle them.

However, we need a new zero-tolerance approach as a country if we are to rid the streets of this scourge.

East London has been rocked by a series of horrific acid attacks in recent weeks, with five people targeted during a rampage on Thursday / Twitter/@sarah_cobbold

Five people had acid thrown at them in linked attacks in east and north London on Thursday within the space of 90 minutes.

Then at 5pm on Friday, a moped rider in his twenties was approached in Dagenham by two men on another moped who squirted what was described as a noxious substance at him.

They attempted to steal his bike but were unsuccessful, and the man was taken to hospital.

The Met said the number of reported attacks in London rose from 261 in 2015 to 454 in 2016, a 74 per cent rise.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd hinted yesterday at the introduction of life sentences, which can already be applied for grievous bodily harm, for acid attacks.

She said she wanted those who use noxious liquids as a weapon to feel the full force of the law in the proposed overhaul of current sentence guidelines. Proposals to ensure acid and other corrosive substances can be classed as dangerous weapons are among the changes.

The Government also wants to restrict the sale of such substances by retailers, although this will be complex as many are common domestic cleaning products.

The Home Office said it will work with police and the Ministry of Justice to assess whether powers available to the courts, including sentencing, are sufficient.

Speaking before MPs debated acid attacks today, Mr Khan called for urgent measures to tackle the crimes.

He said: Acid attacks are callous and horrific and my thoughts are with all those affected. The emotional impacts of disfiguring and lifelong scarring are truly devastating for innocent victims.

I am pleased that the Home Secretary seems willing to take action and I urge her to change the law to recognise people are now carrying these dangerous substances with the intention of using them as an offensive weapon.

A 16-year-old boy was today appearing at Stratford youth court in connection with the five linked acid attacks.

The teenager has been charged with 15 offences, including robbery, grievous bodily harm and possession of an item to discharge a noxious substance. A 15-year-old boy who was also arrested has been released on bail.
D avid Cameron today warned the Conservatives that they must push harder to win young people back from Jeremy Corbyn by giving a more inspiring vision of a caring Tory society.

The former Prime Minister called for a renewal of the modernisation programme he launched in 2005 to prevent a new generation turning to Labour.

We on the centre-Right side of the argument have to have just as inspiring a vision  a more inspiring vision  of how you build not just a strong economy but a strong society and a better life, he told the Evening Standard in his first interview since the general election.

Asked why young people were associating idealism with Mr Corbyn and not the Tories, he said: I think we need to push it more.

Mr Cameron said it was depressing that the Conservatives lost seats in cities including London at last months election. He said he hoped the party was not seen as anti-urban.

Speaking after the first patrons board meeting of the National Citizen Service scheme that he set up for young people  which has volunteering and outdoor activities at its heart  he praised Theresa Mays speech outside No 10 on her first day as Prime Minister, in which his successor pledged to fight burning injustice.

But he said the Conservatives could not afford to relax on modernisation.

It is very important that the Conservative Party doesnt slip backwards, he said. The Conservative Party only succeeds if it is a party of the future.

Modernisation isnt an event. It is a process. A political party should be asking itself all the time, Am I properly in touch with and reflecting the society and the country?.

"I want us to go on being the open, liberal, tolerant party that we became post-2005 because I think that was part of our success.

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On the popularity of Mr Corbyn with idealistic young people, he said a lot of voters had forgotten just how dangerous this full-on programme of nationalisation, state control and rampantly high taxes can be.

You dont win the argument in favour of free enterprise, free markets, choice and liberal democracy and then pack up and go home, Mr Cameron said. You have to win the argument in every generation.

Mr Cameron praised Theresa May's speech outside number 10 on her first day as PM, but said Tories must not relax on modernisation / PA

He said a positive vision of a strong society was vital, saying free schools had unlocked community-led improvements to education.

The reason I wanted to lead the Conservative Party back in 2005 was that I wanted us to be more than the economics party, more than just free marketeers with the rough edges knocked off, he said.

I wanted us to have a genuinely inspiring vision about what a great country and what a great society we could be. I think thats still very true today.

On the election, he pointed out that the part of west London he was associated with, Notting Hill, now had a Labour MP.

Asked if the Conservative Party was seen as anti-urban, he said: I hope not. I think it was depressing that we lost some seats in metropolitan areas and in London.

He said he was halfway through writing his memoirs and found it hard work. Its cathartic in many ways, he said. Your memory plays all sorts of tricks on you.

Would it contain juicy disclosures? Im sure it will be a rip-roaring read. Im enjoying writing it. Its already reminded me about some of the big battles about modernisation in 2005 to 2010.

Mr Cameron said he was watching politics closely but was avoiding speaking out. When you leave office you sort of know you cant run back on the pitch and give the ball a kick, he said.

Well, you can but its not a sensible thing to do. You watch it, you are fascinated by it but you have to get on with other bits of your life.

Asked if there were any former Cabinet colleagues who should be sent on a National Citizen Service course, he said: If it involved crossing a very, very dangerous river on a raft, I can think of a few Id want to strap together.
T heresa May is to plead with Cabinet ministers to stop leaking against each other amid claims of anarchy at the heart of Government.

She will urge her senior ministers to focus on delivering for the British people rather than fighting each other over Brexit and who will succeed her.

The Prime Minister will issue the appeal at Cabinet tomorrow after an extraordinary weekend bust-up between Chancellor Philip Hammond and colleagues. Mr Hammond accused at least one fellow minister of leaking details of a Cabinet meeting last week to undermine his attempts to secure a Brexit which puts jobs and the economy ahead of clamping down on immigration.

Adding to perceptions that a divided Government is losing headway on the UKs departure from the EU, Brexit Secretary David Davis and the European Commissions chief negotiator Michel Barnier spent only half an hour in talks together this morning before handing over to officials. Pictures of the two negotiating teams showed Mr Barniers coming to the table with bulging files of notes, while the British delegation had no documents visible.

Who forgot the paperwork? The EU negotiating team, led by Michel Barnier, attend todays talks in Brussels with piles of notes. By contrast the British team, led by Brexit Secretary David Davis, appear to be empty-handed at the 30-minute meeting / PA Wire

A Government spokesman said the meeting had always been scheduled as a quick run-through because officials were handling detailed talks on issues such as post-Brexit rights for EU citizens in Britain and Britons in other EU countries, the divorce bill and the Northern Ireland border. Mr Davis would then return to Brussels on Thursday.

But the negotiations were overshadowed by the clashes in London between Cabinet ministers. The latest row was sparked by a report at the weekend that Mr Hammond told Cabinet that public sector workers were overpaid. Asked whether there would be an inquiry into the leak, the Prime Ministers official spokesman said: Im not aware of plans for a formal investigation.

What I would say is of course Cabinet must be able to hold discussions on government policy in private and the Prime Minister will be reminding her colleagues of that at the Cabinet meeting tomorrow. She will be reminding them of their responsibilities, making the point that ministers across Government need to be focused on getting on with delivering for the British public.

Philip Hammond has accused one colleague of leaking details of a Cabinet meeting. / BBC

After Mrs May became Premier her allies sought to compare her to Margaret Thatcher. But former Cabinet minister David Mellor, who served under Mrs Thatcher, said: If any minister had spoken out of turn, Margaret Thatcher would have been down on them like a ton of bricks. Without this strong leadership, he added: You get exactly the anarchy that you have got.

Sir Vince Cable, who is expected to become Liberal Democrat leader, said: Its very clear we have an utterly divided Government hopelessly unprepared for these negotiations.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling failed this morning to paper over the Cabinet rifts. He sought to claim the Conservative Party was united behind Theresa May and united over getting the right Brexit deal. But pressed about relations between Mr Hammond and Brexit Cabinet ministers, he stopped short of denying there were divisions.

Philip Hammond is quizzed on Andrew Marr about his public sector pay comments

Asked on BBC radio if the Chancellor was four-square with Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, he responded: What do you mean by four-square? We are Conservatives. We are determined to make sure we succeed, do the right thing for the country.

Asked later if he backed a Brexit transition period of at least two years, which Mr Hammond is pushing, he said: Its one of the options for all of us to consider. Today the Chancellor and Treasury were accused of trying to frustrate and f*** up Brexit and treating pro-Leave ministers like pirates who have taken him prisoner  allegations his aides deny. He has so far resisted demands by Mr Johnson and Environment Secretary Michael Gove to ease a one per cent cap on public sector pay.

Mr Grayling also insisted Mr Hammond had not said public sector staff were overpaid, but had made a comparison that included their pensions.

A senior Tory today accused government whips of dragging their feet on choosing members of Commons committees, warning that a delay until after the summer recess, which starts on Friday, would protect ministers from scrutiny. Nicky Morgan said: Ministers and whips might breathe a sigh of relief.
T he impact of the EU referendum on recruitment in catering, farming and the NHS has already been well documented. Now spare a thought for celebrity dog owners  who are facing a shortage of canine groomers.

Jacob van Nieuwkoops Purplebone dog beauty parlours in Chelsea and Notting Hill are said to provide services for pets of stars who include David Beckham, Holly Valance, Lily Allen and Gary Barlow.

Former City worker Mr van Nieuwkoop, 52, said before the referendum he received job applications on a weekly basis from EU nationals both in the UK and abroad.

But, in recent months, the number of experienced dog groomers applying to work at the boutiques had fallen to next to nothing.

The business, which grooms about 300 pets a week, now has a seven-week waiting list because it cannot find three members of staff to style the pets.

Mr van Nieuwkoop said he faced closing one of its boutiques  which also sells designer dog clothes including bow ties and bandanas  because it was not economically viable.

He says without sufficient staff to cater for a high number of dogs he will not be able to pay the rent.

It could mean the likes of Beckham  whose canine brood includes cocker spaniel Olive, shar-pei Baranby and two bulldogs called Coco and Scarlet  might have to find a new dog groomer.

He said: Its clear that this ludicrousness of Brexit has already had an impact on a number of sectors and this is one of them.

"I believe people are worried about their immigration status, people dont feel so welcome and dont want to stay, others dont want to come to London any more. Its really alarming.

"We arent against employing people from the UK but there arent the correct applicants coming forward.

Pizza chain Franco Mancas owners have also highlighted problems recruiting EU workers. Fulham Shore, the company behind the sourdough empire, said in its full-year results that the leave vote had made it difficult to find skilled European staff.

Mr van Nieuwkoop said he wanted to raise concerns about the impact on smaller sectors. Theresa May has said reducing net migration is a top priority when Britain leaves the EU.
T he treatment of Charlie Gard will be discussed today in high level talks between a US expert and the baby's medical team at Great Ormond Street Hospital.

Michio Hirano, a professor of neurology at the Columbia University Medical Centre in New York, has flown to the UK to join meetings of medical experts at GOSH, as part of the court battle over Charlie's future.

Dr Hirano has been given an honorary contract, which the hospital said gives him the same status as its own physicians.

This means he can examine Charlie, and has full access to his medical records and the hospital's facilities.

Explained: the Charlie Gard case

A judge ruled that Charlie's mother, Connie Yates, could be present for Monday's discussions about Charlie's treatment with the foreign doctor and other medical experts.

Meetings are scheduled to take place on Monday and Tuesday to talk about Charlie's condition, before litigation resumes.

Charlie's parents are fighting for their son to be allowed to go to the US for a therapy trial for his rare genetic condition, overseen by Dr Hirano.

The parents of Charlie Gard are continuing their fight for their son's treatment.

Great Ormond Street Hospital specialists say the treatment will not work, and the little boy's life support should be turned off.

His parents, from Bedfont, west London, have already lost battles in the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. They also failed to persuade European Court of Human Rights judges to intervene.

Charlie Gard judge says he will change his mind if evidence suggests he should

Mr Justice Francis has considered the couple's latest claims at preliminary hearings in the Family Division of the High Court in London over the last few days.

He is due to stage further hearings later this month following this week's specialist gathering.

Great Ormond Street Hospital said its medical director met the visiting doctor on arrival.

The judge was told by lawyers acting for Charlie Gard that he had been in error when previously assessing key medical evidence / Reuters

The hospital said clinical staff were "on hand to facilitate the visit".

As well as Charlie's medical records, Dr Hirano will also have access to "all clinical systems", which includes diagnostic images.

The hospital also said the visiting neurosurgeon would have the opportunity to examine the 11-month-old.

Charlie Gard's father Chris arrived at the hospital today after medics said the baby has "no quality of life."

A statement on Great Ormond Street Hospital website reads: At the heart of Charlies parlous and terrible condition is the question, how can it be in his best interests for his life-sustaining treatment to be withdrawn?

Charlie has been treated on GOSHs neonatal intensive care unit for many months now and very sadly, the question that arises for him arises for other patients and families at the hospital too.

GOSH has treated over a thousand patients with mitochondrial disease and offers pioneering treatment, including nucleoside treatment, where appropriate.

Despite all the advances in medical science made by GOSH and the other hospitals around the world, there remain some conditions that we cannot cure and we cannot ameliorate.

It has been and remains the unanimous view of all of those caring for Charlie at Great Ormond Street that withdrawal of ventilation and palliative care are all that the hospital can offer him consistent with his welfare.

That is because in the view of his treating team and all those from whom GOSH obtained second opinions, he has no quality of life and no real prospect of any quality of life.
N HS doctors and nurses have been hit with hundreds of fines for parking at the hospital where they work.

Six thousand staff at the University Hospital of Wales, in Cardiff, are forced to battle for 1,800 parking spaces every day.

Many parked in spaces reserved for visitors which led to inspectors handing out 100,000 tickets.

However, disgruntled employees  some of whom only earn 15,100 per year  planned to veto fines in protest.

But a judge at Cardiff Civil Justice ruled three workers slapped with more than 100 tickets each must pay up.

The hearing, which involved Stephen Dadswell, Emily Booth and Sophie Round, was a described as a test case for others who have failed to pay the 128 fine, the Daily Mail reported.

Ms Round told the newspaper she was gutted and said: It's not really the outcome that we wanted and what we earn doesn't really cover the fines.

Robert O'Brien, 35, quit his hospital job earlier this year when he was hit with almost 800 in fines from contractor Indigo.

He told the Daily Mail: 'I quit my job with the NHS because of the stress of being hit with parking fines.

Three NHS staff are embroiled in the medical row. / PA Wire/PA Images

I loved the job but just couldn't take it anymore.

However, others backed the ruling.

One staff nurse said: We have a park and ride available not far from here which only costs 1 and is useful.

A spokesman for parking firm Indigo said: In April last year, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board and Indigo agreed a new set of measures to improve car parking on the University Hospital of Wales site.

As a gesture of goodwill towards car park users, parking charge notices issued up to the end of March 2016 were cancelled.

In addition, the cost of a Parking Charge Notice was reduced to 10, if paid within 14 days.

Despite this, a number of people refused to pay for parking at the site. They also ignored the resulting PCNs and declined to use the formal appeals process.

A spokesman for Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, told the Daily Mail: The vast majority of over 98 per cent of staff comply with the parking regulations.

It is disappointing that a few people have chosen to refuse to co-operate with the contractors Indigo Parking Services UK and have chosen to pursue this through the courts.

All staff and others visiting University Hospital Wales are encouraged to comply with the parking regulations in order for us to keep the site, safe, free- flowing and allow access to emergency vehicles and vital health services.

We are aware there are significant financial costs and the financial hardship the staff have placed themselves in.

We encourage all staff to engage with Indigo Car Parking Service UK at the earliest opportunity to avoid mounting legal and court costs.
A n Australian bride-to-be was shot dead by a US police officer after she called 911 to report an assault near her home, her family has said.

Justine Damond, previously known as Justine Ruszczyk, was shot through the door of a squad car after she had gone outside in her pyjamas, it is claimed.

Two officers reportedly responding to her 911 call pulled into the alley near the home she shared with her fiance, Don Damond, who she was to marry in August.

The 40-year-old, who moved from Sydney to Minneapolis to be with Mr Damond, is believed to have gone to the drivers door to talk to the driver.

The officer's body camera was not turned on at the time, raising questions from the woman's family and Minneapolis' mayor.

Mr Damonds 22-year-old son Zac released a video saying: Basically, my moms dead because a police officer shot her for reasons I dont know.

I demand answers. If anybody can help, just call police and demand answers. Im so done with all this violence.

The city's mayor, Betsy Hodges, said she was "heartsick and deeply disturbed" over the incident and promised a full investigation.

She said "We all want to know more. I want to know more."

I have a lot of questions - questions like why the body cameras weren't on.

Minneapolis police said in a statement they were called to a "possible assault" at around 11.30pm on Saturday and that "at one point an officer fired their weapon, fatally striking a woman".

Police and Hodges referred questions about the details of the shooting and the investigation to the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), which is handling the case.

They said the BCA would be releasing further information as soon as possible.
J ustin Trudeau held a baby with the same name as him, in a series of pictures which have been met with adoration from his fans around the world.

Two-month-old Justin-Trudeau Adam Bilal was pictured gently clasping the thumb of the Canadian prime minister, who hugged the baby to his chest.

Little Justin-Trudeau is the son of Syrian refugees and was given the same name as him as a "thank you" gesture.

His parents Afraa Hajj Hammoud and Mohammed Belal arrived in Calgary, Canada, in February 2016 as Mr Trudeau's government threw open the country's doors to tens of thousands of Syrians.

Adorable: Justin-Trudeau Adam Bilal with his older - and rather famous - namesake / Twitter/Adam Scotti

They had fled from Syria about five years beforehand, spending three years in Lebanon.

The baby's name made a break from the Syrian ones given to their two older children Naya, 4, and Nael, 3.

In an interview with CBC News, Ms Hammoud said of Mr Trudeau: "I love him, because he knows what humanity means."
A car spiralled out of control and crashed through the roof of a home in a freak accident in Missouri.

The SUV careered through the ceiling after mounting an embankment that helped launch it onto the air during the crash in St Louis, according to local authorities.

Dramatic footage from the scene shows the vehicle nose down in the roof of the building while firefighters work to secure the area.

The driver is in critical condition in hospital after suffering lower body injuries in the freak incident on Sunday, St Louis Fire Department said in statement.

The driver of the car is in critical condition after the vehicle crashed through the roof of a home / St Louis Fire Department

Michael Arras, the departments deputy chief of special operations, told St Louis Post-Dispatch it was like nothing he had ever seen.

Bruce Redding, 66, reportedly returned home from the gym to find his house destroyed by the car.

He told the news website: I can see straight through my house this is everything that Ive worked for all my life, and for someone to run through a stop sign and destroy it.

He added: The good thing is, Im alive.

The local fire department said in statement: The vehicle's occupant was rescued and transported by #EMS in critical condition.

The homeowner returned home from the gym to discover the incident.
D onald Trump has lashed out at a poll that showed his approval rating has dropped from 42 to 36 per cent since April.

The ABC/Washington Post Poll, even though almost 40 per cent is not bad at this time, was just about the most inaccurate poll around election time! the US president wrote on Twitter.

Mr Trumps standing with the American people has worsened amid mounting criticism of alleged Russian links to his campaign team, healthcare reform, and perceptions of weaker US leadership abroad.

Despite Mr Trumps claims on the campaign trail to make America great on the world stage, the survey found 48 per cent believed the US has actually been weakened.

Only 28 per cent of people polled said the US had grown stronger.

Meanwhile Mr Trumps disapproval rating reached a zenith of 58 per cent, with 48 per cent saying they disapprove strongly of his performance as president.

Critics pointed to the fact that the embattled president, six months into his term, is set to enter the summer with no policy or legislative victories of note.

In recent weeks, the storm at the White House over alleged Russian links to Mr Trump's presidential campaign has thickened as an incendiary series of emails showed his son Donald Trump Jr worked to set up a meeting with a Russian lawyer who claimed to have incriminating materials about Hillary Clinton.

The revelations prompted a congressman from Mr Trump's own party to call for the removal of his children from the presidential administration. The president's daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner both hold posts as senior advisors.

Donald Trump Jr and Ivanka Trump / Getty Images

Democrat Brad Sherman meanwhile made official filings to have the president impeached.

Twitter users responded with derision to the presidents claim that 36 per cent was almost 40 per cent, as Mr Trump had tweeted.

One user wrote: 36 per cent is not almost 40 per cent. Why did Trump cite this poll inaccurately when we can fact-check him so easily?

Another said: And hes not even at 40 percent in the poll! Hes at 36 percent.
T he Duchess of Cambridge joked she and Prince William should have another baby, after being given a present designed for newborns.

Kate, 35,already a mother-of-two, was offered a cuddly toy designed to soothe tiny babies during an event for start-up tech companies.

Saying thank you for the present, she turned to the Duke laughing and said: "We will just have to have more babies."

The soft toys, from company Whisbear, are designed to comfort newborns by replicating the sound of the womb, responding to their cries to soothe them.

William tries out Virtual Reality goggles at the Heart in the Spire building in Warsaw / EPA

Julia Sielicka-Jastrzebska, who founded the company with her sister, said the Duchess made the light-hearted comment after learning the bears, which she had admired, were designed for children younger than George and Charlotte.

"We gave the Duchess some presents for Prince George and Princess Charlotte," she said. "She said they should have more babies, and they laughed."

Among the presents were a bear for each child, and a t-shirt for the Duchess with the slogan "I'm perfect"; part of the company's campaign to encourage mothers not to feel the pressure to be flawless.

William and Kate are greeted by crowds in Warsaw 1 /21 William and Kate are greeted by crowds in Warsaw Kate is greeted by wellwishers outside the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland EPA Kate meets crowds outside the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland EPA Kate is handed flowers outside the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland PA Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, poses for a selfie picture EPA Kate is handed flowers by children outside the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland PA The Duchess of Cambridge meets wellwishers with Poland's First Lady Agata Duda at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland PA Huge crowds gathered to greet the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge PA Polish President Andrzej Duda (R) and Prince William EPA Kate is handed flowers by children outside the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland EPA Polish First Lady Agata Kornhauser-Duda (R) and the Duchess of Cambridge EPA The Duchess of Cambridge (C) greets residents of Warsaw EPA Kate is handed flowers outside the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland EPA William is greeted by wellwishers outside the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland EPA Kate is handed flowers outside the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland EPA Polish President Andrzej Duda (R) and his wife Agata Kornhauser-Duda (2-L), Prince William, Duke of Cambridge (3-L) and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge (2-R) with British Ambassador to poland Jonathan Knott (3-R) during the official breakfast at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland EPA Polish President Andrzej Duda (2-R) and his wife Agata Kornhauser-Duda (R), Prince William, Duke of Cambridge (2-L) and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge (L) during the official welcome ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland, EPA

The Duke and Duchess were at The Heart, an incubator for digital and tech start-ups in Warsaw.

The Royal couple were shown a variety of innovations, including a robot designed for children to code and a fetal heart monitor to allow pregnant women to track their health at home.

The Duke and Duchess both tried on virtual reality headsets showing them a view of Warsaw and played with a robot by company Proton which moved when the Duchess patted its head.

George takes some gentle coaxing before getting off plane in Poland

Before taking their leave, the Duke and Duchess spent time with six Polish students who are studying in the UK.

Asked for a selfie with three of them at the end, the Duke laughed "I'm allergic to selfies but let's take a photograph".

Watching his wife pose with the others, he made her laugh by teasing her: "You don't look as clever as the other three."

Finally, the Royal couple presented whisbear with the HealthTech Startup Award, giving a second award for "omnichannel startup" to Migam, which helps deaf people accessing services by connecting them with sign language interpreters via video.


L ittle ambassadors Prince George and Princess Charlotte touched down in Warsaw today to join their mother and father on a diplomatic mission.

The royal children flew into Poland aboard a 10-seater jet at the start of their week-long two country tour.

George appeared a little reluctant to get off the private jet at first, however he descended the steps of the jet when his dad William had a quiet word with him.

Kate swept daughter Charlotte her into her arms as they made their way onto the tarmac.

Prince George and Princess Charlotte arrive in Poland for royal tour 1 /20 Prince George and Princess Charlotte arrive in Poland for royal tour The young royals have arrived in Warsaw for a week-long tour of Germany and Poland. EPA Prince George and sister Princess Charlotte peering through the plane window. EPA The brother and sister get their first glimpse of Poland. PA Kate holds Charlotte as they walk off of the plabe. REUTERS Kate swept daughter Charlotte her into her arms as they made their way onto the tarmac. REUTERS They are greeted by officials and dignitaries. Getty Images The Duke of Cambridge leads future king Prince George down the steps. Getty Images The family walk across the airport concourse. EPA Kate holds Charlotte while William leads George by the hand. Getty Images Smiling Kate speaks to her daughter. Getty Images The family will begin a five-day tour of Germany and Poland. PA Prince William bends down to speak to his son. REUTERS For this visit the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will inevitably be judged in the context of Brexit. REUTERS The little royals will only be seen at arrivals and departures from countries and not at any official engagements. REUTERS During the visit, William and Kate will meet survivors of the Holocaust. REUTERS

Then all four walked along the red carpet into the VIP terminal at the Military side of Warsaw airport.

At the foot of the steps waiting to greet them was Jonathan Knott, Britain's Ambassador to Poland and his Polish counterpart in Britain Arkady Rzegocki.

The family arrive at Warsaw airport. / REUTERS

The UK Foreign Office is banking on capitalising on the "soft power" impact of the stellar couple and their children in the battle to win hearts and minds.

For this visit - first to Poland and then to Germany - the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will inevitably be judged in the context of Brexit.

For the future King George, 3, and his little sister Charlotte, 2, such diplomatic foreign forays with mum and dad are a fun distraction - however it will one day become their lifestyle.

The little royals will not be seen much on the visits - only at arrivals and departures from countries and not at any official engagements.

Kensington Palace said George and Charlotte will only be seen in public "on at least a couple of occasions over the course of the week".

They will be cared for by the royal nanny while William and Kate carry out and hectic round of officials engagements.

The five-day tour at the request of the Foreign Office is Kate's first trip to Germany and the couple have not toured Poland before.

During last year's visit to Germany, William gave a speech at a gala event alongside Chancellor Angela Merkel, saying the "depth" of Britain's friendship with Germany would not change after Brexit.

Prince George and sister Charlotte peering through the plane window. / Getty Images

Today they will be welcomed first in Warsaw by President Andrzej Duda.

They will visit the Warsaw Rising Museum, devoted to the bloody 1944 Polish uprising to free Nazi occupied Warsaw in World War Two.

William and Kate will also meet survivors of the Holocaust and the brutal atrocity of Hitler's occupation.

While the couple are In Poland, they will visit the site of Stutthof concentration camp where 65,000 people were murdered by the Nazis.

They will also tour the site of Gdansk's shipyards, that in the early 1980s became the first independent labour union in a Soviet-bloc country and gave rise to an anti-communist social movement that greatly contributed to the fall of communism.

While in Germany later in the week, Chancellor Angela Merkel will hold a private meeting with Prince William and his wife in Berlin before they carry out an engagement at the Brandenburg Gate, an emblem of German unification. They will also visit Berlin's Holocaust museum and memorial.

In Heidelberg, twinned with Cambridge, they will take part - in separate boats - in a race as cox to opposing rowing teams in the race with crews from Cambridge and Heidelberg.

The Foreign Office believe such Royal visits play a "very important role" in the UK bilateral diplomacy bolstering cultural, economic or political, between the UK and the host country.

The appearance of Team Cambridge, of course, may not impact any negotiations, but the Foreign Office believes it will help strengthen bilateral ties once the UK finally quits the EU.
O fficials allegedly issued an arrest warrant for a model who walked through a small town in Saudi Arabia dressed wearing a skirt in defiance of the countrys strict dress laws.

The model named Khulood posted a video on her Snapchat account as she toured the heritage village of Ushaiqer dressed in a short skirt and black top.

Saudi authorities issued an order for the models arrest, according to the Okaz daily newspaper.

Her actions sparked outrage amongst some social media users with people calling for her to be arrested for breaking the countrys strict dress code for women.

Women in Saudi Arabia are expected to wear conservative and loose-fitting clothes, including a full-length cloak known as an abaya.

They are also expected to carry a scarf with them in case they are asked to cover the head by the countrys religious police, formally known as the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice.

One person tweeted: People who dont respect the kingdoms rules, dont deserve to live in it.

Another said: What she did doesnt fall under personal freedom. Its clear that she wanted to provoke people and go against the countrys social rules and norms. She must be punished for this.

Others offered their support and hailed her for challenging the countrys strict dress code.

"She's freely walking around Ashaiqer, regardless of all the backlash, it's still a beautiful idea," a man tweeted.

Another said: "Why all this fuss? You turned your eyes away from all the catastrophes in the world and the only thing that outraged you is a woman not wearing an abaya?"

Another tweeted: She didn't force anyone to follow her on Snapchat. Her account is also only directed at women. What's the problem? Why call for an arrest warrant against her?"

The religious police also issued a statement on Twitter saying it had received reports of the video and was working with the relevant authorities.
S tephen King has led tributes to Night Of The Living Dead director George A Romero who has died at the age of 77.

Romero, whose classic horror films satirised society, died on Sunday after a brief battle with lung cancer, his manager said.

King paid tribute to the director who cast him in 1980s films Knightriders and Creepshow, which was written by the science fiction author.

He said: "Sad to hear my favourite collaborator - and good old friend - George Romero has died. George, there will never be another like you."

Manager Chris Roe said the "gentle giant" died listening to the score of one of his favourite films, The Quiet Man, with his wife Suzanne and their daughter Tina.

"He died peacefully in his sleep, following a brief but aggressive battle with lung cancer, and leaves behind a loving family, many friends, and a film-making legacy that has endured, and will continue to endure, the test of time," he added.

Actor Mark Gatiss also paid tribute to the "charming, legendary zombie king" while director Robert Rodriguez hailed him as a "true legend" who "started it all".

"Martin is one of my favourite horrors. An honour to have met him," Gatiss added.

Night Of The Living Dead became a cult classic after its release in 1968 and spawned the series that includes Dawn Of The Dead and Day Of The Dead.

The original is credited as creating now universal rules for zombie films, that the undead lurch slowly and prosper through biting humans who then return as zombies.

But Romero, who was born in New York, also used the beasts as metaphors with societal ills such as racism and class division.

George A Romero's manager Chris Roe said: "Legendary film-maker George A Romero passed away on Sunday July 16, listening to the score of The Quiet Man, one of his all-time favourite films, with his wife, Suzanne Desrocher Romero, and daughter, Tina Romero at his side.

"He died peacefully in his sleep, following a brief but aggressive battle with lung cancer, and leaves behind a loving family, many friends, and a film-making legacy that has endured, and will continue to endure, the test of time.

"The family asks for their privacy to be respected at this time."
A top Democrat has said that it is unbelievable Donald Trump did not know of his sons meeting with a Russian lawyer.

Senator Mark Warner, the most senior Democrat on the US Senate Intelligence Committee, said he plans to quiz everyone involved in the June 2016 meeting as part of his committees probe into possible Russian interference in the presidential election.

He accused the presidents son, Donald Jr, of lying about the meeting, which was supposedly arranged because the Russian lawyer had dirt on Hillary Clinton. We dont know really what happened at the meeting, said Mr Warner. What we do know is Donald Trump Jr did not tell the truth a variety of times.

The presidents son-in-law Jared Kushner and then- campaign manager Paul Manafort were also at the Trump Tower meeting with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya.

Sen. Mark Warner called it "unbelievable". / Getty Images

Mr Trump is adamant he had no knowledge of it. Frankly, its a little bit unbelievable that neither the son or the son-in-law ever shared that information with their dad, the candidate, Mr Warner told CNN.

Whether well be able to get the Russian nationals to come over and testify is an open question, he said. Those people that our committee has jurisdiction over, the Americans, I sure as heck want to talk to them.

Meanwhile, the US Secret Service responded to claims by Mr Trumps lawyer that the agency protecting the president would have ensured all was above board. In a rare public response, it said in a statement: Donald Trump Jr was not a protectee of the USSS in June, 2016. Thus we would not have screened anyone he was meeting with at that time.

On Thursday, Mr Trump will mark his first six months in office with the lowest approval rating of any US president in 70 years. According to a ABC/Washington Post Poll 36 percent of Americans approve of Mr Trumps job performance so far while his disapproval rating has jumped to 58 per cent.
A police officer was taken to hospital after a suspicious vehicle crashed into a barrier near the White House in Washington.

Emergency crews rushed to the scene at about 1.30pm local time, with United States media reporting the vehicle struck a police car before it crashed into a barrier near the Library of Congress.

Numerous roads were closed while officers attended to the scene and people were warned to avoid the area.

Officers are understood to have carried out a controlled explosion at the car.

A statement from US Capitol Police said: The US Capitol Police have cleared the suspicious vehicle located at Second Street and Independence Avenue.

"All test results were negative. However, the immediate area remains closed for further investigation."

The Senate Press Gallery warned on Twitter that there would be loud noise while authorities deal with the suspicious car.

Police have said the incident is not terror related.
W innie the Pooh has been censored from Chinese social media after the countrys president was compared to the fictional bear.

Fans of AA Milnes honey-loving creation were left shocked after the character seemingly disappeared from the internet.

But why has Pooh been banned and what happens to anyone who breaks the new rules?

Why has Winnie the Pooh been blacklisted?

No official reason has been given for the ban, however, the Financial Times suggested that it may be due to comparisons between China's President Xi Jinping and the fictional children's character.

Memes comparing the two were first shared online in 2013 during Xi Jinping's visit with former US president, Barack Obama.

An image of Winnie the Pooh walking with friend Tigger was set alongside a picture of the two heads of state together.

In 2014, a photograph of Mr Xi standing through the roof of a parade car was set alongside Pooh in a toy car.

It was named most censored image of 2015 by Global Risk Insights, a political consultancy.

Who decided the character should be banned and how have they implemented it?

Children's favourite: Christopher Robin and Winnie the Pooh

The Chinese government is responsible for the ban which has led to searches for Little Winnie Bear  as Pooh is known in China  returning the error message content is illegal.

Animated gifs fearing Pooh have also vanished from messaging app WeChat.

When did this happen?

The ban has been put in place over the weekend ahead of countrys Communist Party conference this autumn.

What happens if you break the ban?

It has not yet been made clear how widespread or severe the ban actually is.
T he Duke and Duchess of Cambridge went to the Warsaw Rising Museum today to pay their respects to the estimated 200,000 Poles who died in an ill-fated 63-day rebellion against Nazi occupation in 1944.

William and Kate joined Polish President Andrzej Duda and his wife Agata on a tour of the museum, which documents the Polish resistance Home Army's brave fight between August 1 and October 2, 1944 to try to liberate the capital.

The Warsaw Rising ended in failure after Soviet forces camped outside the capital refused to intervene, waiting to see the anti-communist resistance movement eliminated before they moved in on the Nazis.

The Royal couple made the visit after they went on a walkabout outside the presidential palace, during which they were greeted by rapturous applause by screaming fans.

William and Kate are greeted by crowds in Warsaw 1 /21 William and Kate are greeted by crowds in Warsaw Kate is greeted by wellwishers outside the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland EPA Kate meets crowds outside the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland EPA Kate is handed flowers outside the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland PA Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, poses for a selfie picture EPA Kate is handed flowers by children outside the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland PA The Duchess of Cambridge meets wellwishers with Poland's First Lady Agata Duda at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland PA Huge crowds gathered to greet the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge PA Polish President Andrzej Duda (R) and Prince William EPA Kate is handed flowers by children outside the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland EPA Polish First Lady Agata Kornhauser-Duda (R) and the Duchess of Cambridge EPA The Duchess of Cambridge (C) greets residents of Warsaw EPA Kate is handed flowers outside the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland EPA William is greeted by wellwishers outside the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland EPA Kate is handed flowers outside the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland EPA Polish President Andrzej Duda (R) and his wife Agata Kornhauser-Duda (2-L), Prince William, Duke of Cambridge (3-L) and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge (2-R) with British Ambassador to poland Jonathan Knott (3-R) during the official breakfast at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland EPA Polish President Andrzej Duda (2-R) and his wife Agata Kornhauser-Duda (R), Prince William, Duke of Cambridge (2-L) and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge (L) during the official welcome ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland, EPA

William and the President lit candles beneath a bell on a wall of remembrance listing all those who perished in the uprising.

They and their wives also stopped to look at the names of 34 British servicemen - a Union flag emblem beside each one - who were shot down and died trying to fly supplies into the resistance fighters.

The royal couple put their hands on a pulsating wall designed to represent the heartbeat of Warsaw that the Nazis could not stop.

They also met four Polish Second World War veterans, two of whom fought in the uprising, and another two who escaped from Poland to join Allied forces and take part in military campaigns.

George and Charlotte arrive in rainy Warsaw with William and Kate

Among them was Colonel Edmund Brzozowski, 98, who joined the Polish resistance and was captured by Stalin's forces early in the war and imprisoned in Russia.

When the Soviet Union changed sides, he was allowed to join up with British forces in the Middle East and ended up fighting with the Polish 2nd Corps at Monte Cassino.

The Colonel, who has a son in London, told the Duchess about his lifetime of adventure but was cool about meeting royalty.

Asked if it had been a good experience to meet Kate, he pulled a face and replied: "Not especially."
W innie the Pooh has been censored from Chinese social media after unflattering memes compared the honey-loving bear to the countrys President Xi Jinping.

Ahead of the countrys Communist party congress this autumn, posts featuring the beloved children's book character were censored on the Chinese social network Sina Weibo.

Searches for the Little Bear Winnie  as Pooh is called in China  returned the error message content is illegal. Meanwhile, animated gifs fearing Pooh vanished from messaging app WeChat.

No official reason has been given, but the Financial Times cited comparisons between Mr Xi and AA Milnes fictional bear that have been widely shared online in recent years.

Christopher Robin and the portly bear Winnie the Pooh

The memes first surfaced in 2013 during Mr Xis visit with then-US president Barack Obama, when an image of Winnie the Pooh walking with friend Tigger was set alongside a picture of the two heads of state together.

In 2014, a photograph of Mr Xi standing through the roof of a parade car was set alongside Pooh in a toy car.

It was named most censored image of 2015 by Global Risk Insights, a political consultancy.

The Chinese government is famously sensitive to internal dissent and, around big political events, it adds new words to its blacklists.

However the words are usually directly linked to the events themselves.
GERING  The Moon Over the Monument Eclipse Planning Committee and Gering postmaster announced Monday the collaboration for a special pictorial postmark commemorating the 2017 Great American Total Solar Eclipse in the city of Gering.

The committee is also working with the Scottsbluff postmaster for a similar pictorial postmark to be announced soon for the city of Scottsbluff.

A total eclipse of the sun is simply the most beautiful, stunning and awe-inspiring astronomical event you can see with the naked eye, according to Karla Niedan-Streeks, director of the Gering Visitors Bureau. Theres no better way to celebrate and commemorate our fortune to be in 70-mile-wide path of totality than with pictorial postmarks for the occasion.

As a community service, the Postal Service offers pictorial postmarks to commemorate local events celebrated in communities throughout the nation.

This years total solar eclipse is the first to be visible from the U.S. mainland since 1979; and its narrow path of totality in Nebraska starting in Gering-Scottsbluff will be commemorated with the pictorial cancellations, according to Kathy A. Goodell, Gerings postmaster.

Residents and visitors viewing the Eclipse in Gering-Scottsbluff will be able to obtain the special pictorial postmark, in person, at a temporary post office stations to be established on Eclipse Day. On Monday, Aug. 21, a temporary post office station will be located at the entrances of Five Rocks Amphitheater at 2505 D St. in Gering between the hours of 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. Goodell and staff will man the temporary post office station at Five Rocks Amphitheater on Eclipse Day.

Residents and visitors wishing to obtain the special Moon Over the Monument pictorial postmark must affix the appropriate postage stamps to any envelope or postcard of their choice and present it at either of the temporary stations to receive the pictorial postmark stamp.

The special Moon Over the Monument pictorial postmark will be available only on day of the event, Aug. 21 and can only be obtained in person at Five Rocks Amphitheater. If you are unable to attend the Eclipse events on Aug. 21, you may obtain the postmark by submitting a mail order request up to 30 days after Aug. 21.

The pictorial cancellation was designed by Jeremy Dollarhide of LOGOZ in Gering.

Jeremys design of our Moon Over the Monument logo for our Eclipse events and the Pictorial Postmarks feature the sandstone beacons and recognized landmarks of Scotts Bluff National Monument and Chimney Rock, branding and commemorating the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse events to Gering, Scottsbluff and the area, Niedan-Streeks said.

The Postal Service is also commemorating the upcoming solar eclipse with a special, first-of-its-kind Forever Stamp, which transforms the solar eclipse image into the Moon from the heat of a finger. Once cooled, the image reverts back to the eclipse. The special stamps are available now at the Gering post offices and post offices nationwide, Goodell said.

Those who cannot attend the Moon Over the Monument Total Solar Eclipse event/temporary post office stations at Five Rocks Amphitheater in Gering Monday, Aug. 21, but wish to obtain the postmark may submit a mail order request. Pictorial postmarks are available only for the date indicated, and requests must be postmarked no later than 30 days following the requested pictorial postmark date of Aug. 21.

All mail order requests must include a stamped envelope or postcard bearing the least minimum First Class Mail postage. Items submitted for postmark may not include postage issued after the date of the requested postmark. Such items will be returned un-serviced.

Customers wishing to obtain a postmark should affix stamps to any envelope or postcard of their choice, address the envelope or postcard to themselves or others, insert a card of postcard thickness in envelopes for sturdiness and tuck in the flap. Place the envelope or postcard in a larger envelope and address it to: Pictorial Postmarks, Gering Station, 1050 P St. Gering, NE 69341.

Customers can also send stamped envelopes and postcards without addresses for postmark, as long as they supply a larger envelope with adequate postage and their return address. After applying the pictorial postmark, the post service returns the items (with or without addresses) under addressed protective cover.

For further questions, contact: Kathy Goodell, Gering postmaster.
MORGANTON  Justin Nojan Sullivan, 21, of Morganton, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on one count of first-degree murder Monday in Burke County Superior Court.

Sullivan was convicted and sentenced after pleading guilty to the murder of John Bailey Clark, with the crime occurring in the late evening hours of Dec. 17, 2014 or early morning hours of Dec. 18, 2014, according to Burke County Sheriffs Office reports stated Monday in court.

Clark was shot three times in the head while in bed in his house and buried in his backyard by Sullivan, according to reports stated Monday in court.

Sullivan lived with his parents approximately 0.2 miles away from Clark, and the murder was committed with Sullivans parents out of town, according to reports stated Monday in court.

Sullivan stole a rifle from a gun cabinet owned by his father, Rich Sullivan, to commit the act, according to reports stated Monday in court.

Sullivan was convicted on one count of attempting to commit an act of terrorism transcending national boundaries on June 27 in U.S. District Court, receiving a sentence of life in prison that preceded Mondays sentencing from Burke County Superior Court Judge Robert C. Ervin.

According to documents read in court Monday, Sullivan wanted to start an Islamic State of North America that eventually led to him offering to pay an undercover Federal Bureau of Investigation officer money to murder his parents.

Documents read in court Monday also said that Sullivan was working to plan an attack on a night club or Hickory gun show in 2015, targeting the killing of 500-1,000 people.

Ervin said that the sentences will be served consecutively. Sullivan elected to stand and speak after being sentenced, stating, I didnt mean for things to happen this way.

Douglas and Glenda Clark, Clarks brother and sister-in-law, were in attendance for Mondays proceedings. Glenda Clark stood and made a prepared statement before the court, with Sullivan stating during his remarks he was thankful the victims family didnt, trash talk me.

Burke County Sheriff Steve Whisenant said afterward that his office is very pleased that, justice was brought to John Clark and his family.

At the conclusion of the FBIs briefing (into Sullivans terror case), I told them that we had an unsolved homicide and we had pretty much exhausted all of our leads, Whisenant said, and that this as strange as it may sound, this made more sense than anything else.

In my opinion, this was a killing to prove, I guess to himself, that he could kill someone, 25th District Attorney David Learner said after Sullivans sentencing.

Learner commented on the prosecution opting to push for a life sentence, rather than the death penalty.

The death penalty is not what it used to be in the state of North Carolina. One hundred, forty-six people, as we stand here today, sit on the North Carolina death row, Learner said. They have not executed an inmate in 11 years. Sixty-seven of those inmates have been on death row for over 20 years.

This way, we are absolutely certain that Justin Sullivan will never be free, his conviction is not going to be overturned.

Learner commented multiple times in court that Sullivan had never expressed remorse for the crimes he has been and was convicted of Monday.

Nothing that we can do about that, Douglas Clark said.

Sullivan will begin serving his first life sentence immediately, with Mondays life sentence following consecutively.
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.
(Editors note: This story originally ran in the Winston-Salem Journal on July 23, 2000.)

By the time that Calvin Henderson Wiley moved to Winston-Salem in 1874, he had been a lawyer, a journalist, an educator and a minister.

But at 55, Wiley still had enough spirit to take on the task of helping to establish public schools in the town of Winston. The work wasnt easy, even for Wiley, who had by then become the states most outspoken advocate of public education.

Wiley started a cross-state crusade for public education in 1851, whipping up support for a tax-supported system of schools. At the time, only about one person in 13 in the state could read and write. In 1853, he was named the states first superintendent of public instruction and continued his statewide travels by horse and buggy.

Wiley held the job until 1865, when the Civil War ended. In the face of rebuilding the state and its economy, North Carolina officials declared all its public offices vacant and disbanded its efforts to build a system of public education.

By then, Wiley had a new interest. He had already been editor of a newspaper in Oxford after graduating with a law degree from the University of North Carolina. In 1866, Wiley had become an ordained Presbyterian minister and become superintendent of the American Bible Society in Tennessee. He went on to assignments in North Carolina and South Carolina.

He moved to Winston  near his native Guilford County  in 1874 and was asked to help lead the effort to establish public schools here.

Voters defeated a proposition to establish public schools three times. After a vigorous fourth campaign, Wiley  by then the chairman of a school board that included James A. Gray, Col. James Martin, W.A. Whitaker and Pleasant Hanes  and his crowd won approval in 1883. In 1884, they opened the West End School on Fourth and Broad, the first graded school in North Carolina, and enrolled about 300 students.

Wiley contributed to the citys education system until his death at his house on Spruce Street on Jan. 11, 1887. Wiley Middle School on Northwest Boulevard is named for him.
EDEN  The labor and delivery monitor caught nurse Brandy Pressnells attention. The unborn babys dropping heartbeat confirmed what she feared: The umbilical cord was perilously close to wrapping around his neck.

Pressnell reached inside the mothers womb, called the nursing team into action and climbed up on the bed with the mom-to-be, Charity Garvin, holding the babys head so he wouldnt choke as Garvin was rushed down the hall and into the operating room at Morehead Memorial Hospital.

Soon after, a lullaby was broadcast throughout the hospital, signaling another Morehead baby had arrived.

We just did what we were trained to do, said Pressnell, downplaying the heroics.

Baby Anthony Earls father, Anthony Foust, later cradled his firstborn in his arms as Dana Weston, the hospitals top administrator, stood nearby.

Weston listened to Foust talk about Pressnell and the others saving his sons life.

Meanwhile, Morehead is involved in its own struggle to survive.

The hospital, which has 108 beds and another 121 beds in its longer-term nursing center, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last week.

One of the few remaining independent hospitals, Morehead Memorial is Edens largest employer, with more than 657 staff members and more than 80 contract employees. The hospital, run by a board of local residents and civic and community leaders, admits more than 3,000 patients a year  with that lullaby announcement signaling a birth about 500 times each year.

Weston, who met Tuesday morning with doctors and nurses to discuss the Chapter 11 filing, understood their anxiety and tackled the questions about layoffs (none planned) and paychecks (no delays).

A hospital filing for bankruptcy protection. It was a shock for some.

I wanted there to be other options, Weston, the hospitals president and chief executive officer since December 2015, recalled telling them, adding that she also thought it was the right thing to do.

The hospitals board had spent months considering its options.

I said to them: The Chapter 11 bankruptcy, thats my job and you let me worry about that,  Weston recalled. Your job is to provide the same level of care you provided yesterday to patients today.

Nothing about Morehead should feel different. 

l l l

Outside of Westons office and down the halls late last week, doctors made their rounds, food trays were handed out and patients pushed toward the exit in wheelchairs ready to go home.

Moreheads struggles are not unique. When lawyers filed the paperwork, Morehead Memorial became the 10th hospital in the country so far this year to submit a bankruptcy filing, according to Beckers Healthcare, which reports on the health care industry. Most of the filings were for Chapter 11 protection.

Morehead lists creditors numbering between 5,001 and 10,000 and liabilities and assets of between $10 million and $50 million.

Across town, in lunch spots like the Fishermans Galley restaurant and the Railroad Cafe, people repeated the news.

Its a big part of our community, said Homer Wright, a developer who served on the hospitals board in the 1960s, as he stood in a friends yard in the shadow of the hospital. We need their success.

Built in the 1960s, Morehead has struggled through the last decade as other hospitals, such as Alamance Regional Medical Center and Annie Penn Hospital, just 11 miles away in Reidsville, have become part of larger health care groups to survive. Both now belong to the Cone Health System network and can leverage the chains buying power.

For Morehead, Weston said, the debt is a barrier for groups that might consider becoming a partner.

Weston, a first-time hospital CEO, is a former consultant and veteran of hospital management in big cities and can tick off the trends that have ensnared the industry and especially small, nonprofit operations like Morehead.

Its those things a community hospital cant control, such as high poverty among its residents and people who are uninsured and cant pay, which can deflate the bottom line.

Morehead also competes against seven hospitals in a 50-mile radius.

And then theres the mounting  but necessary  debt the hospital has incurred. Updating and tripling the size of its emergency room a few years ago, for example, made it a more competitive choice for patients but the debt would be an albatross to a network trying to partner with another health care group.

A consultant hired by the hospitals board made it clear it was out of options.

Theres not one thing that got us where we are today, and theres not one thing that gets us out of it, Weston said.

With no potential partners in sight, the hospitals board moved forward with filing for bankruptcy protection.

Thats what a lot of local hospitals do to survive, said Randy Hunt, the president of the Eden Chamber of Commerce, who recalls listening to Weston detail the hospitals woes months ago in a discussion with community leaders. Its good that theyve been very transparent with it.

l l l

The possibility of the hospital going under hangs over a blue-collar community thats already struggling to rebound from the loss of textile jobs that allowed many families to buy a house and send children to college.

Eden, like the hospital, is struggling to exist in a world thats changing around it.

Its not all doom and gloom, Hunt said. People are tough around here.

Still, the reality is the hospital has been operating in the red.

Moreheads biggest creditors are mostly large health care-related companies based in bigger cities. Among them is Moonlighting Solutions in Greensboro, which is owed $182,000, and Novant Health Shared Services in Winston-Salem, which is owed nearly $121,000.

Overwhelmingly, the majority of creditors are small local businesses that provided monogramming for uniforms, replaced rooms of carpeting and repaired septic systems.

Thats the unfortunate reality in bankruptcy, Weston said.

Some have taken it with a shrug.

Well still do business with them, said Keith Layne, who, with his twin, Kevin, own Laynes Family Pharmacy and Home Health Care, which is listed as a creditor. Layne isnt sure whats owed but he said people want to support their local hospital as much as they can. And, he said, Morehead has always been a good corporate citizen.

And a good community one, too.

Garvin, the new mom, is from Eden but actually lives in northern Greensboro. She wanted Dr. Dionne Galloway, her hometown doctor, to deliver Anthony Earl into the world.

Galloway said she often runs into patients at the grocery store or in church.

You feel like you are taking care of your neighbor, not a stranger, she said.

Weston, who has lived mostly in big cities, is getting to know employees by name  which is much easier here than in a larger hospital setting. She quickly picked up on the family-type atmosphere at Morehead.

When I walk down a hallway its not, Oh, theres a nurse. Its Theres Tara. 

Thats also why she wanted to be the one to tell hospital staff the bankruptcy news.

I told them not from the position of CEO but as a co-worker, she said. Im in this with you.

One employee later approached her with tears in her eyes. Thank you for not letting us find out on the news, the woman said.

Weston was surprised at the number of employees who later sent emails asking how she was doing. She got flowers from the former president and CEO at Annie Penn, who now works for another competitor.

Im not saying this is like Disneyland, Weston said. Its still work and hard work. But this is not just a business. Its not just a company. The people here are a family. They choose to be here. We choose to be here.

And, she said, they plan to stay here.
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Prime Minister Mihai Tudose on Monday said, about criticisms that he held a news conference in Brussels without any other EU leaders besides him, that he didn't know who was supposed to be with him and the journalists.

"There have been [criticisms] that I was alone at a news conference, in the basement. The news conference was at the Mission [of Romania to Brussels], upstairs, and I don't know who else was supposed to be with me at the conference at the end of the day. This is how some understand to do politics. There I very firmly said that our goal is to make up for delays, to keep within the 3 percent deficit, even under 3 percent, to keep up our growth pace," the prime minister said after a meeting of the ruling coalition responding to statements by members of the National Liberal Party (PNL) on this topic.

Tudose underscored that he asked to be received in Brussels to clear up "certain things."

"The Liberals, in fact only one, said that I had been summoned. I haven't heard that I was summoned. If you see my statements there I even began by thanking for the celerity with which they received me. I requested to be received to clear up certain things," Tudose explained.

In respect of the criticisms that the fiscal-budget situation isn't very good, Tudose said: "It isn't very good, that is why there has been the Government change, it isn't good because of the execution level. The money hasn't been put to work in the economy, but we we keep unblocking amounts day by day."

Prime Minister Mihai Tudose paid a visit to Brussels last week to meet European officials.

AGERPRES .
Emily Lohse-Busch is the new executive director of Arch Grants, the nonprofit that holds an annual competition to fund startups and support entrepreneurial activity in St. Louis.

Effective Monday, Lohse-Busch succeeds former Arch Grants executive director Ginger Imster, who joined the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership as vice president of innovation and entrepreneurship earlier this year.

Lohse-Busch most recently was senior director of partner solutions for Global Impact, a nonprofit in the Washington, D.C., area that raises funds for international charities. She also previously was a senior consultant to nonprofits at The Alford Group and founded a strategic communications business for small businesses in Chicago.

She received her undergraduate degree from Washington University and her MBA from DePaul University.

Lohse-Busch grew up in the St. Louis area and has been thrilled to see the energy and excitement in the central corridor since returning.

Theres just this sense of a group of people who are proud of the city ... and who are very much excited for one another when something happens to advance the city, she said. I think its a really incredible atmosphere to start a business.

Based downtown, Arch Grants provides $50,000 in equity-free grants and pro bono services to startups. Through its Global Startup Competition, the nonprofit has awarded $50,000 to 96 early-stage companies since 2012 with funding from individuals, corporations and foundations. Winning recipients are required to have a founder live and work in St. Louis for a year.

Arch Grants is about attracting and retaining talent in St. Louis and Emily is a talented, bright person who started her own business and has business knowledge and tremendous high-level experience in the nonprofit space and building organizations for the long term, said Arch Grants chairman and co-founder Jerry Schlichter.

Arch Grants, which has five employees, is in the midst of determining finalists for its current round of award recipients, and awards will be announced Nov. 3.

Jacob Barker of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.
Drama and documentaries are on the schedule, but it's sharks (lots and lots of sharks) that give this week in TV some bite. Here's more.

"Loaded," 9 p.m. Monday on AMC

The four founders of a London videogame startup become instant millionaires after selling the company in a dramedy adapted from the Israeli series "Mesudarim."

"Weekend in Havana," 7 p.m. Tuesday on PBS

A special leads viewers on a walking tour of Havana, with a bonus history lesson thrown in.

"Live From Comic-Con," 10 p.m. Thursday on Syfy

Zachary Levi is host of a series of specials, airing through Thursday, recapping panels at the San Diego fan fest.

"Descendants 2," 7 p.m. Friday on AMC

A sequel to the 2015 live-action movie about the kids of Disney villains will air at the same time on Disney, Disney XD, Freeform and Lifetime.

"Ozark," Friday on Netflix

Jason Bateman moves his family (including wife Laura Linney) to Lake of the Ozarks after getting in trouble with a Mexican drug cartel in a drama series created by St. Louisan Bill Dubuque.

"Raven's Home," 9 p.m. Friday on Disney

Raven-Symone returns in a sequel to "That's So Raven," which finds her a divorced mom living with best friend Chelsea (Annaiese van der Pol).

Sharks and more sharks

It's veteran Shark Week (beginning tonight on Discovery) taking on newcomer "Sharkfest" (tonight on Nat Geo Wild), with a variety of seriously informative vs. seriously ridiculous shark-theme specials.

THIS WEEK'S MAJOR RETURNS

"Being Mary Jane," 9 p.m. Tuesday on BET

"Shooter," 9 p.m. Tuesday on USA

"Ballers," 9 p.m. Sunday on HBO

"Insecure," 9:30 p.m. Sunday on HBO
BERKELEY  A Berkeley man was charged Monday with murdering his brother at their home in 2015. The suspect was on parole for assault at the time of the killing.

Robert J. Moses, 57, was charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action. Charges say he fatally shot his brother, Kenneth Moses, 51, on Aug. 11, 2015, at the home they shared in the 6700 block of St. Olaf Drive.

Kenneth Moses was in the living room playing music when he and his brother started arguing, charges say. Their nephew saw Robert Moses come out of a room with a gun and heard him say "I'll kill you" before two shots were fired.

The nephew ran to a neighbor's house to summon police. Officers found Robert Moses in the living room near the victim, who had been shot in the chest. Police found a loaded revolver containing two spent shell casings underneath a couch pillow.

Kenneth Moses was pronounced dead the next day at Barnes-Jewish Hospital.

Berkeley Police Chief Art Jackson said detectives presented the case to prosecutors immediately after the killing but were asked to return with more evidence.

Bail for Robert Moses was set at $100,000.

Court records say in 1993 he was sentenced to 29 years in prison on charges of assault, armed criminal action and trespassing. A spokesman for the Missouri Department of Corrections said Moses was paroled on Nov. 22, 2013, and returned to prison on Aug 23, 2015, on a parole violation.
ST. LOUIS  A man drove a pickup into the Mississippi River from the citys riverfront Saturday morning  intentionally, it appeared  then briefly tried to swim away from the vehicle before slipping under the water and disappearing, according to witnesses and police.

Fire, police and Coast Guard officials searched several hours with boats and cars in the area around the Lumiere Place casino before suspending the search by early afternoon. They did not find the mans body or the truck.

Witness Devon Carter told the Post-Dispatch the man was sitting in his pickup in a parking lot off North Leonor K. Sullivan Boulevard, which runs along the riverfront. Carter said the man started revving the engine, then accelerated quickly and drove into the water.

It was the craziest thing Ive ever seen, Carter said.

Witness accounts of the circumstances have led officials to conclude it was likely a suicide, according to Michael Fitzgerald of the St. Louis Fire Department.

The Fire Departments Marine Rescue Task Force was searching the river for the man, who drove into the water around 10 a.m.

Witnesses said the pickup briefly floated after going in, according to emergency radio chatter. The driver came out of the truck, swam a little bit, went under and never came up, said one emergency responder, summarizing witness statements.

Fire Capt. Garon Mosby later confirmed that account. He said the vehicle drifted out and an older man got out of the truck, got on to the top of it and tried to swim toward shore, then went under. No one saw him resurface.

Officials at the scene said sonar indicated the water where the truck went in was about 40 feet deep.

The St. Louis Fire Department and the U.S. Coast Guard suspended the search around 1:20 p.m., said U.S. Coast Guard Ensign Dana Schmitt.
WOODSON TERRACE  A Los Angeles man has been arrested and charged in a Thursday night crash that injured two Woodson Terrace police officers.

The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney's Office charged Shawn Watters, 47, with multiple counts of second-degree assault, resisting arrest and leaving the scene of an accident. Watters admitted he had been drinking to police, charges say.

According to charging documents, Watters hit a parked car in the 9300 block of Tutwiler Avenue in Woodson Terrace. The cars owner saw the crash and called police.

When police tried to stop Watters in the 4400 block of Woodson Road, charging documents state he drove off of the road, struck a grassy hill and backed up his car and struck a Woodson Terrace police car. He then drove north on Woodson Road, turning onto Natural Bridge Road at a high speed, police say.

Watters lost control of his 2003 Kia on Natural Bridge, charges say. The officer driving the car Watters previously hit was struck again. Watters then drove into another marked police car that had just arrived on the scene. He was arrested shortly after.

Cpl. Juston Wheetley, of the Missouri Highway Patrol, said Thursday that two officers and Watters were all taken to a hospital with minor injuries.

Police closed part of Natural Bridge Road from about 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. Thursday.
For more than a decade starting in the early 2000s, Missouri was at the top nationally in methamphetamine lab busts, and Jefferson County was tops in the state.

In 2004 and 2005, authorities in Jefferson County raided labs at a rate of two every three days. Some called it the meth capital of the world.

Last year, according to a Missouri Highway Patrol database, that number had dwindled to 51. Neighboring Franklin County, which had 139 busts in 2004, had just four in 2016.

Its back to being newsworthy if you find a meth lab, said Jason Grellner, a former lieutenant with the Franklin County Sheriffs Department who made a name for himself in the fight against meth labs in the St. Louis area.

But that doesnt mean meth has gone away.

From Arizona, New Mexico and Oklahoma to Montana, Wisconsin and Minnesota and all across the South, and yes, in Missouri, inexpensive methamphetamine is flowing in from Mexico, fueling what police and epidemiologists say is an alarming increase in the number of people using the drug, and dying from it.

Nationwide, regular use of the inexpensive and widely available illicit stimulant increased from 3 to 4 percent of the population between 2010 and 2015, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, or SAMHSA. At the same time, heroin use shot from 1 to 2 percent of the population.

The number of people using methamphetamine, also known as meth, crystal meth, crystal, crank, ice and speed, has been among the highest of any illicit substance for decades. But despite the stimulants harmful long-term effects on the body  including rotting teeth, heart and kidney failure, and skin lesions  its overdose potential is much lower than prescription painkillers and other opioids. Those drugs have gained the spotlight in recent years.

Still, overdose deaths from methamphetamine have spiked recently.

In 2014, roughly 3,700 Americans died from drug overdoses involving methamphetamine, more than double the 2010 number, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2015, the most recent year for which federal data are available, nearly 4,900 meth users died of an overdose, a 30 percent jump in one year.

Early warnings

In Oklahoma, methamphetamine was involved in 328 overdose deaths last year, a sharp climb from 271 in 2015, and more than the combined deaths from prescription painkillers hydrocodone and oxycodone, according to Mark Woodward, a spokesman for the Oklahoma Narcotics Bureau.

In contrast to the last epidemic, which began in the 1990s, rural meth labs are now a rarity and the fires and explosions that made headlines back then are practically nonexistent today, Woodward said. So a lot of people thought if meth labs are down, meth use is down.

But huge quantities of pure, affordable meth from Mexico have taken the place of local labs all over the country, including in Jefferson County.

Now that the quantity is coming in, nobody is cooking, said Sgt. Gerald Williams of the Jefferson County Sheriffs Department. People who used to cook just to get several grams of meth are now walking around with several pounds. Its just so easy to get. And why make it when you can buy it?

The majority of methamphetamine is now smuggled across the Southwest border, according to the Drug Enforcement Administrations 2016 National Drug Threat Assessment Summary. Its purity is high and its street price is relatively low, much cheaper than heroin. While the current opioid crisis has deservedly garnered significant attention, the methamphetamine threat has remained prevalent, the report warns.

In Jefferson County, Williams said his unit has shifted its focus from busting meth labs to long-term investigations into major suppliers of Mexican meth with links to Kansas City, Chicago and Springfield, Mo.

Regulation cuts local production

In the Midwest and much of the rest of the country, 2005 was the peak year for methamphetamine use. After that, federal and state laws restricting the sale of an essential ingredient in methamphetamine, the over-the-counter cold medicine pseudoephedrine, led to a sharp decrease in U.S. meth labs.

In Missouri, one of the most outspoken proponents of regulation of the decongestant was Franklin Countys Grellner, now vice president of the National Narcotics Officers Associations Coalition. Grellner successfully lobbied dozens of counties to require the medication be sold only as a prescription.

Even as he did so, he cautioned that the elimination of mom-and-pop meth labs would not eradicate the drug.

Limiting pseudoephedrine or making it a prescription doesnt beat addiction, Grellner said. But you no longer are seeing the burns, the fires, the respiratory hazards to children and the elderly because of all of the things going on inside the home.

Those things are now going on in large clandestine plants in Mexico and some Central American countries, and are no longer going on in every other house up and down the street here in the U.S.

As more meth started coming in from Mexico, the number of people seeking treatment began creeping up again and began to surge in many places in 2015. Last year, nearly 11,600 meth users were admitted for treatment in Minnesota, according to state data  a significant increase over the 6,700 who sought treatment for methamphetamine addiction in 2005.

Methamphetamine is also showing up in places that never experienced an earlier epidemic.

What were seeing is that the use of methamphetamines has recently moved out of trailer parks and rural areas and into inner cities, said Ken Roy, medical director of a major treatment facility, Addiction Recovery Resources, in New Orleans. Were seeing a lot of heroin addicts that also use methamphetamines. It used to be the only way we got meth patients was when they came to the hospital from rural areas, Roy said.

Different drugs

Opioid users experience a dreamlike state and typically nod off. But methamphetamine produces an entirely different high. Users experience a sense of elation and hypervigilance, and often become paranoid and aggressive. They may binge on meth for days without eating or sleeping, and they often start seeing things that arent there, said Carol Falkowski, an addiction expert in Minnesota.

Death from a methamphetamine overdose is also very different from an opioid death. With opioids, which affect the part of the brain that controls breathing, high enough doses can shut down respiratory functions, quickly causing death.

With methamphetamine, death is typically caused by a stroke or heart attack, and is characterized by extreme sweating as the body overheats prior to death. Because methamphetamine represents a lower risk of overdose, many use it for decades, which often results in gradual organ failure and death. The deaths are typically not counted in overdose statistics.

Likewise, treatment for addiction to methamphetamine is different than for opioids. No FDA-approved medications exist to stop cravings for methamphetamine, whereas three effective drugs are able to help people recover from opioid addiction.

As a result, methamphetamine treatment primarily consists of outpatient therapy, often after a brief stay in a residential facility.

Health officials in places like Minnesota and Oklahoma say the health care providers who helped legions of people overcome methamphetamine addiction during the last epidemic are prepared for a new onslaught. But some caution that the addiction treatment workforce has not grown in proportion to the growth in overall drug use since then.

Tackling a new meth addiction wave on top of an opioid epidemic could strain the nations health care system, said Kimberly Johnson, director of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. I dont think what weve done to scale up access to treatment for opioid disorders is going to be that helpful for methamphetamines.

Christine Byers of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.

Stateline.org is an initiative of The Pew Charitable Trusts.
Bruce Redding returned home from the gym Sunday afternoon to find an SUV on his roof and much of the front of his house destroyed.

Authorities say the speeding SUV had hit an embankment and launched into the air, like something out of a Hollywood movie, before crashing down on Reddings roof in the 5900 block of Lillian Avenue. He was told the SUV sped down Mimika Avenue to where that street ends in a T-intersection in front of his home.

I can see straight through my house, said Redding, 66, who had recently paid off the home. This is everything that Ive worked for all my life, and for someone to run through a stop sign and destroy it ...

Michael Arras, the St. Louis Fire Departments deputy chief of special operations, said it was like nothing he had ever encountered as a firefighter.

Thats not one you get every day, Arras said.

Authorities arrived at the house about 12:40 p.m. to find the SUV on the roof and the driver trapped in the SUV. Firefighters are used to both climbing ladders and rescuing people from crashed cars  but not usually at the same time. Arras said they proceeded carefully.

We had accessed the roof and the structure to see if it was safe to get on the roof, Arras said. It was determined that it was viable. We put just enough on the roof to make the extrication and get off.

The driver was taken to a hospital. His condition was not known, but fire officials said he was in and out of consciousness after the crash.

Redding, meanwhile, was left with a home that may never be habitable again.

This is not true, he recalled saying when he arrived home, alerted by neighbors to the crash. This cant be happening.

Redding recently retired after 22 years at Norwood Hills Country Club, where he was restaurant and bar manager. He said the home on Lillian has been in his family for 40 years, and something similar actually happened in the 1980s or 1990s, when his mother lived in the home. She wasnt hurt. Hes lived in the home alone for the last 25 years or so.

Family and friends arrived Sunday afternoon to help him salvage some of his belongings. He was able to maneuver himself around in the living room where he used to sit and watch his big screen TV, now destroyed. He said the home was insured.

The good thing is, Im alive, he said.
Public schools in St. Louis will benefit from a new law that will ease the city school districts swelling pension costs  costs that administrators argue have been diverting millions of more dollars from classrooms to the city school retirement fund.

The changes will allow the district to reduce pension contributions at the cost of employees, who will gradually shoulder a higher percentage of their pay for retirement benefits.

This legislative relief, combined with the passage of a $155 million bond issue in 2010 and a tax levy increase in 2016, adds to a list of financial victories for St. Louis Public Schools even as the district continues to lose hundreds of students each year.

With the passing of the tax issue, and the bond issue in 2010, these put the district in a better financial condition than in the last 30 years, said Richard Gaines, member of the St. Louis Public Schools Special Administrative Board.

Financial instability was one of the key problems that ailed the district when the state took it over in 2007. Back then, the district was suffering from a multimillion-dollar deficit. Now there is a surplus.

In recent years, the districts state-appointed Special Administrative Board has allied with district Superintendent Kelvin Adams and the districts teachers union, American Federation of Teachers Local 420, in pursuit of ways to garner millions of dollars for the once financially stressed district, including this pension law change.

The small part of the new pension law that benefits the district, which Gov. Eric Greitens signed on Friday, was a direct product of lobbying by the Special Administrative Board.

The district is still in pursuit of one more major financial effort: the controversial lawsuit to reclaim more than $50 million of desegregation dollars from the state, which charter schools fear will come from their own budgets.

Pensions have become increasingly expensive for the city school district and have consumed as much as 17 percent of the districts revenue, Gaines said. Last year, the district had to pay $29 million to the city school pension fund, up from $19 million in 2008.

The problem, district leaders argue, is that a certain amount of money needs to go to the pension system each year. But St. Louis Public Schools has lost several hundred employees  essentially, people who can contribute to the pension fund  over the past decade as student enrollment shrank. Meanwhile, employees have had a 5 percent contribution cap since 1999. So the difference has had to come out of the schools pockets at a higher rate.

The St. Louis Public School Retirement System is an outlier in the state, and the provisions that have been in the law for a number of years are currently not sustainable, said Jon Dalton, a lawyer who lobbied for the pension bill on behalf of the Special Administrative Board.

The new law will gradually equalize the pension cost burden between retirement system members and St. Louis public schools.

Instead of contributing 5 percent of their earnings, as they do now, members will have to contribute half a percent more each year until theyre contributing 9 percent. Employer contributions will decrease by half a percent each year from 16 percent in 2018 to 9 percent in 2032.

New employees hired Jan. 1 and after will automatically start contributing 9 percent.

Most Missouri public school employees and employers contribute 14.5 percent under the Public School Retirement System of Missouri, which covers certified school staff in Missouri except in St. Louis and Kansas City, which each have their own pension systems.

The new law also allows St. Louis members to retire earlier. This was one reason the teachers union was willing to support this package of pension changes, Dalton said. Members can now retire when they turn 65 or when their age and years of service total 80, no longer 85.

The city school district has cited high pension costs as one reason it cant give teachers higher salaries, which are among the lowest in the metropolitan area. In March, the Special Administrative Board approved a contract to guarantee teacher raises over the next three years.
ST. LOUIS  It was a no-brainer for Joey Laurx.

Stay in Columbia this summer, teach swim lessons, earn some money and boom  tuition costs drop by thousands of dollars.

Laurx is a soon-to-be sophomore at the University of Missouri-Columbia, and an Aurora, Ill., native. But with her new Missouri drivers license, proof of her off-campus apartment and her summer income, shes officially a Missouri resident by Mizzous standard.

She is one of about 1,500 out-of-state students each year who successfully become in-state residents after meeting a handful of requirements set out by the university.

Gaining in-state residency slashes tuition for an undergraduate from about $26,500 a year to the Missouri rate of $11,000.

That adds up to tens of millions of dollars a year in potential tuition lost  money one might think the school would be alarmed to lose.

But thats not the case.

The schools leaders are supportive of efforts by students to gain in-state residency. Without it, they say, many students might not be able to afford to complete their degree on the Columbia campus.

University registrar Brenda Selman said reducing the financial burden can make all of the difference. And having those graduates finish at Mizzou ultimately could help the state.

While theyre living, working, studying and paying taxes here, theyre more likely to build their postgraduate lives in Missouri, too.

She also refutes the misconception that out-of-state students are taking slots at the university that could otherwise go to Missouri natives.

Theres no cap on the number of Missouri students we take, said university registrar Brenda Selman. So for a student from out of state to apply, that doesnt impact our Missouri residents at all.

Mizzou is open with students about how to qualify for in-state residency, going as far as to mention the process in campus tours for prospective students. The website for the registrars office walks students through the particulars.

Students have to prove theyve lived in state for a year, they have to earn $2,000 of taxable income and must have a state license, voter registration and car registration if applicable, among a few other requirements.

The issue of in-state residency looms large at Mizzou, where about a third of students  or 11,000 out of 33,000  are from out of state.

Other public universities in the state have smaller percentages of out-of-state students. They also have varying residency requirements, with the help of some guidance from the Missouri Department of Higher Education.

At UMSL, students must earn $5,000 to earn in-state residency, for example, along with other requirements.

An average of about 125 students per year the last five years have taken advantage of the residency change at UMSL. The schools numbers are relatively low, and decreasing, because the school has been expanding in-state tuition benefits to more and more counties and students in Illinois.

An average of about 190 students per year at the Missouri University of Science and Technology apply for residency, according to a campus spokesperson. The school doesnt have a specified income amount that students must earn to qualify.

Many other Missouri schools dont even track the data on students who seek in-state residency.

The state law that gives some guidance to schools on residency is among the dozens of administrative rules about which the state department is seeking public input through the end of August, amid an ongoing effort from Gov. Eric Greitens to minimize regulations. Its unclear whether, in that review process, the state might adjust the directives it gives to schools.

Mizzou hasnt changed its requirements for years, Selman said. Its become such a common process that students can now apply for residency using an online form.

The $2,000 income mark was picked as a reasonable summer goal since students are typically working lower-wage jobs, sometimes dependent on tips.

Laurx, 19, works at the MizzouRec Complex, the campus gym, teaching swim lessons. She hit her $2,000 income goal with her last paycheck.

Shes only one of a few people from her high school who came to the Columbia campus, but Laurx fell in love during a visit. Shes studying elementary education.

College is so expensive, and giving up one summer away from home to work isnt bad, she said. Her parents might have pushed her a little bit, too. Its not a small decision for families, since students applying for residency cannot be claimed on their parents taxes.

Residency status made the difference for Murphysboro, Ill., resident Austin Helfrich, a rising junior studying industrial engineering.

If it wasnt for this, I dont think Id be able to afford Mizzou, he said. He started working at Harpos Bar & Grill last summer and hasnt stopped despite earning residency status last year. Now hes able to help pay his own tuition as he goes.

Selman said her team hears anecdotal stories all the time about students who couldnt attend if it wasnt for the ability to receive in-state tuition as early as their sophomore year.

Its not necessarily always a hardship, but like any of us, if theres a way to save money.
JEFFERSON CITY  Missouris capital city may be known as the home of state government, but this community of 43,100 residents is a prison town at heart.

Eight blocks from the domed Capitol sits the remnants of what was once not only the citys biggest employer, but also one of its largest manufacturing hubs.

The Missouri State Penitentiary is closed and, except for tour groups, nearly abandoned now. But the shuttered structures imposing walls loom large at the corner of Lafayette Street and Capitol Avenue.

Last week, Gov. Eric Greitens signed legislation that city leaders hope will help rejuvenate the prison and the largely derelict area around it.

The measure turns over 32 acres of state-owned land to the city, which plans to build roads, hotels and new housing in the shadow of the old fortress. Most of the prison structure itself will remain in state hands.

It can help us to create more jobs with higher pay to attract people to the area, Greitens told a crowd of city and county leaders gathered in one of the musty, vacant cell blocks.

Known as the Big House, Missouris first state prison opened in 1836, more than a century before Alcatraz. While Alcatraz held about 300 inmates on an island in San Francisco Bay, Missouri packed 5,200 prisoners into the facility on a bluff overlooking the Missouri River.

The prison and its residents helped make Jefferson City a major manufacturing center. Companies that made clothing and shoes set up shop within the prison walls to take advantage of cheap inmate labor.

It also held its share of infamous inmates, including bank robber Charles Arthur Pretty Boy Floyd, boxer Charles Sonny Liston and James Earl Ray, who assassinated the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Before closing in 2004, the prison had seen more than 2,000 deaths, including 39 who died in the decommissioned gas chamber that is still on the site.

The prison is now a tourist destination, with tours and events at the facility including a recent Independence Day weekend concert by Wynonna Judd. Last year, about 33,000 people toured the facility.

Diane Gillespie, executive director of the Jefferson City Convention and Visitors Bureau, said the area around the prison is a hidden gem that could become an economic driver for the city.

She and city leaders hope to build on the work of a task force that met more than a decade ago to determine what should be done with the facility.

That panel, which issued its report in 2003, suggested nearly two dozen uses for the property and facility. Included in the wish list were a riverfront park, a riverboat landing spot, Amtrak station, a convention center and a new public high school.

Rep. Mike Bernskoetter, R-Jefferson City, called the signing of the land transfer legislation a great day for his hometown.

Not only will this investment in this project help the city, it will also help the state because we know the people who come here to tour the prison dont just come here to tour the prison. They go to Branson. They go to a Cardinal ballgame. Its going to help the whole state, Bernskoetter said.

The original prison footprint covered 147 acres. The city has converted some of that to parkland, while the state has built two office buildings on the land. The federal courthouse for Missouris central district is across from the main entrance. After subtracting parcels that are streets or railroad rights-of-way, the city will have 19 acres for development.
JEFFERSON CITY  Calling painkiller abuse a modern plague, Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens sidestepped the Legislature on Monday to create his own version of a prescription drug monitoring program.

In issuing an executive order to try to bring Missouri in line with the rest of the nation, the Republican governor launched a weeklong series of events designed to focus on opioid abuse and drug trafficking.

Greitens said he was moving forward on the database without the GOP-led House and Senates endorsement because opioid abuse must be addressed.

There are too many families that have had to deal with this, Greitens said during an event at St. Louis-based Express Scripts, a pharmacy benefits manager. We have to look this problem square in the eye.

His plan differs significantly from what has been debated in the Legislature and what is in place in other states and in more than 26 counties and jurisdictions across Missouri.

While most monitoring programs track when patients are prescribed an opioid painkiller, Greitens plan would focus the data collection effort by the Department of Health and Senior Services on those who prescribe and distribute addictive drugs like Vicodin, OxyContin and Percocet.

Greitens said he wants the program to target pill mills that pump out prescription drugs at dangerous and unlawful levels.

St. Louis County Executive Steve Stenger issued a statement saying the county-level program, which was launched in St. Louis and now covers 58 percent of Missouris population, will continue to operate with the hope that whatever the governor proposes does nothing to hinder our progress.

How Greitens program might affect the county program remains unclear, Stenger spokeswoman Allison Blood said.

The executive order was really vague, so we dont know right now, Blood said.

Patrick Knue, project director for the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Training and Technical Assistance Center at Brandeis University in Massachusetts, said Missouris monitoring system would be different from every other states because it would not allow doctors or pharmacists to access the data. The systems in other states are primarily used as a health care tool.

For the most part across the country the primary focus is helping the health care professionals do proper treatment for their patients, to make sure theyre not prescribing something that has a bad interaction, to make sure the patient is not at risk of overdose, Knue said. Its moving Missouri along, but the health care professionals is a piece thats missing in this executive order.

Missouri is the only state without a way to track opioid abuse. A measure that would have created a database failed to win approval before the legislative session adjourned in May.

The Senate approved a prescription drug monitoring program that attempted to address privacy concerns. It would have required patients medical information be purged after 180 days and included restrictions on what kinds of drugs can be tracked.

But some members of the House balked, saying the data should be kept for a longer period of time. They also said the Senate version would allow highly addictive drugs such as Adderall to go unpoliced.

The lead sponsor of the legislation in the House, Rep. Holly Rehder, R-Cape Girardeau, said she was overjoyed the governor is weighing in on the opioid epidemic but signaled his solution does not go far enough.

Without a legislative solution on the horizon, Rehder is pushing for all counties in the state to join the system already in place.

Now, more than ever, we should continue to push for a statewide program. Right now we have over 60 percent of Missouris population covered by a PDMP that allows our medical professionals to see the important narcotic history of their patients. We will continue to work across this great state to bring that number to 100 percent, Rehder said in a statement.

Sen. Dave Schatz, R-Sullivan, who sponsored legislation in the Senate, declined to comment because he had not yet been briefed on the order.

The governors maneuver rankled some lawmakers. On Twitter, Rep. Shamed Dogan, R-Ballwin, wrote, Governing by executive order because you couldnt get a bill passed was wrong under Obama and its wrong today.

Greitens has issued 18 executive orders since taking office in January.

In a release, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price praised the governor.

I commend Missouri Governor Eric Greitens for taking a strong step in fighting the opioid epidemic by joining other states in establishing a Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, Price wrote.

U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., who earlier called on Greitens to schedule a special session on the opioid epidemic, said she wasnt confident his plan would work.

While I certainly welcome the governors attention to this crisis, I have serious questions about how meaningful this action will be if doctors writing prescriptions  and pharmacists filling those prescriptions  dont have access to this database, McCaskill noted.

The executive order specifies that prescription and dispensation information received by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services will be confidential.

State Sen. Will Kraus, R-Lees Summit, said he likes the idea of not creating a database on Missouri citizens.

This executive order focuses on the prescribers and distributors of medications, such as doctors and pharmacists, who are already regulated by the state, Kraus said.

Amy Tiemeier, an associate professor of pharmacy practice at St. Louis College of Pharmacy, said the existing county-level monitoring program has been useful since it went live in April. Doctors and pharmacists can access the prescription database to check whether patients are getting inappropriate amounts of opioids.

When medications are being used and there are negative consequences, there is a clear role for pharmacists to be involved based on their knowledge of the drugs, how they work and being able to provide insight into the appropriateness of therapy and potential therapies that might be less harmful, Tiemeier said.

Doctors nationwide have reduced the number of prescriptions they write for painkillers, from 81 to 71 prescriptions per 100 people between 2012 and 2015, according to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. St. Louis has the lowest prescription rate in the region, while Franklin County has the highest. Other prescription hot spots around the state include the Bootheel region and the areas around Springfield and Joplin.

The monitoring program is a step in the right direction, but we have a long ways to go, said Percy Menzies of St. Louis-based Assisted Recovery Centers of America.

Menzies said the bigger concern is the increase in people who switch to heroin after having difficulty obtaining prescription opioids.

Attorney General Josh Hawley, a fellow Republican who earlier filed a lawsuit against three opioid manufacturers, applauded Greitens.

Todays first step toward a prescription drug monitoring program in Missouri is long overdue, Hawley said. I brought suit against major opioid manufacturers last month to start the fight to end the opioid epidemic in our state. A prescription drug monitoring database is critical to that effort.
WASHINGTON  Two St. Louis-area Republicans - Blaine Luetkemeyer and Ann Wagner - have amassed multi-million-dollar campaign accounts more than 15 months before the 2018 elections.

Meanwhile, two Republicans representing Metro East congressional districts who could get more robust Democratic challengers in 2018 than they have in recent elections, began July with under $1 million in the bank.

Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, raised about $728,000 over the first six months of 2017 and had about $802,000 in his campaign account as of July 1, according to reports to the Federal Election Commission.

Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, reported having about $345,000 on hand after raising more than $453,000 in the first six months of the year.

Bost and Davis, along with Wagner, have been targeted by national Democrats seeking to take control of the U.S. House next year. All three won by relatively easy margins in 2016, and all three are expected to seek re-election to their current seats next year.

Wagner, R-Ballwin, had contemplated a challenge of Democrat Claire McCaskill for the U.S. Senate until announcing on July 3 she would not run. She by far outraised the rest of the St. Louis-area delegation over the first six months of the year, taking in more than $1.6 million. She ended June with more than $3.3 million in the bank.

Luetkemeyer's campaign still carries a personal loan of $1 million from the congressman himself. The Republican from St. Elizabeth, who is said to be interested in chairing the House Financial Services Committee in future Congresses, raised $606,000 from January to June, and had more than $2.2 million in the bank as of July 1, according to his report to the FEC.

Rep. John Shimkus, R-Collinsville, who survived a primary fight in 2016, raised $561,000 in the first half of the year and ended June with almost $1.1 million on hand.

Rep. Jason Smith, R-Salem, ended the first half of 2017 with about $934,000 in his campaign coffers, after raising about $546,000 in contributions.

Rep. William Lacy Clay, D-St. Louis, who also beat back a primary challenge in 2016, raised $95,000 and had $235,000 in the bank.

Rep. Vicky Hartzler, R-Harrisonville, who announced Monday she would not challenge McCaskill next year, raised about $291,000 from January through June, and had just under $457,000 in the bank, according to her FEC report.

McCaskill ended June with about $5 million in the bank, and was raising money at a clip of about $1 million a month in the second quarter of the year, according to her FEC reports.
Missouri House Speaker Todd Richardson plans to seek the Republican nomination to challenge state Auditor Nicole Galloway next year, setting up a potentially big fight for the last remaining statewide office in Jefferson City held by a Democrat.

A Richardson spokesman confirmed Monday that the speaker is preparing to run.

Galloway was appointed to the state auditor post in April 2015 by then-Gov. Jay Nixon, also a Democrat, to fill the vacancy left by the suicide of state Auditor Thomas Schweich, a Republican, two months earlier.

Galloway has said she is running for election to a full four-year term next year.

Newly filed campaign finance records show Galloway had $514,749 on hand as of the end of June. Richardson had $294,248.

The auditors office is the only state-level statewide post that holds its election concurrent with the national midterm elections. The other offices  governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state and treasurer  all are elected during presidential election years.

All five of those Missouri posts are held by Republicans following the GOP sweep in the 2016 elections.

U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., also is up for re-election this year and is widely viewed as a top target for national Republicans.

McCaskill ended June with about $5 million in the bank, and she was raising money at a clip of about $1 million per month in the second quarter of the year, according to her FEC reports.

Also revealed in reports released Monday: Two St. Louis-area Republican members of Congress  Blaine Luetkemeyer and Ann Wagner  have amassed multimillion-dollar campaign accounts more than 15 months before the 2018 elections.

Meanwhile, two Republicans representing Metro East congressional districts  who could get more robust Democratic challengers in 2018 than they have in recent elections  began July with under $1 million in the bank.

U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, raised about $728,000 over the first six months of 2017 and had about $802,000 in his campaign account as of July 1, according to the Federal Election Commission.

U.S. Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, reported having about $345,000 on hand after raising more than $453,000 in the first six months of the year.

Bost and Davis, along with Wagner, have been targeted by national Democrats seeking to take control of the U.S. House next year. All three won by relatively easy margins in 2016, and all three are expected to seek re-election to their seats next year.

Wagner, R-Ballwin, had contemplated a challenge to McCaskill for the U.S. Senate until announcing on July 3 she would not run. She by far outraised the rest of the St. Louis-area delegation over the first six months of the year, taking in more than $1.6 million. She ended June with more than $3.3 million in the bank.

Luetkemeyers campaign still carries a personal loan of $1 million from the congressman himself. Luetkemeyer, R- St. Elizabeth, who is said to be interested in chairing the House Financial Services Committee in future Congresses, raised $606,000 from January to June and had more than $2.2 million in the bank as of July 1, according to his report to the FEC.

Illinois U.S. Rep. John Shimkus, R-Collinsville, who survived a primary fight in 2016, raised $561,000 in the first half of the year and ended June with almost $1.1 million on hand. Missouri U.S. Rep. Jason Smith, R-Salem, ended the first half of 2017 with about $934,000 in his campaign coffers, after raising about $546,000 in contributions.

U.S. Rep. William Lacy Clay, D-St. Louis, who also beat back a primary challenge in 2016, raised $95,000 and had $235,000 in the bank.

U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler, R-Harrisonville, who announced Monday she would not challenge McCaskill next year, raised about $291,000 from January through June and had just under $457,000 in the bank, according to her FEC report.
LEBANON  A little more than two weeks after countless strangers donated belongings and money to the family of Katherine Cook, the 11-year-old Metro East girl who was battling brain cancer has died.

A Sunday morning post on Katherine Cooks GoFundMe page said that she was at peace now. Later in the day, her mother, Victoria Cook, shared funeral arrangements on her Facebook page.

Area media profiled Katherine and her familys struggle, along with the generosity of neighbors and strangers, earlier this month.

To help pay for her younger sisters funeral expenses, Katherines 15-year-old sister, Elizabeth, organized a garage and bake sale during the Independence Day weekend that she said ended up raising $8,000 in two days after people drove for miles to make donations.

As of Sunday evening, a GoFundMe account set up for Katherines final expenses had raised more than $20,000 since the beginning of the month.

Thank you to all that have expressed their condolences, Victoria Cook posted on Facebook. We are doing as good as we can.
Phyllis Hayden drove to OFallon, Mo., from her home in Florissant on Sunday to meet a long-distant relative: the first person shes ever known from her mothers side of the family.

Hayden, 68, cried when she met George Abington, 88. It was an emotional day.

OFallon VFW Post 5077 played host Sunday to a presentation featuring Abington and organized in part by the OFallon Historical Society.

The event highlighted the genealogical and records research in 2012-13 that helped archivist Dorris Keeven-Franke find Abingtons grandfather. Abington lives in Chicago now, but he and Keeven-Franke are friends, tied together by a special bond since the day he came to her with nothing more than a piece of paper with his fathers name on it and asked for her help.

Abingtons story isnt uncommon for African-Americans, Keeven-Franke told the crowd of more than 60 people Sunday. It can be a challenge tracking down details of past generations when those relatives were slaves or descendants of slaves.

That was the case with Abington. With the help of multiple volunteers and months of digging through court records and other documents, Keeven-Franke helped track down the grandfather of Abington, an OFallon, Mo., native. She shared the details, lengthy process and records in the presentation Sunday.

Now, she and others who have taken an interest in that story are looking forward to learning more about the relationship between Abington and Hayden. Both of them took DNA tests this weekend with hopes of proving connections the historians believe to be true: that Abingtons fathers aunt is Haydens great-grandmother.

My dad was different because their slave owners were Catholic, and Catholics keep excellent records, Hayden said. But on my moms side, it was different. I could only go so far and that was it.

She cried again when a friend she made in OFallon showed her records he had tracked down with the help of the Library of Congress. They were slave records of another ancestor.

Hayden had a lot of friends around her Sunday. Like Jim Frain, a volunteer in the city of OFallon who met Hayden with the help of social networking.

Frain wandered into the Sage Chapel Cemetery on Veterans Memorial Parkway right next to the VFW Post one day several years ago and stopped to see a particular headstone that stuck out to him. It turns out that the headstone belongs to Haydens uncle.

But its dilapidated, similar to others in OFallons historical African-American cemetery.

There arent more than a few dozen headstones, though research from Frain and others has shown that there are about 115 people buried there.

A group of supporters are starting a nonprofit group to help support the space while the city continues to maintain it. Meanwhile, Keeven-Franke and her volunteers continue to browse court documents to try and figure out who owns the property.

Frain said about 19 percent of the people buried at Sage Chapel died before they were 3 years old. There are also several people there said to be over 90. With relatives of both Hayden and Abington buried there, the history deserves more attention, Frain said.

People complain so often that other people dont care about anything but themselves anymore, Frain said. I think we proved today that thats not true at all.
ST. LOUIS  Because of all the stuff piled inside, firefighters had to break a window to rescue a man from a burning home Friday, a St. Louis Fire Department official said.

"It was the worst hoarding incident I've seen," Capt. Garon Mosby said of the home in the 6400 block of Alabama Avenue.

He said the two-story house was already in flames when firefighters arrived about 6:30 p.m. Friday. They were told by neighbors that a resident was believed to be inside.

Mosby said rescuers couldn't open the front door because of items piled inside. They ended up breaking and crawling through a window to get in. They found the resident on the home's second floor and carried him out through an upstairs window and down a ladder.

The man, said to be alert and talking after his rescue, was taken to a hospital.

Mosby credited the vigilance of neighbors along with the quick response of firefighters for saving the man. "The 6400 block of Alabama took care of business today," he said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. It appeared to have gutted the home.

Afterward, piles of debris that included magazines and videotapes were scattered outside.

Edward James said he saw smoke and flames coming from the home as he was driving past and called 911. He said firefighters arrived within minutes but he was still surprised that they were able to get inside and rescue the resident.

"I thought for sure he was dead," James said.
There have been some unfair comparisons reported in the Post-Dispatch of Illinois' increased personal income tax rate of 4.95 percent versus Missouri's tax rate of 6 percent. These are not comparable because Missouri uses graduated tax rates and allows many more deductions than Illinois.

Illinois basically takes the federal adjusted gross income, subtracts $2,175 for each taxpayer and each dependent, and then applies the 4.95 percent tax rate.

Missouri also starts with the AGI and deducts amounts for taxpayers and dependents, deducts federal tax paid up to $5,000 for single taxpayers and $10,000 for married filing jointly, deducts the standard deduction or itemized deduction, deducts medical and long-term care insurance premiums, etc. and then applies the graduated tax rate of up to 6 percent.

For example, an Illinois couple with no dependents with $57,829 AGI will pay $2,647 tax, an effective tax rate of 4.6 percent. In Missouri, they would pay $1,958 tax, an effective tax rate of 3.39 percent.

The effective tax rate in Illinois is now much higher than in Missouri.

Bill Hunt  St. Louis County
Honkytonktennessee jumps the last in the Angels Solicitors Handicap Chase. Photo: David Pratt (dwprattracingphotography.co.uk)

WITH trainers Dan Skelton and Olly Murphy both landing winners at Stratfords Family Day on Sunday, Warwickshire could soon be known for more than its Shakespeare connection as the county begins to carve out a place on the racing map, writes David Hucker.

In his seventh season with a license, Skelton had already notched up 360 career winners at the start of the afternoon.

He has been setting a scorching pace at the top of this seasons trainers table and moved onto 40 winners for the campaign when Honkytonktennessee, ridden by his brother Harry, reversed placings with Play The Ace from their previous encounter over the course last month to take the feature 20,000 Angels Solicitors Handicap Chase.

Although Honkytonktennessee didnt seem to go through with his effort from the final obstacle that day, he was 3lbs better off at the weights this time and Skelton sent him clear of the rest three fences from home to poach what, in the end, proved to be a decisive advantage.

It should have been plain sailing from there on, but, with the race seemingly in the bag, Honkytonktennessee did his best to throw it all away, making a complete mess of the last fence and then wandering off a straight line on the run-in.

At the post, he had enough in hand to hold on and make it a double on the afternoon for the stable after the earlier success of Azzuri at Southwell.

Wilmcote-based Murphy is right at the start of his career and followed up his first win on the Flat with a maiden jumping success at Market Rasen seven days earlier courtesy of Gold Class.

After Pershing had doubled his jumps tally at Southwell a couple of hours earlier, he was looking for more success with Sky Of Stars in the first division of the Brummies Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle.

It didnt look too promising when Graham Watters was hard at work on Sky Of Stars down the back straight but, after Innocent Girl had blundered her chance away at the penultimate flight, he started to make progress and wore down Bring Back Charlie, who had travelled well throughout the race, to score by half a length.

There was a thrilling finish to the opening Coventry Telegraph & Birmingham Mail Juvenile Hurdle and a big cheer went up as judge Nick Bostock announced that Scottish raider Taxmeifyoucan had just got up on the line to win.

With favourite Mauricio failing to stay the trip, it looked like The Raven Master, on whom Harry Skelton had been making steady progress on the final circuit, had timed his challenge to perfection as he touched down in front of the always-prominent Phoenix Dawn jumping the last flight.

His stride faltered, however, and he faded into third on the run-in, as 5-1 shot Taxmeifyoucan and conditional jockey Finian OToole came through on the outside to snatch victory.

The money talked in the Peugeot Citroen Handicap Chase over two and three-quarter miles as Scripturient, a 10-1 chance in the racecard betting forecast, was sent off the well-backed 5-2 favourite, turning the race into a procession after the penultimate fence, beating the running-on Shaiyaz by 12 lengths with the pace-setting ThatsThe Deal back in third.

There were three course winners in the Askews Accountants Handicap Hurdle (For The Stratford Summer Salver) with Free Stone Hill, who had been given a break since his last outing at Aintree in May, looking to have a good chance of adding to the Skelton haul.

But, it was Our Three Sons and Page Fuller who led going to the final flight, with Harry Skelton sitting motionless alongside on Free Stone Hill, ready to pounce.

The complexion of the race changed in a stride, however, as Free Stone Hill pitched on landing and, despite rallying on the run to the line, lost out by the minimum distance of a nose, with the winner trading at 6-1 in betting on the photo.

There was a furious pace up front in the Eden Vauxhall Handicap Chase, with Bestwork amongst three vying for the lead. He was still in front turning for home and, despite the efforts of his pursuers, led by Sage Monkey and Go On Henry, ran on strongly to defy his burden of 12-0 and follow up his Uttoxeter win for owners Henacre Racing and Over Norton trainer Charlie Longsdon.

Rebel Yeats sprang a 50-1 surprise when scoring on her first run for Alvechurch trainer Ian Williams at Warwick in May and, although failing to double up when beaten by the 125-rated Lithic at Market Rasen, was sent off the 5-4 favourite in the Mick Baker Memorial "National Hunt" Novices' Hurdle.

However, she couldnt peg back Dear Sire who, despite jumping out to the right and clouting the last flight, ran on resolutely for Cheshire trainer Donald McCain.

Favourite Mr Caffrey took the last of the eight races to send the large crowd home happy and many will be back again for next Sundays Ladies Day, for which gates will open at noon ahead of the first race scheduled for 2.10pm.
Human rights champs shed crocodile tears and offer fulsome praise of Liu Xiaobo From Kapila Bandara in Hong Kong View(s): View(s):

Global human rights flag-bearers shed crocodile tears and offered fulsome praise following the death of Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo on Thursday night in a hospital in China, where he had been treated for terminal liver cancer while being detained.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Raad Al Hussein, who has been regularly denouncing Sri Lanka for alleged violations of human rights, maintained a stony silence from the time Lius worsening condition became known and even until Wednesday when he suffered respiratory failure. But after Liu died, Mr Zeid was liberal with fulsome praise, while adroitly avoiding stepping on the toes of Chinas communist leadership.

Mr Zeid urged the Chinese authorities to guarantee Liu Xias freedom of movement, and allow her to travel abroad should she wish so.

In contrast, German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel, who said he was dismayed to hear of the death, noted that Liu Xiaobo and his wife had most desperately wanted to come to Germany. I deeply regret that their wish was not granted.

And Mr Gabriel declared: I now consider China to be under a duty to investigate, swiftly, credibly and transparently, whether his cancer could and should have been discovered much earlier.

Mr Zeid, in his statement, used cliches such as iconic, and recorded his deep sorrow and heartfelt condolences. He merely hoped that Lius wife Liu Xia, his family and friends, will be able to grieve and honour him in accordance with their wishes.

The grieving wife, Liu Xia, is under house arrest. China has not yet indicated that Liu Xiaobo will be allowed a burial, perhaps fearful that his final resting place could become a monument.

Mr Zeids UN human rights statement was sprinkled with a few verbal funeral bouquets  adjectives such as principled, courageous, and devoted.

His statement said: 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.

Liu Xiaobo and Liu Xia were a courageous couple and absolutely devoted to one another. I urge the Chinese authorities to guarantee Liu Xias freedom of movement, and allow her to travel abroad should she wish so.

Liu Xiaobo was the true embodiment of the democratic, non-violent ideals he so ardently advocated. Despite the imprisonment and separation from the wife he adored that could have fuelled anger and bitterness, Liu Xiaobo declared that he had no hatred for those who pursued and prosecuted him.

Liu Xiaobo was the definition of civic courage and human dignity  a poet and intellectual who wanted, and strove for, a better future for his country. A man who, despite all he suffered, continued to espouse the politics of peace. He was and will continue to be an inspiration and an example for all human rights defenders.

On the other hand, German Foreign Minister Mr Gabriel demanded that Liu Xia and her brother Liu Hui should be allowed to leave China immediately and travel to Germany or another country of their choice, if they so desire.

Norway, where human rights are a cottage industry, and which liberally meddled for decades in Sri Lanka, offered 50 words, mainly a template of hackneyed phrases, from Prime Minister Erna Solberg: It was with great sadness that I received the news of the death of Liu Xiaobo. For several decades, Liu Xiaobo was a prominent voice for human rights and the future development in China. My thoughts at this time go to his wife, Liu Xia, other family members and friends.

Ms. Solberg visited China in April to mend diplomatic fences, which were damaged after the Nobel Committee honoured Liu Xiaobo in 2010. Relations were in deep freeze for six years. China said the Nobel had been given to a criminal and state media continued to call him a criminal even in death.

In Beijing, Ms. Solberg promised to respect Chinas core interests and major concerns, and enhance political trust with China. She was rewarded with a deal to start talks on a free-trade pact.

In the December 2016 joint statement on normalising relations with China, the Norwegian Government completely ignored Liu Xiaobo, merely saying due to the Nobel peace Prize award  China-Norway relations have deteriorated.

Norway pledged that it will not support actions that undermine, Chinas core interests and major concerns. Oslo also assured, it fully respects Chinas sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Ms. Solberg accompanied a plane load of 300 businesspeople  the biggest delegation yet  from 190 Norwegian companies to Beijing and was duly rewarded with 13 agreements. Norway cites its core values as freedom, human rights, democracy, gender equality, justice, and respect for the environment. Yet, for all its self-crafted halo as a human rights champion, Norway did not ask China to free Liu Xiaobo.
A 3-to-2 vote resulted in the adoption of Saltvilles $3 million budget for 2017-18 until council member Thomas Holley, who had voted yes asked, Was that the budget? as Mayor Todd Young prepared to move on to the next item on Tuesday nights council agenda.

After being assured that yes, that was a vote on the budget, Holley said he wanted to change his vote. Another vote was taken and Holley voted no along with council members Eugene Call and Steve Surber. Council members Ron Orr and David Smith voted yes both times. Council member Sandra Wyatt was absent.

After the council completed the agenda and took a break before going into closed session, Holley said he had voted against the proposed budget because he said he didnt have anything to do with it, that he had not been able to go through the budget items one by one to see where cuts could be made.

At the June council meeting, a deadlocked tie of 3-3 was recorded for a vote on the proposed budget before Assistant Police Chief Erik Puckett and Public Works Director R.B. Henderson offered to forgo their proposed 2.5 percent salary increases if the council would keep in place a salary raise for Tammy Carter, who manages the front office and handles tax bills, water/sewer billing and accounts payable and receivable.

Council members Call, Wyatt and Holley were opposed to providing any raises and especially for only three of the towns employees, considering the planned increase in water/sewer rates. Mayor Young said he could not break a tie vote on the budget. After Pucketts request Wyatt changed her vote on the proposed budget.

Several people spoke on the budget during a public hearing June 29, including Raymond Call and Jeff Johnson asking why anybody on the town staff would be getting a raise with water/sewer rates going up.

Minimum rates will increase by $6.40 (water/sewer combined) for in-town residential customers and by $21.88 for out-of-town residential customers for 2017-18 and by smaller increments each year through 2020-21. There are similar increases for institutional, commercial and industrial water/sewer users as well as higher prices for water sold to Smyth and Washington counties.

Young said that approximately 60 percent of the towns in-town customers pay the minimum for water and sewer each month. The new total minimum bill for those residents ($23.20 water, $23.20 sewer, $13 trash pickup, $4 capital improvement fee) will increase by $6.40, to $63.40 from the current $57. The total minimum bill went up $8 in July 2014, from $47.21 to $55.21 and up $1.79 in July 2016 from $55.21 to $57.

Young noted that water/sewer rates must meet a minimum requirement by the Virginia Resource Authority in order to secure a $900,000 loan from Rural Development to upgrade the towns deteriorating systems. The Virginia Resource Authority requires the water and sewer system to show a profit for three years or they will not lend money, he added.

The town is under a consent order from DEQ (Virginia Department of Environmental Quality) and has already been fined $9,100, said Young. If the McKee Street project is not done, the town could be fined thousands of dollars a day. The debt service for the McKee Street project is projected to be around $60,000 per year, so the town had to have rates to accommodate that. Also, as you probably have heard, Titan Wheel is going to close at some point. When they do close, the town will lose another $40,000 in water and sewer revenue, so that had to be considered too.

At Tuesdays meeting, council went into closed session for the following reasons listed on the agenda: to discuss personnel in the front office, police department, and inmate program; for the discussion of the award of a public contract involving the expenditure of public funds, including interviews of bidders or offerors, and discussion of the terms or scope of such contract, where discussion in an open session would adversely affect the bargaining position or negotiating strategy of the public body; and for the consultation with legal counsel and briefings by staff members or consultants pertaining to actual or probably litigation, where such consultation or briefing in open meeting would adversely affect the negotiating or litigating posture of the public body.

When council came out of closed session, another vote was taken on the budget as it was advertised and it passed unanimously.

When it wasnt clear how Holley had voted, he was asked by the mayor what his vote was, he said, I guess Ill vote for it but Im against it.

Me too, said Call.

Council also voted not to renew the towns contract with Veolia Water when the contract expires next year.

The town is required to notify the company six months in advance if the contract is not to be renewed. Veolia became Saltvilles water/wastewater management company on April 1, 2013.

The discussion by the Saltville Town Council to hire a private firm to manage the towns water and sewer systems began in the summer of 2012. Town Manager Mike Taylor, who lost his battle with cancer in June, said in 2013 that the town had implemented its water and sewer systems intermittently over the years. The system was redone in the 1980s, he said, and again when the Allison Gap sewer line was established.

Taylor said the idea to hire a private firm began when the town was having difficulties maintaining its system.

The key thing that started all this was maintenance issues with the facility, Taylor said. This company (Veolia) has scheduled things and that plant will be brought back to where it should be. The state so far has been very gracious. Weve been able to deal and negotiate. They see the town really making every effort possible to correct water/sewer problems.

Taylor said people were confused and a bit scared about the private company coming in to manage the water/sewer systems. The town has never dealt with this before, he said. But we havent sold the water company. We just hired a team to manage it. We thought this would help them and help the town.

Taylor said the towns long-range goal was to be in tip-top shape and generator capable. They sell water to the county as well as serve the town, and they wanted a generator in order to keep water no matter what.

We might not have lights in Saltville on occasion, but we will have water and sewer, Taylor said. This is our first move to modernize and standardize and take care of the people. And thats not easy. Its enormous.

There is a generator for the water and sewer systems but it is not large enough to run the whole facility for a long period of time, Taylor said. Our ultimate goal is a year or two out there, but this is a start, he said.

The deterioration of Saltvilles water and sewer systems has led to the need for an upgrade. Inflow and infiltration of the lines concerns DEQ, which is requiring the town to make repairs to prevent this problem or face exorbitant fines. And to get the money needed to repair the systems, a loan is required and to get that loan the town must raise its water/sewer rates to levels that will lead to sustainability of operation and repayment of debt.
Syracuse, N.Y. -- Bank of New York Mellon is closing its downtown Syracuse operations center and transferring employees to a center it operates in nearby DeWitt.

Amanda Changuris, associate director of corporate communications for the bank, said in an email to Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard that the move will take place late in the third quarter of this year.

Though the "relocation numbers" are still being finalized, no job losses are expected as a result of the consolidation, Changuris said.

"This change is part of a global program to transform our workplaces into efficient, collaborative spaces and provide more flexibility and workplace options in the future," she said in a statement. "The company remains committed to its presence in Central New York."

The bank opened an operations center on Sanders Creek Parkway in DeWitt in 2002 and initially considered building a second office next to it to accommodate an expansion of the center. However, in 2004, it instead opened an operations center in Dey's Plaza in space formerly occupied by a Niagara Mohawk customer service center. It was even able to re-use the utility company's furnishings.

In 2012, Syracuse.com reported that the bank employed 435 people on Sanders Creek Parkway and 345 at Dey's Plaza, a total of 780 in Onondaga County. Bank officials declined to say how many are currently employed at the two locations.

The move means that the entire third floor and most of the second floor of Dey's Plaza at 401 S. Salina St. will become vacant in mid-August, said Richard deVito, who, along with developer Robert Doucette, bought Dey's Plaza in 2009. The bank is the building's biggest office tenant, occupying 70,000 square feet of space.

It won't be vacant for long, however. DeVito said he and Doucette plan to build 22 apartments in the third-floor space being vacated by the bank and are negotiating with two potential commercial tenants for the second-floor space the bank is leaving.

DeVito and Doucette recently listed Dey's Plaza for sale for $20 million, but deVito said they merely want to keep their options open as they prepare to refinance the building for construction of the additional apartments.

"If we found the right owner-user for the property, we would consider selling it," he said. "But when we close on the financing, that will be it."

He said the bank decided it would be more efficient to consolidate the operations centers into the same building and that some employees will be allowed to work from their homes, reducing the need for office space. He said the bank's workforce at Dey's Plaza has likely shrunk since 2012.

Changuris said it's possible some employees will be able to work from home, depending on their roles, as part of the bank's "workplace excellence program." The program is designed to transform the bank's workplaces into "efficient, collaborative spaces that leverage the full capabilities of technology and support a diverse, flexible and adaptive workforce - crucial to our focus on attracting and retaining top talent," she said.

"This is a multi-year, enterprise-wide strategy," she said. "Providing employees with flexible workplace options, depending on their roles, and updating the Sanders Creek location are part of this strategy."

Bank of New York was started by Alexander Hamilton in 1784 and merged with Mellon Financial Corp. in 2007. It provides financial services for institutions, corporations and individual investors in 35 countries and more than 100 markets. It has $30.6 trillion in assets under custody or administration and $1.7 trillion in assets under management. It employs 50,000 people worldwide.

DeVito said he and Doucette hope to begin converting the third-floor space being vacated by the bank in October and have the apartments ready for occupancy by the middle of 2018. They also are planning to renovate the building's lobby, adding new furnishings, a new reception desk and artwork, as part of the $4 million project, he said.

The additional 22 apartments will bring to 83 the number of apartments in Dey's Plaza.

DeVito and Doucette, partners in Paramount Realty Group, bought Dey's Plaza, then named Dey's Centennial Plaza, for $6.7 million in December 2009 from the Syracuse Economic Development Corp. They immediately began converting the building's vacant office space to apartments and brought in retail tenants, including Cafe Kubal and Gannon's Ice Cream, for the ground floor.

The building's 61 apartments are fully occupied, and deVito said he expects the 22 additional units to fill up fast because demand for downtown apartments is very strong.

"The building has a lot of energy," he said.

The historic building was built in 1893 for Dey Brothers Department Store. The store, which was named Addis & Dey's in its last years, closed in 1993. The city of Syracuse acquired it in 1994 and converted some of it to office space.

Contact Rick Moriarty anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-470-3148
Syracuse, NY -- A Syracuse minister was found guilty last week of filing a fake deed in an attempt to take possession of a South Side residence.

The Rev. L. Micah Dexter was found guilty Thursday of possessing a forged instrument and filing it, both felonies. He faces up to 2 1/3 to 7 years in prison when sentenced. He remains free on bail until sentencing.

Dexter, minister of Greater New Salem Missionary Baptist Church, filed the fake deed in 2013 during a long landlord-tenant dispute with a South Carolina man, James Greene.

At issue was a deed that Dexter filed with a copied signature page, purporting to show that Greene had signed over his rights to the house.

In fact, that signature page was copied from another document. Greene flew in from South Carolina for the trial, as did the notary public who stamped the original document.

Dexter took the stand in his own defense, but was unable to sway the jury.

State Supreme Court Justice John Brunetti had said that if Dexter took the stand and lied, he would sentence the defendant to incarceration.

Given that the jury decided against Dexter, the judge could very well send the minister to prison. The jury deliberated for about three hours Thursday before finding Dexter guilty, prosecutor Lindsey Luczka said.

Luczka said she would push for state prison, "given the defendant's criminal history, actions in this case and performance on the witness stand."

Dexter's previous conviction of obstructing police during a 2014 confrontation was fair game after Dexter took the witness stand in his own defense.

A lawsuit filed by Greene in civil court included a copy of the original signature page of a deed he signed and another one that he said Dexter stole to create the phony deed. (That lawsuit has since been dismissed on procedural -- not factual -- grounds.)
AUBURN, N.Y. -- State police are investigating the death of an inmate at Auburn state prison last week.

Daniel Wingate, 51, was going to be released in September after serving five years in prison for sexual abuse, according to the state prison system's website.

No one has been charged in Wingate's death, state Trooper Mark O'Donnell said. He confirmed state police were investigating, but did not release details.

Wingate died at an outside hospital on Friday, a spokesman for the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision said. The spokesman referred questions to the state police and the Cayuga County Medical Examiner's Office.

Cayuga County Coroner Dr. Adam Duckett said today he expects to determine a cause and manner of Wingate's death in about two weeks.

Wingate stood 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighed 100 pounds, according to the New York State Sex Offender Registry. He was convicted in Monroe County of first-degree sexual abuse and sentenced to five years in prison in January 2013.

Wingate was convicted in 1994 of sexually abusing a 7-year-old girl, also in Monroe County, according to the state registry. He was sentenced to 2 to 7 years in prison.

Contact John O'Brien anytime by email, Twitter, or at 315-470-2187.
After the Alfred Angelo bridal shops chain closed abruptly Thursday, sending brides into a panic, the company has released an apology.

The company, which operates more than 60 stores nationally including a store on Erie Boulevard East in DeWitt, also included a new email for brides who want to check on their status of their dress.

That email is alfredangelo@mjstrustee.com.

The company also said it will most more information on its website as it becomes available.

"Alfred Angelo filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on July 14, 2017. As a result, all stores and wholesalers are closed. Margaret Smith was appointed Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Trustee. If you wish to be contacted regarding your order status once information is available, please send an email to alfredangelo@mgstrustee.com. We will post additional information regarding the status of dresses on this web-site as it becomes available.

"We apologize for the inconvenience and hardship resulting from this event. We appreciate your patience."

The bridal shop chain closed its stores at 8 p.m. Thursday. Store employees said they were told Thursday morning the store would close for good that night.

Customers last week were directed to call customer service at 888-218-0044 or email predmond@stearnsweaver.com. But brides said they got no answer when they called or emailed.

Numerous customers rushed to the DeWitt store after learning of the closing to see if they could find their dress. Some were successful; others were left worrying about whether or not they'd be able to get the dresses they had ordered.

The New York Attorney General's office also stepped in, telling brides to file formal complaints with their office.

The retailer was founded in 1933 by Alfred Angelo and his wife Edythe Piccione in Philadelphia.
meth bust arrests

The Cortland County Sheriff's Office charged four people in a methamphetamine lab bust Satuday. Police say they arrested 42-year old Robert Benson (top left), 31-year-old Sarah Wacht (top right), 24-year-old Stephanie Wiers (bottom left) and 26-year old Travis Hartwick (bottom right).

(Provided by Cortland County Sheriff's Office)

HOMER, N.Y. -- Four Cortland County residents were arrested this weekend after sheriff's investigators found a meth lab in a home where they had gone to arrest a woman on an unrelated warrant.

Deputies said they went to a home at 9 p.m. Saturday on Little York Crossing Road in the town of Homer to arrest 24-year-old Stephanie Wiers, wanted on a seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance charge from Cortland City Police Department.

When they arrived, they found Wiers, as well as Travis Hartwick, a homeless man wanted on a warrant by New York State Parole, sheriff's Lt. Todd Caufield said in a news release.

"As the officers were interviewing the two suspects they could detect a chemical odor coming from the apartment in which the two suspects were located," Caufield said in the release. "Officers determined that the chemical smell was similar to that in which methamphetamine is manufactured."

During the investigation, deputies found two more people -- Robert Benson, 42, and Sarah Wacht, 31, both of Little York Crossing Road -- try to leave the apartment, the release said.

Officers took all four people into custody on suspicion of manufacturing methamphetamine, Caufield said. Wiers, Hartwick, Benson and Wacht were transported to the Cortland County Sheriff's Office while a uniformed officer "secured" the home until police received a search warrant.

The Cortland County Sheriff's Office Narcotics Investigators conducted the search warrant around 8:30 a.m. Sunday with the assistance of the New York State Police Contaminated Crime Scene Emergency Response Team.

Police said they found and seized several items used for the manufacturing of methamphetamine.

Members of the Homer Fire Department stood by at the scene while the search was conducted, police said.

The sheriff's office said they have arrested all four people they took into custody. Additional charges are possible.



Benson was charged with first-degree unlawful manufacturing of methamphetamine, a B felony.

Wiers, Wacht and Hartwick were charged with third-degree unlawful manufacturing of methamphetamine, a D felony.

Benson, Wacht, Wiers and Hartwick also were charged with unlawful disposal of meth lab material, an E felony; and fifth-degree conspiracy and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, both misdemeanors.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The subsidies that saved three Upstate New York nuclear plants are still being contested in court, but a federal judge on Friday dismissed a lawsuit against a similar bailout in Illinois.

The ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Manish S. Shah dismissed claims from non-nuclear generating companies and a consumer group that Illinois nuclear subsidies interfere with federally regulated wholesale markets and should be blocked.

Similar complaints are pending against New York's nuclear subsidy in U.S. District Court in Manhattan. U.S. District Court Judge Valerie Caproni has not yet ruled on state regulators' motion to dismiss the lawsuit.

Shah ruled that opponents of the subsidies could not seek an injunction, in part because they had not exhausted their options to seek remedies from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which has authority over wholesale markets.

Illinois consumers began paying subsidies of up to $235 million a year in June to rescue two nuclear plants, Quad Cities and Clinton. New York consumers began paying an estimated $483 million a year to benefit Nine Mile Point, FitzPatrick and Ginna nuclear plants.

In addition to the federal case, a lawsuit is pending against the New York subsidies in state Supreme Court in Albany. Plaintiffs in the suit allege that state regulators rushed their decision to adopt nuclear subsidies and failed to provide sufficient time for opponents to comment.

Contact reporter Tim Knauss anytime | email | Twitter | 315-470-3023

Federal court decision by Tim Knauss on Scribd
San Jose, Calif. -- A man who pleaded guilty to torturing, killing and dismembering neighborhood cats was sentenced to 16 years in jail.

Robert Farmer, 26, pleaded guilty in October to 21 counts of animal cruelty. The judge in the case gave Farmer the maximum sentence on Friday, according to sfgate.com.

The killings took place in a San Jose neighborhood where Farmer grew up, the website said.

Authorities had asked the court to require him to register as a sex offender. Owners of the cats and prosecutors alleged Farmer sexually abused one of the cats he killed, but the judge rejected that argument, sfgate said.

Police said Farmer killed as many as 16 cats over a period of months, but only four bodies were recovered, according to sfgate.

Farmer will serve his time in county jail, not state prison, because he won't have to register as a sex offender, sfgate said. He'll get credit for nearly two years already served and could be out in as little as 4 1/2 years, said his attorney, Wesley Schroeder.

Whenever he is released, he'll have to register for probation until the full term of his sentence is complete. He'll have to stay away from the neighborhood where he killed the cats, undergo psychological treatment and he won't be allowed to own or care for any animals for 10 years.

Police arrested Farmer in October 2015 while he was in a car. Inside, cops found a beaten and bloody cat corpse in a garbage bag, along with several collars, according to sfgate.com.

One of the abductions of the cats was also caught on camera, according to NBC Bay Area.

Schroeder said his client has been living with mental health issues and was addicted to methamphetamine. The addiction accelerated a spiral of problems that led to the deaths of the cats, the attorney said, according to sfgate.

Owners of the slain cats said the end of the case brings a chance to heal, according to NBC. Mirim Petrova's cat Go-Go was one of Farmer's victims, but a body has not been found, the station said.

"We finally can say goodbye to every cat that was involved in this tragedy," Petrova said, according to NBC.

Contact Kevin Tampone anytime: Email | Twitter | Google + | 315-454-2112
HP just took over the PC market lead worldwide. You probably dont get how incredible this is, so heres an analogy: Its as if a crooked referee put a bunch of lead on a racer who already was overweight and shuffled him to the back of the pack, but in the end, the guy finished first. Youd seriously want to look under his T-Shirt to see if youd find Supermans costume.

This isnt Apple coming up with an iPod or iPhone and flanking the market  this is a firm that simply pushed on the gas pedal at a time when everyone said it was going in the wrong direction (PCs were dead, remember?)  and kicked everyones ass.

As impressive as that is, theres more. This is also basically a brand new firm with a new focus, but people still see it with all the baggage the HP name brings, including the bad reflection from the massive mismanagement over at its sister company, HPE  which, in contrast to HP, had all the advantages but couldnt seem to find the gas pedal.

This is a perfect example of why a firm should consider changing its name  and Compaq, a powerful brand it owns, could be the perfect answer.

Ill expound on that and close with my product of the week: the Smartflower, which must be the coolest solar solution for your home in the world now.

HPs Turnaround

Im simply amazed by HPs performance. It was clear when Meg Whitman spun out HP that she didnt believe it had a chance in hell of succeeding. Firmly convinced that both PCs and printers were dead, she saddled the firm with virtually all the combined companys debt  pretty much stacking the deck to ensure that HP died while HPE succeeded.

Many of Dion Weislers peers privately thought that he wanted to be CEO so badly he simply didnt see that he couldnt succeed and foolishly took the job. Maybe its good no one told him that because now, when you look at the two companies, HP is a stunning success  HPE not so much.

In fact, HPE is a bit of an industry joke now. I mean, how do you stack the deck like that and still find it impossible to execute? What is scary is that if Meg Whitman had won the California election, Southern California likely would be part of Mexico today.

You can just imagine, at the split, the HPE employees looking down on their HP compatriots, thinking just how screwed those poor suckers were going to be  and now realizing theyre the ones screwed. At the next joint company reunion, HP employees should wear T-Shirts with two letters: The first should be H but the second should be A, as in HA! It does show that strong leadership, focus, and simplicity can do amazing things in any firm.

Changing a Company Name

There is a rule of thumb in marketing that says that one of the telltale signs that a CMO (chief marketing officer) has no clue what to do is a decision to change the firms name or logo. As with all rules, however, there is one big exception  and that exception is when the brand is working against you.

Now the brand HP doesnt have negative equity. The fact they sales are as good as they are showcases this. The problem is the image of the company and how it is trading.

The big indication of this is that both HPE and HP made a recently published list of the most-hated CEOs, placing at No. 8 and No. 10 respectively. It is clear from the criteria that it was attitudes toward the legacy HP and HPE that drove the decisions.

Dion Weisler is almost unknown outside of HP  but in HP, as you might expect, he is a bit of hero, and HPs performance has been well beyond expectations. The employees there seem to love him, the channel seems to love him, and the investors should love him because they love anyone who can execute  and man can he execute! These are the groups that picked the supposedly most-hated CEOs.

My takeaway is that it is the drag from HPE and the history of HP before the breakup that is causing Dion to be so badly reviewed. In short, it isnt his performance that is hurting him  it is Meg Whitmans performance that is driving the perceptions surrounding both HP brands. If HPE continues to underperform and be defined by market mistakes, executive instability and layoffs, HP and Dion wont be able to own their own image.

Even though the HP brand doesnt have negative equity (by the way, that is when a consumer would pay more for a non-branded product than one with the negative brand), HPE is creating an ongoing drag on the image of HP, which must be hurting sales and company valuation.

Granted, given how tightly printers and PCs are tied to the HP brand, such a move wouldnt come easily or cheaply  but unless HPE can be convinced to rebrand (in contrast, it seems very close to dropping into negative equity in the enterprise space), HPs only fix is to bite the bullet and take full control over its destiny.

Now, you wouldnt just cut the brand  youd transition it, and the likely first step would be to strengthen the sub-brands, similar to what IBM did with ThinkPad before selling the line and firm to Lenovo. But which brand?

Bring Back Compaq!

While HP always has been bigger in printers, Compaq was by far the bigger player in the PC space. It too had its operational and leadership problems, but even though it has been well over a decade since it operated under its own brand, I expect that folks mostly remember it fondly (or dont remember it at all).

In any case, it is a storied brand, HP owns it, and were HP to migrate to Compaq it would free it from all the negative equity it is getting from HPEs problems, and allow it to take a clean step away from the HP history that it is ever more slightly connected to.

Think about this another way. Right now, HP sells PCs and printers and looks far more like Apple prior to the iPhone than like the old HP, which historically was far more of a big iron back-office company.

Admittedly, printers would be a big problem given the firms dominance, and perhaps maintaining HP as a sub-brand for the printers alone might be the safest path going forward  much like Lenovo maintains the sub-brand ThinkPad and likely always will, even though the Think part of the brand still has heavy IBM connections.

Wrapping Up

There are a lot of amazing and somewhat ironic things this decade. We have a government run by the Republicans, who currently are doing more to advance a variety of social agendas they dont agree with (albeit unintentionally) than the Democrats who support those agendas are able to do.

The auto industry is rushing to autonomous cars, which likely will destroy the auto industry as we know it (not that it has a choice).

Massive firms are working on artificial intelligence to make everyone but their CEOs smarter, which is where AI would have the greatest impact.

Global warming advocates are overstating the horrendous outcomes so aggressively that they are discrediting the entire effort.

Also, a little company with a big brand showed the world that even with the deck stacked against you, you still can prevail, through leadership, focus, strategy and execution.

So, I think HP should rebrand, step away from the past, and fully embrace the future it can define rather than be defined by the past or by a sister firm where execution, even with the deck stacked in its favor, is an almost impossibly elusive thing. What do you think  should HP bring back Compaq?

Solar power is incredibly attractive to me because it seems so much like magic. You put some glass panels on your roof or in your yard, and magically you have electrical power. I took our last house to solar power in the early part of last decade, and it cut my power bill substantially  even though the panel yields were a fraction of what current panels put out.

However, I live in Oregon now, and our house isnt ideal for a roof-mounted solution. Plus, with roof-mounted solutions, the panels dont move, so much of the time they are facing in the wrong direction.

Putting panels on tracking frames so they follow the sun isnt just more expensive  the result looks like crap. The typical solution looks little better than if your kid built a poorly-thought-through science project in your yard, which you couldnt take down without causing hurt feelings.

What I needed was a yard implementation of a tracking solution that didnt look like crap. Youd think that would be easy, but apparently it isnt.

However, what I found was the Smartflower.

SmartflowerPOP SmartflowerPOP

This thing is brilliant. In the morning, it opens like a flower. Then it tracks the sun till the end of the day, closing down again at night or during harsh weather (to protect the panels). It looks cool, it comes in purple (a requirement for my wife), it has decent yields for its size (largely due to the tracking part), and it is relatively simple to set up. (You can simply drill it into the ground and trench to your power meter). It comes mostly pre-assembled in a box. You likely will need a crane, though, as it isnt light.

It also has that critical wow factor, as folks simply have not seen one of these before. Be aware, though, that getting one is a bit of an issue right now. Since it came to the states from Europe, it has been selling out, and until the company builds a U.S. factory (in planning), supply is a tad light and thus there arent a lot of installers yet (Im having trouble buying one myself).

Still  man is this thing ever cool, and it likely is the only product like this that my wife has seen and just immediately said buy it. High-tech lawn art that pays the bills? Thats a natural for my product of the week!
Samsung has unveiled a behemoth, 406-inch screen, calling it the first LED screen theater that "amplifies the immersive experience" thanks to its HDR LED display and stellar audio technology.

It's Samsung's first-ever commercial Cinema LED Screen. The company steeps its description of the display, basically saying that it easily surpasses conventional projector technology thanks to its next-generation picture quality.

While the screen impresses in terms of visuals, Samsung didn't skimp in the audio department, either  Samsung Audio Lab also collaborated with Harman Professional Solutions to bring lifelike audio, enriching the whole experience altogether.

Samsung Unveils Its Cinema LED Screen

The Cinema LED Screen, as mentioned, runs at 406 inches and features full 4K. That's right  a glorious resolution of 4,096 x 2,160. It also features HDR and lights up to 146 fL of brightness, which Samsung claims is much brighter than typical projectors  10 times, in fact.

First teased this past March, the Cinema LED Screen offers a viewing experience with deep blacks, accurate whites, and bright colors "at a nearly infinite contrast ratio," explains Samsung.

Samsung worked with JBL by Harman  which it acquired  to develop a system that puts speakers around the Cinema LED Screen, a new audio processing technology, and what Samsung calls "Sculpted Surround Sound" to deliver solid audio oomph.

How The Samsung Cinema LED Screen Differs From Regular Cinemas

By contrast, the average movie theater screen measures around 50 feet, but the Cinema LED Screen should still be just enough for smaller, multiplex rooms, the kind you sometimes find on niche cinematheques or art house cinemas. Samsung has yet to confirm if it plans to unveil a model with a larger screen.

Judging by how Samsung describes its new product, it seems the watching movies on a Cinema LED Screen is just like watching them on a TV screen instead of a projected surface, like those found on most cinemas.

"[O]ur Cinema LED Screen makes viewers feel as if they are part of the picture," said HS Kim, Samsung's Visual Business Display president.

Samsung ran through a series of tests before unveiling the Cinema LED Screen, which essentially means it's ready for prime time. The screen has been validated in terms of performance and presentation, so it's pretty much ready to go. In May, the screen became the first product to fully comply with the standards set by Digital Cinema Initiatives, or DCI, which basically signifies that the Cinema LED Screen can show the complete color spectrum with unaltered accuracy.

Samsung hasn't announced how much one of these displays cost, but in case you own movie theaters, it's probably best not to know the price.

Thoughts about Samsung's Cinema LED Screen? Feel free to sound off in the comments section below!

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The U.S. Department of Justice has charged 412 health care professionals with fraud and other opioid-related scams that allegedly cost the government up to $1.3 billion and allowed the opioid crisis to continue.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the investigations incriminated medical practitioners across 41 federal districts for their role in prescribing and distributing dangerous narcotics, as well as other treatments, even when unnecessary. They also allegedly schemed to falsely bill the federal government under Medicaid, Medicare, and Tricare.

"Healthcare fraud is not only a criminal act that costs billions of taxpayer dollars  it is an affront to all Americans who rely on our national healthcare programs for access to critical healthcare services and a violation of trust," Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price said.

The announcement comes as federal agencies continue to take action against the worsening opioid crisis in the United States.

Charges Against Involved Individuals

According to the official report, 120 people out of the 412 were accused of opioid-related crimes, including a group of six doctors in Michigan who prescribed patients with unneeded opioid medications that ended up circulating in the streets and worsening the already serious opioid crisis.

Whether the involved doctors overprescribed opioids unknowingly or on purpose is up for debate since patients also have a responsibility to keep prescription medication away from their kids or someone else. However, it is still ultimately up to the doctor to determine whether a patient truly needs a certain medication by thoroughly checking patient records and performing the necessary tests.

There were also reports of illegal "health" institutions that gave away medications for cash, and fake rehabilitation centers that recruited addicts and billed the federal government for treatments that were never provided.

Among them are Real Life Recovery Delray LLC and Halfway There Florida LLC, also called "A Safe Place," which have both been under investigation since 2014. Both institutions are owned by Eric Snyder who allegedly defrauded insurance companies more than $58 million for treatments that were never provided to his clients.

Not An End To The Opioid Crisis

After the huge operation, 295 health care providers are in the process of being either suspended or banned from federal health care programs.

"Too many trusted medical professionals like doctors, nurses, and pharmacists have chosen to violate their oaths ... They seem oblivious to the disastrous consequences of their greed. Their actions not only enrich themselves ... but also feed addictions and cause addictions to start," Attorney General Jeff Sessions expressed during his speech.

Sessions also acknowledged that the large Strike Force operation still has a long way to go before seeing an end to the opioid crisis, but that it will continue to take aggressive actions against corrupt medical practitioners who have chosen greed over the welfare of their patients.

"We are sending a clear message to criminals across the country: we will find you. We will bring you to justice. And, you will pay a very high price for what you have done," he assured.

While the aggressive action seems impressive, some are concerned that the Justice Department's action could force addicts into trying more dangerous drugs, ultimately causing more deaths from drug overdose. Experts believe that it would be more helpful if a good treatment program could be made available for those suffering from addiction; however, they doubt that the crisis could actually be solved if the Republican health care bill replaces the Obamacare.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Solving the global mosquito problem is one that is far more complicated than just spraying them with pesticides. Verily has a solution that could just work: release 20 million bacteria-ridden mosquitoes.

Debug Fresno

With the help of scientists, engineers, and Verily's international partners, the Debug Project aims to propagate bacteria-infected mosquitoes in hopes of eventually minimizing, if not completely eradicating, the population of disease-carrying mosquitoes.

Previously known as Google Life Sciences, Verily is essentially using the male mosquitoes to fight the current harmful mosquito population. On July 14, in collaboration with MosquitoMate and Consolidated Mosquito Abatement District, the Debug Project's first field study in the United States, Debug Fresno, began its release of mosquitoes in Fresno County.

Using advanced software and monitoring technology, Debug will be able to monitor new releases and accurately determine which areas need to be treated and re-treated. The project's target is the Aedes aegypti mosquito population, as it is the species of mosquito responsible for spreading diseases such as dengue fever, Zika virus, and chikungunya.

Mosquito Against Mosquito

The idea behind the Debug project is actually quite interesting because they are using the bacteria called Wolbachia to fight the mosquito population. Wolbachia is a naturally occurring bacterium which infects 60 percent of insect species, but not the Aedes aegypti mosquito species. What the Debug Project aims to do is to raise millions of Wolbachia-infected male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes and release 1 million of them every week for a period of 20 weeks in two neighborhoods.

That sounds like a whole lot of mosquitoes in a short amount of time, but here's the kick. Using what's called the sterile insect technique (SIT), what happens is when the Wolbachia-infected male mosquitoes mate with the wild female mosquito population, the resulting eggs eventually die, thereby lessening the mosquito population in the long-run.

Wolbachia Bacterium

The way Wolbachia works is this. An infected male is only able to reproduce successfully with infected females, whereas mating with uninfected females would lead to embryonic death. The males are unable to transmit Wolbachia to the wild females, and there is also no need to worry about the possibility of breeding infected females as well because the infection is passed onto offspring via the egg and not the sperm.

It is still not entirely clear why this is how the bacterium works, but it is essentially the perfect weapon to fight the harmful mosquito population. Even better, male mosquitoes do not bite, so they aren't really hostile visitors to the community.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A trailer for Call of Duty: WWII Zombies has leaked, and naturally, the developers aren't too pleased about it.

Earlier this month, Activision and Sledgehammer Games announced they'll be unveiling a new Zombie mode for Call of Duty: WWII at the San Diego Comic-Con later this July. Well, because we're essentially living in an information age where all things get leaked, plans have changed.

Call Of Duty: WWII Zombies Trailer Leaks, Developers Fume

Activision is now aggressively trying to pull down the trailer wherever it pops up online, which, to be honest, is sort of impossible. We won't link to the leaked trailer out of respect for Activision, but searching for it on YouTube will give you all sorts of results.

Sledgehammer Games acknowledged the leak, posting on Twitter:

"Leaks aren't ideal, but know that we appreciate the support. We're almost done with the Nazi Zombies Trailer. Hang tight, it'll be worth it!"

Needless to say that the creators of Call of Duty: WWII aren't too happy about the whole thing. Michael Condrey and Glen Schofield, cofounders of Sledgehammer Games, both urged fans to stay away from the leaked trailer. There's also some implication that the leaked trailer might not be the final version, so there's a chance fans will see a different, presumably more polished one at Comic-Con.

Leaks suck, spoils it for everyone. Avoid the leaked trailer, wait a few more days for the real thing. It's worth it. #pissed pic.twitter.com/VKUQgN7iAr  Glen Schofield (@GlenSchofield) July 15, 2017

Were working hard to finish the official Nazi Zombies trailer. Please respect the craft & avoid spoilers today, final trailer coming soon. pic.twitter.com/gE93Ucdeh7  Michael Condrey (@MichaelCondrey) July 15, 2017

The leak certainly spoils the months-long buildup to the official reveal. Sledgehammer Games even dropped clues for fans to decrypt, leading them to the campaign's locations and heroes. More recently, it had begun posting cryptic and gritty images depicting the zombies.

If you want to deliberately avoid the trailer but ache to know what it's about, then a written description might just be enough to satiate you. The trailer features images of some sort of Nazi bunker, laced with a voice-over who claims to have created a Zombie Fourth Reich. Then the zombies are shown, which appear to be more decrepit and gruesome than their traditional depictions in other media.

Activision and Sledgehammer Games will unveil Call of Duty: WWII Zombies this coming July 20 at Comic-Con. It's supposed to be an hour-long panel, so the developers might be planning to share a lot more information alongside the preview.

Call Of Duty: WWII

Call of Duty: WWII launches Nov. 3 on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation 4.

Have you seen the leaked Call of Duty: WWII Zombies trailer or will you wait until Comic-Con? Feel free to sound off in the comments section below!

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Verily Life Sciences has released the first batch of up to 20 million bacteria-infected mosquitoes in California as part of a project that aims to fight mosquito-borne Zika, dengue and chikungunya viruses.

Wolbachia Bacteria

For the Debug Fresno field study, researchers started to release sterile male mosquitoes treated with the bacterium Wolbachia into the wild. When these sterile males mate with the female mosquitoes, the resulting eggs will not likely hatch and thus potentially help in controlling the population of the disease-carrying insects.

Verily used modified Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which are responsible for transmitting dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever, and Zika viruses. Scientists have already found earlier that when the Wolbachia bacterium infects the Aedes aegypti mosquito, it helps stop the transmission of mosquito-borne viruses.

Wolbachia appears to block mosquito-borne viruses such as dengue from replicating in the tissues of mosquitoes. Since the virus cannot replicate, the insects do not transmit these pathogens to human victims, which can help curb the spread of disease.

"We hope to demonstrate success with Debug Fresno that will benefit the local communities working with us on this study and later other communities globally where Zika, dengue, and chikungunya are endemic," Verily said.

Does Wolbachia Pose Safety Risk To Humans?

The idea of releasing millions of bacteria-infected mosquitoes may raise safety concerns but experts said that the particular technique used by Verily has been fairly well studied and is considered relatively safe.

Researchers of a study that investigated how infecting mosquitoes with Wolbachia can help control the transmission of the Zika virus said the bacterium is not known to be dangerous to humans. The bacterium is also not capable of passing through the saliva of a mosquito, which means it can't be transmitted to humans through insect bites.

Kentucky-based Mosquito Mate has already tested the technique in other places, and the trials did not generate public outcry.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency also regulates the modified mosquitoes as microbial pest control. Based on the results of an ecological risk assessment made in 2016, EPA said the altered mosquitoes do not cause harmful effects on other organisms including endangered species.

"Wolbachia is largely benign for mosquitoes and the environment, although it may reduce the insects' egg production. But the potential benefits for humans are clear: if mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia become predominant in the wild, we expect dengue infection rates among people to drop," Scott O'Neill, of the Eliminate Dengue Program, wrote on the potentials of using the Wolbachia bacteria to fight dengue.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
"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
On July 6, Televisual hosted the HDR in Production event at the Ray Dolby Theatre on Soho Square. The subject is clearly very topical and the event exceptionally well attended by both post production and drama production delegates. Many of the production delegates were working on their first HDR projects and that demand for HDR was on the increase, mainly driven by Netflix and for drama, although theres additional demand for sport and landmark factual.

There was barely standing room for the post session with over thirty post companies sending representatives and reporting a marked increase in HDR enquiries. The session included a mix of lively panel discussions (mixing vendor spokespeople with post CTOs), presentations and demonstrations (including the new AJA Ki Pro Ultra Plus and FS HDR and Transkoder with new firmware). The main recurring themes were Netflix demands, storage, transcoding, and delivery imperatives with much debate about the differing merits of HDR formats. HDR is most demanding in post and from the presentations demonstrated that theres now an emerging commonality in how post houses address HDR workflows, grading and the tools they might use.

Standout presentations within the Indies session included The Looks charismatic CEO and chief colourist, Thomas Urbye and post production supervisor Liz Pearson walking the audience through how they worked on the BBC and Amazon Studios hit comedy series Fleabag and HDR production best practice. A second standout HDR case study came from series producer and scriptwriter Foz Allan with Peter Collins, Head of Drama Workflow and colourist Aidan Farrell from The Farm Group showing how they delivered Skys blockbuster, Riviera. Simon Marbrook from Final Frame also showed Bugsy Malone re-mastered in HDR from the original 1976 film negatives. There was plenty of opportunity to see HDR and standard dynamic range content side-by-side on consumer screens in the main theatre and the foyer, with short films shot on Panasonic and Canon cameras. The comparison content drew much attention and comment and was noteworthy for showing how HDR enhanced the final image.

The final advertising and brand marketing session similarly showed SDR and HDR side-by-side but with a more questioning audience, concerned by the new workflow challenges HDR production requires and with some delegates wondering if this was really for them and most leaving believing that it was.

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200 green activists killed in 2016, record toll: watchdog



By Marlowe HOOD



Paris (AFP) July 13, 2017



"We want a ban of exports of sand from the whole country, including sand from the Mekong river," he said.

But there are also concerns about damage wrought from dredging along the Mekong River.

Koh Kong province is the main region where sand is excavated and shipped to foreign countries, according to Meng Heng.

Environmental groups say illegal exports have continued despite that order.

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.

"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.

Environmental activists welcomed the move but expressed doubt it would fully halt a trade that has survived previous bans.

"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.

It was issued in response to environmental concerns, said Meng Saktheara, a spokesman for Cambodia's mining and energy ministry.

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.

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.

Environmental groups have long accused Cambodia of running damaging and corrupt sand dredging operations along the southwest coast and the Mekong river.

Phnom Penh (AFP) July 13, 2017 - 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.

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.

"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' -

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."

Phnom Penh (AFP) July 13, 2017





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 ri ... read more

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East Baton Rouge Sheriff Sid Gautreaux said Monday that Baton Rouge was shaken to its core on July 17, 2016, when a gunman killed three law officers in an ambush on Airline Highway.

But the tragedy has also become a turning point for the community, Gautreaux said in a Facebook message posted at 8:41 a.m., the exact time gunshots first rang out that terrible Sunday morning.

"I have witnessed an outpouring of generosity, kindness, love and support." he said. "Kindness opens doors. Hate, prejudice and violence shuts doors. We cant be a community behind closed doors. I believe our communitys doors are now open wider than ever."

Monday was the anniversary of the fatal shooting of Baton Rouge Police officers Matthew Gerald and Montrell Jackson, and East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriffs Deputy Brad Garafola.

Gautreaux's statement was accomanpanied by a tribute video honoring the fallen officers.

Not seeing the video below? Click here.

As the community took time to remember and honor the fallen officers, Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome ordered all flags on city-parish grounds to be flown at half-staff in honor of the officers.

On this day, Weston Broome said in a statement, "we are reminded of the ultimate sacrifice many of our uniformed officers all too often pay when serving our communities.

"I ask that we continue to honor those lives lost serving and protecting us by coming together as a city and moving forward in solidarity.
For the first time at Bradley Lirettes Thanksgiving table, he was surrounded by his five children  none of whom he could call his own just f
Howard and Nita Sibley still have some things to do and some questions to answer before they return to the house where they reared their children and built a life these past 30 years.

The hot water heater needs repair. The yard needs some work, the windows need curtains and the cost of flood insurance remains a big question.

The Sibleys are still working through the interminable details of recovery, 11 months after their four-bedroom, two-and-a-half bath home in Baton Rouge's Sherwood Forest neighborhood took on 16 inches of water in the August flood.

But the retired couple took a big, $62,000 step recently thanks to Restore Louisiana, the nearly $1.7 billion state grant program primarily designed to bring homeowners back after the devastating March and August 2016 floods that affected 51 parishes in the state.

Among the first to receive improvements paid for under the federally funded program, the Sibleys, who have been living in their mobile home in St. Francisville, have an empty but refinished house: new wallboard, new cabinets and counter tops, refinished bathrooms, new carpet, new vinyl flooring and other repairs.

The Sibleys said they couldnt have been more pleased with the work, which Core Construction recently finished in short order, and think everyone with a flooded home should give the program a shot.

I would say definitely, they need to contact the state, Nita Sibley said.

Weve been telling everybody we see, Howard Sibley added.

More than 31,500 households have filled out preliminary surveys for the grant program, and of that number, nearly 7,485 have been invited to fill out applications to determine if they are eligible for an award, said Pat Forbes, director of the state Office of Community Development.

So far, about 3,200 applications have been completed, Forbes added. As of Friday, three months after people could start filling out grant surveys, $1.87 million had been awarded to 55 households, including the Sibleys.

So the pipeline is filling up, he said.

Forbes, whose office is overseeing the grant program administered by state contractor IEM, said the program is working up to handling about 700 applications per week.

Of the six tiers of eligibility built into the program, invitations to fill out applications have gone out to every household that completed a survey and is in the first two tiers and about half in the third. Forbes said he hopes everyone who is eligible to be invited to fill out an application will have been invited in next three to four months.

But he added that, at the same time, the state is also encouraging more people to fill out surveys. State officials estimate that 86,000 households affected in the March or August floods have verified losses, as determined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

State ramps up flood recovery efforts, urges homeowners to seek aid People who live in areas affected by last year's catastrophic floods are being urged on tele

The Sibleys were among a pilot group of 100 households randomly selected to be the first taken through the recovery grant program from application to completion in an attempt to work out the kinks, state recovery officials said.

Even with so much federal money at their disposal, state officials have insisted the amount isnt enough to meet the full need in the state and have designed a program with six tiers, or phases, of priority.

The Sibleys, former independent business people who lost a good portion of their retirement nest egg several years ago in an investment scam, fit in the first, highest priority phase. It goes to households that were without flood insurance, that are outside the floodplain and that have an elderly or a disabled person at home.

The Sibleys, who are both older than 65, used to have flood insurance but dropped it long before the bayou near their home rose and overflowed last year. They never expected their home could flood, except in the absolute worst case.

We had flood insurance when we bought the house, OK, Howard Sibley said. They dropped it after the mortgage was paid off. "I told her, I said, If we flood, Baton Rouge is going to flood. Well, Baton Rouge did flood.

At that admission from her husband, Nita Sibley let out one of her big, full laughs. Time, and a sense that things are turning out reasonably well, has perhaps put some perspective on last years devastation.

He said, Well, I was wrong, Nita Sibley added.

Im usually not wrong, but Ill give her that one, Howard Sibley shot back.

The state program offers two main options to receive the grants: a state contractor is paid by the state to do a turnkey job or participants can hire their own contractor and receive disbursements of state grant dollars as work is completed. A third option allows homeowners to seek reimbursement for work they already completed, but many homeowners are expected to use this option in combination with one of the other two options to finish their homes.

Living an hour and half from their home and figuring they could not invest the time to track the repair work, the Sibleys chose option one and let the state handle the job.

I didnt want to fight with a contractor, Howard Sibley said.

The Sibleys are the first household in the state that chose option one and had their job finished, state officials said.

But that choice has consequences. It meant the Sibleys had to agree to economy-style finishes for their cabinets, flooring and other improvements. For instance, the Sibleys have Formica counter tops, instead todays more trendy but pricier granite or quartz.

The couple said the economy-grade finishes are fine. They were most concerned with saving wooden molding around the fire place, ceiling, floor and the lower part of the walls in their living room. The state contractors were able to do that, the Sibleys said. They also saved some flooring and a Jacuzzi bath tub.

Forbes said state officials, estimating that 10 percent to 15 percent of households will chose option one, have set aside $75 million from the program. These jobs are being done by builders hired by IEM.

The majority of households are expected to take option two, Forbes said. That option is reserved for residents who want to hire and oversee their own contractor and have the option for upgraded finishes. Homeowners contribute the difference necessary to buy more expensive products, state officials said.

Before work started on the Sibleys home, it also had to undergo an environmental review required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which is the source of the federal recovery dollars granted by Congress. Contractors with IEM do those reviews, the cost of which is built into the state administrators $225 million contract.

Then inspectors from the state program surveyed the house to determine the cost to restore the house. Part of this review also looks at other government benefits the Sibleys received to avoid any duplication prohibited by law.

Early in the flood, FEMA gave the Sibleys $20,200, they said. The Restore Program credited the Sibleys for $6,300 already spent on gutting and other preliminary work, but the couple had to pay back $14,300 in FEMA money to avoid a duplication of benefits.

Uncertain for a while about how to proceed on their home, the Sibleys said they had not spent the rest of their FEMA money and were able to repay it.

Jeff Haley, who oversees all state housing programs for the Office of Community Development, warned that the duplication issue could be a problem for some homeowners who spent FEMA or other aid dollars and didn't use it all on their homes, such as for replacing a flooded car.

He said that situation could result in a shortfall in funding and the state won't start jobs in which there isn't funding to bring a house to a completed, livable state. But Haley also said the agency plans to work with homeowners.

Even before Restore Louisiana renovated their home, the flood brought the Sibleys a nice benefit. Their displacement to St. Francisville meant they were living next to their grandchildren, who now don't want their grandparents to leave.

The pull of family and questions about the cost of insurance are factors that could keep them in St. Francisville, Howard Sibley said, but no decision has been made yet.
PLAQUEMINE  River Parishes Community College in Gonzales now has a second campus, in Plaquemine, that until this month was the westside campus of Baton Rouge Community College.

And a year from now, RPCC will have a third campus, in Reserve, that's now a site of another community college, South Central Louisiana Technical College.

With three campuses under its belt, in Ascension, Iberville and St. John the Baptist parishes, River Parishes Community College will truly be living up to its name.

"From New Orleans to Baton Rouge, all the river parishes will be under one community college," said RPCC's Chancellor Dale Doty.

"All the industries on the river will be looking to this college to help them" find the workers they need, Doty said.

The expanding River Parishes Community College is part of several realignments announced in March by the Louisiana Community and Technical College System due to declining state funding for the two-year higher education institutions.

The LCTCS board approved realigning eight campuses with colleges with stronger finances in a move that's anticipated will lower administrative costs and allow for more efficient instruction.

In addition to the campuses in Plaquemine and Reserve that will be part of River Parishes Community College, other campuses being realigned in the state are:

South Central Louisiana Technical College's campus in Morgan City, realigned with South Louisiana Community College in Lafayette.

Fletcher Technical Community College's Louisiana Marine Petroleum Institute in Houma, also realigned with South Louisiana Community College.

South Central Louisiana Technical College's campus in Cut-Off, realigned with Fletcher Technical Community College in Schriever.

Northwest Louisiana Technical College's campus in Natchitoches, realigned with Central Louisiana Technical Community College in Alexandria.

Northwest Louisiana Technical College's campus in Many, also realigned with the Central Louisiana Technical Community College.

Central Louisiana Technical Community College's campus in Oakdale, realigned with Sowela Technical Community College in Lake Charles.

Quintin Taylor, executive director of community and outreach with the Louisiana Community and Technical College System, said the campuses being realigned are all rural campuses.

The former westside campus of Baton Rouge Community College in Plaquemine, for instance, "geographically fits better with RPCC," which is closely aligned with industries along the Mississippi, Taylor said.

Doty, at RPCC's new campus in Plaquemine on Tenant Road, near Plaquemine High said Friday, "Nothing here changes, the classes, the schedules."

"We're trying to make it seamless for the students," he said. The fall semester begins Aug. 16.

The Plaquemine campus, which has about 250 students, offers training in the electrical, pipe fitting and instrumentation trades, as well as in practical nursing. It also offers training toward certification with the National Center for Construction Education and Research.

The campus hasn't in the past had a transfer program for students wishing to move credit to a four-year university, but Doty said the plan is to add the English, history and other classes required for those transfers.

No layoffs were involved when the Plaquemine location became an RPCC campus, Doty said. The staff includes three full-time faculty, one administrator and about 20 part-time faculty.

It will be another year before River Parishes Community College will have its third campus, in Reserve, which will continue , in the meantime, as a location of South Central Louisiana Technical College.

The Reserve campus, with some 800 students, is accredited under a different system than RPCC, so it will have to go through another accreditation process, Doty said.

RPCC's main campus in Gonzales has about 1,800 community college students.

Of the new RPCC campus in Plaquemine, Doty said, "My objective is to grow the services here. This is a great opportunity" for students and the community.
A Walker man charged in the alleged murder-for-hire of Baton Rouge automobile dealer Hamid Ghassemi's ex-wife in 2015 is asking to be tried separately from his three co-defendants.

Daniel Humberto Richter, 35, said Tyler Ashpaugh, 23, and Skyler Williams, 19, both of Denham Springs, have made statements to law enforcement implicating Richter and Ghassemi in the crime.

The statements are inconsistent, Richter's attorney, Jeff Heggelund, alleges in the motion to sever Richter's case.

The 66-year-old Ghassemi, Richter, Ashpaugh and Williams are charged with first-degree murder in the killing of Taherah Ghassemi, 54. Each man is being held without bail. They have pleaded not guilty.

Authorities have said Ghassemi paid $10,000 to have his former wife killed. Her body was found with a gunshot to the head May 16, 2015, in a shallow grave in rural St. Helena Parish.

Hamid Ghassemi owned Import One and Import One Elite on Airline Highway at the time. Richter once worked at one of the car dealerships, authorities have said.

East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney Hillar Moore III said Monday his office has not decided whether it will object to a severance of Richter's case.

"We are currently reviewing the matter," he said.

Richter has not made any statements to law enforcement, according to his motion to sever, but Ashpaugh and Williams have made at least two statements.

Ashpaugh told detectives he went with Richter and Williams to Taherah Ghassemi's home on North Laurel Creek and kidnapped her, authorities have said. She was put in the trunk of her late-model Jaguar sedan and driven to a heavily wooded area near Pine Grove where she was buried. The burned car was discovered in Baton Rouge on a field-lined stretch of Chalma Avenue.

The statements given by Ashpaugh and Williams are incriminating against Richter and implicate both Richter and Ghassemi, the motion states. Richter, the document adds, would have to defend himself against not only the state's allegations but also those of Ashpaugh and Williams.

Richter "believes that, despite admonitions from the trial judge, a jury will attach and impose criminal liability to him from the statements  and thereby deny this defendant a fair and impartial trial," Heggelund argues in the motion.

State District Judge Lou Daniel is presiding over the case.

Hamid Ghassemi's cellphone records indicate he received a call from Ashpaugh about 12:45 a.m. the morning after Taherah Ghassemi disappeared, the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office has said. Ashpaugh's phone records show he had been at her home the night she disappeared, and at the sites where her body and car were found.

Hamed Ghassemi, the son of Hamid and Taherah Ghassemi, is suing his father and the three other murder defendants in the same courthouse where the criminal case is filed. Hamed Ghassemi is seeking monetary damages.

The lawsuit says Hamid and Taherah Ghassemi divorced in February 2015, and that she received $1.1 million in cash and two homes from him as part of the division of community property. Hamid Ghassemi timely and fully satisfied those financial obligations, the suit states.
Louisiana's push to improve public high school graduation rates will get an assist from the federal Every Student Succeeds Act, a top state education official said Monday.

Louisiana officials optimistic on federal approval for plan to revamp public schools Top officials of the state Department of Education said Thursday they are encouraged by the 

The federal law requires that public schools with graduation figures of less than 67 percent craft plans for improvements, said Jessica Baghian, assistant state superintendent for assessments and accountability.

Those classrooms will also be eligible for federal dollars, Baghian said.

"We need to do more to help schools," she said. "We cannot have schools where only two thirds of students walk across the stage each year."

The issue is important because struggling public high schools are having a big impact on state efforts to raise the graduation rate, which has long ranked low nationally.

The latest rate statewide is 77 percent, down from 77.5 percent last year.

The U. S. average was 83.2 percent in 2015, the latest figures available.

The topic came up during a meeting of the Accountability Commission, a 15-member panel that advises the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Baghian and others often note that public schools with low graduation rates, some in the 50s, have high numbers of students from low income families.

A total of more than 11,000 students failed to graduate with their class last year, according to figures compiled by the state Department of Education.

That includes both dropouts and others still working on diploma requirements, though chances drop for those who failed to finish with their class.

While the state's overall graduation rate is 77 percent, the rate for black students is 71.4 percent and 71.2 percent for students from economically disadvantaged families.

Even wider gaps again showed up in the latest LEAP results as well as the number of students who earn high school credentials, such as early college or career credit.

On the latest LEAP results, 45 percent of white students achieved mastery -- Louisiana's revised goal for academic achievement -- compared to 19 percent for black students.

Also, 52 percent of students from rank-and-file homes economically achieved mastery compared to 25 percent of those from low-income families.

"This is a challenge that we take very seriously," Baghian said.

Mastery is the fourth highest of five achievement levels and replaces the previous goal of basic, which is the third level.

A total of 43 percent of seniors from the class of 2016 earned a credential.

However, that drops to 34 percent for students from low-income families and 30 percent for black students.

"We don't always see equal access to those credentials," Baghian said.

The Every Student Succeeds Act required Louisiana and other states to submit education plans to, among other things, aid students from low-income families.

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 plan includes a new formula for calculating public school letter grades.

It was submitted on April 15.

Federal officials in June asked for clarifications.

State officials submitted those on Monday.

The new rules are set to take effect for the 2017-18 school year.

Students in grades three through eight take LEAP, which stands for Louisiana Educational Assessment Program.

Louisiana typically releases its results before other states.

Data on how students here compared with those in six other states and the District of Columbia will be available in the fall.
One year ago, on Sunday, July 17, 2016 a troubled Missouri gunman shot six Baton Rouge law enforcement officers, killing three of them.

East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriffs Office Deputy Brad Garafola and Baton Rouge police officers Montrell Jackson and Matthew Gerald died that day in the line of duty. Deputy Nick Tullier, who was among the injured lawmen who survived, was hurt so badly that hes spent much of the past year struggling to recover at a Houston rehabilitation facility.

+9 In Houston hospital, wounded deputy Nick Tullier's family gathers to celebrate recovery's daily battles Doctors didn't expect Nick Tullier to survive after a gunman shot him in the head, stomach and shoulder during the July 17, 2016 ambush that killed three other law enforcement officers in Baton Rouge. A year later, the 42-year-old sheriff's deputy is still defying the odds and the grim prognosis issued after the July 17 attack...

To mark the anniversary date of the shooting so clearly gives us the illusion that the horror was confined to one day, though no tragedy ever works that way. The pain of what we lost still endures 12 months later, and the absences it created will be felt forever.

But theres another reason that last summers shooting doesnt register in civic memory as a single event on a July Sunday. The assault unfolded within a broader pattern of pain and anxiety that defined one of the most troubling seasons in south Louisianas history.

The July 5, 2016, death of an armed black man, Alton Sterling, outside a Baton Rouge convenience store after a struggle with police sparked racial tensions, along with protests here and across the nation. At one of those protests in Dallas, a disturbed gunman killed five police officers and injured nine others. The shooting of police in Baton Rouge also grew from a gunmans sick revenge fantasy inspired by Sterlings death.

A month after the police deaths in Baton Rouge, an epic flood swept through the region, exponentially compounding the loss of a community still wracked by grief.

In our despair, as the people of Louisiana always do, we turned to each other for strength. In doing so, we rediscovered what we took to heart after hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and every other tragedy  natural or man-made  that has touched our state since its inception.

They are simple but profound truths, as old as Scripture, a durable antidote to the cynicism of the times. What we learned again last summer is that were stronger together than when we stand alone, that every bad act is answered by a thousand kindnesses  that beneath our differences, were all brothers and sisters in a suffering world.

Those comforts were close at hand again this summer, as another tormented gunman opened fire at a congressional ball practice, seriously wounding Louisianas House Majority Whip Steve Scalise.

Today we mark the memory of those we lost last summer and pray for the healing of those still marked by physical pain and emotional scars.

Renewing the unity we found last summer is the best way to honor the fallen and answer the evil that took them away, much too soon.
Scharlette Holdman, who fought to save lives of those on death row, dies at 70
It's a season of big-ticket state elections attracting much of public spotlight. But here is why Delhi should take the upcoming MCD polls seriously in order to become, even if in part, the city it deserves to be.
U.S. Sen. John Kennedy on Monday reiterated his concerns on New Orleans crime and said that he doesnt believe Mayor Mitch Landrieu has made the issue a priority.

What Ive said to Mitch (Landrieu) is, Im not saying youre not a good mayor, and I understand you have national ambitions, and its okay if you want to talk about climate change and monuments and the importance, in his opinion, of being a sanctuary city, Kennedy said in an interview on WWL-TV. But what I honestly believe, personalities aside, is that the biggest problem were facing in New Orleans  a city that I love, that Ive lived in, that Ive raised my son in, where I practiced law for years  is crime.

Kennedy said that Landrieu should spend the rest of his time in office concentrating on the crime issue, which Kennedy said he does not believe the mayor is currently doing.

I just dont think its a priority for him, Kennedy said.

The senator, who has repeatedly raised the issue of New Orleans crime in recent weeks, said that he supports a stop, question and frisk policy for the city, which he said Landrieu may take issue with.

He sees that through a political lens, and I see that through a law enforcement lens, Kennedy said. It can work if its properly done.

Last week, Kennedy decried the extraordinary crime problem in New Orleans during the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee hearing with Christopher Wray, who President Donald Trump has nominated to lead the FBI. In a follow-up statement, Kennedy said he worries New Orleans could become the next Detroit.

Landrieu responded to Kennedy in a letter, accusing the senator of political grandstanding on the issue.

Kennedy, R-Madisonville, spent 16 years as state treasurer before he was elected to the U.S. Senate last fall. He is considered a potential challenger to Gov. John Bel Edwards, a Democrat, in the 2019 governor's race.

Halfway through 2017, more than 350 people have been shot in New Orleans. Last month, the city marked its most violent day of the year with 13 people shot, including two killed.

Watch Kennedy's full interview on WWL-TV here.
A South Australian man charged with a string of child sex offences allegedly committed against two girls in the ACT this year will fight the allegations.

The man, 75, was arrested in June and charged with 18 offences that included committing acts of indecency against a child under 10 and sexual intercourse with a child under 10.

He was also accused of acts of indecency against a child under 16 and sexual intercourse with a child between 10 and 16.

It's alleged the man, of North Haven in Adelaide, was staying at the home of the childrens' grandparents in Canberra when the offences occurred between January and March and three days in June.

Fairfax Media has chosen not to name the man to protect the identity of his alleged victims.
Drivers on Canberra's roads have been urged to take care around school zones after the ACT's students returned to the classroom this week.

Across the capital, all 40km/h school zones were again being enforced between 8am and 4pm during weekdays as students headed back to school for Term Three on Monday.

Back to school story on driving safely in school zones. Credit:karleen minney

While most schools maintain the 40km/h zones, drivers have also been reminded of a trial of 30km/h zones that is also under way surrounding the Mount Rogers and Latham primary schools.

Acting Station Sergeant Paul Hutcheson from ACT Policing Traffic Operations urged drivers to slow down, take care and "remain vigilant" when driving near schools across the city.
Bupa's international health insurance arm was hit by a malicious act in its British office, putting the private information of almost 20,000 Australian customers in danger. The company admitted on Friday that an employee had "inappropriately copied and removed some customer information" at its Bupa Global division, which provides international health insurance for frequent travellers or people who work overseas. The company admitted on Friday that an employee had "inappropriately copied and removed some customer information" at its Bupa Global division. "The data taken includes: names, dates of birth, nationalities, and some contact and administrative details including Bupa insurance membership numbers," Bupa Global managing director Sheldon Kenton said. The data was then "made available to other parties", he added.

"We are contacting those customers who are affected to apologise and advise them, as we believe the information has been made available to other parties." A Bupa Australia spokesperson said that, among the 547,000 customers affected worldwide, 19,595 were believed to be Australians. "It is important to point out that this was not a cyber attack or external data breach. It was deliberate act by an employee in the UK who had no access to customer data for the Bupa Australia Health Insurance business, which is kept on separate systems," the spokesperson said. The company would be "taking appropriate legal action" against the responsible staff member, who had now been dismissed. "We have introduced additional security measures and increased our customer identity checks. A thorough investigation is under way and we have informed the FCA and Bupa's other UK regulators," Mr Kenton said.
World Vision Australia chief Tim Costello said Australia would be "exporting death" and "profiting from bloodshed" if it followed through on Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne's plan to see the nation become a major arms exporter.

Speaking to Fairfax Media, Mr Pyne said he wanted to see Australia not only build but design military assets, such as warships, on par with other players and allies such as Britain, France and Germany to help bolster the nation's influence and reinforce relations.

But Mr Costello strongly criticised the plan, which he said carried terrible consequences.
The once-recalcitrant giant supermarket chains have handed Australian environment ministers a golden opportunity to get rid of lightweight plastic bags from all stores once and for all. Woolworths and Coles announced they would ban the bags from mid-2018. The supermarkets bowed to public pressure and retreated from their previous position almost in lockstep, much the same way their petrol prices move.

The big two supermarket chains had long held back, objecting to the cost of navigating between state regulations. They are to be congratulated for their belated change of mind, albeit they are latecomers to such corporate social responsibility: the German supermarket chain Aldi, which opened in Australia in 2001, has never provided single-use plastic bags at the checkout.

Good riddance: The disposable single-use plastic bag could vanish if government legislated against their use in all stores. Credit:James Alcock

Australian governments have been just as recalcitrant. They have pussyfooted on plastic bags for at least 13 years. The last big push was in 2005 when a voluntary code for a 50 per cent reduction was agreed to by federal and state ministers and retailers. Regrettably, that initiative ran out of puff. Two years later, Kevin Rudd and Peter Garrett pledged to ban the bags in the federal election campaign but baulked at the cost and the opposition from supermarket chains. With Canberra showing little leadership, it was left to the smaller states to push reform. South Australia, the Northern Territory, ACT and Tasmania (and some individual towns) banned the ubiquitous single-use plastic bags made of high-density polyethylene. The holdouts, Victoria, Queensland and NSW, decided to review the options for a co-ordinated approach before imposing bans.

NSW has a sorry record of broken promises on plastic bags. In 2004, the then Premier Bob Carr suggested he might ban or impose a prohibitive tax to reduce the use of plastic bags. Little came of that and seven years later, with Labor still in office, the NSW Minister for Climate Change and the Environment, Frank Sartor, announced the offending bags would be effectively banned with their gradual replacement by compostable bags. Nothing happened. Fast forward to 2017, and the current NSW government has turned plastic bags into a second-order issue, preferring to get its deposit scheme for plastic bottles up and running first.
An oil and gas company has been fined $162,500 after a worker at a Queensland drilling site was burned when exposed to unsafe levels of radiation.

Schlumberger Oilfield Australia Pty Ltd was convicted in the Brisbane Magistrates Court this month of two breaches of the Radiation Safety Act over the incident near Dalby on the Darling Downs.

To date no safe storage of radioactive waste for a million years (US EPA guidelines) has been developed.

The court heard the worker received leg burns when he was exposed to an unshielded radioactive source during a borehole logging operation at a coal seam gas site in February 2014.

Magistrate Elizabeth Hall found Schlumberger, the world's largest provider of technology to the oil and gas industry, failed to ensure adequate safeguards were in place when radiation sources were used.
Nine out of every 10 burglars are likely to be drug users. And yet an ambitious plan to cut Victoria's burgeoning robbery rate does not address drug addiction.

Assistant Commissioner Tess Walsh said on Monday that there were 36,000 burglaries in Victoria last year, and that the force aimed to reduce this figure by 10 per cent in the next four years.

There were 36,000 burglaries in Victoria last year. Credit:Thinkstock

But the program  which she detailed as part of an announcement about a partnership between government, police and industry dubbed the Safety Alliance Victoria  does nothing to address drug addiction, Ms Walsh conceded.

While research linking drug use and offenders charged with burglary-related offending is scarce, a 1998 study by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics Research found that 90 per cent of offenders used illicit drugs, and 85 per cent used the proceeds of their crime to buy drugs.
Two men have been arrested over the shooting death of a dressmaker who was found dead inside his house in Melbourne's west last month.

The Phong Vuong, 49, was found murdered inside in his home at Erin Square in Deer Park on June 26.

Detective Inspector Mick Hughes spoke to the media about the murder of Phong Vuong earlier this month. Credit:Paul Jeffers

Homicide Squad detectives confirmed late Monday evening that they had arrested a 35-year-old Kingsbury man and a 45-year-old Coburg man in relation to Mr Vuong's death.

The two men, who are yet to be charged, were taken into custody and interviewed by police.
By PTI: From Shirish B Pradhan

Kathmandu, Jul 17 (PTI) Two persons were arrested today in Nepal on charges of slaughtering a cow, the national animal of the Himalayan nation, police said.

Acting on a tip-off, police arrested local residents Ram Bahadur Nepali (54) and Krishna Nepali (36) from Pokhara Lekhnath Metropolitan City in Kaski, said Inspector Bishwo Bandhu Pokharel.

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Cow slaughter is punishable under Nepals new Constitution.

Although Nepal was converted into a secular state from the Hindu Kingdom in 2008, slaughtering of cow is still punishable under the law. PTI SBP ZH

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An accused people smuggler, who was extradited from Indonesia last week, has made his first appearance in a Perth court with a Farsi interpreter.

Afghan man Ahmad Zia Alizadah, 35, first appeared in Perth Magistrates Court on Friday accused of facilitating four illegal boat arrivals involving more than 260 people and payments of up to $US10,000 per person between January 2009 and February 2010.

Ahmad Zia Alizadah was flown from Jakarta to Perth on Thursday, is accused of charging 263 asylum-seekers between US$4,000 to US$10,000 each for the perilous boat trips. Credit:Free Malaysia Today

But an interpreter was not available that day, so the case was adjourned until Monday when the 10 charges were read out to him.

Alizadah indicated he understood the charges but he was not required to enter a plea and did not make a bail application.
Abu Salem's love interest is a woman in her late 20s from Mumbra in Thane district neighbouring Mumbai. Salem and she allegedly were sighted together in a train to north India in 2014 when the terrorist was travelling in police custody for an ongoing trial there.

By Vidya : Even though life sentence is staring him in the face, the 1993 Mumbai bomb blast convict Abu Salem has marriage on his mind.

Salem, who has also been convicted in the March 1995 builder Pradeep Jain murder case, is currently in the custody of special Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (TADA) court where his paramour had earlier filed an application to be allowed to marry him.

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Advocate Farhana Shah, representing the girl, cited today two judgements of the Bombay and Delhi high courts stating his rights as a convict to get married.

Salem's love interest is a woman in her late 20s from Mumbra in Thane district neighbouring Mumbai. Salem and she allegedly were sighted together in a train to north India in 2014 when the terrorist was travelling in police custody for an ongoing trial there.

When India Today spoke to the girl's grandfather, he said the girl had lost her face and reputation after a local newspaper published pictures of the two travelling in train. Hence, the girl had no other option but to get married to him, he said.

Some people claim that Salem and the girl were already married. Previously Salem was married to Samira Jumani who he had allegedly abducted and with whom later he had two kids. Salem was caught in Portugal with actor Monica Bedi and they were deported back to India together in 2005.

In the TADA court, Salem said that he wanted to get married to the girl to save her honour but the court has yet not decided on the plea. The court is right now hearing the arguments of the defence for mitigating Salem's sentence to a minimum period.

The court has already found Salem guilty of conspiracy and helping in distribution of arms and ammunition for the 1993 blast case.

Special public prosecutor Deepak Salvi said that CBI wanted death punishment for Salem. However, as there was the extradition treaty with Portugal which mandates that Salem cannot be given death sentence, the agency was only demanding life sentence for Salem.

Advocate Farhana Shah earlier had filed the application for marriage and today she said that according to rules there were provisions of an accused getting temporary bail or a convict of getting parole for marriage.

Judge GA Sanap of TADA court is yet to pass an order on the matter.

ALSO READ:

1993 Mumbai blasts case: CBI asks TADA court to sentence Abu Salem to life in prison

Abu Salem deserves death for his role in 1993 Mumbai blasts, CBI counsel tells TADA court

Death or life sentence for Abu Salem? CBI counsel says not decided yet

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ALSO WATCH

Mustafa Dossa, Abu Salem convicted in 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case

--- ENDS ---
Texas A&M University is set to lose $3 million in federal grant funding, cutting short a five-year research project that aids teen pregnancy prevention programs.

Two years ago, A&M joined the U.S. Office of Adolescent Health's Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program, and the school will be among more than 80 with similar missions nationwide that will be impacted by the cuts announced earlier this month.

Kelly Wilson, associate professor in the department of health and kinesiology and lead researcher on the project, said they were informed in a letter from the Department of Health and Human Services about the decision to shut down the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program, two years before the grant was expected to run out.

"There have been no official reasons why [it was canceled] with the exception being that this program does not fit within the current administration's vision," Wilson said, referring to President Donald Trump.

Wilson said the university was on track to receive a total of $7.5 million -- $1.5 million per year -- from the fall of 2015 through fall 2019 for the project. Funding is expected to stop June 30, 2018.

Wilson said Texas A&M's research centers around promoting and supporting the development of innovative teen pregnancy prevention programs focused on adolescents who are under-served by existing programs in communities across the country.

"We wanted to make sure we are delivering programs not only focused on the science, but also the youth needs for health programing," Wilson said. "We've been working with 15 different grantees so far that are making sure what the youth need to have healthier behaviors as adolescents is incorporated into the programs delivered to them."

Eliminating the program, she said, will have a broad negative impact on A&M's team of researchers working on the project.

"We've spent the last week figuring out our strategic plan moving forward and having that difficult conversation with the staff people working on the project about their jobs," Wilson said. It wasn't clear Sunday how many positions would be cut because of the loss of funding.

Beyond those challenges, Wilson said the over-arching impact is how it will affect the programs seeking to help improve adolescent health.

"We've made a lot of progress focusing on evidence-based programs that we know have science behind them and are supported through evaluation and research," Wilson said. "The funds that have been provided by the federal government have been key to that."

The Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program was established in 2010 as a part of the Office of Adolescent Health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a Congressional mandate to fund medically accurate and age-appropriate programs, according to its website.

Focusing on youth ages 10-19, the grants -- worth more than $200 million total -- fall into one of four categories: The implementation of evidence-based prevention programs, improving the ability of youth-serving organizations in putting the methods into practice, the evaluation of new and innovative methods to prevent teen pregnancy, and supporting the innovation of technology and programs-based approaches.

In the first five years of the program, from 2010-2014, grantees reached about half a million youth, trained more than 6,800 professionals and established partnerships with over 3,800 community-based organizations across the U.S.

Wilson said she believes teen pregnancy prevention and education are a particularly important mission given the long-standing history of limited resources and information available to teens and youth.

She said given that teen pregnancy prevention is often treated as a taboo subject that people often would rather shy away from, leaving youth without critical health information.

"Where some parents may be talking to their children at home about this topic, it is often the case they don't get reliable, accurate information from all of the sources they come into contact with," Wilson said. "That's why uniform, evidence-based programs are important for youth."

Without the federal government's support, Wilson said projects like the one at A&M will have to rely on the support of foundations and other non-government organizations interested in supporting their mission. While helpful, she said it is nearly impossible to make up for the funding it is losing.

"We really need to be able to count on our elected officials and our health services departments in the state and federal governments to insure that our youth have access to services that are going to help them have the healthiest behaviors," she said.

Additionally, Wilson said the current political climate also threatens to further challenge researchers and health care providers seeking to improve community-driven, preventative care.

"It's going to be very difficult [to move forward] given where we are in health discussions as a nation," Wilson said. "It's going to be difficult for community-based programs to really be able to sustain this work knowing that we're looking at cuts to several prevention programs. When you look at the conversations our elected officials are having, they're really focusing on issues that are focused on reactionary perspectives rather than prevention."

In addition to Texas A&M, other Texas institutions receiving funding from the program include The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Community Action Corporation of South Texas in Alice, Project Vida Health Center in El Paso, The Dallas Foundation in Dallas, EngenderHealth, Inc. in Austin, and Healthy Futures of Texas in San Antonio.

For more information on the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program, go to bit.ly/TAMU-TPPprogram.
The current proposals for Dublin Airport's new runway had set a finish date of 2021 and initial construction is already underway, including the clearing of large areas of hedgerows.

However, it now appears that the conditions under which the airport was first granted permission for the runway in 2007 have changed significantly: by the requirements established in the 2015 climate agreement.

Friends of the Irish Environment (FIE) is taking legal action aimed at Fingal County Council, the authority which administers the Dublin region host to the airport.

Tony Lowes, the director of FIE, said: The record shows that the chief executive of Fingal County Council was fully aware that the extra runway would result in increased greenhouse gas emissions, in contravention of the objectives of the 2015 Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act.

He also failed to provide satisfactory explanatory reasons for granting the extension to the original decision to allow a new runway at Dublin Airport.

'Unconstrained aviation growth'

The aviation sector is increasingly coming under the spotlight as concerned citizens and environmentalists raise their voice in rejection of new airports and runways across the globe.

As part of its legal action FIE has drawn attention to the recent decision by the Austrian Federal Administrative Court to refuse permission for a third runway at Vienna Airport, on the basis of the negative impact it will have on the environment and climate change as a result of increased air traffic.

According to FIE's website: The planned third runway is based on the scenario of unconstrained aviation growth and travel demand, which is incompatible with the Paris Agreement. It reflects an implicit assumption by Dublin Airport Authority (DAA), Fingal County Council, and the Irish Government that no steps will be taken to limit the growth in aviation.

FIE itself was set up in 1997 by a group of environmental activists and town planners. We felt that EU law, and particularly the Habitats Directive which came into force in Ireland that year, was not understood by local authorities, appeals boards, and the Irish courts themselves, who clung to their own supremacy, explains Lowes.

The groups efforts have not gone unheard. Lowes points out that FIE currently has multiple cases continuing against the industry in the planning system and the Irish High Court.

But what do Dublin Airport representatives say about the third runway? According to DAA spokesperson Siobhan O'Donnell the development of the new runway will further enhance Dublin Airports economic impact, which currently supports or facilitates a total of 97,400 jobs in the Irish economy.

The overall impact includes almost 16,000 people employed directly at the airport campus by DAA, airlines and other companies, the multiplier effects that flow from that employment, and the other sectors of the Irish economy that are facilitated by Dublin Airport.
Music should be widely accessible and enjoyed by as many audiences as possible, Dr. Paul Noble of Smith Mountain Lake believes, and his work helps make that happen.

Noble reworks classical music originally intended for orchestra and translates it into music a modern concert band could play. That includes a previously unpublished work by the iconic British composer Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958), which Noble completed earlier this year.

His work is taking music that I feel is very important and significant and giving it to a wider audience, which is the concert band, Noble said. There are far more concert bands than orchestras. It gives people an opportunity to experience music that is significant to our history.

I pick orchestral scores that I feel would be good candidates for a band arrangement, he said. What he calls the four tenets guide him in choosing a piece to arrange: the melody, its orchestration, brevity and audience appeal.

With more recent compositions, of which the composers are still living, Noble works with the composers to create concert band arrangements. They include Philip Lane and John Rutter.

The process of making arrangements is changing instrumentation from strings, violins and so forth to band instruments, placing them to where they sound as near to the original as possible yet can work with the band techniques, Noble said.

Its all done on the computer. With the specialized software, every note that I put down is sounded at the same time that I put it down.

Two hundred and twenty-five arrangements Noble made are listed and available for purchase on his website, BandMusicPDF.net.

Each entry includes sheet music to purchase as well as the music being played for people to hear.

On the website, users can listen to the original orchestral work side-by-side with Nobles band arrangement for comparison. If you were a band director, (you could) play it historically as close to the original as possible  if you listen closely to it, you probably wouldnt hear much of a difference. My intention is for it to sound as much like the original as possible, he said.

To hear the arrangements he has produced performed live is magnificent, he said. Ive heard a lot of my arrangements performed. The U.S. Navy Band performed one of my suites. Ive heard a lot of university bands perform it, and it has been played at the American Band Masters Convention.

Youre not likely to hear his arrangements at a high school recital, though.

The arrangements that I write and the music that I select are largely for accomplished groups, Noble said. I have some things in my catalog that are easier to play, but most of the things are involved, musically and technically.

A recent arrangement hes excited about is Englands Peasant Land by Vaughan Williams. It has never been published before, and he was given the rights to it.

The piece originally was written in the 1930s for a pageant, so its single use was probably the reason why it was not published at the time, he said.

The topic was the downfall of the English countryside which was (being destroyed) by modern technology, growth and population, he said.

After the pageant was over, I guess the composer, Vaughan Williams, put the piece aside because it had served its function so it was never published, Noble said.

Vaughan Williams composed the piece for a military band. At the start of this year, Noble created the arrangement for a modern symphonic band to be able to play it.

Its unusual to get a composer as famous as Vaughan Williams, and get a piece of his which has not been published before  it landed in my lap, so to speak, so its quite exciting to do.

Noble has been arranging music since he was a teenager, he said, and has done it throughout my career, as time has allowed.

He is a graduate of Shenandoah Conservatory of Music, Indiana University and The Catholic University of America. He taught at Cave Spring High School in Roanoke and was the Director of Bands and chair of the Instrumental Music Department of Shenandoah Conservatory, now Shenandoah University, in Winchester.

He headed a worldwide music travel business and produced four CDs featuring his arrangements.

He and his wife, the Rev. Mitzi Noble, live at Smith Mountain Lake.

Now that I am retired, I have full time to create arrangements, Noble said. Thats what Im doing in my retirement  leave what I hope will be a legacy for bands to enjoy for years and years to come.

His work has reached far and wide.

In January, the New York City school system held a workshop for its music teachers  all 1,800 of them  using Nobles work. The teachers used one of my arrangements of a John Rutter piece as a focus of that conference. They studied it during the day and at the end of the day they performed it, he said.

He was invited to make an arrangement of music by John Gardner, who died in 2011. Had he lived, he would have been 100 years old this year, and his estate had been wanting to celebrate his centenary year with as many performances as possible, Noble said.

Another noteworthy experience for him has been the performance of his arrangement of John Rutters Distant Land, dedicated to Nelson Mandella. The week he put his newly created arrangement of it on his website, I got an email from a band director in South Africa. He said he was taking his band from South Africa to China to play a concert on New Years Day dedicated to the life of Nelson Mandela, and he wanted to know if he could do my arrangement.

That quick turnaround of having an arrangement by him performed by a South African band in China depicts the kind of world we live in, with fast worldwide connections, he said.

Many of his arrangements are licensed by Oxford University Press, according to a press release. They all are for sale by J.W. Pepper and Son Inc., one of the countrys largest distributors of sheet music, as well as through a European distributor. All are also offered on his website.
The English brought the European honeybee to North America in the 1600s. Recently beekeepers have sustained colony losses of 30 to 46 percent.

The Voluntary Plan to Mitigate the Risk of Pesticides to Managed Pollinators went into effect in June, the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services announced recently.

Here in Virginia and across the nation, people are concerned about the loss of honey bees, Sandy Adams, VDACS commissioner, was quoted as saying in a news release. And we have developed a plan that focuses on communication between pesticide applicators and beekeepers and the use of best management practices by farmers, beekeepers and pesticide applicators to protect our pollinators.

The agency took more than a year to write the plan. Public input, including the work of a 21-member committee of stakeholder representatives, was a major part of the drafting process. The plan was written and will be overseen by VDACS because the agency is responsible for pesticide regulation in Virginia.

The document consists mostly of recommended best practices for the use of outdoor agricultural and commercial pesticides to minimize honeybee losses, but does not strengthen pesticide regulations.

It mainly encourages beekeepers and pesticide applicators to communicate more effectively about the location of hives and the dates and times of pesticide spraying.

The plan outlines an online registry and communication tool for beekeepers, landowners and pesticide applicators. Participation is voluntary.

Initial setup of an online communication tool could cost up to $24,000, VDACS spokeswoman Elaine Lidholm has said. Some pesticide-related funding might be available from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to help pay for it, she added.

Lidholm wrote in an email on Friday that VDACS has not yet established a registry and, at this point, dont have a target date for completion.

Honeybee pollination is a major contributor to agricultural production, which remains Virginias largest economic sector.

The state plan stems from a 2014 Obama administration directive calling for a national strategy to safeguard pollinators and, thereby, boost food security. Most states agreed to formulate plans to guide pollinator protection.

In Virginia, as in other states, honeybee colonies have over the past 20 years been dying at a high rate. Nationally, researchers are still working to understand the combination of factors that may be responsible.

Pesticides have in some cases been implicated in bee losses, particularly in acute kills stemming from spraying.

Historically, fewer than 10 percent of the commonwealths hives died annually, state apiarist Keith Tignor has said.

Statewide, 46 percent of colonies died in 2015, Tignor said.
With the government deciding to privatise Air India, the government panel led by Arun Jaitley, Ashok Gajapathi Raju, and Nitin Gadkari plan to write off a significant part of Air India's debt before making it private.

The government panel on Air India's divestment will hold its first official meeting on Tuesday to discuss the modalities of privatising India's national carrier.

The ministerial panel, headed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, will take a call on the various options to deal with Air India's debt burden of over Rs 52000 crores.

Union ministers Ashok Gajapati Raju and Nitin Gadkari are other members of the panel.

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Sources in the Finance Ministry told India Today that, the government plans to write off a significant part of Air India's debt before making it private.

The government also aims to start the process of Air India's divestment by December this year.

On June 28, the Union cabinet gave its in-principle approval for Air India's divestment after the NITI Aayog in a report to the Civil Aviation Ministry recommended strategic disinvestment in the loss-making airline.

Also Read:

CBI to probe Air India-Indian Airlines merger, aviation deals signed under UPA tenure

Air India-Indian Airlines merger, purchase of 111 aircraft collective decision of UPA government: Praful Patel

Also Watch: Air India finally on the chopping block, set to be privatised: Maharaja to lose throne?

--- ENDS ---
Beginning artists and veteran exhibitors, first-timers and faithful visitors, young and old  that mix is what lots of people love about Art in the Park.

Art in the Park celebrated its 35th anniversary Sunday with a show in Stolley Park that featured everything from quilts to jewelry to painting to photography to pottery.

Jean Cook, one of the organizers for the annual art show, said shes been showing her own work at Art in the Park at least 25 years and has been helping organize the show since 2000, including the this years edition. Its fun to see all the people come out.

I enjoy seeing people who I havent seen in a year, added Cook, who noted that crowd includes both fellow artists and people who browse the art displays every year. She said the vast majority of artists who display their work at Art in the Park are those have shown their work previously. But she said each years art show usually manages to attract three or four new artists.

Its always great when we get some younger people whos just experimenting and coming out and learning the ropes, wanting to show what theyre doing. Its neat to see them continuing on with Art in the Park, Cook said.

Grand Island resident Michael Walters is another person who has become a faithful exhibitor at Art in the Park, saying he has shown his work for the past 10 years at a minimum. Walters noted that Art in the Park provides a great showcase.

Thats mostly what I do it for, he said. You spend a lot of time working on it and improving it, you want people to see what youve done.

Walters was just ringing up a sale of one of his works, noting that he had also made several sales to people earlier in the day. Actually, this is a pretty good year so far, said Walters, who noted it is nice when he can at least recoup the cost of his booth space at Art in Park.

Walters said he has lived in Grand Island all his life, which means many people know him, as well as his late parents and other members of his family. Walters noted that he first decided to exhibit his work at Art in the Park after first displaying his artistry in a store-front business. He thought he might get a different mix of people than the folks who were regular patrons of the store.

That hope came true his first year at Art in the Park, giving him a different audience what he had at the store front. Now that Walters is a regular exhibitor at Art in the Park, he sees a lot of return customersr. But I also get a lot of people I never met before, he said.

Rigoberto Barrios, who graduated from Grand Island Senior High in May, and his older sister, Mayra Barrios, were first-time visitors to Art in the Park. Barrios said he took at senior art class at Grand Island Senior High. Barrios, who is an interested in art, said the class is giving him a deeper appreciation of art.

Barrios ended up making a purchase Sunday. Someday he may at the other end of the transaction. He is a really good artist, Mayra said of her brother.

She pointed out that Rigoberto did a self-portrait that won third place in an art show at Stuhr Museum which featured the work of high school artists from area schools. After Sunday, Mayra said she thinks Rigoberto should exhibit his work next year at Art in the Park.

Speaking of artists who earn recognition for their work, Alan Lienert, another of the organizers of Art in the Park, said judge Tammy Schuett had to spend more than two hours judging the work. She really had to work hard, he said. She agonized. It was a tough call. It was a close race for quite a few things.

Barrios made his purchase from Hastings artist Andy Gentert, who noted that he has only missed one or two Art in the Park events during the past 15 to 20 years. Theres always a decent crowd coming through here, Gentert said. Its a lovely setting. Theres even been a couple of years weve been lightly rained on, but it didnt get through the trees. Its nice to have the canopy of trees.

Gentert said he has been at the Hastings Art in the Park ever since it started and has also been at Kearneys Art in the Park. In most years, he said, he gets pretty good sales of his work a bonus, Gentert said. Id probably do it sales or not.

Like the other artists, Gentert said he simply likes the opportunity for the public to see his work. Its good to get feedback from customers and also other artists as well.

Roseland artist Roger Leavitt said it has been a couple of years since he has been at Art in the Park in Grand Island. After getting his degree from graduate school, Leavitt said he got a job at a Canadian university, where he taught ceramics for seven years. When he returned to the U.S., the police chief in Cripple Creek, Colo., offered him a law enforcement job.

Leavitt said he spent the next 20 years working in law enforcement  something he loved  in communities all over Colorado and Wyoming. During all that time, he never made a piece of pottery.

Upon his retirement, his wife suggested he return to making pottery. When he agreed, his wife informed him that she had already bought the pottery wheel and a big kiln.

Thats how we got on our way, said Leavitt, who noted he throws pottery on a wheel, while his wife hand-makes all her heavily-textured pottery.

Leavitt said one thing he likes to do is make pottery on his wheel whenever he is at an art show. Thats why the customers never ask, Did you make all this yourselves? he said.

Art in the Park honorees

Best of Show  Mike Williams, acrylic painting.

First place, Andy Gentert, acrylic painting; second place, Deb Brooks, jewelry.

Certificates of merit  Dee Leavitt, pottery; Sue Perez, colored pencil; Dawn Hesnault, ink; Bill Young, acrylic painting; Beth Gardner, acrylic painting; Randi Tomasek, gum wrapper art; Connie Olson, quiltin; Rick Rasmussen, photography; Julie Crocker, acrylic painting; Megan Schroll, ceramics and drawings.
The Central Nebraska Council on Alcoholism and Addictions, (CNCAA) is hosting a free one-day youth mental health first aid training for those who care about and/or work with youth.

The training will be on Thursday, July 20, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the CNCAA offices, 219 W. Second in Grand Island. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. Lunch is on your own.

To register, call (308) 385-5520 or email Sandir@cncaa.info.

Youth mental health first aid teaches a five-step action plan to offer initial help to young people showing signs of a mental illness or in a crisis, and connect them with the appropriate professional, peer, social, or self-help care. Anyone can attend the training, however it is ideally designed for adults who work with young people ages 12 to 18.

This training is hosted by CNCAA, however, it will be facilitated by Region 3 behavioral health professionals. For more information, visit www.cncaa.net.
Mayor Jeremy Jensen has known since at least the beginning of the year that tough decisions would have to be made in regard to the citys fiscal 2018 budget.

While some people, Jensen said, may just gloss over the citys budget issues and worry about it later, now is the time to address these issues, not later.

It gets more difficult every year that goes by, he said. We could have just sat here and let it do its thing. In a couple years, it would have been so much worse that it would have been a complete mess. It is still fixable right now. But if it is not fixed, it will soon be unfixable. What is being presented here by this team is, that if it is ignored and neglected, what has to happen in the future pales in comparison to this.

According to figures outlined in a budget document released by the city Friday afternoon, city administration aims to make $2.9 million in cuts for the fiscal 2018 budget. The target budget for the city and its operations is $41,161,783.

In order to meet its budget goals, city administration plans to either eliminate or leave vacant 20 staff positions.

For the Grand Island Fire Department, the recommendation is to eliminate two additional positions and two currently vacant firefighter positions, as well as leave two future retirements unfilled.

The Grand Island Police Department may have two full-time equivalent (FTE) community service officer (CSO) positions eliminated, two currently vacated police officer positions remain unfilled, two currently vacant part-time CSO positions left vacant, and three future retirements left unfilled.

City administration is also recommending one FTE horticulturist position be eliminated, along with three seasonal worker positions at the greenhouse.

A currently vacant maintenance worker position and a future retirement will both be unfilled.

At the Grand Island Public Library, the vacant library assistant II and part-time library page positions will remain vacant.

Our team, the Human Resources Department and the department directors have all worked their tails off to say, rather than make a whole bunch of cuts, lets gradually work into this and see who is going to be retiring and re-evaluating the necessity of some of these positions, Jensen said. Can we absorb it other places? That way, we didnt have to go in and tell John Doe that they would be laid off. That was something that I didnt want to do.

City Administrator Marlan Ferguson said the aforementioned personnel positions are funded 100 percent by general fund dollars. For this reason, it is city administrations recommendation that these positions be eliminated or left vacant.

When you think 80 percent of our general fund is public safety  police and fire  there is no way we cannot look at that, Ferguson said. If we go down the list and look at the library and parks, those are all general funds dollars that we had to look at.

Jensen echoed Fergusons comments, saying that balancing the budget without touching public safety just does not work.

He said the salaries of police and fire have increased drastically since 2012.

According to Jensen, in 2012 a step 3 police officer made $40,266 a year. Now, in 2017, due to Grand Island becoming a Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) in 2013, that same officer, now a step 8 officer, makes $58,824 a year, which is a 46 percent salary increase in five years.

Similarly, with the Fire Department, he said, a step 3 firefighter/EMT made $38,840 a year in 2012 and now makes $58,742 a year, which is a 51 percent salary increase.

An employee proceeds to the next highest step each year.

I am not saying people should have a wage and have that forever. That is not it at all, Jensen said. But when that person who is a good cop that is a three-year veteran that was making $40,000 a year is now an eight-year veteran making $60,000 a year, with that 50 percent increase, if we do not have 50 percent more revenue that came in over that period of time, then that person became more expensive than they were five years ago, in the grand scheme of things.

Finance Director Renae Jimenez said there may be future cuts that have to be made beyond the 2018 fiscal year.

I would say that is a possibility because our expenditures are still growing more than our revenues, Jimenez said.

Jensen said he is hoping to both balance the budget and create a fiscal or monetary policy that would guide the city on future budgets. One such policy would be a 70/30 policy where the citys personnel costs would not exceed 70 percent of the general fund budget.

Ferguson said in a memo provided in the budget document that the city will aim to provide essential services while minimizing personnel and operating costs.

Union, police and fire officials, along with members of the public commenting on social media, say these police and fire positions are essential and would jeopardize public safety if cut. Jensen disagrees with this assumption due to the Fire Departments class 1 rating.

In essence, it is the most efficient and effective fire department and EMT service in the entire state of Nebraska, he said. When I read their comments that a reduction of a couple people is going to cost people their lives, I question that. How do two additional people losing their jobs and their retirements cause us to go from the top of the pyramid to, all of a sudden, gambling with peoples lives? I think its B.S.

Jensen added that even if GIFD was back to a class 3 rating, where it was before the new designation, it still puts the department as one of the best in the state.

He said he is confident the City Council will vote to approve the fiscal 2018 budget with the personnel cuts. He added he, personally, will not support anything that does not balance the budget.

If we cannot get to an agreement that the council truthfully has the courage and fortitude to make these tough decisions, then I do not know how I can sign off on the budget that says we are not going to balance it, Jensen said.

The Grand Island City Council will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the City Council chambers to discuss the fiscal 2018 budget and to direct (city) staff on developing the budget.

No official action will be taken by the council at this meeting.
Steve Anderson said his parents taught him to never be afraid of the world.

That explains why Anderson took his own trip around the world in 1985, taking advantage of a program by two airlines that allowed him to keep boarding their airplanes as long as each plane kept traveling in the same direction around the globe. That allowed him to circle the world, including spending four months hitchhiking through East Africa to Europe.

It is also why Anderson is now the development coordinator for the Multicultural Coalition of Grand Island, work that he started in June 2015 as a VISTA volunteer. He is continuing as a full-time employee for the organization with the title of deputy director.

Although he has explored many parts of the world, it is perhaps ironic that he has never gotten into a car and driven cross-country across the United States.

For Anderson, the midsection of the country  as it is for many Americans  was flyover country. But he said Audrey Lutz, executive director of the Multicultural Coalition, did a good job of telling him what to expect when he arrived in town.

Lutz said she and Anderson make a good team.

Its been a wonderful opportunity to use the expertise of someone of his high caliber, with his life experiences and the opportunity to really grow the Multicultural Coalition, she said. Together, Steve and myself work really hard and use his experiences to grow something sustainable at the Multicultural Coalition.

Since arriving two years ago, Anderson has developed an appreciation for a community and area new to him.

I like the proximity to the sky, said Anderson, who uses a mountain bike to get around town. I go out riding and I love to see all that space. I love the stars at night. Needless to say, I like my work. I feel useful.

By helping immigrants and refugees get a firm foothold for their new life in Grand Island, he is also helping the overall community, he said.

Anderson seemed destined for wanderlust as an adult. He was born in Gothenburg, Sweden, to American parents, who themselves were born in California and met at Stanford University. He has a simple explanation for why he was born overseas  it has to do with his ethnic heritage.

The reason we were in Sweden is my father (a neuroradiologist) was beginning his medical practice and got an offer there, but No. 2 was because both sides of the family, both Japanese and Swedish, rejected the marriage, he said. Interracial marriage in 1960 was not a popular thing. They just figured theyd get geographically as far away from family as possible.

Anderson noted that his mother and father had no idea whether they would find better acceptance in Sweden. They stayed in Sweden only a couple of years, but they enjoyed it a great deal. He said no one in Sweden had ever seen Asians, so they all thought she was what we call today Sami, which is called Laplander.

The family next moved to Bethesda, Md., where his father was with the National Institutes of Health, and where his brother, Keith, was born. His younger siblings, Cynthia, Lauri and Clint, were born in the Los Angeles area, with the family living in Palos Verdes.

We lived there for five years, Anderson said. The legendary California freeways were too much  more than an hours commute, every day, one way.

So the family moved back to the Bay Area, living just north of San Francisco in Tiburon.

Anderson said his fathers career as a neuroradiologist did not require him to move, but his parents loved seeing the world. His father died in 2000, but his mother still lives in the house where he and his siblings grew up.

His mother visited him in Grand Island this past April. Prior to that, Anderson said, the closest she had ever been to Grand Island was when, at 3 years old, she and her family lived in a Japanese-American internment camp during World War II.

After Anderson passed his entrance exam for law school, he decided he would first explore the world. But he says his decision was not because of his parents wanderlust.

It was because our parents taught us not to be afraid of the world and to go out and explore, Anderson said. I was planning on living a very conservative existence  I decided that once I was done with law school, Id plunge directly into a career. I would not have much liberty (to travel).

During his initial travels, he got off a plane in Nairobi, Kenya, and hitchhiked north to Europe.

The four months hitchhiking across the (African) continent were eye-opening, said Anderson, who was accepted into his law school of choice, Hastings College of the Law at the University of California, San Francisco.

But law school wasnt beckoning. I could not get my teeth into it, he said.

Anderson said it was not a happy decision to leave law school, but he ended up joining the Peace Corps, which meant he spent the next four years in Niger, West Africa.

I actually got posted to a place that was all of two miles from a spot where I had slept beside the road while hitchhiking, he said.

Anderson assumed he would return to the U.S. after four years, but he said he instead stayed in Niger for 22 additional years because I loved it. He next worked as a development aid expert for a decade.

That was a time of civil war and inter-ethnic conflict, but I was an outsider, so it didnt affect me, he said. I was able to live there, learn different languages, learn about peoples cultures and their problems from the inside out. I lived with nomadic herders, so I had camels of my own. I lived with farmers, I lived with itinerant fishers (who supported their entire community).

When the decade of strife ended, aid organizations returned. Anderson worked as a consultant for many of them, but never full time. He worked sporadically, which allowed him to quit after a month or six months to live with different populations in the region.

He said that came to an unhappy ending because of the fundamentalist Muslim group Boko Haram, which was starting to encroach on the area where he and his Muslim friends lived.

Anderson said Boko Haram either would have kidnapped or killed him if he had stayed.

The group also would have killed his Muslim friends because they were demonstrating their tolerant and moderate religious views by befriending him. So far, his Muslim friends have gone undetected by Boko Haram, which he called predators who recruit people who believe they have no prospects.

To protect both himself and his friends, Anderson left Niger for Washington, D.C., where he worked on development projects through the U.S. State Department and Pentagon, World Bank and U.S. Agency for International Development. That lasted just one year because he wanted to work directly with immigrants and refugees.

That is why he successfully applied for the VISTA position in Grand Island and why he lives in the Blackstone, which is filled with immigrants.

Im pretty much an immigrant after a quarter-century away, he said.
State Senators Curt Friesen and Dan Quick battled it out Sunday afternoon at the Hall County Fair  and things got a little messy.

The two legislators competed in teams of four in a watermelon eating contest. The contest was held to benefit Hall County Vietnam Hero Flights.

It was sloppy and I actually got some in my nose rather than going down my throat, Quick said.

Friesens team consisted of himself, Hall County Supervisor Karen Bredthauer, Grand Island City Councilman Vaughn Minton and Northwest Board of Education member Karl Quandt.

Quicks team consisted of himself, his wife Alice, and family friends Ryan and Spencer Scholz. The original plan, Quick said, was to have a four-generation team consisting of himself, his dad, his son and his grandson. But that did not end up happening due to family members having other plans.

Dan said Alice was eager to compete in the watermelon eating contest.

As soon as she found out my son couldnt be in, she said shed fill in for him, Quick said. She was on board just like I was when I was on the campaign trail.

Quick said the contest was just a little bit easier this year than it was last year, when he competed. Friesen, however, said he ran into some challenges at first.

With that first bite, the watermelon was so cold that my teeth felt like they just didnt want to do it anymore, Friesen said. It took three or four bites before the teeth got used to it.

Bredthauer admitted she has a competitive drive in her and actually prepared ahead of time for Sundays watermelon eating contest.

I drank a lot of water yesterday and today, she said. I googled how that guy ate 70 hot dogs (in the Nathans Hot Dog Eating Contest). I started out yesterday by drinking 160 ounces of water.

Today, Ive had 70, Bredthauer continued. That way, when I was ready to eat watermelon, I could just eat and eat and eat because it made my stomach large.

Her preparation must have paid off as she was one of the first competitors to complete the contest by eating her allotted watermelon slices.

Both teams were triumphant as the contest ended in a tie. Friesen and Quick said they will share the trophy.

We plan on taking it to Lincoln. But first we are going to clean it up so it is not so sticky, Friesen said. Then we thought wed get to the (Hall County) Veterans Office and maybe get a picture of the Hero Flight people holding the trophy.

Quick said he chose to compete in Sundays watermelon eating contest because he wanted to support the Hero Flight program. He added the programs means a lot to him as he has brothers-in-law, cousins and nephews who have served in the military.

Gary Quandt, who has been involved with the Hero Flight, came to me last year and asked if Id participate, Quick said. Then he came back to me this year and asked if Id be in it. I told him, Sure, Ill be in it. Then we got Senator Friesen to get in on it as well.

Friesen said the watermelon eating contest was a fun experience that benefited a really good cause, which was the main reason he chose to compete.

When they (Hero Flight program) first started with the World War II vets, I happened to be in Washington, D.C., when the World War II Memorial was built and the day they opened it, he said. Just watching those older guys stand around and meet some of their comrades  it was a sight I will never forget. Ever since then, I thought it was just great that we could send our World War II vets there to see their memorial that was just for them.

Hall County Veterans Service Officer Don Shuda said residents of Grand Island and Hall County have always been supportive of the Hero Flight program and Sunday was no different. He added the watermelon eating contest was a fun thing to do that exposes people to the Hero Flight program.

Shuda said anyone wishing to support Hall County Vietnam Hero Flights can attend the hamburger feeds every Wednesday evening at the United Veterans Club, 1914 Capital Ave. The cost to attend is a $5 donation.

In other Hero Flight news, the band Three Dog Night donated an autographed guitar at its Saturday night concert. The guitar was purchased by Dan Naranjo for $5,500, with the proceeds benefitting the Hero Flight Program.
The current fraught relationship between Janata Dal (United) and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) reflects the strained ties between its two leaders, Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad Yadav.

By India Today Web Desk: Once the voting for the Presidential election ends today, Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal (United) chief Nitish Kumar is likely to decide on whether RJD leader and deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav stays in his cabinet or not.

While the Congress is trying to mediate between the JD(U) and RJD, both the sides have held to their ground. The RJD said there was no question of Tejashwi Yadav--Lalu Prasad's son has been named by the CBI in a disproportionate assets case--resigning from the Bihar cabinet.

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On the other hand, Nitish Kumar at a meeting with party legislators last week reportedly said that he has zero tolerance for corruption and had there been a similar case in his party he would have acted by now.

The current fraught relationship between the two allies, JD(U) and RJD, reflects the ever-changing equation between its two leaders, Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad Yadav.

WHEN NITISH WAS LALU's CHANAKYA

Lalu Prasad Yadav was the general secretary of the Patna University Students' Union in 1970 and became its president in 1973. In 1974, both Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar were part of Jai Prakash Narayan's (JP) Total Revolution. Sushil Modi too was then part of the JP Movement. During this period, Nitish was struck by Lalu's crowd-pulling ability and his speeches that would later become his trademark.

In 1977, Lalu Prasad became the Janata Party MP from Chhapra but lost the re-election in 1980. The same year, he was elected to the Bihar Assembly. Simultaneously, Nitish was growing into a key second-rung socialist leader after Karpoori Thakur.

After Thakur's death, Lalu became the Leader of Opposition in 1989 and subsequently the chief minister of Bihar in 1990. This was also the time when Nitish, a key strategist, came to be known in political circles as Lalu's Chanakya.

WHEN LALU-NITISH PART WAYS

By 1994, differences had started to crop up between Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar.

Lalu's pro-Yadav tilt was seen by some as an attempt to push Nitish to the background. At a party meeting, when Nitish reportedly tried to bring up this subject for discussion, Lalu reminded Nitish that divided they would be doomed.

While Lalu mananged to silence Nitish at the party meeting, the latter soon walked out of Janata Dal to form Samta Party with George Fernandes.

Three years later, Lalu broke away from the party to form Rashtriya Janata Party (RJD) in 1997. The same year, Lalu lost the chief minister's chair because of his alleged involvement in the fodder scam but in an unexpected move made wife Rabri Devi the chief minister.

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NITISH JOINS HANDS WITH BJP

After a poor show in the 1995 Assembly election, Nitish Kumar's Samta Party formed an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 1996 General Elections. In the next General Election in 1998, Samta Party, in alliance with the BJP, won 10 seats in Bihar and two in Uttar Pradesh.

Between 1998-99, Nitish Kumar was the Union Minister for Surface Transport and also had a brief stint as Railway Minister before resigning in the aftermath of the Gaisal train disaster in Assam that killed 290 people. He later returned as the Railway Minister and occupied the post from 2001-2004. In 2003, Samta Party merged with Sharad Yadav faction of the Janata Dal and Lokshakti Party to form Janata Dal (United).

As Congress-led UPA returned to power at the Centre in 2004, Lalu Prasad Yadav became the Railway Minister, succeeding Nitish.

In the 2005 Assembly election in Bihar in October, Nitish Kumar became the chief minister and JD(U) formed the government in alliance with the BJP.

NITISH, LALU COME TOGETHER

Lalu and RJD suffered heavy electoral defeats in Bihar in two Assembly elections and won just four seats in the 2014 General Election.

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Nitish Kumar and Janata Dal (United) also ended their 17-year-old alliance with the BJP in 2013 and won just two seats in the 2014 General Election.

Defeated by the Narendra Modi wave, leaders of both RJD and JD(U) joined hands to form the Grand Alliance with the Congress ahead of the 2015 Assembly election in Bihar.

The Grand Alliance defeated the BJP to form the government with Nitish Kumar as the chief minister and Lalu's son Tejashwi Yadav as the deputy chief minister.

However, the corruption charges against Lalu and his family and Nitish's growing fondness for Narendra Modi will once test the ties between the two Bihar leaders.

ALSO READ:

Bihar Mahagathbandhan crisis: Why next 48 hours are crucial for Tejashwi Yadav

Tejashwi Yadav's nameplate covered, then removed as Nitish Kumar attends official event

Will the real Nitish Kumar please stand up? On Bihar CM's penchant for keeping everyone guessing

ALSO WATCH: Lalu Yadav after CBI raids: Ready to be hanged, but will crush Modi, Amit Shah's ego

--- ENDS ---
Most Americans can agree on at least one thing: They want the threat from Islamist terrorism to diminish. How to achieve that, however, is much more contentious. Case in point: the federal governments Countering Violent Extremism, or CVE, program.

George Selim, the director of the Office of Community Partnerships, has described CVE as, the first federal assistance program devoted exclusively to providing local communities with the resources to counter violent extremism in the homeland ... to support new and existing community-based efforts to counter violent extremist recruitment and radicalization to violence.

This sums up the Obama administrations preference for local, community-led initiatives to CVE. In the last days of the Obama administration, the Department of Homeland Security announced $10 million worth of CVE grants for 31 organizations that reflected this preference.

Yet with the Trump administration seemingly more skeptical of CVEs worth, re-evaluations took place based on these groups track record of effectiveness and potential for delivering results. The outcome of these deliberations was recently revealed when the DHS approved $10 million worth of grants to 26 organizations to carry out CVE work.

Homeland Security stated this will advance Americas capacity to counter terrorist recruitment and radicalization in the United States through community-driven solutions. In this, the DHS was employing CVE language very familiar to the Obama team.

However, when the grants are examined, it appears Secretary John Kelly is trying to re-calibrate CVE away from a community-driven approach and towards law enforcement. Boston Police Foundation, the City of Houston Office of Public Safety & Homeland Security, Denver Police Department and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department had their budgets increased. Hennepin County Sheriffs Office (Twin Cities area) and Alameda County Sheriffs Office (San Francisco area) were not included in the Obama-era grants but now are getting almost an extra million dollars between them.

Furthermore, those who could offer greater accountability were apparently prioritized over feel-good community projects. For example, one grant that was completely cut was for Music in Common, which says it empowers diverse cultures and faiths to discover common ground through collaborative songwriting, multimedia and performance. Worthy aims, perhaps, yet it is hard to argue they should be taxpayer-funded, and harder still to argue that it will make America safer from terrorism.

Another group Homeland Security is now choosing not to back is the Muslim Public Affairs Council, or MPAC. This was perhaps the most controversial of the original DHS grants, considering MPACs historic ideological sympathies towards the Muslim Brotherhood and equivocal attitude toward the terrorist group Hamas.

One of the groups founders, Salam al-Marayati, took to the airwaves after 9/11 to say Israel should be considered a suspect behind the attack and has described Hezbollah military operations as legitimate resistance. MPAC statements are also often critical of U.S. counterterrorism efforts, which the council has sought to cast as a war on Islam itself.

That some of the groups the DHS chose to financially back were slightly different was also not always DHSs choice. Of the 31 identified by the Obama administration, four dropped out, seemingly unwilling to work alongside the Trump administration. This included Ka Joog, whose ambition is to create a better world by providing community-based, culturally specific programs and services to Somali youth and their family, and Unity Productions Foundation, which aimed to counter bigotry and create peace through the media.

This apparent shift away from a community-led approach is close to heresy for some CVE professionals, both in the U.S. and in Europe. Yet we do not really know that a community-led response is better, or reduces trust in government, because conceptually it is so hard to measure satisfactorily CVEs efficacy. And without those satisfactory metrics, the temptation will be for governments across the world to just keep chucking money at the problem and hope or presume it is doing some good.

For now, however, Homeland Security appears to have adopted a more hardheaded approach to CVE  and made at least some headway in bringing greater accountability to its spending.
Former Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra and NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal has been in Arthur Road jail for over a year. He has been facing charges under the prevention of Money Laundering Act.

By Kamlesh Damodar Sutar: Former Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra and NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal cast his vote for the Presidential elections in Mumbai. Bhujbal was granted permission by the court after his request to participate in the polls. Bhujbal has been in Arthur Road jail for over a year. He has been facing charges under the prevention of Money Laundering Act.

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A frail looking Bhujbal with a full grown white beard was brought to the Vidhan Bhawan in an ambulance. Once known for his penchant for designer mufflers and style statement, a visibly ill Bhujbal walked inside the Vidhan Bhawan premises with the support of party colleagues. The OBC leader who was almost isolated in the party ever since his arrest was received at the Vidhan Bhawan gate by his party colleagues including state president Sunil Tatkare, LoP Dhananjay Munde, MLAs Jitendra Awhad, Pankaj Bhujbal among others.

After casting his vote, a tired Bhujbal rested for a brief time inside the Vidhan Bhawan where several MLAs from his own party NCP and others from Congress and even the BJP and Shiv Sena met him inquiring about his health.

While leaving, an emotional Bhujbal spoke to waiting reporters briefly. "I am innocent but I should at least get an opportunity to prove my innocence. I don't want to die as an accused... My only prayer to God is that he should give me one opportunity to come out and prove my innocence..." Bhujbal said.

Apart from Bhujbal, another NCP leader Ramesh Kadam was also brought out of the Byculla jail to caste his vote. Kadam is facing charges of corruption worth crores in the Annabhau Sathe Backward Development Corporation case.

Also read:

Presidential election 2017: Special court has no jurisdiction to pass order on Chhagan Bhujbal's plea to vote, say lawyers

Chhagan Bhujbal sends defamation notice to activist who complained against perks given to him in jail custody

Besides Bhujbal, Mumbai-based Purohit allegedly involved in money laundering for business houses

--- ENDS ---
The American Cancer Society (ACS) of Southern Illinois is getting ready for its second Farm to Table event.

Mandie Sidener, with the American Cancer Society, said the event was successful last year, but there will be a few changes this year. The event will be held on Aug. 24 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Gateway Center in Collinsville.

The biggest change is that we are moving the location, Sidener said. Last year it was in Edwardsville. This year is will be at the Gateway. This will allow us to have more people.

Last year was the first Farm to Table event, after several years of a Mardi Gras Gala. We just got feedback that it was time for something new, Sidener said, so we decided on a Farm To Table event.

For the event, the ACS invites local chefs to prepare dishes using as many locally sourced ingredients as they can.

The chefs look at what product is doing well this season and let us know a week or so before what they will serve, Sidener said. The chefs are there that night to talk about the dish and how they crafted it.

Chefs for this years event include: Adam Washburn from 1818 Chophouse, Jenny Cleveland and Eric Heath from Cleveland-Heath, Anthony Devoti from Five Bistro and Carl Vollmer from Gateway Center. Desserts will be provided by 222 Artisan Bakery and Baily Cakes.

There will also be a band and silent auction, she said. There will be other fundraising activities, but the concept really revolves around the food.

The night will also include drinks from local distributors. Old Bakery Brewery, 4204 Brewery, Mastermind Vodka, Stumpys Spirits, Hidden Lake Winery and Excel Brewing will all be providing beverages. Soda from Excel will also be available.

In addition, the Madison County Leadership Board is helping with this, Sidener said. We also have several sponsors from the community.

During the evening, the ACS will present their Mission Award, given to a group or individual who has been involved with the society, hosting events, sponsoring events, or volunteering time. But the night is not all programming, Sidener said. Its about getting together and having fun.

All are welcome at the event, Sidener said. We sent invitations to people who participated in the past, but anyone can call this office for tickets.

Tickets are $125 per person and can be purchased by calling the ACS office in Maryville at 288-2390 Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tickets are available until Aug.10.

Sidener and her staff are just wrapping up the Relay for Life season. Their office covers the southern half of the state, so they have had numerous relays. Some of the colleges do them in April, she said. We had SIUC, SIUE, and McKendree in April. Then there are a few in May and it really picks up in June.

Her staff works with local volunteers on the events. We really encourage communities to do what works for them, she said. Our volunteers are much more creative than we are.

The Society is close to hitting its season goal this year, with a few relays still happening. We hit our overall goad last year, so were optimistic, Sidener said.

The ACS provides support to cancer patients and their families. The have a free information center which can be accessed by phone or Internet, as well as providing printed materials.

They provide places to stay during treatment and rides to treatments. At many hospitals, they provide patient navigators to help patients through the treatment process. They also run a cancer survivors network and the Look Good Feel Better program, which helps patients cope with the side effects of treatment, such as hair loss and changes in the skin.

The ACS also funds research into cancer treatment.

The money is not restricted, Sidener said. It goes to all services and all cancers.
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Linkedin Alila Pramiyanti (The Jakarta Post) Brisbane  Mon, July 17, 2017 14:19 1944 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a91aa6d 3 Opinion Islamophobia,female,hijab,veil,Soeharto,New-Order,Islam,#Islam,#Muslim,Muslim Free

Currently I am a Muslim student in Australia and I wear a headscarf. One day a stranger approached me on my way to a bus stop and asked in a friendly tone why I wear the hijab. Then I sensed different vibes when she said she didnt like women wearing a face-veil, the niqab or the full body cover with an eye mesh, the burqa.

For me, it is important to have eye contact when Im speaking with someone, she said. By looking at their face and eyes, I can build trust with them.

She added that as trust was important to Australians, others should adapt, just as Australians should respect cultures in other countries.

As verbal or physical attacks to covered women have increased lately, I thought how lucky I was. Several friends had experienced verbal bullying and negative stereotype due to their hijab. Yet I wondered whether the apparent sense of Islamophobia was due to a particular style of covering such as the face-veil. And is there any relation between covering the hair or face, and radicalism?

Discussions about such covering of women are mostly inextricable from discussions about politics. Soehartos repressive New Order regime saw covered women as embodying a political movement that threatened the government. In 1982, the New Order banned headscarves in government offices and state schools. Until the early 1990s, covered Muslim women found obstacles in getting a job and getting married; they also faced threats of being dismissed from school or work, and were labeled as fanatics.

In May 1998, young hijab-wearing women activists became a familiar sight on the front lines of demonstrations that eventually brought down the Soeharto regime. The headscarves offered women activists symbolic protection from fear of intimidation or violence during prodemocracy rallies and heightened their mobility and public political activism.

Thus, most scholars agree that the rising popularity of hjab in Indonesia is related to its symbol of defiance of the authoritarian state and the new freedom brought by democratic reform.

However, in many Western countries where Muslims are a minority, the hijab and other forms of covering still represent womans oppression and submission by man. Lately women in hijab have become more marginalized because of the increasing number of terror acts claimed by the Islamic State. A number of cities have even banned the niqab and burqa.

Moreover, mainstream media stereotype covered women as fanatics, extremists or even worse, terrorists through reports and images of head-to-toe covered women as part of reports on terrorism.

Islamophobia is mainly caused by terror and extreme violence by violent jihadists wearing Islamic attributes associated with Islam such as a white cloak and headgear, a long beard, and Arabic names. But those who killed innocents are not real Muslims. No religion, including Islam, allows people to kill others. The public should be reminded again and again that not all Islamic symbols including covering for women represent terrorists and jihadists.

Recently following the attacks in London former Australian prime minister Tony Abbot was quoted as saying, Islamophobia hasnt killed anyone, but Islamist terrorism has killed tens of thousands of people.

I disagree with the attachment of the wordIslamist with terrorism but I can neither blame Westerners for generalizing Muslims as terrorists because the attacks are always claimed by the IS.

Reports reveal that American officials have admitted the US role in the creation of the seeds of Al-Qaeda, the precursor of IS, as part of their strategy in power rivalry against Russia. However, the issue gains less space in the media.

With stigmatization of violence only heaped on Muslims, Muslim women are especially vulnerable as their covering is the most visible form of identity.Thus, many Muslim women nowadays cannot express themselves in public without feeling frightened and anxious.

Covering should be understood as an expression of piousness rather than extremism. Beyond a fashion statement, the covering is a stance of Muslim womens agency, freedom, independency, and identity. Less stereotyping of Muslim women by mainstream media would help covered women experience less bullying and hatred.

---------------

We are looking for information, opinions, and in-depth analysis from experts or scholars in a variety of fields. We choose articles based on facts or opinions about general news, as well as quality analysis and commentary about Indonesia or international events. Send your piece to community@jakpost.com.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.
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Linkedin Nurkholis Hidayat (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, July 17, 2017

The UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ESCR) has released its General Comment No. 24. This recent authoritative interpretation of human rights obligations of the state in the context of business activities is a significant development since the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights were adopted in 2011.

Many issues are addressed in the comment, including trade and investment, business incentives, supply chain, natural resources contracts and privatization. But one of the progressive comments that is in keeping with current global affairs is related to the unfair taxation system.

The committee highlights two main opinions regarding taxation a system. First, enforcing progressive taxation schemes is encouraged to maximize a mobilization of resources for human rights fulfillment.

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Linkedin Dina Indrasafitri (The Jakarta Post) Alice Springs  Mon, July 17, 2017 14:02 1944 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a91915c 4 People Indonesian-writer,novel,Agustinus-Wibowo,Chinese-descent Free

Visiting Australia for the fourth time, this time for the Northern Territory Writers Festival (NTWF), writer and photographer Agustinus Wibowo was immediately charmed by the strong presence of indigenous culture there.

He was determined to find out more about it by visiting culturally significant places for indigenous Australians and asking them possibly hundreds of questions about their dreaming  an important concept covering, among other things, the knowledge, beliefs and stories belonging to indigenous Australians.

When I went there, the weather was nice and I was amazed by the amount of ornaments related to the lives of Aborigines at the airport, he recalled of his arrival in the desert town. So intrigued was he that he decided to extend his stay in the town by a few days by rescheduling his flight to Darwin, where he was slated to meet and engage in discussions with fellow writers.

Read also: 15 emerging writers selected for Ubud Writers & Readers Festival 2017

The third reason behind his prolonged stay in Alice Springs was the theme of the festival itself: Iwerre-atherre, in Aboriginal Arrentre language, or Crossings in English.

Two paths that meet but do not block or stop each other  I think that is a very deep contemplation about two identities, Agustinus said.

Identities within me that once clashed, but now have made peace with each other  and I consider them to be identities crossing with each other.

Growing up in New Order Indonesia with a father with a strong affiliation with Chinese culture and the mainland, Agustinus experienced many contradictions, such as being forced to study Chinese covertly behind lock doors to avoid repercussions from the then discriminative government; and finding out that he in fact did not have Indonesian citizenship when he was trying to obtain an Indonesian passport.

Read also: Your struggle is ours too: Chinese-Indonesian community's role in Indonesian independence movement

The conflict within me was immense, then, because these two nations were against each other, he said, referring to Indonesia and China.

I had to adopt an identity, but that identity rejected the other one. There was always a war between the two within me.

But China ended up playing a huge role in his adult life, particularly in his choice to become a journalist.

The stories in Agustinus journey have been told in three books since: Selimut Debu (A Blanket of Dust), Garis Batas (Borderlines) and Titik Nol: Makna Sebuah Perjalanan (Ground Zero: When Journey Takes You Home). (Kompas Gramedia/File)

Touched by the resilience of the survivors of the 2004 tsunami in Aceh and fueled by a hunger to see the world, more than 10 years ago Agustinus, who was studying computer technology in China, decided to undertake the hefty task of embarking on an overland trip from Beijing to South Africa, although at that time his journey ended with him staying in Afghanistan for three years.

The stories in Agustinus journey have been told in three books since: Selimut Debu (A Blanket of Dust), Garis Batas (Borderlines) and Titik Nol: Makna Sebuah Perjalanan (Ground Zero: When Journey Takes You Home).

Although he started out in journalism as a photographer, Agustinus, who is currently working on a book exploring the concept of borders, found that lately his role had been more of that of a travel writer.

In fact, it was mostly in this capacity that he was invited to Alice Springs as the first writer brought from overseas to attend the NT Writers Festival (NTWF) in that town.

The NTWF is held alternately between Alice Springs and Darwin, with the latter having seen a number of Indonesian guest speakers, including Eka Kurniawan, author of Beauty is a Wound.

Read also: Australia-Indonesia cultural relationship: Those who shaped our critical mind

Paired with Alice Springs journalist Glenn Morrison, Agustinus spoke at the Alice Springs Library about his physical and psychological journeys, his fascination with borders and the current political happenings in Indonesia.

Despite only having a few days to stay in Alice Springs, he used as much free time he had to find out as much as he could about Australias indigenous people.

He witnessed a smoking ceremony, visited the Akeyulerre Healing Centre, where he picked herbs with female elders, explored the Emily Gap landscape  famous for its Aboriginal rock art  with indigenous traditional owners and consulted a number of experts and elders about the meaning of dreaming and songlines  two important concepts in Aboriginal culture.

At first, Agustinus recalled, he was confused about the term dreaming when he was exposed to it during one of the sharing sessions at the festival. After all, he thought, what was so important about a dream someone had?

I think Australians take for granted that people know what dreaming means, he said, At first I did not understand what it meant, I thought it was just a dream, but here I discovered that dreaming has a meaning that is even deeper than an origin story.

Agustinus said he had never experienced any other festival in Australia with so much involvement by Aborigines, or any other festival with a deeper indigenous perspective.

We are not only guest speakers here. We can hear the spirit of the land  the voice of the land.
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Linkedin Maggie Tiojakin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, July 17, 2017 09:22 1944 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a90c599 4 Art & Culture short-story,#shortstory,fiction,May-1998-riots,student-protest,history,New-Order Free

Joko makes his way through a massive crowd of students out on the yard of the high-walled campus on Jl. Ahmad Yani. The sun is pale against the metallic sky and the city is brimming with heat and exhaust fumes.

It is not yet eight in the morning.

He finds Mara somewhere at the back of the crowd, leaning against a rusty iron pole near the pair of tall speakers through which the voice of their student organization leader rips across the yard, past the rows of students donning silver jackets and hats.

Mara glosses her lips with a pink ChapStick and listens intently. She has on a pair of bright green sneakers. Her hair has been washed and blow-dried and it smells of strawberries. She doesnt usually wear tights under her skirt, but today is an exception. And instead of the mandatory alma mater jacket, she puts on a washed-out denim vest. Joko almost laughs at the irony of it all.

Youre late, she says as he stands next to her.

How long has he been up there? he asks.

About an hour, she says. Why are you late?

The bus was late, he says. Have you been here the whole time?

I didnt want to miss the party.

He cant take his eyes off her.

You look great, he says.

Thanks.

The shoes are a nice touch.

Shut up.

He smiles. Its going to be a very long day.

So I gather, she says.

You should know these things never end well.

Dont be a pain.

I cant help it.

Its a monumental day for all of us.

You shouldve stayed home.

Youre an ass.

Im just saying. You could get hurt.

Its a risk. Life is all about taking risks.

What is that?

What is what?

Life is all about taking risks, Joko moans in jest.

Oh, he said that. Mara nods at the senior student on the podium who is facing the crowd and chanting the word justice repeatedly into the mic. He opened his oration with life being about taking risks.

Hes an idiot, says Joko. And the idiot is going to get us all killed.

Stop it.

You could get hurt.

So could you.

Joko tilts his head heavenward, sees the patches of clear blue here and there in the dust-colored sky. Someone shakes their fist in the air to make a point and everyone else erupts into a wave of cheers. Mara claps her hands enthusiastically.

Their university is among the last few to join a string of student rallies held across the nation in the past couple of months. There are stories going around, all the time. Soon, Joko thinks: the crowd will be led to the other side of the yard, past the brick buildings  toward the gates. And as they make their way out of the campus, they will begin the long and carefully planned march across town toward the legislative complex.

They will march in file: the sound of their footsteps against concrete a staccato of expectation, aspiration, delusion, idealism and foolishness.

They will cross bridges, ignore curious onlookers, wait out the traffic and appreciate the warm weather.

I heard it might rain, says Joko.

Mara sticks out her hand into the air as if to test the level of moisture. Its too warm.

It still might rain, he insists.

So let it rain, she shrugs.

Youre just 

What.

I dont know, he says, narrowing his eyes. I cant find the word for it.

Naive?

No, not naive.

Stupid?

Not that, either.

What?

Youre just so  Joko sighs. Gullible.

Members of the student organization take a few steps toward the podium and begin the procession of raising the countrys flag at half-mast. The crowd belts out the national anthem. Joko lights up a cigarette and thinks of the way things burn and crackle and turn to ashes. This is their moment in the sun. This is the day they will attempt change, for better or worse.

Ive never had to stand up for anything in my life, says Mara. She is staring ahead at the podium where their seniors turn sideways to salute the flag. I think we should all be given the opportunity  or at least the option  to stand up for something.

I dont see the point, says Joko.

Mara smiles. I know you dont.

They will set up rally points and shout out their demands on live television a few hours from now: Impeach the president! Reform the government!

They will look like ants six, seven thousand feet from the air.

They will be met with a fierce resistance from a battalion of trained soldiers in uniform, fully armed with shields and sticks and guns.

They will be asked to turn around and go home, like children.

They will lock arms and refuse to be driven away.

They will raise hell.

Though  at some point  they will run. They will not have the chance to stop as the bullets come raining down and the beating and the arrests follow. They will struggle to find each other amid the stampede and the panic and the loss. They will know fear. They will know despair. And nothing else.

When it gets dark and the streets are spilled with the blood of fallen friends, they will try to remember the feeling they had at the beginning. They will try to remember the reason and weigh that against the price they have to pay. Yet, all the same, they will not know where or how to draw the line.

It will be the longest day of their lives.

The crowd begins to move toward the gates. Mara picks up the rolled up banner she has rested against the pole. There is hope in her eyes. Yes, thats it. Hope. What a silly thing. Joko drops his cigarette on the ground, crushes it underfoot and takes Maras hand in his.

Stay close to me, says Joko. Dont stray too far.

The gates are opened. The sun is high. Beyond them, the city lies idle, in wait, as smog slowly fills the air.

***

The writer is an Indonesian author and translator. A different version of this story has appeared in Everyday Fiction.

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Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Dhaka, Bangladesh  Mon, July 17, 2017 18:34 1943 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a924b15 2 Food Donald-Trump,cafe,#DonaldTrump,Bangladesh,Dhaka,food,#food Free

A cafe in Dhaka named after Donald Trump has been luring Bangladeshis undeterred by his controversial politics and more interested in snapping selfies with a life-size cutout of the US president.

The cafe was opened in January by a self-professed Trump fan who rejects the notion that the US president is 'anti Islam', saying diners at his cafe in the heart of Muslim-majority Bangladesh agreed.

"If he were anti-Muslim, he would not have visited Saudi Arabia and had a good time there," cafe owner Shafiul Islam told AFP, adding none of Trump's decisions had affected Bangladesh's 144 million-odd Muslims.

Politics appears to be last thing on many diners' minds as they pose for photos with a cardboard cutout of the US president, placed strategically at the entrance by 29-year-old businessman Islam.

"Girls are his bigger fans. They come to take selfies with the Trump picture. Children love him too," he said, adding more visitors snapped photos than ordered food.

Read also: Jokowi invites Trump to Indonesia

In this photograph taken on July 13, 2017, a Bangladeshi customer takes selfie with a cutout US President Donald Trump at the Trump Cafe in Dhaka. (AFP/Munir Uz Zaman)

The cafe serves Thai, Chinese and Indian dishes, with specials given names like the "Trump burger".

CNN is broadcast to give an extra American flavour, while the wi-fi password is "Ivanka Trump".

But it's the pull power of the man himself bringing in curious customers.

Nuzhat Sultana, said the cafe -- which Islam says will soon include wallpapered images of the Oval Office and Trump's family -- was "very fascinating".

"The best part is the sudden illusion when you enter the cafe and see the US president welcoming you at the door!" she said.
The exact timing of the drills is unclear, but this weekend's reports are the latest indication of muscle-flexing by China amid the month-long stand-off at Doklam.

By Ananth Krishnan: A brigade of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) responsible for frontline combat operations has held "live fire exercises" in Tibet with a focus on boosting its "quick delivery of troops", Chinese media have reported.

The exact timing of the drills is unclear, but this weekend's reports are the latest indication of muscle-flexing by China amid the month-long stand-off at Doklam.

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Another report on July 3 said the same Western Theatre Command had held an armoured brigade drill at 5100 metres in Tibet to test "combat readiness".

DRILLS HELD FOR PRACTICING QUICK RESPONSE

One of two mountain brigades on the Tibetan plateau, under the Tibet Military Command of the Western Theatre, carried out the drills. A video was released by China Central Television this weekend, and the Party-run Global Times reported on the drills today.

The videos appeared to be different from last month's drills, which showcased the PLA's most advanced Type 96 battle tank. This video showed artillery firing with howitzers and anti-tank grenades, as well as radar units identifying enemy aircraft.

The report said the brigade was "responsible for frontline combat missions" and had "long been stationed around the middle and lower reaches" of the Brahmaputra river, or Yarlung Zangbo as it is called in China.

The drills included "the quick delivery of troops and different military units working together on joint attacks" while a video showed troops using anti-tank grenades and howitzers in artillery firing.

Radar units "identifying enemy aircraft and soldiers using anti-aircraft artillery to annihilate targets" were also tested, reports said.

Also read: Doklam standoff: Why China wants India to stop defending Bhutan

Also read: How India and China can defuse Doklam tension by blaming colonial Britain

Also read: Doklam border dispute: Villagers near India-China border worried but won't leave their homes

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

--- ENDS ---
Street vendors display mini ondel-ondel (giant Betawi effigies), which are sold for Rp 35,000 (US$2.6), during Car Free Day at the Hotel Indonesia Traffic Circle on Sunday. Many Jakarta residents head to the capitals thorougfares during the weekly Car Free Day to exercise and gather with friends and families.(JP/Dhoni Setiawan)(giant Betawi effigies), which are sold for Rp 35,000 (US$2.6), during Car Free Day at the Hotel Indonesia Traffic Circle on Sunday. Many Jakarta residents head to the capitals thorougfares during the weekly Car Free Day to exercise and gather with friends and families.(JP/Dhoni Setiawan)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, July 17, 2017 21:38 1943 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a9278c7 2 City drug-smuggling,actor,abuse Free

Actor Jeremy Thomas has reported police officers for allegedly abusing his son Axel Matthew Thomas who had been suspected of being involved in an illicit drug delivery.

The case started when Soekarno-Hatta International Airport Police seized 1,118 nimetazepam happy five pills being smuggled in boxes of Panadol from Malaysia on Friday after receiving information from the airports Customs Office.

Police went to Terminal 3 where investigators apprehended one person, identified only as JV, Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Argo Yuwono said.

The police then arrested a man, identified only as DRW, based on JVs information. Police alleged DRW was one of the people who had ordered the drugs.

After further investigation [we found] five people had [allegedly] ordered the drugs, one whom was Jeremy Thomas son, he said as quoted by kompas.com on Monday.

Axel was arrested by investigators at Hotel Crystal in Kemang, South Jakarta, on Saturday. But he was later released as police found no drugs on him.

Argo added that Axel attempted to evade arrest and became engaged in a fight with police personnel.

Jeremy alleged police investigators tortured his son while forcing him to admit to his involvement in the drug delivery.

The police officers are under investigation by the National Polices internal affairs division (Propam). (wnd)
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Linkedin Laurent Thomet (Agence France-Presse) Beijing  Mon, July 17, 2017 13:19 1944 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a918224 2 Business China,economy,economic-growth Free

China posted better-than-expected second quarter growth on Monday, but analysts warned that the momentum will not last as authorities clamp down on rising debt.

The economy expanded 6.9 percent in April-June, the same as the previous three months and better than the 6.8 percent tipped in an AFP survey.

"The national economy has maintained the momentum of steady and sound development in the first half of 2017, laying a solid foundation for achieving the annual target and better performance," national statistics bureau spokesman Xing Zhihong said.

"However, we must be aware that there are still many unstable and uncertain factors abroad and long-term structural contradictions remain prominent at home," Xing told reporters.

Industrial production grew 7.6 percent in June while retail sales were up 11 percent, both better than the previous month, according to the official data.

But analysts expect a deceleration of the overall economy.

"China's strong first half to the year won't last," Julian Evans-Pritchard, China economist at Capital Economics, said in a note.

"The recent crackdown on financial risks has driven a slowdown in credit growth, which will weigh on the economy during the second half of this year," he said.

- Crackdown on risk -

Debt-fuelled investment in infrastructure and real estate has underpinned China's growth for years but Beijing has launched a crackdown over fears of a potential financial crisis.

Fitch Ratings on Friday maintained its A-plus rating for the country for China but said its growing debt could trigger "economic and financial shocks".

The statement followed Moody's decision in May to downgrade China for the first time in almost three decades on concerns over its ballooning credit and slowing growth.

President Xi Jinping called for tougher regulations to crack down on financial risks during a weekend National Financial Work Conference, which sets the tone for reforms, according to state media.

The government will continue to deleverage the economy through prudent monetary policy and by reducing leverage in state-owned enterprises, Xi said.

The conference showed that authorities will intensify financial regulation "unprecedentedly, through a much more centralised and empowered organisational set-up", ANZ's China economist Raymond Yeung said in a note.

"Debt reduction will become an important consideration in monetary policy," Yeung said, predicting more corporate defaults and a tightening of credit policy among banks.

Despite the economic deleveraging, however, "we do not think this event will trigger an immediate monetary tightening".

- 'Gradual slowdown' -

Analysts expect tighter restrictions on property purchases and bank lending will continue to weigh on the economy in the months ahead.

But a sharp slowdown in the second half is unlikely as policymakers prepare for an important Communist Party congress later this year that will likely cement Xi's place as the most powerful leader in a generation.

"It is therefore highly probable that authorities will use the resources and policy tools at their disposal to ensure a positive economic outcome," Citibank said in a note.

The government has trimmed its 2017 growth target to around 6.5 percent, after it expanded 6.7 percent in 2016 -- its slowest rate in more than a quarter of a century.

While the Nomura Group raised its 2017 growth forecast from 6.7 percent to 6.8 percent, the Tokyo-based financial firm said in a note that it still expects a "gradual slowdown" as the property sector appears set to "lose steam" in the second half.

Premier Li Keqiang said last month that the country could reach this year's economic growth targets.

Last quarter's growth momentum had continued into the current one, he said, noting that traditional economic indicators such as power generation and consumption, and new business orders had increased "significantly".
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Linkedin Nurul Fitri Ramadhani and Margareth S. Aritonang (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, July 17, 2017 20:53 1943 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a926ac7 1 Politics Perppu,HTI,Hizbut-Tahrir-Indonesia Free

The Democratic Party has joined a group of political parties challenging a new regulation in lieu of law (Perppu) that allows the government to disband mass organizations without the need to go through court proceedings.

The party said the Perppu, issued by President Joko Jokowi Widodo last week, was a threat to freedom of assembly and democracy. A restriction on the freedom of assembly will stir up conflict, Democratic Party executive Agus Hermanto said.

Jokowi issued the Perppu a few months after announcing a plan to disband Islamist group Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI), which is considered anti-Pancasila as it promotes the creation of an Islamic state in Indonesia.

The government has said that the 2013 Mass Organizations Law, which requires the government to file a request with a court to ban a mass group, had stymied the governments efforts to safeguard state ideology Pancasila and national unity.

Besides the Democratic Party, two other opposition parties  the Gerindra Party and the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS)  and the National Mandate Party (PAN), which is part of the government coalition, have also criticized the Perppu.

Human rights activists have also criticized the Perppu, which they say is prone to abuse and could be used to silence political dissent.

The House of Representatives is scheduled to hold a plenary meeting this week to decide whether to endorse the Perppu. (ary)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, July 17, 2017 16:49 1943 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a923bcd 1 Business dwelling-time,loading-unloading-processes,port,transportation-ministry Free

The governments effort to improve services at seaports has suffered a setback, as indicated by the worsening dwell time to 3.6 days in the first half of 2017 from 2.9 days in late 2016.

The Transportation Ministrys maritime affairs director general, Antonius Tonny Budiman, said the longer dwell time was caused by an increase in freight volume at the ports, particularly prior to the Idul Fitri holiday.

There are long queues. It affects dwell time, Tonny said as reported by kompas.com over the weekend, adding that his office would evaluate activities at ports to make sure dwell time could be immediately shortened.

If there were problems in loading and unloading activities, the system would be improved, but if the problem is administrative, Tonny added, he would punish officials who caused the problem.

The government in the middle of June launched its 15th economic package, which is aimed at improving logistics in the country through the enhancement of the role of transportation insurance, reducing costs for logistics service providers, strengthening the Indonesia National Single Window (INSW) authority and reducing the number of prohibited and restricted goods.

More details for the economic package will be stipulated in the 16th economic package, said Coordinating Economic Minister Darmin Nasution. (bbn)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, July 17, 2017 23:10 1943 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a92ab94 2 National Bakamla,bakamla-graft-case,corruption,graft Free

The Jakarta Corruption Court sentenced former Maritime Security Board (Bakamla) deputy chairman Eko Susilo Hadi on Monday to four years and three months in prison for receiving kickbacks.

The panel of judges also ordered him to pay Rp 200 million (US$15,000) in fines as he has been found guilty of receiving US$88,500, 10,000 and S$100,000 in kickbacks from businessmen as rewards for helping them win a bid to supply satellite monitoring equipment.

When judge Yohannes Priyana asked him whether he would appeal, Eko said, I accept the verdict.

Read also: Businessmen get 1.5 years in Bakamla graft case

Judge Sofialdy pointed out that Eko asked for a kickback involving an order from Bakamla chief Vice Adm. Arie Soedewo in late October last year. Arie had testified as a witness during the trial.

If we have sufficient preliminary evidence, we can continue the investigation [and name new suspects], Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) spokesman Febri Diansyah told The Jakarta Post.

He, however, said that investigations into active military officers are under the authority of the military police.

Indonesian military police commander Maj. Gen. Dodik Wijanarko declined to comment when asked if the force would follow up on the verdict with a new investigation. (kuk/bbs)
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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, July 17 2017

Jakarta Police have detained Muhammad Hidayat, who recently accused Kaesang Pangarep, President Joko Jokowi Widodos youngest son, of hate speech, for allegedly inciting hate and violence himself.

Hidayat, who was already a suspect in the case before he reported Kaesang to the police, was held for the second time on Friday after he refused to answer questions from investigators.

He is alleged to have spread hate speech by uploading an apparently doctored video of a rally against former Jakarta governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama, in which Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Mochammad Iriawan is depicted ordering members of the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) to attack members of the Islamic Students Association (HMI).

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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, July 17, 2017 15:28 1943 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a91e158 1 City bullying,Gunadarma-University Free

Gunadarma University admitted on Monday that a video showing an autistic student being bullied by other students at its Depok campus in West Java was authentic.

Gunadarma deputy rector Irwan Bastian said the autistic student was a sophomore studying computer and information technology.

It is too much to be a joke. And it was at the hands of his own classmates, Irwan said as quoted by tempo.co.

The 14-second video shows a student in a black shirt tugging on the young mans backpack and laughing while other students laugh and clap their hands in the mans face.

They also threw trash at him. No one came to his defense.

Irwan said Gunadarma University had looked into the matter and said three students had been involved in the bullying.

He vowed that the university would punish the three students, possibly through a verbal or written reprimand or expulsion.

If there is criminal element involved, they could be imprisoned, Irwan said. (wnd)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, July 17, 2017 14:21 1944 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a91af1e 4 City sidewalks,street-vendors,motorcycle-taxi,activist Free

Jakarta Governor Djarot Saiful Hidayat has instructed the city's Transportation Agency to clamp down on motorcyclists and street vendors occupying sidewalks, and has asked Jakarta Police to help arrest violators.

Arrest and punish them, because they have violated the rights of pedestrians, Djarot was quoted by tempo.co.

Djarot said a similar sanction should also be imposed on street vendors who occupied sidewalks.

That is why I call upon mayors to tell their subdistrict and village chiefs to check on this matter, Djarot said.

On Friday, four members of the Koalisi Pejalan Kaki pedestrian's coalition were verbally abused and threatened by two motorcycle taxi (ojek) drivers who drove on the sidewalks along Jl. Kebon Sirih to avoid a traffic jam.

The coalition members politely asked the ojek drivers not to drive on the sidewalks, as it was dedicated to pedestrians. In response to the request, the motorcyclists berated the activists and threatened to harm them. (wnd/dmr)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, July 17, 2017 12:37 1944 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a916301 4 Business Jakarta-Surabaya-medium-speed-railway,new-tracks,revitalization,Luhut-Binsar-Pandjaitan Free

The government has not decided whether the Jakarta-Surabaya medium-speed railway would use existing railway tracks or develop new tracks as hinted by Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Luhut Panjaitan, an official has said.

Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT) head Unggul Priyanto said if the second option was chosen, the government would have the additional task of acquiring land for the project.

Land acquisition has always been a serious problem in infrastructure development. Construction of the Jakarta-Bandung railway has been stalled by acquisition problems even though the groundbreaking ceremony was held in January 2016.

Theoretically, state-owned railway operator PT KAI owns the land a number of meters from existing tracks, but the land is often occupied by people, said Unggul when attending a mapping process for the location of the project using a drone produced by BPPT in Cerebon, West Java, over the weekend.

Therefore, the government would have to acquire land for the project if the government decided to develop new tracks, he said.

However, he said, if the government used the existing tracks, there was the question of whether the existing tracks could accommodate the future needs of the railway industry.

We're talking about the scores of years after project construction. Can we rely on the existing tracks? he said as quoted by tribunnews.com. (bbn)
An article in the Global Times said that the massive influx of investment by foreign manufacturers is of great significance for India's economy, employment and industrial development.

By Press Trust of India: India is receiving a "massive influx" of foreign investments which will greatly enhance its ability to develop the manufacturing sector and China should "keep calm" and start working on a more effective growth strategy for the new era, a state-run newspaper said today.

"This massive influx of investment by foreign manufacturers is of great significance for India's economy, employment and industrial development," an article in the Global Times said.

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"China should be calm seeing India's rise. To cope with competition from India, China could start working on a more effective growth strategy for the new era now," it said.

FOREIGN INVESTMENTS

The influx of foreign manufacturers is addressing some of India's weaknesses and enhancing its manufacturing ability, with Chinese companies also playing an important role in the process, according to the article.

"This is a repeat of China's introduction of foreign investment, which is why it is likely that India may succeed.

"If in the past India lacked capital, a developed manufacturing sector and skilled manufacturing workers, the foreign manufacturing inflow is now helping India address the problem, backing up the governments Make in India initiative," it said.

FOREIGN MANUFACTURING

The article listed a host of foreign companies including some of the Chinese firms which are investing in India.

"It should be pointed out that what is happening in India occurred in China two decades ago.

"Just like what happened with China during its reform and opening-up, the arrival of foreign manufacturing will greatly enhance India's ability to develop its manufacturing sector, which will help in cultivating a large number of skilled workers, managers and factories," it added.

Also read: Beyond Doklam standoff, how India can trump China on economic front

Also read: Doklam standoff won't hit India-China economic, cultural ties: Chinese embassy official

WATCH VIDEO HERE

--- ENDS ---
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Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Beijing, China  Mon, July 17, 2017 17:18 1943 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a924568 2 World China,Censorship,pop-culture Free

Has Winnie the Pooh done something to anger China's censors? Some mentions of the lovable but dimwitted bear with a weakness for "hunny" have been blocked on Chinese social networks.

Authorities did not explain the clampdown, but the self-described "bear of very little brain" has been used in the past in a meme comparing him to portly Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Posts bearing the image and the Chinese characters for Winnie the Pooh were still permitted on the Twitter-like Weibo platform Monday.

But comments referencing "Little Bear Winnie"- Pooh's Chinese name -- turned up error messages saying the user could not proceed because "this content is illegal."

Winnie the Pooh stickers have also been removed from WeChat's official "sticker gallery," but user-generated gifs of the bear are still available on the popular messaging app.

Comparisons between Xi and Pooh first emerged in 2013, after Chinese social media users began circulating a pair of pictures that placed an image of Pooh and his slender tiger friend "Tigger" beside a photograph of Xi walking with then-US President Barack Obama.

In 2014, a photographed handshake between Xi and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was matched with an image of Pooh gripping the hoof of his gloomy donkey friend Eeyore.

And in 2015, the political analysis portal Global Risk Insights called a picture of Xi standing up through the roof of a parade car paired with an image of a Winnie the Pooh toy car "China's most censored photo" of the year.

Qiao Mu, an independent media studies scholar and former professor at Beijing Foreign Studies University, said the blocked bear content was unsurprising given the ruling Communist Party's sensitivity to depictions of its leader.
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Linkedin Rizal Harahap (The Jakarta Post) Pekanbaru  Mon, July 17, 2017 10:42 1944 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a90ffad 1 National Sialang-Bungkuk-prison,overcrowded,Riau,Pekanbaru,brawl Free

A riot broke out on Saturday evening at the Sialang Bungkuk correctional facility in Pekanbaru, Riau, as prisoners protested the decision to transfer 21 of their number to other prisons for being provocateurs during a previous riot at the prison in May.

The riot began when several prisoners blocked the path of officers escorting the inmates being transferred. Some prisoners forcefully pulled the escorted inmates back to their cells.

Rioters then threw rocks and other things at the security officers, including at military personnel and police officers who arrived to help disperse the mob. The officers tried to take control of the situation by firing warning shots and tear gas cannisters.

After the riot, officers searched for weapons and other dangerous items in every cell, Pekanbaru Police deputy chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Edy Sumardi said, claiming the situation had been put under control as of Sunday morning.

Read also: Recent jailbreaks highlight prison problems

The 21 inmates were eventually transferred to the Tembilahan and Bangkinang prisons. Both are also in Riau.

Afterward, prison officers transferred 37 more prisoners to Bangkinang for allegedly provoking others to riot.

The previous May riot erupted at Sialang Bungkuk as prisoners protested overcrowding in the facility. As many as 448 inmates escaped following the riot.

The Sialang Bungkuk detention center currently holds 1,231 prisoners, exceeding its capacity for 561 prisoners. (kuk/bbs)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, July 17, 2017 10:07 1944 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a90deef 1 Business business-forum,Taiwan,Trade,investment Free

The government, through the Indonesian Economic and Trade Office (KDEI), has held a business forum in Taipei to encourage Taiwanese businesspeople to increase trade and investment in Indonesia.

The July 13 event, organized by KDEI Taipei in cooperation with Indonesias Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) and CTBC Bank, aimed to showcase Indonesias progress in improving the business climate.

Transparency is the spirit that we promote in our economic policy, especially in the investment policy. This in line with the New Southbound Policy that has become Taiwans primary foreign policy, KDEI head Robert J Bintaryo said on Saturday, as quoted by news agency Antara.

BKPM deputy head Azhar Lubis said 60 percent of the total investment in Indonesia in the first quarter of 2017 was foreign capital investment, amounting to US$7.3 billion. Asian countries including Taiwan dominated the total foreign investment, he said.

In the past five years, the trade value between Indonesia and Taiwan declined by 13.62 percent. Over the same period, Indonesian exports of non-oil and gas products dropped by 9.81 percent. (rdi/ags)
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Linkedin Yeo Jun-suk (The Korea Herald/ANN) Seoul  Mon, July 17, 2017 13:02 1944 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a917cef 2 World #SouthKorea,#NorthKorea,#MilitaryCooperation Free

South Korea proposed holding inter-Korean military talks Friday, the Souths Ministry of National Defense said on Monday



In order to suspend hostile activities at the military demarcation line, we propose holding an inter-Korean military talk at Tongilgak, the North Korean building inside the truce village of Panmunjeom, the ministry said in a statement.



The ministry asked North Korea to respond by restoring the two Koreas military communication line in the West Sea. The North has yet to issue an official statement.



The proposal is designed to follow up on President Moon Jae-ins offer to suspend all acts of hostile activities at the cross-border region as of July 27, when the two Koreas mark the 64th anniversary of the armistice treaty that ended the Korean War in 1953, the ministry added.



Moons proposal was laid out during his speech on July 6 in Berlin, where he proposed other engagement overtures toward North Korea, such as holding reunions of families separated by the war on Oct. 4 and the invitation of North Korean delegates to the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang.



The last time the two Koreas held a military consultation was in 2014. The dialogue was suspended by increased cross-border tension following the Norths missile and nuclear activities.

Topics :

This article appeared on The Korea Herald newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post
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Linkedin Nurul Fitri Ramadhani and Margareth S. Aritonang (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, July 17, 2017 21:00 1943 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a92774a 1 Politics Telegram,police,Tito-Karnavian,security,terrorism Free

National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian has defended the governments decision to block the web version of messaging application Telegram, claiming the application's privacy features compromise national security.

Privacy is allowed, but national security is also important, Tito told the press on the sidelines of a hearing at the House of Representatives on Monday. He added that high security may come at the cost of freedom.

The police chief argued that the privacy features provided on the Telegram application posed a threat to national security, as they enabled users to apply end-to-end encryption "that could not be wiretapped."

The messaging application also allows a group chat with more than 10,000 members without providing details, including phone numbers, to the groups administrator, a feature that Tito said would be useful for terrorists.

Tito said the police had handled more than a dozen terrorism cases in which the suspects communicated via Telegram.

The Communications and Information Ministry has asked Telegram to grant us access [to chat groups], so that we could detect those campaigning for radicalism, bomb-making and terror acts, but to no avail, he said.

Thus, we must close down [the application] from operating here to show Telegram that our national security matters. This is clearly an effective measure. (ary)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, July 17, 2017 15:04 1943 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a91d571 1 News Tourism-Ministry-Pesona-Indonesia,tourism-ministry-wonderful-Indonesia,Bintan,Airport Free

Indonesia's first private airport is currently being developed on Bintan Island by PT Bintan Resort Cakrawala together with private carrier Sriwijaya Air.

The total area of the airport is estimated to be between 1,300 and 1,500 hectares.

Gallant Venture, the parent company of Salim Group-owned Bintan Resort, is said to fund up to US$ 150 million for the project.

Weve conducted a land preparation; were currently working on the runway and airport development, said PT Bintan Resort Cakrawala general manager Abdul Wahab.

Apart from the airport, Sriwijaya Air's Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) is also going to be build there.

Read also: Banyuwangi to boast Indonesia's first green airport

The construction of the first development phase, which include a 300-meter runway, an airport building and MRO, is set to be done by 2019 and the airport will be ready for operation the year after.

The new MRO will accept reparation service requests from other airlines considering the fact that the number of MRO available in Indonesia is still limited.

The completion of the first phase is expected to bring in two to three million tourists to Bintan Island, Abdul added.

The second phase will focus on the development of an airport hub, which includes a flight school, and is expected to complete by 2025, The airport hub can contribute between 25,000 and 35,000 workers from different regions in Indonesia, said Abdul.

Read also: Despite infrastructure issues, Nihi Sumba Island named worlds best hotel

The next stage will be the development of a second runway.

With the new airport, Abdul says the island is targeting to welcome 600,000 tourists until the end of the year, of which 80 percent of them are from overseas. The average number of foreign tourist visiting Bintan per year is 200,000 people.

The number of foreign tourists in Bintan in 2016 reached 2,004,000 people; thats 17 percent of the total tourists in Indonesia. Moreover, Bintan Airport will help solve air connectivity problems, said Tourism Minister Arief Yahya. (kes)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, July 17, 2017 15:37 1943 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a91e872 1 News Tourism-Ministry-Pesona-Indonesia,tourism-ministry-wonderful-Indonesia,coffee,coffee-plantation,foreign-tourists,East-Java Free

Twenty-two coffee enthusiasts from 12 countries came to Bondowoso regency in East Java on July 14 to taste and learn about Arabika Java Ijen Raung, the regencys local coffee.

Indonesian Specialty Coffee Association (AKSI) head Syafrudin said that the mission of this event is to introduce Bondowoso coffee to the world, So that it will improve the standard of living of the coffee farmers and increase the countrys foreign exchange, Syafrudin said.

The 22 participants were citizens of Ireland, France, Spain, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Australia, United States, Thailand, Singapore, Taiwan, China and Saudi Arabia.

Read also: Flores coffee hamlet offers unique tourist destination

Bondowoso coffee has been attracting a lot of buyers, including a cafe in Australia, Syafrudin added.

Theyve already known about the fact that Bondowos is one of the worlds best coffee producers. Theyre curious about the coffee processing and coffee farm in Bondowoso, said Bondowoso regent Amin Said Husni who in 2016 made a decision to brand Bondowoso as a 'Coffee Republic'.

Since 2011, coffee products from Sumber Wringin farm in Bondowoso have been exported overseas. The export in the first year was 17.6 tons (one container).

In the second year, the number jumped up to 12 containers or 236.5 tons while in 2013 the number decreased to 155.3 tons or six containers.

Read also: Coffee guerrillas fighting for the perfect cup

The past six years, the regency administrations together with Indonesian Coffee and Cocoa Research Institute (ICCI), Bank Indonesia and other institutions have been giving a lot of attention to coffee development and coffee farmers in Bondowoso.

Through the hard work, Arabika Java Ijen Raung Coffee has obtained Geographical Indication (IG) certification from the ministry of law and human rights. The certification is a commodity patent right in an area.

Indonesias Arabica coffee export has also been increasing every year. In 2014 the number reached 529 tons, in 2015 it was 800 tons and in 2016 the number was around 1,600 tons.

Indonesian coffee is getting a worldwide attention, even though were not the worlds biggest coffee exporter, Brazil takes the first spot, but Indonesian coffee has its own unique characters that are different between regions, said tourism minister Arief Yahya. (asw)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, July 17, 2017 13:02 1944 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a917d4c 1 News Tourism-Ministry-Pesona-Indonesia,tourism-ministry-wonderful-Indonesia,Jepara,Central-Java Free

Jepara is set to eliminate tourism retribution in several destinations run by the administration, such as Bandengan Beach, Kartini Beach and Portuguese Fort, in 2019.

We are still discussing the plan; were currently working on the legal matter, which includes approval from the Regional Legislative Councils [DPRD]," said Jepara Cultural and Tourism Agency head Deni Hendarko. "This policy was initiated by our regent and deputy regent after much consideration. Of course it will lead to a decrease in our locally generated income [PAD], but we can get another income from other sectors.

Read also: Batam to open first modern museum in 2018

The policy is estimated to decrease the regency's PAD by up to Rp 3.6 billion (US$270,352) per year.

We want to push the number of tourist visit [to Jepara]. When there are more tourists coming, other sectors will improve as well. Sure the potential lost of PAD is there but it will be covered by the tax income from other sectors, such as restaurants and hotels, he added.

Read also: What you need to know about the Purwakarta hanging hotel

Moreover, Deni says the increase of tourist visit will encourage economic equality in Jepara, especially related to UMKM (micro, small and medium enterprises) sector.

Tourism Minister Arief Yahya reportedly approved the new policy. You can earn your [PAD] from food, drinks, tour packages and other facilities that are not hotel rooms or other services; its called non-operating income. A business always takes profit from operating and non-operating incomes, he said. (kes)
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Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Tokyo, Japan  Mon, July 17, 2017 12:06 1944 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97a914c0c 2 News Japan,UNESCO,travel,traveling,#Japan,#UNESCO,#traveling,Okinoshima-Island Free

Visitors will not be allowed to set foot on a men-only UNESCO World Heritage island in Japan from next year, an official said Saturday.

The tiny landmass of Okinoshima, where women are banned and male visitors must bathe naked in the sea before visiting its shrine, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site last week.

Limited numbers are currently permitted to land on the island in the Sea of Japan (East Sea) -- this year it was 200 -- for a yearly festival that lasts just two hours, but they must adhere to strict rules.

But Munakata Taisha, the shrine which owns Okinoshima, has decided to ban travel for anyone apart from priests from next year to protect the island from being damaged, a spokesman told AFP.

Read also: Japanese manga Glass Mask-themed cafe to be opened in Osaka

"A strict preservation is required now that the island has got the UNESCO listing," he said.

"It will be risky if 200 visitors continue to come to the island," he said, adding that Okinoshima is "the island protected by Shinto priests".

The island is permanently manned by a Shinto priest who prays to the island's goddess, in a tradition that has been kept up for centuries.

However, academics will be allowed to land on the island for research and preservation purposes, he added.

The island, which sits off the northwest coast of Kyushu, the southernmost of Japan's four main islands, was an important window for foreign trade in Japan since ancient times, forming part of a route that linked the archipelago to the Korean peninsula and China.
Due to high number of fake alarms raised by it, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which is responsible for airport security is yet to take the complete control of the system.

By Mail Today Bureau: A high-tech security measure installed at Delhi airport to keep an eye on intruder, and reduce the manual security force is yet to show its effectiveness.

According to senior official, virtual fencing which is also known as Perimeter Intrusion Detection System (PIDS) installed at the boundaries of Indira Gandhi International (IGI) has been raising false alarm forcing a dedicated team to manually check the breach. A senior civil aviation ministry official told Mail Today that optimum utilisation of high tech security function could not be done so far and it is yet to yield positive results.

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Security agencies have raised the concern at several occasions but the system could not be fixed.

Due to high number of fake alarms raised by it, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which is responsible for airport security is yet to take the complete control of the system.

CISF has asked to fix the gaps before However, it is the Quick Response Team (QRT) of CISF which has to physically verify each time PIDS flags intruder alert. But on maximum occasions they have to return empty handed.

50 FAKE ALARMS PER DAY

A source said that the system was so sensitive that it used to raise almost over 50 fake alarms a day and each time a dedicated team was sent to verify it. "A proper security protocol is followed each time. This waste huge amount of resource," the officer said. But the benefit of the technology cannot be denied as in past it has detected intruders.

PIDS system had last year caught a man who had scaled the wall of Delhi airport and informed the CISF. The system also keeps security forces on their toes.

However, one of the salient features of the technology was to reduce manual checking and provide seamless accurate security which could not be fixed so far. PIDS was implemented after a Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) mandate in 2007, which made it compulsory for all airports across the country to install the system. So far, only GMR-run airports including Hyderabad and Delhi have installed the system.

CISF MONITORING SYSTEM

The Rs 35-crore project was to be implemented before the 2010 Commonwealth Games. The multilayer security system with around 200 CCTV cameras to capture even the slightest movement near the boundary wall of one of the country's most sensitive airports has radars, more than 35 watchtowers and a patrolling track along the 25-km perimeter wall of the airport.

Highlighting the loophole, another senior official said, "The alarm used to go off even if a leaf touched the fence or it was crossed by a small bird. The sensitivity of the system has been reduced and other technological changes were made to make it more productive."

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The airport operator, however, claims that, "initially, some technical issues were detected in the system, which was duly addressed by a team of technical experts. At present CISF is operating and monitoring the system, DIAL is maintaining the serviceability issues of PIDS to support the force." Recently a discussion was made to install a new sensor based security system which can detect unwanted miscreants trying to break through the four walls. This could run to support existing PIDS as it is not 100 per cent reliable.

Also read: Centre gives wings to Greater Noida, clears proposal for Jewar airport

Also read: Udan scheme: Now you can fly to these 43 cities, see the full list here

Also read:DigiYatra may halve check-in and boarding time at airports by year end

--- ENDS ---
At Ben Shaouls Lower East Side condo project, 196 Orchard St., Compass is out and Douglas Elliman is in. [The Real Deal]

Peter Blum is opening a gallery at 176 Grand St. [Real Estate Weekly]

Caught on tape: a seriously disgusting apartment on the Lower East Side. [Daily Mail]

The mayor doesnt have much to say about a federal appeals courts decision to overturn Sheldon Silvers corruption conviction. [New York Post]

Assemblywoman Yuh-Line Niou makes a fundraising appeal in light of the turn of events in the Sheldon Silver case. [Daily News]

Council member David Greenfield, chair of the land use committee, is stepping doen to run the Met Council on Jewish Poverty. [The Real Deal]
Some people fall in love with poetry, but most of us get the obligatory school poet package and move on.

Everyone will therefore be familiar with the great historical poets like Keats, Wordsworth, and Blake. Yet people often define what poetry is and what it is meant to look like based on them.

Today, the internet has turned the concept of poetry around completely. Where it used to be a genre mostly for academics and a tool for teachers to help students develop analytical skills, it is now something that is part of everyday life.

In the past, becoming a professional poet involved getting published in a magazine, then receiving recognition and finally getting a collection in bookshops. Without being published, you didnt have a chance to share.

But now, the internet has democratised poetry, enabling amateur poets to share their words, too. Platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, and Tumblr are crawling with amateur poets and their words quickly and effectively reach their target audience.

This also works for established poets. You see modern poets like Rupi Kaur and Tyler Knott Gregson using Instagram to share their words.

A post shared by rupi kaur (@rupikaur_) on Oct 28, 2016 at 6:16pm PDT

However, for those who still aspire to be a professional poet, the internet has also given them a new way to get in contact with publishers. Now, instead of writing a letter, aspiring poets can contact publishers directly on Twitter and have access to a whole new range of resources.

It is important to note that poetry isnt only something to be read. Poetry is an oral tradition and we see this in the lyrics that artists write for music today. Artists can share their music through YouTube and Spotify and even provide links to the lyrics on platforms such as Genius, which is also used as a literature guide for students.

A post shared by ATTICUS (@atticuspoetry) on Jul 8, 2017 at 3:01pm PDT

Millennials have experienced poetry differently to the generation before them. Previously, poetry was something you had to go looking for in bookshops, libraries, or your parents bookshelves. Now, you will find poetry even when youre not looking for it, often when scrolling down your timeline on social media.

A poem doesnt take long to read and, if it is well written, it resonates  and this makes micro-poetry, on sites such as Twitter which limits characters to 140, especially impactful. The internet gives people the opportunity to share, privately or publicly, their thoughts and develop their personality and aura as a poet.

In the post-digital age, the way we read and think about poetry has changed irreversibly for professional poets, publishers, and amateur poets. There is a beauty in the sharing of poetry for free, and social media is a big part of making that possible.
Warner Bros has released another trailer for the highly anticipated Blade Runner 2049.

The new trailer includes yet unseen footage and offers greater details as to what the plot of the film will be.

Staying primarily with Ryan Goslings character, Officer K, the trailer shows off some of the action scenes as well as further dialogue between K and Rick Deckard, who is being played by the returning Harrison Ford.

Jared Leto and Sylvia Hoeks also feature heavily in the trailer with the new footage suggesting that they will be the films antagonists. Letos character, Neander Wallace, says in the trailer that replicants are the future as he seemingly sends Hoeks character to find the key to their evolution.

Blade Runner 2049 is set to be one of the biggest films of 2017 with anticipation for it building since its announcement trailer last year. Director Denis Villeneuve has expressed his excitement at being able to head the project but also noted the pressure that comes with living up to Ridley Scotts ground-breaking original.

Ryan Gosling, who earned an Oscar nomination for this years La La Land, has also spoken about the film, commenting on the precision and scale of the incredible sets as well as the opportunity to work with Harrison Ford, who, as the new trailer suggests, will play a bigger role in the upcoming film than some may have first thought.

Dave Bautista and House of Cards' Robin Wright are also shown more in the newest trailer who, along with Lennie James and Ana de Armas, round off what is an impressive ensemble.

Blade Runner 2049 is due to be released on 6th October 2017. Until then, check out the latest trailer below.
The Karnataka government today ordered the transfer of DIG (Prisons) D Roopa, who alleged corrupt activities in Bengaluru jail and accused AIADMK General Secretary and convict VK Sasikala Natarajan of bribing top prison officials for undue favours. Here's a look at how other honest officers have been shunted out.

By Praveen Shekhar: Days after Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah hinted at action against the whistleblower officer, the Karnataka government today ordered the transfer of DIG (Prisons) D Roopa, who alleged corrupt activities in Bengaluru jail and accused AIADMK General Secretary and convict VK Sasikala Natarajan of bribing top prison officials for undue favours.

Former Karnataka chief minister BS Yeddyurappa said that by transferring DIG Roopa, incumbent Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has sent out a clear message that there is no space for honest officers in his rule.

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Here is a quick look at how other honest officers have been shunted out:

Shreshtha Thakur (UP)

Shreshtha Thakur, the woman police officer of Syana circle in district Bulandshahar, who stood up against local BJP leaders and sent five of them to jail for creating obstacles in discharging government duties, was transferred to Bahraich on July 1, 2017.

Thakur and her team were checking vehicles in Syana area on June 22, 2017 when she stopped a person driving a motorcycle without wearing a helmet and slapped a fine of Rs 200 on him. The man introduced himself as BJP leader Pramod Kumar - his wife is a member of jila panchayat in Bulandshahar. An altercation took place between Kumar and Thakur and the former soon telephoned BJP leaders, who arrived there and objected to the action of police.

On July 1 the Uttar Pradesh police transferred DSP Shrestha Thakur, less than a fortnight after a video of her chiding local BJP leaders went viral on social media. In the video, she is seen confronting BJP city president Mukesh Bhardwaj and other party workers. A verbal spat broke out between them after the police fined BJP worker Pramod Kumar for riding a motorcycle "without any documents, number plate and helmet."

Reflecting on her transfer, Thakur posted a brief message on her Facebook account. "Got transfer to Bahraich, it's Nepal border, don't worry my friends I am happy. I accept it as a reward for my good work. u all are invited to bahraich(sic)," she wrote, along with an Urdu couplet: "Jahan bhi jayega roshni lutayega, kisi charagh ka apna makan nahi hota (A lamp does not have a house. It spreads light wherever it goes)."

Luv Kumar (UP)

Kumar had booked members of the ruling BJP including local MP Raghav Lakhanpal, for allegedly taking out an illegal procession through a communally sensitive area which led to clashes in Saharanpur in April 2017. Lakhanpal allegedly instigated a mob of BJP workers to attack the SSP's house and to engage in rioting and arson of public and private properties in Saharanpur.

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In the aftermath of the communal clash in Saharanpur, Kumar had arrested more than two dozen people including leaders of the BJP and several members of the minority community who engaged in pelting stones on the BJP procession. The arrests of senior BJP leaders like Virendar Pundir, who was allegedly part of the rioting mob, had led to anger among local party leaders and the demand for action against the police.

On April 27, 2017, Luv Kumar, was transferred to Noida, as the new SSP of Gautam Budh Nagar.

Officers who filed Sasikala case shunted

March 2017: Weeks after Edappadi K Palaniswami took over as chief minister, the state home department ordered the transfer of inspector general of police, north zone, N K Senthamarai Kannan, and superintendent of police, Kanchipuram, J Mutharasi, who played a key role in registering a case against AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikala when she was with MLAs backing her at Golden Bay Resorts at Koovathur on East Coast Resort. The police officers were incharge of supervising a team which was posted for guard duty at the resort which is under their jurisdiction. They have not been given any postings.

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CRPF IG Rajnish Rai, who called Assam encounter fake, shunted

CRPF IG Rajnish Rai, who called for a probe in what he alleged was a fake encounter - by a joint team of Army, CRPF, SSB and state police in Assam in March this year - that killed two men, has been transferred out of the North East with immediate effect. Rai was asked to join the Counter Insurgency and Anti Terrorism (CIAT) School of the CRPF at Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh. Rai was posted at Shillong as IG, North East Sector with the CRPF. The development comes even as the Home Ministry decided to probe his allegations.

Sangeeta Rani Kalia (Haryana)

Sangeeta Rani Kalia, SP of Fatehabad district, was transferred as Commandant 4th IRB on November 28, 2015 at Manesar after she refused to leave a public grievance meeting on being asked to "get out" by the Haryana health minister Anil Vij who was irked with her response to a query on illicit liquor trade in the area. Vij subsequently stormed out of the District Grievances and Public Relations Committee in Fatehabad. She was shunted out by BJP government, a day after she was allegedly involved in a spat with Vij.

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Durga Shakti Nagpal (UP)

Durga Shakti Nagpal, a 2009-batch IAS officer, decided to take on the might of Noida's illegal sand mining mafia. Between February and July in 2013, in collaboration with the Noida Police, the 28-year-old sub-divisional magistrate of Greater Noida's Gautam Budh Nagar, registered 66 FIRs, arrested 104 people and seized 81 vehicles engaged in illegal mining in her district. She assembled flying squads of policemen who would conduct raids anytime between 11 pm and 4 in the morning. She carried on undeterred until the ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) government could take it no longer.

In a swift move on July 27, it ordered her suspension, allegedy for inciting communal tension by breaking down the boundary wall of a mosque in Kadalpur, Noida, during Ramzan. There was menace in the taped voice of senior SP leader Narender Bhati, who bragged on August 2 that he managed to get her suspended in 41 minutes.

Also read:

Karnataka top cop D Roopa, who exposed VVIP perks to Sasikala, transferred

Meet the firebrand top cop who exposed Sasikala's VVIP treatment in Bengaluru jail

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

ALSO WATCH: DIG D Roopa, who exposed VVIP perks to Sasikala in Bengaluru jail, transferred

--- ENDS ---
Once a year a very special patch of farmland in the Ribble Valley is cleared of sheep and becomes The Beat-Herder Festival. The setting that emerges from that festival-creation-chrysalis is unique, purpose-built and enthralling.

While Beat-Herders main stage is fairly conventional, its about the only thing in the festival grounds that is. Elsewhere the Fortress plays host to some of Beat-Herders most intense DJ sets inside the confines of an actual fortress. A fortress which occasionally shoots flames ten feet into the air above it because why not?

Not far away The Ring offers drum and bass in a setting that looks like it would suit hosting gladiatorial combat as much as music, while just up the hill Trash Manor offers still more depth to the roster of acts on offer.

Toil Trees, a large forest at the back of the arena area hosted some of the biggest names.

Friday's opening night saw an entertaining set from Denis Sulta and Glasgows Jackmaster at his genre mixing best.

The globe-trotting Scot mixed elements of house, funk, disco, techno and more besides. With enraptured festival goers in the palm of his hand he became a Toil Trees highlight.

On Saturday Faithless and Sonny Fodera would follow suit in that unique setting. The enchanted forest vibe carefully crafted by the festivals organisers worked perfectly, especially as night fell over the arena.

(Photo by: James Cray https:// www.jamescray.co.uk/ |  2018 Duke Studios http:// www.duke-studios.com/)

Beat-Herders main stage has the remarkable local landmark, Pendle Hill, just off to the right behind it and the whole arena is surrounded by -and indeed part of- the picturesque Lancastrian farm-scape of the Ribble Valley. Some still more remarkable sights were to be found on the stage itself though over the course of the weekend

Milky Chance delivered a subtle blend of acoustic and electronic sound and were an early highlight on Friday. Stolen Dance was a fitting crowd pleaser late on in the set, with the likes of Ego also featuring.

The German group are made particularly distinctive by both that blending of sound and the vocals of front-man Clemens Rehbein. Their hybrid sound saw DJ, Phillip Dausch, take to the stage alongside Rehbein and guitarist Antonion Greger. Together they gradually started warming up an excitable crowd in-front of the main stage.

(Photo by: Christopher Werrett https:// www.cwphotographics.com/|  2017 Duke Studios http:// www.duke-studios.com/)

On Saturday the Sugarhill Gang were a sight as surreal and out of place as they were welcome and they received a tremendous reception.

The remaining members entertained with classics, Apache and of course their effervescent 1979 hit Rappers Delight. While they could be accused of padding the set out around their biggest flagship songs, with crowd interaction and a strange half-baked medley-cover section, they were still hugely energetic and entertaining.

Later and in sharp contrast, the politically-charged anger of Sleaford Mods would take to the Beat-Herder stage with a performance of equally impressive energy levels from front-man Jason Williamson. An enthralling and unique cocktail of cynical humour, anger and political commentary brought Sleaford Mods into the limelight they stand in today and they delivered a musical blow at full force.

Sleaford Mods made their Beat-Herder debut with their Saturday appearance and it was one to remember. The energy that typifies Jason Williamson's work saw him tirade in-between songs during a set made up largely of their fantastic current album, English Tapas.

For a full review of Sleaford Mod's set CLICK HERE.

(Photo by: Justin Gardner https:// www.justingardner.co.uk/ |  2017 Duke Studioshttp:// www.duke-studios.com/ Duke Studios http:// www.duke-studios.com/)

An unexpected highlight of Sunday was Jalen NGonda. He takes Beat-Herders unsung hero award as sadly he slipped under a few too many radars and, thanks to his early slot, didnt gather as much of a crowd as he deserved. His Leon Bridges-esque brand of simple American soul was genuine and appealing.

In a change of pace, the afternoon saw Reginald D. Hunter bring his own immensely appealing brand of stand-up to the Ribble Valley, adding his comedic American take on British culture to the mix in brand-spanking new arena venue, Factory.

Later on Beat-Herders final day reggae legends Toots and the Maytals were rolling back the years, much as the Sugarhill Gang did on Saturday, with some of their most iconic music.

Beat-Herder 2017 had a fantastic and eclectic offering in a unique setting. The attention to detail in the creation of the different stages and venues gives the festival a special feel, as does the natural beauty of the Ribble Valley itself.
A heartwarming blog post has gone viral after a young woman known as Laura opened up about being sexually assaulted and her struggle to come to terms with the attack.

Laura recently wrote a post on her blog lifeonlauralane discussing the attack and the effect that it has had on her life. However refusing to focus on the negatives Laura used her post to highlight the good things in her life, specifically using the post to thank Glastonbury Festival and the Eavis family.

However refusing to focus on the negatives Laura used her post to highlight the good things in her life, specifically using the post to thank Glastonbury Festival and the Eavis family.

When it comes to festivals as big as Glastonbury it can be easy to assume they forget the little people, too caught up in the acts and logistics to focus on the customers and their struggles. However, Glastonbury proved this to be untrue, showing a kindness and compassion to Laura that is almost unheard of nowadays.

In the blog post Laura explains that she had bought tickets to go to Glastonbury Festival with her friends, before being horrifically attacked by two men she had thought she could trust.

They were among the group she was supposed to go to Glastonbury with, and after her other friends took their side (they were too afraid to break up the group) she was forced to consider not going.

Laura claimed that she searched for an email address or phone number she could use to contact the organisers, but after failing to find one she resorted to filling in a 500 word enquiry that she presumed would never be seen.

Thankfully it was.

According to Laura employees at the festival recognised the importance of protecting women, especially rape survivors, and took every step they could to ensure her safety and happiness.

Surprisingly concerned with ensuring she had a good time at the festival, they provided her with a car parking pass so that she would not need to travel with her assailants, and rushed her through security so that she could avoid the group who chose to support them.

Furthermore Adrian, the Events Operations Lead, strategised with local police on how best to protect Laura. Adrian went above and beyond to protect Laura, offering her hospitality wrist bands so that she could access quite bars if she needed some space.

He also wrote a letter demanding that 'the bearer of the letter must have her requests for her safety taken seriously and she must be taken to safety immediately'. Laura was instructed to carry this letter, along with a list of emergency contact numbers, throughout her time at the festival.

Despite being too afraid to go to some of the events she knew her previous friends would be at, and subsequently not seeing every band she had hoped to, she claimed to have had an amazing time. This was largely down to the employees and organisers of the Glastonbury Festival, who did all that they could to protect Laura and ensure she could enjoy the festival secure in the knowledge that she was safe.

Rape and sexual assault is an unfortunate issue which is increasing at festivals. As such it is a relief to see the employees and organisers at Glastonbury take the situation so seriously.

They went above and beyond the call of duty and deserve praise for their determination to prioritise and protect their customers. We can only hope that other companies will follow in their footsteps.
The news that Jodie Whittaker is to become the first woman Doctor had fans elated on Sunday, but one particular little girls reaction spoke volumes about the momentous occasion.

Author Jenny Trout posted a clip of her daughter watching the tense BBC trailer in which Whitaker was unveiled as the new star of Dr Who, and screaming with delight as she realised the shows creators had broken the mould.

The video quickly clocked up over 2,000 retweets and nearly 6,000 likes on Twitter, with many commenting they had been moved to tears at her joy.

Aw, that made me cry happy tears!  Jaclyn Friedman (@jaclynf) July 16, 2017

The Broadchurch actor will now replace Peter Capaldi as the 13th Time Lord

after he makes his final appearance in the 2017 Christmas special.

Me too. Actual weeping with joyand a little jealousy.  chinny reckon (@alexjrassic) July 16, 2017

I cried watching this!!!  Cornelia Geppert (@CorneliaGeppert) July 16, 2017

Fans of the show waited in patient suspense as the trailer showed a hooded figure walking through a forest to the Tardis police box, which serves as The Doctors craft through space and time.

ALSO ME. THAT IS ALSO ME.  Jan in the Pan (@mswhatsit) July 16, 2017

The shows head writer Chris Chibnall, who worked with Whittaker on Broadchurch, said he always wanted the next Doctor to be a woman.

If this fans reaction is anything to go by, so did everyone else.
Over 200 postgraduate students staying at Sidney Webb House, halls for London School of Economics (LSE), plan to sue their university for a breach of tenancy contract as a result of inadequate living conditions.

crowdfunding page To fund their legal representation, the group have set up aand they are currently being represented by David Greene from Edwin Coe LLP.

The students describe themselves as a group of 215+ postgraduate students fighting against the negligence and indifference shown by LSE and Unite Students in the face of deteriorating living conditions at our hall of residence.

The students are citing the following issues on their CrowdJustice page:

 Severe rodent infestations

 Widespread black mould in bathrooms and bedrooms

 Non-functional ventilation systems

 Inadequate heating during winter months

 Lack of hot water for extended periods of time

 Elevators out of order for up to 37 days

 Noisy construction works during revision and exam period

 Systemic year-long maintenance failures

Through legal action, the group are aiming to ensure that Universities and the companies they hire are mindful of providing their students with accommodations that are conducive to decent living and learning.

Residents are claiming that the accommodations poor living conditions have impacted their health and well-being, with students being diagnosed with respiratory tract infections and one individual having to undergo surgery because of a skin infection.

The group have gone through the Complaints Procedure process providing both a list of grievances and a list of demands, which werent responded to before their contract ended on the 24th of June.

Greene is set to arrange an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) with the LSE and if this fails then the litigation process against the university will begin. An ADR involves the use of arbitration or mediation to solve a dispute before turning to litigation.

At the time of writing, the group have received 117 donations totalling 2,306 towards their final goal which was of 5,000.
The 13th Doctor was announced as a woman last night, and  as we would definitely have expected  Twitter brought ALL THE SASS to any suggestion that this wasnt amazing news. Here are our 19 favourites.

what doctor who will be: the exact same

what angry people think it will be: come along companion, we must travel to the LIPSTICK DIMENSION  savannah brown (@savannxhb) July 16, 2017

Just been outside for the 1st time since we've had a lady #DoctorWho. Everything's on fire, the sky's fallen in & there are bras everywhere  Clayton Hickman (@claytonhickman) July 16, 2017

I'm absolutely for progress and inclusiveness but it is fair to worry when almost every ep of Doctor Who revolved around his big ol' dick  Joss Whedon (@joss) July 16, 2017

Oh great a female Doctor Who. What next? Female real doctors? Female pilots? Female scientists? Female sisters and mothers? Female WOMEN?!  m(@markhoppus) July 16, 2017

I dont think Doctor Who will be Doctor Who if the Doctor can no longer get his cock out in it.  Richard K Herring (@Herring1967) July 17, 2017

"IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE! THE DOCTOR IS A MAN" = dead giveaway that someone hasn't been paying attention #DoctorWho #doctor13 pic.twitter.com/Dpxdlvg7Ti  Emmeline May (@RStarDinoPirate) July 17, 2017

A woman playing Doctor Who? What next, affordable healthcare for everyone? I SAID WHAT NEXT AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE FOR EVERYONE  Born Miserable (@bornmiserable) July 17, 2017

If you're a man upset that the 13th Doctor Who is a woman, try not being able to vote for the leader of your country til 1920.  Laurie Crosswell (@lauriecrosswell) July 17, 2017

"doctor who is a man" NO THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE A GODDAMN ALIEN HAVE YOU EVEN WATCHED THE SHOW????  dalek FEMALE 13TH (@tardislupin) July 17, 2017

I have a leaked script for the next Doctor Who episode and it confirms all our worst fears: pic.twitter.com/U3764J4QsH  Pixelated Boat (@pixelatedboat) July 16, 2017

I hear the female Doctor Who travels 5,000 years into the future and finds we're still congratulating ourselves for giving women lead roles.  Louis Virtel (@louisvirtel) July 16, 2017

Getting a lot of use out of the ol' mute button today as sad men show their true colours over the Doctor Who casting announcement. pic.twitter.com/PWFOZLvoUM  Effin' Birds (@EffinBirds) July 16, 2017

Haters: "Women are ruining Doctor Who!"

The first showrunner was Verity Lambert and she was cooler than most of us will ever be, go home. pic.twitter.com/pC2XZ7fQ5A  Alan Sizzler Kistler (@SizzlerKistler) July 16, 2017

"Doctor Who is being run by PC lefties now"



In 1963, it had a woman producer and was directed by a gay Asian man. #doctor13 #DoctorWho  Chris Down (@PlingetheElder) July 16, 2017

Female leads in Star Trek, Star Wars, and Doctor Who! We did it guys. We "ruined" "everything" for the worlds most annoying people.  Kim Horcher (@kimscorcher) July 16, 2017

I dont need femimms sorry but a female Doctor Who is just unrealistic. Only a man can believably play an extraterrestrial time lord  WomanAgainstFeminism (@NoToFeminism) July 16, 2017

nerd boys: i hate that there's a female Doctor Who!!! if a woman is in it i'm OUT!

also nerd boys: women won't date me because i'm too nice  Lane Moore (@hellolanemoore) July 16, 2017

DON'T CALL YOURSELF A DOCTOR WHO FAN AND PRETEND THAT THE DOCTOR IS A STRAIGHT WHITE MALE WHEN HE'S A GENDERFLUID PANSEXUAL ALIEN  Good Enough (@JustChelseaAnn) July 16, 2017

Phew. Lets end with this one from Jack Dee:

We get the last laugh because I happen to know the next Queen is going to be a guy.  Jack Dee (@TheRealJackDee) July 16, 2017

Welcome to the Tardis, Jodie!
Things havent gone to plan for a certain drug dealer in the Manchester area of late.

Dear Mr Drug Dealer Next time you leave your hotel room in a hurry don't leave your drugs behind We've your bags and ID too See you soon pic.twitter.com/jHSw9mkzsy  GMP Middleton (@GMPMiddleton) July 15, 2017

When the Middleton unit of Greater Manchester Police (GMP) discovered a sizeable quantity of a very ominous white powder abandoned in a hotel room, they were quick to point out that the hapless owner had failed to take his bags and ID with him before fleeing the scene.

The force took to Twitter, where they posted: Dear Mr Drug Dealer,

Next time you leave your hotel room in a hurry dont leave your drugs behind

Weve your bags and ID too

See you soon.

That's a GMP Property bag .. or are you just showing off  GMP Middleton (@GMPMiddleton) July 15, 2017

But after gaining widespread attention online, the irresistibly cheeky tweeter just couldnt resist poking fun at members of the public, looking to get involved.

Only if you have a nose the size of Pinocchio  GMP Middleton (@GMPMiddleton) July 15, 2017

You stay classy, GMP.
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Actor Sathyaraj's daughter Divya Sathyaraj is a practicing nutritionist who has upped the ante against certain US pharmaceutical companies who tried to bully her to prescribe their products.

By Pramod Madhav: Daughter of Kattapa of famed Baahubali movie franchise, Divya has written to the Prime Minister seeking immediate action against the pharmaceutical companies threatening her after she refused to prescribe their medicines to patients.

Actor Sathyaraj's daughter Divya Sathyaraj is a practicing nutritionist who has upped the ante against certain US pharmaceutical companies who tried to bully her to prescribe their products.

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After close examination of their products, Divya found that the salts used could cause possibly damage liver, blur vision among other things.

When she refused citing the health hazards the products could impose on patients, the representatives of the companies threatened her with their 'political approach.'

In her letter to the Prime Minister, Divya asks who will protect the people from such unapproved medicines.

She also asked the prime minister as to who will protect the middle class man from malpractices that doctors indulge in on the former's expense.

--- ENDS ---
Taylor, the largest city Downriver, is the only area community to have a primary election this year.

The primary in the race for the City Council is set for Aug. 8 to narrow the field of candidates from 16 to 14,

The 14 winning candidates then will run in the Nov. 7 general election for the seven available seats on the council.

Regardless of the outcome, there will be new faces on the council as incumbent President Linda Parker-Craig and recent appointee John Myers are not seeking re-election.

Incumbents Daniel Bzura, Angela Croft, Alex Garza, Charley Johnson and Tim Woolley all will seek re-election. They will be challenged by Tina Daniels, John Edwards, Dalton Lee, William McDonald, David Mellert, Justin Mordarski, Caroline Patts, Herman Butch Ramik, Lindsey Rose, Christopher Verdun and Kenneth Williams.

The News-Herald asked readers to propose questions they wanted potential Taylor leaders to answer. Below is a selection of those questions.

Candidates were given a word limit for their responses. Daniels and Lee did not respond to the questions.

News-Herald: How does public safety rank on your list of priorities? Do you envision a larger police or fire department?

Bzura: Taylor police and Taylor fire, as well as Taylor Auxiliary Police and CERT always have my full support. I believe the administration and City Council should give the men and women who protect and serve our community the tools they need to be successful, be it equipment, vehicles or training.

Croft: A safe community is important and necessary for growth and sustainability. I envision right sized public safety. The number can fluctuate depending on the need. Since 2013, we have increased personnel in both Police and Fire departments. I believe the number should be fluid based on ever- changing need.

Edwards: Public safety has always been a top priority in my mind, which is one of the reasons I committed 29 years of service to the Taylor Auxiliary Police Department. Fire and Police department size should follow the recommendations of the fire and police administrations as to their personnel needs.

Garza: Public safety will continue to be one of my top priorities. As a member of the citys fire advisory task force, I have advocated for reinstating ALS transport to our Fire Department, rightsizing our Fire Department, and ensuring all of our fire stations remain open. All of these goals were accomplished. I envision the city continuing to expand our Police Department as we look to the future.

Johnson: Of course police and fire are at the top. And of course we could always use a larger Police and Fire department. But we also have to remember that all departments within the city are important and need to be staffed adequately. All departments working together to make the city successful.

McDonald: Safety in our city will always be of the utmost importance. The size of our force has grown in recent years and will undoubtedly be a continued topic of discussion, one that I am open to. I believe our police and firefighters deserve the best we can possibly give them.

Mellert: The safety of our residents is always first and foremost. I envision our city growing again, which would require more manpower, training and equipment.

Mordarski: Its my top priority. The current Fire Department contract needs to be restructured as it makes it difficult to create a larger force due to the inflated costs. Over 75 percent of personnel are in high-paying senior positions. There are three chiefs, 13 captains and 12 lieutenants supervising only nine firefighters.

Patts: The safety of our citizens is top on my list as a must. We need our Police and Fire departments. I envision a larger police/fire force if the funding is there.

Ramik: The Police Department must have an increase of at least 35 officers. Numbers are low, which is unacceptable for the safety of the officers and citizens and businesses. The Fire Department will need to be looked at due to the recent changes in return of transport.

Rose: Yes, I do. A fully staffed Fire Department is important and I believe that the net revenue from the resumed ambulance transport program can eventually help increase staffing at the department. Pension reform is also an important consideration since money saved on pensions can be used to increase staffing.

Verdun: I believe in efficiency and safety in numbers for police and fire. Our first responders safety is every bit as important as the people they protect. We need to attract and train quality officers, but there are costs. I hope to create a safer Taylor in a cost-effective manner.

Williams: Being an auxiliary police officer, public safety ranks very highly on my list of priorities. I see firsthand the impact the police and fire can have on the community; for that reason, I do envision a larger force for both police and fire.

Woolley: Public safety is one of my top priorities. I continued to fight to bring back EMS/transport, and Im proud to say that it is returning, approximately in August. I have voted to buy new equipment and to update existing. I want our first responders to be safe and well equipped.

News-Herald: Why are you running for council? What experience do you have that will make you a qualified councilperson? What makes you the best candidate?

Bzura: Since 2013, our financial position has improved, CBAs have been finalized, and emphasis has been placed on public safety, blight and recreation. We still have much work to do going forward, and I have proven the past four years I can effectively help move this city in the right direction.

Croft: Because I believe I can make a positive impact. I have worked in municipal government for close to 20 years. I have extensive experience and education in government accounting, municipal systems/processes and public works. The combination of my experience and education coupled with my dedication to the city of Taylor and its residents.

Edwards: I am running because I care about the city that I have lived in for my entire life. I have been active in the past, and have kept abreast of council activities and developments in the city. I believe my ideas are important to take us further in the future.

Garza: I am running for re-election because I want to continue the positive work we are doing for the city of Taylor. As a city councilman for the past four years, my experience and education makes me one of the most qualified candidates for City Council. I am the best candidate due to the fresh and new perspective I bring to City Council.

Johnson: To help continue to grow the city, having my own business for over 28 years and dealing with customers, plus being around and paying attention and being involved in my community

McDonald: I grew up in Taylor and believe strongly in public service. My background in public law and my experience with the legislative process is exactly what our council needs. I am the only candidate with the experience to effectively rewrite and improve our outdated charter.

Mellert: Ive been involved in trying to make Taylor a better place to live for the past 20 years. Ive been a community activist and volunteer for over 40. My experience is vast, ranging from an advanced education, BS degree in law enforcement & criminal justice, to 28 years of management experience.

Mordarski: I am a local small business owner so I bring years of business experience. I am not part of the current political establishment so I am independent of the city political factions and I will work for the residents and not the special interests.

Patts: I applied and was nominated for the vacant position on council. I want to make a difference. Most residents dont see or hear what goes on to make the city of Taylor what it is. Complaining wont fix problems. I want to resolve problems not create more.

Ramik: I have a strong sense of duty to Taylor. I served the citizens for almost 20 years as a police officer and they continued their trust in me by electing me two times to City Council. I feel my proven leadership, experience and values puts me out front of the other candidates.

Rose: I am running for council to improve the city. As a local business owner, I hope to use my business skills to enhance efficiency in city government.

Verdun: Taylor is my home. My parents and in-laws are lifelong residents, and Im raising my family here. Serving my country as a Marine taught me how to be a leader and public servant. City Council service is a privilege; the public expects and needs leaders who are accountable.

Williams: I am running for City Council for the same reason I became an auxiliary officer: I care about the city of Taylor. Ive been a resident of Taylor for 53 years and I understand the people of the city as well as what they are looking for in a councilman.

Woolley: I believe we have a great thing going, and Id like to continue to help my city and its residents. After four years, Ive learned a lot. I would like to continue to grow that knowledge and use it going into the next term. Willingness to work with others makes me a good candidate.

News-Herald: If youre an incumbent, what have you specifically done for the city? If youre a newcomer, what are your top two goals?

Bzura: Taylor has experienced significant financial improvements, as evidenced by our increasing fund balance and our early exit from a deficit elimination plan. Transitioning our library from the county system into the Taylor Community Library is a huge success story, as is the return of transport to our Fire Department.

Croft: I have served on council and participated on several task forces such as fire safety and police towing. I respond to residents and offer help consistently. I volunteer many hours regularly with cleanup and other events/groups in Taylor.

Edwards: First, to continue bringing new business development to the city, and second (and related), to promote policies that raise home values in the city. Both of these will increase the tax base to provide for necessary public services.

Garza: As an incumbent, I have a record of accomplishments as a councilman. I have worked on our public safety taskforce, helped apply for and secure grants for our city and helped move this city out of a general fund deficit. Most importantly, I have provided stable leadership for our city.

Johnson: I dont believe Ive done anything for the city, but I have done a lot for the citizens of Taylor, from volunteering to clean up our streets and parks to sitting on committees to help grow our city. One of those committees is to review and update our charter.

McDonald: I intend to work with the mayoral commission to rewrite our very outdated city charter. I will coordinate with the Board of Education and our community to bring our students access to academic programs such as debate, Model UN and early college preparation programs.

Mellert: Continue to work to grow our city. We must develop new ideas to attract new homeowners. This requires a council that can work together and set aside personal agendas. They must be able to put Taylor first. I commit to working with our Neighborhood Watch coordinators to better understand our residents frustrations.

Mordarski: First, pension reform. Some employees still use unlimited overtime to retire at an early age with a super pension of over $90,000 a year. Second, update city ordinances. We must protect our neighborhoods from blight, but we also shouldnt use vague ordinances to collect revenue from honest homeowners.

Patts: It is hard to choose just two. I have a few. 1. Continue to improve services for the residents. 2. Keep Taylors history alive (ex: opening up the historical museum/Knope Farm House in Heritage Park for all to see Taylors past and get our artifacts/documents up to date).

Ramik: Programs for our youth to keep them off the streets because they have nothing to do.

Rose: I want to improve the reputation of Taylor throughout our area to make Taylor a destination city for new families and businesses. At the same end, I would want to lower property taxes because Taylor has some of the highest taxes in the state of Michigan.

Verdun: Safety, No matter where you visit, you want to live somewhere safe. We need to maximize community efforts, like auxiliary police. Education. To raise your family, you want a dynamic and well-rounded education. The school district cant do everything. We need to expand our city-run educational resources.

Williams: Over my many years in Taylor, I have seen both the highs and the lows. I would like to see Taylor bring its reputation back to what it once was. To achieve this, I would like to see two things happen; business growth and improved infrastructure.

Woolley: I have helped many residents with city issues, and I continue the fight to bring back EMS transport. I have also worked diligently on having many dangerous houses torn down in the city. I worked with Mayor Sollars and the Veterans Museum Commission to move our museum next door to the larger old courthouse.

News-Herald: What do you love about the city of Taylor?

Bzura: The people. Taylor has been home my entire life. To live in a city with so many people who care enough about our community to volunteer, to get involved, and to recognize our progress but still challenge city leaders to do better, is something I will always be proud of.

Croft: I love the location and the amenities in Taylor; however, the thing I love most and the reason why I have stayed and raised my child here is the diversity of the people that live here.

Edwards: I love that there is always something to do in Taylor, such as Heritage Park or the farmers market, senior citizen programs and things offered for children at the public library. I also love that I meet people who genuinely care about the community in which they live.

Garza: There is a lot to love about Taylor. I love the people of our city and how committed they are to making Taylor a better place for all of our families to live, work and play. There are many around us willing to roll up their sleeves to help.

Johnson: What I most enjoy about the city of Taylor I would have to say is the people are hard-working mostly blue-collar or from blue-collar people. And that everything you need is right in Taylor.

McDonald: Taylor is my home and where all of my best memories with friends and family are. I grew up playing in Heritage Park; its where I learned to ride a bike with my father. The Taylor summer festival is easily my favorite time of the year.

Mellert: Our residents. I watch the social media sites and Im impressed with the amount of residents wanting to help our city. They just need to be encouraged and inspired to get involved with our community. I can provide the energy needed to reach that goal.

Mordarski: I really love our parks and recreation here in the city. I am a member of the Taylor Recreation Center and use the facility four or five days a week. I also enjoy running at Heritage Park when the weather permits, especially through the nature trails.

Patts: I love the hard-working residents, city employees, our families and especially the senior citizens who make Taylor what it is. If I didnt love Taylor, I wouldnt have lived here my whole life.

Ramik: The people. I moved here in 1973 after returning home from the Army. I raised a family. My daughter graduated from Kennedy High School and I have made this my home for 44 years. Rose: My personal favorite is the Petting Farm. I also support the current proposal to have a dog park in this lovely city. The location makes sense (it is not in a residential area) and I think it could really bring the community together.

Verdun: As a Marine, I was stationed around the world: North Carolina, Haiti, Djibouti. What I love most is no matter how much time passes, Taylor is home. I lived my life here, I started my family here, and I hope my kids can grow up here, same as I did.

Williams: What makes Taylor great is the people. Taylor is a good representation of the melting pot our Founding Fathers envisioned. There are people from all walks of life in our city, and its those same people that have made me happy to stay in Taylor for all these years.

Woolley: Theres no place Id rather live. In the mid-80s, our family suffered a tragedy. At the age of 14, I learned of the compassion in this city, and I will never forget that. People here are hard-working, honest, compassionate and real.

News-Herald: Have you been engaged in any mudslinging during this election? Do you think that type of campaigning is effective?

Bzura: Never. Residents should make a decision whether to vote for me based on my performance the past four years and my passion & ability to keep serving them going forward. I will not support a candidate who believes in mudslinging instead of trying to win based on their own merits.

Croft: No, and I do not believe it is effective. I prefer to focus on what I have to offer the city.

Edwards: Disparaging the motives or character of other candidates is not the most productive way to run a campaign because it distracts voters from the more important task of listening to a candidates ideas and making a decision to vote for that person accordingly.

Garza: I never engaged in any mudslinging during this election and would never engage in this dishonorable practice. As a candidate, I have been the target of mudslinging and it is an ineffective form of campaigning. I encourage all candidates to run on their own qualifications and not negativity.

Johnson: No, that all needs to stop. Lifes too short, Ive been a victim of it and I am a victim of it. I think Ill put my spare time and energy into my three grandsons. And hopefully, its not effective, but then again the negative stories get the press unfortunately.

McDonald: I sincerely believe that kind of behavior is for candidates who have no merits of their own to stand on. I do not believe divisive inflammatory politics helps in improving the quality of services that government is supposed to bring to the people.

Mellert: No and no.

Mordarski: No, I have not. There are some council votes that need to be scrutinized, especially those related to pensions, but this can be done without attacking people. After the recent presidential election, I think most residents are tired of negative campaigning.

Patts: Definitely not! I feel what you say about others should be said to their face if you need to say anything at all. My opinion is what goes around, comes around and I wouldnt want anyone saying anything bad about me. I dont believe it helps yourself become popular with the citizens just those who mudsling along with you.

Ramik: No, it not only hurts the city but can have truly lasting effects on so many, especially the families of the candidates. Just tell the citizens your goals and trust them on their choice. Remember you are working for them. I think sometimes we forget that voters have integrity.

Rose: No, I have not been engaging in any mudslinging. Though, I will raise an issue if I see it. I find that type of campaigning turns people off.

Verdun: No. Mudslinging hurts the city, causing residents to lose faith in our elected officials. The resources it takes to damage someones reputation are better spent improving Taylor. Although its sometimes hard to find in politics, Ill help our city become a model of decency and respect.

Williams: No I have not, and nor will I. Although some may find it necessary to knock others down to gain a step in the election, I want people to vote for me for what I stand for, not because I was able to roast the other candidates.

Woolley: No, I have not, and no, I do not. However, it is very hard not to engage, especially on social media, to the falsehoods and outright lies. So, I just do what my mother always told me; Take the high road, Tim, which is not always easy to do. Plus, Im very approachable and available to answer anyones questions.

News-Herald: How important is it to you that the entire council get along and work together?

Bzura: Councilmembers must have an ability to formulate opinions about what they believe is best, have the courage to defend their position in the face of adversity, and, perhaps most importantly, demonstrate a willingness to listen to contrary opinions. This type of debate is necessary to come to the best solutions.

Croft: I do not believe that the entire council needs to agree in order to work together and respect each others ideas and perspectives. It is important to listen to each other, be open minded and to look at the whole picture rather than get stuck on a personal agenda.

Edwards: Every member of the council is elected to represent the people, and equal weight should be given to each perspective and opinion on any given matter. At some point, consensus must be reached, and the best interests of the people of the city should dictate the way decisions are made.

Garza: It is extremely important to me that the entire City Council gets along, works together, and is productive. Over the past four years, I can say that our City Council has worked well together. While we do not always agree, we respect each other and all points of view presented.

Johnson: While we dont agree on everything, its very important; we went from a $3 million deficit to a $6 million surplus by working together.

McDonald: It is incredibly important that the council work together. Whether members get along or not, their job is to serve the people first. Members have to be able to put their differences aside and act like professionals, to put those efforts toward the benefit of the people.

Mellert: Vitally important! We need a council, made up of property tax paying residents. We need a council made up of residents who intend to serve the full four years, and not leave after two years to seek another elected position. Continuity and commitment, plain and simple.

Mordarski: Council represents the city so it is imperative that council business be conducted in a professional and civil manner. I will not, however, be afraid to speak up if I feel a proposal is not in the best interest of the city or its residents.

Patts: I think it is important that we all get along. That doesnt mean I will agree with everyone. Everyone has their own opinion on how things should be done, as long as it is in the best interest for our residents.

Ramik: The council must work together and set aside all personal feelings. If a council fails to work together, all comes to a stop and nothing will be achieved except taking a paycheck from the citizens, and they get taken enough.

Rose: Very important. We are on the same team and should lead by example. However, if I do or dont agree with set issues I will not hesitate to express any concerns that I may have.

Verdun: Working together on research and data determines what works and drives the decisions to improving our city. A diverse council will allow for constructive argument and debates to create perspective on the data. Like any employment, getting along and working together toward a common goal is a priority.

Williams: It is extremely important that the council is able to be cordial and work together. With that being said, though, all progress is made through compromise. The council should disagree on certain topics and be able to work through them to come to the best resolutions.

Woolley: I believe its crucial. We made a conscious effort at the beginning of our term to engage and discuss all items. We have all become friendly, but not always agreeing. I try not to let votes that I disagree with deter me from the goal of a better Taylor. However, some votes sting more than others.

News-Herald: What are your thoughts on improving the school district? While the two entities are separate, without good schools everyones property values plummet. What will you do to build a positive working relationship with the school district?

Bzura: Our schools are improving, and continuing this success is an important part of the overall growth of our city. Utilizing police officers in our schools to enhance the learning environment is a good example of the city and school district partnering to improve the educational experience at Taylor schools.

Croft: I believe the school district is moving in the right direction for improvement. I will continue to support the school board and to work with them, as I have in the past, on such things as the Career Center and whatever else may present itself with the pending school consolidation.

Edwards: Good schools alone will not cause property values to rise; that is the primary responsibility of the city and its leaders. When the city is on solid ground and property values rise to help fund the schools, this will be an added incentive for families to move to the city.

Garza: As we work to encourage growth and attract residents, we must have a desirable school district. While our district is battling issues of their own, Taylor City Council must always be a partner to the school board. I will work toward creating a regular meeting between the council and board.

Johnson: When asked what I thought was most important to the city by a retired mayor, my list started police, fire, city services, recreation and schools. He stated he agreed with most of what I said but he would put the schools at the top of the list. With good schools, teachers and kids everyone in the city will prosper.

McDonald: While the two entities are separate, without good schools everyones property values plummet. What will you do to build a positive working relationship with the school district? I will work to see our school district receives all the support that it needs and more.

Mellert: What our school district needs, more than anything else, is a vision. We need a real plan that should include building a state-of-the-art campus where Kennedy/Brake sits now. That would reverse the trend we are now experiencing with students leaving and seeking alternative schooling. One of my goals is to work to get our students more involved in our community.

Mordarski: State law does severely restrict what a city can do to help its school district. One area, however, where the city can get involved is school safety. Taylor currently has three liaison police officers stationed in schools and that is a great program and one that I will continue to support.

Patts: We should have representatives (liaisons) from both entities attend both City Council and school board meetings. When a question comes up, it can be directed to the right department/person to get those answers. We need to get across to the residents that the schools are not run by the city.

Ramik: The school district is truly having its problems; however, they have elected officials who are desperately working to fix their problems. I will extend a hand of help, if they ask.

Rose: It would be great, but since the two entities are legally separate we are restricted in what we can do. Safety is something we can work on together.

Verdun: We have strong educational resources, like the library and Wayne County Community College Districts Downriver Campus. To attract growing families to live and contribute to our district, I would like city hall to continue, and expand, collaborations with the Taylor school board and WCCCD to improve educational opportunities.

Williams: To improve the school district, the city needs to help improve enrollment. We need to make families want to move to Taylor. As a councilman, I will listen to the school district and try to do all I can to help them with any problems they may face.

Woolley: Im glad City Council voted to put police officers back in the schools. Student safety is, and should be, a top priority. I think the school board is making some good, tough decisions, and I will continue to help any way that I can. I am friends with many of them and those relationships continue to grow.
By PTI: Imphal, Jul 17 (PTI) Four persons including an Assam Rifles jawan were injured when militants exploded a powerful Improvised Explosive Devise (IED) in the busy commercial locality here today, police said.

The incident occurred at around 10:50 am in the vicinity of Soibam Leikai in Imphal East district, said a senior police officer.

Four persons including a jawan of the Assam Rifles were injured in the incident, the police added. PTI COR RG

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By PTI: long way

New Delhi, Jul 17 (PTI) In the 70s when BJPs precursor Jana Sangh was a marginal player with little clout in the south, a young party worker kept himself busy putting up posters of stalwarts such as Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L K Advani.

Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu has come a long way since those days of political obscurity to be chosen today as the NDAs candidate for Vice President, a post he is almost certain to occupy.

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From a humble agricultural family of Andhra Pradeshs Nellore district, the former BJP national president is known for his oratory. A two-term member of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly, Naidu was never a member of the Lok Sabha.

He was however elected to the Rajya Sabha three times from Karnataka and currently represents Rajasthan in the Upper House of Parliament.

"A farmer?s son, MVenkaiahNaidu Garu brings years of experience in public life and is admired across the political spectrum," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a Tweet, using a Telugu word of respect.

"I know MVenkaiahNaidu Garu for years. Have always admired his hardwork & tenacity. A fitting candidate for the office of Vice President," he added.

Once an Advani protege, Naidu vigorously backed Modi for the prime ministers post before the 2014 elections.

Naidu currently holds the portfolios of Information and Broadcasting and Housing and Urban Affairs. He was also Minister of Parliamentary Affairs in the Modi government.

Earlier, he had served as Rural Development Minister in the previous NDA government led by Vajpayee.

The 68-year-old veteran party leader also served as the BJP national president from July 2002 to October 2004 for two consecutive terms.

He quit the post after the partys defeat in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections.

Naidu was an ABVP activist during the Emergency and was arrested and jailed.

As the first Minister of Parliamentary Affairs in the Modi government, Naidu had defended the prime minister and the government whenever the opposition targeted them in both the houses of Parliament.

He had also ensured high political outreach by meeting Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi when there was a standoff between the government and the opposition in Parliament.

Several major legislations were cleared by Parliament when he was Parliamentary Affairs Minister, including the historic Real Estate Act and fast forwarding of the GST Bill.

Known for coining acronyms, Naidu termed the mission of the Modi Government as MODI- Making of Developed India which had become the official line of the Centre in its public outreach campaign on the occasion of three years of being in office.

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As the Minister for Information and Broadcasting, he was always quick to present issues in perspective with effective repartee as and when required.

As Minister of Urban Development and Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, which was recently merged as Housing and Urban Affairs, Naidu pioneered the launch of several new urban missions, including the Smart City Mission, Atal Mission, Swachh Bharat Mission and Housing for All.

As Rural Development Minister, Naidu was instrumental in launching the hugely popular Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana.

When the Congress swept the polls in Andhra Pradesh in 1978, Naidu got elected as MLA from Udayagiri Constituency as a Janata Party candidate.

He was re-elected on a BJP ticket when N T Rama Rao swept the polls in the state. PTI MP VJ BDS

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Watertown landowners will be involved in new Corps flood-control study
An opportunity for foodies and beer lovers to get lost in a world of food and drink from a hand-selected range of food trucks and breweries from around New Zealand.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said that the GST would bring new energy in the Monsoon Session.

By India Today Web Desk: Ahead of Monsoon Session today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the successful launch of the Goods and Services Tax would infuse fresh energy in the Parliament session.

Giving a new definition of the Goods and Services Tax, PM Modi said, "GST means Going Stronger Together". Modi also said, "Just as rain brings typical fragrance from the earth, the successful launch of the GST would give new enthusiasm to the Monsoon Session."

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The Goods and Services Tax (GST) was launched on July 1 at the special midnight session of Parliament.

In a series of posts on Twitter, PM Modi further said, "Today the Monsoon Session begins. Like the Monsoon brings hope, this session also brings same spirit of hope. GST shows the good that can be achieved when all parties come together and work for the nation."

"The GST spirit is about growing stronger together. I hope the same GST spirit prevails in the session," read another tweet of Prime Minister Modi.

The GST spirit is about growing stronger together. I hope the same GST spirit prevails in the session: PM @narendramodi- PMO India (@PMOIndia) July 17, 2017

The Monsoon Session of Parliament begins today and will continue till August 11. The session will have 19 sittings.

MONSOON SESSION: THINGS TO KNOW Both Houses of Parliament will take up obituary references today and may not transact business due to the death of some sitting members. Two Rajya Sabha members - former Union minister Anil Madhav Dave and Congress member Palvai Govardhan Reddy - died during the interregnum period after the budget session while sitting Gurdaspur Lok Sabha member Vinod Khanna also diedduring that period. Opposition is united on several issues to corner the Modi government. Opposition is likely to raise the heat on the government over issues like lynching incidents and vigilantism, the Kashmir situation and the border stand-off with China during the monsoon session of Parliament that begins today. The session is also likely to witness heated debates on other key issues like the fallout of the GST, the agrarian crisis and the policy towards Pakistan. Some parties are likely to raise the issue of a ban on sale of cattle for slaughter in animal markets and demand an explanation from the government on it. "We will try and put the government on the mat and demand answers on some key issues that are posing a threat to thecountry's social harmony," a senior opposition leader said. CPI leader D Raja said the opposition "will seek answers from the government on what they are doing to check rising incidents of cow vigilantism and lynchings in the country that pose grave danger to the social harmony of the country and the idea of India". The government, on its part, is seeking the cooperation of opposition in getting key legislative business passed and has lined up around two dozen bills in the session. The increased opposition synergy comes at a time when 18 parties have come together under one platform to pin the government on some key issues. The parties came together on the presidential and vice presidential election, but are keen to take the unity further in raising issues in Parliament. A structured meeting within the Congress on the party's strategy in the coming session is slated for today as the session is unlikely to transact much business due to the presidential election. Another joint meeting of opposition leaders is slated the next day for putting in place their strategy for the session. "The government would want the monsoon session of Parliament to be fruitful and constructive. We will also ensure good coordination and communication with the opposition to help get legislative business passed during the session. "If the opposition demands a discussion on some current issues, we will discuss the same in the business advisory committee and the chairman will decide the time and date of discussion," Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told PTI. Issues like the flood situation particularly in Assam and other northeastern states, violence over Gorkhaland, fallout of demonetisation, job losses and disinvestment of PSUs are also likely to be raised.

(With PTI inputs)

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Monsoon Session: Opposition united on five fronts against Narendra Modi govt Monsoon Session begins today: What to expect over 19 sittings of Parliament

Race to Raisina: It's BJP's Ram Nath Kovind vs Opposition's Meira Kumar today

ALSO WATCH | Is India headed for another stormy session of Parliament?

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The Good and Services Tax, touted to be the biggest tax reform India has seen till date, came into being on June 30 midnight. Even after three weeks since its rollout, Twitter users are going nuts about it, tweeting bills and jokes.

By India Today Web Desk: It's been over three weeks since Goods and Services Tax (GST) was rolled out.

People are still confused about the post-GST tariff and shop owners claim that it has become a hectic task to explain the tax charged under GST norms to every other consumer.

On one side, consumers are blaming the government for creating confusion and on the other, shop owners are cursing the government for the inconvenience caused.

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A week ago, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley launched an app which lets people find GST rates. But doesn't look like the app was of much help.

Store managers reported a steady increase in their sales in the early days of GST with people flocking to find out how much of a difference has the new tax reform brought on ground. Seeing the many bills being tweeted on Twitter, people seem quite upset.

Prime Minister Narendar Modi, ahead of the monsoon session of the Parliament that commenced today, urged people to stay calm with the implementation of GST.

PM Modi said, "Growing Stronger Together ye GST spirit ka doosra naam hai"

Twitter being Twitter, GST, even after three weeks since its rollout, is being joked about.

GST stands for 'Growing Stronger Together': PM So umm... He got bored with Good and Simple Tax, I guess?- Meghnad (@Memeghnad) July 17, 2017

GST JokeReporter:Have u seen any impact of GST?Waiter:Yes, Earlier they used 2 click pictures of food.Now they click pictures of Bill.?????? pic.twitter.com/hYt5AcVs33- Revanth (@imVRevanth) July 15, 2017

4 of us ate Unlimited ThaliBut we got the bill for 5Didnt realize GST was sitting with us at the table.- Shashank Thala (@Chingakutty) July 16, 2017

'Good evening sir. Can I help you?'"A table for two."'But only you're here. Are you waiting for someone?'"My friend GST will join later."- LS (@PuneerSoda) July 16, 2017

Bandra Girl: Enters the Restaurant.Waiter: Welcome Madam. What would you like to have?BG: A Bill mentioning GST & Some food if you have??????- SocialBhanwara (@DeepakGupta2209) July 7, 2017

I didn't post restaurant bill with GST till now...will the society accept me?????

ALSO READ

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After completing school, choosing the right college is one of the most important decisions that a student takes. The choice he/she makes at the time determines the whole future in terms of jobs, career growth and standard of life.

The right kind of college will help to grow, enhance their personality, brush up their skills, provide them with a platform to exhibit their talent and above all, it provides them with quality education.

There are number of factors related to a college that contribute to the development of a student such as validity of degree, infrastructure, faculty, pedagogy, placements, and exposure to the professional world.

Hence, when a student is looking for a college, certain points should take into consideration. A lot would prefer government colleges because of low fees. However, unless one is studying in a highly reputed government institution, such colleges often lack in terms of infrastructure, regular access to faculty, help with placements and well-designed pedagogy among others.

To implement any policy or procedure in a government college, the administration requires government approval and given the rigid bureaucracy of the Indian managements, it is a very complex process which the college administration wishes to avoid.

Private colleges do not come with the assurances of government but they provide the best platform to explore ones talent and have a holistic development. As private colleges do not have the financial support like government colleges, they have to charge much higher fees.

In order to attract the students, they need to prove themselves solely through what they can offer. Thus, many private colleges generally offer excellent infrastructure facilities, regular access to all kinds of resources including faculty, innovative pedagogy, guest lectures, industrial visits and all possible help during placements in hope of inducing students to enroll.

While private colleges always do not recruit the best faculty, they motivate to do their best and offer them good career growth if they prove to be valuable to the institution. The rise through the ranks is easier for good, hard-working and motivated faculty in private colleges. It is easier for the administration to implement the policies and procedures they want as they do not have to go through the government bureaucratic structure.

However, the degree of a private college may/may not be recognised by the industry depending on various factors which can hamper a students professional growth irrespective of the quality of the education he/she has received.

With a fast growing number of graduates competing for jobs in the market, every student needs to have as much advantage as possible. In terms of their education, government affiliated private colleges offer them benefits of both government and private colleges.

From providing summer internship, organising educational workshops and inviting guest lecturers to providing best possible support for placements, these colleges help their students in every possible manner to make them ready for the professional world.

(The writer is executive director, IMS Noida)
Some heated moments were witnessed in the West Bengal Assembly during the Presidential polls on Monday after a ruling Trinamool Congress legislator lashed out at the GJM counterparts for setting Darjeeling "ablaze" and attacked state BJP president Dlip Ghosh for "escorting" them to the house.

Spotting the three Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) legislators in the assembly lobby alongside Ghosh, Trinamool MLA Paresh Pal apparently lost his cool. "After setting Darjeeling hills on fire, you are still chatting?" he angrily told the GJM lawmakers.

Amar Rai, one of the GJM members hit Amar Rai hit back with a challenge to Pal.

"Go and say these words there (the hills)," he said.

At this, Pal said: "I will teach you a lesson", prompting another counter from the GJM legislator.

Pal then vented his ire on Ghosh for ushering them into the assembly.

"Dilip Ghosh does not know any courtesy he has brought these people, who don't know how to speak decent words, and have poor taste. There people have set the hills aflame.

"We are loyalists of Mamata Banerjee. Otherwise, we would have taught them a lesson."

Pal then went close to Ghosh, pointing a finger at him as he said that it was only only due to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's "magnanimity" that they were still there.

"The indecent way in which you speak, you cannot be the spokesperson of any party."

Ghosh hit back. "Don't show me didi (elder sister, as Banerjee is popularly called)," said the BJP leader, who has time and again in the past hogged the limelight for making controversial comments and only a couple of days back, threatened to torch Banerjee's residence if she dared to take any action against him.

Ghosh later said such kind of attack was unimaginable. "Is the relationship (between legislators of rivals parties) one of quarrel or killings? How can he (Pal) use such language. We have never seen this kind of politics."

"Why do you make friends when you won't be able to continue?" he said, apparently referring toA the good relations he had with Pal in the past.

Rai later called Pal's comments "very childish". "It is our duty also to vote. We have just come to the assembly to cast our votes, and we will be back. Because we know, Darjeeling is burning. We are aware of that. We know our responsibility.

"Because after all, we are colleagues, whether you belong to the BJP, or to the Trinamool or to the Congress, or CPI-M, or GJM. I think we should have mutual respect for each other. There are political differences we have. But I think there is scope to solve these. But shouting and accusing, I don't think that is the solution. This shows their (Trinamool's) mentality."
International low-cost carrier Air India Express has set up an internal enquiry to ascertain whether its Dubai-Mangaluru flight operated on Sunday early morning had hit runway guiding lights on landing at Mangaluru airport.

"The initial enquiry report has not confirmed that the guiding lights were damaged by IX 814 (Dubai-Mangaluru flight)," AI Spokesperson Dhananjay Kumar told IANS in New Delhi.

"After IX 814, three more aircraft landed on the same runway. It is a matter of detailed enquiry."

The purported incident came to light after the pilot of one of the three aircraft that landed after the Air India Express flight reported guiding light debris on the tarmac, local sources said. This led to the airport authorities questioning the IX 814 crew whether they had hit the guiding lights.

As per local sources, the airport authority had alleged that the aircraft had hit "some guiding lights" of the runway after landing at Mangaluru airport damaging them.

Taking cognisance of the allegation, the airline's Flight Safety Department set up the enquiry into the incident. Initial enquiry reports have suggested that the aircraft did not skid upon landing.

According to Kumar, the aircraft did not suffer any damage and that all 186 passengers on-board the aircraft were safe.
Emphasising that it was this generations historical responsibility to make the United Nations strong for the next generation, India on Monday reaffirmed its commitment to sharing its experience in UN peacekeeping activities with all those who wish to contribute to this cause.

In her keynote address at the second UN Peacekeeping Course for African Partners (UNPCAP), Ruchi Ghanashyam, Secretary (West) in the External Affairs Ministry, recalled that this was a promise Prime Minister Narendra Modi had personally made to African leaders at the third India-Africa Forum held in October 2015. The UNPCAP is a trilateral cooperation programme between India, the US and African countries.

Elaborating on the activities of UN peacekeeping forces, she cautioned that deploying peacekeeping operations with a "robust mandate" but without the required diplomatic preparation on ground could turn out to be a recipe for failure. This could undermine the credibility of UN peacekeeping activities over a long term. She also stressed on a synergy between the Security Council and the countries contributing troops to the UN mission.

A major challenge in the present-day peacekeeping mission was training and success of any operation, which hinged on the quality of personnel who serve under the UN flag, she said.

Ghanasyham also emphasised on sharing India's experience in the peacekeeping operations, as the country has been sending its troops for the UN peacekeeping missions for over 50 years now.
A suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba operative, Salim Mukim Khan, who was absconding for the past nine years, was nabbed from Mumbai Airport, an official said here on Monday.

The operation was carried out jointly by the Uttar Pradesh ATS and Maharashtra ATS. Khan is currently being interrogated here.

Wanted since 2008 with a Lookout Notice issued for him, Khan was nabbed when he arrived from an undisclosed location to Mumbai.

He hails from Fatehpur's Hathgaon village under Bandipur police jurisdiction in Uttar Pradesh.

Investigators said that based on the lookout notice, Khan was detained at Mumbai Airport. The UP ATS was informed, which sent a team to Mumbai for further investigations.

Two terrorists nabbed for the 2008 attack on a CRPF camp in Rampur had told police that Khan had acquired terror training in a terrorist camp in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan.

He was also a handler for a Pakistan ISI agent Aftab, who was nabbed in Faizabad. Khan sent finances to Aftab, according to investigations.
It is not only surprising but also shocking that some of Indias opposition leaders have protested against Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Israel in July as an exercise in vote-bank politics.

They are perhaps not aware that in the wake of the India-China war in 1962, Israel had helped the Indian army with the most needed 81 mm, 120 mm and 160 mm mortars and Pack Howitzer Artillery Guns, with ammunition. India reciprocated this good gesture by sending spares for Israeli Mystere and Ouragon aircraft and AMX-13 tanks in 1967.

India and Israel forged a close military and security relationship during the 1999 Kargil war with Tel Aviv supplying top-of-the-line Searcher Mark II unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for reconnaissance of the Pakistani intrusion area in Drass, Kakser and Batalik sectors.

Later, Israeli companies armed Indian multi-role fighters like Mirage-2000 with Lightning pods to illuminate the Pakistani targets for laser-guided bomb attacks.

It also provided Barack surface-to-air missiles to protect the Indian aircraft carrier, Viraat.

The relationship deepened after Israel quietly landed three C-130 J Hercules load of much needed ammunition and missiles in the first week of June 2002 as India was all set to answer for the 14 May 2002 massacre of 10 women and 8 children at Kaluchak army camp in Jammu by Pakistani terrorists.

The defence arms and sophisticated equipment used to be supplied by Israel covertly, but after the election of the Modi Government in 2014, the supplies are provided overtly. While welcoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Tel Aviv, his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu, said his country had awaited the visit for seventy years.

Since the birth of Israel in 1947, whose admission to the UN India had opposed, Israeli leaders had always sought full diplomatic ties. Once the Narasimha Rao government established full ties in 1992, Israel pushed for full acknowledgement of bilateral relations on the international stage.

As a result, the significance of Modis visit to Israel, as the first Indian Prime Minister there, was of great historical importance.

However, the best friendships are judged not just by bilateral bonhomie, but also by the ability to discuss uncomfortable issues. With Modis visit India has, for all purposes, de-hyphenated its ties with Israel and Palestine, something Israel has always cherished.

That is why Modi made a point not to visit the Occupied Territories. Indias position on the establishment of the State of Israel was affected by many factors, including Indias own Partition, and its relationship with other nations.

Mahatma Gandhi believed the Jews had a good case and a prior claim for Israel, but opposed the creation of Israel on religious terms. India voted against the partitioning of Palestine plan of 1947 and also against Israels admission to the United Nations in 1949.

The Hindu nationalist leader, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, had supported the creation of Israel on both moral and political grounds, and condemned Indias vote at the UN against Israel.

RSS leader Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar admired Jewish nationalism and believed Palestine was the natural territory of the Jewish people, essential to their aspiration for nationhood. On 17 September 1950, India officially recognised the State of Israel. Delhis opposition to official diplomatic relations with Israel stemmed from both domestic and foreign considerations.

Domestically, politicians in India feared losing the Muslim vote if relations were normalised with Israel. Additionally, India did not want to jeopardise the large number of its citizens working in Arab States of the Persian Gulf, who were helping India maintain its foreignexchange reserves and also for safeguarding the flow of oil from the Arab world.

At the height of the tension between Israel and Hamas in July 2014, India offered a rhetorical condemnation holding both sides responsible for stoking violence and asked Israel to stop disproportionate use of force in Gaza, which was read by many as a departure from the tradition of more vocal supports for the Palestinian cause. However, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj insisted there is absolutely no change in Indias policy towards Palestine. When the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) report, alleging that Israel had committed war crimes was tabled for vote, India abstained from voting, one of five countries to do so. As of 2014, India is the third-largest Asian trade partner of Israel, and tenth-largest trade partner overall.

In 2014, bilateral trade, excluding military sales, stood at $4.52 billion, which is likely to be enhanced to $20 billion in the next five years. India and Israel enjoy an extensive economic, military, and strategic relationship.

India is the largest buyer of Israeli military equipment and Israel is the second-largest defence supplier to India after Russia and one among the third largest defence suppliers to India (USA, Russia are the other two.) From 1999 to 2009, the military business between the two nations was worth around $9 billion.

Military and strategic ties between the two nations extend to intelligencesharing on terrorist groups and joint military training.

Defence remained a key factor in the India-Israeli relationship. Israeli companies, led by government-owned aerospace giant Israel Aircraft Industries, have signed arms deals with India totalling over $2.6 billion earlier this year. Israel has offered to sell India its armed UAV) Eitan or Heron TP (Drones) in order to enhance its standoff strike as well as long-range strategic strike capability.

The offer is still on the table, with South Block interested in bringing the unmanned weapon through the Make in India route for manufacturing in India. Developed by Israel Aerospace Industries, the Heron TP can fly at a height of 35,000 feet, has a flight endurance of up to 52 hours and carries a weapon payload.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Department of Science and Technology and Israels National Technological Innovation Authority for setting up of $40 million worth India-Israel Industrial Research and Development and Technical Innovation Fund. In the water sector, two agreements were signed to enhance cooperation on water conservation and state water utility reform in India.

The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation and Israels Ministry of National Infrastructure, Energy and Water Resources signed the agreement on National Campaign for Water Conservation in India. Modi said that Israel is among the leading nations in the field of innovation, water and agricultural technology and these are also among my priority areas in Indias development.

In the agriculture sector, the two countries have agreed upon India-Israel Development Cooperation ~ a three-year work programme in agriculture from 2018 to 2020. Currently, Israel has established 17 centres of excellence in India and is hoping to expand it to 25 centres in the next three years.

This is a sizeable number for Israel but a drop in a bucket in the Indian context to make the desert green. The two countries also agreed on cooperation between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Israel Space Agency (ISA) regarding cooperation in Atomic Clocks. Besides, separate MoUs were signed between ISRO and ISA for cooperation in GEO-LEO optical link, and in Electric Propulsion for small satellites.

(The writer is a retired senior professor of International Trade. He may be reached at [email protected])
The dictionary, sadly, does not place any timeframe on the term phase, and so there can be holding the minister of state in the PMO accountable if his claim that militancy has now entered its final phase in Jammu and Kashmir proves hollow. Sure there is need for morale-building pep-talk, but little purpose is served by refusing to recognise the reality that the situation in the Valley has deteriorated to a dangerous low. Hence it would be over-simplistic and myopic for Mr Jitendra Singh (and a few others) to believe that the widespread condemnation of the attack on the Amarnath pilgrims points to a reversal of the support militancy receives from a section of the local populace. There have been previous attacks on pilgrims which failed to provide shock therapy, events on the ground do not support the line that the back of militancy has been broken, nor too the oft-repeated claim that the people are fed-up with jihadi militancy. That even schoolgirls have been pelting stones to hamper the anti-militancy actions of the security forces testifies to the extent to which alienation has sunk, with the administrative machinery in the state on the verge of collapse.

The MOS is not alone in living in a fools paradise. Security agencies are now going public about specific militant leaders being involved in the latest strike, spelling out their bio-data, areas of activity, associates etc. If so much information was available why was no pre-emptive action taken? And how is it that that they were not taken into custody immediately after the pilgrims bus was attacked? The conflicting reports about the attack only confirm apprehensions that the security establishment is groping in the dark. As well as pointing to surgical strikes, punitive retaliatory fire, the belligerent warnings of 15 February, the commended use of a human shield all having had only marginal effect. The promise of more muscle after the horrific incident is unlikely to have more than cosmetic impact.

Mr Jitendra Singh, a key governmental player in J&K, would have generated hope and confidence in his final phase assessment had he indicated a revised action plan. High-level reviews in New Delhi, talking to the chief minister/Governor, the Army Chief rushing to Srinagar etc have all been tried before ~ without lasting success. A fresh Kashmir policy is something New Delhi cannot put off indefinitely. If it has ruled out a negotiated political settlement an alternative must be presented. The continuing stand-off with the Chinese at the Bhutan trijunction constitutes an added complication in the military-solution equation. The beaten-path of Governors Rule is, at best, first-aid and the Prime Minister is now called upon to exhibit his administrative and political acumen; his support-squad has proved ineffective. The drift in J&K is bleeding the nation.
Do you have a pen to spare? Mine has run out of ink, I asked of the classmate next to me. He offered one with a decorous smile and said, You can keep it. That is how I met Kamal the first day of college. I kept the pen and kept talking. After class he took me out for a cup of tea. He loved tea.

Of middle height, Kamal had a large shock of hair and bright pair of eyes, peering at you through thick lenses. He had the most elegant style of talking in the entire class: a dulcet, deliberate pitch, starting with a considerate pause and ending invariably with an amiable interrogation, Dont you think so? The last would be embellished by a sunny half-smile and a gentle turning of his palm. It was hard to disagree with him.

No wonder he easily won in the election and became a leader in the student union. I won too, but with a smaller margin and much greater effort. Yes, I spoke loudly and inelegantly, and I waved my hands too much.

We became friends nevertheless. The first bridge was politics. We were both enmeshed in student politics and we talked endlessly of the big issues of the day: Marxism, social transformation, economic justice and student rights. But we soon found the second and broader bridge of literature. We both read prodigiously and felt passionately about what we read.

I read to him poems, mostly modern poems, that I loved. I read them loudly and clearly, not economizing on emphasis. He read his favorites, a combination of old and new, in his characteristic fashion, slowly, gently and with long pauses. It was a completely different style, but strangely effective, and I fell in love with several of his choices.

We began by meeting in college corners, teashops and coffee houses, but, since I lived next to the college, my apartment became our default space. The apartment had two large terraces, one with a convenient awning, and we would sit and talk after college until sundown.

At that time Kamal lived in a suburban house, far from the college, where his father practiced medicine. The situation changed dramatically when his father died very young, and his grandfather, a famous physicist, invited Kamals mother, Nilima, to move into his large house in town, fairly close to the college. We now started seeing each other daily after college, often at his grandfathers and now his home, and sometimes I even stayed back at his place. I loved sitting with him after dinner, drinking tea and talking about our life and loves.

Kamal was a most unusual person. He combined disparate elements to an extraordinary degree. He was a social person, cordial to people he met. In fact, mostly he left them charmed. Yet he was highly intuitive, and if he sensed someone as overbearing, he would leave the scene without a word.

An aspect that bowled me over was his extraordinary candor. Five of us friends were discussing the most memorable incident in our lives in a street-side cafe. The rest of us talked about some curious event, but Kamal talked about a most intimate occurrence and put us all to shame with our lack of self-disclosure. At the same time, I knew he could be cautious and guarded with people he instinctively distrusted.

On one occasion I had invited him to a small gathering. He did not come. The striking thing was that when I asked him about it, instead of prevaricating he told me, simply and truthfully, that he had not felt like joining. I accepted that instantly. He could also be preternaturally sensitive to his environment. We dined with friends in an excellent Chinese restaurant one day, when Kamal came over to tell me that the scarlet wall color overwhelmed him. We moved to another room.

From the university I went to work for a corporate organization, while Kamal joined Indias reputed public administration service. He took his work as a mission and rose in the ranks until he was a very senior member of the giant Indian railway system. I lived in another country and traveled constantly. We rarely saw much of each other, though we always kept in touch.

Three years ago I walked into a college reunion and found him sitting with friends at a table, sipping tea as usual. The afternoon sun glistened on his hair, now touched with silver, as he spoke softly, his palm turned the familiar way, his lips carrying his trademark halfsmile.

That is the picture I will live with now of my friend. Kamal died last year of a definitive cardiac failure.

(The writer is a Washington-based international development advisor and had worked with the World Bank. He can be reached at [email protected])
By PTI: Kolkata, Jul 17 (PTI) The Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and West Bengal government will jointly host a maga Asian meet, Horasis, in the city on 26-27 November, a senior ICC official today said.

"Global business Forum-Horasis Asia Meeting will be co-hosted by Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) on November 26 and 27," ICC newly appointed president Shashwat Goenka said.

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Horasis - a global visions community committed to enact visions for a sustainable future, provides a unique platform for companies from emerging and developed markets to globalise their organisations.

Delegates from Australia, Europe and the US will also attend the meet, besides Asian CEOs, ICC director general Rajeev Singh said.

The meet is expected to highlight West Bengal in the Asian platform.

The annual Horasis Asia Meeting is Asias foremost gathering of the regions most senior leaders from business and government and is poised to be the ideal platform to explore and advance regional cooperation, impact investing and sustainable growth, officials said.

ICC is also planning to open an office in south India for the first time this year, Goenka said. PTI BSM DKB

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Venezuela is in for regime change. Methods and tools  carefully chosen, calibrated, sequenced and timed  have been set in motion to yield the desired result. Domestic and external actors are moving in concert for the kill. It is the most serious effort at regime change since the failed military coup of 2002, which had ended in ignominy for the Opposition and a setback to the United States.

The makeshift Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD) is united in its common hatred for Chavismo  the ideology that ostensibly guided President Hugo Chavez (1999-2013) and his successor, President Nicolas Maduro. It refuses to recognise the 2013 election of Maduro.

The Venezuelan opposition decided to finally upstage Maduro after its unexpected victory in the parliamentary election held in December 2015. The strategy is to assault the entire governmental machinery and gut the Constitution of 1999.

The National Electoral Council (CNE) is under attack; CNE had found last years Opposition demand for a referendum to recall Maduro as unconstitutional.

The Supreme Court is the most hated institution. It had set aside the election of three deputies for irregularities. In defiance, the Opposition-controlled National Assembly still swore in the ineligible members. A constitutional bench eventually held the National Assembly guilty of contempt of the Court, and stripped the house of its legislative powers on 29 March 2017.

The judicial order was rescinded three days later after the Attorney General Luisa Ortega opined otherwise. The impugned injunction has become the cause celebre for the violent protest  now in its tenth week. The building housing the highest court was set ablaze and, a week later, strafed from a helicopter. The office of the ombudsman never receives a complaint from the Opposition. Julio Borges, President of the National Assembly finds election a trick to distract the Opposition from its overarching goal of violent regime-change.

The Opposition will boycott every election held under Maduro  for the National Constituent Assembly in July 2017, gubernatorial in December and presidential in 2018. Violence is carefully managed and choreographed by the international media. It is intense, localised and calibrated to provoke hard responses from law enforcement authorities. Protests are confined to posh areas of Caracas and four other big cities.

Some 17 Opposition-controlled municipalities, out of 364 nation-wide, provide the backdrop to the serial violence  valorised as resistance by the global media. There is sort of a macabre pattern to violence: on average, one killing a day. Victims are young and male  shot by a sniper, a steel bullet using a sling-shot, or run over by a vehicle. Slingshots and steel bullets are the smuggled items most seized by the customs authorities. Several deaths are owed to police excesses.

Maduro appealed to Pope Francis to ask the Opposition not to use children as human shields. The police is humiliated with bombs made of human excrement, fired at them with slingshots. A group of women protestors stripped naked to shame the soldiers for not revolting. Race and colour is at the heart of the political conflict. Opposition leaders and elite Venezuelans in general look European.

They want to restore the power and privilege they held for forty years (1958- 98) when politics was under Full Stop. Chavismo empowered millions of the mixed and coloured. Protestors burnt alive an Afro-Venezuelan, Maduro says, just because he had dark skin like you and me.

The Opposition gambit to undermine the two major pillars of regime support has not worked  at least so far. Barrios have not insurrected; and armed forces scorn a coup. The much-awaited Caracas Spring has not arrived. It is a war in cyberspace where a different political narrative is under construction. It is said that Venezuela is in the midst of a humanitarian crisis.

No one substantiates the data; it is reported that 80 per cent of Venezuelans are struggling to make two ends meet. A purported refugee crisis is looming large which would destabilise the region.

Hungry Venezuelans, it is said, would rush into Colombia, Brazil and Curacao. A preemptive action in the form of regime change is thus a humanitarian imperative. It is a two-pronged strategy: violence will allow the regime to collapse in ignominy. The calibrated violence however has failed to split the regime, especially the armed forces. The second prong at work is dismantlement of regime. Organisation of American States (OAS) is the arena; and Secretary-General Luis Almagro is the pack hunter. Almagro is working like the chief executive of a supranational body which has jurisdiction over the national sovereignty of Venezuela.

He calls Maduro a dictator and swears to expel Venezuela under the Democracy Clause of the OAS. He writes reports, based on press handouts of the Opposition, and declares a constitutional breakdown in the country.

He violated every stated norm and reported Venezuela for action. Foreign Ministers of OAS countries met in Washington, D.C. on 31 May, and Cancun on 19 June 2017 to deliberate and act on the USsponsored motion for solving the crisis in Venezuela.

The motion failed for want of the required two-third vote. Venezuela escaped the dragnet. But the hunt is on. US want OAS to set up a contact group to open negotiations with Maduro, including possibly his early exit. Brazil, Mexico and others want to have an international humanitarian assistance channel to supply food and medicine, bypassing state authorities.

For Peru, it is a matter of us vs. them. President Pablo Kuczynski wants an arbitration commission of Peru, Colombia and Brazil or Chile vs. Nicaragua, Ecuador and Bolivia to sort Venezuela out. The entire constitutional bench is under sanction of US State Department.

Putting the state-owned Petroleos de Venezuela is under consideration. There are three groups in OAS. A small group is opposed to intervention. OAS-14 is the group of bigwigs  US, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, etc. It wants OASmediated dialogue, election and failing this, intervention.

Fourteen small and micro-states of the Caribbean want Venezuela on board for resolution of the crisis. Caribbean bloc can be co-opted; a call from the US State Department would do it. It is proposed that an OAS coalition of the willing would do the humanitarian intervention.

Rex Tillerson knows Venezuela best. Exxon Mobil is the only oil company that quit Venezuela in 2007; it refuses settlement for the nationalisation of its assets.

The writer is Professor, Latin American Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University.
For all her democratic protestations of concern over the persecution of Rohingyas, the Myanmar government's refusal to allow a UN factfinding mission to investigate allegations of killings, rape and torture by security forces against Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine state reflects poorly on the leadership of Aung San Suu Kyi. Ironically enough, her stance is seemingly concordant with that of the junta's.

As the de facto leader of Myanmars civilian government ~ short of President ~ and also its foreign minister, she has rejected the allegations and now opposes the mission that has been planned by the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council. The flat refusal of the government in Naypidaw is in itself a mockery of human rights.

Sad to reflect, Suu Kyi is pretty helpless as she fears that she may have to pay a political price for speaking out. Contrived silence can have its costs, however. Having turned down the UN team's visit, she has in effect gone against the voice of the comity of nations.

The hope raised two years ago ~ at the time of transition from repressive military rule to a purportedly democratic regime ~ is in tatters. Indeed, her ability to achieve peace and rein in the junta is now open to question, more so with the official assertion that the country would refuse entry to the UN investigators.

Obviously, the world body would have exposed the almost relentless persecution that flies in the face of the certitudes of democracy that Suu Kyi had upheld not too long ago. She seems to be utterly helpless against the vicious crackdown on the Rohingyas by the Myanmarese army amidst reports of mass arrests, the burning of villages, bar on journalists, aid workers, and international monitors.

In the net, the democratic change has made no difference to the pilght of the Rohingyas ~ they remain nowhere people on the border with Bangladesh, wandering from shore to shore in search of a home. The fact that some of them have fled to the Kashmir Valley in search of refuge might serve to exacerbate matters, given the inbuilt insecurity in that swathe of India.

The UN team's proposed visit can be contextualised with Amnesty International's indictment ~ "The army's callous and systematic campaign against the Rohingyas may be a crime against humanity". So indeed it is. The lifeline of the "nowhere men" in Rakhine has been severed; the military blockade has deprived them of food, water, and health care. Such brutality has served to undermine Suu Kyi's standing after having led Myanmar ever since the party's resounding electoral triumph in 2015, not to forget her famous victory in 1990, which led her to jail rather than the helm of government.

The ethnic conflict does not speak well of her skills as a peacemaker.

Suu Kyi has failed to live up to her own rhetoric.
The attack on the bus of returning Amarnath pilgrims resulting in seven deaths has shaken the nation. Protests and bandhs paralysed life in Jammu for a couple of days, the starting point of the yatra, as also in other parts of the state. A candle light vigil was held in Srinagar and a not in my name vigil in Delhi. Death due to accidents is acceptable, however by terror strikes it is not.

The nation came together to criticise the incident. For once, most political parties, barring the odd one, avoided playing politics over the attack.

The candle light vigil in Srinagar indicated that despite claims, the majority are not against the state. There was even muted criticism from the Hurriyat. Security forces have stepped up their operations and a massive hunt is underway to track down the perpetrators of the attack.

The most remarkable fallout is the increased determination of the participants of the yatra. There is no indication of fear or worry amongst the faithful.

Those participating say in one voice that since the army is responsible for security, there is no fear. They represent the majority of Indians who trust the army with their lives. This is the true national spirit and an indicator of the grit and faith of the common Indian. It is the average Indian who performs the yatra, hence the spirit shown by him proves that the nation can never be cowed down by any enemy or adversary seeking to harm its internal fibre.

For the locals of Kashmir, the yatra is an eagerly awaited event as it is a major revenue earner. Those offering services to the pilgrims along the route to the shrine travel large distances, some coming all the way from Rajouri and Doda, south of the Pir Panjal range, while others from across the valley. During the short yatra period, they earn fairly large sums and are there every year, despite strict security checks, tough living and working conditions.

None of them desire any interruptions or terror strikes which could impact the flow of pilgrims. They are simple, hard working Kashmiris, who represent the majority, seek a better life for their kith and kin, however are overshadowed by the minority who throw stones, indulge in violence or join militancy.

For local traders, it is a bonanza. With tourism on the wane, this is the market for handicrafts and all pilgrims carry back memorabilia. Most commercial outlets in the state gain during this period.

The locals are welcoming and have a positive attitude towards pilgrims. There are numerous reports of locals assisting those stranded or injured due to accidents, as had occurred on Sunday. It is only the very few, instigated by pro-Pak separatists or terrorists who seek to target the pilgrims.

At the Central government level, the yatra is a part of the national calendar, drawing the faithful from across the country to participate in an annual pilgrimage that has continued uninterrupted in recent times. It is an indicator of the governments determination to support the religious diversity of the nation even in remote and troubled areas.

Thus huge precautions are taken at every stage while catering for boarding, transportation, medical emergencies and security of pilgrims. For the organisers, it means sleepless nights as there are multiple challenges to overcome and innumerable contingencies to cater for, in addition to coordinating actions and activities of a variety of agencies. For Pakistan and its small band of terrorists operating within Kashmir, it offers a large movement of unarmed people, representing almost all parts of India transiting on known routes daily.

They realize that a strike on this religious pilgrimage would give them disproportionate publicity. Further, incidents like the attack this year could have repercussions elsewhere that enhance the communal divide. Hence, they issued a dictum to their cadre to strike.

Enhanced deployment of security forces, increased counter-terrorism actions and multiple layers of a counter-infiltration grid was undertaken to offset their plans.

However, despite all efforts, there is always laxity, resulting in an untoward incident. The incident involving the bus was one of those unplanned contingencies. The bus managed to break all security barriers and rules without raising eyebrows. It is a wake-up call for those involved in the conduct of the pilgrimage that lapses can occur despite precautions.

On the other hand, it also indicated the faith and trust of the bus passengers on the local population that they spent time shopping and sightseeing, unmindful of threats lurking around the corner. However, the attack occurred not because of the bravado or planning of the terrorists but because an opportunity came their way, born out of the faith of the tourists who believed they were safe. Anti-national elements would continue to seek means to break the bond which exist between the common Kashmiri and the rest of the nation, but should never be permitted to succeed. Everyone involved with the pilgrimage should ensure such incidents do not recur.

Participants too should follow security guidelines. Despite this incident, the yatra must continue with equal determination. It is an annual pilgrimage which is as important for Kashmir and its populace as it is for the nation. The recent incident brought all political parties together.

Across the board condemnation and candle light vigils foiled plans of terrorists at creating a religious divide. India has proved, yet again, that it can and will remain united.

The writer is a retired Major-General of the Indian Army.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel's party Christian Democratic Union (CDU) has dismissed proposals from its sister party Christian Social Union (CSU) to impose a limit on the number of refugees admitted to the country.

"As far as an upper limit is concerned, my position is clear: I will not accept it," Merkel said at her annual "summer interview" with television channel ARD on Sunday night.

Merkel's comments placed her at odds with CSU leader Horst Seehofer, who has openly mulled over making a cap on refugees a condition for forming another coalition with the CDU, Xinhua news agency reported.

A limit on the number of refugees also featured in the CSU's separate legislative programme, "the Bavarian plan".




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In a major setback to Essar Steel, the Gujarat High Court today dismissed the company's writ petition challenging the Reserve Bank of India's directive to initiate insolvency proceedings against the steel major for its high non-performing assets.

The RBI had issued the directive to a consortium of banks led by the State Bank of India.

The oral order was issued by Justice S.G. Shah, who said that relief could not be granted to the company. More details are awaited.

The RBI had issued a directive to initiate insolvency proceedings against 12 companies, including Essar Steel on June 13. Essar Steel challenged the directive through a petition on July 4.

While the company maintained that it was a unilateral action at a time when it was undergoing restructuring and that it was being singled out, the RBI's counsel presented that it was untrue that the company was discussing restructuring of repayments with the banks. He had further said that the insolvency proceedings would help the company to shape up and not close it down.

The company had also categorically objected to the fact that it was being clubbed with 11 firms that were defaulting.

Earlier, during the hearings the RBI had said that the directive of initiating insolvency proceedings against 12 companies was based on advice of the internal advisory committee and that there was no document to support its directive against Essar Steel for initiating insolvency proceedings.

The steel major had a debt of over RS 45,000 crore and out of which over Rs 31,000 crore turned into NPAs for banks by the end of the financial year 2015-2016.
By PTI: Hyderabad, Jul 17 (PTI) Expanding its probe into the organised drug trade, the Telangana Excise department has decided to issue notices to the managements of pubs and bars in the city as part of a sensitisation programme to check the drug menace.

The move came in the wake of the directions given by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao who yesterday asked the police and excise officials to intensify the investigation into the incidents of the illicit drug trade and to make Hyderabad a drug-free city and Telangana a drug-free state, an Excise official said today.

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The state Prohibition and Excise department had busted a racket selling high-end narcotics like MDMA and LSD earlier this month and has so far arrested 13 persons.

The department is also probing the alleged links of certain Tollywood personalities with the drug peddlers, and had issued notices to a total of 12 persons asking them to remain present before the authorities from July 19 onwards.

According to the official, the notices will be issued to managements of all the 220 bars and pubs in the city, beginning with those located in posh areas of Banjara Hills and Jubilee Hills.

"We are in the process of issuing notices to pubs and bars in Hyderabad city. A meeting will be soon conducted with managements of bars in this regard to sensitise them on the menace of narcotics," Deputy Commissioner (Prohibition and Excise-Hyderabad) Vivekananda Reddy told PTI.

"We will explain to them that no drugs or any other narcotics substances is sold, consumed or exchanged within their premises. They will also be told that punitive action will be initiated against those pubs and bars, if any, which are found to violating the rules," he said.

Meanwhile, another senior official said there are some "unclear" clues cum information that some pubs and bars are becoming a rendezvous point for drug users and peddlers.

"Since the information is uncertain, it does not warrant any immediate action. But we will not take a chance. We want to minimise any of such instances (drug usage or distribution). Though, the department regularly carries out inspection at the pubs and bars, so far we have not noticed any such act. It is the responsibility of pubs to ensure that banned stuff is not used in their premises," he said.

Addressing a high-level meeting at Pragati Bhavan here yesterday, Rao expressed an urgent need to protect the brand Hyderabad.

He had asked the investigators to not spare anybody, irrespective of his or her standing, including politicians, if that is the case. The CM had said there would not be any political interference in the investigation.

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After exposing the racket on July 2, the investigators found that the gang catered to about 1,000 customers, including students of city-based schools and colleges, a film producer, and some senior officials of MNCs and employees of IT firms in Cyberabad. PTI VVK GDK NSK

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Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced a crop loan and medium-term loan waiver on June 24, 2017. He said, Loans upto Rs 1.50 lakhs from 2012 to 2016 will be waived off. 40 lakh farmers will benefit and an incentive of Rs 25,000 will be awarded for those who regularly repay their loans. 90 per cent of the total farmers will be able to avail the benefit.

The announcement came after protests by farmers in the state. Supply of milk and vegetables to major towns like Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur and Nasik was completely cut-off. But the loan waiver announcement, restricting benefit to loans only upto Rs 1.50 lakhs, and a tenure from 2012 to 2016, angered the farmers. The steering committee of the 33 different organisations resolved to continue the protests and announced a state-wide Sangharsh Yatra, starting from Nasik, from the July 9, 2017.

Dr Ajit Nawale of Kisan Kranti said, We just cannot accept it. Moreover, the government says that farmers will have to pay the amount more than Rs 1.50 lakhs under one-time settlement for loans more than Rs 2 lakhs to be eligible for the waiver.

"Farmers who owe more than Rs 2 lakhs simply do not have the additional amount to pay. They are completely broke after demonetisation and three years of drought. Why would a farmer be in debt if he has the additional amount to pay in one stroke? asked Nawale.

The restriction on the duration of the debt, too, was a reason for the farmers' anger. Shirish Kotwal, former MLA and a farmer himself, from Chandwad in Nasik, said, Last year, the ministers held public meetings in Nasik asking farmers to get their debt reconstructed. They said that this will help them evade getting their name in the list of bad loans.

Over 1 crore farmers, owing more than Rs 10,000 crore, got their loans reconstructed in 2016, by paying interest and renewing the principle amount as new loan. All those farmers will be ineligible for the loan waiver now, as the waiver is offered for a debt till 2016.

The co-operative department had issued a government resolution (GR), stating various criteria for the loan waiver eligibility. Sachin Sawant, Congress spokesperson, said, That GR had no value. It said that the finance ministry will issue a separate GR, along with their terms and conditions, for the final waiver. According to Sawant, it was merely an attempt to hold back the farmer protests.

He said, After that, the chief minister again relaxed the debt tenure and said that debts from 2009 to 2016 will be eligible for the waiver. But he brought down the figure from 40 lakh farmers to 36 lakh. The final GR, from the finance ministry, for loan waiver from 2009 to 2016, is yet to be issued. Farmers are adamant on their demand for debt waiver till June 30, 2017.

Nationalised banks and private banks will not listen to the state government as it has no such authority. The central government and the RBI has to order them to grant the waiver and the district co-operative banks are not in a position to grant waiver in the absence of a GR from the finance ministry. Confusion, anger, anxiety continue to rise among the agrarian community in the state," said Sawant.
Heavy shelling and firing exchanges are on between Indian and Pakistani Army on Monday on the Line of Control (LoC), said a defence official.

Initiating the attack, Pakistan resorted to unprovoked targeting of the Indian positions on the LoC in Bhimber Gali sector of Jammu and Kashmir, Defence Ministry spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Manish Mehta said.

"The indiscriminate firing using small arms, automatics and mortars that started from 7.30 a.m. is still on," said Mehta.

The Indian Army was retaliating strongly and effectively, he added.
All legislators of Jammu and Kashmir assembly, upper and lower houses casted their vote in Presidential polls except Engineer Abdul Rashid Sheikh of Awami Itehad Party today.

"All but one legislator, Engineer Abdul Rashid Sheikh, participated in the polling,'' said M.R. Singh, Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Secretary. According to Singh, all 87 elected legislators were eligible to cast their vote, but Engineer Rashid boycotted.

Two nominated legislators in the legislative assembly and legislative council were not eligible to participate in the elections.

All elected legislators in state assemblies and members of parliament, Lok Sabha, and Rajya Sabha, constitute the electoral college.

The polling booth for JK members of the electoral college was set up in JK assembly secretariat. According to Singh, no MP from Jammu and Kashmir filed a request to cast his vote in Srinagar.

"Polling began after noon and ended before 5pm," Singh said. "The counting will be held in Delhi on July 20."

The Election Commission of India allows MPs to cast their ballot in state capitals in case they dont intend to vote in the Parliament House in New Delhi.

The EC had deputed Shailendra Singh, (joint secretary-grade officer) as an observer for the voting in Srinagar.

Electronic voting machines were not used in the presidential polls.

The two candidates, Ram Nath Kovind of NDA and Meira Kumar of the opposition, had recently visited Srinagar to seek the support of the lawmakers from the state.

The total vote value of Jammu and Kashmir legislators and MPs in this presidential election is 126366264 for JK assembly members and 6372 of MPs.

The BJP with 25 legislators and four MPs has a total vote value of 4632. The second is its ally the PDP, which has a total vote value of 4140 from 28 state legislators and three MPs.

The main opposition National Conference has 15 state legislators and one MP. That gives it a total vote value of 1788. The total vote value of Jammu and Kashmir Congress, with 12 legislators and one Rajya Sabha MP, is 1572.

Two Jammu and Kashmir legislatorsHakim Muhammad Yasin and Muhammad Yousuf Tarigami of CPI(M)have extended their support to the opposition, taking their total vote value to 3504.

The electoral college for the presidential election comprises 4,120 MLAs and 776 MPs. The total value of the electoral college is 10,98,903.
Indian Army's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lieutenant General A.K. Bhatt got an unexpected call early Monday morning. The beginning of the week was witnessing heavy firing and shelling along the Line of Control with Pakistan. The Indian Army had responded to unprovoked shelling and firing from the Pakistani side.

Concerned over casualties on the Pakistani side, Pakistan DGMO Major General Sahir Shamshad Mirza made an unscheduled call to Lt Gen Bhatt. He raised the issue of the Indian Army targetting Pakistani troops that resulted in the death of four Pakistani soldiers. One civilian had also been killed in Athmuqam sector of Pakistan occupied Kashmir opposite Indian Keren sector in Kupwara district.

The admission that four soldiers had been killed on the Pakistani side has given credence to India's claims that infiltration along the LoC has support of the Pakistani Army.

This was conveyed by Lt Gen Bhatt on Monday when he told his counterpart that the firing by Indian troops was initiated against armed intruders attempting to infiltrate from close proximity of Pakistani posts along the LoC. The request for the DGMO level talks was made by Pakistan.

The DGMO put across emphatically that the trend of infiltration along the LoC continued with active support of Pak forward posts impacting peace and tranquility along the LoC and also the internal security situation, official sources said. This was evidence from continued attempts of sniping and targeting of our troops undertaken through cross border actions duly supported by Pakistani army troops.

Indian security brass has time and again raised concern over Pakistani army lending support to infiltrating terrorists along the border by engaging Indian troops in firing. The terrorists find safe passage as they stay close to the Pakistani posts before they infiltrate. Monday's exchange of fire was the result of a similar effort from the Pakistani side to support cover fire to militants, a security official said.

When the hotline connection was made by Pakistan, New Delhi did not mince words while telling Islamabad that while it is sincere in its efforts of maintaining peace and tranquility along the LoC, there is a need for reciprocity.

Peace and tranquility can be maintained provided there is reciprocity, Lt Gen Bhatt is learnt to have told his counterpart. But with tension escalating on the border, the Indian DGMO made it clear that the Indian army reserves the right to retaliate appropriately to any incident of violation of ceasefire. He said, Ceasefire violations were initiated by the Pakistani army and the Indian army only responded adequately to them.

India's strong retaliation has also come at a time when news of a six-year-old girl and a soldier getting killed after Pakistani troops fired mortar shells along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir early Monday morning. The firing was taking place in Bhimber Gali sector of the LoC as well as Mendhar and Balakote sectors. The Bhimber Gali sector runs along Rajouri and Poonch, where the six-year-old came under fire.
A five-year-old girl and a soldier were killed on Monday as Pakistani troops shelled and fired along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, the state police said.

The girl, identified as Saida of Balakote in Poonch district, died when she was hit by a Pakistani shell.

The soldier was killed in Rajouri district's Tarkundi area, but no further details were available.

After resorting to unprovoked shelling and firing in Bhimber Gali sector of the Line of Control earlier on Monday, the Pakistani troops began heavy shelling and firing in Mendhar and Balakote sectors.

Meanwhile, Director-General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt. Gen. A.K. Bhatt today spoke to his Pakistani counterpart and conveyed that India reserves the right to retaliate to any cross-border firing along the LoC.

The two DGMOs also deliberated on the situation along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, an army official said.

There have been 23 incidents of ceasefire violations, one BAT(Border Action Team) attack and two infiltration bids by Pakistan in June in which four people, including three jawans, have been killed and 12 injured.

Defence Ministry spokesman Lt. Col. Manish Mehta said the firing exchanges are still ongoing. The Indian Army was retaliating strongly and effectively, he added.
Cloud computing technology, which involves virtual servers and a virtual IT infrastructure, will see increasing adoption by e-commerce and startup companies in India in the near future.

E-commerce companies, for instance, that do not want to invest in an IT infrastructure, will adopt cloud computing and will outsource their cloud computing requirements to third party cloud computing service providers. Once their infrastructure is on cloud computing, they will be successful in providing faster and efficient services to their customers especially when they have a flash sale for instance when lakhs of users log in to their systems at the same time.

Any website can be hosted on the cloud. In the US, most of the e-commerce players are porting their IT infrastructure on a cloud infrastructure, Sonal Puri, the CEO of the US-based company, Webscale Networks told THE WEEK. We have a cloud service which can cater to different requirements of an e-commerce player. In case of heavy traffic on an e-commerce website, our cloud system automatically senses the increase in traffic and then allocates more servers to the system so that there is minimum downtime and the site is up and running continuously. On the other hand, when the traffic is less, it automatically reduces the number of servers required to run the site. Nowadays, cloud computing not only covers servers, but also very well provides security and networking as well.

Puri also feels that cloud computing facilitates agile functioning of different e-commerce websites. There are cloud infrastructure like ours which can transfer or switch over the entire cloud infrastructure on to another cloud system in case of a disaster in about 15 minutes time frame. This can avoid downtime and keep the system up and running even if a disaster strikes, she added.

As per Gartner Inc. public cloud services market in India is projected to grow 38 per cent in 2017 to total $1.81 billion. Gartner says that the highest growth will continue to be driven by infrastructure as a service (IaaS) which is projected to grow at 49.2 per cent in 2017, followed by 33 per cent in software as a service (SaaS) and 32.1 per cent in platform as a service (PaaS).

The research report says that additional demand from the migration of infrastructure to the cloud, as well as increased demand from compute intensive workloads, both in enterprise and startup space, will drive this growth in India.
One of Narendra Modis pet one-liners during the campaign for the Lok Sabha polls in 2014 was, The government has no business being in business. He seemed to have forgotten it in the first three years as prime minister. However, Air Indias privatisation might change that track record. The national carrier is finally on the blocka group of ministers headed by Arun Jaitley is looking at ways to get rid of it.

For a change, the governments intent has been very clear. Way back in 2003, the Naresh Chandra Committee had recommended privatising both Air India and Indian Airlines (which later merged with Air India). Unless IA and AI are freed from government ownership (and control), the efficiency gains anticipated in the turnaround measures are unlikely to materialise. Such underperformance is likely to further accelerate the current vicious cycle of poor financial performance leading to derailment of plans for capacity addition, said the report.

The successive governments, however, did nothing while the airlines kept losing customers and adding debt. The single biggest mistake in Air Indias history was its merger with Indian Airlines, said Pronab Sen, Indias former chief statistician who was a member in the Naresh Chandra Committee. That shattered the morale of employees badly. Whoever buys Air India will have to deal with this diminished morale and poor work ethic issues.

While it is business as usual at Air Indias Gurudwara Rakabganj Road office in Delhi, the air of despondency is unmistakable. A senior employee, who did not wish to be named, said it was unfair to put the entire blame on Air India. There are inherent constraints involved in running an airline in a government set up. Air India does not enjoy the kind of authority that a Naresh Goyal of Jet Airways has or Ajay Singh of SpiceJet has. And, I am not only competing with them; I am also competing with the likes of Lufthansa, Swiss Air and Emirates. The competition becomes unfair because we are tied up in processes, he said.

Ashwani Lohani | PTI

With the privatisation move on track, Air India is not undertaking any new projects for the time being. However, existing plans or the ones that were announced will continue. Ashwani Lohani, chairman and managing director of Air India, said the carrier would launch flights to Washington, Stockholm and Copenhagen this year. The airlines performance has improved on a year-on-year basis. We are adding international routes and also doubling our regional routes. But our turnaround is also impacted by the financial trouble. Had this debt not been there, we would be ten times of what we are today, he said.

Air Indias debt of Rs 52,000 crore is the biggest impediment in its disinvestment. The government will have to first chalk out a strategy to deal with this debt before going ahead with the disinvestment, said Nitin Bhasin, head of research at Ambit Capital. It does look like a heavy task but it is not impossible. Some of it can be restructured, and for the remaining, the government will have to take a call on whether it wants to write it off.

About Rs 25,000 crore of this debt is for aircraft purchases. Experts say this can be handed over to the buyer. But the buyer will negotiate on this loan depending on the age of aircraft and depreciation in the loan.

Some part of the remaining debt can be restructured and some of it can be converted to equity. The government can also pay off a portion of the debt through asset sales. Air Indias real estate assets, which include prime properties in Mumbai and Delhi, might be transferred to a special purpose vehicle. The debt might be transferred to a separate SPV.

It may be going through trouble but the company has some priceless assets. Air India has Pablo Picasso and Claude Monet paintings. According to me, its assets outweigh liabilities, said Mark Martin, founder and CEO at Martin Consulting, an aviation advisory firm.

Martins hunch is that the government might be working on a distress sale, which ideally should not be the case. Air India should not be treated in a manner a ship is treated in Alangbreak and recover. Privatisation should not come at the cost of destruction. It is among top 25 airlines globally with many other positives. A functional airline should be passed on to the new buyer, he said.

While many experts are of the opinion that the government should exit the business, Bhasin believes it might retain some stake. It will probably restrict itself to 26 per cent. It might do that to give comfort to the bankers, he said.

Sen said the government would have to give up controlling stake to attract buyers. Otherwise, who will be interested? They will also have to clarify on FDIwhether a foreign company can get landing rights which is a national resource, he said.

Air India has an employee strength of 21,137. No buyer will take up the employee burden. These jobs might be cut, said Martin. The employee unions have expressed their disapproval of the sale. We have made a joint forum comprising all the unions of Air India, said J.B. Kadyan, secretary general of Air Corporation Employees Union. We are currently educating our rank and file about the impact of privatisation.

Privatisation, however, is probably the last chance for Air India. Aviation is a very competitive business where you need to take decisions very fast. It cant work out within government, said former aviation minister Ajit Singh. The environment is good for growth in aviation right nowfuel prices are lower, passenger growth is happening; so it is better that Air India is unshackled so that it regains its glory.
Manav Kaul | Sameer Joshi

Sometimes, on a Sunday, when Im free and the weather is pleasant, I hit the road. While Zara Hatke Zara Bachke plays on the radio, I think of going to town [South Mumbai] via the sea-link. If the trip takes place in the morning, I go to Kyanis [a popular Irani restaurant] for a quick bite of bun-maska, and to Cafe Mondegar [in Colaba] in the evening.

I think it was in 1999. I had just arrived in Mumbai. I was in my early 20s and used to do backstage for a lot of plays. Some of those were for NCPA Experimental [at Nariman Point]. The organisers never used to pay. Instead, they said: Well treat you well. That meant taking us to Cafe Mondegar for beer and a huge spread. After the show, we would all head to Mondegar. We would have worked really hard the whole day, without a penny as remuneration, but the treat made up for everything.

Then, when I started writing and directing my own plays in the early 2000s, invariably, I used to take all my crew to Cafe Mondegar until around 2007. It was a post-theatre ritual. We went there, asked for a pitcher, and indulged. It was also our bonding time. The good food added to the revelry. And I liked everything they made. There were 45 of us, and no one was making a lot of money then. It was the initial stage of my career, doing plays like Peele Scooter Waala Aadmi and Shakkar Ke Paanch Daane. All of us were desperate to make a mark, working very hard. But we never let go of the times when we could make memories. We never let go of the days our plays were staged. In fact, I remember all those days when we spent almost everything we earned from the play on partying with friends. And that is why some of these places have a special significance for me, whether it is Kyanis, the watering holes near Prithvi theatre or Cafe Mondegar.

It was either [actor] Kumud Mishra or one of my girlfriends at that time who introduced me to Mondegar. I was amazed at the history of the building. It is fascinating. The sketch by Mario Miranda is invigorating. It boosts your mood. I used to click pictures of the sketch every time I went there.

I remember the hunger pangs and the times we spent at the entrance of Mondegar, waiting for a table while a cat slept or purred at our feet. It is a scene that is permanently etched in my mind. Every time you go there, you know that scene will repeat itselfyou will have to wait, just like the cat that is permanently there. It makes you nostalgic and brings a smile to your face. And then, when you finally get a table, it is so crowded and buzzing with people that you literally have to scramble through the thin bay between the tables to get inside. Then, the wait for the treat that you crave begins and sometimes lasts nearly an hour.

The frequency of my going to Cafe Mondegar has reduced in the last couple of years because I havent done a play at NCPA for some time, and I only go when I am watching something there. But if I ever go to town in the evenings, Cafe Mondegar is the first destination on my mind. Only after having a pint of beer there will I proceed with my work. It reminds me of the days when I had come to Mumbai and was still trying to figure out my life. Mondegar is Bombay for me.

Manav Kaul is a theatre director, playwright, actor and filmmaker.

AS TOLD TO PRIYANKA BHADANI
By Shivani Chhabra: IIFA 2017 turned out to be a bigger affair than the previous year, thanks to the magnificent amount of style unleashed by Bollywood celebrities during their three-day trip to New York City, USA.

From Alia Bhatt's phenomenal outfits to Sonakshi Sinha's blonde look, IIFA 2017 gave us some unforgettable looks, for different reasons. If there was someone who gave these beauties a tough competition with his style statement, it was (no points for guessing) Karan Johar.

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Karan Johar is the unparalleled connoisseur of class-apart fashion in the industry, and he took it to another level this time.

The filmmaker known for his quirky choices, and a bizarre collection of blingy shoes, was at the top of his sunglass game at IIFA, and it's as weird as it gets.

Also Read: Karan Johar's crazy shoes deserve a standing ovation

Karan posted a bunch of IIFA selfies on his Instagram account, and we couldn't help but gape in awe at the bizarre looking pairs of shades he was donning.

From sporting massive, square-shaped reflectors to green-hued studded eyewear, KJo made some bold, fashion statements.

Picture courtesy: Instagram/karanjohar

Picture courtesy: Instagram/karanjohar

Our favourite from his collection would definitely be the clear-glass pair of, Lennon-shades he sported, and looked quite cute in.

Picture courtesy: Instagram/karanjohar

Apart from neon reflectors, Karan stuck to classic, black pairs but with an added twist of his own. Experimenting with different shapes and sizes, Karan sported three different pairs of black shades like a total boss.

Picture courtesy: Instagram/karanjohar

Picture courtesy: Instagram/karanjohar

Picture courtesy: Instagram/karanjohar

Picture courtesy: Instagram/karanjohar

Karan, we salute you for being able to pull these shades off so effortlessly.

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Abu Ismail, the LeT operative who is said to have led the attack.

In the restive south Kashmir, death anniversaries are often the harbingers of trouble. That is why security forces were mobilised on a war footing when separatists announced a three-day commemoration of the death of Burhan Wani, the Hizbul Mujahideen commander who was shot dead on July 8 last year. Troops swarmed into trouble-prone districts like Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam and Anantnag, while in Tral, Wanis hometown, 42 Rashtriya Rifles began an area domination operation.

Adding to the Armys worries was the fact that the 45-day Amarnath pilgrimage season had begun on June 29. Nearly 30,000 troopsfrom the Army, Central Reserve Police Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police and Sashastra Seema Balwere deployed to ensure safe passage for pilgrims.

A few minor protests apart, the commemoration began rather peacefully. There was no repeat of the violent agitation that had spread across the region last year after Burhans killing. The security lid, it seemed, had held tight.

On July 10, however, the militants struck. They fired at a bus carrying 56 Amarnath yatris from Gujarat at Botengo in Anantnag, 60 kilometres south of Srinagar. After visiting the cave shrine, the yatris were on their way back to Jammu.

To distract the security forces, the militants had first attacked a police bunker at Botengo. Then they fired at a police patrol at Khanabal, several kilometres away, and attacked the bus carrying the pilgrims. When the police reached the spot, six pilgrims, five of them women, had died; one person died later at the Anantnag district hospital. At least 25 pilgrims were wounded in the attack, which lasted barely a minute.

It reminded everyone of Lashkar-e-Taibas attack on Pahalgam base camp on August 1, 2000, in which 25 Amarnath pilgrims, six villagers and two policemen were killed. The condemnation of that attack was so strong and widespread, even among Kashmiri militants, that pilgrims have not been targeted for 17 years.

Until now, that is.

As soon as news of the attack broke, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and her cabinet colleague Naeem Akhtar rushed to the district hospital in Anantnag. You came here for the yatra and look what we did to you. Maafi, maafi [sorry], said a visibly shaken Mehbooba, her hands folded. The following day, the victims were flown to Delhi on a BSF plane.

The police have downplayed the attack, saying the militants opened fire at a patrol vehicle and that the yatris were caught in the crossfire. According to Zulfiqar Hussain, CRPF inspector-general, the bus carrying the pilgrims had no security cover, as it was not registered with the authorities. The driver, he said, also violated the 7pm curfew. Lashkar-e-Taiba is involved and we are working with the police to identify the group, Hussain told THE WEEK.

Said Muneer Khan, inspector-general of police in Jammu and Kashmir: Lashkar commander [Abu] Ismail is responsible for this. He is a Pakistani resident. LeT, however, has denied its involvement.

Ismail, who is in his twenties, is believed to have been the deputy of Abu Dujana, LeTs Kashmir chief. He reportedly took command of LeT operations after Dujana was sidelined because of his differences with the leadership.

Sources say Ismail is an expert in targeting vehicles on the highway and is now operating in the Shopian-Kulgam stretch. The police said he led the attackers, who came on two motorcycles. They fired more than 150 rounds before escaping through the maze of lanes and bylanes, said a source.

Security forces are trying to fathom the reason behind the sudden shift in the militants strategy. One possible reason is that targeting pilgrims would put pressure on the ruling alliance of the Mehbooba-led Peoples Democratic Party and the BJP.

Of late, militants have been picking soft targets like political activists and lightly armed policemen. Now, with pilgrims being targeted, the effort could be to stoke communal unrest in the state, especially in the Hindu-majority Jammu division. There is also the possibility of attacks on Amarnath pilgrims sparking off communal riots outside Kashmir.

In Jammu, a bandh was called for to protest the killing of pilgrims. It was supported by Vishva Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal, Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party, Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the opposition National Conference. The protesters blocked the Jammu-Kathua national highway.

Already under pressure from the National Investigation Agency, Kashmiri separatists have condemned the attack. In a joint statement, their leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik expressed grief over the killing of Amarnath yatris. The incident goes against the very grain of Kashmiri ethos, the statement read. The Amarnath yatra has been going on peacefully for centuries. Our heart goes out to the families of the bereaved.

The attack has forced the authorities to further tighten the security cover in the region. A day after the attack, more than 100 buses carrying around 3,000 pilgrims began their journey to Amarnath from the base camp at Yatri Niwas at Bhagwati Nagar in Jammu. Troops have taken extra precautions to protect the pilgrims. Additional buses have been arranged to ensure that no one gets stranded in case a vehicle breaks down. The convoy reportedly left the base camp at 3am to ensure that it crossed the Jawahar Tunnel on the Srinagar-Jammu highway before 3pm.

The damage, however, is done. The attack on pilgrims has worsened the security situation, and it could well polarise the state on communal lines. The embattled Mehbooba government, it seems, has one more worry to deal with.
The leader of Hungarys main Jewish group says they were surprised and hugely disappointed by Israels shift in position on the Hungarian governments ad campaign against Hungarian-American billionaire George Soros.

While Israels ambassador to Hungary condemned the campaigns anti-Semitic overtones, the Israeli Foreign Ministry later said that although it deplored anti-Semitism, it didnt want to delegitimize criticism of Soros.

Andras Heisler, president of the Federation of Hungarian Jewish Communities, said he had asked the Israeli government to explain its position on the anti-Soros billboards.

Heisler told The Associated Press hours before the arrival in Hungary of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Hungarian Jews felt left in the lurch by the Israeli position.

Hungarys government largely blames Soros, a Holocaust survivor, for Europes migrant crisis.

(AP)
Watchdogs are to probe whether DIY investing platforms offer value for money to the vast army of savers who use them to buy funds, shares and other products.

Platform charges and whether firms use their bargaining power to get investors a good deal, and the model portfolios sold to people wanting simple off-the-shelf products, will be under the spotlight.

'The Financial Conduct Authority will explore whether platforms help investors make good investment decisions and whether their investment solutions offer investors value for money,' said the City regulator.

Moving online: Savers have flocked to DIY platforms to buy and sell investments after advisers were forced to start charging upfront for their services

The new probe was announced last month alongside the FCA's review of the fund management industry, which called for firms to start publishing a 'single, all-in-fee' including transaction costs so investors can see exactly what they are paying.

Today, FCA executive director of strategy and competition Christopher Woolard, said: 'With the increasing use of platforms, and the issues raised by our previous work, we want to assess whether competition between platforms is working in the interest of consumers.

'Platforms have the potential to generate significant benefits for consumers and we want to ensure consumers are receiving these benefits in practice.'

The FCA said that platforms interact with other platforms, financial advisers, fund managers and fund ratings providers, and it wanted to find out whether these relationships work in the interests of investors.

DIY investing platforms held some 592billion of investors' money in 2016, compared with 108billion in 2008. Other business like banks, insurers and wealth managers also operate online portals and hold a further 100billion.

Investors have flocked to DIY platforms to carry out their investing business after a huge overhaul of the finance industry banned backdoor commission payments from providers to advisers in 2013.

Advisers had to stop using commission as a way of customers paying for their time and charge upfront for their services instead. The investors who baulked at their fees, or found themselves priced out if they didn't have huge sums to invest, have found it easier and cheaper to go online.

The FCA's probe will focus on five broad areas:

* Barriers to entry and expansion: Do large platforms benefit from economies of scale which smaller firms and new entrants struggle to match?

* Commercial relationships: Are platforms willing to negotiate a competitive price on investment charges, do commercial relationships drive investment choices, and what are the implications for investors?

* Business models and platform profitability: Do the drivers of profitability affect firm incentives and the factors over which they compete, and if so how does it affect investors?

* The impact of financial adviser platforms: Do these compete in the interests of the end investor, and are any benefits passed through to investors?

* Customer preferences and behaviour: Do platforms enable consumers and advisers to assess and choose services and products that offer value for money, and do new challengers struggle to compete as customers face barriers to switching?

The FCA is asking for feedback by 8 September, and plans to publish an interim report on its findings by summer 2018.

How big are the top DIY investing platforms?

Rise of DIY platforms: How much investor money in billions of pounds did top firms hold in 2016 compared with 2008? (Source: FCA)

WHAT PLATFORM CHARGES WILL THE FCA PROBE? The City watchdog probe is broad enough to cover all aspects of platform charging by the time it is done. Many firms cross-subsidise their fees, meaning they make some investors pay more for investment services than they actually cost to make charges cheaper or waive them for others - the FCA is likely to get into the nitty gritty of this practice. Charges likely to come under scrutiny include: Dealing: Some firms charge, say, 10 per trade, when the actual cost is a fraction of the price, and other firms charge a negligible sum which better reflects reality. Fund fees and share trading: Some firms charge nothing to switch funds, but stick a big price tag on share trades. Entry and exit: It can be costly and complicated to move platform, and the FCA is likely to explore this when looking at barriers to entry for new, potentially cheaper players. Sliding scale: How much you have to invest is a big factor in which platform investors go for, as some firms charge a flat fee which is more cost-effective for those with big pots, while others have a more pay-as-you-go approach that works better for those with small sums who trade infrequently. Read our guide to choosing a DIY investing platform, which covers the charges levied by top firms in depth.

What does the investment industry say?

Tom McPhail, head of policy at market leading investment platform Hargreaves Lansdown, said: The FCA has set a very broad scope for this study; the terms of what constitutes a platform can include online portals, life insurance companies, wealth managers and banks; in effect any organisation providing a retail investment service is likely to come under scrutiny.

'This study recognises the vital service platforms now provide to millions of people, helping them to save and invest for their future.

'The advice gap remains and platforms have an important role to play in delivering guidance and support to investors, many of whom need help if they are to invest with confidence.

'Platforms can also bring pressure to bear on asset management costs, negotiating discounts for investors, promoting good funds and highlighting poor performers.

'As with the asset management study, this paper is not simply about the price charged by retail investment service providers, it is about the value they deliver to investors.'

Billy Mackay, marketing director at AJ Bell, said: 'Platforms have helped revolutionise saving and investing in the UK by creating more efficient ways to hold and invest money.

'We welcome the regulators decision to take a detailed look at the platform sector, and in particular the value for money platforms deliver for savers.

WHAT ARE PLATFORM COMMISSION REBATES? Watchdogs allowed fund houses to carry on paying commission to platforms for some time after such kickbacks to advisers were banned. During this window, many platforms passed on partial or full commission rebates to their customers - sometimes calling them cashback or loyalty bonuses. Read more here.

'One key focus for the FCA will be ensuring platforms are positioned to squeeze the best possible deals out of fund managers on behalf of their users.

'As part of this, the regulator should re-examine the ban on the payment of cash rebates from fund managers to platforms.

'Provided cash rebates are paid 100 per cent for the benefit of customers, unwinding this ban would enable platforms to use their scale to negotiate discounts for their customers.'

'This would help re-instate a more competitive dynamic between platforms and the fund groups and would clearly result in better outcomes for consumers by helping bring fund costs down.'
Two British FTSE giants have announced plans to establish bases on the Continent to ensure business continues unhindered after Brexit.

EasyJet has applied for an air operators certificate (AOC) in Austria that will allow it to continue flying in the European Union after Britain leaves.

Barclays, meanwhile, confirmed plans to expand its Dublin operations as part of its contingency plans.

Flight plan: EasyJet has applied for an air operators certificate (AOC) in Austria that will allow it to continue flying in the European Union after Britain leaves

It is understood that the lenders current Dublin office could be bolstered by up to 150 staff, potentially doubling the size of its presence in the city.

The bank confirmed yesterday it plans to use Barclays Bank Ireland as its EU hub to mitigate any potential disruption to business after Brexit.

EasyJet, which has airlines based in the UK and Switzerland, will establish a third, EasyJet Europe, based in the Austrian capital, Vienna.

It said it chose Austria because of its rigorous approach to safety and ability to take on a large number of aircraft.

A spokesman added: We think it is important the aviation market remains as open and competitive as possible [after Brexit].

A spokesman for Prime Minister Theresa May told a Westminster briefing yesterday the matter is a commercial decision for the no-frills airline.

She said: In any deal that we want to strike with the European Union, we want to make sure that its a good deal for everyone, including businesses that operate here.
According to the World Bank's latest edition of the Global Economic Prospects, India is the fourth fastest growing economy in the world. China shows a clear sign of slowdown and ranks at number 16 in terms of GDP growth rate.

By Prabhash K Dutta: The latest World Bank report about the economic health of the member countries clearly says that while India is among the fastest growing economies - big and small, China is not doing as well.

Chinese economy is slowing down. In its latest report, the World Bank has said, "The continued gradual slowdown in China will slightly offset a pickup in the rest of the region led by a rebound among commodity exporters. Growth in China is anticipated to slow to 6.5 percent this year and 6.3 percent in 2018."

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According to the World Bank's latest edition of the Global Economic Prospects, India is the fourth fastest growing economy in the world. China shows a clear sign of slowdown and ranks at number 16 in terms of GDP growth rate.

INDIA PICKING UP

The World Bank has pegged India's growth rate at 7.2 for the current year on the back of rising export and increase in government spending.

Writing in the June edition of the Global Economic Prospects, the The World Bank analysts said, "In India, recent data indicate an acceleration in growth, with an easing of cash shortages and a rise in exports. An increase in government spending, including on capital formation, has partially offset soft private investment."

According to the World Bank, "India is expected to accelerate to 7.2 per cent in fiscal 2017 (April 1, 2017 - March 31, 2018) and 7.5 per cent in the following fiscal year. Domestic demand is expected to remain strong, supported by policy reforms."

CHINA SLIPS

In terms of growth rate, India is placed behind smaller economies of Estonia, Uzbekistan and Nepal. On the other hand, China failed to secure a place in the top 15 economies in terms of GDP growth rate.

The World Bank said, that though China has shown recovery in exports and the robust consumption pattern has helped it grow at 6.9 per cent in the first quarter, Beijing's slowdown is pulling down the east Asian region. Other countries in the region are showing better growth rates.

The World Bank has also expressed concern about exacerbating financial vulnerabilities of China on account of "elevated domestic debt."

According to the World Bank, the policy uncertainty in the United States and Europe is likely to impact Chinese growth rate more adversely. The trade, immigration and fiscal policies of the US are under review by the Donald Trump administration.

Similarly, the exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union carries financial risks that could weigh on heavily on the China's growth prospects.

Also read:

China flexing muscle? Frontline combat brigade holds 'live fire drills' in Tibet

Doklam standoff: Why China wants India to stop defending Bhutan

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How India and China can defuse Doklam tension by blaming colonial Britain

Doklam border dispute: Villagers near India-China border worried but won't leave their homes

Chinese media sees India-United States-Japan Malabar exercise as security threat

India to develop missiles that can hit all of China even from southern bases

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BlackRock has reported a 9 per cent rise in profit as its assets hit 4.35 trillion

PROFIT SOARS The worlds biggest fund manager BlackRock has reported a 9 per cent rise in profit as its assets hit 4.35 trillion. Net income rose to 656 million in the second quarter on revenue of nearly 2.3 billion.

BOARD BATTLE Veteran corporate raider Nelson Peltz is lobbying for a seat on the board of Ariel owner Procter & Gamble after accusing the goods giant of weak sales growth. Trian Fund Management, the investment vehicle owned by Peltz, took a 2.3 billion stake in P&G in February.

VIRTUAL BACKING Science and technology backer Touchstone Innovations has invested more than 3 million in a type of virtual reality software. It has committed 3.1 million to WaveOptics, which is developing so-called augmented reality technology that allows users to view and interact with a digitally altered version of the world around them.

POSTAL THREAT Bosses from the Communication Workers Union have warned they are on course for a full-blown dispute with Royal Mail over pension changes.

EURO ENERGY British Gas owner Centrica has struck an agreement to combine its European oil and gas exploration and production divisions with Bayerngas Norge as part of a joint venture.

BARONESS ROLE Real estate investment firm New River has hired Baroness Ford of Cunninghame, who sits on the boards of rival Segro and media company STV Group, as its senior independent non-executive director.

TOASTING SUCCESS A series of successful acquisitions helped profits at Conviviality more than double. The Bargain Booze and Wine Rack owner said profits jumped 147 per cent to 22.5 million in the year to the end of April. Sales increased 85 per cent to 1.6 billion from 841 million the year before.

JAPAN DEAL Israeli-based mobile advertising firm Taptica International has bought a controlling stake in Japanese rival Adinnovation.

It has paid around 4.4 million for a 57 per cent stake in one of the leaders of Japans mobile advertising industry as part of plans to build its presence in the Asia-Pacific region.

SLINGO SLUMP Mobile gambling game maker Gaming Realms tanked yesterday after unveiling Rainbow Riches, the latest installment of Slingo, its slot machine and bingo simulator.
Investors in Weir Group have a boom in US fracking activity to thank for a surge in the engineers shares yesterday.

Weir, which makes machinery and equipment for the mining, oil, and gas industries, has struggled to find its feet since being hit by the collapse of oil prices in 2014.

But punters added 336 million to the firms value yesterday after it said full-year revenues and profits in its oil and gas division will beat predictions if the strong US fracking demand it has seen over the first half continues.

Investors in Weir Group have a boom in US fracking activity to thank for a surge in the engineers shares yesterday (stock image)

Weir said this has led it to see more parts being sold, stronger operating margins, and a recovery in prices so far this year.

Despite the firm warning overall growth will be hit by a one-off 13 million historic charge, investors were left suitably impressed.

Shares rose 8.4 per cent, or 154p, to 1978p, placing Weir near the top of the FTSE 350.

Analysts were also taken back, with Numis upgrading the firm to add from hold after calling the update significantly more upbeat than previous figures.

The FTSE 100 started the week off on the right foot after Fridays mixed session, advancing 0.4 per cent, or 25.7, to 7404.1.

Miners were supported by a 1.6 per cent spike in copper prices after China reported a boom in its economy as a result of thriving industrial activity. Antofagasta led the pack, up 2.3 per cent, or 19.5p, to 878p, while Glencore jumped 1.5 per cent, or 4.7p, to 320.8p, and Anglo American rose 1.2 per cent, or 13.5p, to 1130.5p.

STOCK WATCH: Optibiotix Biotechnology firm Optibiotix Health secured a contract to provide several cholesterol and blood pressure fighting treatments to a pharmaceutical chain in New Zealand. The firm makes products that aim to prevent disease by altering the constitution of the body. It will supply Pharmabiota with three different medicines containing a strain of bacteria called LP-LDL, which is found in the intestine and used by the food industry to fight a number of health conditions. Shares closed flat 63.5p.

Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca was a notable presence among the FTSEs winners given poor performance last week. It returned to the black after rumours of its bosss departure to an Israeli rival began to simmer.

Shares were up 0.8 per cent, or 41.5p, to 5040p.

Shares in Go-Ahead Group were on the right track yesterday after the train and bus operator announced an eight-week extension to the current terms of its London Midland franchise.

The firm will now continue to operate the franchise as part of a joint venture with Frances Keolis until December.

Go-Ahead said it could run the trains as it is until February next year if the Department for Transport grants it another extension by August. The joint venture is fighting off competition from West Midlands trains for control of the line over the next ten years. The London Midland franchise has been a boon for Go-Ahead over the last year as its Southern Rail operations continue to be hit by strikes.

Shares rose 2.9 per cent, or 50p, to 1785p.

Falling costs and lucrative mining conditions put the rocket boosters on platinum miner Lonmin yesterday.

In the three months ended June 30, Lonmin mined 3.8 per cent more platinum than the same period last year, and 13.2 per cent more than the previous quarter. The firms costs over the period also fell 4.7 per cent from the prior three months, which saw the firm came close to breaching its debt covenants.

But analysts remain concerned that operating costs are still 6.4 per cent higher than the same time last year, with progress held back in part by a 3 per cent year-on-year drop in the average price of its products.

Despite the better than expected results, we maintain the company will continue to face significant headwinds in terms of lower rand basket price, increasing costs and liquidity concerns, said Citi analysts. Regardless, shares rose 14 per cent, or 9.5p, to 77p, their highest value since May.

In small-cap land, Stock Spirits Group was flat at 165p despite buying a 25 per cent stake in an Irish whiskey maker for around 16.1 million.
I was surprised, as may have been other progressively minded compatriots, by governments somewhat reckless and acerbic response to the accusation, by the African National Congress (ANC) - the governing (not ruling) party of the Republic of South Africa  that the Kingdom of eSwatini was abusing human rights, including suppressing dissent and political activity.

Consequently, the ANCs position emerging from its five-day fifth policy conference about two weeks ago, being that owing to its poor human rights record the kingdom ought to be brought before the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Additionally the ANC, which is governing Africas arguably largest and most sophisticated economy that in turn makes South Africa not just a regional but a continental superpower, bound itself to the struggle for political emancipation in the kingdom.

As I see it, given its economic and political clout, South Africas foreign policy informs the posture of not just its regional partners within SADC but Africa and beyond, which makes it a global player.

Hence irrespective of the challenges facing the ANC, it was still incumbent for the governing party to reflect on its foreign policy, which effectively translates to government policy, on specific countries. Since assuming power in 1994, never has the ANC pronounced itself so firmly and unequivocally on the struggle for political emancipation in the kingdom. Its commission of international relations charged that the Swazi Government was using the Suppression of Terrorism Act to outlaw political parties. It further recommended that the ANC should strengthen its solidarity campaign as well as formalise party-to-party relations with the banned Peoples United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO). It also recommended that the ANC should support the call for the unbanning of political parties and the release of political prisoners and for the kingdom to be placed before SADC.

It is these positions adopted at the ANC policy conference that reportedly had Government Spokesperson Percy Simelane spewing bile, saying they would not stoop low and entertain a dying party for that matter. Meanwhile banned political parties have welcomed the ANCs position while supporters and sympathisers of the Tinkhundla political hegemony took umbrage and termed this as interference in the domestic affairs of a sovereign country.

Interestingly enough, besides the puerile grandstanding, the reaction of governments spin-doctor and supporters, as well as beneficiaries of the political status quo did not dispute the substance apparently informing the ANCs position. This apparent omission may be silent acknowledgement on their part of the grim reality that the outcome of the interrogation of the Swazi polity by the ANCs International Relations Commission was factual and, therefore, could not be disputed.

As I see it, while the ANC may have adopted the position towards the kingdom as recommended by its commission on international relations, it is unlikely to immediately translate into government policy.

For one, President Jacob Zuma is unlikely to hurry and do anything as he might be politically indebted to this country, since it is widely believed that he owes his ascendancy to the presidency of the party and, thereafter, of the Republic of South Africa, to the kingdoms leadership. The ANCs elective conference in December when Zuma would step down as ANC president is also unlikely to change anything, unless someone other than Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Zumas former wife, was to succeed him. Dlamini-Zuma is largely seen as a Zuma proxy who would also shield his former husband from prosecution on a plethora of charges ranging from corruption to racketeering.

However, should current Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa become the new ANC leader, there is a great possibility of the ANC recalling Zuma before completing his term in 2019 when elections will be due. Were this to happen, the likelihood is that relations could chill almost immediately and the kingdom put under intense pressure to democratise by embracing a plural body politic, thus paving the way to multiparty democracy.

Thus in the grand scheme of things, the appropriateness or otherwise of what Simelane spews to further endear himself to his employers matters very little. For with all the problems facing South Africas governing party, the ANC, the neighbouring country and all others, with the exception of Zimbabwe, in the sub-region boast of open and almost stable democracies and strong national institutions.

The same cannot be said of the kingdom whose leaders incessantly boast of peace yet lead the rest in military expenditure per capita, notwithstanding the fact that the economy has relatively been the worst performing in the past few years.

The leadership and beneficiaries of the obtaining political system may argue but that will not change what it really is, an undemocratic monster that is responsible for impoverishing the nation while used to pursue lofty and impractical objectives that do not resonate with the majority of the people trapped in a vicious cycle of poverty and plagued by disease.




MANZINI  It has emerged that two Swazi truck drivers, who had been employed by Gregory Govender, were involved in horrific accidents and suffered permanent disabilities after the Sanele May incident.

The news was shared on the Sanele May Support Group.

The two Swazi drivers currently reside in Nhlangano and Mankayane and are no longer employed.

It was revealed that the owner of the truck, Govender which Sanele was involved in has had two of his other trucks being involved in an accident between 2014 and 2015 besides the Sanele accident. In both incidents, the drivers were from Swaziland just like Sanele was and they were severely injured. One had his arm amputed at Milpark Hospital in Johannesburg (sic), it was disclosed on the page.

The trucking company that May and the other two Swazis worked in has since changed its name to Mount Moria. Some of those who commented in the group said there was a need for the South Africa Police Service (SAPS) to conduct thorough investigations regarding truck incidents in that country to determine their root cause.

The two truck drivers are back in the country as they were seriously injured and suffered permanent disabilities.

They had been hospitalised in SA health facilities for some time before returning to the kingdom.

One of the drivers was hospitalised for three months. It should be clarified that these two accidents took place after the Sanele May accident, the commenter said.

During the Sanele trial, Govender, under the plea and sentence agreement, paid a combined fine of E25 000.

Meanwhile, May is serving a 10-year jail term at the Umzinto Correctional Services facility for his role as the driver in the incident.

In September 2013, the truck hurtled down Fields Hill after its brakes failed to apply.

May took the first off-ramp towards Richmond Road, Pinetown. The truck went through the intersection - smashing into two cars and four minibus taxis in an incident that killed 22 people immediately. Another two people later died in hospital.
MBABANE  It is against the law to misrepresent yourself to a prospective marriage partner.

Making misrepresentations to a prospective spouse can give rise to civil suits against the offender and further makes the marriage voidable. This means that the marriage can be annulled.

Marriage Officer and former District Commissioner (DC) Elliot Mkhwatshwa said once the other spouse discovers during the course of the marriage that they have been mislead into the union, they have the right to sue.

Mkhatshwa said both civil and customary law allowed that marriage to be cancelled if it was based on lies and misrepresentation.

He said misrepresenting yourself to your prospective partner who commits to become your spouse was against the law.

He said it may result in divorce depending on the grounds that the partner has to annul the marriage.

Even if we got married in the morning, I can divorce you by the evening if I have discovered that you have misrepresented yourself, he said.

Mkhatshwa said a majority of people had their own preferences when it came to the type or kind of person they wanted to marry.

It could be that they wanted to marry someone who did not have any children or was not a drunkard, among many other attributes.

According to Mkhatshwa, there were increasing numbers of cases where people misrepresent themselves in order to get into marriage.

He said other cases were those of infidelity where the other spouse will even go to an extent of having a child outside marriage with another married person.

He said in such cases, the child would not really know their rightful or correct surname and discover this when they are grownups.

It is always fair to tell the truth to your partner and it will be up to him or how he or she receives the news, he said.

However, he said that lying about age could not be a ground for divorce as that can be addressed.

Reverend Grace Masilela from the Church of the Nazarene said it was wrong to engage in sexual intercourse before marriage but said they encouraged partners to be truthful to each other.

Masilela said if a Christian girl was proposed to, she should tell the prospective partner the truth that she was living in the world and has done it all.

She said the truth sets you free because even the partner will appreciate that you have been faithful rather than lying.

When the lies finally catch up with you, it becomes a huge embarrassment, she said.
MBABANE  Themba Masimula, the alleged murderous pastor has been rearrested.

Masimulas initial charge is that of allegedly murdering his wife Funekile, whom he reportedly slit her throat and burnt her in a car.

This time around he is alleged to have threatened to kill his biological mother, Ntombi Dlamini, who is a teacher in Nhlangano.

He was rearrested by Nhlangano police on Friday after High Court Judge Sipho Nkosi so ordered. This comes after his mother approached the court to complain that his son was allegedly threatening to kill her and that she now wanted to withdraw as his surety.

Masimula, who was under house arrest, went to stay with his mother in Nhlangano after he was released on bail. House arrest, also called house confinement, is a measure by which a person is confined by authorities to a certain residence and his travel is restricted.

The misunderstanding between Masimula and his mother was after the latter refused to give him keys to the gate which was always locked.

Dlamini told the court, that she was now having sleepless nights as she feared that her son would anytime pounce on her.

According to Dlamini, her son told her that: I am confined in this house because I am facing a charge of murder and if you continue to refuse with the keys I will not commit suicide but will vent my anger on you.

Nkosi yenkantalo watsi nangichubeka ngala nalesikhiya seligede utangibula, meaning if I continue refusing to give him the key he will murder me.

Dlamini said when her son (Masimula) said this; his faci:al expression had changed and beads of sweat had formed on his head.

She alleged that after saying this he went to his bedroom where he banged the door.

She further narrated that Masimula would call friends into her house to party and have meetings whose agendas remained unknown to her.

Dlamini told the court that her house was a chaos as her son and his friends would leave everything upside down after partying.

Dlamini, who was emotional throughout her submissions, stated that her life was now miserable.
By PTI: New Delhi, Jul 16 (PTI) Aiming to build and enhance the capacity of African countries contributing troops to for UN peacekeeping missions, India and the US today kicked off the second edition of a programme to train instructors from these nations.

Attended by officers from 19 countries including India, the course is one of the many steps that India has initiated towards active contribution to peace support activities, a statement by the Indian Army said.

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Senior military officials from India, Benin, Ghana, Guinea, Malawi, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, the African Union and the United States are participating in a two-week course organised by the Indian Armys Centre for UN Peacekeeping (CUNPK).

The African military personnel will in turn train troops in their respective countries.

The 2nd United Nations Peacekeeping Course for African Partners (UNPCAP-II) is a trilateral cooperation programme between India, the US and the African countries.

Under this programme, both India and the US will share resources to train these officials.

Addressing the inaugural event of 2nd United Nations Peacekeeping Course for African Partners (UNPCAP-II), Ruchi Ghanasyham, Secretary (Eest) with the Ministry of External Affairs, said India is committed to sharing its experience in UN peacekeeping activities with all those who wish to contribute to this cause.

MaryKay Carlson, ChargA dAffaires in the US Embassy said the designation of India as a Major Defence Partner of the United States further underscores the importance of the two nations as net security providers in the global arena.

"The course is a great example of what we are doing together," Carlson said.

A Tossim, a Major with Togolese Army and a trainer for his countrys troops embarking on an UN peacekeeping mission, said the experience will greatly benefit the forces in Togo.

Lt Col S Kalulu of the Namibian Army, who has served in the UN peacekeeping missions in Liberia and Sudan, said India has expertise in peacekeeping missions and the course is expected to add to their knowledge in this field.

Ghanashyam said deploying UN peacekeeping operations with a "robust mandate" but without the required diplomatic preparation on ground is a recipe for failure and this could undermine the credibility of such missions over the long term.

She also stressed on a synergy between the Security Council and the countries contributing troops to the UN mission (TPCC).

"A major challenge in the present-day peacekeeping mission is training and success of any operation which hinges on the quality of personnel who serve under the UN flag," Ghanashyam said.

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She stressed on the need to pay more attention to the manner in which the UN Security Council mandates are drawn up.

Ghanashyam said India believes that there is a greater need for consultations between the Security Council and the countries contributing troops to the UN mission.

"Mandates have to be more precise and cognisant of harsh ground realities. Overly ambitious or robust mandates without the required diplomatic preparation on the ground, or the necessary resources being made available to the mission, is a recipe for mission failure," Ghanashyam said.

According to the UN Peacekeeping website, there are currently 15 missions, most of them concentrated in Africa and West Asia. PTI PR AAR SK AAR

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By Bill Parry

It has taken nearly a half decade to create, but the Museum of the Moving Image will open its permanent Jim Henson Exhibition Saturday, July 22, in the museums first gallery dedicated to a single artist.

Visitors will be able to explore Hensons groundbreaking work for film and television, and his transformative impact on popular culture, with nearly 300 objects on view. The exhibit will feature 47 of his world famous muppets, including Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, The Swedish Chef, Waldorf and Statler, Elmo and, of course, Big Bird.

This moment is the result of the tireless work of our staff and collaborators, generous support from the city of New York, especially our representatives from Queens, the family of Jim Henson, and the expertise and selflessness of the many talented artists who worked with Jim, said Museum of the Moving Image Executive Director Carl Goodman. We are also grateful for the support from all of our donors, including major foundations and over 2,000 individuals who supported us via Kickstarter.

The new gallery space, located at 36-01 35th Ave. in Astorias Kaufman Arts District, will also contain character sketches, storyboards, scripts, photographs and iconic costumes from Sesame Street, The Muppet Show and Fraggle Rock, revealing how Henson and his team of builders, performers and writers brought the productions to life.

Its a very big project, said Barbara Miller, the Henson exhibit curator, after the Henson family donated many of the puppets and artifacts to the city in 2013. It is the most significant collection the museum has ever acquired. The totality of his work is incredible.

The Jim Henson Exhibition is organized in close collaboration with the Henson family, The Jim Henson Company, and the Jim Henson Legacy, and in close cooperation with Sesame Workshop and The Muppets Studio. Craig Shemin was a writer for the Henson Company for 14 years and is now president of the non-profit Jim Henson Legacy, which makes sure Hensons name stays connected to his great works.

Henson died of pneumonia in 1990, at the age of 53. His wife Jane died in 2013.

It was always Jane Hensons wish that these puppets would be seen by the public, Shemin said. It was a long, difficult and complicated road, with so many different entities involved, but everyone wanted this to happen and the museum did a wonderful job coordinating this.

Shemin said the new gallery was created using old office space at the Museum of Moving Image, and would not take away space from any of the other exhibitions. The city allocated $2.75 million to build the new gallery on the second floor to house the permanent exhibit.

From The Muppet Show to Sesame Street, the work of Jim Henson touched the hearts of millions across our globe, City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Sunnyside) said. The volume and originality of Jim Hensons work is truly astounding, and Im proud to have secured funding for a permanent exhibit at the Museum of the Moving Image so that hundreds of his personal artifacts, including puppets, storyboards, and sketches, can find a permanent home in Western Queens. For generations to come, this exhibit will tell the story of his work and inspire all who visit.
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By Mark Hallum

A New Jersey man has been charged with manslaughter, reckless driving and reckless edangerment after he allegedly caused a four-vehicle crash on the Grand Central Parkway which killed two passengers and injured three more in his own vehicle, the Queens district attorney said.

The early morning disaster happened Sunday and authorities contend alcohol may have played a factor.

Andrew Shakespeare, 33, of Roselle, N.J.was the operator of the 2014 BMW X5 SUV, which police said was traveling westbound at approximately 76 miles per hour in a 50-mpg zone, near the 188th Street exit when the collision occurred around 6 a.m.Shakespeares full charges include two counts of second-degree manslaughter, assault, reckless endangerment and reckless driving, according to the DA. He faces 15 years in prison if convicted.

A wedding celebration ended in a horrific tragedy when one of the guests  the defendant  allegedly got behind the wheel of his vehicle, drove recklessly and at a high rate of speed on one of Queens Countys major highways before losing control and crashing into several vehicles and through a guardrail, resulting in the death of two of his five passengers  a 34-year-old man and a 16-year-old boy, who was ejected from the vehicle  and causing serious injury to three others, Brown said.

Shakespeares vehicle sideswiped a 2002 Nissan Sentra before losing control and veering across three lanes of traffic, according to authorities. The BMW struck a 2016 Nissan Rogue and both cars plowed into the center guardrail and began to roll, police said. A fourth car tried to avoid the rollover accident, but struck Shakespeares vehicle and rolled off the side of the road where it then struck two trees, according to police.

Akeam Grant, 16, from Brooklyn, was in the rear passenger seat and was ejected from the vehicle, police said. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Layon Cambell, 34, of Brooklyn, was in the front passenger seat and was taken to Elmhurst Hospital with head injuries, where he was pronounced dead, according to police

When police arrived, they noted Shakespeares eyes were bloodshot and the distinct smell of alcohol, according to the DA. Shakespeare admitted to cops at the scene to having consumed only a single beer at 1:30 a.m. before attempting to drive to Brooklyn with the passengers in his car.

Brown also said Shakespeare had refused to submit to a portable Breathalyzer at the scene and that a search warrant was required to extract a blood sample for screening at the hospital to which he was transported. The results were still pending.

Police said the wreck had left a 30-foot gap in the guardrail while the skid mark from Shakespeares vehicle stretched 240 feet and clearly showed the trajectory of the vehicle veering from the right to the left side of the road.
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
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ALBANY  Gov. Andrew Cuomo's administration must provide the New York Times with records related to a scandal involving his former top aide and others, an Albany County state Supreme Court justice ruled.

Justice Patrick McGrath on July 6 rejected the argument from Cuomo's lawyers that various records had been "complied for law enforcement purposes" and therefore were not subject to the state's open records law.

The Times had sought email correspondence between former state director of operations Jim Malatras and lobbyist Todd Howe, who has pleaded guilty and is cooperating with federal prosecutors. The Times also sought daily schedules for Joe Percoco, the former top Cuomo aide, as well as records pertaining to his return to the Cuomo administration following a leave of absence when Percoco managed the governor's 2014 re-election effort. Additionally, the Times sought emails between Percoco and various members of the governor's staff.

The Cuomo administration has repeatedly denied open records requests  including from the Times Union  regarding the federal inquiry into upstate development deals and other matters because they were being "compiled for law enforcement purposes." A subpoena, issued to the Cuomo administration in April 2016 by the Manhattan U.S. Attorney's office, had sought records pertaining to two dozen individuals or companies.

An attorney for the Cuomo administration argued that the disclosure of requested records may reveal non-public aspects of the case. But McGrath found that the Cuomo administration did not in fact know prosecutors' trial strategy, and therefore could not speak to whether fulfilling the records requests would hinder the investigation.

"The main problem with ... all the respondent's arguments, is that the Chamber also has no personal knowledge of prosecutorial strategy," McGrath wrote.

A Cuomo spokesman said the Executive Chamber was still examining its options regarding a potential appeal.

McGrath did decline to have the Cuomo administration pay the the Times' attorney fees, noting the the "Chambers' reasons for withholding the records are, at least, arguable."

In August 2016, in response to a request by the Times Union, the executive director of the state Committee on Open Government, Robert Freeman, said in an advisory opinion that Cuomo's office and the state department of Housing and Community Renewal should not hold back from release otherwise public documents based merely on the contention that they might relate to the federal probe of upstate development deals.

Howe has already pleaded guilty and is cooperating with federal prosecutors. Eight others are facing charges, including Alain Kaloyeros, the former SUNY Polytechnic Institute leader.

All eight maintain their innocence.
By PTI: Agartala, Jul 17 (PTI) A delegation of the agitating Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT) will meet Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju in Delhi on the ongoing road and rail blockade at Baramura hill range in West Tripura district.

"Chief Minister Manik Sarkar and Kiren Rijiju had a talk regarding the blockade today morning. Rijiju told Sarkar that Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has asked him to talk with the IPFT delegation tomorrow. The meeting will be held tomorrow afternoon," a statement issued by the government said today.

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Talks between the state government and IPFT failed yesterday as the outfit refused to withdraw its road and rail blockade at Baramura hill range, about 30 km from here.

A nine-member delegation of IPFT headed by its president N C Debbarma met a delegation of the state government headed by Chief Secretary Sanjib Ranjan for talks to break the impasse over the blockade, but decided to continue its indefinite agitation programme.

"An administrative team headed by the chief secretary requested us to withdraw the movement on the plea that it is causing problems for the common people. But, the proposal was not acceptable to us because they did not agree to discuss our demand for a separate state. We said our movement will continue," Debbarma had told reporters. PTI JOY DKB

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Hudson Falls

U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand vowed Monday afternoon to push for the inclusion of chronic Lyme disease patient advocates on an advisory panel being put together in Washington, D.C.

At Juckett Park in the heart of the village of Hudson Falls, Gillibrand announced to local officials and residents that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services had on Monday begun seeking nominations for the Tick-Borne Disease Working Group. The advisory committee, mandated by a provision of the 21st Century Cures Act signed by former President Barack Obama in December, is intended to bring together a diverse array of experts to counsel federal officials on how to fund future research on tick-borne illness. The number of those suffering from such ailments continues to rise in New York, especially in counties along the Hudson River.

Those who believe they have suffered from chronic Lyme  a controversial diagnosis  pushed for two years for the formation of the Working Group as a way to have their voices heard by federal health officials, according to Holly Ahern, a SUNY Adirondack microbiologist who is a well-known patient advocate. Health officials have long followed the guidelines of an influential infectious disease doctors group, which does not recognize chronic Lyme disease.

Gillibrand, urging the patients and their families gathered around her to use social media to tell their stories, made it clear she believed their tales. The senator and her father have had bouts of Lyme disease; her fathers girlfriend, she said, has had chronic Lyme.

While there are people who dont believe chronic Lyme is real  well, I can tell you its real. It exists," said Gillibrand, who also said she would oppose proposed cuts to the National Institute of Health that would impede Lyme research.

Gillibrand sponsored the legislation in the Senate that called for the Working Group. Former Congressman Chris Gibson originated the bill in the House of Representatives.

Chronic Lyme is a term for a constellation of symptoms that can occur after an acute case of Lyme disease, which is caused by bacteria transmitted by a tick bite.

While in most cases, Lyme disease that is caught early can be treated effectively with antibiotics, its undisputed that about 10 percent to 20 percent of patients will continue to have symptoms like headaches, joint and nerve pain, dizziness and fatigue for months and even years.

Its the cause of those persistent symptoms thats debated. Many infectious disease doctors view them as an aftereffect of a bacterial infection. But those who advocate for treating the disease as chronic believe the bacteria that causes the infection lingers in the body.

Sue Clary of Salem, Washington County, spoke to the group at Juckett Park about her husband Bills frustrations in getting diagnosed and treated for Lyme disease. After 18 months of visits to hospitals in Glens Falls and Boston, she said, Bill received intravenous antibiotic treatments at the Stram Center for Integrative Medicine in Delmar. The use of IV antibiotics is contentious  the latest federal report warning of their potential dangers was released last month  but Clary said they lessened the intense pain and heart irregularities that diminished her husbands quality of life.

Listening Monday were Stephen and Stephanie Smith of Gansevoort. Their father, 74-year-old Charles Grant Smith III, was the Saratoga County man who died in June after contracting the rare tick-borne disease Powassan virus. State health officials confirmed the death last week, but did not identify him.

It took weeks for doctors to determine what was causing their father to have chest pain and fevers, the Smiths said. They had to beg doctors to keep running tests, insisting that their fathers troubles started with a tick bite on April 28. By mid-May, they learned it was Powassan virus, which has no remedy.

Stephanie took out a picture of Grant, as he was called, a healthy and active man who was six feet tall and weighed about 230 pounds.

Its very hard to believe a man this big was taken down by a tick, she said.

Gillibrand encouraged the crowd to send suggestions of local people who should be on the Working Group to her office. Ahern, who has developed a national reputation, said members of the chronic Lyme disease community have told her she is already on the list.
THE ISSUE:

Thousands of military troops have left service with less-than-honorable discharges.

THE STAKES:

As a nation, our obligation to help these men and women does not end.

More Information To comment: tuletters@timesunion.com or at http://blog.timesunion.com/opinion See More Collapse

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To the military veterans who have served our country, we owe our deep gratitude. That debt doesn't end if they have adjustment and behavior problems once they come home.

Stress related to rigorous training, combat and adjustment to military discipline, or the trauma that can follow documented cases of sexual abuse and other physical exploitation, affect many people after military service. These can lead to medical and psychiatric illnesses and exacerbate existing conditions. For some, abuse of alcohol and illegal drugs and other misconduct follows. Too often, the Pentagon's way of dealing with these problems is to simply get rid of them.

Since the 9/11 terror attacks plunged us into a new era of international engagement 16 years ago, more than 300,000 troops have gotten less-than-honorable military discharges, sharply limiting the Veterans Administration services available to them. These so-called "bad paper" discharges also save the government millions of dollars a year, something veterans advocates say may be a hidden motive for policies favoring such discharges.

The situation was brought home in a story, published last week in the Times Union, by Martin Kuz, a reporter in San Antonio who covers the armed forces for Hearst Newspapers. It profiled Dustin Greco, an Army veteran from Cohoes who served in Iraq after enlisting in 2008 at the age of 18.

Although trained to be mechanic, when Specialist Greco was deployed, he ended up in the infantry on daily patrols with Iraqi security forces. Mr. Greco's former platoon leader, also interviewed for the story, had high praise for the young enlistee, saying: "He had an entirely different skill set, so he had to learn on the fly, and he did everything I asked of him."

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Like a lot of soldiers who return to the U.S. after combat, Specialist Greco had adjustment issues. Far from home at a base in Texas, his mind unsettled, he sought counseling, then turned to marijuana. After failing a drug test in 2010, he was demoted and kicked out.

Now, because of the "bad paper" discharge, Mr. Greco is ineligible for many jobs. He also has lost access to GI Bill health and college tuition benefits.

His was not a unique case. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder directly connected to military service entitles a veteran to more leeway and benefits; if diagnosed with depressive disorder, personality disorder or adjustment disorder, however, they can be released with the lower-benefit discharge status. Tens of thousands of veterans are in that category.

The situation was only partially addressed in a law signed in December by former President Barack Obama. Pushed by veterans organizations with bipartisan congressional support, it made it harder for the military to simply kick out soldiers who have problems. Now deeper medical reviews are required when discharge upgrades are requested. But the Pentagon still refuses the vast majority.

For those like Dustin Greco, who seem to have been carelessly discharged and forgotten by their nation, more must be done.
Special collections will take place at all masses across Co. Tipperary next weekend (July 22/23) as part of a national appeal to help people caught up in the current food crisis in east Africa.

Trocaire, the overseas development charity, says that 25 million people in east Africa are facing starvation in the coming months and millions could die unless they receive immediate assistance.

The Irish Catholic Bishops Conference has called for a national church collection to support Trocaires work in the region. Severe drought, driven by climate change, is currently affecting Kenya, South Sudan, Somalia and Ethiopia and this has resulted in failed harvests and the widespread death of livestock.

Tipperary's Colm Hogan, who works with Trocaire, urged people to get behind the appeal and support the agencys efforts to save lives in the affected areas.

With the failure of successive rains and a prolonged drought having taken hold of the region, just surviving has now become the main challenge facing the people of east Africa, he said. Millions of people in the region are facing starvation. The crops have failed and animals are dying because of a lack of grazing and water.

The United Nations has described the situation in the drought-ravaged parts of Africa as the greatest humanitarian crisis since the Second World War but Trocaire says steps can be taken to reduce the number of people at risk if action is taken now.

What we are providing at the moment is quite literally life-support for people. In the coming months in Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan and Ethiopia Trocaire is hoping to reach hundreds of thousands more people with emergency food, water and drought tolerant seeds but this cant be done without the generosity of people in Co. Tipperary. I would urge parishioners to please give what they can to the church collection.

To make a donation or to find out more about Trocaires response to the food crisis visit www.trocaire.org or phone 1850 408 408.
Irish Water has lifted the boil water notice that had hit hundreds of households in the Dunkerrin area towards the end of last week.

The notice, which had affected around 10,000 households, had also disrupted homes in Birr and Banagher.

The decision to lift the notice was made this Sunday, July 16, following consultation between Irish Water, the Health Services Executive and Offaly County Council.

All due diligence had been taken to ensure the safety of all the users of all three public water supplies arising from the failure of a single sample taken from each of the supplies in Dunkerrin, Birr and Banagher public water supplies, Irish Water said.

Following further sampling and testing over the weekend, Irish Water confirmed in a statement that all three water supplies were now safe to drink.

The company is making direct contact with those customers who registered as vulnerable customers with Irish Water.

A leaflet drop to the customers on the three schemes was due to be organised on behalf of Irish Water by Offaly County Council for this Monday.

Irish Water and Offaly County Council acknowledge the patience, co-operation and assistance of affected customers during the period of the boil notice and apologises for the inconvenience and disruption caused to householders and the business community, the company said in its statement.

Irish Water had issued the notice after low levels of E.coli were found in the local water supplies.
The DPP is seeking a review on a four-and-a-half-year sentence imposed on two cousins found guilty of a "fatal burglary" in Doon in 2015.

Prosecutors will seek to argue in December that prison sentences imposed on two men for a fatal burglary at the home of a 62-year-old were unduly lenient.

Cousins Michael Casey (34), with an address at Clonlong Halting Site, Southill, in Limerick and David Casey (22), with an address at Carragh Park, Belcamp, Dublin 17, had pleaded guilty to a series of burglaries, including one at the home of John O'Donoghue at Toomaline, Doon, on August 27, 2015.

Mr O'Donoghue collapsed and died after discovering a gang ransacking his home in Doon, Co. Limerick.

On August 27, 2015, Mr O'Donoghue suspected his house had been broken into after returning home from a shopping trip with his sister Christina.

He noticed that a side door had been forced open and a black van was parked in a yard across the road. The 62 year old man then went to get a shovel but when he returned he collapsed in the yard and later died.

Judge Tom O'Donnell sentenced both men at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court to four-and-a-half years imprisonment with the final year suspended on December 15, 2016.

The Director of Public Prosecutions are seeking a review of the men's sentences on grounds that they were unduly lenient.

On Monday, the Court of Appeal fixed December 14 next as the date for the hearing of the DPP's application to review the sentences.

Prosecuting counsel, John G O'Sullivan BL, referred to the case as a fatal burglary.

The Caseys were not in court for the list to fix dates.
Conrad N. Hilton Foundation Awards $25.5 Million in Grants in the Second Quarter of 2017, Approves New Foster Youth Strategy

The board of directors of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation announced today that it approved 31 grants totaling $25.5 million during the second quarter of 2017. The board also approved a new five-year strategy for the Foster Youth Strategic Initiative, beginning with grant approvals for Graham-Windham ($720,000) and the Children's Data Network at the University of Southern California Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work ($825,000).

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170717005200/en/

Conrad N. Hilton Foundation Approves New Foster Youth Strategy. Photo by Michael Brannigan.

During the first phase of the Hilton Foundation's Foster Youth Strategic Initiative (2012-2017), the Foundation invested $53.5 million. With these investments, the Initiative has partnered with grantees, community partners, other funders and policy makers to move public child welfare systems and policies away from a one-size-fits-all approach narrowly focused on the safety and basic needs of transition age foster youth to one that recognizes and reflects the unique potential of older youth to succeed in education, career and life.

The vision for the next phase is for all transition age foster youth in Los Angeles and New York City to become self-sufficient and thriving adults. We plan to achieve this vision in three ways:

1. Strengthen systems and policy for transition age foster youth;

2. Expand and share knowledge with the field; and

3. Advance innovative transition age foster youth programs.

"We are delighted to announce more than $25.5 million to a diverse group of organizations, and to approve the next phase of our Foster Youth Strategic Initiative," said Peter Laugharn, president and CEO of the Hilton Foundation. "We are confident that, through the great work of our partners, at the end of this five-year strategy, transition age foster youth will have better access to the education, skills and opportunities to lead healthy and productive lives."

Other notable grants include a $8.2 million grant to PATH to scale up early childhood development services as part of health systems in Mozambique, Kenya and Zambia-the largest grant of the Foundations' new Young Children Affected by HIV and AIDS Strategic Initiative approved in November 2016, and a series of 17 grants totaling $3.78 million to recipients of the Marilyn Hilton Award for Innovation in Multiple Sclerosis Research.

Following is an overview of all grants awarded in the second quarter of 2017:

Young Children Affected by HIV and AIDS - In addition to the abovementioned $8.2 million grant to PATH, Kidogo Early Years will receive $600,000 to replicate a social franchise daycare model in urban informal settlements in Kenya.

Safe Water - Aquaya Institute will receive $2.5 million to explore and build sustainable water quality testing systems in Burkina Faso, Ghana and Uganda. World Vision was granted $800,000 to support a strategic partnership with IRC to plan and implement comprehensive water projects in the planned district-based programs in Ghana, Mali and Niger. Jibu, L3C will also receive $1 million to make a program related investment into Jibu, a social franchise providing safe water in Uganda and Mali.







Foster Youth - Graham-Windham was granted $720,000 to support the Graham Support Lead and Achieve Model program to improve college and career pathways for foster youth in New York City. In addition, University of Southern California will receive $825,000 to support the Children's Data Network at the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work that will link key indicators on child welfare and health, specifically among older foster youth in Los Angeles.

Homelessness - LA Voice was awarded $400,000 to align and engage faith leaders across Los Angeles County to end homelessness and decrease displacement and housing insecurity.

Substance Use Prevention - Abt Associates will receive $1 million to continue Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning activities for the Substance Use Prevention Strategic Initiative. Friends Research Institute was granted $1.8 million to partner with National Council for Behavioral Health to incorporate a research study into its project on the effectiveness of youth Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) in Federally Qualified Health Centers. The Partnership for Drug Free America was awarded $750,000 to equip parents with resources to address youth substance use. The University of Vermont and State Agricultural College Foundation will receive $1.8 million to develop a college-based adaptation of SBIRT as part of a student wellness community.

Catholic Sisters - Sisters of Mercy of the Americas was granted $840,000 to support programs and build organizational capacity of the inter-congregational Leadership Collaborative to prepare young sisters for leadership positions.

Multiple Sclerosis - Seventeen researchers were selected to receive the prestigious Marilyn Hilton Award for Innovation in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Research. The award, which is given in two categories - Bridging Award for Physician-Scientists and the Pilot Innovator Award - totals $3.78 million in grants over a five-year period. The purpose of the award is to stimulate innovative and potentially paradigm-shifting research on progressive Multiple Sclerosis. Recipients will study topics ranging from mechanisms behind myelination and demyelination, to the use of advanced imaging techniques, and processes behind the causes of inflammation.

Finally, The New York Opportunity Network was awarded $500,000 for general operating support to facilitate the organization's strategic growth plan.

For more detailed information on our grantmaking, please visit hiltonfoundation.org/grants.

About the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation

The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation was created in 1944 by international business pioneer Conrad N. Hilton, who founded Hilton Hotels and left his fortune to help the world's disadvantaged and vulnerable people. The Foundation currently conducts strategic initiatives in six priority areas: providing safe water, ending chronic homelessness, preventing substance use, helping children affected by HIV and AIDS, supporting transition-age youth in foster care, and extending Conrad Hilton's support for the work of Catholic Sisters. In addition, following selection by an independent international jury, the Foundation annually awards the $2 million Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize to a nonprofit organization doing extraordinary work to reduce human suffering. In 2016, the Humanitarian Prize was awarded to The Task Force for Global Health, an international, nonprofit organization that works to improve health of people most in need, primarily in developing countries. From its inception, the Foundation has awarded more than $1.5 billion in grants, distributing $109 million in the U.S. and around the world in 2016. The Foundation's current assets are approximately $2.6 billion. For more information, please visit www.hiltonfoundation.org.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170717005200/en/
[July 17, 2017] Vietnam's e-commerce acceleration to gain a boost from DHL eCommerce

HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- DHL eCommerce, a division of the world's leading logistics company, Deutsche Post DHL Group, has launched its nationwide domestic delivery operations in Vietnam. The domestic delivery network will offer a high quality delivery service across Vietnam and a range of services tailored for the booming e-commerce industry, helping small, medium and large e-tailers and marketplaces increase their share amidst the rapidly growing Vietnam e-commerce segment. "The Vietnamese e-commerce market represents a huge and relatively untapped potential for local retailers, e-tailers and marketplaces: in 2016, total e-commerce spending hit US$1 billion[1] despite barely over 50% of the population being online,[2]" said Charles Brewer, CEO, DHL eCommerce. "With e-commerce spending expected to grow at around 23% per year between now and 2020,[3] local e-tailers need scalable, high-quality logistics solutions with nationwide coverage more than ever before." DHL eCommerce Vietnam offers domestic delivery nationwide across the country, managed by hubs and depots strategically located throughout the country. DHL eCommerce's fleet of vans and motorbikes, coupled with regular air and road connections between its hubs, will support next-day delivery in Ho Chi Minh, Hanoi and other primary markets. "Our new domestic delivery service brings to Vietnam DHL's extensive experience in designing comprehensive logistics networks, coupled with tailored e-commerce solutions to tackle some of the most pressing roadblocks to e-commerce growth," added Brewer, "With e-commerce, consumers are increasingly expecting greater choice, convenience and control in their delivery experience and we aim to deliver a smile in the last mile by providing an amazing and customer-centric delivery solution." When using the network, local e-tailers can easily assign shipments requiring cash on delivery service through DHL eCommerce's online portal, allowing for faster remittance and simpler management of shipment information. Consumers will also be able to open, check and return goods at the point of receipt thanks to DHL's Open Box Delivery service, better aligning the online shopping experience with their preferred purchasing habits. "Only 15% of Vietnam's e-commerce shoppers paid online in 2016, making cash on delivery a must-have feature for e-commerce to succeed. That, combined with concerns about the hassle of returns and refunds, has made growth an uphill battle for many local e-tailers," said Thomas Harris, Managing Director, DHL eCommerce Vietnam. "We recognize that having a fast and reliable delivery service won't solve these issues alone, which is why we've tailored our nationwide network to seamlessly handle cash payments with next day cash remittance and returns to take the burden off local e-tailers so they can fully focus on growth and customer experience." Electric motorbikes in Vietnam as part of DPDHL's 2050 Zero Emissions commitment In line with the recent DPDHL Group announcement to reduce all logistics-related emissions to zero by 2050, DHL eCommerce has begun deploying the use of electric motorbikes in its domestic delivery operations in Vietnam. The current fleet of vehicles includes a range of electric motorbikes and the company will be exploring plans to roll out more as part of its GoGreen commitment. "Practical innovation lies at the core of our domestic delivery networks all around Southeast Asia, and Vietnam is no exception with its fleet of environmentally friendly electric motorbikes already in action on the streets," added Thomas Harris, Managing Director, DHL eCommerce Vietnam, "Coupled with advances in technology, we are optimistic that environmentally-friendly delivery methods such as electric vehicles will be the future of domestic B2C delivery and we're pleased to be able to introduce this into Vietnam." DHL eCommerce is part of Deutsche Post DHL Group. In Vietnam, DHL has been present since 1988 with its other divisions DHL Express, DHL Global Forwarding and DHL Supply Chain. DHL eCommerce focuses on three main product pillars: first and last mile delivery or domestic delivery in selected markets; simple and affordable cross-border international shipping for e-commerce businesses; and fulfillment solutions through a global fulfillment network across U.S., Mexico, Hong Kong, India, Australia and Europe. For more information, please visit: http://www.dhl.com.vn/en/ecommerce.







[1] Euromonitor [2] ibid [3] ibid

- End - Media Contact:

DHL eCommerce

Media Relations

Cheryl Han / Andreana Chang

Phone: +65 6879 8012 / +65 6879 8067

Email: [email protected] / [email protected] http://www.dhl.com/en/press.html DHL - The logistics company for the world DHL is the leading global brand in the logistics industry. Our DHL family of divisions offer an unrivalled portfolio of logistics services ranging from national and international parcel delivery, e-commerce shipping and fulfillment solutions, international express, road, air and ocean transport to industrial supply chain management. With about 350,000 employees in more than 220 countries and territories worldwide, DHL connects people and businesses securely and reliably, enabling global trade flows. With specialized solutions for growth markets and industries including technology, life sciences and healthcare, energy, automotive and retail, a proven commitment to corporate responsibility and an unrivalled presence in developing markets, DHL is decisively positioned as "The logistics company for the world". DHL is part of Deutsche Post DHL Group. The Group generated revenues of more than 57 billion euros in 2016.

Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20170717/1897433-1

Logo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20150811/8521505246LOGO

SOURCE DHL eCommerce

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The contours of terrorism are changing in the Kashmir Valley with the emergence of radical younger militants, who seem to have aligned themselves with the ISIS.

By Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu: Hundreds of mourners gathered at the funeral of Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist Mukhtar Lone yesterday, as his body was wrapped in a black shroud in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir.

The black flag of ISIS is new on the scene of Kashmir Valley replacing the green flag of Pakistan. This is the new worrying trend in the Valley for the security forces.

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As Lone's body at his village in Amurabad leaves for burial ground, the crowd shouted the name of former Hizbul Mujahideen commander Zakir Musa calling him the champion of caliphate.

A noisy crowd gathered around him touching the black shroud which covered the bullet ridden body of the militant.

AS GREEN TURNS BLACK

Mukhtar Lone was gunned down alongwith two other terrorists including a Pakistani national identified as Hassan Bhai by the security forces after a fierce encounter in a cave on the outskirts of Wataban in Tral.

But more than his funeral procession, it is 'the green turning black' that has created flutter in the Valley. Similar black shrouds were seen at the funerals of slain militants in recent weeks.

Sajjad Gilkar from Nowahatta , who was killed earlier this month in Redbug area of central Kashmir, had his body wrapped in the flag of the Islamic State terror group. Hundreds of supporters had joined his funeral in Srinagar.

They waved flags with pictures of slain Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani and his protege Zakir Rashid Bhat alias Musa. The video at his cramped residence showed how the Pakistani flag was discarded and thrown away by the crowd.

Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist Mukhtar Lone was wrapped in ISIS flag during funeral procession. (Photo: India Today)

ISIS IN KASHMIR VIA BURHAN WANI

The Islamic State arrived in Kashmir Valley with Zakir Musa propagating establishment of caliphate. In a series of audio-video messages, Musa advocated that his fight in Kashmir was to establish caliphate.

On the first death anniversary of Burhan Wani, Musa hailed the slain Hizbul Mujahideen commander as the propagator of caliphate in an audio-video message.

Musa claimed that "Burhan Wani laid down his life for khilafat. Burhan and militants did not do this for the love of country (freedom) but he laid down his life for establishment of caliphate and khilafat. Will meet Burhan soon."

DIVISION IN MILITANT RANKS

A senior police official said, "There seems to be a clear division in militant ranks. Confusion seems to have cropped up as the younger generation seems to fight for a different cause."

There is a discussion on social media about how Zakir Musa has created a division in militant ranks. Some still support for Azaadi while others seem to have aligned themselves with the ISIS.

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Musa is understood to be refusing to follow the dictate of Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin living across the Line of Control in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. He has also managed to break away handful of militants.

ISIS presence marked on the grave of one of the slain militants. (Photo: India Today)

A security officer, who did not wish to be named, said, "There are an increasing number of terrorists who are now attracted to the newer form of terrorism - ISIS and even Al Qaeda." Will it act as a double trouble, or create confusion, is something only time will tell, he summed up.

THE DANGEROUS SIGN

Rattled by the actions of his own militant commander, United Jihad Council (UJC) headed by Syed Salahuddin claimed that India had planned to launch terrorist organisation ISIS to sabotage the ongoing Kashmir's freedom struggle.

"It has been proven now that ISIS is the brainchild of western powers to crush Islam. Our people in the name of slam should not get coaxed by this terrorist organization," he had issued a statement.

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The Union Home Ministry has, however, played down the presence of ISIS in the country. More than 50 people have been arrested in the country for allegedly having links with the ISIS. The Home Ministry maintains that Kashmir has not been on radar even though the ISIS flags appeared in the downtown Srinagar two years ago.

ISIS flags were seen in the Valley for the first time two years ago.

In 2016, Mohammad Masiuddin Musa, the 25-year-old from West Bengal's Birbhum district emerged as the face of trans-national, trans-organisational jihad. Working in Tamil Nadu, he travelled to Srinagar joining locals in raising the ISIS flag.

Musa reportedly appeared in a YouTube video, which NIA is currently in possession of. While India's 'only lone wolf' Musa is behind bars another Musa (Zakir) is at large propagating the caliphate and ISIS.

It is increasingly becoming clear in the Valley now that after three decades of militancy, fuelled by Pakistan and separatists, it is no longer a call for aazadi. It is evolving into a more complex salafi culture.

ALSO READ |

100 terrorists killed in Jammu and Kashmir this year

ALSO WATCH | Modi government will find a permanent solution to the Kashmir issue: Rajnath Singh to India Today

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--- ENDS ---
[July 16, 2017] Hcash Enables Free Flow of Digital Currencies Among Various Blockchains Possible

MELBOURNE, Australia, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- CollinStar Capital, a leading Fintech company in Australia, recently, announced that a new project has been invested with a groundbreaking cryptocurrency, Hcash, for the first time at a recent Blockchain Meetup in Melbourne. Previously, it has made a splash on the digital currency scene in China with its function of linking block-based and blockless-based blockchain systems. Members of Hcash's development team in Australia attended the meetup in Melbourne and introduced the history and importance of Hcash. Short for Hyper Cash, Hcash refers to both the digital currency itself and its distributed ledger where the currency transaction records are maintained. The initial coin offering (ICO) of Hcash was launched on June 28 and was well pursued among Chinese investors. A newly Australia-based ICO platform, Futureico, who provides cryptocurrency and blockchain startups with consulting, pre-ICO and post-ICO management services, took the lead of Hcash token sales. The world's digital assets and blockchain markets have boomed enormously in recent years. Figures from CoinMarketCap show that by June 13, 2017, the global market value of digital assets had surpassed 110 billion USD. About 90 percent of that value belongs to more than 40 types o blockchain technologies.



"The need for a blockchain technology that allows free exchange of assets and information among different systems is increasingly urgent. The liberating ethos of blockchain technology, as in equal rights of participants to create and get access to all the activities on blockchains, will be damaged if free exchange is not available," said Jayden Wei of CollinStar Capital. The birth of Hcash is set against this backdrop. The blockchain mechanism behind Hcash is a distributed ledger that connects block-based and blockless-based Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG) systems, allowing ledger assets and information to be transferred between multiple cryptocurrencies.

Positioning Hcash as a "New Standard of Value", the development team released the Hyper Cash White Paper in early June, elaborating on Hcash's unique characteristics. Among all the characteristics, the most important is Hcash's adoption of quantum resistance technology to ensure security. Quantum-resistant cryptography, also known as post-quantum cryptography, is able to resist attacks by quantum computers. Through researching and developing Algorithms in-house as well as with the project's research partner (Monash University Professors and Shanghai Jiao Tong University Professors) the post-quantum secure encryption technology can be applied in the network to provide the highest level of data security. In addition, privacy and anonymity of Hcash user is ensured with its adoption of Zero-Knowledge Proof technology. This cutting-edge technology will not only be used to achieve bi-directional encryption in the process of asset transfer, but also many other areas demanding transactional privacy. Hcash has integrated a real-time communication function within the client, which can support multiplatform token transfer via a black address to preserve privacy in daily peer-to-peer communications. Hcash believe in community-based ownership, therefore it integrates a Decentralized Autonomous Organization system, with which holders of Hcash can determine the use of funds in a real-time dynamic voting system. Dallas Brooks, CEO of the Hcash project and a highly sought-after expert in financial investment strategy from Australia, said that with all these strengths, the future looks quite bright for Hcash. About CollinStar Capital: CollinStar Capital is an asset management company specializing in blockchain infrastructure, cryptocurrency investment and relevant consulting and financial services. Its blockchain infrastructure service covers a range of cryptocurrencies. Headquartered in Australia, CollinStar Capital has operation facilities in both Australia and China. SOURCE CollinStar Capital

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[July 16, 2017] BookDoc-MIMS: Reliable Healthcare Development on-time and Anywhere

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- BookDoc announces its partnership with MIMS, a leading healthcare publisher in Asia, Australia & New Zealand, in conjunction with the launch of the new "Health Info" feature which will be embedded in its "BookDoc" app. BookDoc users will now be kept up-to-date on health tips & news, provided by MIMS, which are timely, reliable, and country-specific wherever they are. MIMS, established in 1963, provides tools to empower healthcare communities, and is committed to the life-long learning needs of healthcare professionals and consumers. Originally, the preferred source of drug information, MIMS now provides decision support solutions, industry news and medical education to communities of general practitioners, specialist doctors, pharmacists, nurses and patients across 12 countries including Mainland China, India, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Australia. "Health Info" marks BookDoc's enhancement to its mobile and web online healthcare ecosystem with timely health tips & news of various countries. This feature will allow users to obtain customised country-specific health alerts, health tips & development from reliable and authoritative sources, compiled and organised by MIMS. Users could benefit from immediate alerts on health emergencies like dengue fever, Zika virus or avian flu unique to certain countries or outbreak areas; and at the same time, e advised on longer-term lifestyle changes that are necessary in view of latest developments in relation to non-communicable diseases like cancer, obesity, and others.



"Prevention is better than cure. There is no short of information out there but to navigate through the information jungle and get to reliable sources for the latest update could be a challenge. This could be further complicated by language differences across border. Health Info is not a medical dictionary for diseases. It is a pro-active feature by BookDoc to increase public awareness on latest health alerts and development that warrant our due attention. For example, facial creams that are banned in Malaysia or Zika virus updates in Singapore. Timely action and prevention will save us a lot of trouble when you are at home or abroad", explained Dato' Chevy Beh, Founder and CEO of BookDoc. This development comes shortly after its partnership with TripAdvisor where users could access top 10 recommended restaurants and attractions around their health appointment locations; and BookDoc Activ which rewards users for maintaining high level of activity. All the features mentioned above are available through "BookDoc" app which is downloadable for free on Apple App Store (for iOS) and Google Play Store (for Android).

About BookDoc BookDoc, with presence in Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Thailand, is an online platform that operates across the healthcare continuum connecting patients to healthcare professionals anytime and anywhere, while incentivising all to stay active. BookDoc has established an integrated online ecosystem for local and overseas health travellers. The ecosystem allows users to search and book healthcare professionals anytime and anywhere, and integrates seamlessly with navigation (Google Map, Waze), transport (Grab, Uber, AirAsia), accommodation (Agoda) and recommended restaurants & attractions (TripAdvisor) for a hassle-free and enjoyable experience to healthcare appointments.. In addition, through BookDoc Activ, it rewards users for maintaining high level of activity by partnering major retailers and service providers that offer users discounts for achieving reward tiers based on activity level. The company is backed by a diverse group of investors from entrepreneurs to seasoned healthcare and insurance professionals, banker, regulators as well as ICT professionals. It has made records in achieving the highest pre-seed and seed valuation in Asia Technology Start-up history. It is available online at www.bookdoc.com, App Store and Google Play Store. For More Information Please Contact Name: Ms. Valerie Voon

Tel: +6019-336 6758

Email: [email protected] SOURCE BookDoc.

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[July 16, 2017] Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MAUD) and Information Technology K T Ramarao, Launches Motivity Labs Smart City Waste Management System

HYDERABAD, India, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- During the inaugural ceremony of National Waste Management Summit held at the Taj Krishna hotel in Hyderabad on June 28, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) unveiled the Smart City Waste Management System which was developed in partnership with Motivity Labs. (Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/535801/MotivityLabs_GHMC.jpg )

The Smart City Waste Management System was designed to improve waste collection. The system will track all activities and provide information to a new website and mobile app. Collection bins and vehicles are tagged with RFID; the vehicles are also outfitted with GPS to track collections made along all routes across Hyderabad. With this system, GHMC will have transparency in tracking regular collections to ensure efficiency and minimize missed collections. GHMC Minister K Taraka Rama and Mayor Bonthu Rammohan took the opportunity to introduce the new system during the inaugural National WasteManagement Summit as vital in sharing best practices with other participants in attendance. GHMC Commissioner B Janardhan Reddy said, "The objective behind organizing the summit was to create a platform to share best practices used in different municipal corporations to hopefully inspire self-transformation and willingness to learn from others."



Raghu Kumar, Co-founder and Managing Director of Motivity Labs said, "It is an honour to have the opportunity to partner with GHMC to deploy our IoT based solution to improve the field efficacy of waste collection." He added, "This application was built with a vision to improve the productivity of GHMC employees and increase efficiency of solid waste management. Now other cities across India can benefit from this solution." With the launch of the Smart City Waste Management system, the GHMC is focused on leveraging advanced technologies to help improve processes and achieve results of improving the city of Hyderabad. Motivity Labs' experience with IoT-based solutions developed this new system to help the GHMC in their goal of improving the productivity of sanitation workers.

About Motivity Labs: Motivity Labs is a software development and certification company with offices in the U.S. and in India. It was started by a team of successful entrepreneurs with broad experience in the mobile, wireless, enterprise and consulting sectors. Motivity Labs is a portfolio company of Naya Ventures, an early stage venture capital firm that invests in mobile and SaaS startups in the U.S. and India. As a software development partner with Naya Ventures, the Motivity Labs team is constantly exposed to the latest in the mobile and SaaS arenas. For more information, visit http://motivitylabs.com Media Contact:

Meenakshi Kamath

MotivityLabs

[email protected]

+91-8919621132





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[July 17, 2017] Web Werks Wins Award for the Best Social Media Campaign of the Year 2017

MUMBAI, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Times Network awarded Web Werks with the best 'Social Media Campaign of the Year' award for the excellence in social media and digital marketing for 'Cloud Data Centers and Internet Exchange'. Web Werks has been rewarded with an award for the best 'Social Media Campaign of the Year' at the National Awards for Marketing Excellence presented by Times Network on 6th July 2017 in Taj Lands End, Mumbai. "Being awarded for the best social media campaign of the year by Times Network is an honour," said Nikhil Rathi, CEO, Web Werks. He continues, "In today's era, social media is a very strong platform to communicate with clients. It is not about selling, it is about building a relationship with our clients. We understand this and try to stand by it. Being rewarded in the same category is truly a glory." About National Awards: The National Awards is a premium forum bringing elite marketers, brandcustodians, advertising, departmental heads, retailers, real estate professionals, shopping mall owners and creative honchos together under one roof from across India. The platform offers top marketing professionals, agencies and consultants, an intimate environment for recognizing and rewarding excellence. The awards bring the best industry professionals who have made the outstanding contributions in the Industry. The prime aim of the award is to reward the best in the industry and enhance reputations.



Currently, in the third year, National Awards for Marketing Excellence is driven by CMO Asia and presented to organizations and marketers who have achieved extraordinary success from innovative and effective marketing practices. About Web Werks:

Established in 1996, Web Werks is one of the leading Tier III and Tier IV data center service provider. With our motto of achieving mission-critical 24-hour 365-days service, we make the fullest use of the operational knowledge and experience that we have gained over our many years of service, to answer the diverse needs of our customers. We have collaborated with more than 1,000 companies globally that include 500 companies across various business verticals. This includes Government sectors, pharmaceuticals, e-commerce, IT companies, healthcare, and more. We provide high-quality, reliable data center services of world-leading standards, offering our assistance to support and accelerate the growth of our customer's businesses. For more information, visit www.webwerks.in. Media Contact:

Priti Shetti

[email protected]

+91-8828335555

Corporate Communications

Data Center News



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[July 17, 2017]

Budget Airlines: Cheaper Tickets, Longer Delays

POTSDAM, Germany, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

refund.me presents ranking of 10 most delayed airlines

You buy a cheap plane ticket, but travel longer than expected? refund.me statistics show: low-cost carriers are top-notch in flight delays. Claims received in the first half of 2017 clearly show: as prices go down, delays go up.

1. Ryanair 2. Air Berlin 3. Lufthansa 4. Easyjet 5. Wizzair 6. Air France 7. Vueling 8. Austrian 9. KLM 10.Aer Lingus

refund.me, the international service provider for passenger rights, registered most compensation claims for delayed low cost flights. Ryanair from Ireland leads, followed by Germany's Air Berlin and Lufthansa, followed by Easyjet from the UK and ungary's Wizzair. Surprised?









To put this in perspective, Lufthansa is market leader in Europe: in 2016, the airline sold more passenger kilometres than any other carrier, followed by British Airways and Air France. Ryanair follows as largest low cost carrier, Easyjet ranks seventh, Air Berlin comes in tenth with less than 30 percent of Lufthansa's capacity, according to figures published by Statista.

Passengers rights don't go down with the ticket price

Low cost carriers show above average delay rates. "But even if the ticket is cheap, the airline is obliged to ensure smooth travels," says Sandra Rosenberg, COO of refund.me. "refund.me helps passengers to get the cash compensation they are entitled to."

About refund.me

Founded in 2012 by entrepreneur Eve Buchner, refund.me (https://refund.me/) assists individual airline passengers and business travel buyers in securing compensation for flight delays, cancellations, missed connections, and overbookings under European Union (EC) 261/2004 legislation.

Media Contact:

[email protected]

+49-172-905-18-69


[July 17, 2017] MoneyOnMobile Empowers Entrepreneurial Independence

MUMBAI, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Anjum, is a MoneyOnMobile retailer from Boisar, Maharashtra, India. Anjum's story is of an Indian housewife who wanted to provide a comfortable lifestyle to her daughters, that is when she decided to start her own business by offering financial services to common people. Her husband stays out of India due to work and has been very supportive of her endeavor. (Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/536175/MoneyOnMobile_Retailer_Anjum.jpg )

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161026/432722LOGO )

With access to a mobile payment platform, which enables retailers like her to offer money transfer, utility payments, and other financial services to customers, Anjum empowered herself to establish a successful retail business with more than four stores. She now uses this opportunity to educate her daughters with the necessary life and entrepreneurial skills; by allowing them to visit her stores after their school hours. She believes that this will help them to become responsible adults of the new Digital India. "We are happy to note that MoneyOnMobile's platform provides entrepreneurial opportunities to all; especially to the aspiring womenfolk from all sections of the society, for securing their own and their families' financial future. Women like Anjum and many others like her, have successfully grown their businesses since ther association with MoneyOnMobile," commented Mr. Ranjeet Oak, Jt. Managing Director of MoneyOnMobile.



About MoneyOnMobile: MoneyOnMobile is one of India's largest mobile payment platforms, bringing the ability to make hassle-free payments to every person on the street. Over 170 million unique customers have transacted through our 330,000 plus retail merchants across India. Our reach in the remotest part of India makes us the stand alone prepaid instrument in the market today. Our core belief lies in providing service to the unbanked consumer, by the means of Financial Inclusion and self-dependence.

MoneyOnMobile, is authorized by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to set up a payment system that enables registered users to buy products and services from registered merchants. The MoneyOnMobile payment platform provides a safe, robust, and reliable mobile payment service in India that facilitates buying of products and services; including banking and financial services, in an easier and more convenient way. Safe Harbor Statement This release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of offers to buy any securities of any entity. This release contains certain forward-looking statements based on our current expectations, forecasts and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements in this release are based on information available to us as of the date hereof. Our actual results may differ materially from those stated or implied in such forward-looking statements, due to risks and uncertainties associated with our business, which include the risk factors disclosed in our Form 10-K filed on August 19, 2016. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding our expectations, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future and can be identified by forward-looking words such as "anticipate," "believe," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "should," and "would" or similar words. We assume no obligation to update the information included in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Web site: http://MoneyOnMobile.in

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MoneyOnMobile

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MoneyOnMobile.Official/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/MoneyOnMobile

YouTube: https://youtu.be/bYsSK00hjBo

Media Contact:

Navaz Damania

[email protected]

+91-9167122661

Vice-President of Corporate Communications

MoneyOnMobile



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[July 17, 2017] InfoReach Integrates with TRADEcho for APA

CHICAGO, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- InfoReach, Inc. (www.inforeachinc.com), a global provider of high-performance electronic trading technology for capital markets, announces its integration with TRADEcho (www.tradecho.com) for post trade publishing. TRADEcho's position as an Approved Publication Arrangement (APA), gives InfoReach clients a venue for publishing trades they have executed and meet their MiFID II requirements for post-trade reporting. MiFID II goes into force on January 3rd, 2018. For many clients based in the EU or operating in the EU markets this will have a major impact on their business practices. Several organizations are mobilizing to meet the demands of these regulations. TRADEcho, the suite of reporting services hosted and operated by the London Stock Exchange, has been facilitating European trade reporting for MiFID I for 10 years and is extending these services to cover the increased MiFID II requirements. TRADEcho's services cover all MiFID II asset classes and provide firms with the tools they require to meet their pre and post-trade transparency obligations. With their expertise and advanced systems, InfoReach is prepared to meet growing regulatory demands which are so frequently on the minds of Clients. InfoReach's Director of Client Services, Alex Korsky, said, "Many clients have shown concerns about new regulatory requirements and their cost impact. However, InfoReach has always prided itself on its scalability and flexibility to respond to changes whether they be regulatory or new market opportunities." InfoReach is prepared for this new regulatory environment, easing the concern of its clients. About InfoReach

InfoReach is a provider of broker-neutral solutions for electronic, algorithmic and high-frequency trade analysis, management and execution of global equities, futures, options and forex. They deliver high-performance technology with high-touch support. InfoReach serves the buy-side and sell-side. Client solutions are tailored to accommodate current and future needs. InfoReach technology is configurable to deliver unique adaptations without adding development time and costs. For more than 20 years, InfoReach has helped clients improve their trade execution process and performance with efficient design and support. With a streamlined workflow clients can rapidly respond to market opportunities by consolidating the trading tools, global market connectivity, and execution capabilities in a single system. Delivered with unparalleled reliability and service that is synonymous with InfoReach. InfoReach is a privately-held company headquartered in Chicago, with offices in New York and the Netherlands. For more information, visit www.inforeachinc.com. About TRADEcho

TRADEcho is the suite of reporting services hosted and operated by the London Stock Exchange, brought to market in partnership with Boat Services. TRADEcho has been formed in direct response to client feedback for compliant, simplified, cost effective reporting services. With MiFID II on the horizon, the London Stock Exchange and Boat chose to combine their strengths to form a team of industry, regulatory and technical experts, bringing together the complementary strengths of Boat's OTC reporting and the London Stock Exchange's primarily on exchange reporting. Alongside partners in the group, such as UnaVista and MTS we truly are a one-stop shop for pre and post trade reporting. London Stock Exchange Group (LSE.L) is a diversified international market infrastructure and capital markets business sitting at the heart of the world's financial community. The group can trace its history back to 1698. The Group operates a broad range of international equity, bond and derivatives markets, including London Stock Exchange; Borsa Italia; MTS, Europe's leading fixed income market; and Turquoise, a pan-European equities MTF. The Group also provides customers with an extensive range of real time and reference data products, including SEDOL, UnaVista and RNS. For more information, visit www.tradecho.com







Media Contact: Nick Halvorsen, InfoReach Inc.

312 332-7740 ext2018

[email protected]

View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/inforeach-integrates-with-tradecho-for-apa-300488594.html SOURCE InfoReach, Inc.

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[July 17, 2017] LeaderMES Joins SantoChem and GeoForce Technologies for a Roadshow Among Manufacturers

HAIFA, Israel, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- This week, LeaderMES joins its partners in Malaysia, SantoChem, and in Taiwan, GeoForce Technologies, on a roadshow among manufacturers, presenting the possibilities that LeaderMES' solutions open to clients who are looking to benefit from IOT technologies. "This is an exciting opportunity to present LeaderMES to relevant clients together with two leading forces in these markets," says Nathan Tiomkin, Director of Sales & Business Development at LeaderMES. "Both SantoChem and GeoForce are prominent industry suppliers and we are proud to offer added value to their existing and potential clients." The joint delegation will be meeting multiple Taiwanese manufacturers that can potentially benefit from LeaderMES' technology. Companies of different sizes and from different industries were selected in order to allow the delegation to better understand the local environment and needs, as well as to target those clients that are most likely capable of incorporating new technologies in their operations. "GeoForce is known for assisting clients with their most demanding challenges in a variety of complex data-intensive workflows," explains Robert Hsu, CEO of GeoForce Technologies. "We strongly believe that LeaderMES' solutions can provide our clients with the means to better manage their manufacturing challenges, by improving he relevant processes, thus resulting in better operations efficiency and cost reduction."



Clients of both GeoForce and SantoChem in their respective markets can now enjoy the benefits of technological innovation and advanced manufacturing methodologies through local representatives, who are closely familiar with their needs and challenges. "As a prominent supplier of specialty chemicals to manufacturers in Malaysia, we at SantoChem are constantly seeking to expand our offering to our clients," says Jonathan Ling, Business Development Director at SantoCham. "LeaderMES offers an easy entrance into the world of IOT, helping our clients improve their manufacturing process. In time, both SantoChem and GeoForce intend to become the full service local partners of LeaderMES, offering products and support to clients in our respective regions."

The LeaderMES/GeoForce/SantoChem roadshow will continue till 20 July 2017. Manufacturers interested in meeting with the delegation may contact [email protected] About LeaderMES LeaderMES empowers industrial SMEs to shift to an Industry 4.0 paradigm, using the latest in secure connectivity, data analytics and advanced computing. By optimizing production efficiency and digitally streamlining processes, LeaderMES positions manufacturers at the forefront of industrial technology, increasing their profitability and competitiveness. Our game-changing agile solution - a smart digital manufacturing platform - provides a comprehensive production management system together with the flexibility of modular plug-and-play tools. The secure, cloud-based, digital platform and smart applications are implemented worldwide, connecting thousands of machines, and providing unprecedented visibility and control in highly demanding production environments. Learn more about transforming your business into a digital factory at www.leadermes.com or email [email protected]. Press Contact:

LeaderMES

Orily Pratt

[email protected]



GeoForce Technologies:

Robert Hsu

[email protected]



SantoChem:

Jonathan Ling

[email protected]

SOURCE LeaderMES

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[July 17, 2017] Innovative PASSUR System, The First of Its Kind, Enables Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport to Expand Capacity

STAMFORD, Conn., July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- PASSUR Aerospace, Inc. (OTC: PSSR), a business intelligence, predictive analytics, and big data company, announced that it has contracted with Broward County's Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) for an information and automation solution designed to increase traffic flows and capacity, and reduce delays and congestion, at one of the nation's fastest growing commercial airports. This new capability, built on earlier modules of PASSUR Surface Management solutions, is applicable to all airports where demand is growing and the capacity of existing infrastructure is highly constrained  including regions like South Florida, where sustained growing demand is pushing the limits of the existing aviation infrastructure. The PASSUR solution delivers new efficiencies at a fraction of the cost of major capital investments, by ensuring that: Arriving aircraft are promptly assigned a gate

All available airport resources are being optimized

Passengers experience a quick and seamless travel experience This integrated solution is an important step toward Airport Collaborative Decision Making (A-CDM) in North America, which enables all key stakeholders to collaborate and coordinate on a common operating platform to prioritize high-value flights, reduce the number of aircraft waiting to take off, and sequence arrivals and departures to and from gate assignments. The solution ensures that FLL and all of its key operational stakeholders, including airlines, are coordinating their actions by sharing timely, automated information about the status of arriving aircraft and surface traffic movements. "PASSUR'S Surface Management Solution will benefit FLL's passengers by allowing them to deplane as quickly and efficiently as possible," said Mark Gale, CEO/Director of Aviation, Broward County Aviation Department. "Airlines will also benefit by reducing taxi time and waiting for an open gate, thus reducing fuel consumption and emissions." "It's great to work with an innovator like Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport," said Jim Barry, PASSUR Aerospace President and CEO. "PASSUR is focused on identifying, alerting to, and removing constraints in the airspace and on the airport surface  producing measurable value to our airline and airport customers." About Broward County's Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL)

The Aviation Department is a self-supporting department of the Broward County Board of County Commissioners. FLL is located in Greater Fort Lauderdale in the heart of Florida's Gold Coast. In 2016, the Airport ranked 21st in the United States in total passenger traffic and 14th in domestic origin and destination passengers. With more than 700 flights a day, the Airport offers nonstop service to more than 75 US cities and global connectivity to more than 60 international destinations in 30 countries. The Aviation Department also operates the North Perry Airport, a general aviation airport for private and charter aircraft operators. Call 954-359-6100 for more information. For updates on airport programs and services, follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook or visit fll.net. About PASSUR Aerospace, Inc.

PASSUR Aerospace (OTC: PSSR) is a leading business intelligence company, providing predictive analytics and decision support technology for the aviation industry primarily to improve the operational performance and cash flow of airlines and the airports where they operate. PASSUR Aerospace's information solutions are used by the five largest North American airlines, more than 60 airport customers, (including 22 of the top 30 North American airports customers  with PASSUR solutions also used at the remaining eight airports by one or more airline customers), hundreds of business aviation customers, and the U.S. government. PASSUR owns and operates the largest commercial passive radar network in the world that provides aircraft position updates every 1 to 4.6 seconds, powering a proprietary database that is accessible in real-time and delivers timely and accurate information and solutions via PASSUR's industry leading algorithms and business logic included in its products. Visit PASSUR Aerospace's website at www.passur.com for updated products, solutions, and news. PASSUR, Airwayz, NextGen2 and NextGen3 are trademarks or registered trademarks of PASSUR Aerospace, Inc. in the U.S. All other companies and product names of those companies contained herein may be trademarks of their respective holders.







Contact: Media: Investor Relations:

Ron Dunsky Louis J. Petrucelly

SVP Marketing and New Business Development SVP & Chief Financial Officer

(203) 989-9197 (203) 622-4086

[email protected] [email protected]

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/innovative-passur-system-the-first-of-its-kind-enables-fort-lauderdale-hollywood-international-airport-to-expand-capacity-300488733.html SOURCE PASSUR Aerospace

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[July 17, 2017] Duke Kunshan University Selects Oracle to Optimize Student Experience

REDWOOD SHORES, Calif., July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Kunshan University, a highly innovative joint venture of Duke University, Wuhan University and the City of Kunshan, China, has selected Oracle Student Cloud to support student recruitment, enrollment and engagement. Oracle Student Cloud will help Duke Kunshan University maintain operational excellence and student success by using technology to help modernize and optimize the student experience. Established in 2014 and located in Kunshan, China, Duke Kunshan University offers a range of academic programs for students from China and throughout the world. To support its goal of becoming a world-class liberal arts and research university, Duke Kunshan University wanted to ensure that every student received a unique, all-inclusive experience from onboarding to graduation. To deliver a personalized and seamless experience across channels and devices, Duke Kunshan University selected Oracle Student Cloud. "We knew that creating a new world-class university focused on liberal arts and research in China was going to be a challenge and a distinct opportunity for higher education innovation, and we want our students to be prepared and also acquainted with the latest technologies," said Denis Simon, Executive Vice Chancellor at Duke Kunshan. "Duke Kunshan University will provide an intimate and forward-looking educational experience, from enrollment to graduation, for all of our students. Oracle Student Cloud is a student-centric solution that supports flexible learning models and helps us meet the increasing demands of today's economy and diverse student body." Duke Kunshan University plans to use Oracle Student Cloud, including Student Engagement and Student Recruiting, to recruit highly qualified students, drive program success and help reduce costs. Student Engagement and Student Recruiting are designed to enable Duke Kunshan University to analyze the student journey and help meet its admission objectives. In addition, the university will be able to operationalize its undergraduate program through the implementation of Oracle's Campus Solutions student information system.



"By combining deep domain knowledge that has been established over a quarter of a century with a modern and secure cloud, Oracle is helping more than 800 higher education institutions around the world drive success," said Vivian Wong, group vice president, Higher Education Development at Oracle. "Oracle's next-generation cloud platform for Higher Education is designed to modernize education institutions, accelerate insight, and empower students via an intuitive user experience, embedded analytics, and built-in collaboration delivering comprehensive support for the entire student lifecycle." Additional Information

Oracle Student Cloud is a comprehensive solution focused on managing the student lifecycle and promoting collaborative relationships with the goal of student success. The solution benefits institutions by enabling them to anticipate students' needs, illuminating their academic path and empowering students to succeed.

Duke Kunshan University selected global professional services firm Huron to integrate the cloud solution. "Higher education leaders understand that the benefits of cloud technology go beyond efficiency gains to support their goals of attracting, retaining and graduating quality students," said Steve Kish, Managing Director, Huron. "By providing students a seamless experience, including remote access to secure data with any type of device, forward-looking institutions like Duke Kunshan University are enhancing the student experience and student success." About Duke Kunshan University

Duke Kunshan University is an innovative partnership between Duke University, Wuhan University, and the City of Kunshan to create a world-class liberal arts and research university offering a range of academic programs for students from China and around the world. A non-profit, joint-venture institution, Duke Kunshan was granted accreditation approval by China's Ministry of Education in September 2013 and welcomed its inaugural class of students in August 2014. In August 2018, Duke Kunshan University will welcome the first students in its four-year undergraduate degree program. Currently, Duke Kunshan offers four master programs in medical physics, global health, environmental policy and management studies, which grant Duke degrees to its graduates. An undergraduate Global Learning Semester program offers a semester-long learning experience to undergraduate students currently enrolled at other Chinese and international universities. The Duke Kunshan University campus is located in Kunshan, Jiangsu province, China. Located in close proximity to both Shanghai and Suzhou and connected to both by high-speed rail, the city of Kunshan is a center for business, high-tech research and advanced manufacturing and has one of the fastest growing local economies in China. About Oracle



The Oracle Cloud offers complete SaaS application suites for ERP, HCM and CX, plus best-in-class database Platform as a Service (PaaS) and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) from data centers throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia. For more information about Oracle (NYSE:ORCL), please visit us at oracle.com. Trademarks

Oracle and Java are registered trademarks of Oracle and/or its affiliates. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners. View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/duke-kunshan-university-selects-oracle-to-optimize-student-experience-300488568.html SOURCE Oracle

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By PTI: GST

Srinagar, Jul 17 (PTI) Jammu and Kashmir Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu today set mid-August as the operational target for traders in the state to migrate to the GST as he directed the administration successfully implement the new tax regime.

"The biggest deterrent in the implementation of GST was the apprehension within the business community about erosion of the states fiscal autonomy which has been taken care of," he said during a meeting here.

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"Now, the government functionaries at district level must take traders, businessmen, small scale industries and consumers on board for smooth transition from VAT to GST and they should achieve these targets by mid-August," he added.

Drabu set the immediate operational target to achieve cent percent registration of businesses under GST and directed the district administrations to work towards successful implementation of the new tax regime in the state which will be beneficial for the consumers.

"All stakeholders should register for the GST which is not just a tax number but business identification number that will strengthen the trade and establish them within their respective sectors, market places and consumers," he said.

The finance minister asked the district administrations to organise regular awareness camps, orientation programmes and identify major points of concern prevailing in their areas and address them.

Besides, major concerns can be brought into the notice of finance secretary or chief secretary for further deliberations, he said.

Drabu said the state is in a phase of transition from the Value Added Tax (VAT) to the GST which would take six to eight months to stabilise.

Responding to concerns of traders regarding lack of technically-proficient people in the districts, he said the GST is based on a self assessment model under which only five percent of total businesses can be audited.

He said one of the biggest apprehensions regarding GST is that a person needs to file three returns in a month but a trader only needs to file one return in a month with other two being auto generated by the system.

The finance minister said the state government has proposed use of khidmat (help) centres as GST updating centres to supplement local traders and simplify the transition to the new tax regime. PTI SSB MIJ ASV ZMN ASV

--- ENDS ---
[July 17, 2017] Lionbridge Wins International Business Award for Delivering Outstanding Business Services in Singapore

WALTHAM, Mass., July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Lionbridge Technologies, Inc., the world's most trusted translation and digital communications company, today announced it has received the Businesses Services award as part of the Singapore Business Review International Business Awards 2017. Now in its fourth year, the Singapore Business Review International Business awards program recognizes the most outstanding international firms for their contributions to Southeast Asia economies. Lionbridge has helped many Southeast Asia corporations remove language barriers in global business. Recently, Lionbridge helped a major regional ecommerce client convert customers in non-English speaking countries and grow its Southeast Asia business. Lionbridge's machine translation and connector technology automates the translation and delivery of multilingual web pages by integrating with common content management systems and efficiently automating translation and web publishing. This quick and seamless process enables companies to focus on site metrics, click-through rates and conversions. As a result, clients are able to enter new markets with efficient, high-quality content. "We are honored to b recognized as an outstanding business services provider in Singapore and solidify our leadership position in the translation services market," said Henri Broekmate, SVP and General Manager, Lionbridge Asia. "This award is a testament to our continued commitment to delivering world-class business services to clients in ASEAN and across the globe."



Winners were honored at an awards ceremony at Conrad Centennial Singapore, which drew top-level executives from the winning companies. Nominations were evaluated by an esteemed panel of judges from companies including Deloitte, Ernst & Young Solutions LLP, Foo Kon Tan LLP and NEXIA LLP. Lionbridge is committed to enhancing its clients' global customer experience by providing technology and services that deliver relevant content, across all channels, markets and languages. Lionbridge provides industry-leading translation and localization, digital marketing, global content management and application testing services to the world's top brands.

About Lionbridge

Lionbridge enables more than 800 world-leading brands to increase international market share, speed adoption of products and effectively engage their customers in local markets worldwide. Using our innovative cloud technology platforms and our global crowd of more than 100,000 qualified professionals, we provide detail-critical business processes, including translation, online marketing, global content management and application testing solutions that ensure global brand consistency, local relevancy and technical usability across all touch points of the customer lifecycle. Based in Waltham, Mass., Lionbridge maintains solution centers in 27 countries. To learn more, visit www.lionbridge.com. Media Contact:

Aimee Jen

Text100

[email protected]

+1-415-593-8402 View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lionbridge-wins-international-business-award-for-delivering-outstanding-business-services-in-singapore-300488431.html SOURCE Lionbridge Technologies, Inc.

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[July 17, 2017] GraspPAY for Online Booking Tools - A Year of Success

SAN DIEGO, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Grasp Technologies, the leader in travel data management, visualization and consolidation, is seeing tremendous growth and adoption of its GraspPAY virtual payment solution and Online Booking Tool integration that officially launched last July. The product was the first to market that integrates with booking tools in the travel industry and now has a proven track record of success. "The product updates we have made throughout the year have been driven by the amount of online bookings going through our system on a daily basis," says Mike Duffy, Head of Virtual Payments for Grasp. "One year later, we've increased the number of bookings 2,700 to one, increasing the overall growth of the GraspPAY solution to 1,100 percent year-over-year." The rapid adoption of GraspPAY Online Booking Tool integration was very organic as te majority of transactions are mandated to be made through booking tools. In addition, Grasp differs from industry standards with an uninterrupted integration that doesn't add in costs. According to Dave M. Lukas, VP and CSO for Grasp, "Many of our client companies did not even have to communicate a change to virtual card. That's how seamless GraspPAY integrates."



In one year, the touchless software product has taken off with agencies. GraspPAY requires no programming, no change or interaction with a mid-office system, no scripting and no additional support for OBTs. In 2017, Grasp has added additional booking integration with three of the most active and existing tools, and a handful more on deck. To learn more about GraspPAY, visit www.grasptech.com.

About Grasp Technologies

Grasp Technologies helps clients navigate constantly changing business environments by providing the right combination of custom and standardized data management solutions and support. Grasp was founded in 1996 and works extensively in the travel industry and other ancillary industries worldwide. Grasp has offices in San Diego, California and Columbus, Ohio. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/grasppay-for-online-booking-tools---a-year-of-success-300489073.html SOURCE Grasp Technologies

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[July 17, 2017] EdgeX Foundry Builds Momentum for a IoT Interoperability and a Unified Marketplace with Eight New Members

SAN FRANCISCO, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- EdgeX Foundry, an open source project building a common open framework for Internet of Things (IoT) edge computing, today announced eight new members: Absolute, IoT Impact Labs, inwinSTACK, Parallel Machines, Queen's University Belfast, RIOT, Toshiba Digital Solutions Corporation and Tulip Interfaces. Launched in April 2017, EdgeX Foundry is a collaborative project of The Linux Foundation that is building an interoperability framework hosted within a full hardware- and OS-agnostic reference software platform to enable an ecosystem of plug-and-play components that unifies the marketplace and accelerates the deployment of IoT solutions. Designed to run on any hardware or operating system and with any combination of application environments, EdgeX can quickly and easily deliver interoperability between connected devices, applications, and services, across a wide range of use cases. "We are very excited to welcome these new members to our rapidly growing community. They are a geographically diverse group, but are working together to ensure that hardware, operating systems and application frameworks can all speak the same EdgeX language," said Philip DesAutels, PhD Senior Director of IoT at The Linux Foundation. "This simplification and standardization of Industrial IoT edge computing will bring significant value to the ecosystem for years to come." Last month, EdgeX Foundry brought together technical representatives from member companies as well as the wider technical community for the first face-to-face working meeting. More than 80 people joined in-person or via phone to align on project goals, develop working groups and discuss next steps for the project. EdgeX Foundry also initiated a series of technical training sessions called Tech Talks that are designed to help onboard new developers on to the project. Additional information about these Tech Talks, upcoming EdgeX Foundry meetings and how to participate is available at https://wiki.edgexfoundry.org. New Member Quotes: Absolute

"Absolute recognizes the urgent need for advancing and unifying standards in edge computing," said Jo-Ann Smith, Director of Technology Risk Management & Data Privacy at Absolute. "As IoT rapidly grows, it is important to simultaneously expand an open source framework like EdgeX that benefits all members of the current ecosystem. The EdgeX and Absolute technology will allow customers to meet their business goals with secure data protection on their endpoint agents and IoT servers." IoT Impact Labs

"Impact LABS works with a number of EdgeX Foundry members to live pilot IoT solutions for small-to-medium sized businesses that often don' have access to the latest industrial and enterprise tools and methods," said Chris Rezendes, Managing Director of Impact LABS.



"Working with EdgeX Foundry will help support our efforts to deploy IoT in communities facing natural resource challenges, smart cities, resilient infrastructure, food security and industry 4.0 markets." inwinSTACK

"As a major long-time contributor in open source technologies, inwinSTACK is excited to be a part of a project that is developing an open framework for IoT edge computing," said Joseph Wang, Vice President of inwinSTACK Inc. "We believe EdgeX Foundry plays a major role in developing a common IoT standard for the market, and our partnership will strengthen our ability to deliver enterprise-grade IoT edge solutions to organizations seeking to drive business values and innovations."

Parallel Machines

"Our mission is to accelerate the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) I in production environments, making it an accessible technology for an enterprise to harness the power of their data generated by IoT," said Nir Peled, VP Product and Strategy of Parallel Machines. "In order for edge computing to successfully converge with cutting edge technologies like AI, we need industry leaders to unify around a common platform and tools. We believe EdgeX Foundry will achieve this, and it is a crucial initiative for the success of our mission as it creates a common standard framework for all the fundamental elements of an edge solution." Queen's University Belfast

"Adding billions of people and 'things' to the internet is not easy," said Dr. Blesson Varghese, Lecturer in Scalable Computing at Queen's University Belfast. "At Queen's University Belfast, we are developing world-class research in edge computing to design sustainable internet architectures that seamlessly connect people and devices. We are excited to be working with EdgeX Foundry on solving the global challenge of transforming the future internet." RIOT

"The RIOT community provides open source, vendor-independent and community-driven software that supports low-end IoT devices that connect securely with anywhere on the Internet," said Thomas Eichinger, developer and maintainer for RIOT. "RIOT starts where Linux doesn't fit so it is natural for the RIOT community to participate and support complementary open-source initiatives like EdgeX Foundry for edge computing." Toshiba Digital Solutions Corporation

"As a manufacturer and supplier engaged in various sectors from semiconductor to industrial and social infrastructure systems, we recognized the importance of edge computing at a very early stage and have been working on developing the related technology," said Shigeyoshi Shimotsuji, Director and Vice President of Toshiba Digital Solutions Corporation. "Toshiba and EdgeX Foundry share the same vision for enabling a community of IoT solutions providers to create an interoperable ecosystem. We look forward to leveraging our experiences and technical know-how with EdgeX Foundry to further accelerate the industrial IoT market adoption and drive innovation." Tulip Interfaces

"Plug-and-play shop-floor IoT is a key component of Tulip's Manufacturing App Platform," said Rony Kubat, co-founder of Tulip Interfaces. "The EdgeX framework will foster an ecosystem which can enable rapid development of new capabilities based on common standards. IoT interoperability will establish an explosion of creativity and empower a new generation of manufacturing engineers. This will lead to flexible and more secure systems that can optimize workflow and, ultimately, change how people work on the factory floor." A full list of members can be found here. About EdgeX Foundry

EdgeX Foundry is an open source project hosted by The Linux Foundation building a common open framework for IoT edge computing and an ecosystem of interoperable components that unifies the marketplace and accelerates the deployment of IoT solutions. Designed to run on any hardware or operating system and with any combination of application environments, EdgeX enables developers to quickly create flexible IoT edge solutions that can easily adapt to changing business needs. To learn more, visit: www.edgexfoundry.org. 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 Inquiries:

Maemalynn Meanor

PR Manager, EdgeX Foundry

[email protected] View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/edgex-foundry-builds-momentum-for-a-iot-interoperability-and-a-unified-marketplace-with-eight-new-members-300488687.html SOURCE The Linux Foundation

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[July 17, 2017] Dubai Future Accelerators Opens Applications for the Third Program

DUBAI, UAE, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Emirates airline joins the Dubai Future Accelerators Region's first Humanitarian Accelerator combines technology for good Program develops regulatory friendly environment to support deep technology Dubai is calling on the world's most innovative companies to help find solutions to the biggest challenges of the 21st century. The third cycle of its flagship Dubai Future Accelerators program, run by the Dubai Future Foundation, focuses on building partnerships and developing regulatory friendly environments that support deep technology start-ups with the potential to radically improve the world. (Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/536319/Dubai_Future_Foundation.jpg )

Beginning in October this year, government entities and technology partners will join forces to develop innovative solutions for healthcare, education, travel, energy, water, and more. The program integrates 4th Industrial Revolution-inspired technologies such as AI, robotics, blockchain, 3D printing, genetics, and virtual reality, wth the government providing regulatory support to develop pilot projects at the city-wide scale.



The first two editions of the program recorded overwhelming success, attracting more than 4,000 applications from the world's most innovative companies. Out of the 65 accepted companies in the first two cycles, 74% signed a with a government partner to work on pilot projects. In the third cycle, the program will launch a new humanitarian accelerator in partnership with the Mohammed Bin Rashid Global Initiatives. This is a first of its kind in the Arab World that will connect technology start-ups with UAE's humanitarian sector to multiply their positive impact. It will focus on creating job opportunities for refugees, educating refugee children and increasing Arabic literacy, as well as testing new solutions for water sanitation in underprivileged countries.

Emirates is also joining the Accelerators to drive new opportunities in the aviation sector, using autonomous robotics and personalisation to transform the airline into a, greener, more responsive and sustainable platform for global travel. Khalfan Belhoul, CEO of Dubai Future Accelerators, said: "Over the past year, we have enjoyed remarkable success in terms of the enthusiasm of participating government entities and the number of partnerships signed with pioneering companies. This year, we will see new partners come on board to collaborate with global innovators to create advanced working models and future solutions. This will consolidate the UAE's - and Dubai's - position as a leading test bed of government support for technologies that tackle the biggest challenges of our time." # For more information on the challenges and the application process, please visit http://www.dubaifutureaccelerators.com Dubai Future Foundation Dubai Future Foundation was launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, in April 2016, as an independent transformation unit that helps shape the future of Dubai. The Foundation cooperates with governmental and private entities to co-create the future of strategic sectors in the medium and long term, through the Future Agenda, which focuses on supporting individuals and institutions. Email: [email protected]

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[July 17, 2017] Announcement of Po.et's Token Sale August 8, 2017

LOS ANGELES, July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Po.et, a new protocol designed to accelerate solutions for the digital media industry utilizing blockchain technology and timestamped metadata to create proper attribution and licensing opportunities for publishers have announced their invitation-only POE token sale for August 8, 2017. The core objectives of Po.et are to create a platform which simplifies the process for publishing, licensing and authentication of digital assets. Simplifying the publishing process necessitates solving the issues of document integrity, licensing, arbitrage, analytics, syndication and attribution of digital assets. Po.et aims to create a Bitcoin blockchain-based platform with added smart contract functionality and applications to facilitate distribution of digital creative works and remove marketplace friction for publishers, editors and content creators by solving these issues, as well as creating greater cost efficiencies in hashing metadata than previously introduced. Po.et's platform includes a digital media licensing marketplace and it's core product - the immutable portfolio, an asset wallet for all creative digital assets where territory and search parameters are considered for licensing and monetization. Po.et is ultimately laying the foundation for an open, blockchain-based protocol for decentralizedmedia applications.



The Po.et native token (POE) serves several purposes: To bootstrap the network effects of Po.et by creating a community of engaged, invested stakeholders and publishers. To raise funds for the long-term development of Po.et and to provide a mechanism to economically reward early adopters and positive contributors to the Po.et network. "There is a foundational race right now to solve key vertical challenges for the publishing industry. Po.et is born out of a pain we felt deeply at Bitcoin Magazine and we have partnerships identified to work in tandem to create solutions through the Po.et protocol - attribution and licensing marketplaces," said David Bailey, CEO of BTC Media.

Po.et has previously raised $1 million USD in a pre-sale of tokens from media veterans, institutional investors, and blockchain entrepreneurs. Now Po.et is aiming to raise an additional $9 million USD through the sale of the POE token, which represent a share of revenue generated from commercial activities on the Po.et network. Of the 3,141,592,653 POE tokens released, 50 percent will be distributed to the community. Of the remaining POE tokens, 10 percent will be distributed to the early investors who funded Po.et development prior to the token sale. An additional 10 percent will be distributed over time to publishers, journalists, alpha publishing partners and others who contribute to growing the Po.et network. The Po.et Foundation will retain 22 percent of all POE tokens for long-term development, with the remaining 8 percent going to the early team and founders. ABOUT PO.ET: Po.et - Proof of Existence 2.0 is a Bitcoin blockchain protocol that establishes an open, universal and immutable ledger for managing the unalterable ownership, attribution and licensing of creative digital assets. Po.et builds a bridge between creators and publishers and enables the discovery of new content and verification, authenticity and authorization of generated content through a truly transparent and timestamped system of attribution. Po.et is based in Singapore and the United States, with offices in Los Angeles, CA. For more information about Po.et, please visit po.et . For further info and the official Po.et whitepaper, visit their website at http://po.et . View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/announcement-of-poets-token-sale-august-8-2017-300489128.html SOURCE Po.et

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[July 17, 2017]

Xantrion named to the Top 100 East Bay Private Company List

OAKLAND, Calif., July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Xantrion Inc., a top 100 worldwide provider of IT services for midsized companies in the San Francisco Bay Area, has been recognized as one of the San Francisco Business Times largest private companies in the East Bay. They were ranked number 84. The Business Times announced the list at the end of June.

"It is exciting to be named to such a prestigious list," said Anne Bisagno, president and co-founder of Xantrion. "I attribute our success to our world class support and ability to deliver relevant solutions like our Xantrion Managed Security service."

The San Francisco Business Times partners with PriceWaterhouseCoopers to research privately held businesses headquartered in Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, and San Mateo counties, ranking them by criteria such as revenues, ownership and growth.







About Xantrion Inc.

Experts in tailored cloud strategies, application hosting, security, and technical support, Xantrion provides outsourced IT services for midsized companies in the San Francisco Bay Area. Its team of professionals brings impeccable technical, business, and interpersonal skills to every assignment. Featuring an award-winning consultative approach, SOC2 Type II credentialed data centers, 24/7 help desk, fixed fees, and a 99.99% uptime record, Xantrion is a proven partner for both project-based and turnkey network services.

Contact:

Anne Bisagno

Xantrion Inc.

(510) 272-4701 x201

[email protected]

View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/xantrion-named-to-the-top-100-east-bay-private-company-list-300489329.html

SOURCE Xantrion Inc.
[July 17, 2017] Top 5 Vendors in the Global Pre-filled Syringes Market from 2017 to 2021: Technavio

Technavio has announced the top five leading vendors in their recent global pre-filled syringes market 2017-2021 report. This market research report also lists nine other prominent vendors that are expected to impact the market during the forecast period. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170717005989/en/ Technavio has published a new report on the global pre-filled syringes market from 2017-2021. (Graphic: Business Wire) Competitive vendor landscape According to the research analysis, there is an oligopoly in the global pre-filled syringes market where only a few vendors such as BD, Gerresheimer, and SCHOTT holds a large market share. But the competition among the existing vendors is high as each one of them compete to gain a larger market share. The companies are focusing on strategic expansions, partnerships, acquisitions, and technological advances to expand their market size. There is a demand-supply gap in the industry, due to which the suppliers are ramping up their production capacities by double-digits. The pre-filled syringe manufacturers supply non-sterilized bulk pre-filled syringes to contract fillers or pharma companies. Many of the suppliers are packaging only glass pre-filled syringes, which have been in use much longer than plastic pre-filled syringes. However, the trend is now shifting towards the manufacture of plastic pre-filled syringes. "Sanofi, GlaxoSmithKline, and Pfizer are the major buyers of pre-filled syringe that are used for the delivery of insulin, anticoagulants, and vaccines. Many underdeveloped and developing countries rely on developed countries to meet their demand for pre-filled syringes. For instance, India meets most its pre-filled syringes demand via imports from the countries such as the US and France," says Ramakrishna Edupulapati, a lead analyst at Technavio for research.



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 market research analysts identify the following key vendors: Baxter Baxter is a healthcare company that develops, manufactures, and markets products and technologies related to hemophilia, immune disorders, infectious diseases, kidney diseases, trauma, and other chronic and acute medical conditions. Its products are used by hospitals, kidney dialysis centers, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, and research laboratories. It is one of the leading players in the pre-filled syringes market and has produced 385 million pre-filled syringes since 2012. BD BD is a medical technology company, which manufactures and markets a wide range of medical devices, diabetes care, pharmaceutical, diagnostic, and surgical systems. The company has eight major product divisions, namely, biosciences, medication and procedural solutions, medication management solutions, pharmaceutical systems, diabetes care, respiratory solutions, preanalytical systems, and diagnostic systems. It is one of the leading players in the pre-filled syringes market. Its pre-filled syringes product portfolio includes five biologics, four vaccines, two anticoagulants, and five small molecules. Gerresheimer Gerresheimer is one of the major competitors in the pre-filled syringes market. The company has a large manufacturing capacity and provides customization options for its syringes. The company provides its syringes in glass and plastic materials (COP). Its syringes can be integrated into devices like auto-injectors. It has three glass pre-filled syringes and three plastic pre-filled syringes in its product portfolio ranging from 0.5 ml-5.0 ml. Its syringes and pen cartridges are used for vaccines, heparins, biotech drugs, and other applications. SCHOTT SCHOTT's pre-filled syringes portfolio includes four glass pre-filled syringes and one plastic pre-filled syringe. Its glass pre-filled syringe is used in applications such as vaccines, anti-thrombotic, biotech, and special applications. Its plastic pre-filled syringe is used for hyaluronic acid, emergency drugs, diluents, and infusion therapy. Its pre-filled syringes are compliant with the United States Pharmacopeial Convention (USP), European Pharmacopoeia (EP), and Japanese Pharmacopoeia (JP) international standards. TERUMO TERUMO's product portfolio includes PLAJEX (pre-filled syringes with staked needle). In January 2017, it launched a new variant in its pre-filled syringes product portfolio called PLAJEX Luer Lock with a Threaded Closure polymer prefillable syringe. The company is known for having produced the world's thinnest needle NANOPASS 34 for insulin self-injection devices. It also focuses on investing in R&D for the development of new and innovative products. Looking for more information on this market? Request a free sample report Technavio's sample reports are free of charge and contain multiple sections of the report including the market size and forecast, drivers, challenges, trends, and more. Browse Related Reports: Global Therapeutic Electrodes Market 2017-2021

Global Nasal Cannula Market 2017-2021

Global Dermatoscopes 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 [email protected]. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170717005989/en/

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[July 17, 2017] BASF SE Selects Icertis to Accelerate Contracting Velocity, Ensure Global Compliance

FRANKFURT, Germany and BELLEVUE, Wash., July 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Icertis, the leading provider of enterprise contract management in the cloud, today announced that BASF SE, the world's leading chemical company, has selected the Icertis Contract Management (ICM) platform to serve as the foundation for BASF's modernization of its global contracting processes. This forward-looking initiative will help accelerate contracting velocity across BASF's world-wide sales and corporate teams, increase visibility through a single easy-to-use, enterprise-wide contracting system, and ensure compliance. "At BASF we are committed, through science and innovation, to enabling our customers to meet the current and future needs of society," said Matthew Lepore, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer of BASF Corporation and sponsor of the project. "The Icertis platform's ease of use and intelligent insights will help us optimize the value of our commercial relationships, increase contracting efficiencies, and help reduce contractual risk." The fast pace of the chemical business meant that BASF wanted to transform its contracting processes to serve the company's customers more efficiently. BASF selected Icertis' intelligent, cloud-based platform due to its intuitive user interface, support for all types of contracts, ease of deployment and ability to adapt to changing requirements. With the ICM platform, BASF will be able to easily create and modify workflows, automate its cotracting processes and ensure greater visibility into contractual obligations and deviations.



"As BASF looks to build a sustainable future with their customers, we are thrilled to help them build a sustainable, future looking approach to contract management," said Samir Bodas, Co-founder and CEO of Icertis. "BASF's selection of Icertis further establishes our leadership in the manufacturing space and global leadership in enterprise contract management. We look forward to partnering with BASF on their transformation journey over the next decade." Thorsten Herrmann, General Manager Enterprise und Partner Group, Microsoft Germany said, "The Icertis Contract Management platform built on Microsoft Azure is powering BASF to reinvent contract management as they create chemistry for a sustainable future. The combination of Icertis and Azure provides an innovative, scalable cloud solution that enables companies to digitally transform their foundation of commerce."

Icertis Opens New Frankfurt Office

Icertis also announced the opening of a new Frankfurt office to serve customers like BASF and Daimler, continuing Icertis' rapid growth in EMEA. The office will be led by Martin Mohr, VP and General Manager of EMEA, and serve as the company's European headquarters. Icertis' Frankfurt office will be the company's seventh office, and third in EMEA including Zurich and Stuttgart. More than 1+ million subscribers trust Icertis to manage over 3.5+ million contracts in more than 90+ countries and 40+ languages. For more information about the Icertis Contract Management platform, visit www.icertis.com. About Icertis

Icertis, the leading provider of enterprise contract management in the cloud, solves the hardest contract management problems on the easiest to use platform. Icertis helps companies transform their commercial foundation increasing compliance, improving governance, mitigating risk and enhancing user productivity, thereby maximizing ROI and accelerating time to value. The Icertis Contract Management (ICM) platform is used by 1+ million users at companies like 3M, Becton Dickinson, Cognizant, Daimler, and Microsoft, to manage 3.5+ million contracts in 40+ languages across 90+ countries. For more information, visit www.icertis.com . Icertis Media Contact:

Sarah Nickell

Barokas Public Relations for Icertis

[email protected]

303-895-5673 View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/basf-se-selects-icertis-to-accelerate-contracting-velocity-ensure-global-compliance-300489397.html SOURCE Icertis

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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.
Jacqueline Fernandez's pole dance is the hottest form of #MondayMotivation you will ever get.

By Shivani Chhabra: With another Monday morning shining bright at us, it's time to shed away the overwhelming indolence that weekends bring with them. Dealing with Mondays has been a tough task since time immemorial, and clearly, as a race, we're not getting any better at it.

To deal with the idea of crawling out of our comfortable beds, and looking forward to another week, we need motivation, a lot of it. And who could be better than our dazzling B-Town stars to help us win the battle against laziness?

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Today we have the stunning Jacqueline Fernandez showing us some killer pole dancing moves, and she is sure to make you want to take up this glamorous dance form. In a set of videos posted by Jackie on social media, the diva can be seen sizzling around a pole, and her fitness will blow your mind away.

Burning the midnight oil with my @lanaroxy (spot miumiu) ??? A post shared by Jacqueline Fernandez (@jacquelinef143) on Jul 12, 2017 at 8:55am PDT

?? #polefitness @lanaroxy A post shared by Jacqueline Fernandez (@jacquelinef143) on Jul 16, 2017 at 9:24am PDT

If you are already bored of your regular, monotonous acrobats, how about trying to gain fitness in Jackie's style? Here's why you should try pole dancing too:

1. Core workout: Pole dancing is as good as an intense workout session. You can have those six-pack abs without putting yourself through the pain of situps or crunches.

2. Cardio: It's a perfect substitute for your cardio, since it involves hectic strength moves in a row for three to four minutes. Cardiovascular activity is a key element to pole dancing.

Also Read: Sushant Singh Rajput training with Indian Army jawans is all the #MondayMotivation you need

3. Tone up and weight loss: Another perk of pole dancing reflects through a toned and fit body. Certain poses in the dance form work the inner thighs and quads as well, but the real leg workout comes from dynamic stretching exercises that tone down your butt, and adds flexibility to your body.

4. Strengthens your back: Pole dance is known to strengthen back muscles, and make you immune to back injuries.

5. Healthy metabolism: Pole dancing increases the metabolism rate of the body, hence you are never low on energy.

6. Coordination and balance: Pole dance also requires an incredible amount of coordination and balance. Learning to control spins, turns and pivots will strengthen muscles throughout your body.

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Also Read: #MondayMotivation: Mandira Bedi working out in slow-mo will give you all the goals you need

7. Body Confidence: One of the most important perks of this dance form is the body confidence it generates. It makes you feel stronger and sexier that in turn makes you comfortable in your skin.

Well, you might not be as perfect a pole dancer as Jacqueline, but you can always make a start, right? And this video might be of help for beginners.

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To get rescued from this situation, they have sought help from the West Bengal government and Central government as well but no one has come forward till now.

By Manogya Loiwal : A pilgrimage has turned into a nightmare for 110 pilgrims who are stuck in Nepal after going to Kailash Mansarovar through a Kolkata-based travel agency.

The group includes a renowned industrialist of Malda, Jugal Kishore Agarwal, his relatives and friends, and another 17 pilgrims from the state.

For the last four days, their days are passing in a state of starvation. To bail themselves out of this situation, they have contacted the Indian Embassy in Nepal but they have received no help so far.

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Two pilgrims from the group have reported of cardiovascular issues also. To get rescued from this situation, they have sought help from the West Bengal government and Central government as well.

According to Jugal Kishore, they started their journey on July 5 through a Kolkata-based travel agency from Malda. After reaching Nepal, the agency handed them over to another travel agency. The group finished their pilgrimage of Kailash Mansarovar smoothly. But after that the travel agency of Nepal started behaving strangely with them.

On July 11, they were kept in an open area in a place called Hisla in China. Then on July 12, they were brought to a place called Simikot near the Nepal-China border through a helicopter. From here they were to be sent to Kathmandu via a chartered plane on July 13 but they are still stuck in Simikot without any food and water.

The group is trying to highlight their ordeal through press. Jugal Kishore further informed that people who are giving heavy amount of bribe are being rescued, and not everyone.

The group has appealed to the state and central government to help them get out of the situation.

Here is an account of the victims:

Jugal Kishore Agarwal

We booked our yatra with 'Just Holidays' and reached Mansarovar on July 10. We had to wait for two days and were told that we will taken for parikrama but we were not taken despite paying Rs 30,000 per head for the same. We were brought in open air and were left to fend for ourselves. We were drenched in rain and fell ill but to no mercy. No food, water or even shelter was provided. On July 14, there was a chopper that came but we were left again. They started asking for exorbitant prices. Then on July 15, we sought help from Indian embassy and we were given basic assistance. Finally were given some relief. Two of the ten people from our group are extremely ill. Imagine we paid Rs 100 per water bottle. The member of the travel agency were the ones torturing us...intentionally. There were foreigners also from other countries and were fleeced just for boarding passes. We have somehow managed to save our lives.Bharat Lal AgarwalWe were ten in a group and had to face harassment while returning. There was no help offered in the local region and then from Simikot we kept suffering for almost two days. It has been a harrowing experience. The Dorniers are not available and the passengers are harassed to pay much more than the basic price. We spent Rs 50000 for ten people just on food. They took our boarding passes and left us all by ourselves. They say it was weather but the reason is something more.

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Also read: Amarnath Yatra bus accident: 16 killed, PM Modi says pained by loss of lives

Also read: China says in touch with India on Kailash Mansarovar issue, doesn't give reason for suspending entry

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Kansas City businesswoman Cheryl Womack was sentenced to one year and six months in federal prison without parole and ordered to pay $1.7 million in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service. Womack pleaded guilty in April 2016 to impeding an IRS investigation by lying under oath about her Cayman Island businesses.
Just a bit of longstanding biz that still impacts the local budget . . .Not so long ago Kansas CityThis week the money starts hitting the streets withwithto follow . . .Developing . . .
QUICK SOUTHLAND NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING POLLING REVEALS THAT KANSAS CITY VOTERS WOULD RATHER REMODEL THE AIRPORT!!!

Citizens For Responsible Government: Airport Update - Important facts from a July 10th meeting...

Quick update from tax fighters who are going to community meetings in order to gauge public sentiment on the latest PR campaign and upcoming public vote . . .Here's their report, you decide . . .On July 10th, the SKCA held a public meeting on the airport. This meeting attracted a few more dignitaries, all of whom except Teresa Loar were pushing. You really have to wonder who these narcissistic, egomaniacs are listening to. At the end of the meeting, Joe Reardon, Head of the KCMO Chamber of Commerce, who had just spent an hour telling the audience why we neededwas asked where he lived. The answer was KANSAS! Would you believe it? Then he took a survey: How many people want to keep the airport like it is?, he asked. about 10% of those in attendance raised their hands. Then he asked How many people would like to see the new single terminal we just showed you built? about 20% raised their hands. You can guess the next question:  How many people want to see the existing terminals remodeled and modernized? ABOUT 60% raised their hands. So in total about 70% of those in attendance were in favor of leaving things alone or remodeling what we have. Yet the narcissistic egotists insist on selling the B&M single terminal concept. They spent over an hour trying to convince the audience and didnt gain any ground even though there were several B&M people in the attendance. You have to ask why?Burns & McDonnell continue to blast their radio commercials over the airwaves trying to change the voters minds and convince themselves they are qualified to build us a new airport. We understand this week they start TV commercials. They did not get positive feedback on their commercials.What a waste of money. Katherine Shields and Jolie Justus have both introduced ordinances to financeJustus promotes private financing shes in B&Ms pocket from the start and Shields promotes public financing. Private financing will put a lot more money in B&Ms pocket and cost the taxpayers big bucks. BUT WHY? we ask.. Arent you a little premature ladies? Shouldnt they present a plan to the taxpayers first before we ask them to finance it? The airport will have to be financed no matter what we do, so lets get the airport plan out there first for voter approval and then well decide how the best way to finance it is.Dont be fooled by these shenanigans. Hold your ground until you see a plan. If they present a plan that isnt to your liking or they try to finance it before they have a plan (which we believe they will do unless the voters call their bluff)  VOTE NO! Remember,you have the final say unless they go around the voters, so you need to be prepared for that NO-vember#####
DMK working president MK Stalin was the first to announce his support to the actor. While, OPS advised AIADMK cadres to question Hassan ethically and within realms of decorum.

By Pramod Madhav: As Kamal Hassan continues to receive flak from AIADMK for criticising the government over the 'everywhere there is corruption' comment, OPS, MK Stalin have spurred support for the Chachi 420 actor.

DMK working president MK Stalin was the first to announce his support to the actor. He tweeted that Hassan's ire towards the government can be attributed as collective criticism of the people.

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He added that criticism is not the prerogative of just politicians or the Opposition. "Kamal simply said that there is corruption everywhere and he was threatened by AIADMK of filing charges but I gave evidence against Vijayabhaskar, EPS and Commissioner of Police but they didn't say anything against me," he said.

Even former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister OPS condemned AIADMK ministers' outburst for targeting the actor.

"Ministers should reply to Kamal's charge in a democratic manner and should not utilize their power and position to threaten him", he advised.

Back in 2015, OPS had harshly replied to Hassan for his comments over state's poor post-flood management.

OPS had also called Kamal Hassan a 'puppet' and suggested that the actor should just to 'stick to acting'.

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Miloss many natural beauties, include the pirates caves, Little Venice, and Plaka, where the areas castle offers the most romantic views of the sunset

Milos, this uniquely beautiful Cycladic island in Greece, is famous for its many beaches, its distinct mountainous landscape, and its great cuisine. Milos offers an authentic escape into the luxury of isolation. It is no coincidence that international online tourism media rank the Greek island in the top 10 places in the world for the summer of 2017.

Internationally acclaimed travel blog We Blog the World promotes the island through a special feature with rich photographic material, references to the islands history and attractions making it a hymn to the Cycladic destination. Such publicity comes in addition to similar publications, such as the Conde Nast Travelers feature honoring the beaches of Miloss history and food. Miloss beauties are also hailed in a Forbes article on the best places to visit in the summer of 2017.

In addition to its many beaches, Miloss many natural beauties, include the pirates caves, Little Venice, and Plaka, where the areas castle offers the most romantic views of the sunset.

-For the islands website, click here.

-For the blog feature, click here

-For the Conde Nast Traveler feature, click here.

-For the Forbes article, click here.

Read more here.

More on this article here.

More articles on Greece 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:Line Lasserre License: CC-BY-SA

Source: int.ert.gr
In a major move, the Saudi Public Transport Authority (PTA) has opened its doors for the private sector, inviting global pioneering companies to partner in the construction and operation of railways in the kingdom, said a report.



PTA has called upon the experts in the field of building and operation of railway transport services to forge long-term strategic partnership with Saudi companies in this vital sector, reported the Saudi Gazette, citing a top official.



The partnership will be ensured for the construction and operation of Riyadh-Dammam Railway, the Northern Railway as well as the Land Bridge Project that would connect the Gulf with the Red Sea, and other future projects, said Minister of Transport Sulaiman Al Hamdan.



This will be in co-operation with the Saudi Railway Company (SAR) and Saudi Railway General Corporation, stated Al Hamdan, who is also the chairman of the board of PTA..



Al Hamdan also unveiled plans to privatise some key sectors such as the public transport and roads in addition to airports and seaports, it added.



In a related development, the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture has announced that it plans to start privatising the sewage sector offering three key projects in five cities and governorates across the Kingdom.



Muhammad Al Muwakali, the CEO of National Water Company, said that a consortia, comprising three international consultants, will be involved in the initial phase of the project.



The new sewage treatment plants are Jeddah Airport Plant 2, a plant west of Dammam, and a system of plants covering Turaif, Arar and Sakaka.



A contract was signed with an international consultant specialised in preparing tender documents and subsequently the plant projects will be awarded on a BOT (build, operate and transfer) basis to the private sector.



The consultancy consortia, is led by financial consultant Mizuho Bank, and comprising of legal consultant White & Case, and technical consultant Atkins.
Businessmen from Oman and Qatar are expected to launch three manufacturing projects, said a senior official from Zubair Corporation.



The company has three projects under consideration based on partnerships between Qatari and Omani businessmen, C S Badrinath, CEO, Zubair Corporation, was quoted as saying in a Gulf Times report.



He was part of a trade delegation from Oman that met with Qatar Chamber vice chairman Mohamed bin Towar Al Kuwari and board member Mohamed bin Ahmed al-Obaidli.



He added that the first project involves water production and distribution under the brand Oasis Qatar, with production expected to be within two months. The second project is a factory for electrical transformers, while the third is a factory for production of petrochemicals.
Dubai-based global marine terminal operator DP World will provide assistance to Indonesia in the development of the Kuala Tanjung greenfield port and logistics zone and Belawan port in North Sumatra.



DP World and Indonesian authorities recently signed an agreement in this regard.



As part of a technical assistance contract, DP World will share its expertise and experience in increasing efficiencies, training and development for employees and developing multi-modal transport hubs, said a statement from the company.



The agreement was signed by DP World Group executive vice president and chief operating officer Anil Wats and state-owned port operator PT Pelabuhan Indonesia (Pelindo) I president director, Bambang Eka Cahyana, it said.



The event was also attended by Indonesian Minister of State Owned Enterprises Rini M Soemarno, Indonesian Ambassador to the UAE, Husein Bagis and senior DP World officials, it added.



DP World will be reviewing operations at Belawan port and advising on efficiency improvements, and plans for the Kuala Tanjung greenfield port and logistics zone to reduce costs, which will positively impact prices of goods sold in the local market, said a statement.



The agreement is expected to have a far-reaching positive impact on the social and economic growth of the region.



DP Worlds PT Terminal Petikemas Surabaya (TPS) is located on the northern shore of eastern Java along the edge of Madura Strait. TPS is the gateway to Eastern Indonesia delivering world class efficiencies, customer service and operational standards.



Trade between Dubai and Indonesia in the first quarter of 2017 totalled Dh1.45 billion ($394.7 million).



DP World Group chairman and CEO Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, said: This partnership highlights Indonesias efforts to accelerate development of its ports and trade infrastructure, something we can help with given our global experience of advising governments on connecting with international markets.



In growing our global portfolio of 78 terminals in 40 countries we have become a knowledge exporter with insights on how to link countries with the goods they need, he said.



Our existing operations at PT Terminal Petikemas Surabaya (TPS) give us an added advantage of understanding local and regional markets and we look forward to working with the Indonesian port authorities on developing international and domestic trade, he added.  TradeArabia News Service
Etihad Etisalat (Mobily), a leading telecom services operator in Saudi Arabia, has started data transfer operations on the submarine cable AAE-1 (Asia, Africa and Europe), the longest submarine cable in the world.



This will support the kingdoms capabilities in transferring high capacities internationally, and to be an international link point for data transfer between Europe and the Far-East, said a statement from the company.



Mobilys success in launching the service on the continental submarine cable project is considered another quantum leap towards success achieved by the company for the kingdom.



It will enhance the optimisation of telecommunication network infrastructure in the kingdom by increasing internet capacities and expand information change and communication traffic between countries which will directly result in increasing internet speeds for users.



Also it will meet the increasing demand of various telecom services and data for Mobily customers in particular and neighbouring countries in general, and that is in line with KSA Vision 2030.



The cable extends over 25,000 km and links the Far-East countries from Hong Kong through East Asian strategic countries such as; Malaysia and Thailand, and connecting them with India and Pakistan via the Arabic Gulf States (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, and Oman) then to African Countries (Djibouti and Egypt) reaching Europe (Greece, Italy, and France) with the lowest possible delay and the high transfer capacity of more than 40 Terabits per second.



This will greatly contribute to the growth of business volume in the countries in which it is going.



It is worth mentioning that 80 per cent to 90 per cent of communication traffic and data transformation between countries is directly made through the vital and strategic cables.



The manufacturing of this new continental submarine cable (Asia, Africa, Europe-1) received the latest chemical and mechanical layers that designed specifically to play a role in protecting it from the dangers of cuttings which submarine cables exposed to from external forces during its long entity in the oceans and seas floor that affect negatively on the communication traffic and data transfer, it stated.  TradeArabia News Service
Bahrain is looking to strengthen its ties with the Republic of Korea, especially in the tourism field, with the recent visit of the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Bahrain.



A meeting was held and was attended by the chief executive officer of the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA), Shaikh Khalid bin Humood Al Khalifa, and Koo Hyun-M, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Bahrain, along with other officials.



During the meeting, HE Shaikh Khalid welcomed the Korean Ambassador and discussed means to further reinforce bilateral relations; creating strong ties between both countries.



HE Shaikh Khalid also stressed on the important role played by the Republic of Korea on the global trade scene.



The Korean Ambassador expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome and affirmed his commitment to enhance relations between both countries in the tourism field and further explore other bilateral initiatives. - TradeArabia News Service


An Omar Air flight bound for Bangalore experienced a technical glitch on takeoff and returned safely to its home base, Muscat.



Flight WY 283, operated by a Boeing 737  800, took off from Muscat at 10.25 hrs local time with 154 passengers, three infants and six crew members on board. All passengers onboard disembarked smoothly and were accomodated on an alternate flight with the same flight number that took off at 15.00 hrs local time from Muscat.



"Oman Airs over-riding priority is to safeguard the well-being of all its customers and staff, and the airline is proud of its unblemished safety record. Oman Air provides extensive training for its crew on how to effectively manage problems when they arise, and ensure passenger safety. It also works closely with all the airport authorities throughout its network. This incident illustrates the effectiveness of that training and co-operation," the airline said in a statement.



Oman Air thanked the staff at the Muscat International Airport, Royal Oman Police, Oman Airport Management Company and the Public Authority for Civil Aviation for their cooperation and assistance. - TradeArabia News Service


Sterling Trading Tech (STT) announced its professional trading platforms are now available from Interactive Brokers Group (IB), one of the largest global broker-dealers. Under terms of the agreement, individual traders can now use the STT suite of trading platforms to trade with an IB account. We are thrilled to start this new relationship with Interactive Brokers. As an industry leader, STT has stayed on the forefront of the ever-changing global market environment by understanding the complex needs of our customers. Our relationship with Interactive Brokers opens up exciting possibilities for active traders on a global scale by giving them the opportunity to use our professional trading platforms, states Jim Nevotti, President of STT. STTs premier trading platforms; Sterling TraderO Pro, Sterling TraderO Elite and Sterling VolTrader will be available on IB. Sterling TraderO Pro is used by over 5,000 professional traders worldwide to trade equities, options, and futures. Sterling TraderO Elite is used by buy-side firms and hedge funds that need superior trading technology and sophisticated order management. Sterling VolTrader (formerly CBOEs Livevol X platform) is one of the most advanced option analysis platform available with portfolio analysis, sophisticated volatility modeling tools, and complex option order entry. Interactive Brokers provides direct market access to over 120 market destinations and associated clearing and custodial services. The firm is well known for its low commissions and financing rates and for not selling or trading against its customers orders.
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By PTI: Karachi, Jul 16 (PTI) Residents of Pakistans port city Karachi have been left puzzled after a report said today that up to 80 per cent of the water supplied to them was unfit for human consumption due to bacterial and faecal contamination.

According to the report by Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR), more than 80 per cent of water samples collected from surface and groundwater sources in 14 districts of Sindh province, including Karachi, were not fit for human consumption.

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The bad news for the estimated 20 million residents of the provincial capital was that 107 samples out of the 118 collected in Karachi were found unsafe for human consumption after laboratory analysis.

These samples had bacterial contamination with 40 per cent having faecal contamination, the report said.

Situated on the Arabian Sea, Karachi is the most populous city in Pakistan. The city is among Pakistans top industrial and financial centres, but is also known for its high rates of violent crime.

The PCRWR has submitted the report to the judicial commission constituted by the Supreme Court a few months ago to investigate authorities failure to provide clean drinking water, and the poor sanitation in Sindh.

The water samples were collected from Karachi, Hyderabad, and several other districts of the province.

Shocked over the findings of the report, Justice Muhammad Iqbal Kalhoro, who heads the commission, asked the authorities to provide what corrective measures they had taken to ensure clean drinking water was supplied to the people.

The authorities informed the commission that the water being supplied to the residents was being chlorinated. PTI CORR ABH ABH

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The Siddaramaiah-led Congress government has also transferred four other senior IPS officers along with Roopa.

By Rohini Swamy: Karnataka's Deputy Inspector of General (Prisons) D Roopa, whose report alleging bribes made to top officials for preferential treatment to AIADMK (Amma) chief VK Sasikala in a Bengaluru jail triggered a huge controversy, has been transferred.

A government notification issued today says the 2000-batch Indian Police Service officer is "transferred with immediate effect and posted until further orders" as Inspector General of Police and Commissioner for Traffic and Road Safety.

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The Siddaramaiah-led Congress government has also transferred four other senior IPS officers along with Roopa.

Later on in the day, Parapanna Agrahara Central Prison Jail superintendent Krishna Kumar was also transferred by the government. R. Anitha was named as the replacement.

CM SIDDARAMAIAH DOWNPLAYS ISSUE

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has downplayed D Roopa's transfer. The CM had earlier said that action can be taken against the woman officer for violating service rules by going to the media.

Roopa had denied leaking her report to the media and blamed his senior DGP (Prisons) Sathyanarayana Rao for it.

ROOPA EXPOSED SASIKALA'S VVIP TREATMENT IN JAIL

Last week, Roopa had submitted a report to DGP (Prisons) Sathyanarayana Rao alleging that there were "talks" that Rs 2 crore exchanging hands to give "preferential treatment" including an exclusive kitchen and other perks to Sasikala. Roopa's report had alleged that the bribe was paid to Rao, who rubbished the charge while the state government on July 13 ordered a high-level probe into the allegations.

In her four-page report after visiting the central prison on July 10, Roopa had said a special kitchen was functioning in the jail here for Sasikala, a convict in a corruption case, in violation of the rules.

Sasikala has been lodged at the Parappana Agrahara central jail in Bengaluru since her conviction in February in a disproportionate assets case along with her two relatives, VN Sudhakaran and Elavarasi, all serving a four-year jail term.

Taking "serious cognisance" of the allegations of irregularities in the central prison, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah ordered the probe and warned of "strict action" based on the inquiry report, if anyone was found involved in wrong-doing.

"It is absolutely against the rulebook," Siddaramaiah said, expressing open displeasure over the public comments made by Roopa on her report, which has also brought her superior and other prison officials under a cloud of bribery allegations.

Roopa was asked to give a reply to the notice served on her, while a probe was ordered into the charges made by her against DGP (Prisons) Sathyanarayana Rao and others.

ALSO READ

Meet the firebrand top cop who exposed Sasikala's VVIP treatment in Bengaluru jail

Cop vs cop in Karnataka over special treatment to Sasikala in Bengaluru jail

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Sasikala paid Rs 2 crore bribe to Bengaluru jail officials for exclusive kitchen, other favours: Prison report

ALSO WATCH: DIG D Roopa, who exposed VVIP perks to Sasikala in Bengaluru jail, transferred

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An experiential action in the context of the resorts participation in TCF, FUTOURIS Project on Crete



(TRAVPR.COM) GREECE - July 17th, 2017 - On Wednesday July 12th, a dual action on the Cretan Vineyard was held in Creta Maris Beach Resort, in the context of its participation in TUI Care Foundation, FUTOURIS Project: Crete, First steps towards a sustainable food destination 2017-2019. The resorts guests were introduced to the Creta Maris Vineyard, performed all the necessary seasonal works and then learned about the special characteristics of the Cretan wines during the Wine Tasting event that was held later.

The action began at the resorts vineyard, where the guests were informed about the proper care of the vineyard that is cultivated on the basis of the requirements of EU Regulation 834/07 (on organic farming) and includes 13 indigenous varieties. During this action, the guests were informed about the art of cultivation through the personal experiences and memories of a hotel staff member.

Lately, the guests had the chance to participate in a wine tasting of the indigenous varieties of the island that are maintained by producers participating in the Futouris Project. During the wine tasting, the Creta Maris staff created a friendly atmosphere, and the participants had the chance to discover the secrets of the production of the Cretan Wine and to smell its fragrances and feel its multifaceted taste.

The aim of this double action was to introduce one of the most ancient Cretan rural work to the guests, while also to inform them about the initiatives of developing sustainable nutrition structures in Crete.

The participation of the guests was noteworthy, giving them a valuable experience of the Cretan lifestyle, culture and traditions.

About Creta Maris Beach Resort:

Creta Maris Beach Resort belongs to Metaxas Group of Companies and has been operating since 1975. It has a capacity of 680 rooms, suites and bungalows, 6 restaurants, 7 bars, 7 swimming pools, gym, Hammam spa, Asterias Childrens Club, and a great space for outdoor and indoor activities.

About Futouris:

The German non-profit organization FUTOURIS e.V. supports the implementation of sustainable development projects in destinations of interest to its members. FUTOURIS e.V. members include some of the most well-known travel agencies and tour operators. TUI Austria co-funds the Project, which is further supported by the wider TUI tourism agency. The project development started in January 2016 and will be completed in December 2017.

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Citadines Bayfront Nha Trang marks the entry of Ascotts fastest growing brand and the only international-class serviced residence in the city



SINGAPORE - July 17th, 2017 - Singapore, 17 July 2017  CapitaLands wholly owned serviced residence business unit, The Ascott Limited (Ascott), has opened its first Citadines Aparthotel in Vietnam and expanded its footprint to a key tourism hub, Nha Trang. Citadines Bayfront Nha Trang is the first international-class serviced residence in the coastal city. It offers business and leisure travellers a prime location with easy access to the Van Phong Economic Zone and local attractions, coupled with a picturesque view of the ocean and a pristine beach steps from the property.

Ms Lew Yen Ping, Ascotts Country General Manager for Vietnam, said: Vietnam is Ascotts largest market in Southeast Asia with close to 5,000 units in 23 properties. Citadines Aparthotel is our fastest growing brand globally that has won numerous accolades internationally. Our first Citadines Aparthotel in Vietnam will cater to the increasing number of independent travellers looking for the flexibility to customise their experience by choosing the services they require. There is strong potential for Citadines in Nha Trang, a vibrant city where tourism is a key economic driver. Citadines will enable us to reach another segment of customers in Vietnam, where we have built a strong presence over the last 20 years with our established Somerset brand that appeals to guests travelling with children.

Ms Lew added: Vietnam is a key growth market for Ascott and we are on track to achieve our target of 7,000 units by 2020. Demand for serviced residences remains strong as more multinational companies set up offices in the country with increasing foreign direct investment and visitors. Ascott is the largest international serviced residence owner-operator in Vietnam, and of our 23 properties, 13 are slated to open over the next four years. Somerset West Point Hanoi will soon start operations and Citadines Blue Cove Danang, our biggest property globally with 550 units, is slated to open this year.

Citadines Bayfront Nha Trang is located in the bustling Tran Phu Street where tourists will be spoilt for choice with the wide array of quaint shops, local eateries and nightlife activities. Guests who love the tranquility of nature may take a day trip out to bask on the pristine beach along Nha Trang Bay, soak in mineral springs at Thap Ba or visit the historical Po Nagar Cham Towers and Nha Trang National Oceanographic Museum. The serviced residence is a 40-minute drive from Cam Ranh International Airport, and about a 50-minute drive from the Van Phong Economic Zone, key industrial parks and sea ports.

Guests can enjoy convenience as Citadines Bayfront Nha Trang is part of a development that also comprises a podium with three storeys of retail and dining outlets. The serviced residence has 310 units of contemporary studios and one-bedroom apartments that offer expansive sea view. Its spacious apartments come with a well-equipped kitchenette as well as separate living and dining areas. For business executives, Citadines Bayfront Nha Trang offers a ballroom, business centre, and meeting rooms. The property has recreational facilities such as swimming pools, gymnasium, residents lounge, childrens playroom, yoga room as well as an all-day dining restaurant.

Ascott continues to see significant opportunities to expand in Vietnam. The country attracted US$19 billion in foreign direct investment in the first half of 2017, up 55% against the same period last year[1]. More than 10 million international visitors arrived in Vietnam in 2016, a 26% increase from 2015, and the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism projected 20 million visitors by 2020.[2]

Besides Citadines Bayfront Nha Trang, Ascott currently operates nine other properties in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Hai Phong. It will open 13 properties with more than 3,000 units in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong, Danang as well as Halong City between this year and 2021.

To mark the opening of Citadines Bayfront Nha Trang, guests can enjoy special promotional rates from VND 1,560,000++ per night from now till 20 December 2017. Attractive rates are also available for month-long stays.

[1] Vietnams FDI attraction soars in 1H 2017, (Xinhuanet), 27 June 2017 [2] Vietnam remains key focus for hotel investor and operators, (Hotel News Resource), 6 July 2017

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Director General of Police (DGP) of Jammu and Kashmir SP Vaid tweeted, "In a chance encounter 3 terrorists killed near Anantnag by joint team of security forces. Their identities are being ascertained. Well done!"

By Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu: Two Lashkar-e-Taiba were killed in a brief encounter with security forces in South Kashmir's Anantnag today.

The slain militants are believed to behind the killing of Achabal SHO Farooq Ahmed Dar.

The encounter began in Anantnag's Bulbul area of Naugam, after an Army vehicle came under fire from terrorist at 09:20 pm.

Director General of Police (DGP) of Jammu and Kashmir SP Vaid congratulated the forces tweeting, "In a chance encounter 3 terrorists killed near Anantnag by joint team of security forces. Their identities are being ascertained. Well done!"

In a chance encounter 3 terrorists killed near Anantnag by joint team of security forces. Their identities are being ascertained. Well done! Shesh Paul Vaid (@spvaid) 17 July 2017

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As per initial reports the slain militants have been identified as: Mudassir Hajam, Showkat Lohar and Jibran.

The three militants were killed in ambush laid by 19RR in watergam area Brakpora in Anantnag and firing is still on.

Slain Lashkar militant Showkat Lohar. Slain Lashkar militant Showkat Lohar.

While Jibran is a Pakistan national, the other two are local militants. Showkat Lohar belongs to Arwani village in Bijbehara and Mudasir Ah Hazam is from Danwatpura in Kokernag.

Both the local militants were part of Bashir Lashker group who was killed earlier this month and were wanted in the killing of police officials in Achabal.

Slain Lashkar militant Mudassir Hajam.

15 terrorist had laid ambush on police vehicle in which six cops including the SHO Farooq Ahmed Dar was martyred.

On July 10, seven people, including six women and one man, died and several more were injured after terrorists struck a bus carrying Amarnath Yatra pilgrims in near Khanabal Chowk in south Kashmir's Anantnag.

Also read:

7 Amarnath pilgrims dead, several injured in terror attack in Anantnag

Army deploys 5,000 additional troops to protect Amarnath Yatra

Kashmir: Terrorists likely to target Amarnath Yatra, say intel reports

--- ENDS ---
Ahmedabad, July 17

The Gujarat High Court today dismissed Essar Steels plea against the RBI directive to the banks to start insolvency proceedings against it, refusing to grant any relief to the steel major.

A Bench of Justice SG Shah pronounced its verdict on the Essar Steel plea and refusing to accede to it, said its petition stands disposed of. The steel company's debt has increased to over Rs 42,000 crore.

Essar Steel had moved the high court challenging the RBI's June 13 circular asking the banks to initiate action against the company and eleven other accounts (companies) with over Rs 5,000 crore of outstanding loans each under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC).

Essar's contention was that this directive was improper in its case, as the company was in an advanced stage of loan restructuring.

The company had argued that 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 RBI had last month identified 12 accounts (companies) for insolvency proceedings with each of them having over Rs 5,000 crore of outstanding loans, accounting for 25% of total NPAs of banks.

Essar Steel's counsel Thakore had argued the SBI and other lender under the Joint Lenders may not have decided to approach the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) for insolvency proceedings had the RBI not issued such a circular.

He had said the company was challenging RBI's directive, not SBI's decision, as the state bank was mandated by the central bank to file a case with NCLT against the firm by issuing that circular.

RBI counsel Darius Khambata argued that the steel conglomerate has suppressed facts and misled the court in order to get a favourable decision.

RBI counsel argued that though Essar Steel at one point "even agreed to go to NCLT," the company did not mention it in the petition, as had it been mentioned, the case would have been disposed of immediately.

"The company was aware of the SBI's action. They were also aware that lenders will file for insolvency proceedings ... You cannot play games with the court. This court is being misled," he had said during the arguments.

The apex bank had told the court that Essar Steel was not singled out as all big defaulters -- having over Rs 5,000 crore of outstanding loans -- are being taken through the same route with an aim to resolve the bad loan problem plaguing the Indian banking system.

The counsel for the RBI, also told the court that the non-performing assets (NPA) of the company rose from Rs 31,671 crore till March 31 2016 to Rs 32,864 crore till March 31, 2017 this year.

He also contended that Essar Steel was still very far from completing the restructuring.  PTI

Debt rises to over Rs 42,000 crore

Essar Steel had moved the HC challenging the RBI's circular asking the banks to initiate action against the company and eleven other accounts (companies) with over Rs 5,000 crore of outstanding loans each under the IBC

The NPAs of the company rose from Rs 31,671 crore till March 31, 2016 to Rs 32,864 crore till March 31, 2017 this year

The companys debt has increased to over Rs 42,000 crore

The company had argued that 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

.
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 17

The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) president, Manjit Singh (GK) has sought certificate from the Central and the Delhi governments allowing exemption from paying the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on all purchases made for langar and other items for gurdwaras.

In a letter written to the Union Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley, and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the DSGMC president said the GST council has already provided 83 tax exemptions, in which the DSGMC claimed some clause for their tax exemptions.

We are ready to purchase the goods from any government and semi-government agency, including Nafed, Kendriya Bhandar, Super Bazar, Amul, Mother Dairy, DMS, Verka and Vita, assured Manjit Singh, requesting the government to provide the GST exemption certificate to the DSGMC.

Talking to mediapersons Manjit said the DSGMC is also taking part in helping the people at the time of natural calamities, disasters, accidents, mishaps and national damages in different parts of the country and also in Nepal. The DSGMC also provides daily langar to all persons who are peacefully protesting at Jantar Mantar.

The DSGMC also provided food, tea and other free services to the people in Delhi-NCR during demonetisation when they were standing in the queues at banks for exchanging and depositing their currency, Singh said.

He said the government was providing subsidy to the people who are going for Haj pilgrimage, Ajmer urs, Amarnath Yatra and also for the Kanwad camps. But the DSGMC is only demanding exemption from the GST.
The Commissioner for Entrance Examinations (CEE) Kerala will release the third allotment results at cee-kerala.org

By India Today Web Desk: The Commissioner for Entrance Examinations (CEE) Kerala will release the third allotment list for Kerala Engineering Agriculture Medical Entrance Examination (KEAM) 2017 on July 20.

Once the list be released, all the candidates can check the same at cee-kerala.org

Meanwhile, the online option confirmation will continue till July 19 till 3 pm.

Here's what the official notice read:

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'During this phase, allotment will be done to MBBS, BDS, Ayurveda, Agriculture, Forestry, Veterinary and Fisheries courses in addition to Engineering, Architecture and Pharmacy courses.'

'The candidates who have an allotment in Engineering/Architecture/Pharmacy courses shall have to take a printout of their allotment memo and remit the fee/ balance fee payable to the Commissioner for Entrance Examinations in one of the designated branches of the State Bank of India (SBI) or by way of Online Payment and should join the allotted course/college before 5 pm on 25.07.2017. The list of designated branches of SBI is available on the website.'

How to check the KEAM 2017 Third allotment list:

Go to the official website

Click on the relevant link

Enter all the required details in prescribed format

Click to submit

Allotment results will be displayed

Download and take print put of the same for future reference

Further, this will be the last allotment for admission to private self financing engineering/ architecture colleges and all self financing pharmacy colleges.

About KEAM:

KEAM is a state level entrance examination for the admission to various colleges and institutions located in Kerala state for UG programmes.The exam was held across the 14 district centers in Kerala, Mumbai, New Delhi and Dubai.

Read: Kerala NEET rank list 2017: Released at cee-kerala.org and cee.kerala.gov.in

For more updates, follow India Today Education or you can write to us at education.intoday@gmail.com

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Mr Modi's condemnation of cow-inspired mob violence is significant for its timing and purpose. He went beyond a customary briefing on the eve of a Parliament session to make a spirited speech, parts of which were tweeted for wider notice. The issue he addressed  cow vigilantism  was on the Opposition agenda. Apart from voicing a strong disapproval of activities of gau rakshaks he talked of corruption. The Opposition also plans to raise the issue of CBI raids on the Lalu Prasad family. The PMs immediate goal therefore appears to be to have a trouble-free monsoon session rather than address the Opposition concerns and reassure the nation on growing communal violence.

Nobody would believe that fringe elements involved in lynching incidents happening in BJP-run states cannot be reined in. It was Mr Modis talk of pink revolution in the 2014 poll campaign that had started cow politics. Now even though the movement for cow protection has grown into a cottage industry of extortions, it is still not difficult to stop it. The crucial question is: does the BJP dispensation want it to end? The leadership may be weighing electoral benefits of polarisation against the economic cost to two powerful sections of the vote bank  Dalits and farmers. The PM has treated it as a law and order issue and passed the responsibility of curbing cow vigilantism on to states. He needs to send a stern message to the BJP chief ministers, who are rather engaged in a competitive show of love for the cow, giving a long rope to criminals masquerading as gau rakshaks.

The mayhem perpetrated in the name of the cow has its consequences. The Supreme Court has stayed the Central rules to regulate cow trade. Sections of the middle class are offended. Civil society protests like the Not-In-My-Name drive have got wider support with international media adversely commenting on the emerging situation. This may have clearly moved Mr Modi to do some damage control (Desh ki chhavi par bhi iska asar pad raha hai). Indias emerging image as a less tolerant, illiberal society may be unacceptable to globalising Indians, here and abroad. A backlash may necessitate a rethink of the BJP strategy.
Gurugram, July 17

In a major seizure, the Mewat police seized around 180 cow skins from the house of an alleged cow smuggler in the Ferozepur Jhirka area.

On a tip-off, the Chandarka police raided a house in Ghatwasan village, believed to be a hideout of Dinu, the alleged cow smuggler. The police managed to recover over 180 cow skins. The occupants of the house managed to flee.

Dinu is a notorious cow slaughterer and smuggler of cowhide. He has numerous cases of cow slaughter registered against him in the Punhana area. This is believed to be his biggest smuggling consignment. We will nab him soon, said Kishen Singh, incharge, Chandarka police station.

Meanwhile, residents of Ghatwasan accused the police of framing Dinu for vested interest. They claimed that Dinu had got skins of animals through bidding of animal waste by local civic agencies.  TNS
Pradeep Sharma

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 17

Even as 90 legislators, including Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, cast their votes for the presidential elections in Haryana today amid tight security, the opposition Congress cried foul over the assistant returning officers (ARO) appointment and the authorities refusal to let AICC observer enter the Vidhan Sabha complex.

The authorities had made elaborate security arrangements apparently against the backdrop of last years pen controversy during the Rajya Sabha poll with only legislators allowed to enter the Old Committee Room in the Assembly which was designated a polling station in Haryana.

Special pens weresupplied by the EC forthe lawmakers to casttheir votes on ballot papers in Haryana.

The voting began at 10 am and Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and his Cabinet colleagues, former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader Kiran Choudhry were among the early voters.

Talking to mediapersons, Khattar asserted that NDA presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind would be elected to the office of President of India.

The Chief Minister said appropriate arrangements for the election had been made as per the guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India.

About the possibility of cross-voting, he said he did not think that there would be any cross-voting in Haryana. The MLAs supporting the NDA have voted for Kovind, he claimed.

Meanwhile, Karan Dalal, Congress MLA and election agent for Opposition candidate Meira Kumar, in a communication to the Election Commission (EC) observer, alleged violation of rules and regulations in the appointment of ARO Pankaj Aggarwal, an IAS officer.  Haryana Assembly Secretary RK Nandal should have been appointed ARO in accordancewith the EC directions, Dalal contended.

Earlier, tempers ran high with the security staff stopping AICC observer Charan Das Mahant and Haryana Congress chief AshokTanwar from entering the Vidhan Sabha complex. Later, Tanwar and Kiran Choudhry shot off aletter to the EC, alleging high-handedness by the BJP government.

In the 90-member Haryana Assembly, the ruling BJP enjoys a majority with 47 MLAs and the support of five Independents while the main Opposition INLD has 19 members. The BSP and the SAD have one MLA each while the Congress has 17 MLAs.

Among the Lok Sabha MPs from Haryana, the BJP has seven, the INLD two and the Congress one.

In the Rajya Sabha, the BJP has one of the five members from the state. Media baron Subhash Chandra, an Independent member, was elected to the Upper House last year with the saffron partys support.

The Congress has two Rajya Sabha membersfrom Haryana while the INLD has one.
Tribune News Service

Shimla, July 17

The Cabinet today gave nod for setting up of a full-fledged State Human Rights Commission, work of which was being looked after by the Himachal Pradesh Lokayukta till now and paved way for creation of about 2,500 posts in the Health and Animal Husbandry departments.

The Cabinet at its meeting chaired by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh here today, gave nod for setting up of a full-fledged State Human Rights Commission, having a Chairman and a Member. The Cabinet also gave approval for 29 posts of various categories in the State Human Rights Commission. The Supreme Court had directed all the state governments to set up human rights commission.

The Cabinet gave nod for filing of 2,000 vacant posts of para-medical staff in the Health and Family Welfare Department on contract and decided to hire additional jalrakshaks and for every functional irrigation and drinking water scheme. Approval was given for filling of 450 posts of pharmacists and assistants in the Animal Husbandry Department.

The Cabinet gave nod for filling of posts of environment science lecturer in government degree colleges where there are more than 1,000 students or more from academic session 2018-19. It was decided to create awareness among the students for preservation of environment. It also decided to start education as a new subject at under graduation level in 13 government degree colleges.

The Cabinet decided to implement the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) for procurement of apple on the analogy of previous years with a view to provide remunerative price to the fruit growers. The procurement price has fixed at Rs. 6.75 per kg instead of last year rate of Rs. 6.50.

The Cabinet gave nod to fill 17 vacant posts of Assistant Professor in Shimla and Tanda Medical College. Nod was given for opening of some primary schools, all over the state. Decision was taken to establish Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology at Balla Kharot (Parour) in district Kangra under PPP mode under self financing mode and with no liability on the government.
Dipender Manta

Tribune News Service

Mandi, July 17

Struggling to cope up with infighting within the Congress, it is expected that Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh will instil unity among party workers during his three-day Mandi tour starting from July 18.

During the tour, he will inaugurate and lay the foundation stones of various schemes in Sundernagar, Nachan, Sadar, Drang and Jogindernagar. He will address public rallies at different constituencies. After Kangra, Mandi plays a significant role with total 10 seats.

However, party workers are divided in the district. One group owes allegiance to Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, second to Health Minister Kaul Singh Thakur, while the third faction is staunch supporter of Rural Development Minister Anil Sharma.

Political relationship between the Health Minister and the CM remained a bit sour in the past because Kaul Singh was considered the arch rival of Virbhadra for CMs post. However, this time Kaul Singh is singing paeans of the CM saying he will win for the seventh time. To get political mileage from the CMs tour, Kaul Singh has decided to organise a massive rally at Padhar, where Virbhadra will address a public rally.
New Delhi, July 16

The over 160-year-old Dalhousie hill station in Himachal Pradesh may have been named after the famous Governor-General of India, but strangely Lord Dalhousie himself never visited the idyllic town, claims a new book.

The illustrated volume, authored by a retired civil servant, was released recently.

Dalhousie was established by the British as a sanitarium and a convalescent depot for the troops returning from wars. Established in 1854, the town situated on the five hills was named after the then Governor-General of India, Lord Dalhousie. Unlike other tourist destinations like Shimla, Mussoorie and Dehradun, Dalhousie is much more quaint and still retains its charm, says Kiran Chadha, the author, whose paternal family  the Plahas  were one of the first settlers in Dalhousie.

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Born in 1950 in Ambala, she grew up in Dalhousie and says she trawled through Raj-era cantonment and municipal records for a year while researching for the book  Dalhousie... Through My Eyes, which was released last week. Born in Scotland in 1812, James Broun-Ramsay, later the first Marquess of Dalhousie, became the Governor-General at the age of 36, the youngest to helm the position. After the end of his tenure in 1856, he returned to his homeland and died there in 1860. Chadha says the reason he never visited the hill town could have been that it was for convalescing British troops and had come up just two years before the end of his tenure (1848-1856).

When asked about Chadhas claim, noted historian Irfan Habib said, It is possible. He was the Governor-General and the Government House was in Calcutta, so distance could have been another factor. Historian Romila Thapar said, One can ascertain only if there are historical documents to corroborate it.

Incidentally, in October 2004, the then Earl of Dalhousie had sent a letter from Brechin Castle (in Scotland) to the Citizens of Dalhousie on the sesquicentennial of the hill town.

Chadha, who studied at the 116-year-old Sacred Heart Convent, said the area we know as Dalhousie today was earlier a territory of the Raja of Chamba. The large stretch of five hills was acquired by the Court of Directors of the East India Company from the Raja and in return Rs 2,000 was lessened from the taxes the princely state was paying to the British, she said.  PTI
Amit Khajuria & RK Kichloo

Tribune News Service

Jammu/Banihal, July 16

At least 16 Amarnath pilgrims were killed and 29 injured when a bus rolled down a gorge at Nachlana in Banihal area of Ramban district this afternoon. The ill-fated State Road Transport Corporation bus (JK02Y-0594) was part of a 143-vehicle convoy that left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu.

The bus was carrying 46 pilgrims. Ten pilgrims died on the spot and six succumbed to their injuries while being taken to the Sub-District Hospital, Banihal. Eighteen of the seriously injured were airlifted to Government Medical College (GMC), Jammu, while 11 were admitted to Shri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital and Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences in Kashmir. Two pilgrims, who jumped out, escaped unhurt, said SD Jamwal, IGP, Jammu. One of the tyres burst. The driver lost control and the bus fell into a gorge, he added.

#WATCH: Rescue operation by Army underway as bus carrying Amarnath Yatra pilgrims fell off road on Jammu-Srinagar highway in Ramban, 11 dead pic.twitter.com/f1anBmdtdd  ANI (@ANI_news) July 16, 2017

Governor NN Vohra reached Banihal to supervise rescue operations. Accompanied by police chief SP Vaid, he visited the injured at the Banihal hospital.

Lending a helping hand, Rashtriya Rifles and CRPF personnel shifted the injured to the Banihal hospital. They were later joined by the local police. The deceased have been indentified as Shesh Pal, Dheeraj Kumar and Ravinder Singh from Ghaziabad, Ranjeet Kumar, Chanpati Devi, and Rekha Devi, Vijay Chaurasia and Ranjit Kumar from Bihar, Danish Kumar, Gauri Shankar and Hari Om Sharma from Rajasthan, Ganesh Dass and Vijay Dhar from Assam, Chetan Misra from Haryana and Vipul Joshi from MP.

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With the Jammu-Srinagar highway blocked at Seri, Marog, Panthial and Khooni Nullah owing to landslides caused by heavy rain, the convoy was earlier stranded on the highway for hours.

Mehbooba Mufti, CM, has expressed sympathies with the families of the deceased.

The PM has announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for those seriously injured.

The Jammu and Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation has ordered a probe.
Samaan Lateef

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, July 17

The elected J&K legislators, barring one, today voted through a secret ballot to elect the new President of India.

As the process to elect the countrys 14th President started at 10 am, Congress legislator GN Saroori was first to vote while Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti was the last. Mehbooba arrived in Kashmir in the afternoon after meeting Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday. Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was the third legislator to vote at 10:20 am, officials said. The five-year term of the incumbent President, Pranab Mukherjee, will expire on July 24.

The voting continued for the whole day inside the Legislative Assembly complex where authorities had made foolproof arrangements.

However, Independent legislator Engineer Rashid abstained from voting, saying Mukherjee betrayed him for not granting clemency to 2001 Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.

I abstained from voting because Pranab Mukherjee didnt keep his promise of not hanging Afzal Guru, Rashid told The Tribune.

Legislative Assembly Secretary MR Singh, who was the Assistant Returning Officer, made several attempts to persuade him to vote but he refused to turn up for voting.

Rashid had submitted a memorandum to Mukherjee in 2012, seeking clemency for Guru. The 43-year-old Guru was hanged and buried in Tihar Jail in New Delhi on February 9, in a secret operation named Operation Three Star, after spending over a decade there. Mukherjee didnt keep his word and betrayed us, Rashid said.

The 87 legislators of the J&K Assembly are eligible to vote, with each MLA having a vote value of 72. The eight MPs of the state voted in Parliament.

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) nominee, Ram Nath Kovind, is pitted against oppositions candidate Meira Kumar. Both Kovind, a former Bihar Governor, and Meira Kumar, a former Lok Sabha Speaker, had held a series of meetings across states to garner support for their candidature. However, the electoral college for the post of President which includes MPs of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha and elected MLAs of all states is tilted towards Kovind.

Out of 87 MLAs, the PDP-BJP coalition has 56 MLAs while the National Conference has 15, Congress 12 and CPI (Marxist) 1. The remaining three Independent legislators Hakim Mohammad Yasin, Pawan Gupta and Engineer Rashid had not made their support public.
Amir Karim Tantray & Shyam Sood

Tribune News Service

Jammu/Rajouri, July 17

Pakistani troops today resorted to heavy shelling in Balakote and Mankote sectors of Poonch district and also targeted Tarkundi and Manjakote sectors in Rajouri. A soldier and a six-year-old girl were killed in Tarkundi sector.

Naik Muddasar Ahmed belonged to Duchoo village in Tral, Pulwama district, whereas the girl, Sajida Kafeel, was from Barooti Dadiana village in Rajouri district.

In Manjakote, Muhammad Sharief and his wife Shah Begum of Panjgrain village were injured in heavy shelling. Shah Begums condition was said to be critical. Defence spokesperson Lt Col Manish Mehta said the Pakistani troops opened unprovoked fire on Indian posts in Rajouri sector at 7.30 am. The Indian Army retaliated strongly and effectively. In the exchange of fire, Naik Muddasar Ahmed (37) was grievously injured when mortar shells landed on his bunker. He later succumbed to his injuries. He is survived by his wife Shaheena Muddasar and two children.

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Naik Muddasar Ahmed was a brave soldier. He loved his job to the core. The nation will remain indebted to him for his supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty, Lt Col Mehta said.

Several villages have been affected by the heavy shelling. The district administration has had to shut at least 16 schools for an indefinite period. At least 120 students trapped inside a school in Panjgrain have been evacuated.

Pakistani troops also violated the ceasefire agreement in Bhimber Gali sector of Poonch district. Rajouri DC Shahid Iqbal Choudhary held a meeting with locals at Panjgrain and briefed them on the arrangements made for setting up camps in case of evacuation, ration and medicine supplies.

Pakistani troops also resorted to unprovoked firing at three villages in Kamalkote area of Uri in Baramulla later in the day, defence sources said. One soldier was injured.

Media reports in Pakistan said four Pakistani soldiers were killed on Sunday when their jeep, hit by a shell, fell into a river.
Congress MLA Anwar Sadath and CPI-M MLA actor Mukesh were questioned by the Kerala police in the Malayalam actress abduction and assault case.

By India Today Web Desk: Over the last few months, the abduction and molestation case of a popular Malayalam actress has seen several twists and turns. It's been a week since Dileep was arrested on charges of criminal conspiracy and the actor has moved the Kerala High Court for a bail.

On Monday, the Kerala police questioned Congress MLA Anwar Sadath of Aluva and CPI-M MLA-actor Mukesh in connection with the actress assault case.

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According to reports, Anwar Sadath was asked about his connections with actor Dileep. The investigation team also asked about his meetings with Dileep, foreign trips and phone calls. Anwar told the investigation team that he did not know Pulsar Suni, the prime accused in the case.

On the other hand, actor-MLA Mukesh was questioned by the police team as Pulsar Suni was his driver for a year.

Mukesh told the investigation team that he knew Suni very well. Suni also shared a warm relationship with his family. However, Mukesh fired Suni after he had problems with his behaviour and driving. Mukesh told the investigation team that he came to know about the incident through media reports.

The case dates back to February 17 this year.

ALSO READ: Kerala actress abduction case- HC accepts Dileep's bail plea, hearing on July 20

ALSO READ: Kerala actress abduction case- Dileep's official website hacked?

ALSO READ: Kerala actress abduction- Dileep's bail rejected, actor to be in judicial custody

ALSO READ: Is Dileep in possession of the phone used to record the actress's assault?

WATCH HERE: Kerala HC accepts Dileep's bail plea

--- ENDS ---
Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 17

Indias Director-General of Military Operations (DGMO) on Monday made it clear to his Pakistani counterpart that the Indian Army was sincere in maintaining peace along the Line of Control (LoC) as long Pakistan reciprocated the same. However, the Indian Army will retaliate to any firing from across the LoC.

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The 749-km-long LoC divides the state of Jammu and Kashmir between the two countries, with Pakistan illegally occupying the western flank.

The DGMO Lt Gen AK Bhatt spoke to his Pakistani counterpart DGMO Maj Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza over the telephonic hotline. The Indian Army is sincere in its effort of maintaining peace and tranquillity along the LoC provided there was reciprocity. This piece of advice from Lt Gen Bhatt had come after he had told his counterpart that the Indian Army reserved the right to retaliate appropriately to any incident of violation of ceasefire along the LoC.

All violations of the November 2003 agreed upon ceasefire pact were initiated by the Pakistani Army and the Indian Army only responded appropriately to them, the Indian DGMO told his counterpart, Indian Army spokesperson Colonel Aman Anand said on Monday.

Apart from these, firing by Indian troops was initiated against armed intruders when attempting to infiltrate from close proximity of Pakistani Army posts.

The trend of infiltration from Pakistan along the LoC continued with active support of Pakistani Army forward posts impacting peace and tranquillity along the LoC and also the internal security situation.

This was evident from continued attempts of sniping and targeting of our troops undertaken through cross border actions duly supported by Pakistani Army troops, the Indian DGMO said.

Pakistan had requested for the DGMO-level telephonic talks. Otherwise, officialsnot necessarily the DGMOfrom both the sides speak to each other every Tuesday.

During the talks, the Pakistani DGMO raised the issues of targeting of Pakistani Army troops which resulted in the death of four Pakistani soldiers and one civilian in Athmuqam Sector of Pakistan occupied Kashmir opposite Indian Keren sector in Kupwara district of J&K.
Satya Prakash

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 17

The Supreme Court (SC) today referred to a larger bench a petition challenging Article 35A of the Constitution that provides special rights and privileges to permanent residents of Jammu and Kashmir and debars rest of Indians from acquiring immovable property, obtaining state government jobs and settling in the state.

A bench of Chief Justice of India JS Khehar and Justice DY Chandrachud Venugopal sent it to a three-judge bench after Attorney General KK Venugopal said it was a very sensitive matter which would require a larger debate. There were constitutional issues involved in it and it should be heard by a larger bench, he added.

Interestingly, the Centre has shied away from filing its response to spell out its stand on the issue. The Attorney General told the bench that the government didnt want to file its affidavit in response to the petition.

The bench  which gave liberty to parties to file additional documents  tagged it with another petition on the special status given to Jammu and Kashmir under the Indian Constitution and posted it for hearing after six weeks.

Delhi-based NGO We the citizens has challenged the constitutional validity of Article 35A on the ground that the President could not have amended the Constitution by an order in 1954 and it was to be a temporary provision.

The petitioner accused the Jammu and Kashmir government of discriminating against non- permanent residents as they were debarred from buying properties, getting government employment and voting in state elections.

But the state government has filed an affidavit defending Article 35A terming it a permanent feature of the Indian Constitution. The 1954 Presidenial Order granting special rights to permanent residents of the state had been recognised, accepted and acted upon since its enactment, it added.

Jammu and Kashmir Advocate General Jahangir Iqbal Ganai, who was president in the top court during the hearing, said, Under Article 370)1)(d), the President has powers to apply the Indian Constitution with exemptions and modifications. As a result of this the President has added Article 35A vis-a-vis its applicability to Jammu and Kashmir.
Jasmine Singh

BOSTON-based Maninder Singh, 32, who is an ex-student of Panjab University where he did his engineering from UIET in 2006, would often ask his mother what was his dad like? Was he an introvert or an extrovert? What did he like doing in his free time? Did he like to travel?

Every day, Maninder added a new question to his list. And thats when his mother showed him the old pictures of her husband, from his visit to Europe in 1981, who was killed when Maninder was a four-year-old. Maninder was glued to these pictures, trying to imagine what his father felt at that time. What were the thoughts that crossed his dads mind while he got himself clicked?

And then I saw an advertisement, where two friends separated at the time of partition find each other after their grandchildren Googled certain things about their native house and more. That was the moment when I thought I could do the same! I could Google places where my father was photographed and then probably go and visit all those places, shares Maninder who hails from Ludhiana.

Maninder who had never imagined a life outside his maternal village (Dugri), where they moved to after his father was shot dead, after much persuasion from his brother decided to move to USA in 2007 to study telecommunications from Northeastern University. What I am today is because of my mother but all this while, I missed having not knowing my father well, I wanted to know him, you know so much like the Oscar-nominated film Lion, starring Dev Patel. Just like Dev who craves to go back to the place where he was born, and day in and out Googled about it, I started doing the same.

Maninder scanned nearly 10 of his fathers old pictures. He had an idea that they were taken in Europe but not exactly where. He searched on the Internet the statues and monuments in his fathers old pictures. It was Berlin, I found out, he was excited, yet mellow. My father had taken those pictures in Berlin, he repeats. And finally last year November, Maninder made the emotional journey to the country where his father had last been to. It was an emotional journey, I visited all the places my father had been to 35 years earlier. In fact, I wore a similar long coat and turban that my father wore while getting his photographs clicked. I stood exactly at all the locations and points where he did, his voice chokes. We can hear his silence, Land has borders but the sky belongs to all, Maninder gathers his voice, Even today, when I miss my father, I take a flight to Germany and visit those same places again, I can feel his presence. I still dont know my father was thinking at that time, what did he eat that day, where did he go next, but I feel he was happy. And I am sure, my father helped me find him, he was guiding me all through, and you bet he must have said to Him up there, look my son made it, Maninder goes silent again.

jasmine@tribunemail.com
After sparking a controversy with his nepotism debate at the IIFA Awards in New Jersey over the weekend, filmmaker Karan Johar, actors Saif Ali Khan and Varun Dhawan received flak on social media.

Karan and Saif, who were hosting the gala, revisited the issue when Kangana Ranaut branded Karan as a flagbearer of nepotism on his chat show.

When Varun joined the two actors on the stage to receive the Best Performance in a Comic Role for Dishoom, Saif joked that the actor had made it big in the industry because of his father, director David Dhawan. You are here because of your papa, Saif quipped. Varun said: And youre here because of your mummy (veteran actress Sharmila Tagore). Karan then promptly added: I am here because of my papa (late filmmaker Yash Johar). They then said in unison: Nepotism rocks.

On Twitter, a string of criticism followed, describing what the personalities said as unfunny and joking about actress Kangana Ranaut in her absence.

In February this year, Kangana had called Karan Johar intolerant towards outsiders and a flag bearer of nepotism on his popular talk show Koffee With Karan.  IANS
Beijing, July 17

Amid the continuing border stand-off with India, China has conducted a live-fire drill in Tibet.

According to a CCTV report, live-fire drills included the quick delivery of troops and different military units working together on joint attacks.

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The report did not mention when the exercise was held.

An online video showed the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers using anti-tank grenades and missiles against bunkers and howitzers for artillery coverage.

The brigade that conducted the drills was from the PLAs Tibet Military Command and is one of Chinas two plateau mountain brigades, the Global Times said.

According to the CCTV report, the brigade has long been stationed around the middle and lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo river and is responsible for frontline combat missions.

The river is located in the upper stream of the Brahmaputra, which flows through China, India and Bangladesh.

The video also shows radar units identifying enemy aircraft and soldiers using anti-aircraft artillery to annihilate targets.

The drills lasted 11 hours, Chinese news portal guancha.cn reported.

India shares a long border with Chinas Tibetan region. India and China have been locked for over a month in a border stand-off between their soldiers in a tri-junction also involving Bhutan.

Separately, Tibets mobile communication agency conducted a drill on July 10 in Lhasa, capital of Tibet, where members practiced setting up a temporary mobile network to secure communications in an emergency, the Global Times reported.  IANS
New Delhi, July 17

Voting to elect Indias 14th President ended at 5 pm on Monday in Parliament House and state assemblies across the country with close to 99 per cent voting, Returning Officer Anup Mishra said.

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The ballot boxes from the states will be brought to Delhi for counting on July 20. Results will be declared that day.

Voting was held in 32 polling stationsone in Parliament House Room No 62 and rest one each in state legislative assemblies.

Polling started at 10 am. A total of 776 MPs and 4,120 MLAs were eligible to vote. The total value of votes of the electoral college is 10,98,903.

NDAs candidate Ram Nath Kovindex Bihar governorhas an advantage over Meira Kumara former Lok Sabha Speakeras the numbers are stacked in favour of the ruling NDA.

The BJP and allies have nearly 63 per cent of the vote while the Congress-led opposition has a little over 35 per cent. Independents and other smaller parties, who have not made their choice known, have two per cent.

President Pranab Mukherjee demits office on July 25.

As lawmakers voted to elect India's next president, the ruling BJP exuded confidence that NDA nominee Ram Nath Kovind would win with a "comfortable" margin, while the opposition said its joint pick Meira Kumar was the best choice in the "clash of ideologies".

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath were among the first to cast their votes.

"Kovind ji will win (the election) with a respectable and comfortable margin," Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu told reporters ahead of the polling.

Naidu, however, refused to comment on the BJP parliamentary board's meeting to choose the ruling alliance's vice-presidential candidate. Let the presidential poll get over first, he said.

Another Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said Kovind will register a "decisive victory" and would turn out as an "honest" president, who, he said, will work hard according to the Constitution.

"It would have been better if there was consensus (among all parties over Kovind's nomination). But no issues," he said.

Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said the fight between Kovind and Kumar was "one of ideologies" and rated the latter as the best choice for the President's post.

"The President should be a person pursuing an ideology under which everybody should be equal for him. And when there is a clash of ideologies, I think our candidate (Kumar) is the best," Azad, the Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha, said.

Backing Kumar, the CPI(M) urged voters, comprising MPs and MLAs, to pick the "custodian of the Constitution" thoughtfully.

"Hope the electoral college picks the custodian of India's Constitution thoughtfully....Vote to uphold constitutional values of our republic," party general secretary Sitaram Yechury said on Twitter.

Yechury and senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge asked all MPs and MLAs exercising their franchise to vote according to their "inner conscience".

"We believe in democracy and that's why we are contesting (the poll). All the voters, including those from the BJP, should also vote as per their conscience," Kharge said.

With both Kovind and Kumar belonging to the Dalit community, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati expressed satisfaction that a Dalit leader would occupy the office of the President irrespective of who won the poll.

Mayawati also claimed it was because of her party that the NDA and the Opposition had to field candidates from the community.

"Winning or losing (a poll) is a different issue. Whoever wins, the good thing is a Scheduled Caste person will be the country's president. And I think it is a good thing for our movement, the party.

Voted in the Presidential elections 2017. pic.twitter.com/2EttGVwwhs  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 17, 2017

"And the NDA, the BJP had to field a Dalit candidate for the presidential poll because of the BSP and the other side (the Opposition) too," she told reporters outside Parliament.  Agencies
New Delhi, July 16

The labour ministry will soon come out with regulations for setting up creche at workplace to give effect to the maternity law, under which all offices with 50 or more employees are required to set up boarding facilities for small kids.

A notification on creche, which will define the location, area and other mandatory requirements, would be issued shortly, officials said.

The enabling provision under the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017 has made it mandatory from July 1 to have creche facilities at establishments having 50 or more employees.

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As of now, companies can take a leeway as we have not defined within what distance a creche should be opened by an employer. We are yet to bring that into the rules and then have to notify that in a couple of months, a senior official said.

Even though the rule has already come into effect this month, many establishments across the country, including government organisations, have not yet tendered this facility to their employees.

The amended Act states: Every establishment having 50 or more employees shall have a facility of creche within such distance as may be prescribed, either separately or along with common facilities. The labour ministry will also do advocacy in case other ministries or departments have not still provided creche, the official said.

The notification is under process as of now. For mines workers, the Centre will frame the rules. For other establishments and private companies, the state departments concerned will bring out the notification on rules, said another official in the ministry. Asked about what action could be taken if companies defy the rules, the officials said there is stringent penal provision.

The Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017 has increased the maternity leave from 12 weeks to 26 weeks with effect from April 1, 2017 for working women with less than two surviving children, as also the provision of creche facility.  PTI
Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 17

Unlike their Presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind, BJP chief Amit Shah did not surprise when he, on Monday, announced the name of senior leader and Union minister Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu as the party-led NDAs choice for the post of the Vice-President of the country.

The Vice-Presidential's election will be held on August 5.

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A stalwart from south who fits BJPs requirements for its southern outreach and the effective functioning of Rajya Sabha where the party-led NDA is in a minority, Naidus name has been doing the rounds for the post since long.

The BJPs top decision making body-the Parliamentary Board-took the call this evening at a meeting attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a day before the last date of filing the nominations for the post, that is tomorrow.

BJP Parliamentary Board unanimously chose Venkaiah Naidu as our vice-presidential candidate and all NDA allies have welcomed this decision. He has also accepted the nomination, Shah said.

Naidu will file his nomination papers tomorrow at 11am, he added.

The Prime Minister, who now also has the additional responsibility of finding a replacement for the 68-year-old Naidu in his council of minister, described the BJPs nomination as a farmer's son who will bring years of experience in public life and is admired across the political spectrum.

Read  Venkaiah Naidu: From RSS to BJPs most recognised southern face



The PM said he always admired the hard work and tenacity of Naidu, currently a minister holding the portfolios of Information and Broadcasting and Urban Development in his Cabinet.

Admired across the political spectrum and was a fitting candidate for the office of Vice-President, his Parliamentary experience would help him discharge the important role of Rajya Sabha Chairperson, the Prime Minister said in a series of tweets.

Party sources say the only dilemma before the leadership was regarding the vacancies which would now be added to the Prime Ministers council of ministers.

However, the leadership wanted to have a Vice-Presidential candidate representing one of the southern states, where it wants to strengthen its presence. After Manohar Parikkar was shifted to Goa as Chief Minister, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is currently holding the dual charge of the Defence Ministry.

Meanwhile, Naidu is pitted against Gopalkrishna Gandhi, the Opposition candidate whose name was endorsed by all 18 Opposition parties, including the JD(U).

However, senior BJP leaders claim their candidate will win with the support of 550 members of the Electoral College-in this case the members of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.

Naidu, who assisted and accompanied Kovind during his campaign in various states, has friends cutting across the party lines, they add.

The senior leader with penchant for slogans and rhyming has the blessings of the RSS, the BJPs ideological fountainhead.

Interestingly, earlier while stating that there was no chance of him contesting the Vice-Presidential election, Naidu quipped he neither wants to become the "rashtrapati" (president) nor the "uparashtrapati" (vice-president) and was happy being Usha's "pati" (spouse).

Never am I going to participate in vice-president election even if anyone compels me

Happiness for me is to meet people, be among them and serve them. I cannot stay away from people by taking up any ceremonial position, he said then.

Naidu is fitting candidate for Vice-President: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi termed M Venkaiah Naidu as a fitting candidate for the office of Vice-President.

Modi described 68-year-old Naidu as a farmer's son who "brings years of experience in public life and is admired across the political spectrum".

I know @MVenkaiahNaidu Garu for years. Have always admired his hardwork & tenacity. A fitting candidate for the office of Vice President.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 17, 2017

The PM said he has always admired the hard work and tenacity of Naidu, currently a minister in his Cabinet holding the portfolios of Information and Broadcasting and Urban Development.

"I know @MVenkaiahNaidu Garu for years. Have always admired his hardwork & tenacity. A fitting candidate for the office of Vice President," the prime minister tweeted, soon after the announcement of the decision of BJP's Parliamentary Board, the highest decision-making body of the party.

"The years of Parliamentary experience @MVenkaiahNaidu Garu has will help him discharge the important role of Rajya Sabha Chairperson," Modi added.  With agencies


By PTI: Mumbai/Lucknow, July 17 (PTI) A suspected terrorist of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), allegedly involved in an attack on a CRPF camp in Uttar Pradesh in 2008, was arrested today at the Mumbai airport shortly after he flew in from UAE, police said.

Salim Mukim Khan alias Abu Amaar alias Arif, a native of Hathgaon in Fatehpur district of Uttar Pradesh, was facing a lookout notice and was stopped at an immigration counter on the intervening night of July 16 and 17, said a police official in Mumbai on condition of anonymity.

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His interrogation and records available with the security agencies showed his alleged role in the "suicide" attack on a CRPF camp in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, on January 1, 2008, he said.

Initial inquiry by the Maharashtra ATS showed that Salim was suspected to be associated with LeT, the official said.

Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) was informed and its team reached Mumbai and arrested Salim.

Eight people, including some CRPF jawans, had been killed in the terror strike.

In Lucknow, Inspector General of UP ATS Aseem Arun said that after the arrest of ISI agent Aftab from Faizabad on May 3, 2017, the ATS had come to know that Salim Khan used to pass on directions to him and also send him money from abroad.

Arun said that two people, Kausar and Shareef, arrested in connection with the attack on CRPF camp, had told the UP police that Salim Khan had got training with them at a terror camp in Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in 2007.

While being abroad, Salim had been in contact with Aftab and gave instructions to him about terror activities and funding, the official in Mumbai said.

Aftab had been in constant touch with the Pakistan High Commission and had gathered information about several defence establishments in UP, the official said. UP ATS and Maharashtra police are interrogating Salim Khan in Mumbai, Arun added.

In Mumbai, the police said the UP ATS will seek Salims custody for questioning in the Rampur attack and alleged involvement in severeal other anti-national activities under their jurisdiction.

The Maharashtra ATS is extending all cooperation to its UP counterpart for Salims interrogation, the official added. PTI DC/SAB RSY RAX AKK

--- ENDS ---
Islamabad, July 16

Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa was analysing the evidence against Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav, sentenced to death by a military court, and would decide his appeal on merit, the Army said here today.

Jadhav, 46, filed a mercy petition before Gen Bajwa last month, according to an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement issued on June 22. The statement said the former Indian Navy officer filed the petition after a military appellate court rejected his appeal.

Pakistan Army spokesman Major Gen Asif Ghafoor said Gen Bajwa was analysing the evidence against Jadhav. The Army chief will decide Jadhavs appeal on merit.

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Jadhav is eligible to appeal for clemency to the army chief under Pakistans law, and if his plea is rejected, he can subsequently appeal to the Pakistan president for the same.

He was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court in April for his alleged involvement in espionage and terrorist activities. The International Court of Justice in The Hague in May halted his execution on Indias appeal.

Pakistan has repeatedly denied India consular access to Jadhav in violation of the Vienna Convention. It has also sat on a request for a visa to Jadhavs mother, Avantika Jadhav, so that she can travel to Pakistan and meet her son. On July 13, the foreign office said Pakistan was considering the request for visa.  PTI
Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 16

As the Opposition prepares to corner the BJP-led Union Government over a range of issues, including lynchings by gau rakshaks and maximalist position on Kashmir, PM Narendra Modi today tried to take some of the sting out with the warning of a strict action against those breaking law in the name of cow protection.

Speaking at an all-party meeting on the eve of the monsoon session, Modi said, All (state) governments should take stringent action against those violating law in the name of cow protection. He also sought cooperation of all parties in the fight against corruption.

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Those involved in corruption should not be saved, he said, adding that the image of a political leader had taken a beating because of thisan obvious reference to RJD chief Lalu Prasad who is facing fresh corruption charges and a message for those supporting him in Bihar (Congress and JD-U).

Union Minister Ananth Kumar said the government was open to discussion on all issues in the House. The Opposition, however, prepares to take the BJP on, while the saffron party is also readying its ammo, including growing incidents of minority appeasement and Hindu killings in TMC-ruled West Bengal.

The string of meetings held today included the BJP parliamentary party meeting, NDA get-togethers and Speaker Sumitra Mahajans attempts to seek cooperation from floor leaders of all political for the smooth running of the session.

Signalling Congress strong line on Kashmir, P Chidambaram tweeted: The people of the Kashmir Valley are caught between the two maximalist positions...The Central government has taken a maximalist position that has aggravated the problem. Just as the militants have taken a maximalist position that has to be rejected out of hand." The TMC and the RJD are expected to voice dissatisfaction over alleged vendetta politics and targeting of Opposition leaders through central agencies.

Panel to study cow benefits
New Delhi, July 16

The government is working on a consolidation agenda with a view to creating three-four global-sized banks and reduce the number of state-owned lenders to about 12, an official said.

The 21 public sector banks would get consolidated to 10-12 in the medium term, the official said.

As part of a three-tier structure, the official said, there would be at least three-four banks of the size of SBI, the countrys largest lender.

Some region-centric banks like Punjab and Sind Bank and Andhra Bank will continue as independent entities while some mid-size lenders would also co-exist, the official added.

Last month, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the government is actively working towards consolidation of public sector banks but declined to provide details, saying this was a price-sensitive information.

Enthused by the success of SBI merger, the finance ministry is considering clearing another such proposal by this fiscal if the bad loan situation comes under control by then. According to former RBI Governor C Rangarajan, the system will have some large banks, some small banks, some local banks and so forth. What is needed in the system is variety, Rangarajan said.

One of the possibilities is that large public sector banks (PSBs) like Punjab National Bank, Bank of Baroda, Canara Bank and Bank of India could try looking for potential candidates for acquisition, another official said, who did not wish to be identified.

Factors like regional balance, geographical reach, financial burden and smooth human resource transition have to be looked into while taking a merger decision, they said, adding a very weak bank should not be merged with a strong one as it could pull the latter down.

In the last consolidation drive, five associate banks and Bharatiya Mahila Bank (BMB) became part of SBI on April 1, 2017, catapulting the countrys largest lender to among the top 50 banks in the world.

State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur (SBBJ), State Bank of Hyderabad (SBH), State Bank of Mysore (SBM), State Bank of Patiala (SBP) and State Bank of Travancore (SBT), besides BMB, were merged with SBI.

With the merger, the total customer base of SBI reached around 37 crore with a branch network of around 24,000 and nearly 59,000 ATMs across the country.

SBI first merged State Bank of Saurashtra with itself in 2008. Two years later, State Bank of Indore was merged with it.  PTI
Shiv Kumar

Tribune News Service

Mumbai, July 17

Actor Sanjay Dutt was given an early release from jail for his good behaviour and discipline while in jail, the Maharashtra Government has told the Bombay High Court in an affidavit filed on Monday.

Dutt was sentenced to five years in jail for possession of arms, which were a part of the consignment used in the 1993 Bombay blasts.

The affidavit was filed by Maharashtras Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni in response to an order by the court which is hearing a public interest litigation petition challenging the actors early release from prison.

The state government said Dutt performed all work in accordance with prescribed standards and participated in physical training and educational programmes.



Dutt was release from jail on February 25, 2016, eight months and 16 days short of his five-year jail term.

He had been granted regular paroles from jail prior to his release.

The PIL has been filed by one Pradeep Bhalekar who claims to head an organisation called the Samajik Karyakarta Saurakhan Samiti.

The petition said Dutt was given special treatment in jail and was given regular paroles.

By the standards extended to the actor, 27,740 inmates would be eligible for an early release from prison, the petitioner said.

The affidavit filed by the state government details the procedure adopted in the case of Dutt, state government officials said.
Mumbai/Lucknow, July 17

A suspected Lashkar-e-Toiba operative, believed to be involved in the 2008 attack on a CRPF camp in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, was nabbed from Mumbai Airport as he arrived from the UAE, an official said here on Monday.

Salim Mukim Khan was detained by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) as he arrived by an international flight at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, on Monday morning.

The ATS said based on a 'Lookout Notice' issued for the accused, Khan was detained at Mumbai Airport and the Uttar Pradesh ATS was informed, which sent a team here for further investigations.

Khan, who hails from Fatehpur's Hathgaon village under Bandipur police jurisdiction of Uttar Pradesh, is being interrogated jointly by the ATS of the two states.

The Maharashtra ATS said as part of its monitoring of suspicious persons arriving from certain specific foreign destinations, they zeroed in on Salim Mohammed Khan on Monday.

Strongly suspecting his involvement in terror strikes on a paramilitary establishment in Uttar Pradesh, the Juhu Unit (Maharashtra ATS) interrogated him. After the gravity of the situation was gauged they contacted their Uttar Pradesh counterparts.

Earlier, two terrorists nabbed for the 2008 attack on a CRPF camp in Rampur had told police that Khan had acquired terror training in a terrorist camp in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan.

He was also a handler for a Pakistan ISI agent Aftab, who was nabbed in Faizabad. Khan sent finances to Aftab, according to the investigators.

Long on the radar of the UP ATS after the terror strikes on the Rampur CRPF Camp on January 1, 2008, Khan had several offences registered against him under the Indian Penal Code, Arms Act, Explosive Substances Act, Foreigner Registration Act, etc.

Seven Central Reserve Police Force personnel were among eight persons killed and five injured when in the January 1, 2008, attack by heavily-armed terrorists on a camp of the paramilitary force in Rampur.

After the arrest here, the UP ATS took custody of Khan for involvement in various terrorist and anti-national strikes for which they have registered cases.

Khan operated his accounts with the name of Salim Danish, an intelligence source said in Lucknow.

Two senior officials of the Uttar Pradesh ATS, who are part of the six-member team that laid its hands on Khan, are bringing him to New Delhi, where the IG of the ATS Aseem Arun and other investigative agencies are likely to question him "on various leads".

The LeT operative is later likely to brought to Lucknow on transit remand for further interrogation as the ATS tries to crack a sleeper module of the terror network.

Security and intelligence forces in Uttar Pradesh are on high alert after a substantial amount of PETN explosive was recovered from inside the state assembly.  IANS
KV Prasad

M eet my wife Mili, in whose name I am told there is a famous Bollywood move, is how the ever-smiling Venezuelan Ambassador Augusto Montiel introduces his spouse to a select group of invitees at the National Day event hosted by the couple in the Capital.

In the throes of a domestic turmoil, the couple played a perfect host to the guests, including Ambassadors from Afghanistan, Iran, Sri Lanka, African nations, academia and a cross-section of people, serving speciality beverages and dishes to add zing to the evening where a Truth Book was unveiled.

Over the past two years that he has been here, Ambassador Montiel has travelled extensively across the country, barring the North-East. I distinctly remember the Retreat ceremony in Amritsar at the India-Pakistan border, the Ambassador recalled.

In order to soak in the spiritual atmosphere at the Golden Temple, the couple spent a whole day at the venerated place of worship at four different times right from the crack of dawn until night to witness different aspects. It was a moving experience, the Ambassador told The Tribune.

Perhaps the experience of bliss is more than welcome at a time when back home Venezuelas President Nicolas Maduro is facing a crisis amidst reports of pro and anti-government demonstrations, some of which turned violent, plunging the country into a crisis.

Ambassador Montiel is clearly upset with the projection of his country and images across media accusing the Maduro regime of a crackdown against protesters and alleging human rights violations, which he sees largely as a product of Western construct.

Taking pride in being a democratic country where elections allowed the Opposition to take the upper hand in Parliament two years ago, the Ambassador accuses some organisations in the United States of stirring the pot in his country through NGOs.

For the last 18 years, Venezuela, the Ambassador asserts, has done more for the welfare of its people to transform their lives with housing: 75 per cent reach in public low income housing maintenance programme, cent per cent free public education and literacy rate, free and universal healthcare, and the fourth lowest rate of child malnutrition, among others.

A narrative is being built that there is a need for intervention in Venezuela... chaos is being created and the world is being told that people are suffering, which is not true. The Western wire services are not reporting the correct picture and showing only one side, he laments.

Ahead of the July 30 vote the President called to elect a constituent assembly, the Opposition is going ahead with a non-binding referendum to gauge the mood of the nation.

Maduro, who succeeded the hugely popular Hugo Chavez, requires more than resurgence in oil prices. The countrys economy is troubled as it relies over 90 per cent for export revenues through oil to be one of the richest economies in the region.
Ruchika M Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 17

Punjabs debt relief and waiver scheme may well turn out to be an albatross around its neck. With the huge fall in loan recovery, cooperative banks in the state will not be able to get any re-finance from NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development) and thus give loan to farmers.

On the other hand, farmers who refuse to repay loans will become ineligible for future loans for defaulting on payment. Also, they will be forced to take loans from private moneylenders/arhtiyas at high rates of interest.

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Realising the situation that they are in, the farmers have decided to up their ante against the Congress government. At least seven farmers unions  BKU (Ekta Ugrahan), BKU (Dakonda), BKU (Krantikari), Kirti Kisan Union, Krantikari Kisan Union, Kisan Sangharsh Committee, and Kisan Sangharsh Committee (Azad)  have called for a protest rally in Barnala next month.

Farmers, especially those who maintain a good credit culture, get an interest subvention of 3 per cent and avail loans at a 4 per cent rate of interest from banks. With these farmers now becoming ineligible for fresh loans because of default in payment, they will be forced to take loans from private moneylenders at 18-24 per cent, said Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan of BKU (Ekta Ugrahan).

Meanwhile, the Punjab Government is still looking at ways and means to deal with the crisis. A Rs 3,600-crore crop loan is yet to be recovered from small and marginal farmers. It is this recovered amount that is paid back to NABARD, which then refinances cooperative banks for the next crop cycle. The government is worried as it has to keep the banking sector afloat.

Finance Minister Manpreet Badal today said the government would bail out the banks, but it remains to be seen how it does that. The recovery of district cooperative banks has fallen by 30 per cent because of demonetisation and promised debt waiver.
By PTI: (Eds: Updating with fresh inputs)

Mumbai, Jul 17 (PTI) A suspected terrorist of Pakistan -based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), allegedly involved in an attack on a CRPF camp in Uttar Pradesh in 2008, was deported from the UAE and subsequently arrested today on his arrival at the city airport, a police official said.

Salim Munir Khan alias Abu Amaar alias Arif, a native of Hathgaon in Fatehpur district of Uttar Pradesh, was facing a lookout notice. He was arrested from the international airport on the intervening night of July 16 and 17, he said.

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Salim was deported from Abu Dhabi by the United Arab Emirates authorities as he did not possess valid documents to support his stay in the Gulf country, said the police official in Mumbai on condition of anonymity.

He was working in a private company in Abu Dhabi for the last several years under a fake identity, he added.

According to the official, Salim, who left India in 2007, had played an important role in facilitating the "suicide" attack on a CRPF camp in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, on January 1, 2008.

Eight people, including some CRPF jawans, had been killed in the terror strike.

Indian law enforcement agencies, who were looking for him, had got information about his whereabouts and alerted the Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh Police, he said.

Personnel from Anti-Terrorism Squads of Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh were at the airport when Salim landed, the official said.

In Lucknow, Inspector General of UP ATS Aseem Arun said after the arrest of suspected ISI agent Aftab from Faizabad on May 3, 2017, the ATS had come to know that Salim used to pass on directions to him and also send him money from abroad.

Arun said two people, Kausar and Shareef, arrested in connection with the attack on CRPF camp, had told the UP police that Salim had got training with them at a terror camp in Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in 2007.

While being abroad, Salim had been in contact with Aftab and gave instructions to him about terror activities and funding, the official in Mumbai said.

Aftab had been in constant touch with the Pakistan High Commission and had gathered information about several defence establishments in UP, the official said.

UP ATS and Maharashtra police are interrogating Salim Khan in Mumbai, Arun added.

In Mumbai, the police said the UP ATS will seek Salims custody for questioning in the Rampur attack and alleged involvement in several other anti-national activities under their jurisdiction. PTI DC/SAB RSY AKK

--- ENDS ---

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Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 17

Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh today ruled out rollback of the government decision to ban truck unions in the state. During a media interaction after casting his vote for the Presidential election, he said the views of all stakeholders would be taken.

Allaying fears that big truck operators from other states would take over the business, he said all possible safeguards would be incorporated in the new industrial policy.

SYL canal

The CM said the Union Ministry of Water Resources had been requested to assess the quantum of states waters. He denied having discussed the SYL with the PM

Crop loan waiver

Amarinder said the government was in the process of settling the matter with banks. He pointed out that Finance Minister Manpreet Badal had said the waiver scheme would be implemented within a week. The final report on debt waiver by the expert committee was awaited.

Job extension review

The government was reviewing the provision of extension of service for two years after retirement at the age of 58 with a view to creating more jobs, said Amarinder.
Dehradun, July 17

Uttarakhand Governor Dr KK Paul has highlighted the need for encouraging innovations, inculcating cultural values and developing qualities of character among students as part of education.

Dr Paul was addressing students during the convocation of ICFAI University here yesterday. He said it was of great importance to instill in each individual the spirit of Indianness which he said was once the core values of our culture and a commitment to serve society. About education, it can be said that it is not preparation for life. It is the passport to the future as tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today, Dr Paul said. He described education as the most powerful weapon, which one could use to change the world.

Congratulating the passing-out students, the Governor said they must take advantage of the Start-ups and Make in India initiatives of the government. One should always look out for possibilities of becoming job providers and be not just job-seekers, the Governor said, appealing to the university to establish a special cell to provide guidance on these initiatives and also coordinate with industries to get students placed.  TNS
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, July 17

Employees of the Department of Horticulture will organise a sit-in tomorrow to protest against the proposed unification of the Horticulture and Agriculture Departments.

The State Employees Joint Council has extended its support to the sit-in. All the employees will organise a sit-in at the district-level to protest against the move, said Prahlad Thakur, president of the State Employees Joint Council.

He said the government should hold talk with employees of the Department of Horticulture before going for unification. The government should initiate talks with employees of the Department of Horticulture and ordinary farmers, who are unhappy and dissatisfied with the proposal, said Singh.

Meanwhile, members of the Joint Horticulture Employees Front of the Department of Horticulture and Food Processing have already indicated their disapproval to the concerned officials and the Chief Minister.

They said the proposed move would relegate the importance of the Horticulture Department and the move would also create problems in promotions in cadre unification.
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, July 17

A total of 71 MLAs, 70 from Uttarakhand Vidhan Sabha (57 belonging to the BJP, two Independents, 11 from the Congress) and one MLA from the Bihar Vidhan Sabha, cast their votes in the Presidential election here today.

The voting began 10 am in the morning. Bihar MLA Virender Kumar Sinha, BJP MLA and Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj, were among the earliest to cast their vote.

Sinha was granted permission by the Election Commission to cast his vote in Dehradun.

Later, Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, leader of Opposition in Uttarakhand Assembly Indira Hirdayesh and Vidhan Sabha Speaker Prem Chand Aggarwal, state Congress president Preetam Singh and Congress MLA Mamata Rakesh too reached the Vidhan Sabha to cast their vote. By 2.30 pm, the entire voting was complete.

The MLAs were given special pens to cast their votes on the ballot paper and were not allowed to carry mobile phones and pens inside the voting room.

The value of one Uttarakhand MLAs vote is equivalent to 64 votes and has been calculated on the basis of the population of the state. The MLAs voted on the pink ballot paper. The ballot boxes will be sealed and flown to New Delhi tomorrow amid tight security.

The ballot papers had arrived on July 13 and were kept in a strong room in the Vidhan Sabha amid tight security. All around there was tight security at the time of voting, with police personnel manning all the entry points of the Vidhan Sabha. The Election Commission had nominated senior IAS officer NK Sundre as observer for these elections.

The Congress had sent senior leader Haroon Yusuf as the political observer in Dehradun.
Beijing, July 17

At least 18 persons were killed and as many remained missing in floods in Chinas northeastern Jilin province, officials said on Monday.

Heavy rains in the central and eastern parts of the province on Thursday and Friday left the region inundated.

The city of Jilin was severely flooded and more than 1,10,000 people had to be relocated, according to the citys flood control and drought relief office.

A 32,360-strong search and rescue team has been deployed in the city to remove the sludge and debris, repair bridges, and reconnect households to telecommunications and electricity network, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. PTI
Caracas, July 17

Venezuelans opposition said more than 7.1 million people responded to its call to vote in a symbolic rejection of President Nicolas Maduros plan to rewrite the constitution, a proposal that has raised tensions in a nation suffering through widespread shortages and months of anti-government protests.

A 61-year-old woman was killed and four people wounded by gunfire that erupted after government supporters on motorcycles swarmed an opposition polling site in a church in the traditionally pro-government Catia neighborhood of western Caracas.

Analysts said the vote for the opposition across Venezuela and the countrys far-flung diaspora was an impressive show of support. However, it fell short of the oppositions 7.7 million-vote showing in 2015 legislative elections and the 7.5 million votes that brought Maduro to power in 2013.

Opposition leaders said that was because it was only able to set up 2,000 polling places in a largely symbolic exercise that the government labeled as illegitimate. Still, some supporters said they were disappointed.

I thought it was going to be more, said Mariela Arana, a 56-year-old school counselor. But these seven million people spoke and it was plenty.

David Smilde, a Tulane University expert on Venezuela, said Sundays results would likely rally the international community even more strongly against the July 30 vote Maduro has called to elect members of the assembly that will retool Venezuelas 1999 constitution.

The opposition says that vote has been structured to pack the constitutional assembly with government supporters and allow Maduro to eliminate the few remaining checks on his power, creating a Cuba-style system dominated by his socialist party.

Canada and Mexico were among the countries that issued statements Sunday evening lauding the opposition vote.

Overall this vote, I think, makes it difficult for the government to just proceed as planned, Smilde said. I think its going to embolden the international community to reject it.

Late yesterday Foreign Minister Samuel Moncada said on Twitter that he was declaring former Mexican President Vicente Fox persona non grata and banning him from the country for conspiring to promote violence and foreign intervention.

Fox traveled to Venezuela Saturday with a group of Latin American former presidents to show support for the opposition referendum. Moncada offered no evidence to support his accusations.

The day was marred by violence when pro-government paramilitary groups attacked voters outside the Our Lady of Carmen Church around 3 pm, according to the opposition mayor of the Caracas borough of Sucre, Carlos Ocariz.

The chief prosecutors office said Xiomara Soledad Scott, a nurse, had been killed and four others wounded in the incident.

Video posted to social media showed massive crowds outside the church, then hundreds of people running in panic outside the church as motorcycle-riding men zoomed past and shots rang out.

Maduro made no mention of the incident in comments on state television shortly after the official close of opposition polls at 4 pm, but he called for an end to violence that he blamed on the opposition.  AP
Caracas, July 17

Energised by a massive

vote against President Nicolas Maduro in an unofficial plebiscite, Venezuelas opposition mulled on Monday how to escalate protests and block a new congress it fears may enshrine Socialist Party hegemony.

After months of demonstrations that have led to nearly 100 deaths, the Democratic Unity coalition brought millions onto the streets on Sunday for an informal referendum intended to de-legitimise a leader they call a dictator.

Today, Venezuela stood up with dignity to say freedom does not go backwards, democracy is not negotiated, Julio Borges, who leads the opposition-controlled legislature, said shortly after midnight when the referendum results were announced.

We dont want a fraudulent Constituent Assembly imposed on us. We dont want to be Cuba. We dont want to be a country without freedom, he added, promising further announcements on opposition strategy on Monday. Maduro, whose term is due to end in early 2019, dismissed Sundays event as an internal exercise by the opposition with no bearing on his government.

Dont go crazy, calm down, he said on Sunday in a message to the opposition, vowing his Constituent Assembly would bring peace to the volatile nation of 30 million people.

Maduro, 54, a former bus driver and long-serving foreign minister for Chavez, narrowly won election in 2013 but has seen his ratings plunge to just over 20 percent during a brutal economic crisis in the South American OPEC member.

Though polls show the opposition has majority support and his foes repeatedly call for a free and fair election as their top demand, Maduro insists they are US pawns intent on sabotaging the economy and bringing him down through violence.

Most Venezuelans oppose the Constituent Assembly, which will have power to rewrite the constitution and annul the current opposition-led legislature, but Maduro is pressing on anyway for the vote in two weeks time.  Reuters
Lahore, July 17

I wish no girl is born to a poor family, says Muhammad Azeem, the father of Pakistans social media sensation Qandeel Baloch, who was killed by her brother in the name of honour last year.

Qandeel, whose real name was Fouzia Azeem, was allegedly strangulated by her brother Waseem on July 15, 2016 for bringing shame to the family in Multan, some 350 km from Lahore.

In his confession video, Waseem expressed no regret in killing his sister, saying, I am proud of what I did. I drugged her first then I killed her. She was bringing dishonour to our family.

Qandeel used to support her poor parents from the money she made through these controversial means. After her death, her parents are living a poverty-stricken life.

Qandeel was not my daughter but she was my son. She provided us financial and emotional support, 82-year-old Azeem lamented with tears in his eyes. My wife has gone to collect money from people in our neighbourhood for Qandeels death anniversary and we would continue to remember her till our last breath, he added.  PTI
By PTI: New Delhi, Jul 16 (PTI) The ban on liquor in Bihar may have had some positives but it has taken a toll on the diagnosis of tuberculosis in the state.

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.

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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 ethyl 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 the 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 lamps used for making smears. Cleaning of 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).

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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. PTI PLB ZMN KIS

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London, July 17

Britains Prince George and Princess Charlotte today joined their parents Prince William and Princess Kate on what is being dubbed as a Brexit diplomacy tour of Poland and Germany.

The third and fourth in line to the British throne joined their parents-the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge-on the five-day tour of Europe undertaken by the royals on the request of the UKs Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The visit coincides with the second round of talks between officials in Brussels over the contours of Britain's exit from the European Union (EU).

The Duke and Duchess are very much looking forward to this tour and are delighted with the exciting and varied programme

that has been put together for it, a Kensington Palace spokesperson said.  PTI
Someone who bought a Powerball ticket in Southern California has won a record $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot. The winning numbers drawn Tuesday morning at the Florida Lottery draw studio in Tallahassee were: white balls 10, 33, 41, 47 and 56, and the red Powerball was 10. The jackpot ticket was sold at Joes Service Center in Altadena, northeast of Los Angeles. The business will receive a maximum Powerball bonus of $1 million. The Multi-State Lottery Association said Monday nights scheduled drawing was delayed by nearly 10 hours until Tuesday because a participating lottery had issues processing sales. The jackpot was by far the largest lottery jackpot ever won, topping the previous record $1.586 billion prize won by three Powerball ticketholders in 2016.
Thousands of people will converge on Porter, The Peach Capital of Oklahoma, July 13-15 to be a part of the 51st Annual Porter Peach Festival and celebrate the fruit that has brought fame and notoriety to the community.

The three-day celebration in downtown Porter will feature a variety of attractions, more than 100 vendor booths, food trucks and live music.

Amidst the festivities of the midway-style attractions, vendor-filled market area and kids games, a replica of the worlds largest peach cobbler (made at last years festival) will be made on Friday.

Organizers have about 1,000 pounds of peaches set aside for this years cobbler. Once its cooked  and while its still hot  it will be sold by the bowl-fulls to raise money to give back to the community.

On Saturday, following the parade, free peaches and ice cream  featuring another 1,000 pounds of peaches  will be given out to festival-goers.

The festival is hosted by the Porter Lions Club.
If you are serious about dark skies, to do some stargazing youll drive across the state, through the panhandle and find a spot somewhere near the Oklahoma-New Mexico state line.

Those are the darkest, clearest skies in the state, said Tim Gilliland, an amateur astronomer who often puts on astronomy events in his hometown of Sand Springs.

However, the moon, planets, stars and other fantastic objects can be found in the skies even near urban areas.

We sometimes do star parties at a Pizza Hut and a Starbucks in Broken Arrow, said Peggy Walker of the Broken Arrow Sidewalk Astronomers. Thats why it is called sidewalk astronomy.

It is about bringing astronomy to the people.

The Keystone Ancient Forest, a piece of natural wilderness just 20 miles west of downtown Tulsa, will become an astronomy lab on July 28 when Walker and others set up as many as six to eight telescopes for a star party.

An evening hike will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. before the star party at the Keystone Ancient Forest parking lot.

This is a great way to expose people to what is up in the sky, Gilliland said. It is amazing what you can see, even this close to a big city.

And, while were at it, we can educate people about the skies. We like to tell people to just look up. There are amazing things up there.

The Keystone Ancient Forest is a classic crosstimbers forest with 500-year-old cedars and 300-year-old post oaks. It is a 1,360-acre nature preserve listed by The Nature Conservancy as one of the last great places on earth.

Yet, this small piece of untouched wilderness is just minutes from downtown Tulsa. There is some urban light from the metropolitan area. However, the forest protects the viewing area, which has no lights, from nearby buildings and highway lights.

It is pretty good night sky out here, said Rick Walker, who has more than 20 telescopes with his wife, Peggy. Youd be surprised how much you can see.

Yes, it is best if you can find really dark skies for viewing. But thats not always possible, so you can bring astronomy to the people and there is plenty to see.

Gilliland and the Walkers said the July 28 date was arranged for maximum viewing with a quarter-moon.

On a recent night, not ideal for viewing, the topography of the moon was in full view along with Jupiter and stars.

Theres a lot up there, Gilliland said. You just need some equipment and some people who know what they are doing.

I always get a kick out of folks looking through the telescope for the first time. They are always so surprised at what they can see.

Gilliland does regular star parties at the Case Community Center in Sand Springs.

Grant Gerondale, the director of parks for Sand Springs, noticed how popular the astronomy parties were with folks. So he came up with the idea of hosting star parties at the Keystone Ancient Forest, where there is less urban light and a better chance of great viewing.

A lot of people know about the night skies programs in the National Park System, Peggy Walker said. Weve gone to sky parties at the Grand Canyon, Crater Lake, Glacier and some other national parks. And it is great.

However, this is an opportunity to bring astronomy to the people. Yes, the darker skies are better, but people are always amazed when they look through these telescopes even in an urban setting.

Sidewalk astronomers have existed for over 200 years in American cities.

It was popularized in the early 20th century by the San Francisco Sidewalk Astronomers, a group founded by amateur astronomer John Dobson. The idea was to educate the public by getting people to look through telescopes and learn about the universe.

Dobson invented the Dobsonian telescope, a portable, low-cost Newtonian reflector telescope.

It has led to sidewalk astronomy clubs across the country.

This is just fun, Rick Walker said. We like doing this.

Being out here at the Keystone Ancient Forest is good for night skies. It is certainly better than our backyard. You can see a lot of stars out here. You can kind of map out where you want to go in the sky with your telescopes.

Star parties on the river in Jenks have drawn crowds of up to 300 and often last much longer, sometimes up to midnight, on clear nights.

While the Keystone Ancient Forest is good for urban night sky viewing, it isnt ideal.

Ideal would be far from an urban area, far less humidity than in northeastern Oklahoma and at a higher elevation.

Yes, that describes the very western edge of the Oklahoma panhandle, Gilliland said. But, again, that doesnt mean you cant see amazing things in the skies above the Keystone Ancient Forest. You can.

You just have to get out and look up. Youll be amazed.
Real change is brought about by entrepreneurs and innovators. The government's job is to facilitate," said Ravi Shankar Prasad, Union minister for law and justice and electronics and information technology, while delivering the inaugural address at the second india today Make in India Emerging Entrepreneur Awards in New Delhi on July 6. Inspired by the Union government's Make in India mission, the awards were initiated last year to encourage Indian entrepreneurs making a mark in the manufacturing sector.

Prasad expressed satisfaction over the momentum building in the new economy from IT-enabled services. India, he said, has emerged as the world's third-largest start-up hub. Sharing his government's achievements, Prasad said FDI has increased by 33 per cent in the past three years, taking investment from overseas to a record high. The country, he said, has also moved up 12 places in the global ranking on ease of doing business.

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The Union minister also set the goal of building a $1 trillion digital economy in the next five years. "We came up with technology that is affordable, development-oriented and inclusive," he said. Prasad emphasised that growth is linked to good governance, which in turn needs the foundation of good politics. "Good politics is based on integrity. We must work honestly and diligently. We are happy this government is taint-free," he said.

During the day-long event, spread over 11 engaging sessions, 27 eminent speakers debated the country's growth potential. They included Union minister of state for finance and corporate affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal, Union minister of state for civil aviation Jayant Sinha, NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant and K. Radhakrishnan, former chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation. Sinha, Meghwal and india today Group Editorial Director Raj Chengappa joined india today Editor-in-Chief Aroon Purie in giving away the awards.

Kant, in his keynote address, said that India cannot grow till it penetrates the global market, but things stand to change with the Goods and Services Tax (GST). "It will result in 12-14 per cent growth in the capital goods market as investment in the sector will grow," he said. Kant added that GST will help expand the tax net, boosting social sector development. Meghwal said 2017 would be remembered as the year of economic reforms. He said the demonetisation last year had helped in the digital economy's growth from January this year. Demonetisation had also dealt a blow to the country's shadow economy-estimated at 23.7 per cent of the GDP by World Bank-and added 9.1 million people to the tax net. "If we had to provide global economic leadership, we needed to hit the shadow economy," Meghwal said. Refuting the perception that credit growth had been slow in the country, Sinha said: "There had been a structural shift in how the Indian economy gets financed, which does not get reflected in the old accounting system."

Methodology

To select the winners of the Make in India Emerging Entrepreneur Awards, the india today Group partnered with Samagra, a governance and development consulting entity. In the first stage of the selection process, secondary research based on industry reports, company database, media reports and suggestions from experts was conducted for over 350 companies. Sixty companies were shortlisted. The founders and heads of these companies were interviewed, their financial reports of the past three years were scrutinised and intellectual property-related documents reviewed.

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Finally, an eminent panel, which included india today Editor-in-Chief Aroon Purie; Baba Kalyani, chairman, Kalyani Group; Manish Sabharwal, chairman, TeamLease Services; Uday Kotak, CEO, Kotak Mahindra Bank; Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, chairperson and managing director, Biocon; and Sanjay Nayar, CEO, KKR India, selected the winners.

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Former Tulsa Police Officer Shannon Kepler will stand trial a fourth time on a first-degree murder charge, Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler announced Monday.

Three previous trials have ended with hung juries.

In a statement Monday, Kunzweiler said he made the decision after he consulted with the Tulsa Police Department and came to an agreement with the agency that prosecution of the case should proceed.

But Keplers lead defense attorney, Richard OCarroll, expressed frustration with the decision in part because of his belief that the evidence isnt going to get better for the state and because hes never heard of a case in Tulsa County that went to trial four times on the same charge.

Kepler, 57, is charged with fatally shooting 19-year-old Jeremey Lake on Aug. 5, 2014, outside the teenagers aunts home in the 200 block of North Maybelle Avenue. Lake had just begun a romantic relationship with Keplers estranged daughter, Lisa Kepler, which she reported on her Facebook page the afternoon of his death.

As I have stated previously, the very nature of our criminal justice system is premised upon the finality of a verdict. Mr. Kepler deserves that, and so does Jeremey Lakes family, Kunzweiler said in a statement.

OCarroll told the Tulsa World the jurors votes during the mistrials in November, February and earlier this month show that the prosecution is losing ground in proving that Shannon Kepler committed a crime at all. District Judge Sharon Holmes allowed the jury during Keplers third trial to consider a lesser charge of first-degree manslaughter, but the jury notified her that it was deadlocked 6-6 after just 2 hours of deliberations.

Kepler is free on a $750,000 pretrial bond on the murder count as well as a $100,000 appeal bond while the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals reviews his November convictions for reckless conduct with a firearm. The jury in Keplers first trial found him guilty of those counts, which were lesser-included charges on felony counts of shooting with intent to kill, and recommended that he spend a year in jail.

The November and February juries were hung 11-1 and 10-2 in favor of guilt, respectively, and neither was allowed to consider manslaughter as a lesser-included offense.

I look at this to be the fight, and its gonna be a hard one, and I want the case tried quickly, OCarroll said. (Kunzweiler) has had enough of dangling this over Mr. Keplers head. Hes tried this three times.

He added later that he believed that the decision to continue prosecuting Kepler was frankly a last-ditch effort for Kunzweilers political career following the May 17 acquittal of soon-to-be former Tulsa Police Officer Betty Shelby.

If he walks away from this, its over. Its a political decision. Its a rash decision, and its not founded in fact, OCarroll said.

Kepler testified at each of his trials that he shot Lake in self-defense after seeing the teenager carrying a gun. However, eight witnesses  including other officers, Lakes neighbors and his younger brother  told the jury they did not see Lake with a gun, nor was one recovered from the shooting site.

OCarroll has implied that a witness to the shooting took the gun from Lake before police arrived and somehow disposed of it, possibly in a Tulsa Police Department interview room trash can. Police found a gun there the day after the shooting but reported finding no evidence that tied it to Keplers case, which prompted Holmes to prohibit the defense from telling the jury about the weapons recovery.

OCarroll has moved multiple times to have Holmes recused from the case. The Court of Criminal Appeals on Friday denied the most recent request, which OCarroll filed June 28 following a denial from Presiding District Judge Rebecca Nightingale.

After the third trial, Kunzweiler told reporters he believed that a mistrial had been declared before the jury had time to fully evaluate all available evidence. He said he had never before seen a judge not send a jury back for continued deliberations after saying one time that it was deadlocked.

Keplers case appears to be the first in Tulsa County to go before a jury four times. Nationally, only a handful of murder cases have been tried three or more times.

Steven Tielsch faced four murder trials in Pennsylvania for a 1986 homicide. Three juries deadlocked in his case since 2000, and he was found guilty of a lesser charge of third-degree murder in 2002, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

The Sun-News of Las Cruces, New Mexico, reports that former Santa Fe County Deputy Tai Chan is scheduled for a third murder trial in the October 2014 off-duty shooting death of a partner deputy after two juries, the most recent in May, couldnt reach a verdict on murder or any lesser-included offense.

Prosecutors in Hamilton County, Ohio, are set to announce Tuesday whether they will try former University of Cincinnati Police Officer Ray Tensing a third time for murder in the on-duty killing of Sam DuBose in July 2015. The Cincinnati Enquirer reported that the previous juries were unable to agree on a murder or manslaughter conviction or acquittal.

Chan and Tensing, like Kepler, have said they fired in self-defense. The Sun-News reported that the second jury in Chans case deliberated for only three hours before the judge declared a mistrial, while the Enquirer reported that Tensings latest jury spent more than 30 hours over five days deliberating.
A recent overhaul of Oklahomas state assessments and school accountability system means a longer wait for districts and parents to see the results of their students test scores and school report cards.

The changes to state assessments include the omission of a U.S. history test for the 2017-18 school year and the addition of a science test for 11th-graders, who will also take either the SAT or ACT to meet state testing requirements.

Educators were updated on the new assessments and school accountability system last week during the Oklahoma State Department of Educations annual, traveling conference, called EngageOK.

Thats when a number of educators were also apparently caught off guard by news that a U.S. history test would not be administered in high schools in the spring.

State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister has been responding to questions and concerns from teachers who were surprised by the omission of that test from next years state assessment schedule.

The Oklahoma State Department of Education and content experts/practitioners are in the process of developing a US History assessment that more accurately reflects the breadth and scope of the subject to assure students are college- and career-ready, Hofmeister said. The work began within the last year to prepare for the test item development process. Current 11th and 12th grade students have fulfilled the requirement that all students take a U.S. History assessment once in high school except for those exempted by law (such as transfer students from out of state).

One of the state conference stops was at Tulsas Union High School on Tuesday.

Todd Nelson, senior executive director of teaching and learning at Union Public Schools, said the change in the U.S. History test was new information but wont alter his districts instruction plan at all.

At Union High School, U.S. History is generally taught to sophomores, along with a limited number of juniors and seniors, and we will continue with that plan in 2017-18, Nelson said.

On Wednesday, the state department plans to report to school districts assessment results showing whether third-graders met the Reading Sufficiency Acts criteria, which is used to determine whether a student is ready to move on to fourth grade.

Results of the rest of the state assessments that students took in the spring will be reported to school districts Oct. 11, and school report cards based on the states new accountability system are expected to be released in March.

Because of the delay in reporting RSA scores, the Oklahoma State Department of Education has encouraged school districts to use other tools to determine whether third-graders are ready to move on to fourth grade this year, said Jeanene Barnett, the departments deputy superintendent for assessments and accountability.

Teachers can use other mechanisms, such as alternate screening assessments, to measure whether a student is reading on grade-level. But RSA results are being released to school districts before results of other state assessments this year because schools need to have that information before the next school year starts in August, Barnett said.

Tulsa Public Schools has decided which third-graders are ready to be promoted to fourth grade in the 2017-18 school year based on whether those students have met grade-level requirements on the MAP assessment, a math and reading achievement test the school district has administered for several years, said Erin Lester, the districts director of educational indicators.

The state has yet to set the cut scores, or the basis on which a students performance is measured, for the other state assessments students took in the spring, Barnett said.

During the week of Aug. 8, a team of 121 educators from across Oklahoma will work with out-of-state psychometricians to develop recommendations for those cut scores, which will be submitted for approval by the Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability.

Thats why it wont be until Oct. 11 that all of the rest of the scores will be reported, Barnett explained. And that is extremely late, and it wont happen again if we continue with the same standards and assessments that weve had.

In the future, preliminary reports on student assessments can be expected to be received by school districts before June 1, Barnett said.
Once inside the locked ward, Melvin Rippetoe was always on his guard.

They heard voices, he said, and you had to be careful walking among them. Because if you were walking behind them and they heard these voices and these voices were cursing them, they turned and swung at you.

You just really had to be careful where you were in the locked ward.

As a Navy hospital corpsman during World War II, Rippetoe, now 92, worked for more than a year in a hospital psychiatric unit for Navy and Marine servicemen.

The locked ward, as it was called, was a secure area for those suffering the most serious mental breakdowns from combat.

Battle or combat fatigue was the term used at the time, Rippetoe said, adding that it was a catch-all that covered all forms of mental distress of fighting men.

They say war is hell. And it is, said Rippetoe, who assisted staff psychiatrists as they evaluated the patients.

These young men had been in some perfectly safe job, then they took them and trained them to kill people.  And that really works on your mind, on your psyche.

Rippetoe was later sent to the Pacific to work in the sick bay of a ship. But the physical wounds he patched up there were minor, he said, compared to those of the locked ward.

I never saw a battlefield, but I saw the results. And they werent pretty. These poor (young men) had lost reality. I really felt sorry for them.

Not gung-ho

As reality checks go, none had been bigger for Rippetoe and other Americans than that of Sunday, Dec. 7, 1941.

A senior at Central High School in Tulsa, Rippetoe, 17, had been visiting his girlfriend, Helen, in Claremore that day.

He was on his way back to Tulsa on a train when he heard the news about the Pearl Harbor attack.

The next day it was the talk of the school, he said.

A lot of the guys were wanting to enlist. And some of them did. Didnt even wait till graduation.

But Rippetoe wasnt that gung-ho about going to war.

He was still 17 for one thing. Mainly, though, it was about not wanting to leave Helen.

That was more on my mind than anything.

The two had grown up in the same neighborhood in Tulsa. Rippetoe first met her as he was returning from his Tulsa Tribune paper route one evening.

After he graduated from Central in May 1942, Rippetoe and Helen got married. He was 17, she 16.

He couldnt put off the war forever, though.

In October 1942, two weeks after Rippetoes 18th birthday, he received his draft notice.

Because Helen was pregnant by then with their first child, Carol, he was granted a deferment until the birth. He was finally inducted on June 17, 1943.

Rippetoe was given a choice to take the Navy over the Army, and he jumped on it, he said.

That was about the only choice the military ever gave him, he said.

Hospital corpsman school in San Diego, for example, would definitely not have been his first option.

But after boot camp, he found out that was where he was bound.

The locked ward

They sent me to school to become a neuropsychiatric technologist, Rippetoe said.

Really that just meant I had the keys to the ward.

Assigned to Oak Knoll Naval Hospital in Oakland, California  where at 16 months he would spend the bulk of his military service  Rippetoe worked primarily in the psychiatric wards, including the locked ward, which held about 40 of the most disturbed patients.

Milder cases were kept in the two open wards, he said.

Psychiatric patients at Oak Knoll were a mix of Navy and Marines, many of them fresh from combat, Rippetoe said.

I asked them where theyd been, those who were lucid enough, he said. I dont remember any specifically, but many of them had been on these little islands in the Pacific. They told me about the bloody landings.

The psychiatric patients were at Oak Knoll primarily for evaluation. That would take about three months, then from there they would be sent to other facilities for treatment.

The most disturbed patients in the locked ward  those who presented a danger to themselves and others  were put in what were called quiet rooms, Rippetoe said.

A roughly 8-by-10-foot space containing just a bed and a urinal, each quiet room had door with a window in it. Every hour Rippetoe or another corpsman would walk by and check on the patients.

They had to be alert for suicide attempts, Rippetoe said.

There had been suicides at Oak Knoll before, but they never had a successful one on my watch, he added proudly.

But that doesnt mean they didnt try. In one disturbing incident, Rippetoe said, I had put this one fellow in a quiet room. When I went back and looked in the window he was lying on the bed on his back  and blood was spurting out of his throat.

Rippetoe got help and they went in.

The man, it turned out, had cut his own throat with a pen knife.

The blade on the knife was so short, though, the cut wasnt deep. They were able to save the mans life.

Rippetoe doesnt know how the man had concealed the knife.

As soon as patients arrived, they were searched thoroughly, he said, and their clothes were exchanged for pajamas.

Faking insanity

Part of evaluating the patients, Rippetoe said, was trying to determine who was gold-bricking.

Thats what it was called when someone tried to fake insanity to get out of fighting, he added.

Rippetoe took notes for the psychiatrists as they interviewed the new arrivals.

You could usually tell the ones whod really lost connection with reality, he said. But some were pretty good at faking it.

Some of Rippetoes toughest memories from Oak Knoll came from the two months he was assigned to the burn ward.

Patients there were being treated for severe burns, many of them pilots who had crashed while training at the Naval air field in Alameda.

Rippetoe can still smell the burnt flesh.

Part of his job, he said, was to hoist the men into special tubs of water for baths.

They were in a lot of pain. Just touching them theyd scream, he said.

After two months, Rippetoe said, he was more than ready to go back to the psychiatric wards.

In late 1944, Rippetoe learned his turn had come to go overseas.

He was being sent to the Philippines, where he would be assigned to the USS Dobbin, a destroyer tender with a large sick bay.

The voyage across was the one time in my service I was actually in any danger, he recalled. We were in a convoy, and had to sail in zig-zags to avoid Japanese submarines.

He would remain on the Dobbin eight months through the end of the war in August 1945. Among his duties, Rippetoe took X-rays and tended to some of the more mildly wounded.

All-out war

In a photo he still has from that stint on the Dobbin, Rippetoe is sporting something that seems out of place in a military portrait.

A thick black beard.

Every ship was different. Our captain allowed sailors to grow facial hair. Several of the guys had beards, he explained.

Rippetoes beard was his first.

After the war ended, the captain came on the loud speaker and said the beards had to go. So we had a cutting-off party.

After his discharge from the Navy, a clean-shaven Rippetoe arrived back in Tulsa on Dec. 30, 1945.

It was his first time to see his second daughter, Melody. Helen had given birth six weeks earlier.

Reunited with his young family, Rippetoe went back to work, while taking night classes at the University of Tulsa via the G.I. Bill. It took him eight years at three nights a week, but he earned an accounting degree.

He and Helen would go on to raise three daughters. The couple are still together, and in June celebrated their 75th anniversary.

Summing up his thoughts on the war, Rippetoe emphasizes the importance of the home front.

This was all-out war. And everybody did their part. If you werent in the war, you were still in the war. Wives who stayed behind worked in factories. Children saved stamps in books to buy war bonds.

Rippetoe accepted his part in the war without complaint.

Working with the psychiatric patients didnt bother him, he said.

It was just a job. I was too young to know any different.

But he still thinks about those young men from time to time.

I have often wondered what happened to them.
An online poll in the UK shows wide support for Jodie Whittaker as the next Doctor in Doctor Who.

Out of over 12,000 people who voted, only 1,978 people called the decision to cast a female Doctor terrible. By contrast, over 40 per cent of those polled by contrast called the decision fantastic, with another 43 per cent saying they would wait to see her first episode before jumping to conclusions.

I want to tell the fans not to be scared by my gender, said Whittaker. Because this is a really exciting time, and Doctor Who represents everything thats exciting about change. The fans have lived through so many changes, and this is only a new, different one, not a fearful one.

There was no persuasion needed. If you need to be persuaded to do this part, youre not right for this part, and the part isnt right for you. I also think, for anyone taking this on, you have to want to fight for it, which I certainly had to do. I know there will have been some phenomenal actors who threw their hats in the ring.

It feels completely overwhelming, as a feminist, as a woman, as an actor, as a human, as someone who wants to continually push themselves and challenge themselves, and not be boxed in by what youre told you can and cant be. It feels incredible.

Whittaker also explained how she had to use a codename when discussing the role with her agent.

Ive told a lot of lies! Ive embroiled myself in a whole world of lies which is going to come back at me when this is announced! said Whittaker.

In my home, and with my agent, it was The Clooney, she revealed. Because to me and my husband, George is an iconic guy. And we thought: whats a really famous iconic name? It was just fitting.

Doctor Who stars past & present all embraced the casting announcement including Peter Capaldi, Colin Baker, Freema Agyeman, Pearl Mackie, Billie Piper, Karen Gillan, Jenna Coleman, Mark Gatiss, John Barowman and Matt Lucas.

Source: Radio Times
Broadcaster Red Symons is recovering in hospital after taking a fall on July 5.

Symons, 68, said in a statement, When walking home from the supermarket I experienced a sudden lack of consciousness.

This resulted in a fall, with my head hitting the pavement.

I am currently in hospital, thankful to be receiving the best of medical attention and working on a speedy recovery.

Im sorry for this unexpected absence but I do look forward to getting back to work as soon as possible.

ABC radio manager Warwick Tiernan said there had been some concern the fall could have been caused by a stroke, but that was not the case.

He said the radio host was improving and hopes to be back on air soon.

The former Hey Hey its Saturday star made headlines last month was after comments made during a podcast interview with ABCs Beverley Wang.

I came across as racist and I was wrong in the way I conducted the interview, he said later.
A new kids series is to film in Queensland, from prolific childrens producer Jonathan M. Shiff (H20 Just Add Water, Mako Mermaid, Thunderstone, Ocean Girl, Horace and Tina).

The Bureau of Magical Things follows the adventures of Kyra, a regular teenage girl who acquires magical powers when caught in a clash between an elf and a fairy. Kyra discovers a secret world of magic exists all around her. When she uncovers a threat to both the magical and human worlds, she must try to unite fairies, elves and humans to save them all.

The 20 part first series will film with a fresh young Queensland cast at Gold Coast and Brisbane locations and a purpose built studio at Arundel.

It is fantastic to be bringing back another local high quality childrens series which showcases the enormous talent and beautiful locations of Southeast Queensland. Most importantly, it is vital to bring Australian children their own stories at a time when Australian kids TV is so under threat, said Shiff.

The cast features Kimie Tsukakoshi (The Family Law) as Kyra, plus siblings Elizabeth and Julian Cullen, playing elf brother and sister on screen, Mia Milnes, Rainbow Wedell and Jamie Carter.

Adult cast includes Nicholas Bell, Christopher Sommers, Steve Nation and Melanie Zanetti.

Were extremely pleased to see a new live-action kids series from one of Australias finest producers of childrens television, said Sally Caplan, Head of Production at Screen Australia. The Bureau of Magical Things is sure to continue the incredible success of Jonathan Shiffs previous series, once again captivating audiences around the world.

The 20 part series will film at Gold Coast and Brisbane locations and in the companys purpose built studio at Arundel from July to December, creating more than 200 cast and crew jobs.
Veteran actor Martin Landau, best known for Ed Wood, Space: 1999 and Mission: Impossible, has died, aged 89.

He died in hospital in Los Angeles after unexpected complications during a short hospitalisation, his publicist confirmed.

We are overcome with sadness to report the death of iconic actor Martin Landau, a statement said.

Landau made his Hollywood debut in the 1959 Korean war film, Pork Chop Hill, which also starred Gregory Peck. Other film credits included North by Northwest, Crimes and Misdemeanors, Cleopatra, Tucker: The Man and His Dream, The Adventures of Pinocchio, Rounders, In the Beginning.

1994s Ed Wood earned him a Best Supporting Actor Oscar, as well as Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards, among a number of other trophies.

But Landau became wildly popular for his role as Rollin Hand, the Man of a Million Faces sleuth on the 1960s hit series Mission: Impossible, with then-wife Barbara Bain. The actor was not meant to be a regular on the show but became so popular that he went on to receive Emmy nominations for each of the three seasons in which he appeared, and in 1968 won a Golden Globe for male TV star. He quit the show in a contract dispute and went on to co-star with Bain in the UKs sci-fi Space: 1999.

Other notable TV credits included The Twilight Zone, Spiderman, Murder She Wrote, The Man from UNCLE, The Big Valley, The Outer Limits, Wagon Train, Rawhide and In Plain Sight.

More recently he starred in Without a Trace, playing Jacks father with Alzheimers disease, and HBOs Entourage, playing bumbling film producer Bob Ryan.

In the early golden years of television, Landau told The Times in 1992, no one knew who was in charge yet. There werent that many sets and ad agencies didnt butt in. As time went by, however, television lost its ability to be original, he said. It copycats itself so much. The sense of adventure and risk-taking is much less.

Id worked for the giants at the beginning  George Stevens, Hitchcock, Landau said. And then it all stopped because I was a television actor.

Source: LA Times, ET Online
The message to China is the same as to the rest of the world and that is to follow international norms in lieu of increasing Chinese submarines pushing way in to Indian Ocean.

By Gaurav C Sawant: The F/A-18 super hornet fighter jets line up along the 4.5-acre flight deck of the 98,000-tonne displacement US navy aircraft carrier USS Nimitz in the Bay of Bengal.

The ship is sailing about a hundred nautical miles off the coast of Chennai. One after the other, a dozen aircraft are catapulted into the sky in under two minutes each. The aim is to dominate the skies as the P-8 A and P 8 I Poseidon aircraft of the US and Indian navies carry out long-range maritime reconnaissance and antisubmarine warfare operations to dominate the seas. 21 ships, including two submarines and over 100 aircraft and helicopters of the US, Japan and Indian navies are currently carrying out the most complex naval exercise in the Bay of Bengal in an aim to hunt down enemy submarines.

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"This is the most complex exercise undertaken by the three navies together. INS Vikramaditya, India's aircraft carrier with its MiG-29 K aircraft and P 8 I reconnaissance aircraft are participating in this exercise for the first time. The Japanese maritime defence force has also sent its most potent weapon platform JS Izumo with nine anti-submarine warfare helicopters for the first time.

EXERCISE A MESSAGE TO BELLIGERENT CHINA

"The US Navy has this aircraft carrier, LA class submarine, destroyers and cruisers, fighter aircraft, helicopters and P 8 A for joint submarine hunting and sea domination exercise,'' says a top officer participating as an observer.

Though on record officers of the three countries insist the operations are all about interoperability and jointmanship to work together from humanitarian aid disaster relief to anti-piracy, scratch beneath the surface they admit the exercise is an attempt to send out a signal to an increasingly belligerent China.

The aim is to checkmate China. "The exercise is designed to advance military to military coordination and capacity to plan and execute tactical operations in multinational environment. There is a live firing gunnery exercises, helicopter cross deck operations and anti submarine warfare,'' says Rear Admiral William Byrne, Commander of the US Carrier Strike Group.

CHINESE SUBMARINES LURKING IN INDIAN OCEAN

The message, to China, he insists is the same as to the rest of the world and that is to follow international norms. The Indian Navy is in the market hunting for anti-submarine warfare helicopters and on display are the capabilities of the MH 60 R ASW helicopters.

The Chinese navy submarines are increasingly lurking in the Indian ocean region. "We need better technology and more platforms to keep up with the Dragon's every increasing footprint. This exercise is a step in the right direction,'' he adds. As the navies refine their interoperability, the message is not lost. Today the three powerful maritime forces are operating in the Indian ocean region. Tomorrow, if required the three navies along with their allies can also operate across the high seas - from north Arabian Sea to the South China sea.

Also read: Chinese media sees India-United States-Japan Malabar exercise as security threat

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Also read: Malabar Exercise: India, US, Japan to focus on anti-submarine warfare

Also read: India to develop missiles that can hit all of China even from southern bases

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Juan Barrera* fled El Salvador alone when he was just 16. It was 1990 and, like thousands of others, the civil war forced him from his home. Juan bounced around Central America for years, scraping by until an uncle told him of a haven of peace just across the Guatemalan border in the small English-speaking country of Belize.

He found the village, scraped together enough money for a plot of land and began subsistence farming. Nearly 30 years later, he makes a comfortable living, growing cabbages, cucumbers, tomatoes and more to sell in the Belizean capital, Belmopan. One of his sons has gone to university and a daughter is on her way there.

Juan is one of hundreds of Central American refugees who found sanctuary in the aptly named Valley of Peace and he is hoping to pass the help and encouragement he found on to a new generation of refugees.

On a sweltering afternoon, he kneels over a beat-up motorcycle with Benjamin and Carlos Menendez, two teenage brothers from El Salvador who live next door with their mother and four other brothers. Barrera told the boys they could use the bike if they fixed it.

He met the Menendez in 2016 after the family of 10 fled a new wave of violence sweeping through their Central American homeland and he saw himself in the familys six young sons.

The first thought you have is Weve lived through that, says Barrera, now 50. You see someone like that and you just want to help.

Before the troubles that drove them to flee to Belize, the Menendez family was happy in El Salvador. Their father, Roberto, had a successful career in the army before retiring and becoming a salesman in their home town. The mother, Juana, spent her days in the family bakery. Then it all came crashing down.

You see someone like that and you just want to help.

In the northern part of Central America, murderous street gangs such as MS-13 and Barrio 18 commit crimes ranging from murder and extortion to kidnapping and drug dealing. They force young men to join their ranks and recruit young women for sex.

Each of the six Menendez sons faced harassment and threats from the gangsters. They all resisted, even when that meant they could barely leave home. Every time they did leave, Juana worried that one of them would not return.

One day, Juan Roberto, 10, witnessed gangsters fleeing shortly after they carried out a kidnapping, and told his parents. That turned the family into a target. On top of that, father Roberto had refused to pay the so called war tax demanded by the gang. Since he was a former military officer, the gang labelled him an enemy.

Just days later, several gangsters came for Roberto. He was given an ultimatum: come out peacefully and we will finish you off or we will start killing your sons one by one. He chose to shield his family and was found dead by police later that day, shot several times and hacked with a machete.

Juan Barrera* (left) fled a civil war in El Salvador in the 1980s and found sanctuary in Belize. Now he helps the Menendez* family, giving jobs to some of them in his vegetable fields. * Names changed for protection reasons  UNHCR/Daniele Volpe

Two of Juana's sons do casual work harvesting cabbages on a farm in Belize. They do not have either refugee status or permits allowing them to work.  UNHCR/Daniele Volpe

Members of the Menendez family, who hope to be recognized as refugees by the Belizean authorities.  UNHCR/Daniele Volpe

Ulises Menendez, 15, and his 11-year-old brother Juan Roberto on their way to school in the Valley of Peace.  UNHCR/Daniele Volpe

A UNHCR Protection Officer visits the Menendez family in Valley of Peace, Belize.  UNHCR/Daniele Volpe

Overwhelmed by grief and fear, the family left town the same day. They rented a house in another neighbourhood and lay low for nearly a month. Young Juan Roberto blamed himself for his fathers death, saying over and over, God is cruel.

A bureaucratic snarl-up meant they were unable to withdraw their fathers pension money and they were left destitute. It was then that a cousin suggested starting over in Belize and Juana and her six sons, plus the wives of the two eldest and one grandchild, moved to Happy Valley.

The community was founded in March 1982 by George Price, Belizes prime minister at the time, as a haven for refugees fleeing the civil wars that then plagued the region, especially El Salvador.

The children of refugees are now doctors, policemen, engineers or, like me, a teacher.

It initially took a few dozen families, who began cutting back the thick jungle for farmland. They received international funding implemented by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and its partners. Today, more than 600 families live in the village, says Jose Amilcar Amaya, a teacher and unofficial historian of the area.

In this town, we are proud Belizeans but we are also refugees, says Amaya, who came here with his family in 1982. The children of refugees are now doctors, policemen, engineers or, like me, a teacher.

Valley of Peace is a wonderful example of refugee success stories, says Andreas Wissner, UNHCRs head of office in Belize. It also shows how to welcome new refugees fleeing violence in the North of Central America.

The Menendez family has felt this embrace.

I didnt think wed ever find a place of peace again, says mother Juana, as chickens donated by neighbours chirp at her feet. We knew if we stayed in El Salvador, the gang would have killed us all.

Financial support from UNHCR helped the family pay rent and buy food in their first months in Valley of Peace. They have also received support with their asylum applications from UNHCR and its implementing partner, Help For Progress.

Juan Barrera rents his second home to the Menendez family for a fraction of its value.

We just hope to get our papers, find good work and then have enough money for our own land and a house."

As part of an agricultural collective, Barrera has helped the Menendez family get a small plot of land, where they plant corn and beans, which keeps them fed.

Neighbours in Valley of Peace know the Menendez boys as hard workers and they are often called upon for odd jobs.

When theres work, you can make a good living here, says 24-year-old Alfredo, the eldest. On a good week, he and his brothers can earn up to US$90 each. In slower months, they only earn US$30 per week.

In Valley of Peace, Juanas youngest sons Juan Roberto and Ulises ride a bike to and from school, where they learn in English and Spanish and gradually integrate into this bilingual community, where English and Spanish are spoken. Juana no longer worries about her boys being alone on the streets.

However, things are not perfect. All of the Menendez brothers work without authorization since the Belizean government has yet to approve a single asylum application in recent years. Two of the brothers missed the governments strict two-week deadline after entering the country to apply for asylum and are in limbo.

We just hope to get our papers, find good work and then have enough money for our own land and a house, says mother Juana.

And her sons have a dream of their own: they want to help Juana get back to work again, doing what she loved.

We want to earn enough to help her open her bakery again, says Alfredo. She has been strong for all of us so we want to do something for her.

*The names of Salvadoran refugees have been changed for protection reasons.
By PTI: Mumbai, Jul 17 (PTI) The Malaysian government has evinced interest in developing the Mumbai-Nagpur expressway, Maharashtra Public Works Department Minister Eknath Shinde said today.

A delegation from Malaysia called on Shinde and discussed the intricacies of the 700km road project that will connect two key cities of Maharashtra.

"India and Malaysia have a long-standing relation. Malaysia has taken part in various development projects in the country and has used its advanced technology to develop roads, flyovers and subways," Shinde said.

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He was speaking to reporters at Mantralaya after meeting the visiting delegation.

Shinde said the Malaysian government is keen to be part of the venture and the state appreciated their cooperation. "We would also like to work with them not only on this project, but more such projects."

The project, a brainchild of the BJP-led Fadnavis government, seeks to transform the economy of drought-prone Vidarbha and Marathwada, the regions through which a major portion of the expressway will be constructed.

Officially called the Nagpur Mumbai Super Communication Expressway (NMSCE), the project will pass through Nagpur, Buldhana, Amravati, Wardha, Washim, Thane, Aurangabad, Akola and Nashik districts.

Land acquisition process for the project has already started.

Shinde was present at two events in Nagpur and Thane last week where farmers signed land sale deeds with the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) for the venture, which is also called `samruddhi mahamarg (prosperity expressway). PTI MM RSY

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By Manogya Loiwal : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has launched an all out war against the central government asking her legislators to do the same

"We know how to run a government. The Central government is behaving strangely. We are also in majority and we know how to run a government. We are in support of Opposition candidate Meira Kumar because this is a fight of ideologies and we will vote for the same. This was also a vote in protest of ideologies. There are a lot of regional parties which are supporting the BJP. We request them to stay away from them. It will be beneficial for them because by doing this they will stand by the people."

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She goes on to say, "We are victims of this politics. West Bengal is gateway to north east. If chicken neck area is compromised, Sikkim and Darjeeling are just next to each other. Central government has spoiled relations with all neighbouring countries and we are the biggest sufferers as we share border with them. China is interfering and we are suffering." She also blamed the Centre for inaction, "Hindu Vahini is giving training in Assam of how to operate guns. VHP is backing it and so are central agencies. Why is the NIA not investigating it. Hundreds of chinese school are opening near border. BSF and SSB are mute spectators? No action is being taken. Why? They cannot gain from riots and order CBI investigation against. We will rise high and stand by what we have said and done."

Claiming that no other party apart from the Trinamool Congress has the ability to taken on the BJP, Banerjee said, "BJP will use and throw these political parties which are supporting them now. TMC will be aggressive and we will raise the issue of gau rakshaks, riots, they should deal with their people and control them. The country is going back in all aspects. Why is the BJP silent on these issues. We are happy to go to jail. We are lions' cubs, we will fight it out and continue to roar."

Also Read

Mamata Banerjee has made fool of people, why should I apologise: Roopa Ganguly on rape remark

China flexing muscle? Frontline combat brigade holds 'live fire drills' in Tibet

--- ENDS ---
Published: July 17, 2017

Its All Greek to UT Senior

While Derrick Simms 18 speaks French and Polish, he can now add novice Greek to his credentials.



Simms, an international business/management major with a minor in French, spent the first part of the summer studying psychology and Greek history at the American College of Greece in Athens. It was the friendships he made and the empowering nature of traveling on his own that he said made the greatest impacts.



The opportunity that I was given to travel to Greece exceeded my every expectation, Simms said. Everything from the basic classwork, cultural food and excursions, and diverse group of students I shared this journey with.



Simms is studying abroad with the help of the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program.



The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program aims to support a diverse range of students who have been traditionally under-represented in education abroad, including students with diverse ethnic backgrounds, said Marca Bear, associate dean of international programs. It is a competitive and highly selective program that offers grants for U.S. undergraduate students, encouraging students to choose non-traditional study and intern abroad destinations.



All recipients carry out a Follow-on Service Project that promotes international education and the Gilman Scholarship Program at the students' home institution or in their home community. Simms wants to start a disability awareness club to give others confidence to reach their goals. If I can travel outside the United States alone to gain globalization skills and knowledge even though I am severely epileptic, so can you, Simms wrote in his service project proposal.



I would say that being able to go abroad alone with my condition, yet still having an unbelievably incredible time, gave me the greatest confidence to follow through on my goals and aspirations, said Simms, explaining he had a seizure on the plane ride there, multiple times during class and on a ferry ride three hours away from land.



No matter what, Im always going to be epileptic and have seizures. Theres no changing that, Simms said. However, studying abroad impacted my confidence by allowing me to prove to myself that I can achieve anything, anywhere, even while being epileptic.



Simms, who is also earning a certificate in international studies and is in the Honors Program, has traveled several times to France (where his grandfather was born), as well as Monaco, Canada and the Bahamas, where his father was born. Once he finishes his undergraduate work, Simms plans to earn his masters in finance at UT and then work abroad in international banking.



A lot of people assume what could be going on outside U.S. borders, but you never really know whats happening until you go and see it with your own eyes, Simms said. You can hear stories, but until you actually experience it, until you actually feel the reality of it, until you travel you dont know that these things ever existed.





Have a story idea? Contact Jamie Pilarczyk, Web Writer

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UWs Ogden Named Senior Scientist to National Water Center

Fred Ogden, a UW professor in the Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering, instructs Ph.D. students from around the country how to set up and operate a rainfall simulator system at the National Water Center recently. During the 2017-18 year, Ogden will serve as senior scientist at the National Water Center in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (Fred Ogden Photo)

Two years ago, Fred Ogden took a sabbatical to conduct hydrology research at the National Water Center in Tuscaloosa, Ala. He received research and development funding in exchange for the center harnessing the University of Wyoming researchers water management model.

For the 2017-18 academic year, Ogden will again work at the center, with the title of senior scientist. Ogden, a professor in the Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering, will be on unpaid leave from UW.

I will advise and guide them on water model research development, training and education. They (National Water Center) are paying my salary, says Ogden, who is UWs Cline Endowed Chair of Engineering, Environment and Natural Resources. Its a great opportunity for a faculty member to go do something different and participate in an effort that will benefit the nation.

The water center -- affiliated with the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Weather Service -- has used portions of the ADHydro Model developed by Ogdens research group at UW. ADHydro is a quasi-3-D, large watershed simulator. The model was developed for computer operations on massive parallel computing hardware to efficiently simulate large managed watersheds. ADHydro development was funded by the National Science Foundation and Wyomings Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR).

Ogdens model is compatible with the WRF-Hydro model but provides higher resolution that will improve flood forecast modeling as storms move across the country. Unlike many other models, ADHydro includes water management capabilities.

That is important to the water center, because it is running a water model over the entire U.S. and is looking for ways to improve it through Ogdens expertise and knowledge.

Ogden, who is working with a team of roughly 100 people, surmises his senior scientist appointment came as a result of showing the water center what he and his associates were able do with the water model -- and the relationships Ogden established during his sabbatical year at the water center.

As part of an innovators program at the water center, Ogden recently worked with Ph.D. students -- in the areas of civil engineering, environmental science, geography and communications -- from around the country. Ogden instructed them on how his rainfall simulator system works, and he worked with them on high-resolution hydrological modeling with an emphasis on how to get the right information to first responders in the event of a flood.

The thinking for this summer innovation program is that we want to offer a real-world opportunity. These kids doing research will bring their ideas, Ogden says. We can benefit from these ideas and, perhaps, we can identify people we can hire in the future. It also gives their faculty advisers knowledge of the needs of the National Weather Service. If they have the technology or tools we should be using, they can let us know.
By PTI: New Delhi, Jul 17 (PTI) A Kolkata-bound passenger was today apprehended at the Delhi airport for allegedly carrying a live bullet in his baggage, officials said.

A CISF officer, deputed at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) to scan the baggage of commuters, detected a bullet-like object on the x-ray monitor around 1.10 AM, they said.

The live bullet of .8mm calibre was recovered from the bag that belonged to the passenger identified as Ankush Kumar, officials said.

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Carrying arms and ammunition is banned inside the airport and aircraft.

"Kumar was handed over to the police as he did not have valid documents for possessing ammunition," they said. PTI NES DIP BDS DIP

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--- Two have been seriously hurt after their pickup truck collided with a train near Bemidji, Minnesota.

The Beltrami County Sheriff's dispatch center received information from an ONSTAR on Sunday, July 16th at 2:10 p.m.

When officers arrived on scene, the female driver, 73-year-old Janice Callahan was traveling northbound on Centerline Road when she entered the railroad crossing. The crossing is only controlled by a stop sign for north bound traffic.

Callahan was airlifted from the scene to North Memorial Hospital with life threatening injuries.

The passenger, 74-year-old Thomas Burke was transported by ambulance to Sanford Hospital's Emergency Department.

BNSF train engineer Steven Burris was not hurt during the collision.

Alcohol was determined to not be a factor in the crash.
The audio of Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar says that jihadis now do not require any mastermind, instigation or training as they are 'self motivated'.

In the audio, he highlighted that now there is no need of bombs, bullets, guns, grenade, launchers or training in this 'fight for jihad'.

By Shashank Shekhar, Arvind Ojha: Banned terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) is instigating Muslims by raising issues such as Narendra Modi's visit to Israel, lynching of Muslim youths, apart from the Kashmir issue, to target the Prime Minister and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

In two separate audio messages, the outfit has threatened attacks from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and calls chemicals, medicines and petroleum their latest weapons.

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Security agencies are on their toes after the two audio messages surfaced this week. The messages are in the name of 'Saadi', a pen name used by JeM chief Masood Azhar.

The messages are written by Azhar himself and the audio is recorded by one of his associates identified as Talah, the man behind Pathankot attack, claims security agencies. What has left security forces in a tizzy is that soon after the release of the video, an attack was carried out on Amarnath pilgrims in which seven people were killed. Also, a packet of white powder was discovered inside the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, which was found to be Pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN), a plastic explosive that is the most dangerous of its kind.

JEM'S NEW WEAPONS

The terror outfit also revealed plans of attacks through vehicles, electricity, petrol, fertilizer, sand and medicines. Azhar, also the mastermind of the Parliament attack, called for the use of 'new weapons for war' instead of traditional ones such as guns, grenades and bullets.

In the audio, he highlighted that now there is no need of bombs, bullets, guns, grenade, launchers or training in this 'fight for jihad'. He further indicates a new style of attacks with use of props such as vehicles, electricity, petrol, fertilizer and more significantly, medicines. The audio also says that jihadis now do not require any mastermind, instigation or training as they are 'self motivated'.

MODI, YOGI ON TARGET RADAR?

It is to be mentioned here that the chemical substance found in the UP Assembly building (PETN) also has medicinal uses and is often used in the treatment of certain heart conditions such as angina pectoris. Medicines such as Lentonitrat contains maximum amount of PETN and its variables are available in the market. The audios, copies of which are available with Mail Today, have also been acknowledged by security agencies.

Modi and Yogi's names have been taken multiple times in the messages. Azhar expressed anger at Modi's visit to Israel and called for action against Jews and Hindus whom he called his 'first enemies'. He also blamed the government and Hindus for the recent lynching of a Muslim youth in Haryana on a train. Security forces on Saturday gunned down three JeM terrorists in Tral area of Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district. The killing of the terrorists is a major setback for the outfit which is trying to revive its activities.

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Also read: My son was lynched by his Muslim friends: Mother of 14-year-old cries for justice

Also read: Ayub Pandith lynching: Jammu and Kashmir cop was stripped, dragged and beaten with rod

Also watch: Are we vigilant enough to save tenets of country? Asks President Mukherjee over lynching fever

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Xian city, a delegation from Vietnam visited emperor Qin Shi Huang's tomb guarded by the famous terracotta army

It has been an amazing trip to Chinas Xian city as we have had a big chance to admire the world-famous Emperor Qin Shi Huangs terracotta army, which is home to thousands of clay-baked warriors, horses, and chariots used to protect the emperors eternal rest.

A group of Vietnamese journalists begin the trip at 8.30 AM to go through 35 kilometres within a one-hour traffic jam from the citys centre to get the site, now a gigantic museum attracting thousands of visitors to China.

Here we are told that Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of a unified China who ruled from 246 BC to 210 BC, managed to build magnificent and enormous construction works during his 35-year reign.

The emperor ordered the construction of a gargantuan tomb for himself. Plans for the tomb included unimaginable things, such as flowing rivers of mercury, which was associated with immortality, and an army to protect him, cross-bow traps to spoil would-be plunderers, and replicas of Huangs earthly palaces.

A kneeling archer whose bow has been eaten away by the ravages of time

The terracotta army

The tourist guide tells us that in 1974 when a group of peasants was digging a well, they unearthed fragments of life-sized terra cotta warriors made in the Qin Dynasty (221BC-206BC) entirely by accident. Before the pits were discovered, people in modern times used to build tombs on top of the pits.

The great excavation, which has been a massive undertaking, revealed that a terracotta army of at least 8,000 clay-baked soldiers, terracotta horses, along with many real chariots and weapons had been placed within the tomb. Over 2,200 years old, they were aimed to guard the emperor in the afterworld.

Surprisingly, each soldier was modeled after an actual person, with unique facial features, although the bodies and limbs were seemingly mass-produced from molds. Many have questioned whether the soldiers were modeled after real warriors or whether they were made from a production line with random individual details, such as hairstyle, added to mark them apart.

The museum, beginning to open to the public in 1979, includes many works worth seeing, with three pits housing ancient warriors, horses, and objects.

Pit 1 houses 6,000 unique terracotta soldiers in war formation

Pit 1, excavated in 1974 when the local farmers were drilling a well, covers an area of 14,260 square metres. It has an oblong shape with chariots and ranks of 6,000 soldiers arranged in a war formation, which reflects a vivid display of Emperor Qin Shi Huangs well-disciplined army.

The emperor's terracotta guardians have been standing in formation for more than 2,200 years

Pit 2 is the most spectacular among the three pits. It has 1,400 figures of cavalrymen, horses and infantrymen, along with 19 wooden chariots.

Meanwhile, Pit 3 is a concave structure covering an area of 520 square metres. Since there is no combat formation in Pit 3, but only 68 warriors and one chariot, archeology experts speculate that it is very likely the command post for the entire army.

It is reported that construction of the burial mound began as soon as Qin Shi Huang ascended the throne, and involved hundreds of thousands of artisans and labourers.

A high-ranking officer riding a chariot

The mausoleum

As he entered middle age, the emperor grew increasingly afraid of death and obsessed with finding the elixir of life, which he believed would enable him to live forever. It was said that the court doctors and alchemists concocted medicines, some containing quicksilver or mercury, especially for him. However, the substance was believed to be the very cause of his early death.

The emperor himself is buried under an enormous pyramid-shaped mound that stands some distance from the excavated clay-baked soldiers. It is reported that the central tomb contains treasures and wondrous objects, including the rivers of pure mercury. Soil testing nearby revealed elevated levels of mercury, so there may be some truth to this legend.

Legend also records that the central tomb is booby-trapped to scare away looters, and that Qin Shi Huang himself placed a powerful curse on any one who dared to invade his final resting place.

Currently the central tomb has yet to be opened to the public.
Accordingly, Vietnam Airlines would not run four flights between Hanoi/Ho Chi Minh City and Vinh city in Nghe An province  VN1714, VN1715, VN1268 and VNA1269.

Jetstar Pacific said it would cancel four flights between Ho Chi Minh City and the two central cities of Vinh (Nghe An) and Dong Hoi (Quang Binh). They are coded BL524, BL525, BL350 and BL351.

Two Vasco-operated flights between Hanoi and Dong Hoi, 0V8590 and 0V8591, would not depart on the day.

Representatives from these airlines said if there are seats available, affected passengers can switch to flights on the same routes taking off the next day free of charge.

They recommended passengers who plan to fly to and from Noi Bai, Cat Bi, Tho Xuan, Vinh, Dong Hoi, Phu Bai and Da Nang airports in the current period to keep updating weather forecast and information on their flights.
Fire crews equipped with planes and helicopters in the US state of California were making steady progress against 11 active blazes fueled by searing temperatures and high winds. (Photo: AFP/Josh Edelson)

The inferno's progress prompted authorities to take new emergency measures, ordering the evacuation of 24,000 people in the region including the town of Williams Lake which is home to some 11,000 people, reported public broadcaster CBC.

Some 60 per cent of affected residents have already left their homes.

The province's transport minister, Todd Stone, told a news conference Sunday that between 36,000 and 37,000 people have so far been forced from their homes since the wild fires sparked by hot dry weather prompted a state of emergency to be declared on Jul 7.

Local authorities said there were currently 162 wildfires active as of Sunday, including around 15 that posed a threat to residential areas. Some 3,000 firefighters, including 415 sent in from surrounding provinces, were battling the flames.

A firefighting helicopter crashed in the region on Saturday, and its pilot - who was alone on board - was being treated in hospital.

Further to the south, fire crews equipped with aircraft in the US state of California were making steady progress against 11 active blazes fuelled by searing temperatures and high winds.

"Great news! All evacuation warnings for the #AlamoFire have been lifted. There is fire equipment still in the area working - use caution," the official account for Cal Fire tweeted.

The Whittier fire, which began on Jul 8 and stretched across 18,015 acres and has burned down almost 2,000 structures was 36 per cent contained, according to the agency.
CVI Pharma chairman Phan Van Hieu

In early July, CVI Pharma got a licence to develop a factory in Hoa Lac High-Tech Park (HHTP). The facility valued at nearly VND300 billion ($13.6 million) will have an area of 1.1 hectares.

"This is CVI Pharma's first wholly-invested plant that will deal with all steps of the production of cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. Once put into operation in 2018, the factory will standardise technical barriers, helping the firm to better meet the demands of its target market," Phan Van Hieu, chairman of CVI Pharma, told VIR.

"2017 will mark a milestone for CVI Pharma in the years to come, as Daiwa-SSI has decided to acquire 20 per cent of the company. The Japanese fund will help us connect with potential Japanese and Taiwanese partners, thus enabling us to approach new technologies and export products to these markets," he added.

Established in 2013, when the local pharmaceutical market was already dominated by large-scale Vietnamese pharmaceuticals, such as Traphaco (TRA), Domesco (DMC), and DHG Pharma (DHG), thanks to their strong distribution networks and brand names, CVI Pharma has decided to focus on niche markets to establish itself in the highly competitive market.

"In our product strategies, we avoid market segments where the giants are holding the majority stakes. For example, in the over-the-counter (OTC) market, there are five market segments with revenue of over VND1 trillion," he added

CVI Pharma has been focusing on new high-tech applications to increasing the value of its herbal products. Extraction and nano technology were named in the prioritised development list in the high-tech industry approved by the prime minister.

Currently, CVI Pharma's domestic partner in production is Mediplantex. The firms have recently inaugurated a new factory in Quang Minh Industrial Park in Hanoi, which has the most modern South Korean technology-equipped capsule production assembly lines with a capacity of 1.2 million capsules a day.

This year, CVI pharma will continue to cooperate with research and development centres and institutes, as well as senior scientists to study a set of standards for CVI Pharma products to meet international standards, thus enabling it to penetrate markets like Japan, South Korea, China, and Taiwan as well as others in Southeast Asia.

"We will continue to focus on the OTC market in the future. At present, we have a distribution network spanning 63 cities and provinces with a portfolio of 12 products, including six key products, like Nano Curcumin," he said.

With an annual growth rate of 30-50 per cent, CVI Pharma has nearly 9,000 drugstores as regular customers. It plans to introduce two new products to the market in the first quarter of 2018.

CVI Pharma made VND150 billion ($6.8 million) in revenue in 2016 and the firm aims to double the figure to VND300 billion ($13.6 million) in 2017.

"We plan to launch an initial public offering (IPO) in the next three-to-four years and then list in the stock market. We aim to become one of the top ten drug producers in Vietnam in the next five years, with revenue of VND1 trillion ($45.45 million)," Hieu noted.
Many Dutch firms told Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc that they are willing to expand investment in Vietnam - photo VNA

During his July 9-11 visit to the Netherlands, Vietnams Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc met with many Dutch firms and investors who said the country is one of the most dynamic and fast-developing economies in Asia, with great potential for financial investment.

They expressed their wish to participate in Vietnams sectors of state-owned enterprise (SOE) equitisation, energy, climate change adaptation, and micro-finance.

The investors and firms include globally-famous investment equity management funds like Actiam N.V, Shell Pension, Orbit Asset Management, Pacific Spring, and Obam, as well as firms like NACO, Damen, Puma Energy, Vamed, and hundreds of others.

Arnold Bon, representative from Orbit Asset Management, said Orbit has invested in Vietnams financial market via VinaCapital, and will continue expanding its operations in Vietnam via co-operation with partnering organisations, individuals, and enterprises.

Tony Chan, co-founder of Pacific Spring, which specialises in supporting Asian investment funds to approach European partners, said that Pacific Spring wants to invest in Vietnam in the time to come  and like other firms, it hopes to receive support from Vietnams government.

Obams representative Erwin van Zuidam said that Obam is a long-term investor seeking well-performing firms with a sustainable business model in Vietnam, which it feels is an emerging market.

Actiam N.Vs general director Hans van Houwelingen and Shell Pension Funds investment consultant Jeroen Kakebeeke said their funds stand ready to pour a great deal of capital into the Vietnamese market, whose consumption and production are strongly rising.

Actiam N.V has $54.6 billion worth of assets and provides services about investment portfolio management and consultancy for individuals, organisations, and firms globally.

Meanwhile, the Shell Pension Fund, managed by Shell Group, has an asset volume of $35 billion, $27 billion of which comes from other funds from the UK, the Netherlands, and the US.

According to Dutch Deputy Prime Minister Lodewijck Asscher, Vietnam is seen by Dutch firms and investors as a huge consumption market with its population of 93 million people, fast-developing economy, and stable political climate.

Many other Dutch firms are also seeking to invest in projects in Vietnam.

Damen, a Netherlands-based global leader in shipbuilding, is seeking to complete its acquisition of a 70 per cent stake in Song Cam Shipbuilding JSC, the most profitable shipyard in Vietnam. The stake sale is still under governmental consideration.

Government-level co-operation deals inked: - Memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the two governments and the World Bank Group on co-operation in food safety management in Vietnam. - Letter of intent between the two governments on co-operation in facilitating and implementing large-scale sustainable projects for the Mekong Delta. - MoU between Vietnams Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation on co-operation within the context of the Development Related Infrastructure Investment Vehicle programme. - Agreement between the Vietnam Coast Guard and the Netherlands Damen Shipyards Gorinchem on building six multipurpose offshore patrol vessels for the Vietnam Coast Guard.

Phuc asked Damen to expand its investment in Vietnam, and to soon decide on its investment in some shipbuilding firms in the country.

Puma Energy, whose asphalt factories have been operating in Vietnam for the past 20 years, already considers Vietnam a strategic market in Southeast Asia. It recently decided to participate in the equitisation of some Vietnamese SOEs, and expressed its desire to engage in that of Vietnams PV Oil. Phuc also suggested the firm co-operate with oil refineries in Vietnam.

NACO, one of the worlds leading airport consultancies, also wants to seek business opportunities in Vietnam, where a number of large airports are being developed.

Currently NACO is co-operating with Vietnam Aviation Agency by providing consulting on the upgrade and construction of new airports in the country. NACO particularly wishes to co-operate with the government to deploy an airport-based city model in Vietnam.

In calling upon Dutch firms to invest in Vietnam, the PM stressed, Vietnam is creating the best conditions for all foreign private investment funds.

He said that now is the best time for the Dutch to invest in Vietnam, where the stock and financial markets are flourishing. Many SOEs have and will be radically equitised, including big groups operating in the sectors of transport, airports, expressways, seaports, electricity, telecommunications, agriculture, and tourism. Vietnam has committed to removing barriers in many sectors, especially telecommunications, finance, and banking, whose foreign ownership limits have been and will continue to be lifted.

During Phucs visit to the Netherlands, 11 co-operation deals worth about $700 million were inked by enterprises from both nations. For example, Vinalines and Hollands STC Group clinched a deal on training co-operation, while Xuan Thanh Group and BS Bull signed a co-operative agreement on climate change consultancy, agriculture, and renewable energy development.

As of June 20, 2017, the Dutch had 292 valid investment projects in Vietnam, registered at $7.97 billion, according to Vietnams Ministry of Planning and Investment.
Vinatexs (the Vietnam Textile & Garment Group) CEO Le Tien Truong has said that the current production capacity of the textile & garment industry has exceeded the US$35 billion per annum threshold.

The small scale of the domestic market is not the alternative market for Vietnamese garment companies to target when exports fall, he said.



Vinatex said that 2016 was a tough year for the industry as the demand from the largest export markets declined. The exports to the US decreased by 3.4%, Japan 2.6% and the Republic of Korea 2.1%.



The domestic garment market, as shown by VIRAC, a market analysis firm, has small scale compared with other markets because of low spending per capita in Vietnam.



Vietnamese garment companies will have to face two big problems at home  the presence of counterfeit goods and products imported across the border gates; and the low capability of enterprises in distribution, design and branding.



VIRAC named well-known Vietnamese brands such as Viet Tien, Nha Be, May 10, PT 2000 and Ninomaxx, while saying that the number is modest compared with the presence of thousands of companies in the textile & garment industry.



A report from Vinatex showed that in rural areas, Vietnams textile & garment products have to compete with imported products with no clear origin, while in urban areas, they have to compete with imports from the US, UK and ASEAN.



While Vietnamese enterprises are reluctant to develop the domestic market, foreign retailers and fashion brands all highly appreciate the market.



Maison, for example, has been bringing mid- and high-end fashion brands to Vietnam with the number of brands on the increase year after year, despite the ups and downs in the market.



To date, Maison has been distributing products of 21 brands, including Christian Louboutin, Karen Millen, Coast, Max&Co, Max Mara, Oasis, Predo, Charles & Keith and NYS, and owns 44 shops in Vietnam.



Son Kim Fashion, following the success with the brands of Jockey, Vera, Wow, J.Bus, has joined forces with two Japanese investors Williamson-Dickie and Sumitex International to bring the US Dickies brand to Vietnam.



Japanese Uniqlo with 2,000 shops worldwide is preparing to open two shops in Vietnam this year. Meanwhile, sources said Forever 21 would be present in Vietnam next year.
It was 1978. Twenty-five-year-old Nand Kishore Chaudhary, a commerce graduate, found running his family's company, Bharat Boot House, too boring to be endured. Instead, in 1978, with just Rs 5,000 as starting capital, Chaudhary set up a carpet manufacturing unit, beginning with nine weavers. Ignoring the social stigmas about untouchability, he hired many workers from socially disadvantaged backgrounds and working with them, in eight years expanded his manufacturing units beyond Churu to 100 looms and 500 weavers. He was able to do this, he says, because "creativity merges all castes into a creative caste". As business picked up, Chaudhary began to export goods, and in search of more weavers, shifted base to Pardi, in Valsad, Gujarat. He spent nine years there, and brought many women into his workforce. "I broke the rules of our family to send my daughters abroad for higher education, and involved them in my business," says Chaudhary. It paid off; two of his daughters, Asha and Archna, look after his office in Atlanta, dealing with 5,000 retailers. His business has spread to 45 countries and has a turnover of Rs 150 crore. A decision he made to have weavers design and sell their own carpets under a new brand, the Artisan Original Collection brought major design awards. Beyond business, in 2004, he set up the Jaipur Rugs Foundation, for the welfare of weavers.

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Thang, who is also permanent deputy head of the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, asked ministries, agencies and localities to closely watch the movement of the storm and alert vessels to seek shelters or sail out of dangerous areas.



The storm is likely to make landfall from the central province of Thanh Hoa to Ha Tinh on the July 16 evening and July 17 morning, causing downpour in the north and north central regions.



The provinces of Thanh Hoa, Nghe An and Ha Tinh were urged to evacuate residents to higher places and ensure the safety of wharves and tourist areas before 5pm on July 16.



The media must update the latest movement of the storm and popularise skills to respond to the storm as guided by the committee.



According to the National Hydro-meteorological Forecasting Centre, the storm was located nearly 370km east-southeast of Thanh Hoa - Ha Tinh waters at 10am on July 16, with wind speed reaching 75-90km per hour.



In the next 12-24 hours, it will be moving north-northwest at a speed of around 20km per hour. By 10 pm on July 16, the storm will stay in the waters of Thanh Hoa and Ha Tinh provinces.



In the next 24-48 hours, the storm will continue moving in the north-northwest direction at a speed of 15-20km per hour, hitting the mainland of the two central provinces and weakening into a tropical low pressure.



Landslide and inundation are likely to hit the provinces of Lai Chau, Dien Bien, Son La, Hoa Binh, Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Ha Giang, Tuyen Quang, Thai Nguyen, Bac Can, Cao Bang, Lang Son, Quang Ninh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An and Ha Tinh.



Flooding is also forecast in urban areas in Ha Noi, Hai Phong, Thai Binh, Nam Dinh, Hai Duong, Hung Yen, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An and Ha Tinh.
French President Emmanuel Macron called for a resumption of Middle East peace talks when he met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Paris. (Photo: AFP/Stephane Mahe)

Stressing that international law should be "respected by all", Macron said: "I am thinking here of (Israel's) continued building" in occupied Palestinian territory.

Israelis and Palestinians should be able "to live side by side within secure and recognised borders with Jerusalem as the capital", Macron said after his first official talks with Netanyahu.

"I hope everything will be done for negotiations to move forward," he said.

Talks between Israel and the Palestinians have been at a standstill since the failure of US mediation in the spring of 2014.

Macron, elected in May, appears to be following the proactive line taken by his Socialist predecessor Francois Hollande, whose efforts to mobilise the international community on the peace process angered Israel.

The French leader met Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas on Wednesday, when he said he backed a two-state solution and opposed Israeli settlements.

"France has always condemned the continuation of settlement building, which is illegal under international law and has reached an unprecedented level since the beginning of the year," he said in his first public remarks on the conflict since taking office.

The United Nations reported in June that Israel had announced a substantial increase in settlements in the past three months despite a UN resolution demanding a halt to the Jewish outposts.

Earlier on Sunday, Macron and Netanyahu underscored their two countries' longstanding friendship as they marked the 75th anniversary of a notorious 1942 roundup of 13,000 Jews to be sent to Nazi death camps.

Netanyahu was the first Israeli prime minister to attend a Vel d'Hiv commemoration, and he said the invitation was a "very, very strong gesture".

Macron addressed Netanyahu as "dear Bibi" and called "anti-Zionism" a new form of anti-Semitism.

Netanyahu's presence at the event drew fire from some groups, notably the Union of French Jews for Peace, which accused the Israeli government of "usurping the memory of the victims of Nazism to make people believe that Israel represents all the world's Jews".

'VIGILANCE' ON IRAN

During their talks afterwards, Macron assured Netanyahu of his "vigilance" regarding the 2015 nuclear accord reached by Western powers with Israel's arch-enemy Iran.

Netanyahu was a vocal opponent of the deal, which saw sanctions against Iran eased in return for curbs on its nuclear programme.

The French presidency said Sunday's meeting would be an occasion to "signal our lack of complacency towards Iran".

Since taking office, Macron has drawn praise for his balanced but firm handling of encounters with world leaders such as US President Donald Trump and his Russian opposite number Vladimir Putin.

Macron rolled out the red carpet for Trump on Friday when he was guest of honour for France's Bastille Day festivities.

The French leader criticised Trump over his renunciation of the Paris climate accord, but he stressed their close cooperation against the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq.

Similarly with Putin, whom Macron hosted at the sumptuous Versailles palace in May, the French leader stood firm on French opposition to Russia's annexation of Ukraine in 2014.

But he said the removal of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad - Moscow's chief ally in the Middle East - was not a prerequisite to a solution to the six-year-old conflict in Syria.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel waits for the start of the annual 'Summer Interview' with the German broadcasting service ARD in Berlin, Germany on Jul 16, 2017. (Photo source : AP/Michael Sohn)

Cash-rich Germany is also facing pressure from its trading partners to spend more to cut its massive trade surplus, and the issue is feeding into the looming ballot race.

Berlin "must use its money to improve public infrastructure according to binding rules," Social Democratic Party (SPD) candidate Martin Schulz said at a campaign event in the German capital.

Schulz did not call for the lifting of the "debt brake" built into the German constitution at Merkel's behest in 2009, which sets legal limits on deficits in federal and regional budgets.

Berlin has booked budget surpluses in recent years and reduced its debt levels under finance minister Wolfgang Schaeuble.

Merkel insisted her conservative-led governments had "achieved a balanced budgets and massively increased investments at the same time" in an interview with ARD public television later on Sunday.

"We already fix [investments] in many areas in our medium-term spending plans," she said.

German public spending is a hot topic at home and abroad. Trading partners have called on the government to invest more as a way of reducing its massive trade surplus - the amount its exports outweigh its imports.

Countries like France or the United States argue that while Germany is happy to rake in cash from selling its goods abroad, it fails to help other economies by spending at home to contribute to economic growth.

French President Emmanuel Macron said in an interview published Thursday that Germany had to move on investment.

THE GERMAN PROBLEM'

And The Economist magazine labelled trade surpluses "the German problem" on its latest cover.

It accused the country of saving too much and spending too little alongside an image of the imposing German eagle - its wings incorporating a graph of trade statistics.

"The state can't create any illegal deficits - and that's right," Schulz said on Sunday.

But the SPD argues that increasing investment is a matter of "intergenerational fairness", slotting it into a 10-point programme alongside improving social justice and a stronger European Union.

The plan would oblige the state to spend on high-speed internet connections, transport links, renewable energy and education, especially in the country's economically weakest regions.

Rather than increasing the amount of cash available for investment, Merkel told ARD, it was more important to speed up planning processes and reduce the number of avenues for legal challenges to construction projects.

"We are unable to spend the money we have at the moment" because of such problems, Merkel complained.

She reiterated a commitment to spend one-third of budget surpluses on investments in the next parliament.

Schulz, a former president of the European Parliament has a formidable opponent in Merkel.

She has regained a commanding lead in opinion polls after Schulz enjoyed a brief surge that took the SPD within touching distance of the Chancellor earlier this year.
Viettel's Cambodian operations flew past the break-even point and are sending home more than its initial investment capital in profit

Competition heating up

Currently, there are nearly 20 million mobile subscribers in Cambodia, of a 16-million population. Metfone is leading the Cambodian mobile telecommunications market with about 8.9 million subscribers.

The second position belongs to Malaysian brand Smart Mobile (Smart Axiata) with 7.4 million subscribers, then Cellcard of The Royal Group of Cambodia (Cambodias largest diversified conglomerate and holding company with investments in various industries) with 2.4 million subscribers. Qb, Seatel, and Xinwei have the least number of subscribers in Cambodia.

The growth of Smart Axiata was thanks to the acquisition of Hello, another mobile operator in Cambodia, in 2012. The deal was valued at $155 million. In 2016, Smart Axiata announced that it had three million mobile data subscriptions, while Metfone had only 1.6 million.

In 2010, two years after entering the Cambodian market, Metfone became a formidable competitor in Cambodia. Among nine mobile operators sharing 6.3 million subscribers in Cambodia, Metfone held 24.1 per cent of the market with about 1.7 million subscribers.

This year, Cellcard of the Royal Group ranked above Metfone with 37.7 per cent of the market share and Hello (12.8 per cent) and Mfone (9.6 per cent) are closing up. The last positions in this ranking were Star-Cell, Beeline, and Smart Axiata. Each of them held about 4-5 per cent of the market share.

According to Im Vutha, representative of the Telecommunications Regulator of Cambodia, Metfones strength lies in providing phone call services, while Smart Axiata has an advantage in mobile data subscriptions.

The competition among mobile operators in Cambodia is getting more intense as they are coming out with a range of competitive mobile data packs. When Smart Axiata offered a $1 pack for $125 texting within a week, Metfone responded by offering a similar $1 pack for $150 texting. Next, when Smart Axiata increased its pack to $1 for $300 texting, Metfone offered the pack of $1 for unlimited texting.

Cambodian authorities do not set a ceiling or floor price for the mobile market, so mobile operators can freely compete in prices. On one side, this benefits customers, but on the other side, it damages small mobile operators. For example, Mfone declared bankruptcy in 2013.

Huge investment to extent coverage

With the strategy of building the most extensive network with the best possible coverage, at present, Metfone has the largest network in Cambodia, with 20,735 kilometres of optical fibre cables covering all the districts and 98 per cent of communes in Cambodia. There are 9,014 2G, 3G, and 4G base transceiver stations (BTS) all over the country.

In addition, Metfone is the only mobile operator in Cambodia to use Metro Ethernet Full-MPLS, one of the most innovative transmission technologies in the world. This technology helps Metfone provide nearly entire cities and provinces with network coverage. Since the introduction of 4G technology in the middle of 2016, Metfone has signed with more than 400,000 4G subscribers in this market.

Moreover, Metfones strategy is aimed at bringing information technology and telecommunications to every person, every family, and every corner of social life, so it has a huge number of customers, including those in the most remote areas.

Vu Minh Thanh, director of Metfone in Siem Reap (a province in northwest Cambodia), said, Other mobile operators may sell their products through their agencies and distributors, but Metfone directly offers products and services to customers. This means that Metfones salesmen travel to each selling point, including those in remote areas, to reach the target sales volume in each area."

Thanks to this strategy, as of the end of June 2016, the subscribers of Siem Reap branch of Metfone increased by 26,000, a 10 per cent growth compared to the same period in 2015.

Social responsibility

With the business philosophy of business development hand-in-hand with social responsibility, Metfone has made a lot of important contributions to improve living standards in Cambodia, with the aim of building a better life for Cambodian people.

In particular, Metfone supported the Cambodian government to set up e-government services and the royal army to build a private mobile network. As of the end of 2016, Metfone paid an accumulated tax of nearly $400 million to the Cambodian government.

Meanwhile, it invested $5 million in the internet system for schools and took part in a plenty of social activities. In addition, Metfone has brought more than 3,000 job opportunities so that Cambodian people can have stable incomes, which helps to stabilise social security.
The priest, of course, is Antonio Vivaldi, composer of the ever-popular The Four Seasons, the work we will hear on July 19.

The Latvian is Peteris Vasks, and his work will be his violin concerto Distant Light which won the Latvian Grand Music Award for 1997.

Seeing that The Four Seasons is a set of four concertos for violin and string orchestra, and that Distant Light is also a violin concerto for violin and string orchestra, the two make an admirable pairing.

Most important of all, perhaps, is that all five concertos will be played with violinist Stephane Tran Ngoc as soloist. And the importance of the event as a whole is marked by the evenings conductor being the HBSO Music Director Tran Vuong Thach.

The HBSO rehearsal hall on Saigons Cach Mang Thang Tam has been newly and splendidly refurbished so that it now looks as if it could one day become an additional concert venue.

At a recent rehearsal it was buzzing and tingling with the sounds of Vivaldi, sweet yet astringent, intensely rhythmical and invariably incisive.

Stephane Tran Ngoc was rehearsing the orchestra in The Four Seasons when I arrived, while simultaneously of course playing the solo violin part. He lives in Denmark, he told me, and had already been in Saigon for several days.

After the break, he began work on Distant Light, though in the performance itself he will be the soloist in this work rather than the conductor. He told me the concerto was originally written for the famous violist Gidon Kremer, another Latvian, and that the publishers statistics showed it was performed almost weekly somewhere in the world.

He also said that, though nominally consisting of three movements, the concerto is played as if its in one continuous movement, i.e. without a break.

The sounds of this near-contemporary work were certainly different from those of the Vivaldi. What did the musicians think of it, I wondered. But as the orchestral string players explored its intricacies, it occurred to me that the task of musicians is not so much to evaluate what they are playing as to master its technical challenges. And this the HBSO players were certainly doing.

But Stephane Tran Ngoc remained at the center of attention, and how privileged it felt to be listening to the tones of this master musician on this hot Vietnamese morning. He didnt even take a rest during the break, but went on working, going through passages of the Vivaldi with one of the cellists.

At the end he told me he was thinking of re-positioning the harpsichord so that its light tones in The Four Seasons could more readily be heard by the Opera Houses audience. This seemed right, even though there will only be some 22 musicians, all string players, on stage.

All in all, a stylish performance can be expected on July 19. The show starts at 8 p.m., and tickets are available from VND550,000 to VND200,000, with a special concession of VND80,000 for students.
On the first day of Parliament's Monsoon Session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged all parties to work in the interest of the nation.

By Indo-Asian News Service: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today greeted Opposition members, including Congress President Sonia Gandhi, in the Lok Sabha before the start of proceedings at the beginning of Parliament's monsoon session.

Modi, who came about five minutes before the house proceedings began, walked up to the Opposition benches and greeted leaders who were seated in the front row.

They included former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav, Leader of Congress in the House Mallikarjun Kharge, and Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai, apart from Sonia Gandhi.

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While he shook hands with Gowda, Yadav, Kharge and Thambidurai, he greeted Sonia Gandhi with folded hands. He also spoke to Kharge and Yadav briefly.

Seeing Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi and party leader Jyotiraditya Scindia in the second row, he also greeted them.

Soon after entering the house, Modi greeted the members with folded hands. Lok Janshakti Party member Ramchandra Paswan touched Modi's feet in a gesture of respect.

BJP members stood up when Modi entered the house and took their seats only after he had done so.

Earlier in the day, addressing the media, Modi urged all parties to work in the interest of the nation.

He expressed hope that all the parliamentarians would engage in quality debate during the over three-week long monsoon session in the interest of the nation.

"This monsoon session is very important in many ways as the country will elect its new President," Modi said after arriving at Parliament to cast his vote in the presidential poll.

Modi said: "GST shows the good that can be achieved when all parties come together and work for the nation. The GST spirit is about growing stronger together. I hope the same GST spirit prevails in the session."

He said like monsoon brings hope, "this session also brings same spirit of hope".

Also Read: Race to Raisina: It's BJP's Ram Nath Kovind vs Opposition's Meira Kumar today

ALSO WATCH | Is India headed for another stormy session of Parliament?

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Although cryptocurrencies have been studied and argued for a long time, they are just now becoming known as financial tools t
The Secret Service (the service in charge, inter alia, with protecting the US President) is on red alert after NBC News broadcast a documentary about preparations being made for a No Trump Zone when Donald Trumps visit Paris (13-14 July 2017).

This operation is being organized by Nuit Debout, a movement headed by Francois Ruffin MP (for Les insoumis) [1]. This association claims to be responsible for the Arab Springs, events which were in fact organized by MI6, the CIA and notably, Gene Sharps team, with a view to destroying the enlarged Middle-East [2].

The concern of the Secret Service is that the anarchists that violently disrupted the G20 Summit that took place in Hamburg, are looking to join hands with Nuit debout and disrupt the dinner that President Macron will be hosting for his US homologue at Jules Vernes, which is a restaurant in the Eiffel Tower.
Dev Patel. Photo: Francois Nel/Getty Images for Chivas Regal

In what is hopefully a stepping stone to a starring role in future Magic Mike movies, Dev Patel is making his own movie about male strippers, though we regret to inform you that his character will not be stripping. Per Deadline, Patel has signed on to star across from Ben Stiller in Chippendales, a film about the early days of the male-stripping empire. Patel will play Somen Steve Banerjee, an immigrant from Bombay who turned his L.A. dive into a male strip club. Stiller will play choreographer Nick De Noia. The film, which has been in development for decades, promises to explore the perversion of the American dream, and will likely cover the rise of Chippendales, co-founder Paul Sniders murder of his girlfriend Dorothy Stratten and subsequent suicide (seen in Bob Fosses Star 80), and De Noias murder, which Banerjee pled guilty to orchestrating. Think of it as Boogie Nights, but with more cuff links.
Is that a murderous glare, or are you just happy to see me? Photo: Helen Sloan/HBO

The most shocking transformation in last nights episode of Game of Thrones  even more so than the time Arya transmogrified out of the visage of Walder Frey  came when Euron Greyjoy, the formerly fashion- and morals-challenged king of the Iron Islands, sailed into an audience with Cersei and Jaime Lannister in tight leather pants, a low-cut top, and smokey smattering of eyeliner. Yes, somewhere between Pike and Kings Landing, Euron found himself in an Urban Outfitters from 5 years ago to pick up an outfit inspired by the New York rock scene of 15 years ago, stopped by Burning Man to find himself/get a little wear and tear in his look, and then hung out with Joshua Jackson circa Fringe for some #twinning Instagrams.

Euron, pre-makeover, sends sup? on Scruff every 15 minutes and then reveals he lives in the part of Bushwick thats furthest from a subway stop. Photo: HBO

Now, this is the hot Euron Greyjoy Pilou Asbk promised us would arrive in season seven of Game of Thrones. After a makeover, Eurons trying to nab himself a new queen by asking for Cerseis hand in exchange for the support of his 1,000 ships. Cersei turns him down because he isnt trustworthy, as evidenced by the fact that he murdered his own brother. You should try it, Euron responds. Feels wonderful. Unable to take no for an answer, since hes the embodiment of toxic masculinity and/or pure evil, Euron promises that hell win Cersei over with a gift of some sort. (We imagine itll be a tattered book of Bukowski poems or one of those trendy plastic balance bracelets that are supposed to remind you of the Himalayas.)

Question is: How hot is hot Euron? Cerseis able to resist his charms, but shes not exactly an objective judge (she loves her brother, after all). In his favor, hes figured out how to showcase some of that chest hair. To his detriment, the whole look is very trying out leather for a bit and feels uncertain. Pro: Those leather pants leave little to the imagination. Con: The guyliner is a little much. Hes that one college hookup so embarrassing you told your friends he was terrible, but secretly fantasize about to this day. Not hot, necessarily, but theres some weird attraction there.

Pilou Asbk as Kaspar Juul in Borgen. Photo: Mike Kolloffel/DR1/BBC1

Anyone who watched Borgen, a Danish West Wing filled with perfect cheekbones and architect glasses, knows Asbk best as Kaspar Juul, the tortured spin doctor who works for Theresa from Westworld and has a tortured history with that one Wildling from Hardhome. (All the actors from Borgen have somehow found their way from Copenhagen to HBO.) Asbk is Denmarks official I Cant Believe Its Not Joshua Jackson replacement product  and sadly, for those who are wondering, married to the playwright Anna Bro. As Juul, he was so, so hot, which means that Borgen viewers are probably more likely to join up with the hot Euron fleet. Less likely to think hot Euron is hot: viewers of Lucy, which made him a weird drug cowboy, and the poor people who watched the Ghost in the Shell remake, which took out his eyes. For now, lets let the record stand. Pilou Asbk: Hot! Kaspar Juul: Very hot! Hot Euron Greyjoy: Pending. We will keep you, our readers, apprised of any further Euron hotness developments.
Its very advanced. Photo: HBO

The last time Game of Throne viewers saw Jorah Mormont, he revealed his greyscale to Daenerys and told her he would kill himself before he turns into a stone man. She surprised him by urging him to find a cure for the disease so that he can be by her side when she takes back the Seven Kingdoms. In Sundays season premiere, all fans got to see of Jorah was a peek at his stone-like arm, when he reached out from an isolation wing at the Citadel to get Sams attention  and things did not look good for the dragon mothers most loyal adviser. Its very advanced, actor Iain Glen told Vulture at the Los Angeles premiere Wednesday night. Im in trouble. No doubt about it, Im in trouble.

Sporting a kilt at the premiere after-party in downtown Los Angeles, the Scottish actor explained that Jorahs journey this season is all about his disease, and whether he can recover. I got to a point where I think I was quite happy to die, I suppose, Glen said. Id sort of given up hope because Id lost her affection and lost her belief in me. And the last moment of our time together last season she said, I need you, I need you to look after yourself, find a cure, so you can come back and be beside me when I occupy the Iron Throne. Thats my route, really, this season  to see if I can find a cure.
Photo: Helen Sloan/Courtesy of HBO

While we wait for Vultures official Game of Thrones recap to go up, heres a place to discuss the events of Sunday nights long-awaited season-seven premiere. Which character were you most excited to see again? Were you surprised by Aryas spree of vengeance? Were you #TeamJon or #TeamSansa when it came to the question of what to do with the Umbers and Karstarks? What do you think Eurons gift to Cersei is going to be? And how about Ed Sheerans cameo?
Salim Ismail Shah, who claimed he is general secretary of the BJP's Katol taluka minority cell, was thrashed by men belonging to a group linked to local MLA Bacchu Kadu.

By India Today Web Desk: Salim Ismail Shah, a BJP worker who was beaten up by a cow vigilante group for carrying beef in Nagpur last week, has been arrested.

Shah, who claimed that general secretary of the BJP's Katol taluka minority cell, was arrested after a Nagpur laboratory confirmed that the meat he was carrying was beef. He will be produced in court soon.

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Shah had earlier denied carrying beef when he was attacked by members of a fringe group - Prahar Sena - which is linked to local Independen MLA Bapchchu Kadu.

The police said it would initiate action against Salim, 34, in accordance with the law.

Carrying beef is illegal as per the new norms passed by state government recently.

Shah, a resident of Katol town, was returning home on his motorcycle when a group of five or six men accosted him at a bus stop in the Bharsingi village on July 12. They assaulted him on the suspicion that he was carrying beef.

Four men were later arrested for attacking Shah.

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Nagpur: Man beaten for carrying beef, attackers' link with local MLA suspected

Man lynched, 3 thrashed over rumours of beef eating on Delhi-Ballabhgarh train route

Killing people in name of cow not acceptable, Gandhi won't approve: PM Narendra Modi in Gujarat

WATCH: Man beaten up in Nagpur for carrying beef, 4 detained

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George A. Romero. Photo: Laura Lezza/Getty Images

How good it would be to write an appreciation for director George A. Romero  who died of cancer Sunday at the untimely age of 77  without invoking a certain word that begins with Z. For one thing, the word is misleading. For another, Romeros legacy is so much more far-reaching. As an independent American regional filmmaker (based in Pittsburgh) and a genius at distilling social and psychological traumas into lacerating drama, he set a standard that genre directors have been laboring to live up to for half a century.

Here comes the Z-word, I guess. But with this caveat: Night of the Living Dead isnt a zombie film. Zombies were Haitian slaves of folklore (and possibly fact), rendered compliant by unscrupulous plantation owners or mad scientists in films like White Zombie and the Jacques TourneurVal Lewton I Walked With a Zombie. What Romero gives us is ghouls that feed on human flesh and spread their contagion like a virus, a plague. He eventually began to use the word, but only because others used the label and it took. Im going to avoid it, so there.

Night was a movie made for nothing that started small at drive-ins and grindhouses and seeped into the culture like blood into a rug. The year was 1968, the height of 20th-century American social upheaval. The Vietnam War and race riots were on TV every day  it seemed like the revenge of the ugly side of human nature that all those traumatized World War II vets had tried to keep their families safe from.

Romero piped all the social and racial tensions of that era into the film, which opens with a flag fluttering in a lonely cemetery and ends with images that evoke a lynching. The hero (Duane Jones) is black  unprecedented at the time in a horror movie. Hes one of seven trapped in a farmhouse, boarding up windows while ghouls amass outside. Authority has collapsed, rifle-toting rednecks roam the countryside, and the nuclear family is imploding. Brother comes incestuously after sister. A little girl feasts on her mommys flesh.

Romeros ideas have been cannibalized in movies and TV. Theyve been parodied, even domesticated. And there has been far grislier gore, some in Romeros own films, created by Tom Savini  who worked from memories as a medic in Vietnam. But the blood in Night of the Living Dead is still shocking: It shines like oil in black-and-white. Romeros canted angles intensify the claustrophobia. He mixes jittery documentary techniques with montage that would have done Eisenstein proud  though Eisensteins glasses-shattering bullet in an eye has escalated into ghouls snacking on coils of viscera after the movies beautiful young couple is incinerated in a car fire.

My world was never the same after I saw Night of the Living Dead at age 12 on a midnight double bill with Tod Brownings Freaks at the University of Connecticut in 1971. (An earlier showing was sold-out and I begged my teenage babysitter to let me stay  bless her for complying.) In his wonderful memoir Paradise Fever, Ptolemy Tompkins writes of having the same experience at the same age. Only it didnt make him into a nihilist. It made him search more deeply for a higher connection. He writes, To look out on the material world and see it as a place that holds no anchor for our interior selves, our inner sense of identity or me-ness, is to place oneself in the position of the people in the abandoned farmhouse in Night of the Living Dead.

One of the great injustices is that Romero barely made a dime from his masterpiece. There was financial chicanery, and by the time the video era came around, the film was in the public domain. He had a flop with The Crazies (1973), which actually holds up: Its vision of a white-suited paramilitary unit moving through a forest, mowing down people rendered insane by a virus is hard to forget. The cost of living was low in the Pittsburgh area, where he stayed all his life after graduating from Carnegie Mellon. But the bitterness of losing out on the Night of the Living Dead mother lode never fully left him.

It was Dawn of the Dead (1978) that gave Romero his first taste of success, although its lack of an R rating (too much graphic violence) limited its exhibition. The movie is fundamentally a Me Decade satire of mindless consumerism, featuring ghouls as the ultimate conformists/materialists, converging on a mall out of a flickering memory of the American impulse to shop till you drop. (In this case, they drop only after getting their brains blown out.) Dawn stretches its joke thin, but its brilliantly made and acted, and Savinis splatter is mind-blowing, so to speak. The New York Times Janet Maslin all but boasted of leaving before the protagonists even arrived at the mall  an indication of how little regard the Times and the mainstream media had for splatter in those days. (That would change the following year with the further iteration of the body horror subgenre, Alien.)

The next Dead film, Day of the Dead (1985), was greeted with disappointment on its release. The bottom had dropped out of the budget before shooting, and Romero had been forced to scale his vision down. But the movie looks better with each passing year. Romero has successfully steered the saga into the 80s, with its overweening military and a mad scientist who uses ghouls for hideous experiments, hoping to turn them into domestic servants (among other things). Once again, Romero was setting a sociopolitical agenda for the horror genre.

He would continue to do that with later Dead movies. Land of the Dead (2005) was the first with name actors and is nothing less than a portrait of income inequality. Left to their own devices in deserted towns, the ghouls struggle to form social circles, and the villain is the super-capitalist (Dennis Hopper) who walls off wealthy white people in a high-rise condominium, keeping the underclass at bay. Its more formulaic than its predecessors, but the idea of ghouls evolving toward humanity, and humans  indolent in their mall-like high-rise  toward ghouldom is more potent than in the current Planet of the Apes series, which dramatizes the same idea without satire.

The final two Dead films, Diary of the Dead (2007) and Survival of the Dead (2009) are weak tea, but at least the former, a satire of first-person filmmaking and internet dependence, has enough social commentary (and splatter) to acidulate the brew. And the overriding theme of the series remained constant. Romero was certainly interested in the ghouls as walking sacks of blood and innards. But his true monsters were always humans.

Related Stories 17 Movies Essential to Understanding George A. Romero

Romero made a number of non-Dead cult movies. His self-consciously Arthurian motorcycle epic, Knightriders (1981), has its partisans, but I gave up on it after two long hours. (Give me credit: I lasted ten times longer than Maslin did at Dawn.) He had a bona fide hit in his comic-book collaboration with Stephen King, Creepshow (1982), which I found mostly inert. Romeros gift is for montage, not goofy composition, and only a sadistic scene in which a cuckolded husband buries his wife and her lover on a beach up to their necks as the tide comes in has any punch. But Monkey Shines (1988) is a dandy B-thriller in which a trained monkey becomes the servant and then functional id of a bitter quadriplegic. Scarier than the monkey, though, is the heros mom, played by Joyce Van Patten. The creature is essentially his vehicle of liberation from this repressive harridan matriarch, though it gets out of control and goes after people he cares about  as id manifestations tend to do. The movie is great fun, but it flopped, miserably.

Romero made one non-Dead masterpiece, which is perhaps his most grueling film. Martin (1978) is the story of a young man who believes hes a vampire and murders mostly women (with a razor) in his search for blood. What makes the movie so difficult is the boys naked longing for contact: Its as if he feels he can never really know a woman unless he ingests her. In part, its his family that has made him what he is: He lives with his elderly uncle, a religious fanatic who rails against his demonic impulses without comprehending whats behind them. Martin has a tortured pace, closer to an art film than Romeros horror pictures. Perhaps thats because its a portrait not of a vampire, but of someone longing to be one  an idea turned cartoonish in the Nicolas Cage black comedy, Vampires Kiss. Martin cuts so much deeper.

Romero lived to see his impact on the culture, and even to see a few amazing works that acknowledged the momentousness of his influence: Edgar Wrights satirical Shaun of the Dead and Max Brookss panoramic novel World War Z. (The latter was made into a film that has little connection to its source.) Romero was honored in every way but financial. Although the Z-word was mainstreamed, Romeros work remained too prickly and personal and his vision too independent for studio bosses to throw money at him. He was planning another Dead movie when cancer suddenly chewed him up, and Id like to think that this one would have shown the way forward  that he would have countered the persistent nihilism at the root of most dystopian bloodbaths.

The best way to remember him, I think, is not as the man who made the most seminal of all horror movies, but as the filmmaker who captured the dark side of the 1960s the most indelibly. George Romero belongs not in the company of splattermeisters, but of visionary satirists. He taught us what genre can do  and were still learning from him.
Photo: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images

Less than two weeks after it was announced that Jay-Zs 4:44 had gone platinum, Billboard has declared Hovas latest album a chart-topper, shooting to no. 1 on the Billboard 200. In fact, 4:44 is the rappers 14th no. 1 album; only the Beatles best him overall with a whopping 19 no. 1s. While 4:44 was initially only available to Tidal subscribers, and only 174,000 traditional album units like downloads or CDs have been sold, Nielsen Music calculated its success based on what Billboard refers to as multi-metric consumption, factoring in traditional album sales, track equivalent albums, and streaming equivalent albums. As expected, the free downloads made available by Sprint did not count toward the albums chart position. Bruce Springsteen and Barbara Streisand are currently tied for second place with 11 no. 1 albums, so looks like those two need to delve into some extensive soul-searching following a very public infidelity if they plan to catch up to Jay-Z. It doesnt have to be with one another, but that certainly wouldnt hurt their numbers, now would it?
Its time for a history lesson. Photo: ANDY BUCHANAN/AFP/Getty Images

This Wednesday, Radiohead will perform in Israel for the first time since 2000, having played there eight times over the bands long career. But international attitudes toward Israel have changed drastically over nearly 20 years and, up until now, Radiohead hasnt had to defend such a concert. Since 2005, a global coalition called BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) was formed to encourage a total cultural boycott against the country unless Palestinian rights are restored and the West Bank barrier demolished. Many celebrities, including Roger Waters, Riz Ahmed, and Brian Eno, have signed letters and petitions vowing not to work with or in Israel in alliance with the boycott, arguing such action is in the interest of fighting for human rights. An opposing coalition has since emerged  supported by J.K. Rowling, among others  that urges more, not less engagement with Israel as the best solution. With dueling efforts to mend regional tensions in place, Radiohead have come under fire for appearing not to choose a side and go ahead with their Tel Aviv concert despite a petition signed by their peers like Waters to cut all ties with Israel and cancel the gig.

Yorke eventually made two statements, one that confirmed Radiohead does not stand with the BDS movement  and also didnt appreciate being patronized by other musicians for their decision  and another clarifying that that doesnt mean Radiohead agree with the Israeli government. Weve played in Israel for over 20 years through a succession of governments, some more liberal than others. As we have in America. We dont endorse Netanyahu any more than Trump, but we still play in America, Yorke tweeted at director Ken Loach, one of the loudest critics of the bands concert. But for Radiohead, the unpopular decision to commit to playing Israel cuts much deeper than politics: Without Israel, Radiohead might not be the band we know today.

In most cases, itd be difficult to prove that a lone country could take credit for the success of any artist. (Though just look at Carly Rae Jepsen and Japan.) But Radiohead have long been indebted, to a degree, to Israel for the countrys early support of the band when they needed it most. Their relationship began in late 1992, not long after Radiohead had released their debut album, and smack in the middle of the long waiting game that all new artists must play for their debut single to take off. When most think of Creep today, phrases like alt-rock standard and classic usually follow; but over two decades ago, Creep didnt have that immediate luster. It was too gloomy to be a radio hit in U.K., and barely cracked the Top 40 in America (though it still remains the bands biggest single here). The future success of Creep came down to a ripple effect that originated in Israel, when a radio DJ named Yoav Kutner began playing Creep on repeat, sometimes three times an hour, on Israeli army station Galei Tzahal after receiving a copy from the label. Word of mouth took off there and, soon, Radioheads former label EMI noticed enough to restore some confidence in the band and gave them a chance to play three small club shows in Tel Aviv, plus a TV spot, in March and April 1993.

Radiohead were swarmed by Israeli audiences; rumor has it some fans even tried to rip out Yorkes hair. The band became an overnight success where they least expected it, and Israelis marveled at the fact that a British band would travel there to acknowledge the reception. This was like, Oh my God were so international, theres a band and its singing in English, we are the best people in the world, one concertgoer recalled earlier this year. Even then, Yorke referenced the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, reportedly dedicating Stop Whispering to peace in Israel. However, the pandemonium they experienced abroad in Israel didnt translate back home: It was like Cinderella, you know? The clock reaches midnight and theyre back to being anonymous, former EMI Israel head Uzi Preuss remembers. But as the song continued to blow up in Israel, American radio soon caught on, especially on the West Coast. It spread further internationally, and eventually EMI extended Radioheads tour and rereleased Creep in 1993, and it hit the Top 10 in the U.K.

With over two decades removed from when Israel first fell in love with Radiohead, it might seem strange for the band to still act beholden to the country. But again, theres more to the story: As Yorke referenced in his first statement on the controversy, Jonny Greenwood is married to Israeli-born artist Sharona Katan. All these people to stand there at a distance throwing stuff at us, waving flags, saying, You dont know anything about it! Imagine how offensive that is for Jonny, Yorke wrote. Radiohead also have professional ties to Israel  their two current tour openers, Shye Ben Tzur (who Greenwood has collaborated with) and Dudu Tassa and the Kuwaitis are both Israeli acts. Israel and Radioheads mutual appreciation goes well beyond their latest Tel Aviv concert, though this concert is expected to be symbolic: As far as many Israelis are concerned, Radiohead are an Israeli product, Ruth Perl Baharir writes for Haaretz. Whether Radiohead will give a now-rare performance of Creep on Wednesday for the bands Israeli fans is the real question  not whether theyll play at all.
(Authors note: I have the unfortunate job of replacing the irreplaceable Laura Hudson for the next few weeks. But if you fear the changing of horses midstream, heres how I feel about Twin Peaks: The Return so far: Its a gift. Many have remarked about the shows stylistic and tonal changes to the series, but I see it as the cumulative Lynch experience. Its a show by the man who made Fire Walk With Me, but also Eraserhead and Inland Empire. Twenty-seven years ago, he changed what TV could look like. Why come back just to retread, when you can change it all again?)

Abuse has always been the central theme of Twin Peaks, from Laura Palmer to the host of other women who have suffered at the hands of men. This weeks episode is no different, with countless scenes that show the sordid depths that men will reach to control the women in their lives. But we also get peeks into the brighter world that Lynch believes in. We see love in its brightest form; we glimpse a world that glows. But as a familiar, haunted voice will tell us soon, The glow is dying.

Enter Richard Horne. If you didnt already think that he was the worst, this episode confirms it. As he stands outside a trailer home, he calls out for Miriam, the bubbly lady from the diner who saw him accidentally run down a child in episode six. We see Richards devilish reflection in Miriams trailer (a clear Bob homage) as she defiantly tells him she already told the police. She even sent them a letter on top of it, not realizing this admission will seal her fate. After Richard ditches Miriams body (and leaves the trailer to a likely gas explosion), he calls Chad, our resident asshole cop, and tells him to intercept the letter.

We then cut to Harry Dean Stantons Carl Rodd strumming a guitar and singing, Come and sit by my side, little darling / Do not hasten bid me adieu. (I made an audible awwww.) But the song is immediately interrupted by the crash of a window and, yes, more abuse. We go inside the trailer to find a terrified Becky being screamed at by her husband, Steven, giving shades of Leo Johnson and Beckys mom, Shelly. Its all about her shortcomings: her minimum wage, her not asking for a raise, her not cleaning the trailer. Steven looks at Becky and shes terrified out of her mind, so he yells even louder: Dont you give me that innocent look! He is convinced that she deserves this rage, this menace, this fearing for her life. Its as clear a picture of abusive psychology as you can get, from the lack of responsibility to the utter belief that youre making me do this.

Meanwhile in Las Vegas, Rodney Mitchum (Robert Knepper) sits quietly doing work. Here we get our most classic Peaks comedy scene yet, in which a cocktail-dress showgirl named Candie (Amy Shiels) stumbles about trying to kill a fly. Theres the long, pitch-perfect setup before  WHAM  she smacks him across the face when the fly lands on his head. Comically exaggerated screaming and crying ensue, even as Bradley Mitchum (Jim Belushi) rushes to help. A scene later, we find all three bored showgirls making drinks as Candie still shakes in the corner. Rodney says, Im fine! but all she can ask is Can you ever love me after what I did? The gag may have been hilarious, but this is as stark a sign of past abuse as you can get.

The Mitchum Brothers watch the evening news and see that Ike the Spike was arrested and laugh, remarking, Ike finally stepped on his dick. (Its a joke made even funnier by the air fist bump.) But they arent laughing when they see who stopped Ike: none other than Mr. Jackpots. This revelation coincidentally plays into a larger chain of events, in which Duncan Todd (Patrick Fischler) employs Tony Sinclair (Tom Sizemore) to tell the Mitchum Brothers that Dougie Jones is also behind the recent insurance fraud that cost them $30 million, all in effort to make Dougie their new target. Tony arrives at their casino and after some more comic delays with the bored showgirls (who are quickly becoming my favorite characters), he convinces the Mitchums that they have an enemy in Douglas Jones. At this point, Ill admit Im shocked at how well the plot threads are coming together.

Meanwhile, Janey-E Jones takes Dougie to a doctor on a account of him acting peculiar. As Dougie keeps clumsily reaching for the stethoscope, the doctor remarks on Dougies noticeable weight loss. Suddenly, Janey-E takes notice, too. Later that night, she flirts and fidgets in bright-red shoes, as a completely disinterested Dougie slowly eats a mound of chocolate cake. Hard cut to Dougies flapping arms as Janey rides him and screams his name (prompting a friend of mine to remark, Dougie fucks.) The two lie in their unexpected moment of marital bliss and say, I love you / Love you. I cant help but admire the way Naomi Watts plays these scenes both completely straight and yet with total emotional abandon. Its all a part of how Lynch is turning the Dougie Jones saga into his own version of Hal Ashbys classic Being There.

Really, its part of the crucial comedic and sincere range to the kinds of love in this show. My favorite moment in the episode is a quiet one, where our crooked cop Chad interrupts Lucy as hes trying to intercept the mail. He thinks hes making fun of Lucy, imagining that she and Andy wake up every morning and say, Beautiful morning! to each other, but underneath is the most stark human jealousy one can imagine. Compare that to Gordon Coles reaction when he sees Albert on a date with Constance the coroner (Jane Adams). As they laugh together, Cole looks on with truly sincere joy. Theres something about this coming from Lynch himself: Hes the soul of the show, and Cole sees in that moment all he ever wants for the world. And hell fight for it against the darkness.

Later, we see Cole sketching an odd doodle of a hand reaching for some kind of lizard elk (I have no idea either), before he opens the hotel door and sees a vision of Laura Palmer screaming. Bad things happen when people open hotel doors in Twin Peaks. Clearly, danger looms. Soon after, Cole, Albert, and Tammy connect Bad Cooper to the penthouse murders  helping fill in the mythology of how Bob presumably set up the glass box to prevent Good Coop from reentering this plane of existence  along with the revelation that Diane may be communicating with some bad guys.

Then the menace comes full-circle as Richard shows up to rob his Grandma Sylvia, choking her and throwing her to the ground, all while a tied-up Johnny Horne watches. The scene is incredibly difficult to watch, especially as Johnnys broken teddy bear asks How are you today? ad nauseam. We see the same psychology of abuse and lack of responsibility here, as Richard asks his grandmother, Why you have to make something so simple so difficult? (Mythology-wise, the whole scene adds weight to the theory that Richard is the product of Bad Coop raping a comatose Audrey.) Ben Horne then gets a phone call from Sylvia and we get a sense of their strained marriage. Hes still wearing his wedding ring, but he refuses to send Sylvia more money. Shaken by the call, Ben asks Beverly out to dinner, after just rebuffing her in last weeks episode.

We then come back to the Log Lady, who leaves Hawk another cryptic message, but this one a simple metaphor. She talks of fading rivers, electricity, and life, remarking, The glow is dying. But she also tells him that the good ones who have been with you will help bring the circle back together. And to that, Laura is the one. With this powerful message, the Log Lady paints a portrait of a strained world, lost and helpless, like Jerry Horne screaming in the woods, or Nadine quietly watching from her store (Run Silent, Run Drapes!) as Doc Jacoby rants about an opportunistic, capitalist world that owns your life all the way to the graveyard. But in the end, even Jacoby is just trying to sell an overpriced shovel.

How can we live in a world without the glow? The sentiment echoes as we finally go to the Bang Bang Bar and Rebekah Del Rio sings a song called No Stars, co-written with Lynch himself. She sings of a wonderful, romantic night under the stars and calls out, My dream is to go / To the place / Where it all began, because now we live in a world of No Stars. Its haunting, and it reminds us why moments like Alberts date matter more than ever. Those moments lie at the center of Coles wants, the Log Ladys message, and our own desire for Cooper to rejoin the family hes been apart from for so long. We want to get back to where it all began.
Oscar Isaac in the Publics Hamlet. Photo: Carol Rosegg/Public Theater

A little over a third of the way into the modestly dressed, disarmingly brilliant production of Hamlet now playing at the Public, Oscar Isaac as the iconic prince turns to us before one of his famous soliloquies and calmly tells us, Now I am alone.

I caught my breath at these four words. They were not a statement of fact  they were an invitation to the audience to imagine.

Isaac was not alone, not in this moment nor ever. Hamlet as written contains seven soliloquies, but the Hamlet who is now wrestling with his fate on the red-carpeted boards of the Anspacher Theater is never a solo figure: He always has an audience. During each soliloquy, members of the ensemble sit or stand strewn about the stage, still present, giving their prince a quiet, serious attention  a company of players, watching and listening.

Not every Hamlet calls attention to its own theatricality. This Hamlet  beginning with its use of the company onstage as a second audience, a mirror for us out in the seats  engages us in a game that makes us contemplate the very nature of performing. When Oscar Isaac tells us, still surrounded by his fellow actors, I am alone, he is not describing but instructing. He is working on our imaginary forces  or, as he might say, our minds eye  telling us, These are the rules of this game. Come, play.

It is a mark of this productions intelligence that its rules are inscribed in its aesthetic from the very beginning by a set of design choices that blur the line between audience and stage. The Anspacher is a strange space: a thrust configuration  which is Shakespearean enough  but surrounded by raked banks of red upholstered seats that come from an entirely different era of spectatorship. Hamlets set (by David Zinn), like the production itself, is unassuming and very, very smart: It extends the feel of the seating banks by covering the whole stage in red carpet. The chairs used onstage are a match to those in the front rows of the audience: modern, institutional, more red upholstery. Hanging above the playing space are additional house lights mimicking those above the audience (these the domain of lighting designer Mark Barton, whose work is a subtle, powerful complement to Zinns).

The main playing area  apart from the chairs and a table that looks like it could have been pulled from one of the Publics conference rooms  is empty. The back wall is unadorned. Props are few and almost all present at the back of the stage at the shows beginning, waiting for eventual use. There is a station for a musician (the incredible Ernst Reijseger) who creates the entirety of the productions sonic landscape on a cello and a set of wooden pipes that play like an eerie organ. Each actor has only one costume, and if designer Kaye Voyce has not pulled directly from the actors own closets, she has quietly and cleverly curated a palette that feels as if she has done so. Director Sam Gold and his team of designers seem to have constructed their world in alignment with Hamlets advice to the Players:

Oerstep not the modesty of nature: for any thing so overdone is from the purpose of playing, whose end, both at the first and now, was and is, to hold, as twere, the mirror up to nature; to show virtue her own feature, scorn her own image, and the very age and body of the time his form and pressure.

The actors likewise adhere to these instructions: Their attack on the language is clear and often conversational. They carry us deftly through the poetry without bluster or bravado  we follow the threads of their thought, and when great emotion flows it flows naturally, from a wellspring of grief or rage or shame that feels real.

Real. Ay, theres the rub. Nothing onstage in this Hamlet is theatrical in the way that we have come to understand the term  as a synonym for spectacular, outlandish, or exaggerated. Rather, Sam Gold and his company are interested in a different and perhaps deeper definition of theatricality: Their Hamlet is playing a game with our notions of real and pretend, of sincerity and falseness. After all, you might think that by following Hamlets advice to the Players you could simply end up with a realistic TV drama  but Hamlet isnt asking for realism, hes asking for truth. Hes asking for honesty wrapped in the artifice of play. The heart of Golds production  and its genius  lies in its obsession with the paradox of the Honest Performance.

Hamlet insists that he know[s] not seems., but any good actor will tell you that you can feel all day long, but without seeming  without the show of that feeling  theres no play. And Hamlet, the character, is a good actor. (This Hamlet, in the person of Oscar Isaac, at once mischievous and deeply soulful, is exceedingly good.) Part of the characters tragedy is that he is a thoughtful comedian trapped in the bloody, archaic genre of the Revenge Play, forced into playing a role his very nature abhors. Imagine if Othello or Hotspur had been Old Hamlets son. Claudius would be dead and young Fortinbras defeated by Act 2, Scene 1.

Golds production dispenses with Fortinbras and with all references to any wider political conflict. (In interviews, he and Isaac have repeatedly described the show as intimate.) Its a vision of a Hamlet in which the wider world is not Scandinavia but the theater. The companys members are aware on some deep level of their existence both as actors and as characters in a play. Keegan-Michael Key (who makes a charming Horatio) begins the performance with a casual, endearingly silly curtain speech to the audience, but this is no mere lark: It introduces us to Horatio as a kind of narrator, a role that he will return to with much more gravity when, at the plays end, he assumes responsibility for telling Hamlets story. He even adopts one of Fortinbrass lines at the finale  [Let] these bodies / High on a stage be placed to the view  and when he says it, we hear not a dictator organizing a military funeral but a stage manager preparing for a literal eternity of performances of Hamlet.

In cautioning Ophelia not to trust Hamlets declarations of love, Laertes shows a similar subliminal awareness of the play-world he inhabits. He warns his sister that Hamlet may not, as unvalued persons do, / Carve for himself, for on his choice depends / The safety and health of this whole state. By whole state he typically means Denmark, but in this production Laertes (the compelling Anatol Yusef) gestures to us, the audience, and around the room at the chairs, the table, the lighting grid. Laertes is warning his sister, This story depends on him, and theres only one way it can go. Likewise, when plotting to send Hamlet to England, Claudius (the superb Ritchie Coster) growls that he cant outright punish his troublesome stepson, because hes loved of the distracted multitude. Those last two words can only mean us. We, the audience, love Hamlet, and our imaginary forces hold sway in this room; Claudius, Laertes, and the rest of this ensemble maintain an understated awareness that they are acting in Hamlets play. This is not nudge-nudge-wink-wink mugging; the actors are not nodding their heads at us and mouthing, as Hamlet might have it, Well, well we know. A showier self-consciousness of theatrical artifice is fairly common on the stage these days. There is something subtler at work here  an investigation of the paradoxical alchemy of sincerity and deceit that lies at the heart of Hamlet and of theater itself.

The layers of this theatrical onion are further multiplied by the fact that the nine-person company of players doubles as  the Company of Players. By limiting the number of bodies onstage and letting each one accumulate valences of meaning, Gold sounds Shakespeares play like a great resonant bell. Seeing the Player King/Player Queen scene played out in the bodies of Gertrude and Claudius (who is also the ghost of Old Hamlet) is a revelation: Often delivered with self-conscious puffy artifice, here the scene feels like a moment out of time, like watching Hamlet witness a moment that might truly have taken place between his mother and his sickly father. And the Player Kings warning to his Queen  that she wont be able to keep her vows never to remarry  rings with pathos and prophecy: Our thoughts are ours, their ends none of our own. So says this false king  this actor  prefiguring Hamlets recognition of the divinity that shapes our ends and summing up in a single line the tragedy of the princes character. What is Hamlet if not a creature of thought, doomed to an end none of his own?

Or take the doubling of Laertes and the Lead Player, who enters into a friendly competition with Hamlet over their shared delivery of the great Pyrrhus speech. The Player astounds Hamlet with his ability to force his soul so to his own conceit  he can make himself weep on cue! For nothing! For Hecuba!  which drives Hamlet to the frenzied contemplation of his own inaction. By this point, the Hamlet who could clearly separate performance from substance is gone: He now longs to act in all senses of the word, even if it means conflating those senses. In attempting to follow the Players example, Hamlet substitutes performance for the real action he so craves (and fears), winding up screaming melodramatically into the winds (Remorseless, treacherous, lecherous, kindless villain! / O, vengeance!) and, here, doing great violence to a dish of lasagna. No wonder Isaac looks up afterwards  the clown who tried to play the avenger  and cracks a wry, abashed smile: Why, what an ass am I!

Though Hamlet knows in his most lucid moments that the performance of a thing is not the thing itself, he remains obsessed with the enactment of his own feelings, as if performing them paradoxically proves their honesty. When this Hamlet confronts Laertes at Ophelias grave (What is he whose grief / Bears such an emphasis?), we have already seen these two men compete in the performance of grief. First, it was for Hecuba, a mere fantasy, a play. Now, it is for Ophelia, a real woman whom they both loved. Laertes and Hamlet are both wracked by real anguish, and they are also playing at it: Who loved her more? Who can mourn her better? Its a wrenching thing to watch  who among us has not felt something deeply and simultaneously felt ourselves performing the feeling? Acting is in our nature; we long to be witnessed.

Is such ore always there for the mining in this scene between the grieving lover and the grieving brother? Yes. But does every Hamlet mine it? No. It is the mark of a deeply intelligent production when it makes you hear anew a work encrusted with so many barnacles of historical, literary, and theatrical precedent.

They dont call it Poem Unlimited for nothing. The glory of Hamlet is its unsoundable depth. Another director with another production might strike its great bell from a slightly different angle and produce completely different resonances. Another director might be as fascinated by kingship, war, and affairs of state as Sam Gold is by layers of theatricality. Still, while Gold might have stripped the play of its original political context, this intimate production has not been stripped of politics. Its seeming domesticity is deceptive; it has something pointed to say about the political state of our world, but its tool is a needle, not a bludgeon. By its indirections, we find directions out.

Ay sir, quips Hamlet to Polonius, to be honest, as this world goes, is to be one man picked out of ten thousand. Its a great line, always, but at this moment I heard it cut the air with a new sharpness. That word, honest, rings out over and over in this production. The politics of this Hamlet is a politics of performance, of being and seeming, of sincerity and hypocrisy, truth and corruption. In this way, Golds production may well be an abstract and brief chronicle for our time. After all, how many of our highest politicians might currently be asking themselves, May one be pardoned and retain the offence?

Hamlet is at the Public Theater through September 3.

*A version of this article appears in the July 24, 2017, issue of New York Magazine.
By Geeta Mohan: As the Supreme Court of Pakistan resumed hearing on the Panama Papers case in Islamabad, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's legal team submitted a plea asking the apex body to reject the evidence collected and findings given in the JIT Report submitted on July 10. Rejecting the JIT recommendations of filing a graft case against the Prime Minister and his family, his legal aides argued that the investigative team acted 'mala fide' and in an 'illegal', 'biased' manner.

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Rifaqat Hussain Shah, Sharif's lawyer filed the plea which was drawn by Muhammad Amjad Pervaiz and settled by senior advocate of the Supreme Court Khawaja Haris Ahmed. The team gave a point-by point rebuttal to the JIT findings calling it ultra vires to the Constitution. The application said that the "Report is itself a mala fide act of the JIT, and in breach of the Respondent No.1's (Nawaz Sharif) fundamental rights guaranteed by Articles 4, 9, 14, 25 and 10A of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973".

WHAT DID THEY OBJECT TO

His lawyers also objected to the fact that Mutual Legal Assistance was invoked not to seek documents from a foreign country but to 'illegally' hire a private firm to collect documents. Furthermore, that a part of the report was withheld which is also violative of the rights of Sharif family given "that the correspondence and material relating to Mutual Legal Assistance is neither privileged nor otherwise its disclosure is prohibited by any provision of law", the application said. Adding that the documents thus accessed should be 'inadmissible' in court as "the JIT members exceeded their jurisdiction and authority conferred by law in obtaining documents from abroad, inter alia, by hiring private firms and thereby have not only wasted public time but also public money in rendering an incomplete, inconclusive and legally untenable and inherently defective Report".

Fawad Husain of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf told the media after the hearing was adjourned for Tuesday that Sharif has lost moral and political grounds to continue as prime minister. "He (Sharif) would not only be disqualified but also go to jail," he said.

This, even as the Sharif's legal team has outrightly rejected all findings of the JIT. They have accused the investigating team of wrongful acts such as threatening witnesses saying, "during the course of investigation, inter alia, witnesses have been brow beaten, humiliated and threatened, in a bid to make them withdraw their statements favouring the Respondent No.1 (Sharif family), or otherwise change their statements in order to suit the objective of the JIT members to frame the Respondents in some wrongdoing or the other,"

The submission also talks about the fact that the report is nullified since the JIT had been given 60 days for completing their investigation and ended up availing 'an extra 6 days on this account'.

Finally, there seems to be a conflict between Nawaz Sharif and the military establishment with his team questioning the ISI member in the JIT who according to them was the 'more aggressive member' of the JIT. They allege that the said member is not an officer of ISI and it has further been revealed that the said nominee of ISI was not an officer of ISI and that "at the time of his nomination, rather he was a "source employee" under a contract which is not recognized as legal, and reportedly neither his association with ISI nor his pay is reflected in any official record.

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Hence, on all the above grounds, Nawaz Sharif's legal team has 'humbly' submitted that the JIT Report may be considered in the light of the facts narrated and nullified.

The 6-member JIT was set up in May by the apex court to probe the alleged financial impropriety that the Sharif family failed to explain. This even as the opposition in Pakistan is demanding that Nawaz Sharif step down till his name is cleared.

Also WATCH

Also Read

How Panama papers jolted India and Pakistan a year ago

Panama Papers: JIT probing Nawaz Sharif's assets to submit report to Pakistan SC today

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Barbara Mosacchio, with United Way of Waco-McLennan County, will be the guest speaker at the Waco Rotary Clubs weekly meeting Monday at the Waco Lions Den, 1716 N. 42nd St. The meeting runs from noon to 1 p.m. Cost is $10. Call 776-2115 for more information.

GriefShare orientation

GriefShare, a 13-week program and support group for people experiencing grief and loss, will start with an orientation meeting from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Monday at the First Methodist Church of Waco Chapel, 4901 Cobbs Drive.

For more information about the free program, call Anne Kinslow at 772-5630 or email stephenministry@fumcwaco.org.

Homespun Quilters

Waco Homespun Quilters Guild will meet at 6:30 p.m. Monday at Lakewood Christian Church, 6509 Bosque Blvd.

M.J. Fielek will present Bucket List Quilts.

Guild members share a love of quilting, and the guild provides opportunities for education and community service.

Visitors are welcome.

Free musical series

BaGar Productions will present a free musical performance based on classic literature, including fairy tales, fables and more, at the following times, dates and locations:

10:30 a.m. Tuesday at the East Waco Library, 901 Elm Ave.

10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the West Waco Library, 5301 Bosque Blvd.

10:30 a.m. Thursday at the Central Library, 1717 Austin Ave.

10:30 a.m. Friday at the South Waco Library, 2737 S. 18th St.

The program is being held in conjunction with the McLennan County Librarys Summer Reading Club.

For more information, visit www.waco-texas.com/cms-library.

Voter registration

Voter registration will be Tuesday at the East Waco Library, 901 Elm St., from 10:15 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Registrants must be U.S. citizens at least 17 years, 10 months old at the time of registration. Call 644-3267 for more information.

Hewitt magic shows

Hewitt Public Library, 200 Patriot Court, will host two magic shows by Cody Fisher at 10:30 and 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.

For more information about the free performances, call 666-2442.

Senior benefits

Darrell Connally will discuss senior and retirement benefits at a free luncheon Wednesday at Lakeshore United Methodist Church, 3311 Park Lake Drive. Space is limited, so please notify the church office at 754-7333 or 772-2506 by noon Tuesday to reserve a seat.
We were more than halfway through the semester when a law student stopped by my office. I invited her in. I dont know how to say this, she hesitated. This class has brought up so much for me  stuff I never dealt with when it happened and dont want to think about now.

Tears fell down her cheeks. She said she had been raped, then described her inability to sleep or concentrate on her schoolwork now that she was reminded of the experience.

In those days, I kept a box of tissues on my desk. It wasnt the first time a student disclosed having been sexually assaulted after we covered the subject of rape in my criminal law class. It wouldnt be the last. Then, as a professor, my job was to be supportive and get my students the help they needed. Now, as a college president, its my job to ensure sexual assault on campus is dealt with fairly, directly and expeditiously. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos now can help  or hurt  that effort.

According to a 2016 Justice Department study, one in five women is sexually assaulted in college. Its one thing to hear or read the statistics about campus sexual assault; its another to hear about, and see the painful impact of, some of these terrible experiences firsthand. In addition to emotional and physical trauma, sexual assault can have serious academic consequences at the time it occurs and well afterward.

For decades, the federal civil rights law Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination in education, has required schools to respond promptly and equitably to campus sexual assault. During President Barack Obamas administration, the Department of Education lit a fire under university leadership to take its responsibilities under Title IX seriously.

In a 2011 letter to university officials nationwide, the department underscored: Sexual harassment of students, which includes acts of sexual violence, is a form of sex discrimination prohibited by Title IX. But opponents of Title IX now want to douse the departments enforcement efforts.

Thursday Secretary DeVos met with advocates on both sides of the issue to decide how the Trump administration will handle Title IX. Its a discussion already made fraught by the Education Departments acting assistant secretary for civil rights, Candice Jackson, who made the inaccurate and  in her own words  flippant assertion Wednesday that, in 90 percent of campus sexual-assault investigations, theres not even an accusation that these accused students overrode the will of a young woman.

Jackson has since apologized, but I urge Secretary DeVos to consider the facts and how easily they may be mischaracterized as she moves ahead on this issue.

Opponents of Title IXs application to campus sexual assault argue that campus disciplinary tribunals are kangaroo courts, ill-equipped to adjudicate sexual misconduct. But since the early 19th century, educational institutions have used campus disciplinary tribunals to adjudicate all kinds of misconduct, from plagiarism to rioting.

Colleges and universities have occasionally adjudicated cases even more grievous than rape. In 2013, for example, a fraternity hazing incident in Pennsylvania ended in the death of a pledge by blunt force trauma. The coroner ruled the death a homicide, but the prosecutor didnt file charges till two years later. The college, however, pursued disciplinary action against the students involved. Hazing and homicide are both serious crimes, but no one in that case said that the campus was ill-equipped to adjudicate the misconduct.

People recognized the obvious: The college needed to protect students from harm.

Opponents argue that campus adjudication undermines the rights of those accused of sexual assault. Libertarian commentator Cathy Young, for example, has described Obama-era Title IX guidance as marred by a polarizing ideology of presumed guilt. Title IX, though, isnt designed to advantage complainants over respondents. The guidance requires equal treatment of both accuser and accused, including prompt notice about procedures and rights for each.

Guidance states: Throughout a schools Title IX investigation, including at any hearing, the parties must have an equal opportunity to present relevant witnesses and other evidence. The complainant and the alleged perpetrator must be afforded similar and timely access to any information. It emphasizes that Title IX requires adequate, reliable and impartial investigations of complaints.

Some colleges fail to implement Title IX equitably, either denying victims a safe environment, as Title IX requires, or denying accused students disciplinary fairness, in ways that Title IX does not call for and that the Constitution does not allow. In these cases, accused students are suing colleges and even lodging complaints for gender discrimination under Title IX. And campuses are responding  as they must  when students prevail on either side.

We must strongly protect due process. However, opponents tend to object to campus adjudication of sexual assault but not campus adjudication of any other serious misconduct. Their single-mindedness suggests a stronger interest in narrowing the definition of sexual assault than in protecting due process.

Opponents of Obama-era guidance argue that the prior administration lowered the standard of proof in campus disciplinary proceedings from clear and convincing evidence to preponderance of the evidence. Not so. Most colleges and universities had no expressly stated standard of proof in their student conduct codes before the guidance  and of those that did, eight of 10 schools used the preponderance standard. Preponderance is the standard of proof that applies throughout our justice system, except when life or liberty is at stake.

Finally, opponents of Title IX argue that criminal courts are just better equipped than campuses, so victims should report their rapes to the police instead. But most allegations of campus sexual assault arent reported to police. Sexual offenses rank among the least reported of serious crimes, and, once reported, theyre frequently not prosecuted.

The campus system offers some substantial advantages. Colleges can protect students in ways police cannot. Colleges can offer counseling, move students into different classes or dorms and provide tutors to help students catch up when incidents jeopardize their academic progress. Schools can promptly discipline those found responsible for misconduct. Greater remedial flexibility on campus ensures students have equal access to education  the primary point of Title IX.
By PTI: By Shirish B Pradhan

Kathmandu, Jul 16 (PTI) Nepalese Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba today met President Bidya Devi Bhandari amid growing speculation about the expansion of an eight-member cabinet which has been delayed due to power-sharing dispute between the ruling Nepali Congress and CPN-Maoist Centre.

The meeting was held at Rastrapati Bhawanat and the two leaders discussed contemporary issues and the latest political situation in the country, officials said.

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Meanwhile, senior leader of Nepali Congress Bimalendra Nidhi, who is close to Deuba, said the much-talked cabinet expansion would take place within a couple of days.

Speaking at a programme in Kathmandu today, Nidhi said the expansion would take place soon after CPN-Maoist Centre chief Prachanda, who is on a personal visit to Thailand in connection with the treatment of his spouse, will return home.

Expressing his confidence over the timely completion of all three levels of elections, Nidhi said the rumour surrounding the extension of the parliament by a year was baseless.

Delay in expansion of the eight-member cabinet was mainly due to power sharing dispute between the ruling Nepali Congress and CPN-Maoist Centre.

Besides the Prachanda-led Maoist party, leftist CPN- United and pro-Hindu Rastriya Prajatantra Party are likely to join the Nepali Congress led government.

"Talks were held with ruling Nepali Congress party for the inclusion of our partys representative in the cabinet," Sunil Manandhar, a senior leader of the CPN-United, told PTI.

Nidhi also said the government was committed to holding provincial and Parliamentary level elections within the stipulated time frame of nine months. PTI SBP MRJ

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Rome mayor Virginia Raggi has banned costumed centurions from operating around historic tourist sites in the capital, to ensure "decorum and security."

Those caught breaking the new rules, which remain in place until 31 October, face fines of 400. The ban even prevents the souvenir-photo posers from offering their services for free.

The order, the latest in a series of bans in recent years, affects areas such as the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and the Trevi Fountain.
Flying Legends 2017  Air Show Report

Story and Photography by Luigino Caliaro

This year saw the twenty fifth anniversary edition of the annual Flying Legends air show at former RAF Duxford, the Imperial War Museums facility near Cambridge, England. The locally-based Fighter Collection organizes the event, which has become the most important warbird display in Europe. This years show took on even greater significance as it also marked the centenary for both the Imperial War Museum and Duxford air field. This merits a short historical review for both.

RAF Duxford & The Imperial War Museum

The British Government created the Imperial War Museum in 1917 with the initial aim of gathering the stories and artefacts of the Great War to preserve for future generations, but it has since expanded to include much more or Britains military history. The primary museum site is located in Lambeth, London, but there are four additional public facilities now, and one of these is the former RFC/RAF station at Duxford. The Royal Flying Corps established Duxford aerodrome in 1917 to conduct flying training. Post-war it became a fighter station, and on August 4th, 1938 the first operational Supermarine Spitfire unit, 19 Squadron, took up residence. Duxford served an important role during WWII. The famous RAF fighter ace, Douglas Bader, commanded 242 Squadron here during the crucial days of the Battle of Britain. In April, 1943, and now under American control, the field became home to Eight Air Forces famous 78th Fighter Group. After WWII, the Cambridgeshire base reverted to RAF control, and received modifications, including a lengthened concrete runway, to allow jet fighter operations. But in 1961, RAF Duxford stood down as an operational facility, as the runaway and base infrastructure were not compatible to the requirements of the more complex jet aircraft then entering service.

As many readers will know, Duxford played a major role in filming the motion picture The Battle of Britain during 1968 which once again saw Spitfires and Hurricanes flying from the field. But in 1969, the British Ministry of Defense decided to sell off the old station. The situation looked bleak for a while, with the site seeming destined for demolition, but thankfully this didnt happen. The local Cambridgeshire Council joined forces with the Imperial War Museum and Duxford Aviation Society to purchase the field and make it the home for the IWMs burgeoning aircraft collection. But in a brilliant move, the field also became home to private vintage aircraft operators and restoration companies, so that it became a living, breathing, constantly evolving historical setting, unique in the world today.

And now, the Show

To provide a fitting celebration worthy of the historic milestones reached this year, Flying Legends made an exception to its usual mantra that only piston-engined aircraft can fly during the show. On the Sunday morning, the famed RAF aerobatic display team, the Red Arrows, stunned the crowd with a spectacular and aggressive performance.

Aircraft from The Fighter Collection usually form the core of the main warbird display, and so it was this year along with a host of types from the continent. However, each year in the recent past has seen a surprise guest or two from across the pond join in the fun. This year, two Mustangs belonging to Dan Friedkin visited Duxford from the United States. This included F-6K 44-12852, marked as Frenesi, a 357th FG P-51D regularly flown by the ace Lt.Col. Hayes, and the resurrected P-51B 43-24837 Berlin Express, once piloted by Lt. Bill Overstreet. The latter aircraft flew all the way from its home in the United States, by way of Canada and Iceland, to participate in the show. During the Saturday display, Berlin Express experienced a canopy failure which saw the bulbous Malcolm Hood disintegrate in a shower of plexiglas shards during a high speed pass. Some of the fragments damaged the empenage, but thankfully the pilot managed to land safely.

This years air display also saw the involvement of some particularly significant historic British types, represented by the magnificent de Havilland DH.88 Comet Grosvenor House and the Percival Type E Mew Gull from the Shuttleworth Collection, which also flew in formation with a beautiful Travel Air R and the Le Vier Cosmic Wind. The importance of Duxford airfield in British aviation history was evidenced by the notable participation of British WWII-era fighters, with the presence of some five Hurricanes and twelve Spitfires!

Sadly, the hoped-for participation of the Bf 109E from the Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar, originally scheduled in the programme, failed to materialise, although the Luftwaffe was well represented by a Hispano 1112 Buchon from the Aircraft Restoration Company, which was shown to the public in a new but temporary desert colour scheme reflecting the colours of Bf 109E-7/Trop Black 8 flown by Lt Werner Schroer of 8/JG 27, operating in North Africa during the summer of 1941.

The stunning Balbo formation at the end of the show, where all the fighters get up in the air in one massive formation, made two flypasts of the airfield. While the aircraft for the Balbo took off and formed up, the crowd were treated, as usual, to a spirited exhibition from the joker, interpreted this year by Nick Grey who flew majestically in a Hawker Sea Fury painted in the colours of its prototype.

The Balbo was fantastic, but just when everyone thought it had all gone according to plan, TF-51D Miss Velma developed a serious engine problem at the end of the second pass. The pilot elected to put the stricken fighter down in a wheat field beside the aerodrome, rather than risk trying to make it a little further to the runway. With supreme professionalism, the pilot ensured that an emergency did not become a tragedy. While the aircraft did receive significant damage to the wings, belly and propeller, the pilot was able to walk away from the incident, which is what truly matters. With a little time and money, the Mustang will be flying again before too long.

Despite the two Mustang incidents, this years Flying Legends display was a fantastic show, safely held under beautiful skies. It is one of those special events that every warbird enthusiast should attend at least once if they can!

WarbirdsNews wishes to thank Luigino Caliaro for his reporting and magnificent photography, as always! To see more of his work, please visit his site HERE.
Tomcat Tuesday!

The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is easily the most iconic and well loved jet that the US Navy has ever fielded, and her absence in the skies is keenly felt by so many of us who grew up with this magnificent aircraft. So we thought none of you would mind a gratuitous post featuring some fabulous official images of the mighty swing-wing beast and her crews in action. Depending upon the response we get, we hope to do more of these photo-essays in the future, so let us know! In the meantime, please enjoy!

Oh, and wed love to hear from anyone who flew or worked on Tomcats too so please feel free to post in the comments section!

WarbirdsNews would like to thank all the brave men and women who serve and sacrifice for a more peaceful world. We would also like to the photographers who took these magnificent images (all credited in the captions)!
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is the most significant fighter aircraft of the 20th Century. First flown on May 27, 1958, the Phantom II entered service with the Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force. The Air Forces initial version was the F-4C which first flew in 1963. For the most part, this article will focus on the versions operated by the Air Force, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserves.

The F-4 has two cockpits in tandem for a pilot in the front seat and radar/navigator or weapon system officer in the back. The highly-swept, low-wing design has dihedral outer wing panels (up-turned) offset by horizontal stabilizers with an anhedral (down-turned) angle. The jet sits on tricycle landing gear and has large air intakes for the jet engines with air controlled by variable-ramps at the intakes leading edge. For a fighter, the F-4 is a massive, heavy-weight hitter with a maximum take-off weight of 61,795 pounds.

The mach-two plus capable aircraft was originally designed as a Navy carrier-borne fighter/bomber and all version of the Phantom II have a robust tail hook between the engine nozzles, under the tail. The folding outer wing panels suited it well to carrier operations with the Navy and Marine Corps and in revetments with all services when conducting land-based operations during the Vietnam War.

Tinker played an important role in the sustainability of Air Force F-4s from the start through J79 engine maintenance and overhaul between Aug. 1966 and Sept. 1993. There was also a short period of time, July 1970 to June 1972, when some depot level maintenance, overhaul and upgrades/modification were conducted as 101 F-4s passed through the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center. The work at OC-ALC helped boost Air Force F-4 overhaul production numbers as F-4s were heavily involved in combat operations in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. Work soon shifted back to the Ogden Air Logistics Center, Hill AFB, Utah or to in-theatre centers such as Clark Air Base, Philippines.

The F-4 was intentionally designed without an on-board cannon for use in air-to-air combat or air-to-ground strafing. Aerial guns were standard equipment on previous generations of fighters, but was considered unnecessary based upon the notion that future air-to-air combat would be conducted using air-to-air missiles exclusively. Early versions of USAF F-4Cs, and later F-4Ds, operated in-combat were able to score many air-to-air kills against North Vietnamese MiGs using AIM-9 Sidewinder and AIM-7 Sparrow air-to-air missiles. Sidewinders were used for close-range engagements while Sparrow missiles had a longer-range, but both were slowly being refined at the time and it was still a necessity to have an on-board cannon as many MiG engagements took place in what is considered close-in combat. With the addition of a larger, more powerful radar in the nose the next version became the F-4D of which 825 were built. Beginning in 1967 a M61A1 Vulcan Gatling gun/cannon was added under the nose of Air Force F-4s to make the penultimate F-4E Gunfighter.

At the same time F-4C aircraft were rolling off the McDonnell Douglas production line in St. Louis, beginning in 1963 a version of the same basic airframe optimized for the tactical reconnaissance role were also being produced as the RF-4C. The RF-4C had a slightly longer, sleeker nose fitted with a smaller radar in the front cone and a camera bay with four film-based cameras operated by the navigator to give horizon-to-horizon, forward view and right/left oblique coverage. RF-4Cs were critical during the Vietnam War and later during Desert Shield/Storm in locating targets while operating unarmed and unafraid. There were 583 F-4Cs and 505 RF-4Cs purchased by the USAF.

F-4Es had improved performance engines and leading edge slats were introduced as standard configuration on later E-models to increase the maneuverability and stability of the aircraft at slower speeds during ground-attack profiles and air combat maneuvering. Some F-4Es were fitted with, at the time, sophisticated electro/optical systems in the leading edge of the right wing for improved precision strike capability.

With the removal of the F-4Es M61A1 cannon from the nose, the guns weight was replaced with electronic-countermeasures systems while using the same aerodynamic fairings found only on F-4Es. This sophisticated equipment was used to detect and track enemy air-defense systems as 116 F-4Es were converted to the final version of the F-4 operated by the USAF, the F-4G Wild Weasel Suppression of Enemy Air Defense aircraft. The stress of employing a heavy-weight fighter such as the F-4 was multiplied many times over as F-4G SEAD crews played the ultimate game of chicken by searching for and attacking enemy radars through their radiating energy. These radars emitted fed information to surface-to-air missiles which could shoot down not only the F-4Gs, other aircraft the Wild Weasels were protecting. The goal was to get the surface-to-air missile sites to power-up and track the F-4G or other aircraft long enough to allow the jet to jam the electronic signals or employ high-speed anti-radiation missile(s) to destroy the emitter or entire system. F-4Gs took over this dangerous mission from the storied F-105G Wild Weasels, which pioneered the technique.

The U.S. militarys last aces, pilots or crewmembers credited with five or more kills, were produced flying the F-4 Phantom II. Over 100 enemy MiGs were shot down during the Vietnam War with ace status attained by Air Force and Navy pilots or crewmembers. Additionally, the F-4 is the only aircraft operated both by the Navy Demonstration Team, Blue Angels, and their Air Force counterparts, The Thunderbirds.

The Air Force accepted 2,693 F-4s between1963-1976. Largely replaced in front-line operational use by the F-16 Fighting Falcon by the late 1980s and early 1990s, the F-4s still soldiered on with the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserves. The bulk of reconnaissance assets during Operations Desert Shield/Storm came RF-4C deployed or flown by the Alabama and Nevada ANG. F-4G Wild Weasel jets from the active-duty 52nd Tactical Fighter Wing also conducted combat missions over Iraq and Kuwait in outstanding fashion by cementing the lethality of the G-model in actual combat operations.

The final USAF F-4s were retired from the operational inventory in 1997. This retirement did not end the F-4s story with the Air Force as the aircraft had much more to offer as a target for air-defense systems and in training for fighter-pilots during live-fire missile training opportunities. Many USAF F-4s were converted in to full-size aerial targets and the QF-4s served until again being retired after a final flight on Dec. 21, 2016, at Holloman AFB, New Mexico.
The fake news in Pakistani media appears to be part of a war propaganda to intensify tensions between India and China.

By Nikhil Agarwal: When everything was quiet in the high-altitude Doklam where the armies of India and China are engaged in a stand-off for about a month, the Pakistani media suddenly went abuzz with reports of how Chinese soldiers have killed 158 Indian jawans.

With not a single media report coming from either China or India on the so-called "Chinese attack", the news was obviously false.

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Dunya News TV aired a fake video clip of injured Indian soldiers saying at least 158 Indian soldiers have been killed as China fired rockets across the border on Indian border installations.

Dawn TV too aired a similar report. Twitter went abuzz with images and videos of the "attack" with some India-haters from the other side of the border even commending China's "action".

It is likely that Pakistani media became victim to a fake war propaganda conceptualised by the Pakistani army as no mainstream media will run fake news knowing that truth will be out in the open in a matter of few hours leading to a loss of credibility.

India Vs China war begins : China killed more than 150 Indian soldiers today pic.twitter.com/AAKZuDvkCR; M Hanzala Tayyab MHT (@OfficialHanzala) July 17, 2017

Pakistani Media is spreading these photos stating China attacked India in Sikkim. Propaganda war reaching new heights. pic.twitter.com/N9c8h3OtaZ; Aggressive Indian?? (@bharat_builder) July 17, 2017

Wonder what Dawn's "source" is on this report: The Indian Army or the Chinese Army? pic.twitter.com/uHxGdC0loY; omar r quraishi (@omar_quraishi) July 17, 2017

Did the Pakistani government or army try to play mischief with the media by supplying them fake news? Old photos and videos were passed off as that of a new attack.

A spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs said such reports are utterly baseless, malicious and mischievous. "No cognisance should be taken of them by responsible media," the ministry said when asked about the Pakistani media reports.

India and China have several border disputes. The Indian Army and Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) are engaged in a stand-off at Doklam along the Bhutan-Sikkim-China tri-junction since the last one month.

The Chinese media has reported that a brigade responsible for frontline combat operations has held "live fire exercises" in Tibet with a focus on boosting its "quick delivery of troops" against India.

Pakistan is trying to add fuel to fire with fake news.

Also read:

China flexing muscle? Frontline combat brigade holds 'live fire drills' in Tibet

India, not China, is among the fastest growing economies: World Bank

Chinese media sees India-United States-Japan Malabar exercise as security threat

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"She thought something was really wrong so she called me," recalls Sienna, who drove Kathleen straight to hospital. "Her prognosis got worse and it was because she took out-of-date medicine."

Rather than go to her doctor or bother her family, the 79-year-old decided to take matters into her own hands. She rifled through her medicine cabinet and took old antibiotics from a previous infection.

About 60 per cent of Australians have old or unwanted medicines, according to a report by Griffith University. Despite the fact that nearly 40 per cent of the medicines were expired, the primary reason people kept them was in case they needed to use them again.

"Medicines don't generally become toxic after the expiry date, the risks relate to having medicines that aren't in current use around the house," explains Jared Brown, department head of the NSW Poisons Information Centre.

The NSW Poisons Information Centre receives about 250 calls a year from adults who have taken expired medicines while more than 5000 children are admitted to hospital each year with medicine poisoning.

To minimise the risk of accidental poisoning or medication mismanagement, Federal Government-funded initiative, Return Unwanted Medicines has launched a new campaign urging Australians to safely dispose of old or expired medicine.

"The expiry date is generally based on the known activity of the medicine up to that date," Mr Brown explains. "Beyond that there are medicines that become less active and can then not have their intended therapeutic effect, so that can occasionally become an issue."
By India Today Web Desk: It is no secret that Esha Deol is expecting her first baby with husband Bharat Takhtani. And the couple was recently babymooning in Greece. While Esha steered away from sharing photos from the babymoon all this while, the Dhoom actor finally shared one photo from her picture-perfect babymoon.

Flaunting her baby bump in a white gown, Esha looks radiating in this picture clicked in Greece. In an interview with Mumbai Mirror, Esha revealed that she not only decided on the country for her babymoon but also took an appointment with a local photographer, Dimitris Psillakis, to capture the perfect moments during her trip.

Esha Deol looks cute with her hubby as they do a maternity shoot in Greece #instadaily #instagood #bollywood #eshadeol #momtobe #pregnant #girl A post shared by Manav Manglani (@manav.manglani) on Jul 17, 2017 at 1:18am PDT

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She was quoted as telling the daily, "Tourists come to the sunset points hours in advance to get themselves a good perch and the best possible view and selfies. But since it can get a little too crowded then, our photographer advised me to catch the sunrise instead, pointing out that at 6.30 am the light is best."

She added that getting ready without a hair-dresser, make-up man or spotboy was a different experience. "It was just Bharat and me and he helped me iron my dresses, carried my stuff on the VIP ferry and even helped me change. I would suggest that every parents- to-be get a maternity shoot done to smile over with their child in later years" she added.

ALSO READ: Esha Deol is expecting her first child with husband Bharat Takhtani

ALSO READ: See first photo of pregnant Esha Deol flaunting her baby bump

ALSO WATCH: Esha Deol gets married to Bharat Takhtani

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AAP MLAs are divided on the issue of voting for presidential elections even the party leadership is learnt to have conveyed to its law makers to vote for the Opposition candidate Meira Kumar.

By Manjeet Sehgal: Cross-voting in presidential elections, currently underway both in Punjab and Haryana, may play a spoilsport thanks to the factionalism in Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Indian National Lok Dal (INLD).

AAP MLAs are divided on the issue of voting for presidential elections even the party leadership is learnt to have conveyed to its lawmakers to vote for the Opposition candidate Meira Kumar.

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HS PHOOLKA TO SUPPORT RAM NATH KOVIND

Two rival Aam Aadmi Party factions led by former leader of opposition HS Phoolka and chief of whip Sukhpal Singh Khaira have announced support for both Meira Kumar and NDA's nominee Ram Nath Kovind.

Phoolka has categorically said that he will not vote for Meira Kumar as she is backed by Congress. He said supporting her means betraying 1984 anti Sikh riot victims.

"I respect Meira Kumar Ji but will not vote for her as she has been backed by Congress which continues to shield perpetrators of anti-Sikh riot accused," Phoolka said.

Sources close to AAP say MLAs close to Phoolka may follow the suit as some of them are close to hardliner Sikh groups.

Meanwhile, Khaira said the party has decided to vote in favour of Meira Kumar.

"Not AAP but it is Phoolka alone who has opposed Meira Kumar's candidature. Our party is supporting her and there will be no cross voting," says Khaira.

Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh had invited all Congress MLAs for breakfast meet so that they remained under one umbrella. But he had himself said the party was late in announcing Meira Kumar's candidature.

Congress leader and MLA Raj Kumar Verka claimed that there would be no cross voting but criticised Phoolka for not supporting Kumar. "There are no chances of cross voting. Phoolka is taking a different line for a reason best know to him. The truth is that all AAP MLAs except him will vote for Meira Kumar," Verka said.

DISSENT IN CONGRESS, INLD IN HARYANA

Cross voting is also expected in neighbouring Haryana where a sizeable chunk of Congress and INLD MLAs may go against their party decisions.

The speculations were fanned by the Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar himself by claiming that he had mustered support of 75 Haryana MLAs. The fact is that his party has just 47 MLAs and if we include five independents and a BSP MLA who had announced support to BJP, the number comes to 53. Then from where will Khattar manage the remaining 22 MLAs? INLD has already announced support to Ram Nath Kovind.

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Interestingly, Khattar also used dinner diplomacy to woo Congress and INLD MLAs last night but none of them turned up.

There is a visible factionalism in Congress led by former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Ashok Tanwar.BJP is eyeing support of Congress MLAs. However, fearing action from the party, nobody will come openly.

Haryana is notorious for cross voting and adopting unfair means. The last Rajya Sabha elections had kicked off a controversy as some MLAs had used a wrong pen to let a particular candidate win the election. Keeping in view the pen controversy, the Election Commission has issued a new ink and pen to avoid any controversy. It has also appointed a new returning officer after the controversy.

Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Manohar Lal Khattar and Abhay Chautala were seen organising meetings over lunch and dinner to contain the vote bank. What remains to be seen is whether Kovind will benefit from cross voting.

Also read:

Before Kovind vs Meira, a look at biggest, closest victory margins in presidential polls

Like it or not, Ram Nath Kovind is all set to be your next President

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Advantage Ram Nath Kovind vs Meira Kumar today: All you need to know about Presidential Election

Why only Ram Nath Kovind, Meira Kumar are in race to Raisina Hill: The story of Presidential Elections since 1952

ALSO WATCH: Dalit leader Ram Nath Kovind outruns big faces in Presidential Elections

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Congress President Sonia Gandhi, who met party MPs on Sunday, hours before the presidential polls and said that the battle is of values and ideologies not numbers.

By Sweta dutta: Even as the 18-party Opposition stares at lopsided contests in the upcoming Presidential and Vice-Presidential polls, for the Congress, it is about successfully anchoring the Opposition in the run-up to the 2019 polls. As the Congress and other Opposition parties step up their campaign ahead of polling for the Presidential elections today, the contest is being made out to be more of a 'symbolic and ideological' fight rather than of 'numbers'.

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Senior Congress leaders who were busy campaigning in the states under their charge maintained on Sunday that they were confident of drumming up adequate support for the Opposition candidates, not just from their own MPs and MLAs, but were also 'hoping' for a 'change of heart' in elected representatives of other parties too.

"It is a strong contest that leaves an important choice before all members of the electoral college. No one is bound by the party whip and is open to vote according to their own choice. That makes it a strong contest," Opposition Vice-Presidential candidate Gopal Krishna Gandhi told Mail Today.

'WE MUST FIGHT HARD'

Congress President Sonia Gandhi, who met party MPs on Sunday, hours before the presidential polls, said, "In these contests, the numbers may be against us. But the battle must be fought and fought hard. We cannot and must not let India be hostage to those who wish to impose upon it a narrowminded, divisive and communal vision. We must stand more aware than ever of who we are, what we fought for in our Independence struggle and what future we want for ourselves. We must have confidence in the values we believe in."

"This election represents a clash of ideas, a conflict of disparate values. The election demands a vote of conscience to preserve the India that the Mahatma and that illustrious generation of freedom fighters, joined by thousands upon thousands of ordinary men and women, fought for," she added.

"There was no way that we would have given the NDA candidate a walkover... and not put up a fight at all. In three years, for the first time the Opposition has come together as a united force which is noteworthy. This does say a lot about the way ahead," said a senior party leader.

Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot said, "The Opposition candidates stand for the idea of India, equality, secularism, tolerance. It is not just about the numbers but the ideology that one represents. This time the Opposition candidates, by far, come across as more worthy contenders to the posts. Both Meira Kumar and Gopalkrishna Gandhi come with vast experience. During Kumar's tours in the states, the kind of response she has received is phenomenal."

Today, NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind will stand against Opposition candidate Meira Kumar for the Presidential polls. The NDA candidate for the Vice-President's post is yet to be declared. The Vice-Presidential polls are slated for August 5.

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Also read: Foreign media on presidential poll: India set to crown candidate with Hindu nationalist roots as next President

Also read: How Ram Nath Kovind was Amit Shah's best kept secret until the last moment

Also read: Ram Nath Kovind for President: Nitish and Uddhav, two tales of shifting goalposts

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Have the Italian Wedding Youve Always Dreamed of in Texas

Have the Italian Wedding Youve Always Dreamed of in Texas

If a international wedding in Italy is out of reach, then we have the perfect solution for you! You can still have the look and feel of a romantic Italian wedding without leaving the continental US. The Villa Di Felicita in Tyler, Texas inspired this romance filled shoot from Photography by Gema and Design by D'Anne.

With the perfect venue in place, the magic comes to life with delicious catering and gorgeous decor. Everything a bride needs to feel like shes been swept away to the Italian countryside! Keep scrolling for more gorgeous in the full gallery below.

Italian wedding ideas in Texas

From Photography by Gema: You dont need to travel a great distance to have a beautiful, romantic Italian themed wedding and The Villa Di Felicita, which means Mansion of Happiness, is one-of-kind. Anna & Brandon who recently were married at the Villa, posed for us and they were fabulous! The dress is the original gown that Anna wore down the aisle. Brandon wore a black tie suit provided by Tux & Prom 101  Brides & Belles of Tyler.

Fresh-picked feel

I could of literally spent hours shooting all the beautiful floral arrangements by the talented, Barbara Tidwell, owner of La Tee Da Flowers. I love the champagne colored hand-tied fresh-picked bouquet that include a wide assortment of flowers and greenery. Tyler Tents & Events provided vibrant color + boho style glasses that creating a fun look!

yummy food + beautiful setting

Along with so many of the gorgeous details, their team created a beautiful romantic setting. Design by DAnne created the cutest little tier cake adorned with prickly pears, succulents and fresh flowers that complimented the amazing food by The Azalea Food Company. Their appetizers of cheeses, stuffed peppers, fresh veggies were the a perfect hors doeuvre to start out the celebration. Pair it up with the perfect champagne and roast pecan crusted pork lion dinner, you will understand why they always get rave reviews! Anna & Brandon posed next to the exquisite vintage Europeans cars owned by Andrew Allen and all I can say is gorgeous! Superb!

Get a closer look at these Italian inspired wedding ideas by watching the fabulous film created by A Thousand Word Production below.

https://vimeo.com/210823516
By West Kentucky Star Staff Jul. 17, 2017 | 03:44 PM | PADUCAH, KY

A Paducah attorney who was arrested earlier this year on theft charges is now facing more serious federal charges that could land him in prison for more than 40 years.The U.S. Attorney's Office in Paducah says 43-year-old Grant King was charged Monday in U.S. District Court with aggravated identity theft and wire fraud. The charges stem from accusations that King defrauded several of his clients in insurance settlements totaling at least $550,000 from at least March of 2007 through May of this year.Authorities say King settled clients' cases with insurance companies without their consent, and pocketed most or all of the settlement amounts. King is also charged with taking out a $97,500 personal loan and transferring the title of a boat as collateral. He then reportedly got a duplicate title on the boat and sold it without repaying the loan.King could get up to 42 years in prison, and pay a fine of $750,000 if convicted. He was arrested April 27 on theft charges in McCracken County. Since then, more than 30 people have come forward claiming to be victims of his alleged crimes.

On the Net:
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By West Kentucky Star Staff

Jul. 14, 2017 | MAYFIELD, KY

By West Kentucky Star Staff Jul. 14, 2017 | 04:27 PM | MAYFIELD, KY

Two Mayfield residents were arrested Friday after several dogs were discovered at their home living in what authorities describe as deplorable conditions.



Graves County Sheriff Dewayne Redmon says his office got a report Friday about animal cruelty on West Slaughter Road. Deputies and animal control officers arrived and found a dog on the property with a leg injury. The landlord told officers there were several other dogs in the home, and there was no power or water.



When the tennants arrived they let several dogs out of the home. Officers said the conditions were deplorable and the stench was almost unbearable. The inside of the home was reportedly covered with feces and urine. There was a water bowl and food in the home, but it was reportedly very dirty.



Deputies arrested the residents, 35-year-old Ashley Sullivan and 40-year-old Doman Coffey. Both are charged with 11 counts of 2nd degree animal cruelty.
Voting to elect country's 14th President is taking place today. The Congress-led Opposition has fielded former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar against the BJP's Ram Nath Kovind.

Opposition's Meira Kumar is fighting against BJP's Ram Nath Kovind, who has numbers in his favour.

By India Today Web Desk: Voting to elect India's 14th President will take place today. Opposition's Meira Kumar is contesting the Presidential election against BJP's Ram Nath Kovind, who has numbers in his favour.

Hours before voting, Congress President Sonia Gandhi described the Presidential election as a clash of ideas and conflict of disparate values.

HERE'S ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW:

Sonia Gandhi termed the Opposition's fight against a "narrow-minded, divisive and communal vision". "We must have confidence in the values we believe in.This election represents a clash of ideas, a conflict of disparate values. The election demands a vote of conscience to preserve the India that the Mahatma and the illustrious generation of freedom fighters,joined by thousands upon thenumbers of ordinary men and women, fought for," Sonia Gandhi said. On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Kovind, former Bihar Governor, expressing confidence that he will be elected to the top post. Kovind's win against Opposition candidate Meira Kumar is a foregone conclusion as the ruling coalition has secured the support of nearly two-thirds of the electoral college, with some political parties even outside the NDA fold throwing their weight behind him. Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal United, which is part of the 17-party Congress-led UPA, is also supporting Kovind. The Bihar CM had announced his support for Kovind. The BJP once again outfoxed the Opposition by naming Kovind, a Dalit, as their presidential nominee. The Congress was caught off guard by the masterstroke and was forced to bring in Meira Kumar, also a Dalit and from Bihar, to counter ruling party's move. Meira Kumar has appealed to members of the electoral college to "heed the inner voice of conscience" while casting their vote. Counting of votes in the election will be taken up on July 20 and the result will be known the same evening--four days before the end of the term of President Pranab Mukherjee. The new President is set to take over on July 25. In the last presidential election in 2012, Pranab Mukherjee had defeated P A Sangma and got over 69 per cent votes. Voting will take place from 10am to 5pm in Room Number 62 of Parliament House.

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(Inputs from agencies)

ALSO READ:

Foreign media on presidential poll: India set to crown candidate with Hindu nationalist roots as next President

Presidential election voters: 71 per cent crorepati, a third with criminal cases, 451 women

Advantage Ram Nath Kovind vs Meira Kumar: All you need to know about Presidential Election

Why only Ram Nath Kovind, Meira Kumar are in race to Raisina Hill: The story of Presidential Elections since 1952

WATCH: Presidential election 2017: Bihar's ex-Governor Ram Nath Kovind versus Bihar ki beti Meira Kumar

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SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER MICHAEL ABSHER: "I'M NOT RESIGNING"

HAD BEEN FIRED AS BUNCOMBE COUNTY SCHOOL BUS DRIVER

HAD SEVERAL BRUSHES WITH THE LAW

THE BOARD COULD NOT FORCE AN ELECTEDC SITTING SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER TO RESIGN...BUT MONDAY'S MEETING WAS TO PUBLICLY REQUEST HIS RESIGNATION

IN THAT SPECIAL CALLED MEETING MONDAY JULY 24TH AT 4 PM, ABSHER STATED THAT HE WOULD NOT RESIGN FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD THAT HE WAS ELECTED TO ON HIS THIRD TRY FOR THE OFFICE...ABSHER FINALLY WON ELECTION LAST NOVEMBER.

SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER RICK WOOD ABSTAINED FROM VOTING MONDAY AFTERNOON. THE REQUEST FOR ABSHER'S RESIGNATION WAS UNANIMOUS AMONG THE REMAINING VOTING MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY BOARD OF PUBLIC EDUCATION.

ABSHER HAD EARLIER TAKEN A VOLUNTARY LEAVE OF ABSENCE FROM THE BOARD, BUT WAS REPORTEDLY SEATING WITH THE BOARD MONDAY AFTERNOON.

LAST WEEK, ATTORNEY DOUGLAS PEARSON, WHO REPRESENTS ABSHER, RELEASED THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT TO LOCAL NEWS MEDIA:

I represent Michael Absher. The North Carolina State Bar and the N.C. Rules of Professional Conduct place great constraints on my ability to speak to the press at this time. However, I was contacted by the Press regarding a statement issued earlier today calling for Michael Absher to resign from the Henderson County School Board.

The citizens of Henderson County voted and elected Michael Absher to the Henderson County School Board. The school board process was created by the legislators to give local citizens a voice in the operations and functions of the school systems.

For this board to now request an emergency meeting to call for the resignation of a fellow constitutionally elected official gives me great pause. Beginning in elementary school students are taught the merits of the democratic system and the basic constitutional protections that each and every citizen is afforded.

One provision of the Constitution is the presumption of innocence and another provision is due process. This emergency meeting appears to have an agenda of circumventing the U.S. Constitution, the N.C. Constitution and the General Statutes.

Every school board member took an oath of office to uphold the Constitution, and the rights provided to citizens therein.

Please ask yourself if this call for action is consistent with their sworn oath of office. I urge the public to review the oath administered to these elected officials.

Regardless of what an individual school board member thinks based on politics or personal belief, the board must set aside these differences to effectively represent the citizens of this county.

The citizens popular vote that clearly elected Mr. Absher should be upheld in accordance with U.S. Constitution, the state Constitution, the N.C. General Statutes and each members oath of office to become a board member of the Henderson County Board of Public Education to support the same.

To call for action contrary to these pillars of democracy is simply unconstitutional. Statement from Absher attorney Douglas Pearson published on Times-News web site.
The Indian Army DGMO today spoke to his Pakistani counterpart and made it explicitly clear that while India is committed to peace along the Line of Control, it reserves the right to retaliate to any Pakistani provocations.

By India Today Web Desk: On the day when an Army jawan and a nine-year-old girl died in Pakistani firing from across the Line of Control, New Delhi warned Islamabad that it reserves the right to retaliate to any provocation across the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir.

The message was delivered by Indian Army director general of military operations Lt Gen A.K. Bhatt to his Pakistani counterpart Maj Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza. During the ten-minute phone call over the Indian Army-Pakistan Army hotline, Lt Gen Bhatt also told the Pakistani DGMO that the Indian Army was committed the maintaining peace along the LoC.

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Lt Gen Bhatt made it explicitly clear that the Indian Army reserves the right to retaliate to any ceasefire violation, but "is sincere in its effort of maintaining peace and tranquillity along the LoC provided there was reciprocity", Army spokesman Lt. Col. Aman Anand was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

The two DGMOs speak weekly over a special hotline established between the Indian and Pakistani armies. However, today's conversation was initiated by Maj Gen Mirza who claimed that the Indian Army was "targeting" Pakistani troops and that raised the issues of the death of four Pakistani soldiers and one civilian in the Athmuqam Sector of PoK facing the Indian Keran Sector in Kupwara District last week.

"The Indian DGMO in response highlighted that all ceasefire violations were initiated by the Pakistan army and the Indian Army only responded appropriately to them," Anand added. Firing by Indian troops was initiated only against "armed intruders attempting to infiltrate from close proximity of Pakistani posts along the Line of Control", he said.

The Indian Army spokesperson also said Bhatt also put across "emphatically" that the trend of infiltration along the LoC continued with the active support of Pakistani forward posts, impacting peace and tranquillity as well as the internal security situation. "This was evident from continued attempts of sniping and targeting of our troops undertaken through cross border actions duly supported by Pakistani army troops," Anand said.

PAKISTAN PROTESTS

Pakistan for its part said that its DGMO informed Lt Gen A.K. Bhatt about a demarche to "protest deliberate targeting of Pakistan Army's vehicle" in which four Pakistani soldiers died.

According to a statement released by the Pakistani military, Maj Gen Mirza "emphasised the importance of controlling tactical actions of under command troops, since these indiscretions can potentially spiral major standoffs."

Pakistan said that situations like these have the "potential to escalate", a scenario that would be "extremely detrimental to peace and stability."

"While we don't want to go down the path where we start choking each other's supply lines; however, any such recurrence will invoke more strong and effective measures from Pakistan's side," the statement added.

Rising Violations

There were 23 incidents of ceasefire violations, one BAT (Border Action Team) attack and two infiltration bids by Pakistan in June, according to the Indian Army.

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Today's conversation came merely three hours after Pakistan initiated firing from across the Line of Control in Jammu's Poonch sector. The ceasefire violation resulted in the death of one Army jawan - Naik Muddasar Ahmed, who suffered fatal mortar shell injuries - and one eight-year-old girl.

On July 15, a soldier of the Indian Army died after Pakistan resorted to unprovoked firing and mortar shelling in Rajouri sector across the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir. Lance Naik Mohammed Naseer (35), from border district of Poonch, was hit during the firing and shelling by the Pakistani troops on the Indian forward posts.

On July 12, two jawans were killed in sniper fire by the Pakistani Army in Keran sector of north Kashmir.

Earlier on July 8, two civilians were killed and some others injured when Pakistani Army violated ceasefire and resorted to mortar shelling and firing of small and automatic weapons targeting forward posts and hamlets along the LoC in the Poonch district.

(With PTI inputs)

Also read: J-K: Army jawan killed in ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Rajouri

Also read: Jammu and Kashmir: Pakistan Army violates ceasefire along LoC in Naushera, Indian Army retaliates

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Also watch: Army jawan, 8-year-old girl killed in latest Pakistan firing along LoC

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By Santosh Chaubey: AIADMK led state government has shunted out an honest IPS officer, DIG (Prisons) Roopa D Moudgil for unearthing corruption in the Bengaluru Central Prison that has jailed party leader VK Sasikala, who was getting undue favours by bribing officials. The state administration has alleged that she exceeded her brief by talking to media, even if, in public perception, she has blown the lid off corruption in state prisons which comes directly under CM Siddaramaiah who also holds the Home Ministry portfolio of the state.

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The opposition BJP in the state is crying hoarse over it and is preparing to raise the Sasikala prison affair in the Parliament tomorrow. Karnataka BJP president Yeddyurappa likened the treatment meted to her as 'punishment for honesty' and said he would raise the issue with India's Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

SHESTHA THAKUR

But just a fortnight ago, Uttar Pradesh government had shunted out an honest IPS officer, Bulandshahr DSP Shestha Thakur, for fining a BJP worker who violated traffic rules. BJP city president and other workers rushed to the spot and soon there was an ugly verbal spat reeking arrogance of power as the party workers started blaming police for asking for bribe. The DSP went ahead with her action and jailed five BJP workers instead for creating obstruction in discharging government duties. The incident occurred on June 22 and Shrestha Thakur was transferred to Bahraich on July 1. The move was widely seen as a punishment transfer for going against the workers of ruling party in the state.

The Adityanath government's order to transfer Saharanpur SSP Luv Kumar to Gautam Budh Nagar in April, though claimed to be a compromise, was seen as punishment transfer. Raghav Lakhanpal, BJP Lok Sabha MP from Saharanpur, had claimed that he would get the SSP transferred terming him 'naalayak (worthless). Kumar was credited with containing the communal fare-up and had booked Lakhanpal and other BJP MLAs and workers for allegedly inciting rioting and arsoning. He had not allowed BJP procession led by Lakhanpal, commemorating Ambedkar's birth anniversary to pass through a restricted route which had angered Lakhanpal.

In May, the AIADMK government of E Palaniswamy in Tamil Nadu had transferred NK Senthamarai Kannan, North Zone IG, and J Mutharasi, Kancheepuram SP. A reprimanding move as both of these officers were responsible for police action at the Golden Bay Resort where VK Sasikala had rounded up AIADMK MLAs to keep her flock intact to corner the ruling party of Tamil Nadu after J Jayalalithaa's death.

In November 2015, Fatehabad SP Sangeeta Rani Kalia was transferred by another BJP run state government in Haryana after heated verbal exchange with senior Haryana minister Anil Vij. After a verbal spat on illicit liquor trade, the minister asked the SP to get out of the meeting. The SP responded back by saying the minister could not humiliate her like that and she was not going to leave. The minister then stormed out. The next day, the SP was transferred.

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DURGA SHAKTI NAGPAL

The case of Durga Shakti Nagpal, a young IAS officer from Uttar Pradesh, was a shocking incident and this time it was a Samajwadi Pary (SP) government. She was posted as Sub-Divisional Magistrate in Gautam Budh Nagar's Greater Noida. She was just 28 then but her steely resolve saw effective crackdown on sand-mining mafia of the area many of whom were very near to the power corridors of Lucknow.

Though she was suspended under allegations of inciting communal tension by ordering razing down a mosque boundary wall, it was seen as punishment for taking on sand mafia for which she had won national praise. While she was being charge-sheeted, senior SP leaders were busy making humiliating remarks against her. Senior SP leader Narender Bhati was caught on camera bragging that he got her suspended within 41 hours. Another UP minister called her a liar and CM Akhilesh Yadav himself termed her an errant child. All this when Sonia Gandhi wrote a letter to Manmohan Singh to ensure justice to her; Ram Jethmalani offered to defend her case; and UP and Central IAS Officers Associations petitioned the UP government against her suspension.

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From Congress to BJP to AIADMK to SP, these are just some of the incidents to show how political parties treat bureaucrats. The message is clear that they all need just 'yes men'. If someone dares to take a different line based on conscience, the person should be ready to face consequences.

Also Read

Karnataka DIG of Prisons D Roopa, who exposed VVIP perks to Sasikala in Bengaluru jail, transferred

Sasikala VIP treatment in jail: 40 prisoners transferred from Bengaluru to Bellary

--- ENDS ---
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 17/07/2017 (1944 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

When it came to wrongfully accused criminals in Canada, defence counsel Hersh Wolch represented a veritable whos who in a legal career that was more than five decades long.

Wolch, who represented David Milgaard, Steven Truscott, and Kyle Unger among others, died on Monday after suffering a heart attack at his Calgary residence. He was 77.

He was probably the most brilliant trial lawyer I ever had the privilege to watch in a courtroom, his former Winnipeg legal partner, Sheldon Pinx, said on Monday.

Defence lawyer Hersh Wolch represented David Milgaard, Steven Truscott, and Kyle Unger among others. (Jeff McIntosh / The Canadian Press files)

He was extraordinarily gifted. He was also skilled in cross examination and other aspects you need in court.

I am shocked. I am totally shocked.

Wolch first received his Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Manitoba in 1962, before graduating with a law degree in 1965. He was called to the Bar of Manitoba in 1965, Saskatchewan in 1972, and Alberta in 1978.

Wolch began his legal career as a Manitoba Crown attorney from 1965 to 1971, and then went to the federal Department of Justice until 1973.

Wolch switched from prosecuting criminals to defending them and while in Winnipeg he was part of the law firm Wolch, Pinx, Tapper, Scurfield.

But about two decades ago, with most of his practice in Calgary, he decided to relocate there.

Milgaard most prominent case

While Wolch represented many clients through the years, Milgaard  who he was able to free after Milgaard served 23 years in prison for the murder of Saskatchewan nursing aide Gail Miller in 1969  was his most well known. Milgaard was released after DNA evidence cleared him of the crime.

Wolch even cross examined Larry Fisher  who ultimately was convicted of the murder  before a special hearing of the Supreme Court of Canada, one of only three hearings in its history to have received evidence.

David Asper, who as a criminal lawyer worked on the Milgaard case with Wolch, said Wolchs cross examination of Larry Fisher at the Milgaard hearing in the Supreme Court was an amazing piece of lawyering, that not only led to getting Davids release, but ultimately the investigation and conviction of Larry Fisher.

Hersh was a wise mentor and colleague. When events got sped up in our lives as lawyers, Hersh was always able to slow it down, and help get to the best decision possible. And he often did it with a terrific sense of humour and humanity.

Veteran defence counsel Hymie Weinstein said Hersh Wolch, when he practiced in Winnipeg, was one of the leading criminal defence lawyers in the province.

He was highly respected by both the Crown and the Judiciary. He was a leading light in our province and he will be missed by the defence bar in Alberta.

He has helped many people

Greg Rodin, who was a partner in Wolchs law firm in Calgary, said Wolch was working to the end  and probably too hard.

He had numerous cases ongoing. We were working together on Unger. Hopefully that will resolve itself soon.

Unger was convicted of first-degree murder in the death of Brigitte Grenier in 1990, at a music festival in Roseisle. But, after spending 14 years in prison, Unger was cleared with the federal justice minister saying in 2009 that the conviction had probably been a miscarriage of justice. He has since launched a $14.5 million lawsuit against federal and provincial justice officials.

Rodin said Wolch had many precedent setting cases through the years.

Hersh was, if not the most, among the most prominent practitioners of criminal law this country has ever seen, he said.

He has helped many people.

Wolch is survived by his wife, Alberta Court of Appeal Justice Sheilah Martin, and seven children.

Rodin said funeral plans are pending, but the service will likely be held in Calgary on Wednesday.

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 16/07/2017 (1945 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Three sisters live far away in Texas and New Zealand, but 200 years ago their ancestors settled the land to help found Winnipeg.

Dawn Uyehara, Carol Bailey and Elaine Purdum can follow their family tree a few generations back to the Sutherland family, who came with the Selkirk Settlers from Scotland through Hudsons Bay in 1811 to arrive in what is now Winnipeg in August 1812.

The three, who came to Winnipeg to be part of the week-long festivities connected with the 200th anniversary of the signing of the Selkirk Treaty, the first signed in the West before Canada was formed, admit their ancestors and the rest of the settlers had a tough life here.

TREVOR HAGAN / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Lord Selkirk and Brokenhead Chief Jim Bear honour the Selkirk Treaty, which was signed 200 years ago, at a ceremony Sunday in downtown Winnipeg.

They (the Sutherlands) stayed until 1838, Uyehara said on Sunday shortly after the welcoming of the current Lord Selkirk at the former site of Fort Douglas in downtown Winnipeg, which was built by the Selkirk Settlers.

Then some went to Iowa and others to New Zealand. It was very difficult here. They faced the floods, the locusts, the fight with the Northwest Company.

By that time, they wanted to move.

Bailey said the settlers had it tough even before they reached to the Red River Colony.

They got off the boat at Churchill and walked 150 miles to York Factory, she said. Its shocking how good our life is compared to (theirs).

Almost 200 years after their ancestors met and signed a treaty, the current Lord Selkirk met with Chief Jim Bear of Brokenhead Ojibway Nation at the site where it was inked.

Thomas Douglas  the fifth Earl of Selkirk, and the founder of the Red River Colony  signed a treaty with Chief Peguis and four other chiefs in 1817, which gifted land two miles back on either side of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers to the Selkirk Settlers with the rest staying in the hands of Indigenous people.

On Sunday, the current Lord Selkirk, born James Alexander Douglas-Hamilton in 1942, shook hands with Bear at a park along Waterfront Drive that has the Scots Monument, which honours all the Scots and their descendants who settled here, along with a stone and plaque to commemorate Fort Douglas.

Lord Selkirk said the treaty and the help given by Chief Peguis were tremendously important to the settlement in its infancy.

It meant in the long term there would be a place for farming, he said.

Lord Selkirk paid for the land, but the farmers had to farm it  that was the deal. But it was difficult.

Chief Peguis had their life and death in his hands. He helped them he made the difference between life and death for them.

Bear said he still values the friendship of Lord Selkirk and his descendants.

We maintain the relationship that started 200 years ago, he said.

The treaty was to coexist. Despite the dark history which came later, our people honour the spirit and the treaty of our ancestors.

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 17/07/2017 (1944 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries (MLL) made a hefty profit flipping the downtown Medical Arts Building.

A senior executive with Timbercreek Asset Management Inc. of Toronto confirmed it paid $15.5 million for the 15-storey office tower, an adjoining 385-stall parkade and the surface parking lot on the north side of the tower.

Thats nearly twice the $7.9 million the Crown corporation paid for the properties in September 2015.

MLL also spent $2.4 million on planning and redevelopment costs associated with its ill-fated $74-million plan to expand and renovate the building. It planned to use a portion of the space for its corporate headquarters and rent out the rest to other tenants.

After the April 2016 election, the new Progressive Conservative government appointed a new board, which pulled the plug on the development late last year. The board said MLL shouldnt be a commercial landlord. The corporation put the properties on the market in January and had a tentative deal with Timbercreek by April.

Ugo Bizzarri, Timbercreeks senior managing director and chief investment officer, confirmed earlier media reports that Timbercreek plans to convert the upper floors of the office tower into rental apartments. Some of the lower floors will remain as office and retail space.

I dont think it makes long-term sense that its solely dedicated to medical office use, he said. We havent determined exactly what were doing with the building, but were looking to revitalize it and create more of a mixed-use space of apartments and commercial space.

Bizzarri said its too soon to say how many of the floors will be redeveloped as rental apartments, or how many will be office and retail.

He said the company will meet with tenants this month to see what they would like done with the Kennedy Street building.

Once it has their feedback, it will spend about six months drawing up the redevelopment plans, which are expected to include upgrades to the parkade, which faces onto Edmonton Street.

Bizzarri said its too soon to say how much the company expects to spend on redevelopment, but it is significant.

Initially, Timbercreek will focus on the redeveloping the office tower and upgrading the parkade. The redevelopment of the surface parking lot will take place at an unknown date.

There is a long-term plan there, but right now thats a fair bit into the future.

Bizzarri said Timbercreek bought the properties because it liked the location and the idea of converting an underused building into a better use.

We felt the location was good because of what True North is doing around that area, he said, referring to the nearby $400-million True North Square development, which includes four highrise towers, a parkade and more than one million square feet of office, retail, residential and hotel space.

Were really focused on value-added opportunities in real estate and this would be a value-added opportunity.

A third factor was the ongoing revitalization of downtown, where Timbercreek owns six other apartment buildings.

We like all the changes that are happening downtown and we want to be part of those changes. We also like the Winnipeg market a lot, and we hope to continue to be involved in (it) for the long term.

CentreVenture Development Corp. president and CEO Angela Mathieson said in April that although 2,600 new residential units have been built or announced for downtown since 2005, there is room for more.

It really is the key to the success of any vibrant downtown  as much population density as you can possibly manage, she said.

RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS The Medical Arts Building was sold to Timbercreek Asset Management Inc. for $15.5 million and will be converted into rental apartments while the lower floors will remain office and retail space.

Mastermind Toys store in the Kildonan Place Shopping Centre is open for business.

The new 4,325-square-foot, free-standing store opened last weekend on the southwest corner of the shopping centre property, which is on Regent Avenue West.

The Toronto-based chains first store opened in October 2015 in the SmartCentres Winnipeg Southwest retail power centre on the northeast corner of Kenaston and McGillivray Boulevards.

We are thrilled to be opening a second Mastermind in Winnipeg, in the popular and redeveloped Kildonan Place Mall, said Jon Levy, chief toy merchant, CEO and co-founder of Mastermind Toys. Consumers in the east end of Winnipeg and surrounding communities will now have convenient access to our unparallelled mix of the best hand-picked specialty toys and an awesome childrens book selection.

Mastermind Toys was founded 33 years ago by Levy and his brother, Andy, who wanted to offer shoppers a classic toy store experience. The companys stores carry more than 10,000 specialty toys, games and books at a variety of price points, including some first-to-market and exclusive items.

The company is in the midst of the largest expansion in its history, with new stores set to open this year in six provinces. By the end of the year, it expects to have 60 stores in Canada.

Know of any newsworthy or interesting trends or developments in the local office, retail, industrial or multi-family- residential sectors? Let real estate reporter Murray McNeill know at the email address below, or at 204-697-7254.

murray.mcneill@freepress.mb.ca
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 17/07/2017 (1944 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It looks like Omnitrax didnt get the memo.

For the past eight weeks, the Denver-based owners of the Hudson Bay Railway have been repeatedly urged to take stock of the situation and make necessary repairs to get the trains moving again on northern Manitobas most important transportation link. The line was shut down on May 23 because of significant flood damage.

In what has to be seen now as stark defiance of those pleas for urgency, Omnitrax will confirm this week that it is still weeks away from the start of repairs.

On Tuesday, Omnitrax will hold a technical briefing with engineering firm AECOM, at which it will announce the assessment of the damage to the rail line is not yet complete. The final report from AECOM will not be available for another two to three weeks, and we will not be able to share any final conclusions until then, an Omnitrax spokeswoman confirmed Sunday.

That time frame is consistent with statements Omnitrax made in late June that it would take until late July or early August to examine 24 breaks, 28 damaged bridges and more than 600 culverts over a 300-kilometre span of the rail line.

However, there had been a growing expectation that, after being strongly enjoined by Premier Brian Pallister and northern First Nation and municipal leaders to speed up the process, Omnitrax would get repairs started sooner. The urgency was due in no small part to the fact that the tab for re-supplying Churchill and related entities has been growing at an alarming rate.

Churchill Mayor Mike Spence said in an interview that Manitobas Emergency Measures Organization (EMO) has been keeping tabs on the costs of bringing in critical supplies such as propane and materials to complete important repairs to municipal facilities.

EMO has now estimated the cost of bringing propane and new long-term storage tanks to Churchill by ship from Montreal at more than $4 million, he said. Another $400,000 would have to be spent to bring in roofing materials to complete work on the town offices and medical centre.

VIA Rail is looking at a $700,000 tab to have two locomotives and five passenger cars  stranded in Churchill when the line was closed  shipped back south.

However, the biggest re-supply costs are accruing to the University of Manitobas Marine Observatory, a government-funded research centre. Construction of the observatory was put on hold when the rail service stopped and Spence said it could cost as much as $8 million to bring in the necessary building materials by ship, more than double original estimates.

With the cost of essential materials rising on a weekly basis, news that Omnitrax is sticking to its original timeline for the engineering assessment was greeted with a predictable anger.

This is garbage, said Spence. This is totally unacceptable. Ten weeks to do an assessment on the line? Thats total garbage given the problems we are having right now.

Garbage is a pretty strong word but Omnitraxs behaviour has been, at the very least, extremely odd in several different ways.

First, the technical briefing was announced on Friday afternoon with little fanfare. That is typically the way governments take out the garbage, political parlance for an effort to bury a news release to avoid media scrutiny.

Its not clear why Omnitrax would want to suppress interest in the briefing, but thats pretty much what happened. Not a single local news outlet reported on the briefing.

Second, Omnitrax seems to have forgotten to include Churchill officials. Spence said he received no notification from Omnitrax directly, and only learned about the briefing from a journalist. They have been doing a pretty good job of ignoring us, Spence said. This is just the latest example of the bad faith they show us at every turn.

Third, Spence said there is no evidence the railway has begun repairing any flood-damaged sections of the line. Even if it will take a few more weeks to complete the engineering assessment, Spence said there really is no reason why some repairs could not have been already started.

Spence noted that in late June, the Keewatin Railway Company, a shortline operator controlled by the Keewatin Tribal Council, had already volunteered to start repairs and estimated the total cost of bringing the line back into service at about $2 million.

Its important to note that what Spence has described as bad faith is also a deliberate strategy to ramp up the pressure on the federal and provincial governments to buy them out.

Omnitrax has a tentative deal with a First Nations consortium to sell the railway and port of Churchill, which it also owns. However, the consortium has made it clear that they cannot complete the sale without financial support from Ottawa.

And if Omnitrax has been about bad faith, Ottawa has been all about silence.

Federal officials are being kept abreast of all the most recent developments, or lack of developments as the case may be. But the federal Liberal government is not offering to take a leadership role to get the rail line back up and running, either under Omnitrax control or as part of a sale to First Nations.

The province as well has been very tight-lipped on any financial support to an existing or future owner of the railway. Pallister has been resolute that he will make no commitments until he knows the total cost of repairs.

Its a classic standoff: a private owner that no longer wants to own the railway and is refusing to do any repairs facing off against the federal and provincial governments, both of which are reluctant to put any money on the table. And caught in the middle are the good people of the north.

Ive said for some time that all that Omnitrax is doing is holding us hostage, Spence said. Theyre putting the squeeze on us to see what they can get from government. And were sick and tired of it.

dan.lett@freepress.mb.ca
In the 'provocative' Twitter post Sinha had posted a picture with his mother offering prayers at the Mahakal Temple in Ujjain on July 9.

By Siddhartha Rai: RSS vicharak (thinker) and DU professor Rakesh Sinha is now a wanted man in West Bengal.

Sinha has been booked under various non-bailable sections of the IPC by Kolkata Police. While Sinha termed this a 'strong-arm tactic' to silence his criticism of the Mamata Banerjee regime over communal appeasement and consequent violence in Bashirhat, RSS-affiliated legal body Legal Rights Observatory (LRO) has called for an NIA probe into the role of TMC MLAs in the communal flare-up.

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The case, filed on July 12 on a complaint lodged a couple of days prior to that, claims that Sinha tried to incite communal hatred and thus tried to spark communal conflagration in the already disturbed state through his social media posts. A particular post has also been made the basis of the complaint. In a Twitter post, Sinha had posted a picture with his mother offering prayers at the Mahakal Temple in Ujjain on July 9. According to Kolkata lawyer Brajesh Jha, who is representing Sinha, one Manoj Kumar Singh filed the complaint against him, calling his post "provocative" that can lead to communal tension and riots.

'MAMATA WANTS TO SILENCE HER OPPONENTS'

"We are moving for anticipatory bail and also planning to sue the complainant," Jha said. "The FIR has been lodged against me in Kolkata without any evidence and registered without any annexture. Mamata Banerjee wants to silence her opponents and this mentality needs to be crushed. Freedom of Expression is under threat and she is using the police and administration as the B-team of TMC," Sinha told Mail Today.

"Mamata has now started chasing her critiques outside the state. The FIR mentioned of a photo which incited violence. In the last three months, I have posted three photos: one performing puja at Mahakaleshwar temple in Ujjain along with my mother; another where the President of India was presenting an award to me; and lastly, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat releasing a book on Narendra Modi. Do these photos incite violence? Mamata is afraid of my research-based criticism of her communal social philosophy," he added.

"We condemn the FIR against Rakesh Sinha for exposing the involvement of jihadi radicals of TMC in Basirhat/ Baduria riots. We will legally defeat the lunatic action by the Bengal government," LRO convener Vinay Joshi told Mail Today. TMC Leader Derek O'Brian refused to comment on the matter. He instead asked the reporter to mail the query to the media contact mail address of the party.

Also read: Basirhat violence: How Mamata Banerjee lost the plot in her second term

Also read: How dare they question my identity? Mamata's angry outburst after Bengal BJP leader's 'hijra' jibe

--- ENDS ---
Winona

Friday

3:14 p.m. A man living on the 400 block of Center Street reported that, when he woke up, he found three unknown men in his apartment. The door had been damaged, but nothing seemed to be missing.

7:52 p.m.  Steven Edward Taverna, 23 and of Winona, was cited for shoplifting from Menards. Authorities say he ran out of the store with a box, which held a home security system, and hopped into a vehicle. A store employee chased him down and pulled the box from the vehicle as it sped away.

7:57 p.m.  Brian Scott Turbes, 55, Winona, was cited for domestic assault after an incident on the 200 block of North Baker Street.

10:45 p.m.  Authorities arrested Peter Raymon White, 38, Winona, on a warrant. They soon realized that he was holding a fraudulent Minnesota drivers licence, and he received a misdemeanor ticket for fraud.

Saturday

1:06 a.m.  Elisabeth Claire Peck, 19 and of Eagan, was cited for minor consumption and warned for public consumption.

8:10 p.m.  A female reported the theft of a dark gray mens Roadmaster bicycle.

10:37 p.m.  Bobby Darnell Green, 34 and of Winona, was cited for domestic assault at Fairway Woods Apartments.

Sunday

2:33 a.m.  Ralph Onearus Hodges, 39 and of Winona, was arrested for fourth-degree drunken driving after he was stopped near 750 East Mark Street. According to authorities, he had been driving 60 or 70 mph on Mankato Avenue.

7:38 a.m.  Christopher Dearmoni Bell, 25 and of Winona, was cited for domestic assault following an incident at a residence on the 700 block of East Third Street. Bell, according to police, threatened to harm a woman. He got into his vehicle and left the scene before authorities arrived, but was later seen driving past the residence. Authorities tracked him down, and he was cited for driving after revocation.

3:05 p.m.  Hy-Vee reported the theft of a seat and a battery from one of the stores forklifts.

Monday

7:41 a.m.  A woman reported that someone smashed the windows of a foreclosed-upon residence on the 500 block of East Belleview Street.

Winona County

Friday

11:04 p.m.  Gary Curtis Sand Jr., 44, Caledonia, was arrested for drunken driving and possession of a small amount of marijuana. In his pockets, authorities found a baggie with marijuana in it, as well as a metal pipe.

Sunday

7:35 p.m.  Rodolfo Gonzalez, 28 and of Saint Charles, was arrested for fourth-degree drunken driving.

11:44 p.m.  A local man reported that his vehicle, while parked along Riverview Drive in Dresbach, had been damaged by what appeared to be a BB gun or pellet gun. There were two small dents in the vehicle, and some of the paint was chipped.
As far as hardships go, Mary Zimmerman has faced some of lifes worst.

Between losing a total of six children and caring for her husband of 65 years following a stroke that left that previously independent man in need of help, it was easy for her to feel battered down.

But God had different plans, Zimmerman said, and she didnt want to let Him down with the life she was given.

I dont want to meet God empty-handed, Zimmerman said.

To fulfill this, the longtime Winonan has donated her time and resources by raising money for tsunami victims through the sale of her homemade pies, writing books about grief and God after the death of her 16-year-old son in 1976, and most recently by purchasing and donating images of the Devine Mercy devotion for local organizations and residents.

Zimmermans claim to local fame came from a motivation to help tsunami victims in Sri Lanka. She decided to raise money through selling her pies. She began baking  and baking and baking and baking.

Soon, she made her 1,000th pie and donated the thousands of dollars she made from the sales to the tsunami relief.

But her talents are not limited to the kitchen. Zimmerman said she enjoys writing and said she often finds herself consumed by the Holy Spirit in her writings, inspiring her to keep writing more.

The first two books she wrote primarily focused on her grief over the death of her 16-year-old son, and she received requests for the book from others who were also handling a loss. Her following two books and a third writing, focus on finding faith and keeping it.

Zimmerman has also had her writings about her faith published in local and larger publications.

In her columns and writings, she explained how she hopes others can find some semblance of faith, just as it helped her cope with her depression and grief.

That is also where the Devine Mercy devotion entered into her life.

Zimmerman said she finds comfort in the story of Sister Faustina seeing Jesus and finding her own peace and trust in her faith.

Sister Faustina went on a quest to find someone who could paint what she saw in order to bring that peace to others. The paintings and prints feature a classic European depiction of Jesus Christ with colorful beams of light shining down from his heart.

In the devotion, it is said that Jesus wanted everyone to have access to this image of him, and Zimmerman decided to make that her new mission for the community.

Instead of baking or writing, she began collecting. She gathered up enough money to purchase a large canvas for Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary worth hundreds of dollars.

The image was so large it had to come in on a semi-truck, but the former pie lady could not just stop there.

She also continued to save enough and received donations to purchase the images for the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, St. Francis Church in Rochester, Minn., Cotter High School and St. Stans.

She is still saving to donate the large retractable images to organizations of any denomination, and she has dozens of smaller images she gives away to others as well.

For Zimmerman, the story of the devotion brings peace, but sharing the devotion brings her happiness in helping others.

When you do things for others, you help yourself, Zimmerman said.

As to where her helpful spirit will lead her next, Zimmerman is unsure, but she is faithful it will be worth her  and Gods  time.
During the primary season a friend asked if I had the Burn as in Bernie Sanders for President. Yup. I said Bernie Sanders or Donald Trump; somebody that will disrupt the status quo.

As it turns out Bernie Sanders never made it through the primaries and Donald Trump became the Republican nominee. Then things took a real nose dive. The fact checkers were able to show that the Republican nominee made statements inconsistent with the facts 35 to 40 times for every 45 minutes he spoke during three debates, we saw videos of him telling people how he treats women, or at least how he wishes he could if that was just another alternate fact.

People who did business with him found that he would not pay them for work done or would pay only a fraction of what the contract called for.

The fact checkers also found that Trumps opponent made statements inconsistent with the facts five or six times during every 45 minutes she spoke during the three debates.

The values Mr. Trump displayed by saying things that simply were not true whenever it suited his purpose, and in many cases served no purpose at all, as well as his behavior towards other people are consistent with the values of the people that voted for him but those are not my values and I could not bring myself to vote for him even though I enjoy seeing him articulate his partys values.

The Trump presidency has been entertaining. Time after time he has demonstrated that he knows a lot and then he demonstrates, as that old cowboy Will Rogers once said, Its not that he doesnt know enough; he knows plenty. The problem is that so much of what he knows is just plain wrong.

We have enjoyed Trump articulating his partys beliefs and policies so clearly without a filter. Of course he gets help from his House and Senate colleagues. Like many in his party, Trump believes our nations resources should be used to enrich the few at the expense of the many. Ive gone through the negotiations process enough times to know that when you give a negotiating group everything they asked for the next time around they ask for more.

The health care situation is a great example of Trumps party values. The party that calls itself pro-life because it opposes abortion, which I also oppose by the way, could not see a problem when the Center for Disease Control and the US Census Bureau showed that about 45,000 Americans died each year from lack of health care. The Trump party is really pro-birth and right now the party he represents is planning to cancel health care for more than 20 million Americans because they believe those resources should go to the people with the most because they should have more. Some Trump party members dont like the proposal because it takes health care from some of their constituents; others dont like it because they dont think it takes health care away from enough people.

Whats wrong with a health plan where if you get sick or injured your medical needs get addressed, without you having to guess which illness or which injury you are going to have so you get a policy that will cover your unknown future needs? Does that sound like a single-payer system? The people Congress consulted with on health care are insurance companies who are in business to make money not provide health care.

To those people who think Trump should be impeached, I say forget it. When would we ever get another chance to see the heart, soul and values of his party articulated so clearly?
By Vidya : The Maharashtra government today defended its move to set actor Sanjay Dutt free from Yerwada jail on February 25, 2016. The Maharashtra government filed an affidavit in the Bombay High Court today and justified his early release from the prison.

Sanjay Dutt was supposed to serve 5 years of rigorous imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 25,000. Dutt had been found guilty under various sections of arms act for possession of lethal weapons just before the 1993 bomb blasts that rocked Mumbai on March 12.

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The affidavit filed by the government says:

* As an under trial, Dutt had been in jail for 1 year, 4 months and 2 days

* In 2007, he had been in jail for 2 months and 3 days

* Between 2013 and 2016, Dutt served 2 years 3 months and 25 days

* During this time, he was on parole leave of 4 months

* Dutt got a furlough leave for 1 month 14 days

* And for all this time, he got a total ordinary and annual remission earned which was sanctioned as 8 months and 16 days

The affidavit states that Dutt was given parole according to rules which cannot exceed 30 days. It is the discretion of the authorities to grant parole during serious illness or death of relatives such as mother, father, sister, brother, children or spouse of the prisoner. In Dutt's case, 30 days leave was granted thrice for medical treatment of his wife and once for the medical treatment of his daughter.

FURLOUGHS FOR JAIL INMATES

Furlough is given to each prisoner for two weeks and can be extended by the authorities. Dutt had filed for furlough on June 24, 2013 which was granted on September 19 and he was out for 14 days from October 2. Two days later, he filed for extension and it was granted on October 14. So, he was out of jail for 28 days till October 29 in 2013. Dutt again applied for furlough on July 22, 2014 and got it on December 22. He came out of jail on December 25 and soon after he applied for an extension but it was rejected. It was during this time that Dutt, who was supposed to return on January 7 actually returned on 10th. The affidavit states that he "surrendered himself on January 1, 2015, i.e 2 days later of the scheduled date, which was directed to be treated as extended furlough by an order passed by the state government.

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The government affidavit states that every jail inmate is given three days of remission per month for good behaviour, discipline and for participating in various institutional activities such as physical training and educational programme. Apart from this, every inmate has 3 days of remission each month. This itself totals to 84 days of remission and in additional to these, another 30 days of remission is added for annual good conduct. So, in total 114 days of remission is given in 365 days.

REMISSION FOR SANJAY DUTT AS PER LAW

With this the jail authorities added the number of days that the actor was inside Yerwada prison and it was directed that he should get the remission accordingly. The affidavit states that in 2013, Dutt was given a remission of 35 days. In 2014, Dutt was out on parole, so his remission was only 100 days while in 2015, he was out on furlough and his total remission was only for 107 days. Just before his release in 2016, he got a remission of 7 days for his stay behind bars for one month.

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The state government has clarified in the affidavit that Sanjay Dutt was not given the benefit of ordinary remission during the extended period of parole and furlough leave like any other convict. It further added that the actor had in fact filed an application for sanctioning special remission on October 19, 2015 but it was rejected in December 2015.

Also read: Justify Sanjay Dutt's release within 2 weeks: Bombay High Court to Maharashtra government

Also read: Why Sasikala's VIP treatment in jail smacks of favouritism for rich and powerful

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE

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In his affidavit, Yerwada jail superintendent Tolaram Pawar had pointed out that Sanjay Dutt was released for his first parole leave on December 21, 2013 and he returned on March 22, 2014 - a total of 92 days when the Bollywood actor could not have been granted more than 90 days at a time.

By Vidya : There are stark differences and "the government seems to be trying to cover up for all the favours that it has done for actor Sanjay Dutt", according to the petitioners who had filed a public interest litigation against the actor's early release from Yerwada jail.

The petitioners point out to the affidavit filed by Yerwada jail superintendent Tolaram Pawar on September 14 last year. In his affidavit, Pawar had pointed out that Dutt was released for his first parole leave on December 21, 2013 and he returned on March 22, 2014 - a total of 92 days when the Bollywood actor could not have been granted more than 90 days at a time.

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However, the latest document that was submitted to the Bombay high court by the advocate general of Maharashtra says that Dutt's leave for 90 days began on December 22, 2013 and ended on March 21, 2014. This certainly does total up to 90 days which is legally permissible.

DISCREPANCIES IN DOCUMENTS

A similar discrepancy can be seen in the two documents tendered by the Maharashtra government in Bombay high court. Pawar's affidavit states that Dutt was released on furlough - a different kind of leave where a jail inmate gets to go out in the society after a year of stay inside the prison - on October 1, 2013 for two weeks.

Dutt had extended his furlough for two more weeks. According to Pawar, Dutt reported back at Yerwada jail on October 30, 2013 which is when he was supposed to do it. However, Dutt was out of jail for two extra days than he should have been, according to this.

But the latest document points out that Dutt was out of jail on October 2, 2013 and was back in jail on October 29, 2013. This document tendered by the advocate general seems to have covered up for the discrepancies in Pawar's affidavit.

In his affidavit, Pawar had pointed out that Dutt was supposed to surrender after a furlough leave on January 8, 2015 but he surrendered only on January 10, late by two days. This was a "breach of condition" Pawar had recommended that Dutt's two days' remission be forfeited. However, the Maharashtra government later decided to condone this delay.

PETITIONER'S ARGUMENT

Advocate Nitin Satpute, appearing for petitioner Pradeep Bhalekar, also pointed to the days of remission and said, "Remission was granted to Dutt for 8 months and 16 days. Apart from this additionally he was out of jail for 90 days parole and 28 days furlough which is 118 days officially. He jumped the parol and furlough so if you count all that then he did not serve the sentence for more than one year."

Satpute asked the jail authorities for the CCTV footage of jail to see the "good behaviour" on the basis of which Dutt was given so much of remission. "We were told that Dutt has requested jail authorities not to give it," he said.

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Satpute further said, "There is a list prepared by state government of all convicts across Maharashtra for parole. According to the list, the government has to deal with all the parole whether granted or not. All of it has to be done serial wise. His serial number was 238 while he was considered at serial number 10. It was similar for his furlough application. This is how the government showed favour to Sanjay Dutt."

Now the question is: Which of the affidavits is right. Pawar's affidavit is an affidavit in true sense. However, the document submitted by the advocate general of Maharashtra in Bombay high court is not an affidavit in the true sense as it is not affirmed and is not on stamp paper. However, the advocate general told the court that this was an "affidavit" while handing it to the court.

Also read:

Sanjay Dutt was treated like an ordinary convict, says Maharashtra government

Justify Sanjay Dutt's release within 2 weeks: Bombay High Court to Maharashtra government

Why Sasikala's VIP treatment in jail smacks of favouritism for rich and powerful

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WATCH THE VIDEO HERE

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Ashwani Kumar, an assistant professor at SRCC's global business operations in Delhi University was attacked by one of his students, who scored low marks in exam.

The professor had however lodged an FIR against the student at Maurice Nagar police station immediately after the incident, on Friday evening.

By Arpan Rai: Reacting to low marks assigned to him, a student from Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) slapped and physically assaulted his professor on Friday evening, sending a wave of shock across the college faculty.

Ashwani Kumar, an assistant professor at SRCC's global business operations in Delhi University, was attacked by his student of management discipline who resorted to kicking the professor's car and slapping him multiple times over being awarded low marks in his internal examination. The professor has left the city and gone to Haryana following the incident.

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"The student - who fought with Ashwani and slapped him - holds a record of irregularity in academics. The incident took place in the parking area and in the presence of the college principal R P Rustagi," said professor Alok Kumar, calling it a heinous crime.

ASSAULT ON PROFESSORS NOT NEW FOR SRCC

"How will we inculcate discipline on the college premises if teachers are attacked for nothing but performing their duty?" wondered Alok, who is an assistant professor in the commerce department. SRCC's officiating principal and professor Ashwani Kumar did not answer to Mail Today's calls.

The professor had however lodged an FIR against the student at Maurice Nagar police station immediately after the incident, on Friday evening. According to police officials, an FIR under Section 341 and 506 has been lodged against the student for wrongful restraint and criminal intimidation by the professor.

"We have registered an FIR on Friday against a student from SRCC's management programme, based on the complaint of the professor, who was accompanied by the principal. The reports of beating are false, as the FIR filed by the professor does not mention it," said Jatin Narwal, SHO at university's Maurice Nagar police station.

India's renowned destination for commerce programme, SRCC, had reported a similar incident of violence against a college faculty member last year. Vineet Kumar, another ad-hoc professor from the college was assaulted last year over the use of swimming pool facility. According to the college administration, the facility is not extended for personal use, as demanded by the student, and is against the rules and regulations.

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Belgian guarantee scheme is not state aid, says EC

17 July 2017

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The proposed Belgian state guarantee for nuclear operators that do not find sufficient civil liability coverage on private insurance markets does not involve state aid, the European Commission has concluded. The commission said the guarantee would improve compensation for potential victims without granting any advantage to operators.

Belgium adopted a law last December to improve compensation for potential victims of a nuclear incident. This law aims to ensure Belgium's compliance with the amended Paris Convention on nuclear third party liability from the moment the convention enters into force. Under the Belgian law, the liable nuclear operator would have to compensate victims up to 1.2 billion ($1.4 billion) for up to 30 years after a nuclear accident occurred. This compensation would cover injuries to persons and property damage, as well as environmental damage, economic losses and the cost of preventative measures taken by the Belgian State in the aftermath of an incident.

Nuclear operators generally secure their liability via the private insurance market, but it is expected that some nuclear damages covered by the amended Paris Convention cannot be covered this way. Belgium has proposed a state guarantee scheme to cover those damages, under which the nuclear operator will pay an annual premium to benefit from the state guarantee. If this is used following a nuclear accident, the operator would remain liable for damages and the state could recover the amount paid under the guarantee from the operator.

Belgium informed the European Commission in March of its intended state guarantee scheme for assessment under EU state aid regulations.

In a 14 July statement, the Commission said it had concluded the premium to be paid by the nuclear operators to benefit from the state guarantee "was set at such a level that it will not give them an economic advantage". It said the premium was sufficiently expensive to avoid "crowding out" the private insurance market. There are sufficient incentives for private players to develop competitive offers to replace the need for the state guarantee, the Commission concluded.

Belgium's revised nuclear liability law cannot come into effect until the revised Paris Protocol and the revised Brussels Supplementary Convention have been ratified by at least two-thirds of the 16 parties to it.

In 2004, contracting parties to the OECD Paris (and Brussels) Conventions signed Amending Protocols which brought the Paris Convention more into line with the International Atomic Energy Agency Conventions amended or adopted in 1997. The principal objective of the amendments was to provide greater compensation to more people for a wider scope of nuclear damage. They also shifted more of the onus for insurance on to industry. The definition of "nuclear damage" was also broadened to include environmental damage and economic costs, and the scope of application is widened. Moreover, the 2004 amendment removed the requirement for a state to restrict the maximum liability of a nuclear operator, allowing for the first time states with a policy preference for unlimited liability to join the convention.

These Paris/Brussels amendments were expected to be ratified by the contracting parties once they had consulted with industry stakeholders and then drafted the necessary amending legislation. The Paris Protocol, having been ratified only by Norway and Switzerland, is not yet in force, and the old limits still apply. These are about 360 million, including up to 210 million from the installation state.

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News

Related topics
The Asiatic Cheetah is a big cat found in Iran and is the only cheetah subspecies indigenous to Asia. While the Asiatic Cheetah resembles the African cheetah, the two are different subspecies with the Asiatic cheetah being slightly smaller than its African counterpart. The Asiatic Cheetah is one of the rarest mammals in the wild with the estimated number of individuals in the wild being about 200.

4. Physical Description

The Asiatic Cheetah has the distinct spots common in cheetah species all over its body with the spots being quite larger on its tail. The spots are randomly scattered all over the cats body but are arranged in a few lines on its nape and its head. The cats fur ranges from light fawn-colored to buff-colored with the color being paler on its underbelly as well as on its sides. The cheetah has a small head with high-set eyes which have a black tear mark running from each eye down to the jaws. Adult Asiatic cheetahs have a small mane which is relatively smaller than that on the African cheetahs. The cheetahs coat is also less thick than that of African cheetahs due to its arid habitat. The Asiatic cheetah has long limbs and a slender frame suited for running at high speeds. Unlike in other big cats, the Asiatic cheetahs claws are not retractable which offer increased traction while sprinting. Adult Asiatic cheetahs have an average height of 32 inches and total body length ranging between 44 and 53 inches. The tails length alone ranges between 26 and 33 inches. The weight of adult Asiatic cheetahs ranges between 75 and 119 pounds with males being slightly larger than females.

3. Diet

The Asiatic cheetah is a carnivore, and there are no records of the cat scavenging. The cheetahs preferred prey is comprised of small-to-medium-sized mammals including gazelle, wild sheep, Oryx, kudu, warthog, hartebeest, and impala. However, the Asiatic cheetahs primary prey item is the gazelle which is abundant in the cheetahs range. The Asiatic cheetah usually hunts during the day with rare nocturnal hunts with the cats avoiding night hunting to decrease the probability of conflicts with bigger nocturnal predators such as the Persian leopard or the Asiatic lion. Before the cheetahs extinction in India, the cat preyed on the blackbuck, nilgai, and the chital. There have been several recorded instances where the cheetah preyed on domestic livestock especially sheep and goats. However, there is no recorded instance where the Asiatic cheetah preyed on or attacked humans. While hunting, the Asiatic cheetah relies on its high speed and first stalks its prey, camouflaging with the surrounding vegetation until the prey is at its striking distance, sometimes up to 200 feet and sprints going from 0 to 60 miles per hours in under three seconds. The cat has to make the Chase as short as possible due to its small heart-body ratio, which can cause hyperthermia. The cheetah trips its prey using its dewclaw and proceeds to suffocate it by a bite to the throat. However, the cheetah rarely begins to feed immediately after killing the prey and has to allow its body temperature to decrease through heavy panting. While feeding, the cheetah uses its sharp carnassial teeth to slice the flesh off and consumes as much flesh as it can before leaving the remains for scavengers.

2. Behavior

The Asiatic cheetah is a strict predator and mainly hunts during the day meaning that the cat is only active during the time when its prey is also active. However, in regions where prey is scarce, the cheetah also hunts during the night. The Asiatic cheetah is among the least temperamental of all big cats and can easily be tamed. According to historians, several ancient rulers tamed the Asiatic cheetah including the Mughal Emperor, Akbar the Great from India who is alleged to have owned 1,000 cheetahs which he used for coursing antelopes, chinkaras, and blackbucks. The Asiatic cheetah is a territorial animal with the territorial tendencies being more pronounced in males than females. The male cheetahs establish territories ensuring maximum access to the females and such territories range from 22 square miles to 62 square miles. The males mark the territorial borders through urine and claw scratches. Unlike most big cats, the Asiatic cheetah lacks the ability to roar but does have other vocalizations including growling which is used as a display of aggression as well as chirping which is usually an indication of excitement. When a cheetah encounters a dangerous situation such as a large predator the immediate response is to flee because the cat lacks strong claws or jaws to fight off the danger. However, in few instances where the cheetah holds its ground, the cat displays extreme aggression through hisses and growls combined with a sudden stamping of the ground with its forelimbs. When female cheetahs are in estrus, they will leave scent marks in their urine which attract males. Mating mainly occurs during the night with the mating pair copulating several times within a few days.

1. Habitat and Range

The Asiatic cheetah is found in arid locations in Iran with the cat thriving in open plains and semi-desert regions. However, the cat can also be found in mountainous terrain with dense vegetation. The Asiatic cheetah historical range spread over most of continental Asia from the Caucasus to Afghanistan. The cheetah was found in huge numbers in India, Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, Turkey, and in countries in the Arabian Peninsula. However, human hunting of the cheetahs prey items caused the cheetahs numbers to decline. Increased human activities such as farming were also destroying the cheetahs natural habitat and were also driving the cats prey animals away from its habitat. The decline was further compounded by active hunting of cheetahs for trophies in the 19th and 20th centuries. These factors drove the Asiatic cheetah to extinction in several regions including Turkey where the cat became extinct in the 19th century followed by India, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Official records of the updated 2015 IUCN Red List indicate that the Asiatic cheetah is regionally extinct in Central Asia, Pakistan, Iraq, India, and Afghanistan. The Asiatic cheetah is currently found in small numbers in Iran with the entire wild population numbering about 200 individuals located in several national parks in the country. A growing challenge to the survival of the Asiatic cheetah species in Iran is mortality attributed to road accidents.
Wildlife in Bangladesh is the major attraction for the tourism sector in the country. This has led to many initiatives by the government to protect the populations from further declining. The banteng, hispid hare, and Asian elephant are mainly threatened by poaching and hunting. According to the IUCN Red List, the following animals have been listed as endangered species. This means that if their populations are not monitored and guarded, they may soon become extinct.

Endangered Animals in Bangladesh

Banteng

Bantengs are usually black or chocolate brown. They have white spots on their legs and above their eyes. Male bantengs have a small hump which is located above their shoulders. Wild bantengs can live up to 20 years and they are herbivorous. Females have a gestation period of 585 days and are mostly observed to breed in the months of May and June. Bantengs were the second endangered species to be cloned with the clone living for seven years. The population of Bantengs is often threatened by loss of their habitat to agriculture. They are also hunted down by poachers for their trophy antlers and meat.

Hispid Hare

The hispid hare is a rare animal since it is very secretive and shy. It is also called an Assam rabbit. It weighs approximately 2.5kg and is about 10-15 inches tall. The hispid hare is characterized by a long brown tail and large teeth. They are herbivorous and thus feed on tree bark, shoots, crops and grass roots. As a result of the hispid hare being rare and having a short lifespan, research on their behavior has not been concluded. The primary threat to the hispid hares population is the habitat loss as a result of human development activities. These activities include agriculture, logging, and flood control.

Asian Elephant

The trunk of the Asian elephant is believed to contain up to 60,000 muscles. It is used by the elephant for dusting, breathing, feeding, washing, and grasping among other functions. It has smooth skin, is gray in color, and has an average weight of 2.7t for the females and 4t for males. Asian elephants are mainly found in Chittagong Hills, Bangladesh. This is an area that is less accessible to humans. As a result, the human-elephant conflicts are few in this area. The major threat to the existence of the Asian elephant is loss of habitat due to the increasing human population. Furthermore, the elephants also face poaching threats as they are hunted for ivory, food, and leather.

Conserving Endangered Species

Most of the endangered species in Bangladesh are placed in protected areas due to their listing in the CITES Appendix I. There also exists a national legislation known as the Wildlife Act 2012 which protects the hispid hares, bentangs, and Asian elephants from poaching and human encroachment of their habitat. Apart from these legislations, the wildlife authorities in Bangladesh need to engage in management of humanelephant conflicts. This can be done by enlightening the locals about the importance of wildlife to the economy of the country.
The travel and tourism industry of the Philippines generates approximately 10.6% of the national gross domestic product (GDP). This industry creates a number of jobs, employing 7.4 million people, or 18.8% of the workforce. This island nation has a high level of biodiversity and a wide range of ecosystems including mountains, beaches, rainforest, and marine areas.

Tourists visiting the Philippines have a variety of activities and attractions to participate in and see. Here is an analysis of the top source countries for tourists to the Philippines, as per data from the Philippines Department of Tourism.

Top Source Countries for Tourists to the Philippines

Six of the top 10 source countries for tourists to the Philippines are located in Asia. These countries are South Korea, China, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, and Malaysia. This is likely due to the close proximity of these countries to the Philippines, making it relatively accessible.

The number one source country for tourists to the Philippines is South Korea. South Korea has held this position consistently since at least 2011. In 2016, over 1.47 million South Koreans visited and the number seems to continue growing. After only the first two months of 2017, 305,052 South Koreans had visited the country. The number of South Koreans visiting the Philippines has continuously increased since 2011, when only 925,204 South Koreans entered the country.

Coming in second behind South Korea is China, who is the second most common source country for visiting the Philippines. In the year 2018, 1,255,258 travelers from China visited the Philippines.

In third place is the United States. The US is the biggest provider of tourists to the Philippines outside of Asia.

Japan is in the fourth position, which is a decrease from its third place position it held from 2011 to 2015. In 2016, Japan sent a total of 535,238 tourists to the Philippines. In 2018, 631,801 Japanese tourists visited the Philippines.

The chart published below offers a look at the top 10 source countries for tourists to the Philippines.
The Centre has told the Supreme Court that extending deadline for getting banned notes exchanged will defeat the purpose of demonetisation.

By India Today Web Desk: The Narendra Modi government today told the Supreme Court that they cannot extend the deadline of depositing demonetised currency notes which ended on December 30 last year.

"The very object of demonetisation and elimination of black money will be defeated if a window is opened for a further period as people in possession of the SBNs (specified bank notes) would have had sufficient time and opportunity to carefully plan the reasons and executed for not depositing the SBNs within the permitted period of December 30, 2016," the Centre told Supreme Court today.

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They said it an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court by Finance Ministry's Under Secretary T Narasimha.

Any number of 'benami' transactions and proxy users for the purpose of producing and depositing the old notes would then arise and the departments would have great difficulty in deciding any genuine case from the numerous bogus ones, it said, and sought dismissal of petitions seeking another chance.

The apex court had asked the central government on July 4 to consider giving another opportunity to those who couldn't exchange their demonetised currency notes.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had surprised the nation on November 8 when he declared the old Rs 500 and 1000 notes invalid. It was planned as a crackdown against black money and fake notes.

The 50-day deadline to deposit the old Rs 500 and 1,000 notes in banks comes to an end on December 30.

People, however, still had time to exchange the currency notes at designated RBI counters till March 31 after giving valid reasons for not depositing defunct notes in their accounts by December 30.

The apex court has given two weeks time to the Centre and Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to decide on giving more time to people with genuine reasons to deposit the now out of use Rs 1000, 500 notes. "You can't take away my money if I was terminally ill," the Supreme Court bench said while slamming the government over its December 30 deadline to deposit old notes in banks.

Also read:Demonetisation: Can't ban people from depositing old notes, says Supreme Court; Centre to reply in 2 weeks

The good and bad of demonetisation

Demonetisation: Why no window to deposit banned notes after December 31, Supreme Court asks Centre

PM Narendra Modi's demonetisation move gave economy Rs 5 lakh crore advantage

Demonetisation is Modi's Napoleon moment: Amartya Sen to India Today

WATCH: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's currency revamp: Full speech

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Azerbaijan gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Azerbaijan is a unitary semi-presidential republic based on a political system of separation of power among its three branches. The president is the head of state and the head of the executive. The prime minister heads the legislature and acts as the head of government while the judiciary exists independently of the executive and legislature. Azerbaijan has diplomatic relations with 158 countries and is a member of several international bodies such as the United Nations and the World Health Organisation.

Executive

The president, elected for a five-year term (unlimited), is the head of the executive. President Ilham Aliyev is the current head state. The president, prime minister, and the cabinet make up the executive. With the approval of the parliament, the president appoints the prime minister and cabinet members. The executive of Azerbaijan has the responsibility of drafting and ensuring the execution of the state budget, overseeing implementation of state economic and social programs and advising the president on policy issues. After drafting the state budget, the executive has to pass it to parliament for approval.

Legislature

Azerbaijans legislative branch consists of 125 members elected by direct vote, a speaker, the Fist Deputy Speaker and two other deputy speakers. The speaker heads the unicameral National Assembly (Milli Majlis). The legislature formally exists as an independent body from the executive. Under the constitution, the national assembly is responsible for making laws and approving some of the executive decisions such as the appointment of cabinet members and approval of state budgets.

Judiciary

The judiciary is the arm of government responsible for interpreting and applying the constitution. The judiciary also arbitrates disputes at various levels. The judiciary is made up of courts, the highest being the Supreme Court, a court of appeal, magistrate courts, district courts and the constitutional court. The president nominates Supreme Court judges who are then appointed by Parliament to serve for ten years.

Elections

Azerbaijan holds elections every five years. All persons above the age of 18 are eligible to participate in the elections. Presidential and parliamentary elections are held after five years each, but they occur at different times. The last presidential elections were held in 2013 with the next one expected to be held in 2018. The first parliamentary elections were held in 1995 and after every five years since then. The president can serve for an unlimited number of terms according to the 2008 constitutional amendment that removed the presidential term limit. International bodies have criticized the lack of free and fair elections in Azerbaijan both in the parliamentary and presidential elections.

Criticisms

The government of Azerbaijan has been criticized for violation of human rights and corruption. The ruling party has overpowered the opposition due to a majority representation in the national assembly. Executive interference with the legislature has also affected the overall functioning of the national assembly by reducing it to a puppet of the national government. Constitutional amendments by successive governments also indicate an element of monopolization of the government and power by the executive. Media oppression is common in Azerbaijan and media personalities criticizing the government are arrested, which is a direct violation of press freedom.
By PTI: (Eds: Updating with fresh details)

Peshawar, Jul 17 (PTI) A Taliban suicide bomber today hit a vehicle carrying paramilitary force members, killing two, including a major, and injuring ten others in northwest Pakistan.

The suicide attacker with explosive-laden motorcycle hit the Frontier Constabulary (FC) convoy at a traffic signal in Peshawar?s Hayatabad area, police said.

Two Frontier Corps men, including a major, were killed in the attack, SSP Operation Sajjad Khan said.

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Ten others, including passersby, were injured in the blast near Bagh-e-Naran chowk in Hayatabad.

Two vehicles that were part of the convoy were completely damaged in the blast.

Security personnel cordoned off the area after the explosion as rescue services shifted the injured to Hayatabad Medical Complex.

Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has accepted responsibility for attack.

TTP spoksman Khurasani in a statement mailed to media said slain major Jamal Sheren was on their hit list.

The terror group vowed to carry out more attacks on FC troops.

The attack comes a day after the Pakistan army announced it had launched an operation in the Khyber tribal region to rout Islamic State militants. PTI AYZ PMS PMS

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Car Park to Close Due to Relocation of Town Centre Police Station

This article is old - Published: Thursday, Jul 13th, 2017

Visitors to Wrexham town centre are being advised that a small car park in the town centre is due to close at the start of next month.

The Rhosddu Road car park, situated at the rear of Wrexham Library (not the main library car park itself), will close to the public permanently from Sunday, August 13.

The car park, which provides eight disabled parking spots, will close as the former gallery building is taken over as the town centre headquarters for North Wales Police, replacing the current site at Bodhyfryd.

Due to the police taking over the site, the car park at the back of the library will no longer be available for public use.

There has been criticism in the past over the relocation of the disabled parking spaces, with a petition launched by AVOW in January 2016 opposing the loss of disabled parking spaces.

The petition also called for Egerton Street to provide parking exclusively for Blue Badge holders and deliveries, along with addition of extra spaces in the Library car park.

Three planning meetings over the conversion of the former Oriel Gallery into a new town centre police station took place during the end of 2015 and the start of 2016, with approval finally being granted in February last year.

As a result of the upcoming closure of the Rhosddu Road car park, disabled parking capacity at the Library site has gone from 15 to 23  replacing the eight lost with the closure of Rhosddu Road.

Wrexham Council say that alternative disabled car parking spaces will be available in the Library car park. The nearby Guildhall car park, with four disabled spaces, is also open to the public on Saturdays and Sundays.

Cllr David A Bithell, Lead Member for Environment and Transport, said: We never want to lose disabled parking provision in the town centre, but luckily, the Rhosddu Road car park is so close to other car parks that its closure is likely to have a minimal impact on users.

Weve also replaced the spaces lost at Rhosddu Road by increasing provision at the Library car park, meaning overall parking provision for disabled users has remained the same.

Picture  Wrexham Council
The accident, which took place in Karimnagar district of Telangana, was caught on a CCTV.

By Ashish Pandey: An eight-year-old boy was killed after being hit by a speeding bike in Karimnagar district of Telangana on Sunday.

The accident, which took place at the Gangadhar crossing, was caught on a security surveillance camera (CCTV).

According to the CCTV footage, the boy, identified as Akshaya, along with his mother and sister was crossing the road when all of a sudden he ran towards the other end of the road.

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At that moment, a speeding bike hit him, and the boy was flung into the air before hitting the ground.

Passersby rushed the boy to nearby hospital where he was declared brought dead.

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Prime Minister Theresa May has been forced to announce an inquiry into the contamination of blood products in the 1970s and 80s that led to the painful deaths of more than 2,400 patients and destroyed the health of many more.

According to a recent parliamentary report, around 7,500 people were affected. May called for the inquiry on July 14 at that mornings cabinet meeting, knowing that otherwise she might lose a motion calling for one presented by Labour MP Diana Johnson later that same day.

Until now, Mayas with all previous Conservative and Labour prime ministershad ruled out calls for a public inquiry.

The 2,400 who died in the UK are among tens of thousands impacted worldwide due to profiteering from the sale of infected blood.

 In the United States around 8,000 haemophiliacs became infected as a result of receiving the contaminated blood products.

 In Canada 2,000 who received the contaminated blood products developed HIV and 60,000 Hepatitis C.

 In France, around 4,000 haemophiliacs were given contaminated blood. After long-drawn out legal proceedings, in 1999 Socialist Party Prime Minister Laurent Fabius and Minister of Social Affairs Georgina Dufoix were acquitted while Health Minister Edmond Herve was found guilty but given no penalty. Doctors in charge of verifying the safety of the blood were given and served heavy jail sentences.

 As of 2001 in Italy, an estimated 1,300 people, including almost 150 children, had died from infected blood infusions since 1985.

The majority of those affected by contaminated blood products are haemophiliacs, who suffer from a faulty gene that prevents their blood from clotting. They can be treated with drugs to help their blood to clot.

In the 1970s, the Factor VIII drug became available, which proved to be more effective, acted more quickly and could be self-administered. It greatly improved the lives of many haemophiliacs who previously might have had to undergo long hospital stays resulting from bleeds.

Factor VIII was produced by pooling the plasma from thousands of blood donations, which was concentrated and refined. This carried an inherent risk that if just one donation among many was infected the whole batch would become infected. The UK was unable to meet the demands for Factor VIII and began to import the product from the US, where production was dominated by a few giant pharmaceutical companies.

Unlike in the UK, blood donors in America were paid to give blood. Many of those giving blood were drug addicts or those with lifestyles likely to compromise their health. It was recognised by the UKs Department of Health (DoH) that health risks such as hepatitis could be the result, but a judgement was made that the benefits outweighed the risks. In Scotland, a decision was made not to use US-supplied Factor VIII and to use only home-produced products because of the risk.

The risk of infection was greatly multiplied in the early 1980s with the outbreak and rapid spread of AIDS. In the US, by the end of 1982, there had been nine reports of HIV infection in haemophiliacs, of whom eight had died.

Warnings about the danger of contaminated blood products were ignored by successive British governments.

In May 1983, the year the first UK AIDS infection related to Factor VIII was detected, Dr. Spence Galbraith, the head of disease control in England and Wales, wrote to the DoH advising that US blood products not be used. On the basis of a shortage of UK-produced Factor VIII, the panel advising on the safety of medicines rejected Galbraiths advice.

A letter sent out to UK haemophilia centres in June 1983 advised that children not be treated with US-sourced Factor VIII and instead be given National Health Service (NHS) concentrates. However, some children continued to be given US product and went on to become HIV infected.

Kenneth Clarke, health minister in the Thatcher Conservative government, claimed, falsely, that there was no concrete proof that AIDS could be transmitted by blood products.

In April 1984, the HIV virus was identified and later that year a test became available. Many haemophiliacs were found to have been infected with the virus. The first case of UK-donated blood infected with HIV was reported.

At the end of that year US researchers discovered that heat-treating Factor VIII killed off the HIV virus. Scotland immediately went over to only dispensing heat-treated Factor VIII. In England, it took a full nine months before all Factor VIII was heat treated and in this period some haemophiliacs became HIV infected.

In 1989, the Haemophiliac Society called on the government to make 200 million available as compensation to the 1,200 people infected as a result of receiving contaminated blood products. Nine hundred people threatened to sue the government. In the end, the government promised those affected a lump-sum payment of just 20,000 each but did not accept liability. Those accepting the money had to sign a waiver saying they would not pursue further action in relation not only to their HIV infection, but also to infections resulting from the Hepatitis C virus.

The Hepatitis C virus had only recently been identified and it was found that many of the haemophiliac patients had been infected with it, along with HIV. Hepatitis C causes liver damage and can induce cancer. It was also found in donated blood from donors in the UK, meaning that not only haemophiliacs but also anyone receiving a blood donation could potentially become infected.

There was no routine testing of anyone given blood in this period, which could have revealed the presence of the Hepatitis C virus leading to prompt treatment. Some victims only became aware when they experience the full impact of symptoms, and there may be still some people unaware that they are harbouring the ravaging virus.

The first inquiry into the contaminated blood scandal was led by Lord Archer of Sandwell, only reporting in 2009 under the Labour government of Gordon Brown. Archer concluded that commercial interests had been given a higher priority than patient safety. However, his was a non-statutory inquiry with no powers to force those government ministers or civil servants who declined invitations to do so to give evidence. While criticising the governments slow response, Archer did not apportion any blame.

In Scotland, the Scottish National Party-led government announced an inquiry in 2008 that only finally reported in 2015. Another cover-up, it did not take any evidence from anyone at Westminster and concluded that in Scotland all that could have been done was done.

A BBC TV Panorama documentary first broadcast in May and repeated in July highlighted how the paper trail related to contaminated blood was concealed.

Haemophiliacs have found it almost impossible to retrieve their medical records. David Watters, General Secretary of the Haemophiliac Society from 1981 to 1993, said all files relating to the HIV crisis, including correspondence with the DoH, had been destroyed.

According to former Labour government Health Secretary David Owen (1974-76), he was unable to get hold of ministerial papers relating to the contaminated blood event and was told they had been cleaned up in an attempt to prevent the matter going to court.

In the end four pharmaceutical companies responsible for supplying contaminated blood productsAlpha Therapeutic Corporation, Institut Merieux (which then became Rhone-Poulenc Rorer Inc., and is now part of Sanofi), Bayer Corporation and Baxter Internationalpaid out just $660 million to settle cases brought on behalf of 6,000 infected haemophiliacs. This equated to a payment of just $100,000 to each infected haemophiliac.
The most striking feature of the response from survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire and by local residents is the near universal understanding that this was a crime committed by the ruling class against the working class.

In the days and weeks after the fire, workers and young people of all nationalities, skin colours and religions have united to help victims and provide food, clothing, shelter and other support in the face of government inaction, callousness and indifference.

Last week, the police and local council called a public meeting at St Clements Church in yet another attempt to fob off local residents demands that arrests be made. Outside the meeting, one resident summed up the anger: There is no connection between the upper class and working class whatsoever, and that divide is getting bigger and bigger, and in Kensington and Chelsea its the biggest divide youll ever see.

This class approach is anathema to the various proponents of identity politics, who have for decades sought to filter every issue of British society through the prism of race, religion, gender and sexuality. Their deliberate effort to conceal the essential class questions and sow divisions within the working class while furthering their own careers is exemplified by their response to Grenfell.

Prime Minister Theresa May was forced to call a public inquiry in the face of widespread public anger at the massive loss of life. However, its purpose is to allow the Conservative governmentin the time-honoured tradition of the British ruling eliteto mount a cover-up and ensure that those responsible evade justice. Appointed to lead the inquiry is the former High Court judge, Sir Martin Moore-Bick, who made clear that no serious investigation will be forthcoming when he stated: Ive been asked to undertake this inquiry on the basis that it would be pretty well limited to the problems surrounding the start of the fire and its rapid development, in order to make recommendations as to how this sort of thing can be prevented in the future.

Mays public inquiry and its limited terms of reference have been widely denounced by Grenfell survivors and residents of the Lancaster West housing estate.

Moore-Bicks record in the judicial sanctioning of social cleansing policies means he is part of the very establishment whose assault on social housing tenants produced the fire that claimed so many lives. However, according to the BME [Black Minority Ethnic] Lawyers4Grenfell, an umbrella group that includes among others the Association of Muslim Lawyers, the Society of Black Lawyers, Operation Black Vote, NHS BME Network and Society of Asian Lawyers, a central problem with Mays inquiry is Moore-Bicks skin colour.

The group has called on May to remove him and appoint someone with a background representing the diverse local population. In a press release issued by BMELawyers4Grenfell on July 3, Peter Herbert, Chair of the Society of Black Lawyers stated, This government is well aware that the Grenfell community has lost confidence in the white male middle class model but continues to impose this in appointing a Chair who has little or no personal or professional insight into the cultural, religious, and ethnic diversity represented by the Grenfell community.

BMELawyers4Grenfell were instrumental in arranging the Grenfell Tower meeting called by Labours Shadow Home Secretary, Diane Abbott, on 29 June. The meeting was addressed by Abbott and David Lammy, two of Labours most prominent black MPs, along with local Labour MP Emma Coad Dent, whose constituency includes Grenfell Tower, and shadow Justice Minister Richard Burgon.

One hundred and fifty survivors attended the meeting, and BMELawyers4Grenfell reported that survivors, residents, family members and supporters denounced the abject failure of the Government and the local authority to provide answers, their repeated misinformation regarding rehousing of residents and the alleged support provided, and discussed a list of demands that remain unmet.

The overarching focus on race and religion, however, provided Abbott and Lammy with an opportunity to conceal the rotten political role of the Labour Party in helping to create the appalling social conditions that led to Grenfellthrough its embrace of austerity and privatisationas well as to aid party leader Jeremy Corbyn in his attempts to lend credence to Mays bogus inquiry.

First, the meetings recommendations became the basis for Corbyn sending a letter to May on how the inquiry could be reconfigured to lend it a much-needed veneer of credibility. Second, the press release suggested that the best way to lend the inquiry credibility was to incorporate various BME advocates into its proceedings.

The press release cites Ranjit Sond, President of the Society of Asian Lawyers, as insisting, It must be noted that the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry and the Scarman Report only managed to build the confidence of the local community by conducting a detailed consultation sitting as they did with a diverse panel of advisers who helped them develop the trust of the victims and survivors. The appointment of a diverse panel of experts that understands not only the surrounding technical matters, but the need of the local community is essential to the success of this Inquiry [emphasis added].

To underscore the message that a more diverse racial mix to the proceedings would help sell the inquiry to a sceptical and hostile population, Lammy told Sky News that Moore-Bick, is a white, upper-middle class man It is a shame we couldnt find a woman to lead this inquiry or indeed an ethnic minority to lead the inquiry in 2017.

The sole purpose of such rhetoric is to conceal the fact that Mays inquiry, whatever the gender or ethnic background of the judge leading it, will be a political whitewash.

Within hours of the fire, and with only a small number of the dead identified, major efforts were already being made to make racism the central issue in the Grenfell tragedy. On June 15, the day after the fire, Skylar Baker-Jordan, Contributing Editor of Gay UK Magazine, wrote an article for the UK edition of the Huffington Post, set up by Arianna Huffington (estimated wealth $35 million).

Baker-Jordan wrote, Most of those who perished, or who lost everything in the flames, were Black and Minority Ethnic people, before having to acknowledge and they were all poor (the nature of living on a council estate).

Addressing the social cleansing in London, he continued this theme saying such policies meant the poor (who are often, though not always, BME) are pushed out of quality housing in favour of regenerating the city for affluent and largely white renters and buyers.

After stating that there are loads of poor white people too, he continued, But studies have shown that whilst 20% of white people are low income, this number increases for ethnic minorities.

Baker-Jordan insisted, In the case of Grenfell Tower, we cant ignore the presence of so many poor BME people, asserting that it confirms the local government and parliament cares more about rich white people than poor Black and Brown people, etc., etc.

All of which is to conceal the fundamental class divide.

In central London, around half of all housing, much of it luxury apartments and town houses, is owned by overseas investors, many of them absentee. Kensington and Chelsea Council could not care less what the colour of the skin of these super-rich residents is, or whether the poor are white, black or Asian.

Baker-Jordans piece was then cited in the Guardian on July 6 by Kevin Gulliver, a leading identity politics advocate. His article was headlined, Britains housing crisis is racistwe need to talk about it. It states that 36 percent of people accepted as statutorily homeless in England during 2016-17 were from a BME background.

While this is a higher proportion than the presence of ethnic minorities in the general population, the most basic fact to be drawn from this statistic is that 64 percent of those accepted as homelessalmost two thirdsare not BME and that homelessness hits the working class and poor of whatever ethnic background.

Gulliver continues, What is surprising is how little this disproportionate level of housing need on racial grounds has registered in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire, where the majority of residents were from a BME background.

He notes favourably the proliferation of BME community-controlled housing associations since 1986, which continue to play a small but crucial role in offering alternative housing solutions to BME communities.

However, he asserts, despite these advances, race remains a defining characteristic in the nations housing system.

The attempt to portray the housing crisis as the product of racism is reactionary and divisive. The lack of decent, affordable social housing for the working class is the result not of skin colour, but of the stranglehold of the capitalist class over societys resources.

But for those who promote identity politics over class, real material interests are at stake. Among the central preoccupations of the upper middle-class layers who utilise issues of race and genderregardless of whether they themselves are black or white, male or femaleare the rewards to be made from being part of this milieu.

BME Housing organisations were initiated under the Thatcher government following the Brixton riots in 1981. A report handed down by Lord Scarman in November of that year recommended a series of measures, including the recruitment of ethnic minorities into the police force and other forms of positive discrimination. Today there are 70 BME Housing organisations nationally. Yet the housing crisis for every section of the working class is worse than ever.

Gulliver is the Director of the Human City Institute (HCI), one of the compilers of a June 2017 publication of BMENationalthe representative body for BME housing organisations. The Human City Institute web site notes, Since HCI was re-shaped as a research charity and think-tank in 2008, it has undertaken work valued at more than 1.5m in cash and in kind, with income from sponsors, grant-making trusts, public bodies and sales.

Their document, Deep Roots, Diverse Communities, Dedicated Service: The Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Housing Sectors Offer, boasts:

Black and Minority (BME) housing sector is a small but crucial and influential element in the make-up of the housing market in England. It houses almost 250,000 people in 66,000 homes, representing about 3% of the social housing stock. It adds, The sector has been active for more than three decades, supported by governments of all political stripes...

The report continues, noting that the BME housing sector works with more than 1,000 public, private and third sector partners to provide housing, for community investment and to promote community cohesion. These partnerships, it states, are most frequent in Greater London, where forty-three BME housing organisations of all shapes and sizes manage 20,650 homes.

Currently, 70 associations manage 66,000 homes, with an estimated annual turnover of 600m and controlling assets valued at around 1.8bn.

Last October, Gulliver wrote on the 24housing web site, Over the next ten years, the BME housing association-controlled stock could reasonably expect to expand by net 15,000 homes, including shared ownership and starter homes as well as social and affordable rent. This would see stock growth of about one quarter, or 2 to 3 per cent each year.

Control over these assets means that involvement in such associations offers a very comfortable lifestylefor some.

There are 3,500 people employed directly by the 70 associationsone for every 20 or so houses managed, with those at management level earning a tidy sum. One of the 70 organisations, Arawak Walton, boasts that it is the largest independent black and minority ethnic (BME) Housing Association in the North West, with an asset base of around 57 million and turnover in the region of 5 million. Employing 26 office staff, its accounts for the year ending March 2016 show that two of its full-time officers took home between 60,000 and 70,000, while another was paid between 90,000 and 100,000.

The BME sector has been supported by successive Conservative-led and Labour governments precisely because it pits BME workers against white workers in a scramble for an ever-dwindling stock of substandard social housing.

The demand that racial discrimination in housing is answered by policies based on positive discrimination or affirmative action only reinforces racial divisions and cuts across the necessary struggle for the provision of housing as social right for all. This demand, to be realised through a unified struggle and against the advocates of racial politics, is the answer the working class must give to the Grenfell Tower inferno.
If further proof were necessary that a potential red-red-green government in Germanyi.e., a coalition of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), Left Party and Greensdoes not represent a left-wing alternative to the present, grand coalition under Chancellor Angela Merkel of the right-wing Christian Democratic Union (CDU), recent days have provided it.

In the wake of the protests and violent state repression during the G20 summit in Hamburg, the SPD, Left Party and Greens are showing their true colours as parties of bourgeois order. They have lined up with the CDU, Free Democratic Party (FDP) and ultra-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) behind the brutal police crackdown, and exploited the events to wage a law-and-order election campaign.

Olaf Scholz, Hamburgs SPD mayor, declared his full solidarity with the police in a televised interview. I have always supported the polices firm stance, in the lead-up to and during the summit, and I continue to do so afterwards, he said. Asked whether the security forces had acted too harshly, he provocatively responded, There was no police violence, that is a denunciation that I firmly reject  There were very level-headed, very courageous and very tough interventions by the police. And the police really did everything possible.

In the same breath, Scholz threatened to punish potential violent demonstrators. A large emergency commission would evaluate all of the material evidence we have secured and then initiate criminal proceedings. This would certainly result in major charges and stiff judgements, and some who now think they got away undetected in spite of the things they did will hopefully be left wondering.

We already noted in an earlier article that the SPD is drawing on the traditions of the murderous Gustav Noske, the first Social Democratic defence minister, who stated during the November Revolution of 1918, In my opinion, somebody needs to be the bloodhound! I do not shrink before that responsibility! Noske and the SPD brutally suppressed the workers uprising at the end of the war, including through the assassination of revolutionaries Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht.

Today, of course, the SPD has moved much farther to the right and has absolutely nothing to do with the working class and its social conditions. It is the party of reactionary welfare reforms and war, and it defends only the interests of the banks, large corporations, military and intelligence services.

As a result, the SPD is justifiably reviled by wide layers of the population. What is he doing here? Martin [Schulz] get lost!, Treacherous swine! and Nobody needs you here! were only a few of the comments SPD Chancellor candidate Martin Schulz confronted at a campaign stop in Hamburgs Schanze district on Friday, according to the Suddeutsche Zeitung.

The Social Democrats respond to this open popular hostility by becoming even more right wing. As it did a century ago, the SPD is resorting to violence and appealing to the most reactionary and sinister forces to suppress protests against social inequality, militarism and war.

The Greens and Left Party have indicated they are fully on board with this programme. They have been no less fervent in their defence of the police witch-hunt against the left.

Green Party parliamentary group leader Anjes Tjarks commented, Hamburg has passed through a difficult summit week, which pushed our citizens, but above all the security forces, to their limits. For this reason I thank the police on our streets in particular. An incredible amount was demanded of them. They worked until they were completely worn out. For that they have earned our great respect and thanks. Therefore it is also right that the state does its part by offering compensatory free time, the payout of overtime hours and additional holidays.

Sahra Wagenknecht, the Left Partys parliamentary group leader and lead candidate in the federal election, defended the police on Thursday on public broadcaster ARD. The police bore no responsibility for the vandalism, she said, but rather the vandalisers. I think that what happened in Hamburg was bad. It was simply hardcore vandals. The Left Party politician did not say a word about the widespread police violence and the numerous reports of police provocateurs among the hooligans.

That the SPD, Left Party and Greens now place defence of the security forces at the heart of their election campaigns amounts to support for what is in practice a police state to suppress the population. The clashes, which were provoked by the authorities and allowed to take place in order to fuel the law-and-order campaign, were not the extraordinary event in Hamburg, but rather the ruthless state violence against peaceful demonstrators that is increasingly coming to light.

A student told the Hamburger Morgenpost on Thursday how on the way to Rondenbarg (Bahrenfeld) protesters were forced onto a wall by the security forces, who then knocked it down. The police kicked the barrier and pushed it until it collapsed. Even though people were lying two metres deep, with broken bones, the officers continued to force others down from the wall, shouting, Anti-fascist swine! This is just for starters! Some of those injured remain in hospital.

The protest collective Everything for All [Alles allen] documented similarly brutal acts by the police in an open letter to Scholz and Hamburgs Interior Senator Andy Grote (SPD). The group explained that, along with the police assault on the officially approved camp in Entenwerder Park and the peaceful protest on Thursday, the most characteristic event was a deliberate attack by the USK [support commandos] Bavaria near Hamburgs Pferdemarkt on Saturday evening.

Many protesters were injured as a result. One peaceful individual was attacked so severely that the police broke her leg, as well as giving her a head injury. The police did not even stop when a large number of their victims lay on the ground. Instead, they continued to kick and beat those they had knocked down.
Last week, the G20 summit in Hamburg saw massive attacks on fundamental democratic rights. The police placed the city under a virtual state of siege, which was accompanied by drastic infringements on freedom of opinion, assembly and the press, to a degree that is unprecedented in Germany in recent decades.

Days before the start of the summit, the police effectively abolished the freedom of assembly throughout a 38-square-kilometer security zone with a so-called general order. Within this zone, which was to be kept clear for the arrival and departure of the visiting dignitaries, demonstrations were not permitted, and roads could be closed at any time. A smaller area around the location where the summit took place was completely sealed off and could only be entered by residents.

The police clearly started the first major clash, when they ignored a court decision and cleared the Anti-capitalist Camp on the Elbe meadows in the Entenwerder District. After numerous efforts by the city authorities to refuse permission for the camp, the organizers went to the Supreme Court, which upheld their right to set up the tent camp. The court decision also explicitly included permission to set up 150 tents for overnight accommodation.

But the operation by the Hamburg police ignored the Supreme Court judgment, which had approved the camp on the basis of the right to freedom of assembly (Article 8 in the German Constitution). After the first camp participants had erected just eleven tents, the police stormed the meadow, attacking participants with pepper spray and batons, and clearing the area. It was retrospectively confirmed by the Hamburg Higher Administrative Court that this action was illegal, but the camp organizers refused to expose themselves to the danger of further police attacks and cancelled the camp.

The behaviour of the police, who had assembled 20,000 officers from all sixteen federal states, as well as special units from neighbouring states, was aimed at escalating the situation. This was also demonstrated in the following days, when several peaceful demonstrations and assemblies were stormed and dispersed. While the police complained in the media that 476 officers had been injured during the summit, no official figures on the number of protesters injured by police were provided. The Republican Lawyers Association (RAV) assumes that it must have been several hundred people.

The police acted quite differently at first during the night riot in the Schanzenviertel District. They did not intervene for hours, as rioters and, according to news reports, youth from the city quarter, built barricades, occupied buildings and stormed and plundered businesses. The police leadership justified this restraint by arguing that it did not want to expose its own forces to too great a risk. But new details are becoming known each day putting the behavior of the police in a different light.

It is now known that police officers in civilian clothes were also active at the scene, one of them even giving a warning shot. He had assumed that another civilian, who had just been physically attacked by some anarchists, was also a plainclothes police officer. This incident alone suggests that the police were operating with numerous undercover officers and possibly provocateurs in order to provide an excuse for a later, all the harsher, intervention.

An interview in Spiegel Online and n-tv.de reinforces the conclusion that the police and security forces used the situation as a kind of training for civil war and uprisings. In this interview, Sven Mewes, commander of the Saxony State Special Operations Command (SEK), explains the action of his 40-strong unit on the night from the 7th to the 8th of July in Schanzenviertel. According to Mewes, they had been deployed to Hamburg together with other special units ostensibly to fight terrorism. But then, because of the considerable threat situation in the Schanzenviertel, the unit, together with the notorious Cobra special unit from Vienna, was used to storm occupied houses.

Mewes remarks suggest how far the police are being prepared for use in civil war-like conditions. It was necessary, he said, to assume that criminals armed with firearms were also to be found. Accordingly, our approach was extremely robust in terms of our own safety, but also prepared for a highly dynamic operation. That is, we had been approved for firearm use, we used diversionary pyrotechnics in the buildings and opened doors using firearms with special ammunition. All those we encountered, we immediately laid on the ground, tied up and then had them taken way. (...) There was no resistance at all.

Mewes also said his unit carried out some 13 arrests, especially on house roofs. Remarkably, he said, the situation in the Schanzenviertel quieted down considerably following our intervention. There was no stone-throwing and no rioters, he added. This observation is even more revealing because it shows that the claim by the police that the Schanzenviertel could not be brought under control for hours is obviously false, and has been used to provide a justification for the brutal use of special forces.

The official presentation that the rioters were mostly members of the Black Block is also highly questionable. As the Hamburger Morgenpost reported, right-wing extremists could also be found among the rioters. The anti-Muslim group HoGeSa (Hooligans against Salafisten) had announced on Facebook that it would leave Hannover on Saturday and go to Hamburg and participate in the riots.

There is also evidence of the involvement of members of the far-right German National Party (NPD). For example, the NPD Hamburg had announced on its web site that it would recognizably participate in suitable demonstrations. Whether and how many police agents provocateurs participated in the violent clashes is so far unclear. However, this should be assumed, considering the long history of police provocateurs inside the Hamburg anarchist scene.

Whoever was taken into custody by the police in Hamburg, for whatever reason, was practically without legal rights. The Republican Lawyers Association reported that people who were detained at the Hamburg-Harburg Detention Center (GESA) were not told the grounds for this deprivation of liberty. Often, detainees were not informed of the reasons why they had been arrested until they were heard before a magistrate, if such a hearing even occurred.

Those detained were also denied the right to call the lawyers emergency service, provided they happened to know the telephone number. Instead, the police gave detainees a Hamburg telephone directory, from whose thousands of entries they should find a lawyer. As the RAV learned, this procedure had been ordered by the leadership of the police operations.

In newspapers, young demonstrators reported how they were treated inside the GESA facility. Humiliation by the police included naked body searches, being locked for 30 hours in a windowless container and being taken to the toilets in handcuffs. To prevent prisoners from sleeping, bright neon lights were on all night, and a police officer banged on the door every 20 minutes.

Attorneys who wanted to visit their clients in the GESA facility were denied access, according to the RAV. This legal breach was justified on the absurd grounds that the attorneys could secretly pass their clients dangerous items. In some cases, attorneys were even banned from entering the GESA facility altogether, which made it impossible for them to contact their clients in person.

The police and security authorities also acted with unprecedented aggressiveness against journalists. Nine journalists from different media outlets had their accreditation withdrawn on accessing the press centre of the G20 summit, initially without justification. A total of 32 journalists were affected by a withdrawal of accreditation.

The police did not even shrink from physical violence against journalists. A typical example is the case of Flo Smith, who reported for the Huffington Post from the summit. On the afternoon of July 7, the first day of the summit, he was in the harbour area with a camera crew, where fighting between police and anarchists was taking place. When the reporting team wanted to withdraw to a quieter part of the city, it was attacked suddenly by police officers and abused.

A police officer came up to me and my camera man, reports Smith. We both looked in their direction, they screamed, Fuck the press! and fired their pepper spray. Smith collapsed after the spray hit him in the face, he said.

Smith had worked in Iraq for three years, he said, had been at the Gezi protests in Istanbul and reported from Athens when the police had shot a youth there, and the city burned, Smith said. But all that was a ride in the park in comparison to what is happening in Hamburg: Something is out of control here.
The Trump administration is preparing to step up its attacks on immigrant workers, drafting new guidelines under which the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) would authorize expedited removals of hundreds of thousands of undocumented workers without any court proceedings.

The Washington Post published a report Sunday based on a 13-page internal DHS memorandum leaked to the newspaper. The proposal would expand the authority of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to deport immigrants who cannot prove they have lived in the United States continuously for the past 90 days.

Until 2004, expedited removals were limited to the US border area and amounted to summarily deporting immigrants detained in the act of entering the US from Mexico. Under George W. Bush, the scope of expedited removals was expanded to areas within 100 miles of the US border and to individuals who had been inside the US less than 14 days.

The Obama administration maintained these guidelines but greatly expanded their enforcement, with the result that the number of immigrants subject to expedited removal nearly quadrupled, from 50,000 when the effort began in 2004 to 193,000 in 2013.

The Trump draft guidelines would further expand the geographic area for expedited removal to include the entire United States. Any immigrant picked up anywhere in the country who is unable to prove residence in the US for the past 90 days could be summarily deported.

Given that many immigrants have little or no paper record of their stay in this country, or may have nothing in their possession when they are accosted by ICE agents, the number affected by the new procedure is likely to be limited only by the number of ICE agents available to carry out enforcement.

The only limitation under the new guidelines, according to the Post, is that unaccompanied minors would not be subject to expedited deportation, regardless of where they are detained.

The expansion of summary deportation is only one in a series of attacks on immigrants being implemented under the Trump administration with little media attention and virtually no public protest by Democratic Party politicians, who falsely claim to oppose Trumps rampage against democratic rights.

According to the investigative journalism group Pro Publica, the top official of the Enforcement and Removal Operations Division (ERO) of ICE, Matthew Albence, has told the 5,700 agents involved in deportations to stop prioritizing immigrants for detention based on the guidelines laid down by the Bush and Obama administrations, which targeted those convicted of violent felony offenses.

In an internal memo, he ordered effective immediately, ERO officers will take enforcement action against all removable aliens encountered in the course of their duties. During its first four months, the Trump administration each day arrested an average of 108 undocumented immigrants who had no criminal record, an increase of 150 percent from the previous year.

The administration is also pushing ahead with the enforcement of its executive actions banning travel from six Muslim-majority countries and effectively halting most refugee admissions to the United States. The executive order targeting Muslims was upheld by the US Supreme Court last month after it had been struck down as unconstitutional by several lower courts.

The State Department announced last week that on Wednesday, July 12, refugee admissions reached the 50,000-person cap set in the executive order. Refugees scheduled to enter the country that day were admitted, but admissions will now slow to a crawl. Under the guidelines set by the Supreme Court, once the 50,000 limit has been reached, only refugees with a bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the United States will be admitted.

Press reports indicate that another 50,000 refugees are at some stage in the process of being admitted to the US, but are currently outside the country. Only those who qualify under the bona fide relationship provision will now be admitted. The Trump administration has given an extremely narrow definition of relationship, including spouses, fiances, children and siblings, but excluding grandparents and other more distant relatives.

A legal challenge to the relationship definition is going on in Honolulu, where US District Judge Derrick Watson ruled Thursday that grandparents, aunts, uncles and other relatives must also qualify. The federal Department of Justice immediately appealed this ruling to the Supreme Court, which gave the state of Hawaii until Tuesday to respond.

The DHS is also proceeding with an expansion of the geographic scope of the travel ban, sending a report to the White House last week listing 17 countries that have failed a preliminary assessment of their willingness and ability to share background information on their citizens seeking to travel to the United States.

The level of cooperation with US intelligence and police agencies required by the DHS is so extensive that many more countries are expected either to refuse to go along with the US diktat or prove unable to comply. The result could be a virtual shutdown of issuance of US entry visas in dozens of countries, mainly in the poorest regions of the world.

These actions come in the wake of the warning given by DHS Secretary John F. Kelly, a former Marine general, who told a group of Hispanic congressmen Wednesday that the administration did not plan to challenge the legal effort by 11 states, all with Republican attorneys general, which are suing to force the rescinding of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

DACA is an executive order issued by Obama in 2012, under which nearly one million undocumented young people, who arrived in the US as children, have been issued Social Security numbers and given permits to work or study without risk of deportation.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the ultra-right Republican who is spearheading the anti-DACA campaign, has set September 5 as a deadline for suing the federal government to force an end to DACA if Trump does not rescind the executive order by then. Paxton has sought a Trump order to phase out DACA by refusing to renew the two-year permits issued under it.

Other anti-immigrant measures are being discussed, according to press reports, many of them directed at legal immigrants:

The DHS is considering requiring foreign students to reapply for permission to stay in the US each year and pay an annual fee, instead of the present system that entails a one-time fee for permission that is open-ended, as long as the student is enrolled and making progress. About one million students would be affected, 77 percent of them from Asia.

Two Republican senators, Tom Cotton of Arkansas and David Perdue of Georgia, are drafting legislation that would cut the number of legal immigrants to the United States by 50 percent, from about one million per year to only 500,000. The bill, known as the RAISE Act, has Trumps personal support.

White House policy adviser Stephen Miller has reportedly drafted a plan to move the State Departments Bureau of Consular Affairs and Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration over to the Department of Homeland Security, shifting the focus of refugee policy from foreign affairs to internal policing.
The anti-immigrant policies of the US government, vastly escalated by the Trump administration, have created widespread fear and panic in the thousands of immigrant communities throughout the country.

The scenes of Romulo Avelica-Gonzalez being apprehended with his 13-year-old daughter looking on, or Guadalupe Garcia de Rayos behind the bars of an armored Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) vehicle with her family and friends trying to stop it from leaving, are no doubt seared in the minds of millions of immigrants as examples of what might happen if some unfortunate event lands them in the hands of their local ICE agents.

The effect on immigrants health, as well as the health of their children and even their unborn children, is documented in several recent studies.

The first, released in January of this year, uses Postville, Iowa as a case study.

In 2008, under the Bush administration, the small Iowa town of Postville was the scene of the largest single workplace immigration raid in US history up to that point. Early one morning in May, ICE agents raided the towns slaughterhouse and meat packing plant, arresting close to 400 immigrants. The immigrants were charged with various crimes that come with having false identity papers: identity theft, document fraud, and the use of stolen social security numbers. Well over half of the workers were found guilty within just four days. They were tried in court hearings five at a time, served a five-month prison sentence, and were finally deported.

Researchers at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor compared birth certificates of 52,000 children born before and after the raid. The comparison revealed that Latina mothers across the state were 24% more likely to give birth to undersized babies in the year after the raid than in the year before  The weight of non-Latino white babies stayed constant, suggesting that Latino populations were uniquely stressed by the incident.

The problems associated with babies with low birth weight include difficulty feeding and gaining weight, infection, breathing problems, neurologic problems, gastrointestinal problems, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), among others. The study shows that the draconian immigration policies in the US are affecting far more than just the immigrants themselves. They also impact the lives of immigrant children, even before they begin life.

In another study, released last spring, researchers in Michigan published the results of a health survey that was interrupted by a major ICE raid in Washtenaw County. In November 2013, under the Obama administration, ICE conducted a high-profile, military-style raid on the local community. The study found that the 151 people who answered the survey after the raids reported worse general health than the 325 who had already completed it.  Many said that after the raids, they were too afraid to leave their homes for food or medical care, and displayed symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Raids such as the one in Postville and Washtenaw were vastly expanded under Obamas secure communities program, (piloted under Bush, but developed under Obama) which focused on apprehending immigrants in communities rather than at the border. For public relations and economic considerations, the Obama administration generally carried out smaller raids than the one in Postville, but with much more frequency, resulting in the deportation of 2.7 million immigrants over its eight years in office.

Arrests of immigrants under the Trump administration have jumped by nearly one-third since he took office, compared to the same period a year ago.

In the aftermath of the first executive order signed by President Trump, the American Academy of Pediatrics warned that, the message these children received today from the highest levels of our federal government exacerbates that fear and anxiety. No child should ever live in fear... Indeed, fear and stress, particularly prolonged exposure to serious stressknown as toxic stresscan harm the developing brain and negatively impact short- and long-term health.

The physical and emotional ailments suffered by immigrants that come from living in such a precarious situation are shared by the working class and poor. Enduring the trauma of living in poverty and economic insecurity have contributed to a decline in life expectancy for the first time since the height of the AIDS epidemic in the 1990s.

Parents in low-income households often must work two or three jobs to make ends meet. They do not have the adequate time to spend nurturing their children or participating in their lives. Millions lack access to proper health care and have children who suffer needlessly.

In a Stanford research study titled Stressing out the Poor: Chronic Physiological Stress and the Income-Achievement Gap the authors report that low-income children face a bewildering array of psychosocial and physical demands that place much pressure on their adaptive capacities and appear to be toxic to the developing brain.

Children growing up in poverty demonstrate lower academic achievement because of their exposure to a wide variety of risks. These risks, in turn, build upon one another to elevate levels of chronic (and toxic) stress within the body. And this toxic stress directly hinders poor childrens academic performance by compromising their ability to develop the kinds of skills necessary to perform well in school.

Similar problems, such as low child birth weight, have surfaced in places like Flint, Michigan, where residents experienced prolonged exposure to lead-poisoned water. The psychological toll that such social crimes have taken on the working class has yet to be fully uncovered.
Last Thursday, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced it had charged 412 people across the country with crimes related to health care fraud and opioid abuse, which, the agency claimed, cost taxpayers $1.3 billion. Among those arrested were 56 doctors who were charged with inappropriately prescribing opioids and other crimes.

The DOJs announcement highlighted a number of what it said were fraudulent operations, pointing to six doctors in Michigan who allegedly prescribed unnecessary opioids, a fake rehab clinic in Palm Beach, Florida that used various incentives to lure addicts, and a clinic in Houston, Texas where doctors allegedly wrote painkiller prescriptions in exchange for cash.

The Trump Justice Departments focus on doctors and health clinics is designed both to soothe public anger over the failure of the government to address the opioid epidemic and distract attention from the main culprits in the drug crisispharmaceutical companies such as Purdue Pharma and Insys, which misleadingly marketed opioid painkillers to doctors, and drug distributors such as McKesson and Cardinal, which flooded communities with opioids in collaboration with pill mills.

Without an expansion of access to addiction treatment, the crackdown could actually worsen the epidemic, forcing addicts to switch from the painkillers prescribed by pill mills to more dangerous alternatives such as heroin or fentanyl. A report by the US surgeon general issued in November of last year found that only 10 percent of drug addicts in the United States receive any treatment for their addiction.

The DOJ released a statement by US Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Noting the human cost of the opioid epidemic, Sessions laid the blame on trusted medical professionals like doctors, nurses and pharmacists [who] have chosen to violate their oaths and put greed ahead of their patients, and seem oblivious to the disastrous consequences of their greed.

We will use every tool we have to stop criminals from exploiting vulnerable people and stealing our hard-earned tax dollars, Sessions added.

The hypocrisy and cynicism of Sessions are underscored by his support for the Republican health care plans working their way through Congress, which would slash or eliminate health coverage for tens of millions of working class, poor and elderly people in order to bolster the profits of the insurance giants and finance massive tax cuts from the rich. The Republican House and Senate bills to repeal and replace Obamacare would have deadly consequences for those suffering from drug abuse, gutting Medicaid and eliminating requirements that it cover addiction services and mental health care.

Members of the Trump administration have dishonestly claimed that the focus on Medicare and Medicaid fraud is aimed at strengthening these programs. Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, for example, stated that President Trump instinctively understands the importance of saving and strengthening Medicare and Medicaid.

In fact, the Republican health care bills would slash more than $770 billion from Medicaid over 10 years, impose spending caps and effectively end the program as a guaranteed benefit for all those who qualify.

Sessions is seeking to revive the war on drugs, including the failed DARE program, which never had the goal of treating drug abuse, but instead provided a pretext for mass incarceration, the rollback of democratic rights and other attacks on the working class. To oversee the DOJs criminal division, he has named Kenneth Blanco, who concentrated on drugs and violent crime while serving as chief of the narcotic and dangerous drug section at the Justice Department.

At the same time, the DOJ has reportedly gutted its Health Care Corporate Fraud Strike Force, shrinking it from five full-time lawyers to only two, according to an article on the web site law.com.
By PTI: Kolkata, Jul 17 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today said all TMC lawmakers voted for the joint opposition candidate, Meira Kumar, in the presidential election to register their protest against "what is going on in the country".

She claimed that Kumar would get the maximum number of votes from West Bengal as all TMC MPs and MLAs voted for her.

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"Our protest is against what is going on in the name of gauraksha, atrocities on people, riots, interference into federal structure, the political vendetta to divide the nation and the ploy to suppress the voice of the common man," she told reporters after casting her vote.

The Trinamool Congress chief said the voice of eminent personalities like Amartya Sen was also being suppressed, in an apparent reference to the controversy surrounding the Nobel laureates documentary.

She thanked all opposition parties for coming together to support Kumar "despite knowing that she would lose only to register their protest".

Calling on all political parties to unite for a fight against the BJP, Banerjee said, "There are a few political parties who are still supporting the BJP because they are scared of it. But they must not forget that the BJP will not spare them."

"So all parties must come together and unite because this is the best time to do so. And we consolidated our unity to form a coalition by casting our votes in the presidential election."

Hitting out at the NDA government at the Centre over demonetisation and GST, Banerjee said, "The country is going backwards everyday."

On the partys stand in the monsoon session of Parliament starting tomorrow, she said, "TMC will be aggressive. We will speak for the people ... speak on issues like Darjeeling, Kashmir, Amarnath killings, on interference into the federal structure and what is going on in the country in the name of gauraksha." PTI SCH KK GVS ZMN GVS

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ALACHUA COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) - The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has cancelled their Missing Child Alert that was issued on Friday, July 14 for Nakyia Bennett.

If you would like further information, please call the Alachua County Sheriff's Office at 1-352-955-1818.

Florida authorities are searching for a missing 14-year-old girl.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement says that Nakyia Bennett, 14, was last seen in the 12000th SW Archer Lane in Archer.

She has been missing since Wednesday.

Bennett is described as a girl, around 5'4, weighing about 150 pounds with brown eyes and black hair.

She was last seen wearing blue polo shirt and blue and white striped shorts.
CRAWFORDVILLE, Fla. (WTXL) - Wakulla County officials have confirmed that a corrections officer at the Wakulla Correctional Institute was stabbed Saturday.

The Florida Department of Corrections says that on July, 15, an inmate assaulted a correctional officer at Wakulla Annex.

They say Maurice Dorcent assaulted the officer at approximately 6:05 a.m, stabbing the officer in the back.

The inmate was subdued after the attack.

The officer was injured but is expected to make a full recovery.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is also conducting a criminal investigation and charges are pending against the inmate.
By PTI: Bhubaneswar, Jul 17 (PTI) Death toll in the flash floods in Odishas Rayagada and Kalahandi districts rose to two today while eight others were injured as the state government stepped up relief and rescue operations in the affected areas.

Flash floods, triggered by incessant rains, in rivers of Nagavali and Kalyani in Rayagada district and Hati and Tel rivers in Kalahandi, affected around 40,000 people in 80 villages.

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Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who reviewed the flood situation at the state secretariat, said, " The situation in Rayagada and Kalahandi district is improving and is under control. Free kitchens have been opened in affected areas. Air dropping of relief materials has been undertaken in Rayagada."

The reports on the death of two persons came from Kalahandi district, special relief commissioner (SRC) B P Sethi told PTI.

While one person died in a landslide, another man drowned, Sethi said, adding three persons were injured after a wall collapsed in Kalahandi district.

Similarly, five persons were injured in wall collapse incidents in Rayagada district and all of them were admitted to government hospitals, sources in the SRC office said.

On the flood situation in Rayagada district, Sethi said more than 28,000 people in 50 villages under Rayagada Block and 20 villages under Kalyansinghpur Block have been affected.

Extensive damage has occurred to four Public Works Department (PWD) and other roads, he said.

Waters of Hati and Tel river breached the embankments flooding Thuamulrampur, Kalampur, Koksara and Jaipatna Blocks in Kalahandi district. Around 11,000 people in 10 villages have been affected by this flash flood, Sethi said.

Meanwhile, the government stepped up rescue and relief operation in the affected area.

"At least 140 people, who were trapped in the flood water, have been rescued. The members of NDRF, ODRAF, Fire Service and state police have been engaged in the rescue and relief operation," additional director general (Communication) B N Jha told reporters after the review meeting.

People who were trapped in marooned areas have been rescued, claimed the SRC, adding about 4,000 people have been evacuated and lodged in 15 temporary shelters where cooked food is being provided to them at free kitchen centers.

Emergent relief in shape of rice, dal, chuda, gur, biscuit, candles and match box has been provided to 5,166 beneficiaries by the Rayagada district administration, Sethi said.

At least 828 food packets have been airdropped by Naval helicopter. Besides, 4,000 packets have been distributed to affected people, he said.

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Ten health camps in Rayagada block and five camps in Kalyansinghpur block have been opened in Rayagada district. Doctors and paramedical staffs have been pressed into service.

Claiming that the flood situation has improved as flood water has significantly receded in both Rayagada and Kalahandi districts, the SRC said all PWD roads have been opened to traffic.

Meanwhile, the chief minister asked the collectors of Rayagada, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur and Cuttack to undertake flood damage assessment within seven days.

Patnaik also asked the districts to work in a coordinated manner.

The twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack have also been affected due to the incessant rainfall since Saturday.

The local administrations have been undertaking water removal jobs using pump sets in low lying areas of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar, official sources said.

East Coast Railway sources said at least six trains were cancelled, eight diverted and two short terminated while two other trains were rescheduled in south Odisha due to rain and flood situation. PTI AAM SKN RG ANB

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Police SWAT teamstogether with IDF and Shin Bet forceskilled 34-year-old Amar Ahmed Khalil early Sunday morning after he opened fire at security forces attempting to arrest him.

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Khalil, a Palestinian from the village of Nabi Salih, was suspected of carrying out a shooting attack Saturday near the village of Um Safa and the settlement of Ateret, lightly wounding a Palestinian. He also opened fire at an IDF post in the area before fleeing the scene, sparking a manhunt.

Photo: Israel Police

Following intelligence collected by the Shin Bet regarding Khalil's identity and whereabouts, IDF forces and the YAMAM elite counter-terrorist unit were dispatched to arrest him.

When security forces located Khalil, he attempted to open fire with a homemade weapon before being shot dead. Another man with Khalil at the time of the firefight was detained by security forces in connection with the attacks.

Khalil was a former member of the Palestinian security forces and according to a statement from the Shin Bet, had been working as an arms dealer at the time of his death. Additionally, Shin Bet officials also confirmed that Khalil was assisted in the commission of the attacks by his fiancee, Rawan Ambar. Ambar has since turned herself in and is currently in Shin Bet custody.
Incitement in the first act leads, almost always, to a terror attack in the third act. The first act fully belongs to Raed Salah, the leader of the Islamic Movements northern branch, which has been outlawed. This branch is affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood movement in general, and with Hamas in particular.

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Mufti Haj Amin al-Husseini turned Al-Aqsa into the main focus of his incitement against Jews. Salah is following in the muftis footsteps when it comes to Al-Aqsa. These two specialized in incitement. The younger people are getting down to business. We received another example on Friday.

The focus is on the Al-Aqsa is in danger libel. According to the libel, which was spread by the mufti in the 1920s, the Jews are planning to take over the Temple Mount mosques and build the Third Temple on their ruins. Since then, the Al-Aqsa libel has been one of the main causes of the waves of terror. Salah himself has called on his followers to sacrifice their lives to defend Al-Aqsa. Whoever thinks brainwashing doesnt work is wrong.

The Temple Mount, Sunday. The Al-Aqsa libel has been one of the main causes of waves of terror (Photo: Elior Levy)

The state commission of inquiry into the September 2000 clashes between Israeli Arabs and the security forces, which was led by Justice Theodor Or, reached controversial conclusions. But even then, it pointed an accusing finger at Salah, stating that he worked against an alleged plan of the Israeli government to replace the Al-Aqsa mosques with a Jewish templea plan which had nothing to do with reality.

Since the conclusions were published, Salah has been waging his incitement campaign in full pace. Researcher Nadav Shragai, who wrote a book about it, determined that Salah intensified the Al-Aqsa is in danger libel, bringing it up to levels and strengths that had never been reached by his predecessors and competitors.

As expected, Salahs statements deteriorated to sermons preaching the creation of an Islamic caliphate and to blatant anti-Semitism: We are not the ones who once allowed ourselves to eat bread dipped in childrens blood. This comment was at the center of a legal discussion in London, after Salah was banned entry to Britain. The ruling rejected Salahs claim that the comment was not in reference to the famous blood libel against Jews.

For years, Salah sponsored an annual conference in Umm al-Fahm under the banner Al-Aqsa is in danger, and the speakersled by Salah himselfgrew increasingly radical every year. The alliance with Hamas became much more open, and Ismail Haniyeh referred to Salah as the person carrying the honor of the Palestinian people, of the Arab and Islamic nation and of Al-Quds and Al-Aqsa.

And it got worse and worse. According to Salah, history is marching towards the establishment of the global caliphate with Jerusalem as its capital, which will be the last stage in the history of the Islamic nation till the end of days. When it looks like ISIS, incites like ISIS and sounds like ISISits ISIS.

I can go on and on describing the activity of jihad supporters in the Arab sector in general, and in Umm al-Fah, in particular. Not all Israeli Arabs supported this direction. But out of nearly a million and a half Muslims, there are thousandsperhaps tens of thousandswho have been brainwashed by this propaganda. So far, only few Israeli Arabs have crossed the line from talk to action. They are neither one percent nor one-tenth of Israels Arabs. They are much less. But any attack by these individuals, Salahs loyal followers, is bad.

So theres a need for two things. First of all, its time for the Israeli authorities to realize that talk leads to action. Salah and his likes should be silenced, and any legal way will do. Second, Israels Arabs, the majority, must speak up much more blatantly. Salah and his followers are the enemy. They are the strife mongers. They are harming the justified struggle for equality. They are spreading lies and nurturing incitement. For our sake, for their sake, Israels Arabs should also get rid of this nuisance.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sought to justify Sunday evening the new security measuresincluding the installation of metal detectorsat the Lions' Gate and the Council Gate at the entrance to the Temple Mount following Friday's deadly attack, in which two policemen were killed.

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Amid mounting tensions in the Arab sector and condemnation from Arab states for Israels decision to temporarily close Al-Aqsa mosque, Netanyahu sought to mollify the critics, urging them to be more understanding of the measures thus far undertaken.

"I understand there is friction on the matter of metal detectors," said the prime minister, explaining that the cultural strain which they imposed were justified since "we can find ourselves in another such attack, and these means are required, as well as the cameras that we intend to place on the masts outside the Temple Mount."

Temple Mount metal detectors (Photo: AFP)

Despite being let into the Temple Mount complex without being required to go through metal detectors , the heads of the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf, who arrived at the Gate of the Tribes at around 12:30pm, came back outside and adamantly refused to be subjected to a security check.

Palestinians praying outside Temple Mount in protest against new security measures (Photo: EPA)

Calling on worshipers not to enter the complex, the Waqf officials organized a protest prayer outside the entrance to the Temple Mount as some of the protesters called out "In spirit and in blood we will save you, Al-Aqsa."

Photo: AP

Despite this, hundreds of Muslim worshipers entered the complex on Sunday while Jewish visitors were not permitted to step foot in the holy site that day.

On Sunday evening, a police force dispersed three young Jewish women who had arrived at the Gate of the Tribes, as well as Arabs who had gathered there, fearing that tesnsions could escalate into physical clashes. During the dispersal, a Palestinian man was arrested after assaulting the policemen.
By PTI: on ground: MEA

New Delhi, Jul 16 (PTI) Deploying UN peacekeeping operations with a "robust mandate" but without the required diplomatic preparation on ground is a recipe for failure, a top Ministry of External Affairs official has said.

Ruchi Ghanashyam, Secretary (West) with the Ministry of External Affairs, said this could undermine the credibility of UN peacekeeping activities over the long term.

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She also stressed on a synergy between the Security Council and the countries contributing the troops to the UN mission (TPCC).

She said a major challenge in the present-day peacekeeping mission is training and success of any operation, which hinges on the quality of personnel who serve under the UN flag.

Addressing an inaugural event of 2nd United Nations Peacekeeping Course for African Partners (UNPCAP-II), Ghanasyham also emphasised on sharing Indias experience in the peacekeeping operations, as the country has been sending its troops for the UN peacekeeping missions for over 50 years now.

The 2nd United Nations Peacekeeping Course for African Partners (UNPCAP-II) is a trilateral cooperation programme between India, the US and the African countries.

She pointed out the need to pay more attention to the manner in which the UN Security Council mandates are drawn up.

Ghanashyam said India believes that there is a greater need for consultations between the Security Council and the countries contributing the troops to the UN mission.

"Mandates have to be more precise and cognisant of harsh ground realities. Overly ambitious or robust mandates without the required diplomatic preparation on the ground, or the necessary resources being made available to the mission, is a recipe for mission failure," Ghanashyam said.

According to the UN Peacekeeping website, there are currently 15 missions, most of them concentrated in Africa and West Asia.

Senior military officials from India, Benin, Ghana, Guinea, Malawi, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, the African Union and the United States are participating in a two-week course organised by the Indian Armys Centre for UN Peacekeeping (CUNPK), starting today.

The African military personnel will in turn train troops in their respective countries.

A Tossim, a Major with Togolese Army and a trainer for his countrys troops embarking on an UN peacekeeping mission, said the experience will greatly benefit the forces in Togo.

S Kalulu, who has served in the UN peacekeeping missions in Liberia and Sudan, said India has expertise in peacekeeping missions and the course is expected to add to their knowledge in this arena. PTI PR ARK RT ARK

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A stun grenade was thrown at a mosque in the Muslim village of Maghar on Monday morning, where Staff Sgt. Maj. Ha'il Satawithe policeman killed in the shooting attack on the Temple Mount compound on Fridayused to live.

There were no injuries and slight damage was caused to one of the windows in the mosque. The police opened an investigation and it was reported that "forces were deployed openly and covertly in order to maintain a sense of security and to prevent escalation."
Members of the Arab public expressed outrage following the security measures erected at the entrance to the Temple Mount in the days following Friday's deadly terrorism attack at the site. "The Al-Aqsa mosque is a sacred place belonging to God," said Qalanswa Mayor Abdulbast Salameh. "You should not play around with a mosque, just as you shouldn't do so in a synagogue or a church."

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The Jerusalem police will continue to operate on high alert, and despite Muslim protests are to expand the deployment of metal detector gates to all entrance to the Temple Mount.

Temple Mount protests Sunday morning

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The Jerusalem police said yesterday that the riots that took place near the entrance to the Temple Mount were initiated by Muslim activists out to cause provocations and prevent other believers from visiting the Temple Mount. After the entrance to the mountain was approved through only two gates, police believe that the opening of the compound's six additional gates on Monday will help ease frictions.

Temple Mount riots Sunday night (:  )

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"Metal detectors are not the solution. On the contrary, they can exacerbate the conflict, increase tension and perhaps drag us to places we do not want to reach," said Salameh. "I demand that they be removed immediately and that people be allowed to pray in a normal manner," he said. "When we used to pray at the Al-Aqsa Mosque (the Muslim name for the Temple Mounted), we would not encounter policemen or an electronic door. Even if something extreme happens, the mosque should not become its victim."

Muslim worshippers protest before the magnometer gates set up outside the entrance the the Temple Mount (Photo: EPA)

Protestors in front of the Temple Mount (Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg)

Al-Aqsa chairperson Sheikh Farij added: "Those who were in Jerusalem today saw how difficult it is for people to enter the mosque after they have undergone a magnometer test. They could have installed the doors away from the mosque. In practice, this is a provocative act and another act of unnecessary friction." He added that "If someone intends to do harm, they can reach outside the boundaries of the Old City and to do so. We need to calm the area instead of adding more obstacles and points of friction into it.

Border Police examine visitors to the Temple Mount entering through the Lions' Gate (Photo: EPA)

"We're not the only ones who have to take a hard look at what happened inside the mosque," Farij added. "The police and the forces that are there need to know what is causing harm to others." Farij explained that "Muslims coming to their own mosque isn't a provocation. Someone entering a mosque that does not belong to them is a provocation."

Palestinian protestors standing befoe the magnometer gates (Photo: AP)

Palestinian protestors face off Border Police at the Temple Mount(Photo: REuters)

More and more people called on social networks for Muslim worshipers to visit the Temple Mount on Monday. "If we remain silent, we will lose it," one person wrote online, adding: "This is the time to cry out. Nobody has the right to prevent us from praying." Another woman wrote: "We shouldn't work tomorrow. What matters now is that we all be in al-Aqsa, even if they check us, in any way. We cannot give up."

Photo: Ofer Meir

MK Taleb Abu Arar (Joint List) also rejected the metal detector tests. "Netanyahu and his government were apparently waiting for such an opportunity, to carry out their plot and change the status quo. Al-Aqsa is our mosque, and so is the entire compound, which sits on 144 dunams, including the Western Wall. Netanyahu will lead the region into agitation and provocation. We don't want that, we want to feel free to enter the mosque and pray in it.

Muslim women protest in front of the metal detector gates (Photo: Ofer Meir)

Referring to Friday's attack, Aby arrar said, "Our path is a nonviolent struggle, a legitimate struggle with the legal means available to us, but certainly not the use of weapons, not in the mosque, not at all."
New information on ThyssenKrupp's bribery of senior officials reveals that the bid to purchase navy vessels from them was originally proposed to a South Korean Shipyard for the construction of four 1,200 ton security ships, but was signed two years later with ThyssenKrupp for the purchase of four 1,800 ton warships.

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According to former Production and Procurement Directorate head Brigadier-General (res.) Shmuel Zucker, ThyssenKrupp wasn't even contending for the tender at first, since it didn't construct 1,200 Corvette-type warships that the Defense Ministry requested.

Israeli Sa'ar 5-class ship (Photo: Elad Gershgoren)

Zucker did not hide what he thought were dubious motives in the change in the deal.

"The ship offered by the Germans is not at all like what the navy asked for," he told Channel 10 television interviewer Raviv Drucker. "The changes smelled fishy."

Zucker also claimed that former of the Israeli National Security Council (NSC) senior member Brig.-Gen. (ret.) Avriel Bar-Yosef , who was arrested for alleged offenses of bribery, money laundering, fraud, and breach of trust in the submarine case, threatened that if he did not cancel the tender with the Koreans, the relationship between Merkel and the prime minister would be harmed and that Germany might even vote against the settlements.

Zucker (L) at the signing of the deal with ThyssenKrupp (Photo: Defense Ministry)

In the end, the tender was signed with the Germans in January 2015, and the ships the navy is expected to receive, of the Sa'ar 6-class corvette model, weigh about 2,000 tons.

When South Korean representatives asked to clarify the matter, it was made clear to them that the decision on the purchase was transferred from the Ministry of Defense to the NSC.

It is important to note that these are not minor changes, but a dramatic conceptual change. Although he acknowledges that the German subsidy of about a third of the dealwhich is valued at around 1.5 billion euromay lower the cost from Israel's point of view, Zucker stresses that it is impossible to say that Israel accepted the best offer.
For the first time since the attack on Friday, 21 Jews visited the Temple Mount on Monday without the accompaniment of the Waqfthe Jordanian security forces charged with preventing Jewish prayer at Jerusalem sites with Muslim significancedue to their objection to the metal detectors set up as a security precaution following the deadly shooting attack on Friday. As a result, the Jewish visitors were only accompanied by the Israeli police.

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On Sunday, Jewish and Muslim worshipers were barred from entering the compound due to the tension after the attack, as new screening devices and magnetometers were set up. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his support of the new security measures, while Muslim and Arab officials and members of the public expressed their extreme disapproval of the move.

The magnetometers are set up at te entry to the Temple Mount (:  )

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After Maj. Gen. Shamil Shanan and the commander of the IDF, Eyal Sattawi were killed during the shooting attack, visitors were initially banned from entering the Temple Mount compound. Police hoped to see a return to normalcy on Sunday, with the reopening of two gates, the Gate of the Tribes and the Council Gate, both of which are used by Muslims wishing to enter the site. But the magnetometers placed at the entrances and the security check aroused anger among Muslim worshipers, who started a protest in front of the metal detectors.Several Muslim protestors were lightly injured as a result from clashes with police.

Jewish visitors at the Temple Mount

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the number of Jewish visitors to the Temple Mount, while the Jordanian government has increased its Waqf personnel.

Though Border Police did not demand that Waqf personnel, many of whom were detained for interrogation following the attack, pass through the magnetometers, they announced they would not enter the compound until the metal detectors and all new means of inspection were removed.

On Sunday morning, the police announced that they would allow Jews to enter the Temple Mount just as Muslims were once again permitted to enter, but in light of the tension created over the attack and site's temporary closing, it was decided to cancel the Jews' entry. Jews were, however, allowed into the site on Monday morning, and since the Waqf refused to enter the compound, the 21 Jewish activists who went to the Temple Mount were only escorted by the police, for the first time in years.

"I went up to the Temple Mount for the first time in 1999, and I do not remember anything like this since I've been coming here," said Arnon Segal, a longtime activist in the Temple Mount movement. "We'll remember the meaning of this day for generations."

The magnetometers set up outside Temple Mount entry (Photo: Elior Levy)

Speaking to Ynet, Police Deputy Commander of the Holy Places Unit Superintendent Shlomi Tubul said, "Our first goal is to restore the place to routine and normalcy as soon as possible." He continued by saying, "There are Muslims at the Temple Mount, there is no obstacle. We bring in those who want to enter according to the inspection that must be carried out.

Photo: Elior Levy

"Whoever wants to protest and stay outside is within their rights," added Tubul. "The police are prepared for all the scenarios familiar to us, with lots of police officers."
The United Arab Emirates arranged for Qatari government social media and news sites to be hacked in late May in order to post fiery but false quotes linked to Qatar's emir, prompting the current diplomatic crisis and Arab ban on Qatar, the Washington Post reported on Sunday, citing US intelligence officials.

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The emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, had been quoted in May as praising Gaza-based terrorist group turned political party Hamas, while also saying that Iran was an "Islamic power," the Post reported. In response, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain cut diplomatic and transport ties with Qatar on June 5, accusing it of supporting terrorism.





The foreign ministers of the UAE, Bahrain, Egypt and Saudi Arabia meet in Cairo in light of Qatar boycott (Photo: Reuters)

Qatar said in late May that hackers had posted fake remarks by the emir, an explanation rejected by Gulf states.

However, the Post reported that US intelligence officials learned last week of newly analyzed information that showed that top UAE government officials discussed the planned hacks on May 23, the day before they occurred.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson with Qatar Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (Photo: AP)

The officials said it was unclear if the UAE hacked the websites or paid for them to be carried out, the newspaper reported. The Post did not identify the intelligence officials it spoke to for the report.

UAE Ambassador Yousef al-Otaiba denied the report in a statement, saying it was "false," the Post said.

"What is true is Qatars behavior. Funding, supporting, and enabling extremists from the Taliban to Hamas and Qadafi. Inciting violence, encouraging radicalization, and undermining the stability of its neighbors," the statement said.

Anwar Gargash, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs (Photo: AFP)

Speaking at a forum in London, UAE Foreign Affairs Minister Anwar Gargash added on Monday that the UAE was not responsible for the alleged hack of Qatari websites that helped spark the diplomatic rift with Doha, and that the UAE would not escalate its boycott by asking companies to choose between doing business with it or with Qatar.

The US State Department declined comment in response to a Reuters query.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation was previously known to be working with Qatar to probe the hacking.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is likely to focus on business rather than history in Budapest as he looks to deepen ties with Hungary, whose leader Viktor Orban's flirtation with the radical right has unnerved Jews living there.

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During a two-day visit starting on Tuesday, Netanyahu will also meet the Polish, Czech and Slovak leaders as part of efforts to build support for Israel's interests in international forums.

Viktor Orban (Photo: AFP)

He arrives at a sensitive moment, less than a month after Orban praised Hungary's interwar leader Miklos Horthy a Hitler allyand used an image of Jewish US financier George Soros in an anti-immigration billboard campaign.

Yair Lapid, who heads Israel's centrist Yesh Atid opposition party, called on Netanyahu to cancel the visit over the poster campaign, which Budapest has denied was anti-Semitic..

But Israel's foreign ministry last week accused Soros who funds dozens of pro-democracy and human rights groupsof undermining the government, suggesting right-winger Netanyahu may find common ground with Orban over clampdowns on non-governmental organizations critical of their administrations.

"We had the Horthy (remark) and then the billboard campaign. The billboard campaign created a certain domino effect reaction in the Jewish community," Israeli ambassador Yossi Amrani told Reuters in Budapest. "People expressed fears."

Hungarian government poster portraying financier George Soros and saying ''Don't let George Soros have the last laugh'' (Photo: Reuters)

Amrani reiterated that Israel was committed to protecting Jewish communities and fighting anti-Semitism. At the same time, Israel was seeking cooperation with Budapest.

"The PM is visiting because we believe there is common ground and certain strategic interests. We still believe this is possible," Amrani said.

Netanyahu's visit will be the first to Hungary by an Israeli prime minister since the fall of communism.

Like Hungary, Israel has passed legislation that seeks to limit the influence of NGOs that receive a large portion of their funding from abroad.

Human rights group Amnesty International said on Monday it was worrisome that both leaders were conducting campaigns against civil organizations.

"We call on both prime ministers to fundamentally change their attitude with relation to human rights," Amnesty said.

The leader of Hungary's main Jewish group says they were "surprised" and "hugely disappointed" by Israel's shift in position on the Hungarian government's ad campaign against Soros.

While Israel's ambassador to Hungary condemned the campaign's anti-Semitic overtones, the Israeli Foreign Ministry later said that although it deplored anti-Semitism, it didn't want to "delegitimize" criticism of Soros.

Andras Heisler, president of the Federation of Hungarian Jewish Communities, said he had asked the Israeli government to explain its position on the anti-Soros billboards.

Heisler said hours before the arrival in Hungary of Netanyahu that Hungarian Jews felt "left in the lurch" by the Israeli position.

Hungary's government largely blames Soros, a Holocaust survivor, for Europe's migrant crisis.

Cars and Fences

The meetings will focus on business cooperation, mainly in the car industry, as Central Europe hosts assembly plants of major manufacturers, the Israeli ambassador and an official close to Netanyahu told Reuters.

"There's quite a bit of economic activity in the region in which Israel shares an interest... Israel has expertise in technology related to the (auto) industry," the official said.

"Israel has an interest in building good bilateral relations that are then reflected in multinational forums," he added.

Benjamin Netanyahu (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky)

Israel has sought better ties with countries that have a vote in multilateral forums, whether the EU or the United Nations, which it hopes will help defend its interests when Israel is criticized.

Poland has just been elected into the UN Security Council as a non-permanent member for the next two years.

Defense and security would also be discussed, as Europe struggles with the influx of migrants from the Middle East and Africa.

"Europe is awash in refugees so people are interested in how to deal with that issue," the official close to Netanyahu said.

Hungary, which built a double fence on its southern border to keep migrants out, has held discussions with Israel about purchasing security fences.
In contrast to the battles taking place deep inside northern Sinai, the Israeli-Egyptian border seems pastoral these days. However, both Egypt and Israel know that an ISIS attack is only a matter of time and strategic consideration.

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"The moment ISIS carries out a significant attack against us, they will be under intense Israeli and Egyptian pressure," an IDF source said. "They not be able to withstand it at a time when they are facing defeats elsewhere in the region, such as Iraq and Syria."

However, that has not stopped the organization from attacking the Egyptians.

Egyptian military checkpoint on border (Photo: Roi Kais)

On Friday, ISIS carried out a large attack against Egyptian military forces near the village of Al Barth, south of Rafah. It is about 20km from the Nitzana Border Crossing and five Israeli communities. The attack killed 23 Egyptian soldiers and included two car bombs and an assault on a military checkpoint.

Infiltration from the Egyptian border

The Southern Command's 80th "Edom" Division is in charge of border security for the IDF. The unit was established in 2007 with the intention of dealing with the problem of infiltrators from the Egyptian border.

Whereas illegal African migrants were once the top concern in the area, that honor has since gone to ISIS and Al Qaeda. As such, the unit's function has changed dramatically and it is now in charge of a smaller section, which includes the five Israeli communities.

Israel/Egypt border (Photo: Roi Kais)

On the Egyptian side, the same function is being carried out by Egyptian border guards, who have suffered quite a few casualties in recent years in the fighting against ISIS. Their positions are being fortified and are located roughly half a kilometer apart.

A senior IDF source told Ynet that an ISIS attack on Egyptian forces near the border is only a matter of time and the army is working to thwart it.

ISIS religious police burning contraband

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"The main challenge here is the lack of depth. We see the Egyptians, us and the fence, which cannot stop terrorists. The attack they did on Friday, for example, is a terrorist attack that wouldn't shame a special unit. Car bombs and frontal assaults were utilized."

The close proximity of Israeli communities and vital assets in the area is a concern, especially the Nitzana crossing itself, which is meant to be a symbol of Egyptian and Israeli cooperation. Everyday roughly 80-90 trucks carrying goods travel between the two nations.

Nitzana Border Crossing (Photo: Yoav Zitun)

One of the worst terror attacks in recent memory occurred in 2012 when the forerunner to ISIS in the Sinai Peninsula (ISIS-SP) attacked an Egyptian army post on the Egyptian side of the crossing.

"One of our horror scenarios is an attempt to smuggle a truckload of explosives into the Nitzana crossing and then penetrate into Israeli territory," said the IDF official.

20 Egyptian battalions against hundreds of ISIS fighters

Since the ousting of former Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi in 2012, Abed al-Fattah el-Sisi has been waging an all out war against terrorism in the Sinai. Israel has been allowing Egypt to deviate from parameters surrounding the peace agreement and allowed the government to increase their military presence in the region in an effort to combat the surge of terrorism.

What was once three to four battalions is now twenty. Additionally, the Egyptians have brought in combat aircraft, armored vehicles and artillery. They have even acquired Chinese UAVs.

ISIS fighters in the Sinai

"It is not easy to fight a Bedouin when you are not a Bedouin. The population has been neglected for years by the regime, they do not even have identity cards. Each tribe is an entity in its own right, and the province of Sinai is a kind of new Bedouin tribe. What happens there is similar to what is happening in Judea and Samaria, and the challenge of the Egyptian army is to prevent the population from joining ISIS," said the IDF source.

Recently there has been an interesting turnaround in the balance of power in the northern part of the Sinai.

ISIS attacks against Egyptian forces

The dominant tribe of Tarabin, who makes its living from smuggling and drug cultivation, entered a cycle of bloodshed with ISIS in Sinai after the organization's religious police seized their goods for religious reasons.

The confrontation has since led to fighting, which has yet to resolve itself.

The Egyptian army sees this as an opportunity to join hands with the tribe, which has hundreds of its own fighters, against ISIS. However, the source of the tribe's income from criminal business puts a question mark on cooperation with the regime over an extended period of time.
Hamas is considering establishing a permanent presence in Algeria, according to Palestinian sources in a report Monday by Asharq Al-Aswat.

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The terror organization's senior leadership is spread out over several countries across the Middle East and Asia after being forced to leave Doha last month.

Photo: AFP

According to the report, Hamas is asking the North African country for permission to set up an official bureau in Algiers, along with posting several senior members. Algeria has yet to respond to the request.

Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri is reportedly already in Algeria and is expected to be the first senior member to be posted to the country should the organization's request be approved. Zuhri confirmed that he had submitted such an application to Algerian authorities and that they had agreed to examine it.

Currently, Hamas officials are spread out across the Gaza Strip, Lebanon, Malaysia and Qatar in an attempt to avoid both concentrating everyone in the same state and external political pressures on the host country.

Past attempts at concentrating political power in one state were all met with failure when the organization was forced to move from Syria, Qatar and Turkey. As such, it was decided that Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh would remain in the Gaza Strip.
Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein attacked his Jordanian counterpart Atef Tarawneh for praising the terrorists who carried out a deadly shooting attack at the Temple Mount on Friday, saying, "If you're unable to condemn terror attacks, just keep silent."

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Edelstein made his comments in a video posted Monday, adding, "Yesterday a serious parliamentary event happened. While we're all still hurting over the terror attack that took place at the Temple Mount where two young policemen were killed, the head of the Jordanian parliament, Atef Tarawneh called the terrorists 'martyrs' and said their 'blood was pure.'"

Jordanian parliament members praying for the souls of the terrorists

Continuing the statemeent, Edelstein said: "In all my meetings in the international arena, I call for cooperation between parliaments in our region, I call on my colleagues to come to Jerusalem or wherever so that we can discuss what we can do for our countries. These statements and behavior by the Jordanian speaker distance us from peace."

He also added, "It is inconceivable that an official in a country which has a peace agreement with Israel encourages the murder of Israeli civilians."

Yuli Edelstein addressing Atef Tarawneh

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Despite condemnations by Jordanian King Abdullah II, Tarawneh praised the three terrorists and also prayed for their souls during a session in parliament.

May Allah have mercy on our youths, the members of the Jabarin family who deserve honor and fame, Tarawneh declared.

The damage by the Israeli occupation in the holiest sites of Jerusalem and in Al-Aqsa are grounds for continuing the resistance, not to surrender in the face of oppression or tyranny. The Israeli persistence and the severity of its crimes it is committing are the reasons for the setting of fire of revenge in their hearts among the generations who inherit the hatred of the occupation.
A farmer's son, Venkaiah Naidu came from humble background. Known to have his way with words, the veteran politician is also famous for his one-liners.

By India Today Web Desk: Soon after votes were cast to elect the next president of India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA announced the name of its vice-presidential candidate. It is the minister of urban development, housing and urban poverty alleviation and information and broadcasting Venkaiah Naidu.

A farmer's son, Venkaiah Naidu comes from humble background. Known to have his way with words, the veteran politician is also famous for his one-liners.

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A key member of Narendra Modi's cabinet, the veteran BJP leader is also known to be close to the prime minister. He is also one of the government's trouble-shooters because of his good communication skills.

Naidu was born in Nellore, Andhra Pradesh in 1949. He pursued his education from VR School and obtained a degree in politics and diplomatic studies from VR College, Nellore. It is here that he entered student politics and began his political career as a swayamsevak with the RSS. Actively participating in student politics, he was appointed the president of VR College Student Union in 1971.

He came to limelight only in 1972 during the Jai Andhra movement - supporting creation of Andhra state led by Kakani Venkata Ratnam.

In 1974, Naidu became the convenor of the anti-corruption Jayaprakash Narayan Chhatra Sangharsh Samiti of Andhra Pradesh, protesting against the imposition of Emergency. He served as the president of their youth wing from 1977-80. He was also imprisoned during this phase. When the Janata Party was formed on the eve of the 1977 general elections, he became the state president of the Bharatiya Janata Party's youth wing Janata Yuva Morcha.

In 1978, Naidu was elected as Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly MLA from Udaygiri constituency in Nellore in 1978, and then again, after he joined the BJP, in 1983.

He served in various organisational posts in the party, but never got mass support. He contested thrice for a seat in the Lok Sabha, but failed to garner votes. Then in 1998, he was elected as a member of Rajya Sabha from Karnataka. He was re-elected again in 2004 and 2010.

Making an effort to master Hindi, addressing rallies in north India in their language, he became the spokesperson of BJP in 1996 till 2000. After the NDA won the 1999 general elections under Atal Bihar Vajpayee, he was given the profile of Union Cabinet Minister for Rural Development.

In 2002, he became the national president of BJP succeeding Jana Krishnamurthy. Naidu resigned from his post in 2004, when the party lost the general elections, but remained in the forefront of party politics. He was the first minister to raise the issue of special status for Andhra in the Rajya Sabha.

In 2014, the Rajya Sabha MP from Rajasthan was sworn as the Minister for Urban Development and Parliamentary Affairs, after the BJP won the general elections.

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Venkaiah Naidu will be filing his nomination papers tomorrow and is standing against Opposition's vice-president candidate Gopalkrishna Gandhi.

Also Read

5 reasons why Venkaiah Naidu is BJP candidate for vice-presidential elections

Vice-Presidential election: NDA picks Venkaiah Naidu against Opposition's Gopalkrishna Gandhi

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Zabka, Warszawa, 166 m2

Lokal znajduje sie w budynku apartamentowym Unimax Development w inwestycji Viva Vitolin, przy ul. Grochowskiej 87 w Warszawie. Bedzie dostepny w 4Q 2023 roku (podpisanie umow przeniesienia wasnosci).
Minneapolis: An investigation is underway in an incident where an Australian woman was shot dead by a police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota on Saturday.

A 40-year-old woman, identified as Justine Damond in local media reports, was killed by an officer while responding to a 911 call which the woman made to report a possible assault in the alley behind her home Saturday night was fatally shot by a Minneapolis police officer.

The Star Tribune quoting sources said that two officers in one squad car, responding to the 911 call, pulled into the alley.

Damond, in her pajamas, went to the driver's side door and was talking to the driver.

The officer in the passenger seat pulled his gun and shot Damond through the driver's side door, sources said.

Authorities have not released the woman's name, but it was confirmed by people at the scene.

The Minneapolis Police confirmed that the two officers involved are on paid administrative leave, which is a standard procedure.

Meanwhile, Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges said, in a press conference, that at some point, one of the officers fired a weapon, killing the woman.

The officers were wearing body cameras, but they were not turned on during the incident, he added.

Damond, who is from Sydney and who also went by the name Justine Ruszczyk, was engaged to be married next month to an American man.
Washington: Forty former US diplomats and national security officials urged Secretary of State Rex Tillerson not to eliminate the State Department office that handles refugees in a letter seen by Reuters on Monday.



The letter argued that a Trump administration proposal to transfer the responsibilities of the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM) to other agencies would undercut U.S. diplomatic leverage in grappling with foreign crises.



Among the retired officials who signed the letter were former Deputy Secretary of State William Burns, former Under Secretaries of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns and Wendy Sherman and former Middle East peace envoy Dennis Ross.



"Whether in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kenya, Turkey or South Sudan, the Department of States efforts to address humanitarian crises must include the tightest coordination of diplomatic engagement and emergency assistance," the letter, which was also signed by 18 executives with non-governmental aid agencies, said.



"We are convinced that the elimination of PRM`s assistance functions would have profound and negative implications for the Secretary of State`s capacity to influence policy issues of key concern to the United States," the letter said.



A memo to the Office of Management and Budget seen by Reuters proposes giving PRM`s responsibility for the US Refugee Admission Program, which helps resettle refugees in the United States, to the Department of Homeland Security.



The memo, which was first reported by CNN on June 30 and which a former official said was prepared by the White House`s domestic policy council, proposes transferring its other responsibilities elsewhere and eliminating the bureau.



The memo and the letter from the former officials appear to be part of a wider struggle over refugee and immigration policy.



This includes executive orders signed by President Donald Trump and challenged in court temporarily banning most refugees from entering as well as most visits by citizens of selected Muslim-majority nations, an internal debate over the cost of resettling refugees and a crackdown on illegal immigration.



The State Department had no immediate comment on the letter.



The issue may come up at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing at 5 p.m. (2100 GMT) on Monday where Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan is scheduled to testify about the State Department`s reorganization plans.
Ottawa: Massive wildfires fuelled by strong winds have been sweeping over Canada's British Columbia province for more than a week, forcing thousands of people to evacuate.

As of Sunday, a total of 178 wildfires were reported to be actively blazing in British Columbia, according to the Canadian Wildland Fire Information System.

The Canadian government has declared a state of emergency to address the severity of the situation that began on July 7, reports Xinhua news agency.

Currently 3,000 firefighters, including 415 sent in from surrounding provinces, and 203 aircraft are involved in battling the fires, while this operation has cost Canadian authorities more than $80 million, said Canadian Minister of Forests John Rustad.

The rapidly spreading fires have also disrupted the timber and mining industries.

"Employees who have been able to report for work have been reassigned to maintain mill operations at the expense of mining operations, which have significantly reduced," Imperial Metals Corp. said.

"Should critical supplies such as fuel not be available due to road closures, the mine may be forced to suspend operations."
Patna: Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav on Monday dismissed questions about the growing chorus for his resignation as media speculation but the BJP said he has only two options - resign or get sacked.

Responding to a question on the demand for his resignation, Tejashwi told reporters outside the Assembly, "It (resignation demand) is only in the media."

Tejashwi had skipped an official function on July 15, where he was to share the dais with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, triggering speculation that the festering acrimony between the JD(U) and the RJD had reached a flash point in the wake of an FIR being registered by the CBI against the deputy chief minister in the land-for-hotels case.

RJD president Lalu Prasad has also ruled out the resignation of his son Tejaswi.

While Tejashwi appeared to have decided to dig in his heels, BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said, "He has only two options - either tender resignation or get sacked."

Modi, who is the state BJP Parliamentary Party chief, urged Nitish Kumar to "stand firm on his ground (in seeking resignation of Tejashwi)... The BJP will be standing with him on his decision on this issue".

Though none of the JD(U) spokesmen made any statement on the issue today, party MLA Shyam Bahadur Singh said, "It's better if the alliance breaks today... We love to work with the BJP."

Congress MLA Shakil Ahmad Khan and MLC Dilip Chaudhary suggested senior leaders of the three coalition partners to talk among themselves to hammer out a solution.

Nitish Kumar heads a three-party coalition government which also includes the Congress.

Amid reports of the BJP going soft on the chief minister since the Tejashwi episode came to the fore, Modi thanked him for his support to NDA's presidential pick Ram Nath Kovind.

"Nitish Kumar's support to the NDA nominee holds a lot of significance for which we thank him," he said, claiming along with NDA and JD(U) MLAs, four Independents also voted for Kovind.

Tejashwi, who was accompanied by RJD chief whip in the Assembly Lalit Yadav, also claimed 100 per cent voting by the RJD and Congress MLAs in favour of UPA's president nominees Meira Kumar.

Three CPI(ML) MLAs have also voted for Kumar.
New Delhi: As the speculations around Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav's resignation grow stronger, Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader Chirag Paswan on Monday said it has been a tradition of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav's family of resigning just before going to prison.

"This is not something new. It has been a tradition of the Lalu family. Till the time they don't go to jail, they don't resign. Even Lalu didn't resign before going to jail. While going to jail, he handed over his responsibilities to his wife. So, till the time the deputy Chief Minister does not go to jail, he will not resign," Chirag told ANI.

Chirag further said that the ball is now in Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's court and he has to take a firm decision.

"There is no morality in Lalu's family, but now the ball is in Nitish's court. He has always maintained that they have zero tolerance policy towards corruption. However, in this case, it looks as if he is compromising on something," he said.

However, on the contrary, Tejashwi said that the news of political crisis is only in the media, hinting towards all is well as long as their alliance with Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)) is concerned.

"That's only in the media," Tejashwi responded when asked about present political crisis in the state.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a corruption case against Lalu, his wife Rabri Devi, son Tejaswi; 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.

However, Lalu on Friday said that his son Tejashwi Yadav, who is facing corruption charges, will not resign as Bihar Deputy Chief Minister.
Senior BJP leader and Housing and Urban Affairs, and Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu is likely to be nominated today as NDA's vice presidential candidate.

By Kumar Shakti Shekhar: Senior BJP leader and Housing and Urban Affairs, and Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu is likely to be nominated today as NDA's vice presidential candidate. The decision is likely to be taken and subsequently announced in BJP Parliamentary Board meeting to take place today at 6 pm.

As per the schedule announced by the Election Commission, the last date for making nominations for the August 5 vice presidential elections is tomorrow (July 18). Counting would also take place on August 5. Incumbent Vice President Hamid Ansari's term ends on August 10.

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Famous for his rhymes and one-liners, Venkaiah Naidu was born on July 1, 1949 in Chavatapalem under Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh. He got married to M Usha on April 14, 1970. He has a son and a daughter.

Venkaiah Naidu has done BA, BL and was educated at VR High School, Nellore; VR College, Nellore; and Law College, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam.

If selected, Venkaiah Naidu would face former diplomat Gopalkrishna Gandhi who has already been nominated as the Opposition's vice presidential candidate.

The following factors may weigh in favour of Venkaiah Naidu:

1. SOUTHERN CANDIDATE

Venkaiah Naidu hails from Andhra Pradesh. NDA has already nominated a north Indian Ram Nath Kovind as the presidential candidate. Kovind comes from Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh. Venkaiah Naidu's nomination would balance the regional factor.

2. RAJYA SABHA EXPERIENCE

Being a fourth term Rajya Sabha MP from Rajasthan, Venkaiah Naidu has a long experience of the Upper House. This would stand him good stead as an ex-officio chairperson of the Rajya Sabha.

Venkaiah Naidu was elected first to the Rajya Sabha in April 1998. He was re-elected to the house in 2004, 2010 and 2016. He has been a member of several parliamentary committee and even chaired some of them.

3. DYED IN THE WOOL BJP WORKER

Venkaiah Naidu was imprisoned under Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) during the Emergency between 1975 and 1977. He was the Janata Party Youth Wing president of Andhra Pradesh between 1977 and 1980. He was first elected as MLA in Andhra Pradesh Assembly in 1978.

Venkaiah Naidu was the national vice president of BJP's youth wing from 1980 to 1983. He was the leader of BJP's legislature party in Andhra Pradesh Assembly from 1980 to 1985. He held the post of the state president of BJP's Andhra Pradesh unit from 1988 to 1993.

Between 1993 and 2000, Venkaiah Naidu was BJP's national general secretary. He rose to become the BJP's president in July 2002. He held the post till December 2002.

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Venkaiah Naidu has held the post of BJP's national president on two occasions. The second time it was between January 2004 and October 2004.

Between April 2005 and January 2006, he was BJP's senior vice president.

From January 2006 onwards, he is a member of BJP's Parliamentary Board and Central Election Committee.

He was BJP's national spokesperson between 1996 and 2000.

4. SENIORITY

Venkaiah Naidu is No. 5 in the Cabinet, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Affairs Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Finance Arun Jaitley.

He was Union minister for rural development between September 30 2000 and June 30, 2002 in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government.

He again became Union minister in the Modi government on May 26, 2014. He held the portfolios of Urban Development; Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation and Parliamentary Affairs till July 5, 2016.

Subsequently, he has been holding the Urban Development, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, and Information and Broadcasting portfolios.

5. RAJYA SABHA'S GAIN, MODI'S LOSS

While Venkaiah Naidu's selection as vice presidential candidate may be a advantage for the Rajya Sabha, it would be a loss for Modi. Naidu was a fire fighter for the PM, defending him on several issues. However, with NDA in a minority in the Rajya Sabha, Venkaiah Naidu's services may be more needed for the PM.

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ALSO READ

Amit Shah discusses vice-presidential pick with RSS, to take final call with PM Modi

Vice-Presidential election: Bitter rivals TMC, Left united on support for Gopalkrishna Gandhi

Vice-Presidential election dates announced: Polling, result on August 5

ALSO WATCH: Gopalkrishna Gandhi to India Today: Not seeking votes as a Gandhi descendant

--- ENDS ---
Bihar: In yet another indication of widening cracks in Bihar's 'Mahagathbandhan' or 'grand alliance', Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is ready to seek a fresh mandate if his deputy Tejashwi Yadav fails to come clean on corruption allegations levelled against him.

A News18.com report said on Monday that a decision on Bihar deputy CM is likely to take place after the Presidential poll.

Sources also claimed that Nitish Kumar, who is under tremendous pressure to sack Tejashwi Yadav, is ready to seek fresh mandate and sacrifice his government if RJD remains tight-lipped on the fate of Bihar deputy CM.

With CM Nitish Kumar toughening his stance on Tejashwi Yadav episode, RJD chief Lalu Yadav appears to have finally budged and signalled that some action will be taken to save the 'Mahagathbandhan'.

Fearing that any action against Tejashwi would affect the Presidential poll, both RJD and Congress want to hold the matter till the polling is over.

After the elections are over, it is highly likely that Tejashwi might have to resign or Nitish might sack him.

As per sources, it is also highly likely that RJD will continue to support Nitish from outside.

Blaming the Centre for the whole controversy surrounding Tejashwi, RJD said, ED, CBI and IT work for and as per the orders of the government

RJD also termed the whole matter as a political vendetta.

Even Tejashwi Yadav, while commenting on the allegations against him lashed out at Government and said, There is an emergency like situation in the country. When asked about his resignation, the leader parried the question.
Arun Kumar/IANS

Washington: The "Gray Lady of Manhattan" billed it as the "Donnie and Vlad: A Love Story" overshadowing the summit of the world`s 20 rich and powerful nations.



The "failing New York Times", as the POTUS loves to call it, was confident that their first pow-wow would be "a sure winner for Russia" with a sceptic Donald Trump loathe to raise Moscow`s meddling in the 2016 election with Vladimir Putin.



Other pundits prophesied that Putin, the former KGB agent, would eat The Donald, the once reality TV star, like a sandwich with a bit of flattery at their short and sweet meeting that was supposed to last just half an hour with no agenda.



The Friday encounter turned in Hamburg out to be a "blockbuster". With not a fly on the wall privy to the inside story, the meeting dragged for all of two hours and 16 agonising minutes for anxious reporters waiting outside.



And even FLOTUS Melania peeking through the door could not hurry them along, as Trump`s top diplomat Rex Tillerson would tell afterwards.



Defying pundits, the POTUS raised the Russian hacking issue off the bat, claimed Tillerson, who along with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov made the foursome besides the two interpreters.



"Nyet, Nyet," asserted Putin and demanded proof, but nevertheless agreed to organise talks "regarding commitments of non-interference" in Uncle Sam`s affairs.



As the Russian spy and the proud American author of "The Art of the Deal" focused on how to move forward, they reached their first pact on a partial Syrian ceasefire.



Tillerson also saw "a level of commitment" on the part of Russia to "transition away from the Assad family" after the defeat of ISIS.



With Lavrov having a slightly different take suggesting Trump had accepted Putin`s "clear statements" about Russian meddling "being untrue" critics quickly latched on to the "differing narratives".



Without the ever-present leakers, the hacks of the media variety were left speculating about what transpired behind closed doors after Trump greeted Putin calling it "an honour" and the Russian responded with a "delighted to meet you".



The professionals were apparently kept out of the Hamburg tango as part of what the influential Politico called Trump`s "stealthy operation to smoke out leakers" with a crackdown that has sent "chills through national security world".



Trump also muddied the waters before the Putin meeting by telling reporters in Poland that "it could very well have been Russia" behind the election hacks or "it could well have been other countries".



"Nobody really knows. Nobody really knows for sure," Trump declared even as he chided his predecessor Barack Obama for "choking" while questioning his spooks` assessment about Moscow`s role.



Then he fired another tweet missile claiming "Everyone here is talking about why (Clinton campaign chairman) John Podesta refused" to give the Democratic Party`s server to the FBI and the CIA, and proclaiming it "Disgraceful!"



This sent the pundits on another wild goose chase with a nitpicking hack at the Washington Post churning out a long winded "Analysis" of "one of President Trump`s most bizarre tweets yet".



And the Times was quick to brand Democratic mayor De Blasio`s "sudden trip" to join G-20 protests against the global political and economic system as "Trump Protests".



It was left to a company named Caviar Royal Gift to celebrate the historic summit with a $2,500 special edition Putin-Trump Nokia phone.



The special Nokia 3310 features a tiny replica plaque on the back of the phone and "hardened titanium with a pattern of `Damascus steel` to represent the `principle and hardness necessary for the protection of justice`."



Ahead of the summit, keeping up his tirade against "the dishonest media", Trump posted a mock video of him pummelling a man in a business suit -- his face obscured by the CNN logo -- outside a wrestling ring with the message: "#FraudNewsCNN #FNN."



By all accounts, the Trump-Putin tango was a substantive affair with even CNN conceding that "Trump exceeded expectations". Yet a Times columnist wondered: "Did Putin Have Trump for Lunch?"



And given Trump`s "past comments", the Post found "it difficult to believe that he confronted Putin with much vigour".



No wonder POTUS keeps complaining, "Fake News Media will never cover me accurately but who cares!"
Mumbai: Sushant Singh Rajput set the stage on fire with a sizzling performance at the IIFA 2017 event in New York Saturday. He was one of the nominees in the Best Actor category for his role in M.S.Dhoni: The Untold Story. However, he couldnt quite bag the trophy as Shahid Kapoor emerged winner for his Tommy Singh act in Udta Punjab.

If the reports are anything to go by, then SSR took to Twitter to post a cryptic tweet soon after Shahid was announced as the winner.

He tweeted:

.@IIFA hahahaha  Sushant Singh Rajput (@itsSSR) 16 July 2017

Though it is not very clear what his tweet implies, it does look mysterious!

Sushant made his movie debut with Abhishek Kapoors Kai Po Che! in 2013. His acting journey  from being a TV actor to a film star has indeed been an enriching one. He will soon be seen in Chandamama Door Ke, a film based on an astronauts endeavour.

According to Deccan Chronicle, while talking about his IIFA nominations, SSR during a press conference before the awards event said, Me and IIFA (International Indian Film Academy Awards) go back a long way. Back in 2006, I was a background dancer performing at IIFA. In 2013, when I made my debut (Kai Po Che), I got a chance to perform, and in 2017, Im nominated as Best Actor. My mother would say that your life is a story that you tell
Mumbai: After sparking off a controversy with their nepotism debate at the IIFA Awards in New Jersey over the weekend, filmmaker Karan Johar, actors Saif Ali Khan and Varun Dhawan received flak on social media with Twitteratis calling their act "disappointing".

Karan and Saif, who were hosting the gala, revisited the much-talked about issue that started in Bollywood when Queen star Kangana Ranaut branded Karan as a "flag-bearer of nepotism" on his chat show.

When Varun joined the two actors on the stage at the Metlife Stadium to receive the Best Performance in a Comic Role for Dishoom, Saif joked that the actor had made it big in the industry because of his father, director David Dhawan.

"You are here because of your papa," Saif quipped.

Varun said: "And you're here because of your mummy (veteran actress Sharmila Tagore)."

Karan then promptly added: "I am here because of my papa (late filmmaker Yash Johar)."

They then said in unison: "Nepotism rocks".

On Twitter, a string of criticism followed, describing what the personalities said as unfunny and joking about actress Kangana Ranaut in her absence. Those tweeting included Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi and AIB member Tanmay Bhatt.

Here are some tweets:

Abhishek Singhvi: I'd like to see the likes of Karan Johar, Saif and Varun Dhawan try their nepotism humour when Kangana is in their presence. IIFA.

Tanmay Bhat: I just realised they legit yelled Nepotism Rocks at the end of it and I cannot stop face palming.

"How is it an "insult" to Kangana If anything it's a crass/tacky display of how shamelessly nepotistic Bollywood," one of the users posted.

"Totally not expected from you Varun Dhawan, seriously you said 'nepotism rocks'. Insulting a lady in such a big stage simply not acceptible. I'm disappointed," said a user.

Another fan wrote: I don't know what kind of entitlement you need to actually find 'nepotism rocks' funny. Like yeah it did for you and that makes you a loser.

In February this year, Kangana had called Karan Johar 'intolerant' towards outsiders and a 'flag bearer of nepotism' on his popular talk show 'Koffee With Karan'.
New Delhi: Paytm Mall on Monday announced revamping of the sellers in its onboarding process to further enhance the consumer trust on its platform.As a part of this strategy, Paytm Mall will continue to partner with reputed shopkeepers and brands, bringing their catalogues online, enabling smoother discovery and buying experience for their products.It will also provide the shops with Paytm Mall QR Code solution, which consumers will be able to scan to browse their products and place an order instantly. This will empower local shops to get additional revenues from customers who will be able to buy their products online.

The company has made it mandatory for sellers to furnish brand authorization letters. The sellers will undergo strict quality and service audits that will include their registration number, shop location, shop photos and GSTIN among others in order to lists their products on the platform.

This criteria blocks potential fraudulent merchant on signing up and creating a bad customer experience on the platform. As a result of the new guidelines, the platform has delisted over 85,000 sellers and their products, which were failing to meet its strict quality standards.

In addition to the revised measures, Paytm Mall will enable brands and shopkeepers to set the return, exchange and refund policies for their products being sold on the platform. The platform will offer complete logistic support to brands and shops through its network of logistics partners."Our goal is to set the benchmark for a platform that empowers reputed local shopkeepers and brands to sell quality merchandise.

We will work closely with existing sellers, and continue onboarding further. This will help us offer a superior consumer experience," said chief operating officer Paytm Mall, Amit Sinha.Paytm Mall, however, is scaling its partner network by adding 3,000 agents to its existing workforce as it goes deeper into tier II and tier III cities, digitizing catalogues of neighborhood shopkeepers and brands authorized stores.It will leverage mobile technology to make this wide retail inventory available to millions of Indians, while helping trusted retailers reach out to a wider set of customers around them.
New Delhi: Institutional Investor magazine has adjudged Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) as "Most Honored Company" in Asia`s oil & gas sector for 2017.

The company was selected on the basis of feedback received from the top fund managers, analysts from both buy and sell sides.

RIL ranked among the top three companies in the oil & gas sector in 2017 based on the survey of buy and sell sides fund managers and analysts conducted by Institutional Investor magazine.

The magazine adjudged - Alok Agarwal, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), RIL, Srikanth Venkatachari, Joint CFO, RIL - third in the best CFO category and Hemen Modi, Head Investor Relations, RIL was selected as second in the Best Investor Relations Professional category.
Zee Media Bureau/Smriti Srivastava

The list of 'India's top companies to work with in 2017' is out. Maintaining the past records, IT companies still dominate over others to stay at the peak of the list. A study revealed that how workplaces at these companies are way more exciting and comfortable than theres for the employees. Career growth, team work & bonding, trust boosting are the factors that impact employees' perceptions the most are quite a synonym to the atmosphere in these organisations.Therefore, here we come up with a list of top 15 technology companies to work with in India for 2017:

1) Intuit India

Founded: 2005

Employee Strength: 948

Gender diversity (F/M): 1:3.21

Highlights: It is one of the few companies in the country that has been openly vocal about LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) rights and inclusivity at the workplace. Intuit employees are allowed to use 10 percent of their time (called 'unstructured' time) to think about customer problems and work on new solutions.

American Express

Founded: 1921

Employee Strength: 11748

Gender diversity (F/M): 1:1.52

Highlights: They are one of the world's largest global payments network, owning relationships with Card Members and Merchants. They also provide products and services to customers around the world, process millions of transactions daily, and drive more than $1 trillion in commerce a year.

2) Google India

Founded: 2004

Employee Strength: 1863

Highlights: Google recently declared the results of a study done by Googlers, of Googlers, to see what processes an effective team at Google. Inspired by the Project Oxygen, it looks at what contributes makes great managers at Google. The company analysed more than 200 teams over 200 interviews and assessed more than 200 ways of evaluating effectiveness of team.

3) Sap Labs

Founded: 1998

Employee Strength: 6489

Gender diversity (F/M): 1:1.93

Highlights: SAP Labs India has been focusing on building a strong culture of entrepreneurship, over the . SAP Startup Studio, its accelerator programme focuses on curating early or growth-stage startups, that holds disruptive technology to sort complex business challenges. The company has also redecorated its sabbatical policy which allows entrepreneurship for up to two years to those who have completed similar number of years or more at SAP.

4) Adobe India

Founded: 1998

Employee Strength: 6489

Gender diversity (F/M): 1:1.93

Highlights: The company is also working towards reintegrating its returning moms. It began to assign buddies to employees who went on maternity leave, six months ago. The company is also focused on hiring more females to its workforce. From its 23 percent female employees in 2016, it has risen up to 31 percent.

5) NetApp India

Founded: 2001

Employee Strength: 1536

Gender diversity (F/M): 1:3.56

Highlights: While taking care of employees within the organization, the company also focuses on budding fresh talent. This is done is by working with faculty at institutes like IIT Kanpur, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Guwahati, and IIT Bangalore, to provide them expertise and teaching resources to infuse storage, data management, and cloud-related content into their academics.

6) Teleperformance India

Founded: 2001

Employee strength: 8302

Gender ratio (F/M): 1: 2.56

Highlight: Teleperformance deserted annual appraisals two years back. It now has a monthly, real-time transparent scorecard process in place that gives visibility and motivates self-governance. The company also offers room for real-time improvements instead of waiting a whole year to give feedback to employees.

7) Pitney Bowes

Founded: 2007

Employee strength: 660

Gender Ratio (F/M): 1:3.93

Highlights: Employee attendance is not monitored in Pitney Bowes. One of the styles of the company to boost its ability to provide growth opportunities. Close to 70 percent of the people who joined the company in India in the first year are claimed to be still working with the company.

8) Cadence Design Systems  India

Founded: 1987

Employee Strength: 1785

Gender Ratio: 1:4



Highlights: This electronic design automation firm has a CFO Advisory Council consisting a cross-section of employees across different levels and functions. The mission is-

to help improve engagement and

to communicate and represent the voice of the employees to the CFO

The groups mission is to help improve engagement, communications, foster a sense of community, and represent the voice of employees.

9) PayPal India

Founded: 2006

Employee Strength: 1255

Gender Ratio: 1:3

Highlights: A global program called Opportunity Hack, which is a platform that brings together NGOs and developers interested in creating tech-based solutions for challenges faced by them. The hackathon, last year, witnessed nearly 150 developers clock 5400 hours to help 15 NGOs develop technology based prototypes to solve real world challenges.

10) BT Global Business Services

Founded: 1987

Employee Strength: 4388

Gender Ratio: 1:2.13

Highlights: The BT CBS Employee Assistance Program (EAP) programme offers easy 24x7 telephone and chat-based assistance and support to all employees of the company.

11) inMobi India

Founded: 2007

Employee Strength: 786

Gender Ratio (F/M): 1:2.57

Highlights: This mobile advertising company has developed an idea called Founders Staff, whereby 4-5 high potential employees are identified every year to work closely with the founders. By working with the founders, these star employees are exposed to the values and culture of the company at the source.

12) BMC Software India

Founded: 2001

Employee Strength: 1640

Gender Ratio (F/M): 1:3.56

Highlights: The company has a 'MyHappiness App' using which employees participate in a ten second survey at periodic intervals. Employees are asked if they feel recognized, find their work and whether they find BMC a fun place to work with. The data collected is co-related to factors like customer satisfaction ratings and attrition.

13) Atria Convergence Technologies

Founded: 2008

Employee Strength: 6693

Gender Ratio (F/M): 1:9.92

Highlights: Its a broadband and digital TV companys ACT Carnival, a program for employees children, involving art competitions, game stalls and lots of food. Digital prints of the children's paintings go into the creation of the company calendar. All of the companys locations are virtually connected during this event and one can view the celebrations in the other locations on the large screens placed at the venue.

14) Citius Tech Health Care Technology

Founded: 2005

Employee Strength: 2158

Gender Ratio (F/M): 1:1.96

Highlights: The company has a Green Channel process when hiring people for management roles, an extension of its referral program, wherein very strong recommendations for candidates lead to automatic hiring. This hiring procedure is carried out without going through the conventional process of interviews. This ensures high potential candidates are quickly absorbed into the company.
Mumbai: Internationally acclaimed sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik took to Twitter Monday morning to share photographs of a couple of his creations on the occasion of the second Somwar or Monday in the Hindu holy month of Shravan.

The month of Shravan according to the Hindu calendar is extremely auspicious. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, devotees observe fast, offer prayers and take part in charitable events to reach out to the poor and needy.

Check out the images below:

The month of Shravan began last week according to the Purnimant calendar followed in North India while devotees in South India will start celebrations on July 23 based on the Amavasyant calendar.
Brussels: The British and EU Brexit negotiators met on Monday, pledging to "get down to work" in a first full round of talks on Britain`s divorce terms from the European Union.



"We made a good start last month but we are now getting into the substance of the matter," British Brexit Secretary David Davis told reporters as he was welcomed at the European Commission in Brussels by EU negotiator Michel Barnier.



"For us, it`s incredibly important we now make good progress," added Davis, who held the first day of talks a month ago to agree on an agenda, a year after Britons vote to leave the EU. "Now it`s time to get down to work and to make this a successful negotiation," he added.



Barnier said: "We will now delve into the heart of the matter. We need to examine and compare our respective positions in order to make good progress."



Both men declined further comment, with Barnier saying they would brief the media on Thursday after their teams have spent four days tackling a range of priority issues.
London: British Prime Minister Theresa May will remind her cabinet that top level government discussions must remain private, her spokesman said on Monday, responding to a series of reported leaks after recent meetings.

May`s grip on control of her cabinet, which is divided over Brexit, has been severely weakened by last month`s election result when May lost her parliamentary majority, reopening the debate about the nature of Britain`s EU exit.

Finance minister Philip Hammond, who has championed a softer form of Brexit, bore the brunt of a series of critical newspaper stories over the weekend about what was said at private government meetings. He said he was being attacked because of his views on Brexit.

"Of course cabinet must be able to hold discussions on government policy in private and the prime minister will be reminding her colleagues of that at the cabinet meeting tomorrow," the spokesman told reporters.

He said he was not aware of any plans for a formal inquiry into the leaks.

"She`ll just be reminding them of their responsibilities and making the point that ministers across government need to be focused on getting on with delivering for the British public," the spokesman said.
Venkaiah Naidu has resigned as the Union minister in the Modi cabinet. Though he was not required to do so, he did it to set high political standards.

By Press Trust of India: Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu resigned after he was chosen as the NDA's candidate for the vice presidential election on Monday.

The BJP Parliamentary board, in a meeting, picked Naidu for contesting the poll for vice president, the post he is almost certain to occupy.

A source said Naidu has tendered his resignation. He was holding two portfolios of Information and Broadcasting, and Housing and Urban Affairs.

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"Although Naidu was not required to resign technically, he has tendered his resignation to set high political standards as he has entered the electoral fray (for vice presidential position)" he said.

Also read: From a farmer's son to NDA's vice-president candidate: All you need to know about Venkaiah Naidu

Also read: 5 reasons why Venkaiah Naidu is BJP candidate for vice-presidential elections

Also read:Vice-Presidential election: NDA picks Venkaiah Naidu against Opposition's Gopalkrishna Gandhi

--- ENDS ---
New Delhi: Finnish start-up HMD Global, which owns Nokia brand, on Monday announced the dual release of its Nokia 105 and Nokia 130 feature phones with refreshed designs and updated features.



Both models feature 1.8-inch colour screens, handy LED torch lights and come in three colours.



Nokia 105 will be available at retail stores in India from July 19 in blue, white and black colours at Rs 999 for the single SIM variant and Rs 1,149 for the dual-SIM variant.



Nokia 130 will be soon available in the country in dual SIM and single SIM variants in red, grey and black colours (The price is yet to be announced).



"More than 400 million feature phones were sold globally in 2016. We cannot underestimate the need and benefit of being connected and we are dedicated to delivering devices that can enable many people around the world to expand their horizon," Arto Nummela, CEO, HMD Global, said in a statement.



Nokia 105 features a sculpted ergonomic design with an outstanding battery life and improved usability, with a larger screen size and new tactile island keymat.



The new `keymat` features separated keys for improved usability, while the larger 1.8-inch screen delivers a better viewing experience when playing favourite games like Snake Xenzia which comes preloaded.



Nokia 130 also has 1.8-inch colour screen that offers a great video experience. It has 11.5 hours of video playback on a single charge and features Bluetooth support.
New Delhi: Nokia is all expected to launch a high-end smartphone (Nokia 8) as early as July 31.

As per a report by German website Winfuture, model number of the Nokia device will be TA-1004. The report also talks about features and specifications of the new phone.

The Nokia 8 phone will be priced around Rs 43,000. It is widely expected that the price in India will be around Rs 40,000.

With launch of Nokia 8, the premium smartphone market, that is already populated with Samsung, HTC and Apple, will welcome a new entrant.

The phone will carry a Snapdragon 835 processor, 4GB RAM and 64GB of internal storage, and dual-SIM cards in Europe.

The handset will likely sport a Quad HD (1440 x 2560 pixels) display of at least 5.3 inches. The phone will be available in four color variants - blue, steel, gold blue, and gold copper
New Delhi: The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Monday released the list of deceased as well as injured pilgrims who met tragic road mishap on Sunday. The fatal accident killed 16 yatris on spot and left 29 people injured after falls into gorge at 1:45 PM on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway in Ramban district.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police informed that all the dead bodies have been recovered and airlifted to GMCH hospital for identification and other legal formalities. Out of 29 injured 8 people were taken to SKIMS Soura hospital and 20 others were airlifted to GMCH.

Five of those killed belonged to Bihar. They were idenified as Meena Devi, Pawan Kumar, Dilip Kumar, Rohit and Sagar Kumar. The two deceased Ram Karan Sharma and Shailendra Singh hailed from Rajasthan. Whereas three of the killed Ravinder Singh, Sikander and Ravinder Singh belonged to Ghaziabad district of Uttar Pradesh.

Here is the complete list of injured and dead:

Ramban accident update. The list of dead and injured. pic.twitter.com/dOe0jWe170  J&K Police (@JmuKmrPolice) July 16, 2017

The accident came just few days after terrorists killed seven Amarnath pilgrims from Gujarat as they struck at a bus in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district, in the worst attack on the annual pilgrimage since the year 2000.
New Delhi: Amid the ongoing standoff between Indian and Chinese troops at the Dokalam area, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) has conducted live-fire exercises in Tibet.

State-run China Central Television (CCTV) reported that the PLA conducted live-fire exercises in Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region.

The brigade that conducted the drills was from the PLA's Tibet Military Command.

The PLA Tibet command guards the Line of Actual Control (LAC) of the India-China border along several sections connecting the mountainous Tibetan region.

China and India have been engaged in the standoff in the Dokalam area near the Bhutan tri-junction since last month 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.

India has said Beijing's action to "unilaterally determine tri-junction points" violated a 2012 India-China pact which says the boundary would be decided by consulting all the concerned parties.

The Indian Army is ready for a long haul in holding onto its position in the Dokalam area near the Bhutan tri-junction, notwithstanding China ratcheting up rhetoric against India demanding pulling back of its troops.

The Indian soldiers deployed in the disputed area have pitched in tents, in an indication that they are unlikely to retreat unless there was reciprocity from China's PLA personnel in ending the face-off at an altitude of around 10,000 feet in the Sikkim section.

A steady line of supplies is being maintained for the soldiers at the site, official sources said, signalling that Indian Army is not going to wilt under any pressure from China.
New Delhi: A flag meeting was held between the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Pakistan Rangers at the International Boundary in J&K's Samba sector on Monday amid an intense cross-border shelling.

At Pakistan Rangers' request, a commandant-wing commander level flag meeting was held between the BSF and the Pakistan border guarding force, a senior Border Security Force official said.

During the meeting, commanders of both sides discussed various issues including the recent "unprovoked" firing in Samba Sector and other routine issues related to border management, he said.



India's top Army brass today conveyed a stern message to Pakistan that it reserves the right to retaliate appropriately against any incident of ceasefire violation along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir.



In a telephonic conversation, Lt. Gen. A K Bhatt, the director general of military operations (DGMO), also told his Pakistani counterpart that the Indian Army was sincere about maintaining peace on the LoC.



In the flag meet, it was decided to re-energise instant communication between field commanders, whenever required, to resolve petty matters, the BSF official said.



"They committed to each other to maintain peace and? tranquility at the International Border," the official added.
New Delhi: The Karnataka government on Monday shunted out Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of prisons, D Roopa Moudgil who had accused AIADMK general secretary Sasikala of paying Rs 2 crore bribe to ADGP Prisons, H N Sathyanarayana Rao in exchange of undue favours. As per the reports, Roopa has been transferred to traffic department as commissioner for traffic and road safety.

An official order said Deputy Inspector General Roopa "is transferred with immediate effect and posted until further orders" as the Inspector General of Police and Commissioner for Traffic and Road Safety. Roopa now takes the place of Indian Police Service (IPS) officer A.S.N. Murthy, the order reads. Apart from DIG Roopa, the Karnataka government also transferred four other senior officers including Director General of Prisons (DGP) Satyanarayana Rao who was accused of taking the bribe.

Reacting to the sudden transfer, Former Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy said,"Surprised. I think this govt (Karnataka govt) wants to protect illegal activities." Meanwhile DIG Roopa, while talking to leading channel said that she has not received any transfer order as yet. Whereas Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah while talking to media asserted that it is an administrative process and it is not necessary to disclose everything to the media.

The transfer comes days after Karnataka government order probe into DIG Roopa Moudgil's report in which she had disclosed that 59-year-old Sasikala was getting royal treatment in the women's cell where she has been lodged since February 15 to serve her sentence. She had also claimed that the AIADMK chief gets special food daily, cooked by special chefs in a special kitchen near the women's cell.

She had also revealed that special treatment also being extended to Abdul Karim Telgi, convicted in fake stamp paper scam. "3-4 convicted prisoners has been allotted to Abdul Telgi for body massage," D Roopa had claimed.
New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has come up with new initiatives ahead of the Presidential election today.

Here is the list of intructions issued by poll panel:

This time unique serial numbered special pens of violet ink are being supplied centrally by the Election Commission so as to ensure that only instrument supplied by the poll watchdog is used for marking the ballot.

Before entering into the voting chamber, the polling staff will collect the personal pens, if anyone is possessing and will give the ECI special pen to MPs/MLAs for marking ballot. The special pen will be taken back once the member comes out of the voting chamber.

Voting by using any other pen may lead to invalidation of the vote at the time of counting under Rule 31 (1) (d) of the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Rules 1974.

In another first, special posters have been prepared for do's and dont's so as to ensure a peaceful poll session, use of only ECI pen, maintenance of secrecy and non-issuance of whip etc.

Some other important points for the unversed:

-The polling time is from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

- A total of 32 polling stations have been established --- one in Parliament House room no. 62 and rest one each in the State legislative assemblies.

- The ballot paper will be in two colours - Green color Ballot for use by MPs and Pink color for use by MLAs.

- The ballot paper will have two columns - first column containing candidates' names and second column for marking preferences by electors.

-The ballot paper will be in English and Hindi for use by MPs and in official languages of the state and in English for use by MLAs.

- A total of 33 observers have been appointed by the ECI to oversee conduct of elections - Two in Parliament and one each in other 31 polling stations situated in the legislative assemblies.

-The ECI has permitted 14 Rajya Sabha members, 41 Lok Sabha members to vote in the state legislative assemblies instead in Parliament in today's Presidential elections. Similarly, it has permitted five MLAs to exercise their vote in Parliament and 4 MLAs to vote in other State legislative Assemblies.

The counting of votes will take place on July 20.

(With inputs from ANI)
New Delhi: Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Monday expressed happiness that a Dalit would become the next President of India, irrespective of who wins the election.



After casting her vote, she said: "Whenever elections happen, one wins while the other loses. However, I am happy whatever be the result, a Scheduled Caste person is going to become the President. It is a happy moment for our movement and our party."



The contest is between National Democratic Alliance (NDA) nominee Ram Nath Kovind and candidate of several major opposition parties Meira Kumar, former Lok Sabha Speaker. Both come from Dalit background.
New Delhi: India on Monday said it reserved the right to respond "appropriately" to Pakistani firing along the Line of Control (LoC) after a five-year-old girl and a soldier were killed in Jammu and Kashmir in heavy shelling by Pakistani forces.

The latest in a series of Pakistani border aggression came even as two senior military commanders of the two countries held talks over repeated exchanges of fire along the LoC.

Mincing no words, the Indian Army's top brass clearly told its Pakistani counterpart that India was sincere about maintaining peace on the LoC.

In a telephonic conversation, Lt Gen AK Bhatt, the director general of military operations (DGMO), told his Pakistani counterpart that the Indian Army reserves the right to retaliate against any ceasefire violation, but "is sincere in its effort of maintaining peace and tranquillity along the LoC provided there was reciprocity".

The telephone exchange took place three hours after the Pakistani Army fired mortar shells along the LoC in the Poonch and Rajouri districts, killing an Indian Army jawan and a nine-year-old girl. The deceased girl, who was hit by a Pakistani shell, was identified as Saida of Balakote in Poonch district. The soldier was killed in Rajouri district's Tarkundi area.

The DGMOs usually speak on Tuesdays but Monday's was an unscheduled conversation on Pakistan's request.

Army spokesman Lt Col Aman Anand said the conversation was initiated by the Pakistani commander, Maj Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza, who raised the issues of the "targeting" of Pakistani Army troops and the death of four Pakistani soldiers and one civilian in the Athmuqam Sector of PoK facing the Indian Keran Sector in Kupwara District last week.

The nearly 10-minute-long conversation over the hotline between the two Army commanders came amid rising incidents of ceasefire violations by the Pakistan Army and a spurt in violence in Jammu and Kashmir.

"The Indian DGMO in response highlighted that all ceasefire violations were initiated by the Pakistan Army and the Indian Army only responded appropriately to them," he said.

Firing by Indian troops was initiated only against "armed intruders attempting to infiltrate from the close proximity of Pak posts along the Line of Control", he said.

The spokespersons said Bhatt also put across "emphatically" that the trend of infiltration along the LoC continued with the active support of Pakistani forward posts, impacting peace and tranquillity as well as the internal security situation.

"This was evident from continued attempts of sniping and targeting of our troops undertaken through cross border actions duly supported by Pakistani Army troops," he said.

There were 23 incidents of ceasefire violations, one BAT (Border Action Team) attack and two infiltration bids by Pakistan in June, according to the Army.

(With Agency inputs)
New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday named Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu as National Democratic Alliance's vice presidential nominee.

The BJP Parliamentary Board announced 68-year-old Naidu's candidature after holding a meeting, attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Maharashtra Governor C Vidyasagar Rao's name was also considered for the August 05 contest.

The 68-year-old currently holds the portfolios of Information and Broadcasting and Housing and Urban Affairs.

The former BJP president is pitted against Gopalkrishna Gandhi, who was chosen by an alliance of 18 Opposition parties, including the Congress.

The term of Vice President Hamid Ansari, who is also ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, ends on August 10.

The last date for filing nomination papers for the Vice Presidential Election is Tuesday.

Here are some facts about M Venkaiah Naidu:

- Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu is a veteran BJP leader from Andhra Pradesh.

- Naidu has served as National President, BJP (July 2002-December 2003), Union Minister of Rural Development (30 September 2000 - 30 June 2002), and Union Minister for Urban Development, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation and Parliamentary Affairs (incumbent).

- Born on July 1, 1949, Naidu joined politics in his college days only. He earned his Bachelors degree in law with a specialisation in international law from Andhra University College of Law, Visakhapatnam.

- Naidu joined Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) during his college days. He became president, Students Union, VR College, Nellore in 1971.

- During his earlier days in politics, Naidu championed the cause of farmers and development of backward areas. A good orator, Naidu eventually became one of the most popular BJP leaders in Andhra Pradesh.

- He became a member of Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly in 1978-83 and 1983-85.

A look at the positions held by Naidu:

1971: President, Students Union, V.R. College, Nellore

1973-74: President, Students Union, Andhra University Colleges

1974: Convener, Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Kshatra Sangharsh Samiti of Andhra Pradesh

1977-80: President, Youth Wing of Janata Party, Andhra Pradesh

1978-83 & 1983-85: Member, Legislative Assembly, Andhra Pradesh

1980-83: Vice-President, Youth Wing of All India B.J.P.

1980-85: Leader, B.J.P. Legislature Party in Andhra Pradesh

1985-88: General Secretary, Andhra Pradesh State B.J.P.

1988-93: President, Andhra Pradesh State Unit of B.J.P.

1993 2000: General Secretary, All India B.J.P.

1996  2000 : Secretary (i) BJP Parliamentary Board, & (ii) BJP Central Election Committee, and (iii) Spokesperson, BJP

April 1998: Elected to Rajya Sabha from Karnataka (1st term)

1998  99: Member, Committee on Home Affairs and Member, Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Agriculture

1998  2001 & 2005 - 2013 : Member, Tobacco Board

1999 - 2000: Member, Committee on Finance

Jan 2000: Member, Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Rural Development

2000 (Sept) 2002 (June): Minister of Rural Development, Government of India

2002 (July)  2004 (Oct): National President, B.J.P.

2004 (Jan)  2004 (Feb): Member, Committee on External Affairs

June 2004: Re-elected to Rajya Sabha from Karnataka (2nd term)

2004 - 06: Member, Standing Committee on Finance

2005: Member, Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution

2006  2008: Chairman, Committee on Petitions (Rajya Sabha)

2006 onwards Member, (i) BJP Parliamentary Board, and (ii) BJP Central Election Committee

2008  2014: Chairman, Committee on Home Affairs (Rajya Sabha)

June 2010: Re-elected to Rajya Sabha in June 2010 from Karnataka (3rd term)

2011 (Dec)  2014 (May): Parliamentary Forum on Disaster Management

26 May 2014 onwards: Minister for Urban Development, Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation and Parliamentary Affairs.

June 2016  Re-elected to Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan (4th term)

6th July 2016 onwards: Minister for Urban Development, Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation, and Information and Broadcasting.
Senior BJP leader and Housing and Urban Affairs, and Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu was today picked as NDA's vice presidential nominee.

By Kumar Shakti Shekhar: BJP Parliamentary Board decided today in favour of senior BJP leader and Housing and Urban Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu for NDA's vice presidential candidate. The decision was taken in the top decision-making body of BJP. The meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, started at 6 pm in BJP headquarters.

Tomorrow is the last date for filing nominations for the August 5 vice-presidential polls. Counting would also take place on August 5. Incumbent Vice-President Hamid Ansari's term ends on August 10.

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Famous for his rhymes and one-liners, Venkaiah Naidu was born on July 1, 1949 in Chavatapalem under Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh. He got married to M Usha on April 14, 1970. He has a son and a daughter.

When India Today had asked for his reaction before the decision was taken, Venkaiah Naidu said he is "Ushapati" did not aspire to be "Up-rashtrapati".

Venkaiah Naidu has done BA, BL and was educated at VR High School, Nellore; VR College, Nellore; and Law College, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam.

If selected, Venkaiah Naidu would face former diplomat Gopalkrishna Gandhi who has already been nominated as the Opposition's vice presidential candidate.

The following factors may have weighed in favour of Venkaiah Naidu:

1. SOUTHERN CANDIDATE

Venkaiah Naidu hails from Andhra Pradesh. NDA has already nominated a north Indian Ram Nath Kovind as the presidential candidate. Kovind comes from Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh. Venkaiah Naidu's nomination would balance the regional factor.

2. RAJYA SABHA EXPERIENCE

Being a fourth term Rajya Sabha MP from Rajasthan, Venkaiah Naidu has a long experience of the Upper House. This would stand him good stead as an ex-officio chairperson of the Rajya Sabha.

Venkaiah Naidu was elected first to the Rajya Sabha in April 1998. He was re-elected to the house in 2004, 2010 and 2016. He has been a member of several parliamentary committee and even chaired some of them.

3. DYED IN THE WOOL BJP WORKER

Venkaiah Naidu was imprisoned under Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) during the Emergency between 1975 and 1977. He was the Janata Party Youth Wing president of Andhra Pradesh between 1977 and 1980. He was first elected as MLA in Andhra Pradesh Assembly in 1978.

Venkaiah Naidu was the national vice president of BJP's youth wing from 1980 to 1983. He was the leader of BJP's legislature party in Andhra Pradesh Assembly from 1980 to 1985. He held the post of the state president of BJP's Andhra Pradesh unit from 1988 to 1993.

Between 1993 and 2000, Venkaiah Naidu was BJP's national general secretary. He rose to become the BJP's president in July 2002. He held the post till December 2002.

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Venkaiah Naidu has held the post of BJP's national president on two occasions. The second time it was between January 2004 and October 2004.

Between April 2005 and January 2006, he was BJP's senior vice president.

From January 2006 onwards, he is a member of BJP's Parliamentary Board and Central Election Committee.

He was BJP's national spokesperson between 1996 and 2000.

4. SENIORITY

Venkaiah Naidu is No. 5 in the Cabinet, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Affairs Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Finance Arun Jaitley.

He was Union minister for rural development between September 30 2000 and June 30, 2002 in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government.

He again became Union minister in the Modi government on May 26, 2014. He held the portfolios of Urban Development; Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation and Parliamentary Affairs till July 5, 2016.

Subsequently, he has been holding the Urban Development, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, and Information and Broadcasting portfolios.

5. RAJYA SABHA'S GAIN, MODI'S LOSS

While Venkaiah Naidu's selection as vice presidential candidate may be a advantage for the Rajya Sabha, it would be a loss for Modi. Naidu was a fire fighter for the PM, defending him on several issues. However, with NDA in a minority in the Rajya Sabha, Venkaiah Naidu's services may be more needed for the PM.

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Also read:

Vice-Presidential election: NDA picks Venkaiah Naidu against Opposition's Gopalkrishna Gandhi

BJP's vice-presidential pick could be from south, Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu among contenders

Amit Shah discusses vice-presidential pick with RSS, to take final call with PM Narendra Modi

Vice-Presidential election: Bitter rivals TMC, Left united on support for Gopalkrishna Gandhi

Vice-Presidential election dates announced: Polling, result on August 5

ALSO WATCH | President, vice-president posts in NDA's grip: Opposition's grand coalition in trouble?

--- ENDS ---
New Delhi: Amid the military stand-off between armies of the India and China, the tri-nation Malabar naval exercise is underway in the Bay of Bengal.

The US, Japanese and Indian navies on July 10 began the Malabar Naval Exercise 2017 aimed at achieving deeper military ties between the three nations.

Today is the last day of India-US-Japan naval exercise in Bay of Bengal.

The Indian Navy released some spectacular images of the warships, fighter aircrafts of the three countries.

Breathtaking images of MIG-29K, F/A-18 jets flying over INS Vikramaditya and USS Nimitz from the 21st edition of the Malabar exercise were uploaded on the Indian Navy's Twitter account.

Sixteen ships and more than 95 aircraft from the three countries are participating in the exercise.

Taking part in the trilateral naval exercise in the Bay of Bengal would be US Ship Nimitz (CVN68), guided missile cruise USS Princeton (CG59), guided missile destroyers USS Howard (DDG83), USS Shoup (DDG86) and USS Kidd (DDG100), a Poseidon P-8A aircraft as well as a Los Angeles fast-attack submarine.

Japanese helicopter carrier JS Izumo, called the core of Japan's anti-submarine warfare is also taking part in the high-profile naval exercise.

#Malabar2017 A MiG 29K (Black Panther) gives a low pass over the deck of USS Nimitz. Together we move. @JMSDF_PAO @USNavy pic.twitter.com/u21mWz84Yt July 17, 2017

As part of ongoing #Malabar2017 exercise in Bay of Bengal, @IndianNavy MIG-29K Fulcrums fly over #USSNimitz while training together. pic.twitter.com/jyBeS6d3xB  U.S. Pacific Fleet (@USPacificFleet) July 17, 2017

#Malabar2017 Formation of MiG 29Ks & FA18s Super Hornets flying overhead USS Nimitz @USNavy @JMSDF_PAO Together we move pic.twitter.com/caet55gPSY July 17, 2017
New Delhi: Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Monday resigned after he was chosen as the NDA's candidate for the vice presidential election.

The BJP Parliamentary board, in a meeting on Monday, picked Naidu for contesting the poll for vice president, the post he is almost certain to occupy.

A source said Naidu has tendered his resignation. He was holding two portfolios of Information and Broadcasting, and Housing and Urban Affairs.

"Although Naidu was not required to resign technically, he has tendered his resignation to set high political standards as he has entered the electoral fray (for vice presidential position)" he said.
New Delhi: Senior Supreme Court lawyer Pavani Parameswara Rao on Monday asserted that there can be no imminent execution of former Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav as the matter is pending before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

"They (Pakistan) cannot execute Jadhav as of now, because they made a promise before the ICJ that as long as the proceedings are continuing, they cannot execute. So they will honour the commitment," Rao told ANI.

He said that there are other ways in which the plea for Jadhav`s clemency can be made in Pakistan."There are other parties also who have powers of clemency. The President of Pakistan has power to grant pardon, and commute sentence just like the President of India.

So therefore they can always make appeal," he added.Welcoming the Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa`s decision to review Jadhav`s case, Rao said, "If he wants to exercise his power then he is most welcome, if he doesn`t do then President of Pakistan can be approached.

Even if he does not do that, then the ultimate result is to go to the ICJ where the case is pending."The advocate`s remark came a day after Pakistan`s media wing, ISPR, informed that the Paksitan chief was "analysing" evidence against Jadhav.

"The petition of Indian national is now with COAS who`ll decide soon. The Army Chief is looking at each aspect of Jadhav`s appeal,analysing the evidence and will decide on merits", Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor said.Jadhav`s clemency appeal has been rejected by the Military Appellate Court.

If his appeal for clemency is rejected by General Bajwa, he can then file another mercy petition with President Mamnoon Hussain within 90 days of the Army Chief deciding on his appeal.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.

A leading Pakistani daily has voiced its support in favour of the alleged Indian spy`s mother, saying that she should be granted visa to visit Pakistan on `humanitarian grounds as this provides the latest opportunity for India and Pakistan to back away from an increasingly confrontational stance against each other.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday declined urgent hearing on a plea seeking release of ill-fated Uphaar theatre, sealed by the CBI, where 59 people had died and over 100 received injuries during screening of Bollywood movie 'Border' on June 13, 1997.

"There is no urgency. Request is declined," a bench of Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice D Y Chandrachud said when theatre owners, Sushil Ansal and Gopal Ansal, sought urgent listing of the appeal seeking release of the sealed cinema hall.

Senior advocate Gopal Jain, representing the theatre owners, said the appeal be listed for hearing.

The CBI, which has probed and prosecuted the two owners in the case, has been opposing the de-sealing and release of the cinema hall.

The agency and the Association of Victims of Uphaar Tragedy (AVUT), led by Neelam Krishnamurthy, have been alleging that the plea seeking trial of then IPS officer Amod Kanth, who in the capacity of DCP (Licensing), had allegedly allowed retention of 37 extra seats in the theatre in 1979 in violation of the Cinematography Act, is still pending.

The release of cinema hall may lead to loss of crucial evidence that extra seats had resulted in closure of gangway leading to death of cine-goers, the AVUT has said.

The Supreme Court had on February 9 asked Gopal Ansal to serve one-year jail term while his elder brother Sushil Ansal got relief from incarceration with prison term already undergone by him.

Fifty nine people had died of asphyxia when a fire broke out during the screening of 'Border' in Uphaar theatre in the Green Park area of south Delhi on June 13, 1997.

Over a 100 people were injured in the subsequent stampede.

A two-judge bench of the apex court had on March 5, 2014 held Sushil and Gopal Ansal guilty, but differed on the quantum of sentence to be awarded to them after which the matter was heard by a three-judge bench.

The Delhi High Court on December 19, 2008 had awarded one-year jail term to both Sushil and Gopal Ansal in the case while reducing the two-year sentence imposed on them by the trial court.
New Delhi: Close to 99 per cent voting was recorded on Monday for electing India's next president, the returning officer for the poll announced saying it was perhaps the highest-ever percentage.

The counting of votes will take place on July 20.

The numbers are stacked in favour of the ruling coalition's nominee Ram Nath Kovind, a former Bihar governor, over the opposition's candidate and former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar.

"The voting was close to 99 per cent. I think this would perhaps be the highest ever percentage," Lok Sabha Secretary General and returning officer for the election Anoop Mishra told a press conference here.

Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Gujarat, Bihar, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Nagaland, Uttarakhand and Puducherry recorded 100 per cent voting.

In Parliament House, the voting percentage was 99 per cent, said Mishra.

He said while the sanctioned strength of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha is 776, 771 MPs were eligible to cast their votes.

There are two vacancies each in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, while one BJP MP Chedi Paswan does not have voting rights following a judicial pronouncement, he added.

In Delhi, 717 MPs were to cast their ballot but only 714 exercised their franchise. The TMC's Tapas Pal, the BJD's Ram Chandra Hansdak and Ambumani Ramadoss of the PMK did not cast their votes.

Fifty-five MPs had sought permissions to cast their vote in state capitals. These included Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, his UP counterpart Yogi Adityanath and his deputy Keshav Prasad Maurya and Union minister Uma Bharti.

BJP chief Amit Shah, who is an MLA from Gujarat, had also sought permission to cast his vote in Delhi.

Trinamool Congress MPs cast their votes in Kolkata.

West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool president Mamata Banerjee said all TMC lawmakers voted for the joint opposition candidate, Meira Kumar, in the presidential election to register their protest against "what is going on in the country".

She claimed that Kumar would get the maximum number of votes from West Bengal.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said MLAs should vote in the presidential poll according to their conscience.

"We are supporting Meira Kumar. All should vote following their conscience," he said.

The presidential election is through secret ballot and party whip is not applicable.

As lawmakers voted to elect the next president, the ruling BJP exuded confidence that Kovind would win with a "comfortable" margin.

Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said the fight between Kovind and Kumar was "one of ideologies" and rated the latter as the best choice for the president's post.

In Parliament House, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the first person to cast his vote, Mishra said.

He also said that except for Andhra Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Manipur and Tripura, data has been received from all other states which indicates that the voting was "close to 100 per cent".

Counting will begin at 11 AM on July 20. First the ballot box of Parliament House will be opened, and then, the ballot boxes received from states will be counted on alphabetical basis.

Thirty two polling stations including the one in Parliament house, were set up in various states.

A total of 4,896 voters -- 4,120 MLAs and 776 elected MPs -- are eligible to cast their ballot. MLCs of states with legislative council are not part of the electoral college.

While the value of an MLA's vote depends on the population of the state he or she belongs to, the value of an MP's vote remains the same at 708.
New Delhi: The BJP Parliamentary Board is set to meet on Monday evening to decide on NDA's vice-presidential candidate who will take on Opposition nominee Gopalkrishna Gandhi.

Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu and Tamil Nadu Governor C Vidyasagar Rao are among the front-runners, according to media reports.

The meeting and announcement of NDA's vice-presidential candidate was slated to happen on Sunday, but it was postponed to Monday.

After the parliamentary board meeting, all NDA MPs and leaders will formally meet to finalise the the vice-presidential pick.

The meeting would be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah. Today's meetings are important since the BJP-led NDA lacks numbers in the Rajya Sabha and it needs to pick a consensus candidate acceptable across party lines.

The BJP, however, is confident of getting between 500 and 550 votes, according to an Indian Express report.

The JD(U), which had announced its support to the NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind in the Presidential election, will vote in favour of the UPA candidate in the vice-presidential election.

The selection of either Naidu or Rao is being seen as the BJP's efforts to make inroads in South India ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Naidu hails from Andhra Pradesh while Rao is from Telangana. The names of Madhubani MP Hukumdev Narayan Yadav, Manipur governor Najma Heptulla, and Kerala governor P Sathasivam are among other vice-presidential hopefuls.

The elections for the 13th Vice-President of India, if required, will be held on 5 August with the counting too taking place on the same day.

The last date for filing nominations is 18 July.

The scrutiny will take place on the same day and the last date for withdrawing nomination is 21 July.


Jammu: A nine-year-old girl and an Army jawan were killed and four others injured on Monday in heavy firing and mortar shelling by Pakistani troops at various places along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.

The Indian Army retaliated, triggering heavy exchanges, they said.

In Rajouri, the administration sounded alert and advised the residents to stay indoors in the wake of the Pakistani shelling, Deputy Commissioner Shahid Iqbal Choudhary said.

The Pakistani action affected a population of 4500-5000 in villages of Panjgrain, Rajdhani and Naika in Rajouri-Poonch belt, he added.

"The Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked firing on Indian Army posts in Rajouri sector and Poonch district around 0730 hours. The Indian Army retaliated strongly and effectively," a Defence spokesman said.

In the exchange of fire, Naik Muddasar Ahmed was grievously injured when mortar shells landed on his bunker, the spokesman said, adding that he succumbed to his injuries later.

The 37-year-old jawan is survived by wife Shaheena Muddasar and two children.

"Ahmed was a brave and sincere soldier. He loved his job to the core," the spokesman said, adding "The nation will always remain indebted to him for the supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty."

The Pakistani troops also targeted civilian areas in Balakote, Manjakote and Baroti belts of Rajouri, a police officer said.

In the firing and shelling, 9-year-old Sajada Houser was killed at Baroti, the officer said.

"Heavy mortal shelling was reported in forward areas of Tehsil Manjakote in Rajouri this morning. A population of 4500-5000 in villages of Panjgrain, Rajdhani and Naika among others was affected," Choudhary said.

Two civilians were injured in the shelling, he said, adding one seriously injured Shah Begum was admitted in district hospital while other injured Sharief Ahmed was given first aid.

"District Administration ordered closure of all schools early morning. However, 120 students were held up in Government School at Panjgrain and on report of headmaster, senior officers coordinated for their safe evacuation as shelling was reported of have affected nearby area," the DC said.

"The firing and shelling exchanges stopped at 1445 hours," the defence spokesman said.

Later in the day, Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked firing at three villages in Kamalkote area of Uri in Baramulla district at around 3 pm, defence sources said.

They said one soldier was injured in the firing.

Intermittent firing by Pakistani troops was going on till last reports came in.

In this month, seven people, including four jawans, have died in firing and shelling by the Pakistani Army along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Jammu and Kashmir Police to file a fresh report within a week giving details of a probe conducted so far into the death of constable Sameer Bhat who had allegedly gone missing on May 14.

A bench of Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice D Y Chandrachud, after perusing the report filed by the police, said there was nothing in it except a confessional statement of an accused.

"There was nothing in the report except a confessional statement. File a fresh status report within a week," the bench said.

The SC said that practically, now nothing survived in the petition as the body of the constable has been recovered.

The counsel for M K Pandita, who had filed the plea to trace the missing constable, said that a charge sheet was already filed by the police when they were still seeking the DNA details of the parents to establish that the recovered body was that of the missing constable.

The constable went missing after leaving Kupwara for Srinagar and is alleged to have been killed by his colleague, Special Police Officer Eijaz Ahmed, to avenge his "sexual assault".

A vacation bench of the apex court had on June 19 asked the state Director General of Police to file a fresh status report as it was not satisfied with the one filed on that day.

Pandita, who has sought an independent probe into the constable's death, had said that there was foul play in the policeman's killing.

Bhat's body was recovered after 21 days, on June 7.

The apex court had on June 8, issued notice to the Centre and Jammu and Kashmir Police on the plea of Pandita, who also hails from Kupwara, and sought the status report on the probe.

Pandita has alleged that DIG Ghulam Hassan Bhat on May 31 had came out with a version saying that the SPO had allegedly confessed to killing Sameer as the latter had sexually assaulted him on May 13.
Srinagar: Three terrorists were gunned down by security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag.

The encounter broke out at around 8 pm at Wanihama village of Anantnag, following an anti-militancy operation launched by the security forces, said a defence spokesman, as per PTI.

On the other hand, SP Vaid, J&K DGP said, "In a chance encounter three terrorists were killed near Anantnag by joint team of security forces."

According to ANI, the slain terrorists, all belonging to terrorist group Lashkar-e-taiba (LeT) were identified as Shaukat Louhar, Mudassir and Zibran.

One AK-47, one SLR and one pistol has also been seized.

Meanwhile, earlier today, militants had attacked an Army convoy at Bijbehara in the Anantnag district of J&K, an Army official said, adding that a man was injured when the forces fired back.

Security forces have cordoned off the area and launched an operation to track down the militants, the official said.

"Terrorists opened fire on the last vehicle of the army convoy near Bijbehara. We retaliated and a man was injured in the incident," he said, as per PTI.

Haji Abdullah (60), a resident of Arwani in Bijbehara, suffered a bullet injury on his left thigh and is undergoing treatment at the Bone and Joint Hospital here, the official said.

(With Agency inputs)
Ghuna: A lawyer in Madhya Pradesh's Guna was beaten up by a group of women for allegedly making sexual advances towards women.

Mahendra Lodi was beaten up by women inside the court premises after a woman claimed that he kept creating a nuisance with women.

Further details are awaited.
The decision in favour of M Venkaiah Naidu was taken unanimously at BJP's parliamentary board meeting this evening.

By India Today Web Desk: Senior BJP leader and union minister M Venkaiah Naidu was today picked as NDA's vice presidential nominee.

The decision was taken at BJP's parliamentary board meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi this evening. Besides Naidu, names of Maharashtra Governor C Vidyasagar Rao and O Rajagopal were doing the rounds as probables for the coveted post.

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Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah said the decision in favour of Venkaiah Naidu was consensus at the party meeting. For the August 5 vice presidential elections, Naidu will file his papers tomorrow as it is the last date for making nominations.

With the ruling NDA backing him firmly, 68-year-old Naidu's victory seems easy.

A BJP Rajya Sabha MP from Rajasthan, Naidu is a Minister for Urban Development, Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation, and Information and Broadcasting.

The former BJP president has been pitted against former West Bengal Governor, diplomat and scholar Gopalkrishna Gandhi whose name has been finalised by an alliance of 18 opposition parties.

Incumbent Vice President Hamid Ansari's term ends on August 10.

The electoral college for the election consists of 790 MPs of the two Houses of Parliament.

The ruling bloc enjoys an overwhelming majority in the electoral college and BJP has expressed confidence about garnering anywhere between 500 and 550 votes.

Describing him as a fitting candidate for the office of Vice President, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he has always admired Naidu for his hardwork and tenacity.

I know @MVenkaiahNaidu Garu for years. Have always admired his hardwork & tenacity. A fitting candidate for the office of Vice President.

; Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 17, 2017

A farmers son, @MVenkaiahNaidu Garu brings years of experience in public life and is admired across the political spectrum.; Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 17, 2017

The years of Parliamentary experience @MVenkaiahNaidu Garu has will help him discharge the important role of Rajya Sabha Chairperson.; Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 17, 2017

Born in Andhra Pradesh's Chavatapalem, Venkaiah Naidu had started his political career as students' union leader from VR College, Nellore.

After winning an Assembly seat in Andhra Pradesh in 1978, Naidu rose to the ranks in the party and remained the general secretary of BJP from 1993-2000. Two years later, he was promoted as BJP's national president.

In June 2016, Naidu was re-elected to Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan for a fourth term.

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Known to have his way with words, the BJP veteran is famous for his one-liners. The urban development ministry, under which the Narendra Modi's pet project of Smart Cities is being executed, made him more close to the prime minister.

Also read:

5 reasons why Venkaiah Naidu may be BJP's pick for Vice-President

Vice-Presidential election: Bitter rivals TMC, Left united on support for Gopalkrishna Gandhi

Vice-Presidential election dates announced: Polling, result on August 5

ALSO WATCH: Gopalkrishna Gandhi to India Today: Not seeking votes as a Gandhi descendant

--- ENDS ---
Bhopal: The opening day of the Madhya Pradesh Assembly's monsoon session was on Monday adjourned after paying tributes to the departed leaders, including Union minister Anil Madhav Dave, and the farmers killed in police firing in Mandsaur last month.

The House also paid tributes to the Amarnath pilgrims who were killed in a militant attack in Jammu and Kashmir on July 10.

The legislators observed a two-minute silence to pay homage to the departed souls, including Dave who died of cardiac arrest on May 18 this year.

Recalling his association with Dave, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan termed him as an able administrator and organiser.

Chouhan said Dave's death was an irreparable loss for him.

He said that Dave served the country with dedication for his whole life and recalled his work for the protection of rivers and environment, especially for the conservation of river Narmada.

Leader of Opposition Ajay Singh remembered Dave as a good writer.

"Whenever he wrote a book, he used to send a copy of it to my residence," Singh recalled.

The Assembly paid rich homage to other leaders who passed away recently, including sitting MLA Prem Singh, former members of the House, Narayan Singh Pawar and Satyanarayan Agrawal, former Union minister Dr Dasari Narayan Rao, ex-MP Fatehbhanu Singh Chouhan and former DGP of Punjab, KPS Gill.

The legislators also paid tributes to the farmers killed in police firing during the cultivators' agitation in Mandsaur on June 6, the Amarnath pilgrims killed in the militant attack last week and those who died in fire in a cracker factory fire at Khairi village in MP's Balaghat district last month.

The House was later adjourned till tomorrow.
Mumbai: Two Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) legislators on Monday briefly stepped out of jails to vote in the Presidential election here on Monday.

They are former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal and Ramesh Kadam, both currently in custody for various corruption offences.

In view of his health condition, Bhujbal was taken in an ambulance to the Maharashtra legislature building, while Kadam was brought in a police van.

However, both the leaders refused to speak to the assembled media before or after casting their vote.

Bhujbal has been in the Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody for nearly 18 months for involvement in various alleged corruption and money-laundering cases.

Kadam is in custody for about two years on charges of alleged embezzlement of Rs 141 crore from a state-run finance corporation for the Other Backward Classes (OBC).

Last month, the ailing Bhujbal had moved a Special Court in Mumbai seeking permission to go and cast his vote in the Presidential election which was granted despite stiff opposition by the prosecution.

Similarly, Kadam was granted permission by the concerned authorities to step out of prison for a few hours and exercise his franchise.
Mumbai: A suspected LeT terrorist was arrested on Monday from the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport here, a media report said.

The accused has been identified as Salim Khan who originally hails from Uttar Pradesh's Fatehpur district.

He was deported from the UAE after his visa expired and subsequently a look out notice was issued, a police official said

Khan alias Abu Amaar alias Arif, a native of Hathgaon in Fatehpur district of Uttar Pradesh, was facing a lookout notice. He was arrested from the international airport on the intervening night of July 16 and 17, he said.

Salim was deported from Abu Dhabi by the United Arab Emirates authorities as he did not possess valid documents to support his stay in the Gulf country, said the police official in Mumbai on condition of anonymity.

He was working in a private company in Abu Dhabi for the last several years under a fake identity, he added.

According to the official, Salim, who left India in 2007, had played an important role in facilitating the "suicide" attack on a CRPF camp in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, on January 1, 2008.

Eight people, including some CRPF jawans, had been killed in the terror strike.

Indian law enforcement agencies, who were looking for him, had got information about his whereabouts and alerted the Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh Police, he said.

Personnel from Anti-Terrorism Squads of Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh were at the airport when Salim landed, the official said.

In Lucknow, Inspector General of UP ATS Aseem Arun said after the arrest of suspected ISI agent Aftab from Faizabad on May 3, 2017, the ATS had come to know that Salim used to pass on directions to him and also send him money from abroad.

Arun said two people, Kausar and Shareef, arrested in connection with the attack on CRPF camp, had told the UP police that Salim had got training with them at a terror camp in Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in 2007.

While being abroad, Salim had been in contact with Aftab and gave instructions to him about terror activities and funding, the official in Mumbai said.

Aftab had been in constant touch with the Pakistan High Commission and had gathered information about several defence establishments in UP, the official said.

UP ATS and Maharashtra police are interrogating Salim Khan in Mumbai, Arun added.

In Mumbai, the police said the UP ATS will seek Salim's custody for questioning in the Rampur attack and alleged involvement in several other anti-national activities under their jurisdiction.
New Delhi: Heavy rainfall warning has been issued in Odisha raising a red alert for the next 24 hours. According to the MeT department, the heavy pouring is caused due to a low pressure over the Bay of Bengal.

Rain fury has led to the swelling of two major rivers in Rayagada district, prompting the state government to seek the help of defence forces.

The flash floods, followed by an alarming rise in the water levels in the Nagavalli and the Kalyani rivers inundated vast areas, causing extensive damage to bridges and snapping road and railway connectivity.

Several areas in Kalahandi district were also severely affected by the floods caused by incessant rains.

A video posted by ANI shows how the National Highway 26 is blocked due to flood-like situation.

Watch the video here:
New Delhi: Realty firm Gulshan Homz on Monday said it will invest Rs 400 crore over next three years to develop two housing projects in Noida and Greater Noida.

The company will build nearly 1,900 housing units in the two projects.

Noida-based Gulshan Homz has launched 768 units in a 5.3 acre housing project 'Gulshan Botnia' on Noida Expressway for about Rs 48 lakh per unit.

In another project named 'Gulshan Bellina' in Greater Noida, also known as Noida Extension, the company is constructing 1,124 housing units on seven acre land.

Gulshan Homz Director Deepak Kapoor said the company will invest Rs 400 crore on construction of these two projects.

"All investments of the current phase would be met through internal accruals, customer advances and financial institutions," said Kapoor, who is also President, CREDAI Western UP.

He expects market to revive post implementation of the GST and real estate regulatory Act (RERA).

"Both the projects are RERA compliant and all necessary approvals are well in place," Kapoor said, adding that the company targets to deliver the two projects by 2020 as per commitment to customers.

Gulshan Homz has so far delivered 4,500 units in the Delhi-NCR property market covering 4.3 million sq ft. It is developing about 1,900 units comprising 3.9 million sq ft.
Melbourne: Australian police will trial "synthetic DNA" in an attempt to track stolen items, it was announced on Monday.



The DNA and ultraviolet torches will be delivered to 1,000 homes in Geelong, west of Melbourne, as part of the six-month trial, reports Xinhua news agency.



Participants in the trial will be urged to apply the liquid DNA, which can only be detected by ultraviolet (UV) lamps, to valuables within their homes.



The synthetic substance has a unique code, meaning police can return stolen items to the owner if the DNA is detected.



It is the first trial of its kind in Australia and comes after a similar programme in Britain reduced residential burglary by 91 per cent.



"I'm quite confident this will be a very, very positive and successful venture," Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Tess Walsh told the local media on Monday.



"It's very, very exciting. We are pretty confident that if we have similar success ... we will look at a broader application of this new technology.



"The deterrent factor, I think, is probably the most overwhelming one."



There were 36,000 residential burglaries in Victoria to the 12 months to March 2017, a figure Victoria Police has committed to reducing by 10 percent in the next four years.



It is the first program championed by Safety Alliance Victoria, a body established to deliver new crime-fighting techniques for the state.



"Everyone does have a role to play in caring for each other in a community," Walsh said.



"We acknowledge that we need to try different ways to engage with the community."
New Delhi: Buzz Aldrin, Apollo 11 astronaut and one of the first two humans to set foot on the Moon, on Saturday rolled out a red carpet for the Red Planet at a star-studded gala at NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

Aldrin, 87, established the Apollo 11 Anniversary Gala to commemorate his moon mission, which blasted off at 13:32:00 UTC from Kennedy Space Center 48 years ago on July 16, 1969.

The event at the Apollo-Saturn V Center raised more than $190,000 for Aldrins nonprofit space education foundation, ShareSpace Foundation.

Apollo astronauts Walt Cunningham, Michael Collins and Harrison "Jack" Schmitt joined Aldrin at the sold-out fundraiser.

"I like to think of myself as an innovative futurist," Aldrin told a crowd of nearly 400 people in the Apollo/Saturn V Center. "The programs we have right now are eating up every piece of the budget and it has to be reduced if we're ever going to get anywhere."

Aldrin believes people will be able to land on Mars by 2040, a goal that NASA shares. The space agency is developing the Space Launch System and the Orion spacecraft to send Americans to deep space.

During the gala, the ShareSpace Foundation presented Jeff Bezos with the first Buzz Aldrin Space Innovation Award.

Delighted to give the first annual Buzz Aldrin Space Innovation Award to @JeffBezos and @BlueOrigin pic.twitter.com/IUFMNNvQm1  Buzz Aldrin (@TheRealBuzz) July 17, 2017

Bezos, the founder of Amazon.com and the spaceflight company Blue Origin, is trying to bring the cost of space travel down by reusing rockets.

"We can have a trillion humans in the solar system. What's holding us back from making that next step is that space travel is just too darned expensive," Bezos said. "I'm taking my Amazon lottery winnings and dedicating it to (reusable rockets). I feel incredibly lucky to be able to do that."

The foundation also honored former NASA astronaut Mae Jemison, the first African-American woman to travel in space, with the Buzz Aldrin Space Pioneering Award.

"When Buzz says, 'Get your ass to Mars,' it's not just about the physical part of getting to Mars. It's also about that commitment to doing something big and audacious," Jemison told The Associated Press. "What we're doing looking forward is making sure that we use our place at the table."

The gala is the first part of a three-year campaign leading up to the 50th anniversary of the 1969 Apollo 11 moon landing to help fund advancements that will lead to the future habitation of Mars.

ShareSpace Foundation also announed a new nonprofit, the Buzz Aldrin Space Foundation, on Saturday to create an educational path to Mars.

During the past year, the foundation has gifted 100 giant maps of Mars to schools and continues to work with children to advance education in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math, or STEAM.

At the gala, space memorabilia was auctioned, including an autographed first day insurance cover that flew to the surface of the moon that went for $42,500.

(With Agency inputs)
New Delhi: The possibility of life on other planets has been a long-standing obsession with scientists, astronomers and alien/UFO-hunters alike.

While alien hunters are convinced that extraterrestrial life does exist, scientists are still quite indifferent to the claims.

However, it seems that there might just be something to those claims. Astronomers at the University of Puerto Ricohave detected mysterious radio signals coming from outer space.

The source of the strange signals seems to be a small, dim star located about 11 light-years from Earth.

The red dwarf star  Ross 128 (GJ 447)  which is around 2,800 times dimmer than the Sun, is not yet known to have any planets, researchers said.

The "strange" radio signals were detected using the Arecibo Observatory, which is a massive radio telescope built inside of a Puerto Rican sinkhole.

Although unlikely, the possibility that signals came from intelligent extraterrestrial life cannot be ruled out yet, said Abel Mendez, an astrobiologist at the University of Puerto Rico at Arecibo.

"In case you are wondering, the recurrent aliens hypothesis is at the bottom of many other better explanations," Mendez told 'Business Insider'.

He said the signals may have come from some kind of man-made object in space, such as a satellite.

"The field of view of (Arecibo) is wide enough, so there is the possibility that the signals were caused not by the star but another object in the line of sight," Mendez said.

(With PTI inputs)
Badaun: In a shocking incident, a man has been arrested at a village in Uttar Pradesh's Badaun for allegedly raping his 11-year-old daughter.

The incident occurred at Aurangabad Tappa village under Sahaswan police station area late on Saturday night.

According to Superintendent of Police (rural) Surendra Pratap Singh, the girl narrated her trauma to her uncle Rajendra, who then, along with other villagers, filed a complaint with the police against the accused.

The accused was arrested here late Sunday night, Singh said.

The medical examination of the girl was likely to be done today, the SP added.
Zakir Musa's new recruit was caught by J-K Police for sodomising young boys in a madrasa and having unnatural sex with a domestic animal by his neighbour.

By Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu: The Hizbul Mujahideen militant group has launched a recruitment drive for Kashmiri boys with a goal to recruit at least 200 youth. In a desperate bid, former Hizbul Mujahideen commander Zakir Musa has inducted a new joinee named Ghulam Hassan Wani.

According to reports, Wani who is a resident of Dallipora area in South Kashmir, has a criminal past. Top sources in the security set up said that Wani was caught by police for sodomising young boys in a madrasa, but no case was ever registered by the parents of the victims.

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A senior officer from Jammu Kashmir Police said, "In order to keep the identity of the boys concealed, the police led the case slide by. But Wani is a known pervert. He was caught having unnatural sex with a domestic animal by his neighbour before he fled."

Wani is the second recruit to join Musa, who is also from Tral (Musa's hometwon), in the last 15 days. After a tiff with Hizbul Chief Syed Salahuddin over his support for Islamic rule, Musa drifted towards ISIS, with Tawheed flag consistently appearing in a series of video posted by him. After his differences, Musa broke away from his parent organisation managing to take only a handful of terrorist. Since then Musa has been looking to swell his cadres. So far he has managed to get only 12 militants from the core group.

Musa's ideology on establishment of caliphate and Khilafat has many takers in stonepelters and street protesters, said sources, who added that Musa is at the moment looking for desperate support on ground. On the first death anniversary of Burhan Wani on July 8, a Whatsapp message was widely circulated of a hyped recruitment drive.

The message read out that 450 youth would be recruited in Tral. Men with good height, weight and physique should apply for recruitment. Only after a fitness test, the individual would be recruited, with arms and ammunition being handed over by Musa himself. 22-year-old Musa is from Tral where the rumoured recruitment drive was to be, but soon the security forces called this a "bluff" and a publicity stunt.

Also Read:

Zakir Musa hails Burhan Wani in new video, says slain Hizb commander wanted 'caliphate' in Valley

Exclusive: Zakir Musa could be the first al-Qaeda commander in India, say intel inputs

Video claims Zakir Musa's Taliban-e-Kashmir provided info to forces about LeT militants killed by Army

WATCH | Separatist leaders under house arrest ahead of Hizb terrorist Burhan Wani's death anniversary

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Kuwait City: Fourteen Shiite Kuwaiti citizens convicted of forming a cell with ties to Tehran have fled by sea to Iran, a Kuwaiti newspaper reported on Monday.

Citing high-ranking security sources, the Al-Seyassah daily said the 14 men fled to Iran on speedboats hours after Kuwait's supreme court sentenced them to lengthy jail terms for plotting attacks in the Sunni-ruled emirate.

Kuwait's interior ministry was not immediately available for comment.

The supreme court last month overturned an acquittal by the appeals court and sentenced 21 defendants to jail, including one for life, for forming a cell with ties to both Shiite Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah movement and for planning attacks in Kuwait.

The defendants who fled were not in custody prior to last month's sentencing because they were freed after their acquittal by the appeals court last year.

Around a third of Kuwait's native population of 1.35 million is Shiite.

Kuwait is leading mediation efforts in a regional crisis pitting Qatar against Saudi Arabia and its allies over accusations Doha is too close to Iran and funds Islamist groups.

Qatar has denied the allegations.
Beijing: Eighteen people were killed and 18 others reported missing after floods hit China's Jilin city, local authorities said on Monday.

Heavy rains in the central and eastern parts of Jilin province since last week left much of the region inundated, reports Xinhua news agency.

The city of Jilin was severely flooded and more than 110,000 people had to be relocated, according to the city flood control and drought relief office.

A 32,360-strong search and rescue team has been deployed in the city to remove the sludge and debris, repair bridges, and reconnect households to telecommunications and electricity networks.
Berlin: German Chancellor Angela Merkel's party Christian Democratic Union (CDU) has dismissed proposals from its sister party Christian Social Union (CSU) to impose a limit on the number of refugees admitted to the country.



"As far as an upper limit is concerned, my position is clear: I will not accept it," Merkel said at her annual "summer interview" with television channel ARD on Sunday night.



Merkel's comments placed her at odds with CSU leader Horst Seehofer, who has openly mulled over making a cap on refugees a condition for forming another coalition with the CDU, Xinhua news agency reported.



A limit on the number of refugees also featured in the CSU's separate legislative programme, "the Bavarian plan".


Beirut: A senior commander in Iran`s Revolutionary Guards warned the United States on Monday that if it designated the group a terrorist organisation and applied new sanctions its action could be perilous for US forces in the region.

US officials said earlier this year that President Donald Trump`s administration was considering a proposal that could lead to potentially categorising the powerful Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organisation.

In Mid-June the US Senate voted for new sanctions on Iran over its ballistic missile program and other activities not related to the international nuclear agreement reached with the United States and other world powers in 2015.

To become law, the legislation must pass the House of Representatives and be signed by Trump.

"Counting the Revolutionary Guards the same as terrorist groups and applying similar sanctions to the Revolutionary Guards is a big risk for America and its bases and forces deployed in the region," said Armed Forces Chief of Staff Major General Mohammad Baqeri, according to Sepah News, an official news site of the Guards.

He did not give details on what form of risk he foresaw for US forces and bases.

The Revolutionary Guards are the most powerful security force in Iran, overseeing vast economic holdings worth billions of dollars and wielding huge influence in its political system.

Baqeri said on Monday that Irans missile program was defensive and would never be up for negotiation, according to Sepah News.

Three days after the US Senate voted on the new sanctions, Iran fired missiles into eastern Syria, targeting bases of Islamic State which had claimed responsibility for attacks in Tehran which killed 18 people.

The Revolutionary Guards are fighting in Syria against militant groups which oppose President Bashar al-Assad.

Baqeri was also critical of recent remarks by US Defense Secretary James Mattis that regime change would be necessary before the United States could normalize relations with Iran.

"American officials should speak a little more wisely, thoughtfully and maturely about other countries, particularly a powerful country like Iran which has stood against all plots with strength and pride," he said, according to Sepah News.
New Delhi: A Syrian refugee family has decided to name their son after Canadian Prime Minister Justine Trudeau for granting them asylum in the country.

The family currently resides in the Canadian city of Calgary.

Trudeau had recently granted asylum to a number of Syrian refugees who had fled their homes due to the war.

The couple has named their newborn as Justine Trudeau Adam Bilal. He was born on May 4.

Baby Justin's parents now hope that their child would get to meet the prime minister someday.

Trudeau official photographer Adam Scotti has tweeted these adorable pictures of the Prime Minister with the baby. Justin Trudeau Adam Bilal was seen fast asleep on Trudeau's lap.

Muhammad and Afraa Bilal arrived in Canada in February last year with their two young children after escaping war-torn Syria, reported NDTV.

"It was actually very good, it was amazing. I can't believe that I met the Prime Minister Justin Trudeau," his mother told CBC News after the emotional meeting. "He held (the baby) and he said, 'This is Justin-Trudeau,' and then he says, 'I appreciate that you named him after my name.'"
Kabul: An Afghan official says the country's security forces have driven the Taliban out of a key district in southern Helmand province from where they had been threatening the provincial capital of Lashkar Gah.

Defence Ministry's spokesman, Daulat Waziri, today said that the battle to recapture the district of Naway had been fierce. He says more than 50 Taliban fighters were killed and five security forces were wounded.

Naway is located just 16 kilometers, or 10 miles, from Lashkar Gah, and had been a staging arena for militant attacks on the city.

Government troops also captured a large cache of ammunitions and guns. The Taliban did not immediately comment on reports of the district's fall.

US and NATO troops are in Helmand to assist Afghan security forces when needed.
Peshawar: A Taliban suicide bomber on Monday hit a vehicle carrying paramilitary force members, killing two, including a major, and injuring ten others in northwest Pakistan.

The suicide attacker with explosive-laden motorcycle hit the Frontier Constabulary (FC) convoy at a traffic signal in Peshawar's Hayatabad area, police said.

Two Frontier Corps men, including a major, were killed in the attack, SSP Operation Sajjad Khan said.

Ten others, including passersby, were injured in the blast near Bagh-e-Naran chowk in Hayatabad.

Two vehicles that were part of the convoy were completely damaged in the blast.

Security personnel cordoned off the area after the explosion as rescue services shifted the injured to Hayatabad Medical Complex.

Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has accepted responsibility for attack.

TTP spokesman Khurasani in a statement mailed to media said slain major Jamal Sheren was on their hit list.

The terror group vowed to carry out more attacks on FC troops.

The attack comes a day after the Pakistan army announced it had launched an operation in the Khyber tribal region to rout Islamic State militants.
Seoul: South Korea has offered to talk with North Korea to ease animosities along their tense border and resume reunions of families separated by their war in the 1950s.

Seoul's proposal for two sets of talks indicates new President Moon Jae-in is pushing to improve ties with Pyongyang despite the North's first intercontinental ballistic missile this month.

The Defence Ministry said Monday it's proposing talks at the border village of Panmunjom on Friday to discuss how to end hostile activities along the border.

Seoul's Red Cross says it wants separate talks at the border village on August 1 to discuss family reunions.

North Korea's state media hasn't immediately responded to South Korea's overtures.
London: The United Arab Emirates was not responsible for an alleged hack of Qatari websites which helped spark a month-long diplomatic rift with Doha, the UAE's minister of state for foreign affairs said on Monday.

Anwar Gargash denied as false a story in the Washington Post that cited US officials saying the UAE had orchestrated the hack of Qatar's state news agency.

"The Washington Post story today that we actually hacked the Qataris is also not true," he told the London-based think-tank Chatham House.

Qatar's emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, was quoted in May as praising Gaza's ruling Hamas movement and calling Iran an "Islamic power".

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt imposed sanctions on Qatar on June 5, cutting diplomatic and transport ties with the tiny Gulf monarchy, after accusing it of financing militant groups and allying with their regional arch-foe Iran. Doha denies the accusations.

However, Gargash said the UAE would not escalate its boycott by asking companies to choose between doing business with it or with Qatar.
Washington: The US Transportation Security Administration said on Monday it had lifted a ban on passengers on Saudi Arabian Airlines carrying large electronics like laptops onboard U.S.-bound flights, the last carrier under the restrictions.

In March, U.S. officials imposed restrictions on passengers carrying laptops and other large electronic gear in cabins on nine airlines, most of which were Middle Eastern carriers, to address the potential threat of hidden explosives.

Last month, U.S. officials announced new security requirements for all airlines rather than an expansion of the laptop ban and have been dropping the restrictions from airlines as they boosted security.

A TSA spokesman said the U.S. government had lifted the restrictions at Saudia Arabian Airlines` main hub in Jeddah at King Abdulaziz International Airport on Monday. U.S. government officials will visit Riyadh`s King Khalid International Airport "later this week to confirm compliance there as well," spokesman James Gregory said.

On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued a revised directive to airlines around the world in response to requests that it clarify aviation security measures scheduled to begin taking effect later this week.

An airline official briefed on the matter said the directive gave airlines more flexibility and additional time to obtain explosive trace detection equipment. The official was not authorized to discuss sensitive security issues with the media and requested anonymity.
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 14, ARMENPRESS. Sergey Avetisyan  head of the General Department of Civil Aviation, participated in the 6th World Civil Aviation Chief Executives Forum entitled Advancing Aviation: Fortifying Fundamentals in Singapore, press service of the Department told Armenpress.

The Forum focused on issues relating to new challenges faced by the world civil aviation field, the necessary steps of states to counter them and the importance of preparation and training of specialists of the field.

An importance was attached to proper implementation of security measures in the circumstances of increase in the volume of passenger transportations and the regulation of operation of UAVs which have undergone noticeable progress in the recent period.

Within the frames of the Forum, Sergey Avetisyan had several meetings with partners during which issues of bilateral interests were discussed and agreements over future cooperation were reached.
YEREVAN, JULY 17, ARMENPRESS. This year marks the 25th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic ties between Armenia and several countries. Cyprus is among those countries.

ARMENPRESS had an interview with Vardges Mahtesyan, the Cypriot lawmaker of Armenian origin, regarding the achievements, prospects of developing cooperation and issues related to the Armenian community.

Mr. Mahtesyan, this year marks the 25th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations with Cyprus. What developments have been recorded during these years and on what level are the bilateral relations?

During the past 25 years, the relations gradually grew and became closer and are currently on the high level of friendship and partnership. More than 25 agreements have been signed by the two governments during this period.

Cyprus and Armenia are cooperating in several directions: political, military, cultural, educational etc. Id like you to touch upon each direction separately in terms of the level of cooperation. And what prospects exist in terms of enhancing economic cooperation?

The partnership of Cyprus and Armenia comprises numerous branches. In the political branch I can mention the agreement of partnership between the Diasporas of the two states, as well as the statements of Cypriot ministers in support of the self-determination right of the people of Artsakh. The high level participation of Cypriot officials, including the president, parliament speaker and other high-ranking officials in the 100th anniversary events of the Armenian Genocide in Yerevan is also noteworthy. In terms of military cooperation, I have to say that the military attache of the embassy of Athens in Armenia serves in the same position in Cyprus also, and recently we received the Armenian defense minister and discussed important issues regarding the two countries.

According to your data, what is the volume of commercial turnover? What branches does it comprise and are the figures satisfying?

Unfortunately, the commercial turnover is not satisfactory. For example, in 2014-2016 the average annual imports from Armenia amounted 10,000 Euros, and exports to Armenia 600,000 Euros. There are no significant programs in the investment area.

The Cypriot lawmaker also mentioned that wide opportunities for tourism development exist, however the absence of direct flights and some visa complications act as obstacles.

The full interview is available in Armenian.
YEREVAN, JULY 17, ARMENPRESS. The meeting between Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in autumn of 2017 is not ruled out.

President Sargsyan commented on the matter in an interview to Armenia TV. Few weeks ago an initial agreement on the meeting was reached during the visit of the Minsk Group Co-Chairs.

They asked about our stance regarding organizing a high level meeting, we answered the following: we dont have any particular expectations from that kind of meetings, because such meetings must be prepared, while preparations imply stance on specific proposals, but nevertheless we do not oppose any kind of meeting and we are always ready. I dont have big expectations from that meeting, and this meeting might take place in autumn, President Sargsyan said.

The president emphasized that there is no any new approach in the Armenian sides principle stance after the April War.

I dont suppose change in stance, at least in the Armenian stance. Regarding concessions, during the past 20 years we havent spoken about concessions anywhere or anyhow. We have always talked about, and we continue to talk about the compromise option for the solution of the issue. These are different things. And I am sure that if this issue doesnt get a solution for another 20 years, then the Armenian side will never have the desire to go for easing the situation through concessions. Because this is a destructive path and this can never solve problems, he said.

Speaking about the reasons that the Armenian side doesnt have changes in its stance, the president pointed out several principles.

The Armenian sides desire, the Armenian sides goal is obvious: The Nagorno Karabakh peoples self-determination right is a right granted from above, a right defined by charters of international structures, a principle adopted by international right and it must be exercised.

This is one very important point. The second point: The Nagorno Karabakh Republic must have a land border with Armenia. This is the second principled stance. And the third principled stance: The Nagorno Karabakh Republic must have reliable security guarantees. And it is these issues that we have spoken about during these 20 years, he said.

The president emphasized that Karabakhs participation in the document around the principles is mandatory.
YEREVAN, JULY 17, ARMENPRESS. The arsenal of the Armenian Armed Forces is periodically being upgraded, President Serzh Sargsyan said in an interview to Armenia TV.

Weve acquired serious munitions both before the April War and after. Its another issue that any military operation, be it one-day or one-year, is a lesson, from which conclusions must be made. Because it is during military operations when its displayed as to what your adversary is using and how it is using, and you must try to find the antidote, the president said speaking about the military re-equipments after the April War.

Commenting on his previous statement on having weaponry of the 1980s, which was widely speculated in political analytical circles, the president said: Those who call themselves political scientists must very well understand in what audience and with what purpose the statement is done. One. And second, indeed, at that time we didnt have some munitions which Azerbaijan managed to acquire. What, is it really a secret that Azerbaijan is wealthier than us, that Azerbaijan is spending more resources on weapons etc. Its no secret. If anyone can say that he can make Armenia a richer state than Azerbaijan in two years or five years than this man must be taken away from politics. Because this is charlatanism, it is a lie. Long time is required for this. Both at that time and now we have sufficient arsenal in order for us to neutralize with the combat capabilities of our troops the danger which threatens Nagorno Karabakh or Armenia.

The president mentioned that it isnt only the weapons that win in the war.

The main actors in the war are the soldier and officer, the soldier and commander. And it is these soldiers and commanders that should have not the most modern, because it is impossible, impossible for any country, but rather sufficient weaponry and munitions for solving the task. Today, our Armed Forces have sufficient arsenal and munitions, he said.
YEREVAN, JULY 17, ARMENPRESS. Russias selling weaponry to Azerbaijan is the most painful side of the Armenian-Russian relations, President Serzh Sargsyan said during an interview to Armenia TV.

This issue is the most painful side of the Armenian-Russian friendship, the Armenian-Russian military cooperation and generally our relations. I think this issue overshadows many things. But on the other hand, there are circumstances, and perhaps these circumstances arent acceptable for us, but acceptable for them. Nothing serious has happened yet. If sometime serious consequences happen, then we can accuse. While is no serious consequences happen we must find it to be Russias long-term political activity for stabilizing the situation in the region, the president said.

Regarding observations on suspending or decreasing cooperation with Russia, the president mentioned that these are extremely dangerous words which can create an extremely difficult situation.

When you say revise, than with whom do you want, in order to revise and improve? With Turkey? Or is everyone waiting with their arms open in NATO? Or should be simply become enemies with everybody, or tell everyone  you are helping Azerbaijan: and its just us against the world, he said.

He reminded that Armenia is proceeding with a balanced foreign policy by having close allies and also cooperating with partners.

President Sargsyan also touched upon the CSTO statements, mentioning that the organization has never made any statement which couldve contradicted Armenias interests.

The CSTO and its [former]Secretary General Nikolai Bordyuzha personally have always responded to the developments in the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and have done so very strictly. It is obvious that the CSTO must have more passive role while commenting on developments in the line of contact, because, nevertheless, they have a stance, that it is the Nagorno Karabakh military there, it is the official army not the Armenian Army, the president said.

According to the president, in order to have complete understanding about the CSTOs actions, one must study the organizations documents and statements.

Last year we have the CSTO summit in Yerevan, please have a look at the resolution which the summit passed. The emotional side is very important. I understand it very well, but the essence is whats important. The CSTO hasnt done any statement in its essence which can contradict the interests of Armenia, he said.
YEREVAN, JULY 17, ARMENPRESS. Whoever thinks that the Iskander ballistic missiles are simply of moral or psychological significance, he doesnt understand what these systems are. When they know, they will understand the extent of devastating force it has, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said during an interview to Armenia TV.

Asked in what event Armenia might use the Iskander ballistic missiles, the president said: If needed. Dont forget that our interview is watched not only by citizens of Armenia. You are forcing me to answer to a question, for the response of which numerous special services are spending huge resources. And whoever thinks that Iskander [ballistic missiles] is just of moral and physiological significance, he doesnt understand what Iskander is. When they know, they will understand what devastating force this weapon has.

The president also talked about his visit to combat positions of the military. He mentioned that the country has excellent officers and soldiers, who are highly professional.

Can anyone say that our army hasnt developed? Can they say that our current officers arent significantly difference by their level of literacy from the officers who served twenty years ago, in terms of both quantity and quality? I am coming from the combat positions, we have excellent officers, soldiers, who know their job, he said.

Commenting on the nation-army ideology, he mentioned: We are few in numbers, if we want Nagorno Karabakh and Armenia to be secure and safe, any Armenian, regardless of gender must become a soldier in case of necessity. When this moment comes, the nation becomes an army. During peacetime the army also participates in developing the country. This is a very simple logic. We want to achieve maximum in this branch. We dont want insignificant incidents to cast a shadow on our military, he said.
HANKAVAN, JULY 17, ARMENPRESS. In 2020, Armenias per capita GDP will amount 4,700 dollars, finance minister Vardan Aramyan told at a press briefing in Hankavan.

He reminded that the GDP per capita as of 2016 is 3,500 dollars, while the growth forecast for the coming years if the following: 2018  4,7%, 2019  5,4%, 2020  5,7%.

He said the target will be achieved if no currency exchange changes happen.

In macroeconomic forecasts, those countries which have floating currency exchange regimes, dont put currency exchange forecasts, they put estimates, and we have estimated 480 drams for one dollar, he said.
YEREVAN, JULY 17, ARMENPRESS. For the first time, a research to reveal key issues of employers was carried out in Artsakh.

The study was carried out by the Labor and Social Research national institute of Armenias ministry of Labor and Social Affairs.

Arman Sargsyan, director of the institute told a press conference that the study comprised 423 employers.

Study of the dates of establishments of organizations show that they have an average of 12,8 years of operational period. 35,7% of employees of the organizations which were studied have higher education, 27,7% have undergraduate or elementary education, while 36,6% dont have specialized education. 48% of the employees are female, Sargsyan said.

Wholesale and retail trading organizations amounted a great number in the study. The remaining organizations of the survey comprise the branches of education, science, healthcare, social protection, culture and leisure.

The main consumer market for the significant portion of the employees, 72,3%, is Artsakh. 14,8% sell their products in both Artsakh and Armenia, while 1,9% in Armenia and abroad, and 0,6% abroad.

As you can see, exports amount a low percentage, however there is positive shift. The employees export products to Russia, USA, France, Germany, Italy, Greece, Iran, Cuba and other countries. They mainly export brandy, wine, vodka, canned foods, meat products, carpets and parquet, he said.

24% of the employees gave positive forecasts, mentioning that the consumer markets will soon be expanded.

It is noteworthy that employees have forecasted higher employee number growth for 2017 and 2018 in the construction, processes industry, mining, financial, insurance and real estate branches.

Speaking about vacancies, Sargsyan said that these are mostly positions requiring middle specialized education  just like in Armenia, in Artsakh also there is need for skilled electricians, constructions workers and carpenters.

The employees have mainly pointed out issues related to the small consumer market due to social issues, and absence of affordable loans in the market.

Sargsyan said all issues have been coordinated and soon specific proposals will be made.
YEREVAN, JULY 17, ARMENPRESS. Based on the data of 2017, tourism in Artsakh grew in all directions.

The ministry of economy of Artsakh told ARMENPRESS that a 26% growth of foreign tourists has been recorded in January-June of 2017 compared to 2015, while the number amounted 46% compared to 2016.

The number of visits has also increased in the main tourism locations with more than 5000 visitors in the Tigranakert state reserve, which is 62% more compared to 2015.

Estimates suggest tourism incomes amounted to 1,7 billion drams, which is a 35% growth.

It is noteworthy that 25 million drams in investments from international donors was attracted, in addition to budget resources for tourism development.
YEREVAN, JULY 17, ARMENPRESS. Turkeys prime minister has submitted a proposal to the parliament on extending the state of emergency for another three months, Hurriyet reports.

The issue will be debated on July 17 and if passed, will come into effect from July 19.

This will be the fourth consecutive extension of the state of emergency following the coup attempt of 2016.
YEREVAN, JULY 17, ARMENPRESS. Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian on July 17 participated in the session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in Minsk, press service of the Ministry told Armenpress.

CSTO Secretary General Yuri Khachaturov reported on the ongoing activity of the organization at the session.

During the narrow format meeting the ministers discussed the process of implementation of decisions reached at the CSTO Yerevan summit in 2016, the priorities of Belarus chairmanship in the CSTO, exchanged views on global and regional security issues, the situation in Central Asia, South Korea, as well as the ongoing developments in the Middle East, the efforts aimed at establishing stability in Afghanistan.

At the meeting issues relating to combining foreign policies of the CSTO member states, the development of military and military-technical cooperation and fight against terrorism and illicit drug trafficking were also touched upon.

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian delivered remarks over these matters at the session. He drew the attention of the CSTO FMs on the efforts of Armenia and the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairing countries aimed at moving forward the settlement process of the Karabakh conflict, as well as Bakus actions aimed at preventing them, such as hindering the implementation of agreements reached at the Vienna and St. Petersburg summits, its military provocations and the escalation of the situation as a result of these actions.

FM Nalbandian presented to the colleagues Armenias stance on the developments in Syria, the assistance programs for refugees in Armenia, as well as details on providing Armenian humanitarian aid to the Syrian people. In this context, Nalbandian thanked the Russian Federation for the assistance provided for delivering the Armenian aid to Syria.

The session participants also exchanged views on the cooperation between the CSTO and other international and regional structures.

The ministers adopted joint statements on joint steps aimed at ensuring information security and impermissibility to desecrate memory of volunteers of World War II.
YEREVAN, JULY 17, ARMENPRESS. Armen Ashoyan, chairman of the parliamentary foreign relations committee responded to Russian State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodins statement, whereby the latter had porposed to the Armenian authorities to grant the Russian language an official status in Armenia in order to solve the problem of Armenian driving licenses in Russia.

At that moment when the Russian State Duma head voices such an idea I made a response speech and I emphasized that there is no issue of constitutional status of Russian language in the Armenian agenda and it isnt planned. I am sorry that some Russian media outlets presented the content of the discussion partially, Ashotyan told ARMENPRESS.

Regarding the validity of Armenian driving licenses in Russia, Ashotyan mentioned that the parliamentary delegations of the two countries agreed to continue discussions in other parliamentary formats. Namely in order to attempt and find the most optimal options of solution through parliamentary hearings.

Vyacheslav Voloding suggested Armenia to grant official status to Russian language in the country in order for Armenian driving licenses to be valid in their country.

From June 1, 2017, a Russian law came into force banning people having foreign driving licenses in Russia. On July 14, the parliament of Russia passed a law according to which citizens of countries where Russian is an official language, for instance Kirgizstan, are allowed to work on their national licenses.
YEREVAN, JULY 17, ARMENPRESS/ARTSAKHPRESS. The Artsakh military has denied yet another Azerbaijani report which said that a shooting incident happened on July 17 within a military base of the Defense Army and that an officer and a soldier have been wounded.

Senor Hasratyan, head of the information and PR department of Artsakhs Defense Army, denied the Azeri report and said it is a disinformation. He mentioned that no such incident has occurred in any base of Artsakh.

As usual, Azerbaijan is simply trying to present their desires as reality through such disinformation in an attempt to mislead both their own and our societies, he said.
YEREVAN, JULY 17, ARMENPRESS. Ara Babloyan, Speaker of Armenias Parliament responded to the statement of Russias State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, whereby the latter had suggested Armenia to grant Russian language an official status in order for Armenian driving licenses to be valid there.

In response to ARMENPRESS inquiry, head of the PR department of the Parliament Arsen Babayan said Babloyan has responded during the meeting by telling the Russian politician that such an issue is not expected in Armenias agenda.

The Parliament speaker responded, stating that there is no such issue and its not expected either in Armenias agenda. Russian is taught in all schools of Armenia, therefore the knowledge of Russian is completely sufficient. The sides agreed to touch upon the issue in the future, Babayan said.

From June 1, 2017, a Russian law came into force banning people having foreign driving licenses in Russia. On July 14, the parliament of Russia passed a law according to which citizens of countries where Russian is an official language, for instance Kirgizstan, are allowed to work on their national licenses.
YEREVAN, JULY 17, ARMENPRESS. 6 foreign students arrived in Armenia to study the Armenian language, culture and the political situation in the country within the frames of training program for Diaspora-Armenian teaches, Tamara Zalinyan  Chief Specialist for Diaspora Relations Division at the Ministry of Education and Science, told Armenpress.

She said the foreign students can become a linkage between Armenia and their countries.

The visit of foreign students to Armenia this year is a new phenomenon. The Armenian lecturers of foreign universities expressed a similar wish during the conference last year. They informed that there are many students who study Armenian abroad, however, there is no program for them. We have formed separate programs and applied to the same lecturers who made this proposal last year. Two of them, Aida Markosyan from Romania and Donara Mkrtchyan from St. Petersburg, actively reacted to this, Tamara Zalinyan said.

She informed that 4 out of 6 students are from St. Petersburg and 2 from Romania. They know Armenian a little and can read somehow. There is a separate study program for them, they study the language, culture, the political situation. The program is experimental and is being implemented within the frames of teachers training program.

Andreea Barb from Romania is one of the students. This is really very useful since I study linguistics, as well as the interesting cultural heritage of Armenia. I really liked this language and the culture, the student said.
YEREVAN, 17 JULY, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 17 July, USD exchange rate down by 0.20 drams to 478.68 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 1.83 drams to 548.47 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate up by 0.07 drams to 8.09 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 5.06 drams to 625.78 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price up by 167.61 drams to 18934.22 drams. Silver price down by 3.79 drams to 241.78 drams. Platinum price up by 55.68 drams to 14127.94 drams.
YEREVAN, JULY 17, ARMENPRESS. On July 17 citizens and police officers, as well as public and political figures visited the police patrol station to pay tribute to the memory of three police officers who were killed during the July 17 events in Yerevan in 2016, reports Armenpress.

Police Chief Vladimir Gasparyan also paid tribute to the memory of the killed police officers.

A solemn march of police units was held at the police patrol station.

A memorial stone dedicated to the killed police officers has been erected outside the police station where people laid flowers.

On July 17, 2016, a group of gunmen entered the police patrol station by keeping hostage law enforcement forces, as well as later the doctors for several days.

Police Colonel Artur Vanoyan has been killed by the gunmen during the ambush.

On July 30 a police officer, Lieutenant Yuri Tepanosyan has been killed by sniper fire from the seized police precinct.

Police Corporal Gagik Mkrtchyan, wounded on July 17 when gunmen ambushed the Police precinct in Yerevan, has died on August 13.
YEREVAN, JULY 17, ARMENPRESS. Vice Speaker of Armenias Parliament Eduard Sharmazanov on July 17 met with teachers participating in Diaspora Summer School' program which is jointly carried out by Diaspora Ministry and the Yerevan State University, press service of the Parliament told Armenpress.

The meeting was also attended by Diaspora Minister Hranush Hakobyan. She presented the goal of the summer school program and the directions of lectures held within the frames of the program.

By the proposal of Eduard Sharmazanov, the meeting participants paid tribute to the memory of police officers killed by gunmen who seized the police station on July 17, 2016 with a moment of silence.

Thereafter, Sharmazanov in his welcoming speech appreciated the activity of teachers at Armenian communities in Diaspora aimed at maintaining the Armenian identity.

Commenting on the proposal to grant Russian an official status in Armenia which was made during the meeting of Armenias Parliament Speaker Ara Babloyan and Russian State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin today, Sharmazanov said Armenian is the only official language in the Republic of Armenia and that is a constitutional norm.

During the Q&A session, the teachers voiced numerous questions relating to the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, prevention of migration, creation of jobs and strategic programs aimed at boosting repatriation, Diasporas participation in political processes and etc. Eduard Sharmazanov gave sufficient response to all questions.

He expressed confidence that the problem of Armenians in Diaspora is the maintenance of Armenian identity, whereas in Armenia the problem is the settlement of the Artsakh issue in favor of Armenians. He urged the Diaspora-Armenian teachers to make Artsakh recognizable to the world through their daily activities.

Armenia supports the peaceful settlement of the conflict, but never through unilateral concessions. Artsakhs victory is the collective victory of Armenian people, he said.

The Vice Speaker called on to be united, stating that the guarantee of success of the Armenian people is the unity.

At the meeting Sharmazanov briefly introduced the activity of the Parliament, as well as the transition to the parliamentary system after the constitutional reforms.
YEREVAN, JULY 17, ARMENPRESS. Defense Minister of Armenia Vigen Sargsyan has departed for the Republic of Artsakh on July 15 within the frames of mutual partnership between the armed forces of Armenia and Artsakh, the Ministry told Armenpress.

Accompanied by the Defense Minister and high-ranking military officials of Artsakh, Minister Vigen Sargsyan visited the military posts located in the north-eastern direction of the Artsakh-Azerbaijani borderline, got acquainted with the situation in the border, living conditions of soldiers and talked to them.

A consultation was held at the military unit during which issues relating to implementation of the military service and mutual partnership of the armed forces were discussed.

On the same day Vigen Sargsyan also visited the Stepanakert hospital. The Minister was interested on the health condition of soldiers receiving treatment in the hospital, talked to them and wished a speedy recovery.
YEREVAN, JULY 17, ARMENPRESS. Armenia supports the peaceful negotiated settlement of the Karabakh conflict and thanks Russia for contributing to settle the conflict, Ara Babloyan  Speaker of Armenias Parliament said at the meeting with Chairwoman of the Russian Federation Council Valentina Matviyenko, reports Armenpress.

The Armenian parliamentary delegation led by Speaker Babloyan has departed for Russia on state visit.

I would like to thank Russia for assistance and approach in the OSCE Minsk Group which aims at peacefully settling the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. We believe that there are no alternatives. And we should solve the issue exclusively through peaceful means, through a dialogue and discussion, through approaches deserving to civilized states, Ara Babloyan said.

The Speaker stated that on July 4 another provocation has been carried out against Artsakh. According to him, the most painful is that civilians suffer from shelling.
YEREVAN, JULY 17, ARMENPRESS. While on an official visit to Russia, Speaker of Armenias Parliament Ara Babloyan was hosted by Chairman of Russian State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin on July 17, press service of the Parliament told Armenpress.

Vyacheslav Volodin congratulated Ara Babloyan on being elected as Speaker of Armenias Parliament.

Armenia for us is a strategic and reliable partner, he said and expressed hope the relations of the parliaments of the two countries will further strengthen and deepen.

This year is a jubilee year in the Armenian-Russian centuries-old relations since we mark the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Armenia and Russia, Speaker Babloyan said.

Speaking about the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, Babloyan said: On July 4 of 2017 the Azerbaijani side launched another provocation: after the April aggression of 2016 the Azerbaijani armed forces for the first time applied multiple rocket launchers. Deploying the firing posts near the civilian settlements Azerbaijan used its own population as a human shield. It could be possible to avoid such provocations, as well as numerous human losses due to it if Azerbaijan was committed to the agreements reached at the Vienna and St. Petersburg summits in 2016.

Coming to the Armenian-Russian cooperation, Ara Babloyan said the law adopted recently in Russia which bans working with foreign driving licenses in Russia creates major difficulties for Armenians working in Russia. The Speaker proposed to revise this approach.

In response, the Russian State Duma Speaker said the adoption of the law was conditioned exclusively by traffic safety since working drivers do not know Russian traffic rules because they don't know Russian. Given that the law is already adopted, Vyacheslav Volodin proposed to grant Russian an official status in Armenia.

Speaker Babloyan, in response to this proposal, said there is no such issue in Armenias agenda to grant Russian an official status. He stated that Russian is taught in all Armenian schools which fully satisfies the solution of the problem.

Volodin said the Russian side is open for discussions. Agreement was reached to discuss this issue later aimed at finding the possible alternative solutions.

The sides also discussed issues on strengthening the cooperation at international platforms, agreements were reached on introducing new working formats.
STEPANAKERT, JULY 17, ARMENPRESS. Defense Minister of Armenia Vigen Sargsyan assessed the meeting with the President of Artsakh Bako Sahakyan on July 17 as productive and useful, reports Armenpress.

The meeting with the President was very productive and useful. We have reached agreements on future steps, Vigen Sargsyan told reporters after the meeting with the Artsakh President.

Speaking about the visit in Artsakh, the Defense Minister said he spent quite useful days in a sense that he managed to talk with new draftees, as well as to assess the service condition related issues which need to be solved.
LOS ANGELESNETbilling announced that this month marks the company's 19th anniversary serving the e-commerce and retail industries.

As an internet merchant starting in 1997, e-commerce services were still in its infancy. The founders saw an opportunity to provide transaction processing to those with their own merchant accounts "at a fraction of the cost of third-party billers."

They started NETbilling in 1998 and created a full-service company to provide the processing, call center services and merchant acquiring solutions that they proudly offer today.



Wendy Nelson, NETbillings VP of sales who has been with the company for 10 years, said, NETbilling values our long-time clients and appreciate their loyalty. We pride ourselves in the constant world of mouth referrals that we receive from current merchants and business partners. We cant wait for 2018 where we will be celebrating the big 2-0!"
LOS ANGELES"The Totally Inappropriate Radio Show" is welcoming veteran male talent Lance Hart to the broadcast this week.

Known as a Playgirl spokesmodel and founder of PervOUT.com, Hart has made a name for himself over the past 10 years. He will be joining the ladies and discussing his current projects and what its like to do gay and niche porn for top adult companies including Kink.com, Evil Angel and Mile High.

Weve been wanting to have Lance on for a while now and were very excited to have him on this week, says Kimber Haven. He has tons of fans, and we hope they tune in and call in.

"The Totally Inappropriate Radio Show" has become one of the top shows on the Demon Seed Network in just a few months. Helmed by Kimber Haven, the show is co-hosted by part-time dominatrix/production manager Lexis Steel and Raven Roxx. It airs Saturdays at 3 p.m. PST/6 p.m. EST on Demon Seed Radio Network. Listeners can call in and talk with the hosts and/or guests at 708.793.7769.

Catch up on all the shows here and watch video footage on their YouTube channel.
Family-owned Talerddig Bakery, founded in 1925, is selling its business, equipment, freehold and fleet of vehicles.

The bakery, based in Llanbrynmair in Wales, is being sold as a business with its freehold site, equipment and delivery vehicles for 225,000.

It supplies bread to shops, retailers, hotels, cafes and directly to consumers through three shops in Powys and Ceredigion.

Estate agents and property surveyors, Morris, Marshall and Poole, are acting as agents for owner Steve Jones.

Talerddig Bakery is a well-known business in Wales, said Kathryn Evans, chartered surveyor at Morris, Marshall and Poole. Anyone driving along the main A470 will see the bakery at the side of the road in Talerddig or will have seen its bread, cakes and other products in shops, cafes or homes throughout the area.

The business was set up by Tom and Margaret Lewis at the current site in 1925. It was then taken over and expanded into a new bakehouse, which opened in 1979.

It was then passed down to the Thomas family, who had their own baking heritage from nearby Machynlleth. They sold the business to Steve Jones in 2013.

The business has so much more potential and we have expanded and grown it to the point where someone new coming in can take it forward again as it heads towards its 100th anniversary, said Jones.

The business currently employs 20 full- and part-time staff, which includes bakers, shop assistants and delivery drivers.
On June 29, 2017 the North Carolina House voted against SJR 36, the COS application for an Article V convention. The vote was 59 against; and 53 for.But a few hours later, COS and the Republican leadership got the members to vote to "reconsider" their vote against SJR 36 (66 to reconsider - 45 opposed). So they brought SJR 36 back to life and sent it to the House Rules Committee. There it will sit until COS and Republican leadership twist enough arms and pressure more House Republicans to vote for it.[Below I use "Left" to describe those who want big government;and "Right" to describe those who want small government.]It has always been the Big Money on the Left which wants an Article V convention so they can get rid of the Constitution we have and impose a new one. Some 50+ years ago, the Left came up with the proposed Constitution for the Newstates of America. Under this proposed Constitution , the States are dissolved and replaced by regional governments answerable to the new national government. It sets up a totalitarian dictatorship under which (among other things) we will be disarmed. It is ratified by a national referendum.It has always been the Right which resisted the periodic pushes for an Article V convention. The Right understands that delegates to an Article V convention have plenipotentiary powers and can exercise [once again] that "self-evident right" recognized in the 2nd para of our Declaration of Independence, to throw off the Constitution we have and set up a new one which creates a new government.So the Left changed clothes and changed tactics. Now, they are pretending to be "Right" and they are marketing the con to Republicans. Many of our State Legislators are jaw-droppingly ignorant of our two Founding Documents. And too many Republican Legislators believe whatever the fake "Right" con-con lobby tells them.Much confusion has been caused by the false claims that those supporting the con-con are "Libertarian", "right-wing", or "conservatives". We know that the Koch Brothers on the fake "Right", among others, are spending vast sums of money to buy Republican politicians to get them to support an Article V convention. See, e.g., THIS Many Republican Legislators, who don't understand our Founding Principles and Founding Documents, go by the labels which others assign. And since they are told that an Article V convention is the "conservative" position, they go along with it.So Republican State Legislators who have been bought and paid for by the fake "Right", or who go along with their Leadership, are the ones today who are doing the work of the Left by passing applications for an Article V convention. Most of them have no idea of the dangers. In some States (North Carolina), the Republican leadership prohibits their members from hearing voices in opposition at Committee meetings.SJR 36 passed North Carolina Senate Committees with no public notice given of the Committee meetings. So the voices in opposition were not heard. After SJR 36 passed the Senate committees it was rushed to the Senate floor for a vote.At the hearing on June 28 before the North Carolina House Judiciary Committee IV, the sponsors of SJR 36 were given all the time they wanted to speak for SJR 36; but our Friend, Wynne Coleman of NoCOS-NC, was only allowed one (1) minute to speak in opposition; and the Chairman of the Committee would not allow her to distribute to the Committee Members the documentation she had prepared for them. One Legislator who opposed was also given only one (1) minute. And that was it for the opposition at this "public" hearing.I suggest that the reason the bought and paid for State Republican Legislators prohibit voices in opposition from being heard is that they know that when Legislators are given the TRUTH, they generally oppose an Article V convention.We are in imminent peril of losing our Constitution. It seems that what the Fake "Right" now wants is to move us into the North American Union (NAU). Under the NAU, Canada, the United States, and Mexico basically merge, and a Parliament is set up over them. The borders between the three countries are to be effectively erased. I have read the Task Force Report on the NAU sponsored by the Council on Foreign Relations. The globalists (fake "conservatives" George W. Bush, the Cruzes, etc.) need a new Constitution for the United States which transforms us from a sovereign nation to a member state of the NAU. How do they get a new Constitution? At an Article V convention. How do they get an Article V convention? By lying to the American People and to State Legislators, and by preventing voices in opposition from being heard.See THIS short commentary on the NAU.I suggest we better make defeating an Article V convention a primary focus of our lives.Please get with your State Legislators and educate them. Warn those in your spheres of influence. We must get States to rescind their existing applications for an Article V convention. This past legislative session, three States (Maryland, New Mexico, Nevada) rescinded their outstanding applications for an Article V convention! That took lots of work by many people.If you want to know what America will look like once the Parliament for the NAU takes control of immigration, look at Europe. And pray that you aren't disarmed under the new Constitution.Fight this evil.
Central planning fails miserably in the economy, why would we think it is best for education?

Government bureaucrats cannot possess the localized knowledge of the parents and teachers of students.

Empowering parents, rather than bureaucrats, to call the shots in education would benefit students.

F.A. Hayek, one of the most well known names in free market circles, was a man of incredible perception. His brilliance in economics, psychology, and political theory has served to shape thought in each of these disciplines. From his essential book entitledto his numerous essays that range from the ineffectiveness of central planning to the importance of personal responsibility, Hayek has proven his devotion to classical liberalism.Hayek's knack for making compelling arguments on behalf of individual liberty and personal responsibility naturally led to an examination of the thought behind government programs and policies, often inspiring the question,In his 1945 essay, "The Use of Knowledge in Society" Hayek explores the natural complexity of knowledge, recognizing that it is so dispersed throughout society that there is no realistic way to govern it from a central location. He explored the implications of geographic and vocation-specific knowledge, asserting that the problem with a centrally planned economy isEssentially, there is no way to consolidate all of the necessary market knowledge and ship it up to Washington in hopes of creating some one-size-fits-all government program prepared to commandeer the free market. To do so would be, at best, as futile as bottling up the ocean, and at worst, as foolhardy as ignoring history's many lessons, the latest one now playing out in Venezuela (see here and here ). If Hayek's observations are correct, the question ought to be asked,When it comes to our K-12 education, both in North Carolina and throughout the other forty-nine states, we would do well to acknowledge that the teacher in the classroom and the parent of the child (or as Hayek said, "the man on the spot") have supremely greater insight into the needs of individual students than do bureaucrats in the government. And isn't education ultimately about each unique student and their acquisition of truth and wisdom?As with economics, the field of education contains many variables that are specific to region. Aside from the framework of the 3 R's (reading, writing, and arithmetic), the educator ought to be granted curriculum flexibility, based upon the needs of students in his or her distinctive classroom. Add to this the obvious reality that children develop physically and academically at differing rates and have diverse learning styles, an effective case can be made in favor of teacher discretion that seeks to collaborate with parents on the best means to educate their children.Finally, just as a free market relies upon price signals, given that no one individual can ascertain all there is to understand in an economy, so might we draw upon the concept of free markets to empower education consumers to provide the signals to guide the academic economy. When public schools have to compete with private or charter schools for consumer dollars, they are likely to become more competitive, responding to the wants of the customer. Such competition is necessary if we want to see academic institutions, both public and private, offer a higher quality product. The beauty of this approach to education is found in initiatives, such as North Carolina's Personal Education Scholarship Account , which allows a child's education to be tailored to fit his or her particular needs. Such programs help cultivate a competitive marketplace that will yield better offerings, because the consumer has greater mobility and can take his business elsewhere if expectations are not being met. The focus becomes catering to each student, rather than complying with top-down bureaucracy.If we recognized that distant bureaucrats couldn't possibly know better than the "man on the spot" what works best when it comes to instructing North Carolina's children, who would win? The best way to answer that question is to ask another: Who wouldn't win?
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.
I did not miss the "early service" this morning. I awoke early and well rested. The "early service" for me, is that holy time when the day is born. It is a time of hope and a lot of things seem possible. Often I feel like "Alice" because, I too "can imagine six impossible things before breakfast".Mornings are peaceful now, in the early hours. Birds and squirrels are not in the same hurry as they were a few short weeks ago. They are not battling for territory, nor hastily gathering nesting materials. Now, their chatter is relaxing and cheerful. I think the squirrels are sleeping through the "service" altogether.I have been in Elizabeth City since Saturday. I arrived with very few goals. I wanted Jenny to be able to work on her assignments and of course that meant (delightfully), I would spend time with Lyla. I also was determined to make a peach cobbler for Wills' mom, Miss Claudia. Miss Claudia is someone that I love to cook for as she is grateful and always praises my effort . . .and she especially loves peaches. In July, when fresh peaches are available, I always remember that. I cooked a cobbler night before last. I had enough to share with Miss Claudia and I took some to Miss Thelma. Miss Thelma declared that peach cobbler was her favorite too.Another mission, on this visit was to make homemade ice cream. Now I have never had any ice cream, that wasn't good, but homemade is really the best. My parents gave Will and Jenny an ice cream maker for Christmas, one year and so we used that yesterday to make vanilla ice cream. Today, I want to make "smores" ice cream, as Jenny loves anything in that flavor.I had never used a modern ice cream maker . . but once, I talked my friend, Jo Dee, into visiting a thrift store with me. It was one I frequented often and I assured her the prices were more than reasonable. Jo Dee said that she was not spending a dollar, but would go with me, in the spirit of friendship. On the way, Jo Dee told me that her budget would not allow foolish spending of any sort. We walked in the door of the shop, just moments later. Jo Dee took two steps and said "I want that, no matter what it costs!" I was shocked and took a look. It was a brand new ice cream maker, never even taken out of the box. Jo Dee, came up with $20.00, in a matter of minutes. On my next visit to Jo Dees', Rae came along. Rae eats ice cream for supper, quite often. Jo Dee made a batch of ice cream for us that day-and I was "sold" at the first bite. Besides, "July" is as good excuse as any I know of, to make ice cream.The last few days, have been hot. I can not complain, as it is July, after all. Lyla and I have strolled in the mornings. The shaded sidewalks are hot by mid morning. Even the breeze coming across the "laughing river" is warm and does little to cool a weary brow. We have stayed in the house the last two afternoons. I declare "it is not fit for man nor beast" outside-and that includes the front porch. In light of this, Lyla and I have been taking to walking in the late evening.In the late evening, the bat colony comes out. There is an old building with offices and apartments on the edge of the river. It has a large chimney, and that is where the bats live. We were taken by surprise, one evening, while watching the moon rise, over the river. We all watched the colony in awe of the number of them and the way they swirled in unison above us. Their silhouettes against the gray sky coupled with a rising full moon , made me expect to see a witch on a broom, streak through the sky, as well. Lyla, not knowing the poor reputation of bats, found the whole affair beautiful. She stared for a good while, and so I did too. I decided the flight of bats was lovely after all. Now, when dusk has set in, Lyla remembers the bats. . .and so we set off for the river.Dear Diary, In July, I am glad for peaches, and the chance to share them with loved ones. I am glad for peaceful mornings and quiet evenings when the bats come out and the sky becomes a stage. I am also glad for ice cream, really all of the time . . but especially in July.
Contact: Attila Nemecz

Attila Nemecz Attila.Nemecz@beaufortccc.edu

Washington, N.C. Eighteen graduates of Beaufort County Community College's Practical Nursing (LPN) program received their nursing school pins July 12 in a traditional rite of passage for nursing school graduates across the country. Their family and friends packed into Building 10 on BCCC's campus to show their support.Sheika Benthall, Heather Booth, Nicolshia Crawford, Natalie Cutrell, Ashlee Eakes, Stephanie Garay, Shawnice Nicole Hardy, Nikita Haughton, Janie Hoell, Amber Lewis, Deanna Menard, Whitney Phelps, Amber Richardson, Brittany Roulhac, Shareika Ruffin, Haley Rushton, Neftali Torres and Antwonetta White graduated from the program.LPN class president Deanna Menard recounted the perseverance it took from her classmates to get to where they are. Both college president Dr. Dave Loope and program lead instructor Aino Jackson spoke about the responsibility and reward that comes with a dedication to service to others.As the graduates watched a slideshow of memories, they looked at each other and laughed or sometimes wiped tears from their eyes. During long classes and long shifts on their clinical rotations, these students have developed a lasting bond with each other and their faculty. The Class of 2017 presented the three LPN instructors with flowers. Instructors Denise King and Lee Anne Oliver pinned the graduates after which each one lit a candle. As they held their candles, they recited the Nurse's Pledge.Pinning ceremonies in their currently recognizable form began in 1893. The pin is awarded to the nurse to recognize the achievement of entering the profession and to signify a nursing school graduate's affiliation with a specific nursing school.Course work for the LPN program includes the domains of healthcare, nursing practice, and the holistic individual. It emphasizes safe, individualized nursing care and participation in the interdisciplinary team while employing evidence-based practice, quality improvement and informatics.Graduates are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN), which is required for practice as a Licensed Practical Nurse. Employment opportunities include physicians' offices; clinics; hospitals; and rehabilitation, long-term care or home health facilities.These graduates may lead a life in service to others, but with the close bonds they have formed during their studies, they will also be in service to each other as they take their licensure exams and get their footing in their new careers.
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Bangkok, July 17, 2017A ministerial proposal to amend Myanmars 2013 Telecommunications Law falls short of the changes needed to guarantee press freedom, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. The statute has been repeatedly abused to stifle online speech and jail journalists, CPJ has found.

On July 13, the Ministry of Transport and Communications submitted a draft bill to the Upper House of Parliament with recommendations for amending the law, including allowances for accused parties to post bail and a bar on third parties filing cases on behalf of others unless authorized or directly affected by the content in question, according to news reports. Several journalists have been held in pre-trial detention and denied bail under Article 66(d) of the law, which outlines penalties for online defamation, disturbances, and threats.

The amendments also propose lifting a requirement that the ministry must approve cases before they proceed, giving full authority instead to the police, reports said. However, the amendments would not ease penalties for convictions under the criminal provision, which include three-year jail terms and fines.

While we recognize certain improvements in the ministerial proposal to amend Myanmars Telecommunications Law, they dont go far enough to ensure that the law is no longer used to threaten and imprison journalists, said CPJ Senior Southeast Asia Representative Shawn Crispin. For the sake of press freedom, the law should be fully decriminalized and all pending cases against journalists immediately and unconditionally dropped.

Zaw Min, chairman of the Upper Houses bill committee, said his body would convene a meeting with ministry officials and legal experts to discuss the recommendations, and will file a report to parliament this week, according to news reports.

CPJ has documented several cases of journalists jailed pending trial and facing potential prison sentences on charges under the law. Kyaw Min Swe, editor of The Voice newspaper, has been held in pretrial detention since June 2 on charges filed under Article 66(d) by a military official over an opinion column that satirized a pro-military propaganda film. A Yangon court has rejected six consecutive requests by the editor for bail, according to news reports.

In November 2016, authorities detained Than Htut Aung, chief executive of Eleven Media Group, and Wai Phyo, chief editor of the groups Daily Eleven newspaper, under the law over an opinion piece that alleged high-level government corruption. The two reporters were held in pretrial detention for 54 days before being released on bail. Their trial is ongoing.

On June 8, a senior Ministry of Information official told a visiting CPJ delegation that legislation would soon be introduced to remove criminal penalties under the law. The CPJ delegation raised a list of anti-press laws that CPJ believes should be repealed or amended, including the 1908 Unlawful Association Act, a provision often used against reporters that criminalizes contact with groups deemed a threat to national security.

On June 26, military officials detained Aye Naing and Pyae Phone Naing from the Democratic Voice of Burma news agency, and Thein Zaw, a reporter for The Irrawaddy media group, under the law after the journalists covered a drug-burning event staged by an ethnic armed organization opposed to the government. If convicted, they each face up to three years in jail.
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New York, July 17, 2017Russia-backed separatists in Ukraines east should immediately release Donetsk-based journalist Stanyslav Aseyev, who has been detained by the self-proclaimed Donetsk Peoples Republic (DNR), the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Aseyev, who has contributed to the Ukrainian service of the U.S.-government-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty under the pseudonym Stanyslav Vasin, went missing on June 2, CPJ reported at the time. He covered daily life in the east of the country.

On July 15, Oleg Kotenko, head of Patriot, a volunteer group that works on the release of political prisoners in Ukraine, told independent broadcaster Hromadske Radio, that the separatists detained Aseyev for his pro-Ukrainian stance and for spreading information about the so-called DNR, which in militants opinion, is not true. Aseyevs conditions are not good, Kotenko said.

On July 16, Yegor Firsov, Aseyevs friend and a former Ukrainian lawmaker, wrote on his blog in independent daily Ukrainska Pravda that the separatists had charged the journalist with espionage and that if they convict him, they could jail him for up to 14 years, citing written confirmation provided to Aseyevs mother. Firsov also wrote that Aseyevs mother was allowed to see him in detention.

Reporting is not espionage. Stanyslav Aseyev should be released immediately, CPJ Deputy Executive Director Robert Mahoney said. We call on all sides of the conflict in Ukraine to respect journalists roles as civilians and allow them to do their work.

At least five journalists and two media workers have been killed on the job in Ukraines east since fighting between Ukrainian security forces and pro-Russia rebels began in 2014.
A total of 18 people convicted in drug-related cases have been executed under Jokowi's administration, despite international protest. However, the executions apparently have not deterred traffickers from operating in Indonesia.





Serang, Banten/Jakarta -- Two months of careful detective work by Jakarta and Depok police officers ended up in the seizure on Thursday (13/07) of one ton of crystal methamphetamine, locally known as "sabu," worth Rp 1.5 trillion  around $112 million  smuggled from China, reportedly the "largest ever" seizure of the popular street drug in Indonesia.





The police said in a press statement later in the day this was the largest ever seizure of crystal meth in terms of volume in the country's history. The drug was meant to be distributed in the Greater Jakarta area.





"Millions of lives have been saved by the seizure of these drugs from China," Jakarta Police Chief M. Iriawan told reporters.





The police shot dead Taiwanese Lin Ming Hui, one of four suspected drug traffickers the police targeted during their raid, because he had tried to escape.





Two other suspects were captured by the police, but one managed to flee.





The police found one thousand kilograms of crystal meth packed neatly in 51 boxes in the empty Mandalika Hotel near Anyer Beach in Serang, a popular beach resort west of Jakarta, early on Thursday.





Iriawan said the police are interrogating the hotel owner to see if he has any connection with the suspected drug ring.





Heaven for Traffickers?





Indonesia is known to have one of the toughest anti-narcotics laws in the world, that includes death penalty for traffickers. President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo declared Indonesia was in the middle of a "narcotics emergency" and a "war on drugs" in early 2015.





A total of 18 people convicted in drug-related cases have been executed under Jokowi's administration, despite international protest. They met their death by firing squad in Indonesia's infamous prison island Nusakambangan, including Australians Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, Dutch citizen Ang Kim Soei, Brazilian Marco Archer Cardoso Mareira and Indonesian Andriani, aka Melisa Aprilia.





However, the executions apparently have not deterred traffickers from operating in Indonesia.





National Anti-Narcotics Agency (BBN) Chief Comr. Gen. Budi Waseso said during an International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking ceremony at Taman Mini Indonesia Indah in East Jakarta on Thursday that the agency has identified around 72 "active" international drug rings in the country.





"We are concerned because there are also so many drug users," Budi said.





BNN claims around 50 Indonesians die every day from drug abuse, and that around seven million Indonesians are believed to have used illicit drugs.





Budi said many drug rings are controlled from inside Indonesia's jails by convicted traffickers.





According to him, BNN recently also received a tip-off from its counterpart in Thailand that authorities there have seized a container containing crystal meth headed to Indonesia.





The BNN chief said traffickers may be diverting their operations to Indonesia after Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte began his own much-criticized deadly war on drugs, which includes a shoot-on-sight order for drug dealers. "Many drug traffickers changed course to Indonesia as a consequence," he said.





The "largest ever" seizure of crystal meth is a victory of sort for Indonesia's law enforcers, but Budi said he believes the amount of drugs being smuggled into the country that escaped police's attention is even larger.





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Iran: A corrupt theocracy meting out barbaric and medieval punishments

Seven prisoners were reportedly executed in prisons located in the Sistan & Baluchestan province. Most of the prisoners were executed on drug related charges.





Iran Human Rights (JULY 16 2017): In the past few days, seven prisoners, including two Pakistani citizens, were reportedly hanged at Zahedan Central and Iranshahr prisons.





On the morning of Thursday July 13, a prisoner by the name of Sharif Reigi was reportedly executed on murder charges at Zahedan Central Prison (Sistan & Baluchestan province, eastern Iran).





According to the Baluch Activists Campaign, Mr. Reigi was transferred to solitary confinement on Sunday July 9 in preparation for execution.





On Saturday July 15, three prisoners were reportedly hanged at Zahedan Central Prison on drug related charges.





The prisoners have been identified as Sheikh Mohammad Baluchzehi, 50 years of age, Kabir Dehghanzehi, 21 years of age, and Dadmohammad Dehghanzehi.





These prisoners were reportedly transferred to solitary confinement on Thursday July 13 in preparation for execution.





Dadmohammad and Kabir were reportedly Pakistani citizens who were arrested eight years ago. According to a report by the Baluch Activists Campaign, Kabir was 13 years old at the time of his arrest. This report says that Kabir had travelled to Iran for driving lessons. Iran Human Rights has not been able to confirm Kabir's exact age at the time of his arrest.





On the morning of Sunday July 16, two prisoners were reportedly hanged on murder charges at Zahedan Central Prison. The prisoners have been identified as Yousef Bozorgzadeh, 46 years of age, and Ebrahim Damani. Yousef was reportedly arrested eleven years ago.





Also on Sunday, a prisoner was reportedly executed on drug related charges at Iranshahr Prison (Sistan & Baluchestan province, southern Iran). The prisoner has been identified as Abdoljalil Shahli, arrested seven years ago.





Iranian official sources, including the Judiciary and the state-run media, have not announced any of these executions.

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Ohio's death chamber

As Ohio plans for the 1st execution in more than 3 years, the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections (ODRC) has released their execution policy. Ohio is planning to execute Ronald Phillips, 43, who was sentenced to death for the rape and killing of his girlfriend's 3-year-old daughter.





Phillips is scheduled to be executed on July 26. It will be the 1st execution since the state's longest lasting execution of Dennis McGuire, which lasted 26 minutes as McGuire seized, snorted, gasped and fought for life.





Execution drug, Pentobarbital was banned from use in executions by drug manufacturers just prior to McGuire's scheduled date with death. Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections policy at the time stated that in the event that Pentobarbital, 1 of the drugs used in the 3-drug-cocktail, is not available then midazolam and hydromorphone could be used as a replacement.





The 3-drug cocktail consisted of a short-acting barbiturate to render the inmate unconscious, followed by a paralytic, and then a chemical to stop the heart. Midazolam is a benzodiazepine that is used as a sedative. Hydromorphone is an opioid analgesic pain medication. Basically, the midazolam was used to sedate McGuire before he was overdosed on the pain medication.





Ohio plans to once again try the 3-drug method. According to Ohio's execution policy, "the terms 'Execution Drugs' means any of the following three options, under whatever names those drugs may be available to DRC from a pharmacy, manufacturer, supplier, wholesaler, distributor, pharmacist, or compounding pharmacy: 1) Pentobarbital; or 2) Thiopental sodium; or 3) A 3-drug combination of: a. Midazolam Hydrochloride; and b. One of the following 3 drugs: i. Vecuronium bromide; or ii. Pancuronium bromide; or iii. Rocuronium bromide; and c. Potassium Chloride."





The policy further states that the execution drugs used are at the discretion of the warden.





"It is the policy of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (DRC) to carry out the death penalty in a constitutional manner and as directed by Ohio Courts of Law. All execution processes shall be performed in a professional, humane, sensitive, and dignified manner," the policy further states. "It is the responsibility of the Director to designate a penal institution where death sentences shall be executed. The Warden of that facility, or Deputy Warden in the absence of the Warden, is responsible for carrying out the death sentence on the date established by the Ohio Supreme Court. The procedures set forth in this policy are to be strictly followed. Any situation that arises that would make following these policies difficult, impractical, or impossible shall be immediately reported to the Director or the Warden. Any variations of a substantial nature must be approved by the Director as described in this policy."





Phillips has less than 10 days until he is scheduled to die. This is not Phillips 1st execution date as his counsel argues that the 3-drug method is not humane. 24 hours prior to the execution, the death row inmate will be moved to Southern Ohio Correctional Facility (SOCF), location of the state's death house. There, Phillips will be monitored by 3 members of the execution team. During this time, the inmate will be able to meet with visitors including family and spiritual advisers. Phillips will also be evaluated by medical professionals in order evaluate his veins and plan for the insertion of the intravenous lines that will carry the execution drugs throughout his body.





Phillips continues to beg for mercy in hopes that his execution date will again be delayed as the fight against the selected execution drug method continues.





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: portsmouth-dailytimes.com, July 17, 2017
When Maria del Rosario Otero Vietes died in late 2011, the nearly 130 neighbors in the block where she rented an apartment in the small town of Culleredo, in Spains northwestern region of Galicia, barely noticed her absence, saying they cant remember having seen her again. That was despite mail that went uncollected and the increasingly abandoned state of her car, parked in a garage under the block: she and her mother had always kept to themselves, the neighbors said.

The apartment block where Rosario Otero's mummified remains were found.

But on July 3, after a neighbor finally reported her missing, Civil Guard officers entered Oteros apartment and found her mummified body lying in the hall. Based on the dates on the correspondence accumulated in her mail box and by the concierge, they calculate she had been dead at least four years. The neighbor who reported her disappearance believes it is more like five.

The results of an autopsy of Oteros body have not been released yet. The authorities say she would have been aged 56 had she lived, and that first indications suggest she died from natural causes. Her body was cremated on July 6 by the local authorities, with no relatives in attendance.

An elderly person who is malnourished and dies in summer is likely to mummify Forensic scientist Fernando Serrulla

Over the five years since Otero was last seen, the rent on her apartment reportedly continued to be paid punctually from her mothers bank account each month to the property company that owns the apartment building. However, the water and electricity had been cut off for non-payment of bills.

Such cases are not uncommon in Spain, with several bodies that have slowly mummified over time found each year.

Last year, the body of a woman who was due to be evicted from her house in the small town of Lliria, in Valencia, was discovered in a mummified state, along with several of her pets.

In 2015, in Requena, also in Valencia, the desiccated bodies of a brother and sister were discovered by their father. They had been dead for at least nine months. And in 2014, in Palma de Mallorca, children playing in an abandoned house discovered the dried-out remains of a man.

A year ago, in Vigo, Galicia, the bodies of 15 people who lived alone were found in one week

In late 2012 and early 2013, there were several such incidents. In the small Madrid town of Ciempozuelos, a man who had been released from prison after serving a two-year prison sentence for rape, went to the apartment he had previously shared with his wife only to find her mummified body in bed. Neighbors had complained about the smell, but nobody had entered the property. Meanwhile, in Madrids working-class Barrio del Pilar district, the remains of a woman were only discovered after neighbors suspected that her apartment was the source of flooding. A month later, the mummified remains of a 73-year-old man who lived alone were found in his central Madrid apartment.

In part, the problem is a result of the growing number of Spaniards who now live alone. The National Statistics Office estimates that there are now 4.6 million homes in Spain, or one in four, with just one occupant, a rise of 54,000 on 2015. Of the 10% of Spaniards who now live alone, 41.7% are aged over 65, and 70.7% of them widows.

A year ago, a magistrate in Vigo, in Galicia, expressed her concern at the discovery in one week of 15 bodies of people living alone.

Forensic scientist Fernando Serrulla, with the regional authorities in Galicia, says when that natural mummification takes place in a closed room, the smell is rarely detected outside a property. Oteros neighbors say they never noticed any unpleasant smells emanating from her apartment. Depending on temperature and humidity, as well as the size of the body, desiccation can take up to 18 months, says Serrulla. Once the process is complete, the body has lost all its water and is light and highly fragile.

The National Statistics Office says 10% of Spaniards now live alone

The most important thing is the speed that dehydration takes place, which prevents putrefaction, says Serulla, adding that the thinner the deceased, the quicker the process. He says this explains why the elderly, who are often frail and already dehydrated, tend to mummify if their body is not found.

Death that produces dehydration, such as diarrhea, hemorrhages or heat stroke, causes mummification, he says, adding: An elderly person who is malnourished, thin and who dies from diarrhea in summer in a dry place is likely to mummify.

English version by Nick Lyne.
The Spanish Civil Guard, in coordination with Europol, has dismantled a pan-European horsemeat racket led by a Dutchman based in Spain who exported meat unfit for human consumption, mostly to Belgium and Italy. Operation Gazel began a year ago and has already resulted in 65 arrests in Spain, including slaughterhouse owners, vets and breeders.

Authorities from France, Portugal, Belgium, Italy, Romania, Switzerland, Netherlands and Britain participated in the raid.

A Dutch national named Jan Fasen is allegedly behind a network whose profits are estimated at 20 million, according to the Civil Guard. Several bank accounts have been blocked and property confiscated as part of the investigation. Law enforcement officers also seized five new luxury vehicles.

Nine of the detainees, including Fasen, remain in custody after a court in the northern Spanish city of Ponferrada put them in preventive custody. Fasen was arrested in Belgium in April, during a trip he took there, then transferred to Spain.

The horses were obtained in northern Spain and Portugal, and some of them may have been stolen

Horses raised for meat must undergo stringent health checks. The criminal ring was allegedly selling meat products obtained from animals used for recreation, which are not put through these controls.

The individuals under arrest and being investigated face charges that include animal abuse, document forgery, money laundering and criminal association.

There are also charges of crimes against public health, because analyzed samples turned up traces of antibiotics that are not allowed in meat meant for human consumption, said sources familiar with the investigation.

Health hazards Early analyses of meat samples found traces of antibiotics, which horses raised for meat are not treated with. The same sources said that they are awaiting new reports from the Spanish Consumption, Food Safety and Nutrition Agency. Horses used for recreational purposes are fitted with microchips that contain information about each animal. During the raid, Spanish officers found a stable in the northern region of Cantabria where the chips were being extracted from animals necks with a knife cut. The property owners are being charged with animal abuse.

The man at the center of the ring, Jan Fasen, was living in the Spanish Mediterranean town of Calpe (Alicante). In a Sunday press release, Europol noted that this same individual was involved in a case of adulterated beef burgers in Ireland in 2013. Those products were found to contain horsemeat.

The latest operation began in June of last year, when the Civil Guard Environmental Protection Service (Seprona) located Fasen in Calpe, from where he was handling the entire network from the shadows, placing trusted individuals in charge in all the territories where the ring had a presence.

Fasen even hired a businessman, Ramon Cerda, who specializes in setting up companies  some of which have turned up in police investigations into some of Spains biggest corruption scandals, such as Gurtel and Noos.

The horses were obtained in northern Spain and Portugal. Investigators suspect that some of them may have been stolen. Three slaughterhouses in Astorga, Toreno and Segovia were charged with putting them down. The animals documents were forged so they could be passed off as fit for human consumption.

Investigators underscore that the arrested vets  some of whom worked independently while others were on the payroll of the regional government of Castilla y Leon  should have checked the horses origins.

After being slaughtered, the animals were trucked to a facility in Toledo for processing, said the same sources. Although some of the products were sold in Spain, most were being exported to Italy and Belgium, considered one of the biggest horsemeat exporters in the European Union, according to the Europol press release.

English version by Susana Urra.
From July 24, nudism will no longer be an option on the beaches of San Pedro del Pinatar (Murcia), despite the fact that some of the sands there have a naturist tradition that dates back to the days of the Spanish dictator Francisco Franco. Nor will beachgoers be able to plant umbrellas there to reserve a spot, ride a bicycle along the seafront, take pets with them, or listen to loud music. All of these offenses will be punishable with fines of up to 750.

Nudists on the Canos de Meca beach in Cadiz. JULIAN ROJAS

These new regulations have been passed by the conservative Popular Party-controlled council, without taking any of the amendments into account that were tabled by the opposition  including the Socialist Party, Ciudadanos and United Left, who all said they considered the rules to be too restrictive. Theyre among the toughest in Spain, the opposition argued, despite the PPs argument that the rules simply replicate those in place up and down the Spanish coast.

The most questioned part of the new regulations is article 10, which bans complete nudity and states that no beaches are naturist in the municipality, despite a long tradition of nudism on two of its six beaches. Locals claim that total nudity was commonplace on La Lana beach, as far back as the last years of the restrictive Franco dictatorship, as well as on La Torre Derribada, where naturism has gained ground in the last decade or so. Both are located away from the center of the town, in the natural park of Las Salinas, and the peaceful coexistence of clothed and nude beachgoers was a regular sight until now.

Locals claim total nudity was commonplace on La Lana as far back as the last years of the restrictive Franco dictatorship

But according to the councilor in charge of beaches, Silvia Egea, the sands have been attracting more and more members of the public in recent years, and they are no longer the isolated paradise they were a few decades ago. At San Pedro we are aiming for family- and sport-based tourism, she continues. La Llana is not a closed off beach, its not a small or isolated bay, it is around three kilometers long and there are more and more members of the public there. So much so that this summer for the first time a lifeguard station has been installed in the furthest part for the town center. Theres a continuous flow of people and we have seen it necessary to regulate the practice of nudism.

In her opinion, the measure will not have a negative effect on tourism, although she admits that nudist visitors logically will no longer come, given that baring all will cost them a fine of between 100 and 750.

The Spanish Naturist Foundation (FEN), however, claims such a ban is illegal and unconstitutional. Its president, Ismael Rodrigo, explains that Spanish law allows for nudism in any public space, not just on beaches, meaning that no council can ban it.

The Spanish Naturist Foundation (FEN) claims such a ban is illegal and unconstitutional

Under Spanish law, complete nudity in public spaces was considered to be an offense of public scandal until 1988, when it was removed from the penal code. Its not that there is a legal loophole, its more that what was considered an offense was abolished because it was understood to be unconstitutional and violated the freedoms of citizens, argues Rodrigo, who claims that there is no other regulation like these new ones in the rest of Spain.

But the most similar cases are to be found in Barcelona, Cadiz and Valladolid. In 2011, the former approved an ordinance that banned members of the public from walking the streets of the city nude, in a swimming costume or with no shirt on, but the rules do not apply to beaches, seafront promenades or adjacent areas. In the case of Cadiz, nudity has been banned since 2009, but only on urban beaches, not in natural areas or those that are far from the city center. While it may lack a beach, Valladolid approved an ordinance in 2012 that also banned nudity on its streets.

In all of these cases the FEN mounted legal challenges to these rules, right up to the Supreme Court. The countrys top tribunal ratified the rules in part, but it did eliminate some of the less-precise allusions, such as the terms semi-naked or near-nudism.

Article 18 bans the physiological evacuation (stool or urination) in the sea or on the beach

A ruling from the European Court of Human Rights also found against such bans, on the basis that nudity is part of freedom of expression. But the council of San Pedro del Pinatar insists that its legal services see no conflict with their new regulations and insist they will apply the bans.

Beachgoers in the area will also face fines of up to 750 for reserving a spot on the sand with their umbrellas before 8am. A similar measure was taken by the Mediterranean city of Gandia, for example, and using the same argument: the area needs to be clear for proper cleaning.

Nor will domestic animals have a place on the beaches, nor cyclists, nor lovers of loud music. According to the council, none of these restrictions are new: they argue they appear in more than 30 regulations from beaches from all over Spain and have been copied almost literally.

Another of the more surprising bans is found in article 18: The physiological evacuation (stool or urination) in the sea or on the beach. Egea argues that this is common sense and in the interests of hygiene. Beachgoers, meanwhile, are asking themselves how local police officers charged with enforcing the rules will be able to tell if a bather is urinating or not while in the sea.

English version by Simon Hunter.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 17

Trend:

Azercell Telecom LLC, the leading mobile operator of communications market in Azerbaijan, has received its next international award. The company was awarded as a leading communication services provider at the International Conference Excellence in Quality for the strong position in the national market and in international ratings, successful implementation of modern management technologies, high staff qualification and efficient marketing strategy. The award was received by Mr. Vahid Mursaliyev, Chief Executive Officer of Azercell Telecom LLC. European Business Assembly wished Azercell Telecom LLC successful and rapid development in the future and expressed its gratitude to Mr. Vahid Mursaliyev for his participation at the conference.

It is worth noting that International Conference Excellence in Quality is held annually with the joint effort of Europe Business Assembly (UK), Academic Union Oxford (UK), European Medical Association (Belgium), Swiss Institute of Quality Standards (Switzerland). The recent conference took place in Lucerne, Switzerland and gathered together more than 200 regional business, professional and academic elite representatives from 54 countries. The professionals shared knowledge for business improvement and positive social transformation. The conference mainly focused on the role models of excellence in 4 sectors: city management, corporate, healthcare / medical travel and education management.

It should be noted that Azercell has received numerous awards by local and international organizations. Stevie International Business, Socialbakers Engage Award and Socially devoted are some of the international awards won by the company.

For more information, please contact [email protected]



The leader of the mobile communication industry of Azerbaijan and the biggest investor in the non-oil sector Azercell Telecom LLC was founded in 1996. With 48% share of Azerbaijans mobile market Azercells network covers 80% of the territory and 99,8% of population of the country. Currently, 4,5 million subscribers choose Azercell services. Azercell has pioneered an important number of innovations in Azerbaijan, including GSM technology, advance payment system, 24/7 Customer Care, online customer services, GPRS/EDGE, M2M, MobilBank, one-stop- shop service offices Azercell Express, mobile e-service ASAN signature, etc. Azercell deployed first 4G  LTE services in Azerbaijan in 2012. According to the results of mobile network quality surveys of Global Wireless Solutions company and international systems specialized in wireless coverage mapping such as Opensignal and Testmy.net, Azercells network demonstrated the best results among the mobile operators of Azerbaijan.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 17

Trend:

Holding presidential elections in the Azerbaijani territories occupied by Armenia is another political provocation, Hikmat Hajiyev, spokesperson of Azerbaijans Foreign Ministry, told Trend July 17.

The parliamentary elections held on May 3, 2015, by the so-called regime created in the Azerbaijani territories occupied by Armenia, and the referendum on making amendments to the constitution, dated February 20, 2017, were not recognized by the international community, noted Hajiyev.

Holding illegitimate presidential elections by the illegal parliament is nothing but self-deception, he added.

Everyone is well aware that the criminal leadership of the illegal regime, as well as members of the parliament are appointed by the military and political authorities of Armenia and only act as puppets, said the Azerbaijani official.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 17

Trend:

The Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict may flare up with renewed vigor, as it is the result of geopolitical games, Novruz Mammadov, assistant to Azerbaijans president for foreign policy issues, told RIA Novosti agency.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has been going on for more than 25 years, and 20 percent of the internationally recognized territories of Azerbaijan are under Armenias occupation, said Mammadov.

As a result, more than one million people became refugees and IDPs, he added.

However, for some reason, there are unabated attempts to present this issue as a frozen conflict, noted the Azerbaijani official.

It can be stated with certainty that the conflict is the result of geopolitical games, added Mammadov.

According to him, this result wont change as long as these games continue. As an example, he brought up Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.

Though international mediators advocate the preservation of Azerbaijans territorial integrity, meanwhile, for some reason, they prefer not to take an unambiguous position, said Mammadov.

We expect concrete steps from the co-chair countries, as well as from the world community, for a fair resolution of the conflict, he added.
Details added (first version posted on 11:46)

Baku, Azerbaijan, July 17

Trend:

Holding presidential elections in the Azerbaijani territories occupied by Armenia is another political provocation, Hikmat Hajiyev, spokesperson of Azerbaijans Foreign Ministry, told Trend July 17.

The parliamentary elections held on May 3, 2015, by the so-called regime created in the Azerbaijani territories occupied by Armenia, and the referendum on making amendments to the constitution, dated February 20, 2017, were not recognized by the international community, noted Hajiyev.

Holding illegitimate presidential elections by the illegal parliament is nothing but self-deception, he added.

Everyone is well aware that the criminal leadership of the illegal regime, as well as members of the parliament are appointed by the military and political authorities of Armenia and only act as puppets, said the Azerbaijani official.

Holding illegal and falsified presidential elections is a violation of the Constitution and laws of Azerbaijan, norms and principles of international law, said the spokesperson.

As a continuation of the military provocations committed by Armenia along the line of contact between the troops in order to escalate the situation, these actions of Armenia are aimed at violating efforts to resolve the conflict on the basis of substantive negotiations, added Hajiyev.

All this proves once again that Armenia is not interested in a political solution to the conflict and is trying with all its might to maintain the status quo based on the occupation, he noted.

The only possible way to achieve a sustainable and long-term settlement is the withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from the occupied Azerbaijani territories, as required by the UN Security Council resolutions, the return of refugees and internally displaced persons to their native lands, the restoration of the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan within the internationally recognized borders, the joint peaceful residence of the Azerbaijani and Armenian communities of Nagorno-Karabakh within the borders of Azerbaijan, added the official.

Hajiyev added that the Armenian side, instead of wasting time and deceiving its people and the international community, should participate constructively in the process of resolving the conflict and fulfill its international obligations.

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 17

Trend:

Discussion of a specific plan for settling the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and implementation of this plan should be ensured at a possible meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said in an interview with RIA Novosti.

At the initiative of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, a meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers, Elmar Mammadyarov and Edward Nalbandian was held in Brussels, where it was suggested to hold a meeting of the two countries presidents.

Accordingly, the foreign ministers must coordinate this proposal with heads of state. Meetings are an important element in the process of the conflict resolution, said Mammadyarov.

If a meeting is organized at the presidential level, I believe it is necessary to ensure discussion of the plan, proposed by the [OSCE Minsk Group] co-chairs, on the conflict resolution and [the plans] implementation. This is why we always put emphasis on the need for the negotiations to be substantive, the Azerbaijani FM added.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 17

Trend:

After the official welcome ceremony, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of the Republic of Latvia Raimonds Vejonis have held a one-on-one meeting.

The presidents noted successful development of the bilateral relations in political, economic and other areas. The importance of the Azerbaijani President`s official visit to Latvia in terms of the expansion of relations was emphasized. The heads of state exchanged views over the current state and prospects of Azerbaijan-Latvia relations, and discussed the opportunities for expanding the bilateral ties.

The presidents also exchanged views over other issues of mutual interest.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 17

Trend:

Currently, it is very difficult to talk about success in international relations, because the world failed to maintain the principles of justice after the termination of the Warsaw Pact, Novruz Mammadov, assistant to Azerbaijans president for foreign policy issues, department head, said in an interview with RIA Novosti agency.

The Warsaw Pact, formally the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance was signed between Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary, East Germany, Poland, Romania, USSR and Czechoslovakia on May 14, 1955. In 1985, it was extended for 20 years, but on July 1, 1991, members of the Warsaw Treaty Organization signed a protocol on the complete termination of the treaty.

The reason for the worlds becoming like this today is the lack of justice, said Mammadov.

After the Warsaw Pact, the world failed to maintain the principles of justice. It makes no sense to talk about universal values, if there is no justice in international relations, he added.

The Azerbaijani official touched upon the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and noted that a fair assessment of the conflict faces obstacles for some reason.

Assistant to the Azerbaijani president recalled that the OSCE Minsk Group, which includes precisely those countries that can, if necessary, have their say on the international arena, is engaged in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Details added (first version posted on 13:04)

Baku, Azerbaijan, July 17

Trend:

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of the Republic of Latvia Raimonds Vejonis have held an expanded meeting joined by their delegations.

Big opportunities for expanding cooperation between the two countries in a variety of fields were hailed at the meeting. Azerbaijan's significant role in international transport corridors, including East-West and North-South corridors, as well as in cargo transportation between Asia and Europe was emphasized.

President Ilham Aliyev highlighted Azerbaijans contribution to international cooperation in the field of transport. The sides hailed the importance of the documents to be signed as part of the Azerbaijani Presidents official visit to Latvia, expressing their confidence that these documents will contribute to the expansion of bilateral relations. They also discussed the educational cooperation, and underlined good opportunities for expanding bilateral ties in this area.

The importance of Azerbaijan-Latvia relationship in the context of Azerbaijan-EU ties was underlined.

The sides discussed the activity of the intergovernmental commission, and highlighted the significance of exploring the opportunities for increasing the bilateral trade, determining export and import potential, and cooperation in agriculture, tourism, information and communication technologies.

President Raimonds Vejonis emphasized that Latvia has always supported and will continue to support Azerbaijan's territorial integrity.

The Latvian President noted that his country will continue to contribute to the strengthening of Azerbaijan-EU cooperation.
Details added (first version posted on 13:19)

Baku, Azerbaijan, July 17

Trend:

Following the expanded meeting, a ceremony of signing documents has been held with participation of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of the Republic of Latvia Raimonds Vejonis.

The two presidents signed a joint declaration on establishing a strategic partnership between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Latvia.

A memorandum of understanding on international integrated cargo transportation between the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of Transport of Latvia was signed by Co-chairman of the intergovernmental commission for economic, scientific, technical and cultural cooperation, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan Huseyngulu Bagirov and Latvias Minister of Transport Uldis Augulis.

The agreement on cooperation in the field of state control over security in construction between the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of Economy of Latvia was signed by Co-chairman of the intergovernmental commission for economic, scientific, technical and cultural cooperation, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan Huseyngulu Bagirov and Latvias Minister of Education and Science Karlis Sadurskis.

The agreement on cooperation in the field of education between the Government of Azerbaijan and the Government of Latvia was signed by Minister of Education of Azerbaijan Mikayil Jabbarov and Latvias Minister of Education and Science Karlis Sadurskis.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 17

Trend:

The final document on the Caspian Seas status was agreed by 70-80 percent, Azerbaijans Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said in an interview with RIA Novosti.

There is a working group consisting of deputy foreign ministers to determine the legal status of the Caspian Sea, the FM said, adding although the sides have not yet come to a final consensus, a dialogue was established between the parties.

Despite the fact that the legal status has not been yet determined, legal basis was formed for cooperation in conservation of the Caspian Seas flora and fauna, mutual help in emergency situations, fight against terrorism and other fields. This basis gives us the foundation to move forward in the issue of final determination of the Caspian Seas legal status, Mammadyarov noted.

Russia and Kazakhstan signed an agreement on the delimitation of the northern part of the Caspian Sea in order to exercise sovereign rights for subsoil use in July 1998. The two countries signed a protocol to the agreement in May 2002.

Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan signed an agreement on the delimitation of the Caspian Sea and a protocol to it on Nov. 29, 2001 and Feb. 27, 2003, respectively.

Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Russia signed an agreement on the delimitation of adjacent sections of the Caspian Sea on May 14, 2003.

The Caspian littoral states  Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan and Iran  signed the Framework Convention for Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea in November 2003.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 17

Trend:

Latvia supports Azerbaijan, its sovereignty and territorial integrity, said Latvian President Raimonds Vejonis as he met with his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev in Riga.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict can only be solved through peace and negotiations, and this should be based on the norms and principles of international law, said the Latvian president.

Hailing Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyevs official visit to Latvia, President Vejonis expressed his confidence that this visit will further enhance Azerbaijan-Latvia bilateral relations and that the friendship and partnership between the two countries will continue to develop.

The Latvian president praised Azerbaijans contribution to the implementation of the Southern Gas Corridor project and to delivery of natural gas to European consumers.

I think we need to work more closely in order to make greater strides in this regard, the Latvian president added.
Details added (first version posted at 18:00)

Baku, Azerbaijan, July 17

Trend:

An Azerbaijan-Latvia business forum has been held in Riga.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of the Republic of Latvia Raimonds Vejonis attended the event.

The heads of state made speeches at the forum.

The event then featured discussions.

Organized by the Ministry of Economy of Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation and the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia, the business forum brought together around 200 entrepreneurs representing more than 120 companies from both sides.

The sides put forward proposals on the development of cooperation between the two countries in a variety of fields of economy.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 17

By Azad Hasanli  Trend:

Azerbaijan and Turkey will sign an agreement on creating an electronic system for preliminary exchange of information on transit transportation by vehicles, the Azerbaijani State Customs Committee said July 17.

The signing will take place in Baku on July 19 as part of the trilateral meeting of the heads of the Azerbaijani, Georgian and Turkish customs bodies.

Georgian First Vice Prime Minister Dimitry Kumsishvili and Turkish Minister of Customs and Trade Bulent Tufenkci will arrive in Baku to participate in the meeting.

The sides will discuss the prospects for the development of customs cooperation as part of cargo transportation via the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway.

The final statement on strengthening of trilateral relations in the customs sphere will be adopted following the meeting.

On the eve of the meeting, the experts from the three countries will discuss various issues of customs cooperation.

According to the Azerbaijani State Customs Committee, the trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Turkey amounted to almost $1.2 billion, while the trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Georgia - $270.35 million in January-June 2017.

Both countries are on the list of the main foreign economic partners of Azerbaijan.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 17

By Elena Kosolapova - Trend:

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is extending a 5.5 million sovereign loan to Georgia to finance introduction of electric buses in the Batumi, the third-largest city in the country, the bank said in a message.

The loan will be on-lent to the City of Batumi for the benefit of the Batumi Autotransport LLC, a municipal bus company, to acquire 10 electric-battery buses, the first ones in Georgia and 20 new buses with Euro V engines to ensure improved environmental and operational performance.

The project benefits from the support of the EBRD-managed multi-donor Eastern Europe Energy Efficiency and Environment Partnership (E5P) Fund, of which the European Union is the largest contributor.

An E5P grant of over GEL 4 million (1.5 million) will be used to purchase 10 new electric buses. The European Commission along with EU member states: Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden, are the largest contributors to the Fund for Georgia. Other donors include Norway, TaiwanBusiness-EBRD Technical Cooperation Fund and the USA. Georgia is also a contributor to the E5P fund with 1 million.

The vehicles will improve the service for the citys local population and its tourists by increasing the reliability, safety and efficiency of public transport while benefiting the environment by reducing emissions. The low-floor buses will facilitate easier access for passengers including those with limited movement, the elderly and disabled, as well as for parents with pushchairs.

This will be the EBRDs second initiative to modernize public transport in Batumi. In 2008 the EBRD financed the purchase of 76 mid-size diesel buses including the maintenance equipment.

The EBRD is a leading institutional investor in Georgia. Since the start of its operations in the country, the bank has invested over 2.9 billion in 205 projects in the financial, corporate, infrastructure and energy sectors, with 91 per cent of these investments in the private sector.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 17

By Elena Kosolapova  Trend:

The EU and the Government of Uzbekistan signed an agreement of EUR 21.5 million for the Horticulture Development Project, which aims to enhance the productivity and profitability of the horticulture sector in the country, the European Commission said in a message July 17.

The Horticulture Development Project is part of a wider program on Horticulture Development, which is co-financed by the Government of Uzbekistan and local beneficiaries ($69.3 million) and the World Bank ($150 million).

The EU has committed itself to supporting the reform agenda of the Government of Uzbekistan, aiming at transforming an economy based on cotton and its primary processing to an industrial and agro-industrial economy for both domestic and export reasons. The reform agenda aligns with the 2030 Agenda, by contributing to the Sustainable Development Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth.

Therefore, the EU funding will focus on Agricultural Support Services and will build upon three interrelated goals: strengthen the capacity of participating research institutes and plant protection services to conduct research and genetic material multiplication activities; support and enhance farmers access to modern and eco-technologies, information and markets; and improve Uzbekistans food safety management system while ensuring its regulatory harmonisation with international food safety requirements.
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, July 17

By Huseyn Hasanov - Trend

The issues concerning the Turkmenbashi Bay were discussed at a meeting in Turkmenbashi city, the Neutral Turkmenistan newspaper reported.

The event was held within the activity of the State Commission of Turkmenistan on Compliance with the Country's Obligations Emanating from UN Environmental Conventions and Programs.

Eldar Rustamov, chairman of the Coordination Committee of the Ramsar Regional Initiative of Central Asia, attended the meeting.

During the presentation, the activity of the working group on the implementation of the Ramsar Convention in Turkmenistan in 2016-2017 was analyzed. The main topics of discussion were the inclusion of relevant wetlands in the Ramsar List, topography and zoning.

The positive experience in wetland management will be used in the management and sustainable conservation of other wetlands of Turkmenistan. It will promote the rational use of existing and potential Ramsar wetlands in the country and the Central Asian region.
Tashkent, Uzbekistan, July 17

By Demir Azizov  Trend:

New areas of cooperation will be considered during the next meeting of the EU-Uzbekistan Cooperation Council, the Uzbek Foreign Ministrys press service said in a message.

According to the Foreign Ministry, the meeting will be held July 17 in Belgiums capital, Brussels. Uzbekistans delegation will be headed by Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov.

During the visit, the Uzbek delegation is expected to hold bilateral negotiations with foreign ministers from the EU and Belgium.

Meanwhile, it is expected that Uzbekistan and the EU will sign an agreement on financing the new project on development of agriculture in the country.

Uzbekistan and the EU signed an agreement on partnership and cooperation in 1996. The EUs diplomatic representation was opened in Uzbekistan in 2012. Financial aid in the amount of 168 million euros was approved for this Central Asian country for 2014-2020. These funds will be used to improve the irrigation infrastructure, introduce renewable energy sources in agribusiness, and promote a program to create new jobs in the regions.
Tashkent, Uzbekistan, July 17

By Demir Azizov  Trend:

An agreement on interregional cooperation between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan has entered into force, the Uzbek Foreign Ministrys press service said in a message July 17.

The document was signed on March 23, 2017 during the state visit of Uzbekistans President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to Kazakhstan.

The agreement envisages the expansion and development of mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries regions in trade and economic, cultural and humanitarian spheres, agriculture, healthcare, promotion of employment, tourism and environmental protection, as well as in other areas of mutual interest.

According to the message, a protocol to the intergovernmental agreement on checkpoints at the Uzbek-Kazakh state border, which legally secures the opening of two checkpoints (Malik-Syrdarya and Okultin-Tselinniy) at the border between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, in connection with the resumption of the use of the road section, M-39, has also entered into force.

The protocol was signed by the parties through diplomatic channels while preparing for the state visit of Uzbekistans president to Kazakhstan.

As it was previously reported, the official opening ceremony of the Malik-Syrdarya and Okullin-Tselinniy checkpoints between Tashkent and Samarkand was held at the beginning of the last week.

The 25-km long M-39 road section, passing through the territory of Kazakhstan, has been closed since 2006. Its opening took place thanks to the agreement of the two countries leaders.
Tashkent, Uzbekistan, July 17

By Demir Azizov Trend:

Two Afghan delegations headed by the advisors to the countrys President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani will pay a working visit to Uzbekistan July 17, the Uzbek Foreign Ministry said.

The delegations are headed by the president's National Security Adviser Muhammad Hanif Atmar and Senior Adviser on Infrastructure, Technology and Human Resources Mohammad Humayon Qayoumi.

The bilateral consultations on topical issues of the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan agenda are planned to be held as part of the program of visits.

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani discussed the prospects of further development of relations between the two countries in the political, trade, economic, transport, communication, cultural, humanitarian spheres, cooperation within international organizations, as well as topical issues of regional and international importance on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Astana in June.

The mutual trade volume between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan amounted to about $500 million in 2016. The legislative framework for bilateral cooperation includes intergovernmental and interdepartmental agreements on trade and economic cooperation, on cooperation in the field of railway transport, on international transport routes and on cooperation in the field of transit and transport.

Currently, more than 70 enterprises with Afghan side, including 20 enterprises with full Afghan capital, operate in the sphere of services, trade and production of construction materials in Uzbekistan.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 15

By Fatih Karimov Trend:

Over 1.448 million of various new vehicles were sold at Irans market in 2016, according to the latest report of the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA).

The figure indicates a rise by 18.5 percent year-on-year, however it is still less than 1.688 million of vehicles sold in the country in 2011.

The OICA report indicates that more than 93.85 million new vehicles were sold in global markets in 2016 in comparison with 89.68 million in 2015.

The number of cars on Irans roads surpassed 14.13 million in 2015, according to the OICA. The figure includes 12.7 million passenger cars and 1.43 million commercial vehicles.

The number of vehicles in use in Iran stood at 13.36 and 12.679 million in 2014 and 2013 respectively.

The motorization rate increased from 171 in 2014 to 179 vehicles per 1,000 inhabitants in 2015 in Iran, according to the report.

The average global motorization rate was 182 vehicles per 1,000 inhabitants in 2015.

The report says that 1.282 billion cars were in use in the world in 2015. The figure stood at 1.234 billion in 2014.

Iran's car output reached 1.165 million units in 2016, according to the OICA. The figure indicated an 18.6-percent rise versus 2015, which is the highest output growth rate among car manufacturers in the world.

The Islamic Republic was the world's 18th biggest car manufacturer in 2016.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 17



By Fatih Karimov Trend:



National Iranian South Oil Company (NISOC) and Russian Zarubezhneft signed a memorandum of understanding based on which the latter will conduct a study over Irans Shadegan and Rag Sefid oilfields.



Under the MoU, the Russian side will prepare a development plan for the oil fields, based on the NISOC contract framework confirmed by Iran's Oil Ministry, the NISOC said July 17.



Zarubezhneft should submit its proposal for the fields development to the NISOC within nine months.



The NISOC, Iran's largest oil company, produces about 83 percent of crude oil and 16 percent of natural gas in the country.



The company has earlier signed deals with various firms including Schlumberger, Tatneft, Tenco (affiliated to IRGC), Pergas (a consortium of international companies), MAPNA Group and Persia Oil & Gas Industry Development Co. for carrying out development studies of four fields of Parsi, Karanj, Rag Sefid and Shadegan, including nine oil reserves.



The nine reserves include Asmari, Pabdeh and Khami in Karanj field, three reserves in Asmari, Bangestan and Khami in Rag Sefid field, Asmari field in Parsi field and two reserves of Asmari and Bangestan in Shadegan field.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 16

By Fatih Karimov Trend:

Iran and Iraq signed a memorandum of understanding for reconstruction of Iraqs industry and creating industrial towns in the country.

The deal was signed on the sidelines of a meeting between visiting Iraqi minister of labor and social affairs, Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani and Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh Irans industry, mine and trade minister on July 16, the Iranian ministrys official SHATA news portal reported.

Nematzadeh said that Iran has a good experience in creating industrial towns and is ready to construct them in Iraq and provide equipment in places where the Iraqi government intends.

Iran is determined to boost economic cooperation with the neighbouring country, Nematzadeh said, calling for establishment of banking ties between the two countries.

He further expressed Irans readiness for cooperation with Iraq in infrastructure sector.

Nematzadeh said that Tehran is ready to help Iraq in housing, road building, water and power provision, sea harbors, public welfare centers and etc.

The Iraqi official for his turn, requested for construction of five industrial towns in Iraqs border regions with Iran.

He said that five Iranian banks have established branches in Iraq.

al-Sudani added that Iraqs Rasheed Bank has submitted a request to open its branch in Iran, expressing hope that the Iranian side to agree with the request.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 17



By Khalid Kazimov  Trend:



A senior Iranian commander has criticized the US over plans to introduce new sanctions against his country.



The chief of staff of Iran's armed forces, Major General Mohammad Bagheri, said that considering the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist group and imposing sanctions on the Islamic Republic would pose major risks to the US bases and troops in the region, IRNA news agency reported.



He further added that Irans missile program is not negotiable.



Earlier in June, the US Senate voted to advance a bill that would impose new sanctions on Iran over its ballistic missile development, arms transfers and its alleged support for Islamist militant groups and human rights violations.



The measure in order to become law needs to be signed by President Donald Trump.
Australia's military will be more readily deployed to respond to "terrorist incidents" on home soil under proposed changes to laws announced by the government on Monday, Reuters reported.

The government said in a statement that state and territory police forces remained the best first response, but the military could offer additional support to enhance their capabilities.

Australia has seen a series of "lone wolf" Islamist-inspired attacks, prompting a review of police tactics and the powers of state and federal authorities.

"The key thing we need is the most flexible possible arrangements  the threat's changed very significantly," Justice Minister Michael Keenan told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation on Monday.

Under the proposed law changes, state and territory governments would be able to call for military aid before the ability to respond to an incident exceeds the capabilities of their police forces.

"What we want to do is make sure we're working with the police, so whatever assets the Commonwealth has including the ADF (Australian Defence Force) are being used," Keenan said.

The proposed law changes are a result of the first review of the military's role in domestic counter-terrorism since 2005, the government said.
Details added (first version posted on 19:32)

Baku, Azerbaijan, July 17

Trend:

The Turkish parliament approved the bill on the extension of the state of emergency for three more months, Anadolu agency reported July 17.

Earlier, the Turkish government submitted a bill to the countrys Grand National Assembly to extend the state of emergency for three more months, the Turkish media reported.

The document envisages the extension of the state of emergency for 90 days on July 19, 2017 from 01:00 (UTC+3).

The state of emergency for a period of three months was first introduced in Turkey on July 21, 2016, shortly after the prevention of a military coup attempt in the country.

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.
The National Security Council meeting in Ankara on Monday resolved that Turkey would never allow a terrorist state to be established on its border, Anadolu reported.

According to a statement issued after the councils meeting at the presidential complex in the capital, the meeting highlighted that the PKK/PYD terror group cannot be legalized, even if it was fighting against another terrorist group Daesh.

Ankara views the PYD and its arm the YPG as the Syrian branches of the PKK terror group.

Arms sent by certain allied countries to the PYD (in northern Iraq and Syria) have been delivered to PKK terrorist organization, which vindicates Turkey's rightful objection to the arming of Syrian terror affiliate, the statement said.

Turkey has repeatedly objected to the supply of weapons to terror groups on the pretext of an operation to oust Daesh from Syria's northern city of Raqqah.

However, the U.S. considers the PKK/PYD as a "reliable partner" on the ground in Syria and continues to support them in the field.

"Without leaving double standards on terror organizations, regional peace and security are impossible," the statement read, calling on the international community for a mutual understanding to fight terrorism.

Referring to the independence referendum backed by the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) in northern Iraq, the statement said the decision would not be in accordance with the law.

It would be a "grave mistake" and "will result in undesired results," it said, adding that territorial integrity and unity of Iraq is vital for regional peace and security.

- State of emergency extended

In March, KRG President Masoud Barzani held a meeting with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in Erbil city during which he announced that within a short period of time a referendum would be held to decide the fate of the region.

About the extension of the ongoing state of emergency in Turkey for another three months, the national security statement said the motion was submitted to the parliament "to ensure the continuation of measures taken to protect our democracy, the state of law, the rights and freedoms of our citizens".

On Wednesday, the motion was approved with votes in favor from the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party and the opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP); the extension will become effective from Wednesday at 1.00 a.m. (2200 GMT Tuesday).

Turkey declared a state of emergency on July 20, 2016, after the defeated coup of July 15, 2016 attempted by Fetullah Terrorist Organization.

At least 250 people were martyred and nearly 2,200 others were injured in the coup attempt.

During the state of emergency, the Cabinet has the right to issue statutory decrees under the president of the republic without regard to routine procedures and restrictions in Article 91 of Turkish Constitution.

According to the Constitution, a state of emergency can be declared for a maximum period of six months.
Controversial Malaysia-based Nigerian millionaire Hushpuppi has been hospitalised and his fans have started sending him heartwarming messages.

Hushpuppi took to is Snapchat handle on Sunday, July 16, to post pictures of him in the hospital while receiving drips. He was said to have been rushed to the hospital on a medical emergency.

However, the young millionaire and Gucci addict was rushed to the hospital after having too much fun with his friends and drinking too much champagne.

Hushpuppi hospitalized after too much enjoyment. Source: Lailasblog

READ ALSO: IPOB member gets buried in a 'rocket' shaped Biafran coloured casket (photos)

He was allegedly rushed to the hospital shortly after he was seen shopping heavily at a mall abroad. Before his admission, he was seen shopping while his chauffeur was seen carrying his bags behind him. Despite his full wardrobe, Hushpuppi still shopped for more Gucci, Versace and Dolce & Gabbana wears.

PAY ATTENTION: Get all the latest gossips on NAIJ Gossip App

Hushpuppi receiving drip in the hospital. Source: Lailasblog

Get well soon!

Watch Legit.ng video below:

Source: Legit.ng




Ann Coulter

On Saturday, political commentator Ann Coulter launched into an epic multiday Twitter tirade after accusing Delta Air Lines of giving away her seat on a flight that day.

In her tweetstorm, Coulter said Delta gave away an extended-legroom economy-class seat, for which she paid $30, to another passenger.

(Delta has said it will refund the $30 Coulter spent on her seat upgrade.)

This event led Coulter to call Delta the "worst airline in America" followed by pictures of her seatmates and a Delta flight attendant in an attempt to publicly shame them.

For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available on iOS and Android.

In other tweets, Coulter complained about everything from the airline's Wi-Fi service to the time she spent carefully selecting her seat.

At one point, the political commentator went as far as comparing Delta's staff to the Stasi, East Germany's secret police, and even threatened to call CEO Ed Bastian.



Just when you think it's safe to fly them again, the worst airline in America is STILL: @Delta

 Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) July 15, 2017



Does your union hate you, @Delta? Not really worth spending all that money on planes when @Delta gate staff give your seat away.

 Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) July 15, 2017

The Atlanta-based airline responded to the controversial media figure, who was traveling on Delta Flight 2852 from New York to West Palm Beach, Florida, by chiding her for what it described as "derogatory and slanderous" posts about its customers and employees.

[Money Basics: What is a security?]

Story continues

In a statement to the public, Delta wrote:

"We are sorry that the customer did not receive the seat she reserved and paid for. More importantly, we are disappointed that the customer has chosen to publicly attack our employees and other customers by posting derogatory and slanderous comments and photos in social media. Her actions are unnecessary and unacceptable. Each of our employees is charged with treating each other as well as our customers with dignity and respect. And we hold each other accountable when that does not happen. Delta expects mutual civility throughout the entire travel experience. We will refund Ms. Coulter's $30 for the preferred seat on the exit row that she purchased."



Hey @Delta, you mind telling me why it was an "emergency" to move someone else into the seat I had carefully chosen in advance and booked?

 Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) July 15, 2017



Also, @Delta, your wifi doesn't work -- probably to prevent passengers from tweeting from the plane about how they're being treated.

 Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) July 15, 2017



So glad I took time investigate the aircraft & PRE-BOOK a specific seat on @Delta, so some woman could waltz at the last min & take my seat.

 Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) July 15, 2017



But at least @Delta was nice @ it, summarily snatching my ticket from my hand & ordering me to move w/o explanation, compensation or apology

 Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) July 16, 2017



Suck-ass @Delta spends all this $$$ on beautiful aircraft & then hire Nurse Ratchets as flight attendants & gate agents.

 Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) July 16, 2017



.@Delta motto: "How can we make your flight more uncomfortable?"

 Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) July 16, 2017



.@Delta employee questionnaire: What is your ideal job: Prison guard? Animal handler? Stasi policeman? All of the above: HIRED!

 Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) July 16, 2017



If @Delta employees were not so HONORABLE & TRUSTWORTHY, I would have said this is an outright lie. Facts are not "insults." https://t.co/w3fpEmu3z8

 Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) July 17, 2017

In response to the tirade, Delta offered a full explanation of what occurred on Flight 2852.

According to Delta, Coulter originally booked seat 15F. On the aircraft operating this flight, 15F was located by the window in an emergency-exit row. But the airline said Coulter changed her seat to 15D, which was by the aisle, within 24 hours of the flight. The mix-up that set off the tweetstorm came at the time of boarding when Delta accidentally moved Coulter to 15A, a window seat.

As a result, Coulter didn't actually lose any of the extra legroom on which she spent $30. But she did have to sit in a window seat as opposed to one along the aisle.

Delta says its staff made several attempts to reach out to Coulter over the weekend but did not hear back from her until Sunday evening.

NOW WATCH: These are the watches worn by some of the most powerful men in finance





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* Finance minister says colleagues warm to transitional deal

* Brexit talks due to start in earnest on Monday

* Cabinet infighting seen as clouding the picture (Adds further comments on transition)

By Kylie MacLellan

LONDON, July 16 (Reuters) - Senior members of the government are becoming convinced of the need for a phased British departure from the European Union to help protect the economy, finance minister Philip Hammond said on Sunday.

Brexit minister David Davis heads to Brussels on Monday for a first full round of talks, with EU officials hoping the British government, yet to set out detailed proposals on several major issues, begins to show more urgency about doing a deal before Britain leaves the bloc in 2019.

Hammond, who supported remaining in the EU at last year's referendum, is seen as the voice of a so-called 'soft Brexit' within Prime Minister Theresa May's cabinet, favouring prioritising trade ties with the EU over curbing immigration.

With May weakened by a failed election gamble last month which saw her Conservatives lose their parliamentary majority, Britain's weekend papers were full of stories of infighting as cabinet colleagues reportedly vie for her job.

Hammond, regarded as one potential successor to May, has repeatedly talked about the need for a transitional deal, saying such an arrangement would see Britain replicate as much as possible the existing arrangements in order to minimise the impact on business.

Hammond said the majority of his colleagues now recognised this was "the right and sensible way to go".

"Five weeks ago the idea of a transition period was quite a new concept, I think now you would find that pretty much everybody around the cabinet table accepts that there will be some kind of transition," Hammond told BBC TV.

"I think you'll find the cabinet rallying around a position that maximises our negotiating leverage and gets the best possible deal for Britain."

Trade minister Liam Fox, who favours making a cleaner break with the bloc, said he did not have a problem with a transition period as long as it was for a limited duration and gave Britain the freedom to negotiate its own trade deals.

Story continues

Hammond said the government needed to provide as much clarity as possible, as soon as possible, to restore business and consumer confidence and keep the economy moving.

"It is absolutely clear that businesses, where they have discretion over investment, where they can hold off, are doing so ... they are waiting for more clarity about what the future relationship with Europe will look like," he said.

The length of any transition would depend on how long is needed to get new systems in place in areas such as customs and immigration, but it should be a defined period and was likely to need to be "a couple of years," Hammond added.

SQUABBLING MINISTERS

Hammond himself was the subject of a number of damaging newspaper stories over the weekend, including one which said he had called public sector workers "overpaid". The finance minister said he was being attacked for his Brexit views.

"Some of the noise is generated by people who are not happy with the agenda that I have ... tried to advance of ensuring that we achieve a Brexit which is focused on protecting our economy, protecting our jobs and making sure that we can have continued rising living standards in the future," he said.

Former party leader Ian Duncan Smith told the BBC that there was no appetite among Conservative lawmakers for a leadership contest and said his colleagues should "shut up" and "let everyone else get on with the business of governing".

Gus O'Donnell, Britain's former top public official, told the Observer newspaper that the chances of a smooth Brexit were at risk of being derailed by squabbling ministers.

"It appears that cabinet members haven't yet finished negotiating with each other, never mind the EU," he said, adding that there was "no chance" all the details of Brexit could be hammered out before the March 2019 deadline.

"We will need a long transition phase and the time needed does not diminish by pretending that this phase is just about 'implementing' agreed policies as they will not all be agreed." (Additional reporting by William Schomberg; Editing by Keith Weir)
Virgin Group founder Richard Branson approaches the winners circle after team driver Sam Bird won the New York City ePrix a Formula E all-electric auto race Saturday, July 15, 2017, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. (AP Photo/Michael Noble Jr.)

President Donald Trump has pledged his support to revitalize the coal mining industry and create more jobs through deregulation.

Billionaire serial entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson, the founder of the Virgin Group, argues that the U.S. government should take a different approach.

Coal mining is not the nicest of jobs, and coal mining disappeared in Britain many decades ago, and pretty much every single one of those coal miners went into jobs which were far more pleasant, far less dangerous, far better for their health, and I doubt that theres one coal miner that looks back thinking, God, I wish I was down in a coal mine, Branson said in response to a question from Yahoo Finance.

Instead, Branson believes that creating hundreds of thousands of jobs in clean forms of energy such as wind and solar would be good for the coal miners, good for America, and it would be good for the world.

During an earlier panel discussion at the DS Virgin Racing Innovation Summit on Friday to promote the inaugural Formula E ePrix held in Brooklyn this weekend, Branson argued that the Trump administrations approach to energy is the wrong one.

Obviously, whats happened in America, having an administration that put out the most bizarre statement on [the Paris climate agreement] is not good news because you do need governments to set the rules, Branson said. And, you do need to make it clear that clean energy should have a leg up over dirty energy. And you have a government thats not setting proper differentials, thats going to be tricky.

As a result, American cities and companies will have to come forward and step into the breach where the government is lacking, he added.

Fellow panelist Andrew Liveris, the CEO of Dow Chemical (DOW) and head of Trumps Manufacturing Jobs Initiative, does believe that the U.S. will find its way back to the Paris climate agreement.

Im not saying that out of deep knowledge, he said.

Andrew Liveris, CEO and chairman of The Dow Chemical Company

During the panel discussion, Liveris noted that people had been left behind from a massive policy failure in governments in three key areas.

Story continues

Globalization, digitalization, and protecting the planet, sustainability, are three massive causes where weve left people behind. Weve left them behind.

Part of the problem is that equity market investors focus on short-term results instead of supporting companies addressing these issues.

Were in a 90-day march to make profits in the public markets, Liveris said. If I talk about something that has a solution two or three years from now, no investor will be interested. The investment community in this area is minor without a voice. The investment community in the area of not investing for the future is loud, and theyre demanding profits. And were doing it to ourselves.

Liveris added that those workers whove been left behind, like a coal miner in West Virginia, need a place in the new economy. They also need to be brought into the conversation.

Theyre not even being talked to, let alone being educated.

Speaking of education, he added that only small pool of graduates have degrees in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

We cant find people to actually help us solve those problems, Liveris said. And when we shut out immigration, its even worse. So we are in deficit of the skills and training needed to help everybody solve this problem.

Liveris believes that there needs to be a public-private partnership model that helps bring people along while addressing climate change.

For Branson, solving climate change is one of the great opportunities for the world.

He envisions a future where animals no longer have to be slaughtered for meat, which contributes significantly to pollution. He also sees a future where planes and cars are powered by batteries and homes run on clean fuels. These sorts of innovations would also be much more economical.

If the whole world can be powered forever on roughly $25 per barrel for energy that suddenly means companies can make more money, people can make more money; hospitals can charge less. The knock-on effect to the global economy is enormous, Branson said. What companies need to realize, pushing to be carbon neutral by 2030, 2040, 2050 is sort of the final stop gap, should be good business sense for them, for the economy, for the people.

Branson later told Yahoo Finance that his vision for a new kind of capitalism is one where investors put their money in companies that make a difference.

I think its positive capitalism that invests in purpose-driven companies that can solve the problems of the world. So, as much as possible when you have three opportunities to invest in something, choose, and you havent got an infinite amount of money, spend that money on something thats going to make a positive difference in the world. And actually, I expect youll get a better return as well.



Julia La Roche is a finance reporter at Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter.
Stocks (^DJI, ^GSPC, ^IXIC) are trading in range from losses to gains as investors shake off Black Monday in China, and look ahead to a big week for earnings. Catch The Final Round at 4 p.m. with Melody Hahm and Yahoo Finance editor-in-chief Andy Serwer

Winners and losers

Stocks starting the week in the red include Blue Apron, following news that Amazon filed a meal-kit trademark; BlackRock on a profit and revenue miss as CEO Larry Fink said significant cash remains on the sidelines but money is slowly being put back to work; and Tesla, with shares under pressure today after a Minnesota man said his Model S suddenly accelerated and crashed while he had autopilot engaged.

Stocks on the move higher include General Cable Corporation as the wire- and cable-maker said it has initiated a strategic review; Restoration Hardware as Guggenheim raised its price target from $60 to $75, claiming a public LBO could be an option; and RLJ Lodging, the hotel REIT with affiliations like Residence Inn, Hampton Inn, and Springhill Suites popping after disclosing it received a bid from Party Y, an undisclosed suitor. RLJ is in the process of merging with Felcor Lodging Trust.

Whats behind Bank of the Ozarks growth

George Gleason has been chairman and CEO at Bank of the Ozarks for 38 years, since buying the bank when he was 25 years old. The Arkansas-based institution is now one of the countrys biggest regional banks, with total assets of over $20 billion, and surprisingly, theyre a huge player in commercial and residential real estate lending. George Gleason joins us now.
'Worst Airline in America.' Ann Coulter Is Not Happy That Delta Changed Her Seat

Ann Coulter blasted Airlines in a series of tweets on Saturday over a seat change on her flight.

Launching a tirade against the airline, the conservative commentator went as far as sharing a photo of the passenger who Delta placed in Coulters original seat to her 1.6 million followers on Twitter.

But Delta told FORTUNE on Sunday the seat change that caused Coulters frustration was a minor one. In fact, she was placed in another seat in the same row, switching from an aisle seat to a window seat.

She was on her original flight, a few seats over from her original seats, same row, a spokesperson for Delta said.

Delta has reached out to Coulter to address the complaint.

Coulter was on Delta Airlines flight 2862 from New York Citys LaGuardia Airport to Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Fla.

Coulters comments against the airline ranged from calling Delta the worst airline in America to criticizing the airlines WiFi. Most of her complaints were focused on why Delta switched her seat, which she called an extra room seat that she had pre-booked.

Coulter on Sunday targeted the airline company again, saying they instead gave her seat to a dachshund-legged woman. (Coulter is 6 feet tall.)

"Why are you taking me out of the extra room seat I specifically booked, @Delta?' Flight attendant: "I don't know." pic.twitter.com/a0M1faZXMu  Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) July 15, 2017

Hey @Delta, you mind telling me why it was an "emergency" to move someone else into the seat I had carefully chosen in advance and booked?  Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) July 15, 2017

So glad I took time investigate the aircraft & PRE-BOOK a specific seat on @Delta, so some woman could waltz at the last min & take my seat.  Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) July 15, 2017

But this isnt Coulters first time criticizing airlines this year. Back in April when a doctor was dragged off a Louisville, Ky.-bound United Airlines flight, Coulter shared her own take.

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Sorry about the dragging, but the convicted pill-mill doctor should be deported, Coulter tweeted.

See original article on Fortune.com

More from Fortune.com
Iran has sent thousands of Afghan Shi'a to the battlefields of Syria, catapulting them to the front lines of President Bashar al-Assad and his allies' brutal six-year war against armed rebels, some of them foreign-backed, and Islamist extremists.

As the first line of attack, the poorly trained proxy force made up of mainly Afghan migrants and refugees known as the Fatemiyoun Division has suffered a high rate of attrition, observers say, with coffins of fallen soldiers paraded and buried in Iranian cities almost every week.

To foster morale and lure new recruits to Fatemiyoun, Tehran is seeking to burnish the image of the beleaguered group -- comprising mainly Afghan refugees from the Hazara Shi'ite minority recruited and trained by Iran's powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).

Iranian authorities have renamed streets to honor the Afghan Shi'ite fighters, state media have glorified fallen fighters and highlighted their sacrifices while likening them to martyrs, and the group is frequently visited by General Qassem Soleimani, the influential, media-savvy head of the IRGC's elite Quds Force, which is responsible for operations outside of Iran's own borders.

Footage aired by Qatar-based television network Al-Jazeera in June showed footage of Soleimani, who is overseeing Iran's war effort in Syria, praying and addressing the Afghan fighters near the Syria-Iraq border.

Iranian state media reported recently that the Lebanese militant group Hizballah was training Afghan "special forces" in sniper skills, "night-vision mounted weapons," and surveillance. Hundreds of trainees were said to have been deployed across Syria.

The IRGC published photos of the training in June.

"In reality, there is absolutely no hard evidence of [the] existence of such skills among the Fatemiyoun fighters," Ali Alfoneh, a nonresident senior fellow at The Atlantic Council in Washington and a leading IRGC expert, told RFE/RL. "This is a myth carefully nurtured by the IRGC to boost the prestige of the brigade."

'Cannon Fodder'



Iranian authorities quietly began deploying armed volunteers, including many Afghans, to complement other Iranian forces advising and fighting alongside Assad's troops after civil war broke out in Syria in 2011.

Iran has recruited thousands of Afghan migrants and refugees within its own borders. There is also evidence of Tehran covertly recruiting hundreds of Afghan Shi'a inside Afghanistan. Afghanistan is majority Sunni, but 15 percent of its population, mainly Hazaras, are Shi'ite with religious links to Shi'ite-majority Iran.

The United Nations estimates the number of Afghan citizens in Iran at just under 1 million, but Tehran puts the figure closer to 3 million. Tehran has expelled many Afghans and periodically threatens those who remain -- and Kabul, which is battling Afghanistan's own insurgents -- with mass expulsions.

Iranian authorities say the fighters travel to Syria and Iraq voluntarily to defend holy Shi'ite sites. Some reports suggest Afghans are offered financial reward and Iranian residency permits to join the fight in Syria.

Alfoneh says the IRGC considers the Afghan fighters "cannon fodder," considering the seemingly minor investment made to train them and the exposure they face on the battlefield.

In interviews with BBC Persian, defectors from the Fatemiyoun Division who reportedly fled to Turkey and Greece alongside Syrian refugees said they received two or three weeks of IRGC training in Iran prior to their deployment in Syria.

Ahmad Shuja, a former Afghanistan researcher for Human Rights Watch (HRW), says the Fatemiyoun fighters never describe themselves as deployed in urban areas to keep the peace or indeed to safeguard the holy shrines they are ostensibly there to protect.



"They are always out in the desert, fighting the tough fight, and taking high casualties," says Shuja, who has been following Fatemiyoun propaganda online and speaking to their fighters since 2016.



Thousands Of Fighters

There are no precise figures on the number of Afghans killed in Syria, where Iran is thought to have sent many thousands of volunteers and military advisers to gird Assad's forces.



Iranian media regularly report on their funerals while offering few details about the circumstances of their deaths.

The head of Iran's Foundation of Martyrs said in November that more than 1,000 fighters, including Iranians, Afghans, and Pakistanis, deployed by Iran to Syria have been killed.

Alfoneh says, based on the number of funerals held for Afghan fighters in Iran, at least 656 Afghans have been killed in combat in Syria since September 2013, a figure he says is "disproportionately high."

The IRGC has also sent its own officers to the division, adding to the toll of Iranian officers killed in Syria.

Alfoneh says the Fatemiyoun Division has suffered a "catastrophic attrition rate" far higher than Tehran has acknowledged -- at least 20 percent of the total force.



A total of 15,000 Fatemiyoun fighters have been deployed in Syria since the beginning of the Syrian conflict in 2011, he says.

Experts say the bleak numbers should not cloud the importance of the group to the IRGC and its military objectives in Syria and beyond.

"Fatemiyoun fighters have been an integral part of the plan to relieve pressure on Assad's forces, says Shuja.

Iran has provided military support to Assad's forces since at least 2012 in the form of military advisers and volunteers, but it denies sending its own troops. Even so, Iranian media have reported the death of a handful of Iranian commanders along with hundreds of Iranian fighters.

Iran's assistance and Russia's intervention through a sustained bombing campaign have been credited with helping to reverse the tide of the war in favor of Assad, a longtime ally of both countries.

Alfoneh says that, by mobilizing Afghans, Tehran has managed to establish an "operational proxy force" that can do Iran's bidding in future wars.

Pro-Iranian groups have been established across the region, becoming key players in the political and military scenes in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen.


VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 17, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Calibre Mining Corp. (TSX-V:CXB) (the Company or Calibre) is pleased to announce the start of the 2017 drilling program on the 100% owned Primavera Gold-Copper Porphyry Project, Nicaragua.



Highlights

The 2017 drilling program at Primavera has begun and will test a series of high priority targets in two areas within the overall Primavera Gold-Copper Porphyry District;

1) NE Trend (2km x 1km area) extending northeast from the existing deposit, and

2) San Francisco Target (2km x 2km area) centered three kilometres southeast of the Primavera deposit.





1) NE Trend (2km x 1km area) extending northeast from the existing deposit, and 2) San Francisco Target (2km x 2km area) centered three kilometres southeast of the Primavera deposit. This is the first drilling program at Primavera since 2012 and will consist of approximately 45 Reverse Circulation drill holes totaling 8200 metres. Drilling will in part be guided by a series of recommendations made by Dr. Richard Sillitoe, one of the worlds foremost porphyry experts, following his site visit and evaluation in February 2017.





The Primavera Gold-Copper Porphyry Deposit contains an Inferred Resource at a 0.5 g/t AuEq cutoff of 45.0 million tonnes grading 0.84 g/t AuEq (0.54 g/t Au, 1.15 g/t Ag and 0.22 % Cu) containing 782,000 ounces of gold, 1.7 million ounces of silver and 219 million pounds of copper (1.2 million AuEq ounces).





Numerous high priority drill targets prospective for further gold-copper porphyry mineralization exist within the 5.0 kilometre by 4.0 kilometre Primavera target area as defined by anomalous gold and copper in rock and soil samples, magnetic and radiometric geophysical anomalies, and targets where geological mapping has identified porphyry style mineralization or alteration.

Greg Smith, President and CEO of Calibre stated: We are extremely excited to get back drilling on our flagship 100% owned Primavera Gold-Copper Porphyry District. Calibres exploration programs within the five km by four km Primavera target area have identified numerous high priority geochemical, geophysical, and geologic targets which highlight the potential for further gold-copper porphyry discoveries within the Primavera district. Porphyry gold-copper deposits tend to occur in clusters and to date Calibre has discovered the first porphyry deposit in Nicaragua that hosts a 1.2 million AuEq ounce resource.

The 2017 drill program is the first drilling program at Primavera since 2012 and will consist of approximately 45 Reverse Circulation drill holes totaling 8200 metres. The 2017 drilling program at Primavera has begun and is testing a series of high priority targets in two areas; 1) the NE Trend covers an area 2km x 1km extending northeast from the existing deposit, and 2) the San Francisco Target with an extent of 2km x 2km centered three kilometres southeast of the Primavera deposit.

In February 2017 a site visit was completed by one of the worlds foremost porphyry experts Dr. Richard Sillitoe. Dr. Sillitoes extensive experience and insights advanced the understanding of the Primavera Gold-Copper deposit. Several of Dr. Sillitoes conclusions will have a significant positive impact on the exploration programs going forward and have been incorporated into the planned drill program including; 1) the (Primavera) prospect has many similarities to other gold-rich porphyry deposits, including a good Au/Cu correlation, presence of abundant hydrothermal magnetite and a molybdenum-rich halo to the gold-copper zone, 2) in view of the widespread occurrence of porphyry copper deposits in district-scale clusters and alignments, exploration needs to be focused on assessment of nearby, untested areas, and 3) the proposed programme of scout drilling of geochemical targets is considered the best means of further appraising the district potential.

Recent surface rock sampling completed as part of the field preparations for the RC drilling program have further enhanced the drilling targets. Results includes high grade gold and copper in two of four samples collected along the NE Trend with samples collected 1.5 and 2.25 kilometres northeast of the Primavera Deposit. Results including 4.09 g/t Au, 18.9 g/t Ag, and 1.71 % Cu and a second sample returning 5.50 g/t Au. The mineralized material consists of diorite hosted quartz breccia and stockworks with chalcopyrite and bornite. No previous drilling exists with one kilometre of these anomalous samples and the upcoming program will include drill holes targeted in these areas.

Primavera Au-Cu Porphyry Project  100% Calibre Mining

The Primavera Project zone consists of classic porphyry style gold-copper mineralization. Porphyry style mineralization is hosted within the volcanic and intrusive rocks and associated with both potassic and propylitic alteration. The chalcopyrite +/- bornite copper mineralization is primarily hosted by a quartz veinlet stockwork and overall sulphide content is quite low. Drilling encountered intense zone of potassic alteration dominated by potassium feldspar, biotite, and magnetite. In addition the presence of sheeted and banded quartz-magnetite veins along with the alteration and mineralization textures further confirmed the potential for a gold-copper porphyry system. Primavera is the first porphyry gold-copper project discovered in Nicaragua and the mineralization remains open for expansion.

A maiden resource estimated in December 2016 for the Primavera Gold-Copper Porphyry Deposit contains an Inferred Resource at a 0.5 g/t AuEq cutoff of 45.0 million tonnes grading 0.84 g/t AuEq containing 782,000 ounces of gold, 1.7 million ounces of silver and 219 million pounds of copper (1.2 million AuEq ounces).

Inferred Resource at a cutoff of 0.5 g/t AuEq for the Primavera Au-Cu Porphyry Deposit

tonnes Au

g/t Ag

g/t Cu

% Au

Eq Au

ozs Ag

ozs Cu

Lbs Au Eq

ozs 44,974,000 0.54 1.15 0.22 0.84 782,000 1,661,000 218,670,000 1,200,000

Notes: CIM definition standards were followed for the 2016 resource estimate which used Ordinary Krig grade estimation within a three-dimensional block model with mineralized zones defined by wireframed solids. A base cutoff grade of 0.5 g/t AuEq was used for reporting resources. Densities varied by material type and ranged from 2.4 for saprolite to 2.71 for diorite and the volcanics. Numbers may not add exactly due to rounding. Gold Equivalent (AuEq) calculated using $1300/oz Au for gold, $2.40/lb for Copper, and $20.00/oz Ag for silver. Mineral Resources that are not mineral reserves do not have economic viability. 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 and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in upgrading them to an indicated or measured mineral resource category. WSP 's resource estimate for Primavera is based on drill core assay results from a total of 33 holes totaling 13,491 metres of drilling and 52 trenches totaling 660.9 metres. Variograms were generated for gold, copper and silver and search parameters established for grade interpolation using kriging. All details of the Resource Estimate are summarized in a National Instrument 43-101 technical report available on SEDAR prepared by Todd McCracken, P.Geo. of WSP, who is independent of Calibre and a Qualified Person ("QP") as defined by Section 1.5 of National Instrument 43-101.

Geochemical and geophysical surveys have outlined a five kilometre by four kilometre area, the Primavera Regional Anomaly, interpreted to outline an intrusive/volcanic complex and which highlights the potential for additional gold-copper porphyry discoveries. Additional ground surveys were completed in 2015 and 2016 and additional high priority targets have been outlined but not tested by drilling. Calibre has completed data compilation and target prioritization. The planned drilling is targeting anomalies adjacent to the current deposit and exploration drilling designed to identify additional porphyry mineralization associated with the numerous geological, geochemical, and geophysical anomalies and targets within the Primavera Project. A second regional scale anomaly, San Isidro, has been defined by geochemical and geophysics exploration and covers an area 4.0 kilometres by 2.0 kilometres located five kilometer west of the Primavera Anomaly.

Calibre is committed to best practice standards for all exploration, sampling and drilling activities. Drilling was completed by independent and experienced firms. Analytical quality assurance and quality control procedures include the systematic insertion of blanks, standards and duplicates into the sample strings. Samples are placed in sealed bags and shipped directly to Acme Labs (a Bureau Veritas Group Company) in Managua, Nicaragua for sample preparation and then to Bureau Veritas Lab in Vancouver, Canada for 50 gram gold fire assay and ICP-MS multi element analyses.

The technical content in this news release was read and approved by Gregory Smith, P.Geo, President and CEO of the Company who is the Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101.

About Calibre Mining Corp .

Calibre owns a 100% interest in over 413 km2 of mineral concessions in the Mining Triangle of Northeast Nicaragua including the Primavera Gold-Copper Project and Santa Maria Gold Project. Additionally the Company has optioned to IAMGOLD (176 km2) and Centerra Gold (253 km2) concessions covering an aggregate area of 429 km2 and is party to a joint venture on the 33.6 km2 Rosita D gold-copper-silver project with Rosita Mining Corporation. Major shareholders of Calibre include gold producer B2Gold Corp, Pierre Lassonde and management.

Calibre Mining Corp.

Greg Smith

Greg Smith, P.Geo.

President and CEO

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains certain forward-looking statements. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as expects or does not expect, is expected, anticipates or does not anticipate plans, estimates or intends or stating that certain actions, events or results  may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to materially differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements.

Safe Harbor Statement under the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Except for the statements of historical fact contained herein, the information presented constitutes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements including but not limited to those with respect to the price of gold, potential mineralization, reserve and resource determination, exploration results, and future plans and objectives of the Company involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievement of Calibre to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.
Background

Practice Scores

Study Materials I Used

The Wrong Approach

The Approach that worked for me

Verbal section approach

Quant section approach

Test Day

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I took the GMAT on June 1st, 2017 and hadnt been able to post a full debrief since then, but Im feeling inspired today since I just took the TOEFL iBT and consider myself done with the tests (I hope to get a high score on TOEFL and not have to retake it).Before you continue reading, you should consider that most debriefs on Gmatclub come from successful test takers. It is rare to find a story about failure on the GMAT (probably wouldnt make much sense to spend time on it), and therefore a lot of people tend to think that GMAT is something easy (especially people who never took a mock test). It is not. GMAT is a tough standardized test and you should approach it accordingly.On a short note, I have to thank Gmatclub for being a perfect study resource for anyone preparing for the test.Latin American male, 27 years old, BSc in Economics and MSc in Operations Research, with 1 year of work experience in consulting and 3 years of investment banking work experience. No experience with standardized tests whatsoever.I dont consider myself to be neither extremely smart nor organized. Im just a regular guy with average IQ who is committed to pursue his dream of getting an MBA degree.12-Mar-17 | GMATPrep Exam 1 | 570 Q44 V2523-Apr-17 | GMATPrep Exam 1 R | 710 Q49 V3830-Apr-17 | Veritas Prep Practice Test 1 | 650 Q46 V337-May-17 | Veritas Prep Practice Test 2 | 670 Q45 V3710-May-17 | Veritas Prep Practice Test 3 | 670 Q46 V3613-May-17 | Veritas Prep Practice Test 4 | 680 Q48 V3518-May-17 | Veritas Prep Practice Test 5 | 680 Q48 V3521-May-17 | GMATPrep Exam 2 | 680 Q47 V3625-May-17 | GMATPrep Exam 5 | 730 Q49 V4128-May-17 | GMATPrep Exam 6 | 730 Q48 V421-Jun-17 | GMAT Official | 720 Q49 V40I was lucky enough to receive the full guides, the 12, the CR Bible and almost all the Veritas Prep books from a friend who took the GMAT in 2015. I only spent $49 on the seven Veritas Prep mock tests and $50 on GMATPrep Exam Pack 2. So, considering the score I got, I believe I used my money wisely.I also downloaded the free Veritas Prep videos (I think theyre called the iPad videos or something like that).I first began studying for the GMAT around mid-September of 2016. I followed the 9-weeks study strategy plan. I had to pause it around the sixth week because I had an important project at work and couldnt resume it until December. By the end of January 2017, I was done with the program and started doing a lot of exercises, focusing most of my efforts on the Quant part. I also didnt take time too seriously, since I thought this wouldnt be a major concern for me (I felt really confident about my average timing in Quant exercises). BIG MISTAKE. By the time I took my first GMATPrep Exam 1, I learned a lot of (not-to-do) things.First, being biased towards one of the sections of the exam (in my case, to Quant) is not a good strategy. I was completely lost during the Verbal section, since I had done too few Verbal exercises in the previous two months. Believe me, this feeling of desperation while I was taking the exam was an eye-opener for me.Secondly, I learned that guides were not made for me. I dont mean this debrief to be a marketing thing favoring one company over another, so Ill try to make this point very clear. I think has very thorough and complete guides, but their approach is not useful for a disorganized person like me. On the quant part, there are just too many tricks. On the verbal part, I believe their guides are focused on native speakers and their approach requires you to learn a lot of things by heart. If you have always been an organized person in school, take many notes in class, have an excellent memory to learn tricks and strategies and are open to learn new strategies to do things you already know how to do, then guides might be perfect for you.After that disappointing score in my first mock test, I decided some things had to change. I gave a chance. Before making up my mind regarding which materials should I use, I seriously considered enrolling in the . I read too many positive reviews about the course, especially from non-native speakers. However, most of these reviews were made by Indian people, and I strongly believe Indian peoples intelligence is way above my level. So perhaps those opinions were biased, or maybe the course was particularly designed to suit Indian students needs. Anyways, I decided to use Veritas Prep materials for the Verbal section and use every material I had to improve on the Quant section. This was a game changer.I decided to tackle my weakest area first, in this case, CR. Here, I can only thank Brian Galvin (and the beautiful Lissette Padilla) from Veritas Prep for the amazing free videos (if you Google Veritas Prep GMAT iPad App Videos you can find them). My approach was to first read the Veritas Prep CR guide and then watch the videos. In the videos, Brian basically discusses the same examples that you read in the book. It might sound stupid because there is nothing mysterious or difficult about CR, and I think the videos try to be very emphatic on this. Veritas Prep SWIM method for CR is very easy to learn and remember, and it is very useful. I saw my accuracy rate increase from 60% to 80% on CR questions after reading this material. Weeks before the official test, I read the CR Bible (highly recommended), and this allowed me to increase my accuracy to 90%. If youve read this guide and other materials, you will find that most companies approach to CR is just a soft copy of the CR Bible. I also practiced with LSAT LR questions, and I encourage you to do so.Since I was amazed by my improvement in CR, I followed the same approach for SC. It worked great! This is totally different from what I had read on SC guide, which I found really long and boring (it has 13 chapters). Veritas Prep logical meaning approach to SC is amazing. You can answer most questions correctly just by finding mistakes in the meaning, dont need to remember difficult grammar rules (there are some cases in which you need to learn those). Weeks before the official test, I found a Gmatclub post named  's ALL SC topics-Consolidated and read all the links. I really encourage you to do this, those posts are very helpful. Probably its a good example of what can provide. As I said, I never paid for that course, but read very good reviews, and this little contact I had with the companys materials prove those reviews right.For RC, I honestly didnt follow an improvement strategy. As amazing as it may sound, in the four GMATPrep Exams I took I had the very same accuracy rate in RC (76.92%). Same number of correct answers over total RC questions in the four tests. I believe theres not much you can do with this type of question. For the last three weeks before the official exam, I didnt practice RC questions (besides those on the mock tests).The Q44 score on my first GMATPrep mock test was very disappointing to me. I felt I could score higher, and my approach was to re-study the topics I had more problems with and do A LOT of exercises. I found that keeping a detailed is the best thing you can do in order to improve your performance. Im attaching my file in case its helpful to anybody.I believe Quant section depends on you. If youre a mathematically oriented person as me, you will want so solve every question following an algebraic approach. I really didnt use any of the tricks (picking numbers, etc.) most books suggest. But if they work for you, then you should rely on them. The bottom line is that you should find which strategy works best for you. Try to do as many practice questions as possible, as you will learn the different ways the test maker can try to fool you.Theres no magic about the Quant section. Most of it consists of fairly easy questions and just a few hard/time consuming questions. You have to learn to let go a question when it consumes too much of your time.I scheduled the test two weeks in advance and decided to take it in the morning. The night before was a NIGHTMARE. The test started at 9:00 a.m. and I couldnt fall asleep until 4:30 a.m. because of my nerves and anxiety. I took everything I could (valerian, tea, relaxation pills, etc.). Nothing worked. Human mind is really powerful. I was scared because I had to wake up at 7:00 a.m. and thought that being tired was really going to affect my performance during the test. I was trembling when I entered the test center. Somehow, 5 minutes before the test I started to feel positive and very confident. I dont know why.The essay was about a managerial decision and the IR section was a little bit tougher than the ones I had done in the mock tests. After my first break, I felt really tired but wouldnt give up to my dreams.The Quant section was unexpected. I honestly think it was very easy, compared to every mock test I had taken. I think the key here is to focus on the first 10-15 questions. After those, the difficulty level wont rise too much. I remember I finished this section with a 7-minute surplus. I still dont understand why it was a 49 and not a 50. There was only one question in which I didnt know what to do. The adaptive nature of the test is way overestimated. It is an adaptive test, for sure you can tell that, but its not like the level variation is going to be very noticeable.During the second break I was very confident. Tired, but confident. In the first two questions of the Verbal section, my eyes started to close, but I resisted the temptation. In general, I would say the Verbal section was tougher than what I saw on the mock tests. Even SC were difficult (after learning the Veritas Prep approach, I felt confident with SC questions). By question 30, I started to feel nervous because I was behind the scheduled time and I thought my performance wasnt very good. Anyway, I kept on giving my best until the end of the exam.When I saw my score, I was pleased. Four hours before, I thought the lack of sleep and rest would influence my performance a lot, but hopefully it didnt. I believe my potential was between a 700 and a 740, and maybe on a really good day up to 750. I thought a 720 was good enough to avoid going through the same nightmare again.Some extras:-If youre an average test taker as I am, you have to know that GMAT requires full immersion. That means studying every day, avoid going out too much, dreaming with GMAT, almost becoming obsessed with it. If youre a very smart person, then you dont need this.-If your approach is not working, change it!-Do timed questions always!-Even if youre much better on one section, dont quit practicing the other. Unlearning exists and is harmful.-Veritas Prep adaptive algorithm for practice tests is really bad. Difficulty level increases too fast. Although most of the questions practically require you to use tricks (I believe this is part of their strategy to make you think you need to buy their materials), they tend to give the algebraic approach in their solutions. Verbal section is good, and in general their feedback and performance analysis tools are helpful.-Do never quit. Pursue your goals.
Quote:

Hospitals have to be reject even more poor patients without insurance; at the same time federal law says that the same patients have to be treated but this involves huge costs for the hospitals.



Even more doctors want to go away and open their own facilities and this put in a big trouble the same hospitals: less revenues and more patients.



A bill was introduced to fix this situation but failed. The situation at end is not of quickly solution in the short period.



In this scenario hospitals have an handicap: they have to give assistance to the patients; on the contrary the private facilities do not have this duty

Correct , because we can infer from the passage that private facilities should have a role in health care

not stated in the passage

not stated in the passage

not stated in the passage

we do not see those information in the passage

rarely a passage is neutral, almost never this is a correct answer

no

correct

we cannot see this

reverential towards those ???

all 3 are cited in the passage E is correct

we do not know this; from the passage at the moment legislature failed but we do not have enough information about the feature

irrilevant

we do not know for sure

correct

Quote:

Unfortunately, the problem of access to medical care for those of limited means is not going to go away anytime soon and, despite the well-intended regulations , too-full hospitals compromise everyone's welfare

not stated

A C E D



Whenever you see a passage like this where seems to be a frequent shift in the contents and a bit cumbersome ALWAYS should be a red flag to threat it very carefullytry to simply and make the things more clear and simple1) Which of the following is a conclusion supported by the passage?If doctors want to run their own facilities, they should be required to take in at least some of the indigents.The government should provide health insurance for those unable to buy their own.Voters should tell the finance committee members that they will not be reelected if they do not pass some new legislation.Emergency rooms that turn patients away due to overcrowding are derelict in their duty .The fundamental problem facing hospitals now is that health care costs have risen dramatically in recent years.2) Which of the following best describes the tone of the passage?neutral -positive -persuasiveangry -reverential -3) Which of the following is cited as a factor which has contributed to the overburdening of hospitals?Failure to pass legislation which would have mitigated the problemLimited access to medical care for the poorFederal lawI onlyII onlyIII onlyI and III, II, and III4) The author cites the failed legislation in order to show thatthe legislature will never resolve this issue.the finance committee does not care about the uninsured citizens.there will always be uninsured hospital patients.the legislature recently attempted to resolve this issue.the doctors successfully lobbied the finance committee.OA :Kudos if you like my post and explanations_________________
Sky v SkyKick [2017] EWHC 1769 Is Article 1(13) of Regulation 2015/2424 contrary to fundamental rights? This is a question that SkyKick recently sought to refer to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in. We will not find out the answer for a while (possibly ever) because Birss J denied the defendants' desired pre-trial reference.



SkyKick offers a range of cloud based services including data backup, and cloud management software facilities. SkyKick is a US company. They carried out US searches in November 2011 and applied to register SKYKICK in the US in 2012. In 2016 they filed and international trade mark (IR) designating the EU and other territories. Sky brought its claim shortly after this filing in May 2016.



Why does the own name defence matter?



The own name defence remains for UK trade marks until the The own name defence remains for UK trade marks until the new Directive is implemented (the deadline for national implementations is 14 January 2019). However, Article 1(13) removes the own name defence for corporate defendants (it remains for natural persons) from article 12 of the European Trade Mark Regulation (i.e. Regulation (EC) No 207/2009 ). SkyKick wanted to rely on the defence against Sky.



SkyKick alleged that Article 1(13) was contrary to:



Article 16 of the EU Charter (Freedom to conduct business);

Article 17 of the EU Charter (Right to property);

Article 20 of the EU Charter (Equality before the law); and

Article 21 of the EU Charter (Non-discrimination).

SkyKick also relied on:



Article 51 of the EU Charter (the field of application);

Article 52 of the EU Charter (scope and interpretation of the rights and principles); and

Article 17 of TRIPS.

In summary, SkyKick alleged that the change to the law interferes with the freedom to conduct business and right to property which companies had under the existing law. In particular, they alleged that there has been no proper assessment of the impact of the change in law, it is discriminatory as against natural persons, and there is no good reason for it.



Anheuser-Busch v Buddejovickybudvar (C-245/02 [2004] Sky pointed out that the defence was originally only intended to apply to natural persons but was construed as covering legal entities as well by the CJEU in the(C-245/02 [2004] ECR-I-10989 ). In other words, all that has happened is that the EU legislature has made an express alteration to the law so as to return it to the original intention.



Having considered these arguments, Birss J declined to make a reference at this time.





They think it's all over?



Birss J was clear that it was open to him to refuse a reference if he considers that SkyKick's arguments are unfounded (see IATA v European Low Fares C-344/04 [2006] ECR 1403). In other words, whilst the question of validity of an EU law is not a matter for a national court to decide the application itself can be rejected if the national court considers that there are no grounds for saying that an EU law is invalid.



While it is open to a court to refer questions on the validity of EU law when considering the kind of legal conclusion the national court is entitled to reach (see R (Telephonica 02 Europe PLC) v Secretary of State for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform [2007] EWHC 3018 (Admin) ), the timing is important.



In other words, the main question Birss J considered in this application was whether a reference should be made in the middle of proceedings. He considered the following principles:



references should not be made of matters which are of purely academic interest (Meilick and Bacardi Martini v Newcastle United); the CJEU prefers for the relevant factual matrix to have been determined before a reference is made.

Although he considered that both sides have a properly arguable case on the merits he noted that:



SkyKick may win the action without a reference to the own name defence (their key argument was that there was no infringement by the goods and services that SkyKick offers); Sky may win the action without the question of law being decided as the own name defence will have to be considered in any event in the context of the UK trade mark; this means that the trial will consider the honest practices of the Defendants in detail and make findings of fact which will help with the question regarding the necessity of a reference. These findings of fact will make it easier for the CJEU to make a decision; although the Defendants' required the reference to be as soon as possible in order to achieve business certainty for their startup the Defendants had also made a request for a stay which was inconsistent with their purported desire for immediate certainty. The own name defence question may become relevant if SkyKick wins in relation to the UK mark but loses in relation to the EU mark but it could just as easily be an unnecessary reference. The best way for SkyKick to get a speedy resolution was to keep the trial timetable on track for early 2018.


- A 30-year-old Nigerian man has revealed how he narrowly escaped death

- He was able to escape from a burning skyscraper

- At least eighty people died in the fire, there are speculations that the death toll may increase

- The incident happened at Grenfell Tower in London on Wednesday, June 14 2017

Oluwaseun Talabi is a 30-year-old Nigerian man who miraculously escaped from a burning skyscraper at Grenfell Tower. The young man cheated death and has come out openly to talk about his survival mode and what he went through when the incident happened.

The young man lived in apartment 113 on the 14th floor. He had climbed out of his window when the fire was burning.

People on the ground were urging him to go back and climb into his apartment. There were promises of him and his family members being helped but the young man said he was not looking out to die.

Although the fire incident occurred June 14, the young man is yet to shake off the thoughts. He had lost a lot of weight after the fire. The Nigerian-born man was ready to climb down the window ledge with his 4-year-old daughter in hand.

Oluwaseun Talabi miraculously escapes death. Source: Abcnews.

The hysterical girl was not ready to go down with him even though he asked Rosemary, his girlfriend, to hand her over to him. The flames were gulping up a side of the tower even though they were not visible from the familys window.

Grenfell Tower before the fire. Source: Abcnews.

The fire was said to have been started by a faulty refrigerator on the fourth floor before it spread to the top floor. Some minutes before Talabi climbed out of his window, a fire brigade had ushered in five neighbors while claiming his flat as the safest. They had promised to come back for them all.

While the building was being razed down by fire. Source: Abcnews.

READ ALSO: Nigeria is not safe - Man warns Nigerians abroad (photo)

The Syrian refugees, they brought them into my flat, Oluwaseun says, referring to brothers Mohammad and Omar Alhajali. They brought an Irish guy, called Dennis ... Zainab, her 2-year-old son, Oluweseun says, counting on his hand. So there was eight of us altogether.

According to Talabi, the next ninety minutes after 2 a.m changed their lives as he said it was as though the fire brigade brought in the neighbors to die in his flat.

When the fire was burning a side of the building. Source: Abcnews.

At 3 a.m, Talabi tied his daughter to his back and climbed out of the window again. Rosemary was following him closely.

This might sound selfish, but God forgive, I hope its not selfish ... but I was thinking about me first, my partner and my daughter  and everybody else after.

The fire gradually spread across the floors. Source: Abcnews.

The Nigerian-born man recalled hearing the fire brigade saying Run through the black smoke. It was at that instant that the young man ran with his daughter and his missus. He had no idea who followed them as they basically left and did not look back.

Mohammad however, did not make it as it was just Talabi, Rosemary, Omar and their daughter that made it. Mahmoud was their friend who had stepped out of the building before the fire started. He located Omar and asked after Mohammad.

The fire burned till the sun rose. Source: Abcnews.

Mahmoud ran frantically from fireman to emergency responder asking them to save the eight people on the floor before things got bad. The last phone call Mohammad had with Omar was emotional as he begged him to tell his mother he loved her. He also asked for her forgiveness.

Talabi, Rosemary, their daughter and many other survivors are still staying in a hotel four weeks after the inferno. The British politicians had made many promises to them and are yet to fulfill them.

The fire incident left over 80 people dead with the death toll increasing daily. Source: Abcnews.

Talabi and his girlfriend work hard as he is a site supervisor while Rosemary teaches science. The fire changed their lives as the Nigerian man claimed to be afraid of the dark. He has found it hard to sleep since then.

We didnt ask for this. We lived our life like everybody else  wake up, go to work, come back, wake up, go to work, come back.

The experience left the young man and his family shattered. He said they are not charity cases.

I couldve saved the little boy. Even if I couldnt do nothing about the adults, couldve saved the little boy. That just keep playing in my head ... For what reason? Why? Why?

Grenfell Tower after the fire incident. Source: Abcnews.

PAY ATTENTION: Install the latest android app to get updates from Nigeria's number one online news platform

When the flames reached the top of the building, it went round the building. At this stage, the fire fighters were unable to go any further. There was just one staircase and the residents on those top floors were told to stay there.

As at the time the sun rose over west London, some people were still inside, alive. The fire was said to have burned through the morning till in the afternoon.

Watch the Legit.ng TV video below to see the bad state of affairs in Umuahia, Nigeria:

Source: Legit.ng
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When the Iran nuclear deal was being negotiated, there was an undeniable echo chamber that was used to influence the public and the media. The situation was alarming because people who used to work for the National Iranian American Council were being hired by the Obama administration for key National Security Council and State department roles. Some of these people were able to shape the actual nuclear deal.

Many people pointed out that there was a conflict of interest in having US policymakers with close links to the Iranian regime in Tehran.

However, the Obama administration left and the Trump administration entered. So far we have seen no evidence that the Iran lobbyists are active with this administration. In fact, it seems that this administration wants nothing to do with the likes of Parsi. Obamas policy of appeasement towards Iran has been criticised and the Iran lobby has lost its great influence.

Two years ago, the Obama administration was warned about Irans belligerence. Now, we can look back with certainty and say that, without a doubt, Iran is the most destabilising influence in the Middle East.

Iran has been backing Syrian dictator Bashar al Assad for years, effectively fuelling the civil war in the country. It has sent high numbers of fighters, used chemical weapons on civilians and has drawn Russia into the war.

Iran has provoked war with Saudi Arabia by initiating the Houthi rebellion in Yemen. Iran has been firing rockets and mortar shells into Pakistan, escalating tensions between the two countries.

Iran is also continuing to work on its ballistic missile program and is aggressively deploying its military. Irans navy has been involved in several provocative incidents, in particular with US Navy ships.

So, how can the Iran lobby defend such actions? It cant, and this is partly why the Iranian opposition has strengthened. Iran is on the receiving end of more and more criticism from the international community and it cannot be defended any longer. The NIAC has gone quiet for the most part, with the exception of efforts to stop Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) from being listed as a terrorist organisation.

The Iranian Resistance will put an end to the regimes belligerence as long as it has the backing of the international community. And it is in the interests of the international community to do this.
The 40-year-old man, whose name has not been released, was shot dead by the security forces in the Shahre-Raya subway station.

Mehr, the state-run news agency, quoted Hadi Tamhidi, the head of the security council of the city of Ray, as saying[On Saturday] morning a [Mullah] was enjoining a middle-aged man which caused anger in the assailant who attacked the Mullah with [a] knife.

The middle-aged man died on his way to hospital and his murder sparked anger in the Iranian people

Eyewitnesses said that, contrary to the claims of the regime, the man had not done anything to harm anyone and was merely conducting a peaceful protest.

The man had been protesting against the continued harassment he had from the mullah under the pretence on Enjoining good and forbidding wrong, a sort-of morality law.

This law, brought in on March 16, 2014, was supposed to protect those who the Regime deemed as good and moral; however, anyone looking into the Regimes definition of morality will soon see the flaw in that plan

This led to much anger and resistance from the Iranian people, but despite this Mullah Nouri Hamedani still called for a Ministry of promotion of virtue and prevention of vice.

It led to the creation of the department for of the promotion of virtue and prevention of vice, currently headed by Ahmad Jannati, secretary general of the Regimes Guardians Council.

There is increased division between the Iranian people and the suppressive agents of the Regime, leading to a volatile environment and creating a fertile ground for more public protests against the Regime.

The Iranian morality police are in charge of enforcing the strict interpretation of Islam and have also been known to target women who are improperly veiled, people attending mixed-gender parties and gay men.

Earlier this year, they beat a detained a 14-year-old girl for wearing ripped jeans to her birthday celebration.

The girl, who is referred to as Zahra, the Independent that the police tried to force her and her friends into their car, and beat them when they resisted.

She said: There were two women and two men in a huge van and they pushed us into it with the force of their beatings. Their objection was to the ripped jeans that we were wearing. There were really no other issues concerning my friends and I.

The girls were forced to sign pledges that they would not wear trousers again.
Srinagar, July 16 (IBNS): A bus mishap in Jammu and Kashmir killed at least 16 Amarnath pilgrims on Sunday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh have expressed deep condolences over the loss of lives in the accident.

"Extremely pained by the loss of lives of Amarnath Yatris due to a bus accident in J&K. My thoughts are with the families of the deceased," Modi tweeted.

Rajnath Singh also condoled the loss of lives in the mishap.

My heart goes out to the families of Amarnath Yatris who lost their loved ones in the bus accident. My prayers are with the injured, Singh said.

Rajnath Singh spoke to J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti regarding the unfortunate accident of the bus near Ramban.

She apprised the Union Home Minister of the ongoing rescue operations.

Rajnath Singh also had a telephonic conversation with the J&K Governor NN Vohra who has reached the accident site.

He apprised the Union Home Minister of the situation.

The bus carrying 45 pilgrims from Jammu to Srinagar rolled down a mountain at Nachala, Under Police Station Ramsu at Banihal, Ramban, read a government statement.

As confirmed by SSP Ramban, in this accident 16 pilgrims died and 29 got injured. 18 injured have been airlifted to Government Medical College & Hospital, Jammu by chopper, the remaining 11 with minor injuries left for Srinagar by road.

Helpline numbers to enquire about Amarnath Yatris travelling in the bus that met with accident in Ramban, J&K. 0191-2560401 & 0191-2542000.

Image: TV video grab
: The umbrella trade union Confederacion General del Trabajo (CGT) has announced that it will stage a mobilisation on 22 August to protest against the economic policies of the government led by President Mauricio Macri. The decision was announced by one of the CGTs ruling triumvirate, Juan Carlos Schmid, in protest at the expulsion yesterday morning by some 100 members of the security forces of some of the 600 laid off employees of the US company PepsiCo Snacks who had occupied the plant in the northern Buenos Aires suburb of Vicente Lopez.

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South Koreas government proposed on Monday to hold military talks with North Korea to reduce tensions between the two countries.

The South Korean defense ministry offered to hold a meeting Friday at the truce village of Panmunjom. The village sits along the border between the two sides.

South Koreas vice defense minister said the talks would seek to stop all hostile actions which (heighten) military tensions at the border.

The meeting would be the first between Korean officials since December 2015.

North Korea has not yet answered the proposal.

In another development, the South Korean Red Cross has proposed to hold a meeting with North Korean officials on August 1. It also offered to hold the meeting at Panmunjom.

The purpose of that meeting would be to discuss restarting reunions for families separated by the Korean War. An estimated 60,000 South Koreans have sought to take part in the exchanges.

North Korea has called for the return of 12 North Korean female restaurant workers who fled to South Korea last year before family reunions can begin again.

South Korea, however, says the workers fled of their own free will.

Two track policy seeks talks while supporting restrictions

Efforts to restart military talks and family meetings follow South Korean President Moon Jae-ins attempts to develop a two-track policy.

South Koreas Unification Ministry says the latest proposals are consistent with Moons policy.

There is no change in our position that we will put forth effort to (persuade) North Korea to come out for denuclearization by using all possible measures such as sanctions and talks, South Koreas unification minister said.

Moon has supported a policy of engagement with the North Korean government. He is seeking to open talks with the North Korean government while supporting U.S.-led restrictions on North Korea.

The U.S. and United Nations Security Council have placed sanctions on the North for its long-range missile tests and nuclear weapons program.

North Koreas most recent missile test took place on July 4. Experts have said the missile could reach the U.S. state of Alaska.

Daniel Pinkston is a North Korea expert with Troy University in Seoul.

He said South Korea may be willing to take steps like suspending loudspeaker broadcasts across the border, which North Korea opposes.

Once that is established, then both sides can understand what the other is seeking. They can signal to the other side what they want, what problems or issues they have with the other side, Pinkston said.

Im Mario Ritter.

Chris Hannas and Brian Padden reported this story for VOA News with contributions from Youmi Kim. Mario Ritter adapted it for VOA Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor.

_______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

Reunion n. to meet again with family or people who share close ties after a long separation

two track adj. using two policies to reach a goal

sanctions n. measures taken against a country to cause it to obey international laws or requirements

consistent adj. continuing to do things in a certain way, not changing

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Venezuelas opposition leaders called for more street protests Monday. The call for action came after more than seven million Venezuelans voted in an unofficial referendum at more than 2,000 locations on Sunday.

During the opposition-organized referendum, 98 percent of voters rejected President Nicolas Maduros proposal to rewrite the nations constitution.

The referendum included three questions. One dealt with Maduros proposal to create a new legislative body to rewrite the 1999 constitution. Voters overwhelmingly rejected the proposal, according to academics who monitored the vote.

In response to another question, voters urged the military to defend the current constitution. They also pledged to support new elections before Maduros term ends in early 2019.

The referendum was seen as symbolic because it was not part of an official government election. Maduro dismissed the voting as unconstitutional. He said it would have no effect on the government or his political proposals.

Maduro has set a July 30 vote to create the Constituent Assembly. The legislative body would have the power to rewrite the constitution and dissolve state institutions.

The opposition has accused Maduro of seeking to build up the proposed new assembly with his supporters. They say this would allow him to remove the few remaining checks on his power and create a Cuba-style system controlled by his socialist party.

Julio Borges is president of the opposition-controlled National Assembly. He said the large voter turnout should be seen as a message to the government that democracy is not negotiated.

We don't want a fraudulent Constituent Assembly imposed on us, Borges said. We don't want to be Cuba. We don't want to be a country without freedom.

On Monday, Venezuelan opposition leaders called on supporters to increase street protests as another way to show opposition to Maduros planned July 30 election.

Political observers said Sundays large turnout was an important show of support for the countrys opposition. But they also noted that the number of voters fell short of the oppositions 7.7 million showing in the 2015 legislative elections. It was also less than the 7.5 million votes Maduro got when he was elected in 2013.

Opposition leaders said the lower number was the result of having to organize the balloting quickly and at limited locations.

Some experts said the referendum result would likely cause the international community to take a stronger position against Maduros planned vote.

One woman was killed at an opposition-voting site at a church in western Caracas that was surrounded by government supporters. Witnesses said hundreds of people became trapped in the church. Four people were wounded.

Violence during opposition protests over the past few months has left at least 93 people dead and 1,500 injured.

Im Bryan Lynn.

Bryan Lynn adapted this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from VOA News, 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

referendum  n. vote in which all voters cast ballots to decide an issue rather than representatives in government

dissolve  v. officially end something

fraudulent  adj. something dishonest or illegal
PET scan of a human brain with Alzheimer's disease. Credit: public domain

Researchers in the UK have used DNA sequencing to examine bacteria in post-mortem brains from patients with Alzheimer's disease. Their findings suggest increased bacterial populations and different proportions of specific bacteria in Alzheimer's, compared with healthy brains. The findings may support evidence that bacterial infection and inflammation in the brain could contribute to Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative disease that results in cognitive decline, and eventually death. In the brain, the disease causes neurons to die and break down, and involves high levels of a peptide called amyloid and aggregations of a protein called tau. However, scientists are coming to appreciate that inflammation may also play a role.

"Alzheimer's brains usually contain evidence of neuroinflammation, and researchers increasingly think that this could be a possible driver of the disease, by causing neurons in the brain to degenerate," says David Emery, a researcher from the University of Bristol, and an author on the study, which was recently published in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience.

So, what's causing this inflammation? Some genetic risk-factors for Alzheimer's disease can have effects on the inflammatory response, but infection may also play a role. "Neuroinflammation in the brain may be a reaction to the presence of bacteria," says Emery. The brain is normally sealed behind specialized blood vessels that make it very difficult for things like bacteria in the blood to enter. However, at least one of the genetic risk-factors for Alzheimer's disease may cause these blood vessels to lose some of their integrity, which could allow bacteria to enter and colonize the brain.

The research team set out to discover if there were any differences in the types of bacteria present in brains from Alzheimer's disease patients and healthy brains. "Previous studies looking at bacteria in the Alzheimer's brain have primarily investigated specific bacterial species," explains Shelley Allen, another researcher involved in the study. "We wanted to use an unbiased method to obtain the fullest overview possible of the entire bacterial population in the Alzheimer's brain, and compare these results with those from a healthy aged brain."

The researchers analyzed eight Alzheimer's and six healthy brain samples from a brain bank, where people donate their brains after death for medical research. They used a technique called next generation sequencing (NGS) to detect specific bacterial genes. "NGS technology allows millions of these DNA molecules to be sequenced at the same time, providing an unbiased overview of a complex bacterial population," explains Allen.

They found that the Alzheimer's brains contained different proportions of specific bacteria compared with the healthy brains. "Comparing the bacterial populations showed at least a tenfold higher ratio overall of Actinobacteria (mostly P. acnes) to Proteobacteria in the Alzheimer's brain compared with the healthy brain," says Emery.

However, the researchers were surprised to find that there also appeared to be more bacteria in the Alzheimer's brains. "Unexpectedly, Alzheimer's brains gave on average an apparent 7-fold increase in bacterial sequences above that seen in the healthy brain," says Allen. "The healthy brains yielded only low levels of bacterial sequences, consistent with either a background signal or normal levels present in the blood stream in brain tissue."

The team caution that the NGS method does not directly indicate actual bacterial numbers, and further work will be required to confirm that bacteria play an active role in Alzheimer's disease. "We need quantitative studies on the bacterial presence in the brain," says Allen. "Larger numbers of brain samples are required, and future studies should also investigate if bacteria are involved in other neurodegenerative diseases involving neuroinflammation."

More information: David C. Emery et al, 16S rRNA Next Generation Sequencing Analysis Shows Bacteria in Alzheimer's Post-Mortem Brain, Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience (2017). David C. Emery et al, 16S rRNA Next Generation Sequencing Analysis Shows Bacteria in Alzheimer's Post-Mortem Brain,(2017). DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2017.00195
Anders Breivik's politically motivated bombing of the Norwegian parliament building in Oslo and his subsequent massacre of participants in the Norwegian Socialist Party's youth camp on the island of Utya on 22 July 2011 killed 77 young people and adults. The terrorist attacks also had consequences in neighbouring Denmark. Here the attack was followed by a significant increase in the number of Danes who were diagnosed with trauma- and stressor-related disorders such as PTSD.

This is demonstrated by a research project conducted by Postdoc Bertel Teilfeldt Hansen and Professor (mso) Peter Thisted Dinesen, both from the Department of Political Science at the University of Copenhagen, in collaboration with Associate Professor and medical doctor Sren Dinesen stergaard from the Department of Clinical Medicine at Aarhus University. The results of the study were recently published in the journal Epidemiology.

In the study, the researchers used data from the Danish Psychiatric Central Research Register, which contains data on all psychiatric diagnoses assigned at psychiatric hospitals in Denmark in the period from 1995 to 2012. The results of the analyses show a significant increase in the number of Danes who were diagnosed with trauma- and stressor-related disorders in the period following the terror attack in Norway on 22 July 2011.

In the 18 months following the Breivik attacks, the number of Danes diagnosed with trauma- and stressor-related disorders increased by 16% in relation to the expected level, corresponding to 2,736 extra cases.

"The observed increase in diagnoses of traumaand stressor-related disorders, taken together with the fact that we do not see a similar increase at other times or in relation to other diagnoses, indicates that the attacks were indeed the underlying cause," says Bertel Teilfeldt Hansen.

The researchers behind the study have previously demonstrated that the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 in the United States had a similar effect on the mental health of Danes. However, the number of people diagnosed with trauma- and stressor-related disorders following the 9/11 attacks only increased approximately four per cent in the period following the attacks (as compared with 16% following the Breivik attacks), even though the number of casualties was far higher in this attack than in the Breivik attacksalmost 3,000 people died in the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

"We observed the same kind of effect in Denmark following 9/11, but the effect of the Breivik attacks in Norway was four times as strong compared to that of 9/11. We cannot know for certain what causes this difference, but the fact that Danes are closer to Norwegiansboth in a geographical and a cultural senseis probably important in that regard. People conceivably felt that 'this could just as well have been us' and that probably amplified the negative effect on mental health in Denmark," explains Sren Dinesen stergaard.

How can Danes develop mental illness due to terrorist attacks that take place in another country? The media must necessarily play a key role in this regard, as most people could only learn about the attacks through mass media coverage, and not from personal experience. The study of the Breivik terrorist attacks supports this notion further. Just over a year after the attacks, as the court case against Anders Breivik was intensely covered in the media, a newalthough smallerincrease in the number of trauma- and stressor-related disorders was observed.

"It is quite striking that we can observe a new increase in the number of trauma- and stressor-related disorders when the media covers topics related to the Breivik terrorist attacks. This demonstrates that the media coverage is important in this regard. However, whether this knowledge should lead to a change in the media's coverage of terrorist attacks is another matter, which involves a balancing of considerations over public health and having an informed public," Peter Thisted Dinesen concludes.

More information: Bertel T. Hansen et al. Increased incidence rate of trauma- and stressor-related disorders in Denmark following the Breivik attacks in Norway, Epidemiology (2017). Journal information: Epidemiology Bertel T. Hansen et al. Increased incidence rate of trauma- and stressor-related disorders in Denmark following the Breivik attacks in Norway,(2017). DOI: 10.1097/EDE.0000000000000705
The people of Iran protest to express their opposition to the regime, but even peaceful demonstrations are punishable by arrest, torture or even execution. The regime is desperate to keep its hold on power at whatever cost and the peoples opposition is a major threat to its survival. And quite rightly so because the power of the people cannot be underestimated.

The regime is also fearful of outside influence so it has tried to restrict access to social media sites and is trying to decrypt messaging apps such as WhatsApp, and Telegram which is extremely popular among the Iranian population. The regime does not want any influence from the West and does not want the people of Iran exposed to Western values of democracy and freedom that will jeopardise its existence.

In 2009, the Iranian regime faced its biggest blow when the people took to the streets in protest against the controversial re-election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Social media was instrumental in the organisation of the protests, but they were also instrumental in showing the rest of the world what was happening on the streets. If it was not for social media, no one outside Iran would have been able to see what the reality of the situation was because the state-run media is biased and provided much misinformation and propaganda.

The international community condemned the regimes violence and suppression and the regime came very close to toppling.

There have been other incidents in the past where security forces have very violently beaten protesters, sometimes resulting in death. No one has ever been held accountable.

The people of Iran are now using social media again to build up support to and defy the Iranian regime. Women are also ignoring laws regarding the obligatory wearing of the hijab. They have been punished, had their cars seized, etc. but they still continue with this act of disobedience. The bravery of these women must be recognised.

There are numerous small, but very courageous, acts like this that are becoming more and more common in the country. It is sending a very clear message to the regime that the people are not happy with the mullahs and they will never become subservient or accept such an unjust fate.
Testing blood samples within the first two hours of injury could help predict which critically injured patients are more likely to develop multiple organ failure, according to an early study led by Queen Mary University of London (QMUL). The finding that there is a specific immune response to trauma shortly after injury could also help with the development of new therapies.

The publication of the study in PLOS Medicine coincides with the launch of 'Transform Trauma', a national fundraising campaign to raise money for trauma research by Barts Charity.

Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome (MODS) is the failure of several organs (including lung, heart, kidney and liver) which contributes to the deaths and morbidity of many critically injured patients who survive their initial physical insult. It is a poorly understood condition with no proven therapies.

Lead researcher Professor Karim Brohi from QMUL's Centre for Trauma Sciences said: "The first minutes or hours after a traumatic injury is a key window where a patient's immune response may set the trajectory for whether they develop organ failure.

"This phase is very challenging to study due to the complexity and logistics of the emergency environment, but if we can understand the mechanisms that lead to poor outcomes, we may be able to help bring dramatic improvements through better diagnostics and therapeutics.

"Previous research into the blood clotting system, carried out immediately after injury, completely altered our understanding and changed an entire resuscitation paradigm within a decade. It is possible that overcoming the challenges of carrying out immune response research at this critical time point will do the same for our approach to organ dysfunction and protection."

The team studied blood samples from 70 critically injured patients at the Royal London Hospital, which were taken immediately on arrival in the resuscitation room (within two hours of injury). They compared these with blood samples taken at 24 hours and 72 hours after injury, and from those with minor injuries and healthy volunteers.

Out of 29,385 immune cell genes, they identified only 1,239 immune cell genes that were different between critical and control patients immediately after injury. However, by 24 hours after injury, this response had grown into a widespread immune reaction involving a 'genomic storm' of 6,294 genes.

Looking at the genes more closely, the team found that certain white blood cells, including 'natural killer' cells and 'neutrophils', emerged as potentially central to the immediate response to critical injury, while others, such as T-cells and B-cells, were less involved.

When comparing the immune cell genes expressed in patients who later developed MODS to those who did not, most differences were seen immediately after injury, where 363 genes had different activity levels between MODS and non-MODS patients, compared to only 33 genes after 24 hours. The researchers say it is the response of these early genes that could be used in the future to determine which patients will later develop MODS.

Further analysis of these genes during the initial two hour window found that the development of MODS was associated with biological pathways associated with cell death and survival, rather than inflammatory pathways. This is a very different finding from previous studies (based on bloods from a later time point) where excessive inflammation was thought to produce organ dysfunction.

This study is limited by its sample size and requires validation in other critically injured cohorts.

More information: Claudia P. Cabrera et al, Signatures of inflammation and impending multiple organ dysfunction in the hyperacute phase of trauma: A prospective cohort study, PLOS Medicine (2017). Journal information: PLoS Medicine Claudia P. Cabrera et al, Signatures of inflammation and impending multiple organ dysfunction in the hyperacute phase of trauma: A prospective cohort study,(2017). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1002352

Provided by Queen Mary, University of London
Transmission electron microscope image of negative-stained, Fortaleza-strain Zika virus (red), isolated from a microcephaly case in Brazil. The virus is associated with cellular membranes in the center. Credit: NIAID

Eye abnormalities in infants from Brazil born to mothers with confirmed Zika virus infection in pregnancy are described in an article published by JAMA Pediatrics.

The descriptive case series by Andrea A. Zin, M.D., Ph.D., of the Instituto Nacional de Saude da Mulher, da Crianca e do Adolescente Fernandes Figueira-Fundacao Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and coauthors included 112 infants born to mothers with confirmed Zika virus infection. The study was performed at the Fernandes Figueira Institute, a referral center for high-risk pregnancies and infectious diseases in children in Rio de Janeiro. The infants were examined until age 1 by a medical team, including a pediatric ophthalmologist.

Of the 112 infants, 20 had microcephaly; 31 had other central nervous system abnormalities; and 61 had no central nervous system findings. Among the 112 mothers, 32 had Zika virus infection in the first trimester; 55 in the second trimester; and 25 in the third trimester.

According to the results:

24 of the 112 infants (21.4 percent) had sight-threatening eye abnormalities; optic nerve and retinal abnormalities were the most frequent findings.

10 infants (41.7 percent) with eye abnormalities did not have microcephaly and eight (33.3 percent) did not have any central nervous system findings.

14 infants with eye abnormalities (58.3 percent) were born to women infected with Zika virus in the first trimester; eight (33.3 percent) in the second trimester; and two (8.3 percent) in the third trimester.

Study limitations include a referral bias for microcephaly and other characteristics of Zika virus infection, as well as the lack of a control group for comparison. The authors acknowledge they "cannot affirm with absolute certainty" that all eye abnormalities were attributable to Zika virus infection.

"Eye abnormalities may be the only initial finding in congenital Zika virus infection. All infants with potential Zika virus exposure should undergo screening eye examinations regardless of CNS [central nervous system] abnormalities, timing of maternal infection during pregnancy or laboratory confirmation," the article concludes.
Existing medicines could offer a new way to treat inflammatory skin conditions, researchers at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute and the Royal Melbourne Hospital have revealed.

The research team discovered skin inflammation relies on a protein called RIPK1, and could be prevented by depleting this protein. The finding offers hope that drugs targeting RIPK1, which are currently in clinical trials, could offer relief to people with skin conditions such as psoriasis.

Ms Holly Anderton, Dr Najoua Lalaoui, Dr James Rickard and Professor John Silke from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute collaborated with Professor George Varigos, a dermatologist from the Royal Melbourne Hospital, on research published recently in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology.

Many inflammatory skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis can be triggered by the death of cells in the outer layer of the skin, called keratinocytes, said Ms Anderton, who is a PhD student at the Institute enrolled through the University of Melbourne's Department of Medical Biology.

"We were curious about how this cell death triggers inflammation, and how we could potentially switch off that inflammation by inhibiting keratinocyte death," she said.

"Our work relied on a new laboratory model that has many similarities to a rare but fatal form of extreme skin inflammation triggered by certain viral infections or drug reactions, called toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN)."

The team investigated whether the protein RIPK1 could drive skin inflammation in the TEN model, building on their earlier discovery that RIPK1 acts as a 'gatekeeper' between cell life and cell death.

Dr Lalaoui said the researchers showed that depleting RIPK1 in skin cells was able to prevent the development of TEN. "This finding was exciting as medications that inhibit RIPK1 are already in clinical trials for inflammatory bowel diseases," she said. "Our research would also support the potential use of RIPK1 inhibitors in treating inflammatory skin diseases."

The research revealed an exciting new approach to treating serious inflammatory skin conditions said Professor Varigos, who undertook the research as a sabbatical visiting scientist at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute. "Inflammatory skin conditions are a significant burden on the Australian community and some more extreme forms, such as TEN, can be fatal or require long hospitalisation like a burn."

Around two percent of Australians have psoriasis, many requiring clinical management, with immune suppressants treatments, such as cylopsporin, methotrexate and biologics, usually being the recommended treatment. However these treatments don't target the cause of the inflammation and also come with potential complications.

"It would be exciting to see medicines that stop inflammation before it begins, hence potentially offering a new 'upstream' approach to treating these conditions," Professor Varigos said.
First author Kaity Sliger, PhD, and corresponding author Paul Thomas, PhD, member of the Department of Immunology, examine liquid nitrogen samples. Credit: Peter Barta / St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Researchers have discovered an inherited genetic variation that may help identify patients at elevated risk for severe, potentially fatal influenza infections. The scientists have also linked the gene variant to a mechanism that explains the elevated risk and offers clues about the broader anti-viral immune response.

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital led the research, which appears as an advance, online publication today in the scientific journal Nature Medicine.

Researchers screened 393 flu patients ranging from infants to 70 years old. Patients with a particular inherited variation in the gene IFITM3 were more than twice as likely to develop severe, life-threatening flu symptoms as those who carried the protective version of the gene.

Working at the molecular level, the investigators showed how expression of the IFITM3 protein was reduced in killer T cells of patients with the high-risk variant compared to other patients. Researchers also found more killer T cellswhich help patients fight the infectionin the upper airways of flu patients with the protective variant compared to other patients.

"A genetic marker of flu risk could make a life-saving difference, particularly during severe flu outbreaks, by helping prioritize high-risk patients for vaccination, drug therapy and other interventions," said corresponding author Paul Thomas, Ph.D., an associate member of the St. Jude Department of Immunology. "These results raise hopes that this newly identified IFITM3 variant might provide such a marker."

Estimated U.S. flu-related deaths in recent years have ranged from 12,000 to 56,000, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Factors like age, obesity, pregnancy and such chronic health conditions as asthma, chronic lung disease and heart disease are associated with an elevated risk of flu complications and death. However, there are no proven genetic markers of flu risk with an established mechanism of action.

IFITM3 is an anti-viral protein that helps to block flu infection of lung cells and to promote survival of the killer T cells that help clear flu infection in the airways. Previous research from other scientists had reported an association between another IFITM3 variant (rs12252) and flu severity in Han Chinese patients. The underlying mechanism has remained unclear, and the rs12252 variant is rare in individuals of European ancestry.

Thomas and his colleagues began this study by searching for other possible IFITM3 variants that correlated with gene expression, levels of the IFITM3 proteins and were common in flu patients in the U.S. The search led to an IFITM3 variant known as rs34481144.

Researchers screened three different groups of U.S. flu patients and found those with the high-risk version of IFITM3 rs34481144 were likely to become infected with flu more rapidly and to develop more severe symptoms than those with another variant. For example, researchers checked 86 children and adults in Memphis with confirmed flu infections and found two-thirds of patients with the most severe symptoms carried at least one copy of the newly identified high-risk IFITM3 variant. The high-risk variant was found in just 32 percent of patients with milder symptoms.

Researchers also found an association between the newly identified high-risk variant and severe and fatal flu infections in 265 critically ill pediatric flu patients hospitalized in one of 31 intensive care units nationwide. The patients did not have health problems that put them at high risk for severe flu. Of the 17 patients in this group who died from the infection, 14 carried at least one copy of the newly identified high-risk variant. "When we looked at patients of European descent who died, they all carried at least one copy of the high-risk variant," Thomas said.

The predictive value of the newly identified IFITM3 variant is now being studied in flu patients in other countries.

The newly identified variation is found in the region of IFITM3 involved in regulation of gene expression through the binding of proteins and other chemicals that promote or suppress gene activity. Working in the laboratory, researchers showed how binding of proteins like CTCF, which can suppress gene activity, differed between the high-risk and protective variants.

Further study revealed how binding differed between the high-risk and protective variants. Those differences led to lower levels of the IFITM3 protein in ndividuals with two copies of the high-risk gene variant compared to other patients, researchers said. The Memphis flu patients also had fewer of the killer T cells in their upper airways.

"While this research focused on flu infections, the mechanism we identified has implications for regulating many genes involved in anti-viral activity," Thomas said. "CTCF has gained prominence in recent years as a master regulator of genomic organization. Evidence in this study suggests the high-risk variant we identified may be part of a larger network of CTCF binding sites involved in regulation in other genes with anti-viral activity."

More information: E Kaitlynn Allen et al, SNP-mediated disruption of CTCF binding at the IFITM3 promoter is associated with risk of severe influenza in humans, Nature Medicine (2017). Journal information: Nature Medicine E Kaitlynn Allen et al, SNP-mediated disruption of CTCF binding at the IFITM3 promoter is associated with risk of severe influenza in humans,(2017). DOI: 10.1038/nm.4370
Women with breast cancer who undergo nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM) have a low rate of the cancer returning within the first five years, when most recurrences in the breast are diagnosed, findings of a single-center study show. The new study, published as an "article in press" on the Journal of the American College of Surgeons website in advance of print publication, found an overall 5.5 percent recurrence rate among 311 operations at a median (midrange) follow-up of 51 months, with no recurrence involving the retained nipple.

Unlike a standard mastectomy, which removes the whole breast and breast skin including the nipple, NSM removes the breast tissue but leaves intact the breast skin, nipple, and areola (the ring of darker skin around the nipple). Some physicians have reservations about the oncologic, or cancer-related, safety of nipple preservation because of lack of long-term follow-up, said principal investigator Barbara L. Smith, MD, PhD, FACS, a surgical oncologist and director of the Breast Program at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, where the study took place.

"More women are requesting NSM because of the superior cosmetic results, but doctors don't want to take any chances with breast cancer patients' safety for the sake of cosmetic improvement," Dr. Smith said. "Our study, which has one of the longest reported follow-ups after therapeutic NSM in the United States, provides additional support that it's safe to leave the nipple intact during mastectomy with only a few exceptions."

Their recurrence rate, she said, is comparable to reported rates of disease recurrence after standard mastectomy. Furthermore, the procedure has several advantages over standard mastectomy.

"Often, a woman feels more whole when she keeps her nipple," Dr. Smith said. "Not only does the breast look more natural after NSM, a woman who still has fully intact breast skin can often choose to have a single-stage breast reconstruction with an implant, rather than needing a tissue expander (an inflatable breast implant) to stretch the skin over several months."

More Women Eligible for Nipple Preservation

As the Massachusetts General Breast Program team has gained experience over the past decade since the hospital began performing NSM, its patient selection criteria have expanded, Dr. Smith said. According to the authors, women with breast cancer are candidates for the NSM procedure unless they have any of the following conditions: clinical or imaging evidence of cancerous involvement of the nipple and areola, which doctors call the nipple-areola complex; locally advanced breast cancer involving the skin; inflammatory breast cancer; or very large or sagging breasts, which would result in an unacceptable location of the nipple.

Dr. Smith credited their success with NSM to advances in breast cancer treatment, her team's study of breast anatomy, and their surgical techniques. Earlier European approaches to NSM typically left some breast tissue under the nipple and then applied radiation to the nipple during the operation, she said. However, she said her team and most U.S. surgeons thoroughly remove the breast tissue under the "envelope" of breast skin and nipple because they believe that recurrence rates will be lower using this technique. They then remove and test the breast tissue under the nipple. If the biopsy result shows cancer, the surgeon later removes the nipple in an outpatient procedure. Some patients can keep most of the areola, she noted.

Conceivably, however, breast tissue could remain at the nipple-areola complex or skin flaps, which might lead to a cancer recurrence, the study authors wrote. Therefore, in this study, they reviewed medical records of 297 patients whose breast cancer was treated with NSM from June 2007 through December 2012, to analyze rates and patterns of recurrence. Fourteen of these patients had cancer in both breasts and underwent NSM on both sides, for a total of 311 surgical procedures.

More than three-fourths of the women had stage 0 or stage 1 breast cancer, and the remainder had stage 2 or 3 cancer, the investigators reported. They determined that ductal carcinoma in situ, in which cancer cells have not left the milk ducts, was the diagnosis in 23 percent of cases, and the other 77 percent had invasive cancer. Results of the nipple biopsy found cancer in 20 of 311 breasts (6.4 percent), requiring later removal of the nipple or nipple-areola complex.

Because any mastectomy involves cutting nerves in the breast there is a loss of sensation at the nipple. In NSM, a small chance exists that the nipple will wither and the tissue will die, a condition called necrosis. The rate of nipple necrosis in this study was reportedly 1.7 percent.

High Survival Rate

Patient follow-up rates ranged from four to 101 months after NSM, with most patients having follow-up exams with their oncologists or other physicians for three to five years (56 percent) or longer (21 percent). According to the researchers, the disease-free survival ratethe percentage of patients who were alive and without breast cancer recurrencewas 95.7 percent at three years and 92.3 percent at five years.

Breast cancer recurred in 17 patients at 51 months' median follow-up. Among these, 10 patients had only local-regional recurrence, meaning the cancer returned in the breast, chest wall, or underarm lymph nodes; two patients had both local-regional and distant recurrence (return of their cancer elsewhere in the body); and seven had distant recurrences alone. The rate of local-regional recurrence that this study reported was 3.7 percent.

No patient had a recurrence involving the nipple-areola complex, the investigators found. Furthermore, they reported that no breast cancer developed at the nipple in any of the other 1,871 NSM procedures performed at their hospital between 2007 and 2016 for cancer treatment or as a "prophylactic" mastectomyan operation performed to try to prevent breast cancer in women. The nipple is an uncommon site for breast cancer to start, even in high-risk patients.

No known study has compared NSM with standard mastectomy by randomly assigning women to one or the other operation, Dr. Smith said. However, she added, it appears from the low local recurrence rate in this and other reported studies that breast cancer patients who undergo NSM have no increased risk of their cancer returning because they keep their nipple.

"Women planning a mastectomy should ask their surgeon whether they are eligible for a nipple-sparing operation," she said.

More information: Barbara L. Smith et al, Oncologic Safety of Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy in Women with Breast Cancer, Journal of the American College of Surgeons (2017). Journal information: Journal of the American College of Surgeons Barbara L. Smith et al, Oncologic Safety of Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy in Women with Breast Cancer,(2017). DOI: 10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2017.06.013
(HealthDay)Organizational changes are recommended by primary care physicians to support safer prescribing, according to a study published in the July/August issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.

Katharine A. Wallis, M.B.Ch.B., Ph.D., from the University of Auckland in New Zealand, and colleagues identified potential physician participants using a snowball sampling technique. Emergent themes were identified from 24 semi-structured interventions that were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed.

The researchers note that physicians described swimming against the tide of patient expectations, the culture of prescribing, and organizational constraints. Deprescribing was associated with inherent risks for themselves and patients, and indicated a sense of vulnerability. A sense of duty to do what was right for the patient was the only incentive for deprescribing. Targeted funding for annual medicines review, computer prompts, improved between-prescriber information flow, improved access to expert advice and user-friendly decision support, increased availability of non-pharmaceutical therapies, and enhanced patient engagement in medicines management were recommended organizational changes to support safer prescribing.

"Regulations and policies should be designed to support physicians in practicing according to their professional ethical values," the authors write.

Copyright  2017 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
The structure of the complex of -amyloid fragment -- the product of Taiwanese mutation, with zinc ions. Credit: Vladimir Polshakov.

Members of the Faculty of Fundamental Medicine at the Lomonosov Moscow State University have determined the structure of a peptide complex formed in the brain at the early stages of Alzheimer's disease. The research results will contribute to the rational design of compounds to block the progress of the disease.

Alzheimer's disease is associated with the aggregation of amyloid- peptide in the human brain. The scientific team from the Lomonosov Moscow State University, under the leadership of chemist Vladimir Polshakov, has studied molecular mechanisms of -amyloid aggregation among the carriers of pathogenic familial Taiwanese mutation, and described the structure of emerging complexes to establish the role of zinc ions (Zn2+) in their formation.

-Amyloid is a small peptide with important physiological functions, for instance, protecting the brain from potential pathogenic agents. Normally, after fulfilling its functions the peptide is cleaved by proteases and utilized. However, in some cases, molecules of this peptide start binding with each other, forming complexes that are toxic to neurons. Processes of -amyloid aggregation into such complexes are initiated by transition metal ions.

Over several years, the scientists from the Lomonosov Moscow State University, in cooperation with their colleagues from the Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, have studied the molecular mechanism of zinc-mediated aggregation of -amyloid peptide. They have chosen the peptide carrying the Taiwanese mutation as a model. Alzheimer's disease inevitably progresses among the carriers of such mutations at a relatively young age. The researchers have revealed that the structure of the -amyloid complexes, consisting of mutant peptides, turns out to be tighter and more stable compared to the complexes from native peptides. Zinc ions (Zn2+) play a key role in their formation.

Vladimir Polshakov comments: "We were surprised to see that interaction between a fragment of this peptide and zinc ions has led to formation of a stable complex, where two peptide chains are tightly fastened by two zinc ions. Similar binuclear structures haven't been described in the literature yet. Notably, interaction between metal ions and ;-amyloid peptides usually leads to a variety of peptide chain conformations. The emerging complexes are sort of 'breathing,' passing from one conformation to another. But in case of the peptide, we observe only a single conformation, which allowed us to determine its structure with high accuracy and precision using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy."

The obtained results will contribute to compounds capable of blocking zinc-mediated -amyloid aggregation, which, in its turn, would stop the progress of Alzheimer's disease at early stages. Vladimir Polshakov says, "Using the information on the molecular mechanism revealed in this project, which initiates pathogenic aggregation of -amyloid peptide, our colleagues from the Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology have already taken out patents for two compounds, capable of terminating -amyloid aggregation. Studies of properties of these compounds on animal models have proved that they are able to reduce by several times the risk disease progression."

More information: Vladimir I. Polshakov et al, A Binuclear Zinc Interaction Fold Discovered in the Homodimer of Alzheimer's Amyloid- Fragment with Taiwanese Mutation D7H, Angewandte Chemie International Edition (2017). Journal information: Angewandte Chemie International Edition Vladimir I. Polshakov et al, A Binuclear Zinc Interaction Fold Discovered in the Homodimer of Alzheimer's Amyloid- Fragment with Taiwanese Mutation D7H,(2017). DOI: 10.1002/anie.201704615
Sara F. Jacoby, PhD, MPH, MSN, Assistant Professor in the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing's (Penn Nursing) Department of Family and Community Health Credit: Sara Jacoby

Injured people often interact with police and other law enforcement agents before and during their injury care, particularly when their injuries are due to violence or major motor vehicle crashes. Yet, there are no professional guidelines in trauma medicine or nursing that standardize when and how police interact with injured patients.

In a new study from the University of Pennsylvania, a group of researchers have identified key intervention points where patients perceived overlap between healthcare and law enforcement activities: at the scene of injury; in transport to the hospital; during emergency care; and throughout hospitalization and rehabilitation.

The study was led by Sara F. Jacoby, PhD, MPH, MSN, Assistant Professor in the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing's (Penn Nursing) Department of Family and Community Health, and Elinore J. Kaufman, MD, MSHP, from the University of Pennsylvania Master of Science in Health Policy Program and Weill Cornell Medical Center. The research explored how patients, who identified as Black or African American, perceived their interactions with law enforcement at a trauma center in Philadelphia.

Some patients in the study felt that police were acting in their best interest by offering security at the scene of an injury, providing emotional support, and expediting hospital transport. Others experienced police questioning in the emergency department or inpatient wards of the hospital, as stressful, disrespectful, and/or in conflict with their medical needs.

"These findings suggest that intersections between law enforcement and trauma care activities are varied, but carry the potential to affect outcomes, alter trust in the health care system, and affect racial disparities in injury recovery," said Jacoby.

"With reflection on the perspectives of patients in this study, health care institutions have an opportunity, if not obligation, to formulate policies for where, when, and how police interact with patients in a way that prioritizes the patient's health," said Kaufman.
(HealthDay)Stem cell educator therapy may provide long term benefits in type 1 and type 2 diabetes, according to a study published online July 7 in Stem Cells Translational Medicine.

Yong Zhao, M.D., Ph.D., an associate scientist at the Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey, and colleagues looked at four years of data on nine type 1 diabetes patients in China. Two individuals with type 1 diabetes who received a stem cell educator treatment shortly after diagnosis (five and eight months later) still had normal C-peptide production and didn't need insulin four years after a single treatment. Another type 1 patient had had the disease for four years when she received treatment. She still had improvements in her C-peptide levels, but wasn't considered in remission. The remaining six patients with type 1 saw decreases in their C-peptide levels over time.

The researchers also looked at six patients with severe, long-standing (15 to 24 years) type 2 diabetes. They found that one treatment helped four patients achieve normal C-peptide levels and maintain them over the four-year follow-up. "For the four type 2 patients, their C-peptide is very stable after one treatment," Zhao told HealthDay.

"Stem cell educator therapy is a safe approach" with long-term effectiveness, said Zhao. In addition to helping people with diabetes, Zhao said the treatment could help with other autoimmune diseases, possibly including alopecia areata, lupus, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and Sjogren's syndrome.

Copyright  2017 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
This graphic (fig. 1a) represents the mismatch between the liver shape based on a CT scan of the liver (in green) and the shape traced by the intraoperative tracking device during surgery (black dots). Credit: Vanderbilt University

The liver is a particularly squishy, slippery organ, prone to shifting both deadly tumors and life-preserving blood vessels by inches between the time they're discovered on a CT scan and when the patient is lying on an operating room table.

Surgeons can swab the exposed liver lightly on the surface with a special stylus, capturing the shape of the organ during surgery, and a computer can match that image with the CT scan on a screen. This GPS-like ability is far better than guessing where the tumor and vessels are by feeling for them, but even this road map can be off by centimeters.

Vanderbilt University's Michael Miga, Harvie Branscomb Professor of Biomedical Engineering, and his team published the potential solution: surgery-tested software that better marries the CT scan's image with the tracked tool's. It's an advance that stands to help more than a half-million liver cancer patients worldwide each year. Their paper, "Deformation Correction for Image Guided Liver Surgery: An Intraoperative Fidelity Assessment," appears this month in the journal Surgery.

Used in a blinded, randomized 20-patient bystander study over the past two years at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, surgeons said the new technology improved the registration in more than 70 percent of cases.

This graphic (fig. 1b) demonstrates how the mismatch is corrected for using the new software approach. Credit: Vanderbilt University

"Deformation happens," said Miga, who developed the Pathfinder stylus system for abdominal surgeries. It sold to Analogic Corporation in 2014 and is in use at top cancer centers.

"The way the liver is configured in the body at the time of diagnostic imaging and the way it's presented for surgery are very different," he said. "If you're trying to get to a tumor the size of a dime and avoid a blood vessel, you need to avoid errors. The problem is, by the time a surgeon can access the organ for surgery, the CT-derived GPS map could be off by centimeters. That's dangerous, especially if resecting close to a major vessel."

The trick to fixing that error without investing in additional expensive equipment is software that makes a computer model out of the original image of the liver and simulates the forces being applied during surgerysuch as packed gauze lifting the liver upward. The computer adjusts the CT-derived GPS map to better match the exposed organ shape in the OR.

In the study, surgeons were shown six or seven CT images, depending on time, for each of 20 liver tumor patients in the operating room, for a total of 125 images. The CT map would either be aligned to the original Pathfinder or Miga's new enhanced CT map that corrected for deformations. The surgeon was not told which display was being presented and would assess the alignment by touching the stylus on the patient's liver and looking at the display. The surgeon would then provide a score on a scale of +3 to -3 relative to the previous display presented. The display order was randomized and could go from enhanced to original, original back to enhanced, or held constant. The surgeon was able to detect the variations correctly in 73 percent of the 125 different evaluations.

This new deformation correction technology is available to be integrated into image-guided surgery systems.

More information: Logan W. Clements et al, Deformation correction for image-guided liver surgery: An intraoperative assessment of fidelity, Surgery (2017). Journal information: Surgery Logan W. Clements et al, Deformation correction for image-guided liver surgery: An intraoperative assessment of fidelity,(2017). DOI: 10.1016/j.surg.2017.04.020
In Iraq, there are countless fighters working for militias controlled by Iran and the Iraqi government is heavily influenced too.

Iran saw the opportunity to make Iraq a client state years ago and is using it in its quest to spread influence across the Middle East. Furthermore, following a bloody and nasty battle years earlier, Iran wanted to ensure that Iraq would never again be a threat. Iran also wants to use Iraq to control a corridor that runs from Irans capital to the Mediterranean.

Irans involvement in the country is making tension on the region worse. Saudi Arabia and other US allies are mobilising to counter the threat of Iran and its expansionism. Many claim that it is a Sunni Shiite war going on, but it is much more than just religion.

Irans ambitions extend much further than Iraq of course  it has involvement in Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan, to name but a few. Iran will send militia recruits to Iraq where they will be trained, before sending them off to Syria where they will fight on behalf of Iran who is propping up dictator Bashar al Assad.

At home, propaganda plays a big part in the Iranian regimes attempts at survival. It uses the same strategy in Iraq too  there are television channels being created with Iranian money. It attempts to make Iran look like it is protecting Iraq and portrays the United States as a dangerous intruder.

The US has in actual fact vowed to remain in Iraq after the ISIS fight ends (partly to keep Iran in check). However, after the 2011 abrupt withdrawal of forces, Iran has a chance to exploit Iraqs trust, or potential mistrust, of the US.

The pathway through Iraq towards Syria is absolutely crucial to the Iranian regime. It will be the key to moving troops, military supplies, trade goods and Iranian delegations. One day, Iran could be taking supplies to its ally in Lebanon, Hezbollah.

Like at home, Iran has been carrying out some sinister acts. Sunnis in Iraq have been driven out of their homes in an effort to establish Shiite dominance. Ethnic cleansing is becoming a trademark of the Iranian regime.

When trying to establish how we got to the current situation, analysts state that the US did not protect Iraq  it ensured the regime had been toppled, but it effectively handed the country over to Iran.

The Iraqi government is so weak that it does nothing to prevent Irans control over trade. Iraq could open its own factories instead of relying in Iran, but the government is not supporting local businesses. It is destroying the economy.

Just like at home, those who have different views than the regime are punished and oppressed. Earlier this year, a Shiite militia leader gave a speech to college students and spoke about Saudi Arabia and Turkeys dangerous behaviour and rallied against the US. The Iraqi students were horrified and chanted Iran out! They were threatened by militiamen and were humiliated online after the event. Iran is infiltrating universities too now.

President Trump has vowed to look closer at Iraq in a bid to counter Iran, bit is it too late? Perhaps the Iranian regime needs to be stopped another way?
South Africa has produced many exceptional, and famous, tech entrepreneurs, like Mark Shuttleworth, Vinny Lingham, and Elon Musk.

The entrepreneurial spirit in SAs tech space remains strong, despite the political and economic challenges in the country.

While most media coverage focuses on Internet companies aiming to be the next unicorn, the country has many companies doing exceptional work.

These companies may not be working on self-driving cars or rockets to Mars, but they do provide top tech products and create employment opportunities for IT professionals.

Below are nine of South Africas small-to-medium-sized tech companies that are doing great work.

Axxess (Port Elizabeth)

Founder: Franco Barbalich

CEO: Andrew Simpson

Revenue: Around R250 million

Employees: 99

Axxess was started in November 1997 after Franco Barbalich could not find a company to provide his former employer with an easy way to get a website and Internet access.

He started Axxess without any investment and grew it to one of the largest ISPs in South Africa.

The companys business philosophy is to make getting connected easy and seamless, allowing anyone to access the Web.

redPanda Software (Cape Town)

Founders: Gareth Hawkey and Bob Hall

CEO: Gareth Hawkey

Revenue: Not disclosed

Employees: 120

redPanda Software was started in 2009 to provide companies with software they control, and without any licence fees.

Hawkey saw a disconnect between what was offered in the market and what companies wanted, and founded redPanda to solve this problem.

Its business philosophy is to always build good software, whether profitable or not, with a big investment in people as a core ingredient to make it possible.

Wantitall + Parcelninja (Johannesburg)

Founders: Terence Murphy, Ryan Drennan, Justin Drennan

CEO: Justin Drennan

Revenue: R50+ million

Employees: 61

Wantitall was started in 2006 to make it easy for South Africans to purchase products from the US. The company received investments from David Frankel and Ronnie Apteker, among others, soon after it was founded.

Over the years, the company changed significantly and now offers a wide range of outsourced eCommerce services, including Parcelninja.

Wanitall has a simple business philosophy: Always be willing to try new things. Happy to fail, as long as we learn.

CipherWave (Johannesburg)

Founders: Jonathan Mason and James Grcic

CEO: Jonathan Mason

Revenue: R100+ million

Employees: 52

CipherWave was started in 2011 without any outside funding, with the desire to build a company that delivers a better customer experience.

The company showed strong growth over the last six years by focusing on being the preferred cloud computing and connectivity provider in the country.

It now operates its own local network infrastructure and data centre, and continues to develop new products for its growing client base.

OfferZen (Cape Town)

Founders: Malan Joubert and Philip Joubert

CEO: Malan Joubert

Revenue: Not disclosed. Places over 2 developers per day.

Employees: 25

OfferZen was founded in November 2015 to make it easy for developers to find great job opportunities.

The business was funded by the founders, without outside investors. The company believes building an awesome team is core to their success, and they spend a lot of time recruiting the right people.

Cool Ideas (Johannesburg)

Founders and co-CEOs: Andre Jooste and Paul Butschi

Revenue: R100+ million

Employees: 38

Cool Ideas was started without any outside investment to offer customised IT solutions to SMEs in South Africa.

When it realised that connectivity was a big bottleneck for smaller businesses, its started to invest in last-mile connectivity.

Its first DFA link went live in 2011, and it quickly grew its ISP business after the launch of FTTH in 2014. Today it is serving thousands of customers.

Cybersmart + Lightspeed (Cape Town)

Founders: Laurie Fialkov, Shaun Courtney, Zaid Bester, Dave Johnstone

CEO: Andrew Forssman

Revenue: Not disclosed

Employees: 70

Laurie Fialkov started Cybersmart as an Internet cafe, without any outside investors, to give his brother a job as manager.

Since then, the company has grown into one of South Africas largest ISPs, offering a wide range of connectivity products.

Fialkovs personal business philosophy is make it work and dont f*ck it up, while the company aims to provide a world of information and connectivity to a multitude of clients in Lightspeed.

Raru (Cape Town)

Founders: Neil Smith, Waine Smith, Jose Pereira

CEO: The company is run by consensus.

Revenue: Undisclosed

Employees: 20

Raru was founded in February 2014 by the former owners of Take2 with their own money.

Since eCommerce is what we know best to do, it seemed like a good idea to embrace the challenge and excitement of starting a business from scratch, again, said Smith.

Raru is popular among tech-savvy South Africans, and the company plans to expand its range of tech, media, and geek products. Smith said they believe in operating as lean and efficiently as possible.

Afrihost (Johannesburg)

Founders: Gian Visser, Brendan Armstrong, and Peter Meintjes

CEO: Gian Visser

Revenue: Undisclosed

Employees: 250

Afrihost was started in 2000 by Visser, Armstrong, and Meintjes, who loved the Internet, but thought the price of domains and web hosting was too high.

They saw an opportunity, and at the same time avoided getting real jobs, to do something they loved.

The company has grown from a small hosting provider run from Vissers mothers home, to one of South Africas largest ISPs. The companys business philosophy is to give real value and a great experience to its clients, and provide a great environment for its employees.

Now read: Here are all the companies which Naspers owns
Uber has appealed to the South African police to help stop attacks against drivers and riders.

Metered taxi operators have been attacking Uber drivers and riders at Gautrain stations across Gauteng, and the company has deployed private security to manage the situation.

Uber has requested an urgent meeting with the Police Minister and the Minister of Transport to resolve the situation, and is currently awaiting their response.

Uber SA spokesperson Samantha Allenberg said the company needs police assistance to ensure the safety of users.

We will continue to provide additional security measures around the stations, however, Uber is not a security company and we need the Police Minister to get involved, she said.

That a few metered taxi operators are choosing violence and threats against those bringing choice in transportation is unacceptable.

We cannot do this alone  authorities and policy makers need to take a stronger stand to help prevent and condemn these terrible crimes.

Update  Pretoria Uber driver passes away

Uber has stated that one of its drivers who was attacked in Pretoria on 10 June has passed away.

The victims car was set alight while he was inside, leading to serious injuries, said Uber.
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Armenia opposition MP: Artsakh army reduction is impermissible

Biden to warn Chinas Xi that North Korea path could lead to increase in US military presence

US Treasury chief: India can buy as much Russian oil as it wants

Newspaper: Armenia authorities trying to find legal grounds for signing peace treaty

Newspaper: People of Karabakh not going to tolerate final destruction of their army

Texas woman sentenced to death for killing pregnant woman, removing fetus from victim

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

Iranian MFA summons Azerbaijani ambassador to carpet in connection with anti-Iranian propaganda

Washington to resist any attempt by new Israeli government to annex West Bank

Biden thinks Elon Musk's relations with other countries are worthy of being looked at

Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister tells Polish senator about consequences of Azerbaijani aggression

Armenian deputy in Vilnius talks about goals of Azerbaijan's aggressive policy

Taliban bans women from gyms

U.S. to send Ukraine another $400 million in military aid

Ursula von der Leyen announces EUR 250 million support package for Moldova

Biden and Jinping meet on sidelines of G20 summit in Bali to be held on November 14

Riches of world get poorer suddenly

State Duma deputy: Interparliamentary format Yerevan-Baku-Moscow will be included soon to solve issues

IMF sees growing risk of economic fragmentation

Armen Gevorgyan to visit Strasbourg, Brussels and Paris

State Duma deputy: Upper Lars border crossing capacity has increased fivefold
YEREVAN.  The CSTO, including the former secretary general of the organization, Nikolay Bordyuzha, has always reacted to events on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, and reacted very harshly, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said in an interview with Armenia TV company.

According to him, it is important that the position of the CSTO in commenting border events could be more active.

Nevertheless, their position is such that there are armed forces of Nagorno-Karabakh, and not the Armenian army, the president said, responding to a comment that the CSTO members maintain close relations with Azerbaijan and do not always react to its provocations.

According to Sargsyan, in order to have a full picture of the CSTO's actions, it is necessary to study the documents and statements of the organization.

Last year in Yerevan, we hosted a CSTO summit. You can see what resolution this summit adopted. The emotional side is very important, and I understand this, but the main thing is in the essence. In fact, the CSTO has never made statements that could contradict Armenias interests, Serzh Sargsyan emphasized.
The 2018 Fort Lauderdale Event opens call for papers.

Trumbull, CT  July 17, 2017  TMC announced today The Blockchain Event is accepting speaking proposals through August 31 for the event held February 15-16, 2018 at the Greater Ft. Lauderdale/Broward Country Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The Blockchain Event is directed at entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, enthusiasts, executives, product managers and developers of both established enterprises and innovative startups who are interested in learning how the Blockchain, one of the most important information technology inventions of our time, can lead to a mass transformation in industry, both its opportunities and threats.

Companies attend The Blockchain Event to develop new business relationships, grow existing partnerships and adopt more intelligent strategies. The individuals that speak, then have the unique opportunity to share insight and establish themselves as experts with an audience ready to invest in Blockchain, said Rich Tehrani, TMC CEO and conference chairman. We look forward to receiving presentation proposals and learning from this years speakers.

Although all submission topics will be considered for The Blockchain Event, conference organizers will be most interested in proposals featuring a special focus on the following topics:

Blockchain Training

Internet of Value

Web 3.0, Decentralization & Cryptography

Emerging Opportunities

Regulations & Policy for a Decentralized World

Speculating on the Future

Registration for the Blockchain Event is now open. For more information, contact [email protected] . For media registration, contact Jessica Seabrook. Companies interested in exhibiting, sponsorship or advertising packages should contact Dave Rodriguez at 203-852-6800 x146.

For the latest Blockchain Event news, updates and information, follow the event on Twitter at @BlockchainEvent.

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Edited by Alicia Young
Shabaab Claims Bombing in Garissa, Attacks on American, AMISOM, and SNA Forces in Somalia
The U.S. Forest Service has awarded a $250,000 grant to the Center for the Study of the Force Majeure , a research center based in the Arts Division at UC Santa Cruz.Founded by Newton and Helen Mayer Harrison, research professors in UCSCs Digital Arts and New Media Program (DANM), the Center for the Study of the Force Majeure brings together artists and scientists to design ecosystem-adaptation projects in critical regions around the world to respond to climate change.The center will use the grant to study the economic feasibility of developing an innovative forest industry cluster near Reno, Nevada.Titled the Western Nevada and Central Sierra Nevada of California Regional Wood Utilization Team, the project will estimate the supply of wood biomass in the area east of the central Sierra crest and in western Nevada, and assess the possibility of producing wood products from that supply.Funds will be used to support the creation and management of a special committee, led by Joshua Harrison, co-director of the UCSC center. The multidisciplinary, bi-state team will then cultivate local businesses in the area that can generate useful products from wood biomass.The aim of the grant--part of $8.3 million in distributed funds just announced by the U.S. Forest Service--is to stimulate the removal of hazardous fuels from forests to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires and promote forest health, while at the same time spurring the economic development of rural communities.Our first step is to get a much better estimate of the supply--the amount of timber by species along with brush and other biomass available in the WUT (Wood Utilization Team) region which covers a big chunk of the Eastern Central Sierra around Lake Tahoe and a matching section of Western Nevada, said Harrison. We need to understand better how much wood and woody biomass is available using an environmental analysis that protects endangered species habitat, wetlands and riparian areas, and prioritizes 10-inch and smaller diameter trees--in effect what were calling the environmental cut.Our next step is to take that supply information and work with some partners to identify a range of potential uses--from soil additives, to pallets, fence posts, pellets, wood chips, traditional timber and a range of manufactured woods, along with the economic potential of each use.Finally, we will take our research and add market need and economic analysis to build a strategic economic overview which we will publish, he added.Harrison noted that in addition to working with a range of public and private partners to find specific users and manufacturers, the end goal of the project is to have both California and Nevada become states with a Wood First orientation, where they officially rely upon renewable wood-based resources for major construction and housing projects.
MIOSHA Sets 'Take a Stand Day' on Aug. 9

MIOSHA safety and health professionals, including compliance staff, outreach consultants, managers, and supervisors, will be scheduled on "Take a Stand Day" to provide one-on-one consultations. There will be no citations or fines participating workplaces, but participants must agree to correct all serious conditions.

Michigan OSHA's Take A Stand Day is a statewide event Aug. 9, 2017, when MIOSHA invites employers to "Take a Stand" for workplace safety and health.

The agency is asking employers to sign up now on its website to participate in this 13th annual "Take a Stand Day," when the MIOSHA program is dedicating more than 125 professional staffers to visit Michigan high-hazard industries targeted by the MIOSHA Strategic Plan. Those industries include primary metal manufacturing, machinery manufacturing, hospitals, warehousing and storage, nursing and residential care facilities, and transportation equipment manufacturing.

MIOSHA safety and health professionals, including compliance staff, outreach consultants, managers, and supervisors, will be scheduled on "Take a Stand Day" to provide one-on-one consultations. There will be no citations or fines participating workplaces, but participants must agree to correct all serious conditions.
Engineering Firm Fined $155,000 in Vibration Case

"Exposure to hand/arm vibration is a well-known risk which the company failed to adequately control," said HSE Inspector Helen Jones. "The company also failed to ensure workers were looked after when symptoms did arise, leading to further exposure."

An engineering firm in England has been fined about $155,000 for exposing its employees to Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS), the Health and Safety Executive announced after prosecuting an enforcement case against the company. The employees were using handheld power tools.

Manchester and Salford Magistrates heard how Newfield Fabrications Co Ltd failed to ensure the risks to its employees were adequately controlled and also failed to educate and train the employees on the effects of working with vibrating hand tools. The investigation by the HSE found that during 2015, a welder who had been working at the company for a number of years had been given a job that involved a significant amount of grinding and polishing. He began to experience numbness and tingling and asked to switch with another worker but was told to continue and to continue using vibrating tools.

A few weeks later, a 20-year-old apprentice welder also began to suffer from vibration-related symptoms from using similar tools.

Newfield Fabrications Co Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching Regulations 6(1) and 8(1) of the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005. The company has been fined 120,000 (about $155,000 in U.S. dollars) and ordered to pay 7,241 costs.

"This is a case of the company failing to protect workers using vibrating tools. Exposure to hand/arm vibration is a well-known risk which the company failed to adequately control," said HSE Inspector Helen Jones. "The company also failed to ensure workers were looked after when symptoms did arise, leading to further exposure. This was wholly inadequate and led to two employees suffering significant health effects."
Lab members (left to right): Merna Makar, Yichong Fan, and Huiwang A. Credit: ucr

Researchers at the University of California, Riverside have converted a naturally occurring fluorescent protein from corals into a biosensor that can be used to monitor the cellular thioredoxin (Trx) system, which is a promising target for cancer therapy.

Their paper, titled "Monitoring thioredoxin redox with a genetically encoded red fluorescent biosensor," was recently published in Nature Chemical Biology. The research team includes Huiwang Ai, an associate professor in Department of Chemistry; Yichong Fan, a graduate student in the Environmental Toxicology program and lead author of the paper; Merna Makar, an undergraduate student; and Michael Wang, a high school student who is gaining research experience at UCR.

The Ai lab develops novel molecular imaging tools to peer inside cells and understand their communications and signaling processes. One of their focuses is the spatio-temporal organization of redox signaling and its disruption under oxidative stress. Redox processes are a major regulatory component of cellular signaling in humans. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are oxidative chemicals generated by cells in response to various signals, play a dual pathophysiological role: on one hand mediating physiological signal transduction pathways, while on the other hand causing oxidative stress when their levels are high. Severe oxidative stress can lead to cell damage and death and a variety of diseases.

Thioredoxin (Trx) family proteins play critical roles in the regulation of cellular redox processes. Clinically, it has been shown that Trx levels are elevated in the plasma of patients with solid cancer and leukemia, and decreased when the tumor is surgically removed. The Trx system is thus a validated cancer drug target and drugs that inhibit the Trx system are now in clinical development with early promising results. In addition, the Trx system has been proposed as a drug target for certain bacterial and parasite infections.

The technical difficulty in direct monitoring the redox status of Trx in live cells has greatly hindered investigations on the roles of the Trx redox system and the interaction between Trx and other cell signaling components. Now, the Ai lab has addressed this gap by creating the first genetically encoded fluorescent biosensor that can directly monitor the redox status of Trx in live mammalian cancer cells. Combining protein engineering and fluorescence imaging techniques, the sensor they developed, named TrxRFP1, has successfully monitored compartmentalized redox dynamics of Trx caused by various cancer drugs across different cancer cell types.

This new sensor unlocks new opportunities for understanding the biology of cellular Trx, and moreover, for high-throughput screening of novel molecular modulators of the Trx system. Yichong Fan, a graduate student in Ai's lab, is currently working on rapid and quantitative screening of compound libraries using TrxRFP1 as an indicator. The screening may lead to the identification of potential inhibitors of the Trx system, which may have therapeutic applications.

More information: Yichong Fan et al. Monitoring thioredoxin redox with a genetically encoded red fluorescent biosensor, Nature Chemical Biology (2017). DOI: 10.1038/nchembio.2417 Journal information: Nature Chemical Biology
The newly discovered brown dwarf WISEA J110125.95+540052.8 appears as a moving dot (indicated by the circle) in this animated flipbook from the Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 citizen science project. Credit: NASA/WISE

One night three months ago, Rosa Castro finished her dinner, opened her laptop, and uncovered a novel object that was neither planet nor star. Therapist by day and amateur astronomer by night, Castro joined the NASA-funded Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 citizen science project when it began in Februarynot knowing she would become one of four volunteers to help identify the project's first brown dwarf, formally known as WISEA J110125.95+540052.8.

After devoting hours to skimming online, publicly available "flipbooks" containing time-lapse images, she spotted a moving object unlike any other. The search process involves fixating on countless colorful dots, she explained. When an object is different, it simply stands out. Castro, who describes herself as extremely detail oriented, has contributed nearly 100 classifications to this specific project.

A paper about the new brown dwarf was published on May 24 in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. Four citizen scientists are co-authors of the paper, including Castro. Since then, Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 has identified roughly 117 additional brown dwarf candidates.

The collaboration was inspired by the recently proposed ninth planet, possibly orbiting at the fringes of our solar system beyond Pluto.

"We realized we could do a much better job identifying Planet Nine if we opened the search to the public," said lead researcher Marc Kuchner, an astrophysicist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. "Along the way, we're hoping to find thousands of interesting brown dwarfs."

It's been roughly two decades since researchers first discovered brown dwarfs, and the scientific community opened its eyes to this new class of objects between stars and planets. Although they are as common as stars and form in much the same way, brown dwarfs lack the mass necessary to sustain nuclear fusion reactions. They therefore do not have the energy to maintain their luminosity, so they slowly cool over the course of their lifetimes. Their low temperatures also render them intrinsically dim.

This illustration shows the average brown dwarf is much smaller than our sun and low mass stars and only slightly larger than the planet Jupiter. Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

For years, Kuchner has been fascinated by infrared images of the entire sky captured by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE), launched in 2009. The space telescope is specially designed to observe cold objects emitting light at long wavelengthsobjects like brown dwarfs. With its initial mission complete, WISE was deactivated in 2011. It was then reactivated in 2013 as NEOWISE, a new mission funded by the NEO Observations Program with a different goal: to search for potentially hazardous near-Earth objects (NEOs).

Previously, Kuchner had focused on stationary objects seen by WISE. But the Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 project shows the WISE and NEOWISE data in a way custom-tailored for finding fast-moving objects. His team layers many images of the same location to create a single, comprehensive snapshot. These are then combined with several similarly "co-added" pictures to form flipbooks that show motion over time.

Anyone with internet access can scour these flipbooks and click on anomalies. If they would like to call the science team's attention to an object they found, they can submit a report to the researchers or share their insights on a public forum. Kuchner and his colleagues then follow up the best candidates using ground-based telescopes to glean more information.

According to Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 citizen scientist Dan Caselden, participants are free to dig as deep into the results as they choose. A security researcher by trade, Caselden developed a series of tools allowing fellow participants to streamline their searches and visualize their results, as well as aggregate various user statistics. He also helped identify several of the additional brown dwarf candidates while the first discovery was being confirmed.

Kuchner and his co-author, Adam Schneider of Arizona State University, Tempe, agree WISEA J110125.95+540052.8 is an exciting discovery for several reasons. "What's special about this objectbesides the way it was discoveredis that it's unusually faint," Schneider said. "That means our citizen scientists are probing much deeper than anyone has before."

While computers efficiently sift through deluges of data, they can also get lost in details that human eyes and brains easily disregard as irrelevant.

This illustration shows a close-up view of a Y dwarf. Objects like this, drifting just beyond our solar system, have been imaged by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer and could be discovered by Backyard Worlds: Planet 9. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

However, mining this information is extremely arduous for a single scientist or even a small group of researchers. That's precisely why collaborating with an enthusiastic public is so effectivemany eyes catch details that one pair alone could miss.

While Kuchner is delighted by this early discovery, his ultimate goal for Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 is to find the smallest and coldest brown dwarfs, called Y dwarfs. Some of these Y dwarfs many even be lurking closer to us than Proxima Centauri, the nearest star to the sun.

Their low temperatures make Y dwarfs extremely dim, according to Adam Burgasser at the University of California San Diego. "They're so faint that it takes quite a bit of work to pull them from the images, that's where Kuchner's project will help immensely," he said. "Anytime you get a diverse set of people looking at the data, they'll bring unique perspectives that can lead to unexpected discoveries."

Kuchner anticipates the Backyard Worlds effort will continue for several more yearsallowing more volunteers like Caselden and Castro to contribute.

As Castro put it: "I am not a professional. I'm just an amateur astronomer appreciating the night sky. If I see something odd, I'll admire and enjoy it."

Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 is a collaboration between NASA, UC Berkeley, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, Arizona State University, the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore and Zooniverse, a collaboration of scientists, software developers and educators who collectively develop and manage citizen science projects on the internet.

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, manages the NEOWISE mission for NASA's Planetary Defense Coordination Office within the Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The Space Dynamics Laboratory in Logan, Utah, built the science instrument. Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. of Boulder, Colorado, built the spacecraft. Science operations and data processing take place at the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center at Caltech in Pasadena. Caltech manages JPL for NASA.
A pumpjack in Texas. Image: Wikipedia.

Even oilfields aren't immune to the ravages of time: A new study finds that as some of the world's largest oilfields age, the energy required to keep them operating can rise dramatically even as the amount of petroleum they produce drops.

Failing to take the changing energy requirements of oilfields into account can cause oilfield managers or policymakers to underestimate the true climate impacts, Stanford scientists warn.

The new findings, published in the journal Nature Climate Change, have implications for long-term emissions and climate modeling, as well as climate policy. "Current climate and energy system models typically don't explore the impacts of oil reservoir depletion in any detail," said study co-author Adam Brandt, an assistant professor of energy resources engineering at Stanford's School of Earth, Energy and Environmental Sciences. "As oilfields run low, emissions per unit of oil increase. This should be accounted for in future modeling efforts."

An accurate estimate

In the new study, Stanford postdoctoral researcher Mohammad Masnadi worked with Brandt to apply a new software tool developed at Stanford for calculating greenhouse gas emissions to oilfields around the world that have produced more than 1 billion barrels of oil over their lifetimes, sometimes called "super-giant" oilfields.

Conventional greenhouse gas estimates calculate emissions through a kind of economic reverse engineering, whereby an economic index is used to convert the monetary value of an oilfield's final products - whether it be processed oil, natural gas or petroleum-based products - into greenhouse gas emissions. "This top-down approach for converting economic values into environmental and energetic costs misses a lot of underlying information," Masnadi said.

What's more, many studies look at data from only a single point in time, and as a result capture only a snapshot of an oilfield's greenhouse gas emissions. But the Stanford scientists argue that in order to paint the most accurate picture of an oilfield's true climate impacts - and also have the best chance of reducing those impacts - it's necessary to assess the energy costs associated with every stage of the petroleum production process, and to do so for the oilfield's entire lifetime.

Developed in Brandt's lab at Stanford, a software tool called the Oil Production Greenhouse gas Emissions Estimator (OPGEE) is designed to do just that. For any given oilfield, OPGEE performs what's known as a lifecycle assessment, analyzing each phase of the oil production process - extraction, refinement and transportation. It then uses computer models to calculate how much energy is consumed during each step. From this, scientists can calculate precisely how much greenhouse gas each oilfield emits.

"This bottom-up type of analysis hasn't been done before because it's difficult," Masnadi said. "For this study, we needed over 50 different pieces of data for each oilfield for each year. When you're trying to analyze an oilfield across decades, that's a lot of data."

Unfortunately, most oil companies are reluctant to release this type of temporal data about their oilfields. The Stanford researchers developed two workarounds to this problem. First, they gathered data from places where transparency laws require oil production data be made publically available. These included Canada, Norway and the U.K., and the state of California in the U.S. Secondly, the pair conducted a deep data mine of the scientific literature to seek out clues about oilfield production levels in published studies.

Diminishing returns

In the end, the pair ended up with data going back decades for 25 globally important super-giant oilfields. Applying OPGEE to this group, the scientists found that for many of the super-giant oilfields, oil production declined with time as the wells were depleted, but the energy expended to capture the remaining oil went up.

"The more oil that is extracted, the more difficult it becomes to extract the oil that remains, so companies have to resort to increasingly energy-intensive recovery methods, such as water, steam or gas flooding," Masnadi said.

Making matters worse, oil recovered through such methods has to undergo more intense surface processing to filter out the excess water and gas. In the latter case, this can result in an excess of carbon dioxide and methane gas that is typically eliminated through burning - a process called "flaring" - or venting into the atmosphere.

"We can show with these results that a typical large oilfield will have a doubling of emissions per barrel of oil over a 25-year operating period," Brandt said.

Win-win

How to stop this harmful cycle? One way is through tougher government regulations that force companies to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions or risk having to lower production. This has been shown to work at two Canadian offshore fields, Hibernia and Terra Nova, where regulations have sharply lowered greenhouse gas emissions by limiting oil production in fields where gas is wasted through flaring and venting.

"Better regulation is certainly part of the answer, but a more progressive solution is to encourage energy companies to draw the energy they need to operate their aging oilfields from renewable sources such as solar, wind or geothermal," Masnadi said.

He cites the example of the California-based company GlassPoint Solar, which uses solar-powered steam generators to reduce the gas consumption and carbon emissions of its oilfields by up to 80 percent.

Done right, such solutions could end up being a win-win for industry and the environment, the Stanford scientists said, by helping oil companies drive down energy costs while simultaneously reducing their climate impacts.

The OPGEE tool Brandt's team developed has already been adopted by the California Air Resources Board to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transport fuels, but Brandt thinks it could also prove useful to industry.

"This can serve as a stepping stone toward lifecycle management of field emissions," Brandt said. "Companies could plan operations to maximize production while minimizing emissions."

More information: Climate impacts of oil extraction increase significantly with oilfield age, Nature Climate Change (2017). DOI: 10.1038/nclimate3347 Journal information: Nature Climate Change
Credit: Wikipedia

The key to produce better crops to meet the needs of the growing world's population may lie in combining the traditional knowledge of subsistence farmers of the Ethiopian highlands with plant genomics. Researchers in Italy and Ethiopia conducted research that demonstrates that the indigenous knowledge of traditional farmers, passed on from one generation to the next since hundreds of years, can be measured in a quantitative way and used with advanced genomic and statistical methods to identify genes responsible for farmers' preference of wheat.

The livelihood of hundreds of millions of people living in smallholder farming systems depends on the products they obtain from marginal fields. Smallholder farmers are very knowledgeable in what they grow, because they must be efficient in selecting the crop varieties that will ensure the subsistence of their household. With an innovative approach overturning the classical scheme of modern plant breeding, the authors of this research developed a method to extract the traditional knowledge from smallholder farmers' and to use it to inform modern, genomic-driven breeding.

The result of this original research, conducted by scientists from the Institute of Life Sciences of Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna in Pisa and from Bioversity International, and participated by the University of Bologna, the Amhara Agricultural Research Center, and the Mekelle Univeristy in Ethiopia, was published in Frontiers in Plant Science. Researches worked with 60 farmers from two smallholder farming communities in the Ethiopian highlands. For two straight weeks, farmers evaluated 400 wheat varieties for traits of their interest side by side with geneticists measuring agronomic traits on the same plots. The evaluation provided more than 200 thousands data points, that the researchers related to 30 million molecular data deriving from the genomic characterization of the wheat varieties. This approach allowed to identify for the first time genomic regions responding to smallholder farmers' traditional knowledge, demonstrating that farmers may identify genomic regions relevant for breeding that exceeds those identified by classic metric measurements of traits alone.

"This study is a milestone in modern crop breeding" says Matteo Dell'Acqua, geneticist at the Scuola Sant'Anna and coordinator of the research "as it is the first in demonstrating that the traditional knowledge of smallholder farmers has a genetic basis that can be extracted with methods already available to the scientific community. These farmers can teach us how to produce crop varieties adapted to local agriculture, fighting food insecurity in farming systems most exposed to climate change"

More information: Yosef G. Kidane et al, Genome Wide Association Study to Identify the Genetic Base of Smallholder Farmer Preferences of Durum Wheat Traits, Frontiers in Plant Science (2017). DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2017.01230

Provided by Frontiers
Rachel Wahl of UVAs Curry School of Education examines how ideas and ideals spread through education and advocacy, particularly in regard to state and civil society efforts to influence one another. (Photo submitted by Rachel Wahl)

We live in a world of divisions  between black and white, police and citizens, Republicans and Democrats. As the heated rhetoric between opposing sides grows louder, often the response from those seeking peace is, "If only we could just sit down and talk."

It's a beautiful idea, that the world's problems could be solved over coffee. But has it ever really worked?

Rachel Wahl, an assistant professor at the University of Virginia's Curry School of Education, is trying to find out. She is studying the conditions under which people are willing to learn through dialogue and how the use of dialogue impacts political tools like activism.

In the last three years, her interest has brought her to the heart of the nation's most heated debates, including conversations between police and people of color and conversations between Trump and Clinton voters.

Activism campaigns like "Resist" and "Black Lives Matter," which aim to effect political or social change from one side of these controversial issues, have gone viral on social media and made headlines. But dialogue, defined as conversation between opposing groups of people who hope to resolve problems, hasn't spent much time in the public eye.

Is the perceived rise of political activism limiting the use and impact of dialogue?

Public figures as diverse as Fox News' Sean Hannity and NPR commentator Cokie Roberts say there is a breakdown in civility and an erosion of freedom of speech, making dialogue almost impossible in this political climate. Wahl disagrees.

"I think that many people would like to talk with people on the other side," she said, "but there are very few opportunities to engage in a deep and thoughtful way with people who see the world differently."

In her research, Wahl observes dialogues between opposing groups, then interviews participants to understand the tensions and opportunities such dialogues represent. The conversations aren't academic or philosophical; they're rooted in first-person experiences, told across roundtables where participants are deliberately grouped with people who hold different beliefs.

She aims to answer this question: What factors support and obstruct learning through deliberative dialogue, and what are the ethical and political implications of such learning?

"While voting aggregates preferences and protests and lawsuits exert pressure, in the educational approach of dialogue, people are meant to learn from each other," Wahl said.

She noticed many similar patterns in dialogues about both police relations with communities of color and about the 2016 presidential election.

"Attempting to pressure somebody politically may in some cases be necessary and may be the only option. But it comes at great cost," Wahl said. "People who are targets of activism campaigns often experience them as dehumanizing. As a result, they may reject the messages even more strongly than they would have otherwise."

Wahl is not an impassioned debater by nature and assumes a position of gentle neutrality, listening carefully to both sides with a curious, academic ear. Her research results emphasize the importance of what she describes as "inner work" to produce productive dialogue.

"The most effective conversations happen when people can do the inner work to be less reactive in the face of discomfort," Wahl said. She gave an example of a Trump-voting student from Cairn University, a Christian school near Philadelphia, who sat down at a table with five students who had voted for Clinton or a third-party candidate.

At first the student felt defensive, and wanted to prove he "did the right thing," Wahl said. But he was able to "soften and realize that 'I don't need to be so certain  I don't have anything to lose here.'" Wahl suggested, "It was then that he was able to listen and to learn from his tablemates, both in terms of what I call dialogic learning, which involves learning who someone is and that they have value, and deliberative learning, which in this case entailed considering, in new ways, the positions his tablemates expressed."

"When people can sit through the discomfort of their own reactivity and fear, that's when the best conversations happen," Wahl said.

She has also found dialogues are more effective when both sides can find a reason to respect each other, whether that is based on perceptions of the other's good intentions, intelligence, or even shared humanity. It is then that she witnessed shifts in participants' understanding of the people they were talking with and of the issues under discussion.

Some of her findings will be published in the Philosophy of Education, Polity and Human Rights Quarterly. The findings cite deep questions about the philosophical premises of polarized debate.

In one paper, she asks the reader how she would feel if asked to engage in dialogue with a university president about her department losing all funding. When personal livelihood is at risk, dialogue always becomes personal and political.

"And if one's life is literally on the line, dialogue is even more of a risk," Wahl said.

In the case of police relations, a study funded by the Spencer Foundation, the dialogues are especially at risk for conflict because they take place in a small Southern town with a long history of racism.

"In settings of inequality and conflict, asking people to learn from one another carries significant risks and trade-offs," Wahl writes in a second forthcoming article, "Learning From Our Enemies: Human Nature, Democratic Conflict and the Risks of Dialogue," set for 2018 publication in the Journal of Philosophy of Education. "Asking someone to learn is political, in that it asks people to set aside political means of garnering influence."

Which raises Wahl's latest questions: Do we lose political tools, like activism, when we engage in dialogue? Are there risks that come with "talking it out" with your enemy? While dialogue may encourage you to look at a perceived enemy as human and flawed instead of evil and vicious, does it also slow progress toward a democratic ideal? What are the costs of asking people to learn rather than resist?

"Activism is a crucial tool of democracy," Wahl said. "Democracies can't run on good will and relationships alone. Claiming rights is a crucial tool, especially of less powerful groups. So, it's not that activism is bad and shouldn't happen. It's not that naming and shaming campaigns and political pressure are bad. It's that they are complicated, with complicated results."

Wahl's research finds that in our current world, the question of whether to engage in dialogue or in activism may come to reflect yet another division. But one isn't better than the other. They're different, and complicated.
4.5 days after fertilization the early mammalian embryo consists of approximately 100 cells. At this stage the cells form a structure consisting of a fluid-filled cavity and three different cell types. The yellow cells develop into the placenta, the red cells become the yolk sac and the green cells develop into the embryo proper. Credit: University of Copenhagen

In the very earliest stages of life, mammalian cells multiply and form the embryo. New research from the University of Copenhagen suggests that this process might be much simpler than we thought. The development of the embryo can be cut down to the cell's ability to count their neighbouring cells.

One of the things that make human beings and other mammals unique in the animal kingdom is our cells' ability to remember how to make an embryo. Development is the process by which a single cell, a fertilised egg, makes a complex body with head, tail, arms and legs. Mammalian cells can begin this process without any apparent external or additional information to tell them which side is up and down. More remarkable, even after they have made choices and developed into specialized cell types, individual mammalian cells can go back and do it again or twin, effectively starting from scratch. The big question is: How does the cell know how to do this? Researchers from the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences and the Niels Bohr Institute at the University of Copenhagen have published a study that suggests that life at embryo stage is simpler than we thought.

"Cells are much smarter than we give them credit for. We have shown that they can build an embryo just by making four simple decisions. The most prominent of these is counting their neighbours. It almost sounds too simple to be true, but by counting their neighbours, the cells can determine whether they are placed on the outside or on the inside of the cell group. When they have made their decision, they adjust their properties, start to specialize and begin to form an embryo," says Professor Josh Brickman from The Danish Stem Cell Center (DanStem).

The researchers used a computer simulation to make a cell-behaviour model. The idea was to find the minimal requirements for the cells to develop into an embryo, and the researchers cut it down to four rules or decisions for the cells to make based on their neighbours: adopt polarity, make lineage choices, alter its adhesion or die. They then tested the model in mice cells. The results showed that the model predicted the behaviour of the cells perfectly.

Development and evolution

The question of how the cells are able to form a pattern and develop into an embryo has been a source of debate for years. One theory was that there had to be some unfound information from the mother placed on one side of the egg, which provided the cells with an essential map. Another theory was that master control genes vary at random until they find the right combination. What the researchers have essentially done is say that these explanations are unnecessary and that the very earliest stages of mammalian life are much simpler than we thought.

The results also offer a further understanding of how evolution is even possible. In order for evolution to work, the genes that direct development have to change at a quite significant range. However, it is hard to conceive how the master control genes can change that drastically without messing the whole thing up.

"We have shown that by following the four simple rules, the cells will develop themselves. They only need a little bit of information from the genome, which allows evolution to play with the genes as much as it likes. Basically, it provides the robustness to ensure that development will always work, but then it gives evolution the room to play with the genome. This gives rise to the diversity of the mammalian species," says PhD student from the Niels Bohr Institute Silas Boye Nissen.

The article 'Four simple rules that are sufficient to generate the mammalian blastocyst' is a product of StemPhys, a new multi-disciplinary initiative between SUND and the Niels Bohr Institute funded by the Danish National Research Foundation. The work is published in the journal PLoS Biology.

More information: Silas Boye Nissen et al. Four simple rules that are sufficient to generate the mammalian blastocyst, PLOS Biology (2017). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.2000737 Journal information: PLoS Biology
Education policy is of topmost interest to Juree Capers, an assistant professor of public management and policy in the Andrew Young School. Her research puts a different spin on the subject, though, by examining the structures inside and outside educational institutions that impact underrepresented populations.

"In general, I explore how institutions like school districts or schools affect outcomes for those groups," she said. "My interest is public administrators and how they carry out their jobs within the broader structure. For example, structural racism and institutional biases are being discussed now. I want to learn more about how people operate in these structures that dictate what they do."

When Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager, was shot and killed by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, on August 9, 2014the week before Capers taught her first Race and Public Policy class at Georgia Stateshe entered a classroom full of students upset that the officer would probably be exonerated.

"The shooting was a structural issue. The officer didn't violate the law, but the policy he followed was structurally flawed. If a person's job is to carry out flawed policy, that's what he is going to do," she said.

"I use this structural framework in both my research and teaching. I want students to understand that many of their policy concerns are not with the people who implement policies, but with the design of those policies."

Capers' latest research was suggested by her dissertation, which examined why school districts would continue to pursue desegregated schools when the courts have suggested there's no need, and the effect this decision has on school boards, teachers and students.

"As I was working on that idea, I realized the systems in racially balanced, diverse schools and districts are probably a little different than those in segregated schools, but I didn't know how," she said. "One way may be how the persons inside these two different school environments interacted with the students. How do their environments shape them? Learning about the effect that schools, or their policy environments, have on education officials is a structural question."

For "The Effect of the External Environment on Bureaucratic Representation: Assessing the Passive to Active Representation Link" (American Review of Public Administration, 2017), Capers used data from the nation's 1,800 largest school districts to compare the level of disparity in academic grouping across racial groups in two distinct environments: racially balanced and racially imbalanced school districts.

She expected to find desegregated school districts would offer more opportunities in gifted education for minority students.

"In the desegregated school districts, I expected to find that the minority teachers would be aware of the inequitable treatment minority students received, and they would try to do even more to reduce inequality within those districts," she said. "In segregated schools where the pool of minority students is larger, minority teachers may not feel they need to do that."

Capers looked at the data to reveal two ideas. First, if the two types of school districts offered different student demographic ratios, would their gifted education programs also reflect those ratios? She also looked at whether minority teachers would do something about any disparities.

"Earlier education and public administration research says that black and Latino students should begin to get recommended more often for gifted programs when they have more black and Latino teachers because minority teachers are likely to 'actively represent' the students; the teachers will use their positions to direct tangible gains towards people of the same race, gender or class. They'd stand up to be sure there's more equality in the schools," she said. "The literature says that should be so."

Capers wanted to know whether that idea holds in the different school environments. To find out, she looked at the interactive effect between the percentage of black and Latino teachers and the racial balance of the districts. "In theory, if the school environment can influence teachers' actions, as the district becomes more balanced, the work of minority teachers to ensure equity in their schools' gifted programs could change in a way that reflects the interest and benefit of the school environment.

"In other words, the school environment could make it more challenging for minority teachers to use their positions to push for equity in gifted education for minority students," she said.

Capers found that minority students experienced underrepresentation in gifted education courses in both the desegregated and segregated districts. Also that they were more likely to be underrepresented in the desegregated school districts.

"Although minority teachers used their positions to improve the odds for assigning minority students to gifted education and reduce their underrepresentation, I found that the school environment can moderate their active representation. The effect that black teachers had on gifted education decreased as the schools became more racially balanced."

Capers acknowledged that other outside influences, which had not been tested, could play a role in the findings. Resource dependenceor the school's dependence on the external environment for students and tax fundingand the action of parent/teacher organizations and teachers unions may also influence how teachers use their discretion.

"As the school changes or desegregates, we begin to see less of the promotion of the minority student by the minority teacher. Segregated environments seem to be more supportive of minority students than the desegregated environments," she said. "These findings, overall, reveal the impact that structuresin this case, two distinct school environmentscan have on both teachers and students."

Capers' research supports her theory that structural factors are important in predicting student outcomes.

"The broad assumption and desegregation literature finding that desegregated schools are better for minority students is not supported. There are institutional challenges in desegregated schools that undermine the opportunities that minority students receive," she said. "The racial balance of school districts is a structural factor that should continue to be considered in discussions of school equity, quality and performance."
Credit: George Hodan/public domain

More than 1,400 new dams or water diversion projects are planned or already under construction and many of them are on rivers flowing through multiple nations, fueling the potential for increased water conflict between some countries.

A new analysis commissioned by the United Nations uses a comprehensive combination of social, economic, political and environmental factors to identify areas around the world most at-risk for "hydro-political" strife. This river basins study was part of the U.N.'s Transboundary Waters Assessment Program.

Researchers from the United States, Spain and Chile took part in the analysis, which has been recommended by the U.N. Economic Commission for Europe as an indicator for the U.N.'s sustainable development goals for water cooperation.

Results of the study have just been published in the journal Global Environment Change.

The analysis suggests that risks for conflict are projected to increase over the next 15 to 30 years in four hotspot regions - the Middle East, central Asia, the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna basin, and the Orange and Limpopo basins in southern Africa.

Additionally, the Nile River in Africa, much of southern Asia, the Balkans in southeastern Europe, and upper South America are all areas where new dams are under construction and neighboring countries face increasing water demand, may lack workable treaties, or worse, haven't even discussed the issue.

"If two countries have agreed on water flow and distribution when there's a dam upstream, there usually is no conflict," said Eric Sproles, an Oregon State University hydrologist and a co-author on the study. "Such is the case with the Columbia River basin between the United States and Canada, whose treaty is recognized as one of the most resilient and advanced agreements in the world.

"Unfortunately, that isn't the case with many other river systems, where a variety of factors come into play, including strong nationalism, political contentiousness, and drought or shifting climate conditions."

The conflict over water isn't restricted to human consumption, the researchers say. There is a global threat to biodiversity in many of the world's river systems, and the risk of species extinction is moderate to very high in 70 percent of the area of transboundary river basins.

Asia has the highest number of dams proposed or under construction on transboundary basins of any continent with 807, followed by South America, 354; Europe, 148; Africa, 99; and North America, 8. But Africa has a higher level of hydro-political tension, the researchers say, with more exacerbating factors.

The Nile River, for example, is one of the more contentious areas of the globe. Ethiopia is constructing several dams on tributaries of the Nile in its uplands, which will divert water from countries downstream, including Egypt. Contributing to the tension is drought and a growing population more dependent on a water source that may be diminishing.

"When you look at a region, the first thing you try to identify is whether there is a treaty and, if so, is it one that works for all parties and is flexible enough to withstand change," Sproles said. "It's easy to plan for water if it is the same every yearsometimes even when it's low. When conditions varyand drought is a key factorthe tension tends to increase and conflict is more likely to occur."

In addition to environmental variability and lack of treaties, other factors leading to conflict include political and economic instability, and armed conflict, the analysis shows.

Sproles said one reason the Columbia River Basin treaty between the U.S. and Canada has worked well is the relative stability of the water supply. In contrast, climate models suggest that the Orinoco River Basin in northern Brazil and the Amazon Basin in upper South America may face drier conditions, which could lead to more strife.

More information: L. De Stefano et al, Assessment of transboundary river basins for potential hydro-political tensions, Global Environmental Change (2017). DOI: 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2017.04.008
CHARLESTON (JG-TC) -- A presentation on gravestones will be one of the activities set to take place at the Five Mile House on Sunday.

Paul Baumann, an area cemetery history enthusiast, is scheduled to make the presentation at 2:30 p.m., according to a news release about the event.

Activities are scheduled for 1-4 p.m. Sunday and will also include a performance by the Kingery Brothers bluegrass band from 1-2:30 p.m., the release said.

Craft demonstrations and children's activities will also take place, it said.

The Five Mile House is one of the oldest structures in Coles County and is located southeast of Charleston at the intersection of Illinois Route 130 and Westfield Road.

Attendance and parking at the site's Sunday events are free of charge.
First-generation immigrants in the United States are as trusting of native-born American citizens as those native-born are of each other in their interactions, according to research by Georgia State University economist and his colleague. However, these new immigrants do not show the same levels of trust among other immigrants.

For their research, "Trust and trustworthiness of immigrants and native-born Americans," James Cox of Georgia State and Wafa Hakim Orman (University of AlabamaHuntsville) used experimental economics and surveys using questions from a World Bank questionnaire on social capital to study the social interactions between samples of both populations. For comparison, they further studied trust and trustworthiness among new immigrants and among native-born Americans.

Cox is a Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar and director of the Experimental Economics Center in the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies.

"Trustworthiness among immigrants is an important political and security question," said Cox. "Trust and trustworthiness are crucial to improving social situations where difficult choices must be made. They are also necessary to the general acceptance of immigrant participation in the mainstream economic activities of their adopted country."

The research initially appeared to find immigrants less trustworthy overall, but this finding disappeared when Cox and Orman controlled for demographic variables including income, education, life experiences, religious attendance and membership in secular organizations.

They found a strong correlation between trust and trustworthiness, for example, in immigrants who self-identified as "highly" religious by reporting more frequent attendance than once per week. This group was less trustworthy and less likely to trust. They also demonstrated a higher level of discrimination against other immigrants than those who didn't report high attendance.

"Although causation is not clear, high religious attendance was strongly associated with failure by immigrants to cooperatively resolve the social dilemma we presented in our moonlighting (experimental) game, which allows taking as well as giving," said Cox. "In comparison, high religious attendance by native-born citizens was not associated with less cooperative behavior."

Immigrants in the study were treated less generously than native-born Americans, especially by other immigrants. Women and older people were found to be no more or less trustworthy, yet they were less likely to trust.

More information: James C. Cox et al. Trust and trustworthiness of immigrants and native-born Americans, Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (2015). DOI: 10.1016/j.socec.2015.03.008
Limonene may be the key to new, environmentally friendly polymers. Credit: Public domain

From your phone case to airplane windows, polycarbonates are everywhere. Several million tons of polycarbonate are produced every year around the world. However, worries about the dangers of this material are increasing because of the toxicity of its precursors, especially bisphenol-A, a potential carcinogen.

Now, a team of chemists led by Arjan Kleij, ICIQ group leader and ICREA professor, have developed a method to produce polycarbonates from limonene and CO2, both abundant natural products. Limonene can replace a dangerous compound currently used in commercial polycarbonatesbisphenol-A (BPA). Although BPA has been repeatedly classified as a safe chemical by American and European agencies, some studies conclude that it is a potential endocrine disruptor, neurotoxin, and carcinogen. Some countries, including France, Denmark and Turkey, have banned the use of BPA in the production of baby bottles.

'BPA is safe, but still causes concerns and is produced from petroleum feedstock,' Kleij points out. 'Our approach replaces it with limonene, which can be isolated from lemons and oranges, giving us a much greener, more sustainable alternative,' he says. Because fully replacing BPA for limonene is complicated, Kleij explains that BPA is difficult to replace. 'We can start adding small quantities of limonene, then progressively substituting BPA,' he says. 'Step by step, the adaptation process could lead to new limonene-derived biomaterials with similar, or even enhanced and novel properties.'

Prof. Arjan Kleij is in his lab at ICIQ in Tarragona. Credit: ICIQ

The researchers not only succeeded in producing a more environmentally friendly polymer, they also managed to improve its thermal properties. This limonene-derived polymer has the highest glass transition temperature ever reported for a polycarbonate. 'We were quite surprised to find this, because known bio-plastics have worse thermal properties than classic polymers,' explains Kleij. 'We were at first sceptical about these findings, but we were able to reproduce these features consistently.' Having a high glass transition temperature has other implications. The new plastics require higher temperatures to melt, which make them safer for everyday use. Moreover, this new polymer also offers many new applications for polycarbonates and block copolymers using appropriate material formulations.

Kleij and co-workers are currently negotiating with plastic producers to further advance the industrial manufacture of limonene-derived biomaterials.

More information: Nicole Kindermann et al, Access to Biorenewable Polycarbonates with Unusual Glass-Transition Temperature (Tg) Modulation, ACS Catalysis (2017). DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.7b00770 Journal information: ACS Catalysis

Provided by Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ)
The sex chromosome Z of male zebra finches comes in two variants. Males who possess a copy of these variant each enjoy particular reproductive success. Credit: MPI f. Ornithology

In zebra finches, sperm velocity and morphology and hence reproductive success strongly depend on a specific mutation (an inversion) on one of the sex chromosomes, called Z. This was discovered by scientists of the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in Seewiesen. Males always carry two copies of the Z chromosome, but those that possess two different versions of it, one regular and one inverted, benefit from an optimal sperm design. Even under the strongest selection, in which only the fastest sperm will successfully fertilize the ovum, the genetically inferior types cannot go to extinction. This is because for the ideal morphology a combination of both forms is needed (heterozygotes), which is not possible without also producing the suboptimal types (homozygotes). According to the scientists, this effect can partly explain infertility in zebra finch males.

The "goal" of each sperm is fertilizing the ovum, which implies winning a fierce race through the long female reproductive tract. The competitors in this race are the "sibling" sperm from the same male, but often also sperm from other males. Given such competition and the resulting strong selection, it is inevitable that only the fittest reproduce. In the course of evolution, the best sperm design will thus have prevailed. In a small Australian songbird, the zebra finch, however, scientists have still found sperm of various morphology and velocity.

Together with colleagues from the Czech Republic, researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in Seewiesen found that an inversion of a large fragment of the sex chromosome Z is responsible for sperm design, with immediate consequences for sperm swimming speed and hence for fertilization rate and for a male's reproductive success.

Every male possesses two Z chromosomes, one of which they inherited from the mother and one from the father. Z chromosomes exist in two versions, the regular one (A) and the inverted type (B). "Only if a male possesses both types, meaning that it is heterozygous AB instead of homozygous AA or BB, the male's sperm show a long midpiece which contains the motor for fast swimming" says Ulrich Knief, first author of the study. Animals with two identical forms of the Z chromosome (i.e. the homozygous males) cannot produce the superior sperm and hence show lower fertilization rates. The study is based on paternity analyses of 435 males in the absence of sperm competition and another 482 males under competition with other males. The study clearly shows that heterozygous males had higher fertilizing success under both conditions.

The sperm of male zebra finches consist of head, midpiece, and tail. Only males with an inverted and a regular variant of the Z-chromosome form sperm with a long midpiece which contains the motor for fast swimming. Credit:  P. Opatova

Genetic variation does not get depleted

The superior sperm of heterozygous males can reduce fertility problems, but heterozygous males will always produce 50% homozygous sons, such that the genetic variation in the population does not get depleted, because the optimal genotype cannot go to fixation. For many years, the evolutionary biologist Wolfgang Forstmeier has been puzzled by the high rates of infertility in this species, asking why evolution seems unable to fix this problem despite strong selection against infertile males. "This study is a first step into the direction of answering this question" says Forstmeier. "With an inheritance system with two sets of chromosomes, evolution is stuck when only the combination of both creates the perfect genotype."

While the researchers from Seewiesen were interested in the fitness consequences of the Z chromosome inversion, another group of scientists from the lab of Jon Slate from the University of Sheffield arrived at the same results through a wholly different approach. These scientists examined specific breeding lines of zebra finches, which had been selected for either short or long sperm. In a genome-wide search for variants affecting sperm morphology they independently discovered the Z chromosome inversion. Their study can thus show that the relevant genetic information for sperm morphology is almost exclusively found on this sex chromosome.

"Rather than being redundant, the studies nicely complement each other by the fact that two research teams arrived at the same conclusion coming from very different approaches" explains Bart Kempenaers, senior author of the study.

More information: Ulrich Knief et al, A sex-chromosome inversion causes strong overdominance for sperm traits that affect siring success, Nature Ecology & Evolution (2017). DOI: 10.1038/s41559-017-0236-1 Journal information: Nature Ecology & Evolution
Solar cycle changes in the solar corona as viewed by Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) on the Solar Dynamic Observatory in extreme ultraviolet (EUV) toward the end of the latest solar minimum activity period in May 2010 (left half) and during the current solar maximum period in December 2014 (right half). The three-color red, green and blue image channels are composed of observations made in three AIA channels: 171, 193, and 211 A, respectively, corresponding to their most dominant emission lines of Fe IX, Fe XII, and Fe XIV with formation temperatures of ~0.7, 1.2, and 2.0 MK. Credit: Morgan et al. Sci. Adv. 2017;3: e1602056

(Phys.org)A pair of researchers with Aberystwyth University in the U.K. has used data from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory to learn more about how the sun's corona behaves over differing stages of its 11-year cycle. In their paper published on the open access site Science Advances, Huw Morgan and Youra Taroyan describe attributes of the sun they observed over time and what they discovered about the "quiet corona" and its possible impact on us back here on Earth.

As the researchers note, most research to date regarding the sun's corona has covered relatively small datasets, which provides only a limited view of what happens with the sun over longer periods of timespecifically, over the course of an entire coronal cycle. But now, thanks to NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, the pair were able to look at data that covered the time between 2010 and 2017, which covers a large portion of one cycle.

Scientists have known for some time that the corona experiences solar cycles of approximately 11 yearssolar flare activity grows and ebbs over the course of a single cycle. But until now, there has been no way to measure what happens over the course of a single cycle to explain the changes that occur.

In their analyses of the data, the researchers focused on what scientists call the quiet coronathe part of the corona that remains relatively quiet while sunspots are occurring in other areas. It is a little researched area, the researchers note, due to the more attractive sunspot areas. They also looked at extreme ultraviolet irradiance emitted from different coronal regions. They report that they found that all throughout a cycle, the quiet corona dominated emissions of EUV and that more active regions demonstrated higher variability. But they also found that main emission measurements of both the quiet corona and those regions that were more active were what they described as "remarkably constant." Their findings demonstrate, the pair note, that monitoring sunspots is not an adequate means for predicting EUV irradiancemore measurements and study are required to better understand the factors at play.

Movie of coronal temperature and emission measure over a 4-day period during 2011, as gained from analysis of extreme ultraviolet data from the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly on the Solar Dynamic Observatory. Credit: Data from the NASA AIA/SDO mission, analysis technique based on Hannah & Kontar, processing & visualisation Huw Morgan (Aberystwyth University).

More information: Huw Morgan et al. Global conditions in the solar corona from 2010 to 2017, Science Advances (2017). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1602056 Abstract

Through reduction of a huge data set spanning 20102017, we compare mean global changes in temperature, emission measure (EM), and underlying photospheric magnetic field of the solar corona over most of the last activity cycle. The quiet coronal mean temperature rises from 1.4 to 1.8 MK, whereas EM increases by almost a factor of 50% from solar minimum to maximum. An increased high-temperature component near 3 MK at solar maximum drives the increase in quiet coronal mean temperature, whereas the bulk of the plasma remains near 1.6 MK throughout the cycle. The mean, spatially smoothed magnitude of the quiet Sun magnetic field rises from 1.6 G in 2011 to peak at 2.0 G in 2015. Active region conditions are highly variable, but their mean remains approximately constant over the cycle, although there is a consistent decrease in active region high-temperature emission (near 3 MK) between the peak of solar maximum and present. Active region mean temperature, EM, and magnetic field magnitude are highly correlated. Correlation between sunspot/active region area and quiet coronal conditions shows the important influence of decaying sunspots in driving global changes, although we find no appreciable delay between changes in active region area and quiet Sun magnetic field strength. The hot coronal contribution to extreme ultraviolet (EUV) irradiance is dominated by the quiet corona throughout most of the cycle, whereas the high variability is driven by active regions. Solar EUV irradiance cannot be predicted accurately by sunspot index alone, highlighting the need for continued measurements. Journal information: Science Advances

 2017 Phys.org
Healthy unbleached (brown) Pocillopora corals from the Eastern Pacific possess a thermally tolerant symbiont species of algae (Symbiodinium glynnii), while unhealthy or dead bleached (white) corals possess a more sensitive symbiont. Credit: Pennsylvania State University

Global climate change has increased water temperatures in the world's oceans, often causing mass coral bleaching and mortality, which harms not only corals, but also the vast ecosystems they support. Using innovative methods, researchers at Penn State University have identified a new species of stress-tolerant Symbiodinium, a genus of algae that occurs mutualistically with corals in a partnership that promotes the health and growth of coral reef ecosystems. The team's paper, which appears in a recent issue of the journal Phycologia, also describes the geographical distribution of Symbiodinium glynnii, how it differs from other stress-tolerant symbiont species, and its capacity to spread to places around the Pacific and live with different coral hosts.

According to Todd LaJeunesse, associate professor of biology at Penn State, the algae, which he named Symbiodinium glynnii, is common among corals in the pocilloporid and montiporid families that dominate the warm or variable environments of the Pacific Ocean. "Symbiodinium glynnii is a highly abundant species in the Eastern Pacific, which explains, in part, why Pocillopora colonies dominate the coral communities over this broad and environmentally diverse region," said LaJeunesse. "Corals with this species of algal symbiont are physiologically robust and can withstand conditions that would be too extreme for coral colonies harboring other kinds of symbiont."

The researchers relied primarily on genetic evidence gathered from the analysis of hundreds of samples obtained from far-flung sites in the Pacific Ocean, including reefs near Mexico, Panama, the Galapagos Islands, the Phoenix Islands, Hawaii, and Palau. They also examined samples from aquarium collections. The team used a variety of data to identify the new species, including DNA sequences, microsatellite genotyping, host associations, cell sizes, and other traits. They also imported this data into a computer program, pioneering an approach to use machine learning to unambiguously identify species that are normally hard to distinguish.

A variety of corals, including those from the genus Pocillopora, associate with the stress-tolerant species of algae Symbiodinium glynnii in habitats with extreme temperature in Palau in the Western Pacific. Credit: Pennsylvania State University

"We have been studying this coral symbiont for years and how it can significantly change the thermal tolerance of the coral colony in which it resides," said LaJeunesse. "It's good to finally assign a name to this organism, which will allow scientists to better communicate about its biology and ecology, and therefore, accelerate progress in our field. Ultimately, the study of these stress-tolerant symbionts will help us learn about what adaptations, or traits, may allow some reef corals to live in a harsher world."

Seriatopora corals located in extreme habitats in the Western Pacific associate with Symbiodinium glynnii. Todd LaJeunesse is studying how associating with algal symbionts allows these and other corals to adapt to stressful environments. Credit: Pennsylvania State University
Credit: Shutterstock

Badgers are more sociable than often thought, with implications for how they transmit disease according to Oxford University researchers.

Using security tracking technology more commonly used to protect museum artwork, the new research has revealed fresh insights into the animals' social behaviour.

Previous studies have fuelled the assumption that badgers are a territorial and anti-social species, living in exclusive, tight-knit family groups, known as 'setts'. This picture of the mammal's social system led to the belief that they actively defend territorial borders and consequently rarely travel beyond their social-group boundaries. Some culling and vaccination programmes now rely on this perception, considering badger society as being divided up into discrete, impenetrable units.

The findings, published in Methods in Ecology and Evolution, reveal that badgers travel more frequently beyond these notional boundaries than first thought, and appear to at least tolerate their neighbours.

Understanding day-to-day wildlife behaviour is critical to solving problems related to conservation and disease management. These issues are particularly relevant to badgers, because of their controversial role in the spread of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) to cattle in the UK and Ireland.

An interdisciplinary team of Zoology and Computer Science Researchers from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, used active Radio Frequency Identification Technology (aRFID) to 'tag' and monitor the movements of badgers in Wytham, Oxfordshire. The team discovered that the level of connectivity among badgers from different social-groups, was not as expected.

Professor David Macdonald, Director of Oxford University's Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), said: 'The private lives of badgers turn out to be almost as hard to understand as those of people - but after 25 years of trying, supported by extraordinary technologies, we're nudging closer to an understanding that is not only intriguing but also, for example in the context of bTB, useful.'

The findings support a new understanding of badger social connectivity. In recent years clues have accumulated, suggesting that badgers must travel beyond their territorial borders. For example, paternity studies, also conducted in Wytham, have shown that territorial borders are not necessarily barriers to reproductive interaction - with up to 50 per cent of cubs fathered by males from outside the mother's social-group.

Unable to detect visits to setts and latrines and often limited by how many individuals that could be tracked simultaneously, previous wildlife tracking technologies have been ill-suited to monitoring badgers. But, by recording the presence of tagged badgers, relative to base-stations, the aRFID system was better able to monitor badger comings and goings.

Dr Stephen Ellwood, a Research Associate in the Department of Zoology at Oxford University, and the paper's lead author, said: 'Tracking the way a tweet goes viral is a staple of the modern world and says a lot about how interconnected people have become through our use of information technology. Tracking the opportunities for wild animals to connect requires a little more ingenuity. By fusing the know-how of Computer Scientists and Zoologists with technology normally used to track valuable assets we have developed a system capable of automatically logging when badgers visit specific locations over months or even years. Visiting such locations provides the opportunity for connectivity, either directly through physical contact, or indirectly through lingering scent. Summarising the visits that located badgers together at the same place and time allowed us to build up patterns of inter-group connectivity beyond those previously understood.'

Moving forward, there is potential to extend the research beyond the activity of badgers, to other species that use focal resources either to forage, nest or burrow. The work could potentially inform our understanding of disease transmission across a wide variety of wildlife.
MATTOON -- Laurie Dotson had nearly given up hope of finding her beloved dog, Maggie, after the chocolate lab slipped out of her yard on the evening of the Fourth of July.

Then, Dotson received a call on July 9 saying that Maggie was at the Coles County Animal Shelter. Four boys had found Maggie laying under a railroad trestle at the Kickapoo Creek, off of South 12th Street. The boys brought Maggie water and snacks, and they called the shelter to come retrieve her from the bottom of the creek's steep embankment.

"I was so relieved and so happy," Dotson said. "They saved my dog's life."

Maggie was found by brothers Paden Adams, 13, and Tayten Adams, 10; their cousin Zae Graham, 12; and their friend Dommanik Faulkner, 11.

Dotson, who lives on Elm Ridge in Mattoon, said she adopted Maggie seven and a half years ago and estimated the chocolate lab is now 12-13 years old. She said "you could not find a nicer dog," adding that Maggie gets along well with people of all ages and seldom barks.

On the night that Maggie went missing, fireworks were being set off around town in celebration of the Fourth of July. Dotson said the fireworks likely upset Maggie, who slipped out of her yard through an open garage door. Dotson said Maggie typically does not go far if she gets out, but her dog did not turn up in her neighborhood that night or the following day.

Dotson said she expanded her search beyond the neighborhood and kept checking with the animal shelter to see if Maggie had been taken there. She said her daughter, Mary Dotson, helped enlist other community members in the search via Facebook.

"It was really a nice thing because so many people got involved and invested in the hunt for this dog," Dotson said.

Maggie's human family members were not the only ones missing her. Dotson said Maggie likes to playfully pester the family's 15-year-old Australia shepherd, Max.

"(Max) missed her so bad when she was gone that I worried about him," Dotson said. "You could tell he was missing her."

The chocolate lab's journey home began on the afternoon of July 8. Zae Graham said he and the other boys were playing in the neighborhood off of South 12th Street when they saw Maggie laying under the wooden railroad trestle there.

Dommanik Faulkner said the dog looked thirsty, so they brought her two bowls of water to drink while she waited on the shelter staff member that they called to come and get her. They also brought her a bacon dog treat. Dommanik said the dog was calm and let them pet her.

After being reunited with Maggie, Dotson found that the dog was in good condition despite her ordeal. She speculated that Maggie may have rolled down the Kickapoo Creak embankment while searching for water. She said Maggie, at her advanced age for a dog, was not strong enough to climb back up the steep embankment.

With the help of Facebook friends, Dotson said she was able to locate the boys who helped her dog. Dotson, with Maggie alongside her, stopped by the neighborhood off of South 12th on Friday to thank the boys for finding Maggie, calling for help, and keeping her hydrated.

"I really appreciate what you did for Maggie," Dotson said.
NRF to Host Vice President Pence at Retail Summit

WASHINGTON, July 14, 2017  Members of the National Retail Federation will hear from Vice President Mike Pence next week during NRFs annual Retail Advocates Summit as more than 200 retailers from across the country come to Washington to meet with policymakers about issues critical to the industry. Representative Mike Kelly, R-Pa., a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, will also address the gathering of small retailers, national retail chain executives and state retail association officials. This years convention will focus on the importance of tax reform for retailers and their employees. Details for media wishing to cover these events are listed below.

Tuesday, July 18

WHAT: Keynote address by Vice President Mike Pence at NRFs Retail Advocates Summit. Introduction by NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay.

WHERE: Hyatt Regency Washington Capitol Hill

Regency Ballroom

400 New Jersey Ave NW

Washington, D.C.

WHEN: 10 a.m.-11 a.m. EDT

Media Pre-set: 4:30 a.m.  5:00 a.m.

Media Check-In: 8:15 a.m.  8:45 a.m.

Onsite contact: 202-657-2603

Wednesday, July 19

WHAT: Remarks by Congressman Mike Kelly, R-Pa.

WHERE: Capitol Hill Club

Bolton Room

300 First St. S.E.

Washington D.C.

WHEN: 8:15 a.m. EDT

Other POS News:
Vineyard Vines Partners with First Insight

PITTSBURGH, PA and STAMFORD, CT  July 12, 2017  First Insight, Inc., a technology company transforming how leading retailers make product investment and pricing decisions, today announced an agreement with vineyard vines, the Connecticut-based retail brand best known for its smiling pink whale logo and Marthas Vineyard inspired clothing and accessories for men, women and children.

As part of the agreement, First Insight will use its online social engagement tools to gather real-time product pricing and sentiment data from vineyard vines customers. This data will then be analyzed by First Insights predictive models to enable vineyard vines to more quickly and accurately make design, buying and pricing decisions that improve sales, margins and inventory turnover both in stores and online.

Through First Insights predictive analytics, we will gain visibility into our customers preferences in a way that hasnt been possible for us before, said Mike Gaumer, president of vineyard vines. By bringing winning products to market that align with the needs of our distinct customer base, we will increase traffic both in-store and online while engaging our customers more effectively. We validated the ROI of the First Insight solution through measuring a direct increase in online conversions and full-price sales. Ultimately First Insight is helping us deliver on two of our corporate goals; building great relationships with our customers and driving profitable sales.

vineyard vines has built an iconic American brand synonymous with an upscale, relaxed coastal lifestyle, said Greg Petro, CEO and Founder of First Insight. By introducing the voice of the customer through predictive analytics, vineyard vines will increase speed to market with the right styles, targeted to their core customer. We are excited to be working with one of the fastest growing brands in the U.S.

About First Insight, Inc.

First Insight is the worlds leading provider of solutions that empower retailers and brands to incorporate the voice of the customer into the design and merchandising of new products. Through the use of online consumer engagement, the First Insight solution gathers real-time consumer data and applies predictive analytic models to create actionable insights, which drive measurable value. Retailers, manufacturers and brands use the First Insight solution to design, select, price and market the most profitable new products for reduced markdown rates and improved sales, margins and inventory turnover. Customers include some of worlds leading vertically integrated brands, sporting goods companies, department stores, mass merchant retailers and wholesalers. For further information, please visit www.firstinsight.com.

About vineyard vines

vineyard vines, a brand best known for its smiling pink whale logo, was founded in 1998 on Marthas Vineyard when brothers Shep and Ian Murray cut their ties with corporate America to start making ties that represented the Good Life. In addition to signature neckwear, vineyard vines offers a variety of clothing and accessories for men, women and children. Products are sold in over 600 specialty and department stores worldwide, through a seasonal catalog at 1.800.892.4982, online at vineyardvines.com and at over one hundred freestanding stores.

Other POS News:
By Catherine Watson

Historic charm

By far the most charming neighbourhood in Strasbourg is its historic district. Known as La Petite France, it has an abundance of quaint, half-timbered houses overlooking the locks and weirs of the Ill river, which runs through the city.

One iconic building is the Maison des Tanneurs, a former tannery built in 1572. It is now a restaurant serving traditional Alsatian cuisine and is renowned for its choucroute, a local version of sauerkraut.

Gothic cathedral

Though damaged during air raids in August 1944, the cathedral stands defiantly in the city centre and is visible from the nearby Vosges mountains. The gothic structure contains an 18-metre astronomical clock, one of the oldest in the world. The current clock dates from 1842, but it is the third on the same spot (the first was built in the 14th century). In 1570 Frances first Christmas market was held in front of the cathedral. Today the festive market takes place at 10 locations across the city from the end of November to Christmas Eve.

World-class wines

Strasbourg lies at the northern end of Alsaces stunning wine route. The region is noted for its dry Rieslings as well as Gewurztraminers and Pinot Gris. While most of the local wine is white, Alsatian Pinot Noir is making a name for itself.

Related article: Jancis Robinson: A gathering of the best minds on fine wine

European hub

Located on Frances eastern border with Germany, Strasbourg has always been strategically important in Europe. In 1871 the city was annexed to the newly established German Empire, but returned to France in 1918. While most European institutions are based in Brussels, the French government ensured that the official seat of the European Parliament is Strasbourg. The city is connected by high-speed train (TGV) to Brussels and Paris.

Cross-border relations

From April, a new bridge across the Rhine has carried tram passengers to the neighbouring German town of Kehl. A well-funded tram system makes travel in Strasbourg a pleasure.

Photographs: Sergii Kolesnyk/Dreamstime; Ifeelstock/Dreamstime; Carolecastelli/Dreamstime; Bonzodog/Dreamstime; Rudi1976/Dreamstime; Dreamstime
A Cameroon army vessel transporting "dozens" of troops from the elite Rapid Intervention Brigade capsized on Sunday off the country's southwestern coast, a security source told AFP. The boat "capsized on Sunday between the city of Limbe and Bakassi. There were dozens of troops on board, including a colonel," the source told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity. The Rapid Intervention Brigade is in the front line of Cameroon's fight against Boko Haram jihadists in the far north. "The army has begun searches," the source said, while another source close to the Cameroon army said at least one body had been recovered. As well as the troops the boat was also transporting equipment for construction work at a military base on the Bakassi peninsula, where the Brigade has helped to bring security after a previous spate of hostage-takings. Though Boko Haram originated in Nigeria, the Islamic State-affiliated group has carried out frequent attacks in Cameroon, Chad and Niger. Cameroon's Far North region, which borders Nigeria, has seen a resurgence in attacks blamed on Boko Haram after months of relative calm. Last week two bombers blew themselves up in northeastern Cameroon killing 15 people in an attack blamed on Boko Haram. Some 200,000 Cameroonians from the Far North region have fled their villages in fear of the violence.
By Ahmed Aboulenein CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt will end visa-free entry for Qatari nationals with some exceptions, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said on Monday, the latest measure taken against Doha which Cairo and three Gulf governments are boycotting. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt imposed sanctions on Qatar on June 5, cutting diplomatic and transport ties with the tiny Gulf monarchy, after accusing it of financing militant groups and allying with their regional arch-foe Iran. Doha denies the accusations. "It does not make sense to keep making exceptions for Qatar and giving it privileges in light of its current positions," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid. Qatari nationals will now have to apply for a visa in order to enter Egypt. Qatari nationals with Egyptian mothers, those married to Egyptians, and Qataris studying in Egypt will be exempt from having to apply for a visa, he added. Sources at Cairo International Airport told Reuters the decision would be implemented as of Thursday July 20, which the Qatari Foreign Ministry later confirmed on Twitter. Foreign workers make up around 1.6 million of Qatar's 2.5 million population, and hundreds of thousands of them are Egyptians, making them one of the biggest foreign contingents in the Gulf country. So far no action has been taken against them. Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry told his Kuwaiti counterpart earlier on Monday that Egypt is standing by the list of demands it and the three Gulf countries made of Qatar and will keep sanctions against Doha in place. Kuwait has been leading mediation efforts between Qatar and the four Arab states boycotting it. Its top diplomat Sheikh Sabah al-Khalid al-Sabah met Shoukry and President Abdel Fattah al Sisi in Cairo on Monday. "The Foreign Minister affirmed to his Kuwaiti counterpart Egypt's commitment to the list of demands presented to the state of Qatar and the continuation of sanctions taken against it," Abu Zeid said in a statement earlier. The insistence comes "in light of what the quartet states see as Qatar's stalling and procrastination, and lack of concern for the concerns of the four states," he said. Shoukry told Sabah the only way the crisis would be resolved was if Qatar fulfilled the demands, which include curtailing its support for the Muslim Brotherhood, shutting down the pan-Arab al Jazeera satellite TV channel, closing a Turkish military base and downgrading its relations with rival Iran. Sisi told Sabah he appreciated what Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber al-Sabah was doing to preserve Arab unity but that Egypt would not let anyone interfere in its affairs and would stand strong against policies that support terrorism, his spokesman Alaa Youssef said in a statement. (Reporting by Ahmed Aboulenein; Additional reporting by Ali Abdelaty; Editing by Toby Chopra)
By Krisztina Than BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is likely to focus on business rather than history in Budapest as he looks to deepen ties with Hungary, whose leader Viktor Orban's flirtation with the radical right has unnerved Jews living there. During a two-day visit starting on Tuesday, Netanyahu will also meet the Polish, Czech and Slovak leaders as part of efforts to build support for Israel's interests in international forums. He arrives at a sensitive moment, less than a month after Orban praised Hungary's interwar leader Miklos Horthy - a Hitler ally - and used an image of Jewish U.S. financier George Soros in an anti-immigration billboard campaign. Yair Lapid, who heads Israel's centrist Yesh Atid opposition party, called on Netanyahu to cancel the visit over the poster campaign, which Budapest has denied was anti-Semitic.. But Israel's foreign ministry last week accused Soros - who funds dozens of pro-democracy and human rights groups - of undermining the government, suggesting right-winger Netanyahu may find common ground with Orban over clampdowns on non-governmental organisations critical of their administrations. "We had the Horthy (remark) and then the billboard campaign. The billboard campaign created a certain domino effect reaction in the Jewish community," Israeli ambassador Yossi Amrani told Reuters in Budapest. "People expressed fears." Amrani reiterated that Israel was committed to protecting Jewish communities and fighting anti-Semitism. At the same time, Israel was seeking cooperation with Budapest. "The PM is visiting because we believe there is common ground and certain strategic interests. We still believe this is possible," Amrani said. Netanyahu's visit will be the first to Hungary by an Israeli prime minister since the fall of communism. Like Hungary, Israel has passed legislation that seeks to limit the influence of NGOs that receive a large portion of their funding from abroad. Human rights group Amnesty International said on Monday it was worrisome that both leaders were conducting campaigns against civil organisations. "We call on both prime ministers to fundamentally change their attitude with relation to human rights," Amnesty said. CARS AND FENCES The meetings will focus on business cooperation, mainly in the car industry, as Central Europe hosts assembly plants of major manufacturers, the Israeli ambassador and an official close to Netanyahu told Reuters. "There's quite a bit of economic activity in the region in which Israel shares an interest.. Israel has expertise in technology related to the (auto) industry," the official said. "Israel has an interest in building good bilateral relations that are then reflected in multinational forums," he added. Israel has sought better ties with countries that have a vote in multilateral forums, whether the EU or the United Nations, which it hopes will help defend its interests when Israel is criticised. Poland has just been elected into the U.N. Security Council as a non-permanent member for the next two years. Defence and security would also be discussed, as Europe struggles with the influx of migrants from the Middle East and Africa. "Europe is awash in refugees so people are interested in how to deal with that issue," the official close to Netanyahu said. Hungary, which built a double fence on its southern border to keep migrants out, has held discussions with Israel about purchasing security fences. (Additional reporting by Luke Baker in JERUSALEM; editing by John Stonestreet)
South Korea on Monday offered to hold rare military talks with North Korea, aiming to ease tensions after Pyongyang tested its first intercontinental ballistic missile. The offer of talks, the first since South Korea elected dovish President Moon Jae-In, came as the Red Cross in Seoul proposed a separate meeting to discuss reunions of families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War. The South's defence ministry proposed a meeting to be held on Friday at the border truce village of Panmunjom, while the Red Cross offered to hold talks on August 1 at the same venue. If the government meeting goes ahead, it will mark the first official inter-Korea talks since December 2015. Moon's conservative predecessor Park Geun-Hye had refused to engage in substantive dialogue with Pyongyang unless it made a firm commitment to denuclearisation. "We make the proposal for a meeting... aimed at stopping all hostile activities that escalate military tension along the land border," the defence ministry said in a statement. The Red Cross said it hoped for "a positive response" from its counterpart in the North in hopes of holding family reunions in early October. If realised, they would be the first for two years. Millions of family members were separated by the conflict that sealed the division of the two countries. Many died without getting a chance to see or hear from their families on the other side of the heavily-fortified border, across which all civilian communication is banned. With the passage of time, the number of survivors has diminished, with only around 60,000 members of divided families still left in the South. "North Korea should respond to our sincere proposals if it really seeks peace on the Korean Peninsula", Cho Myoung-Gyon, Seoul's unification minister in charge of North Korea affairs, told reporters. Cho stressed that Seoul "would not seek collapse of the North or unification through absorbing the North", and urged Pyongyang to restore cross-border communication channels including a shuttered military hotline. - Escalating tensions - Moon, who took power in May, has advocated dialogue with the nuclear-armed North to bring it to the negotiating table and vowed to play a more active role in global efforts to tame the South's unpredictable neighbour. But Pyongyang has staged a series of missile launches in violation of UN resolutions -- most recently on July 4 when it test-fired its first ICBM, a move which triggered global alarm and a push by US President Donald Trump to impose harsher UN sanctions. Washington has also called on China, the North's sole ally, to put more pressure on Pyongyang to curb its nuclear ambitions, which have advanced rapidly under leader Kim Jong-Un. The latest ICBM test -- which Kim described as a "gift" to the Americans -- was seen as a milestone in Pyongyang's quest to build a missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead that can hit the US mainland. China's foreign ministry welcomed Seoul's peace gesture, saying it hopes "the two sides will move in a positive direction to... break up the stalemate and to relaunch the dialogue and negotiations". China is reluctant to pressure the North too far for fear of regime collapse. It is worried about an influx of refugees and possible US troops stationed on its border in an unified Korea. The proposed meetings would be a "rare opportunity to ease tension that has built up for 10 years", said Cheong Seong-Chang, of the South's Sejong Institute think tank. "It would at least help let off some steam out of the current crisis, although the North would still maintain that it would not give up its weapons programmes," he said. The agenda for the military meeting could include moves to suspend propaganda campaigns operated on both sides of the border for years, Cheong added. The South's military has deployed dozens of giant loudspeakers along the tense border to blare out a mix of world news, K-pop songs and other propaganda targeting young North Korean soldiers. The military has also occasionally launched giant balloons containing anti-Pyongyang leaflets across the border. The North has responded with its own propaganda broadcasts and sent anti-Seoul leaflets via giant balloons across the border.
A Lithuanian man who allegedly swindled $100 million (87 million euros) from tech giants Google and Facebook must be extradited to the United States, a court ruled on Monday. "The court has ruled in favour of extraditing Lithuanian citizen Evaldas Rimasauskas to the United States for criminal prosecution," Judge Aiva Surviliene said. The 48-year-old was arrested in March in the Baltic state at the request of US authorities, who accuse him of deceiving the two US firms in 2013-2015 by posing as a large Asia-based hardware vendor. Facebook and Google are mentioned in the indictment, Rimasauskas's lawyer confirmed to AFP. In a public statement, US prosecutors said Rimasauskas used "email accounts that were designed to create the false appearance that they were sent by employees and agents" of the Asian manufacturer. He is also accused of forging invoices, contracts and letters to trick the companies into wiring over $100 million to overseas bank accounts under his control, according to prosecutors. The scam was pulled off using deception and no Google systems were hacked, according to the California-based internet giant. Google updated its internal processes to guard against similar incidents and recovered the money lost. "We detected this fraud against our vendor management team and promptly alerted the authorities," a Google spokesman told AFP. "We recouped the funds and we're pleased this matter is resolved." Facebook did not respond to an AFP request for comment Rimasauskas faces a maximum of 20 years in jail if convicted, the judge said. Rimasauskas's lawyer, Snieguole Uzdaviniene, said she would appeal.
Once adversaries, former Peruvian presidents Alberto Fujimori and Ollanta Humala are getting along as fellow prisoners, sharing bread and cheese on Humala's first night behind bars, Fujimori's son said Monday. Kenji Fujimori said in a newspaper column that when last Friday he visited his father -- who has been locked up since 2007 on a 25-year sentence for corruption and crimes against humanity -- he told him to go and give supplies to Humala, who had just been jailed pending trial on graft charges. "Take this with you," Alberto Fujimori told his son, pulling out bread and cheese to give the new inmate, Kenji recounted in the daily El Comercio. He also gave him a blanket and a coat to deliver. Guards had permitted him to meet with Humala behind bars for a couple of hours after his arrival on Thursday. He said he noted the former leader had no basic items for his stay -- "nothing -- not even a towel," he told his father. The entourage of both ex-presidents confirmed that Kenji Fujimori had met with Humala. Television images showed him again visiting the penitentiary on Monday. In his column, he said the camaraderie was to be expected. "Politics is one thing, life is another. This is a time to heal wounds," he wrote. Yet the two former leaders were once enemies. In 2000, when Humala was an army officer, he attempted a coup against the Fujimori government; he was later pardoned. Humala and his wife were last week ordered to prison for 18 months, ahead of their trial for "money laundering against the interest of the state." They are charged with accepting illegal campaign donations from Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht. Humala, president from 2011-2016, said the ruling was "confirmation of abuse of power," vowing on Twitter to face it head-on "in defense of our rights." He and his wife were to appeal the pre-trial detention. Four of Peru's last five presidents have faced corruption scandals. The graft scandal linked to Odebrecht has rocked several Latin American countries. One of the main prosecution claims is that Humala and his wife, Nadine Heredia, accepted $3 million from Odebrecht for the 2011 presidential campaign. The Brazilian construction giant admitted to paying $29 million in bribes in Peru to win government building contracts between 2005 and 2014 -- a time period that also includes the presidencies of Alejandro Toledo and Alan Garcia. Toledo -- president from 2001-2006 -- is currently in the United States in defiance of an 18-month pre-trial detention order for allegedly receiving $20 million in Odebrecht bribes.
President Rodrigo Duterte offered self-rule to the Philippines' Muslim minority on Monday in an attempt to defeat Islamist militants who seized a southern city in the gravest challenge to his year-old rule. Duterte hopes the promise of autonomy will persuade Filipino Muslims to reject the Islamic State group, whose followers still control parts of Marawi after nearly two months of fighting that had left more than 500 people dead. Duterte vowed to shepherd through Congress a "Bangsamoro Basic Law" bill jointly written and submitted to him Monday by government officials and the country's largest Muslim guerrilla group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). "This moment is a significant step forward in our quest to end centuries of hatred, mistrust and injustice that cost and affected the lives of millions of Filipinos," he said in a speech to MILF leaders and government officials. Both sides said that giving the mainly Catholic nation's large and largely impoverished Islamic minority a better choice was crucial to heading off the lure of violent extremism. "These misguided people have filled the vacuum created by our failure to enact the basic law, and feed into the frustration of our people," MILF chairman Murad Ebrahim told the same gathering, referring to the Marawi gunmen. Muslims since the 1970s had waged a decades-old insurgency that claimed more than 100,000 lives in the Mindanao region that includes Marawi. The MILF signed a peace treaty with Duterte's predecessor Benigno Aquino in 2014 but Congress refused to pass the self-rule bill -- a key provision of the accord. Small rebel factions began pledging allegiance to the IS soon afterwards. The Marawi attack on May 23 was their first major action, forcing Duterte to impose martial rule across Mindanao. The chief government peace negotiator, Irene Santiago, said Manila expects the bill's passage within a year. "The next 12 months are full of opportunity but also fraught with so much danger. The dangers are staring us in the face: violent extremism, the source of the crisis in Marawi," Santiago added. An Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao has been in place in parts of the south since after a rival faction, the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), signed peace with Manila in 1996. However it had failed to end violence and rebellion. Santiago said both the MILF and MNLF helped to draft the new self-rule bill giving all sides optimism about its passage. Duterte is also set to decide within the week whether to extend military rule over Mindanao. The constitution limits martial rule to 60 days, a safeguard against abuses put in place after the downfall of the Ferdinand Marcos dictatorship. However Congress can authorise an extension. The military said there were still 60-80 gunmen holed up in about 500 Marawi houses and buildings after weeks of day and night air strikes and artillery pounding. About 300 civilians also remain trapped in the area and some of them have been taken hostage, the military said.
By Karin Strohecker and Tom Finn LONDON/DOHA (Reuters) - Qatar said on Monday that a U.S. media report had shown that the United Arab Emirates was involved in an alleged hack of Qatar's state news agency in late May that helped spark a diplomatic crisis in the Gulf. The UAE said the Washington Post report was untrue, and that four Arab powers were discussing imposing new sanctions on Qatar. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt all cut off diplomatic and transport ties with Qatar on June 5, accusing it of financing Islamist militant groups and allying with their regional adversary Iran - allegations Qatar denies. The move came two weeks after Qatar's news agency, QNA, carried a story quoting Qatar's emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, as praising Gaza's ruling Islamist Hamas movement and calling Iran an "Islamic power". Qatar said its emir had never given the speech, and that the story had been planted electronically, but its allies were outraged, and one of the most serious feuds in years between Western-aligned Gulf states began. "The information published in the Washington Post on 16 July 2017, which revealed the involvement of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and senior Emirati officials in the hacking of Qatar News Agency, unequivocally proves that this hacking crime took place," Qatar's government said in a statement on Monday. U.S. officials have said that experts from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) helping Qatar investigate the incident are convinced QNA was hacked, but that identifying the culprit will take time. In the meantime, Qatar's neighbors have banned its aircraft from their airspace, among other measures, and the wealthy natural gas producer has had to find alternative sources for the food imports on which it relies. Diplomatic efforts by Washington and Kuwait to broker a resolution have yielded little. HACKS "DISCUSSED IN MAY" The Washington Post cited unidentified U.S. intelligence officials as saying they had learned last week of newly analyzed information showing that top UAE officials had discussed the planned hacks on May 23, the day before they occurred. If confirmed, a hack of QNA would be a striking example of a cyber attack shaping global politics. The officials were quoted as saying it was unclear if the UAE had hacked the sites itself or paid for them to be hacked. Fellow Gulf states had already rejected Qatar's explanation and said Sheikh Tamim's reported remarks reflected deliberate ambiguities in Qatar's policies that have undermined stability in the region. "The Washington Post story today that we actually hacked the Qataris is also not true," UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash told the Chatham House think-tank in London. He said the four Arab powers were in the process of discussing additional sanctions on Qatar but did not elaborate, saying only that "there will be some tightening of the screws". Gargash said the UAE would not ask foreign companies to choose between doing business with it or Qatar, but suggested international monitoring of Qatar was needed. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry told his Kuwaiti counterpart that the sanctions were being maintained "in light of what the quartet states see as Qatar's stalling and procrastination, and lack of concern for the concerns of the four states". The demands include Qatar curtailing its support for the Muslim Brotherhood, shutting down the pan-Arab satellite broadcaster Al Jazeera, closing a Turkish military base and downgrading relations with Iran. Qatar has for years parlayed its enormous gas wealth and Al Jazeera's reach into broad influence in the region, and in 2011 supported "Arab Spring" revolts across the Middle East. But its Gulf Arab neighbors and Egypt have long been irked by its support for anti-establishment movements and for the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood that briefly won power in Egypt, which they regard as a political enemy. (Additional reporting by Omar Fahmy; Writing by Jumana Fraije; Editing by Alison Williams)
In Miami, Madrid and across Latin America Venezuelans living abroad enthusiastically cast ballots in a vote organized Sunday by the opposition that sought to undermine unpopular President Nicolas Maduro. "I feel like a liberator!" exclaimed Monica Rodriguez in Miami, the city with the biggest expatriate Venezuelan population and one of 500 worldwide to host a poll. The 44-year-old, pushing her baby in a carriage, was one of thousands lined up to cast a ballot. "This isn't an election, it's a declaration" against Maduro and his policies, said another, Rosa Tejeiro de Reyna, aged over 60. The vote was designed to gauge electoral acceptance of a plan by Maduro to rewrite his country's constitution. But, with Venezuelan officials dismissing the vote as "illegal" and electorally irrelevant, defiance was high among those frustrated with the drawn-out crisis rocking Venezuela. Jose Hernandez, a representative of the Venezuelan opposition in Miami, said: "Venezuelans are much more than what the government represents. And when we pull together democratically we can do so much more than everybody believes possible." He estimated there were more than 100,000 voters in southern Florida. According to 2015 census data, 273,000 Venezuelans live in the United States -- half of them in Florida, especially in and around Miami. In Los Angeles, a Venezuelan actor, Edgar Ramirez, said the vote was a chance to stand up for "all those people who died from neglect, insecurity, and the lack of leadership and transparency in Venezuela." - Under Spain's sun - Polling stations were set up across Latin America, from Brazil to Argentina, Panama, Chile, Mexico and Colombia, which has experienced a mass influx of Venezuelans from across the border, and where as many as 50,000 people were estimated to have voted on Sunday. In Spain, hundreds of Venezuelans queued in the blazing heat in Madrid to cast their ballots. "I want the entire world to see that there are millions of Venezuelans who do not agree with the Maduro regime and that want to live in democracy and peace," 60-year-old Maria del Perez, clutching a Venezuelan flag, told AFP. People held up their passports or newspapers to shield themselves from the sun as they waited to cast their ballots in one of the 40 cardboard urns decorated with stickers that read "The People Decide!" Volunteers, many wearing yellow vests, manned tables and guided people to the outdoor voting stations. Voting was also underway in Barcelona and several other Spanish cities. The number of Venezuelans who live in Spain soared by a quarter in 2016 over the previous year to almost 69,000 according to government data. Venezuelans account for the largest number of asylum requests in Spain, ahead of Syrians, says the Spanish Commission for Help to Refugees. Carlos Alfano, 25, who moved to Spain last month, said rampant crime and lack of medicines were the biggest problems for Venezuela under Maduro. "It is a silent genocide," he said.
Absurd Skateboards, who bought you the rad Golden Ring edit last year, head out for more crust hunting  this time to Abkhazia, a country between Russia and Georgia which receives partial international recognition.

With minimal tourism and a civil war not long in its past, the tiny countrys spots are definitely not on the gleaming marble plaza end of the spectrum and crumbling concrete mixed with possible tetanus is the order of the day

Featuring Pasha Kuznetsov, Vova Pavlov and Vadim Abramov.

Filmed and edited by Barabaka.

Find the full article in the latest issue of Free Skate Mag.
At a recent Gateway17 event in Detroit, small businesses learned more about the products in demand from Chinese consumers and some tips on marketing to them.

But you can also learn about selling to Chinese customers by studying international brands like KFC. The fast food chain is the largest of its kind in China. And its done so by really tailoring its marketing and customer experience specifically to Chinese consumers, rather than just re-purposing marketing used in the U.S.

Example of Marketing in China

Take KFCs latest promotion, for example. The company has partnered with Chinese tech company Huawei to offer limited edition smartphones to celebrate both companies 30th anniversaries of doing business in China.

Buying a smartphone from a fast food restaurant might seem strange to some U.S. consumers. But the trends and buying habits are different in China. And brands like KFC that are willing to fully adapt their offerings to the market have a much better chance of succeeding.

For small businesses interested in breaking into the Chinese market, this doesnt mean you have to release a limited edition line of smartphones. But you can learn from this promotion by doing something similar on a smaller scale. Maybe you can create a website thats really specific to Chinese consumers. You could create a social mobile app specifically for your product. Or you could even explore social media channels that are specific to the Chinese market like RenRen or Weibo.
The family will receive friends from 6-7 p.m. Thursday, July 20, at the Bel Air Chapel, 12100 W. Center Rd., Omaha, with vigil service to follow at 7p.m. Mass of Christian Burial: 10 a.m. Friday, July 21, Christ the King Catholic Church, 654 S. 86th St. Interment: 12:30 p.m., Friday, at St. John Cemetery in Prague. Memorials are suggested to Columban Fathers, St. John Catholic Church in Prague, or Notre Dame Sisters Retirement Fund, 3501 State St., Omaha, NE 68112. Heafey, Hoffmann-Dworak Cutler, Bel Air Chapel, Omaha. Please visit www.heafeyheafey.com.
American beef should soon wind up on Chinese plates as a trade deal between the two countries gets finalized . It would mark the first time American beef was sold in that country after it was banned in 2003 over a mad cow disease scare. On June 12, the deal was finalized and the first shipments are expected in China July 16.

US Beef Exports to China: Potential Effects

However, one industry insider cautions against full on optimism for the deal. Buzz Tatom is a Partner/Ranch Sales Associate at Venture West Ranches in Montana. He spoke with Small Business Trends about several concerns including whether the Chinese will allow full access to their markets.

Shrewd Business People?

The Chinese are known as very shrewd business people, he said. This might be a tactic to put some pressure on Australia. That countrys chilled beef exports were worth $400 million when the Chinese halted trade in 2013 and then recently tripled it. Over the short term, its unclear how this new trading arrangement will balance out and what the effects will be for U.S. ranchers.

However, there are some big factors that could help the American cattle industry over the long term.

Fastest Growing Overseas Market For Beef

Beef is the fastest growing sector in China and China is the worlds fastest growing overseas market for beef, Tatom says adding that should add up to big growth for American ranchers. He also says opening up the Chinese market will help to smooth over a homegrown issue that dampens the industrys domestic growth.

Hopefully opening that up will take away a bit of the manipulation the futures markets can put on U.S. beef, he says.

As things stand now, one of these contracts can control thousands of beef cows without ever having to take delivery. According to Tatom, this has led to trends in the market being manipulated to the disadvantage of American beef producers.
Public Goods  July 17, 2017  Canadian Union of Public Employees

The Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) will create a pipeline of privatization for our public transit systems. Corporations will be able to extract long-term profit from public transit fares and public subsidies.

Our governments subsidize public transit because its critical infrastructure for our communities: to get us from place to place, to reduce traffic congestion, and to green our environment. When we allow corporations to plan, finance, operate, maintain and own public transit, we funnel ridership fares and government funding into corporate coffers.

The CIB will give unprecedented control and decision-making power over our public transit infrastructure to private sector investors. This means the public interest will take a back seat in transit planning and development.

Many of our public transit systems in recent years have been built using public-private partnerships (P3s). The CIB will open the door to even further privatization, allowing profit to drive public transit planning and decision-making.

Transit Privatization

Almost one-third of the $81.3-billion in new infrastructure spending promised in Budget 2017 is for transit infrastructure over 11 years. This includes $20.1-billion through new public transit bilateral agreements between the federal government and provinces and territories and $5-billion through the new CIB. Canadian and foreign investors are expected to put in up to $4 in private funds for every public dollar in the CIB.

The Liberals have played a privatization shell game. While the mandatory P3 screen will end, which had forced all large infrastructure projects through a P3 evaluation process, the CIB is explicitly designed to promote privatization. And 20 per cent of federal public transit funding will be funneled through this privatization bank in addition to the expected private sector investment.

The privatization of public transit systems will likely mean long-term P3 contracts where the private sector finances, operates and maintains the service  all at a cost. No public transit system in North America has been able to cover all its operating costs through transit fares. Governments provide ongoing funding to help residents get from place to place. With public transit privatization, private companies extract long-term profits while governments continue to subsidize the service.

Transit Privatization Hurts CUPE Members and the Public

Pushing public transit projects through the privatization bank will hurt the 9000+ CUPE members who work in the sector. It will also hurt citizens particularly lower or middle-income earners who will have to pay for this higher cost public transit either directly through transit fares or indirectly through our tax system.

A majority of CUPE members in the transit sector  over 7,100  are bus drivers employed by 19 municipal transit authorities in Quebec. CUPE also represents workers who do maintenance work on public transit systems that can be outsourced in many transit privatization projects.

Privatization hurts workers by putting downward pressure on wages and working conditions. Contracting-out and low-waged precarious work are key ways private corporations can profit from infrastructure like public transit. This hurts workers but it also affects public services. Private sector ownership, operating and maintenance shift public transit from serving the public good to supporting private profit.

Privatization also hurts the public. Transit users may face higher transit fares or have to use systems where decision-making on routes has been guided by private profit rather than the public interest. Privatization projects may also limit community involvement and participation in key decisions. Furthermore, broader societal priorities such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions are easily ignored in privatization projects.

Privatization Gone Wrong: Reseau electrique metropolitain (REM)

There are many examples of transit privatization in recent years that can give us some indication of the dangers involved. One example, which may receive funding through the CIB, is the $6-billion Reseau electrique metropolitain (REM) light rail project in Montreal.

This project to connect Montreals south shore, the airport, the city centre and Deux-Montagnes has been designed and partially financed by the Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec, which manages the funds of the Quebec Pension Plan and other public pension funds. Decisions about the route, technology and compatibility with existing transit lines have been driven by what suits the profit interests of the Caisse and private developers rather than the public.

The rail line will be maintained, operated and even owned by the Caisse  at significant extra cost. A La Presse investigation estimated the REM will operate with a funding shortfall of approximately $240-million per year. Its possible public transit fares across the entire city will increase in order to generate these profit levels. Regardless, the public will pay for the higher costs through subsidies from municipalities or the Quebec government or higher fares for transit users.

With the REM, the Quebec government has outsourced public transit planning, design, operation and maintenance to the Caisse. Theyve even sold off segments of their core public transit infrastructure. This will make it difficult to further expand Montreals public transit system, integrate it with other transportation networks such as Via Rail and properly oversee the service. This privatization scheme has resulted in a public transit plan that maximizes private profit at the publics expense.

Unfortunately, we have many cases of public transit privatization gone wrong across the country. The Canada Line P3 in Vancouver, British Columbia went overbudget, lacked innovation and integration with the broader transit system and undermined public accountability. The Ontario Auditor General review of P3 projects, including six transit projects, found that P3s cost $8-billion more than if they had been delivered publicly due to increased private-sector financing costs and a lack of risk transfer. Furthermore, a review of Edmontons P3 LRT development indicated that savings were likely going to be found through poor labour practices. Unfortunately, more transit privatization blunders will be coming our way through the privatization bank.

Conclusion

We need to build the public transit infrastructure that reduces traffic congestion, helps the environment and gets us from place to place. This infrastructure helps grow our communities and our economy. But building our public transit infrastructure through the Canada Infrastructure Bank will lead to a pipeline of privatization. Our infrastructure needs to be built in a way that benefits communities, not private investors. It needs to be built in the most cost-effective way  through low-cost public financing. And it needs to include good green jobs for transit workers. 

This article was first published on the CUPE website.
The Slovak Spectator brings you the set of the most frequently asked questions with regard to renting an apartment in Slovakia.

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Martin Melisko from CE Invest , Martin Becar of Harrys, and Directreal kindly helped us answer questions.

Read also more in our section: Frequently asked questions

This section is sponsored by CE Invest , which provides services such as property management, rentals, sales and renovations.

Q: Do I need approval from my landlord in order to record my permanent address in the apartment that I am renting?

Q: How do I get hold of the deed of ownership?

Q: What if the owner of the property I am renting is not in Slovakia?

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Q: I am renting an apartment and I have a problem with my neighbours. Should I let my landlord know? Is my landlord obliged to help me?

Q: Someone broke into the apartment that I am renting. Do I have to pay for the things that were broken or stolen, or is it to be paid by the landlord?

Q: I want to sublet my apartment while I am not in Slovakia. Do I need to report anywhere? Are there any legal or tax duties connected with that?

Q: I want to share my apartment for short-term stays with tourists. Do I need to report that anywhere?

Q: Do I have to pay taxes from short-term renting?

Do you have more questions about renting an apartment? Please let us know at spectator@spectator.sk.

Q: Do I need approval from my landlord in order to record my permanent address in the apartment that I am renting?

A: Yes, you need the approval of the property owner, your landlord, to be able to state the address of the property as your official address. Your landlord can come in person to state their approval or can give it to you in writing.

Please note that the landlord's signature on the document needs to be verified by the notary public office. You will also need the deed of ownership, which cannot be older than three months, to prove that the landlord who signed the document actually owns the property.

Q: How do I get hold of the deed of ownership?

A: It can be obtained at any cadastre office. If your property is in Bratislava, you can obtain it at Ruzova dolina 27, 821 09 Bratislava district II. Please be aware that you might need more than one hour to get such a document because of long waiting lines, especially at the Bratislava office. The deed of ownership can be also collected at a post office. The fee for collecting it is 8.

Q: What if the owner of the property I am renting is not in Slovakia?

A: The owner of the property can provide power of attorney to another person, who can represent the real owner and sign on their behalf. In such cases, a verified power of attorney, along with the notarised signature of the landlord on the rental contract, have to be provided.

Q: I am renting an apartment, and I have a problem with my neighbours. Should I let my landlord know? Is my landlord obliged to help me?

A: First, you should speak directly to the neighbour to try to reach an agreement or compromise. If the situation persists, you should talk to the owner of the apartment, who might have more influence on the neighbour. If the noise at night is made by students, you can often place your complaint to the parents. If problems persist, you can turn to the municipal police or the municipal office.

Q: Someone broke into the apartment that I am renting. Do I have to pay for the things that were broken or stolen, or is it paid by the landlord?

A: Under the duration of a rental contract, the tenant is fully responsible for the equipment of the flat, even if it is damaged or stolen. Therefore it is crucial to have a signed insurance contract that covers damages that might occur not only to the building itself, but also to equipment and personal belongings found in the flat. Such insurance often covers furniture and electronic equipment, as well as personal belongings. Luxury items and art, or even cash, can be usually insured with an extra fee.

Q: I want to sublet my apartment while I am not in Slovakia. Do I need to report anywhere? Are there any legal or tax duties connected with that?

A: If you are renting out an apartment as a private person, first you need to find out if you are entitled to sublet the property which you are renting. Usually rental agreements do not entitle you to sublet, unless you have written confirmation from your landlord. In such cases, if you do sublet, even for a short period of time, you should register yourself as a landlord with the tax authority office.

The office will issue a card with your tax ID number (DIC) that is delivered by post within a few weeks. If your total rental income does not exceed 2,255.72 (this is a number based on data from 2020 and is regularly updated by the tax authorities), you will not have to pay taxes on this income.

In such a case, you will only need to submit a statement that the rental revenue for a particular year has not exceeded this amount. The income can be offset by expenses connected to the rental of the apartment, such as agency commission, renovation and other expenses that are directly connected to the rental of the apartment.

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Q: I want to share my apartment for short-term stays with tourists. Do I need to report that anywhere?

A: If you are closing a rental contract with a tourist, you do not need to report this short-term rent to the tax authorities. However, renting your apartment this way is a business activity (running an accommodation facility) and, as such, requires that you have a business licence. It is important that you have the right type of contract, which also defines the services that you provide to the tenant.

Q: Do I have to pay taxes from short-term renting?

A: Yes, if you are renting an apartment based on a contract for short-term rental, and not based on your business licence, your income is taxable and needs to be reported on your tax return. If your total rental income does not exceed 2,255.72 (this is a number based on data from 2020 and is regularly updated by the tax authorities), you will not have to pay taxes on this revenue.

Martin Melisko from CE Invest , Martin Becar of Harrys, and Directreal kindly helped us answer questions.
The quick changes in technology hinder the communication between older and younger generations and impact on the operation of society as a whole, says professor at Fordham University, in New York.

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The generations are no longer as they seemed to be in the past. Changes come quickly and the knowledge and experience that parents pass onto their children is often not enough to help them solve problems in the future, said Milan Zeleny, professor at Fordham University in New York, in an interview with The Slovak Spectator.

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He talks about how these rapid changes impact the generations and what needs to be done to tackle these problems.

The Slovak Spectator (TSS): In your opinion, we should prepare for more big changes to take place within each generation. What impact will this have on society?

Milan Zeleny (MZ): The acceleration of change is a new reality. Until now, the change was very slow, and the generations could cope with it. People were living in the same environment for several generations, and they could transfer their knowledge and experiences to their children and grandchildren. We didnt deal with the speed of the changes in economics or other sciences as there was no problem. Children learned everything at school and they could benefit from it during their whole life.

But the speed of changes started accelerating in 1970s or 1980s, when digital technologies, automats, robots and the internet appeared and the first problems emerged. With the arrival of new technologies parents cannot communicate well with their children as they both live in different times. The problems and conflicts emerge within the generations and within the family. This results in big trouble because parents cannot transfer their knowledge and experiences to their children. This creates a paradoxical situation, as the children need to teach their parents how to use the new technologies.

This acceleration of change has serious impacts and we are not prepared for them. We dont even know how to describe this phenomenon as it has not become rooted as a new quality. We are unable to prepare children for their future life either at schools or at home. This is one of the basic reasons why the world faces such challenging times. The generations have lost their common language.

TSS: Are there any solutions to this problem?

MZ: The younger generation is at a disadvantage as it cannot influence the older generation which already follows certain principles. The only thing that can be done here is that both the older and younger generations admit they dont understand and find their own ways to solve the problem. There is no learning, but what would be the point of teaching our children something they will not use?

TSS: So, what is the best way?

MZ: The younger generations certainly cannot change the older ones, it is impossible. They can only try to find ways to learn more about the environment and obtain some experiences without their parents interfering. The parents can teach their children some universal rules, but not about the everyday world.

Moreover, schools are about 20 years behind the main developments. The university is a kind of conservatory: it retains knowledge, but doesnt create the new knowledge, although we need it. Though there are certain case studies where you learn how people used to solve problems in the past, it doesnt work now as you have to deal with problems nobody has faced before. The same goes with children. They learn the most at ages 3-6 when the brain can receive much information. What we learn at this age shapes our character and basic relations to society. Later, we add new knowledge, but by the age of 20-25, people dont change much. If we want to teach them something new, there are problems because the brain is full of old information.

TSS: Does this mean that we need some kind of change in society as a whole?

MZ: It must be solved practically. First, we need to realise that we have certain sources on the internet and the global networks so it is not very effective to teach certain information or remember it as one can quickly find it on the internet. We need to transform education from information to knowledge. I will give you an example: if you have a cookery book, it means you have information. But if you cook a good goose for dinner, you obtain knowledge. Current pupils do not learn knowledge, but only information. New ways, based not on teaching about facts and information but rather how to use them, need to be created.

We have to teach our children at the very beginning that they need to learn on their own. This can be done by giving them assignments, to tell them there is a problem that needs to be solved and its necessary to find all available information and come up with solutions. Though the problem doesnt necessarily have to solved, its important that children start thinking about working on their own and come up with their own ideas, not wait for somebody to tell them what to do. People have the capacity to do this, but we have not been using it.

Another problem is that children aged 3-6 watch fairy tales instead of doing assignments. But everything in fairy tales is passive and children dont learn anything from them. There are donkeys who after being shaken give you money or cloths offering food after the magic words are spoken. Moreover, the symbol of knowledge in these fairy tales is an old woman or an old man. Princesses get married to their princes. A stupid boy goes into the world, returns with the money and says he is not going anywhere else and will stay home. What will children take from that?
A random inspection was carried out in the home of two Dennik N journalists.

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Dennik N reporter Monika Todova, whose husband Mirek Toda also writes for the daily, was recently visited in her home by a social worker.

A field worker of the Labour, Social Affairs and Family Office just visited me at home," Todova wrote on her Facebook page on July 13. He was trying to contact me, as he got an order to make a random inspection of how I care for the children.

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The head of Labour, Social Affairs and Family Office (UPSVaR) chose her from the database, and such a random inspection is done once every six months, the social worker explained. I dont know why he sent me here. I am hardly ever sent for random checks, the social worker said, adding that he had last been sent on a field visit during 2016.

He was sent to see who takes care of the couples children, fill in the updated data and see whether Todova still works in the Slovak territory, he said, according to Todova and the Omediach.com website.

Why would a journalist be targeted?

Todova reports on the scandals of the current cabinet, including those of the Labour ministry and the Cisty Den (Clean Day) re-socialisation centre, which has kept its accreditation despite the recommendations of an independent committee. Todova has been criticised by politicians and tycoons connected with the centre.

The inspection surprised her, the journalist admitted, noting its probable connection with her recent reporting on Cisty Den. She sees no other reason for the UPSVaR check on her.

I send my regards to minister [Jan] Richter and also send him the message that I still work in Slovakia and my children are well  while I dont know if the same can be said about those in Cisty den, Todova wrote on her Facebook, as quoted by Omediach.com.

Office's reaction

Field social workers visit beneficiaries directly in their family homes, and their task is to find out whether these resources fulfil their stated goal, UPSVaR spokesperson Jana Lukacova wrote in her reaction for Omediach com. She also noted the Support for Development of Social Work in Family Environment project.

Lukacova wrote that the selection of target groups for in-home social inspections is up to the individual heads of the departments of state social benefits and material need and organised at individual offices. She explained that this is to allow field social workers to gradually visit all beneficiaries falling under their office.

The office said that the visit to Todas was a regular visit by a social worker who performs activities connected with the project and that these visits are done all over Slovakia. In no way was there any intention  we cannot see what the intention could possibly be aimed at, Lukacova noted.

Visits of field social workers can include any welfare or state contributions recipients, including publicly well-known personalities, she said, adding for the website that they will check on the work activities of the specific field worker for this assignment, because if it is true that he made such an inspection just once in six months, then he may be fired for not fulfilling his workload.

Opposition will look into the case

The opposition, led by the parliamentary committee for human rights and ethnic minorities chair Erika Jurinova (OLaNO-NOVA), intends to convene an extra committee session to look into the social service inspection, the TASR newswire wrote on July 14.

The opposition wants to summon Labour Minister Jan Richter and the head of the Labour, Social Affairs and Family Centre Marian Valentovic to the session to explain the conduct of their subordinates.

Inspections by every single public institution must be carried out under precisely set rules... and not based on political orders," said Jurinova, adding that Todova belongs among the journalists who frequently report on cases of government malpractice.

The Labour Centre claimed that such visits have been conducted by social service workers across Slovakia and that over 79,000 random inspections were performed between January 2016 and April 2017.
The Slovak Spectator brings the selection of hoaxes that appeared on the internet in Slovak language over the past two weeks.

Facebook groups controlled by LSNS and its supporters spread allegations of nepotism in the administration of a village that does not exist. (Source: Ingrid Durinova)

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Soros threatening he will stop Brexit is a hoax

Billionaire and globalist George Soros promised the British public that he will overturn the Brexit decision in a few years and suggested that he means to force the government to annul the result of the Brexit referendum, reads an article published by the Svobodne Noviny Czech news website.

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The article was also posted on the Facebook page Secret Truth and Official Lies, from which dozens of people re-shared it.

Soros is a favourite among alternative news writers, but most of the claims linked to his name are pure hoaxes, including the article claiming that Soros may force the British government to back off from Brexit.

The article does not state any source that could verify the alleged statement of Soros. A statement that Soros does not agree with Brexit does exist, but it has been twisted in the report on Svobodne Noviny. The British daily The Independent quoted a letter from Soros to the British media in which he wrote that the UK is approaching a tipping point and may want to reverse its decision to leave.

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The divorce process would take at least five years to complete, and during that time new elections would take place, Soros said, as quoted by the Independent. If all went well, the two parties may want to remarry even before they have divorced.

Warning by Egyptian professor is a hoax

At the end of June, a statement on hatred that Muslims feel toward the Western lifestyle was supposedly posted by an Egyptian professor.

Muslims living in the Middle East and in Africa believe that those living in the West are the worst generation living in this world, states the user known as professor Bassim Salah El-Shafy. You Europeans have created a culture that is so pathetic and wrong that it has no chance to survive. Your new virtues are homosexuality, alcohol, and drugs.

The text also states that Muslims will have Europe under their control in a few years, Islam will become the only acceptable culture and all European literature and architecture will be damaged.

This statement appeared on several Facebook groups in Slovak and provoked a passionate discussion. Hundreds of users have re-shared it.

However, the name of the alleged professor does not return any results when searched in Google. It only corresponds with the Facebook statement.

The text is accompanied by a picture of the alleged professor, but the Google images search shows that it is a stolen picture of Dr. Shereif El-Sheikh, a Harvard graduate who currently works at Boston University.

There is also no source provided in the text, and it is only intended to provoke a fear of foreigners and of other cultures in general.

Putin warns from new world order is a hoax

The influx of migrants is the result of the so-called new world order of a globalist conspiracy, Russian President Vladimir Putin allegedly said in a speech to citizens of the western countries in an attempt to open their eyes.

My European brothers and sisters must overthrow the globalist politics of open borders that has been forced upon them by the elites, Putin allegedly said.

This piece was published at the end of May by the Czech website Lajkit.cz. It had 7,000 likes and shares on Facebook, while the piece had some 50,000 likes on its original site.

There is no mention of when or where Putin made the statement. The Yournewswire website is among a list of conspiracy websites.

Extremists got caught by a hoax about a non-existent village

There is no village in Slovakia called Nizna Poruba, but hundreds of fans of extremist Marian Kotleba did not seem to mind. On July 7, Facebook groups controlled by LSNS and its supporters started spreading a picture that allegedly revealed nepotism in the administration of Nizna Poruba.

The picture depicted what the Facebook poster said was a Roma mayor who has replaced the employees of the municipal office with his wife and brothers.

There were more than 300 reactions to the picture: 200 comments and over 100 shares.

The picture was created by the administrator of a Facebook page that shares the humorous or ridiculous Facebook posts of voters of Marian Kotleba. The administrator has created a fake profile with a picture similar to that used by the voters of Kotleba.

He edited a original picture of Kotleba and his employees, which was intended to illustrate the nepotism practices in the office of the Banska Bystrica Region, and replaced the faces of Kotleba and his family with the faces of Roma.

Most people who shared the picture did not notice that the village did not exist or see the similarity between the supposed nepotism in Nizna Poruba and that of the office of Kotleba. The comments show that extremists do not check the material they share and are willing to take every opportunity to become angry with minorities or corruption. But they seem less willing to notice it when it happens among themselves.

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Among the winners of the 52nd year of the International Film Festival (IFF) Karlovy Vary, there is one Slovak; his film was even praised by the Variety and Hollywood Reporter.

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Peter Bebjak received the award for Best Director for his criminal thriller, The Line, which will soon be screened in Slovak cinemas. Its plot is based on a real-life story: the main character (played by Tomas Mastalir) is a family man  but also the head of a cigarette-smuggling gang which operates across the Slovak-Ukrainian border. A failure of one of the transports causes a catharsis and starts a series of consequences.

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Other actors in the film include Emilia Vasaryova, Eugen Libeznuk, Zuzana Fialova, Andy Hryc. The author of the script is Peter Balko and the director of photography is Martin Ziaran. According to the producers, the crucial issue was how to capture the specific atmosphere of eastern Slovakia, and especially the border area with the Ukraine, and how to bring that atmosphere to the screen.

Director Peter Bebjak (Source: Sme - Gabriel Kuchta)

The Line is the first bilateral co-production of Slovakia and the Ukraine, producer Wanda Adamik Hrycova told the Slovak Film Institute, adding that it was good but not always easy. Half of the team was Slovak and half Ukrainian, which according to her brought unbelievable refreshment to the team. also on the creative level.

There were other Slovak films in the competition (and outside it) at the IFF Karlovy Vary  which took place between June 30 and July 8  but no others were given any award.

Moreover, the movie by Peter Bebjak came to the notice of the respected magazines Variety and Hollywood Reporter, while they praised not just the work of the director but also the script, the actors, the photography and the editing.

The victory in Karlovy Vary came as a surprise.

I feel happiness, joy, and humility towards everyone who cooperated on our film, Bebjak said when accepting the award, as cited by the Dennik N daily. Together, we tried to re-tell very strong stories in cinematographic language. And this is probably what also captivated the jury.
Police officers from border units in the east of Slovakia and those serving at Slovak airports will be trained in languages.

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Both the border and alien police units are to study English, Russian, and Ukrainian.

The main objective of the project will be to improve the knowledge of both professional and general language, with a focus on subjects integral to the individual departments, the SITA newswire quoted from a contract published in the Central Register of Contracts.

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The cost of this project will be 292,513, with 219,385 of this amount made available from the European Unions Internal Security Fund and 73,128 from the budget of the Interior Ministry.

The aim of the project is that police officers from border units in the east of Slovakia, as well as police officers serving at Slovak airports, should be trained. The language courses will run from July 2017 to June 2021.

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Slovakia made a commitment to increase the level of language courses for policemen who secure the outer borders of the EU, states the document, as quoted by SITA.

At the same time, Slovakia is adapting its national structure to the common structures and courses of basic human rights. Preparation and implementation of educative activities is based on current Schengen acquis, the document added.
The Transport Ministry is already working on changes; the new legislation should be valid from the beginning of 2018.

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Slovakia, along with Belgium and Croatia, faces legal proceedings by the European Commission for failure to adopt the Broadband Cost Reduction Directive of 2014 on time. All member states of the EU were obliged to transpose the directive into their national legislations by the beginning of 2016.

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The EC has requested the EU Court to impose daily fines on the three countries until the directive is in force in their national legislation, said Natalia Podkonicka from the EC representation office, as cited by the SITA newswire.

The new rules should widen access to broadband internet for people in the EU. The directive can reduce the cost of rolling out broadband networks by as much as 30 percent. One of its requirements is the reuse of existing physical infrastructure.

The three countries received warnings in March and September 2016.

The Slovak Transport Ministry claims that it has been working on implementing the new rules into Slovak legislation. It proposes that the related changes will be effective as of the beginning of 2018.
I talked earlier about the homogenization of the world as we are all become globally connected, seeking global brands using a global language through global platforms. I truly believe that will happen, as its the natural outcome of the fourth age of humanity where we become digital humans, but theres a long way to go. You only have to experience countries emerging from the darkness of disconnectedness to know this. There are many, but they are changing fast. I realised this during my latest trip to China.

I first came to China in 1997. It was a very different place. I remember the lack of customer focus, the lack of technology infrastructure, the lack of well, most things. We visited the head office of the Bank of China in Beijing who took great pride in telling us that they had 300,000 staff  in just that one main building. What do they all do I wondered? I was told admin.

At this time, most Chinese people lived in poverty, had zero access to bank services, no credit or debit cards and no hope. How things have changed in twenty years. Today, China has leapfrogged the world and created an infrastructure for the internet mobile age second-to-none. As I walk around China today, I am the foreigner. I present my card for payment, and the people at the kiosks look at me in bemusement. They shout at me stuff in Chinese that I think translates to: wheres your mobile?

The only way to pay in most Chinese stores in second cities  those that are not Tier 1 like Beijing or Shanghai, but Tier 2 like Hangzhou or Nanjing  is by mobile or cash. But cash is also a problem as many of the domestic banks do not link to the international payment networks and will not give cash to foreign cards. I realised this as I tried my card with the Bank of Ningbo and Huaxin Bank. The ATM did the process but, at the final hurdle of giving out cash, said sorry but transaction failed.

I called my issuer who told me no transaction was presented to them for approval. It failed because the local banks just dont connect.

So Im a foreigner with no cash and cards that dont work in a second tier Chinese city where no-one speaks English. Thats a tough call. I download Alipay in English to use on my phone and feel a sense of relief that this works. Alipay is accepted everywhere based upon a QR-code reading system. Its clever, simple and it works. It works so well that no one uses cash anymore. They just walk around with their mobiles and show codes. These QR codes work from the smallest stores on the street serving noodles to the largest retailers in the malls offering high-end products.

Unfortunately, there is one gating factor for me signing on to Alipay. I have to show some ID, and that ID has to be Chinese, Korean, Hong Kong or Taiwanese. Im English, so cant register with any.

An Englishmen in China. Woah, Im an alien, Im an illegal alien. Im an Englishman in China.

I know this will change. I know it because I see a lot of Chinglish already pervasively around the streets of the places I visit. Cool T-shirts saying things like Your Are Cool and signs in all the bars, coffee shops and restaurants in Chinese and English. The gradual merger of our feng chui will bring our cultures together to homogenize more over the next twenty years but, for now, I stand stunned by the transformation of an economy that, when I visited tweeny years ago, required bank tellers to take a test in their proficiency in using an abacus. How things have changed 
October 18, 1918 - July 6, 2017

Eugenia Ruby (Farmer) Vannice, 98, passed away July 6, 2017, at Gateway Vista in Lincoln. She was born October 18, 1918 in Broken Bow and attended high school there, graduating when she was 15. After six months of post-grad school, she attended Kearney State Teachers College for one year and then taught near Merna for one year before obtaining her teaching diploma in elementary education from Plattsburgh Teachers College in New York. She returned to teach in Rose Valley, Ryno, and Broken Bow, during which time she married Duane on January 9, 1942.

After moving to Dunning during the war, she and her family returned to Broken Bow after the war for a year, then spent a year in Crawford, where she taught before moving in 1950 to their ranch east of Halsey. She finished her career teaching at Halsey, Dunning and again Broken Bow before her retirement in 1980. She and Duane enjoyed traveling and spent their retirement on the ranch until 2007 when they moved to Lincoln.

She had the opportunity and pleasure of teaching many of the current residents living in the Sandhills area around Halsey. She could play the piano by ear and gave piano lessons for many years and even played for the residents at Gateway up until just a couple of months before her death.

She is survived by her two sons, Eugene Duane of Lincoln and Merlin Albert and his wife, Bette Ann, of Boalsburg, Pennsylvania; her grandson, Tyler, also of Lincoln; and her sister, Florence Pichler of Adrian, Michigan. She was preceded in death by her husband, Duane M. Vannice; her daughter, Diane; her daughter-in-law, Sally Vannice; four brothers, George, Jim, Ted and Garland Farmer and two sisters, Virginia Cline and Frances Govier.

No funeral services are planned, according to her wishes. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to: Capital Humane Society, 2320 Park Boulevard, Lincoln, NE 68502, as both she and Duane enjoyed pets immensely. Cards of condolence can be sent to Albert Vannice, 1140 Kay St., Boalsburg, PA 16827 or Gene and Tyler Vannice, 11205 S. 14th St., Roca, NE 68430.
STEM

Several School Districts in U.S. Cancel Class for Aug. 21 Eclipse

School districts in Tennessee, Missouri, South Carolina and other states have canceled class Aug. 21, owing to a total eclipse of the sun expected on that date across a wide swath of the United States.

Knox County Schools in Tennessee, St. Clair R-XIII in Missouri, and Beauford County schools in South Carolina have all decided give children the day off on that date, when the moon is expected to cover the sun in a continuous stretch from Oregon to South Carolina. Its the first time in 38 years that significant sections of the United States will witness a total solar eclipse. Some are calling it the Great American Eclipse.

In Knoxville, TN, Superintendent Bob Thomas announced Friday that schools will close for the eclipse and students may watch wherever they want, according to the Associated Press and the Knoxville News Sentinel.

In Knoxville, the eclipse will occur at about 2:30 p.m. While children wont be in class for the event, the eclipse is still considered a really big deal in science classrooms across the country, Shannon Jackson, director of curriculum and instruction for the Knox County Schools system, told the News Sentinel.

The school district is sending every family a packet of information about the eclipse, according to AP, and all students will receive solar viewing glasses with designs created by two Knox County students, the News Sentinel reported.

The school board in St. Clair, MO voted unanimously to shut down school Aug. 21, citing safety concerns, traffic and parking. According to emissourian.com, the Department of Homeland Security estimates that the population in St. Clair will triple in size during the week of Aug. 18-21 for watching the eclipse. Daylight is expected to be completely obscured during the eclipse there, with a period of darkness and a significant drop in temperature.

This has been publicized nationwide that St. Clair is the epicenter for the longest period or the longest duration of the eclipse, Police Chief Bill Hammack told emissourian.com.

In Beaufort County, SC, 98 percent of the sun will be obscured, according to The Beaufort Gazette. Students will have Aug. 21 off, but they will have to go back to school early  Thursday, Aug. 17  to start the 2017-18 school year, the Gazette reported.

Beaufort County teachers are preparing eclipse-related lesson plans to be implemented during the first two days of school, the Gazette said. The district has also ordered safe, eclipse-viewing glasses for students.

To learn more about the upcoming solar eclipse, visit this article in THE Journal or visit this site.
Ayutthaya Thailand is the one time ancient capital of the Siam, the precursor to the modern-day kingdom of Thailand. Founded in 1350 it is Thailands answer to Angkor Wat or Bagan; a huge complex of crumbling ancient temples awaits the intrepid to explore this historic gem. Easily accessible from on the Bangkok to Ayutthaya train it can make a great day trip or an enjoyable adventure for a couple of days away from the chaos of the capital. An Ayutthaya day trip from Bangkok is easy and offers something very different to the hustle and bustle of the big city and an intriguing look into the ancient world of Siam. Heres a run down on how to get to Ayutthaya from Bangkok and what to see when you get there on the best day trip from Bangkok.

One Day Or Two Days in Ayutthaya?

A Day Trip to Ayutthaya from Bangkok or Spending Two Days Exploring The Temples?

Weve had the privilege of visiting Ayutthaya twice and each time we did it a little bit different meaning were in a good position to let you know which options are best, how to get to Ayutthaya and what to do when you get there! With the Bangkok to Ayutthaya distance being less than 100 km its possible to do as a day trip or go for a couple of days from the capital. Being so historic, peaceful and easy to reach it does makes one of the best day trips from Bangkok.

The first time we visited we took the overnight bus from Chiang Mai to Ayutthaya (its final stop was Bangkok). We arrived early in the morning VERY tired! We then spent TWO days exploring Ayutthaya. Two days gave us time to see some of the more further afield temples and explore at a slower pace with us being so drained from the nightbus.

Our second visit came 3 years later when we instead took a Ayutthaya day trip from Bangkok. This time we hopped on the Bangkok to Ayutthaya train for a couple of hours and spent the day exploring before heading back in the evening. That time we rented push bikes and even took a motorbike taxi to one temple. It was a little bit more hectic but overall we saw a similar amount but in a quicker time!

Which One Is Best For You And Should You Take An Ayutthaya tour from Bangkok?

Overall we think there is enough time to do an Ayutthaya one day trip and do it justice especially if youre pushed for time. For those unsure how to make the most of a day here a private tour might be the best option but hiring a push bike is also a great idea too and planning out your route to maximise your time.

But if you do have the time to spare then it certainly makes it less exhausting especially given just how hot it can get exploring many of these ruins with little to no shade. It is nicer to be able to meander a little more if you do have that option. Equally taking an Ayutthaya tour from Bangkok with a driver is another way to make a 1 day trip less tiring.

Either way if you have a few days in the capital and are wondering where to go from Bangkok for a change of scenery then this is the ideal place. The transport options from Bangkok to Ayutthaya also make this an easy day trip or stop before or after Bangkok.

See Prices for an Organised Day Trip from Bangkok to Ayutthaya Here

READ MORE: See Our Guide To Bangkok Here

Our Experience At The Ayutthaya Historical Park

A Local Vibe From This Not So Popular Stopping Point of the Amazing Ayutthaya Temples.

The first thing we noticed about Ayutthaya Thailand, apart for the temples of course, was the lack of tourists and amenities. We were literally the only ones to get off the Chiang Mai to Bangkok bus at Ayutthaya, we actually drove past it as the driver had forgotten and we had to turn around so we could be dropped at the side of the highway!

Its also only an hour or so from Bangkok so a Day Trip to Ayutthaya is a perfect way to visit or indeed taking an Ayutthaya day tour from Bangkok is very doable too.

Ayutthaya Temples Information & History

Thailands Ancient Kingdom of Siam Awaits At The End of the Bangkok to Ayutthaya Train!

The vibe here is very local, there arent many western restaurants or even than many hostels and accommodation options. In this sense it is quite a refreshing look into Thailand especially considering it is only 84 km from the capital.

Despite the awkward beginnings (being left on the side of the main road at 4am with no tuk tuks and surrounded by barking street dogs!) we actually loved Ayutthaya and it felt much more authentic and personal that places like Angkor Wat that are often swarming in tourists.

Here there were steady local visitors to some of the more well-known temples, but many we had many to ourselves! Ok, dont expect it to be a totally undiscovered gem, there are tourists here for sure and we noticed this even more on our second visit. But compared to places like Angkor the Ayutthaya historical park is positively quiet and a large amount of the tourism here is from Thais themselves.

READ MORE: See Our Guide To Angkor Wat Here

Founded back in 1350 by King Uthong the city of Ayutthaya was once the grand capital of the Kingdom of Siam. To visit these historic UNESCO listed temples dotted wonder is to step back in time, back to the time of grand and imposing cities and powerful rulers showing off their riches.

The bare brick temples we see today would have been gleaming gold and shimmering in the blistering sun just like many of the modern stupas around the country. In fact Ayutthaya was once considered one of the magnificent cities across Asia and it was said that the gold from the temples could be seen for miles on end.

READ MORE: See Our Guide To The Temples of Bagan Here

However the Burmese over ran it in 1767 and left it to rot and ruin. Today a handful of these mysterious and ornate temples remain, offering those willing to explore them the chance to get a glimpse into the past splendor of this magnificent place. It must truly have been a breathtaking sight all those years ago!

An interesting fact, especially since we have now visited the place in question, is that Its thought that much of the gold used to create Yangons Shwedagon Pagoda came from Ayutthaya after it was plundered by the Burmese! Certainly, the second time we visited we had a different perspective after standing in the shadow of the imposing glistening stupa.

READ MORE: See Our Guide To Visiting The Shwedagon Pagoda Here

Ayutthaya Day Trip From Bangkok:

Taking the Bangkok to Ayutthaya Train For a Great Ayutthaya Day Trip from Bangkok.

Given the proximity of the Ayutthaya historical park to Bangkok you can easily fit it around a tight schedule like 10 days in Thailand as a day trip from the capital.

Ayutthaya is best explored on a bike, the large and not very well-defined area where the historical park lies covers quite a large amount of ground if attempting on foot. The city is a patchwork of the ancient and the new and a head for exploring all the nooks and crannies along passageways and back streets will yield some amazing and little known ruins and temples. Most of the temples and sights however are on the island that stretches between the Prasak River, the Chao Phraya River and west the Mueang Canal.

We suggest getting a map or using the Maps.Me App and planning out where you want to visit in order to make the most of your time. You can then plan a route between them. We suggest using a push bike too or a motorbike if you are confident riding, though most of the main ones in the centre can easily be reached on foot. We also took a motorbike taxi out to Wat Yai Chai Mongkol (Where the View down from the stupa is and the Buddhas with yellow sashes) and then walked back to the train station from there.

When you arrive at the train station you will be a little way out of the town. The walk into the city though isnt too far. You will take a short boat ride across the river, this costs only 5 Baht. Then the walk to the main temples is around 1.5 km (0.9 miles).

If you are planning on hiring a bike then this might be a good spot to do it just after the ferry. You will likely pay a little more than if you walk all the way into the centre of the city but it means you have transport straight away and also for your return to the station too.

You will also get hounded for tuk tuks along this street, they will take you on a tour of the temples if you want to tour Ayutthaya with a guide. Negotiate the price beforehand and also know that some of these drivers might rip you off! We suggest organising an Ayutthaya day tour beforehand or with a reputable company if this is something want to do!

A day trip to Ayutthaya certainly doesnt have to feel rushed even without a tour and with a bike you have plenty of time to explore the main temples which are all pretty close together.

Which Ayutthaya temples to visit on a two-day / Ayutthaya day trip from Bangkok:

Be sure to check out the Ayutthaya tourist map to plan out a proper Ayutthaya itinerary so you can make the most of the time you spend here. This way you can create a route around the best Ayutthaya ruins.

Our favourite Ayutthaya attractions are:

Wat Phra Si Sanphet (Main one, large White Chedis)

Wat Maha That (The Famous Ayutthaya Buddha Head In The Tree)

Wat Ratchaburana (One of The Best Remaining Prangs)

Further out Ayutthaya things to do:

Wat Yai Chai Mongkol (Large Pagoda You Can Climb)

Wat Lokayasutharam (Recling Buddha) FREE

Wat Chaiwatthanaram

Here you will find a mixture of the old and new, many of the ancient Ayutthaya temples are in a state of ruin, some have small restored sections and others have had much work to bring them back to their former glory and are very much working temples.

Wat Phra Si Sanphet was a highlight for us with the amazing three chedis reflecting the evening sun over the large complex of ruins. Wat Phanan Choeng however provided a different experience with its huge 19m golden buddha towering over the faithful below. But of course, the most famous feature of all, the buddha head growing within the tree at Wat Mahathat was something not to be missed but be sure to keep your head lower than that of the Buddha if you get a photo alongside it!

Two Days In Ayutthaya Rather Than A Bangkok to Ayutthaya Day Trip?

2 Days Exploring The Ayutthaya Temples/ Ayutthaya Ruins

The Ayutthaya historical park might not have the scale of Angkor Wat or Bagan but it still manages to conjure up those romantic images of a lost kingdom, of a once powerful civilisation left in ruins and an ancient world we could only hope to get a glimpse into. To stroll inside these wonders is to walk in the footsteps of a past civilisation, to stare into the world of almost 700 years ago. The grandeur of these remains and remnants really allows you to imagine just how impressive this entire city of gold must have looked.

Whilst most of the main temples can be done in a day trip the real magic of Ayutthaya is the sheer amount of other temples dotted in and around the city. Many of those are a little further out past the rivers and require a little more time to explore. There are also many smaller ruins dotted in between modern developments too which is another interesting site to see. In fact one of the most fascinating things about Ayutthaya is seeing how the modern city works around these ancient monuments!

READ MORE: See Our Guide To Angkor Wat Here

READ MORE: See Our Guide To Bagan Here

More Information: The Best Ayutthaya Accommodation

Budget Backpacker Option: Nakara Hostel Ayutthaya

A fun, clean and central hostel in the heart of the temple district it offers curtain on each bed, a kitchen, lovely communal spaces and on site bike hire. The prices here for the standard of this hostel are dirt cheap too with private rooms being really affordable also. What we also love here is the super helpful owners for you exploration around the city and the huge lockers which makes it the best budget Ayutthaya accommodation.

See Prices for Nakara Hostel Ayutthaya Here

Economy Hotel: P.U. Inn Resort

A really smart, modern and colourful little resort that offers superior private rooms and bathrooms as well as an onsite pool for really affordable prices makes it a great choice for Ayutthaya accommodation. It has a real homely and family run feel with a restaurant on the ground but also being close to the local market too.

See Prices for P.U Inn Resort Here

Affordable Treat: Baan Thai House Resort

A relaxing hideaway after an exhausting day exploring the temples the Thai style villas set in the lush gardens are a welcome place to chill! This Ayutthaya accommodation offers a pool, spa, restaurant and bar all for prices that even backpackers wanting a one off treat could stretch too!

See Prices for Baan Thai House Resort Here





Booking.com





Tips and Advice for Your Visit

More Information: Tips for visiting the Ayutthaya temples on your Ayutthaya day trip from Bangkok.

* Ayutthaya bike rental is very cheap costing around 40-50 Baht for the full day (0.90 / $1) and is a great way to get around the small city and one we highly recommend.

* Motorbike rental is also available and is another great way to get around. However the city roads can be quite busy and there are some dodgy companies out there. Do your research and dont ride if you are inexperienced.

* Motorbike taxis are a great way to get to some of the temples that are a little bit further out, they are cheap and easily flagged down. Be sure to barter though and know your price beforehand. Grab (Asian Uber) is also another good way to get around outside of the main sites.

* Most of the main temples in the Ayutthaya historical park do cost to enter. However we got lucky and arrived on a weekend designated for free entry. Expect to pay around 50 Baht ( 1.11/ $1.44) Ayutthaya entrance fee for those that do charge.

* The Ayutthaya dress code isnt strict like other temples around Thailand and the region. The sites are considered more like historical sites than religious so wearing shorts and t-shirt, flip flops etc isnt a big deal. However I would advise wearing something that covers your shoulders and throwing some lightweight longer pants in your bag just in case especially if youre on a day trip.

* It can get extremely hot in Ayutthaya in the dry season and was almost unbearable (Nov- Feb) . Be sure to go out early, take sun cream and a hat as well as plenty of water as shade can be limited. Also be aware that in the wet season (June- Oct) the Ayutthaya weather is hot, humid and wet but most days you will be able to catch a dry spell as the rain usually comes in the afternoon as a storm!

* If you are planning an Ayutthaya day trip from Bangkok be sure to plan out which temples you want to see. Use the app Maps.me to mark them off and plan a route around the Ayutthaya attractions so you can maximise what you see.

* It is also worth knowing the Ayutthaya to Bangkok train times for your return so you dont get stuck!

* AVOID the elephant rides here, these animals are abused and tourists should not be supporting this barbaric practice. Take a bike or walk instead of subjecting these amazing animals to such pain!

Transport Information For Getting to Ayutthaya from Bangkok, Greater Thailand and Beyond:

Wanting to know how to get to Ayutthaya? Well heres the lowdown!

Getting here is pretty easy as it is very close to Bangkok meaning it doesnt take too long to get there whichever method of transport you use and with its proximity to Bangkok and its two airports serving many destinations and cities around Thailand, Asia and The World its as easy place to get to from anywhere!

How far is Ayutthaya from Bangkok? Its only 85 km and is an easy day trip and Getting to Ayutthaya from Bangkok isnt a huge hassle even for those a little unsure or new to independent travel. We recommend taking the train to Ayutthaya from Bangkok as the best method of transport.

It is possible to take a few different public transport options or even take an organised tour. If you are pushed for time and prefer not to take your own transport you can easily get a good organised tour from your hotel door in Bangkok to Ayutthaya and back! Day trips from Bangkok to Ayutthaya are easy to organise.

See Prices for an Organised Day Trip from Bangkok to Ayutthaya Here

Transport: Ayutthaya Day Trip From Bangkok and Bangkok to Ayutthaya Train:

How to get to Ayutthaya from Bangkok by train

* Taking the Bangkok to Ayutthaya train is quick, easy and cheap. You can take the train to and from the Ayutthaya temples in a single day or you can visit over two days from elsewhere in the country such as Chiang Mai.

* The Bangkok to Ayutthaya train (Hua Lamphong Station to Ayutthaya Railway Station) takes around 2 hours and costs 15 Baht each for third class.

* If you take the third class option be aware that seats are not reserved so get ready to be quick once the train arrives though we didnt have a huge issue getting seats! The third class option on the train from Bangkok to Ayutthaya is still comfortable and clean.

* The train to Ayutthaya leaves Hua Lamphong Station in Bangkok regularly, be sure to check the schedule before and be aware the trains arent the most punctual. Leave enough time for delays if you are doing an Ayutthaya day trip from Bangkok. Be sure to check the Bangkok > Chiang Mai timetable for this route.

You can check the Bangkok to Ayutthaya train schedule here: Train schedule

See Prices and Times For Bangkok to Ayutthaya Train Here

* Getting to Hua Lamphong Station is easy via the MRT and the train station is next to the MRT station. You might have to transfer from the Sky Train to the MRT depending on your location in the city. Factor that in if you are doing an Ayutthaya day trip from Bangkok and be aware the station isnt right in the city.

* On the train from Bangkok to Ayutthaya there are toilets and also snack carts coming up and down as well as local sellers who jump on at various stations.

* Once you arrive at Ayutthaya train station you will need to walk around 1.5 km (0.9 miles) into town where the temples are. You will take a boat across the river too which was too cheap to even mention!! You can also rent bikes, motorbikes and take tuk tuks and taxis from here but just be aware of the price the closer to the station you are!

* Once at the station walk straight to the ticket counters to buy your Bangkok to Ayutthaya train ticket and ignore anyone trying to help you as scammers are common here or you could save the hassle and book via our recommended method of 12goAsia, you can use the box below to search for tickets which will include all methods of transport from trains, to buses to minibuses.

Book Your Train From Bangkok to Ayutthaya Here:

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Transport: Bus and Minibus Options For An Ayutthaya Day Trip From Bangkok:

* You can take a minibus for around 60 Baht which takes around 1.5 hours as an alternative. These can be booked beforehand online or taken from the Victory Monument. They leave often.

* The Public Bangkok to Ayutthaya bus runs from Northern Bus Terminal near Mo Chit BTS. They should take between 1-2 hours.

* Ayutthaya bus station is much closer to the central temple area of the city, roughly a 5-10 min walk, see here.

See Prices and Times For The Bangkok to Ayutthaya Bus Here

Transport: Getting to Ayutthaya from Chiang Mai

Night Buses:

* Buses run from Chiang Mai to Bangkok overnight and can stop here if requested. However it is wise to arrange a taxi or tuk tuk in advance with your accommodation as you get dropped off at the side of the highway at 4am (Not the bus station where you will arrive if you come from Bangkok!)

* The bus costs around 600 Baht (13.37 / $17.26) for the sleeper and takes around 12 hours.

* Be sure to tell the driver you need to stop in Ayutthaya and remind them through the night as we nearly missed our stop! In all honestly the bus: Ayutthaya to Chiang Mai and vice versa isnt the bed option but it is the cheapest!

See Prices and Times For Chiang Mai to Ayutthaya Here

Night Trains from Chiang Mai to Ayutthaya:

* In hindsight we should have taken a sleeper train overnight from Chiang Mai to Ayutthaya as the bus as a nightmare, dropped us off in the middle of the night and in a bad location. The train station is much more central, the trains more comfortable and drop you off in a much better location.

* Prices vary according to which bunk you get. It costs 856 Baht for the bottom bunk and 766 Baht for the top bunk. Each have a curtain and a light and are much more comfortable than the night trains in China!

* The train from Chiang Mai to Ayutthaya takes 12 hours. Food and toilets are on board and there is clean pillows and bedding too for each passenger. Check out the timetable here. After a day or two here you can continue south on the train from Ayutthaya to Bangkok.

* Be sure to bring a good book, some snacks and drinks and a battery pack for your phone.

* Like all Thai transport the Ayutthaya-Chiang Mai train might not be too punctual so expect it to be late and arrive late!

* If youre travelling from Bangkok to Ayutthaya by train be sure to book your train a few days in advance as the route is popular and fills up quickly. You can do this at the station or online at 12goAsia. Search for your tickets below, this will include all methods of transport for you to compare prices and times!

* If you are travelling north from Bangkok you can take the Ayutthaya to Chiang Mai train to continue your journey onwards

See Prices and Times For Chiang Mai to Ayutthaya Here

Book your bus or train from Chiang Mai to Ayutthaya here:

Powered by 12Go Asia system

Transport: Travelling from Ayutthaya to Kanchanaburi

* We travelled from here on to Kanchanaburi on a minibus which is a less popular route with only 1 bus a day for around 400 Baht (8.91 / $11.51) and taking 3 hours.

* The transport options going on this route are limited and there is no train connecting the two

* The best way to travel from Ayutthaya to Kanchanaburi might be to get the train to Bangkok and either stay overnight or catch a connecting train. This would be a cheaper way than the minibus but would take longer.

* The train from Kanchanaburi to Bangkok takes around 2.5 hours and leaves from Thonburi station twice a day.

See Prices And Times For Kanchanaburi to Ayutthaya Here

READ MORE: See Our Guide To Kanchanaburi Here

Transport: Flights to Ayutthaya ?

Being a small provincial city close to the capital Ayutthaya doesnt have an airport unsurprisingly. However it is only 61 km from Don Muang Airport in Northern Bangkok which is a more regional hub around Asia and Thailand and is 106 km from Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, the larger airport with more long haul flights.

So if you would like to fly here then you must take the Bangkok train to Ayutthaya!

Have You Ever Done a Ayutthaya Day Trip From Bangkok or Took a Longer Trip to See the Ayutthaya Temples?

Book A Tour Of The Ayutthaya Temples Here:

Book Your Accommodation Here





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Hey, youve got your Travel Insurance sorted havent you?

Travelling and especially backpacking is a wild adventure, but make sure you are covered just incase something goes wrong, which if youre living it up to the fullest its always a possibility!

Check travel insurance prices with World Nomads here!

Book your transport for the Ayutthaya Park and your Bangkok to Ayutthaya train here:

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July 14, 1931 - July 12, 2017

Rev. Herbert Emil Wenz, 85, born July 14, 1931, passed away on July 12, 2017 at his home in Lincoln. He was born in Plevna, Montana, to Matilda (Schuetzle) and Andrew Wenz, and graduated from Plevna High School in 1949. He met his wife Delores Gall at Yankton College, and they were married May 31, 1953. Herb attended Yankton College and School of Theology in Yankton, South Dakota, and graduated with a bachelors of arts in May, 1953, and graduated from the School of Theology in May, 1954. Herb was ordained at his home church in Plevna by the Montana German Congregational Conference in 1954.

After serving in churches in Montana and North Dakota, he and his family moved to Connecticut, where he obtained a certificate in clinical pastoral training in 1960 at Boston City Hospital, and received a Bachelor's of Divinity and a Masters of Arts in religious education from Hartford College on May 23, 1961. A man of many talents, Herb also spent many years in education, public relations, and pharmaceutical sales. Herb served churches in Montana, North Dakota, Connecticut, Ohio, Illinois, and Nebraska. His last congregation was First German UCC, in Lincoln for fourteen years, and following retirement, Herb started a new congregation, New Hope UCC, and served as pastor for nearly ten years.

Herb was a dedicated man of God, serving his faith with incredible resolve and sharing his love of God with his family, friends, and community throughout his entire life. Herb's deep faith will be preserved by his family; they will forever remember him baptizing his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, reading Bible stories and introducing them to Jesus, and giving thanks with an undeniable dignity, holding hands around the table with all those who loved him so.

Herb was a Lincoln police chaplain for a number of years in the 1980s, then was a hospital chaplain for sixteen years at Bryan Memorial Chapel. Herb was always ready to lend a hand to anyone in need. He loved animals, especially dogs, and walked many miles with his grand-puppies. However, it was undoubted that his family was the most important thing in his life. The incredible amount of love that he shared with his family, his deep sense of morality, acute grace, and indescribable goodness will keep him alive in all of our hearts forever.

Herb is survived by his wife of 64 years, Delores; daughters, Chrystal (David) Obbink and Jodi Sudik (Derek Hutson); son, Mark Wenz (Debbie Knight); five grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Richard, Jonathon, and Clarence; sisters, Maggie Ludwig and Ester Heuer; and son-in-law, Gary Dorn.

Services: 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Vine Congregational Church, 1800 Twin Ridge Rd. Visitation: 9 a.m.-9 p.m., Sunday and Monday, with family present 6-8 p.m. Monday, at Butherus Maser & Love Funeral Home, 4040 A St., Lincoln.
WARSAW (Reuters) - Britain's Prince William took his young family to Warsaw on Monday to begin a four-day tour of Poland and Germany that will take in World War Two memorials and meetings with locals. The royal couple travelled with their children - Prince George, who turns four this month and his two-year-old sister, Charlotte. After meeting the Polish president and first lady, William, second in line to the throne, and Kate, visited the Warsaw Uprising museum which commemorates the 1944 battle against Nazi occupiers in which tens of thousands died and the city was razed to the ground. Later they met young entrepreneurs, before attending a party organised by the British embassy to celebrate Queen's 91st birthday, where William praised the strong ties between the two countries. Around 900,000 Poles live in Britain while Poland hosts British troops as part of NATO forces. "In our warm relationships we are NATO partners and for the first time since the Second World War our soldiers station on your soil," William said during the party in Royal Lazienki park in Warsaw. "Such diplomatic, military, cultural ties promise a lot and give opportunities for the future," William told during his speech which he started and finished in Polish, the second most spoken language in Britain. Poland joined the European Union in 2004 and had been one of Britain's closest allies in calling for reform of the bloc before Britons voted to leave the EU in a 2016 referendum. On Tuesday the royals will tour a former concentration camp in Stutthof, the first built by Nazi Germany outside its borders after the start of World War Two. More than 85,000 died there. Also on Tuesday, they will visit a museum in Gdansk commemorating the Solidarity movement which shook communist rule in the 1980s. In Germany they are due to visit the Berlin Holocaust Memorial. (Reporting by Marcin Goclowski and Anna Koper; Editing by Toby Chopra)
nuclear fusion

Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory

Significant progress could be made on artificial sun technology by 2023  and it could be used to generate clean energy for China in 50 to 60 years, a senior government nuclear scientist says.

Song Yuntao, a lead scientist on the countrys largest fusion energy project, told the official Science and Technology Daily on Thursday that they expected to double the burn time of man-made sun every 16 to 17 months.

Earlier this month, scientists on the project kept extremely hot plasma at a temperature three times that of the suns core for more than 100 seconds during an experiment at their Hefei research facility. It was almost double the record set by the team last year.

Theyre aiming to sustain the burn for more than 1,000 seconds  using a ring-shaped device known as a tokamak  at which point the scientists expect the plasma to produce a self-sustainable nuclear chain reaction, an important step for power generation.

That milestone would be less than six years away, based on Songs estimate. We hope to go into business in 50 to 60 years, he told the newspaper.

At the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak facility in Anhui province, the chain reaction that takes place in the sun to provide life-giving energy is simulated using plasma  two hydrogen atoms merge into one helium and in the process release a large amount of energy. This extremely hot gas  whose temperature can reach up to 10 times that of the suns core  is contained by a strong magnetic field to prevent it from coming into direct contact with the inner wall of the reaction chamber. The tokamak fusion device was invented by Soviet physicists in the 1950s.

The development of fusion technology  particularly the idea of applying it to nuclear reactors to generate clean energy  has been held back by the difficulty of containing the reaction so that heat is released in a slow and controllable way.

Story continues

But Song said the Chinese scientists were a step ahead, in part because they could mass-produce some of the worlds most advanced superconducting wires that can create a strong magnetic field using a lot less power than others.

Nuclear fusion

YouTube/ Science Magazine

Hundreds of tonnes of these wires  which are as fine as hair  are rolled out in Chinese factories every year at a cost of 30,000 yuan (US$4,400) per individual wire.

He said the country could start building within a few years a large-scale fusion plant to assess whether it was feasible to generate power.

China is a key contributor to the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, or ITER, the worlds largest fusion reactor which is being built in southern France. But delays and budget blow-outs mean its first experiment is not expected until at least 2025.

Song said a Chinese test reactor would make daring innovations and learn lessons from the ITER. Chinese media reports have previously said construction of the China Fusion Engineering Test Reactor would start in 2020 and it would be fired up to generate electricity six years later.

But Liu Yuxin, a professor of nuclear physics with Peking University, said he doubted whether the first fusion power plant could be up and running within half a century.

The science and technology might be advancing fast, but fusion is not a pure scientific or technological problem, he said, adding that many other factors  such as unexpected changes in global politics and the world economy  could hinder progress. The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in Japan, for instance, triggered by an earthquake and tsunami, was a major setback for the industrys development.

Liu said fusion power would be worth waiting for because it was an ultimate solution to the worlds energy needs. Solar power is limited, wind unstable, hydropower over-exploited, and uranium ore will eventually be depleted, Liu said. Hydrogen is the water that fills the oceans. It is an inexhaustible energy source.

NOW WATCH: A massive collection of Nazi artifacts was discovered in a secret room in Argentina

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COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Danish troops will get training in how to deal with Russian misinformation before being sent to join a NATO military build-up in Estonia in January, Defense Minister Claus Hjort Frederiksen said on Monday. "It is a whole new world. The Danish soldiers need to be extremely aware of that. Therefore I have arranged with the armed forces that the soldiers being sent out in January are informed and educated in how to protect themselves," Frederiksen told Danish broadcaster DR. "It is easy to imagine they will become exposed to intimidation and fake rumours," he said of the 200 Danish soldiers being deployed. In February, Lithuanian prosecutors opened a criminal investigation into a false report of a 15-year-old girl being raped by German NATO soldiers which spread quickly on social media. NATO accused Russia of being behind the false report and said it expected more propaganda of this sort in the future. Both NATO and the European Union are concerned by Russia's ability to use television and the internet to project what they say is deliberate misinformation. Russia has denied being involved in any cyber warfare targeting Western governments or institutions. (Reporting by Julie Astrid Thomsen; Editing by Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen and Robin Pomeroy)
BEIRUT (Reuters) - The brother and close advisor of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani was transferred to hospital on his second day of detention, according to reports on Iranian news sites. Hossein Fereydoun was summoned for questioning on Saturday in a corruption case in which he faces unspecified charges. He was later detained when he could not post bail, which was set at more than 15 million dollars, according to Fars News. The Mehr news site later reported a representative had posted bail on Fereydoun's behalf on Monday evening so he would not need to return to prison from hospital. The site did not specify the amount of the bail posted. Fereydoun is a senior diplomat who took part in the talks that led to a 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers. Some Rouhani supporters have interpreted the charges against him as a move by the hard-line judiciary to discredit the president. Fereydoun appeared in court on Monday but was transferred to hospital after appearing unwell, according to the Tasnim news site. "Fereydouns health was not good from the moment he appeared in court and, ultimately, because his health situation became critical, the questioning session did not take place and the accused left the court in an ambulance," Tasnim reported. No further information was provided about Fereydouns health. Rouhani has not made any official statement about his brothers detention or hospitalisation. (Reporting By Babak Dehghanpisheh; editing by Larry King and Toby Chopra)
Out of the five people arrested on July 5 after guns and drugs were found in a Lincoln home, only three were charged.

Lancaster County Attorney Joe Kelly said there was not sufficient evidence to charge 22-year-old Keith Cocroft, of Lincoln, or an 18-year-old who was in the home at the time of the search.

Cocroft was released from jail.

Lincoln police officers served a search warrant that day to an apartment at 3771 O St., Officer Angela Sands said.

They found more than 13 grams of heroin, about two ounces of crack cocaine, drug paraphernalia and two firearms, one of which was stolen, she said. Officers also found $11,000 cash believed to be revenue from drug sales.

Prosecutors charged Wilson Rogers, 38, James Carter, 43, both of Chicago; and Sheronda Tucker, 37, of Lincoln, with possession with the intent to deliver cocaine and heroin and possession of money during a drug violation.

Rogers also is accused of possession of a stolen firearm, and Tucker was cited on suspicion of child abuse. He has been released on bond. Carter and Tucker are still jailed.
A dozen national parks are spotlighted in Terry Tempest Williams book The Hour of Land, A Personal Topography of Our National Parks.

It is a book loaded with gracefully told and skillfully meshed stories; stories of history, of natural beauty, of family remembrances and of social criticism.

Williams, a renown naturalist and environmental activist, explained in a phone interview the reasons for some of them. Canyonlands National Park is near Williams home in Castle Valley, Utah.

Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming is, as the author writes, her Mother Park  my first encounter of drinking deeply from Hidden Falls with my mother and grandmother, our faces wet with mist.

Gulf Islands National Seashore in Florida and Mississippi allows Williams to discuss the devastating coastal damage caused by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Gettysburg National Military Park affords Williams the opportunity to talk about slavery, which she finds is a side issue for guides at the battlefield.

Alcatraz Island, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, is a reason to discuss incarceration.

Effigy Mounds National Monument in Iowa gives Williams a chance to focus on the governments broken treaties with Indians.

The books last chapter is on Cesar E. Chavez National Monument in California. Because the monument represents Americas cultural history, it shows an evolving National Park Service, Williams said, and its dedication by President Barack Obama was about one community organizer honoring another community organizer.

The same chapter also deals with the future. For Williams, clearly, the future is now. The time has come for acts of reverence and restraint on behalf of the Earth, she writes. We have arrived at the Hour of Land.

In the coming academic year, Williams will be writer-in-residence at Harvard Divinity School.

In the fall semester, she said, she will be thinking, writing, reading, absorbing whats there. Ive never had that time intellectually. In the spring, Ill have a better idea of creating a curriculum together with students. Im thinking what are the spiritual implications of climate change and how might we approach climate change as a spiritual issue, not just as political or ecological issues. How to bring this component into the conversation.

At Harvard, Williams wont be far from Concord, Mass., where Henry David Thoreau was born 200 years ago this month. He wrote Walden, a famous memoir about living the simple life in the woods near Walden Pond. I want to revisit the Transcendentalists and how they pertain to us (today), she said.

Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson were leading Transcendentalists, who placed spirituality and nature over materialism.

Williams, winner of a Lannan Literary Award, is the author of 15 books, including Refuge: An Unnatural History of Family and PIace.

Terry Tempest Williams talks, fields questions from the audience and signs copies of the newly released paperback edition of The Hour of Land at 4 p.m. Saturday, July 22 in the gym at The Bosque School, 4000 Learning Road NW. The event is free and open to the public.
Like many other retail gun dealers, Ron Peterson Firearms LLC in Albuquerque has been slow to embrace modern marketing through mobile apps.

Owner Ron Peterson has sold new and used firearms for 50 years, gaining an international reputation for his unique guns, including many antiques unavailable elsewhere.

But moving to new marketing methods in the fast-paced era of modern communications has been difficult.

Im not very computer-literate, and at 75, Im behind the curve, Peterson said. People in the firearms industry tend to be more traditionally conservative. We dont jump on new ideas as fast as others.

But in late May, Petersons store launched its first app through Albuquerque-based RockTops Digital Media, which specializes in rapidly building customized apps with a proprietary platform that makes them simple to create and easy to use. Its a no-frills approach that offered Peterson mobile marketing at an affordable price.

Its given us a new way to show products and stay in communication with our customers, Peterson said. More than 300 customers have downloaded the app and are now communicating with us on a real-time basis.

RockTops, which launched in 2014, created its Bubandu mobile app platform to offer cash-strapped and often technology-challenged businesses a high-quality, affordable alternative to high-end app-development companies, said founder and CEO Randy Asselin. Bubandu allows RockTops to simultaneously create and quickly deploy apps for both Apple and Android devices.

That contrasts with the mainstream approach of relying on different developers to build Apple and Android-based apps separately. And it eliminates the need for a post-development manager to constantly make sure apps developed for different operating systems are working the same.

Our platform allows us to build an app one time with just one effort for both Apple and Android, Asselin said. We dont need specialized developers to create separate apps.

The company applies a no-frills strategy to reduce costs and maintain simplicity, focusing on basic features most customers want. That includes safe and direct business-to-customer communications, one-touch dialing, one-touch driving directions and location, and instant messaging for customers and businesses to interact. The apps also fully integrate with social media, including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Any changes made by businesses on their websites or other social media platforms are immediately seen in the mobile device, Asselin said. They dont have to make any changes on the mobile app, because its all completely represented in real time, allowing businesses to leverage the technology they already have in place.

RockTops approach streamlines development by cutting straight to the basics, sidestepping the need for a team to fully assess a business and its social media needs before designing an app, which can significantly increase costs.

Weve identified eight to 10 things that most businesses need to be great on mobile, and we often pre-build an app to show potential customers before even meeting with them, Asselin said. That makes things easy for customers, because most businesses new to mobile dont really know what they want an app to do. That just want a mobile app to communicate with customers.

RockTops has developed apps for some large customers in New Mexico and elsewhere, such as Dippin Dots, Las Vegas Gold Magazine and the Rio Rancho Regional Chamber of Commerce. But this year, it began targeting smaller businesses attracted to its no-frills approach, beginning with the firearms industry.

Apart from Peterson, its developed apps for Albuquerque-based Geoffrey Russell Outfitters and ABQ Guns. And its launching a national campaign this month with North Carolina-based Laura Burgess Marketing, which focuses on the arms industry.

Building mobile apps for retail and online stores in the firearms industry is unique, because dealers are generally slow to take on newer technologies, Burgess said. Most apps in the industry today are used by big manufacturers like Smith & Wesson.

In part, thats because of a tabu surrounding gun advertising and sales, which make it difficult to build apps acceptable to Google and Apple. But RockTops has worked with those companies to make its apps available for download, Asselin said.

That was a big sell for ABQ Guns co-owner Belinda Gallegos.

Randy did all the work to get the needed permission from Google and Apple, Gallegos said. Thats huge, because when you deal with firearms, theres so much tabu for so many people.

Peterson is now working to get all customers to download his app.

We sell between 8,500 and 10,000 guns a year, which translates into about 6,000 to 7,000 customers, Peterson said. Were known all over the world. We want to get them all signed up to keep them informed about our business.
The past couple of generations have been tough on mom and pop retailers. First came the rise of big-box retail, and now the internet surge.

Even the big guys now are struggling to adapt in the face of changing consumer habits. Sears, Macys and smaller specialty retailers like Bebes and The Loft are shedding stores and jobs.

But somehow, some small, independent businesses in Albuquerque have found ways to adapt and survive, in some cases for decades. It may be filling a niche, providing a service or adapting to new realities, and nearly all of them point to having longtime, repeat customers. The Journal talked with a handful of local retailers to find out just how they make it. Heres what they had to say.

Baums Music

Two keys: diversification and adaptation.

If I had to rely on sales of musical instruments alone, Id fail, laments Baums owner Dan Louton. Im a brick-and-mortar store in 2017. I (have to) change with the times.

Baums has found its way to success by expanding its services and making connections in the community.

Baums operates out of a 5,000-square-foot store at Candelaria and Eubank NE where it has resided for more than 30 years, though Baums itself was started by Jerry Baum in 1947. The music store employs five people and a slew of subcontractors who handle music lessons, instrument repairs and deliveries.

During the summer months, Baums does on-site instrument repairs with schools all over the state. Louton has also made inroads with UNM.

Although Baums does face some competition from large national chains like Guitar Center, the main competition these days is the internet. But the relationships he has formed in the community keep customers coming. I cant compete with online, Louton said. I have to find ways to be proactive and stay relevant.

Shane Louton, the store manager and Dan Loutons son, said Baums also offers high-end products that many customers may feel uncomfortable ordering online. People may buy a $150 trumpet online and just take the risk, Shane Louton said. But not many will want to buy a high-quality, $600 trumpet on the internet.

The Mans Hat Shop

The Mans Hat Shop also offers items not easily purchased online, has strong community ties and a loyal customer base.

Stuart Dunlap has been in the headwear business for 43 years, but his father started the shop in 1946. The Dunlaps have occupied the same 3,000-square-foot space Downtown on Central between Fifth and Sixth streets for 53 years.

Our store is a destination, Dunlap said. Cowboys will climb through the muck to get here.

Last year, he said, was their best sales year yet.

Dunlap is fairly unfazed by online buying tendencies. He sells high-end hats, and though it might not seem like it, a lot of details go into purchasing high-end headwear.

I personally wouldnt want to go online to purchase a $300 hat, he said.

Dunlap also said there is always at least one customer base that will need a hat: A lot of gentlemen dont have a whole lot of hair.

Archies Books on Tape

Nick Bolanos has owned and operated Archies Books on Tape for two decades.

His shop, a 1,500-square-foot box on Osuna NE near San Mateo, began as a paperback and comic book store. Roughly 10 years ago, Bolanos converted to exclusively audiobooks.

We changed to make sure we have a niche, which you have to do in this market, he said.

Bolanos keeps his overhead low and has only one part-time employee, not including his dog Billie, who Bolanos said is the biggest customer draw. He offers rentals, allowing him to make money several times off of a single item.

Bolanos still finds that his largest competition is online sites such as Audible and iTunes. His only direct physical competitor, Aardvark Audiobooks, closed last year.

His competitive advantage? Knowing his trade and offering customer service. People really come for the recommendations.

DVD Plus

David Peralta is in the business of DVD rentals and sales, an industry that was thriving in the brick-and-mortar sphere a decade ago. Then, more-convenient options like Netflix, Amazon and Redbox took over that market, which is now being supplanted by online digital sales and rentals and streaming services.

Hollywood Video, Blockbuster Video and Hastings have all come and gone. Peralta is still standing.

Peralta sells both new and used DVDs. He has survived by keeping overhead low and diversifying products. Those methods, he said, are helping him thrive now.

And with the demise of Hastings, his last large national competitor, a new opportunity opened up. Peralta had only been selling DVDs in recent years, but he started renting new releases last October after Hastings closed and he began getting a lot of questions about rentals.

He acknowledges the consumer shift online but believes there will always be people who want to buy products in a store. And as large national brick-and-mortar retailers fall away, he says, mom and pop stores are well positioned to fill that niche. Yeah, the mom and pop rental places, and comic book stores, and everything, they are going to come back, Peralta said.

Page One

Page One Books has been a fixture in Albuquerque for 36 years, and co-owner Steve Stout said they plan to be around much longer.

The company survived a Chapter 11 reorganization in 2011, and then four years ago, Page One moved from its Montgomery location to a 7,000-square-foot store at the Mountain Run Shopping Center at Eubank and Juan Tabo. Though Stout says he hasnt noticed much of an uptick in business since Hastings closed, he did say that business has improved every year since the move to the new location.

Stout said online sellers, notably Amazon, are his main competition, but he also uses the internet to help his business. Page One has a large antiquarian book section, and those rare items are listed at www.abebooks.com.

Compared with other bookstores, Page One has a relatively high overhead, employing 10 people and carrying new books as well as used. But Stout says he found a niche in offering a large selection of used and inexpensive books, a niche that his largest brick-and-mortar competitor, Barnes and Noble, cant fill.

He said he is also lucky in his customer base. In the last few years, weve seen a large increase in the number of teens and kids who are coming in. They want actual books. Its great, Stout said.

Kirby Company of New Mexico

Kirby Company of New Mexico, located at San Mateo and Copper NE, has been around since 1949  and at its current location since 1954.

Kirby N.M. is a service company and an independent distributor for Kirby Vacuums, a Cleveland-based company.

To some extent, Kirby N.M.s fortunes rise and fall with the success of its parent company  Kirby is the only brand the store handles. But as an independent distributor, the company also has to find ways to succeed on its own.

Owner Lowell Dickerson said things havent really changed much since his grandfather started the business. House calls are still central to the sales model; family is still the heart of the company  his mother does the bookkeeping and his daughter Katie is the project manager; and personal touch is what its all about.

Kirby N.M.s main competition isnt a specific online entity or a nearby business  its the overall trend of consumers to replace rather than repair, according to Dickerson. Luckily, Kirby vacuums tend to last a while, he said, and their owners buck that trend.

Dickersons business succeeds with vacuums that have been passed down through generations as heirlooms as well as the popularity of items deemed retro. The business has sold about 94,000 units since 1949.

Katie has brought a younger spark, setting up a web presence and other marketing campaigns.

Dickersons strategy, he said, relies largely on a good sales team and a workshop full of replacement parts dating back to the 1940s.
New Mexico students learning English as a second language are struggling to pass a tougher proficiency exam, which is creating budget challenges for districts, according to some administrators.

WIDA, a Wisconsin-based company, recently revamped the scoring system for the ACCESS assessment, which is used by New Mexico, and 38 other states and agencies to test English language learners.

Under the new system, it is much more difficult to earn a high score.

The change has impacted districts across the state.

Albuquerque Public Schools reported that roughly 16 percent of its ELL students met proficiency on the ACCESS test during the 2015-16 school year  about 2,200 children  but last year the rate fell to about 1 percent  131 children out of roughly 10,000 in total.

The states funding formula appropriates extra money for ELL students to pay for services, but the per-pupil funding was calculated before the latest ACCESS test results came back in May.

That means the 2017-18 allocations will not account for the larger number of children who will need ELL services, which include daily instruction in English and the students home language, if available.

In Santa Fe Public Schools, the ACCESS pass rate declined from 15 percent to less than 1 percent, adding up to 345 more English language learners in the upcoming school year than administrators expected.

New Mexico has one of the nations highest rates of children enrolled in bilingual programs  15 percent, or 52,365 in total, according to PED data from the 2015-16 school year.

PED says just about all New Mexico districts have seen their ACCESS pass rates fall to about 1 percent, though it does not have exact numbers.

Other states have responded by reducing the score required to test out of ELL status, but New Mexico did not.

Our students have proven to us that they will rise to the challenge when we set a high bar, said Lida Alikhani, PED spokeswoman.

PED noted that districts get other federal funding to pay for ELL programs and questioned whether districts such as APS had fully tapped the money for that purpose.

APS disputed that and said it has budgeted its federal money for ELL programs.

APS chief of staff Richard Bowman told board members last week that he supports high standards, but money is needed to meet them.

Essentially, for the 17-18 school year, we will have an unfunded mandate where we will be providing services for 2,000 more students than we are actually getting funding from the state, said Carrie Robin Brunder, APS director of government affairs and policy, during a June board committee meeting.

In the future, all students should by covered by state funding, but that also means the state will have to find money to help them for additional years as they study to meet the tougher ACCESS standards.

While we have always been concerned with the lack of funding needed to support the needs of our English language learners, this presents yet another financial obstacle that we will work to overcome, including reaching out to our legislative delegation, Veronica C. Garcia, Santa Fe Public Schools superintendent, said in an emailed statement.

Garcia said her district is closely analyzing the possible long-term impacts of the new ACCESS scoring system and developing an implementation plan to ensure all students are receiving necessary services.

APS is investing in teacher professional development and instructional materials districtwide to support ELL students, according to Jessica Villalobos, senior director of language and cultural equity.

WIDA also has worked closely with states to help them transition to the tougher scoring system.

Its a substantial change, said H. Gary Cook, WIDA research director. Everyone is getting used to the new numbers.

Cook explained that WIDA decided to revamp the ACCESS scoring for the first time in over a decade to align with career and college-ready standards.
Copyright  2017 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  A state board plans to investigate whether retired public school employees have been circumventing New Mexicos return-to-work regulations by drawing both a salary and a pension at the same time.

Critics call the practice double dipping.

Hundreds of people who work at public schools throughout New Mexico could be affected, depending on how the states retirement rules are interpreted, one official said.

The investigation involves retirees who work at schools, but as employees of a group called Cooperative Educational Services.

The central question is whether the employees really retired, or if they just continued working in the same jobs, but as CES employees to avoid a requirement that they sit out a year before returning to half- or full-time work

The New Mexico Educational Retirement Board is conducting the investigation.

If theyre using a third-party entity, or doing something to get around those rules, thats going to be against the law or other state rules, said Roderick Ventura, general counsel for the Educational Retirement Board.

The cooperative, in turn, says its employees have taken care to follow the rules. The cooperative even asked ERB ahead of time if retired employees could work for the cooperative and then be re-assigned back to their original schools, said David Chavez, executive director of CES.

And the answer, he said, was that, yes, they could  because the cooperative isnt part of the ERB system and isnt covered by its return-to-work restrictions.

The cooperative doesnt even ask its employees about their retirement status, Chavez said, so hes not sure how many employees could be affected, but it could potentially reach the hundreds, depending on how ERB interprets the retirement rules.

Jan Goodwin, executive director of the Educational Retirement Board, said that, based on initial conversations with the cooperative, there might be only 15 to 20 people affected.

But were going to do our own independent investigation of this to ascertain how many people are involved, Goodwin said in an interview.

Ventura said the retirement board never told CES that it was OK for retirees to return to the exact same jobs right after retirement.

The employees could have to repay some of the benefits theyve received if they violated the law or other state rules.

The cooperative provides staff members for hard-to-fill positions at districts, such as speech-language pathologists, social workers and occupational therapists.

School districts created the cooperative in 1979 to help make purchases. Districts can hire vendors quickly by making purchases through the cooperative, avoiding the need for each school to go through its own lengthy bidding process. The group is funded by a fee paid by the vendors hired through the cooperative.

Under ERBs return-to-work program, participants receive both a salary and a pension, but must keep paying mandatory contributions into the pension fund.

They also have to meet certain requirements  either by sitting out for at least a year before returning to an ERB employer or by working only a small number of hours each week.

Employees in New Mexicos main public pension system face more stringent prohibitions.

In 2010, then-Gov. Bill Richardson signed into law a measure that banned double dipping for state workers, after the practice had come under fire for stifling internal promotions and putting a strain on the states retirement fund.
When Presbyterian bills New Mexican patients, it pursues aggressive actions to collect. Yet when the company wants to avoid paying its bills to the state of New Mexico, it employs fraudulent and greedy cash grabs and manipulates regulators. That is unacceptable, and it means the Attorney General has to step in.

As Attorney General, I have the duty to protect the health, safety and well-being of all New Mexicans, especially children, seniors, and other vulnerable populations who rely heavily on the health care system. That is why I filed a lawsuit against Presbyterian Health Plan and other Presbyterian companies. Presbyterian defrauded New Mexican taxpayers by making false claims for tax deductions and unjustly enriching itself at the expense of working New Mexicans. Yet now that this wrongdoing has been exposed, Presbyterian refuses to take responsibility.

I am extremely concerned that Presbyterian would not only engage in the deliberate and systematic defrauding of New Mexicans, but that it would compound the issue with reckless and misleading public denials. New Mexicans deserve to know the truth about Presbyterians misconduct and refusal to pay its fair share.

Presbyterian unjustly enriched itself for years because it was able to stonewall and bully the regulators who were supposed to hold it accountable. I filed this lawsuit based on an independent investigation of whistleblowers claims. The records and evidence uncovered in this investigation indisputably show Presbyterian made claims for deductions that were not allowed by law. After years and years of illegal behavior, Presbyterian should not be surprised that it now faces legal action by the chief law enforcement office of the state of New Mexico.

Presbyterian exploited the taxpayers of New Mexico in a time of crisis. This corporation broke the rules and should face consequences for doing so. If Presbyterian wishes to do right by the people of New Mexico, it will make good on its legal obligations. This lawsuit is the first step in bringing accountability and transparency to Presbyterian, and any other companies that defraud our taxpayers.
WASHINGTON  Predictably and sensibly, a three-judge panel of the nations second-most important court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, recently dismissed, unanimously, a lawsuit brought by a Yemeni man, two of whose relatives were collateral fatalities in a 2012 U.S. drone attack that killed three terrorists. The suit asked the court to declare the attacks illegal under several U.S. statutes.

The court, however, invoked the political question doctrine: Some politically charged and technical matters are not justiciable because courts are inappropriate forums for answering them. They include the wisdom of military actions. What was sensible but not predictable was that Judge Janice Rogers Brown, in addition to writing the opinion for the court, added a blistering opinion in which she upbraided the other branches for dereliction of duties regarding unfettered presidential warmaking, particularly with precision-strike weapons.

There is pitifully little oversight within the executive.  (C)ongressional oversight is a joke  and a bad one at that.  The spread of drones cannot be stopped, but the U.S. can still influence how they are used in the global community  including, someday, seeking recourse should our enemies turn these powerful weapons 180 degrees to target our homeland. The executive and Congress must establish a clear policy for drone strikes and precise avenues for accountability. Brown asked: If judges will not check this outsized (executive) power, then who will?

Unfortunately, in this, as in so many other areas, Congress is in perpetual flight from responsibility. It should begin by revisiting the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force, which was enacted while the World Trade Center and Pentagon still smoldered.

The AUMF authorized the president to use all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organizations, or persons he determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, or harbored such organizations or persons, in order to prevent any future acts of international terrorism against the United States by such nations, organizations, or persons. As Rosa Brooks, a former Pentagon official and now Georgetown law professor, crisply notes, five and three of those words especially matter.

In her simultaneously witty and disturbing 2016 book, How Everything Became War and the Military Became Everything, she notes the AUMF does not authorize force against anyone, anywhere, anytime but only against those who planned, authorized, committed or aided 9/11. And it authorizes force for a specific purpose  to prevent any future attacks against this nation by such entities, not to prevent all future bad acts committed by anyone, anywhere.

Last October, believed to be for the first time ever, a U.S. Navy vessel fired SM2 interceptor missiles to defend itself against a missile attack. The attack came from Yemen, where U.S. forces are involved  they have made more than 80 airstrikes this year, and 150 others since 2012  in that countrys civil war, most, but not all, targeting al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula.

In June, a U.S. F/A-18E shot down a Syrian government fighter aircraft that was threatening rebel forces attempting to overthrow the Syrian regime. In May, U.S. forces repeatedly attacked government forces, or the governments proxy forces, in Syria. U.S. forces are occupying Syrian territory. Hundreds of marines are manning fire bases in northern Syria. This intervention resembles a slow-motion invasion.

Now, some, most or all current U.S. military activities might be sensible. Few, however, are clearly authorized.

Sens. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., and Tim Kaine, D-Va., have introduced legislation to authorize the use of force against al-Qaida, the Taliban and the Islamic State for five years. It would create a process by which presidents can designate other radical Islamic groups as associated forces and Congress can reject such an expansion of force.

Last month, the House Appropriations Committee voted  by voice, perhaps unanimously  to include in a defense measure a provision repealing the 16-year-old AUMF, for the purpose of forcing the writing of one responsive to 2017 realities. Speaker Paul Ryan opposed using an appropriations bill for this purpose  although nowadays the House appropriations process is rarely used for its intended purpose, timely passage of appropriations bills. But Rep. Tom Cole, an eight-term Oklahoma Republican on the committee, said, I dont know any other way to get (the congressional leaderships and the administrations) attention because weve been talking about it for years.

Congress is permanently in Annie mode. It will deal with its war responsibilities, like its myriad other forfeited powers, tomorrow, which is always a day away.

Wills columns, including those not published in the Journal, can be read at abqjournal.com/opinion  look for the syndicated columnist link. E-mail: georgewill@washpost.com; copyright, Washington Post Writers Group.
Its understandable people are upset 2nd Judicial District Judge Charles Brown will allow Justin Hansen, who stands accused of beating a girl with a shovel nearly nine years ago, to go on what is essentially house arrest until trial if he can find someone to keep tabs on him 24/7.

The brutal 2008 attack put then-17-year-old Brittani Marcell in a coma and left her blind in one eye and deaf in one ear. The physical damage forced her to re-learn how to speak, walk and eat. It was only recently her memory recovered sufficiently to give police enough clues, and ingeniously obtained DNA evidence, to arrest and charge Hansen with kidnapping, attempted murder and related crimes.

But too many people are misplacing their anger at what they believe is Hansens get-out-of-jail-free card. It should not be aimed at: the recently approved state constitutional amendment that allows no-bond holds for dangerous defendants; the state Supreme Court judges who developed guidelines to help judges employ the new amendment; or the prosecutors and defense attorneys who have been using the new Public Safety Assessment for just a few weeks. Because these do not replace judicial discretion  the ability and responsibility to make tough decisions. Heres a primer:

The constitutional amendment is designed to ensure defendants are detained prior to trial jail based on evidence of their risk of dangerousness or flight rather than their ability to post a monetary bond. (Under the old system, Brown would have had to set a reasonable bond Hansen could afford.) It does require judges to find clear and convincing evidence no release conditions will reasonably protect the safety of any other person or the community before holding them in jail.

The state Supreme Courts new pretrial detention and release guidelines instruct judges how to comply with the new constitutional amendment.

The assessment has been used by the Bernalillo County Metropolitan and 2nd Judicial District courts since mid-June to rank risk of new criminal activity and failure to appear to help determine if defendants should be released on their own recognizance, with conditions, or held in jail.

In the case of Hansen, who as of Sunday night was still in the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center, Brown didnt go easy: Hansen cannot be released until he can find a responsible citizen to stay with who will make sure he lives there, stays there, hell never be unaccompanied anywhere. Brown also ordered GPS monitoring and told Hansen he cant leave home without permission from pretrial services.

Brown certainly could have justified holding Hansen without bond given the brutality of the attack he is accused of committing  as well as the fact he admitted to battery as a juvenile 17 years ago and has been accused of, but not charged with, beating a pregnant girlfriend in 2004 and raping an ex-girlfriend in 2007. But accusations are simply that, and Hansen has no felony charges or convictions.

It was a tough call Brown will have to live with  thats what he and other members of the bench are elected to do.

Lawyers, prosecutors and judges have sought a better, more uniform way of handling defendants awaiting trial that takes into account the severity of a crime and risk to the community rather than simply what a defendant can afford to post as bond. Now they have the ability to make decisions on release and a tool to help inform those decisions. And while the assessment does not consider accusations or dropped charges, it does show age, convictions, failures to appear and the severity of the current charge. It is in its infancy and should improve with lessons learned. Like the Hansen case.

In the interim, excoriating the constitutional amendment and guidelines, or the judges we trust are doing their best to follow them, does nothing but undermine public confidence in our judicial system. Instead, heres a reminder to judges: the guidelines and risk assessment are tools. You can use your discretion when deciding how and where a suspect awaits trial. And voters, if you consistently disagree with a judges pretrial decisions, the place to express displeasure is in the voting booth  where it can make a difference.

This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.
NO MORE STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF REAL ID: The New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department has made a big policy change regarding that little thing that sits between first and last names.

Sometimes its a full middle name; sometimes its a middle initial; and if its not the same on all three classes of your documents for a Real ID  Social Security card/1099, birth certificate/passport, bills/statements proving residency  it puts you in the middle of a bureaucratic tangle to get all your documents the same.

What prompted the policy change  which Tax and Rev will explain in a sec  was the frustration of New Mexicans, like that expressed in this email:

Well the state of New Mexico strikes again. I went to renew my drivers license thinking I had all the documentation that the Motor Vehicle Division required. Wrong. The Social Security card that I have had since 1969 didnt have my middle name, only the initial.

I asked the girl why we werent aware of this problem, and she said it was only decided a week ago that it would be invalid and it was left up to the employee of MVD to let the applicant know. The same name with the initial was on all my 1099s that I had with me, but that didnt make a difference. Returning home, I called the federal Social Security people who confirmed that the document I had was completely legal and should never have been in question. Now I am suppose to go to Social Security in downtown Albuquerque and request a new card and hope that the new one arrives before my expiration date at the end of the month. WHAT A MESS.

In a July 10 email, Ben Cloutier, director of communications for Tax and Rev, says after hearing concerns from New Mexicans, the MVD sought federal guidance to make it easier for New Mexicans to obtain Real IDs. Requirements were adjusted so that applicants can present any documents with a matching first and last name with either a middle initial or spelled out middle name  as long as the names dont conflict.

EMISSIONS CHECK YOUR RESPONSIBILITY: Tom Klingenhagen emails that when I received my notice in the mail to reregister my Jeep, I returned the notice with a check. The MVD cashed my check and send me a sticker for my license plate. A few weeks later I received a letter from the MVD saying they suspended my registration because I didnt return my registration renewal (with an) emission certification.

Tom adds I didnt know I needed an emission check. The MVD used to print a note on the renewal, but they dont do that anymore. The MVD wants me to give them $30 dollars to re-register my car  $30! That seems excessive. If I was missing something when I renewed my registration, why did they cash the check?

Cloutier says the renewal postcards include the warning: Emissions testing is required every 2 years for vehicles in Bernalillo County. Please verify your vehicles emission testing is up-to-date. Air care emissions compliance is verified electronically at time of registration and is updated at time of expiration, which could result in registration suspension.

As for why MVD cashed the check, he says by statute, MVD is required to deposit mailed checks within 24 business hours.

YOU CANT PROVE CAR REGISTRATION BY CELLPHONE: Recently Albuquerque Police Chief Gorden Eden announced officers must accept digital proof of insurance, such as through an app or email. Prior to his decision, accepting digital proof was left up to each officers discretion.

So does the same go for proof of vehicle registration? A reader points out if the goal is to not leave documents in your vehicle for thieves to get a hold of, insurance and registration cards should go hand in hand.

Except they dont.

APD officer Simon Drobik says allowing for electronic proof requires an accessible database, and N.M.s DMV is not there yet. Providing a photo of your registration card is not enough, he says.

And he adds that drivers should take care when handing their cellphones over to officers to show proof of insurance  no officer wants to be responsible when you toss your iPhone 6 out the window and he/she cant catch it.

Editorial page editor DVal Westphal tackles commuter issues for the Metro area on Mondays. Reach her at 823-3858; dwestphal@abqjournal.com; or P.O. Drawer J, Albuquerque, N.M. 87103.
Copyright  2017 Albuquerque Journal

This is the second article in a two-part series about the often under-reported and under-detected crime of sex trafficking in New Mexico. It was spurred by the death of a 20-year-old woman who police say had been shot and killed by a hit man hired by the people who had been forcing her to sell sex.

When Michelle Schroff heard that one of the girls who used to attend workshops hosted by her nonprofit organization was killed in January after being trafficked for sex, she said she knew more had to be done to provide services and resources for at-risk teenagers.

The body of Tobi Lynn Stanfill, 20, was discovered in a Foothills park in mid-January. Before she was killed, police say, she had been forced to work as a prostitute, locked in a dog crate in a hotel and threatened if she didnt make enough money  all signs that she was a victim of sex trafficking.

Two years ago, Stanfill had attended workshops conducted by Schroffs Project Zoe, a local nonprofit founded to give at-risk teenage girls a sense of belonging by providing them with clothes and personal items.

After Stanfills death, Schroff said she began hosting breakfasts twice a month and looking for ways to fund a drop-in center for homeless teens in order to further her mission.

Schroff and a handful of other women in Albuquerque and Santa Fe are leading the charge to help victims of sex trafficking by providing housing, clothing and other services through donations, volunteer efforts and other social programs.

Thats in part because no state or local money was allocated this year to specifically help victims of human trafficking, even though advocates say victims have very specific problems that need to be addressed in order for them to recover and participate in the prosecution of those who were trafficking them.

During the 2015 and 2016 legislative session, the state allocated $125,000 in its annual budget to be used to provide social services to victims of sex trafficking, sexual assault and domestic violence, but this funding was not included in the budget this year. The money, while not enough to fully fund any services, was helpful while it lasted.

Now advocates, like Schroff, are left entirely to their own devices to try to provide services for victims through donations and their own money.

They say victims who are trying to escape their traffickers and rebuild their lives need help, with or without state money.

NM scores low grade

Shared Hope International, a Vancouver, Wash., organization working to end sex trafficking, rates New Mexicos laws against sex trafficking as the sixth-worst in the nation. In the groups 2016 report card analyzing state laws about sentencing, reparations and more, New Mexico received a D grade.

State law says victims of human trafficking are eligible for benefits and services from the state as long as they are cooperating with an investigation, but the state budget no longer allocates any funds for these services.

Instead, advocacy organizations work with victims to find them services through existing social programs  like Section 8 housing and food stamps or shelters and soup kitchens.

Two years ago, the New Mexico Attorney Generals Office received a federal grant and worked with The Life Link behavioral health center to form a task force that focuses on identifying resources for trafficking victims throughout the state.

Lynn Sanchez, program director for The Life Links Anti-Human Trafficking Initiative, said more often than not the organization finds there arent enough appropriate services for victims in New Mexico, especially teenagers.

We dont have any safe place in our state, so they wind up continuously victimized, Sanchez said. Theyre falling through the cracks in the system or theyre in juvenile detention centers or treatment centers.

Sanchez said that when the Anti-Human Trafficking Initiative still had money from the state, it was able to provide emergency services for several victims of sex trafficking who needed a safe place to go immediately.

That money was really important for creating that sense of well-being, safety and normalcy, Sanchez said. Without that, theyre back on the streets and back in desperate survival mode.

Nonprofits helping

The lack of state money for trafficking victims has authorities turning to nonprofits for help, as well.

Toya Kaplan, executive director and co-founder of Freedom House, said the Attorney Generals Office, Homeland Security and the FBI have all brought sex trafficking victims to her 20-acre property in the Albuquerque area.

Kaplan said they have housed seven women since they opened two years ago, and are funded by the Kaplan family and donations from churches and individuals.

Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office Detectives Kyle Hartsock and Kyle Woods work with the departments Ghost Unit, named after the part of society that is often overlooked, according to the BCSO website.

When they begin working with a new teenage victim of sex trafficking, they also turn to nonprofits and visit Project Zoes clean, brightly lit boutique to pick up care packages of clean clothing and personal hygiene products.

Schroff, who provides clothing for up to 10 suspected victims of sex trafficking each month, said Project Zoe gives clothing to girls to give them a sense of normalcy and to boost their self-esteem.

The whole purpose is to instill worth, value and that their past doesnt define them, Schroff said. Theyre more than what their pimp told them.

For Hartsock, these services can make a difference in whether the victim will stick around and whether he can pursue a criminal case against the trafficker.

We have to have a victim who is stable and who can give a coherent statement about what happened before a prosecutor is going to feel comfortable enough to take it to a grand jury, he said.

Sanchez said that shes seen a couple of different law enforcement agencies convict traffickers when The Life Link has been able to find consistent shelter for them.

Either the victim is stabilized and the trafficker will plead or, if it does go to trial, the victim shows up because she has safety and support, Sanchez said. You cant really touch the traffickers without providing victim support.

Victim hotline: 505-Get-free

The Life Link: www.505getfree.org

Project Zoe: www.project-zoe.org

Spoken For NM: www.spokenfornm.com

Street Safe New Mexico: www.streetsafenm.com
A 43-year-old Lincoln man was being held in jail on $1 million bond Monday night after prosecutors charged him with third-degree sexual assault of a child with a prior offense, according to court records.

Jacob I. Kirk faces up to 50 years in prison if convicted.

Court documents say a 14-year-old girl reported Kirk, who is known to her, touched her under her clothes several times throughout her childhood. The case also involves other sexual encounters, the document says.

Police began investigating on Friday. Kirk was arrested the next day.

Kirk was convicted of the same charge in April 1997, the document says. He's no longer listed on the Nebraska Sex Offender Registry.
NEW YORK  Subway wants to freshen up the look of its stores as it tries to stem a sales decline.

The sandwich chain says the redesign  which includes a brighter atmosphere, displays of vegetables behind the counter and ordering tablets  is the first major revamp since the early 2000s. The changes will take place as stores around the country are remodeled and new ones are built.

The makeover comes as Subways sales have fallen for four straight years amid competition from places including Jimmy Johns and Firehouse Subs. Since 2012, Subways average annual sales per store are down 13 percent at $420,000, according to industry tracker Technomic. Last year, its number of U.S. stores also shrank for the first time, though the company says it still has more than 26,200 domestic locations. Globally, the chain says it has more than 44,800.

Don Fertman, Subways chief development officer, says franchisee agreements require them to remodel stores every seven to 10 years. The company says franchisees will have a variety of design options to pick from, and that it is looking for ways to help them lower costs.

Fertman says the current Tuscany design was intended in part to reflect the Italian heritage of founder Fred DeLuca, who died in 2015. His sister, Suzanne Greco, is now CEO of the privately held company.

Its been working for us since the early 2000s, Fertman said, but noted that it was time to evolve.

In the U.S. and Canada, new stores will be built using the redesign. About 150 stores will get the new look in the coming months, Fertman said. By the end of next year, he said 3,000 to 5,000 stores globally should have it, with most of those being in the United States and Canada. Subway says the stores with new designs will include new menu items, such as bread made without gluten.

Some have reservations about the plans.

John Gordon, a restaurant industry analyst, said Subway might be better off focusing on improving its food before turning to remodeling, given the tight financial situations of many franchisees.

While the company hasnt yet specified the cost, the remodeling looks like it will be pricey for franchisees, notes Keith Miller, who has three Subway stores in Northern California.

Miller, who is also head of the Coalition of Franchisee Associations, said two key questions are whether remodeling would boost sales, and whether franchisees can afford it. If franchisees cant afford it, Miller said its not really a solution.

How do you require someone to do something that they cant financially do? he said.

__

Follow Candice Choi at www.twitter.com/candicechoi
AUSTIN, Texas  A transgender Texan has posted an all-smiles photo with Gov. Greg Abbott to protest a bathroom bill that state lawmakers will again consider during a special legislative session beginning Tuesday.

Ashley Smith posed with Abbott after he announced his re-election campaign Friday in San Antonio.

She later identified herself in the photo as trans-woman and posted it on Facebook with #BATHROOM BUDDY.

Smith, who has been active with groups opposing the bathroom bill, also posted: How will the Potty Police know Im transgender if the Governor doesnt? and received thousands of likes.

Texas tried and failed to pass a North Carolina-style law requiring transgender people to use public restrooms corresponding to their birth-certificate gender during the regular session ending in May. But Abbott revived the issue for the 30-day extra session.
WASHINGTON  The latest GOP effort to repeal and replace Obamacare was fatally wounded in the Senate Monday night when two more Republican senators announced their opposition to the legislation strongly backed by President Donald Trump.

The announcements from Sens. Mike Lee of Utah and Jerry Moran of Kansas left the Republican Partys long-promised efforts to get rid of President Barack Obamas health care legislation reeling. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced that he will retreat, and try to pass the more straightforward Obamacare repeal bill that Republicans approved while Obama was still in office and certain to veto it. That looks unlikely to succeed now that it could actually become law and unleash wide-ranging effects likely to frighten off senators.

Regretfully, it is now apparent that the effort to repeal and immediately replace the failure of Obamacare will not be successful, McConnell said in a statement that sounded like a death knell to the GOPs promises to repeal Obamacare and replace it with something better.

Trump, who had predicted success for McConnells repeal-and-replace legislation just hours earlier, urged over Twitter: Republicans should just REPEAL failing ObamaCare now & work on a new Healthcare Plan that will start from a clean slate. Dems will join in! But Republican leaders rejected that clean-repeal approach months ago because it could not pass Congress.

Lee and Moran both said they could not support McConnells legislation in the form unveiled last week. They joined GOP Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Rand Paul of Kentucky, both of whom announced their opposition right after McConnell released the bill on Thursday.

McConnells bill fails to repeal the Affordable Care Act or address healthcares rising costs, said Moran.

Lee said, In addition to not repealing all of the Obamacare taxes, it doesnt go far enough in lowering premiums for middle class families; nor does it create enough free space from the most costly Obamacare regulations.

That left McConnell at least two votes short in the closely divided Senate from being able to move forward with his bill. Instead he said he would try to open debate on a repeal-and-replace bill passed by the House, and the first allowed amendment would be on the legislation approved by Congress in 2015 repealing much of Obamacare, with a two-year delay for the repeal to take effect.

Obama was in the White House when that bill passed, and he vetoed it. Few Republicans reckoned then with the reality of sending the bill to a president of their party who might actually sign it and invite all the consequences, including casting tens of millions off the rolls of the insured and off of Medicaid. This years debate has already shown Republicans are highly wary of any such move, and a similar straightforward repeal was rejected early on.

Monday nights retreat was the second straight failure for McConnell, who had to cancel a vote on an earlier version of his repeal-and-replace bill last month when defeat became inevitable.

Trump had kept his distance from the Senate process, but Monday nights development was a major blow for him, too, as the president failed to rally support for what has been the GOPs trademark issue for seven years, ever since Obama and the Democrats passed the Affordable Care Act. Republicans won the White House and full control of Congress in large part on the basis of their promises to repeal and replace Obamacare, but have struggled to overcome their deep internal divisions and deliver on those promises.

The Senate bill, like an earlier version that barely passed the House, eliminated mandates and taxes under Obamacare, and unraveled an expansion of the Medicaid health care program for the poor and disabled. For conservatives like Lee and Paul, it didnt go far enough in delivering on Republican Party promises to undo Obamas law. But moderates like Collins viewed the bill as too extreme in yanking insurance coverage from millions.

McConnells latest version aimed to satisfy both camps, by incorporating language by Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas allowing insurers to sell skimpy plans alongside more robust ones, and by adding billions to treat opioid addiction and to defray consumer costs. His efforts did not achieve the intended result.

This second failure of Trumpcare is proof positive that the core of this bill is unworkable, said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York. Republicans should start from scratch and work with Democrats on a bill that lowers premiums, provides long term stability to the markets and improves our health care system.

Some Republicans, including Sen. John McCain of Arizona, also called for a new bipartisan approach, but McConnell opted to go in the other direction. One outcome could be to prove to conservatives agitating for a repeal-only vote that such repeal-only legislation cannot pass the Senate.

Prior to the stunning announcements from Lee and Moran, the GOP bill stood on the knifes edge, with zero votes to spare but not dead yet. It was apparent that no GOP senator wanted to be the third to announce opposition and become responsible for killing the bill, so the news from Lee and Moran came simultaneously.

It arrived as about a half-dozen senators were at the White House meeting with Trump and Vice President Mike Pence about the next steps in the GOP effort to ensure passage of the bill.
SANTA FE  That meow heard in Santa Fe may be on the verge of becoming a financial roar.

The arts collective posted an offer to sell shares for $40 apiece on Saturday morning. By Sunday afternoon, 480 so-called general or unaccredited investors  the maximum that Meow Wolf could attract under federal Securities and Exchange Commission rules for this kind of fundraising effort  had bought in and provided more than $900,000.

After that, the shares became available to accredited investors, defined by law generally as individuals with a net worth of more than $1 million.

The number of investors was 630 and climbing Monday. The total raised had reached an unspecified $1.07 million+, according to Meow Wolfs WeFunder.com page  $1.07 million was the maximum that less affluent investors could put in. Accredited investors have until July 24 to purchase shares to put in more money.

Meow Wolf set a speed record by raising the $1.07 million in just more than 48 hours under equity crowdfunding that became regulated by the SEC via a 2015 federal act, the Santa Fe group said in a news release Monday afternoon.

This is faster than any company before, said Dylan Enright, director of fundraising for WeFunder.

Meow Wolfs WeFunder page set its pre-money valuation at $62.3 million. Pre-money valuation is how much a startup says its worth before fundraising and determines the percentage of the startup that new investors own after the money is raised.

The new money will go toward Meow Wolfs expansion plans. The group is considering adding exhibts to in cities such as Denver, Austin and Las Vegas, Nev., and is buying a former Caterpillar plant in south Santa Fe slated to become a creative studio and world headquarters for manufacturing, fabrication, technology, digital media and management.

Meow Wolfs immersive art project House of Eternal Return  an all-ages funhouse whose rooms in different styles and areas are said to reveal a story about the family who lives there  opened in March 2016 at the old Silva Lanes bowling alley on Rufina Circle. The exhibit drew 400,000 people and brought in a reported $7 million its first year. It also has a popular performance space presenting touring and local bands.

The Wefunder.com campaign was intended to even the playing field among the general public and rich investors, said Meow Wolf CEO Vince Kadlubek. Investors need $1,000 minimum to purchase a required minimum of 40 shares. This is a way to democratize investment, said Kadlubek.

Previous Meow Wolf backers include Game of Thrones' author George R.R. Martin, who lives in Santa Fe, and Etsy cofounder Jared Tarbell, a New Mexico native.

According to Kadlubek, theres currently no vehicle for people to sell their Meow Wolf shares or have a guaranteed return on investment, a standard situation among early startups.

Thats where the risk is, he said. Meow Wolf, were unable to know how our future is going to play out. We feel good about our trajectory  but its too early to tell, he said.

But the groups hopes are high. On the WeFunder page, Kadlubek wrote that Meow Wolfs goal is to be competing with creative brands like Disney, Universal and Marvel within the next 10 years.

For now, people who buy shares offered a range of perks.

Those who put in the minimum $1,000 receive four Meow Wolf tickets, which go at the door for a price range from $14 to $20. For $2,500 in shares, investor/donors also get a single year-long pass, and $5,000 bumps that up to a family pass.

Investors of $10,000 receive a signed Meow Wolf artwork of their choosing; $25,000 gets a VIP invite and tickets to the grand opening of a future location; $50,000 comes with a lifetime pass to all current and future locations, and investing $100,000 means two tickets to Meow Wolfs documentary premiere.

Meow Wolf will be announcing other expansion projects in the fall, and there will be additional investment opportunities at that time, according to Kadlubek.

A public benefit corporation has interests beyond just profits, he said. We want our company to be owned not just by our employees, but we want it to be a community-owned company. It makes it really difficult, because it opens up the amount of legal wiggling we have to do, but were willing to take on the complications  for the betterment of the company and community.
WASHINGTON  As the governments Russia investigations heat up, a growing cast of lawyers is signing up to defend President Donald Trump and his associates. But the interests of those lawyers  and their clients  dont always align, adding a new layer of drama and suspicion in a White House already rife with internal rivalries.

Trump himself has both an outside legal team and a new in-house special counsel, Ty Cobb, for Russia-related matters. White House senior adviser Jared Kushner, who is also Trumps son-in-law, has a pair of high-powered attorneys working for him. The presidents son, Donald Trump Jr., recently hired his own lawyer. And former campaign aides who expect to be caught up in the expanding probes are also shopping for representation  and dealing with sticker-shock over the price tags.

The result is a crowded group of high-priced attorneys bent on defending their own clients, even if it means elbowing those clients colleagues.

Any one of those individuals can anticipate that they will be in a position to provide information adverse to any of the other individuals, said Stephen Gillers, a New York University law professor and legal ethics expert. They have to have their own lawyer.

The diverging interests began to emerge more clearly during last weeks fallout over a June 2016 meeting with a Russian attorney that both the presidents son and his son-in-law attended during the heat of the presidential campaign. Legal teams for the president, Trump Jr. and Kushner all discussed the matter before the meeting was first reported by The New York Times. But the lawyers couldnt agree on a single, public explanation for the meeting and ultimately settled on a statement that had to be repeatedly amended as new information dripped out. The job of coordination was especially challenging because the lawyers couldnt always speak freely about what they knew, out of concern for attorney-client privilege, according to people with knowledge of the discussions.

With each new disclosure that followed, the lawyers tweaked their public statements  and anxiously speculated over who in the group was disclosing the damaging information to the media.

People with knowledge of the legal wrangling insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.

In Trumps inner circle, a group long split into factions, the potential for fueling other officials legal difficulties could be high.

Its all going to get even more complicated as both Justice Department special counsel Robert Muellers investigation and three separate congressional probes gather steam. Kushner is expected to talk to the Senate intelligence committee soon, and Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley wants to summon Trump Jr. for testimony.

The president and his son have both tried to downplay last years meeting with Russian attorney Natalia Veselnitskaya.

Most politicians would have gone to a meeting like the one Don jr attended in order to get info on an opponent. Thats politics!, the president tweeted Monday.

But emails about the meeting that were released by Trump Jr. rattled some White House advisers, particularly his enthusiastic response to being told directly that the attorney had damaging information about Democrat Hillary Clinton that was being provided by the Russian government.

Last weeks revelations helped prompt the president to bolster his own legal defense. He hired Cobb, an experienced white-collar attorney, who is slated to join the White House staff on July 31, according to Cobbs law firm. Cobb is expected to play a public role, crafting official White House responses to developments.

His hiring came with an acknowledgement that the current arrangement wasnt working. Trumps personal lawyers were supposed to take the pressure off the White House to respond to Russia inquiries. But its become untenable for the West Wing staff to keep punting questions about the president.

We end up spending a lot of time talking to the counsels office about what can and cant be referred to outside counsel, what still remains in our purview, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said Monday. Spicer said he did not believe Cobb had vetted the presidents tweet on Monday.

Trump will continue to work with the outside legal team already representing his personal interests: Jay Sekulow, a frequent television commentator, and New York-based attorney Marc Kasowitz, whose unconventional style has left some aides to the president unimpressed.

Kasowitz and Sekulow dont work out of the White House, though both are there on occasion for meetings with the president. Sekulow made multiple appearances at the White House last week as the controversy over the meeting with the Russian lawyer unfolded.

The expanding legal teams come at a cost.

The Trump presidential campaign has spent almost $1 million on legal fees since the beginning of the year, according to a campaign finance report filed Saturday with the Federal Election Commission. That includes a $50,000 charge for the law firm of Alan Futerfas, who is representing Trump Jr. The payment was made nearly two weeks before news reports about the younger Trumps Russia meeting.

A large chunk of the campaigns legal expenses are for Jones Day, White House Counsel Don McGahns former employer. The firm has continued to represent the campaign for standard services affiliated with any political committee. But Jones Days fees more than doubled in the most recent quarter, compared to the first three month of the year, the FEC reports show, a period that coincides with the deepening Russia quagmire.

Several former campaign advisers who expect to have to testify before Congress are also hiring lawyers, but theyre picking up the cost themselves. The House intelligence committee had planned to interview longtime Trump confidant Roger Stone and campaign digital director Brad Parscale before the August recess, but both interviews have been delayed.

Michael Caputo, another former campaign aide, met with House lawmakers last week and says he expects to testify again in front of senators and potentially Muellers team. Caputo is being represented by former New York State Attorney General Dennis Vacco, and said hes liquidating his childrens college funds to pay the bills.

Asked about the campaign money covering Don Jr. and other folks legal fees, he responded: Lucky for them. And unlucky for me. And unlucky for my children who are now going to community college.

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AP writers Eric Tucker, Jill Colvin and Ken Thomas contributed to this report.

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Follow Julie Pace at http://twitter.com/jpaceDC, Julie Bykowicz at http://twitter.com/bykowicz and Eric Tucker at http://twitter.com/ETuckerAP
WASHINGTON  Arizona Sen. John McCain is sounding strong as he recovers from surgery to remove a blood clot above his eye, his closest Republican colleague in the Senate said Monday.

They found the spot and it looks like everything is going to be A-OK, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham told reporters after speaking to McCain. He wants to come back so bad he cant stand it. I think they wont let him fly for a week. But I think he would walk back if they would let him.

McCain, 80, underwent surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona last Friday. Doctors said the senator had a minimally invasive procedure to remove the nearly 2-inch (5-centimeter) clot and that the surgery went very well.

McCain was recuperating at his home in Arizona. Pathology reports on the clot were expected in the next several days.

The surgery forced Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to delay a vote on the Republican health care bill, another setback for the effort to repeal and replace Barack Obamas Affordable Care Act. In a Senate divided 52-48 between Republicans and Democrats, McConnell can lose no more than two votes and still prevail.

Other senators said they spoke to McCain, and President Donald Trump wished him a speedy recovery.

We hope John McCain gets better very soon. Because we miss him. Hes a crusty voice in Washington. Plus we need his vote, Trump said at a trade event.

McConnell, who spoke to McCain, called him a tough guy.

But the response on Twitter from a committeewoman with the Republican National Committee prompted condemnation from the organization.

The RNC assailed a member who shared a social media post encouraging McCain to just die already.

The message came Monday from Republican national committeewoman Diana Orrock of Nevada. Orrock tweeted, Amen, in response to another Twitter user who had written, Please Just (expletive) Die Already above the hashtag JohnMcCain.

Republican National Committee spokesman Ryan Mahoney called Orrocks tweet extremely inappropriate.

Senator McCain is a hero who made countless sacrifices on behalf of all Americans. We look forward to his speedy recovery so he can return to the Senate and the work of the American people, Mahoney said.

McCain, a former Navy pilot who was shot down over Vietnam and spent 5 years as a prisoner of war, was the GOPs presidential nominee in 2008.

Orrock deleted the tweet after it attracted media coverage. She did not respond to a voicemail or a text message seeking comment.

Meanwhile, the Senate panel that McCain leads will press ahead with its business this week. The Armed Services Committee says Republican Senator James Inhofe will act as chairman during McCains absence. Inhofe, who is from Oklahoma, is a longtime member of the panel and runs the subcommittee on military readiness and management support.

The committee meets Tuesday to consider the nomination of Air Force Gen. Paul Selva to serve a second term as vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

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Associated Press writer Steve Peoples in New York contributed to this report.
Roda Mehta, doyen of Indian advertising who played a legendary and pioneering role in establishing scientific media planning and buying in India, was felicitated with the AAAI Lifetime Achievement Award on Friday, July 4, 2017 in the presence of whos who of the advertising fraternity and her former colleagues.

Roda Mehta built a whole generation of media professionals for the advertising industry. She joined Hindustan Thompson Associates (now JWT) in 1971 and became the first MBA and first woman in the Media function of an advertising agency in India. She moved to Ogilvy Benson & Mather (now Ogilvy & Mather) in 1975, and rose from Media Group Head to Media Controller for the Mumbai office in 1976 to representing Media for the first time on the Managing Committee of the Mumbai office in 1978 to being sent to London for 3 months to introduce Account Planning and Research in the Indian operation in 1980 to the Board as Director  Media & Research in 1982. She transferred, as President  South in 1992, became Director - International Client Service in 1994, and Managing Consultant - the Media Network in 1996. Along the way, she pioneered Outdoor planning and buying and set up a Rural Media network to service client requirements.

Invited on several committees and associations by the industry, including the Expert Committee on TV Marketing for Doordarshan & AIR, she was Founder Member of the Market Research Society of India (MRSI) and Founder Member and Chairperson - Technical Committee of the Media Research Users Council (MRUC). She chaired MRUC from 1994-96. Ms Mehta was also on the Board of several other committees including Advisory Board - Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (Govt of India), AAAIs Media Disputes Committee, Economic Times Advisory Panel, etc. An avidly sought after speaker at industry conferences/seminars, she served as faculty on training programs run by Ogilvy & Mather India and Asia Pacific.

Roda Mehta bagged several prestigious awards including the David Ogilvy Award for Asia Pacific & Agency of the Year Award (Public Service) 1992 for the National Literacy Mission campaign.

Currently she is associated with several non-profit organisations as a Trustee of the Lila Poonawalla Foundation, which provides scholarships and mentoring to economically challenged girls from Maharashtra for post-graduate, graduate/diploma and secondary school education; Board Member & Treasurer of Nagrik Chetna Manch, a citizens watchdog organization on public expenditure. She administers a very active Citizens Whatsapp Group for civic affairs of PMC Ward 21 and is a practitioner of Kriya Yoga.

A lone woman among an army of men

The industry was gushing in its praise for Mehta. To all, she has been an inspiration, a purist on measurement and someone who spearheaded data base approach in media planning.

Roda Mehta is widely acknowledged as the first women who spearheaded data base approach in media planning, remarked Sam Balsara, founder, Chairman and Managing Director, Madison World. He added, She also took initiative in media research and to some extent she disciplined media owners with their pricing policies. The AAAI has been late in recognising and acknowledging her contribution. Since I was there in the committee, I would like to say Better late than never.

This sentiment was share by Bobby Pawar, MD & Chief Creative Officer, Publicis India, who felt that Mehta should have been honoured by this Award many years back as she is the most deserving person for this award.

Nakul Chopra, President, AAAI, too, said, Its more than a well-served honour for her. The Award should have come to her much earlier. He further said, I dont think I have the standing or audacity to give Roda a message on winning the Award because she is our senior and someone we all have looked up to. She is an inspiration to todays generation.

Though Vikram Sakhuja, Group CEO, Madison Media and OOH, never worked with Mehta, he said that in the 90s, she was one of the most respected media agency professionals. Roda Mehta stood out as being a purist on measurement, and in training a generation of media planners, he added.

On working with Mehta, Ashish Bhasin, Chairman and CEO - South Asia, Dentsu Aegis Network, said, It was always a pleasure working with her, but you have to be alert at any point of time because she was so aware and so involved. While she would appear to be very tough and difficult, but if you made a logical point, she would listen to you.

Bhasin further said, If she can continue working in the way she did in the media industry in her next inning at her non-profit organisation, she will change and influence the society and county, just like she has changed the media industry. I wish the best for her.

Advertising veteran and a contemporary of Mehta, Lynn de Souza, Founder, Social Access Communications, expressed her delight at Mehta being awarded a Lifetime Achievement recognition by AAAI and added, It actually recognises the contribution of media services to the profession, a stream that she pioneered.

Speaking further on Mehta, de Souza said, In a very disciplined and committed way, she transformed a backroom function that operated on wining and dining into a highly respected, almost feared one, based on the application of science and measurement. It was not an easy journey for such a pioneer and she made a lot of enemies along the way. But she also earned the respect, sometimes grudging, of her peers and those she groomed to work in the profession with flying colours. She was also for a long time a lone woman among an army of men, and did a lot to encourage and grow other women into the business without making it a soft or compassionate move, just one based on genuine merit.
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.
A former Nebraska City teacher who tried meeting a 16-year-old boy for sex last year was given 90 days in jail Monday afternoon.

Emily Lofing, 27, no longer teaches at Nebraska City Middle School.

Otoe County Judge John Steinheider also gave Lofing 24 months of probation, according to court records.

She was originally charged with debauching a minor but pleaded no contest to an amended charge of contributing to the delinquency of a child, because the boy was 16.

According to a statement released from Nebraska City Public Schools, Lofing was employed for a portion of the 2016-17 school year -- after the alleged incident took place in July 2016.

Otoe County Attorney David Partsch said the 16-year-old attended school in Weeping Water, where Lofing taught before moving to the Nebraska City Public Schools district.
Alphabets subsidiary Verily launched its first field study in the United States earlier this month, with the company officially announcing the Debug Fresno. The initiative is part of the Debug Project that the firm unveiled in late 2016, looking to combat disease-carrying mosquitoes in a wide variety of ways. Following nine months of research efforts, Verily is now set to start testing the techniques it developed after obtaining all of the necessary approvals from state and federal regulators in the country. Debug Fresno will see Verily collaborate with Fresno Countys Consolidated Mosquito Abatement District (CMAD) and pest control service MosquitoMate to control mosquito populations in the Northern California county. The health company is hoping to achieve that using a special sterile insect technique (SIT), a biological insect control method that entails releasing massive numbers of infertile insects into the wild with the goal of reducing and stopping their overall population growth.

Verily and its partners are specifically looking to control the Aedes aegypti population thats capable of carrying a number of dangerous diseases like chikungunya and Zika, and has been a growing problem in the Fresno County in recent years, having originally appeared in the area in 2013. The sterile male mosquitoes that Verily is now planning to release were all treated with the Wolbachia bacteria and will compete with fertile males over mating, the company said, adding that the effort should result in a steep decline in the presence of the species in Fresno County. Alphabets subsidiary didnt provide a more specific time frame for the effectiveness of its field study, though the firm said that the initiative is set to last for the next five months, i.e. 20 weeks, and will encompass two neighborhoods that are around 300 acres in size each.

Verily has been active on a number of fronts in recent months, with the company lately investing in a $300 million biotech fund in Europe and obtaining an $800 million investment from Singapore-based investment firm Temasek. Being one of Alphabets most active Other Bets, Verily will likely continue announcing new initiatives on a relatively frequent basis by the end of the year, so an update on its efforts should follow shortly.
The Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus are currently outselling the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge by approximately 15 percent, Samsung Mobile chief DJ Koh was recently quoted as saying at a conference in Taipei, Taiwan. The senior executive of the South Korean original equipment manufacturer (OEM) thus dismissed recent rumors that the Galaxy S8 lineup is underperforming compared to its predecessors, as some industry watchers previously started speculating about the commercial decline of the firms last two flagships due to the fact that Samsung stopped sharing their sales figures two months ago. The tech giant promptly downplayed those reports by stating how the two series cannot be directly compared due to the fact that the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus didnt release simultaneously in all parts of the world, further reinforcing the notion of the lineup underperforming, but Kohs latest comment on the matter indicates the opposite.

The head of Samsung Mobile still didnt provide concrete sales figures for the firms premium handset series, though he said that the phone maker is expecting the performance of the two devices to be maintained throughout the second half of the year. Koh also recently revealed that the Seoul-based consumer electronics manufacturer is planning to unveil the highly anticipated Galaxy Note 8 in late August before releasing it at some point in September, hence confirming a number of previous rumors on the matter. The successor to the discontinued Galaxy Note 7 is expected to make amends for its ill-fated predecessor and become Samsungs most powerful handset to date, sporting 6GB of RAM and being powered by the high-end Snapdragon 835 and Exynos 8895, depending on the market, according to older reports.

The release of the Galaxy Note 8 is also likely to negatively affect the commercial performance of the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus, making Kohs expectations of maintained performance throughout the final two quarters of the year somewhat optimistic, though the executive may have simply meant that Samsung isnt expecting a significant drop in Galaxy S8 sales during the same period. An update on the Galaxy Note 8 and the OEMs general hardware endeavors is expected to follow shortly.
Sprint is looking for a buyer or a partner in the wireless space, and it appears that the companys owner, SoftBanks CEO Masayoshi Son, isnt sticking to just other wireless carriers or even cable companies. According to The Wall Street Journal, Son met with Warren Buffet as well as Liberty Broadbands John Malone last week at an annual gathering of CEOs in Sun Valley, Idaho. The report notes that negotiations are still in a very early stage, and its entirely possible that nothing could come of it. But one scenario does have Berkshire investing over $10 billion in the company. And as BTIG Research noted in its report, a $10 billion investment would represent around 23% of the company, and thats assuming this deal was done with common equity at its current price.

Since this report came out, analysts have been going over what a potential investment from either of these two people could mean for Sprint. Analysts believe that even if Buffet or Malone did invest in Sprint, it wouldnt stop the carrier from looking for a merger or acquisition elsewhere. Sprint is in dire need of a cash influx right now, with over $20 billion in debt coming due in just a few short years (by 2020). Sprint needs to do something to be able to pay those creditors back, and its clear that the carrier is doing whatever it can to make it happen.

When SoftBank purchased Sprint in 2012 for around $20 billion, it had planned to also buy T-Mobile and merge the two carriers together to compete with the larger two carriers  Verizon and AT&T. However, the regulators werent having any of it, and SoftBank ultimately put it on the back burner until a new administration took office. That has now happened, and the Incentive Auction is also over, so these companies can talk again. Sprint is reportedly in talks with T-Mobile and its owner Deutsche Telekom, as it believes that would be the best option for Sprint. But it is also talking with cable operators including Comcast and Charter. Although nothing has come out of these talks just yet, its likely only a matter of time for SoftBank and Sprint.
Nebraska Secretary of State John Gale said it was unlikely the Trump administrations Presidential Commission on Election Integrity would use information about Nebraska voters in a manner that complies with state law.

Created by President Trump in May to investigate his claims of widespread voter fraud, the commission sought names, addresses, birth dates, party affiliation, voter history and partial Social Security numbers from voters across the country.

Nebraska law protects Social Security numbers from being released, but certain information is publicly available to be used for purposes related to elections, political activities, voter registration, law enforcement or jury duty, but with some caveats, Gale said.

Those requesting the information must sign an oath promising not to use or copy the information for unauthorized purposes -- an assurance Gale sought in a letter he sent Friday to the federal commission along with requests about how the information would be stored and shared. He released a copy of the letter Monday.

Failure to use voter information for the specific purposes outlined in state law can result in a felony election falsification charge.

The letter sent by the commission indicated that any documents submitted to the full commission would be made available to the public, Gale wrote. If Nebraska voter roll data is made generally available to the public by the commission, the commission would not be able to comply with Nebraska law or take the statutorily prescribed oath.

The federal commission, which is scheduled to hold its first meeting on Wednesday, paused its request on July 10 after a series of legal challenges were filed in federal court seeking to block the request.

Gale said voter fraud is rare in Nebraska, a state where 1.2 million voters were registered during the 2016 election season. Since taking office in 2000, only a few cases of potential voter fraud resulted in prosecution and penalties, he said.

We have been fortunate in Nebraska that we have not been confronted with nor had serious concerns regarding the integrity of our elections either at the state or local levels, he wrote.

Gale, a Republican who is not seeking re-election, offered several recommendations for the commission to study, including giving states better access to federal databases to confirm deaths, citizenship and voters' criminal history.

But, he added, he was opposed to creation of a federal voter registration database.

Gale also said the commission should look at amending the waiting period for voters to update their voter information, provide more frequent notice from federal law enforcement agencies for threats specific to state election functions and recommended more federal funding to upgrade election technology and security.

The existing U.S. Elections Advisory Commission, created under the Help America Vote Act in 2002 to reform the nations voting process, should also continue providing guidance and information to state and local election officials, Gale added.

Nebraska has a voice on two national boards that work with the Elections Assistance Commission.

State Sen. John Murante of Gretna was appointed to the Board of Advisors in August 2015 for a term that expires in April 2019, while Lancaster County Election Commissioner Dave Shively is a member of the Standards Board.

Shively said in an interview last week the bipartisan commission staffed by local and state representatives could have been tapped to examine reforming the nations elections without the controversy created by the Trump administration committee.

It would have been less controversial to go through this process by that means, Shively said. This is putting the cart before the horse.
DOHC

Of course, the golden bowtie could always follow Porsche's path and drop the Nordschleife number months after the supercar is introduced, with the 2018 911 GT2 RS being the most recent example of this.Nevertheless, we're expecting the new ZR1 to go well below the seven-minute mark and we have at least two arguments for that.The first has to do with the amazing Camaro ZL1 1LE 7:16 lap time that was announced last month. The chassis differences between the muscle car and the upcoming supercar, along with the extra powaaah of the latter (more on that below) should ensure that our chronograph expectations are met.As for the second, this involves the Corvette Z06 Green Hell number we talked about last week. The 650 hp incarnation of the C7 managed to lap the infamous German track in 7:14, but keep in mind that we're talking about a Sport Auto test. Not only do such otherwise respectable test deliver times that sit behind the factory ones, but the said lap saw the driver of the manual tranny Z06 losing time on two or three occasions.Returning to the 2018 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, the soundtrack delivered by the prototypes offers strong supercharger clues. The most potent rumor so far talks about the range-topper being animated by a new 6.2-liter LT5V8, with the engine code having also been mentioned in the GM internal system.So yes, it seems that the camera strapped to one of the prototypes' noses (you can also notice it in the Ring clip below) will tell quite the story.
The Armenian police marked on Monday the first anniversary of an armed attack on one of their bases in Yerevan, unveiling a memorial to three police officers killed during a two-week standoff with members of a radical opposition group.

Meanwhile, hundreds of people rallied in the Armenian capital in a show of solidarity with the arrested gunmen, some of whom went on trial last month.

The 30 or so gunmen seized the police base in Yerevans southern Erebuni district and took several police officers hostage on July 17, 2016. They demanded President Serzh Sarkisians resignation and the release of Zhirayr Sefilian, the jailed leader of their Founding Parliament movement.

Sefilian was arrested on June 20, 2016 for allegedly plotting an armed revolt against the government. He is currently standing a separate trial on charges which he rejects as politically motivated.

Security forces avoided storming the Erebuni facility during the standoff, which also sparked anti-government demonstrations by thousands of people. Instead, they shot and wounded some of the armed oppositionists. The 20 remaining gunmen holed up in the compound surrendered to the authorities on July 31, hours after freeing medics who were also held hostage in the besieged compound.

The trial of the 18 key members and supporters of the armed group, which called itself Sasna Tsrer (Daredevils of Sasun), began on June 8. The defendants are facing a wide range of charges, including illegal seizure of government buildings and weapons and hostage taking.

Two of them also stand accused of murdering the three police officers. They deny the accusations.

The memorial to the slain policemen -- Colonel Artur Vanoyan and Warrant Officers Gagik Mkrtchian and Yuri Tepanosian -- was unveiled inside the Erebuni base at a ceremony attended by their colleagues and relatives. The chief of the national police service, Vladimir Gasparian, was also in attendance. Gasparian refused to talk to reporters after laying flowers there.

Valeri Osipian, a deputy chief of Yerevans police department who was held hostage in the sprawling compound for several days, also declined a comment. Excuse me but I would like to stay silent today, Osipian told journalists.

The attack anniversary was also marked by hundreds of radical opposition supporters who gathered in Yerevans Liberty Square later in the day. They marched through the city center, holding pictures of some of the arrested oppositionists and chanting Sasna Tsrer! and Death to the regime!

Among the protesters was Zaruhi Postanjian, the outspoken leader of the opposition Yerkir Tsirani party. She said the Erebuni gunmen are heroes who took the first step towards the creation of a free and independent Armenia.

The current regime is as dangerous as our external enemy, Postanjian told RFE/RLs Armenian service (Azatutyun.am) during the march.

Eduard Sharmazanov, the spokesman for the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK), denounced the Erebuni attack as a terrorist act, however. For me, attacks on our state borders and the police regiment [in Erebuni] have the same gravity, he said. Not to mention the killing of Armenian officers. That is unacceptable and condemnable.

Davit Sanasarian, an opposition activist who actively participated in July 2016 rallies in Yerevan, rejected Sharmazanovs characterization. This cannot be regarded as terrorism in any way because terrorism is a process of mass murders and mass intimidation, Sanasarian told RFE/RLs Armenian service (Azatutyun.am). Quite the opposite happened [after the seizure of the Erebuni police facility.] People turned out and applauded the rebels.

Zhanna Aleksanian, a human rights activist, agreed. The Sasna Tsrer probably wanted to wake up the people, to make them rise up. What they tried to do was an uprising, she said, accusing the authorities of unleashing mass repressions against the gunmens supporters during the July 2016 standoff.

Aleksanian also said that the radical oppositionists opted for armed struggle because regime change through elections is impossible in Armenia due to chronic electoral fraud.

Sharmazanov dismissed that argument, saying that parliamentary elections held in Armenia in April were not followed by customary opposition demonstrations against alleged vote rigging. We dont need upheavals, he added. We need a strong Armenia. A strong Armenia cannot be created by fratricide.

The United States condemned the Erebuni attack, while urging the authorities in Yerevan to exercise appropriate restraint. The European Union likewise said during the standoff that the use of force to achieve political change is unacceptable.
17 July 2017 10:00 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

Karabakh, the ancient inseparable region of Azerbaijan, is one of the richest parts of the country in terms of historical monuments.

The region has a very ancient history, as many tribes and nations lived there since the dawn of time. This is proved by the discovery made by Azerbaijani archaeologists in 1968, when they found the lower jaw of Azykhantrop, the ancient man, as well as various tools and other items of ancient people in the Azykh cave in Karabakh. That jaw is assumed to be over 300,000 years old.

Ancient stone monuments, including dolmens, cromlechs, graves in form of stone boxes, tools found in different areas of Karabakh are the material and cultural samples of the life of people of those times.

One of the most significant states existing in the lands of Azerbaijan in the past was the Caucasian Albania. The country existed between 4th century BC - AD 8th century, and surely left many monuments after its fall. They can be found in many Karabakh regions of Azerbaijan  Barda, Agjabadi, Aghdam, Fuzuli, Agdere, Lachin, Kalbajar. Most famous of them are the Gandzasar and Amaras monasteries, Elysee and Khotaveng temples. There are also many Christian monuments of Albania in other parts of Azerbaijan  Gabala, Nakhchivan, Mingachevir, Gazakh, Tovuz, Shamakhi and others.

The adoption of Islam set the beginning of a new phase in ancient Azerbaijan. With the coming of Islam, a large number of mosques, minarets and other magnificent constructions were built in the Karabakh region. Along with this, Christian churches and other religious temples also remained in Karabakh.

Juma and Shahbulag mosques in Aghdam region, Sheikh Yagubs mausoleum in Fuzuli region, fortress of Panah Khan, Askeran fortress, Sheikh Ibrahims mausoleum, twelve-arch bridge over Tartar river in Barda, Palace of Karabakh khans and the house of Khurshidbanu Natavan in Shusha, Julfalar mosque, Sultan Ahmeds mausoleum, Hamza Soltans Palace and many other astonishing historical monuments are valuable examples of the Azerbaijani culture.

As for todays state of Karabakh monuments, most of them were looted, burnt and razed to the ground due to the Armenian aggression. During the Nagorno-Karabakh war in early 1990s, the Armenians seized 20 percent of Azerbaijani territory, and all the monuments in those lands are now under Armenian occupation.

Many cemeteries, mausoleums, monuments, mosques, temples, burial mounds and other samples of Azerbaijans cultural heritage in the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, Lachin, Kalbajar, Aghdam, Fuzuli, Jabrayil, Gubadli and Zangilan regions are now destroyed.

Overall, since the beginning of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and occupation of Azerbaijani territories, Armenian aggressors ruined 1,200 historical and architectural monuments, looted 27 museums and exported to Armenia over 100,000 items. Moreover, the Armenian occupiers destroyed 152 religious monuments and 62 mosques, as well as 4.6 million books in 927 libraries.

The destruction and damaging of historical and cultural monuments of Azerbaijan by the Armenian invaders contradict the 1954 Hague convention on preservation of cultural values during armed conflicts, the 1992 European convention on preservation of archeological heritage, and the 1972 UNESCO convention on preservation of world cultural and natural heritage. In 2005 and 2010, the OSCE fact-finding missions confirmed Armenias vandalism against Azerbaijans Islamic heritage in the occupied Azerbaijani territories.

Currently, that small part of Azerbaijani monuments that werent fully destroyed by Armenians in the occupied regions need protection and restoration, but Azerbaijan still cant do it due to the unfinished war. The mission that the international community should undertake today is to exert pressure to Armenia, to make it stop destroying the monuments in Karabakh and withdraw from those lands.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
17 July 2017 17:55 (UTC+04:00)

Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry has created an infographic describing the ten reasons to stop the Metsamor nuclear power plant in Armenia.

The construction of the Metsamor NPP started in 1970. The plant was closed after a devastating earthquake of 1988 in the town of Spitak. However, in 1995, despite numerous protests of international community, the Armenian government renewed the operation of the NPP.

A number of international experts have repeatedly urged that due to its deplorable state, the Armenian Metsamor NPP could repeat the fate of the Chernobyl NPP, thus threatening the lives of the Armenians and citizens of adjacent countries. The possible tragedy will also jeopardize the environmental state of the region. Moreover, its consequences will be felt in Europe and the Middle East.

It is noteworthy that while addressing the Council of Europe, Armenia undertook closure of the station, but has not fulfilled this commitment. Moreover, the European Union insisted on closing the NPP and offered 200 million Euro to Armenia. Despite this, the NPP is still functioning as no alternative sources of energy exist in Armenia.

Azerbaijan has repeatedly expressed its concern about the operation of the Metsamor NPP and raised this issue before international organizations.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
17 July 2017 12:17 (UTC+04:00)

By Amina Nazarli

Azerbaijan will grant a quality certification of wine products without any need to send wine abroad for verification.

The Center of Expertise of Consumer Goods under the Economy Ministry received a certificate of conformity of methods for analyzing wine products to international standards.

Previously examination of this alcohol beverage cost a lot of money to the country.

Director of the Center Fazil Mammadov speaking at the event dedicated to the occasion said that as many as 850 euro was spent for the examination of the wine in France. But now the similar check will cost only 256 manat ($151) in Azerbaijan.

From now on Azerbaijani quality certificates will be recognized in the world and the results of analysis will be justified, Mammadov said.

Azerbaijan, the country with traditionally widely developed vine-growing, may just earn the moniker of the Land of Wine. Today, Azerbaijani wines are exported to the U.S., Russia, Ukraine, Baltic States, Belarus, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Poland and some other European countries.

Among the grape sorts used to produce Azerbaijani wine are Pinot Noir, Rkatsiteli, Pinot Blanc, Aligote, Matrassa, Podarok Magaracha, Pervenets Magaracha, Ranni Magaracha, Doina, Viorica, and Kishmish Moldavski.

Grapes grown in Azerbaijan were repeatedly recognized as the best in the South Caucasus. Recently national wine "Caspian waves" was recognized the best at an international festival in the Japanese capital of Tokyo.

Azerbaijan became a member of the International Organisation of Vine and Wine in June 2014. The country has focused since then on the development of vines and wineries as important contributors to the economy and agriculture.

Wine-making has switched to a new level of development in Azerbaijan due to programs implemented in the country. At present, Azerbaijan produces 20 million bottles of wine per year, while the annual production capacity of the countrys wineries is 100 million bottles.

Overall, the wine export of Azerbaijan hit $3.5 million in 2016.

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Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
17 July 2017 12:46 (UTC+04:00)

By Sara Israfilbayova

A large delegation from Saudi Arabia, which will include representatives of both, state structures and the private sector, plans to visit Azerbaijan in October.

Azerbaijan and Saudi Arabia enjoy successful cooperation in a number of areas and have fruitful bilateral cooperation within international organizations.

During the upcoming meeting of the intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation between the two countries, Azerbaijan will offer Saudi Arabia a package of investment projects, covering the transport, agrarian, construction and ICT sectors, Trend reported.

National Airlines AZAL plans to open a direct flight from Azerbaijan to Saudi Arabia in September 2017. This will increase the number of tourists from Saudi Arabia to Azerbaijan.

Following the meeting of the intergovernmental commission, it is planned to sign a protocol in which such areas as agriculture, health, tourism, information and communication technologies, construction, social security, media and others will be identified.

Azerbaijan and Saudi Arabia enjoy comprehensive brotherhood relations. This relationship of mutual respect and sincere friendship strengthens the similar histories and common Islamic heritage.

Diplomatic relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was established on February 24, 1992. Saudi Arabia was one of the first countries to recognize the independence of Azerbaijan in 1991.

Over the past years, the economic relations with the increased interest in investment strengthened and expanded. Several companies of Saudi Arabia operate in various fields in Azerbaijan.

The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Saudi Arabia for January-June of 2017 amounted to $6.05 million, increased by 25.9 percent, as compared to the same period of 2016, according to the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan.

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Don Walton Political reporter/columnist Don Walton covers politics and the Legislature along with writing a weekly column. Follow Don Walton Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today

Gov. Pete Ricketts' monthly call-in radio show doesn't often produce news, but it can be a good barometer of the atmospheric pressure west of Lincoln.

That's where virtually all of the calls come from at mid-afternoon on a weekday.

Last week's phone calls centered once again on property taxes, ag land valuations at a time of farm income distress, and state school aid for districts in rural Nebraska as compared to state assistance that flows to urban districts.

What you hear could be the stirring of a property tax rebellion, but it's more than that.

What you also hear is growing rural displeasure and concern in a state in which population growth is centered more and more in two cities and three counties in eastern Nebraska.

Lincoln and Omaha; Lancaster, Douglas and Sarpy Counties.

The balance of political power is gradually shifting into that eastern urban corridor and that will be reflected in the legislative redistricting that follows the 2020 federal census.

It's hard to guess now how that difficult and sensitive process ends, but reapportionment of legislative districts might result in a couple more urban senators and a couple fewer rural lawmakers.

That's in a Legislature that did not prioritize substantial or fundamental property tax reduction during its 2017 session despite the efforts of most of its rural senators.

Phil from Hall County told the governor during the call-in show that "Lincoln and Omaha control the Legislature and agriculture subsidizes state government."

"The American farmer is working for nothing," he said.

Something is going on out there west of Lincoln.

It might result in a citizen initiative proposal to sharply reduce reliance on property taxes, either in the form of a legislative initiative or a more permanent constitutional amendment.

Supporters would hope that such a proposal could forge an alliance between rural property taxpayers and homeowners in the cities.

However, since such an initiative could have a substantial impact on sales and income taxes, it might trigger what could be an urban vs. rural showdown.

That has happened before with tax initiatives because they always come loaded with cause and effect.

Although western and central Nebraska may gradually be losing political clout in the Legislature, that part of the state still retains an upper hand in choosing Nebraska's governors and U.S. senators as long as the Republican Party remains the dominant political force in the state that it is today.

Governors and U.S. senators are essentially chosen in statewide GOP primary elections dominated by western and central Nebraska voters.

Nothing is permanent, but that's the political landscape today.

No governor ever has a clear path to re-election, especially when there may be a property tax revolt brewing, but Ricketts apparently won't have either Dave Heineman or Mike Flood standing in his way to the Republican nomination and the 2018 challenge for Democrats is daunting.

Phil will be watching.

"Keep doing what you're doing," he told the governor, "and we'll keep an eye on you."

* * *

Lots of Ben Sasse traffic this past week.

Big story in U.S. News and World Report.

And this challenging assessment in a lengthy and much-discussed essay in Slate: "It doesn't seem like he will be able to maintain such a large gap between his stated values and his record indefinitely without losing either his national reputation  which must matter to him, or else why write a general-interest book for a major publisher  or his sanity."

Nebraska's young U.S. senator has attracted lots of national attention partly because he is different, and perhaps even unique.

A big part of the attraction  and the mystery  is what lies ahead and some observers are anxious to turn the page before it is written.

Meanwhile, a recent poll suggests that most Nebraskans are comfortable with their newest senator, who faces re-election in 2020 if he chooses.

New numbers from Morning Consult:

Sasse, 52 percent favorable; 28 percent unfavorable.

Sen. Deb Fischer polled at 49 percent favorable, 33 percent unfavorable.

Sasse's net favorability figure as compared to a Morning Consult survey last September has increased by 11 points.

Finishing up:

* Governor Ricketts told several callers on his phone-in radio show that it will take a coalition of 33 senators in the 49-member Legislature to enact tax cuts. That's the number of votes required to break a legislative filibuster and the governor remains committed to a package that includes income tax cuts as well as property tax reductions.

* The current Republican Senate struggle with the Affordable Care Act prompts a reminder of what Ben Nelson told the Journal Star last March when he viewed the GOP train wreck that derailed an Obamacare replacement plan crafted by Republican House leadership and the White House: "Welcome to health care reform."

* Brian Christopherson moves on from LJS Husker coverage; all-star performance for this newspaper, huge loss.
17 July 2017 12:30 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

As of July 1, 2017, assets of the State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ) increased by 4.96 percent as compared to early 2017 ($33.147 billion) and totaled $34.79 billion, SOFAZ said in a message July 17.

Revenues of SOFAZs budget amounted to 6.127 billion Azerbaijani manats, and expenditures totaled 5.534 billion manats in 1Q17.

The Funds revenues from the implementation of oil and gas contracts totaled nearly 5.45 billion manats in 1H17. Meanwhile, the revenues from the sale of profit oil and gas reached 5.443 billion manats, bonus payments were 2.4 million manats, transit revenues were 9.7 million manats.

The revenues from managing assets of the Fund amounted to 668.4 million manats, while the extra-budgetary expenditures related to the revaluation of foreign exchange totaled 98.4 million manats in 1H17.

SOFAZ transferred 2.991 billion manats to the state budget. Expenditures in the amount of 56.4 million manats were directed to finance the improvement of social-economic condition of refugees and internally displaced persons, 21.5 million manats were used for the reconstruction of the Samur-Absheron irrigation system.

Meanwhile, 4.7 million manats were used to finance the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway construction and two million manats were directed to finance The State Program on the Education of Azerbaijani youth abroad in the years of 2007-2015.

SOFAZs administrative and operational expenses totaled 9.2 million manats in 1H17.

(1.7022 manats = $1 on July 17)

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17 July 2017 17:40 (UTC+04:00)

By Sara Israfilbayova

The State Committee on Property Issues of Azerbaijan will hold an auction on privatization of state property on August 15.

The auction will exhibit 196 state properties, of which 75 are small state enterprises, 101 are non-residential areas and 20 are joint-stock companies, the Committee said.

The authorized capital of joint-stock companies varies from 69,000 manats ($40,500) to 850,000 manats ($499,300).

The joint-stock companies, put up for the auction, include organizations specializing in cotton growing, poultry farming, in the spheres of transport, construction, trade, production, processing and others.

Small state enterprises, put up for the auction, are located in Baku, Ganja, Mingachevir, Sumgayit, Absheron, Shamkir, Khachmaz, etc.

Twelve non-residential areas are located in other cities and regions of the country, and the rest are in the capital city.

In order to protect state property and effectively manage it in the new economic realities, President of Azerbaijan signed a decree on May 19, 2016.

Under the decree, the acceleration of the state property privatization process has been defined as an important direction of the economic policy.

The portal for privatization  privatization.az, launched in July 2016, reflects all necessary information about the facilities, their addresses, location, and even initial cost and aims at facilitation of the process. The website is available in Azerbaijani and English. "Why Azerbaijan is special" section available on the website explains the reasons and advantages of investing in the country.

The privatization process is designed to attract both foreign and local investors, as well as develop the business environment of Azerbaijan.

Moreover, the State Committee on Property Issues held the first electronic auction on July 4.

The "electronic auction" service, which is available on the website privatization.az, combines the privatization procedure of vehicles and equipment. In the future, it will be possible to privatize small state enterprises and facilities, joint-stock companies through electronic auction. Now, the corresponding work in programming is under development.

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17 July 2017 17:12 (UTC+04:00)

By Sara Israfilbayova

Demand for the deposit auction of the Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA) exceeded the offer by 6 times.

The Bank reported that it took 100 million manats ($58.7 million) from the local banks, whilst the demand was at the level of 600.6 million manats ($352.8 million).

The CBA has started holding deposit auctions since June 2016. During a deposit auction, held twice a week, the CBA accepts deposits from commercial banks for placement.

The main purpose of deposit auctions is sterilization of the money supply (withdrawal of money from the economy), which is carried out by the Central Bank in the framework of monetary policy.

The CBA has begun to conduct deposit and currency auctions through Bloombergs auction platform since early July.

The Bank reported that the Bloomberg auction platform will be a single platform for these operations of the CBA.

The CBA said that designed to help central banks and financial ministries manage primary market operations, the technical capabilities of the platform has been recently further extended to facilitate transactions with foreign exchange instruments (spot and forward) and deposit auctions following the CBA request; originally the platform enabled to conduct transactions with securities and repo products.

The multilateral Bloomberg auction platform gives its participants the opportunity to watch the CBA auctions and take part in them, according to the Banks message.

Currently, 31 banks are implementing their activities in the country, 2 of which are the state-owned ones.

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17 July 2017 19:47 (UTC+04:00)

By Sara Israfilbayova

For six months of 2017 "Azexport.az" received an order in the amount of $192.7 million from 50 countries.

The report of the Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communications for July reads that during the first 6 months of 2017, the total volume of non-oil export operations with the participation of 1,157 companies amounted to $738 million, which is by 27 percent more than the figure fixed in the same period of 2016.

During six months, non-oil products worth $274 million were exported to Russia, $144 million to Turkey, $68 million-to Georgia, $67 million to Switzerland and $33 million to Turkmenistan.

For June, through the AzExport portal, non-oil products worth $181 million were ordered.

The volume of export orders received in January amounted to $48 million, in February to $6.5 million, in March to $27 million, in April to $29.9 million, in May to $19 million and in June to $62.3 million.

Russia leads the list of countries that have made orders from Azerbaijan with 19 percent. Some 9 percent of export orders fall to Ukraines share, 7 percent to Turkeys, 6 percent to Saudi Arabias and 5 percent to U.S. share

Among the orders received during the reported month are potatoes, wine, pomegranate juice, apple, carrot, cottonseed oil, sugar, cherry, etc.

The geography of export orders through the AzExport portal expanded, as for the first time orders were received from Switzerland, Columbia, Afghanistan and Senegal.

Azexport.az was created in accordance with the order "On creation of a unified database of goods produced in Azerbaijan Republic", signed on 21 September 2016 by President Ilham Aliyev.

Mission of Azexport.az, managed by the Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communication is to provide information about products of Azerbaijani origin and becoming the beneficial platform for their sales in foreign and domestic markets.

Azexport.az, integrated with the most popular electronic trading platforms makes the products available to potential buyers from anywhere in the world.

Being available in the Azerbaijani, Russian and English languages, it acts as a single digital destination for trade, bringing together and connecting local entrepreneurs, international buyers and international investors. The portal offers fast and secure payment to VISA, Master Card and American Express cards owners.

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17 July 2017 18:10 (UTC+04:00)

By Laman Ismayilova

The Embassy of France in Azerbaijan has organized an official reception to mark the French National Day -- Bastille Day.

The event brought together state and government officials, MPs, scientific and cultural figures, representatives of the diplomatic corps in Baku, public figures.

Addressing the event, French Ambassador to Azerbaijan Aurelia Bouchez highlighted the development of relations between France and France, Trend reported.

The year of 2017 has been an outstanding year, as it saw the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries and the official visit of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to Paris on March 14, said Frances ambassador.

She stressed that the meeting with Francois Hollande confirmed the excellent quality of political dialogue between the two countries on all topics.

"It stressed the key role played by Azerbaijan for the EU energy security," said the ambassador.

Bouchez stressed that during the visit by President Aliyev to France, the importance of reaching a negotiated and lasting solution to the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict was once again underlined by France as the co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group.

The ambassador also expressed confidence that relations would further develop in the fields of politics, economy, science, education and culture.

Deputy Minister of Economy Sahil Babayev congratulated the people of France on behalf of the Azerbaijani Government. He praised the development of cooperation between France and Azerbaijan in the fields of economy, politics, education and culture.

Babayev stressed that bilateral visits and various projects contributed to the development of cooperation.

"Today, the two countries have signed about 60 documents. The trade relations are steadily developing between Azerbaijan and France. Nearly 55 French companies operate Azerbaijan. French companies have invested in 2.2 billion Euro in country ," he added.

Babayev stressed that interregional cooperation has been extensive. A Committee of the Department for Interregional relations will be also established, he said.

Azerbaijan and France established diplomatic relations in February 1992.

French companies are actively participating in the petrochemical, food, agricultural, machine engineering, tourism and other spheres in Azerbaijan.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

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17 July 2017 19:16 (UTC+04:00)

By Laman Ismayilova

Art Tower gallery will host a photo exhibition in memory of prominent Mexican artist Frida Kahlo on July 18.

The exhibition is organized jointly by NGO Arts Council Azerbaijan, Administration of State Historical-Architectural Reserve Icherisheher, Mexican Embassy in Azerbaijan and Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Trend Life reported.

One of Mexico's greatest artists, Frida Kahlo began painting after she was severely injured in a bus accident.

Despite the excruciating physical suffering, Frida sparkled with humor. And only by taking the brush, he allowed himself to think about the inevitable. She dreamed about the baby, but a terrible injury has not allowed her to have children. Three pregnancies - but it was quite a feat in her position - ended tragically. And then she began to draw children, the most depicted as the dead

After her accident, Kahlo abandoned the study of medicine and began to paint so that to occupy herself during her three-month immobilization. Self-portraits were a dominant motif then. Kahlo once said, I paint myself because I am so often alone and because I am the subject I know best.

Kahlo created at least 140 paintings, along with dozens of drawings and studies. Of her paintings, 55 are self-portraits which often incorporate symbolic portrayals of physical and psychological wounds. She insisted, I've never painted dreams. I painted my own reality.

In 1929, she became politically active and married fellow communist artist Diego Rivera.

Frida Kahlo exhibited her paintings in Paris and Mexico before her death in 1954.

The exhibition will run until July 25. The gallery operates from 10:00 to 17:00. Admission is free.

Note that the first exhibition dedicated to the life of prominent Mexican artists Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera in Baku opened on July 6.

The exhibition timed to the birthday of Frida Kahlo took place in the "Rotunda -1" room of the Landmark Hotel and featured photos from the family archive of the artists.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

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17 July 2017 13:34 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

Holding presidential elections in the Azerbaijani territories occupied by Armenia is another political provocation, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministrys Spokesman Hikmat Hajiyev told Trend on July 17.

He noted that the international community rejected and didn't recognize the "parliamentary elections" of May 3, 2015, and the "referendum on making amendments to the constitution" of February 20, 2017, which were carried out by the so-called regime established in the occupied Azerbaijani territories.

"Holding illegitimate presidential elections by the illegal parliament is nothing but self-deception," Hajiyev noted.

He added that it is well known that the criminal "leadership" of the illegal regime and members of the "parliament" are appointed by the military-political authorities of Armenia and they only serve as puppets.

Holding illegal and falsified presidential elections is a violation of the Constitution and laws of Azerbaijan, norms and principles of international law, said the spokesperson.

"As a continuation of the military provocations committed by Armenia along the line of contact between the troops in order to escalate the situation, these actions of Armenia are aimed at violating efforts to resolve the conflict on the basis of substantive negotiations," added Hajiyev.

All this proves once again that Armenia is not interested in a political solution to the conflict and is trying with all its might to maintain the status quo based on the occupation, he noted.

The only possible way to achieve a sustainable and long-term settlement is the withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from the occupied Azerbaijani territories, as required by the UN Security Council resolutions, the return of refugees and internally displaced persons to their native lands, the restoration of the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan within the internationally recognized borders, the joint peaceful residence of the Azerbaijani and Armenian communities of Nagorno-Karabakh within the borders of Azerbaijan, added the official.

Hajiyev noted that the Armenian side, instead of wasting time and deceiving its people and the international community, should participate constructively in the process of resolving the conflict and fulfill its international obligations.

Azerbaijan and Armenia for over two decades have been locked in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which emerged over Armenian territorial claims. Since the 1990s war, Armenian armed forces have occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions. The UN Security Council adopted four resolutions on Armenian withdrawal, but they have not been enforced to this day.

Armenias illegal "elections" and "referendum" in Nagorno-Karabakh as well as constant provocations in the frontline show that Armenia isn't interested in substantive talks to resolve the long-standing Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. By conducting these provocations the aggressor country aims to preserve the status quo in Azerbaijan's occupied lands.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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17 July 2017 13:40 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

The Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict may flare up with renewed vigor, as it is the result of geopolitical games, Novruz Mammadov, assistant to Azerbaijans president for foreign policy issues, told RIA Novosti agency on July 17.

He noted that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has been ongoing for more than 25 years, and 20 percent of the internationally recognized territories of Azerbaijan are under Armenias occupation.

"As a result, more than one million people became refugees and IDPs," said Mammadov. "However, for some reason, there are unabated attempts to present this issue as a "frozen conflict."

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. In addition, peace talks mediated by Russia, France and the U.S. within the OSCE Minsk Group have produced no results so far.

Novruz Mammadov said it can be stated with certainty that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is the result of geopolitical games, and the result wont change as long as these games continue. "Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine are a vivid confirmation of this," he noted.

Mammadov added that although international mediators advocate the preservation of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity, meanwhile, for some reason, they prefer not to take an unambiguous position.

We expect concrete steps from the [OSCE Minsk Group] co-chair countries, as well as from the world community, for a fair resolution of the conflict, he added.

He recalled that the OSCE Minsk Group, which includes precisely those countries that can, if necessary, have their say on the international arena, is engaged in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Azerbaijan has long ago stated it is ready to settle the conflict through direct negotiations with Armenia with mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs. However, the Armenian side is constantly trying to make up reasons to avoid a constructive dialogue and preserve the unacceptable status quo in Nagorno-Karabakh.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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17 July 2017 18:15 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

Discussion of a specific plan for settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and its implementation should be ensured at a possible meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov told RIA Novosti on July 17.

Last week, the minister met with his Armenian counterpart Edward Nalbandian in Brussels. At the meeting, organized by the OSCE Minsk Group, the co-chairs proposed a meeting at the level of presidents later this year.

Accordingly, the foreign ministers must coordinate this proposal with heads of state. Meetings are an important element in the process of resolving the conflict, said Mammadyarov.

The minister also noted that these meetings should not be conducted for the sake of meetings.

"If a meeting at the presidential level is organized, I think it is necessary to ensure discussion of the plan, proposed by the [OSCE Minsk Group] co-chairs, on the resolution of the conflict and its implementation. That's why we always underline the need for substantive negotiations, Mammadyarov added.

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.

Baku has repeatedly expressed its consent to come to the negotiating table with Yerevan to solve Nagorno-Karabakh the conflict by peaceful means, but Armenia continues to play for time and avoids substantive negotiations in order to preserve the inadmissible status quo in Nagorno-Karabakh.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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17 July 2017 14:39 (UTC+04:00)

An official welcome ceremony has today been held for President Ilham Aliyev at the residence of the Latvian President, Riga Castle.

A ceremonial guard of honor was lined up for President Ilham Aliyev in front of the castle decorated with national flags of the two countries, Azertac reported.

Latvian President Raimonds Vejonis greeted President Ilham Aliyev.

A military orchestra played the national anthems of Azerbaijan and Latvia.

The chief of the guard of honor reported to the President of Azerbaijan.

The heads of state reviewed the guard of honor.

Latvian state and government officials were introduced to President Ilham Aliyev, while members of the Azerbaijani delegation were introduced to President Raimonds Vejonis.

The presidents posed for official photos.

President Ilham Aliyev signed the honorary guest book at the State Emblem Hall of the Riga Castle.

The heads of state then exchanged keepsakes.

After the official welcome ceremony, President Aliyev and President Vejonis held a one-on-one meeting.

The presidents noted successful development of the bilateral relations in political, economic and other areas. The importance of the Azerbaijani President`s official visit to Latvia in terms of the expansion of relations was emphasized. The heads of state exchanged views over the current state and prospects of Azerbaijan-Latvia relations, and discussed the opportunities for expanding the bilateral ties.

The presidents also exchanged views over other issues of mutual interest.

Then, President Aliyev and President Vejonis held an expanded meeting.

Following the expanded meeting, a ceremony of signing documents was held with participation of the two leaders.

Then President Aliyev and President Vejonis made statements for the press.
Gov. Pete Ricketts on Monday unveiled a new initiative designed to help reduce the number of Nebraskans relying on food assistance while improving their lives with enhanced employment opportunities.

Twenty-seven families in Grand Island have participated in a pilot project and 14 have improved their employment income and benefits with a better job, Health and Human Services Director Courtney Phillips said.

"We want people to be able to live better lives," Ricketts said during a news conference. "We want to help connect Nebraskans with better jobs."

Answering questions on other topics, the governor avoided taking a direct position on the pending Senate Republican health care bill, but argued that "we know we have to do something (because) Obamacare is collapsing."

"Congress needs to act to stabilize the insurance marketplace," Ricketts said. "We are analyzing the bill."

Phillips and State Labor Commissioner John Albin joined Ricketts at the news conference to outline their collaborative effort to help participants in the state's supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP), better known as the food stamp program, transition into new or better jobs.

The plan calls for expansion of the employment assistance initiative into Hastings, Columbus and Norfolk next with long-range projections to go statewide.

"We will assist families to help find jobs to improve their income," Phillips said.

Better jobs often translate into more family time together, she said.

"A lot already are employed, but underemployed," Albin said.

"Sometimes, they do not have the training (or) the confidence" that leads to better jobs, he said.

The 14 recipients in Grand Island who changed jobs -- several were waitresses, fast-food workers or part-time employees -- experienced an average increased annual salary of $6,900.

As a result of the higher salaries, eight people received fewer SNAP benefits and six people transitioned off the assistance program.
17 July 2017 17:24 (UTC+04:00)

By Amina Nazarli

Azerbaijan in its foreign policy considers the interests of the Russian Federation, said Novruz Mammadov, assistant to Azerbaijans president for foreign policy issues.

In an interview with RIA Novosti agency, Mammadov said that Baku plans to expand and strengthen cooperation with Russia.

Touching upon closing down of the All-Russian Azerbaijani Congress by Russias Supreme Court, Mammadov said that this issue and a number of strong statements of the countrys Foreign Ministry regarding Baku caused misunderstanding.

The Supreme Court of Russia, on the basis of an appeal by the Justice Ministry of the Russian Federation, liquidated the registration of the All-Russian Azerbaijani Congress on May 15.

The Congress, which unites more than 2 million Azerbaijanis living almost in all regions of Russia, was established in 2001 on the initiative of national leader of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev and President Vladimir Putin.

Throughout 16 years of its activity, the organization has played a huge role in strengthening of civil peace and interethnic harmony in Russia, development and deepening of socio-economic and cultural cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan.

Baku and Moscow are tied by firmly based ties, which were officially established in 1992. The Azerbaijani-Russian cooperation is completely based on the principles of mutual respect and good neighborly relations.

Russia is one of the main trade partners of Azerbaijan, ranking second in commodity turnover, the first in the import of products and the eighth in exports. About 31 percent of Azerbaijan's non-oil exports fall on Russia, which is the first among Azerbaijan's trade partners in this indicator.

Talking about current relations in the world, the top official said that it is very difficult to talk about success in international relations, because the world failed to maintain the principles of justice after the termination of the Warsaw Pact.

The Warsaw Pact, formally the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance was signed between Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary, East Germany, Poland, Romania, USSR and Czechoslovakia on May 14, 1955. In 1985, it was extended for 20 years, but on July 1, 1991, members of the Warsaw Treaty Organization signed a protocol on the complete termination of the treaty.

The reason for the worlds becoming like this today is the lack of justice, said Mammadov.

After the Warsaw Pact, the world failed to maintain the principles of justice. It makes no sense to talk about universal values, if there is no justice in international relations, he added.
17 July 2017 18:12 (UTC+04:00)

"Azerbaijan is an important partner for Latvia and our bilateral ties are based on very close friendly relationship," said Latvian President Raimonds Vejonis as he hosted his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev in Riga, Azertac reported.

"Today, we have signed a Joint Declaration. This is a declaration on the establishment of a strategic partnership between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Latvia and this document will have a positive impact on the expansion of our bilateral relations. I am sure that a number of other documents signed today, including the agreements on education and construction supervision will further strengthen our bilateral relationship," the Latvian President said.

Describing the current year as very active in terms of the bilateral relationship, President Vejonis said: "We have taken a number of steps to further strengthen our cooperation. The relations at the level of both our governments and municipalities have expanded."

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17 July 2017 18:06 (UTC+04:00)

By Amina Nazarli

The final decision on the determination of the Caspian Sea legal status may close to its final, as sides are likely to agree on the most disputable issue in the region.

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said that the final document on the status of the Caspian Sea is agreed by 80 percent.

The controversy over the legal regime of the Caspian Sea, the largest lake on the Earth, began with the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991.

The five littoral countries -- Azerbaijan, Russia, Iran, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan -- cannot share it between each other for more than two decades.

The existence of immense offshore hydrocarbon resources in the Caspian Sea along with its strategic location on a geopolitically significant transport route have made it into a top priority in the foreign and domestic policies of the bordering countries.

Mammadyarov told RIA Novosty agency that the parties formed a dialogue and atmosphere of mutual understanding.

To determine the legal status of the Caspian Sea, a working group is operating at the level of deputy foreign ministers. Despite the fact that it was not possible to reach a final consensus so far, a dialogue and an atmosphere of mutual understanding formed between the parties. About 70-80 percent of the final document has already been agreed, he said.

The 50th meeting of the special working group on the development of the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea at the level of deputy foreign ministers of the Caspian states is scheduled for September in Iran.

The Caspian Sea is "not a dividing, but uniting wealth," according to the minister.

A positive fact is that the Caspian states were able to approach the solution step by step, joining forces. Despite the fact that the legal status has not yet been determined, a legal framework has been formed on cooperation in the conservation of the flora and fauna of the Caspian Sea, mutual assistance in emergency situations, in the fight against terrorism and other areas. This gives us ae basis for further progress on the issue of the ultimate definition of the legal status of the Caspian Sea, Mammadyarov said.

The Caspian states signed a Framework Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea in November 2003 and today most of the issues on the draft Convention have been agreed upon, and negotiations are underway on the remaining issues.

Russia, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan hold to the principle of dividing into national sectors based on the median line principles since it is an international boundary lake, and leaving the sea surface for general use, i.e. they are for demarcation of mineral resources and the Caspian Sea shelf, but against dividing up its waters.

Iran seeks an equal division of the Caspian into 5 even sectors, mainly because most of the offshore energy resources are located away from the Iranian coastline. Turkmenistan also demands the division of the Sea into equal parts between the pre-Caspian countries so that each country has 20 percent of the sea.

Russia and Kazakhstan signed an agreement on the delimitation of the northern part of the Caspian Sea in order to exercise sovereign rights for subsoil use in July 1998. The two countries signed a protocol to the agreement in May 2002.

Moreover, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan signed an agreement on the delimitation of the Caspian Sea and a protocol to it in November 2001, and February 2003, respectively.

Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Russia signed an agreement on the delimitation of adjacent sections of the Caspian Sea on May 14, 2003.

--

Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli

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17 July 2017 10:00 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

The parliament will debate on Monday whether to extend the ongoing state of emergency in Turkey for another three more months, a source from the ruling partys parliamentary group told Anadolu Agency.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Binali Yildirim had signaled in their speeches earlier that the state of emergency would be extended.

The extension is expected to become effective from Wednesday, the source, who wished to stay anonymous due to restrictions on talking to the media, said.

Opposition Nationalist Movement Party is expected to support the move in the general assembly.

Turkey declared a state of emergency on July 20, 2016, after the defeated coup of July 15, 2016.

During the state of emergency, the Cabinet has the right to issue statutory decrees under the president of the republic without regard to routine procedures and restrictions in Article 91 of the countrys Constitution. These decrees are first published in the official gazette and then submitted to parliament for ratification.

The deputies will also debate the Prime Ministrys resolution aimed at extending the term of duty of Turkish soldiers in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, also known as UNIFIL.

The term of duty of the soldiers, which was first approved by the parliament in September 2006, will be extended from Sept. 5, 2017 to Oct. 31, 2018.

The UNIFIL was established in 1978 when Israel withdrew from Lebanon. The peacekeeping force is intended to provide security and help the Lebanese government rebuild its authority.

Almost 10,600 troops from 40 countries are part of the UNIFIL mission.

The parliament will also vote to deploy troops to the Central African Republic and Mali as part of an U.N.-approved EU peacekeeping mission.

Meanwhile, the parliament's constitutional committee will continue to debate the changes to a number of parliamentary bylaws.

The bylaw changes are expected to come to the agenda of the general assembly after July 24; the changes, agreed by the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party and opposition MHP, are amid at improving the parliaments efficiency.

In a referendum this April, Turkish voters approved a package of constitutional changes, handing wide-ranging executive powers to the president and eliminating the post of prime minister, and also allowing the president to retain ties to a political party.

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17 July 2017 10:49 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Israel categorically opposes the ceasefire agreement in southern Syria reached by Moscow and Washington as it will give an opportunity for Iran to expand its presence in the region, Israels Haaretz newspaper said on Sunday citing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, TASS reported.

According to the newspaper, the prime minister told this to French President Emmanuel Macron at their meeting in Paris earlier in the day.

Apart from that, the newspaper cited a senior Israeli official who spoke on condition of anonymity as saying that Israel is aware of Irans plans to expand its military presence in Syria. According to the Israeli authorities, Iran plans to deploy an airbase and a naval base in Syria and send its military advisers and a military contingent to that country. "This already changes the picture in the region from what it has been up to now," the official was quoted as saying.

A ceasefire agreement for southern Syria was reached by Russian and US Presidents, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, at their meeting on the sidelines of the Group of Twenty summit in Germanys Hamburg on July 7.

Earlier, Netanyahu said Israel would hail real cessation of hostilities in Syria.

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17 July 2017 11:44 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

New details concerning recent crisis in the Persian Gulf are being revealed while the regional conflict escalates further despite international efforts.

The cyber attack of the systems of Qatar's state news agency in early June was reportedly organized by the UAE, the Washington Post reported on July 16 citing American intelligence officials.

As a result of the hacking, fabricated news was posted on the agency's website, partially provoking a rift between the emirate and other states of the region.

The Qatari emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, was falsely quoted as praising Hamas, a Palestinian Sunni-Islamic movement, and saying that Iran was an "Islamic power."

Doha stated that hackers posted fake news but Arab countries rejected this explanation accusing Qatar of supporting terrorism and extremism.

UAE Ambassador to the U.S. Yousef al-Otaiba denied the new information in a statement, saying it was "false."

"What is true is Qatars behaviour. Funding, supporting, and enabling extremists from the Taliban to Hamas and Qadafi. Inciting violence, encouraging radicalisation, and undermining the stability of its neighbors," the statement said.

The United States has recently increased its role in finding resolution to the regional crisis by signing deal on countering terrorism funding with Qatar during U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillersons visit to a number of Arab states.

However, the Gulf nations has not appreciated it so much saying that it is insufficient.

UAE Foreign Minister Anwar Gargash said that the agreement signed by the U.S. and Qatar on the financing of terrorism was a positive development but did not live up to their expectations.

Gargash also stated that the Arab states need to be convinced that Qatar is no longer a sponsor of terrorism.

"We need a regional solution and international monitoring," he added while making remarks in London.

Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain in early June cut off diplomatic relations, severed air, land and sea links with Qatar and ordered Qatari citizens to leave their countries within two weeks.

In early July, the Arab states sent a list of demand and required Doha to cut diplomatic relations with Iran, close the Turkish military base, eliminate Al-Jazeera TV channel, extradite all persons wanted in four countries on charges of terrorism and pay compensation.

Doha refused to fulfill these requirements calling the list unrealistic and not actionable. Four Arab states claimed that economic boycott against Qatar will remain in place until the country changes its policies for the better.

Kuwait currently mediates the crisis.

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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

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17 July 2017 13:42 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

Tehran has blamed the United States of not fulfilling its obligations under the nuclear deal, dubbed as an historical document undersigned in Vienna in 2015 between Iran and five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and Germany.

The United States, unlike Iran, does not fulfill its obligations under the nuclear deal, stated Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, who is currently in New York to attend the UN high-level political forum on sustainable development, said in an interview with CNN on July 16.

Zarif said as per the agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the IAEA is the only accepted body to monitor the implementation of the nuclear side of the deal, adding that the nuclear agency had repeatedly confirmed Irans commitment to the deal.

The IAEA has verified, I believe, seven times now since the Implementation Day that Iran has implemented the deal faithfully, fully and completely. Unfortunately, we cannot say the same about the United States, IRNA quoted Zarif as saying.

He explained his position by saying that "the White House a few days ago said that U.S. President Donald Trump uses his visit to Hamburg for the G20 summit in order to convince the leaders of other countries not to deal with Iran."

This is not a violation of the spirit, but of the letter of the agreement, according to Zarif.

I believe the United States has to comply with its part of the obligations under the deal, he said adding that the agreement "does not prohibit Iran from developing a peaceful nuclear program."

The Iran nuclear deal was negotiated in July 2015 between Iran, the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and Germany. By ratifying the plan, Iran agreed to scale down its nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.

The agreement provides that in return for verifiable abiding by its commitments, Iran receives relief from U.S., European Union, and UN Security Council nuclear-related economic sanctions.

Recently, President Donald Trump has ordered a full review of the 2015 agreement, which he has repeatedly criticized as a failure of his predecessor.

At the same time, the U.S. retains sanctions against Iran on the missile program, human rights and on suspicion that Tehran sponsors terrorism.

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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

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17 July 2017 15:14 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

Relations between NATO allies Germany and Turkey have been recently strained by a series of disputes including German troops withdrawal from the Incirlik airbase.

The visit by the Bundestags representatives of German soldiers stationed on NATO's Konya base in Turkey will be discussed not only between Berlin and Ankara, but also at NATO.

This was stated by German Chancellor Angela Merkel during an interview on ARD television channel.

"Not only the federal government will talk with Turkey, but also NATO," Merkel said, adding that for the final conclusions "it is necessary to wait for the end of the talks."

In case of Konya base, it's a NATO mission in which Germany plays a significant role, she said.

Currently we are leaving Incirlik air base and this creates a small problem, but this problem can be compensated, while for the rest we should maintain the dialogue, according to the chancellor.

Earlier, Turkey refused the delegation of German parliamentarians to visit German contingent at the NATO base in Konya on July 17.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg expressed concern over this decision by the Turkish authorities.

NATO's fears are connected with the possible withdrawal of German troops from the Konya base, which can affect the level of support for the international coalition against ISIS from the alliances side.

The German Bundestag on June 21 approved the decision to withdraw from the Incirlik Air Force Base in southern Turkey.

However, Turkey remains the key NATO member country in the Middle East. The Incirlik Air Base is one of the main bases of the United States and the alliance in the region. Aircrafts of the countries of the international coalition led by the United States, which participates in air operations against ISIS, are based here.

German military specialists are involved in the formation of crews for AWACS radar reconnaissance aircraft. Berlin also supports the coalition's actions with the help of six reconnaissance planes Tornado, which are deployed in Incirlik. The Bundeswehr's mandate in the Syrian operation does not involve participation in ground operations.

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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

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17 July 2017 16:46 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan are keen to develop cooperation in aviation and tourism industries.

Uzbekistans Gosavianadzor, at a meeting with Kyrgyz delegation headed by Deputy Minister of Transport and Roads Gulmira Abdralieva, discussed a new aspect of bilateral cooperation in the sphere of air transportation, the Uzbekistan Airways reported.

Comprehensive development and further strengthening of mutually beneficial cooperation with Uzbekistan are one of the key directions of Kyrgyzstan's foreign policy, which was clearly manifested during all recent summits, according to the minister.

She also noted the professionalism of the airline's flight crew, the modern aircraft fleet, the safety and reliability of flights, as well as the attention of the Uzbek Government to civil aviation and the development of the country's tourism industry.

"We express our gratitude to the government of Uzbekistan and its aviation authorities for the resumption of charter flights Tashkent-Issyk-Kul-Tashkent. This is the first meeting of the aviation authorities of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan over the past nine years," Abdralieva said.

The meeting discussed the issues of flights from Tashkent and other cities of Uzbekistan to the international Issyk-Kul airport "Tamchy", new air carrier from the Kyrgyz side on the Bishkek-Tashkent flight, the use of airspace in the area of Osh International Airport and consideration of the draft bilateral Intergovernmental Agreement on the delegation of responsibility for air traffic services in the given territory.

The sides focused on the prospects of expanding the geography of flights between countries, specifically increasing the frequency of flights by Uzbekistans national air carrier on the route Tashkent-Bishkek-Tashkent from 2 to 4 times a week.

"We are pleased to receive passengers from any Uzbek city and want to offer our colleagues preferential terms for servicing the aircraft of the National Airline in our airports. We are also ready to grant the fifth degree of freedom through the Manas airport, that is, transit flights through Kyrgyzstan to the countries of the EEC, the USA and Southeast Asia," Abdralieva said.

She also noted the fact that Uzbekistans National Air Company is one of the most stable and safe air carriers and therefore Kyrgyzstan is very interested in this cooperation.

Following the meeting, the sides signed a protocol of negotiations on further development of cooperation and expressed their confidence in fruitful cooperation to increase the tourist flow between two countries.

The event was attended by representatives of the aviation authorities of the two countries, the Embassy of the Kyrgyzstan in Uzbekistan, the Foreign Ministry of Uzbekistan and the National Air Company Uzbekistan Airways.

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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

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17 July 2017 15:32 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Irans crude oil and condensate exports to Europe has reached one million barrels per day.



Iran sells crude oil to European companies within the framework of long-term deals and spot cargo, however the volume of spot cargo is higher, an informed source told Fars news agency July 17.



Iran still faces problems in receiving money of the sold oil due to banking issues, the source said, adding that the central bank officials are seeking to find ways to accelerate money receiving process.



The source said that Iran also faces the same problem in oil export to Asian countries as the banking sanctions still remain in place, the source said.



Iran was exporting 2.5 mb/d of crude oil and gas condensate before the imposed sanctions in 2012, of which 18 percent was supplied to the EU.



After 2012, the EU cut Iran oil purchase and Asian countries had to decrease Iranian oil import gradually, which led to decreasing Iranian oil and gas condensate export to 1.2 mb/d in 2015.



After elimination of sanctions in 2016, based on nuclear agreement, Iran resumed its oil exports.

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17 July 2017 16:59 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

Head of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker called for normalization of EU-Turkish relations in the article published in Bild am Sonntag newspaper.

Turkeys ties with the EU have recently worsened following an April referendum which expanded the powers of the president.

However, Juncker urges for steps to enhance relations and promote cooperation, despite political disagreements in certain areas.

He noted that after an attempted coup in Turkey organized by Fetullah Gulen (FETO) movement, the European Union supported Ankara by extending a helping hand to it.

There is undeniable evidence of the coup attempt left on the building of the Turkish parliament, in addition, to the wounds and deaths of many civilians in Turkey, the article said.

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.

The author of the article reminds that on the night of the failed coup, he together with the chairman of the EU Council Donald Tusk and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogerini, condemned the coup plotters on behalf of the union by sending a message which stated that "the EU has always supported and will continue to support Ankara."

For the EU, it is important that Turkey remains a democratic, stable and successful state in terms of the economy, according to Juncker.

Europe still expects Turkey, which is a candidate for membership into the 28-member body, to adhere to European values and develop in the European direction.

Accession negotiations started in 2005, but until Turkey agrees to apply the Additional Protocol of the Ankara Association Agreement to Cyprus, eight negotiation chapters will not be opened and no chapter will be provisionally closed.

Moreover, the possible imposition of the death penalty in Turkey will literally close the door to the EU for Turkey, as it contradicts European values, the article said.

Turkey-EU relations, after years of deadlock following the opening of accession talks in 2005 have intensified in 2016 with parties closely cooperating to stem the flow of refugees into the EU.

Juncker praised the EU-Turkey agreements in areas such as energy, security, fight against terrorism and refugees.

The EU and Turkey reached an agreement in March last year to fight illegal flow of migrants to the EU.

Within the framework of this agreement the number of refugees coming from Turkey to Greece decreased by 97 percent. In addition, EU provided 1.6 billion euros for projects to improve conditions of refugees who took shelter in Turkey.

Overall, Turkey is the country in the world hosting the highest number of refugees, and has already spent significant financial resources to address this crisis.

It is necessary to choose a pragmatic way with a road map for the next 12 months, and these steps will necessarily affect the relations between Turkey and the EU, the article said.

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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

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17 July 2017 18:48 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

A senior Iranian commander has criticized the U.S. over plans to introduce new sanctions against his country.



The chief of staff of Iran's armed forces, Major General Mohammad Bagheri, said that considering the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist group and imposing sanctions on the Islamic Republic would pose major risks to the U.S. bases and troops in the region, IRNA news agency reported.



He further added that Irans missile program is not negotiable.



Earlier in June, the U.S. Senate voted to advance a bill that would impose new sanctions on Iran over its ballistic missile development, arms transfers and its alleged support for Islamist militant groups and human rights violations.



The measure in order to become law needs to be signed by President Donald Trump.

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17 July 2017 18:30 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

Azerbaijan and Turkey will sign an agreement on creating an electronic system for preliminary information exchange on transit transport by road, the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan said on July 17.

The document will be signed in Baku on July 19 within the framework of the trilateral meeting of the heads of the customs bodies of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey.

The Georgian first vice-premier Dmitry Kumsishvili and Turkish minister of customs and trade Bulent Tufenkci will arrive in Azerbaijans capital to participate in the talks.

The sides will discuss the prospects for the development of customs cooperation within the framework of cargo transportation via the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway (BTK), which is expected to further strengthen relations among the three countries and enable to supply domestically produced goods to the world markets.

The BTK railroad with peak capacity of 17 million tons of cargo per year is built on the basis of the Azerbaijani-Georgian-Turkish interstate agreement.

The final statement on strengthening trilateral relations in the customs sphere will be adopted following the results of the meeting.

Experts from the three countries are expected to discuss various issues of customs cooperation ahead of the talks.

The three countries have created a multilateral format aimed at improving political and economic ties between the countries and contributing to regional development.

The Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey format is the most functional in the region, as the cooperation is supported by huge trade, energy and transportation projects.

According to the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan, for the first half-year the trade turnover with Turkey amounted to almost $1.2 billion, while with Georgia $270.35 million. Both countries are on the list of Azerbaijans main foreign economic partners.

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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

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17 July 2017 14:27 (UTC+04:00)

By Laman Ismayilova

For now, feast your eyes and control your drooling, as the 2nd International Dolma Festival has kicked off in Azerbaijan's picturesque region Khachmaz.

The public figures, representatives of culture and science, and diplomatic missions participate at the event, Trend Life reported.

More than 300 varieties of dolma -- Azerbaijanis' favorite dish offered something for every palate -- were presented by country's forty regions.

Stuffed vine leaves (yarpag dolmasi) are one of the most popular types of dolma. Meat dolmas are usually served with sauce.

To make dolmas, people also stuff zucchini, eggplant, tomato, or cabbage. The dish is traditionally stuffed with ground lamb and/or beef, rice, onions, and herbs.

Besides foreign chefs presented their varieties of this delicious food.

The Mexican Embassy in Azerbaijan also took part at the festival with their own stand. They offered the visitors a chance to taste Mexican national dish tamale.

This dish is made of masa or dough which is steamed in a corn husk or banana leaf.

The best works were awarded special prizes. The foodies enjoyed colorful concert program with participation of folklore collectives.

The first International Dolma Festival was organized in Baku in 2016. Co-organized by the Azerbaijani Culture and Tourism Ministry, National Culinary Center, Azerbaijani National Culinary Association and Absheron District Executive Power, the event brought together about 400 representatives from Azerbaijans 24 regions, as well as from Turkey, Ukraine and Jordan.

--

Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

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From the June Days of the Revolution it became clear that the Bolsheviks had won over a decisive section of workers and soldiers in the Russian capital Petrograd. They also commanded considerable support in Moscow, the provinces and even among soldiers on the front.

What was to become ripe two or three months later is still immature in July, and a premature seizure of power at that time might have been fatal. Lenin realised this before everybody else. (Grigory Zinoviev, Lenin: Speech to the Petrograd Soviet)

It stood at the helm of the revolution not because it had the people behind it but because the people drove it forward; it stood at the head because it merely represented the spleen of an old social era and not the initiatives of a new one. (Karl Marx, The Bourgeoisie and the Counter-Revolution)

The more advanced layers of the working class were already convinced that the governing coalition between bourgeois and reformist parties  which in any case was brought down by Cadet Ministers at the beginning of July  had nothing to offer them. These layers were determined that the Bolshevik slogan All Power to the Soviets should be implemented, the only way that any of their demands could be satisfied. The problem was, the Menshevik-SR majority at the head of the Soviet had no intention of taking power, much less of being fully accountable to revolutionary organisations of workers and soldiers.

As tensions were reaching boiling point in Petrograd, the Coalition Government launched the disastrous 1st July Offensive against the German army. Far from achieving success against the Germans which could have provided impetus for a patriotic offensive against the mood at home, many divisions of the army refused even to participate in the attack. Heavy Russian losses were belatedly reported from the front.

The outrage generated by the offensive provided the spark for the vanguard of soldiers and workers in Petrograd to come out onto the streets and demand Soviet rule. The 1st Machine Gun Regiment stationed in the industrial working-class district of Vyborg, which one French journalist described at the time as belonging wholly to the Bolsheviks, was the first to raise the idea of an armed demonstration. Other regiments and factory committees quickly followed and the Bolshevik leadership themselves were soon confronted with the vanguard of the Russian revolutionary class demanding their support.

The Bolshevik leaders naturally supported the motivations of the soldiers and workers for such actions, but were very concerned about the demonstration itself. While taking up arms and marching on the Taurid Palace housing the Soviet Executive might have expressed the will of the Petrograd vanguard, it would not have had the support of the Russian masses in general, and key divisions of the army in particular, at that stage. Such a movement risked drowning the key layer of the Russian proletariat in blood, and with it the entire Revolution.

Bolshevik agitators moved urgently to restrain the advanced workers and soldiers from running too far ahead of their class, headlong towards a potential catastrophe. This would not prevent the party from taking all of the blame for instigating the July Days as an attempted power-grab in the bourgeois and petty-bourgeois propaganda that followed. Nonetheless the vanguard in Petrograd (and Kronstadt) could not be restrained. The Bolsheviks reluctantly took a decision late on 3rd July (Old Calendar) to lead the demonstration and ensure that it was carried through peacefully in an organised fashion. In doing so, they averted what could have been the death knell of the Russian Revolution.

This ultimately fruitless expression of anger from the Petrograd masses dispersed after two days, with minimal casualties. But the movement did lay bare the existential threat posed by the workers and soldiers both to the Russian bourgeoisie and to the government itself. It ushered in a period of counter-revolution which forced the Bolshevik Party into clandestine activity once again.

The selection of texts below covers the background, events and consequences of the July Days. Next, we will turn our attention to one of those consequences  the Kornilov putsch in late August. For more reading on the Russian Revolution, consult our general reading guide here

Introduction

From July to September: Revolution and Counter-Revolution, Terry McPartlan

This introductory article deals with the build-up to the July Days, the events of the period itself and what followed, including the violent counter-revolutionary wave against the Bolsheviks.

Movement from Below

The History of the Russian Revolution Volume 2: Chapter 24, Leon Trotsky

Available for purchase

The opening chapter of Trotskys History Volume 2 explains the events and the mood among Petrograd workers and soldiers which prepared the ground for the July Days.

History of the Russian Revolution to Brest-Litovsk Part One: The Offensive of July 1st , Leon Trotsky

Available for purchase

This section of the first part of Trotskys 1918 pamphlet gives a brief summary the events that led to the July Days.

A Contradictory Stand, V I Lenin

Lenin reports at the end of the June Congress on the paradoxical position of the reformists at once speaking as though in a position of power and yet refusing to actually take power.

The Struggle for State Power: Democracy, Pacifism and Imperialism, Leon Trotsky

On the eve of the offensive, Trotsky exposes the coalition government and the reformists in general for their role in the mindless slaughter of Russian soldiers in the war.

The Two July Days

The July Uprising, Leon Trotsky

Trotsky gives an on-the-spot analysis of what is behind the events of July 1917.

The History of the Russian Revolution Volume 2: Chapters 25 | Leon Trotsky

Available for purchase

Here Trotsky describes how the demonstration itself unfolded, with invaluable insight as a key participant in the events.

History of the Russian Revolution to Brest-Litovsk Part One: The July Days, Leon Trotsky

Available for purchase

Trotsky covers the two July Days in brief, marking them out retrospectively as a turning point in the Revolution.

The Russian Revolution 1917  A Personal Record: Chapter 20, Nikolai Sukhanov

The Left-Menshevik Sukhanov gives his own view of the July Days from within the walls of the Taurid Palace.

Bolshevism: The Road to Revolution: Part 6 Section 5  The July Days, Alan Woods

Available for purchase

Here Alan Woods covers the build-up to the events of the July Days making use of a wealth of source material.

A Balance Sheet of the Movement

A Disorderly Revolution, V I Lenin

Lenin explains the contradictions in the situation which both caused the July Days and would later cause an ebb in the movement leading on from them.

The History of the Russian Revolution Volume 2: Chapter 26, Leon Trotsky

Available for purchase

Trotsky takes a chapter of his magnum opus to discuss whether the Bolsheviks could or should have actually taken power in the July Days.

Lenin: A Speech to the Petrograd Soviet: The July Days, Grigory Zinoviev

This section of Zinovievs famous speech concentrates specifically on the question of taking power during the July Days. Zinoviev contrasts Lenins prescient position of restraining the advanced workers in July with his insistence on a revolutionary insurrection in September and October.

History of the Russian Revolution to Brest-Litovsk Part One: After the July Days | Leon Trotsky

Available for purchase

This very short section in Trotskys pamphlet outlines the immediate implications of the July Days.

Counter-Revolution in the Ascendancy

The History of the Russian Revolution Volume 2: Chapter 27, Leon Trotsky

Available for purchase

This chapter covers the attacks on the Bolsheviks which immediately followed the July Days, opening a period of reaction in Russia.

On Slogans, V I Lenin

Lenin discusses the necessary shift in tactics the Bolsheviks would have to make when appealing to workers and soldiers following the July Days.

My Life: Chapters 25-26, Leon Trotsky

These chapters of Trotskys autobiography discuss the slanders against the Bolsheviks from a personal point of view, including the effects they  along with his imprisonment  had on his family.

The Autobiography of a Sexually Emancipated Communist Woman: The Years of Revolution, Alexandra Kollontai

After describing her earlier activity upon arriving in Petrograd soon after Lenin, Kollontai goes on to recount her arrest, imprisonment and the suppression of the Bolsheviks following the July Days.

Where Is State Power and Where Is Counter-Revolution?, V I Lenin

In this article Lenin implicates members of the government, Soviet Executive and army officers in the growing counter-revolution.

The Beginning of Bonapartism, V I Lenin

Here Lenin characterises the counter-revolution, demonstrating a keen understanding of Marxs writings on the subject.

The Russian Revolution 1917  A Personal Record: Chapter 19, Nikolai Sukhanov

Nikolai Sukhanov gives an eye-witness overview of the July period of reaction in Petrograd.

Bolshevism: The Road to Revolution: Part 6 Section 4  After the July Events and Lenin Changes His Mind, Alan Woods

Available for purchase

These sections of Bolshevism detail the counter-revolutionary repression against both the Bolshevik Party and vanguard of workers and soldiers. The second part explores Lenins worries about his own safety and the future of the revolution in the July-August period.

The Question of Bolshevik Leaders Appearing in Court, V I Lenin

Here Lenin discusses the tactical question of whether to stand trial as a revolutionary during a period of violent counter-revolutionary repression.

What Next? After the July Days: Chapters 1-2, Leon Trotsky

Written in early August 1917, these two chapters outline the swing towards reaction in Russia in the build-up to the Moscow Conference. It is striking just how similar Trotskys analysis is to Lenins by this point.
From the time she was 15 years old, Katie McLeese Stephenson knew she wanted to be a social worker. She began working with children and youth in high school and college and graduated from Nebraska Wesleyan University and the University of Nebraska Omaha, earning a masters degree in social work.

She has worked with children and families in various positions for the last 30-plus years, including employment with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services and Cedars Youth Services. She also completed a term (2011-2015) on the Lincoln Public Schools board of education. Most recently, she served as the statewide director of the Nebraska Court Improvement Project, focusing on child welfare and juvenile justice.

Serving the community in which she grew up is important to McLeese Stephenson, as is her passion for children and families.

When she was 8 years old, she moved to Lincoln with her family and attended Morley Elementary and graduated from East High School. McLeese Stephenson and her husband, Rhett, have 18- and 20-year-old sons.

Nearly a year ago, McLeese Stephenson stepped into what she considers her dream job, as executive director of the Child Guidance Center in Lincoln, an organization that has provided mental health services to children and their families since 1949. She believes it fit well with her skill set and areas of expertise. It was something she wanted to be part of.

The position involved serving children and families in a community-based setting with an organization that has a strong clinical reputation, McLeese Stephenson says. And, it has an excellent staff who have devoted their careers to the community and the agency.

The Child Guidance Center began as a partnership between the Junior League of Lincoln and the Community Chest, a precursor to todays United Way of Lincoln and Lancaster County.

The founders identified a need for services to help nervous children, McLeese Stephenson says. We have grown over the years to meet the changing mental health needs in the community. All of our programs saw an increase in participation during the last fiscal year. We served more than 2,000 children and families, and we have a waiting list for all of our services.

We do not deny services based on the ability to pay, she adds. Thats really important to us. Were seeing more and more of a need.

With a staff of 90 and an annual $5 million operating budget, the Child Guidance Center offers outpatient therapy, outpatient services for in-need and at-risk youth in 13 public schools, extended-day treatment programs, therapeutic consultation at two LPS behavioral skills programs, therapeutic services at the Youth Assessment Center and a therapeutic group home for adolescent males who have experienced trauma.

The group home, for boys ages 12 to 18, celebrates its 25th year in the community.

In the group home setting, these boys learn to cope and to behave differently, McLeese Stephenson says. Our goal is to help young men work through issues, be healthy themselves and have healthy relationships with others to break the cycle of abuse. In the group home, they have structure, supervision and therapy provided by caring professionals. The youth also give back to the community.

McLeese Stephenson says the Child Guidance Center is proud of its long-standing reputation as an agency at the forefront of best practices. It offers help for youth and their families who struggle with depression and anxiety, suicidal ideations or attempts, sexual identification and orientation issues, neglect, poverty, physical and sexual abuse and those at risk of or experiencing substance use disorders.

We really see the gamut of issues, and we help by providing trauma-informed care, she says. Many, if not all, of our clients have experienced some type of trauma such as divorce, abuse, gun violence, domestic violence. That trauma changes the brain chemistry, and it changes the way people respond to the world.

While treating the youth and getting to the root of the issue is the primary focus, McLeese Stephenson says the family plays a pivotal role in the treatment and healing process, and staff members implement strategies that can be employed at home.

I firmly believe all parents want to do a good job, she says. Part of our job is to help parents understand there is a different way to interact with and support their child.

As she reflects on the agencys work during the past year, McLeese Stephenson acknowledges the challenges and the rewards.

The challenges include the needs exceeding the available resources, the implementation of Heritage Health with three new Medicaid Managed Care organizations and trying to increase community awareness.

Its important for people to know that mental health issues are common and assistance is available, she says. Theres often fear and stigma related to mental health. Its important for families to talk about it and get help. Its lonely for parents. Its hard to know how to help the children they love so much.

The joys reveal themselves when children get the help they need. I love seeing children as they find hope and healing, seeing a bounce in their step. They feel they can trust and that someone believes in them.

As McLeese Stephensons first year comes to a close, she credits a talented and dedicated staff, collaborations with community partnerships and a strong and involved board of directors.

Jennifer Carter, serving her fourth year on the board, is president of the Child Guidance Center board of directors. An attorney by training and a consultant, she feels strongly about the role the center plays in the community.

The Child Guidance Center provides an essential service for families, Carter says. What they do is so critically important. Its the place people take their children when they dont know where to turn. But all of us in the city of Lincoln benefit from their work with childrens mental health issues. Serving 2,000 children and families in a year contributes to the overall health of our community.

Carter appreciates the fact the center doesnt turn people away because of their inability to pay.

With recent changes to Medicaid, the Child Guidance Centers work becomes even more and more critical, she says. People are struggling to get the help they need. And the center is there.

Carter describes executive director McLeese Stephenson as proactive and a problem-solver who cares deeply for children and families.

Im excited for the future under her leadership, Carter says.

McLeese Stephenson, too, looks forward to her second year as executive director of the Child Guidance Center.

I want to be mindful of the strong, rich tradition of this organization, she says. But I look toward the future and to new ideas and opportunities.

Weve been a part of Lincoln 68 years, and a lot of people dont know about us, McLeese Stephenson adds. Im looking forward to sharing with the community the resources we offer and how we can help strengthen children and families in the community.
It was announced last week that Lidl Ireland has opened a new store at Hanlons Corner in Dublin 7 which sees the creation of 34 new jobs in the locality. The opening of Cabra brings Lidls number of stores in the Republic of Ireland to 151, with over 4,200 employees.



Lidl Ireland invests 500 million per annum in sourcing Irish goods and services. Last year, the retailer also pledged to create 600 jobs over the following 2 years to support their increasing customer numbers and growing market share.

The new store has been welcomed by local suppliers such as Mannings Bakery who supply to Lidls network of 151 stores throughout the country.



Speaking at the Lidl Cabra opening, Store Manager, Nathan McKiever said, "We are delighted to open Lidls 151st Irish store in such a fantastic high profile location. We are right in the heart of a very vibrant community and the whole team is really excited to get to know our new customers over the coming weeks. We have a fantastic state of the art new store packed full of fantastic value and quality products at market leading prices."

Source: www.businessworld.ie
Photo: COSAR

UPDATE: 6 p.m.

Police and search and rescue volunteers continue their efforts to locate a 23-year-old man missing in Okanagan Lake.

RCMP spokesperson Staff Sgt. Annie Linteau says eight people were on the boat when they stopped to swim in an area between Gyro Park and Kinsmen Park about 5:30 p.m. Saturday.

They then boated towards the Bennett bridge when they noticed that one passenger was not on board.

They called 911 at 6:30 pm.

Today's search has not produced any results.

The RCMP's E Division Underwater Recovery Team is being brought in.

UPDATE: 2:05 p.m.

COSAR spokesperson Duane Tresnich says the search continues for a young man possibly drowned in Okanagan Lake.

The man was boating with friends Saturday when he jumped in for a swim. The boaters moved on, not realizing the man was no longer on board.

Trench said the boaters couldn't find their friend, and searchers were called in.

They worked until dark, and resumed their search this morning.

A COSAR boat, police boat and five kayakers are currently searching the area between Strathcona and Gyro beaches.

Tresnich reminded boaters, when they see COSAR's flashing blue light, to stay away from the area as their wake makes it harder to search the water.

ORIGINAL: 1:40 p.m.

Searchers are scouring the waters of Okanagan Lake between Gyro and Strathcona beaches in Kelowna.

It's believed a man went missing in the water.

Central Okanagan Search and Rescue volunteers, and RCMP marine patrol and firefighters have been searching the water.

At one point, the police helicopter was brought in, according to witnesses.

More details to come.
Press Release For Immediate Release: Monday, July 17, 2017

Contact: Media Relations

(404) 639-3286

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will be awarding this week more than $12 million to 23 states and the District of Columbia to support their responses to the opioid overdose epidemic. The funds will be used to strengthen prevention efforts and better track of opioid-related overdoses. CDC expects to announce additional funding awards for state opioid overdose prevention programs later in the summer.

The opioid epidemic is a scourge on our nation that knows no bounds, said Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, M.D. President Trump and we at HHS are working to support states on the front lines of this national crisis. This new support from CDC, funded by the appropriations bill President Trump signed in May, will help states and local authorities track this epidemic and respond in real time.

Increased funding for opioids in the fiscal year (FY) 2017 Omnibus Appropriations bill is allowing CDC to support all states that have applied for funding through the Enhanced State Surveillance of Opioid-Involved Morbidity and Mortality (ESOOS) program and the Prescription Drug Overdose: Prevention for States (PfS) program.

Under the ESOOS program, $7.5 million will go to 20 additional states and the District of Columbia to better track and prevent opioid-involved nonfatal and fatal overdoses. This cooperative agreement already provides funds to 12 states to develop and adapt surveillance systems to address the rising rate of overdoses attributable to opioids, including a specific focus on heroin and synthetic opioids such as illicitly manufactured fentanyl.

States can use the ESOOS funds to:

More quickly report nonfatal and fatal opioid overdose and risk factors linked to fatal overdoses.

Share data with key stakeholders working to prevent opioid-involved overdoses.

Share data with CDC to support improved multi-state surveillance of and response to opioid-involved overdoses.

New ESOOS awardees are Alaska, California, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington. Added to the 12 states that received funding last year, this brings the total number of states receiving ESOOS funds to 32 and the District of Columbia.

Under the PfS program, $4.8 million will go to an additional eight states. This supplemental funding will allow states to enhance prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) and implement and evaluate strategies to improve safe opioid prescribing practices.

New PfS supplemental awardees are Arizona, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, North Carolina, and West Virginia. They join the 14 PfS states that received funding last year.

More than 90 Americans lose their lives to the opioid overdose epidemic every day, which is devastating to their communities and families, said CDC Director Brenda Fitzgerald, M.D. Supporting state efforts is crucial to stop these tragic losses.

The expanded funding is part of the Department of Health and Human Services five-point strategy to fight the opioid epidemic by:

Improving access to prevention, treatment and recovery services, including the full range of medication-assisted treatment;

Targeting availability and distribution of overdose-reversing drugs;

Strengthening timely public health data and reporting;

Supporting cutting-edge research on pain and addiction; and

Advancing better practices for pain management.

###

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICESexternal icon
Digital Realty is a real estate investment trust focused entirely on data centers. The company owns, acquires, develops, and operates a network of global data centers and the cloud-based solutions cloud service providers need to access and maximize them. The company has set itself apart from the traditional data center REIT by unifying its holdings across one digital platform called PlatformDIGITALR which provides seamless control of data flow.

The company was formed in 2004 when GI Partners contributed 24 newly acquired data centers to help form the business. Later that same year, the company went public through an IPO that provided the capital to begin a campaign of acquisition. The company has been steadily adding square footage and new locations to its network ever since and it is still not done. The expansion has helped to deliver a 10% FFO CAGR and fuel a steadily rising dividend distribution. The company made its 16th consecutive annual dividend increase in 2022 and additional increases are expected each year.

Digital Realty's global footprint provides access to connected businesses in more than 284 facilities in 23 countries. As of mid-2022, it had more than $53 billion in assets and was listed as the US 8th largest publicly traded REIT.

Digital Realty supports the world's IT infrastructure by providing a full range of data center, colocation, and interconnection solutions. Businesses can choose to rely solely on Digital Realty for their data center needs or use Digital Realtys propriety cloud-based solutions to interconnect multiple data centers, and clouds, or connect to a private network.

PlatformDIGITALR is the company's global data center platform. It provides customers with a proven solution for operating on the cloud, scaling a digital business, and managing its data flow. The platform allows for seamless connection to providers and services that are in demand by todays rapidly changing digital businesses.

Digital Realty Trust is a key member of the Green Grid, a consortium of industry insiders and policy makers focused on making data centers more efficient and sustainable. Digital Realty Trust offers industry-leading efficiency alongside its world-class quality data centers. Digital Realty Trust data centers require fewer building materials and provide industry-leading power usage levels or PUEs.
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.
In a full-page ad July 4 in the Journal Star, Hobby Lobby said it wants God to bless America. But why should God bless America? Are we worthy of that blessing?

We create nuclear bombs, militarize our country to threaten and bully other countries to do what we want, establish a capitalistic economic system that keeps the poor poor and rich richer. Our Congress lacks proactive vision, can't reconcile differences and acts as if it doesn't know the presences and purposes of God.

We elect a president who mocks many Christian values. We contribute heavily to global warming that will wreak havoc with the lives of our children. We live as if there is no God.

Hobby Lobby, you want to save our country from destroying itself by giving attention to lessons from the past, based on your interpretations of the Bible. Probably not workable.

A better way is to liberate our spirit. Encourage us  and America  to grow up and become more mature.

Free the human spirit to become tender and kind. Free us from fear. Free us from the proclivity to "sinning," as we now have the skills and knowledge. Free us to see every person as a loved being. Base U.S. foreign policy on kindness.

Don Tilley, Lincoln
3 Biblical reasons why Pope Francis is right to preach it to the moaners: 'Stop whining'

Pope Francis has been preaching it to the whingers at the Vatican. He has posted a sign on his door telling complainers to stop whining.

'It is forbidden to complain,' he says on the sign in Italian at his St Marta apartment, Vatican Insider at La Stampa reports.

Here are 3 Bible passages that show why the Pope is right, and why Christians should not waste their time whining and playing the victim.

Numbers 14: 'So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night. And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, 'If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness!'

We all know people for whom the bottle is half empty, not half full, no matter how much you try to help them. Here, in this passage, we see how God had finally led his people to the promised land and yet all they did was whinge about it and some even suggested returning to slavery in Egypt. In the modern world, many of us have known what it is to be slaves to our defects of character  to addictions, or to things that are bad to us. Sometimes it can seem more comfortable to live in these bad habits than try and leave them behind. Giving them up to move into a 'promised land' of freedom from the bondage of self can seem almost impossible. It can also be frightening. People who try and help us on these journeys will not respond to whingeing and whining. A positive outlook is needed. My mother used to say, 'There's no such word as can't.' There is of course. What she was really saying was the same as the Pope: 'Stop complaining.'

Matthew 20: So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, 'Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.' And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, saying, 'These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.'

The parable illustrates how even genuine acts of mercy can be wilfully misinterpreted by anyone determined to see whatever happens in the world as a personal insult to the self. In paying an equal wage to all, no matter how long they worked that day, the vineyard owner was not denigrating the work of those who spent hours slaving in the hot sun. He was being merciful to the ones who arrived late and worked just one hour, understanding that they and their families needed the money as much as the early starters. Pope Francis must identify with this. His exhortations to mercy over the past four years have been turned against him by some who seemingly would prefer a harsher, more judgmental and unforgiving leadership. Pope Francis preaches the Bible's gospel of grace  and he has shown he can do it with humour, always an effective way to get a difficult message across.

1 Corinthians 10:10: Do not grumble. Philippians 2:14-16: Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God. James 5:9: Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.

Many Bible passages explicitly enjoin against grumbling. Yet it is a habit of too many of us. How easy it is to complain about our vicar, or the music in our church, and imagine how much godlier things might be at that more evangelical, or more Catholic, church in the next village or town. It is true people love to complain and Christians are no exception. The pastors we complain about in our parishes will certainly complain just as much about us in their own vicar meet-ups: 'Oh why won't so-and-so help out more in church? All she does is sit there and moan.' Or, 'Why does so-and-so insist on stacking the hymn books that way when he knows I prefer them this way?' But it is too easy  and too bad  a habit to get into. And whether we like it or not  and everyone from time to time does love a good moan  the Bible is clear about one thing: God doesn't like it one bit.
Can we ever understand the deep suffering of the children of Mosul?

Maybe we'll never truly understand what some of Mosul's children have been through.

A few days ago, I was able to travel into the city and see some of the destruction for myself. Buildings are reduced to rubble and the streets are deserted. There's so little left  hardly any electricity or running water, let alone schools or hospitals  that it almost feels like starting from scratch.

Many of the images on our TV screens have shown dramatic battles, noisy gunfire and plumes of smoke rising into the sky. But the Mosul I saw this week was eerily quiet  and no place, at least yet, for children to return to.

It's not just buildings that have been destroyed; children's lives have been torn apart too. The families we're supporting in camps outside Mosul have been severely affected by three years of ISIL rule, and months of fighting. So many mothers we meet in the long rows of tents spanning the camps are caring for their children alone, after their husbands were taken and killed or perhaps just missing, they simply don't know.

The families who have reached safety tell some of the most tragic stories of survival I've ever heard. Many children were compelled to witness violence like beheadings in the streets.

We sometimes get a glimpse from children of what they've been through. Our teams of trained social workers are helping many children piece together what has happened. Some children even arrived at the camps unable to speak. I will never forget the small boy who rocked backwards and forwards incessantly, tears rolling down his cheeks, refusing to speak. ISIL had sent him a photo of his dad's body after he was beheaded.

So, while some people see this as the end of a crisis, from our point of view the work is really just beginning.

Aside from the danger of unexploded mines which may be planted across the city, Mosul will need to be rebuilt from the ground up. The end of the offensive will mean improved humanitarian access and, for most families, this relief can't come fast enough. Their situation is beyond critical.

We've already started with a partner organisation to restore schools so that children can get back to their classrooms as soon as possible. It's heartening to see that, amid all the chaos, children still yearn for an education  with their parents' full support. I meet boys who tell me they've been out of school for two years, and some who attended ISIL schools where only violence and extremism was taught. Girls weren't allowed to go to school, and for the most part weren't even allowed to leave their homes.

Put simply, children weren't allowed to be children.

Life in the displacement camps is tough, with searing summer temperatures reaching 50 Celsius and bringing discomfort. Water is rationed, so people often struggle to cool down in their tents lined up across the open ground.

But it's heartening to see, in these camps, how our Child Friendly Spaces offer a safe, protected place where children can just become children again. They can play, draw, learn  all the things that children are entitled to, but which so many have been deprived of in Mosul.

Back in the city these families have yet to return to, water, electricity, essential services have all largely been destroyed. I drove past Mosul's largest power station which is now just flattened buildings and twisted metal. But it's more than just the physical infrastructure that needs repairing. Communities are in dire need of healing and reconciliation so that displaced people can return in peace.

And while Mosul may no longer be under ISIL control, other areas of Iraq have not yet been re-taken with thousands living in areas such as Hawija. World Vision continues to support these families with medical care, safe spaces for children and support to their educational system until they too are able to safely return to their homes.

Elsewhere in Iraq, away from the media spotlight on Mosul, our work continues with others who have endured years of persecution. Across the country as a whole, more than three million people have been forced from their homes. In fact, last year we supported more than 1.7million people in Iraq  half of them children  to access health, water and hygiene, as well as providing dignity, learning opportunities and food security. The work goes on.

In the meantime, at least, there's a sense of hope for Mosul  that laughter, colour and creativity might once again return to the streets. But, as our dedicated staff in the camps know all too well, children have been through a huge ordeal. The healing will take time. And, as ever, World Vision will be supporting families in any way we can on the long road ahead.

Ian Dawes is Response Manager for World Vision Iraq. You can find out more about World Vision's work in Iraq and donate at www.worldvision.org.uk/syria. On Twitter @WorldVisionUK
Chris Pratt's remarkable conversion story... and more of his quotes on faith

He's one of the most likeable men in Hollywood, both on and off screen. His meteoric rise from total unknown, to small-time TV actor, to big league A-lister is a modern rebuke to the idea that nice guys finish last. And guess what... Chris Pratt is also a proud and vocal Christian. The various magazine journalists who've interviewed the Jurassic World star in recent years have frequently been struck by the certainty, centrality and intensity of his faith. One Vanity Fair writer even described how, before a meal at the actor's house, Pratt had them kneel together to pray.

This isn't one of those evangelical wishful-thinking exercises. As demonstrated by his repeated use of Bible verses on social media, Pratt is entirely happy to be public about his faith, and to be a role model to other believers. He's spoken out about the role he believes God played in the healing of his prematurely-born son, and the centrality of his faith to his marriage. And unlike many other actors who claim to have faith, Pratt is also happy to explicitly share a 'testimony' story about the moment he found God  or rather, God found him. Below are some of the most fascinating things Pratt has shared publicly about his faith, starting with the story of the night when everything changed.

On how he came to faith in Jesus...

'I was sitting outside a grocery store ... And a guy named Henry came up and recognised something in me that needed to be saved. He asked what I was doing that night, and I was honest. I said, "My friend's inside buying me alcohol." "You going to go party?" he asked. "Yeah." "Drink and do drugs? Meet girls, fornication?" I was like, "I hope so."

'It should've made me nervous but didn't. I said, "Why are you asking?" He said, "Jesus told me to talk to you..." At that moment I was like, I think I have to go with this guy. He took me to church. Over the next few days I surprised my friends by declaring that I was going to change my life.'

 From an interview with Vanity Fair.

On what happened next...

'[The guy at the grocery store] was like, "I stopped because Jesus told me to stop and talk to you. He said to tell you you're destined for great things." "I gave my soul to Jesus within, like, two days. I was stuffing envelopes for his organisation, Jews for Jesus. I'm not even sure, at that age  I was 19 years old  I knew what Jewish was.'

 From an interview with Esquire magazine.

On how his prematurely-born son 'redefined' his faith...

'It restored my faith in God, not that it needed to be restored, but it really redefined it... The baby was so beautiful to us, and I look back at the photos of him and it must have been jarring for other people to come in and see him, but to us he was so beautiful and perfect.'

 From an interview with People magazine.

Urging others to pray for a four-year-old cancer sufferer

'The power of prayer saved my son. This boy Sam needs a miracle. Say a prayer for Sam. Even if you never have b4.Try.'

'Lord I pray for Sam. May you put your healing hand on him father. May his family find grace in this difficult time.'

 From Pratt's personal Twitter account.

On prioritising his marriage to fellow actor Anna Faris...

'Anna and I are meant to be together. Our relationship has made me believe in divine intervention and destiny... A lot of times, people focus so much on their kids, and then when their kids leave the nest, they look at their spouse or partner like they're a stranger. It's just as important, if not more important, to focus on your relationship with your partner because your children are going to leave one day [and] you have to maintain a relationship that's going to outlast your child's needs for you.'

 From an interview with People magazine.

Posted on Facebook as his star was being prepared for the Hollywood Walk of Fame...

'Psalm 126:3: "The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy." Thank you to the many, many people who empowered me to follow my dreams.'

Martin Saunders is a Contributing Editor for Christian Today and the Deputy CEO of Youthscape. Follow
Christian campaigners protest as assisted dying law is tested in court again

Noel Conway, who has motor neurone disease and is not expected to live longer than another nine months, is to challenge the law against assisted dying in London today.

Conway, 67, a retired college lecturer, wants to be allowed to choose to end his life with assistance when he is in his last six months.

He is seeking a declaration that the Suicide Act 1961 is incompatible with European laws on respect for private and family life, and protection from discrimination.

The Suicide Act decriminalised prosecution of those who try and fail to kill themselves but also created a new offence of 'complicity in suicide', meaning that anyone who assists a suicide or suicide attempt faces up to 14 years in jail.

The week-long hearing will be marked by protests from Christian campaigners who believe that to allow assisted suicide would 'undermine the dignity of human life and put vulnerable lives at risk'.

The last challenge to the law against assisted dying was in 2015 when the Labour MP Rob Marris MP introduced his Assisted Dying Bill, based on Lord Falconer's Bill of 2014. Marris's Bill was defeated at its second reading after four hours of debate by 330 MPs to 118.

Pro-life campaigners Nikki and Merv Kenward, of the Distant Voices group, which campaigns against euthanasia and assisted dying, will demonstrate their opposition to Conway with a giant puppet display outside the High Court, including an enormous judge holding a syringe.

Nikki Kenward was left paralysed in 1990, at the age of 37, by Guillain-Barre Syndrome, and for several months was only able to wink her right eye. Now, she remains wheelchair-bound and cannot hold a needle or tie her shoe-laces.

She says that if she had had the choice to die during her five months in hospital, she would have chosen death.

But she says that 'her spirit fought to live' and now campaigns against any liberalisation of the law.

She fears that if euthanasia becomes an option in our society, it will further degrade our attitude towards the dignity of life, leaving many vulnerable to being euthanised against their will  including children and those with mental health conditions.

The Kenwards, who earlier this year themselves lost a legal challenge to changes on guidelines regarding prosecuting healthcare professionals in connection with assisted suicide, are being supported by the Christian Legal Centre.

Conway, who being supported in his legal bid by Dignity in Dying, said: 'I have brought this case to fight for choice and control at the end of life  for me and for all terminally ill people and their loved ones who are being failed by the current law. I know I am going to die anyway, but how and when should be up to me. To have the option of an assisted death in this country would provide me with great reassurance and comfort. It would allow me to decide when I am ready to go, rather than be forced into a premature death by travelling abroad or be left at the mercy of a cruel illness.'

His bid to be allowed assistance to end his life was rejected by the High Court earlier this year but he was given leave to appeal, and that is the case being heard this week.

Tom Davies, from Dignity in Dying, told Sky News: 'Other countries just like us are managing to take hold of this issue and create more compassionate, safer laws that we could have in this country too.' He named Canada as an example, along with California and Colorado in the United States.

Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, said: 'This is a very important case as it once again throws into possibility the introduction of assisted suicide in this nation.

'We have seen from other countries where assisted suicide and euthanasia have been legalised, that this has loosened vital protections for the most vulnerable in society. In these countries, people are being euthanised even for mental health conditions such as depression.

'This must serve as a warning to our nation to firmly resist these ongoing attempts to liberalise the law.

'We are delighted to support the Kenwards as they continue seeking to uphold the dignity and value of all human life.'

Roger Symes from Not Dead Yet also said he opposes Conway's challenge because he believes it puts vulnerable people at risk.

'What we've seen in other countries that legalise assisted suicide is that it starts off as only being available to a very small group and then it widens and widens. 'So anybody else who thinks: "This is nothing to do with me, this is just about one poor man who needs help to die," it's not that at all. It's actually about how we treat people in society who need help for whatever reason.'

A similar court case in 2014 involved Tony Nicklinson, paralysed after a stroke. The Supreme Court decided against Nicklinson's widow and said UK law on assisted dying was not contrary to the European Convention on Human Rights.

WATCH a debate on Sky News between the Editor of Christian Today and humanist Richy Thompson.
Christian mom robbed and sexually assaulted by five men on her way back from prayer meeting

Warning: This story contains graphic content.

A born-again Christian mother of two, who stayed behind for a few extra minutes of prayer and a brief meeting with her pastor after a prayer meeting at a Queens church on Tuesday night, was brutally robbed and sexually assaulted by a gang of five men just a few minutes after she left for home.

Pastor Kehinde Oyetunde of the Celestial Church of Christ Grace of Blessing Parish in Jamaica, told The Christian Post Thursday morning that the unidentified woman is a senior member of his church. He said she left the church at about 9:45 p.m. Tuesday and was alerted about the attack about 20 minutes later.

He said she was forced to lie that she was HIV positive after her attackers tried to rape her at gun point. The unrelenting "young men" quickly brandished condoms, however, and forced the devout Christian woman to perform oral sex instead.

"She was screaming telling them she is HIV positive so when they hear that they could not rape her to that level no more so they just made her do their things (oral sex). And they poured things (semen) on her body and then on the floor with the condoms that they had," Oyetunde said.

In an interview with the New York Daily News, the 50-year-old mother said: "I'm trying to get over it, but it's not easy."

Police sources said the woman was approached by two men, one armed with a gun as she approached 150th Street. She was then led down the block to 150th Street and Beaver Road where she was assaulted behind a garbage truck. Three other men allegedly joined in the assault and she was made to strip and perform sex acts on all of them.

"They said, 'If you don't do that, I'll shoot you,'" the woman recalled of the assault. "So I did what I had to do."

The victim, who is an immigrant from Liberia, told the News that she thought it was a joke when she was first approached by the men.

"I thought it was a joke at first, but when I turned he put the gun to my forehead and repeated himself, saying 'Give me all the money,'" she said. "I told him 'I have no money' and he said 'Give me your wallet.'"

After realizing that the woman, who her pastor describes as a social worker, had no money to give, the men decided to take her body instead and invited three of their friends nearby to join in.

"They tell me, 'You don't have money so take off your clothes!'" the woman told The News. "I said, 'What? In the middle of the street?'"

It was at this point that the woman claimed she was HIV positive. Police say after getting condoms, three of the five men forced the church sister to perform oral sex on them. One of them slapped her and said: "You're a stupid African woman."

Oyetunde said after the attack, the woman ran back to the church and he called 911.

"She was scared, she was crying, she was just crying like a baby. You know we couldn't control her because she said she had never had that kind of experience before," Oyetunde's wife, Bose, said, according to the News.

The pastor said the police took the woman and drove her to the area where the attack occurred and they saw used condoms which the police took as evidence. The men also left semen on the woman's face, her body and her clothes, Oyetunde said.

She was treated at a local hospital and is currently being counseled by Oyetunde.

"She's doing fine (considering what happened). I have been giving her counsel. She went to work this morning but she is still in shock. The whole church is shaken but I know by God's grace we will get over it," Oyentude told CP.

The woman's attackers are still on the loose.

This article was originally published in The Christian Post.
How  and why  Christians are helping some of the poorest and most distressed

Does relative poverty in the UK really matter?

Poverty in the UK should matter to Christians for at least three important reasons.

Firstly, it is a serious situation if hundreds of thousands of people in a country as rich as ours cannot afford sufficient nutritious food, cannot afford to adequately heat their homes, experience serious financial insecurity or are overloaded with unpayable debt. It is a serious matter if people are excluded from society because they can't afford to take part in simple leisure or social events. Such problems divide society and demoralise the poorest. No concerned Christian can turn a blind eye to such burning issues.

Secondly, the best available research suggests that poverty is on the increase and that the gap between rich and poor is widening. It is a matter of social justice to stand up for the poor at a time when the rich are getting steadily richer.

Thirdly, it is a serious matter that the rise of poverty has gone hand-in-hand with a hardening of attitudes towards the poor. We have seen in recent times the resurgence of the time-worn tendency to stigmatise the poor and blame them for their plight. This has been especially prominent in the media. However, Christians must not acquiesce to such socially divisive and negative stereotyping.

Isn't supporting church-based social action enough of a response?

The proliferation of church-based foodbanks, debt advice services, supported housing schemes, elderly support projects and much more are testimony to the energy and vision of churches in the face of increasing social needs of all types. However, the poor and deprived are still sometimes helped at a relational 'arm's length'. The church has more to offer those in need than just social action projects. Many people need someone to walk alongside them as they try to find ways of rebuilding their lives. We need to find ways of integrating those from poor or deprived backgrounds into church communities, especially as some embark on a spiritual journey towards faith in Christ.

Does poverty have any other significant dimensions?

Poverty is primarily an economic phenomenon. However, it is widely recognised that there can be a number of negative aspects of poverty that provide a broader context within which to consider poverty in modern Britain:

Aspirational poverty  the loss of hope

Aspiration lifts people up, believing that positive change is not only desirable but also possible.

However, for many caught in long-term unemployment or trapped in poverty, aspiration has been crushed. Hopelessness has crept in, often followed by depression, cynicism, social isolation and passivity.

John suffers from some minor special needs, has been unemployed all his adult life and begs on the streets to supplement his benefits. He has been to our church foodbank on many occasions and has been connected to our church community. He believes that there is no point trying to get a job. He had been rejected too many times. He sees himself as unemployable  condemned to a life on the margins of society. This is aspirational poverty.

Many deprived people need more than crisis intervention or a shoulder to cry on or a listening ear. They need their confidence rebuilt in order to face the challenges of their lives. Walking alongside the poor as we seek to help rebuild aspiration turns out to be one of the most creative things Christians can do in becoming a church for the poor.

Relational poverty  the loss of community

We function best when in community. However, the poor are at greatest risk of social isolation and what we may call 'relational poverty'. Many have experienced family breakdown, many are scarred by the experience of poverty, many suffer mental health problems.

Widespread social mobility now means that extended families are more frequently spread far and wide across the country  and even abroad. For those battling with poverty, this is a particularly acute problem. Everything from emotional support to childcare to housing often turns out to be hard to get in our modern far-flung family networks.

Ray is long-term unemployed and lives alone in a one-bedroomed council flat. Ray was introduced to our foodbank as a client. Then he became a volunteer and served faithfully every week for a long time. Ray has made some new friends and he has found something to live for. He has taken a vital first step out of relational poverty.

Spiritual poverty  the loss of ultimate meaning

Spiritual poverty has reached epidemic proportions in the UK. However, spiritual poverty is a particularly acute problem for the poor. With so little else to fall back upon, a lack of spiritual values can lead to an even starker and bleaker life.

The church has an urgent mission to retell the Christian message to the poor. Their spiritual issues must not be neglected in our concern to address their material needs. The church has made the mistake in the past of dividing social activism from personal evangelism. This is the most unloving thing we can do. God cares for the poor in their current need, but he also cares for their future their eternal future.

Ken and Barbara arrived at the money advice centre at our church for debt advice. Shortly after they received support and advice, Barbara suddenly became seriously ill and died unexpectedly. Ken came back to the money advice team, whom he now saw as friends. They were able to encourage and support him, as well as discussing reorganisation of his budget to cope with his new situation. Then Ken was invited to attend Sunday meetings at the church, followed by an Alpha course run by the church. Ken found himself on a quest to discover ultimate meaning in life after the tragic events that he had been through. He became a Christian and was subsequently baptised and became a member of the church.

A church for the poor will boldly and humbly offer the gospel message to answer the deep spiritual poverty that so often exists side-by-side to material poverty.

Edited extract reproduced with permission from 'A Church For The Poor: Transforming the church to reach the poor in Britain today' by Natalie Williams and Martin Charlesworth, published by David C Cook (paperback, 9.99). Find out more about Jubilee+ at www.jubilee-plus.org. On Twitter @jubileeplus
Indian pastor murdered in drive-by shooting, Christians in street protest

A pastor was murdered outside his church in Ludhiana, northern India on Saturday in a brutal attack captured on CCTV.

Pastor Sultan Masih was on his phone outside his church when he was gunned down by two men on a motorcycle. He is believed to have been hit by three bullets.

Christians organised a demonstration on Sunday in protest at the killing, blocking traffic on a major bypass road. The family has said Masih's funeral will not take place until the killers have been apprehended, according to the Hindustan Times.

The chief minister of Chandigarh State announced an ex gratia payment to Masih's widow Sarabjit and said their son would be given a job in the police force.

The killing has stoked fears among Christians in the Punjab region concerned about a rise in intercommunal tensions. The Moderator of the Church of North India, PK Samntaroy, told the Times of India on Sunday: 'The killing of innocent people is certainly not a good sign for the hard-earned peace of Punjab.' He said the government should act fast to win the confidence of the Christian community.

The former Bishop of Delhi and general secretary of the Punjab Pardesh Congress Committee (PPCC), Karam Masih, said Christians were a peaceful community. 'The government should get into the depth of the incident and expose the truth as well as put the perpetrators of the heinous crime behind bars,' he said.
New Bishop of Llandaff wants to put controversy over selection behind her

The new Bishop of Llandaff has said she wants her diocese to 'go forward' after controversy surrounding the rejection of a former high-profile candidate, Dean of St Albans Jeffrey John.

Rt Rev June Osborne was consecrated on Saturday at Brecon Cathedral.

Jeffrey John, a a gay man in a celibate relationship whose selection as Bishop of Reading had provoked a crisis in the Church of England as then Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams first backed him and then withdrew his support, was tipped for Llandaff but failed to win enough votes in the electoral college, prompting accusations he was rejected because of his sexuality.

Osborne told BBC Radio Wales she was 'sure we will go forward really confidently under my leadership'.

She said: 'I wasn't part of the early process and simply I don't know what went on.

'The process is very clear and was followed meticulously. I'm confident  and it has been scrutinised  that the process was followed carefully and constitutionally.

'I realise Jeffrey John won't be the only one disappointed to not be the Bishop of Llandaff and I hold Jeffrey in very high esteem, he is a good friend.

'For myself, I can only say discernment has happened. The sense that this is God's call to me is very vivid to me.

'I am the Bishop of Llandaff and the diocese will want to gather around that fact.'

John has said the contents of emails between two bishops published in the Church Times last week show they were opposed to his election because of his sexuality.

He told BBC Radio Cymru's Bwrw Golwg programme the emails 'show how deceiving and hypocritical the whole process has been from start to finish'.

A spokesman for the Church in Wales told the BBC: 'We understand that the private correspondence of the Church in Wales' bishops concerning the process to elect a Bishop of Llandaff has again been put into the public domain by others.

'We are satisfied that the entire process of electing and then appointing the Bishop of Llandaff was carried out properly and fairly and will not be commenting further.'

Bishop Osborne will be enthroned at Llandaff Cathedral on July 22.
Parents furious that Charlie Gard's guardian heads charity that backs assisted dying

Charlie Gard's parents are reported to be angry that the lawyer appointed to speak on behalf of the terminally-ill baby in court heads a charity that backs assisted dying.

Parents have privately expressed their concern after discovering that Charlie's guardian lawyer Victoria Butler-Cole, is chairman of Compassion in Dying, a sister organisation to Dignity in Dying, the Telegraph reports.

The two charities share the same chief executive and media team.

Charlie's parents, Connie Yates and Chris Gard, do not believe their son needs a guardian and that they alone should speak for him.

Butler-Cole is his Cafcass guardian. Cafcass represents children in the family courts.

A statement on the hospital website says: 'Charlie's parents fundamentally believe that they alone have the right to decide what treatment Charlie has and does not have. They do not believe that Great Ormond Street should have had the right to apply to the Court for an independent, objective decision to be made. They do not believe that there is any role for a Judge or a court. They believe that only they can and should speak for Charlie and they have said many times that they feel they have been stripped of their rights as parents.

'GOSH holds and is bound by different principles. A world where only parents speak and decide for children and where children have no separate identity or rights and no court to hear and protect them is far from the world in which GOSH treats its child patients.

'Throughout this court process, Charlie has been represented by his Cafcass Guardian who has visited him in hospital, spoken to Charlie's parents, nurses and doctors and written reports that ensure that as much as is possible for a desperately unwell baby, Charlies own viewpoint is articulated and given weight. When asked what happens to the role of the Guardian if their belief that only they have the right to decide on Charlie's treatment is correct, Charlie's parents answer that he does not need a Guardian because they will speak for him.'

Charlie suffers from a serious genetic condition for which there is no known cure and which has left him seriously disabled with brain damage. They have raised 1.3 million through crowdfunding and want to fly him to the United States for experimental treatment. At the court hearings last week, Mr Justice Francis agreed that the doctor who has pioneered this research, Dr Michio Harano, should fly to London over the weekend. Today, the doctor is examining Charlie to see if the treatment can offer any hope.

A source close to the parents told the Telegraph: 'The family find it astonishing that the quango that appointed the barrister to act in the interests of Charlie Gard is the chairman of Compassion in Dying, the sister body of Dignity in Dying, formerly known as the Voluntary Euthanasia Society. The implication is obvious. It looks like a profound conflict of interest.'

Compassion in Dying said it was wrong to suggest there was any conflict of interest: 'There are clear differences between this case, the work of Dignity in Dying and the work of Compassion in Dying. The Charlie Gard case is about making decisions in the best interests of a seriously ill child.'

According to the statement on the Great Ormond Street Hospital website, the view of Charlie's treating team and all those from whom GOSH obtained second opinions, 'he has no quality of life and no real prospect of any quality of life'.
What are the three pillars of Judaism, and why is 'hutzpah' so important today?

What are the three pillars of Judaism? What are the threesome that hold Judaism up so that it carries on under adversity and refuses (despite the best efforts of others) to be swallowed up, fade away, or die?

Believe it or not, Judaism has been around for 4000 years, and is often flourishing in unexpected places.

For whenever Judaism is reviled, beaten up, expelled or murdered, it always pops up again, unexpectedly, and does so with grace, thoroughly enriching the areas it currently inhabits.

So what do Christians think are the reasons for Judaism's astonishing survival against the odds?

These are the views of former Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams

'The things that come to mind for me are 1) Torah, obviously, and thus the notion of covenant. 2) The Land as the enduring sign of divine promise and fidelity. 3) And I suppose that this may have something to do with the way Christians have picked this up  the idea of a 'priestly' people, called to be obedient to the Almighty for the sake of the whole human world.'

And:

'I should have added about the tradition of study and learning  the whole idea that there is a text given by the Almighty which enables endless exploration and growth in wisdom is of course the really important part of the role of the Torah.'

So to sum up, Rowan's three pillars are Torah (learning and interpretation), Land (place) and Jews (a special people), who by their very existence are an example to the world. For it's not merely survival that he describes, but a call for Jews 'to be obedient to the Almighty for the sake of the whole human world.'

Quite a tall order for a tiny battered people of only 15 million (nearly half of whom now live in Israel) however resilient.

Canon Guy Wilkinson's three favourite Jewish pillars are

'Torah, Temple service and deeds of kindness.' This trilogy is taken from Pirke Avot (The Sayings of the Fathers) written at the time of Jesus and featuring in daily Prayer Books, as part of the Mishnah.

Here are Phil Pegum's three most memorable Jewish radio events:

Phil Pegum is a BBC radio producer of 33 years' experience, 21 of these in religious broadcasting, including the last 10 years producing The Moral Maze.

Phil comes to the question from a practical standpoint: What three Jewish events have stood out for him in the last 20 years?

'I remember when we did the series In the Footsteps of Moses (2003) and a Jewish historian at Cambridge was explaining about the idea of being "a light unto the nations" and how fascinating that was  but he also asked the question about how Jews should interpret the injunction today

'The second happened just after I joined the religion department  it was the row over Jonathan Sacks not attending the funeral of Hugo Gryn'

'The third is the first time I took a lift in Israel on Shabbat and discovered that they stop on every floor. What ingenuity!'

So to sum up three views on Judaism, we have the trilogies of Torah, Land and people; another trilogy of Torah, service and kind deeds; and a third trilogy of how to put abstract concepts into practice in the contemporary world.

One could add other trilogies, such as the Rosh Hashana (Jewish New Year) trilogy of repentance, prayer and charity, or the Micah trilogy of doing justice, loving kindness and walking humbly with one's G-d (Micah 6:8).

But building on all the above I would like to suggest another trilogy for the present age, a trilogy of humility, humour and hutzpah.

Hutzpah - what the Russian dissident, Irina Ratushinskaya, used to call holy disobedience - is what Jews in the diaspora lack in spades.

Jews in the diaspora are good at humble and good at humour  no wonder Jews are overlooked in the political, religious, academic and public spheres, while remaining the life and soul of the party. Jews are fun, good for a laugh.

Of all religions, people like Jews best:

But when it comes to taking them seriously. Let's face it, Jews tend to be, in diaspora at least, the court jesters of life. From Augustine to Hitler, from Vespasian to UNESCO, that's been their one role  to amuse, to advise  and then to be persecuted.

And it's still carrying on.

Just look around, just look around Europe today. In fact, to be very specific, just look at streets here in Broughton Park, Salford and see what is happening. There's no point denying it  in fact denial is simply criminal in the face of reality.

By contrast, hutzpah is what the State of Israel has in spades. Israelis know that humility and humour are not enough. Too much Jewish humility and too much Jewish humour have led over 2000 years to mockery, humiliation and the destruction of diaspora Jews.

Frankly, if they are to survive at all, diaspora Jews could do with a very large dose of Israeli hutzpah  the plunge into the sea  the risk-taking  the refusal to ghettoize, moan, belly-ache or despair  in other words, the ability to dare to be different and thus to serve as an exemplar to others.

Hutzpah is there in the Bible: in Abraham, Sarah, Rachel, Leah and Rebecca, Moses, Joshua, Hannah, Ruth, great-grandson David (obviously in his case hutzpah ran in the family), Deborah, Esther, to name but a few. But these characters are there as role models, as living emblems of how life should be lived. They are not there as icons.

And this is why in order to study and interpret Torah, to love and live in the Land, be a 'priestly' people  a true light unto the nations in fact  the most important ingredient for Jews is hutzpah. And yes, it really does work!
RSPCA logo

At its AGM in June, the RSPCAs members voted to accept several recommendations from a year-long governance review conducted by auditor Pesh Framjee from Crowe Clark Whitehill. The most radical change reinstates the ability for the charity to co-opt up to three trustees onto its board, including non-RSPCA members.

Until now, the board has been comprised entirely of trustees elected by members, but Framjees review declared that the vagaries of a fully election-driven system cannot always be relied on to deliver the right mix of skills and experience.
Cancer Research UK has said it is planning to open more 'superstore' charity shops after the first ones showed substantially greater profits than regular-sized stores.

The charity said its 12 superstores typically provide four times greater profit than an average sized shop, and are more able to offer a wider range of products.

They are also more able to offer additional services such as private information rooms and direct phone lines to the charitys nurses.

CRUKs largest store, in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, opened in March and the charity said its furniture offering has been flying off the floor.

The charity said it has employed a small team to oversee a move to larger shops, including a superstores manager, Fred Wing.

Wing said: Our superstores support our overall aim to normalise charity retail shopping and provide great products at low prices in busy locations convenient for customers.

Having additional space means we are able to offer our supporters additional services. Many of the stores are fitted with a private information room and nurses hotline, enabling customers to have direct access to accurate cancer information from our team of dedicated nurses at Cancer Research UK.

They also provide a community atmosphere and offer a rewarding volunteering experience for anyone with two hours or more a week to spare to help beat cancer sooner.

Unlike smaller shops, the superstores run a discount model, meaning the majority of items are 5 or less, with high value products identified with a golden ticket.

See in Charity Finance

Wing said: We're able to do this because the superstores can hold, sell and process high volumes of items. The space also allows us to improve our furniture offering and it's been flying off the floor in our Stevenage store.

Typically a superstore can provide four times greater profit than an average shop, which means more money to directly fund our life saving research.

The charity plans to open more superstores in future including one in Irvine, Scotland, later this year.

Speaking at Civil Society Medias Charity Property Conference earlier this month, Charity Retail Association chief executive Robin Osterley described the Stevenage superstore as absolutely mind boggling.
Our weekly summary of the latest movers in the charity sector.

Chief executive

Jim Minton has been appointed as the new chief executive of East London-based charity Toynbee Hall.

Minton joins Toynbee Hall from London Youth, where he has been the director of membership and communications since June 2012. Prior to that, Minton worked at DHA Communications as head of strategy and also worked in communications at the Home Office.

Social enterprise helpline and digital services provider Connect Assist has appointed Ron Moody as its new chief executive.

Moody has been internally promoted within the organisation, having previously been Connect Assists client services director and head of consultancy.

Moody has worked in the charity sector for over 11 years, predominantly in fundraising, having launched his own contact centre Voices for Change in 2007.

Non executive

School-based childrens mental health charity Place2Be has appointed Simon Mackenzie-Smith as its new chair of trustees, following the retirement of Michael Fowle.

Mackenzie-Smith is chair of UK and Ireland corporate and investment banking at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. He joined the firm in 1996 as managing director of investment banking. Mackenzie-Smith became aware of Place2Bes work when the charity was selected as Bank of America Merrill Lynchs charity partner in 2015-16.

He is also currently a member of the Heart of the City Council and the Campaign Council at the National Portrait Gallery.

Both Graham Donaldson and Susan Wilkinson have been announced as members of the Churches Conservation Trust, after having their nominations approved by the Queen.

Wilkinson was an executive board director at the National Trust and is currently a trustee of the Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich and the Medical Research Foundation. She is also board director of the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions and chair of the Canal and River Trust Living Waterways Awards.

Donaldson is currently group director and co-chair for pension fund manager Mainstay Group, and begun his career with the Diocese of Gloucester, having moved to the UK from Canada to study theology.

The Duchess of Cornwall has been appointed as patron of The Silver Line to coincide with her 70th birthday.

The Duchess of Cornwall supports a number of charities focusing predominantly on health and well-being, as well as promoting literacy, heritage and the arts and animal welfare charities.

The Silver Line, a free helpline for older people, was launched by Dame Esther Rantzen in November 2013 and has since received over 1.5 million calls.
RACINE  Dozens of community members gathered in front of the home of 3-year-old JereMiah Pitt on the 1800 block of Howe Street on Sunday evening to pray, to sing songs and to heal.

JereMiah died from a gunshot wound on Wednesday.

The vigil was organized by the Racine Interfaith Coalition, which tries to bring the local neighborhood together whenever someone dies a tragic death.

It makes it even more tragic that he was a little boy with so much ahead, the Rev. Dr. Tony Larsen said.

Lakia Russell, JereMiahs mother, was present and spoke briefly.

This is sad, what happened to my son. But I have to be strong because I have children that I have to be strong for, Russell said. Its just sad  I wish he was here. I know hes looking down on all of us.

Russell didnt offer any comment to members of the media in attendance.

As the vigil proceeded, cars that drove by slowed down to see what was happening. People on bicycles stopped and listened to the prayers and songs.

Although she didnt know JereMiah, Gladys Itson lives in the neighborhood; she said she wanted to pay her respects to the family and offer her prayers.

JereMiah didnt know what life was about, Itson said. He knew he got up in the morning and laid down at night. Thats all he knew. So were going to have to pray and pray for him.

Retired pastor Rev. Yeprem Kelegian, who used to preach at St. Mesrob Armenian Church, said this death is jarring and there needs to be more peace in Racine and beyond.

This is different. This is different than any vigil Ive been at, Kelegian said. The whole City of Racine should be here.

Several other family members were present and Kelegian said they are not alone in their grief.

Were here with pain, were sitting with your pain, Kelegian said. And we pray for consolation and we pray for peace.

Kelegian and the other community members offered some reassurance to the family.

JereMiah is OK, Kelegian said, adding that there is a special prayer said at funerals for children. In that prayer, it says that he is playing around the throne of God. He is with the children of Bethlehem.

Racine police are still investigating the shooting. The gun has been recovered, but the owner is unknown. Wisconsin State Patrol troopers have been called in to support Racine police with the investigation.
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Ltd., Shanghai Ogilvy & Mather Advertising Ltd, Shire Hall Group, Spafax Airline Network Limited, Spafax Networks LLC, Stickleback Limited, Sudler & Hennessey LLC, Superunion Limited, Swift + POSSIBLE LLC, Syzygy AG, TMARC, Taxi, Taxi Inc., Team Garage LLC, The Brand Union, The Cocktail Global S.L., The Finsbury Group Limited, The Glover Park Group, The Glover Park Group LLC, The GroupM ESP Clever Company S.R.L. de C.V., The Lacek Group LLC, The Marketing & Communication Agency, The Ogilvy Group LLC, The Performers Group, The Young & Rubicam Group of Companies ULC, Triad Digital Media LLC, Twist Image, Two Circles, VML LLC, VMLY&R, WPP (Thailand) Ltd, WPP 2005 Limited, WPP AMC Holdings, WPP AUNZ, WPP Beans Limited, WPP Brands (UK) Limited, WPP Brands Development Holdings (UK) Limited, WPP Brands Holdings (UK) Limited, WPP Deutschland Holding GmbH & Co. KG, WPP Finance 2013, WPP Finance 2015 Limited, WPP Finance Co. Limited, WPP Finance SA, WPP Group (UK) Ltd, WPP Group Canada Finance Inc., WPP Group U.S. Finance LLC, WPP Group USA Inc., WPP Health Limited, WPP Holdings Spain S.L., WPP Jubilee Limited, WPP Luxembourg Gamma Three Sarl, WPP Luxembourg Sarl, WPP Luxembourg Turris S.a r.l., WPP Marketing Communications (Hong Kong) Limited, WPP Marketing Communications Germany GmbH, WPP Media Ltd, WPP Montagu Square LLC, WPP Mexico S.R.L. de C.V., WPP Ottawa Ltd, WPP Samson Limited, WPP Sigma Limited, WPP Sphinx Limited, WPP Square one B.V, WPP UK Germany Holdings, WPP Unicorn Limited, WPPIH 2001 Inc., Warwicks, Wavemaker A/S, Wavemaker Australia Pty Ltd, Wavemaker BV, Wavemaker Canada ULC, Wavemaker Czech s.r.o., Wavemaker Global LLC, Wavemaker Global Limited, Wavemaker GmbH, Wavemaker Hong Kong Limited, Wavemaker Hungary Kft, Wavemaker Italia S.r.l., Wavemaker Limited, Wavemaker MENA FZ LLC, Wavemaker Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Wavemaker Publicidad Spain S.L., Wavemaker Sp.z.o.o, Wavemaker Taiwan Ltd, Wavemaker  Servicos Publicitarios Ltda, Who Digital, Witgoud Investments B.V., Worldwide Mediacom Mexico S de R.L. de C.V., Wunderman A/S, Wunderman Thompson (UK) Limited, Wunderman Thompson LLC, XMKT Group, Xaxis LLC, Xaxis US LLC, Y&R Propaganda Ltda, Young & Rubicam, Young & Rubicam LLC, clarus digital, dBOD, groupm Germany GmbH & Co. KG, mPlatform LLC, plista GmbH, thjnk, and thjnk AG.

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The Racine area's population is not growing, and construction costs are rising. Those factors are guiding how the Racine Unified School District is planning to spend the funding from its 30-year, $1 billion referendum. The district's long-term plans have been somewhat changed in the past two years. Here's where they sit now (and yes, inflation plays a big factor)...
The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals has revived the efforts of Colorado-based The Fourth Corner Credit Union (Fourth Corner) to become the nations first cannabis credit union. The credit union, chartered under an obscure provision in Colorado law that permits the state financial services commissioner to grant a charter so long as the credit union has applied for share insurance, was formed in 2014 to serve the states legalized marijuana industry and its supporters. On June 27, in a 2-1 majority opinion, the appellate court overturned the district courts ruling in the credit unions lawsuit against the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City (Fed Bank) after the bank denied Fourth Corners application for a master account. Vacating the district courts order and remanding with instructions dismiss the amended complaint without prejudice, the divided 10th Circuit panel decision essentially gives Fourth Corner another shot at applying to the Fed Bank for a master account, which could pave the way for the credit union to finally open its doors for business.

Background

In 2012, Colorado, along with Washington, became the first states in the nation to legalize recreational marijuana under state law. However, under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), marijuana remains a Schedule I substance, which makes it illegal under federal law to manufacture, distribute, or dispense marijuana. See, 12 U.S.C. 812(b)(1). As such, despite legalization under state law, financial transactions involving proceeds from marijuana-related activity can still form the basis for federal criminal prosecution. As discussed in a prior blog post, this conflict between federal and state law presents a significant challenge to financial institutions in providing banking services to marijuana-related businesses (MRBs). As a result, MRBs that are operating legally under state law remain largely unbanked and typically operate as cash-only businesses, increasing public safety risks.
A question was recently posed to CUNAs compliance staff about the Right to Financial Privacy Act (RFPA).

Specifically, if a federal government agency requests financial information on a member, what type of documentation is required before turning information over?

According to the act, a credit union should not release the records of a member unless the requesting agency provides:

A signed authorization from the member;

A search warrant;

A judicial subpoena;

A summons or administrative subpoena; or

a formal written request.

The government agency must give a certification to the credit union that it has complied with the RFPA.
Talking Points

Asian stocks lacked a Japanese lead with Tokyo out for holiday

However, a US monetary-policy rethink among investors and a weaker USD made for some gains

Chinas Growth and industrial production figures sprung pleasant surprises

What sort of third-quarter can your favorite currency look forward to? The DailyFX forecasts are out, theyre free and theyre here.

Asian markets were mostly higher Monday focused on Chinese growth data and last weeks softer US economic numbers as a new week got under way.

Fridays US consumer price index data came in just weaker than expected, with retail sales disappointing too. The resultant rethink in the likely pace of interest-rate increases from the Federal Reserve saw stocks gain and the US Dollar weaken quite sharply.

Meanwhile Mondays numbers were all about China. Official second-quarter Gross Domestic Product growth just beat expectations, rising 6.9% on-year. However Junes industrial production levels came in much stronger, with steel output at a record peak. Both that sector and real-estate construction seem to be ending the years first half in great spirits. However, reaction to the numbers was quite muted, perhaps as investors were mulling a key Chinese government meeting which took place in Beijing over the weekend and which seems to have ended with participants wanting more state control over the economy.

Japanese stock markets were closed for holiday, robbing the region of key bellwether. Of those markets which were open, Australias ASX 200 was flat to slightly lower into the close while indexes in Hong Kong and South Korea gained. Shanghai stocks failed to capitalize on the stronger data, coming under pressure reportedly as investors were worrying about poor earnings prospects for start-up companies in Shenzhen.

The US Dollar remained under pressure but didnt get a lot lower through the Asian session. The US Dollar index tracks its progress against a basket of major traded rivals and is still close to ten-month lows. USD/JPY was at 112.60 or so, having lost an entire big figure on Friday.

Crude oil prices firmed up by about 16 cents/barrel after news of a fall in US production-rig numbers and on perceptions of rising demand. Gold prices enjoyed support as investors suspected that they will see less-aggressive monetary policy in the US, rising about 0.3% per ounce through the Asian session.

The rest of global Monday is light in terms of scheduled economic news. However official, final Eurozone Consumer Price Index should draw a crowd, as should Canadas existing-home sale numbers.

--- Written by David Cottle, DailyFX Research

Contact and follow David on Twitter: @DavidCottleFX
Micro Focus International plc operates in the enterprise software business in the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, Canada, France, Japan, and internationally. It offers infrastructure software products that are managed on a portfolio. The company's product portfolio includes sector-agnostic products, such as application modernization and connectivity solutions that help customers to unlock the value from core business applications for modernization, which enable a transformational journey to deliver ongoing value and flexibility from IT investments, on or off the mainframe; application delivery management solutions that helps customers to increase velocity, remove bottlenecks, and deliver high-performing applications to support their digital business; and IT operations management solutions for service assurance, automate the service fulfilment life cycle, and strengthen IT service governance. It also offers CyberRes, a security solution that helps enterprises to create cyber resilience through detecting threats, securing data and applications, and protecting identities, which enables customers to adapt and evolve for the future; and information management and governance solutions that helps customers to analyze, understand, and control data to derive value and manage enterprise risk. The company was founded in 1976 and is headquartered in Newbury, the United Kingdom.
RACINE  Horlick High School student Ellie Adams and Case High School student Kayla McNeal were each awarded a Wednesday Optimist Clubs Academic Achievement Scholarship of $2,000.

Adams will be attending the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. McNeal will major in math education at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

Technical Scholarships in the amount of $1,000 each were awarded to Isabel Casares, Jennifer Peralta and Ashley Vyvyan, all from Case High School, as well as Cassity Stedman from Walden High School.

Casares will be majoring in basic nutrition, chemistry and psychology at either Gateway Technical College or the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. Peralta plans to study criminal justice at Gateway Technical College. Stedman and Vyvyan also plan to attend Gateway Technical College  Stedman to study greenhouse and horticulture marketing, while Vyvyan seeks a major in diesel mechanics.

Funds for the scholarships are earned through the Wednesday Optimist Club sales of fried cheese curds, fried Twinkies and funnel cakes at the Racine County Fair, along with receipts from various fundraisers conducted each year and contributions from businesses and individuals in the community. The club supports several other youth programs in the Racine area throughout the year.
Telefonica, S.A., together with its subsidiaries, provides telecommunications services in Europe and Latin America. The company's mobile and related services and products comprise mobile voice, value added, mobile data and Internet, wholesale, corporate, roaming, fixed wireless, and trunking and paging services. Its fixed telecommunication services include PSTN lines; ISDN accesses; public telephone services; local, domestic, and international long-distance and fixed-to-mobile communications; corporate communications; supplementary value-added services; video telephony; intelligent network; and telephony information services, as well as leases and sells handset equipment. The company also provides Internet and broadband multimedia services comprising Internet service provider, portal and network, retail and wholesale broadband access, narrowband switched access, high-speed Internet through fibre to the home, and voice over Internet protocol services. In addition, it offers leased line, virtual private network, fibre optics, web hosting and application, outsourcing and consultancy, desktop, and system integration and professional services. Further, the company offers wholesale services for telecommunication operators, including domestic interconnection and international wholesale services; leased lines for other operators; and local loop leasing services, as well as bit stream services, wholesale line rental accesses, and leased ducts for other operators' fiber deployment. Additionally, it provides video/TV services; smart connectivity and services, and consumer IoT products; financial and other payment, security, cloud computing, advertising, big data, and digital telco experience services; virtual assistants; digital home platforms; and Movistar Home devices. It also offers online telemedicine, home insurance, music streaming, and consumer loan services. The company was incorporated in 1924 and is headquartered in Madrid, Spain.
CALEDONIA  In 2015, village voters passed a nonbinding referendum in support of creating a new school system for the village. The Village Board has since set money aside in the budget for a feasibility study, but Racine Unified is continuing to work to convince area residents that splitting from Unified is not necessary.

School referendums pass by slim margins in Caledonia, Sturtevant RACINE COUNTY  A slim majority of residents who voted Tuesday in Caledonia and Sturtevant a

Racine Unified School District Deputy Superintendent Eric Gallien said last week at a Caledonia village meeting: I feel confident that weve reached a better place and that they are willing to listen to our plan, listen to all the good things we do have going on and that were working toward a promising future for everyone in this community.

In 2016, an expanded Gifford School, which changed from kindergarten through fifth grade, to K-8, and an all-new Olympia Brown School building opened in the village.

At that July 11 meeting, Superintendent Lolli Haws focused her presentation to the Caledonia Village Board on a proposed five-year strategic plan for the school system as a whole, which district officials call Raising Racine 2022.

The basic premise of this strategic plan is one of continuous improvement, Haws told the board. Constantly monitoring data to check in frequently to make sure you make adjustments along the way.

Haws said the plan is based on five priorities that include:

In five years to be the educational choice for families in southeast Wisconsin.

Accelerating student achievement.

Close the gap in poverty, color and students with disabilities so all students can be successful.

Ensure schools are safe and positive places for learning.

Our fifth goal is to make sure we have pathways for students that lead them right into post-secondary training and college, career or technical school that launches their life and hopefully keeps them in the community working, Haws said.

Haws proposed four ways to measure success:

Student learning  academic, social and emotional learning.

Monitoring culture and environment.

Partnering with the communities.

Making sure Unified is spending taxpayers money efficiently and effectively that focus on whats best for the students.

Request of village

During the presentation last week Dominic Cariello, who serves on the Racine Area Manufacturers and Commerce education committee, told village officials they need to get involved with School Board candidates, in light of the state Legislature having made the districts School Board membership assigned by geography rather than at-large seats.

How can we make a difference on the board of education? Vet your candidates for your district, Cariello said.

Cariello blamed special interests for having career board members.

What you have is individuals who dont give a crap about your future, Cariello said. Talk to them. Are you going to represent us, our interests, and our future?

Village reaction

At the end of the presentation, Village Administrator Tom Christensen said hes optimistic about Unifieds plan.

I think were turning a corner. Its been said that we need to fix Unified and I think were fixing Unified. I think this is going to change things, Christensen said.

Village President Bob Bradley said he is considering the strategic plan, but was cautious.

This is just starting off. To not investigate, it would be a strike against us. Thats our job, to look at all our alternatives, Bradley said.

Bradley estimated it would cost $70 million to start a new school district and upwards of $100 million to make it competitive.

We have put money in the budget for a study. We probably will do it at some point. We have to investigate all our avenues, but we want to find out what this is, Bradley said.

After the meeting, School Board President Bob Wittke Jr.  who represents District 9 which includes Caledonia  said he doesnt think succession talk will ever end, but hes hopeful of a better outcome if Unified does its part.

I think we have to work every day, every month to fix more, Wittke said.
14-year-old held with prescription drugs

Police on Sunday arrested a teenage boy for possessing prescription drugs from Kawasoti in Nawalparasi.
Eurasia Mining was granted a discovery certificate for its Monchetundra project sooner than expected with application for a mining license expected to follow in the near future.

Terskaya Mining Company, Eurasia's local subsidiary, had applied for the certificate just last 15 June.

Monchetundra had 1.9m ounces of palladium equivalent global reserves and resources with a total in-situ metal value, before metal recoveries and all costs, of $1.7bn at current prices.

However, the board warned that did not imply Eurasia would achieve that figure.

The state-approved reserves and resources comprised Russian standard C1 and C2 categories of 55.9 tonnes palladium equivalent at two open pits which also contained significant gold and base metal credits, including 2.0 tonnes of gold, 28,124 tonnes of copper and 30,410 tonnes of nickel.

Eurasia had also made progress in talks with refineries in the region regarding concentrates of the likes produced from Monchetundra, the company said in a statement.

AIM-listed Eurasia said its intention was to progress the development of Monchetundra by adhering to a similar model as at its West Kytlim mine, contracting an operator and selling the operating costs in return for a share of the sales.

Production had already commenced from two production units at this mine.

Managing Director Christian Schaffalitzky congratulated his team for the results of their efforts.

"Once again, a heart-felt thank you to our team in Russia for advancing the project through to this stage. The rate of progress at Monchetundra, from submission of our Feasibility Study, through Reserves Approval to issue of a Discovery Certificate, has been impressive by any international standard. We look forward to progressing our Mining Licence application as we move towards development of this major asset."
For the first time since negotiations broke down in December 2015, South Korea has reached out to the North to resume peace talks in an effort to ease animosities between the two nations.

South Koreas Vice Defence Minister Suh Choo-suk has suggested that the talks be held on July 21st in Tongilgak, a building within the Panmunjom Compound in a North Korean controlled area of the DMZ which had been used during the previous negotiations.

As of now, North Korea are yet to reply to the Souths proposal.

President of South Korea, Moon Jae-in has been very vocal of his desire to have a more open dialogue with the North and believes these conversations between the nations are paramount to ending Pyongyangs nuclear weapons programme.

The test of an intercontinental ballistic missile earlier this month left many countries, not the least of which the US very concerned by the disregard shown towards UN resolutions by the regime.

Moon has suggested that all hostile military activities be halted on 27 July, the anniversary of the 1953 armistice that ended the Korean War. While not elaborating on these "hostile" activities he has previously called for an end to the provocative messages played via loudspeaker through the DMZ.

For its part, North Korea has been calling for an end to the joint US-South Korean military drills held on their side.

South Koreas Red Cross proposed separate talks be held in an effort to reunite families separated by the border. However, North Korea has long stated that they would not engage in talks until the South had returned several high profile defectors.

In an effort to bring effective pressure to bear on North Korea, the US is reportedly preparing to put in place new sanctions on Chinese Banks and investors doing business with the North which may come into effect possibly in the next few weeks.
According to her spokesman May will be "reminding them of their responsibilities and making the point that ministers across government need to be focused on getting on with delivering for the British public."

May who has been dealing with a party divided over how to best deal with Brexit, was dealt a blow last month when the Tories lost their majority in parliament.

Finance Minister, Phillip Hammond who has been a strong advocate for a softer approach to Brexit proceedings was hit with considerable outrage over the weekend when it was alleged that during a cabinet meeting, when referring to the disproportionate amount of men taking on careers such as train driving, he said that employees in the public sector were "overpaid" and that "even a woman can do it".

Another party member has gone on to say that the quip had been said by another minister entirely and was "unfairly characterising Hammonds position". All this goes to underline the issues that May has faced in presenting a unified party since the disastrous election campaign that ended with her having to strike a deal with Northern Irelands Democratic Unionist Party in order to secure her position in Number 10.
DHAKA - The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) has welcomed the signing of the new Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety, as an important step towards protection of workers. Welcoming the new Accord, Sharan Burrow, ITUC general secretary, said: "This new Accord underlines the successes already achieved under the existing 2013 Accord, and will provide vital protections for workers who, while producing vast export wealth for Bangladesh, are at risk of workplace injury and death. Local factory owners are putting pressure on the Government of Bangladesh to turn back the clock to the days of Rana Plaza, and we urge the government to give its full support to the tens of thousands of workers who produce that wealth, by backing the new Accord."
By Joe Sandler Clarke

The lead author of a major study which found that neonicotinoid pesticides harm honey bees has hit back against criticism from the chemical companies that part-funded the work.

Dr. Ben Woodcock from the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH), said Bayer and Syngenta, which produce the controversial pesticides, had looked to undermine his work after it was published, despite providing $3 million in funding.

Speaking exclusively to Energydesk, he said:

From a personal perspective, I dont really appreciate having them accuse me of being a liar. And accusing me of falsifying results by cherry-picking data. Thats not what weve done. Ive got little to gain from this and its been a major headache. We just present the results we get.

https://twitter.com/RobertKennedyJr/statuses/885579293929164800 on solitary bees. Its not that interesting a story.

Woodcock said the accusations made by Bayer and Syngenta were utterly unfounded.

Im intrigued to know what they wouldve wanted us to do. If you find negative results on key metricsnumber of bees in hives, number of bees surviving after winterhow would they want us to present that? How could we interpret this in what they see as an unbiased way?

Science papers are short. There about 1,500 words. The discussion is tiny on this. Its like a paragraph. So its not like we spent vast amounts of time discussing the details of this. You literally present the results more or less as they are, along with some broad statements on what you observed.

The study, which was part-funded by Bayer and Syngenta, with the rest paid for by the UK government-backed Natural Environment Research Council, examined the impact of two neonicotinoidsclothianidin (made by Bayer) and thiamethoxam (made by Syngenta) on wild bees and honey bees in three European countries: Germany, Hungary and the UK.

The experiments occurred in the field, with bees feeding on oilseed rape crops, treated with the neonicotinoids. From the start of the work in 2014, the research was hailed as significant. It was the first time neonics had been tested on such a large scale.

The results differed from country to country, with bees largely unaffected by the chemicals in Germany, but badly hit in the UK and Hungary. Overall, the scientists concluded that the chemicals had a negative impact on the ability of wild bees to reproduce, while also showing, for the first time in real world conditions, that neonicotinoids harm honey bees.

Bayer and Syngenta have both highlighted the results from Germany.

Theyre trying to reduce the size of our experiment, by putting it into individual countries. And when you do that you reduce the replication to such a level that its basically impossible to find a difference between an effect of neonics or no neonics, said Woodcock.

Bayer and Syngenta said that if you look at each country individually, then you dont get the effects you see in our study. If you do any experiment, you have to think about replication.

Think about tossing a coin in the air: if you tossed a coin once in the air and you got heads, would you assume that you would get heads every time? No, you would do it again and again until you understand there is a 50:50 chance of the coin landing on heads. And every experiment is like that. The more times you replicate something, the more chance you have of understanding whats going on.

This is a problem that is well established in the literature. Previous studies have been criticized for having very poor replication because if you dont have the replication you could report the absence of an effect of neonics even when one was present.

Theyre trying to muddy the waters. Because people arent aware of how the regulations work and what the regulatory body wants to focus on. Theyre trying to say look at everything, rather than saying actually what theyve presented here are the core metrics by which pesticides are regulated. Thats a bit cynical.

Statistically Flawed Studies

Neonicotinoids have long been controversial, with recent research showing that the chemicals have a negative impact on bees and other pollinators.

In 2013, the European Commission decided to issue a temporary ban on the pesticides in the EU, citing the risk the chemicals pose to bees.

After taking evidence on the impact of the chemicals on bees for the last few years, the commission is reportedly likely to call for an outright ban on the chemicals at the end of 2017.

Bayer and Syngenta have repeatedly funded research showing that the agricultural chemicals do not harm bees and other pollinators.

Woodcock highlighted a number of papers from the last few years and accused both companies of putting out statistically flawed studies.

He said: What shocks me is how they can put out statistically flawed or massively under-replicated studies that show no effect and dont bat an eyelid. But then they tear apart any study that shows a negative effect as statistically wrong and unrepresentative.

During the interview, Woodcock cited research published in 2013 by Plos as being particularly flawed.

The study, which credits Syngentas Peter Campbell as an author, examined the impact of repeated exposure to thiamethoxam on honey bees and found the chemical posed a low risk to the insects.

An assessment of the work published earlier this year in Environmental Sciences Europe by scientists from St. Andrews University found the study to be largely uninformative, misleading and based on inadequate data.

Asked for a response to Woodcocks comments of the quality of its research, Bayer referred to previous comments made after the release of the CEH study.

Syngenta told us: We stand by our position that this is an inconclusive study that asks more questions than it answers. It should be noted that a number of other independent scientists who have reviewed this paper expressed similar concerns via the UK Science Media Centre.

The data generated in the study whilst variable, provides valuable and unique insights that help to better understand the ways in which neonicotinoid pesticides can be used safely. The report is a helpful contribution to the ongoing debate about pollinator health.

Im Not Surprised They Werent Happy

Sunday Energydesk revealed that while the research was being carried out, Bayer and Syngenta made repeated attempts to get hold of the raw data from the experiments on wild bees which were funded by the Natural Environment Research Council, only to be rebuffed by the scientists.

Email correspondence obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, also showed that both companies also sent their own studies to the scientists showing that the chemicals were a low risk to bees, but were largely ignored.

After publication, Syngenta sent us a statement which read: CEH appear to have responded to funding, interaction, and requests for data by drawing an even stronger negative conclusion regarding the impact of neonicotinoids on bees.

This study is not conclusive but it is sufficient to show there is something going on. Holger Weber / Greenpeace

Woodcock, an ecological entomologist at CEH who has in the past been commissioned to do research by the UK government, told Energydesk he was not surprised that Bayer and Syngenta had reacted negatively when the results from the experiments came in.

Ill be honest, it wasnt a surprise to me that they werent happy. We knew as soon as the results came back as being negative, they werent going to be happy and I understand that.

Theyve got a massive commercial interest in this. They pay for the data and the data is appended to the end of the paper. Its freely available and the idea is that other people can have a look.

This is our interpretation and we believe it a robust interpretation. Its open to other people to look at. But the way theyre doing this seems to be focused on getting a result they want, rather than doing it in a robust manner.

Future of the Debate

Looking ahead at what impact the research might have on the future of the neonicotinoids debate, Woodcock said he doesnt believe it can be proved conclusively that the nicotine-based chemicals harm bees, but he said: it is sufficient to show there is something going on.

He added that there is some evidence, as shown in the experiments in Germany, that a high-quality natural environment for bees, can increase their chances of surviving not just neonics but also climate change and other factors that are thought to have led to declining bee populations.

If you can create high-quality habitats and resources in an agricultural landscape that helps bee populations, they are more likely to take a lot of the impacts of environmental change exposure to something like neonics. This is not something thats been conclusively shown, but good habitat is likely to help.

Its easy to say ban neonics, but youve got to take into account what the alternatives are. Simply saying theres no effect of neonicotinoids is not the way to go. There needs to be a sensible acknowledgment that there is a problem so we can work out a solution that best serves society and the natural environment.
By Michael Hiatt

Colorado is now the 11th U.S. state to commit to the Paris climate agreement in a repudiation of the Trump administrations decision to walk away from the deal.

The growing revolt at the state level over Trumps climate policies reflects unwillingness among policymakers to turn away from years of work transitioning to clean energy. Colorado is a case in point. Gov. John Hickenloopers recent executive order committing Colorado to meeting or exceeding the greenhouse gas reduction targets set in Paris follows regulatory developments that will propel the state toward a new clean energy economy.

Colorado has long been a national leader in developing clean, renewable energy. In 2016, it was the seventh largest wind producing state and the eleventh largest solar producing state. More than 25 percent of the electricity generated by Colorados largest electric utility, Xcel Energy, last year came from renewable energy resources. In addition, renewables share of the generation mix will increase to 30 percent by 2020 under the states Renewable Energy Standard.

Currently, four recent regulatory developments are poised to accelerate Colorados clean energy transition:

1. Wind and utility-scale solar are the cheapest resources in Colorado, today and in the future.

In May 2016, Xcel filed its long-term electric resource plan, which forecasts current and future energy prices. Xcels plan makes it clear that both wind and utility-scale solar are currently the cheapest resources in Colorado, and Xcel anticipates it will soon purchase significant amounts of new wind and solar to take advantage of these low renewable prices. Whats more, Xcel concluded that wind and utility-scale solar will likely remain the cheapest resources in the future, even as the current federal tax incentives are phased out.

Working with Vote Solar, Earthjustice intervened in the Colorado Public Utilities Commission proceeding regarding Xcels plan to ensure it evaluated solar on a level playing field with fossil fuels. Earthjustice attorneys successfully argued the plan should incorporate the social cost of carbon when Xcel calculates the costs of burning fossil fuels.

2. Distributed solar will continue to grow in Colorado through a landmark settlement agreement.

Partnering with Vote Solar, Earthjustice helped negotiate a landmark settlement agreement that preserves net metering and ensured these distributed solar resources will continue to grow in the future. As a result of the settlement, Xcel will add an additional 225 megawatts of rooftop solar and 105 megawatts of community solar by 2019. (There are currently more than 275 megawatts of rooftop solar on Xcels system and approximately 30 megawatts of community solar projects).

The settlement will also implement a voluntary trial program to analyze a new time-of-use (TOU) rate design. This new TOU rate should further incentivize the optimal deployment of rooftop solar, energy storage and other distributed energy resources.

3. Decoupling will provide a new policy tool to encourage the growth of rooftop solar and energy efficiency, while maximizing benefits for low-usage and low-income customers.

The Colorado Public Utilities Commission recently approved a decoupling mechanism for Xcel, which Earthjustice worked with Vote Solar to support. Decoupling removes a utilitys disincentive to promote rooftop solar, energy efficiency, and other measures that reduce electricity sales. This new decoupling mechanism should help ensure Xcel continues to support rooftop solar and energy efficiency in the future.

The Colorado Public Utilities Commission also adopted Earthjustices recommendations that benefit low-usage and low-income customers. The Tucson Model applies decoupling credits to low-usage rate tiers and decoupling charges to high-usage rate tiers in order to maximize benefits for low-usage and low-income customers. Colorado is the first state to implement the Tucson Model for decoupling.

4. Xcel begins construction on an additional 650 megawatts of clean energy.

Xcel recently began construction on the Rush Creek wind farm located on Colorados eastern plains. Rush Creek will generate 600 megawatts of electricity when it is completed in 2018. The project will be Colorados largest wind farm, and it will consist of 300 wind turbines that will be built in Colorado.

Xcel will soon begin construction on a 50-megawatt utility-scale solar facility as part of its new Renewable*Connect program. The Renewable*Connect program will allow Xcel customers to directly subscribe to the electricity generated from a large solar facility. This new solar program is due to the settlement agreement achieved by Earthjustice and Vote Solar.

This recent good news from Colorado indicates that clean energy will continue to grow and prosper despite the Trump administration, even in states with a substantial fossil fuel industry. Colorado shows that while there may be dark storm clouds at the federal level, the future of clean energy is clear.
A couple things happened late last week that feel worth mentioning, to kick off this week on a hopeful note.

First, in a bit of legislative wonkery, the House of Representatives voted against an amendment that would have prevented the Department of Defense from studying how climate impacts threaten national security.

To express that in a way that doesnt double up on negatives, lets unpack it. The National Defense Authorization Act is the annual bill to fund the Department of Defense. This is considered a must-pass bill so everyone tries to slip in amendments, hoping that the bills size and scope means they pass without notice.

One of these amendments, proposed by Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa), would have cut funding for a DoD study of how climate change will impact national security over the next 20 years. The military is already dealing with climate change, so its prudent that they are able to study what sorts of impacts are coming down the line.

Perry argued that there are plenty of other agencies looking at climate change, so the military shouldnt. But in a relatively impressive display of intelligence, 46 Republicans joined Democrats to vote down Perrys amendment, preserving the funding for the DoD study.

That 46 Republicans were willing to side with science is impressive, and in part a function of the bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus. This group has come under some scrutiny (perhaps rightfully so) for their general inaction and specifically failing to criticize Trumps Paris pull-out.

But now, by voting down Perrys amendment, theyve done somethingthats good news! In their defense, the fear of getting Bob Inglisd (where a Republican takes a reasonable position on climate change then gets primaried from the right by a Koch-supported candidate), is understandable.

Bob Inglis brings us to the other flicker of light in these dark times. Buzzfeeds Zahra Hirji reported on Friday that Rep. Lamar Smith took a quiet trip to the Arctic to tour science facilities in the melting North. Yes, the same Lamar Smith who spent a year harassing climate scientist Tom Karl went to learn from climate scientists about their work. Oddly, he refused to talk about it with Buzzfeed afterward, canceling a call two minutes before it was supposed to start.

Considering that it was a trip to Antarctica that inspired Ingliss conversion to climate reality, one can hope that seeing the ice melting for himself will have a similar effect on Smith.

Either way, the Defense vote shows that the House may be moving in the right direction, if admittedly at a glacial pace. Whether or not it continues, well just have to wait and Larsen C.
By David Pomerantz

The New York Times reported earlier this month about how utilities around the country, and their trade group the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), have worked to weaken rooftop solar policies in an attempt to stave off the threat to their business model.

The article featured some of Energy and Policy Institutes reporting, including our expose of Brian McCormack, former EEI executive and current Chief of Staff to Energy Secretary Rick Perry, for his role in attacking rooftop solar while at EEI, as well as our uncovering of Florida utilities deceptive anti-solar ballot initiative in that state last year.

Some important aspects of the story of utilities efforts did not make it into the Times coverage though:

Upset About EEI? Theres a Good Chance Youre Funding Them

The Times exposed the central role played by the Edison Electric Institute in driving the utility industrys anti-rooftop solar strategy:

At a January 2016 board meeting of the Edison institute, attended by chief executives of the countrys largest utilities, Thomas R. Kuhn, the groups president, counseled against complacency.

Years, ago, I think a lot of people said, Thats not going to come to our area,' he said, according to a recording of his remarks made available by a participant. And now we see it in each and every state, he said.

EEI is happy to come to any state at any time, he added. We have two dozen states we are working on.

If youre angry about EEI, heres some bad news for you: theres a high chance that youre paying the salaries of the trade associations executives.

Our report Paying for Politics detailed how the nations investor-owned electric utility customers are subsidizing EEI via their bills every month. Investor-owned utilities embed their EEI membership dues into rates, forcing their customers to pay for a policy agenda constructed primarily for the benefit of utilities shareholders, not their customers. Since most customers have no choice about their utility, theres not much they can do about it.

Despite Efforts, Utilities Cannot Stop Distributed Solar Energy

And heres some better news: The Times story focused on Indiana, where utilities scored a victory when they lobbied to pass a law that would unravel net metering, the policy that dictates how much a utility must pay solar owners for the excess electricity they sell back to the grid. But another state reveals how the utilities strategy can, and often will, backfire.

In Nevada, utility NV Energy succeeded in 2015 at lobbying regulators to reduce net metering payments. The industry perceived it as a victory that other utilities could learn fromin January 2017, EEI and NV Energy announced that Tony Sanchez, an NV Energy senior vice-president who helped lead the utilitys efforts in the net metering debates, was taking on a key loaned executive role with EEI.

But while the utility industry celebrated what they thought was a big win for NV Energy, Nevadans became furious at the lost solar jobs and the utilitys influence at slowing down the growth of a technology that people from across the political spectrum love. The utilitys victory was short-lived. In June 2017, the legislature unanimously passed, and Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval signed, a bill to restore the old net metering rates.

Not only that, but last November, the states voters passed by a large margin a ballot initiative to break up NV Energys monopoly entirelypolitical observers in the state perceive the amendments success in part as a referendum on NV Energys unpopularity in the wake of the companys attacks on solar.

The Nevada story should serve as a warning for utilities: In places where they try to attack popular pro-solar policies, a popular backlash risks weakening their political capital with regulators and legislators.

In the long run, utilities have even bigger problems than their political fortunes. Even where they win short-term victories on policies like net metering, the combination of rooftop solar panels plus batteries, which are getting cheaper faster than anyone expected, will enable more and more customers to buy less and less electricity from their utilities. Dave Roberts of Vox recently authored a piece on the topic aptly headlined: Utilities fighting against rooftop solar are only hastening their own doom.

As Roberts writes, quoting a recent McKinsey study:

In a low-cost storage environment, McKinsey writes, the rate structures utilities are monkeying around with are unlikely to be effective at mitigating load losses. In other words, customers are still going to keep generating more of their own power.

The Times piece was important to expose how utilities are coming after solar. But its worth remembering that in the long run, they wont stop distributed renewable energy, and will be better served learning to co-exist with it than to keep fighting it.
By Ron Johnson

When President Donald Trump signed off on a presidential permit okaying the Keystone XL crude oil pipeline in March, it was a real blow to an environmental movement that had tasted victory over the dirty tar sands clunker back in 2015 when President Obama withdrew the permit for the project.

With Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau united in their support of the pipeline, it seemed little could stand in the way of some 830,000 barrels of dirty tar sands fuel barreling down a 36-inch crude oil pipe from Hardisty, Alberta through Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska to export terminals in the Gulf of Mexico. The pipeline seemed destined to pass over, under, and through environmentally sensitive areas such as Nebraskas Sandhills, and put at risk the Ogallala Aquifer, one of the worlds largest underground freshwater sources.

But not so fast.

Anti-pipeline activists are holding strong. They announced Solar XL, the latest move in a battle waged against the pipeline. Launched July 6 by a coalition of groups including Bold Nebraska, 350.org, Indigenous Environment Network and Oil Change International, the campaign features a series of solar panel arrays installed directly on the KXL pipeline route as it passes through Nebraska.

We are putting solutions in the path of the problem, said Sara Shor, a campaigner for 350.org. TransCanada will have to literally dig up these solar arrays in order to build a polluting pipeline of the past that will pollute land and water, increase carbon emissions, and make climate change worse. The first project will be completed by the time the hearing in Lincoln starts in August.

Each installation will cost $15,500 for a nine-panel frame, net-metering connection to the Nebraska power grid and labor. The groups aim to raise $50,000 via crowdfunding at the Action Network to help finance the installation in locations where landowners have refused to sell to TransCanada.

The energy produced by the arrays will be used by Nebraska farmers and ranchers leading the fight against KXL in Nebraska, both symbolically and literally putting a renewable energy future directly in the path of some of the dirtiest fuel on the planet.

I am vehemently opposed to the Keystone XL pipeline mainly because of the properties of the contents of the tar sands oil it will carrythis is not your Mothers crude oil, it is the Devils, and it can kill, said Nebraska landowner Jim Carlson. We must be focused on clean, renewable energy and America can get along just fine without this foul concoction they call bitumen that TransCanada wants to pipe across our precious soil and water.

The current pipeline route would also pass through Indigenous treaty lands, and the campaign includes solar panel installation at the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Spirit Camp in South Dakota, a prayer camp set up to oppose KXL back in 2014.

On the Rosebud reservation in South Dakota, renewable energy projects are already serving Indigenous peoples, and more are being planned, said Wayne Frederick, member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. From Nebraska to Alberta, Indigenous peoples, farmers, and communities along Keystone XLs route know that our best resistance is through putting the answers in the path of the problem.

Advocates are honing in on Nebraska as it is the last state reviewing the pipelineall the other states through which KXL would pass have already approved the project. The publicly elected Public Service Commission (PSC) is tasked with approving (or not approving) the route. The PSC has been holding a series of hearings over the past months to gather information from the public, and is reviewing the thousands of comments registered in opposition to the project. The crucial final hearings are set to get underway August 3.

For grassroots activists such as Bold Nebraska, PSC is the last line of defense, and they are doing whatever they can to get the message out that Keystone XL has no place in the Cornhusker state. The group is made up largely of local farmers and ranchers fighting against the use of eminent domain to get the pipeline onto Nebraska land, as threatened by TransCanada, the Canadian energy company behind the project.

Building America means relying on energy that protects our property rights and ensures we have clean drinking water. Foreign tar sands in the Keystone XL pipeline, that would flow to the export market, is not in our public or our states interest, Bold Alliance president Jane Kleeb said in a statement. When faced with challenges, Nebraskans find solutions together to show our communities values and the bond to the land that TransCanada cannot break or buy.

Since President Trump approved KXL, it seems there has been no shortage of news demonstrating why it isnt needed, from the withering away of customer interest in using the new pipeline to new statistics showing more people working in the solar industry than oil, gas and coal combined, which begs the question of who stands to benefit from more fossil fuel infrastructure.

The fight is absolutely not over, Shor said. And no matter what happens in Nebraska, Trumps complete disregard for communities in approving this project has only activated thousands more people to fight the fossil fuel projects that are in their backyards, Shor said. Every fossil fuel company should be shaking in their boots because of the inevitable transition away from fossil fuels to renewable energy projects.
2 killed, 3 feared dead in overnight floods

Two persons died and three others are missing and feared dead in Saturday nights floods in Khimti area of Ramechhap district.
Donald Trump is so spectacularly horrible that its hard to look away (especially now that hes discovered bombs). But precisely because everyones staring gape-mouthed in his direction, other world leaders are able to get away with almost anything. Dont believe me? Look one nation north, at Justin Trudeau.

Look all you want, in facthe sure is cute, the planets only sovereign leader who appears to have recently quit a boy band. And hes mastered so beautifully the politics of inclusion: compassionate to immigrants, insistent on including women at every level of government. Give him great credit where its deserved: in lots of ways hes the anti-Trump, and its no wonder Canadians swooned when he took over.

But when it comes to the defining issue of our day, climate change, hes a brother to the old orange guy in DC.

Not rhetorically. Trudeau says all the right things, over and over. Hes got no Scott Pruitts in his cabinet. Everyone who works for him says the right things. Indeed, they specialize in getting others to say them tooit was Canadian diplomats, and the countrys environment minister Catherine McKenna, who pushed at the Paris climate talks for a tougher-than-expected goal: holding the planets rise in temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

But those words are meaningless if you keep digging up more carbon and selling it to people to burn, and thats exactly what Trudeau is doing. Hes hard at work pushing for new pipelines through Canada and the U.S. to carry yet more oil out of Albertas tar sands, which is one of the greatest climate disasters on the planet.

Last month, speaking at a Houston petroleum industry gathering, he got a standing ovation from the oilmen for saying No country would find 173bn barrels of oil in the ground and just leave them there.

That is to say Canada, which represents one-half of one percent of the planets population, is claiming the right to sell the oil that will use up a third of the earths remaining carbon budget. That is to say, Trump is a creep and a danger and unpleasant to look at, but at least hes not a stunning hypocrite.

Yes, 173bn barrels is indeed the estimate for recoverable oil in the tar sands. So lets do some math. If Canada digs up that oil and sells it to people to burn, it will produce, according to the math whizzes at Oil Change International, 30 percent of the carbon necessary to take us past the 1.5 degree target that Canada helped set in Paris.

This having-your-cake-and-burning-it-too is central to Canadas self-image/energy policy. McKenna, confronted by Canadas veteran environmentalist David Suzuki, said tartly, We have an incredible climate change plan that includes putting a price on carbon pollution, also investing in clean innovation. But we also know we need to get our natural resources to market and were doing both. Right.

But doing the second negates the firstin fact, it completely overwhelms it. If Canada is busy shipping carbon all over the world, it doesnt matter all that much if every Tim Hortons stopped selling donuts and started peddling solar panels instead.

Canadas got company in this scam. Australias Malcolm Turnbull is supposed to be more sensitive than his predecessor, a Trump-like blowhard. When he signed on his nation to the Paris climate accords, he said, It is clear the agreement was a watershed, a turning point and the adoption of a comprehensive strategy has galvanized the international community and spurred on global action.

Which is a fine thing to say, or would be, if your government wasnt backing plans for the largest coal mine on earth. That single mine, in a country of 20 million, will produce 362 percent of the annual carbon emissions that everyone in the Philippines produces in the course of a year. It is, obviously, mathematically and morally absurd.

Trump, of course, is working just as eagerly to please the fossil fuel industryhes instructed the Bureau of Land Management to make permitting even easier for new oil and gas projects, for instance. And frackers wont even have to keep track of how much methane theyre spewing under his new guidelines. And why should they? If you believe, as Trump apparently does, that global warming is a delusion, a hoax, a mirage, you might as well get out of the way.

Trumps insulting the planet, in other words. But at least hes not pretending otherwise.
By Suzanne Roy

America has two long-standing symbols for freedom: the bald eagle and the wild mustang.

Wild horses are protected by a special law, which was unanimously passed by Congress in 1971 and designates mustangs as living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the West who enrich the lives of the American people. Youve seen these majestic wild horses in TV or magazine ads, running unbridled across the open range, dust in their wake. They evoke the boundless West and our nations pioneer spirit.

What you dont see is the helicopters chasing them.

[facebook https://facebook.com/EcoWatch/videos/1473385379341061/ expand=1]

Roundups sound romantic, but in the case of mustangs, the process is cruel and brutal. Despite federal protection, the horses are treated like pests on their native range because, it turns out, the West isnt that open after all.

Unlike eagles, who enjoy the advantage of an open sky, theres competition for the land on which mustangs roam. Mostly from ranchers, who view these wild horses as competition for cheap, taxpayer-subsidized grazing on public lands. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is in charge of managing wild horses on federal land. They do so with the notion, bolstered by private interests who have their own ideas for the real estate, that there are too many horses on the range. So they round them up.

The roundups start with the helicopters, which swoop down and terrorize the animals, chasing them to awaiting corrals. The pursuit is dangerous and terrifying. Many horses are injured and some die.

Here are some documented incidents from a recent BLM roundup in the Cedar Mountain Herd Management in Utah:

A pinto mare and her lookalike foal chased relentlessly by the helicopter, the foal roped, hogtied and separated from his mother, never to see her again.

An exhausted colt, limping into a trap after being chased for miles by a helicopter.

A helicopter coming dangerously close to a group of mustangs as it drives them into the trap.

A pregnant mare found down and in distress in a holding pen, killed due to foaling complications likely caused by the stress of helicopter stampede and capture.

A 22-year-old stallion, forced to run for miles with a shoulder injury and clubfoot only to be killed by the BLM after capture.

Its troubling to read about and even more disturbing to see. More than 350,000 people have viewed videos of the roundup posted by the American Wild Horse Campaign in February. This is one of them:

[facebook https://facebook.com/EcoWatch/videos/1485232274823038/ expand=1]

These roundups are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to wild horse suffering and death. Records obtained by the American Wild Horse Campaign through the Freedom of Information Act show dozens of horses dying after roundups in Nevada and Wyoming in the days, weeks and months after capture. Causes of death include traumatic injuries such as broken necks, sustained when terrified horses crash into fences and gates. Other horses are just found dead in their pens, some painfully perish from colic and others just fail to thrive. Pregnant mares stampeded by helicopters often abort their foals after capture and some die in the process.

The roundups deprive wild horses of the two things they value most: their freedom and their families. Wild horses live in tight-knit social groups, but once they hit the trap, they never see their families again. Mares are forcibly separated from their stallions; foals are torn from their mothers sides.

Bad Policy and Bad Science

But perhaps the cruelest part of the roundups is that they dont work. According to the 2013 report, Using Science to Improve the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Program, by the National Academy of Sciences, removing horses from the range just encourages the remaining horses to breed more. So the BLM is actually creating the very problem it complains about.

Yet, the roundups continue even though the BLM doesnt know what to do with the horses it removes from the range. Some mustangs find new homes through a federal adoption program, but thousands more live out their lives in government holding corrals and pastures. The government now warehouses more than 46,000 wild horses in holding facilities.

The entire failing system costs U.S. taxpayers almost $80 million each year and that amount is growing. Entities from the National Academy of Sciences to the Government Accountability Office to the BLM itself warn that the status quo is unsustainable and yet it promises of reform fade away with each administration.

A Better Way

More humane and effective options exist. In its 2013 report, the National Academy of Sciences also noted that the appropriate management levels that BLM uses to justify roundups have no foundation in science. A federal court of appeals last year concurred, noting that the U.S. Wild Horse and Burro Act doesnt define these levels and theres no basis in statute for using them to remove mustangs from their homes.

Wild horses and burros are present on just 17 percent of BLM land grazed by livestock. Theres room on the range for these iconic animals and the majority of Americans support preserving them on federal land. Americans are also overwhelmingly opposed to horse slaughter, the preferred management option of the special interest livestock lobby.

We need to decide on fair and sustainable population levels for wild horses. Then they can be humanely managed with birth control vaccine known as PZP, as recommended in the National Academy of Sciences report. Science and the public support this option and its readily available. Best of all, it also preserves the animals natural behaviors, the very essence of what makes them wild and distinguish them from their domestic counterparts.

Currently, the BLM spends less than one percent of its $80 million annual budget on this option. It can do much more. Both wild horses and taxpayers will benefit.

Last year, the National Advisory Board for Wild Horses and Burros, which ironically is dominated by livestock interests, recommended slaughtering wild horses. The suggestion was met with immediate public outrage and the BLM backed down.

https://twitter.com/EcoWatch/status/776164923743301632

But with a new president and a new Secretary of the Interior on the way, the future of these cherished animals is far from certain.

Will the cruel and costly practice of roundups continue? Or will they be replaced with something worse? Possibilities include dangerous and invasive sterilization surgeries, killing off all the mustangs in federal holding to make room for more and even shipping wild horses to foreign slaughterhouses.

The Trump administration provided a clue to how it will answer those questions in response to an ABC investigative reporter, stating that it had no intention of following the advisory boards recommendation to slaughter 46,000 wild horses and burros.

Thats a positive sign.

But the threat of slaughter grows daily as states like Utah lobby to take over wild horse management by harvesting them as a protein source.

Speak Up to Save Our Mustangs

This administration and Congress will literally determine the fate of Americas wild horses and burros.

If we dont tell them now to choose the better way for horses, they may choose the worst way instead. Speak up by signing this petition and learn more about how to get involved.
A rapidly-emerging area of scientific study is event attribution, which seeks to understand the relationships between extreme weather and climate change. Although we are experiencing more weather and climate extremes, individual extreme events vary widely in intensity and interpreting trends can be difficult. But through this emerging area of study, scientists are now identifying the physical processes that cause weather and climate phenomena to intensify, which can potentially improve the prediction of extreme events.

A new book, Climate Extremes: Patterns and Mechanisms, published by the American Geophysical Union, describes how and why weather and climate phenomena may be intensifying with climate change. It includes a compilation of mechanisms unique to individual weather and climate extreme events, a discussion of how well climate models simulate high-impact weather and climate extremes, and a summary of the various theories about how climate extremes will continue to become stronger and more frequent.

Read a Q&A with the editors of the new book on Eos.org.

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The number of Danes diagnosed with trauma -- and stressor-related disorders (such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)) increased substantially following the terrorist attacks carried out by Anders Breivik in Norway in 2011

Anders Breivik's politically motivated bombing of the Norwegian parliament building in Oslo and his subsequent massacre of participants in the Norwegian Socialist Party's youth camp on the island of Utya on 22 July 2011 killed 77 young people and adults. The terrorist attacks also had consequences in neighbouring Denmark. Here the attack was followed by a significant increase in the number of Danes who were diagnosed with trauma- and stressor-related disorders such as PTSD.

This is demonstrated by a research project conducted by Postdoc Bertel Teilfeldt Hansen and Professor (mso) Peter Thisted Dinesen, both from the Department of Political Science at the University of Copenhagen, in collaboration with Associate Professor and medical doctor Sren Dinesen stergaard from the Department of Clinical Medicine at Aarhus University. The results of the study were recently published in the journal Epidemiology.

In the study, the researchers used data from the Danish Psychiatric Central Research Register, which contains data on all psychiatric diagnoses assigned at psychiatric hospitals in Denmark in the period from 1995 to 2012. The results of the analyses show a significant increase in the number of Danes who were diagnosed with trauma- and stressor-related disorders in the period following the terror attack in Norway on 22 July 2011.

In the 18 months following the Breivik attacks, the number of Danes diagnosed with trauma- and stressor-related disorders increased by 16% in relation to the expected level, corresponding to 2,736 extra cases.

"The observed increase in diagnoses of trauma -- and stressor-related disorders, taken together with the fact that we do not see a similar increase at other times or in relation to other diagnoses, indicates that the attacks were indeed the underlying cause," says Bertel Teilfeldt Hansen.

The researchers behind the study have previously demonstrated that the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 in the United States had a similar effect on the mental health of Danes. However, the number of people diagnosed with trauma- and stressor-related disorders following the 9/11 attacks only increased approximately four per cent in the period following the attacks (as compared with 16% following the Breivik attacks), even though the number of casualties was far higher in this attack than in the Breivik attacks -- almost 3,000 people died in the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

"We observed the same kind of effect in Denmark following 9/11, but the effect of the Breivik attacks in Norway was four times as strong compared to that of 9/11. We cannot know for certain what causes this difference, but the fact that Danes are closer to Norwegians -- both in a geographical and a cultural sense -- is probably important in that regard. People conceivably felt that 'this could just as well have been us' and that probably amplified the negative effect on mental health in Denmark," explains Sren Dinesen stergaard.

How can Danes develop mental illness due to terrorist attacks that take place in another country? The media must necessarily play a key role in this regard, as most people could only learn about the attacks through mass media coverage, and not from personal experience. The study of the Breivik terrorist attacks supports this notion further. Just over a year after the attacks, as the court case against Anders Breivik was intensely covered in the media, a new -- although smaller -- increase in the number of trauma- and stressor-related disorders was observed.

"It is quite striking that we can observe a new increase in the number of trauma- and stressor-related disorders when the media covers topics related to the Breivik terrorist attacks. This demonstrates that the media coverage is important in this regard. However, whether this knowledge should lead to a change in the media's coverage of terrorist attacks is another matter, which involves a balancing of considerations over public health and having an informed public," Peter Thisted Dinesen concludes.

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The research results -- more information:

The study is based on data from the Danish Psychiatric Central Research Register.

Collaborators: Bertel Teilfeldt Hansen (Department of Political Science, University of Copenhagen), Peter Thisted Dinesen (Department of Political Science, University of Copenhagen), Sren Dinesen stergaard (Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus Universitet).

Funding: The study is supported by the Carlsberg Foundation and the Lundbeck Foundation.
People who were exposed to the dust cloud or sustained physical injuries during the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre on September 11, 2001 may be at increased long-term risk of asthma, other respiratory diseases and heart attack, according to a study published in the open access journal Injury Epidemiology.

Researchers at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene examined the association between physical injury or acute exposure to the dust cloud on the morning of September 11, 2001, and chronic disease up to ten to eleven years later (2010-2012).

Dr Robert Brackbill, the corresponding author said: "Our findings indicate that intense exposure on a single day -- the first day of the disaster -- contributes substantially to the risk of developing chronic conditions. Continued monitoring of people who were present in the vicinity of the World Trade Center on 11th September by medical providers is warranted for the foreseeable future."

The researchers found that the number of types of injuries, such as fractures, head injuries, or sprains, a person sustained on 11th September 2001 was associated with an increased risk of angina or heart attack in a dose-dependent manner, which means that the risk of having angina or a heart attack increased with every additional injury type. Dust exposure, PTSD and being a rescue worker, as well as current smoking were associated with a higher risk of non-neoplastic lung disease (lung conditions not involving tumors) other than asthma, while dust exposure on its own was associated with an increased risk of asthma. None of these risk factors were associated with a higher risk of diabetes.

Out of the total number of 8,701 people enrolled in this study, 41% had intense exposure to the dust cloud, 10% has a single injury, 2% had two types of injury and 1% had three or more. The researchers found 92 incident cases of heart disease, 327 new cases of diabetes, 308 cases of asthma, and 297 cases of non-neoplastic lung disease among 7,503 area workers, 249 rescue workers, 131 residents and 818 passersby -- the most heavily exposed groups.

To examine the long term health effects of acute exposure to the dust cloud, or physical injury caused by the terrorist attack, the authors used data from the WTC Health Registry cohort. The WTC Health Registry monitors the physical and mental health of 71,431 persons exposed to the attacks on 9/11. It contains data collected during three waves in 2003-2004, 2006-2007 and 2011-2012. A fourth wave of data has been collected but not included in this study.

A lack of specific information on the severity, location and treatment of injuries, as well as on the circumstances in which they were sustained meant that the number of types of injuries was used as a proxy measure for injury severity. However, previous research has shown that more than one type of injury is associated with increased risk of death and longer stays in hospital, according to the authors.

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Notes to editors:

1. Research article:Injury, intense dust exposure, and chronic disease among survivors of the World Trade Center terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.Alper et al Injury Epidemiology 2017DOI: 10.1186/s40621-017-0115-x

For an embargoed copy of the research article please contact Anne Korn at BioMed Central.

After the embargo lifts, the article will be available at the journal website here: https://injepijournal.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40621-017-0115-x

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5. The WTC Health Registry responds to enrolee health needs and concerns through a dedicated program that reaches out to thousands of enrolees with 9/11-related symptoms and conditions to refer them to care at no cost to them through the federal WTC Health Program. This core Registry function plays an important role in disaster response to address unmet health care needs identified many years post-disaster.
After cannabis is legalized, Canada should continue with a separate medical cannabis stream to keep patients safe, argues a commentary in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal)

The Task Force on Cannabis Legalization and Regulation, appointed by the federal government, has also recommended this two-streamed structure.

"Recreational cannabis and cannabinoid-based drugs (including medical cannabis) are not equivalent," say Elizabeth Cairns and Dr. Melanie Kelly, Department of Pharmacology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia. "Without a program that supports medical use, patients may lose access to treatments that the Federal Court of Canada has deemed appropriate, which fosters safe and appropriate use."

More research into the effects of medical cannabis and cannabinoids is needed, but evidence does exist for use with some health conditions.

The authors suggest that a medical stream for cannabis and cannabinoids would reduce risk to patients, provide incentives for research into the therapeutic effects of cannabinoids, and provide educational resources for health care practitioners on the latest advances in cannabinoid research.

"Having a separate medical stream does not mean an endorsement of cannabinoid-based therapeutics as a "cure-all." It is about providing the infrastructure to make informed choices for the patient and health care practitioner, and prioritizing a path to more concrete answers."

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OAK RIDGE, Tenn., July 17, 2017 -- The Department of Energy has announced funding for new research centers to accelerate the development of specialty plants and processes for a new generation of biofuels and bioproducts.

The Center for Bioenergy Innovation (CBI), led by Oak Ridge National Laboratory, is one of four bioenergy centers chosen by DOE to advance a new biobased economy with the production of fuels and other products directly from nonfood biomass. The DOE announcement provides a total of $40 million in initial funding for the four centers in Fiscal Year 2018, with plans for a total five years of funding.

The new centers follow the success of predecessor Bioenergy Research Centers established by DOE's Office of Biological and Environmental Research within DOE's Office of Science in 2007. The ORNL-led BioEnergy Science Center (BESC), for instance, has demonstrated scientific breakthroughs in its mission to overcome the natural resistance of plants to being broken down and converted into useful bioproducts.

"Our team of leading researchers is excited to use new approaches in biology to address the basic research challenges in developing real-world applications in the future sustainable bioeconomy," said CBI Chief Executive Officer Gerald Tuskan. Tuskan, an ORNL Corporate Fellow, led the sequencing of the genome of Populus -- a fast-growing perennial tree recognized for its potential in biofuels production -- as well as the largest study of natural diversity in poplar trees for BESC.

CBI will pursue a host of new technologies to alleviate critical cost barriers to sustainable, economically viable production of biobased products and advanced biofuels. The center will focus on creating robust high-yielding feedstock plants, using genetic studies to accelerate the domestication of perennial plants. CBI will create biocatalytic methods for high-yield production of advanced biofuels that can be blended with existing transportation fuels. Researchers will also study ways to develop valuable byproducts from lignin left over after biomass processing.

"DOE's bioenergy research centers offer an effective model for accelerating significant scientific innovation in the development of advanced bioproducts and biofuels from cellulosic sources for ultimately accelerating the pathway to improving and scaling up biofuel production processes," said Moe Khaleel, ORNL associate laboratory director for Energy and Environmental Sciences.

CBI's proposal includes partners from University of Georgia, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Dartmouth College, GreenWood Resources, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Pennsylvania State University, Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, University of California-Riverside, University of Colorado-Boulder, University of North Texas, University of Tennessee, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Colorado State University and West Virginia University.

"This new center builds on the success of BESC in applying scientific breakthroughs to the nation's energy challenges," said ORNL Director Thomas Zacharia. "We have a culture of bringing together world-leading experts to solve particularly important and difficult problems."

During its 10 years of research led by ORNL, BESC scientists targeted methods to more easily convert biomass into biofuels by developing better plants, microbes and enzymes, and improved technologies to characterize and pretreat biomass. BESC and its 17 partner institutions produced more than 929 peer-reviewed publications, 190 invention disclosures, 60 patent applications, 21 licenses, and received 22,000 citations of its publications.

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UT-Battelle manages ORNL for DOE's Office of Science. The Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit http://science.energy.gov/.

Image: https://www.ornl.gov/sites/default/files/2016-P07192.jpg

Image caption: Gerald Tuskan will serve as Chief Executive Officer of the new ORNL-led Center for Bioenergy Innovation, one of four DOE bioenergy research centers.

NOTE TO EDITORS: You may read other press releases from Oak Ridge National Laboratory or learn more about the lab at http://www.ornl.gov/news. Additional information about ORNL is available at the sites below:

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The expansion of renewable energy has been widely criticised for increasing weather-dependent fluctuations in European electricity generation. A new study shows that this is due less to the variability of weather than from a failure to consider the large-scale weather conditions across the whole continent: many European countries are unilaterally following national strategies to expand wind energy capacities without looking beyond their own backyard.

It would be better, however, for individual countries to work together and to promote the expansion of wind capacity in other European regions that are currently making very little use of wind power. Balancing capacity across the continent would effectively minimise the extreme fluctuations caused by the varied weather conditions that currently affect wind speeds. This is the conclusion reached by a group of weather and energy researchers from ETH Zurich and Imperial College London in a new study, which has just been published in the journal Nature Climate Change.

Combining weather data and production capacities

The researchers conducted their study by combining Europe-wide data on large-scale weather conditions from the past 30 years with wind and solar electricity production data. This made use of the Renewables.ninja platform developed at ETH Zurich for simulating the output of Europe's wind and solar farms based on historical weather data. This open simulation tool is available for anyone to use worldwide, as part of the effort to improve transparency and openness of science.

The researchers used this data to model how wind power is related to seven prevailing "weather regimes" in Europe and how it will change with the further expansion of wind energy capacity. These weather regimes explain why European wind electricity generation suffers from fluctuations lasting several days.

Some regimes are characterised by cyclones rolling in from the Atlantic bringing high winds to western Europe, but these are accompanied by concurrent calm conditions in the east. Other regimes see calmer weather from the Atlantic. But at the same time, wind speeds consistently increase in southern Europe and northern Scandinavia.

"There is hardly a weather situation in which there is no wind across the entire continent and thus all of Europe would lack wind power potential" explain Christian Grams, lead author of the study from the Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Science at ETH Zurich.

However, today's wind farms are distributed irregularly across Europe, mostly in countries bordering the North Sea. This results in uneven wind electricity generation, because most capacity is installed in neighbouring countries with similar weather conditions. This means that if a stable high-pressure system causes a lull for a few days or even weeks over the North Sea, as happened in the winter of 2016/17, Europe-wide wind electricity generation drops dramatically.

Cooperation would compensate for fluctuations

The problem for Europe's power system will be exacerbated by countries following their own national strategies for expanding wind power, which will further concentrate capacity in the North Sea region. This will lead to even more extreme fluctuations: the difference between high production in favourable wind conditions and low production during a lull could be as much as 100 gigawatts - roughly the same capacity as 100 nuclear power plants - and would have to be made available or held back within the course of only a few days.

If European countries were to cooperate and set up future wind farms based on understanding of the continent-scale weather regimes, fluctuations in future wind energy could be stabilised at the current level of around 20 gigawatts. The Balkans, Greece, the western Mediterranean, and northern Scandinavia are all potential sites.

These locations would all have enough wind if, for example, high pressure led to a lull in the North Sea. Likewise, if a stable high-pressure area slowed wind production in the Mediterranean, the wind farms around the North Sea would produce enough electricity. "This is why wind capacity in countries such as Greece or Bulgaria could act as a valuable counterbalance to Europe's current wind farms. However, this would require a paradigm shift in the planning strategies of countries with wind power potential," emphasises co-author Iain Staffell from Imperial College London.

Electricity storage not feasible

The authors say that it would be difficult to store electricity for several days to balance these multi-day fluctuations - with batteries or pumped-storage lakes in the Alps, for example - since the necessary amount of storage capacity will not be available in the foreseeable future. Current storage technologies are more suited to compensating for shorter fluctuations of a few hours or days.

Moreover, a wider geographical distribution of wind farms also requires the expansion of the transmission grid. However, such a pan-European renewable energy system could still provide Switzerland with the opportunity to use its hydropower capacities more economically in order to compensate for short-term fluctuations.

Political will and network expansion needed

Using solar energy to compensate for gaps over several days would only work on a regional level at best. The researchers say that in order to compensate for fluctuations across Europe, solar energy capacity would have to be increased tenfold.

"The sun often shines when it's calm," explains co-author Stefan Pfenninger, from the Institute for Environmental Decisions at ETH Zurich, "but in winter, there is often not enough sunshine in central and northern Europe to produce sufficient electricity using solar panels." It would therefore make little sense to compensate for fluctuations in wind energy with a massive expansion of solar capacity.

The researchers now hope that energy producers and network operators, as well as governments and politicians, will hear about these new findings and better coordinate Europe-wide planning and grid expansion.

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Reference

Grams, C.M., R. Beerli, S. Pfenninger, I. Staffell, and H. Wernli, 2017: Balancing Europe's wind power output through spatial deployment informed by weather regimes. Nature Climate Change, accepted 14 June 2017, doi: 10.1038/nclimate3338
In zebra finches, sperm velocity and morphology and hence reproductive success strongly depend on a specific mutation (an inversion) on one of the sex chromosomes, called Z. This was discovered by scientists of the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in Seewiesen. Males always carry two copies of the Z chromosome, but those that possess two different versions of it, one regular and one inverted, benefit from an optimal sperm design. Even under the strongest selection, in which only the fastest sperm will successfully fertilize the ovum, the genetically inferior types cannot go to extinction. This is because for the ideal morphology a combination of both forms is needed (heterozygotes), which is not possible without also producing the suboptimal types (homozygotes). According to the scientists, this effect can partly explain infertility in zebra finch males.

The "goal" of each sperm is fertilizing the ovum, which implies winning a fierce race through the long female reproductive tract. The competitors in this race are the "sibling" sperm from the same male, but often also sperm from other males. Given such competition and the resulting strong selection, it is inevitable that only the fittest reproduce. In the course of evolution, the best sperm design will thus have prevailed. In a small Australian songbird, the zebra finch, however, scientists have still found sperm of various morphology and velocity.

Together with colleagues from the Czech Republic, researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in Seewiesen found that an inversion of a large fragment of the sex chromosome Z is responsible for sperm design, with immediate consequences for sperm swimming speed and hence for fertilization rate and for a male's reproductive success.

Every male possesses two Z chromosomes, one of which they inherited from the mother and one from the father. Z chromosomes exist in two versions, the regular one (A) and the inverted type (B). "Only if a male possesses both types, meaning that it is heterozygous AB instead of homozygous AA or BB, the male's sperm show a long midpiece which contains the motor for fast swimming" says Ulrich Knief, first author of the study. Animals with two identical forms of the Z chromosome (i.e. the homozygous males) cannot produce the superior sperm and hence show lower fertilization rates. The study is based on paternity analyses of 435 males in the absence of sperm competition and another 482 males under competition with other males. The study clearly shows that heterozygous males had higher fertilizing success under both conditions.

Genetic variation does not get depleted

The superior sperm of heterozygous males can reduce fertility problems, but heterozygous males will always produce 50% homozygous sons, such that the genetic variation in the population does not get depleted, because the optimal genotype cannot go to fixation. For many years, the evolutionary biologist Wolfgang Forstmeier has been puzzled by the high rates of infertility in this species, asking why evolution seems unable to fix this problem despite strong selection against infertile males. "This study is a first step into the direction of answering this question" says Forstmeier. "With an inheritance system with two sets of chromosomes, evolution is stuck when only the combination of both creates the perfect genotype."

While the researchers from Seewiesen were interested in the fitness consequences of the Z chromosome inversion, another group of scientists from the lab of Jon Slate from the University of Sheffield arrived at the same results through a wholly different approach. These scientists examined specific breeding lines of zebra finches, which had been selected for either short or long sperm. In a genome-wide search for variants affecting sperm morphology they independently discovered the Z chromosome inversion. Their study can thus show that the relevant genetic information for sperm morphology is almost exclusively found on this sex chromosome.

"Rather than being redundant, the studies nicely complement each other by the fact that two research teams arrived at the same conclusion coming from very different approaches" explains Bart Kempenaers, senior author of the study.

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Original publication

Ulrich Knief, Wolfgang Forstmeier, Yifan Pei, Malika Ihle, Daiping Wang, Katrin Martin, Pavlina Opatova, Jana Albrechtova, Michael Wittig, Andre Franke, Tomas Albrecht and Bart Kempenaers

A sex-chromosome inversion causes strong overdominance for sperm traits that affect siring success.

Nature Ecology & Evolution; Published online: 17 July 2017
One night three months ago, Rosa Castro finished her dinner, opened her laptop, and uncovered a novel object that was neither planet nor star. Therapist by day and amateur astronomer by night, Castro joined the NASA-funded Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 citizen science project when it began in February -- not knowing she would become one of four volunteers to help identify the project's first brown dwarf, formally known as WISEA J110125.95+540052.8.

After devoting hours to skimming online, publicly available "flipbooks" containing time-lapse images, she spotted a moving object unlike any other. The search process involves fixating on countless colorful dots, she explained. When an object is different, it simply stands out. Castro, who describes herself as extremely detail oriented, has contributed nearly 100 classifications to this specific project.

A paper about the new brown dwarf was published on May 24 in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. Four citizen scientists are co-authors of the paper, including Castro. Since then, Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 has identified roughly 117 additional brown dwarf candidates.

The collaboration was inspired by the recently proposed ninth planet, possibly orbiting at the fringes of our solar system beyond Pluto.

"We realized we could do a much better job identifying Planet Nine if we opened the search to the public," said lead researcher Marc Kuchner, an astrophysicist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. "Along the way, we're hoping to find thousands of interesting brown dwarfs."

It's been roughly two decades since researchers first discovered brown dwarfs, and the scientific community opened its eyes to this new class of objects between stars and planets. Although they are as common as stars and form in much the same way, brown dwarfs lack the mass necessary to sustain nuclear fusion reactions. They therefore do not have the energy to maintain their luminosity, so they slowly cool over the course of their lifetimes. Their low temperatures also render them intrinsically dim.

For years, Kuchner has been fascinated by infrared images of the entire sky captured by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE), launched in 2009. The space telescope is specially designed to observe cold objects emitting light at long wavelengths -- objects like brown dwarfs. With its initial mission complete, WISE was deactivated in 2011. It was then reactivated in 2013 as NEOWISE, a new mission funded by the NEO Observations Program with a different goal: to search for potentially hazardous near-Earth objects (NEOs).

Previously, Kuchner had focused on stationary objects seen by WISE. But the Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 project shows the WISE and NEOWISE data in a way custom-tailored for finding fast-moving objects. His team layers many images of the same location to create a single, comprehensive snapshot. These are then combined with several similarly "co-added" pictures to form flipbooks that show motion over time.

Anyone with internet access can scour these flipbooks and click on anomalies. If they would like to call the science team's attention to an object they found, they can submit a report to the researchers or share their insights on a public forum. Kuchner and his colleagues then follow up the best candidates using ground-based telescopes to glean more information.

According to Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 citizen scientist Dan Caselden, participants are free to dig as deep into the results as they choose. A security researcher by trade, Caselden developed a series of tools allowing fellow participants to streamline their searches and visualize their results, as well as aggregate various user statistics. He also helped identify several of the additional brown dwarf candidates while the first discovery was being confirmed.

Kuchner and his co-author, Adam Schneider of Arizona State University, Tempe, agree WISEA J110125.95+540052.8 is an exciting discovery for several reasons. "What's special about this object -- besides the way it was discovered -- is that it's unusually faint," Schneider said. "That means our citizen scientists are probing much deeper than anyone has before."

While computers efficiently sift through deluges of data, they can also get lost in details that human eyes and brains easily disregard as irrelevant.

However, mining this information is extremely arduous for a single scientist or even a small group of researchers. That's precisely why collaborating with an enthusiastic public is so effective -- many eyes catch details that one pair alone could miss.

While Kuchner is delighted by this early discovery, his ultimate goal for Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 is to find the smallest and coldest brown dwarfs, called Y dwarfs. Some of these Y dwarfs many even be lurking closer to us than Proxima Centauri, the nearest star to the sun.

Their low temperatures make Y dwarfs extremely dim, according to Adam Burgasser at the University of California San Diego. "They're so faint that it takes quite a bit of work to pull them from the images, that's where Kuchner's project will help immensely," he said. "Anytime you get a diverse set of people looking at the data, they'll bring unique perspectives that can lead to unexpected discoveries."

Kuchner anticipates the Backyard Worlds effort will continue for several more years -- allowing more volunteers like Caselden and Castro to contribute.

As Castro put it: "I am not a professional. I'm just an amateur astronomer appreciating the night sky. If I see something odd, I'll admire and enjoy it."

Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 is a collaboration between NASA, UC Berkeley, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, Arizona State University, the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore and Zooniverse, a collaboration of scientists, software developers and educators who collectively develop and manage citizen science projects on the internet.

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, manages the NEOWISE mission for NASA's Planetary Defense Coordination Office within the Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The Space Dynamics Laboratory in Logan, Utah, built the science instrument. Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. of Boulder, Colorado, built the spacecraft. Science operations and data processing take place at the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center at Caltech in Pasadena. Caltech manages JPL for NASA.

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For more information about Backyard Worlds: Planet 9, visit:

http://backyardworlds.org

For more information about NASA's WISE mission, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/wise
Prithvi Man Shrestha is a political reporter for The Kathmandu Post, covering the governance-related issues including corruption and irregularities in the government machinery. Before joining The Kathmandu Post in 2009, he worked at nepalnews.com and Rising Nepal primarily covering the issues of political and economic affairs for three years.
NASA's new Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) mission to study the densest observable objects in the universe has begun science operations.

Launched June 3 on an 18-month baseline mission, NICER will help scientists understand the nature of the densest stable form of matter located deep in the cores of neutron stars using X-ray measurements.

NICER operates around the clock on the International Space Station (ISS). In the two weeks following launch, NICER underwent extraction from the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, robotic installation on ExPRESS Logistics Carrier 2 on board ISS and initial deployment. Commissioning efforts began June 14, as NICER deployed from its stowed launch configuration. All systems are functioning as expected.

"No instrument like this has ever been built for the space station," said Keith Gendreau, the principal investigator for NICER at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. "As we transition from an instrument development project to a science investigation, it is important to recognize the fantastic engineering and instrument team who built a payload that delivers on all the promises made."

To date, NICER has observed over 40 celestial targets. These objects were used to calibrate the X-ray Timing Instrument and supporting star-tracker camera. The observations also validated the payload's performance that will enable its key science measurements.

Along with the instrument's transition to full science operations, the embedded Station Explorer for X-ray Timing and Navigation Technology (SEXTANT) demonstration will begin using NICER data to tune the built-in flight software for its first experiment.

"Our initial timing models use data collected by terrestrial radio telescopes," said Jason Mitchell, the SEXTANT project manager at Goddard. "Because NICER observes in X-rays, we will account for the difference between the pulses we recover in X-rays compared to our radio models."

Once NICER collects data on each of SEXTANT's target pulsars, the software will exploit timing models developed using NICER-only data.

NICER-SEXTANT is a two-in-one mission. NICER will study the strange, ultra-dense astrophysics objects known as neutron stars to determine how matter behaves in their interiors. SEXTANT will use NICER's observations of rapidly rotating neutron stars, or pulsars, to demonstrate autonomous X-ray navigation in space.

NICER is an Astrophysics Mission of Opportunity within NASA's Explorer program, which provides frequent flight opportunities for world-class scientific investigations from space utilizing innovative, streamlined, and efficient management approaches within the heliophysics and astrophysics science areas. NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate supports the SEXTANT component of the mission, demonstrating pulsar-based spacecraft navigation.

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For more information about NICER, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/nicer/

To download NICER Multimedia:

https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/Gallery/NICER.html

For more information about SEXTANT, visit:

https://gameon.nasa.gov/projects/deep-space-x-ray-navigation-and-communication/

For more information about research and technology on the International Space Station, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/index.html
EVANSTON, Ill. --- The concentration of ultrafine particles less than 50 nanometers in diameter rose by one-third in the air of Sao Paulo, Brazil, when higher ethanol prices induced drivers to switch from ethanol to gasoline, according to a new study by a Northwestern University chemist, a National University of Singapore economist and two University of Sao Paulo physicists.

Environmental protection agencies across the world currently do not measure or regulate particles of this size, which studies have shown to be harmful to human health.

The research team also found when Sao Paulo drivers -- some two million of them -- switched back to ethanol because prices had gone down, the concentration of ultrafine particles also went down. This lockstep movement illustrates a very tight correlation between fuel choice and nanoparticles in the air.

"We studied Sao Paulo, but there are many North American cities, including Chicago, with similar air chemistry, especially spring through fall," said Franz M. Geiger, professor of chemistry in Northwestern's Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences.

"The push we are seeing in large cities away from gasoline and toward vehicles powered by ethanol, electricity or a mix of the two will result in a reduction of these ultrafine particles. This likely comes with a health benefit -- these particles, below one micron, have the potential to get deeply into your lungs," he said.

Geiger and Alberto Salvo, an associate professor of economics at the National University of Singapore, led the unusual study -- their second with Sao Paulo big data. The fact that Sao Paulo consumers can and do switch between fuels for reasons unrelated to air quality provided the researchers with a real-world laboratory for studying the effects of human behavior at the fuel pump on urban air pollution.

The study will be published July 17 by the journal Nature Communications. The prospect of increased biofuel use and mounting evidence on ultrafines' health effects make the results policy relevant, the authors write.

"With this knowledge, we hope more money and human resources will be invested in trying to understand and possibly monitor these ultrafine particles," said Salvo, who formerly was with Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management. "The big unknown is what type of particles are the most harmful to health."

The interdisciplinary team conducted a regression analysis of traffic, consumer behavior, aerosol particle size and meteorological data from January 2011 through May 2011. The data studied was from before, during and after the time of a major fuel switch due to a large fluctuation in ethanol prices.

The researchers also found the choice of fuel had no effect on the concentration of larger particles. These particles include fine particulate matter 2.5 microns in diameter (PM2.5) down to particles 100 nanometers in diameter. The U.S. and many other countries regulate PM2.5, but particles smaller than PM2.5 are not regulated.

Geiger and Salvo were fortunate to have access to aerosol particle size distribution data from an unrelated research project overseen by Paulo Artaxo and Joel Brito at the University of Sao Paulo. Artaxo and Brito's experiments captured data from before, during and after the major fuel switch. They are co-authors of the Nature Communications paper, along with Geiger and Salvo.

The Nature Communications study builds on an earlier study in which Geiger and Salvo found that an increase in ethanol use resulted in a significant increase in ozone concentrations in Sao Paulo. Officials, Geiger said, will need to weigh the increase in ozone against the decrease in nanoparticles when ethanol is used.

Next, for the third chapter of the story, the research team would like to determine what happened in terms of health outcomes in Sao Paulo as cars switched out of gasoline to ethanol and back to gasoline.

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Sao Paulo has the world's largest flexible-fuel vehicle fleet, with cars that can run on all gasoline, all ethanol or some mix of the two. Gasoline prices in Brazil are controlled by the government, and the domestic price of ethanol, which is made out of sugarcane, is determined by the world sugar price.

Support for the research was provided by the Initiative for Sustainability and Energy at Northwestern University (ISEN); the dean's office of the Kellogg School of Management; the W Awards Program at Northwestern's Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences; the dean's office of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, National University of Singapore (grant R-122-17 000-187-133); and the Sao Paulo Research Foundation (grants 2013/05014-0 and 2013/25058-1).

The paper is titled "Reduced ultrafine particle levels in Sao Paulo's atmosphere during shifts from gasoline to ethanol use." Salvo is the corresponding author.

(Source contacts: Franz Geiger at f-geiger@northwestern.edu and Alberto Salvo at albertosalvo@nus.edu.sg)
CORVALLIS, Ore. - More than 1,400 new dams or water diversion projects are planned or already under construction and many of them are on rivers flowing through multiple nations, fueling the potential for increased water conflict between some countries.

A new analysis commissioned by the United Nations uses a comprehensive combination of social, economic, political and environmental factors to identify areas around the world most at-risk for "hydro-political" strife. This river basins study was part of the U.N.'s Transboundary Waters Assessment Program.

Researchers from the United States, Spain and Chile took part in the analysis, which has been recommended by the U.N. Economic Commission for Europe as an indicator for the U.N.'s sustainable development goals for water cooperation.

Results of the study have just been published in the journal Global Environment Change.

The analysis suggests that risks for conflict are projected to increase over the next 15 to 30 years in four hotspot regions - the Middle East, central Asia, the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna basin, and the Orange and Limpopo basins in southern Africa.

Additionally, the Nile River in Africa, much of southern Asia, the Balkans in southeastern Europe, and upper South America are all areas where new dams are under construction and neighboring countries face increasing water demand, may lack workable treaties, or worse, haven't even discussed the issue.

"If two countries have agreed on water flow and distribution when there's a dam upstream, there usually is no conflict," said Eric Sproles, an Oregon State University hydrologist and a co-author on the study. "Such is the case with the Columbia River basin between the United States and Canada, whose treaty is recognized as one of the most resilient and advanced agreements in the world.

"Unfortunately, that isn't the case with many other river systems, where a variety of factors come into play, including strong nationalism, political contentiousness, and drought or shifting climate conditions."

The conflict over water isn't restricted to human consumption, the researchers say. There is a global threat to biodiversity in many of the world's river systems, and the risk of species extinction is moderate to very high in 70 percent of the area of transboundary river basins.

Asia has the highest number of dams proposed or under construction on transboundary basins of any continent with 807, followed by South America, 354; Europe, 148; Africa, 99; and North America, 8. But Africa has a higher level of hydro-political tension, the researchers say, with more exacerbating factors.

The Nile River, for example, is one of the more contentious areas of the globe. Ethiopia is constructing several dams on tributaries of the Nile in its uplands, which will divert water from countries downstream, including Egypt. Contributing to the tension is drought and a growing population more dependent on a water source that may be diminishing.

"When you look at a region, the first thing you try to identify is whether there is a treaty and, if so, is it one that works for all parties and is flexible enough to withstand change," Sproles said. "It's easy to plan for water if it is the same every year -- sometimes even when it's low. When conditions vary -- and drought is a key factor -- the tension tends to increase and conflict is more likely to occur."

In addition to environmental variability and lack of treaties, other factors leading to conflict include political and economic instability, and armed conflict, the analysis shows.

Sproles said one reason the Columbia River Basin treaty between the U.S. and Canada has worked well is the relative stability of the water supply. In contrast, climate models suggest that the Orinoco River Basin in northern Brazil and the Amazon Basin in upper South America may face drier conditions, which could lead to more strife.

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Sproles is a courtesy faculty member in Oregon State's College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, where he received his doctorate.

More information on the United Nations Transboundary Waters Assessment Program is available at: http://www.geftwap.org/.

A shorter version of the paper was published July 13 on the Sustainable Security website.
A concentrating photovoltaic system with embedded microtracking can produce over 50 percent more energy per day than standard silicon solar cells in a head-to-head competition, according to a team of engineers who field tested a prototype unit over two sunny days last fall.

"Solar cells used to be expensive, but now they're getting really cheap," said Chris Giebink, Charles K. Etner Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering, Penn State. "As a result, the solar cell is no longer the dominant cost of the energy it produces. The majority of the cost increasingly lies in everything else -- the inverter, installation labor, permitting fees, etc. -- all the stuff we used to neglect."

This changing economic landscape has put a premium on high efficiency. In contrast to silicon solar panels, which currently dominate the market at 15 to 20 percent efficiency, concentrating photovoltaics focus sunlight onto smaller, but much more efficient solar cells like those used on satellites, to enable overall efficiencies of 35 to 40 percent. Current CPV systems are large -- the size of billboards -- and have to rotate to track the sun during the day. These systems work well in open fields with abundant space and lots of direct sun.

"What we're trying to do is create a high-efficiency CPV system in the form factor of a traditional silicon solar panel," said Giebink.

To do this, the researchers embed tiny multi-junction solar cells, roughly half a millimeter square, into a sheet of glass that slides between a pair of plastic lenslet arrays. The whole arrangement is about two centimeters thick and tracking is done by sliding the sheet of solar cells laterally between the lenslet array while the panel remains fixed on the roof. An entire day's worth of tracking requires about one centimeter of movement, which is practically imperceptible.

"Our goal in these recent experiments was to demonstrate the technical feasibility of such a system," said Giebink. "We put together a prototype with a single microcell and a pair of lenses that concentrated sunlight more than 600 times, took it outdoors and had it automatically track the sun over the course of an entire day."

Because the team needed to know exactly how much direct and diffuse sunlight there was during the test, they set up at the Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center at Penn State where there is a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Surface Radiation monitoring site. Graduate students Jared Price and Alex Grede worked together with post-doctoral researcher Baomin Wang to test the system over two sunny days from dawn to dusk right alongside a commercial silicon solar cell.

The researchers report today (July 17) in Nature Energy, that the CPV system reached 30 percent efficiency, in contrast to the 17 percent efficiency of the silicon cell. All together over the entire day, the CPV system produced 54 percent more energy than the silicon and could have reached 73 percent if microcell heating from the intense sunlight were avoided.

According to Giebink, this embedded tracking CPV technology would be perfect for places with lots of direct sunlight, such as the southwestern U.S. or Australia.

Giebink notes that major challenges still lie ahead in scaling the system to larger areas and proving that it can operate reliably over the long term, but he remains optimistic.

"With the right engineering, we're looking at a step-change in efficiency that could be useful in applications ranging from rooftops to electric vehicles -- really anywhere it's important to generate a lot of solar power from a limited area."

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Other researchers working on this research from Penn State are Jared Price and Alex Grede, graduate students in electrical engineering, and Baomin Wang, postdoctoral scholar in electrical engineering, all first authors; Michael Lipski, undergraduate student in electrical engineering; and Chris Rahn, professor, Greg Brulo, graduate student, and Xiaokun Ma, graduate student, all in mechanical engineering.

Researchers from other institutions include Brent Fisher and Scott Burroughs, Semprius Inc.; Kyu-Tae Lee and John A. Rogers, Department of Materials Science and Engineering; and Junwen He and Ralph G. Nuzzo, Department of Chemistry, all at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

The Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy and the National Science Foundation supported this work.
Testing blood samples within the first two hours of injury could help predict which critically injured patients are more likely to develop multiple organ failure, according to an early study led by Queen Mary University of London (QMUL). The finding that there is a specific immune response to trauma shortly after injury could also help with the development of new therapies.

The publication of the study in PLOS Medicine coincides with the launch of 'Transform Trauma', a national fundraising campaign to raise money for trauma research by Barts Charity*.

Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome (MODS) is the failure of several organs (including lung, heart, kidney and liver) which contributes to the deaths and morbidity of many critically injured patients who survive their initial physical insult. It is a poorly understood condition with no proven therapies.

Lead researcher Professor Karim Brohi from QMUL's Centre for Trauma Sciences said: "The first minutes or hours after a traumatic injury is a key window where a patient's immune response may set the trajectory for whether they develop organ failure.

"This phase is very challenging to study due to the complexity and logistics of the emergency environment, but if we can understand the mechanisms that lead to poor outcomes, we may be able to help bring dramatic improvements through better diagnostics and therapeutics.

"Previous research into the blood clotting system, carried out immediately after injury, completely altered our understanding and changed an entire resuscitation paradigm within a decade. It is possible that overcoming the challenges of carrying out immune response research at this critical time point will do the same for our approach to organ dysfunction and protection."

The team studied blood samples from 70 critically injured patients at the Royal London Hospital, which were taken immediately on arrival in the resuscitation room (within two hours of injury). They compared these with blood samples taken at 24 hours and 72 hours after injury, and from those with minor injuries and healthy volunteers.

Out of 29,385 immune cell genes, they identified only 1,239 immune cell genes that were different between critical and control patients immediately after injury. However, by 24 hours after injury, this response had grown into a widespread immune reaction involving a 'genomic storm' of 6,294 genes.

Looking at the genes more closely, the team found that certain white blood cells, including 'natural killer' cells and 'neutrophils', emerged as potentially central to the immediate response to critical injury, while others, such as T-cells and B-cells, were less involved.

When comparing the immune cell genes expressed in patients who later developed MODS to those who did not, most differences were seen immediately after injury, where 363 genes had different activity levels between MODS and non-MODS patients, compared to only 33 genes after 24 hours. The researchers say it is the response of these early genes that could be used in the future to determine which patients will later develop MODS.

Further analysis of these genes during the initial two hour window found that the development of MODS was associated with biological pathways associated with cell death and survival, rather than inflammatory pathways. This is a very different finding from previous studies (based on bloods from a later time point) where excessive inflammation was thought to produce organ dysfunction.

This study is limited by its sample size and requires validation in other critically injured cohorts.

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Researchers who performed the study were funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Medical Research Council, Wellcome Trust, Department of Health, the Royal College of Surgeons and Barts Charity.

For more information, please contact:

Joel Winston

Public Relations Manager - Medicine and Dentistry

Queen Mary University of London

Tel: +44 (0)207 882 7943

Mobile: +44 (0)7970 096 188

j.winston@qmul.ac.uk

Notes to the editor

Trauma kills 50 people in the UK every day. It's one of the biggest causes of death and disability in the UK, yet less than 1 per cent of medical research funding is spent in this area. Transform Trauma is raising 1 million for crucial research and innovation to save the lives of thousands of people who suffer trauma, and improve the quality of life for those who do survive. Find out more at http://www.transformtrauma.org.uk

Research paper: Cabrera CP, Manson J, Shepherd JM, Torrance HD, Watson D, Longhi MP, et al. (2017). 'Signatures of inflammation and impending multiple organ dysfunction in the hyperacute phase of trauma: A prospective cohort study'. PLoS Med 14(7): e1002352. Paper will be available here after embargo lifts: http://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002352

About Queen Mary University of London

Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) is one of the UK's leading universities, and one of the largest institutions in the University of London, with 21,187 students from more than 155 countries.

A member of the Russell Group, we work across the humanities and social sciences, medicine and dentistry, and science and engineering, with inspirational teaching directly informed by our research. In the most recent national assessment of the quality of research, we were placed ninth in the UK (REF 2014).

As well as our main site at Mile End - which is home to one of the largest self-contained residential campuses in London - we have campuses at Whitechapel, Charterhouse Square, and West Smithfield dedicated to the study of medicine, and a base for legal studies at Lincoln's Inn Fields.

We have a rich history in London with roots in Europe's first public hospital, St Barts; England's first medical school, The London; one of the first colleges to provide higher education to women, Westfield College; and the Victorian philanthropic project, the People's Palace at Mile End.

Today, as well as retaining these close connections to our local community, we are known for our international collaborations in both teaching and research.

QMUL has an annual turnover of 350m, a research income worth 125m (2014/15), and generates employment and output worth 700m to the UK economy each year.
The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) -- the nation's largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to the field of aging -- has chosen XinQi Dong, MD, MPH, FGSA, of the Rush University Medical Center as the 2017 recipient of the M. Powell Lawton Award.

This distinguished honor recognizes a significant contribution in gerontology that has led to an innovation in gerontological treatment, practice or service, prevention, amelioration of symptoms or barriers, or a public policy change that has led to some practical application that improves the lives of older persons. It is sponsored by the Madlyn and Leonard Abramson Center for Jewish Life's Polisher Research Institute and is named in memory of M. Powell Lawton, PhD, for his outstanding contributions to applied gerontological research.

The award presentation will take place at GSA's 2018 Annual Scientific Meeting, which will be held from November 18 to 22 in Boston, Massachusetts. This conference is organized to foster interdisciplinary collaboration among researchers, educators, and practitioners who specialize in the study of the aging process.

At the Rush University Medical Center, Dong is a professor of medicine, behavioral sciences, and nursing; the director of the Chinese Health, Aging, and Policy Program; and the associate director of the Rush Institute for Health Aging. He has also served as a senior policy and research advisor for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and a commissioner with the American Bar Association's Commission on Law and Aging. He is also the principal investigator of the PINE Study, a longitudinal cohort study of more than 3,100 Chinese older adults in the greater Chicago area. In 2017, Dong published "Elder Abuse: Research, Practice and Policy" (Springer), the largest volume of the state-of-the-science textbook on elder abuse.

Dong's research focuses on the epidemiological studies of family violence, resilience and health outcomes both in the U.S. and China, with particular emphasis on mental health and cognitive outcomes. He actively works with Chinese communities to promote understanding and civic engagement on the issues of elder abuse and neglect through innovative culturally and linguistically appropriate ways. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Chinese American Service League, the largest social services organization in the Midwest serving the needs of Chinese population. He previously served as an American Political Science Association congressional policy fellow/health and aging policy fellow, working with a diverse group of policy leaders at the national, state, and local levels on issues relevant to elder abuse and neglect. He is a fellow of the Institute of Medicine of Chicago and chaired the Institute of Medicine Global Violence Prevention Forum workshop on elder abuse prevention. Dong also is a GSA fellow, which is the highest level of membership within the Society. In 2011, he received GSA's Maxwell A. Pollack Award for Productive Aging, and in 2015, he received the Joseph T. Freeman Award from GSA's Health Sciences Section.

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The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) is the nation's oldest and largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to research, education, and practice in the field of aging. The principal mission of the Society -- and its 5,500+ members -- is to advance the study of aging and disseminate information among scientists, decision makers, and the general public. GSA's structure also includes a policy institute, the National Academy on an Aging Society, and an educational branch, the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education.
WASHINGTON --A new technique that makes blood clots optically clear is allowing researchers to use powerful optical microscopy techniques to study the 3D structure of dangerous clots for the first time. Although blood clots stop bleeding after injury, clots that block blood flow can cause strokes and heart attacks.

The new approach could make it possible to use advanced light microscopy techniques such as confocal microscopy to correlate clinical symptoms with the 3D structure of clots from patients. It is common for cardiologists to remove blood clots blocking the arteries of people who have experienced heart attacks or strokes.

"We can potentially analyze the clot structure from a patient and try to understand why it became such a problem," said John W. Weisel of the University of Pennsylvania, School of Medicine. "A more detailed understanding of various clot structures could reveal why pieces of certain clots can break off, leading to potential deadly complications. Eventually, this knowledge might lead to better treatments or ways to prevent clots from causing harm."

In The Optical Society (OSA) journal Biomedical Optics Express, a collaborative group from Weisel's lab and the labs of Mark Alber of the University of California, Riverside, and Jeremiah Zartman of the University of Notre Dame report on an optical clearing method that allows microscopic imaging up to 1 millimeter into a clot, a significant improvement over the roughly .02 millimeters possible without using optical clearing. They tested the new approach on clots that were about 5 millimeters in diameter and 1 millimeter thick formed outside the body using mouse and human blood.

"The iron-containing molecule heme that is in red blood cells makes clots very hard to image optically," said Zartman. "Our method, called cClot, is efficient at removing the heme and making the whole clot clear without changing its 3D structure."

Seeing through thick tissue

Thick tissue is difficult to image with optical techniques because it absorbs or scatters light. For techniques that use fluorescent probes to label cells and tissue, this means that the laser light needed to excite the fluorescence can't reach deep inside the tissue and fluorescence is absorbed before it reaches the camera. Although optical clearing agents can remove light-scattering molecules from tissue, existing agents aren't optimized for removing heme and do not work for the dense, tightly packed structures making up blood clots.

To develop the new optical clearing technique, the researchers altered the composition of an optical clearing agent known as CUBIC. After much trial and error, they created a clearing agent that didn't alter the shape of a clot's red blood cells and was efficient enough to make a clot clear in less than a day. The researchers also tested various fluorescent probes to identify ones that could penetrate a clot.

The researchers examined clots that were contracting, which helps form a tight seal that stops bleeding. "Using the optical clearing technique, we were able to look inside the clot and examine the structure," said Weisel. "We found that during contraction, the red blood cells change from their normal biconcave shape to polyhedral and are very tightly packed against each other, but don't actually change in volume. This is something we didn't know before and that we can now study in more detail."

High-throughput approaches

The researchers are now looking for ways to achieve faster optical clearing and image analysis. This could allow the new optical clearing technique to be used with high-throughput approaches that examine the effects of hundreds of different drugs on the clotting process or clot contraction, for example. The optical clearing technique would make it possible to quickly image a series of clots before and after treatment.

The researchers are also working to test the method with clots removed from patients. They want to collect information that can be used to create computational models of the structure and properties that could one day be used to predict risks associated with certain types of clots, for example.

"We don't know what kinds of ultrastructural signatures might be identified in 3D specimens," said Zartman. "It's an area that hasn't been explored, and our optical clearing method could allow the study of many different types of three dimensional structures to see if there's something that provides new or different information than current diagnostic techniques."

Paper: P. Hook, T. Brito-Robinson, O. Kim, C. Narciso, H.V. Goodson, J.W. Weisel, M.S. Alber, J.J. Zartman, "Whole Blood Clot Optical Clearing for Nondestructive 3D Imaging and Quantitative Analysis," Biomed. Opt. Express, Volume 8, Issue 8, 3671-3686 (2017).

DOI: 10.1364/BOE.8.003671.

About Biomedical Optics Express

Biomedical Optics Express is OSA's principal outlet for serving the biomedical optics community with rapid, open-access, peer-reviewed papers related to optics, photonics and imaging in the life sciences. The journal scope encompasses theoretical modeling and simulations, technology development, and biomedical studies and clinical applications. It is published by The Optical Society and edited by Christoph Hitzenberger, Medical University of Vienna. Biomedical Optics Express is an open-access journal and is available at no cost to readers online at OSA Publishing.

About The Optical Society

Founded in 1916, The Optical Society (OSA) is the leading professional organization for scientists, engineers, students and business leaders who fuel discoveries, shape real-life applications and accelerate achievements in the science of light. Through world-renowned publications, meetings and membership initiatives, OSA provides quality research, inspired interactions and dedicated resources for its extensive global network of optics and photonics experts. For more information, visit osa.org.

Media Contacts:

Rebecca B. Andersen

The Optical Society

randersen@osa.org

Joshua Miller

The Optical Society

jmiller@osa.org
BERKELEY, Calif. - July 17, 2017 - Dr. Ikujiro Nonaka, one of the world's top academic management scholars, will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, on November 3, 2017, during the school's annual gala. Dr. Nonaka has been a pioneer in creating the field of knowledge management and studying the impact of knowledge creation on product development and innovation.

Berkeley-Haas Dean Rich Lyons applauded Nonaka's lasting impact on the business world. "Nonaka has transformed how people drive innovation together," said Lyons. "Applying a humanistic lens and practical wisdom to his research, he has developed new frameworks for how organizations can transcend simply managing data to using the knowledge within their organizations to create better outcomes. We are proud to call him an alumnus and even more honored to celebrate him with this much-deserved award."

"No one has done more to shape knowledge management than Ikujiro Nonaka, and he is one of Berkeley's most esteemed alumni in Asia," said UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ. "He has remained a loyal and passionate supporter of the University and the free exchange of ideas by hosting faculty and students in Japan as well as by arranging access to data and research contacts. He is a national treasure in Japan, but the impact of his insight and wisdom has been deeply felt at Berkeley and beyond."

Nonaka, 82, a professor emeritus at the Graduate School of International Corporate Strategy at Hitotsubashi University, worked for many years at Fuji Electric in Japan, where he created the company's first management development program. He came to Berkeley in 1967, earning an MBA in 1968 and a PhD in business administration in 1972. At Berkeley, he also studied sociology, which heavily influenced his theories on business throughout his career.

"Dr. Jiro Nonaka has contributed enormously to the theory and practice of innovation management and has deepened our understanding of knowledge creation in large organizations," said David Teece, the Thomas W. Tusher Professor in Global Business and faculty director of the Tusher Center for The Management of Intellectual Capital at Berkeley-Haas. "Dr. Nonaka is well known to leading executives in Asia, Europe, and North America. He has helped businesses learn and transform, just as he himself has learned and transformed over his long and successful career. The global recognition he has received is quite remarkable and is a wonderful tribute to his graduate education at Berkeley-Haas."

Along with his longtime collaborator, Harvard Business School Professor Hirotaka Takeuchi, MBA 71, Ph.D. 77, whom he met at Berkeley-Haas, Nonaka argued that knowledge creation within companies is a source of competitive advantage. The two introduced the concept in an influential article, "The Knowledge-Creating Company," published in Harvard Business Review in 1991. Their subsequent book, The Knowledge-Creating Company: How Japanese Companies Create the Dynamics of Innovation (Oxford University Press, 1995), won the Association of American Publishers' Best Book of the Year Award in business and management and has proved important in advancing the field of management.

In 2009, the Economist's "Guide to Management Ideas and Gurus" credited Nonaka as one of three such "gurus" who "connected Japanese industry and management with that of the rest of the world." In 2011, Nonaka and Takeuchi's article, "The Wise Leader," published in Harvard Business Review, argued that the best executives strive for the common good. In 2013, Nonaka won the Thinkers50 Lifetime Achievement Award and was inducted into the Thinkers50 Hall of Fame.

In Japan, Nonaka has earned a Purple Medal of Honor from the government for his contribution to academia and delivered an Imperial New Year's Lecture by invite of the Emperor of Japan, the first-ever Japanese professor in the field of business administration and management to be asked to do so.

Nonaka is perhaps best known for his creation of the Socialization-Externalization-Combination-Internalization (SECI) model to explain how firms can best generate knowledge and understanding and bring new products to market. The model rejects the linear model of idea creation in favor of Nonaka's SECI spiral, which describes a ceaseless flow of cyclical interaction between tacit and explicit knowledge among groups and individuals. The model can facilitate the development of innovative products.

Another of Nonaka's contributions to the field of management was the recognition of the key role middle managers can play in knowledge creation within a company. During downsizing in the 1990s, when many U.S. firms were laying off middle managers to save costs, Nonaka argued they could be a vital bridge in translating the vision of upper management into execution by frontline staff.

In 1997, Nonaka became the Haas School's first Xerox Distinguished Professor in Knowledge, the first professorship in the nation dedicated to the study of knowledge and its impact on business. He has remained a passionate champion of Berkeley, which he has called "the Athens of the Pacific" and has continued to support the school with visits, academic exchanges, and participation in co-hosting conferences.

The school's highest honor, the Berkeley-Haas Lifetime Achievement Award is reserved for exceptional leaders who have made a significant impact through their professional accomplishments and who embody the Defining Principles of Berkeley-Haas: Question the Status Quo, Confidence Without Attitude, Students Always, and Beyond Yourself. The award has only been given four times before, to financier and philanthropist Warren Hellman; Blum Capital Partners Chairman Richard Blum; World Bank President Tom Clausen; and Levi Strauss CEO Peter Haas. Nonaka is the first academic professor to receive the award.

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Berkeley-Haas' Institute for Business Innovation and the Tusher Center for the Management of Intellectual Capital will follow up the November celebration by hosting a Festschrift in Nonaka's name on campus in 2018.
Economic redistribution has been a core political dispute around the world for centuries. And while intuitively fairness seems a natural explanation for why people support redistribution, researchers at UC Santa Barbara find that fairness doesn't really explain who supports redistribution or why.

Support for redistribution, they have shown, is rooted in compassion, self-interest and envy -- but not fairness. Their work is published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Prototypical characters

"Understanding the economic and political nitty-gritty of redistribution does not come naturally to us," said Daniel Sznycer, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Montreal, a research scientist at UCSB's Center for Evolutionary Psychology, and the paper's lead author. "But humans have been interacting with worse-off and better-off individuals over evolutionary time. This process built neural systems that motivate us to act effectively in situations of giving, taking and sharing.

"The evolved human mind," he continued, "would overlook the public policy complexities of modern redistribution and instead perceive it in terms of a much simpler mental model featuring a small number of prototypical characters -- the self, the worse-off other and the better-off other -- and different motives directed at each character."

To understand the logic behind support for -- or opposition to -- economic redistribution, the research team focused on three motives: compassion, self-interest and envy.

First compassion

"Our ancestors lived in a world without social or medical insurance, and so they benefited from covering each other's shortfalls through mutual help," said John Tooby, a professor of anthropology at UCSB and co-director of the Center for Evolutionary Psychology. "If your neighbor is starving and you have food, you can save his life by sharing with him. Later, when the situation is reversed and he shares his food with you, your life is saved."

This evolutionary dynamic selected for a spontaneous motivation to help those in need. "Compassion is the emotion that orchestrates this need-based help -- help toward those less well off," Tooby said.

But people also value their own welfare and that of their families. Thus, a competing motive is self-interest. "People who acted without any regard to their own and their family's welfare were selected out over the course of evolution," Tooby pointed out. "Self-interest may limit the reach of one's compassion, and enhance one's appetite for what others have."

The third motive is envy, directed toward those better off than you. "When a rival outperforms you in some activity, your relative standing decreases," said Sznycer. "People sometimes act to chip away at their rivals' advantages, even when that also harms third parties or even themselves." Envy and the spite it generates are socially destructive, he noted, but they can make sense in the context of an ancestral world that included competitive zero-sum games."

Haves and have-nots

Our human ancestors encountered neither urban poor nor billionaires during the Pleistocene, but over evolutionary time they did interact with worse- and better-off community members. "The theory is that people view the cast of characters of modern redistribution -- 'the poor' or 'the rich' -- through the lens of a set of motives that evolved to regulate interactions with their ancestral counterparts -- the 'worse-off other' and the 'better-off other'," explained Leda Cosmides, a professor of psychology at UCSB and co-director of the Center for Evolutionary Psychology.

"A person's view of redistribution -- whether she thinks redistribution is desirable, undesirable or a non-issue -- would be a joint function of the extent to which she is compassionate, the extent to which she is envious and the extent to which she expects to personally benefit from redistribution (the self-interest component)," Cosmides said.

To test this theory, the researchers asked study participants whether they support or oppose redistribution, and measured the participants' dispositions toward compassion, envy and self-interest. They found more support for redistribution among those who feel more compassion, among those who feel more envy and among those who expect to personally benefit from redistribution.

A cross-cultural phenomenon

The researchers observed the same pattern of results in the four countries they studied: the United States, the United Kingdom, India and Israel. "The fact that the results are so similar in different countries may be due to a common evolved human nature that is shared across cultures," Sznycer said. "Moreover, the observed effects are large: If you know a person's degree of compassion, envy and expected personal gain -- or loss -- from redistribution, you could predict her views as accurately as if, instead, you knew only her party affiliation, that is, whether she is a Democrat or a Republican, another strong predictor of attitudes about redistribution."

While both compassion and envy make redistribution more appealing, they do so via different routes, and may lead to differing policy preferences. Four out of five participants stated that in the past 12 months they have provided assistance to the poor. According to the authors, compassion was the only motivating factor that predicted helping the poor. As expected, neither self-interest nor envy came into play.

"That is, only some of the motives that lead people to favor government-mandated redistribution also motivate people to personally help the poor," Cosmides said. "We sometimes hear that supporting redistribution is the same as wanting to help the poor, but it is not."

Envy, on the other hand, functions differently. This can be seen through studying the choices that envy motivates. "If tax rates on the rich -- or anyone else -- rise sufficiently, the resulting revenue collected by the government will begin to decrease because now there are fewer incentives to be productive," said Florencia Lopez Seal of the Universidad Nacional de Cordoba, a co-author of the paper. "Based on this, we asked participants whether they prefer lower taxes on the rich but more resulting revenue to help the poor, or higher taxes on the rich but less money for the poor. One out of six participants preferred the latter, more spiteful option." This willingness to hurt the poor to pull down the rich was predicted only by the participant's tendency to feel envy.

"It is notable that envious people are willing to hurt the poor to get what they want," Tooby noted.

And what about fairness?

Intuitively, the theory that people want fairness seems like the most straightforward explanation for why people support redistribution. The authors also wanted to test this. To do so, the researchers measured participants' taste for fairness. The results showed that participants' taste for fairness failed to predict their attitudes about redistribution. By contrast, participants' compassion, envy and self-interest did.

"We think it's possible that meanings of fairness different from the ones we analyzed still play a role in forming attitudes about redistribution," Sznycer said. "In any case, our work points to a more basic issue: Fairness is a key concept in the social sciences, but when you look closely you see that fairness is defined in vague and sometimes contradictory ways -- sometimes it's equal outcomes, sometimes it's a level playing field, and so on."

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Yet when you empirically pit fairness against interpersonal dispositions such as compassion and envy, the latter win," he added.

In addition to Sznycer, Cosmides, Tooby and Lopez Seal, co authors of the paper include Julian Lim of UCSB; Aaron Sell of Griffith University; Roni Porat and Eran Halperin of Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya; and Shaul Shalvi of the University of Amsterdam.
Negative media coverage of the side effects associated with taking statins, and patients' own experiences of taking the drugs, are among the reasons cited by stroke survivors and their carers for stopping taking potentially life-saving drugs, according to research published today.

Individuals who have had a stroke are at risk of a second stroke, which carries a greater risk of disability and death than first time strokes. In fact, one third of all strokes occur in individuals who have previously had a stroke. To prevent this recurrence, patients are offered secondary preventative medications; however, adherence is a problem with 30% of stroke patients failing to take their medications as prescribed.

To examine the barriers to taking these medications, researchers at the University of Cambridge and Queen Mary University, London (QMUL), analysed posts to TalkStroke, a UK-based online forum hosted by the Stroke Association, across a seven year period (2004-2011). The forum was used by stroke survivors and their carers.

The team, led by Dr Anna De Simoni, a lecturer in Primary Care Research at QMUL and visiting researcher at the Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, has previously used the forum to explore issues such as the impairment that can make it difficult for stroke survivors to maintain a job.

The findings of the study, which looked at posts by 84 participants, including 49 stroke survivors and 33 caregivers, are published today in the journal BMJ Open. The Stroke Association gave the researchers permission to analyse the results, and to prevent identification of individuals, the team did not use verbatim comments.

Among the reasons cited by the forum users, side effects were a major factor in decisions to stop taking medication. Several contributors had experienced negative side effects and as a result had stopped taking the medication, sometimes in consultation with their GP and other times unilaterally. Others reported that they, or the person they were caring for, had stopped taking the medication after reading negative stories in the press about side effects.

Other users expressed concerns over the medication they were offered. There were conflicting views about the efficacy of the medications - some contributors believed they were very important, while others believed that their risk could be managed by lifestyle changes alone.

Contributors also reported mixed views of healthcare professionals -- some felt confident in their doctor's decision, while others questioned their decisions, some even questioning their motivation for prescribing particular drugs.

"These findings have highlighted the need for an open, honest dialogue between patients and/or their carers, and healthcare professionals," says Dr De Simoni. "Doctors need to listen to these concerns, discuss the benefits and drawbacks of taking the medication, and be willing to support a patient's informed decision to refuse medications."

However, perceptions did not present the only barriers to adherence: there were often practical considerations. Drugs were sometimes too large and difficult to swallow, or a drug regime was too burdensome. The complexities of the drug regimes sometimes meant having to develop routines and strategies to ensure patients kept to them. One survivor described having to pay for the medications by credit card as she was unable to work and had no money or benefits coming in.

"By analysing people's views as expressed in online forums, where they are more open and less guarded, we've seen some valuable insights into why some stroke survivors have difficulty adhering to their medication," says PhD candidate and first author James Jamison from the Department of Public Health and Primary Care at Cambridge.

"Challenging negative beliefs about medication and adopting practices that make routines for taking medication simpler, particularly for those patients who have suffered disability as a result of stroke, should increase adherence and ultimately improve health outcomes."

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The research was supported by the National Institute of Health Research, the Stroke Association and the British Heart Foundation.

For more information about statins, visit http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Cholesterol-lowering-medicines-statins/Pages/Introduction.aspx.

Reference

Jamison, J et al. Barriers and facilitators to adherence to secondary stroke prevention medications after stroke: Analysis of survivors' and caregivers' views from an online stroke forum. BMJ Open; 19 July 2017; DOI: 10.17863/CAM.10458
DDC setting up 2 more dairy production centres

Dairy Development Corporation (DDC), the public enterprise established for the development of the dairy sector is planning to establish diary production centres in Pokhara and Khumaltar of Lalitpur. According to the DDC, the new production centres are being established to develop the dairy sector and meet the growing demand.
Hadi Ghasemi, Bill D. Cook Assistant Professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Houston, has received the NASA iTech prize for X-factor Innovations.

Ghasemi was one of three winners at NASA's second iTech Forum, held earlier this month at the National Institute of Aerospace in Hampton, Virginia. The forum was seeking ideas that may lead to products with the potential to benefit NASA and the nation.

Ghasemi was recognized for his discovery of an adaptive biologically inspired anti-icing material that can be applied to any surface.

His material, chosen among entries from more than 130 organizations across the United States, was inspired by a species of wood frog, which can tolerate freezing of more than half their body fluids. The new material mimics the resilient amphibian.

The newly created adaptive surface works like a pair of glasses that change to sunglasses when you walk outdoors. In this case, the material performs normally at ambient temperatures but becomes an anti-icing surface when exposed to extreme cold.

"It is an honor to launch our journey with NASA on implementation of this technology in the aerospace industry, power transmission systems, and ground and offshore infrastructures," Ghasemi said, adding that he wanted to acknowledge the work of Ph.D. student Peyman Irajizad in developing the disruptive technology.

Potential applications range from the aircraft industry - planes can encounter freezing rain or super-cooled water droplets while flying, leading to a buildup of ice and potentially, a crash - to the power industry, where icing can cause power poles, towers and transmission lines to collapse.

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Read the full press release on the NASA iTech Cycle 2 winners here: https://www.nasa.gov/offices/oct/feature/nasa-selects-top-three-itech-innovators-for-continued-collaboration

Watch a video with the NASA iTech competition winners at https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10158965047170285&id=33527980284
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. (July 17, 2017) -Injured people often interact with police and other law enforcement agents before and during their injury care, particularly when their injuries are due to violence or major motor vehicle crashes. Yet, there are no professional guidelines in trauma medicine or nursing that standardize when and how police interact with injured patients.

In a new study from the University of Pennsylvania, a group of researchers have identified key intervention points where patients perceived overlap between healthcare and law enforcement activities: at the scene of injury; in transport to the hospital; during emergency care; and throughout hospitalization and rehabilitation.

The study was led by Sara F. Jacoby, PhD, MPH, MSN, Assistant Professor in the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing's (Penn Nursing) Department of Family and Community Health, and Elinore J. Kaufman, MD, MSHP, from the University of Pennsylvania Master of Science in Health Policy Program and Weill Cornell Medical Center. The research explored how patients, who identified as Black or African American, perceived their interactions with law enforcement at a trauma center in Philadelphia.

Some patients in the study felt that police were acting in their best interest by offering security at the scene of an injury, providing emotional support, and expediting hospital transport. Others experienced police questioning in the emergency department or inpatient wards of the hospital, as stressful, disrespectful, and/or in conflict with their medical needs.

"These findings suggest that intersections between law enforcement and trauma care activities are varied, but carry the potential to affect outcomes, alter trust in the health care system, and affect racial disparities in injury recovery," said Jacoby.

"With reflection on the perspectives of patients in this study, health care institutions have an opportunity, if not obligation, to formulate policies for where, when, and how police interact with patients in a way that prioritizes the patient's health," said Kaufman.

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The study will be published in the journal Social Science & Medicine. It will be included in a special issue on the role of racism in health inequalities. Co-authors include Therese S. Richmond, PhD, CRNP, FAAN, the Andrea B. Laporte Professor of Nursing & Associate Dean for Research & Innovation at Penn Nursing and Daniel N. Holena, MD, MSCE, Perelman School of Medicine. Funding for this research was provided, in part, by the Penn Injury Science Center and the Centers for Disease Control (R49CE002474) and the National Institute of Nursing Research (F31 NR0113599).

About the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing

The University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing is one of the world's leading schools of nursing. For the second year in a row, it is ranked the #1 nursing school in the world by QS University, and has four graduate programs ranked number one by U.S. News & World Report, the most of any school in the United States. Penn Nursing is consistently among the nation's top recipients of nursing research funding from the National Institutes of Health. Penn Nursing prepares nurse scientists and nurse leaders to meet the health needs of a global society through research, education, and practice. Follow Penn Nursing on: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram & YouTube.
Just as one too many cocktails can lead a person to make bad choices, a few drops of oil can cause coral reef fish to make poor decisions, according to a paper published today in Nature Ecology & Evolution. A team of fisheries biologists led by Jacob Johansen and Andrew Esbaugh of The University of Texas Marine Science Institute have discovered that oil impacts the higher-order thinking of coral reef fish in a way that could prove dangerous for them--and for the coral reefs where they make their home.

Examining six different species of coral reef fish, Johansen and the team found that exposure to oil consistently affected behavior in ways that put the fish at risk.

During several weeks when coral reef fish go through their juvenile stages of development, they are especially vulnerable. Even in healthy populations of reef fish, typically less than 10 percent of embryos and larvae reach adulthood. Those who survive must learn to identify friend from foe and adopt protective behaviors, such as traveling in groups, minimizing movement in open waters and swimming away quickly from danger.

In experiments, the scientists found that juvenile fish exposed to oil struggled on all these counts.

"In several different experiments, the fish exposed to oil exhibited very risky behavior, even in the presence of a predator," said Esbaugh, an assistant professor of marine science.

The scientists also found that oil exposure negatively affected the fishes' growth, survival and settlement behaviors (their ability to find a suitable habitat).

Oil concentrations are found in oceans worldwide, but until now little has been known about the impact of oil exposure on coral reef fish. Earlier research that explored how oil affects the physiology of fishes has demonstrated developmental heart deformities and associated cardiac functions, but this is the first study to demonstrate that oil exposure affects behavior in a way that increases predation and reduces settlement success.

The finding could be bad news for reefs, as well, since many coral reefs depend on fish to remove algae that can restrict their growth and development. Coral reef ecosystems are the oceans' most diverse ecosystems--and the most threatened. Hundreds of millions of people depend on coral reefs and their fish for income or food, but widespread coral bleaching and overfishing threaten this way of life. The new study indicates that limiting oil-based industrial activities near reefs may be critical for reef preservation.

"Over the past 35 years, almost one-fifth of the world's coral reefs have been lost and half of what's remaining is either expected to disappear or be under severe threat in the next few decades," Johansen, the lead researcher, reflected. "Still, many governments continue to allow industrial activities, including oil drilling and exploration, in sensitive reef habitats. If a spill were to occur, this study suggests there could be major consequences for the fish, for coral reefs and for people working in fisheries and tourism."

"We used oil concentrations that are already present in many industrialized regions worldwide -- concentrations that ranged from two to five parts per billion, the equivalent of a couple of drops in a swimming pool," Johansen said.

Exposure to these oil concentrations caused higher rates both of immediate death and more latent death, in addition to the behavioral shifts and cognitive changes in coral reef fish. These results suggest that future studies of oil in sensitive environments, such as coral reefs, should account for behavior in addition to the toxic effects when trying to capture the overall ecological health of the system or make predictions about fish populations.

###

Along with Johansen and Esbaugh, researchers Bridie Allan from The Institute of Marine Research in Bergen, Norway and Jodie Rummer of the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies in James Cook, Australia assisted with the findings.

This research was supported by the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative, Australian Research Council and Lizard Island Reef Research Foundation.

Read the paper "Oil exposure disrupts early life-history stages of coral reef fishes via behavioural impairments", after the embargo lifts: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41559-017-0232-5
(Scroll down for photo gallery)

WOOSTER, Ohio  Ohio is the largest sheep-producing state east of the Mississippi, said Dave Benfield, associate vice president for agricultural administration and director of Ohio States wooster campus. For that, he said, Ohio sheep producers should be proud of the work they have invested into improving their flocks.

The Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) sheep research facility hosted the Ohio Sheep Day, July 15. Sheep producers came to learn about Ohio States research on parasites and pasture management, new weaning techniques for lambs, confinement setups and protecting their flocks from predators.

Confinement barns

While many producers prefer to have a pasture-based system for their lamb operations, pastures pose two threats  parasites and predators. Ohio State animal scientist Dr. Francis Fluharty walked producers through different confinement options.

One of the biggest aspects to consider is air flow. He suggested constructing a monoslope barn similar to what many cattle operations use. The benefits of these barns is the air flow minimizes the ammonia smell and cuts down on flies accumulating in pens.

The air flow and the sunlight that pass through a monoslope barn help air out the manure pack in the winter and dry the pack in the summer.

Sheep perspective

Fluharty explained the only way to truly get a sense of the airflow the animal is experiencing, is to get down on the their level  which he demonstrated by getting down on all fours.

We have to think like a sheep think about how high the animals actually are from the ground, he said.

Curtains can be installed to offset the cold and heat, but opening them from the bottom instead of the top, can make a difference in the air flow to the animal.

The down side to confinement setups is the cost of feed necessary to supplement the sheep not on pasture and the extra labor in barn upkeep.

Fluharty said its important, even in a confinement setup, that sheep get their exercise. Having a hard, dry area outside the barn where the sheep can run a few hours a day is essential. A ewe has to be an athlete, otherwise they become couch potatoes, he said.

Ohio State confinement barn Pasture based lambing operation face two main challenges  parasites and predators. Confinement barns, like this one, give sheep producers another option for raising sheep. < > < > 1 View Ohio State confinement barn Pasture based lambing operation face two main challenges  parasites and predators. Confinement barns, like this one, give sheep producers another option for raising sheep. 2 View Pasture management Rory Lewandowski shows sheep producers how to measure the amount of forage available in their fields. 3 View Pasture management Bob Hendershot, vice-chair of Green Pasture Services and Ohio Sheep Improvement Association board member, talks with sheep producers about forage quality and pasture management during a pasture walk of the OARDC sheep research facility in Wooster, July 15, part of Ohio Sheep Day. 4 View Parasite management Jeff McCutcheon, Ohio State Extension regional director and Ohio Sheep and Wool Producers board member, explained to sheep producers the life cycle of parasites and how they affect sheep, during a pasture walk at the OARDC sheep research facility, in Wooster, Ohio, July 15. 5 View Ohio State sheep research Brady Campbell and Jeff McCutcheon talk about research on sheep weaning and parasite management during Ohio Sheep Day, July 15. 6 View sheep day 7 The Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Centers sheep research facility is home to close to 300 ewes. The ongoing research and new trends in sheep production was highlighted at Ohio Sheep Day July 15. Producers learned about parasite and pasture management, weaning techniques and protection from predators. 7 View Sheep Producers got a closer look at different management techniques for sheep, during Ohio Sheep Day at the OARDC sheep research facility. 8 View Full barn It was a full barn during Ohio Sheep Day at the OARDC sheep research facility July 15. 9 View Hoof trimming Roger Shearer showed sheep producers how he trims hoofs and cares for the sheep at the OARDC sheep research facility in Wooster, Ohio, during Ohio Sheep Day July 15. 10 View Pasture walk 11 View OARDC Sheep 12 View Think like a sheep Dr. Francis Fluharty explained the only way to truly get a sense of the airflow the animal is experiencing, is to get down on the their level  which he demonstrated by getting down on all fours. 13 View Vulture attacks Tommy Butler, a certified wildlife biologist with USDA Wildlife Services, shows how producers can protect their flocks from black vultures.

Weaning

Ohio State graduate student Brady Campbell walked producers through his research project on traditional lamb weaning versus delayed weaning. For his study, Campbell compared weaning at the traditional 60 days compared to leaving the lamb with its mother for 120 days.

The study revealed that lambs left with their mothers longer gained more weight than those separated after 60 days. Campbell explained a few reasonings behind this.

When a lamb is separated from its mother, it undergoes stress. Lambs also learn how to eat from their mother.

The milk from the ewe is higher in energy and protein than traditional feed sources. So leaving the animals together longer could potentially save on feed costs and be a better nutritional supplement for the lambs.

Pasture walk

Bob Hendershot, vice chair of Green Pasture Services and Ohio Sheep Improvement Association board member, and Rory Lewandowski, OSU Extension educator in Wayne County, led producers on a pasture walk.

You should be making decisions about pasture management, not your ewes, said Hendershot. Its important to think long-term when raising pasture-based animals, in order to keep forage quality up and make sure there is enough in the fields to last your grazing season.

Using a simple pasture stick, Lewandowski showed producers how to measure pasture length and the amount of dry matter available in your field. During their walk, Hendershot and Lewandowski described the best forages to incorporate in fields and what to avoid.

Roger High, executive director Ohio Sheep Improvement Association and Ohio Sheep and Wool Producers, and OSU state sheep Extension specialist, said he hoped producers found something they could take back from Ohio Sheep Day to improve their own flocks and operations.

You can find more on Ohio sheep events and programs at ohiosheep.org.
A new report released today describes how Brexit will pose 'real risks' to the cost and availability of the UKs food supplies, accusing the Government of 'sleepwalking' into insecurity.

The report on food security, from three leading experts from three different universities, says food could be "seriously undermined" by leaving the EU.

It says the Government has shown little sign of addressing the issues, accusing ministers of "an astonishing act of political irresponsibility".

It accusses them of becoming complacement after decades of consistency with food and farming.

The report argues that there has been an almost complete lack of action so far with farming issues, including subsidies, migrant farm labour and safety standards.

One of the authors, Prof Tim Lang of City University, describes the situation as a "serious policy failure on an unprecedented scale".

The problem could be especially pronounced because the UK imports some 80% of its fresh vegetables and 40% of its fruit.

The 86-page review cites recent research by the British Retail Consortium that the absence of a trade deal could push the price of imported food up by 22%.

Mr Gove said he wanted to better understand what farmers wanted in a post-Brexit landscape

'Volatile'

The report states that even 'soft Brexit' could potentially badly affect the food and farming industries.

It says: Prices, which are already rising and likely to rise more, will become more volatile, especially harming poor consumers.

A spokeswoman for Defra said that leaving the EU will provide the UK's 'hugely successful' food and drinks industry with new opportunities to 'expand and flourish'.

When we leave we are determined to benefit from tariff-free trade for our goods that is as frictionless as possible.

But we also want to provide stability for the sector when we leave the EU  which is why the Repeal Bill will make sure the laws and rules we have will, so far as possible, still apply and why our Agriculture Bill will make sure farmers can continue to compete domestically and on the global market.

But the report criticises ministers for their lack of awareness of the issue: The silence about the future of UK food since the Brexit referendum is an astonishing act of political irresponsibility and suggests chaos unless redressed.

'There are opportunities'

Current Defra secretary Michael Gove said he wanted to 'better understand' what farmers wanted in a post-Brexit landscape.

He said: We are going to leave the EU and we are going to see change and I want to see a deal that works for British farmers.

There are some opportunities there, but obviously we have got to make sure we get some big decisions right.

I want to ensure that British farms are producing more, growing more and selling more, and farming is in a better state than what I inherited.

He said leaving the European Union will present a chance for British agriculture to 'put things right'.

The National Farmers' Union (NFU) has warned that the 'wrong' kind of Brexit deal could result in seasonal labour shortages and the government having to pay billions in direct financial assistance to help farmers cope with market and price volatility.
Young farmers are being encouraged to join an EU - China exchange programme to discover more about agriculture in the second largest economy in the world.

It also wants to encourage the sharing of best practice in sustainable farming.

EU Commissioner Phil Hogan and Han Changfu, Minister of Agriculture of the People's Republic of China, signed a joint statement launching the project in April.

They have now issued a call for applicants for the first stage of the initiative, which will see 10 young farmers (under 40) chosen from across the EU to visit China in November this year.

The aim of the project is to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the area of agriculture and rural development between the EU and China.

It wants to provide an opportunity for young farmers and agricultural professionals from both sides see how they each rise to the challenges of their respective farming sectors.

Next generation

Phil Hogan said: "In both Europe and China  and indeed anywhere else in the world  we need to encourage the next generation of young farmers and rural entrepreneurs to create a food and farming sector fit for the 21st century.

"I welcome this opportunity to strengthen the already positive and constructive relations between the EU and China in this area which I saw during my visit there last year."

The exchange programme is part of the broader cooperation between the EU and China on agriculture and rural development which began in 2012.

The project will focus especially on sustainable farming techniques and environmental practices.

The project recommendations will also be shared at a final conference to be organised in China end of 2018.
When Saif Joked About Nepotism

When Varun joined the two actors on the stage at the Metlife Stadium to receive the Best Performance in a Comic Role for Dishoom, Saif joked that the actor had made it big in the industry because of his father, director David Dhawan.

Nepotism Rocks

"You are here because of your pappa," Saif quipped. Varun said: "And you're here because of your mummy (veteran actress Sharmila Tagore). Karan then promptly added: "I am here because of my pappa (late filmmaker Yash Johar). "They then said in unison: "Nepotism rocks".

Varun Took A Dig At Kangana

Varun then didn't leave a chance to take a potshot at Karan saying: "There was a song in your film... 'Bole choodiyan, bole kangana." Karan, with his quick wit, then commented: "Kangana naa hi bole toh achha hai... Kangana bahut bolti hai."

Recommended Video Karan Johar makes FUN of Kangana Ranaut along with Varun Dhawan - Saif at IIFA 2017 | FilmiBeat

Sushant Upset With IIFA

Shahid Kapoor won the award for the best actor in a leading role category. After Shahid went on stage to receive the award, Sushant Singh Rajput took to Twitter to share a sarcastic tweet in which he wrote, ''@IIFA hahahaha.''

Katrina's Fantastic Performance

Katrina Kaif rocked the IIFA 2017 stage with her fantastic performance.

The Hot Babe

Dressed in black leather pants and a bright yellow bustier, Katrina was looking super hot on the stage.

Salman Khan Steals The Show

Audiences loved Bollywood superstar Salman Khan's entertaining performance at the IIFA.

Sushant & Kriti's Act

Love birds Sushant Singh Rajput and Kriti Sanon performing on the hit numbers.

Alia Bhatt On Cloud Nine

Alia Bhatt was super excited when she won the Best Actress Award for her film Udta Punjab.

Lovely Disha Patani

Disha Patani clicked while giving her 'thank you' speech after winning the Best Debut Award.

On A Related Note

The 18th edition of the star-studded IIFA Awards was organised at the MetLife Stadium, New York.
Give President Trump his due.

Late last year, the then-president elect blasted Lockheed Martin (LMT -5.48%) for charging taxpayers a "tremendous cost" for its F-35 stealth fighter jet. At the time, Lockheed Martin's cheapest F-35 variant, the F-35A conventional takeoff-and-landing (CTOL) fighter jet, cost about $100 million each -- significantly more than fourth-generation fighter jets built by Boeing (BA -0.05%).

And so Trump tweeted that, if Lockheed Martin didn't move quickly to cut the cost of the F-35, he would "price-out a comparable F-18 Super Hornet" from Boeing (BA -0.05%) and buy that instead. (At the time, Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornets were selling for closer to $70 million, and a new Advanced Super Hornet was in the works that would eventually be priced at about $79 million.)

F-35 prices have been plummeting ever since.

Message received

Case in point: Last week, the U.S. Department of Defense announced in its daily digest of defense deals that it has awarded Lockheed Martin a $5.58 billion contract to supply the U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps with a grand total of 74 new F-35 fighter jets. Specifically, Lockheed Martin will be delivering:

48 F-35A aircraft to the Air Force,

18 F-35B aircraft to the Marine Corps,

and eight F-35C aircraft to be split between the Navy and Marine Corps.

Now, $5.58 billion probably sounds like a lot of money (because it is). But here's the crucial fact to keep in mind: At the time President Trump made his infamous F-35 tweet, Lockheed Martin was selling F-35A CTOL fighters for about $100 million apiece. (F-35B short takeoff-and-vertical landing (STOVL) fighters, and F-35C carrier variants cost much, much more).

Responding to President Trump's criticism, however, and helped by economies of scale as it ramped up production, Lockheed had already worked down the price of an F-35A to just $94.6 million by early this year. Granted, F-35Cs were still costing nearly $122 million a pop, and F-35Bs nearly $123 million -- but even so, the price for all F-35 variants was coming down rapidly, and moving in the right direction.

By June, we heard that the price had fallen even farther, with Lockheed rumored to have inked an 3-year, 11-nation, $40 billion deal to sell as many as 440 F-35 fighter jets (mainly F-35As) to the Pentagon and American allies for prices as low as $80 million. This latest Defense Department purchase shows that F-35s have become even cheaper than that -- and ahead of schedule.

Military math

Here's how the math works: $5.58 billion in spending to acquire 74 F-35s works out to an average price of just $75.4 million per fighter. That's even cheaper than the $80 million unit price that was mooted last month. It's also cheaper than the $79 million unit price that Boeing floated as the likely cost of its new Advanced Super Hornet earlier this year.

Even more amazing, more than one third of the F-35s the Pentagon will be buying are of the -B and -C variants -- which at last report each cost roughly 30% more than an F-35A. This suggests either that F-35Bs and -Cs are now approaching the lower cost of cheaper F-35As -- or that the F-35A itself may now cost even less than $75.4 million.

What it means to investors

Assuming the $5.58 billion price holds firm (F-35 Joint Program Office spokesman Joe DellaVedova says that the final price for Low Rate Initial Production Lot 11, containing the 74 planes in question, is still being negotiated), this new and improved F-35 price appears to weaken Boeing's argument for the Pentagon buying F/A-18 fighter jets as a cheaper alternative to Lockheed's F-35. So what does this mean for investors in Boeing and Lockheed?

Well, it's probably not great news for Boeing, but it doesn't mean all hope is lost. Boeing just succeeded in securing a commitment from Navy to fund development of its Advanced Super Hornet, after all. And even if Lockheed's F-35A variant is now price competitive with Boeing's F/A-18, F-35As still can't land on aircraft carriers. Meanwhile, F-35Cs -- which can land on carriers -- probably still cost more than F/A-18s.

That said, the lower F-35 prices fall, the smaller Boeing's price advantage shrinks. If this trend of falling F-35 prices keeps moving the way it's been going, Lockheed could win this contest yet -- and push Boeing out of the fighter jet business for good.
Dolphin population in Karnali faces decline

Only six dolphins were spotted in the Karnali river during a recent inspection by the Bardiya National Park (BNP), which has raised concerns about the existence of the charismatic species, whose number in the 1980s was estimated to be a little less than 100, with the group of about 20 in the Karnali.
Xiaomi X1 will be called Xiaomi 5X; will have a 6GB RAM variant News oi -Chandrika The high variant of Xiaomi 5X is speculated to come equipped with a Snapdragon 660 chipset and 6GB of RAM.

Off late, we have been hearing a lot about Xiaomi's upcoming sub-brand, which is rumored to be called Lanmi. Rumors have it, X1 will be the first phone from the series.

Xiaomi has apparently come up with this smartphone to take on offerings from Oppo and Vivo. Last week, a leakster on Weibo posted a picture revealing the pricing details of the Xiaomi X1 aka Lanmi X1. Now, the same leakster has posted a picture, which appears to be a poster of the smartphone. Interestingly, as per the poster, instead of X1, the device will be called Xiaomi 5X.

Other than that, Chinese website My Drivers has claimed that the Xiaomi 5X will come in different variants. So we assume that the poster is only speaking of the specs of the standard or basic version of the Xiaomi 5X.

As we have reported earlier, it would feature a 5.5-inch display that is likely to deliver full HD resolution. Under the hood, the device would be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor paired with 4GB of RAM.

Coming to the high variant of Xiaomi 5X, it is speculated to come equipped with a Snapdragon 660 chipset and 6GB of RAM. Storage-wise, there will be 64GB of native storage capacity. It is not mentioned if the storage space can be further expanded or not.

The report also reveals that the alleged higher edition of the Xiaomi 5X will flaunt a rear dual camera setup consisting of two 12MP sensors (a Sony IMX386 sensor and a Samsung S5k3m3 sensor). While on the front, there will be a 16MP selfie camera. As for software, the smartphone will be running Android 7.1.1 Nougat layered with MIUI 9 on top.

It is worth pointing out that the report says, the Xiaomi 5X will be unveiled on July 26, the date when Meizu is also expected to launch its Pro 7 and Pro 7 Plus. Whether this information is true or not, cannot be said for sure. Up until now, there has been no word from Xiaomi itself. So you should take this news lightly.

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Reliance Jio effect: TRAI may meet all telcos on July 21 to discuss minimum floor price News oi -Priyanka The regulator would also seek the rationale for the floor price demand.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is likely to meet all telcos on July 21 to discuss minimum floor price for voice and data tariff in the country, as it has been demanded by some operators.

It is expected that by implementing this could be an end to freebies in the market, PTI reported.

According to a PTI report, the TRAI is likely to ask telcos to explain their views on a minimum floor price for tariffs, and also the formulation or math for the fixing such a rate, the official said.

The report said that the regulator would also seek the rationale for the floor price demand.

The regulator has reportedly asked telecom operators also give a detailed presentation to support their arguments. "It is also expected to ask the telcos why an upper ceiling for tariffs is not similarly justified," the report said.

To recall, all operators in June this year have suggested telecom regulator to imposing a floor price for voice and data services

In fact TRAI, Chairman said "Some of the telcos raised the issue of operators offering below-cost tariffs to consumers, and said it could hurt the financials of the industry.

He added,"at the moment we have heard both the views..but how we move forward on this idea, that we will have to discuss among ourselves."

The regulator has all rights to fix the tariff rates.

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Haiti - Education : Towards more cooperation with the Caribbean Development Bank





Pierre Josue Agenor Cadet, the Minister of National Education, accompanied by Norbert Stimphil Coordinator of the Education for All (EPT) project and Delima Pierre the Director General of the National Office for Education Partnership (ONAPE), met with Ms. Idamay Denny, Social Programs Officer of the Caribbean Development Bank (BCD) and several Bank staff, on cooperation in the education sector between the Bank and Haiti.



Ongoing projects in support of Haiti's education sector, which has just received more than $20 million in grants from BDC https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21441-haiti-politics-more-than-$20m-in-grants-for-2-projects.html And the prospect of other projects financed by the Caribbean Bank were at the center of discussions. For Minister Cadet, teacher training, school infrastructure and the new secondary education are among the priorities submitted to the BDC.



Idamay Denny said he was at the listing of the Ministry of Education to support the priorities identified by Minister Cadet and the Government of Haiti for the education sector and both parties agreed to continue and deepening these exchanges with a view to launching new projects for the benefit of the education sector in Haiti.



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21441-haiti-politics-more-than-$20m-in-grants-for-2-projects.html



SL/ HaitiLibre


















In preparation for the Four Seasons much-anticipated return to Philadelphia, Ben Shank has been appointed as General Manager of the new Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center. The appointment marks an exciting homecoming for Shank, who started his career in hospitality almost two decades ago at the original Four Seasons in Philadelphia, which the company operated from 1983 to 2015. Having worked his way across the continent and up the ranks with Four Seasons positions in New York, San Diego, Maui, Scottsdale, and Orlando, Shank will be returning to his hometown to take the helm as Four Seasons prepares to open its doors again in Philadelphia. Shank began his career with Four Seasons as a busboy at the popular Fountain Restaurant in Philadelphia before earning a degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management from Penn State University, and ultimately becoming the restaurants General Manager. With his keen interest and increasing experience, Shank took leadership roles in the high-energy food and beverage departments at Four Seasons in New York, Maui and San Diego, before being promoted to Resort Manager in Scottsdale. Most recently, he served as opening Resort Manager in Orlando, where he was responsible for day-to-day operations of the 443-room hotel, including its much-lauded restaurants and bars, large spa, and extensive recreational facilities.
Dubai, UAE  INTEREL, the world's fastest-growing manufacturer of integrated room technologies in the hospitality industry, has announced the appointment of Helmut Frank as the company's SVP Europe, who is responsible for cementing INTEREL's position in Europe as a global leader in hospitality technology.

Frank has worked with some of Europe's leading building technology companies for the past 20 years, including Gira, with whom he served as the group's Director of Hospitality in Europe for the past six years.

Florian Gallini, Group CEO of INTEREL, said: "INTEREL is firmly established in Europe, with demand for our intelligent hospitality technology products and services continuing to grow from strength-to-strength. The appointment of Helmut comes at an opportune time for INTEREL as we grow the support we offer our clients who are focused on enhancing their guests' experiences."

Continually recognised for innovation and technology leadership in hospitality, INTEREL takes a global view and is seeking to deliver greener and more sustainable operations worldwide, by building on the efforts of hoteliers in each of its regions, who are focused on reducing energy consumption and costs, while improving guest experiences.

"As an industry veteran, I have spent much of my career in building technology looking for ways to integrate and leverage complementary systems and solutions. INTEREL offers the best hospitality solution in the market and I am looking forward to the opportunity to contribute to INTEREL's global growth, while expanding the group's position as a global leader in Europe." commented Frank.

About INTEREL

INTEREL powers the modern hotel through its Hotel of Things ecosystem that connects people, devices, and data. Its award-winning connectBsmart IoT infrastructure is built into its Guest Room Management Systems, and its new low-cost EOS Wi-Fi networked thermostats will revolutionize the guest experience, increase operational efficiency, and drive sustainability in the hospitality industry. INTEREL is backed by European technology investor, Jolt Capital SAS. With offices across four continents, INTEREL's solutions are deployed in over 45 countries and have been used by over 50 million guests. To learn more, please visit: www.interel.com

Michael Cohen
Dubai, UAE. 17 July 2017: INTEREL, the world's fastest growing manufacturer of integrated room technologies in the luxury hospitality industry, has announced the appointment of Jeff Johns as the company's SVP Americas, who is responsible for leading INTEREL's growth in the region.

With 18 years' experience in hospitality technology and a strong background in product design and engineering, strategy and sales for integrated guest room technology, Johns offers a wealth of knowledge in complex technology solutions and large-scale projects.

Florian Gallini, Group CEO of INTEREL, said: "In the Americas, demand continues to grow for INTEREL's products and services. Our vision at INTEREL, combined with our industry leading technologies, enables hoteliers to improve customer experiences by better leveraging technology. With Jeff joining the INTEREL team, we look forward to seeing take-up of our solutions optimised to match changing hotelier needs and expectations."

Prior to joining INTEREL, Johns worked with Sony, Enseo and INNCOM by Honeywell. His enthusiasm to join INTEREL comes as the group experiences significant growth and recognition for innovation and technology leadership in hospitality.

"Throughout my career, I have sought opportunities to work with market leaders who are at the forefront of new technology. This is certainly the case with INTEREL, where I will be leading the growth of the business in the Americas, while contributing to INTEREL's global growth.

"This comes at a time when sector-specific technology is advancing at an incredible rate and hoteliers are looking to leverage emerging hospitality solutions in Bluetooth wireless and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies," commented Johns.

Focused on enhancing the hotel guest experience and optimizing an operator's energy consumption, INTEREL's system philosophy is driven by their responsibility towards the environment  seeking to deliver greener and more sustainable operations by building on the efforts of hoteliers who are focused on reducing their properties' energy consumption and costs.

About INTEREL

INTEREL powers the modern hotel through its Hotel of Things ecosystem that connects people, devices, and data. Its award-winning connectBsmart IoT infrastructure is built into its Guest Room Management Systems, and its new low-cost EOS Wi-Fi networked thermostats will revolutionize the guest experience, increase operational efficiency, and drive sustainability in the hospitality industry. INTEREL is backed by European technology investor, Jolt Capital SAS. With offices across four continents, INTEREL's solutions are deployed in over 45 countries and have been used by over 50 million guests. To learn more, please visit: www.interel.com

Anne Bleeker

Managing Partner, In2 Consulting

+971 44558499
Hong Kong  The smartest minds in hotel revenue management will convene 11 October for the third annual Revenue Strategy Forum (RSF) Hong Kong, to discuss ways hotels can optimize their pricing and distribution in the face of an increasingly dynamic marketplace and new industry challenges. Hotel ICON will host the daylong conference, which will feature insights from leading hospitality executives and the founders of co-host Duetto.

Third Year for RSF Conference

In an era of rapid change with new players and intermediaries, it's critical that all hotel stakeholders  GMs, DORMs, sales and marketing leaders, owners and asset managers  have the right revenue strategies in place to tackle distribution complexities. The third annual RSF, sponsored by Duetto and Hotel ICON, is a gathering of thought leaders designed to help hotels implement holistic strategies to achieve top- and bottom-line growth.

"Entering its third year in Asia, RSF has quickly become a critical program to generate new ideas and approaches to shape the future of hospitality," said Patrick Bosworth, co-founder and CEO of Duetto. "We are excited to expand this forum to bring even more innovation forward and develop new revenue strategies alongside hotel owners, asset managers and brands."

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

GENERAL SESSION: Making Marketing a Bigger Part of Your Revenue Strategy

How can hotel marketers become a bigger part of the machine that drives revenue and profits and earn a seat at the table with their peers? Hear from experts on what metrics should matter most and innovative ways to drive greater results that align with the company's Revenue Strategy.

GENERAL SESSION: China Market Outlook

With continual increasing outbound travel by Chinese consumers, what are the current distribution and technology gaps hotels need to bridge and what are some upcoming trends that hotels need to know?

GENERAL SESSION: The Future of Hotel Technology

Rather than bolting on more solutions to an already fragile ecosystem, innovative hotel companies are beginning to rethink their tech stack and are looking for ways to integrate multiple systems in a modern cloud architecture to better personalize offers and experiences for guests.

"An innovation thought leader in hospitality management, Hotel ICON is committed to innovating the hotel industry developing the next generation of hotel leaders in Asia, which is why we look forward to hosting the third Revenue Strategy Forum this year," said Richard Hatter, General Manager of Hotel ICON.

A runner-up in the 2013 United Nation's World Tourism Organisation Ulysses Award for Innovation in Enterprises, Hotel ICON is known for being both sustainable and profitable as well as showing great commitment to innovating integrated teaching, learning and research in the hospitality industry.

"The hotel market in Asia will continue to change, as will the landscape for distribution and technology, especially as we take control and shape technology to fit our needs, large and small," Hatter said. "Even as the competition in this space intensifies, the sharing of best practices and new ideas among hoteliers and strategists is more important than ever."

Registration (hotlink - http://www.rsfhongkong.com) is now open. Early-bird pricing is $199 until 1 September, $299 after.

About Duetto:

With cloud-based applications that address hospitality's increasing complexity in distribution and technology, Duetto provides powerful Revenue Strategy solutions to optimize profit and guest loyalty. Its GameChanger and ScoreBoard apps deliver key insights into pricing and consumer demand for hotels and casinos.

Duetto's applications leverage forward-looking and consumer-centric data sets, such as web shopping regrets and denials. This helps hoteliers better understand a property's unconstrained demand and tailor a pricing strategy for optimal revenue and profit.

The company's Open Pricing philosophy enables users to yield every booking date, room type, customer segment or booking channel independently according to demand for each, without ever having to close off any of those categories.

The holistic Revenue Strategy championed by Duetto produces not only greater revenue and profit, but also a lift in market share relative to users' competitive set. In 2016, Duetto's fully deployed hotel clients recorded an average RevPAR Index lift of 6.5%. The company now partners with approximately 2,000 hotel and casino properties in more than 60 countries and has offices in seven major markets throughout the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Asia.

About Hotel ICON:

Unlike any other, Hotel ICON is an upscale Hong Kong hotel in the heart of Tsim Sha Tsui East. Standing as a testament to Hong Kong's creative energy and vibrant arts scene, Hotel ICON showcases work from the city's celebrated designers and the world's most acclaimed architects. Offering the ultimate in comfort and committed to service excellence, Hotel ICON's 262 stylish guestrooms comprise seductive extras, including complimentary wired and Wi-Fi internet connections, smartphone with unlimited mobile data and an ultra-slim 40" Ultra High Definition LED TV. Located on level 9, Hotel ICON's Angsana Spa is a tranquil oasis while the harbour-facing outdoor swimming pool and fitness centre allow guests to exercise while enjoying views of Hong Kong Island's spectacular skyline.

With a maximum capacity of 580 persons, Hotel ICON's grand Silverbox ballroom is the ideal venue for a celebration or theatre-style conference. Hotel ICON houses three restaurants: Above & Beyond, The Market and GREEN, providing guests with exceptional quality of the food and impeccable service. wallpaper* magazine included Hotel ICON in its 2011 list of the world's Best Business Hotels and DestinAsian included the hotel in its Luxe List 2011. The premier hotel has also won in 2 categories including t

Michael Frenkel
While until recently the recruitment market was driven by a scarcity of vacancies, todays recruitment landscape has flipped and is rapidly changing towards a candidate-led market. In 2015, already 90% of employers indicated that they experience the hiring market as candidate-driven (Glassdoor, 2016). While there are evidently still companies that believe they can continue to recruit from a position of power, the majority of employers already feel the new reality of their candidates being in the drivers seat. Most employers will need to revamp their hiring practices and employer brand in order to attract and retain the highly needed talent to move their organization forward. The rate at which top performers are rejecting job offers continues to grow. Motivation and expectations have dramatically changed. With professionals seeking for greener pastures again, candidates are making informed choices on where and under which conditions they want to work. Salary, education, growth opportunities and other benefits are obviously still playing an important role in landing the right talent. However, companies shouldnt forget that the process before closing the deal is as, and sometimes even more, important. Too many organizations are still relying on their pre-power-shift recruitment approaches, while many of these methods simply do not yield results anymore. Here are the first 3 things an employer will need to do ...
Dr KC warns of death fast over erring colleges

Dr Govinda KC, an orthopaedic surgeon and activist, on Sunday warned of another hunger strike from July 24 unless the government scrapped the operating licence of the medical colleges that deny admissions to students on merit.
Kolkata, July 17 (IBNS): Following the final nod from RBI in March 2017, Fino Payments Bank (referred hereinafter as aBanka) today announced the launch of its operations with 410 branches going live across 14 states.

The Bank was formally launched at an event by Ms. Chanda Kochhar, MD & CEO, ICICI Bank and D. Rajkumar, CMD, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited in presence of M.K. Chouhan, Chairman, Fino Payments Bank in esteemed company of reputed professionals from the BFSI sector.



Speaking at the launch Rishi Gupta, MD & CEO, Fino Payments Bank said, Payments bank license couldnt have come at a more opportune time for us when the digital payments and banking ecosystem is in place. We intend to make banking simple and convenient to millions of hardworking Indians through a mix of physical and digital platforms. As ingrained in our DNA, we will strategically leverage technology and partnerships to create a banking experience that is easy and everywhere for everyone.

Chanda Kochhar, MD & CEO, ICICI Bank said: We, at the ICICI Group, have always believed in creating new institutions and platforms-- from credit rating agencies to exchanges-- that are equipped to serve the needs of our growing economy. We have always been strong believers in utilising the power of technology and innovation to transform the way business is done and create new opportunities and goals that were hitherto unheard of. In line with this, the idea of Fino sprouted in ICICI Bank with the objective of addressing the gap in the banking system in terms of serving unversed individuals. It is wonderful to see that the idea has now become a tree, ready to spread its branches far and wide as a payments bank.

D. Rajkumar, Chariman & Managing Director, Bharat Petroleum Limited said, Over the years, BPCL has always pioneered strategic initiatives, energizing the lives of millions of customers. With rapid transformation of the Indian economy and disruptions in the traditional business models, we view our association with Fino Payments Bank as an opportunity to participate in Indias compelling financial inclusion story. Fintech is at the threshold of an exponential growth, and we, as one of the largest oil majors in India will catalyze the process, leveraging our extensive geographical reach of more than 20,000 outlets as banking points.

In addition to the 410 branches, Fino Payments Bank has created a network of 25,000 banking points, of which some are BPCL outlets, to gain access to remote geographies of the country. The Bank will offer full range of banking services, including current and savings accounts, remittances, BC lending, mobile banking through BPay app, life and general insurance and bill payments. The bank provides instant accounting opening and allows customers do banking anywhere, anytime and through any platform.

On the future plans for the Bank, Gupta said, We plan to acquire 3-4 million customers in the first year with the aim of increasing it to 50 million with a deposit base of Rs. 100 billion in 5 years. We plan to build a network of over 100,000 points and 1,000 plus branches. We aim to become the first profitable payments bank following a multi-product, multi-platform and partnership strategy that adds tremendous value to our customers.



We believe that every Indian works relentlessly every single day. We not only recognize and respect this effort but will also reward it by providing financial security for every hardworking India which is resonated in our base line  Qadar Aapki Mehnat Ki! further added Gupta.
Afghanistan, Jul 17 (IBNS) : The Afghan national defence and security forces on Monday regained the control of the district centre of Nawa in southern Helmand province, nine months after it was captured by the Taliban insurgents, state-run Khaama Press reported.

According to the local government officials, the control of the district centre fell to Afghan forces during the operations in the morning..

The officials further added that clearance operations are still underway by the joint forces, mainly focusing on clearing the mines planted by the Taliban insurgents.

This comes as General Radmanish, MOD deputy spokesperson said Sunday that the clearance operation is ongoing in the south and north parts of Nawa district aiming to completely clear the district of brutal Taliban presence. He said ANDSF are now controlling Nawa district and are clearing mines and IEDs planted by Taliban to protect civilian lives.
Kolkata, Jul 17 (IBNS): The ultimate aim of all religions is harmony said Avatar Singh, representing a popular Gurudwara in Kolkata, thus putting in a nutshell the theme of the photo-exhibition and an inter-faith meet organised at the city's The American Center recently.

Until July 27, The American Centre in Kolkata will hold an exhibition titled 'Keeping Faith: Indian Religious Traditions in the United States', which showcases not only how Indian-Americans practice their faith and traditions in the United States but also how Americans have adopted Indian faith and traditions.

Presented by the US Consulate, together with Meridian International Centre and Harvard University's Pluralism Project, the exhibition is a collection of photographs that highlight how "diverse faith traditions from India that have found their place in the fabric of the United States' pluralistic society," said Ambassador Stuart Holliday, President and CEO, Meridian International Center, in his introduction to the exhibition catalogue.

An interfaith dialogue with key representatives from different religious faiths was arranged as part of the inaugural ceremony in Kolkata.

In his address at the inaugural function, US Consul General Dr Craig L Hall said, "I hope this display lends to deeper understanding and appreciation of the wonderful influence India has had on the United States. The more our two countries share in the practice of our ideals, the more work we can do together to show the world our common commitment to engender tolerance toward all religions, allowing them to flourish with dignity and freedom."

Present at the inter-faith discussion were Fr Dominic Gomes, A Cohen (General Secretary, Jewish Community Affairs), Swami Muktidananda and Swami Shudhhidananda (Ramakrishna Mission), Avatar Singh (Gurdwara Jagat Sudhar) and Ven. P. Seewali Thero (General Secretary, Mahabodhi Society of India). Imam of Nakhoda Mosque could not attend owing to illness.

Photographed by individuals living in the United States, the exhibition 'Keeping Faith: Indian Religious Traditions in the United States' is a visual treat indeed, reflecting the Indian plurality through religious and social functions. Even if one is not religiously inclined, the aesthetic appeal is enough to merit a visit.

A Parsi Navjote initiation ceremony in Massachusetts, a Jain Paryushana celebration in California, an Anand Karaj or Sikh wedding in Virginia, floating lanterns in Ala Moana Park in Hawaii by Buddhist monks, people offering prayers at the Sri Lakshmi Temple in Massachusetts, police officers touring the BAPS Shri Swaminarayn Mandir in New Jersey, etc reflect how "India's faiths have set down roots in American soil," according to Dr Diana L. Eck, founder-director of the Pluralism Project, Harvard University.

The Exhibition in The American Center, Kolkata, was inaugurated by Chief Guest Goutam De, Regional Director, ICCR along with Dr Hall and representatives of the inter-faith team.

John F Kerry, Secretary of State, US Department of State said about the exhibition, "This is a testament to the priority we place on religious expression in the United States, and allows for a deeper understanding of the two great nations. This exhibit highlights the growing partnership between our two countries and presents an opportunity to emphasize our common commitment to democratic ideals, religious freedom and diversity."
At least three Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) terrorists were killed during a 30-hour long encounter in the Bamnoo area of Pulwama District. The encounter began in the morning of July 3, 2017, when the Security Forces (SFs), who had launched a search operation following a specific tip-off about the presence of terrorists in the area, were attacked by the armed group inside a house. Two terrorists were killed on the same day, while another was killed in the morning of July 4. Four SF personnel sustained injuries.

On July 1, 2017, Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT)'s Anantnag 'district commander' Bashir Ahmad Wani aka Bashir Lashkar and one of his associates, identified as Azad Ahmad Malikaka Dada, were killed in an encounter in the Brenti-Batpora area of Anantnag District. The encounter ensued when SFs after receiving information about the presence of terrorists in the area were attacked by the terrorists hiding inside a house. Bashir, according to media reports, figured in a list of 12 'most wanted terrorists' in the state released by the Indian Army on May 30, 2017. Two civilians, including a woman, were also killed during the exchange of fire.

On June 25, 2017, two LeT terrorists were killed in an encounter that broke out between terrorists and SFs in the Delhi Public School building at Pantha Chowk in Srinagar. The terrorists were hiding inside the school building after carrying out an attack on a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) vehicle at the gate of the school, killing one trooper and injuring two in the evening of June 24. The slain terrorists were identified as Abu Tala and Abu Hurraira, both Pakistanis. Two AK rifles, one Underbarrel Grenade Launchers (UBGL), two grenades and six AK-magazines were recovered from their possession. At least three Army soldiers were injured during the operation inside the building.

According to partial data compiled by the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP), at least 95 terrorists have been killed in the State since the beginning of the current year (data till July 9, 2017). During the corresponding period of the previous year, SFs had eliminated at least 81 terrorists. The number of slain terrorists during the corresponding periods of 2015, 2014, and 2013 stood at 44, 48 and 31 respectively. [Year 2013 has been taken as starting point for analysis because, after recording a continuous decline in overall terrorism-related fatalities since 2002, a reversal in this trend commenced in 2013]. Significantly, total terrorist fatalities through 2013, 2014, and 2015, stood at 100, 110, and 113, respectively, just over the numbers killed in the first six months and a week of the current year.

The number of SF personnel killed in the current year, thus far, stands at 40, as against 30 during the corresponding period of 2016. The number of SF personnel killed during the corresponding periods of 2015, 2014, and 2013 was 22, 16, and 31, respectively. Despite the larger loss of SF lives, the fatalities ratio between SF personnel and terrorists has been maintained at comparable levels: 1:2.3 (2017), 1: 2.7 (2016), 1: 2 (2015), and 1:3 (2014). In the corresponding period of 2013, the kill ratio was at par 1:1.

Meanwhile, at least 30 civilians have already died in the current year, as against five killed during the corresponding period of 2016. The number of civilians killed during the corresponding periods of 2013, 2014, and 2015, were 12, 10, and 12, respectively. Further dissection of the data reveals that, out of a total of 30 civilians killed in the current year, thus far; at least 13 were killed during exchanges of fire between terrorists and SFs. The number of civilians killed in such incidents was one, nil, four, and one, respectively, in the corresponding periods of 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016. The high number of civilians killed in cross fire in the current year is a disturbing development, and has often resulted from the assembly of violent crowds engaging in stone pelting against SFs, in support of beleaguered terrorists at various locations. SFs are now focusing on a range of measure to secure and segregate encounter sites to prevent public access or supporting action by radicalized crowds.

There have been 168 terrorism-related incidents in 2017 (data till July 2, 2017), as compared to 126 in the corresponding period of 2016, according to a media report. Incidents of explosion and resultant fatalities have increased from 14 and none in 2016 (data till July 9, 2016) to 24 and five respectively in 2017 (till July 9, 2017). Though the number of suicide attacks remained the same - one each in both the years, during corresponding periods, the resultant fatalities in these incidents declined from 10 in 2016 to five in 2017.

These numbers clearly suggest that, though the trends to declining violence have been reversed in the State over the past few years, the current security situation in the State, while disturbing, is far from alarming. Attempts by a section of the media and some 'experts' to create an atmosphere of panic are based on ignorance or deliberate deceit.

There are, in fact, indicators that, with stronger SF action, a measure of stability is being restored, despite some big SF losses in the aftermath of the killing of HM 'commander' Burhan Wani on July 8, 2016. While SFs had imposed a kill ratio of 1:1.48 during the first six months after the killing of Burhan Wani (between July 9, 2016, and January 9, 2017) this ratio improved significantly in the following six months, at 1:2.3.

Crucially, orchestrated street violence - backed by Pakistan-based terrorist formations and covert Pakistani support - subsequent to the Burhan Wani killing, which had created an environment of disorder and panic, is rapidly subsiding. According to reports, there have been 142 'law and order incidents' in 2017 (till June 30). In July 2016 alone, there were 820 such incidents. On December 19, 2016, the then Director General of Police (Law and Order) Shesh Pal Vaid had disclosed that a total of 2,380 'law and order incidents' had been reported during the 'Kashmir unrest', commencing July 8, 2016. Of these, at least 820 incidents were reported in July, declining to 747 in August, 535 in September, 179 in October, 73 in November and just 25 during the first 19 days of December. According to SATP, there were another two incidents of street violence thereafter, in 2016.

Nevertheless, flawed policies and the abject failure of the state in controlling the spiraling violence in the initial stages after the Burhan Wani killing created ample opportunities for inimical forces to broaden radical and extremist mobilization and violence, with a spurt in terrorist recruitment. 88 locals reportedly joined terrorism in 2016, mostly after the killing of Burhan Wani, and another 27 are believed to have already joined terrorist ranks in 2017 (till July 3, 2017).

Governments - both at the state and central level - appear to have started initiating some corrective measures. State Director General of Police Shesh Pal Vaid (who took charge on January 1, 2017) stated on February 14, 2017, that a "course correction" was already underway. Though he refused to divulge any details, asserting that any discussion of the issue would be premature, he admitted, "We are reaching out to the parents and requesting them to convince their children to shun the path of violence. In a few cases, we have achieved success also." Meanwhile, on July 3, 2017, an unnamed Police spokesman disclosed, "As many as 54 youth have been arrested from different Districts of Kashmir over the past few months. The arrests foiled their attempts to join militancy, thereby saving 54 families getting adversely affected by the militancy. "

Further, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA) has reportedly come up with a three-fold plan to eradicate terrorism in the State: launch of an offensive on terrorists, keeping tabs on journalists and writers who inflame the situation, and tightening the grip on separatists. According to sources, the Centre may ask Governor N.N. Vohra to directly oversee the combat operations. Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, who also holds home portfolio and heads the unified headquarters of security agencies, including the Army, will be kept in the loop only when the agencies take on terrorists in an encounter.

Though SFs have once again managed to contain the consequences of irresponsible politics and administrative failure in Kashmir, threats persists. This tragic cycle has been seen again and again, with SFs establishing dominance and a measure of control at great cost and through tremendous sacrifices, only to see these gains frittered away by political adventurism, incompetence or sheer mischief.
Image: twitter.com/RamNathKovind

Guwahati, July 17 (IBNS) : By rejecting the party instruction, seven legislators, including six MLAs of Mamata Banerjee led Trinamool Congress (TMC) of the 60 members Tripura assembly, on Monday had voted for National Democratic Alliance (NDA)s presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind.

The seven legislators including six TMC MLAs and one Congress MLA of the Tripura assembly had cast their votes in favour of Ram Nath Kovind.

Earlier, the six TMC MLAs were sacked from the party after they had openly announced their support to the NDAs presidential candidate.

We have already announced our decision and today we voted for Kovind, Sudip Kumar Barman said.

Apart from the six TMC MLAs, rebel Congress MLA Ratan Lal Nath also voted for the NDAs presidential candidate.

50 legislators of the ruling Left Front including Chief Minister Manik Sarkar cast their votes in the state assembly, while Speaker Ramendra Chandra Debnath cast his vote in West Bengal assembly and two Lok Sabha and lone Rajya Sabha MP from the state voted in the parliament in Delhi.

On the other hand, 124 legislators of the 126-member Assam assembly and three MPs of All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) had cast their votes in the Assam assembly on Monday.

The voting for the presidential election was completed three hours before the time limit.

Principal Secretary of Assam assembly Mrigendra Kumar Deka said that, former Chief Minister and Asom Gana Parishad MLA Prafulla Kumar Mahanta voted last at around 1-40 pm.

The voting went very peacefully. Former Chief Minister and Congress MLA Tarun Gogoi and BPF MLA Kamal Sing Narzary had cast their votes in Delhi while the rest 124 MLAs cast their votes in the Assam assembly. Three AIUDF MPs Badaruddin Ajmal, Sirajuddin Ajmal and Radheshyam Biswas also voted in the assembly, the Principal Secretary of the Assam assembly said.

On the other hand, eight legislators in the 60-member Meghalaya assembly did not cast their votes in the presidential poll.

According to the reports, state minister and senior Congress leader Martin M Dangoo, Congress legislator Kennedy Khyriem were among the eight legislators who could not cast their votes.

Martin M Danggo is now undergoing treatment in a Chennai based hospital, while Parliamentary Secretary Justine Dkhar now in Bengaluru. While Independent legislator Julius Kitbok Dorphang, who is presently lodged in the Shillong jail on rape charge of a minor, had not sought to vote in the presidential poll, a top official of the Meghalaya assembly said.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)


Image: twitter.com/AmitShah

New Delhi, July 17 (IBNS): As Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah formally announced the name of Venkaiah Naidu as the party's nominee for the upcoming vice-presidential poll, Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the decision and said the senior leader is a "fitting candidate" for the office.

Naidu is presently the Information and Broadcasting minister of the central government.

Following to the announcement, Modi wrote on Twitter: "I know @MVenkaiahNaidu Garu for years. Have always admired his hardwork & tenacity. A fitting candidate for the office of Vice President."

I know @MVenkaiahNaidu Garu for years. Have always admired his hardwork & tenacity. A fitting candidate for the office of Vice President.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 17, 2017

"A farmers son, @MVenkaiahNaidu Garu brings years of experience in public life and is admired across the political spectrum," he tweeted.

A farmers son, @MVenkaiahNaidu Garu brings years of experience in public life and is admired across the political spectrum.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 17, 2017

"The years of Parliamentary experience @MVenkaiahNaidu Garu has will help him discharge the important role of Rajya Sabha Chairperson," Modi added.

The years of Parliamentary experience @MVenkaiahNaidu Garu has will help him discharge the important role of Rajya Sabha Chairperson.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 17, 2017

While announcing the name of the BJP's vice-presidential candidate, Shah said: "Venkaiah ji (Venkaiah Naidu) is one of the oldest leader of the country. He was also the minister of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government earlier. He has been unanimously selected by the parliamentary board."

Congratulations to Shri @MVenkaiahNaidu ji on being the unanimous choice of NDA for the office of Vice President of India. pic.twitter.com/7WVvPIz1Pr  Amit Shah (@AmitShah) July 17, 2017

He served several portfolios of the government earlier and is also a senior member of the BJP.

Naidu will contest the VP poll against Opposition's candidate Gopal Krishna Gandhi.

While interacting with the media, Shah denied any possibility of achieving a consensus between the ruling party and the Opposition over the VP poll. "They have already announced their candidate. If they had waited, there could have been a possibility of achieving a consensus," he stated.

The 18 opposition parties together named former West Bengal governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi as their candidate.
Srinagar, July 17 (IBNS): At least three Lashkar outfit militants were killed in a brief gunfight with forces in south Kashmiras Anantnag district on Monday night, army said.

According to army sources, based on inputs army started the operation on Monday evening in Sheikhpora Watergam near Bulbul Nowgam to eliminate the militants from the area.

"When army and special operation group of police zeroed in the area suspected militants opened fire on forces ensuing gunfight," said army officer in Srinagar.

During the gunfight, three local militants of Lashkar-e-Taiba outfit were killed, officer added.

Army spokesperson Col Rajesh Kalia said that three militants have been killed in an operation in the district. Operation is in progress, he said.



(Reporting by Saleem Iqbal Qadri)
Mumbai, July 17 (IBNS): If one has to witness the unique way of celebrating the National Tattoo Day, then a visit to Bollywood actress Esha Gupta's Instagram profile is must.

An hour ago, in order to celebrate the day, Esha shared a picture on Instagram where she was seen in a bold avatar.

The actress, shedding her inhibitions, went topless to reveal the secret tattoo on the backside of her body.

She captioned the picture saying: "Tattoo Day is it?"

Tattoo Day is it? A post shared by Esha Gupta (@egupta) on Jul 17, 2017 at 8:17am PDT

In the picture, she was seen wearing nothing except only one part of her lingerie, turning back to the lens.

Esha will be seen in Baadshaho, the film which is slated to release on September 1.

Image: Official Instagram profile of Esha Gupta.
Kolkata / Mumbai, July 17 (IBNS): Rambagh Palace, Jaipur has been ranked amongst the top 50 in aThe Top 100 Hotels in the Worlda by Travel + Leisure 2017.

Every year, Travel + Leisure invites its trusted, globetrotting readers to rate the various experiences on their most recent trips, and analyzes the data to identify the leaders that are shaping travel across different categories that include destination spas, hotels, hotel brands, islands, and more.

Among hotels, Rambagh Palace, Jaipur has been rated highly for its commitment to quality across facilities, location, service, food, and overall value for money, by more than 3,00,000 respondents.



Manish Gupta, Area Director  Jaipur and General Manager, Rambagh Palace, Jaipur said, We are honoured to be a part of this prestigious list of the Worlds Best Hotels. We thank all the guests who voted for us. Rambagh Palace offers a unique blend of traditional Indian hospitality infused with the local Rajasthani culture to its discerning guests.
TIA Modernisation Project: Govt blacklists ousted Constructora Sanjose

The Public Procurement Monitoring Office (PPMO) has blacklisted the ousted Spanish contractor of the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) Modernisation Project for failing to complete government projects within the deadline and non-cooperation with authorities.
Peshwar, Jul 17 (IBNS) : An explosion triggered by a suspected suicide bomber rocked Peshawar city in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa of Pakistan early on Monday, leaving at least two security personnel dead and several others wounded.

According to the local media reports, citing local security officials, the incident took place in Hayatabad area of Peshawar.

Preliminary reports indicate the explosion was caused by a suicide attack which targeted the vehicle of the Frontier Corps forces.

A police official in Peshawar Imran Malik said the vehicle of the FC forces was targeted soon after it left the base in Bagh-e-Naran Chawk.

Local media reports also indicate that a FC major is also among those killed in the attack.

No group or individual has so far claimed responsibility behind the incident.
Toronto, July 17 (IBNS): World Youth Skills Day (WYSD) was celebrated on July 15 throughout the world, with this yearas theme being aSkills for the Future of Worka, media reports said.

It was in 2014 that the United Nations (UN) General Assembly declared July 15 as WYSD  with the aim of creating greater awareness regarding the importance of technical, vocational education, and training, especially among youth across the world.

Young people, said United Nations Organization (UNO), are more vulnerable to unemployment than adults, are exposed to labor market inequalities and have to put up with low quality jobs.

In addition, UNO said, women are not only underemployed but also under-paid, often were forced to work under temporary contracts.

An estimated 71 million young people unemployed in 2015, contributing to 13.1 percent youth unemployment rate, which is expected increase in most regions by 2017, according to a recent International Labour Organization (ILO) publication, Global Employment Trends for Youth 2015.

Recognizing the need to empower the youth with necessary skills to succeed in their lives and to improve global economy, WorldSkills International  a not for profit agency operating world wide -- recognized WYSD on July 15, 2017, and used #SkillsForAll and #WYSD, to raise awareness on the importance of youth developing skills.

As the Canadian Member organization to WorldSkills International, Skills/Competences Canada is fortunate to liaise with trade and technology industry experts from around the world. The Skills Movement in Canada will be enhanced through globalized alliances which emphasize the importance and value of these careers to youth. By hosting the WorldSkills Competition in Canada, our youth, educators and industry partners will see firsthand that careers in trades and technology are valued, respected and critical to both economic and social prosperity not only in Canada but in the entire global marketplace, said Terry Cooke, Official Delegate for Canada.

Attributing structural unemployment -- mismatch between skills offered by workers and skills demanded by employers -- UNO said this is one of the main reasons which affects all regions around the world and impacts economies development.

A lot needs to be done to close this gap -- like changes in education policies and in workers rights and protections  but there are a number of resources available for skills development that need to be tapped, five among these being most important, Office of the Secretary Generals Envoy on Youth said.

Codecademy, an interactive online platform offering coding classes -- free of cost -- in 12 different programming languages including Python, Java, PHP, JavaScript, Ruby, SQL, and Sass, and markup languages HTML and CSS.

Memrise, a language learning app which combines memory techniques with entertaining content to make learning fun.

SDG Academy, offers free high-quality content from a global faculty of experts in the field of sustainable development.

Khan Academy provides instructional videos with practice exercises on a personalized learning dashboard  enabling study at participants' own pace -- for subjects like maths, science, computer programming, history, economics, and more.

Coursera, partnering with top universities and organizations, offers global access to online courses in various fields of education.



(Reporting by Asha Bajaj)
It looks like the Kialegee Tribal Town is trying to get back into the casino game.

A developer told The Tulsa World that the tribe intends to issue a gaming license for an Indian allotment in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. That's the same place where the tribe tried to open a casino before running into legal, political and regulatory hurdles.

A notice was sent to the National Indian Gaming Commission regarding the license, the developer said. The agency previously concluded that the tribe lacks authority at the allotment so it's not clear whether the tribe can issue a license for gaming there.

The owner of the allotment is a citizen of the Muscogee Nation who is opening a restaurant this fall on the site. But speculation is running rampant about a potential "Red Creek Casino" too.

The city council in Broken Arrow is considering a resolution to oppose gaming at the site, The World reported. The Muscogee Nation also opposes gaming there.

The allotment is located off a major highway.

Read More on the Story: Broken Arrow City Council to consider resolution opposing gaming at Red Creek facility (The Tulsa World 7/16)

National Indian Gaming Commission Indian Land Opinions:

10th Circuit Court of Appeals Decision: Oklahoma v. Hobia (December 22, 2014)

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From the Archive Who Killed Aung San?

The author of Who Killed Aung San? talks about his book. Myanmar prepares to mark 70 years since his assassination on Martyrs Day this week.

Kin Oung is the author of the book Who Killed Aung San? He is the son of Tun Hla Oung, the deputy inspector general of police, CID department, who was credited with the rapid capture and arrest of U Saw and his men after the assassination of Gen Aung San. He is also the son-in-law of Justice Thaung Sein, who played a vital role in bringing the assassins to justice.

Kin Oung spoke to Kyaw Zwa Moe, editor of The Irrawaddy magazine, in 2010, just before the 63rd anniversary of Martyrs Day, which commemorates the anniversary of the assassination of nine heroes of Burmas independence movementincluding Aung Sanon July 19, 1947, just six months before Burma won independence from Britain.

Aung San, the father of democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi, is also considered the father of Burmese independence, and led the fight for colonial liberation from Britain, which had ruled Burma since 1885.

Were the British thought to be involved in the assassination of Aung San?

Aung San wanted independence and wanted the Burmese to be wealthy. He also wanted the Burmese and ethnic nationals in hill areas to be united and friendly. Then some British companies got involved because it was important for them to stay on in Burma and for Burma not to gain its independence. Aung Sans ideology was close to socialism and he gave some speeches about it and hinted that nationalization should take place for the sake of the Burmese people. But whether they [the British] had an intention to kill Gen Aung San and his ministers is unclear.

So Aung San could potentially have united the whole country and seemed to be a left-wing leader who sympathized with socialism. Were these the two main factors that caused him to be assassinated? Were there other factors?

Among the British there were differing points of view. Its possible that some British companies financially supported the ambitious politicians who disliked Aung San. But British governments, first [Winston] Churchills and then [Clement] Attlees, were not able to provide such support. The government could not give openly, but the British companies could give clandestinely. They did provide financial support to U Saw [a rival of Aung San who plotted to kill him]. At that time, Maung Maung Gyi, the brother of U Saw, was in London. U Saw would take as much as they were willing to give. And there was a black market after the war.

At that time I was in Burmas navy and knew such things well. People tried to sell or trade everything they gotjust like you see high-ranking officials of the current military government involved in the businesses of opium, jade and so on. In those days some smuggled in even small items such as flint. What I mean is people did business in whatever was accessible to them. As for British military officers, they had to send their weapons to Singapore because Burma was soon to be given independence. They also sold their machine guns, tommy guns and other weapons. So U Saw bought them.

Were Maj C.H.H Young, a British commander of No.1 BEME, and Maj Lance Dane the core suppliers of weapons and ammunition? Some said Lance Dane was not a core supplier and U Saw got weapons from Young.

The police might have heard this from my father, who was deputy police commissioner at the time. But the military intelligence men detected these facts in many ways, and they became known by U Nu, U Kyaw Nyein and Aung San. They informed the British governor, but he did nothing. Many weapons had been lost.

They informed the British governor after they received information that U Saw had obtained many weapons?

Yes, the governor was informed by my fathers department. They knew something would be happening due to the loss of weapons. At that time, U Nu and U Kyaw Nyein also received information that something was in the works.

It was reported that Aung San was not actually assassinated by the weapons that Young supplied. Reports said other weapons were used to assassinate him and his colleagues. Is this correct?

There were four assassins. Three of them used tommy guns. The youngest assassin, Yan Gyi Aung, used a Sten gun. After the assassination, the weapons were taken to India and thoroughly examined.

What was discovered?

They found that the weapons had come from the British army, and they found out who sold them. Young was arrested. But later, the suppliers were secretly freed.

How did British leaders regard Aung San and other Burmese leaders?

Churchill was the war-time prime minister. When U Saw asked for dominion status, Churchill told U Saw to ask him again after the war. But Churchill was defeated in the election and succeeded by Attlee, a socialist. If Churchill had kept power, Burma wouldnt have gained its independence.

Churchill said something about Aung San after he was assassinated.

He said that Aung San, his 30 comrades and the Thakhins were rebels who fought against the British, so why should he contact and help them? Churchill meant they didnt need to help Burma because it had fought against the British. Lord Mountbatten, however, favored Burma. After the war these issues needed to be debated, and there were debates in the British House of Commons about how to handle Burmese affairs. Nothing would have happened if Lord Mountbatten was not there. He helped Burma a lot. He told Aung San that he must give up his military position if he wanted to be a politician. Then Aung San resigned from the military.

What is your opinion of U Saw?

U Saw was very ambitious and selfish. Although he was an uneducated person, he achieved a high position due to his political ambition. Probably some British in the government liked him and used him.

U Saw went to London together with Aung San to make an agreement with Prime Minister Attlee. Was his refusal to sign the agreement due to envy of Aung San or policy disagreements?

As you know, an agreement must consist of many points, so one can easily find fault and withdraw. U Saw tried to find fault in the Nu-Attlee agreement and then the Aung San-Attlee agreement. Thakhin Ba Sein as well. Thakhin Tun Oak accused Aung San of killing a village headman and attempted to have him jailed.

What do you think would have happened in Burma if Aung San and his cabinet ministers had not been assassinated?

It would have been much better. He was not a god. He himself said that he was not a god. U Nu was the only person who listened to him when he said that U Kyaw Nyein, Thakhin Than Tun, U Ba Swe and Thakhin Soe needed to be controlled.

Was it possible for Aung San to get along with those men who needed to be controlled or those who opposed him?

The military respected him. There were people who admired him. Although our navy was small, we had many well-trained and well-disciplined men. As did the air force. The air force and navy supported him. Our men knew all about them. Communists started organizing the military personnel, but well-disciplined personnel could not be organized. Those personnel supported Aung San. Karen and Kachin army personnel also supported Aung San.

Do you see any significant differences between Aung San and his daughter, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi?

His daughter returned to Burma for her ill mother. When her mother died, she decided to lead the people in their struggle for democracy. She resembles her father. She has a good nature and is intelligent as well. People like what she has spoken and done. I say she is very smart and wise.
From the Archive Yangons Martyrs Monument Revamped to Highlight Aung San

In preparation for Martyrs Day on July 19, 2016, the Martyrs Monument was revamped to match the vision of the original architects, thwarted under Ne Win. / The Irrawaddy

YANGON  Those who have previously visited the Martyrs Monument, sited just north of Yangons Shwedagon Pagoda, should be prepared for a surprise on July 19, Martyrs Daythe anniversary of the assassination of independence hero Aung San and eight of his comrades in 1947.

The big white pointed star will be found missing from the upper left corner of the large red structure, which marks where Aung San and his eight comrades are interred. The exact spot where the star hung for the last three decades will have been hollowed out.

Those wondering where the star has gone need walk only a few meters beyond the mausoleum to find it half sunk into the ground.

The fallen star symbolizes Gen Aung San and his colleagues. The hollow in the structure represents that they are gone and we have lost them, said Sun Oo, one of the leading architects who designed the structure nearly thirty years ago.

Why these new design ideas after all these years?

The 61-year-old architect said they are not new but were part of the original design proposed by his team.

The construction team at the time ignored some points in our design under various pretexts, Sun Oo recalled. More importantly, he was ordered by the government of the time, led by the military-socialist dictator Ne Win, not to highlight Aung San or his comrades in his design.

We were not allowed to reflect the identities of those interred there, he said.

As a result, Sun Oo has never felt pride over his work. The mausoleum lacks the spirit it should have conveyed, he said.

For these reasons, he had never visited the site until last month, when he was invited by the National League for Democracy-led government to oversee the revamp in the design of the mausoleum, in preparation for this years Martyrs Day, on July 19, when the government will stage its annual commemoration ceremony at the mausoleum.

Aside from the repositioning of the star, red granite slabs to be used as name plaques for those interred have recently arrived from China. The flagstaff is being repositioned from the top-middle to the right of the mausoleum, in accordance with the original design. Another architect from the original design team is working on billboards that will bear photos and bios of the independence heroes.

They will be planted alongside the lane leading to the mausoleum. Some of Gen Aung Sans famous quotes will be printed on them, said the architect Maw Lin, before explaining that the billboards were only temporary.

In our original design, we included space for such things. This year, we are running out of time. Thats why we can only arrange temporary displays, he added.

Sun Oo said the renovated mausoleum matches 95 percent of the original design. It still lacks features such as a museum about the leaders, which will happen later.

This is the first renovation of the mausoleum since its completion in 1985. After the 1988 military coup, the junta declared the site off-limits to the public, for fear of public gatherings contributing to unrest. The reformist military-backed administration of President Thein Sein, inaugurated in 2011, allowed public participation in the annual ceremony at the mausoleum.

President Htin Kyaw, consistent with his predecessor Thein Sein, will not be attending this years ceremony at the mausoleum. State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will be attending, as she has done in previous years.
Burma Court Accepts Unlawful Associations Lawsuit Against ABSDF Member

U Min Htay / Ma Hnoung / Facebook

YANGON  The Momauk Township court in Kachin State accepted a lawsuit against U Min Htay, a central committee member of the All Burma Students Democratic Front (ABSDF), under Article 17(1) of the Unlawful Associations Act on Monday.

U Min Htay was arrested on Dec. 28, 2016, when he was accused of helping the Kachin Independence Army and then detained in Momauk prison. The court heard 10 witnesses from the plaintiffs side over six months. The last statement was given on July 10 by police captain and head of the Momauk police station U Khin Maung Htwe.

U Min Htay will give a statement to the court at his upcoming hearing on July 27, according to his wife Daw Nang Yin.

The court has accepted the case. The judge asked him if he was guilty and he replied that he was not, she told The Irrawaddy.

She said her husband had already told the court that he was innocent and had not assisted the KIA, as well as that he is a member of the ABSDF, which is a signatory to the governments nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA).

U Min Htay, speaking to The Irrawaddy just after his court hearing, said the evidence in his case is insufficient but that it went ahead regardless, as he was arrested deliberately.

He urged his colleagues to consider their approach regarding his release and rule of law in the country.

I should never have been charged in the first place. This is arbitrary detention. Despite the fact that the ABSDF is a signatory to the NCA, a central committee member is being charged with unlawful association. I want to call on my friends and colleagues to reconsider the NCA, he said.

U Min Htays wife says he is in generally good health, other than having arthritis and severe headaches at times, but she worries about his mental health throughout this ordeal.
Burma Karen State Govt Secretary Detained for Alleged Corruption

Karen State government secretary U Pyone Cho. / Saw Kyaw San

NAYPYITAW  Secretary of the Karen State government U Pyone Cho was detained by the Myanmar Anti-Corruption Commission on Sunday, Karen States Mon ethnic affairs minister U Min Tin Win told The Irrawaddy.

He has been in this position for only three months. While we are praising him as an active officer, he is detained. We dont know details. He is not here now, but was taken [by the anti-corruption commission], U Min Tin Win said.

U Pyone Cho served at within the home affairs ministry for a number of years, and then as the secretary of Chin State before being appointed as the secretary of Karen State.

According to government spokesperson U Zaw Htay, U Pyone Cho was allegedly involved in corruption concerning the sale of a land plot in Yangon worth an estimated 100 million kyats while he was serving as the deputy permanent secretary of the home affairs ministry under Gen Ko Ko in 2015.

U Pyone Cho allegedly accepted two vehicles in the incident, he said.

The case was reported to the Ministry of Home Affairs, which transferred the case to the Anti-Corruption Commission, as the ministrys officials were involved in the case. The commission then launched an investigation, detaining U Pyone Cho, a police lieutenant colonel, a deputy director and a staff officer of the ministry, as well as two others who were granted general power by the landowner in question.

We are focusing our efforts on fighting corruption, but some cases are found to be just scandals when we launch an investigation. We need strong evidence and those who are suspected [of taking bribes] also will have to defend themselves in line with the law, said U Zaw Htay, who is also the director-general of the Presidents Office.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko
Burma Karen State Ma Ba Tha Chapter Refuses to Remove Signboards

An old Ma Ba Tha signboard was replaced with new one at Thayettaw Monastery on Sunday. / Saw Kyaw Hsan

MOULMEIN, Karen State  The Karen State chapter of the Buddhist ultranationalist association Ma Ba Tha will not take down its signboard from the Thayettaw Monastery in Karen State capital Hpa-An, chapter spokesperson Ashin Gambi Sara told The Irrawaddy.

The State Buddhist Sangha authorityalso known by its Myanmar acronym Ma Ha Nabanned Ma Ba Tha from operating under its current name on May 23 and ordered it to take down its signboards by July 15.

In an announcement published on Friday and Saturday in state-run media, the government said the groups members from Mandalay and Hpa-An have failed to follow the orders despite Ma Ba Tha leading monks agreeing to the restrictions.

The announcement said the government would take legal action against Ma Ba Tha if it does not remove its signboards.

We are not revolting against the order given by the Ma Ha Na Sayadaws. So far, no one has come and asked us to take down the signboard, so we havent, Ashin Gambi Sara told The Irrawaddy.

On Sunday, Ma Ha Na senior monks, Ma Ba Tha monks, and monks from Myaing Gyi Nguthe Buddhist religious land in Karen States Hpa-An under the administration of influential and renowned Myaing Gyi Ngu Sayadaw (who is also chairman of the Karen State Ma Ba Tha chapter)held a meeting in Hpa-An, after which they replaced the old Ma Ba Tha signboard in Thayettaw Monastery with a new one.

Karen State religious affairs minister U Min Tin Win said the state government had no plan to forcibly remove the Ma Ba Tha signboard.

We have no plan to take down the signboard by exercising executive power. We will hold talks with senior Ma Ha Na and Ma Ba Tha monks to handle this. Sayadaws have great goodwill for the welfare of Karen State. We dont want to act hastily or affect the stability of the state, said U Min Tin Win.

On Friday after the government released the announcement, around 10 armed members of the Karen State Border Guard Force provided security at Thayettaw Monastery. They also provided security after the Karen State Ma Ba Tha chapter issued its statement refusing to take down the signboards on July 8, said Ashin Gambi Sara.

The statement said: Actions shall be taken in line with existing laws and local regulations against anyone who attempts to forcibly take down Ma Ba Tha signboards. The consequence is yours.

U Min Tin Win refused to comments on this.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.
Burma Kokang Warlady Olive Yang Dies at 91

Olive Yang, also known as Yang Jinxiu / www.md-zw.com

YANGON  Olive Yang, also known as Yang Jinxiu, the de facto ruler of Kokang in the 1950s, died at the age of 91 in Shan States Muse Township on July 13.

Yang, a woman who once had her own army of nearly 1,000 men, was an influential figure in the opium trade of the Golden Triangle region and received the backing of Chinese nationalist Kuomintang (KMT) forces.

She was known for her marksmanship, a skill colored by her proclivity to carry two Belgian army pistols on each hip, according to journalist Bertil Lintner.

In his book Merchants of Madness, he describes her as a warlady who was the first to send opium trucks to the Thai border rather than mules. She also had a taste for wearing mens clothes, according to reports.

Celebrated among the Kokang people, she was commonly referred to in Chinese as the second daughter of the Yang family.

Between 1940-50, she set up a free school in Kokang where she invited KMT generals to teach the pupils. Drug lords Peng Jia Sheng and Lo Hsing-han were among her students, according to Kokang media.

She married the son of a chieftain in 1948 and divorced him in 1950. The pair had a son together. After General Ne Wins 1962 coup, the military removed her and her brother Sao Edward Yang Kyein Tsai, the chief of Kokang, from power.

In the 1960s, she built a big residence in downtown Yangon, keeping a lowprofile over the decades she lived there. But in 1989, she played a role in negotiating the ceasefire agreements between Burma (Myanmar)s military government and the Communist Party of Burma.

At the age of 77 in 2002, she became chronically ill and returned to Kokang the following year.

Kokang media described her as a revolutionary figure in the region who contributed greatly to the local economy and education. The public was also entertained by her personal life, as, according to Bertil Lintner and other writers, she had affairs with popular musicians and famous actresses of the time, including Wa Wa Win Shwe.
Burma Myanmar Army Clashes With SSA-S in Shan State

RCSS/SSA-S soldiers at a military parade. / Kyaw Kha / The Irrawaddy

YANGON  The Shan State Army-South (SSA-S), the armed wing of the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS), a signatory group of the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA), clashed with the Myanmar Army on Friday in Shan States Hopong Township.

Light Infantry Battalion No. 249 and SSA-S troops based in the area battled near the village of Hai Khai on Friday afternoon, said Lt-Col Sai Ngai, a spokesperson of the RCSS/SSA-S. Both sides suffered injuries but no fatalities, he added, citing ground reports.

According to the bilateral agreement, and the NCA, government troops have to inform us in advance if they are to come into our territory. But as they came in without prior notice, there was an engagement, Lt-Col Sai Ngai told The Irrawaddy.

The government and ethnic armed groups have agreed that each party must inform the other prior to crossing the others controlled areas, according to the NCA.

The RCSS has also reported the case to the Shan State Ceasefire Monitoring Joint Committee, he said.

Civilian representative Khun Soe Htun Aung said he was unaware of the details of the clashes, but added that previous engagements happened mostly because there is no clear line of demarcation between the sides.

If there is no line of demarcation, it is difficult for us to intervene, he told The Irrawaddy.

The Irrawaddy was unable to reach the Myanmar Army for comment. The army did not release a statement about the clash.

The RCSS/SSA-S, one of eight signatories of the NCA, has had frequent clashes with Myanmar Army troops since signing the ceasefire with the U Thein Sein government on October 15, 2015.

There were skirmishes between the two forces in March and April. So far, ceasefire joint monitoring committees at national and state levels have not been able to address the problem.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.
Govt fails to impose VAT on stockbrokers

The government has failed to implement value added tax (VAT) on stockbrokers commission as the Ministry of Finance (MoF) has yet to finalise the modality. The governments plan was to charge VAT on stockbrokers commission from Sunday.
Burma Ultranationalist Monk Says NLD Govt Better Step Down

U Wirathu at a Ma Ba Tha event in Mandalay in 2015. / The Irrawaddy

MANDALAY  Ultranationalist monk U Wirathu released a video on Saturday, calling for Daw Aung San Suu Kyis National League for Democracy (NLD) government to step down.

The 11-minute video, which U Wirathu issued on Facebook, came after the July 15 deadline set by the State Buddhist Sangha authority (Ma Ha Na) for the Association for Protection of Race and Religion (Ma Ba Tha) to remove their signboards.

Ma Ha Na said last year that Ma Ba Tha was not a lawful monks association as it was not formed in accordance with the countrys monastic rules. Founded in 2014two years after Burma experienced religiously motivated riots largely targeting the Muslim minorityand now with sub-chapters across the country, Ma Ba Tha has become virtually synonymous with Buddhist nationalism.

The State Buddhist Sangha authority banned Ma Ba Tha from operating under its current name on May 23 and ordered that all signboards be removed. Clerics from Ma Ba Tha signed the notice but some sub-chapters have failed to comply.

The NLD government better step down. Dont touch Ma Ba Tha. Ma Ba Tha is not the opposition. Ma Ba Tha is protecting the nationality, which the government cannot do, said U Wirathu, in the video clip.

Ma Ba Tha is the association protecting the religion and Sasana. The government is not an expert in that sector. Dont blame on Ma Ba Tha and make it a culprit, he said. If you [the government] think you are brave enough, be transparent and handover the power to those who can well handle the country.

The video message followed a statement from the Ministry of Information that said the government would take legal action against persons defying state orders, whether Buddhist monk or layman.

The statement said that the government had warned Ma Ba Tha chapters in Mandalay Division and Karen State, which have refused to remove their signboards despite being instructed to do so by the State Buddhist Sangha authority since May.

In his video message, the nationalist monk said he had been patient when Yangon Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein said Ma Ba Tha was not needed in the country and when the government banned him from delivering sermons for one year.

However, he said the intention to eliminate Ma Ba Tha could not be forgiven and he was forced to react.

Ma Ba Tha is the fortress of Theravada Buddhism. I will not let this fortress be destroyed. If signboards of Ma Ba Tha fall, our religion and Sasana will disappear, said he. I will protect it with my life.

U Wirathu also accused the NLD government of mismanaging the economy, stating that it has declined since ex-President Thein Seins rule.

He also said that the countrys Noble laureate was only just beginning to understand peace.

Peace is not easy as Daw Aung San Suu Kyi thinks it is. Since she is starting to realize the difficulties, she should admit this to the people, said U Wirathu.

The nationalist monk said the country was better off under Thein Sein, when commodity prices were low and there were plenty of goods in the market.

In the past, we were poor; however, it was nothing compared to under NLD rule. If the government continues like this, more people will suffer, he said in the video, which was reacted to or shared on Facebook by nearly 8,000 netizens as of Monday.

The government must not put the blame on Ma Ba Tha to cover up their weakness, he said.

Meanwhile, at Kin Wun Mingyi Monastery in Mandalays Maha Aung Myay Township, dozens of nationalists are guarding the signboards at the local Ma Ba Tha office, in fear of a police crackdown.

However, as of Monday, no signs of a police crackdown or the forcible removal of signage were seen. Nationalists asked journalists not to take photos or videos.
Burma Yangon Chief Minister Apologizes to Military Chief

Yangon Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein sat for an interview in April 2016. / The Irrawaddy

YANGON  Yangon Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein apologized to the Myanmar Army Commander-in-Chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing for comments that the military called confrontational.

The chief minister said there were no civil-military relations in the democratic era and that the militarys commander-in-chief was the same as the level of director-general according to the [state] protocol, at a workshop held in collaboration with USAID, CSOs and the media in Yangon on July 9.

Responding to the comments, the military released two statements: the first on July 11, which called for the government to take necessary actions against the chief minister, and the second on July 13, which said the chief minister was not suitable for constructive, long-term relations with the army and his confrontational comments about the military chief were an insult.

The military reported on Sunday evening that the military chief received a letter of apology from the chief minister regarding his comments sent via express mail. The letter was postdated July 13, the same day the military released their second statement strongly condemning the chief minister.

Government spokesperson U Zaw Htay told The Irrawaddy on July 13 that the chief ministers comments had caused a misunderstanding between the government and the military and the Presidents Office had instructed the chief minister to do what he needed to do.

The ruling National League for Democracy party also warned the chief minister for his controversial remarks last week.
Guest Column Myanmars Myths of Ethnic Unity

Independence hero General Aung San, painted by artist Akar Kyaw at Yangons Junction Square in 2015. Myanmars independence struggle was more complex than some narratives suggest, argues Matthew J Walton. / Hein Htet / The Irrawaddy

The myths of ethnic unity are alive and well in contemporary Myanmar. While we might expect misleading historical claims from previous military-led governments or even the current National League for Democracy (NLD) government, incorrect and problematic statements about the countrys ethnic past even come from those attempting to paint a more complex, even sympathetic picture.

A recent op-ed from Myanmar political analyst Sithu Aung Myint is a good example of this. Considering the dispute over including a non-secession clause as part of the agreements to come from the 21st Century Panglong meetings, Sithu Aung Myint writes in support of the position adopted by most of the non-Bamar ethnic representatives, that the clause is unnecessary and insulting, given their stated commitments to being a part of Myanmar.

However, in making this argument, he also perpetuates one of the most problematic and ahistorical perspectives on the independence period, which is that the Bamar and the other ethnic groups fought together against the British for independence.

This simply is not true. While the Bamar-dominated Anti-Fascist Peoples Freedom League (AFPFL) included members from non-Bamar ethnic groups as well as allied groups among the other ethnicities, responses to the end of British colonial rule were much more varied among the wider non-Bamar ethnic communities.

First, it wasnt actually the case that anyone foughtagainst the British for independence. Independence was a struggle for Burma but didnt involve actual fighting against the British after WWII. And even during that political struggle, opinions were often divided along ethnic lines.

Shan saophas (hereditary leaders) were castigated as oppressive feudalists by Bamar nationalists but those supporting the saopha system saw more benefits to the British system of allowing local forms of rule to exist than to the political centralisation proposed by the AFPFL.

This included not just those who materially benefited from the system, but also those who believed in its broader cosmological legitimacy. Accounts of the 1947 Panglong Conference also make clear that most non-Bamar ethnic representatives were convinced more by the instrumental arguments in favour of joining with the Bamar, rather than an emergent nationalist spirit or even anti-British sentiment.

The Karen were perhaps the most sceptical of the Bamar-led independence movement, in part owing to the strong ties between some Karen leaders and British colonial soldiers and administrators, fostered by Christian missionary zeal among the converted Karen.

Karen desires for a separate (independent) state at the time were encouraged by sympathetic writings and public statements by prominent British figures. While views among the Karen overall varied widely, some of the most influential Karen leaders of the late 1940s advocated for a hypothetical Karen Country to remain under British dominion, as part of the Commonwealth.

Many of them justifiably feared a Bamar-dominated independent Burma, given past violence perpetrated against Karen communities by Bamar-led militias.

Also left unaddressed in this claim of ethnic unity in the independence struggle is the fact that, because the group of Bamar leaders that would become the core of the AFPFL initially allied themselves with the Japanese in World War II, that conflict in Myanmar played out largely as battles between the Japanese and the Bamar on one side, and the British and most other ethnic groups on the other.

Fierce combat during the war meant that Aung Sans defectors, once they finally grew disillusioned with Japanese rule, were met with scepticism and suspicion when they declared their willingness to join with the British Allied Forces. Even after the Japanese had been ousted, inter-ethnic conflict persisted across parts of Burma, putting the lie to any overarching claims of ethnic unity, either before or after the historic conference at Panglong.

Why is this minor misstatement important in an article that is ultimately advocating for something on the side of the ethnic armed groups?

I would argue that this myth of unity against the British is a damaging and intentional misremembering of the complex dynamics of a key foundational moment in Myanmars past that continues to have delegitimizing effects on non-Bamar ethnic communities and their political aspirations in the present.

There are many reasons to be critical of British colonial policies, whether they were intentionally designed to divide and weaken Burmese groups or simply misguided and based on ignorance of the multifaceted nature of identity in Burma at the time.

However, persistently positing the British as the enemy in the independence struggle has the effect of painting any groups that supported or were friendly with the British as insufficiently committed to the Burmese national project, of suspect patriotism and motivated by self-centred interests, rather than collective good.

Inaccurate claims of pre-independence ethnic unity also undercut contemporary grievances of ethnic armed groups and representatives of non-Bamar ethnic groups. As I argued in my 2008 article on The Myths of Panglong, the predominant version of the NLDs narrative of Panglong is that it has been prolonged military rule that has denied the promise of equality that was generated from the 1947 conference.

This narrative relies on accepting the myth that the entire Burmese nation was united at the time of independence, but that military aggression through the 1950s and military rule from 1962 undermined this dream. The logical extension of this argument is that, with civilian (NLD-led) rule at least partly established, the country can now return to its independence-era condition of ethnic unity.

Any continuation of an ethnic-oriented struggle would then be seen as illegitimate and narrowly focused on the interests of ones own group, rather than the country as a whole.

I had this point brought home to me several years ago when I was invited to speak to a multi-ethnic gathering of young people in Yangon, about my work on Panglong and their own perspectives on the event and its mythos.

The most consequential part of the discussion wasnt about my own work, but was rather a heartfelt statement to the group from a young Bamar scholar who was assisting me with some research. He spoke openly about how, until he had begun reading independently, what he had been taught from textbooks, teachers and family was that contemporary ethnic struggles were based on selfish material concerns, not on legitimate political grievances.

His apology, and recognition of the validity of these struggles, was a powerful moment, but one that suggests that many Bamar people likely still hold at least partially biased and misinformed views on Myanmars ethnic history, even if they hold some sympathy toward the groups that have borne the brunt of military abuses over the past five decades.

The national reconciliation process in Myanmar should not be looking back to some constructed historical moment of fictional ethnic unity but rather recognising Panglong as aspirational. At best, Bamar political leaders in 1947 made promises that were never fully kept, not even in the 1947 Constitution.

But the original Panglong conference was even less inclusive than todays elite-dominated discussions and the provisional nature of the agreement made there is an essential part of the narrative that underlies every continuing struggle for ethnic equality in Myanmar today.

I am sure that many from non-Bamar ethnic groups appreciated Sithu Aung Myints support for their position on a non-secession clause. However, their broader cause would be better supported by a more concerted effort from Bamar elites to accurately represent Myanmars complicated ethnic past and in doing so, lay the groundwork for a national dialogue based on honesty, inclusion and recognition.

Matthew J Walton is the Aung San Suu Kyi Senior Research Fellow in Modern Burmese Studies at St Antonys College, University of Oxford. His research focuses on religion and politics in Southeast Asia, particularly Buddhism in Myanmar and Burmese Buddhist political thought. He also writes on ethnicity, conflict, and Burmese politics more generally.

This article originally appeared in Tea Circle, a forum hosted at Oxford University for emerging research and perspectives on Burma/Myanmar.
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By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) |  

The intrepid Karen DeYoung and Ellen Nakashima report at WaPo that anonymous US intelligence officials have decided to go public with what they know about the attempt of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to frame Qatar.

The hacking attack on May 23 that planted fake news, such as doctored video showing the emir of Qatar praising Hamas, the fundamentalist Palestinian party-militia, and praising Iran, was planned out by high officials of the UAE government. Either they had UAE hackers carry out the cyber-attack or they hired someone else. Qatar seems to have some evidence that the hack attack came from the UAE.

The cyber campaign to plant fake news was launched just after Trumps visit to Saudi Arabia.

WaPo doesnt say so, but it seems there is circumstantial evidence that the UAE arranged for the fake news in part in order to fool Trump.

Unlike his secretary of state Rex Tillerson and secretary of defense Jim Mattis, Trump fell for the fake news about Qatar supporting terrorism and Iran, lock stock and barrel.

The UAE is a country of 1.4 million citizens and 7.8 million expatriates that groups seven emirates, some of which are awash with petroleum. The UAE is Japans major oil supplier, without which Japanese automobiles would be immobilized. The countrys citizen population is about that of the US city of San Diego. Its nominal GDP of roughly $380 billion per year makes it the 31st largest economy among 194 countries tracked by the World Bank.

Arguably, if the UAE is going to behave this way, it is more dangerous than Russia. It has a smaller and more cohesive elite, it has money to waste, it is under the Saudi thumb, and it can target manipulation of news directly through hired hackers and well as indirectly through its Alarabiya satellite news service, which has been smearing Qatar since mid-May.

A rogue state UAE is a significant danger to regional and global security.

If the UAE succeeds in getting rid of Qatar, what if it decides it likes having Trump in office and goes after the 2020 election in the US?

Again, WaPo does not hint at this possibility, but it seems to me that someone in the Washington Intel community may be afraid of precisely that kind of scenario, explaining why they decided to go public. Otherwise, the tiff of Saudi Arabia and its satellites like the UAE with Qatar wouldnt seem to be marked by the kind of urgency that would require this sort of leaking.

Of course, the US intel community may also be worried that the division in the GCC is making Iran more powerful (Iran has come to Qatars defense).

And, the possibility that the whole thing was staged for the gullible Trumps benefit is extremely disturbing.

Either way, this leak strongly suggests that Washington insiders are afraid that this story is not about the Gulf, but about dangers to the United States of America.

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Related video:

Al Jazeera English: Qatar-Gulf crisis: French foreign minister urges more dialogue
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By Alfred W. McCoy | ( Tomdispatch.com ) |  

The superhighway to disaster is already being paved.

From Donald Trumps first days in office, news of the damage to Americas international stature has come hard and fast. As if guided by some malign design, the new president seemed to identify the key pillars that have supported U.S. global power for the past 70 years and set out to topple each of them in turn. By degrading NATO, alienating Asian allies, cancelling trade treaties, and slashing critical scientific research, the Trump White House is already in the process of demolishing the delicately balanced architecture that has sustained Washingtons world leadership since the end of World War II. However unwittingly, Trump is ensuring the accelerated collapse of American global hegemony.

Stunned by his succession of foreign policy blunders, commentators  left and right, domestic and foreign  have raised their voices in a veritable chorus of criticism. A Los Angeles Times editorial typically called him so unpredictable, so reckless, so petulant, so full of blind self-regard, so untethered to reality that he threatened to weaken this countrys moral standing in the world and imperil the planet through his appalling policy choices. Hes a sucker whos shrinking U.S. influence in [Asia] and helping make China great again, wrote New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman after surveying the damage to the countrys Asian alliances from the presidents decision to tear up the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade deal in his first week in office.

The international press has been no less harsh. Reeling from Trumps denunciation of South Koreas free-trade agreement as horrible and his bizarre claim that the country had once been a part of China, Seouls leading newspaper, Chosun Ilbo, expressed the shock, betrayal, and anger many South Koreans have felt. Assessing his first 100 days in office, Britains venerable Observer commented: Trumps crudely intimidatory, violent, know-nothing approach to sensitive international issues has encircled the globe from Moscow to the Middle East to Beijing, plunging foes and allies alike into a dark vortex of expanding strategic instability.

For an American president to virtually walk out of his grand inaugural celebrations into such a hailstorm of criticism is beyond extraordinary. Having more or less exhausted their lexicon of condemnatory rhetoric, the usual crew of commentators is now struggling to understand how an American president could be quite so willfully self-destructive.

Britains Suez Crisis

Blitzed by an incessant stream of bizarre tweets and White House conspiracy theories, observers worldwide seem to have concluded that Donald Trump is a president like no other, that the situation hes creating is without parallel, and that his foreign policy is already a disaster without precedent. After rummaging around in historys capacious closet for some old suit that might fit him, analysts have failed to find any antecedent or analogue to adequately explain him.

Yet just 60 years ago, a crisis in the ever-volatile Middle East overseen by a bumbling, mistake-prone British leader helped create a great power debacle that offers insight into the Trumpian moment, a glimpse into possible futures, and a sense of the kind of decline that could lie in the imperial future of the United States.

In the early 1950s, Britains international position had many parallels with Americas today. After a difficult postwar recovery from the devastation of World War II, that country was enjoying robust employment, lucrative international investments, and the prestige of the pound sterlings stature as the worlds reserve currency. Thanks to a careful withdrawal from its far-flung, global empire and its close alliance with Washington, London still enjoyed a sense of international influence exceptional for a small island nation of just 50 million people. On balance, Britain seemed poised for many more years of world leadership with all the accompanying economic rewards and perks.

Then came the Suez crisis. After a decade of giving up one colony after another, the accumulated stress of imperial retreat pushed British conservatives into a disastrous military intervention to reclaim Egypts Suez Canal. This, in turn, caused a deep moral crisis in London and what one British diplomat would term the dying convulsion of British imperialism. In a clear instance of what historians call micro-militarism  that is, a bold military strike designed to recover fading imperial influence  Britain joined France and Israel in a misbegotten military invasion of Egypt that transformed slow imperial retreat into a precipitous collapse.

Just as the Panama Canal had once been a shining example for Americans of their nations global prowess, so British conservatives treasured the Suez Canal as a vital lifeline that tied their small island to its sprawling empire in Asia and Africa. A few years after the canals grand opening in 1869, London did the deal of the century, scooping up Egypts shares in it for a bargain basement price of 4 million. Then, in 1882, Britain consolidated its control over the canal through a military occupation of Egypt, reducing that ancient land to little more than an informal colony.

As late as 1950, in fact, Britain still maintained 80,000 soldiers and a string of military bases astride the canal. The bulk of its oil and gasoline, produced at the enormous Abadan refinery in the Persian Gulf, transited through Suez, fueling its navy, its domestic transportation system, and much of its industry.

After British troops completed a negotiated withdrawal from Suez in 1955, the charismatic nationalist leader Gamal Abdel Nasser asserted Egypts neutrality in the Cold War by purchasing Soviet bloc arms, raising eyebrows in Washington. In July 1956, after the administration of President Dwight Eisenhower had in response reneged on its promise to finance construction of the Aswan High Dam on the Upper Nile, Nasser sought alternative financing for this critical infrastructure by nationalizing the Suez Canal. In doing so, he electrified the Arab world and elevated himself to the top rank of world leaders.

Although British ships still passed freely through the canal and Washington insisted on a diplomatic resolution of the conflict, Britains conservative leadership reacted with irrational outrage. Behind a smokescreen of sham diplomacy designed to deceive Washington, their closest ally, the British foreign secretary met secretly with the prime ministers of France and Israel near Paris to work out an elaborately deceptive two-stage invasion of Egypt by 250,000 allied troops, backed by 500 aircraft and 130 warships. Its aim, of course, was to secure the canal.

On October 29, 1956, the Israeli army led by the dashing General Moshe Dayan swept across the Sinai Peninsula, destroying Egyptian tanks and bringing his troops to within 10 miles of the canal. Using this fighting as a pretext for an intervention to restore peace, Anglo-French amphibious and airborne forces quickly joined the attack, backed by a devastating bombardment from six aircraft carriers that destroyed the Egyptian air force, including over a hundred of its new MiG jet fighters. As Egypts military collapsed with some 3,000 of its troops killed and 30,000 captured, Nasser deployed a defense brilliant in its simplicity by scuttling dozens of rusting cargo ships filled with rocks and concrete at the entrance to the Suez Canal. In this way, he closed Europes oil lifeline to the Persian Gulf.

Simultaneously, U.N. Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold, backed by Washington, imposed a cease-fire after just nine days of war, stopping the Anglo-French attack far short of capturing the entire canal. President Eisenhowers blunt refusal to back his allies with either oil or money and the threat of condemnation before the U.N. soon forced Britain into a humiliating withdrawal. With its finances collapsing from the invasions soaring costs, the British government could not maintain the pounds official exchange rate, degrading its stature as a global reserve currency.

The author of this extraordinary debacle was Sir Anthony Eden, a problematic prime minister whose career offers some striking parallels with Donald Trumps. Born into privilege as the son of a landholder, Eden enjoyed a good education at a private school and an elite university. After inheriting a substantial fortune from his father, he entered politics as a conservative, using his political connections to dabble in finance. Chafing under Winston Churchills postwar leadership of the Conservative Party, Eden, who styled himself a rebel against hidebound institutions, used incessant infighting and his handsome head of hair to push the great man aside and become prime minister in 1955.

When Nasser nationalized the canal, Eden erupted with egotism, bluster, and outrage. Whats all this nonsense about isolating Nasser, Eden berated his foreign affairs minister. I want him destroyed, cant you understand? I want him murdered, and if you and the Foreign Office dont agree, then youd better come to the cabinet and explain why. Convinced that Britain was still the globes great power, Eden rejected sound advice that he consult fully with Washington, the countrys closest ally. As his bold intervention plunged toward diplomatic disaster, the prime minister became focused on manipulating the British media, in the process confusing favorable domestic coverage with international support.

When Washington demanded a ceasefire as the price of a billion-dollar bailout for a British economy unable to sustain such a costly war, Edens bluster quickly crumbled and he denied his troops a certain victory, arousing a storm of protest in Parliament. Humiliated by the forced withdrawal, Eden compensated psychologically by ordering MI-6, Britains equivalent of the CIA, to launch its second ill-fated assassination attempt on Nasser. Since its chief local agent was actually a double-agent loyal to Nasser, Egyptian security had, however, already rounded up the British operatives and the weapons delivered for the contract killers proved duds.

Confronted with a barrage of angry questions in Parliament about his collusion with the Israelis, Eden lied repeatedly, swearing that there was no foreknowledge that Israel would attack Egypt. Protesters denounced him as too stupid to be a prime minister, opposition members of parliament laughed openly when he appeared before Parliament, and his own foreign affairs minister damned him as an enraged elephant charging senselessly at imaginary enemies.

Just weeks after the last British soldier left Egypt, Eden, discredited and disgraced, was forced to resign after only 21 months in office. Led into this unimaginably misbegotten operation by his delusions of omnipotence, he left the once-mighty British lion a toothless circus animal that would henceforth roll over whenever Washington cracked the whip.

Trumps Demolition Job

Despite the obvious differences in their economic circumstances, there remain some telling resonances between Britains postwar politics and Americas troubles today. Both of these fading global hegemons suffered a slow erosion of economic power in a fast-changing world, producing severe social tensions and stunted political leaders. Britains Conservative Party leadership had declined from the skilled diplomacy of Disraeli, Salisbury, and Churchill to Edens bluster and blunder. Similarly, the Republican Party has descended from the likes of Teddy Roosevelt, Eisenhower, and George H.W. Bush to a field of 17 primary candidates in 2016 who promised to resolve an infinitely complex crisis in the Middle East through a set of incendiary policies that included making desert sands glow from carpet-bombing and forcing terrorists to capitulate through torture. Confronted with daunting international challenges, the voters of both countries supported appealing but unstable leaders whose delusions of omnipotence inclined them to military misadventures.

Like British citizens of the 1950s, most Americans today do not fully grasp the fragility of their status as the leader of the free world. Indeed, Washington has been standing astride the globe as a superpower for so long that most of its leaders have almost no understanding of the delicate design of their countrys global power built so carefully by two post-World War II presidents.

Under Democratic President Harry Truman, Congress created the key instruments for Washingtons emerging national security state and its future global dominion by passing the National Security Act of 1947 that established the Air Force, the CIA, and two new executive agencies, the Defense Department and the National Security Council. To rebuild a devastated, war-torn Europe, Washington launched the Marshall Plan and then turned such thinking into a worldwide aid program through the U.S. Agency for International Development meant to embed American power globally and support pro-American elites across the planet. Under Truman as well, U.S. diplomats forged the NATO alliance (which Washington would dominate until the Trump moment), advanced European unity, and signed a parallel string of mutual-defense treaties with key Asian allies along the Pacific littoral, making Washington the first power in two millennia to control both axial ends of the strategic Eurasian continent.

During the 1950s, Republican President Dwight Eisenhower deployed this national security apparatus to secure Washingtons global dominion with a nuclear triad (bombers, ballistic missiles, and submarines), a chain of military bases that ringed Eurasia, and a staggering number of highly militarized covert operations to assure the ascent of loyal allies worldwide. Above all, he oversaw the integration of the latest in scientific and technological research into the Pentagons weapons procurement system through the forging of the famed military-industrial complex (against which he would end up warning Americans as he left office in 1961). All this, in turn, fostered an aura of American power so formidable that Washington could re-order significant parts of the world almost at will, enforcing peace, setting the international agenda, and toppling governments on four continents.

While its reasonable to argue that Washington had by then become historys greatest global power, its hegemony, like that of all the world empires that preceded it, remained surprisingly fragile. Skilled leadership was required to maintain the systems balance of diplomacy, military power, economic strength, and technological innovation.

By the time President Trump took his oath of office, negative, long-term trends had already started to limit the influence of any American leader on the world stage. These included a declining share of the global economy, an erosion of U.S. technological primacy, an inability to apply its overwhelming military power in a way that achieved expected policy goals on an ever more recalcitrant planet, and a generation of increasingly independent national leaders, whether in Europe, Asia, or Latin America.

Apart from such adverse trends, Washingtons global power rested on such strategic fundamentals that its leaders might still have managed carefully enough to maintain a reasonable semblance of American hegemony: notably, the NATO alliance and Asian mutual-security treaties at the strategic antipodes of Eurasia, trade treaties that reinforced such alliances, scientific research to sustain its militarys technological edge, and leadership on international issues like climate change.

In just five short months, however, the Trump White House has done a remarkable job of demolishing these very pillars of U.S. global power. During his first overseas trip in May 2017, President Trump chastised stone-faced NATO leaders for failure to pay their fair share into the military part of the alliance and refused to affirm its core principle of collective defense. Ignoring the pleas of these close allies, he then forfeited Americas historic diplomatic leadership by announcing Washingtons withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord with all the drama of a reality television show. After watching his striking repudiation of Washingtons role as world leader, German Chancellor Angela Merkel told voters in her country that we must fight for our future on our own, for our destiny as Europeans.

Along the strategic Pacific littoral, Trump cancelled the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact on taking office and gratuitously alienated allies by cutting short a courtesy phone call to Australias prime minister and insulting South Korea to the point where its new president won office, in part, on a platform of say no to America. When President Moon Jae-in visited Washington in June, determined to heal the breach between the two countries, he was, as the New York Times reported, blindsided by the harshness of Mr. Trumps critique of South Korea on trade.

Just days after Trump dismissed Moons suggestion that the two countries engage in actual diplomatic negotiations with Pyongyang, North Korea successfully test-fired a ballistic missile potentially capable of reaching Alaska or possibly Hawaii with a nuclear warhead (though experts believe Pyongyang may still be years away from effectively fitting such a warhead to the missile). It was an act that made those same negotiations Washingtons only viable option  apart from a second Korean War, which would potentially devastate both the region and the U.S. position as the preeminent international leader.

In other words, after 70 years of global dominion, Americas geopolitical command of the axial ends of Eurasia  the central pillars of its world power  seems to be crumbling in a matter of months.

Instead of the diplomacy of presidents past, Trump and his advisers, especially his military men, have reacted to his first modest foreign crises as well as the everyday power questions of empire with outbursts akin to Anthony Edens. Since January, the White House has erupted in sudden displays of raw military power that included a drone blitz of unprecedented intensity in Yemen to destroy what the president called a network of lawless savages, the bombardment of a Syrian air base with 59 Tomahawk missiles, and the detonation of the worlds largest non-nuclear bomb on a terrorist refuge in eastern Afghanistan.

While reveling in the use of such weaponry, Trump, by slashing federal funding for critical scientific research, is already demolishing the foundations for the military-industrial complex that Eisenhowers successors, Republican and Democratic alike, so sedulously maintained for the last half-century. While China is ramping up its scientific research across the board, Trump has proposed what the American Association for Advancement of Science called deep cuts to numerous research agencies that will mean the eventual loss of the countrys technological edge. In the emerging field of artificial intelligence that will soon drive space warfare and cyber-warfare, the White House wants to reduce the 2018 budget for this critical research at the National Science Foundation to a paltry $175 million, even as Beijing is launching a new multi-billion-dollar initiative linked to building military robots.

A Future Debacle in the Greater Middle East

With a president who shares Sir Anthony Edens penchant for bravura, self-delusion, and impulsiveness, the U.S. seems primed for a twenty-first-century Suez of its own, a debacle in the Greater Middle East (or possibly elsewhere). From the disastrous expedition that ancient Athens sent to Sicily in 413 BCE to Britains invasion of Suez in 1956, embattled empires throughout the ages have often suffered an arrogance that drives them to plunge ever deeper into military misadventures until defeat becomes debacle, a misuse of armed force known technically among historians as micro-militarism. With the hubris that has marked empires over the millennia, the Trump administration is, for instance, now committed to extending indefinitely Washingtons failing war of pacification in Afghanistan with a new mini-surge of U.S. troops (and air power) in that classic graveyard of empires.

So irrational, so unpredictable is such micro-militarism that even the most fanciful of scenarios can be outpaced by actual events, as was true at Suez. With the U.S. military stretched thin from North Africa to South Korea, with no lasting successes in its post-9/11 wars, and with tensions rising from the Persian Gulf and Syria to the South China Sea and the Koreas, the possibilities for a disastrous military crisis abroad seem almost unending. So let me pick just one possible scenario for a future Trumpian military misadventure in the Greater Middle East. (Im sure youll think of other candidates immediately.)

Its the late spring of 2020, the start of the traditional Afghan fighting season, and a U.S. garrison in the city of Kandahar in southern Afghanistan is unexpectedly overrun by an ad hoc alliance of Taliban and Islamic State guerrillas. While U.S. aircraft are grounded in a blinding sand storm, the militants summarily execute their American captives, filming the gruesome event for immediate upload on the Internet. Speaking to an international television audience, President Trump thunders against disgusting Muslim murderers and swears he will make the desert sands run red with their blood. In fulfillment of that promise, an angry American theater commander sends B-1 bombers and F-35 fighters to demolish whole neighborhoods of Kandahar believed to be under Taliban control. In an aerial coup de grace, AC-130-U Spooky gunships then rake the rubble with devastating cannon fire. The civilian casualties are beyond counting.

Soon, mullahs are preaching jihad from mosques across Afghanistan and far beyond. Afghan Army units, long trained by American forces to turn the tide of the war, begin to desert en masse. In isolated posts across the country, clusters of Afghan soldiers open fire on their American advisers in what are termed insider or green-on-blue attacks. Meanwhile, Taliban fighters launch a series of assaults on scattered U.S. garrisons elsewhere in the country, suddenly sending American casualties soaring. In scenes reminiscent of Saigon in 1975, U.S. helicopters rescue American soldiers and civilians from rooftops not just in Kandahar, but in several other provincial capitals and even Kabul.

Meanwhile, angry over the massive civilian casualties in Afghanistan, the anti-Muslim diatribes tweeted almost daily from the Oval Office, and years of depressed energy prices, OPECs leaders impose a harsh new oil embargo aimed at the United States and its allies. With refineries running dry in Europe and Asia, the world economy trembling at the brink of recession, and gas prices soaring, Washington flails about for a solution. The first call is to NATO, but the alliance is near collapse after four years of President Trumps erratic behavior. Even the British, alienated by his inattention to their concerns, rebuff his appeals for support.

Facing an uncertain reelection in November 2020, the Trump White House makes its move, sending Marines and Special Operations forces to seize oil ports in the Persian Gulf. Flying from the Fifth Fleets base in Bahrain, Navy Seals and Army Rangers occupy the Ras Tanura refinery in Saudi Arabia, the ninth largest in the world; Kuwaits main oil port at Shuaiba; and Iraqs at Um Qasr.

Simultaneously, the light carrier USS Iwo Jima steams south at the head of a task force that launches helicopters carrying 6,000 Special Operations forces tasked with seizing the al-Ruwais refinery in Abu Dhabi, the worlds fourth largest, and the megaport at Jebel Ali in Dubai, a 20-square-mile complex so massive that the Americans can only occupy its oil facilities. When Teheran vehemently protests the U.S. escalation in the Persian Gulf and hints at retaliation, Defense Secretary James Mattis, reviving a plan from his days as CENTCOM commander, orders preemptive Tomahawk missile strikes on Irans flagship oil refinery at Abadan.

From its first hours, the operation goes badly wrong. The troops seem lost inside the unmapped mazes of pipes that honeycomb the oil ports. Meanwhile, refinery staff prove stubbornly uncooperative, sensing that the occupation will be short-lived and disastrous. On day three, Iranian Revolutionary Guard commandos, who have been training for this moment since the breakdown of the 2015 nuclear accord with the U.S., storm ashore at the Kuwaiti and Emirate refineries with remote-controlled charges. Unable to use their superior firepower in such a volatile environment, American troops are reduced to firing futile bursts at the departing speed boats as oil storage tanks and gas pipes explode spectacularly.

Three days later, as the USS Gerald Ford approaches an Iranian island, more than 100 speedboats suddenly appear, swarming the carrier in a practiced pattern of high-speed crisscrosses. Every time lethal bursts from the carriers MK-38 chain guns rip through the lead boats, others emerge from the flames coming closer and closer. Concealed by clouds of smoke, one finally reaches an undefended spot beneath the conning tower near enough for a Revolutionary guardsman to attach a magnetic charge to the hull with a fateful click. There is a deafening roar and a gaping hole erupts at the waterline of the first aircraft carrier to be crippled in battle since World War II. As things go from bad to worse, the Pentagon is finally forced to accept that a debacle is underway and withdraws its capital ships from the Persian Gulf.

As black clouds billow skyward from the Gulfs oil ports and diplomats rise at the U.N. to bitterly denounce American actions, commentators worldwide reach back to the 1956 debacle that marked the end of imperial Britain to brand this Americas Suez. The empire has been trumped.

Alfred W. McCoy, a TomDispatch regular, is the Harrington professor of history at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is the author of the now-classic book The Politics of Heroin: CIA Complicity in the Global Drug Trade, which probed the conjuncture of illicit narcotics and covert operations over 50 years, and the forthcoming In the Shadows of the American Century: The Rise and Decline of US Global Power, out in September from Dispatch Books.

Follow TomDispatch on Twitter and join us on Facebook. Check out the newest Dispatch Book, John Dowers The Violent American Century: War and Terror Since World War II, as well as John Feffers dystopian novel Splinterlands, Nick Turses Next Time Theyll Come to Count the Dead, and Tom Engelhardts Shadow Government: Surveillance, Secret Wars, and a Global Security State in a Single-Superpower World.

Copyright 2017 Alfred W. McCoy

[Note for TomDispatch Readers: In September, Dispatch Books will publish the next in our line-up of explorations of imperial America: Alfred McCoys remarkable In the Shadows of the American Century. Kirkus Reviews has praised it as sobering reading for geopolitics mavens and Risk aficionados alike, offering no likely path beyond decline and fall. Among the impressive range of comments weve gotten on it come two from Pulitzer Prize winners. Novelist Viet Thanh Nguyen, author of The Sympathizer, writes that McCoy persuasively argues for the inevitable decline of the American empire and the rise of China Lets hope that Americans will listen to his powerful arguments. And historian John Dower states that the book joins the essential short list of scrupulous historical and comparative studies of the United States as an awesome, conflicted, technologically innovative, routinely atrocious, and ultimately hubristic imperial power. As with all his work since the CIA tried to stifle his classic first book, The Politics of Heroin, back in the early 1970s, McCoys is leading-edge stuff and a must-read, so reserve your copy early by clicking here. Tom]

Via Tomdispatch.com

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Related video added by Juan Cole:

PBS NewsHour: News Wrap: U.S. forces kill Abu Sayed, ISIS leader in Afghanistan
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By Sinan Ulgen | (Project Syndicate) |  

ISTANBUL  In Turkey, where President Recep Tayyip Erdogans government has been working to centralize political power, opposition parties have lately had few reasons to be optimistic. This months massive rally in Istanbul was a rare exception.

On July 9, after walking for 25 days from the capital, Ankara, Turkeys main opposition leader, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, urged supporters to resist the decline in democratic freedoms. We will be breaking down the walls of fear, Kilicdaroglu told a crowd of hundreds of thousands. The last day of our justice march is a new beginning, a new step. The question now is whether Turkeys divided political opposition can move beyond rhetoric, and mount a meaningful, unified challenge to Erdogans political hegemony.

The party that Kilicdaroglu leads, the Republican Peoples Party (CHP), commands a high level of support from Turks frustrated by Erdogans majority rule. But in Turkeys constrained political environment, and with a popular if polarizing president still at the helm, opposition leaders will face a difficult struggle to maintain the momentum they have established.

When I spoke with Kilicdaroglu a few days before his arrival in Istanbul, as he approached the city limits, he sounded as surprised as anyone by the protests size, and was keenly aware of the difficulties that loomed. The march was an unplanned reaction to the arrest of Enis Berberoglu, a former editor-in-chief of the mainstream Hurriyet newspaper, and a CHP member of parliament.

But the marchs more concrete objectives, like its route, became known only after the 450-kilometer (280-mile) protest got underway. By the time Kilicdaroglu arrived in Istanbul, marchers were calling for economic equity, educational opportunity, gender equality, and a guarantee of non-discrimination on the basis of ethnicity, religion, or cultural identity. Kilicdaroglu, meanwhile, said his goal was the complete remodeling of the Turkish state, with clear limits on executive authority by a re-empowered parliament, an impartial judiciary, and a free media. Forging a coherent political platform from such a diverse array of objectives will test the CHP leadership.

In recent years, spontaneous demonstrations like the one just completed have not delivered the reforms participants have sought. In May 2013, for example, huge crowds gathered to challenge the governments plans to develop Istanbuls Gezi Park; the demonstrations ended with no real political impact. A similar outcome is possible this time.

Nonetheless, polling numbers seem to suggest that the public is increasingly behind Kilicdaroglu. According to a survey published by Research Istanbul on the day of the rally, support for the march was 43%, which is about 17 percentage points higher than the CHPs approval ratings. In other words, CHP marchers drew support from outside their base, a sign of Turkeys deepening disillusionment with the status quo.

Supporters included members of the pro-Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party (HDP), 83% of whom approved of the protest. It even resonated with members of Erdogans own Justice and Development Party (AKP); 10% of AKP members surveyed said they supported the marchs objectives.

With his unexpected, unplanned civil disobedience, Kilicdaroglu seems to have consolidated his role as the leader of a larger, somewhat fragmented, opposition. In the year since last Julys failed coup, the governments inevitable but overly heavy-handed response has alienated many Turks. With emergency rule still in effect, a growing segment of the public, it seems, is receptive to the oppositions calls to strengthen the rule of law.

Erdogans narrow victory in Aprils constitutional referendum, which granted the president sweeping new powers to dissolve Parliament, issue decrees, and unilaterally appoint judges, deepened the oppositions resolve. But it also helped push more Turks into the oppositions embrace. According to a Research Istanbul survey, among those who voted no to the referendum, 85% stood with Kilicdaroglu marchers. Tellingly, 7% of those who voted yes did as well.

It is too early to speculate whether Kilicdaroglus march will have a lasting impact on Turkeys political direction. But, at the very least, it has reframed expectations for the countrys next presidential election, now scheduled for November 2019. But even with the modest gains made earlier this month, Erdogan remains a formidable opponent, and there is still a long road to walk if Kilicdaroglus new beginning for Turkey is to be realized.

Sinan Ulgen is Chairman of the Istanbul-based Center for Economics and Foreign Policy Studies (EDAM) and a visiting scholar at Carnegie Europe in Brussels. He is the author of the recent Carnegie Europe paper A Threat-Based Strategy for NATOs Southern Flank.

Licensed from Project Syndicate



Related video added by Juan Cole:

CGTN Africa: Turkey Coup One Year On: President Erdogan says state of emergency to be extended
HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA--(Marketwired - July 17, 2017) - Erdene Resource Development Corp. (TSX:ERD) ("Erdene" or "Company") is pleased to provide additional assay results from the Company's 2017 drill program at its 100% owned Bayan Khundii Gold Project ("Bayan Khundii") in southwest Mongolia.

"We are now at the mid-point of the initial 2017 drill campaign in the Bayan Khundii region and thus far have defined several new areas that will require definition drilling, particularly west and east of Striker, the Northeast Zone, and importantly north and west of Midfield. It is very encouraging to continue to intersect broad zones of gold mineralization along the margins of the established 1.3 kilometre by 500 metre mineralized trend," said Peter Akerley, Erdene's President and CEO. "As we continue to expand outward from that area in Q3 we will be testing six new target areas up to 1 kilometre from the original discovery at Striker Zone. In addition, as drilling progresses through Q3, we will move into the untested 3.5 kilometre long gold-in-soil anomaly that continues north to Altan Arrow, and ultimately return to drilling at our Altan Nar project, 16 kilometres to the northwest."

Highlights

Success from step-out drilling and geophysical surveys leads to an expanded target area at Bayan Khundii

Drilling west of the Striker and Midfield zones returns multiple, high-grade, 1-metre intervals between 10 g/t and 22 g/t gold

Drilling up to 150 metres west of the Striker Zone returns multiple gold mineralized intersections over a 250-metre by 200-metre area, including 28 metres of 1.4 g/t gold (BKD-172)

Drilling west of Midfield Zone returns 36 metres of 1.1 g/t gold (BKD-166)

Upcoming Q3 drilling of five untested targets and continued definition of new targets north and east of the Midfield and Striker zones with closer-spaced drilling

Regional structural analysis and detailed structural analysis of Bayan Khundii and Altan Nar projects will be undertaken during Q3

Drill results to continue throughout Q3

Figure 1 - Regional Location



Figure 2 - Bayan Khundii Geology and Target Map



Figure 3 - Bayan Khundii Gram-Meter and Geology



Figure 4 - Bayan Khundii RTP Mag and Target Map



Western Extension of Striker and Midfield Zones

Hole BKD-166, located west of the Midfield Zone, intersected a thick package of the host Devonian volcanic tuff and returned 36 metres of 1.1 g/t gold commencing at 120 metres depth (86 metre vertical depth) (see Table 1). This hole was drilled 50 metres west of previously reported drill hole BKD-100, drilled in Q2-2017 along the western edge of the Midfield Zone. BKD-100 did not return significant gold mineralization as the hole intersected a syenite intrusion at shallower depths than expected and was speculated to truncate the western extension of Midfield. However, hole BKD-166 suggests the syenite encountered in BKD-100 may be relatively restricted in extent and that the Midfield mineralization continues west of BKD-100. Additional drilling will be required to confirm the true extent of the mineralization in this area.

A series of holes were completed south of BKD-166, to the west of the Striker Zone and covering a 250-metre by 200-metre area, and returned multiple gold mineralized intersections under younger, post-mineralization cover. Results included 5 metres of 4.5 g/t gold within 28 metres of 1.4 g/t gold in hole BKD-172, located 130 metres west of the westernmost drilling in the Striker Zone (see Table 1).

The results west of Midfield and Striker have established multiple targets that justify additional closer-spaced drilling in Q3-2017.

Table 1. Bayan Khundii drill highlights

Drill Hole From (m) To (m) Interval (m) (1) Gold (g/t) BKD-166 120 156 36 1.07 incl 120 121 1 13.5 BKD-172 93 159 66 0.70 incl 123 151 28 1.43 incl 145 150 5 4.52 incl 149 150 1 10.7 and 188 206 18 0.34 BKD-173 27 84 57 0.17 and 130 136 6 3.04 incl 133 134 1 11.4 BKD-175 110 131 21 0.25 and 136 146 10 0.56 and 177 181 4 5.66 incl 179 180 1 22.2 BKD-176 112 133 21 0.49 and 164 195 31 0.42 and 203 221 18 0.22

(1) Reported intervals are not true width. At this time, there is insufficient data with respect to the shape of the mineralized system to calculate true orientations in space. They represent drill intersection widths from holes drilled at a dip of -45 to -85 degrees and oriented to the north-northeast. The Bayan Khundii mineralization is interpreted to be moderately dipping (approximately 40 to 50 degrees to the southwest).

For a complete table of results for all drilling by Erdene at Bayan Khundii in 2015, 2016 and to date in 2017, including the holes released today, please click here.

Southern Extension of Northeast Zone

Six, 80-metre spaced holes were completed over an area south and southwest of the Northeast Zone (BKD-160 to BKD-165). All holes except one (BKD-160) intersected the host silicified volcanic tuffs that are typical for Bayan Khundii, with four holes returning low-grade gold mineralization, including 0.1 to 0.3 g/t gold over 6 to 28 metre intervals. A closer spaced (40 metre) drill program will be completed in this area during Q3-2017 to evaluate continuity of mineralization from the Northeast Zone southwest to the Midfield Zone.

Hole BKD-122, located on the southern boundary of the Northeast Zone (reported on June 8, 2017), is located 100 metres northeast of the six holes discussed above, and returned 14 metres of 0.75 g/t gold from surface and 21 metres of 0.72 g/t gold at 63 metres vertical depth. In addition, two rock chip samples collected a further 600 metres to the northeast of BKD-122 (NE Extension prospect) returned gold assay values of 6.9 g/t and 0.4 g/t gold. The Company will complete additional drilling in this area in Q3-2017.

Going Forward - Q3-2017 Drill Program

The Q3 drill program at Bayan Khundii will focus on follow-up drilling around newly discovered, high-grade mineralization encountered in Q2-Q3 exploration and on exploring a series of geophysical and geological targets within the 2-kilometre by 1.8-kilometre Bayan Khundii target area. In advance of this drilling, additional geophysical work was completed in Q2-Q3 2017, including induced polarization dipole-dipole and ground magnetic surveys that have further defined these new target areas. Approximately 10,000 metres of drilling remains in the current 24,000 metre program. In addition to the on-going Bayan Khundii drill program, the Company will also complete regional drilling between Bayan Khundii and Altan Arrow and a follow-up drill program at its neighboring Altan Nar gold-polymetallic project, 16 kilometres northwest of Bayan Khundii. This work will have two objectives: 1) to follow up on the high-grade silver-gold-lead-zinc mineralization intersected during the Q4-2016 and Q2-2017 drill programs, and 2) to test targets generated from an expanded Q2-2017 geophysical survey that included a high-resolution ground magnetic survey that provides increased magnetic detail including areas of low magnetic response interpreted as altered mineralized zones where hydrothermal fluids resulted in magnetite-destruction within host lithologies, and results from a six-line, 12 kilometre, induced polarization dipole-dipole survey centred on the Discovery Zone.

In addition to the drilling work outlined above, the Company will also be conducting both regional structural analysis and detailed structural analysis of Bayan Khundii and Altan Nar projects. Petrographic analysis will also be completed on a suite of samples to provide additional information pertaining to the petrogenesis of the Company's projects. Additional interpretation of geophysical data, especially induced polarization and magnetic surveys results, will also be conducted by third party consultants using recently-generated physical property data for a representative suite of samples from the Bayan Khundii project.

Background on Bayan Khundii Gold Project

In Q2-2015, Erdene conducted an initial exploration program on the southern portion of the Company's 100%-owned Khundii exploration license in southwest Mongolia where an early rock-chip sampling program revealed multiple very high-grade surface quartz veins that returned up to 4,380 g/t gold. Since that time, drilling has revealed the presence of very high gold grades, with up to 306 g/t gold over 1-metre intervals, within broad mineralized envelopes, with up to 131 metres of 3.9 g/t gold, including 80 metres of 6.0 g/t gold. The Company has completed a comprehensive exploration program at Bayan Khundii that has included: geological mapping; soil geochemical surveys; additional surface rock chip sampling; a ground magnetic survey; gradient array and dipole-dipole induced polarization surveys; and the completion to date of 25,988 meters of drilling in 177 drill holes. In addition to this work, a series of detailed follow-up studies have also been completed, predominantly on drill core and minor surface outcrop, including: petrographic and mineralogical analyses; a fluid inclusion study; SEM gold composition analysis; Short-Wave Infra-Red Analysis (SWIR); structural analysis; and overall petrogenetic analysis. Detailed studies indicate the mineralized zones can be characterized as low-sulphidation, quartz-illite-adularia type mineralization that was presumably formed in a back-arc extensional environment.

In Q1-2016, the Company concluded preliminary metallurgical test work at Bayan Khundii, indicating that gravity concentration and cyanidation of the gravity tails yield very good overall gold recoveries for both high-grade and low-grade composites, yielding 99% gold recovery from the high-grade composite (24.9 g/t gold) and 92% gold recovery from the low-grade composite (0.7 g/t gold). Additional metallurgical work is underway with completion anticipated in Q3.

The Bayan Khundii license has a 2% net smelter returns royalty ("NSR Royalty") in favour of Sandstorm Gold Ltd. with a buy-back option to reduce the NSR Royalty to 1%.

Qualified Person and Sample Protocol

Michael MacDonald, P.Geo. (Nova Scotia), Vice President Exploration for Erdene, is the Qualified Person as that term is defined in National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this news release. All samples have been assayed at SGS Laboratory in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. In addition to internal checks by SGS Laboratory, the Company incorporates a QA/QC sample protocol utilizing prepared standards and blanks.

Erdene's sampling protocol for drill core consisted of collection of samples over 1 metre or 2 metre intervals (depending on the lithology and style of mineralization) over the entire length of the drill hole, excluding minor post-mineral lithologies and un-mineralized granitoids. Sample intervals were based on meterage, not geological controls or mineralization. All drill core was cut in half with a diamond saw, with half of the core placed in sample bags and the remaining half securely retained in core boxes at Erdene's Bayan Khundii exploration camp. All samples were organized into batches of 30 samples including a commercially prepared standard, blank, and either a field duplicate, consisting of two 1/4 core intervals, or a laboratory duplicate. Sample batches were periodically shipped directly to SGS in Ulaanbaatar via Erdene's logistical contractor, Monrud Co. Ltd.

About Erdene

Erdene Resource Development Corp. is a Canada-based resource company focused on the acquisition, exploration, and development of base and precious metals in underexplored and highly prospective Mongolia. The Company has four exploration licenses and a mining license in southwest Mongolia. In addition to the Bayan Khundii and Altan Nar projects, other deposits and prospects within these licenses include: Khuvyn Khar - an early-stage, copper-silver porphyry project with multiple drill targets and significant copper intersections; Nomin Tal - a narrow, high grade copper-gold discovery; Zuun Mod - a large molybdenum-copper porphyry deposit; and Altan Arrow - an early-stage gold-silver project. In addition to the above properties, the Company has an Alliance with Teck Resources Limited on regional copper-gold exploration in the prospective Trans Altai region of southwest Mongolia. For further information on the Company, please visit www.erdene.com. Erdene has 145,550,586 issued and outstanding common shares and a fully diluted position of 156,592,160 common shares.
VANCOUVER, B.C., July 17, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Evrim Resources Corp. (TSX.V:EVM) ("Evrim" or the "Company") announced the signing of a two-year Exploration Alliance agreement (the "Alliance") with a wholly-owned subsidiary of Newmont Mining Corporation (Newmont). The Alliance will focus on generating Greenfield exploration opportunities in terranes favorable for world-class gold orebodies. Evrim and Newmont will co-fund the US$1,840,000 exploration program through a respective 30:70 funding allocation.

During the initial phase of the program, Evrim will undertake project identification, sampling and reconnaissance mapping with technical input from Newmont. The program will be further advanced by regional database compilation and target area geochemistry including Newmont's proprietary bulk leach extractable gold ("BLEG") analysis. The second year program will be dependent on results obtained during the initial phase along with follow-up mapping and sampling.

At the end of the two-year alliance period, Newmont will have the right to designate one or more projects for option by making certain cash payments to Evrim and solely fund exploration on the project(s) for up to 10 years, or until such time as it has defined a NI43-101 compliant pre-feasibility study on a minimum two million ounce gold resource. Newmont will then have increased their ownership to 80%. Evrim will be the operator for the initial US$5million in exploration expenditures.

Evrim and Newmont will then form a joint venture on a respective 20:80 basis whereby Evrim can maintain its equity interest in the project, or elect to have Newmont fund a positive NI43-101 compliant feasibility study and reduce Evrims equity interest to 15%. At any point after the Alliance period, Evrim can elect to switch its equity interest in any project to a 2% net smelter royalty (NSR) of which 0.5% NSR can be purchased for up to US$10 million.

"This marks the second exploration alliance Evrim has entered into with Newmont since the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt program in 2012, commented Paddy Nicol, Evrims President and CEO. Combining Evrims generative knowledge and capabilities with Newmont's exploration and BLEG expertise has proven effective and reliable in the assessment of large tracts of ground. Leveraging partner expertise and co-funded capital are the hallmarks of a successful value generator business and forging repeat business with major partners such as Newmont is an indication of Evrims execution in growing a high-quality property portfolio.

About Evrim Resources

Evrim Resources is a mineral exploration company whose goal is to participate in significant exploration discoveries supported by a sustainable value generation model. The Company is well financed, has a diverse range of quality projects and a database in Mexico and portions of southwestern United States. The existing projects, and generation of quality exploration targets and ideas, are advanced through option and joint venture agreements with industry partners to create shareholder value. Evrims business plan also includes royalty creation utilizing the Companys exploration expertise and existing projects.
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - July 17, 2017) - Pan Global Resources Inc. ("Pan Global" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE:PGZ) herein provides a progress update on the Aguilas Copper Project in Spain.

The company manages the Aguilas Project through its agreement to acquire 100% interest in Spanish company, Minera Aguila SLU, and the Las Aguilas I, II and III Investigation Permits, referred to as the "Aguilas Project". The mineral rights cover approximately 11,302.5 hectares within the Pedroches Batholith, in northern Andalucia, Spain (Figure 1). The Company also has a Letter of Intent, providing exclusive rights to acquire the Escacena mineral rights in the Iberian Pyrite Belt, in southern Spain.

Figure 1 - Aguilas Project Location





Pan Global is pleased to announce commencement of soil sampling in the Aguilas Project and the publication of Las Aguilas I and Las Aguilas II mineral rights for definitive admission. A brief update is also provided on the exploration potential associated with the Zumajo lead-silver structure, also within the Aguilas Project area.

Work to-date in the Aguilas Project includes a total of 106 rock samples, including 98 samples collected along the Torrubia copper structure. Previously reported results include 60 samples with >0.1% copper, including 27 samples with values ranging from 1% to 28% copper and up to 33% iron, 1.7g/t gold, 17.5g/t silver, 0.13% cobalt, along with anomalous levels of uranium, nickel and light rare earth metals. The copper is associated with numerous small ancient mine workings, multi-stage hydrothermal quartz-hematite-carbonate breccia and "red rock" alteration. The metal association, style of mineralization and alteration are typical of hematite dominant iron oxide copper gold (IOCG) type ore deposits. The results indicate copper mineralisation over a combined strike length of approximately 3.1 kilometres in two sections of the Torrubia copper structure and also confirmed for similar style mineralisation on other parallel structures within the Project area.

Review and compilation of historical mining and exploration data from Zumajo lead-silver trend is ongoing.

Soil geochemistry survey

A detailed soil geochemistry survey has been initiated over the Torrubia copper structure. The survey will include an initial short orientation survey to determine the most appropriate sampling methodology followed by collection of approximately 450 samples on 100-200m spaced traverses over approximately 2 kilometres of the Torrubia structure. The sampling will target areas with visible copper mineralisation and areas where the highest copper values have been reported from the recent reconnaissance rock sampling.

The results of the soil and rock geochemistry together with more detailed geological mapping will help to prioritise areas for follow-up electrical geophysics and drilling. The first results from the soil sampling are expected in August.

Zumajo Lead-Silver Structure

Re-evaluation of the historic Zumajo lead-silver mine trend within the Aguilas project area is progressing. Results to-date suggest good potential to discover additional lead and silver along with other metals along several kilometres strike length of the Zumajo Trend with lead-silver mineralisation open at depth and along-strike at some of the old mines. The trend has received almost no exploration for the past 50 years. Further exploration is also required to determine the metal grades across the breccia structures and test if there are economic concentrations of metals suitable for large scale mining methods.

Approximately 10.5 km of the Zumajo mine trend traverses the Aguilas Project area. Lead and silver ores were exploited intermittently along the trend from the late 1890's to 1958 via a series of shafts and small pits. The mines were targeting narrow high-grade veins within at least two parallel breccia structures up to 16 metres thick. The ore was hand-sorted for direct treatment at the nearby Penaroya smelter. The historical reports also show the breccia structures locally contain other metals that were not exploited commercially during the previous mining, including copper, zinc, fluorite, uranium and barium.

In 1966-1967, the Instituto Geologico Minero de Espana (IGME) undertook a study to identify extensions of the lead-silver mineralization, and completed 15 drill holes along a 470 metre section of the Zumajo structure with several shallow mine workings. As yet, no assay results have been located for the IGME drill holes. However, the lead and silver mineralisation appears open at depth and along strike in this area. Historical longitudinal section of some of the mines also show continuity of the mineralisation in the lower levels. No grades are recorded except for concentrates sold, ranging from 48-68% Pb and 120-270 ppm Ag for carbonate ores, and 70-79% Pb and 154-295 ppm Ag for sulphide ores. No records have been located of any other drilling on the Zumajo structure.

Mineral Rights

Publication in the Official Bulletin for Definitive Admission of the Las Aguilas I Investigation Permit occurred on July 10, 2017. Publication of the Las Aguilas II Investigation Permits is also imminent. Notice for the publication of the Las Aguilas III Investigation Permits is now expected in September 2017 following acceptance of the Environmental Impact Statement. Full permitting for each of the mineral rights will follow a mandatory publication period.

Other News

Pan Global held its Annual General Meeting on June 20, 2017.

Detailed results of the vote for the election of directors held at the Annual Meeting in Vancouver are set out below.

Nominee Votes

For %

For Votes

Withheld %

Withheld Tim Moody 17,005,731 100 0 0 Bob Baxter 17,005,731 100 0 0 Brian Kerzner 17,005,731 100 0 0 Bob Parsons 17,005,731 100 0 0 Patrick Downey 17,005,731 100 0 0

At the Annual Meeting, Davidson & Co. were re-appointed as auditor of the Company at remuneration to be fixed by the directors. Shareholders also re-approved the Company's stock option plan.

Qualified Person

Robert Baxter (FAusIMM), a Director of Pan Global Resources and a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed the scientific and technical information that forms the basis for this news release. Mr. Baxter is not independent of the Company.

About Pan Global Resources

Pan Global Resources Inc. is actively engaged in base and precious metal exploration in Spain, and is pursuing opportunities from exploration through to mine development. www.panglobalresources.com
Deepest intercept to date from Bug South returns 14.28 metres grading 3.51 g/t gold, including 66.60 g/t gold over 0.46 metres

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 12, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Balmoral Resources Ltd. (Balmoral or the Company) (TSX:BAR) (OTCQX:BALMF) today released the final drill results from the Companys spring drill program on its Detour Gold Trend Project in Quebec. A series of holes testing the Bug South gold deposit (see Figure 1), on its wholly owned Martiniere Property successfully extended the Bug South deposit to a vertical depth of approximately 385 metres with a broad intercept of 14.28 metres grading 3.51 g/t gold, including a very high grade interval of 0.46 metres grading 66.60 g/t gold(see Figure 2). The Bug South deposit remains open down-plunge to the south-southeast. Drilling is currently focused on additional expansion of the deposit to depth.

The near surface continuity of broad zones of gold mineralization at Bug South was further confirmed with intercepts of 48.70 metres grading 1.26 g/t gold and 38.78 metres grading 1.77 g/t gold in two infill holes testing the deposit between 150 and 200 metres vertical depth (See Figure 3 and Figure 4). Both intercepts (in holes MDE-17-287B and MDE-17-288) contain several higher grade sub-intervals (see Table below).

The summer program is now in full swing. It is designed to continue the growth of the Bug Lake gold deposits, while also exposing our shareholders to the broadest range of discovery opportunities since 2014 when the Grasset discovery resulted in significant share price appreciation, said Darin Wagner, President and CEO of Balmoral Resources. Gold exploration targets throughout the Martiniere Property, and the broader Detour Gold Trend Project, are on tap for drill testing. This includes a number of targets located on the Detour East Property which covers over 20 kilometres of the same geological environment which hosts the multi-million ounce Detour Lake gold mine on adjoining property to the west.

Hole Section Azimuth Dip From To Interval* Gold Zone # (Degrees) (Metres) (Metres) (Metres) (g/t) Bug South MDE-17-283 2+95 S 245 -51 436.10 442.92 6.82 1.10 485.07 487.41 2.34 0.73 Upper Bug 512.07 522.09 10.02 0.44 Lower Bug MDE-17-285 3+25 S 245 -51 469.34 470.39 1.05 0.80 Upper Bug 493.88 512.51 18.63 2.84 Lower Bug including 493.88 508.16 14.28 3.51 " which includes 493.88 494.34 0.46 66.60 " MDE-17-286 3+55 S 240 -51 29.62 30.08 0.46 5.49 New 480.88 504.21 23.33 0.79 Upper Bug including 481.74 485.63 3.89 3.70 " which includes 481.74 482.28 0.54 20.80 " MDE-17-287B 2+35 S 248 -53 200.49 239.27 38.78 1.77 Upper Bug including 214.76 228.31 13.55 3.33 " which includes 214.76 221.00 6.24 4.30 " and 226.44 228.31 1.87 6.50 " 256.94 263.04 6.10 1.20 Lower Bug including 258.51 259.32 0.81 4.98 " 292.60 299.56 6.96 0.81 Footwall MDE-17-288 2+05 S 249 -51 102.82 103.82 1.00 2.50 156.18 156.96 0.78 3.08 183.72 200.52 16.80 0.47 221 Zone including 186.45 190.23 3.78 1.21 " 216.22 218.97 2.75 12.76 including 216.68 217.40 0.72 46.80 232.16 280.86 48.70 1.26 Upper Bug including 246.89 250.81 3.92 4.13 " and 257.42 259.38 1.96 5.05 " 279.28 279.77 0.49 6.31 " 317.61 328.97 11.36 0.23 Lower Bug Bug North MDE-17-282 0+00N 235 -50 29.68 30.43 0.75 3.12 360.17 361.47 1.30 3.28 ME23 428.91 438.95 10.04 0.48 Bug Flat 518.02 518.88 0.86 8.61 MDE-17-284 0+25 S 235 -50 21.92 37.24 15.32 0.43 including 21.92 22.93 1.01 5.19 58.19 62.74 4.55 1.17 including 59.83 61.02 1.19 3.40 394.76 396.13 1.37 9.23 HW

* Reported drill intercepts are not true widths. At this time there is insufficient data with respect to the shape of the mineralization to calculate true orientations in space. All values presented uncapped.

Two holes, MDE-17-282 and MDE-17-284, were also completed to better define the eastern and western margins of the Bug North gold deposit at intermediate depths in order to better target the central plunge line of the deposit during the summer program. Both holes intersected near surface intervals of gold mineralization in the largely untested area between the ME-23 Zone and the recent high-grade Horsefly gold discovery.
Only organic development can resolve societal contradictions

Nepals huge diversity arguably makes it difficult to govern well. The new constitution is supposed to accommodate the aspirations of its diverse communities.
By Park Jae-hyuk

The labor union at Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) has vowed an all-out struggle against the Moon Jae-in government following the company's decision to suspend construction of reactors 5 and 6 at the Shin Kori Nuclear Power Plant in Ulsan.

The KHNP union said it would take legal action to cancel the suspension and demanded an official meeting with President Moon.

"We will protest against the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, which requested the suspension to the KHNP," union leader Kim Byung-gi said during a rally in front of the construction site, Saturday.

Trade Minister Joo Hyung-hwan, who is in charge of the issue, has come under fire for remaining silent throughout a cabinet meeting on June 27, although he made it clear the reactors would be completed just a few months ago. ICT Minister Choi Yang-hee and Land Minister Kim Hyun-mee, both of whom are linked to the thorny issue, also reportedly said nothing during the cabinet meeting.

The union workers said they could not accept the hasty decision made by the board members and the ministers, who had supported construction under the previous administration. They also urged the board members to step down.












Participants of the Korea Queer Culture Festival march along Sejong-daero Road between Seoul City Hall and Gwanghwamun Square. / Yonhap Parents of sexual minorities carry a banner proclaiming themselves as "the association of parents of homosexual, bisexuals and transgender children" in the festival. / Yonhap Foreign members of the festival drape themselves in rainbow flags, the festival's symbol, in front of Seoul City Hall on July 15. / Yonhap



By Lee Han-soo

Korea's biggest annual queer festival continued without any hitch after it got under way in Seoul Friday evening for a 10-day run.

About 50,000 attended the "Queer Parade"on Saturday, despite torrential rain.

More than 15,000 police on duty to prevent any conflict between festival supporters and anti-LGBT groups.

There were no reports of violence.












By Pedro Abramovay



RIO DE JANEIRO  Latin America is in the grip of a homicide epidemic. Although the region is home to just 8% of the world's population, one in three of all homicides occur there; and one in four of all homicides occur in just four countries: Brazil, Mexico, Venezuela, and Colombia. Of the 25 most murderous cities in the world, a staggering 23 are in Latin America.



But data alone cannot describe the scale of this human tragedy. Latin Americans are living in a continent-wide war zone, and many of them are being denied the right to life  the most basic human right of all.



Some of the stories behind the statistics have been widely reported; others are known only to the victims' families. Veteran Mexican journalist Javier Valdez Cardenas, for example, had just filed a story about teachers being murdered, simply for doing their jobs, when he died last month in Culiacan, Mexico, after being shot a dozen times. Cardenas is the sixth journalist to be murdered in Mexico in this year alone.



Mexico's National Human Rights Commission has found that, since 2000, at least 125 journalists have been killed in that country. The killers of 33 of the 41 journalists murdered in connection with their work since 1992, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, have gone unpunished.



Homicide has become the great equalizer in Mexico and throughout Latin America. And the victims are not usually prominent citizens such as Cardenas. Far more often, they are people like Gustavo, a 17-year-old store clerk who was killed on his way to work in Rio de Janeiro's Complexo do Alemao favela, when he was hit by a stray bullet in a shootout between police and a local gang. According to a local newspaper, Gustavo's mother now sits for hours by her door with her son's dog, waiting for him to come home.



Indeed, despite such poignant personal stories and the sheer scale of the carnage, homicide is rarely a subject of public debate in the region, not least because most victims hail predominantly from the region's invisible, neglected classes. They include Afro-Brazilians living in the favelas, poor young men in El Salvador, and migrant women in Mexico. Their murders are committed with impunity, and ignored by the media and local and national authorities.



As the homicide epidemic has become normalized, it has eroded people's compassion and motivation to demand more from their governments. Latin Americans are simply standing by as the bodies pile up. The bitter irony is that politicians only make the problem worse. Competing with one another to prove who is tougher on crime, they have militarized the region's police forces, and casualties have increased. In the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo, police now commit the majority of homicides.



Unfortunately, advocates of aggressive policing have no interest in breaking the cycle of violence, and they have dismissed evidence-based public policies that could transform lives throughout the region. For them, responding militarily is more expedient than investigating and addressing the underlying social problems that fuel crime in Latin American neighborhoods.



We already have proven strategies for stemming the tide of violence, including gun and ammunition control, conflict mediation, "hot spot" policing, and drug-policy reform. But forcing governments to implement these policies will take political will and popular support. Sadly, many Latin Americans remain indifferent to the fate of the invisible classes that comprise a majority of murder victims.



Still, Latin American civil society is coming together to push back against political indifference and the culture of impunity. For example, the Open Society Foundations and 29 other organizations are participating in the "Instinto de Vida" campaign, which aims to reduce the region's homicides by 50% over the next 10 years. Achieving that goal would mean more than 350,000 lives saved.



Because law enforcement alone cannot solve this problem, "Instinto de Vida" also includes Venezuelan professors, grassroots organizations in Brazil's favelas, tech-savvy groups in Colombia, think tanks in Mexico, and faith-based organizations in Honduras. All of us involved in the campaign will work toward developing concrete solutions to the root causes of the homicide epidemic.



More broadly, we will make sure that what is happening in our communities is no longer ignored. It is time to end the silence that makes all of us complicit in our generation's greatest tragedy.





Pedro Abramovay is Director of the Latin America Program and regional director of Latin America and the Caribbean at the Open Society Foundations. Copyright belongs to Project Syndicate.




Many freed Kamaiyas yet to be rehabilitated

Sixty-five-year-old Lawaru Tharu, a former bonded labourer (Kamaiya), says he has felt no change in his life even after 17 years of the Kamaiya liberation.
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On Dec. 17, 1944, an American bomber nicknamed the Tulsamerican crashed into the Adriatic Sea with 10 crewmembers on board. Seven of those airmen were plucked out of the waves by local fishermen and rescuers. Three were lost.

In an effort to bring home the remains of those missing airmen more than 70 years later, underwater archaeologists have just completed a recovery mission to the sunken World War II aircraft. They collected possible human remains as well as military equipment and other items such as a life vest and flight boot.

"It was incredibly emotional for all of us," underwater archaeologist Brendan Foley told Live Science Thursday (July 13) when he got back to the Croatian mainland after the monthlong project. [Photos: Underwater Robots Help Recover WWII Plane Wrecks]

The Tulsamerican was the last B-24 bomber of its kind built in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1944. (More than 18,000 B-24s were produced during the war.) The Douglas Aircraft Co. employees who built the plane bought war bonds to help pay for its construction and signed their names on the exterior.

In its final flight at the end of World War II, the Tulsamerican survived a fight with the German air force but was badly damaged. The aircraft circled an emergency landing strip on an island but lost power and ultimately crashed off the coast of what is today Croatia.

Divers first located the wreck near the small Croatian island of Vis in 2010. Underwater archaeologists then surveyed the area where the Tulsamerican was resting in two big pieces about 135 feet (41 meters) below the surface.

"When the aircraft crashed, it was a violent impact," Foley said. The nose section is badly damaged, "almost peeled open like a banana," he added, though divers could still recognize many features like the seats where the pilot would have sat.

The team collected any material that looked like bone. The researchers hope that DNA analyses will be able to link any remains to the airmen who were lost (Lt. Eugene Ford, Sgt. Charles Priest and 1st Lt. Russell Landry) so that they can receive proper burials. The divers also brought to the surface equipment and clothing that could be related to the servicemen and several tons of soil that might contain smaller artifacts.

The effort was coordinated by the U.S. military's Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, which is tasked with bringing home remains of lost service personnel. About 73,000 Americans who served in World War II remain unaccounted for, and about 26,000 of those are assessed as "possibly recoverable." The wreck of the Tulsamerican is just at the edge of depths sport divers can reach, Foley said. As looting is always a concern, the recovery project was initiated soon after the discovery of the possible war grave.

Foley, who is a researcher at Lund University in Sweden, normally works on much older sites. His team is also studying the 2,100-year-old Antikythera wreck off the coast of a Greek island that is famous for its cache of ancient statues and a bronze "computer" dubbed the Antikythera mechanism. When the divers found human bones at the Antikythera wreck last summer, "we were happy and elated for the possibilities for science," Foley said, but the team's mood while excavating the Tulsamerican was "completely different." He described the somber experience of exploring a site that's been formed in living memory and looking for graves of men whose pictures the researchers have seen.

"We're all still trying to get our heads around what we just experienced," Foley said. "This is the most worthwhile thing we've ever done underwater.

Original article on Live Science.
Elon Musk thinks the government needs to regulate artificial intelligence (AI) now, before it becomes dangerous to humanity, the entrepreneur told a gathering of state governors over the weekend.

"I have exposure to the very cutting-edge AI, and I think people should be really concerned about it," Musk told attendees at the National Governors Association summer meeting on Saturday (July 15). "I keep sounding the alarm bell, but until people see robots going down the street killing people, they dont know how to react, because it seems so ethereal."

If, instead, the government waits until AI actually starts harming people before imposing regulations, that may already be too late, Musk said. Musk is worried not only that AI will take over human jobs, but also that it may kill people. This isn't the first time Musk has warned of AI's potential for doom; in 2014, he called AI humanity's "biggest existential threat," and in 2015, he, along with other tech luminaries, urged the United Nations to ban killer robots. [History of A.I.: Artificial Intelligence (Infographic)]

Musk isn't the only scientist to sound alarm bells over AI. Physicist Stephen Hawking has warned that AI could end mankind on several occasions.

Not all scientists are convinced of the dangers of AI, however. Michael Littman, a computer scientist at Brown University, thinks the vision of a future in which humans are enslaved by robot overlords is purely science fiction.

Originally published on Live Science.
Tika R Pradhan is a senior political correspondent for the Post, covering politics, parliament, judiciary and social affairs. Pradhan joined the Post in 2016 after working at The Himalayan Times for more than a decade.
Scientists are using the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico to study red dwarf stars  a campaign that detected odd radio signals coming from the vicinity of the red dwarf Ross 128 on May 12, 2017.

Strange radio signals have been spotted coming from the vicinity of a nearby star  but don't get your hopes up that aliens are responsible.

On May 12, the 1,000-foot-wide (305 meters) Arecibo radio telescope in Puerto Rico detected "some very peculiar signals" apparently emanating from Ross 128, a red dwarf star that lies just 11 light-years from Earth.

"The signals consisted of broadband quasi-periodic nonpolarized pulses with very strong dispersion-like features," Abel Mendez, director of the Planetary Habitability Laboratory at the University of Puerto Rico, wrote in a statement late last week. [13 Ways to Hunt Intelligent Aliens]

"We believe that the signals are not local radio frequency interferences (RFI) since they are unique to Ross 128, and observations of other stars immediately before and after did not show anything similar," he added.

The three leading explanations for the signals, Mendez wrote, are solar flare-like emissions from Ross 128, emissions from some other object in the same field of view and a burst of some sort from a satellite orbiting high above Earth.

Each of these hypotheses has its issues, he said. For example, solar flares of the type that could be responsible generally occur at lower frequencies. In addition, Mendez wrote, there aren't a lot of other objects in the Ross 128 field of view, "and we have never seen satellites emit bursts like that."

But if you're getting the urge to invoke E.T., temper it: "In case you are wondering, the recurrent aliens hypothesis is at the bottom of many other better explanations," Mendez wrote.

Figuring out the signal's source will require more data, and Mendez and his team already have some in hand. The researchers carried out a successful observation of Ross 128  as well as of Barnard's Star, a red dwarf located just 6 light-years from Earth  using the Arecibo dish yesterday (July 16), Mendez announced on Twitter yesterday. (These Arecibo observations are all part of a campaign to better understand the radiation and magnetic environments of red dwarfs, and to look for signs of undiscovered planets orbiting them, Mendez explained in his statement about the Ross 128 signals.)

See more

Other research teams are following up as well. For example, scientists with the SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) Institute have already begun observing Ross 128 with the Allen Telescope Array, a network of 42 radio dishes in northern California, said Seth Shostak, a senior astronomer at the SETI Institute.

Like Mendez, Shostak said that aliens are unlikely to be the cause of the Ross 128 signal.

"It does look like the kind of broadband interference that you get in SETI experiments," Shostak told Space.com.

But that doesn't mean the ET hypothesis should be dismissed, he stressed.

"The historic lesson is clear  these things pop up, and you have to follow them up, because you never know what's going to be the real one, or even if there will ever be a real one," Shostak told Space.com. "Following up is mandatory."

Follow Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com.
A judge in Ohio recently ruled that the data from the pacemaker of a man accused of arson could be used at his trial, according to news reports.

The case may be the first of its kind to use "data from a beating heart as evidence," the Journal-News reported earlier this month.

The 59-year-old Ohio man, Ross Compton, told police that he had been sleeping when the fire started in his house, according to the Journal-News. Compton said he woke up during the fire, packed some belongings, broke his bedroom window with his cane, threw the belongings outside and loaded them into his car. [Heart of the Matter: 7 Things to Know About Your Ticker]

But the police obtained a search warrant for Compton's pacemaker data, and a doctor who reviewed this record of the man's heartbeat said the data didn't back up the man's story. "It is highly improbable [that] Mr. Compton would have been able to collect, pack and remove the number of items from the house, exit his bedroom window and carry numerous large and heavy items to the front of his residence during the short period of time he has indicated due to his medical conditions," the doctor said, according to the Journal-News.

But what kinds of data could a pacemaker show?

A pacemaker is a device that's implanted in a person's chest to ensure that the heart beats fast enough.

Originally, pacemakers had only one function: to set the pace of the heart, said Dr. Kabir Bhasin, director of clinical education for cardiac electrophysiology at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. That meant a pacemaker would kick in only if a patient's heart rate went below a certain threshold  for example, 60 beats per minute (bpm).

Bhasin was not involved in the man's trial and did not comment on the trial. Rather, he spoke to Live Science only about pacemaker data in general.

But pacemakers that had only one threshold for kicking in had limited usefulness, because heart rate varies depending on what you're doing, Bhasin told Live Science. For example, your heart rate may be 60 bpm when you're sitting but 100 bpm when you're climbing stairs, Bhasin said. And during exercise, it could be even higher.

To account for these changes in activity levels, a pacemaker now may come with an accelerometer, which senses how a person is moving around in space, Bhasin said. For instance, the accelerometer can sense when a person is walking, and signal to the device that the heart rate should be higher than 60 bpm  maybe 90 bpm.

Doctors can look at the data from the accelerometer to learn about a patient's activity levels, Bhasin said. However, companies generally provide doctors with the processed data, not the raw data, he noted. Typically, this processed data shows trends over time, as opposed to a person's exact heart rate at specific points in a day.

Pacemakers can also provide other types of data.

"Pacer demand," for example, refers to how much the person's heart relies on the device and which part of the heart is requiring it, Bhasin said. Although most people's pacemakers turn on only in specific scenarios, a small subset of people rely entirely on their pacemakers; without them, their hearts wouldn't beat, he said. [5 Amazing Technologies That Are Revolutionizing Biotech]

The other aspect of pacer demand refers to which part of the heart is affected, Bhasin said. Pacemakers can act on the top of the heart, the bottom of the heart, or both.

The devices also can track a person's cardiac rhythm. Normally, the rhythm of the heart is set by something called the sinus node, Bhasin said. The sinus node sits in the top of the upper-right chamber of the heart.

When the sinus node is setting pace, a person is said to be in "normal sinus rhythm," Bhasin said. But sometimes, other parts of the heart try to set the rhythm. This is known as arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat, he said.

Cardiac rhythm is different from heart rate, Bhasin said. Cardiac rhythm refers to how the heart is beating, not how fast. For example, two people could both have a heart rate of 70 bpm, but in one person, the heart might be in normal sinus rhythm, while in the other, there could be an arrhythmia.

Compton's trial is set to begin in December, according to news reports.

Originally published on Live Science.
PM asks EC to gear up for state, fed polls

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has urged the Election Commission to prepare for the federal and provincial polls, assuring poll officials that the Constituency Delimitation Commission and necessary electoral laws would be in place soon.
by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, July 17, 2017

Ashley Madison's parent company has agreed to pay $11.2 million to settle a class-action stemming from a disastrous data breach that exposed the names, email addresses and user names of 36 million customers.

If accepted by U.S. District Court Judge John A. Ross in St. Louis, Mo., the settlement will resolve claims that the extramarital dating site failed to use adequate security measures to protect people's data, and failed to delete users' data -- even after people paid an extra fee to insure that data about them was scrubbed. The deal also resolves claims that the company duped people into signing up by showing them fake profiles of women.

Ashley Madison did not admit wrongdoing as part of the deal.

The data breach, which occurred in 2015, reportedly was linked to at least two suicides. It also was reportedly linked to divorce proceedings and blackmail attempts. The parent company's former CEO, Noel Biderman, resigned soon after the hack.

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The proposed settlement enables users to submit claims up to a maximum of $3,500 per person -- though the amount recovered will depend on factors like whether the users suffered identity theft as a result of the data breach. The total amount will also depend on how many of Ashley Madison's users submit claims.

News of the settlement comes several months after the company resolved allegations brought by the Federal Trade Commission and 13 state attorneys general.

The FTC's complaint alleged that Ashley Madison falsely represented that it took "reasonable steps" to secure users' information, and that it lured people into signing up for memberships by showing them fake female profiles -- which the company dubbed "engager profiles."

In 2014, the dating site contained more than 28,400 fake female profiles, according to the FTC. Until August 2014, the site used those fake profiles to persuade 19 million Americans to pay for memberships, which enabled people to use features like online chatting. The FTC also alleged that Ashley Madison duped around 125,000 users by charging them $19 to delete their profiles, but retaining information about those people for up to 12 months.

That prior settlement figure came to $8.75 million, but the deal only required Ashley Madison to pay $1.65 million, with half going to the FTC and the other half to be divided between 13 states -- Alaska, Arkansas, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Nebraska, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Vermont. The remaining $7.1 million of the judgment was suspended.

Ashley Madison said late last week that the data that was posted online was not verified. "Merely because a person's name or other information appears to have been released in the data breach does not mean that person actually was a member of Ashley Madison," the company stated.

Ross is scheduled to hold a hearing on July 21 about the settlement.
In activating their brand as 'Ghana First' on Saturday 15th of July 2017, the African and Caribbean food and groceries dealer in association with Colourful Radio, transmitted this year's Ghana Party In The Park from Trent Park Cockfosters in London.

This year's celebration saw the event being graced by dignitaries such as the Ghana Ambassador to the UK Papa Owusu Ankomah and some other traditional chiefs,queens and some elders of traditional states in Ghana.

The transmission was streamed across London and the world on Colourfulradio.com and on digital audio broadcast in Birmingham and Manchester to numerous audience in London, Ghana and abroad.

Ghana Party In The Park is a celebration of culture, tradition and heritage in a unique, serene and picnic environment.

It is also touted arguably, as the only Ghanaian celebration in the UK that brings along fellow citizens from afar as close as possible.

And in making sure the event reaches Ghanaians at home, abroad, and those in the diaspora, 'Ghana First' as food and groceries brand, teams up with Colourful Radio in bringing the event as close as possible to most Ghanaians wherever they may be.

Speaking to the C.E.O of Emmanuel Group of Companies Mr Yaw Osei-Marfo as to why the collaboration between 'Ghana First' and Colourful Radio, he said:  One of the reason is to push both our brand and the Ghanaian community together.

And Colourful Radio is a Ghanaian owned radio station that believes in the development of communities so I said why not associate with them in bringing the event closer to Ghanaians in the UK and around the world.

In promoting Ghana Party In The Park 2017 in association with Colourful Radio he said: As Ghana Party In The Park represents some of our culture, tradition and heritage, we will see if we can take this broadcasting initiative further in the years to come.

Out of all the names in the world, Mr Yaw Osei-Marfo chooses Ghana First' because he said:  I think as Ghanaians it is important each individual tries in pushing the name Ghana and selling it in the best faith possible.

So branding our products and food items as 'Ghana First' is in line with a personal question I have been asking myself as to what could be done to elevate both our products as well as our nation Ghana, hence 'Ghana First'.

And our primary aim is to promote our indigenous products to establish a strong Ghanaian community cohesion while introducing and selling our products to the world.

Products like our Cassava Flour, Tuozaafi, Corn Flour, Eko-Egbeymi and most of our typical Ghanaian products are what we deal in mostly in retailing and wholesaling.

Mr Yaw Osie-Marfo who has recently added a Mini-Cab services to his fleet of business interests also used the occasion to donate so many books amounting to several thousands of pounds to the Ashanti Library in Kumasi Ghana.

Some of the books donated were Mathematics, English, Science, Geography, Agriculture, History, Catering, Fiction, Non-Fiction,Technical and other Literature books.

While some revellers were enjoying themselves others were also complaining about the intermittent power cut from the Live Band Stage.

Security was as tight as ever and no report of any incident at the time of filling this report.
17.07.2017 LISTEN

Global 105.1 FM came into the radio market in Ho at a time when some of us thought the relatively small radio market was choked and there was very little any newcomer could offer. There were already very established morning shows on the airwaves of Ho whose popularity with the folks in town was not lost on any serious observer of that space.

But it seemed the Global FM team was on a mission to prove me and other like-minded people wrong. Right from the start of its regular programming, it became obvious, to those of us watching to see what the managers of the new station had up their sleeves, that the dynamics of the radio market in Ho were well known to them. They gave the morning show slot  arguably, the most important segment of Ghanaian radio  to one of the regions most experienced morning show hosts, Edem Yao Torsah (Togbe Ahorgo l) with a budding talent at the time, B. K. Aklama, helping him to give the listening public what they thought morning radio was meant to be.

The excitement that came with this among the radio fanatics in Ho, in my opinion, came from two main sources. First, Togbe Ahorgo l, had been off the airwaves of Ho for a very long time so many listeners were simply elated by the fact that Global FM had brought that great baritone voice that graced the morning shows on VP FM and US FM back on radio. The second reason being the usual excitement which often comes with the launch of every new radio station.

The show took off in grand style with the amazing pair, Togbe and and B. K. giving listeners all that there is in morning radio in a perfect blend of English and Ewe. Being the electioneering season in Ghana, the show was always packed with a lot of politicking, all though, time was allocated to social issues too.

But somewhere along the proverbial line, Togbe handed over the show entirely to the young B. K. Aklama and disappeared to only God knows where. Well, in a typical Master No Dey, Boy Dey fashion, he took over the show and has made it his own ever since with a style that reminds me often (through no fault of his, l believe) of one of the heavyweights of morning radio in Accra whom he has a lot of things in common with. Do the guessing, ok.

In the early days of Togbes absence, one Ohene Sefadzi was on hand to help B. K. deliver that great radio experience that management wants. Those were the days when one woke up to a poem being read to you on the Global Morning Show with Ohene Sefadzi readily available to give listeners with little appreciation for literature, like yours truly, an interpretation from the literature point of view. In fact, l must confess, l enjoyed that segment a lot until it fizzled out together with the interpreter himself who now does more news programming stuffs at the station. Did you people run out of poems or what?

The young chap, B. K, always put forward his views on trending national issues backed by sound analysis on daily basis, and based on the shows that l have listened to so far, most listeners who call into the show more often than not, agree with him on the My Opinion segment of the show. Very much aware of the ownership of microphone that gives him his daily bread and the possible misconception and tagging that might come with that type of ownership he always makes a conscious effort to find a fine balance of views whenever politically sensitive issues come up for discussion on the show.

His ability to put the often noisy political commentators in check when they throw tantrums at each other also deserves a mention. Just to say, though, l am always not able to listen to those political discussion segments to the end. After all, what is it that we have not heard from those party communicators before. I believe l will be better off listening to music on Jaydee FM while they do the business that fetches them money on the other side.

So far, one can only congratulate the young man for his outstanding performance on the show in the absence of his master. Oh, just to mention, there is always sport news at 7:30 on the show with Mr Mourinho (if you dont know his full name then you are new to sport news on radio in Ho). And, once in a while, Tilda Acorlor comes around to co-host the Global Morning Show with B. K. Aklama. That is when she is not doing sport news on Volta Star Radio.

WELCOME ON BOARD V1 TV.

From the staples of the Global FM team comes a TV station, V1 TV. Being the first of its kind to hit the region, one can only heave a sigh of relief whilst asking himself why did it take so long to happen? Since the advent of free-to-air satellite TV technology, largely made popular in Ghana by Multi TV, l kept asking myself why nobody from the Volta Region thought it wise to go for one of those channels to help us also show the world what weve got to offer in terms of culture and trade.

As the saying goes, it is better late than never. So, we can only thank the people behind this vision to put Volta Region on the map as far as television is concerned. We would be watching television brewed with a touch of Volta. Very exciting times ahead!!!!!


The organisers of the Pan-African Historical Theatre Festival (PANAFEST) have received an amount of GH75,000 from the Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB) as its contribution towards the event.

The presentation ceremony brought together stakeholders in the arts and culture industry in Ghana, a member of the PANAFEST Foundation which include Reginald Laryea, MD for Media Majique Limited, as well as the executive management of the bank.

Presenting the cheque to the PANAFEST Foundation, the Managing Director of GCB Bank, Anselm Ray Sowah, stated that GCB is happy to be associated with PANAFEST, which celebrates its silver jubilee this year.

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, he said.

According to him, GCB is, therefore, best positioned to partake in this festival, which is celebrated in the spirit of Pan-Africanism and the African renaissance. GCB Bank is, indeed, excited to be part of the silver jubilee of PANAFEST.

On her part, Prof Esi Sutherland-Addy, Chairperson of PANAFEST Foundation, who received the cheque on behalf of the foundation, urged Ghanaians to begin to appreciate the value of PANAFEST as a potentially powerful self-marketing tool for the country.

She said PANAFEST has a strong affinity with GCB, and promised to use the support from the bank judiciously to achieve its intended purpose.

Prof Sutherland-Addy called on corporate Ghana to support issues bordering on culture as the springboard for development.

The much-anticipated 2017 edition of PANAFEST which is under the theme: 'The Power of the Pan-African Culture', will take place from July 25 to August 2.

PANAFEST, a biennial arts and cultural 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.
Guwahati: Dr Chandramouli B, a senior consultant on joint replacement & trauma surgery from Fortis Hospital Bangalore conducted the last Saturday evening OPD (outpatient department) clinic at Guwahati Press Club of northeast India.

Nearly 20 media persons participated in the camp, where they were offered free consultations by the attending doctor, who has the credit to perform more than 3700 joint replacement of knee, hip, elbow & shoulders and 12000 trauma surgeries of various fractures, ligament injuries & joint reconstructions till date.

The weekly health camp, organized under the series of 'Evening with a Doctor' programs at the press club premises for the benefit of media persons, has been attended by a number of physicians representing various health institutes of India.

Till date, practicing doctors from Apollo Chennai Hospital, Medanta-the Medicity Hospital, Manipal Bangalore Hospital, GNRC Hospitals, Down Town Hospitals, Nemcare Hospitals, Dispur Hospitals, Narayana Super-Specialty Hospitals, Swagat Super-Surgical Institute, Wintrobe Hospital, Barthakur Clinic, Sight First Eye Clinic, Government Ayurvedic College, MMC Panbazar etc have attended the camps.
Pokhara enforces No Horn regulation

Pokhara has become the countrys second city to enforce No Horn regulation after Kathmandu.
Nsaba, (C\R), July 16, GNA - The Agona East District Assembly has rehabilitated the six and half kilometre stretch of Agona Nsaba-Akim Oda trunk road to enhance smooth transportation of goods and services.

Mr Dennis Armah-Frempong, District Chief Executive (DCE) for Agona East made this known when he conducted Ghana News Agency (GNA) round to inspect re-shaped roads on the Agona Nsaba- Akim Oda.

He said the assembly took the initiative following numerous complaints of deplorable state of roads from drivers and passengers.

According to DCE, drivers expressed disgust about the frequent break downs of their vehicles making it difficult to ply the roads and also raised serious concerns over rampant attacks of armed robbers due to the deplorable state of parts of the roads.

The DCE said the Agona Swedru- Akim Oda- Agona Nsaba trunk road had been awarded on contract but, work on it was at a slow pace and said the Assembly would play its role to ensure that stretches of the road that were difficult to use would be rehabilitated to facilitate the transportation of goods and services.

Mr Armah-Frempong also inspected other feeder roads under construction at Oboyambo- Aboano, Agona Duakwa- Duotu- Akwakwaa and Agona Duakwa-Agona Namawura.

At Oboyambo, Mr Kwame Sam , Managing Director of Sam Company Limited assured the DCE that construction of the bridge would be completed the coming few days.

The DCE urged the contractor to speed up works because the chiefs and people in the area had complained about the delay, saying the situation had stopped transportation of goods and services for over one year.

The DCE appealed to the MMDCEs to use meagre resources at their disposal to repair feeder roads in their various districts to improve economic development.

The DCE said the Agona East Assembly had taken steps to repair all broken down bole-holes in various communities of the district to enable them get access to potable drinking water and to avert the outbreak of cholera and other water borne diseases. GNA
Accra July 16, GNA - Lieutenant General Obed Akwa, Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) has said the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) would soon conduct a pre-deployment training for anti-galamsey operations, to reverse the unbridled exploitation of the natural resources.

The deployment of the military personnel would help salvage the polluted water sources, farmlands and forests caused by the activities of the illegal miners.

The CDS on Sunday said this at the GAF Mid-Year Non-Denominational Religious Parade held at the Burma Hall in Accra on the theme: 'God is Our Fortress: In Him We Trust'.

The mid-year parade is held every quarter for members of the GAF to re-affirm their faith in God, re-assess the state of the profession and engage in soul-searching and chart the way forward.

It brought together officers from the Army, Navy and the Air Force to give thanks to God for His protection and guidance.

The CDS tasked the military personnel to be committed to God and government and the people of Ghana by exhibiting the highest professional ethics and expertise and eschewing tendencies of unprofessional attitude and complacency in the discharge of their duties.

He said: 'We trust those to be deployed will do a good job'.

Lieutenant General Akwa entreated the personnel to apply trust in their daily activities as much would be achieved if they worked in an atmosphere of trust rather than bickering and in-fighting that would destroy them.

He also implored the leadership at all levels to ensure the enforcement of discipline and avoid meddling in civilian affairs and develop mutual respect and spirit of cooperation.

Pastor Dr Samuel Adama Larmie, the Church Pastor of the Legon Branch of the Seventh Day Adventist Church in a sermon urged Christians to have faith and trust in the Lord, irrespective of trials and urged them to have hope in God.

Lieutenant Colonel Umar Sanda Ahmed (Rtd), Ghana's Former Ambassador to Egypt in an exhortation also admonished Muslims and Christians to seek fortune through the Almighty God/Allah and not any other means.

The ceremony was characterised by the delivery of hymns and a medley of songs by the mass band of the Armed Forces and the Security Services Choir.

As part of the service, prayers were offered for the nation's peace and stability, higher authorities, security services, peacekeepers, the sick, job creation in the country and for good environmental care.

GNA

By Kwamina Tandoh, GNA
Accra, July 16, GNA - Mr Darren Walker, the President of the Global Ford Foundation, USA, has given the assurance that the Foundation would continue to support Ghana's art industry to thrive.

He said art was an essential part of society that provided fulfilment to the soul and showed the essence of life and the Foundation was interested in the Ghanaian art industry and would like to learn more and explore other areas of interest that would propel Ghana's development efforts.

Mr Walker, who is in the country for the first time as President of the Foundation, described Ghana as one of the greatest countries in the world, saying, 'It's a pleasure being in Ghana to strengthen the bond of friendship that existed between Ghana and the US dating back to the 1960s'.

A cocktail party was held in his honour at the Artist Alliance Gallery, in Accra, on Sunday, to explore how businesses could take advantage of the Ghanaian creative art industry and make economic gains.

Mr Walker described Professor Ablade Glover, the Director of the gallery as a leader who had distinguished himself in the art industry both locally and internationally.

Prof. Glover conducted Mr Walker round the gallery to admire the various collection of art works including paintings, sculpture, artefacts, among others, which tell the Ghanaian cultural heritage.

Some of the unique paintings portrayed scenes of everyday life as well as some African and world leaders like Nelson Mandela of South Africa and Barack Obama of America.

As part of his visit to Ghana, Mr Walker would meet President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at the Flagstaff House in the course of the week and hold other public engagements.

Mr Innocent Chukwuma, the West Africa Regional Director of Ford Foundation, said the Foundation had major interests in West Africa particularly, Ghana, Nigeria and Senegal.

He noted that the Foundation aims at empowering the youth and women to participate in the electoral processes, adding that democracy within the West Africa Sub-region had come of age, however the representation of women and the youth was low.

'There is high unemployment rate in West Africa and so we're partnering with governments, civil society organisations and state institutions to make sure the young people are exposed to the skills, which will enable them to be competitive on the job market,' he explained.

He said the Foundation has therefore established a programme known as 'Youth Transition', which supports the youth with employable skills for self-sustainability.

The Foundation also played an important role in Ghana's 2016 General Elections and supported the Electoral Commission and electoral institutions that engaged in electoral monitoring and civic education, he noted.

Apart from that, he said the Foundation had worked to ensure that public revenue and expenditure were used to address the needs of the ordinary and marginalised people in society with special focus on women and youth.

Mr Chukwuma indicated that the Foundation had 10 regional offices across the globe including China, Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria and India, and that the personnel there brought their technical expertise and global presence to bear in those countries to facilitate their development agenda.

He described the gallery which had large collection of artefacts across the world as an incredible and awesome place and applauded Prof. Glover for that feat.

'It is a world class gallery and we invite everybody from every corner of the world who visit Ghana for tourism to come here,' he said.

Dr Ziblim Iddi, the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture and Member of Parliament for Gushiegu, commended the Ford Foundation for its immense support to humanity.

He said he was a beneficiary of the Foundation's Scholarship Scheme, which supported him to study in the United States for his PhD and Masters

The Deputy Minister said the core objective of tourism was to share Ghanaian arts and culture with the outside world to attract investments into the sector.

Prof. Glover, the Director of the Gallery, said investing in art was more valuable than investing in land and bonds.

He therefore, urged the government and other corporate entities to give the art industry the needed attention in terms of resources that would spur economic growth.

He said the gallery was established to bridge the gap between studying arts and practising arts as well as giving exposure to artists to exhibit their God-given talents.

Prof. Glover urged the youth to take art education seriously because it was a potential gold mine that was very rewarding.

The visit of the President of the Global Ford Foundation attracted a cross section of the public including traditional rulers, queen mothers, artists and a former Metropolitan Chief Executive of Accra Metropolitan, Mr Nathaniel Amarteyfio.

GNA

By Godwill Arthur-Mensah, GNA
16.07.2017 LISTEN

Accra, July 16, GNA - Apostle Dr Kwame Ntow Amoani, Chairman of the Christ Apostolic Church International (CACI) has regretted that the church is gradually losing its grip on society allowing leaders to exhibit high level of self-centredness.

He said most Christian leaders in Ghana were not preaching the word that would produce the dedicated Christian that would be committed to the Christian values devoid of vices and malpractices including corruption, but were rather focusing of things that would fulfil their selfish gains.

'People placed in high positions should rather be spirit-filled to make an impact on the society, especially in the communities in which they live', he said.

Apostle Amoani was addressing the thanksgiving service organised by the Accra South territory of the CACI as part of the Centenary Celebration of the Church in Accra on Sunday on the theme '100 years of impacting the world through Pentecostalism'.

The Accra South Territory consists of Nungua, Nima and Pig Farm Areas of the Church.

He said many Christians failed to see God's glory in their lives because they refused to follow the steps of their forefathers, who were filled with the Holy Spirit and were guided by it in all their endeavours.

Apostle Amoani said the founders of Christianity, particularly the twelve Apostles who included; Peter and John, pursued the desires of the Holy Spirit and were consequently made strong and powerful to defeat all life challenges.

'I therefore challenge and encourage Ministers of the gospel to speak on the wrongdoings of Ghanaians especially the leadership to help them to deliver on their mandate of pushing the nation forward in her developmental agenda for the benefit of all.'

He urged Christians to do things in conformity with the core values of their belief through the Holy Spirit, as demonstrated by their founders, adding that those leaders focused on maintaining a direct relationship with God by living according to the dictates of the Holy Spirit.

Apostle Amoani also challenged Christians to follow the principles of the Acts of the Apostles as captured in the Holy Bible as a way of seeking spiritual restoration to achieve God's glory.

Mr Vincent Sowah Odotei, Deputy Minister of Communications, who spoke on behalf of the Minister of Communications, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, commended the CACI on her 100 years anniversary and called on the members to continue praying for the country.

He appealed to the Christian community to support government in its quest to develop the country, because the leaders could not rely only on their academic abilities, but also needed the directions of the Holy Spirit to deliver on their mandate.

Mr Odotei, who is also the Member of Parliament for La Dade Kotopon constituency said: 'We need the church to support the President to carry out his vision of nation building for the benefit of Ghanaians and the future generation as well'.

Apostle Joseph Sakyi, Director of Christian Education of CACI led the congregation to pray for the nation, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, his team of ministers and other national leaders.

GNA

By Gideon Ahenkorah, GNA
16.07.2017 LISTEN

Accra, July 16, GNA - More than 40 per cent of children with learning difficulties in Ghana suffer parental neglect which affects their progress in life, Mr Richard O. Opoku, Programmes Manager of the Special Attention Project (SAP) has said.

Mr Opoku said a significant number of children therefore stop going to school and migrate to the streets, where they engaged in all kind of social vices.

He said learning difficulties in children in Ghana was mostly interpreted as laziness and spiritual problems, which was worrying, explaining that, some of the children only needed special attention and strategic teaching methods.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency in an interview, the SAP's Programmes Manager urged parents to desist from abandoning their children because of their inability to perform well academically in school, but exercise more patience and assist them to learn better.

'Such children need more attention from parents and teachers. They can be helped to learn better through patience and adequate assistance,'' he noted.

Mr Opoku also called on government to expedite the full implementation of the Inclusive Education Policy and intensify vocational and technical training to facilitate the development of the technical and vocational skills of children who were good in those areas.

'Most of the children with learning difficulties have incredible vocational and technical talents. I am urging government to create enough room for the development of such talents for the benefit of the children and the country', he added.

Mr Opoku re-affirmed the commitment of the SAP towards developing robust education mechanisms to meet the learning needs of children with learning difficulties to propel the efforts of the country to reach economic growth and development.

The SAP is a Ghanaian Non-Governmental Organisation that improves the lives of children with Specific Learning Difficulties by spreading information to the public, advocating learning support for pupils with learning difficulties in mainstream schools.

It also conducts research and training on Specific Learning Difficulties and also provides practical support to out-of-school children with learning difficulties.

'Our individual education programme for out-of-school children has been designed to also include pre-vocational lessons, sports, music and computer training,' Mr Opoku added.

The Programmes Manager called on government and the public to support the project as it was working hard to develop the gifts of Ghanaian children.

'We have designed the FonixGH reading method to assist children with reading problems to improve on their reading skills,' he added.

The FonixGH reading method establishes a reading foundation through synthetic phonics using everyday words and common Akan words.

The SAP, Mr Opoku said, served more than 120 children per year at its Educational Centre located at Kaneshie Market in Accra, adding that, the SAP's team worked closely with the families of the children to reintegrate them at home and in school.

'We use well planned methods to identify the problems the child is facing and apply the appropriate teaching method to assist him or her,' he added.

The Centre provides free facilities for bathing and washing as well as breakfast and lunch for out-of-school children with learning difficulties who are admitted into the programme. GNA

By Gideon Ahenkorah, GNA
YaoundA (AFP) - A Cameroon army vessel transporting "dozens" of troops from the elite Rapid Intervention Brigade capsized on Sunday off the country's southwestern coast, a security source told AFP.

The boat "capsized on Sunday between the city of Limbe and Bakassi. There were dozens of troops on board, including a colonel," the source told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The Rapid Intervention Brigade is in the front line of Cameroon's fight against Boko Haram jihadists in the far north.

"The army has begun searches," the source said, while another source close to the Cameroon army said at least one body had been recovered.

As well as the troops the boat was also transporting equipment for construction work at a military base on the Bakassi peninsula, where the Brigade has helped to bring security after a previous spate of hostage-takings.

Though Boko Haram originated in Nigeria, the Islamic State-affiliated group has carried out frequent attacks in Cameroon, Chad and Niger.

Cameroon's Far North region, which borders Nigeria, has seen a resurgence in attacks blamed on Boko Haram after months of relative calm.

Last week two bombers blew themselves up in northeastern Cameroon killing 15 people in an attack blamed on Boko Haram.

Some 200,000 Cameroonians from the Far North region have fled their villages in fear of the violence.
Nairobi (AFP) - A strikingly toxic campaign ad was unleashed online in Kenya just weeks before national elections -- a potentially explosive move in a country where politics and ethnicity are closely aligned.

The 90-second video, shot in moody monochrome, presented a dystopia in which Raila Odinga, the leading opposition candidate, wins the August vote and plunges the nation into a violent and inept dictatorship.

Under this scenario, tribes would be set against one another while terrorists run riot. "Stop Raila, Save Kenya. The Future of Kenya is in Your Hands," the video said.

East Africa's largest economy holds its general election on August 8, a decade after disputed poll results fuelled violence that left more than 1,100 dead and hundreds of thousands displaced.

Supporters of presidential candidate Raila Odinga rally in Kenya's capital Nairobi

It is unclear who is behind last week's slick video or "The Real Raila", the shadowy pro-government outfit that disseminated it.

But some on Kenya's vibrant social media networks were quick to blame Cambridge Analytica (CA), a company credited with using its data mining and psychological profiling techniques to help swing recent votes in the United States and Britain.

In May, local press reported President Uhuru Kenyatta's Jubilee campaign had hired CA. A spokesman, Nick Fievet, declined to comment on CA's possible work in Kenya but said it had "no connection" with the attack video.

'It can lead to war'

With 7.1 million Facebook users and an estimated two-thirds of Kenya's 45 million people able to access the internet, there is a critical mass of people leaving an increasingly detailed trail of information about their fears and preferences -- a rich resource for those seeking to influence voting choices.

"Here it can lead to war," said John Githongo, a veteran anti-corruption campaigner. "The wrong video, the wrong information, it can go out of control."

Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta campaigns in Nairobi

Githongo believes both government and opposition seek to use the new techniques, only the ruling party is more effective. "Jubilee has been way ahead from the very beginning."

CA worked on Kenyatta's last campaign in 2013 -- devised by PR company BTP Advisers -- to paint Kenyatta and his running mate William Ruto as victims of a Western imperialist plot to try them at the International Criminal Court for politically motivated tribal violence.

"We made the election a choice about whether Kenyans would decide their own future or have it dictated to them by others," said a statement by London-based BTP, which is reportedly working with Kenyatta and Ruto again this year.

Data collection

According to its website, CA "designed and implemented the largest political research project ever conducted in East Africa" ahead of the 2013 vote to hone a campaign based on voters' desires for jobs and fears of "tribal violence".

It also "segmented the Kenyan population into key target audiences".

Now there are fears data will be swept up and used to create psychological profiles of voters so that specific messages can be tailored to specific voters.

Frederike Kaltheuner, a policy officer at data advocacy group Privacy International, is worried by the "lack of any kind of data protection framework" in Kenya.

"There are concerns about the integrity of data in Kenya. Who would have access to it? Who is storing it? Do people even know what is being collected about them? None of these questions are being answered," she said.

Others are concerned about what happens when you seek to segment a society for electoral purposes where already politicians' primary appeals are to their ethnic constituents.

"There are very strong communities in Kenya and that's exactly the kind of situation present where you can start to drive different conversations about the election in different sub-communities," said Paul-Olivier Dehaye, a Swiss mathematician and data activist who has studied CA's techniques.

"We've seen it with Brexit and the US election, and the same can be done in Kenya, or elsewhere that there's a lot of fragmentation already."

Fake news, trolls and bots

"Fake news", a term that dominates political discourse in the United States, has already made itself felt in Kenya's election

Jeffrey Smith, executive director of the US-based Vanguard Africa, an organisation promoting free and fair elections, has been under attack since he invited Odinga to the United States in March to meet policymakers.

Soon afterwards fake letters -- complete with Vanguard's company header and Smith's forged signature -- began to circulate on Kenyan social media purporting to reveal efforts to rig Kenya's election for Odinga.

Smith then started suffering at the hands of trolls.

"At least once a week I'll wake up and have hundreds of Twitter notifications from accounts that are clearly bots and trolls tweeting in a coordinated manner, posting the same bogus and entirely false information over and over again," Smith said.

Data scientist Timothy Oriedo, founder of consulting company Vault Global, acknowledges the growing importance of the online battleground but says old-style tactics still play a key role.

"The old techniques of voter suppression, the normal things, will continue: ballot stuffing, gerrymandering," he added.
The former National Youth Authoritys (NYA) Chief Executive, Ras Mubarak, now Member of Parliament for Kumugu, has confirmed that he also fixed an audio visual recording device in his office when he served in that capacity in 2013.

He said this in response to claims by the current acting NYA Chief Executive, Emmanuel Asigiri, who said he discovered a bugging device in his official vehicle which Mr. Mubarak previously used.

Mr. Asigiri, who said he intercepted the device when he sent the vehicle for servicing, questioned why Mr. Mubarak failed to inform officials at the Authority of the bugging device.

But Ras Mabarak in a statement said he also installed a similar device in the NYA office but removed it after the NDC lost power.

He added that he also asked his driver to get a mechanic to remove the one fixed in the vehicle.

I installed security devices in my office and my official car in 2013 when I took over. The device in my office was secretly planted while the tracker on the vehicle was done in the full glare of staff of NYA including official drivers. I was not the only person who had access to my office. Cleaners at NYA came to clean offices in the evening after close of work.

I personally uninstalled the devices in my office when I was leaving, and directed my official driver to take the car to the workshop (Im not a mechanic) and have them uninstall the tracking device in the official vehicle. Its ridiculous for anyone to suggest that I had installed a device to bug or track an NPP appointee, albeit a very obscure member of government, he added in the statement.

This comes on the back of a similar audio visual device found in the office of the current Minister of Lands and Natural Resource, Peter Amewu.

The former sector Minister, Inusah Fuseini, subsequently claimed that he fixed the device for his own security but said it was not functional.

Below is the full statement from Ras Mubarak:

Lets separate facts from fiction:

1. I installed security devices in my office and my official car in 2013 when I took over. The device in my office was secretly planted while the tracker on the vehicle was done in the full glare of staff of NYA including official drivers.

2. I was not the only person who had access to my office. Cleaners at NYA came to clean offices in the evening after close of work.

3. My office keys were left with the security every evening after close of work. Wouldnt I be naive not to have had recording devices in my office? How could I tell what went on when I wasnt in the office and cleaners I dont know from anywhere had unfettered access to my office?

4. I personally uninstalled the devices in my office when I was leaving, and directed my official driver to take the car to the workshop (Im not a mechanic) and have them uninstall the tracking device in the official vehicle.

5. Its ridiculous for anyone to suggest that I had installed a device to bug or track an NPP appointee, albeit a very obscure member of government.

6. I handed over to JK Manu, a public servant who at the time of my departure was the senior-most staff at the NYA and not to the current acting CEO.

7. Has the current Acting Head of NYA found out from his predecessor if he knew there was a device? Has he found out from the drivers if they knew of the device in the car and how long it had been there?

8. In all humility if I wanted dirt on a member of the new government, hes the least person of interest to me.

The fuss about me bugging or tracking his movements is just empty noise to take away attention from the embarrassing flop of the homecoming summit his government organized; they want to divert attention from the insults the Deputy Minister rained on Ghanaians in the diaspora and the utter disrespect and arrogance already demonstrated by a section of the Akufo Addo government; the corruption thats engulfed the government, the U-Turn upon U-Turn and broken and failed promises of his government.



By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Follow @AlloteyGodwin
Member of pressure group, Occupy Ghana, Sydney Casely-Hayford, has accused the former Minister of Lands and Natural Resources; Inusah Fuseini, of withholding information with regards to the audio visual recording device found in the office of the current minister.

Hours after the device was found in the office of Lands Minister, Peter Amewu, Inusah Fuseini claimed ownership for the device.

He also suggested that it was not functional because he could not get time to fully install the device which he acquired for his own protection.

Alhaji Inusah Fuseini

He has however been heavily criticized for not removing the device even after he was re-assigned to another portfolio.

A former Deputy Interior Minister, James Agalga defended Inusah Fuseini's act saying he did no wrong.

But speaking on Citi FM's News Analysis Programme, The Big Issue on Saturday, Casely-Hayford said Inusah Fuseini's story does not add up.

I'm finding the story not very credible. I think the story looks like an afterthought to try and cover up. If he did put a device there for his own protection and then the thing never worked and he forgot that it was there then there was no protection required in the first place. If he had bought it with state funds then we could be talking about financial loss, but he said somebody gave it to him. On this story alone, I really don't think that Inusah is straight with us, he added.

Meanwhile, a National Democratic Congress legislator for the Wa Central constituency, Rashid Pelpuo, who was also on the show, said Inusah Fuseini should instead be commended for claiming ownership of the device.



By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Follow @AlloteyGodwin
The Civil Society Organisations Platform is advocating an extension of Ghanas IMF programme, saying the package will best serve the nation's interest since it will allow for better implementation of the structural reforms.

Dr. Godfred Alufar Bokpin, a Lecturer at the University of Ghana Business School, said there was the need to extend the agreement in order to drive the much needed reform to improve the fiscal governance framework.

He was speaking at the Fourth National Civil Society Forum on Ghana's International Monetary Fund Programme in Accra on Thursday on the theme: Three Years into the IMF-Supported Extended Credit Facility Arrangement: Is the Ghanaian economy on the right path?

He explained that, the programme had achieved limited effectiveness in the light of the fact that most of the programmes objectives had not been met, especially in 2016, with fiscal deficit at 10.3 per cent on commitment basis in 2016, about the same as when the negotiation for the programme started in 2014.

Whatever gains we made in the first year of the programme implementation were effectively reversed during the election, he said, adding that this in theory, effectively ended the programme as the conditions were not met.

What we should be asking for now is to demonstrate how we can correct the deficiencies that we have seen in the programme and get back on track and probably ask for extension, he stated.

Dr. Bokpin said the strength of the IMF-supported programme should be seen in terms of the structural reforms that were contained in the programmes, especially as Ghana was unable, on its own, to develop and execute those reforms.

Some of those reforms, including the Bank of Ghana Act and the Public Financial Management Act, though they had been passed, did not contain exactly what Ghana needed, thus there was room for some amendments which an extension will allow.

The IMF itself has incentive to ensure that the programme is extended because Ghana for a while had been a success of the IMF programmes in sub-Saharan Africa and they don't want this to be tainted and if a request comes from the government, they will not say no, he said.

Ms Natalia Koliadina, the IMF Resident Representative in Ghana, said though the programme had had its ups and downs, the current government's continuity with the programme indicated its desire to depoliticize macro-economic policies, and showed its commitment to reinstate fiscal discipline, especially in light of the limited fiscal space it had to carry out its agenda.

She took participants through the implementation of the programme so far, and it's current status, and also expressed the hope that Ghana would graduate from fund-supported programmes.

It can and should be done, she stated, adding that civil society organisations could play an important role in the prioritization of development projects, which was necessary to manage expenditure and ensure value for money, she said.

Dr. Joe Abbey, Executive Director for the Centre for Policy Analysis and Chair for the forum, expressed the important role of civil society in such programmes, saying Ghanaians must own such interventions.

It is to us to make these programmes our own because they are not owned by the politicians. When things go awry thy will fall on us so let's claim the ownership. That's what all this is about, he stated.

He said civil society in Ghana must insist and get a legislation that makes it possible for government to make available to them the information that it gives to institutions like the IMF and World Bank, so that they would not have to go through the IMF to get access to such data.


Preparation underway to set up Constituency Determination Commission

The major ruling party Nepali Congress (NC) and coalition partner CPN (Maoist Centre) have stared preparations to set up the Constituency Determination Commission in tandem with the cabinet expansion.
July 14, 2017  Saturday is a sad moment in Turkish history as it marks one year since the deplorable coup attempt that resulted in the death of hundreds and injuries of thousands. On this occasion I reiterate my condemnation of the despicable putsch and its perpetrators, and extend my sincere condolences to the families and loved ones affected by this horrible tragedy.

Unfortunately, in the aftermath of this tragic incident the lives of far too many innocent people have been darkened. They have been unlawfully fired from their jobs, arrested, jailed, and even tortured  all under the governments direction. They are being deprived of their livelihoods, dignity and human rights while the government conducts a witch-hunt to weed out anyone it deems disloyal to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his regime.

The last year has taken a toll on me as hundreds of thousands of innocent Turkish citizens are being punished simply because the government decides they are somehow connected to me or the Hizmet movement and treats that alleged connection as a crime. Accusations against me related to the coup attempt are baseless, politically motivated slanders. The governments treatment of innocent citizens during the past year is dragging Turkey into the category of the countries with the worst record of democracy, the rule of law and fundamental freedoms in the world. On this day, I reiterate my call for an independent international investigation to fully examine what occurred on July 15 and to bring the coup perpetrators to justice. I stand by my pledge to accept its ruling and return to Turkey if the commission finds me responsible for the coup attempt.

Instead of answering why they have failed to convince world leaders about their accusations against me, Turkeys leaders are feeding conspiracy theories to Turkish audiences through the media outlets that have become mouthpieces for government propaganda. Unfortunately, unable to hear any different narratives about the horrific incident, the Turkish people are being rallied en masse around hate messages. Very few people are able to stop and notice the alarming resemblance of the current scapegoating of Hizmet participants to the scapegoating of certain groups by fascist and communist totalitarian regimes of the 20th century.

Democracy cannot be achieved or protected through violent means. Even if elected political leaders persecute their own citizens by trampling over fundamental human rights, their removal through anti-democratic means cannot be condoned. Despite having being subjected to persecution unprecedented in Turkish history in terms of its methods and scale for a year now, no Hizmet participant has even raised a fist against his or her persecutors. Instead, they are continuing to pursue their rights through legal and peaceful means. I think anyone who still doubts their commitment to nonviolence, peace and the rule of law despite this track record is blinded by prejudice.

It is my hope that Turkish intellectuals will raise their voice and stand in solidarity with all victims of the persecution, and the members of the judiciary will resist political pressures and uphold universal principles of justice. I pray to God, the Most Compassionate, to save this blessed land from the present darkness and deliver to an atmosphere of peace and tranquility.

About Fethullah Gulen

Fethullah Gulen is an Islamic scholar, preacher and social advocate, whose decadeslong commitment to education, interfaith dialogue and altruism has inspired millions in Turkey and around the world. Gulen is the honorary chairman of the Rumi Forum, Washington, DC and the Intercultural Dialogue Platform, Brussels, Belgium.

About Alliance for Shared Values

The Alliance for Shared Values (AFSV) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that serves as a voice for cultural organizations affiliated with Hizmet, a civil society movement inspired by prominent preacher and peace advocate Fethullah Gulen. The Alliance strives to promote peace and social harmony by helping reduce misinformation and false stereotypes about any or all ethnic, cultural and religious communities. To learn more about the Alliance, please visit www.afsv.org.

Media contact

[email protected]

212-682-4278

Download statement in pdf

Statement in Turkish
17.07.2017 LISTEN

South Korea has proposed holding military talks with the North, after weeks of heightened tension following Pyongyangs long-range missile test.

If they were to go ahead, they would be the first high-level talks since 2015.

A senior official said talks should aim to stop all hostile activities that raise military tension at the fortified border between the Koreas.

South Koreas President Moon Jae-in has long signalled he wants closer engagement with the North.

North Korea has not responded to the Souths proposal yet.

In a recent speech in Berlin, Mr Moon said dialogue with the North was more pressing than ever and called for a peace treaty to be signed.

He said such dialogue was crucial for those who seek the end of Pyongyangs nuclear weapons programme.

However, the Norths frequent missile tests, including the most recent one of an intercontinental ballistic missile, are in consistent violation of UN resolutions and have alarmed its neighbours and the US.

South Koreas Vice Defence Minister Suh Choo-suk told a media briefing that talks could be held at Tongilgak, a North Korean building in the Panmunjom compound in the demilitarised zone between the two countries, which was used to host previous talks.

He proposed that the talks be held on 21 July, and said: We expect a positive response from the North.

South Koreas Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon also urged the restoration of communication hotlines between the two Koreas, cut last year after a North Korean nuclear test.

The BBCs Karen Allen in Seoul says the ultimate aim of these talks would be to end the military confrontation that has dominated relations between the two Koreas for decades.

But it could begin with confidence-building measures such as ending the infamous loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts along the border, she says.

The Red Cross and the government have also proposed a separate meeting, aimed at discussing how to hold reunions of families separated by the Korean War, which ended in 1953.

But analysts say these could be highly fraught with Pyongyang still angry at the Souths unwillingness to repatriate high-profile defectors.


Prestea Communicators for Development, a registered Youth Pressure Group in Prestea (With Reg TNo: 201704260748502) is deeply worried over President Akuffo Addos government seeming quietness and mute over the state of Prestea Sankofa Gold Ltd, the only State Gold Mining Company in Ghana, that is now almost collapsed.

Prestea Sankofa Gold Ltd (PSGL) employs close to 300 direct workers, with averagely 1200 dependents and 200 indirect workers and contractors. The company has suffered massive blow due to mismanagement and huge financial malfeasance on the part of immediate past board of directors of PSGL.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo in August, 2016, in his campaign tour at Prestea was briefed about the situation, and he promised the people of Prestea that, when given the nod, he will revive the PSGL.

On 25th April, 2017, two deputy Ministers of the Lands and Natural Resources visited the company and promised to send the information back to the President, but nearly three months from then, no concrete information with regard to reviving the company has been issued by the government or GNPC, which the PSGL is subsidiary.

Several Communiques and releases, including going to the head office of Economic and Organize Crime (EOCO) has all been pursued by Prestea Communicators for Development, yet, we are shocked that officialdom at the Presidency or Ministry or GNPC or Ministry of Energy have turned a blind eye to all the information at their disposal.

Currently, Prestea is battling with huge unemployment problems, as can be manifested by recent Galamsey pit accident killing of 22 at a goal. PSGL was a hope for the people, and if nothing is done immediately, Prestea is going to suffer a lot.

The unfortunate plight of the workers at the moment is a sad one. Many have started dying of hunger, (five just died this year due to various calamities and suffering). A lot of the children of these workers have now become school drop outs, and many of the workers have been ejected from their rented houses because they cannot pay. The bungalows of the company has been disconnected from the national grid (electricity). The workers cannot pay their electricity bills, and they are now not having electricity. So far, workers have not been paid for 1 year 1 month now.

The companys clinic has no drugs and workers and their dependants are finding it difficult to assess medical care.

The Board of GNPC have been in office for about two months now, and Dr. KK Sarpong, now a full CEO of GNPC should come out boldly and tell the workers the policy direction for the re-start of the mines.

We are also appealing to Hon. Lawyer Mrs. Barbara Oteng-Gyasi, MP for Prestea Huni Valley, as a deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, should push the issue to get it addressed.

Apparently, Ghana Mine Workers Union has also been mute about this sad situation. The General Secretary of the Ghana Mine Workers Union, Prince Ankrah should come out and tell the workers something about this situation.

Prestea Communicators for Development (PCD) interviewed about 50 workers on the situation, and it was so terrible the condition they are in at the moment. Most of them did not want to talk to the media.

We respect and salute PSGL workers, for still remaining calm, for not going picketing as other aggrieved Ghanaian workers have done in the recent past, we commend them. But now, things are getting out of control, and enough is enough!

Finally, we are appealing to the President, H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo to fulfil his promise of re-opening the PSGL mine.

Signed.

Comrade Francis Eshun

President.

0203961833

James Samuel Ackerson

Vice President

0241163129

Philip Gyan

Secretary

0573698278

Jonas Kyeremanteng (Holy)

Organiser

0244777822

WORKERS OF SANKOFA READY TO SPEAK TO THE MEDIA:

MR. EBENEZER QUANSAH

ELECTRICIAN OF PSGL

0243701897/ 050038499

MR BENEDICT QUINOO

ELECTRICAL ENGINEER AT PSGL

0243518096

CC:

THE PRESIDENCY, FLAGSTAFF HOUSE

GHANA NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION (GNPC)

MINISTER FOR LANDS AND NATURAL RESOURCES

THE MINISTER OF ENERGY

THE WESTERN REGIONAL MINISTER

THE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT, PRESTEA HUNI VALLEY

THE DISTRICT CHIEF EXECUTIVE, PRESTEA HUNI VALLEY

NANA NTEBOAH PRA IV, DIVISIONAL CHIEF OF HIMAN-PRESTEA TRADITIONAL AREA
17.07.2017 LISTEN

SuperPrice has made shopping simple, faster and safer with the launch of an online shopping centre for customers and shopping lovers in the country.

The online shopping platform allows customers to do their shopping on demand and have accesss to products ranging from tech, electronics, home appliances, fashion to beauty products, and all that you can think of; with delivery to their chosen location.

SuperPrice makes shopping super convenient, letting customers shop and pay with cards, mobile money, bank transfer and cash payment on delivery, depending on the customers choice of payment and receives items at affordable prices.

Speaking to the Chief Executive Officer of SuperPrice , a graduate of the Stanford Graduate School of Business, he explained that, his company is geared towards bringing customers top quality products at the best prices in the market, all with fast delivery and excellent customer service.

 SuperPrice is an e-commerce marketplace where YOU are the BOSS. The site has a strong customer-oriented philosophy, where the customer is king. Its a relief that finally there is a website offering an outstanding service that the Ghanaian people deserve

SuperPrice strictly refuses to sell fake products. Only original products are for sale on the site. Building a long-term relationship with clients is based on trust and its certainly important to SuperPrice

At SuperPrice , shopping can never feel easier than this. Make a smart move now and visit us @ SuperPrice.com for quality products and convenient services.
Dogs dont bark for nothing. They do so when they sense danger or feel threatened. Ghana Police Service have issued a stern warning to the countrys notorious armed robbers as they prepare to engage them in what the service calls Fire for Fire, operation. The Police are seemingly under threat following the rampant killings of its officers by armed robbers in recent times.

On Thursday afternoon July 13, two of its officers were shot in the line of duty by armed robbers at Lapaz , Accra.. One officer died at the scene while the other is in critical condition. The Director General in charge of Police Operations, COP Christian Tetteh Yohuno who issued the threat asked the notorious guys to desist from shooting and killing personnel of the police service.

He said the service was more than combat-ready and would do everything within its power to engage the goons in a brutal battle: The security services are very much prepared for a fire for fire battle, therefore, any criminal who tries to joke with officers, does that at his or her own risk.

We will descend heavily on armed robbers. We have sensitized our men to deal with armed robbers. We have charged our men to deal with any armed robber who tries their patience ..We are prepared for fire for fire, Mr. Tetteh Yohuno cautioned.

According to the Police Chief the continuous murderous attacks on police officers by the gangsters are unacceptable and should be discouraged.

So whats the plan and do the police have the logistics to battle them?

I think they will need the firepower, vehicles and other important communication gadgets to be able to win this battle. And COP Yohuno revealed that going forward it would be necessary for all police personnel on community patrols be allowed to carry side arms so as to gun down robbers who threaten their lives.

Also he hinted that a proposal had been sent to government by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to procure more logistics so that every policeman will have a protective gadget.

If the number and frequency of police officers killed in the last four years in our country dont send wrong signal then what else would? In 2013, 13 police officers died in the line of duty. The affected officers died in several circumstances, including exchange of fire with armed robbers, motor accidents and stabbing.

According police report the ranks of the officers ranged from Constable to Chief Inspector.

Six of the officers died in motor accidents: two died on their way to effect arrest; while one died during escort duties. It said another died during traffic control duties; and two others in unspecified motor accidents.

The year 2014 saw little reduction in terms of numbers of officers killed. A total of 11 Ghanaian police officers lost their lives in the line of duty across the country in 2014. This is perhaps more than half of the number of officers killed in the whole of the United States same year if you juxtapose that state by state. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, a pro-police nonprofit, released its preliminary 2014 report on officer deaths, which listed the total number of fatalities at 126.

Ghana is about the size of Oregon in the Northwest region. The state ended 2014 without a single law enforcement fatality in the line of duty -----the first time since 2012, according to reports.

Most remarkable noted NBC was the number of firearms-related deaths in 2014 (50), which was a 56 percent jump from 2013 (32). Traffic-related fatalities (49) was the second-leading cause of death for police an increase from last year (44), when it was the year's leading cause, according to the group's data. NBC added that, despite the increase, 2014's total of 126 is well below the average of 151 for the past decade.

According to preliminary data compiled by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, as of June 30, 2017, 65 federal, state, and local law enforcement officers have died in the line of duty this year, increasing 30 percent over the 50 officers killed during the same period last year.

So the numbers speak for themselves, the police in Ghana arent safe. It therefore, behooves on all of us as law abiding citizens to help safeguard and maintain the peace and safety in our communities. We should bear in mind that Police officers are not enemies but theyre partners in development. And same goes to the law enforcement agents: Treat civilians with much respect and avoid using brutal force on them. Police brutalities have become common in our societies nowadays, and its about time they viewed civilians as friends and not enemies either. Furthermore, citizens must volunteer information to help make policing less cumbersome. Police alone cannot win the battle against the criminals. Obviously this is not a Batman showthe fictional superhero that appears American comic books. Lets work together to protect one another. We need the police and they also need us.
Rome (AFP) - Italy's government has delayed a parliamentary vote on a citizenship rights bill as tensions rise over the number of migrants arriving on the country's shores.

The proposal to give children born on Italian soil to foreign parents citizenship rights at birth or after at least five years of Italian schooling enjoys the support of Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni's centre-left Democratic Party (PD).

But Gentiloni said late Sunday that the bill would be dropped until later in the year considering other "urgent deadlines" and "difficulties that have arisen on certain fringes of the majority".

He gave his "personal commitment" to ensure the bill was approved in the autumn.

Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano, who leads a small centrist party in the ruling coalition, had said that while the bill had his support in principle, he could not guarantee the necessary votes in favour considering the current climate.

A poll last week showed the bill is losing support among Italians, even though such a path to citizenship exists in many other EU countries, and despite supporters insisting the draft law has nothing to do with newly-arrived migrants.

Over 86,000 migrants have arrived so far this year, up over 10 percent compared with the same period in 2016.

The left-leaning La Repubblica daily called on the political class to "be straight with Italians and dismantle lies".

"This law has nothing to do with those who are disembarking on our coasts," it said.

Under the proposed bill, one of the parents would have to have been legally present in Italy for five years for children born here to be granted citizenship, so it would not apply to those refused asylum and ordered to leave the country.

Matteo Salvini, head of the anti-immigration Northern League party, described Gentiloni's decision as "a victory" for his party, saying: "If they try again, they'll find us ready. Stop invasion".

Some 45 mayors in Sicily have demanded a meeting with the government this week after a heated protests over the distribution of newly-arrived migrants on the southern Italian island.
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 alone.

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
The deep-seated internal wrangling that culminated in the defeat of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) during the December 7, 2016 general elections does not appear to be ending anytime soon.

This is because there is currently what can be likened to a 'civil war' that is tearing the main opposition party apart.

The party is gearing up to select a suitable candidate to challenge the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in 2020 but the continuous accusations and counter-accusations are not helping the party to re-strategise effectively even after the release of the report of the Prof Kwesi Botchwey Committee that investigated the NDC's massive defeat last year.

DAILY GUIDE has stumbled on social media platform conversations that seem to suggest that the confusion is intensifying in the party by the day, as the call for unity has clearly fallen on deaf ears.

First Salvo

The whole Whatsapp Group fight appears to have been triggered by Stan Dogbe, the trusted aide of former President John Mahama, who is making every effort to lead the NDC for the 2020 elections when he accused former Deputy Health Minister, Rojo Mettle-Nunoo of being 'bitter about funds.'

He threw the salvo because Mr. Mettle-Nunoo granted a radio interview and accused the leadership of the NDC of ignoring important research finding that the NDC messages were not resonating with Ghanaians ahead of the crucial 2016 general elections.

Rojo and his friends who are bitter about funds they were demanding for a research, should come clean about their supposed issues and stop maligning innocent people because they did not get the awoof (cheap) money they wanted, Stan said on NDC CODEC Whatsapp platform.

Rojo Reply

Rojo hit back, saying Stan, I cannot believe you are putting this out about me and my team Really? When did we ask for money for research? And at what meeting did this happen?

Stan returned fire, saying, I am very ready, and you are welcome to continue your already failed agenda. Lets see what you can withstand from your own corner, to which the former deputy minister said StanYour response is more bizarre than I expect from you.

Rojo continued: I asked you a very specific question about when and where I personally and or my team ever asked you or anybody we may have met for money for research? What research? We undertook specific research financed through our own means which we tried severally to share with the President, and a presidency communication team he assigned to meet us and the NDC party.

For you to go so far as to even suggest we feel peeved because we failed to secure awoof money is an even greater insult to our collective commitment and integrity, Rojo exploded again, asking Stan to be more specific because we have no such thing as a failed agenda.

Stan Adamant

Stan Dogbe fought back, saying But those on platforms with him, and those here who are in the same presidential candidate campaign team with him should tell him, Stan says he accepted his challenge/ threat, and is waiting for him. I do not consider his use of surrogates and gullible others to insult me relevant to his threat. I will ignore that. I am waiting for him.

And I hope he will not go making phone calls again. Rojo should deny that their mission was not just to siphon 'awoof' money and he hasnt been bitter since about that.

Rojo retorted, People like the former ADC Abdul are rather supporting Stan for his behaviour. Incredible. They want to crucify the truth but it is not possible.

Dela Coffie

NDC activist, Dela Coffie, who has not hidden the fact that Mr. Mahama should never lead the party again accused supporters of the former President of assassinating the character of those who want a new leadership for the party.

Clearly, this has become the epitome of John Mahama hangers-on, he posted on Facebook, adding They will stop at nothing to attack, berate and character assassinate anyone who genuinely offers constructive critique of the failed John Mahama leadership.

I have come under a barrage of vicious attacks for daring to ask legitimate questions on the attempt to bring Mahama back as the leader of the NDC.

If they can do it to Rawlings, General Nunoo Mensah, Agbey and other senior cadres, who is Dela Coffie? They are free to call me names and say all manner of things about me but we aint giving up just yet.

Intellectual Discourse

If the Mahama boys think they have what it takes to engage in intellectual discourse, they should step up and tell us why the party should bring Mahama back after his four-year vice presidential reins and another four years as President. They should tell us why the NDC must bring back a man who has taken the party from political glory into abyss and in the process crippled all NDC business men/women to the advantage of his brother-Ibrahim Mahama.

Isnt it sickening that people are actually working to shove Mahama down our throats after such an abysmal showing at the polls as incumbent? A man who reduced our electoral fortunes from 50.7 in 2012 to 44.4 in 2016 with all the resources at his disposal? Dela Coffie charged.

Alabi Lackey

Another communicator called Benjamin Essuman, who does not hide from the fact that he supports former University of Professional Studies Rector, Joshua Alabi to become the NDC flagbearer for 2020, said the NDC should campaign on the platform of what he called New Hope in 2020.

Essuman, who was part of the Flagstaff House sponsored #I Choose JM ahead of the 2016 polls, suddenly jumped out of the JM 'sinking ship' to hang on Alabi for safety, firing Mahama from all cylinders.

Paramza Angle

One of the NDC communicators called Paramza Kofi Hamza appears to explain the implications for the NDC if the former President contests again and concluded that Mr. Mahama should not subject himself to 'needless assessment.'

The question is what will he do differently? From my observation so far, the most dangerous attempt by Mahama is to try to lead the NDC as the flagbearer, adding, should he contest again, possible consequences like losing respect as a statesman, being denigrated, destruction of his legacy by his own people, not to be trusted to do anything differently; were awaiting the one-term President.

He cannot bring on board supporters who are peeved. His managers are not remorseful and continue to silence dissenters. Assuming he wins the primaries, and fails to beat the NPP, will he come again in 2024? If he is beaten again and decides not to contest again in 2024, the NDC will be in danger of staying in opposition for 12 to 16 years. That will be the longest since 1992, Paramza declared.

Divided NDC

He concluded that the NDC will be more divided if Mahama contests as we are seeing already. Coming events, they say, cast their shadows. The best person who could have united the party is Mahama. Unfortunately, he has decided to be a player instead of the referee. I love Mahama and I would have wished he kept his legacy and his image in tact instead of subjecting himself to a needless assessment.

The NDC members must all prepare ourselves physically and psychologically for the trials and tribulations ahead of us before and after the NDC primaries.

In the ensuing debate, one Kwesi Kwandoh teased the anti-Mahama elements in the NDC, saying Write all the things about John Dramani Mahama, nobody will sort you out. Just continue, may be you want NPP to sort you out because they hate JM, adding, John Mahama will win the primaries, win election 2020 and be sworn in 2021. If you have a #Candidate just market him. I am for John Mahama.

Then a certain Philip L Koomson, who appears not to support Mahama, threatened to expose alleged dirty dealings of the former president.

We are waiting patiently for the day JM will pick his forms to contest NDC presidential primaries.

We will give his file from KGB to the media for everyone to see his nakedness.

By William Yaw Owusu


President Akufo-Addo on the dancing floor with Justice Theodora Wood at a farewell dinner in Accra

President Akufo-Addo has stressed the need for the country to honour its sons and daughters who distinguish themselves exceptionally in the service of the nation.

He believes it is the best way to crown their efforts.

This was when he held a farewell dinner for the immediate-past Chief Justice (CJ), Georgina Theodora Wood at the presidency last Friday.

Chief Justice Georgina Wood was not just the first female CJ of the land, but was also the longest-serving leader of the country's judiciary in recent past.

Speaking at the event, President Akufo-Addo noted that it is important for our country that we recognize and acknowledge exceptional service to our nation; and that is what our guest of honour has rendered to our people.

He was full of praise for the former Chief Justice who has since taken her place on the Council of State.

Commendation

For him, It has been an outstanding career which saw her rise to its greatest heights in its later years, for which reason he said we owe her a debt of gratitude for the manner in which she confronted her greatest crisis, the judicial expose' that the extraordinary Anas Aremeyaw Anas revealed to a stunned nation.

That, he said, was because the measures she put in place and the way she worked methodically to regain the confidence of the skeptical population will always stand her in good stead when the history of the Ghanaian judiciary is recorded.

Apart from that, the President also commended Justice Wood for helping to restore public confidence in the judiciary, describing it as an important contribution to good governance in our country.

For myself, and I hope you will forgive me for dwelling on this, her decision to broadcast the proceedings of the celebrated election petition in which I was a plaintiff together with the Vice President and our late Jake Otanka Obetsebi-Lamptey was an important moment in our nation's political evolution, he recounted.

He was of the belief, it [election petition hearing] exposed the vagaries of our electoral system and compelled greater vigilance on the part of activists of my party which undoubtedly helped us achieve the famous victory of 7th December 2016.

Nana Akufo-Addo therefore considered his current place as President of the Republic as an unintended consequence of her decision and thus expressed his gratitude to her, saying I've every reason to be grateful to you.

He could not but proposed a toast in her honour.

Having taken her place on the Council of State, Nana Akufo-Addo prayed that Madam Georgina Wood would bring her rich experience to bear.

He equally thanked her husband Edwin Wood who has always stood behind her for being there for her all these years.

Appreciation

On her part, the former Chief Justice could not hide her joy and gratitude to President Akufo-Addo for the honour, given that a state dinner is not included in the package for retiring Chief Justices.

She expressed profound gratitude to former President Kufuor, who appointed her as Chief Justice, an indication of the confidence he had in her.

Former President Kufuor was also in attendance.

Mrs Wood equally appreciated the roles the late President Mills and former President Mahama played in her career during their tenure of office.

Yet of the career joys that I have attained, nothing comes closer to the joy of completing my mandate in public service and carrying the baton beyond the finish line; the joy of serving at the pleasure of my country in the endless pursuit of true justice according to law have inspired me to rise every morning and worked for this noble cause, she noted with excitement.

In so doing, she indicated I had drawn inspiration, courage and strength from many countless Ghanaians, including many of you who are here with me tonight.

She therefore thanked all who made her career a success, especially President Akufo-Addo for the public honour and support.

He has not failed to speak in glowing terms of my contribution to Ghana's democracy; sometimes I believe he is selling me above the controlled price, she said to the admiration of all who had gathered.

Mr President, I thank you and the people of Ghana for the trust reposed in me for the decade long opportunity to serve and as you have counted me worthy to serve or to continue to serve in a different capacity, I remain in your service and in the service of Ghana and will continue to faithfully discharge the task assigned me; may God bless us all and may God bless the country Ghana.

By Charles Takyi-Boadu, Presidential Correspondent
The police have apprehended 15 suspects, including a woman for the alleged killing of Constable Daniel Owusu at Abeka Lapaz last Thursday afternoon.

The suspects include six Nigerians and nine Ghanaians, and they were apprehended in their various hideouts at Ablekuma, Olebu and Kasoa.

The suspects are Ken Ikponnwosa, 23, Faith Ogieriakhi, 35, Fem Erhuumwunse, 20, Michael Ogbegia, 20, Sampson Aja, 27, Emmanuel Aimiu, 31, and Kwasi Nyarko 33.

The rest are Raphael Nii Lartey Coffie, 37, Asara Frederick 35, Mark Enchil, 31, Kwadwo Afari, 32, Kwabena Gyasi, 20, Aboudo Mohammed, Sinize Ziba and Charity Otuboah, 27.

An unregistered Hyundai Elantra, an unregistered Royal motorbike and four empty shells were some of the exhibits retrieved from suspects upon their arrest.

Constable Daniel Owusu of the Tesano Community Policing Unit was on motorbike patrols with two other personnel when two armed men believed to be armed robbers shot him.

Another policeman identified as Alhassan Jibril, who also received gunshot wounds, is at the Police Hospital receiving treatment.

Briefing the media about the arrest, the Accra Regional Police Commander, DCOP Osaberima Oware Asare Pinkro III, said following the attack and killing of the police personnel at Abeka Lapaz, last Thursday afternoon, the police, acting upon a tip-off, arrested six Nigerians at Olebu, seven others at Ablekuma while the other three were also grabbed at Kasoa.

The unregistered vehicle, suspected to be the one snatched from its driver on that fateful day by the robbers, was recovered from the Nigerians together with the unregistered motor bike.

The other exhibits were later recovered from the others.

The suspects are being kept to assist police in investigations.

Meanwhile, information gathered by the paper indicated that the suspects were part of a robbery gang that attacked the police officers.

Information gathered indicates that the suspects deliberately shot the officers and it was not in connection with any robbery attack as speculated.

The suspected armed robbers and the three Community Police Personnel were part of others who stopped at the Abeka Lapaz traffic light when the light turned red.

Immediately the lights turned green, they moved as usual but the two other personnel had to stop for some pedestrians who had crossed their bike to cross, thus making them delay in catching up with Constable Daniel, who had taken the lead.

The suspected armed robbers, who spotted the policeman near them shot at him three times.

According to information, Alhassan Jibril rode faster in an attempt to save his colleague but he was also shot.

In the full glare of traders and other travelers, the armed men were said to have abandoned their motorbike, snatched a metallic ash Hyundai Sonata car from its driver and sped off towards Awoshie, Mallam Junction direction.

Witnesses claimed traders and drivers, who could do nothing to save the situation, had to run for their lives.

By Linda Tenyah-Ayettey


Rs 612 billion revenue collected in fiscal year 2016/17  Finance Minister Karki

Finance Minister Gyanendra Bahadur Karki has said that Rs 612 billion revenue has been collected in the fiscal year 2016/17.
The fatal shooting of a cop at La Paz in Accra is an indication about how daring criminals have become of late. Not responding accordingly would expose the citizenry to avoidable danger.

Should the criminals overpower our frontline defence, the law enforcement agents, the citizenry would be open to obvious danger, an imminent insecurity which should be addressed with all the powers of the state.

By their action, in broad daylight, the criminals are exhibiting their preparedness to go the full hog in their bid to rob and kill at will; the presence of law enforcement agents notwithstanding.

A number of options must be considered as a response. We are aware about how the killing of the cop has jolted the law enforcement system into thinking about appropriate responses but we too outside the black uniform could render suggestions which could go a long way in addressing the challenge.

We thought bullet-proof vests were provided the Ghana Police Service to be used by those on duties like bank security and the like. It would be important to consider equipping cops appropriately before they set out to their duty points. Merely donning the uniform and wielding an AK 47 is not an adequate protection for the cop who must call the bluff of daring armed robbers who would be baying for his life when they set their attention on the target he is protecting.

The budgetary allocation to the Ghana Police Service is worth reviewing given the fresh and ominous challenges facing them these days. Now policemen are not safe when they don their uniforms as they travel  doing so incognito being a better option. They are the first targets of armed robbers when they spot them on buses traveling across the country.

Side weapons, pistols and a total overhauling of the equipment of policemen and women on guard duties of any form should be considered as a matter of priority.

Wearing of bullet-proof vests must be made compulsory by all cops especially when the authorities provide all of them with the protection.

Policemen and women are trained to come and protect lives and properties not to come and die like fowls in the street in broad day light at the hands of criminals.

The criminals should not have their way. They must be stopped now so Ghanaians can have the assurance that they have not taken over the country.

The number of policemen killed this year by criminals is too staggering and worrying to be ignored. We do not intend pressing the panic button but wish to only remind all that armed robbers are dangerous elements and so whoever finds something suspicious about those in the neighbourhood let them report these to the Police who would be able to do the necessary checks to establish whether they are criminals or not.

Much as we appreciate the enormity of the challenges posed by the now more daring armed robbers we oppose the politicization of the trend.

They seek to create the impression that those at the helm are the reason armed robbers have become daring in their desperate bid to cast aspersion on the government. If this does not sound imbecile we do not know what else does.

Police records would reveal how criminals have, even in the past, showed the tendency to be brazen in their operations. That is not to suggest in anyway that they have overcome the law enforcement system. How dare they!

All we have to do under the circumstances is come together as a people and support the Police to overcome the hoodlums. We can if we join hands. Not, however, when we resort to pettiness and sheer envy.
Ghana should expect an acute shortage of food by the end of the year, according to the General Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU).

The Union claims that the ongoing fall army worm invasion is not being tackled well by government.

So far, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture has revealed that although about 20,000 hectares of farm yields have been affected by fall armyworms invasion, the infestation is under control, but the General Secretary of GAWU, Edward Kariweh, has argued that the number of hectares of farm yields go beyond what government is gathering.

According to him, checks by the Union reveal that close to 100,000 hectares of farm lands across the country have been badly affected by the invasion.

There is no doubt in our minds that at the rate at which these worms are spreading, the rural zone Ghana would be faced with a severe food crisis by the end of the year, he revealed.

GAWU is therefore calling on government to declare a state of emergency on the invasion so as to make up for practical steps of tackling the development in the next three weeks.

In April 2017, about 1,400 hectares were attacked by the fall armyworms.

The Agriculture Minister, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto said that it is under control, we've seen them spraying and by the end of the week, all the farms affected would have been sprayed and that will be the end of it.

 Myjoyonline
Some customers of the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) in the Northern Region have been involved in the theft of electricity costing about GH75,000.

A statement from NEDCo, which disclosed this, said the power was stolen by 24 customers through illegal connections.

It added that management had resolved to retrieve all monies from the affected customers owing to the development.

If only 24 customers could together steal power worth GH75,000.00, then how do you expect NEDCo to operate effectively.

In the wake of power theft and illegal connections among some communities in the Northern Region, the main power supply outfit, NEDCO, has taken some measures to prosecute and retrieve its monies from customers.

Corporate Communications Manager, Maxwell K. Kotoka, told BUSINESS GUIDE that management had decided that going forward, NEDCo would name and shame power thieves.

According to him, once power is used or acquired, it must be paid for to help the company offer regular power supply.

He said they would intensify monitoring and that announcements had been running for the past months to achieve that purpose.

He admonished customers of NEDCo to settle their debts to the company to ensure quality service delivery to save it from possible collapse.

Mr. Kotoka cautioned all communities in the Northern Region, who have engaged in such activity in the past, as well as, those who intend to do so to stop that practice.

Meanwhile, the chief and elders of Dohanayili have pleaded with management of NEDCo to restore power supply to the community.

They apologized for the actions of the youth in the community, assuring that nothing of such nature would repeat itself.

Subsequently, power has been restored in the community.

Mr. Kotoka, however, rendered an unqualified apology to well-meaning and decent customers, saying it was never intended to inconvenience them.

From Eric Kombat, Tamale


17.07.2017 LISTEN

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has appointed John Kofi Mensah as the Managing Director of the Agricultural Development Bank (adb).

Starrfmonline.com can confirm that the Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, has written to the Minister of Finance Ken Ofori-Atta to kindly take steps to regularize the said appointment in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Companies Act and the company's Regulation.

The letter, dated July 14, 2017, was also copied to the Company Secretary of adb, the Office of the Vice President and the Secretary to the president.

Mr. Mensah will be replacing Daniel Asiedu, who was appointed March 1, 2016.

In 2016, Mr Mensah was highly tipped to head the GCB Bank, having resigned from First Capital Bank and sailed through a series of interviews for the coveted job.

He was credited with overseeing the company's transformation from a savings and loans firm into a full-fledged bank.

Before going to First Capital Plus as CEO, Mr Mensah worked at uniBank as Deputy MD.

He holds an MSc. degree in Banking and Finance from FINAFRICA in Milan, Italy, and a BA degree in Economics and Statistics from the University of Ghana, Legon.

Prior to joining uniBank, he worked at International Commercial Bank as the General Manager/Deputy CEO and supervised the organic growth of the bank.

He also worked with the erstwhile Bank for Housing and Construction and the Securities Discount Company Limited.

Mr Mensah has close to three decades of experience in banking with special expertise in Treasury Management, Credit Management, Foreign Operations, among others.
Senior Minister Ing. Yaw Osafo-Maafo on Thursday, 13th July, 2017, commended the Ghana Institution of Engineers (GhIE) in a speech during the launch of the first-ever Ghana Infrastructure Report Card at the Engineers Centre, Roman Ridge, Accra.

The 2016 Infrastructure Report Card covers three sectors, namely, Roads & Bridges  which was rated D3; Potable Water also rated D3 and Electric Power which was giving a rating of D2.

The overall cumulative score for the three infrastructure sectors was rated D3.

But, the Senior Minister, who is an engineer in good standing, challenged the engineers in the power sector to address the issue of huge loses in power transmission.

The Senior Minister added that the huge amount spent on infrastructure in the country does not commensurate with the poor state of Ghana's infrastructure.

He therefore charged engineers to think outside the box to come out with more innovative ways to ensure that the country gets value for money in the infrastructure development of the country.

He urged them to extend the report card into other areas such as sanitation in the next report card.

The Senior Minister asked that all ministers be provided with copy of the Infrastructure Report Card to guide their work.

In her welcome address, the President of Ghana Institution of Engineers, Ing. Mrs. Carlien Bou-Chedid said, The objective of the institution is to promote and advance the science and practice of engineering to the benefit of society in Ghana and globally. To achieve this objective, the institution carries out various functions, which includes ascertaining the views of engineering practitioners on matters of public interest which lie within the competence and advising government and the public on engineering matters. This is what we have done today with the launch of the Ghana Infrastructure Report Card 2016.

The Project Team Leader of the Infrastructure Report Card 2016, Ing. Rev. Dr. Charles Anum Adams, FGhIE, took the audience through flawless presentation of the objectives, methodology and research approach, ratings, analysis and appropriate recommendations of the Ghana Infrastructure Report Card 2016. Other project team members included Ing. Dr. Partrick Amoah Bekoe, MGhIE and Kwame Kwakwa Osei.

A business desk report






The Northern Regional Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Daniel Bugri Naabu, is calling on President Akufo-Addo to immediately dismiss the Northern Regional Minister, Salifu Saeed, and his deputy, Solomon Boar.

According to him, The regional minister and his deputy are making my work very difficult. They are destroying all the good works we did to secure victory for the party in the 2016 general elections.

Chairman Bugri threatened to relinquish his position if the minister and his deputy are not dismissed by the president.

I will pack and come to stay with the president in Accra if he does not take action immediately, he lamented.

Chairman Bugri expressed concerns about how the minister is running the affairs of the region and feared if not addressed, we will lose most of our seats we won because they are not politicians.

He blamed the minister for the rejection of the DCE-nominee for Bunpkurugu-Yunyoo District, J.K Alhassan.

The outspoken Northern regional chairman questioned the availability and accessibility of Salifu Saeed.

He lamented that he had written three letters to the president without any response, adding that he would meet the president in Accra to address the issue.

The assembly members rejected J.K Alhassan, a relative of Chairman Bugri, for the third time.

Salifu Saeed and Solomon Boar have been accused of working against the nominee.

FROM Eric Kombat, Tamale


Chief Executive of Vodafone Ghana, Yolanda Cuba has emerged as the Industry Personality of the Year at the just ended Ghana information Technology and Telecom Awards (GITTA).

Despite taking over the reins at the company in a little over a year, Yolanda has already exhibited a will to win and has put in place a comprehensive strategy to transform the telecommunication giant. Yolanda has already captured the entire country with her passion to pursue an agenda to ignite Ghana's digital revolution.

Her love for CSR and community engagement, for instance, has led to the launch of Instant schools  a digital educational platform that is currently giving free extra classes for students across several academic cycles in Ghana. It builds into an ethos by Vodafone to ensure all children of school-going age can have access to free education on the go without having to pay for it. With less than eight months into the launch of the initiative, a total of 1.8million users have been recorded. Yolanda has also been instrumental in the launch of Vodafone SuperCare  a dedicated customer service line for the speech and hearing impaired in society.

Additionally, she led the company to embark on an extensive strategic cost programme, which yielded impressive results in the area of operational costs. These efficiencies are also responsible for a significant improvement in Vodafone's *Earnings before Interest Taxes Depreciation and Amortisation* (EBITDA) as the company looks to return to profitable levels in the near future.

Vodafone also won three other awards on the day; Digital Transformation, best Wholesale Company and Telecom brand of the year.

Commenting after receiving the recognition, Yolanda said:

I am proud of each of the awards but I, particularly, want to single out the digital transformation award. We committed a few months ago to drive digital inclusion in Ghana and began our transformation journey. It is exciting to start reaping the fruits of our commitment and actions. We do not have the biggest budget but we have the biggest will to win and that is most satisfying.

The GITTA awards night is Ghana's first and only platform for recognizing excellence in the ICT industry. The awards represent the most respected accolade in the industry, celebrating excellence in innovation, product development and service delivery.


The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) recorded its highest votes ever in presidential election at the Subin Constituency in Kumasi, capital of the Ashanti Region, during the 2016 polls.

The party's Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, Eugene Boakye Antwi, disclosed that the NPP attained a staggering 45,898 votes out of the 58,868 valid registered voters.

He stated that the NPP has never attained such huge amount of votes in the Subin in any of the previous elections since 1992, lauding the party members for a good job done.

Mr Boakye Antwi, who is the Deputy Minister for Works and Housing, was addressing the NPP delegates at Subin during the party's 2017 annual delegates' conference, which was organised recently.

According to him, the enviable feat was not chalked on a silver platter, announcing that the NPP, under his able leadership, implemented various modern strategies which paved way for the votes increase.

He indicated that he introduced a house-to-house campaign policy and organised series of workshops about proper elections to the party's agents, among other commendable interventions.

Mr Boakye Antwi also said the party, for the first time, instituted an effective strategy to foil all illegal activities of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) thugs in the constituency, which made the polls free and fair.

He added that he would not single-handedly take the glory for the historic achievement which the party attained in the constituency in 2016, saying, We all deserve commendations for a good job done.

The Subin MP has appealed passionately to the NPP members in the constituency to forgive one another and forge ahead in unity so that the party's positive image would be maintained.

Mr Boakye Antwi also assured that he is prepared to work with all elected executives of the party in the area without any discrimination, urging the party members to serve the party in honesty.

FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi


Former Member of Parliament for Nantong and Deputy Minister in the erstwhile Mahama administration Hon. Murtala Mohammed has revealed that he has been blackmailed once by a journalist who accused him of being corrupt.

According to him, the said journalist approached him because he claimed he was an admirer and didnt want the news to be known to the public but he however dared the journalist to publish whatever he had on him.

I experienced that once when I was made a deputy minister for information. I received a call from someone who claimed he was a journalist in Ghana and he has a scandalous story about the National Youth Employment Program (NYEP). I got extremely angry. I dared him to go ahead and publish it. He said

The former Member of Parliament has therefore entreated the public to question journalists who own many properties and businesses.

He added that he served diligently and did not have anything to hide so he dared the journalist to publish it.

He said Blackmail is something that exists even in our schools and has therefore encouraged parents to be cautious and question their children when they see changes in their wards attitude.

He said this on Yensempa, a local breakfast show which airs on Agoo TV owned by the EIB network.
Tomorrow, July 18 is Nelson Mandela International Day. The Day was declared by the UN General Assembly in recognition of the contributions of Nelson Mandela to the culture of peace and freedom.

Mandela said " It is in your hands to make of the world a better one for all".

The global community is encouraged to spend 67 minutes of their time to serve or help others on this Day.

In partnership with the Ministry of Inner Cities and Zongo Development and the South African High Commission in Accra, the United Nations Information Centre, Accra, will undertake a clean-up exercise at Nima tomorrow.

It will be followed by a community durbar at the Nima Cluster of Schools (Nima 2 Bsic School, around the Nima Police Station).

The clean-up exercise begins at 6a.m and the dubar at 9a.m.

Join the Nelson Mandela Foundation (https://www.nelsonmandela.org/) and the United Nations (http://www.un.org/en/events/mandeladay/takeaction.shtml) to live the legacy of Madiba!
Search for justice

Today, we commemorate the International Criminal Justice Day, the day on which the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) was adopted.
The indefatigable and illustrious Member of Parliament for Weija-Gbawe Constituency who doubles as Deputy Minister of Health has assured party faithful of her commitment to play active role towards.

their personal development. She made this confession during a conference held on Sunday July 16, 2017 for all delegates in McCarthy Hill, Gbawe North and South Electoral areas of the constituency.

According to her, their personal development is her primary and ultimate concern, therefore she will do everything humanly possible to ensure that their aspirations and interests are met within the shortest possible time.

She stated further that plans are far advanced to enable constituents and party faithful acquire micro and small loans through the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC).

Tina hinted government's intention to set up MASLOC offices in all Metro, Municipal and District Assemblies throughout the country to make the micro and small loans facilities available to Ghanaians.

She, however, encouraged those that are in dying need of jobs, not to feel neglected by the party.

She recounted efforts made by her within this short period as Member of Parliament and Deputy Minister of Health.

The legislator stated that, she is working so hard to secure job opportunities for majority of party members and constituents; hence they should exercise some restraints as plans are put in place to make job opportunities available.

She stated unequivocally that, she has been spending huge sums of money toward payment of school fees, settlement of rent, among others for constituents and party members.

She added that every money she gets go into payment of some kind. I care about everybody in the constituency and am doing everything within my reach to ensure that everyone is satisfied she remarked.

She disclosed that, her doors are opened and every delegate, party member or constituent is welcome to her office or house to discuss any issue possible for her intervention or assistance of any kind.
17.07.2017 LISTEN

I struggled to give up my fury in condemnation after listening to Captain Smarts FABEWOSO show on Adom FM on Monday 17th July 2017.

Captain Smart recounted how Ghana Medical stores edifice was allegedly burnt down by the suspects who were under the EOCOs investigations in 2015.

The story is so bizarre. In fact, the crescendo of public servants misdeeds cannot be allowed to pass without commenting. The horrible nature of the crime gives credence to the cliche: we are our own enemy.

All the same, the all-important question is: why no one has since been brought to book?

How difficult is it to interrogate the suspects who were being investigated for the alleged importation of expired products?

According to Captain Smart, the suspected arsonists have been named. So why no serious efforts by the law enforcers to effect arrest?

To those of you who do not have passing acquaintance with Captain Smarts FABEWOSO show on Adom FM, the patriotic journalist and his selfless team seek to name and shame the greedy and corrupt public servants.

Of course, Captain Smart and his team are doing a great job. That said, in so far as the paradox of exposure is relevant in the fight against corruption, it is not an isolated tool, it rather goes hand in hand with prevention and deterrence.

The benign and somewhat lenient approach to combating the canker of corruption, which has been retrogressing Ghanas advancement thus far, will not suffice, so to speak.

How on earth would the public servants put a stop to their criminalities when there is no stiff punishment for their unpardonable crimes?

And, where is the fairness when the political thieves could commit heinous crimes against the state and go scot free, while the goat, cassava and plantain thieves are more often than not, thrown into jail?

If we are ever prepared to treat the greedy and corrupt public officials with kids gloves, we might as well treat the goat, plantain and cassava thieves same. For after all, what is good for the goose is good for the gander.

Unlike Ghana, in other jurisdictions, especially In the United Kingdom, where I have been living for some time now, impenitent criminals, including incompliant public officials, would find themselves in jail and end up losing their acquired wealth to the state.

In one of the numerous fraud investigations, the investigators tracked a suspect extensively, located all his properties both abroad and the United Kingdom, which led to a three year jail sentence, seizure of his assets and a staggering fine of 1.2m.

I cannot get my head around why some public officials in Ghana could commit serious crime against the state without facing any stiff punishment.

Isnt it sad that due to some corrupt public officials criminal intent, the innocent citizens end up experiencing economic hardships, starvation, depression, emotional labour and squalor, which more often than not, send them to their early graves?

It is about time Ghanaians, and Africansas a whole, stood up and fortified our institutions with a view to managing our affairs efficiently and effectively.

Ghana, and Africa as a whole, will need strong men and women to strengthen our institutions if we are really serious about development.

It is against such a renewed conviction that I refuse to assent to President Obamas observation that Africa needs strong institutions but not strong men.

To me, Obamas observation is somewhat sophistic. Obviously, Africa needs strong institutions. However, Africa cannot do away with strong and courageous men and women in our quest to strengthen the non-performing institutions.

Let us be honest, though, without courageous and strong men and women who are ever prepared to take the bull by its horn, Africa cannot build strong institutions.

The fact of the matter is that Ghana is rich. However, we are not making any meaningful progress due to leadership paralysis.

Indeed, I will venture to state that lack of effective leadership has got something to do with Ghanas underdevelopment.

Make no mistake, my dearest reader,Ghanaians are not distant apart in attitudes and behaviours from other human beings elsewhere.

However, what rather makes the people elsewhere much more responsible than a Ghanaian is the rigidity of their state institutions and the effective laws and regulations.

Take, for example, elsewhere, the laws and regulations are strictly enforced, and as such, the vast majority of the citizens and denizens prefer the observance to the stringent fines and the harsh punishments.

Suffice it to point out that in as much as the citizens and denizens have a duty of obligation, it is up to the leadership to bring sanity to the system by strictly ensuring that all laws and regulations are enforced without fear or favour.

And, in so far as the greedy and corrupt public officials arepersistently left off the hook, I dare state that Ghana may sink deeper and deeper into the mire.

How long can we continue to defend and shield the extremely corrupt public officials who obviously do not have the nation at heart?

K. Badu, UK.
17.07.2017 LISTEN

Accra  17th July, 2017: The Korle-Naa beach in Accra has been cleared of tons of plastic bottles that had been washed ashore over time. It took the collective efforts of Hipsters of Nature an environmental NGO, the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) and Zoomlion Ghana Limited with support from the European Union (EU) Delegation to Ghana to clean the beach.

The exercise, dubbed "Hani w) loo" (a Ga expression meaning lets collect) was under the theme; Plastic waste collection and re-use for better life. It formed part of a global campaign by the European Union to curb the danger posed by plastic waste to the ocean, and was aimed at keeping beaches clean while raising awareness about the negative effects of pollution on our environment.

In a brief remark, the Head of the EU Delegation to Ghana, Ambassador William Hanna said the European Union has long been committed to global efforts to tackle climate change and felt the need to support local partners to implement programmes to protect the environment.

He said; "This is part of a world-wide effort. Our staff has been cleaning beaches all over the world, in Belgium, and more recently in Tanzania and Papua New Guinea. This is one ocean. It is up to all of us to work together to keep it clean. Ambassador William Hanna stressed that plastic waste can be recycled and urged Ghanaians not to throw it away.

The Mayor of Accra, Hon. Mohammed Adjei Sowah, reiterated his commitment to transform the capital city into a sustainable smart city devoid of chaos and filth as part of efforts to attain the Presidents vision of making the city of Accra the cleanest on the continent.

He pointed out that the achievement of this vision will require attitudinal change, the fight against filth can largely be won when we change our attitudes. The plastic waste you see here is a manifestation of the lifestyle of the people of Accra. This refuse was not dumped here. It comes through the Korle Lagoon any time it rains.

He gave the assurance that the AMA will continue enforcement of the sanitation bye-laws and provide the logistics and equipment to dispose of refuse appropriately. But the most important thing is for us to change our attitude towards waste disposal he stressed.

The Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI), Professor Frimpong Boateng emphasized the need for Ghanaians to refrain from throwing away their plastic waste. He said; the effect of plastic waste on marine life is enormous. Our fishermen do not catch enough fish when they go fishing. What they get in their nets are plastic bottles.

He stated that MESTI will continue to collaborate with relevant stakeholders to continue public education on the effect of plastic waste on the environment.

The Ambassadors of France, Germany and the Netherlands took an active part in the clean up as well as the Charges d'affaires of Denmark and Hungary. The event attracted hundreds of participants from organizations such as the Rotary Club of Spintex, Monitoring for Environment and Security in Africa (MESA)  University of Ghana, the Youth Employment Agency, Public schools in James Town and Nima, Embassies of EU Member States and like-minded countries, community leaders and individuals from surrounding communities as well as the media.

At the end of the ceremony Hipsters of Nature showed how plastic bottles can be recycled to make objects that are useful rather than polluting the beaches.
President Akufo-Addo will not use Tuesdays interaction with journalists to shower himself with praises, but instead account for his first six (6) months in office, Information Minister, Mustapha Hamid has said.

He is expected to use the occasion to touch on his achievements and challenges so far, and also outline policies he intends rolling out to enable his administration to fulfill its many promises to Ghanaians.

The meeting is also to afford the media the opportunity to ask the president key questions about developments within his administration which he has not sufficiently addressed.

The Minister for Information, Mustapha Hamid, told Citi News the president believes it is important to engage the citizenry through the media, and take their criticisms to shape government policies.

Mustapha Hamid

He thinks that this interaction with the Ghanaian people is a democratic requirement that as a democratic president, once a while you come back to the people to tell them what you have done with the mandate they have given you, he said.

Mustapha Hamid said although many called on the president to hold that meeting after a year in office, he believes it is better to hold it as soon and frequent as possible.

This is not the first time a sitting president will avail himself for an exclusive time with the press to account for his government, and also answer direct questions from them.

Former Presidents John Mahama , John Atta Mills and John Agyekum Kufuor, also held a few of such meetings while in office.

The last of such interactions then President John Mahama held was in January 2016.

Mustapha Hamid said Tuesdays session with President Akufo-Addo is not a press interaction to engage in self-aggrandizement We will not come and give ourselves marks. The president will make a few remarks and then we will take questions.



By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair has paid a courtesy call on Ghana's Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.

According to Dr Bawumia, Mr Blair expressed confidence in the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo-led government to stay on track in its drive to take Ghana's economy to greater heights.Dr Bawumia also noted that Mr Blair passed on some best practices in governance to him.

Mr Blair in March this year pledged his support for government's ambitious development projects and expressed confidence in President Nana Addo Akufo-Addo to fix Ghana when he met him.

-Adomonline
Goma (DR Congo) (AFP) - Tribal militia forces have kidnapped two Roman Catholic priests in the troubled North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo, officials said Monday.

Kidnappings are frequent in this eastern part of the DRC, related to communal conflict between the Nande and Hunde tribes on one hand and ethnic Hutus on the other. The two priests come from the Nande ethnic group.

"The curate Charles Kipasa and the vicar Jean-Pierre Akili ... were taken overnight by Mai-Mai who led them off to the mountains. They also took two vehicles and two motorbikes," Bishop Paluku Sikuli of the Beni-Butembo region told AFP.

"I confirm the kidnapping of two priests from the Catholic parish of Bunyuka by unknown armed persons," the administrator of the province's northern Beni district, Amisi Kalonda, said. "Our defence and security services are working to find them."

"The kidnappers abandoned the two vehicles that were transporting them," Kalonda added.

In 2012, three priests were abducted near Beni by Ugandan rebels of the Allied Democratic Forces, who have been driven out of neighbouring Uganda and are notorious for their cruelty. There has been no word of them since.

Local communities like the Nande, Hunde and Kobo, who form the majority population in North Kivu, regard Hutus as foreigners originating in neighbouring Rwanda. Rivalry over land and resources date back for generations.

The Mai-Mai first emerged as community self-defence groups formed on a mainly ethnic basis.

During the Second Congo War (1998-2003), many of these groups were armed by the distant Kinshasa authorities to help battle invading Ugandans and Rwandans.

Rich in precious minerals, the east of the DRC has been unstable for 20 years. Several dozen local and foreign armed groups stand accused of serious rights abuses against civilians, such as rape, killings and abductions.
The Regional Maritime University in Ghana (RMU) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Hoegh LNG, a major player in the LNG segment of the maritime industry, for the support and maritime capacity development for both RMU and Ghanaian seafarers. Quantum Power Ghana is also party to the MoU, which was signed 16 June 2017.

Hoegh LNG is one of the world's leading providers of floating liquid natural gas (LNG) infrastructure services. Using a new, purpose built Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) provided by Hoegh LNG, Quantum Power intends to construct, own and operate a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminal facility offshore Tema.

Hoegh LNG intends to actively work with RMU to increase the competence of Ghanaian seafarers, RMU lecturers, Ghanaian pilots and tug masters and to build Ghanaian ability to safely and efficiently operate and handle advanced gas carriers. LNG is set to become an ever more important part of Ghana's energy mix, and it is important that Ghana develops its own capacity to handle LNG installations.

Hoegh LNG has a very substantial track record in building maritime LNG capacity in other countries in which it operates FSRU vessels, and will draw on that experience to the benefit of Ghana once the FSRU has been deployed here.

Representing RMU for the signing of the MOU were the Vice Chancellor, Professor Elvis Nyarko. Hoegh LNG was represented by Mr. OeyvindStaerk of Hoegh LNG AS, the Norwegian management company of Hoegh LNG, while Quantum Power Ghana was represented by Mr. Ruben Atekpe.

About Hoegh LNG:

Hoegh LNG provides floating energy solutions and operates world-wide with a leading position as owner and operator of floating LNG import terminals; floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs), and is one of the most experienced operators of LNG Carriers (LNGCs).

Hoegh LNG's vision is to be the industry leader of floating LNG solutions and the strategy is to continue to focus its growth plans on the FSRU market, with the objective of securing long-term contracts with strong counterparts at attractive returns. Hoegh LNG is a Bermuda based company with established presence in Norway, Singapore, the UK, USA, Indonesia, Lithuania, Egypt and Colombia. The company employs approximately 110 office staff and 500 seafarers.
The Metropolitan Chief Executive of Cape Coast, Hon Ernest Arthur has paid a courtesy call on Mr Richard Thomas, the Mayor of Mount Vernon, New York, United States of America.

In what was to be a private visit, Hon. Arthur ceased the opportunity to discuss bilateral relations and investment opportunities with the Mayor of Mount Vernon.

The MCE revealed that, his visit discussed investment opportunities in Cape Coast and Ghana and how investors in America especially Mount Vernon and West Chester County can take advantage. "

I decided to speak to Thomas on investments and cooperation because, our cities share commonalities. That is, our rich history , friendship and kinship. The structure of the economy of Mount Vernon may be similar to Cape Coast, Hon. Ernest Arthur explained. I indicated to Mayor Thomas that they can invest in the tourism sector, agriculture, manufacturing, real estate and education.

My commitment is fueled by the vision and investor friendly policies of our government to turn the fortunes of Ghana. We are fortunate to have a government which has birthed a renewed confidence in the investor community towards our country around the globe which the Hon Mayor Thomas gave credence to in our meeting.

Mayor Richard Thomas expressed his delight for the visit and express appreciation to Hon. Ernest Arthur. The two discussed sister-city relationship between Cape Coast and Mount Vernon. The Mayor of Mount Vernon expressed his readiness to lobby investors to invest in Cape Coast. He has therefore accepted an invitation to visit Cape Coast anytime soon to acquaint himself with investment opportunities.

In a related development, Hon Ernest Arthur paid a visit to Mr. Barry Lefkowitz, a former Mayor of Burlington, New Jersey. Currently, he is the President of Management and Government Resources, LLC Economic Development, Governmental Relations and Strategic Partnering. The meeting discussed investment opportunities in Cape Coast and how Mr. Lefkowitz and his group could help.

Mr. Barry Lefkowitz and his group have expressed their willingness to take opportunity of tourism resources in Cape Coast to invest in hotel accommodation, real estate and other tourism facilities.

The MCE of Cape Coast has reiterated his commitment to the development of Cape Coast. "As I indicated to you in my inaugural address, I am committed to fighting joblessness, poor sanitation and fallen standards of education. The Assembly cannot do it alone, we need partners and that is why I ceased this opportunity to meet these great people," the MCE stated.
Various political parties in the Upper East Region have reiterated calls on governments to create employment opportunities for the youth and embark on a massive education of political party groups to end the menace of vigilantism in the country.

According to them, the high unemployment rate in the country coupled with the lack of education on the negative effects of political party vigilantism has accounted for the worrying phenomenon.

The Upper East Regional executives of the various political parties disclosed this during a round table discussion organized by the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers(CODEO), on the menace of political party vigilantism and Ghanas electoral politics held in Bolgatanga.

The executives who bemoaned the menace of vigilante groups on Ghanas democracy and governance, either funded by political parties or top politicians were due to mistrust in the security services and lack of jobs.

But speaking to Citi News, Regional Youth Organizer of NPP, Atiru Samuel and Regional Secretary of NDC, Thomas Abiola, expressed optimism that, job opportunities for the youth and education against vigilantism was the surest way to end the menace.

Youth vigilantism needs political commitment because an idle hand is a devils workshop, so if the youth have something doing like under the NDC, tricycles were given to the youth who earned their living out of it and those without employable skills were trained and given jobs, but if we dont improve on getting jobs for the youth, they will resort to all forms of political vigilantism, Thomas Abiola stated.

But we need to educate the youth against vigilantism, various youth leaders of all political parties should come together as a team and educate the youth across the country against the menace.

Currently, there are job opportunities under the Youth Employment Agency, and we will urge the youth of this country irrespective of the political party to apply and be engaged, this will help deal with the threat of vigilantism Atiru Samuel added.

Member of CODEOs advisory board, Sheikh Aremeyaw Shaibu, advocated for the security of tenure for the Inspector General of Police(IGP), adding that, the police Council should standardize the recruitment, promotions and transfers of personnel in the fight against vigilantism.

There should be strict and equal application of the law against all criminal offences irrespective of their personalities and political affiliation. The police service should monitor carefully all the activities of youth groups and disband all criminal and combative youth groups.

Political parties should review their codes of conduct to regulate activities of their youth groups within their own parties, and sanction them if they violate such rules Shiekh Aremeyaw noted.

CODEOs National Coordinator, Albert Kofi Arhin, said the engagements with party executives and other stakeholders was to collate views on how to end the menace of political party vigilantism.



By: Frederick Awuni/citifmonline.com/Ghana
I have followed with keen the happenings in the NDC ever since we lost the December, 2016 elections. The view or, as it were, the call by well-wishers for the party to concentrate on restructuring to build a solid base appear to fall on deaf ears. We are concerned more on who will lead the party in 2020 than for instance, the KenBOND and other issues including the BOST fuel contamination saga.

It is quite shocking for a party in opposition to allow such huge and scandalous corruption allegations to glide by, as if nothing has happened. Surprisingly, we are rather interested in the corruption allegation(s) in our own administration which we defended with inexorable force prior to the 2016 polls.

The campaign for who to lead the party in the next elections appear to be more intense. The political calculations by these surrogates of change seem to suggest to me that they have conceded in their sub conscience that the NDC cannot win the 2020 elections, and for that matter we needed a new person to make our work easier in 2024, by which time he had been well marketed to the Ghanaian electorates. This is the most namby-pamby political analysis I have ever heard throughout my political life. Be that as it may, I cannot fault them for the insipid display of political ineptness and tactlessness.

It is important to state that, with the exception of Stephen Atubiga and Nii Amasah Namoale, all the names that have come up so far for flagbearership are more than qualified by all standards to lead the NDC. However, what I cannot state is whether they want the NDC to win the next elections or they just want to TAKE OVER the party.

A fierce campaign has started for Prof. Joshua Alabi already. He is a fine gentleman and a presidential material. He is popular among the cadres and top hierarchy of the party but I cannot say same at the base of the party. He will need the most popular politician in NDC today to campaign for him. The continuous vilification and revilement by his surrogates must be brought to order by himself if he really wants to win elections with NDC and not to TAKE OVER.

The name of Honourable Alban Sumana Bagbin has also come up. In my opinion, he is the finest legislator Ghana has ever had. He is a treasure of the party and Ghana as a whole. That is why I found it highly incongruous for any decent minded NDC member(s) to support Bernard Mornah over Hon. Alban Sumana Bagbin. It is an unthinkable thing to do. You do not need to like him to support the course of NDC. Like Prof Alabi, Hon Bagbin is known and liked at the top of the party but I cannot say same at the base.

Other names like Dr Ekow Spio Garbrah, Mr Sylvester Mensah are making the rounds. I know new faces will emerge soon and others will rescind their decisions having tested the waters. My worry however is the way we seem to have directed our arsenals unto our own party members. We are happy to say for instance, our own administration under H.E. John Mahama was corrupt, same allegations we defended vehemently prior to 2016 elections.

The circuitous campaign, can be done devoid of attacks. Surprisingly the benefactors appear to enjoy the insidious and subtle attacks on their perceived competitors hence the loud silence.

It is only a political neophyte who will underestimate the political will and command of H.E. John Dramani Mahama in the NDC. The earlier we get this and begin to work as one family, the better for us all. His Excellency John Dramani Mahama is the most popular politician in the NDC today, you do not need to like him to accept this saddle-sore reality. We express so much hatred and dislike for each other within the party yet we expect the NPP to sympathize with our people by not sacking them. If for instance, you cannot forgive your party members, then you don't complain if NPP sack NDC sympathizers and appointees from office, or?

I must say our party needs to take some lessons on strategic politicking from the NPP, in spite of them being our greatest rivals. In the NPP, even though some elders in the party do not believe in the leadership of Mr Akuffo Addo, having realised that he is a political elephant in their party in recent times, and in fact, the choice of the masses in NPP, they joined him to execute the partys agenda. Hon. Alan Kyeremanteng with all his reservations needed to be tactful in the run up to the 2016 elections by actively campaigning for him despite the glaring signs that Nana Addo losing the 2016 elections will brighten his (Alan Kyeremanteng) fortunes in 2020. H.E. John Agyekum Kuffour, Hon. Alan Kyeremanteng et al, joined the NPP campaign not because Nana Addo was their choice, but because he was the choice of the party. For them, attacking Nana Addo will amount to attacking the decisions of the grassroots; unfortunately, same cannot be said about the NDC.

Like Nana Addo, H. E. John Dramani Mahama is the choice of the masses. If you doubt it, you can project your candidate and bring him. You can choose to vilify him at your own political expense.

In terms of popularity, H.E. John Dramani Mahama has become the "Nkrumah" of NDC and the "Nana Addo" of NDC. I can say without a scintilla of contradiction that JDM will win any elections, any day, any time in NDC, with/without the support and blessings of the partys founder, former President Jerry John Rawlings. Ironically, those who think former President Rawlings is untouchable will stoke themselves in the embers of anguish disconsolateness if you say same about H.E. John Dramani Mahama.

You may want to write thousand books and express your disagreement, or stand on Mount Everest and squall with all the strength you can amass to disagree, you may write him down in history with your bitter twisted lies, but still JDM will rise. It is the painful political reality we have to grasp with. We must learn to love NDC and not JDM.

H.E. John Mahama is the Philosopher King of our time. He is not a superman, and I am sure those who are calling for his head are not supermen either. He has made mistakes just as any other mortal.

Lets allow love and compassion to put us on the same pedestal in our quest to lead our great party by ensuring a worthy competition. If indeed, we agree that the base of the party is an impregnable fortress, then their decision should be respected and remain supreme above all other interests.

Credit: Abdulai Seidu Yemoh

0244630281
Tug of war

There should be smooth resolution of problems that will arise as local units come into operation
Appollo (WR), July 17, GNA - Mr Abu-Bakar Saddique Boniface, Minister for Inner City and Zongo Development, has said the government was committed to making Zongo communities across the country more resilient and habitable for the citizenry.

He said the 219.5 million cedis allocated to the Ministry by the Akuffo-Addo led Administration would go a long way to resource inhabitants of Zongos to work and build good secular schools for the overall advancement of that faction of society.

Mr. Boniface was speaking to Journalists at the 'Eighth stakeholders' consultation on the Zongo Development Fund Bill' at Appollo in the Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolitan area of the Western Region.

The consultative meeting with more than 24 different Muslim groupings was to seek their inputs on areas of pertinent concerns and what benefits the institution of the Fund could bring to such communities to enhance infrastructure and sanitation as well as control crime.

The Minister said the Fund bill, when approved by Parliament would be used to provide sanitary facilities, security and crime control, lighting systems, drains and roads and other needed infrastructure.

Mr. Boniface said development over the years had been disintegrative with focus on urban centres to the neglect of areas such as the Zongos and slums, 'It was time to shift the focus of development to these areas where poverty continue to breed lots of criminals and as we are all aware, poverty and crime are bed fellows'.

The Zongo Development Fund Bill, according to the Minister, would be put before Parliament by next week to solicit their support in legitimizing the Fund to enable the Ministry kick start projects by September.

Dr. Kwaku Afriyie, Western Region Minister, said the Region was prepared to support the Minister and the Ministry to achieve the objects it had set out to realize.

Some participants the GNA spoke with lauded the initiative by the government to rejuvenate Muslim communities in the nation.

GNA

By Mildred Siabi-Mensah, GNA
17.07.2017 LISTEN

Citi Business News can confirm that President Akufo Addo has nominated Dr. John Kofi Mensah as the new MD of Agricultural Development Bank (adb).

Dr. Mensah's nomination is subject to approval by the Board of Directors of the bank.

If approved, he will take over from Mr. Daniel Asiedu, who was appointed MD of the bank on March 1st 2016.

Despite a short stint at the bank, Mr. Asiedu who was a former MD of Zenith Bank Ghana, is credited with adbs listing on the Ghana Stock Exchange in 2016.

This was despite massive opposition from some stakeholders, a challenge his predecessor Stephen Kpodzi had to contend with before his resignation in January 2016.

It is unclear where Mr. Asiedu will be heading to.

John Kofi Mensah holds a Doctor of Business administration (DBA) Degree from the Swiss Management Centre University, Switzerland.

He also holds an MSc. degree in Banking and Finance from FINAFRICA in Milan, Italy and a BA degree in Economics and Statistics from the University of Ghana, Legon.

He has over twenty-six years experience within the banking industry with special expertise in Treasury Management, Credit Management, Foreign Operations and nurturing new and distressed banks and financial institutions.

He is credited with the transformation of First Capital Plus into a bank from a savings and loans company.

Prior to joining First Capital, he was the Deputy Managing Director of uniBank Ghana.

Prior to joining uniBank, he worked at International Commercial Bank as the General Manager/Deputy CEO, and supervised the organic growth of the bank.

He has also worked with the erstwhile Bank for Housing and Construction, and the Securities Discount Company Limited.



By: Vivian Kai Lokko/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana
17.07.2017 LISTEN

All is set for the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) to hold its Brong Ahafo Regional annual delegates conference on Saturday July 22nd 2017 at Pastoral Center in Sunyani.

The Deputy Brong Ahafo regional Secretary of New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr. Kofi Ofosu Boateng in an interview with Sunyani based radio Metro 90.5FM, said about 600 delegates are expected to attend the delegates conference, which include constituency executives, district chief executives, sitting ministers who hail from the region, National Executives, founding, patrons, Tescon representatives and founding members of the party in the region among others.

He said the conference is in fulfillment of the partys convention as part of its constitutional requirement to organize annual delegates conference throughout the country to discuss issues of the party,its achievement and the way forward.

This will afford the Party the opportunity to review its activities and put in place appropriate systems and measures for its smooth operation he added.

Mr. Kofi Ofosu Boateng, said the Party will also make decisions in regarding some proposed constitutional amendments.

Upon national directives the party has conformed to all constitutional requirements ahead of the event by successfully organizing similar conferences in the entire constituency. There will be no elections of party executives during the conference he stated.

Mr. Kofi Ofosu Boateng, called on Ghanaians and Elephant family to pray for President Nana Addo and assist NPP government to deliver on its mandate and not fail the Ghanaian people like the previous administration did.

So far Ghanaians who voted for Nana Akufo Addo have not regretted one bit because their eyes can see things clearly from afar. Our president is a blessing from God and we must hold him in high esteem to push Mother Ghana on the path of prosperity said.

The event which would start at about 10:00am on Saturday, the place is full of activity with NPP flags hoisted around the place, when Metro 90.5FM reporter paid visit.
Khartoum, Sudan, 17 July 2016  The 3rd Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the African Parliamentarians Network on Development Evaluation (APNODE), held in Khartoum, Sudan, from July 15th to 17th, attracted 47 participants from 17 countries. Among these were three Speakers of Parliament (from Sudan, Ethiopia and Uganda), emphasizing the support that the network enjoys at the highest levels. Development partners including UN Women, the Centre for Learning on Evaluation and Results for Anglophone Africa (CLEAR-AA), and Independent Development Evaluation of the AfDB also participated.

APNODE has made headway in its advocacy for the use of factual, evidence-based evaluations as a means of improving the results of development policies and projects, particularly in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals, and enhancing accountability towards citizens.

Opening the meeting, the Chairperson of APNODE, Senator Roger Mbassa Ndine, invited new members to embrace the mission, vision and objectives that APNODE has forged over the last 3 years. He stressed that members of the network should leverage their combined resources to promote evaluation as a means of achieving development effectiveness and inclusive growth at national, regional and at continental levels. Individually, as well as collectively, parliamentarians have a key role to play in the use of evaluation to spur credibility.

The agenda of the APNODE AGM included presentations of activities undertaken by members of the network during the year to promote the use of evaluation in overseeing development spending and results in their countries and regions. New national chapters of APNODE were formed in Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon and Tanzania during the past year. These will benefit from the support of the network to engage in evaluation processes in their respective countries. The success stories of parliamentarians in their bid to advocate for evaluation provided the backdrop for the discussion and adoption of the APNODE Strategic Plan 2017-2020.

The third AGM also discussed and approved amendments to the APNODE Constitution which clarified issues on the role of parliamentarians, as individual members, as opposed to that of parliaments as institutions, in the network. The issue of mobilizing resources for the network to enable it to implement its Strategic Plan was also discussed.

A new Executive Committee of APNODE was elected to serve for the next two years (2017-2019). Sen. Roger Mbassa Ndine (Cameroon) was elected as the Chairperson, with Hon. Evelyn Mpagi-Kaabule (Uganda) as ViceChairperson.

The Treasurer is Hon. Raphael Chegeni (Tanzania). Hon. Assou JeanMarie Apezouke (Togo) stands as Member from the previous Executive Committee. Other elected members are Hon. Jeremie Adomahou (Benin), Hon. Imbassou Ouattara Abbas (Cote dIvoire), Sen. Andre Richard Moussounda Mikala (Gabon), Hon. Arnaud Tody (Madagascar), Hon. Dr. Abdeen Shareef (Sudan), and Hon. David Chapfika (Zimbabwe).

Representatives from partner organizations are the Independent Development Evaluation of the African Development Bank (IDEV/AfDB), the Centre for Learning on Evaluation and Results Anglophone Africa (CLEAR-AA), and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women).

Technical contact: Jayne Tambiti Musumba, Principal Knowledge Management Officer, AfDB Independent Development Evaluation Department, j.musu[email protected]
Luanda (AFP) - Angola has rejected conditions demanded by an EU election observer mission that had been preparing to witness next month's polls in the country, state media reported Monday.

The European team had called for unfettered access to polling stations across the vast southern African nation during the August 23 vote.

"So this is Africa. And we do not expect anyone to impose on us their means of observing elections or to give lectures," said Foreign Minister Georges Chicoti according to the Journal de Angola newspaper.

"The invitation stands. But we do not want to have separate agreements with all of the organisations (sending observers)."

Chicoti added that the only organisations with which Angola has election observation deals were the African Union and the southern African bloc SADC.

"These are the only institutions for which Angola must abide by the electoral processes laid down in law," he said.

The foreign ministry warned that safety could be an issue if the EU observers were allowed unhindered access to polling stations in all 18 of Angola's provinces.

"The European Union has not yet decided whether it will send an observer mission or not," said the EU mission's spokesman Pablo Mazarrasa.

President Eduardo Jose Dos Santos who has ruled Angola since 1979 will not contest next month's general election, marking a historic change in the oil-rich country.

In February, the ruling MPLA named Jose Lourenco, currently defence minister, as Dos Santos' successor and he is most likely to succeed him after the August election.

Although Angola is one of the largest producers of oil in sub-Saharan Africa, it remains one of the poorest countries on the continent.
17.07.2017 LISTEN

Accra, July 17, GNA - As President Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo?s Administration builds momentum, Ghanaians would, on Tuesday, July 18, have the opportunity to assess the significant role, achievements and challenges of the President six months into office.

The President would, at an encounter with the media at the Flagstaff House in Accra, render accounts of his stewardship for the past six months and harness support for the initiatives he has espoused to change the socio-economic fortunes of Ghana.

The event, scheduled to commence at 1230 hours, would be broadcast on major news outlets across the country.

President Akufo-Addo is expected to address the issues of insecurity, illegal mining, the economy, the National Health Insurance, infrastructure, education, and good governance among others.

The President thinks that this accountability and interaction with the Ghanaian people is a democratic requirement, that as a democratic president, once a while you come back to the people and tell them what it is that you are doing with the mandate that they gave you, Information Minister, Mr Mustapha Hamid, told journalists on Monday.

He said the President would use the event to solicit ideas, suggestions and the criticisms that would smoothen the rough edges of his vision for Ghana.

He recognises that he is a human being and, thus, he is not perfect and, therefore, once a while you meet with the people to give you ideas and make suggestions.

They will even criticise your policies and so on so that you can take these criticism and suggestions on board and then better fashion our vision for the development of the country, Mr Hamid said. GNA
Akim Oda (E/R), July 17, GNA - A Circuit Court in Akim Swedru has remanded into Police custody Louis Adomako, a 33-year-old phone repairer charged with robbery of taxi cabs from their drivers around villages near Akim Akoroso near Oda in the Eastern Region.

He pleaded not guilty by the court presided over by Mr Alexander Oworae.

The other accomplice, Kwesi Darko, self-style businessman who was charged with abetment of crime also pleaded not guilty and was granted bail in the sum of GHc 10,000 cedis with two sureties.

They are to re-appear on July 26.

The other accomplice popularly known as Ogyatao is on the run.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), J. Gyamera Oklu, the Oda Divisional Police Commander disclosed this to newsmen at a media briefing at Akim Oda.

He said on July 9, the two suspects were arrested by the Police at some villages near Akim Akroso after they had lured the taxi drivers to convey some visitors from Accra to the area and robbed them of their vehicles at gun-point.

ACP Oklu said the taxis were two Toyota Corollas with registration numbers GE 5036-16 and GR 3456-14 and Toyota Yaris without number plate. The cars have since been impounded by the Police at Akim Oda.

GNA
Accra, July 17, GNA - The Samuel Amo Tobbin Foundation in collaboration with the Tobinco Pharmaceuticals Limited (TPL) has organised a free health screening and medication exercise for over 1000 people as part of its corporate social responsibility.

The screening exercise was conducted on variety of health disorders including HIV, Blood Pressure, Sugar Levels, Malaria, Syphilis, and Hepatitis B for both adults and children.

Drugs including anti-malarial, cough mixtures and syrups, blood tonics, painkillers, pain relieve ointments, anti-inflammatory drugs, oral suspension syrup and metronidazole tablets (de-wormer) were shared among all participants of the exercise.

The exercise was conducted by medical doctors, nurses, pharmacists, laboratory technicians and health assistants from the 37 Military Hospital, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital and Mallam Atta Government Clinic.

Mrs Millicent Akoto, Executive Director of the Foundation speaking in an interview to the Ghana News Agency, said many participants attended from Alajo, Kotobabi, Newtown, Caprice, Maamobi, Nima, Kokomlemle, Mallam Atta, Pigfarm and its environs.

She said the free health screening was aimed at promoting healthy living among the public who were also clients of the Tobinco Group of Companies in diverse ways; adding that apart from the free drugs that were given to the adults, the children who were screened were also given de-worming treatments.

'The Tobinco Group is here to create awareness on any hidden and/or exposed diseases through medical screening and de-worming, as well as provide counselling and free medication for the public,' she said.

Mr Ben Kpabi Tetteh, General Manager, Marketing and Communications, told the GNA that the exercise, which started many years ago and had been organised across the country as part of the company's CSR, sought to ensure that the public lived healthy lives.

Dr Samuel Yaw Antwi, Physician of the Foundation and Head of the Medical team, advised the public to exercise regularly since it served as a pain killer to the body.

He also advised the public to go for regular medical checks and cautioned the youth to abstain from excessive drinking of alcohol as it had health implications.

'Excessive drinking of alcohol is another killer in our society today, young men and women must desist from such habit which is not helping to keep the generation healthy,' he said.

GNA
17.07.2017 LISTEN

Accra, July 17, GNA - Government will invest one per cent of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in science, technology and innovation, Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, the Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI), has said.

He said the Government was scaling up efforts to invest in science and technology infrastructure to enable Ghanaian innovators to achieve the skills they so much cherished.

'Our President has promised to put science and technology at the centre of his government and will, therefore, devote one per cent of the GDP into research and development,' Prof. Frimpong-Boateng.

He said the Ministry would establish a Presidential Advisory Council on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI), draft a bill on STI Policy as well as set up STI Fund to support research and development.

Prof. Frimpong-Boateng said this at the opening of the 2017 Innovation Prize for Africa (IPA) competition in Accra on Monday.

The competition, which is the sixth edition, is on the theme: 'African Innovation: Investing in Prosperity.'

It brought together various stakeholders including innovators, entrepreneurs, investors, leaders of innovation hubs and technology parks, policy-makers as well as cutting-edge African training institutions.

The event is being organised by the African Innovation Foundation (AIF), in partnership with MESTI, Ghana Investment Promotion Centre and the Ghana at 60 Secretariat.

The AIF, over the past five years, had been playing active role in supporting the development of African innovation ecosystems through ongoing collaborative programmes and strategic partnerships with governments and innovation influencers across the continent.

Prof. Frimpong-Boateng said Ghana was determined to creating opportunities for economic growth and prosperity through science and innovation.

In the quest to build a solid science and technology infrastructure, he said the Ministry had established technical committees that would assist in establishing STI centres to support innovators to transform their ideas into industrial products.

'It is up to us as Africans to drive African innovation forward and create long lasting prosperity for the continent,' he said, adding; 'Africans are capable of world class innovation'.

Prof. Frimpong-Boateng said the Ministry had established an incubation centre at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research to provide facilities that the technology innovators needed in order to scale-up and make practical their innovations.

The technologies were in various forms such as energy production, transportation, agriculture, road construction and waste management as well as security for both domestic and industrial purposes and cyber security.

The Minister noted that those innovations that proved to be of industrial potential would be supported to scale-up and commercialised to benefit the larger segment of the society.

He said the event was an important avenue for Ghanaian innovators and entrepreneurs to forge partnerships with regional innovation leaders and expand the country's innovation foot print.

'The platform will provide an opportunity for companies to forge important partnerships, synergies and collaborations with innovation enablers across the continent to strengthen Africa's innovation investment climate,' he said.

Prof. Frimpong-Boateng said it would provide an opportunity for Ghana to showcase some of her innovative projects and strengthen the innovation ecosystems.

The IPA aims at recognising Africans with innovative ideas that would enhance the lives of the people.

There are 10 finalists out of more than 2,000 applicants who entered this year's competition.

They comprised Peris Bosire, Kenya, Nokwethu Khojane, South Africa, Omolabake Adenle, Nigeria, Nzola Swasisa, Democratic Republic of Congo and Badr Idriss from Morocco.

The rest are Aly El-Shafei, Egypt, Dr Dougbeh-Chris Nyan, Liberia, Olanisun Olufemi Adewole, Nigeria, Gift Gana, Zimbabwe and Philippa Ngaju Makobore from Uganda

The overall winner would receive US$100,000, the first runner-up would take home US$25,000 and a special prize of US$25,000 would be given to the nominee with project on social impact while each nominee would take home US$5,000.

Mr Jean-Claude Bastos De Morais, the Founder of the AIF, commended the Government for planning to invest one per cent of the GDP into science and innovation and expressed belief that it would positively change the African innovation market place for good.

He said the Foundation was determined to shape and unlock African innovation potentials for the prosperity of the continent.

Mr De Morais said the Foundation instituted the Innovation Prize for Africa to create and unearth the African innovation spirit and reward excellent work.

So far, he said, the Foundation had created a database of 7,500 innovations from 52 African countries and that, this year alone, it received 2,530 innovations from 48 countries in Africa.

The competition had been successful in Ethiopia (2012), South Africa (2013), Nigeria (2014), Morocco (2015) and Botswana (2016).

GNA

By Godwill Arthur-Mensah/Jonas Danquah, GNA
17.07.2017 LISTEN

Accra, July 17, GNA - The Reverend Alfred Nyamekye, General Overseer of House of Faith Ministries, has called on Christians to open a new chapter by refraining from acts which hinder national development.

He said Christians would be doing disservice to the nation if they did not allow the teachings of Jesus Christ to reflect in their daily lives.

Rev. Nyamekye made the call at the ordination of Ministers of Word of Life Christian Centre (WLCC) in Accra on Sunday.

The ordination formed part of activities marking the 30th anniversary celebration of the World of Life Christian Centre.

The General Overseer attributed the country's socio-economic woes to Christians' mad rush for monetary gains instead of seeking their spiritual well-being, saying 'As a Christians, you do not have to preach virtue and practice vice'.

He urged parents to lead exemplary lives worthy of emulation and also instil in their children a sense of discipline.

Rev. Nyamekye, who commended the church for transforming the lives of many people since its inception in 1987, urged religious leaders to use the pulpit to educate their members on government policies and programmes.

Rev. Dr Isaac Quaye, General Overseer of WLCC, said the Church had set up educational fund for poor and needy students.

'This we do as part of our social responsibilities and contributing to improving educational standards in the country,' he said.

He said the Church also undertook medical outreach activities in the community and elsewhere.

Rev. Dr Quaye said the Church would continue to preach the unadulterated word of God at all times.

He called on Ghanaians to rise against instant justice which was gaining grounds in the country.

GNA
Two held for slaughtering cow

Police have arrested two persons on charges of slaughtering cow, national animal of the country, from Pokhara Lekhnath Metropolitan CITY-24 in Kaski.
Abensu (G/R), July 17, GNA - The chiefs and people of Abensu in the Ga West Municipality, have appealed to the municipal assembly to build a school for the community.

Mr. Amos Abutu, the assembly member for Afiaman electoral area, said this had become necessary to end the situation where children had been traveling long distances to access education.

He indicated that there were in excess of 500 children of school-going age in the community.

He made the appeal after he led the people to clear a stretch of land demarcated for the school project.

Mr. Abutu said the lack of a school had become a huge bother, blaming this for poor academic performance of the children, who often returned from school tired and unable to either do their homework or have enough rest for the next day.

'They are forced to wake up early in the morning and return home late. This has been the routine and it could not continue this way', he added.

He also highlighted the need to put into good shape the 15 kilometre road linking the area with Pokuase for smooth evacuation of farm produce to marketing centres. GNA

By Alex Ofori Agyekum, GNA
Sorry, we can't find the content you're looking for at this URL.
Abuja (AFP) - Nobel peace laureate Malala Yousafzai on Monday called for a "state of emergency for education" in Nigeria, as she visited the country and met some of the Chibok schoolgirls whose cause she championed.

The 20-year-old global education campaigner made the suggestion at a meeting with Acting President Yemi Osinbajo at the presidential villa in Abuja.

Nigeria has some 10.5 million children out of school -- the most in the world -- and 60 percent of them are girls, according to the UN children's fund, Unicef.

Many of them are in the country's northeast, where the Boko Haram insurgency has devastated education in the last nine years, damaging or destroying classrooms and schools.

Yousafzai, who was shot and nearly killed by the Taliban in her native Pakistan in 2012 for insisting girls should go to school, told reporters: "I highlighted a few issues.

"The first was to ask the government to declare a state of emergency for education because the education of the Nigerian girls and boys is really important.

"The federal government, state government and local government should all be united for this. Secondly, the spending should be made public and thirdly, the Child Rights Act should be implemented in all states."

Yousafzai said there was a "positive response" to the suggestion from Osinbajo, who has been standing in for President Muhammadu Buhari since he left on open-ended medical leave in early May.

The most high-profile symbols of the attack on girls' education are the more than 200 students who were abducted by Boko Haram Islamists from their school in the remote town of Chibok in April 2014.

Yousafzai, who was awarded the Nobel peace prize in 2014, joined politicians, celebrities and campaigners from around the world to support the online #BringBackOurGirls movement to demand their release.

On a previous visit to Nigeria in July 2014, she urged the then-president Goodluck Jonathan to meet the girls' parents.

On the first anniversary, she called the missing girls "my brave sisters" and wrote in an open letter that she could not wait to meet and hug them. "You are my heroes," she said.

A total of 106 of the kidnapped girls have been released, rescued or escaped after more than three years in captivity, while 113 are still being held.

Yousafzai said she was "very happy" to see some of the girls, who are staying at a government-run facility in Abuja.

"I'm really excited to see them going back to their homes and to their families and continuing their education," she added.

"But I hope the other girls who are still under abduction of Boko Haram are released."
Ivory hip mask, Queen-Mother Idia, Benin, Nigeria, now in British Museum, London, United Kingdom.

17.07.2017 LISTEN

It is indeed unfortunate that so much Nok material has been looted over time to supply the international art market. Properly excavated, such pieces might have shed valuable light on the Nok culture. Ekpo Eyo (1)

When I heard that Nigeria was celebrating the return of her lost treasures and that the Nigerian Commission on Museums and Monuments (NCMM) was organizing an exhibition entitled  The Return of the Lost Treasures: An Exhibition of Repatriated Artefacts , I was, to put it mildly, flabbergasted. (2) Had I missed very important messages within the current year regarding the probable return of the famous Nigerian treasures about which the great Ekpo Eyo (3) had written so eloquently and with great erudition in his last work, Masterpieces of Nigerian Art? Had I misread obvious signs that the Americans, British, Dutch, French and Germans had changed fundamentally their persistent and perverse attitude towards the issue of restitution of looted and stolen African artefacts? The last suggestion we heard from Western museums was a ridiculous scheme resulting from the miserable Benin Plan of Action for Restitution, to set up a Western museum in Benin where some of the Benin artefacts, still in Western ownership, would be displayed in Benin City. (4) Had this insulting scheme been suddenly abandoned in favour of doing the right thing, namely, returning the artefacts to the owners?

If Nigerians are celebrating the return of the treasures that had been looted in 1897 in the notorious invasion of Benin by the British or treasures which have otherwise been illegally transferred from the country and are decorating museums and other institutions in the West, then I surely want to be in Nigeria. I want to be there dancing with the masses. But where are my dancing shoes? Do we Africans ever need dancing shoes before we can dance? Surely,this is one of the foolish ideas we have inherited from the colonialists.

With or without dancing shoes, we can express our great joy at seeing those treasures which have been taken away with great violence by those who allegedly were bringing us civilization. But before getting too excited, let me check on what has really been returned, which noble Benin aristocrats are among the returned exiles from the British Museum, the Berlin Ethnology Museum, the World Museum, Vienna and elsewhere.

Readers will recall that we have defined restitution of artefacts to include, inter alia, these points:

a. The object must be with a person, an institution or museum that pretends to have a right to keep it.

b. The object would normally have a name or description known by both sides.

c. The object would in most cases be in a known place in the museum or institution.

d. Attempts would have been made to recover the object.

e. The artefact has been released by the institution holding it. (5)

When I contacted a friend, he wrote back saying:

Forget your dancing shoes. Nobody here, in Benin City, Abuja or Lagos is dancing for joy at the return of the artefacts displayed. None of the famous Nigerian artefacts we are passionate about is among the lot displayed in the exhibition, The Return of the Lost Treasures: An Exhibition of Repatriated Artefacts. Queen-Mother Idia, Oba Akenzua I, Oba Ewuakpe and their retinue are still in European detention. You may however, wish to keep your dancing shoes to dance in sorrow for Nigeria. I know your people dance in sorrow as well as in joy.

I was sobered to hear that the returned artefacts did not include the famous ivory hip-mask of Queen Mother Idia from the British Museum, or the bust of Queen-Mother Idia from Ethnology Museum, Berlin, or a Commemorative Head from the World Museum Vienna. But are there many Nigerian treasures abroad that are not in the museums or private Western homes or unknown to us and the colleagues concerned with restitution?

Looking at the images of the returned artefacts, I immediately sensed that this was not the moment we have all being waiting for: the moment that the Western States and their museums would finally agree that it is indefensible to hold on to looted/stolen Nigerian and other African artefacts and have agreed to return them. Could the Ethnology Museum, Berlin, holding 508 Benin artefacts, World Museum, Vienna, holding 167 Benin artefacts, and British Museum, holding 900 Benin artefacts, not afford to release some of these Nigerian objects? Have the Nigerian objects become indispensable for the very survival of these venerable European museums? (6)

Most of the artefacts displayed in the current exhibition appear inferior in quality to the Nigerian artefacts that are at present in Western museums, in Boston, London, Berlin, Paris and elsewhere. One might even wonder if they are not fakes. Have any tests been done in this regard? The assembled objects are mainly artefacts that various customs departments and police have seized in attempts by unscrupulous persons to smuggle them to the United States, France, Switzerland, and other European countries. These objects have been returned as a matter of routine and co-operation between customs of Nigeria and the States concerned. They were not returned because of demand by Nigeria and indeed, in many cases, Nigerian authorities would not even be aware that such objects have been taken out of the country until they are seized. The objects would not even have reached the Western museums and would have no specific name except an identification number used at seizure.

Altar Group with Oba Akenzua I, Benin, Nigeria, now in Ethnological Museum, Berlin, Germany.

How do previously unknown smuggled artefacts of no significant artistic quality become national Nigerian treasures when they are returned to Nigeria? How come that those who have been devoting special attention to looted/stolen Nigeria artefacts are not aware of these Nigerian treasures that do not appear in authoritative works as those by the great Ekpo Eyo and others? Does the very fact of a smuggled artefact being returned from abroad make it a treasure even if it may be a fake? And how do artefacts seized at a Nigerian border, Owode Border, that presumably never left Nigeria qualify as returned lost treasures?

If one is surprised at the quality of the objects displayed in an exhibition with such a grandiose title, one is equally amazed at the statements made in connection with this exhibition. A foreword in the exhibition brochure states, inter alia, as explanation for the difficulty in recovering looted artefacts that:

This is because the rich nations of the West holding the cultural patrimony of other countries have been unwilling to see their museums and galleries emptied as a consequence of returning these works of art. Nigeria especially, being so rich in material culture, is among the hardest hit.

This sentence at the beginning of the foreword, consciously or unconsciously, restates the unfounded and discredited argument of the universal museums which has been rejected several times. This defence is clearly a figment of the disturbed imagination of a director of a universal museum who wakes up in the night, sweating and shaken, worried that he might have lost all the ill-gotten artefacts in his museum. In real life, no such nightmare occurs. Even in the case of the museum with the greatest number of looted/stolen objects, the British Museum, it is not likely that its 9 million artefacts will disappear overnight because of claims for restitution. The so-called floodgates theory that if you return the Benin Bronzes to Nigeria, Greece would follow with request for the Parthenon Marbles, and Ghana, Iraq, Iran, India and a few more States would follow is also unrealistic. As far as we know, hardly anybody wants to empty the universal museums of all their artefacts. It is the dishonest ploy of the universal museums that suggests that if one asks for the return of some important Benin Bronzes that one is asking for all Nigerian artefacts to be returned. It is a refusal to consider a specific request by inflating it to cover hundreds of objects. This mischievous argument has been used by such museum directors as Philipe de Montebello in response to a suggestion by this author that some of the looted Benin Bronzes should be returned to Nigeria. (7)

By highlighting the floodgates argument, used in response to demands for restitution, the brochure for the exhibition, clearly places the displayed objects within the framework of restitution. Yet, as the organisers themselves would be the first to admit, many of the displayed objects do not come from museums and are not the results of restitution demands. They are the results of normal co-operation between police and customs departments of various countries and their counterparts in Nigeria, a collaboration that has yielded welcome results. But must this be confused with the intractable demands and refusals for restitution of Nigerias cultural icons in the British Museum, London, Ethnology Museum, Berlin, World Museum Vienna, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Metropolitan Museum of Fine Arts, New York? One cannot avoid the impression that the possibility of confusion between restitution by museums and returns by customs and police departments does not worry the organisers. Throughout the whole exhibition and from the statements relating thereto, this tendency is not discouraged.

Another astonishing statement in the forward is the attempt to create the impression that a policy of collaboration with UNESCO and other international bodies has only recently begun under the present leadership of the National Commission on Museums and Monuments:

However, Nigeria through the Management of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments realizing the futility of confrontation in bringing back its cultural relics carted away largely during colonial period decided to adopt a new approach in tackling the problem.

A new culture of collaboration was adopted. This essentially has to do with opening communication channels with countries/institutions holding its objects within the context of UNESCO, ICOM and other bilateral and multilateral frameworks. Dialogue, Collaboration and Cooperation are the main ingredients of this approach.

For those familiar with Nigerias efforts in the past to recover its looted/stolen artefacts, such statements are surprising. The insinuation that previous managers of the NCMM had been using confrontation rather than cooperation must come as a shock. Was the great Ekpo Eyo, the first Director-General of the Commission on Museums and Monuments also using confrontation (whatever that may mean in this context) rather that co-operation and collaboration? The very first publication of Eyo that I read in this regard contains a report on efforts made through ICOM to obtain Benin Bronzes for the opening of the National Museum in Benin City in 1968: We tabled a draft resolution at the General Assembly of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) which met in France in 1968, appealing for donations of one or two pieces from those museums which have large stocks of Benin works. The resolution was modified to make it read like a general appeal for restitution or return and then adopted.

When we returned to Nigeria, we circulated the adopted resolution to the embassies and high commissions of countries we know to have large Benin holdings but up till now we have received no reaction from any quarters and the Benin Museum stays empty. (8) Eyo sounds to me as being very keen on collaboration and co-operation with holders of the Benin Bronzes as well as with ICOM. We do not know of any Director-General of the NCMM who was not keen to cooperate with holders of Benin Bronzes or with ICOM and UNESCO. Indeed, one can say that this will to co-operate with these bodies and holders of looted Nigerian artefacts has been the outstanding characteristic of all Nigerian authorities. Folarin Shyllon has for years advised in this direction and urged the ratification of the UNESCO Convention of 1970 and other international instruments, pointing out the availability of advice and other assistance from the Secretariat.

Bust of Queen-Mother Idia, Benin, Nigeria, now in Ethnologisches Museum, Berlin, projected for transfer to Humboldt Forum, Berlin, Germany.

Where then does this idea of a new approach come from when there has in fact been a continuity of approach? Some evidence would have to be provided that the present administration or management of NCMM is following an approach that differs substantially from that of its predecessors who laid the foundations for the Commission. The foreword tends to amalgamate different events and issues to produce a story that enhances the image of the present leadership of the Commission. With all due respect, collaboration and co-operation with Western museums, UNESCO and ICOM did not start with the present management of the MCNN. Incidentally, when some countries are praised for returning artefacts to Nigeria, one should also add that most of these countries are keeping a large number of superior Nigerian artefacts which they are not in a hurry to return. They even refuse to discuss those objects. Britain that may be said to have begun all this looting of Nigerian artefacts, especially in the 1897 invasion, has kept out of any discussions and did not attend the meeting that adopted the so-called Benin Plan of Action for Restitution .

What is meant by confrontation in the context of restitution? When holders of looted Nigerian artefacts proclaim loudly they would not return any of the looted precious artefacts, many remain silent and state they are pursuing quiet diplomacy. But when Nigerians and their supporters suggest that Nigeria should also proclaim loudly and fearlessly its demand for the return of the looted artefacts, some suggest they are seeking confrontation. What is this mentality that proposes that Nigerians act silently and quietly in their demand for the return of looted objects whereas those holding the looted objects loudly and boldly state their refusal to return? There is something fundamentally wrong in a situation where victims of violent military armed robbery are advised to tread carefully in a subservient manner where successors of armed robbers act without inhibition. Who is to be ashamed of his acts? Is this the colonial mentality rearing its head again?

Head of an Oba, Benin, Nigeria, now in Bristol Museum, Bristol, United Kingdom of Great Britain.

One thing that this current exhibition confirms abundantly is that the policy of quiet diplomacy that has been pursued by Nigerian authorities since Independence in 1960 has completely failed. Not even one of the famous iconic artefacts of Nigerian culture which most Nigerians and other Africans know, such as the ivory hip-mask of Queen-Mother Idia, has been returned or is anywhere near the point of return. It is good to have returned artefacts seized by customs and police but this is not what Nigerian governments and peoples have been asking for in all these years: the cries for return are for the iconic national treasures that are in Western museums and institutions. Objects, probably fakes for the illegal Western market, and seized by customs do not per se become national treasures. Or do some people consider that anything that comes from the Western world, even if originally from Nigeria, and even if a fake, becomes a national treasure?

An aspect of the exhibition that must be considered carefully is its possible effects on impressionable persons coming to these matters for the first time. They are told that these are Nigerian treasures and have no reason to doubt the experts but are they really? By which criteria have these objects that until the present exhibition were not known even to the experts become Nigerian treasures? If we compare their quality with those of undoubted treasures of Nigerian art, such as the ivory hip-mask of Idia in British Museum, we see and feel immediately the difference. Is there not a danger of lowering standards for future generations of Nigerians and Africans?

We will not comment on many of the statements made in connection with this exhibition. Statements such as culture is more important than petroleum surprised me. Is there any contest between culture and petroleum and what is the significance of this comparison in the context of restitution? Clearly there remains much more to do if Nigeria is to recover any of its iconic artefacts from Western institutions. To continue to pursue a policy which in some 57 years has brought no tangible results except insults and aspersions on the ability of Nigeria and Nigerians to protect their artefacts, cannot be advisable. The NCMM seems to recognize this failure when it writes in the brochure to the exhibition:

However, the pressure for the return of these objects must be intensified as repatriated collection presently in the collection of the Commission is like a drop of water in the ocean compared to the huge number of antiquities outside the country.

This admission comes after several attempts, including this exhibition itself, to present Nigerias policy in the matter of restitution as a success story even though all observers recognize that none of the real treasures of Nigeria has been returned through the efforts of the Commission. There was the voluntary return of Benin artefacts by a British citizen, Dr. Adrian Mark Walker and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston USA, voluntarily returned some artefacts. France, Canada, USA, and Switzerland also returned objects seized by their Customs Departments in the normal execution of their duties. Hardly any pressure has been exercised by the Nigerian authorities on the holders of Nigerias treasures. There is a great reluctance even to publish a list, however partial, of Nigerian artefacts abroad that one seeks repatriated. We have not seen any appeal or request by the Nigerian authorities to the holders of Nigerian artefacts in the Western world even though it is obvious that a request, even to individuals, might result in some individual returns. Most people in the Western world are not even aware that Nigeria is seeking its artefacts returned. How should they know when no attempts are made to reach them? Even some Western museums continue saying Nigeria has not made any requests for return of artefacts. What prevents the Commission from sending such requests to the main museums? There is hardly any information to the Nigerian and international public about such efforts, presumably they are incompatible with quiet diplomacy.

As we have seen above, the Director-General of the NCMM has declared that the pressure for the return of these objects must be intensified. Is this confrontation or quiet diplomacy? We would like to assist in this effort by making the following suggestions that are perhaps confrontational:

1. The Nigerian Government should write to all known or major museums in the Western world requesting the return of Nigerian artefacts that may have been stolen, looted, or acquired under dubious circumstances, including especially the Benin artefacts that were looted in the British invasion of 1897. Copies of such a request should be widely circulated and posted on the internet. Thenceforth no reputable museum could pretend it had never heard of such a request as the Ethnology Museum Berlin, Germany, continues to assert and has been so quoted in the German Parliament and by the German Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs. That statement has so far not been challenged by any Nigerian official.

2. Nigerian Government officials and specialists should be sent to major Western museums to establish a list of Nigerian artefacts held abroad, specifying e.g. the number of Benin artefacts held by each museum. The day and time of such visits should be publicly announced. So far most Western museums have not been willing to release such figures.

3. Nigerian Embassies and Missions abroad should be required to pay attention to events and activities where Nigerian cultural artefacts may be involved and to report accordingly to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry for Culture. They should also inform about all relevant matters and send corresponding documentation.

4. The Nigerian Diaspora which consists of thousands of persons with varied qualifications and experiences, including artists and cultural activists should also be involved in the efforts to secure the return of Nigerian treasures from abroad. One Diaspora group was effective in obliging Cambridge University to consider the possible return of the Okukor ,the Cambridge Cockerel, whilst another Diaspora group effectively prevented the sale of a Queen-Mother Idia sculpture. Efforts should also be made to avoid museums and other foreign institutions using the presence of the Diaspora as raison detre of looted/stolen Nigerian artefacts in their area.

5. The policies and activities of the Nigerian Government in the recovery of Nigerian artefacts abroad should be brought to the attention of the public in Nigeria and in Western countries; to this end, all means of modern communication and mass media should be explored.

6. The efforts of the Nigerian Government in the recovery of artefacts abroad should always be brought to the attention of international organizations, including the United Nations, UNESCO and ICOM as appropriate, using their assistance wherever relevant.

7. No government official or any person in the employment of the Government shall assist officially and knowingly in events, exhibitions and other activities involving the display or use of looted/stolen Nigerian artefacts. Similarly, no foreword, introduction, essay, or note shall be prepared by a Nigerian official for publication in a catalogue or book that is mainly intended to promote the sale of looted/stolen Nigerian artefacts. There has been a case where a Nigerian Permanent Secretary has written a foreword to a book dealing mainly with looted Nok sculptures. When in doubt, the official concerned shall consult the Ministry for Culture.

8. A new and comprehensive legislation should be enacted covering antiquities, taking into account the various proposals that have been made by Nigerian experts

9. A website shall be set up by the Ministry for Culture for information and discussion of all the above-mentioned matters by officials and non-officials.

10. The Nigerian Government and other Nigerian institutions shall make it abundantly clear that there is no intention of allowing foreign museums and institutions to arrogate to themselves the duty of transmission of Nigerian culture to the Nigerian Diaspora. Relations between the Nigerian Government and the Nigerian Diaspora shall be direct. The Nigerian Diaspora shall be entitled to seek from Nigerian authorities and institutions any help and information it desires as regards Nigerian culture.

11. Every attempt should be made to encourage Nigerian and Diaspora artists, singers, and writers to explore the above themes in their works. The Government shall inform the artists of what assistance the Government can provide.

12. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry for Culture shall establish co-operation between Nigeria and States such as China, Egypt, Greece, Italy, Turkey, and others to revive and pursue the objectives set by the 2010International Conference on Restitution that was held in Cairo, Egypt.

13. The Government should bring to the attention of the United Nations, UNESCO and ICOM and other organizations that have passed uncountable resolutions on return of cultural property , the inability/ unwillingness of certain Member States to fulfil their obligations. Nigerian Missions should bring to the attention of all concerned the position of the Government and report accordingly.

14. An annual report shall be prepared by the Ministry for Culture, assisted by the National Commission on Museums and Monuments, on the above matters entitled Recovery of Lost/looted/stolen Nigerian Artefacts. The report shall be made available to the Nigerian public and copies sent to leading museums.

Pair of leopard figures, now in the Royal Collection Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, London, UK. The commanders of the British Punitive Expedition force to Benin in 1897 sent a pair of leopards to the British Queen soon after the looting and burning of Benin City.

If Nigeria, with all its resources, material and human, cannot after 57 years of Independence persuade the former colonial power and its allies to return some of the undoubtedly looted Nigerian cultural artefacts, then one must reconsider the often stated manifest destiny of that great country on our Continent. The African Continent has more intractable problems that require serious and resolute leadership.

Fear of confrontation (whatever that means) and a subservient attitude in reclaiming what obviously belongs to Nigeria, are not recommendations for the determined and decisive leadership that the African Continent sorely needs.

Kwame Opoku, 17 July 2017

NOTES

1. Ekpo Eyo, From Shrines to Highlights: Masterpieces of Nigerian Art, Federal Ministry of Information and Communication, Abuja, 2010, p.23.

2. Culture more important to Nigeria than petroleum - Lai Mohammed ...

www.vanguardngr.com  News

NCMM Celebrates Return Of Lost Treasures In An Exhibition Of ...

www.nico.gov.ng/.../1925-ncmm-celebrates-return-of-lost-treasures-in-an-exhibition-

In Lagos, lost treasures brings hope in artefacts repatriation  Arts ...

https://guardian.ng/art/in-lagos-lost-treasures-brings-hope-in-artefacts-repatriation

In Lagos, lost treasures brings hope in artefacts repatriation | 2effizy.com

www.2effizy.com/2017/.../in-lagos-lost-treasures-brings-hope-in-artefacts-repatriation.

3. Ekpo Eyo, op.cit.

4. K. Opoku, European museums to 'loan' looted Benin bronzes to Nigeria ... https://www.pambazuka.org/.../european-museums-loan-looted-benin-bronzes-niger..

European museums to 'loan' looted Benin bronzes to Nigeria? - Scoop.it

www.scoop.it/t/.../p/.../european-museums-to-loan-looted-benin-bronzes-to-nigeria

5. K. Opoku, What we understand by restitution, https://www.modernghana.com

6. See annex below.

See also Kwame Opoku: Blood Antiquities In Respectable Havens: Looted ...

www.africavenir.org/fr/.../kwame-opoku...in...benin-artefacts.../print.html?.

7. Kwame Opokus response to Philippe de Montebello - AFRIKANET.info

www.afrikanet.info/archiv1/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id..

8. Museum, Vol. XXL, no 1, 1979, Return and Restitution of cultural property, pp.18-21, at p.21, Nigeria.

Commemorative Head, Benin, Nigeria now in Weltmuseum, Vienna, Austria.

ANNEXLIST OF HOLDERS OF BENIN BRONZES

Almost every Western museum has some Benin objects. Here is a short list of some of the places where the Benin Bronzes are to be found and their numbers. Various catalogues of exhibitions on Benin art or African art also list the private collections of the Benin Bronzes. Many museums refuse to inform the public about the number of Benin artefacts they have and do not display permanently the artefacts in their possession since they do not have enough space. A museum such as Volkerkundemuseum, Vienna, now Weltmuseum, has closed since 17 years (2000-2017) the African section where the Benin artefacts are, apparently due to repair works which are not likely to be finished before 2017.

Berlin  Ethnologisches Museum 580.

Boston, - Museum of Fine Arts 28.

Chicago  Art Institute of Chicago 20, Field Museum 400

Cologne  Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum 73.

Glasgow _ Kelvingrove and St, Mungo's Museum of Religious Life 22

Hamburg  Museum fur Volkerkunde,

- Museum fur Kunst und Gewerbe 196.

Dresden  Staatliches Museum fur Volkerkunde 182.

Leipzig  Museum fur Volkerkunde 87.

Leiden  Rijksmuseum voor Volkenkunde 98.

London  British Museum 900.

New York  Metropolitan Museum of Fine Art 163.

Oxford  Pitt-Rivers Museum/ Pitt-Rivers country residence, Rushmore in Farnham/Dorset 327.

Stuttgart  Linden Museum-Staatliches Museum fur Volkerkunde 80.

Vienna  Museum fur Volkerkunde now World Museum 167.

Ekpo Eyos, Masterpieces of Nigerian Art

Most of the Nigerian artefacts shown in Eyos, Masterpieces of Nigerian Art, (2010) are in Western institutions. See K. Opoku, Excellence and Erudition: Ekpo Eyos Materpieces of Nigerian Art. ... https://www.modernghana.com/.../excellence-and-erudition-ekpo .

We noted the following locations of Nigerian masterpieces:

Musee du quai Branly, Paris, France.

Musee Barbier-Mueller, Geneva, Switzerland.

Dept. of Art History and Archaeology, University of Maryland, USA,

British Museum, London, United Kingdom.

Detroit Institute of Art, Detroit, USA.

National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institutions, Washington, USA.

Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo, USA

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Museum Rietberg, Zurich, Switzerland.

Ethnologisches Museum, Berlin, Germany.

Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco, USA.

Volkerkunde Museum (now Weltmuseum), Vienna, Austria.

Royal Collection, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, London, United Kingdom.

New Orleans Museum of Arts, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, USA.

Yale University Art Gallery, Connecticut, New Haven, USA.

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, Virginia, USA.

Indiana University Art Museum, Bloomington, Indiana, USA.
Transcorp Hilton Hotels Abuja played host to the gathering of state governors from about 15 states across the country in recognition of their efforts towards encouraging competitiveness and good governance at the Business Day Good Governance Awards 2017 as Abia State stole the spot light with its promotion of Made In Nigeria goods.

These states were recognised for boosting their respective economies showcasing their areas of comparative advantage and invariably enhancing their competitiveness and bilateral trade amongst states in a developing economy like Nigeria.

The partnership between Kebbi state and Lagos state in rice production, Abia State and the Nigerian Military in production of boots just to mention a few confirms that trade partnerships across the competitive advantage of states grows the local economy of the States but more importantly it creates employment, food security, entrepreneurship and enhances inclusive growth.

It is also worthy to note that these states and their governors have embraced the fact that the era of relying totally on federal allocation may soon be over and thus the need for viable alternatives in generating state revenue to meet up with recurrent and capital expenditure of their various state governments.

According to the organisers of Business Day Competitiveness and Good Governance Awards, Abia State at the moment is top on the list of states which have transitted into this phase of dynamic governance module which has seen it enhance internally generated revenue, improved economic wellbeing of its citizenry, creating integration and most importantly delivering value to the masses either through its cardinal frontiers as espoused by Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu agriculture, minerals, industry, commerce or enterprise. Business Day Newspapers have therefore identified these activities as the door to self sufficiency in the near future.

As the major promoter of Made in Aba products, one of the first things Governor Ikpeazu did was to take the campaign to the Legislature as the leadership have taken the message to promote it evident in the made in Aba exhibition for about two years. He also took the campaign to the Presidency where he has been given assurances of the federal government's commitment.

In terms of Job Creation the Abia state governor has clearly brought in a new sense of vigour to the subject as his administration has commenced the training of some youths in China to understudy the art of making shoes and other accessories to meet international standard with exportation in mind. Aba is fast becoming one of West Africa's rising economic hubs as Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu has been described as one of the best governors in terms of the ease of doing business in Nigeria.

Abia state is unarguably the best state in terms of promoting Made In Nigeria products as this campaign has won him several awards locally and internationally even though he appears not to be ready to rest on his laurels, Business Day Good Governance and Competitiveness Award 2017 is a recognision of his unrelenting desire and commitment to reshape the history of Abia State.

The people of Abia state at this moment will certainly take advantage of this opportunity to become a self reliant economy if things continue to go this way as the governor and his Made In Aba brand continues to dominate the spotlight at yet another Award night.
Actress Bukky Ajayi is one of the best personalities of Nollywood. It has been one year since she left this world. However, she has left behind some interesting stories about her. The actress also left children who proudly continued her bloodline! Let`s take a look at more facts about her!

The Biography of Bukky Ajayi

Zainab Bukola Ajayi was a veteran of the Nollywood industry. Bukky Ajayi birthday was on February 2, 1934. She played in Nollywood movies almost to the end of her days. She died on 6th of July, 2016. She was 82 years old. The circumstances of her death are still a mystery. According to some sources, her death was connected to heart illness. Other sources provided a cancer theory. The last version suggested that she died due to natural circumstances.

She continued to act in the movies until 2013. She was one of the Nigerian artists who won the Industry Merit Award. It`s the famous award from the African Magic Viewer Choice Awards (AMVCA). Bukky Ajayi AMVCA Award was not the only prize she got in her career.

Early life of Yoruba Actress Bukky Ajayi

Bukky Ajayi became interested in theater arts when she was only a young girl. In her interviews, she reported that her father placed theater in her heart. He used to take her to the cinemas. She used to tell him about her acting dreams. Unfortunately, he was not alive by the time Bukky Ajayi hit the stage.

Another interesting story is connected with her childhood. She used to make cardboard movies when she was a child. She even charged a penny if other children wanted to watch her moving pictures.

When she was a young lady, an opportunity showed at her doorstep. She was chosen to get her higher education in London thanks to a Federal Government Scholarship. Her Alma Mater is the Stanislavsky Institute of Drama. She studied abroad for six years until she returned to Nigeria in 1965.

What about Bukky Ajayi Career?

When she returned to Nigeria, she started to work with the Nigerian Television Authority. Her first job position was a presentation assistant. A few years later she became a presenter and a news reader. You must have heard about at least a couple of her popular children`s programs. She also presented Nigerian`s Sketches.

Nevertheless, her acting career started after a trip from Port Harcourt and back to Lagos. Her first role was in the Village Headmaster in the 70s. After that, she got a role in Checkmate from Amaka Igwe. According to one of her interviews, she got her best acting experience in the international projects. She also starred in some South African movies.

At the beginning of the 1980s, Bukky Ajayi converted to Islam and chose the name Zainab.

Ajayi Bukky Filmography

Ajayi Bukky starred in a lot of movies. She played her last role in Mother George directed by Andrew Dosunmu in 2013. Her best movies include:

 Fine Thing;

 Keep my Will;

 Termini tie ko;

 Oduduwa;

 Witches;

 Diamond Ring;

 Indecent Girl.

What Killed Bukky Ajayi?

READ ALSO: Jackie Appiah and husband Peter Agyemang: are they still together?

On July 6, 2016, Nigerians were shocked to find out that one of their favorite actresses had passed on. Nevertheless, the last years of Bukky Ajayi were very difficult. She was one of the best actresses in Nigeria, and her death created a vacuum in the hearts of many Nigerians.

She was a Muslim, so she was buried according to the traditions of Islam. Her neighbours revealed that she had asked to be buried on the same day of her death.

Kunle Fawole disclosed to Nigerians that his mother suffered from some diseases in her last years of life. These diseases include diabetes, heart disease, breast cancer and hypertension. She was a very brave woman who tried to battle all of these diseases. Unfortunately, she couldn`t resist much longer and gave in.

According to the medical experts, the reason of her death was a heart stroke. She had already had a heart stroke a year before her death.

She did not die in vain. There are a lot of wonderful memories about her living with Nigerians today. She also saved a couple of houses, cars and production outfits for her children.

Bukky Ajayi Children and Family

Bukky Ajayi Husband

There is not much information about Bukky Ajayi husband. She was very private about her family life. Therefore, she did not show her men to the public. She managed to raise her kids by herself  without the help of other people.

Bukky Ajayi Daughter

In one of her interviews, Bukky Ajayi confessed that she desired to have more daughters. Still, God gave her three sons and only one daughter. According to the rumors, the daughter works in a bank. However, Bukky Ajayi found a second daughter in her daughter-in-law  Yvonne Jegede Fawole.

Bukky Ajayi Sons

Bukky Ajayi has three sons, and all of them have been able to find their paths in life.

 Alfred Oluwole Shoga is 61-year-old. He is the eldest son of Bukky Ajayi. Alfred is not a public person, so he prefers to stay away from the press.

 Claude Akinwande Peter Thomas is 52-year-old. He is the second son of Bukky Ajayi. He also did not follow mother steps on becoming a public person. He only started to give interviews after his mother`s death.

 Olakunle Fawole is 41-year-old. He managed to follow the steps of his mother. Olankunle Fawole is now a veteran rapper and one of the founders of hip-hop culture in Nigeria. He is also the husband of another famous actress in Nigeria - Yvonne Jegede Fawole.

Bukky Ajayi Legacy

It has been one year since Bukky Ajayi passed on. Nevertheless, Nigeria continues to mourn her passing. She was a talented actress and a good mother to her children. She is a true example of life for Nigerians.

READ ALSO: Fela Durotoye biography

Source: Legit.ng
Education is an important element in every persons life. Countries struggle to create the most suitable way of educating their young; some excel at it, some not so much. Education in Nigeria from 1960 has been a rocky field, but significant steps toward progress have been made. In this article, we want to tell you about education in Nigeria today, the new curriculum and whether it is working. Learn more education in Nigeria facts here!

The 2008 curriculum

For years, education in Nigeria has been a major concern. Up until 2008, the school system and curriculum were muddled and confusing for both teachers and students. However, in 2008, Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) introduced the new education curriculum for a 9-year basic education system.

It was meant to raise a new generation of Nigerian citizens who would be able to survive in the modern world. The subjects were supposed to teach young Nigerians basic skills and to help them choose their future vocation.

The new system consists of three-year parts: Lower basic (Primary education, 1-3 grades), Middle basic (Primary education, 4-6 grades) and Upper basic (Junior Secondary School (JSS), 1-3 grades). Each part had a curriculum, which was comprised of 10 to 16 separate subjects. You can see the image above for the full list.

This new curriculum lasted until 2014, when many changes were introduced.

New 2014 curriculum

After 6 years of mostly successful Basic Education Curriculum (BEC), NERDC decided to listen to peoples feedback on the new system. Therefore, September of 2014 saw the new, revised BEC. The original 2008 version of the curriculum was revised, some subjects were added, while others were merged together or completely removed. The subjects are now as follows:

1. English Studies (English language, literature in English)

2. Mathematics

3. Nigerian Languages (meaning one of the three main native languages: Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo. Schools select the language to be taught)

4. Basic Science and Technology, or BST:

 Physical and Health Education (PHE)

 Basic Technology

 Basic Science

 Information Technology

5. Cultural and Creative Arts

6. Pre-Vocational Studies (introduced in year 4 of Primaries):

 Agriculture

 Entrepreneurship

 Home Economics

7. Religion and National Values:

 Islamic Studies / Christian Religious Studies

 Civic Education

 Social Studies

 Security Education

8. French language (introduced in year 4 of Primaries)

9. Business Studies (introduced in year 1 of Junior Secondary)

10. Arabic (optional)

Most of the subjects (even English studies) are infused with topics of Consumer Education, lessons on road safety and on reducing the disaster risks.

Even though NERDC supposedly took into account the feedback from teachers, parents and students, the revised version caused a much bigger conundrum than its predecessor did.

You will also notice that the subjects presented in these curricula do not include history (be it Nigerian or the world history). This fact disappointed and angered many teachers and parents alike. However, no response or reaction was issued on the topic by the NERDC.

Another giant point of controversy rose on the topic of Religion and National Values subject. Many were outraged that Christianity Studies were no longer a stand-alone subject. As Christianity is a major religion in Nigeria, parents were upset about it being mashed together with Islam. That way, neither religion would get enough coverage, in their opinion. Almost three years have passed since the introduction of the revised curriculum, and this issue still has not been resolved.

Many are also concerned that children do not learn enough about what it is to be Nigerian. Parents lament the lack of traditional Nigerian imagery in the lessons. They are afraid that the children might forget what being Nigerian is supposed to mean, and they are the future of this country. They cannot afford to forget that.

BEC had some important goals to achieve. It was meant to be a step forward in the direction of poverty eradication, of increasing the literacy level and of preparing children for the better future. But has it achieved any of these things? Lets consider the facts.

Is it working?

READ ALSO: Delta State University courses offered

Even though the new curriculum was created with good intentions, it has not yet proved to be as effective as it was planned. Most prominent problems are the absence of teachers for some of the courses, disparity between schools curricula and the universities requirements and courses being in the wrong sections.

NERDC promised to implement teaching courses that would provide the schools with the teachers for all of the disciplines. Despite that, many schools suffer from absence of teachers for such subjects as Civic Education, Security Education, or even PHE.

The new curriculum was meant to prepare children for the adult life. However, it does not prepare them for further education. What schools provide for their pupils in many cases is not enough to get into a university. They offer many theoretical courses and try to teach kids how to function in a society. However, schools do not give the required background that would suffice to pass the entrance exams.

On the last issue, here are many courses that seem to be placed in the wrong categories. For example, it is slightly weird that PHE is included in the BST segment. There is little to no connection between the two topics. PHE could have been a stand-alone subject, there was no immediate need to merge it with anything else. The same can be said for many others.

Education data Nigeria still shows that there is a problem with the education system. World Banks research of 2015 shows that only 72.8% of Nigerian youth is literate. It is better than in some other African countries (compared to the Ethiopias 69.5%), but the rest of the world is closer to 100% (for example, South Africa with their 99% or India with 89.6%).

The revised BEC was supposed to be a good thing. It should have been a major step in the right direction for education in Nigeria. Nevertheless, the many faults and pitfalls prevented it from doing so. Maybe if NERDC really listens to the parents, students and teachers, or conducts proper research, further curriculum revisions would be more successful. Therefore, we shall wait for further improvements of the basic education in Nigeria. We hope, the changes are coming.

READ ALSO: Top 20 secondary schools in Lagos

Source: Legit.ng
Two projects with 857MW installed capacity bag licences

The Ministry of Energy has awarded survey licences of two hydropower projects with total installed capacity of 857 MW to the recently established Electricity Generation Company and is in the process of handing over similar permits for two other projects with installed capacity of 1,244 MW.
Sometimes our people need to go to another country. They dont want to stay in Nigeria anymore. If you are one of these people you can learn the easiest country to migrate to from Nigeria.

Visa free countries for Nigerian passport

When Nigerians decide to migrate to another country they must pay attention to a number of important factors. It is not so easy to leave your native country and migrate to another place. You should know about the countries that will be glad to welcome Nigerians. There are few such countries but they exist. Besides, these countries have fewer problems with the requirements for migration. Our citizens must be aware of the visa free countries for Nigeria.

You may also find all the necessary information about Nigeria visa-free countries on Naij. But here are some news about the best and the easiest countries to migrate to for the best life.

There are many wonderful places in the world. But it is important to choose countries that meet the following criteria:

1. The quality of life.

2. Safety.

3. An adequate daily wage.

4. Employment rate.

5. The language people speak.

Top countries to move to

The process of migration becomes more difficult when developed countries reduce the number of emigrants. Let's just face the truth - if you don't have the necessary technical skills for a highly developed country, a visa is almost impossible to get. The only way is to choose a less developed country that will satisfy your needs.

Visa free countries that are eligible for migration are:

1. Uruguay. It is not a big country. The population is small there. Uruguay is one of the easiest countries to get citizenship. Uruguay has an economic freedom and benefits of a high-class second passport. This passport is an indispensable travel document.

READ ALSO: Nigeria visa free countries in Europe

2. Ecuador. The country is situated on the equator. It is very beautiful and green. If you want to live in Ecuador all you have to do is prove that you have your guaranteed monthly income. It must be USD $800. Also, you must have additional income of USD $100 for every of your dependents. For instance, if you receive a pension of USD $800 you can easily live in Ecuador.

3. The next easy country to migrate to is Argentina. Although it is a big country, there are not many citizens who live here. Only fifteen people per square kilometer. Here you can observe a variety of climatic conditions. To live in Argentina you must show your guaranteed monthly earnings of USD $850.

4. Brazil is also on the list. This country has a very rich culture and tradition. The human development index is also very high. You must be retired to settle in Brazil. Besides, your monthly pension must be USD $2000. Also, two dependents can go with you. For each of them, you must have USD $1000.

5. And the last but not the least is Svalbard. It is a large islands collection near Norway. The population here is very diverse. You can see the citizens of the United States, India, Japan, Canada and other countries. But this place is very expensive. You must show that you can earn enough money to live in Svalbard.

As you can see, this is the Top 5 easiest countries to migrate to from Nigeria. Each of them has a lot of advantages and opportunities. You can be in safe, find a good job, and admire the sights there. You will also enjoy meeting new people and getting new knowledge and experiences as well. Now you know what you need to pay attention to and what recommendations to adhere.

READ ALSO: Italy visa application in Nigeria

Source: Legit.ng
- Recorded conversation between ex-Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke has surfaced

- In the conversation, she threatened to confess the dealing between her and Aluko to Nigerians

- She said she is ready to go to jail but not alone as she will drag other co-conspirators

Former Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Alison-Madueke, has been caught in yet another corruption scandal and this time she reportedly said she is ready to spill the beans.

Legit.ng gathered that Madueke is being investigated for a series of fraud and money laundering in Nigeria, UK and United States and has threatened to reveal the part of alleged co-conspirators, Kola Aluko and Jide Omokore.

In a recorded conversation recovered by investigators probing the corrupt allegations against Madueke, she claimed to be ready to say her part in the alleged fraud.

According to a report by Premium Times, Alison-Madueke, Aluko and Omokore were listed as persons of interest in the civil complaint filed at the US District Court, Houston, Texas.

The complaint revealed how the three individuals laundered millions of dollars on behalf of Alison-Madueke, which was used in buying properties in the US and the UK for her family in return for oil contracts to Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts Nigeria Ltd (AEDC) and Atlantic Energy brass Development Ltd (AEBD), two shell companies owned by Omokore.

Madueke, in the recorded conversation ,could be heard saying: You and Jide [i.e. OMOKORE] had some of the most support that we could possibly give. At a time when were not doing anything else, we stuck our necks out regarding the SAA and we supported it. [INAUDIBLE] How the two of you have ruined it is incredulous and incredible to all of us.

I spoke to you several times about your general behaviour, acquisition of assets, etc., asking you to be a bit more careful because [INAUDIBLE] will start following you. I remember we had this open discussion more than once. You kept telling me that there was no issue because you did it in a certain way, you did it in a certainand I kept telling you that it doesnt matter how you do it.

Once you start acquiring, acquiring, acquiring at a certain level, then youll bewhether you like it or not, whether it was done in the most transparentyou understand? manner or not, because they will want to trace where it came from. This is an age of terrorism,

If you want to hire a yacht, you lease it for two weeks or whatever. You dont go and sink funds into it at this time when Nigerian oil and gas sector is under all kinds of watch, as we have been for some time, and where Atlantic [i.e., AEDC and/or AEBD] itself has been the subject of all kinds of speculation.

In another conversation, Madueke, while responding to speculations that Aluko might want to blackmail her, called Aluko's bluff and threatened to spill the beans.

READ ALSO: Kanu may be dead before Biafra is achieved - Primate Ayodele

She said she was ready to reveal to Nigerians all that happened and was ready to follow Aluko and Omokore to jail.

Madueke, during the conversation said: "I said tell him (I.e. Aluko) to bring everything out, and then you know what will happen? No problem, I will be happy to escort all of you to jail along with myself. I said, in fact, you will be shocked by what I'll do.

"Because when it comes to that, I will come out and tell the Nigerian people this is what happened oh. Oh, Yes, I will blame myself, but it (INAUDIBLE)...place and everything. Anything they want to say, I am happy to go.

"But I will come out openly and say it so that they can judge me openly, And then all of us go and sit on the gate. Let us see who survived (INAUDIBLE), me or you."

Details of the conversation has now been filed as part of a civil complaint by the US department of Justice seeking the forfeiture of over $144 million slush fund.

She also confessed the fact that both Aluko and Omokore were in the habit of gifting her furniture but insisted that the furniture were not more than $4 million dollars.

She said:"The furniture they gave me didn't come to more than four million dollars, altogether. It is true I was with (INAUDIBLE)."

The US government is demanding for the forfeiture of the corrupt proceeds of all business transactions between Madueke, Omokore and Aluko.

See the breakdown of the properties Diezani and her conspirators are to forfeit to the US government in the infographic below:

Diezani is reportedly under investigations in the US. Photo credit: Twitter, TransparencIT NG

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Meanwhile, Kola Aluko, declared wanted by the EFCC, has been identified as the owner of Apartment 79, a penthouse apartment in One57, one of New York Citys most expensive residential buildings.

However, the apartment would be sold to the highest bidder by a Luxembourg based Banque Havilland, in a foreclosure auction in July, the New York Post reported.

The penthouse sale is seen as the most expensive foreclosure in New York City.

Watch the Legit.ng TV video report of the anti-corruption walk of the EFCC that held in Abuja recently.

Source: Legit.ng
- The Indigenous People of Biafra has released a new order asking members to sit at home during forthcoming Anambra election

- The group also accused Willi Obiano, the governor of the state, of colluding with Nigerian military to slaughter people of the state

- The group also argued that the desire to safe guard lives of Anambra people necessitated the reason for the sit at home call

The Indigenous People of Biafra has officially ordered another sit at home. This time around, the IPOB ordered the people of Anambra to observe the sit at home protest on the day of the forth coming gubernatorial election in the state.

READ ALSO: LG election: Lagos state announces restriction of movement on Saturday July 22

In a statement made available on the group's Radio Biafra Facebook page, IPOB said it ordered the sit at home to safe guard lives of the people because Governor Willie Obiano has colluded with the military to slaughter the people of the state.

The statement read: "18th of November 2017 is sit at Home in the whole of Anambra state. Please stay indoors on that day to avoid anything happening to you. We are aware that Willie Obiano has colluded with Nigeria military to slaughter our people on 18th of November 2017, to avoid causalities we advise you to stay at home. Your life matters, #Boycott the election."

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Legit.ng had earlier reported that youths suspected to be members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) reportedly disrupted a church programme attended by a governorship aspirant in Anambra state.

The attack occurred at Odoekpe, Ogbaru Local Government Area of the state and involved Godwin Ezeemo, who is running on the platform of the Progressives Peoples Alliance. Ezeemo was at Ogbaru to worship at Gods Own Pentecostal Church when the assailants carrying Biafra flags and singing Biafran songs stormed the worship centre.

The youths ordered him and his entourage to leave the place.

Watch a Legit.ng TV video below focusing on the Biafra agitation

Source: Legit.ng
Would you like an answer to the question - what is the first capital of Nigeria? The answer to this question has raised many eyebrows. You might be wondering why. Let us explain it right here.

When it comes to the question of which state served as the first capital of Nigeria, there have been series of controversial answers. These controversies arose because there is no official evidence to back some of the claims. Some facts claim that the first capital of Nigeria was Lokoja, others claim it was Calabar. Some other people believe that Asaba was the first capital of Nigeria. But the popular and widely accepted answer to this question is Lagos. So let us look at each of these claims and try to reach a reasonable conclusion on the first capital of Nigeria.

Calabar

According to Wikipedia and other reliable sources, Calabar served as the first capital of the Southern Protectorate, the Oil River Protectorate, and Niger Coast Protectorate. This is why some people see Calabar as the first capital of Nigeria until the late nineteenth century. The administrative center of the Southern protectorate was later moved to Lagos in 1906.

Asaba

Based on reliable historical authority, it is believed that the British masters began administration from Asaba when they came to Nigeria.

READ ALSO: First military head of state in Nigeria.

Lokoja

Another fact not known to many Nigerians is that Lady Flora Shaw came up with the name Nigeria while she was in Lokoja. Also, the first Governor-general of Nigeria, Lord Frederick Lugard ruled from Lokoja after the Southern protectorates and Northern protectorates were amalgamated to form one Nigeria.

Lagos

Before the amalgamation of the Southern protectorate and Northern protectorate, Lagos was the administrative center of the Southern protectorate from 1906. After the amalgamation in 1914 that brought about the creation of Nigeria, Lagos was named as the official capital of Nigeria. Lagos was the capital of Nigeria until December 12, 1991, when it was moved to Abuja by the Head of State, Ibrahim Babangida.

So from everything stated above, we can conclude that Calabar was probably the first capital of the Southern protectorate. While Lagos was the official capital of Nigeria after the amalgamation in 1914. Since the Nigeria of today was not formed until 1914, we can say Lagos is the first capital of Nigeria.

So the next time the argument of the first capital of Nigeria comes up, you should be able to explain the facts. Take note that it is the generally accepted official answer that the first capital of Nigeria is Lagos.

READ ALSO: First Prime Minister of Nigeria.

Source: Legit.ng
- The ultimatum given to Igbos living in the north by a coalition of northern youths is still fresh in mind

- Some groups have taken it upon themselves to resolve the issue

- One of such groups is the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council (OYC)

A report by This Day indicates that the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council (OYC) met with the Northern Coalition of Youths on Saturday, July 15.

According to the report, the meeting was with a view to charting a common course for the peaceful co-existence of various groups in all parts of the country.

In the meeting, which took place in Abuja, the northern coalition said it had begun the process of reviewing its demand asking the Igbos to leave the north by October 1.

The coalition however said it would not back down on its petition to the United Nations asking it to intervene in the affairs of the nation.

On its part, the Ohanaeze youths dissociated themselves from secessionist agitations, and asked Nigerians to consider such agitations as perhaps a cry to redress the noticeable imbalance in the composition of the country.

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Speaking with journalists after the meeting, the chairman of the Coalition of Northern Youths, Yerima Shettima, said the peace meeting between the two groups led to the formation of a six-member committee which would facilitate another meeting in the south-east.

Shettima said: Leaving Nnamdi Kanu to go unpunished is totally unacceptable to us because he has so far done much damage on our psyche and our nation.

So for us, we think the best we can do is to internationalise this struggle. Behind the background of what we are doing today, most likely in the event of anything falling short of what we agreed, of course we are already in the UN reporting this same character (Kanu).

That does not stop us from discussing to arrive at a particular conclusion where we can have peace for the country.

On our previous position, we have not officially withdrawn the quit notice given to the Igbos in the North, but we said it a few days ago that we will review our position and part of that step is what we are discussing now.

While commending the Ohanaeze Youth Council for a fruitful deliberation, Shettima added: I thank God we are talking with the recognised body of entire youths organisation in the South-east called Ohanaeze Youth Council that is known everywhere.

This is a welcome development and we are happy that they have actually sought to get our audience to discuss the way forward out of these uprisings.

We are glad to get some word coming out from the leadership of Ohanaeze Youth Council specifically in the area of seeking to see us to discuss issues; it means they realised that we are very angry and a lot of things are out of place as a result of their short comings in the sense that if they had called the young man to order, we wouldnt have gone to this extreme.

The second one is the assurance given by the president of the council. If I quote him very well, he said, Nnamdi Kanu is just looking for self recognition, and we became more relaxed and comfortable getting that from him, and the third one is him making efforts to bring MASSOB and IPOB together for us to go into a roundtable discussion. I think it is a welcome development.

In his briefing, the national president of OYC, Okechukwu Isigusoro, thanked the northern coalition for a fruitful deliberation, adding that his council believes in one Nigeria.

His words: We want to especially thank the Coalition of Northern Groups for accepting to host us in Abuja. Our talks have been very smooth beyond our expectations and we want to appreciate them knowing full well that we thought these talks could have ended in a fiasco or taken a dangerous dimension.

But the way they have been peacefully handled it shows that they are peaceful people. We commend them for that and also believe that through this dialogue we believe in the future that there will be no boycott of these talks and if followed peacefully, we will bring an end to some of our problems in this county.

Isigusoro however refuted the statement of Shettima on his stance on some groups, stating that at no time did he raise any issues on Kanu, IPOB or MASSOB at the meeting.

According to him, his take at the meeting was the positions taken to resolve the issue of quit notice.

He said: I spoke on the quit notice and how to resolve it for everybody to live in peace. That was all. And a committee was set up. There was never a time I mentioned IPOB or MASSOB in my speech.

READ ALSO: IPOB release new sit-at-home order

Meanwhile, the senior special assistant to President Muhammdu Buhari on media and publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, has decried the rate at which social media users in Nigeria promote tribalism on various mediums.

Speaking at the Positive Voices Campaign Project showcase event in Abuja on Thursday, July 13, Mallam Shehu noted that Nigeria had dealt with the problem of tribalism in the 1960s but it is unfortunate that the social media is bringing back this dangerous trend.

He stressed that it is important that Nigeria remains peaceful, stating that every Nigerian is free to live in any part of the country and cannot be threatened by any violence.

Watch Acting President Yemi Osinbajo talk about the unity of Nigeria on Legit.ng TV below:

Source: Legit.ng
- The Nigerian Army has identified a new base of Islamist group, Boko Haram

- The base is said to be located on a remote Island in Lake Chad

- The place has reportedly been the operational base of the insurgents since they were displaced from Sambisa Forest

The Nigerian Army said on Sunday, July 16, that it will soon launch an attack on a remote Island in Lake Chad where Boko Haram fighters now use as their new operational base.

According to Premium Times, this was disclosed by the Acting General Officer commanding, GOC 8 Task Force Division, Stevenson Olabanji, when he visited troops of the 118 Task Force Battalion under his division at their front-line location in Gudumbali village of Guzamala local government area of Borno state.

Mr. Olabanji, a brigadier general, asked the soldiers to always make sure their weapons are serviceable as the strike order on the secret Boko Haram location could be given at any time.

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He also said the awaited operation might be the final one that would bring about the end of Boko Haram insurgency.

The tempo of ongoing clearance operations will be increased, so be prepared. You may be ordered at any time to clear the remnants of Boko Haram elements in the identified locations, Olabanji told the troops.

Meanwhile, a Nigerian on Twitter, Yusuf Abu has called the attention of the Nigerian Army to the activities of Boko Haram in his area in Korongilum, a town in Chibok local government, Borno state.

Abu's claims were corroborated by online newspaper, Sahara Reporters in a tweet.

Responding, the personal assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on new media, Bashir Ahmad, said Nigerian troops are on their way to the location.

He also provided an emergency number to reach the Nigerian Army in-case of any re-occurrence.

READ ALSO: Explosion kills 10 worshippers in Maiduguri mosque

Legit.ng earlier reported that a 12-year-old Fulani cattle breeder was killed in a bomb blast at Muna Delti area of Jere local government council of Borno state on Saturday, July 15.

A witness, Grema Bana, said that the incident occurred at about 4:45 p.m., at one of the pastoralist hamlets in the area.

Watch the Legit.ng TV video report of the newly reopened Nyanya bus station in Abuja after it was bombed by Boko Haram:

Source: Legit.ng
- An attack by members of the Badoo group was averted on Friday July 14

- The suspected cultist was apprehended by residents in the area

- He was handed over to the police

An attack by a suspected member of the dreaded Badoo group was averted in Ikorodu area of Lagos on Friday July 14.

A Facebook page dedicated to residents of Ikorodu said the cultists had planned to launch an attack on Eyita Diasi Okeowo Street in Ikorodu.

Legit.ng gathered that cloth and mortar was found in the location where the cultist hid in an uncompleted building in the area.

READ ALSO: They want to islamise Nigeria but this is not 1964 - Bishop Oyedepo spits fire (video)

The post said: "Glory be to God for saving us in our area from the attack of BADOO GANG yesterday, 14th of July 2017. These pictures of cloth and mortar you see here was found where a Suspected Badoo Gang Member sat and hid himself in an uncompleted building."

The suspected cultist was apprehended by residents in the area. Source: Facebook, Ikorodu residents

"At about 10:30 pm, When PHCN took the power, my neighbour decided to check and search around his house, that was how he saw the suspected Badoo Gang Member in an uncompleted building beside his apartment without wearing any cloth. Immediately he saw my neighbour, he ran away.

READ ALSO: Fake army colonel arrested during Osinbajo's visit to Mokwa/Jebba road (Photo)

"Then my neighbour raised an alarm and call for help, people gathered and started chasing him, the Badoo suspect jumped over nine fence but men in the neighborhood surrounded the area to search for him, fortunately he was caught and was handed over to the police. This incident happened in Eyita, Diasi Okeowo Street, Ikorodu in case you'd like to confirm," the post said.

Legit.ng earlier reported that officers of the Nigeria Police Force arrested 87 members of the cultist group popularly called Badoo.

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The cultists are know to operate around Ikorodu area of Lagos state.

The members of the cult group are also said to have been responsible for various criminal activities in the area.

Watch this Legit.ng TV video of a 63-year old woman giving details of how she watched some cultists cut her 16-year old son into pieces and burnt his remains:

Source: Legit.ng
- Not less than six persons have died in an accident on the Lagos-Sagamu expressway

- Four people were injured in the accident which occurred at about 2.12 pm

- Those injured are receiving treatment at the Sagamu General Hospital while the corpses had been deposited at the morgue

The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in Ogun said six persons died while four were injured in an accident on the Lagos-Sagamu expressway on Monday, July 17.

The Ogun Sector Commander of the FRSC, Mr Clement Oladele, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ota, Ogun, that the accident occurred at about 2.12 pm.

READ ALSO: Britain has worked against the interest of Biafra and majority of Christians in Nigeria - IPOB

Oladele said that a Nissan Quest van with registration number FKJ 297 AJ coming from Ikorodu to Ibadan rammed into a moving Iveco truck due to excessive speed.

The crash, he said, resulted in the death of the six persons while four sustained injuries.

The four injured persons are receiving treatment at the Sagamu General Hospital while the corpses had been deposited at the morgue, he said.

He advised motorists to desist from excessive speed, especially during the rainy season.

In a previous report by Legit.ng, 5 people were killed after a fully loaded container fell on a commercial bus in Ojota area of Lagos.

Three people were rescued from the wreckage by Lagos State Emergency Management Agency officials which occurred on Saturday, July 8.

PAY ATTENTION: Get more videos on Legit.ng TV

The occupants of the bus were returning from the monthly vigil at the Redeemed Christian Church of God headquarters on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

In the video below, victims of Lekki flood rendered homeless, jobless speak to Legit.ng TV:

Source: Legit.ng
- The former President of Nigeria Goodluck Jonathan said Nigerians still believe in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

- Jonathan said it is heart warming to know that Nigerians still believes and trust the largest opposition party

- He called on all members to work together to ensure that the PDP is strengthened

The former President of Nigeria Goodluck Jonathan has said that Nigerians still believe in the opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Jonathan said despite all its struggling within the past 14 months, it is heart warming to know that Nigerians still believes and trust the largest opposition party.

While speaking in Abuja on Monday, July 17, at the PDP's national expanded caucus meeting, the former president said he only attended the meeting to thank all the party members for staying strong and steadfast during its leadership crisis.

READ ALSO: Britain has officially given their blessings to the impending massacre of Biafrans - IPOB alleges

Jonathan said: "Nigerians still believe in PDP, when the Supreme court judgement was given, I was very surprised. Some of the people who called me, send text messages to me were not even politicians but they were so happy."

"I must commend the Ahmed Makarfi led caretaker committee, the governor, former ministers, men and women and our youth who stood by the party throughout this crisis," Jonathan said.

Jonathan said it is heart warming to know that Nigerians still believes and trust the largest opposition party

"Our party has come of age, this is the first major meeting and I believe the key decisions will be taken tonight."

The former president said the party must first focus on building its strength.

Jonathan said it is heart warming to know that Nigerians still believes and trust the largest opposition party

"We must be the party, when the party is strong, every other thing I believe will be added to that.

"First and foremost we must strengthen the party; let us cooperate with the caretaker committee and ensure that PDP becomes a strong party again, so that after PDP has become strong, those who were trying to step aside will step back," he said.

Also speaking at the meeting, the chairman of the PDP caretaker committee, Ahmed Makarfi while commending all party members said all grievance must be set aside for the growth of the party.

Makarfi said: "After the Supreme Court judgement, I spoke to journalists and I said, no victor no vanquished; we mean to the later.

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app

"Even before the crisis I cannot recall any PDP meeting that was full like this, it never happened.

"So, I want to thank all of you on behalf of the caretaker committee for standing by us for PDP," Makarfi said.

The PDP meeting had in attendance various governors, former governors, former minister and National Assembly members.

Some of the party who were present include the governors of Ekiti, Rivers, Delta states Ayodele Fayose, Nyesom Wike and Ifeanyi Okowa, the former ministers of aviation, Kema Chikwe and Femi Fani-Kayode, Sam Egwu, Professor Jerry Gana, Senator Theodore Orji, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu and the former Senate President David Mark.

You can watch this Legit.ng video of the PDP national expanded caucus meeting in Abuja:

You can also watch this Legit.ng video of APC member lamenting on the party's leadership:

Source: Legit.ng
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Captain America and the Winter Soldier Special #1 takes Marvel's secret history to a whole new level with a real world historical figure

If you know who Gavrilo Princip is, prepare to be shocked
Martin Landau played a master of disguise on the Mission: Impossible TV series, Commander John Koenig and as a broken-down Bela Lugosi in his Oscar-winning performance in Ed Wood, has died. He was 89.

He attended the Actors Studio, becoming good friends with James Dean, and was later in the same class as Steve McQueen. In 1957, he made his Broadway debut in Middle of the Night. Landau made his first major film appearance in 1959, as Leonard, right-hand man of a criminal mastermind, in Alfred Hitchcocks North by Northwest. He had featured roles in two 1960s epics, Cleopatra and The Greatest Story Ever Told, and played a ruthless killer in the 1965 western Nevada Smith, which starred Steve McQueen.

Landau played the role of master of disguise Rollin Hand in the US television series Mission: Impossible, becoming one of its better-known stars. The role of Hand required Landau to perform a wide range of accents and characters, from dictators to thugs, and several episodes had him playing dual rolesnot only Hands impersonation, but also the person whom Hand is impersonating
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.
The Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, has urged parliamentarians to ensure proper implementation of government projects instead of waiting for postmortem reports from accountability committees.

Kadaga was addressing the 3rd Annual General Meeting of African Parliamentarians on Development Evaluation in Khartoum, Sudan.

She said accountability committees do not take off time to follow-up on the implementation of government projects but quickly get involved when government projects are already messed up.

The Speaker also called upon African Parliaments to ensure Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are maintained, mainstreamed and implemented for the benefit of all sectors of the communities.

Kadaga tasked MPs from the 20 African countries attending the conference to always ensure that governments are doing what they say since at times they do the contrary.

The Network of African Parliamentarians on Development meeting is chaired by the Speaker of the Sudan Parliament, Professor Ibrahim Ahmed Omer.
By Shamim Nateebwa:

The Katikiro of Buganda Charles Peter Mayiga has advised the Central government to pass subsidiary legislation under the land laws to enable land owners get justice.

Katikkiro notes that if this is not done many Ugandans will lose their land and cause tension between government and its people.

Mayiga has also commended the land probe commission led by Justice Catherine Bamugemereire for the good work done so far in unearthing fraud in land transactions and exposing corrupt government officials.

He has thus appealed to government to fully fund the commission to enable it complete its work.

The katikkiro was this morning addressing the Buganda Kingdom Lukiiko during which the new financial years budget was passed.
Small Market, Big Brother? Slovakian Appears the Test Case

Published July 17, 2017 by Lee R

A trickle could turn into a mass exodus in Slovakia.

Some are comparing the Slovakian governments techniques for blocking illegal gambling sites to the proverbial Big Brother.

The Concern

Now, technically, all online blocking is Big Brother-ish, so what is standing out in the Slovakian approach?

Well, the government initiated an increasingly aggressive approach to ISP-blocking over the weekend, with the Slovak Spectator reporting that the government will reveal a new list of banned websites on July 17.

The release of the list will be followed by weekly crackdown updates from the countrys Financial Administrator.

The Justification

TASR newswire quotes Finance Ministry State Secretary Radko Kuru as calling crackdowns the Slovakian governments response to expansion of gambling in virtual space which has brought new challenges in terms of supervision.

The Progress

This is the first adaptation since Slovakia opened up the online market in 2016, with the first local licensees tacked with a healthy 27% tax on gross gaming revenue take from Slovakian punters whilst the countrys online casino and poker monopoly TIPOS would continue to operate unabated.

Implementation

The crackdown will be implemented in phases. The same TASR report indicates that the Financial Administration searches will identify gambling activities that violate the law and request that these sites voluntarily cease operations.

The Little List

If the violators fail to respond within a specifically designated time frame, they will be placed on the infamous blacklist. Placement on this blacklist includes the seeking by the Financial Administration of specific injunctions violating sites and payment transactions. Government spokesperson Patricia Macikova added that authorities would impose fines topping out at 500,000 on illegal gambling sites.

Into the Void

Those feeling the Draconiousness of it all include Poker skins on Playtechs iPoker network, who have already left Slovakia; and Betclic Everest Groups Everest Poker, whose emails to announcing that the site would be departing the Slovakian market as of July 6 are already hitting customer inboxes.

Overview

While many cry foul because of the blacklists, it is the 27% tax that is more likely driving out operators in Slovakia. How many actually leave remains to be seen, but from a purely economic standpoint, investing in a monopolized market where a lions share of gross not net is being taxed generally cannot be characterised as an attractive investment atmosphere.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu



The Independent National Electoral Commission has warned political parties and their candidates against using of masqueraders, public facilities and religious centres for their campaigns. This is coming exactly one month to the commencement of campaigns for the presidential and National Assembly elections.

The commission asked political parties to align strictly with the provisions of the Electoral Act to avoid sanctions as stipulated by the Act. INEC had fixed September 28 for the commencement of campaigns for the presidential and National Assembly, while the elections would hold on February 25, 2023.

Relying on Section 92 of the Electoral Act, 2022, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of its Committee on Information and Voter Education, Mr Festus Okoye, in a recent interview with our correspondent explained that the law expected political campaigns to be civil and devoid of abuse.

In previous electioneering, some political parties and their candidates were wont to engage in all kinds of theatrics, including the use of masqueraders, to entertain the crowd and add colour to their rallies. Some also covertly campaigned in public offices and worship centres, especially churches and mosques, to woo civil servants and worshippers, respectively.

But quoting from the provisions of the section, Okoye said, Section 92 of the Electoral Act makes it mandatory that a political campaign or slogan shall not be tainted with abusive language directly or indirectly likely to injure religious, ethnic, tribal or sectional feelings.

Therefore, abusive, intemperate, slanderous or base language or insinuations or innuendoes designed or likely to provoke violent reaction or emotions shall not be employed or used in political campaigns.



Subsection 3 states that places designated for religious worship, police stations and public offices shall not be used for political campaigns, rallies and processions; or to promote, propagate or attack political parties, candidates or their programmes or ideologies.

Masqueraders shall not be employed or used by any political party, aspirant or candidate during political campaigns or for any other political purpose.



As witnessed in some previous elections where parties hired thugs to repel detractors, Okoye in reference to subsection (5) of Section 92, warned parties and candidates against training or enlisting the help or services of individuals or groups for the purpose of displaying physical force or coercion in a manner that could arouse reasonable apprehension during the campaigns.

Sunday PUNCH reports that in previous campaigns, some political parties engaged thugs to ensure orderliness as well as prevent political enemies from disrupting their rallies.

In reference to Section 6 of the Act, however, Okoye added, A political party, aspirant or candidate shall not keep or use armed private security organisation, vanguard or any other group or individual by whatever name called for the purpose of providing security, assisting or aiding the political party or candidate in whatever manner during campaigns, rallies, processions or elections.

Imprisonment awaits offenders

Speaking on the need for compliance, the INEC national commissioner pointed out that the Act already provided for sanctions for violators and that adherence to the law should be prioritised by all the parties and candidates.

In tandem with subsections 7(a)(b) and 8, Okoye stated, A political party, aspirant or candidate who contravenes any of the provisions of Section 92 of the Act commits an offence and is liable on conviction in the case of an aspirant or candidate, to a maximum fine of N1,000,000 or imprisonment for a term of 12 months; and in the case of a political party, to a fine of N2,000,000 in the first instance, and N1,000,000 for any subsequent offence.



A person or group of persons who aids or abets a political party, an aspirant or a candidate in organising or equipping any person or group for the purpose of enabling them to be employed for the use or display of physical force commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of N500,000 or imprisonment for a term of three years or both.



On those who coerce others to support their candidates or refrain from supporting a particular candidate during campaigns, he added, Section 93 of the Act prohibits a party, candidate, aspirant or person or group of persons from directly or indirectly threatening any person with the use of force or violence during any political campaign in order to compel that person or any other person to support or refrain from supporting a political party or candidate.



A political party, candidate, aspirant, person or group of persons that contravenes the provisions of Section 93(1) of the Act commits an offence and is liable on conviction in the case of a candidate, aspirant, or person or group of persons, to a maximum fine of N1,000,000 or imprisonment for a term of 12 months; and in the case of a political party, to a fine of N2,000,000 in the first instance, and N500,000 for any subsequent offence.
Super Eagles left-back Calvin Bassey was in action for Ajax who defeated Utrecht 2-0 away in the Dutch Eredivisie on Sunday.

The result means Ajax have so far won all their four league games of the season.

Bassey who joined Ajax from Scottish giants Rangers, featured for 90 minutes in the encounter.

First half goals from Steven Berghuis and Brian Brobbey secured the win for the Eredivisie champions.

Berghuis opened scoring in the 10th minute before Brobbey added the second goal in one minute of first half added time.

Ajax are top in the 18-team league table after four league games played, just two points above second placed Feyenoord.

It was not the best of debuts for Bassey as he was shown a straight red card in Ajaxs 5-3 loss to PSV in the Dutch Super Cup.

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.
From Reader Supported News

"If I am given the honor of leading this agency, I will never allow the FBI's work to be driven by anything other than the facts, the law, and the impartial pursuit of justice. Period. Full stop. My loyalty is to the Constitution and the rule of law. They have been my guideposts throughout my career, and I will adhere to them no matter the test." ~~ Attorney Christopher Wray, Congressional testimony, July 12, 2017

It's hard to get better lip service than that. In his opening statement, Christopher Wray, nominated by President Trump to be the next director of the FBI, pretty much said all the right things to the Senate Judiciary Committee on July 12. It's even possible that Wray's testimony could turn out to be true. But doubt is hard to allay in the context of his career to date.

President Trump announced his choice in a tweet on June 7: "I will be nominating Christopher A. Wray, a man of impeccable credentials, to be the new Director of the FBI. Details to follow." The 8:44 a.m. tweet came without prior notice to Congress and served as something of a distraction to that day's Senate testimony by James Comey, the FBI director Trump had fired on May 9.

The "impeccable credentials" are real enough in a very old line, establishment sort of way. Christopher Wray was born in New York City in 1966. His father was a partner in the well-connected law firm of Debevoise and Plimpton. His mother, Gilda Gates Wray, was a program officer at the Charles Hayden Foundation (American Red Cross, Museum of Natural History). Wray attended the Buckley School in Manhattan and Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts. In 1989, Wray graduated from Yale College cum laude and married Helen Garrison Howell, also Yale '89. He graduated from Yale Law School in 1992, where he was executive editor of the Yale Law Journal.

After a federal judge clerkship, Wray went into private practice in 1993 at the Atlanta office of the King & Spalding international law firm. In 1997 he joined the Justice Department as a U.S. attorney in the Northern District of Georgia. In 2003, President Bush (Yale '68) appointed him the youngest-ever Assistant Attorney General in charge of the criminal division. In 2005, he returned to private practice at King & Spalding, where he was primarily a criminal defense lawyer who according to the website "helps clients navigate federal and state government investigations and litigation." With King & Spalding, Wray had broad experience "spanning a wide variety of industries and more than 30 different countries." As a partner at King & Spalding (where his partner pages are deleted), Wray is paid $9.2 million a year.

Wray's political contributions of at least $35,000 over the years have gone exclusively to Republican candidates, including John McCain in 2008 ($2,300) and Mitt Romney in 2012 ($7,500). He appears to have made no political contributions during 2016. He also volunteered for Fred Thompson's "Lawyers for Fred" committee in 2008.

What did Wray know about US torture programs, and when did he know it?

Wray was there when Justice Dept. attorney John Yoo and others were drafting torture memos that were subsequently acted on by the Bush administration. In Senate testimony, Wray said with exquisite lawyerly caution: "To my recollection, I never reviewed, much less provided comments on or input on, and much less approved, any memo from John Yoo on this topic." He does not say he did not see or act on memos by others. He does not say he was not aware of his government's sanction of torture in violation of US and international law. He does not say he registered any objection to torture then. He did not, as head of the criminal division, bring any charges against any of the Bush administration torturers in 2003-2005. On leaving the department, he did receive a distinguished public service award.

He told the Senate on July 12: "I can only tell this committee that I have no recollection whatsoever of that, and it's the kind of thing I think I'd remember... My view is that torture is wrong, it's unacceptable, it's illegal, and I think it's ineffective." Reports that Wray visited the Guantanamo prison are apparently untrue, but the senators did not ask about it. Nor did they inquire about Wray's awareness of abuses including torture at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, even though Wray appeared before the same committee in 2004 and was questioned by Vermont senator Patrick Leahy then. Wray's letter of May 6, 2004, about "Iraqi detainees at Abu Ghraib prison" remains redacted by the Justice Department.

In 2004, Wray was involved in the prosecution of a CIA contractor, David Passaro, whose beating of a prisoner in 2003 led to that prisoner's death within 48 hours. Passaro is the only US civilian prosecuted for prisoner abuse or torture. Wray is quoted in the indictment saying: "The criminal abuse of persons detained in the global war on terrorism will not be tolerated. The Department of Justice will move to punish those whose actions violate the rule of law. Such abuse violates the core principles of a free and just society." result of this prosecution was to convict one person and allow the programs of torture and abuse to continued, perhaps more carefully, but fundamentally unhindered." In this sense, Wray clearly seems to be part of setting up Passaro as a scapegoat.

Wray is credited with taking a principled stand against the Bush administration's illegal surveillance programs, albeit somewhat diaphanously. In 2004, Comey and then FBI director Robert Mueller (now special counsel) challenged the White House attempt to renew the National Security Agency (NSA) program of "terrorist surveillance," a euphemism for massive spying on just about every American citizen. According to reports, Comey and Mueller were prepared to resign in protest over the issue and Wray, getting wind of it, apparently asked to go with them if they went. The Bush administration blinked and Wray never went public, except by legend.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has questioned Wray's record on civil liberties, much to the Senate's indifference. The ACLU cites with concern the FBI's past notorious abuse of civil liberties, up to and including burglaries and killings. In that context, Wray's strong support for the USA Patriot Act of 2001 and its expanded police state powers is less than reassuring. In 2003 Wray insisted that safeguards were in place and testified that "the Patriot Act has helped preserve and protect liberty and freedom, not erode them." In 2004 and 2005, two separate federal courts found parts of the Patriot Act unconstitutional. Subsequently, the inspector general of the Justice Department found widespread abuse by the FBI of Patriot Act powers.

What are Wray's Russian connections, other than Rosneft or Gazprom?

At King and Spalding in 2009, Wray described one American citizen client as an "energy company president in a criminal investigation by Russian authorities." On January 12, 2017, in the midst of the so-called Russia-gate hurly-burly, the private attorney removed this information from his law firm site where it was last reported on November 18.

Wray's 68-page questionnaire submitted to the Senate Judiciary Committee lists no potential conflicts of interest. Nor does the questionnaire list Wray's previous Russian-related client or any of his firm's representation of Russian state-run companies, or the word "Russian" in any other form or context. King & Spalding has half a dozen attorneys practicing in its Moscow office.

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This is a reprint from NewsBred.

Amir Khusro is a legend for good reason. This Sufi giant of the 13th century had his Urs celebrated in Hazrat Nizamuddin dargah in Delhi on Saturday. The Indian media hailed him as the champion of India's unique "composite culture," which is being threatened in their vicious propaganda, by the BJP at the Centre.

Khusro deserves all the accolades for introducing "Urdu," "qawaalis," the instruments of tabla and sitar, and the musical genres of Khayal and Taraana in India . His ghazals, Masnavi (poems in Persians), and Rubai are landmarks. But don't be a sucker to this "composite culture" nonsense.

Khusro was anything but the champion of "composite culture," over which Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru swooned in his Discovery of India. Nehru was just one in a long line of historians and academicians who created, swallowed, and spread the bogus credentials of Khusro as a shining symbol of "composite culture." We have all grown up reading in our school textbooks about Khusro and his "composite culture." These "secularists" and their unholy child, Indian media, would invent new phrases but never criticize the Islamic intolerance as and when it occurred.

Dr. Rajendra Prasad, India 's first President, wrote, "The beginning of India 's composite culture could be traced to Amir Khusro's efforts." But this is what Khusro himself said:

"Had not the law granted exemption from death by payment of poll-tax (jizia), the very name of Hindu, root and branch, would have been extinguished."

Further, Khusro's views on Hindu temples, as cited below, tell their own tale:

"There were many capitals of Devs where Satanism had prospered from the earliest times, but now, with a sincere attempt, the Emperor removed these symbols of infidelity."

Khusro outdid himself in his contempt for Hindu women and their veneration for the "Ling Mahadeo." For example, he wrote:

"The stone idols called Ling Mahadeo, "o n which women of the infidels (Hindus) rubbed their vaginas for (sexual) satisfaction.' The Musalmans destroyed all the lingas . . . and the Deo Narain fell down."

In Khusro's views, Muslims were "masters" and Hindus "slaves." For example:

"Turk is like a tiger and the Hindu a deer. "Hindus exist for the sake of the Turks. Hindu happens to be a slave in all respects--it does not become one to scowl at a goat which is being reared for one's meals." (That's why, Mr. Saif Ali Khan, Hindus have taken an exception to your naming your son Taimur, for his name is a symbol of Islamic atrocities against the original inhabitants of this land).

Do you see any sign of "composite culture" in these utterances of Khusro?

This is what perplexed the famous historian R. C. Majumdar (who refused to write history as Indira Gandhi wanted at one time--By the way, does Sagarika Ghose mention this in her book on Indira?). How come Khusro could never appreciate the architectural marvels of Hindus? Why do his literary and artistic accomplishments contain no Hindu poetry, Puranic or Bhakti ideals, or Upanishadic mysticism? Without such inclusion, could he be described as the rockstar of "composite culture"?
From Truthdig



(Image by Mr. Fish / Truthdig) Details DMCA



TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- Eugene Victor Debs, whose home is an infrequently visited museum on the campus of Indiana State University, was the most important political figure of the 20th century. He built the socialist movement in America and was eventually crucified by the capitalist class when he and hundreds of thousands of followers became a potent political threat.

Debs burst on the national stage when he organized a railroad strike in 1894 after the Pullman Co. cut wages by up to one-third but did not lower rents in company housing or reduce dividend payments to its stockholders. Over a hundred thousand workers staged what became the biggest strike in U.S. history on trains carrying Pullman cars.

The response was swift and brutal.

"Mobilizing all the powers of capital, the owners, representing 24 railroads with combined capital of $818,000,00, fought back with the courts and the armed forces of the Federal government behind them," Barbara W. Tuchman writes in The Proud Tower: A Portrait of the World Before the War, 1890-1914... "Three thousand police in the Chicago area were mobilized against the strikers, five thousand professional strikebreakers were sworn in as Federal deputy marshals and given firearms; ultimately six thousand Federal and State troops were brought in, less for the protection of property and the public than to break the strike and crush the union."

Attorney General Richard Olney, who as Tuchman writes "had been a lawyer for railroads before entering the Cabinet and was still a director of several lines involved in the strike," issued an injunction rendering the strike illegal. The conflict, as Debs would write, was a battle between "the producing classes and the money power of the country."

Debs and the union leaders defied the injunction. They were arrested, denied bail and sent to jail for six months. The strike was broken. Thirty workers had been killed. Sixty had been injured. Over 700 had been arrested. The Pullman Co. hired new workers under "yellow dog contracts," agreements that forbade them to unionize.

When he was in jail, Debs read the works of socialist writers Edward Bellamy and Karl Kautsky as well as Karl Marx's "Das Kapital." The books, especially Marx's three volumes, set the "wires humming in my system."

"I was to be baptized in Socialism in the roar of the conflict. ... [I]n the gleam of every bayonet and the flash of every rifle the class struggle was revealed," he writes. "This was my first practical lesson in Socialism."

Debs came to the conclusion that no strike or labor movement could ultimately be successful as long as the government was controlled by the capitalist class. Any advances made by an organized working class would be reversed once the capitalists regained absolute power, often by temporarily mollifying workers with a few reforms. Working men and women had to achieve political power, as the Labour Party was attempting to do at the time in Britain, or they would forever be at the mercy of the bosses.

Debs feared the rise of the monolithic corporate state. He foresaw that corporations, unchecked, would expand to "continental proportions and swallow up the national resources and the means of production and distribution." If that happened, he warned, the long "night of capitalism will be dark."

This was a period in American history when many American Christians were socialists. Walter Rauschenbusch, a Christian theologian, Baptist minister and leader of the Social Gospel movement, thundered against capitalism. He defined the six pillars of the "kingdom of evil" as "religious bigotry, the combination of graft and political power, the corruption of justice, the mob spirit (being 'the social group gone mad') and mob action, militarism and [lastly] class contempt."

Debs turned to the Bible as often to Marx, arguing, "Cain was the author of the competitive theory" and the "cross of Jesus stands as its eternal denial." Debs' fiery speeches, replete with words like "sin" and "redemption," were often thinly disguised sermons. He equated the crucified Christ with the abolitionist John Brown. He insisted that Jesus came "to destroy class rule and set up the common people as the sole and rightful inheritors of the earth. What is Socialism?" he once asked. "Merely Christianity in action." He was fond of quoting the poet James Russell Lowell, who writes:

"He's true to God who's true to man;

Whenever wrong is done.

To the humblest and the weakest,

'neath the all-beholding sun.

That wrong is also done to us,

And they are slaves most base,

Whose love of right is for themselves

And not for all the race."

It was also a period beset with violence, including anarchist bombings and assassinations. An anarchist killed President William McKinley in 1901, unleashing a wave of state repression against social and radical movements. Striking workers engaged in periodic gun battles, especially in the coalfields of southern West Virginia, with heavily armed company goons, National Guard units, paramilitary groups such as the Coal and Iron Police, and the U.S. Army.

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By Samuel Ssebuliba:

Police has issued an internal memo restricting all unauthorized police officers from speaking to the media.

Under police regulations only officers under the forces Public Relations Department are allowed to speak to the media with exception of the Police Chief and Directors.

Speaking to media this morning, the police spokesperson Asan Kasingye said currently all officers are giving media interviews contrary to police standards.

He said that starting today, any officer who will grant and interview to the media without authorization from the public relations department risks facing disciplinary action.
Does it seem like many supporters of Donald Trump are out of touch with reality? Why are they so dismissive of claims that Russia attacked our election? Even in the face of truly damning information about how the Donald Trump Jr. colluded with Russian's to get dirt on Hillary Clinton, the far right and their Representatives in Congress seem unmoved. Why?



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Map of cyber activity by Right-wing websites during the 2016 election to counter mainstream media advantage.

I set out to answer that question. Recognizing that computer algorithms currently use by social media keep me from viewing the conversations of those who don't share my views, I began reading conservative websites such as Breitbart and Info Wars for clues. I forced myself to listened to broadcasts of the Alex Jones Radio Show on Info Wars. For those who don't know him, Alex Jones is a popular right-wing talk show host. He has millions of listeners and claims those numbers are growing as Fox News numbers decline. He admonished Fox News for having lost its conservative edge. He is also the manager or owner of a number of conservative media outlets.

You probably are familiar with Breitbart. It was initially financed by recluse billionaire, Robert Mercer. Steve Bannon was the man in charge there until after this past last election.

As I browsed through these websites, one particular radio show caught my attention. I listened in detail (took notes) to a radio broadcast of Alex Jones on July 12, 2017. Using this as a starting point, after sampling other content on both Breitbart and Info Wars, some patterns emerged that I want to share.

First, the verbiage of Alex Jones' show can't be easily unpacked. It is dense with disinformation, oblique references, inflammatory innuendos and repetitive conservative and nativist memes. The overall narrative establishes and affirms an alternative frame of reference for his conservative listeners. The broadcasts contain a blitz of buzz words and references to long debunked Obama era scandals, as I would characterize them, woven into a story line that alters the context of current events. The content is clearly intended to evoke strong emotions in the listener.

But the biggest insight was that these conservative sites ring exactly the same alarm bells about democracy under attack and a pending authoritarian takeover that those on the left worry about. Info Wars also points to the same means and methods used to attack America as do the rest of us, such as disinformation programs and internet propaganda. But these conservative websites substitute Islamic jihadists for Russian oligarchs, and they substitute "Marxist" liberals for right-wing nationalists.

In effect this counter narrative creates two American world views that are mirror images. It unites us in our worst fears for American democracy while irreconcilably dividing us politically. We agree that we are at war conducted through information warfare, but we see different enemies waging that war against us and different ideas on what those foreign enemies want to accomplish. We can't come to any mutual understanding of our common fears as long as we have an entirely different framework and different sets of facts.

For factual confirmation of the conservative world view listeners are referred to other conservative websites, such as understandingthethreat.com. Here is what that site says about its founder:

John Guandolo is the Founder of UnderstandingtheThreat.com, an organization dedicated to providing strategic and operational threat-focused consultation, education, and training for federal, state and local leadership and agencies, and designing strategies at all levels of the community to defeat the enemy.

That enemy is radical Islam. Guandolo's website promotes the view that the real threats to America originates from Middle East terrorist organizations. The site has been active since June of 2012 and appears to be hosted in Montreal, Canada, according to domain registration data.

On the other side, Rachael Maddow had Michael Carpenter on her show recently. He was a U.S. Deputy Assistant Director of Defense before retirement. His take on our strategic threats places Russia at the center of the attacks on our democracy. From what he saw in the past, the cyber operations during the last election are consistent with what Russia has employed in places like the Ukraine. Typically, Russia seeks proxies and allies in the foreign countries they attack to help carry out the cyber operations. They try to penetrate the networks of insurgent political groups seeking power within their county. They do this, and help support those groups, to have influence as those groups gain power. Carpenter has no doubt that this has included infiltrating far right-wing groups in America and, by extension, the GOP.

For Alex Jones, his constellation of media outlets continue to create and maintaining this alternative world view focused on terrorists as the existential to America democracy. Those who believe this are convinced the investigations of the Trump Administration are witch hunts and that the allegations of Russian interference are smokescreens by the "deep state" to conceal a leftist Islamist takeover of America. They point to their universe of alternate facts, theories and political conspiracies to prove there is an unholy alliance between the liberal elites and Islamist jihadists seeking to impose Sharia Law on America. They deny the DNC was hacked by Russia, claiming there is no evidence. They see the accusation itself is proof of "deep state" preparations for a coup against Donald Trump. Even more moderate Republicans are held in suspicion. One guest on Alex Jones' show said, "The GOP establishment hates Trump more than MSNBC." In other words, the Republican establishment is also complicit with the liberal elites in working with Hamas and other Islamic groups to bring about an authoritarian state and Sharia Law in America. The CIA, NSA and FBI are all in on it and can't be trusted.

The Goal of Islamic radicals, according to Alex Jones, is to create chaos in America; to destabilize us so that out of the chaos jihadists can bring about revolution, an authoritarian state and implementation of Sharia Law. Rodger Stone, a guest on his show, said, The elite have to assume there will be no elections in the future, but a global takeover. An authoritarian state in America."

Alex Jones defines Sharia Law as total warfare against our culture, social institutions, political systems, military systems, our media and our American way of life. According to Jones, these jihadists are experts in political influence operations. Note that this is just what our Intelligence community is saying about Russia.

These are the alt-right media voices that conservative GOP members in the House and Senate are hearing on their radio. These are the sentiments reflected in their core constituents, their power base. Is it any wonder they hardly react to the US Intelligence community's warning about Russia? The men and women of the GOP are just as patriotic as any of us, but they are straddling two very different world views. They have to know that both worlds can't be true. Either the Russians are undermining our democracy in league with ultra conservative oligarchs to divided America, or it is the Islamic extremists doing the same thing in league with liberal Democrats and the deep state (i.e., our Intelligence community).

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Joe Biden

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Former Vice-President Joe Biden wrote an op-ed today in the Washington Post in which he excoriates Trumpcare. He tells the story of how Obamacare gave security and peace of mind to millions of Americans and how Trump and the Republicans are trying to take that away.

"As vice president, I met with Americans all across our country. What they told me over and over is that the Affordable Care Act gave them peace of mind -- that if they got sick, or if their child got sick, they could get care and not have to worry about going broke as a result. They no longer had to lay awake at night wondering: Can I pay for this treatment? What happens if she gets cancer? How will I feed my family and afford the care?

"They told me that because when the ACA became law and health-care coverage was extended to millions of people, it meant we had finally decided, as a nation, that health care is a right for all and not a privilege for the few.

"Republican leaders in Congress believe the opposite. And if they take that peace of mind away, they'll have to look Americans in the eye and explain to them that they have to start worrying again.

[snip]

"They want to drag us back to a time -- not all that long ago -- when Americans could be denied basic health care because they were unable to afford it. That's the reality of where we are today and it's enough to make your blood boil.

[snip]

"In my 36 years as a senator, I saw my colleagues take plenty of hard votes. This just isn't one of them. If Republican leadership wants to improve the ACA, let's first come to an agreement that everyone should have health coverage. Then, based on that premise, let's have a debate about how best to improve care and reduce costs. Let's again make the commitment that in America, health care is a right for all, not a privilege for the wealthy."
From The Nation

"We should study what drives people to terrorism. But this amendment didn't do that. Not equally." -- @keithellison

Ellison responded with a stinging rebuke. "This amendment stigmatizes people simply because they practice a specific religion," the Minnesota Democrat told his colleagues. "The idea that Congress is seriously considering an amendment that legislates stigmatization and hate in direct contradiction of the Constitution is outrageous."

Ellison, the first Muslim elected to the House, recalled historic instances of racial, ethnic, and religious discrimination. and warned that "when we single out a group of people and treat them differently, shameful and regrettable abuses and mistreatment follow."

"If we haven't already learned from our tattered past, when will we?" asked the congressman.

Ellison also raised concerns about the message that adoption of the amendment would could send at a time when American Muslims already face violence and discrimination:

"Rep. Franks' NDAA amendment ordering a 'strategic assessment' on Islam goes against everything we strive to be. By ordering the Department of Defense to scrutinize a single religion, identify leaders for some unknown purpose, and determine an acceptable way to practice, Congress is 'abridging the free exercise of religion,' which is constitutionally impermissible. "The FBI reported a 67 percent increase in anti-Muslim hate crimes in 2015 -- the same year Asma Jama's face was slashed with a beer mug while she was eating dinner at an Applebee's in Minnesota. Her attacker admitted in court that she attacked Asma simply because she was Muslim and not speaking English. "This rise in hate crimes isn't a surprise. Our president began his campaign spouting hate, said Islam hates America, and promised to ban Muslims. His rhetoric has contributed to the growing movement of hate in our country, and I have no doubt that some of the most notorious racist, anti-Muslim voices will be a part of the non-government assessment demanded by this amendment."

With support from Muslim groups, the American Civil Liberties Union, and his congressional Progressive Caucus colleagues, Ellison struck a chord in the House, convincing 27 Republicans to join 190 Democrats in opposing the amendment.

That meant that 217 House members embraced their oaths to defend the Constitution, while 208 Republicans rejected the dictates of First Amendment. It is, of course, unsettling that so many members of the House cast votes that were in conflict with the Bill of Rights. It is equally unsettling that victories of this sort come in the context of continued assaults on individual rights and civil society. But it is encouraging, in these times, that bipartisan support for freedom of religion prevailed.

"We should study what drives people to terrorism. But this amendment didn't do that. Not equally," Ellison tweeted after Friday morning's vote. "Glad so many of my colleagues agree."
Reprinted from www.organicconsumers.org by OrganicConsumers.org



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Regenerate--to give fresh life or vigor to; to reorganize; to recreate the moral nature; to cause to be born again. (New Webster's Dictionary, 1997)

When a reporter asked him [Mahatma Gandhi] what he thought of Western civilization, he famously replied: "I think it would be a good idea."

A growing corps of organic, climate, environmental, social justice and peace activists are promoting a new world-changing paradigm that can potentially save us from global catastrophe. The name of this new paradigm and movement is regenerative agriculture, or more precisely regenerative food, farming and land use.

Regenerative agriculture and land use encompass the traditional and indigenous best practices of organic farming, animal husbandry and environmental conservation. Regeneration puts a central focus on improving soil health and fertility (recarbonizing the soil), increasing biodiversity, and qualitatively enhancing forest health, animal welfare, food nutrition and rural (especially small farmer) prosperity.

The basic menu for a Regeneration Revolution is to unite the world's 3 billion rural farmers, ranchers and herders with several billion health, environmental and justice-minded consumers to overturn "business as usual" and embark on a global campaign of cooperation, solidarity and regeneration.

According to food activist Vandana Shiva, "Regenerative agriculture provides answers to the soil crisis, the food crisis, the health crisis, the climate crisis, and the crisis of democracy."

So how can regenerative agriculture do all these things: increase soil fertility; maximize crop yields; draw down enough excess carbon from the atmosphere and sequester it in the soils, plants and trees to re-stabilize the climate and restore normal rainfall; increase soil water retention; make food more nutritious; reduce rural poverty; and begin to pacify the world's hotspots of violence?

First, let's look at what Michael Pollan, the U.S.'s most influential writer on food and farming, has to say about the miraculous regenerative power of Mother Nature and enhanced photosynthesis:

Consider what happens when the sun shines on a grass plant rooted in the earth. Using that light as a catalyst, the plant takes atmospheric CO2, splits off and releases the oxygen, and synthesizes liquid carbon--sugars, basically. Some of these sugars go to feed and build the aerial portions of the plant we can see, but a large percentage of this liquid carbon--somewhere between 20 and 40 percent--travels underground, leaking out of the roots and into the soil. The roots are feeding these sugars to the soil microbes--the bacteria and fungi that inhabit the rhizosphere--in exchange for which those microbes provide various services to the plant... Now, what had been atmospheric carbon (a problem) has become soil carbon, a solution--and not just to a single problem, but to a great many problems.

Besides taking large amounts of carbon out of the air--tons of it per acre when grasslands [or cropland] are properly managed" that process at the same time adds to the land's fertility and its capacity to hold water. Which means more and better food for us...



This process of returning atmospheric carbon to the soil works even better when ruminants are added to the mix. Every time a calf or lamb shears a blade of grass, that plant, seeking to rebalance its "root-shoot ratio," sheds some of its roots. These are then eaten by the worms, nematodes, and microbes--digested by the soil, in effect, and so added to its bank of carbon. This is how soil is created: from the bottom up... For thousands of years we grew food by depleting soil carbon and, in the last hundred or so, the carbon in fossil fuel as well. But now we know how to grow even more food while at the same time returning carbon and fertility and water to the soil .

A 2015 article in the Guardian summarizes some of the most important practices of regenerative agriculture:

Regenerative agriculture comprises an array of techniques that rebuild soil and, in the process, sequester carbon. Typically, it uses cover crops and perennials so that bare soil is never exposed, and grazes animals in ways that mimic animals in nature. It also offers ecological benefits far beyond carbon storage: it stops soil erosion, re-mineralizes soil, protects the purity of groundwater and reduces damaging pesticide and fertilizer runoff."

If you want to understand the basic science and biology of how regenerative agriculture can draw down enough excess carbon from the atmosphere over the next 25 years and store it in our soils and forests (in combination with a 100-percent reduction in fossil fuel emissions) to not only mitigate, but actually reverse global warming, read this article by one of North America's leading organic farmers, Jack Kittridge.

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This article originally appeared at TomDispatch.com.

I was 12. It was 1956. I lived in New York City and was a youthful history buff. (I should have kept my collection of American Heritage magazines!) Undoubtedly, I was also some kind of classic nerd. In any case, at some point during the Suez crisis of that year, I can remember going to the U.N. by myself and sitting in the gallery of the General Assembly, where I undoubtedly heard imperial Britain denounced for its attempt to retake the Suez Canal (in league with the French and Israelis). I must admit that it was a moment in my life I had totally forgotten about until historian Alfred McCoy, whose new Dispatch Book, In the Shadows of the American Century: The Rise and Decline of U.S. Global Power, is due out in September, brought it to mind again. And I certainly hadn't imagined that Suez might have any applicability to this moment. But almost 16 years after this country's disastrous "war on terror" was launched and with yet another major Middle Eastern city in rubble, we are undoubtedly witnessing a change in the balance (or imbalance) of power on this unruly planet of ours -- and who better to make sense of it than historian McCoy?

Think of him as a modern Edward Gibbon, writing in the twenty-first century on the decline and fall of a great empire. However, unlike Gibbon, who wrote his classic book on Rome centuries after its empire had disappeared from the face of the earth, McCoy has no choice but to deal with American decline contemporaneously -- in, that is, the very act of its happening.

I had a canny friend who assured me a couple of decades ago that when European countries finally started saying no to Washington, I'd have a signal that I was on another planet. So we must now be on Mars. I was struck, for instance, by a recent piece in the Guardian describing the G20 summit as "the 'G1' versus the 'G19.'" In other words, it's increasingly Donald Trump's Washington against the world, which is the definition of how not to make an empire work. Since imperial decline may, in fact, have been a significant factor in bringing Donald Trump to power, think of him as both its harbinger and -- as McCoy so vividly describes today -- its architect. Tom

The Demolition of U.S. Global Power

Donald Trump's Road to Debacle in the Greater Middle East

By Alfred W. McCoy The superhighway to disaster is already being paved. From Donald Trump's first days in office, news of the damage to America's international stature has come hard and fast. As if guided by some malign design, the new president seemed to identify the key pillars that have supported U.S. global power for the past 70 years and set out to topple each of them in turn. By degrading NATO, alienating Asian allies, cancelling trade treaties, and slashing critical scientific research, the Trump White House is already in the process of demolishing the delicately balanced architecture that has sustained Washington's world leadership since the end of World War II. However unwittingly, Trump is ensuring the accelerated collapse of American global hegemony. Stunned by his succession of foreign policy blunders, commentators -- left and right, domestic and foreign -- have raised their voices in a veritable chorus of criticism. A Los Angeles Times editorial typically called him "so unpredictable, so reckless, so petulant, so full of blind self-regard, so untethered to reality" that he threatened to "weaken this country's moral standing in the world" and "imperil the planet" through his "appalling" policy choices. "He's a sucker who's shrinking U.S. influence in [Asia] and helping make China great again," wrote New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman after surveying the damage to the country's Asian alliances from the president's "decision to tear up the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade deal in his first week in office." The international press has been no less harsh. Reeling from Trump's denunciation of South Korea's free-trade agreement as "horrible" and his bizarre claim that the country had once been "a part of China," Seoul's leading newspaper, Chosun Ilbo, expressed the "shock, betrayal, and anger many South Koreans have felt." Assessing his first 100 days in office, Britain's venerable Observer commented: "Trump's crudely intimidatory, violent, know-nothing approach to sensitive international issues has encircled the globe from Moscow to the Middle East to Beijing, plunging foes and allies alike into a dark vortex of expanding strategic instability." For an American president to virtually walk out of his grand inaugural celebrations into such a hailstorm of criticism is beyond extraordinary. Having more or less exhausted their lexicon of condemnatory rhetoric, the usual crew of commentators is now struggling to understand how an American president could be quite so willfully self-destructive. Britain's Suez Crisis Blitzed by an incessant stream of bizarre tweets and White House conspiracy theories, observers worldwide seem to have concluded that Donald Trump is a president like no other, that the situation he's creating is without parallel, and that his foreign policy is already a disaster without precedent. After rummaging around in history's capacious closet for some old suit that might fit him, analysts have failed to find any antecedent or analogue to adequately explain him. Yet just 60 years ago, a crisis in the ever-volatile Middle East overseen by a bumbling, mistake-prone British leader helped create a great power debacle that offers insight into the Trumpian moment, a glimpse into possible futures, and a sense of the kind of decline that could lie in the imperial future of the United States. In the early 1950s, Britain's international position had many parallels with America's today. After a difficult postwar recovery from the devastation of World War II, that country was enjoying robust employment, lucrative international investments, and the prestige of the pound sterling's stature as the world's reserve currency. Thanks to a careful withdrawal from its far-flung, global empire and its close alliance with Washington, London still enjoyed a sense of international influence exceptional for a small island nation of just 50 million people. On balance, Britain seemed poised for many more years of world leadership with all the accompanying economic rewards and perks. Then came the Suez crisis. After a decade of giving up one colony after another, the accumulated stress of imperial retreat pushed British conservatives into a disastrous military intervention to reclaim Egypt's Suez Canal. This, in turn, caused a "deep moral crisis in London" and what one British diplomat would term the "dying convulsion of British imperialism." In a clear instance of what historians call "micro-militarism" -- that is, a bold military strike designed to recover fading imperial influence -- Britain joined France and Israel in a misbegotten military invasion of Egypt that transformed slow imperial retreat into a precipitous collapse. Just as the Panama Canal had once been a shining example for Americans of their nation's global prowess, so British conservatives treasured the Suez Canal as a vital lifeline that tied their small island to its sprawling empire in Asia and Africa. A few years after the canal's grand opening in 1869, London did the deal of the century, scooping up Egypt's shares in it for a bargain basement price of 4 million. Then, in 1882, Britain consolidated its control over the canal through a military occupation of Egypt, reducing that ancient land to little more than an informal colony.

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It is all about the oil. Whatever else one hears about Venezuela, it is all about the oil. That is what one needs to know first about why the U.S. Empire has Venezuela under siege. It is about the oil.

When President Trump says, "Venezuela is a mess;Venezuela is a mess, we will see what happens",it is all about the oil. When the U.S. Empire imposes sanctions on Venezuela, it is all about the oil. When the mainstream corporate media (i.e. Fake News) cries crocodile tears about democracy, human rights and political prisoners in Venezuela, it is about the oil. When the U.S. calls into session emergency meeting of the United Nations and the Organization of American States, it is about oil.

Venezuela has the largest known reserve of oil in the world, and Venezuela controls its own oil, not international corporations; and it uses its oil for the benefit of its people. The U.S. Empire instead wants to control that oil and it wants the profits from the oil to go to U.S. oil corporations, especially ExxonMobil. Everything else one hears now about Venezuela is prologue or epilogue. The main plot is about the oil.

The first scene opens with protesters screaming and yelling in the streets of Caracas. Barricades are blazing, people are choking on the smoke, and their eyes are red from teargas. Traffic is backed up for miles. It is chaos. The streets are filled with anti-government protesters, and out of sight of the mainstream media cameras are pro-government supporters. Most of the violence one sees and hears about is from the anti-government protesters, but mums the word about that from the mainstream corporate media. The mainstream corporate media is the Fake News, it is the propaganda horn for the U.S. Empire and those that really control what happens in the world.

There is blood in the streets of Venezuela, and overhead the U.S. Empire regime change vultures are circling. In the United Nations, in the Organization of American States, in the Oval Office of the White House, on the floor of the U.S. Congress, and in the Fake News people are seen wringing their hands about human rights and democracy. Tucker Carlson on Fox News is reporting about the failure of Venezuela's socialist government:

""there is no toilet paper or meat there, the currency is worthless, the murder rate is perhaps the highest in the world, the Supreme Court has tried to abolish the entire legislature for daring to oppose a dictator who's running the place into the ground, and you can go on and on and on, it is a disaster there in Venezuela."

Behind Tucker there is a scene playing. It is showing young people, all of them anti-government protesters, many wearing masks one supposes to protect their identity from what we are supposed to believe are government thugs. The protesters are throwing rocks, one supposes at government security forces. A water cannon sprays the protesters and they disperse to get away from it. Groups of protester run back and forth in the street, it is chaos, smoke is everywhere. What is it all the chaos about? The Fake News says it is all about democracy, the economy and human rights violations from a tyranical government. It isn't.

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Goose Creek, SC (29445)

Today

Cloudy with periods of light rain. High 77F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low 64F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.
Goose Creek, SC (29445)

Today

A few passing clouds, otherwise generally sunny. High 77F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph..

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Partly cloudy skies in the evening, then becoming cloudy overnight. Low 54F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.
By Ritah Kemigisa:

Striking State Prosecutors have made fresh demands to government.

They have proposed that the highest paid prosecutor who is the DPP to be paid Shs37.1M while the lowest paid earns a monthly salary of Shs4.9M.

The figures were revealed by the chairperson Uganda Association of Prosecutors Baxter Bakibinga at an extra ordinary general Assembly they convened in Kampala this monring.

Bakibinga says the proposed salaries include basic salary and the professional allowance which he says must take immediate effect.

The other proposals are that the Principle State Attorneys salary be raised to Shs14.3M, Senior Principle State attorney at 19.9M, senior state prosecutor at 5.9M, Chief State Attorney who is yet to be proposed at 22.7M, and Deputy Director of public prosecutions at 34.3M among others.

Meanwhile Bakibinga adds that four committees have been established to ensure the prosecutors demands yield success.

Last week the prosecutors went on strike demanding salary increment, promotions, tax exemption and nonwage benefits.

Although government last week yielded to their demands and promised to raises their pay, the prosecutors are yet to vote on whether to suspend or continue with the strike in this extra ordinary general Assembly.

Related Stories:

PM to meet state prosecutors to address pay rise

Government to consider a pay rise for state prosecutors
Sea Jellies Illuminated coming to Sea World

Sea World has partnered with Griffith University to bring the beauty and wonder of sea jellies to life with the announcement of the Sea Jellies Illuminated exhibit opening in April 2018.

Sea Jellies Illuminated will feature an array of sea jelly displays and educational elements to take Sea World guests on an illuminating journey as they delve into the fascinating underwater world of these aquatic animals.

This unique and exciting exhibit will also incorporate a working research laboratory that will be on display allowing guests to view Griffith University students undertaking research into the fascinating world of sea jellies.

Sea World Director of Marine Sciences, Trevor Long said this fascinating exhibit will provide greater public awareness and education about a varying species of jellies.

Sea Jellies rank among the most fascinating creatures of the sea and this exhibit will provide guests with an opportunity to get an up-close look at the incredibly interesting species, he said.

Article continues below

The exhibit will house a variety of local Australian species such as the Blue Blubber (Catostylus sp.), the Moon jelly (Aurelia aurita), Upside Down jellies (Cassiopea sp.) and Irukanji, of which polyps are currently being cultured in Griffith School of Environment labs.

Coinciding with the exhibit, Griffith University will also establish a working research centre which will allow scientists to learn more about the species.

We have also partnered with Surf Life Saving Queensland on this exhibit which will enable us to educate guests about symptoms of stings and what to do if stung while using the marine environment.

Griffith University Senior Deputy Vice Chancellor Ned Pankhurst said not only would the partnership encourage students into marine science and biology degrees, it would enhance the calibre of Griffiths research facilities.

This exciting partnership provides substantial expansion of our research infrastructure and capabilities and a demonstrable commercial impact of our work that will ultimately lead to increased public education and awareness of the important work undertaken by both organisations, he said.

Lead researcher Associate Professor Kylie Pitt said the new lab would not just be limited to jellyfish research currently undertaken by her team.

Researchers will have access to the Sea World boats and the infrastructure at Sea World, and in return well be able to collaborate and work alongside their team to develop innovative solutions to maximise Sea Worlds conservation efforts, she said.

This is about engaging the public with science  thats the really novel part  theyll be educated as they pass through the exhibit, not just about jellies but about marine environment issues.

Surf Life Saving Queensland Chief Operating Officer, George Hill ESM said the exhibit is an unprecedented opportunity to educate the public on safe co-existence with marine jellies in their environment.

There are a lot of myths and misconceptions surrounding sea jellies and treatment, and an opportunity to educate the public on sting prevention, the right treatment and more importantly identifying dangerous species like Irukandji, is vital to our vision at SLSQ, he said.

Artist's rendering of the front facade for Sea Jellies Illuminated.

Sea Jellies Illuminated replaces the indoor section of Creatures of the Deep, underneath the front monorail station.

Sea Jellies Illuminated will feature many tanks of jelly fish.

Numerous species will be on display.

The exhibit also includes a chance to look into the real lab where Griffith University students research the creatures.
Five people were seriously wounded when a mini-bus and a VW Passat saloon car collided head-on at Wumenu, along the Ho-Aflao road, in the Volta Region, on Friday.



According to a police spokesman, the private car, with registration number GR 2744 -15, which was travelling from Ho direction, was dodging potholes in its lane and in the process ran into the mini-bus from the opposite direction of the road.



At the time of filing this report, the police spokesperson said that the injured persons, including the driver of the private car, were on admission at the Volta Regional Hospital, Ho.



The driver of the mini-van has been treated and discharged, the spokesman added.



He told The Ghanaian Times that earlier reports, which claimed that a child on the mini-bus was killed in the late afternoon accident, was yet to be confirmed, as investigations continued.

Source: The Ghanaian Times









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The Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament and Member of Parliament (MP) for the Nadowli-Kaleo Constituency, Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin has called for a paradigm shift in the national thinking and dependability on natural resources as the solution to ending the countrys developmental challenges.



Rather than focusing on natural resources to turn the countrys fortunes around, the respected legislator believes quality education holds the key to moving Ghana to the next pedestal on its developmental ladder.



Speaking in the Upper West Regional capital, Wa, at a recent event to launch activities marking his Silver Jubilee in Parliament and his Sixtieth birthday celebrations, Honourable Bagbin stated that the fact that a country is resource rich does not necessarily make the country rich.



The event which was organized by the Youth Advocates for Social Democracy (YASOD), a civil society organization committed to entrenching democratic values among all socialist-oriented thinkers and the Ghanaian populace as a whole, forms part of a year-long programme to celebrate the long-serving MPs dedicated service to the nation.



Present at the gathering were traditional rulers, the deputy Upper West Regional Minister, religious leaders, former and present Members of Parliament, representatives of political parties and the media. The programme also saw large attendance from people from all over the three Northern regions.



Honourable Bagbin in a short address to thank organizers and guests at the gathering as well as his constituents for their support emphasized the fact that it is ideas, creativity, innovation and originality that develop a country not commodities.



Citing examples of countries in Africa which are endowed with huge natural resources but have failed to turn around their economies, he admonished for a redirection in the national thinking. Cocoa and gold are semi-luxury goods and cannot be relied on to rake in the necessary foreign exchange to balance our current accountsa country cannot rely on the proceeds of oil and petroleum to develop, if it were so, our neighbour, Nigeria would have been well developed by now he reiterated.



The answer to the seesaw, up and down type of development we are experiencing is quality education. He further took a swipe at the concept of free education saying the solution is not just the implementation of a free universal education for all, but a carefully thought-through home grown system of quality education based on science and technology, and anchored on a culture of integrity.



Honourable Bagbins call comes of the heels of recent uproar among a large section of the Ghanaian populace on the decision by the current government to mortgage some mineral resources of the country for financial support from China.







Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/ Twitter: @Washman5/ Instagram: Washman007









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Aaron Carter, the former pop idol who age 13 released a song about his raging house party, has been arrested on DUI and drug charges in the United States, literally one week after he bragged about not getting any DUIs.

The Associated Press reports that the 29-year-old and his girlfriend, Madison Parker, were arrested on Saturday in Georgia. He has been accused of driving while drunk and possessing less than one ounce of marijuana and paraphernalia.

His mugshot is something else.

He was released on bail Sunday, but Parker, while eligible for bail, has not been released, and remains in jail for unknown reasons.



Carter was scheduled to perform in Kansas City, Missouri in Saturday night but tweeted that he wouldnt be able to make it because of transportation issues. That tweet  in fact, his entire account  has since been deleted.

[The rest of that tweet said: back soon. He apologises to his fans in KC and Mix93.3.]

So about that whole Ill never get a DUI thing. TMZ randomly accosted both Carter and Parker the other day, and asked them to comment on Shia LeBeoufs recent charges.

You wont catch ME getting any DUIs, he told the camera, failing to grasp that none of LeBoufs several charges were a DUI, either. I dont even drink.



Aaron Carter got arrested? Guess his party was too much. ???? pic.twitter.com/1Cqw73VkYV  Gracie! (@bakedzito) July 16, 2017



Photo: Supplied.
The list of banned items found in the Department of Corrections prison facility now includes a possible high-tech drug mule  a drone.

The discovery of the drone Friday night followed the 26 ongoing cases DOC is investigating, which involve smuggling of drugs, cellphones and other contraband into the island's prison since January this year.

The department has also launched an investigation into correction officers' discovery of the drone, DOC confirmed yesterday.

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In recent months, more than a dozen cases involving use of the drones to smuggle drugs, pornographic materials and other contraband into U.S. mainland prisons have been reported.

"We recognize the advancing methods used to infiltrate corrections facilities across the country," said DOC Deputy Director Kate Baltazar.

"DOC remains ever-diligent and steadfast in ensuring safety and increasing contraband interdiction," she added.

'An emerging threat'

The use of drones as high-tech drug mules became apparent to U.S. law enforcement a few years ago. In one instance, in August 2015, the Justice Department announced that two men pleaded guilty to smuggling 28 pounds of heroin from Mexico into the United States using drones.

In the 2015 case, the Justice Department called "the use of drones to smuggle drugs across the U.S.-Mexico border ... an emerging threat."

At the Guam prison facility in Mangilao, the officers were conducting a perimeter check when they found the drone, or quadcopter, that "crashed" at the prison compound around 6:45 p.m., near housing unit Post 5, according to a statement from the Department of Corrections.

"Further checks along the perimeter did not reveal who was operating the drone and no contraband was found," according to the DOC statement.

A thorough shakedown of housing unit Post 5 did not yield any findings of contraband, according to the department.

"The Department of Corrections takes these incidents very seriously and the director of corrections has launched an internal affairs investigation into this incident," Baltazar added.

The Justice Department noted that because security on the ground has tightened, criminals and their enterprises have become creative with using drones as high-tech mules.

The island's prison has implemented heightened security checks in recent months, which included use of drug-detecting canines.

Recent smuggling cases

A former corrections officer, Ronald Pereira, 48, faces federal charges for allegedly attempting to distribute meth in the local prison on Feb. 1 this year. He allegedly used boxes of Pop-Tarts in the deliveries.

A former staffer for the local attorney general's office, Joaquin Cruz Reyes, was also charged for allegedly trying to smuggle meth into the prison, just a day before Pereira was caught.
PR-Inside.com: 2017-07-17 23:32:13

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FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for Aston Bay Holdings Ltd.--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Toronto, ON (FSCWire) - Aston Bay Holdings Ltd. (TSX Venture:BAY). has issued a press release with the following headline:Aston Bay Holdings Closes Second Tranche of Non-Brokered Offering of $131,500 for Total Gross Proceeds of $2,227,846To 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 Aston Bay Holdings Ltd., 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/Aston Bay Holdings Ltd.Source: Aston Bay Holdings Ltd. (TSX Venture: BAY)Date: July 17, 2017Time: 5:32 PM EDT--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of Aston Bay Holdings Ltd. 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: 2017-07-17 20:19:01

PARIS, July 17, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BNP Paribas today announced a settlement with the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System ("FRB") relating to past misconduct in its foreign exchange business.

Under this settlement with the FRB, BNP Paribas will pay a fine of USD 246 million (approximately 215 million euros) which will be covered by existing provisions. This follows the announcement by BNP Paribas of a settlement with the New York State Department of Financial Services on the 24th May relating to the same issue.

In reaching this settlement, the FRB acknowledged the Group wide remediation initiatives and the full cooperation of BNP Paribas in the investigation.

The conduct which led to this settlement occurred during the period from 2007 to 2013. Since this time, BNP Paribas has proactively implemented extensive measures to strengthen its systems of control and compliance. The Group has increased resources and staff dedicated to these functions, conducted extensive staff training and launched a new Code of Conduct which applies to all staff.

BNP Paribas deeply regrets the past misconduct which was a clear breach of the high standards on which the Group operates.

Conducting its business in a responsible and ethical manner is a cornerstone of BNP Paribas' values and the Group will continue to make improvements to ensure that it delivers on its responsibilities to all its stakeholders.

About BNP Paribas

BNP Paribas is a leading bank in Europe with an international reach. It has a presence in 74 countries, with more than 192,000 employees, including more than 146,000 in Europe. The Group has key positions in its three main activities: Domestic Markets and International Financial Services (whose retail-banking networks and financial services are covered by Retail Banking & Services) and Corporate & Institutional Banking, which serves two client franchises: corporate clients and institutional investors. The Group helps all its clients (individuals, community associations, entrepreneurs, SMEs, corporates and institutional clients) to realise their projects through solutions spanning financing, investment, savings and protection insurance. In Europe, the Group has four domestic markets (Belgium, France, Italy and Luxembourg) and BNP Paribas Personal Finance is the leader in consumer lending. BNP Paribas is rolling out its integrated retail-banking model in Mediterranean countries, in Turkey, in Eastern Europe and a large network in the western part of the United States. In its Corporate & Institutional Banking and International Financial Services activities, BNP Paribas also enjoys top positions in Europe, a strong presence in the Americas as well as a solid and fast-growing business in Asia-Pacific.
PR-Inside.com: 2017-07-17 21:00:15

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FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for Cielo Waste Solutions Corp.--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Vancouver, British Columbia (FSCWire) - Cielo Waste Solutions Corp. (CSE:CMC). has issued a press release with the following headline:Cielo Advances Construction of First Garbage to High Grade Renewable Diesel Refinery Through First Tranche Gross Proceeds of $850,000 and Debenture Conversion of $125,000To view this press release on the FSCwire website, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:If you would prefer, you can also view this press release as a PDF file, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:For more information on Cielo Waste Solutions Corp., or to see additional press releases issued by this company, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser: http://www.fscwire.com/public-company/Cielo Waste Solutions Corp.Source: Cielo Waste Solutions Corp. (CSE: CMC)Date: July 17, 2017Time: 3:00 PM EDT--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of Cielo Waste Solutions Corp. and disseminated through FSCwire.About FSCwireFSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.), is a global newswire dissemination, SEDAR, SEDI, and EDGAR / XBRL service provider.FSCwire is a full service global newswire dissemination company and is fully approved by all exchanges in Canada and the U.S. Press releases can be distributed for all sizes of public, private or not for profit companies and any other organization requiring news distribution. In addition to individual companies; public relations, communications and investor relations firms trust FSCwire to distribute press releases for their respective clients.In addition to newswire dissemination FSCwire also offers EDGAR, XBRL, SEDAR, SEDI, and additional services for publicly traded companies. For more information, please go to our website: http://www.fscwire.com Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2017 - FSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.)
PR-Inside.com: 2017-07-17 14:35:01

Joint Customers to Realize Several Advantages, Including Enhanced "Digital Trust"

DETROIT, July 17, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Compuware Corporation, the world's leading mainframe-dedicated software company, is pleased to announce Day One support of IBM's new z14 mainframe. The z14's new features, particularly greater security enabled through pervasive encryption, will help Compuware customers optimize "digital trust"-heightening user confidence that their sensitive data is being kept safe and secure. Additional hardware capacity and performance optimizations will also help customers more fully leverage their mainframes as a competitive asset.

"The digital economy has fundamentally re-shaped the competitive landscape. When it comes to time-to-market for innovative products and services, big doesn't beat small; rather, fast beats slow," says Christopher O'Malley, CEO, Compuware. "By modernizing their mainframe tools and processes, along with the platform itself, our customers can be both big and fast. The z14 addresses yet another value attribute-trust beats doubt-and our shared customers can now benefit from this truly winning combination."

While the mainframe has long been known for its superior security, IBM's new pervasive encryption will provide extensive encryption of data, both in-flight and at-rest. This further maximizes protection for the majority of corporate data worldwide which continues to reside on mainframes. This enhancement aligns with Compuware's recent announcement of Application Audit, a product that provides end-to-end visibility into privileged user behavior in order to safeguard against insider threats to mainframe applications and data.

Additionally, Topaz, Compuware's most innovative suite of solutions, makes it easier for organizations to understand and work with mainframe applications, as well as, access mainframe data quickly for various purposes, including Big Data analytics. These capabilities are critical for speedier and more accurate program analysis, reducing the risk associated with updating undocumented applications while enabling strategic business decisions to be made in real-time.

Compuware worked in collaboration with IBM to ensure our breadth of solutions work seamlessly upon customer migration to the new z14 hardware platform. Compuware products transform the overall value of z Systems by enabling DevOps teams to efficiently control source code, work on any application even if poorly documented and eliminate development throughput and operational performance bottlenecks.

Compuware Corporation

Compuware empowers the world's largest companies to excel in the digital economy by fully leveraging their high-value mainframe investments. We do this by delivering highly innovative solutions that uniquely enable IT professionals with mainstream skills to manage mainframe applications, data, and platform operations. Learn more at compuware.com.

Follow us on:

Press Contact

Kristina LeBlanc, The Medialink Group, kristinawleblanc@gmail.com, (508) 930-5636

Mary McCarthy, Public Relations Manager, Compuware, mary.mccarthy@compuware.com, (313) 227-7088

For Sales and Marketing Information

Compuware Corporation, One Campus Martius, Detroit MI 48226, 800-521-9353, compuware.com.

Copyright  2017 Compuware Corporation. Compuware, the Compuware logo, and Topaz are registered or pending registration with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and may be registered or pending registration in other countries.
PR-Inside.com: 2017-07-17 21:46:01

Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. Announces Second Quarter 2017 Investor Call

MEDIA CONTACT

Maitland

James Devas, +44 20 7379 5151

Media-pershingsquareholdings@maitland.co.uk

Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. (LN:PSH) (NA:PSH) will host its quarterly investor conference call on 16 August 2017 at 17:00 CEST (11:00 EDT). During the call, Bill Ackman and the other members of the Pershing Square investment team will provide an update on the portfolio and address questions e-mailed in advance by investors to ir@persq.com.

An audio webcast of the conference call will be available on PSH's website at www.pershingsquareholdings.com. The conference call will also be available by phone. The dial-in details will be available at www.pershingsquareholdings.com on 14 August 2017.

Following the call, a replay of the event will be available by audio webcast until 31 August 2017 at 5:59 CEST (30 August 2017 - 23:59 EDT). To access the audio webcast, please visit PSHs website at www.pershingsquareholdings.com.

About Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd.

Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. (LN:PSH) (NA:PSH) is an investment holding company structured as a closed ended fund that makes concentrated investments principally in North American companies.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201707170061
PR-Inside.com: 2017-07-17 18:17:14

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FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for PPX Mining Corp.--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Vancouver, British Columbia (FSCWire) - PPX Mining Corp. (TSX Venture:PPX). has issued a press release with the following headline:PPX Announces AGM ResultsTo view this press release on the FSCwire website, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:If you would prefer, you can also view this press release as a PDF file, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:For more information on PPX Mining Corp., or to see additional press releases issued by this company, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser: http://www.fscwire.com/public-company/PPX Mining Corp.Source: PPX Mining Corp. (TSX Venture: PPX, WKN: A2APYX, ISIN: CA69354U1003)Date: July 17, 2017Time: 12:17 PM EDT--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of PPX Mining Corp. and disseminated through FSCwire.About FSCwireFSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.), is a global newswire dissemination, SEDAR, SEDI, and EDGAR / XBRL service provider.FSCwire is a full service global newswire dissemination company and is fully approved by all exchanges in Canada and the U.S. Press releases can be distributed for all sizes of public, private or not for profit companies and any other organization requiring news distribution. In addition to individual companies; public relations, communications and investor relations firms trust FSCwire to distribute press releases for their respective clients.In addition to newswire dissemination FSCwire also offers EDGAR, XBRL, SEDAR, SEDI, and additional services for publicly traded companies. For more information, please go to our website: http://www.fscwire.com Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2017 - FSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.)
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FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for Renforth Resources Inc.--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Toronto, Ontario (FSCWire) - Renforth Resources Inc. (CSE:RFR). has issued a press release with the following headline:Renforth Options West Malartic to SoquemTo view this press release on the FSCwire website, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:If you would prefer, you can also view this press release as a PDF file, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:For more information on Renforth Resources Inc., or to see additional press releases issued by this company, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser: http://www.fscwire.com/public-company/Renforth Resources Inc.Source: Renforth Resources Inc. (CSE: RFR)Date: July 17, 2017Time: 8:00 AM EDT--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of Renforth Resources Inc. and disseminated through FSCwire.About FSCwireFSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.), is a global newswire dissemination, SEDAR, SEDI, and EDGAR / XBRL service provider.FSCwire is a full service global newswire dissemination company and is fully approved by all exchanges in Canada and the U.S. Press releases can be distributed for all sizes of public, private or not for profit companies and any other organization requiring news distribution. In addition to individual companies; public relations, communications and investor relations firms trust FSCwire to distribute press releases for their respective clients.In addition to newswire dissemination FSCwire also offers EDGAR, XBRL, SEDAR, SEDI, and additional services for publicly traded companies. For more information, please go to our website: http://www.fscwire.com Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2017 - FSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.)
Kendallville, IN (46755)

Today

Mostly cloudy with snow flurries and snow showers, especially in the afternoon. High 38F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 50%..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy with snow flurries and snow showers, especially overnight hours. Low 28F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 50%. Snow accumulations less than one inch.
Hines has completed the acquisition of four prime retail properties located in Copenhagen's premier shopping area for 62 million (DKK 460m) on behalf of the Hines Pan-European Core Fund (HECF). The assets were purchased from a fund advised by Meyer Bergman.

The portfolio comprises four fully let p...

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Rockspring Property Investment Managers LLP has completed three new lettings totalling 1,350 sqm across two floors, at Le Mirage, an multi-let office building in Utrecht. The new tenants include Cycleon Netherlands B.V., a supply chain and service integrator, the recruitment agency Timing, and software company Bloxs. The lettings add to

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Swedbank in Lithuania has agreed with JSC Investmira, a subsidiary of Lords LB Special Fund I, a fund, managed by Lords LB Asset Management, on a 30 million long term financing. The loan will finance the construction of a multifunctional complex in Konstitucijos av. in Vilnius, comprised of A class

Photos: Studio Libeskind



[]
Welcome to our Fall 2017 Childrens Announcements issue! Bridging old and new themes in bookselling, we spoke with some of the nations oldest childrens specialty bookstores about keeping current in the ever-evolving indie landscape. In another feature, we take a look at new subscription boxes, flash sales, and other nontraditional avenues for reaching customers. We also profile the prolific Jason Reynolds, who has three books due out this fall. Finally, we asked a number of publishing professionals to look back on memorable meetings with their literary idols. All this plus our comprehensive A-to-Z listings of titles being released by childrens and YA publishers between Aug. 1, 2017, and Jan. 31, 2018. Happy reading!

Lessons from the Countrys Oldest Childrens Bookstores

We checked in with some longstanding childrens specialty stores that have successfully weathered major changes in the businessand remain vital in their communities.

New E-Commerce Opportunities for Kids' Books

Childrens publishers look to subscription boxes, flash sales sites, and other channels for incremental sales and exposure.

Jason Reynolds Is the Hardest-Working Man in Washington

With three new books coming out this fall, the prolific author continues to exceed his limits.

Kids' Book Experts Meet Their Idols

Publishers from a number of houses recall their early encounters with the literary luminaries they loved in their youth.

Fall 2017 Children's Announcements: Publishers A-F

Fall 2017 Children's Announcements: Publishers G-M

Fall 2017 Children's Announcements: Publishers N-R

Fall 2017 Children's Announcements: Publishers S-Z

Spring 2018 Children's Sneak Previews

About Our Cover Artist

Its been a busy three years for Mike Curato since being named a PW Flying Start for his debut picture book, Little Elliot, Big City, about the adventures of a polka-dotted elephant in New York City. Curato currently has four published books out in the world, with another two to be released next month. Thats six in three years, and there are two more in the pipeline for 2018. Also on the drawing board is an LGBTQ-themed YA graphic novel. I work on it when I can, he says, but it keeps getting pushed.

Creating picture books has proved fulfilling for Curato on a number of levels. I enjoy how picture books are made for children but accessible for everyone, he says. I love the universality of the medium. And I love making art. It just seems my favorite way of making art is via storytelling.

One frequent pastime is browsing picture books in bookstores and in libraries and getting more familiar with various artists. At the library, he says, I like to check out a pile of books by one author, and live in their worlds for a whilesee how they evolved, get to know their work better. Recent favorites include Leo Lionni (I was really inspired by how he tackled visual problems) and Jon Agee. Publishing is just so huge, he says. There are people with decades of experience Im just not familiar with. Theres so much to explore, a lot to learn.

Curato moved from Seattle to Brooklyn in 2013, after working as a graphic designer, and stayed for three years. I made a lot of picture book friends there, he says. It was so awesome, meeting people who understood my passion. That was really meaningful for me, to find my tribe. Now a resident of Northampton, Mass., where he and his husband moved a year ago, Curato says he has an extended tribe there as well. And while he sometimes misses the big city, he admits that when I lived in Brooklyn I felt like I had to try to do everythingbook events, signings, exhibits. He adds, Im at a time in my career when I need to put my head down and work.

And how does he feel about his career in picture books?

I wouldnt trade it for the world.D.R.
As winter comes to Westeros, HBO is offering pay-TV and streaming packages free across LATAM for the premiere of Game of Thrones seventh season.





The move kept the HBO/MAX package open during the weekend and today (17 July) in order to reach as many fans as possible with the premiere of Game of Thrones latest season, which aired yesterday (16 July).According to the company , a regional deal has been reached with AT&Ts DirecTV, including its Brazilian unit SKY. Besides, America Movils NET subscribers will also have free access to HBO/MAX in the Portuguese-speaking markets.In addition to region-wide agreements, some local deals have been inked in Colombia (Telefonicas Movistar, Claro and Tigo-UNE), Chile (Movistar) and Peru (Movistar and Claro), among other territories.HBO has also confirmed that its newly-deployed standalone, over-the-top (OTT) platform will deliver the first episode of Game of Thrones new season for free. The content will be available on-demand for non-subscribers until 15 August.Game of Thrones is probably HBOs most effective tool to gain awareness around the globe. Last year, the series audience increased by 29% in Latin America, with the final episode doubling pay-TV viewers.
Jimmy Swaggart Ministries 24-hour television network, SonLife Broadcasting Network (SBN), is launching on Southern Cross Austeros television network in Australia.





On the air since 2010, SBN is one of the fastest-growing Christian television networks in the United States. Today, more than 280 million households worldwide have access to SBN through its multiple cable and satellite providers, as well as over-the-air. The new deal means that two million Australian homes will gain access to SBN. We are thrilled to offer our programming to our friends in Australia, Swaggart commented. Theyve been asking for SBN for quite some time, and were so happy to tell them that were finally on in their region.Added Southern Cross Austereo head of regional media Rick Lenarcic: We welcome the SonLife Broadcasting Network to Australia. We are delighted we are able to provide a home for the programming here in Australia on our regional free to air television service.
mmarturello@kpcmedia.com

ANGOLA  Mayor Dick Hickman said he is starting to reconsider his retirement from public life in lieu of current circumstances in Angola politics.

Speaking after Republicans elected Joe Hysong to the at-large seat on the Angola Common Council, Hickman told The Herald Republican that announcement of his retirement might have been premature even though a month earlier he said it was no secret that he was calling it quits after serving his fourth full term in office.

After he was elected at a Republican caucus on Wednesday, Hysong made it no secret that he was going to run for mayor in 2019. He will be attending his first Common Council meeting in his new official capacity tonight.

Hickman said he has gone from 100 percent certain he wont run again to 80 percent. He said there were recent developments that has made him lean toward seeking an unprecedented fifth term in office.

Hickman would not say what has made him start thinking about running again, though he did say if Councilwoman Kathy Armstrong or Councilman Dave Olson decide not to run for mayor in 2019 he would run again.

If Democrats can get Kathy or Dave Olson to run then I wont even consider it, Hickman said on Sunday. I would like one of them to run instead of me having to reconsider.

Steuben County Democratic Party Chairwoman Erika Celeste said neither have approached the party about running for mayor.

Mayor Hickman has been a great example of a mayor who put party lines aside and served the entire community. He has been a mayor for everybody, Celeste said.

Hickman has been mayor of Angola since he was appointed to the position following the death of Mayor Bill Selman in February 2001.

Hickman has been successful at the ballot box four straight election cycles following his selection to the post by a Democratic caucus.

Including Selman, Democrats have had a lock on the mayors office seven straight municipal election cycles. Prior to Selman getting first elected in 1991, there had only been one other Democrat to hold the mayors office in the citys history.
TV manufacturer VIZIO has launched a lawsuit against the so-called Netflix of China, LeEco, alleging that it committed fraud and breaches of agreement after the two companies agreed to merge.





In a complaint filed in California federal court, VIZIO alleges that after it agreed to a merger with the Chinese company, LeEco lied about its financial stability. The TV company wrote that LeEcos "far-flung corporate empire had begun to collapse due to their severe cash flow and financial problems, and that [LeEco] desperately needed to either obtain the instant financial stability, credibility and resources that a merger with VIZIO would bring, or at least to create a widespread and dramatic public impression of their own financial health and well-being to grow or continue in business that would come with the announcement of such an intended merger.VIZIO also highlights an alleged "secret plan" to use the merger "to gain or try to obtain access to VIZIOs large corporate customers and key decision makers thereat for their own purposes and by means of the confidential customer information that had been developed by VIZIO at substantial cost, time and expense".LeEco gained access to "confidential customer information, including contact information, account history, purchasing needs or requirements, contract terms, and the like, the complaint continues.The suit comes hard on the heels of a decision by a Shanghai court to freeze $182 million in assets controlled by LeEco chairman Jia Yueting over unpaid debts.The merger fell apart last year, with LeEco subject to a break-up fee of $100 million. The court papers say that LeEco proposed a "joint venture distributorship in which it would pay VIZIO $40 million, keep $10 million and put the rest into the JV.VIZIO said that LeEco was "merely engaged in subterfuge to try to reduce their liability" from $100 million to $40 million.The lawsuit is asking for the $100 million in full along with punitive damages from LeEco.
The UKs leading commercial broadcaster ITV plc has announced today that Carolyn McCall will join its board as chief executive, effective from 8 January 2018.





McCall, who takes over from previous incumbent Adam Crozier, who left in June, seven years after taking over the reins at ITV, is stepping down as CEO of low-cost airline easyJet to take up her new role.Im really pleased to be joining ITV . It is a fantastic company in a dynamic and stimulating sector, said McCall, commenting on her appointment. I am looking forward to getting to know all of the people at ITV and helping it make the most of the amazing opportunities that it has in the future.ITV chairman Peter Bazalgette, added: "In a very impressive field of high calibre candidates, Carolyn stood out for her track record in media, experience of an international operation, clear strategic acumen and strong record of delivering value to shareholders. I'm delighted we'll be working together at ITV."Prior to taking over as CEO at easyJet, a position she has held for seven years, she was group chief executive of the Guardian Media Group.McCall has also been a non-executive director of Burberry since 2014, sits on the board of the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and is a Trustee at the Royal Academy. She has previously held non-executive director roles with Lloyds TSB, Tesco and New Look.
Six Afghan girls who were earlier denied visas to attend a Washington, D.C., robotics competition were the first to be introduced during opening ceremonies of the technology and science competition.

Waving the national flag, the girls on July 16 received a loud ovation from the crowd at the FIRST Global Challenge -- a three-day international robotics competition that aims to promote science and technology.

The teams were introduced alphabetically, allowing the Afghan team to enter first among the some 163 teams entered in the event that featured participants aged 15 to 18.

The entrants included Team Hope, which consists of refugees.

The Afghan girls are entering a robot they made that can recognize blue and orange and sort balls into correct locations.

The members were greeted on July 15 at Dulles International Airport by a group of supporters, including Afghan Ambassador Hamdullah Mohib and the acting special U.S. representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Alice G. Wells.

The six girls from Herat were reportedly blocked from attending the robotics competition even after two rounds of interviews for a one-week visa.

At the urging of President Donald Trump, however, U.S. officials reversed policy and allowed the girls to enter the country for the competition.

Critics had argued that the denial of the visas was the wrong message to send to the people of Afghanistan, where U.S.-led forces have been helping to fight Taliban extremists for 16 years.

Based on reporting by AP and Politco
A ceremony has been held in Almaty to honor actor Vladimir Tolokonnikov, a prominent native of the Kazakh city who died on July 16 in Moscow.

The commemoration was held on July 17 at the Mikhail Lermontov Russian Drama Theater in Almaty.

Tolokonnikov gained enormous popularity and glory across the former Soviet Union after playing Poligraf Sharikov, the loutish dog-turned-man in Heart of A Dog, a 1988 film based on Mikhail Bulgakov's 1925 novel.

He died of heart failure at the age of 74 in Moscow, where he was shooting a new movie. Tolokonnikov will be buried in Moscow's Troyekurovskoye cemetery on July 18, family members said.

Tolokonnikov's relatives, actors of the Lermontov Theater, his fans, and ordinary Almaty residents came to the farewell ceremony. They placed flowers before his portrait and left written remarks in a book.

Tolokonnikov was born in Almaty and worked at the Lermontov Theater for more than 40 years after graduating from a drama school in Yaroslavl, Russia, in 1973.

He maintained Kazakh citizenship after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Based on reporting by Tengrinews and Kazinfo-Today
The number of civilians killed and wounded in conflict in Afghanistan in the first half of 2017 remains at the same record high level as last year, the United Nations mission in the country says.

A total of 1,662 civilian deaths were confirmed between January 1 and June 30, a 2 percent increase from the same period last year, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) says in a report released on July 17.

"The human cost of this ugly war in Afghanistan -- loss of life, destruction and immense suffering -- is too far too high, said the UN Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Afghanistan and head of UNAMA, Tadamichi Yamamoto.

The number of civilians wounded in the same period fell 1 percent to 3,581, the report says.

UNAMA highlights that 40 percent of all civilian casualties during the six months were caused by antigovernment forces using improvised explosive devices (IEDs), such as suicide bombs and pressure-plate devices -- or roadside bombs.

The figures include civilian casualties from suicide attacks and "complex attacks" -- assaults involving more than one perpetrator and at least two forms of weaponry, including IEDs -- that saw a 15 percent increase compared to the same period last year.

The highest numbers of casualties occurred in provinces of Kabul, Helmand, Kandahar, Nangarhar, Uruzgan, Faryab, Herat, Laghman, Kunduz, and Farah.

At least 92 civilians were killed and nearly 500 others injured in a single attack in the capital, Kabul, on May 31. The truck bomb attack was the single deadliest incident documented by UNAMA since 2001.

Yamamoto called on antigovernment forces to immediately stop the use of IEDs.

The report urges antigovernment forces to stop targeting civilians, and also calls on government troops to stop using weapons, including mortars and rockets in civilian populated areas.

The report commends Afghan security forces for their continued efforts to reduce civilian casualties.

UNAMA annual reports indicate that civilian casualties were on the rise from the withdrawal of many international troops from Afghanistan after 2011 and the official end of NATOs combat mission in 2014.

Since January 2009, UN figures show that more than 26,500 civilians have died and just under 49,000 have been wounded in the Afghan conflict.

The UN reports include only incidents that have been confirmed after a thorough verification process.


TBILISI -- A European Parliament member who is visiting Georgia has called for an independent investigation into the treatment of an Azerbijani journalist who says he was abducted in Tbilisi and taken to Azerbaijan against his will.

German lawmaker Rebecca Harms spoke to RFE/RL in Tbilisi on July 17.

Harms said that she plans to speak to Azerbaijani authorities about Afqan Muxtarli, who is now in pretrial detention in Azerbaijan.

Muxtarli and his wife fled to Georgia in 2015, fearing for their safety in connection with his reporting on suspected corruption in President Ilham Aliyev's circle.

Muxtarli, 43, was reported missing in Tbilisi on May 29, and Azerbaijani authorities later said he was in custody in Baku on suspicion of illegally crossing the border and smuggling money.

His wife, Leyla Mustafayeva, told journalists on July 16 that she provided Tbilisi police with photographs of Azerbaijani citizens who might have been following her husband in Tbilisi before he went missing.

EU and U.S. officials have expressed concerns over Muxtarli's safety and called on Azerbaijani authorities to release the journalist.

International rights defenders and Western governments have criticized longtime president Aliyev's government over persistent clampdowns targeting independent journalists and activists.


INDIANAPOLIS  State Sen. Sue Glick, R-LaGrange, has been officially disciplined for failing to properly manage an estate under her care as an attorney.

The Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission on Thursday ratified a conditional agreement struck between the board and Glick that suspends her from practicing law for 30 days, all of which will be stayed if she successfully completes at least two years of probation.

Glick has been practicing law in Indiana since June 1, 1978, and was LaGrange County prosecutor from 1983-90.

She has represented District 13 in the Indiana Senate since 2010. Her district covers all of Noble, LaGrange and Steuben counties, as well as the western three townships of DeKalb County.

According to the order published by the Indiana Supreme Court, Glick was retained in February 2009 to oversee an estate. From 2010-2016, she failed to keep the co-executors of the estate reasonably informed about the status of the estate, despite repeated requests from one of the executors.

She also failed to timely file income tax returns and inheritance tax returns on the estate, according to the case summation in the agreement.

The estate was closed in November 2016.

Between 1991 and 2014, Glick filed 21 separate estates in LaGrange County that had not been closed as of Oct. 24, 2016. After that date, 14 of the 21 estates were closed. None of the representatives of those 21 estates had complained of Glicks handling of the cases, the agreement states.

The disciplinary commission noted several mitigating factors, including Glicks lack of prior discipline as an attorney, restitution payments that were made, cooperation with the discipline process, remorse and progress in closing other outstanding estates.

The agreement finds Glick violated the following rules of Indiana Profession Conduct:

 Failing to act with reasonable diligence and promptness;

 Failing to keep a client reasonably informed about the status of a matter;

 Failing to comply promptly with a clients reasonable request for information; and

 Failing to expedite litigation consistent with the interests of a client.

As part of her probation, Glick must submit evidence within 90 days of her progress on the seven remaining open estates and have all of them closed by the end of the probation term.

If she fails to meet the requirements and her probation is revoked, she will be required to serve the 30-day suspension without automatic reinstatement.

Attorneys strive to adhere to a strict code in the practice of law, and I am disappointed that I failed to live up to the high professional standards which I have always tried to maintain in over thirty-nine years of practicing law, Glick said in a statement.

Since the filing of the Complaint, I have cooperated fully with the Disciplinary Commission to resolve this matter, and I deeply regret the inconvenience to my clients and any embarrassment to my fellow practitioners and the members of the legal profession, she said.
A prominent Chechen blogger, Tumso Abdurakhmanov, says he has been detained in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi.

Abdurakhmanov told RFE/RL via an audio message that he was detained in Tbilisi on July 16. It is not clear why Abdurakhmanov was detained, but he said that he is not facing potential extradition to Russia at this point.

Abdurakhmanov fled Chechnya, in Russia's North Caucasus, in November 2015 after officials there accused him of fighting alongside the extremist group Islamic State (IS) in Syria.

Abdurakhmanov has said that he has never been to Syria, and contends that the charges against him are politically motivated.

He says that he came under pressure in Chechnya after failing to clear the way on a road for a motorcade escorting Islam Kadyrov, a cousin of Moscow-backed Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov. Islam Kadyrov was Ramzan Kadyrov's chief of staff at the time.

In November 2016, Georgian authorities rejected Abdurakhmanov's request for political asylum. Abdurakhmanov appealed the decision and his appeal is currently under consideration by Georgian authorities.


A senior Iranian military commander has warned Persian Gulf countries that they need to choose between "their media" and their security if they interfere in Iran's affairs.

Major General Yahya Rahim Safavi, special military adviser to Irans supreme leader, issued the warning on November 10 in a speech that appeared to be a thinly veiled threat to Saudi Arabia, in particular, over what Tehran sees as meddling by foreign "enemies" during weeks of unrest following the death of a young woman while in the custody of Iran's notorious morality police for an alleged dress code violation.

During the speech, Safavi referred to the "countries on the southern border of the Persian Gulf" as "wretched" and warned that they would pay "compensation" if they interfere in Iran's affairs.

The threats came a day after Iran said it had designated the London-based news channel Iran International as a "terrorist" organization and that employees and those "related" to the outlet will be prosecuted. Separately, the broadcaster has said London's Metropolitan Police had informed the broadcaster of an imminent threat against two of its journalists and their families.

Iranian authorities consider Iran International TV to be affiliated with Saudi Arabia. However, in a recent statement, the station called itself "an independent Persian-language network based in Britain."

British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly on November 11 accused Iranian authorities of issuing death threats to U.K.-based journalists.

"I have summoned the Iranian charge d'affaires today after journalists working in the U.K. were subject to immediate threats to life from Iran," he wrote in a tweet. We do not tolerate threats and intimidation from foreign nations towards individuals living in the U.K.



The Iranian government has unleashed a brutal crackdown on weeks of unrest -- one of the deepest challenges to the Islamic regime since the revolution in 1979 -- that erupted following the September 16 death of Mahsa Amini while in police custody for allegedly wearing her hijab improperly.

The alleged rape of a 15-year-old Baluch girl by a local police official in the southeastern Iranian city of Zahedan on September 30 further fueled the animosity as protesters demanded accountability.



Reports on November 11 indicate that protests took place in various cities in the southeast Iranian province of Sistan-Baluchistan, including Zahedan, Saravan, Rask, Khash, Iranshahr, and Chabahar after the end of Friday Prayers.





In videos released from Iranshahr, security forces could be seen lobbing tear gas at the protesters while what seem to be gunshots can be heard in the background.





Top Iranian Sunni cleric Molavi Abdulhamid on November 11 again emphasized in his Friday Prayer sermon in Zahedan that the majority of Iranians of all religions and ethnicities are protesting the current situation, and that the authorities must listen to their message.



Earlier this month, the cleric, regarded as a spiritual leader for Irans Sunni Muslim population, said senior officials, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, were "responsible" for the killing of protesters in Zahedan and called for an immediate referendum with the presence of international observers to "change policies based on the wishes of the people."



Amnesty International has called the police reaction to the deadly clashes part of an "alarming escalation in the use of force and firearms" in dealing with protesters.



Since Amini's death, more than 300 people have been killed in the police crackdown, according to rights groups. Several thousand more have been arrested, including many protesters, as well as journalists, lawyers, activists, digital rights defenders, and others.

Written by Ardeshir Tayebi based on an original story in Persian by RFE/RL's Radio Farda
BRUSSELS -- European Union foreign ministers have unanimously backed a decision to grant Ukraine temporary trade preference for some agricultural and industrial products, following a similar decision by the European Parliament earlier this month.

Ministers from all 28 EU states adopted the decision on July 17.

Representatives of the European Parliament and the European Council are to sign the agreement during a plenary session of the parliament in Strasbourg in September, and the measures will apply for three years from the end of September.

With today's decision, we are allowing more Ukrainian products to be exported to the EU. It is our duty to support Ukraine and strengthen our economic and political ties, also in the face of the ongoing conflict on its soil," said Estonian Foreign Minister Sven Mikser, whose country currently holds the European Council presidency.

Russia seized the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine in March 2014, and a war between Kyiv's forces and Russia-backed separatists who hold parts of eastern Ukraine has killed more than 10,000 people since April 2014.

The trade proposal was made by the European Commission to improve access for Ukrainian exporters to EU markets following the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) that provisionally entered into force at the start of 2016.

Ukraine's preferential trade treatment includes annual quotas for tariff-free imports on agricultural products such as honey, wheat, corn, and barley as well as industrial goods like copper, aluminum, and fertilizers.


BRUSSELS -- The European Union and Uzbekistan are to hold the highest-level political meeting in Brussels since the death of longtime Uzbek autocrat Islam Karimov in 2016.

EU representatives are expected to raise political issues, including human rights in the tightly controlled Central Asian country, during the meeting in the evening of July 17.

Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov will represent Tashkent at the first meeting of the EU-Uzbekistan council since 2015.

EU officials have told RFE/RL of their hope for "renewed engagement" with Uzbekistan and have been encouraged by some liberal steps taken by President Shavkat Mirziyaev, who came to power after Karimov's death was announced in September.

Estonian Foreign Minister Sven Mikser, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, will chair the meeting and is expected to bring up issues including reforms, human rights, and the rule of law.

In a joint statement, the Association for Human Rights in Central Asia (AHRCA), the International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR), and Amnesty International urged the EU "to emphasize the need for concrete changes in the human rights situation in Uzbekistan."

They said the government must end the persecution of human rights defenders, journalists, and dissident voices while also ensuring that domestic and international media can operate freely and independently.

They also said Tashkent must allow an independent international inquiry into events in the eastern city of Andijon in 2005, when Uzbek security forces shot dead scores of antigovernment protesters


TBILISI -- Georgian Airways has made changes to its Tbilisi-Moscow flight schedule after Russia cut the number of flights connecting the two capitals.

Georgian Airways director Givi Davitashvili told reporters on July 16 that the new schedule would start functioning on July 17. Davitashvili added that four morning flights to Moscow from Tbilisi had been cancelled at Moscow's request.

Russia's Transport Ministry said on July 15 that it restricted Georgian Airways' flights due to Georgia's refusal to allow Russian carrier Ural Airlines to conduct flights to Tbilisi from the Zhukovsky airport near Moscow.

The status of Zhukovsky regional airport has caused several international spats.

Tajik and Israeli aviation authorities claimed the airport, which opened in May 2016, was Moscow's fourth international airport and had led to an increase in flights from Moscow.

Georgian aviation authorities have not allowed Ural Airlines to conduct flights from the airport since May, citing similar reasons.

Russia contends that Zhukovsky is not a Moscow airport because it is under the formal authority of Ramenskoye, a town outside the capital.

Georgian Airways has been the only Georgian airline company conducting flights between Tbilisi and Moscow since 2014.

With reporting by apsny and TASS
U.S. President Donald Trump's administration certified on July 17 that Iran is complying with the 2015 nuclear deal and will continue to receive nuclear-related sanctions relief, but vowed to press ahead with sanctions over ballistic missiles, fast boats, and other matters.

It was the second time since Trump took office in January that the administration has certified Iranian compliance with the agreement, which Trump promised to "rip up" and called the "worst deal ever" during the election campaign in 2016.

While certifying that Tehran has adhered to the terms of the agreement it forged with Washington and five other world powers, the administration lambasted Iran for breaching what it called "the spirit" of the deal by continuing to develop and test ballistic missiles and fast boats -- matters it said would be targeted with further sanctions.

The administration also continued to express concern about Iran's alleged human rights abuses, support for terrorism against Israel, imprisonment of U.S. citizens, and interference with freedom of navigation in the Persian Gulf.

"Iran remains one of the most dangerous threats to U.S. interests and regional stability," a senior U.S. official told reporters on condition of anonymity, adding that the administration is looking at ways to try to strengthen the deal -- which placed curbs on Iran's nuclear program in an effort to ensure it does acquire atomic weapons -- and more strictly enforce it.

The late-evening announcement came hours after Tehran's top diplomat suggested that Iran has been struggling to understand the U.S. stance on Iran since Trump took office.

"We receive contradictory signals, so we don't know how to interpret it," Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told the Council on Foreign Relations in New York.

Zarif said that while the United States may be ambivalent, "Iran is serious about the nuclear deal" and will continue to comply with its restrictions on nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of nuclear-related sanctions.

Zarif said he has not as yet spoken with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who is conducting a comprehensive review of U.S. policy toward Iran, but he is open to doing so.

"There are no communications between myself and Secretary Tillerson," he said. "It doesn't mean there can't be. The possibilities for engagement...have always been open."

By contrast, Zarif said during his years of negotiating the 2015 nuclear deal, he and former Secretary of State John Kerry "probably" spent more time with each other "than with anybody else."

Representatives of nuclear powers China, Russia, France, Britain, and the United States -- plus Germany -- are to meet in Vienna on July 21 to take stock of the deal.

Zarif said they would discuss Iran's claim that the United States has not been complying with the deal by failing to lift all sanctions against Iran. In fact, the deal does not require the United States to lift sanctions that are not related to Iran's nuclear activities.

But Zarif said that the Trump administration's moves to ratchet up nonnuclear sanctions on Iran -- along with legislation that recently passed the U.S. Senate to increase nonnuclear sanctions on Iran -- "creates the impression in Iran that the United States' hostility toward Iran will never end."

The United States says it maintains sanctions on Iran because the ballistic missiles Iran is testing have the capacity to carry nuclear warheads and can reach Israel, Tehran's foe. Iran denies that.

Zarif insisted that Iran's missiles are only intended for self-defense and he sarcastically compared Iran's homemade missiles with weapons that the United States is to supply Tehran's main rival in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia, under a recently announced $110 billion arms deal.

Noting that Iran fought an eight-year war against Iraq in the 1980s during which it endured chemical weapons attacks, Zarif said that "we need [the missiles] to make sure that another Saddam Hussein around the corner will not come and hit us again."

With reporting by AP, AFP, and Reuters
Toomaj Salehi's lyrical support for protesters in Iran has landed him behind bars before, but this time the popular rapper's fortune-telling has fans and family members fearing for his life.

Just days before his September 30 arrest, the 32-year-old Salehi released his latest music video, in which he makes foreboding predictions about the future of Iran's clerical regime if it continues its violent crackdown against ongoing anti-government demonstrations.

"I am the predictor, the fortune teller," he raps in the video for Omen, which shows him reading the patterns left in his coffee cup and warning that brute force will not prevail.

"I saw a cage in the coffee grounds -- a lion was hunting a jackal," he explains, alluding to a fairy tale about wisdom defeating physical strength. "We will rise from the bottom and target the top of the pyramid."

Salehi goes on to warn that the regime's protectors -- including the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), the Basij paramilitary forces, the Intelligence Ministry, and the state media -- will all get their day in court.

Salehi followed up on the new video by posting on social media images of him standing alongside protesters and chanting against security forces in his native city in Isfahan Province. The rapper, an ethnic Lur who was arrested last year after releasing other songs critical of the government, offered to turn himself in if protesters detained in his hometown of Shahinshahr were released.

In subsequent posts, he called the provincial authorities "cowardly vermin" and "scum who suppress and arrest [innocent] people."

Shortly afterward, Salehi went missing and has not been heard from since.

State media reported on September 30 that Salehi had been arrested, and a news agency close to the IRGC published a photo of the blindfolded rapper inside a car.

A short video later released by a press club associated with Iran's state broadcaster purports to show the rapper admitting he made a mistake.

But the reports' claims he had been caught while "illegally exiting the western borders of the country" have been fiercely disputed, and the video confession has been labeled a fake by some and a coerced confession by others.

Family members as well as Salehi's official Twitter account have said the rapper was, in fact, arrested in the southwestern Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province, hundreds of kilometers from Iran's western border.

In a statement, Salehi's uncle Eghbal Eghbali said his nephew was in the province's city of Borujen on the morning of September 30 when he wrote saying "suspicious things" were happening outside his home. Soon after, Salehi stopped communicating. Eghbali said he learned from Salehi's neighbors and friends that security personnel had arrived to take the rapper away.

Later on September 30, a prosecutor in nearby Isfahan Province was quoted by the Meezan news agency, which is close to Iran's judiciary, as saying Salehi was arrested "in one of the provinces of the country." The prosecutor alleged the rapper had played a key role in "creating disturbances and inviting and encouraging the recent disturbances in Isfahan Province and in Shahinshahr."

The official IRNA news agency, meanwhile, quoted a judiciary official from Isfahan Province as saying Salehi stood accused of "propagandistic activity against the government, cooperation with hostile governments, and the formation of illegal groups with the intention of creating insecurity in the country."

Thousands of Iranians, many of them from the younger generation, have taken to the streets in recent weeks to protest the September 16 death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died shortly after being arrested for allegedly violating Iran's hijab law requiring that women cover their hair.

As the protests have continued, the authorities have intensified their crackdown, resulting in the deaths of at least 305 people, including 41 children, according to the latest figures released by the Oslo-based Iran Human Rights (IHR) on November 6.

Salehi is among the hundreds of prominent young voices, including activists, artists, and athletes, who have been arrested for speaking out against the states bloody crackdown on the protests. Overall, activists estimate thousands of people have been arrested by the authorities since the rallies erupted.

Faced with a potential existential threat to Iran's clerical rule, 227 of 290 Iranian lawmakers this week called for even greater force by urging the judiciary to "deal decisively" with those behind the protests.

In recent years, Salehi has gained notoriety for his open opposition to the country's leadership, using his music and social media presence to take on issues that resonate with Iranian youths.

In the song Normal, he highlights the effects of poverty, saying "Our children sleep hungry at night" and asking Iran's leaders how their conscience can let them sleep.

The song Rathole, released in 2021, accuses members of the media and art community both inside and outside Iran of being an "ally of the tyrant," a reference to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

In another song, he blasts Tehran's close relationships with Moscow and Beijing, asking: "Haven't you robbed us enough? Now, you want to give away half [of our resources] to China and the rest to Russia."

Salehi was detained in September 2021 after security agents raided his home in Isfahan, with Human Rights Watch decrying the detention of the artist for "exercising his right to freedom of expression."

Salehi was charged with "spreading propaganda against the state," but after more than a week was released on bail. In January, he was sentenced to six months in prison but was released on a suspended sentence in February.

While out, he continued his work and released Omen amid the states increasingly violent crackdown on anti-government protesters.

"Someone's crime was dancing with her hair in the wind," he raps. "Someone's crime was that she was brave and criticized."

Listing a litany of violent acts carried out by the authorities against protesters, Salehi asks, "How many young people did you kill building a tower for yourself?" and predicts that next year, the 44th year of the clerical regime's rule, will be its "year of failure."

Salehi's arrest has led to widespread condemnation inside and outside Iran, and his advocates have spread the #FreeToomaj hashtag on Twitter to shed light on his situation.

His family has said they do not know Salehi's whereabouts or health, leaving them wondering if he is even alive.

But the authorities have shed some light on the fate of another Iranian rapper arrested shortly before Salehi. The judiciary announced on November 7 that Saman Yasin, a rapper from Kermanshah Province -- a northwestern region with a significant Kurdish population and that has been a focus of the government crackdown -- has been accused of waging "warfare" against Iran and acting against the country's security.

Based on reporting by RFE/RL's Radio Farda, with contributions by RFE/RL senior correspondent Michael Scollon
French President Emmanuel Macron said "nothing will ever separate" the United States and France as he hosted U.S. President Donald Trump at Bastille Day celebrations in Paris. The lavish parade on July 14 marked the storming of the Bastille during the French Revolution in 1789. This year's celebrations also commemorated the 100th anniversary of the United States' entry into World War I in 1917, which Macron said had "rescued" France. (AP)
More than 2,000 relatives gathered in the Netherlands to unveil a memorial to family members who were killed when a passenger jet was shot down by a missile over conflict-torn eastern Ukraine.

Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima on July 17 attended the ceremony the ceremony to dedicate the memorial to flight MH17's victims in Vijfhuizen park, near Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam.

Family members read the names of the 298 passengers and crew killed when the Malaysia Airlines jet was shot down during what should have been a routine flight from Schiphol to Kuala Lumpur on July 17, 2014.

Most of the passengers were Dutch but there were people of 17 nationalities on board on board the Boeing 777, including Australians, Britons, Malaysians, and Indonesians.

A total of 298 trees have been planted in the shape of a green ribbon -- one for each of the 283 passengers and 15 crew  in what organizers called a "living memorial." They said the trees will be surrounded by sunflowers, which bloom in July and will "radiate a golden glow" over the site.

Evert van Zijtveld, who lost his two teenage children in the crash, told a ceremony attended by relatives and friends of the victims that they "shall not give up and shall not be silenced until those who are responsible have been brought to justice."

"Our loved ones together went on a journey on July 17, 2014, and this memorial forest symbolically unites them again," he added.

The plane was shot down months after the start of a war between Ukrainian government forces and Russia-backed separatists who seized parts of the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk amid unrest that was fomented by Moscow.

The war has killed more than 10,000 people since April 2014 including the passengers and crew of MH17, which crashed in separatist-held territory in the Donetsk region.

An international investigative team concluded in September 2016 that the Russian-made Buk missile system that was used to down the airliner had been brought into Ukraine from Russia shortly before it was shot down and then quickly smuggled back to Russia afterward. It said the missile was fired from a field in separatist-held territory.

In a statement on July 17, European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini reiterated the bloc's "full support" for continuing investigations into the downing of the plane, saying "it is crucial that the investigators can complete their work, independently and thoroughly."

Despite voluminous evidence that it has sent troops, weapons, and other support to the separatists, Russia denies involvement in the fighting in eastern Ukraine. It has repeatedly sought to cast doubt on evidence of involvement in shooting down MH17.

"This insolent crime would not have happened if it were not for Russian aggression, a Russian installation, and a Russian rocket brought from the territory of Russia," Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said in a statement.

"Our responsibility before the victims as well as future generations is to prove to the aggressor and terrorist that it is impossible to escape liability for all the crimes it has committed," he said.

In a tweet earlier in the day, Poroshenko said: "We bow our heads before the 298 innocent victims whose heartbeats were stopped by a Russian missile three years ago."

About 15 relatives of victims demonstrated on July 16 in front of the Russian Embassy in The Hague, protesting what they called attempts by Moscow to block investigations into the disaster.

The demonstrators set a sign in front of the embassy saying: "Waiting for responsibility and full disclosure."

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop urged Russia to cooperate with new initiatives to prosecute suspected perpetrators.

In an interview on July 16, Bishop urged Russia to comply with UN Security Council resolution 2166, authored by Australia.

"That calls on all states to cooperate to ensure that those responsible for the killing are brought to justice," Bishop said. She said suspects may be tried in absentia.

No suspects have been arrested. Dutch authorities have said any eventual trials would be held in the Netherlands.


The Netherlands unveiled a memorial to the 298 people killed in the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in 2014. The passenger jet was shot down by a missile over territory controlled by pro-Russia separatists in eastern Ukraine. The victims came from 17 countries and included 196 Dutch citizens. Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima joined children and families of the victims to unveil the monument in the village of Vijfhuizen, near Amsterdam, on the third anniversary of the incident. The country's poet laureate composed a somber piece for the ceremony, and Dutch vocalist Natasja Den Toom honored the victims in song. (Reuters)
The Pakistani military says four soldiers were killed when their vehicle was struck by shelling that they blame on Indian forces in the disputed region of Kashmir.

Pakistani officials on July 16 said the vehicle dove into the Neelum River after being hit by shells fired from across the Line of Control that separates India- and Pakistan-held sectors of the mountainous region.

India's Ministry of Defense said it had no knowledge of the incident.

Pakistan said the Indian "cease-fire violation" occurred in Athmaqam in the Pakistan-administered portion of Kashmir.

"The vehicle fell into the Neelum River. Four soldiers drowned. Body of one shaheed [martyr] recovered, search for remaining three in progress," the Pakistani military said in a statement.

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif condemned the firing and "praised the prompt response by Pakistan army in thwarting the attack," his office said.

Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since the end of British colonial rule in 1947.

Both claim the territory in full and have fought two wars over the region.

Based on reporting by Reuters and AFP


Pakistani officials say at least tone soldier was killed and four others wounded when a suicide bomber hit a vehicle carrying Pakistani paramilitary force members in the morning on July 17.

The Pakistani Taliban quickly claimed responsibility for the attack in Peshawar, on the edge of the Khyber tribal area that borders Afghanistan.

Peshawar police superintendent Imran Malik said the attacker was riding a motorcycle. Two vehicles that were part of a convoy of military vehicles were damaged in the blast, police say.

The Pakistani paramilitary force, known as the Frontier Corps, is the front-line force battling militants in the countrys tribal regions stretching hundreds of kilometers along the border with Afghanistan.

The attack in Peshawar comes a day after the Pakistan Army announced it had launched an operation in Khyber to rout Islamic State (IS) militants who it said were operating in the volatile tribal area.

The local IS affiliate emerged a few years ago, mainly from disenchanted Taliban fighters.

Based on reporting by AP and dawn.com
Russian Internet personalities have rallied to the defense of a blogger, who was convicted of hate speech for a video in which he played Pokemon Go in a church, shortly after he was placed on an official government list of designated terrorists and extremists.

The video, published July 16 on the popular YouTube channel of St. Petersburg-based blogger Danila Poperechny, came days after it emerged that Ruslan Sokolovsky had been added to an official list of "terrorists and extremists" maintained by Russia's Federal Financial Monitoring Service.

Sokolovsky, 22, was convicted in May of inciting hatred and insulting believers' feelings with videos mocking religion that he published on his YouTube channel, including one showing him playing Pokemon Go in a Russian Orthodox Church.

His conviction and 3 1/2-year suspended sentence triggered widespread criticism from rights activists and discussions about whether publicly professing one's atheism is a crime in Russia, where the Orthodox Church's influence has steadily grown under President Vladimir Putin's 17 years in power.

In his appeal to the Russian government, Poperechny called Sokolovsky's listing alongside known terrorists -- including one involved in the 2004 Beslan school attack -- absurd. He urged lawmakers and officials to amend "fuzzy" anti-extremism laws long criticized by rights watchdogs as overly broad, and to remove Sokolovsky's name from the list.

"Ruslan didn't even call for [religious believers] to be killed. He didn't organize any religious persecutions. He simply expressed his opinion on his YouTube channel. And, of course, published a video in which he played a game inside of a church," Poperechny said.

"Do you understand how dangerous this person is on a government scale?" he added sarcastically.

The video, which had garnered more than 400,000 views on YouTube a day after it was published, was supported by eight other popular Russian bloggers. The group has a cumulative audience of 17.5 million people, the Russian online news site TJournal calculated.

'Harsh And Unpragmatic'

Senior Russian officials this year have publicly fretted over whether the government is effectively reaching young people who largely look to the Internet and social networks for information about what's going on in the country.

Those concerns have been amplified by nationwide protests organized by Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalny, who has deftly used his digital presence to build a youthful and loyal following with his anticorruption crusading.

Navalny on July 17 praised the video supporting Sokolovsky that Poperechny and his fellow bloggers published, calling it "excellent."

In May, Russia's lower house of parliament invited a popular video blogger known as Sasha Spilberg to speak at a hearing devoted to youth politics. In her speech, which critics called largely toothless, Spilberg called Sokolovsky "an idiot" who should be "treated or fined," but not prosecuted.

"Prosecuting people like this is harsh and unpragmatic," she said. "And it certainly doesn't engender trust among young people."

Precisely when Sokolovsky was placed on the official list of terrorists and extremists is unclear. Aleksei Bushamkov, a lawyer for the blogger, wrote on Facebook on July 14 about his client's designation, saying that all of Sokolovsky's bank accounts had been frozen.

Sokolovsky was quoted by the state-run TASS news agency as saying that "all of my [bank] cards are blocked," but that he did not know why.

Sokolovsky, whose sentence last week was reduced by more than a year, is one of numerous Internet users convicted of hate speech and other violations in Russia in recent years based on social-media posts and other online content.

Rights groups have accused authorities of carrying out a broad crackdown on online speech that has ensnared people exercising constitutionally protected speech.


The European Union and a U.S. government commission have sharply criticized a Russian Supreme Court decision that they say amounts to a nationwide ban on the Jehovah's Witnesses.

The EU and the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) spoke out after the court rejected an appeal by the Jehovah's Witnesses of an earlier ruling that classified the denomination as extremist.

The Russian court on July 17 turned away arguments by the religious group, which sought to overturn an initial decision made by the court in April.

The USCIRF said the ruling "sadly reflects the [Russian] governments continued equating of peaceful religious freedom practice to extremism."

"The Witnesses are not an extremist group, and should be able to practice their faith openly and freely and without government repression, USCIRF Chairman Daniel Mark said in a statement.

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini's office said the Supreme Court decision "confirms the ban on the peaceful worship of Jehovahs Witnesses throughout the country."

This ban has already resulted in cases of criminal prosecutions against Jehovah's Witnesses, as well as police raids on their prayer halls, arson attacks, and other forms of harassment," Mogherini's spokesoman, Maja Kocijancic, said in a statement on July 18.

"Jehovahs Witnesses, like all other religious groups, must be able to peacefully enjoy freedom of assembly without interference, as guaranteed by the constitution of the Russian Federation, as well as by Russia's international commitments and international human rights standards," the statement said.

The Jehovah's Witnesses, which says it has around 170,000 adherents in the country, has long been viewed with suspicion in Russia for their positions on military service, voting, and government authority in general.

"While we were prepared for a negative ruling, it is still very disappointing," David Semonian, a spokesman for the Jehovah's Witness, said in a statement on July 17. "It is very concerning that despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, powerful elements within Russia continue to frame our organization as extremist."

The decision means the group will be forced to close its doors at its St. Petersburg headquarters and some 395 local chapters across the country. Its properties, known as Kingdom Halls, will be handed over to the Russian government.

Freedom of religion is formally guaranteed in Russia but legislation sets out Orthodox Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and Buddhism as the country's four traditional religions, and smaller denominations frequently face discrimination.

In recent years, there have been a growing number of reports of worshippers being targeted for harassment.

Earlier this year, the USCIRF for the first time recommended that Russia be designated a country of particular concern for what it called "systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom."

Mark said the ruling on the Jehovah's Witnesses confirms that the recommendation from the USCIRF, an independent, bipartisan U.S. federal government commission, was "well-deserved."

"The Russian government is intensifying its crackdown on religious freedom at home while also extending its repressive policies to neighboring states, he said.

A home and several cars belonging to a Jehovah's Witness outside of Moscow were vandalized in an arson attack on April 30, and masked security agents raided a worship service on May 25 in the central city of Oryol.

The Jehovah's Witnesses are likely to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights, but the court has no power to enforce its decisions and Russia may ignore any verdict against it.
Russia is again calling on the United States to restore its access to two diplomatic compounds that were seized in December by then-President Barack Obama's administration.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov spoke on July 17, hours ahead of a scheduled meeting in Washington between Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov and U.S. Undersecretary of State Thomas Shannon.

"We still hope that our American colleagues will demonstrate a certain political wisdom and political will," Peskov told a conference call with reporters when asked about the dispute.

Obama ordered the seizure of the diplomatic compounds in Maryland and New York State, as well as the expulsion of 35 Russian diplomats, in response to what he said was their involvement in efforts to influence the election of his successor.

Russian President Vladimir Putin surprised many in both countries by declining to retaliate -- a gesture to then-President-elect Donald Trump, who had repeatedly indicated during the campaign that he would seek to improve ties with Moscow.

But relations remain tense amid multiple investigations into what the U.S. intelligence community says was an "influence campaign" ordered by Putin in an attempt to help Trump and denigrate his Democratic rival on the November 8 ballot, Hillary Clinton.

Russian officials have repeatedly called for the unconditional restoration of access to the diplomatic compounds, saying Moscow's patience is running out.

They have threatened to retaliate and indicated their actions may depend on the outcome of the meeting between Shannon and Ryabkov.

'Daylight Robbery'

Peskov said that any U.S. preconditions for the return of the property would be unacceptable for Moscow, and that Washington's actions contradicted international law.

"We consider it absolutely unacceptable to place conditions on the return of diplomatic property. We consider that it must be returned without any conditions and talking," he said.

Lavrov, speaking during a visit to Belarus, said that what he called U.S. attempts to set preconditions amounted to "daylight robbery."

He also said that "anti-Russian feeling" in the United States meant it was not certain that Moscow and Washington could agree on key global issues.

Obama sought to "reset" troubled relations with Moscow after he entered office in 2009, but ties were badly strained by Moscow's seizure of Crimea from Ukraine in March 2014 and support for separatists whose war against Kyiv's forces has killed more than 10,000 people since April 2014, among other issues.

Relations were further damaged by Moscow's alleged interference in the U.S. election.

The talks between Ryabkov and Shannon, the undersecretary for political affairs, had been scheduled for June but Russia cancelled them, citing new U.S. sanctions linked to the conflict in Ukraine.

With reporting by Reuters, AFP, TASS, and Interfax
Dozens of activists have held a rally in Belgrade to condemn domestic violence, which has claimed the lives of at least 19 women in Serbia this year.

The protest on July 17 came after two women and a child were killed by the women's former husbands in two separate incidents in the past two weeks at the Center for Social Work in the capital.

In both cases, the men had reportedly been known for violence against family members in the past.

The protesters, who gathered outside the Ministry for Social Protection, demanded the resignation of the officials responsible for dealing with domestic violence complaints.

They chanted Resignations, Resignations! and demanded that the authorities take immediate steps.

Some of the protesters carried banners that read: "Let's react before it's too late" and "Why are they not among us?", referring to victims of domestic violence.

Similar protests were also held in the cities of Vranje, Nis, and Kraljevo.

Serbian officials say at least 19 women and two children have been killed in domestic violence in Serbia since the beginning of the year.


La Crescents downtown development plan has hit the final stages of public discussion.

The newest developments in the plan were revealed at a July 11 public meeting hosted by the La Crescent Planning Commission.

The planning commission will hold a public meeting in August with downtown development revisions discussed with the public before announcing the final draft to be committed to the city in September or October. The commission has hosted seven public meetings so far.

It will not be set in stone, said Don Smith, La Crescent Planning Commission chair. As developments occur we will adapt the plan and go back to talk with the public.

The city has been dedicated to creating the downtown development plan after a visit from the American Institute of Architects Minnesota Design Team in 2008. The groups work determined that La Crescent residents were concerned about downtown development, environmental sustainability and attracting young families.

This work was commissioned into the citys comprehensive plan.

The 10 key points in the citys comprehensive plan are: new residential units, more public parking, city assistance in property acquisition, downtown redevelopment, a new city hall, bike bridge and trailhead improvements, places to socialize in the downtown, improvement to downtown access points, a commitment to environment stewardship and continued public investment.

About 1,500 people have been surveyed during the downtown development process.

Several projects have stemmed from the comprehensive plan including La Crescent green steps committee, improvement on biking trails and the planning commissions downtown development goals.

The planning commission has worked with hired firm MSA Professional Services to address the communitys development needs.

The downtown development plan was debuted at a Feb. 22 public meeting and was discussed in detail at other La Crescent government meetings. Last November, MSA walked through downtown La Crescent with residents to address concerns.

Change will seem like its coming slowly, Smith said. There are policy decisions that have to be made. Roads have to be developed, signs have to be developed, centralized parking and the beginning of property acquisition. All of that will be going on. People may not see anything.

According to Smith, the main focuses of the redesign include narrowing the streets to gain more sidewalk, defined entrances and exits to the downtown, reverse angle parking, multistory buildings, relocation and reconstruction sites for a city hall/library/police/governmental lease space, potential commercial development sites and a location for a gathering place at the take-off of a bike and pedestrian bridge from South First Street to cross Hwy. 14/61.

Smith likened the timeline of the downtown project to the tree planting project the city has undertaken along with the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

People didnt see much the first or second planting projects, he said. It wasnt until the third or fourth and fifth project that people started noticing something.

The public meeting attracted a full house.

The downtown development really fits with the comprehensive plan, said Jason Ludwigson, La Crescent-Hokah High School technology integrationist and green steps committee member. I am happy with the environmental stewardship direction the city has taken. The development focuses on well-designed streets and drainage that focus on the environment.

Pauline Byom, mother of five, is concerned about residential growth in La Crescent.

Ive lived in La Crescent for a little over 20 years, she said. When we moved to town there were a lot more options. There were more restaurants and a bowling alley. The school district had just passed a referendum for the schools fine arts center. Lately, its just been stagnant.

Byom is excited about the development of the downtown.

I think they are really headed in the right direction, she said. The plan will bring in a good mix of food and retail. It keeps the small town charm. Its focused on developing the downtown rather than expanding on the highway. Itll take a long time but its good to have a vision.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Moldovan Prime Minister Pavel Filip have opened a joint border checkpoint whose Moldovan side is in the breakaway region of Transdniester.

Poroshenko said after the ceremony at the Kuchurgan-Pervomaisk checkpoint on July 17 that Kyiv is ready to contribute to "the full restoration of Moldova's territorial integrity."

Separatist authorities in mainly Russian-speaking Transdniester and Russian lawmakers have condemned the plans to open the joint Ukrainian-Moldovan border checkpoint alleging it is a step toward an economic blockade.

Filip rejected the allegation calling it "mere speculation."

Moscow-backed Transdniester, which borders on Ukraine's Odesa region, declared independence from Moldova in 1990. The two sides fought a brief war in 1992 that ended when the Russian military intervened on the side of Transdniester, which is not recognized as an independent nation by any country.

Russia maintains a 1,200-strong military force in the region despite Moldova's repeated calls for it to be withdrawn and replaced with international peacekeepers.

Based on reporting by UNIAN and Interfax


A former Ukrainian lawmaker says Russia-backed separatists in the eastern region of Donetsk have confirmed that they are holding a blogger who contributes to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL).

Yehor Firsov wrote on Facebook on July 16 that blogger Stanislav Aseyev's mother was allowed to visit him in separatist custody.

Firsov wrote that the separatists have accused Aseyev of espionage and threatened him with up to 14 years in prison.

Aseyev, who writes under the name Stanislav Vasin and contributes to RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, went missing in Donetsk on June 2.

The separatists, who control parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, have repeatedly denied having any information about Aseyev.

RFE/RL Editor in Chief Nenad Pejic said earlier that Aseyev's detention, if true, was "deeply alarming and lawless" and demanded his immediate release.

Ukraine's National Union of Journalists, Reporters without Borders, the Committee to Protect Journalists, and Amnesty International have expressed concerns over Aseyev's whereabouts and said separatists must release him immediately if they are holding him.


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This is the first in a four-part series of articles"When HR Gets It Wrong"that explores the challenges HR faces when confronted with allegations of misconduct, inequity and other problems at an organization.



Former Uber engineer Susan Fowler says that her manager propositioned her for sex. The ride-hailing app company's HR department, she claims, let the guy off the hook because he was a "high-performer."



Former "Fox & Friends" anchor Gretchen Carlson claims that the late Roger Ailes, Fox News founder and former CEO, asked to see her underwear and suggested they have sex. She never went to HR, she noted in her sexual harassment lawsuit naming Ailes, because she feared retaliation for doing so.

University of Missouri System President Tim Wolfe and Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin both resigned in November 2015 following complaints that they failed to address racial discrimination against students and to hire more faculty members of color. So when it came to diversity in hiring, where was the university system's HR department? Today, HR professionals are perhaps better trained and more skilled than ever. They have access to sophisticated anti-harassment and diversity and inclusion training and services. And they are bombarded with news stories about companies that lost court battles, money, customers and reputations because of sexual harassment, discrimination, gender pay inequities and more. Yet HR faces many obstacles to unearthingand endingthese chronic issues: cronyism, reluctance to confront higher-ups, fear of retaliation, cultures that condone or ignore misbehavior, inadequate employee training, and lack of diversity in the C-suite or in the HR department. All of these issues can render an HR department powerless and ineffectual, make it appear in collusion with executives, or leave it completely unaware of misdeeds at its own company.



Too Close for Comfort Ailes stood accused of sexual harassment and other inappropriate behavior by a group of past and present Fox employees, some of whom have spoken on the record about the alleged incidents. Ailes denied the allegations, and died on May 18. There are several reasons why HR may never investigateor only half-heartedly investigatecomplaints of harassment or discrimination, experts interviewed for this article say. One is cronyism. In a 2014 biography, Gabriel Sherman wrote that Ailes placed "eyes in every department" and positioned his former secretaries in parts of the business so he could make use of their loyalty to him. He used Brigette Boyle as an example: She started as an assistant to Ailes and was later placed in Fox's human resources office. Before departing the network in August 2016, Boyle was senior vice president of recruitment. It's doubtful, said sources for this article, that employees would have felt comfortable bringing accusations against Ailes to Fox's HR department.

Retaliation happens, and HR professionals know it.

"I have always said that  to be an ethical HR leader, you need to always be prepared to lose your job," said Fran Sepler, who is president of Minneapolis-based Sepler & Associates and who has a contract with the federal government to design workplace training to prevent uncivil, rude, abusive, discriminatory and harassing behavior. "Good CEOs know that they need someone exposing their blind spots  even if it means getting tough messages or someone playing devil's advocate." While it's best for HR professionals to keep executives at arm's length in case they ever have to investigate them, cronyism nonetheless happens, said Karen Kruse, an employment law attorney in Seattle.

"The loyalty of HR professionals to their organization's leadership tends to stem from the relationship that develops between HR and leadership as they work together on various issues over the years," Kruse said. "Often, these relationships develop significant levels of trust and mutual respect. An HR professional who holds an executive in high regard may have significant difficulty being objective if allegations of impropriety are made against that executive." In addition, HR leaders may find it hard to remain objective about executives while trying to prove their worth to these same people, said Patty Wise, a partner with Toledo, Ohio-based Niehaus Wise & Kalas Ltd. and co-chair of the Society for Human Resource Management's Labor Relations Special Expertise Panel. "HR professionals are often seeking approval and even membership among the senior management group. The goal may be a 'seat at the table,' and so what might be viewed as cronyism may also demonstrate professional success and achievement."



Giving the Star Employee a Pass Another reason that HR may turn a blind eye toward an employee's misdeeds is because the person accused of misconduct is a top performer. That's what Fowler heard when she complained to Uber's HR department about the sexual advances of her manager. She showed HR a text in which the manager propositioned her. After leaving Uber, Fowler wrote in an online blog post that HR told her little would be done because the manager was a "high-value" employee.

A similar dynamic may have been at play at Fox News. According to New York magazine, "it was common knowledge at Fox that Ailes frequently made inappropriate comments to women in private meetings and asked them to twirl around so he could examine their figures, and there were persistent rumors that Ailes propositioned female employees for sexual favors."



Yet Ailes, who was close with Rupert Murdoch, the executive chairman of 21st Century Fox (Fox News' parent company), "made the Murdochs a lot of money," New York reported. "Fox News generates more than $1 billion annually, which accounts for 20 percent of 21st Century Fox's profitsand Rupert worried that perhaps only Ailes could run the network so successfully."



After Carlson filed a lawsuit in July 2016 claiming Ailes had sexually harassed her, "Rupert's first instinct was to protect Ailes, who had worked for him for two decades," the magazine's reporters wrote, noting that Murdoch "can be extremely loyal to executives who run his companies, even when they cross the line."



"If you're telling management that Mr. Xwho is the greatest revenue-produceris mistreating people and sexually harassing women, that's not what the company wants to hear because Mr. X is bringing in the money," said Debra Katz, a partner with Washington, D.C.-based Katz, Marshall & Banks who has litigated employment discrimination, civil rights and whistle-blower protection cases for more than 30 years. "The HR official is in a really difficult position. They may be recommending the firing of this person, and upper management may be saying, 'We can't afford to lose him; instead, these women who are complaining need to leave.' "

[SHRM members-only platform: SHRM Connect]

Building the Right HR Team It's possible to prevent unprofessional relationships between HR and senior leadersand to give HR a level of autonomy that helps it make objective and independent decisionsthrough careful hiring, said Ramona Paetzold, a management professor at Texas A&M University's Mays Business School.



"Cronyism shouldn't be there at the start," she said. "A panel of individuals should be responsible for hiring, not just one individual. Allowing for greater diversity and inclusion [on the hiring panel] reduces the risk of cronyism. Senior leaders are often all male, which can be a problem in organizations such as Fox. Diversity  helps to prevent cronyism."



When considering an HR candidate, interviewers should ask how comfortable the applicant would feel questioning executives and midlevel managers about their behavior and holding them accountable, said Alisa Shorago, an attorney and owner of San Diego-based Shorago Training Services, which provides anti-harassment training.



It can also be helpful to arrange for a company's HR department to report to someone other than senior leaders, said Stephen Paskoff, president and CEO of ELI, an Atlanta-based company that helps organizations address bad behavior in the workplace. That could be an ombudsperson, outside counsel or board members.



Building a New HR Department at Fox After Ailes' resignation, Fox's new co-president, Jack Abernethy, hired Kevin Lord to serve as the new executive vice president of human resources and as chief compliance officer. Lord, who has more than 15 years of HR experience at companies like GE, does not report to the co-presidents, but instead to Gerson Zweifach, chief corporate counsel of 21st Century Fox. Since joining, Lord has grown the Fox News HR team. While a Fox News spokeswoman wouldn't say how many people the company had in its HR department before Lord's arrival, she said Lord has added four people to the team, all of them with master's degrees in business or HR and all with experience at top companies. One of the new people has been named head of recruiting and diversitya new position at Fox Newsand another will be in charge of the channel's remote bureaus, also a new position.

"The top priority for  Abernethy and the senior leadership team has been to change the culture and implement a more-open environment after Roger Ailes' 20 years at the helm, but this isn't something that can happen overnight," said the spokeswoman.

 Why Roger Ailes Reputed Bad Behavior Went Unchecked

 Fox CEO Investigation Should Serve as Reminder to HR

 HR Lessons from Bill O'Reilly's $25M Severance Deal



Fear of Retaliation HR professionals often encounter another problem when asked to pursue allegations against executives: their fear of retaliation. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the federal law that prohibits most workplace harassment and discrimination, protects workers from retaliation if they make a complaint. If they do suffer retaliation, they can sue the company or individuals under Title VII. If that happens, Paetzold said, "the company looks worse than it did before and is potentially subject to greater liability, loss of reputation and loss of shareholder value." But retaliation happens, and HR professionals know it. In his employment law practice, Glen Kraemer has investigated several CEOs and other C-suite leaders concerning sexual harassment. "As frequently occurs in situations involving a high-level executive, many CHROs [chief human resources officers] are palpably afraid of retaliation," said Kraemer, a partner with Hirschfeld Kraemer in Santa Monica, Calif. "If you feel that fear, it will be extremely difficult to do the required work and nearly impossible to be perceived by the complainant, the workforce and the public as being up to the task." Katz has represented HR professionals who've been fired for raising concerns that senior leaders didn't want to hear. Often, she said, employers will warn HR practitioners are not protected under Title VII and other anti-retaliation laws because they were just doing their jobs and that unless they step too far outside their defined job duties during an investigation, they won't be protected from retaliation. While the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has rejected that interpretation of Title VII's anti-retaliation provisions, she said, some courts in recent years have accepted it. "That's very problematic, because HR officials often are at risk if they go to the mat on some of these things," she said. "So ultimately they are forced to act in a role that furthers the desires of leaders rather than calling [offenses] as they see them. In fact, they can become part of the problem because they allow the behavior to go on and facilitate the [firing] of those who raise concerns."



In the Dark Finally, HR may never hear about wrongdoing at a company because it is never reported. The victims may also fear retaliation or they might not be sure where to go. For instance, the EEOC estimates that between 25 percent and 50 percent of women in the workplace have experienced sexual harassment. In a survey of 340,000 employees at 21 companies by CEB, about half of respondents said they had witnessed or experienced sexual harassment, but only 8 percent said they had reported it. In 2015, almost one-third of the 90,000 claims filed with the EEOC involved complaints about harassment, sexual or otherwise. While that may sound like a high number, formally reporting harassment, whether internally or in a lawsuit, is actually one of the least common ways that workers respond to being harassed, according to 2008 research by Lilia Cortina, a professor of psychology and women's studies at the University of Michigan, and Jennifer Berdahl, a University of British Columbia professor who conducts research on gender and diversity at organizations. The researchers suggest that each year, there are tens of thousands more cases of harassment that go unreported, and that's just in the U.S. A separate study by Cortina and another researcher in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology found that two-thirds of employees who reported sexual harassment experienced some form of retaliation.


Page Content

A new Connecticut law significantly enhances existing anti-discrimination protections for pregnant employees. "An Act Concerning Pregnant Women in the Workplace," signed into law by Gov. Dannel Malloy on July 6 and effective on Oct. 1, amends the Connecticut Fair Employment Practices Act (the "CFEPA") to modify existing protections and add a host of new protections for pregnant employees. The act also provides broad definitions of the terms "pregnancy," "reasonable accommodation," and "undue hardship."

Existing Protections

The CFEPA already included significant protections for pregnant employees that are unaffected by the act. Specifically, it is unlawful for an employer to:



Terminate a woman's employment because of her pregnancy.



Refuse to grant a pregnant employee a reasonable leave of absence for disability as a result of her pregnancy.



Deny an employee disabled as a result of pregnancy any compensation to which she is entitled as a result of the accumulation of disability or leave benefits accrued pursuant to plans maintained by the employer.



Fail or refuse to reinstate the employee to her original job or to an equivalent position with equivalent pay and accumulated seniority, retirement, fringe benefits and other service credits upon her signifying her intent to return, unless, in the case of a private employer, the employer's circumstances have so changed as to make it impossible or unreasonable to do so.



New Protections

The new act enhances these existing protections by declaring it unlawful for an employer to:

Limit, segregate or classify the pregnant employee in a way that would deprive her of employment opportunities due to her pregnancy.



Discriminate against an employee or job applicant on the basis of her pregnancy in the terms or conditions of her employment.



Fail or refuse to make a reasonable accommodation for an employee or job applicant due to her pregnancy, unless the employer can demonstrate that the accommodation would impose an undue hardship.



Deny employment opportunities to an employee or job applicant if the denial is due to the request for a reasonable accommodation due to her pregnancy.



Force an employee or job applicant affected by pregnancy to accept a reasonable accommodation if she (i) does not have known limitation related to her pregnancy, or (ii) does not require a reasonable accommodation to perform the essential duties related to her employment.



Require an employee to take a leave of absence if a reasonable accommodation can be provided in lieu of the leave.



Retaliate against an employee in the terms, conditions or privileges of her employment based upon the employee's request for a reasonable accommodation.



The act also provides definitions for "pregnancy," "reasonable accommodation," and "undue hardship." Specifically:

"Pregnancy" means pregnancy, childbirth or a related condition, including, but not limited to, lactation.



"Reasonable Accommodation" means, but is not limited to, being permitted to sit while working, more frequent or longer breaks, periodic rest, assistance with manual labor, job restructuring, light duty assignment, modified work schedules, temporary transfers to less strenuous or hazardous work, time off to recover from childbirth, or break time and appropriate facilities for expressing breast milk.



"Undue Hardship" means an action requiring significant difficulty or expense when considered in light of factors such as (A) the nature and cost of the accommodation; (B) the overall financial resources of the employer; (C) the overall size of the business of the employer with respect to the number of employees, and the number, type and location of its facilities; and (D) the effect on expenses and resources or the impact otherwise of the accommodation upon the operation of the employer.



The act directs employers to provide employees with written notice "of the right to be free from discrimination in relation to pregnancy, childbirth and related conditions, including the right to a reasonable accommodation to the known limitations related to pregnancy . . . ." Employers may comply with this mandate by displaying a poster in a conspicuous place, accessible to employees, at the workplace.

Takeaways for Employers

The new protections and definitions will present a host of compliance challenges as employers, courts and administrative agencies grapple with the boundaries of these new protections and attempt to harmonize them with existing laws.

Each situation will have to be analyzed separately for compliance and to determine an appropriate accommodation if one is requested.

In addition, employers must deal with the differing definitions of "pregnancy," "reasonable accommodation," and "undue hardship" under the CFEPA and its relevant federal counterparts, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

For example, under the federal Pregnancy Discrimination Act, pregnancy is limited to "pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions" and does not include the act's "including, but not limited to, lactation" language.

Similarly, when assessing whether a reasonable accommodation constitutes an "undue hardship," an employer must consider the differing factors set forth under both the ADA and the CFEPA.

Given the challenges associated with complying with the act's new requirements, consultation with experienced employment counsel is recommended.

Patricia E. Reilly and Matthew K. Curtin are attorneys with Littler in New Haven, Conn.  Littler. All rights reserved. Reposted with permission.
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A new Tennessee law that went into effect on July 1 imposes new reporting requirements on healthcare practitioner (HCP) employers. Under the new reporting law, in certain circumstances, HCP employers must "promptly" report to the state HCP employees with confirmed (positive) drug test results or those who refuse to submit to any work-related or directed drug test, including but not limited to pre-employment drug tests.

The law does not apply to confirmed positive alcohol tests or refusals to submit to alcohol testing. The law does not contain an affirmative reporting obligation requiring reporting of information to other employers, although it does create a mechanism for certain employers to share information.

HCPs must either explain the result or report to and comply with peer assistance or treatment program requirements of the appropriate board. Under the new law, HCPs have three business days from the time of notification of a confirmed test result to either produce a lawful prescription for the drug or a valid medical reason for using a drug to their employer or report to the state's substance abuse peer assistance or treatment program of the HCP's board.

HCP employers must report non-compliant HCPs to the Tennessee department of health and the appropriate HCP board. If HCPs lacking prescriptions or valid medical reasons fail to report to, or fail to participate in and comply with, the applicable peer assistance or treatment program, the program must report the HCP's violation of the law to the appropriate board. In addition, the HCP employer must report the confirmed drug test, refusal and violation of the act to the Tennessee Department of Health and the appropriate licensing board. Further, the appropriate board will suspend the license of HCPs who fail to comply with the terms and conditions of the program. According to the bill's legislative history, the intent of these programs is to keep addicted employees away from patients until they are drug-free.

HCP employers have no affirmative obligation to report HCPs to other employers, but some information may be shared through quality improvement committees. While there is no affirmative reporting obligation to report confirmed drug tests or test refusals to other healthcare employers, the new law allows "quality improvement committees" (QICs) to "share information concerning substance abuse" by HCPs licensed or certified under Tennessee health care laws with "another quality improvement committee" pursuant to statutory protocols "in furtherance of the functions of the committees." Legally compliant sharing of information between QICs is subject to protective "privilege" of the disclosure. While Tennessee healthcare employers might anticipate that other non-QIC disclosures would ultimately be subject to privilege as established by Tennessee reviewing courts, unless and until such a ruling issues, Tennessee HPC employers should disclose only confirmed drug tests, test refusals and violations of the new law if the HCP has failed to satisfy the explanation and peer assistance/treatment program requirements of the new law.

Dale L. Deitchler is an attorney with Littler in Minneapolis. Harry W. Wellford Jr. is an attorney with Littler in St. Louis. Jennifer Robinson is an attorney with Littler in Nashville, Tenn.  Littler. All rights reserved. Reposted with permission.
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Authenticom Inc. gained substantial traction in its antitrust lawsuit against two companies that the La Crosse corporation contends are trying to drive it out of business when a federal judge granted a temporary injunction against the pair.

Authenticom founder and CEO Steve Cottrells testimony was more credible than that of executives of CDK Global and The Reynolds and Reynolds Co., Judge James Peterson of Madison said in one part of his 23-page opinion and order issued Friday in U.S. District Court for Western Wisconsin in Madison.

Cottrell founded Authenticom in 2002 in what had been his sons bedroom and built it into one of the three top players  the other two are CDK and Reynolds  in an automotive sector that provides dealerships with daily data to help manage their businesses. He filed an antitrust suit against CDK and Reynolds on May 2. The suit alleges that the two companies are colluding in an illegal plot that has cost Authenticom millions of dollars and pushed it to the brink of insolvency.

The ruling is an important step forward not only for Authenticom, but for the automotive industry as a whole, Cottrell said in a news release.

We look forward to competing with CDK and Reynolds on a level playing field, said Cottrell, who said he has been able to keep his nearly 110 employees on the payroll despite the financial woes he blames on the two companies.

Authenticom, headquartered in the Doerflinger building in downtown La Crosse, created a niche for itself with computer programs to integrate auto dealers data, including facts such as sales figures, inventory tallies of cars, and parts and service reminders for more than 15,000 dealerships nationwide.

We look forward to providing secure, cost-effective, and reliable data integration services to our existing and future customers, finally without the threat of being hindered by CDKs and Reynolds anticompetitive conduct, Cottrells statement said.

In the meantime, Cottrell said in an interview Monday, We are so appreciative of the community support. We also are committed to keeping the community informed through transparency throughout this process.

Cottrell said he was not able to comment beyond that and Authenticoms official statement.

Authenticom is a third-party data integrator, linking car dealers to third-party software vendors such as CDK and Reynolds.

Among other allegations, Authenticom claims that CDK and Reynolds entered into an illegal agreement in February 2015 to eliminate competition in the market. That and other alleged actions, such as blocking dealers access to Authenticom, deactivating dealership logins to the La Crosse companys systems and alleging that its systems are not secure, have crippled it, the suit contends.

Authenticoms profits dropped by 77.22 percent between the third quarter of 2015 and the first quarter of this year because of the two companies collusion, the suit maintains.

The case is complicated both factually and legally, Petersons opinion states. But based on the parties written submissions, documentary evidence, and the evidence presented at a two-and-one-half day hearing, the court concludes that Authenticom is entitled to a preliminary injunction.

Authenticoms evidence establishes at least a moderate chance of success in proving that defendants have violated the Sherman Act. And the balance of harms tips sharply in favor of Authenticom, because Authenticom is clearly at risk of going under without a preliminary injunction, Peterson wrote.

Peterson also brushed aside the claims of CDK and Reynolds that giving Authenticom access to its data presents a security risk because it allows others to do so.

The court did not receive any evidence that Authenticom has ever suffered a security breach or that it has caused a security breach at another entity, the judge wrote.

Peterson also cited the testimony of witness Alan Andreu of the Dominion software company describing Reynolds means of allowing dealers to extract data from its system as comically and horribly insecure.

The actions of CDK and Reynolds have left Authenticom cash flow insolvent, with insufficient earnings and resources to satisfy its outstanding debt obligations. Authenticom was unable to pay an $11 million principal payment on a loan from BMO Harris Bank due April 16, 2017, and has received a limited 90-day forbearance from the Bank pending the outcome of the forthcoming preliminary injunction motion, according to Authenticom, which seeks a jury trial.

Authenticom also could not pay a tax-related obligation of about $1.17 million that was due on April 18, the suit says. Several financial institutions have rejected Authenticom requests for financing, citing doubts about Authenticoms continued viability because of Defendants actions, according to the suit.

Defendants CDK and Reynolds had pressed for a $10 million bond if Authenticoms injunction request were granted, while the judge deemed that as unmanageable, considering Authenticoms financial condition in the controversy. Peterson set the bond at $1 million.

Authenticom routinely makes Inc. Magazines annual list of the nations fastest-growing private companies, an accomplishment that President Barack Obama saluted when Obama delivered an economic speech at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse on July 2, 2015.

CDK Global is a publicly traded Delaware corporation with headquarters in Hoffman Estates, Ill. It provides DMS software and services to car dealerships throughout the country and has more than $2 billion in annual revenues.

The private corporation of Reynolds and Reynolds is headquartered in Dayton, Ohio.

The judges order stipulates that Authenticom, CDK and Reynolds work together to craft the form of the injunction by Thursday. If they cannot agree, they are required to submit competing proposals for Peterson to consider, according to his order.
This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Space.com's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights.

The Outer Space Treaty (OST) is the framework multilateral treaty that establishes the principal rules regulating the exploration and use of outer space. Established in 1967, it celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.

But now we need an update. While the fundamental principles set out in the treaty are vitally important to the peaceful and orderly use of outer space, the pace of development of space-related technology  which allows for activities far beyond the contemplation of those that put the treaty together  means that some activities in space may fall between the cracks.

50 years of OST

For 50 years, the OST has largely allowed for a consideration of the interests of both the space "powers" and the space "have-nots."

In 1967, the Cold War superpowers were continuing to develop inter-continental ballistic missiles capable of destroying entire cities and taking the lives of all their inhabitants. In that context, the OST set a delicate balance between the strategic interests of the US and the USSR in space. At the same time, the OST elevated the interests of humanity in outer space above the parochial interests of individual states. Appearing in person for the signing of the treaty, US President Lyndon Johnson said:

This is an inspiring moment in the history of the human race.

President Lyndon B. Johnson and USSR Ambassador Anatoly Dobrynin shaking hands at the signing ceremony for the Outer Space Treaty, January 27, 1967. (Image credit: Courtesy of the National Archives and Records Administration, via Digital Public Library of America, CC BY)

Indeed, the treaty has (thus far) successfully created an environment that has prevented warfare in space. Its binding provisions are not only legally defensible, but have also historically reinforced an overwhelming political dynamic to refrain from overt military action in space.

The treaty is, however, expressed in broad statements of principle; such as, that the exploration and use of outer space "shall be the province of all mankind"  or "humanity" in more gender-enlightened times. This was necessary in the geopolitical context. Broad statements of principle were sufficient to regulate relations between space-faring states in the first several decades of space exploration and use, while allowing some flexibility to those same states.

However, as space has become more accessible and commercialised, those broad statements of principle are, in our view, still necessary but no longer sufficient. They need to be supplemented  but not replaced.

Adapting the OST

At a time of heightened global strategic tensions, relative insularity and increasingly diverse vested interests, the prospect of new, legally-binding instruments seems remote, at least in the short term. Even the common mistrust that united space powers in the negotiation of the OST in 1967, is today fractured by uncertainty about the promises, prevalence and purposes of great powers and their allies. This is particularly the case with respect to an impending sense among some observers  which we do not necessarily accept  of the "inevitability" of armed conflict in space.

So, where could we find the mandate to champion the cause of new legal instruments to supplement the broad principles of the OST? To adapt global space governance to the needs of the next 50 years?

It is future generations who have the strongest claim to preserve and even improve the benefits from the peaceful exploration and use of outer space over the coming decades. They have at least a moral  and, arguably, legal  mandate to insist that states seriously consider supplementing the OST. And the opportunity for the next generation to state their claim is right here, right now.

IAC 2016 was held in Guadalajara, Mexico. The site for IAC 2017 is Adelaide, Australia. (Image credit: International Astronautical Federation)

At the SGC, a group of young Australians will lead a working group of delegates from across the globe, to develop and propose a set of supplementary protocols to the OST, in order to adapt global space governance to the needs of the next 50 years.In late September 2017, Adelaide will host the largest space-related meeting on the annual calendar  the 68th International Astronautical Congress (IAC). In more recent years, there has been a companion conference just prior to the IAC  the Space Generation Congress (SGC). This was initiated on the request of states through the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space to represent the interests of the next generation in outer space.

Existential challenges

Crafting instruments that address the current and foreseeable future challenges in global space governance will not be easy. The challenges are not just big, they're existential.

Stephen Hawking recently suggested that humanity must become an inter-planetary species to escape climate change on this planet, which threatens to make the Earth environment increasingly incompatible with human existence.

Climate change is not the only threat  an asteroid impact could wipe out our species, and one of the regular solar events in the life of our Sun could severely disrupt satellites and terrestrial networks and electronics. We cant control that, although we could do something about human-generated space debris, which may make valuable Earth orbits unusable for millennia to come.

But who should be responsible for space debris and how? What laws should apply to humans living on another planet? Who has legal authority to take timely action to divert an asteroid on behalf of the whole planet?

Furthermore, if states continue to develop means of space warfare, in addition to the many pre-existing means of warfare on Earth, we might still be the authors of our own demise. But how do you regulate "space weapons" without undermining "the great prospects opening up before mankind as a result of man's entry into outer space" (the opening words of the OST)?

Economic implications

The global space industry is already worth over US$330 billion and generates hundreds of thousands of jobs.

Even in Australia, a 2015 report commissioned by the Government estimated that the space industry here generated $3 billion to $4 billion in revenue. Possible future commercial mining of the Moon and asteroids potentially involves trillions of dollars.

Furthermore, space is becoming democratised  accessible to all  through small satellite and small launcher technology. Can we find ways to share the benefits of outer space, as well as the responsibility for preserving it?

The working group at the SGC face a difficult task in articulating new rules to supplement the broad principles set out in the OST. However, they represent important stakeholders who, more than any state, have a moral mandate to champion changes to adapt the OST to the needs of the next 50 years. We wish them great success.

Duncan Blake, PhD candidate, law and military uses of outer space, University of Adelaide and Steven Freeland, Dean, School of Law and Professor of International Law, Western Sydney University

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. Follow all of the Expert Voices issues and debates  and become part of the discussion  on Facebook, Twitter and Google +. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. This version of the article was originally published on Space.com.
NASA astronauts were transported by dinghy to the Orion space capsule in the Gulf of Mexico, where they boarded the spacecraft to test out exit procedures.

If NASA wants to safely send astronauts on missions into deep space in the new Orion space capsule, the space agency must first tackle some critical safety tests while its astronauts bob around in the open ocean.

Last week NASA and the U.S. Coast Guard cruised out into the Gulf of Mexico near Galveston, Texas, to test out the exit procedures for crews returning from space in the Orion capsule.

An astronaut exits the Orion space capsule in the Gulf of Mexico during an emergency-egress test on July 11, 2017. The orange raft to the left is their lifeboat. (Image credit: NASA)

Today's astronauts return from the International Space Station by parachuting down to Earth in one of Russia's Soyuz space capsules and touching down on land somewhere in Kazakhstan. But the Orion spacecraft is designed to splash down into the Pacific Ocean.

Once the capsule is in the water, the crew would ideally wait until a recovery team arrived to help them out of the capsule and transport them back to dry land. Their spacecraft is designed to sustain a crew for 24 hours after splashdown. [The Orion Space Capsule: NASA's Next Spaceship (Photos)]

If something were to go wrong during Orion's return to Earth  a fire or a leak, for example  the crew would need to be able to climb out of the capsule and get to safety without the help of a recovery team. This would involve opening the top hatch, hopping into the water and inflating a bright-orange raft.

A U.S. Coast Guard vessel named Harry Claiborne (WLM-561) transported the Orion space capsule to and from the testing site off the coast of Galveston, Texas, in the Gulf of Mexico. (Image credit: NASA)

Escaping the capsule without any help would not be easy. After spending an extended period of time in an environment without gravity, the human body gets weaker. Bone and muscle mass deteriorates in space, which is why astronauts who return from the space station are often placed in wheelchairs after recovery crews help them out of the hatch.

"Astronauts returning to Earth in Orion will have spent many days in space, and we want to make sure the last part of their journey goes smoothly no matter what kind of conditions they land in," Tom Walker, the rescue and recovery lead for Orion at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, said in a statement. "Our testing in the Gulf of Mexico gives us an opportunity to practice and evaluate our plans and hardware for how to get crew out of Orion as safely and efficiently as possible."

The crew module uprighting system on the Orion spacecraft uses five airbags on top of the capsule to help turn the capsule right side up in case it gets knocked over during a rough landing. These airbags have been tested at the Neutral Buoyancy Lab at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. (Image credit: NASA)

To account for all of the possible outcomes of Orion's splashdown, NASA has come up with several different exit procedures. This approach "gives recovery personnel and mission controllers flexibility to account for the crews health, weather and the condition of the recovery personnel and equipment in the area in real-time," NASA officials said.

Orion is currently scheduled to launch on its first crewed mission between 2021 and 2023. It will lift off atop NASA's brand-new Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and will venture to the moon, Mars, asteroids and beyond.

Email Hanneke Weitering at hweitering@space.com or follow her @hannekescience. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
What do you see in this photo? Space archaeologists have catalogued more than 30 cultural artifacts in this image, including Russian Orthodox icons and a photo of cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, the first human in space.

"Space archaeologist" would be a fine job description for a fictional character on an interplanetary mission to unearth the ruins of an alien civilization. But a handful of real-life archaeologists are already making a bid to study culture in space  of the human, not alien, variety.

A new effort, called ISS Archaeology, seeks to understand the "microsociety" aboard the International Space Station.

The plan is to treat the space lab like archaeologists would treat an ancient site. By looking at the artifacts of astronauts  from their dining utensils and sleeping bags to their religious icons and family photos  these researchers hope to gain new insights into how astronauts of different backgrounds interact with each other, and how they adapt to life in microgravity. [The Human Body in Space: 6 Weird Facts]

Making space for archaeologists

The idea for the project was conceived in the fall of 2015, when NASA put out a call for applications for its astronaut program. The space agency no longer recruits only seasoned fighter pilots, but also doctors, geologists, physicists, computer scientists and electrical engineers. Archaeologist Justin Walsh noticed, however, that social scientists were excluded from this mix  with anthropology, archaeology and geography in particular singled out as disqualifying degrees.

"I thought that was too bad," Walsh, a professor at Chapman University in California, told Space.com. "If they're thinking about sending people to Mars, sending people to deep space, or sending people to [the] moon for long periods of time, it would really behoove them to understand how astronaut societies are maintained, how astronauts create a kind of culture."

In the most traditional sense, archaeologists' work might go like this: They'll go to an ancient site, dig a few trenches and systematically record all the artifacts and architectural features they found buried underground. They'll then use those subtle clues to understand how people lived in this particular place in the past. A simple piece of broken pottery, for instance, could reveal what people were eating, or with whom they were trading hundreds of years ago.

Over the past several decades, archaeologists have been stretching the bounds of their field. Some don't ever pick up a trowel, but use satellite images to search for undiscovered ancient sites. (That's a different brand of "space archaeology" altogether.) Others argue that archaeology doesn't need to be concerned only with the past; archaeologists might be uniquely qualified to study how humans (even living humans) use their environment and material things, regardless of time.

At the same time, the Space Age is getting older. People interested in cultural heritage have started to wonder whether the human footprint in space is worth carefully documenting and protecting. The broader archaeological community recently began to take this idea seriously, says space archaeologist Alice Gorman of Flinders University in Australia, who has researched the cultural significance of space junk, among other artifacts of spaceflight. The 1969 Apollo 11 lunar landing site has even been declared a U.S. historic landmark.

A virtual space lab

Walsh and Gorman teamed up for a new project to study astronaut culture. The International Space Station was an obvious choice for a study site, they said, because it's the place where astronauts have spent the most time (the ISS has been continuously occupied by rotating crews since 2000). The lab also contains a complexity of interactions and relationships: The crews are multigendered, multiethnic, multinational and multilingual.

The researchers plan to mine databases of all the objects that have ever been sent to the ISS, and they'll draw from the huge number of photos taken on board to create a 4D digital model of the space lab. In this virtual space, the researchers hope to track patterns of movement of the astronauts and objects over time, which might allow them to understand patterns of life on the station in the same way that they might when looking at an archaeological site on Earth. Walsh says they're faced with an overabundance of data, so one future aspect of the project could be crowdsourcing help from volunteers who want to go virtual artifact hunting.

Psychologists and behavioral scientists already keep close tabs on astronauts' interactions. They run studies on the ISS and in analog environments like the HI-SEAS habitat in Hawaii to understand the effects of long-term isolation. The astronauts themselves have also spoken extensively about their experiences, and social media has allowed for an even closer look at the minutiae of life on the ISS, from how astronauts make sandwiches to how they play pranks on each other.

Still, Walsh and Gorman think their archaeological approach might uncover some overlooked information, such as design insights that could be useful to space agency managers. (Perhaps they will notice certain improvisations the astronauts make with their supplies.) The researchers also expect they might find clues about how Russian, European, Japanese and American astronauts distinguish themselves or integrate themselves aboard the ISS, and how tension can arise over material things.

In 2009, a Russian ISS commander complained that cosmonauts had been barred from using U.S. exercise equipment and other facilities, which he said was having an adverse effect on the crews morale and work. Walsh said the project will test whether traces of such conflicts can be found in the "archaeological record" of the space station.

The project team members also anticipate a future when the ISS is gone. For now, the space lab is set to be decommissioned in 2024, unless it gets more funding. Eventually, it'll fall out of the sky into an underwater spacecraft cemetery in a remote part of the Pacific Ocean. "This is a site that will no longer exist," Walsh said. So perhaps at the very least, the records of ISS Archaeology might be valuable to space archaeologists of the future.

Follow Megan Gannon @meganigannon, or Space.com @Spacedotcom. We're also on Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
On Sept. 15, 2017, at 8:08 a.m. EDT (1208 GMT), controllers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, expect to receive the last signal from the $3 billion Cassini-Huygens mission. When the signal stops, humans on Earth will know that the spacecraft has met its end as a streak of debris across Saturn's sky.

Cassini will be intentionally deorbited into Saturn's atmosphere. The probe  a joint effort of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency  will sacrifice itself to prevent an accidental crash that could contaminate one of the Saturnian moons where native life may exist, or may someday evolve. Cassini discovered a liquid-water ocean under the icy surface of the moon Enceladus and, perhaps a victim of its own success, must die to prevent any chance that its warm electric generators might melt their way down into those life-friendly waters. But the judgment to condemn the spacecraft was not made lightly. [Latest Saturn Photos by Cassini]

Deciding Cassini's fate

In 2009, with the primary mission complete and a completely healthy spacecraft well into a 27-month extended mission, Cassini managers looked at a variety of "what next?" options. Trajectory modeling showed that Cassini could have been sent on to survey the "ice giant" planets, not visited by a spacecraft since Voyager 2's quick flybys of Uranus in the winter of 1986 and Neptune in the summer of 1989.

Alternatively, Cassini could have been directed back inward, to explore giant Jupiter and its many moons, rounding out science started on NASA's Galileo mission in 1995. Galileo's large high-gain antenna had never unfolded properly, dramatically lowering the sum of data the spacecraft could send home. Galileo was purposely deorbited into Jupiter's atmosphere in September 2003, to prevent accidental contamination of the wet moon Europa, a precursor of Cassini's end at Saturn. (NASA's Juno mission is now gathering data during repeated close flybys of Jupiter's cloud tops.)

Or, Cassini could have been dispatched outward to investigate a few of the Centaurs. These are large, comet-core-like bodies inhabiting the region between the orbits of Jupiter and Uranus. Centaurs are likely similar to Kuiper Belt objects, such as the dwarf planet Pluto and its very large moon Charon, considered residents of the so-called Third Realm of the solar system.

But Saturn's unresolved scientific mysteries kept Cassini's handlers enthralled. So, in 2010, the mission team developed an innovative, intricate orbital campaign to extract as much science as possible from the Saturn system. [Cassini's 'Grand Finale' at Saturn: NASA's Plan in Pictures]

A petal plot of Cassini-Huygens' orbits for the entire mission, known as the "ball of yarn" by the JPL team. Green = the prime mission (2004-2008), orange = the equinox mission (2008-2010), purple = the solstice mission (2010-2017, including the Grand Finale plunge into Saturn's atmosphere). (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Erick Sturm)

This clever blossom of gravity and inertia  termed the solstice mission  let researchers investigate the changes of Saturn's seasons, ultimately watching the planet change through half of its year. (A full year on Saturn is nearly 29.5 "Earth years" long.) By watching both of the planet's hemispheres, the science community witnessed all four seasons in only half of Saturn's solar orbit.

Death spiral for science

That extended stay at Saturn meant Cassini would someday run out of rocket propellant and drift out of control. To maneuver, Cassini carefully places monomethyl hydrazine in contact with nitrogen tetroxide, which spontaneously oxidizes (burns) it. There's only one way out: through the rocket nozzle. This produces vectored thrust.

Looking ahead to the day the onboard stores of these "hypergolic" chemicals would be nearly depleted, mission managers decided upon a final "death spiral" set of orbits. This looping "Grand Finale" would let Cassini sail between Saturn's cloud tops and its innermost rings  unknown territory considered too risky to explore earlier in the mission. The plan is for Cassini to execute 22 of these daring dives through the gap. (As of July 17, Cassini had completed 13 such plunges.)

Us or them?

Planetary protection works both ways: The probability of infecting another world with microbes from Earth cannot ever be zero. Likewise, the possibility of bringing a non-native "bug" home to Earth on a returning spacecraft cannot be eliminated. Some scientists argue that material has jumped from planet to planet since the beginning of the solar system and so there's no need to worry. Others are deeply concerned about unintended consequences.

The Cassini-Huygens mission launched 20 Earth years ago. In those two decades, there has been a shift in the planetary science community's attitude toward greater caution where the possibility of cross-contamination exists. This view is not based primarily on the altruistic goal of allowing possible alien biology to develop along its own course (although some scientists do subscribe to that idea). The broader rationale affirms that it's vital to know if any extraterrestrial life  which may be discovered on a moon or a planet or a comet someday  arose from an independent origin.

It does not matter whether it's a complex critter or simple microbe: If an alien does not use the same class of biomolecules that Earth life does (DNA, for example), its evolution was almost surely separate from that of Earth  a true "second genesis." But if it shares a similar genetic makeup, then either we had a common origin (likely somewhere else in space), or our spacecraft have contaminated the sample, and we'll never know for sure. This latter case is the nightmare scenario for astrobiologists.

Cassini carried and dispatched the Huygens probe, which landed softly on the surface of Saturn's largest moon, Titan, in January 2005. When Cassini and Huygens were designed and built in the 1990s, there was little suspicion that the Saturnian moons could have life-supporting environments. There was little concern that the Huygens probe could contaminate Titan's methane-rich surface. No water oceans were known in the Saturn system at that time. [Landing on Titan: Pictures from Huygens Probe on Saturn Moon]

Cassini itself later found that Titan might encompass such an ocean under its surface. And the tiny "snow globe" moon Enceladus almost certainly encloses one. Well, almost encloses: Enceladus sprays geysers of water ice out into space, some of which settles back down to the moon's surface in the form of snow, making it the most reflective planetary object in the solar system.

With Cassini's findings  and discoveries by the Phoenix Mars lander, the Mars Global Surveyor and the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, which spotted signs of transient liquid water on the present-day Red Planet  a more rigorous set of guidelines governing planetary protection was issued by the international Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) in 2009. COSPAR is empowered by Article IX of the United Nations Outer Space Treaty. These rules placed Enceladus, along with Mars and Jupiter's moon Europa, squarely on the list of bodies upon which biologic contamination should not be allowed. Each of those worlds was deemed to be a place where "contamination carried by a spacecraft could jeopardize future exploration." Each had natural processes by which "bugs" arriving on landers  or crashers  could find their way to habitats where microbes could survive and reproduce.

Beneath the icy surface of Enceladus, liquid water is heated as it percolates through the rock of the seafloor. Plumes of warm water laden with minerals create chimney-like "hydrothermal vents." Some of this water is propelled through fissures in the crust, spewing out into space as geysers of icy crystals, thus available to be analyzed by Cassini's instruments. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Southwest Research Institute)

As if to seal the case, in early 2017, Cassini discovered silica grains and hydrogen gas in the ice plumes above Enceladus, indicating there must be hydrothermal vents on the floor of the subsurface ocean. Such vents on Earth have proved to be oases for life, dispensing heat, nutrient chemicals and mixing currents. These "black smokers" and "white smokers" support rich communities of organisms, almost completely isolated from others by many miles of barren ocean.

The warm way down

Certain parts of Cassini's internal plumbing and other systems are purposely kept warm; hitchhiking bacteria could have remained protected from extremely low temperatures. There is strong evidence that some bacteria can survive strong ultraviolet light from the sun and other space radiation. (A well-known claim, dating from the 1969 Apollo 12 mission, that Earth bacteria could return to life after more than two and a half years on the harsh moon turns out to be almost impossible to replicate due to the laboratory practices the scientists employed at the time.)

Engineers install one of Cassini's three radioisotope thermoelectric generators in a clean room at Launch Complex 40 at Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Oct. 9, 1997, six days prior to launch. (Image credit: NASA)

Cassini gets its electrical power from three radioisotope thermal electric generators (RTGs), which translate the heat of decaying plutonium dioxide. These RTGs are hot and heavy. RTGs can't be cooled except by their own radioactive decay; plutonium-238 has a half-life of nearly 88 years. If the craft were to crash on the surface of a cold moon like Enceladus, the RTGs could easily thaw a path through tens of kilometers of ice, and plop down into the liquid water ocean beneath, though this might take a long time.

Best of intentions

Space agencies hire microbiologists to keep records and samples of bacteria that can survive in clean rooms where spacecraft are assembled. The idea is to carefully limit  and specifically list  the species that could sneak aboard. If life is found in space, it must be checked against this gang of usual suspects before it can be declared as extraterrestrial.

There is also the chance that stringent spacecraft sterilization could actually be encouraging the evolution of microbes that are hardier and more resistant to the hard vacuum, wide temperature swings and harsh radiation conditions of space. It is remotely possible that, in the name of planetary protection, we are making the effects of cross-contamination worse.

For a deeper look into all that Cassini found in its 13 years in the Saturn system, watch "Kingdom of Saturn  Cassini's Epic Quest (opens in new tab)," a 73-minute documentary available on Amazon Xive-TV.

The author, @DavidSkyBrody, is the writer and director of "Kingdom of Saturn  Cassini's Epic Quest (opens in new tab)," a documentary that look back at the mission available at Amazon Xive-TV. Brody was formerly executive producer at Purch, the parent company of Space.com and LiveScience.com.

Follow this author @DavidSkyBrody. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Originally published on Space.com.
The first stage of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket that launched the Thaicom 8 communications satellite comes into Floridas Port Canaveral on June 2, 2016. The roof of a SpaceX building in Port Canaveral that houses such landed rocket stages caught fire on July 16, 2017, but no hardware was damaged, SpaceX representatives said.

A SpaceX building on the Florida coast caught fire over the weekend, but firefighters put out the blaze before it damaged the spaceflight gear inside, company representatives said.

The fire was reported Sunday afternoon (July 16) in Port Canaveral, on the roof of a large building that SpaceX uses to store the first stages of Falcon 9 rockets that have landed back on Earth during orbital missions, according to Florida's WESH 2 News.

"The large building and difficulty reaching the fire made the job tough," WESH 2 reported. "Firefighters wearing lots of heavy protective gear and equipment had to climb 75-foot-tall [23 meters] ladders in the hot Florida afternoon sun to reach the blaze. One firefighter experienced heat stress, and was taken to a hospital to be checked. There were no other injuries."

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Firefighters had to peel back the roof to make sure that the flames had been doused completely, according to WESH 2 News.

In a statement provided to WESH 2, a SpaceX spokesman described the fire as "small" and thanked the Canaveral Fire Rescue and the Brevard County Fire Rescue teams for responding so quickly.

"There was no damage to any SpaceX equipment or hardware as a result of the fire," the statement added. "The cause of the fire is under investigation."

Follow Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+.
Algiers, 16 July 2017 (SPS) - Algerian Prime Minister Abdelmajid Tebboune has reaffirmed the firm position of the Algerian government in support of the just cause of the Saharawi people.

The Algerian Prime Minister expressed in a letter to his Sahrawi counterpart, Abdelkader Taleb-Omar, his gratitude for the congratulatory message he received from the latter following his appointment.

In the same letter, Mr. Tebboune reiterated Algeria's firm support for the legitimate and inalienable right of the Saharawi people to self-determination and independence. (SPS)

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Havana, July 16, 2017 (SPS)  President of the National Council, Khatri Addouh, received on Saturday by his Cuban counterpart Esteban Lazo Hernandez, accompanied by the leadership of the Cuban Parliament and members of the Cuban Parliamentary Committee for Solidarity with the Sahrawi Republic.

The Cuban parliament had unanimously approved, on Friday, the establishment of a Cuban parliamentary committee to defend the right of the Sahrawi people to self-determination and independence and to promote bilateral relations between the Saharawi and Cuban peoples.

On this occasion, the President of the Cuban Parliament reiterated the firm position of Cuba in support of the legitimate Sahrawi cause.

For his part, Khatri Addouh stressed the historical relations between the Sahrawi and Cuban peoples, praising the Cuban support to the Sahrawi people in social fields such as health, education and others. (SPS)

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El-Aaiun (Refugee Camps), July 16, 2017 (SPS) - President of the Republic, Secretary-General of the Polisario Front, Brahim Ghali, has initiated visits to the wilayas of the Republic, inaugurated Sunday BY a visit in the wilaya of EL-Aaiun.

The visits come after other visits that included regions of Sahrawi People's Liberation Army and municipalities in the liberated zones of Western Sahara, within the framework of the decisions of the 14th Congress of the Polisario Front, focused on assessment of regional and local progress of national programs.

The visit in the wilaya of El-Aaiun was marked by reviewing all aspects of the struggle of the Sahrawi people, where preservation of the achievements of the Sahrawi state was emphasized, strengthening the unity, solidarity and cohesion, as well as appreciation of the role of the intifada of independence in supporting the path of national struggle, led by the pioneering heroes of the Sahrawi people in Moroccan prisons.



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The President of the Republic is accompanied by members of National Secretariat of the Polisario Front, SADR government, Consultative and National councils, and military and civilian executives. (SPS)

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MADISON  The leader of a nonprofit group that encourages people to challenge the political establishment has filed the paperwork to set up a run for governor  as a Democrat.

Mike McCabe filed paperwork with state election officials Monday to establish a campaign committee.

The move allows him to begin raising money. McCabe told the Associated Press he expects to announce hell run as a Democrat in September. He had been considering running as an independent.

McCabe leads the nonpartisan group Blue Jean Nation, which promotes itself as working to promote change in government.

Milwaukee businessman Andy Gronik announced earlier this month he will run for governor as a Democrat. A number of other Democrats, including state schools Superintendent Tony Evers, are considering a run.

Other potential candidates include Sen. Kathleen Vinehout, D-Alma; Reps. Dana Wachs, D-Eau Claire, and Gordon Hintz, D-Oshkosh; Jefferson County District Attorney Susan Happ; Madison mayor Paul Soglin; and former Democratic Party chairman Matt Flynn. Political unknowns Bob Harlow, of Barneveld, and Ramona Whiteaker, of Stoughton, join Gronik as the other formally declared Democratic gubernatorial candidates.

Rick Adamski, a farmer from Shawano County, is the treasurer of Commoners for Mike McCabe.

Before launching Blue Jean Nation, McCabe was executive director of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, which monitors campaign contributions. He was with the group from 2000 to 2015.

McCabe had also worked for the Madison School District, the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance and three Republican senators. He ran for Assembly in 1998 as a Democrat but lost in the primary.

His book Blue Jeans in High Places is about the influence of money in politics, and he has toured the state to promote it.

He had said he was considering the run in response to a letter from 190 Wisconsin residents, including Adamski, urging him to do so.

Gov. Scott Walker, a Republican, has indicated he will announce a run for a third term after the state budget process wraps up. The budget for 2017-19 was due July 1.

A state Republican Party spokesman called McCabe a phony.

Phony Mike McCabe has posed for years as a reformer while in reality taking money from dark-money heavyweights and secretly practicing the sort of partisan politics he condemns, said GOP spokesman Alec Zimmerman, citing the democracy campaigns acceptance of funding from the Open Society Institute for a project on state Supreme Court elections.
D octor Who fans, actors and even politicians have led an outpouring of praise for the first female Time Lord, actress Jodie Whittaker, who said today: dont be scared of my gender.

The 35-year-old, who starred in Dorset-based drama Broadchurch, was revealed as the 13th Doctor  replacing Peter Capaldi  on Sunday.

The announcement sparked meltdown on social media with many claiming a female Time Lord would spell the end of the show.

However, others reacted with jubilation at the news  including many high profile faces.

Former Dr Who Colin Baker wrote on Twitter: "Well I never the BBC really did do the right thing and let the Doctor be in touch with her feminine side. As a father of daughters - result!

He later slammed sceptics and added: Cannot deny that I am amazed by the 'never watch it again' reaction by some viewers (I hesitate to call them 'fans'). Very sad.

Billie Piper, who played assistant Rose Tyler, simply tweeted: Yes alongside an emoji of a rose.

Scottish leader Nicola Sturgeon shared a picture of book Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls added: Lovely day with my niece on her 11th birthday. This was one of her pressies - girls can be anything, even Dr Who!

Comedian Matt Lucas, who appeared as Nardole in the show, jokingly wrote: Absolutely furious. Can't believe they've cast a human to play the Doctor.

He then added: Next we'll be having a female prime minister.

John Barrowman, who played Captain Jack, said: CONGRATULATIONS Jodie Whittacker or should I say "Hello Doctor" History is made with bold moves. #DoctorWho13 #Doctor13 @ChrisChibnall JB.

Karen Gillan, who played companion Amy Pond, merely tweeted: Jodie Jodie Jodie Jodie.

While actor, and Darlek, Barnaby Edwards said he would look forward to exterminating Whittaker.

Jodie Whittaker: The first ever female Doctor 1 /20 Jodie Whittaker: The first ever female Doctor BBC BBC Studios/James Pardon BBC BBC Studios/James Pardon BBC BBC BBC BBC BBC BBC BBC BBC BBC BBC BBC

The praise came as Whittaker told fans not to be scared of her gender and said: As a feminist, it feels incredible.

Twitter reacts to the new Doctor announcement

She told the BBC: I want to tell the fans not to be scared by my gender. Because this is a really exciting time, and Doctor Who represents everything thats exciting about change. The fans have lived through so many changes, and this is only a new, different one, not a fearful one.

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The actress also added that it was very hard to keep news of her role under wraps and revealed she and her husband used the codename George  after George Clooney  to chat about the exciting position.

It will see the actor team up with Broadchurch creator Chris Chibnall on the hit sci-fi series as he takes over from Steven Moffat as executive producer.

Jodie Whittaker is revealed as the 13th Doctor in Doctor Who

Explaining how she won the part, she said: "We had a strange chat earlier this year where he tricked me into thinking we were talking about Broadchurch.

"And I started to quiz him about his new job in Wales, and asked him if I could be a baddie. And he quickly diverted the conversation to suggest I should consider auditioning to be the 13th Clooney.

"It was the most incredible chat because I asked every question under the sun, and I said I'd take a few weeks to decide whether I was going to audition.

"He got a phone call within 24 hours. He would've got a phone call sooner, but my husband was away and there was a time difference."
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ATLANTIC OCEAN (July 13, 2017) Sailors refuel an F-35B Lightning II joint strike fighter aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1). Wasp is underway acquiring certifications in preparation for their upcoming homeport shift to Sasebo, Japan where they are slated to relieve the USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) in the 7th Fleet area of operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Zhiwei Tan)

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UPDATED 6.20PM: A police spokesperson says the vehicle involved in the incident has since been found.

She could not say whether any charges had been laid in relation to the crash, as enquiries are still ongoing.

EARLIER:

A motorcyclist has been injured in a suspected hit and run this afternoon.

Emergency services were called to the scene at the intersection of Devonport Road and 11th Avenue at around 2pm.

A witness who contacted SunLive describes hearing a loud bang before the crash.

I came to the window and saw a guy lying on the ground near a motorcycle. People outside said it was a hit and run.

He says police are currently questioning witnesses and spray-painting the road, as they conduct a scene examination.

He says at first, the motorcyclist didnt appear to be moving.

But some guys from the army hall ran out and checked on him, and he was moving his arm eventually. The ambulance has taken him away now.

The witness says the road was blocked for maybe five or ten minutes, although traffic is said to be moving now.

A police spokesperson says the motorcyclist has been taken to hospital in a serious condition.

The driver of the car left the scene immediately. Police are speaking with a number of witnesses and ask anyone who saw the incident, but has not yet spoken to police, to please contact Tauranga Police Station.

People can contact Tauranga Police Station on 07 577 4300.

Alternatively, information can be left anonymously via the Crimestoppers 0800 555 111 line.
Andy Rubin's Essential smartphone missed its June release date in the US and suffered a bit of a blow in recent days after its VP of marketing, Brian Wallace, left the company. But despite these setbacks they're already working to launch the upcoming flagship phone in more markets --- specifically the UK, mainland Europe and Japan.

According to a report by the Financial Times, the company is already in talks with UK carriers including EE around an exclusivity deal. There was no mention of a launch time frame.

Over in the US, Sprint is confirmed to be the exclusive launch partner for the near bezel-less, stock Android smartphone. While the company missed its launch target of June, today's FT report quotes Essential COO Niccolo de Masi as saying the release is "iminent."

Essential's first smartphone will feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 SoC, 4GB of RAM, USB Type-C, a 3040mAh battery, and 128GB of UFS 2.0 internal storage. Unlike many of today's aluminum phones, the device is made of titanium and ceramic, and should be able to withstand accidental falls and bumps better than most. It also looks sleek, with a conspicuous absence of logos.

Probably the most noticeable feature is that 5.7-inch, 2560 x 1312 QHD (503 PPI) screen. Like most modern flagships, the 19:10 display has an edge-to-edge design, but it goes all the way to the top, wrapping itself around the front-facing camera.

As with Motorola's Moto Mods, you can customize the handset by attaching accessories; in this case, they stick to the magnetic pins on its back. One of the add-ons is a 360-degree camera that can shoot spherical UHD video at 30 fps. There's also a cradle-style charging dock available.

Other features include Gorilla Glass 5, Android Nougat 7.1.1, a rear fingerprint sensor, Bluetooth 5.0, and no bloatware. The Essential phone is available to pre-order for $699 or $749 if you want the camera accessory. No word yet on when it'll ship.
Duck Creek Technologies, Inc. provides software-as-a-service core systems to the property and casualty insurance industry in the United States and internationally. The company provides Duck Creek Policy, a solution that enables insurers to develop and launch new insurance products and manage various aspects of policy administration ranging from product definition to quoting, binding, and servicing; Duck Creek Billing that provides payment and invoicing capabilities, such as billing and collections, commission processing, disbursement management, and general ledger capabilities for insurance lines and bill types; and Duck Creek Claims that supports entire claims lifecycle from first notice of loss through investigation, payments, negotiations, reporting, and closure. It also offers Duck Creek Rating that allows carriers to develop new rates and models and deliver quotes in real-time based on the complex rating algorithms; Duck Creek Insights, an insurance analytics solution that allows carriers to gather and analyze data from internal and external sources and facilitate analysis and reporting on a single system; Duck Creek Digital Engagement that offer digital interactions between property and casualty insurers and their agents, brokers, and policyholders; and Duck Creek Distribution Management that automates sales channel activities for agents and brokers, including producer onboarding, compliance, and compensation management. In addition, the company provides Duck Creek Reinsurance Management that automates financial and administrative functions; and Duck Creek Industry Content that provides pre-built content, including base business rules, product designs, rating algorithms, data capture screens, and workflows for insurance lines of business, such as commercial auto, inland marine, and workers compensation. It has a partnership with Shift Technologies, Inc. to implement AI fraud detection. The company was founded in 2016 and is based in Boston, Massachusetts.
MADISON, Wis.  Whats it worth to Wisconsin to become the U.S. hub for a global company with 1 million employees and $136 billion in annual revenues?

Answer: It depends on what the state will gain versus the size of the public investment over time.

As Foxconn Technology Group investigates where it may build a next-generation production plant in the United States, Wisconsin is competing with a small number of states on factors such as location, transportation logistics, workforce skills, research and development expertise and supply chain potential.

Wisconsin must yet compete on a package of financial incentives, such as tax credits and worker training grants, that may fall between $2 billion to more than $3 billion over two decades or more. Lest you keel over with a case of sticker stock, heres how I arrived at the number:

Almost every state has an arsenal of incentives, some of which are found at the local government level, to attract company expansion projects or to retain companies already there. Wisconsins biggest tools are performance-based tax credits tied to jobs and salary levels, grants to train or retrain workers, and tax incremental financing used by local governments to finance roads, utility lines and similar public services.

Some of the largest state packages in recent times have involved states scrambling to keep what they already have: $8.7 billion in the state of Washington to keep Boeing from flying into the sunset, and a combined $8 billion in Michigan tied to that states automotive giants.

The more telling category are state incentives designed to attract new businesses and the jobs they create.

Some major examples over the past decade are Nevada and Tesla ($1.3 billion and 6,500 jobs); New York and Advanced Micro Devices ($1.2 billion and 1,200 jobs); Alabama and ThyssenKrupp ($1 billion and 2,000 jobs); South Carolina and Boeing ($900 million and 3,800 jobs); and New York and SolarCity ($750 million and 3,000 jobs).

Thats an average of about $312,000 per job over the course of the incentive agreements, which are typically 20 years or more. The Tesla and SolarCity deals stood at roughly $200,000 per job.

Lets assume the estimates are correct that Foxconn would create 10,000 direct jobs over time if it picked Wisconsin. Using the Tesla and SolarCity incentive packages as examples, that works out to an incentive package of $2 billion over time. The average of the five largest deals suggests a package of $3 billion or more.

That cost is tied to direct jobs only. Indirect jobs in the Foxconn supply chain could total another 20,000 because there would likely be 150 or more suppliers. Building a massive plant may require 15,000 construction workers for the duration.

Have I mentioned that Foxconns presence in Wisconsin could position the state as a leader in 5G technology, display screens, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, materials science and regenerative medicine? While the company is best known for assembling Apples iPhone, it is the worlds largest contract manufacturer of electronics and increasingly a player in medical devices, diagnostics and imaging.

In short, the deal could redefine the Wisconsin economy in ways that would touch all corners of the state while building on existing strengths.

When its an industry close to the heartbeat of a state economy, the incentives can be huge, said Tim Sheehy, president of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce. If the right foundation exists, an appropriately aggressive incentive package  makes sense.

Some economists dont believe state incentives pay back sufficiently over time. Other people may object to what they perceive as corporate welfare. Still others may wonder if there are better ways to put several billion dollars to work over time.

It all comes down to the math of costs and benefits. In the context of a proposed state government operating budget of $75 billion for two years, $3 billion or so invested over two decades may seem more palatable.

Entice a company to come to you instead of someplace else, and an entire industry will likely crop up to work near or with the first business. In time, you have many more jobs than what you first paid for, and service sectors grow with the larger population. Because everyone in the food chain would pay taxes, the benefits could outweigh the cost of the deal.

Its an equation Wisconsin will seek to balance as it competes with larger states and deeper pockets for Foxconn.
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.
A bulldog named Roxy at Carmel Valley Ranch resort in California. Photo: From Dog Decor by Sara Essex Bradley; copyright  2017; published by Glitterati Incorporated

From Park Avenue penthouses to midcentury-modern abodes nestled in the Hollywood Hills, mans best friend can be a stylish homes most valuable asset. Interior design photographer Sara Essex Bradley captured dogs in beautifully decorated interiors for her new book Dog Decor: Canines Living Large, published by Glitterati, which brings to life the adage: If you want the best seat in the house, move the dog.

Throughout her career documenting coveted spaces, mostly in New Orleans, Essex Bradley says she found that dogs, those ever-forgiven ruiners of fine fabrics, seemed to always fit in with a homeowners decor. She photographed a bulldog named Roxy, who serves as the unofficial concierge of the rustic-chic Carmel Valley Ranch resort in California; Momus, a Doberman who lies regally atop an oriental rug in the apartment of a New Orleans restaurant owner; and Brother, a white Whippet who rests in a midcentury chaise, surrounded by designer Tara Shaws samples and Italian 18th-century furniture. Other dogs include a black English Cocker Spaniel named Gus, a furniture snob who settles onto a fur throw against all-white interiors, and Ringo the Dachshund, named for his mop-top hairdo, who lives in a mod home complete with psychedelic flower-patterned chairs and a red Lippa table.

Im surprised by how often it appears that the space may have been designed to match the dog living in it, Essex Bradley writes in the books introduction. I hope these portraits will not provoke smiles merely because the dogs are so adorable, but will inspire great environments  both in terms of love and design  for every dog.

If you buy something through our links, New York may earn an affiliate commission.

Photo: From Dog Decor by Sara Essex Bradley; copyright  2017; published by Glitterati Incorporated/sara essex bradley

Coco and Dulce.

Photo: From Dog Decor by Sara Essex Bradley; copyright  2017; published by Glitterati Incorporated

Brother.

Photo: From Dog Decor by Sara Essex Bradley; copyright  2017; published by Glitterati Incorporated/sara essex bradley

Birdie.

Photo: From Dog Decor by Sara Essex Bradley; copyright  2017; published by Glitterati Incorporated

Roxy.

Photo: From Dog Decor by Sara Essex Bradley; copyright  2017; published by Glitterati Incorporated/sara essex bradley

Louis.

Photo: From Dog Decor by Sara Essex Bradley; copyright  2017; published by Glitterati Incorporated/sara essex bradley

Momus.

Photo: From Dog Decor by Sara Essex Bradley; copyright  2017; published by Glitterati Incorporated/sara essex bradley

Gus.

Photo: From Dog Decor by Sara Essex Bradley; copyright  2017; published by Glitterati Incorporated

Jade.

Photo: From Dog Decor by Sara Essex Bradley; copyright  2017; published by Glitterati Incorporated/sara essex bradley

Bourdreaux.
The Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a strong female focus. Collectors Jack and Sandra Guthmans donation of 50 photographs are on view now at the MCA, Chicago, as part of the exhibition Woman With a Camera.

Those 50 photographs were captured by 14 women from all over the world, representing different upbringings, lifestyles, and generations. Among these skillful women behind the lens are established masters of the craft Catherine Opie and Laurie Simmons.

The photographs capture women in different environments. In Skatepark, by Melanie Schiff, a barefoot, bleach-haired young female in jean cutoffs and a white tank top hangs from the peak of a skateboard ramp. Opies black-and-white photo, Untitled #1, is less literal, depicting an urban alleyway that feels simultaneously vacant and occupied.

The exhibition Woman With a Camera will be on view at MCA, Chicago, until January 14, 2018. Click ahead to preview photos from the exhibition.
Photo: Getty Images

New Yorks Sex Diaries series asks anonymous city dwellers to record a week in their sex lives  with comic, tragic, often sexy, and always revealing results. This week, a woman most interested in very successful men: 24, straight, single, Downtown Brooklyn.

DAY ONE

7 a.m. Saturday morning. I wake up with Harry  a tall, gorgeous writer with an archangels jawline  in my bed. I climb over him to pee and, while in the bathroom, purposefully muss up my hair to make it look like last night was just so wild. Then I slink back between the sheets.

7:30 a.m. I cant sleep, so I grab my phone and answer texts from work friends who want to know how last night went. I do marketing for a pretty prestigious media company, with one of the perks being that we work with some impressive people  like Harry. He and I met last fall when he was freelancing for us, but he had a girlfriend then. It wasnt until last week that I heard from him again  freshly single, according to some Instagram research  and we met for drinks, which led to a second date at the Met and more drinks, which led to him coming home with me last night. Hes 30, six years older than me.

9 a.m. Harry wakes up, and we have sex again. Its a little awkward, because hes kind of a weirdly jittery guy, plus, Im hungover and not loving how his dick doesnt quite hit me right. Ugh. I fake an orgasm to get it over with.

9:30 a.m. After smoking a cigarette, Harry offers to go get us some coffee. As a joke, I tell him to bring back a continental breakfast, and he actually literally brings back a bag of groceries, a croissant from the bakery next door, and todays copy of the Times. Im actually a little turned on by this. While he makes me poached eggs with avocado on toast, I scan the front page and eat half the croissant, feeling Brooklyn-bougie as fuck.



11:30 a.m. Harry finally leaves, probably to go work on his next award-winning expose or something. I spend the rest of the day cleaning the apartment and then go see Wonder Woman with friends from college. Its a fantastic weekend already.

DAY TWO

9 a.m. I meet work friends at Pier 11, where its bordering on 19th-century Ellis Island levels of madness with everyone trying to catch the Rockaway ferry. I dont actually mind waiting in line in the sun, though. The four of us girls all met as entry-level minions last year at the office and have been inseparable, so we spend the two hours doing a deep-dive on the latest office gossip.

1 p.m. We finally get to the beach. The ferry took forever, but at least it made us feel like were rich and going to the Hamptons instead of just Jacob Riis Park. After having burgers at the boardwalk cafe, we stake out a spot in the sand. As we pass around the sunscreen, I take the opportunity to grill my friend Lana for the latest on her departments boss. Well call him Creative Director.

Creative Director is this crazy hot, 35-year-old higher-up at the company  Ive been nursing a hugely inappropriate lady boner ever since he interviewed me for my job. Im still convinced he hired me because we hit it off so well (a.k.a., engaged in some light flirting). Judge me, fine, but interviewing and dating are not unalike.

2:15 p.m. Lana doesnt have anything new on Creative Director, but shes fully aware of my fetish for men in power, and promises to keep me posted. We strategize a little around the fact that I now have Creative Directors phone number  it was for a project, I swear  and tan for a few hours. I fall asleep on my towel.

4 p.m. Our little crew starts to head back home. Im caked in sand all over, and cant wait to take a long shower, sit in front of my window AC unit, and put some Netflix on.

10 p.m. After looking at all our photos from the day, I Instagram a group shot of us standing in the surf. Im pleased with how I look in my new high-cut one-piece, and apparently, Harry is, too  the likes roll in, his among them. He sends me a text asking if I have a tan line, and I tell him he should check for me in person. Then I fall asleep.

DAY THREE

7 a.m. Monday. I drag myself into work, but barely.

10:45 a.m. Harry texts back to ask how urgent my tan inspection is. While Im glad to see that the Instagram has staying power, I feel a headache coming on. I tell him Im too tired for tonight.

2 p.m. I turn in my one assignment for the week, and spend the rest of the day on Twitter, for market research. I love this company, but to be honest, Im so fucking bored at my job. Last month, I got turned down for a long-awaited promotion, and since then, I just cant bring myself to do more than the bare minimum. This sounds bratty, but Ive always, always been the girl who works hard and gets what she wants. The rejection knocked the wind out of me.

8 p.m. After getting home, I do my weekly phone call with my mom, and she asks how therapy is going. I just started seeing a therapist as of this month  it feels like a New Yorker rite of passage  because it became clear I needed to work through some general relationship/adjustment/sense-of-total-aloneness issues. Your typical 24-year-old stuff. Half the time, I feel guilty about it, because my problems dont seem like actual problems, but I admit to her that Dr. S has actually been helpful.

DAY FOUR

10 a.m. Creative Director is in today. I sit up a little straighter and watch him joke around with this new girl on the other side of the office. I dont love watching him chat up anyone who isnt me.

1:30 p.m. At lunch, I text Harry that I feel like getting drunk on a rooftop tonight. We make plans to meet up in Williamsburg.

6:30 p.m. I get home and slam some homemade avocado toast down my throat. Not embarrassed.

7 p.m. FUCK, the G train isnt running tonight, which means I have to travel from Brooklyn to Manhattan, then back to Brooklyn to meet up with Harry. I almost cancel, but instead I put on my big-girl pants  a pair of high-waisted short-shorts  and go anyway.

8:30 p.m. Im happy when I see Harry and his jawline at the bar. He still seems jittery, and I cant tell if its because hes just a naturally nervous dude. We order frozen pomegranate margaritas, and I start stroking his ego shamelessly by asking questions about his career.

11 p.m. We leave the bar and walk/stagger over to his place, tiptoeing in so as not to wake his roommates. But as soon as Im on his bed, he pulls my shorts off and sticks his tongue inside me, and Im unable to stay quiet. It feels like hes devouring me. We fuck quickly until he comes, and then he calls me a car with Juno.



DAY FIVE

9 a.m. Another workday with not much actual work involved. I spend half the morning tightening up a short presentation Im giving to my team tomorrow, and the other on LinkedIn. Ill say it again: There are so many things I love about my current company, but walking in every morning knowing that I have no forward trajectory here is getting to be humiliating.

11 a.m. In an attempt to make myself at least a little useful, I text Harry a link to some organizations that might make for cool sources for his latest project, which he told me all about last night. He seems grateful. I basically vibrate with this tiny sliver of appreciation.

5:15 p.m. Its my weekly therapist session with Dr. S! I settle into the leather couch inside his tiny Flatiron office and tell him about this whirlwind  romance? fuckfest? with Harry.

Surprisingly, Dr. S is actually kind of supportive. He asks me how I feel about it, and I confess that mostly I just feel  intrigued. Not obsessed or infatuated or remotely in love; I guess I just think hes an interesting, albeit jumpy, guy. Dr. S looks amused and reminds me that its okay to not know exactly how I feel about Harry right now. I have not yet briefed him on the Creative Director (non)situation, for the record, but plan to soon.

6 p.m. I leave Dr. Ss office feeling calm and content. At home, I rehearse my presentation for work before going to bed early.

DAY SIX



10:50 a.m. My presentation goes well, I think. I walk out of the room feeling like the Beyonce of Google Slides, but my boss doesnt even say anything, or look at me, as he walks by my desk. I try not to let my face fall too much.

11 a.m. Creative Director stops by my desk to chat, and my mood brightens at warp speed. Even though Im not on his actual team, I sometimes help out on projects when theyre overloaded, so we talk for a bit about next steps.

I wish hed seen my presentation. I should mention that, somewhat complicating the fact that I want to fuck Creative Directors brains out, I also want to move onto his team and work for him. I guess I probably cant have it both ways 

12 p.m. During lunch, I book a conference room and take a few hours to send out job applications. Dr. S might not approve of this passive aggression, but Im in official GTFO mode now.

4 p.m. Im supposed to get drinks after work with some friends, but I still feel too much like a kicked dog from this mornings presentation letdown. I text them to cancel.

6:30 p.m. I take the subway all the way back to my place in Brooklyn and am ready to dive into bed when I realize  I left my keys at work? Fuck. Me.

7:30 p.m. Back in Manhattan, where I end up meeting my friends at Penny Farthing anyway, since Im basically already there. Im glad I did; we get good and boozy on $5 drafts and then inhale sesame pancakes at Vanessas Dumplings.

10:15 p.m. Heading home on the subway once more, but drunkenly full and with keys in tow.

DAY SEVEN

6:45 p.m. After an uneventful Friday at work, I unwind with yoga. This means I follow a YouTube video from my laptop as I sweat it out in my living room. I feel bad for making my roommates climb over me to get to the kitchen, but it also feels nicely indulgent to take up some space.

7:30 p.m. Just as Id hoped, Harry hits me up. We exchange texts and plan to meet later in my neighborhood. I low-key sprint to Duane Reade and invest in some Trojans for Her Pleasure.

9 p.m. Harry and I are drunk at this dive bar, which would be a lot more fun if he didnt keep getting up abruptly to go smoke. But we manage to talk a little bit about our backgrounds, like a real couple is supposed to do, I guess. Then he mentions that he used to be really into drugs  like Trainspotting-level shit  and it begins to dawn on me that maybe hes not just a naturally nervous dude.

10 p.m. Were walking back to my apartment when we run into a co-worker on the sidewalk  this woman who works directly for Creative Director, I shit you not. Im way too sloshed to be saying hi to her and introducing Harry, but part of me secretly hopes that shell mention running into me and Harry to Creative Director. And then, maybe hell get jealous and admit his undying love for me 

10:15 p.m. In my room, Harry and I take our own clothes off with an efficient sense of familiarity, and then I climb on top of him and try to orgasm for real this time. But I cant. I dont know if its the four beers I had, or him, or the fact that, okay yes, Harrys successful and handsome but I just dont actually feel anything for him  but I cant seem to get off. I fake it again, and he grabs my hips and grinds my body against his until he finishes.

11 p.m. Harry leaves almost immediately to go meet up with friends. Im not exactly unhappy that hes gone, but this Friday night is ending on kind of a boring note.

11:30 p.m. I reach for my phone and blearily compose a text to Creative Director.

To be clear, we have texted before  a handful of times about work  but obviously never at this kind of hour or on a weekend. Somehow in this intoxicated fugue state, I decide to tell him about running into that woman from his team, and isnt that funny, and hey actually, also, did he manage to get my latest edits on that one project, and does he have any thoughts?

11:50 p.m. He texts back.

Of course, he keeps it polite and appropriate  but we do engage in some definite back-and-forth. I decide to cut if off there, and go brush my teeth before passing out.

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Oaklawn Academy, an international Catholic boarding school for middle-school boys in rural Edgerton, hopes to start boarding a handful of older boys this fall who would take classes at Edgewood High School in Madison, at a total cost of $38,000 for room, board and tuition.

As many as five former Oaklawn students could attend Edgewood when classes begin there in mid-August, Oaklawn vice principal Tom Ryan said. They would be among the roughly 30 international students who annually attend the Catholic college-prep high school, out of a total enrollment of some 500.

Noting Oaklawns teachers are not certified for high school curriculum, Ryan said he visited Edgewood last year and thought the campus would be a good fit for former Oaklawn students.

I was very impressed with their school and their spirit, Ryan said. I think its a good marriage for us.

Located since 1986 on a 207-acre campus on Lake Koshkonong, Oaklawn Academy is affiliated with the Legionaries of Christ, a conservative and sometimes controversial Catholic order started in Mexico in 1941. Its founder, Marcial Maciel, who died in 2008, was posthumously denounced by the Vatican in 2010 as a pedophile and serial philanderer. In 2007, the Vatican also required the order to eliminate certain obedience vows that had barred priests and priests-in-training from criticizing superiors and had encouraged them to inform on dissenters.

Edgewood High School is owned by the Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters, a progressive order founded in 1847 in Wisconsin. Edgewood requires a higher level of English fluency of its international students than Oaklawn does of its enrollees.

Catering primarily to students from Latin America, Oaklawn is working with Edgewood, Ryan said, at the request of Oaklawn parents who have long wanted a U.S. Catholic high school choice after Oaklawn, which only offers grades 7 to 9.

At Edgewood, administrators confirmed that three former Oaklawn students have applied to attend who could be accepted after required permissions are received for the new school year starting in mid-August.

We will look at any and all applicants, and if its a good fit, if they can meet the (admissions) criteria, then fine, Edgewood High School president Michael Elliott said. Our agreement is with the parents, not with Oaklawn.

A promotional slideshow on Oaklawns website since April 9 explains the new program, labeled New Collaboration with Edgewood HS. The slideshow describes the two schools and offers basic details such as dates and prices.

But Elliott said collaboration was too strong a word to describe the arrangement.

(Oaklawn officials) are making their families aware of a Catholic high school option, he said. We said to Oaklawn, if they have students that would like to pursue high school, they could apply to Edgewood like any other international student.

Ryan said Oaklawn, which has seen enrollment declines in recent years, had a verbal, mutual agreement with Edgewood to recommend qualified, former Oaklawn students for possible admission. He hoped up to 20 would attend Edgewood eventually, while noting Oaklawn would always be the students legal guardians in the U.S.

The Legionaries of Christ was shaken by the public downfall of Maciel, but fallout from the incident has had no impact on the schools day-to-day operations, Ryan said, maintaining alumni support has remained strong for the school, which last year enrolled 68 students, down from 216 students in 2011.

They believe in what weve been providing and see no relationship to us and the founder in that sense, Ryan said, noting grown former students now are sending their own sons to attend the academy. In any business, in any organization, just because one person does something wrong, it doesnt mean the organization is bad.

Ryan also said enrollment can fluctuate in response to many factors, including politics in the U.S. and in students home countries, and changing currency exchange rates.
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WINNIPEGTheres one bummer question haunting all the marijuana businesses popping up between British Columbia and Newfoundland.

How much do Canucks like weed, eh?

A year before recreational cannabis is expected to become legal in Canada, theres an explosion in companies cultivating the stuff. At least 10 marijuana outfits have new listings this year on the TSX Venture Exchange and Canada Securities Exchange. Some 51 enterprises have gotten the green light to grow pot and 815 applicants are in the queue. All told, it could be enough to raise the countrys raw-weed output more than tenfold.

Read more:Employers hazy on impact of legal pot: Survey

Wynne says Ottawa providing 'clarity' on weed

Pot company hopes to provide an extra buzz with your morning coffee

This is where skeptics see froth. If you ask people today why they dont use, its a small percentage who say because its illegal, said Neil Boyd, a criminologist at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver. In many respects, there might be an overestimation of demand.

Longtime users and growers insist hes wrong, but investors arent so sure. Producer MedReleaf Corp. tumbled as much as 28 per cent last month in the worst debut for a Canadian IPO in 16 years amid concern pot stocks are overvalued. Shares of Canopy Growth Corp., the countrys first billion-dollar marijuana startup, are down 21 per cent in the past three months.

The North American Medical Marijuana Index, which tracks leading cannabis stocks in the U.S. and Canada, has plunged 21 per cent since Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus government in April unveiled its plan to legalize the drug by next July, 16 years after Canada permitted it for medical use.

Of course, some of the decline may be attributed to the situation in the U.S. Many in the Trump administration, Attorney General Jeff Sessions in particular, are no friends to the industry.

For Canadian companies, the risk isnt political.

There seems to be a little bit of investor fatigue, said PI Financial Corp. analyst Jason Zandberg. He said theyre having trouble differentiating between the producers, new and old, and what might give them competitive advantages.

Thats to be expected, according to marijuana bulls, in a brand-new market that hasnt even arrived yet. Parliament still has to pass the recreational law (though theres little question itll do so). Then the federal government will have to write rules on taxation and each province will have to decide how to regulate distribution.

Nothing is going to be perfect right off the hop, said Jon Bent, a licensed medical marijuana grower who has been cultivating plants on his 4.5-hectare farm outside Winnipeg for five years. Its baby steps  and the industry is moving quickly.

The question is whether its going too quickly, considering the variety of estimates about how much recreational weed Canadians will end up regularly ingesting. Some educated guesses are that about 15 per cent of Canadians partake now, legally and otherwise. Thats around 5.4 million people, roughly the population of Colorado, which gave the nod to recreational marijuana in 2014. Medical and recreational sales there rose 56 per cent last year, to nearly $1 billion (U.S.), according to Cannabase, operator of the states largest market.

One projection, from the Canadian parliamentary budget officer, is that 4.6 million people age 15 and over will use cannabis at least once and consume 655,000 kilograms next year, and that 5.2 million will be doing so by 2021.

Other reports peg future recreational consumption at 420,000 kilograms a year with sales reaching $6 billion by 2021, Canaccord Genuity Group Inc. said in November. For its part, Health Canada anticipates a mature medical marijuana market will be around $1.3 billion.

That could underestimate the number of Canadians who will refuse to buy from corporate weed growers, said Chad Jackett, 38, who runs a medical marijuana dispensary in Squamish, B.C., and uses cannabis oil everyday to treat nerve pain.

His concern is that new regulations will sideline the independent farmers who advocated for the plant for years and grow small amounts. I will definitely not be using anything from one of the big outfits, Jackett said. If I dont have enough of my own, then Ill be getting it from somebody else whom I trust.

Underscoring how confusing it all is, a few alarms are being sounded that there wont be enough to pass around on day one. In fact, Colorado faced some shortages of legal supplies in the first year. A similar rush emptied shelves in Nevada, where sales started on July 1.

By 2015, Colorado had the opposite problem, according to Denver-based researcher Marijuana Policy Group, with supplies approximately 51 per cent larger than demand. The average price sought by wholesalers for recreational flower has fallen 52 per cent since lawful sales began, according to Cannabase.

None of this has dampened enthusiasm in some quarters of Canada. MedReleaf has raised $100 million, all of which is going toward expanding capacity, said chief executive officer Neil Closner. He said the disappointing IPO was due to a general market slowdown and not a reflection of demand for our product.

Like others in the business, he is confident Canadians will be keen enough to lawfully imbibe that the blossoming industry will be supported.

Bent, the pot farmer outside Winnipeg, is just as upbeat. Surveying part of his crop, in a room brimming with 30 bushy plants ripening under the glow of hot lamps, he said the oft-misunderstood reefer is definitely going mainstream.

Even his cousin, a religious librarian, became a convert after experimenting in Denver, he said. These are people who would never, ever try it if it were illegal.

Its really gaining popularity and really starting to lose that stigma, Bent said. I see a lot of money being spent.

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Bird of Paradise is a showy balancing pose that requires equal measures of poise and flexibility as you effectively bind a standing version of the splits. Luckily, the National Ballet of Canadas principal dancer Heather Ogden is here to demonstrate this bird-inspired yoga pose in honour of the 140th anniversary of Swan Lake.

1. Before you begin, warm up your body with Sun Salutations and a few hamstring stretches.

2. Then, stand in a forward bend with your feet set just wider than hip-distance apart.

3. Bend both your knees before passing the right hand between your legs and pressing the wedge formed by the index finger and thumb against your right calf to wiggle the right shoulder behind the fold of the knee.

4. Once the shoulder is nested behind the knee, bring the back of the right hand to the outer right hip and use those fingers to clasp the opposite fingers or wrist.

5. Narrow the feet to hip-distance apart and pour your weight over the left foot as you bend your knees and lift onto your right toes.

6. Float the right foot above the earth and push strongly into your grounded foot to bring yourself up to stand. Take your time and be patient as you seek to get airborne.

7. Once the torso is upright, straighten your standing leg and consider mindfully opening up the angle of the right knee if your inner hamstrings permit it.

8. Gaze ahead with soft eyes and dance your balance for five breaths before re-bending the bound leg and returning the foot to the ground.

9. Switch sides.

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Muslims in the Quebec City area are facing disappointment and uncertainty after voters in a small town close to the provincial capital voted Sunday night to stop the development of a cemetery catering to the Islamic faith.

In a closely watched referendum Sunday night, just 36 residents of Saint-Apollinaire, a town of around 6,000 southwest of Quebec City, voted 19-16 to overturn zoning changes made earlier this year allowing the cemetery. One ballot was rejected.

Its very disappointing, Mohamed Labidi, president of the Centre Culturel Islamique de Quebec, told the Star Sunday night. We feel ignored ... the action in Saint-Apollinaire is against living together.

The centre was the driving force behind the purchase of a plot of land beside an existing cemetery in Saint-Apollinaire earlier this year that members hoped would become their own. Now Labidi says he will be meeting with his administration to come up with another plan.

The result will have ramifications not just for Muslims in the Quebec City area, but across the province, given that there is only one Muslim-run cemetery in Quebec. Searches for other suitable land will likely be needed, Labidi says.

The projects genesis goes back to 2016 when Sylvain Roy, the director of the non-denominational Harmonia funeral home in Saint-Apollinaire, heard from a Muslim family who couldnt find a local cemetery where they could bury a loved one in accordance with the Islamic faith.

The lack of options for Muslims in the province became more widely known following a shooting rampage in January 2017 at a Quebec City mosque. The incident, which took place during evening prayers on Jan. 29, left six men dead and 19 others injured. One of the dead was buried in Laval, where the only Muslim-run cemetery in Quebec is located. The bodies of the other five were repatriated to their countries of origin.

In February, Harmonia funeral home agreed to sell a parcel of land to the Centre Culturel Islamique de Quebec in Saint-Apollinaire, a deal that was unanimously approved by council when it voted for zoning changes that would allow for the Muslim-run cemetery.

The deal was put on hold thanks to a rule that allows residents whose properties could be affected by the zoning change to vote on councils decision. Forty-nine residents registered to vote in early July, but only 36 cast their ballots Sunday.

Roy, of the Harmonia funeral home, told the Star the result is not a good message to the Muslims of Quebec.

Its quite difficult to understand whats happened there. What we want to present is a symbol of harmony  just two cemeteries side by side, he said. Its a symbol of what our country wants to say to the world but now weve received a no. Its quite a surprise.

Saint-Apollinaire Mayor Bernard Ouellet said he was disappointed by the result.

My community in general, I think that above all, what led their choice was really fear and disinformation, he told reporters. Im convinced of it.

Opponents of the project said Muslims should be buried in Islamic sections of existing cemeteries. Sunny Letourneau, the leader of the Saint-Apollinaire group against the zoning change, told the Star last week that she believes cemeteries run by religious groups of any kind cause problems because of their exclusivity.

With files from Allan Woods and Canadian Press

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Premiers rarely get much attention or traction when they meet every year to save the country from itself.

This week may be different, because the premiers have seen the enemy  and it is no longer just ourselves. Now theres Donald Trump.

The U.S. president has given the premiers new purpose. The release of his updated NAFTA negotiating agenda Monday is focussing provincial minds on a bigger target south of the border.

Meeting in Edmonton on Tuesday and Wednesday, the premiers will have better things to do than bash Ottawa as they customarily do. Reborn and rebranded as the portentous Council of the Federation in 2003, the annual premiers conference has long served as a counterweight to Ottawa.

But a counterweight can also be deadweight, not heft. These days, the premiers have no real role as a countervailing force against a forceful federal government, for it is the threat of countervailing duties on Canadian softwood lumber, and the spectre of Buy America programs, that weighs heavier on the country.

No longer rebels without a cause, the premiers are making common cause in forging and reinforcing links with American governors. Ontarios Kathleen Wynne showed up at a meeting of U.S. governors in Rhode Island last week, making the case that Ontario is the best or second-best customer for two-thirds of American states.

Wynne has been courting her counterparts since becoming premier  among them Indianas then-governor, Mike Pence, on his 2014 trip to Toronto. Now Trumps vice-president, Pence spoke to his erstwhile gubernatorial colleagues at their summit last week with Wynne in attendance, doubtless mindful of the trade links he championed when he led that Indiana trade delegation to Ontario.

This week in Edmonton, Wynne will brief her fellow premiers on all those bilateral talks with American governors. Yet the premiers are acutely aware that in the high stakes NAFTA negotiations ahead, they remain bit players limited to lobbying from the sidelines and telephone lines as American decision makers take their seats at the bargaining table.

Thats why the provinces cannot allow fears over free trade to crowd out other agenda items where they have a central role to play. For while they are constrained from making the final decisions on trade, they are the frontline decision makers in other areas that matter just as much to Canadians.

At last years meeting in Yukon, they were able to celebrate the signal achievement of an expanded Canada Pension Plan. Wynne forced retirement security onto the agenda with her proposed Ontario Retirement Pension Plan, which set a mid-2016 deadline for a decision before the province went its own way. The Trudeau Liberals leveraged that timeline to win a historic compromise from the other provinces, obviating the need for an Ontario-only pension.

Now, Wynne has the opportunity to push the envelope further yet again, this time with her proposed pharmacare plan set to take effect next January for people up to age 25. Ontario has been pushing for a national pharmacare plan for years, arguing not only for social equity and decency, but fiscal efficiency and raw purchasing power.

All the benefits that accrue to the provincial treasury from a single-payer drug plan can generate even greater economies of scale with full national implementation. Beyond the humanity of ensuring that patients can fill their doctors prescriptions without worrying about where the money will come from  especially in an era of precarious employment and the uncertainty of workplace benefit plans  a national program covering all age groups would generate huge savings from bulk buying of pharmaceuticals for which we now overpay.

Just as they updated the CPP last year, 60 years after its inception, our leaders must modernize universal medicare by adding free medicine to the universal coverage first conceived six decades ago. The onus is on Ottawa to support free prescription drugs for all, but there is an opportunity for provincial premiers to lead the way today, just as they once did on pensions and medicare.

Protectionist barriers to trade at home and abroad are worth tackling, to the extent that our politicians can win friends and influence governors. But persistent barriers to medicare and medicine closer to home cannot be forsaken in Edmonton, or the premiers work will soon be forgotten.

Martin Regg Cohn's political column appears Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. mcohn@thestar.ca , Twitter: @reggcohn

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OTTAWAA group of Hong Kong asylum seekers who sheltered the American surveillance whistleblower Edward Snowden in 2013 is calling on the Canadian government to speed up their refugee applications in the face of concern they will be imminently detained, deported and separated from their children.

The groups legal team, which consists of lawyers in Hong Kong and Montreal, accused Canadian officials of reversing a decision in April to expedite the refugee applications of the so-called Snowdens Guardian Angels. They told reporters on Parliament Hill the asylum seekers would face possible arrest, torture or death if they are deported to their home countries of Sri Lanka and the Philippines, and are demanding an explanation from Ottawa about why the cases arent being fast-tracked.

The lawyers plan to submit a motion in Federal Court on Tuesday to force the government to hear their cases as soon as possible.

Its unacceptable, and its immoral, said Marc-Andre Seguin, one of the lawyers representing the four adults and three young children hoping to come to Canada. He suggested the Justin Trudeau government, which has branded the country as a haven for refugees, is at risk of contradicting its own welcoming rhetoric.

Human Rights Watch has also called on the government to fast-track the applications.

We invite (Trudeau) to review his messages, to look at the photos of these three children, Seguin said, and to ask himself the question: do these people deserve a future?

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Minister Ahmed Hussen, whose department handles such applications, was not available for an interview Monday, according to his office.

In an emailed statement, Hussens spokesperson Hursh Jaswal said the minister has not made any promise to expedite the Hong Kong claimants applications. He said the government is committed to making sure every case is evaluated based on its merits and in a fair manner, but declined to comment further because of privacy laws.

The asylum seekers have been in Hong Kong for several years and live on meager government stipends, said Michael Simkin, another lawyer working on the case. He said that, like all asylum seekers in Hong Kong, they are barred from legally working or even begging on the street.

Robert Tibbo, a Canadian lawyer who represents dozens of asylum claimants in Hong Kong, connected Snowden with the group in 2013. The intelligence leaker hid with them in their homes for two weeks before flying to Moscow, where he remains today.

The worry now is that, in the glint of worldwide attention for their involvement with Snowden, the asylum seekers will be deported from Hong Kong before Canada reviews their refugee claims. But they may also be in danger in Hong Kong  their lawyers said theyve relocated their clients several times out of fear members of Sri Lankan security forces are trying to find them.

The claimants are: Ajith Kankanamalage, a former soldier who was allegedly tortured in Sri Lanka; Nadeeka Kuttige and Supun Kellapatha, who are also from Sri Lanka and have two children under age 6 who were born in Hong Kong; and Vanessa Rodel, a single mother of a 5-year-old daughter who told the Star she fled the Philippines in 2003 after being kidnapped and sexually assaulted.

The group lived in obscurity until last year, when a blockbuster film about Snowden hit theatres and included a scene about how they hosted the American intelligence leaker in the Hong Kong underworld.

Tibbo said Monday that, since then, theyve been singled out time and time again by the Hong Kong government. The immigration department there is also pushing to get him removed from their case, according to a report in the South China Morning Post.

But whats giving the situation more urgency now is an order by Hong Kong officials to have the asylum seekers check in at a detention centre for immigrants  in Rodels case by August 1.

In an interview with the Star on Monday, she said she fears she will be separated from her daughter, who was born in Hong Kong, and deported back to the Philippines where she fears her life will be in danger.

Rodel said she wasnt given an explanation about the sudden order to report to Castle Peak Bay immigration detention centre.

They said they dont know. I am very, very scared  very, very upset, she said.

The three other adult asylum seekers received similar notices to report to the detention centre in early August, according to a letter of demand detailing the situation that was sent to Minister Hussen last week and provided to the Star.

Once theyre removed, any screening or any decision by the Canadian government will be moot, Tibbo said. We fully expect Canada to intervene for these extremely vulnerable clients.

Simkin and Seguin said their promised legal action represents the last hope for the asylum seekers. In January of this year, they set up a not-for-profit agency called For the Refugees to sponsor the claimants and bring them to Canada. According to their letter to Hussen, Canadian consular officials told them in April that the refugee applications would be expedited.

The lawyers said they repeatedly reached out to Canadas immigration minister and other officials over the ensuing weeks, but learned on July 7 that the applications are actually being processed at the routine speed  a process that could take years, Seguin said.

The lawyers say that timeline is out of the question, given the orders to report to the detention centre.

Simkin told reporters in Ottawa that its unclear why Canadian officials appear to have changed course on the claimants applications, but said any politically motivated decision based on their links to Snowden would be unfair.

We cannot use these families as a proxy for punishing Edward Snowden, he said.

Rodel said she wants to come to Canada because it has a reputation for respecting human rights.

I am hopeful we get in Canada, she said, especially for our kids.

Simkin and Seguin said it is possible the case will be heard in Montreal later this week.

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OTTAWAA group of lawyers are hoping the courts will force the federal government to speed up refugee applications for three families who helped hide former CIA whistleblower Edward Snowden in Hong Kong.

The lawyers have asked a Federal Court judge to order Ottawa to live up to it obligations to protect refugees, and process the families claims immediately.

Lawyer Michael Simkin says there are fears the families could be arrested any day, making it more difficult to have them resettled in Canada.

The families, originally from Sri Lanka and the Philippines, have so far been denied asylum in Hong Kong, and launched appeals Monday to have deportation orders against them lifted.

They gained notoriety last year when their existence was revealed in Oliver Stones film Snowden, and have since faced political persecution in Hong Kong, says lawyer Marc-Andre Seguin.

A Montreal-based not-for-profit, For the Refugees, filed to sponsor the families in January after raising funds from private donors to support them.

The group said Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen committed to expedite processing of the refugee application in early May, but that the Canadian consulate reported on July 7 that their files had not been fast-tracked.

Seguin was blunt during a news conference in Ottawa Monday about what could happen next if immediate action isnt taken.

Faced with imminent deportation, the parents can be arrested at any time and separated from their minor children, he said.

They will be imprisoned or even killed if returned to their home countries.

The seven refugee claimants, including three children, are being specifically targeted for deportation by Hong Kong authorities, said Simkin, who could only speculate on why.

It seems like the families connection to Snowden has made them radioactive and put them in a uniquely vulnerable situation, he said.

The families sheltered Snowden for two weeks in May 2013, at the request of Snowdens lawyer Robert Tibbo, after the whistleblower leaked classified information about the U.S. National Security Administrations mass surveillance practices to journalists and an American filmmaker.

Referred to by some as Snowdens Guardian Angels, the refugee claimants have said they fear for their safety should they be returned to their home countries.

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A woman brutalized by Ottawa police during her wrongful trespassing arrest and left naked for hours in a holding cell nine years ago has been awarded $254,000 in damages.

The Superior Court award in favour of Roxanne Carr, one of the highest of its kind in Canada, comes after a nine-day trial that ended more than a year ago.

The police actions broke my heart, Carr said in a statement through her lawyer Lawrence Greenspon. Patience is a virtue  sometimes its worth the wait because it helps others.

Given the possibility of an appeal, Carr would not otherwise be speaking publicly, Greenspon said Monday from Ottawa.

In making the award, Justice Sylvia Corthorn faulted several officers for the disturbing series of events, but aimed much of her judgment at Const. Michael Adlard, the officer who set off a chain of events in August 2008.

Adlard had no grounds to arrest Carr without a warrant for what was, at most, a landlord and tenant dispute, Corthorn found. The officer then used excessive force to detain her, leaving her with injuries that included a bone fracture in her wrist, the judge said.

Court records show Carr, then in her late 20s, was renting part of a home in Ottawa from her boyfriend but he had called police to say he wanted her gone. Carr was sitting and chatting with a friend on the front steps of the house when, to her surprise, Adlard showed up.

Within eight minutes, Adlard had thrown Carr to the ground and arrested her. Corthorn rejected his shifting account that he feared Carr, whose rent was paid up and was entitled to be there, was about to lunge at him.

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Adlards failure to take a measured approach and his decision to take a forceful, if not confrontational approach are such that his conduct fell below the standard of care, Corthorn said.

The situation turned uglier when Carr kicked out the back window of the cruiser and she was taken to the police station.

Video shows officers casually search Carr, who was lying face down on the floor. Despite the fact she was now completely compliant, Const. Richard Marcil opted to use a restraining device to take her to her cell, apparently breaking her wrist in the process.

It looks like an animal on a leash. Its really, really disturbing, Greenspon said from Ottawa on Monday. You wouldnt treat an animal the way she was treated at the station.

Once in a cell, Marcil and other officers stripped her of her clothing on the pretext that Carr, who by now had two broken bones in her wrist, was suicidal and had tried to tie her shirt around her neck, the judge found. Carr was left for more than two hours naked in the cell.

Officers finally gave her back her clothes and allowed her to leave. The judge accepted that Carr had two fractures in her wrist, and scrapes and bruises on her head, shoulders legs and foot as a result of the force used against her and that the incident had inflicted traumatic stress on her.

Four charges against Carr, including that she had resisted arrest and assaulted an officer, were withdrawn three years later. Corthorn rejected Carrs negligence claims against the officer who had laid the charges for lack of evidence.

Ultimately, Corthorn awarded her $90,000 in general damages, $120,000 in lost income and $37,000 for counselling. Corthorn also ordered the police services board and the four officers involved in stripping Carr and leaving her naked in the cell to pay her another $7,500 for breaching her rights.

Interest and legal costs have yet to be determined.

Ottawa police said Monday they were reviewing the judgment and would not discuss the case or the status of the eight officers involved, who never faced prosecution or misconduct charges.

It certainly puts the propriety of their investigations up for grabs, Greenspon said.

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Mayor John Tory said its up to the province to provide more space for those in need of supportive housing amid concerns over unlicensed group homes operating within the city.

Its not acceptable for people to be living in sort of deplorable, unsafe, unhealthy conditions like that, Tory told the Star. We would certainly hope no hospital is in any way involved in discharging people to places that have been described the way your story sets out.

His comments follow a Star story Monday that revealed an OPP probe that focused on two people operating homes in Scarborough. Police cited complaints and documentation of unsanitary living conditions including overcrowding, the stench of human feces, dead mice, a lack of qualified staff and inadequate food supply  conditions officials described as deplorable.

The OPP investigation also found hospitals and community groups are referring people to the unlicensed homes without adequate alternatives.

The provincial Long Term Homes Care Act sets out that no person shall operate a residential premises for persons requiring nursing care or in which nursing care is provided to two or more unrelated persons.

But ministry and police officials came to a consensus, according to an OPP brief obtained by the Stars Betsy Powell, that enforcing the law would result in significant harm to vulnerable disadvantaged people who have no other alternative housing options available.

The real issue at the nub of this is the lack of availability of what we call assistive or supportive housing, Tory said, adding that is the provinces responsibility and nobody wants to see anyone put out on the street.

Tory said the city is adhering to its responsibilities to make sure buildings are up to code and free from fire safety violations through inspections and enforcement.

More than 50 fire code violations have been laid against Comfort Residential Group Home properties and the operators, including removing several people from the basement of one home. The owners of comfort residential say they are providing good care and filling a void in the community.

I think our people are doing our jobs when these places are brought to our attention, Tory said of city staff.

The mayor, who has publicly sparred with Premier Kathleen Wynne over funding for transit and housing, applauded the provinces budget plan to spend $45 million over three years, in part to fund supportive housing for those with mental health and addictions issues.

Critics have said little has been done in terms of long-term care shortages outside of expensive, private retirement care homes.

Whats going to solve the problem is some alternate form of accommodation for these people, Tory said. Our bottom line would be that we would not accept people living in conditions that are unsafe.

I think the answer best rests with the health-care system because its an extension of that. These people are not well enough to go home on their own, therefore theyre still in need of some assistance from the health-care system and its the health-care system theyre going to get it from, not the Toronto zoning enforcement office.

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After an emotional apology for skipping a sentencing hearing to do interviews for CP24, lawyer and frequent media commentator Ari Goldkind avoided being cited for contempt of court by a Toronto judge on Monday morning.

Addressing Superior Court Justice Michael Dambrot, Goldkind admitted to making a very poor decision and said his failure to attend court was not just inconvenient or disruptive but disrespectful to (the judge) personally and to the court as an institution.

Goldkinds lawyer Scott Hutchinson told the court that on June 7, Goldkind was offered a professional opportunity from a media outlet and attempted to reschedule the June 8 sentencing hearing to accommodate it.

The Crown refused to do so and on June 8, Goldkind did not attend court for the hearing scheduled to start at 10 a.m. Instead, he was at a TV interview.

The hearing was adjourned that morning to a future date.

Goldkind was supposed to have been representing Emanuel Lozada, who was convicted by a jury of manslaughter in the fatal stabbing of 19-year-old Rameez Khalid during Nuit Blanche in 2013.

A video posted to his Facebook page on June 8 shows him doing an interview that afternoon on CP24 in front of the courthouse about the trial of three Toronto police officers accused of sexual assault. The post says that was one of many interviews that day.

The sentencing hearing was adjourned until June 19, when Goldkind explained his absence was due to a personal matter he could not get out of, an answer that was less than transparent and less than clear, Hutchinson said.

However, Hutchinson said Goldkind was not trying to hide what he did.

It was very obvious where Mr. Goldkind was and what was going on, Hutchinson said. He said Goldkind was attempting to avoid drawing anyone else into a situation he had created himself.

Court heard that Goldkind wrote a letter of apology to Khalids family that he hopes will be passed on to them through the Crown.

This was a problem of my own doing, my own choosing and in future I will not make such a mistake again, he said.

Hutchinson said Goldkind spoke with two senior defence lawyers about his conduct and both said Goldkind acknowledged his mistake, and admitted he was the author of his own predicament, and that they were confident he would never do it again.

Justice Dambrot set Mondays hearing for Goldkind to argue why he should not be cited for contempt.

Dambrot said he found Goldkinds conduct particularly serious because of his insensitivity to the family of the deceased and initial lack of candour.

However, he accepted Goldkinds very full, eloquent and unquestionably sincere apology as well as his remedial efforts, and chose not to cite him for contempt.

Lozada was sentenced last month to three years in prison along with his co-accused Victor Ramos, who was also convicted of manslaughter. A third man, Joseph Triolo, was convicted of second-degree murder.

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A special meeting on the suicide crisis in Northern Ontario First Nations will be held next week between Federal Health Minister Jane Philpott, the office of Ontario Health Minister Eric Hoskins and Indigenous leaders.

The meeting on July 24, expected to be held in Ottawa, will address giving Indigenous leaders faster control over health care levers and resources so they dont have to deal with the bureaucracy when a crisis occurs, said Philpott in an interview on Monday.

The youth suicide epidemic gripping the 49 communities in Nishnawbe Aski Nation is among the worst affected regions of the country, said Philpott. NAN reports there have been 543 suicides, of all ages, in their territories since 1986. In 2017 alone, there have already been 22 suicides and of those, eight are between the ages of 10 to 15.

It is indescribable how tragic it is, it seems like it is almost a daily occurrence to hear this terrible news, said Philpott. As you can imagine our department, as well as all leaders of local communities are pressed with this, on a daily basis, trying to get immediate urgent needs of these communities addressed and making sure we access crisis teams and mental health workers, even addressing practical needs of communities such as food and lodging for those who go in to assist.

Philpott agreed there is a very unfortunate spike recently but that there is a real opportunity to actually be able to change these (funding) structures sooner rather than later.

What we have been working on is making sure everyone knows it is an all out response, making sure the communities get what they need right now but then also addressing extremely unfortunate structures that are set up where communities have to come to me or my department when they need a boost in capacity and they are waiting to get a response from us, Philpott said.

Philpott was in Wunnumin Lake First Nation and Eabametoong First Nation recently travelling with NAN Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler. She met with leaders, including those from Wapekeka First Nation, which has struggled with a lack of funding for mental health support and a youth suicide pact between young girls.

Philpott said she knows the answers to help stop the epidemic must be found in the communities themselves. While there can be many issues surrounding suicide, including the ongoing intergenerational trauma from the residential school experience in Canada and lack of mental health resources in communities, Philpott said what is new is that in some discussions, the topic of sexual abuse is now openly talked about. She said talking about it is an important first step to bring it out of the darkness. This allows the girls in the room to hear the acknowledgement that this is a real part of the crisis, she said.

Finding the right counsellors for boys and girls to talk to in the community is integral for everyone to get the help they need. The counselling help and the healing needs to be not just for the victims but the perpetrators who were often victims themselves, she said. Both Wunnumin and Wapekeka were communities where convicted pedophile and Anglican minister Ralph Rowe worked in.

As the health ministers and Indigenous leaders try to work toward solutions, news came that two more 16-year-old girls had died in Pikangikum, and, another youth from Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation.

Hazel Pascal died early Saturday morning. Her 12-year-old sister Mikaia took her own life on the Canada Day long weekend.

And the family of 16-year-old Delphine Quill confirm she also took her own life in Pikangikum late Friday.

Were way past the point of a crisis, said Fiddler.

We need to move beyond crisis management and see some permanent structures put in place to help us address youth mental health, Fiddler said.

Fiddler said at the July 24 meeting, he plans to call for the creation of a permanent, tri-partite secretariat charged with addressing the suicide crisis facing indigenous communities across Northwestern Ontario.

We need to see some sort of permanent secretariat to address these issues, with input from the federal and provincial levels, Fiddler said.

On Monday, July 10, Colin Roundhead, a high school student from the remote, fly-in Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug (KI) First Nation, died by suicide in Thunder Bay. He was a student at Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School whose friends on Facebook said he loved music and Johnny Cash.

KI, or Big Trout Lake, has been reeling with sadness.

On May 18, the body of 14-year-old Josiah Begg was found in the McIntyre River after he went missing on May 6. That was the same Saturday night that North Caribou Lake First Nations Tammy Keeash, 17, disappeared. Her body was found in shallow water on Sunday, May 7.

Monday, July 17 would have been Josiahs 15th birthday.

The York Regional Police are now investigating the circumstances surrounding both Begg and Keeashs deaths after Indigenous leaders demanded another police force be brought in to investigate the cases instead of the Thunder Bay Police Service. The Thunder Bay police are currently being investigated for systemic racism concerning how they handle all Indigenous death and disappearance cases.

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Sick Kids scientists wielding a breakthrough gene editing technology have snipped out a genetic defect in mice that causes a severe form of muscular dystrophy, eliminating all signs of paralysis in the animals.

Science magazine hailed the gene editing tool, CRISPR, as the breakthrough of the year in 2015. The new research is part of a wave of effort to push CRISPR from its early experimental promise toward real-life therapies.

Its not just something that happens in a petri dish. And it happened in such a remarkable way, said Dr. Ronald Cohn, the principal investigator of the new study and a senior scientist at Sick Kids.

Much work remains before the technique can be tested in humans. But success in animal experiments allows researchers to begin exploring that next step.

For the first time its possible to think about  and this is still at the thinking stage, lets be clear  the possibilities of gene correction in humans with these diseases, said Janet Rossant, a senior scientist in the stem cell and developmental biology program at Sick Kids who was not involved in the research. Rossant called the new study really important.

The mice in the study have a rare and severe form of congenital muscular dystrophy known as MDC1A. Humans afflicted with the disease are typically diagnosed as infants, lose muscle function as they develop, and die in their late teens or early 20s.

The illness is caused by a splice site mutation: a genetic error makes cellular messengers misread a critical section of DNA, like the scratch that makes a record skip.

Researchers in Cohns lab used CRISPR to cut out the scratch. Natural cell repair mechanisms stitched the remaining strands of DNA back together, allowing the whole genetic sequence to be read normally.

In followup tests, the mice that received the therapy regained nearly as much hind limb strength and were almost as active as their nonaffected peers.

When he saw the degree of recovery in the mice, Cohn says, I couldnt believe it. I dont want to be dramatic, but I couldnt believe it.

The research, published online Monday in the journal Nature Medicine, is not the first time a lab has used CRISPR to repair genetic errors in mice with muscular dystrophy. But the technique Cohns team used is particularly simple and efficient, because it does not require the tricky extra step of engineering a new piece of DNA into the genome.

The discovery can potentially be applied to the hundreds of other diseases caused by splice site mutations, from hereditary vision loss to congenital epilepsy.

Amy Wagers, a professor of stem cell and regenerative biology at Harvard University who has used CRISPR to correct different muscular dystrophy mutations in mice, said that Cohns results are quite exciting and compelling.

The robustness of the correction we see in animal models to me is very encouraging, she said.

Wagers lab is focusing on one of the safety questions that must be answered before any clinical trial. CRISPR borrows a pair of molecular scissors and a guide mechanism from bacteria. Researchers use those bacterial tools to produce a protein that the body has not been able to generate. How will the immune system react to these foreign elements?

Scientists are also concerned about whether CRISPR creates unintended mutations elsewhere in the genome, and how to safely deliver these therapies into cells in the body. Humans are much larger and more complicated organisms that mice, and muscles are a much tougher target than blood or bone marrow, which can be removed from the body.

In February, a panel of scientists in the U.S. gave a tentative yellow light to editing DNA in human embryos. Germline editing is controversial because any changes would be passed down to future generations; it is banned in Canada.

The research underway in Cohns lab is different: they are editing nonreproductive somatic cells, ones that have already differentiated into the cells that make up different organs in the body. Another major question Cohn raises is when these therapies must be delivered to have an effect  will they work on patients who are in their teens or 20s?

To expect that any of these patients who have been sick for so many years are going to get this and stand up from their wheelchair, while I dont want to say its impossible, its probably unlikely, Cohn said.

Having said that, after speaking with so many patients and their families, if we can just keep them where they are and not have them deteriorate . . . that would already change the world for these patients.

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Ontarios privacy watchdog is calling for greater privacy protections in new child welfare laws which will give the Ministry of Children and Youth Services broad powers to collect, use and disclose personal information.

The new privacy section of Bill 89, the Child, Youth and Family Services Act (CYFSA), will be the first time that many service providers like childrens aid societies are backed by personal privacy laws.

When the new rules come into effect, they will require service providers like childrens aid societies to get consent when collecting information, and to report serious privacy breaches to the privacy commissioners office.

However, because the Ministry is subject to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) and not these new laws, it is not under the same privacy obligations.

(FIPPA) is a very old piece of legislation and in my view is outdated, and doesnt have the kinds of privacy protections that are required in this era of big data, said Brian Beamish, Ontarios information and privacy commissioner.

Bill 89 will also give the Ministry additional broad powers to collect, use, and disclose personal information, an authority that they already have under FIPPA, he said.

In addition to mandatory privacy breach reporting to his office and a consent-based model for collecting personal information, his recommendations for privacy safeguards include removing identifiers from records used by the ministry when analyzing data, and creating a separate unit that will do this analysis.

These areas are important enough that they should be addressed up front in the legislation, Beamish said.

While there are improvements to be made, Beamish said the privacy protections in Bill 89 are a really big step forward for youth and families in the system.

One area that the commissioners office is satisfied with is the right for youth to access their own files, which will come with very limited exceptions.

This will be a drastic change for people like Arisha Khan, a former foster child who is in a dispute with Peel Childrens Aid Society to see her own file.

They summarized 12 years of involvement into a five-page summary that had a lot of erroneous facts in it, and they just werent willing to give me my file, said Khan, a 21-year-old international economics student at McGill University. They said that if I wanted it, I would have to sue them.

Khan said her care history was freely talked about among workers, something she maintains is a common experience in the foster care community.

You just feel very disrespected. I think they think that its kind of OK to air the dirty laundry with everyone involved, Khan said. Workers who I didnt even know would have information about me.

Based on his experience in the health care sector, Beamish said he believes that this careless and thoughtless behaviour may not be intentional.

I think when you bring in legislative requirements, it makes people start thinking about what a good privacy practice is, he said.

It will require a culture shift.

Editors note: This story has been updated from a previous published version to correct that Arisha Khan is not in a court battle with Peel Childrens Aid Society.

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Hafiz Fiaz Ahmad left behind his family and fled repeated threats from religious extremists in Pakistan to seek asylum in Canada in March.

The 37-year-old native of Lahore was quickly scheduled for a refugee hearing on June 21. However, a week before the proceedings, he received a letter from the Immigration and Refugee Board informing him that his hearing was cancelled because his security clearance by border officials was still pending.

I was prepared. My lawyer was prepared. I couldnt wait to tell my story to a refugee judge, said Ahmad, who said he was targeted by religious fanatics for his secular views.

My wife, two boys and daughter are still back home. Im safe here but they are not. I just feel depressed not knowing even when I will have my day (of hearing).

Despite law that requires all refugee hearings to be heard within 60 days once a claim is initially deemed eligible by an immigration officer, more and more asylum hearings like Ahmads have been suspended indefinitely because of delays at the Canada Border Services Agency in issuing clearances of what is known as front-end security screening.

According to the refugee board, only 46 per cent of asylum claims were heard within the statutory timeline in April, far below the 84 per cent mark two years ago.

Failures to observe the scheduling timelines are caused by delays in security clearances, operational limitations or unavailability of interpreters or counsel.

However, the proportion of hearing cancellations due to delays in obtaining a security clearance has ballooned from just 6 per cent two years ago to a peak of 55 per cent in December, meaning more than half of cancelled hearings were due to border officials inability to meet timelines for assessing if a claimant poses threats to Canada due to criminal or security concerns.

Although cancellations due to a pending security clearance were down to just 13 per cent in April, cases cancelled due to so-called operational limitations such as unavailability of refugee judges was up to 32 per cent from 8 per cent in 2015 and 13 per cent in 2016.

In the first four months of this year, 1,769 refugee hearings were cancelled because claimants security clearances were not ready. The border agency performed 12,997 security checks for refugees in 2015 and 19,449 last year.

The (former) Conservative government has put in place a system with strict timelines without the resources to meet the timelines, said Ahmads lawyer, Max Berger.

Lots of claimants are devastated. They are psyched to tell their stories and have their date in (refugee) courts. The hidden cost is the delays in their family reunification.

The refugee board said the border agency is responsible for informing it that security screening has been completed. The board doesnt receive the actual security screening report but only a confirmation if a hearing can go ahead.

Security screening is done to ensure that individuals who might pose a risk to Canada would not be granted protection and could not use the refugee determination process to gain admittance to Canada, said Line-Alice Guibert-Wolff, a spokesperson for the board.

In those cases where confirmation of security screening has not been received in time for the initially scheduled hearing, the (refugee board) will remove the hearing from the schedule and set a new date and time for the hearing as soon as feasible upon confirmation of the security screening.

It is not known how long it takes to schedule a new hearing but claimants often are given a target date six months later.

Front-end securing screening for an individual refugee claimant may take time depending on complexity or requirements for additional research, said border agency spokesperson Patrizia Giolti.

While there is no one specific factor that may impact the (security clearance) processing workload and timelines, 2016 has seen a significant increase over the previous year, in the number of asylum claims.

The refugee board has started giving Canada Border Services Agency two weeks' notice before a scheduled hearing and additional staff are assigned to work over the summer to perform security screening to address the backlog, said Giolti.

Calling the situation a nightmare, lawyer Raoul Boulakia said he has had a case where a refugee judge felt there was compelling reasons to grant asylum to a persecuted Afghan journalist and was ready to proceed with a hearing. However, the case was held up without a completed security clearance.

Recently, the refugee board has introduced a 50/50 policy by postponing 50 per cent of all new asylum cases to deal with the backlog of new claims, which were filed after December 2012, when the then Tory government overhauled the system to impose the statutory timeline to expedite the processing of refugee claims.

By delaying the hearings without injecting more resources, Boulakia said the problem is simply snowballing and gets worse down the road.

Essey Berhane Debesay fled Eritreas oppressive regime in 2008 and arrived in Canada last August after travelling over nine years across Africa, the Middle East, Mexico and the United States seeking asylum.

When he was released from a prison in Florida after a 15-month immigration detention, the refugee clandestinely crossed through Emerson, Manitoba, on foot full of hope that someone would finally hear his story and let him settle here.

The former Eritrean high school teacher was excited and ready for his scheduled asylum hearing on October 13, only to be told by the refugee board that morning that the hearing was cancelled because the border agency had failed to complete his security screening in time.

I just collapsed, said Debesay, 35. I felt so beaten up. I just want to tell my story to a refugee judge. I have waited all these years to tell my story. We are human beings. It is a lot of pain.

In a letter about the cancellation of Debesays hearing, the refugee board said it aimed to hear his case in early February. Debesay and his lawyer said they have been calling and writing to the board for a hearing date, but were told to stop contacting them and wait.

From January to May, Canada received asylum claims from 15,170 people, including 5,620 who came via the U.S.

Correction  July 18, 2017: This article was edited from a previous version that mistakenly said refugee board introduced a 50/50 policy by postponing 50 per cent of all new asylum cases to deal with legacy cases, which were put on the back-burner after December 2012. In fact, the 50/50 policy was brought in to deal with the backlog of new claims filed after December 2012, not, legacy cases. As well, the article mistakenly said the Canada Border Services Agency has started to give the refugee board two weeks notice if a screening is expected to be completed in time for a hearing. In fact, It is the refugee board that gives Canada Border Services Agency two weeks' notice.

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EDMONTON  Drugs, from lethal opioids to soon-to-be-legalized marijuana and Kathleen Wynnes pharmacare push, will dominate the annual premiers conference.

Provincial and territorial leaders are also keeping a close eye on the United States as the Trump administration provides more detail on how it wants to change the North American Free Trade Agreement when negotiations begin in mid-August.

Premier Kathleen Wynne will tout Ontarios new pharmacare plan, the first provincial plan in the country, as she talks with 12 counterparts until Wednesday.

I want to explain that to folks, tell them what we are doing  and hope we can advance the conversation on a national pharmacare plan, Wynne said of the $465-million program. It will make available 4,400 medications to people under 25 starting in January.

I think that theres a lot of interest among the ministers  there has been a pretty full discussion with the ministers of health across the country  so Im interested to hear where my colleagues are at with that.

Wynne flew west after spending two days in Providence, R.I., talking trade with U.S. governors at their national conference.

Ive spoken to over 20 governors now, and Ive got a pretty good sense of where we are going, she added. Wynne noted that other premiers have also reached out to U.S. representatives about measures in several states, including New York and Texas, to urge purchasers there to buy American; the looming NAFTA talks, and new U.S. tariffs on Canadian softwood lumber.

Theres going to be some consternation about that . . . . We will be sharing our collective perspective on NAFTA, on softwood lumber, and that will take up a big chunk of time.

About 28 states count Ontario as their largest or second-largest export market, and Wynne has been doing to rounds in recent months to explain the importance of two-way trade in preserving and creating jobs.

While NAFTA and other trade talks fall under Ottawas jurisdiction, the provinces provide advice and fight for their own interests to battle protectionist sentiment in some states.

The premiers will also compare approaches on the federal governments legalization of recreational marijuana, which is set to take effect next July 1.

Once the Criminal Code of Canada is amended, it will be up to each province and territory to determine how and where cannabis will be distributed and who can consume it.

Alberta Premier Rachel Notley has repeatedly warned the timetable for legalization is tight, given all the arrangements that must be made by the provinces.

Last week, Ontario Attorney General Yasir Naqvi announced a public consultation at ontario.ca/cannabis to help the province determine its strategy.

Ontarios Legalization of Cannabis Secretariat, which is made up of officials from a dozen provincial departments, will also host public meetings with public health experts later this summer on the impact of legalized recreational marijuana.

Queens Park wants to hear from municipalities, community organizations, police, youth advocates, Indigeneous communities and licenced medical marijuana producers as part of the hearings.

Naqvi conceded the legalization of cannabis will mark a big change in our country.

Here in Ontario, we have some important decisions to make, and with so much at stake, we need to get it right, the attorney general said.

Thats why we need to hear from the people of Ontario as we develop an approach to legalization that keeps our youth, communities and roads safe.

The premiers conference began Monday with meetings with Indigenous leaders, but the Assembly of First Nations, the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and the Metis Nation of Canada did not attend.

AFN Chief Perry Bellegarde said keeping leaders from provincial-federal-territorial discussion tables is an attempt to sideline and segregate his group, which represents First Nations governments.

When the provinces come together they should build a respectful relationship, he told a news conference in Toronto, adding we are not just another special-interest group.

He wants to push premiers and territorial leaders to include more Indigenous content in education systems across the country, explaining more about treaties, traditions and the tragedy of residential schools, for example.

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Academics and scholars must be mindful about using research done by only straight, white men, according to two scientists who argued that it oppresses diverse voices and bolsters the status of already privileged and established white male scholars.

Geographers Carrie Mott and Daniel Cockayne argued in a recent paper that doing so also perpetuates what they call white heteromasculinism, which they defined as a system of oppression that benefits only those who are white, male, able-bodied, economically privileged, heterosexual, and cisgendered. (Cisgendered describes people whose gender identity matches their birth sex.)

Mott, a professor at Rutgers University in New Jersey, and Cockayne, who teaches at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, argued that scholars or researchers disproportionately cite the work of white men, thereby unfairly adding credence to the body of knowledge they offer while ignoring the voices of other groups, like women and Black male academics. Although citation seems like a mundane practice, the feminist professors argue that citing someones work has implications on his or her ability to be hired, get promoted and obtain tenured status, among others.

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This important research has drawn direct attention to the continued underrepresentation and marginalization of women, people of colour . . . To cite narrowly, to only cite white men . . . or to only cite established scholars, does a disservice not only to researchers and writers who are othered by white heteromasculinism . . . , they wrote in the paper published recently in the journal Gender, Place and Culture.

Mott and Cockayne did not immediately respond to questions from The Washington Post, but Mott told Campus Reform last week that they decided to write about citation practices after observing that research done by white men are relied upon more heavily than those done by experts from other backgrounds.

Work done by women and other minorities have often been overlooked by their peers, hindering their professional advancement and depriving disciplines of diverse perspectives, she argued.

When citations are predominantly those of the work of white, straight males, this means that the views and knowledge that are represented do not reflect the experience of people from other backgrounds, she told Campus Reform. When scholars continue to cite only white men on a given topic, they ignore the broader diversity of voices and researchers that are also doing important work on that topic.

In their 22-page paper, Citation matters: mobilizing the politics of citation toward a practice of conscientious engagement, they explained that their work was motivated by shared feelings of discomfort, frustration, and anger over actions of fellow scholars and publication practices.

The authors offer what they describe as practical strategies for fellow geographers who work in a largely male-dominated discipline. According to the American Association of Geographers, men and women account for 62 per cent and 38 per cent of its members, respectively.

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Scholars should read through their work and count all the citations before submitting their work for publication, and see how many people of diverse backgrounds  women, people of colour, early-career scholars, graduate students and non-academics  are cited.

Today, the field is more diverse, but this diversity is largely represented by earlier career scholars. Citing only tenured, established scholars means that these voices are ignored, especially when it is well-known that todays brutally competitive academic job market continues to privilege the white heteromasculinist body, they wrote.

Editors and reviewers also can act as watchdogs of sort by scrutinizing a scholars body of citation, they argued.

A Campus Reform writer said she asked the researchers whether the disparity in citations is simply because there are more men than women in the field of geography. In response, Cockayne said their point is that research done by marginalized voices is often ignored.

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JERUSALEMIslamic leaders called on Muslims on Monday to boycott a Jerusalem holy site at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in a gesture of protest after Israel set up metal detectors at the sites entrance gates following a deadly Arab attack there last week.

For the first time in decades, Israel closed the site  sacred to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as the Temple Mount  on Friday, after three Arab Muslim Israeli citizens opened fire from the holy compound with automatic weapons, killing two police officers before they were shot and killed.

Israel reopened the compound to Muslim worshippers on Sunday after imposing new security measures, including metal detectors at the entrance gates and additional security cameras.

The Waqf, Jordans Islamic authority that manages religious affairs at the site, was outraged over the metal detectors. Dozens of worshippers have prayed on the streets near the gate after refusing to enter via the metal detectors.

Police said Monday evening that some 200 Palestinians tried to block a road nearby and threw stones at officers who dispersed them. A day earlier, minor scuffles broke out as some Muslim worshippers tried to stop others from using the gates, Israeli media reported.

Police said that despite the tensions, hundreds of worshippers had entered the compound.

The Waqf, together with other Islamic groups, issued a statement Monday calling on Muslims to reject and boycott all the Israeli aggression measures, including changing the historical status quo including imposing the metal detectors.

They called on the faithful not to enter the mosque through the detectors. The statement further said that if the metal detectors continue to be imposed, we call upon the people to pray in front of the gates of the mosque and in the streets of Jerusalem.

The fate of the compound, holy to both Jews and Muslims, is an emotional issue and forms the centrepiece of rival Israeli and Palestinian national narratives. Any perceived changes to the delicate arrangements at the site can spark tensions. Its closure after Fridays attack prompted condemnations from the Arab world.

Read more:Hamas calls for attacks on Israelis after holy site closed

Jordan called for its immediate reopening and there were protests in the streets there against Israel, with which Amman has a peace treaty.

Israel did not co-ordinate the changes with Jordan, which serves as the custodian of the Muslim-administered site, according to a Jordanian government official. Jordans stance is that anything installed at the site must be approved by the Waqf, or Muslim administration, and cannot change the status quo, said the official. He spoke on Sunday on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the situation with reporters.

Jews revere the site, where the two Jewish temples stood in biblical times, as the Temple Mount. It is the holiest site in Judaism and the nearby Western Wall, a remnant of one of the temples, is the holiest place where Jews can pray.

Muslims regard the same hilltop compound as the Noble Sanctuary. Home to the Al-Aqsa Mosque and Dome of the Rock, it is Islams third-holiest site after Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia.

The Jerusalem shrine has been the scene of repeated confrontations but Fridays brazen shooting was rare because it took place inside the compound and also because the attackers were from Israels Arab minority.

A rash of Palestinian attacks on Israeli civilians and soldiers erupted in 2015, partly over tensions at the holy site.

Police have been gradually reopening the site. On Monday it opened to visitors. Spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said the security measures are to ensure and prevent further incidents or attacks and would continue.

Jerusalem police commissioner Yoram Halevy said the metal detectors were necessary for the site to reopen.

I assume that with time they will understand that this is not terrible, he told Army Radio. He said that security measures of this kind are commonplace in the world.

When I go shopping on Friday I pass through a detector at the mall, Halevy said. We see them everywhere they have become a part of our lives.

In the past two years, Palestinians have killed 45 Israelis, two visiting Americans and a British tourist in stabbings, shootings and attacks using cars to ram into Israeli civilians and troops.

During that period, Israeli forces have killed more than 254 Palestinians, most of them said by Israel to be attackers while others were killed in clashes with Israeli forces.

Israel blames the violence on incitement by Palestinian political and religious leaders compounded on social media sites that glorify violence and encourage attacks.

Palestinians say the attacks are triggered by anger over decades of Israeli rule in territories they claim for their future state.

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AMMAN, JORDANA Jordanian soldier was sentenced Monday to life in prison after being convicted of killing three U.S. military trainers last year, but some said questions lingered about his motive for the shooting at a Jordanian airbase.

Jordan has ruled out terrorism in the November shooting in which the convoy of the U.S. Army Green Berets came under fire at the base entrance.

The defendant has said he felt no animosity toward Americans and opened fire because he believed the base was coming under attack.

However, relatives of the slain U.S. troops have described security camera footage that they say shows him shooting for six minutes, reloading and aiming at the Americans, even as they identify themselves as friendly forces.

After a not guilty plea, the Jordanian soldier, 1st Sgt. Marik al-Tuwayha, was tried by a military court in Jordans capital of Amman for the killings of Staff Sgt. Matthew C. Lewellen, 27, of Kirksville, Missouri; Staff Sgt. Kevin J. McEnroe, 30, of Tucson, Arizona; and Staff Sgt. James F. Moriarty, 27, of Kerrville, Texas.

During the month-long trial, he watched the proceedings silently while standing in a cage in the courtroom.

He did not react Monday when the judge announced the verdict and the maximum possible sentence, life in prison with hard labour. When he was led out of the cage, he said: I have all the respect for the king, but I was doing my job.

Relatives of two of the U.S. soldiers sat quietly as the judge read the ruling.

Charles Lewellen, 53, whose son was killed, later told The Associated Press that the verdict wont take the pain away, but that it proved what we have been saying all along ... that he murdered our sons.

Some of the relatives criticized Jordans handling of the case and said the defendant should have received the death penalty. Jordan allows the death penalty, but it is usually handed down in terrorism cases or in a murder coupled with another crime.

The Americans were killed Nov. 4, as their convoy waited at the gate to the al-Jafr base in southern Jordan. Jordan initially said the Americans triggered the shooting by disobeying entry rules, a claim that was later withdrawn.

The trial confirmed that the deceased U.S. service members followed all established procedures when accessing the base the day of the incident, as we have noted before, the U.S. Embassy in Jordan said. We are reassured to see the perpetrator brought to justice.

Jordan is a member of a U.S.-led coalition fighting Daesh, also known as ISIS or ISIL, in neighbouring Syria and Iraq. Jordan hosts troops, including trainers, from the U.S. and other countries as part of the anti-Daesh battle.

We are pleased to see that the perpetrators have been brought to justice, said U.S. Navy Capt. Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesperson. He said the U.S. respects Jordans military process and praised Jordan for adhering to its own laws in resolving the case expeditiously.

Davis wouldnt comment on possible motives for the killing.

At the trial, al-Tuwayha and some of the gate guards testified they heard what might have been a pistol shot coming from the direction of the U.S. convoy. Al-Tuwayha said he opened fire because he feared the base was under attack. Other guards said they held their fire because they couldnt determine the source of the sound.

Al-Tuwayha has said he had no intention of killing anyone and felt no resentment toward Americans.

According to the surveillance video described by the relatives, Lewellen and McEnroe were the first to be hit by gunfire. Moriarty and another soldier jumped out of their cars to take cover and returned fire from their pistols, according to the descriptions of the video. They yelled that they were friendly forces, the relatives said.

The defendant kept shooting, they said. He was seriously wounded in the exchange.

The video was shown to the family by U.S. law enforcement, but has not been released to the public.

Some of the relatives have questioned why the video was not screened at the trial and why the court did not ask a surviving U.S. soldier to testify, despite what they said was his willingness to do so.

Moriartys father, Jim, wrote in a letter Monday to the Jordanian Embassy in the U.S. that the successful prosecution was a good first step, but it is only the first step.

In the letter, a copy of which was given to the AP, Moriarty listed several demands to Jordan. These included allowing the defendant to be re-interviewed by the FBI about his motive and releasing the security video to the families. Moriarty, a lawyer, said the video had been entered into evidence at the trial.

Cynthia Lewellen, 53, the mother of Matthew Lewellen, expressed sympathy for all those affected by the shooting, including the family of the defendant.

In this verdict, nobody comes out happy, she said. I mean for us as losing our sons and knowing the man that killed him will spend 20 years in prison, but also for his family that because of his actions ... lost a father, a husband, a provider.

In Jordan, life in prison can mean 20 years, with time off for good behaviour.

Defence lawyer Subhi al-Mawas said he would appeal Mondays court ruling.

Earlier this year, a Jordanian soldier who killed seven Israeli schoolgirls in a 1997 shooting rampage was released after 20 years.

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WASHINGTONHe ran on a promise to end politics as usual.

But Monday morning, U.S. President Donald Trump posted a defence on Twitter of his sons meeting with a Russian lawyer promising sensitive government information that could be damaging to Hillary Clinton by saying that it was simply politics as usual.

Trumps newest tweet about his elder son, Donald Jr., and a controversial meeting June 9, 2016, at Trump Tower, described the gathering as routine and something almost anyone in his current line of work would do.

Most politicians would have gone to a meeting like the one Don jr attended in order to get info on an opponent, Trump posted on his Twitter account just after 10 a.m. Thats politics!

But interviews with politicians by various news outlets have revealed that few elected officials were willing to say they, too, would have taken such a meeting, given how it was described in an email to the younger Trump.

The presidents defensive stance about his son was in keeping with what he has said for a week about the meeting.

The younger Trump met with the lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya, in the Trump Tower offices after an acquaintance said she had sensitive and damaging information about Clinton.

He initially told The New York Times that it was about Russian adoptions. A day later, he acknowledged that it had initially been about supposedly harmful information on Clinton, Trumps rival in the general election.

In addition, the meeting was described initially as having five attendees, including Trumps brother-in-law, Jared Kushner, and the campaign chairman at the time, Paul Manafort. In the days since the meeting was first reported, that number has grown to seven attendees.

The president has insisted he learned of the meeting only a few days before The Times article. His aides helped write his sons initial statement describing the meeting as they flew back with the president from the Group of 20 summit meeting in Europe.

The White House has found itself unable to take control of the narrative, with new revelations coming almost daily, and several government staff members unaware of the full details.

At 2 a.m. Monday, Dan Scavino Jr., the White House director of social media, used his personal Twitter account to attack a commentator who had been critical of the situation.

Watching replay of Sun shows. @EvanSiegfried is a political hack that has absolutely no idea/clue what he is talking about on @FoxNews!

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Frustrated by delayed promises from the U.S. military for citizenship, and in fear of Daesh if he were deported back to Iraq, Ranj Rafeeq has given up the American Dream for a Canadian one.

Rafeeq was eager as a teenager to translate for U.S. troops stationed in his hometown of Kirkuk in 2005. He immigrated to Portland, Ore., to study seven years later, hoping to don an Army uniform after earning his graduate degree in civil engineering.

He signed an enlistment contract in January 2016, with a training date set in September.

I loved American soldiers. It was my dream to be a part of them, Rafeeq, now 29, said.

But Rafeeqs plans to serve imploded as the Pentagons program, designed to leverage medical and language skills of immigrants in exchange for fast-tracked citizenship, was log-jammed with additional security measures for recruits last fall, stressing an already overburdened screening process.

The program was put on hold in September 2016  just as he was scheduled to report for training  sparking fear in Rafeeq and across the recruit population that their path to citizenship would abruptly end.

Then he received a letter from Kurdish officials warning of sweeps targeting Kurds for deportation and watched as news reports of the programs struggles mounted.

Rafeeqs student visa was set to expire on Aug. 1. He faced a decision: wait for the Pentagons bureaucracy to untangle itself as the Trump administration seeks to expand deportation powers, or flee.

He chose to flee. On June 11, Rafeeq went to Vancouver to apply for asylum in Canada. His biggest fear with deportation is the chance militants from Daesh, also known as ISIS and ISIL, would prize his capture if they uncovered his attempt to enlist.

I cant go back to Kirkuk, he said. They would kill me.

Pentagon proposals spark fear

On June 26, The Washington Post first reported on the Defense Departments internal recommendations to shutter the Military Accessions Vital to National Interest program, which has naturalized 10,400 troops since 2009, and to cancel the contracts of 1,800 of recruits like Rafeeq who are waiting to train.

About 1,000 of those recruits have waited so long that they have fallen out of legal immigration status. An internal Defense Department memo obtained by The Post acknowledges that cancelling these contracts would expose the recruits to deportation. In response, lawmakers urged Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to honour the contracts of those recruits.

The recruits, who have already sworn allegiance to the United States in their oaths of enlistment, could potentially face harsh interrogations or jail time if they are deported to countries such as China or Russia, said Tom Malinowski, former assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights and labour in the Obama administration.

These are not rule of law societies, and if they want to put pressure on (recruits), they will, Malinowski said.

Malinowski said public announcements and photos of enlistments on social media could easily be exploited by adversarial intelligence agencies, in a potential propaganda victory attacking not just the United States but its most revered institution  the military.

Those governments could force the recruits to tell the honest story of how America betrayed them, he said.

The basic purpose of Russian propaganda is not to extol Russia, but to convince people that America is amoral, Malinowski said.

The Chinese governments charge of treason, which it finds in cases threatening to national security, ranges from 10 years of confinement to death, according to the Chinese Peoples Congress.

Along with South Korea, China is one of the main sources of program recruits, according to a Pentagon assessment of the program.

Media reports on the memo ignited discussion among the programs recruits and hopefuls, who closely track developments in tight-knit online forums, with one Facebook page alone listing 20,000 members.

A recruit from India who administers some of the pages said he has seen an increase in the discussion of recruits seeking pre-emptive refuge. He estimates that hundreds of the 1,000 potentially under threat of deportation have either fled or are seriously considering fleeing to Canada, Germany, Australia and other countries.

One Chinese national, who declined to give his name, enlisted in the program and expected to leave for training in July 2016, but the programs suspension and a closing window for his immigration status prompted him to file for asylum in the United States last month.

China has a nativist culture, he said, and if deported he would face persecution from neighbours suspicious of his activities after living in the United States for six years.

I wish people would see us as assets, not liabilities, he said. I love the United States a great deal, and I would do anything to defend this country.

Security concerns

The program was created after military officials determined that certain medical skills and language proficiencies  such as Russian, Mandarin Chinese and Korean  were vital to national security but in short supply among U.S.-born troops. The program promises citizenship in months instead of the years-long naturalization process.

Program recruits are especially valuable to the Special Operations Command because of deep cultural and language skills necessary to train and advise foreign militaries and militias, according to a 2013 Pentagon review of the program.

Rafeeqs case is emblematic of sudden widespread distrust in the program at a time when the military seeks to ramp up personnel numbers after years of Obama-led troop level drawdowns, said Margaret Stock, a retired Army officer who led the programs design and implementation and is now an immigration lawyer.

The Defense Department has undermined the program in such a way that it is unlikely that the damage can be undone at this point, she said. Immigrant recruits are unlikely to trust the military in the future, and recruiting will suffer.

Pentagon spokesman Johnny Michael declined to comment on any aspect of the program, citing ongoing lawsuits related to the program filed against the agency. It is unclear whether the recommendations will be implemented.

The action memo revealed by The Post draws on agency concerns that infiltrators could use the program but does not mention whether any have exploited the program.

Officials assigned threat level tiers to the nearly 10,000 program recruits, both in the service and waiting to serve, based on characteristics such as proximity to classified information and how thoroughly they have been vetted.

Stock said program recruits are the most vetted in the military, and infiltrators likely would not risk screenings in the process involving the departments of State and Homeland Security, and various intelligence agencies.

Instead of improving overall vetting of all individuals who pose a risk, the Defense Department has chosen to waste valuable vetting resources, time and energy on extreme vetting of people who pose little risk, Stock said.

I was looking for ways to make America great

Rafeeq has watched Iraq burn from Portland. His family fled violence in Kirkuk after his younger brother was injured by a car bomb. Daesh battled Kurdish militias there in 2014, and militants have been active there as recently as October.

For years he has wanted to lend the United States his native tongue of Kurdish and Arabic in the fight against Daesh. That has changed.

I lost all my faith in the military. I felt like they were lying to me and all my brothers and sisters, Rafeeq said. I was looking for ways to make America great in the world while they were trying to kick us out.

If Canada grants him asylum, Rafeeq wants to join the military, with a maple leaf on his shoulder.

In Afghanistan, in Syria, I will serve them, he said. They are hospitable and respectful toward me.

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KABULAfghanistans protracted war killed a record number of civilians during the first six months of this year, according to a UN report released Monday, which blamed the majority of the deaths on bombings by insurgents.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad Al Hussein said the horrifying figure of 1,662 people killed between January and June of this year can never fully convey the sheer human suffering of the people of Afghanistan.

Each one of these casualty figures reflects a broken family, unimaginable trauma and suffering and the brutal violation of peoples human rights, he added.

Read more:

Canada mulls a return to the unwinnable Afghan War: Walkom

What is the price of not fighting this war?: U.S., NATO allies dispute over troop levels in Afghanistan

Suicide car bomb in Afghanistan kills at least 29

The report confirmed that a massive truck bomb in the centre of Kabul on May 31, which killed at least 90 people, was the deadliest attack since the U.S.-led invasion that toppled the Taliban in 2001. It also noted that more women and children were among the dead this year.

Insurgent attacks killed 1,141 civilians, a 12 per cent increase over the same period last year, according to the report, which said such attacks wounded another 2,348 people.

The report commended Afghanistans security forces, saying fewer civilians were caught in the crossfire compared to last year. It said 434 civilians were killed during military operations against insurgents.

Gen. Dowlat Waziri, a Defence Ministry spokesperson, blamed the high toll on the insurgents use of human shields. The army is being very careful during operations to prevent civilian deaths, Waziri told The Associated Press.

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid rejected the biased report, saying it did not take into account civilians killed by Afghan and coalition forces in areas controlled by the Taliban. He did not provide any figures and there was no way to verify his claims.

The insurgents have expanded their footprint in Afghanistan since U.S. and NATO forces formally concluded their combat mission at the end of 2014, and the Taliban now control a number of districts across the country.

The Afghan government said Monday that troops retook a key district in the southern Helmand province from the Taliban. The fighting in the Naway district was fierce, with more than 50 Taliban killed, according to Waziri, who said just five security forces were wounded. There was no immediate comment from the Taliban.

Naway is located just 16 kilometres from Lashkar Gah, and had been a staging area for militant attacks on the provincial capital. U.S. and NATO forces are assisting Afghan troops in Helmand.

Elsewhere in Afghanistan, the Taliban snatched three border police officers from their car in the western Herat province, including a woman, and killed them, said Jelani Farhad, the provincial governors spokesman.

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Neither the horror of what Christians go through at the hands of Islamists and others, nor the scale of the crisis of Christian populations in the Middle East especially, appears to be widely known, let alone the subject of public concern. So wrote Peter D. Williams, the Catholic social and political commentator in the online journal Spiked.

His article was published at the end of last May, days after 28 Coptic Christians were killed and many more wounded on their way to a monastery in Egypt. The same week, Williams reported, there were also two attacks on Christians in the Philippines.

His conclusion is that its hard not to suspect that the reason why the persecution of Christians is not being reported widely across the globe is not merely due to over-familiarity, but because of active disinterest. He suggests that more could and would be done if the Western media gave Christians subjected to the cruellest and filthiest forms of tortuous hate the attention and concern their situation truly deserves.

As a result, according to Prof. Jonathan Adelman of the University of Denver writing in The World Post, the Christian population in the Middle East has dropped from 20 per cent in 1900 to 4 per cent today. Its likely to drop another per cent by 2050.

The only exception is the Jewish State of Israel where, according to Adelman, the 160,000 Israeli Christians live as citizens in a democratic First World country with freedom of religion, rule of law and open elections. They can move anywhere, their holy places are secure and their churches own much land in Jerusalem.

Adelman isnt blind to problems that the Christian minority is facing also in Israel, mostly by the hands of bureaucrats and some Jewish fanatics. Yet, he insists, Israel is the only place in the Middle East where the Christians are growing in number. They are excelling in education, doing well in business and feeling relatively safe from their radical tormentors.

Jews have known for much of their history the lethal power of religious prejudice, much of it manifest as Christian anti-Semitism. Its therefore gratifying to know that, despite the past, Jews are now providing a safe haven for Christians.

But Israel isnt in a position to solve the global problem. Collectively, however, the Western world  where most Christians reside and many still greatly influence public discourse and policy  could and should do very much more than they seem to be doing.

That was ostensibly the purpose of the World Summit in Defence of Persecuted Christians held In Washington in early May. U.S. Vice President Mike Pence made the promising declaration that protecting and promoting religious freedom is a foreign policy priority of the Trump administration.

Though he assured the audience they have the prayers of the president of the United States and that the suffering of Christians in the Middle East has stirred Americans to action, its not clear if this will go beyond rhetoric and result in tangible deeds.

Having experienced Catholic-laced anti-Semitism as a child in Poland after the horrors of the Holocaust, I identify with the millions of Christians around the world whore now facing extinction. Im astounded that the very resourceful churches here and elsewhere dont seem to be doing enough to protect them. Some, particularly ostensibly liberal Christians, appear to be much keener to find faults with Israels treatment of Muslims than to actively support Christians in Muslim lands.

Even if they may not be able to defeat extremism, they should seek measures to protect Christian minorities in ways that go far beyond President Trumps prayers.

Dow Marmur is rabbi emeritus at Torontos Holy Blossom Temple. His column appears every four weeks.

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Watching President Trump schlep around Paris in a perpetual state of faux pas  ignoring Melania Trump, manhandling Brigitte Macron, seizing and patting down President Emmanuel Macron, rendering the French air kiss as an Attack of the Wet Lips  was excruciating but amusing.

Trump, famously insecure, must dimly grasp his own humiliation. When people feel hurt, they lash out, and lashing out is what Trump does best. For instance, because Trump hates his own weight and age, he humiliates women for the decline in his own appearance. All hate is really self-hate.

Trump was elected by humiliated white voters lashing out. But can countries with leaders like Trump be themselves humiliated in the eyes of the world?

I was embarrassed by former PM Stephen Harper and was happiest when he didnt visit foreign countries. I am humiliated by Canadas treatment of Indigenous people, so I do the Canadian thing, forcing away praise by reminding foreigners of it.

But countries are not people. They are structures. Can national structures feel humiliated? Foreign affairs journalist Gideon Rachman, writing in the Financial Times, says yes.

He offers three paths of greater or lesser humiliation for Britain in Brexit talks:

1. It totally caves in to EU terms.

2. It leaves without a deal and wrecks its economy.

3. It finally abandons Brexit for the disaster it is.

Rachman says humbling can be good for a country, eventually. Germany, humiliated after the First World War, shunned after the Second World War, is now a somewhat apologetic nation trying to win back some moral status.

But China is reacting to its 19th century humiliations with fearsome nationalism. Russia is lashing out after the collapse of the Soviet Union finished it off as a world leader. It marches into Ukraine, it meddles in a U.S. election. One does what one can to wreck the world.

Nations might well suffer from the same status anxiety that inflicts individuals. I was stunned to read a petulant column by former Harper staffer Andrew MacDougall warning Omar Khadr not to buy an expensive Canada Goose parka because it might irritate his fellow Edmontonians who bought cheaper coats without a settlement from the government (because they were not tortured at age 15, injured and imprisoned).

MacDougall thinks like a tween seeing a classmate with a better outfit. He reveals his contempt for Edmontonians in predicting how they will react and behave. Hes roping good people into his own hurt.

Harper and MacDougall feel humiliated by their election loss. They resent the Khadr legal settlement even though it was made, as such settlements are, because it was the right thing to do, and to end a legal battle that could have cost taxpayers many more millions.

Heres the question: do nations lash out like this and end up humiliated? Does the personal become the national?

Yes. The failure of the French and the British to co-operate on the Jungle migrant camps at the port of Calais was an example of a problem that persisted and damaged each nation, although neither wanted the migrants in the first place.

Canada is stuck with the United States run by Trump. There it sits below us, filled with good neighbours with one hellacious boss. To get along with this emotionally fireworked country, Canada has to be willing to look foolish. It must show public restraint in its comments, even in this hot summer that reminds us how important the Paris climate accord is.

France humiliated itself in Second World War with Vichy, among other things, which is why they remain defensive and stiff with indignation. But then almost all of Europe did the same.

Until very recently, Norway was a poor country. Now it is fantastically wealthy with oil money, great dirty loads of it, and that guilty knowledge holds it back from being a powerful international force for good.

Rachman says Britain will be ravaged in Brexit negotiations. David Cameron held a referendum, Theresa May held a snap election and with each move, the British people split further apart.

The answer for politicians is to foster unity at home and thus present an acceptable face to the world.

Trump is doing the opposite. Look at that ridiculous man, that credulous nation. They served up laughter to the world, with a side order of pure dread.

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The critics calling on Justin Trudeau to recuse himself from the search for a new lobbying commissioner are right. The prime minister appears to have a conflict of interest in the matter.

But a recusal alone is not enough. Trudeau should work to preclude such conflicts in perpetuity by addressing a longstanding flaw in our system of democratic oversight: namely, that the government effectively has sole discretion to choose the watchdogs meant to hold it to account. This needs to change.

In the case of the lobbying commissioner, the conflict is clear. The watchdog is currently investigating two questionable fundraisers held for Trudeau, one by the chairman of the pharmaceutical company Apotex in 2015, the other by a co-founder of Clearwater Seafoods in 2014. Both companies are registered to lobby the prime minister. The concern, of course, is that raising money for a politician whom you might one day be in a position to lobby looks a little fishy.

The Prime Ministers Office claims there is no conflict because Trudeau, not being a lobbyist himself, falls outside the watchdogs jurisdiction. But clearly if the commissioner finds that the lobbyists broke the rules, it would be a bad news story for the Liberals. The optics, then, of the prime minister picking the new investigator are less than ideal.

But as we have seen in recent months, when it comes to the current process for appointing officers of Parliament, the appearance of conflict-of-interest is pretty much unavoidable.

In May, Trudeau rightly recused himself from the search for a new ethics commissioner because that office is currently investigating the prime ministers misguided Christmas vacation on the Aga Khans private island. Clearly, Trudeau should not be hiring the head of an office looking into his own alleged ethical breaches.

Later that month, the government picked Madeleine Meilleur, a former Ontario Liberal cabinet minister, to be Canadas new official languages commissioner. This prompted understandable denunciations from the opposition benches, whose members promised to do everything in their power to block the nomination. The selection of a former Liberal partisan by a Liberal government to act as an independent watchdog was never going to fly. Meilleur withdrew her candidacy in June.

Trudeaus recusal in the first case and Meilleurs withdrawal in the second were both welcome, as would be Trudeaus recusal from the search for a new lobbying commissioner. But none of this addresses the deeper issue. What if a future prime minister, faced with similar situations, chose to behave less ethically? Surely the integrity of the process should be invulnerable to the whims of individual governments.

None of that is to suggest the government is looking to appoint uncritical cronies or that the candidates being considered would not pursue their watchdogs work both capably and vigorously, but only that the appearance of conflict-of-interest is baked into the current system.

The Trudeau government has made much of the importance of creating more transparent, merit-based appointment processes. And in many areas, it has made progress. All positions appointed by ministers, for instance, are now posted publicly, along with objective hiring criteria. But, on parliamentary watchdogs, given the special tensions involved, the government must do more.

The current process, which includes consultations with opposition leaders and a motion in the House, offers some transparency but little constraint, especially for a majority government.

Much better would be a process like the one the Trudeau government introduced for appointing senators or Ontario has in place for picking judges. These approaches rely on independent expert panels to propose a shortlist of candidates to the cabinet, thereby taking partisanship largely out of the process while maintaining the ministers ultimate prerogative.

Trudeau should do the right thing and recuse himself from the search for a new lobbying commissioner. At the same time, he should promise to update the appointment process for all officers of Parliament so that, when it comes to picking watchdogs, doing the right thing wont be a question for future prime ministers.

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Customer satisfaction is at the heart of every great company, no matter how big or how small. But when it comes to a company that's publicly traded, great customer satisfaction can show up in the stock price as well.

Companies that focus on customer experience are able to separate themselves from the pack, said Kevin Quigg, Chief Strategist, at ACSI Funds. "This focus allows them to separate from their competition, innovate more quickly and even enter new markets leveraging their customer credibility."

The American Customer Satisfaction Index Home (which ACSI Funds utilizes) is the country's "only cross-industry measure of customer satisfaction." It effectively measures how happy customers are with the various companies they interact with and puts a score on them, while comparing them to other companies in their industry.

ACSI Funds, which has $20 million in assets under management, tracks these changes, utilizing ETFs to let investors find some of the companies who are obsessive (or in the words of Jeff Bezos, a "singular focus") when it comes to customer satisfaction.

While most companies want to have a good customer experience, not all of them do and the ACSI tracks that as well.

Certain areas of the economy, like cable providers or some airline companies, are prone to having bad customer satisfaction scores for a number of reasons, Quigg said. It could be high prices, not being flexible, automated customer service, unpleasant staff or any number of reasons, resulting in low scores.

Here are five of America's most loved companies and three of its most hated, according to the ACSI.
Starbucks Corp. (SBUX) - Get Free Report offered its three new tea flavors for free on Friday afternoon, and TheStreet was there to try them out.

To provide more options to the growing number of Starbucks customers who order their iced tea unsweetened, the company introduced Teavana Shaken Iced Tea Infusions, a new line of shaken ice teas, on Tuesday. The Seattle-based coffeehouse chain celebrated the launch by offering the tall 12 fluid-ounce drinks for free on Friday from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

"We realized we could appeal to our tea customers looking for ways to customize their tea just as coffee drinkers do with their espresso beverages," Melynda Cheng, a Starbucks product developer, said in a statement. "Unlocking tea from sweetness and honing in on flavor was one way to achieve this goal."

The tea infusions come in pineapple black tea, peach citrus white tea and strawberry green tea, though customers can customize their order by pairing a type of tea with any of the flavors, according to the announcement. The drinks contain tea, fruit and botanical blends and are sweetened with liquid cane sugar. They have no artificial flavors or sweeteners. A tall size has 30 calories and 8 grams of sugar.

Previously, the coffee chain was flavoring iced teas with syrups.

Starbucks acquired Teavana Holdings Inc. in December 2012 for $620 million ($660 million in 2017) in cash.

TheStreet visited Starbucks to try the new tea infusions. Read on below.
China's GDP grew at a slightly faster-than-expected pace in the second quarter, according to official data published Monday, as surging industrial production and solid exports kept the world's second-largest economy humming in the face of significant concerns for its financial sector.

China's economy expanded at an annual 6.9% clip in the three months ending in June, the National Statistics Bureau (NSB) said, a rate that was modestly faster than the 6.8% pace anticipated by analysts but largely in line with the rate of growth over the first quarter. Industrial output, which rose 7.6% from the same period last year, paced the GDP gains, while an 11% surge in retail sales underscored the strength of the domestic consumer economy.

The data helped push regional stocks, in the form of the MSCI Asia ex-Japan index, past a two-year high in overnight trading while the yuan gained for a sixth consecutive session against the U.S. dollar after the People's Bank of China raised the midpoint of the currency to 6.7562, its highest level in more than 8 months.

Last week, China's General Customs Administration said the country's trade surplus swelled after a stronger-than-expected rise in June exports of 11.3%, set against a significant increase in exports of 17.2% that suggests firming domestic demand despite concern for cooling property prices, boosted China's trade surplus with its global partners by 5% to $42.77 billion.

The U.S. portion of the surplus, however, rose three times faster to $25.4 billion, the highest level since October 2015, despite a recent trade agreement that will open markets in China to U.S. beef exports by mid July, with China gaining access to U.S. markets for its cooked poultry goods. The two countries will also look to open China's market to U.S. credit ratings firms and credit card payment services firms.

Another aspect of concern for President Donald Trump is the fact that steel output hit a record high 73.23 million tons in June, the NSB said, while aluminium production rose 7.4% from the same period last year to 2.93 million tons.

Trump has accused China of "dumping" steel into the U.S. market and his Commerce Secretary, Wilbur Ross, has promised "bold action" that could come in "the context of national security". A report on how -- or if -- the U.S. will react could come as early as this week.
How painful it must be for an analyst to say, "We have been consistently wrong about this stock," yet that's how Michael Pachter, a real smart guy, starts his research piece reiterating his "Sell' of Netflix (NFLX) - Get Free Report stock Wednesday.

He then goes on, though, to say he has been consistent in valuing the company based on the discounted present value.

You know what?

I am thrilled that he is honest enough to say he has been consistently wrong since he slapped a sell on the stock three years ago when Netflix traded at $63.49. It is now at $158.

But I am dismayed that he is sticking by his methodology that caused him and his acolytes to miss almost 100 points in this stock. He writes: "We have consistently valued stocks under our coverage based upon the discounted present value of their future cash flows."

That, my friends, reminds me of the definition of insanity, doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results, as Albert Einstein once informed us. It's been obvious for ages that Netflix, the stock, doesn't fit into the four-walled paradigm of discounted present value any more than Jackson Pollock or Roy Lichtenstein paintings fit into the paradigm of realist or even impressionist works. The artistic equivalent of Pachter would deny the $165 million price that a Lichtenstein went for or the $140 million that a Pollock traded at. You see, at a certain point, if your prism is wrong, you need a new prism.

I don't mean to pick on Pachter, even as I like how that sounds. But periodically there are stocks that defy the traditional metrics and you have to scrap those metrics. Netflix trades, as you would know from UBS' preview report today, on content tracking and subscriber growth. You literally would have to estimate how content drives subs worldwide and for that, UBS is helped by its UBS Evidence Lab, which, while sounding like NCIS UBS, is really an articulate way to measure downloads and worldwide loosely based on successes like 13 Reasons Why, House of Cards and Orange Is the New Black.

When I interviewed CEO Reid Hastings in one of my trips to San Francisco, he explained that one of the great secrets behind the immense love for Netflix has to do with how few series are ever canceled. Wedbush's Pachter seizes on how there have been some cancellations of late, which does call into question its gigantic content budget, north of $6 billion for 2017, substantially more than its competitors, so it can't afford failures. "Spotty execution" for expensive originals, Pacheter points out, does put the future at risk as the company does burn a lot of cash.

I say that given all the original content the company puts out, the failures will have to increase. That's the law of large content, so to speak. Still, the record is darned good, much better than everyone else and that matters, especially when worldwide numbers are at stake and some content plays extraordinarily well in other countries and does boost sign-ups. I always remember Hastings telling me they produce films by matching what worked with what can work, as in "if you liked Scarface you will like Narcos."

At any given time, there are stocks in the market that can't be valued by traditional metrics as you will miss the big picture. Right now there are three: Amazon (AMZN) , Tesla (TSLA) and Netflix. Amazon has made it difficult to judge what it's worth because how much will you pay for world domination both in retail and in web services. If Tesla's a tech company, not a car company, maybe the valuation can be justified. Netflix? Content and sign-ups.

Knowing the metric has always been the key to stock-picking performance. Wedbush has clearly picked the wrong metric. Sometimes that's all that matters.

Originally published July 12 at 11:36 a.m. EST. on RealMoney.

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A Minnesota man is blaming a car crash that saw his Tesla Inc. (TSLA) - Get Free Report roll over into a marsh on the car's "autopilot" feature. The man and his four passengers escaped the crash with minor injuries.

The car "suddenly accelerated" and overturned in the marsh, the Kandiyohi County Sheriff's Office said in a statement.

Regulators warned drivers in January not to treat the semi-autonomous nature of the autopilot feature as if it makes the vehicle fully self-driving following a deadly crash in Florida last year. Regulators did not force a recall however, ruling that the crash was not due to a safety issue.

Tesla shares were down 3.2% to $317.21 in afternoon trading Monday.

What's Hot on TheStreet

Amazon wants to upend every business, or so it seems: New day, a new business Amazon (AMZN) - Get Free Report wants to dip its toes in. The latest looks to be the meal kit space, TheStreet reports.

In a July 6 trademark application, Amazon subsidiary Amazon Technologies Inc. revealed it's planning "prepared food kits composed of meat, poultry, fish, seafood, fruit and/or and [sic] vegetables...ready for cooking and assembly as a meal," as well as primarily grain-based offerings.

The product's tagline: "We do the prep. You be the chef." Amazon already sells other companies' meal kits, including Tyson Foods Inc.'s (TSN) - Get Free Report Tyson Tastemakers. Martha Stewart is even offering meal kits on Amazon Fresh, the company's grocery delivery service. But, this may be the first hint of something bigger for Amazon, which would put it in direct competition with newly minted IPO Blue Apron (APRN) - Get Free Report .

Elon Musk keeping it real for a change: Tesla's (TSLA) - Get Free Report Elon Musk just gave the obsessed bulls on his company's future something to strongly consider, TheStreet reports.

Speaking at the National Governors Association Summer Meeting in Rhode Island on Saturday, Musk reiterated that shares of Tesla are trading at a level "higher than we have any right to deserve" based on optimism about the company's future.

"Those expectations sometimes get out of control," Musk added. Meanwhile, TheStreet reportsTesla could be at risk of a nasty surprise soon: the end of tax credits for electric cars in the U.S.

Procter & Gamble under siege: Peltz's Trian Fund Management plans to launch a fight for a board seat at Procter & Gamble (PG) - Get Free Report , making it the largest company to face a proxy battle, TheWall Street Journalreported Monday.

Trian, which owns about $3.3 billion of P&G stock, is said to be seeking a single board seat for Peltz at the company's annual meeting that could take place in October. P&G have reportedly been in talks for five months, but the company is said to have rejected to name Peltz as a director last week.

Sales at P&G -- and its stock price -- have stalled due to pricing pressure and competition.

As TheStreet's Ron Orol reported in June, look for the consumer packaged goods company to announce plans for spin-offs, sales or even a swap out of business units. If major M&A doesn't come soon, a Trian director-battle or white paper chock full of activist demands could be next.

And Trian likely will demand significant M&A activity. Spinoffs and other major deals often follow when the activist investor acquires a large stake. Trian and other activist fund managers often push to have large companies break themselves up with the goal of extracting value by focusing the market on various parts of a business that might be hiding inside confusing conglomerate structures.

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Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. (VRX) is ditching its Obagi skin care line by selling it for $190 million in cash to Hong Kong-based Haitong International Zhonghua Finance Acquisition Fund I LP.

Shares of Valeant ended the day up less than a percent to $27.37 per share and were up slightly afterhours.

"The sale of Obagi marks additional progress in our efforts to streamline our operations and reduce debt," said Joseph C. Papa, chairman and CEO of Valeant. "As we continue to transform Valeant, we will remain focused on the core businesses that will drive high value for our shareholders."

The sale comes only a few years after Valeant acquired the specialty pharmaceutical and skin care company in 2013 for $420 million, a move that involved a mid-cap activist's agitations. It is very likely that Obagi Medical Products Inc. would still be independent had Daniel Plants and his Voce Capital Management not shown up in 2013 with an M&A driven activist campaign.

The insurgent fund had been preparing to nominate a slate of dissident director candidates in 2013 to Obagi's board, in a move that came shortly before the company agreed to sell itself to Valeant. The activist fund has had a mostly positive record with his director-contests and his fund made a significant premium when Obagi was sold to Valeant.

The Deal had reported previously that Voce, based in San Francisco, had a net return of 10.3% over five years, with 8.4% returns in 2014 and a blockbuster 32% return year in 2013 on the heels of its activist investments at Obagi. According to a recent investor update, the fund is also up over 9% in 2017 through June, aided by a successful effort to drive a $2.5 billion sale of medical helicopter operator Air Methods (AIRM).

The Obagi announcement arrives as much-needed good news for the company once considered to be a darling of Wall Street, especially as Valeant continues to repay its massive $30 billion debt load. With this deal Valeant will have essentially met its goal of reducing debt by $5 billion

Valeant on July 10 announced that it had agreed to pay down $811 million of its senior secured term loans using net proceeds from its divestiture of cancer treatment maker Dendreon Pharmaceuticals LLC.

Valeant's divestitures this year include the sale of its CeraVe, AcneFree and AMBI skincare brands to French cosmetics company L'Oreal SA for $1.3 billion in cash in a deal announced in January and completed in March.

In June, Valeant agreed to sell its iNova Pharmaceuticals business to a company owned by funds managed by Pacific Equity Partners and Carlyle Group LP (CG) - Get Free Report for $930 million. The transaction is expected to be completed within the second half of the year.

Analysts of Jefferson Research are encouraged by Valeant's recent projections, citing strong earnings quality and balance quality; however, the valuation suggests a lower amount of price risk in addition to weak cash flow quality and operating efficiency. Future drugs to keep an eye on include Relistor Oral, Vyzulta, and Siliq.

Founded in 1988, Obagi Medical Products are designed to address premature skin aging and skin damage. Products are primarily available through dermatologists, medical spas, and other skin care professionals. Quebec-based Valeant forecasts that Obagi's Medical Products should generate approximately $85 million of revenue in 2017.

TheStreet's sister publication The Deal had reported previously that Voce, based in San Francisco, had a net return of 10.3% over five years, with 8.4% returns in 2014 and a blockbuster 32% return year in 2013 on the heels of its activist investments at Obagi.

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Goodbye, all-time highs. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 snapped a record-breaking streak with only small losses to begin the week.

The Dow declined by 0.04% on Monday, July 17, breaking away from the flatline in the final hour of trading. The blue-chip index had ended Friday, July 14, with a record close for its third day in a row.

The S&P 500 dipped 0.01%. It also recorded an all-time high at market close on Friday. The Nasdaq added 0.03%.

Wall Street was reluctant to make any big moves ahead of a rush of earnings in the coming days. Notable earnings in the coming week include Netflix Inc. (NFLX) - Get Free Report on Monday; International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) - Get Free Report , Bank of America Corp. (BAC) - Get Free Report and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) - Get Free Report on Tuesday, July 18; and eBay Inc. (EBAY) - Get Free Report , Snap Inc. (SNAP) - Get Free Report and Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) - Get Free Report on Thursday, July 20.

The second-quarter earnings season kicked off on Friday with a number of notable reports from the banking sector.

Overall, analysts anticipate another quarter of above-average strength. CFRA Research said it anticipates 6.2% year-over-year earnings growth among S&P 500 companies, better than a 1.7% earnings decline seen in the same quarter a year earlier. The energy sector is expected to lead the pack, recovering from weakness over the previous two years.

"We believe another quarter of double-digit earnings growth for the S&P 500 in the second quarter is possible, given generally solid overall economic data, the strong rebound in energy sector profits, and solid financial and technology sector earnings gains," said Burt White, chief investment officer for LPL Financial.

So far, 6% of S&P 500 companies have reported on their second-quarter performance. Of those, 75% have exceeded earnings estimates and 78.1% have topped revenue forecasts, according to Thomson Reuters data.

BlackRock Inc. (BLK) - Get Free Report fell Monday after falling short of profit and sales estimates over its recent quarter. Adjusted earnings of $5.24 a share missed consensus of $5.40. Revenue rose 6% to $2.97 billion. Analysts anticipated revenue of $2.99 billion.

Apple Inc. (AAPL) - Get Free Report was active after a bullish note from Morgan Stanley. Analyst Katy Huberty raised Apple's price target to $182 from $177 on long-term optimism after the company reports on Aug. 1. Huberty believes the company will provide weaker fourth-quarter guidance than anticipated on delays in the launch of its new iPhone model. That should set up for a "much better-than-normal December and March quarter."

Apple's iPhone 8 could be delayed for release until November or December, according to a new report from DigiTimes. Several analysts have already warned that production delays could impede the new model's availability. The report has yet to be confirmed. Shares rose 0.8%.

Apple is a holding in Jim Cramer's Action Alerts PLUS Charitable Trust Portfolio. Want to be alerted before Cramer buys or sells AAPL? Learn more now.

Economic activity in the New York area in July weakened at a far sharper pace than anticipated. The Empire State Manufacturing Survey fell to a reading of 9.8 in July, down from its two-year high of 19.8 in June. Analysts expected a reading of 15.5. The index has been in positive territory for six out of the seven months so far this year.

Healthcare stocks were on watch after another delay on a Senate vote to repeal and replace Obamacare. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell postponed a vote as Sen. John McCain recovers from surgery to remove a blood clot from behind his eye. Without McCain's vote, the passage of McConnell's healthcare bill looked unlikely. McConnell needs 50 of the 52 GOP senators to vote "yes" and two have already rejected the bill.

The Congressional Budget Office will likely not release an expected analysis of the bill until a later date. The CBO had been expected to make its analysis public on Monday, though that is unlikely after news of the postponement.

In deal news Monday, Church & Dwight Co. (CHD) - Get Free Reportagreed to purchase Water Pik for $1 billion in an all-cash deal. Church & Dwight anticipates the deal to purchase the flossing company will close in the third quarter. Water Pik had net sales of roughly $265 million in the 12 months to June 30.

Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc. (VRX) gained after agreeing to sell its Obagi Medical Products in a $190 million all-cash deal. Haitong International Zhonghua Finance Acquisition Fund has agreed to purchase the dermatological product line. The deal is expected to close in the second half of this year.

IBM fell nearly 1% after Barclays reiterated an underweight rating ahead of the tech company's earnings later in the week. Analyst Mark Moskowitz also cut his price target to $132 from $141, calling the stock's valuation stretched. Barclays lowered its full-year 2017 and 2018 guidance.

Blue Apron Holdings Inc. (APRN) - Get Free Report slumped more than 10% on Monday after Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) - Get Free Reportfiled a trademark for a similar service. According to the filing, Amazon's "prepared food kids" are "ready for cooking and assembly as a meal." Blue Apron has tumbled below its IPO price of $10 since its public float on June 29.

Greenbrier Cos. (GBX) - Get Free Report moved higher on Monday after Stifel Nicolaus analysts upgraded their rating to buy from hold. The firm said North American conditions were beginning to improve.

Eat, Drink and Talk Money with Jim Cramer

Meet Jim Cramer at an exclusive reception at his Bar San Miguel in Brooklyn, N.Y., on Tuesday, July 25, from 6:30 p.m. To 9 p.m.

The evening will start with a screening of Jim's CNBC show Mad Money. Afterwards, Jim will join the party fresh off of the CNBC set to mingle, take photos and answer your investing questions.

Tickets include dinner, drinks and an autographed copy of Jim's book Get Rich Carefully.

Click here for more information or to buy tickets.

Where: Bar San Miguel, 307 Smith St., Brooklyn, N.Y.

When: Tuesday, July 25, 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

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Robert Half International Inc. provides staffing and risk consulting services in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. The company operates through three segments: Temporary and Consultant Staffing, Permanent Placement Staffing, and Risk Consulting and Internal Audit Services. It places temporary services for accounting, finance, and bookkeeping; temporary and full-time office and administrative personnel consisting of executive and administrative assistants, receptionists, and customer service representatives; full-time accounting, financial, tax, and accounting operations personnel; and information technology contract professionals and full-time employees in the areas of platform systems integration to end-user technical and desktop support, including specialists in application development, networking and cloud, systems integration and deployment, database design and administration, and security and business continuity. The company also offers temporary and full-time employees in attorney, paralegal, legal administrative, and legal secretarial positions; and senior-level project professionals in the accounting and finance fields for financial systems conversions, expansion into new markets, business process re-engineering, business systems performance improvement, and post-merger financial consolidation. It is involved in serving professionals in the areas of creative, design, marketing, advertising, and public relations; and placing various positions, such as creative directors, graphics designers, web designers, media buyers, front end developers, copywriters, digital marketing managers, marketing analytics specialists, brand managers, and public relations specialists. The company provides internal audit, technology consulting, risk and compliance consulting, and business performance services. It serves clients and employment candidates. Robert Half International Inc. was founded in 1948 and is headquartered in Menlo Park, California.
Hexcel Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, develops, manufactures, and markets structural materials for use in commercial aerospace, space and defense, and industrial markets. It operates through two segments, Composite Materials and Engineered Products. The Composite Materials segment manufactures and markets carbon fibers, fabrics and specialty reinforcements, prepregs and other fiber-reinforced matrix materials, structural adhesives, honeycomb, molding compounds, tooling materials, polyurethane systems, and laminates that are used in military and commercial aircraft, wind turbine blades, recreational products, and other industrial applications, as well as in automotive, marine, and trains. The Engineered Products segment manufactures and markets aircraft structures and finished aircraft components, including wing to body fairings, wing panels, flight deck panels, door liners, rotorcraft blades, spars, and tip caps; and aircraft structural sub-components and semi-finished components used in rotorcraft blades, engine nacelles, and aircraft surfaces, such as flaps, wings, elevators, and fairings. The company sells its products directly through its managers, product managers, and sales personnel, as well as through independent distributors and manufacturer representatives in the Americas, Europe, the Asia Pacific, India, and Africa. Hexcel Corporation was founded in 1946 and is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut.
Brookfield Asset Management is an alternative asset manager and REIT/Real Estate Investment Manager firm focuses on real estate, renewable power, infrastructure and venture capital and private equity assets. It manages a range of public and private investment products and services for institutional and retail clients. It typically makes investments in sizeable, premier assets across geographies and asset classes. It invests both its own capital as well as capital from other investors. Within private equity and venture capital, it focuses on acquisition, early ventures, control buyouts and financially distressed, buyouts and corporate carve-outs, recapitalizations, convertible, senior and mezzanine financings, operational and capital structure restructuring, strategic re-direction, turnaround, and under-performing midmarket companies. It invests in both public debt and equity markets. It invests in private equity sectors with focus on Business Services include infrastructure, healthcare, road fuel distribution and marketing, construction and real estate; Industrials include manufacturers of automotive batteries, graphite electrodes, returnable plastic packaging, and sanitation management and development; and Residential/ infrastructure services. It targets companies which likely possess underlying real assets, primarily in sectors such as industrial products, building materials, metals, mining, homebuilding, oil and gas, paper and packaging, manufacturing and forest product sectors. It invests globally with focus on North America including Brazil, the United States, Canada; Europe; and Australia; and Asia-Pacific. The firm considers equity investments in the range of $2 million to $500 million. It has a four-year investment period and a 10-year term with two one-year extensions. The firm prefers to take minority stake and majority stake. Brookfield Asset Management Inc. was founded in 1997 and based in Toronto, Canada with additional offices across Northern America; South America; Europe; Middle East and Asia.
Alibaba Group Holding Limited is an eCommerce and Internet technology giant headquartered in the People's Republic of China. Its core platform, Alibaba.com, is the worlds 3rd largest eCommerce platform by sales. The company, through its vast network of subsidiary companies, provides the infrastructure and marketing to help merchants of all sizes develop their brands and to connect with customers in the People's Republic of China and internationally. The company also aids other businesses with a vast array of digital and logistical solutions with a reach that spans the globe.

Alibaba was co-founded by Jack Ma in 1999 when it became clear the Internet and digitization were the future of commerce. Mr. Ma is a billionaire investor, businessman, and philanthropist who believes in an open and free-market economy. The company went public in September 2014 with an IPO on the NYSE. The IPO set a record with its valuation of $25 billion and the company is now worth more than $225 billion and ranked among the 10 most valuable companies by market cap. Alibaba is also ranked 5th largest globally in regards to its work in AI, and it owns the world's largest B2B, B2C, and C2C eCommerce portals. In 2022, Alibabas Singles Day event brought in $139 billion to set a new one-day record.

The principal purpose of Alibaba Group Holding Limited is to open the Chinese market and connect it to the world. The company operates through seven segments including China Commerce, International Commerce, Local Consumer Services, Cainiao, Cloud, Digital Media and Entertainment, and Innovation Initiatives and Others.

The companys eCommerce platforms include Taobao Marketplace, Tmall, Alimama, 1688.com, Alibaba.com, Aliexpress, Lazada, Trendyol, and Daraz. Taobao Marketplace is a social-media eCommerce platform while Alimama is a monetization platform for entrepreneurs. 1688.com and Alibaba.com are wholesale marketplaces where individuals and businesses can connect with bulk items and the remainder are eCommerce retail platforms and search engines targeting specific markets. In addition, the company also operated a retail chain called Freshippo and Tmall Global which is an import platform for eCommerce.

Other digital services provided by Alibaba include Taoxianda, which is a digital integration service for FMCG goods and grocery retailers, and Cainiao Network which is a logistical services platform complemented by Ele.me, a delivery and services platform.

Alibaba also supports the infrastructure of the Internet with a range of products and services that include computing, storage, network, security, database, big data, and IoT connectivity. This segment includes a suite of cloud-based services such as Alibaba Pictures and content platforms that provide streaming media.
Fortis Inc. operates as an electric and gas utility company in Canada, the United States, and the Caribbean countries. It generates, transmits, and distributes electricity to approximately 438,000 retail customers in southeastern Arizona; and 100,000 retail customers in Arizona's Mohave and Santa Cruz counties with an aggregate capacity of 3,485 megawatts (MW), including 53 MW of solar capacity and 252 MV of wind capacity. The company also sells wholesale electricity to other entities in the western United States; owns gas-fired and hydroelectric generating capacity totaling 65 MW; and distributes natural gas to approximately 1,065,000 residential, commercial, and industrial customers in British Columbia, Canada. In addition, it owns and operates the electricity distribution system that serves approximately 577,000 customers in southern and central Alberta; owns 4 hydroelectric generating facilities with a combined capacity of 225 MW; and provides operation, maintenance, and management services to five hydroelectric generating facilities. Further, the company distributes electricity in the island portion of Newfoundland and Labrador with an installed generating capacity of 143 MW; and on Prince Edward Island with a generating capacity of 130 MW. Additionally, it provides integrated electric utility service to approximately 68,000 customers in Ontario; approximately 272,000 customers in Newfoundland and Labrador; approximately 32,000 customers on Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands; and approximately 16,000 customers on certain islands in Turks and Caicos. The company also holds long-term contracted generation assets in Belize consisting of 3 hydroelectric generating facilities with a combined capacity of 51 MW; and the Aitken Creek natural gas storage facility. It also owns and operates approximately 90,200 circuit Kilometers (km) of distribution lines; and approximately 50,500 km of natural gas pipelines. Fortis Inc. was founded in 1885 and is headquartered in St. John's, Canada.
Huawei Tech Investment Saudi Arabia has launched the third cycle of its global CSR programme, Seeds for the Future, which will send 17 ICT students from the kingdom to China on a training trip.



The programme was arranged in collaboration with the Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC) and National Committee for Information Society (NCIS).



The departure ceremony for the 17 top students taking part in the programmes latest iteration was held at headquarters of CITC in Riyadh. In attendance were CITC officials headed by Dr Dhaifallah Al-Zahrani, acting governor of the Commission; the Economic and Commercial Counselor of China's Embassy in Saudi Arabia, Zhao Liuqing; and Dennis Zhang, CEO of Huawei Tech Investment Saudi Arabia.



The latest batch of participants in the programme includes students from 17 Saudi universities across the Kingdom. The Seeds for the Future programme was launched in Saudi in 2015, as part of Huaweis commitment to Saudi Arabia. The flagship global CSR programme is aimed at cultivating local ICT talent, promoting knowledge transfer, improving people's interest in and understanding of the ICT industry, and encouraging countries and regions to participate in the building of digital communities.



During the two-week trip, students will receive hands-on training at the companys state-of-the-art facilities and laboratories, where they will learn about the latest developments in the ICT sector. Students will also experience first-hand Huaweis advanced solutions and offering, including intelligent network, cloud and devices.



Dr Al Zahrani said: Started by Thanking Huawei for its efforts in serving the community and there keenness on upgrading the ICT sector in the Kingdom. He also encouraged the students to benefit from the experience in expanding their knowledge and linking theoretical concepts with practical reality.



Zhao Liuqing said: Huawei-CITC Seeds for the Future programme offers its best to accommodate this objective. So far, in the framework of this programme, which has been held for two years in a row, a total of 34 excellent university students from Saudi Arabia have set their feet in China for onsite study visit.



They had a taste of the cutting edge ICT technology in China as well as the splendid Chinese culture. Most importantly, they took the friendship of the Chinese people back to Saudi Arabia. As far as I learned, the Program has received so much favourable comment from Saudi Ministry of Information and Communication, CITC, universities and students community. Its firmly believed that the programme will be meaningful for cultural exchange and future cooperation between the two countries.



As a leading global ICT solutions provider and a responsible member of the community, our Seeds for the Future programme enables us to transfer ICT knowledge among the Saudi youth, nurture skills and make more contributions towards the socio-economic development of Saudi Arabia, said Zhang.



Saudi Arabia continues to be a strategic market for Huawei and by investing in its youth, we are able to accelerate the Kingdoms diversification plans.



Huawei has collaborated with a number of entities across the Kingdom to provide training and technical skills to Saudis over the years, including training centres, the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) and the Technical Vocational Training Corporation (TVTC). In addition, Huawei had launched a Joint Innovation Centre with Saudi Aramco and KFUPM; and established the Knowledge Gift programme with Saudi Aramco.  TradeArabia News Service
The Zayed Future Energy Prize has closed submissions for its 10th cycle with a record of 2,296 entries, a 37 percent increase compared to 2016.



Nominations for the Large Corporation and Lifetime Achievement categories yielded 1,113 entries, while the remaining 1,183 submissions were for Small and Medium Enterprise, Non-Profit Organisation, and Global High Schools categories, said a Wam news agency report.



With more renewable energy capacity installed globally in 2016 than ever before, it comes as no surprise that entries were submitted from all corners of the world. Submissions arrived from 112 countries, up from 103 in 2016, representing the broadest geographic reach achieved by the prize to date.



The top-five countries by number of entries are India, Mexico, US, Brazil and China. An increase in entries has also been seen from Russia and the Nordic region states of Finland, Denmark, Sweden and Norway.



"It is heartening to see the continuing growth of the Zayed Future Energy Prize, as well as its ability to reach people and organisations of all levels globally. Its role in giving due recognition and reward to innovators and advocates of renewable energy and sustainability serves as a catalyst for driving the sector forward. Year on year, we see the impact of the Zayed Future Energy Prize on the lives of people around the world, be it in remote regions or cosmopolitan cities," said Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, former president of the Republic of Iceland and chair of the Zayed Future Energy Prize Jury.



This year saw a doubling in Global High Schools category submissions from the UAE, which climbed to be among the top five participating countries. To date, the achievements of winners of the Global High Schools category have resulted in the reduction of 1,685 tonnes of carbon emissions and the generation of 2.1 million kilowatt hours, kWh, of renewable energy, making a difference to the lives of around 340,000 people in communities around the world.



"The impact of the Zayed Future Energy Prize is a testament of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyans inspired vision. It serves to not only create a mindset of sustainability amongst the youth, but to also mould future generations committed to innovating sustainable solutions for our world. Ultimately, the prize aims to deliver a positive impact to the livelihood of people globally. To date, we are proud to say that it has created a positive change for the lives of 289 million people across the world," said Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of State and Director-General of the Zayed Future Energy Prize.



The Large Corporation and Lifetime Achievement categories of the Zayed Future Energy Prize saw an increase in nominations of 101 percent, indicating the growing number of people and organisations championing the cause of sustainability. Of the 1,113 nominations, 421 were for large corporations and 692 were made for individuals. Submissions from Small and Medium Enterprises also increased by 11 percent to 643 entries, while Non-Profit Organisations provided 256 entries.



With the exception of Global High Schools category submissions, all entries received will undergo a four-stage evaluation process, starting with due diligence through research and analysis before a shortlist is formed by the Review Committee. From the reduced shortlist, entries are examined by the Selection Committee, where a list of finalists is agreed upon. The process culminates in a meeting of the prize jury to select a winning entry in each category. Submissions in the Global High Schools category are considered by the Global High Schools committee following due diligence, before proceeding directly to the jury. All winners will be announced at an awards ceremony during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week in January 2018.



International experts from the energy sector, including the government, policy makers, business and academia are involved at every stage. The jury counts former heads of state, global leaders and world-renowned personalities among its past and present members. -TradeArabia News Service
- The National Police service identified a number of locations and counties where violence is highly likely to break out

- NASA decried that majority of the locations are their strongholds and this was all a ploy to rig the election

- Well, over the weekend, the government imported vast anti-riot resources including tones of tear gas canisters and South Korean anti-riot water canons among other things

- Three canons have already been sent to Uasin Gishu

Kenyas national security agencies seem to be taking nothing for granted as the Election Day draws closer.

With 21 days to the poll, the agencies have shipped in massive equipment for crowd control, gun and tear gas.

According to reports seen by TUKO.co.ke, training of security personnel is ongoing in Embakasi with plans in place to deploy at least 150,000 security officers on August 8.

READ ALSO: Raila Odinga and DP Ruto among the crowds that made history in Kasarani (photos)

Kenya's anti riot police from the General Service Unit. Photo: Charles Onyango.

READ ALSO: President Uhuru Kenyatta rewards Nkaissery's widow with job

The security agencies have been jointly training on how to crowd control without resulting to fatal incidents, how to respond to unrest and terrorism among other instances.

More than 12 South Korean riot control vehicles are already in Nairobi, bringing the total to more than 30 incase violence breaks out.

The Standard on Monday, July 17, reported that the armored vehicles were imported alongside anti-riot gear such as batons, tonnes of anti-riot tear gas and gear which have been distributed over the past one month.

READ ALSO: Photo of Zari missing Ivan can make you cry

Police armored vehicles already in the country. Photo: Standard.

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National Police Service helicopters will also be deployed to respond to violence outbreaks in the shortest time possible.

5,000 cars have, apparently, also been leased and deployed for police use

The agencies include the Kenya Defense Forces, the National Intelligence Service, Kenya Wildlife Services, Kenya Forestry Services and the National Youth Service.

Before his death, the late Interior cabinet secretary Joseph Nkaissery revealed that three water canons had already been sent to Uasin Gishu -DP Ruto's backyard, and revealed that there are 29 other counties have high chances of violence breaking out.

READ ALSO: Kenyans spot yet another beautiful cop(photo)

Some of the water canons already in the country. 12 state of the art canons were imported from South Korea over the weekend. Photo: Standard.

READ ALSO: Lilian Muli kisses popular Inooro TV news anchor but we are not saying anything else (photos)

The importation of anti-riot equipment, training and intention of deploying the security officers ahead of the election comes on the heels of the National Super Alliance opposing the identification of violence hot spots during the voting and counting period.

In prior TUKO reports, on Tuesday, July 4, NASA presidential candidate Raila Odinga was quoted as saying the identification of locations with high chances of violence breaking out was a Jubilee government ploy to rig the election.

In their explanations, NASA claimed that the heavy police presence was meant to inspire fear in voters on polling day so that they would not come out and vote.

The opposition alliance also decried that majority of the counties and locations identified were predominantly NASA strongholds.

Have something to add to this article? Send to news@tuko.co.ke

Watch the late Nkaissery's final journey below:

Source: TUKO.co.ke
- The first ever Presidential running mats'e debate got off to an embarrassing start

- There was only one candidate who showed up out of the expected six in the first phase of the historic event

- Muthiora Kariara, Japheth Kavingas running mate had the unrivaled pleasure of addressing the entire country in a debate televised on all major TV platforms

- Other running mates skipped the event citing lack of consultations by the organisers of the historic affair

- Many Kenyans expressed mixed reactions on the development

- The debate had been split into two with another featuring running mates of the two major presidential candidates- Uhuru and Raila Odinga

The Presidential running mate debate was off to a shambolic start after only one person showed up for the historic event, despite the much publicised occasion on Monday, July 17.

Muthiora Kariara- Japheth Kavingas- running mate, was the only candidate at the podium at the time the debate commenced on Monday, July 17 at 5:30 pm.

Muthoira Kariara. PHOTO: Facebok.com/Muthoira Kariara.

READ ALSO: Presidential running mates debate will go on without Ruto, Kalonzo

The move was a little bit embarrassing as Kenyans had anticipated to hear from potential future leaders in an event beamed live in all TV and radio stations.

The six who missed out had issued a set of demands to attend and ended up making good their threats.

They were against the organisers format of deviding the debate into two sessions- the first featuring six running mate and the second sessions featuring the running mates of the major presidential candidates- Uhuru and Raila.

The second session of the running mates debate is also in great jeopordy considering both William Ruto and Kalonzo Musyoka have indicated they might not show up.

If that is the case, the organisers- Debates Media Limited- will be left with egg on face as having poorly prepared the whole event.

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 in polls? They speak:

Source: TUKO.co.ke
-Photos have emerged of the scarce Maize flour in a foreign country

- The flour is reportedly retailing at KSh 1,400 in Canada

- Kenyans, to date, are still limited to a maximum of two packets of the subsidised flour in retail outlets

While Kenyans are still struggling to grab the rare commodity that is the subsidized Maize flour, it seems some people overseas are enjoying the commodity at their expense.

Photos accessed by TUKO.co.ke seem to suggest that there subsidised maize flour is being retailed at Canadian outlets.

The government, in a bid to cushion Kenyans from the adversities of Maize flour (or lack of), decided to import flour from Mexico at a subsdised price of KSh 90 per packet back in May.

READ ALSO: Vera Sidika posts a hot photo of herself in her birthday suit and damn, its crazy (Photos)

Despite the subsidy scheme, Kenyans have still ranted of setbacks in accessing the flour. Some areas have reportedly not received any subsidized flour, while some are complaining of the unchanged prices to date.

A retail store in Canada, however seem to have the golden commodity in abundance If photos are anything to go by. The store, known as Chakula Tamu is presumably Kenyan-owned, and is stocking Maize flour, among other things.

Interestingly, the flour has the same subsidy tag as the ones which are scarce to find in Kenya. Check out the photos:

A man in Canada holding two packets of Unga. PHOTO: Courtesy

READ ALSO: Willy Paul is nice but full of pride  fan exposes gospel singer with some damaging screenshots

A photo of the "Chakula Tamu" retail store in Canada. PHOTO: Courtesy

READ ALSO: Actress Awiti allegedly dumps husband and daughter like garbage after landing lucrative deal

Two packets of Maize flour which were reportedly bought from "Chakula Tamu" in Canada. PHOTO: Courtesy

TUKO.co.ke has established that the flour is retailing at KSh 14000 in Canada.

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 in August? They speak:

Source: TUKO.co.ke
The President General of the NUGFW and NATUC, James Lambert says, too many people in the cou
The early grains and rapeseed are being harvested throughout Ukraine according to the plan, except Chernihiv region, where the situation depends on the weather and crops conditions.

This is reported by the Governmental portal.

As of July 14, 6.5 million tons of early grains were harvested on 2.0 million hectares (22% of the planned 9.4 million hectares) with an average yield of 31.8 dt/ha.

In particular, Ukrainian farmers already harvested 3.1 million tons of wheat, 2.96 million tons of barley, 1.0 thousand tons of rye, 0.6 thousand tons of oats, 477,000 tons of pea and 445,000 tons of rapeseed.

As of July 14, the highest yield of early grains and leguminous crops was in Ivano-Frankivsk (56.7 dt/ ha), Volynska (55.0 dt/ ha), Rivne (55.0 dt / ha), Lviv (52 , 8 dt / ha) and Khmelnytsky (51.6 dt / ha) regions.

ol
A meeting of the Ukrainian-Moldovan intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation will take place in September of this year.

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko said this to journalists after the launch of a common border and customs control at the Kuchurhan checkpoint on the Transdniestrian section of the Ukrainian-Moldovan state border together with Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova Pavel Filip, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"We had a broad agenda during the talks with the prime minister, including the holding of the next meeting of the Ukrainian-Moldovan intergovernmental commission, which is to be held in September of this year," Poroshenko said.

During the meeting, the issues of supplying Ukrainian electricity for the needs of Moldova were discussed.

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Bladder cancer patients undergoing radical cystectomy and urinary diversion are faced with difficult decisions regarding mode of urinary diversion. Although these patients may use the Internet as a guide to diagnosis and treatment options, online resources remain largely unregulated leading to a great variation in quality of medical information. Further variation in quality is seen between languages. Fortunately, tools such as an automated toolbar developed by the World Health Organization Health on the Net (HON) Foundation exist to assist physicians in recommending quality online health information to patients. We set out to compare and assess the quality of Bladder cancer, Ileal conduit and Orthotopic Neobladder Web sites in 2016 on the basis of the HON principles for English language.

The Google search engine imbedded with the HON toolbar was used to assess 1350 Web sites using the keywords "bladder cancer", "ileal conduit" and "orthotopic neobladder" in English, Italian and Spanish. The first 150 results of each search were identified and screened. A further analysis was completed comparing results between 2009 and 2016.

Less than 20% of English, Italian and Spanish "bladder cancer" and urinary diversion ("ileal conduit" and "orthotopic neobladder") web sites are HON- accredited. HON-accredited web sites featured preferentially in the first 50 search results for bladder cancer (p=0.0001) and ileal conduit (p=0.03) web sites. Comparing 2016 results to 2009, percentage of HON-accreditation has not shown statistically significant change (-13%, p=0.23), while overall number of search results has increased (+44%).

A lack of validation of bladder cancer sites is present, which is consistent across modes of urinary diversion (orthotopic neobladder and ileal conduit) and languages. It is important that physicians involved in the care of bladder cancer patients undergoing radical cystectomy and urinary diversion participate in the development of informative, ethical, and reliable health Web sites and direct patients to them.

Minerva urologica e nefrologica = The Italian journal of urology and nephrology. 2017 Jul 12 [Epub ahead of print]

Julia M Corfield, Nathan Lawrentschuk

The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia - ., The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.

PubMed http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28707843
Immune checkpoint inhibitors, a new class of cancer therapeutic agents, play an important role in the management of melanoma, NSCLC, and other malignancies. A workshop organized by three MASCC Study Groups: Oral Care, Skin Toxicities, and Neutropenia, Infection, and Myelosuppression during the MASCC Annual Meeting held in Adelaide, Australia on 23-25 June, 2016 focused on the new class of anti-cancer therapeutic agents. Topics in the workshop included the mechanism of action and clinical uses of immune anti-CTL4 and anti-PD1 antibodies, checkpoint inhibitor toxicities, including skin adverse events, gastrointestinal toxicities, oral complications, pulmonary toxicities, and endocrinological and immune-related infections. Checkpoint inhibitors have been approved for use in different malignancies including metastatic melanoma, advanced non-small cell lung cancer, metastatic renal cell carcinoma, refractory Hodgkin's lymphoma, metastatic bladder cancer, and advanced head and neck cancer, and the list continues to grow. In general, these agents seem to be better tolerated in most patients and less toxic compared to conventional chemotherapy. However, the toxicities here, termed immune-related adverse events (irAEs), are unique and different from what we have seen in the past. There is no prospective data on these toxicities, and guidelines or recommendations are currently based on symptomatic management from the ongoing clinical trials. Treating oncologists need to be aware and alert themselves to the subtleties in presentation and the big difference in the way we manage the irAEs. Although most irAEs are low-grade and manageable, they have the potential to be life-threatening and extremely severe if not promptly treated. Additionally, irAEs could even lead to death, if managed incorrectly. The MASCC workshop addressed the various irAEs, per organ system, clinical presentation, management recommendations, and individual toxicities.

Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer. 2017 Jul 13 [Epub ahead of print]

Bernardo Leon Rapoport, Ronwyn van Eeden, Vincent Sibaud, Joel B Epstein, Jean Klastersky, Matti Aapro, Devan Moodley

The Medical Oncology Centre of Rosebank129 Oxford Road, Saxonwold 2196, Johannesburg, South Africa. ., The Medical Oncology Centre of Rosebank129 Oxford Road, Saxonwold 2196, Johannesburg, South Africa., Department of Medical Oncology and Clinical Research Institut Claudius Regaud, Institut Universitaire du Cancer, Toulouse Oncopole, France., Cedars-Sinai Health System, Samuel Oshin Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Los Angeles, CA, USA., Institut Jules Bordet, Universite Libre de Bruxelles, Centre des Tumeurs de l'ULB, Rue Heger Bordet, 1, 1000, Brussels, Belgium., Institut Multidisciplinaire d'Oncologie, Clinique de Genolier, Genolier, Switzerland., University of the Witwatersrand and Wits Donald Gordon Medical Center, Johannesburg, South Africa.

PubMed http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28707167
Wearing a long-sleeved school uniform and jeans and a satchel on his back, Chheum Sokhoch, 14, says he has lived in a residential care center in Siem Reap province for about three years.

Last year, he left the center that became his home to live with his parents under a government scheme to return children to their families. Thousands of Cambodian children live in orphanages and residential centers despite their parents being alive.

I dont want to go back, says Sokhoch, a grade 6 student. I will miss studying English... at the center I could study both English and Khmer.

I was not allowed to go out. I had to use my time to study and eat. When Im at home I can go and play, he added.

The government implemented a three-year action plan last year intended to improve childcare in Cambodia, aimed at returning about a third of children in residential care to their families after a series of scandals involving orphanages across the country.

More than 16,000 children live in 406 residential homes nationwide, according to official figures. Sokhoch was sent to the center when his parents migrated to Thailand seeking work to pay off their debts.

Sokhochs mother, Voeun Ya, who runs a market food stall, said Sokhoch had never complained about living at the center. There was no problems, she said.

Sokhochs parents were recently returned to Cambodia by Thailand as they were working without the proper documentation. Im excited that my son came back. We can live together, said Ya. Its not a problem. I can feed my son. I pay off my debts and the rest of the money is to feed my children.

But Ya is concerned that Sokhochs education could suffer as a result as the family cannot afford to pay for continuing his English classes.

His father, Plung Bunkheim, 40, now a barber, said he was relieved to have his son back at the family home.

In Siem Reap province, there are about 1,800 children in some 54 residential care centers. Four were closed last year after inspections showed they lacked the funds and facilities to care for the children under their guardianship.

Or Mao, the provincial director of social affairs, said the process of reintegrating children with their families included significant follow up with the families to ensure the children were looked after. The final decision depends on the child, he said.

He said almost 150 Siem Reap children were returned to their families last year, with another 220 expected to be reunited this year.

Children who are returned to their families are provided a bicycle and study materials.

Despite the mostly positive reports of the scheme, some children have reportedly been placed in homes where their caregivers are unable to cope.

Kron Nilmuny, 13, in Siem Reaps Bantaey Srey district, was returned to live with her grandparents last year, but his grandfather says the family is unable to provide a good education when compared with the center he was at previously.

I wanted him to be separated from his parents and grandparents. The center can educate him and he will study there, said Suon Kre, the grandfather.

The UN is supporting the Cambodian government to train more social workers. The reintegration of children is implemented based on the principles of the best interests of the child and do no harm, Unicefs Bunly Meas said in a statement.

There will need to be a strong emphasis on the case management of each child, including follow-up and monitoring of their situation even after reunification, he added.

A child living in an orphanage can be exposed to all kinds of risks and potential harms including neglect and abuse.
French President Emmanuel Macron has called for renewal of Middle East peace talks so that Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side in two states with secure borders with Jerusalem as the capital. Macron's comments came Sunday during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Paris to mark the 75th anniversary of the deportation of Jews from France to Nazi concentration camps during World War Two. VOA's Zlatica Hoke reports.
Afghan security forces, backed by U.S. military advisers and air power, have evicted insurgents from a strategically important southern district, nine months after the Taliban had overrun it.

A regional military spokesman, Wali Mohammad Ahmadzai, told VOA that Afghan National Security and Defense Forces (ANDSF) entered Nawa district in southern Helmand province early Monday and established government control over it following two days of intense battles with the Taliban.

He said overnight U.S. airstrikes against three important Taliban bases in the area killed more than 20 insurgents and made it easier for Afghan forces to retake control of the district center.

The Taliban has not yet commented on official victory claims.

Ahmadzai said a search and clearing operation is currently underway in the district where insurgents have heavily mined areas around key installations. He promised to release details of casualties suffered by both sides, saying the Taliban lost dozens of its fighters since Afghan forces launched a large-scale offensive on Saturday to retake Nawa.

The agriculturally-rich Afghan district is located about 30 kilometers west of the provincial capital of Lashkarga and its collapse had enabled the Taliban to stage repeated assaults on the city in their bid to capture it.

Lashkarga hosts hundreds of U.S. marines who returned to Afghanistan earlier this year to assist struggling local forces reverse Taliban advances in Helmand. The insurgents control many of the districts in the countrys largest province and poppy producing region.

Helmand borders Pakistan, where Afghan officials allege the Taliban has established recruiting and training centers, charges the neighboring country denies.

Meanwhile, the United Nations has warned the Afghan conflict continued to inflict record high levels of casualties on innocent civilians in the first six months of 2017.

The U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), in its mid-year report released Monday, documented a total of 1,662 civilian deaths between January 1 and June 30, showing an increase of two percent over the same period last year. The fatalities included 174 women and 436 children, it said. UNAMA began documenting civilian casualties in January, 2009, and has since recorded more than 26,600 civilian deaths and just under 49,000 injuries as result of the armed conflict in Afghanistan.
The Bosniak Muslim member of Bosnia's three-man presidency called on Monday for an investigation into Islamic State death threats to leaders of Bosnia's Islamic community.

The latest Bosnian edition of the militants' magazine Rumiyah published photos of top Bosnian clerics and described them as Islamic outcasts, saying killing them was more desirable than the killing of infidels.

"I call on the relevant state institutions ... not to underestimate these threats, to investigate them thoroughly and support religious leaders," Bakir Izetbegovic told reporters.

Bosnian Muslims generally practice a moderate form of Islam but some have adopted radical Salafi Islam from foreign fighters who came to the country during its 1992-95 war to fight alongside Muslims against Orthodox Serbs and Catholic Croats.

Some joined Islamic State in Syria and Iraq and threatened Bosnian Islamic clerics after they condemned killings and other crimes conducted by the hardline group.

Police estimate 188 Bosnian Muslims have left for Syria and Iraq over the past four years, with almost 50 returning.

But departures from Bosnia and returns from Syria had almost completely stopped by early 2016 because Bosnian authorities were prosecuting both aspiring fighters and those who returned.

Security Minister Dragan Mektic said the threats would be investigated.

He said the Bosnian intelligence agency OBA, in cooperation with other security agencies, last month halted two attempted attacks, but gave no further detail.

"We are making a risk assessment, updating information, following a number of persons," Mektic told reporters on Monday.
Brexit Secretary David Davis launches a first round of negotiations on Britain's withdrawal from the European Union on Monday when he meets the EU's Michel Barnier for four days of talks between their teams in Brussels.

A month after a first meeting where the two exchanged gifts inspired by a shared passion for hillwalking and spoke of the mountain of complexity they must climb, the Frenchman will press Davis to agree to Britain covering substantial British financial commitments and offer more detail on other British proposals.

With little more than a year to settle divorce terms before Britain leaves, deal or no deal, on March 30, 2019, the 27 other EU national leaders want British Prime Minister Theresa May to rally her divided nation swiftly behind a clear, detailed plan that can minimize economic and social disruption across Europe as its second biggest economy cuts loose from the continent.

Davis and Barnier will shake hands for the cameras at the European Commission's Berlaymont headquarters at 9:15 a.m. (0715 GMT) before a first full session of talks. Negotiators will then break up into groups discussing four key areas of priorities before a planned news conference on Thursday afternoon.

Barnier, who secured Davis's consent last month to the EU's broad structure for talks, wants to hold the Englishman publicly to whatever else has been agreed during the week, EU officials say.

Working groups will focus on three areas: the rights of over 4 million people living as expatriates on either side of the new UK-EU frontier; the EU demand that Britain pays some 60 billion euros ($70 billion) to cover ongoing EU budget commitments; and other loose ends, such as what happens to British goods in EU shops on Brexit Day, or to outstanding EU court cases involving Britain.

A fourth set of talks, run by Davis and Barnier's deputies Oliver Robbins and Sabine Weyand, will focus on curbing problems in Northern Ireland once a new EU land border separates the British province from EU member Ireland. Some of that will have to wait for clarity on future trade relations.

Brexit Bill

One key early advance that EU officials hope for this week is for Britain to stop challenging the principle it will owe Brussels money -- though how much will have to be argued over and cannot be calculated until Britain actually leaves.

Three more weeks of talks, interspersed with internal EU sessions to coordinate the views of the 27 other governments, are scheduled, from late August until early October. At that point, Barnier hopes to be able to show "significant progress" on the divorce priorities for EU leaders to give him a mandate to launch negotiations on a future free trade agreement.

Davis and May had pressed over the past months for trade talks to start immediately but accepted the EU's sequence for negotiations last month. However, Brussels accepts that details on the divorce terms will still be open when trade talks begin.

In a sign British ministers are coming round to the EU view that a trade deal can at best be sketched in outline over the next 20 months, two members of May's cabinet who were on opposing sides of the Brexit referendum debate said they expected some transitional phase to start in 2019 to smooth the passage from full EU membership to a final free trade pact.
China reiterated it is firmly against any military contacts between the United States and Taiwan, after the passage of a new U.S. defense bill that could lead to American warships visiting Taiwan.

"China firmly opposes any forms of official exchange and military contact between the U.S. and Taiwan," foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Monday.

Kang said Beijing had made "stern representations" to Washington over the section on Taiwan in the U.S. National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2018, which was passed Friday by Congress.

The bill directs the Pentagon to submit a report to Congress on the possibility of reestablishing port calls between the U.S. and Taiwanese navies.

It also calls for increased training for Taiwan's military and encourages it to increase defense spending.

Beijing has claimed sovereignty over self-ruled Taiwan since the 1940s and tries to limit the island's international profile.
Foreign fishing vessels, many from China, prowl the waters off West Africa every day. They capture millions of fish  catches that used to go to local boats. The fish are then shipped to China, Europe and the United States, satisfying a global demand for seafood and fueling a multibillion-dollar industry.

The foreign vessels make life hard for West African fishermen.

Foreign trawlers from Asia and Europe have cost West Africa's economy 300,000 jobs and $2 billion in income, according to John Hocevar, a marine biologist with Greenpeace.

However, what to do about the problem  and possible damage to regional fish populations  has eluded experts and officials.

Chinese presence

Exact numbers are difficult to come by, but experts agree no single country has a greater presence off the coast of West Africa than China.

In a 2015 report, Greenpeace estimated that, two years earlier, China had 426 distant water fishing vessels off Africa's West Coast.

Between 2000 and 2011, 64 percent of China's average annual catches, valued at more than $7 billion, came from that area, according to The Pew Charitable Trusts.

Fishing isn't a big part of China's economy, representing less than one percent of total gross domestic product. But for many in China's coastal provinces, it's both a livelihood and way of life, according to Haibing Ma, the China program manager for the Worldwatch Institute, a nonprofit group that researches sustainability.

Chinese fishers have traveled to Africa because their own fish stock has nearly run out. "Overfishing has destroyed the sustainability of China's inshore fisheries," Ma said.

Lack of oversight

Fishing practices are inherently difficult to monitor and regulate. Oceans are vast, vessels are hard to reach, and a mix of local and international laws and regulations complicates enforcement.

Domestic laws regulate waters up to 200 miles off the coast, and international laws control waters past that, according to Todd Dubois, assistant director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries Office for Law Enforcement.

This complex environment has led to a variety of creative ways to maximize profits without breaking the law.

For example, legislation in Guinea-Bissau has kept large industrial fishing vessels away from its coast. So, fishing companies have deployed small boats that don't need licenses from nearby countries such as Senegal. Those boats will fish in Guinea-Bissau and return their catches to a large "mothership," which in turn takes its bounty back to Senegal to be traded.

In other cases, "floating factories"  large, nearby vessels used for processing and packaging catches  have enabled other boats to catch small pelagics, such as mackerels and sardines, quickly and on a massive scale for prolonged periods.

And bottom trawls, a kind of gear that contributes to overfishing, were installed on most Chinese vessels studied by Greenpeace in 2015.

Many see international fishing off Africa's West Coast as an exploitation of local resources by foreign powers. But some of the most damaging practices occur within the law, and local African economies sometimes benefit from illegal fishing.

In Mauritania, for example, a Chinese company made a secret deal with the local government to build a fish-processing factory and bring 80 large vessels to the coast in exchange for a $100 million investment in the country.

That deal may have benefited both countries, says Andre Standing, an adviser at the Coalition for Fair Fisheries Arrangements, but it has had a profoundly negative impact on small-scale fishermen.

Responsible practices

Fishing, even when done on a massive scale, can be sustainable, provided there's adequate planning and reporting. That means understanding the vulnerability of local fish populations and managing catches accordingly.

"Some reproduce very fast and can handle quite heavy fishing, such as tuna, and some of the small pelagics like the sardines," Standing said, but other fish, such as sharks, develop very slowly. "We're already seeing across Africa and across the world that industrial fishing and long line fishing in particular, they've decimated populations of the other types of fish."

Standing cautions against drawing conclusions about the entire Chinese fishing industry. Individual fishing companies need to be judged on their own merits, he said. There are good Chinese companies, just as there are bad European companies.

China's presence off Africa's west coast shows no signs of shrinking, though. The Chinese government has enabled the industry to expand far beyond the country's own shores. In 2013, the government gave the fishing sector about $6.5 billion in subsidies, according to a brief Standing wrote for the Africa Center for Strategic Studies.

Whether considering the actions of China, the European Union, or local African governments and businesses, the root of the problem comes from a lack of focus on long-term sustainability, according to Standing.

"In many areas, there really isn't this careful, precautionary approach to managing fishing intensity," he said. "A lot are being driven by short-term profit, and that's really at the heart of the unsustainable nature of fisheries."
Deborah Chenault Green is 62, a writer. But 50 years ago she was a pre-teen, sleeping on the porch to escape the oppressive heat, awakening to see a sky that glowed unnaturally.



Azerine Jones is a retired baker. But in 1967 she was the 12-year-old daughter of a barber who watched his business go up in smoke.



Girard Townsend is 66 now, living in a seniors building near the Detroit waterfront. But a half century ago, he was just a kid on a city bus.



The bus stopped near 12th and Clairmount streets. Townsend stepped off  and into the very start of the Detroit riot.



"I saw all these guys with masks and shields,'' he said  city police officers, most of them white, far outnumbered by a seething black crowd.

In the days that followed, he would witness  and take part in  an epic eruption of violence that still reverberates in his life and the life of this city.



Five days of violence would leave 33 blacks and 10 whites dead, and more than 1,400 buildings burned. More than 7,000 people were arrested.



A decline that had already begun would accelerate; Detroit was the nation's fourth biggest city in 1960, but would rank 21st by 2016. The middle class fled, and a proud city fell into poverty, crime and hopelessness.



There are signs of rebirth in Detroit. But the men and women who lived through the riots are getting older, and most doubt they will live to see Detroit reclaim its former glory, when its very name was synonymous with American know-how and industry.



"Detroit still hasn't come back to where it was,'' Townsend said sourly, sorting through 50 years of memories.



Not the Only Summer Riot



Detroit wasn't the first of the riots in the summer of 1967, and it was far from the last. Buffalo, New York, and Newark, New Jersey, preceded it; in the course of the summer, more than 150 cases of civil unrest erupted across the United States.



Detroit's started after a July 23 police raid on an illegal after-hours' club  a "blind pig''  at 12th and Clairmount.



The raid, though, was just the spark. Many in the community blamed frustrations blacks felt toward the mostly white police, and city policies that pushed families into aging and over-crowded neighborhoods.

"We had a fear and kind of a hatred toward the police department,'' Green said. "They would harass people, especially young black men. Stop them for no reason. A lot of men and women were beaten. A lot of that led up to the city exploding.''



When Girard Townsend got off the bus that night, he stumbled into the immediate aftermath of the blind pig raid. By the next day, the riot was in full bloom: "I got up the next morning and the whole west side was on fire. Everything was burning. People were running around with clothes in their hands, TVs and all kinds of stuff.''



Townsend was among them. He made off with a television from a furniture store.



"We stole liquor and stuff,'' he said. "I watched it. I lived it. I was part of it.''



There is general agreement that the rioters did not focus their fury on whites. Theresa Welsh and her husband, David, rented an apartment early that summer about eight blocks from where the riot started. "Nobody bothered us. We were a couple of white people wandering around,'' said Welsh, 71.



Deborah Chenault Green recalls she was at a cousin's home. They slept on a mattress on the porch because it was such a hot night.

"The noise, I think, is what woke us up,'' she said. "You could hear cars and people and police sirens. I looked in the sky and I saw red. There was looting. It was mayhem everywhere. Everybody was just going crazy.''



National Guard tanks and other armored vehicles rumbled through the streets. There were reports of snipers firing on law enforcement, the National Guard and even firefighters from rooftops and other secreted spots. Authorities fired back.



The city lost more than 2,000 shops to fires or looting, many of them owned by blacks. Among them was the barbershop on Warren Avenue owned by Azerine Jones' father.



"They were burning some of everything,'' she said "It wasn't a matter of them saying this was white-owned or black-owned. Stuff just got caught on fire.''



Bruised and Battered



When the smoke cleared and the military rolled out, Detroit stood bruised and battered.

"A lot of the fires may have started in white-owned business and spread,'' Green said. "A lot of black businesses were destroyed. A lot of people had jobs in those shops. The majority of them didn't reopen. After the riot, it looked like a war zone and the burnt smell still lingered.''



Jones said her father never rebuilt his barbershop. He took on other jobs after the riot.



"Owning your own business as a black in the 1950s and '60s was an accomplishment in itself,'' she said.



"Before the riot it was a really good comfortable neighborhood,'' added Jones, who now lives west of Detroit in Farmington Hills. "We had the things that we needed there: A theater, a butcher shop, dairy shop, shoe store. Since my mother didn't drive it was nice having everything in walking distance. That's what really got us when they burned everything down. She had to take a bus with the groceries. It just really killed everything.''



In the end, it was Detroiters hurting themselves, she said.



"The silly people who did this didn't really realize they were burning down their neighborhoods,'' Jones said. "The [white] business owners were able to pick up and go somewhere else. The people who lived there lost a lot. We lost a lot.''



The departure of white residents and businesses to the suburbs that had started years earlier accelerated. Between 1970 and 1980 more than 400,000 more people would leave.



"Some white people were rooted in Detroit,'' Townsend said. But after the riot, "they moved out. They didn't want to be here anymore.''

After the riot, David Welsh took a job as a photographer in a town just north of Detroit. He and his wife moved from the riot zone.



"It didn't make sense for us to be down there anymore, all things considered,'' said David Welsh, 74. "We didn't feel comfortable there anymore.''

The couple would move to other parts of the city and eventually settled north of the city limits.



So did many middle-class blacks. Altogether, Detroit's population has fallen by about 1.1 million people since the 1950s.



Even as the Motor City was diminished, Murder City grew. More than 700 homicides were committed in 1974.



Within a decade of the riot, the car plants that provided jobs and helped keep the city running were hiring fewer people. Three years after the riot, Detroit's unemployment rate was just over 7 percent. It reached 25 percent by 1990.



Green was hired by Chrysler in 1978 to work on one of the automaker's assembly lines.



"That job didn't last long,'' she said. "I got laid off.''



Today, nearly four in 10 Detroit residents live in poverty compared to about 15 percent nationally. The city's $26,000 median income is less than half of the national figure.



City Works on Image



Now, two years out of insolvency and free of billions of dollars of debt, Detroit is working to fix up its battered neighborhoods and its image.

Though more than twice the national number, unemployment is down to 11 percent. Downtown is thriving and some nearby neighborhoods are filling up. The city, 80 percent black, even elected Mike Duggan, Detroit's first white mayor since the 1970s.



The population is leveling out at around 670,000 people and families are taking advantage of special home buying programs through the city's land bank.



Between 2010 and 2014, the city's white population grew from just under 76,000 residents to more than 88,000.

"We're in the first period of growth in 50 or 60 years  people are moving back,'' Duggan recently told business, philanthropic and elected leaders at a statewide policy conference. "Our principle is this: It's one city for all of us.''



To get there, Detroit has had to correct mistakes of the past that led to the 1967 riot and eventually bankruptcy.

Duggan said many of those decisions were "rooted in racial discrimination'' and included forcing poor black residents into ever smaller areas where housing stock already was aging or substandard. Loans backed by the federal government allowed whites to buy homes in the suburbs in the years leading up to 1967.



"Few loans were given to blacks to buy or improve houses in Detroit,'' Duggan said. "By 1970, half of the population of Detroit was African American  and it still was segregated. This is our history and it's something we have to overcome.''



But some who lived through the riots say any progress will not wipe away their distress in those five days of violence, and in the 50 years that followed.



"It's part of everyone's story,'' Green said. "I look at the people who suffered through the riot as going through a war-like environment. What happens when you go through a war? A lot of people come out with post-traumatic stress disorder. We were traumatized. We never got the help we needed.''
The European Union and Britain have begun the first substantive round of negotiations on their separation, with both sides saying it is time to proceed quickly.

Speaking to reporters Monday at the European Commission's Berlaymont headquarters, Britain's Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union David Davis said at the start of a four-day session on the divorce proceedings that it is incredibly important we now make good progress.''

EU chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, said that "We will now delve into the heart of the matter. We need to examine and compare our respective positions in order to make good progress."

Barnier and Davis declined further comment, but the EU envoy said they would brief the media Thursday. At a one-day session in June both sides agreed on a broad timetable for the talks.

The negotiations this week are expected to focus on the post-Brexit rights of citizens in each other's nations, the bill Britain has to pay to meet existing commitments, the border issue in Ireland and the pre-eminence of the EU's Court of Justice.
EU foreign ministers approved on Monday measures to allow Ukraine to export more industrial and agricultural products free of tariffs to the bloc in recognition of reforms undertaken by Kyiv and the country's fragile economy.

By the end of September, Ukraine will be able to export greater tonnage of farm products, including grains, honey and processed tomatoes for three years.

The EU will also remove for the same period import duties on fertilizers, dyes, footwear, copper, aluminum, televisions and sound recording equipment.

The measures add to a free-trade agreement provisionally in place since January 2016 that has opened both markets for goods and services.

"It is our duty to support Ukraine and strengthen our economic and political ties, also in the face of the ongoing conflict on its soil," said Estonia Foreign Minister Sven Mikser, whose country holds the six-month rotating presidency of the European Union.

Trade has been at the heart of a dispute between Russia and the European Union over relations with Ukraine, with Moscow and Brussels both competing to bring Kyiv closer to their side through offers of greater economic integration.

While Kyiv has moved westward, Russia has sought to destabilize Ukraine, EU governments and NATO say, by annexing Crimea and providing separatists with weapons and troops in Ukraine's industrial east.
Gunmen on motorcycles fired on a group of voters in Caracas casting ballots Sunday in a non-binding referendum on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's plans for a new constitution.

Opposition officials say one woman was killed and three other people were wounded. They blame the attack outside a church in one of Caracas' poorer districts on pro-government "paramilitaries."

An opposition statement says it feels "great pain" over the shooting.

Turnout was reported heavy for the opposition-sponsored referendum asking voters whether they approve of a July 30 election for a special assembly to draft a new constitution.

Maduro has said changing the constitution is the only way to pull Venezuela out of its deep economic and social crisis.

"I'm calling on the opposition to return to peace, to respect for the constitution, to sit and talk," he said Sunday. "Let's start a new round of talks, of dialogue for peace."

But the opposition says the assembly will be rigged in Maduro's favor. It says rewriting the constitution is nothing but a Maduro ploy to turn Venezuela into a socialist dictatorship and destroy dissent.

They hope a strong voter turnout will increase the pressure on Maduro.

One voter who rejects the new constitution summed up the feelings of millions of Venezuelans, telling the Associated Press "there's no medicine, no food, no security...no separation of powers, no freedom of expression."

The drop in global energy prices along with government corruption has destroyed Venezuela's oil-rich economy. There are severe shortages of basic goods such as gasoline, flour, sugar, and cooking oil. Supermarket shelves are bare and many Venezuelans cross into neighboring Brazil and Colombia to buy food.

Daily clashes between pro-government marchers, protesters, and police frequently blows up into violence. Nearly 100 people have been killed.

Maduro blames his country's woes on the United States and warns against intervention by the Organization of American States, saying that would surely bring on civil war.
Ten Turkish human rights activists who were detained by police while attending a training workshop appeared before a court in Istanbul on Monday to face possible charges or be released from custody.

The activists, including Amnesty International's Turkey director Idil Eser, were detained earlier this month at a hotel on Buyukada island off Istanbul and questioned by anti-terrorism police.



Amnesty, which has called for their immediate release, said the group was being investigated for membership in an armed terrorist organization. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has made vague accusations against the 10, saying they were holding a meeting that had the ``nature of a continuation'' of last year's failed coup attempt.



Other than Amnesty, the activists are members of the Women's coalition, the Helsinki Citizens Assembly, the Human Rights' Agenda Association, the Association to Monitor Equal Rights and the Rights Initiative. Their two trainers  a German and a Swede  were also detained.



Turkey has blamed the July 15, 2016, failed coup on followers of U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen and has branded his movement a terror organization.



The country declared a state of emergency days after the coup and launched a massive crackdown, arresting some 50,000 people and dismissing more than 100,000 from government jobs. The crackdown initially focused on people with suspected ties to the alleged coup plotters, but has been extended to include politicians, journalists and activists.



Eser is the second top Amnesty International official in Turkey to face prosecution. Last month Amnesty's Turkey chair, Taner Kilic, was arrested for alleged links to Gulen's movement.



In a related development, 19 people  including former soldiers  went on trial in Istanbul, for raiding the headquarters of Dogan media holding on the night of the failed attempt in a bid to take over two of its television stations and Hurriyet newspaper.



They face life terms in prison if found guilty of charges of trying to overthrow the state and membership in a terror group.



Also Monday, a group of lawyers gathered at a courthouse in Istanbul to protest the detention of a colleague, Mustafa Yaman, on alleged links to Gulen.
A raft of recent moves by the Indonesian government to curb the presence of hardliners and terrorists has human rights activists worried.

Last week came a presidential decree banning the hardline group Hizbut Tahrir (HTI), which advocates for a global Islamic caliphate. Then came proposed revisions to the national counterterrorism law that are overbroad, vague, and would unjustifiably restrict basic rights, according to Human Rights Watch.

Finally, on Friday, the country banned the encrypted messaging application Telegram, citing its popularity among extremist and radical groups.

Activists say the combination of actions present a considerable threat to Indonesian civil liberties. Some think they constitute a reaction to the visibility of political Islam during the contentious Jakarta gubernatorial election, when hardliner groups showed their power by staging huge rallies in the capital city.

The awareness was heightened with the anti-Ahok protests, said Andreas Harsono, of Human Rights Watch. It was a wake up call. But now he worries the pendulum may have swung too far in the other direction.

HTI ban

The Indonesian parliament has a year to approve or reject the presidential decree banning HTI, which President Joko Jokowi Widodo issued at the behest of 14 Islamic organizations, including Nahdlatul Ulama, the worlds largest Sunni body.

Hizbut Tahrir, founded in 1953, is a pan-Islamist group based in London that seeks to create a caliphate of Muslim-majority countries from Morocco to the Philippines. It is already banned in 12 countries, including Germany, Saudi Arabia, and Uzbekistan.

The decree comes after months of hints and speculation from the Indonesian police, dating to even before the verdict against Jakartas Christian governor Ahok, who was sentenced to two years in jail for blasphemy.

HTI is intolerant, highly disciplined but non-violent, according to Sidney Jones of the Institute for Policy Analysis and Conflict.

It is loathed by moderate members of the two largest Muslim social organizations in Indonesia, Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah, which have seen it take over many of their schools and mosques, writes Jones.

Jones said the case against HTI was levied clumsily, using rhetoric of preserving Pancasila, Indonesias national political philosophy.

Harsono drew parallels to President Suhartos presidential decree against the Indonesian Communist Party in 1966, which came on the heels of the infamous anti-communist purge that killed about 500,000 people.

"The Indonesian governments decision to ban Hizbut Tahrir constitutes a troubling violation of universal rights of freedom of association and expression, said Harsono.

Counterterrorism law revisions

The effort to revise Indonesias counterterrorism laws dates to January 2016, when IS-linked bombings in Jakarta killed eight people, including the four attackers.

The proposed edits would allow the country to revoke citizenship for people suspected of going abroad to join wars or engage in terrorism. It also would criminalize speech, thought, behavior or writings linked to actions which adversely impact other people/communities.

Its the second part that concerns many observers.

The Indonesian government has legitimate concerns about terrorism, but disregarding basic rights will only undermine efforts to address the threat, said Harsono.

President Joko Jokowi Widodo linked the amendments with the phenomenon of foreign fighters in the southern Philippines, where security forces are trying to beat back a militant siege.

There are a number of Indonesian nationals among the militant ranks in the city of Marawi.

Telegram block

On Friday, the Indonesian Communications Ministry abruptly announced a ban on Telegram, a mobile messaging app that has become the medium of choice for several extremist groups, including the so-called Islamic State.

The next day, Communications Minister Rudiantara threatened all social media platforms that they too could be blocked if they dont step up efforts to filter radical content.

That seems unlikely in a country as social-media-proficient as Indonesia.

Still, the government exceeded its authority in banning Telegram, said Damar Juniarto, founder of the Digital Democracy Forum. It is ironic, he said, that Telegram is actually one of the first apps to actively fight online radicalism through internal channels such as @isiswatch.

Telegram founder Pavel Durov said he has contacted the Ministry of Communications since the ban was announced and is confident we can efficiently eradicate terrorist propaganda without disrupting the legitimate use of Telegram by millions of Indonesians.

But just as extremists took up apps like Telegram as a refuge from crackdowns on Facebook and Twitter, they will likely adapt even if the ban is upheld. As of Friday, according to one observer, Indonesian IS-sympathizers had already moved on to a platform called Baaz.
A senior commander in Iran's Revolutionary Guards warned the United States on Monday that if it designated the group a terrorist organization and applied new sanctions its action could be perilous for U.S. forces in the region.

U.S. officials said earlier this year that President Donald Trump's administration was considering a proposal that could lead to potentially categorizing the powerful Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization.

In Mid-June the U.S. Senate voted for new sanctions on Iran over its ballistic missile program and other activities not related to the international nuclear agreement reached with the United States and other world powers in 2015.

To become law, the legislation must pass the House of Representatives and be signed by Trump.

"Counting the Revolutionary Guards the same as terrorist groups and applying similar sanctions to the Revolutionary Guards is a big risk for America and its bases and forces deployed in the region," said Armed Forces Chief of Staff Major General Mohammad Baqeri, according to Sepah News, an official news site of the Guards.

He did not give details on what form of risk he foresaw for U.S. forces and bases.

The Revolutionary Guards are the most powerful security force in Iran, overseeing vast economic holdings worth billions of dollars and wielding huge influence in its political system.

Baqeri said on Monday that Irans missile program was defensive and would never be up for negotiation, according to Sepah News.

Three days after the U.S. Senate voted on the new sanctions, Iran fired missiles into eastern Syria, targeting bases of Islamic State which had claimed responsibility for attacks in Tehran which killed 18 people.

The Revolutionary Guards are fighting in Syria against militant groups which oppose President Bashar al-Assad.

Baqeri was also critical of recent remarks by U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis that regime change would be necessary before the United States could normalize relations with Iran.

"American officials should speak a little more wisely, thoughtfully and maturely about other countries, particularly a powerful country like Iran which has stood against all plots with strength and pride," he said, according to Sepah News.
If you worry about first impressions when you land in the U.S., take note: people from the West have a more positive view of handshaking than East Asians, a new study shows.

Researchers from the University of Illinois showed an equally divided group of 88 Western and East Asian men and women short videos of guesthost interactions in business settings. The characters in the videos either shook hands or not at the beginning of the meeting.



Western participants viewed the interactions involving handshakes more favorably than East Asians, researchers found.



When viewed by gender, Western women rated all interactions with handshakes more positively than those occurring without one. Western men rated female hosts equally positive whether or not a handshake occurred.



These findings shed light on the role of ethnic and gender differences in the appraisal of nonverbal behaviors, and extend our understanding of factors that may lead to successful social interaction in the context of growing diversity in our society, the authors said in an abstract published in the Journal of Nonverbal Behavior.



University of Illinois psychology professor and researcher Florin Dolcos said results showing that Western males dont seem to be affected by the absence of a handshake when interacting with females is clear evidence of how subtle things that might seem trivial can make a big difference in daily social interactions.



Dolcos conducted the study along with graduate student Yuta Katsumi and professor Sanda Dolcos.



Researchers say they plan to expand the study to explore handshaking versus the traditional East Asian greeting of bowing.
A low-caste candidate handpicked by the Bharatiya Janata Party is expected to emerge as Indias new president and seal the grip of Hindu nationalists on power.

Ram Nath Kovind is expected to win the nations highest, although largely ceremonial, post, following an election Monday in which legislators cast votes.

The choice of the low profile, 71-year-old Kovind, is seen as an effort by Prime Minister Narendra Modis party to woo Indias Dalit or low castes before the 2019 general election.

The two-time parliament member and former governor of the eastern Bihar state has Hindu nationalist roots.

He is pitted against opposition candidate, Meira Kumar, but is the frontrunner as he has the support of a majority of state and federal lawmakers that make up the electoral college that votes in the president.

Prime Minister Modi, who was the first to cast his vote in parliament, has called Kovind a strong voice for the poor, downtrodden and marginalized.

Kovinds nomination came as a surprise because he has not a national political veteran like many past presidents such as outgoing President Pranab Mukherjee. But the bid to catapult him to the nations top office is regarded an astute move by the BJP, which repeatedly points to his credentials as a symbol of the countrys low castes.

Low castes are at the bottom of Hinduisms caste hierarchy and among Indias poorest communities. Numbering about 200 million, this key electoral group can swing elections, but there has been some anger among Dalits due to sporadic attacks by cow protection groups on their members.

The BJP, whose traditional support lies among the upper castes, hopes to consolidate this vote as it prepares for elections two years from now.

Its a very clever card to play and he is going to win with a very good majority, says independent political analyst, Neerja Chowdhury.

The main opposition has raised objections to Kovind because of his association with the right wing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological mentor of Modi's ruling BJP, which they eye with suspicion because they see it supporting the idea of a Hindu India and a threat to the nations secular values.

The president of the opposition Congress Party, Sonia Gandhi, called the contest for the nations top job a clash of ideas and a conflict of disparate values and appealed to lawmakers to cast a vote of conscience.

Kovinds opponent, Meira Kumar, is also a member of the low castes and was Indias first woman speaker of parliament during the Congress Party rule. She said, My fight is not against him, but the ideology he represents."

But political analysts say BJPs pick for the top post is balanced. They have chosen a person with a moderate face and not an aggressive Hindutva face, says Chowdhury.

Although the presidents role is largely ceremonial, he plays a decisive role in in determining who forms the government when national elections do not produce clear results.

The results of the presidential vote are expected Thursday.
Venezuela's opposition has called a daylong general strike for Thursday, hoping to pressure President Nicolas Maduro into calling off plans for a new constitution.

The opposition is launching what it says is a "final offensive" on Maduro to call for early presidential elections.

In a nonbinding national referendum Sunday organized by opposition groups, more than 7 million Venezuelans  nearly one-third of the national electorate  called on Maduro to give up the idea of electing a special assembly to put together a new constitution.

President Donald Trump said late Monday the United States will take "strong and swift economic actions" if Maduro goes through with his plans.

"The Venezuelan people again made clear that they stand for democracy, freedom and the rule of law," the U.S. president said in a statement. "Yet their strong and courageous actions continue to be ignored by a bad leader who dreams of becoming a dictator."

Maduro brushes off opposition

Maduro called the opposition referendum illegal and is continuing to push ahead with plans for a July 30 vote for the special assembly.

Changing the constitution is the only way to pull Venezuela out of its deep economic and social crisis, the president said.

"I'm calling on the opposition to return to peace, to respect the constitution, to sit and talk," he said Sunday. "Let's start a new round of talks, of dialogue for peace."

The opposition says the assembly will be rigged in Maduro's favor. It says rewriting the constitution is nothing but a Maduro ploy to dissolve state institutions and turn Venezuela into a socialist dictatorship, leaving the opposition-led national Assembly irrelevant.

Shortages in shops and lack of rights

One voter who rejects the idea of a new constitution told The Associated Press: "There's no medicine, no food, no security. ... No separation of powers, no freedom of expression."

Lower global energy prices and government corruption have destroyed Venezuela's once-thriving economy, which is dependent on oil revenues.

Consumers face severe shortages of basic goods such as gasoline, flour, sugar and cooking oil. Supermarket shelves are bare and many Venezuelans cross into neighboring Brazil and Colombia to buy food.

Daily street protests against the government frequently blow up into violence. Nearly 100 people have been killed over the last three months.

Maduro blames his country's woes on what he calls U.S. imperialism. He warns against intervention by the Organization of American States, saying that would surely bring on civil war.
The European Union is allowing members to restrict sales of inflatable boats and outboard motors to Libya in an effort to stop dangerous migrant smuggling across the Mediterranean.

EU foreign ministers agreed Monday to allow member countries to ban such export or supply "where there are reasonable grounds to believe that they will be used by people smugglers and human traffickers."



A statement said the measure will also apply to boats and motors transiting through the EU, but not to fishermen or others with legitimate need for them.



The foreign ministers also agreed to extend a border aid mission in Libya through the end of 2018 that helps Libyan security forces, notably in the lawless south.



Migrant crossings from Libya to Italy on unsafe boats have climbed in recent weeks.


Myanmar has no military ties with North Korea, a Myanmar official said on Monday, as a U.S. diplomat responsible for North Korea arrived for talks in which he was likely to seek assurances on efforts to isolate it.

Ambassador Joseph Yun met Myanmar's State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and the military's commander in chief in the capital, Naypyitaw, on Monday, their offices said.

Yun attended a conference in Singapore over the weekend focusing on tension on the Korean peninsula over the North's unrelenting nuclear and missile programs.

Ambassador Joseph Yun's trip to Asia was announced after North Korea's test on July 4 of on intercontinental ballistic missile that it says can carry a large nuclear warhead and some experts believe has the range to reach Alaska.

Myanmar is the only other stop on his trip, pointing to concern in Washington that Myanmar's army, which used to have ties with North Korea, continues to give succour to Kim Jong Il's regime.

The United States did not inform Myanmar what Yun would discuss, Kyaw Zeya, permanent secretary at Myanmar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told Reuters before the meetings.

"They are not very specific from the very beginning but we understand he is the special envoy on North Korea," Kyaw Zeya told Reuters.

Myanmar was complying with U.N. resolutions on North Korea, he said.

"It's normal relations between the two countries," said Kyaw Zeya. "As I understand, there's no such relations between military to military. Definitely not."

The United States in May asked Southeast Asian countries to do more to isolate North Korea, and efforts have increased after its July 4 ballistic missile test.

Myanmar's Commander in Chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing issued a statement after the meeting with Yun but did not directly address Myanmar's relations with North Korea.

"We only have friend countries, there is no enemy country for us," Min Aung Hlaing was quoted as saying, adding that he wished to see a nuclear-free Korean peninsula and have good relations with militaries all over the world.

Residual pockets?

Myanmar's former ruling junta, which, like North Korea, was also widely shunned by the outside world over its suppression of human rights, was known to have ties to North Korea, which included sending missile experts and material for arms production to Myanmar.

Myanmar insists that arms deals and other military relations with North Korea stopped before its transition to a nominally civilian government in 2011.

Nobel laureate Suu Kyi took power last year amid a transition from full military rule. But the military could still have "a few residual pockets" with links to North Korea, the then top U.S. diplomat for East Asia, Daniel Russel, told a congressional hearing in September.

In March, the U.S. Treasury levelled new sanctions against the Myanmar army's procurement body, the Directorate of Defense Industries (DDI), under the Iran, North Korea, and Syria Nonproliferation Act Sanctions.

The DDI was previously sanctioned in 2012 and accused of materially assisting North Korea's regime, but had fallen off the sanctions list in October after the Obama administration dropped most measures against Myanmar in recognition of a successful political transition.

But despite Suu Kyi leading the civilian administration, Myanmar's military remains free from civilian oversight and firmly in charge of security policies.

A 2008 constitution drafted by then-ruling generals keeps the army central to politics.

In May 2014, experts analyzing satellite imagery of military facilities in central Myanmar identified a site where North Korea was helping Myanmar with production of surface-to-air missiles.

The paper by Catherine Dill and Jeffrey Lewis of the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies in Monterey, California, said the site near the town of Minbu was staffed by up to 300 North Koreans.
The first visit by an Israeli prime minister to Hungary since 1989 finds Benjamin Netanyahu at odds with the country's main Jewish group over Israel's failure to fully condemn a campaign by the Hungarian government against billionaire philanthropist George Soros.



Netynyahu, who arrived in Budapest on Monday, will be meeting with Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orban on Tuesday and with leaders of the other Central European countries in the Visegrad Group  Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia  on Wednesday.

However, it's his encounter late Wednesday with leaders of Hungary's Jewish community that may be most tricky.

Andras Heisler, president of the Federation of Hungarian Jewish Communities, told The Associated Press that he had recently asked the Israeli government to explain to his group why Israel shifted its position on the Orban government's ads targeting George Soros, whom Orban  radically opposed to migration  largely blames for Europe's migrant crisis.

While the campaign officially ended on Saturday, many billboards with a photo of a smiling Soros and the caption Let's not allow Soros to have the last laugh were still visible around Budapest.

On July 8 the Israeli ambassador to Hungary called for an end to the anti-Soros billboards and posters, but a day later the Israeli foreign ministry issued a clarification noting that while it deplored any expression of anti-Semitism, it did not seek to delegitimize criticism of Soros, a Budapest-born Holocaust survivor, accusing him of continuously undermining Israel's governments.



Soros supports groups that Israel's hawkish government views as unfairly harsh toward the Jewish state or favoring Palestinian viewpoints.

The Israeli foreign ministry's clarification ... in part surprised us and in part was hugely disappointing, Andras Heisler, president of the Federation of Hungarian Jewish Communities, told The Associated Press. The Hungarian Jewish community felt that we were left in the lurch.

Heisler noted the Orban government's support for Hungary's Jewish community in projects like the renovation of synagogues and its political backing of Israel in international forums.

On the other hand, in terms of remembrance policies and historical perspectives, we sometimes have serious conflicts with the Hungarian government, Heisler said.

Orban's praise for Miklos Horthy, Hungary's post-World War I leader, has drawn criticism from Jewish groups, and the 2014 unveiling of a statue commemorating Nazi Germany's 1944 invasion of Hungary, its hitherto ally, was seen by critics as an effort to downplay Hungary's role in the Holocaust, in which some 550,000 Hungarian Jews were killed.

Still, Netanyahu's visit to Hungary, which will also include a business forum, could be aimed at seeking support among regional European Union members for opposition to the so-called BDS movement  boycott, divestment, sanctions  protesting Israel's policies toward Palestinians.

For Netanyahu, it would be a great political gain if the Visegrad Group rejects BDS while not urging him about peace talks with the Palestinians, said Gabor Miklos, a former foreign affairs journalist with the daily Nepszabadsag, closed last year after its purchase by an Orban ally. It would also be a great gain if these countries recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

For Orban, who professes zero tolerance for anti-Semitism despite his conflicts with the Jewish community, hosting Netanyahu could help him mitigate the criticism, Miklos said.

Netanyahu's visit provides him a kind of acquittal regarding anti-Semitism and the stamp of being far-right, Miklos said.

Regardless of any differences, Heisler, who said Hungarian Jews face verbal anti-Semitism'' but not violent attacks like Jewish communities in Western Europe, was looking forward to the Netanyahu meeting.

For us, the visit of the prime minister of Israel to our country is a very exciting and uplifting occasion,'' Heisler said.
Nearly one in 10 infants worldwide, or 12.9 million, received no vaccinations in 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Monday.

Those infants missed the critical first dose of the triple vaccination against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, known as the DTP3 vaccination. An additional 6.6 million infants who received the first dose didn't receive the other two doses in the three-dose series last year.

"Since 2010, the percentage of children who received their full course of routine immunizations has stalled at 86 percent, with no significant changes in any countries or regions during the past year," WHO said in its statement. "This falls short of the global immunization coverage target of 90 percent."

Current levels of immunization prevent 2 million to 3 million deaths worldwide every year from diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and measles, according to WHO, which called routine vaccinations "one of the most successful and cost-effective public health interventions" that can be carried out.

One hundred and thirty of the 194 WHO member states have achieved the 90 percent DTP3 coverage benchmark. The majority of unvaccinated infants live in countries ensnared in conflict or encumbered by high levels of poverty.

In 2016, eight nations had coverage rates below 50 percent for DTP3 shots; they were Central African Republic, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria and Ukraine.

"If we are to raise the bar on global immunization coverage, health services must reach the unreached," said Dr. Jean-Marie Okwo-Bele, WHO Director of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals. "Every contact with the health system must be seen as an opportunity to immunize."

Despite the stagnant overall vaccination rates, WHO reported gains in vaccination for rubella, a virus that can cause severe birth defects if contracted by pregnant women. Global coverage against that disease increased from 35 percent in 2010 to 47 percent in 2016, according to Monday's statement. WHO called the improvement a "big step toward reducing the occurrence of ... a devastating condition that results in hearing impairment, congenital heart defects and blindness."

The fight for broader vaccination rates is not unique to developing nations or war-torn regions. Earlier this month, the French government passed a law mandating that by 2018, French parents will be required to vaccinate their children against a range of diseases, including pertussis, measles, mumps, and rubella. France already requires vaccinations against diphtheria, tetanus and poliomyelitis, with exceptions for infants with certain medical conditions.

The new law is a response to a movement against vaccinations in developed countries. In America, Britain and France, the measles vaccination rate has fallen just below the 95 percent level.
The Philippine presidents ambitious $167 billion plan to build up infrastructure for long-term job creation and economic development will tap into his new friendship with China for funding, despite doubts at home.

President Rodrigo Duterte said his golden age of infrastructure would create roads, railways and other public infrastructure through the end of his term in 2022. The Southeast Asian country, where about one-fifth of people live in poverty, has missed factory investment, and with it job creation, partly because of a lack of those amenities.

Roads, railways and ports

China has offered the Philippines up to $24 billion in aid that includes such projects, part of a friendship that the two former rivals began pursuing after Duterte took office in June 2016. Previously China and the Philippines angrily disputed tracts of the South China Sea. Beijing had taken an upper hand with land reclamation in the seas Spratly Islands and coast guard patrols over a shoal coveted by Filipino fishermen.

It shouldnt be a surprise that the Philippines would be receiving more funding, said Song Seng Wun, Southeast Asia-specialized economist with the private banking unit of CIMB in Singapore.

The only thing, obviously all these things will come with a catch, he said. In the case of the Philippines, from the Chinese, its to get the Philippines on their side as far as the South China Sea claims over territory are concerned. It does anchor the Philippines closer toward the Chinese.

The Philippines wants to be more economically competitive

A heftier infrastructure budget, which began growing in 2016 under Dutertes predecessor Benigno Aquino, would build new ground transportation as well as expand ports and airports for use by foreign-invested factories. Investors now pick places such as China and Vietnam because of their more developed facilities.

We are ready to fund the Build, Build, Build infrastructure program that will ensure robust growth for the economy and more inclusive growth pattern and dramatic reduction in poverty incidence by 2022, presidential office spokesman Ernesto Abella said via the office website July 6.

At least 20 million Filipinos are poor, according to the Philippine Statistics Office Authority data last year. They live on less than half the living wage, of 1,088 pesos ($24.10) per day, it said via the presidential website.

The Philippines is also raising money through tax reform to fund new infrastructure. From July to May, the government collected about 2.09 trillion pesos ($41 billion) in revenues, seven percent higher than in the same period a year earlier, Abella said.

But officials are also tapping China. Over the past year, for example, Beijing has discussed helping fund two Philippine railway projects with a combined total cost of $8.3 billion. China agreed in January to work with the Philippines on 30 projects and put up the equivalent of $3.7 billion.

But who benefits the most?

Philippine pundits and opposition politicians have questioned that funding because they worry Beijing would use it to erode their countrys sovereignty claim to the fishing-rich, oil-laden South China Sea off their west coasts.

Some also wonder whether China will send its own workers and materials for the projects it funds. Chinese-funded projects in other countries have come with Chinese labor, meaning fewer local jobs.

We want to know if these infrastructure projects that will be funded by loans from China will really translate into actually jobs for skilled and unskilled laborers, for fellow Filipinos, as well as local sourcing of materials for the big push for infrastructure by the administration, said Georgina Hernandez, spokeswoman for separately elected Philippine Vice President Leni Robedo.

Philippine Senator Leila de Lima asked the senate in May to examine any proposed loan from China that would rack up debt or compromise Philippine sovereignty.

Distrust, but is it warranted?

Most Filipinos distrust China, according to a survey by Metro Manila research organization Social Weather Stations in the first quarter of 2017.

But the Philippines will probably find Chinas loan terms equal to what private banks would offer according to Christian de Guzman, vice president and senior credit officer with Moodys in Singapore.

Beijing has made similar offers across Eurasia under its 4-year-old Belt-and-Road initiative aimed at increasing Chinese influence while picking up contracts for Chinese firms.

The debate, with regards to borrowing from China I think, has some political overtones to it, de Guzman said.

But I think from a pure financial perspective, the cost of borrowing from China is not any cheaper or any more expensive than borrowing from the market, he said. This is because borrowing from China is typically done through the Chinese policy banks. Theyre not a private bank. Theyre state owned.

China is using its financial clout

Brunei, Malaysia, and Vietnam also contest Beijings claims to the 3.5 million-square-kilometer South China Sea. They resent Chinese control of islets for military use as well as its passage of coast guard vessels through waters overlapping their own claims.

China has turned to its $11.2 trillion economy to offer investment for all three, keeping their anger quiet especially after a world arbitration court ruled a year ago this month against the legal basis for much of Beijing's maritime claims.
A Chinese politician considered a potential future leader has been replaced as head of the central mega-city of Chongqing amid reports he is facing a graft investigation.

The move is a possible sign of a shakeup in roles ahead of a crucial Communist Party congress later this year.

The South China Morning Post said Monday that Sun Zhengcai is being investigated by the ruling Communist Party's anti-graft arm.

The Chongqing government said on its website Saturday that Sun Zhengcai was being replaced as head of the city's Communist Party committee by Chen Min-er.

Both Sun and Chen sit on the party's 25-member Politburo and are considered candidates for promotion to the body's Standing Committee, the apex of political power in China.

The Chongqing announcement gave no details on the move.
Russia demanded Monday that the United States return two compounds that were ordered closed last year after the U.S. intelligence community concluded that Moscow had interfered in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called the U.S. closure of the properties in the eastern states of New York and Maryland "daylight robbery."

Then-U.S. President Barack Obama shut the compounds and expelled 35 Russian diplomats it accused of spying in December, less than a month before he left office, in response to the Russian election interference, a claim Moscow rejects.

Russia has refrained from a retaliatory response, but Lavrov said last week, "If Washington decides not to solve this issue, we will have to take counter actions," possibly by blocking use of a country house and storage facility used by U.S. Embassy personnel in Moscow.

There was political speculation in Washington that President Donald Trump would quickly return the compounds to Russia when he took office in late January, but he did not.

Trump now is in the midst of months of congressional and criminal investigations into whether his campaign colluded with Russia to help him defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton and whether he obstructed justice with the firing back in May of then-FBI director James Comey, who was heading the agency's Russia investigation. Since then, another former FBI chief, Robert Mueller, has been named, over Trump's objections, to lead the criminal probe.

The issue of the closure of the two Russian compounds is on the agenda again in Washington on Monday, with a meeting between U.S. Undersecretary of State Thomas Shannon and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov. Lavrov, in a visit to Belarus, said that "anti-Russian feeling" in the U.S. makes it uncertain whether Moscow and Washington can agree to cooperate on world issues.

In Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, "We consider it absolutely unacceptable to place conditions on the return of diplomatic property; we consider that it must be returned without any conditions and talking."

Peskov said Russian President Vladimir Putin, blamed by the U.S. intelligence community for personally ordering the U.S. election interference, "quite unambiguously" raised the issue of the closure of the compounds when he met with Trump at the recent G-20 summit in Germany.

The Kremlin spokesman said Russia still has hope that "our American colleagues will show political wisdom and political will" and return the properties to Russian use.
Russia's Supreme Court has rejected an appeal of its nationwide ban on the Jehovah's Witnesses religious denomination.

The court on Monday rejected all defense motions, including one to have a religious studies scholar testify on its behalf.

The ruling means the group will have to close the doors at its headquarters in St. Petersburg and at some 395 local chapters across the country. It's properties, known as Kingdom Halls, will be handed over to the Russian government.

"While we were prepared for a negative ruling, it is still very disappointing," Jehovah's Witnesses spokesman David Semonian said. "It's very concerning that despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, powerful elements within Russia continue to frame our organization as extremist.''

Viktor Zhenkov, a Russian attorney for the group, said Monday's ruling would be appealed to the European Court of Human Rights, according to the Interfax news agency.

The group claims about 170,000 adherents in Russia, and an estimated 8 million followers worldwide, best known for going door-to-door looking for new converts.
A Chinese-American graduate student sentenced to 10 years in prison in Iran for allegedly "infiltrating" the country and sending confidential material abroad is innocent of all charges against him, his advising professor at Princeton University said on Monday.

The university said separately that it is "very distressed" by the charges leveled against Xiyue Wang while he was carrying out scholarly research in the Islamic Republic. It has been working with Wang's family, the U.S. government, lawyers and others to secure his release, it added.



"His family and the university are distressed at his continued imprisonment and are hopeful that he will be released after his case is heard by the appellate authorities in Tehran,'' the university said.



Iran's judiciary announced Wang's conviction during a routine press conference on Sunday; he was not previously known to be among the handful of Americans detained in Iran.



An article posted on Mizan Online, a website affiliated with the judiciary, said 37-year-old Wang was born in Beijing and entered Iran as a researcher. It described him as fluent in Persian.



He was arrested on Aug. 8, 2016 and is accused of passing confidential information about Iran to the U.S. State Department, Princeton's Sharmin and Bijan Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Iran and Persian Gulf Studies, the Harvard Kennedy School and the British Institute of Persian Studies, according to the website. It alleged he recorded some 4,500 pages of digital documents.



Princeton University professor Stephen Kotkin, who has served as Wang's doctoral adviser, defended him in an email to The Associated Press.



"Xiyue Wang is a remarkable, linguistically gifted graduate student," he wrote. "He is innocent of all the charges."



The documents Wang collected were 100 years old, Kotkin said, adding that Wang "has told me often of his exhilaration at the exquisiteness and depth of Persian civilization."



In its statement, Princeton said Wang was arrested while conducting research on the 1794-1925 Qajar dynasty for his doctorate in late 19th and early 20th century Eurasian history.



A photo of Wang on Princeton's history department shows him posing under a plaque at the entrance of China's official Xinhua News Agency's bureau in Kabul, Afghanistan.



A short bio on the Princeton in Asia website said Wang had been a fellow in Hong Kong in 2008-2009, had completed a bachelor's degree in South Asian studies at the University of Washington and did Russian and Eurasian studies at Harvard.



"For better or worse, he still can't tell you what exactly he has been studying in the many years that have passed," the site said. "What he does know is that his dream is to walk the ancient Silk Road from Xi'an to Rome one day."



The U.S. State Department has not provided details on the case but called on Tehran to immediately release "all U.S. citizens unjustly detained in Iran." The U.S. does not maintain formal diplomatic relations with Tehran and warns its citizens traveling there that they risk arrest or being barred from leaving Iran.



"The Iranian regime continues to detain U.S. citizens and other foreigners on fabricated national-security related changes," it said in a statement to the AP.



Other Americans who remain in Iranian custody include Iranian-American art gallery manager Karan Vafadari, who was detained along with his Iranian wife last year. They have yet to be convicted of a crime.



Iranian-American businessman Siamak Namazi and his 81-year-old father, Baquer Namazi, are each serving 10-year sentences for "cooperating with the hostile American government."



Another Iranian-American, Robin Shahini, was released on bail last year after staging a weeks-long hunger strike while serving an 18-year prison sentence for "collaboration with a hostile government." He is believed to still be in Iran.



Former FBI agent Robert Levinson, who vanished in Iran in 2007 while on an unauthorized CIA mission, remains unaccounted for.



Also in an Iranian prison is Nizar Zakka, a U.S. permanent resident from Lebanon who advocates for internet freedom. He lives in Washington D.C. and has done work for the U.S. government. He was sentenced to 10 years behind bars last year after being accused of espionage-related charges.
Nine people have drowned and a teenaged boy is missing after a flash flood swept over a popular swimming spot in a river in the western U.S. state of Arizona, authorities said Sunday.

The flood swept through a canyon on the Verde River inside Tonto National Forest, about 145 kilometers northeast of Phoenix, late Saturday.

There was no warning before a wall of water hit the swimmers.

"They had no warning. They heard a roar, and it was on top of them,'' said Ron Sattelmaier, chief of the fire and medical district around Water Wheel Falls, Arizona.

Rescuers recovered three bodies Saturday and six more on Sunday, when they also said a 13-year-old boy was still missing.

Four adults and five children drowned. The Arizona Republic said officials on the scene believed all were members of the same extended family.

Up to 4 centimeters of rain from an intense thunderstorm had fallen during one hour in a remote area about 14 kilometers upstream, local authorities said. The storm surge of water, swollen by debris from recent wildfires, reached a narrow canyon where people were taking refuge from the summer heat. The river burst its banks and overwhelmed the swimmers.

One of the first responders told a reporter a black wall of water almost two meters high and more than 10 meters wide rushed through the narrow canyon at nearly 80 kilometers per hour.

A hundred or more people people may have been relaxing in the water at the time, but authorities said late Sunday they were confident everyone had been accounted for, apart from the missing teenager. Witnesses said survivors clung to trees as the water rose around them.

The severe thunderstorm that caused the sudden flood pounded down on an area charred by a recent wildfire, which left a deep burn scar on ground where pine trees, foliage and ground dust would normally absorb rain.

"If it's an intense burn, it creates a glaze on the surface that just repels water,'' said Darren McCollum, a meteorologist.

The National Weather Service had issued a specific flash-flood warning about an hour and a half before the tragedy in Tonto National Forest unfolded.

Most of Arizona is under flash flood watch until Monday evening, and the regional NWS center in Phoenix warned that "heavy rains can produce flash flooding of low lying, normally dry areas such as washes."


Somalia has internet service again, after a 23-day outage that cost the country's fledgling economy tens of millions of dollars.



Abdi Anshur, Somalia's minister for posts and telecommunications, told reporters in Mogadishu Monday that the internet link which went down on June 24 has been fixed.



Following efforts by Somali government and the company that provided the service, we have succeeded to restore the connection, said the minister.



The connection was cut when a ship severed an undersea fiber optic cable connecting Somalia to global data networks.

The Somali government identified the ship that caused the disruption as the Panama-flagged MSC Alice.



Anshur said the government wants the ship's owner to pay compensation for the loss.



The outage was costing Somalia the equivalent of about $10 million in economic output per day, he said.



Economists said the blackout had a huge impact on Somali businesses, especially the internet cafes that provide online access to many Somalis.Hospitals, government offices and other types of companies were hit hard as well.

It also affected the money transfer companies that are a lifeline for millions of Somalis who get support from family members in the diaspora.



Thousands of residents posted comments of celebration and relief on their social media sites Monday.Many posted their photos taken during the recent Eid Al-Fitr Muslim holiday.

The internet return is the return of my business profit, thanks to Allah, restaurant owner Liban Ahmed posted on his Facebook page.
South Korea proposed military talks and family reunions with North Korea on Monday to reduce the increasing potential for conflict over Pyongyangs continued development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.

The Defense Ministry proposes to hold a military talks between the two Koreas on July 21 at Tongilgak in North Korea to stop all hostile actions which heightens military tensions at the border, said Seouls Vice Defense Minister Seo Joo-seok on Monday.

Military talks

Tongilgak is a North Korean building at the Panmunjom truce village on the border used in the past for inter-Korea talks. The last government-level meetings were held in December, 2015.

Since South Korean President Moon Jae-in took power in May, his government has tried to engage the North to reduce tensions, including offers of humanitarian aid, non-political exchanges and reviving the inter-Korean military hotline that Pyongyang cut off in early 2016 after Seoul shut down the jointly run Kaesong Industrial complex to punish the North for its nuclear testing and long-range rocket launches.

But so far the Kim Jong Un government has rejected most of these overtures. Analysts say South Korea may be willing to suspend loudspeaker broadcasts at the border that are highly critical of the North Korean leader to re-establish contact.

Once that is established, then both sides can understand what the other is seeking. They can signal to the other side what they want, what problems or issues they have with the other side, said Daniel Pinkston, a North Korea analyst with Troy University in Seoul.

North Korea has called for the suspension of South Korea-U.S. joint military exercises, but Pinkston said that is unlikely given Pyongyangs repeated ballistic missile launches, including the July 4 test of what some experts say was an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) with the potential range to reach Alaska, although the U.S. disputes this claim.

There are also reports of increased activity at the Yongbyon uranium enrichment facility that could indicate plutonium production underway in the last year to further increase the Norths nuclear weapons stockpile.

Family reunions

The South Korean Red Cross on Monday also proposed holding talks in August with the North to arrange reunions of family members separated during the 1950-53 Korean War, with the hope of scheduling the reunions in October during the Korean Chuseok holiday.

Many of the estimated 60,000 South Koreans that have signed up to participate in these sporadically held inter-Korean reunions are elderly and have had virtually no contact with relatives living in the repressive North where contact with the outside world is highly restricted.

Meeting with their families while they are alive must be prioritized more than any other political concerns, said Kim Sun-hyang, acting president of South Korea's Red Cross.

Pyongyang, however, has demanded Seoul turn over 12 waitresses who defected to the South last year before it will agree to holding family reunions. North Korea says the South abducted the 12 waitresses and the restaurant manager and has demanded their return, but the South has said the group decided to defect of its own free will.

Sanctions

Seouls Unification Ministry says these latest proposals are in line with President Moon Jae-ins dual track policy to pursue both engagement with the Kim Jong Un government while also supporting U.S. led sanctions to pressure Pyongyang to halt its nuclear and ballistic missiles programs.

There is no change in our position that we will put forth effort to (persuade) North Korea to come out for denuclearization by using all possible measures such as sanctions and talks, said South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myung-kyun.

While Cho says there is no separation between the U.S. and South Korea on dealing with the North Korean nuclear threat, Washington continues to emphasize pressure over dialogue and is preparing new sanctions on Chinese banks and firms doing business with Pyongyang possibly within weeks, according to U.S. officials.
Thousands of people rallied in Warsaw and other cities Sunday to oppose the Polish government's controversial new court reforms and future plans to change the Supreme Court, which opponents see as a threat to judicial independence.

Chanting "we will defend democracy" and waving EU and Polish flags, around 4,500 protesters attended demonstrations in the Polish capital, according to police. Smaller rallies were held in other cities across the country.

The new legislation passed last week has drawn criticism from the European Union, which also said it violates judicial independence.

It gives lawmakers a dominant role in appointing judges, a move that opposition parties and rights groups said would make jurists subject to political influence.

Another draft law requires that all current Supreme Court judges retire and be replaced with new appointees selected by the justice minister, and the work of the court reorganized.

A number of experts and judges agree that Polish justice system and particularly the courts need reforms, but they say the proposals of Law and Justice Party are going in the wrong direction.

Sunday's demonstrations were the latest in a string of anti-government protests since the conservative and populist Law and Justice Party took office in 2015.

Poland is a relatively new democracy, having overthrown communist rule in 1989 and joined the EU in 2004.
President Donald Trump is continuing to defend his eldest son's meeting last year with a Russian lawyer he expected was going to hand him incriminating material about Trump's election challenger, Democrat Hillary Clinton.

"Most politicians would have gone to a meeting like the one Don jr attended in order to get info on an opponent. That's politics!" Trump said Monday on his Twitter account.

Trump has tried several times now to defuse the controversy over Donald Trump Jr.'s June 2016 meeting with Natalia Veselnitskaya. The younger Trump agreed to the meeting after being told by an intermediary in an email chain she was a Russian government attorney who would give him material damaging Clinton to support Moscow's effort to help Trump win the election.

The younger Trump said the lawyer had no information about Clinton and the meeting quickly ended.

President Trump has said he only learned of the meeting in the last week, a gathering at Trump Tower in New York that also was attended by Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, Trump's then-campaign manager, Paul Manafort, and a long-time Russian-American lobbyist in Washington who was a one-time Soviet military officer.

But Senator Mark Warner, the leading Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, says that he finds it "unbelievable" that Trump was not told about the meeting a year ago.

The meeting is now one focus of several Washington investigations into Russian meddling in the election, with numerous congressional panels interviewing witnesses and scheduling hearings.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller, a former director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, is now heading a criminal investigation. He is probing contacts between Trump's campaign and Russian interests and whether Trump obstructed justice by firing James Comey, then the FBI director who was leading the agency's Russia investigation before Mueller took over.

A new Washington Post-ABC News poll said that 60 percent of those it surveyed believe the younger Trump's meeting with the Russian lawyer was inappropriate.

President Trump on Sunday fumed at the American news media for its reporting on the meeting, accusing reporters of "distorting democracy."

"Hillary Clinton can illegally get the questions to the debate and delete 33,000 emails, but my son Don is being scorned by the Fake News Media?" Trump wrote on Twitter.

"With all of its phony unnamed sources and highly slanted and even fraudulent reporting, Fake News is DISTORTING DEMOCRACY in our country," he said in a separate tweet.

The White House Correspondents Association rejected the president's assertions.

"A free and independent press is actually critical to democracy," it said.
The Turkish parliament voted Monday to extend a state of emergency by three months, nearly a year after it was implemented in the wake of a failed coup attempt.

A statement from Prime Minister Binali Yildirim's office earlier Monday had asked parliament to extend the state of emergency, which was due to expire on Wednesday.

About 250 people were killed and more than 2,000 others injured last year when a disgruntled army faction commandeered tanks and warplanes in a bid to overthrow President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after 15 years in power. Thirty-five coup organizers were also killed.

Since last year's coup, operating under the state of emergency, the Turkish government has dismissed at least 100,000 civil servants characterized as supporters of the aborted coup. The government has arrested another 50,000 people.

President Erdogan claims the coup was led by a cleric, Fethullah Gulen, who has been living in self-imposed exile in the United States for nearly two decades.

Gulen denies any involvement.
Turkish-backed rebels clashed with Kurdish fighters from a U.S.-backed alliance in northwestern Syria on Monday in escalating violence between the two sides, officials and a monitoring group said.

The clashes took place around the village of Ain Daqna and the nearby Menagh air base north of Aleppo, while Turkish forces stepped up shelling positions in other areas, the officials and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

"There are big clashes happening on the Ain Daqna axis, between us and the Turks and their mercenaries," Rojhat Roj, a spokesman for the Kurdish YPG militia said.

Mostafa Bali of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a Kurdish and Arab force which is dominated by the YPG, said some Turkish-backed rebels had been killed and captured.

Both the YPG and SDF have received U.S. support, and are backed by Washington in its fight against Islamic State in Raqqa, further east.

The British-based Observatory, which monitors the war using sources on the ground, said the clashes and shelling were an attempt by the Turkish side to advance.

Syrian rebels said this month they were preparing to join the Turkish military in a major new offensive against Kurdish forces in northwestern Syria.

Turkey views the YPG as an extension of the Kurdish PKK group which is waging an insurgency in southeastern Turkey. Ankara's operation "Euphrates Shield", launched last year as an incursion into Syria to support rebel groups there, has focused on driving both Islamic State and the YPG away from the border.

The YPG controls vast stretches of land along the border northeast of Aleppo, and a pocket of territory to its northwest. In between, Turkish-backed factions have taken over territory to stop Kurdish forces linking up.

Clashes between the YPG and Turkey, both U.S. allies, have caused tension between Ankara and Washington. Turkey has criticized the U.S. decision to arm the YPG in its fight against Islamic State in Syria.
Relatives and friends of people killed three years ago when a surface-to-air missile blew a Malaysia Airlines passenger jet out of the sky over Ukraine gathered Monday to mark the anniversary at a new memorial near the Amsterdam airport from which the plane departed.



The commemoration, in presence of the Dutch king, comes as international investigators continue their painstaking probe aimed at bringing to justice those responsible for shooting down Flight 17 and killing all 298 passengers and crew.



The Boeing 777 was destroyed by a Buk missile on July 17, 2014, over conflict-torn eastern Ukraine. The international criminal probe has concluded that the missile was fired from rebel-controlled territory by a mobile launcher trucked in from Russia. Russia has denied any involvement, and denounced the conclusions as politically biased.



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.



Nations involved in the probe have agreed to prosecute any suspects in the Netherlands, home to most of the victims.



The European Union foreign affairs chief, Federica Mogherini, called for international cooperation in the hunt for the perpetrators.



"To ensure that those responsible for the downing of MH17 are held accountable and brought to justice, the criminal investigation needs the continuing support of the international community," Mogherini said in a statement. "We expect all the States that are in a position to assist the investigation and prosecution of those responsible to do so, as demanded by United Nations Security Council Resolution 2166."



Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima were among dignitaries scheduled to attend Monday's ceremony along with some 2,000 people commemorating loved ones lost when the plane was shot down while flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur.



The new monument is a curved steel wall and an eye-shaped sculpture engraved with the names of all 298 victims, who came from 17 countries. It stands in an amphitheater surrounded by 298 trees planted in the form of a commemorative ribbon.



Earlier Monday, more than 90 family members attended a memorial in Malaysia for victims and a briefing on the ongoing probe.



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."



In Ukraine, President Petro Poroshenko said his country is mourning the victims and said he believes the perpetrators of the attack would be brought to justice.



"We have faith in the objectivity and impartiality of the Dutch justice and that masterminds behind this crime will be inevitably brought to justice," Poroshenko said in a Twitter post Monday.


The United Nations envoy for Iraq says he is concerned about the rise of revenge attacks in Mosul against civilians believed to be linked to Islamic State militants following the liberation of the city.

Jan Kubis told the U.N. Security Council Monday that there is a rising popular sentiment in favor of collective punishment of families perceived to be associated with IS.

He said Iraqis who are seen as having ties to the militants are increasingly being subjected to evictions, confiscations of homes, and other retribution and revenge measures.

Kubis urged Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to take urgent steps to stop the attacks, saying that actions taken against civilians without sufficient evidence violate Iraq's constitution and obligations under international law.

He said all evidence of crimes committed by Islamic State militants must be preserved to support possible prosecutions.

The envoy also warned the Security Council that the future in Mosul is extremely challenging and said the government will need to do a lot of work to turn its military victory in the city into stability. He stressed that securing the rule of law and promoting development will be essential.

Kubis also spoke about plans by the Kurdistan region of Iraq to hold a referendum on independence in September and urged both sides to quickly start negotiations. He said the talks should address sharing oil and revenue as well as the status of disputed territories.

Iraqi forces, along with their coalition allies, recaptured Mosul from Islamic State militants recently following a nine-month military campaign. Islamic State militants had held Mosul, Iraq's second largest city, since June 2014.

The fighting led to the deaths of thousands of civilians and caused more than 900,000 people to flee their homes. Much of Mosul's Old City has been destroyed and vast swaths of the city and the surrounding towns and villages have been abandoned.

Islamic State still controls some territory outside Mosul as well as much bigger areas in neighboring Syria.
Afghanistan's protracted war killed a record number of civilians during the first six months of this year, according to a U.N. report released Monday, which blamed the majority of the deaths on bombings by insurgents.

U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said the "horrifying" figure of 1,662 people killed between January and June of this year "can never fully convey the sheer human suffering of the people of Afghanistan."

"Each one of these casualty figures reflects a broken family, unimaginable trauma and suffering and the brutal violation of people's human rights," he added.

The report confirmed that a massive truck bomb in the center of Kabul on May 31, which killed at least 90 people, was the deadliest attack since the U.S.-led invasion that toppled the Taliban in 2001. It also noted that more women and children were among the dead this year.

Insurgent attacks killed 1,141 civilians, a 12 per cent increase over the same period last year, according to the report, which said such attacks wounded another 2,348 people.

The report commended Afghanistan's security forces, saying fewer civilians were caught in the crossfire compared to last year. It said 434 civilians were killed during military operations against insurgents.

Gen. Dowlat Waziri, a Defense Ministry spokesman, blamed the high toll on the insurgents' use of human shields. "The army is being very careful during operations to prevent civilian deaths," Waziri told The Associated Press.

The Afghan government said Monday that troops retook a key district in the southern Helmand province from the Taliban. The fighting in the Naway district was fierce, with more than 50 Taliban killed, according to Waziri, who said just five security forces were wounded. There was no immediate comment from the Taliban.

Naway is located just 16 kilometers (10 miles) from Lashkar Gah, and had been a staging area for militant attacks on the provincial capital. U.S. and NATO forces are assisting Afghan troops in Helmand.

Elsewhere in Afghanistan, the Taliban snatched three border police officers from their car in the western Herat province, including a woman, and killed them, said Jelani Farhad, the provincial governor's spokesman.
The United Arab Emirates on Monday denied hacking Qatar's state news agency. Officials in Doha, however, say they believe a report implicating Abu Dhabi in the incident, which sparked a diplomatic crisis in the Gulf this May.

The Washington Post reported Sunday that U.S. intelligence officials became aware last week that the UAE orchestrated the hacking of Qatari government news and social media sites, posting quotes falsely attributed to Qatar's emir.

UAE minister of state for foreign affairs Anwar Gargash rejected the report. "Of course not. Of course not, and I think already our embassy in Washington has put these denials in place, and I think this is a crisis and is a lot of rumors, a lot of false news and stories."

Qatar's government communication office, on the other hand, says the report "unequivocally proves that this hacking crime took place."

The report says it is unclear whether Abu Dhabi carried out the hacks itself or contracted to have them done.

The U.S. State Department has not commented on the report, saying it does not comment on intelligence matters.

Quotes falsely attributed to Qatar's emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad al-Thani in late May called Iran an "Islamic power" and praised the Palestinian Hamas organization. Since the May 24th hacking, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt accused Qatar of supporting terrorism and gave Doha 13 demands after severing diplomatic ties in early June.

Doha rejected the demands, saying they would undermine its sovereignty. Among them were ultimatums that Qatar shut down its Al Jazeera news network, cut ties with Islamist groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood, limit its links to Iran and expel Turkish troops from its territory.
When Syria's uprising broke out, Rania Kisar left her job in the United States and returned home to join what she dreamed would be the ouster of President Bashar Assad and the building of a new Syria. Her main focus these days has been to keep al-Qaida-linked militants from taking over the dream.

Syrian-American Kisar runs a school in the last main enclave in Syria held by the opposition, the northwestern province of Idlib. The strongest power in the territory is al-Qaida's affiliate, and it is increasingly intervening in day-to-day affairs of administering the province. That means Kisar has had to become adept with dealing with them to keep her school running.

Sometimes that means making concessions to them, sometimes it means pushing back. Throughout, she knows why the militants keep trying to get their way: "If they don't interfere, they won't be considered powerful."

Al-Qaida's branch leads an alliance of factions known as Hayat Fatah al-Sham that dominates the opposition administration running Idlib. But the group has to tread carefully, balancing between its aim to control and its wariness of triggering a backlash from residents and other factions. So far, it has stayed relatively pragmatic: it takes every opportunity to show it is in charge but has shown no interest in a wide-scale imposition of an extremist vision of Islamic law.

They halted public killings of criminals; there are no religious police patrolling streets, arresting or beating people - and they haven't forced women to wear the niqab face veil.

That is a sharp contrast to the Islamic State group in the stretches of Syria and Iraq where the rival militant group has ruled the past three years.

Instead, al-Qaida administrators and fighters try to enforce some rules on a smaller scale while avoiding heavy-handed confrontation and presenting themselves as the champions of Syria's "revolution" against Assad.

Idlib now stands in a tenuous position among the international and regional powers that are effectively carving up Syria. Assad's Russian-backed military is focused on fighting Islamic States militants further to the east, as are the United States and its Kurdish led-allies. Turkey and its allies have seized a pocket of territory neighboring Idlib. Eventually, all these forces will turn their attention to the fate of the opposition enclave.

In the meantime, Idlib, swelling with more than 900,000 Syrians displaced from fallen rebel enclaves elsewhere, is the refuge of an opposition movement that only a few years earlier appeared to have the momentum in the conflict.

Now Kisar and others like her are trying to keep al-Qaida's influence at bay.

"Everyone sold us out," she said in a recent interview in her office in Istanbul, where she regularly travels.

Kisar said the international community's fear of radical Islamists taking over Syria is exaggerated and reflects a lack of understanding of the Syrian opposition. She and others argue that the militants are needed, they provide services and infrastructure as well as skilled fighters for now, but will not have support later.

From the start, Kisar has been a true believer in the uprising. After the revolt began in 2011, she left her administrative job at a Dallas university and joined the opposition.

She traveled with fighters on the front lines, helping displaced people. She organized services in opposition territories. Along the way, she survived an airstrike and lost a colleague who was kidnapped by Islamic State group militants and was later believed killed.

Finally, she settled in Maaret al-Numan, Idlib's second largest city. It was one of the few strongholds of the moderate Free Syrian Army, the umbrella group for the internationally-backed opposition factions. In recent years, radical factions like al-Qaida have grown in influence and gained a foothold. But Maaret's residents largely continued to support the FSA. They held repeated protests whenever al-Qaida fighters went too far, arresting journalists or cracking down on opponents.

In 2015, Kisar launched her foundation - SHINE, or the Syrian Humanitarian Institute for National Empowerment.

It provides classes for adults in computers, programming and web design. Registered in Dallas and funded by donations from Turkey and private citizens in America and elsewhere, the foundation has so far graduated 237 students.

Kisar takes great pride in the result: a "geek squad" of tech-savvy men and women who can fix smart phones and computers. That is vital in opposition-held areas, where there are no telephone lines and the population relies on satellite internet for communication.

"There are no private institutes, no universities, there are no hospitals," she said. "It is us, a bunch of locals, volunteers, stepping forward and saying, OK, I am going to clean the street, I am going to go volunteer in a hospital and I am going to build a school. ... This is my part. This is my honor."

Her first brush with the militants came when she had to explain her work to gain accreditation from the bureaucracy they control.

She bickered with one official, arguing that armed groups should not control civilian affairs. He wouldn't look her in the eye since she's a woman. But "when he heard I am from America, he said: 'We have every honor that an American Muslim is here and wants to be here'," she recalled.

Even in heated debates with the militants, she said, she has always kept a respectful tone, something that has helped keep her operating.

It also helps that she is a woman. "I can get away with a lot of things," she said with her characteristic giggle. "There is a lot more leniency toward me because I am a woman."

The ultraconservative militants were concerned that SHINE provides classes for men and women. So she kept it going by segregating the space - men on the bottom floor, women on the top. When airstrikes hit the top floor, she set up separate areas on the ground floor.

Before graduation, an inspector told her not to play music at the ceremony. She argued back. Then on graduation day, the ceremony started with a nod to tradition with a Quranic recital in line with the inspector's wishes.

But as the students filed out in front of an audience of relatives and local officials, Kisar played an anthem. It was a calculated gamble: she was betting the militants would not make a scene.

"It was matter-of-fact. They did nothing," she said.

Even as it interferes more in administration of opposition-held areas, al-Qaida's affiliate is struggling between its identity as a hard-line jihadi movement and its ambition to lead the rebellion with its variety of factions, wrote another Syria watcher, Mona Alami in a recent Atlantic Council article.

When that balancing act breaks down, violence can explode.

In June, Maaret al-Numan was shaken when pitched street battles erupted between al-Qaida militants and the FSA, bringing gruesome revenge killings and leaving at least six civilians dead. HTS fighters opened fire on residents protesting against their presence in the streets.

For a moment, the chaos seemed to shatter Kisar's spirit. "It is going to break loose," she said over the phone at the time. "Everybody is fighting everybody."

She left town for several days to "breathe."

Eventually, calm was restored with a shaky reconciliation, though one that increased the militants' influence: the FSA faction running the town had to leave their offices, replaced by an agency linked to al-Qaida.

Kisar resumed her work - and her own balancing act. This time, she was preparing festivities for local children to celebrate a major Muslim holiday.

"You must check out the videos," she said, giggling. "It is like Disneyland. It is SHINEland. It is majestic."
The roar of the engine was replaced by a furious whirring as the future of motorsports came to Brooklyn.

Formula E took over part of the waterfront neighborhood of Red Hook on Sunday, the second of two race days for the Qualcomm New York City ePrix.

The Formula One-style, open-wheel cars reach speeds of 140 mph but only about 80 decibels, compared with 130 decibels for the cars with combustion engines. Instead of screaming down the straightaways the way F1 cars do, FE cars buzz like giant, steal hummingbirds. And they run clean and green.

Sam Bird from the DS Virgin Racing team won Sundays 49-lap race over the narrow 1.2-mile, 10-turn track from the pole to sweep the weekend races for team owner Richard Branson, the billionaire adventurer.

The three-year-old FE series is sanctioned by the International Federation of Automobiles, the governing body for Formula One, making the New York City ePrix the first race run by a major motorsports organization in the five boroughs.

The street course was squeezed into an industrial area that has become more residential in recent years. Red Hook is known for its microbreweries, food trucks and an Ikea where New Yorkers can buy cheap furniture for their expensive apartments. With the track right next to the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, the Statute of Liberty had a great view of the starting grid.

Twenty drivers started the race with enough battery power to make it through about 25 laps. They switch cars during the race and the key is energy conservation. Drivers are careful not to lean too hard on the accelerator and can recharge the battery when braking.

With it being electric, theres no delay from when you put the throttle down to when it gets to the wheels, said Mitch Evans of New Zealand, who drives for Panasonic Jaguar Racing, a new team to the circuit this year. The energy management in the race is quite unique.

New York is the second-to-last of nine stops for the Formula E series. Previous race sites include Berlin, Monaco, Paris and Mexico City. In two weeks, the series finishes in Montreal. Thousands attended the races in Brooklyn, packing two metal grandstands overlooking the track on Sunday. Not bad considering Red Hook is not the easiest neighborhood to reach by mass transit and its no place to try to park a car.

Organizers ran shuttle buses from the Barclays Center, home of the Nets and a major subway hub, to the race site about 3 miles away. There were also ride-share stations, bicycles racks and water taxis and ferries from Manhattan.

The event drew curious locals and motorsports fans. Comedian Trevor Noah of Comedy Centrals The Daily Show was among the VIPs who got to walk the track before the race. The Hudson Horns played Stevie Wonders Superstition as fans strolled across the black top as if it was a weekend street fair, minus the food carts and folding tables full of homemade wares for sale.

At the Allianz Explorer Zone, fans could check out BMWs electric automobiles and Jaguars I-Pace Concept, an SUV that will be the companys first entry into the electric market. While Formula E aspires to be highly competitive racing circuit, it is also a means by which automakers can develop electric technology and show off what it can do.

For us, whats really important is this represents the future, said James Barclay, team director for Jaguar Panasonic. The car industry is moving toward electrification. Were going through a transition period. Its going to take a number of years. But what is quite clear is we do need to move away from combustion cars for the future.

Its about learning, developing and proving actual electrical vehicle technology on the racetrack and applying that to make our road cars of the future.

It is no coincidence the series has stopped in big cities, where urbanites see ownership of traditional fossil fuel-powered automobiles that pollute the air as nonessential.

We go to places where cars are really a problem, Formula E CEO Alejandro Agag said earlier this week.

Jim Overmeyer, 62, made the trip from Islip on Long Island for the New York City ePrix. He said an electric car wouldnt work for him right now but maybe a hybrid would. He said the tight course in Brooklyn gave the ePrix a bit of a go-cart feel. And, of course, the sound takes some getting used to.

Its certainly a lot quieter, he said. Its better than what I thought. From what Ive seen on TV, it sounds like a bunch of squirrels being tortured or something like that.
Zimbabweans are doing well in the First Global Challenge being held in Washington DC. Firtst Global organizes a yearly international robotics challenge to ignite a passion for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) among the more than two billion youths across the world.
Five countries in East Africa face dire food insecurity after a third poor rainy season in a row, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization said Friday.

Areas in five countries - Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda - received less than half of their normal seasonal rainfall.

"The current phenomenon encompasses an area of about 1 million square kilometers, which is roughly twice the size of France," FAO economist Alessandro Costantino told VOA's Africa division.

The extended drought along with a pest called an armyworm has drastically reduced crop yields, leaving millions in East Africa without enough food.

"About 16 million people are estimated to be food insecure in these countries and food insecurity actually increased by one third in the last six months," he said, adding that in Somalia alone, the food insecure case load tripled in the last 12 months.

Besides the widespread loss of crops, livestock herds have been decimated, causing milk production to plummet, further adding to food insecurity.

The U.N. agency says rangeland and livestock conditions are expected to continue deteriorating at least until October, when the next rainy season is due.
Visitors to the McDonalds wooded corporate campus enter on a driveway named for the late chief executive Ray Kroc, then turn onto Ronald Lane before reaching Hamburger University, where more than 80,000 people have been trained as fast-food managers.

Surrounded by quiet neighborhoods and easy highway connections, this 86-acre suburban compound adorned with walking paths and duck ponds was for four decades considered the ideal place to attract top executives as the company rose to global dominance.

Now its leafy environs are considered a liability. Locked in a battle with companies of all stripes to woo top tech workers and young professionals, McDonalds executives announced last year that they were putting the property up for sale and moving to the West Loop of Chicago where L trains arrive every few minutes and construction cranes dot the skyline.

In Chicago, McDonalds will join a slew of other companies  among them food conglomerate Kraft Heinz, commodities giant ADM and telecommunications firm Motorola Solutions  all looking to appeal to and be near young professionals versed in the world of e-commerce, software analytics, digital engineering, marketing and finance.

Such relocations are happening across the country as economic opportunities shift to a handful of top cities and jobs become harder to find in some suburbs and smaller cities.

(Lee Powell/The Washington Post)

Aetna recently announced that it will relocate from Hartford, Conn., to Manhattan; General Electric is leaving Connecticut to build a global headquarters in Boston; and Marriott International is moving from an emptying Maryland office park into the center of Bethesda.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel (D) said the old model where executives chose locations near where they wanted to live has been upturned by the growing influence of technology in nearly every industry. Years ago, IT operations were an afterthought. Now, people with such expertise are driving top-

level corporate decisions, and many of them prefer urban locales.

It used to be the IT division was in a back office somewhere, Emanuel said. The IT division and software, computer and data mining, et cetera, is now next to the CEO. Otherwise, that company is gone.

The migration to urban centers threatens the prosperity outlying suburbs have long enjoyed, bringing a dose of pain felt by rural communities and exacerbating stark gaps in earnings and wealth that Donald Trump capitalized on in winning the presidency.

McDonalds may not even be the most noteworthy corporate mover in Illinois. Machinery giant Caterpillar said this year that it was moving its headquarters from Peoria to Deerfield, which is closer to Chicago. It said it would keep about 12,000 manufacturing, engineering and research jobs in its original home town. But top-

paying office jobs  the type that Caterpillars higher-ups enjoy  are being lost, and the company is canceling plans for a 3,200-person headquarters aimed at revitalizing Peorias downtown.

It was really hard. I mean, you know that $800 million headquarters translated into hundreds and hundreds of good construction jobs over a number of years, Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis (R) said.

Long term, the corporate moves threaten an orbit of smaller enterprises that fed on their proximity to the big companies, from restaurants and janitorial operations to subcontractors who located nearby.

Rennie Atterbury is a former Caterpillar executive. The people who built this company from 1925 on were Peorians, they were Midwesterners, they werent city people, he said. (Lee Powell/The Washington Post)

The village of Oak Brook and McDonalds sort of grew up together. So when the news came, it was a jolt from the blue  we were really not expecting it, said Gopal G. Lalmalani, a cardiologist who also serves as the village president.

Lalmalani is no stranger to the desire of young professionals to live in cities: His adult daughters, a lawyer and an actress, live in Chicago. When McDonalds arrived in Oak Brook, in 1971, many Americans were migrating in the opposite direction, away from the city.

In the years since, the tiny villages identity became closely linked with the fast-food chain as McDonalds forged a brand that spread across postwar suburbia one Happy Meal at a time.

It was fun to be traveling and tell someone youre from Oak Brook and have them say, Well, I never heard of that, and then tell them, Yes, you have. Look at the back of the ketchup package from McDonalds,  said former village president Karen Bushy. Her son held his wedding reception at the hotel on campus, sometimes called McLodge.

The village showed its gratitude  there is no property tax  and McDonalds reciprocated with donations such as $100,000 annually for the Fourth of July fireworks display and with an outsize status for a town of fewer than 8,000 people.

McDonalds, though, came under pressure to update its offerings for the Internet age, so it opened an office in San Francisco and a year later moved additional digital operations to downtown Chicago, strategically near tech incubators as well as digital outposts of companies that included Yelp and eBay.

Chief executive Steve Easterbrook, who took over in spring 2015, sought to keep innovating, launching mobile ordering, emphasizing self-serve kiosks in restaurants and expanding delivery through a partnership with UberEats.

As McDonalds embraced technology, it decided that it needed to be closer not just to workers who build e-commerce tools but also to the customers who use them, said Robert Gibbs, the former White House press secretary who is a McDonalds executive vice president. That is because the next generation of fast-food consumers may be more likely to arrive via iPhones than drive-throughs.

The decision is really grounded in getting closer to our customers, Gibbs said.

The site of the new headquarters, being built in place of the studio where Oprah Winfreys show was filmed, is in Fulton Market, a bustling neighborhood filled with new apartments and some of the citys most highly rated new restaurants.

Bushy and others in Oak Brook wondered aloud if part of the reasoning for the relocation was to effectively get rid of the employees who have built lives around commuting to Oak Brook and may not follow the company downtown. Gibbs said that was not the intention.

Our assumption is not that some amount [of our staff] will not come. Some may not. In some ways thats probably some personal decision. I think weve got a workforce thats actually quite excited with the move, he said.

Chicagos arrival as a magnet for corporations belies statistics that would normally give corporate movers pause. High homicide rates and concerns about the police department have eroded Emanuels popularity locally, but those issues seem confined to other parts of the city as young professionals crowd into the Loop, Chicagos lively central business district.

Chicago has been ranked the No. 1 city in the United States for corporate investment for the past four years by Site Selection Magazine, a real estate trade publication.

Emanuel said crime is not something executives scouting new offices routinely express concerns about. Rather, he touts data points such as 140,000  the number of new graduates local colleges produce every year.

Corporations tell me the number one concern that they have  workforce, he said.

To Peorians, Caterpillars change of heart came suddenly. Two years ago, the companys leadership team joined state and local officials at a ceremony to announce plans for a new $800 million, 31-acre headquarters aimed at reviving a downtown pockmarked by vacant storefronts.

Were here in Peoria to stay, Caterpillars then-chief executive Doug Oberhelman declared at the time. Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner (R) stood to applaud.

Then, in January of this year, Caterpillar abruptly canceled the Peoria headquarters complex and said it would move about 300 top executives to the Chicago area.

The local reaction wasnt just disappointment but bewilderment. Three generations of the citys residents have worked at Caterpillar  designing, assembling and painting tractors and pipelayers.

Like other firms, Caterpillar had a digital hub in downtown Chicago, just over a mile from the new McDonalds headquarters. But now it is also moving many of its top executives away from where colleagues are designing, producing and shipping the companys products  and the possibility of more Caterpillar jobs leaving looms.

There are definitely people in this region who dont want to go to Chicago and are worried that their jobs are going there, said Jennifer Daly, former chief executive of the Greater Peoria Economic Development Council.

If more jobs go, it will diminish the options for highly qualified managers and executives who have chosen to make their homes in Peoria  a far more affordable, less congested place than Chicago or Deerfield.

The people who built this company from 1925 on were Peorians, they were Midwesterners, they werent city people, said Rennie Atterbury, a longtime former Caterpillar executive and general counsel.

The decision has left Peoria officials scrambling. They are focusing on different industries, such as health care, and helping the citys other manufacturing firms to find work beyond building tractors. About 100 small manufacturers in the area rely largely on Caterpillar contracting work.

We really want to help them diversify, Daly said. These manufacturers are not used to having to pursue sales outside of the earth-moving industry.

Lee Powell in Peoria contributed to this report.
As the White House champions a hire American agenda, the administration wants to slash funding for a small government office that many U.S. companies say they rely on to stay ahead of foreign rivals, underscoring how competing political interests are complicating President Trumps pledge to restore the manufacturing industry.

The Trump administration is seeking to nearly gut funding for a Labor Department bureau that monitors the treatment of foreign workers, a program that U.S. businesses and labor groups alike say helps American workers compete fairly in the global economy. The program is unpopular among some conservatives, who criticize its backing for groups that support labor unions.

The behind-the-scenes funding fight comes as the White House seeks to demonstrate its progress on Trumps campaign promise to stop outsourcing jobs to foreign countries, hosting a series of events this week showcasing Made in America goods.

But experts say bringing back manufacturing in a substantial way would require dramatic shifts in trade policy, corporate incentives and international business deals. Those challenges are underscored by the business practices of the apparel brand owned by the presidents daughter, Ivanka Trump. The company relies exclusively on low-wage workers overseas, and executives say it is impossible to bring its production back to the United States on a large scale, as The Washington Post reported last week.

There are certain things that we may not have the capacity to do here, in terms of having a plant or a factory that can do it, White House press secretary Sean Spicer conceded Monday when asked about companies such as the Ivanka Trump brand that say they cannot produce in the United States.

(The Washington Post)

[She talks about working women. Her father says buy American. We go inside Ivanka Inc.]

Meanwhile, major U.S. food and apparel companies are warning in letters to Congress that the deep cuts the White House wants to make to the low-profile Bureau of International Labor Affairs would undermine American workers.

Among the corporations urging Congress to restore the bureaus funding are well-known brands such as the Gap and Hanes, as well as Nestle and PepsiCo, two of the largest food conglomerates. Many companies see the offices work as a check on foreign competitors who operate under loose labor rules, and they depend on the bureaus reports on global labor conditions to inform their compliance efforts.

Without the bureaus efforts to improve workers rights oversees, youre saying, basically, that its okay for forced labor and child labor to run rampant, which undercuts our own labor force, said Nate Herman, a senior vice president for the American Apparel and Footwear Association.

On the other side of the debate are many House Republicans and the Heritage Foundation, the conservative think tank, which has objected to spending Labor Department money to promote the welfare of foreign workers.

The proposed cuts have highlighted a central tension in Trumps administration: that his policies often directly impact the businesses he and his family members continue to own while they are in public office.

Executives at Ivanka Trumps brand recently told The Post that some of the companys factories participate in an international program called Better Work that seeks to boost workplace conditions and prod foreign governments to strengthen labor laws. The initiative has received nearly $23.6 million from the Labor Department since 2010, according to Better Work officials.

President Trump tries on a Stetson cowboy hat during a Made in America product showcase in the East Room of the White House on Monday. (Calla Kessler/The Washington Post)

Ivanka Trumps company declined to comment on the administrations proposed cuts to the labor bureau, which would eliminate grants for Better Work. A spokesman for Ivanka Trump did not respond to requests for comment.

White House officials did not respond to questions about why the administration is proposing to eliminate $67 million of the bureaus $86 million budget, a nearly 80 percent reduction.

In its budget proposal, the administration said the move is necessary because many of the grants handed out by the bureau were of questionable long-term effectiveness. With fewer resources, the bureau could focus on ensuring that U.S. trade agreements are fair for American workers, according to the White Houses Office of Management and Budget.

A Labor Department spokesman declined to comment.

The administrations budget closely resembles a blueprint developed by the Heritage Foundation, which proposed cutting the labor bureau by 80 percent.

I think it would make sense to get them out of international grant-giving and focused on stuff that has to do with labor in the U.S., said David Kreutzer, a senior research fellow at Heritage focused on labor and trade.

The Bureau of International Labor Affairs monitors labor provisions in international trade agreements and finances projects to reduce child and forced labor in countries such as Bangladesh, Madagascar and Tunisia. It also produces a comprehensive annual report that catalogues foreign goods made with forced or child labor.

Its the best tool we have to examine whats happening in supply chains overseas, said Reid Maki, director of child-labor issues for the National Consumers League.

Last month, 13 major American clothing brands and manufacturers sent a letter to congressional appropriators urging them to preserve money the bureau gives to Better Work to improve garment factories in countries such as Haiti, Nicaragua, Jordan and Bangladesh. Among the signatories were the Walt Disney Co. and PVH, the parent company of Calvin Klein that once made shirts and neckties for the Donald J. Trump brand.

Objections to the cuts were also raised by five of the countrys biggest food companies  Mars, Nestle USA, the J.M. Smucker Co., PepsiCo and Kellogg  which wrote a letter in May to congressional appropriators urging them to preserve funds for the bureau.

Any lowering of such standards would harm American workers by making the global labor market less fair, giving a competitive advantage to countries who do not play by the rules, the companies wrote.

Labor unions, too, have joined in support, saying the bureau has helped protect American workers from being forced to compete with exploited laborers overseas. The AFL-CIO sent a letter in March to appropriators, co-written with the corporate advocacy group U.S. Council for International Business, saying the bureaus work helped in creating markets for U.S. exports, creating good jobs at home and making it more likely that imports consumed by U.S. consumers are made consistent with American values.

The debate highlights the difficult decisions Trump faces as he tries to fulfill his ambitious pledge to bring back manufacturing to the United States.

The biggest showpiece so far of his hire America agenda came in April at the headquarters of toolmaker Snap-on in Kenosha, Wis., when he signed an executive order stating that federal agencies should maximize, consistent with law . . . the use of goods, products, and materials produced in the United States.

Administration officials said they intend to boost the agenda further through deregulation and trade renegotiations.

One rule already on the books could help Trump push forward on his pledge.

A federal law signed last year by President Barack Obama allows U.S. customs officials to seize goods made with forced labor at the border. The law was formally implemented last month, allowing anyone to report imported merchandise believed to be made with forced or indentured labor.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment on how it plans to enforce the rule. But the U.S. Customs and Border Protection has urged companies to closely examine their supply chains to ensure that slave labor or child workers are not involved.

Sarah Altschuller, a lawyer at Foley Hoag who specializes in corporate social responsibility compliance, said the law could be used to further Trumps America-first agenda.

You could see the administration come down quite hard on this, that its a way of saying, Were protecting the American workforce,  she said.

Abby Phillip contributed to this report.
Economy

Exports, production drive Chinas growth

Chinas economy expanded faster than expected in the second quarter, setting the country on course to comfortably meet its 2017 growth target and giving policymakers room to tackle big economic challenges ahead of key leadership changes later this year.

The boost to growth was in part driven by firmer exports and production, in particular steel, which could heighten trade tensions as the United States and China begin economic talks this week. President Trump has made the U.S. trade deficit with China a top agenda item in bilateral talks and has also flagged the steel trade as a point of contention.

Chinas gross domestic product rose 6.9 percent in the second quarter from a year earlier, the same rate as the first quarter, the National Bureau of Statistics said Monday. Analysts had expected the economy to expand 6.8 percent.

The second-quarter numbers put the economy on a strong footing to meet Chinas growth target of around 6.5 percent in 2017, which would give policymakers room to defuse financial risks.

While growth in the high-flying property sector has cooled this year, a rebound in exports after several years of decline has helped prevent any broader slowdown in Chinas economy.

Retail spending and factory output were also bright spots in the first half. Retail sales growth rose to 10.8 percent in the second quarter from 10 percent in the first, a Reuters calculation based on official data showed.

Factory output also increased in the second quarter, although the 6.9 percent growth for the first half was only a slight pickup from recent quarters.

 Reuters

FAST FOOD

Subway redesign aims to stem sales decline

Subway wants to freshen up the look of its stores as it tries to stem a sales decline.

The sandwich chain says the redesign  which includes a brighter atmosphere, displays of vegetables behind the counter and ordering tablets  is the first major revamp since the early 2000s. The changes will take place as stores around the country are remodeled and new ones are built.

The makeover comes as Subways sales have fallen for four straight years amid competition from sandwich stores such as Jimmy Johns and Firehouse Subs. Since 2012, Subways average annual sales per store are down 13 percent at $420,000, according to industry tracker Technomic. Last year, Subways number of U.S. stores also shrank for the first time, although the company says it still has more than 26,200 domestic locations. Globally, the chain says it has more than 44,800.

Don Fertman, Subways chief development officer, said franchisee agreements require them to remodel stores every seven to 10 years.

 Associated Press

Also in Business

German airline Lufthansa increased its profit target for 2017 after a busy summer for bookings that has been boosted by demand on North American routes and a strong German economy. The airline expects its full-year adjusted earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) to exceed the 2016 level of 1.75 billion euros ($2 billion), it said Monday. Lufthansas adjusted EBIT nearly doubled to 1.04 billion euros in the first six months of 2017, from 529 million euros in the year-earlier period, while revenue rose to 17 billion euros from 15 billion.

A French maker of self-driving vehicles is opening its first U.S. manufacturing facility. Navya says its opening a 20,000-square-foot factory in Saline, Mich., about 50 miles southwest of Detroit. The company plans to hire 50 workers and make 25 driverless shuttles at the plant before the end of this year.

A Tesla driver says his cars partially self-driving Autopilot system wasnt responsible for a crash in Minnesota, despite what he initially told investigators. In its police report obtained by the Associated Press on Monday, officials said David Clark, 58, blamed Autopilot for a crash Saturday in Hawick, Minn.

 From news services

Coming today

10 a.m.: National Association of Home Builders releases housing market index for July.

4 p.m.: Treasury releases international money flows data for May.

Earnings: UnitedHealth, Johnson & Johnson, Bank of America, CSX and United Continental Holdings.
Lots of newsworthy things happen in this city of nearly 30,000, located in the heart of Silicon Valley. Its just that many of them dont make the local news.

Last fall, for example, voters went to the polls to elect a new city council and to weigh in on three ballot measures, including two that would raise local taxes. The issues were critical to the citys immediate future, Mayor Larry Moody said. But without even a weekly newspaper in town, it was hard to find out.

The nearby Palo Alto Daily News mentioned the council race just once before Election Day; the rival Palo Alto Daily Post listed the candidates names in August  and then didnt report another word until after Election Day.

We do the same things in this city that everyone else does, says Moody. We just dont seem to get the same attention.

In many respects, East Palo Alto is a news desert, a community overlooked, if not entirely ignored, by the media. Its one of thousands of towns across America in which community reporting is shrinking and sometimes disappearing. The biggest factor, according to a University of North Carolina study of the phenomenon: cutbacks, consolidation and closures of daily and weekly newspapers, the traditional lifeblood of local reporting in America since before its founding.

The disappearance of hundreds of daily and weekly newspapers reduced newspaper employment by more than half between 2001 and 2016, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The pressures on local news outlets have been building for years, driven by the twin devils of recession and the disruption caused by the shift to digital media. The impact was noted in a federal study in 2011. It concluded, A shortage of reporting manifests itself in invisible ways: stories not written, scandals not exposed, government waste not discovered, health dangers not identified in time, local elections involving candidates about whom we know little.

News-circulating giants like Facebook and Google are based in the same area as East Palo Alto. (Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images)

The desert phenomenon holds a special irony in East Palo Alto, a multiethnic, largely working-class community. The city sits amid, but largely apart from, the bustling corridor of companies that have revolutionized and conquered the global information market. Googles campuslike complex is just five miles to the south in Mountain View. Apple, maker of the devices on which so many get their news, is 13 miles away in Cupertino. And Facebook  the behemoth that facilitates the trading of GIFs and gossip among 2 billion humans each day  is headquartered in Menlo Park, literally across the street from East Palo Altos northwestern border.

Whos watching the schools?

East Palo Alto isnt entirely ignored by the Bay Areas newspapers, TV stations and many news sites. Crime stories get some attention. But theres far less about city politics and government initiatives, public education, local arts, human-interest stories and environmental concerns and economic-development issues. The citys mayor was mentioned by name just three times in the Daily News during all of 2016, according to a search of the Nexis database. The police chief and schools superintendent rated just five mentions, collectively. Most of these stories were just a few paragraphs long.

The situation is different just across the Bayshore Freeway (U.S. Highway 101), which runs like an asphalt river separating East Palo Alto from its larger neighbor, Palo Alto, home of Stanford University and Silicon Valleys veritable capital.

Palo Alto is a wealthy, cosmopolitan hub, decorated with graceful residential streets and a thriving downtown filled with cafes and boutiques; houses routinely sell for millions of dollars.



We do the same things in this city that everyone else does, says Larry Moody, mayor of East Palo Alto, where the population is largely African American and Hispanic. But news coverage is scant. (Biz Herman /For The Washington Post)

East Palo Alto, with a predominantly Hispanic and African American population, is dominated by modest single-story houses and rent-controlled apartments. It used to be home to a massive garbage dump (now a restored shoreline park) and a pesticide manufacturing plant. The median household income in the city ($52,012, according to a 2016 Census estimate) is barely a third that of Palo Alto.

Palo Altos prosperity ensures that it doesnt want for news about itself. The Daily News (owned by the parent of the regional San Jose Mercury News) is online every day and in print each week. The independently owned Daily Post appears six days a week. The Palo Alto Weekly operates a local-news site, in addition to its paper edition. The nearby San Mateo Daily Journal covers the region, too. Nine more papers and websites cover the Stanford campus. A branch of the Patch chain of hyper local news sites covers the city, too.

Aside from the police blotter, East Alto often isnt mentioned at all in the Post, Weekly or Daily News. None of the Palo Alto papers has a beat reporter assigned to cover the city full time. The Daily Post doesnt even list East Palo Alto as part of its coverage area, despite a newsroom located less than a mile and a half from the city line. Patch doesnt have an East Palo Alto site, either.

This means people in East Palo Alto often wait days to find out something about themselves, if they find out at all.

In late April, the school district serving the city and part of nearby Menlo Park was convulsed by a widespread teachers protest. Nearly 80 percent of the districts 184 teachers signed a petition expressing no confidence in the superintendent, whom they said had mismanaged a school reorganization. The petition was presented to the districts board at an emotional meeting on April 27.

Yet it took almost a week before the first reports of the meeting surfaced. A news site run by Stanford graduate students was first to report it, six days after the fact. The Daily Post and Palo Alto Weekly picked up the story two days later, followed four days thereafter by the Daily News.

And that . . . was that. Nearly three months later, none of the papers has written a follow-up story.

If this was going on in Palo Alto, it would be covered every single day, said Ruben Abrica, a longtime East Palo Alto resident who is vice mayor. There were no reporters at the meeting, he said, and none inquired for days. When no one pays attention, its almost like it didnt happen.

East Palo Altos mayor, Moody, says the emphasis on crime stories may be a legacy of the early 1990s when the city had 42 murders, the highest per capita rate in the country. He notes that East Palo Alto has reduced violent crime more than any city in San Mateo County (there were three homicides last year), but few stories note the long-term trend.

Years of declining coverage

East Palo Alto once had two weekly papers published in and about town. The Peninsula Bulletin and the Ravenswood Post both closed in the 1970s, according to the Menlo Park Historical Society and longtime resident Frank Omowale Satterwhite. There have been periodic efforts since then to fill the void, such as the founding of a small monthly magazine, called El Ravenswood.

A local journalist, Henrietta Burroughs, started a nonprofit paper called East Palo Alto Today in 2006. But the paper has struggled financially; it is published just once every two months.

Burroughs says attracting advertising support has been difficult, in part because of East Palo Altos limited retail base. As a result, she cant afford to hire a full-time reporting staff or increase the papers frequency. I was surprised when I started at how much was going on here, she says. Sometimes for me its overwhelming. I know so much is happening and I cant get to it.

Even across the freeway in prosperous Palo Alto, the long migration from print to a digital media has hurt local reporting.

East Palo Alto Today, the last remaining newspaper in the city, publishes every other month. (Biz Herman /For The Washington Post)

In the mid-1990s  flush years in the newspaper business  the San Jose Mercury News maintained an 18-person news bureau in Palo Alto that covered the cities and towns on the Peninsula, said Dave Price, a local news entrepreneur. Price took on this regional Goliath by starting the Palo Alto Daily News, establishing a newsroom in a building owned by a plumbing company.

The Mercury Newss then-owner, Knight Ridder, bought the paper from Price and his business partner in 2005. But by then, demand for print ads had begun to soften, never to be fully replaced by their digital equivalent. As a result, the Daily Newss current owner, Bay Area News Group, began to pare both the Mercury Newss reporting staff and the Daily News, too.

Price sensed an opportunity, and when a noncompete agreement with the Daily Newss owner ended in 2008, he started a new paper, the six-days-per-week Palo Alto Daily Post. He now boasts, We have more ads and revenue than anyone in the market.

But after all that, the market has far fewer reporters and a lot less actual journalism.

Meanwhile, the Daily News  which at its peak had five Peninsula editions put out by 20 full-time and 20 part-time journalists  cut its printing schedule back to just one day a week in early 2015, though it maintains a full-time website.

The old Mercury News bureau is long gone, replaced by the Newss staff of six. The Daily Post employs just two reporters in its eight-member newsroom.

Abrica, the East Palo Alto resident and vice mayor, says a community loses its identity when it doesnt see or hear news about itself. It hurts our overall well-being, he says. Its incomprehensible that people dont know such basic things. This is the middle of Silicon Valley. How could they not know?
1 of 67 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  See what Melania Trump has been doing since becoming first lady View Photos She recently moved to the White House from New York and has Washington waiting to see what she intends to do with her prominent position. Caption She recently moved to the White House from New York and has Washington waiting to see what she intends to do with her prominent position. July 14, 2017 First lady Melania Trump arrives for the traditional Bastille Day military parade on the Champs-Elysees in Paris. Yves Herman/Reuters Wait 1 second to continue.

Melania Trump seemed at ease during her brief trip to Paris last week. She spoke French with sick children during a visit to Necker hospital, toured the tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte and garnered positive reviews for her reserved demeanor and adherence to diplomatic protocols on Bastille Day.

This despite her husbands social goof: The president made headlines for commenting on the French first ladys physical appearance, saying more than once that Brigitte Macron  who is more than two decades older than her husband  is in such good shape. Mrs. Trump looked on serenely during the odd exchange.

Overall, she seems to be enjoying the rest of the world a little more than her home turf.

Melania Trump, who moved to the White House five weeks ago, has accompanied her husband on several foreign trips. On each she has stood behind a podium and spoken publicly, something she rarely does in the United States.

She has also made several well-publicized visits to hospitals overseas, in contrast to the handful of deliberately low-key stops she has made to pediatric wards in New York and Washington, D.C.

We see [Mrs. Trump] so much more when she is abroad, which is really bizarre, said Kate Andersen Brower, author of First Women, a history of presidential spouses.

In general, it is on these trips that the first lady has made herself most visible, garnering extensive press at home and internationally, offering fodder for both the style-watchers assessing her fashion choices (largely positive) and political analysts gauging her influence on the president (shes said to have a calming effect).

During the recent G-20 meeting in Poland, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson noted that the first lady was sent into a meeting between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin to help wrap up the overly long session. (Her intervention did not work. The men kept talking.)



Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Melania Trump attend a state banquet in Hamburg on July 7 for the G-20 summit. (Michael Ukas/Pool photo via European Pressphoto Agency)

Since Ida McKinley visited Juarez, Mexico, in 1901, foreign travel has been an important aspect of the role of first lady, according to Carl Sferrazza Anthony, the historian of the National First Ladies Library.

In the 1940s, Eleanor Roosevelt made trips to Ireland, England and military installations around the world. Melania Trumps visit had echoes of Jacqueline Kennedys famous meeting with Charles DeGaulle in Paris.

Jackie Kennedy, who I think [Melania Trump] is trying to model herself after, went to France soon after her husband was elected and [the French] loved  it was [as if] American royalty was going to France, Andersen Brower said. These foreign trips help Melania Trump a lot. When she goes abroad, she is able to do things that for some reason she isnt able to do here. . . . I think they are very wise to have her speak the language.

Mrs. Trump, who was born in Slovenia, has said she is fluent in six languages, and in addition to conversing in French in Paris, she spoke Italian with the pope when she and her husband visited Rome.

We saw her interaction with the Holy Father, which was very special. [Pope Francis] was making jokes in the native language. The Italian people were very touched about that, said Paolo Zampolli, the Italian American businessman who introduced the Trumps to each other and remains in contact with Melania Trump.

Mrs. Trumps burgeoning international focus also helps her differentiate herself from her popular predecessor. Michelle Obama made domestic issues her primary focus and took only about half as many foreign trips as first ladies Laura Bush and Hillary Clinton, according to an analysis by the National Taxpayers Union. But Clintons and Bushs travels abroad came later in their husbands administrations, after those first ladies had established themselves in the White House. Melania Trump, who delayed her move to the White House, is shaping more of her persona outside of the country.

Doesnt seem to hurt: A slim 51 percent majority of voters had a favorable opinion of Melania Trump in a recent Fox News poll, with 28 percent unfavorable. In April, her favorable rating was a relatively low 34 percent in a Quinnipiac poll, with a 24 percent unfavorable.

Polling analyst Emily Guskin contributed to this report.
Tiffany and Travis Chase with Jackson, 8, front, and Madison, 11, center, bought a single-family home in Congress Heights with the help of the nonprofit Lydias House. Over the past two years, Lydias House has helped its clients purchase 50 homes. (Michael Robinson Chavez/The Washington Post)

Leon Waddy grew up in the Districts Shaw neighborhood in the 80s and 90s, but he doesnt recognize much of it these days. African American residents used to make up 90 percent of the neighborhood. Today, theyre less than 50 percent.

The demographics completely changed, he said. When I was a young kid, it was a predominantly black neighborhood. . . . Now, its pretty much a predominantly white neighborhood.

That is why Waddy and his wife, who were renting in Congress Heights, looked to historic, majority-black Anacostia in Southeast Washington when they began searching for a home.

We wanted a neighborhood where we would feel at home, that would be like the D.C. that we know, said Alison Waddy, 31, principal of the Oklahoma Avenue campus of the AppleTree, a public charter preschool. And thats what we found here.

They look like us, Leon Waddy said of his neighbors.

With home prices across the city continuing to rise, east-of-the-river neighborhoods such as Anacostia and Congress Heights, which the District housing boom had largely passed over, are becoming increasingly desirable  and expensive.

As more investors and homeowners look east in the hopes of riding the wave of development, there are also worries that residents will be priced out of what has historically been a low- and moderate-income part of the city, forced to move further out, beyond the boundaries of the District. Homeownership can provide a needed hedge against skyrocketing rents.

This is where Lydias House, which helped the Waddys become homeowners, comes in. The nonprofit group is one of a handful of local organizations that offer guidance to first-time, low- and moderate-income home buyers looking to purchase property in the District. Other groups that offer similar services include MANNA, the Latino Economic Development Center and Housing Counseling Services.

Lydias House in particular works with residents of Wards 7 and 8, helping them obtain, maintain, and retain homeownership, said Cliff Beckford, the organizations deputy director.

Over the past two years, Lydias House has helped its clients purchase 50 homes. Demand for its services is also growing, with a 25 percent increase in clients over the last year, Beckford said.

We recognize that with the cost of living increasing, and the lack of affordable housing, residents in our communities are being forced out of the city, he said. We want people who have been longtime residents and who have been part of the city to stay in the city.

Homeownership also helps to stabilize neighborhoods and gives constituents a stronger voice on how the city develops, said Yulonda Queen, a housing counselor for Lydias House.

For their part, the mostly minority clients that Lydia House helps believe that they can play a vital role in maintaining the character of neighborhoods undergoing rapid change with large influxes of affluent white newcomers seeking urban amenities. They say that they, as longtime D.C. residents, hold many of the jobs that help the city run.

By tapping into loan programs, Queen helped the Waddys last year buy a four-bedroom brick townhouse for about $380,000 on a quiet street in the heart of historic Anacostia, just steps from the Frederick Douglass house.

It feels good, said Alison Waddy about calling this neighborhood home. It feels really good.

All around them, the Waddys new neighborhood is taking off.

Over the years, people have begun to realize that the Anacostia historic district is a crown jewel of a neighborhood and the area has started to attract more attention as the economic development conversation moves eastward, said Charles Wilson, co-founder of the Historic Anacostia Block Association and a former advisory neighborhood commissioner for the area.

A Walgreens opened in the neighborhood in September. Busboys and Poets, the local independent bookstore and restaurant, expects to open its fifth D.C. location in Anacostia early next year. And the much-touted 11th Street Bridge Park, a $45 million project that will transform the old, abandoned freeway bridge into an aerial park connecting communities on both sides of the Anacostia River, is slated to open in 2019.

The market is hot, said Darrin Davis, the principal broker and owner of Anacostia River Realty. This month, he put two houses on the market, and both were snapped up within a day.

Anacostia is the last affordable neighborhood in D.C., Davis said, and with a shortage of inventory, he expects the market to become more competitive. In 2016, the average sales price in the area rose 17.7 percent.

In nearby Congress Heights, Tiffany Chase marvels at how far her Southeast neighborhood has come.

Growing up, Chase had spent a lot of time in the Valley Green public housing complex, which was built in the early 1960s. After it became blighted, violent and drug-ravaged, Valley Green was demolished in the late 90s and replaced with a mixed-income development called Wheeler Creek.

The neighborhood is changing drastically, said Chase, 30, as she sat on the living room of her familys new single-family home in Congress Heights, purchased with the help of Lydias House.

For the good, said her husband Travis, 30, a firefighter.

But the neighborhood is also quickly getting more expensive. In the first half of this year, home values in Congress Heights increased by 32 percent, making it a neighborhood with the sixth-highest price appreciation in the city, according to UrbanTurf, a D.C. real estate blog.

Lydias House helped the Chases buy their four-bedroom home for $416,000 by connecting them with two D.C.-funded loan programs  the Home Purchase Assistance Program and the Employer Assisted Housing Program  and one of six affordable dwelling units at Asheford Court, the community of single-family homes where their house is located.

Without their help, this would not be our dream, said Tiffany Chase, who works as a visual stylist for Gap. The Chases had previously rented near Marshall Heights, also in Southeast Washington.

While buying this home has made her dream of homeownership come true, it also means making a statement: That you cant run all the black people out of the District.

There are moderate-income workers  including firefighters, police officers and teachers  who are essential to making the city work, she said.

So why wouldnt the city be an affordable city for those people to live, the people who make the city go? That is crazy and outrageous to me, she said.  . . . You cant price out the people who make this city work.

For Alison Waddy, too, buying her Anacostia home goes beyond just homeownership. It is a way of being part of a solution in our community: living here as homeowners, paying taxes in this neighborhood, she said.

She shops at the local grocery store and supports the small businesses in the neighborhood. Its all part of empowering the community and making sure that her voice as an African American homeowner is heard, she said.

We do things that say, This is a viable neighborhood, and we dont need you to change us  through gentrification, she said. Thats what I choose to do: saying that theres so much we can do to uplift this neighborhood, and pour our dollars here, so you see that were making it work.

On a recent afternoon, as she sat on a stool by the kitchen counter, Alison Waddy reflected on the past 15 months that she and her family have spent living here  and the many more years to come as she and her husband raise their children, ages 5 and 8.

We love our home. People come here and theyre always like, Oh my gosh, I didnt expect this here,  she said. I feel like we can show people that Anacostia can look amazing  you just have to put work in and it can look just like any other home.
D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) speaks as Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), center, and D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson, right, look on during a news conference on the Death with Dignity Act on Jan. 31, 2017. (Matt McClain/The Washington Post)

District officials say doctors in the city may now begin the process of prescribing life-ending drugs to terminally ill patients, setting up a showdown with Republicans in Congress who are trying to void the citys assisted-suicide law.

City officials say the rules and regulations to implement the law took effect Monday, adding the District to six states that authorize the practice.

The move comes a week after a U.S. House panel voted largely on party lines to advance a measure that would repeal the citys Death With Dignity Act. That language must be approved by the full House and Senate, and by President Trump, before it can take effect.

[House panel advances measure to block D.C. Death with Dignity Act ]

The assisted-suicide law, passed 11 to 2 last year by the D.C. Council after more than a year of debate, is the latest District measure targeted by federal lawmakers, who have previously moved to block needle exchanges, the legalization of marijuana and abortion subsidies for low-income women.

(Claritza Jimenez,Dani Player/The Washington Post)

Congress has broad authority to intervene in the Districts lawmaking and spending under the Constitution and the federal act that allows the city to govern itself.

We execute the laws that the council passes, and at this point, this is the law in the District of Columbia, said John Falcicchio, chief of staff to Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D). We dont stop just because theres a threat of congressional riders.

The D.C. Health Department on Monday launched a website where physicians can register to participate in the Death With Dignity program, and where doctors, pharmacists and patients can read up on the laws requirements and download related forms.

Patients must be older than 18 with less than six months to live to be eligible. They must make two requests at least 15 days apart for life-ending medications and ingest the drugs themselves. Two witnesses must attest that the patients are making the decision voluntarily.

The law requires the city government to track such requests. In general, it is expected to take at least three weeks for a patient to receive life-ending medications after beginning the process.

The assisted-suicide law has faced multiple opponents, including a contingent of House Republicans, since Bowser signed it late last year. Trumps budget proposal prohibits funding for the D.C. law, which was supposed to take effect beginning in late September.

The quick action by city officials to roll out the Death With Dignity program on Monday is aimed at preventing federal lawmakers from blocking such spending.

Mary Klein, 68 and left, with her wife, Stella Dawson, 62, at their home in Washington, D.C. Klein has advanced ovarian cancer and has advocated for a bill to legalize assisted suicide n Washington. (Photo by Francis Ying/Kaiser Health News)

In a letter to Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.), a critic of the assisted-suicide law, Bowser said that no federal funds were used to implement the law and that none will be needed.

Its unclear whether future expenditures, such as staff time to compile statistics and accept forms, could be subject to congressional prohibitions.

[Trumps budget would defund D.C. Death with Dignity law]

The right-to-die movement has gained momentum in recent years, with measures passed by lawmakers in California and voters in Colorado, and dozens of proposals introduced in other state houses, including in Maryland.

Advocates say patients facing impending death should have the right to die on their own terms and avert needless pain.

But social conservatives have assailed the practice as undermining the sanctity of life, while advocates for people with disabilities are raising concerns that patients could be pressured into ending their lives early.

Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.), a longtime antagonist of the District and a staunch opponent of assisted suicide, sponsored the amendment to quash the D.C. law, which he calls poorly written and misguided.

After fellow Republicans failed to pass a resolution that would have stopped the bill from becoming law, Harris introduced an amendment to a financial services appropriations bill that would repeal the law outright.

A spokeswoman for Harris suggested that the Bowser administrations efforts on Monday were moot.

The congressmans amendment repeals the law, so while D.C. could implement the Death With Dignity Act, it would be repealed once the appropriations process is complete and the bills are passed, said Jacque Clark, the spokeswoman.

Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) said she will try to strike all District-related measures when the budget bill goes to the House floor.

We will continue to fight those attempts to overturn or undermine our laws with Congresswoman Norton and other allies in Congress, Falcicchio said.
Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, the top Democrat on the Senate education committee, is calling for the ouster of the Education Departments civil rights chief, saying she is unfit for the job.

Candice Jackson, the acting head of the agencys Office for Civil Rights, triggered fierce criticism last week when she told the New York Times that 90 percent of campus sexual-assault complaints 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.

In days since, Jackson apologized publicly, disclosing that as a survivor of rape herself, she believes all sexual harassment and sexual assault must be taken seriously. She also apologized privately to assault survivors in a meeting to discuss the departments role in enforcing Title IX, a federal law that prohibits sex discrimination at federally funded schools.

[DeVos: Too many college students treated unfairly under Obama-era sexual-assault policy]

Murray said Monday that apologizing for such callous, insensitive and egregious comments is not enough. Jacksons words crossed a serious line and highlighted her clear biases in this area in a way that, to me and many women and men across the country, should disqualify her from service in the position of top Department of Education protector of students right to be safe at school, the senator said in a statement.

Candice Jackson, center, with Kellyanne Conway and Ben Carson before the second presidential debate on Oct. 9, 2016. (Evan Vucci/AP)

In a statement to The Washington Post, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said Jackson had apologized for her remarks, which did not represent her own point of view nor that of the department. Candice is a valuable part of the Administration and an unwavering advocate for the civil rights of all students, DeVos said.

If nominated for the permanent job at the helm of the Office for Civil Rights, Jackson would need Senate confirmation. Murrays position suggests she would face opposition.

Murray led Democrats unanimous opposition to DeVoss confirmation as education secretary and has been a relentless critic since then. She has repeatedly questioned DeVoss commitment to enforcing civil rights laws in the nations schools and colleges, pointing to the agencys decisions to rescind guidance protecting transgender students and narrow some civil rights investigations.

DeVos is also a strong supporter of voucher programs, many of which allow private schools to discriminate against voucher recipients who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender or have LGBT parents. In testimony before Congress, she has declined to say whether she would block such private schools from receiving federal funds.

[DeVos wont say whether shed withhold federal funds from private schools that discriminate]

Murray was among 34 senators who sent DeVos a letter in June outlining their concerns about her teams approach to civil rights enforcement. The senators also asked DeVos nine questions about the departments civil rights division, including lists of open cases involving two of the agencys most controversial issues  transgender students and sexual-assault allegations  and any memos discussing policy changes.

They asked for a response by July 11, and DeVos sent a letter that day defending her commitment to the agencys civil rights work as unwavering.

She did not answer the senators questions, but she did acknowledge changes in the agencys civil rights office under her watch. Under President Barack Obama, DeVos wrote, the office had sought to punish and embarrass institutions, collecting reams of data from schools and colleges in search of violations at the expense of resolving individuals complaints quickly and fairly.

The civil rights office is no longer automatically treating individual complaints as evidence of systemic problems, DeVos wrote.

The Department today is returning [the Office of Civil Rights] to its role as a neutral, impartial investigative agency, she wrote.

Murray responded three days later, reiterating the request for answers to the nine questions DeVos had ignored.
( The injured bald eagle found in the District July 1 recovered sufficiently to be set free to soar. After being discovered the eagle was first taken to City Wildlife, then to another rehab center in Delaware. (Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post) )

Good news about bald eagles is in the air. An eagle that was reported missing from its nest near the Districts police academy has returned.

And an eagle that was found in distress near the academy, and was once thought to be the missing eagle, has thrived in the interim. It has been released, hopefully to soar as one more free-flying embodiment of the spirit of America.

The tale, featuring not one, but two of the majestic and fierce-looking creatures that exert a firm grasp on the popular imagination, begins in Southeast Washington on July 1.

That afternoon, an eagle was found on the ground, unable to fly, near Eighth and Xenia streets SE  about a mile and a half from the police academy, where two eagles, Liberty and Justice, had long been under video watch and thus become local celebrities.

As it happens, the grounded eagle was found at the time that one of the two academy eagles was missing. Wildlife specialists made the logical deduction.

We thought it was one of the ones from that nest, said Dan Rauch, a wildlife biologist with the Districts Department of Energy and Environment. Specialists thought the animal was Justice, Rauch said.

Probably, the specialists thought, the ferocious rainstorm that raked the city that afternoon forced the bird down.

Whatever its identity, the eagle seemed to need help.

[Injured bald eagle found in Southeast Washington]

After examination at City Wildlife, the rescue and rehabilitation center in the District, the eagle, still thought to be Justice, was sent to a wildlife center in Delaware for further examination.

While it was there, an important event occurred. In the second week of July, the true Justice, the male of the police academy pair, returned without explanation to the nest, wildlife authorities said.

So the eagle being treated in Delaware was not Justice. It was, rather, one of the more than 16,000 other eagles thought to inhabit the United States.

At any rate, the mystery eagle was flying well in a flight cage at the Delaware center last week, said Paula Goldberg, the executive director of City Wildlife.

On Thursday, the Delaware center said the eagle, after demonstrating its readiness, was returned to the skies.

It was fitted with a leg band for identification. So far, no bird with that band has been spotted again, Rauch said. Nobody can say where the eagle was headed. But no news appears to be good news.
Researchers have identified hearing loss, verbal fluency and hospitalization as new factors that can provide clues about cognitive health and aid in early detection of Alzheimers and other dementias.

Spotting signs of cognitive decline is especially important, experts say, because drug treatments and prevention strategies are most effective at the earliest stages of dementia.

A study conducted by University of Wisconsin researchers found a link between hearing loss and mild cognitive impairment, which can be a precursor to Alzheimers disease. The study tracked a group of 783 people enrolled in the Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimers Prevention, a study group of people with a parental history of Alzheimers.

Over a four-year period, 9.2 percent of the cohort self-reported being diagnosed with hearing loss. Comparing their initial performance in cognitive and clinical assessments at the start of the study and their performance four years later, those who reported hearing loss were found to be more likely to score poorer on cognitive tests and roughly three times as likely to have mild cognitive impairment, as compared with those who reported normal hearing.

The study is unique in that it examined late middle-aged adults, whereas most studies usually examine older people, said Taylor Fields, a doctoral student in the Neuroscience Training Program at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.

The hope is that identifying and treating hearing loss is something that a clinician can do quickly and easily in a non-invasive and affordable way. Hearing loss also offers an accessible way to detect signs of cognitive decline early on, Fields added.

The study was among several whose results were discussed Monday at the annual Alzheimers Association International Comference in London.

Another University of Wisconsin study found a correlation between subtle changes in everyday speech and early mild cognitive impairment. Researchers analyzed two one-minute speech samples, taken two years apart, from 264 study participants, also drawn from the Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimers Prevention (WRAP). Based on cognitive testing over eight to 10 years, roughly a quarter of the participants were identified as having early mild cognitive impairment, and this subset of participants was found to have declined faster in verbal fluency in the two speech samples. The content of their speech was less specific, with a higher use of pronouns like she, it, and them. Their fluency was also more disrupted, with more hesitations, word repetitions, and filled pauses like um and uh.

In addition, the participants who were identified as having early mild cognitive impairment used less complex syntax and shorter sentences in their speech, and took longer to express the same amount of content as the cognitively healthy group.

This study is a way of quantifying everyday talking, said Kimberly Mueller, a research associate with the Wisconsin Alzheimers Institute at University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.

By asking participants to describe a simple picture, the study offers a better representation of the problems that people face when communicating as compared to clinical single-word tests, which is how language is typically assessed in this context, Mueller explained.

However, the declines detected in verbal fluency are extremely subtle and are essentially compensation behavior, said Mueller, so family members may not at this point notice changes in everyday speech. Nonetheless, speech analysis of this kind gives a functional measure of verbal skill and can potentially serve as a cheap and accessible tool for clinicians and researchers assessing cognitive function.

Emergency and urgent hospitalizations is another factor associated with accelerated cognitive decline in older people. Bryan James, an epidemiologist with the Rush Alzheimers Disease Center at Rush University Medical Center, found that non-elective hospitalizations  that is, hospitalizations in emergency or urgent situations  are associated with an approximately 60 percent acceleration in the rate of cognitive decline from before hospitalization. However, elective hospitalizations, such as for scheduled surgery, were not associated with a change in the rate of cognitive decline.

These findings have important implications for the medical decision making and care of older adults, James said in a statement. While recognizing that all medical procedures carry some degree of risk, this study implies that planned hospital encounters may not be as dangerous to the cognitive health of older persons as emergency or urgent situations.


Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett (D) ( Jeffrey MacMillan )

The idea was ambitious when Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett pitched it in 2008: transform 90 acres of county-owned industrial land at the Red Lines Shady Grove terminus into a transit-friendly urban village.

Leggetts Smart Growth Initiative would be a break-even proposition for taxpayers over time, he said, and might even make money as the county got an attractive new residential neighborhood and replaced outdated warehouses and garages with state-of-the-art facilities elsewhere.

But nearly a decade in, as Leggett (D) nears the end of his 12-year tenure, this signature project has not gone forward as expected. Only a fraction of the money anticipated from land sales to private developers has been paid so far. And the countys difficulty in finding a new site for a school system bus depot has slowed progress on a major portion of the planned Shady Grove community, including a new park and elementary school.

Critics on the Montgomery County Council say Leggett overpromised and underdelivered, adding to the countys $3.2 billion debt by borrowing against land sales proceeds that have yet to materialize.

This is just not a good news story, said Council President Roger Berliner (D-Potomac-Bethesda), one of three council incumbents running for county executive in the 2018 Democratic primary.

But Leggett says he devised a creative way to replace outdated buildings and pursue transit-

oriented development policies far more quickly, and effectively, than had been done in the past. Even his own staff was skeptical, he recalled in an interview.

I was the sole person who believed we could move all these pieces, he said. You can argue that a few dollars didnt come in at the precise time. . . . The county comes out far ahead in the long term.

In Leggetts calculus, proceeds from land sales to private developers, along with fresh tax revenue from the new construction, would eventually pay for relocating and rebuilding outdated facilities in Shady Grove and elsewhere. There would also be savings from exiting costly leases the county was paying to rent some of the old structures.

After nearly a decade, parts of that vision have been realized. Along Crabbs Branch Way, within walking distance of the Shady Grove Metro station, the first of a planned 400 new townhouses and 1,100 apartments  some subsidized, some market-rate  are sprouting up where a school system food distribution center, a liquor warehouse and maintenance garages for Ride On buses once stood.





Those facilities and others, including the police and fire training academy, have been successfully moved and rebuilt on other county land.

But those relocations got more expensive as the county expanded the scope of the projects and made state-of-the-art improvements.

Changes in menus and increased emphasis on fresh food, for example, added $9 million to the $35 million school center. Advances in training methods raised the police and fire academy price tag by $15 million, to $63.1 million. All told, the cost of the replacement buildings increased by $60.8 million.

At the same time, Leggett narrowed the countys expected revenue stream by changing Montgomerys original agreement with EYA, developer of the townhouses and apartments on the west side of Crabbs Branch. The county initially expected to collect $103.8 million from EYA in fiscal 2015, according to a 2012 fiscal summary drawn up by Leggetts office. But Leggett decided to allow EYA to pay incrementally as portions of the 45-acre site were built, in order to help them with their cash flow.

To date, the county has collected slightly more than $2 million from EYA, which has completed about a quarter of the Westside at Shady Grove project. On the other side of the ledger, the county has benefited from $19 million worth of roads and other infrastructure built by the company. It also credited the company with $4.5 million in exchange for building additional affordable and workforce housing.

Leggett has also strategically held certain parcels of county land back from the open market, believing that waiting will result in a better deal.

Five years ago, Montgomery struck an agreement with the developer Hines to convert the old public safety training academy on Great Seneca Highway in Gaithersburg into a life-sciences complex with companies and housing. Leggett placed the $70 million project on hold in hopes of luring a major cybersecurity center to the 50-acre site. That possibility is now less likely. The project has been placed back out for rebidding.

Most vexing for Leggett has been the difficulty in finding a new location for 400 county school buses kept in a 35-acre depot opposite the new townhouses on Crabbs Branch Way. The county agreed in 2012 to sell the land for $70 million to developers LCOR and NVR.



U.S. District Judge Roger W. Titus, left, laughs along with Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett and his wife, Catherine, as Leggett is sworn in for his third term in 2014. ( Katherine Frey /The Washington Post)

An initial plan to put some of the buses at the Carver Educational Services Center on Hungerford Drive drew sharp neighborhood opposition. Compounding the issue is overcrowding at all five MCPS bus depots. With no obvious available option, Leggett this spring ordered a study before he decides what to do about the Shady Grove depot. It is likely to delay development by 12 to 18 months more, at least, he said.

Council member George Leventhal (D-At Large) said it was not good planning to jump into the development venture without knowing where the depot would be moved.

I dont think its something we can foist on a community just to transform a Metro station, said Leventhal, also a candidate to succeed Leggett as county executive.

The Shady Grove initiative has generated an unexpected level of debt. Most big capital improvements, such as roads and schools, are financed through the sale of general obligation bonds, where principal and interest are usually paid off over 20 years. But the Leggett administration, interested in moving quickly and anticipating that land sales proceeds would soon be in hand, kept the smart-growth projects out of the capital budget, opting instead to use $200 million in short-term loans on which it paid only interest. Such interim financing is meant to be retired quickly, to avoid added expense for taxpayers. But the county is still carrying a balance of about $160 million.

These are hard decisions, said council member Marc Elrich (D-At Large), another county executive candidate. It was somewhat of a gamble, and it hasnt turned out entirely the way everybody thought it would turn out.

Looking for funds to pay off some of the debt, Montgomery officials announced last month that they may use the $22 million netted from settlement of the countys lawsuit against the designer and builders of the Silver Spring Transit Center.

The county could also sell more bonds to convert the debt from short-term to long-term. But that would crowd out other construction projects in the capital budget, which caps new bond debt at $340 million annually.

Stewart Schwartz, executive director of the Coalition for Smarter Growth, and the regions leading advocate for building most densely around mass transit, said despite the financial issues, the long-term benefits to the county remain significant.

Given the growth thats coming to the region, he said, the county needs to take as many opportunities like this as possible, so we dont choke on our traffic.
State Sen. Richard Madaleno (D-Montgomery), second from left, introduces his children, Katie and Jackson, along with his husband, Mark Hodge, after officially announcing his campaign for governor of Maryland. (Katherine Frey/The Washington Post)

Maryland state Sen. Richard S. Madaleno Jr. (D-Montgomery) formally launched his campaign for governor Monday, saying his progressive track record and nearly 15 years as a state lawmaker distinguish him from others in a growing field.

I am the only Democrat who can take on and beat Larry Hogan next November, said Madaleno, 52, who first announced his plans to challenge the popular Republican governor at a rally for more Metro funding in May.

Other Democrats who have said they will compete in the June 2018 primary include Prince Georges County Executive Rushern L. Baker III; former NAACP president Benjamin Jealous, who recently won endorsements from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Our Revolution, the progressive group Sanders formed after his 2016 run for the Democratic presidential nomination; entrepreneur Alec Ross; and attorney James Shea.

Three other Democrats  Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz, Rep. John Delaney and former state attorney general Doug Gansler  are also weighing bids.

Madaleno, who would be Marylands first openly gay governor, is one of two candidates trying to win over far-left voters and carry the progressive mantle in the 2018 gubernatorial race. Both he and Jealous, who would be the states first African American governor, have strong social-justice records and support a $15 minimum wage.

State Sen. Richard Madaleno (D-Montgomery). (Katherine Frey/The Washington Post)

As governor, Madaleno said, he would push for universal prekindergarten in Maryland and larger investments in higher education to make the dream of a college degree without debt a reality.

Like many of his fellow Democrats, he criticized Hogan for not speaking out more forcefully against Republican plans to overhaul the Affordable Care Act. He said he would be willing to use Maryland taxpayer money to ensure that the states Medicaid is not diminished if Congress repeals the federal health-care law, which provided funding to expand eligibility for the program in Maryland.

By running for governor, Madaleno must forfeit his chance to run for another term in the legislature, where he is vice chair of the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee. He described his gubernatorial campaign as an up-or-out situation.

Madaleno worked as a legislative aide in the General Assembly before winning election to the House of Delegates in 2002 and the Senate in 2006.

He helped lead the push to legalize same-sex marriage in Maryland and sponsored legislation this year that makes Maryland the first state to guarantee Planned Parenthood will not lose funding in the state if Congress cuts off federal money for the organization.

Madaleno was joined at the campaign kickoff by his parents, his husband and their two children, along with campaign and legislative staffers and Dels. Alfred C. Carr Jr. and Jeff Waldstriecher, both Montgomery County Democrats.

He told reporters that he believes Democrats should wait until later in the primary cycle, after seeing which candidate connects with and energizes voters the most, before making endorsements. And he shrugged off the endorsement of Jealous by Sanders as relatively inconsequential in Maryland, where voters backed Hillary Clinton by a wide margin.

I doubt I will get a lot of votes in Vermont, but then again, thats not a high priority in this campaign, he quipped.
Shaun Qureshis federal job was to examine suspicious currency and determine whether it was counterfeit.

The bills came in from banks, shops and other institutions that thought there might be something awry, and contacted law enforcement.

The government would take the fakes out of circulation. And Qureshi was supposed to return the real bucks to whomever had flagged them for inspection.

But for more than a year, Qureshi kept some of the authentic money for himself, court files show.

The Maryland resident who began working for the Secret Services Washington field office in 2009 as a counterfeit technician started small. Prosecutors said that nearly every day over 22 months, he pilfered between $20 and $200 from the bills he was reviewing on his job, accumulating at least $8,000 from January 2013 through October 2014.

He tripped himself up when he inadvertently included some counterfeit $100s during one of his cash deposits to his personal bank account, according to court records.

Qureshi, 34, pleaded guilty Friday in U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia to one felony charge of illegal conversion of property. He faces sentencing in October.

Glenn F. Ivey, his attorney and former states attorney for Prince Georges County, declined to comment on the case when reached Monday. Qureshi did not return calls to his home. He no longer works with the Secret Service, but the agency declined to say when he left.

Authorities said in court files that Qureshi wasnt caught early because businesses that turned over suspicious bills never expected to get them back if the money turned out to be real. And at the time, the Secret Service did not record the bills coming in, prosecutors said, leaving Qureshi with access to genuine [currency] that were not tracked or documented.

Qureshis sloppiness exposed him, according to court files. He was caught in October 2014, after making seven cash deposits over several days to County First Bank in LaPlata, Md., that consisted of 13 $100 bills and one $50 bill.

County First Bank determined that five of the $100 bills Qureshi had deposited were counterfeit, court documents show. Apparently, the court papers say, Qureshi failed to inspect the [currency] closer to determine their authenticity.

His plea agreement requests the judge impose a sentence of six months probation, including three months of home detention when he appears in court Oct. 29. He also agreed to pay restitution of $8,000. The maximum penalty is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
A 12-year-old boy was one of six youths arrested in five recent robberies in the District. (iStock)

A 12-year-old boy was arrested last week in connection with a robbery in Northwest Washington. He was the youngest of the six youths who police said in a recent report were arrested in the past 11 days in connection with five different robberies or attempts.

Of the other juveniles arrested, four were 15 and one was 17. It was not clear if any of the six youths was arrested in more than one of the robberies.

The 17-year-old and one of the 15-year-olds were both arrested July 7 in connection with a June 29 robbery, police said. The robbery occurred at 10 a.m. in the 4300 block of 13th St. NW. A third person was involved, police said. They said they are still investigating.

The suspects ages appeared in a listing of robbery arrests generally issued by police each week.

The most recent listing, which was issued Sunday, contained a higher than usual proportion of youths. The reason was not clear.

Of the arrests listed, two involved suspects who were older than 18. One of them was 19, and the second was 38, police said.

According to police the incident involving the 12-year-old boy occurred Thursday afternoon at 3:45 p.m. in the 900 block of First Street NW.

Four robbers approached the female victim, police said, and one grabbed her cellphone from her hand. Another robber threatened her and assaulted her physically, the police said.

Police said they are continuing to investigate.

The report did not specify the role allegedly played by the 12-year-old.

None of the robberies described in Sundays listing appeared to involve a weapon. Most were described as attempts or robberies characterized by violence or the use of force. In most, property was apparently snatched or grabbed on the street.

The majority of the robberies or attempts occurred during daylight hours, according to the report.
The four young men became friends during their freshmen year at McKinley Technology High School in Northeast Washington, bonding over skateboarding, Japanese animation, video games and smoking weed. They called themselves the Wolfpack.

They remained close after graduation, renting a house in the Northwest neighborhood of Shaw. In June 2014, a gruesome discovery was made  two of the roommates bodies were found hidden at the house.

This week a D.C. Superior Court jury is hearing testimony in an effort to untangle the case, one of the more unusual murder trials to unfold in the nations capital.

Prosecutors say one of the four friends, Jeffrey Neal, 24, killed one roommate because of tensions over money and then attacked the second man because he had witnessed the slaying.

But the defense argues that the three men were part of a love triangle. Neals lawyer told the jury that one roommate killed another in a jealous rage and then attacked Neal. Neal fought back in self-defense, his lawyer said.

Jeffrey Neal is on trial in D.C. Superior Court, charged with killing two roommates in 2014. (Courtesy of Attorney Kevin McCants)

One victim, Delano Wingfield, 23, was found buried in a shallow grave in the back yard. The body of the other, 22-year-old Leon Young, was underneath an air mattress in the tiny attic, a plastic bag over his head. Both men were nude. Both had been beaten in the head with a hammer, autopsies showed.

[Two bodies found at Shaw rowhouse are a continuing mystery]

Some crimes are particularly cruel and heinous. This is one of them, Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica Sanchez told the jury on the first day of the trial.

The house, in the 1800 block of Eighth Street NW, was owned by Neals grandmother, who had moved out but allowed Neal to stay. Neal served as the landlord, charging his friends between $275 and $500 a month in rent plus utilities, according to testimony.

Wingfield, Young and the fourth Wolfpack friend, Sy Hawa, moved in between 2011 and 2012. At first it was a place for the young men, their buddies and sometimes their girlfriends to chill and party.

The boys were close. All good friends, Bernadette White, Wingfields grandmother, testified.

Although few people knew, both the prosecution and defense said, Neal at some point began a sexual relationship with both Young and Wingfield.

Delano Wingfield, left, and Leon Young. (Courtesy of U.S. Attorney's office)

Its a relationship where these young guys, very young guys, were gay and, basically, lived together and frequently had sex, Kevin McCants, one of Neals court-appointed attorneys, told jurors.

Several friends and former roommates have taken the stand, offering consistent descriptions of the three men. Young was seen as quick-tempered and aggressive, while Wingfield was laid-back and quiet. The witnesses said Neal was at the center of the group and had dubbed himself King of Games because of his video-game skills. Some friends who knew about the sexual contact among the men said it appeared casual.

By 2013, prosecutors said, the friendships became strained as the roommates struggled to pay rent. Often the water, gas and electricity were turned off, and arguments over the upkeep of the house boiled over. Other tenants moved in and left over time.

Friends of Wingfield testified that he often had a hard time paying rent and his share of the utilities. He had held several jobs, including at restaurants, but lost them because he showed up late, according to testimony. He moved out of the house in late 2013, staying with family or in hotels, but still visited the house frequently to play video games or watch Netflix.

White, 69, testified that she last saw her grandson in late May 2014 and became worried when she repeatedly called his cellphone and got no response.

On June 1, after days had gone by and she still had not heard back, White drove to the painted white-bricked rowhouse after church services to see if any of the roommates had seen or heard from her grandson. Neal met White in the doorway. He told her that he had not seen Wingfield and had been looking for him himself.

I told him if I didnt hear from Delano, I was going to the police. I told him I am sure they will come here to talk to you because he lived here, White testified. She said Neal responded, Yes, maam.

Two days later, White filed a missing persons report with D.C. police on her grandson.

Days later, Neals uncles, who were doing repair work at the house, noticed a foul smell.

One of the men grabbed a ladder and used it to climb into the attic. There, he discovered Youngs body decomposing in the summer heat. The men called police.

Detectives used cadaver dogs to search the remaining parts of the house and found Wingfields body in the back yard.

Neal was arrested a day later. From the start, he claimed self-defense. He told detectives that it was Young who killed Wingfield and that Young later came after him.

Neal admitted to hitting Young once or twice with a hammer, although an autopsy later showed Young was struck nearly 20 times, prosecutors said.

Several former roommates testified that Young and Neal had been best friends but had a violent history. In 2013, the two got into an argument and Young went to his bedroom to retrieve a knife. Neal was able to wrestle the knife away from Young and then threw him on the floor, straddled him and began punching him in the face, Hawa, another roommate, testified.

Hawa, 25, told jurors that he watched as Young begged for help but did nothing because Young had slept with his girlfriend. Thats why I chose to do nothing, Hawa recalled. Hawa had moved out of the house by the time the killings happened.

Hawa also testified that Young had stopped paying rent to Neal and was saving to get his own place. He said tensions had grown between the two, and Neal was angry.

McCants, the defense attorney, told the jurors that Neal knew from the earlier fight that Young could be dangerous. He said Neal acted to protect himself.

This was a fight to the death, McCants said. Leon had attacked him before, and my client lost it.

With the trial entering its third week, the jury has heard from nearly 40 witnesses with hundreds of exhibits shown as evidence.

Neal is charged with two counts of first-degree murder while armed, along with other charges.

Prosecutors have worked to discredit the defenses theory, pointing out that drops of Wingfields blood were found on the ceiling of Neals bedroom and on a desk that had been freshly painted. Youngs blood was found spattered around his room, on the walls, closet and carpet, and on Neals shoes.
GOP gubernatorial candidate Ed Gillespie, left, had nearly twice as much cash on hand at the end of June as his Democratic rival, Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam. (Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post)

Ralph Northams decisive win in Virginias Democratic gubernatorial primary in June took a big toll on his war chest, leaving him with just $1.75 million on hand  about half as much as Republican candidate Ed Gillespies $3.2 million, according to campaign finance numbers released Monday.

Northam, the states lieutenant governor, raised nearly $2 million in June, bringing the total amassed for his bid to $9.4 million.

But his hard-fought primary that month against former congressman Tom Perriello consumed all but $1.75 million of the haul, according to campaign finance records.

Northam beat Perriello by nearly 12 points.

Gillespie, a former Republican National Committee chairman and adviser to President George W. Bush, raised $1.8 million in June, bringing his total over the campaign cycle to about $6.7 million.

Gillespie spent about $3.5 million through June 30, a period that includes the two weeks following the June 13 primary, while Northam spent $7.7 million.

Polls and political analysts suggested Gillespie would easily beat Prince William Board of County Supervisors Chairman Corey A. Stewart, who ran as a President Trump-style provocateur, and state Sen. Frank W. Wagner (Virginia Beach), whose promise to raise taxes for transportation never got traction.

But Stewart nearly upset Gillespie, finishing just 1.2 points behind him.

The close call has caused senior Republicans from the White House on down to question Gillespies campaign strategy and team.

But there was a silver lining to underestimating Stewart: Gillespie still had $3.2 million in the bank as of June 30.

Cliff Hyra, the Libertarian candidate for governor, raised $2,979 in June, bringing his total to just under $31,000. He had $3,492 in the bank at months end.

Perriello raised about $506,000 in the final month, including a $150,000 loan he made to his own campaign days before the primary. That brought the total raised for his effort to about $4.6 million. A State Department official under President Barack Obama, he had $26,000 in the bank at the end of June.

Stewart raised $81,000 in June, boosting the total raised for his bid to just over $1 million. He ended the month with $9,264 in the bank.

Wagner raised in $92,000 in the final month, for a total of $736,000. He ended June with just $338 on hand.

In the race for attorney general, incumbent Mark R. Herring (D) raised $526,000 between his campaign account and his One Commonwealth PAC. That brought the amount he has collected since assuming office in January 2014 to $3.3 million. Herring, who had no primary challenger, had $2.5 million in the bank at the end of June.

His Republican challenger, John Adams, raised $234,000 in June, bringing his total haul to $1.5 million. A prominent Richmond attorney and former federal prosecutor, Adams had no competition for the GOP nomination after one rival dropped out and another failed to make the ballot. He had $683,969 in the bank at the end of June.

In the race for lieutenant governor, Democrat Justin Fairfax raised about $188,000, for a total of about $1.3 million. After a three-way primary, he had about $71,000 available heading into July.

His GOP opponent, state Sen. Jill Holtzman Vogel (Fauquier), raised $147,000 in June, for a total of $1.8 million. She ended the month with $87,000 on hand.

In House races, some of the most high-profile Democratic candidates were also the best fundraisers.

Danica Roem, a former journalist who would be Virginias first openly transgender state lawmaker, raised nearly $86,000 in June, more than any other Democrat, in her bid to unseat Del. Robert G. Marshall (R-Prince William), one of the legislatures most vocal conservatives. That brings the total she has raised for her bid to about $152,000. Marshall raised just under $4,600, for a total of about $62,000.

Chris Hurst, a former Roanoke news anchor whose girlfriend was fatally shot during a live broadcast, raised nearly $60,000 in June, for a total of $231,000  the largest campaign war chest of any non-incumbent Democrat. Hurst is vying to unseat Del. Joseph R. Yost, a Republican who represents a Southwest Virginia district that includes Virginia Tech. Yost raised $44,000 in June, for a total of $167,000.

Del. M. Kirkland Cox (R-Colonial Heights), who is set to be speaker if Republicans retain their majority, and Del. S. Chris Jones (R-Suffolk), chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, were the top fundraisers for the month.

Jones raised $129,000 in June, for a total of $789,000. Cox raised $112,000 in June, on top of $265,000 raised between his Majority Leader and Colonial Leadership Trust political action committees since April.

Republicans currently enjoy a 66-34 majority in the House. Since losing the primary, Perriello has been leading Win Virginia, a new PAC that is trying to help Democrats win enough seats to become the majority parity. He announced Tuesday that in June, 22 of the 54 Democrats running for delegate had outraised their Republican opponents, 21 of whom are incumbents. Many of those Republicans still had more money in the bank, however.
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It began as yet another scorching Saturday in central Arizona as scores of families flocked to the cool waters of a popular swimming hole, seeking relief from the 100-degree temperatures in the cities. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight Among them was an extended family of 14 from Phoenix. They gathered at the Cold Springs swimming hole in the Tonto National Forest, near Payson, to celebrate Maria Rayas 26th birthday, their relatives told local media.

At about 3 p.m., it was barely drizzling as the Raya family and others waded in the water and hiked along the narrow canyon, its scenic waterfall and granite rock formations in the backdrop.

Suddenly the adults and children swimming in the canyon heard a roar. As they turned to look upstream, they saw a massive wall of dark muddy water rushing toward them, carrying tree trunks and logs the sizes of vehicles, Ron Sattelmaier, Water Wheel Fire and Medical District fire chief, told The Washington Post, citing interviews with witnesses.

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The flash floods six-foot tall, 40-foot wide torrents of murky water swept away Raya, her children and several other family members, spanning three generations, while other relatives grasped onto trees waiting to be rescued. By Sunday, nine people had been found dead. Authorities did not identify the dead, but relatives listed the names to local media.

Among these were Raya and her three children, ages 3, 5 and 7. Rayas husband, Hector Miguel Garnica, 27, was still missing.

Her sister, Maribel Raya, 24, also died, along with Maribels 2-year-old daughter Erika and 14-year-old brother Javier.

Celia Garcia, 60, the mother of Maria, Maribel and Javier, was also confirmed dead, along with her grandson, Jonathan Leon, 13.

Other loved ones drove in from out of town as they heard the news of the flood, caused by heavy thunderstorms and rain near the area, the Gila County Sheriffs Office said. Relatives convened at the canyon to scour the waters for missing relatives into the early hours the next morning. During this search, amid the debris, they found the body of one of the missing children, relatives told the Arizona Republic.

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Its so difficult to lose an entire family, Iris Garnica, a cousin of the missing man, told reporters on Sunday, her hand on her face.

All were from Phoenix, the Arizona Republic reported. Four other relatives  a husband, wife and their two children  were rescued by helicopter and treated for hypothermia at a hospital before being released.

Sattelmaier told The Post that while he could not confirm the causes of death, he believed the majority of fatalities were caused by blunt force trauma from the logs, tree trunks and debris carried in the waters.

Hector Miguel Garnicas sister Carla Garnica, 22, told The Post Sunday that the family was focused on finding her missing brothers body to bring him home to be together forever with his family. She asked for privacy as the family continued to search and mourn.

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Earlier Sunday, Carla Garnica told reporters he has to be found.

Hes always said, Im never leaving my children or my wife,' Carla Garnica said. He has to complete his promise.

Flash flooding is common in both the mountains and the desert of Arizona during the summer monsoon season, Sattelmaier told The Post.

The rains come so fast and so hard, he said, that the soil cannot absorb all the water in these stream beds that are normally dry most of the year.

The risk of flash floods becomes worse after wildfires and drought, Sattelmaier said. This specific region of central Arizona was hit by wildfires recently, meaning there was less vegetation in the area preventing flooding.

Flash floods, as their name suggests, are unexpected and unpredictable. Meanwhile, he has seen more and more people flocking to watering holes like Cold Springs to escape increasingly hot temperatures. He had seen the Cold Springs swimming area publicized heavily on social media and in nature magazines. The area, part of the Verde River system, is also known as Water Wheel swimming holes or Ellison Creek.

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They dont expect this wall of water to come rushing at them in a stream bed thats been dried for the last nine months, Sattelmaier said. But once a monsoon comes, a dried up canyon can turn into a raging torrent that can sweep anybody away.

The scene in Arizona after a flash flood kills 9 Share Share Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Reddit Share on LinkedIn MailSolid Email this link View Photos View Photos Next Image Muddy floodwaters of the East Verde River flow under a bridge where one victim of the flash flood was found during a search and rescue operation by the Gila County Sheriff's Office on Sunday, July 16, 2017, in Payson, Ariz. Search and rescue crews, including 40 people on foot and others in a helicopter, have recovered bodies of children and adults, some as far as two miles down the river after Saturday's flash flooding poured over a popular swimming area inside the Tonto National Forest in central Arizona. (AP Photo/Ralph Freso)

Over the course of more than four decades, he added, this is probably one of the worst situations that Ive been in.

Mandisa Alexander was also celebrating an early birthday on Saturday, her 21st, when she and her friends made the drive from Phoenix to the Cold Springs watering hole, she told The Post. Though it was a hot and sunny day when they left for the park, it began to hail when they reached the parking lot. They decided to wait it out a bit, a decision for which she is now grateful.

After a short while, the hail stopped and it was barely sprinkling rain outside. So the group of three friends decided to begin the 45-minute hike along the canyon to the watering hole. They were about a mile and a half from the main swimming area when they considered jumping into the water. It was nice and calm, she said.

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But moments later, a wall of waves just came rushing down. The torrential floodwaters raged through the canyon in the area in front of them and behind them.

If we were five minutes ahead or five minutes behind we wouldve been swept away, Alexander said.

I just kind of thought, Im going to die before Im going to turn 21, she added.

They climbed up onto a rock about 15 feet above the water and when they looked down, they saw a man holding on to a young girl, who looked to be about 2 years old, in a tree or bush. The toddler was shivering, but somehow, not crying as the father also remained calm. Both were covered in mud.

His wife was not far from him, also clinging onto a tree, authorities later said.

Alexander and other witnesses called out to the father, trying to offer help. He told them he had been with about 10 other people who had been swept away by the floodwaters.

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Alexander and others waded waist deep into the water, trying to carry a large log toward the family to help them to safety. But they worried the waters might pick up again, and were told that rescuers were on their way. As Alexander and her friends hiked out of the park, they saw the body of a woman downstream, washed up on the shoreline.

Family shared with @azcentral photo of missing Hector Garnica, 27 and his son Danny, 7, who was found dead w two sisters and mom in Payson pic.twitter.com/SWjBdMgwKu  Yihyun Jeong (@yihyun_jeong) July 17, 2017

Matt Owsley, principal at Black Mountain Elementary school in Cave Creek, posted on Facebook that Rayas son, Hector, was an incoming second grade student at his school and always one of the kindest little boys I have known. I miss his hugs already!

Speaking to The Post, Owsley said the school is a close-knit community where everyone knows everyone. The Raya parents worked in restaurants not far from the school and were well known by many in Cave Creek.

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Everyone at school knows Hector, the principal said. He makes friends with everyone and finds it hard to pass by without giving a big hug. His smile was infectious. Right now, everyone in our community is trying to make sense of all of this.

His little sister, age 5, was about to start at Black Mountain the following month.

Other comments on Facebook remembered Hector as a true ray of sunshine with a smile that lit up a room.

My sweet grandson, said one comment.

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Married couple John Van Seters and Leni-anne Shuchter, who have been flooded repeatedly over the years, plan to use a FEMA grant to raise their home in Pequannock, N.J., as much as 10 feet. (Bryan Anselm for The Washington Post)

Time after time, as the river has risen and the water has crept up Roosevelt Street, Leni-anne Shuchter has fled the white clapboard home she bought more than four decades ago.

There was the night in 1984 when rescuers plucked her from a neighbors roof as floodwaters engulfed her house. And the months in 2011 when she and her husband, John Van Seters, lived in a hotel after torrential rains from Hurricane Irene forced them to gut walls and floors and replace nearly everything they owned.

In between, other storms have forced her to file claim after claim with the troubled National Flood Insurance Program so she could rebuild. Yet the small home remains as vulnerable as ever, a reality reflected by its falling value in recent years.

If I had a choice, I would sell, said the 65-year-old Shuchter, who dreams of retiring to Arizona or Nevada. I dont need to deal with this anymore. [But] the reality of selling is nil.

The couples house is what the federal government defines as a severe repetitive loss property  one of many that have been covered over and over again by taxpayers, the cumulative payouts often far exceeding what the structures are worth. Nationwide, 11,000 such properties dot coastal zones or other low-lying areas, and their numbers continue to grow, in part because of the effects of climate change and ongoing development.

One house outside Baton Rouge, valued at $55,921, has flooded 40 times over the years, amassing $428,379 in claims. A $90,000 property near the Mississippi River north of St. Louis has flooded 34 times, racking up claims of more than $608,000. And an oft-flooded Houston home has received more than $1 million in payouts  nearly 15 times its assessed value of $72,400. The data is collected by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which oversees the insurance program.

The extreme cases are only a fraction of the NFIPs 5 million active policies, but they historically have accounted for about 30 percent of its claims. And while theyre a financial albatross for taxpayers, the claims are hardly the programs only challenge.

The NFIP, which must be reauthorized by the end of September, is nearly $25 billion in the red  a debt that administrator Roy Wright says he sees no way to pay back.

Only Congress can deal with that past loss, Wright said last week . What were focused on today is ensuring that going forward, were putting ourselves on a sound financial footing.



Leni-anne Shuchter looks at photos of the devastating flood damage her home suffered in 2011 because of Hurricane Irene. (Bryan Anselm for The Washington Post)

In Pequannock, N.J., storms have repeatedly caused the otherwise tranquil Pompton River to spill over its banks and inundate nearby homes. (Bryan Anselm for The Washington Post)

On Capitol Hill, lawmakers are scrambling to overhaul the half-century-old program. Allowing it to lapse Sept. 30 would risk disrupting the buying and selling of homes in flood-prone areas across the country.

The NFIP has long enjoyed bipartisan support, if for one simple reason. Where it rains, it can flood, so no one in the country is insulated, said Laura Lightbody, who directs an initiative at the Pew Charitable Trusts aimed at helping communities better prepare for flood risks. It touches all 50 states.

But not equally. Data shows that some of the worst flooding, and often the most frequent, has occurred along the Gulf Coast of Louisiana and Texas. Houses along the Mississippi River have repeatedly been deluged. And the Atlantic coast from Miami to Boston faces perpetual  and escalating  threats. Although there are certainly beachfront mansions affected, many homes belong to working-class Americans.

Critics have long maintained that although the NFIP was intended to encourage smarter development, its current design too often bails out people in flood-prone areas. In short, it incentivizes staying put, whatever the cost, rather than moving to higher ground. Plus it has had only limited success in discouraging development in questionable areas.

Figuring out how to tackle the programs problems remains complicated and politically fraught. Lawmakers must decide whether to raise rates  and by how much  on the roughly one in five homeowners who pay below-market premiums mandated by Congress. Making the homeowners pay rates that reflect their true flood risk could shore up the programs finances; it also could mean sharp premium hikes and a public backlash over affordability.

The same dilemma is part of the reason Congress retreated from its last major effort to fix things five years ago, when a sudden rise in rates caused an outcry in some communities.

No congressman ever got unelected by providing cheap flood insurance, said Rob Moore, a senior policy analyst at the Natural Resources Defense Council and an expert on the program.

Some on Capitol Hill are pushing for more private firms to enter the flood insurance market  an idea Wright, the administrator, said he supports  although critics worry that companies could cherry-pick the least troubled properties, leaving the government on the hook for the other addresses.

No matter who the underwriter is, Congress must deal with the thorny question of how best to fund the continued updating of detailed U.S. flood maps. Many are woefully outdated and do not reflect changed flood risks  not to mention future risks from factors such as rising seas. The Trump administration has actually proposed cutting $190 million annually from the mapping work.

[National study puts timeline on impact of sea-level rise in Maryland and Virginia]

Flooding remains the most common and most costly form of natural disaster in the United States, and insurance to protect against it has become increasingly necessary in certain places. A report this month from the Union of Concerned Scientists suggests an ominous future. Within the next two decades, it forecasts that nearly 170 U.S. coastal communities will face chronic inundation, defined as flooding at least 26 times a year. Thats almost twice as many at-risk locations as today.





Congress created the flood insurance program in 1968 because the costs of disaster assistance were escalating and private insurers had largely abandoned the market. The program not only requires people purchasing homes in floodplains to take out insurance as a condition of getting a mortgage, but it also provides grants to help mitigate vulnerable properties, either by elevating them or in some cases buying out homeowners and tearing their structures down.

But the latter isnt happening often enough, according to the NRDCs Moore.

Its helping people stay in places that we know are unwise to stay in, he said. The days of flood-rebuild-repeat need to come to an end. We need to do things differently to get out of that cycle.

The financial woes began when Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast in 2005, followed by hurricanes Rita and Wilma. The program paid eight times as many claims that year as in any previous year  and ended up borrowing $17.5 billion from the U.S. treasury.

Hurricane Sandy in 2012 resulted in 144,000 more claims and another $6.25 billion in debt, as well as allegations that thousands of homeowners were wrongfully denied payouts by companies administering flood insurance on FEMAs behalf.

Even in 2016, when there was no singularly catastrophic event, floods in Louisiana, Texas and other states resulted in the third-largest year of payouts in the programs history.

In a report this spring, the Government Accountability Office detailed the NFIPs fundamental dilemma, saying it has experienced significant challenges because FEMA is tasked with pursuing competing programmatic goals  keeping flood insurance affordable while keeping the program fiscally solvent.



A view of the Shuchter-Van Seter home, right, which had to be almost completely gutted after flooding in 2011. (Bryan Anselm for The Washington Post)

For all its troubles, lawmakers know that the program affects the lives of millions of Americans and that failing to reauthorize it this fall could cause major upheaval for homeowners and the real estate market.

Flood disasters today would be truly grim but for NFIP, said Nicholas Pinter, a geology professor at the University of California at Davis and an expert in flood risks. He added, It definitely has problems. . . . It needs improving. But its a hell of a lot better than it was when there was nothing.

A House committee last month passed legislation to overhaul and reauthorize the program. If adopted, it would compel communities with persistent flooding problems to develop plans to reduce them and would require more transparency about a propertys flood history.

The American taxpayer [has] been called upon in the past to bail out a program that is currently drowning, the committees chairman, Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Tex.), said this spring as lawmakers weighed varying proposals. And although homeowners need to be protected from sticker shock . . . the program must be made sustainable.

The Senate also is trying to strengthen the NFIP, with measures proposed to better fund flood mitigation projects, promote the use of high-resolution mapping technology and encourage private insurers to enter the market.

Back on Roosevelt Street in Pequannock, a stones throw from the Pompton River, Shuchter and her husband have all but relinquished their dream of retiring and moving, at least for now.

With help from local officials, the couple are in the process of securing a FEMA grant that would raise their 960-square-foot house eight to 10 feet off the ground. The project could begin late this year and cost an estimated $196,000  $10,000 more than their propertys assessed value.

The work will mean up to six more months living in a hotel. They will return to a home hovering high above its previous site, and stairs Shuchter worries will grow only more daunting as they age.

In the meantime, Shuchter keeps important papers  birth certificates, wills, past flood records  in a waterproof box in the bedroom. She has made digital copies of family pictures. She also has a list of what to quickly grab when the next evacuation call comes, everything from medications to laptops.

She also has bookmarked a National Weather Service website that monitors the flood gauge on the river. On nights when rain is pounding or a storm is swirling, she often stays up late, checking the site to make sure the water hasnt risen to perilous levels. But experience tells her its only a matter of time.

I do believe its when, she said. Not if.

Read more:

The aerial views of historic Central U.S. flooding are unreal

In Hoboken, a glimpse of cities future fights over rising seas

Scientists nearly double sea-level rise projections for 2100

What we can say about the Louisiana floods and climate change
SYRIA

Shells hit Russian Embassy in Damascus

Shells hit the Syrian capital of Damascus on Sunday, wounding seven. Two of the projectiles hit the Russian Embassy. State news agency SANA said one of the shells fell into the diplomatic compound and the other landed nearby, causing material damage.

The shelling came as government forces have been pounding rebel-held areas near Damascus for days.

Syrian rebels in the suburbs of the capital have previously targeted the Russian Embassy. Moscow is a strong supporter of President Bashar al-Assad and has been involved in Syrias civil war since September 2015.

The attack in Damascus came hours after a bomb exploded near a hospital in the rebel-held northwestern city of Idlib, wounding five people. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said five were wounded, including children.

 Associated Press

EGYPT

Police use tear gas to break up protest

Egyptian police on Sunday fired tear gas to disperse a rock-pelting crowd of residents on a Nile River island in Cairo, in clashes that left one person dead and 50 others injured, according to authorities.

The Health Ministry said a resident was killed and 19 others were wounded in the clashes on al-Waraq island on the northern fringes of the Egyptian capital. It did not say how the man was killed. An Interior Ministry statement said a total of 31  policemen and contractors who arrived with them on the island  were injured in the clashes. The injured policemen included two generals, it said. Ten residents were reportedly arrested.

The violence broke out when police attempted to evict residents staying or utilizing state land without permission, part of an ongoing, nationwide campaign launched by President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi to retake state property.

 Associated Press

Thousands protest in Poland against court reform proposal: Thousands rallied in Polands largest cities on Sunday against the ruling partys judicial reforms, which the opposition says would kill the judges independence and undermine democracy. Late Friday the countrys parliament, where the Law and Justice (Pis) party has a majority, passed a bill giving parliament a greater say in appointing judges, which critics say violates the constitutional separation of powers.

Congo park rangers die while rescuing American journalist: Five park rangers were killed in a joint operation with the army to rescue an American journalist and three park rangers, who went missing in a wildlife reserve in eastern Congo, a local official said on Sunday. Gunmen attacked the group late Friday in the Okapi Wildlife Reserve in Mombasa territory. Some others in the group, including two Dutch journalists, escaped. The U.S. State Department said it was aware of the reports, but did not identify the journalist who was rescued because of privacy concerns.

Pakistan says soldiers vehicle was hit by gunfire from India: Pakistans army says four of its soldiers have drowned in a river in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir after their vehicle was hit by Indian gunfire and plunged into the Neelum River. Pakistan and Indiahave fought two wars over control of the disputed region. A military statement says the vehicle was hit near Athmuqam by unprovoked gunfire from across the Line of Control, the effective frontier between the two countries.

Turkeys president cranks up rhetoric at coup memorial: Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan defiantly stepped up his attacks on the European Union, saying Turkey had to go its own way and vowing to bring back the death penalty. At the opening ceremony of a memorial dedicated to the roughly 250 people who died in last years failed coup, Erdogan accused Brussels of messing about with Turkeys decades-long bid to join the bloc. Ties with the West have been strained since European governments voiced alarm at the scale of the crackdown that followed the coup. Some 150,000 people have been fired or suspended from their jobs and more than 50,000 detained.

Wildfires force evacuations in Tuscany: Italian authorities evacuated two campgrounds in Tuscany as wildfires cause disruption across central and southern Italy. Wildfires have been ravaging swaths of southern Italy, where July rain levels are reportedly down 83 percent. About 6,180 acres of pasture have been destroyed in Sicily alone.

 From news services
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, right, and Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller at a bill signing ceremony following the state's legislative session at the Maryland State House in Annapolis on April 11. (Patrick Semansky/ASSOCIATED PRESS)

A SCUFFLE in Maryland over Republican Gov. Larry Hogans appointments to Cabinet-level positions, and the Democrat-dominated legislatures ability to block them, has escalated into a partisan brawl. The governor is convinced, with reason, that Democrats are intent on embarrassing him ahead of next years gubernatorial elections. As presidents have also done, Mr. Hogan has made recess appointments to skirt legislative obstruction, insisting on his prerogative to fill Cabinet vacancies.

In this particular fight, the lawmakers appear to hold a trump card  namely, their ability to block payment of the contested appointees salaries. That may seem underhanded; it also appears to be legal.

The tussle in Annapolis is the latest instance of Democrats seeking to thwart Mr. Hogan, a Republican whose popularity in a heavily blue state owes much to his personal appeal  including his courage when diagnosed with cancer  and his willingness to defy President Trump. Democrats, frustrated at their inability to dent Mr. Hogans armor, are spoiling for a fight.

That they picked this one is partly Mr. Hogans own fault, because the two appointments in question are unimpressively qualified.

One, Wendi Peters, the governors choice to lead the Department of Planning, worked for more than two decades in local government in the little town of Mount Airy (pop. 9,300), north of Rockville, where she served on the town council and planning commission, while working as a paralegal in Baltimore. Thats thin preparation to lead planning functions at the state level, where she manages a department of 130 employees and a $30 million budget, and it pales in comparison with the resume of her predecessor, David Craig, also nominated by Mr. Hogan, who had been Harford County executive, a state senator and delegate and four-term mayor of Havre de Grace.

The other appointee, Dennis R. Schrader, an engineer by training who leads the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, is more heavily credentialed and did hold a senior position at University of Maryland Medical System, but his background reflects more expertise in emergency preparedness and facilities management than health policy.

When both nominations ran into trouble in the state Senate, Mr. Hogan withdrew them, only to reappoint them after the legislature adjourned in April. The attorney generals office said the governor was probably entitled to make the recess appointments, even if doing so frustrates the evident design of the Maryland Constitution with its provisions for legislative consent. However, the office concluded, the legislature is on even more solid ground in imposing conditions on appropriated money  in this case blocking salaries for the two nominees starting last week.

Mr. Hogan, undeterred, insists he is standing by his appointments, but the state treasurer, Nancy Kopp, whose office disburses paychecks to state employees, has stopped paying them, citing the advice from Attorney General Brian Frosh, a Democrat. Both sides may have a principle to stand on, but in this case Democrats may have the last word.
AMID THE nationwide furor over the Senate draft health-care bill, a public-health victory has gone mostly unnoticed. According to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the estimated number of middle and high school students who are tobacco users dropped from 4.7 million in 2015 to 3.9 million in 2016. This was largely driven by a reduction in the number of teenagers using e-cigarettes, which are less harmful than regular cigarettes but still contain nicotine. The downturn is a success for advocates and officials who have worked to curb teen tobacco use  but it should not be heralded as the end of the road.

Teenage smoking has long been one of the most serious public-health issues. Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, and 9 in 10 American smokers had their first taste of tobacco before the age of 18. Although policies to curb teen smoking showed signs of success for a time, youth tobacco rates remained stagnant between 2011 and 2015. During this period, the use of e-cigarettes among high school students increased by a staggering 900 percent.

With these statistics in mind, the recent decline in teen tobacco and e-cigarette use is an encouraging signal that interventions may be working. It is difficult to determine causation, but experts have attributed the drop to a range of federal, state and local policies designed to dissuade young adults from using tobacco, such as increasing tobacco taxes and expanding antismoking ordinances to include e-cigarettes and other new products. States have run targeted media campaigns that work alongside federal efforts, such as the Food and Drug Administrations Real Cost campaign and the CDCs Tips from Former Smokers. The CDC report suggests that at least some of these strategies have been effective.

But the report also highlights challenges that lie ahead. Millions of teenagers across the country are still using tobacco in some form, and the introduction of new tobacco products could drive up rates. There are also significant disparities among states and communities: Rural, low-income, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth are particularly at risk due to targeted marketing and policy variation between different jurisdictions. This makes federal regulation by the FDA all the more important.

The FDA, however, has delayed the enforcement of new regulations on e-cigarettes and cigars. Delays are commonplace in new administrations, but it is important that the agency take up these stricter standards after the three-month postponement. It would be a pity if these long-awaited signs of progress were undercut because the FDA declined to do its job.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley speaks during a briefing at the White House on April 24. (Brendan Smialowski/Agence France-Presse via Getty Images)

While in Paris last week, President Trump praised the liberation of Mosul while blaming the Obama administration for allowing the Islamic State to run amok in Iraq in 2014. But Trumps administration is repeating mistakes of the past on counterterrorism, neglecting the long game and increasing the likelihood that the terrorists will be back.

Now we must work with the government of Iraq and our partners and allies in the region to consolidate the gains and to ensure that the victory stays a victory, unlike the last time, Trump said.

While he was making those remarks, a senior U.N. official was shaking a cup around Washington, explaining to lawmakers and administration officials that if urgent humanitarian relief funds were not forthcoming, hundreds of thousands of Iraqis who fled Mosul during the fighting would soon lack basic necessities.

Bruno Geddo, the Iraq representative for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), told me that the gains achieved militarily in Mosul, at great human and financial cost, could be squandered if the international community fumbles the next stage  stabilization and reconstruction.

The stakes are higher than just shelter, food and water, he said. We think Iraq is at a crucial stage. Its a turning point, and we want to make sure we do everything we can to make sure it turns to a better future.

More than 900,000 Iraqis fled the city, with more than 700,000 yet to return, but only 21 percent of UNHCRs Iraq budget for this year has been funded, Geddo said. Unless the organization gets $126 million in the next two months, it will be forced to scale back crucial humanitarian services. The United States covers about a quarter of UNHCRs Iraq program.

If humanitarian assistance is cut off, the largely Sunni population in northern Iraq could feel abandoned and turn back to the extremists, Geddo said. That, of course, is what happened about a decade ago. Hopefully this time around, a lesson will have been learned, he said.

The Trump administration doesnt seem to have learned that lesson. For example, the United States doesnt have a well-developed plan to help rebuild the cities in Iraq and Syria damaged during the fight, said former White House counterterrorism adviser Richard Clarke.

The best breeding ground for terrorists is a city without services, he said. The short-termism in our counterterrorism policy is baffling, because we will have to come back and do it all again.

Trumps budget shows a clear disdain for programs focused on preventing wars or keeping finished wars finished. The State Departments spending request would slash programs that build capacity in partner countries for fighting terrorism and cut funding for all manner of U.N. activities. After cutting $600 million from the U.N.s peacekeeping budget, U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley boasted, Were only getting started.

In Syria, the current strategy is to partner with Russia to establish deconfliction zones and temporary cease-fires that Trump often praises. But partnering with Russia in Syria without a better plan to help liberated areas prosper could lead to disaster. The Assad regime and its partners could expand their control of Sunni Arab regions, exacerbating grievances that led to the rise of extremism there in the first place.

The United States must do more to help local Sunni governance take hold, not hand over Sunni land to the regime, said Charles Lister of the Middle East Institute. We need to continue to invest in these communities.

The shortsighted nature of U.S. strategy is not limited to the Middle East; counterterrorism policies at home are similarly out of balance.

The Trump administration is focused on tightening immigration from several Muslim-majority countries and boosting spending on border defenses. But most recent terrorist attacks on U.S. soil were committed by people long inside the country.

Yet Trumps Department of Homeland Security budget would cut programs that help prevent or minimize the damage from domestic terrorist attacks, including funding for Federal Emergency Management Agency first responders and programs that engage Muslim communities inside the United States.

The administration is focused on borders but not paying enough attention to what we are doing inside our borders to defend the country from terrorism, said Rand Beers, former deputy homeland security secretary.

Terrorism isnt a root cause; its a symptom of wider problems faced by disenfranchised populations in the Middle East and at home. The Trump administrations penny-wise, pound-foolish approach addresses the symptoms while leaving the causes in place.

Read more from Josh Rogins archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook.
Regarding the July 12 front-page article Trump Jr. emails contradict denials:

Lets see. Is there evidence the Russians altered vote counts from voting machines? We have repeatedly been assured that did not happen. Are the Russians guilty of spreading derogatory or false information to try to influence American voters in ways that further Russian interests? Indeed. Is that a crime even if done through witting or witless U.S. entities? I dont think so, thanks to our wonderful First Amendment. Now, do we know anyone else who spread derogatory or false information to influence the U.S. electorate? Just about every special interest group, the candidates, their parties and  oh yes  the media.

Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.

Michael J. Mercer, Vienna
Over the past century, there has been a characteristic American cycle of response to far-reaching social reforms.

When the breakthroughs are first proposed, conservatives fight them with a devout passion, warning that the measures on offer would move the nation toward socialism and perdition. Then, over time, the disastrous consequences never materialize, the reforms prove their worth, and Americans come to see the once-new benefits as rights.

This was certainly the case with two of our nations greatest social programs.

In the debate over Franklin D. Roosevelts plan for Social Security, Rep. James Wadsworth said the system would make government so vast, so powerful as to threaten the integrity of our institutions and to pull the pillars of the temple down upon the heads of our descendants.

Rep. John Taber, like Wadsworth a conservative Republican from New York, was equally apocalyptic: Never in the history of the world has any measure been brought here so insidiously designed as to prevent business recovery, to enslave workers and to prevent any possibility of the employers providing work for the people.

(Bastien Inzaurralde/The Washington Post)

As it happened, the pillars of the temple remained firmly in place, and so today does Social Security.

The story is the same with Medicare. An eloquent conservative actor named Ronald Reagan warned in 1961 that if the plan passed, behind it will come other federal programs that will invade every area of freedom as we have known it in this country.

Reagan saw only darkness ahead if Americans did not rise up against this scheme. One of these days, you and I are going to spend our sunset years telling our children, and our childrens children, what it once was like in America when men were free.

The Gipper also offered this: Its very easy to disguise a medical program as a humanitarian project. Most people are a little reluctant to oppose anything that suggests medical care for people who possibly cant afford it.

As well they should be, and this is why the coming weeks will be among the most important in the history of American social policy. A handful of Republican senators will decide whether the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will remain part of the fabric of our nations life, the latest in a long series of steps toward a more humane society.

The Obamacare repeal bill unveiled last week by Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell after the failure of his first try is, if anything, worse than the original, primarily because its insurance reforms (really a rollback of the ACAs actual reforms protecting those with preexisting conditions and limiting premiums for older Americans) would render coverage unaffordable for millions of citizens who face the most severe health problems.

In the meantime, the bill keeps the worst aspect of the earlier GOP draft in place. Sen. Susan Collins, a Maine Republican, bravely and correctly identified the still deep cuts to Medicaid as the central reason this bill deserves to die. Because Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) also said he would vote no and the 48 members of the Democratic caucus are prepared to oppose McConnells bill, only one more Republican vote is needed to continue our nations painfully slow but necessary march toward guaranteeing every American health insurance.

Heres a suggestion to Dean Heller, Rob Portman, Shelley Moore Capito and Lisa Murkowski, Republican senators who should feel morally bound to vote no. Like Collins, they have spoken strongly against damaging cuts to Medicaid. If they announced their opposition together, they would lessen the political risk of standing alone and create a critical mass of GOP senators who could join Collins in her declared intention of working with Democrats to fix flaws in the ACA.

Thats the other thing about enduring social reforms: They have lasted not only because they demonstrated their value, but also because Congress improved them over the years. Social Security, for example, is better because of changes made in the 1950s and 1970s.

To oppose this wretched Senate repeal bill thus does not mean declaring that the ACA is perfect. (Exempt the Ten Commandments if you will, but no legislation is perfect.) It means accepting that Obamacare moved the nation in the right direction  and, by the way, used some conservative ideas to do it.

We can be grateful that earlier generations ignored those who regularly equated social advances with oppression. As Reagan might say, our children and our childrens children will ask whether we shared the courage of our forebears.

Read more from E.J. Dionnes archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook.
TRUMPONOMICS IS monumentally unwise, to the extent anyone can make sense of it. Contrary to the Trump administrations grandiose assurances, the independent analysts at the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) said Thursday that there is no proposal in President Trumps budget that would supercharge economic growth  the president promised 3 percent per year  and balance the budget within a decade. Instead, they found a lot of question marks and missing details.

Without the miraculous economic growth Mr. Trump promised, the CBO found that the presidents plan would cut federal revenue by nearly $ trillion over a decade. Deep spending cuts would offset this decline, but nowhere near enough to balance the budget. The cumulative deficit would drop by about a third between now and 2027 and slow the rise in the national debt, but hefty deficits would nevertheless remain. And thats assuming Congress would enact the spending cuts along with the tax reductions, which it wouldnt.

What fiscal discipline Mr. Trumps plan contains would be achieved by cutting the wrong things, hobbling basic government functions, while leaving the major drivers of the countrys fiscal problems mostly untouched. The president would suck money out of health programs such as the Affordable Care Act (ACA). He would also squeeze discretionary spending  that is, what most people think the government does, from running the national parks to conducting medical research to maintaining foreign embassies  to a place unprecedented in modern times, dropping it from 6.3 percent of gross domestic product to 4.1 percent in a decade. It has not fallen below 6 percent in more than 50 years.

The president is counting on an ambitious rejiggering of the tax code to stimulate economic growth. Critics, we among them, point out that his tax plan appears to be based on the fantasy that the tax cuts will pay for themselves. For its part, the CBO found that the presidents tax plan was so vague, it was unreasonable even to try to assess its specific effects on economic growth and the nations fiscal balance.

But wouldnt the economy get a boost from a promised infusion of infrastructure spending? Not really. The $200 billion Mr. Trump has proposed would be largely offset by cuts in various types of infrastructure spending elsewhere in the budget.

The CBO will release this week another, much-anticipated assessment  of the latest Senate health-care bill. In a Post op-ed, the White House pre-butted the offices findings by continuing its assault on the experts, arguing that they were off in past projections and that their new estimates will be little more than fake news.

In fact, the CBOs record on the ACA is not perfect but quite good. Its critics certainly can point to no alternative analysis that is more credible. The CBO produces rigorous projections using consistent methods and advanced economic modeling. Unlike executive agencies populated by Trump administration loyalists, the CBO is largely insulated from political pressure. No projection will be perfect. But no official organization deserves more trust to get it right.
Donald Trump Jr. talks with his father, Donald Trump during the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland. (Jim Young/Reuters)

A senior member of President Trumps personal legal team said Sunday that there was nothing improper in the meeting that Donald Trump Jr., the presidents oldest son, took with a Russian lawyer promising dirt on Hillary Clinton.

Well, I wonder why the Secret Service, if this was nefarious, why the Secret Service allowed these people in, Jay Sekulow, a lawyer for the president, said on ABCs This Week With George Stephanopoulos. The president had Secret Service protection at that point, and that raised a question with me.

Its highly unlikely that the Secret Service, which is charged with protecting the president, his aides and his family from physical harm, would have any influence over who the president or his children chose to meet during a presidential campaign.

A Secret Service spokeswoman cast doubt on Sekulows claims.

Donald Trump Jr. was not under Secret Service protection in June 2016, said Cathy Milhoan, the director of communications for the protective agency.

Donald Trump Jr. gives a thumbs up to Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) after Sessionss speech at the Republican National Convention on July 19, 2016. (Brian Snyder/Reuters)

The president, meanwhile, took to Twitter, where he once again portrayed the Russia investigations as a media fabrication and turned his fire on his old Democratic rival.

Hillary Clinton can illegally get the questions to the Debate & delete 33,000 emails but my son Don is being scorned by the Fake News Media? Trump tweeted Sunday morning.

The presidents tweets, however, did not address his sons missteps and obfuscations regarding the Russia meeting, which have only served to feed suspicions.

Initially, Trump Jr. said the meeting focused on Russias moves to halt adoptions by American families, but he changed his story after new details emerged. Emails released last week show that Trump Jr. believed he was meeting with Natalia Veselnitskaya, a Russian lawyer with possible ties to the Kremlin, who would provide damaging information about Clinton as part of a Russian broader effort to assist his fathers presidential campaign. He was joined at the meeting by Jared Kushner, Trumps son-in-law; Paul Manafort, then a top campaign aide; and Rinat Akhmetshin, a lobbyist and possible intelligence agent in the former Soviet Union.

Trump Jr. has said that nothing came of the discussion.

Sekulow reiterated that he has seen no indication that the president is under investigation by either special counsel Robert S. Mueller III or by the House or Senate intelligence committees. Sekulow is part of a legal team headed by New York attorney Marc E. Kasowitz, and the White House said last week that Trump was adding veteran Washington lawyer Ty Cobb to handle the White House response to Russia-related investigations.

We have had no notification, Sekulow said on CBSs Face the Nation. Nothing has changed since James Comey said three times that he wasnt under investigation.

Donald Trump Jr. gives a television interview at GOP convention on July 19, 2016. (Mark Kauzlarich/Reuters)

Sekulow put the responsibility for the initial incomplete response regarding last summers meeting squarely on the shoulders of the presidents son.

The president was not involved in the drafting of the statement and did not issue the statement. It came from Donald Trump Jr., Sekulow said of the initial statement to the New York Times.

Sekulow also said that there was nothing illegal in the meeting with Veselnitskaya and Akhmetshin.

Here is the reality: The meeting in and of itself, of course, as Ive said before, is not a violation of the law, Sekulow said on This Week. He added that the president was not aware of the meeting and did not participate in it.

The lawyers response was relatively muted compared with that of the president, who said that the medias obsession with the Russia story was interfering with his ability to govern.

With all of its phony unnamed sources & highly slanted & even fraudulent reporting, #Fake News is DISTORTING DEMOCRACY in our country! Trump tweeted Sunday morning.
On Monday morning, protesters gathered one more time in the atrium of the Hart Senate Office Building. One more time, they marched to the offices of Senate Republicans, protesting the partys health-care bill until police snapped plastic handcuffs on them. And one more time, another group of protesters gathered outside the Capitol, rallying to save the Affordable Care Act before half a dozen cameras.

The Senate GOPs push for the Better Care Reconciliation Act was on hold this week, with Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) unable to travel back to work after surgery. But the many progressive groups seeking to stop the bill are plowing ahead, canceling none of the sit-ins or rallies they organized when the BCRA was scheduled for a quick vote. They had watched the House fumble its repeal bill, then celebrated, only to watch the House pass a new version and send it to the Senate. The lesson: Never stop protesting.

The lessons of the House vote are seared into activists minds, said Ben Wikler, the Washington director for MoveOn.org. If you take your eye off the ball for one minute, the moderates will cave, and the Republicans will slam a hard-right bill through before the public has a chance to mobilize. The only response is constant mobilization until they give up.

Mondays protests, which led to the arrests of 33 people, were relatively small but part of a large, multilevel campaign. The protests inside Senate offices were organized by UltraViolet, the Working Families Party and Our Revolution, a group started by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.); a Peoples Filibuster facing the Capitol from across Constitution Avenue was put on by MoveOn, Planned Parenthood, and the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees.

Its the people against [Senate Majority Leader] Mitch McConnell and big money! Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) said to about 100 protesters, some of them seeking shade in the punishing heat. We won round one, where everybody counted us out. They know that we are organized, and we are going to organize every single day.

The alliance between elected Democrats and protest groups, fragile just a few months ago, has strengthened even as protests have become more disruptive. In Georgias special House election, Republican groups spent millions of dollars linking the Democratic candidate to the resistance, with images of Womens March protesters seeping into footage of anarchists smashing windows.

No windows were broken in Mondays protests, but according to Capitol Police, the 33 protesters were arrested at six locations and charged with crowding, obstructing or incommoding. One man was charged with resisting arrest, according to Eva Malecki, a police spokeswoman.

USCP officers warned the demonstrators to cease and desist with their unlawful demonstration activities, Malecki said in an emailed statement. Those who refused to cease and desist were placed under arrest.

Protesters went in expecting that response. Several had been arrested before, in state and District sit-ins designed to put the spotlight on Republicans who had not yet decided whether to support the BCRA. They started with a sit-in and singalong in Hart; Madea Benjamin, the Code Pink founder who has been arrested at many antiwar demonstrations, arrived in a borrowed doctors coat. Members of the news media had arrived, too; with no progress on the proposed legislation, protesters were filling a gap in the news cycle.

Were ready to fight. Health care is a human right, protesters chanted as people watched the spectacle from balconies above the atrium.

Five people were arrested there after an officer asked them to leave and a few of them sat down and refused. The rest were stopped in the offices of key senators, chanting kill the bill and they try to stop us, but we keep coming back.

Megan Anderson, a 39-year-old Ohio resident who has a form of muscular dystrophy and uses a wheelchair, was arrested Monday after she would not leave Sen. Rob Portmans office.

I do not want to live in a nursing home, Anderson said. This is a death sentence.

She and a handful of other protesters sat in the Ohio Republicans office chanting, telling their stories and talking to legislative aides who said they would pass their messages to the senator.

When the people rise up, the powers come down, chanted Anderson and the other protesters. Senator Portman, grow a spine; your job is on the line.

Similar scenes played out in the offices of many other senators, including Patrick J. Toomey (R-Pa.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and McConnell. More are expected to play out as the week goes on, regardless of whether the bill remained stalled.

Were not only fighting this health-care bill; were pushing for Medicare for all, said Erika Andiola, an organizer with Our Revolution. Its a life-and-death situation. Its a little bit ironic that this bill is delayed because a senator is being taken care of. Millions of other Americans want that care.

No one was arrested at the Peoples Filibuster, which alternated between speeches from Democratic senators and personal stories of people who had gotten health insurance through Obamacare. Democrats encouraged them to keep it up  and they would, with another protest planned for Tuesday.

Look, Ive been a mayor  Ive been protested in every imaginable way, Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) said in an interview after his Filibuster speech. People should obey the law, they should never get violent, but its going to get disruptive and difficult, as we saw with the tea party eight years ago. We ran for elected office  we signed up for this.

Read more at PowerPost
Xiyue Wangs conviction comes at a particularly tense time for U.S.-Iranian relations. ((Friend of Xiyue Wang via AP))

An American scholar jailed in Iran for espionage is linguistically gifted and had unbounded intellectual curiosity in the pursuit of his doctorate at Princeton University, his adviser said Monday, adding to a still-emerging portrait of the graduate student whose 10-year sentence was announced by Iranian authorities the previous day.

Xiyue Wang, 37, was detained last August while researching the Qajar dynasty for his dissertation, Princeton University said Sunday. His arrest, however, was not made public until this past weekend, when the verdict was announced.

Wang, who is married and has a son, was accused of using his status as a researcher to send Iranian documents to the U.S. government and Western universities, according to a report from the official news agency of Irans judiciary. His trial was apparently conducted in secret. The verdict can still be appealed, a spokesman for the judiciary said.

He is innocent of all the charges. In Tehran, Wang collected documents that were 100 years old, said Stephen Kotkin, Wangs adviser.

He went on to say that Wang was interested in predominantly Muslim areas across Eurasia, particularly during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Qajar dynasty ruled the late Persian Empire from 1785 to 1925.

Hes deeply interested in that region, Kotkin said, adding that Wang, who was born in Beijing, speaks Chinese, Persian, Russian and Pashto. He arrived at Princeton in the fall of 2013 to begin his doctoral studies in history, according to Daniel Day, a spokesman for the university.

Wang, whose travel was financed by Princeton and other academic fellowships, is the latest foreign national to be arrested by Iranian security services and convicted in closed-door proceedings, often on vague charges and without access to a lawyer, human rights groups say.

Irans judiciary, which answers to the countrys supreme leader, is a stronghold of Iranian conservatives opposed to the countrys rapprochement with the West. Under the current system, prosecutors regularly lack evidence and punishments are harsh, including against political dissidents and those accused of national security offenses.

A number of foreigners, including U.S. citizens and dual nationals, are still believed to be in Iranian jails, and they have been used as bargaining chips in domestic power struggles and negotiations with world powers.

In Iran, once an issue is politicized at this level, then its not going to be just the legal system that is the ultimate arbiter of what happens to the case, said Alex Vatanka, senior research fellow at the Middle East Institute in Washington.

Analysts have pointed to what they say is an ongoing rivalry between Irans conservative judiciary and the moderate president, Hassan Rouhani, who was reelected by a landslide in May on promises of social and political reform. The arrest and conviction of an American embarrasses Rouhani, who has courted Western countries to invest in Iran.

Wangs arrest sends a message to Iranian dual nationals abroad and to Iranian civil society at home that hard-liners are in full control of the ship of the state, and they can arrest anyone they wish, regardless of their dual nationality or affiliation with a U.S. Ivy League school, said Nader Hashemi, director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Denver.

It also undermines Rouhanis plan for global integration and warmer relations with the West, he said.

Irans judiciary accused Wang of attempting to create a digital catalogue of documents from the national archives and other libraries. Wang, it alleged, managed to digitize some 4,500 documents, according to the Mizan news agency, which is linked to the judiciary. Those documents would serve as resources for English and American centers of subversion, including the State Department, Harvard and Princeton universities, and the British Institute for Persian Studies, the report said.

Mizan also published a quote from Wang that was featured in the British Institutes 2015-2016 annual report, in which he praised the institution for facilitating his access to academic centers in Iran.

Wang admits his mission, the Mizan report said, adding that the quote had been used as evidence in the case against him.

But Kotkin said that Wang had planned to travel to Russia to continue his research as part of a fellowship he had won.

So he undertook the normal practice of any PhD student, Kotkin said. To photocopy or scan documents he didnt have time to read in country. Then hed get to it later.

According to Suzanne Maloney, a senior fellow and expert on Iran at the Brookings Institution, the arrest of foreign and dual nationals is kind of a consistent tactic that Iran has used.

This is just a system that views individual foreigners who come to the country, particularly people with some language capabilities, as inherently suspect, she said. When it comes to the security services, they view these kind of engagements with an incredible degree of paranoia.

Carol Morello, Susan Svrluga and Mary Hui in Washington contributed to this report.

Read more:

U.S. and Europe are on a collision course over Iran

Trumps pressure on Iran may be stoking sectarian tensions in Mideast

Washington Post reporter to write memoir about his 18 months in an Iranian prison

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news
A group of prominent foreign policy experts on Monday called on Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to keep the office responsible for managing refugee inflows a part of the State Department instead of moving it to the Department of Homeland Security.

Last month, a leaked memo showed the administration contemplating a relocation of the Bureau of Population Refugees and Migration. Such a change, says a letter signed by 58 former diplomats and national security advisers, would adversely shift the bureaus focus from humanitarian and policy concerns to solely security issues.

We are convinced that the elimination of PRMs assistance functions would have profound and negative implications for the Secretary of States capacity to influence policy issues of key concern to the United States, the letter states. It would also be ironic, as this is one of the bureaus at State that has enjoyed strong bipartisan support over many years.

[Read the letter to Tillerson from 58 foreign policy experts]

The signatories include former officials who served in Republican and Democratic administrations, as well executives from numerous religious and humanitarian organizations that work with newly arrived refugees.

Among them are William J. Burns, a former ambassador to Russia and deputy secretary of state in the Obama administration; Dennis Ross, a former director of policy planning for the State Department under President George H.W. Bush; and Daniel Kurtzer, the former ambassador to Egypt under President Bill Clinton and to Israel under President George W. Bush.

Currently, refugee admissions span multiple agencies, but the State Department takes the lead.

The leaked memo said moving management responsibilities for refugees to DHS would enable processing efficiencies and is consistent with President Trumps emphasis on border security and adequate vetting of people who enter the country.

[Read the memo suggesting the move of PRM from State to DHS]

It is not clear if the proposal is under serious consideration, or whether Congress would go along with it.

Trump dropped the number of refugees permitted into the United States this fiscal year from 110,000 to 50,000, a cap that was reached last week. Potential refugees are vetted by DHS, a process that can take a year and a half or more.

After a Supreme Court ruling last month on the presidents travel ban, the State Department established new rules for visa applicants and refugees from six predominantly Muslim countries, including a requirement that all refugees have a close family relationship in the United States. Trump has not yet set a new cap on refugees for next year.

Eric Schwartz, the president of Refugees International who helped organize the letter sent to Tillerson, said DHS plays an important role in security screening. But he said it does not focus on foreign policy considerations, such as support for host countries where refugees are awaiting admissions and encouraging other nations to take in more displaced people.

You could transfer folks from the Department of Agriculture or the Department of Defense to DHS for the requisite expertise, Schwartz said. But the problem is the mandates of those departments are very different.
Senior U.S. and Russian diplomats met Monday at the State Department to discuss irritants between the two countries, as the Kremlin stepped up its demand that the White House return two diplomatic compounds seized last year as punishment for Moscow's interference in the 2016 election.

The mansions, one on Maryland's Eastern Shore and the other outside New York City, were high on the agenda of Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov when he spent more than three hours in talks with under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Thomas Shannon in Washington.

In advance of Ryabkovs arrival at Foggy Bottom along with Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, angry Russian officials issued a litany of complaints about the property seizure in December and the continuing ban on Russian diplomats being allowed to visit the country houses they used as weekend retreats.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the seizure absolutely in breach of international law, and said it was unacceptable for the U.S. to set any preconditions for returning the mansions. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov characterized the move as robbery in broad daylight, and opined that Decent and well brought-up people do not behave in such a way.

How can you seize property which is protected by a bilateral, intergovernmental, ratified document and, to return it, act according to the principle What is mine is mine, and what is yours well share? he added.

(Elyse Samuels/The Washington Post)

As Ryabkov left the State Department at 5:45 p.m., a reporter shouted out asking whether the issue of the two dachas, as the Russians call them, had been resolved.

Almost, almost, Ryabkov replied before getting into his waiting limousine.

On Tuesday, the State Department said the talks were tough, forthright, and deliberate, reflecting both parties commitment to a resolution.

The United States and Russia seek a long-term solution that would address areas of bilateral concern that have strained the relationship, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement. The talks reflected a spirit of goodwill, but it is clear that more work needs to be done.

The issue of the seized Russian buildings has been a source of growing friction in recent months, as the Trump administration has sought to improve relations with Russia even while it juggles investigations into Russian attempts to meddle in the presidential election.

Shannon and Ryabkov were scheduled to meet last month in St. Petersburg, but Moscow abruptly canceled after 38 individuals and groups were added to a list of sanctions related to Russian activity in eastern Ukraine. U.S.- Russia relations are now at a post-Cold War low and the Trump administration thinks it is dangerous if they remain so toxic. The talks between senior diplomats are designed to build trust and set the stage for cooperation on bigger issues like the war in Syria.

Washington has its own list of complaints. It wants Moscow to stop harassing U.S. diplomats and to lift a ban on Americans adopting Russian children.

A Russian diplomatic compound, seized by the United States in December 2016 in connection with suspected Russian hacking activities, in Upper Brookville, New York. (Andrew Gombert/EPA)

But the dispute over the compounds risks derailing larger goals. On his visit to Belarus, Lavrov said anti-Russian feeling in the United States could interfere with Moscow and Washington cooperating on other issues.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has suggested the United States is amenable to returning the properties, which were discussed by President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin at their first in-person encounter at the Group of 20 summit in Hamburg this month. Russia has threatened retaliation if it doesn't get its dachas back. Kremlin officials have suggested they could seize property owned by the U.S. embassy in Moscow or deport dozens of American diplomats in payback for the U.S. expulsion of 35 Russian intelligence operatives when it took over the Maryland and New York mansions.

It is best to immediately return our property, otherwise Russia has the right to a tit-for-tat response in relation to American property in Russia, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said last month. I want to confirm that the retaliatory measures are in the works.

Read more:

Trump administration moves to return Russian compounds in Maryland and New York

The luxurious, 45-acre compound in Maryland being shut down for alleged Russian espionage

How Trump is changing Americas foreign policy
Opponents of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Monday pledged to defy the government with escalating protest tactics, a day after showing their strength in an unofficial referendum that they said drew more than 7 million votes condemning his rule.

Leaders of the Democratic Unity coalition say they will bring the country to a halt with a 24-hour general strike Thursday, urging workers to stay home and businesses to shut their doors to protest Maduros controversial plan to overhaul Venezuelas constitution.

They also invited Venezuelans who remain loyal to Hugo Chavez but dislike Maduro, his hand-picked successor, to join them in a unified front to stop the government from moving forward with a July 30 vote to elect delegates for a constituent assembly empowered to rewrite the 1999 constitution. Critics see the maneuver as a naked power grab that would amount to a death sentence for democratic rule.

This is the zero hour, opposition lawmaker Freddy Guevara said Monday, characterizing upcoming protest measures as a last-ditch effort to save the country from full-blown dictatorship.

The U.S. government intensified the pressure on the Maduro government on Monday, with President Trump vowing in a statement to take strong and swift economic actions if the July 30 vote takes place. He called Maduro a bad leader who dreams of becoming a dictator and praised Sundays referendum.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. (Miraflores Palace/Handout/EPA)

Maduro opponents likened the Sunday vote to an act of mass protest. Of the nearly 7.6 million Venezuelans said to have participated in the balloting  organized by opposition leaders, not election authorities  more than 98 percent voted to reject the governments plan to draw up a new constitution, opposition leaders said. The vote also urged Venezuelas armed forces to uphold the existing constitution and support early elections.

Buoyed by those results, Guevara said, opposition lawmakers this week will also name new supreme court justices in a repudiation of the current court, which Maduro has stacked with loyalists. The move seems likely to deepen the standoff between Maduro and the opposition-

controlled parliament, with the two sides on a path to developing competing legal systems.

[Stripped of their powers, Venezuelan lawmakers accuse Maduro of a coup]

On Monday, Socialist Party officials who back Maduro dismissed the 7.6 million vote tally as wildly inflated, claiming that opposition supporters voted multiple times and that the organizers of the referendum did not bother to actually count the ballots. They did not offer any proof to substantiate their claims.

But Felix Seijas Rodriguez, director of the independent Delphos polling agency, said he was amazed by the results of the referendum, given that it was organized in only three weeks and faced significant challenges. The Maduro government blasted the exercise as illegitimate and hurled threats at organizers while attempting to enforce a news blackout.

Anti-Maduro voters also faced the threat of violence. In one Caracas neighborhood, gunmen opened fire outside a polling station, killing one and injuring four.

On July 30, the Maduro government will ask Venezuelans to elect representatives for the constituent assembly. Government opponents see Maduros effort to rewrite the constitution as potentially a fatal blow to what remains of Venezuelan democracy, particularly if the assembly allows the unpopular Maduro to remain in office beyond 2019, when his term is set to expire.

[Things are so bad in Venezuela that people are rationing toothpaste]

At least 92 people have been killed in more than three months of unrest and near-daily clashes between security forces and protesters. Opposition leaders said Monday that Venezuelas democracy had reached a tipping point, requiring an intensification of street demonstrations and defections from within the government.

We interpret [the results] as a message from the people telling us to keep doing what we have been doing, plus much more, said Juan Andres Mejia, an opposition legislator who organized the referendum. We will respond to that call accordingly.

Some opposition supporters said they were disappointed that the referendum fell short of the 11 million votes they were hoping for. The final reported tally of 7.6 million votes was also lower than the 7.7 million who voted for the opposition in 2015 parliamentary elections.

But analysts pointed out that the referendum was only symbolic, lacking the logistical support and infrastructure of an official election. Only about 15,000 polling stations were set up for the referendum, compared with more than twice as many during ordinary elections.

This wasnt a presidential election, said John Magdaleno, a political consultant and the director of the Polity polling firm. Its just an unofficial consultation.

Activists and analysts compared the turnout with the numbers of votes Chavez obtained when he held similar referendums.

Chavez never got more than 6.5 million people to vote in his favor in the referendums, analysts noted, and when Venezuelas economy was humming and he was reelected president in 2012, he obtained just over 8 million votes.

He died of cancer in 2013, and Maduro, his Socialist Party successor, has fared poorly in his shadow.

[Government supporters attack Venezuelan congress, injure opposition lawmakers]

Despite the latest demonstration of opposition to his plans, few believe that Maduro is willing to change course. Dismissing the referendum results as inconsequential, he called on his opponents to sit down to start a new round of dialogue with his government.

Maduros opponents are boycotting the July 30 vote, and in recent surveys, 85 percent of Venezuelans say they reject changes to the constitution.

People will be disappointed if they expect the government to react directly to the results [of the referendum] or change anything, said Luis Vicente Leon, a political analyst and the director of the Datanalisis polling agency, adding that the large turnout was important nonetheless.

More than 7 million people participated actively in an act of civil disobedience and ignored the governments allegations that it was an illegal one, he said.

Read more:

Venezuela may be sliding into a civil war

How a new kind of protest movement has risen in Venezuela

Stuck in a death spiral, Venezuela is borrowing money at any cost

Venezuelas paradox: People are hungry, but farmers cant feed them

Venezuelans are storming supermarkets as food supplies dwindle

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news
Plaintiff filed suit against her employer, the Office of Attorney General for the State of Louisiana (DOJ), alleging failure to accommodate, harassment, and retaliation in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and Louisiana Employment Discrimination Law (LEDL). The Fifth Circuit affirmed the district court's grant of summary judgment in the DOJ's favor, holding that there was no genuine issue of material fact as to whether plaintiff has established a prima facie case on any of her disability-based claims. In regard to the failure to accommodate claim, plaintiff failed to demonstrate that she was a qualified individual, i.e., that she can perform the essential functions of her job unaided or with the assistance of a reasonable accommodation; in regard to the disability-based harassment claim, the difficulties plaintiff managed while attempting to manage her serious illness and employment were not sufficient to create a hostile work environment; and the record did not support that any of the DOJ's actions were taken in retaliation for plaintiff's protected activity.
Welcome to The Independent Herald E-Edition! Check back each week on Tuesday to see our[Read More]
CRH plc, through its subsidiaries, manufactures and distributes building materials. It operates in three segments: Americas Materials, Europe Materials, and Building Products. The company manufactures and supplies cement, lime, aggregates, precast, ready mixed concrete, and asphalt products; concrete masonry and hardscape products comprising pavers, blocks and kerbs, retaining walls, and related patio products; and glass and glazing products, including architectural glass, custom-engineered curtain and window walls, architectural windows, storefront systems, doors, skylights, and architectural hardware. It also offers precast concrete and polymer-based products, such as underground vaults, drainage pipes and structures, utility enclosures, and modular precast structures to the water, energy, communication, transportation, and building structures markets; and construction accessories, such as anchoring, fixing, and connection solutions, as well as lifting systems, formwork accessories, and other accessories used in construction applications. In addition, the company offers network access products, which include composite access chambers, covers, passive safety systems, retention sockets, sealants, and meter boxes; and paving and construction services. Further, it provides building and civil engineering contracting, contract surfacing, operates logistics and owned railway infrastructure; sells and distributes cement; and supplies access chambers and ducting products. It serves governments, contractors, homebuilders, homeowners, and sub-contractors. The company operates primarily in the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom, the rest of Europe, the United States, and internationally. CRH plc was founded in 1936 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland.
Twitter, Inc. operates as a platform for public self-expression and conversation in real-time. The company's primary product is Twitter, a platform that allows users to consume, create, distribute, and discover content. It also provides promoted products that enable advertisers to promote brands, products, and services, as well as enable advertisers to target an audience based on various factors, including who an account follows and actions taken on its platform, such as Tweets created and engagement with Tweets. Its promoted products consist of promoted ads and Twitter Amplify, Follower Ads, and Twitter takeover. In addition, the company offers monetization products for creators, including Tips to directly send small one-time payments on Twitter using various payment methods, including bitcoin; Super Follows, a paid monthly subscription, which includes bonus content, exclusive previews, and perks as a way to support and connect with creators on Twitter; and Ticketed Spaces to support creators on Twitter for their time and effort in hosting, speaking, and moderating the public conversation on Twitter Spaces. Further, it offers products for developers and data partners comprising Twitter Developer Platform, a platform that enables developers to build tools for people and businesses using its public application programming interface; and paid access to Twitter data for partners with commercial use cases. Twitter, Inc. was founded in 2006 and is based in San Francisco, California.
Rogers Communications Inc. operates as a communications and media company in Canada. It operates through three segments: Wireless, Cable, and Media. The company offers mobile Internet access, wireless voice and enhanced voice, device and accessory financing, wireless home phone, device protection, e-mail, global voice and data roaming, bridging landline, machine-to-machine and Internet of Things solutions, and advanced wireless solutions for businesses, as well as device delivery services; and postpaid and prepaid services under the Rogers, Fido, and chatr brands to approximately 11.3 million subscribers. It also provides Internet and WiFi services; smart home monitoring services, such as monitoring, security, automation, energy efficiency, and smart control through a smartphone app. In addition, the company offers local and network TV; on-demand television; cloud-based digital video recorders; voice-activated remote controls, and integrated apps; personal video recorders; linear and time-shifted programming; digital specialty channels; 4K television programming; and televised content on smartphones, tablets, and personal computers, as well as operates Ignite TV and Ignite TV app. Further, it provides residential and small business local telephony services; calling features, such as voicemail, call waiting, and long distance; voice, data networking, Internet protocol, and Ethernet services; private networking, Internet, IP voice, and cloud solutions; optical wave and multi-protocol label switching services; IT and network technologies; and cable access network services. The company also owns Toronto Blue Jays and the Rogers Centre event venue; and operates Sportsnet ONE, Sportsnet 360, Sportsnet World, Citytv, OMNI, FX (Canada), FXX (Canada), and OLN television networks, as well as 55 AM and FM radio stations. The company was founded in 1960 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.
It's hard to say what official process, if any, first gave "Honey Sign Drive" its official name.
United Rentals, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as an equipment rental company. It operates in two segments, General Rentals and Specialty. The General Rentals segment rents general construction and industrial equipment includes backhoes, skid-steer loaders, forklifts, earthmoving equipment, and material handling equipment; aerial work platforms, such as boom and scissor lifts; and general tools and light equipment comprising pressure washers, water pumps, and power tools for construction and industrial companies, manufacturers, utilities, municipalities, homeowners, and government entities. The specialty segment rents specialty construction products, including trench safety equipment consists of trench shields, aluminum hydraulic shoring systems, slide rails, crossing plates, construction lasers, and line testing equipment for underground work; power and heating, ventilating, and air conditioning equipment, such as portable diesel generators, electrical distribution equipment, and temperature control equipment; fluid solutions equipment for fluid containment, transfer, and treatment; and mobile storage equipment and modular office space. This segment serves construction companies involved in infrastructure projects, and municipalities and industrial companies. It also sells aerial lifts, reach forklifts, telehandlers, compressors, and generators; construction consumables, tools, small equipment, and safety supplies; and parts for equipment that is owned by its customers, as well as provides repair and maintenance services. The company sells used equipment through its sales force, brokers, website, directly to manufacturers, and at auctions. The company operates a network of 1,360 rental locations in the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. United Rentals, Inc. was incorporated in 1997 and is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut.
The following companies are subsidiares of Novartis: 1 A Pharma GmbH, Abadia Retuerta S.A, Admune Therapeutics, Advanced Accelerator Applications, Advanced Accelerator Applications, Advanced Accelerator Applications International SA, Advanced Accelerator Applications S.A., Advanced Accelerator Applications S.r.l., Advanced Accelerator Applications USA Inc., Aeropharm GmbH, Alcon, Alcon  Couvreur NV, Amblyotech, Amblyotech Inc., Arctos Medical, Arctos Medical AG, Australia Pty Ltd, Beijing Novartis Pharma Co. Ltd., BioMedical Research Co. Ltd., CELLforCURE, Cadent Therapeutics, Cadent Therapeutics Cambridge, Cellerys, Cellerys AG, CellforCure, Chiron Corporation, Ciba-Geigy Japan Limited, Co. Ltd, CoStim Pharmaceuticals, CoStim Pharmaceuticals Inc., Coalesce Product Development Limited, Corthera, Development Co. Ltd., EBEWE Pharma Ges.m.b.H Nfg. KG, Encore Vision, Endocyte, Endocyte Inc., Eon Labs Inc., Farmanova Saglik Hizmetleri Ltd, Fougera Pharmaceuticals, Fougera Pharmaceuticals Inc, Gyroscope Therapeutics, HEXAL AG, Hexal, IDB Holland BV, Iberica S.L.U., Ilaclari Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S, JSC Sandoz, Japat AG, Kedalion Therapeutics Inc., Lek Pharmaceuticals d.d., Lek S.A., Manufacturing Pte Ltd , Navigate BioPharma Services Inc, Neutec Pharma Limited, Novartis (Hellas) S.A.C.I., Novartis (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Novartis (Taiwan) Co. Ltd, Novartis (Thailand) Limited, Novartis Argentina S.A., Novartis Australia Pty Ltd, Novartis Austria GmbH, Novartis Biociencias S.A., Novartis Biosciences Peru S.A., Novartis Bioventures AG, Novartis Business Services GmbH, Novartis Capital Corporation, Novartis Chile S.A., Novartis Corporation, Novartis Corporation Sdn. Bhd., Novartis Deutschland GmbH, Novartis Ecuador S.A., Novartis Farma S.p.A., Novartis Farma  Produtos Farmaceuticos S.A., Novartis Farmaceutica S.A, Novartis Farmaceutica S.A. de C.V., Novartis Finance Corporation, Novartis Finance S.A., Novartis Finance Services Ltd, Novartis Finland Oy Espoo, Novartis Gene Therapies, Novartis Gene Therapies EU Limited, Novartis Gene Therapies Inc., Novartis Grimsby Limited, Novartis Groupe France S.A., Novartis Healthcare A/S, Novartis Healthcare Philippines Inc., Novartis Healthcare Private Limited, Novartis Holding AG, Novartis Hungary Healthcare Limited Liability Company, Novartis India Limited, Novartis Inflammasome Research, Novartis Integrated Services Limited, Novartis International AG, Novartis International Pharmaceutical Investment AG, Novartis Investment Ltd, Novartis Investments S.a r.l., Novartis Ireland Limited, Novartis Israel Ltd, Novartis Korea Ltd., Novartis Middle East FZE, Novartis Netherlands B.V., Novartis Neva LLC, Novartis New Zealand Ltd, Novartis Norge AS, Novartis Ophthalmics AG, Novartis Optogenetics Research Inc., Novartis Overseas Investments AG, Novartis Pharma (Logistics) Inc., Novartis Pharma (Pakistan) Limited, Novartis Pharma AG, Novartis Pharma B.V. , Novartis Pharma GmbH, Novartis Pharma GmbH, Novartis Pharma K.K., Novartis Pharma LLC, Novartis Pharma Maroc SA, Novartis Pharma NV, Novartis Pharma Produktions GmbH, Novartis Pharma S.A.E., Novartis Pharma S.A.S., Novartis Pharma Schweiz AG, Novartis Pharma Schweizerhalle AG, Novartis Pharma Services AG, Novartis Pharma Services Romania S.R.L., Novartis Pharma Stein AG, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc., Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Limited, Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK Limited, Novartis Poland Sp. z o.o., Novartis Portugal S.G.P.S. Lda., Novartis Ringaskiddy Limited, Novartis Saglik Gida ve Tarim Urunleri Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S, Novartis Saudi Ltd., Novartis Securities Investment Ltd, Novartis Services Inc., Novartis Slovakia s.r.o., Novartis South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Novartis Sverige AB, Novartis UK Limited, Novartis US Foundation, Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics Inc, Novartis Vietnam Company Limited, Novartis de Colombia S.A., Novartis de Venezuela S.A., Novartis s.r.o., Oriel Therapeutics Inc., PT. Novartis Indonesia, Protez Pharmaceuticals, Pte Ltd, Research Inc, Salutas Pharma GmbH, Sandoz A/S, Sandoz AG, Sandoz B.V., Sandoz Canada Inc., Sandoz Egypt Pharma S.A.E., Sandoz Farmaceutica S.A., Sandoz Farmaceutica Lda., Sandoz GmbH, Sandoz Hungary Limited Liability Company, Sandoz Ilac Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S., Sandoz Inc, Sandoz Industrial Products S.A, Sandoz International GmbH, Sandoz K.K., Sandoz Limited, Sandoz Manufacturing Inc., Sandoz NV, Sandoz Pharma K.K, Sandoz Pharmaceuticals AG, Sandoz Pharmaceuticals d.d., Sandoz Philippines Corporation, Sandoz Polska Sp. z o.o. , Sandoz Private Limited, Sandoz Pty Ltd, Sandoz S.A. de C.V, Sandoz S.A.S., Sandoz S.R.L., Sandoz S.p.A., Sandoz South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Sandoz Ukraine LLC, Sandoz d.o.o. farmaceutska industrija, Sandoz do Brasil Industria Farmaceutica Ltda, Sandoz s.r.o., Selexys Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Shanghai Novartis Trading Ltd., Societe par actions SANDOZ, Spinifex Pharmaceuticals, The Medicines Company, The Medicines Company, Triangle International Reinsurance Limited, Trinity River Insurance Co Ltd, Vedere Bio, Vedere Bio ll, Xiidra, Ziarco, and Ziarco Group Limited.

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Valero Energy Corporation manufactures, markets, and sells transportation fuels and petrochemical products in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and internationally. The company operates through three segments: Refining, Renewable Diesel, and Ethanol. It produces conventional, premium, and reformulated gasolines; gasoline meeting the specifications of the California Air Resources Board (CARB); diesel fuels, and low-sulfur and ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuels; CARB diesel; other distillates; jet fuels; blendstocks; and asphalts, petrochemicals, lubricants, and other refined petroleum products, as well as sells lube oils and natural gas liquids. As of December 31, 2021, the company owned 15 petroleum refineries with a combined throughput capacity of approximately 3.2 million barrels per day; and 12 ethanol plants with a combined ethanol production capacity of approximately 1.6 billion gallons per year. It sells its refined products through wholesale rack and bulk markets; and through approximately 7,000 outlets under the Valero, Beacon, Diamond Shamrock, Shamrock, Ultramar, and Texaco brands. The company also produces and sells ethanol, dry distiller grains, syrup, and inedible corn oil primarily to animal feed customers. In addition, it owns and operates crude oil and refined petroleum products pipelines, terminals, tanks, marine docks, truck rack bays, and other logistics assets; and owns and operates a plant that processes animal fats, used cooking oils, and inedible distillers corn oils into renewable diesel. The company was formerly known as Valero Refining and Marketing Company and changed its name to Valero Energy Corporation in August 1997. Valero Energy Corporation was founded in 1980 and is headquartered in San Antonio, Texas.
One week after Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi proclaimed the liberation of Mosul, Iraqs second-largest city, the scale of destruction wrought during a nine-month, US-backed siege is becoming clearer, even as reports mount of collective punishment being meted out to survivors.

Abadi presided over a victory parade in Baghdad on Saturday in which elements of the security forces marched past the prime minister and other officials in the Iraqi capitals heavily fortified Green Zone. It is a measure of the state of the country that the parade was not publicly announced because of security concerns, with the media learning about it only afterwards and the population of the city excluded.

Evidence of the death toll inflicted upon Mosuls civilian population during the siegelargely the result of unrelenting US-led air strikes and artillery bombardments carried out against crowded neighborhoods, particularly in western Mosuls Old Citycontinues to mount.

Conservative estimates have put the number of civilians killed at over 7,000. The London-based monitoring group Airwars documented the deaths of 5,805 civilians between February and June of this year. There were undoubtedly many more deaths that went unreported, not to mention those killed in the four months preceding this period, as well of those who died in the intense assault waged on the area of the city during the last three weeks of fighting.

Officials in Mosul report that civil defense workers have already dug some 2,000 corpses from the rubble created by US 500- and 2,000-pound bombs as well as heavy artillery shelling and strikes by attack helicopters.

It is clear that neither the Iraqi government nor the Pentagon has any interest in clarifying the scale of carnage unleashed upon the city.

According to a report published in the Washington Post Saturday, the grim task of recovering the dead from Mosuls rubble has been relegated to a 25-man civil defense unit with one bulldozer, a forklift truck and a single vehicle to carry the corpses. The Post reports that the unit has found hundreds of people suffocated under the ruins of their homes after they were flattened by US air strikes. Most of the victims are reportedly women and children.

The head of the civil defense unit, Lt. Col. Rabia Ibrahim Hassan, told the Post that he had asked the government for more equipment and resources, but had received no response.

While vast resources were expended by the Pentagon on organizing the siege of Mosul and providing the arms and ammunition to lay waste to the city, it is by no means clear that either Washington or Baghdad has any plan to mobilize comparable resources to rebuild it. One Iraqi government official conservatively estimated that the cost of rebuilding Mosul would exceed $50 billion.

The regime in Baghdad was compelled last May to negotiate a $5.4 billion standby loan with the International Monetary Fund, which demanded sharp austerity measures. The countrys economy contracted 10.3 percent in 2016 as a result of falling oil prices and the destruction wrought by war.

The scale of civilian casualties, the massive destruction caused by US bombs, missiles and shells, and the reported use by the American military of white phosphorous, a weapon internationally banned for use in populated areas, all point to a US war crime of historic proportions.

This crime continues, as the survivors of the massacre in Mosul face collective punishment at the hands of US-backed forces. According to the International Organization for Migration, the nine-month siege forced 1,048,044 people to flee their homes. As of last Friday, according to the IOM, fully 825,000 remained displaced by the offensive.

Return for the majority of these internally displaced war refugees is impossible. Many have no homes to return to as a result of the US air strikes. Most of the city lacks access to water and electricity, food is scarce, and schools and hospitals have been destroyed.

Meanwhile, the wreckage of the city is littered with unexploded ordnance. It is estimated that at least 10 percent of the high explosives dropped and fired into Mosul by the US-led coalition failed to detonate, meaning there are thousands of bombs and shells waiting to go off, on top of the booby traps left behind by ISIS. Experts have warned that it could take a decade to clear the city of explosives.

Men, women and children who have escaped from the destruction of Mosul have been housed in tent camps, in many cases as virtual prisoners. Women and children suspected of being family members of ISIS fighters killed in the siege are being sent to desolate rehabilitation camps.

As for young men found in and around Mosul, there are increasing reports of summary executions, torture and abuse at the hands of the Iraqi security forces and allied Shia militias. A video posted on the Mosul Eye Twitter account, set up by an independent historian in Mosul who has documented the citys destruction, shows members of the Iraqi security forces dragging men to the edge of a 30-foot parapet, throwing them off it and then pumping automatic weapons fire into their bodies. Other disturbing videos show a gang of soldiers beating a teenager to death and a member of the security forces stabbing a prisoner repeatedly in the face and neck.

The British Guardian reports that unidentified corpses are washing up with grim regularity on the banks of the Tigris downstream from Mosul, with the bodies heavily decomposed, most bound and blindfolded, some mutilated. Human rights groups have blamed these killings on Iraqi security forces, which operate in close collaboration with US Special Forces advisors.

The same US and Western media that endlessly denounced last years Russian-backed siege of Aleppo by the Syrian government as a war crime have, for the most part, chosen to ignore crimes of a more massive scale carried out against the people of Mosul.

In the first instance, the media was mobilized in defense of the Islamist militias holding eastern Aleppo because they were fighting as part of the CIA-orchestrated war for regime change in Syria. In the second, the destruction of Mosul was hailed as a victory and even liberation, because similar Sunni Islamist fighters had challenged the US-backed regime in Baghdad. Nothing could more clearly expose the duplicity and hypocrisy of US foreign policy in the region and the functioning of the corporate media as the obedient propaganda arm of American militarism.
On Friday, exactly one month since the Grenfell Tower fire in London that led to the deaths of at least 80 residents, three people died in another high-rise blaze that could have been prevented with the installation of an elementary safety measure: an anti-fire sprinkler system.

The latest disaster makes clear that the London fire was not an aberration. All over the world, the lives of working people are treated as expendable in the pursuit of wealth and profits by the financial elite.

Fridays fire in Honolulu, Hawaii broke out on the 26th floor of the 35-story Marco Polo condominium building, killing Britt Reller, 54, an in-flight manager for Hawaiian Airlines, and his 85-year-old mother, Melba Jeannine Dilley, as well as 71-year-old Joanna Kuwata.

In addition to the lack of sprinklers, several building residents told the Associated Press that they did not hear or see fire alarms, raising the possibility that the fire alarm system was defective.

Without a doubt, if there were sprinklers in this apartment, the fire would be contained to the unit of origin, Honolulu Fire Chief Manuel Neves said.

Sprinkler systems are universally recognized as a highly effective method for quickly and automatically suppressing fires and saving the lives of both residents and firefighters. A single fire death in a sprinklered building is an extremely rare occurrence anywhere in the world... A multiple death is almost unheard of, said Ronnie King, the former fire chief of Mid and West Wales, UK.

In buildings completely protected by fire sprinkler systems, over 96 percent of fires are controlled by the fire sprinklers alone, while fire sprinklers have been found to reduce overall fire damage by 97 percent.

Yet the United States has no national code mandating the installation of fire sprinklers in buildings and homes. Only California, Maryland and Washington D.C. require the installation of fire sprinklers in new homes.

While Honolulu has required all new high-rise buildings to include sprinklers starting in 1975, the Marco Polo condominium building was constructed four years earlier, and local laws do not require existing high-rises be fitted with them.

A study commissioned in 2005 by the Honolulu City Council found that installation of fire sprinklers in the building would have cost about $4,305 per unit, or less than one percent of the average price of a condo.

Firefighters and their associations, including the National Fire Protection Organization, have for decades fought for laws requiring the adoption of sprinkler systems. But construction companies have lobbied furiously against these measures. Organizations such as the National Association of Home Builders spend millions each year in political donations and lobbying to relax building codes, including codes mandating the use of fire safety devices such as sprinklers.

In the UK, 99 percent of public housing estates are, like Grenfell Tower, unequipped with fire sprinklers.

Meanwhile, the victims of the Grenfell Fire have been treated with conspicuous callousness and indifference. One month after the blaze, only four of the families evacuated from the tower have been given permanent accommodations, according to the Grenfell Response Team. The vast majority have been offered accommodations that are either temporary, unaffordable, or otherwise untenable. Most residents continue to be stuck in motels or shelters.

Officials were warned repeatedly by residents and experts that the buildings shoddy, low-cost cladding material, combined with other numerous fire safety violations created a disaster waiting to happen.

Despite the obvious criminal negligence involved in the Grenfell Fire, investigators have issued no search warrants and have not interviewed anyone as a suspect, much less filed criminal charges.

Anger erupted at a public meeting Wednesday, in which Metropolitan police officials explained that investigations would be dragged out over years, with residents and survivors demanding that those responsible be prosecuted. They knew categorically that [the cladding] would burn so rapidly. You can identify that person like that, that person needs to be arrested, declared one resident.

Another resident told the British press outside the meeting, There is no connection between the upper class and working class whatsoever, and that divide is getting bigger and bigger, and in Kensington and Chelsea [where the fire took place] its the biggest divide youll ever see.

Since the disaster, numerous press accounts have detailed the correlation between poverty and fire deaths. Citing a recent study of child injuries in the UK, the Guardian reported that children whose parents were long-term unemployed were a staggering 26 times more likely to die of fire-related injuries than children whose parents were in higher managerial and professional occupations.

The treatment of the survivors of the Grenfell Fire, and with the official protection of those responsible for the disaster, is an expression of the fact that the tragedy is an integral part of a systematic policy of subordinating all social needs to the profit interests of real estate speculators and the ruling class as a whole. If working people must die to swell the bottom line of the financial oligarchy, so be it.

Safe, quality housing is a basic social right that must be guaranteed to everyone. The technology and resources exist to prevent tragedies like the Grenfell Tower inferno and the fire in Honolulu. Yet the use of these resources to meet the most basic social needs comes everywhere into conflict with the domination of a money-mad corporate and financial elite, which insists that society must be organized to meet its interests, not the interests of the vast majority of the population.

From the plans to slash Medicaid in the United States, to the draconian cuts to social spending by the government of the UKs Theresa May, to the moves by the Emmanuel Macron government in France to use the state of emergency to push through pay cuts and speedups, the policy of social counterrevolution is being pursued by the ruling classes all over the world.

If workers are to defend their social rights, and ultimately their lives, they must be mobilized and organized on the basis of an international program in the struggle for socialism.
At the Australian-run detention centre on Manus Island, Papua New Guinea (PNG), asylum seekers are being forced into worsening living conditions, including the disconnection of electricity. The Australian government is seeking to force them into a less secure facility, from where they will be dumped in PNG to live in impoverished conditions.

Buzzfeed News obtained information and photos from the Manus refugees, showing the destruction of the basic facilities. On June 23, the gym was shut down and the equipment removed by the local police. The gym had helped detainees deal with their mental health problems and sleep better.

Parts of the camp have been demolished and the Internet facility was taken away, leaving mobile phones as the only connection to the outside world for the detainees.

An Iranian refugee Amir Taghinia told Buzzfeed the authorities were making the food quality much more undesirable than before. Meals were being served uncooked and raw. Food supplies were also being cut, so that detainees at the end of the line might not eat.

English classes had been cancelled for more than four weeks, leaving detainees with little to do during the day. Those interviewed said these measures were deliberate to provoke the guys and force them to move to the East Lorengau Refugee Transit Centre (ELRTC) near Lorengau, the islands major town.

Behrouz Boochani, a Kurdish-Iranian journalist imprisoned on Manus Island, said: Two weeks ago some other refugees left Foxtrot [part of the existing compound] and went to the rooms which were part of the old medical clinic but they could not stay there because immigration cut the power and they were homeless for a few days.

Boochani said when the refugees asked the guards and officials for a place to stay, they say you must go to East Lorengau camp. East Lorengau is close to the local community and means the refugees would be forced to live in PNG.

Many of the refugees fear living in Lorengau. There have been reports of detainees visiting Lorengau being beaten, robbed or abused by local people, due to hostility whipped up by local and PNG authorities. A detainee was recently attacked with a machete and had to have emergency medical treatment in Port Moresby, the PNG capital.

The move to Lorengau is an attempt by the Australian government to force the detainees to either languish indefinitely in PNG or return to the countries they fled, regardless of the dangers. The ELRTC is designed to house only 280 men, not the well over 800 in the old facility.

The existing centres closure was announced last August by the Australian government, four months after the PNG Supreme Court ruled that it violated international law and the PNG constitution, which bans the unlawful deprivation of personal liberty.

At first the Australian government defied the ruling, insisting that the asylum seekers remain detained. Last November, Immigration and Border Protection Minister Peter Dutton said those imprisoned would be resettled in PNG, returned to their country of origin or transferred to the US under the refugee swap deal negotiated with the Obama administration.

This swap deal has since been used to try to coerce the detainees into compliance with their shift to Lorengau. A notice posted at the detention centre declared: If you refuse to move to the ELRTC or ignore other directions given to you, your failure to cooperate will be noted. US authorities will take your history of behaviour into account when deciding whether to offer you an opportunity to resettle in the US.

US Homeland Security officials have been conducting extreme vetting interviews that lasted up to six hours, with in-depth questions on associates, family, friends and any interactions with alleged terrorists. Hundreds of detainees have been interviewed and a few dozen reportedly completed the third and final stage of medical checks.

Now it seems that no detainees will be accepted this year, if ever. Earlier this year, President Donald Trump reduced Americas annual refugee intake from 110,000 to 50,000 as part of a broader immigration crackdown, and that cap has been reached, the US State Department told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Behrouz Boochani told Australias Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) detainees had seen the US deal as their only hope. They are confused and the people are broken at the centre, he said. They dont trust anyone. They dont trust the US deal but are doing it as they have no choice.

The uncertainty adds to the bitter disappointment among the refugees over last months $70 million out-of-court settlement by the Australian government for hundreds of detainees, which left them with average payouts of only $35,000 for years of unlawful detention and abuses.

Pakistani refugee Naeem told SBS: Money cannot [give me] back the four years of my life that I have lost, without committing any crime.

Australian Greens immigration spokesman Senator Nick McKim said the asylum seekers on Manus are being smoked out through bullying tactics. If the worst happens and violence again flares up, it will be because of the choices [immigration minister] Peter Dutton has made.

McKims attempt to posture as a defender of the detainees is a sham. It was the minority Labor government of Prime Minister Julia Gillard, kept in office by the Greens, that reopened the Manus Island detention camp in 2012.

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[26 June 2017]
An intense flash flood at the popular Cold Spring, or Water Wheel, swimming hole in Payson, Arizona, claimed the lives of at least nine people on July 15, according to the Gila County Sheriffs Office.

Disa Alexander was about to jump in the swimming hole when the water started rushing in. Oh my dude I couldve just died, she says to the camera. These people almost got hitTheyre trying to rescue this guy and his one-month-year-old baby.

In a Facebook post, a friend who was with Alexander at the falls described a rescue helicopter coming to take four people away and seeing the body of a little girl washed up dead. He said he wont ever forget this until the day I die.

Authorities are still searching for a missing person. Credit: Disa Alexander via Storyful
Jezebel

Its been nearly two decades since actress and former Scientologist, Leah Remini, has been looking for Shelly Miscavige, the missing wife (and First Lady) of the Church of Scientologys de facto leader, David Miscavige. Shes dedicated entire episodes of her A&E series to her investigation, mentioned it innumerable times in the press, and even confronted church officials with questions at Tom Cruises 2006 wedding to Katie Holmes. Now, via viral thread on Twitter, Remini has detailed a new devel
Ann Coulters recent Twitter attack on Delta Airlines raises new questions about what passengers are entitled to when flying.

On July 15, the conservative political analyst sent several tweets bashing Delta (DAL) after her flight from LaGuardia airport in New York to West Palm Beach, Fla. landed. According to Coulter, she had pre-selected seat 15D, which was on an aisle and had extra legroom. She paid $30 for this seat selection. When it came time to board the plane, however, Delta reassigned her to 15A, a window seat in the same row.

Coulter quickly took to twitter to voice her disapproval, bashing airline employees and posting a photo of the woman who was given her seat.

Suckiest @Delta moved me from my PRE-BOOKED SEAT & gave it to some woman, not elderly, child, or sick. I have pictures so dont lie, @Delta!  Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) July 16, 2017

So glad I took time investigate the aircraft & PRE-BOOK a specific seat on @Delta, so some woman could waltz at the last min & take my seat.  Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) July 15, 2017

Delta shot back, issuing a statement about the event and admitting that there was some confusion with seating assignments at boarding. According to the airline, all passengers were asked to move to the seats noted on their tickets, and customers complied without incident. It appears that Delta didnt know Coulter was upset until she started tweeting.

We are sorry that the customer did not receive the seat she reserved and paid for. More importantly, we are disappointed that the customer has chosen to publicly attack our employees and other customers by posting derogatory and slanderous comments and photos in social media. Her actions are unnecessary and unacceptable, the airline said in a statement.

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In response, Delta also refunded the $30 Coulter spent on the preferred seat. Coulter was unimpressed, tweeting, $30! It cost me $10,000 of my time to pre-select the seat I wanted, investigate type of plane & go back periodically to review seat options.

Know your rights

What happened to Coulter is common for travelers, with airlines consistently enforcing rules that put customers last.

When you purchase a ticket, youre also agreeing to the airlines contract of carriage, which outlines the rights and liabilities of the airline. According to Deltas contract of carriage, purchasing a ticket shall entitle the passenger to transportation only between points of origin and destination and via the routing designated thereon. In other words, youre promised a seat on the plane, nothing more.

Airlines dont guarantee seating, even if you paid extra. According to Christopher Elliott, an airline consumer advocate, this means major carriers can pretty much do what they want.

The airline contract of carriage doesnt have any provision that youll get a specific seat, Elliott told Yahoo Finance. Passengers get moved around all the time, especially when theres an equipment change, which is airline-speak for changing planes.

Delta and other airlines also reserve the right to deny boarding to customers with confirmed reservations if the flight is overbooked, a fact that landed United in hot water back in April when it forcefully removed a passenger from his seat. Airlines can also deny boarding if a passenger is intoxicated, fails to listen to flight attendants or is barefoot.

For Coulter, the $30 refund felt like an extra slap in the face. In reality, Delta offered more than it had to.

Passengers have no real recourse. A canned apology is usually the best they can hope for, said Elliott.

Brittany is a reporter at Yahoo Finance.

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Mr Trump was in France last week on his first official visit to Paris: Getty Images

The normally steely and contained foreign minister of Australia has put aside her usual fidelity to party talking points for just a moment to respond to Donald Trumps comments about the appearance of the first lady of France.

Julie Bishop, who also serves as the deputy leader of the countrys right-leaning Liberal Party, said that Mr Trumps comment that Brigitte Macron was in good shape were peculiar.

Id be taken aback, I think, she said during a televised interview when asked how shed respond to those comments. Its a rather interesting comment to make. I wonder if she could say the same of him.

She demurred when asked if the comments were condescending, however. Its not her style to individually comment on interactions between other people, she said.

Likewise, I dont run a commentary on his Twitter account, Ms Bishop said.

Ms Bishop hasnt been particularly critical of Mr Trump, however, and has often been supportive of the US President.

We share a common view on many issues, so we will continue to work very closely with the Trump administration, she said in January.

Mr Trumps comments to Ms Macron came during his first official visit to France to celebrate Bastille Day after an invitation from French President Emmanuel Macron. Mr Trump complimented the French Presidents wife after a tour of the museum of Les Invalides when the two presidents were saying goodbye to their wives.

The US President has made similar comments about women since his inauguration this year. During a phone call to congratulate the newly elected prime minister of Ireland last month, he reportedly stopped the conversation in order to provide his assessment of a female Irish journalist.

She has a nice smile on her face, Mr Trump reportedly told Leo Varadkar of a reporter in the Oval Office.

Caitriona Perry, that journalist, later tweeted that it was a bizarre moment.
Justine Ruszczyk was killed by police in Minneapolis on Saturday night - REUTERS

An Australian woman living in Minnesota was shot dead by police when she called to report a disturbance near her home.

Justine Ruszczyk called police to the home she shared with her fiance, who she was due to marry next month, at 11:30pm on Saturday night.

The 40-year-old died when police opened fire.

Minneapolis police are investigating, but their work has been hampered because the officers body cameras were switched off. The police department said the squad car's camera also failed to capture the incident.

The officer who fired the fatal shots was named on Monday as Mohamed Noor, who became the Minneapolis police departments first Somali-American officer when he joined in March 2015.

Tom Plunkett, his lawyer, confirmed his client fired his weapon, according to CBS Minnesota.

We take this seriously with great compassion for all persons who are being touched by this, said Mr Plunkett.

Local news in Minnestota reported that Mr Noor was seated in the passenger seat and his partner in the drivers seat when he opened fire, hitting her multiple times.

He and his partner have been placed on administrative leave.

Zach Damond, her fiances son, she had called the police after hearing a noise near her home.

My mum is dead, because a police officer shot her, for reasons I dont know, and I demand answers he said in a tearful Facebook Live video.

"I guess she thought that something bad was happening and, next thing I know, they take my best friends life."

A vigil on Sunday for an Australian woman killed by police in Minnesota Credit: Alamy

Miss Ruszczyk was born in Sydney but moved to the US about three years ago to be with her fiance, Don.

The Australian reported that she hated Americas gun culture, but made the move to be with the American businessman she called the handsome, hilarious, rockstar love of my life.

Mr Damond, 50, was returning from a business trip and was being picked up by his son Zach when the shooting occurred.

She heard a sound in the alley so she called police and the cops showed up, Zach said.

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Basically my mums dead because a police officer shot her for reasons I dont know ... I demand answers. If anybody can help, just call police and demand answers. Im so done with all this violence.

Mr Damond said he and her family have been given almost no information about what happened.

He said his fiancee had called 911 on Saturday night to report what she thought was an active sexual assault occurring nearby.

Mr Damond said he and the family were "desperate for information."

"Piecing together Justine's last moments" would be "a small comfort," he said.

She worked as a spiritual healer, and running meditation workshops at the Lake Harriet Spiritual Community, which in a Facebook post called her "one of the most loving people you would ever meet."

The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said they were "providing consular assistance to the family of an Australian woman who died in a shooting in Minneapolis," but did not comment further.

They also put out a brief statement on behalf of the woman's family.

"This is a very difficult time for our family, they said. We are trying to come to terms with this tragedy and to understand why this has happened."

Betsy Hodges, mayor of Minneapolis, said she was heartsick and deeply disturbed by her death.

My thoughts are now with everyone affected by this tragic incident, especially the deceased woman and her family.

The City will continue to provide updated information on this incident, and the BCAs investigation, as soon as we have it."

Last July, a suburban Minneapolis police officer fatally shot a black man during a traffic stop, with the killing live-streamed on Facebook.

Officer Jeronimo Yanez shot school cafeteria worker and licenced gun owner Philando Castile, 32, in front of his girlfriend and her young daughter, sparking outcry and protests.

Last month Mr Yanez was found not guilty of manslaughter and other charges for killing Castile. He left the force after being given a $48,500 pay out, which prompted further outrage.
By Todd Melby MINNEAPOLIS (Reuters) - Authorities and activists on Monday questioned why Minneapolis police who fatally shot an Australian woman over the weekend did not have their body cameras turned on during the incident. Justine Damond's American fiance also wondered about the details of how she was shot. She had called the police to report a suspected sexual assault near her home, fiance Don Damond told reporters outside the home. "We lost the dearest of people and we are desperate for information," Damond said. "Piecing together Justine's last moments before the homicide would be a small comfort as we grieve this tragedy." Also known as Justine Ruszczyk, the woman had already taken Damond's last name. Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Minnesota called for answers on why the two responding officers failed to turn on their body cameras when they arrived at Damond's home in a quiet, upper-middle-class neighborhood shortly before midnight on Saturday. Police shot Damond, originally of Sydney, through the door of their patrol car as she approached them in an alley near her home, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported, citing three unnamed sources. Minneapolis Police Chief Janee Harteau called Damond's death "tragic" in a statement on Monday and promised a "transparent" investigation. OFFICER IMMIGRATED FROM SOMALIA The officer who shot Damond was identified by the Minneapolis Star Tribune and other local media as Mohamed Noor. Noor's lawyer, Tom Plunkett, said in a statement that Noor extends his condolences to Damond's family. The statement did not describe Noor's role in the shooting, and authorities have not confirmed the identities of the officers involved. "He came to the United States at a young age and is thankful to have had so many opportunities," Plunkett said of Noor, who was previously described by the city as a native of Somalia. "The current environment for police is difficult, but Officer Noor accepts this as part of his calling. We would like to say more and will in the future." Hundreds took to the streets of Minneapolis on Sunday to protest Damond's shooting. The state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, which reviews police-involved shootings in Minneapolis, said the dashboard camera in the officers' patrol car did not capture the shooting. The BCA is seeking any civilian video of the incident. The ACLU of Minnesota called for the release of the audio from Damond's 911 call, along with any audio from the officers' dash camera. The group's interim executive director, Teresa Nelson, said the officers failed to obey department rules by not having their body cameras on. Damond owned a meditation and life-coaching company, according to her personal website. Media gave her age as 40. Sarah Darmody, who said in a Facebook post that she had been friends with Damond since high school in Sydney, blamed the shooting on the gun laws in the United States, which has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in the world. There is no good reason and there are no other countries in the world where people would rather arm everyone than stop this happening, Darmody wrote. I'm so sad and so angry I can't even breathe. Both officers have been placed on administrative leave, the state BCA said. Minneapolis police referred further questions about the incident to the BCA. (Additional reporting by Jonathan Allen and Chris Michaud in New York, writing by Gina Cherelus; editing by David Gregorio and Cynthia Osterman)
2017 is proving a scandal-ridden year for Uber, with workplace sexual harassment allegations and the departure of CEO Travis Kalanick. But theres one scandal likely to hound the ride-sharing startup for months to come: a legal battle with Waymo, the self-driving car company spun-out from Google (GOOG, GOOGL).

The case pits Ubers self-driving car technology against Waymos. According to the lawsuit, former Google engineer Anthony Levandowski downloaded nearly 14,000 confidential files in late 2015 related to Googles self-driving car technology before leaving the company to co-found Otto, a startup that developed self-driving technology for truck rigs. Uber then acquired Otto for a reported $680 million in August 2016.

Waymo claims the documents Levandowski downloaded were used to help develop Ubers own self-driving car technology and misappropriates its trade secrets, particularly those related to Googles distance-measuring LiDAR technology.

Carl Tobias, a professor at the University of Richmond School of Law, argued the way Waymo has already conducted its litigation suggests there may potentially be sufficient evidence to corroborate Waymos claims. If true, Waymo has little reason to settle.

I just think Waymo is going to turn down the screws, Tobias said. Theyre not going to settle reasonably or comfortably or for some small amount, if at all.

Ubers legal battle with Waymo, the self-driving car company spun-out from Google, could have serious implications, particularly for Uber.

While the lawsuit is scheduled to go to trial some time in October, litigation around the case is evolving. This May, a federal judge in California judge referred the case to the US Attorneys Office for an investigation into possible trade secrets theft. On a conference call last week, Uber told investors it was engaged in court-mandated settlement talks with Waymos parent company, Alphabet Inc. Following one of those settlement meetings, Waymo agreed to drop three out of four of its patent claims.

Why its in Ubers best interest to settle

Its unclear whether Uber and Waymo will reach a settlement agreement before both parties go to trial, but Tobias contended its in Ubers best interest to settle.

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They dont need the trouble of this litigation, Tobias said. Theres too much going on at Uber right now to focus on this as an add-on.

Tobias has a point. This year alone, Uber saw an employee exodus, including the resignation of CEO Travis Kalanick following months of controversy around alleged sexual harassment at the company. Without a chief executive, and with Uber attempting to improve its standing externally and internally, Uber doesnt need the added headache  and bad publicity  involved with a lengthy trial, which it could very well lose.

A Waymo spokesperson told Yahoo Finance the company has compelling evidence to back up its claims, although they did not go into specifics.

We initiated legal action because we came across evidence showing stolen Waymo files made their way into Ubers technology, and despite Ubers attempt to distract with constantly changing storylines, Waymo has continued to build its case with more evidence uncovered during expedited discovery, a Waymo spokesperson told Yahoo Finance. We believe we have strong evidence to put in front of a jury, and we look forward to our day in court.

Uber declined to comment for the purposes for this story.

The lawsuit could have serious implications, particularly for Uber, depending on the outcome. If Uber and Waymo settle, the public probably wont learn much, given settlement terms will likely be confidential, according to Tobias.

But if the case goes to trial and Waymo wins, Uber could face damages that eclipse the $680 million it originally paid to acquire Otto and Levandowski in 2016. (Uber fired Levandowski in May.) A verdict in Waymos favor could also deal a big blow to the research and development of Ubers self-driving cars, which are already deployed in Pittsburgh. As for Ubers reputation? It could be even more tarnished and battered than it already is.



JP Mangalindan is a senior correspondent for Yahoo Finance covering the intersection of tech and business. Email story tips and musings to jpm@oath.com. Follow him on Twitter or Facebook.

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The extravagant wedding was attended by the upper echelons of Brazilian society and the states political elite: YouTube / Arquivo Eleitoral

A Brazilian politician was forced to leave her own wedding in an armoured vehicle after being pelted with eggs by protesters.

Political tensions reached a head as hundreds of protesters assembled outside the church where her wedding was being held on Friday evening.

Maria Victoria Barros, 25, a member of the state assembly in Parana and daughter of President Michel Termers health minister, had to leave the church in the secure vehicle after being bombarded with eggs.

Ms Barros accused demonstrators of physically and verbally abusing the wedding guests over her familys support for President Termer. Last month, Mr Temer was charged and accused of plotting to receive bribes from the boss of a massive meatpacking firm but has denied any wrongdoing.

The extravagant wedding which was held in Parana state capital, Curitibawas was attended by the upper echelons of Brazilian society and the states political elite. Ricardo Barros, her father who is also national vice-president of the Progressive Party, and her mother, Cida Borghetti, Parana's deputy governor, were of course at the wedding.

Ms Barros also invited at least 30 members of the Brazilian Congress to make their way from the capital Brasilia for her wedding.

Demonstrators waved anti-government placards and chanted slogans which were directed at Ms Barros such as including her of being a "coup plotter". After some time, riot police officers were ordered in to safeguard the newly weds and their guests.

Ms Barros told the BBC the demonstrations were "financed by left-wing parties and unions" and prompted by her mother's recent decision to run for state governor.

Political friction has steadily mounted in the country since Dilma Rousseff, Mr Termers precursor, was impeached last year. Many Brazilians are disillusioned and even repulsed with the political class and the country is becoming increasingly divided as the political crisis deepens.

In May, troops were forced to guard federal buildings in the capital while the president struggled to cling on to power as the outcry over corruption allegations grew. In the end, clashes between police and protesters calling for Mr Termer to resign forced the evacuations of several ministries.

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A day before, tens of thousands of demonstrators descended on the streets and lawmakers in Congress called for his expulsion.

A congressional committee in Brazil recently voted against advising the President to be tried in the Supreme Court on corruption charges. While the decision is non-binding and still needs to be approved by the full parliament, the choice significantly reduces the chances of him appearing in the dock.
Montreal (AFP) - Thousands of people fled their homes in western Canada over the weekend as strong winds fanned forest fires that have ravaged British Columbia province for more than a week.

The inferno's progress prompted authorities to take new emergency measures, ordering the evacuation of 24,000 people in the region including the town of Williams Lake which is home to some 11,000 people, reported public broadcaster CBC.

Some 60 percent of affected residents have already left their homes.

The province's transport minister, Todd Stone, told a news conference Sunday that between 36,000 and 37,000 people have so far been forced from their homes since the wild fires sparked by hot dry weather prompted a state of emergency to be declared on July 7.

Local authorities said there were currently 162 wildfires active as of Sunday, including around 15 that posed a threat to residential areas. Some 3,000 firefighters, including 415 sent in from surrounding provinces, were battling the flames.

A firefighting helicopter crashed in the region on Saturday, and its pilot -- who was alone on board -- was being treated in hospital.

Further to the south, fire crews equipped with aircraft in the US state of California were making steady progress against 11 active blazes fueled by searing temperatures and high winds.

"Great news! All evacuation warnings for the #AlamoFire have been lifted. There is fire equipment still in the area working - use caution," the official account for Cal Fire tweeted.

The Whittier fire, which began on July 8 and stretched across 18,015 acres and has burned down almost 2,000 structures was 36 percent contained, according to the agency.
By Philip Wen and Benjamin Kang Lim BEIJING (Reuters) - A senior Chinese official who was considered a contender for top leadership has been put under investigation, three sources with ties to the leadership said, ahead of a Communist Party congress in the autumn where Xi Jinping will cement his grip on power. Sun Zhengcai had been party chief of the southwestern megalopolis of Chongqing, until an abrupt announcement on Saturday morning that he no longer had the position and had been replaced by a rising political star close to President Xi. The announcement, carried by state news agency Xinhua, did not say Sun either had a new position or use wording to suggest he was waiting for a further appointment. A source who has been briefed on the matter said Sun is suspected of "serious discipline violations", a term that can encompass everything from taking bribes to not toeing the party line. The source added that it was a "conversation investigation", meaning it's not yet at the stage of a formal probe. A second source with ties to the leadership told Reuters that Sun is undergoing investigation for suspected "violation of political discipline". The source declined to elaborate. "But he is still a comrade. He is still a Politburo member," the source said, referring to the party's 25-member decision-making body. Officials are stripped of their title "comrade" once a formal legal case is filed against them and they are expelled from the party. Officials are sometimes put under investigation but not formally charged. However once a party announcement about a probe is publicly announced they are almost always punished. The Communist Party's anti-corruption watchdog, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, did not respond to a request for comment on Sunday. Calls to the Chongqing government information office also went unanswered. It was not possible to reach Sun directly for comment, and unclear if he has been allowed to retain a lawyer. It is not clear if any limits have been put on Sun's movements. NEW PARTY BOSS Hong Kong and Taiwan media as well as the Wall Street Journal have also reported Sun is being investigated. Sun did not appear on Chongqing television's Saturday evening broadcast when new party boss, Chen Miner, was introduced to city officials by Zhao Leji, head of the powerful organization department which oversees personnel decisions. Zhao made the announcement about the probe at the Chongqing meeting, the first source added. When Beijing's new party boss Cai Qi was unveiled in May, Zhao not only introduced Cai but Cai's predecessor Guo Jinlong was also present at the meeting and gave a speech, according to the Beijing city government's account of the event. A third source with ties to the leadership emphasised how unusual it was that Sun was not present or mentioned at all in the meeting where Chen was presented as new Chongqing leader. The source said the Chongqing meeting was told that Sun had committed "political mistakes". The three sources, who all spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to speak to foreign media, said Sun was currently in Beijing. BO XILAI Chongqing is perhaps best known for its association with its disgraced former party boss Bo Xilai, once himself a contender for top leadership before being jailed for life in 2013 in a dramatic corruption scandal. Sun had been seen as a potential candidate for elevation at the autumn congress and as a possible future premier, but his star has waned. Sources with ties to the leadership and foreign diplomats say Sun has been out of favor after the party's anti-corruption watchdog in February criticized Chongqing authorities for not doing enough to root out Bo's influence. At that meeting, Sun said he accepted the watchdog's assessment "without question", according to a party statement at the time. Chongqing is one of China's most important cities. Global electronics brands including Hewlett-Packard, Foxconn, Acer and Asus all have operations in Chongqing, lured by tax breaks, cheap labor and land, plus a developed supply chain and logistics. The region makes a third of the world's laptops. Diplomatic sources say Sun had been scheduled to go on a trip to Europe recently but it had been cancelled. It is not immediately clear which countries he was due to have visited. However, another candidate for elevation, Guangdong province party boss Hu Chunhua, visited Britain, Ireland and Israel last month. Such trips are often used by senior officials to raise their international profiles ahead of promotions. Sun's last public appearance as mentioned by state media was on July 12, when he attended a Chongqing party meeting about deepening reforms. (Additional reporting by Ryan Woo and Ben Blanchard; Editing by Bill Tarrant)
By Adam Jourdan and Philip Wen SHANGHAI/BEIJING (Reuters) - China on Saturday named rising political star Chen Miner as Communist Party boss in southwestern Chongqing, cementing his reputation as a favorite of President Xi Jinping ahead of a leadership reshuffle at a key party congress in the autumn. The elevation of Chen, a trusted confidant of Xi, is a sign the president is flexing his political muscles as he maneuvers to line up a new Politburo Standing Committee, the apex of political power in China. Chen previously worked under Xi in Zhejiang province, where Xi was then provincial party leader, and has since ridden the coat-tails of his former boss, climbing rapidly through the party ranks. Foreign diplomats who have met Chen say he talks openly about his closeness to Xi. Chen, who moves to Chongqing from the poor southwestern province of Guizhou, takes over from Sun Zhengcai, the official news agency Xinhua said, without saying where Sun would go next or including wording to suggest he would get another position. Chongqing television's main evening news showed Chen giving a speech to senior city officials, telling them he would not let down the party's trust in giving him such an important job. His predecessor Sun did not appear to be present in the meeting. Chongqing is perhaps best known for its association with its disgraced former party boss Bo Xilai, once himself a contender for top leadership before being jailed for life in 2013 in a dramatic corruption scandal. Chen said officials must "resolutely eliminate the malign influence" of the Bo case, Chongqing television reported. Sun had been seen as another potential candidate for elevation at the autumn congress, but his star has waned. Sources with ties to the leadership and foreign diplomats say Sun has been out of favor after the party's anti-corruption watchdog this year criticized Chongqing authorities for not doing enough to root out Bo's influence. Chen was made Guizhou deputy party secretary in 2012, but was promoted to governor less than a year later and within roughly a month of Xi becoming president, before moving up again to his role as Guizhou party boss in 2015. Sources with ties to the leadership had said Chen could jump straight into the Standing Committee with Xi's support potentially easing out contenders from rival factions, though Chen is still considered a dark horse candidate. The switch from Guizhou to the more high-profile Chongqing role signals that Chen is virtually assured of a Politburo spot. But the change so close to the 19th Party Congress may mean he has to wait longer for further promotion, as it would be unusual to move the holder of such an important post within months. For decades, Guizhou was one of China's most backward provinces, but in recent years the central government has poured in billions of yuan, with a focus on poverty alleviation and big data. Xinhua said Guizhou governor Sun Zhigang, who is not related to Sun Zhengcai, had taken over as the province's party chief. (Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in BEIJING; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Stephen Powell)
Chinese scientists have just shattered a record in teleportation. No, they haven't beamed anyone up to a spaceship. Rather, they sent a packet of information from Tibet to a satellite in orbit, up to 870 miles (1,400 kilometers) above the Earth's surface.

More specifically, the scientists beamed the quantum state of a photon (information about how it is polarized) into orbit.

Not only did the team set a record for quantum teleportation distance, they also showed that one can build a practical system for long-distance quantum communications. Such a communication system would be impossible to eavesdrop on without alerting the users, which would make online communications much more secure.

Experiments like this have been done before, but Howard Wiseman, director of the Center for Quantum Dynamics at Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia, told Live Science in an email that this one expands the possibilities for the technology. [10 Futuristic Technologies 'Star Trek' Fans Would Love to See]

"This is much more difficult, because it is to a rapidly moving target, and you have your quantum detectors way out in space where they have to work without anyone fiddling with them," he said. "It is a big step towards global-scale quantum communication."

Spooky pairs

The experiment takes advantage of one of several phenomena that describes quantum mechanics: entanglement, or "spooky action at a distance," as Albert Einstein called it. When two particles are entangled, they remain connected so that an action performed on one affects the other as well, no matter how far apart the two are. In the same vein, when one measures the state of one particle in the entangled duo, you'd automatically know the state of the second. Physicists call the states "correlated," because if one particle  a photon, for example  is in an "up" state, its entangled partner will be in a "down" state  a kind of mirror image. (Strictly speaking, there are four possible combinations for the two particles to be in).

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The weird part is that once the state of the first particle is measured, the second one somehow "knows" what state it should be in. The information seems to travel instantaneously, without a speed-of-light limit. [8 Ways You Can See Einstein's Theory of Relativity in Real Life]

Teleporting information

In June, the same researchers reported another feat in quantum teleportation: They sent entangled photons from the Micius satellite to two ground stations over distances between 994 miles and 1,490 miles (1,600 and 2,400 km), depending on the location of the satellite in its orbit. While this experiment showed that entanglement can happen over long distances, the new experiment uses that entanglement to transmit a photon's quantum state to a distant location.

In their latest experiment, the Chinese team, led by Ji-Gang Ren at the University of Science and Technology in Shanghai, fired a laser from a ground station in Tibet to a satellite in orbit. That laser beam carried a photon entangled with another photon on the ground. They then entangled the photon on the ground with a third photon, and measured their quantum states. But the scientists didn't actually reveal the states themselves. They just asked whether their states (in this case, their vertical or horizontal polarizations) were the same or different. There are four possible combinations: vertical-vertical, vertical-horizontal, horizontal-vertical and horizontal-horizontal. Since the states of the particles on the ground were correlated with the one on the satellite, an observer looking at the satellite's photon, meanwhile, would know that that photon has to be in one of four possible states that correlate with the two photons on the ground.

If there were a person riding in the satellite, once they were told that the states of the ground-based photons were the same or different, they would know enough to be able reconstruct the state of the ground-based photons and to duplicate it in their single photon on board. The photons on the ground would have had their quantum state teleported to orbit.

While it sounds like information is traveling faster than light, there's no way to use this property as an instantaneous messaging system. That's because even though the states of entangled particles are correlated, you can't know what they are before you measure them, nor can you control the state.

But what entangled particles can do is act as perfect authenticators for messages. The reason is that the act of observing a particle changes its behavior. If an eavesdropper were trying to intercept the transmission between the satellite and the ground in this recent experiment, the quantum states of the photons (as measured by the scientists) would not be correctly correlated.

The Chinese team managed to make entanglement work over distances of 310 miles (500 km) to 870 miles (1,400 km), the maximum distance to the satellite. This is farther than anyone has ever managed to send entangled states. Entangled photons can't interact with anything else on the way to their destination, because once they do, their states have been "observed"  revealed by the interaction. Hence, the teleportation doesn't work if the photons are observed before they get to their destination. When scientists conduct experiments like this one, they don't just send single photons, one at a time; to get the measurements they want, they need to send lots of them. Even in the vacuum of space, out of millions of photons sent, the satellite was only able to reliably receive 911 of them, according to the study. [Infographic: How Quantum Entanglement Works]

If these same photons were sent over fiber-optic cables, rather than through space, the connection between the photons would be destroyed by interference from factors such as heat and vibration, or even random interactions with the cable. As such, it could take 380 billion years to get a measurement from an entangled photon. A satellite, on the other hand, is outside of the atmosphere, and there's much less chance of the entangled photon getting spoiled.

"With fiber you lose many of the photons," said Bill Munro, a senior research scientist at NTT's basic research laboratory, in an interview with Live Science. Beaming photons to orbit means that you could build an actual communications system. "You could beam from China to Washington or New York." The problem of reducing the interference with the signals and getting more photons through, Munro said, is a technical and engineering problem that can be solved.

Both Munro and Wiseman noted that often people think of teleportation as moving an actual object (or a photon) form one place to another. "People have this 'Star Trek' approach," Munro said. "They think of atoms being teleported. What we're moving is information from one [quantum] bit to another [quantum] bit. There's no matter  only information. That's hard to get your head around."

The study appeared in the ArXiv on July 4.

Originally published on Live Science.

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JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel will reopen the Noble Sanctuary-Temple Mount compound on Sunday, a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday, after the holy site had been shut down following a deadly shooting. On Friday, three Arab-Israeli gunmen shot dead two Israeli policemen on the outskirts of the compound, holy to Muslims and Jews, and were then killed by security forces. It was one of the most serious attacks in the area in years. [L8N1K50JP] Israeli authorities then shut the compound down citing security concerns, just hours before Muslim Friday prayers. That move prompted anger among Muslim worshippers and was condemned by Palestinian religious and political leaders, Jordan and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, a world Islamic body, among others, who called for the site to be reopened immediately. Netanyahu's statement said the site, known to Muslims as Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as Temple Mount, would be open from Sunday noon to Muslim worshippers, tourists and Jewish visitors. "Metal detectors will be stationed at the entrance gates to Temple Mount and cameras covering activity on the mount will be installed outside it," Netanyahu's statement said. The compound houses the Aqsa Mosque and the golden Dome of the Rock. It is managed by Jordanian religious authorities and is adjacent to the Western Wall, a holy site where Jews are permitted to pray. The compound has proved to be a tinder-box in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the past. Under a delicate status quo agreement, Jews are allowed to enter the compound under close supervision, but only Muslims are permitted to pray there. (Reporting by Maayan Lubell; Editing by Richard Balmforth and Hugh Lawson)
A routine cataract surgery uncovered nearly 30 contact lenses stuck together in two separate chunks in a 67-year-old British womans eye.

Initially published in the British Medical Journal on July 5, the incident at Solihull Hospital in England has piqued the curiosity of eye patients and doctors alike with its peculiar ophthalmological fallout. The blueish mass was written off by the patient as simple discomfort caused by dry eyes or old age, The Bellingham Herald reports.

Rupal Morjaria, a specialist trainee of ophthalmology, writes that the first clump found in the womans eye during her scheduled cataract surgery contained 17 contact lenses stuck together. A second set of 10 contacts were found grouped together on the same eyeball during continued examination. The operating team that included ophthalmologists with more than 20 years of experience had never made such an eye-opening finding.

Read: Why Millennials Avoid Seeing Doctors, Health Care Costs Crisis

None of us have ever seen this before, Rupal Morjaria told Optometry Today. It was such a large mass. All the 17 contact lenses were stuck together. We were really surprised that the patient didnt notice it because it would cause quite a lot of irritation while it was sitting there.

Due to an increased risk of endophthalmitis, the cataract surgery was postponed after the discovery of the more than two-dozen contacts in the patients eye. The woman, 67, told doctors shed been wearing monthly disposable contact lenses for more than 35 years but didnt make regular optometrist appointments.

Patient Reported No Symptoms Related To The 'Missing' Contacts

The patient had reported no symptoms about the missing lenses during pre-operative test and Morjaria and her team said they decided to make this case public because theyd previously believed it was not possible to retain such a large number of contact lenses in ones eye without having any symptoms or noticeable irritation.

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Because she had harboured these contact lenses in her eye for an unknown length of time, if we had operated she would have had a lot of bacteria around her conjunctiva, said Morjaria.

The Association of Optometrists clinical and regulator officer, Henry Leonard, tells Optometry Today that contact lens issues are quite common, such as being stuck under the upper eyelid or dexterity issues, but this case was exceedingly rare.

Patients do sometimes present with a contact lens stuck under their upper eyelid, particularly if they are new to contact lens wear, or have problems with dexterity, but finding this many lenses stuck in someones eye is exceedingly rare, said Leonard. Most patients would experience significant discomfort and redness, and be at risk of eye infections.

Morjaria reiterated that patients with contact lenses of any type should regularly visit eye doctors.

In this day and age, when it is so easy to purchase contact lenses online, people become lax about having regular check ups, she said. Contact lenses are used all the time, but if they are not appropriately monitored we see people with serious eye infections that can cause them to lose their sight.

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Many of us often head to local malls to lift our moods when we feel low. To pamper ourselves, we indulge in shopping and try to find solace by buying clothes, accessories or even gadgets. But is the retail therapy for real and does it actually help?

The important thing about retail therapy is not in the buying, although there is often a big buzz in the moment of purchase, but the process of looking. Like a treasure hunt, it is the journey not the destination that is most real fun, according to the self-help website ChangingMinds.org.

Read: Startup's Electric Headband Could Ease Depression

In 2015, a study published in the journal Psychology and Marketing found shopping helped in lifting moods. Researchers examined the impulsive behaviors of participants due to depressed or anxious moods to understand if people regret shopping. They found people were more impulsive when their mood was bad and indulged themselves in retail therapy, but did not regret doling out money.

[Bad] mood does lead to greater purchase and consumption of unplanned treats for the self. However, it also provides evidence that the consumption of self-treats can be strategically motivated. Those individuals who do indulge can also exercise restraint if the goal of restraint also leads to improved mood. Finally, retail therapy has lasting positive impacts on mood. Feelings of regret and guilt are not associated with the unplanned purchases made to repair a bad mood, the researchers noted in the study.

Ohio-based clinical psychologist Scott Bea is of the opinion is that retail therapy does not harm. Shopping gets us sensing and that gets us out of our own thoughts, Bea was quoted as saying by a non-profit academic centre, Cleveland Clinic, in an article. Many times, if we can get away from thinking about ourselves, we can feel better.

Were enamored with possibilities, he added. I think in those ways, shopping produces a kind of delightful brain chemistry with relatively low hazard.

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Read: What Causes Depression? Stress, Serotonin Gene Link Investigated

Retail therapy can also be rewarding. If you plan it out and say Im going to save for this or Im going to reward myself and accumulate those funds to do a little retail therapy, then that can feel really, really good, Bea explained.

However, some may argue emotional shopping can actually have its repercussions such as unnecessary expenditure on items that one may not really require. In an article, the Huffington Post noted retail therapy is often used as a defense technique. Defense mechanisms are an unconscious process that protect an individual from painful thoughts or ideas that are too difficult for the conscious mind to cope with. In certain cases, defense mechanisms keep unwanted thoughts and impulses from entering the conscious mind, the Post stated.

In denial mode, people tend to refuse to accept the reality or problems they face in life. However, the article went on to explain that if money is not an issue, it is okay to be involved in retail therapy once in a while as it reduces stress and anxiety.

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President Donald Trumps approval rating has fallen to a mere 36 percent in a span of six months after he assumed the office in January, according to the latest poll conducted jointly by ABC News and the Washington Post.

Trump's current approval rating has been recorded as the lowest for any president in the United States in the last 70 years, the poll suggested. The businessman-turned-politician's popularity has hit a new low. He was met with a 42 percent approval rating after he completed 100 days as the president.

His disapproval rating has skyrocketed to an alarming 48 percent. Former President George W. Bush had similar ratings during his second term. However, former presidents and Democratic leaders like Barack Obama and Bill Clinton remained quite popular during their multiple terms.

Six months after serving as the president, Obama had 59 percent approval rating and Clinton had 45 percent approval rating, the poll said. Among the presidents dating back 70 years or more, Harry S. Truman had the highest approval rating at 82 percent, while Gerald Ford had the lowest approval rating at 39 percent in February 1975.

Read: Trump Approval Ratings: Low Support Amid Controversial Tweets And Senate Delaying Healthcare Vote

The poll was conducted after the New York Times recently published an article alleging the president's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., and other members of the Trump campaign met with a Russian lawyer in order to collect incriminating information about former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

The alleged scandal prompted 63 percent of the poll participants to disapprove of Trump Jr.'s action, while 67 percent of the Americans were not convinced that members of the Trump administration had nothing to do with influencing the 2016 election in their candidates favor.

Donald Trump

Photo: Getty Images/Isaac Brekken

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Most participants (55 percent) thought Trumps G20 summit visit was not sucessful. Among the world leaders that people dont want their president to negotiate with is Russian President Vladimir Putin, over rumors of Moscow meddling into the presidential election, the poll said.

Read: Trump Approval Ratings: Latest Polls After Comey Hearing And As Senate Tries To Repeal And Replace Obamacare

Further, about 50 percent of the participants said they supported Trump's economic plans and programs. According to an article published by the VOA News, one of the aspects that might have worked in Trumps favor was the perception among people that the Democratic Party was working to suppress the government.

The sudden drop in the president's approval ratings comes weeks after Trumps approval rating maintained a steady standing in the last few weeks. According to right-leaning poll Rasmussen Report, conducted between July 11 and July 14, presidents approval rating stood at 43 percent.

However, according to another Gallup Poll, carried out the same time, Trump received 38 percent approval and 57 percent disapproval rating. In yet another analysis, conducted by SurveyMonkey between July 7 and July 13, 42 percent people approved of Trumps administrative policies, while 56 percent disapproved of the same.

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To many, the revelation that Donald Trump Jr. was anxious to get dirt on Hillary Clinton from the Russians will not come as a surprise. It is but the latest example of the take-no-prisoners, anything-goes politics of our day. Sure, soliciting help from a hostile foreign power is exceptional, and it is certainly true that the Trumps have taken unconventional politics to new heights. But how we do politics in the United States, the boundaries of acceptable behavior, has been shifting for two decades.

The real surprise  the part of the story that we should be gravely concerned about  is that this disclosure will not matter to a great many American voters. After thinking and writing about politics for two decades, I have come to the conclusion that the real issue we face is not the conduct of public officials or their surrogates, but how nefarious acts are now sanctioned, and even applauded, by so many on both sides of the partisan fence.

So whats changed in our politics?

Fear and loathing

For one, the nature of partisanship is different. Until about a decade ago, ones attachment to a party was centered around policy disputes or cues from groups and associations. But todays version is grounded in the fear and loathing of the other side. Trunkloads of data, much of it from the Pew Research Center, suggest each side sees the other party as crazy and certainly dangerous. So it does not matter what your side does so long as it keeps the nut jobs on the other side at bay.

A new volume by political scientists Christopher Achen and Larry Bartels further helps to fine-tune our understanding how people vote and which party they identify with. Their book, Democracy for Realists: Why Elections Do Not Produce Responsive Government, suggests issue congruence [between voters and parties], in so far as it exists, is mostly a byproduct of other connections, most of them lacking policy content. In other words, we dont think through issues, policies and candidate characteristics, but instead see elections as us versus them. These scholars argue voters tie themselves with racial, ethnic, occupational, religious, recreational and other groups, with partisanship as the byproduct. Our group identity, not policy concerns or ideology, determines vote choice. That is to say, we gather comfortably with our tribe and tune out other points of view.

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A central force propelling hostility toward the other party is the partisan media. Many such outlets have figured out a sustainable business model. Smaller audiences can be profitable, so long as they remain loyal. Loyalty springs from crisis and, of course, menace. This leads to treating every issue as a true threat to our existence or a usurpation of fundamental rights. The other party is always the villain, and your side can do no wrong  so long as it is for the grand struggle.

And then there is the online world. Voters rarely explore new ideas and perspectives, but share, like and retweet concordant ones. We fence in and we fence out. As recently noted by journalist and author Megan McArdle, Social media, of course, makes this problem worse. Even if we are not deliberately blocking people who disagree with us, Facebook curates our feeds so that we get more of the stuff we like. What do we like? People and posts that agree with us.

Sorting and filtering

Is the filtering of information really a new development? It is not at all clear that voters have ever absorbed a broad range of information or shifted though competing evidence. It is likely party bosses, elected officials, candidates and even media elites have always been able to manipulate mass opinion to a degree. Cognitive time-saving cues, especially party identification, have always been used to sort and filter.

But something very different is happening today. In the recent past, news was more widely viewed as objective, leading to a high degree of accepted facts and authority. When the news media unraveled the story of Watergate, for example, citizens of all partisan stripes accepted it as fact. What scholars dubbed short-term influences could override partisan leanings.

Which leads us to alternative facts, the aggressive spinning of policies and arguments regardless of contrary verifiable information. This may be a game-changer in our politics. The barrier for evidence has, it seems, evaporated, and emotion-rich information is used to draw more viewers, readers and listeners. If we add the continual drive for fresh news and the high costs of creating traditional journalism, we are left with little consensus or authority. New York Times blogger Farhad Manjoo put it this way: We are roiled by preconceptions and biases, and we usually do what feels easiest  we gorge on information that confirms our ideas, and we shun what does not.

Finally, popular culture has also probably contributed to our growing indifference to nefarious acts. We pick our reality show contestant and applaud every backhanded, despicable move that gets him across the finish line. There cant be two winners or a collective good, only a sole survivor. Or shall we say that only one apprentice can get the job? And the best part of the show  the segment that really gets the producers juiced  is when things get truly ugly.

Democratic accountability

The latest Trump team revelation is a shocker, but even more stunning is the meager impact it will likely have on his supporters. As noted in a recent USA Today story, in Trump country the Russia disclosure is no big deal.

As voters, citizens are called to judge those in power. But there must be an objective standard for the assessment, which is why the framers of the Constitution put so much stock in a free press. The governed in a democracy must be willing and able to fairly judge the acts of the governors. But today your side has always done a good job and the other party has always failed. Any contrary revelation can be explained away as fake news.

The key ingredient in the democratic accountability process  objectivity  is disappearing, and the foundation of our limited government has been shaken. In Federalist #51 and elsewhere, James Madison wrote, A dependence upon the people is, no doubt, the primary control on the government Many are starting to wonder if Americans are up to the job  and whether the fate of the grand experiment is at risk.

Daniel M. Shea, Professor of Government, Colby College

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

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Photo: The Conversation

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The royal family touched down in Warsaw on Monday to begin their five-day tour of Poland and Germany.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are joined on the trip by their children: 3-year-old Prince George and 2-year-old Princess Charlotte.

The royals disembarked the plane with the Duchess of Cambridge, dressed in Alexander McQueen, carrying Princess Charlotte, in a ditsy floral dress, while Prince William held 3-year-old Prince Georges hand. [Photo: PA]

As always, all eyes were on Kate Middletons outfit choice. The royals first look, which she wore for disembarking the plane as well as in a photo op with Polish President Andrzej Duda and his wife, Agata, at the presidential palace, included an ivory peplum coat paired with a midi-length skirt from Alexander McQueen.

The wool jacket, which originally sold for $1,538, is no longer available in the United States. The elegant style features a V-neckline and a cinched in waist, which the Duchess highlighted further with a matching belt.

The Duchess opted for nude suede Gianvito Rossi heels  shoes that she has worn countless times before  and kept her jewelry minimal. She paired a purple pendant necklace with matching drop earrings. As per usual, she also had her sapphire engagement ring on.

The Duchess of Cambridge wore Alexander McQueen while Charlotte wore a cute red dress. (Photo: PA)

As for the little royals, they dressed for the occasion in the national colors of Poland, with Princess Charlotte in a sleeveless red printed dress and Prince George arriving in a colorful stripy shirt and navy shorts, despite the rain in Warsaw.

Prince William stuck to a traditional suit, sticking to the color scheme as well, with a red tie.

As the plane carrying the family of four arrived in Warsaw, Prince George and Princess Charlotte were seen peeking out a plane window  to the delight of royal fans globally. (Photo: PA)

Although the royal children seemed a little shy, with George seemingly unhappy to leave the aircraft, this isnt George and Charlottes first time abroad.

The duo accompanied their parents on their Canadian royal tour last year.

The Duke and Duchess are very much looking forward to this tour and are delighted with the exciting and varied programme that has been put together for it, a spokesperson for Kensington Palace said. They have decided that their children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, will travel with them and we expect the children to be seen on at least a couple of occasions over the course of the week.

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The Duke and Duchess first stop-off in Warsaw was to meet with President Andrzej Duda and first lady Agata Kornhauser-Duda at the Presidential Palace. (Photo: PA)

After touching down, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge headed to the presidential palace where they were greeted by President Duda and first lady Agata Kornhauser-Duda. The couple also visited the Warsaw Uprising Museum and met with World War II veterans from the Polish resistance. After that, the royal couple will travel to meet Polands young entrepreneurs.

The evening will see the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visit the picturesque Orangery in Lazienki Park for a birthday party for the queen hosted by the British ambassador.

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The Doctor has been on the air since 1963. He has traveled the universe from Gallifrey to Earth and nearly everywhere in between. Thanks to his regenerative powers, the Time Lord has worn 12 different faces over the course of his estimated 2,000 years gallivanting across the universe, but one thing he has never regenerated as is a woman. Until now.

The BBC just announced that the 13th doctor will be played by Jodie Whittaker, an actress best known for her work in the British crime drama Broadchurch where, perhaps tellingly, she played opposite David Tennant, who was Doctor Whos 10th doctor. For many fans, when it comes to a female Doctor, its about timey wimey.

Whittaker will succeed Peter Capaldi, who took the role in 2013 amid a bit of an outcry from fans who have long been awaiting the Doctor to regenerate as a woman or a person of color. After all, if the Doctor has the power to regenerate in the first place, why would he only regenerate as a white male who speaks with a British or Scottish accent? Showrunner Steven Moffatt was having none of it, though, because he only had eyes for Capaldi and didnt want to even consider anyone else, male or female. Back in 2015, he told Salon that he simply wanted to cast whoever would work best in the role, which he saw as the white, male Capaldi, but claimed at the time that he was open to other iterations of the Doctor in the future. He also cast Pearl Mackie as Bill, a black, gay character that played the Doctors new companion.

While fans have slowly warmed up to Capaldi, he is leaving the long-running series during this years Christmas special and will hand over the keys to the TARDIS, his police-box time machine, to Whittaker, who will suddenly be at the center of one of the most famous sci-fi shows in television history.

Its more than an honor to play the Doctor, Whittaker told BBC. It means remembering everyone I used to be, while stepping forward to embrace everything the Doctor stands for: hope. I cant wait.

The news, which was announced in a trailer after the Wimbledon mens singles final, is particularly surprising to fans because the British press reported that the BBC had currently no plans for a female Doctor. Instead, the press was batting around names like Kris Marshall (Love Actually) and Tom Rosenthal (Plebs), both white men, as well as David Harewood, who played David Estes on Homeland, and who, as a black man, would have been a change from the Doctors long history.



But it turns out that was all a bit of a ruse, though, as Chris Chibnall, the shows new head writer and executive producer who is taking over the reins from David Moffatt, apparently always wanted the new Doctor to be a woman. I always knew I wanted the Thirteenth Doctor to be a woman, he said in a press release, calling Whittaker the shows number one choice. Her audition for The Doctor simply blew us all away. Jodie is an in-demand, funny, inspiring, super-smart force of nature and will bring loads of wit, strength and warmth to the role. The Thirteenth Doctor is on her way.

Capaldi is happy to hand his sonic screwdriver over to Whittaker, too. Anyone who has seen Jodie Whittakers work will know that she is a wonderful actress of great individuality and charm. She has above all the huge heart to play this most special part. Shes going to be a fantastic Doctor, he said.

The fact that the Doctor is now a woman, raises all sort of exciting questions, like will she have a male companion who randomly wears skimpy clothing? Will she be a lesbian and have a strangely intimate will they-or-wont they relationship with Bill? Can the Doctor get pregnant? Or will she simply continue to answer the universes distress calls, solving whatever problem is thrown her way with simply her wits and a sonic screwdriver?

For many fans, its an exciting change that will make the show even more relatable (as much as one can relate to an ancient time-traveling Good Samaritan). However, there will undoubtedly be some complaints from fans who can only envision the Doctor as a white male with a British accent, as the Doctor himself might say, The universe is big. Its vast and complicated and ridiculous. And sometimes, very rarely, impossible things just happen and we call them miracles. In that context, its not all that surprising that the Doctor would regenerate as a woman, particularly when his regenerative power just might be nearly used up as hinted in past episodes. Just call it a miracle that the Doctor can still regenerate at all. In other words, as the Doctor said way back in the beginning, This is who I am, right here, right now, all right? All that counts is here and now, and this is me!
BEIJING (Reuters) - At least 22 people were killed when a two-storey residential building in China's eastern Jiangsu province caught fire on Sunday, the official Xinhua news agency cited local authorities as saying. The fire broke out before dawn at the building in the town of Yushan in Changshu city, Xinhua said. Three were injured. The blaze has since been put out, and local police said they had arrested a suspect for alleged arson. An investigation into the cause was under way and disaster-relief teams have been set up to offer legal and mental support for the families and relatives of the victims, Xinhua said. (Reporting by Ryan Woo; Editing by Richard Borsuk, Greg Mahlich)
Polar field guides Julie Baum and Tom Sylvester have tied the knot in the first official wedding on the British Antarctic Territory - PA

The first ever wedding has taken place in British Antarctic Territory this weekend, with the bride sewing an orange piece of tent on to her dress for the something old.

Polar field guides Julie Baum and Tom Sylvester got married in sub-zero temperatures, with a two-day celebration including a champagne breakfast.

The wedding guest list was made up of couples 18 colleagues who live and work at the British Antarctic Survey's (BAS) largest research station during the winter months, including the plumber, electrician and chef.

Polar field guides Julie Baum and Tom Sylvester with their fellow researchers on the day of the wedding Credit: British Antarctic Survey/PA

It is the first official wedding took take place on the territory in Adelaide Island, with magistrate and Rothera Station Leader Paul Samways performing the ceremony over the weekend.

"Over the last 10 years Tom and I have been working and travelling around the world, said Ms Baum, 34, from Birmingham.

"Getting married in Antarctica feels like it was meant to be. There is no better place really, I love snowy mountains and spending time in amazing places with awesome people."

Julie Baum and Tom Sylvester hold their marriage certificate Credit: British Antarctic Survey/PA

The mountaineering couple were selected joined the BAS to manage deep-field science expeditions in 2016.

Mr Sylvester, 35, from Sheffield, added: Antarctica is an incredibly beautiful place and we have made such great friends here, so the setting couldn't be better.

A specially designed and decorated 'chapel' was created for the wedding ceremony Credit: British Antarctic Survey

"We have always wanted to have a small personal wedding, but never imagined we'd be able to get married in one of the most remote places on Earth."

#wedding bells in #Antarctica for polar guides Julie & Tom with first wedding in British Antarctic Territory https://t.co/JZxRzj5laPpic.twitter.com/fVPsNsgPx6  Antarctic Survey (@BAS_News) 11 July 2017

A BAS spokesman, who said the tent would "no doubt have a lot of history associated with it" adding that the celebrations included a "sumptuous" wedding menu prepared by the station chef and a party with live music from its "resident band".

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The wedding will be registered with the British Antarctic Territory Government, based in the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and will be valid in the UK.

Station Leader Mr Samways said: "Having spent time with Julie and Tom over the Austral summer and half of the Antarctic winter I feel amazingly privileged to be able to be part of their story.

"They are amazing people, and being responsible for joining them in marriage is an incredible honour."

The couple first met at an outdoor instructor apprenticeship scheme at the Plas Y Brenin Outdoor Centre in North Wales.

Polar field guides Julie Baum and Tom Sylvester were married over the weekend Credit: Neil Spencer/British Antarctic Survey

They both worked as expedition leaders around the world including Northern India, Nepal, Peru, Ecuador, Mongolia, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Borneo, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.

Rothera Research Station is a centre for biological research and a hub for supporting deep-field and air operations sited on Adelaide Island to the west of the Antarctic Peninsula.
Abu Dhabi (AFP) - French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian called Sunday for a "de-escalation" in the row between Qatar and four Arab countries, as he held talks in the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, a mediator in the crisis.

"It would be preferable if the parties could engage in a process of de-escalation, one that is indispensable so that negotiations can take place in a constructive atmosphere," Le Drian said in Abu Dhabi.

He held talks with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahayan, who is also deputy commander in chief of the UAE's armed forces.

Abu Dhabi was the last step in a tour of four Gulf nations that began Saturday and also took Le Drian to Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

Earlier Sunday, the French foreign minister held talks in Kuwait City with senior officials in a bid to bolster the emirate's attempts to mediate in the Gulf crisis.

Le Drian met with the emir, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, and Kuwait's foreign minister, state news agency KUNA said, for talks on a regional rift which has seen Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain sever all ties with Qatar.

The French foreign minister has supported Kuwait as a mediator in the crisis, which he said should be resolved "by the Gulf countries themselves".

"France does not want to substitute the mediator," Le Drian said in Saudi Arabia on Saturday. "It wants to be a facilitator by joining efforts of other countries."

Le Drian's visit comes after a four-day mediation mission by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson ended on Thursday with no announcement of progress towards defusing mounting tensions in the Gulf.

Saudi Arabia and its allies imposed sanctions on Doha on June 5, including closing its only land border, denying Qatar access to their airspace and ordering their citizens back from the emirate.

The four Arab states accuse Qatar of ties to Iran and of funding Islamist extremist groups. Qatar has denied the accusations.

The Gulf crisis is the worst to hit the region since the establishment of the Gulf Cooperation Council in 1981.
Former Vice President Al Gore said Monday that the U.S. is going through a challenging time under the Trump administration, decrying President Trumps decision to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement.

Weve never had a president whos deliberately made decisions the effect of which is to tear down Americas standing in the world, starting with his withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, Gore said Monday on NBCs Today Show. The climate crisis is by far the most serious challenge we face.

Trump announced last month that the U.S. would withdraw from the Paris Agreement, an international pact signed by more than 190 countries to commit to fighting climate change by reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

Gore, who has spent much of his time after his 2000 presidential run crusading to fight climate change, met with Trump last year at Trump Tower to discuss climate change.

The meetings had given Gore hope that the president would come to his senses about the Paris Agreement.

But I was wrong, Gore said. He declined to elaborate on what was discussed in the meeting.

Al Gore speaks during a Q&A following a special screening of An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power at Event Cinemas Bondi Junction on July 10, 2017, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures)

Trump, who has called climate change a hoax, argued in June that withdrawing from the Paris Agreement would benefit the U.S. economy.

Well, the business community does not believe that at all, Gore said on CBS Sunday Morning. There are now twice as many jobs in the solar industry as in the coal industry.

In the U.S., the number of solar jobs is growing 17 times faster than the number of jobs in other industries, Gore said, calling the solar industry one of the brightest spots in our economic revival.

But the former vice president, who won a Nobel Peace Prize for his climate change work, has faced pushback from some conservatives for his efforts.

Fox & Friends criticized Gore for comparing the climate change fight to fights against moral issues such as slavery and apartheid in a July 13 speech at the Ecocity World summit in Australia.

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, Gore said in the speech. The abolition of slavery. Womens suffrage and womens rights. The civil rights movement and the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa.

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Seriously?? Former VP Al Gore compares climate battle to fight against slavery and apartheid, Fox & Friends tweeted.

Seriously?? Former VP Al Gore compares climate battle to fight against slavery and apartheid pic.twitter.com/H2FWjuemky  FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) July 14, 2017

The longtime climate change battle advocate has taken criticism of his work in stride.

If everybodys just completely happy with what youre doing, you may not be working hard enough to bring about the kind of change that we need, Gore said on CBS.

He added that hell continue to fight climate change, adding, I could not lay this [fight] down or put it aside even if I wanted to. I dont want to.

On NBC, Gore was quick to say that Trumps decision to leave the Paris Agreement is just one of the ways in which the president has hurt Americas standing in the world, citing damage to international alliances such as NATO.

The months ahead will be a test for the American people, Gore said on NBC.

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North Korea's latest missile test has brought simmering tensions between the notoriously reclusive country and the United States to a head. But are fears of nuclear war premature? Are North Korean rockets capable of reaching American shores?

It's possible, according to John Schilling, an American aerospace engineer and North Korea analyst.

Schilling, whose experience includes developing rockets for the U.S. Air Force, said the latest North Korean missile is the first with sufficient range and payload capacity to deliver a single nuclear warhead into United States territory. [North Korea: A Hermit Country from Above (Photos)]

The July 4 test launch was "definitely unprecedented," Schilling told Live Science. "They've used bits of technology that they've been testing in smaller missiles, but this is the first time they've tested a missile of this scale."

Schilling is a consultant for 38 North, a website devoted to expert analysis of North Korea, run by the US-Korea Institute at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, D.C.

The North Korean news agency KCNA broadcast a video of the launch and reported that the missile reached a maximum altitude of 1,741 miles (2,802 kilometers) and flew for 39 minutes before it impacted in the Sea of Japan "more than 930 km" (580 miles) from its launch site near Kusong, in the northwest of the country.

In a blog post, David Wright, director of the Global Security Program for the Union of Concerned Scientists, estimated that the new missile has a theoretical maximum range of around 4,160 miles (6,700 km) from launch sites in North Korea.

"In its present form, it couldn't reach much farther than Alaska or maybe Hawaii," Schilling said, "but we think it can be fairly easily extended to cover the West Coast of the United States."

Nuclear threat

There can be little doubt about North Korea's intended targets for its missiles  the country's state media regularly issues dire warnings to South Korea, Japan and the United States, which it accuses of meddling in Korean affairs. [7 Technologies That Transformed Warfare]

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"I expect they will eventually try to develop something bigger to cover the entire United States, but would expect this one to go into service as a weapon, at least in the near term, over the next year or two," Schilling said.

That means North Korea is on the verge of creating a truly intercontinental nuclear threat: "Missiles of this scale are almost always equipped with nuclear warheads," he said. "It's just not cost-effective with anything less."

Schilling estimated that North Korea could have around 20 nuclear warheads that could be used on such a missile, "but there is substantial uncertainty on that," he said.

He also noted that, unlike earlier North Korean missiles, the Hwasong-14 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that was tested earlier this month is fitted with a payload shroud, which hides the payload from external view.

"That sort of design suggests that they're planning on incorporating decoys, in addition to just a single warhead  but that would be several years down the road, requiring additional development and testing," Schilling said.

Home grown

North Korea's nuclear missile program is made possible by a massive commitment of money and resources, reported the Washington Post, even though the country is thought to be one of the poorest in the world, and where inhabitants endure frequent power outages and shortages of basic supplies.

Schilling said each rocket based on the Hwasong-14 would probably costs tens of millions of dollars to build, and the North Koreans are expected to put several such rockets into service over the next few years.

The technologies used in the latest rocket also showed how North Korea's missile technology has advanced since its earlier reliance on missile technology from post-Soviet Russia, in addition to covert assistance in the past from Pakistan and Iran.

"We think this is a home-grown design." Schilling said. "Getting to this stage over the last 20 years has involved some foreign collaboration, but at this point, we think that they've taken the training wheels off, and they're doing this on their own, with just an incredibly focused effort from a relatively poor nation."

Reliability risk

Schilling said North Korea still faces many engineering challenges before the Hwasong-14 can be an effective weapon, particularly when it comes to ensuring that the missiles can function under the haste and uncertainty of combat conditions.

"We are actually surprised that this one worked at all  their missiles rarely work on the first try," he said.

Developing precise guidance systems for the missiles would be another challenge: "They've done launches which suggest they have guidance technology that would at least be accurate enough to hit city-sized targets," Schilling said. "Anything more precise than that would probably require a great deal of testing to calibrate the guidance systems."

The next stages of North Korea's missile development will probably only be known when it tests another missile. And only North Korea knows when that may be.

"That's hard to read," Schilling said. "They may just consider this success to be sufficient for the moment, and not risk embarrassing themselves with a failure."

Original article on Live Science.

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One evening last year, when his newborn daughter was small enough to hold with one arm, Rene Heller reached for a book to occupy his mind while he rocked her to sleep. Heller, an astrophysicist at the Max Planck Institutes in Gottingen, Germany, picked up Is Anyone Out There? The Scientific Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence.

The book is co-authored by Frank Drake, the renowned astrophysicist who came up with an equation to estimate the number of potential alien civilizations in the Milky Way. In it, Drake describes a fake alien transmission he composed in 1960, a series of ones and zeroes that encoded an image, and shared with his contemporaries in the field. Only one person eventually decoded it: a young electrical engineer from New York who had seen Drakes message in a magazine for amateur code crackers.

Huh, Heller thought. Why not come up with a modern version?

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So on April 26, 2016, an alien transmission appeared on Twitter. Heller posted a sequence of about 2 million zeroes and ones, binary digits meant to signify radio pulses coming from a pretend civilization 50 light-years from Earth. Radio signals have been considered an efficient means of interstellar communications since the 1960s, when the field of the search for extraterrestrial life, or SETI, was getting off the ground. Unlike other types of electromagnetic radiation, radio waves can pass through gas and dust over large distances of space without being absorbed or interrupted.

In this sequence Heller encoded information about these aliens, like their height, average lifespan, and the nature of their home star system and communication capabilities. He even included a hidden image of a slender, gray creature with long arms and an egg-shaped head. To get to this information, code crackers had to figure out what to do with a bunch of ones and zeroes, which span seven pages in your average text-editing program. Heller gave them about six weeks.

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The first correct response appeared in his inbox the next day. Over the next several weeks, Heller received more than 300 replies to his call, including the right answer, the wrong answer, questions, pleas for hints, and even a few insults. (This is one trait of the internet, he said dryly. You put out something and people just send an email to you and insult you.) A spoiler showed up on Reddit. When the window for submissions closed, Heller had 66 correct responses from individuals or teams.

The decoders of a real alien message from afar ... may not necessarily need to be astrophysicists or linguists.

Most of the responses came from North Americas East Coast and Western Europenot surprising, Heller says, considering the call was in English. They included scientists, software engineers, and, among others, two high-school students. Half had a bachelors or doctorate degree in mostly scientific fields. The vast majority were men.

To find the secret image, the string of ones and zeroes should be treated as black and white pixels and arranged in a certain way, so that the alien pops into view. You can do it yourself: copy and paste the sequence, found here, into a text editor, adjust the width of the window so that the first line is made up entirely of ones, and the first zero starts the second line. Zoom way out, and start scrolling down. Soon enough, the ghostly shape of a two-dimensional lanky alien should blur into existence before your eyes.

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Deciphering the non-visual information, like numbers meant to signify the imaginary aliens height and lifespan, is a little trickier, and involves a good deal of math, an understanding of how binary code works, and knowledge of values known as cosmological constants. (For all the details, check out Hellers paper on the experiment here).

Heller said the enthusiastic response to the call surprised him: I would have expected maybe five or 10 of my Twitter followers, who are mostly astrophysicists or people who are interested in astrophysics, to maybe respond.

The decoders of a real alien message from afar, should one ever reach Earth, may not necessarily need to be astrophysicists or linguists, as science fiction has shown. They could be computer programmers or hackers. Hellers digital experiment illustrates the advantage of applying people from a number of disciplines to a single problem. The method is also in line with one of the mission statements of SETI. A confirmed detection of extraterrestrial intelligence should be disseminated promptly, openly, and widely through scientific channels and public media, states the SETI Institute in its protocol for what should happen when intelligent life is detected. A few months ago, when telescopes observed mysterious dimming in the brightness of a distant starwhich some say could be caused by some kind of alien structure blocking the lightscientists live-tweeted about it.

Whoever hears our call could swing by and teach us ... language skills, or they could zap us out of existence.

Drake, the original sender of fake alien messages, wrote in his book in 1992 that his experiment taught him that amateur code crackers should be involved in the decryption of extraterrestrial messages. That was before the world wide web revolutionized the way we communicate. Is it a good idea to let anyone with an internet access the chance to decode an alien transmission?

Obviously there is a really giant pool of creativity out there. Its a very good environment for collaboration, Heller said. Consider those internet forums, where people meet and discuss their incremental approach toward a solution.

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But the internet is as capable of sowing trouble as it is cooperation. On the other hand, there are also weird people and there would certainly be conspiracy theories or people throwing around garbage or fake news, he said.

The announcement of an alien transmission could also, naturally, trigger some Orson Welles-style panic. It could funnel or focus the fears of people, Heller said. If you would throw out this image of our alien friendI find it funny, and in this context it certainly has a funny meaning. But if this would be a real image of some alien creature, it might also be very creepy. It might disturb people if we, as scientists, wouldnt prepare it or announce it in an optimal way.

If extraterrestrial intelligent life speaks in radio waves, humanity has the technology to hear it. Telescopes in California, West Virginia, and Puerto Rico survey the night sky for radio signals from beyond Earth. The Square Kilometer Array, a proposed telescope that may begin construction next year, will be powerful enough to detect radio signals originating billions of light-years away, as far back as the early universe.

Humans havent heard anything promising, but theyve been broadcasting. In 1975, Drake, with help from Carl Sagan and others in the field, used radio waves to transmit a message to a star cluster 25,000 light-years away. The cosmic communique, known as the Arecibo message, carried information about numerical figures, the makeup of DNA, a figure of a human, and a graphic of the solar system. Several messages have been sent since, ranging in content from basic information to Across the Universe by The Beatles, even as the scientific community debates whether humans should be sending messages at all. There are certain scenarios to consider: Whoever hears our call could swing by and teach us some time-bending language skills, or they could zap us out of existence.

For now, the decryption of a fake alien message is thrilling enough. When Heller walked me through the zooming in and scrolling down and I saw the alien pop against a sea of ones and zeroes, I practically yelped in excitement. Youve just gone through this moment when you realized the content of anat least fakeSETI message, Heller said. Isnt this nice?

Read more from The Atlantic:

This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
Tehran (AFP) - Iranian media have hailed trailblazing Iran-born mathematician Maryam Mirzakhani following her death from cancer, with her image blazoned across newspaper front pages on Sunday.

In some cases newspapers even broke with tradition and portrayed Mirzakhani without her hair covered by a hijab -- mandatory for women in public since the Islamic republic's 1979 revolution.

Mirzakhani, the first woman to win the coveted Fields Medal, died aged 40 on Saturday in a US hospital after the breast cancer she had been battling for four years spread to her bone marrow.

Mirzakhani was born and studied in Iran before leaving to pursue her career in the United States.

When she won the Fields Medal -- the equivalent of the Nobel Prize for mathematics -- in 2014, newspapers used every means possible to avoid showing her hair, including publishing old images of her in Iran with covered hair or drawing her picture with an improvised head scarf.

Some criticised the move then and on Sunday many chose to publish Mirzakhani's picture without a hijab -- perhaps easier to justify for authorities after her death.

Hamshahri, a centrist newspaper owned by the municipality of Tehran, and reformist economic daily Donyaye Eghtesad both used full-blown portraits of her without a hijab.

"The Queen of Mathematics' Eternal Departure," Donyaye Eghtesad's headline read.

The reformist Shargh daily published a photo of her wearing a hat -- under the headline "The Queen of Numbers Land" -- while some others used designs and photo editing to fade her signature short hair into a black backdrop.

- 'Truly devastated' -

Only ultraconservative newspapers Resalat and Keyhan did not feature Mirzakhani's picture on the front page, with the latter covering her story in an inside page with a picture of her wearing hijab.

There was an outpouring of grief from Iranians over her passing, not least because she represented a more globalised and positive image of the country than usually depicted.

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"Her work and her scientific achievements are clearly beyond my understanding but from the little knowledge I have, I can see how immense her intelligence and works are," said Nima Zaare, a Tehran-based artist who drew a portrait of Mirzakhani following her Fields Medal win.

"Normally I don't do portraits, but I was greatly honoured to draw such a genius. I was truly devastated when I heard the news of her death yesterday," he added.

Messages of grief also poured in on social media, including from senior officials.

President Hassan Rouhani was among the first to react following news of her death, posting a recent picture of Mirzakhani on Instagram without her head covered.

Writing in Shargh about Mirzakhani, reformist figure Azar Mansouri urged Rouhani to pick female ministers to his new cabinet which will be formed in the coming weeks, following his re-election in May.

"Appreciating the likes of Mirzakhani" is only possible by "establishing equal opportunities for them," she wrote.

Rouhani currently has three female deputies but no woman ministers.
Jerusalem (AFP) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu opposes the southwest Syria ceasefire agreed by Russia and the US since it would enable Iran to solidify its presence there, an official said Monday.

The July 9 accord creating a de-escalation zone in the Daraa, Quneitra and Sweida regions includes areas that have seen Israel retaliate over stray fire into the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights from clashes between Syrian regime forces and rebels.

Israel has also conducted several air strikes elsewhere in Syria since the civil war there erupted in 2011. Most strikes have targeted arms convoys or warehouses of its Lebanese arch-foe Hezbollah.

The Iran-backed Shiite movement is a key supporter of Syria's regime and is fighting alongside government forces.

An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP that Netanyahu opposed the deal "because of (the) Iranian presence" in Syria.

According to Haaretz newspaper, Netanyahu expressed Israel's opposition to the ceasefire during a Sunday meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris.

Citing a senior Israeli official, Haaretz said Israel believed Iran aimed to expand its presence in Syria, not only in terms of military advisers but also in the form of an airbase for Iranian aircraft, a naval base and extensive military forces.

Israel seized 1,200 square kilometres (460 square miles) of the Golan Heights from Syria in the Six-Day War of 1967 and later annexed it in a move never recognised by the international community.

Around 510 square kilometres remain under Syrian control.

Netanyahu has repeatedly said Iran is a threat to Israel, the Middle East and potentially the world.
Jerusalem (AFP) - Israeli authorities were to reopen an ultra-sensitive holy site Sunday closed after an attack that killed two policemen, but new security measures including metal detectors and cameras were being put in place.

Three Arab Israeli assailants opened fire on Israeli police Friday in Jerusalem's Old City before fleeing to the nearby Haram al-Sharif, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, where they were shot dead by security forces.

Israeli authorities said they had come from the flashpoint holy site, which includes the Al-Aqsa mosque and the Dome of the Rock, to commit the attack.

It was among the most serious incidents in recent years in Jerusalem and heightened Israeli-Palestinian tensions.

Israel took the highly unusual decision to close the Al-Aqsa mosque compound for Friday prayers, leading to anger from Muslims and Jordan, the holy site's custodian.

It remained closed on Saturday, while parts of Jerusalem's Old City were also under lockdown.

Israeli authorities said the closure was necessary to carry out security checks.

The site was to be reopened around noon on Sunday. Police spokeswoman Luba Samri said the metal detectors were being installed at entrances to the holy site and cameras were also being mounted in the area.

It was to be reopened gradually, police said, without providing details.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke of the security measures late Saturday before departing for a trip to Paris.

"This evening I held a discussion with the top security leadership and I instructed that metal detectors be placed at the entrance gates to the Temple Mount," he said.

"We will also install security cameras on poles outside the Temple Mount but which give almost complete control over what goes on there."

Netanyahu spoke by phone with Jordan's King Abdullah II on Saturday night, a statement from Amman said.

Abdullah condemned the attack, but also called on Netanyahu to reopen the Al-Aqsa compound and stressed the need to "avoid any escalation at the site."

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The new security measures are likely to be controversial.

A plan developed in 2015 between Israel and Jordan to install cameras at the site itself fell apart amid disagreement over how they would be operated.

The Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount is central to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with Palestinians fearing Israel may one day seek to assert further control over it.

It is located in east Jerusalem, occupied by Israel in 1967 and later annexed in a move never recognised by the international community.

It is considered the third holiest site in Islam and the most sacred for Jews.

Jews are allowed to visit but not pray there to avoid provoking tensions.
United Nations (United States) (AFP) - Japan on Monday downplayed South Korea's offer to hold military talks with North Korea, saying the priority should be piling pressure on Pyongyang through sanctions.

"This is not a time for dialogue. This is a time for pressure," Japan's foreign ministry spokesman Norio Maruyama told reporters in New York where Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida was attending a UN meeting on development.

"This is a time to raise pressure in order to conduct a serious dialogue," said Maruyama.

South Korea's defence ministry proposed a meeting to be held Friday at the border truce village of Panmunjom to ease tensions after Pyongyang tested its first intercontinental ballistic missile.

If the meeting goes ahead, it would be the first official inter-Korea talks since December 2015.

The offer came as the United States is locked in difficult negotiations with China at the United Nations on a new sanctions resolution in response to the ICBM test.

The tougher measures could include an oil embargo, a ban on North Korean guest workers, banning North Korean ships from all ports and stronger trade restrictions.

Japan supports new sanctions but also maintains that Russia and China must do more to fully implement the current set of measures targeting their economic ties with North Korea.

In the first six months of this year, trade between China and North Korea increased 10.5 percent to $2.5 billion, compared to the same period last year, according to official figures from Beijing.

Iron ore imports from North Korea surged, with China arguing that the UN sanctions resolution allows for trade if the income is used for the livelihood of civilians.

In May, Russia opened a new ferry service from Vladivostok in the far east to North Korea's Rajin port, a move seen as a boost to bilateral ties.

"What is important is to stop the flow of currency to North Korea" said Maruyama.
WASHINGTON (AP)  A court decision on President Donald Trump's travel ban has reopened a window for tens of thousands of refugees to enter the United States, and the government is looking to quickly close it.

The administration late Friday appealed directly to the U.S. Supreme Court after a federal judge in Hawaii ordered it to allow in refugees formally working with a resettlement agency in the United States.

U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson on also vastly expanded the list of U.S. family relationships that refugees and visitors from six Muslim-majority countries can use to get into the country, including grandparents and grandchildren.

In its appeal, the U.S. Justice Department said Watson's interpretation of the Supreme Court's ruling on what family relationships qualify refugees and visitors from the six Muslim-majority countries to enter the U.S. "empties the court's decision of meaning, as it encompasses not just 'close' family members, but virtually all family members. Treating all of these relationships as 'close familial relationship(s)' reads the term 'close' out of the Court's decision."

Only the Supreme Court can decide these issues surrounding the travel ban, the Justice Department said. "Only this Court can definitively settle whether the government's reasonable implementation is consistent with this Court's stay," it said.

Watson's ruling Thursday was the latest twist in a long, tangled legal fight that will culminate with arguments before the nation's high court in October.

It could help more than 24,000 refugees who had already been vetted and approved by the United States but would have been barred by the 120-day freeze on refugee admissions, said Becca Heller, director of the International Refugee Assistance Project, a resettlement agency.

"Many of them had already sold all of their belongings to start their new lives in safety," she said. "This decision gives back hope to so many who would otherwise be stranded indefinitely."

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Citing a need to review its vetting process to ensure national security, the administration capped refugee admissions at 50,000 for the 12-month period ending Sept. 30, a ceiling it hit this week.

The federal budget can accommodate up to 75,000 refugees, but admissions have slowed under Trump, and the government could hold them to a trickle, resettlement agencies say.

"Absolutely this is good news for refugees, but there's a lot of uncertainty," said Melanie Nezer, spokeswoman for HIAS, a resettlement agency. "It's really going to depend on how the administration reacts to this."

Attorney General Jeff Sessions said the administration will ask the Supreme Court to weigh in, bypassing the San Francisco-based 9th U.S Circuit Court of Appeals, which has ruled against it in the case.

The Supreme Court allowed a scaled-back version of the travel ban to take effect last month.

"Once again, we are faced with a situation in which a single federal district court has undertaken by a nationwide injunction to micromanage decisions of the co-equal executive branch related to our national security," Sessions said. "By this decision, the district court has improperly substituted its policy preferences for the national security judgments of the executive branch in a time of grave threats."

The administration took a first step by filing a notice of appeal to the 9th Circuit, allowing it to use a rule to petition the high court directly. There's no timetable for the Supreme Court to act, but the administration will be seeking quick action that clarifies the court's June opinion.

The justices now are scattered during their summer recess, so any short-term action would come in written filings.

The administration has lost most legal challenges on the travel ban, which applies to citizens of Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Libya, Iran and Yemen.

The Supreme Court's ruling exempted a large swath of refugees and travelers with a "bona fide relationship" with a person or an entity in the U.S. The justices did not define those relationships but said they could include a close relative, a job offer or admission to a college or university.

The Trump administration defined the relationships as people who had a parent, spouse, fiance, son, daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law or sibling already in the U.S.

Watson enlarged that group to include grandparents, grandchildren, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins.

Hawaii Attorney General Douglas S. Chin, who sought the broader definition, said Thursday's ruling "makes clear that the U.S. government may not ignore the scope of the partial travel ban as it sees fit."

"Family members have been separated and real people have suffered enough," Chin said.

___

Spagat reported from San Diego. Associated Press writers Julie Watson in San Diego, Jennifer Sinco Kelleher in Honolulu, Sudhin Thanawala in San Francisco and Sadie Gurman and Mark Sherman in Washington contributed to this report.
Justin Trudeau, meet Justin Trudeau: the Canadian Prime Minister met a baby boy named in his honor due to his efforts to help the family seek refuge from Syria.

The baby, named Justin-Trudeau Adam Bilal, met the prime minister at an event in Calgary on Saturday. Adam Scotti, Trudeaus photographer, posted the image on Twitter.

The babys parents, Afraa Hajj Hammoud and Mohammed Belal, named their son after Trudeau as a token of gratitude, CBC News reports.

Hammoud, the babys mother, told CBC she was initially taken aback when her husband suggested the name when their son was born in May, but quickly warmed up to it. When he says that, I smile a little bit, a small smile, then I says, Yes, there is no problem, it will be like a small thank you for Justin Trudeau, she told the Canadian news outlet.

The family fled Syria six years ago, and arrived in Canada last February.

CBC News has reported several other instances where refugee families have named their child after Trudeau. Between November 2015 and January 2017, the country has accepted over 40,000 refugees.
A kindhearted UPS Diver adopted a friendly dog that she met along her route after his owner passed away.

Katie Newhouser, of California, formed a bond with the pit bull, Leo, as he would often greet her during one of her stops in Rancho Cucamonga.

Read: Man and His Dog Spend 4 Years Traveling 25,000 Miles on 2 Wheels: 'Now I Feel Like Anything Is Possible'

Newhouser said Leo would hop in her truck when she drove into his owner Tinas condo complex. So when Newhouser found out that Tina had passed away, she wanted to step up and help.

When I found out that Tina had passed away, I was in shock and disbelief, Newhouser told InsideEdition.com. I got to know Tina through Leo. As is the case with many of my customers that I have become friends with, I generally will know the dogs name before their name."

Tinas son Cannon, who had adopted Leo when he was just a puppy, was away and Newhouser didnt want Tinas mom to have to worry about Leo.

I let him know that I would take care of Leo until he returned. They had enough to deal with, Newhouser said.

She took Leo into her home, but said it was very rough for Leo in the beginning because he had been so close to Tina.

He would whine just before falling asleep at night. I really do feel that he was missing Tina, Newhouser said.

Eventually, however, Leo began to bond with one of Newhousers other dogs, Moose, and that helped him a great deal.

Newhouser said Tinas family eventually agreed itd be best for Leo to remain with her permanently as he had already bonded with Newhousers five other dogs and seemed happy.

Read: Dog Rescued From Hot Car in Florida as Cop Breaks Window: 'It Was Easily 110 Degrees'

I feel that this was the best case scenario for him. He knew me already and I feel as though there was a huge bond already between us, Newhouser said. He always is the first to greet me at the door when I come home and the one who is always closest to me when I sleep.

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Newhouser said she believes all things happen for a reason and Tina can now know that her best friend is taken care of.

Watch: Homeless Dog Found Walking Like a Human Gets Surgery He Desperately Needed

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Seoul (AFP) - South Korea on Monday offered to hold rare military talks with North Korea, aiming to ease tensions after Pyongyang tested its first intercontinental ballistic missile.

The offer of talks, the first since South Korea elected dovish President Moon Jae-In, came as the Red Cross in Seoul proposed a separate meeting to discuss reunions of families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War.

The South's defence ministry proposed a meeting to be held on Friday at the border truce village of Panmunjom, while the Red Cross offered to hold talks on August 1 at the same venue.

If the government meeting goes ahead, it will mark the first official inter-Korea talks since December 2015. Moon's conservative predecessor Park Geun-Hye had refused to engage in substantive dialogue with Pyongyang unless it made a firm commitment to denuclearisation.

"We make the proposal for a meeting... aimed at stopping all hostile activities that escalate military tension along the land border," the defence ministry said in a statement.

The Red Cross said it hoped for "a positive response" from its counterpart in the North in hopes of holding family reunions in early October. If realised, they would be the first for two years.

Millions of family members were separated by the conflict that sealed the division of the two countries. Many died without getting a chance to see or hear from their families on the other side of the heavily-fortified border, across which all civilian communication is banned.

With the passage of time, the number of survivors has diminished, with only around 60,000 members of divided families still left in the South.

"North Korea should respond to our sincere proposals if it really seeks peace on the Korean Peninsula", Cho Myoung-Gyon, Seoul's unification minister in charge of North Korea affairs, told reporters.

Cho stressed that Seoul "would not seek collapse of the North or unification through absorbing the North", and urged Pyongyang to restore cross-border communication channels including a shuttered military hotline.

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- Escalating tensions -

Moon, who took power in May, has advocated dialogue with the nuclear-armed North to bring it to the negotiating table and vowed to play a more active role in global efforts to tame the South's unpredictable neighbour.

But Pyongyang has staged a series of missile launches in violation of UN resolutions -- most recently on July 4 when it test-fired its first ICBM, a move which triggered global alarm and a push by US President Donald Trump to impose harsher UN sanctions.

Washington has also called on China, the North's sole ally, to put more pressure on Pyongyang to curb its nuclear ambitions, which have advanced rapidly under leader Kim Jong-Un.

The latest ICBM test -- which Kim described as a "gift" to the Americans -- was seen as a milestone in Pyongyang's quest to build a missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead that can hit the US mainland.

China's foreign ministry welcomed Seoul's peace gesture, saying it hopes "the two sides will move in a positive direction to... break up the stalemate and to relaunch the dialogue and negotiations".

China is reluctant to pressure the North too far for fear of regime collapse. It is worried about an influx of refugees and possible US troops stationed on its border in an unified Korea.

The proposed meetings would be a "rare opportunity to ease tension that has built up for 10 years", said Cheong Seong-Chang, of the South's Sejong Institute think tank.

"It would at least help let off some steam out of the current crisis, although the North would still maintain that it would not give up its weapons programmes," he said.

The agenda for the military meeting could include moves to suspend propaganda campaigns operated on both sides of the border for years, Cheong added.

The South's military has deployed dozens of giant loudspeakers along the tense border to blare out a mix of world news, K-pop songs and other propaganda targeting young North Korean soldiers.

The military has also occasionally launched giant balloons containing anti-Pyongyang leaflets across the border.

The North has responded with its own propaganda broadcasts and sent anti-Seoul leaflets via giant balloons across the border.
The Lion King (Image: Disney)

Simba got plenty of shine over the weekend. For the opening act, Jon Favreau took the wraps off his hugely anticipated photo-real update of The Lion King, showcasing a Circle of Life scene populated with eye-popping CG beasts and one adorable cub during Disneys live-action presentation on Saturday. The classic cartoon was in the spotlight again on Sunday as filmmakers, animators, and cast members reunited to reminisce about the making of the film  and disclose some fascinating facts about a project they once nicknamed Bambi in the Jungle. Here are the highlights.

Mark Henn (Simba animator), Jim Cummings (voice of Ed), Rob Minkoff (co-director), Ernie Sebella (voice of Pumbaa), Don Hahn (executive producer), Whoopi Goldberg (voice of Shenzi), and Tony Bancroft (Pumbaa animator) at D23 Expos Lion King anniversary panel. (Photo: Disney)

Disney originally considered The Lion King a B-movie.

As the filmmakers explained, Disney did not have high hopes for the films, and they had to work hard to scrounge together a creative team.

We couldnt get people to work on this movie, said executive producer Don Hahn.

Rob Minkoff, who co-directed with Roger Allers, continued: The reason was because when we were making Lion King, it was the first time in the history of the Walt Disney Studio that two [animated] movies were going to be made at the same time: Lion King and Pocahontas The head of the studio [presumably then-boss Jeffrey Katzenberg] got up and basically said, Pocahontas is a home run. Its West Side Story meets Romeo and Juliet meets Dances With Wolves. And Lion King, on the other hand, is kind of an experiment.

Our pitch was Moses meets Joseph and Hamlet in Africa, with music by Elton John, Hahn quipped. I think people would be surprised at how much you guys had to perform and sell the work to get Lion King up on its feet. It had really humble beginnings.

The Lion King directors Rob Minkoff and Roger Allers pitching the Hakuna Matata scene in song. (Photo: Disney)

The studio head said, Were not sure about Lion King, if the movie makes $50 million, Ill get down on my hands and knees. And he did, recounted Minkoff.

Added Hahn: The first week it made like $100 million and we forced him to get down on his hands and knees and it was fantastic.

The Lion King wound up tallying $968 million worldwide to become the highest grossest hand-drawn animated film of all time (We did draw with a pencil, the old-fashioned way, Hahn noted).

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Mark Henn sketching young Simba (Photo: Disney)

The Lion King wasnt the original title.

Minkoff, who was inspired by a National Geographic documentary called Lions and Hyenas: The Eternal Enemies, recalled that the original title was King of the Jungle. We called it Bambi in Africa for obvious reasons, Hahn added.

The first version of Elton Johns Circle of Life was rejected.

Minkoff explained that Elton John was too busy touring to join the filmmakers in the studio. We would usually get songs on tape, a demo that he would perform on electric piano in his hotel room, wherever he was. They received Johns first pass at Circle of Life in the mail.

Totally different than the one we wound up with. It went, And well all join in in the circle of life,' Minkoff said, singing the lyric as a bouncy ditty. And we thought, Its terrible.'

So the filmmakers used lyricist Tim Rice as their go-between to coax a rocking anthem from John, which he delivered. Said Minkoff: And we were like, Now that is a good song.'

Can You Feel the Love Tonight was only crooned by Pumbaa and Timon in the first cut.

Hahn said that the first time Elton John saw the film was an early test screening in Atlanta. At that point, Minkoff says they had decided to make Pumbaa the warthog and Timon the meerkat, the films comic relief, sing the song because the filmmakers felt it was too obvious as a love ballad.

What have you done? Youve destroyed my song, said John. This is the reason I did the movie, I always wanted to write a great Disney love ballad, and youve just destroyed it.

Minkoff says the filmmakers went home with our tail between our legs and they ultimately changed it to the duet between Simba and Nala (watch below). But they also kept remnants of Pumbaa and Timons version at the beginning and end of the sequence as a framing device.

Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella auditioned for the hyenas.

The two actors, co-starring on Broadways Guys and Dolls at the time, came in to test for the hyena roles. We were in this little booth that they concocted and we were ad-libbing as well, and when we got done, there was silence in the room. And I said to Nathan, Well, at least we have a job at night.' Two months later they got the call for Timon and Pumbaa.

Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella recording as Timon and Pumbaa (Photo: Disney)

Pumbaas flatulence was improvised.

As Sabella tells it, Lane was wiped out after several days of consecutive performances. I wanted to pick up his spirits. Every time Lane delivered a line, Sabella would make a fart noise by blowing on his hand. It cut up Lane and wound up becoming Pumbaas defining characteristic.Later when we were doing interviews, I would tell reporters, Pumbaa is the first Disney character to have gas.  And then Nathan would take the mic and say, Its actually Snow White, but we dont talk about that.'

Another ad-libbed line came when Simba wanted Timon and Pumbaa to distract the lines and, per Hahn, Nathan came out with What do you want me to do, dress in drag and do the hula?' Hahn and Minkoff had to do a lot of selling to keep that line in the final movie, including whipping up with an impromptu song to pitch the sequence to the executives.

Tony Bancrofts character designs for Pumbaa (Photo: Disney)

Whoopi Goldberg owed her casting to Elton John and Tommy Chong.

Minkoff and Allers conceived the hyenas as a tandem to be voiced by Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong. But the two former partners were estranged at the time and refused. Along came Whoopi.

I begged, said Goldberg of her role in the film as female hyena Shenzi. I heard that they were making this and I said, Can I be in it?'

Whoopi Goldberg takes the stage at D23 Expos The Lion King panel (Photo: Disney)

Mikoff picked up the story. We were having lunch and the head of animation walks in and says, Guys, Whoopi Goldberg wants to be in your movie. Were like, How does that happen? She had lunch with Elton John, who told her about it, and now youve got to figure out something, youve got to put her in the movie.

We couldnt get Chong and Cheech to work together. But we thought, Could it be Cheech and Whoopi?'

Whoopi Goldberg recording her Lion King dialogue (Photo: Disney)

Just as Sabella and Lane recorded together and played off one another, Goldberg and Marin did the same. We couldnt do it separately, said Goldberg. We needed each other They let us play. Chemistry is everything.

The third hyena was called Ed for a reason.

As Minkoff recalled, We had these two hyeans, Shenzi and Banzai, and we have this third one, the laugher, whats he going to be called? Some of you might not know this reference, but there was a show called The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson, and the guy sitting to his right was Ed McMahon. Added Hahn: So we needed someone to laugh at the jokes all the time.

Jim Cummings in the booth for The Lion King (Photo: Disney)

Jim Cummings voiced the unhinged hyena who communicates solely in cackles. He also had an actual speaking role as the Naked Mole Rat of the African Underground.

Disney took advantage of the reunion to announce a spiffed-up signature edition of The Lion King will arrive Aug. 15 on Digital HD and two weeks later on Blu-ray.

Watch: Whoopi Goldberg Wants Disney to Bring Back Song of the South:



Read more from Yahoo Movies:
VILNIUS (Reuters) - A Lithuanian accused of swindling Facebook and Google out of more than $100 million through an email fraud scheme must be extradited to the United States to stand trial, a court in Vilnius ruled on Monday. Evaldas Rimasauskas denies the allegations and will appeal against the decision to a higher court, his lawyer said. According to a U.S. indictment made public in March, Rimasauskas is charged with wire fraud and money laundering, which each carry a maximum prison sentence of 20 years, and identify theft, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of two years. Rimasauskas has been in custody since March at the request of U.S. prosecutors. "Material presented to the court provides enough evidence to think that Rimasauskas could have committed the deeds that he is accused of," the judge, Aiva Surviliene, said as he read the verdict. But his lawyer, Snieguole Uzdanaviciene, said the evidence provided by U.S. prosecutors was too vague and would not be considered evidence in a Lithuanian court. She also called for Rimasauskas to be investigated in Lithuania rather than the United States. "We are talking about a Lithuanian citizen, and material presented to the court describe him as acting on Lithuanian territory, not elsewhere, and using means and tools which were within territory of Lithuania," she said. The U.S. indictment did not name the companies involved, but Uzdanaviciene told reporters Facebook and Google were both mentioned in the U.S. extradition request. The Lithuanian court decided against making the request public. (Reporting by Andrius Sytas; Editing by Niklas Pollard and Alison Williams)
Liu Xiaobo's family gathers around his body before it was cremated - SHENYANG MUNCIPAL INFORMATION

The body of Liu Xiaobo, the Nobel laureate who died after years of imprisonment in China, was cremated Saturday after a private ceremony attended by his family and several men believed to be Chinese secret police.

Liu's remains were incinerated "in accordance with the will of his family members and local customs" in the northeastern city of Shenyang, said Zhang Qingyang, an official from the municipal office.

His ashes were later scattered in the sea.

Officials released photos showing his wife, the poet Liu Xia, with her brother, and two of Liu Xiaobo's brothers in front of the body, which was covered with white petals and surrounded by flowers at a funeral home.

Zhang also said "friends" were at the ceremony, but an Amnesty International researcher said he did not recognise any of the row of non-family members in the official photo and people close to the Liu couple identified at least one "state security police officer" among them.

The dissident's wife Liu Xia, centre, scattered his ashes into the sea Credit: EPA/SHENYANG MUNCIPAL INFORMATION OFFICE

Chinese dissident artist critic Ai Weiwei, who lives in Berlin tweeted a photo of the funeral and called the display "disgusting" and a "violation" of the deceased.

China's government faced a global backlash for denying the democracy advocate's wish to be treated abroad. After his death, the United States and European Union called on Beijing to free Liu Xia, who has been under house arrest since 2010, and let her leave the country.

"As far as I know, Liu Xia is in a free condition," Zhang said, though it was unclear whether she was released as he did not answer questions about her whereabouts.

Authorities have severely restricted Liu Xia's contact with the outside world and Jared Genser, a US lawyer who represented the Nobel Peace Prize winner, said she has been held "incommunicado" since her husband's death.

"The most preposterous thing is that even during his cremation and funeral he still was not free. And now it's been passed on to his wife, who will continue to lead on that same freedom-less existence," Hu Jia, a Beijing-based activist and family friend, told AFP.

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China is facing pressure to allow Liu Xia, the dissident's wife, to travel abroad. Credit: Shenyang Municipal Information Office via AP

Liu was jailed in 2008 after co-writing a petition calling for democratic reforms. The veteran of the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protests was sentenced to 11 years in prison for "subversion" a year later.

He died of multiple organ failure at a Shenyang hospital on Thursday at age 61, more than a month after he was transferred from prison due to late-stage liver cancer.

At his funeral, Mozart's Requiem was played and Liu Xia "fixed her eyes on him a long time, mumbling to say farewell," Zhang said, adding that she was "in very low spirits".

"She has just lost her husband, so she is currently emotionally grieving," Zhang said.

"It's best for her not to receive too much outside interference during this period after Liu Xiaobo has died," he said.

Zhang said authorities would release information about where Liu Xiaobo's ashes will be taken "at an appropriate time".

A portrait of late Chinese Nobel Peace laureate Liu Xiaobo is displayed outside the Chinese liaison office in Hong Kong Credit: (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

Genser said Liu Xia has been held for seven years even though she has never been charged with any crime.

"The world needs to mobilise to rescue her - and fast," he said in a statement.

Another family friend and activist, Ye Du, also cast doubt that she was released: "Liu Xia has never been free. There's no doubt about that."

The foreign ministry lashed out at the international criticism on Friday, saying it lodged official protests with the United States, Germany, France and the United Nations human rights office.

The foreign ministry said giving Liu the Nobel Peace Prize was "blasphemy" while state-run media has called him a "convicted criminal".

"His influence has breached the fundamental moral principle of Chinese patriotism and posed a challenge to China's stability and national security," the nationalist Global Times tabloid said in an editorial. "This is why the Chinese society opposes and despises him."

Meanwhile, a prominent Chinese anti-corruption activist was freed on Saturday after serving four years in prison.

Xu Zhiyong, 44, is a legal scholar and a member of the the New Citizens Movement, a loose network whose members held peaceful protests in Beijing and other cities.
Shirts are among the products made abroad by the Trump Organization. (Photo: Kathy Willens/AP)

WASHINGTON  Monday was the start of Made in America Week at the White House, a celebration of U.S. industry and products. Along with a showcase of goods made in each of the 50 states, the event came with questions about the wide selection of products President Trumps family businesses source from overseas factories.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer began his briefing on Monday afternoon by framing the celebration as fulfilling the presidents promise to deliver for Americas workers. As further evidence, Spicer cited Trumps executive order to maximize  the use of goods, products, and materials produced in the United States. Spicer described that order as a historic action though it has been criticized as a piece of political theater that does not include any quantifiable definition of what it would mean to maximize American production or how long it will take to accomplish.

Related slideshow: Trump unveils Made in America week >>>

Yahoo News asked Spicer if the White House push for products to be Made in America will include commitments from the companies run by Trumps immediate family.

The Trump Organization, which produces products that bear the Trump brand and the names of the presidents real-estate ventures, has a long history of producing its wares overseas. Last year, the Washington Post conducted an examination and found that the products made abroad by the Trump Organization include shirts, glasses, cologne, housewares and vodka. To mark Made in America week, the Daily Beasts Sam Stein perused the gift shop at Trumps Washington hotel and found goods from China, Vietnam and Peru. Trumps daughter, Ivanka, who is a White House adviser, has her own clothing line that relies heavily on poorly paid foreign labor.

Spicer responded to the question about the Trump familys businesses making products abroad by saying the presidents agenda of regulatory relief and tax relief is dedicated to making sure that all companies can hire here, can expand here, can manufacture here. He added it would be inappropriate for him to discuss how anything would affect the Trump familys businesses from the White House. However, he implied there were certain factors that made it much easier for companies to take certain business abroad.

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With respect to his own companies, obviously its inappropriate to discuss how anything would affect their own companies. But I can tell you that, in some cases, there are certain supply chains or scalability that may not be available in this country, Spicer said.

Spicer also suggested Trump is working to change that situation.

Im not going to comment on specific products, but I will tell you that the overall, arching goal, of course, though, is to grow manufacturing  to grow and invest here in the United States and to grow U.S. workers here. So that remains the overall objective, said Spicer.

A woman browses jewelry at the Ivanka Trump Collection shop in the lobby at Trump Tower in New York City. (Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Trump has not divested from the Trump Organization since taking office. Instead, he passed control of the business on to his sons. Federal ethics regulations prohibit White House officials from endorsing specific companies or advocating for them. Earlier this year, the White House said Kellyanne Conway, a top adviser to the president, was counseled after she encouraged viewers to buy clothing and jewelry from Ivanka Trumps line.

At the briefing, Yahoo News pressed Spicer about whether the presidents family could show leadership on this issue by making a commitment to manufacture their products here. Spicer again insisted it would be out of bounds for him to discuss the familys businesses.

Again, its not appropriate for me to stand up here and comment about a business. I believe thats a little out of bounds. But again, I would go back to the presidents broader goal, which is to create investment here, to bring back the manufacturing base, Spicer said.

Spicer also argued that measures of confidence in business sectors are at all-time highs and suggested that executives are optimistic that the presidents agenda is going to accomplish that.

The issue of the Trump familys array of foreign products came up once more in the briefing when Spicer was asked if Trump was the right person to push this message given his outsourcing of branded merchandise. Spicer argued that Trumps business background helps him understand the issues that push companies out of the country very, very uniquely.

So I think he actually is  in a very unique way understands the challenges that our regulatory system and our tax system put on businesses that want to hire here, that want to grow here, that need scalability and capacity here in a way that maybe isnt because of some of our arcane trade laws, our regulations, or our tax laws, said Spicer.

Read more from Yahoo News:
Theres a new bathing suit infiltrating Instagram (sorry, red swimsuit), and Donald Trump fans are loving it: a one-piece bearing the presidents campaign slogan, MAGA (Make America Great Again).

MAGA swimsuits are being spotted on social media. (Photo: babefortrump/Instagram)

The social media account @BabeforTrump collects images of female Trump supporters wearing a $39.95 metallic-blue suit displaying the design of the presidents campaign poster, sold by AAF Nation.

We were the first to make MAGA swimsuits, and weve sold more than 10,000 of them in June, AAF Nation owner Shawn Wylde tells Yahoo Style. We did it because a bunch of women kept asking us to make them, since we are known for patriotic and funny political apparel.

The Nevada-based retailer Printed Kicks also sells a $59.99 backless, scoop-necked version (marked down from $119.98) with the tagline, You believe his vow to Make America Great Again, and you want to show it off! We designed this MAGA Swimsuit so you could proudly declare your support of our 45th President. (A representative from Printed Kicks did not return Yahoo Styles request for comment.)

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Photo: Printed Kicks

Theres also a white bikini available from various Amazon sellers.

Photo: Amazon/Hello Robott

And other women are showing their support by wearing patriotic swimsuits and red MAGA caps.

Whether or not the MAGA suits are an upgrade from the $49.95 Shocked Trump version bearing a large image of just the presidents face, with mouth agape, is subjective.

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.
Aaron Tucker saves a car crash victim's life, missing his first job interview after being released from prison. A crowdfunding page has raised over $50,000 for he and his family: GoFundMe

A man who was on his way to a job interview a week after being released from jail jumped off a city bus to save a car crash victim.

Aaron Tucker, from Bridgeport, Connecticut, was on the bus early in the morning on his way to the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que restaurant for his interview after being released from prison after serving almost two years in jail.

As the bus screeched to a halt at a stop, Mr Tucker noticed a car had hit a tree and flipped over.

The bus driver said he was not going to get out and help and that if Mr Tucker got off the bus, he would have to keep driving to complete his route.

Mr Tucker ran towards the vehicle which was gushing smoke and unbuckled the driver's seat belt to drag him away.

As it caught fire, nearby auto repair shop workers rushed over with a fire extinguisher while Mr Tucker kept the bleeding driver calm and covered the man's head wound with the shirt off his back.

"Your family wants to see you. Keep your eyes open," Mr Tucker reportedly kept saying to the driver, with whom he stayed until an ambulance came.

"I just wanted to make sure he was all right, and that's what I did," he said to WestportNow.com. Emergency personnel called him the "true hero".

A Westport car crash turns strangers into heroes  including a Bridgeport man who used his shirt as a tourniquet https://t.co/c1NDkDjksx pic.twitter.com/bReGrAJaRI  WestportNow (@WestportNow) July 12, 2017

Mr Tucker's job interview was a hugely important first step for his transition from prison into larger society, but he kept his perspective saying that "a job can come and go, but a life is one time thing".

He had left his halfway house with under $2 in his pocket that morning, but after hearing his story community members have rallied around the man trying to change his life for the better for his nearly two-year-old son and the boy's mother.

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A crowdfunding page has raised over $50,000 in just a few days since the accident and Mr Tucker was given a suit by a local business owner as well as more than a few job offers.

Mr Tucker, who earned his high school diploma and became a tutor while incarcerated, said all of the money will be put towards taking care of his family.
By Nate Raymond BOSTON (Reuters) - Massachusetts' top court on Monday ruled that a woman who had been fired for testing positive for marijuana that she had been legally prescribed under state law could sue her former employer for handicap discrimination. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court rejected the former employer's argument that she could not sue it for handicap discrimination because possessing marijuana remains illegal under federal law. Lawyers for the former employee, Christina Barbuto, said the ruling represents a major win for employees in the state and set a precedent that they said could have an impact in other states where medical marijuana is legal. Barbuto had accused Advantage Sales and Marketing of firing her after her first day of work because she tested positive for the drug, which she had been prescribed by a doctor to treat low appetite, a side effect of her Crohn's disease. Chief Justice Ralph Gants wrote that if a doctor concludes medical marijuana is the most effective treatment for an employee's debilitating condition, "an exception to an employer's drug policy to permit its use is a facially reasonable accommodation." "The fact that the employee's possession of medical marijuana is in violation of federal law does not make it per se unreasonable as an accommodation," Gants wrote. The unanimous six-judge panel's ruling noted that only the employee, not the company, could have been subject to prosecution under federal law for her drug use. Massachusetts voters approved the medicinal use of marijuana in 2012, joining the majority of U.S. states that allow for the drug's medical use. State voters in November went further, legalizing recreational use of marijuana. Matthew Fogelman, Barbuto's lawyer, called the ruling a "groundbreaking decision." "This is the highest court in Massachusetts recognizing that the use of medically prescribed marijuana is just as lawful as the use of any prescribed medication," he said. The ruling reversed a decision that dismissed Barbuto's 2015 handicap discrimination claim against the company. It upheld the dismissal of other claims. Michael Clarkson, a lawyer for the company, said it was considering its options. He said the company's lawyers are "confident that our client acted in accordance with the law." Barbuto said in her lawsuit that she had been prescribed medical marijuana to treat her Crohn's disease, which coupled with irritable bowel syndrome, left her with little appetite. After she started using marijuana, Barbuto said she was able to maintain a healthy weight. (Reporting by Nate Raymond; Editing by Scott Malone, Cynthia Osterman and Jonathan Oatis)




The dress Grace Kelly wore for her 1956 wedding to Prince Rainer III of Monaco  a lace, long-sleeve piece made by costume designer Helen Rose  still serves as sartorial inspiration more than half a century later for brides around the world. And Miranda Kerr, who recently tied the knot with Snapchat founder Evan Spiegel, was one of the many women who looked to the actress and royal for her big day.

The Australian model enlisted the help of Diors artistic director, Maria Grazia Chiuri, to put a modern twist on the iconic look for her May nuptials.

I think its every girls dream to have Dior design her wedding dress, Kerr told Vogue. I thought, If [Chiuris] up for it, Im up for it.

Miranda enlisted the help of Dior creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri. (Photo: Patrick Demarchelier for Vogue)

The resulting dress was a modest number with a high neck and was appliqued with dainty lilies of the valley. Kerr finished off the stunning look with a long, white veil and floral headband.

She wanted something like a fairy tale, and she gave me this idea, to make a dress that was emotional and simple at the same time, Chiuri noted.

Miranda Kerr and Evan Spiegel married in May. (Photo: Instagram/mirandakerr)

Of the piece, Kerr said, A dress that fully covers you creates a sense of purity and mystery.  Ive had a lot of fun with fashion, and I used to be more wild, free, bohemian. But in this period of my life, my style is more pulled back.

The models wedding dress was inspired by vintage icons. (Photo: Vogue)

Her vintage-like gown was matched by her husbands smart morning suit, which was naturally also by Dior.

According to Vogue, the bride changed into a shorter lacy Dior style for the evening reception.

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.




Jerusalem (AFP) - Muslims heeded calls Monday not to enter a Jerusalem holy site and protested outside after Israeli authorities installed metal detectors at entrances to the ultra-sensitive compound following an attack that killed two policemen.

The compound was largely empty apart from tourists and Jewish visitors, with Muslims again praying and protesting outside the site instead of entering through the metal detectors.

The Haram al-Sharif compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, includes the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa mosque.

Several hundred people could be seen praying outside two different entrances to the site on Monday.

There were protests after the prayer, with crowds shouting: "Aqsa mosque, we sacrifice our souls and our blood."

Police later sought to move them back.

"We will not break the solidarity of the people," said Jamal Abdallah, a Palestinian who now lives in the US state of Arizona and was planning to visit Al-Aqsa but changed his mind when he was made aware of the situation.

In the evening, several dozen Palestinians blocked a road near the Old City. Israeli officers dispersed the protesters, who hurled stones and other objects, police read.

Palestinian medical sources said 11 people were treated for rubber bullet injuries and dozens of others for tear gas inhalation.

Israel installed the metal detectors after Friday's attack near the holy site that saw three Arab Israelis open fire on Israeli police.

They then fled to the compound, where they were shot dead by security forces.

It was among the most serious incidents in Jerusalem in recent years and heightened Israeli-Palestinian tensions.

Israel took the highly unusual decision of closing the compound for the weekly Friday prayers, triggering anger from Muslims and Jordan, the holy site's custodian.

The site remained closed on Saturday, and parts of Jerusalem's Old City were also under lockdown.

Israeli authorities said the closure was necessary to carry out security checks, adding that the assailants had come from within the holy site to commit the attack.

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They began reopening it on Sunday, but with metal detectors in place, while security cameras were also being installed in the area.

Al-Aqsa officials have refused to enter and have called on worshippers to do the same.

Palestinians view the new measures as Israel asserting further control over the site.

Crowds chanted "Allahu Akbar" (God is Greatest) as they gathered near the Lions Gate entrance to Jerusalem's Old City on Sunday.

On Sunday night, skirmishes broke out between Israeli police and worshippers outside the entrance, with the Red Crescent reporting 17 people wounded.

With tensions high, two mosques in the northern Israeli Arab town of Maghar were targeted on Sunday night, one with a stun grenade and another by gunshots. No serious damage was reported.

One of the two policemen killed in Friday's attack lived in Maghar. Both of the officers were from the Druze minority, Arabs who belong to an offshoot of Shiite Islam.

- Netanyahu order -

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took the decision to install the metal detectors and cameras following a meeting with security officials on Saturday.

He also spoke by phone with Jordan's King Abdullah II on Saturday night before leaving on a trip to France and Hungary.

Abdullah condemned the attack, but also called on Netanyahu to reopen the Al-Aqsa compound and stressed the need to "avoid any escalation at the site".

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas conveyed a similar message to Netanyahu when the two spoke by phone on Friday in the wake of the attack.

Hamas, the Islamist movement that runs the Gaza Strip and Abbas's rival, has welcomed the attack, calling it "a natural response to the Zionist terrorism and the desecration of the Al-Aqsa mosque".

On Monday in a joint statement, Hamas and Islamic Jihad called for demonstrations over Al-Aqsa.

"We call for an end to all the Zionist measures and for the extremist government to take its hands off the blessed Al-Aqsa mosque," it said.

Proposals to change security measures at the compound have sparked controversy in the past.

A plan developed in 2015 between Israel and Jordan to install cameras at the site itself fell apart amid disagreement over how they would be operated.

The Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount is central to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

It stands in east Jerusalem, seized by Israel in the 1967 Middle East and later annexed in a move never recognised by the international community.

It is considered the third holiest site in Islam and the most sacred for Jews.

Jews are allowed to visit but not pray there to avoid provoking tensions.
The air conditioning malfunction in an Allegiant Air plane on June 22 caused many passengers to faint. The Indiana bound plane was forced to return to St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport in Florida after the passengers complained about the uncomfortable temperature inside the cabin, the Tampa Bay Times reported.

The reports about the incident surfaced Friday more than two weeks after the incident took place. Two people received treatment after they showed signs of overheating of the body.

Read: United Airlines Puts ScHoolboy Q's Dog In Wrong Flight, Rapper Asks For Reason

I dont sweat and I was dripping, one of the passengers, named Karen Willey, told the local newspaper.

Michele Routh, Public Relations Director, St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport, told New York Daily News a total of four passengers were examined with heat-related issues. While reports claimed some passengers passed out on the flight, Allegiant spokeswoman Hilarie Grey denied saying no one actually fainted. She said the pilot called first responders after he learnt one of the flight attendants started to feel faint.

Grey added the malfunctioning of a cooling valve was believed to be the cause of the incident.

Emily France, who was traveling with her four-month-old son, Owen, said she sweltered aboard the "oven with wings" for more than an hour before it returned to the gate and passengers were allowed off briefly.

"I heard a cry from my son that I have never heard before, and his skin looked a color that I had never seen before, and I knew he was in trouble," she said. "Then he just stopped crying. And he went limp in my arms."

"I said, 'Get an ambulance and get me off the plane,'" France recalled, according to NBC News.

After arriving at the gate, passengers were given medical assistance as many complained of sickness due to the heat inside the cabin.

There is no rule by the Federal Aviation Administration over the temperature inside a cabin, and it can be adjusted as per the customers preference.

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Read: Emirates Airline Caught Pouring Unused Champagne Back Into Bottle

Bottom line, the airlines and regulators do not consider temperature to be a safety issue. Therefore, its low on the list of priorities when it comes to on-time departure, union spokeswoman Taylor Garland, said in an interview on the airlines' lack of temperature regulations.

According to the Daily News, the FAA did not comment on the latest incident, but said it expected the airlines to take appropriate action if a cabin temperature condition occurs on the ground that could potentially affect passenger safety.

There has been a debate over a regulation to maintain a maximum cabin temperature, and the Association of Flight Attendants  a group of at least 50,000 members  has long been petitioning Congress to set it to a maximum of 80 degrees.

Related Articles
Scientists have re-created a relative of the smallpox virus in a lab, from scratch.

This virus, called the horsepox virus, is not harmful to humans, but the new findings suggest that it's possible for people to make the deadly smallpox virus in a lab. That virus was eradicated from the world in 1980, according to the journal Science.

Re-creating the horsepox virus wasn't a trivial feat, but it did not require extensive resources, either. The researchers ordered the DNA fragments they used to make the virus from a company that makes DNA pieces for researchers, with made-to-order sequences, and sends them through the mail. In total, the project cost $100,000 and took six months, Science reported. [The 9 Deadliest Viruses on Earth]

The researchers, from the University of Alberta in Canada, hope their effort could one day lead to a better smallpox vaccine. Although most people no longer receive smallpox vaccination, the shot is sometimes given to people who may be at risk for contracting the disease, such as those who work with smallpox or similar viruses in a lab. A small percentage of those vaccinated with the current vaccine may experience serious, life-threatening side effects, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Canadian researchers are working with the pharmaceutical company Tonix to develop a smallpox vaccine. In March, Tonix issued a statement announcing that it had used the horsepox virus to develop a potential smallpox vaccine, which showed protective effects in an early study in mice.

Although many researchers assumed it would one day be possible to re-create poxviruses  the family of viruses to which smallpox and horsepox belong  there was still some debate about the issue. David Evans, the lead researcher of the horsepox virus work, told Science that he performed the feat in part to put an end to the debate. "The world just needs to accept the fact that you can do this, and now we have to figure out what is the best strategy for dealing with that," Evans told Science.

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Some experts praised the work. "I think he did a terrific service," Peter Jahrling, chief of the Emerging Viral Pathogens Section at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, told The Washington Post. "You had a lot of people saying this can't be done. And he said yes it can."

Evans' findings have not yet been published, but he presented the work in November 2016 at a World Health Organization meeting. In a summary report of that presentation, the committee said it acknowledged that "given the advent of synthetic biology, it was no longer possible for society to entirely rid itself of the threat of smallpox or, indeed, other dangerous pathogens."

However, there are already measures in place to prevent people from re-creating smallpox. The World Health Organization recommends that no institution should be allowed to possess more than 20 percent of the smallpox genome, according to The Washington Post. And companies that synthesize DNA for research purposes are required to check the orders they receive for matches against certain human pathogens, the Post reported.

Original article on Live Science.

Editor's Recommendations
British Transport Police (stock picture) - Press Association Images

Police are investigating a suspected hate crime after a man tried to pull off a Muslim woman's hijab and spat at her friend.

The woman, who posted about the incident on Twitter, was waiting for a Tube at Baker Street in the early hours of Saturday morning when she was set upon.

Tweeting under the name Aniso Abdulkadir, she posted a picture of the man who allegedly attacked her, writing: "This man at Baker Street station forcefully attempted to pull my hijab off and when I instinctively grabbed ahold of my scarf he hit me."

She continued:

He proceeded to verbally abuse my friends and I, pinning one of them against the wall and spitting in her face  Aniso.safiaadya (@AnisoAbdulkadir) July 15, 2017

Ms Abdulkadir added that a woman who was present was also threatened and verbally abusive.

She urged others to share the image in order to identify the suspect, earning more than 24,000 retweets by Sunday afternoon.

A man claiming to be the man in the image later identified himself on Twitter and hit back at the allegations.

Pawel Uczciwek, 28, from London, said he was sticking up for his girlfriend and attempting to defuse what he called a "racist attack from three random females".

Mr Uczciwek wrote: "I would like to confirm I never hit or attacked anyone I simply defused the situation by separating them.

"The police is fully cooperating with me and will be able to obtain CCTV footage showing the three women attempting to attack my partner because we are in an interracial relationship."

@standardnews@Independent@DailyMailUK@MetroUK@metpoliceuk

I did not try to take off her scarf or ask to see her hair  Pawel Uczciwek (@PawelUczciwek) July 16, 2017

A British Transport Police spokesman said the force were investigating the incident and had been sent the statement from Mr Uczciwek.

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The BBTP spokesman added the matter is being treated as a hate crime.

"Behaviour like this is totally unacceptable and will not be tolerated. This incident has been reported to us and we're investigating."

Inquiries are ongoing and anyone with information is asked to get in touch by texting 61016 or calling 0800 40 50 40.
Yahoo News photo illustration; photos: AP, Getty

Yahoo News continuing coverage of the Republican efforts to repeal and replace Obamacare comes in the latest Health Care Declassified. Well combine our own reporting with the best insights from around the Internet to give you the latest on the future of health care in America.

~

This was the week the revised Republican health care bill was supposed to come up for a vote on the Senate floor in a dramatic showdown, a plan that was still uncertain as late as Saturday. But that changed quickly Saturday night with the news that Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., had emergency surgery to remove a blood clot, forcing him to rest at home in Arizona  and, because the Republicans have no votes to spare, pushing back a vote on the bill for at least a week and perhaps longer.

That gives Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., more time to win over hesitant senators, but it is unclear whether lobbying by him or the White House will get the votes needed to pass the bill  or even bring it to the floor.

Sens. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, have said they will oppose a procedural motion to begin debate on the proposal, meaning McConnell can afford no more defectors if he wants to move forward with repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act.

A top Republican said Sunday that the vote will occur once McCain has recovered.

Sen. John McCain speaks during a committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 5, 2017. (Photo: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)

I believe as soon as we have a full contingent of senators that well have that vote, Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn, R-Tex., said on Meet the Press Sunday.

Republicans have time to play with after McConnell announced last week that he was canceling the first half of the chambers traditional August recess. But the original timeline  intended to allow the Senate to move on to other big-ticket legislative items, such as passing a budget  has been scuttled.

The Congressional Budget Office will not release its analysis of the bill Monday. Its unclear when that report will be released and whether or not it will include the Cruz amendment, a hotly contested change to the bill that would allow insurers to offer bare-bones plans for cheaper rates in insurance exchanges.

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Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Tex., says the amendment will lower premiums  at least for healthy adults  but critics say it has the potential to fragment the market and dramatically raise prices for people with pre-existing conditions.

It is unclear whether that provision will be enough to win over one conservative who has expressed doubts about the bill, Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah. Lee worked on the Cruz amendment but has not taken a position on the overall package, despite lobbying by President Trump this weekend.

Meanwhile, several key insurers said in a letter this weekend to McConnell and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, R-N.Y., that the Cruz amendment would drive up costs.

[The Cruz amendment] would undermine protections for those with pre-existing medical conditions, increase premiums and lead to widespread terminations of coverage for people currently enrolled in the individual market, American Health Insurance Plans, a group representing the largest insurers in he country, said in the letter.

Other critics of the bill are using the delay to make their case. Several top Democrats sent a letter to McConnell Monday arguing that this week should be used to hold public hearings on the legislation, repeating a common criticism that the drafting process has lacked transparency.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., right, accompanied by Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., answers questions during a press conference at the Capitol on July 13, 2017, in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Schumer and Sens. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and Ron Wyden, R-Ore., wrote in the letter, We request you use this additional time to hold public hearings so that Senators can invite impartial experts, including patients, to testify on the policies in this bill, especially the radically conservative Cruz/Lee proposal released to the public 5 days ago.

Activist groups are also turning up the heat this week, with a rally planned on Capitol Hill Monday afternoon to rally opposition to the bill. Opponents are also planning sit-ins in the Capitol complex, including several Monday morning targeting undecided GOP lawmakers.

Meanwhile, it is likely that McConnell will continue wooing lawmakers who are still on the fence, using funds raised by preserving several key ACA taxes as carrots. The bill already includes one such sweetener that targets Alaska and that states undecided Sen. Lisa Murkowski. McConnell could use the extra time to try to sway Sens. Dean Heller, R-Nev., Rob Portman, R-Ohio and Shelley Moore Capito, R-W. Va.

But Republicans are unsure whether, even with the additional time, McConnell can get the support he needs when the vote eventually happens.

-

Collins: Eight to 10 Republicans have serious concerns about health care bill

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, is surrounded by members of the media after she viewed the details of a new health care bill July 13, 2017, at the Capitol in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

A Republican senator who is against the Senate health care bill said Sunday that eight to 10 Republicans have serious concerns about the controversial legislation.

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said on CNNs State of the Union that she doesnt know whether the bill will pass but called for hearings on it before making fundamental changes in a vital safety net program [Medicaid] thats been on the books for 50 years.

The senator also disputed Vice President Mike Pences claim Friday that the bill strengthens and secures Medicaid for the neediest in our society.

I would respectfully disagree with the vice president, Collins said on ABCs This Week Sunday. This bill would make sweeping and deep cuts to the Medicaid program, which has been a safety net program on the books for more than 50 years, ensuring that some of our most vulnerable citizens or disabled children or low-income seniors receive the health care that they need.

Collins said that the bill would jeopardize rural hospitals and nursing homes, and slammed the Cruz amendment.

The amendment, proposed by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, would permit health care insurers to sell health care plans that dont adhere to all of Obamacares rules as long as they also sell plans that comply with the policies.

Collins, a moderate Republican, called the provision unworkable on CNN.

I do want to see more flexibility in the insurance market, but Sen. Cruzs approach is not the answer, Collins said. It would result in undermining the protections for people with preexisting conditions and create two separate groups of individuals, and some of them would have very skimpy insurance coverage at a low price.  Julia Munslow

_____

Kasich spokesman calls out Pence for using inaccurate health care stats

Vice President Mike Pence addresses a National Governors Association session titled Collaborating to Create Tomorrows Global Economy on the second day of the meeting on Friday, July 14, 2017, in Providence, R.I. (Photo: Stephan Savoia/AP)

Vice President Pence proclaimed that the Affordable Care Act had left 60,000 disabled Ohioans waiting for health care at a governors meeting Friday  a claim a spokesperson for Ohio Gov. John Kasich flatly refuted on Saturday.

I know Gov. Kasich isnt with us, Pence said, but I suspect that hes very troubled to know that in Ohio alone, nearly 60,000 disabled citizens are stuck on waiting lists, leaving them without the care they need for months or even years.

Pences statement is not accurate, Kasich spokesperson Jon Keeling told the Washington Post, saying that Pences assertion about the ACA health care system for the disabled is false, as it is just the opposite of what actually happened.

The waiting lists that Pence was most likely referring to are for Medicaids home and community services. Though long in most states, these waiting lists are often shorter in states that took advantage of the ACAs Medicare expansion than in those that did not, Diane Rowland, Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundations executive vice president, told the Washington Post.

Kasich, who has previously defended Ohios medicaid expansion, publicly denounced the Senates health care legislation on Friday for its deep cuts to Medicaid and failure to address rising costs. He urged the Senate to look for a bipartisan alternative.

Gov. John Kasichs statement on the Senate health care reform bill: pic.twitter.com/0LCBu5B0xh  John Kasich (@JohnKasich) July 14, 2017

These shortcomings flow from the fact the Senate plan commits the same error as Obamacare  its not bipartisan, Kasich said in a statement on Twitter. It fails to bring solutions from both sides to the table that can ensure we arent simply replacing one divisive plan with another.  Taylor Rogers

_____

Biden: GOP bill is enough to make your blood boil

Former Vice President Joseph Biden, center, leaves after meeting with Senate Minority Whip Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., at the Capitol on July 11, 2017, in Washington, D.C. Biden was on the Hill to meet senators about his National Cancer Moonshot initiative. (Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Former Vice President Joe Biden expressed his continuing support for the ACA and disdain for the BCRA in an Op-Ed in the Washington Post on Monday. Biden argued that although the Affordable Care Act is not perfect, it is a far better solution to the nations health care woes than the GOP plan.

The ACA isnt perfect, but the choices we made when designing the law flowed from a commitment to provide the best possible care to the most people, Biden wrote. Compare that to Republican proposals, which the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has said will mean more than 20 million fewer people will have health coverage by 2026, and millions more will no longer have the same protections provided by the ACA.

The senate veteran cited his 36 years of experience to explain his concerns about the Cruz amendment, the bills cuts to Medicaid, and its provisions for addiction treatment.

They want to drag us back to a time  not all that long ago  when Americans could be denied basic health care because they were unable to afford it, Biden wrote. Thats the reality of where we are today and its enough to make your blood boil.  Taylor Rogers

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Paul: Health care bill will be downfall of Republican party

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., a vocal opponent of the Senate Republican health care bill, speaks with reporters on his way to a vote on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on July 12, 2017. (Photo: J. Scott Applewhite/AP)

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said that the GOPs Senate bill to dismantle Obamacare is not a true repeal bill, and warned it could lead to the demise of the Republican party.

Republicans have campaigned for four election cycles on the promise to repeal and replace Obamacare, but the current Senate bill has nothing to do with repeal, Paul said Sunday on CBS Face the Nation.

Voters elected us to repeal Obamacare, Paul said. And now were going to keep most of the taxes, keep the regs, keep the subsidies and create a giant bailout superfund for the insurance companies. I just dont see it.

The Kentucky Republican also said that the bill keeps the fundamental flaw of Obamacare: insurance mandates.

[The mandates] cause the prices to rise, which chase young, healthy people out of the marketplace, and leads to what people call adverse selection, where you have a sicker and sicker insurance pool and the premiums keep rising through the roof, Paul said.

Paul said on Fox News Sunday that he does not believe the current bill will pass the Senate, but that a more narrow repeal bill might gain enough support to pass.  Julia Munslow

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Read more from Yahoo News:
Donald Trump Jr, Mike Pence and the president himself are among those who have recently hired outside counsel as controversy dogs the administration

The elder and younger Donald Trumps have each hired outside lawyers amid concern over Russian interference in the US election. Photograph: Jim Bourg/Reuters

As the investigation into Russias interference in the 2016 presidential election intensifies, the number of Trump associates recruiting personal lawyers continues to grow.

Hiring outside counsel is not an indication of wrongdoing. But the star-studded field of high-calibre lawyers taking on such work is indicative of the increasingly high stakes at play. The lawyers come from a range of backgrounds, from those with experience in the Watergate scandal to defense attorneys seasoned in representing notorious mafia families.

As the tangled web of the Russia probe grows thicker, many face potential conflicts of interest.

Alan Futerfas

Donald Trump Jr, the presidents oldest son, became the latest in the Trump orbit to recruit outside counsel after revelations he accepted a meeting with a Russian lawyer promising compromising information on Hillary Clinton from Russian government officials.

Alan Futerfas, a veteran New York City criminal defense attorney, is best known for defending clients involved with known mafia crime families. He has represented others involved in cybercrime.

Futerfas defended Nikita Kuzmin, a Moscow-based hacker who was arrested by US law enforcement during a trip to California in 2010. Kuzmin later pleaded guilty to numerous fraud charges as authorities branded him the mastermind behind the Gozi virus. The malware, which still exists, infected at least a million computers worldwide, including 40,000 in the US, leading to millions of dollars being stolen from banks.

A former law enforcement official with deep knowledge of the case told the Guardian Kuzmin was a sophisticated hacker who was very well connected in the Russian underground. His capture was regarded as one of the FBIs most significant achievements that year, the former official said. The prosecution was brought by the former US attorney Preet Bharara, who like other senior government prosecutors was sacked by the Trump administration earlier in the year.

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Kuzmin was released in May 2016, after cooperating extensively with US authorities. While in custody, according to court documents, he helped ensnare co-conspirators, some of whom lived in Russia and Ukraine. The former official said it was highly likely Kuzmin had since returned to hacking.

Futerfas did not respond to a request for comment on the case.

It was not the first time a Futerfas clients ended up cooperating with authorities. In July last year, Angelo Gigliotti avoided jail time by turning on a co-defendant at trial. Both had been accused of running a cocaine-dealing operation connected to the Genovese crime family from a pizzeria in Queens. Gigliottis co-defendant was his own father, Gregorio Gigliotti.

Marc Kasowitz

Proudly brandishing the moniker of the toughest lawyer on Wall Street, Kasowitz has enjoyed a long and fruitful relationship with Donald Trump, representing the president on a variety of cases over the past two decades.

During the 2016 presidential campaign, he successfully kept sealed Trumps divorce records from his first failed marriage, which reportedly include sworn allegations of domestic violence. His firm, which specialises in financial rather than criminal law, also represented Trump during his Atlantic City bankruptcy cases and amid the fraud charges brought against Trump University by the state of New York.

Shortly after Kasowitz was hired as Trumps counsel for the Russia investigation, the Washington Post revealed that he faced potential conflicts of interest. He also represents a Russian oligarch with close ties to the Kremlin and Russias largest state bank, Sberbank, in continuing litigation. Last month, the Guardian reported that Kasowitzs firm was involved in the sale of a prestigious piece of New York real estate to Jared Kushner, Trumps son-in-law and senior adviser. That could also become a conflict of interest as Kushners financial dealings come under the spotlight of the Russia inquiry.

In recent weeks, events have not gone well for Trumps lead attorney. A report in the New York Times suggested he may have fallen out of favour with the president and could be on the verge of quitting. Then ProPublica published an investigation quoting anonymous former staff members and close friends saying Kasowitz had struggled with alcohol abuse in recent years. Kasowitz has denied the allegations. On Wednesday, he responded to an anonymous email from a member of the public calling for his resignation with a series of expletive-ridden rants. One began: Im on you now. You are fucking with me now Lets see who you are Watch your back , bitch.

Another attorney on the Trump team, Jay Sekulow, is also known as a combative and outspoken legal practitioner. Sekulow remained remarkably silent, however, after a series of Guardian revelations showed he had steered more than $60m from his Christian not-for-profit group to himself and his family and approved plans to prey on poor people to ramp up donations.

Robert Kelner

Trumps first national security adviser, Michael Flynn, was sacked amid controversy over his interactions with the Russian ambassador, Sergey Kislyak, during the presidential transition. The former three-star general had hired Kelner long before he left the administration, according to reports. In March, the attorney offered to have Flynn testify before Congress in exchange for immunity from prosecution.

Kelner is a prominent defense lawyer specialising in campaign finance and political law. He has significant experience in counselling presidential appointees on the vetting process. Such expertise has already come in handy. Flynn was appointed to the Trump administration despite receiving payments from the Russian state-funded news channel RT in 2015 and a firm with ties to the Turkish government in 2016  both after he retired from the army. The precise manner in which Flynn was vetted remains unclear but in March, under Kelners counsel, Flynn retroactively registered as a foreign agent with the US justice department.

Kelner is also a Russian speaker and studied politics and Russian studies at Stanford University.

The Washington DC-based attorney, who has also worked on behalf of the Republican National Committee, was an outspoken critic of Donald Trump during the campaign, mockingly referring to him as a Manchurian candidate after he secured the Republican presidential nomination.

In August last year, Kelner tweeted that Trump had gone rogue with his Moscow Centre  controllers, after the then presidential nominee issued a non-specific apology on the campaign trail.

Moscow Centre trying hard to re-establish radio contact with Trumps controllers tonight, Kelner wrote. His quasi-apology suggests hes gone rogue.

Richard Cullen

Vice-President Mike Pence reportedly spent several weeks interviewing candidates to represent him, eventually landing on Cullen, who served as US attorney for the eastern district of Virginia under George HW Bush and then briefly as the attorney general for the same state.

Now in private practice, Cullen is no stranger to operating during era-defining political scandals. He worked as a special counsel to a Republican senator on the intelligence committee during the Iran-Contra investigation and served on the staff of the Republican congressman M Caldwell Butler during Watergate. Butler, who sat on the House judiciary committee, played a pivotal role in the initiation of impeachment proceedings against Richard Nixon.

In a further sign of the crossing wires surrounding the Russia investigation, Cullen is a close friend of the former FBI director James Comey, whom Trump fired in May after allegedly pressuring him to end the investigation into Flynn. Comey was a partner at the law firm McGuire Woods, where Cullen is currently employed. Their tenures overlapped by three years, between 1993 and 1996, and Cullen is godfather to one of Comeys daughters, according to the Washington Post.

Following Comeys nomination to the FBI in 2013, Cullen said his former colleague would be a great director.

There are many people in Richmond who remember him and his family fondly and are very pleased that the president has chosen him for such a vitally important position, Cullen told the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Abbe Lowell

Kushner, the presidents son-in-law and senior adviser, added Lowell, a renowned white collar criminal defence lawyer, to his legal team at the end of June. The appointment came after another of Kushners attorneys, the renowned former deputy US attorney general Jamie Gorelick, advised her client to seek independent advice because Robert Mueller, the former FBI director named special counsel, was a partner at Gorelicks firm until he was appointed to the Russia investigation. Gorelick remains on Kushners team but, according to a Yahoo News report, has indicated she will drop out in the coming weeks.

Lowell is also well-versed in litigation involving political scandal. He was the chief minority counsel to House Democrats during impeachment proceedings against Bill Clinton and represents the Democratic senator Bob Menendez in a continuing corruption case.

The rest

At least four others in the Trump orbit have hired outside representation. The attorney general, Jeff Sessions, hired a longtime friend and noted conservative litigator, Charles Cooper, in June. Cooper had been under consideration to serve as solicitor general under Sessions but withdrew.

Paul Manafort, Trumps former campaign manager, hired Reginald Brown, a Washington DC-based attorney who served in the White House counsels office and as a deputy counsel to former Florida governor and the Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush.

Michael Cohen, Trumps longstanding personal lawyer, hired former the assistant US attorney Stephen Ryan in June, around the same the time Michael Caputo, a former campaign communications adviser to Trumps campaign, hired Dennis Vacco, a former attorney general for the state of New York.
Six months into his term, President Donald Trump has the lowest approval ratings of any President in the last seven decades at this point in his tenure, a new poll finds.

Just 36% approve of Trumps performance as President, according to an ABC News/Washington Post poll released on July 16. On April 20, as Trump was nearing his 100-day mark, his approval ratings were at 42%.

The last President to have comparable numbers during the first six months of their term with this poll was Gerald Ford, who replaced Richard Nixon following his resignation due to the Watergate scandal in 1974. In February 1975, Ford had a 39% approval ratings. Trumps two immediate predecessors, Barack Obama and George W. Bush, both had approval ratings of 59% at this point in their presidencies.

The poll was conducted July 10 through July 13, as the news was breaking that Donald Trump Jr. had met with a Russian lawyer during the 2016 election because he was promised compromising information on Hillary Clinton. Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner and then-campaign manager Paul Manafort also attended the meeting. Details about the meeting had been disclosed before the poll was conducted, but subsequent reports revealed Trump Jr.s motivation for the meeting. Most Americans  63%  said it was inappropriate for Trump Jr., Kushner and Manafort to attend the meeting, according to the poll.

A majority of Americans, 60%, also think Russia tried to influence the election  up 4% from April. Of those who believe Russias attempt to intervene, most said Trump benefitted from that attempt. The polls margin of error is 3.5%.

President Trump tweeted about the poll shortly after it was released, claiming it was just about the most inaccurate poll during the election.

The ABC/Washington Post Poll, even though almost 40% is not bad at this time, was just about the most inaccurate poll around election time!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 16, 2017

And an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll conducted in counties across the country that Trump won paints a different picture. Of the 439 counties polled, 50% approve of Trumps job performance so far.
President Trump questioned the accuracy of a new poll that shows him having the lowest approval rating of any modern president during the first six months of his term.

The ABC/Washington Post Poll, even though almost 40% is not bad at this time, was just about the most inaccurate poll around election time!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 16, 2017

But Trumps Sunday tweet about the accuracy of the ABC News/Washington Post poll is questionable when the data is actually examined.

The same poll showed Hillary Clinton narrowly leading Donald Trump 47% to 43% on Nov. 7 2016  one day before the election. It was a national poll that was assessing the overall popular vote, not the victory margins in individual states. And although Clinton lost the electoral vote, she did ultimately win the popular vote 48.2% to 46.1%. That means the poll was one point off for Clinton and three points off for Trump  slightly outside of the polls 2.5 margin of error for the latter, but only by half a point.

Other polls had similar results. The NBC/WSJ poll released on Nov. 6, 2016 also had Clinton leading Trump by 4 points, 44% to 40%  the final results fell outside the polls 2.73 margin of error on both sides. The final pre-election poll conducted by CBS News/New York Times, released on Nov. 3, 2016, like the others, had Clinton leading Trump among likely voters 45% to 42%.

In fact, out of the 21 general election polls showcased by the website RealClearPolitics website on Nov. 7, 2016, only two  the LA Times/USC tracking poll and the IBD/TIPP tracking poll  had Trump winning the general election. The state polls listed on that website were more inaccurate, with several incorrectly predicting, for example, that Clinton would win states like Florida, Michigan and New Hampshire.

The ABC News/Washington Post poll also detected a loss in voter enthusiasm for Clinton following then-FBI Director James Comeys decision to reopen the probe into her emails in mid-October  a factor Clinton has said contributed to her loss. The change in strong enthusiasm for Clinton is not statistically significant and could reflect night-to-night variability. Still, it bears watching, the poll analysis stated on Oct. 31.

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Overall, the ABC News/Washington Post poll certainly did not predict Trumps victory. But it also was more correct than the President let on in his tweet about assessing the ultimate outcome of the popular vote.

The tweet was one of several Trump sent Sunday.

With all of its phony unnamed sources & highly slanted & even fraudulent reporting, #Fake News is DISTORTING DEMOCRACY in our country!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 16, 2017

HillaryClinton can illegally get the questions to the Debate & delete 33,000 emails but my son Don is being scorned by the Fake News Media?  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 16, 2017

He also said thefake news media was distorting democracy and brought up the revelation from WikiLeaks that Donna Brazile passed along a question from a CNN primary debate to Hillary Clinton campaign associates, claiming there was a discrepancy in coverage between this incident and Donald Trump Jr.s meeting with a Russian lawyer.
Mondays news that activist investor Nelson Peltz would kick off a proxy fight for a board seat at consumer giant Procter & Gamble (PG) comes amid significant cost-cutting at the company.

P&G, the biggest household and personal care company in the world, has spent the past five years cutting $10 billion in costs and shedding more than half of its brand portfolio. Last year, P&G even announced that it would cut another $10 billion in costs.

But thats not enough for Peltzs hedge fund Trian Management, which announced his $3.3 billion stake in P&G on Feb 14 and has said its disappointed by P&Gs performance.

AP Photo/Steve Helber

As a board member, Peltz would push for faster changes at the company behind Pampers, Tide, Crest, and Gillette. Peltz has already hinted at whats holding P&G back, and it all comes down to one word: bureaucracy.

Bureaucratic bog-down

In his SEC filing, Peltz pointed to an underlying issue of bureaucracy.

P&Gs challenges stem in large part from its organizational structure and culture, which can be highly resistant to change, according to the filing. Trian believes the job of a highly engaged shareowner in the boardroom is to foster a true sense of ownership among directors and inspire the board to take decisive and timely action to create sustainable, long-term value for both the company and its shareholders.

Bernstein analyst Ali Dibadj added that the company has been slow to respond to changing consumer behavior relative to its peers. Dibadj says too many of P&Gs decisions have to go through the top levels of the company, and that the problem has persisted after CEO David Taylor took the helm in November 2015.

The bureaucracy and gummed-up-ness of the company is the issue. They just arent able to get things done, Dibadj told Yahoo Finance.

Forgetting about the consumer

P&Gs bureaucracy has made it difficulty for the company to rapidly meet consumer demands.

Though P&G has long called the consumer boss, it clearly lost sight of that mantra for too many years, Barclays Lauren Lieberman wrote in a recent note.

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Case-in-point? P&Gs strategy around diapers in China, which happens to be P&Gs second largest market. The company entered the market focusing on mid-tier pricing, according to analysts, as part of a one-size-fits-all strategy, even as key growth drivers in the region and category came from super premium.

P&G at last rolled out its premium tape diaper product last year and it fell flat with consumers, because it was designed with US consumer preferences in mind, according to analysts.

Rather than realizing that Chinese mothers are more focused on the texture (soft) and comfort (loose) of a diaper, the existing diaper is designed for a tight fit to prevent leakage, according to Lieberman. While a new diaper is slated to launch in August, the time to get to this point was long and well behind peers, according to analysts, reflecting the lack of agility at the company.

The company is also slow to make its prices competitive with peers. Bernstein conducted a price gaps analysis in the US, which showed that in categories including fabric care and grooming, P&G pricing remains significantly higher than peers.

And in some categories, like shampoo, P&G misdirected focus on the lower-end price tier, according to Dibadj, while stronger growth came from the higher end.

This has all translated to disappointing performance, according to analysts. Trian sites that P&Gs market share is down in 68% of the top 20 country-category pairings, as organic sales lag peers, as shown in the chart below.

And the impacts of this slower pace at P&G has been exacerbated by the rise in e-commerce and Amazon (AMZN), particularly as big-box stores like Walmart (WMT) have run a new price-comparison test, fueled by e-commerce pressure, putting pressure on packaged goods.

They have a long way to go to make it less complex

While P&G made a big deal when it slashed more than 100 brands, Dibadj said the changes havent been extreme enough.

They have a long way to go to make it less complex, Dibadj said. While they cut the majority of their brands, these were small brands, only about 15% of sales. Meanwhile, with the facade of scale, theyve created a lot of complexity.

And while P&G (whose stock is up 4% year-to-date versus the market up 10%) has made some efforts to better respond to consumers, much more needs to be done, according to analysts.

We believe that to be able to sustainably grow in line with the market, let alone gain share, it will take more than just a step up in advertising or just one product cycle per category given how out of synch P&Gs brand portfolio has become in many key markets globally, Lieberman wrote.

The first step in transforming the company

Peltzs efforts to speed up change may be the first step in transforming the company to get results to match peers, according to Dibadj.

I think the stick of a potential breakup, given past pushes by Peltz, will get folks to move a bit faster, Dibadj said. At this point, pushing for a breakup of P&G is an uphill battle met with a lot of resistance. I can imagine Peltz having some patience. But over time, the break-up may be the way to unlock the full potential of the company  Youll eventually get to the point where the complexity is too interwoven.

At the very least, Peltz is expected to invoke change, even if he hasnt disclosed specific details.

Peltzs past experience with Pepsi  where he took a stake in 2012  may provide a hint of whats to come at P&G. While Peltz advocated for a spin-off of the snack business and then a merger with Mondelez (MDLZ), analysts say the stick of a potential breakup prompted operational improvements at Pepsi, causing the stock to outperform and metrics to improve without that action.

His track record of improving companies is clear, Dibadj said.

Nicole Sinclair is markets correspondent at Yahoo Finance

Please also see:

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(Reuters) - A white former University of Cincinnati police officer who fatally shot a black motorist and whose two cases ended in mistrials will learn on Tuesday whether prosecutors will pursue a third murder trial.

The July 2015 shooting, which was captured by the ex-officer's body camera, set off protests and fueled national debate about the use of excessive force by police against minorities.

Hamilton County prosecutor Joseph Deters will hold a news conference on Tuesday to announce whether his office will pursue a retrial of Ray Tensing, 27, his office said. The previous two trials - last month and in November 2016 - ended in hung juries.

In both trials, Tensing was charged with murder and voluntary manslaughter.

Tensing, who was fired after he was initially charged, had stopped Samuel DuBose, 43, for missing a front license plate on his car. Tensing testified during both trials that he feared for his life and shot once, hitting DuBose in the head.

Family members of DuBose have urged prosecutors to pursue the third trial. There has been no word from prosecutors on their possible plans since the most recent mistrial.

Lawyers on both sides said previously that they had discussed a possible plea agreement before the start of the second trial involving a lesser charge of reckless homicide.

(Reporting by Suzannah Gonzales in Chicago; Editing by Matthew Lewis)
From Delish

Thinking it's time for a job change? Well, you're in luck: The technology company Salesforce is currently seeking 150 work-from-home employees.

If you've received a degree or have job experience in the in the marketing, programming, management or engineering fields, your new gig at Salesforce reportedly includes some pretty out-of-this-world benefit plans - beyond the traditional package (with financial planning and medical coverage), employees are eligible for adoption, surrogacy, fertility and education-reimbursement plans. Did we mention their paid parental leave (26 weeks of it!) and gradual return to work programs, too?

With all of these atypical perks, Salesforce sounds like a company that supports all of its employees, including working moms (and moms-to-be!) - which might have something to do with why it was named one of the best places to work by the San Francisco Business Times and the Silicon Valley Business Journal in 2016. It was also awarded a spot on Glassdoor's Employees' Choice: Best Places to Work list for the U.S., Canada and the U.K.

The company's overarching motto reflects these accolades. Salesforce refers to its 25,000 employees as "ohana," which is Hawaiian for family. Trust, growth, innovation and equality are the company's four cornerstones "that inspire [employees] to work together every day toward improving the world."

While the jobs Salesforce is looking to fill are remote, they're specified by region - states included on their careers page include New York, Connecticut, Texas, California, Washington, Illinois, Alabama and more. If the company's maxims align with your own and you live in a relevant pocket of the country, it might be worth applying - there are lots of upper-level and senior positions available, FYI.

To do so, head on over to Salesforce's career page and enter your preferred position in the "What" search bar and the words "US" and "remote" in the "Where" search bar. Best of luck!

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[h/t Working Mother]

From: Good Housekeeping

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By David Schwartz

PHOENIX (Reuters) - Authorities searched on Monday for a missing man after a flash flood crashed down an Arizona canyon, law enforcement officials said, reportedly killing his wife and eight other family members at a popular swimming spot north of Phoenix.

Searchers scoured an area of the Tonto National Forest for an unidentified 27-year-old man who officials said was among 14 members of an extended family hit by a wall of flood water on Saturday afternoon.

Nine of the family, ranging in age from 2 to 57, died in the floodwaters on Saturday afternoon, according to a statement on Monday from the Gila County Sheriff's Department.Four others from the Phoenix family, aged between 1 and 29, were rescued and survived the incident.

The Arizona Republic newspaper identified the missing man as Hector Miguel Garnica and said that the dead included Garnica's wife, Maria Raya, 25, and her three children, Emily, 3, Mia, 5, and Hector Daniel, 7. Also killed was Selia Garcia, who authorities said was 57 and whom the Republic identified as Raya's mother.

The group of 14 was swept down the creek after a thunderstorm hit about eight miles away in an area that had been burned by a nearly 7,200-acre wildfire last month, according to authorities.

Officials with the National Weather Service said one to 1.5 inches fell in 20 to 30 minutes in the area near Payson, about 90 miles (145 km) northeast of Phoenix.

A video posted on social media showed a muddy, debris-filled torrent that hit Ellison Creek, rushing down a narrow canyon where the swimmers were taking in the cool waters at the popular spot.

Three bodies were recovered on Saturday, with the other six recovered on Sunday, officials said.

Forecasters said they were concerned about additional possible flash flooding projected for central and southern Arizona.

The National Weather Service in Phoenix said that most of Arizona was under flash flood watch until Monday evening, warning that the monsoon air mass over the region was very wet and conducive to heavy thunderstorm rain that could lead to flood or flash flooding.

(Reporting by David Schwartz, additional reporting by Taylor Harris; Editing by Andrew Hay and Patrick Enright)
Afghanistans protracted war killed a record number of civilians during the first six months of this year, according to a U.N. report released yesterday, which blamed the majority of the deaths on bombings by insurgents.

U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad Al Hussein said the horrifying figure of 1,662 people killed between January and June of this year can never fully convey the sheer human suffering of the people of Afghanistan.

Each one of these casualty figures reflects a broken family, unimaginable trauma and suffering and the brutal violation of peoples human rights, he added.

The report confirmed that a massive truck bomb in the center of Kabul on May 31, which killed at least 90 people, was the deadliest attack since the U.S.-led invasion that toppled the Taliban in 2001. It also noted that more women and children were among the dead this year.

Insurgent attacks killed 1,141 civilians, a 12 per cent increase over the same period last year, according to the report, which said such attacks wounded another 2,348 people.

The report commended Afghanistans security forces, saying fewer civilians were caught in the crossfire compared to last year. It said 434 civilians were killed during military operations against insurgents.

Gen. Dowlat Waziri, a Defense Ministry spokesman, blamed the high toll on the insurgents use of human shields. The army is being very careful during operations to prevent civilian deaths, Waziri told The Associated Press.

The Afghan government said yesterday that troops retook a key district in the southern Helmand province from the Taliban. The fighting in the Naway district was fierce, with more than 50 Taliban killed, according to Waziri, who said just five security forces were wounded. There was no immediate comment from the Taliban.

Naway is located just 16 kilometers from Lashkar Gah, and had been a staging area for militant attacks on the provincial capital. U.S. and NATO forces are assisting Afghan troops in Helmand.

Elsewhere in Afghanistan, the Taliban snatched three border police officers from their car in the western Herat province, including a woman, and killed them, said Jelani Farhad, the provincial governors spokesman. Amir Shah, Kabul, AP
During the 2016 presidential campaign Donald Trump Jr., son of the president, took a meeting with a Kremlin-connected Russian lawyer under the pretense that he had a chance of getting dirt on Hillary Clinton. In an email setting the meeting up, a friend of the Trumps said the information was part of a wider Russian government effort to help Trump. The revelation of this meeting last week has set Washington on fire with scandal and then justifications, President Donald Trumps lawyer even tried to blame the Secret Service.

The Secret Service wasnt happy.

READ: Trump Sunday Tweets: Defends Son, Watches Golf, Attacks Clinton And Approval Ratings

Trump Jr. released the emails on Twitter last week, prompted by reporting by the New York Times. I love it, responded Trump to the possibility of getting dirt from the Russian government. Trump Jr.s description of the meeting has changed as details get reported. And as questions swirled about the propriety of meeting with the Russians, the presidents personal lawyer Jay Sekulow, went on five news shows Sunday to defend Trump. One excuse Sekulow offered, was that the Secret Service should have vetted the Russians.

Well, I wonder why the Secret Service, if this was nefarious, why the Secret Service allowed these people in, Sekulow said on ABC's This Week. The President had Secret Service protection at that point, and that raised a question with me.

The Secret Service responded Monday, saying Trump Jr. was not in their purview at that time.

Donald Trump Jr. was not a protectee of the (United States Secret Service) in June, 2016, said the service to CNN in a statement. Thus we would not have screened anyone he was meeting with at that time.

Information about the meeting has grown since it was first reported, according to The Hill Sunday, as many as eight people could have been there. Two people that were confirmed to be there are Jared Kushner, the presidents son-in-law and now advisor and Paul Manafort who was in charge of running Trumps campaign at the time.

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Trump has taken to Twitter to defend his son.

 Most politicians would have gone to a meeting like the one Don jr attended in order to get info on an opponent. That's politics!  tweeted the president Monday.

Most politicians would have gone to a meeting like the one Don jr attended in order to get info on an opponent. That's politics!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 17, 2017

READ: Trump And Kobach's Voter Fraud Panel Releases Brutal Responses From The Public

Many right-wing pundits have defended the presidents sons contact with Russians as opposition research, a term that describes a campaigns digging up dirt on its opponents.

Trumps administration is currently under several investigations for its ties to Russia throughout the campaign and transition. Bodies including both the House and Senate Intelligence Committees and the Department of Justice in the form of a Special Prosecutor are looking into the matter. Attorney General Jeff Sessions had to recuse himself from any investigations giving the reason that he was a member of Trumps campaign. Sessions failed to disclose his own meeting with Russian officials on security clearance forms.

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A new view from space shows Antarctica's newest bouncing baby iceberg.

This baby's a behemoth: At approximately 2,200 square miles (5,800 square kilometers), the iceberg represents about 10 percent of the Larsen C ice shelf, which it was a part of until it broke off this week. The 'berg is slightly bigger than Delaware in area and similarly proportioned: While the Blue Hen State is 96 miles (154 km) long, the Larsen C iceberg measures about 99 miles (159 km) from end to end, meaning it would take a little over an hour and a half to traverse it by car, assuming you had a car that could manage 60 mph (nearly 100 km/h) on uneven, floating sea ice. [In Photos: Antarctica's Larsen C Ice Shelf Through Time]

An instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite snapped one of the first images of this new iceberg on July 12, 2017, using thermal measurements to distinguish between ice and open water. The image shows the iceberg floating between the rest of the Larsen C ice shelf off the Antarctic Peninsula and the fractured sea ice floating on the Weddell Sea.

The rift that led to the iceberg's calving has existed since the 1960s, according to NASA, but it didn't start growing until 2014. Scientists have been monitoring the crack closely since then. By April 2017, only 10 miles (16 km) of ice connected the iceberg to the main ice sheet, according to the U.K.-based research group Project MIDAS. In late June, the same group reported that the speed of the ice was increasing to levels never before measured on Larsen C, indicating an imminent calving event.

The final break occurred sometime between July 10 and July 12. The ice that broke away weighs more than 1.1 trillion tons (1 trillion metric tons), but it won't substantially affect sea levels on its own, as it was already floating. The Larsen C ice shelf has now retreated farther back than at any time in recorded history, according to Project MIDAS glaciologist Martin O'Leary of Swansea University; the loss of the iceberg could make the shelf vulnerable to collapse. A collapse of the shelf would have an impact on sea levels, as land-based ice on the Antarctic continent would have a clearer route to the sea. However, scientists aren't yet sure what the future holds for Larsen C.

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"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," Swansea University glaciologist Adrian Luckman said in a statement. "Our models say it will be less stable, but any future collapse remains years or decades away."

Original article on Live Science.

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Jordan Carlos hosts SHARK WEEK on Snapchat (Credit: Discovery)

We are less than a week away from the July 23 start of Discoverys Shark Week, but the network is prepping for another premiere that day: the launch of SHARK WEEK on Snapchat, a new short-form series created exclusively for Snapchats Discover platform.

Comedian Jordan Carlos hosts the show, which is comprised of three episodes (each one will remain on the platform for two days). Day 1 kicks off with Sharks, Theyre Just Not That Into You, in which Carlos details five reasons why, contrary to popular belief, sharks arent naturally attracted to humans as prey. As you see in the screengrab above, he starts with the fact that weve never been on the menu, since sharks survived roughly 444 million years before humans were even on the planet.

(Credit: Discovery)

The second episode of the series, Natures Biggest Badasses, explores how sharks have survived all five mass extinctions and evolved to become the oceans most dangerous predator. Its informative and fun, and not just because Carlos really gets into tossing asteroids at the planet.

(Credit: Discovery)

The series concludes with These Sharks Shouldnt Exist, a look at so-called alien sharks from the deep, including the wobbegong, swell shark, and goblin shark. If youre a fan of alien sharks, Shark Week 2017 has your fix with Alien Sharks: Stranger Fins (airing July 24 at 10 p.m.).

Shark Week premieres July 23 at 7 p.m. on Discovery.



Read more from Yahoo TV:

Michael Phelps on His Shark Week Race With a Great White  and the One Thing That Made Him Nervous

Shark Week Hits Theaters With Return to the Isle of Jaws  and a Major Discovery

Shark Week Is Coming: 5 Things You Never Wondered About Shark Sex
A skydiving instructor in his 60s and a Singaporean man in his 20s died when their parachute failed to open in a tandem skydiving tragedy 50 miles southwest of Sydney, Austrailia. Videos released Saturday show the chilling final moments of their lives, which includes a clip of the instructor joking about his demise.

The victims' names have not been disclosed, but multiple videos have been released of the men before their death. One video, released by the Daily Mail Austrailia shows the instructor in high spirits, joking about potentially landing off course when they skydive.

"If you're really, really lucky you land out the front. If you don't, s--- happens," the instructor said to a few laughs, adding "if you're lucky," they might "get a good instructor." The Daily Mail report said that the Singaporean man was in the audience for the video.

One participant in the skydiving adventure, Catalina Granados, told the Daily Mail that she caught a bus from Sydney to the skydiving base with the Singaporean. She said she was shocked by the tragedy, adding that she didn't find out of the deaths until later when she was back in Sydney.

"I was in shock, I couldn't believe it," she said. "The conditions on the flight were good and I never imagined this could happen."

READ: Is Skydiving Safe? Navy SEAL Dies In New York City After Parachute Fails To Open During Fleet Week

Another video released exclusively by the Telegraph, showed the men in the plane during the last moments before the ill-fated jump, smiling in anticipation.

"I think its just tragic. Its just a fluke accident," a man who shot the video told the Telegraph. "They were the only tandem skydivers on the flight, and they were the last to jump."

The two bodies landed on a property outside of Sydney. Police and emergency services were called by a resident who saw the victims hit the ground. A 7-year-old girl  one of several children who witnessed the bodies on the ground  had to be counseled for trauma.

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READ: Fear The Walking Dead Voice Actor Randy Schell Dies In Skydiving Accident

"She has seen the aftermath," said Chase Stephenson said to the Telegraph of his daughter. "She hasnt seen them hit the ground but she is pretty traumatized. Its a shocking thing for a young girl. Shes very shaken up by it and has spoken to a counselor."

Television footage was taken by helicopter from above the driveway on Sydney television where the men landed appeared to show the parachutes, indicating they opened either partially or in full.

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By Christine Kim SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea on Monday proposed military talks with North Korea, the first formal overture to Pyongyang by the government of President Moon Jae-in, to discuss ways to avoid hostile acts near the heavily militarized border. There was no immediate response by the North to the proposal for talks later this week. The two sides technically remain at war but Moon, who came to power in May, has pledged to engage the North in dialogue as well as bring pressure to impede its nuclear and missile programs. The offer comes after the North claimed to have conducted the first test of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) earlier this month, and said it had mastered the technology to mount a nuclear warhead on the missile. South Korea and the United States, its main ally, dispute the claim. "Talks and cooperation between the two Koreas to ease tension and bring about peace on the Korean peninsula will be instrumental for pushing forth a mutual, virtuous cycle for inter-Korea relations and North Korea's nuclear problem," the South's Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon told a news briefing. The South Korean defense ministry proposed talks with the North on July 21 at Tongilgak to stop all activities that fuel tension at the military demarcation line. Tongilgak is a North Korean building at the Panmunjom truce village on the border used for previous inter-Korea talks. The last such talks were held in December 2015. Cho also urged the restoration of military and government hotlines across the border, which had been cut by the North last year in response to the South imposing economic sanctions after a nuclear test by Pyongyang. In all, the North has conducted five nuclear tests and numerous missile tests. The South also proposed separate talks by the rival states' Red Cross organizations to resume a humanitarian project to reunite families separated during the 1950-53 Korean War in closely supervised events held over a few days. The South Korean Red Cross suggested talks be held on Aug. 1, with possible reunions over the Korean thanksgiving Chuseok holiday, which falls in October this year. The last such reunions were held in October 2015 during the government of Moon's predecessor under a futile push for reconciliation following a sharp increase in tension over border incidents involving a landmine blast and artillery fire. BEIJING IN FAVOR China, which has close ties to Pyongyang despite Beijing's anger over North Korea's missile and nuclear tests, welcomed the proposal, saying cooperation and reconciliation between the two Koreas was good for everyone and could help ease tensions. "We hope that North and South Korea can work hard to go in a positive direction and create conditions to break the deadlock and resume dialogue and consultation," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told a daily news briefing. The proposals come after Moon said at the G20 summit in Hamburg earlier this month that he was in favor of dialogue with the North despite the "nuclear provocation" of its latest missile test. When Moon visited Washington after being elected president, he and U.S. President Donald Trump said they were open to renewed dialogue with North Korea but only under circumstances that would lead to Pyongyang giving up its weapons programs. "The fact that we wish to take on a leading role in resolving this (North Korean) issue has already been understood at the summit with the United States and the Group of 20 summit meetings," Cho said on Monday. In the proposal for talks, South Korea did not elaborate on the meaning of hostile military activities, which varies between the two Koreas. South Korea usually refers to loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts by both sides, while the North wants a halt to routine joint U.S.-South Korea military drills. Moon suggested earlier this month hostile military activities at the border be ended on July 27, the anniversary of the 1953 armistice agreement that ended the Korean War. Since no truce was agreed, the two sides remain technically at war. When asked if South Korea was willing to "be flexible" on military drills with the United States should North Korea be open to talks, Cho said the government had not discussed the matter specifically. Pyongyang has repeatedly said it refuses to engage in all talks with the South unless Seoul turns over 12 waitresses who defected to the South last year after leaving a restaurant run by the North in China. North Korea says the South abducted the 12 waitresses and the restaurant manager and has demanded their return, but the South has said the group decided to defect of its own free will. Cho said this matter is not included on the talks agenda. In an act to rein in the North, the United States is preparing new sanctions on Chinese banks and firms doing business with Pyongyang possibly within weeks, two senior U.S. officials said last week. (Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in BEIJING; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)
The White Houses story has repeatedly changed when discussing Donald Trump Jr.s meeting last summer with a Kremlin-linked lawyer promising dirt on Hillary Clintons campaign.

The latest explanation from the president himself emerged Monday morning, when he tweeted, Most politicians would have gone to a meeting like the one Don jr attended in order to get info on an opponent. Thats politics!

In an off-camera briefing later that day, press secretary Sean Spicer said that nothing came out of the meeting except a discussion on Russian adoption policy.

You know Im not going to get into the specifics of this, but I will say its quite often for people who are given information during the heat of campaign to ask what that is, said Spicer. Thats what simply he did, the president made it clear through his tweet, there was nothing as far as we know that would lead anyone to believe it was anything but discussion of adoption and the Magnitsky Act. I would refer you back to counsel on that one.

Below is a timeline of the Trump teams explanations:

No Russia meeting

Initially, those around the Trump campaign denied any meetings had happened. In a July 2016 interview with CNN, Trump Jr. said accusations from the Clinton campaign that Russia was involved with hacking the Democratic National Committee were disgusting and so phony.

It just goes to show you their exact moral compass, Trump Jr. says. Theyll say anything to be able to win this. I mean, this is time and time again, lie after lie. He wont say, Well, I say this. We hear experts, you know, his house cat once said this is whats happening with the Russians. Its disgusting. Its so phony.

White House counselor Kellyanne Conway and Vice President Mike Pence said the same thing in interviews with CBS News John Dickerson.

Did anyone involved in the Trump campaign have any contact with Russians trying to meddle with the election? Dickerson asked Conway in 2016.

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Absolutely not, Conway replied. And I discussed that with the president-elect just last night. Those conversations never happened. I hear people saying it like its a fact on television. That is just not only inaccurate and false, but its dangerous.

Dickerson repeated the question in a January interview with Pence. Did any adviser or anybody in the Trump campaign have any contact with the Russians who were trying to meddle in the elections? he asked.

Well of course not, said Pence. I think to suggest that is to give credence to some of these bizarre rumors that have swirled around the candidacy.

Rinat Akhmetshin, Natalia Veselnitskaya, Jared Kushner Donald Trump Jr. and Paul Manafort. (Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photos: Andrew Kelly/Reuters,Hermitage Capital, Yury Martyanov/Kommersant Photo via AP, Carolyn Kaster/AP, Matt York/AP, Matt Rourke/AP)

July 8: Discussed adoption with a Russian lawyer

After the New York Times reported that Trump Jr. had met with a Kremlin-linked lawyer during the campaign, his July 8 statement made no mention of the fact he was promised incriminating information on Hillary Clinton from the Russian government.

It was a short introductory meeting, Trump Jr. said in a statement, reportedly approved by the president. I asked Jared and Paul to stop by. We primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children that was active and popular with American families years ago and was since ended by the Russian government, but it was not a campaign issue at the time and there was no follow-up. I was asked to attend the meeting by an acquaintance, but was not told the name of the person I would be meeting with beforehand.



July 9: Also discussed the campaign with the Russian lawyer

The very next day, when the Times reported that Trump Jr. had been promised dirt on Clinton, he released a new statement.

I was asked to have a meeting by an acquaintance I knew from the 2013 Miss Universe pageant with an individual who I was told might have information helpful to the campaign, said Trump Jr. I was not told her name prior to the meeting. I asked Jared and Paul to attend, but told them nothing of the substance. We had a meeting in June 2016. After pleasantries were exchanged, the woman stated that she had information that individuals connected to Russia were funding the Democratic National Committee and supporting Ms. Clinton. Her statements were vague, ambiguous and made no sense. No details or supporting information was provided or even offered. It quickly became clear that she had no meaningful information. She then changed subjects and began discussing the adoption of Russian children and mentioned the Magnitsky Act. It became clear to me that this was the true agenda all along and that the claims of potentially helpful information were a pretext for the meeting. I interrupted and advised her that my father was not an elected official, but rather a private citizen, and that her comments and concerns were better addressed if and when he held public office. The meeting lasted approximately 20 to 30 minutes. As it ended, my acquaintance apologized for taking up our time. That was the end of it and there was no further contact or follow-up of any kind. My father knew nothing of the meeting or these events.

July 11: Wanted Kremlin dirt on Clinton

Moments before the Times published a story on emails arranging the meeting, Trump Jr. released them on Twitter.

The emails showed that he took the meeting after being promised official documents and information that would incriminate Hillary and her dealings with Russia and would be very useful to your father, which Trumps eldest son verified when he released his emails. Trump Jr. responded 17 minutes later that he [loved] it, and the meeting occurred six days later.

The emails also contradicted his second statement. In it, he said that he told campaign chair Paul Manafort and his brother-in-law/White House adviser Jared Kushner nothing of the substance of the meeting, but per the emails Trump Jr. posted to Twitter, he had forwarded them the exchange. The subject line on the email was Russia  Clinton  private and confidential.

July 14: Expanding number of people in meeting

After reports initially indicated that there were four people in the meeting, new reports emerged that there were actually at least eight attendees, including Russian-American lobbyist Rinat Akhmetshin, who once served in the Soviet military. President Trumps attorney, Jay Sekulow, attempted to use the Secret Service as a buffer against accusations of uncouth dealings.

Well, I wonder why the Secret Service, if this was nefarious, why the Secret Service allowed these people in, said Sekulow in a Sunday morning interview with ABC News. The president had Secret Service protection at that point, and that raised a question with me.

Within hours, the Secret Service had rebuffed Sekulows attempts to place blame on them.

Donald Trump Jr. was not a protectee of the U.S. Secret Service in June, 2016, Secret Service spokesman Mason Brayman told Reuters. Thus, we would not have screened anyone he was meeting with at that time.

Read more from Yahoo News:
PARIS (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron said he was hopeful that U.S. President Donald Trump would reverse his decision to pull the United States out of the Paris climate accord, according to weekly newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche (JDD) on Sunday. "(Trump) told me that he would try to find a solution in the coming months," Macron told the paper, referring to meetings the two leaders had this week in Paris. "We spoke in detail about the things that could make him come back to the Paris accord," he added. Trump has said the Paris accord is soft on leading polluters like China and India, putting U.S. industry at risk. Trump on Friday appeared to hold the door open to a change of position on the 2015 Paris climate change agreement which he pulled the United States out of earlier this year. The accord, reached by nearly 200 countries in 2015, was meant to limit global warming to 2 degrees or less by 2100, mainly through pledges to cut carbon dioxide and other emissions from the burning of fossil fuels. Trump has repeatedly said he would be open to a better deal for the United States. (Reporting by Mathieu Rosemain and Michel Rose; Editing by Richard Chang)
President Trump on Monday wished Sen. John McCain a healthy recovery from surgery  but then immediately pivoted to stressing to his old foes value in pushing the Republican health care bill through the Senate.

Lawmakers have found themselves at a standstill on health care reform after news broke Saturday that Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., underwent surgery to remove a blood clot and will need at least a week to recover. Without McCains vote, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., does not even have the support to bring his health care plan to the floor for debate.

Related slideshow: Protesters across the country oppose GOPs health care plan >>>

And I can tell you, we hope John McCain gets better very soon, Trump said at a Made in America event at the White House on Monday afternoon.

Because we miss him. Hes a crusty voice in Washington  plus, we need his vote, he continued. And hell be back. And he will be back sooner than somebody else would be back  hell be back soon.

Trump also expressed confidence that the Senate will approve the bill, despite the fact that its fate  even with McCain in Washington  is far from certain.

Were going to get that done, and I think were going to surprise some people, Trump said. Theyre pushing very hard, the Republican senators, theyre great people  and were getting it together and its going to happen.

President Trump and Sen. John McCain, R-Arz., have often found themselves at odds. (Photos: Charles Platiau /Reuters, Mohammad Ismai/Reuters)

McCain and Trump have long found themselves at odds, stretching back to the GOP primary, when Trump criticized McCains military service.

Hes not a war hero, Trump said at a campaign event in July 2015, after Arizonas senior senator said Trump was riling up crazies at rallies in his home state. He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people who werent captured.

Trumps dismissive comments drew widespread bipartisan condemnation. McCains plane was shot down during the Vietnam War, and he was held prisoner for more than five years.

Trump initially refused to endorse McCain in his primary election last year before eventually relenting. But when McCain dropped his support of Trump over the now infamous Access Hollywood tape of Trump bragging in 2005 about groping women, the celebrity real estate mogul once again slammed him on social media.

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The very foul mouthed Sen. John McCain begged for my support during his primary (I gave, he won), then dropped me over locker room remarks!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 11, 2016

McCain and Trump have continued to take swipes at one another since the election. McCain dissented, for example, after Trump labeled the mainstream media the enemy of the American people.

Thats how dictators get started, McCain said in an interview with NBCs Meet the Press. They get started by suppressing a free press. In other words, a consolidation of power. When you look at history, the first thing that dictators do is shut down the press.

Read more from Yahoo News:
Talks to extricate Britain from the European Union began yesterday with both sides still seemingly far apart on citizens rights after Brexit officially takes place in less than two years.

After an initial meeting last month where the structure of the talks was determined, Britains Brexit minister, David Davis, met up with the EUs chief Brexit negotiator in Brussels ahead of four-days of discussions.

Progress on citizens rights is one of the three main issues that have to be resolved before the two sides can start talking about a wide-ranging free trade deal, the others being the bill Britain has to pay to meet existing commitments and the border issue in Ireland.

The British proposal offers EU nationals who have lived in Britain for at least five years  as of an unspecified cutoff date  the right to live, work and access benefits.

The estimated 3 million EU nationals in Britain would all have to apply individually for permission to stay, and its unclear what the plan would mean for those who have been in the U.K. for a shorter time or what rights family members will have.

European officials have said the British proposal to give EU citizens settled status does not go far enough. The European Parliament warned last week it could veto the final deal if Britain doesnt give EU citizens more rights if they choose to stay in Britain after Brexit, which is due to take place in March 2019.

The issue is the first to be tackled at four days of talks that started yesterday. Whatever emerges will likely be replicated for the 1 million or so British citizens who currently live in EU countries.

It is incredibly important we now make good progress, Britains Brexit minister David Davis said after launching the talks with chief EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier.

Civil servants will do the bulk of the negotiating. After opening the talks with Barnier yesterday, Davis returned to London and is due back in Brussels Thursday for a press conference with the EU negotiator.

At a separate meeting of foreign ministers, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson insisted that a recent offer by Prime Minister Theresa May for EU citizens in Britain is a very fair, serious offer.

I hope very much that people can look at that offer in the spirit it deserves, he told reporters. Its a great offer. AP
Photo: Suzanne Tenner/Showtime

Warning: This recap for Part 10 of Twin Peaks contains spoilers.

To introduce this story, let me just say it encompasses the all  it is beyond the fire, though few would know that meaning. It is a story of many, but begins with one  and I knew her. The one leading to the many is Laura Palmer. Laura is the one.

 Margaret Lanterman, The Log Lady

In 1993 Twin Peaks went into syndication, and for its re-airing on the Bravo network David Lynch wrote and directed a series of vignettes featuring The Log Lady (Catherine Coulson) which would introduce each episode. The above passage comes from the intro to the pilot and contains the line, Laura is the one, the title for Part 10 of Twin Peaks: The Return (also spoken by The Log Lady). Indeed, in the original series, Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee) is the one who brings us to Twin Peaks. Her plastic-wrapped corpse is one of the very first images we see in the pilot. The mystery of her death acts as an entry point into the wider mysteries of the quirky logging town and its colorful inhabitants.

But Laura is not only the one. Shes the first. Her brutal murder is Twin Peaks original sin. Abuse and violence toward women are themes central to the show, and to Lynchs work in particular, and in Twin Peaks, it starts with Laura. The beautiful blonde homecoming queen who on the surface was a shining example of innocent small town values was a sexually promiscuous, coke-addicted, broken shell of a woman. Her downward spiral into self-destruction was the only release from years of sexual abuse and torture at the hands of her father and BOB (Frank Silva).

Lauras death and the events which led to it made the townsfolk complicit in her murder due to their failure to acknowledge her pain, or do anything to stop it. She exposed the darkness lurking beneath the idyllic facade of faux-1950s Americana. That darkness was often the evil that men do, as appropriately put by Agent Albert Rosenfield (Miguel Ferrer) when describing BOB in the original series. More specifically, it revealed the evil that men do to women, and that matter has never been more in-your-face than in Part 10, an episode where men do heinous and unspeakable things to the women in their lives.

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Photo: Suzanne Tenner/Showtime

TWIN PEAKS

Most of the episodes violence happens in the town of Twin Peaks, revealing that not only is darkness still present there but perhaps more prominent than ever before. In the original series, there was still a lightness (or a glow you could say) to counteract the tales of perversion and otherworldly malevolence, whether it was in the sugar-coated cherry pie or the silliness of its soap-opera side stories. But as The Log Lady later tells Deputy Hawk (Michael Horse): In these days, the glow is dying. A similar sentiment was heard earlier in the series, when Janey-E Jones (Naomi Watts) told the thuggish loan sharks, Were living in a dark, dark age!

The man responsible for the bulk load of the brutality is Richard Horne (Eamon Farren), a hateful scumbag who I didnt think could get much worse after assaulting women at The Roadhouse and mowing down a child in a hit and run. But Richard outdoes himself here. He starts by killing Miriam (Sarah Jean Long), the pie-loving lady who witnessed him run down the boy in Part 6, leaving her face-down and bleeding in her trailer with the oven door open (likely to cause a gas explosion). After fleeing the scene, he calls crooked cop Chad (John Pirruccello), who Ive taken to calling Chadhole in my notes, and tells him to intercept a letter Miriam sent to the Sheriffs Department.

Photo: Suzanne Tenner/Showtime

Richard later takes his destructive fury to the home of his Grandma, Sylvia Horne (Jan DArcy), throttling her, slamming her to the floor, and demanding money. Its uncomfortable and hard to watch. The audience is in the same position as Johnny Horne (Eric Rondell)  who survived his collision with a wall but is now tied to a chair and made to wear a helmet  forced to watch this horrific nightmare play out in front of us and there is nothing we can do about it. There is still a Lynchian quirkiness to the scene, as Johnnys malfunctioning teddy bear repeats Hi Johnny, how are you today? over and over until the point of psychosis. But its disturbing-quirky, rather than funny-quirky.

In terms of the overarching mythology, the scene confirms that Richard is the grandson of Sylvia and Ben Horne (Richard Beymer), which therefore all but settles he is the son of Audrey Horne (Sherilyn Fenn), who has still yet to appear in the new series. The Horne family has always been dysfunctional, and things only seem to have disintegrated further in the intervening years. Sylvia later calls Ben to tell him what happened and asks him to send her money, which he refuses. It appears that the two are still married (Ben wears a wedding ring), but the relationship is strained, and perhaps will be even more now that Ben has officially asked Beverly (Ashley Judd) out to dinner.

The question remains, how did Richard get like this? What was his childhood like? Where is his mother, assuming that his mother is Audrey? And who is his father? Will the theory that Evil Coop (Kyle MacLachlan) got Audrey pregnant actually come to fruition?

Photo: Suzanne Tenner/Showtime

Richard isnt the only one terrorizing the women of Twin Peaks. At the Fat Trout Trailer Park, Carl Rodds (Harry Dean Stanton) heartwarming rendition of cowboy folk classic Red River Valley is interrupted by a smashed window and crazed screaming coming from inside a trailer. Behind closed doors, Steven (Caleb Landry Jones), the scuzzy jobless loser last seen in Part 5, grabs his wife Becky (Amanda Seyfried) by the hair, his fist held to her face, yelling at her about not bringing home enough money, blaming her for all their failures as a couple. Becky is petrified, cowering in the corner of the couch, as Stevens rage increases. Dont you give me that innocent look! he spits. Its an amped up version of Leo and Shelly Johnson (Madchen Amick), Beckys mom, who suffered similar abuse in the original series.

Its also a prime example of physical and psychological abuse. Steven refuses to take responsibility for his own shortcomings, his unemployment, his drug habit, and instead forces the burden on his wife, making her believe she is the one at fault and deserving of this punishment. It echoes what Richard said to Sylvia as he left her house with a purse full of stolen money and jewelry, Why do you have to make something so simple, so difficult? Just like Steven, Richard throws the blame onto the victim, rather than recognize his own evil.

Photo: Suzanne Tenner/Showtime

LAS VEGAS

Meanwhile, in Vegas, its a man on the receiving end of physical violence, but the subsequent reaction provides another glimpse into mens desire to control women. Rodney Mitchum (Robert Knepper), the mob-looking casino owner, takes a TV remote to the face when showgirl Candie (Amy Shiels) tries to kill a buzzing fly. Its a scene drawn out and played for comic effect, and it works, as Rodneys brother Bradley (Jim Belushi) rushes into the room to help. But as Candie bursts into tears, emphatically apologizing for her actions (something none of the men on this show do), we recognize this is another relationship about power dynamics. Can you ever love me after what I did? she later asks. Its as if Candie, and the other two showgirls (Mandie and Sandie), have Stockholm Syndrome, as they emotionlessly serve cocktails and accompany the brothers to backroom meetings.

The Mitchums watch the local news and discover that Ike the Spike (Christophe Zajac-Denek) was arrested, something which amuses them greatly, Ike finally stepped on his dick, Bradley laughs. But their amusement quickly turns to anger when they find out the man who stopped Ike was their old friend Mr. Jackpots, aka The Cobra, aka Dougie Jones. The various Vegas plot strands begin to connect here, as Mr. Todd (Patrick Fischler) sends Dougies work colleague Tony (Tom Sizemore) to meet with the Mitchum brothers to tell them that Dougie was responsible for their insurance claim falling through. Tony delivers the message, after finally getting through Candies small talk about the casinos air conditioning, and tells the Mitchums they have an enemy in Douglas Jones.

Photo: Suzanne Tenner/Showtime

As for Dougie himself, Janey-E finally takes him to see the doctor, who is astonished by Dougies remarkable weight loss and general physical well being. Janey-E also takes notice, staring at her husbands chiseled physique, Remarkable she repeats. Back at home, we have a close-up on Janey-Es red shoes (keep thoseWizard of Oz references coming, Mr. Lynch), before she flirts and makes come-to-bed eyes at Dougie, who is more invested in a slice of chocolate cake. But before we know it, Janey-E is on top of Dougie in bed, his arms flapping by his sides, a ridiculous smile plastered on his face as she screams his name, waking up a startled Sonny Jim (Pierce Gagnon). Its a hilarious scene followed by a moment of tenderness, as the two lie in each others arms, whispering I love you. Although its unclear if Dougie-Coop really understands what love is.

The relationship between Dougie and Janey-E is a moment of respite from the abusive and violent relationships dominating the rest of the episode. Even though Dougie isnt really Janey-Es husband, but rather a brain damaged Agent Cooper, there is a growing affection here. Yet there is always a reminder of the old Dougie and the damaged relationship he had with Janey-E before Coopers arrival. Douglas Jones took his wife and family for granted, abandoning them for booze and gambling and affairs with prostitutes, and while not violent, it is another side of the evil that men do in the world of Twin Peaks.

Photo: Suzanne Tenner/Showtime

BUCKHORN

The simple humanity of the Dougie/Janey relationship is briefly glimpsed in Buckhorn, South Dakota, where Albert and Constance the coroner (Jane Adams) enjoy a romantic dinner date. Gordon Cole (David Lynch) and Agent Tammy Preston (Chrysta Bell) spy on the sarcasm-spewing sweethearts; So sweet, Gordon remarks, a look of pure joy on his face. These are the kind of moments and relationships the show strives for, an example of how a just and fair world should look. Its also reflected in Lucy and Andys (Kimmy Robertson and Harry Goaz) relationship  the sweetest and most caring of all the Twin Peaks partnerships. When Chad tells Lucy he can imagine that she and Andy say Beautiful morning! to each other every day when they wake up, its meant to be mocking, but its actually a dream that we all, Chadhole included, wish to attain.

But Lynch and Mark Frost do not allow us to get comfortable in these idealized relationships. The moments of compassion and sensitivity are fleeting, while the violence and abuse are drawn out and magnified. They dont want us to forget the darkness that is still lurking, and in many corners of the world, prevailing. That reminder doesnt get any clearer than the vision of a screaming Laura Palmer which Gordon sees when he opens his hotel door. The ghost of Laura frames this entire episode, her past and her legacy underlining the themes of destructive men and victimized women.

My dream is to go to the place where it all began, Rebeckah Del Rio sings at the end of the episode, but to get back there  to the lighter moments of Twin Peaks past  we must remember the story of Laura Palmer and the many others who suffer just like her.

THOUGHTS FROM ANOTHER PLACE

Albert informs Gordon that Diane (Laura Dern) has been receiving and sending suspicious text messages, most likely with Evil Coop. In one of the texts, she warns that They have Hastings and are going to the site. Tammy also receives an update on Evil Coop, a photo of him visiting the New York Glass Box building. To me, that seems to imply that Evil Coop is the secret billionaire who owns the building, and was using the Glass Box to either capture Cooper or contain The Experiment.

Im so pleased to see Nadine (Wendy Robie) opened her own silent drape runner business, Run Silent, Run Drapes!

Why did Miriam have Christmas decorations up at her trailer in September? Is she one of those people that just keeps their decorations up all year around? Or is a sign? Will we get a Twin Peaks Christmas episode/!

Moby joined Rebeckah Del Rio for her enthralling performance of No Stars, a song she co-wrote with David Lynch. Long-time Lynch fans will recognize Del Rio from Mulholland Drive and the famous Club Silencio scene. The Club Silencio scene is the moment when the illusion is broken, and the true nature of the film is revealed. I wonder if this performance signifies a similar event here? Is it time to wake up as the Cowboy says in Mulholland Drive?

What do we make of Gordons doodle? It looked like a deer and then an arm reaching out from the side of the page, an image that brings to mind BOBs arm stretching out from the Lodge in Season 2. Is Gordon tapped into the supernatural?

Twin Peaks airs Sundays on Showtime at 9 pm.

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By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Transportation Security Administration said on Monday it was lifting a ban on passengers on Saudi Arabian Airlines carrying large electronics like laptops onboard U.S.-bound flights, the last carrier under the restrictions.

In March, U.S. officials imposed restrictions on passengers carrying laptops and other large electronic gear in cabins on nine airlines, most of which were Middle Eastern carriers, to address the potential threat of hidden explosives.

Last month, U.S. officials announced new security requirements for all airlines rather than an expansion of the laptop ban and have been dropping the restrictions from airlines as they boosted security.

A TSA spokesman said the U.S. government had lifted the restrictions at Saudi Arabian Airlines' main hub in Jeddah at King Abdulaziz International Airport on Monday. U.S. government officials will visit Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport "later this week to confirm compliance there as well," spokesman James Gregory said.

On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a revised directive to airlines around the world in response to requests that it clarify aviation security measures scheduled to begin taking effect later this week.

An airline official briefed on the matter said the directive gave airlines more flexibility and additional time to obtain explosive trace detection equipment. The official was not authorized to discuss sensitive security issues with the media and requested anonymity.

The directive includes technical adjustments, agency officials said, declining to release the text. European airlines have been pushing for changes to meet the new requirements.

DHS has said that it could impose new restrictions on laptops if airlines do not make security upgrades.

European and U.S. officials told Reuters that airlines have until July 19, to put in place increased explosive trace detection screening and other measures and 120 days to comply with other security measures, including enhanced screening of airline passengers.

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The new requirements include enhanced passenger screening at foreign airports, increased security protocols around aircraft and in passenger areas and expanded canine screening. They affect 325,000 airline passengers on about 2,000 commercial flights arriving daily in the United States, on 180 airlines from 280 airports in 105 countries.

A group of airline groups, including the International Air Transport Association, criticized the new requirements in a July 14 letter to U.S. officials saying it is a "fundamental shift away from the risk-based approach" and said it would be "extremely difficult" to "meet the deadlines because of the lack of availability of screening equipment technology and resources."

TSA spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein defended the new security requirements unveiled in June that were aimed at avoiding expansion of the laptop ban. She said the agency has been working with airlines for months to keep them informed on security issues.

"As we look to stay ahead of the evolving threats, well be working with global aviation stakeholders to expand security measures even further," she said in an email, adding the government has "seen a web of threats to commercial aviation."

(Reporting by David Shepardson Additional reporting by Julia Fioretti in Brussels; Editing by Tom Brown and Marguerita Choy)
LONDON (Reuters) - Britain will look at tougher punishments for people who attack others using acid, interior minister Amber Rudd said on Sunday, after a spate of incidents in London in recent months. Five acid attacks on moped riders in less than 90 minutes across east London on Thursday left several people with facial burns, the latest in what Rudd described as a "worrying increase" in reports of attacks where acid or similar substances had been used as a weapon. "We can and will improve our response," Rudd wrote in an article for the Sunday Times newspaper. "It will include a wide-ranging review of the law enforcement and criminal justice response, of existing legislation, of access to harmful products and of the support offered to victims." Rudd said guidance to prosecutors would be reviewed so that acid and other corrosive substances could be classed as dangerous weapons, and authorities would be given the powers they need to ensure those who commit such crimes "feel the full force of the law". "I am clear that life sentences must not be reserved for acid attack survivors," she said. The government will also work with retailers to agree measures to restrict the sales of acid and other corrosive substances. (Reporting by Kylie MacLellan; Editing by Greg Mahlich)
A Chinese American accused of "infiltration" in Iran has been sentenced to 10 years in prison, local media reported on Sunday.

The man was identified as Xiyue Wang, a 37-year-old researcher at Princeton University, according to Mizanonline, the official news agency of Iran's judiciary.

Wang, who was born in Beijing according to the report, was arrested on August 8, 2016 while trying to leave the country.

Mizanonline said he was part of "an infiltration project" aimed at gathering "highly confidential articles" for several US and British institutions, including Princeton, the US State Department, Harvard's Kennedy School and the British Institute for Persian Studies.

"Before his arrest he was able to digitally archive 4,500 pages of the country's documents, while under covert surveillance," said Mizanonline.

The confidential documents were said to be taken from "research and cultural archives" and "the libraries of some state organisations".

Mizanonline published an excerpt from a British Institute of Persian Studies annual report, in which Wang thanked its librarian for helping him make contact with academics in Iran.

The report claimed this as "proof" Wang was on a covert mission, although the quote shows Wang was openly trying to work with academics to access a number of official archives in Tehran and Mashhad.

The US State Department later issued a statement confirming it was "aware of reports regarding Xiyue Wang, a US citizen detained in Iran" -- phrasing that is normally read as a confirmation.

- 'Unjustly detained' -

It added: "We continue to use all the means at our disposal to advocate for US citizens who need our assistance overseas especially for the release of any unjustly detained US citizens held overseas.

"We call for the immediate release of all US citizens unjustly detained in Iran so they can return to their families."

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In January, Tehran's chief prosecutor said as many as 70 "spies" were serving sentences in the city's prisons, but the identities of only a handful have been made public.

Most are thought to be Iranians who hold another passport from Europe or the United States.

In October, US-Iranian business consultant Siamak Namazi and his 80-year-old father Baquer, a former UNICEF official, were given 10 years in prison for "espionage and collaboration with the American government".

Washington has repeatedly called for their release and also for Tehran's cooperation in the case of Robert Levinson, a former FBI agent who disappeared in Iran in 2007.

The news comes amid tensions between the two countries as President Donald Trump and Congress have taken increasingly harsh positions against Tehran.

Trump has promised to tear up the 2015 nuclear deal struck between Iran and world powers including the United States that lifted some sanctions in return for curbs on Tehran's nuclear programme.

In mid-June, the American Senate backed new sanctions against Iran, denouncing the Islamic republic's "continued support of terrorism". The bill must be passed by the House of Representatives.

The new restrictions impose mandatory sanctions on people involved with Iran's ballistic missile programme and those that transact with them.

Iran has vowed to respond with "reciprocal and adequate measures".
Miami (AFP) - In Miami, Madrid and across Latin America Venezuelans living abroad enthusiastically cast ballots in a vote organized Sunday by the opposition that sought to undermine unpopular President Nicolas Maduro.

"I feel like a liberator!" exclaimed Monica Rodriguez in Miami, the city with the biggest expatriate Venezuelan population and one of 500 worldwide to host a poll.

The 44-year-old, pushing her baby in a carriage, was one of thousands lined up to cast a ballot.

"This isn't an election, it's a declaration" against Maduro and his policies, said another, Rosa Tejeiro de Reyna, aged over 60.

The vote was designed to gauge electoral acceptance of a plan by Maduro to rewrite his country's constitution.

But, with Venezuelan officials dismissing the vote as "illegal" and electorally irrelevant, defiance was high among those frustrated with the drawn-out crisis rocking Venezuela.

Jose Hernandez, a representative of the Venezuelan opposition in Miami, said: "Venezuelans are much more than what the government represents. And when we pull together democratically we can do so much more than everybody believes possible."

He estimated there were more than 100,000 voters in southern Florida.

According to 2015 census data, 273,000 Venezuelans live in the United States -- half of them in Florida, especially in and around Miami.

In Los Angeles, a Venezuelan actor, Edgar Ramirez, said the vote was a chance to stand up for "all those people who died from neglect, insecurity, and the lack of leadership and transparency in Venezuela."

- Under Spain's sun -

Polling stations were set up across Latin America, from Brazil to Argentina, Panama, Chile, Mexico and Colombia, which has experienced a mass influx of Venezuelans from across the border, and where as many as 50,000 people were estimated to have voted on Sunday.

In Spain, hundreds of Venezuelans queued in the blazing heat in Madrid to cast their ballots.

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"I want the entire world to see that there are millions of Venezuelans who do not agree with the Maduro regime and that want to live in democracy and peace," 60-year-old Maria del Perez, clutching a Venezuelan flag, told AFP.

People held up their passports or newspapers to shield themselves from the sun as they waited to cast their ballots in one of the 40 cardboard urns decorated with stickers that read "The People Decide!"

Volunteers, many wearing yellow vests, manned tables and guided people to the outdoor voting stations.

Voting was also underway in Barcelona and several other Spanish cities.

The number of Venezuelans who live in Spain soared by a quarter in 2016 over the previous year to almost 69,000 according to government data.

Venezuelans account for the largest number of asylum requests in Spain, ahead of Syrians, says the Spanish Commission for Help to Refugees.

Carlos Alfano, 25, who moved to Spain last month, said rampant crime and lack of medicines were the biggest problems for Venezuela under Maduro.

"It is a silent genocide," he said.
President Donald Trumps national opioid commission, headed by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, failed to meet a deadline -- again.

In March, Trump signed an executive order that established the Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis. The order also set a 90-day deadline, June 27, for the commission to submit a report detailing its recommendations on how the federal government should tackle drug addiction and the opioid crisis in the United States.

Read: More Than Half Of US Opioid Prescriptions Go To People With Mental Disorders, Researchers Find

On Friday, the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) announced it was rescheduling the teleconference that had been previously set for July 17. Christie, who recently had his state shut down for three days, now has a July 31st deadline.

In a statement to HuffPost, Christies press officer Brian Murray said information is still being reviewed by the commission.

The Commission members heard comprehensive public testimony by nine leading nonprofits, and has received more than 8,000 comments from the public, including comments from at least 50 organizations, Murray said. The information is still being reviewed by the Commission members to inform the interim report. The extensions to submit the interim report were made to ensure adequate time to fully review the extensive public comments received.

The executive order instructs the commission to turn over a report that includes its final findings and recommendations by October 1, unless Christie asks Trump for an extension.

Read: Heroin Epidemic: US Sees Dramatic Increase In Opioid-Related Hospital Care, Government Data Show

For the final deadline, the commissions report should identify and assess federal funding used to fight drug addiction and the opioid epidemic, make recommendations to Trump on how the federal government should combat the crisis, analyze the availability and accessibility of drug addiction services and overdose reversal across the country, and indicate which areas lack help. Other information regarding drug addiction and the opioid crisis must be provided to the White House as well.

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Members that make up the commission are Christie, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, former Rhode Island congressman Patrick Kennedy and Dr. Bertha Madras, a psychobiology professor at Harvard Medical School.

Across the nation, 92 people die from an opioid overdose every day, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The number of opioid-related overdose fatalities, which includes prescription opioids (such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, and methadone) and heroin, has quadrupled since 1999.

The amount of prescription opioids sold in the U.S. nearly quadrupled since 1999. In Ohio, 2.3 million people were written prescriptions for opioids last year, which makes up 20 percent of the states population. Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine recently filed a lawsuit against five major pharmaceutical companies. DeWine said the companies misrepresented the risks of prescription opioids that led to a drug addiction epidemic in the state.

Recent government data show the number of opioid-related inpatient stays at hospitals increased by 64 percent between 2005 and 2014. Hospitalizations related to opioid painkillers and heroin spiked by 75 percent among women between 2005 and 2014, compared to men, which increased at 55 percent, according to a recent report by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

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July 4 was a bad day for Washingtons North Korea policy and not just because of Pyongyangs successful launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile. There was also a meeting that day in Moscow between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, at which they jointly declared their support for a deescalation of the Korean dispute that would couple a freeze on North Korean nuclear and missile development with a hold on large-scale U.S. and South Korean military exercises.

Washington continues to insist on a different approach. It has spent the past several months ratcheting up rhetorical pressure on Beijing to help defuse North Koreas nuclear and missile programs. Last week, after the Donald Trump administration began to conclude that China acting on its own couldnt, or wouldnt, resolve the nuclear standoff, Washington slapped sanctions on several Chinese individuals and firms alleged to be doing business with the North.

The Trump administration, however, has also made efforts to involve Russia in the search for a solution. After a North Korean missile landed off the coast of Russias Pacific port of Vladivostok in May, the administration released a statement declaring: With the missile impacting so close to Russian soil  in fact, closer to Russia than to Japan  the President cannot imagine that Russia is pleased.

In fact, Moscow is not very worried about North Korean missiles, though it would prefer to see a denuclearized Korean Peninsula. Russia believes the only solution to the Korean dispute is negotiations with Pyongyang that result in security guarantees for the Kim Jong Un regime. Moscow supports placing limitations on the Norths nuclear program but is wary of sanctions and resolutely opposed to regime change. That puts it at odds with the United States  and acts as a fundamental roadblock to international efforts.

One reason that Russia prefers a more conciliatory policy toward Pyongyang is self-interest. In May, during the same week that Pyongyang launched a missile vaguely in the direction of Vladivostok, North Korea also launched a new ferry service to the port city.

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Despite Pyongyangs ideological preoccupation with autarky, there are a surprising number of economic ties between North Korea and Russia. The two countries trade products such as coal and oil, which are particularly valuable for energy-poor North Korea. Though statistics are murky, there are many North Korean students in Russia, and thousands of low-skilled laborers, particularly in the Russian Far East. The volume of economic ties today is limited, though some experts hope that trade with North Korea could grow if U.S. sanctions are lifted and Pyongyang decides to open its economy.

The main reason that Russia has adopted a more conciliatory stance toward North Korea, though, is that the Kremlin interprets Pyongyangs behavior very differently than does Washington or its allies. Russia has long held a far more sanguine view of North Koreas ruling Kim dynasty than the United States, despite sharing a small border with the country. In the early years of the Cold War, Pyongyang and Moscow shared a belief in communism, but the days of ideological solidarity are long gone.

The Kremlin believes that the Kim dynasty is strange, to be sure, but also rational. True, Kim Jong Un has nuclear weapons. But Russian analysts think that Kim knows that any offensive use of these weapons would result in a nuclear counterstrike by the United States, killing him and destroying his country. From the Russian perspective, the logic of mutually assured destruction that staved off nuclear weapons use during the Cold War is equally effective in preventing an attack from Pyongyang. Thus, many Russian analysts argue that North Koreas nuclear program helps stabilize the situation, by giving Pyongyang more confidence in its security and by deterring the United States from launching a military strike.

Russias government has other reasons for staking out a different position from Washington on the North Korean question. Like Beijing, Moscow has no interest in seeing the North Korean government replaced by a unified Korea allied with the United States. Along with China, the Kremlin has vocally criticized U.S. missile defense deployments in South Korea. And so long as Washington is focused on East Asia, it has less attention to devote to disputes in the post-Soviet space, which remain Moscows highest priority. On top of this, it is easy for Moscow to take a position contrary to the United States on North Korea, because China will bear the brunt of most American frustration about Kims intransigence.

Indeed, in Russias view, the United States deserves at least as much blame for tensions on the Korean Peninsula as Pyongyang does. In this view, the Kim dynastys weapons programs are primarily about self-defense. Pyongyang usually takes reactive rather than proactive steps, leading Russian foreign-policy analyst Fyodor Lukyanov wrote. Knowing what happened to Saddam Hussein and Muammar Gaddafi, whose fates are proof that bluffing is not a wise policy, North Korea has created a nuclear and a missile program. [T]heir very presence makes the price of potential foreign interference unacceptably high. If only Washington had not threatened regime change, many Russian analysts argue, North Korea would not have felt it necessary to build nuclear weapons in the first place.

Thanks to Pyongyangs nuclear weapons, not to mention its many conventional weapons already within range of Seoul, Russia thinks that Trumps threats of a U.S. military strike on North Korea are as dangerous as anything that comes from North Korea. Even sanctions, in Russias view, are unlikely to change the logic behind Pyongyangs pursuit of nuclear weapons, though they may play some role in freezing testing or further development. The North has already proved it can survive mass famine and economic devastation. Why, Russian analysts ask, do Americans think that tighter economic sanctions will convince Pyongyang to give up its nuclear program, the only ironclad defense it has against a U.S. strike?

That puts the burden for action on Washington. The United States has not signed a peace treaty ending the Korean War, Russians note, and continues to threaten Pyongyang militarily. After the Norths missile test this week, Putin refrained from criticizing Pyongyang and backed Chinas call for both Pyongyang and Washington to change course.

Frustrated with Chinas unwillingness and inability to pressure Pyongyang to change course, Washington is casting about for other options. Letting North Korea continue to develop and test missiles that could hit the United States is unappealing, particularly after Trump promised that a North Korean nuke capable of reaching America wont happen! A military effort to take out Pyongyangs nuclear forces would risk sparking a wider war including South Korea and Japan.

If Washington moderated its aims in the Korean Peninsula, accepting Pyongyangs nuclear program and offering security assurances to North Korea, Moscow might participate in pressuring the North to stop weapons testing and missile development. But so long as Washington insists that a military solution or regime change is still on the table, the Kremlin will keep working to pin the blame not just on Kim Jong Un but on Donald Trump.

Photo credit: NATALIA KOLESNIKOVA/AFP/Getty Images
Waitress Katelin Decraene gives Trishell Crawford and her daughter Jacqueline Crawford salads at the reception: Kelly Wilkinson/The Indianapolis Star via AP

A woman who did not want her cancelled 23,000 wedding to go to waste threw a party for homeless people instead.

Sarah Cummins arranged for guests including local war veterans to be bussed in to the reception at a swanky venue in Indianapolis, Indiana, that she had originally booked with her fiance.

She had been planning her dream wedding with partner Logan Araujo for two years, but called it off just a week before they were due to marry.

"I called everyone, cancelled, apologised, cried, called vendors, cried some more and then I started feeling really sick about just throwing away all the food I ordered for the reception," the 25-year-old told the Indianopolis Star.

Sarah Cummins talks with men from Wheeler Mission shelter (Kelly Wilkinson/The Indianapolis Star via AP)

The couple, who did not want to disclose why the wedding was cancelled, were left with a non-refundable booking including dinner for 170 guests at the Ritz Charles.

After discussing it with her ex-fiance, Ms Cummins contacted four local homeless shelters and invited residents to the party.

"For me, it was an opportunity to let these people know they deserved to be at a place like this just as much as everyone else does," she said.

The reception was held as it had been planned for the wedding, but with the seating plan rearranged to remove the head table.

Guests tucked into bourbon-glazed meatballs, goat cheese and roasted garlic bruschetta, chicken breast with Chardonnay cream sauce, and even wedding cake.

Some wore suits and gowns donated by Indiana shops as Ms Cummins's goodwill swept through the city.

She and her mother arrived early at the venue on Saturday to set up centrepieces they had designed themselves, before greeting guests when they turned up.

Erik Jensen, a guest who has lived in a homeless shelter for five months, said he was humbled by Ms Cummin's kindness.

Guest Janice Williamson-Cox hugs Sarah Cummins as she arrives at the Ritz Charles (Kelly Wilkinson/The Indianapolis Star via AP)

"It's just a really great opportunity for us, that was going to be a huge tragedy in her life," he said. "It's a great opportunity to spread love. Being homeless is kind of a big loss for all of these guys. This is just a very nice thing to do."

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Mr Araujo footed most of the bill for the wedding, with Ms Cummins and her parents, along with one of Mr Araujos family friends, paying the rest.

Three of Ms Cummins' seven bridesmaids, along with her mother and aunts, came to support her at the event.

Ms Cummins flew out to the Dominican Republic with her mother on Sunday on a holiday that would have been her honeymoon.

But she is not sure yet what she will do with the wedding dress.

"Its too painful to think about," she said.

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Colerain Township Police say a woman who claimed she lost her baby in a shooting was never pregnant: YouTube/WCPO

An Ohio woman who claimed her unborn foetus was killed in a shooting at her gender reveal party was never actually pregnant, police have claimed.

Cheyanne Willis, 21, told the media that her foetus was killed when two men stormed into her house and opened fire earlier this month.

Ms Williss cousin, 22-year-old Autum Garrett, was killed in the shooting. Eight others were injured, including three children ages 11, 8, and 2, a police spokesman told The Independent at the time.

Family members told multiple media outlets that Ms Willis had planned to reveal at the party that she was having a baby boy. Instead, they said, she lost her foetus after being shot in the leg. Police could not confirm these reports at the time.

Now, officers say the young woman not only didnt lose her foetus  she was never pregnant to begin with.

Colerian Township Police Chief Mark Denney said that police had been "given information we have found to be false.

Hours and days have been wasted following leads known to be lies when they were provided to our officers, he said in a statement. "From the very beginning of this investigation, we have met significant resistance that is uncommon from victims of crime wanting a resolution.

Police have yet to make any arrests in connection with the 8 July shooting.

Recordings of 911 calls from the night in question reveal chaos at the scene. Women can be heard screaming in the background as the callers beg for ambulances to be sent. At least four people called to report the incident, police said.

In one of the recordings, a caller can be heard saying: "They just ran in and started shooting. There's a pregnant girl here."

"I think a baby's been shot. I think I got hit," another caller says. "There's a whole lot of people here shot.

A police report on the incident states the shooting took place on a Saturday night, as the gender-reveal party was winding down. The group had just settled in to watch a Spider-Man movie when two men in hoodies burst into the house and began wordlessly spraying bullets, police were told

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Autum Garrett's husband, Bryan Garrett, was also shot, as well as the couples young daughter and son. Three children and five adults were hospitalised for their injuries.

The Colerain Township Police Department declined to comment further for this article.
Fighters of the left-wing Sandinista National Liberation Front have overthrown the regime in the central American republic of Nicaragua and taken the capital, Managua.

The notorious US-trained National Guard has crumbled and its surviving commanders are negotiating a surrender.

In the last six weeks Sandinista fighters have gained control of 27 cities around the capital as well as the southern part of Nicaragua that borders Costa Rica.

President Anastasio Somoza Debayle  the third member of the Somoza dynasty to rule Nicaragua since 1937  has fled to the United States.

This evening he abandoned the battle-torn capital with about 45 other people in five planes that landed at Homestead US Air Force base near Miami, Florida.

Earlier, he had presented his resignation to the Congress and handed over to the chairman of the lower house, Francisco Urcuyo, who is now caretaker president.

Mr Urcuyo has declared the Sandinistas will have no part in his new government and demanded they lay down their arms. But the Sandinista-backed provisional government currently based in the city of Leon is expected to force Mr Urcuyo to resign.

The Sandinistas, named after Nicaraguan resistance leader Augusto Cesar Sandino, was set up in 1962 by Carlos Fonseca Amador, Silvio Mayorga and Tomas Borge. For the last seven years they have waged a civil war against the Somoza government.

Fighting has been at its most intense in the last two months and thousands have been killed and about half a million left homeless.

Last year, the assassination of the leader of the opposition Democratic Liberation Union, Pedro Joaquin Chamorro, triggered a general strike and brought together moderates, the Roman Catholic Church and the Sandinistas in a united front against Mr Somoza

The Americans have long supported the Somoza regime but realizing that the Sandinista rebels had the upper hand in the war, US officials have spent the last few weeks trying to persuade President Somoza to step down assuring him that his Liberal Party and the National Guard would survive.

Last week, William Bowdler, a special American envoy, began talks with members of the provisional government asking them to enlarge the junta by including representatives of the National Guard and Liberal Party. His request was rejected.

Courtesy BBC News

In context

President Urcuyo fled to Guatemala the following evening and the Sandinistas established a revolutionary government two days later on 20 July.

Led by Daniel and Humberto Ortega, they published a guarantee of civil rights and appointed a council of state, prior to an elected national assembly and a new constitution.

General Somoza was killed in a gun and bomb attack on him in Paraguay in September 1980.

In November that year, Ronald Reagan was elected US President and Nicaraguas relations with the US deteriorated rapidly.

The Reagan administration tried to destabilize Nicaraguas left-wing government by supporting the counter-revolutionary forces, the Contras.

Total US aid to the Contras was $300 million.

Covert Central Intelligence Agency operations, including the mining of Nicaraguan harbors in 1984, were condemned by the International Court of Justice in 1986.

The Sandinistas won a decisive victory in 1984 elections and Daniel Ortega was made president.

In 1988 the Nicaraguan leadership held talks and signed a peace agreement with the Contras.

But in elections two years later, a US-backed center-right National Opposition Union defeated the Sandinistas, ending their decade-long spell in power.

The US lifted its economic embargo in March. By the end of June 1990 the Contra rebel army had been disbanded.
Photo credit: Getty

From Delish

A day at Disneyland is supposed to be nonstop fun, but unfortunately accidents can happen even at the happiest place on Earth.

A U.K. woman is suing Disneyland Paris after getting burned by a Creme Brulee blow torch. Erica Osbourne, a 37-year-old mom, was eating dinner with her daughter at the park's Newport Bay Club Hotel when the incident occurred.

She told the BBC that when a chef lit the sugar on top of her dessert, "a massive fireball came across the counter toward me" (warning - the BBC's photos are graphic).

Her clothing and face caught on fire, producing second-degree burns and burning off parts of her hair and eyebrows. Thankfully, her daughter had gone to get ice cream when the fire happened, but returned to see her mom screaming for help. Osbourne says a chef jumped over the counter and rolled her onto the ground with another customer in order to extinguish the flames.

Osborne is understandably not pleased with the way the incident was handled. She told BBC that just after the incident, "One of the managers said to me that the incident was 'no different to falling off a bike'. I couldn't believe it."

According to Grub Street, Osbourne is asking for a written apology from Disneyland Paris and "for them to make sure this doesn't happen again" - a pretty small penance for such a horrific experience.

A spokesman for the park said because the investigation is ongoing, they would not be commenting on it at this time, but did add that these kinds of incidents are extremely rare.

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Elor Azaria, who was sentenced to 18 months in prison for the fatal shooting of a wounded Palestinian attacker, will be placed under house arrest ahead of his appeal on July 30.

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The military court in the Kirya ruled that Azaria would remain in house arrest at his parents' home in Ramla and would be allowed to leave only for prayers at a nearby synagogue only, accompanied by his family.

Azaria at court, with his parents at his sides (Photo: Yariv Katz)

Azaria was supposed to be released from the IDF on Thursday, and as a result cannot continue to be held in open detention at his military base.

Sgt. Elor Azaria was captured on video fatally shooting a Palestinian who was wounded after stabbing a soldier in the West Bank last year. The case divided Israel, where military service is compulsory.

Israel's top generals pushed for prosecution, saying Azaria violated the military's code of ethics, while large segments of the public, including politicians on Israel's nationalist right, sided with the soldier.

He has been in custody since he was sentenced in February. The military said Monday he would be placed under house arrest later this week.
Nearly 200 people are in hospital in Dublin after a hunger strike demonstration turned violent.

The march through the Irish capital began peacefully as 10,000 took to the streets in support of republican hunger strikers in the Maze Prison, Northern Ireland.

IRA paramilitary prisoners at the Belfast jail  also known as the H-blocks  began their fast in March claiming the British Government had failed to carry out promises made to the first wave of hunger strikers last year.

The men want five rights established:

1- To wear their own clothes

2  To refrain from prison work

3  Freedom to associate

4  Freedom to organize their own leisure activities

5  To have lost remission restored

As the marchers dispersed about 500 confronted a police force of 1,000 massed 12 deep in front of the British Embassy. Demonstrators threw missiles at police who stood their ground for about half-an-hour before responding with a baton charge.

Women and bystanders were among the injured, but most of the casualties treated in hospital were police. The riot lasted almost an hour and left the streets looking like a battleground.

New Irish Prime Minister Dr Garret FitzGerald said: What was done was the minimum necessary to protect the situation.

In the evening, police burned the protesters banners and showed evidence to suggest violence was pre-meditated.

Representatives from the International Red Cross have held talks with the hunger strikers and other Maze prisoners over the past two days.

The IRA have already released a statement to say this intervention will do nothing to break the deadlock between hunger strikers and the British Government, which refuses to talk to the fasting inmates.

Six prisoners have already died from starvation.

Kieran Doherty, 25  MP for the Irish Republic constituency of Cavan/Monaghan  has been fasting for 58 days and Kevin Lynch, 25, enters his 56th day today. Prison authorities do not expect either of them to survive the week.

Courtesy BBC News

In context

Kevin Lynch died on 1 August and Kieran Doherty on 2 August 1981.

The first hunger striker to die  in May 1981  was the leader of the imprisoned IRA paramilitaries and elected MP for Fermanagh and South Tyrone, Bobby Sands, 27.

The hunger strikes achieved international media attention and sympathy as Margaret Thatchers Conservative Government remained intransigent.

The hunger strikes finally ended on 3 October 1981, 217 days after they began.

Ten Maze inmates died in the process but the British Government and IRA both claimed victory.

The British Northern Ireland Secretary, James Prior, proceeded to grant some of the requests made by the hunger strikers.
Family members of Liu Xiaobo scattered the Nobel Peace Prize laureates ashes into the sea on Saturday in funeral proceedings closely orchestrated by the Chinese government following his death from cancer while in custody.

Lius supporters said the move was intended by the authoritarian government to permanently erase any traces of Chinas best- known political prisoner, who died Thursday at the age of 61.

The sea burial took place Saturday at noon, just hours after his cremation, a spokesman for the northeastern city of Shenyang, where Liu died, told reporters.

Lius elder brother, also addressing reporters at the briefing, thanked the ruling Communist Party and the government for its handling of his brothers funeral. The brother, Liu Xiaoguang, is regarded by Lius friends as having long been unsupportive of Lius political advocacy.

Liu died from multiple organ failure following a battle with liver cancer while serving an 11-year sentence for incitement to subvert state power. In the run- up to his death, Beijing faced mounting international criticism for not letting him and his wife travel for treatment abroad as he had wished.

The government held two briefings Saturday and provided photos of the funeral and the sea burial, the latest moves in a propaganda campaign seemingly aimed at countering criticism that Beijing has failed to handle Lius deterioration and dying wishes in a humanitarian way. A video about Lius hospital treatment released on the website of Shenyangs judicial bureau Friday appeared aimed at the same objective.

Activists and friends of the family said the sea burial appeared to be Beijings way of removing every last physical trace of Liu. It also removes the need for a land-based grave at which his supporters would have been able to pay their respects.

The governments thinking is that in this way, they can destroy the body and remove all traces of him, dissident and family friend Hu Jia said by phone.

After all, hes a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and he died after being suppressed by the authorities, Hu said. The authorities are very worried that a grave would be the focal point of the publics actions to memorialize him, which could easily turn into protests.

Activist filmmaker and friend Zeng Jinyan said the sea burial would not deter supporters from commemorating Lius life.

Now, Liu Xiaobo is everywhere, Zeng said. Two-thirds of the earths surface is covered by the sea and I can foresee that in the future, activists and ordinary people will go to the sea and memorialize Liu Xiaobo.

In Hong Kong, thousands of Lius supporters and activists attended a candlelight vigil Saturday to mourn his death.

Supporters paid their respects by observing a minute of silence and marching through the streets of Hong Kong holding lit candles.

Lius wife and other family members have been closely guarded by authorities and remain largely out of contact with the outside world even after his death. Governments around the world have urged China to free his wife, Liu Xia, from the strict house arrest she has lived under for years even though she has not been convicted of any crime.

The government handout photos showed Liu Xia, who wore dark sunglasses, being comforted by her brother in a funeral parlor as they stood in a row with Lius older and younger siblings and their wives. Lius body lay in an open casket in the center of the room, surrounded by an arrangement of potted white flowers.

A black banner strung on the wall read Mr. Liu Xiaobos funeral in white Chinese characters. It was positioned above a framed picture of Liu. A press release issued by the government said that the ceremony was held at 6:30 a.m. to the music of Mozarts Requiem, and that the body was cremated shortly afterward.

The government also said some of Lius friends attended the ceremony, a claim that was disputed by people who have long been close to Liu. In the handout images, none among a group of people standing by the casket were identifiable as any of Lius friends, Zeng said.

Zeng said she was among the Liu familys friends who had traveled to Shenyang only to be prevented by the authorities from seeing Liu in his final moments.

I just want to be closer to him and to see him, touch him even, if its possible, and to give Liu Xia a hug, thats all, she said in English.

Zeng said it was shameful that the government said Lius friends had attended the funeral. How disgusting, she said.

Another of Lius friends, dissident writer Mo Zhixu, said he thought the well-built young men with buzz cuts in the handout photos resembled security agents who kept track of Lius wife. This is just a big performance, he said.

This regime has long been acting without humanity  thats why they denied him even a minute of freedom even until his death, Mo said.

At the briefing in Shenyang, a spokesman for the citys information office said the authorities were looking out for Liu Xias interests and insisted that she is free.

As far as I know, Liu Xia has freedom. But she just lost her relative and is in deep sorrow, spokesman Zhang Qingyang said. After Liu Xiaobos death, let Liu Xia tend to his affairs and try to keep her away from external interference.

Liu was only the second Nobel Peace Prize winner to die in police custody, 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.

Liu rose to prominence during the 1989 pro-democracy protests centered in Beijings Tiananmen Square. He was sentenced to 11 years in prison in 2009 for co-authoring Charter 08, a document that called for an end to one-party rule in China.

He was in prison when he was awarded the Nobel in 2010, which Beijing condemned as an affront to its political and legal systems.

There is little mention of Liu in Chinas heavily censored state media and social networking platforms. One notable exception is a newspaper published by the Communist Party that said in an editorial that the West was deifying Liu, a man the paper described as a criminal who was paranoid, naive and arrogant.

Lius memorial tablet cannot find a place in Chinas cultural temple, the Global Times said in the editorial Saturday. Deification of Liu by the West will be eventually overshadowed by Chinas denial of him. AP

Xinhua: a simple funeral

The official Xinhua news agency issued a report detailing the funeral procedures. According to Xinhua, after Lius body was cremated, Liu Xia carried the urn containing his ashes and boarded a ship with his family and friends. At noon, the ship arrived at the planned burial area at sea. Based on local customs, Liu Xia and the relatives first put the ashes and white and yellow chrysanthemum petals into a biodegradable urn. Then Liu Xia and Liu Xiaobos younger brother, Liu Xiaoxuan, placed the urn into the ocean. His family members scattered flower petals into the sea. The ship later circled the spot where the urn was dropped, and his family and friends bid him farewell one last time. Xinhua notes that Liu was convicted of subversion of state power in 2009 and adds that after his death, Liu Xia and relatives planned to hold a simple funeral immediately, with only close relatives attending.
Sun Zhengcai, the former Communist Party chief of the Chinese city of Chongqing, is under investigation by authorities, the Wall Street Journal reported Saturday, citing people it didnt identify.

Sun, 53, was the youngest member of the partys Politburo and was considered a rising star ahead of a key leadership reshuffle later this year. State media reported earlier Saturday that he was replaced by a provincial party chief  Chen Miner  who is an associate of President Xi Jinping.

A party meeting in Chongqing to announce Suns departure was told he was under investigation, the Journal reported, adding that no details of the probe were given. Chongqing is a fast-growing mega-city and one of four centrally administered municipalities alongside Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin.

If confirmed, it would be the first probe of a sitting Politburo member, a key leadership body in the Communist Party, since the downfall in 2012 of another one-time Chongqing chief, Bo Xilai, later sentenced to life in prison for corruption and abuse of power.

It comes before a party congress where many of the 25 members of the Politburo are expected to be replaced as Xi heads into the second half of his scheduled term in power. Five of seven members of the supreme Politburo Standing Committee  all except Xi and Premier Li Keqiang  are also scheduled to retire.

Xi has for more than four years embarked on a sweeping crackdown on graft at all levels of the party. Hes warned corruption is one of the biggest threats to the partys future. The campaign has also allowed him to amass greater power.

Sun had previously drawn praise from the president: During a visit to Chongqing in January 2016, Xi stood side by side with Sun and admired various projects under his purview, according to the official Xinhua News Agency. While inspecting port and railway projects to support Xis initiative for a new Silk Road trading route to Europe, the president said, This place is very promising.

Still, the partys top anti-graft agency, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, issued a statement in February after an inspection trip to Chongqing saying the municipality fell short of clearing toxic residue from Bos era. And in June, state media said Chongqings top police officer, He Ting, had been relieved of his post.

The partys Organization Department chief Zhao Leji presided over Saturdays appointment meeting and transition ceremony, where Sun was absent, according to the Chongqing Daily. Zhang urged local officials to be highly in sync with the central party leadership with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core leader, the paper said.

Suns absence from the transition ceremony was highly unusual and is a good indication that hes in trouble, said Willy Lam, an adjunct political professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Suns removal could help Xi solidify his grip on power ahead of the party reshuffle, Lam said. Its another way to demonstrate hes in full control of the succession game.

In June 2015, Zhou Yongkang, a retired member of the Politburos supreme Standing Committee, was sentenced to life in prison, the highest-ranking official convicted for graft in party history.

Zhou until 2012 oversaw Chinas vast security apparatus, including police, prosecutors and the courts. He held sway over a network of proteges and former aides, serving on the Standing Committee with Xi before he retired and the latter was elevated to general secretary in 2012.

Sun, together with Guangdong party boss Hu Chunhua, had been regarded as potentially in line to be elevated to the Standing Committee. Instead, Chen, 56, party chief of the southwestern province of Guizhou, was announced on Saturday as the new chief of Chongqing.

Prior to his Chongqing appointment, Sun was party chief of the northeastern province of Jilin between 2009 and 2012, and was Chinas Agricultural Minister between 2006 and 2009 in the administration of Premier Wen Jiabao.

Chen has crossed paths with Xi during his career and the two have established links. He advanced to governor of Guizhou  his first provincial-level promotion  in December 2012, shortly after Xi became overall party chief. In July 2015, Chen was promoted to provincial party chief, only the third regional party boss born in the 1960s.

As propaganda chief previously in Zhejiang, which Xi led from 2002 to 2007, Chen shepherded Xis regular column in the provincial newspaper. More than 200 of those columns were compiled into a book touted as the origins of Xis political philosophies.

Chongqing, a sprawling municipality of almost 30 million people, is located more than 1,400 kilometers from the coast and served as Chinas capital during the Japanese invasion. Chongqing has prospered as the countrys economic boom rolled inland, reinventing itself as a regional hub for manufacturing, logistics, financial services and foreign investment. Keith Zhai, Ting Shi, Bloomberg
Who would imagine some years ago that the regions former top prosecutor, Ho Chio Meng, would be convicted and sentenced to 21 years in jail, leaving the court pleading for an appeal? However unlikely it may have seemed, that is precisely what happened on Friday.

Moreover, the Court of Final Appeal has ruled that Ho shall pay around MOP75 million, by himself or with others, to the Office of the Prosecutor General and around MOP12 million of his assets will be reverted to the administration.

Right after judge Song Man Lei announced the final verdict, Ho said, this is injustice. [] I did not receive any money, I will appeal. []

Presiding judge Sam Hou Fai ordered the officers of the court to, take him out immediately after Ho started shouting to the courts audience. While being carried out of the court by three police officers, Ho kept repeating the above sentences out loud.

Amid the 1,500 crimes which the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) accused him of, Ho was declared innocent of approximately 80 accusations.

However, Song stated in the beginning that, a large part of the accusations are factual. Song even listed some of the reasons regarding the courts ruling on Hos crimes.

Before the court eventually announced the verdict, Song noted that, according to the law, courts have the power to replace a suspects sentence by fines.

However, the judge explained that the court chose to sentence Ho to jail.

This case is severely serious, the period when the crimes took place is long, and there are many crimes, enumerated Song, who addressed Ho by telling him that he had engaged in, intentionally illegal behaviors.

Especially the fact that he created a criminal group, conducted money laundering schemes, frauds, [] the consequences are serious, [] MP suffered economical losses, [] and it [Hos behavior] has affected a fair competition environment, the societys order and fairness, and has caused negative influences over the MPs image.

Ho has worked for the judiciary system for many years, he should have known the laws and obeyed them. [] Ho ignored the existence and requirements of the laws. [] Ho used his position to seek for profits.

Song further said that Ho gained great economical profits from companies that were granted with MPs contracts. [Ho] is 61 years old, has a good personality, family, social condition, [] yet does not have a slice of regret, Song stated.

In total, Ho was found guilty of more than 1,000 crimes, including several cases of fraud, organizing criminal groups, false declarations of property ownership (together with his wife), unclear declaration of income and sharing illegal benefits.

Regarding the details behind the sanctions for each crime Ho committed, he was sentenced to between five months and a maximum of 13 years and six months, the latter for having established criminal groups.

According to Macaus law, all individual sentences combined cannot exceed 30 years.

The court also ruled that Ho is responsible for a total of MOP75.92 million in losses in the MP.

The courts rulings have ordered Ho to personally pay the amount of MOP18.36 million to the MP.

Moreover, the court has ordered that he, as well as Wang Xiandi (a defendant), should return MOP4.32 million to the MP, as Wang was declared guilty by the court.

Ho should also pay the MP another MOP3.32 million together with Wong Kuok Wai, Mak Im Tai, and a few other defendants who organized the companies with Ho.

Ho along with Lai Kin Ian, director of the Office of the Prosecutor General, and some other defendants, must also pay the MP MOP49.9 million. The court has instructed that the accumulated interest as of last Friday should be added to these payments.

The court has also ordered that Hos MOP1.18 million in unclear income needs to be transferred to the Macau SAR government, in addition to MOP12.1 million, from Hos income, which were not declared to the government while Ho was still occupying his previous position.

Ho served as the Prosecutor General in Macau from 1999 to 2014. Before that, he had been a Coordinator of the High Commissioners Office Against Corruption of Administrative Illegality.

Sister: Over 10 years of work become sins?

Lucia Ho, the elder sister of Ho Chio Meng, said how did over 10 years of work become sins? [] I can only say that I dont understand. [] I will not lose confidence, because the judge is in God. [] The judgment is in the heart of every Macau resident. We were together more than 30 years. My younger brother is not a person like the one they described. Our family does not have a background, does not have wealth. Everybody knows it very clearly.

If there is a chance of appeal, we will go to the central government.

When asked about whether Ho had previously told Lucia Ho that he had offended any of his work colleagues, she replied by saying no, we are always harmonious.

But it is weirder how come the defense [Hos defense team] is so weak, [] I cant see even one piece of evidence [money] attested to have come from corruption. Even the money from our father was claimed to have come from corruption. []

When asked if she agrees with Ho when he says the accusation was an injustice, Lucia Ho mentioned that she completely agrees!

Hos older sister disclosed that currently she does not know about the next plan of action her family is going to take. As a Catholic person, Lucia Ho believes that God will have a plan.

Oriana Pun disappointed with verdict

Ho Chio Mengs lawyer, Oriana Pun, said that Hos defense team feels disappointed with the sentence.

We feel a little disappointed about it. [the veredict] We insisted that related facts are not sufficient to confirm the culpability of most the accusations, Pun told the media.

We have to see the verdict first, and research on what we can do. The Court of Final Appeal is the first trial in the case, but since the defendant has not appealed again, we do not consider the current sentence as the final one, declared Pun.

Appealing is the basic right granted by both the Basic Law and the United Nations law, said Pun, adding that if he needs, we will see what we can do for him.

The lawyer told the media that the defense team will conduct research on the courts ruling reference, and consider their next step.

Regarding Hos health condition, Pun said that due to the prisons internal conditions, he has showed signs of a few health problems, and that he needs to see a doctor. However, the lawyer did not disclose further information.
The encrypted messaging app Telegram is forming a team of moderators who are familiar with Indonesian culture and language so it can remove terrorist-related content faster, its co-founder said yesterday, after Indonesia limited access to the app and threatened a total ban.

Pavel Durov, who with his brother Nikolai founded the app in 2013, said in a message to his 40,000 followers on Telegram that hed been unaware of a failure to quickly respond to an Indonesian government request to block a number of offending channels  chat groups on the app  but was now rectifying the situation.

The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology on Friday said it was preparing for the total closure of Telegram in Indonesia, where it has several million users, if it didnt develop procedures to block unlawful content. As a partial measure, it asked internet companies in the worlds most populous Muslim nation to block access to 11 addresses offering the web version of Telegram.

Samuel Pangerapan, the director general of informatics applications at the ministry, said the app is used to recruit Indonesians into militant groups and to spread hate and methods for carrying out attacks including bomb making.

Suspected militants arrested by Indonesian police recently have told authorities that they communicated with each other via Telegram and received orders and directions to carry out attacks through the app, including from Bahrun Naim, an Indonesian with the Islamic State group in Syria accused of orchestrating several attacks in the past 18 months.

Durov said Telegram has now blocked the channels that were reported to it by the Indonesian government.

We are forming a dedicated team of moderators with knowledge of Indonesian culture and language to be able to process reports of terrorist-related content more quickly and accurately, he said.

Indonesias measures against Telegram come as Southeast Asian nations are stepping up efforts to combat Islamic radicalism following the capture of the southern Philippine city of Marawi by IS-linked militants.

Nearly two months after the initial assault, Philippine forces are still battling to regain complete control of the city. Experts fear the southern Philippines could become a new base for the IS, including Indonesian and Malaysian militants returning from the Middle East, as an international coalition retakes territory held by the IS in Syria and Iraq.

But the government move sparked a public outcry in Indonesia, with Twitter and Facebook exploding with negative comments and some people reporting they were unable to access the web.telegram.org domain. Indonesians are among the worlds biggest users of social media.

The free messaging service can be used as a smartphone app and on computers through a web interface or desktop messenger. Its strong encryption has contributed to its popularity with those concerned about privacy and secure communications in the digital era but also attracted militant groups and other criminal elements.

Durov said Telegram blocks thousands of IS-related channels a month and is always open to ideas on how to get better at this. Stephen Wright, Jakarta, AP
Irans judiciary said yesterday that the brother of President Hassan Rouhani has been detained and an American citizen has been sentenced to 10 years behind bars for infiltrating the country.

The identity of the U.S. citizen was not immediately clear and did not directly match the background of anyone known to be held in the Islamic Republic.

Judiciary spokesman Gholamhosein Mohseni Ejehi announced both developments during a regular press briefing with local journalists.

He said Rouhanis brother, Hossein Fereidoun, was taken into custody over allegations of financial impropriety and is eligible for bail, but has not paid it yet.

Fereidoun is a close confidante of the moderate president, a cleric who changed his surname to Rouhani, meaning spiritual, after joining the seminary decades ago.

Fereidoun was part of the negotiating team that ultimately sealed Irans landmark nuclear deal with world powers in 2015, winning the country relief from international sanctions in exchange for limits on its atomic energy program.

The deal was unpopular with Iranian hard-liners, whose influence runs deep within the judiciary. They saw the nuclear deal as giving too much away in exchange for too little.

Fereidoun has long been a target of hard-liners, who have accused him of misdeeds including money laundering and misappropriation of government funds.

The unproven allegations were a flashpoint during the May presidential election, with the presidents hard-line challengers demanding that the judiciary investigate accusations against Fereidoun. Rouhani trounced his nearest opponent to secure a second term in office in the first round of voting.

The U.S. citizen whose sentence was also announced yesterday faces 10 years in prison.

It was verified and determined that he was gathering [information] and was involved in infiltration, Ejehi said.

The judiciary spokesman did not elaborate on what specific charges led to the conviction, which he said could be appealed, or say when the verdict was handed down.

The suspect was not named but was described as a dual national of the United States and another foreign country.

The most likely possibility is that Ejehi was referring to Nizar Zakka, a U.S. permanent resident from Lebanon who advocates for Internet freedom. He lives in Washington D.C. and has done work for the U.S. government. He went missing in Iran in September 2015.

Permanent residents do not hold American citizenship, but they have the right to live in the U.S. indefinitely and are eligible to apply for it after living in the country for several years.

Zakka, however, was already known to have been sentenced to 10 years behind bars last year after being accused of espionage-related charges.

Other American dual nationals who have been taken into custody and remain in Iran include Iranian-American businessman Siamak Namazi and his 81-year-old father, Baquer Namazi. They are both serving 10-year sentences for cooperating with the hostile American government.

Another Iranian-American, Robin Shahini, was released on bail last year after staging a weeks-long hunger strike while serving an 18-year prison sentence for collaboration with a hostile government.

Iranian-American art gallery manager Karan Vafadari and his Iranian wife were detained last year but have yet to be convicted of a crime.

Still missing is former FBI agent Robert Levinson, who vanished in Iran in 2007 while on an unauthorized CIA mission.
Suspected Abu Sayyaf gunmen abducted four workers in a school in a southern Philippine province where President Rodrigo Duterte visited troops waging an offensive against the militants, officials said yesterday.

About 20 militants barged into a grade school compound in Sulu provinces Patikul town shortly after midnight Saturday and seized six painters and carpenters, one of whom managed to escape and alerted the police. Army troops later rescued another worker.

Duterte pinned medals on wounded troops during a brief visit late Saturday to Sulu, a predominantly Muslim province about 950 kilometers south of Manila. The tough-talking president has ordered government forces to destroy the ransom-seeking militants, who still hold about 25 foreign and Filipino hostages in Sulus jungles.

Meanwhile, 14 inmates, including suspected Abu Sayyaf fighters and drug dealers, escaped early Sunday from a jail in a new building that also houses the police headquarters in a government compound in Sulus main town of Jolo, police said.

Three of those who escaped were gunned down by police and another was shot and captured. Army troops were helping police track down the rest with the use of military drones and sniffer dogs, a police statement said.

The new kidnappings and jailbreak reflect the diverse security challenges confronting Dutertes administration in the south, where thousands of troops have been separately battling militants aligned with the Islamic State group who laid siege to the city of Marawi on May 23.

After nearly two months of fighting, more than 530 people, including 405 militants and 95 soldiers and police, have died in the violence in the lakeside city, a center of Islamic faith in the southern third of the largely Roman Catholic country.

Backed by airstrikes, troops are fighting about 60 to 70 remaining militants, who are holding an unspecified number of civilian hostages in four Marawi communities in an offensive that Duterte said last week was winding down. He said the offensive wont stop until the last militant is killed.

Duterte, however, has said he would likely extend the martial law he imposed in the south because the situation in Marawi remains critical. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said he gave the president his recommendation on the question of extending or ending martial rule last week.

Nearly 400,000 people, including most of Marawis 200,000 residents, have been displaced by the crisis and many have yearned to return home amid the misery in overcrowded evacuation centers.

Dutertes spokesman, Ernesto Abella, however, said Marawi remains fraught with danger, especially for children and women.

There is no assurance that areas outside the main battle zone are already safe to reside and live in as incidents of cases of stray bullet victims have been reported, Abella said. The clearing of the entire city of Marawi of IEDs and booby traps left by terrorists, unexploded ordnance and other explosives is still ongoing. The danger and risks these pose still remain high. AP
Clashes have broken out in northwestern Syria between two of the most powerful insurgent groups there raising fears of widespread violence in the rebel-held province of Idlib, the groups and an opposition monitor said Saturday.

The fighting between the ultraconservative Ahrar al-Sham and the al-Qaida-linked Hayat Tahrir al Sham  Arabic for Levant Liberation Committee  that is also known as HTS, are the first serious acts of violence since both sides reached a truce in February. Wider clashes between the two former allies could affect their fight against President Bashar Assads forces who have been gaining ground over the past year under the cover of Russian airstrikes.

Idlib has taken on greater significance in Syrias civil war as opposition fighters and militants head, or are driven, there from the countrys central and northern regions. Bordering Turkey, Idlib has welcomed thousands of insurgents who left the countrys largest city of Aleppo when it fell to Assads forces in December in the governments biggest victory since the crisis began in March 2011.

Hundreds of others also headed to Idlib this year from suburbs of the capital Damascus and the central city of Homs as part of population transfer deals with the government.

Ahrar al-Sham said in a statement Saturday that the al-Qaida-linked Levant Liberation Committee is sending reinforcements to the town of Saraqeb and the Jabal al-Zawiya region in preparation for an attack. It accused HTS of acts of tyranny.

The Ibaa News Agency of HTS accused Ahrar al-Sham of setting up checkpoints and detaining one of its commanders and his bodyguard, adding that HTS removed the checkpoints later by force.

Ibaa quoted an HTS military commander, who was identified as Mouawiyah al-Hashimi, as saying that the two groups agreed to solve the crisis in accordance with Islamic law. He added that Ahrar al-Sham issued its statement about reinforcements after the attempt to solve the latest crisis.

Our first choice is to resort to Islamic law and solve the problems away from arms and bloodletting, the Ahrar al-Sham statement said. If the (HTS) command insists on its tyrannical acts . the movement (Ahrar al-Sham) is ready to repel injustice.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the clashes late Friday were concentrated near the village of Tel Touqan. It added that after the clashes, Ahrar al-Sham briefly cut water supplies to the provincial capital of Idlib that is mostly controlled by HTS.

The lashes come at a time when Ahrar al-Sham is trying to market itself as a moderate rebel group and has been recently raising the main opposition banner  black, white and green with three red stars in the middle.

HTS is a coalition led by Fatah al-Sham Front that was formerly known as the Nusra Front. The group announced last year it was changing its name to Hayat Tahrir al Sham and had cut all contacts with al-Qaida to market itself as a Syrian group.

Fatah al-Sham Front and the Islamic State group are considered terrorist organizations by the international community. Still, the al-Qaida-linked HTS enjoys the support of the local population in northwestern Syria where many see it as a powerful faction confronting President Bashar Assads army and his allies.

On Wednesday, HTS issued a statement saying that two of its members were found killed near the northwestern village of Sarjeh and blamed Suqour al-Sham, a strong ally of Ahrar al-Sham for the killing.

In the northern city of Raqqa, the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces pressed ahead in their offensive aiming to retake the de facto capital of IS. The attack on the city began on June 6.

IS released a video showing its fighters being trained as snipers to target SDF fighters. The video claimed that 164 SDF fighters had been killed in Raqqa over the past month.

It was not possible to confirm the figure released by IS but SDF has been holding funerals for fighters who died in Raqqa over the past weeks. Bassem Mroue, AP
A visiting United Nations envoy said that torture remains endemic and routine in Sri Lankas counterterrorism methods and a number of persons being detained without trial under a harsh anti-terror law is a stain on the countrys international reputation.

Ben Emmerson, U.N. special rapporteur on human rights and counterterrorism, said at the end of a five-day visit to Sri Lanka Friday that he is concerned that even those arrested as recently as late last year had been subjected to torture despite a new government promising to end such practices.

The abuses continued even after Sri Lankas bloody civil war ended in 2009 when government troops crushed ethnic Tamil rebels 26-year campaign for an independent state. Both sides were accused of serious human rights violations in the conflict.

In Sri Lanka, however, such practices are very deeply ingrained in the security sector and all of the evidence points to the conclusion that the use of torture has been, and remains today, endemic and routine, for those arrested and detained on national security grounds, Emmerson, a British lawyer, said.

The number of deaths in the conflict is not clear, and a conservative U.N estimate suggests 100,000 had died. A subsequent U.N. report said at least 40,000 Tamil civilians were killed in the final months of the fighting.

Emmerson said that he heard distressing stories during his interviews with former and current detainees under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. They included asphyxiation using plastic bags drenched in kerosene, the pulling out of fingernails, the insertion of needles beneath the fingernails, the use of various forms of water torture, the suspension of individuals for several hours by their thumbs and the mutilation of genitals.

He said he obtained official figures that said 70 persons detained under the terrorism act had been in detention for more than five years without trial, with 12 for more than 10 years.

These staggering figures are a stain on Sri Lankas international reputation. Steps should be taken to release these individuals on bail immediately, or bring them to trial within weeks or months, not years or decades, he said.

Sri Lanka was facing international sanctions for refusing to investigate allegations of human rights violations and war crimes. But the countrys outlook changed after the election of a new president, Maithripala Sirisena, whose government co-sponsored a U.N resolution in 2015 promising to address the past and ensure accountability and reconciliation.

According to a March report by the International Truth and Justice Project  an evidence-gathering organization administered by a South Africa-based nonprofit foundation  47 of the abuse victims who later fled abroad described being tortured at a Sri Lanka security forces headquarters. They said the militarys chief aim was to learn of any ongoing rebel activity as well as the location of hidden weapons caches, according to the report.

Emmerson said that the fulfillment of the Sri Lankan governments commitments to the U.N human rights council has virtually ground to a halt. Krishan Francis, AP
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed to rip the heads off of terror groups and coup-plotters who tried to end his more than decade-long rule on Saturday, as Turkey marked the anniversary of the countrys crushed military coup with a series of rallies and other commemorative events.

Accompanied by his family and the families of the victims of the coup, Erdogan joined a massive, flag-waving crowd near the iconic July 15 Martyrs Bridge in Istanbul to remember 250 people who died on July 15, 2016 resisting the coup.

He inaugurated a hollow, globe-shaped monument featuring the names of the victims near the foot of the bridge, before flying to Ankara to attend a special session in parliament at the exact moment it was bombed a year ago. He also opened a second memorial opposite the grounds of his palace in Ankara.

Exactly a year ago today, around this hour, a treacherous attempt took place, Erdogan told tens of thousands of people in Istanbul who converged at the bridge following a national unity march.

The July 15 coup attempt is not the first attack against our country, and it wont be the last, he said, referring to a series of terror attacks that also hit the country. For that reason, well first rip the heads off of these traitors.

The bridge was the scene of clashes between civilians and soldiers in tanks. At least 30 people died there and more than 2,000 were injured across Turkey in the struggle. Thirty-five coup plotters were also killed.

Photographs of the 250 martyrs were displayed on monitors and their names announced. Erdogan paid tribute to the victims saying they fought with their bare hands and their faith against the heavily armed coup-plotters.

Erdogan also told the crowd that he wants hundreds of people who are on trial for plotting last years failed coup to appear in court wearing the same type of outfit  similar to those that were worn by detainees at Guantanamo Bay. He also reiterated that he would approve a bill reinstating the death penalty if parliament proposed it.

Turkish soldiers attempted to overthrow the government and the president using tanks, warplanes and helicopters on July 15, 2016. The coup plotters declared their seizure of power on the state broadcaster, bombed the countrys parliament and other key locations, and raided an Aegean resort where Erdogan had been on vacation. But Erdogan had already left and the coup attempt was put down by civilians and security forces.

Turkey blames U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen for orchestrating the coup and infiltrating state institutions. Gulen denies the allegations.

In the aftermath of the coup attempt, Turkey declared a state of emergency that has been in place ever since, which has allowed the government to rule by decree and to dismiss tens of thousands of people from their jobs. More than 50,000 people have also been arrested for alleged links to Gulen and other groups.

Addressing thousands of people outside of the parliaments building, Erdogan said the countrys highest security advisory body would on Monday consider further extending the state of emergency. He said the failed coup had allowed Turkey to distinguish its friends from its foes but would not name the countries saying he wanted to avoid a serious international crisis.

In the latest government decree published Friday evening, 7,395 more state employees were fired, including teachers, academics, military and police officers, bringing the number of dismissed to more than 110,000. The government calls the crackdown necessary to purge state institutions of those linked to Gulen, but critics say the dismissals are arbitrary and the victims paths to recourse severely curtailed.

It has been exactly one year since Turkeys darkest and longest night was transformed into a bright day, since an enemy occupation turned into the peoples legend, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said earlier in the day at a special parliamentary session in Ankara, the capital, attended by Erdogan.

The U.S. State Department on Saturday issued a statement praising the bravery of the Turkish people who took to the streets to preserve the rights and freedoms of their democratic society.

The preservation of democracy requires perseverance, tolerance, dissent and safeguards for fundamental freedoms, the agency said, warning that curbs on those key freedoms erode the foundations of democratic society.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg paid homage to those who lost lives resisting the coup and said attempts to undermine democracy in any one of the allied nations was unacceptable.

July 15 has been declared a national holiday in Turkey. Tens of thousands of people were holding democracy vigils  similar to vigils held in the days following the coup. Zeynep Bilginsoy, Suzan Fraser , AP
An Indian army soldier and a child were killed yesterday after Pakistani troops opened fire across a cease-fire line dividing the troubled region between India and Pakistan, Indian officials said.

Indian army spokesman Lt. Col. Manish Mehta said Pakistani troops fired mortar shells and automatic weapons in the Rajouri sector of Indian-controlled Kashmir yesterday. A mortar shell landed on a bunker, wounding a soldier who later died at a hospital.

Mehta called the Pakistani firing an unprovoked violation of a 2003 cease-fire between the neighbors and said Indian troops returned fire. Two civilians were wounded in the violence.

Senior police officer S.P. Vaid said that in the neighboring Poonch area, an 8-year-old girl was killed and her mother was wounded after a shell landed on their house.

Recent violence in the region has impacted at least 5,000 civilians who have homes in the area, according to local civil administrator Shahid Iqbal.

All schools in the area have been closed and at least 120 students were evacuated from a local school in armored vehicles after several shells landed near the school.

Kashmir is split between India and Pakistan and is claimed by both in its entirety. The nuclear-armed rivals have fought two of their three wars over Kashmir.

The two armies often blame each other for starting the firing across the cease-fire line. There was no immediate comment from Islamabad on the most recent violence.

Insurgents have been fighting for Kashmirs independence or its merger with Pakistan since 1989. India accuses Pakistan of arming and training the rebels, a charge Islamabad denies. AP
SINGAPORE home sales fell 21 percent in June from the previous month as fewer new projects were launched in the city-state. Developers sold 820 units last month, compared with a revised 1,039 in May.

INDONESIAs anti-graft agency announced yesterday that the speaker of Parliament is a suspect in a corruption scandal in which officials allegedly pocketed more than USD170 million in government money. Anti-corruption police allege that a network of about 80 people, mostly legislators, and several companies stole funds from the introduction of a $440 million electronic identity card system in 2011 and 2012.

PHILIPPINES The largest Muslim rebel group said yesterday a peace accord its trying to implement with the government is the best antidote for violent extremism exemplified by a bloody siege of southern Marawi city by Islamic State group-aligned militants.

SOUTH KOREA yesterday offered talks with North Korea to ease animosities along their tense border and resume reunions of families separated by their war in the 1950s. More on p13

INDIA Lawmakers voted yesterday to choose Indias next president. The likely winner, Ram Nath Kovind, 71, is the former governor of the eastern state of Bihar and a longtime associate of a Hindu group that has long been accused of stoking religious hatred against Muslims. More on p12

QATAR Frances foreign minister on Saturday called on Qatars neighbors to immediately lift measures impacting thousands of people in the Gulf.

SOMALIAs internet has returned after an outage of more than three weeks cost the Horn of Africa nation about USD10 million a day, authorities said yesterday.

SOUTH AFRICA is objecting to suggestions that it is promoting an international trade in the horns of rhinos, which have been heavily targeted by poachers.

EU The European Union is allowing members to restrict sales of inflatable boats and outboard motors to Libya. Member states can ban such export or supply where there are reasonable grounds to believe that they will be used by people smugglers and human traffickers.

ITALY Authorities have evacuated two campgrounds in Tuscany as wildfires cause disruption across central and southern Italy.

VENEZUELA Foes of President Nicolas Maduro said more than 7 million Venezuelans cast symbolic votes rejecting his plan to retool the constitution in a strong but not overwhelming showing that left the opposition facing tough choices two weeks before the socialist leader seeks to reshape the political system.
Chinese President Xi Jinping said the central bank will play a stronger role in defending against risks, calling for more work on safeguarding the financial system and modernizing its regulatory framework.

China will set up a Financial Stability Development Committee under the State Council, Xi said at a twice-a-decade National Financial Work Conference held July 14-15, state media reported without defining the relationship with the Peoples Bank of China. Financial security is part of national security, and finance should better serve the real economy, Xi said.

In a speech, Xi said prudent monetary policy, a goal announced in December, should be firmly implemented and the PBOC should take a stronger macro-prudential policy role. He also called for greater yuan exchange-rate reform, an improved foreign-exchange market system, and steady progress in yuan internationalization, according to state media reports.

Xi is ramping up efforts to ensure stability ahead of a twice-a-decade leadership transition this fall at the 19th Communist Party Congress. He has elevated curbing risk in the USD40 trillion financial industry to a new level with strategic importance amid increasingly intertwined business between Chinas banks, brokerages, asset managers and insurers.

Read More: Xis War on Risk Tops Agenda at Finance Pow-Wow

Establishing the committee is noteworthy, though the meeting didnt produce much surprise, according to Ming Ming, a former PBOC monetary policy official whos now head of fixed-income research at Citic Securities Co. in Beijing. The name signifies that the panel should be a ministry-level entity directly under the State Council thats mandated to oversee overall financial coordination, he wrote in a report yesterday.

China will proactively prevent and resolve systemic financial risks, and step up efforts to reduce leverage in the economy, the official Xinhua News Agency reported, citing Xi. He also called for greater accountability for regulators, saying its a dereliction of duty if they fail to spot and dispose of risks in a timely manner, and stressed that coordination of financial regulation should be improved, and weak links in supervision strengthened.

The heavy emphasis on risk prevention will put a damper on much-needed reform in the financial market, such as developing derivatives markets, said Victor Shih, a professor at the University of California in San Diego who studies Chinas politics and finance. With the wording on holding regulators for any signs of instability, they will definitely err on the side of caution. But if regulations are too stifling, financial talent may leave the country.

Premier Li Keqiang also spoke at the meeting, calling for moderate credit growth and keeping liquidity basically stable, according to state television. He backed professional, consolidated, penetrating regulation of all financial businesses to reduce risks. Bloomberg
TWIN FALLS  Sushi Tokyo opened its doors Monday after fire damage closed the business for more than nine months.

Owner Tony Tse said the newly remodeled restaurant is open 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Were opening all day now, he said.

Sushi Tokyo had previously closed for several hours after the lunch rush.

Customers can expect to see many of the same faces serving them  as well as the same menu, Tse said.

Sushi Tokyo, 1111 Blue Lakes Blvd. N., Suite B, closed in October after crumbs from the deep fryer spontaneously combusted in a garbage can in the pantry. The restaurant was heavily damage, requiring extensive remodeling that took longer than originally projected.

It feels good, but it feels stressful, Tse said about reopening.

Also open: Epic Corals

Another business that opened this month caters to a different kind of fish love.

Saltwater aquarium owners have a new local option for fish, plants and supplies.

Epic Corals opened in early July at 639 Washington St. N., Suite B. The business offers saltwater fish, aquariums and supplies and live corals.

We lease fish tanks. We sell fish tanks. We maintain them, service them, co-owner Marty Summers said.

Customers can place special orders. Summers co-owns the business with Ethan Pinch.

Epic Corals is open 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Information: Call 733-3775.
LEWISTON  By all accounts, 2017 was never supposed to be a banner year for steelhead.

The A-run is forecast to be a little better than last years dismal return  which some biologists called a complete year-class collapse  but still well below average. The B-run is expected to be terrible.

Its too early to freak out, but counts of steelhead passing Bonneville Dam already are lagging behind those of 2016. Steelhead from the A-run, those that tend to spend just one year in the ocean, are arriving now and will be followed by the B-run in late August and September.

From June 1 through July 11, just shy of 4,000 steelhead had passed the dam. Last year, one of the worst on record for the A-run, more than 20,000 steelhead passed the dam in the same time period.

If the counts dont improve and we go along for three more weeks like we have been, then its time to start telling people this year is bad and it might be worse than we forecast, but we are nowhere near there yet, said Alan Byrne, an Idaho Department of Fish and Game fisheries biologist at Boise. The counts could still improve. The facts of the matter are the Bonneville counts are way below what our average counts are this time of year. But we are only a couple of weeks into the run. We wont know the strength of the run until the first week of August.

The preseason forecast calls for a return of 112,100 A-run steelhead to Bonneville Dam, including 33,000 wild fish and 79,100 hatchery fish. Those steelhead will be bound for various parts of the Columbia Basin, and about 50 percent of them are expected to head up the Snake River and pass over Lower Granite Dam.

Fisheries managers are expecting only 7,300 B-run steelhead to pass Bonneville Dam, including just 1,100 wild fish. About 70 percent of them are expected to return to the Snake River, which works out to about 4,340 hatchery and 770 wild Bs at Lower Granite Dam.

We were fully expecting a very down B-run and not that great of an A-run, but better than last year, said Joe DuPont, regional fisheries manager for Fish and Game. Now it makes me a little uneasy.

While the numbers of A-run steelhead counted at Bonneville are depressing, DuPont said there may be a glimmer of hope when you single out Idaho-bound hatchery fish. The numbers show the early part of the run is about average compared with those since 2010. But he cautioned the math is based on just two hatchery fish implanted with PIT tags that have passed Bonneville.

What bothers me more is the big picture, when its more than just Idaho fish, when you are looking at all steelhead, counts over Bonneville are way down, DuPont said.

Its so low that you have to retreat to 1950 to find a year with a lower to-date steelhead count. Washington has implemented special rules in the Columbia River and many of its tributaries designed to protect B-run fish returning later this year, as well as A-run steelhead destined for the upper Columbia River. Idaho is monitoring the run and is prepared to implement restrictions designed to protect B-run steelhead in both the Clearwater and Salmon rivers.

Ron Roler said the low steelhead numbers mimic other data from this years salmon and steelhead runs. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist at Olympia said spring chinook numbers were down, the Columbia River sockeye count is well below forecast and ocean fishing indicates a poor run of coho can be expected. A-run steelhead, coho and sockeye tend to spend just one year in the ocean before returning to fresh water to spawn. Last year, the poor ocean conditions and warm water blob of 2015 were blamed for the low returns. The ocean conditions have improved some, but Roler said it appears the change wasnt fast enough to help fish returning this year.

Ocean anglers are catching good numbers of fall chinook, which Roler said may offer another glimmer of hope for fall fisheries.
Blood drives

The American Red Cross will hold blood drives this week in Twin Falls and Wendell.

Blood donation opportunities are available from 1 to 6:15 p.m. Monday at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 605 N. Idaho St., Wendell; and 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2085 S. Temple Road, Twin Falls.

Blood and platelet donors of all blood types are needed. To schedule an appointment to donate, use the free blood donor app, visit redcrossblood.org or call 800-733-2767. Completion of a RapidPass online health history questionnaire is encouraged.

Parenting, coping support

Voices Against Violence is offering support groups at 212 Second Ave. W., No. 200, Twin Falls.

Parenting Group, 6 to 7:30 p.m. Mondays, to help improve parenting skills as well as learn rewards and consequences.

Mas alla de mi, Empoderando a las Mujeres domestic violence group in Spanish, 6 to 7:30 p.m. Mondays, for those who have been involved in an abusive or traumatic relationship, and also helps women develop a support system.

The Power to Change Group, 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesdays, provides information and support to women 18 and older, who have experienced difficulties in coping with past experiences.

Domestic Violence Support Group, 6 to 8 p.m. Thursdays, provides information and community to individuals 18 and older, who have experienced domestic abuse or gender violence.

Information: 208-733-2558.

Childbirth

St. Lukes Magic Valley Medical Centers prepared childbirth classes, 6:30 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays, July 18 through Aug. 15, in Oak Rooms 2-4 on the lower level of St. Lukes, 801 Pole Line Road W., Twin Falls.

Topics: Wellness during pregnancy; labor and delivery process with relaxation and breathing techniques; caesarean birth; postpartum care for mother and newborn; infant CPR; car seat and home safety; and a tour of the maternal and child units. Bring a labor-support person if possible.

Cost is $25 for a five-week session. Pre-registration is required: 208-814-0402.

Victims support

Support group for victims of domestic violence, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. every Tuesday at the Mini-Cassia Shelter Haven of Hope, 323 First St., Rupert.

Information: Rachel, 208-312-7021.

Alzheimers support

Alzheimers Association, Greater Idaho Chapters Caregiver Support Group meeting, 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Twin Falls Senior Center, 530 Shoshone St. W.

The group meets on the third Wednesday every month.

Information: Pattie Dennis, 208-734-4264 or 208-539-4290.

Alzheimers seminar

Basics of Alzheimers, Memory Loss and Dementia, 2 to 3 p.m. Wednesday at Canyons Retirement Community, 1215 Cheney Drive W., Twin Falls.

The free community educational program is presented by Alzheimers Association, Greater Idaho Chapter.

Topics: Detection, causes and risk factors, stages of the disease, and treatment.

Reservations are requested: 208-206-0041 or jmmiller@alz.org.

Grief support

Visions of Hope meeting, 5 p.m. every Thursday at Hospice Visions, 1770 Park View Drive, Twin Falls.

This grief support group is open to everyone in the community.

Information: 208-735-0121.

Mental health support

Mental Health Support Group will meet at 5:30 p.m. Thursdays at 826 Eastland Drive in Twin Falls.

The free support group is open to Magic Valley residents.

Information: 208-539-7492.

Asthma education

Free asthma education class for patients and caregivers to assess and manage asthma will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday.

The class is presented by St. Lukes Magic Valley and meets on the third Thursday of each month.

Pre-registration is required. To register and for location of the class: 208-814-8765.

Grief support

Griefshare meeting, 6:30 p.m. Thursdays at Lighthouse Church, 960 Eastland Drive, Twin Falls.

Anyone who has lost a loved one or friend is welcome to attend. A separate class for pre-teen and teens will meet at the same time. Participants can attend any session. Enter through the east doors at the rear of the building.

Information: 208-737-4667.

CPR, first aid

St. Lukes Magic Valley Education Department is offering a Heartsaver Pediatric CPR, First Aid and AED class, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Learning Center, 840 Meadows Suite 2, Twin Falls.

The course provides training for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and first aid and using an automated external defibrillator.

Cost is $60. Pre-registration is required, 208-814-9050.

Child safety

Child and Babysitting Safety training for ages 11-16, 9 a.m. to noon July 26 at College of Southern Idahos Jerome Center. Instructors are Aaron and Christina Keyes.

Topics: Fundamentals of caring for children of different age groups, safety, injury prevention, and babysitting as a business, including leadership, preparation techniques, and communicating with parents.

Cost is $42, and includes course book, two-year certification card, and first aid kit. Register: communityed.csi.edu or 208-324-5101.
JACKPOT, Nev.  Two people were taken to the hospital following a Sunday afternoon car crash on U.S. 93 near the Idaho-Nevada border.

According to the Idaho State Police, Siobhan Owen, 21, of Burley was driving northbound at 12:21 p.m. when her car collided with a pickup pulling a pop-up camp trailer, driven by Peter Wilson, 74, of Las Vegas. Wilson lost control of the vehicle and both the pickup and camp trailer rolled, coming to rest on its top.

Owens vehicle crossed into the southbound lane and went off the right shoulder, coming to a stop approximately 50 feet from the road.

Owen was taken to St. Lukes Regional Medical Center in Twin Falls, along with Sharon Wilson, 79, of Las Vegas, who was a passenger in the pickup. Owen was reported to be in stable condition while Wilsons condition was unavailable.

All occupants of the pickup were wearing seat belts while Owen was not, according to ISP. Both northbound and southbound lanes of travel were blocked for approximately two hours.

Idaho State Police was assisted by Elko County Sheriffs Office, Twin Falls Police Department, and Jackpot EMS.
A convoy of vehicles laden with weapons, ammunition and explosives was destroyed by Egyptian authorities as it was attempting to cross into the country from the western borders with Libya, at a time Egypt has tightened security at its borders to keep militants and armed smugglers at bay.

Army sources relayed by media revealed Sunday that 15 four-wheel drive vehicles loaded with weapons, ammunitions and explosives were spotted trying to cross into Egypt from the western border with Libya.

The vehicles were destroyed in air raids in the western desert.

The operation took place based on intelligence reports that criminal elements were trying to cross into Egypt from its western border, army spokesperson Colonel Tamer Al-Refaei said in a statement.

Egypt is struggling at its border with lawless Libya where criminals and terrorists are roaming about as the country still suffers from the 2011 revolution, which brought down strongman Muammar Gaddafi.

The Egyptian army last month launched a similar operation after it identified vehicles reportedly laden with weapons, ammunitions and explosives sneaking into the country from Libya.
Head of the Libyan Presidency Council (PC) and the Government of National Accord (GNA) Saturday laid out plans to save the country from the current chaos and standoff, calling for general elections for next year.

Faeiz Serraj indicated in a televised speech that it was important for the country to hold parliamentary and presidential elections next year in March to elect new central decision makers to coordinate the countrys affairs.

Serraj was appointed in December 2015 under the Libyan Political Accord (LPA) signed in Morocco. Since arriving in capital Tripoli in March the following year, the Libyan official and his team have been unable to expand their authority over the whole country as they face rivalries inside Tripoli itself and across Libya.

The PC and the GNA have also been wrestling with the Beida-based rival administration supported by the United Arab Emirates, and several other countries.

The idea of the elections first emerged at recent meetings in Egypt between feuding parties.

Serraj in his speech also indicated that the future role of the countrys president should be decided by the Tobruk-based parliament; the House of Representatives (HoR), and the State Council. He urged both institutions to set up a committee, which will agree on an amendment to the Constitutional Declaration that would determine the powers of the head of state, reports say.

Criticized for being weak, Serraj distanced himself from the current political crisis but noted that the PC and the GNA have to address the situation.

Libya descended into chaos since the removal of strongman Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 in a NATO-backed revolution.

Rivalries between competing armed factions have thrown the country into a pit  giving rise to terrorist groups including the Islamic State group (IS).

Even though IS has been defeated, the country remains very fragile. Analysts believe the group can bourgeon somewhere else in the country.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) was reportedly behind the incendiary statements attributed to Qatars ruler, which ignited the diplomatic row between tiny gas-rich gulf country and its neighbors, Washington Post reports citing unidentified US intelligence officials.

Qatar came in the eyes of the storm last June after its neigbors namely Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain plus Egypt shut down Qatari media sources, to protest remarks attributed to Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

In these remarks, as posted on the website of the Qatari news agency, QNA, and its associated social media, Sheikh Tamim criticized President Trump, praised Hamas and Hezbollah and called for better ties with Iran.

The neighboring countries slammed the remarks arguing they breached agreements among the members of the Gulf Cooperation Council and the US-Arab-Muslim conference held during the May visit by President Trump to Saudi Arabia.

Qatar vehemently rejected the accusation pointing out that the remarks were false and that its agency was hacked.

The Saudi-led bloc on June 5 severed ties with Qatar, imposing sea, ground and air blockade.

The Washington Post citing US intelligence officials noted that UAE officials discussed the hacking on May 23, i.e. one day before the act.

The paper noted that the intelligence officials learned of the UAEs involvement last week but cannot confirm whether Abu Dhabi hacked the websites or paid for the hackings to be carried out.

UAE ambassador to Washington Yousef al-Otaiba rejected the report denying his countrys involvement.

What is true is Qatars behavior. Funding, supporting, and enabling extremists from the Taliban to Hamas and Gaddafi. Inciting violence, encouraging radicalization, and undermining the stability of its neighbors, the ambassador said in a statement.

Qatar has been working with the US and the UK to track the hackers.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has tried to mediate between the opposing sides and called for dialogue to solve the crisis, which took an unprecedented proportion after the Saudi-led bloc issued 13 demands as conditions to be fulfilled by Qatar before ties are normalized.

Qatar has rejected the list of demands as unrealistic and said it is ready to negotiate. However, the boycotting countries say that the conditions are non-negotiable and that Qatar knows what to do.
A top Kurdish counter-terrorism and intelligence officer in Iraq has denied claims that Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, caliph of the Islamic State, is dead. Russia stated last month that it killed the ISIS leader in May during an air raid on the outskirts of Raqqa. Weeks later, Iran confirmed his killing.

Lahut Talabany rejected such claims as he stressed that Baghdadi is definitely alive. The intelligence officer seems to have reliable information as he told Reuters that we believe 99% he is alive and not dead. He did not go into details about the source of his information but recalled that the elusive Baghdadi knows what he is doing because he has roots that date back to al-Qaeda days in Iraq and he was hiding from security services.

Since the Russian military announced that it has eliminated the ISIS leader together with other senior aides during an air raid, there has not been any official message from the extremist group denying or affirming the claim. However, reports in Iraq last week alleged that Baghdadi was killed in an air strike in the Iraqi province of Nineveh.

Director Rami Abdel Rahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also stated that 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.

Talabany thinks that Baghdadi is hiding in southern Raqqa, Syria. He also thinks that the terror group is changing its tactics and defeating it completely could take about three or four years.

There are speculations that the group will be headed by former intelligence officers under Saddam Hussein if Baghdadi is confirmed dead.
Chicken will be the best-positioned protein due to its low price position in times of pressure on consumer spending power but rises in production costs and the long-term impact of COVID-19 threaten to disrupt the sector, according to Rabobank.


@PatriciaMazzei

For 12 minutes Sunday, voters in Miami-Dade's state Senate District 40 finally got to see all three Republican candidates face off, for the first time, just nine days before the special July 25 primary election.

Rep. Jose Felix Diaz and attorney Lorenzo Palomares had participated in forums during the campaign. But former Sen. Alex Diaz de la Portilla waited until Sunday to make his debut. And he picked the biggest stage to do so: WPLG-ABC 10's "This Week in South Florida," which hosted the only televised candidate forum in the race.

Diaz de la Portilla made the most of his air time, landing a couple of zingers directed at younger lawmakers -- read: Diaz.

"Tallahassee and the Florida Senate needs some maturity," said Diaz de la Portilla, who has decried what he calls the "House-ification" of the Senate. "We've seen a lot of petulant children: The Florida House members have messed things up."

Even when put on the defensive, Diaz de la Portilla attacked. When co-anchor Michael Putney mentioned political action committees engaging in negative campaigning, Diaz de la Portilla noted his own campaign account funds his ads -- a jab at Diaz, who's been backed by outside groups.

"I put my name on it," Diaz de la Portilla said. "I don't hide behind special-interest groups. I do it like men do it."

Asked about his 2012 misdemeanor arrest in Boston, which the Miami Herald reported earlier this month, Diaz de la Portilla called the incident "a mistake that happened five years ago, totally irrelevant to this campaign."

"I've proven my temperament and my judgment over all those years serving the public," he said. "There are much more important issues in this campaign that we have to deal with."

Diaz, his chief opponent, agreed.

"He raised taxes," Diaz said. "People care more about that than personal issues."

"That's an outright lie," Diaz de la Portilla shot back. "I never voted to raise taxes."

Palomares, who could barely get a word in, cut in.

"Nobody has attacked me!" he said.

Diaz was the lone candidate on stage to defend his vote this lawmaking session for House Bill 7069, controversial legislation signed by Gov. Rick Scott that among other things directed more public dollars to privately managed charter schools.

"It was a bill that came in at the last point," Diaz said. "The only alternative was to vote against it, but there were good things."

Palomares questioned the constitutionality of assisting for-profit charter schools and said he would've voted against.

"It was terrible," Diaz de la Portilla declared. "It was a 276-page bill dropped on the desk of all legislators two days before session ended. They promised us transparency. They promised us open government. They promised to tell us the truth. What they did is, they did it in the shadows."

Diaz got one jab in: He accused Diaz de la Portilla of allowing Tallahassee to end the "district cost differential" aid to public schools that benefited Miami-Dade. Diaz de la Portilla denied his involvement, though he was a close lieutenant of former Senate President Jim King, whose political legacy was in part eliminating the DCD.

An earlier version of this post incorrectly stated in the headline that the Senate race is for a House seat.
Sometime in the next few days the Congressional Budget Office will release its analysis of the latest version of the Republican health care plan. Senator Mitch McConnell is doing all he can to prevent a full assessment, for example by trying to keep the C.B.O. from scoring the Cruz provision, which would let insurers discriminate against people with pre-existing conditions. Nonetheless, everyone expects a grim prognosis.





As a result, White House aides are already attacking the C.B.O.s credibility, announcing in advance that whatever it says will be  fake news . So why should we believe the budget office, not the Trump administration? Let me count the ways.





First, this White House already has a record of constant, blatant lying about health care that is, as far as I can tell, without precedent in modern history. Just a few days ago, for example, Vice President Mike Pence made the completely false assertion that Ohios expansion of Medicaid led to a cutback in aid for the disabled  a lie that the states government had already refuted. On Sunday, Tom Price, the secretary of Health and Human Services, claimed that the Senate bill would cover more people than current law  another blatant lie. (You cant cut hundreds of billions from Medicaid and insurance subsidies and expect coverage to grow!)





The point is that on this issue (and others, of course), the Trump administration and its allies have negative credibility: If they say something, the default assumption should be that theyre lying.

Second, the C.B.O. is hardly alone in its negative assessments of Republican health care plans. In fact, just about every group with knowledge of the issue has reached similar conclusions. In a joint letter, the two major insurance industry trade groups blasted the Cruz provision as simply unworkable. The American Academy of Actuaries says basically the same thing . AARP has condemned the bill, as has the American Medical Association

Third, contrary to White House disinformation, the C.B.O. actually did a pretty good job of predicting the effects of the Affordable Care Act, especially when you bear in mind that the act was a leap into the unknown: We had very little experience of how an A.C.A.-type system would work.

True, the C.B.O. overestimated the number of people who would buy insurance on the exchanges the act created; but that was partly because it overestimated the number of employers who would drop coverage and send their workers to those exchanges. Overall gains in coverage have been reasonably well in line with what the C.B.O. projected  especially in states that expanded Medicaid and did their best to make the law work.





Finally  and this seems to me to be the most compelling argument of all  predicting the effects of destroying the A.C.A. is much easier than predicting the consequences when it was enacted, because what the Senate bill would do, pretty much, is return us to the bad old days. Or to put it another way, what McConnell and Senator Ted Cruz are selling is a giant leap into the known, taking us back to a system whose flaws are all too familiar from recent experience.





After all, before Obamacare, most states had more or less unregulated insurance markets, similar to those the Senate bill would create. Many of these states also had skimpy, underfunded Medicaid programs, which would be the effect of the bills brutal Medicaid cuts.





So while careful, nonpartisan modeling, the kind the C.B.O. excels in, is important, you dont need a detailed analysis to know what American health care would look like if this bill passes. Basically, it would look like pre-A.C.A. Texas , where 26 percent of the nonelderly population was uninsured.

And lack of insurance wouldnt be the only problem: Many people would have  junk insurance   insurance with deductibles so large or coverage limitations so extensive as to be effectively useless when needed.





Now, some people might be satisfied with that outcome. Hard-core libertarians, for example, dont believe making health care available to those who need it is a legitimate role of government; letting some citizens go bankrupt and/or die if they get sick is the price of freedom as they define it.

But Republicans have never made that case. Instead, at every stage of this political fight they have claimed to be doing exactly the opposite of what theyre actually doing: covering more people, making health care cheaper, protecting Americans with pre-existing conditions. Were not talking about run-of-the-mill spin here; were talking about black is white, up is down, dishonesty so raw its practically surreal. This isnt just an assault on health care, its an assault on truth itself.





Will this vileness prevail? Your guess is as good as mine about whether Mitch McConnell will hold on to the 50 senators he needs. But the mere possibility that this much cruelty, wrapped in this much fraudulence, might pass is a horrifying indictment of his party.

I learned my first lessons about injustice and health as a little Black girl growing up in segregated Bennettsville, South Carolina. I remember my parents and my sadness over the senseless death of little Johnny Harrington, who lived three houses down from our church and who died before he reached 10 because his hard-working grandmother didnt know about the need for or have the money for him to get a tetanus shot after he stepped on a rusted nail.



I also remember being awakened in the middle of the night after a Black migrant familys car collided with a White truck drivers vehicle on the highway in front of our parsonage, and the horror I felt when my daddy, my siblings and I witnessed the White ambulance driver and attendants arrive on the scene only to leave behind the seriously injured Black migrant worker after they saw that the White trucks passengers were not hurt.



And I remember the loss of a playmate who lived around the corner who died from a broken neck after jumping off the bridge at Crooked Creek nearby where many Black children swam and many Black families fished for food. When I got older, I learned the creek was an outlet for hospital and other sewage.



The sorrow and outrage and sense of injustice I felt as a child at senseless deaths and injuries shaped my lifes work. I cannot stand seeing any child mistreated, placed at risk or excluded from essential services because of the color of their skin or the poverty of their parents or grandparents they did not choose. God did not make two classes of children and my Biblical values and my parents efforts to live up to its teachings enjoined me to believe each child is sacred.



During the Civil Rights Movement it was always clear that health care was one of the basic rights for which we were fighting because it could mean life or death. As my friend and mentor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. famously said, Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhuman. I would never have believed that decades later Dr. Kings words would still ring true and that after 50 years of hard-earned progress expanding access to health coverage for 95 percent of all children, it could all be ripped away in a heartless game of politics and greed that disregards human life  even the smallest human life.



In the wealthiest nation on earth, the fact that we are still unwilling to treat health care as a right available to all regardless of color, income or creed is a disgrace. That child lives are considered political fodder rather than a sacred responsibility by every adult is unjust and shameful.



You, the ever powerful United States Senate, will soon have a choice to make when Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell brings the deeply harmful, flawed, unpopular and misnamed Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA)  it should be called the Worse Care Reconciliation Act  to the Senate floor for a vote. This draconian bill will unravel decades of progress fighting for more health equity and justice for all. I hope every voter will stand up for children, the disabled, the elderly, and the most vulnerable among us and make sure those who vote against them are held accountable.



At a time when 95 percent of children in America have health coverage after years of laboriously achieved incremental progress with bipartisan leadership and the percentage of uninsured Americans is at a record low, will you vote for renewed pain and suffering or forward progress? Will you vote to end Medicaid as we know it  a lifeline for more than 37 million children and more than 40 percent of children with special health care needs  to pay for a giant tax cut for wealthy Americans and corporations who dont need or deserve it? Will you vote to rip away health coverage from 22 million Americans and leave millions more paying a lot more for skimpier coverage? Will you vote to undermine coverage for essential services for children and other Americans including those with pre-existing conditions? Will you vote to strip important and popular protections, returning us to a day when discrimination based on age, gender, health status and ability to pay is permitted? Will you vote to deprive millions of Americans mental health and substance abuse treatment in the midst of a national opioid crisis?



You may be wooed with fixes being negotiated behind the scenes that tinker around the edges of the cruel, unjust Better Care Reconciliation Act, but make no mistake: it is irreparably flawed and no altering of growth rates and caps, taxes, or creating special funds or risk pools will fix it. It deserves a swift and decisive death in the Senate if we are to keep any semblance of an American sense of fairness and moral decency alive.



I have just returned from two days in the Mississippi Delta which Senators Robert Kennedy, Joseph Clark and George Murphy visited 50 years ago where they saw children with listless eyes and bloated bellies from lack of food and health care. Mississippi is one of 19 states that turned down Medicaid expansion money their people need. Health injustice still disproportionately affects people of color but those who will suffer come from every race in every state.







*********************



"How the White House and Republicans Underestimated Obamacare Repeal"

by Nancy Cook and Burgess Everett

Politico

July 17, 2017



The longer Republican efforts to repeal Obamacare flounder, the clearer it becomes that President Donald Trumps team and many in Congress dramatically underestimated the challenge of rolling back former President Barack Obamas signature achievement.



The Trump transition team and other Republican leaders presumed that Congress would scrap Obamacare by Presidents Day weekend in late February, according to three former Republican congressional aides and two current ones familiar with the administrations efforts.



Republican leaders last fall planned a quick strike on the law in a series of meetings and phone calls, hoping to simply revive a 2015 repeal bill that Obama vetoed.



Few in the administration or Republican leadership expected the effort to stretch into the summer months, with another delay eating into valuable time for lawmakers to tackle tax reform, nominations or spending bills.



As Trump himself infamously remarked, nobody knew healthcare could be so complicated  even though health care has reliably tripped up past administrations.



Now that the difficulty of getting 50 senators to rally around a bill has come into stark relief, Republicans are starting to acknowledge they misjudged the situation.



Its easier to rage against the machine when youre not in control of the machine, No. 1. And the perception that we are in control of the machine is inaccurate, said Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.).



Needing 50 out of 52 members on the same page in the Senate? I think that is not being in control of the machine.



The failure of the plan to quickly repeal Obamacare earlier this year forced Republican leaders to start over and attempt the daunting task of crafting a more comprehensive health care plan that would unite all sides of a squabbling conference. And the Trump administrations lack of sufficient staff and planning for that early effort helped lay the groundwork for the legislative chaos the GOPs agenda is mired in today.



A senior administration aide said that although the White House didnt expect health care to take so long, the blame game will dissipate if the president signs a health care bill by August.



If, a week from now, we have completed the repeal of Obamacare, I dont think people looking back on it will do the woulda, coulda, shoulda game, the aide said.



Still, rank-and-file senators now say starting with tax reform could have done more to unify the party and avoid the GOPs ongoing quagmire.



I would have much preferred to start off with tax. But that wasnt my decision, said Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.). Tax is the heavy lift here. Its not going to be easier than health care. And weve been doing this for seven months.



Past administrations have also been hurt by health care. Democrats said after the passage of Obamacare that they wished they had delayed the topic until more of their agenda was underway  House Democrats lost their majority in 2010 shortly after the law passed.



First lady Hillary Clinton took flak in the early 1990s for her failed health care task force, and President George W. Bush faced tremendous opposition when his administration pushed through the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit  even though the program has cost less than original estimates.



Still, after the November 2016 election, few in Trump world or Congress saw potential problems after Republicans campaigned on killing off the Affordable Care Act for seven years.



We are probably all guilty of not being as creative as we needed to be, said one former congressional leadership aide. Every administration likes to check off an accomplishment.



During the transition, the Trump administration never established a great deal of coordination with the Hill or a concrete game plan for health care, according to congressional aides and one former transition official.



The transition had just a handful of health policy people, who were also tasked with working on the confirmation processes for Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma. The administration official said the lengthy confirmation process, which he blamed on Democrats, hurt the White House because it meant the administration did not have two key health policy experts in place.



Helping sort through the process were Marc Short, now the White House legislative affairs director; Rick Dearborn, the White House deputy chief of staff; and Stephen Miller, a senior adviser for policy. All three had congressional experience, but several Republicans said Trumps staff lacked experience negotiating or moving major legislation.



I just dont have confidence that the administration had the health care expertise and policy advice that they needed there, said G. William Hoagland, former staff director for the Senate Budget Committee and former leadership aide to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist. The result is what we are seeing today.



On the Hill leading up to the inauguration, one leading idea was to resurrect the 2015 House and Senate bills that repealed much of the law. Republicans were already on the books supporting the bills, which needed only 50 votes in the Senate instead of 60.



But when GOP leaders in January pitched the idea  which involved repealing the law and figuring out a replacement later  they were met with stern resistance from lawmakers worried about constituents who had gained insurance through the 2010 law and who could lose coverage if it were suddenly revoked.



Health care looks much easier when youre at the talking point level, said Larry Leavitt, a senior vice president at the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation and senior health policy adviser during the Clinton administration. It always gets more difficult as you start filling in the details.



This was the first hint of real trouble for the Republican health care efforts. Passing a bill they knew would be vetoed under Obama was easy; passing one that would thrust their constituents into uncertainty was riskier.



When youre six years into a program, to change it when people are relying on it, theres a fear that it may affect their own policies or their own families, said Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.). This is tough; this is complex. We knew it would be, but its really tough.



In late January, lawmakers at a closed-door session at a Republican retreat in Philadelphia raised a myriad of concerns about tackling Obamacare, from the contours of the replacement plan to ways to keep premiums affordable. One former Republican Senate aide later called that meeting with Andrew Bremberg, the head of the White Houses Domestic Policy Council, prescient, because lawmakers privately raised many of the concerns that have since dogged the bill.



At the same policy retreat, House Speaker Paul Ryan laid out a three-pronged approach to scrapping Obamacare. He wanted to repeal as much of the legislation as possible, eliminate more through deregulation, and then work with Democrats on a replacement, said one former Republican aide.



Many Republican lawmakers doubted Democrats would work with them on redoing the health care law.



The president and one of his former campaign rivals also unexpectedly helped undermine the GOPs repeal plans. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said on television the GOP needed a replacement plan if it was going to repeal the law. Then Trump



Now that the Senates attempt to revamp the health care law has run into roadblocks  with moderates insisting on protecting coverage for their constituents, while conservatives focus on undoing as much of Obamacare as possible  both Paul and Trump have



Many Republicans say thats unworkable now.



Were not just trying to get rid of the law, were trying to replace it with something better. Getting rid of it is pretty straight-forward, said Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.). Replacing it with something better is a significant undertaking, but it needs to be done.



Now, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell maintains that the Senate will vote soon, though he was forced to delay again while Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) recuperates from surgery. With two Republicans



Theyre trying to turn around a massive piece of public policy that has been the law of the land for seven years, said Lanhee Chen, policy director for the 2012 Romney-Ryan presidential campaign. One cannot overstate the magnitude of what is being attempted. This is a totally unique experiment in some ways.



In the meantime, neither the White House nor Congress wants to claim responsibility if it doesnt work out. While lawmakers grumble that Trump should have started with an easier policy goal, White House aides say they assumed congressional Republicans had it under control.



Republicans had campaigned on undoing Obamacare since 2010, the senior administration official said: That was not contingent on President Trump. Would you vote to deprive your own children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews of basic life supports? I suspect not. Denying children essential health care makes no moral or economic sense. Healthy children and adults make America stronger and safer. So at this critical moment in our nations history, I hope you will stand up for children, the disabled, and the elderly left behind in multiple ways by the politics of greed and self-interest. Please vote NO on the misnamed Better Care Reconciliation Act  a mean-spirited, draconian, un-American step backward that would leave preventable suffering among millions in its wake.*********************"How the White House and Republicans Underestimated Obamacare Repeal"by Nancy Cook and Burgess EverettPoliticoJuly 17, 2017The longer Republican efforts to repeal Obamacare flounder, the clearer it becomes that President Donald Trumps team and many in Congress dramatically underestimated the challenge of rolling back former President Barack Obamas signature achievement.The Trump transition team and other Republican leaders presumed that Congress would scrap Obamacare by Presidents Day weekend in late February, according to three former Republican congressional aides and two current ones familiar with the administrations efforts.Republican leaders last fall planned a quick strike on the law in a series of meetings and phone calls, hoping to simply revive a 2015 repeal bill that Obama vetoed.Few in the administration or Republican leadership expected the effort to stretch into the summer months, with another delay announced this weekend,eating into valuable time for lawmakers to tackle tax reform, nominations or spending bills.As Trump himself infamously remarked, nobody knew healthcare could be so complicated  even though health care has reliably tripped up past administrations.Now that the difficulty of getting 50 senators to rally around a bill has come into stark relief, Republicans are starting to acknowledge they misjudged the situation.Its easier to rage against the machine when youre not in control of the machine, No. 1. And the perception that we are in control of the machine is inaccurate, said Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.).Needing 50 out of 52 members on the same page in the Senate? I think that is not being in control of the machine.The failure of the plan to quickly repeal Obamacare earlier this year forced Republican leaders to start over and attempt the daunting task of crafting a more comprehensive health care plan that would unite all sides of a squabbling conference. And the Trump administrations lack of sufficient staff and planning for that early effort helped lay the groundwork for the legislative chaos the GOPs agenda is mired in today.A senior administration aide said that although the White House didnt expect health care to take so long, the blame game will dissipate if the president signs a health care bill by August.If, a week from now, we have completed the repeal of Obamacare, I dont think people looking back on it will do the woulda, coulda, shoulda game, the aide said.Still, rank-and-file senators now say starting with tax reform could have done more to unify the party and avoid the GOPs ongoing quagmire.I would have much preferred to start off with tax. But that wasnt my decision, said Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.). Tax is the heavy lift here. Its not going to be easier than health care. And weve been doing this for seven months.Past administrations have also been hurt by health care. Democrats said after the passage of Obamacare that they wished they had delayed the topic until more of their agenda was underway  House Democrats lost their majority in 2010 shortly after the law passed.First lady Hillary Clinton took flak in the early 1990s for her failed health care task force, and President George W. Bush faced tremendous opposition when his administration pushed through the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit  even though the program has cost less than original estimates.Still, after the November 2016 election, few in Trump world or Congress saw potential problems after Republicans campaigned on killing off the Affordable Care Act for seven years.We are probably all guilty of not being as creative as we needed to be, said one former congressional leadership aide. Every administration likes to check off an accomplishment.During the transition, the Trump administration never established a great deal of coordination with the Hill or a concrete game plan for health care, according to congressional aides and one former transition official.The transition had just a handful of health policy people, who were also tasked with working on the confirmation processes for Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma. The administration official said the lengthy confirmation process, which he blamed on Democrats, hurt the White House because it meant the administration did not have two key health policy experts in place.Helping sort through the process were Marc Short, now the White House legislative affairs director; Rick Dearborn, the White House deputy chief of staff; and Stephen Miller, a senior adviser for policy. All three had congressional experience, but several Republicans said Trumps staff lacked experience negotiating or moving major legislation.I just dont have confidence that the administration had the health care expertise and policy advice that they needed there, said G. William Hoagland, former staff director for the Senate Budget Committee and former leadership aide to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist. The result is what we are seeing today.On the Hill leading up to the inauguration, one leading idea was to resurrect the 2015 House and Senate bills that repealed much of the law. Republicans were already on the books supporting the bills, which needed only 50 votes in the Senate instead of 60.But when GOP leaders in January pitched the idea  which involved repealing the law and figuring out a replacement later  they were met with stern resistance from lawmakers worried about constituents who had gained insurance through the 2010 law and who could lose coverage if it were suddenly revoked.Health care looks much easier when youre at the talking point level, said Larry Leavitt, a senior vice president at the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation and senior health policy adviser during the Clinton administration. It always gets more difficult as you start filling in the details.This was the first hint of real trouble for the Republican health care efforts. Passing a bill they knew would be vetoed under Obama was easy; passing one that would thrust their constituents into uncertainty was riskier.When youre six years into a program, to change it when people are relying on it, theres a fear that it may affect their own policies or their own families, said Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.). This is tough; this is complex. We knew it would be, but its really tough.In late January, lawmakers at a closed-door session at a Republican retreat in Philadelphia raised a myriad of concerns about tackling Obamacare, from the contours of the replacement plan to ways to keep premiums affordable. One former Republican Senate aide later called that meeting with Andrew Bremberg, the head of the White Houses Domestic Policy Council, prescient, because lawmakers privately raised many of the concerns that have since dogged the bill.At the same policy retreat, House Speaker Paul Ryan laid out a three-pronged approach to scrapping Obamacare. He wanted to repeal as much of the legislation as possible, eliminate more through deregulation, and then work with Democrats on a replacement, said one former Republican aide.Many Republican lawmakers doubted Democrats would work with them on redoing the health care law.The president and one of his former campaign rivals also unexpectedly helped undermine the GOPs repeal plans. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said on television the GOP needed a replacement plan if it was going to repeal the law. Then Trump endorsed that requirement. Their comments caused GOP leaders to start from scratch.Now that the Senates attempt to revamp the health care law has run into roadblocks  with moderates insisting on protecting coverage for their constituents, while conservatives focus on undoing as much of Obamacare as possible  both Paul and Trump have suggested going back to a repeal-only bill.Many Republicans say thats unworkable now.Were not just trying to get rid of the law, were trying to replace it with something better. Getting rid of it is pretty straight-forward, said Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.). Replacing it with something better is a significant undertaking, but it needs to be done.Now, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell maintains that the Senate will vote soon, though he was forced to delay again while Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) recuperates from surgery.With two Republicans saying they will definitely vote no, the bill could not pass without McCain present. Other senators are still undecided.Theyre trying to turn around a massive piece of public policy that has been the law of the land for seven years, said Lanhee Chen, policy director for the 2012 Romney-Ryan presidential campaign. One cannot overstate the magnitude of what is being attempted. This is a totally unique experiment in some ways.In the meantime, neither the White House nor Congress wants to claim responsibility if it doesnt work out. While lawmakers grumble that Trump should have started with an easier policy goal, White House aides say they assumed congressional Republicans had it under control.Republicans had campaigned on undoing Obamacare since 2010, the senior administration official said: That was not contingent on President Trump.

Some recent updates on the health care debate in the United States. It is fascinating to contemplate that in the past few years one party lost political power in order to expand health care to tens of millions of more people, and now another party is on the verge of potentially losing power as well, by taking health care away from tens of millions as well.*************************"Americans decided that health care is for all. Republicans want to roll that back."Former Vice President Joe BidenWashington PostJuly 17, 2017As vice president, I met with Americans all across our country. What they told me over and over is that the Affordable Care Act gave them peace of mind  that if they got sick, or if their child got sick, they could get care and not have to worry about going broke as a result. They no longer had to lay awake at night wondering: Can I pay for this treatment? What happens if she gets cancer? How will I feed my family and afford the care?They told me that because when the ACA became law and health-care coverage was extended to millions of people, it meant we had finally decided, as a nation, that health care is a right for all and not a privilege for the few.Republican leaders in Congress believe the opposite. And if they take that peace of mind away, theyll have to look Americans in the eye and explain to them that they have to start worrying again.Last week, Vice President Pence told the National Governors Association that the GOP health-care bill currently being debated in the Senate strengthens and secures Medicaid for the neediest in our society. Respectfully, thats simply not the case. Their bill tries to deal with opioid addiction on the cheap, eviscerates the ACAs Medicaid expansion and guts the ACAs promise that care like maternity and mental health and substance-use disorder services must be part of any viable health coverage system. They want to drag us back to a time  not all that long ago  when Americans could be denied basic health care because they were unable to afford it. Thats the reality of where we are today and its enough to make your blood boil.Now, I hear some folks say: But hospitals dont turn anyone away from the emergency room. Before the Affordable Care Act, though, hospitals provided about $40 billion each year in uncompensated care. People who didnt have health insurance or couldnt cover their co-pays were putting off needed medical care and skipping out on preventive care altogether. Thats not a sustainable model, and were better than that. A health-care system built around emergency room visits isnt a health-care system at all.The ACA isnt perfect, but the choices we made when designing the law flowed from a commitment to provide the best possible care to the most people. Compare that to Republican proposals, which the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has said will mean more than 20 million fewer people will have health coverage by 2026, and millions more will no longer have the same protections provided by the ACA.Here are just some of the people who could lose access to care if congressional Republicans get their way:More than 70 million Americans rely on Medicaid, including close to 2 million veterans. Medicaid, including the Childrens Health Insurance Program, covers 39 percent of children in America, 49 percent of all births, 35 percent of Americans with disabilities and 64 percent of nursing home residents, around seven in ten of whom are women. Rural hospitals would be hit especially hard by proposed cuts because theyve benefitted most from the Medicaid expansion that has meant fewer uninsured requiring uncompensated care, and yet Senate Republican leadership is looking to cut Medicaid by about three-quarters of a trillion dollars.Slashing the Medicaid expansion would affect over a million Americans whove used it to cover mental health and substance-use disorder treatment. The original Senate bill proposed spending $2 billion to address the opioid epidemic  a drop in the bucket when it comes to addressing a crisis that is ravaging communities and ripping the heart out of our country.After facing an outcry, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell increased that to $45 billion . But my longtime Senate colleague is, I believe, missing the point. You cant take away comprehensive health insurance from people struggling with opioid addiction and then just throw $2 billion or, for that matter, $45 billion their way for treatment. Experts say we need closer to $183 billion over 10 years to provide those on Medicaid with treatment for addiction and to provide care for other illnesses that often affect those addicted to opioids. Americans in communities affected by this epidemic understand firsthand that the status quo is grossly inadequate. We must do more to address this crisis, not less.A middle-class family getting health insurance through a small employer could lose coverage for maternity care, mental health care or substance-use disorder services. Under the Senates bill, they would bear the burden of paying for these services out-of-pocket or having to go without them.The new bill would create two individual insurance markets: One in which insurers must cover people with preexisting conditions, and one in which they dont. And you dont need a Ph.D. in economics to guess what would happen next: Healthier, younger people would flock to the less expensive, unregulated market. Those remaining in the regulated market will be older and sicker, and their premiums would increase to the point that they could be left with an option for insurance that exists on paper, but not in practice.If youre young and healthy, maybe this bill means that youd pay lower premiums. But the thing about life is that if youre lucky, eventually you grow old, and, in the meantime, you dont know what will happen next. In the blink of an eye, or in one phone call from a doctor, your outlook may change. And if, God forbid, you find yourself in that position one day, I hope we still have the ACA in place so you can have the peace of mind that comes with knowing that no matter what, you can still get affordable care.Senator McConnell says theres still time to make changes to the bill before it gets to the Senate floor. But it shouldnt even get there, because his bill cant be fixed. By denying that all Americans have a right to health care, its fundamentally flawed. And Republicans are underestimating the American people if they think a few changes to the bill here or there will convince us that this bill is anything but a big step backward.In my 36 years as a senator, I saw my colleagues take plenty of hard votes. This just isnt one of them. If Republican leadership wants to improve the ACA, lets first come to an agreement that everyone should have health coverage. Then, based on that premise, lets have a debate about how best to improve care and reduce costs. Lets again make the commitment that in America, health care is a right for all, not a privilege for the wealthy.**********************"Republicans Leap into the Awful Known"by Paul KrugmanNew York TimesJuly 17, 2017**********************"An Open Letter to the United States Senate"Marian Wright EdelmanHuffington PostJuly 14, 2017
Secretary of State Corey Stapleton has called for more thorough reviews of rejected ballots to identify cases of voter fraud, sparking an email feud with Missoula County and frustrating other election officials from Republican and Democratic counties who see no evidence of a broken system.

Stapleton, who took office in January, is the first Montana Secretary of State in memory to declare a crackdown on voter fraud as a priority. The Republican's policy shift mirrors similar efforts cropping up in other states, where the GOP has secured a growing number of the top election posts, and as President Donald Trump has asserted -- with no evidence to date -- that he lost the popular election because of millions of illegal votes.

In Montana, Stapleton and other top Republicans opposed allowing counties to do an all-mail election to fill a U.S. House seat vacated in March. Some criticized that stance as a politically motivated effort to suppress votes. Last month, Stapleton issued a press release suggesting one rejected ballot in Missoula County was the result of fraud. Election administrators and political analysts questioned why he would target a Democratic stronghold rather than Yellowstone County, a GOP-leaning community with a higher rate of rejected ballots.

Stapleton denied any suggestion he is looking to score political points by taking up his partys latest cause. He noted, for instance, that he has joined several states refusing to turn over voter databases to Trumps Election Integrity Commission for privacy reasons. The request has been temporarily withdrawn as courts weigh in on lawsuits filed in its wake.

Some of the questions Ive asked or points Ive raised, nobody has ever bothered to discuss, Stapleton said of his offices interest in reviewing rejected ballots for signs of fraud. We have not convicted anyone of voter fraud in Montana this century If you question it like I am, its almost heresy. They take it as an affront to the job theyre doing.

Regina Plettenberg, president of the Montana Association of Clerk and Recorders, said members of her organization were caught off guard by Stapletons press release critical of Missoula County, wishing he would have first talked to the professional organization about what he thought had been done wrong.

She and Yellowstone County Elections Administrator Bret Rutherford  both of whom work in communities that reliably elect GOP candidates  said they are open to suggestions from Stapleton about how to improve, but worry continued discussions of voter fraud without any substantive proof of malice could unnecessarily weaken public trust in elections. Numerous academic studies repeatedly have found no evidence of wide-scale fraud in American elections.

Plettenberg, the Ravalli County clerk and recorder, said the majority of rejected ballots in Montana result from simple human error, either on the part of the voter or of temporary workers who review ballot signatures.

According to state statistics from the last two elections provided by Stapleton, mail ballots were most often rejected because they arrived late, were missing a signature, or had a signature that did not match the voters registration file. A handful more were rejected when someone casting a provisional ballot did not have a photo ID or for other, unspecified reasons.

Plettenberg said she does not think Montana elections officials are shirking their duties to guard against fraud or to report potential crimes to local police for investigation. Those cases are rare and investigations can be difficult, she said.

Its circular, Plettenberg said. The Secretary of State feels its the duty of election administrators and local law enforcement to investigate these, yet were hearing from our local law enforcement that the Secretary of State needs to be a part of this process.

Rutherford agreed. He wondered why Stapleton had singled out Missoula County when Yellowstone County rejected five times as many ballots in Mays special election  still less than 1 percent of votes cast  and questioned how Stapleton proposes to strengthen elections.

Is he saying we should send every single one of those to the county attorneys office? Think of the volume of the man hours to dig into something like that when you know 99.9 percent is just a voter error, Rutherford said. Do you spend excessive resources and money to find something thats not there in the first place?

Stapleton points to the 1,833 ballots rejected in Mays special election as evidence that something in Montanas current system can be improved. There were 383,301 votes counted, which means fewer than 0.5 percent of ballots were rejected. Barely more than 0.2 percent were rejected in the fall 2016 election. The difference appears, in part, to be because more people mailed their ballots late for the special election.

Stapleton described a culture of permissivity in Missoula County after his office learned that one of the 91 rejected ballots from Mays election had been reported by a woman who said she had not cast her vote by mail despite records showing she had. After her complaint, the county reviewed the absentee ballot cast in her name and concluded the signature might have been a mismatch. They rejected the original ballot and allowed the woman to cast a new one.

For weeks, Stapleton has traded pointed emails with Elections Administrator Rebecca Connors and the Missoula County attorneys office. At the heart of that dispute is whether county elections officials and local law enforcement did enough to review the case, which Missoula leaders chalk up to a likely instance of mail getting mixed up at an apartment complex. Stapleton has argued it should be investigated until local leaders can confirm that theory definitively or instead prove criminal fraud.

Current practices, Stapleton said, assume the majority of disqualified ballots are honest mistakes and not attempts to fraudulently vote. He wants to turn that assumption on its head and has argued local election administrators, police and county attorneys must do more to identify bad actors and convict them.

He said does not believe Montana has experienced the kind of significant, organized fraud caught by election officials in some other states, in large part because the process here remains human-intensive and does not use electronic voting machines. But Stapleton nonetheless worries the state could be vulnerable without a closer analysis of rejected ballots. Or, maybe criminals simply have not been caught yet, he said.

In the best case scenario, theres zero fraud, which he said would mean the state could do a better job to help voters reduce simple errors since it is not rare for local races to be decided by a handful of votes.

In the worst case scenario, some were forged or there was mal intent, he said. Thats a problem, and we should be able to talk about that without getting personally attacked or accused of trying to replicate what Trumps doing.

Local election administrators have watched Stapleton spar with Missoula County from afar, wondering if they, too, soon will be targeted or if this is just a bad start to what could be a fruitful effort to improve elections security.

If Missoulas doing it wrong then were all doing it wrong,'' Plettenberg said. "Maybe there is a change of direction that his office wants us to take.

Im hopeful hell get some solutions and bring that to our group and train our group on how hed like to see us to proceed in future elections.

The association has formally requested Stapletons elections chief, who has served multiple secretaries of state, to provide additional training on signature verification and ballot rejection at their August conference.

Our group has always had a better partnership with our secretary of states office, she said.

Both Stapleton and local officials admitted their relationship had a rocky start just a few months into the former legislators first term as secretary of state when he opposed an all-mail ballot for the special election, saying it would weaken ballot security and disenfranchise Native American voters. The majority of counties argued they wanted the mail-in option, which would have been significantly cheaper and not any less secure than in-person polling.

In separate interviews, Stapleton and elections administrators said they hope to move past that professional difference. Yet both see it as a sign of underlying disagreements about the security of mail voting that could shape future discussions.

Stapleton said he has heard no pushback from elections administrators about the new focus of his office  except from Missoula County. He said he has not yet reached out to other elections officials or to any local law enforcement groups because his office is still gathering information about rejected ballots and they have not yet developed suggestions on how to improve security.

Broadly, Stapleton said he expects changes to the election process itself would be more effective than administrative rules changes about how ballots are handled. He said that he would not suggest an end to mail ballots, which he thinks the state can "make work. Instead, he said other possibilities include shifting away from the U.S. Postal Service, better options for IDs or creative ideas Montana could adopt from other states.

I hope something good can come of this, Stapleton said. Personal attacks aside from reporters and officials from Missoula County.
The Missoula Police Department is investigating after the body of a 41-year-old man was found in a van in a parking lot near Old Navy on Reserve Street.

Missoula County Sheriff and Coroner T.J. McDermott has identified the deceased man as Jesse Johnson, 41, of Missoula.

The cause and manner of death has not been determined pending complete of a toxicology report.

The Missoula Police Department is investigating the details surrounding the death.

Sgt. Travis Welsh said officers originally were called to the parking lot for a report of a suspicious vehicle on Friday around 1 p.m.

The investigation is ongoing into what happened to the man in the days before he was found, with Welsh saying it is unclear how long the body had been in the van. Detectives did not see any visible trauma to the man's body, which has been taken for an autopsy.
Missoula County Sheriff T.J. McDermott has identified the two people killed in a pair of Missoula-area crashes on Sunday.

Carli Miller, an 8-year-old from Lolo, was pronounced dead at the hospital after a wreck near mile marker 27 on U.S. Highway 12 west of Lolo shortly before noon Sunday. According to the sheriffs office, an eastbound vehicle crossed the center line and hit the westbound vehicle in which Miller and her family were traveling. The five members of Millers family and the driver of the other car were taken to the hospital.

The sheriff said 43-year-old Cicelly Gabriel from Oregon was killed in a rollover crash around 3:45 p.m. on the interstate on-ramp near mile marker 107 near East Missoula, also on Sunday. In that incident, Gabriel apparently lost control of her vehicle and it rolled down an embankment, landing on its hood. Her two passengers were taken to the hospital.

As a department, our hearts are broken for both of these families and we grieve with them during this time, public information officer Brenda Bassett wrote in a news release identifying Miller and Gabriel.

The Montana Highway Patrol is investigating both crashes.
Two heavy helicopters were quickly deployed for water drops Sunday afternoon when a fire broke out in the Pattee Canyon area, according to Lolo National Forest spokesman Boyd Hartwig.

One crew and three engines also fought the 3- to 4-acre fire and a second crew was expected later Sunday afternoon, Hartwig said.

The fire "is in timber and active due to the gusty winds and available fuels. ... Crews and aircraft are making progress on this fire in challenging conditions," Hartwig wrote in a release. No structures were threatened.

Public information officer Meg Nemitz said the fire's cause is most likely lightning.

"We're bringing more crews in and will have some camp here tonight," Nemitz said.

The fire was about one mile north of Pattee Canyon Campground on the Missoula Ranger District.

Elsewhere in northwestern Montana, five other fires were being contained over the weekend even as the new cold front rolling in had a red flag weather warning in effect until 9 p.m. Sunday.

Firefighters again used aircraft to check growth on the Slide Rock fire nine miles south of Beavertail Pond and five miles east of Rock Creek Road on the Lolo National Forest.

Saturday's strong winds pushed the fire burning in steep and inaccessible terrain, a little to the northeast, but there was no significant growth, with the main fire at about 49 acres. Both ground and air resources are assigned to it.

The Little Hogback fire about three miles southeast of the Bitterroot Flat Campground is burning about 20 acres in rough, steep, and remote terrain with heavy timber and no road access. Aviation was being used against it Sunday.

To the north, the Lazier Creek 3 fire, the largest in northwestern Montana, had up to 388 firefighters working it Sunday. But the 1,145-acre fire stayed steady at that acreage as it reached 60 percent containment.

Its looking good, public information officer Sara Rouse said Sunday, as firefighters moved on to mop-up operations, securing the fire edge, and laying hose to get water on the fire.

The Thompson River Road, closed since Monday due to the Lazier Creek 3 fire, was reopened Sunday morning at 6 a.m., signaling the progress firefighters have made over the last week.

The Rogers Mountain fire, three miles north of Happys Inn on U.S. Highway 2, was 80 percent contained Sunday.

The 78-acre fire did not expand, and the 47 firefighters assigned to the fire were mopping up any remaining hot spots in the fire.

Three smaller fires have been contained. Grubb, NW Meadow Peak, and the 2645 Fire are all being monitored for new smoke and hotspots by crews on site, but have reached 100 percent containment.

While firefighting has been effective, the cold front bringing in westerly winds and gusts of up to 20 mph along with lower humidity is worrisome. Local burn bans have been placed in Ravalli and Missoula counties, and most of western Montana.
The University of Montana, for all its struggles in recent years, can proudly claim some important successes. One of the most important of these is its work in prevention and response to sexual assaults on campus.

The reforms instituted at UM have been held up repeatedly as a model not just for other education institutions in Montana, but across the U.S. And that comes not a moment too soon, given the longstanding, nationwide problem of sex assault on campuses. The U.S. Department of Education puts the number of college victims, admittedly under-reported, at 20 percent of women and 6 percent of men.

And yet the Education Department, under new Secretary Betsy DeVos, appears poised to roll back critical improvements like those made at UM, returning college campuses to an outdated system that allows rapists to go unpunished  and free to rape again.

This line of thinking must be disputed in no uncertain terms. We cannot allow all the progress made at UM to unravel due to ignorance and a too-weak response to bad suggestions.

Montana Attorney General Tim Fox, who was so instrumental in helping the Missoula County Attorneys Office under former County Attorney Fred Van Valkenburg reach an understanding with the U.S. Department of Justicice, must take a firm position in support of the campus sex assault guidelines adopted during the Obama administration.

Fox, a Republican, must be among those making a forceful argument to Trump administration officials. He must unequivocally support the current recommended system, which makes it easier for university officials to support students who reported sexual assaults and penalize students who commit sexual assault.

Last week DeVos held listening sessions that rightly garnered backlash for including representatives from so-call mens rights groups in an apparent attempt to provide balance. Unbelievably, the acting director of the civil rights office for the Education Department, Candice Jackson, told the New York Times that Title IX investigations have not been balanced because 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, but it should concern every American that the person in charge of handling civil rights for the Education Department holds beliefs about rape that would have been considered ill-informed and outdated more than 20 years ago, and which is disproved by data from her own department.

The University of Montana became the focus of federal investigations five years ago, after allegations of sexual assault and the universitys handling of those reports, as well as the response from local police and prosecutors, were brought to the attention of the U.S. Departments of Justice and Education. Settlements were subsequently reached with each entity involved, and local agencies have since fulfilled the terms of those agreements.

In 2011, before the federal investigations began, the U.S. Department of Education directed all universities to use a preponderance of evidence standard for sexual assault investigations involving students. Previously, some campuses had relied on a clear and convincing legal standard that did not meet Title IX requirements. The Education Department mandate clarified the process and made it more consistent across campuses.

Most importantly, however, it allowed universities that found it more likely than not that sexual violence had occurred to discipline or expel the offender. This did not, of course, affect the criminal investigation process, which is conducted outside the university system.

Universities are not courts of law and do not have the investigative or legal authority of police. Rather, they are tasked with educating students in an environment where the civil rights of are students are respected equally. Title IX is based on ensuring equal access to federally supported education programs regardless of gender.

But the clear and convincing standard of evidence used by some universities wrongly applied a criminal legal definition to a civil rights matter, and stacked the deck from the get-go against those who reported being sexual assaulted. It meant that a university investigation might conclude that sexual violence had occurred, but result in no punishment whatsoever for the rapist.

The current guidelines have provided an important tool for universities to crack down on sexual assault, a widespread problem that has been allowed to fester for far too long. It boggles the mind that DeVos reportedly does not consider these guideline appropriate and is open to tossing them out.

That would return Americas college campuses to a system that should be left in the dustbins of history.

The entire Montana University System must swiftly and clearly communicate that to DeVos. AG Fox must speak up in support of the current guidelines as well. Politics aside, maintaining policy improvements that make our college campuses safer and protect our students from sexual assault is clearly the right thing to do.
Donald Trump's base is willing to forgive him shooting people on Fifth Avenue in New York amidst witnesses. He said so. He admitted grabbing women by their genitals, as a greeting, and they approve of that. He refuses to remove himself from chairmanship of his enterprises; won't show his tax returns; and has lied repeatedly about his cozy relationship with Vladimir Putin. Thus, Russia has retired their ambassador to America since he became redundant  what with Trump already in place for them in Washington.

Our so-called president just returned from meeting his financial adviser, Putin, and received good news. Not so good for rank-and-file Americans, but Trump and his family are raking in the profits from this presidency. The base finds that heartily successful and basks in the glow of Trump's enjoyment of his riches. Ain't that America? Enamored with a dictator seems to be a recent addition to that bit of Americana.

Trump doesn't shoot very straight. Perhaps some of the base would flinch should he shoot one of them? Trauma treatment is going to get very expensive under Trumpcare.

Herbert Myers,

Missoula
Recently, U.S. Sen. Steve Daines said that he would vote against any health care repeal bill that doesnt defund Planned Parenthood. This amounts to an attack on the health of women across Montana and would be catastrophic to our ability to raise families and live healthy lives.

Planned Parenthood plays an important role in the health care safety net of Montana. Nearly 15,000 Montanans rely on Planned Parenthood for preventive care such as birth control and cancer screenings; the care that prevents unintended pregnancies and abortions.

Does Daines understand that each of Planned Parenthoods five Montana health centers are located in medically underserved communities? If Daines had his way, those patients would have nowhere else to go for affordable, quality care. If Daines votes to block women from accessing care at Planned Parenthood, he is voting against Montana women and families.

Rather than attacking the livelihoods of women and trying to restrict their personal health decisions, Daines should stick to what he was elected to do: represent the interests of Montanans. And the last time I checked, this state overwhelming supports Planned Parenthood and keeping the government out of our personal health decisions.

Tyler Yaney,

Missoula
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Police reports

Ex-boyfriend charged in two incidents

Daniel Joseph Grady, 25, of Butte faces two felony charges  including assault with a weapon  after he was arrested on successive nights after confronting two different males about an ex-girlfriend, police said.

Early Sunday, Grady was arrested at the Town Pump, 1370 Harrison Ave., after confronting a man inside the casino there. When the man attempted to leave, police said, Grady stabbed the side of one of his tires with a knife. Grady was arrested for criminal mischief.

On Sunday night, police received a call from another man who reported being chased by Grady. Seeing a patrol car in the area of the 3000 block of Harrison, the alleged victim pulled over and parked, and Grady allegedly kept driving.

The victim reported that Grady had come to his house on the 1800 block of Florida Avenue and asked where his ex-girlfriend was. The man reported he told Grady he did not know, and Grady then went to his vehicle and got a shotgun and came back to the door. The victim fled out the back and got to his vehicle, and Grady gave chase.

At about 2 a.m. Monday, officers located Grady and arrested him. The weapon was not recovered. Grady was charged with felony assault with a weapon and felony criminal endangerment, for the chase through city streets.

Assault with a rock

Officers responded Sunday afternoon to a report of a man covered with blood near West Broadway Street and Excelsior Avenue. The man was located at St. James Healthcare, where he reported he had been hit, possibly with a rock, during a street fight. Officers went to the location of the altercation on the 900 block of West Broadway Street and located a bloody rock. At the scene, they interviewed Paul Douglas Robinette, 39, of Butte who had blood on his arm and hand but no apparent injury. Police said Robinette admitted he had been in a fight in the area but did not admit to using the rock. Based on the victim's statement and the evidence, Robinette was arrested and charged with felony assault.

Stolen trailer, stolen sleep

Police responded Sunday evening to a report of someone living in a pop-up trailer parked in front of a residence on the 600 block of West Granite Street. When police checked the license plate on the trailer, it was found to be stolen. A check of the trailer's identification number determined that it, too, was stolen. Police roused Christina Lynn Shumway, 49, who was sleeping inside the trailer, and charged her with two counts of possession of stolen property  a felony count for the trailer and a misdemeanor for the plate. Police then found her wanted on a $50,000 outstanding warrant from Bonneville County, Idaho.
MISSOULA  Secretary of State Corey Stapleton has called for more thorough reviews of rejected ballots to identify cases of voter fraud, sparking an email feud with Missoula County and frustrating other election officials from Republican and Democratic counties who see no evidence of a broken system.

Stapleton, who took office in January, is the first Montana Secretary of State in memory to declare a crackdown on voter fraud as a priority. The Republican's policy shift mirrors similar efforts cropping up in other states, where the GOP has secured a growing number of the top election posts, and as President Donald Trump has asserted  with no evidence to date  that he lost the popular election because of millions of illegal votes.

In Montana, Stapleton and other top Republicans opposed allowing counties to do an all-mail election to fill a U.S. House seat vacated in March. Some criticized that stance as a politically motivated effort to suppress votes. Last month, Stapleton issued a press release suggesting one rejected ballot in Missoula County was the result of fraud. Election administrators and political analysts questioned why he would target a Democratic stronghold rather than Yellowstone County, a GOP-leaning community with a higher rate of rejected ballots.

Stapleton denied any suggestion he is looking to score political points by taking up his party's latest cause. He noted, for instance, that he has joined several states refusing to turn over voter databases to Trump's Election Integrity Commission for privacy reasons. The request has been temporarily withdrawn as courts weigh in on lawsuits filed in its wake.

"Some of the questions I've asked or points I've raised, nobody has ever bothered to discuss," Stapleton said of his office's interest in reviewing rejected ballots for signs of fraud. "We have not convicted anyone of voter fraud in Montana this century If you question it like I am, it's almost heresy. They take it as an affront to the job they're doing."

Regina Plettenberg, president of the Montana Association of Clerks and Recorders, said members of her organization were caught off guard by Stapleton's press release critical of Missoula County, wishing he would have first talked to the professional organization about what he thought had been done wrong.

She and Yellowstone County Elections Administrator Bret Rutherford  both of whom work in communities that reliably elect GOP candidates  said they are open to suggestions from Stapleton about how to improve but worry continued discussions of voter fraud without any substantive proof of malice could unnecessarily weaken public trust in elections. Numerous academic studies repeatedly have found no evidence of wide-scale fraud in American elections.

Plettenberg, the Ravalli County clerk and recorder, said the majority of rejected ballots in Montana result from simple human error, either on the part of the voter or of temporary workers who review ballot signatures.

According to state statistics from the last two elections provided by Stapleton, mail ballots were most often rejected because they arrived late, were missing a signature, or had a signature that did not match the voter's registration file. A handful more were rejected when someone casting a provisional ballot did not have a photo ID or for "other," unspecified reasons.

Plettenberg said she does not think Montana elections officials are shirking their duties to guard against fraud or to report potential crimes to local police for investigation. Those cases are rare, and investigations can be difficult, she said.

"It's circular," Plettenberg said. "The Secretary of State feels it's the duty of election administrators and local law enforcement to investigate these, yet we're hearing from our local law enforcement that the Secretary of State needs to be a part of this process."

Rutherford agreed. He wondered why Stapleton had singled out Missoula County when Yellowstone County rejected five times as many ballots in May's special election  still less than 1 percent of votes cast  and questioned how Stapleton proposes to strengthen elections.

"Is he saying we should send every single one of those to the county attorney's office? Think of the volume of the man hours to dig into something like that when you know 99.9 percent is just a voter error," Rutherford said. "Do you spend excessive resources and money to find something that's not there in the first place?"

Stapleton points to the 1,833 ballots rejected in May's special election as evidence that something in Montana's current system can be improved. There were 383,301 votes counted, which means fewer than 0.5 percent of ballots were rejected. Barely more than 0.2 percent were rejected in the fall 2016 election. The difference appears, in part, to be because more people mailed their ballots late for the special election.

Stapleton described "a culture of permissivity" in Missoula County after his office learned that one of the 91 rejected ballots from May's election had been reported by a woman who said she had not cast her vote by mail despite records showing she had. After her complaint, the county reviewed the absentee ballot cast in her name and concluded the signature might have been a mismatch. They rejected the original ballot and allowed the woman to cast a new one.

For weeks, Stapleton has traded pointed emails with Elections Administrator Rebecca Connors and the Missoula County attorney's office. At the heart of that dispute is whether county elections officials and local law enforcement did enough to review the case, which Missoula leaders chalk up to a likely instance of mail getting mixed up at an apartment complex. Stapleton has argued it should be investigated until local leaders can confirm that theory definitively or instead prove criminal fraud.

Current practices, Stapleton said, assume the majority of disqualified ballots are honest mistakes and not attempts to fraudulently vote. He wants to turn that assumption on its head and has argued local election administrators, police, and county attorneys must do more to identify bad actors and convict them.

He said he does not believe Montana has experienced the kind of significant, organized fraud caught by election officials in some other states, in large part because the process here remains human-intensive and does not use electronic voting machines. But Stapleton nonetheless worries the state could be vulnerable without a closer analysis of rejected ballots. Or, maybe criminals simply have not been caught yet, he said.

"In the best-case scenario, there's zero fraud," which he said would mean the state could do a better job to help voters reduce simple errors, since it is not rare for local races to be decided by a handful of votes.

"In the worst-case scenario, some were forged or there was mal intent," he said. "That's a problem, and we should be able to talk about that without getting personally attacked or accused of trying to replicate what Trump's doing."

Local election administrators have watched Stapleton spar with Missoula County from afar, wondering if they, too, soon will be targeted or if this is just a bad start to what could be a fruitful effort to improve elections security.

"If Missoula's doing it wrong, then we're all doing it wrong," Plettenberg said. "Maybe there is a change of direction that his office wants us to take.

"I'm hopeful he'll get some solutions and bring that to our group and train our group on how he'd like to see us to proceed in future elections."

The association has formally requested Stapleton's elections chief, who has served multiple secretaries of state, to provide additional training on signature verification and ballot rejection at their August conference.

"Our group has always had a better partnership with our secretary of state's office," she said.

Both Stapleton and local officials admitted their relationship had a rocky start just a few months into the former legislator's first term as secretary of state when he opposed an all-mail ballot for the special election, saying it would weaken ballot security and disenfranchise Native American voters. The majority of counties argued they wanted the mail-in option, which would have been significantly cheaper and not any less secure than in-person polling.

In separate interviews, Stapleton and elections administrators said they hope to move past that professional difference. Yet both see it as a sign of underlying disagreements about the security of mail voting that could shape future discussions.

Stapleton said he has heard no pushback from elections administrators about the new focus of his office  except from Missoula County. He said he has not yet reached out to other elections officials or to any local law enforcement groups because his office is still gathering information about rejected ballots and they have not yet developed suggestions on how to improve security.

Broadly, Stapleton said he expects changes to the election process itself would be more effective than administrative rules changes about how ballots are handled. He said that he would not suggest an end to mail ballots, which he thinks the state can "make work." Instead, he said other possibilities include shifting away from the U.S. Postal Service, "better options for IDs," or "creative ideas" Montana could adopt from other states.

"I hope something good can come of this," Stapleton said. "Personal attacks aside from reporters and officials from Missoula County."
Several forest fires are burning in Southwest Montana caused by lightning activity.

Firefighters are being dispatched to work on these fires as they are reported. Most remain small in size ( 1/10 to  acre). Most of these fires are located in remote areas with difficult access.

Currently, two of these fires have grown in size. The Whetstone Ridge fire is 371 acres, and the Meyers fire is 75 acres. Both of these fires are burning in remote locations and dense timber. They are located approximately 20 miles southwest of Philipsburg in the Sapphire Mountains. Both fires have 0 percent containment.

On Monday, crews will be taking advantage of the precipitation that was received from Sunday's thunderstorms and begin building firelines around the perimeter of the Meyers fire and establishing helispots to allow for helicopter support to the fires. They will also be working to clear an old road that will allow for access to these fires.

About 100 people are fighting the blazes.

Other area fires:

Garfield: 8 acres, contained, located 2 miles west of Clark Canyon Reservoir

Browns: 1 acre, firefighters are monitoring, located 13 miles north of Butte

Elkhorn: 1/10 acre, contained, 6 miles northeast of Boulder

Twin Adams:  acre, contained, located 5 miles east of Glen in the East Pioneer Mountains

Granite: Firefighters are en route to fire, located 13 miles southwest of Melrose

Swamp: 1/10 acre, contained, located 5 miles east of Philipsburg

Happy Peak: 1 acre, contained, located 10 miles SW of Georgetown Lake

An area closure has been established for FS Roads 8671, 5110, 5107, and 5112. The following trails are also closed: 8020 (Whetstone Ridge) and 8109.
TUESDAY, JULY 18

COMMUNITY MARKET

Community Market is from 4 to 7 p.m. at Kennedy Common in Anaconda. The event includes demonstrations, live music, and food vendors. Handmade and homemade items will also be for sale.
HELENA (AP)  Montana Gov. Steve Bullock was seated as the vice chairman of the National Governors Association last week at its summer meeting in Providence, Rhode Island.

Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval of Nevada is the chairman of the organization for the coming year. Bullock will be seated as chairman next summer.

The NGA is a bipartisan organization of the nation's governors through which they develop public policy and share solutions to improve state government.

Bullock, a Democrat, says he's pleased that his fellow governors trust him to help lead the organization. He says the group will work across party lines to help grow the economy, create more jobs and protect families' quality of life.

During the 2017 NGA summer meeting, governors discussed international trade, the opioid epidemic, apprenticeship and work-based learning, cybersecurity, and innovation.
The 3,200-acre site of the former Smurfit-Stone mill in Frenchtown has massive potential. Its size, its picturesque location along the Clark Fork River and its proximity to the steadily growing communities of Frenchtown and Missoula are just a few of its unique assets.

So it is beyond frustrating for Missoula County residents to watch the property sit empty year after year, its possibilities unrealized. It is maddening to know that in the meantime, the propertys owners are racking up hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid taxes, leaving the Frenchtown school and fire districts struggling to fill the gaps in their budgets. And it is sickening to realize that the settling ponds, a serious contamination hazard in their own right, pose a major environmental threat to the river and everyone who lives downstream.

Missoula County is, of course, no stranger to any of these concerns, having learned a thing or two about encouraging the redevelopment of old mill sites from the former Stimson Lumber Co. site in Bonner, and about the lengthy, expensive Superfund cleanup process from the former Milltown Dam. It took many years of concerted effort, but today we can claim both of those as solid victories.

And we can apply the lessons learned from them to our current challenges with the old Smurfit property. County leaders have tried working with the Smurfit property owners, and a number of stakeholder agencies and organizations continue to try to work with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to turn this site into a success story as well.

Last week, they cranked up the heat on the EPA and on M2GREEN Redevelopment, the company that owns the former Smurfit mill property but which refuses to pay its full share of property taxes. All of Missoula County should pay close attention to these new developments  and back our public employees in their efforts.

The EPA holds quarterly teleconference meetings to provide updates on the proposed Superfund site, which operated as a pulp and paper mill for decades until it was shuttered in 2010. Various chemicals produced by the mill are held in unlined settling ponds that are slowly seeping contaminants into the river, prompting health officials to warn anglers against eating any fish caught along a 105-mile section of the Clark Fork.

Furthermore, a big flood event could breach some of the ponds, spilling their contents into the river.

Its that possibility that has county residents urging the EPA to expedite the cleanup process. But expedited is not the same as slapdash, and those at the federal agency overseeing this process would do well to remember that.

They got a reminder during the third quarterly teleconference last Tuesday, when representatives from the state Natural Resource Damage Program, Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and others chimed in one after another to note that two weeks is not enough time to provide meaningful input on the pile of documents just released by the EPA.

The EPA was given the go-ahead by past and current property owners to study the site contamination in November 2015. Thats approaching two years. And the most recent study drafts have not even been released yet.

While Missoulians do not want the EPA to drag its feet any longer, taking years to investigate and compile data, neither do we want to see the public review and comment period rushed through at the conclusion. That is, after all, our opportunity to ensure the cleanup process is progressing in a way that actually answers our concerns.

As Peter Nielsen, the director of the Water Quality District with the Missoula City-County Health Department, pointed out during the teleconference, Missoulians have previously seen the EPA begin testing before bothering to collect public comment. And the CSKT technical assistance group has not even been granted a visit to the mill site yet.

The EPA can and should move forward with the cleanup process as quickly as possible  but that doesnt mean cutting corners by shutting out the public.

Meanwhile, Missoula County alleges M2GREEN now owes more than $1.2 million in unpaid taxes. Last week, it sued the company to collect those taxes  a suit that was only made possible through the legislative efforts of Missoula Rep. Kim Dudik, who sponsored the bill to allow taxing jurisdictions to go to court to collect on tax bills of $250,000 or more.

With the new law now in place, Missoula County wasted no time putting it to good use. In addition to the unpaid taxes, M2Green, based in Illinois, is accused of maintaining community decay, a public nuisance and health code violations by accumulating demolition waste and garbage.

For tax purposes, the company is responsible for 15 individual parcels; however, it has not paid any taxes on two of those parcels for the past three years.

The county is suing to collect that money, as well as proceeds from an upcoming auction of mill equipment, and an injunction to prevent the company from transferring property or other assets.

The same day, the Missoula City-County Health Department filed a civil complaint regarding the companys alleged health code violations. Apparently, solid waste, debris and piles of garbage have been left sitting on the site for several years.

Theres no good excuse for treating this property like a landfill. Missoula County is determined to see that it receives the restoration it has long deserved, and last week commissioners sent a letter of intent to Gov. Steve Bullock formally requesting funds from the Natural Resource Damage Program.

These are all last-resort measures that the county has undertaken only after exhausting all other reasonable efforts to work with the property owner. Missoula Countys public officials should be applauded for taking the next necessary steps to make sure this property gets cleaned up, and that county taxpayers arent left holding the bill.

-- The Missoulian
Gulfport, MS - Three Mississippi teens are facing kidnapping and sexual assault charges in connection to a video that was recorded on Facebook Live and was watched by thousands, authorities said.

Authorities responded to a report of an assault at a Gulfport home late Tuesday. Authorities discovered the video that recorded the alleged sexual assault.

The video begins inside a bathroom with a man demanding oral sex from the woman. Others in the background also demand that the woman performs the sex act, The Clarion-Ledger reported. A female could be heard saying that the alleged victim could not leave until she performed the act.

She said: "She ain't going home and that the woman is going to perform the sexual acts until her throat swells up.

Haleigh Alexis Hudson, 19, surrendered to police on charges of felony kidnapping and sexual assault. She is being held on $400,000 bond. Ezzie Johnson and Kadari Fabien Booker, both 17, were arrested on separate felony kidnapping and sexual assault charges, the Sun Herald reported.

Johnson recorded the alleged sexual and physical assault of a 23-year-old woman at Hudsons home and will be charged as an adult, Gulfport Police Chief Leonard Papania said in a news conference Wednesday.

Facebook user Tiffany Hailey told The Clarion-Ledger she watched the video in real-time on Facebook and shared a copy of it urging her friends to reach out to the woman who looked like she was in trouble.

"This is gut wrenchingly horrific," Hailey said. "It's really, really, bad."

The video has been removed from the social networking site, but had been shared more than 1,500 times and attained 84,000 views, according to the New York Post.

Papania said he expected the disturbing trend to continue.

I wish people would look at just how warped our society has become, he said. We videotape pain and suffering, then we share it and we view it over and over. And I dont doubt this story will be dead in two days and everybody [will] move on to something else and you still have a victim of a crime.

According to The Clarion-Ledger, the victim in the alleged assault has special needs. Papania said the claims will be investigated and said additional charges could come if the claims are substantiated.

Investigators believe Johnson and Hudson knew the victim prior to the incident.
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MUSCATINE  A shooting on Oregon Street in Muscatine left a house and vehicle damaged early Sunday morning.

Muscatine police were called to 901 Oregon St. at 2:47 a.m., after several gun shots were reported outside of the residence. When officers arrived, they found damage to the building and a vehicle parked in the driveway.

Several bullet casings were found on the sidewalk. People were in the home at the time of the shooting, but no injuries were reported, according to Lt. Tim Hull.

The Muscatine Police Department is asking for the public's assistance during the criminal investigation. Anyone with information should call the Muscatine Police Department Street Crimes Unit Office Anthony Arnaman at 563-263-9922, Ext. 249.

Sarah Ritter
Six black boys in gray hoodies line up in a classroom in the South Bronx. One by one, they speak.

"Do you see me?" the first boy asks, his voice heralding the middle octave of youth.

"Do you see me?" his classmates intone, one after the next after the next. "Do you see me? ... "Do you see me?"

With heads still covered, the performers -- all fourth-graders at Success Academy Bronx 2 -- take turns naming, with honor, the black teens and men, some not very much older than themselves, who in recent years have been killed in high-profile incidents by police or others.

"Freddie ... Michael ... Philando ... Tamir," they say. "Eric ... Alton ... Trayvon ... Jordan."

Their spoken-word production, "Alternative Names for Black Boys," demonstrates how acutely these boys are aware of race in their world -- and how much they want to talk about it, their teacher, Sentell Harper, told CNN.

"I got my group of boys together, and I said, 'Today we're gonna talk about race,'" said Harper, who is black. "And they had so much to say. They started telling me stories about their fathers and their brothers, and about dealing with racism -- things that I never knew that these young boys went through."

Killings spur conversations, art

After the death of Michael Brown -- the black teen whose shooting in 2014 by a white officer in Ferguson, Missouri, fueled the Black Lives Matter movement -- Harper discovered the poem, "Alternative Names for Black Boys," by Danez Smith. He knew he wanted his students to perform it.

"With the killings of black men and boys being in the media, it was really just scary in my world," he said. "I thought about the boys I was teaching. ... Society won't see them like I see them. Society will only see them as black men."

An actor and playwright, Harper crafted a five-part performance that includes, in order: a poem by rapper Tupac Shakur called, "Did you hear about the rose that grew from a crack in the concrete?"; a few lines from Langston Hughes' "Poplar Tree"; Danez Smith's "Alternative Names for Black Boys"; a litany of names of black men and boys "who have been senselessly killed"; and a monologue that speaks to the future of young black boys.

"When I do this piece, I'm, like, proving everybody wrong, that I could get an education, and I could go somewhere in my life," performer Tysean Wheeler said.

"We want to prove people wrong about what black men and boys can do, because we might be the future men would could get shot or killed," Gregory Hannah, another performer, said.

Words of their fathers

When he started staging the production, Harper said he worried about the response to boys "speaking and talking about something very heavy. But the response has been amazing," he said, especially from the performers' fathers.

"I feel like the sons are speaking the words that the fathers may not say or may not have the words to say," Harper said.

Each new class of fourth-graders brings a fresh perspective to the piece, with the latest cast invited to perform at theater conferences and the famed Carnegie Hall. Harper also has created a piece about what it means to be a girl of color, which his students performed for Black History Month.

"I'm always thinking about what I can discuss with my scholars, be it race, be it beauty norms, be it any kind of socially relevant topics," he said. "I'm trying to keep one foot in front of the other by making and creating pieces that help them with those discussions."
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 []
He first grabbed peoples attention when he did a parody of U.S President Donald Trump earlier this year. And now, MC Njagi is flying high after capitalizing on Wavinya Ndetis proverbial gaffe Yaliyo Ndwele Sipite.

Also Read: Watch Tilambu..The Hilarious Kamba Song Celebrating Donald Trumps Presidency (VIDEO)

Slightly over a week ago, he returned with a new Jubilee Anthem Mbele Iko Sawa.

MC Njagi is clearly capitalizing on this election period and the offers have been coming for more projects.

He spoke with Pulse about his music career and what he has been up to with Wavinya Ndetis team.

Are you a musician or was this simply an opportunity that you decided to capitalise on?

I am a music producer by profession and a comic musician, so what you saw in the song was a fusion of all my skills.

Still it would also be true to say that I spotted the opportunity and capitalised on it.

Did you expect the song to go viral?

Honestly, I knew that it would make people happy and they would share it on their social circles, but I did not think it would be so huge. If I knew the song would have been this big, I would have been more prepared.

What do you mean prepared?

The first thing would have been to register it with the Collective Management Organisations (CMOs) for music copyright so that I can make money every time it gets played on radio and television.

I would have also registered it on Skiza tunes because I hear many people are using it as their ringtone.

Have you met the Machakos Governor aspirant Wavinya Ndeti herself?

Yes. That was actually the highlight of this whole experience. Her communications team reached out to me and we are now working towards coming up with more customised music and content for her campaigns.

Do you think the song will help her bid?

(Laughs) I am not a political analyst. I am simply using my talent to make money and entertain my audience. If it steers her political bid well and good. I will be happy to have helped.

That is why I am looking forward to work with her on other projects.

Apart from Yaliyo Ndwele Sipite, what other music do you have to your name?

I have more than 15 songs some of which have not been released yet but my popular tracks include: Tulampu, a parody of president Trumps presidency, Wachana Nyeri, which is about Nyeri women and their aggressiveness, Hello, a parody of the Adele song and Waithera, which is a parody for the Nerea song.

You definitely nailed the Kamba accent in your parody. Are you from the community?

That has been the big question everyone asks me wherever I go. Lets just say that if I was a Kamba, I would have loved to be born in Kathonzweni, but for now, I can only perfect the accent and entertain fans. So far it is working.

So where do you hail from?

I reside in Meru and that is where my Audio 1 production company is located.

It is also where we shot the video for Yaliyo Ndwele Sipite but the mastering was done in Nairobi where I am stationed especially during this campaign period because I am helping several politicians in their campaigns and theme song production.

For fans who want to keep up with your activities and parody content, where can they find it?

Social media is the take-off spot for all my music and content, so they can keep checking my Facebook page MC Njagi Comedian and Instagram page mcnjagi254.

Have you considered doing musical collaborations with local musicians?

Yes I would definitely love to work with Eric Wainaina because his music is quite refined so bringing a parody angle to it all would make it interesting. I would also love to work with Willy Paul.

Your new song Mbele Iko Sawa seems to encourage people to join Jubilee yet Wavinya Ndeti is affiliated to NASA. Does that mean your loyalty can be bought off?

Like I said, I am not a politician whose loyalties have to be aligned to a certain party. I am a comic musician who is out to capitalise on this election period and make as much as I can.

The next time such an opportunity will present itself is 5 years from now so I shall capitalise on it make as much money as I can.
These are links to stories making headlines today.

The Trump Jr. Russia controversy  what we know Daily news reports offering a steady drip of disclosures and shifting statements from Trump Jr. and others involved have triggered an ever-mounting list of questions. A Russian-American lobbyist has now confirmed to The Associated Press and The Washington Post that he also attended the meeting with Trump Jr.

Federer beats tearful Cilic to make history A dominant 6-3 6-1 6-4 defeat of an emotional and injured Marin Cilic on Centre Court of the All England Club in London handed the Swiss a record eighth Wimbledon singles title, and his 19th major overall. Federer took his first Wimbledon title in five years without losing a single set.

Trump defends Donald Trump Jr. in tweet President Donald Trump defended his eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., on Twitter Sunday morning amid mounting questions about his sons meeting with a Russian lawyer during the 2016 campaign, implying a media double standard in its treatment of Hillary Clinton.

Pink Floyds Roger Waters defends his anti-Trump tour Theyre just a few of the images music fans can catch on Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters 54-date North American tour, Us + Them, which kicked off on May 26 and coincideswith the release of Waters first studio album in 25 years, Is This the Life We Really Want?

British government ponders life sentences for acid attacks Rudd announced the move in the aftermath of the latest acid attack to hit the streets in London, in which five men were attacked over a 70-minute period on Thursday. Writing in The Sunday Times, Rudd said that life sentences must not be reserved for acid attack survivors.

A year after failed coup in Turkey, Erdogan says behead traitors Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan  delivering feisty and stirring messages on the one-year anniversary of a failed coup aimed at unseating him  lauded the popular resistance that helped stop the coup, and promised to decapitate traitors, a sign that his harsh crackdown against his foes over the last 12 months will continue.

Sexual harassment in tech: Women tell their stories From an investor who exposed his fully erect penis, to being groped over work dinners, and propositioned over texts and email, the stories of alleged sexual harassment and assault are pouring in. In this rare set of CNN Tech interviews, six women have come forward with shocking stories and a call for change.

Hotel de Crillon reopens with Karl Lagerfeld-designed suites Lilit Marcus, CNN * Updated 12th July 2017 (CNN)  Paris is known for its grand, stately hotels. And luckily, staying at a classic property doesnt have to mean dealing with ancient amenities, as some of the areas most famous hotels have gone through renovations.

Carly Rae Jepsen has a perfect response to that hilarious Instagram meme about her Plug Carly Rae Jepsens name into Twitter or Instagram and youll be greeted with a peculiar sight: Dozens and dozens of comments narrating exactly what is literally happening in the photo, and crowning her for it. Queen of wearing a T-shirt under a dress! proclaims one.

Did Justin Trudeau just Google Canada music to make his summer playlist? Justin Trudeau needs your help because he has absolutely no clue what music he should be listening to this summer. On Saturday morning the Canadian Prime Minister dropped his hot seasonal Spotify playlist on Twitter, featuring some lovely artists like Drake, Shawn Mendes, k.d.

Someone made a Iron Throne phone charger and its about as cool as it gets Everywhere you go in life, theres bound to be someone more talented than you. And thats okay. Take YouTuber Natural Nerd, who recently designed their own Iron Throne from Game of Thrones phone charger. Its far cooler than any hip case youll get from the T-mobile stand at the mall and it appears to be actually easy to build.

Australian foreign minister not so sure if Trump himself is in good shape Lets be honest: no one except Congress has the power to shut President Trump down, not even J.K. Rowling. What leaders can do, however, is humiliate him  fairly and squarely, as Australias Foreign Minister Julie Bishop recently did.

A Star Wars resort is coming to Orlando because Disney doesnt have enough of our money already No, you cant actually visit that galaxy far, far away, on account of it being fictional and all. But Disney being Disney, theyve cooked up the next best thing. At D23 today, Bob Chapek, chairman of Disney Parks and Resorts, announced a 100% immersive Star Wars-themed resort to come to Walt Disney World.

Twitter is trolling the cast of Trump Jr.s ever-growing clown car meeting The world is slowly piecing together more and more of the puzzle that is Donald Trump Jr. meeting with a Russian lawyer at Trump Tower on June 9, 2016. A cascade of revelations on Friday made it clear that the gathering wasnt as intimate as first suggested.

Lewis Hamilton wins record-equalling fifth British GP Lewis Hamilton took a dominant victory at Silverstone to tie the all-time record of five career wins in the British Grand Prix. The Mercedes driver equalled the tally of Scot Jim Clark and Frenchman Alain Prost with his fourth home win in a row to add to his first win for McLaren in 2008.

Nigerian chief suspended by Lagos governor over fake kidnap  BBC News A Nigerian traditional chief in the state of Lagos has been suspended after he confessed to faking his own kidnap. Lagos state Governor Akinwunmi Ambode said the incident was an embarrassment to the state. He said in a statement that investigations had found that Chief Yusuf Ogundare had conspired with his family to frame a rival chief for the disappearance.

LA Galaxy 2-5 Manchester United: Marcus Rashford excels on US tour Marcus Rashford took the lead for Manchester United after taking advantage of poor defending Rashford doubled Uniteds lead when he converted after intelligent play by Spains Juan Mata Marouane Fellaini added a third in the first half when he let the ball run across the area before shooting United made
It has now been confirmed that Deputy President William Ruto will skip the Deputy Presidents debate scheduled for tonight at Catholic University.

Jubilee has already stated that President Uhuru will not participate in the Presidential debate, but that can change as the date approaches.

It was probably assumed that Ruto would make an appearance and go head to head with Kalonzo, since he is not known to back out from a challenge, especially on TV.

However, that was thrown in doubt on Friday when the deputy president made a sarcastic comment on Twitter.

His non-attendance was made official on Sunday when Dennis Itumbi revealed that Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichungwah would be representing Ruto on the podium. The explanation given was that Ruto would be joining the president in Lamu and Tana River counties for the campaigns.

Kimani Ichungwah later confirmed that he would indeed be the one representing Ruto. He made this post on his Facebook page.

[showad block=6]

Confirmed. I am very ready on behalf of my Party to face off with Kalonzo Musyoka or any of the NASA principals on behalf of the Deputy President who is engaged in the campaigns at the Coast.

I feel energised to play my civic responsibility to expose their (NASAs) lack of substance and vision for this country as we expound on the Transformative Agenda 2017-2022.

The likelihood of organizers allowing anyone other than a running mate on that podium is however very slim.

But even with the withdrawals, preparations are already complete. The venue is ready to play host, and the moderators have already been announced.

For the deputy presidents debate, everyones favourite Hussein Mohamed will join Fred Indimuli and Sophia Wanuna.

For the presidential debate, the moderators will be Yvonne Okwara, Joe Ageyo and Linus Kaikai.

The organizers have expressed hope that all candidates will show up, but if either one fails to show up, they have a plan for that. Whichever candidate turns up will address the country for 90 minutes, taking questions from the moderators and audience.

If both Ruto and Kalonzo fail to show up, the stations will show the empty podiums for 10 minutes and announce that the candidates have refused to come and account for their actions and tell the country their intentions.
Take our Internet Access Survey  Help close the digital divide in Napa County

The Napa County Library and California State University, Chico Geographical Information Center are conducting an Internet access survey and speed test until July 31 to better understand the need throughout the community.

The purpose of the study is to better understand broadband access and provide accurate feedback to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC)  a necessary first step to begin closing the digital divide in Napa County. By extending the deadline, we will have more accurate data to rely on as we continue to work toward providing access for all residents.

To participate follow these steps:

If you have access to the Internet, complete this online survey: https://goo.gl/KlrQ5v" href="https://goo.gl/KlrQ5v" target="_blank">https://goo.gl/KlrQ5v  if you choose to participate in the study you may be contacted for additional information.

If you dont have access to the Internet, a survey form will be mailed to certain priority areas and can be returned Geographical Information Center, 35 Main St., Chico, CA 95928-5393

Or you can visit a location with Internet, such as the Library, and complete the online survey at https://goo.gl/KlrQ5v

Supervisor Pedroza to host District 4 Town Hall meeting

Supervisor Alfredo Pedroza is scheduled to host a District 4 Town Hall meeting at 6 p.m. Aug. 7 at McPherson Elementary School, 2670 Yajome St., in Napa. For more information, contact Nelson Cortez at 707-299-1478 or Nelson.Cortez@countyofnapa.org.

Napa County Commission on Aging to meet July 24

The Napa County Commission on Aging is scheduled to meet 2 p.m., July 24, at the Napa Senior Center Annex, 1500 Jefferson St., in Napa. For more information, call 707-253-3818 or email NCCOA@countyofnapa.org.

Enroll in TSA PreCheck

The TSA bus is located at 1113 3rd St., from 9 a.m. to noon and 1-5 p.m. until July 28. If you plan to stop by please ensure that you fill out the online application prior to your arrival. Schedule an appointment and pre-enroll by visiting universalenroll.dhs.gov and click on the Napa County when selecting an enrollment center. PreCheck allows for expedited airport security lines for five years at a cost of $85.

Probation is now back at the Hall of Justice

Just a reminder, the Probation department is now back at the Hall of Justice, 1125 Third St., second floor, after being displaced by the South Napa Earthquake.

National Night Out is Aug. 1

National Night Out is scheduled for 4-7 p.m., Aug. 1, at the South Napa Market Place Target, 205 Soscol Ave. For more information, contact Sgt. Michael Bartlett at 707-299-1307.

Get Involved  Committee and Commission openings

Here are some great opportunities to get involved in your community. Napa County has openings for committees and commissions including Napa County Commission on Aging, Napa County Mental Health Board, Community Corrections Partnership, and Measure A Financial Oversight Committee. For these and more openings visit: http://www.countyofnapa.org/ceo/committeesandcommissions/

Come work with us!

Is your career ready for its next challenge? Bring your expertise to our Napa County team. Find open positions and apply here: http://www.countyofnapa.org/jobs/

Engage with us

Follow our social media accounts on Facebook (Napa County, California  Government) and on Twitter (@countyofnapa). Visit us online at countyofnapa.org to locate county services and programs, contact departments, search for records and documents, and find events and agendas, and much more.

Sign up for emergency alerts

Get safety and community messages straight to your mobile phone by joining Nixle, Napa Countys emergency mass communications system. Text your ZIP code to 888777 to receive local updates during storms, wildfires, and other emergencies.
YOUNTVILLE  It was a celebration in food of all things red, white and blue  or rather, the blue, white and red of France.

Saturday afternoon, a day and about 5,600 miles removed from the home of Bastille Day, Yountvilles Bouchon Bistro played host to its festival honoring Frances national holiday as well as the best of the nations cuisine.

The repast at the renowned restaurant on Washington Street played out like a greatest-hits collection of a nations culinary past, as guests sampled classics like whole roast pig, coq au vin, leg of lamb and crepes  as well as playful French-inspired riffs on American fare like truffle-dotted Brie-L.T. sandwiches on crusty baguettes.

In a courtyard decked with balloon bunches in Frances flag colors, and graced with the sounds of Cajun music bands, Bouchons 17th annual festival marking the 1789 storming of the Bastille and the advent of the French Revolution was a time for its creators to celebrate not only a country but a sense of community with visitors from near and far.

About 1,000 people attended the celebration, a record for the event, according to Sarah Adler, spokeswoman for the Thomas Keller Restaurant Group, which owns the restaurant and bakery.

Yountville is such a special place, and its great to be interacting with locals as well as (Bouchon) regulars and people from the Bay Area, said Jared Love, the bistros general manager. The biggest thing to me is the sense of community; youre seeing winemakers mingling with tourists, mingling with people from town. Thats whats most satisfying to me in that regard.

The Yountville bash proved a unique taste of home, close to home, for one first-time guest.

I think this is a wonderful thing theyre doing, said Monique Chapelet of Napa, who was born near Paris and first came to the U.S. in 1965. Normally Id be in San Francisco or Sacramento (for Bastille Day) but this time I said Id go to Yountville. When you live in an area you like to go far away, but this time I wanted to support the neighborhood.

Another guest tucked into Bouchons French fare as eagerly as Chapelet did her Brie-L.T., but for more practical reasons  to get a sneak preview of another Yountville landmark.

Were here because of Thomas Keller  my wifes always wanted to try the French Laundry, said Jim Clark, who had traveled with his spouse from Fairfield for the event. We havent gone yet, so now we can see what the food is like.

In the final days before the Bastille Day feast, Im in the kitchen doing this, only this  no email, no phone calls, said Nick Bonamico, pastry chef of Bouchon Bakery. But its fun!

The efforts of Bonamico and his team were visible for all to see and taste: beignets, bouchons and macarons in the colors of the French flag. But even more than the holiday or the achievement of providing a feast, it was the rare opportunity for face-to-face celebration that seemed to touch the chef the most.

Its a chance to not be in the kitchen, said Bonamico as the first wave of guests began nibbling on the sweet treats he had pulled a 13-hour Friday finishing. Usually we dont see the guests, but this is a great time to see people, to see how happy they are.

As in past years, the merriment in Yountville also included taking local town and restaurant figures through the dunk-tank gauntlet to raise funds for Yountville Elementary, the resort towns only public school. Festival guests bought tickets for the right to throw balls at the tank target to splash Mayor John Dunbar and the chefs of several Yountville eateries, according to Adler.
SAN FRANCISCO  A Napa County judge is losing his job after swiping two Art Deco-style business card holders from a judges dinner in San Francisco.

The Commission on Judicial Performances announced Monday its censure of Judge Michael S. Williams of Napa County. Williams also agreed to resign effective in December.

Williams was attending a dinner hosted by a matrimonial lawyers association in March 2016 when he took two cardholders in the Art Deco decor of The City Club of San Francisco. They were each worth about $30 to $50.

The commission says Williams, 70, returned the cardholders after being informed that he was caught on video.

The judge expressed remorse and said he had an unexplainable impulse to take the cardholders.

A lawyer for Williams did not return a request for a comment.

After being told that hed been caught on video, Williams sent a package containing the cardholders and an apology letter to The City Club on March 29, according to the Commissions Notice of Formal Proceedings.

In the letter, Williams said he had consumed a couple glasses of wine and did not know what he was doing. On March 30, Williams sent the Commission on Judicial Performance a letter stating he acted on an unexplained impulse, according to the CJPs notice.

Williams later wrote the CJP and stated he took the cardholders to display them as joke business cards that he and a friend had printed 40 years earlier and that Williams had recently found, according to the Notice of Formal Proceedings.

Contacted by the Register in mid-June, Williams responded in an email. My response is the same as I provided to the Commission. I am deeply disappointed in myself and I am profoundly embarrassed, he wrote.

Williams, a former courts commissioner, was appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown to Napa County Superior Court in 2012. He ran unopposed for re-election in 2014. His term expires in 2021. He currently is Supervising Judge in Family Court.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.
AMERICAN CANYON  A grassroots movement has sprung up in American Canyon to deal with grass  the dead kind, that is  as well weedy front yards, dirty streets, and other sources of neighborhood blight.

The Beautify American Canyon committee consists of longtime residents, including an elected official, who want to make the city look nicer and boost civic pride, not to mention improve property values.

But the well-intentioned effort has some obstacles to overcome, including some that may hamper their goal of getting City Hall to participate and partner with the Beautify American Canyon committee.

Its time we showed our city a little love, said a press release put out by the committee last month to announce its formation.

Lisa Lindsey, who has been recruiting people to join the beautification campaign and who has lobbied the city for years about improving neighborhoods, said now was as good a time as any to create a citizens committee.

This is the 25th anniversary of the city, said Lindsey, noting that American Canyon was incorporated in 1992. Lets raise it to the next level.

Another resident, Irene Dismuke, agreed that more must be done to improve the citys aesthetics and image.

Its like the old slogan, Keep America Beautiful, said Dismuke. Whats wrong with Beautify American Canyon?

Dismuke, 57, who has spent the majority of her life in American Canyon, said she remembers a time when her town lacked an identity and people looked down on it.

I was raised here, she said. Weve seen this city change from the days when it was part of unincorporated Napa County.

But this is our home, and we take pride in our property, Dismuke said. Lets keep it clean and beautiful.

Lindsey, a former real estate appraiser, said property values are important to me.

I understand what keeps property values at a good level, she said. Thats one of the things I think of when I drive around and see bad-looking parks or bad-looking streets that take down the property values, even if the houses look good.

Lindsey, Dismuke and others are launching a public relations campaign through yard signs and postcards bearing the Beautify American Canyon name. They also want to gather volunteers who will not only maintain their own front yards and their city blocks, but help others who cant, such as the elderly or the disabled.

Were also talking about the homes that need some care, said Dismuke, and tactfully say, Hey, can we help you out? Do you need some help?

Lindsey wants it known that theyre not trying to tell others what to do.

We dont want to be the police, said Lindsey. Were not trying to tell people, You have to paint your house a different color.

Some committee members have been trying to model good behavior for others to follow.

I take my weed eater and go down the street and cut the weeds the city dont do, said Wayne Dismuke, Irenes husband. But you know what, I dont mind doing it.

Kids are watching us, and thats important, too, he said. They see the way we keep things clean. They learn from grown-ups. Lets start setting examples for them.

Some of what needs improving, according to Lindsey, goes beyond the efforts of residents and requires help from city officials.

One example is street sweeping.

We would like the city to do something about the street cleaning, Lindsey said. Its very obvious if you walk around that its not being done well.

She said in some neighborhoods, the street sweeper comes by too early in the morning before people have left for work or to take their kids to school, leaving parked cars in the way.

The street sweeper is driving down the street and going around cars and it cant get into the gutters and get the leaves and the grass clippings and whatever else is up against the curb, according to Lindsey.

City Manager Dana Shigley acknowledged street sweeping has been an on-going problem. She said the city has tried to communicate with residents about moving their vehicles, but those efforts dont seem to be making much of a difference.

We will brainstorm internally and try some other ideas, she said. Ultimately, any significant changes will require [City] Council action.

American Canyon does not have designated times when parking is not allowed for street cleaning.

Councilmember Mark Joseph, who is part of the Beautify American Canyon committee, said it might be time to change local law and adopt an ordinance forbidding residents from parking at certain times to allow street sweeping a clear path.

That might be a relatively simple thing to do, he said of adopting an ordinance. The question then is do we have the resources to ticket people.

I dont know, he added, noting that American Canyon has only one code enforcement officer to punish violators.

Joseph said it might be a matter of better informing residents about the benefits of keeping their cars out of the street sweepers path. He pointed out that residents already pay for this service as part of their garbage bill because the company that handles trash pickup  Recology  also provides the street cleaning.

If people park their car when the sweeper comes around, Youre just throwing money away, said Joseph.

He also pointed out a problem with the committees desire to provide volunteers to help residents clean up their properties: Liability.

Sooner or later, he said, someone might accidentally hurt themselves or someone else while on private property. The risk of that and any ensuing litigation could dissuade the city from being involved with the Beautify American Canyon committee.

From the citys perspective, we have to be careful, said Joseph, alluding to American Canyons deep pockets that a litigants attorney might try to target.

We want to work with you [the committee], but we dont want to be liable for you, he said.

As Wayne Dismuke put it: With everything else in life, you got people who are sue-happy.

Lindsey said the committee might try to draw up a waiver for people to sign to avoid lawsuits. But Joseph said avoiding liability might also require incorporating and purchasing insurance.

Thats a pretty elaborate role, said Joseph, and a hefty burden for a volunteer-only organization.

If liability became a serious issue with respect to the city partnering with the Beautify American Canyon committee, Joseph said, I would probably vote against it.

Plus, Im pretty sure our city manager would recommend against it, said Joseph, who once was American Canyons city manager.

The current city manager, Shigley, said the city is already taking steps to beautify American Canyon.

In September, the city is planning to host a citywide free dump day/clean up day, she said, in which dumpsters will be set up around town to accept not only yard waste, but e-waste, and household waste.

Shigley said the city also intends to do outreach on each Saturday in September to facilitate neighborhood clean-up.

The city also wants to bring back its Cash for Grass program, which it stopped after the drought ended. The program was established to encourage residents to remove their front lawns and replace them with drought-resistant plants and landscaping that requires little or no watering.

Many homeowners simply stopped watering their grass and let it die. Shigley said the city wants to revive its program, only now it would be called Cash for Dead Grass.

We want to offer the opportunity for people to fix their dead lawns, she said.

Similar to the original program, residents could install low-water landscaping and be reimbursed up to a certain amount. They would not be able plant new lawn.

We want to help them fix up their yards and still be water-thrifty, said Shigley.

The city has no money in the budget for Cash for Dead Grass. But Shigley intends to ask the City Council in August to approve an appropriation to get things started.

Joseph said he favors putting city funds into the Cash for Dead Grass and using the program to help beautify the city. In time the move could help pay for itself, he said.

If the number of cash-for-grass participants goes up, according to Joseph, the city would receive more tax revenues from sales at local landscaping and nursery businesses. Plus, nicer yards can boost property values, and thus property taxes, he said.

The case can be made to invest more budget money into the Cash for Dead Grass program because we will get it back through higher tax revenues, said Joseph.
A 69-year-old former sales representative of Fior di Sole, the parent company of Ca Momi Winery in Napa, is suing the company for allegedly firing him for being too old.

The sales representative, Joseph White, who resides in Kansas, says in his lawsuit that he was fired shortly after his age was revealed to coworkers and following an employer-sponsored mandatory seminar with spiritual undertones that he opted out of attending. The company denies the allegation.

White began working for Qauterna, which is currently known as Fior di Sole, as a regional sales manager in 2014, selling wine in Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska, according to the suit.

In April 2015, White and other regional sales managers were at a meeting in Napa when the national sales manager asked aloud what Whites age was, the suit alleges. Although he didnt answer at first, White eventually admitted that he was 67 years old. In response, the suit alleges, the manager said that White was too old to work in the industry.

During the final two days of the three-day meeting, there was a mandatory seminar on Sacred Commerce, which was described as a manual for building a spiritual community at the workplace, according to the lawsuit. White, an observant Roman Catholic, and another employee who were both uncomfortable with the religious undertone of the seminar, requested to leave early in order to attend Catholic Mass, the suit asserts. Afterwards, the suit alleges, both employees were criticized for having left.

White was fired on May 1, 2015 due to restructuring, according to the suit. Toward the end of the month, the company changed its justification for firing White, saying it was due to a lack of performance in sales, the suit alleges.

Fior di Sole denies any wrongdoing.

Out of respect for Mr. Whites privacy, were not able to comment on the details of the litigation, said the companys attorney, David Dell of Coombs and Dunlap in Napa. Dell said that the company takes great pride in complying with the law and in treating its employees with respect and fairness.

Whites San Francisco-based attorney, Charles J. Wisch, filed the complaint in Napa County Superior Court last month after White had exhausted administrative options. Fior di Sole, LLC, Ca Momi Winery and Ca Momi Restaurants, LLC are listed as defendants in the suit in addition to Ca Momis owners, Dario de Conti, Stefano Migotto, and Valentina Guolo-Migotta.

Mr. White was deeply hurt by the way in which he was treated, Wisch said. He felt he had given loyalty to the defendants, which was repaid by him summarily being terminated.
People who supported the designation of Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument two years ago have a new goal - trying to make certain the national monument status remains.

President Donald Trump in April ordered Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to review 22 national monuments created since 1996 and five marine monuments. Berryessa Snow Mountain, created in 2015 by President Barack Obama, is on the list.

The public comment period for the 27 monuments under review ended July 10. Zinke issued a statement saying 1.2 million comments had been received on Regulations.gov and thousands more by traditional mail.

President Trump and I opened the formal public comment period  the first-ever for monuments designated under the Antiquities Act  in order to give local stakeholders a voice in the decision-making process, Zinke said.

Now all Berryessa Snow Mountain supporters can do is wait for a Zinke recommendation, possibly in August. Zinke has already recommended shrinking Bears Ears National Monument in Utah and keeping Craters of the Moon National Monument in Idaho and Hanford Reach National Monument in Washington.

Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument encompasses 330,000 acres of public lands in parts of Napa, Yolo, Solano, Lake, Colusa, Glenn and Mendocino counties. The Napa portions include Cedar Roughs Wilderness Area and Knoxville Recreation Area.

All parts of Berryessa Snow Mountain were public lands before the national monument designation. Supporters said the designation will result in a cohesive management plan for various federal and state properties overseen by different agencies. The Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service are developing that plan.

Bob Schneider and the nonprofit group Tuleyome championed the Berryessa Snow Mountain designation for years. Schneider said Wednesday that the monument status is strongly defensible from scientific and archaeological perspectives.

Plus, he said he thinks the designation has strong regional support. Supporters include Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, who also championed the monument designation.

I think well be fine, Schneider said. But I also think its important to remember an attack on one national monument is an attack on all national monuments.

He sees the review by the U.S. Department of the Interior as a chance to for Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument supporters to reconnect and think about how to get information on the monument out to the public.

The Lake Berryessa Chamber of Commerce opposed the national monument designation and succeeded in having federally owned Lake Berryessa itself kept out of the monument. Chamber President Peter Kilkus called Berryessa Snow Mountain the dumbest national monument in the United States and an incoherent map of public land that was already protected.

Supporters have said that Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument will attract visitors and help local economies. Kilkus doesnt believe thats happened in eastern Napa County and attributed any increased visitation in the area to Lake Berryessa filling for the first time in a decade.

Still, Kilkus said he thinks supporters have no need to worry about the Interior Department review.

Just think about it from a national perspective, Kilkus said. It would be unprecedented to take a national monument and change it or eliminate it . I dont think anything will come out of it.

The President of the United States and Congress can declare national monuments under the Antiquities Act of 1906. The goal is to protect objects of scientific or historic interest.

President Theodore Roosevelt created the first national monument that year  Devils Tower, a pillar-shaped volcanic mountain in Wyoming featured as the landing place for aliens in the 1977 Steven Spielberg film Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Today, there are 129 national monuments.

Statements in support of Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument have been released by various groups and lawmakers. Among them are state Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa.

As a federally protected land, Berryessa Snow Mountain benefits from enhanced recreational opportunities and visitation to the region  helping our environment and local economy, Dodd said. Preserving our regions natural splendor for future generations is absolutely essential and we cant afford to move backward.

The Center for American Progress released a study of each of the land-based national monuments under review. It found Berryessa Snow Mountain particularly good for climate change resilience, given that species could migrate to other areas with the same climatic conditions.

Berryessa Snow Mountain also received high marks in the study for bird diversity and the amount of rare species to be found there.

Schneider wrote a letter to Zinke on behalf of Tuleyome. Among other things, he invited Zinke to visit the monument, hike to Berryessa Peak, see serpentine soils, ride inflatable kayaks in Cache Creek and dine at the Buckhorn Steakhouse in Winters.

Zinke has yet to take Schneider up on this, though he has traveled to several of the national monuments under review.
Counterfeit suspect at school bake sale arrested on forgery, drug charges

COTATI  Cotati and Rohnert Park officers on Sunday arrested a woman suspected of passing a counterfeit $100 bill at a high school bake sale last week, Cotati police said.

Michelle Marie Kruse, 41, was arrested in the garage of her Rohnert Park home on a $75,000 arrest warrant for forgery and possession of methamphetamine and heroin for sales charges, Cotati police said.

Cotati and Rohnert Park officers found 2.9 grams of heroin, 3.3 grams of methamphetamine, a digital scale, packaging bags and methamphetamine pipes at her home, police said.

Kruse gave a counterfeit $100 bill to Rancho Cotate High School students who were selling baked goods for a music program outside Olivers Market at 546 E. Cotati Ave. on June 10, according to Cotati police.
SAN FRANCISCO -- A man walking in San Francisco's Tenderloin neighborhood Friday afternoon was seriously injured when he was attacked with a metal chain, police said.

The 64-year-old victim was walking in the 200 block of Turk Street when a man walking in front of him suddenly turned around swinging a metal chain and attacked him, police said.

The victim was transported to a hospital with life-threatening injuries suffered in the attack.

A 38-year-old male suspect was arrested at the scene, but his identity was not immediately released today.

Police have not released a possible motive in the attack.
As the Trump-Russia scandal reaches a tipping point, it's worth going back to the first big break in the story: the dossier. Back in January, when Buzzfeed first published an opposition research document on President Donald Trump's ties to Russia, it wasn't clear what to make of it.

Compiled by a former British spy, Christopher Steele, the research was unverified. But it was significant enough that the intelligence community included it in briefings held with both President Barack Obama and then-candidate Trump himself. Some of it seemed crazy, like the detail that Russians had video of Trump in a lewd sex party. Some of it seemed all-too-believable, such as the account of how the Kremlin assessed its election-influence operation over time.

Its claims cohered to a central line of attack taken by Hillary Clinton in the election: Trump was beholden to Russia for helping him in the election. To this day, it remains a guidepost for the "Resistance." See, for example, the Center for American Progress "Moscow Project." For Trump's supporters, it is Exhibit A of unscrupulous liberal activists, abetted by a pliant news media, willing to run unverified rumors to defame the president.

The dossier is particularly relevant now because of a central figure in the latest turn in the scandal: Natalia Veselnitskaya. She is the Kremlin-connected lawyer who met with Donald Trump Jr. in June 2016 after a music promoter, Rob Goldstone, promised Team Trump she had official Russian documents that could incriminate Clinton. According to Veselnitskaya and Trump Jr., those documents were never offered.

Instead, the meeting was primarily about a sanctions law known as the Magnitsky Act. Veselnitskaya was spearheading a campaign to repeal the law and discredit its namesake, Sergei Magnitsky, a young Russian lawyer who dug into what he said was a massive tax-fraud scheme inside the Russian Interior Ministry. In 2009, after he had blown the whistle with his findings, he died in prison under very suspicious circumstances. Veselnitskaya represented Prevezon, a Russian holding company the Justice Department was prosecuting at the time for laundering that tax money.

It turns out that the same opposition research firm that commissioned the dossier on Trump also worked with the U.S. law firm of Baker Hostetler on behalf of Prevezon to discredit Magnitsky and the sanctions named for him. That firm, Fusion GPS, will be the subject of a hearing next week before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Repealing the Magnitsky act has been a high priority for Russian President Vladimir Putin since it became law in 2012. In retaliation, the Kremlin banned all American adoptions of Russian children. And it's easy to understand why Putin hates it. It generates a list of officials implicated in the Magnitsky death. It is not only a stain on Russia's reputation, it puts pressure on the cronies and oligarchs Putin needs to keep happy by barring their travel to America and freezing their U.S. assets.

Veselnitskaya showed up at Congressional hearings last year on Magnitsky. After meeting with Trump Jr. in New York, she went to Washington, for the opening of a documentary film that smeared Magnitsky by implying he was implicated in the corruption he helped expose.

This context is damning for the Trump administration. Even if no dirt was offered to the younger Trump, it smells bad that he would even take a meeting with someone waging a campaign to defame the memory of this brave lawyer. What's more, all of this raises questions about the Trump Justice Department's recent settlement with Prevezon, in which the holding company paid a paltry fine of $6 million in a deal where it did not have to admit any guilt.

But the episode also spotlights how Russia's influencers have a wide reach inside Washington. William Browder, the founder of Hermitage Capital who had initially hired Magnitsky and has been the driving force behind the legislation named for him, told me he will lay out what he knows about Fusion GPS at next week's Senate hearing. "Fusion GPS promoted this anti-Magnitsky narrative, that he died of natural causes, that he wasn't a whistle-blower," he said.

Browder has filed a formal complaint with the Justice Department, asking it to investigate the firm for violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act by working with BakerHostetler on behalf of Prevezon. Fusion GPS denies they violated that law.

Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley, the Republican chairman of the Judiciary Committee, is also troubled by Fusion GPS. In a March 31 letter to then-acting Attorney Deputy General Dana Boente, he raised concerns about how the company worked closely with Rinat Akhmetshin, a former Soviet intelligence officer who is now a lobbyist, in the campaign against the Magnitsky legislation. As NBC reported Friday, Akhmetshin also attended the meeting with Trump Jr. in 2016.

"It is highly troubling that Fusion GPS appears to have been working with someone with ties to Russian intelligence -- let alone someone alleged to have conducted political disinformation campaigns -- as part of a pro-Russia lobbying effort while also simultaneously overseeing the creation of the Trump/Russia dossier," he wrote. "The relationship casts further doubt on an already highly dubious dossier."

For its part, Fusion GPS has released statements to the press claiming it had no knowledge of the Veselnitskaya/Trump Jr. meeting last June and that its work on the Trump dossier did not intersect with its work on behalf of Prevezon. So far, the firm has declined to provide documents to Grassley's committee. It has also not disclosed which client paid for the dossier on Trump.

All of this goes to show that Russia's influence in Washington goes far beyond the president and his associates. It even extends to the opposition research firm that tried to expose that influence in the first place.